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6 Russia: 2 suicide attacks D

L outside Kabul airport; 13 dead R O US says up to 1,500 Americans W await airlift as threats grow 7 Govt committed to full evacuation of N

O Indians from Afghanistan: Jaishankar I T A Forced sex with wife does not N amount to rape:Chhattisgarh HC www.thehillstimes.in Voice of the hills people Vol .No. XXII Issue No. 220 Regd. NGG-709 RNI-ASSENG/2000/128T62 HDIPHU, E KARBI AHNGLONG, IFRIDLAY , ALUGUS ST 27, 202T1 PAGIES M8 PRICEE ` 5 S Three held with rhino All teachers, students and school staff in Assam to be vaccinated by Sept 5 horn in Morigaon Dredging of Dhansiri river HT Correspondent NAGAON, Aug 26: Three poachers have been arrested from Panibogora area in Morigaon dis - to start for cargo shipping trict on Wednesday night. Another unlock: Edu institutions New Ship Repair Facility at Pandu heralds A team of police led by Na - gaon additional superintendent of a new economic beginning for Assam NRL police Dhruba Bora conducted a search operation in the area and signs MoU with IWAI for cargo export arrested them when they were HT Bureau th e final year students of higher sec - HT Bureau putra to NRL for seamless transport trying to smuggle out a rhino to open from September 1 GUWAHATI, Aug 26: The Assam ondary and degree level, vaccination GUWAHATI, Aug 26: In a major of cargo. horn to an unknown location. government on Thursday an - of all them is a must,” Health minis - boost to the economy of Assam, the NRL is planning to expand its re - The rhino horn, which was nounced reopening of classes X, ter Keshab Mahanta said. foundation for a new ‘Ship Repair fining capacity from 3 million met - supposed to be smuggled out, XII and final-year degree courses The state cabinet has also given Facility’ was inaugurated by chief ric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) to was also recovered in the opera - from September 1, though the its nod to reopen the hostels of var - minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and 9 MMTPA with an investment of Rs tion. The arrested poachers have Covid situation has been static in ious educational institutes in the Union minister for Ports, Shipping 22,594 crores by 2024. For the safe been identified as Ashik Ali and the state for the past one week with state. However, all hostel boarders and Waterways, Sarbananda and smooth passage of goods, a cus - Khairul Islam of Mayang and 600-700 cases detected everyday. have to be double vaccinated to Sonowal here on Thursday. tomised Over Dimensional Cargo Bhajan Biswas of Morigaon. The decision was taken in a start their stay in the hostels. The endeavour is another step to - (ODC) or Over Weight Cargo They have been brought to Na - meeting of the state cabinet here. A “The cabinet decided to start wards emboldening the economic (OWC) will be used to transport it gaon for further investigation. fresh Standard Operating Proce - classes for HS final, Degree final development of the region with spe - from Kolkata/Haldia port via Indo dure (SOP) will be issued in this and PG final year from 1 st week cial emphasis on waterways con - Banglades h route and National Wa - AASU protest against regard on August 30. of September. In view of this, vac - nectivity for swift and budget terway-2 to NRL via NW-31 (Dhan - “We will start offline classes cination camp for Covid-19 will be movement of cargo from the region. siri river). This is a challenging yet OIL’s recruitment policy from September, phase-wise. First, held at the offices of block elemen - The Inland Waterways Authority unique way to transport ODC/OWC HT Correspondent final-year classes like class X, XII cination camp will be conducted at participate in the vaccination tary education officer, district ele - of India (IWAI) under the Ministry through waterways as such cargo can - JORHAT, Aug 26: The All and degree final-year classes will our block elementary education of - drive,” Pegu said. men tary ed ucation officer, of Ports, Shipp ing & Waterways has not be transported by road or rail . Jorhat District Students Union commence,” Pegu told reporters fice, district elementary education “We are launching a special inspector of schools and all univer - signed another MoU with the Numa - For the design and implementa - (AJDSU) on Thursday staged a after the cabinet meeting. office, office of the inspector of drive starting from Friday to vac - sity campus from August 27 upto ligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) to fa - tion of this project, a Memorandum demonstration under it's Satya - All teachers, students and school schools and all university cam - cinate all the teachers, students September 5 for vaccin ation of cilitate export of cargo from the latter. of Understanding (MoU) was grah programme at Oil India staff in the state will be vaccinated puses. We urge all teachers, work - above 18 years and other staff teachers, non-teaching staff and stu - An ambitious scheme has been signed between the Inland Water - Limited (OIL)’s Pumping Station by September 5. ers and students above the age within September 5. Since we have dents above 18 years,” a CMO com - drawn up to dredge from the conflu - ways Authority of India and Cochin 3 at Charigaon here in protest “From tomorrow, a special vac - of 18 years to come ahead and also decided to reopen classes for munique (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) ence of Dhansiri river with Brahma - Shipyard (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) against the national oil company's recruitment policy in which eligi - ble youth of Jorhat were excluded from applying in Grade III posts of the OIL major. ` 13K crore unpaid contractors’ dues KSA wants border demarcation AJDSU members holding placards and shouting slogans condemned the OIL's policy under 1951 Gazette notification HT Bureau where only unemployed youth of hitting Assam development works: Cong GUWAHATI, Aug 26 (IANS): In The Congress leader said that in DIPHU, Aug 26: Talking about those districts where OIL had wake of a debt-ridden BJP leader- 2020-21, work orders were issued the ‘give and take policy’ adopted areas of operation were eligible to cum-contractor reportedly commit - with instruction to complete them by both the Assam and Meghalaya apply. ting suicide earlier this week as his before March 31, in view of the governments for solution to the In this regard, OIL had adver - outstanding payments were not re - March-April Assembly elections inter-state border row, the Karbi tised for filling up posts of 535 leased by the Assam government, and the contractors had abided by Students Association (KSA) on vacant grade III posts in its web - the Opposition Congress claimed the order and completed their Thursday said the student body site on August 24 wherein it was that the unpaid dues of contractors works before the stipulated time would only accept the Assam mentioned that only eligible has severely hit the development but their bills have still remained Gazette notification published on youth of Charaideo, Tinsukia, Di - works in the state. unpaid by the government. Saikia April 13, 1951 on border demarca - brugarh and Sivasagar districts of Opposition leader Debabrata said that while the BJP government tion with Meghalaya and Assam. Assam and Changlang district of Saikia said that till March, the un - has been claiming that the state's “If border areas of West Karbi Arunachal Pradesh could apply. paid amount to contractors stood at works and projects. A large number financial situation is fine but it is Anglong have to be surrendered to AJDSU assistant general sec - around Rs 13,000 crore, affecting of contractors under the PWD, Ir - not releasing the huge outstanding Meghalaya then the KSA will be retary Jul Khound said that this the development works as the con - rigation, Guwahati Development payments to the contractors. compelled to take up strong action. was doing a gross injustice to the tractors are frustrated. Department, National Health Mis - Referring to the suicide of the We want the land to be divided ac - ing else. We cannot give even an addressing a press conference held unemployed y outh of Jorhat espe - "However, it has emerged that sion and other departments are yet debt-ridden BJP leader-cum-con - cording to the April 13, 1951 inch of our land to Meghalaya in at District Press Club of Karbi An - cially as OIL had operations here as some contractors close to ministers to receive their payments despite tractor Mithuranjan Das in Assam Gazette notification on bor - the name of ‘give and take’ pol - glong on Thursday. The KSA well. “This exclusion of Jorhat dis - and MLAs received payments completing their allotted works," Lakhimpur district on Monday, he der demarcation with Meghalaya icy,” KSA central committee mem - (Jemson Timung faction) clarified trict (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) without completing governmental Saikia told the media. said that (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) and West Karbi Anglong and noth - ber Moniram Teron said that it (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) M’laya set to open education, tourism sectors from Sept 1 HT Bureau SHILLONG, Aug 26: Meghalaya government on Thursday an - nounced its decision to reopen the education and tourism sectors from September 1. The decision was taken by the cabinet after taking into considera - tion the decline in the number of Covid-19 cases in the state. Chief minister Conrad Sangma told reporters on Thursday that those who have double vaccination can enter the state and those who have taken a single dose should pro - duce negative RT-PCR reports. The tourists should also generate e-invite from Meghalaya tourism app and they should stay one night. The visitors should also provide details of itinerary and contact num - bers of relatives and friends if they stay with (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) Cong distributes dists among working presidents,

gearHs Tu pC foorre bspyo-endleenct ions JORHAT, Aug 26: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) working president Rana Goswami has been allocated nine 1 2 districts across Upper, Central and / Northern Assam for monitoring 1 party affairs by the APCC. 1 7

A notification issued by APCC 4 general secretary Bobbeeta Sharma, / D

stated that as sought by the APCC / president Bhupen Bora, the three working presidents of the APCC g o

have been allocated certain districts y

for monitoring the party activities n

for better management of organisa - a tional matters. s The notification also allocated a n

other sister organisations of the a

party to assist the working presi - J dents. Goswami, a former two-time MLA, has been given Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Golaghat, Ma - juli, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon and Morigaon. The organisations given to him were Mahila Congress and NSUI. (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) Page 2 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 10:48 PM Page 1

2 THE HILLS TIMES BUSINESS FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 Yahoo shuts down news sites in India NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): ences in India. effective August 26, 2021, the com - Just 5 forms, 4 types of fees: Aviation ministry Yahoo has shut down its news web - "As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo pany has ceased publication of con - sites in India due the new foreign India will no longer be publishing tent in India and has shut down direct investment (FDI) rules that content. Your Yahoo Account, Mail Yahoo's content operations in the limit foreign ownership of media and Search experiences will not be country. companies that operate and publish affected in any way and will operate "We did not come to this decision eases rules to operate drones in India digital content in India. as usual. We thank you for your lightly. However, Yahoo India has ‘The new rules will tremendously help start-ups and youth working in this sector,’ says PM This includes Yahoo News, support and readership," a notice on been impacted by changes to regu - NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The remote pilot licence. Yahoo Cricket, Finance, Entertain - the Yahoo website said. latory laws in India that now limit Ministry of Civil Aviation has eased Other approvals such as unique ment and MAKERS India. This, US tech major Verizon had ac - the foreign ownership of media the rules regarding drone operations authorisation number, unique proto - however, will not affect users' quired Yahoo in 2017. companies that operate and publish in the country by reducing the num - type identification number and cer - Yahoo e-mail, and search experi - In the FAQ section, Yahoo said digital content in India.” ber of forms that need to be filled to tificate of manufacturing and operate them from 25 to 5 and de - airworthiness have also been abol - Contd. from Page 1... creasing the types of fees charged ished, according to Drone Rules, from the operator from 72 to 4. 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi No flight permission will be re - Another unlock: Edu institutions said on Twitter that the new drone quired for up to 400 feet in ‘green here said. “For attending classes, 1 st dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will be mandatory. However, to open rules usher in a landmark moment for zones’ and up to 200 feet in the area hostels, the boarders will be required to take both doses of the vaccine,” it said. the sector in India. between 8 and 12 km from the air - The cabinet meeting decided to create three new divisions of public health engineering department (PHED) "The rules are based on the prem - port perimeter, the new rules stated. at Majuli with HQ at Kamalabari, South Salmara-Mankachar with HQ at Hatsingimari and Bajali with HQ at ise of trust and self-certification. Ap - ‘Green zones’ are the airspace up Pathsala alongwith creation of 93 new posts for the new divisions. provals, compliance requirements "It will open up new possibilities pilot license has been reduced for ` to a vertical distance of 400 feet that The cabinet decided to celebrate the birthday of Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah as Sports Day on September 3 and entry barriers have been signifi - for innovation and business. It will 3,000 (for a large drone) to ` 100 for have not been designated as red zone every year. The cabinet also decided to increase the amount of sports pension from existing Rs. 8,000 to Rs cantly reduced," he stated. help leverage India's strengths in in - all categories of drones and it is valid or yellow zone in the airspace map. 10,000. The cabinet has also fixed the one time financial assistance to sports persons at Rs. 50,000. The Drone Rules, 2021, were is - novation, technology and engineer - for 10 years. An interactive airspace map with The cabinet further decided that players who have won medals at national championships, Asian Games, sued on Wednesday. They supersede ing to make India a drone hub," he The rules have also abolished the green, yellow and red zones shall be Commonwealth games and Olympics will be given lifetime pension @ Rs. 10,000/- per month. the Unmanned Aircraft System mentioned. requirement of various approvals, in - displayed on the digital sky platform For smooth implementation of activities of the public works department (building), the cabinet approved (UAS) Rules, 2021, which had come The fee, according to the new cluding certificate of conformance, within 30 days of publication of these creation of 8 new circles, 20 new divisions and 28 sub-divisions in the state. The cabinet also approved creation into force on March 12. rules, has been reduced to nominal certificate of maintenance, import new rules. of 804 technical posts for the department. In the interest of public service and to rationalise staff for smooth The Prime Minister said the new levels and de-linked from the size of clearance, acceptance of existing The Drone Rules, 2021, have also implementation of government programmes and activities, deputy commissioners are empowered to transfer rules will tremendously help start- the drone. drones, operator permit, authorisa - prescribed easier process for transfer staff of government departments within the jurisdiction of the district in consultation with the head of the con - ups and youth working in this sector. For example, the fee for a remote tion of R&D organisation and student and deregistration of drones. cerned department upto the rank of junior engineer. The cabinet finalised the renaming of the Science & Technology department as Science, Technology and Climate Change department. The cabinet reviewed the flood situation of BTR and decided to depute min - DGCA lifts ban on Boeing ister Jogen Mohan and UG Brahma to monitor the situation. The meeting of the cabinet condoled the death of Piaggio India celebrates 75 Nandita Saikia, a student of Moridhal College of Dhemaji district. A special DGP has already been directed to 737 Max aircraft after two- investigate the case in a speedy manner so that exemplary punishment can be ensured against the culprit. yeHaT Burresau of icogion Indiia lcive th e Vespae cultsure opf Freaedom, Originality, and-half years GUWAHATI, Aug 26: Piaggio India is celebrating glo - Spontaneity and innovation, Vespa has lived the idea of NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): Dredging of Dhansiri river to start rious 75 years of iconic Vespa and also presented the spe - emancipation, independence, exploration with light mo - India's aviation regulator DGCA on Limited here on Thursday. The technical support is to be provided by IIT Madras. The facility – also known as cial Vespa 75th edition celebrating all the cultural and bility. Being always fresh, vibrant, young and unconven - Thursday lifted the ban on Boeing Slipway – is to be developed on a land of 3.67 acres provided by Government of Assam and is expected to be stylistic milestones of the brands tional, the Vespa 75th edition 737 Max planes' commercial flight completed by August, 2023. The facility is to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 75 crores at Pandu, Guwahati. beginning in the 1940s. The Vespa celebrates the iconic history and spe - operations after almost two-and-half These are steps in line with the vision of Act East Policy of the government. While the infinite potential of wa - 75th is presented in its iconic cial values of Vespa and depicts them years. terways potential remains largely underutilised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resolved to develop this un - monocoque full steel body which with special execution. As we are cel - On March 13, 2019, all Boeing tapped economic potential. As many as 20 national waterways are in the NER and they are planned to be developed reflects the brand's storied her - ebrating the value of independence 737 Max planes were grounded in as per detailed project reports of the availability of cargo potential for Inland water transport. itage and unique qualities that through Vespa 75th also embarks India by the Directorate General of Given the expected rise in vessels transporting cargo from the region, there will be an increasing demand for makes Vespa special - The distinct Vespa’s journey in India at the time Civil Aviation (DGCA) after the ship repair and maintenance. At present, for this type of repair, the ships are sent to Kolkata for dry docking which glossy metallic Giallo 75th - an India celebrates 75 years of Inde - crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 is expensive, time consuming and tedious. The new Slipway will overcome this hurdle. original metallic yellow, repre - pendence.” Max plane on March 10 near Addis The chief minister thanked Union minister Sonowal for the decision to set up the Slipway at Pandu and for an - senting a contemporary interpre - Sudhanshu Agrawal, Business Ababa which had left 157 people, in - nouncing the plans to build a modern convention centre at Pandu Slipway site. He also requested the Union minister tation of hues in vogue in the head – 2W, Piaggio India said, cluding four Indians, dead. to set up a maritime cum shipping institute in Assam so that required manpower for the emerging sector can be 1940s. “Vespa is not just a vehicle but an Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has created while also generating employment opportunities for local youth. Vespa proudly displays the icon of lifestyle that has gained the been modifying the 737 Max plane “Our civilisations prospered by the rivers and under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we are harnessing the number 75 on side panels and the global stature and transcended trends since March 2019 so that various power of the rivers to bring prosperity and growth. Mongla and Chittagong Ports in Bangladesh are being connected front bumper displayed in matt into various times. Celebrating 75 countries' regulators, including the with waterways of the state and it will open up vast opportunities for trade & businesses,” he said. metallic pyrite colour which glorious years with a creatively de - DGCA, permit its passenger flight Speaking at the programme, Union minister Sonowal said that Prime Minister Modi has relentlessly pushed for matches the front tie with chrome signed Vespa 75 edition represents operations again. NE’s growth through Act East Policy. BBIN & ASEAN countries have been brought closer to the NE region inserts, along with it the chrome the most exciting journey into history In its order dated August 26, 2021, through Act East Policy. Saying that the Ship Repair Facility at Pandu will bring a major boost to the economic 75th logo on the glove box shield symbolise its iconicity. while looking at the future of mobility through its values, the DGCA stated that the operation infrastructure of Assam, he asserted that rivers will fuel Assam & NE’s growth and waterways here are being de - Commenting on the launch Diego Graffi, chairman the Vespa 75th will offer Vespa fans an opportunity to of Boeing 737 Max planes are per - veloped so that prosperity and employment opportunities can be ensured. “Before independence, the British used and managing director, Piaggio India said, “We at Piag - symbolise the values of Freedom and originality.” mitted "only upon satisfaction of ap - to export Assam’s products like timber, coal etc through the waterways to other parts of the world and we must plicable requirements for return to harness the rivers for revolutionising water transport here,” Sonowal said. Industry minister Chandra Mohan Pa - service". towary, Union MoS of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur, MP Queen Oja, secretary of Ports, Ship - A senior DGCA official con - ping and Waterways Ministry Dr Sanjeev Ranjan were also present on the occasion among others. firmed that the ban on 737 Max Colgate-Palmolive launches the first-ever planes' commercial flight operations has been lifted. Currently, only SpiceJet airline in AASU protest against OIL’s recyclable toothpaste tubes in India India has Boeing 737 Max aircraft in will not be allowed at any cost,” he said. Jul Khound said that it would not be tolerated if Jorhat was excluded, HT Bureau its fleet. No other airline in India as especially during pandemic times there were a huge number of qualified unemployed youths looking for jobs GUWAHATI, Aug 26: Colgate- uses Max plane. here. The students body submitted a memorandum to the CMD, OIL through the general manager PVS Murthy Palmolive has been working relent - On March 13, 2019, SpiceJet had stationed here demanding inclusion of Jorhat in OIL’s advertisement. lessly to include consumers in to ground 12 Max planes, forcing it PVS Murthy also gave a written assurance of holding talks with the AJDSU on the issue before September 1. taking a step towards a sustainable to cancel a significant number of On July 1, the OIL major had advertised for applications for 120 LDA posts on its website and specified that the and healthier future. In tune with flights on that day as well as on the candidates eligible to apply should belong to the said districts. On July 2 slogan shouting members of AJDSU had these efforts, Colgate-Palmolive next day. demanded that OIL should stop it’s discriminatory policy and that the unemployed youth of Jorhat district should has launched the first-of-its-kind re - Jet Airways also had five Max also be allowed to apply for 120 posts of LDA advertised in OIL’s website as OIL also had a big installation here, cyclable toothpaste tubes in India planes in its fleet but they were al - but OIL did not change its policy as is evident from the recent advertisement. that will be available nationally ready grounded as on March 13, starting this month, August 2021. 2019 due to non-payment of dues to Launching the initiative in partner - the lessors. ` 13K crore unpaid contractors’ dues A month later, the full-service car - ship with EPL Limited (Formerly from the suicide note left by the contractor, it is clear that he took this extreme step due to financial trouble rier had shut down its operations due known as Essel Propack Limited), arising from non-payment of bill amounting to Rs 17 lakh by the NHM and lakhs more due from other depart - to lack of funds. Colgate has started manufacturing ments. "This has happened due to the failure of the state government. The government should take steps for In March 2019 itself, several recyclable tubes for its Colgate payment of contractors' dues so that another such tragic incident does not occur in the state," Saikia said. tubes are a steppingstone in its jour - paste tubes that end up in landfills countries grounded 737 Max planes. Vedshakti toothpaste and Colgate The police said that Das allegedly committed suicide and in his three-page suicide note, explained his eco - ney to achieve 100% recyclability every year. These tubes can be used The March 10, 2019 accident near Active Salt portfolio. The new tube nomic crisis, saying that he took money as loan from various people to carry out various contractual and supply across its oral care portfolio in by the economy for recycling into Addis Ababa was the second in a pe - is soft, squeezable, and recyclable works for the government. India. With the launch of recyclable various other packaging materials riod of five months. In October without compromising on key "The suicide note accused the Assam government and said that lakhs of rupees were payable to him in con - tubes this year, Colgate-Palmolive and bottles for further use, thus re - 2018, a 737 Max plane operated by product attributes like taste, which nection with the works he executed since last year," a police officer said. intends to create a recyclable alter - ducing the need for virgin plastic to Lion Air had crashed in Indonesia, consumers love and have enjoyed Das had also supplied food to the Covid care centres for which he reportedly did not receive due payments. native to reuse the billions of tooth - be added to the environment. killing 180 people. for decades. Colgate’s recyclable Payments for many large contracts executed by the BJP leader-cum-contractor remained unpaid, the police said quoting his family members. Tata Motors honours Olympians who missed podium finish HT Bureau KSA wants border demarcation GUWAHATI, Aug 26: Tata Motors on Thursday, handed over the keys of would not agree with the ‘give and take’ policy adopted by both Meghalaya and Assam governments in solv - Altroz to the Indian athletes who narrowly missed the Bronze medal in the ing the inter- state border dispute. recently held Tokyo Olympics. To recognise and congratulate their hard “To solve the Assam-Meghalaya inter-state border issue both the governments have agreed to adopt the ‘give work, Tata Motors honoured 24 Olympians across categories such as and take’ policy. The KSA is opposed to it. The public of Meghalaya with the support of their government has Hockey, Wrestling, Golf, Boxing and Discus throw. been encroaching Umkhirmi upto Sabuda in West Karbi Anglong, but the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council According to Shailesh Chandra, president, Passenger Vehicle Business, (KAAC) authority and Assam government are silent on it. CEM Tuliram Ronghang or the local MAC of Tata Motors, “We are extremely proud of our athletes for the sheer com - Chinthong MAC constituency, Prodip Rongpi and MLA Rupsing Teron are keeping a silent and just watching,” mitment and the indomitable spirit they showed at the recently held Tokyo KSA general secretary Ajay Engti said. Olympics and it is my honour to share the same platform with them today. Teron also said that despite repeated incidents at the border, MAC of Chinthong Prodip Rongpi, MAC of Resonating their spirit and acknowledging their hard work, we are ecstatic Amreng, and MAC of Socheng now MLA, Rupsing Teron have not visited the place of the incident till now. to present to them the Tata Altroz, the gold standard in premium hatch - There are no medical, electricity and education facilities in the border areas. The KSA also criticised CEM backs. As they continue to inspire each one of us, we wish them all the very Tuliram Ronghang for being silent who always speaks about protecting the Karbi land. best for their future and are confident that in years to come, they will bring to our country success galore.” M’laya set to open education, tourism them. The single and double-dose vaccinated local tourists will be allowed to visit the tourist places. The local tourists who are not vaccinated should produce negative RT-PCR reports. Good content key to reviving cinemas: Tourists who are not vaccinated or vaccinated with a single dose will have to produce a negative RT-PCR/Tru - eNat/CBNAAT report valid only if they have tested within 72 Hrs prior to their arrival at the entry point. Local tourists from within the state that are fully vaccinated/vaccinated with a single dose will be allowed to visit any location in Meghalaya for tourism purposes. PVR Ltd’s JMD Sanjeev Bijli Government has also decided to reopen all Colleges in Meghalaya from September 1. For Schools in Urban NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The revival of "I think the revival of cinemas is dependent think once the economy opens up, cinemas areas, Class 1-5 may have online classes, Class 6-8 may have school visits & Class 9-12 may be opened. For cinemas will depend on the content on offer, on content. It's also dependent on the safety pro - open up, the world opens up, which it will, Schools in Rural areas, Class 1-5 may have school visits & Class 6-12 may be opened. However, the school and says PVR Ltd joint managing director Sanjeev tocols that we follow and the way we dissemi - things will come back to normal , People will colleges have been given the flexibility to decide on the matter, whether to open or not to open. Kumar Bijli, confident that the culture of nate to the consumers. All these things have to come back to theatres. It is not a paradigm shift, it watching movies in theatres hasn't changed and be aligned. Plus the fear factor has to go away," is just a temporary setback," he added. He admit - the sector will be ba ck to pre-Covid numbers in he told PTI in an interview. ted that a return to pre-Covid numbers is not pos - the next financial year. While theatres have to ad - Akshay Kumar's spy thriller ‘Bell Bottom’, sible this year. "In this financial year, we are Cong distributes dists among working here to safety protocols, the fear factor also has to which released on August 19, was the first almost in September. We only have two quar - It may be mentioned here that among nine districts, by-election will be held in Mariani seat in Jorhat district, go away, Bijli told PTI as the film exhibition sec - major Hindi movie to be released in theatres ters and I think these two quarters will all be Thowra in Sivasagar district and Majuli in view of Rupjyoti Kurmi who was elected on a Congress ticket, quitting tor slowly gets back on its feet with theatres re - after the second wave. It has reportedly col - about revival and getting consumer confidence the party and switching over to the BJP in Mariani and Sushanta Borgohain doing the same in Thowra. On the opening in several states, including Madhya lected more than Rs 17 crore at the box office. back. "It'll be all about getting good content other hand, the sitting Majuli legislator Sarbananda Sonowal, is likely to vacate the seat following his induction Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi. According to Bijli, whose company is a back in the cinemas and for the people to come to the Union Cabinet as a minister. The notification also stated that Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, another working Some states such as Maharashtra haven't yet major player with 846 screens across the coun - and watch movies. So I think this is going to be president of the APCC and the sitting MLA of North Karimganj, has been allotted West Karbi Anglong, Hojai, consented, but Delhi has allowed theatres to try, the industry had hit pause but is now on the a revival mode. By next financial year, we Karimganj, Hailakandi, Silchar, Darrang, Biswanath and Sonitpur districts. The organisations allocated to function at 50 per cent capacity and Chennai, revival track. "I don't think the culture of watch - should be back in full form in full business." Purkayastha were Seva Dal and Young Brigade. The notification further stated that Jakir Hussain Sikdar, another an important market, opens on Thursday. ing movies in theatres has changed. We were on In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a working president and the sitting legislator of Sarukhetri, has been allotted Kamrup (Rural), Nalbari, Barpeta, “I think it is still early days. We only opened pause since we were shut. So consumers had no host of movies from the Hindi film industry and Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Dhubri, South Salmara and Bajali districts. The frontal organisations allotted to Sikdar about two weeks ago. A lot of states are still not choice but to sit at home and watch films on tel - regional cinema, including ‘Gulabo Sitabo’, was Youth Congress. The notification further mentioned that the working presidents have been directed to visit open. Mumbai hasn't opened which is very im - evision,” Bijli said on the sidelines of the re - ‘Shakuntala Devi’, ‘Soorarai Pottru’, ‘Laxmii’ the districts allotted to them and submit reports to the APCC president. The notification further stated that the dis - portant for us. Chennai opens on Thursday, launch of PVR Priya in south Delhi's Vasant and ‘Jagame Thandhiram’, debuted on stream - tricts that had not been allotted to the three working presidents will be under the jurisdiction of the APCC president which is very important for us,” Bijli said. Vihar area. "It's a very temporary disruption. I ing platforms. along with all departments and cells of the APCC. Page 3 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 10:53 PM Page 1

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 REGION THE HILLS TIMES 3 KRSS demands ST status, reconstitution of Kamatapur state Pijush distributes cheques in Tezpur to beneficiaries HT Correspondent LAKHIMPUR, Aug 26: Koch-Rajbonshi Sangram Samiti (KRSS) has demanded Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Koch-Rajbonshi HT Correspondent the CM’s Covid-19 Widows Sup - state-of-the-art convention centre community and reconstitution of a separate Kamatapur state. In this under CM’s Covid-19 Widows Support Scheme TEZPUR, Aug 26: “Assam gov - port Scheme. The scheme covers at Tezpur for holding the next context, KRSS Central Committee vice-president Rupjyoti Dutta and ernment is committed to work for women from the low-income deputy commissioners’ conference All Lakhimpur district KRSS president (I/C) Bikash Dutta and gen - the welfare of each and every sec - group with an annual income of which will be held after a period of eral secretary Nitul Saikia submitted a memorandum to Assam chief tion of the society and to uphold less than Rs 5 lakh, those who had six months. Member of Parlia - minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through Lakhimpur district deputy this commitment the chief minister lost their husbands due to Covid. A ment, Tezpur, Pallab Lochan Das, commissioner Sumit Sattawan on Thursday. Through the memoran - has launched this special scheme total of 51 women from Sonitpur MLA, Sootea, Padma Hazarika, dum, the organisation demanded the government to reconstitute the of offering Rs 2.5 lakh to women district have received this one-time MLA Borsola, Ganesh Kumar historical Kamatapur state and to grant ST status to the Koch-Ra - who have lost their husbands to financial benefit in two phases Limboo, MLA, Tezpur, Prithiraj jbonshi community at the earliest. Otherwise, the organisation will Covid in order to ease the hard - from the Chief Minister’s Relief Rava, MLA Rangapara Krishna resort to continuous democratic movement for their rights, the central ships of the family who has lost Fund under the scheme. The min - Kamal Tanti, DC Sonitpur, Bhu - leader and the district leaders of the KRSS warned the government. their sole breadwinner in the battle ister also inaugurated two office pesh Chandra Das, SP Sonitpur, against Covid,” Pijush Hazarika, chambers, one for the guardian Dr. Dhananjay P. Ghanwant, Zilla minister for water resources, infor - minister and the other for the four Aapda Mitras, volunteers who have received training at Parishad members, Anchalik Pan - SSB Cycle rally reaches 23rd Bn mation & public relations depart - guardian secretary for Sonitpur under ASDMA and DDMA who NDRF Bn, Patgaon will be handed chayat members, prominent citi - ment told this here at Tezpur on district at the Circuit House com - have been trained to provide flood over these emergency manage - zens of Tezpur and other senior Lalpool, gets a rousing welcome Thursday at a brief function held at plex. During the programme, he relief and rescue, along with basic ment kits provided by ASDMA. officials of the district administra - HT Correspondent Tezpur Circuit House to distribute also ceremonially distributed first aid to affected disaster vic - Earlier in the day, the minister in - tion were also present on the occa - UDALGURI, Aug 26: The frontier headquarter SSB Tezpur has or - cheques to 14 beneficiaries under emergency management kits to tims. A total of 16 such volunteers spected two sites for setting up a sion. ganised a cycle rally to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The cycle rally started from old circuit house Tezpur on August 25 and will culminate at Rajghat New Delhi on October 2. A total of 15 SSB jawans from the units under frontier Tezpur are participating in this AAPEA demands speedy rally. Three participants are from 23rd battalion SSB Lalpool. The Assam inching towards rally team comprising officers, subordinate officers and jawans of SSB reached 23rd Bn Lalpool on August 26 where they got a rousing resolution of their problems welcome. Assistant commandant Rajat Pandey of SSB Lalpool is self-sufficiency in fish production HT Correspondent leading the rally team. The commandant wished the team all the best TEZPUR, Aug 26: The All Assam Polytechnic Employee’s Association for their upcoming journey up to New Delhi. The team further pro - has expressed their grave concern over the severe apathy towards the long ceeded to another unit of SSB at 37 Bn Mangaldai and its sector Create 2,000 ponds under PMMSY to make the state pending issues of a total of 348 contractual fourth grade employees serving headquarter at Bezpara. During the rally, the cyclists planted saplings in different Polytechnics and engineering colleges in the state by the agen - at Dhekiajuli and Lalpool. self-sufficient on the fish production front: Suklabaidya cies concerned including government of Assam and director of Technical HT Bureau The minister asked joint secre - officials to take steps for filling up Education, Kahilipara, Guwahati. The aggrieved contractual employees GUWAHATI, Aug 26: Assam tary cum director, fisheries, MK of sanctioned posts and also regu - have alleged that they have not been paid their salary for the last couple of Pregnant women to get free fishery minister Parimal Suk - Debnath to identify the 2,000 larisation of Grade IV posts at the months pushing them towards uncertainty. In a press meet held in Sonitpur labaidya asked the department to hectares of land for construction of earliest and to submit the list to the Polytechnic, adviser of the employee’s body, Pradip Kumar Nath mentioned, ultrasonography facility create 2,000 ponds under Pradhan new ponds in consultation with the finance minister for necessary ap - “Including the Sonitpur Polytechnic that came into being in 2017 at Thela - HT Correspondent Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana deputy commissioners and district proval. mara, near Tezpur in Sonitpur district there are altogether 11 Polytechnics DEMOW, Aug 26: The Demow Model Hospital cum CHC which (PMMSY) to make the state self- fisheries development officers and The minister further instructed in the state besides the two Engineering Colleges. Since the inception we is situated in Demow Konwar Dihingia is providing health services sufficient on the fish production to submit a detailed report within the officials to take immediate have been giving our dedicated service to these institutions at a minimum to the patients of greater Thowra Constituency. The model hospital front. the next two months. Additional steps for amendment of the Assam remuneration on contract basis only for the greater interest of growth of was also recently awarded the prestigious Kayakalp Award. Sadly, a Reviewing the status of schemes chief secretary, Ravi Shankar Fisheries Rule. these institutions, but for more than one and half year, salary of the employ - model hospital which has brought in laurels for the area is devoid of under the fisheries department Prasad instructed Debnath to con - Besides additional chief secre - ees has not been paid by the authorities concerned which has rained prob - ultrasonography facilities for pregnant women, said a health official with senior officials at his office duct a land survey in the districts tary Prasad and joint secretary cum lems on the families of these employees in these trying times of Covid-19 of Demow Model Hospital cum CHC. Regarding this problem, the chamber here on Thursday, Suk - for construction of new ponds. director fisheries Debnath, the pandemic.” Now they urge the concerned authority to resolve their issues authority of Demow Model Hospital cum CHC submitted a letter on labaidya said concerted efforts Debnath apprised the minister that meeting was attended by secretary at the earliest including regularisation of their posts, otherwise they would August 20, 2021 to the CEO of Swargadeo Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Spe - must be made to create 2,000 a preliminary survey has been al - Riju Gogoi, joint secretary S Hus - go ahead to launch a series of democratic movements from September. The ciality Hospital which is situated in Rajabari near Demow. Dr. ponds measuring one hectare each ready carried out regarding avail - sain, deputy secretary Manindra press meet was also attended by president and secretary of the AAPEA, re - Rupam Borkotoky, deputy superintendent of Demow Model Hospital under PMMSY to make the state ability of land in different districts Dutta and fisheries development spectively Jahidul Islam and Pankaj Chakrabarty. informed this correspondent that the Demow Model Hospital and the self-sufficient on the fish produc - for constructing new ponds. officer attached to minister, Pratul Swargadeo Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Speciality Hospital in Rajabari had an tion front. Suklabaidya also directed the Deka. agreement regarding free ultrasonography facility for pregnant D.L.Ed and B.Ed students wait for CM’s women of Demow Model Hospital which will be carried out in Swar - gadeo Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Speciality Hospital in Rajabari and the announcement on TET exam rules NHM will bear the costs for the sonography. A Total of 4 to 5 preg - HT Correspondent nant women of Demow Model Hospital will be sent to the Swar - Exorbitant fare hikes breaking SIVASAGAR, Aug 26: The state government is preparing to hold the gadeo Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Speciality Hospital daily, said Dr.Rupam TET examination sometime in October next to fill up about 10,000 posts Borkotoky. The pregnant women of Demow Model Hospital will in primary schools and another 12,900 posts in high schools in the state have to take along them a written recommendation from the doctor as announced by the education minister Ranoj Pegu recently. Last year of Demow Model Hospital cum CHC for the free ultrasonography bones of common people the examinations could not be held due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The services in Swargadeo Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Speciality Hospital in Ra - HT Correspondent commuters at Pithaguti in frequently needs to visit the health minister also reportedly announced that those who have B.Ed and D.L.Ed jabari, said Dr. Rupam Borkotoky. TINGKHONG, Aug 26: Follow - Tingkhong faced a severe chal - centre for the medical check-ups, I degree and those who are studying in the final semesters can only apply. ing the Covid-induced restrictions, lenge to even reach their nearby find myself at a loss,” rued a sep - But the government allowed all students studying the first and second there has been a steep rise in travel town, Rajgarh, as they struggle to tuagenarian, standing at the auto semesters of B.Ed and D.L.Ed courses to apply for the TET examinations KCS holds meeting on overall expenses all over the state, which pay the hiked auto fares because of stand in Pithaguti Chariali. held in 2019. Now the students studying in the first and second semesters further got triggered by the rise in which many, especially, those who Talking to this correspondent, of B.Ed and D.L.Ed in various institutions in Upper Assam have ex - development of Karbi Anglong fuel prices. Though some sort of don’t own a motor vehicle, now, some locals also expressed their pressed apprehension that they would be deprived of their rights to appear HT Bureau normalcy has returned to many either require to paddle their bicy - concerns against the auto drivers in examinations and the opportunity to get a job. They are now waiting DIPHU, Aug 26: Karbi Cultural Society (KCS) held its extended places across Assam with more cle or walk to commute to the for not following the Covid proto - for chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to bail them out of the crisis. meeting at Karbi People's Hall (KPH), Taralangso here. The meeting ease in restrictions to business and nearby areas. cols properly viz. carrying a re - was attended by all KCS Zonal Committees. In the meeting KCS establishments, educational insti - “The auto fare here has unjusti - stricted number of passengers, as Central Committee member Pratap Engleng was feted for receiving tutions, etc., the transport sector fiably increased since the ease in ordered by the authority, despite KASU protests against increasing the chief minister's Best Community Action Award for Development, continues to be at its same un - travel restrictions. Just to reach Ra - their hefty charges. 2021. Decisions regarding further effort in enriching the Karbi cul - friendly self for the common peo - jgarh, which is about 5 kilometres “Such scenes prevail in almost price of essential items ture, strengthening KCS, implementation of KCS programmes and ple. away from here, the line-auto driv - everywhere across Assam, just as The students' union demanded the supply development of Taralangso were taken. As of late, bus owners were seen ers charge Rs 100 while it was Rs the government was compelled to expressing their losses and anguish 20 before the Covid-induced re - provide some amount of money as minister to step down from his position Cotton University organises public as soon as the latest SOP was is - strictions. Thereafter just to reach a relief to the protesting bus own - HT Correspondent sued, on the other hand, in many the Community Health Centre ers, who is going to voice the woes HOWRAGHAT, Aug 26: Karbi Anglong Students Union (KASU) lecture on nature journaling places, commuters continue to suf - from the main town which is less of these poor commuters who Parakhuwa and Howraghat Regional Committees held a two-hour sit-in fer for even a kilometre ride due to than a kilometre, they charge about can’t even afford a bicycle?” protest in front of the temporary office of Howraghat sub-division on Thurs - HT Bureau day. The students’ union were protesting against the price rise of essential GUWAHATI, Aug 26: Department of Environmental Biology and the exorbitant fare hikes. Rs 100. With such a skyrocketing added Novudoi Murah, an ex- On one such instance, the local auto fare, for a person like me who member of a student union here. commodities and blurted slogans of “Stop price rise” and “Jugan Bibhag Wildlife Sciences, Cotton University organised a public lecture titled, Haihai” (Shame Food supply department). Regional secretary of the stu - “Nature Journaling: the most effective tool for a naturalist”. The talk dents’ union Subhas Boras said, “In this Covid pandemic the farmers and was delivered by Debanngini Ray, an urban ecologist and researcher common man are finding it difficult to lead a normal life because of the ex - and convened by Dr Narayan Sharma, assistant professor, Cotton Biswanath ATTSA NDRF carries out flood rescue orbitant prices of necessary items. The government has totally failed in con - University. Inaugurating the talk Dr Leena Borah, head of the de - trolling the price rise. The supply minister should step down immediately.” partment of Environmental Biology and Wildlife Sciences, Cotton submits memo to CM, University highlights the importance of nature journaling and how operation in Bongaigaon this may further our understanding of nature. Debanngini in her talk demands ST status HT Bureau AASU Darrang unit forms human chain, HT Correspondent GUWAHATI, Aug 26: Incessant rainfall since last one week have discussed how nature journaling — the practice of observing nature BISWANATH CHARIALI, Aug in its native state and documenting the observations as a sketch or caused the rivers to swell up and gush in unexpected floods in Bon - 26: The Biswanath branch of demands punishment for Nandita’s murderer painting, often accompanied by write-ups - helps us for a better un - gaigaon district. Teams of 1st Battalion NDRF evacuated 81 marooned HT Correspondent derstanding of nature. Sceptical thinking, mindfulness and its thera - Assam Tea Tribes Students Asso - villagers from Balijani Chechapani under revenue circle Srijangram, MANGALDAI, Aug 26: All Darrang Students' Union under the lead - peutic nature are other perks of practicing nature journaling. Nature ciation submitted a memorandum Bongaigaon district and transported them to safer places. Besides, NDRF ership of president Parag Saharia on Thursday formed a human chain journaling adds great value to citizen science projects. By shrugging to Assam CM demanding ST teams are also assisting district administration in distribution of masks on the NH-15 to protest the gruesome murder of Nandita Saikia in Dhe - off the quibbles on traditional media over virtual ones for learning (Schedule Tribe) status to the Tea and screening in inundated areas during the Covid-19 emergency. maji and the dagger attack of Manowara Begum of Bherbheri Bil, Dar - about nature, Debanngini explicitly discussed the differences that lie tribe community of Assam. The More than 343 marooned villagers have been evacuated by NDRF till rang at Changsari. Nandita Saikia, a student of Moridhal College, between keeping a photograph and a nature journal; also marked the representatives of the students’ date. Additionally, on the unexpected development of the flood situation, Dhemaji was attacked by a machete in broad daylight at Dhemaji town advantages of the later one. She adds that a nature journal provides body including Mahesh Chhetry, HPS Kandari, commandant 1st NDRF, Guwahati, said that, “NDRF is by one Rintu Sarma on August 21. She breathed her last at the Brahma - a better connection with nature. In addition to this, she stressed on president of Biswanath ATTSA, always on standby for the affected people at the time of need. People putra Diagnostic Hospital in Dibrugarh on Wednesday. In another shock - how as an individual naive to this process should embrace the same. Bikash Kurmi, secretary in charge need to maintain social distancing and use masks and sanitizers keeping ing incident, a woman, Manowara Begum of Bherbheri Bil village of Nature journaling should be an integral part of an individual's journey the students’ organisation submit - in mind the Covid-19 situation.” Darrang district, sustained critical injuries after she was attacked with a of observing and learning about nature to which he should look for - ted the memorandum to Assam At present, teams of NDRF equipped with boats, deep diving sets and dagger by one Imran Hussain of Dalgaon at Changsari of Kamrup dis - ward to, rather than including it as some forcibly scheduled part in trict on Wednesday evening. The woman who received severe injuries chief minister Himanta Biswa all other life-saving equipment are deployed in the affected areas. was admitted to Tularam Bafna Civil Hospital. the daily routine. The lecture was followed by a lively discussion Sarma through the office of the which was attended by over 40 participants from Cotton University, deputy commissioner, Biswanath Assam University, Aaranyak, along with researchers and environ - on Thursday along with other rep - mental workers, wildlife and nature enthusiasts across the state. resentatives, stated a press release. NHD distributes winter seeds to villages Tributes paid to the martyrs of Quit India movement Kajali Teej observed at Hojai for post-pandemic economic recovery HT Correspondent HT Correspondent Hindu calendar followed in North HT Correspondent Keeping this in view, Nagaland ments and agencies are providing,” districts that include 10,000 house - NAGAON, Aug 26: Two patriotic HOJAI, Aug 26: Kajali Teej was India, it falls during Krishna Pak - DIMAPUR, Aug 26: The Naga - chief minister Neiphiu Rio has Yanthan added. holds. Under the MIDH during youths from Baropujia - Hemaram celebrated with religious fervour sha of Bhadrapada and in the Kr - land Horticulture Department dis - taken the initiative and the pro - He appreciated the department 2021-22 scheme, 1,000-hectare Pator and Gunabhiram Bordoloi on at Hojai on Wednesday evening. ishna Paksha of Shravan month tributed winter seeds to 170 gramme was conceptualised, he for timely procurement of the win - area will be covered under vegeta - this day of August 26 in 1942 were Kajali Teej is one of the main as per the one followed in South villages in Nagaland for post-pan - stated. ter vegetable seeds although there bles wherein the villages were shot dead by the British army when three Teej festivals celebrated by India. In both the calendars, Ka - demic economic recovery activi - Yanthan said Nagaland has was no sanction. He said the de - adopted as vegetable villages by they were on their way to destroy Hindus in India. jali Teej falls on the same day. On ties. enough surplus production but no partment purchased the seeds on the department and are supported a wooden bridge at Khandajan Hariyali Teej, Kajali Teej and the auspicious occasion of Satudi Adviser to Horticulture and Bor - proper market or proper post-har - credit in order to ensure that they with vegetable seeds for both near Raha. The people from the Hartalika Teej are the three sig - Teej, married women especially der Affairs Mhathung Yanthan vest technology and no market reach the farmers on time. kharif and rabi season, he added. greater Baropujia area under the nificant and famous Teej festivals from Maheshwari and Daima flagged off the distribution cere - channelising. He stressed that the Agriculture production commis - So far, there are over 70 veg - banner of Baropujia Anchalik mar - celebrated by women during the community pray for the well- mony at the Horticulture Direc - farmers have to be encouraged to sioner Y Kikheto Sema requested etable villages covering all the dis - tyrs day celebration committee months of Sawan and Bhadrapada being and longevity of their hus - torate in Kohima on Thursday. do farming in a real business ven - the farmers to preserve the seeds tricts of the state. paid tributes at the statues of the according to the Hindu calendar. bands in the evening. They offer The seeds were procured under ture and consider themselves en - for future use. Sema stated that the concept be - martyrs on Thursday. BJP MLA of Kajali Teej which is also popu - prayers to Goddess Parvati and Mission for Integrated Develop - trepreneurs. Sema acknowledged the depart - hind these vegetable villages is to Morigaon LAC graced the occa - larly known as 'Kajari' is also seek her blessings for a happy ment of Horticulture (MIDH) In this regard, he asked the Hor - ment for working tirelessly for the increase the quantum of vegetable sion and unfurled the tricolour fol - known as Badi Teej while married life. Women dress as 2021-22 and North Eastern Coun - ticulture Department to extend farming community at the time of production so that there is mar - lowed by Khitish Pegu, chief Hariyali Teej is also known as newlywed brides and worship a cil (NEC) 2020-21 schemes. their services to the farmers effec - pandemic and arranging the winter ketable surplus which can con - executive officer of Morigaon Zilla Chhoti Teej. People of some re - neem tree. They gather around a Addressing the distribution pro - tively. He also called upon the de - seeds in advance. tribute to increase in the income of Parishad lighting earthen lamps at gions refer to it as Satudi Teej. neem tree and perform puja. gramme, Yanthan said the Nagas partment and farmers to take Under the funds provided by the villagers by way of sale of the the statues of Pator and Bordoloi. After fifteen days of Hariyali Teej Women celebrate this holy festi - have learned a great lesson during advantage of the air cargo facility NEC for the year 2020-21, he said, vegetables. This will also ensure Deputy commissioner of Morigaon comes Kajali Teej. Generally, val by observing fast from dawn the pandemic to produce enough in Dimapur airport. the department provided quality availability of vegetables for con - district Prakash Ranjan Gharphalia Teej comes three days after Rak - till evening. After worshiping the for themselves and enough for “The people should take the op - vegetable seeds to the farmers for sumption of the farmers and con - also graced the occasion, a release sha Bandhan and five days before moon in the evening, they break marketable surplus so that they get portunity of the potential scope whole year cultivation, identifying tribute to their nutritional security, added. Krishna Janmashtami. As per the their fast and have prasad. economic returns. and facilities that different depart - l00 vegetable villages covering 11 he added. Page 4 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 9:51 PM Page 1

4 THE HILLS TIMES VOL. XXII, ISSUE 220, DIPHU, FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 Industrial relations code is an QUOTE OF THE DAY ‘The best way out is always through.’ -Robert Frost

heu Industnrial Renlations eCode (cIRC) essary law for latheir mebmbers aond the eumployer rs by NU/NC has unnecessarily sought to legislate as “rights”. It would be correct to term them on “matters” for negotiations between as “rights and facilities”. Status of women nothing in Tnegotiating union/negotiating council In fact, the Maharashtra Recognition of (NU/NC) and employers [Section 14(1)]. Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Like in the past, it should have been left to Labour Practices Act, 1971, specifies the heT reacelnit tburmaoinl in’ sAfg hAanifstgan hasa rendeirsed tlaakhsn homeless the parties to determine depending on the “rights” of both recognised (unrecognised and seeking refuge in other countries after the Taliban stormed empirical realities facing them at various unions also) and cancellation of recognition into the Presidential palace and seized control of the nation. points of time. and suspension of rights while the Code of The President, on the other hand, managed to flee the country in the Worse, the code left the description of Discipline mentions only the former. T “matters” to the rulemaking process. Thus, It is a matter of grave concern that Union nick of time after the US forces withdrew from its soil. People flocked the airports in a desperate attempt to leave the country which is now we have the Central rules providing for nine lawmakers have entirely ignored a rich body being run by the Taliban forces. Though the new Taliban government specific matters and a miscellaneous one. of regional labour laws and the Code of Dis - assured that the rights of Afghani citizens would be kept intact and Consequently, state governments have come cipline concerning trade unions. that it was a mere regime change in the country, the people still have out with elaborate details. While it is perfectly feasible, even permis - the ghastly memories of the Taliban administration over two decades Central sphere: The Centre has included sible, for differences to exist in the rules back as a painful reminder. A top US diplomat had observed in a se - the following as “matters” for negotiation, made by state governments, lack of clarity curity conference in Qatar years back, that a country is known by the viz. (i) classification of grades and cate - and inadequacies are impermissible. The sport it plays. Given this notion, it is interesting to note that gories of workers; (ii) order passed by an preceding analyses have clearly demon - Afghanistan’s national sport is ‘buzkashi’, a gruesome blood sport, employer under the standing orders applica - strated sloppy, inadequate, vague and involving players on horseback trying to hold the carcass of a head - ble in the industrial establishment; (iii) payable by the employer to any provident tered Trade Union (sic) or by the executive opaque rules made by the state governments. less goat. There are no rules and laws regulating the movements, it is wages of the workers, including their wage fund or pension fund or for the benefit of the committee of a registered Trade Union The Central government drafted an inad - free for all. By the end of the game, invariably several of the partic - period, dearness allowance, bonus, incre - workers under any law for the time being in (sic)”. equate and incompetent code despite taking ipants are brutally wounded or injured and the object of greed is re - ment, customary concession or privileges, force. 3. Compensatory and other al - Uttar Pradesh: The NU/NU “is authorised six years since the first draft of the IRC (an - duced to minced meat unrecognisable from its original form or shape. compensatory and other allowances; (iv) lowances. 4. Hours of work and rest inter - to deal with any matter of industrial dispute nounced in April 2015) and some excellent It was only during the occupation of coalition forces in Afghanistan hours of work and rest days, number of vals. 5. Leave with wages and holidays. 6. affecting more than one worker in accor - recommendations made by the Parliamen - that people had gradually started to throng at games of cricket or foot - working days in a week, Starting, alter - dance with the provisions of the code”. So, tary Standing Committee. It left substantive ball, a more civilised form of sports today. Given its geographical lo - rest intervals, working of DEGREE OF THOUGHT ation or dis - it excludes “individual disputes” like promo - aspects relating to trade union recognition cation, adjacent to Pakistan and India, some had even started hoping shifts; (v) leave with continuance of tion, transfer, dismissal or discharge or re - (by the employers and the government), that Asia may soon see an addition of another cricketing nation. But wages and holidays; (vi) By: Dr K R Shyam Sundar shift working trenchment or termination of worker among matters for negotiation, rights (wrongly the dreams seem to be broken now as the Taliban regains control of promotion and transfer policy and discipli - otherwise than in accordance with standing others and includes only “collective mat - termed as “facilities” in the code) of the the country. Nevertheless, Taliban or no Taliban, Afghanistan has ir - nary procedures; (vii) quarter allotment pol - orders. 7. Classification by grades. 8. With - ters”. It is not clear which provisions in the recognised unions and the objects for which revocably changed in the last twenty years since the end of the Soviet icy for workers; (viii) safety, health and drawal of any customary concession or priv - IRC deal with “matters” for negotiation? general and political funds can be spent by occupation. And during the 20 years or so of the American and working conditions related standards; (ix) ilege or change in usage. 9. Introduction of While Punjab does not have a clause on registered unions to rulemaking. The poor Afghanistan coalition democracy in the country the Afghan society such other matters pertaining to conditions new rules of discipline or alteration of exist - “matters” for negotiation, in the case of code is the result of this ‘original blunder’. has undergone some deeper societal transformation. They had learned of service, terms of employment which are ing rules except in so far as they are pro - other states, there is a disturbing variation A virtually deserted Parliament passed the to speak up freely and a multiplicity of voices had emerged. Unlike not covered in the foregoing clauses and (x) vided in standing orders. 10. Rationalisation, even accounting for the fact that they have law with limited discussion and debate as the Soviet days, Afghanistan had witnessed the pupal emergence of any other matter which is agreed between standardisation or improvement of plant or the freedom to determine the matters as they a weak Opposition abandoned its Parlia - a middle class, which, given the chance, could have played a role of the employer of the industrial establishment technique which is likely to lead to retrench - want? mentary responsibilities. No wonder Chief a midwife nurturing robust democratic polity. The Afghan middle and negotiating union or council. ment of workers. 11. Any increase or reduc - Lawmakers have done a tremendous dis - Justice of India NV Ramana lamented the class is now getting reduced to poverty and utter uncertainty about Bihar: The NU/NC can negotiate on “is - tion (other than casual) in the number of service to the conduct of industrial relations lack of quality debates in Parliament a few its future. sues related to terms of employment or con - persons employed); (ii) discharge or dis - in general and collective institutions like col - days ago compared to the debates on the It has been less than a month that the Taliban regained control of ditions of workers”. missal or termination; (iii) strike or lockout lective bargaining, strikes and lockouts by Industrial Disputes Act. the country, and already sporadic news of women being suppressed Gujarat: It has repeated the definition of and (iv) lay-off, retrenchment of workers attempting to “restrict the scope of collective Further, such a poor law-making and objectified is surfacing from the country. Recently videos of first ‘industrial dispute’ in the Industrial Disputes and closures. bargaining”. process will increase litigation and the women officials and journalists running for their lives surfaced in so - Act, 1947: “… matters pertaining to any dis - Odisha: The “matters” include, “(a) Clas - The entire discourse of labour law reforms burden on the judicial system. It is rele - cial media that have led the world to rethink if women are actually pute or difference between employers and sification by grades and category; (b) Order was premised on the argument that labour vant to note that the IRC has abolished the free in Afghanistan any longer. The Taliban officials did assure the workers which is connected with the em - passed by an employer under the standing laws, being excessive, introduced “rigidi - labour courts and designed a complex ad - world that the rights of women would be upheld by them as per the ployment or non-employment or the terms order; (c) Wages, including the period and ties” on the free working of market forces judicatory system by industrial tribunals Sharia law. But one asks how much of the statement is being followed of employment or with the conditions of mode of payment, DA, Bonus, Overtime, In - and substantially constricted the employer’s in its place. Further, trade union disputes inside the country. News reports and sporadic videos from the country labour, … includes any dispute … arising crement, customary concession or privi - freedom. The IRC has done the same. Even will also be adjudicated by them (which in show the Taliban torturing the women, raping them and even not spar - out of discharge, dismissal, retrenchment or leges, compensatory and other allowances with the escape clause of “other matters”, the erstwhile Trade Unions Act, 1926, ing the dead bodies to satiate their hunger for dominance. Indeed, termination such worker.” etc.; (d) For betterment of social security and there would surely be scope for litigation by were settled in civil courts). these are dark days for the Afghan residents and as the world turns Jharkhand: The matters include (i) condi - welfare schemes; (e) Hours of work, rest either party to negotiations as being or out The rules, characterised by shortcomings its eyes away from the country, the people have started losing even tion of service, (ii) wages, (iii) working days, rest intervals, shift working; (f) Leave of the legal scope of negotiations. and inadequacies, make the IRC appear hope of a life in the country, especially the country’s womenfolk. hours, (iv) duty shift, (v) bonus, (vi) leave with wages, holidays; (g) Retrenchment, dis - Industrial relations will worsen in such a worst. The rules will also complicate matters With the Taliban in full control of the country and other nations start - (vii) safety, (viii) welfare, (ix) promotion, (x) charge, dismissal, reinstatement, grant of re - litigative context. The matters are made for trade unions operating in industrial es - ing to recognise the Taliban governance it’s seems that Afghanistan increment and (xi) other matters directly or lief to dismissed worker; (h) Promotion and worse by rather brief and vague legal speci - tablishments in multiple states and regional, has truly been lost in the real sense of the term. indirectly connected with workers of that es - transfer policy, disciplinary procedure and fications as in the case of UP or Bihar. sectoral and national collective bargaining tablishment. any amendment in the existing service rules; Bihar [16(2)] and Uttarakhand [16(7)] as “facilities” and “matters” for negotiation Karnataka: The NU/NC can negotiate (i) Formulation of quarter allotment policy; rules stipulate that the employer shall pro - differ across the states. The substantial dif - matters such as (i) discharge or dismissal of (j) Rationalisation, standardisation, safety, vide “reasonable/sufficient space for nego - ferences and inadequacies in the rules could individual workmen (sic); (ii) wages, includ - improvement of plant or introduction of new tiation” to NU/NC. UP rules mention that have been avoided had the Centre adopted PM Modi monetisation ing the period and mode of payment; (iii) technology; (k) Rationalisation of work the facilities for NU/NC will be notified by strategies to coordinate the regional rule - compensatory and other allowances, (iv) force employed in any occupation, process the government by a general or special order making processes—nor it is keen on reviv - hours of work and rest intervals, (v) leave or departments and (l) Any other matter per - (Rule 22). Gujarat rules stipulate that the fa - ing tripartite consultations. with wages and holidays, (vi) shift working, taining to conditions of service, terms of em - cilities to NU/NC shall be mutually decided The legislative vacuum seems to be help - plan could mean (vii) disciplinary procedures and (viii) any ployment and working conditions, which are between employers and recognised unions ing t he political parties (either they are too other matter that might be mutually agreed not covered in the above list”. (Rule 64). weak to protest or important Assembly elec - upon by the parties in the standing orders. Uttarakhand: The NU/NC can negotiate Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh provide tions are around the corner), employers (given another misadventure trip Madhya Pradesh: The matters include (i) on “all matters pertaining to service condi - these facilities with several attached condi - the slow economic growth and cost manage - By: K Raveendran matters contained in the Third Schedule to tions and charter of demands of Workers tions. It becomes difficult to distinguish be - ment) and trade unions (as they do not seem to IRC (1. Wages, including the period and (sic) that have been signed by, at least, 20% tween “facilities” and “rights”. In fact, have any concrete and meaningful strategy to he National Monetisaton Pipeline might well turn out to be mode of payment. 2. Contribution paid or of the total workforce if there is no regis - Madhya Pradesh treats the discussions with confront the State). (IPA Service) another pipedream turning sour, just as Modi’s demonetisation did, producing a result that was exactly the opposite of what wTas promised. Demonetisation was arguably more thoughtless and arbitrary, lacking any theoretical framework, a kind of midnight madness. The monetisation, however, has an overkill of theory. It GByr: Gyaan Pvathaik tatwihnich wgas pu balishedr ino the Iumpe -nledy. We hpave bieetn hfearaing al glreast t imoelinef. caste ctish eKumnar aftesr Biuhar les aders met sounds very well on paper as it is couched in fancy jargons that the Niti Aayog bureaucrats are known to revel in dishing out. That is as rial Gazetteer of India, Lord Risley deal about the benefits of ‘Kaman - A total of 11 leaders of political PM has said that final decision lies far comparisons go. But the end result might be the same: unmiti - he first caste census in India himself wrote the section on caste, dal’ and ‘Mandal’ politics propa - parties from Bihar have met our with PM Modi. gated disaster for the nation. The strategic objective of the asset mon - was done with the first ever though exposed for its falsity, re - gated by their proponents, but one Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Coming out of the meeting, Bihar etisation programme is stated to be to unlock the value of investments census conducted in 1901 mained basis of studies and admin - thing they have always been reluc - August 24, which not only included CM Nitish Kumar said, “People in in public sector assets by tapping private sector capital and efficiencies, Tunder Lord Risley as the Commis - istration, precipitating this ‘false tant to admit that both the politics Nitish Kumar but also the leader of Bihar and the entire country are of which can thereafter be leveraged for augmentation or Greenfield in - sioner of Census of India which caste system’ and its abuses and re - also added to further fragmentation the opposition and RJD leader Te - the same opinion on this issue.” frastructure creation. It entails a limited period license or leasing of an was discontinued after the Census mained in legal use in government of the India society – we are mov - jaswi Yadav, and leaders of the state RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav said, “In asset, owned by the government or a public authority, to a private sector 1931 due to opposition of the lead - records. He had decided that Indi - ing towards nations within the na - BJP. Both are beneficiary of OBC the interest of the nation, it will be entity for an upfront or periodic consideration. Known fancifully as ers of the Freedom Movement of ans consisted of 2,378 castes and tion – both on account of religions politics and have great political a historical step, all the poor will asset or capital recycling, it implies limited period transfer of perform - India, triggered especially after Dr tribes (with sub-castes), and 43 and castes. We have already seen stakesin the state. The leaders de - benefit”, adding that “When ani - ing assets, or disposing of non-strategic or underperforming assets to B R Ambedkar exposed the falsity races. He constructed his hierarchy how certain political parties came to manded Caste Census; their logic is mals and trees are counted, they unlock ‘idle’ capital and reinvesting it in other assets or projects that of the very basis on which castes of castes, and the British made it of - power on account of Kamandal or that OBCs must be given more than why not castes. When the govern - deliver improved or additional benefits. This could be used to meet the were enumerated. How it comes ficial. Mandal politics both in the Centre 27 per cent reservation keeping in ment has no scientific data on the ever-increasing needs of the population for improved quality of public now that large number of our politi - It was from this official list, peo - and the states. view their number in the total pop - population, how can it make wel - assets and services. Sounds perfect on paper. But what is going to be cians are finding caste census ben - ple were required to choose their The temptation of the power is ulation. They believe that the caste fare policies?” most critical is whether this adequately takes care of the perspective of eficial for the country which was castes while filling out official gov - great. The present Prime Minister count may enable them to have a These logics may attract many, public interest over the long term. The vision, mission and strategic found harmful by the founding ernment forms. It should also be Narendra Modi is beneficiary of larger slice of reservation quota. Ni - but there is still room for a thread - goals of the initiative are stated to be towards improving the ease of liv - forefathers of the Independent noted that Lord Risley himself had both the Kamandal and Mandal tish Kumar has announced to con - bare discussion about the benefits ing or physical quality of life for each individual in the country. And India? acknowledged the ‘administrative politics. Earlier, he played the Ka - duct caste census in Bihar, which and pitfalls of the caste census, and investment in infrastructure would aim to achieve the aspirational stan - Dr Ambedkar, considered an ar - sources of error’ in the data gather - mandal politics very well and come obviously will need Centre’s ap - if we decide to have it what should dards in consonance with the sustainable development goals (SDG) chitect of the Constitution of India, ing. After this list and the structure to power in 2014. In the 2019 elec - proval, because census is done be the modalities? Should we base 2030. Noble thoughts indeed. A kind of new directive principle of eco - also a great historian and scholar of of the caste hierarchy was estab - tion, the essential elements of Man - presently by the Census of India, a our castes and their counts on the nomic policy. But the trouble is that it is all money-centric. As opposed ancient Indian society, had studied lished, he even tried to distance dal politics were introduced, and he Central entity. fraudulent original list prepared and to privatisation, monetisation implies that the ownership stays with the the voluminous Nasal Index data of himself from it by blaming the In - returned to power with even greater For the BJP, the immediate stake institutionalized after Lord Risley, government, but the profits go to the kitty of private operators. The pri - various castes across India and dians for lacking the intellect to majority. It is largely perceived that in Uttar Pradesh where it is trying or start a fresh? Is it at all desirable vate sector entity is expected to generate returns through higher oper - came to the conclusion using Sir apply it. his charisma has been dwindling to get benefit from both the Mandal in the context of fragmentisation of ating efficiencies and enhanced user experience. The assets are Herbert Hope Risley’s own data to Nevertheless, his efforts bore since then and people of this coun - and the Kamandal forces, i.e. in the society, and making nations transferred back to back to the public sector owners at end of the con - disprove his thesis about castes in fruit at last. The Indian mindset, try have been suffering under his simple terms, the OBCs and the within the nation? Is fragmentisa - tract. This means that the private sector entity that is awarded the con - India, which formed the basis of the both official and public’ could not rule. Demonetisation, GST, and caste Hindus. It is important for the tion is necessary to help the de - tract will seek to maximise profits without caring about the long term Caste Censuses of 1901 – 1931, abandon the list primarily for poli - general lockdown of the country party in Uttar Pradesh at this junc - prived sections of our society? implications on the health of the asset because they are only concerned after which the caste census was al - tics. No one seemed giving it a without preparation and mishan - ture because the state is going to Should it be a simple executive de - with making the most of their investments, which the government has together discontinued due to the fal - thought as to how much the de - dling of the corona pandemic have have Vidhan Sabha elections early cision, or should it be brought after collected in advance. From past experience, this would amount to the sity he had exposed. bunked caste census results pub - brought unprecedented miseries on next year. At this moment of time comprehensive debate in the Legis - ‘milking process’ resorted to by private sector majors during the BIFR He wrote: “The measurement es - lished during the British Raj had the people. It is already known to when the process of Census 2021 is lature? How the case census will days, making their units sick and then handing them over to the gov - tablished that the Brahmin and the adversely impacted the Indians. It is Modi, and he is further trying to at advanced stage, it is not possible help in removing the bane of India ernment agency for being nursed back to health. A bigger worry is that Untouchables belong to the same this list everyone picked up, for consolidate OBC votes in his for change it for a caste census. that we call caste system, especially the new directive principle lays all the emphasis on revenue generation, race. From this it follows that if the study and administration. By 1970s, favour, through several means rang - Thus the BJP’s statement that it has when we go on institutionalizing which means social commitment, has been thrown out of the window. Brahmins are Aryans, the Untouch - when caste politics became promi - ing from providing reservations to open mind on caste census has no the castes in one or the other pre - Under the new dispensation, the quality of services would depend on able are also Aryans. If the Brah - nent, it is this list which became cabinet berths. meaning for Census 2021. If any - text? There are much more question the ability of the customer to pay while those have no means to pay, mins are Dravidians the handy for every political party. However, there are other political thing at all is possible, it can be con - than we can imagine, and they must which represents the highest segment of our population unfortunately, Untouchable are also Dravidians. If Mandal Commission studied this forces in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh sidered for post regular census era. be answered before any decision. will be at the mercy of the operators. By limiting the involvement of the Brahmins are Nagas, the Un - list and made its recommendations, who are also champions of the It is perhaps due to this reason, Ni - (IPA Service) the private sector player to the period of concession or contract, the new touchables are also Nagas. Such which became further basis of pol - OBC politics, perhaps stronger in management is likely to resort to what is known as ‘slaughter’ in rubber being the facts, the theory … must itics and administration, particularly their political forte than Modi. See - plantation circles. Slaughter means extracting maximum yield from a be said to be based on a false foun - for OBC politics and reservation. ing Modi’s recent political moves to tree before it is felled for use as timber or firewood. Slaughter, as the dation.” In the late 1980s, when the BJP capture the OBC politics, Nitish term itself suggests, means that the tree will have very little life after Our founding forefathers of the was playing the politics of Hin - Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar the operation. The difference with slaughter tapping, however, is that Independent India vehemently op - dutva, which was at that time know is incensed the most because his such deals are awarded when it is time for replantation and the trees are posed the caste census which was as politics of Kamandal (a religious JD(U) is BJP’s ally in Bihar, and ready to be felled. But in the case of monetisation, the assets are handed entrenched on false basis of the symbol of Hindu saints), and rally - any shift in OBC votes towards BJP over when they are in the best of health. By going for monetisation of Caste Censuses in the institutional ing across the country and conduct - may harm his prospects. That is best-performing public assets for realising the target of raising ` 111 machinery and eventually in the ing rath yatras for consolidation of why Nitish Kumar, in a bid to raise lakh crores, the Nelson’s eye number, considered inauspicious by many, collective imagination of the people Hindu votes, the then Prime Minis - his states over BJP politics de - particularly in cricket, by 2025, the Modi government has bequeathed to in general, had become tools for all ter Vishwanath Pratap Singh came manded for caste census, for which the private sector what should have legitimately belonged to the future gen - sorts of exploitation by the British - out with Mandal politics by imple - BJP was initially not ready, but has erations. They would instead receive quality assets subjected to heavy ers, who used caste and religion as menting the Mandal commission now signalled that it is open to the ‘milking’ and fit to be handed over to a new avatar of the now defunct nations within the nation. As the report, which was derived from that idea of a caste census, though it has Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction. (IPA Service) commissioner of Census 1901, list which was made by Lord Ris - not given any specific about the Page 5 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 4:49 PM Page 1

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 OP-E D THE HILLS TIMES 5 The poison of patriarchy-caste-religion By: S.G. Vombatkere rest, generating and increasing ill-feeling between integrity, and the security of our Nation. the haves and the have-nots. This ill-feeling is ex - Justice, Liberty and Equality are for the demo - ndia is a diverse country. It has geo-climatic acerbated by the patriarchy-caste legacy working cratic State to provide to citizens, and for citizens diversity and people who live in different geo- between and within all segments of society. Politi - to expect and demand from governments, public climatic regions have different ways of living cians who may come from any segment of society, institutions, and public servants. Fraternity is for aInd doing, with different cultures. take advantage of ill-feeling for personal or parti - citizens to promote amongst themselves as a fun - India has been a socio-cultural entity with a civ - san benefit. damental duty, so that Justice, Liberty and Equal - ilizational identity for millennia. At Independence, In this background of multi-dimensional diver - ity are secured for all. India was a country of amazing complexity of cul - sity, there is a unity forged by the Constitution of All this needs to be considered in the context of tures, languages, customs, religions, ethnicities, India, which is a source of strength to our people lynchings and beatings, and caste and gender and an ancient caste system. The large majority of and our Nation. The Constitution is a resolution crimes, which are reportedly on the increase. It people were economically and educationally of We the People, who “solemnly resolve to ... se - will be clear to all except bigots and criminals, that backward. This is still true, although to a lesser cure to all its citizens ... Justice, Liberty and destruction of Fraternity by the patriarchy-caste- extent. Equality, and to promote ... Fraternity”. It unifies religion poison, is the primary cause of these so - India (2011 Census) has 1.21-billion popula - the people through citizenship of the Union of cial ills. Every leader at every level of public life, tion, of which 79.8% are Hindu, 14.2% Muslim, India, making us all Indians first and foremost, re - of public administration, of industry-business- 2.3% Christian, 1.72% Sikh, 0.7% Buddhist and gardless of our regional, linguistic, religious, eth - commerce, etc., every thought-leader and opinion- 0.37% Jain. Within each of these different reli - nic, economic, etc., diversities. maker, every teacher-educator, every youth-leader, gious adherents, there is diversity of ethnicity, lan - Fraternity is nothing but brotherhood, with con - needs to apply his/her mind to encourage and en - guage, social customs and economic status. Caste, cern for others, and respect for and acceptance of hance fraternal feeling among our population, and from the Hindu faith, has crept into the social life differences of caste, gender, ethnicity, economic uphold the constitutional democratic values of and practice of some other religious. India has status, etc. People cannot be assured of Justice, Justice, Liberty and Equality. It is the fundamental more than 120 languages and nearly 20,000 Liberty or Equality, unless Fraternity in one form duty of these leaders, as of every other citizen, “... mother-tongues or dialects. or another, to some degree, is felt by individuals to promote harmony and the spirit of common Today’s diverse and complex India is a society at all levels of our vast socio-economic spectrum. ethos of our erstwhile British rulers. credo, Taliban’s destruction of Fraternity by cruel brotherhood amongst all the people of India, tran - in flux. It is a mix of the traditional and the mod - The purpose of promoting Fraternity is to “assure Weakening Fraternity weakens the possibility imposition of patriarchy and religion, actively de - scending religious, linguistic and regional or sec - ern. Tradition, with its ancient ills of patriarchy- the dignity of the individual and the unity and in - of providing Justice, Liberty and Equality. It is dif - nies these to the population. tional diversities“. caste mixed with a strong language-art-culture tegrity of the Nation”. ficult to imagine an individual in a position of su - Reverting to the Indian scene and our Constitu - To say that understanding and performance of tradition, has withstood centuries of foreign influ - However, today’s reality is that the unifying periority or power – arising from wealth, tion, Article 51A(e) reads: “It shall be the duty of this fundamental duty needs to begin at the top ence. In modern India, science and technology has force of the Constitution is weaker than the divi - education, caste, status, etc. – behaving fairly or every citizen of India, to promote harmony and the levels of every social, economic and political in - advanced phenomenally, and drives the engine of siveness of prevailing political forces. Indeed, the justly, or sharing anything, with a person whom spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the stitution, is to state the obvious. “development”. This has benefitted the better-off former is under increasing attack from the latter. s/he hates or dislikes, or towards whom s/he has people of India, transcending religious, linguistic The patriarchy-caste-religion poison affects segments relatively far more than the socio-eco - The patriarchy-caste legacy is the strongest no fraternal feelings. Denial of rights like access and regional or sectional diversities ... renounce every single one of us to greater or lesser extent, nomically backward, who are the losers. enemy of Fraternity. It manifests as gender and to water; motivatedly discriminating or acting practices derogatory to the dignity of women”. regardless of our religion, caste, gender, ethnicity, People in the affluent segments have tasted the caste discrimination, and violent crimes, within all against another person or group of persons on the This goes beyond the Preamble’s resolve to pro - age, status, family background, etc. Only by un - “nectar” of development-by-industrial-economic- social structures countrywide. However, the patri - basis of caste, gender, religion, political views, mote Fraternity, and mandates every citizen to derstanding and performing the fundamental duty growth. They unquestioningly accept science and archy-caste-religion combination, the poisonous etc., extending to serious crimes including rape, promote Fraternity – brotherhood and social har - of promoting Fraternity, can we overcome the pa - technology as a panacea for social ills. On the product of some politicians and political parties, murder and custodial violence; and more, are not mony – as a fundamental duty. triarchy-caste-religion poison, which afflicts us other hand, those who have missed the ‘develop - is worse – it destroys Fraternity. new, but greatly increased in the recent past. It needs to be emphasised that “every citizen of and our Nation. ment-bus’ for no fault of their own – apart from Fraternity is the unifier, the integrator, which When political divisiveness is deliberately India”, includes every politician of every political Why are our otherwise voluble top leaders who being born in a particular socio-economic com - must be promoted in keeping with the resolve of linked with religion, the Fraternity factor is further party (in government or opposition), every public never hesitate to share their thoughts, silent when munity – have been prey to the industrial bull - We the People, to preserve our Republic. Our sa - weakened or destroyed. It denies the dignity of the servant in the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary Fraternity is attacked? Why do they ignore their dozer, losing lands, homes or livelihoods. cred task is to build upon existing feelings of Fra - individual of the targeted religion, and impacts na - and other public bodies, and every cleric of every sworn fundamental duty to the Constitution? The better-off segments of India’s society claim ternity among our diverse population. tional integrity and security. Justice, Liberty and religion, regardless of his/her personal religion, We the People demand that every leader at the “ownership” of different portions of the traditional Divisiveness on the basis of politics, caste or re - Equality are actively violated or denied. caste, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, Apex of governance and administration at the and the modern, while there are huge segments ligion, destroys Fraternity. It polarizes people and The Taliban in Afghanistan is an example of the and region/language. Words and actions – inten - Centre and every State/UT sets personal example that suffer from the ills of both tradition and encourages dislike, distrust or hate of the “other”, patriarchy-religion combination taking precedence tional or otherwise, planned or spontaneous – of to promote Fraternity and remove the patriarchy- modernity, and get little or none of the benefits. the “opposite” group. Social polarization is the over every aspect of individuals’ lives and the so - any citizen, which act against or diminish the feel - caste-religion poison. This is the desperate sur - Grinding poverty persists and inequality has in - aim of those who seek to acquire political power cial-economic-political life of the population. Al - ing of Fraternity, are a violation of his/her consti - vival-need for our democratic Republic. creased. This has created social tensions and un - by dividing people. They use the “divide and rule” though Justice, Liberty and Equality are not its tutional duty. They work against the unity and (Courtesy: The Citizen) Rising fundamentalism presents a threat to democracy everywhere By: Anurag countries but also hijacked the developed, lives of huge numbers of people, often un - themselves are rooted in the past embody ex - liberal and democratic nations. Many factors dermining traditional relations and customs. treme forms of exploitation and oppression. undamentalism is the belief in old and such as imperialism, poverty, lack of good Throughout the developing countries, the Many fundamentalist organisations have traditional forms of religion or the be - governance, corruption, political instability people are being driven away from the farm - been established, and it should be clearly lief that whatever is written in a holy and poor economic conditions have con - lands where they have lived and tried to eke noted, they are restricted to Islamic funda - bFook is true. It was particularly evident in the tributed to the rise of fundamentalism. out an existence under oppressive conditions mentalism. Fundamentalism is viral across 20th century, which seeks to recover and Lately, the concept of fundamentalism has but now can no longer do even that. They are many religions, including some liberal reli - publicly institutionalised aspects of the past taken a bad shape with rising militancy, vio - being thrown away into the urban areas that gions. Fundamentalism in the USA has roots that modern life has obscured. The 21st cen - lence and terrorism. The religious conscious - surround the core of the cities. Almost half in Niagara Bible Conference related to tury has witnessed a phenomenal rise in fun - ness not only among the elderly but also of the world’s population lives in urban Christian fundamentalism. Jewish funda - damentalism and fanatism and global among the youth is increasing in today’s areas, including the massive and ever-grow - mentalism has been used to characterise mil - terrorism on the rise. The fundamentalists time. This is the by-product of modern life, ing shanty towns. Being uprooted from their itant religious Zionism. Similarly, Hindu see the secular states as their primary enemy which has become synonymous with stress, traditional conditions and the traditional fundamentalism is discernible in Hindutva, because their goals do not tend to align with pressures, competitiveness and uncertainty. forms in which they have been exploited and Ayodhya verdict, Gujrat riots etc. The origin each other. This conspicuous religiosity has led to the oppressed, they are being hurled into a very of Islamic fundamentalism can be traced to the The socialist society believes in educa - growth, spread and strengthening of funda - insecure and unstable existence, unable to be 7th century. The Shia and Sunni religious con - tion, democracy, reforms, modernisation, lib - mentalism. However, among the most distin - integrated in any kind of ‘articulated way’, flict also created a wedge and aggravated Is - Of Independence eralisation and economic reforms. The guishing features of today’s situation are the into the economic and social fabric and func - lamic fundamentalism. Al-Shabaab’s Boko fundamentalists believe all these goals as leaps that are occurring in globalisation, tioning of society. In many of the countries, Haram, Ansar-al-Sharia, ISIS, Al Qaeda, etc., hindrances to their objective of preserving linked to an accelerating process of capitalist a majority of the people in the urban areas are Islamic fundamentalist organisations endan - and partition the spiritual dimension of life. accumulation in a world dominated by the work in the informal economy. To a signifi - gering peace and harmony, giving rise to terror - The ideology of fundamentalism has not capitalist-imperialist system. This has led to cant degree, because of this, many people are ist activities. The rising fundamentalism not By: Prafull Goradia only gripped the poor and underdeveloped significant and often dramatic changes in the turning to religious fundamentalism to try to only leads to the loss of lives and property give them an anchor in the midst of all this but also the displacement of millions of peo - ith Independence Day just gone by, India has entered its 75th year as an in - dislocation and upheaval. ple from the homeland. The rising terror at - dependent nation after colonial rule. But as our Prime Minister also declared In developing countries, these massive tacks and migration crisis in Europe are that August 14 — which is our neighbour Pakistan’s independence day — changes and dislocations are occurring in the caused due to increasing fundamentalism in wWill be remembered as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, it is apt to recall Partition. context of domination and exploitation by Middle and West Asia. The peace, harmony This human tragedy was set in motion by Mohammad Ali Jinnah formally on March foreign imperialists, which is associated with and prosperity have been overpowered by 23, 1940, in the Muslim League’s plenum on the eve of passing a resolution to divide local ruling classes. These classes are eco - fear, apprehension and hatred. A democratic India. Excerpts from Jinnah’s speech the previous day make it evident that the Qaide- nomically and politically dependent on and government that has the greater participation e-Azam was clear about what he was advocating. subordinate to imperialism and are viewed of people needs to form the backbone of “Muslims are not a minority; we are a nation,” Jinnah claimed. He further said: “Hin - as the corrupt agents of an alien power, who good governance. People need to be edu - dus and Muslims are distinct and separate civilisations, deriving their inspiration from also promote the decadent culture of the cated so that their employability is enhanced. different sources of history. They have different epics. Very often, the hero of one is a West. This, in the short run, can strengthen This leads to an improved standard of living. foe of the other hand, likewise, their victories and defeats overlap. To yoke together the hands of fundamentalists religious forces The people need to be provided more reli - two such nations under a single State must lead to growing discontent and the final de - and leaders who frame opposition to the cor - gious freedom. There is a need for greater in - struction of the fabric. The history of 1,200 years has failed to achieve unity; India was ruption and Western decadence of the local ternational cooperation and collaboration in always divided into Hindu India and Muslim India. Therefore, they must have their ruling classes and the imperialists to which order to check the rising fundamentalism. homeland, their territory and their State.” For Jinnah and his League, this was their in - they are beholden, in terms of returning to The United Nations has an important role in exorable logic. Jinnah did not stop at mere rhetoric. To convince the British that the and enforcing with vengeance, traditional re - improving the deteriorating global environ - two communities could not coexist in one country, he unleashed the “Direct Action” in lations, customs, ideas, and values which ment. (Courtesy: Youth Ki Awaaz) Calcutta on August 16, 1946. Riots erupted not only in Bengal but spread up to Bha - galpur in Bihar. For a man of the elite, who wore only Saville Row suits, did not wear pyjamas or sherwanis before embracing Muslim politics, couldn’t do a namaz and en - joyed his pork, this was a complete U-turn. The Qaid’s younger brother Ahmed Ali, also my maternal grandfather’s friend (they met frequently), told my grandpa that the Why China remains top on minds of India’s youth brothers were culturally Parsi, and ate and drank what they liked. The elder Jinnah had By: Kalpit A Mankikar ferences with China. In pursuit 2020, which led to fatalities on to a resurgent China. In fact, dian youth. married a beautiful Parsi girl, Ruttie Petit. & Kartik Bommakanti of this, the Narendra Modi gov - both sides, has created a senti - Modi’s approach to China has Consequently, there is every A telling incident narrated by Pran Chopra, later the editor of The Statesman, as a ernment pursued a policy of en - ment that makes many wary of an approval rating of nearly 80 possibility of a stronger conver - reporter witnessing a Muslim League rally at Jalandhar in the campaigning during the n a democracy, the youth gaging with it as evidenced its intentions. This has res - percent amongst those sur - gence between the United 1945-46 elections reveals how Jinnah was the man of the moment for the country’s have a quantifiable impres - from Modi meeting the Chi - onated in the survey in which veyed. The same percentage of States and India. The US–India Muslims. He could address gatherings only in English; the only other language he knew sion on the formulation of nese President Xi Jinping in the an overwhelming 77 percent of respondents view the US as relationship is likely to deepen was his native Gujarati; certainly not Urdu. In the middle of his speech, the call for foreign policy. While problems Wuhan and Mamallapuram the respondents expressed “dis - India’s leading ally in the as Sino-Pakistan relations azaan (Muslim prayer) was sounded. While the crowd trooped off to pray, Jinnah sat I down on a chair to smoke a cigar, resuming his speech after the crowd had returned. related to livelihood do out - summits. trust” of the authoritarian na - decade ahead. Further, Chinese deepen in the wake of weigh security concerns, prolif - At each of these conferences, tion. Could a more definitive seizure of territory in Ladakh Afghanistan’s fall to the Tal - No one minded. For them, he was the messiah who would deliver them what they ar - eration of social media has the discussions focused on is - shift in India’s foreign policy came against the backdrop of iban. These strategic dynamics dently wanted — freedom from Hindu domination after the British quit. Cigar smoking meant that Gen Next is vocal in sues like strengthening peace towards Beijing be in the off - the Modi-Xi summits in that are at work will evolve and and pork gorging were small details that didn’t matter. expressing their opinion related along the border and tackling ing? Wuhan and thereafter in Ma - in flux. However, they very Jinnah, the highest paid barrister in the British Empire, was a brilliant courtroom ad - to the nation’s foreign policy. terrorism, amongst others. But While ‘non-alignment’ has mallapuram, revealing the critically confirm or at least re - vocate but remained only that. To him, the Muslim League and his Muslim followers Thus, young people are becom - while paying lip service to been an article of faith for planning and deception behind inforce the data of Indian youth were clients; his final fee was a place in the hall of fame in history as the founder of a ing a pressure bloc that govern - combating terror, China has re - India’s foreign policy establish - Beijing’s stealth aggression in attitudes towards China cap - new country for his community. The Muslim desire for a separate homeland existed ments are taking very seriously. peatedly tried to Ladakh. The IFP tured in the foreign policy poll. before Jinnah, but he was its effective articulator, winning it for them after unleashing As seen in the early 20th thwart moves to survey poll results Beyond the increasing strategic violence on Hindus and convincing the British of the imperative for Partition. Jinnah century, the world is once again punish Masood on China should be convergence between India and talked to his Muslims only in English as he did with all his clients, except Gujaratis. witnessing new powers com - Azhar, who heads seen in the context the US, there is every possibil - Unlike Jawaharlal Nehru, Jinnah did not offer the Governor-Generalship to Lord peting to take centre stage re - Jaish-e-Mohammed of this duplicitous ity of the Quadrilateral arrange - Mountbatten for a year or so, but kept it for himself. sulting in a challenge to the old that is responsible conduct by Beijing. ment or Quad, which is In the minds of the Muslim League leaders, on the eve of Partition, it was clear that order. While competition is cer - for killing 40 secu - While there may grouping whose membership all or most Muslims of India’s provinces must relocate to Pakistan. Through 1946 and tainly the hallmark of interna - rity personnel in a be a sliver of a thaw consists of the US, India, early 1947, Jinnah and his senior colleagues demanded an exchange of population at tional politics, two geopolitical suicide bombing in on the Himalayan Japan, and Australia gaining an Partition. His press appeal was published on November 26, 1946, on the front page of poles—China and the United Kashmir. Many in heights on account impetus. The persistence of a the Dawn which was still being published from Delhi. On December 19 the same year, States (US)—are emerging. India view China’s of the partial disen - revisionist territorial agenda by Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan stated in the Dawn that the population map of India must Even as Asia was coming to manoeuvres to gagement along the China against India, a growing change. The League President of Punjab made a statement that such an exchange was terms with a resurgent China, diplomatically insu - Sino-Indian border, Chinese naval presence in the good. The other leaders who publicly agreed were Sir Mohammed Ismail of Madras the culmination of the Taliban’s late Islamabad from friction points like Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Syed Ilahi Bux of Sind. They and others were of the view that if Hindus and Mus - “Long March” from rural accountability for its terror ac - ment, South Block mandarins Depsang where Chinese troops and Beijing’s strategic nexus lims could have coexisted, what was the need for Partition? Justice Gopal Das Khosla, Afghanistan to the high seat in tivities, at the same time noting have reviewed this sine qua have been blocking Indian pa - with Pakistan will remain sore ICS, and a member of the Punjab High Court, also held that an exchange of population Kabul has caused consterna - efforts made by US and its al - non. The current government’s trols cast a cloud over the rela - and adversarial issues in Sino- was an integral part of Partition. tion. lies at bringing Azhar to justice. new foreign policy orientation tionship. Since more than 80 Indian relations significantly The view wasn’t confined to Jinnah and the leaders of the Muslim League. India’s ORF’s 2021 “Foreign Policy Despite engaging with India, has moved closer to the US and percent of the respondents have congealing Indian hostility first President Dr Rajendra Prasad propagated the same in his book, India Divided. He Survey” tried to map the minds China’s creeping expansionism its allies in Asia like Japan and taken a view that the challenge against Beijing. In a nutshell, proposed that Muslims in India and Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan unable to migrate of the young and argumentative resulting in the 2017 Doklam Australia in the Quadrilateral over the border issue with the Foreign Policy Survey cap - should be allowed to stay on with visas issued by New Delhi and Karachi. Qaid-e- India. While improving the standoff, and recurrent incur - (Quad) framework. The survey China is more acute than with tures youth attitudes and views Azam MA Jinnah had endorsed his proposal. But the Nehru regime, adamant on hoist - economy, combatting terrorism sions at various points at East - found that more than 60 per - Pakistan, there remains little on international relations and ing a rootlessness that would later come to be called “secularism”, sold the falsehood remains topmost on their mind, ern Ladakh that culminated in cent of the respondents prefer hope that there may be a could be a bellwether for that Partition was a ‘territorial’ division and not a religious one, the consequences of they want India to resolve dif - a carnage in Galwan in June to forsake non-alignment due change in the mood of the In - change. (Courtesy: ORF) which India continues to battle even today. ( Courtesy: The Pioneer) Page 6 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 10:46 PM Page 1

6 THE HILLS TIMES WORLD FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 US says up to 1,500 Americans Russia: 2 suicide attacks await airlift as threats grow WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (AP): Secretary of state Antony Blinken said as many as 1,500 Americans outside Kabul airport; 13 dead may be awaiting evacuation from A US official said the complex attack was ‘definitely believed’ Afghanistan, a figure that suggests the US may accomplish its highest priority for the Kabul airlift — res - to have been carried out by the Islamic State group cuing US citizens — ahead of Pres - KABUL, Aug 26 (AP): Two suicide bombers ident Joe Biden’s Tuesday deadline and gunmen targeted crowds massing near the despite growing warnings Thursday Kabul airport on Thursday, in the waning days of of terror threats targeting the airport. a massive airlift that has drawn thousands of peo - Untold thousands of at-risk ple seeking to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghans, however, were still strug - Afghanistan. At least 13 people were killed and gling to get into the Kabul airport, 15 wounded, Russian officials said. even many thousands of other A US official said the complex attack was “def - Afghans already had been flown to initely believed” to have been carried out by the safety in nearly two weeks of round- Islamic State group, whose affiliate in the-clock flights. Several of the Blinken, echoing Biden’s earlier threats. On Wednesday, the US Afghanistan grew out of disaffected Taliban Americans working phones and declarations during the now 12-day- Embassy in Kabul issued a secu - members who hold an even more extreme view pulling strings to get out former old evacuation, emphasised at a rity alert warning American citi - of Islam. At least 13 people died and 15 were Afghan colleagues, women’s advo - state department briefing that “evac - zens away from three specific wounded, according to Russia’s foreign ministry, cates, journalists and other vulnera - uating Americans is our top prior - airport gates, but gave no further which gave the first official casualty count. Pen - ble Afghans said they were still ity.” He added, “We’re also explanation. Senior US officials tagon spokesman John Kirby also confirmed the waiting for US action to get those committed to getting out as many said the warning was related to on - blasts, saying one was near an airport entrance remaining Afghans past Taliban Afghans at-risk as we can before going and specific threats involv - and another was a short distance away by a hotel. One explosion went off in a crowd of people even hours for some nations — before the evac - checkpoints and through US-con - the 31st,” when Biden plans to pull ing the Islamic State and potential The US official said members of the US mili - waiting to enter the airport, according to Adam uation effort ends, few appeared to heed the call. trolled airport gates to promised out the last of thousands of Amer - vehicle bombs, which have set US tary were among the wounded. The official spoke Khan, an Afghan waiting nearby. He said several Over the last week, the airport has been the evacuation flights. ican troops. As more nations began officials on edge in the final days on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing op - people appeared to have been killed or wounded, scene of some of the most searing images of the “It’s 100% up to the Afghans to shutting down their own evacua - of the American drawdown. The erations. Even as the area was hit, the official said including some who lost body parts. chaotic end of America’s longest war and the Tal - take these risks and try to fight their tion flights and pulling out ahead officials insisted on anonymity be - evacuation flights continued to take off from Several countries urged people to avoid the air - iban’s takeover, as flight after flight took off car - way out,” said Sunil Varghese, pol - of the United States’ troop with - cause they were not authorised to Kabul airport, which Western governments earlier port earlier in the day, with one saying there was rying those who fear a return to the militants’ icy director with the International drawal, there were new European discuss ongoing military opera - warned was a target. a threat of a suicide bombing. But just days — or brutal rule. Refugee Assistance Project. warnings Thursday of terror tions. Nepal’s Election Commission grants Israeli PM to make case to

KrAeTHcMoANgDUn, Aiutg i2o6 (PnTI ): to two new political parties Biden against Iran nuclear pact Nepal's Election Commission on WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (AP): President Joe down comes weeks after Ebrahim Raisi was Wednesday granted recognition to Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sworn in as Iran's new President. two newly-registered political par - are set to hold their first face-to-face meeting, and Raisi, 60, a conservative cleric with close ties ties - CPN (Unified Socialist) led Israel's new leader intends to press Biden to give to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has by Madhav Kumar Nepal and the up pursuit of reviving the Iran nuclear deal. Be - suggested he'll engage with the US. But he also Democratic Socialist Party led by fore arriving in Washington, Bennett made clear has struck a hard-line stance, ruling out negotia - Mahanta Thakur. the top priority of the visit to the White House tions aimed at limiting Iranian missile develop - Madhav Nepal had submitted an was to persuade Biden not to return to the nuclear ment and support for regional militias, something application at the Election Com - accord, arguing Iran has already advanced in its the Biden administration wants to address in a mission last week for registering a uranium enrichment, and that sanctions relief new accord. Administration officials acknowl - new political party after President would give Iran more resources to back Israel's edged that Iran's potential breakout the time Bidya Devi Bhandari issued an or - enemies in the region. needed to amass enough fissile material for a sin - dinance to amend the Political Par - The Israeli leader met separately with secretary gle nuclear weapon is now down to a matter of ties Act 2071, aimed at easing the the CPN-UML authenticated the The ordinance recently amended of state Antony Blinken and defence secretary months or less. procedure for political parties to newly-registered CPN (Unified by Deuba-led government has pro - Lloyd Austin to discuss Iran and other issues. The But a senior administration official, who split. According to Election Com - Socialist) party, formally splitting vision to register a new party if the visit was his first to the US as Prime Minister. the country as regional hostilities simmer. spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the mission spokesperson Raj Kumar the main opposition CPN-UML - splinter faction secures the signa - Bennett told his Cabinet ahead of the trip that he Trump's decision to withdraw from Iran's nuclear Biden-Bennett meeting, said the administration Shrestha, certificates have been is - the largest communist party of the ture of 20 per cent of either central would tell the American President that now is the deal led Tehran to abandon over time every lim - sees the maximum pressure campaign em - sued for new political parties after country. committee members or Parliamen - time to halt the Iranians, to stop this thing and not itation the accord imposed on its nuclear enrich - ployed by the Trump administration as having verification of the members. Madhav Nepal, a former Prime tary Party members. to re-enter a nuclear deal that has already expired ment. The country now enriches a small amount emboldened Iran to push ahead with its nuclear Leaders of both the parties had Minister, had gone against the Before the amendment, provi - and is not relevant, even to those who thought it of uranium up to 63 per cent, a short step from program. Bennett is also looking to turn the reached the Election Commission party and supported the then Op - sions of the Political Party Act re - was once relevant. Biden has made clear his de - weapons-grade levels, compared with 3.67 per page from his predecessor, Benjamin Ne - office on Wednesday afternoon position alliance in its bid to topple quired dissidents to have the sire to find a path to salvage the 2015 landmark cent under the deal. It also spins far more ad - tanyahu. Netanyahu had a close relationship and identified themselves before the government led by KP Sharma support of 40 per cent of members pact cultivated by Barack Obama's administration vanced centrifuges and more of them than were with Trump after frequently clashing with the EC officials. Oli. His faction has already made in the parliamentary party and the but scuttled in 2018 by Donald Trump's. But US allowed under the accord, worrying nuclear non- Obama. Biden, who has met with every Israeli As many as 55 central commit - a decision to join the Sher Bahadur central committee to split their indirect talks with Iran have stalled and Washing - proliferation experts even though Tehran insists Prime Minister since Golda Meir, had his own tee members and 30 lawmakers of Deuba-led coalition government. mother party. ton continues to maintain crippling sanctions on its programme is peaceful. The Biden-Bennett sit- tensions with Netanyahu over the years. China accuses US of politicising Covid-19 origins research possibilities. The most likely sce - that the window of opportunity China, Pak, Thai, Mongolia nario, the report said, is that the for solving the mystery is closing virus jumped from bats to another fast. China has responded to con - animal that then infected humans. tinuing speculation about a leak to hold military exercise But the findings are not conclu - from the Wuhan Institute of Virol - BEIJING, Aug 26 (PTI): The sive, and WHO director-general ogy by suggesting the virus could militaries of China, Pakistan, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus have escaped from Fort Detrick, a Mongolia and Thailand will take said all hypotheses are on the US military lab in Maryland. part in a multinational peacekeep - table and warrant complete and Fu, who heads the foreign min - ing exercise to be organised by the further studies. He added in July istry's Arms Control Department, People's Liberation Army in the that there had been a premature denied that China is engaging in a country's central Henan province push to rule out the lab leak the - disinformation campaign. next month, a senior official said ory. In May, President Joe Biden He said if other parties insist on here on Thursday. The four coun - BEIJING, Aug 26 (AP): China pared to accept the counterattack ordered a 90-day review by intel - pursuing the lab leak theory, then tries will take part in the first has gone on the offensive ahead from China,” he said. ligence agencies of both theories. the WHO team of researchers multinational peacekeeping live of the release of a US intelligence China, the US and the World White House press secretary Jen should visit Fort Detrick. He por - exercise Shared Destiny-2021 at report on the origins of the coron - Health Organisation are entangled Psaki said Biden received the re - trayed it as a fairness issue, since the combined-arms tactical train - transportation and medical serv - protection of civilians, response to avirus, bringing out a senior offi - in a feud that centres on whether port and a classified briefing the WHO has been to the Wuhan ing base of the PLA in Henan's ices, Tan said. The scenario of the violent and terrorist attacks, con - cial to accuse the US of the virus that causes Covid-19 about it on Tuesday, and that an institute twice. “If Dr Tedros be - Queshan county from September 6 exercise is joint operations of struction of temporary operation politicising the issue by seeking to could have leaked from a lab in unclassified summary is being lieves that we should not rule out to 15, spokesperson for China's multinational peacekeeping forces base, battlefield first aid and pan - blame China. the city of Wuhan, where the dis - prepared expeditiously for public the hypothesis of a lab leak, well, ministry of national defence Sen - and the exercise will be held in a demic control will be conducted Fu Cong, a foreign ministry di - ease was first detected in late release. he knows where to go,” Fu said. ior Colonel Tan Kefei told an on - close-to-real battlefield environ - for the purpose of responding to rector general, said at a briefing 2019. The feud over whether to keep “He needs to go to the US labs.” line media briefing. ment set in accordance with the in - the UN's Action for Peacekeeping for foreign journalists on Wednes - A joint WHO-China report pub - pursuing the lab leak theory has China notes that the Fort Detrick's All the four countries will dis - ternational, professional and initiative, promoting practical co - day that scapegoating China can - lished in late March concluded delayed the next phase of re - infectious disease institute has patch more than 1,000 troops to realistic combat standards, he said. operation and making joint efforts not whitewash the US. that a lab leak was extremely un - search, and the scientists who studied coronaviruses and that it participate in the drills, involving In the exercise, drills of battle - to enhance the peacekeeping “If they want to baselessly ac - likely, and China wants the inves - made up the WHO team for the was closed for several months in units of infantry, fast response, se - field reconnaissance, security standby forces' capability of carry - cuse China, they better be pre - tigation to move on to other joint report warned Wednesday 2019-20 for safety violations. curity, helicopter, engineering, guarding and patrol, armed escort, ing out tasks. Imran Khan calls on international community Novel AI tool to help predict Arctic ISLAfMoArB ApD,o Asugi t26i v(PeTI )e: ngagement with Afghanistan Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday called for the Sea ice loss months earlier formation of an inclusive govern - LONDON, Aug 26 (PTI): Scien - The new sea ice forecasting ment in Afghanistan and asked the tists have developed a new artifi - framework fuses data from satel - international community for posi - cial intelligence (AI) tool that can lite sensors with the output of cli - tive engagement with Kabul as a more accurately forecast Arctic mate models in ways traditional way forward to avert any humani - Sea ice conditions months into the systems simply couldn't achieve, tarian crisis and ensure peace and future. noted principal investigator, Scott stability in the war-ravaged coun - The improved predictions could Hosking, co-leader of the BAS AI try. Khan made the comments dur - underpin new early-warning sys - Lab. Unlike conventional forecast - ing his meeting with executive tems that protect Arctic wildlife ing systems that attempt to model director of United Nations World and coastal communities from the the laws of physics directly, the au - Food Program (WFP) David impacts of sea ice loss, according thors designed IceNet based on a Beasley here. During the meeting, to an international team of re - concept called deep learning. they discussed ways of facilitating the country, capturing all major Mahood Qureshi was on a visit to searchers led by British Antarctic Through this approach, the the continued provision of human - cities in a matter of days, as meet leaders of Tajikistan, Uzbek - Survey (BAS) and The Alan Tur - model 'learns' how sea ice changes itarian assistance to the Afghan Afghan security forces trained and istan, Turkmenistan and Iran to ing Institute, UK. from thousands of years of climate people. equipped by the US and its allies discuss the situation in Described in the journal Nature atures has caused the summer Arc - ahead - better than the leading simulation data, along with Khan said that positive engage - melted away. Beasley expressed Afghanistan. Khan also appreci - Communications, the AI system, tic Sea ice area to halve over the physics-based model, according to decades of observational data to ment of the international commu - gratitude to Pakistan for its role in ated the role of WFP as the leading IceNet, addresses the challenge of past four decades, equivalent to the the researchers. predict the extent of Arctic Sea ice nity with Afghanistan was the way facilitating the work of the World international humanitarian organi - producing accurate Arctic Sea ice loss of an area around 25 times the “The Arctic is a region on the months into the future. forward to avert any humanitarian Food Program in providing food sation (IHO) for delivering food forecasts for the season ahead - size of Great Britain, they said. frontline of climate change and has “Now we have demonstrated crisis and secure peace and stabil - assistance to Afghans. assistance in emergencies and for something that has eluded scien - These accelerating changes, the seen substantial warming over the that AI can accurately forecast sea ity in Afghanistan. He called for On Wednesday, Khan received a working with nations worldwide to tists for decades. researchers noted, have dramatic last 40 years,” said study lead au - ice, our next goal is to develop a the formation of an inclusive gov - telephone call from Russian Presi - improve nutrition and build re - Sea ice, a vast layer of frozen consequences for the world cli - thor Tom Andersson, data scientist daily version of the model and ernment in the strife-torn country dent Vladimir Putin and the two silience. sea water that appears at the North mate, for Arctic ecosystems, and at the BAS AI Lab. have it running publicly in real- after it was taken over by the Tal - leaders discussed the latest devel - He underlined that Pakistan has and South poles, is notoriously dif - Indigenous and local communities “IceNet has the potential to fill time, just like weather forecasts,” iban on August 15, two weeks be - opments in Afghanistan, under - been a beneficiary of various WFP ficult to forecast because of its whose livelihoods are tied to the an urgent gap in forecasting sea ice Andersson said. fore the US was set to complete its scoring the need for coordinated projects that are being imple - complex relationship with the at - seasonal sea ice cycle. for Arctic sustainability efforts and “This could operate as an early troop withdrawal after a costly efforts to tackle the situation in the mented in the country and values mosphere above and ocean below, IceNet is almost 95 per cent ac - runs thousands of times faster than warning system for risks associ - two-decade war. strife-torn country. Separately, its partnership with the organisa - the researchers said. The sensitiv - curate in predicting whether sea traditional methods,” Andersson ated with rapid sea ice loss,” he The insurgents stormed across Pakistan foreign minister Shah tion. ity of sea ice to increasing temper - ice will be present two months said. added.

Page 7 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 9:33 PM Page 1

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 N ATION THE HILLS TIMES 7 CBI registers nine cases related to Govt committed to full evacuation of post-poll violence in West Bengal NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The CBI has registered nine cases related to post-poll violence in West Ben - Indians from Afghanistan: Jaishankar gal, sources said on Thursday. All the four special units of the investigating agency tasked to probe the ‘Let situation settle,’ says External Affairs minister on govt’s approach towards Taliban cases of violence have moved their units from Kolkata NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The uation as soon as possible," he to crime scenes across the state, they said. government is committed to ‘full said.With the situation in More cases are under the process of registration evacuation’ of Indians from Afghanistan fluid, he said there will with some of them being handed over by the state gov - Afghanistan, where the situation is be a lot of activity on this front but ernment, sources said.The CBI has taken over the ‘critical’, External Affairs minister at the moment India's "focus is on cases on the instruction of a five-judge bench of the sembly poll results on May 2. The Mamata Banerjee- S Jaishankar said on Thursday after evacuation and the government is Calcutta High Court that had entrusted the agency led Trinamool Congress achieved an astounding vic - briefing the leaders at an all-party doing every thing to ensure that we with the task of investigating the alleged murder and tory humbling the BJP in a bitterly fought eight-phase meet on the Afghan situation. bring back our people".On the all- rape incidents reported during post-poll violence in electoral battle. Passing a unanimous judgement on a During the meeting, which lasted party meet, he tweeted "briefed the West Bengal.The High Court directives came after a batch of PILs seeking an independent probe, the High for about three and a half hours, floor leaders of all political parties committee of the National Human Rights Commission Court Bench also ordered the constitution of an SIT Jaishankar said the government has today on Afghanistan and 37 leaders submitted a report on the violence in the state after As - of state police officers to probe all other cases. adopted a ‘wait and watch’ ap - from 31 parties attended. Thank proach in dealing with the Taliban, them all."He said India's strong ADVERTISEMENT depending on the evolving situation, Shringla also participated in the tion on Afghanistan. The friendship friendship with the people of Take care of yourself and later told reporters in an answer meeting. with the Afghan people is some - Afghanistan is reflected in the more 1. No.FSA.65/2013/384 Dated Dispur, the 26th to a similar question that let the sit - As per the evacuation data shared thing which matters to all of us. So than 500 projects it has there and as Govt busy with August 2021: Applications are invited from Indian uation settle down there. "Let the among the participants at the meet, we (all parties) approached this sit - that the friendship will continue to Citizens for filling up of the positions of the Presi - situation settle...You will have to the government has evacuated - 175 uation very much in a spirit of na - guide New Delhi. sales: Rahul dent and Member in Assam State Consumer Dis - keep patience on the question of our Embassy Personnel, 263 other In - tional unity," he told Jaishankar said India's footprint NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): Congress putes Redressal Commission of Assam under the future policy," he said when asked dian Nationals, 112 Afghan Nation - reporters.Under Operation 'Devi and activities naturally keep in mind leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday voiced con - Consumer Protection Act, 2019. about the government's approach to - als including Hindus and Sikhs, 15 Shakti', the government has under - the ongoing change."We have un - cern over the rise in coronavirus cases in the wards the Taliban.Later in a tweet, third country nationals and the total taken six flights and brought back dertaken evacuation operations in country, and said people should take care of 2. No.FSA 65/20131383 Dated Dispur, the 26 th Jaishankar said, "our immediate figure stood at 565. The document most of the Indians but not all of extremely difficult conditions espe - themselves as the government is ‘busy in August'2021: Applications are invited from Indian concern and task is evacuation and further said the government also fa - them, he said, noting that a few In - cially at the airport. Our immediate sales’. Gandhi has been accusing the BJP gov - Citizens for filling up of the positions of the Presi - long term interest is the friendship cilitated the evacuation of Indians dians are still there. concern and task is evacuation and ernment of selling out the country's assets built dent and Member in District Consumer Disputes for the Afghan people". Besides by other agencies. "Some of them could not make long term interest is the friendship in the last 70 years, after it announced its asset Redressal Commission of Assam under the Con - Jaishankar, Union minister and NCP leader Sharad Pawar, the flight yesterday. But definitely for the Afghan people," he monetisation pipeline plan."Rising Covid Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition in Rajya we will try and bring everybody. We said.Sources said Jaishankar ap - numbers are worrying. Vaccination must pick sumer Protection Act, 2019. Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Af - Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader have also brought out some Afghan prised the floor leaders about the up pace to avoid serious outcomes in the next Details may be seen in the website, fcsca.assam fairs minister Pralhad Joshi were of Congress party in Lok Sabha citizens who wanted to come to pre-emptive measures taken by wave," he said on Twitter. Please take care of gov.in also present during the briefing on Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, DMK's India at this point of time. We have India including the temporary with - yourselves because GOI is busy with sales," Sd/- T R Baalu, former prime minister H tried to address many of the other is - the latest situation in Afghanistan drawal of Indian personnel from its he also said.\India saw a single day rise of Addl. Secretary to the Govt. of Assam after the Taliban captured power D Deve Gowda, Apna Dal's sues by instituting an E-visa policy. consulates in Herat and Jalalabad in 46,164 Covid-19 infections with 607 fatalities there last week. Senior officials of Anupriya Patel were among those So the overall sense was that the April last year, scaling down of the in the last 24 hours, pushing the country's total • Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department the external affairs ministry, includ - who attended the meet. government is very very strongly strength of the embassy in Kabul in number of cases so far to 3,25,58,530 and Janasanyog/D/4775/21 ing Foreign secretary Harsh "We have a strong national posi - committed to ensuring the full evac - June this year. death toll to 4,36,365. Forced sex with wife does not SC gets 9 new judges, B V Nagarathna PRESS COMMUNIQUE amount to rape: Chhattisgarh HC BW.05/2021/28 Dated Dispur, the 26th August, 2021 Auction of 3 year Assam NEW DEcLoHI,u Alugd 2 6 b(PeTI) : first woman CJsIide si thnem , 2just0ice2 C T7 Ravikumar Government Stock (Securities) Nine new judges, including three of the Kerala High Court and jus - women, were on Thursday ap - tice M M Sundresh of the Madras 1. Government of Assam has offered to sale the dated securities for an pointed to the Supreme Court, with High Court have also been ap - amount of Rs.500.00 Crore with 3 (three) year tenure by auction. The auction Justice B V Nagarathna in line to be pointed to the top court. Senior ad - the first woman chief justice of vocate and former additional will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, at Mumbai Office, Fort, Mum - India (CJI) in September 2027. women judges. Besides Justice Na - solicitor general P S Narasimha has bai-400001 on August 31, 2021. President Ram Nath Kovind signed garathna, the third senior-most became the sixth lawyer to be ele - 2. The procedure of auction of the State Development Loan as under:- BILASPUR, Aug 26 (PTI): The Chhattisgarh High their warrants of appointment. judge of the Karnataka High Court, vated to the apex court bench di - (a) Competitive Bids Court has discharged a 37-year-old man in a rape With a sanctioned strength of 34 the other women judges who have rectly from the Bar. The chief All competitive bids shall be submitted electronically on the Reserve Bank of case filed against him by his wife after observing that judges, the Supreme Court as of been appointed to the apex court justices of different high courts who India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) System. Perhaps, other than CBS sexual intercourse or any sexual act with a legally now has 10 vacancies. Once the are justice Hima Kohli, the chief have made it to the Supreme Court wedded wife is not rape even if done by force or new judges take oath in the coming justice of the Telangana High are Abhay Shreeniwas Oka (chief members, shall route their competitive bids through a CBS member. Com - against her wish. However, the HC did not grant any days, the top court will have only Court, and justice Bela M Trivedi, justice of the Karnataka High petitive bids may be submitted between 10:30 A.M. and 11.30 A.M. on the relief to the man who was also charged under IPC one vacancy.Separate formal noti - the fifth senior-most judge of the Court), Vikram Nath (chief justice day of the auction, as hitherto. section 377 (unnatural offences). fications by the law ministry an - Gujarat High Court. of the Gujarat High Court) and Ji - (b) Non-Competitive Bids Justice NK Chandravanshi delivered the judge - nouncing their appointments were Justice Kohli was to retire on tendra Kumar Maheshwari (chief Under the scheme, an investor can submit a single bid only in the auction of ment on August 23 in a criminal revision plea filed issued on Thursday afternoon. In a September 1 on attaining the age of justice of the Sikkim High Court). a State Development Loan, subject to a maximum of 1% of the notified by the man and his two family members, seeking to first, the Supreme Court Collegium 62. While high court judges retire Justice Nagarathna, born on Oc - quash rape charge (against him) and other offences had last week recommended for ap - at the age of 62, the retirement age tober 30, 1962, is the daughter of amount, through a bank or a Primary Dealer. Non-Competitive Bids may be framed against them, their lawyer YC Sharma said pointment to the apex court three of Supreme Court judges is 65. Be - former CJI E S Venkataramiah. submitted only electronically on the CBS between 10:30 A.M. and 11.00 A.M. on Thursday. As per the order, the victim married the on the day of auction. No bids under the Non-Competitive Bidding Scheme man, a native of Changorabhata in Raipur, in 2017. shall be accepted after 11.00 A.M. After a few days of marriage, the woman's husband (c) Bids in Physical format and her two in-laws allegedly started harassing her for dowry. The woman later lodged a complaint at Four-day Malabar wargame begins No bids shall, henceforth, be accepted in physical format in the auctions of the Bemetara police station of Bemetara district State Development Loans, except in extra-ordinary situations as may be against the three. After investigation, a charge-sheet specified by the Reserve Bank of India. under section 498-A (dowry harassment), 377 (un - off coast of Guam iKnadm Watt aned a sfleett oef Pr8In ma riPtimea sucrveillfanicce air - 3. The bids may be submitted electronically to the Regional Director, Reserve natural offences), 376 (rape), 34 (common intention) craft in the 25th edition of the mega exercise.The US Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai-400001 of the IPC was filed against them. After providing Pacific Fleet's Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile de - opportunity of hearing to counsels of both the parties, stroyer USS Barry, naval special warfare forces, mar - 4. The result of auction shall be displayed by the Reserve Bank of India on a trial court had framed charges against the appli - itime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Task its website on the same day of auction. The payment by successful bidders cants under these sections, the order said. Force 72, and military sealift command's Henry J will be on September 01, 2021. The trio, including woman's husband, approached Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler USNS 5. The rate of Interest, i.e. the cut-off yield determined at the auction will be the High Court seeking to set aside the order of the Rappahannock are among the assets deployed by the the coupon rate percent per annum on the stock sold at the auction. The in - trial court and discharge them from the charges, in - US Navy in the exercise. terest will be paid on March 01 and September 01 cluding that of rape against him. Under Commander, US Pacific Fleet, 7th Fleet is “Counsel for the applicants submits that the com - the US Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered 6. The investment in Government Stock will be reckoned as an eligible in - plainant and the applicant No. 1 (man) are legally NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The high-voltage Mal - fleet and routinely interacts and operates with 35 mar - vestment in Government Securities by banks for the purpose of Statutory Liq - wedded wife and husband, therefore, none of the in - abar exercise featuring the navies of all four Quad itime nations in preserving a free and open Indo-Pa - uidity Ratio (SLR) under Section 24 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The gredients to constitute the offence punishable under countries - India, the US, Australia and Japan began cific region."Malabar-21 would witness complex Stocks will qualify for the ready forward facility. Sections 376 and 377 of the IPC are spelt out against on Thursday off the coast of Guam in the backdrop exercises including anti-surface, anti-air and anti-sub - 7. For other details, please see the Notification of the Government of Assam him, because, in India, marital rape is not recognised of a resolve by the four nations to solidify coopera - marine warfare drill, and other manoeuvres and tac - tical exercises. The exercise will provide an No. BW.05/2021/27, dated 26th August, 2021. and the same is not an offence in view of Exception tion for a free and open Indo-Pacific in view of Sd/- II of Section 375 of the IPC,” the HC said. The coun - China's rouge behaviour in the region.A range of opportunity for participating navies to derive benefit sel had prayed that the impugned order be set aside from each other's expertise and experiences," Indian Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam complex drills involving warships, aircraft and heli - Janasanyog/C/4960/21 and the applicants be discharged from charges copters will be carried out during the four-day exer - Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal Finance Department brought against them, it said. After hearing, the HC cise, being hosted by the US Navy in the Western said.The US 7th Fleet said the first phase of the exer - had reserved its order on August 13 and it was deliv - Pacific, officials said.The US Seventh Fleet, in a cise is an opportunity for the four Indo-Pacific navies ered on Monday (August 23). The order said, “Ex - statement, said the exercise demonstrated the com - to operate together to strengthen their skills in "com - ception II of Section 375 of the IPC, referred to mitment among the like-minded nations to uphold a bined maritime operations, anti-submarine warfare above, makes it clear that sexual intercourse or sex - rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. operations, air warfare operations, live-fire gunnery ual act by a man with his own wife, the wife not The Indian Navy has deployed its stealth frigate events, replenishments-at-sea and cross-deck flight being under eighteen years of age, is not rape.” INS Shivalik, anti-submarine warfare corvette INS operations." Celebrate festivals with caution, second Covid wave not yet over: Centre ‘41 districts in India were reporting a Covid-19 weekly positivity rate of more than 10 per cent’ NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The while four states have 10,000 to 1 lakh Central government on Thursday said active cases and 31 states have less the months of September and October than 10,000 active cases," it said. will be crucial in pandemic manage - The government said over 400 evac - ment and cautioned that festivals uees were brought back from should be celebrated in accordance Afghanistan so far and that some of with Covid-19-appropriate behaviour. them have tested positive for Covid- Addressing a media briefing, Union 19. The infected people have been iso - Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan reit - lated and are being treated. erated that the country is still in the With 46,164 people testing positive midst of the second wave. for coronavirus infection in a day, ICMR director general Balram India's total tally of Covid-19 cases has Bhargava said vaccines are disease increased to 3,25,58,530, while the ac - modifying and not disease preventing tive cases rose to 3,33,725, according so it is very important to continue the to the Union Health Ministry data up - use of masks even after vaccination. dated on Thursday. Bhushan said, "We are still in the The death toll climbed to 4,36,365 midst of the second surge of Covid-19 "The coming months of September a Covid-19 weekly positivity rate of with 607 fresh fatalities, according to in our country. The second surge has and October are crucial for us because more than 10 per cent. the data updated at 8 am. not yet concluded. It is not over and we would be celebrating a few festi - According to the government, 58.4 The active cases comprise 1.03 per therefore, we have to maintain all nec - vals. Thus festivals have to be cele - per cent of the total Covid-19 cases last cent of the total infections, while the essary precautions, particularly in light brated with Covid-appropriate week were reported from Kerala. national Covid-19 recovery rate was of our experience that after every fes - behaviour," he added. The government "Kerala is the only state reporting recorded at 97.63 per cent, the ministry tival we see a spike." said 41 districts in India were reporting over 1 lakh active Covid-19 cases, said. Page 8 August 27_Normal Pages 8/26/2021 8:47 PM Page 1

8 THE HILLS TIMES SPORTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 PSG fans hoping for first KKR sign Southee; RCB, Rajasthan Royals & Punjab Kings too announce replacements KOLKATA, Aug 26 (PTI): New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has been roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders for glimpse of Messi the remainder of the IPL scheduled to be held in the UAE from September 19. Mbappe’s future at Paris remains uncertain as Real Madrid are on the brink of signing the France superstar The veteran New Zealand pacer will be a replacement PARIS, Aug 26 (AP): Paris Saint- overall across 2012 and 2013; eight for Australia's Pat Cummins, who pulled out of the Germain fans may never get to see Spanish league and six Champions league due to “personal reasons”. the strike force they have been League scoring titles. “Cummins made himself unavailable for the season dreaming of for the past couple of Messi once netted a record 91 for personal reasons. Southee comes in with a vast ex - weeks. While six-time Ballon d’Or goals in a calendar year for club and perience of 305 International games for the Kiwis with winner Lionel Messi is set for his country. He also led Argentina to the 603 wickets,” the two-time former champions KKR an - eagerly awaited debut in Sunday’s 2021 Copa America title. News of nounced on Thursday. French league game at Reims, re - Messi’s arrival at PSG earlier this Cummins, who was signed for ` 15.5 crore for IPL uniting with his former Barcelona month prompted a surge in ticket 2020 season, has been a key member of their side and teammate Neymar, the Champagne sales and media interest. this season he played all their seven games, taking nine has been diluted with news that When David Beckham made one wickets and scoring 93 runs, including a career-best 66 Kylian Mbappe could join Real of his first appearances for PSG not out against Chennai Super Kings. Madrid. Mbappe’s boyhood dream alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Third-highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket, with 99 was to play for the Spanish giant, March 2013, there were 113 accred - wickets in 83 matches, Southee has been part of Ra - and it might be coming true. ited media. By Monday, more than jasthan Royals, CSK, Mumbai Indians and Royal Chal - The 13-time European Cup win - 120 had been accredited for Sun - lengers Bangalore in the past. ner’s first bid of 160 million euros day’s game, with demands still com - He will now reunite with his former captain Brendon Chameera for Daniel Sams, left-arm quick George Gar - (USD 188 million), which came on ing in, according to the French McCullum, the head coach of KKR. ton for Kane Richardson and Tim David for New Tuesday night, was rejected. PSG unlikely PSG or 34-time Spanish Whereas at PSG, Mbappe would union for sports journalists (UJSF). “We are delighted to have Southee in our ranks. He is Zealand's Finn Allen. paid 180 million euros (USD 212 champion Madrid would want share the limelight with Neymar and Reims is a modest club these a proven match-winner and a welcome addition to the Meanwhile, RR have brought in New Zealand wick - million) to sign Mbappe from Mbappe playing against Reims in Messi, who signed a two-year deal days, but that was not always the already strong pace attack of KKR. With Cummins etkeeper-batsman Glenn Phillips as a replacement for Monaco four years ago and wants case he gets injured. And so, the with an option for a third. case. During its heyday, France being unavailable we wanted to add experience and England's Jofra Archer. more than Madrid’s initial bid. But MNM — Mbappe-Neymar-Messi Still, the absence of Mbappe great Just Fontaine led the attack leadership to our bowling group and Southee is the ideal Phillips has so far played 25 T20Is and has 506 runs the club also knows France’s 2018 — may never take the field together. would do little to dampen the enthu - and slick attacking midfielder Ray - man for the job,” McCullum told KKR website. IPL against his name. He has scored a hundred and two half World Cup-winning star can leave Instead, Mbappe could line up siasm of the 20,000 fans at Stade mond Kopa pulled the strings in a franchises Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan centuries and has a strike-rate of 149.70. for free when his contract runs out in with Karim Benzema, his France Auguste-Delaune waiting for a formidable attack. Reims won five Royals and Punjab Kings have also announced the re - South Africa's Tabraiz Shamsi will replace Andrew 2022. “Kylian Mbappé wants to leave, teammate at the recent European glimpse of the global icon Messi, French league titles and the French placements in their respective squads for the remainder Tye in the Rajasthan Royals squad. PBKS have signed that seems clear to me,” PSG’s sport - Championship. Benzema is who counts four Champions League Cup between 1952 and 1962, of the league's 14th season. Australian fast bowler Nathan Ellis for Riley Meredith. ing director Leonardo said this week Madrid’s undisputed leader in at - titles among his 35 trophies at clinching the double in 1958 — the RCB have brought in Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga Ellis recently was in the limelight following his hat- in an interview with French broad - tack, fifth all-time on the club’s scor - Barcelona. year Fontaine went on to score a as replacement for Australia's Adam Zampa. In the re - trick on international debut against Bangladesh earlier caster RMC. “If he wants to leave, we ing list with 281, but the Messi’s staggering tally of 672 record 13 goals at the World Cup. cent three-match T20I series against India in Sri Lanka, this month. The right-arm pacer is also one of the reserve aren’t going to keep him, b ut it’s 33-year-old’s new contract only goals for Barca includes an extraor - During that decade Reims also Hasaranga bagged a total of seven wickets, including a players in Australia's 2021 T20I World Cup squad. under our conditions.” takes him until 2023. After that, the dinary 50-goal season in 2012; 96 reached two European Cup finals, four-wicket haul in the final T20I. PBKS have also picked England leg-spinner Adil If the transfer does happen, it’s future could belong to Mbappe. league goals and a remarkable 133 losing both to Real Madrid. Other replacements for RCB are Dushmantha Rashid to replace Jhye Richardson. Paddler Bhavinaben Men’s national boxing UP govt adopts Indian wrestling till 2032 Olympics advances to round of 16 NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): In a massive boost training and exposure. We need to take wrestling for the Indian wrestling, the Uttar Pradesh gov - to the next level,” he said. from Sep 15; allowing head ernment has adopted the sport and is expected to WFI already extends financial support to 60 pump in an investment of `170 crore in infra - junior ( ` 7,500 per month stipend) and Cadet ( ` structure and support to the wrestlers till the 2032 5,000 per month) wrestlers. guards under consideration Olympics, WFI president Brijbhushan Sharan It remains to be seen after such a deal with a NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (PTI): The side, the absence of head guards has Singh told PTI. state government, if WFI allows private NGOs Boxing Federation of India (BFI) is contributed to an increased rate of The top boss of the Wrestling Federation of like JSW and OGQ to support wrestling. planning to conduct the men's national cuts. India (WFI) said that they took inspiration from Asked about this, Singh said the door is open championships from September 15 to To this, the AIBA study had stated the Odisha government's support to the sport of but with a condition. TOKYO, Aug 26 (PTI): Ace In - 22 at the Inspire Institute of Sports in that “as boxers become more experi - hockey and they approached the UP government “We actually did not need them even before. dian paddler Bhavinaben Patel pro - Karnataka's Bellary and is considering enced and acclimated” to boxing for a similar assistance to their game. But if they want to support, they are welcome. All gressed to the Round of 16 in the the possibility of allowing pugilists to without head guards and coaches “Odisha is a small state, yet they are supporting we want is that they stay transparent with WFI. women's singles Class 4 table tennis compete with head guards at the changing their style in view of the hockey in such a great manner, so we thought, They can't make their own secret deals with the event with a hard-fought 3-1 victory event. The national championships new rule, the rate of cuts will be re - why can't UP, which is such a big state, support wrestlers. If at all they want to help, they can sit over Great Britain's Megan Shack - could not be held last year because of duced to previous historic levels. wrestling. We approached them and the CM Yogi with us and prepare plans with us,” Singh said. leton at the Tokyo Paralympics here the Covid-19 pandemic. The head guards were made Adityanath has accepted it,” Singh said. nership which had brought with it a financial sup - The WFI chief said it sends wrestlers to the for - on Thursday. The 34-year-old Indian The upcoming mandatory in 1984 “In our proposal, we have asked for ` 10 crore port of ` 12 crore that allowed the federation to eign countries for exposure and training but they dispatched Shackleton, the world event will also be by AIBA before support every year till the 2024 Games ( ` 30 give away central contracts to wrestlers till the want to put a system in place where top interna - no. 9, 11-7 9-11 17-15 13-11 in a competed in the new being dumped in crore) and in the next Olympic cycle till 2028, we Tokyo Games. tional wrestlers come to India and train here. contest that lasted 41 minutes. weight categories 2013. have asked for a support of `15 crore per year ( ` It has been learnt that the partnership will be “Let me tell you that we will have state-of-the- Competing in the do-or-die introduced by the “It is a great idea 60 crore) and in the final phase till 2032, it is ` renewed on Friday with a fresh deal. art wrestling academies in India for both men and match, the world no. 12 Indians International Box - because fighting 20 crore per year ( ` 80 crore),” he said explaining The WFI president said this deal with the UP women. One academy in Lucknow will surely started on a dominant note, clinch - ing Association last without head the details. government will allow them to plan exposure come up and we are hopeful that another is de - ing the first game in just eight min - month. The revised guards in one off “With this happening, sponsorships will not be trips to foreign countries even for India's Cadet veloped in Noida, where we will invite interna - utes but Shackleton made a strong weight divisions for bouts in the profes - restricted to just the country's elite wrestlers. Even level wrestlers. tional wrestlers to come, stay and train with our recovery to take the second. men, after being in - sional circuit is the Cadet level wrestlers will get sponsorship and “As of now, only the senior and elite level wrestlers. I told the CM that we want interna - With the fixture poised at 1-1, the creased from 10 to fine but in a tour - we will be able to give prize money to even na - wrestlers have personal coaches and guidance of tional wrestlers to come to India. It should help two paddlers fought toe-to-toe in the 13, are 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, nament that involves competing con - tional champions.” foreign coaches. But we can even invest heavily our Indian wrestlers. Why should they go out all next two games with the Indian 63.5kg, 67kg, 71kg, 75kg, 80kg, tinuously for four-five days, it is better The WFI had also roped in Tata Motors in 2018 in training our cadet and junior wrestlers also. the time and stay away. We will give them the coming on top at the Tokyo Metro - 86kg, 92kg, and +92kg. to have head guards,” said former as principal sponsors of Indian wrestling, a part - Now we can send our Cadet wrestlers abroad for best sparring partners in India.” politan Gymnasium. Men's amateur boxing did away Commonwealth Games Gold-medal - “I want to do better in the coming with head guards in 2013 after the list Akhil Kumar. “I used to get irri - matches. Today, I tried to remain pa - AIBA medical commission, after a re - tated with head guards during my tient and continued to focus on the search study, concluded that removing playing days but it is better to have ACA gets land from govt of Assam Bayern romps to 12-0 ball, and did not let myself be dis - the gear “may reduce the already them for competitions like these,” he HT Correspondent tracted by any negative thoughts,” small risk of acute brain injury in am - added. The tournament in Bellary will GUWAHATI, Aug 26: In what will be a significant win over 5th-tier team she said after the win. “I am very ateur boxing.” The AIBA events and require boxers, participating officials shot in the arm for the cricketing landscape of the state, happy as I came through a tough Olympic competitions do not feature and support staff to present a negative Assam government, following a decision taken during in German Cup match, after a point-to-point fight with head guards but national associations RT-PCR test report obtained 72 hours an earlier Cabinet meeting chaired by Assam chief min - BREMEN, Aug 26 (AP): Bayern my opponent. I did not give up.” are free to conduct their tournaments before landing at the competition. The ister Himanta Biswa Sarma, officially handed over 9 Munich’s reserves routed fifth-tier This was Patel's first win in the with or without the protective gear. boxers' temperatures will also be acres of land adjacent to the ACA stadium, Barsapara, side Bremer SV 12-0 in their tournament as she was blanked 0-3 “There is an executive committee checked on arrival. Head guards, if al - to Assam Cricket Association on Thursday for the con - rescheduled German Cup game to by world number one Chinese pad - meeting on September 3 where this lowed, will be provided by the organ - struction of a multi-level parking facility to be used dur - ease into the second round. The dler Zhou Ying in the opening round will be discussed and if there is con - isers. “It is mandatory for everyone to ing high-octane international matches as well as for match was supposed to have been on Wednesday. sensus, we will allow boxers to wear use masks appropriately at all places, other wide-ranging cricketing activities. played on August 6 but it was post - Patel has three points from two head guards during the champi - except in boxing rings,” read the com - This additional plot of land will give a huge boost to poned due to a number of coron - games and moves to the knockout onships,” BFI secretary general He - petition brochure. the existing cricket infrastructure at the ACA Stadium, avirus infections among the round along with table leader Ying. manta Kalita told PTI. The 2019 men's national champi - besides resolving the longstanding issue of parking con - Bremen-based team’s players. Athletes in Class 4 category have “The AIBA gives national federa - onship was held in Himachal Pradesh straints being faced by Assam Cricket Association from Bremer SV coach Benjamin Eta fair sitting balance and fully func - tions the choice to conduct their do - with Services Sports Control Board time to time. The auspicious occasion was graced by had called it a “game for the ages” tional arms and hands. Their impair - mestic events with or without head claiming the overall honours with six minister of sports and youth welfare Bimal Borah, di - and said that his personal wish was ment may be due to a lower guards,” he added. The AIBA research Gold, two Silver and one Bronze rector of sports and youth welfare Pabitra Ram Khaund, “Assam Cricket Association extends its utmost grat - to see counterpart Julian Nagels - spinal-cord lesion or cerebral palsy. had concluded that head guards can medal. Another traditional power - circle officer of Dispur Bhorot Konwar, president of itude to the government of Assam led by Assam chief mann “jumping up because he’s The other Indian paddler in the increase the risk of blows to the head house Railways had finished second Assam Cricket Association Romen Dutta as well as sec - minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for its continued support unhappy.” Nagelsmann had very fray, Sonalben Manubhai Patel will because the padding around the eyes with one Gold, four Silver and two retary Devajit Saikia, vice president Porikshit Dutta, and assistance to Assam Cricket Association in its en - little jumping to do, however, as be in action later in the day. limits the boxer's vision. On the flip- Bronze medals. member of Apex Council Naba Konwar. deavours,” stated a release by ACA. his heavily rotated team took a 5-0 lead by halftime, with Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting scoring a hat trick. Mumbai City FC sign The Bayern coach had left Robert Lewandowski, Leon Goret - Brazilian Cássio These days I bowl less in nets and save it for matches: Anderson zka and Manuel Neuer in Munich, LEEDS, Aug 26 (PTI): Ageless viduals, at the end of it. We have Rating England's show as one of while Dayot Upamecano, Gabriel on loan English pacer James Anderson says made a conscious effort to try and the best, Anderson drew parallel Alphonso Davies and Serge MUMBAI, Aug 26 (IANS): Mumbai the secret to his longevity in Test focus only on what we do well: try with their famous Boxing Day Test Gnabry all were on the bench. City FC have signed Brazilian mid - cricket lies in cutting down on his and ignore everything else, the out - in 2010 when they had skittled out Kingsley Coman and Lukas fielder Cássio Gabriel on a season- time at the nets to save it for the side noise, or whatever that might Australia for 98 before Andrew Hernández hadn’t recovered from long loan from local club Campeonato matches. Anderson's masterclass be, going on.” Strauss and Alastair Cook put on a their injuries, so Omar Richards Brasileiro Serie B club Vila Nova. was full on display in an awe-inspir - At Headingley, Anderson took off 157-run opening stand. made his Bayern debut at left back. Fondly known as 'Cássinho', the 29- ing spell of 8-5-6-3 with the new by dismissing KL Rahul with the “It doesn't get much better than Choupo-Moting fired in off the un - year-old started his youth career at ball as England bowled India out for fifth ball and then deceived that. These days don't come around derside of the crossbar to open the Fluminense under 20s side and went 78 after Virat Kohli opted to bat in Cheteshwar Pujara with an incom - very often, so you just have to be scoring in the eighth minute and on to play for several Brazilian clubs the first Test here on Wednesday. ing delivery that swung away, but happy when they do. The only dif - Jamal Musiala made it 2-0 in the such as Paysandu SC, Bento “As I get older, I feel like I have the biggest breakthrough came ference with Melbourne is that I was 16th minute. Goncalves, Guarani, Annapolis, to work that little bit harder in the when he won his mini battle with keen to bowl there and I wasn't Musiala would have had a sec - ASEEV-GO, Penapolense, Piracicaba, gym. I feel like I bowl less in the Indian skipper Virat Kohli. today for some reason. I was trying ond goal in the 27th minute but Sao Bento, Botafogo, and Mirassol nets, and try to save it for when it “I think so (it was special). We to tempt Joe into batting. But losing Bremer defender Jan-Luca Warm’s before joining Vila Nova in June matters in the middle,” the 39-year- second Test at Lord's, pretty much of trying to just focus on us, on what have had some great battles over the the toss, being asked to bowl and attempted clearance resulted in an 2020. Cássio, who can play on either old said after the first day's play. everything hurt, but that gives so we do well and try to ignore every - years. He is someone you want to then putting in a performance like own goal, seconds before Choupo- wing or through the middle as an at - “The biggest test in Test cricket is much satisfaction knowing that I thing else, the outside noise or wher - keep quiet. Especially, in a five- that, it doesn't get much better. Moting scored his second. He tacking midfielder, made 12 appear - mentally getting yourself up for have put a shift in for the team.” ever there might be going on, and match series, if he gets going, he can We've talked about trying to bowl as completed his hat trick a few min - ances for Vila Nova and has one assist bowling big spells and playing in Asked about his problematic right make sure there's a real focus on be very disruptive,” Anderson said a unit, as a group, and we just ab - utes later. Nagelsmann made three to his name, Mumbai City FC in - big games. It's about keeping your - shoulder, he said: “It still hurts. You what we do well,” Anderson said. of Kohli after dismissing him for the solutely nailed it. With both ball and changes at the break but there was formed in a release. During his stint self switched on through games and just find a way of putting up with it. He did admit that they had a chat seventh time in Tests. bat, we've displayed exactly what no respite for the home team. Sub - with Fluminense's south side, the Pa - switching off when you are not it's just part and parcel of the job.” in the dressing room. “I think the way we have bowled we wanted to do,” Anderson said. stitute Malik Tillman scored trocinio-born midfielder was also bowling - that's something I've al - Anderson said that after all the “Yeah, I think there was a bit of to him throughout the series has Showering praise on their open - shortly after the restart on his sen - loaned to the Croatian club Hajduk ways had.” Just a week ago during talk during the Lord's Test, the aim chat about that. We were just mak - been very good. We just have to ing duo, he said: “It was outstanding ior debut for Bayern, then Musiala Split in 2013, the only club Cássio the Lord's Test, Anderson, having here was to “shut the noise” and ing a point of trying to focus on keep doing that and keep him quiet batting and exactly what we have fired in another. played for outside of his native Brazil. grabbed a five-for in the first in - focus on the job. what we do well. I think that you as often as we can.” been asking for.” Leroy Sané – who was whistled “Mumbai Cit y has a great profile back nings, was over-bowled in the sec - India took a 1-0 lead at Lord's rid - know the first three or four days at In reply, England openers Haseeb “When you bowl someone out for by the Bayern fans in his previous home in Brazil. There are a number of ond as the Indian tail frustrated the ing on the tail-enders' brave display Lord's, we probably played bril - Hameed (60) and Rory Burn (52) less than 100, you're never quite game – scored with an effort that Brazilians who have played at Mumbai hosts with its remarkable resilience with the bat followed by their excel - liantly and maybe until day three, remained unbeaten as the scorecard sure whether you've bowled well or went in off the post in the 65th City and I've only heard positive things and invaluable runs. lent bowling. and then after that, just at times it read 120 for no loss with a lead of if the wicket is not as good as you minute. He winked as he was con - about the Club,” Cássio Gabriel said. “Walking off the pitch during the “We have made a conscious effort did affect us a little bit. We're indi - 42 runs after day one. think it might be. ” gratulated by teammates.

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