Fully Ter Ramesh Pokhriyal Persons of State Examination PHOTO: IMD Minister, VK a Cyclonic Storm by May 24 and Fur- Prepared and Remain Alert for Heavy ‘Nishank’ Said

k y m c

POSITIVE CHANGE BLACK FUNGUS DEATHS MARS ROVER STEPS OUT Swedish actor Elli AvRam says with time Maharashtra has recorded a staggering China’s first Mars rover Saturday drove down from its more foreigners are being accepted in 1,500 mucormycosis infections and landing platform to the Martian surface to explore the Indian films LEISURE | P2 100 deaths till date TWO STATES | P7 surface of the red planet INTERNATIONAL | P10

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 52 | www.orissapost.com BHUBANESWAR | SUNDAY, MAY 23 | 2021 12 PAGES + SUNDAY POST | `5.00 IRREGULAR by MANJUL Yaas to cross state May 26 A low pressure has formed over the Bay of Bengal which is very likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm

POST NEWS NETWORK “For any disaster management, our sole motto is ‘All life is precious’. Bhubaneswar, May 22: The India Therefore, under the present cir- Decision on Class XII Meteorological Department (IMD) cumstances, our most important job My jab certificate... has photos of Saturday said that a low-pressure is to evacuate people from low-lying PM, CM, ministers... almost all except area has formed over the Bay of Bengal areas and unsafe houses,” he said. board exams today the scientists who developed it! and it will gradually intensify into a Naveen directed the Collectors and SPs very severe cyclonic storm. to personally supervise the evacua- Under the influence of the cyclonic tion operations in their respective PRESS TRUST OF INDIA holders – students, parents, circulation over southeast and adjoin- area. The Chief Secretary was asked teachers and others – FIH PRESIDENT’S ing Central Bay of Bengal, a low pres- to regularly monitor cyclone pre- New Delhi, May 22: The through social media sure area has formed over east-central paredness and accordingly advise Ministry of Education Saturday. AWARD FOR PANDIAN Bay of Bengal with associated cyclonic the district administration. (MoE) has called a crucial “A high-level virtual meet- circulation extending up to mid-tro- “Since as per the IMD’s prediction meeting Sunday to decide on ing will be convened to- pospheric levels, the IMD said. Cyclone Yass is likely to form in the pending Class XII board morrow (Sunday) with all BHUBANESWAR: It is very likely to concentrate into Bay of Bengal in another two days and exams that were postponed states and Union Territories' Senior Odisha a depression over east-central Bay of its path has not been defined, therefore, in view of the second wave Education Ministers, edu- cadre IAS officer and Secretary to Bengal by Sunday and move north- all our coastal districts and districts of Covid-19, Union minis- cation secretaries and chair- the Chief northwestwards. It will intensify into adjoining them should remain fully ter Ramesh Pokhriyal persons of state examination PHOTO: IMD Minister, VK a cyclonic storm by May 24 and fur- prepared and remain alert for heavy ‘Nishank’ said. boards and stakeholders to Pandian has been ther into a very severe cyclonic storm ing 180 kmph. After the low-pressure Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, rains and gusty winds,” the Chief The meeting will be chaired discuss the proposals for felicitated with during the next 24 hours. intensifies into a deep depression, the Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Minister advised. Patnaik asked the of- by Defence Minister Rajnath the conduct of exams for the International The cyclone would continue to move exact place of landfall and time can Keonjhar with extremely heavy rain- ficials to pay special attention to oxygen Singh. Union Women and Class XII and entrance ex- Hockey Federation (FIH) President’s north-northwestwards, intensify further be ascertained." The northern coastal fall at one or two places over the dis- supply at this time due to the Covid situ- Child Development Minister aminations for professional Award, Saturday. FIH announced and reach north Bay of Bengal near areas of Odisha are likely to receive tricts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore on ation. He directed that special measures Smriti Irani and Minister for courses,” Nishank said. Pandian as the winner of the prestigious West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha heavy rainfall due to the impact of the the next day (May 26). Few pockets in be taken to ensure that there is no prob- Information and Broadcasting “I recently held a meeting award in a virtual conference on the and Bangladesh coasts around May 26 cyclone May 25 onwards, he said. Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh and lem in the supply of oxygen within and out- Prakash Javadekar will be with the state education sec- concluding day of its 47th Congress. morning. It is very likely to cross West As per the MeT, heavy to very heavy Sundargarh may also witness heavy side the state during the cyclone period. in attendance. retaries in this regard. The Hockey India shared the news via its Bengal and adjoining north Odisha rainfall is very likely to occur at some downpour on this day. The state has kept ready 22 NDRF Education Ministers and consultative process will be official Twitter handle. Congratulating and Bangladesh coasts around May 26 places of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, CM TAKES STOCK teams, 66 ODRAF teams, 177 Fire Service secretaries of all states and further strengthened the IAS officer, Hockey India said, “A evening. Director General of IMD Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen teams and tree-cutting staff of the Odisha Union Territories have been through the high-level meet- well-deserved acknowledgment for his Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, "Very se- Puri, Khurda and Mayurbhanj, May 25. Patnaik reviewed the preparedness Forest Development Corporation for de- asked to attend the meeting. This virtual meeting outstanding contribution and services to vere cyclone means the wind speed Similarly, heavy to very heavy rain- for the ensuing cyclone Yaas with ployment at the affected area, Special ing. Pokhriyal also sought will take place at 11.30 am,” hockey in Odisha.” Notably, Odisha will be around 120-165 kmph with gust- fall would occur at some places of senior officials, Collectors and SPs. Relief Commissioner PK Jena said. inputs from all the stake- he added. successfully hosted the Hockey World Cup-2018, Odisha Men’s Hockey World League – 2017, FIH Hockey Pro-League 2020 and FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers for Men & Women, 2019. The state will also organise the Men’s Hockey World 73 defunct ventilators sent to state Cup in 2023. IN LORD’S 18 ventilators have manufacturing defects; 55 non-functional due to lack of spare parts SERVICE FIREARMS SEIZED IN vided by the manufacturer. Similarly, eight AgVa ventilators are CITY, ONE ARRESTED not functioning as the spare parts from the manufacturer is in transit, the department sources said. BHUBANESWAR: The Special Task Out of the total non-functional ven- Force (STF) of state Crime Branch tilators, 17 are in SCB Medical College Saturday arrested a history-sheeter, Sanjay Kumar Sahoo, a resident of – Cuttack, 12 in Aswini Sambalpur, Cuttack district, and seized firearms in seven in Aditya Aswini – Bhubaneswar, his possession of at Acharya Vihar six each in the district headquarter here. Acting on a tip-off that a deal of hospitals (DHHs) at Sambalpur and illegal firearms would be finalised in Bolangir medical college and five in the City Saturday, the STF with the JP Hospital at Rourkela. help of Sahid Nagar police intercepted Similarly, three ventilators are non- Sahoo’s and recovered one 9mm functional each at VIMSAR – Burla, automatic country-made pistol and Rourkela Government Hospital, Covid- magazine, one revolver, two SBML 19 Hospital – Jarsuguda, DHH – guns and a large number of live Gajapati and Covid-19 Hospital at ammunitions from his possession. Angul. In addition, two ventilators Carpenters busy in chariot construction work at Rath Yard in Puri, Saturday OP PHOTO Later, Sahid Nagar police arrested supplied to Covid-19 Hospital (KIMS) Sahoo and registered a case (214/21) are also remained defunct. under various Sections of IPC and Besides, one ventilator supplied Arms Act. The STF has seized 31 each to KIMS, Bhubaneswar, KIDS, firearms and 69 live ammunitions Bhubaneswar and DHH Jharsuguda NOW, GET YOUR OSL extends support during last one year. is also non-functional. POST NEWS NETWORK According to the state Health and Sources in the state Health department COVID-19 TEST WEATHER Family Welfare department, the Union said that 472 ventilators installed in for smooth O2 supply Bhubaneswar, May 22: Even as the government has so far supplied 447 various healthcare facilities across the BHUB CTK state has been struggling to meet the BEL ventilators (Model - CV 200) and state are functioning, while 22 (10 BEL REPORT ONLINE POST NEWS NETWORK demand for medical equipment to 120 AgVa ventilators to the state gov- & 12 AgVa) ventilators have been kept MAX 35.2° 35.0° treat Covid-19 patients, at least 73 out ernment for treatment of Covid pa- as reserve for emergency purpose. POST NEWS NETWORK Bhubaneswar, May 22:

TEMP MIN 24.6° 24.2° of 567 ventilators supplied by the tients in critical care. Of the total BE Earlier in the day, BJP leader Pradip Odisha Stevedores Limited Forecast Centre to Odisha have remained non- ventilators, 18 were received with Purohit criticised the state government Bhubaneswar, May 22: Now, people (OSL) and its staff extended Humidity 80% 85% functional in Odisha owing to man- manufacturing defects, while another alleging the latter was not making use waiting for Covid-19 test reports will full logistic support in un- Partly ufacturing defects or lack of spare 47 ventilators are not functioning as of the life-saving ventilators supplied by not have to worry about running to loading of 29 medical oxy- Rainfall Trace Nil cloudy sky parts and other consumable items. consumable items are yet to be pro- Centre during the pandemic. the test centres to get their reports. gen cylinders of 40-litre ca- They can get it online sitting at home. pacity each and oxygen The state government Saturday regulators-humidifiers launched a Covid test report website brought by MV Anna Maria to help people check their Covid test from Singapore and handled status. One can login on to by Paradip Port Trust. A Palestine state is only answer: Biden https://covid19regd.odisha.gov.in and The OSL Group under- know the status of his/her test. The took the unloading, coordi- JOE BIDEN SAID HE HAD TOLD THE ISRAELIS TO STOP “INTER-COMMUNAL FIGHTING” IN THE FLASHPOINT CITY OF JERUSALEM website has been also linked to state nation with customs for Covid-19 Dashboard – https:// speedy clearance, port clear- demic.” AGENCIES print envisioned a Palestinian state headed to Gaza. statedashboard.odisha.gov.in for ance and expeditious evac- Director Charchit Mishra with only limited sovereignty and Saturday marked the first full day greater convenience. uation of the cylinders from congratulated the staff for Washington, May 22: US President Israel maintaining security over that of a truce that ended the fourth Israel- With the launching of this web- port free of cost on behalf of the smooth unloading of Joe Biden Friday pledged to help or- state. The plan was rejected out of Hamas war in just over a decade. In site, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik the state government. the oxygen cylinders. ganise efforts to rebuild Gaza and hand by Palestinian leaders. the fighting, Israel unleashed hun- said, “Technology has always been a Jagatsinghpur ADM OSL, which has all along said creating a Palestinian state along- Biden Friday insisted on a full- dreds of airstrikes against militant tar- big bulwark during the fight against Kanhu Charan Dhir received supported social cause dur- side Israel is the “only answer” to blown two state remedy. gets in Gaza, while Hamas and other the pandemic. Hassle free provision the cylinders on behalf of the ing last three decades of its the conflict. “There is no shift in my commit- militants fired more than 4,000 rock- of information regarding Covid test Government of Odisha. existence, initiated a massive Biden also said he had told the ment to the security of Israel, period, ets toward Israel. More than 250 peo- to people will not only smoothen the Later, the oxygen cylinders mask distribution drive in Israelis to stop “inter-communal fight- no shift, not at all,” he said. ple were killed, the vast majority of process but also give a huge relief to were distributed among var- Odisha, after Chief Minister ing” in the flashpoint city of Jerusalem. “But I tell you what, there is a shift. them Palestinians. the people during these trying times.” ious state-run hospitals in called upon the people to However, he stressed “there is no The shift is that we still need a two- Both Israel and Hamas have claimed He said that it has been govern- Jagatsingpur district. wear masks. OSL Group dis- shift in my commitment, commit- state solution. It is the only answer, the victory. There was a widespread ex- ment’s effort to provide free testing- OSL Group Chairman tributed one lakh masks ment to the security of Israel” and diplomacy aimed at ending the Israeli- only answer,” Biden stated. pectation that the cease-fire would stick cum-treatment to protect precious Mahimananda Mishra said, among the general public y added that until the region “un- Palestinian conflict. Meanwhile, a report from Gaza for now, but that another round of fight- lives, especially the vulnerable people. “We are facing an emer- for creating awareness on

equivocally” acknowledges Israel's US policy under Donald Trump said Egyptian mediators held talks ing at some point seems inevitable. “We have significantly increased our gency situation due to the use of masks during the

k y m c existence "there will be no peace." was criticized as being blatantly pro- Saturday to firm up an Israel-Hamas Underlying issues remain unresolved, capacity to conduct RT-PCR testing by second wave of Covid-19. pandemic. The idea of a two-state solution -- Israel and ignoring the Palestinians. cease-fire as Palestinians in the Hamas- including an Israeli-Egyptian border setting up RT-PCR test centres across OSL Group is fully com- The OSL Group has taken with a sovereign Palestinian state A Mideast peace plan devised by ruled Gaza Strip began to assess the blockade, now in its 14th year that is chok- most districts where service will be mitted to the cause of the necessary precautions and alongside Israel and Jerusalem as Trump's adviser and son in law Jared damage from 11 days of intense Israeli ing Gaza’s more than 2 million resi- provided to people every day, further state and its people. We feel strict observance of the their shared capital – has been the cor- Kushner was billed as providing for bombardment. A 130-truck convoy dents and a refusal by the Islamic mil- strengthening the fight against the pan- proud in supporting the gov- Covid-19 guidelines on the nerstone of decades of international a two-state solution. But that blue- carrying urgently needed aid was itant Hamas to disarm. demic,” the CM said. ernment during the pan- office premises. P2 KELLY TO BE PART OF ENGLISH LIL NAS X NOT AFFECTED SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR ADAPTION OF CALL MY AGENT BY HATE COMMENTS Actress Kelly Macdonald will be part of Rapper Lil Nas X is rarely affected by online hate the upcoming English version of the because he says the love that comes his way popular French series Call My Agent. She outweighs the hatred. “The love outweighs the hate

will be playing an exaggerated version of by like a hundred. So it’s rare that it’ll actually get y

herself in the upcoming series. to me, where I’m like, ‘Oh, that hurts’,” he says.

k y m leisure c FORTUNE FORECAST Zareen on being Elli glad seeing foreigners doing well in Indian films ARIES Mumbai: Sweden-born actress Elli AvRam many people around the world love and A plain Jane day. Work says with time more for- die for, literally! I’m one of them,” says the goes on as usual, and rejected eigners are being ac- Malang actress. there is progress. But as Ganesha says, it's an ordinary day. Hum, cepted in Indian films “I always looked for that one foreigner whistle, doodle, and sip your green tea. and getting better actress who could inspire me and give While day dreaming, start planning your New Delhi: Zareen Khan recalls roles. me hope, since I dreamt so hard of dream home. After all, that's where the being rejected from a film for The actress says working in Bollywood, despite not first plan takes shape. looking the way she does. The the film indus- being Indian. And I’ll never forget Veer actress says she was bluntly try has when I watched Love Aaj Kal, and told about the industry per- changed a lot there was a Brazilian girl who TAURUS ception that pretty girls Maine Pyar Kiya music director since she be- played an Indian character (refers cannot act. came part of it. to Giselli Monteiro in the 2009 Feel your imagination run “When I came “I’m so glad release). As I walked out of wild as you star-gaze ‘Raam Laxman’ passes away throughout the day won- out with Veer I was seeing other for- the cinema in Stockholm, dering about the existence of the extra typecast as pretty Nagpur: Celebrated music composer for eigners doing so I just said to myself, ‘if terrestrial. You will paint the workplace in girl, a girl next Hindi and Marathi films Vijay Patil of the well and getting she can do it, then so your flavour of innovation, combined with door -- just com- famed 'Raam Laxman' duo, passed away so much of love can I’,” adds Elli. IANS a drive to work equally hard. parisons and following a heart attack here early Saturday, and appreciation everything. I his family members said. He was 79. in the Indian film did not get a Patil suffered a heart attack, his son industry. GEMINI chance at all Amar informed, adding that his father had Bollywood is after that. (I taken the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine something so You will be afforded full was called) recently. co-operation by your relatives and friends. You will Fat, and this As the Raam Laxman duo, Patil, along with also be able to provide a solution to their and that,” his partner Surendra, had composed music problems by utilising your practical think- says Zareen. for many top notch Hindi films in the past ing. You will be influenced by your emo- She says over four decades. tions while choosing between multiple her dance They include blockbuster music for films alternatives. number like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Character Koun, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Agent Vinod, dheela in the Taraana, Hum Se Badhkar Kaun, among CANCER Salman others. There is a chance today Khan-starrer Top celebs including Lata Mangeshkar, to benefit from women- Ready some- Salman Khan, Kumar Sanu have condoled folk. Though you are what helped in the demise ‘Laxman’ of the successful team methodical and disci- plined in your work, you will feel rudder- changing percep- of which Raam (Surendra) passed away 45 less. Yet you will et relief from this tions. “People were years ago. IANS monotony and feel jovial, says Ganesha. like, ‘she can look like that also. She has lost weight, nice’. Then came Hate Story LEO and people said she is so You will not be able to hot,” she recalled. Gardening, an effective way to beat depression reap the rewards of Still, Zareen was re- your hard work fully today. You will take all jected when she tried Nurturing the buds and away and improving soil quality matters very seriously today. You will feel looking for roles that to keep the garden healthy? How a sense of responsibility and will try to would give her something witnessing gradual growth about deciding what kind and find lasting solutions to problems today. meaningful to portray. colour of a pot will suit one’s “After that when I tried of plants boost one’s favourite plant the best? Get your- meeting people for not so self-esteem, leaving no self into it once and this green care ‘hot’ roles or roles that will take care of your positivity, VIRGO would need me to play space for stress at all, creativity, mood upliftment, skill You better identify something meaningful say experts building, and ultimately help you your worth in the realms of emotions, or serious, I was rejected fight depression naturally. feelings and senti- and I was out and out told hile it may sound weird ments. You shall warm up to and about in our industry it’s a per- to tell people with de- Building Strength everything – from play to colleagues to ception that pretty girls Wpression to go outside Working in the garden im- family. Simultaneously, you may realise can’t act,” she said. and garden, there is a considerable as a natural antidepressant and im- ture can help people mentally de- proves dexterity and strength. where your limitations are. Ganesha pre- dicts that the artist in you will flourish “What the hell does that amount of clinical evidence which mune system booster, lack of which stress. When a person directly Digging, raking, and mowing are beginning today. even mean? If you find me suggests that spending time with is responsible for depression. Now, contributes to the nurturing of especially calorie-dense activi- pretty and you are not going to plants improves our mental health, it can be understood why people the buds and witness the plants ties and the aerobic exercise in- give me a chance that is so unfair,” particularly depression. prefer to garden without gloves grow gradually, his/her happi- volved will easily burn the same she added. Here are some interesting and and always enjoy the sensation ness and contentment will know amount of calories as a gym LIBRA The 34-year-old took a break from the creative way to fight depres- of getting their hands into the no boundaries. This is a small yet workout. During gardening, a Somebody in a position all things related to being glamorous. sion and anxiety, suggest experts. dirt and compost heap. a very powerful exercise to even person gets exposed to nature of power at your work- boost one’s self-esteem, leaving and sunlight. Sunlight works two place may decide to pick In her new release Hum Bhi Akele Tum on you, just for fun. But Bhi Akele, Zareen portrays a character she Getting Hands Dirty! De-stress Therapy no space for stress at all. ways on the body: reduces blood your luck is strong, and no one but your has never done in her career of over a decade. Getting hands dirty in the gar- Gardening is an awesome di- pressure while also increasing own thoughts and misgivings can harm She plays a lesbian in the film, which released den boosts one’s serotonin levels, version from the increasingly tech- Building Creativity vitamin D levels, and the fruits you. You shall find it relatively easy to digitally a while back. IANS according to studies. Serotonin is nologically driven lives. Spending How about simply finding out and vegetables grown have a pos- come out of these troubles; much to the a happy chemical that also serves time gardening and enjoying na- how to keep those garden pests itive effect on the diet. AGENCIES chagrin of those who wish otherwise, pre- dicts Ganesha.

SCORPIO SUDOKU At work, you would want PEANUTS post To solve the Sudoku puzzle, fill in the boxes in such a to change the perspective CROSSWORD manner that every row, column and 3x3 box contains with which people see the digits 1 to 9, without repeating any. you. Your colleagues recognise you as the emerging alpha-lion. Ideas and opinions will impress your boss- es. But keep a level head and learn where to stop, even when winning, counsels Ganesha.

SAGITTARIUS You may have to make important decisions of life today, says Ganesha. Remember, haste makes waste, so take every decision only after thinking about its long-term conse- quences or end results. Be patient. CALVIN AND HOBBES CAPRICORN Print and electronic media will attract your attention, if you're just planning to begin your career. Your spiritual and philosophical SOLUTIONS approach give you inner peace, and also inspire you to visit a holy place. Overall, you will have a balanced day, today, says Ganesha.

AQUARIUS You will aim for the bull's eye today. Whatever you'll do today, will be done with your focus set BREVITY firmly on your target, says Ganesha. You CROSSWORD will not waste your resource on something unfruitful, and such an attitude will make

your journey smoother and faster. y

PISCES

k y m c You will find favourable conditions at work as you co-ordinate with your colleagues and seniors to tackle tough problems. You will be able to get

the desirable results for all the effort you put CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW SUDOKU in, in the office, says Ganesha. COVID-19 TRACKER P3 SHIELD AGAINST SUN SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD Girls use umbrellas to save World 16,68,12,600 14,77,24,388 34,63,660 themselves from the scorching sun in India 2,62,89,290 2,30,70,365 2,95,525 Bhubaneswar, Saturday

downtown Odisha 6,79,530 5,77,983 2,456

k y m c Amphotericin supply from HIGH ALERT Centre too little for state ODISHA HAS A TOTAL OF 15 CASES OF BLACK FUNGUS OR MUCORMYCOSIS, AS PER THE UNION GOVT’S DATA

BLACK FUNGUS EPIDEMIC ccording to the office of the AState Drug Controller, the state has received 50 vials of Amphotericin B injection from the Union government for AIIMS, Bhubaneswar while another 100 vials, which will be used in state-run government hospitals, are in pipeline

he state, which is Tstruggling to get the scarce injection, is not likely Fire brigade personnel readying their equipment to face cyclonic storm Yaas in Puri, Saturday OP PHOTO to get the drug directly from the manufacturers as the Centre has control over its supply POST NEWS NETWORK Doorstep testing, vax to differently-abled midst the apparent dearth Bhubaneswar, May 22: Even Aof the injection, the patients POST NEWS NETWORK ues — Esplanade One Mall at though the Union Minister of and their family members are Rasulgarh, Utkal Kanika Galleria Chemicals and Fertilizers, DV now making frantic appeals to Bhubaneswar, May 22: In its bid at Kalpana, Symphony Mall at Sadananda Gowda, Saturday said several people active on social to ramp up Covid detection and Rudrapur, KIIT University Cricket that the ministry has supplied 50 media to help them with supply vaccination, the Bhubaneswar Stadium at Patia and DN Regalia more vials of Amphotericin B in- of the essential drug for the Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mall at Kalinganagar. While book- jection to Odisha to help it fight mu- treatment of mucormycosis Saturday said it will provide ing for the slots began Saturday, the cormycosis or black fungus, the doorstep testing and vaccination to drive will begin May 24. state government said that the sup- process is likely to be affected. differently-abled individuals facing It can be mentioned that the ply the drug is too little as far as its Saturday, I talked to one of the difficulties to avail the facilities state government May 19 had writ- demand is concerned. be enough for the patients suffering manufacturers and I was told that Discussing the state of Covid- ten to District Collectors and mu- The state, which is struggling from black fungus in the state,” said the procurement from the manu- 19 in the Capital city here, BMC nicipal commissioners to stop to get the scarce injection, is not Annada Das, State Drug Controller. facturers will be made by the Union Commissioner, Sanjay Singh said drive-in or door-to-door vaccina- likely to get the drug directly from He also said that a black fungus government and the Centre will there has been a drop in daily case- tion programmes. The letter men- the manufacturers as the Centre has infected person needs at least 40 provide it to the state,” a Health de- load. While daily positive cases tioned that the practice should be exclusive control over its supply. vials for the treatment of the dis- partment official told Orissa POST, stood at 1,353 until May 15 it has re- stopped immediately as the ini- According to the office of the ease. According to the Union gov- requesting anonymity. mained around 1,150 on an average PIC FOR REPRESENTATION tiatives lack adequate facilities to State Drug Controller, the state re- ernment, Odisha has seen a total Amidst the apparent dearth of owing to lockdown and shutdown, cilities by calling 1929,” Singh New slots for drive-in open as monitor adverse effects following ceived 50 vials of Amphotericin B of 15 cases of black fungus or mu- the scarce injection, the mu- he said. However, ruling out com- said. state orders restrictions immunization. injection from the Union govern- cormycosis. cormycosis patients and their fam- placency, Singh said testing will The BMC Commissioner also Despite the state government’s “We have not received any offi- ment for AIIMS, Bhubaneswar According to sources at the state ily members are now making fran- be enhanced. mentioned that the civic authority instructions to stop drive-in vac- cial communication from the gov- while another 100 vials, which will Health department, direct pro- tic appeals to several people on social “We have decided to provide would now provide mass testing to cination programmes across ernment on cancellation of drive- be used in state-run government curement of the injection from the media to help them with supply of doorstep testing and vaccination housing societies to check the Odisha, the BMC Saturday issued ins. Moreover, cancelling the drive hospitals, are in pipeline. manufacturers now hangs in bal- the scarce drug. to differently-abled individuals. spread of virus in urban dwellings. fresh slots for drive-ins from May abruptly may create further con- “We received 50 vials of the in- ance due to the control of the Union Notably, Jayant Panda from the Moreover, we are planning to add “Resident Welfare Associations 24 extending the date for drive-in fusion as the slots have already jection which will go to AIIMS, government over the drug. Department of Medicine at SCB more patients under 'A' category (RWAs) in need of mass testing vaccination till May 28. been allotted to people. We have Bhubaneswar while another 100 “We have recently floated a ten- Medical College and Hospital, in a such as those who are bed-ridden, for their societies can contact their The civic authority in a tweet been following the drive with all pre- vials will go to the state govern- der for procurement of 5,000 vials government sponsored programme pregnant women and senior citi- respective Zonal Deputy Saturday stated that the 45+ age cautions along with required in- ment hospitals for the treatment of of the drug from the manufactur- last week, claimed that the state has zens. Those who seek home test- Commissioners or call 1929," he group residents of Bhubaneswar frastructure as per government the disease. However, these will not ers. However, it seems that the adequate supply of the drug. ing or vaccination can avail the fa- added. can book slots at any of the five ven- guidelines,” a BMC official said. Banned gutkha worth GOVT PANEL FOR ISOLATING BMC gears up to tackle cyclone `33L seized in Cuttack INFANTS FROM +VE PARENTS POST NEWS NETWORK POST NEWS NETWORK virus and sick, he/she needs to be admitted to a Covid hospital.” Cuttack, May 22: Badambadi po- Bhubaneswar, May 22: The spe- 3RD WAVE SCARE The panel also talked about lice Saturday claimed to have seized cial task force, constituted by the f a neonate is found positive home care for the kids. “In case of huge cache of banned gutkha (to- Health department to recommend Ifor the virus and sick, he/she Covid positive parents in home bacco products) from a godown at ways to contain the spread of needs to be admitted to a isolation, the baby needs to be New Kamalpur in Shankarpur Covid-19, Saturday laid down a Covid hospital separated from the infected parents POST NEWS NETWORK management of power supply. area of the city here. ples of the gutkha for testing. sew of measures to ensure safety till they become non-infectious “We held a meeting with all zonal Police arrested Rabindra Pradhan, “We have registered a case in of kids during the second wave n case of Covid positive and other members of the family Bhubaneswar, May 22: Ahead deputy commissioners, Energy de- 43, of Khannagar Brahmana Sahi this regard. Steps are being taken of the pandemic. Iparents in home isolation, the are required to take care of the of the possible very severe cyclonic partment officials, sanitation and child needs to be separated in connection with the storage of to arrest Pradhan’s aide who was One important aspect of the rec- child.” storm Yaas, the Bhubaneswar drainage department officials, po- from the infected parents till banned gutkha. Another person in- involved in the storage of the banned ommendations is to segregate the they become non-infectious The panel also said that active Municipal Corporation (BMC), lice and Fire Services department volved in the illegal act has managed item,” said a police officer. kids from the infected persons. and other members of the surveillance to detect symptomatic Saturday, held an emergency meet- to ensure that all guidelines issued to escape, sources said. The market Commissionerate Police had The panel also said that a neonate, family are required to take kids should be done regularly while ing with different stakeholders by the State Relief Commissioner value of the seized gutkha is said conducted raids at 21 places in the if born to a Covid infected person care of the baby Covid appropriate behaviour must and officials to discuss the pre- (SRC) are followed,” said the BMC to be around `33 lakh. city and its outskirts between and found positive against the viral be encouraged in them. It also said paredness for the impending Commissioner. On a tip-off, a police team led September and December, 2020. infection, should also be given to that kids orphaned by the pan- calamity. Sources said that while de-silt- by Badambadi inspector in-charge They also seized adulterated goods. the mother only when she becomes (NBSU) or Sick Newborn demic should be kept in Child Care With the state capital is expected ing of drains had already begun in Rashmi Ranjan Mahapatra raided The police had seized adulterated non-infectious. Stabilisation Unit (SNCU) till the Institutions (CCIs). to experience heavy rain accom- view of upcoming monsoon, the the godown and found 136 bags ghee, edible oil, ketchup, turmeric “Children of Covid-19 positive mother becomes non-infectious,” The task force said that open- panied by strong winds under the process would be expedited now. filled with the gutkha sachets, powder, chilli powder, tea powder parents need to be isolated as much the panel said. ing of schools should be done keep- influence of the cyclonic storm Moreover, zonal development sources said. and honey worth `7.36 crore dur- as possible. In a hospital set-up, The task force also said, “Babies ing in mind the local conditions, ef- from May 25, the BMC councils were informed to set up On being informed, city health ing the raids. Police had also ar- sick babies born to Covid positive born to Covid positive mothers fectiveness of remote learning, Commissioner, Sanjay Singh, em- temporary shelters with adequate officer Satyabrata Mahapatra rested 25 persons in this connection, mothers need to be isolated and need to be tested on the same day. capacity of schools in terms of phasised on drain cleaning, set- food especially for homeless reached the spot and collected sam- sources said. kept in Newborn Stabilisation Unit If a neonate is found positive for the safety and other parameters. ting up of temporary shelters and and destitute.

DYING RIVER BRACING FOR CYCLONE YAAS Shift expectant moms to safety: Garg

POST NEWS NETWORK Emphasis was laid on Bhubaneswar, May 22: The preparedness in Bhadrak Principal Secretary of Women & Child Development (W&CD) and and Balasore districts Mission Shakti, Anu Garg, Saturday while other northern and held a virtual review meeting with the officers of the department, coastal districts were DSWOs, CDPOs on the preparedness asked to stay prepared for the impending cyclone ‘Yaas’. Emphasis was laid on preparedness in Bhadrak and Balasore run institutions such as Child Care districts while other Institutions (CCI)/ Swadhar & northern/coastal districts were Ujjwala homes. Provision should also asked to remain prepared for be made for advanced supply of any kind of eventuality. W&CD Principal Secretary Anu Garg at the virtual review meeting THR and eggs to children and preg- Garg directed the field func- nant and nursing women in the af-

tionaries of the department to en- Anganwadi workers to make fre- conducted in coordination with fected areas.

k y m c sure that prior arrangements are quent visits to cyclone centres and the local ANMs/ASHAs following Distribution of THR should be made for shifting of pregnant relief camps. Health check-up of Covid protocols. made before May 25, Garg said. women with early expected dates high-risk pregnant women, ex- Steps should also be taken to store Special care should be taken for of delivery (EDDs) to hospitals, pectant mothers and severely un- take home ration (THR), first aid children in need of care and pro- Mythological Prachi river is filled with hyacinths at Kakatpur in Puri district. Massive encroachment on the riverbed preferably through ambulance. derweight/severely acute malnu- and medicine kits in the cyclone tection, single parent child, orphans, has threatened the very existence the river OP PHOTO She also instructed the trition (SAM) children is to be shelters/relief centres/AWCs/NGO- destitute women during this period. P4 SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR downtown Trains cancelled

State logs 11,108 new Covid cases, 26 deaths Govt orders reserving for cyclone Yash

k y m c THE FRESH CASES WERE DETECTED FROM 60,759 SAMPLES FRIDAY, TAKING beds for infected kids POST NEWS NETWORK

THE DAY'S POSITIVITY RATE TO 18.28 PER CENT POST NEWS NETWORK Bhubaneswar, May 22: In view of cyclone Yash, the railways has de- PNN/AGENCIES Bhubaneswar, May 22: The health cided to cancel various trains orig- HURDA DISTRICT REPORTED department Saturday asked all inating/terminating from and at THE HIGHEST 1,451 CASES, Bhubaneswar, May 22: The state K District Collectors and superin- Bhubaneswar and Puri and trains FOLLOWED BY CUTTACK (944), Saturday reported 11,108 fresh ANGUL (864), SUNDARGARH tendents of government medical col- passing through ECoR from May 25. Covid-19 cases and 26 more deaths, (708) AND BALASORE (509) leges and hospitals to reserve beds These trains include the follow- a Health and Family Welfare in Covid hospitals for infected kids. ing. Mumbai-Bhubaneswar-Mumbai (H&FW) department official said. F THE 26 FRESH FATALITIES, “Considering the surge in Covid Konark Special, Puri-Ajmer-Puri The new cases were detected OKHURDA ALONE infections among children in dif- Necessary logistics and consum- Special, Howrah-Puri-Howrah Jan after testing 60,759 samples Friday, ACCOUNTED FOR SIX DEATHS. ferent parts of the country, the state ables and other requirements to this Shatabdi Special, Howrah-Puri- taking the day's positive rate to FOUR PEOPLE DIED IN government desires to consolidate effect are to be estimated and kept Howrah Special, LTT-Puri-LTT 18.28 per cent. KALAHANDI, THREE DEATHS its preparedness to meet the future reserved and indents may be placed Special, Puri-Howrah-Puri So far, the state has reported EACH HAPPENED IN GANJAM challenges in the management of to OSMCL,” added the letter. Purusottam Special, Anand Vihar- 6,79,530 Covid-19 cases and 2,456 AND PURI DISTRICT, WHILE children affected by Covid-19. In The department also asked Bhubaneswar-Anand Vihar Special, ANGUL, SUNDARGARH AND deaths, the official said. this context, it is directed that the the authorities to put in place Anand Vihar-Puri-Anand Vihar BALASORE DISTRICTS Of the new infections, 6,219 were officials concerned follow certain Special, Bhubaneswar-New Delhi- REPORTED TWO an updated protocol for manage- detected at quarantine centres DEATHS EACH guidelines,” the instructions from ment of Covid-19 in the Paediatric Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Special, while the remaining 4,889 were the department said. Age Group. New Delhi-Bhubaneswar-New Delhi local contact cases. As per the letter, all Covid hos- One of the parents may be al- special, Howrah-Puri-Howrah At present, there are 1,09,639 ac- The Chief Minister said pitals will create a designated lowed to remain as an attendant. Special, Ahmedabad-Puri- tive cases in the state. Thursday that the hospital will be ‘Paediatric Covid Wing’ within the This may be considered on a case Ahmedabad Special, Rourkela- On Friday, 10,881 patients re- helpful in providing better med- existing facilities to start with. At to case basis and the caregiver par- Bhubaneswar-Rourkela Special covered, taking the total number of ical care to critical Covid-19 pa- least 15 per cent of beds in the iso- ent shall be adequately counselled ,Puri-Anand Vihar-Puri Special, recoveries to 5,67,382. tients of the district and they won't lation ward, oxygen beds, ICUs on Covid appropriate behaviour Bhubaneswar-Secunderabad- Khurda district, of which the A woman takes Covid vaccine in Bhubaneswar, Saturday OP PHOTO have to search for beds in may be kept reserved for this pur- including personal hygiene, hand Bhubaneswar Visakha Special, state capital Bhubaneswar is a Bhubaneswar or Cuttack. pose to support neonates, infants sanitising and use of mask, the Tirupati-Puri-Tirupati Special, part, reported the highest 1,451 alone accounted for six deaths. hospital at Puri’s Jagannath The entire operational expen- and other paediatric age groups. The instructions said. Bhubaneswar-Bangalore- cases, followed by Cuttack (944), Four people died in Kalahandi, Medical College. diture of the Covid hospital will be facilities can be augmented in fu- The instructions also urged Bhubaneswar Prashanti Special, Angul (864), Sundargarh (708) and three deaths each happened in The facility, built in collaboration borne by the Chief Minister's Relief ture, the letter said. private hospitals and others to Bhubaneswar-Anand Vihar- Balasore (509). Ganjam and Puri district, while with Bhubaneswar's SUM Hospital, Fund (CMRF), Patnaik announced, “Also earmarking of Covid-19 come up with such facilities for Bhubaneswar Odisha Sampark Kalahandi (39) is the lone district Angul, Sundargarh and Balasore has 90 general oxygen beds, 40 HDU adding that all the beds have been newborn units in the existing kids to manage the pandemic. Kranti Special, Puri-Rishikesh-Puri that reported new cases in double districts reported two deaths each. and 20 ICU beds. It is also equipped connected with oxygen pipeline, SNCU/ NICU may be done with The hospitals dealing with kids Special, Hatia-Puri-Hatia Tapaswini digits. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with a high-quality laboratory and and their number will increase, if strict isolation and infection pre- have also been asked to start coun- Special, Puri-Jodhpur Special, and Of the 26 fresh fatalities, Khurda inaugurated a 150-bed district Covid diagnostics facility. required. vention and control measures. selling centres. Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Special. Youth alleges fraudulent 2.60cr man-days generated by Odisha under MGNREGA marriage, blackmailing SUPREME COURT HAD MAY 13 ASKED THE ODISHA GOVERNMENT TO APPRISE THE COURT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE STEPS POST NEWS NETWORK 2020. The accused again contacted TAKEN BY THEM TO RESOLVE THE PLIGHT OF MIGRANT WORKERS, WHO FACED MASS EXODUS IN 2020 Mishra a few days later and asked Bhubaneswar, May 22: In an in- him to sign some documents in POST NEWS NETWORK till May 17 and `46.78 crore was sponse on the issue and had given teresting incident, a youth from connection with an agreement for paid as wages. 10 days time to the state. Puri has alleged a woman of mar- the promotion of songs. Mishra did New Delhi, May 22: In order to pro- To help the construction workers, Earlier in June and July last rying him using fraudulent means. as he was told at the office of the vide employment to the migrant the state government said that it year, the apex court had asked all The Badagada police here have sub-registrar in Bhubaneswar workers returned from various distributed `276.54 crore to over states to maintain records of all mi- started investigation into the mat- March 9, 2021. states and others, the state gov- 18.43 lakh construction workers. grant workers arrived at different ter by registering a case on the Mishra got a shock March 11, ernment said that 2.60 crore man- The government also submit- places in the states. The states were basis of the victim’s complaint. when the lady asked him to take her days were generated under the ted that it has maintained details directed to maintain details of all The youth, Aniket Mishra, 26, is to his house saying they were legally Mahatama Gandhi National Rural of 10,07,330 migrant persons district- migrant workers, nature of their a resident of Harachandi Sahi in married now. Upon asking, she re- Employment Guarantee Act (MGN- wise and block-wise. It also con- skills and place of their earlier Puri. Mishra, who has a great pen- vealed that the document signed REGA) in the state till May 17. tains the details regarding their employment in a pro forma at vil- chant for music and singing, fre- March 9 was actually related to The state government, in an af- skills, educational qualification lage, block and district level so that quently uploads videos on his the registration of their marriage. fidavit filed before the Supreme and work experience etc. necessary help can be extended to YouTube channel. Mishra alleged Mishra along with his father Court, submitted that 2.60 crore Significantly, the Supreme Court the migrants by state authorities that the accused lady recently sent rushed to the sub registrar’s office man-days were generated till May had May 13 asked the Odisha gov- and district authorities. The court a message on facebook account of and accosted the officials about the 17 in fiscal year 2021-22 covering ernment to apprise the Court specif- had also asked the state govern- the victim offering to promote his validity of the marriage registra- 17.21 lakh individuals. The state ically about the steps taken by ments to set up help desks and songs telling him that she had an tion as both of them are residents government also paid additional ernment also provided additional government apprised the apex them to resolve the plight of mi- counselling centres at block as well audio recording studio at Puri. of Puri which is out of the juris- wages of `101 over and above the 200 days over and above the stipu- court that it also floated Mukhya grant workers, who faced mass ex- as district level to provide all in- Following her invitation, Mishra diction of the sub registrar. The wage rate of `207 notified under lated 100 days’ work under MGN- Mantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan odus in 2020. The apex court had ex- formation about government met the lady at her studio and per- officials later informed Mishra that MGNREGA in four migration prone REGA. (MUKTA) and 16.11 lakh man-days pressed dissatisfaction with state schemes and employment to mi- formed a song there November 1, the registration had been cancelled. districts. Besides, the state gov- Other than MGNREGA, the state were generated under the scheme government for not filing its re- grant workers.

Cong questions SHUTDOWN EFFECT DMs ASKED TO GEAR UP licence fee waiver FOR COVID-19, CYCLONE for liquor traders POST NEWS NETWORK Collectors were told Bhubaneswar, May 22: Odisha that attempts should Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan be made to ensure Patnaik Saturday questioned the social distancing, decision of the state Cabinet to exempt the liquor traders from li- mask wearing and cence fees while keeping the taxes hand washing are intact on small and medium traders in the state. promoted in the “How come a state Cabinet took a decision to protect financially community during the the rich business group? I fail to un- cyclone and its derstand the wisdom of collecting licence fees from hundreds of poor, aftermath to prevent small and marginal business houses chances of the spread who are unable to earn properly during the last 15 months of lockdowns of the disease testing for symptomatic negative eases, need to be specifically mon- and shutdowns while allowing sops Rapid Antigen Tests,” the in- itored with Covid prospective as for the liquor traders,” he said. POST NEWS NETWORK struction read. they constitute people under high He also added, “What prompted It also added, “All Covid hospi- risk. As communication disrup- the Chief Minister to take such a Bhubaneswar, May 22: The state tals/Covid care centres may be tion is also likely to occur at some decision which is anti-people? It health department Saturday is- stocked with all essential medi- places, major hospitals in the dis- hints at the cordial relationship of sued special instructions to cines/oxygen cylinders/ oxygen tricts may be provided with satel- the liquor traders with the state Collectors to take timely action and other required manpower so lite phones/HAM radio connec- government. At the same time, and proper care of Covid patients as to provide uninterrupted med- tions,” the health department told the prices of essential commodi- during cyclone Yaas. ical support to the patients,” the in- Collectors. ties have gone up. What the gov- In a communication to the structions to Collectors said. It asked Collectors to ensure ernment has done to counter that?” Collectors, the department asked The district administration was that despite cyclones, attempts Patnaik also raked up the issue them to take preventive measures asked to watch out for outbreak should be made to ensure that so- of spiraling prices of petrol and and ensure early stocking of es- of other diseases and take timely cial distancing, mask wearing and diesel in the state and urged the state sential drugs before the onset of the actions. “District surveillance units hand washing are promoted in the government to reduce value added cyclone in the state. and public health teams mobilized community during the cyclone and tax (VAT) on the fuel to give relief “Necessary arrangement is to for Covid management need to be its aftermath to prevent chances of to the middle class. “Let the state be made for conducting Rapid reoriented on possible outbreak the spread of the disease in the government exempt the licence Antigen Test (RAT) of people be- of epidemic prone diseases such as community. fee of all small and marginal busi- fore evacuating them to cyclone influenza, measles, acute diar- The instructions also said, “Rapid ness houses that are unable to earn shelters. Medical care and public rhoeal diseases, dysentery, lep- response movement, ambulance, re- well during the pandemic. The gov- health interventions need to be tospirosis, dengue, malaria and ferral services need to be coordi- ernment should also convene an all- planned for camps housing evac- others,” he said. nated at block /district level. Disease party meeting and prepare a con- uated populations. Rapid Antigen “Senior citizens and those suf- surveillance and daily reporting crete strategy for wider inoculation Rasulgarh overbridge in Bhubaneswar and Jobra anicut bridge in Cuttack (bottom) look empty as the urban areas Tests may be taken up for popula- fering from diabetes, hyperten- during and after cyclonic/flood of the people of the state in a time- of Odisha were put under weekend shutdown to tackle the second wave of Covid-19 OP PHOTOS

tion in camps followed RT-PCR sion, liver kidney, respiratory dis- like situations should be done.” bound manner,” he said.

k y m c P5 SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR state 19-YEAR OLD Illegal stone crushing units

Yaas: People in coastal pockets on edge FOREST GUARD

k y m back in biz despite sealing c 312 MULTI-PURPOSE CYCLONE SHELTERS UNSAFE IN KENDRAPARA; MANY WEAK SHOT DOWN EMBANKMENTS ARE STILL AWAITING REPAIR; 10 ALERT CENTRES DON’T WORK PROPERLY POST NEWS NETWORK PANIC IN BHOGRAI Kendrapara, May 22: As the cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ is likely to cross Bhograi: As cyclonic storm Yaas West Bengal, adjoining north has intensified into a severe cy- Odisha and Bangladesh coasts clonic storm over the east-central around May 26 evening, people in Bay of Bengal, the Balasore dis- most coastal parts of Kendrapara trict administration is prepared to were panicked. The cyclone is meet any eventuality. However, peo- POST NEWS NETWORK Acting on the directive of the HC feared to strike them at a time ple in coastal pockets like Bhograi and NHRC, 147, these units were when they have been battling and Jaleswar are panicked. A high POST NEWS NETWORK Jajpur, May 22: The district ad- sealed while electricity connec- against the deadly Covid-19 virus. alert has been sounded along the ministration had sealed some of tions to them were snapped. Since large-scale devastation coast of Odsiha and West Bengal. Bolangir, May 22: A forest guard the illegal stone crushing units in But mega crushing units such as was wreaked by the 1999 Super Fishermen returning in their boats from the sea in Bhograi area OP PHOTO Collector K Sudarshan was shot dead late Friday night by Dharmasala and Darpan tehsils Aruni, RKD, Simplex, Madhab, Cyclone, people in this coastal dis- Chakraborty has directed the block two armed miscreants while he was in Jajpur in February this year. Garuda, ARSS, Nagarjun, trict remain by and large panicky to the coast. Conscious citizens ob- paired. But many embankments administration of Bhograi to re- patrolling at Karamtala forest under Hardly have a few days gone, the Rocksand, Joda, Tapti, Godagaon, ahead of the actual strike of cy- served that though the district nat- are weak and can’t stand against main alert and ready. Saintala range in the district. crusher units are back into oper- Konark, Jain, Amit and South East clones. They are worried about the ural disaster management com- strong surge of floodwater. Even at Meanwhile, 160 schools and 20 cy- According to police, the deceased ations, a report said. had been spared. The owners of severity of the disaster. They had mittee has been holding meetings, the slightest floods, they may crum- clone shelters have been sanitized was identified as 19-year old Jogeswar According to the report, the these sealed unit expressed their also faced the fury of Amphan in no step has been taken to repair the ble,” they pointed out. for shifting of people. Food, drink- Budek. He was on duty at night crusher units allegedly violated displeasure over it. 2020, losing lives and properties. weak embankments whose Coastal erosion still goes on as ing water and electricity have been along with one of his colleagues environment protection norms As thousands of people depend On the other hand, cyclone shel- strengthening matters most for de- usual. There has been no concrete provided to these facilities. when Budek saw armed miscreants and location criteria. They have no on these units, the district ad- ters, which had been built after terring the surge. plan for massive plantation and A 24X7 control room was opened. venturing into the forest. documents conforming to rules. ministration assured them to con- the Super Cylone in the district, are People from different walks of life regeneration of mangroves to stem An NDRF team has reached Digha. Swinging into action, Budek A number of such stone crush- sider relocating these units at suit- a great asset for the people for tem- – intellectual Sibasish Mohanty, the problem. The mangrove forests More NDRF teams from Gujarat are chased the miscreants. All of a ing units have been operating along able places. The process to identify porary accommodation. environmentalists Hemanta Kumar along the coast have already suffered reaching the coastal areas in sudden, the miscreants opened fire NH-53 from Chandikhole Inspection land for rehab of these units has But the problem is that 312 cy- Rout, Srikant Nayak, social ac- massive damage due to Titli in Balasore. Thousands of fisher- at the two. However, Budek sus- Bungalow to Chadeidhara. They are been initiated. clone shelters have been declared tivists Pratap Chandra Tripathy 2018, Fani in 2019 and Amphan in men along with boats returned tained bullet injuries in his stom- mostly run at Ranibandh, As per the location criteria, no as unsafe by the district adminis- and Prakash Chandra Das – 2020. On the other hand, en- from the sea ahead of the cyclone. ach. On being informed, senior Bhadanga, Aruha, Padkhara, stone crushing unit will be allowed tration. In such situation, ques- lamented that people have been croachment of forest land and forest officials rescued Budek and Barada and Baulamala. to operate within 500 meters from tions remain that how people can suffering a lot due to cyclones and mushrooming growth of prawn As for the cyclone, Collector immediately rushed to Saintala In the past, the district admin- an educational institution, human have safe accommodation at the floods. Political leaders and the gherries on the forest land have Amrit Ruturaj said the district ad- community health centre where istration had carried out raids on settlements, health centres and of- time of this cyclone. administration have failed to redress been other major factors quick- ministration is ready to face pos- doctors declared him ‘brought these crusher units in the past and fices. Besides, no stone crushers will Moreover, there are 20 alert cen- the issues through infrastructure ening the coastal erosion process. sible cyclone. dead’. seized them. But they are back in be set up within 200-meter distance tres in the fringe areas in the coastal development and their mainte- During Amphan, 11 alert cen- Multi-purpose cyclone shelters “The assailants fled from the spot operation after a few days. from state or national highways. district, but 10 are not in a position nance. tres in Rajnagar area and nine in are being monitored while meas- soon after committing the crime. It was June 20, 2015 when there Violating all such norms, stone to sound siren in case of emer- If the cyclone becomes severe, Mahkalpara block could not sound ures are being taken for evacuation, Two miscreants armed with coun- was a notification for stern action crushing units were carrying out gency. It was alleged that though the many areas in the district are likely siren for people living in coastal vil- communication and healthcare, try-made guns were heading to- against the stone crushing units in their operations. coastal district has been facing the to face deluge. “The authorities of lages. he added. wards the forest, our guards tried Darpan, Dharmasala and Danagadi After Chakraborty Singh Rathore fury of cyclones almost every year, the district water resources division, People in Ratapanga, Under the influence of the cy- to nab them. They suddenly fired at tehsils. As per a directive of the High joined as Collector, he started de- authorities have failed to main- Mahanadi Division, Chitrotpala Narasinghpur, Jambu, Tantiapal, clonic circulation, a low pressure Budek. He succumbed to injuries on Court linked to the case molishing son units in February. A tain cyclone shelters and warning division and the drainage division Endulapur, Kaitha, Chinchiri, area has formed over east-central his way to the hospital,” Saintala (WPC9101/2009) and the directive few days after this drive, several systems routinely. should have taken proactive meas- Pentha, Brahmansasan and Bay of Bengal. It will intensify ranger Rajkishore Harpal said. of the National Human Rights units have started functioning. The tidal surge during the cy- ures every year well before the Kandarapatia have been living in into a cyclonic storm by May 24 Saintala police registered a case Commission linked to the case (134- The Collector recently visited clone is another cause of worry monsoon. By May, all weak em- fear. 312 cyclone shelters have been and further into a very severe cy- and launched a probe. Two sus- 18/5/0708), it was decided to close some crusher units and fined two for the people living in areas close bankments should have been rein bad shape that may not work. clonic storm. pects were detained. all these stone crushing units. for illegally piling up stones.

Ex-MLA Nabin Nanda’s DISTRESS SALE son passes away Police foil trafficking POST NEWS NETWORK bid of migrant workers Dhenkanal, May 22: Dhenkanal’s former MLA Nabin Nanda Saturday Singhpur police while boarding a lost his eldest son Sambit Nanda to private bus from Nuaguda village lungs infection. He breathed his last of Katharagada panchayat in the while undergoing treatment at a pri- district in order to travel to Trichur vate hospital in Cuttack. He was 45. area in the southern-state. Officials A few hours before his son’s de- of the district labour department mise, Nabin had pleaded for his and Borigumma SDPO immedi- son’s life in Twitter post. Tagging POST NEWS NETWORK ately reached the spot. Police have Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, launched a probe into the incident, Union Health Minister Harsh Koraput, May 22: With lockdown an official said. Vardhan, Union Minister restrictions in place, migrant work- The migrant workers were being Dharmendra Pradhan and many ers from Koraput district were al- trafficked without any valid licence others, he mentioned that his son legedly on their way to work at a and Covid negative reports. However, is in need of extracorporeal mem- textile factory in Tamil Nadu. They they would be released after veri- brane oxygenation (ECMO) treat- had received job offers from its fication of their documents and ment. And the facility is not avail- owner and the trafficking bid was after RT-PCR testing, DLO Prasanna able in Cuttack. “ECMO treatment foiled by town police Saturday. Kumar Panigrahi informed. Koraput is not available here. Please help him According to sources, 18 migrant is one of the migration-hit districts Panicked over the threat of impending cyclone, farmers at a village in Muniguda block of Rayagada district hurriedly collect mangoes ahead of the save his life,” reads his tweet. workers were detained by B in the state. calamity. The forced harvest of the summer fruit may create condition for its distress sale OP PHOTO 83 inmates at Padampur sub-jail test Covid positive Med team provides care in remote Malkangiri village POST NEWS NETWORK Covid +ve groom lifted Nayagarh villagers detain medical team, tehsildar POST NEWS NETWORK Bargarh, May 22: As many as 83 from marriage pandal Nayagarh/Ranpur: Irate villagers ANTIGEN TEST under trial prisoners (UTPs) have detained a medical team and a Malkangiri, May 22: With the tested positive for Covid-19 Pattapur: A groom had to go tehsildar after nearly 20 persons REPORTS OF COVID second wave of Covid-19 spreading Saturday at Padampur sub-jail in straight from the marriage pan- tested positive for Covid-19 despite rapidly, providing medical assis- Bargarh district. dal to a quarantine centre as he them testing negative in a Rapid POSITIVES TURN tance to people in remote and in- According to jail sources, swab had tested Covid positive. The in- Antigen Test. The incident was re- OUT TO BE NEGATIVE accessible areas has become diffi- samples of 132 people including cident occurred at Daseipur vil- ported from a micro-containment cult. However, a medical team has 124 inmates and eight employees of lage under Pattapur police limits zone in Mayurjhalia village under Chandpur police reached the spot managed to reach out to them in the sub-jail were collected and sent in Ganjam district Friday. Ranpur block in Nayagarh district, and held talks with villagers. Malkangiri. camp at Khatuapadar under Mathili for RT-PCR testing Friday. However, The groom had tested positive for Saturday. Mayurjhalia was declared a They ensured that no one is de- police limits. The medical team is 83 were found positive for the virus, Covid. However, his family mem- On being informed, Ranpur micro-containment zone by Ranpur nied proper healthcare during the visiting the remote villages to check a jail official said. A special team of doctors has bers kept it a secret even at the tehsildar rushed to the spot and tehsildar from 10 am, May 20 till in- pandemic.A 12-member medical up health of people as well as con- Out of 83 infected prisoners, five been monitoring the health con- time of marriage. tried to placate the irate villagers. definite period after 20 persons in team negotiated their way through duct their Covid-19 tests. All the have been shifted to the Covid care dition of the infected. If re- BDO Gayatridatta Nayak, However, the villagers refused to lis- the village tested positive in an a hilly terrain to reach a remote vil- Covid-19 test reports came out neg- centre set up on the jail premises. quired, they will be shifted to tehsildar Srinivas Behera and ten and instead detained him. RTPCR test. lage in the tribal-dominated dis- ative while two were found to be af- An inmate, whose health condi- Covid facilities. Pattapur IIC Sabyasachi Mallick They squatted on the road and However, the villagers being trict for health checkup of the res- fected by malaria. tion became critical at a later stage, As many as 96 undertrial pris- reached the wedding venue, leav- staged an agitation questioning asymptomatic suspected foul play idents. The team is providing free med- has been put on ventilator sup- oners had tested positive for Covid- ing the bride side in shock. The the transparency of the Covid tests. and underwent a Rapid Antigen The team from Mathili icines to people and creating port. The sub-jail has been thor- 19 at Jharpada Special Jail in groom was asked to isolate him- The villagers released the team Test at Ranpur Hospital, Saturday Government Hospital, led by Dr awareness among people about oughly sanitised, the official added. Bhubaneswar. self from others. and the tehsildar at 4pm after that came out negative. Amiya Kumar Swain has set up a the deadly virus. Rapper Dule Rock in the Fortified rice-producing plants in W Odisha soon

POST NEWS NETWORK with nutrients and then shaped soup for sexist recording ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY WILL BE into rice like kernels using an ex- ADOPTED FOR ESTABLISHMENT POST NEWS NETWORK Sambalpur, May 22: The state trusion process. This fortified rice OF THESE TWO PLANTS. THE government has approved a pro- will be then mixed with normal Bhawanipatna, May 22: Migrant posal for setting up of two plants PROPOSED PLANTS HAVE BEEN rice in 1:100 ratios and then dis- worker-turned rapper Duleshwar for producing vitamin-laced rice TARGETED FOR COMMISSIONING tributed. Tandi, who is popularly known as (fortified rice kernels) in western WITHIN FOUR TO SIX MONTHS, “Italian technology will be Rapper Dule Rock, is in the soup for Odisha. They would be the first-ever SAMBALPUR CSO adopted for establishment of these a music video. such plants in the state, an offi- RAMACHANDRA TUDU SAID. THE two plants. The proposed plants Three complaints have been reg- cial said Saturday. VITAMIN-LACED RICE WILL BE have been targeted for commis- istered against the 28-year-old the police to act against the singer Sources said the Odisha State SEALED INTO PACKETS AND sioning within four to six singer for the video song which as per law. He also said the singer Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) SUPPLIED TO EVERY MILL WHERE months,” Sambalpur CSO he posted on social media May 19. has apologized for his misconduct has informed this to Sambalpur OTHER MILLERS WILL MIX IT Ramachandra Tudu said. The vi- The song promotes vulgarity and through a Facebook post. The sec- Civil Supply Officer (DSO) vide its WITH THEIR RICE AND SUPPLY IT tamin-laced rice will be sealed hampers women’s dignity, it was al- ond complaint was filed by Sunil letter (No-6965, dtd.-13.05.2021). TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT into packets and supplied to every leged. Kumar Munda, a resident of The IP Rice Industry at mill where other millers will mix The rapper courted criticism Kalimandir Pada here at Mundoghat in Sambalpur and District civil supply officers of Sambalpur and Subarnapur have been asked to take necessary steps for it with their rice and supply it to from various quarters since the Bhawanipatna police station. Lalita Rice Mill at Sonepur in establishment of these plants which will have a capacity to produce 500kg of vitamin-laced rice per hour the state government.

video went viral. The first com- Kalahandi Kosal Sena also lodged Subarnapur district have been Tudu said the state government

k y m c plaint against the singer was lodged the third one against the singer at given permission for estab- plants. These plants will have a cation of chemical fertilisers. government has given permission plans to supply vitamin-laced rice at Bhawanipatna town police sta- Koksara police station. lishment of the plants, the of- capacity to produce 500kg of vita- Hence, the government has planned for establishment of these two (fortified rice) to people for which tion by Abinash Thakur, president Kalahandi SP Saravan Vivek, ficial said. min laced rice per hour. to add vitamins to agricultural plants in the first phase. In these every miller has to mix one kg of of Kalahandi Youth and Students’ said they have received the com- The district civil supply officers Sources said the nutritional produce so as to increase the nu- two plants, broken rice will be first vitamin-laced rice with one quin- Council. plaints and after investigation ac- have been asked to take necessary value in the food item has declined tritional value. crushed into powder. tal of rice which has been made In his complaint, he requested tion would be taken as per law. steps for establishment of these due to climate change and appli- As part of this move, the state Later, the powder will be mixed mandatory. P6 SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR power post

FOCUS GLOBAL CRISES Death is but changing of our

robes to wait in wedding

k y m garments at the Eternal’s gate. c SRI AUROBINDO THE LANGUAGE OF TRAGEDY

ow terrible it is to it. Many audience members later know when, in the informed me that they had gone end, knowing gains on to exercise agency in their own Averse To Criticism “Hyou nothing,” lives, such as by entering a drug- laments the blind prophet Tiresias rehabilitation programme. witter has marked tweets by Bharatiya Janata Party figures includ- in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Just as the language of tragedy ing its spokesman Sambit Patra as “manipulated media”. The BJP pub- Oedipus had summoned him to can help bring about personal T licised what it said was a Congress toolkit to defame India. But the reveal the source of the pestilence change, so, too, can it spur sys- fact checking website Altnews showed that this content the BJP was show- and ecological disaster ravaging temic change. “People are suffering was fake. The BJP said that on its letterhead the All India Congress Committee Thebes. But Tiresias knew that ing,” Greta Thunberg told world had distributed instructions to Congress workers, volunteers and support- the king would reject the truth. leaders, her voice thick with emo- ers to use the term ‘super spreader Kumbh’, ‘not comment on Eid gather- Today’s climate scientists and epi- tion, at the United Nations 2019 ings’, ‘use dramatic pictures of funerals and dead bodies which is already demiologists can relate. Climate Action Summit. “People being done by foreign media’. This turned out to be bogus and even the let- Like Tiresias, modern-day sci- are dying. Entire ecosystems are terhead was forged, as Altnews quickly showed. entists know where the planet is collapsing. We are in the beginning Twitter believed the fact-checking website, which is based in Ahmedabad, headed and why. They found out Scientists may believe that anything other than of a mass extinction, and all you more than it did the government of India and branded the content fake. The not through prophecies, but can talk about is money and fairy BJP is upset and has sent another threatening note to Twitter saying it through countless double-blind qualified statements made in careful, measured tales of eternal economic growth. should remove the “manipulated media” tag because the government was experiments, randomised trials, tones would undermine the legitimacy of their How dare you!” investigating the matter. The problem of course is that the government and rigorous peer review. Their ev- It could have been a speech in first defamed the Congress, then it got caught peddling a lie and now it idence is unimpeachable, and the findings. But humans are emotional beings a Greek tragedy, a warning from claims it is checking its own claim — amplified by all its ministers through Bryan Doerries consensus among them is over- confronting an existential crisis. The language a desperate and angry prophet – their official accounts — to see if it is true. That is why a small news oper- whelming. But their secular au- someone who knows, as we all ation has more credibility today than the government of the republic of India. gury cannot seem to overcome of tragedy is our best and possibly last chance know, that disaster is coming, and Twitter has a transparency centre where it puts up the data on takedown SAYING the willful indifference of politi- to open the world’s eyes before it is too late that we have precious little time and information requests. These are legal notices cians or the public. Knowing gains to avert it. from the government of India asking Twitter to ALOUD WHAT them nothing, because so few are Thunberg and many of her fel- either block an account, take down some content WAS ONCE listening. wittingly made an irreversible – But it is not only ancient low climate activists know that the government does not like or reveal the iden- If there is a way for scientists and devastating – mistake. Athenians who were inspired by the language of tragedy is the only tity of a user. UNSPEAKABLE to get through to people and their For centuries, Greek tragedies Greek tragedies. Over the last way to express the cataclysm we From January 2012 to June 2014 it rarely re- CAN BE leaders, the key will be to change have been viewed as pessimistic ex- decade, I have directed more than are facing. But, as Thunberg knows ceived requests from the Indian government ex- not what they say, but how they say pressions of a fatalistic society, 1,000 performances of plays by firsthand, young people can easily cept for one or two. In the second half of 2016 it UNBURDENING it. The language of science is dis- which depict the futility of fight- Sophocles and his contemporaries be dismissed as overly sensitive and received 151 requests. This doubled to 306 be- passionate by design. By contrast, ing destiny. But, for the Greeks, the in seemingly unlikely places, such melodramatic. That is why the tween January and June 2018. It doubled again IN ITSELF. BUT the manifold crises our planet effect of these stories may have as homeless shelters, hospitals, adults – especially scientists and to 662 between July and December 2019. Between NAMING A faces are urgent and intense, and been counterintuitive. By showing prisons, military bases, halfway world leaders – must urgently join January and June 2020, the latest period for Aakar Patel the individual and collective de- people just how narrow and fleet- houses, senior centers, and public the chorus of young people and which data is available, the Modi government sent PROBLEM IS cisions that are fueling those crises ing their power to determine their parks all over the world. speak in the language of tragedy. 2,367 requests including those to reveal identi- This government ALSO THE FIRST have high emotional and ethical own future was, the tragedies dis- In the post-performance dis- Scientists may believe that ties, those it wanted blocked and those whose con- stakes. A virulent pandemic has couraged apathy. Highlighting cussions, audience members were anything other than qualified tent it did not like and wanted taken down. insists on only one STEP IN taken the lives of three million how devastating self-delusion can newly able to express the chal- statements made in careful, The question is why is the government now narrative, and is CONFRONTING IT people. The Earth is in the throes be encouraged awareness. And lenges they had endured and the measured tones would undermine sending thousands of ‘requests’ to Twitter to com- of a sixth mass extinction. And the providing the language for de- sacrifices they had made. For ex- the legitimacy of their findings. ply? The answer is that social media is reflect- willing and problems are set to escalate. scribing difficult experiences en- ample, after presenting an audience But humans are emotional beings ing a reality that the BJP does not want com- enthusiastic about We need a language to convey hanced agency. of 400 US Marines with scenes confronting an existential crisis. municated. More people are saying things on social stopping the the gravity and complexity of the Oedipus the King is believed to from Sophocles’ Ajax and The language of tragedy is our media that are upsetting the government. One global tragedy that is unfolding, and have premiered in the spring of 429 Philoctetes – two ancient tragedies best – and possibly last – chance way to deal with this would be to ignore it, other side from the ancient Greeks supply it. Their BC – that is, between the first and that take place during the Trojan to open the world’s eyes before it which is what the governments of India did in expressing itself tragedies are stories of people second waves of a plague that War – typically stoic modern-day is too late. the past which is why the number of takedown learning too late (usually by mil- killed nearly one-third of the warriors were able to open up notices Twitter received were few. But if a gov- liseconds). Their characters Athenian population. For a com- about their moral, emotional, and The writer is Artistic ernment is sensitive to what is said about it, and sensitive to such an extent doggedly pursue what they be- munity that was both processing spiritual struggles following their Director of Theater of War that it finds criticism intolerable then it will do what is going on in India’s lieve to be right, barely compre- shared trauma and questioning return from war. Productions and the author of social media today. hending the forces they face – the extent to which the losses were Saying aloud what was once The Theater of War: What Twitter is slightly different from Facebook, and pretends to have more in- chance, fate, habits, governments, inevitable, a story of arrogant unspeakable can be unburdening Ancient Greek Tragedies Can dependence and pretends to be a guardian of free speech. Facebook is just gods, the weather. By the time leadership and willful blindness in itself. But naming a problem Teach Us Today. a cut-throat corporate company that will go to bed with authoritarian gov- they do, the characters have un- would likely have struck a chord. is also the first step in confronting © PROJECT SYNDICATE ernments and do whatever they want in terms of blocking users and content and promoting the government’s material even if it incites violence. Twitter says it stands for freedom of its users, that it is “committed to the open ex- change of information” and that it is why it publishes this transparency report from which the data above has been taken. SPECTRUM TRADITIONAL HEALING India is not the only democracy which makes such requests of Twitter. In the United States the Secret Service which protects the president is obliged to assess every threat made against the president even if it is made casually. But this is not censorship of views. What is happening in India is that criticism of the government is not being allowed. And the deliberate Time to tap Odisha’s Ayurveda potential vilification of the Opposition by the government is being pushed, and when it is caught it resists accountability. lants have been a source to Contemporary scientific research research. Eventually, it will Ministry of AYUSH. India is going the way of China, where social media has to be in full com- cure, heal, and alleviate dis- has already acknowledged the ef- attract R&D companies like Dabur, Chinese scientist Tu Youyou pliance with the government’s desire to control the messaging and to carry Peases. Since prehistoric times fects of plant-based drugs on hu- Ayur, Patanjali and others to set- worked extensively on traditional out mass surveillance. It is nobody’s case and certainly not mine that India various plants are used for tradi- mans and animals. Pharmaceutical up labs/manufacturing units in Chinese medicine. She extracted was ever some haven of free speech before the Modi government. It was not. tional medical practices. These capabilities of several plant-de- the region. artemisinin from Artemisia annua Few democracies have the full force of government backing the blocking of medicinal plants are of great in- rived molecules are not known yet In February 2020, Shashi (sweet wormwood) - an herb used free speech of citizens as is the case in India. We have jail terms for free speech terests due to their pharmaceuti- and need further investigation. Tharoor, MP from Kerala, asked the in Chinese traditional medicine. under laws like sedition, criminal defamation, criminal contempt and laws cal, cosmetic and nutritional val- Along this line, there is a branch government of India to set-up a Artemisinin is used in the treat- which criminalise things communicated in words or even without words. ues. The demand for medicinal of science called “natural prod- National Institute of Ayurveda ment of malaria. For the discovery This has always been the case. plants is continuously increasing ucts chemistry” which deals with (Institution of National Importance) of artemisinin and dihy- But the criticism of the government was not intolerable as it has become worldwide for many reasons: these identification, characterisation, at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. droartemisinin Tu Youyou shared now. This government insists on only one narrative, and is willing and en- are natural products with fewer and utilisation of plant derived It is worth noting that, the gov- the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology thusiastic about stopping the other side from expressing itself. And it is also, or even no side effects, their easy chemicals. ernment of India has already or Medicine. China is investing as the toolkit fiasco shows, willing to fabricate material to invalidate what accessibility, and are cost-effective. Odisha is blessed with huge nat- merged three Ayurvedic colleges heavily on the R&D of Chinese anyone else says. This is what the Emergency must have been like, and Ayurveda has documented about ural resources; especially, with under Gujarat Ayurveda University, traditional medicine; so that, it those who lived through it might not be feeling very different today. medicinal plants, methods of prepa- medicinal plants. The Jamnagar and approved confer- can earn its rightful place in the ration of extracts, and utilisation Gandhamardan hills located in ring on it Institution of National world. There are many lessons Sanjib Kumar of medications for treating hu- Bargarh and Bolangir districts is Importance status. Along this line, here for the AYUSH ministry to WISDOM CORNER mans as well as animals. a reservoir of many known and un- Odisha should ask the government learn. In India, R&D on Ayurveda Karmee Awareness about medicinal plants’ known medicinal plants. However, of India to set-up a National is still limited and governments Challenging the meaning of life is the truest expression of the state MEDICINAL usage among Indians is a result of due to lack of preservation and Institute of Ayurveda near must push for integrating research of being human. VIKTOR E. FRANKL experiences gained from decades imbalance in the ecosystem many Gandhamardan hills. on Ayurvedic medicine with main- PLANTS ARE OF of practices. Our forefathers plant species have disappeared. A Recently, the Uttar Pradesh gov- stream drug discovery. Moreover, Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles. learned, documented, and prac- BBC report by Helen Briggs says ernment has taken several initia- in a post-Covid-19 world immu- THOMAS BROWNE GREAT INTERESTS ticed vigorously to use barks, seeds, that worldwide nearly 600 plant tives to develop an 800-km network nity boosting will become very im- There is no influence like the influence of habit. DUE TO THEIR fruits, and other plant materials species have been lost from the of roads in the state as ‘herbal belt’ portant. Ayurvedic medicines will GILBERT PARKER as drugs. Charaka and Sushruta wild in the last 250 years; moreover, by planting medicinal and herbal be used extensively as immunity PHARMACEUTICAL, performed many life-saving ex- at present plant extinction is hap- plants along both sides of road- booster. Implementation of such COSMETIC periments using medicinal plants. pening up to 500 times faster than ways. Such a project is necessary projects in western Odisha, where WORDSWORTH Charaka Sa hit and Sushruta it would have happened naturally. in Odisha and needs to be imple- plenty of water is available will re- AND NUTRITIONAL Sa hit documented details of In this regard, establishing a ment on a priority basis. Both sides duce drudgery, increase economic Ayurvedic medicine and surgery. National Institute of Ayurveda in of state and national highways growth, and can stop migration Navvy VALUES Shri Laxmana Mishra from Odisha the Gandhamardan area will be close to Mahanadi river and other of labourers to a large extent. has documented properties of sev- beneficial for the preservation of water bodies can be planted with Hopefully, both state and central rom about 1660 onwards in Britain, many artificial waterways were built eral plants in his book “Anubhuta biodiversity and medicinal plants. Peepal, Neem, Brahmi, governments will look into this Fto make rivers navigable by ships and boats. These became known as Jogamala ba Sahaja Chikitsa.” Furthermore, it will boost scien- Ashwagandha and other medicinal matter and work together to es- navigations, a term first recorded early in the eighteenth century. The Most of the plants have an abil- tific research and higher educa- plants to intensify herbal and me- tablish a National Institute of word was later applied to the cross-country canals linking river to river ity to produce aromatic substances. tion in western Odisha. In addition, dicinal plant cultivation. In west- Ayurveda in Odisha. that were one of the engineering triumphs of the second half of that Plant-derived medicines contain this place can become a leader in ern Odisha, the National Institute century and the early part of the next. The labourers who built these natural products, antioxidants, the areas of natural products, life of Ayurveda can implement these The writer is a scientist and navigations — entirely by hand using pick, shovel and barrow — came to and phenols among others. science and traditional medicine projects in collaboration with the an alumnus of IIT Madras. be called navigators, an obvious enough association of ideas. The term was transferred to their successors, the often unruly gangs of itinerant workmen who built the railways across Britain from the 1830s onwards. It’s only then that the abbreviated form began to appear in print, and it’s What can I do? Adieu green-warrior attached in particular to these men and to the era of railway building in Britain. Later in the century it became the usual term for any labourer Sir, Needless to say there are far too many that need our help and attention in these difficult Sir, In the death of noted environ- working on construction projects. It was so firmly attached to the idea of times. While it is fine for the middleclass to tell people, “Stay home, stay safe,” for too many mentalist and Gandhian Sunderlal excavation that when the first mechanical digger came into service in the etters that interprets into a job loss and suspension of income. It’s as tragic as that! And no, I am Bahuguna the country has lost a 1870s it was called a steam navvy. not against the lockdown because it is the only safety valve we have at the moment. We need green-warrior. Bahuguna was the to cut the infection rate and the death rates. We don’t need to be told just how fragile our health- driving force behind the legendary TOL THE EDITOR care system and our own state are. The greatest fear of those who run the government is that Chipko movement in the 1970s to save Readers of Orissa POST this fragile system might collapse due to the sheer weight which is far beyond its carrying Himalayan forests. He took it to dif- LOL are most welcome to contribute letters capacity. Social media – our only mode of connecting with friends and relatives near and far ferent parts of Uttarakhand and forced (200 words), articles and has become an obituary page with someone losing a family member or friend or colleague. the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi columns (between 750-1250 Avoiding a big object contain large words). Contributors are People spent years critiquing governments for their acts of omission and commission. In fact, to impose a 15-year-ban on tree-cutting upholstery requested to send their for most of us, the government is the only bashing board. We swear at politicians and bureaucrats in the state. In 1981 he had refused to riving to work, a gentleman had to tacks. contact numbers and full because we look up to them as a cure to every ailment. We continue to do so even now and so- accept the Padma Shri over the gov-

swerve to avoid a box that fell out “I’m sorry sir,” the first postal address/email ID. They may also cial media is rife with names of politicians and government officials. But now is the time to ernment’s refusal to cancel the Tehri

k y m D send in their valuable comments, opinion c of a truck in front of him. Seconds policeman told the driver, “but I am and suggestions, preferably by email, stop bashing people on social media for their own failure to rise to the occasion. The politi- Dam project despite his protests. His later, a policeman pulled him over for still going to have to write you a to: [email protected] cians we take for granted and go hammer and tongs at are also as frightened and worried as unbridled passion and pride in his reckless driving. Fortunately, another ticket.” all of us are. They are as affected by deaths and infection rates. At this juncture citizens too work and love for the environment re- officer had seen the carton in the Amazed, the driver asked for what. have a responsibility to put their shoulders to the wheel. This is a time to think beyond the mained strong till his last days. RIP! road. The policemen stopped traffic The policeman replied, “Tacks B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate, self and to ask, “What can I do to help?” NJ Ravi Chander, and recovered the box. It was found to evasion.” Bhubaneswar-751010 K Ravi, BHUBANESWAR BANGALORE GUJARAT P7 MAHARASHTRA

SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

k y m ‘Faster than the virus’: Mumbai gears up for 3rd wave Maharashtra leads in c

REUTERS paediatric beds and ICUs. The paediatric task force, led black fungus deaths Mumbai, May 22: India’s crowded by Dr Suhas Prabhu, plans to train financial hub Mumbai won plau- about 660 paediatricians on how The state has recorded a staggering 1,500 dits this year for tackling the sec- to handle children affected by Mucormycosis infections and 100 deaths till date ond wave of the pandemic better Covid-19, and then broaden the than any other metropolis in the training to more staff. country - and it is gearing up to get The third wave might not end ahead of a potential third wave that up affecting children greatly, but experts fear could affect children. cities like Mumbai cannot afford Mumbai is building four mam- to be caught off guard, moth centres across the city with Prabhu said. units for children infected with Covid-19 and it is working closely The Mumbai Model with a special task force that in- cludes some of India’s top paedi- Chahal was handpicked by atricians, the city’s civic chief Maharashtra’s Chief Minister said. Udhhav Thackeray in May last year “If a 2-year-old child becomes to lead the city’s response when the highly symptomatic, how can you virus hit. admit the child in hospital with- Chahal, the son of an army of- out the mother?” Mumbai's ficer, set up local Covid ‘war rooms’ Municipal Commissioner Iqbal in 24 zones in the city to decen- Singh Chahal told Reuters. “We tralise the pressure and hasten the have already started prepar- response. Even as other cities in ing for that. ... One If Maharashtra continue to report should be faster high numbers, Mumbai’s cases Dr. Yogesh Narkhede, NMMC Nodal Officer, checks a patient for black fungus we get the than the virus.” have plunged, says Prince Surana, at NMMC Hospital, Vashi, Saturday. PTI PHOTO Mumbai, in vaccines, in 60 days we a doctor who runs three hospitals can fully vaccinate India's richest in the city. But Chahal says Mumbai INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, state, Mumbai and negate the Volunteers work inside a ‘war room’ set up by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to is not out of the woods. The city, like Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra, threat of a third wave. That’s monitor the availability of beds in COVID-19 hospitals across the city and assign the beds to people the rest of India, is still grappling Mumbai, May 22: As with the Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Haryana struggled ini- my biggest challenge and with severe symptoms in Mumbai with an acute shortage of Covid-19 scourge, Maharashtra have also proclaimed it as a tially with one we are on it now vaccines. The city has floated a leads in the number of deaths and Notifiable Disease, as black fun- of the highest IQBAL SINGH CHAHAL I MUNICIPAL cessfully manag- cilities, which will also have ICUs, The city is spending tens of mil- global tender to acquire 10 million cases of the dreaded dark cousin of gus cases have been found in at caseloads in the COMMISSIONER ing the surge will be ready by next month, well lions of dollars to build the pae- doses from private companies, Coronavirus -- Mucormycosis, or least 22 Indian states. country but reined there, said the before experts predict the third diatric units and is already procur- Chahal said. “If we get the vac- commonly known as 'black fungus'. Several states, including in the virus with strict four Covid care wave will hit, said Chahal, adding ing ventilators, monitors and other cines, in 60 days we can fully vac- After the first case was detected Maharashtra have reported a short- lockdowns, widespread testing centres with paediatric units, as that there is ample funding from medical equipment, Chahal said. cinate Mumbai and negate the threat in third week of April, the state has age of the drug Liposomal and a decentralised Covid man- good as hospitals, will be able to the state, companies and even Apart from these units, the gov- of a third wave,” he said. “That’s my now recorded a staggering 1,500 Amphotericin-B used to treat the agement system. house more than a thousand chil- Bollywood ernment is also in talks with hos- biggest challenge and we are Mucormycosis infections till date, drug, though last week Tope an- Chahal, widely credited for suc- dren along with a parent. The fa- celebrities. pitals to increase the number of on it now.” said Health Minister Rajesh Tope. nounced that the black fungus “Of the 1,500 cases, there have would also be treated free by the gov- been 100 deaths till now. May 21, we ernment as with Covid-19. declared it as a Notifiable Disease Maharashtra currently has Taking stock on ground, not in under the Epidemic Diseases Act, notched a whopping 86,618 Covid Guj Governor okays Bill against making it compulsory to report fatalities and recorded 55,27,092 helicopter: Uddhav’s jibe at PM each case of the black fungus to the cases - just below France which state health department,” Tope has 55,81,351, ranking No. 4 in the forced conversions by marriage told IANS. world, besides 367,121 'active cases' Besides Maharashtra, other being treated on date in the state.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Ahmedabad, May 22: Gujarat Congress slams Fadnavis Governor Acharya Devvrat has given his assent to an amendment Bill, which provides for a prison on Guj, Maha vax numbers sentence of up to ten years for fraudulent or forcible conversion PRESS TRUST OF INDIA by marriage, a state minister said Saturday. Mumbai, May 22: The Congress PRESS TRUST OF INDIA his visit. While former chief min- The Gujarat Freedom of Friday took a swipe at BJP leader ister Devendra Fadnavis said he was Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Devendra Fadnavis and asked him Mumbai, May 22: Amid surprised to know that Thackeray which was passed by the state how come Gujarat's "strike rate" in Opposition BJP's criticism over was making political comments Legislative Assembly April 1 this getting COVID-19 vaccines from the duration of his visit to cyclone- during his “merely three-hour year, has been approved by the the Centre was better than that of hit Konkan region of Maharashtra, long” tour of Konkan, Leader of governor along with seven other Maharashtra. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Opposition in Legislative Council Bills, state Legislative and State Congress spokesperson has said that he was at least taking Pravin Darekar sought to know Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sachin Sawant said Gujarat had got stood at 84,371 in Maharashtra and stock of the situation on the ground how the CM could understand in Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said 1.63 crore vaccines for a popula- 9,340 in Gujarat, he said. and not conducting an aerial sur- just three hours the extent of dam- in a statement. tion of 6.50 crore, while "Since Fadnavis is fond of the vey in a helicopter. age caused by the cyclone. With this, the Governor has ap- Maharashtra had to make do with word strike rate he must answer His remarks were apparently When asked about the BJP's crit- proved all the 15 bills that were just two crore vaccines for a pop- how Gujarat's strike rate can be aimed at Prime Minister Narendra icism, Thackeray said on Friday, passed during the budget session ulation of 13 crore, and slammed higher than Maharashtra's in get- Modi, who recently conducted an “It’s okay if my tour lasted four of the Assembly as he had ear- Fadnavis for claiming Prime ting vaccines. In fact, Fadnavis aerial survey in Gujarat, where hours. At least I am on the ground lier cleared seven other bills, he than Rs 3 lakh. If an organisation against love jihad in the Assembly. Minister Narendra Modi had helped should try to get more vaccines cyclone Tauktae wreaked havoc taking stock of the situation and added. As per the amended violates the law, the person in Such activities being done in the the MVA-ruled state amid the for Maharashtra, but instead it is earlier this week. not in a helicopter for a photo ses- Freedom of Religion Bill, a forcible charge can be sentenced to mini- name of love jihad will not be tol- COVID-19 outbreak. unfortunate he is supporting the in- Thackeray Friday visited sion…I am a photographer my- "conversion by marriage, or by mum of three years and maxi- erated...The BJP government will Quoting COVID-19 data, as on adequate supply of vaccines by Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts self.” “I have not come here to re- getting a person married, or by aid- mum of ten years in jail. bring strict laws against love jihad May 19, released by the Union the Centre," Sawant said. in Konkan to know the ground sit- spond to Opposition’s criticism,” ing a person to get married" shall During a poll rally in Vadodara in the coming days," he had an- health department, Sawant said Sawant said Maharashtra had so uation in the aftermath of the cy- he said at Malvan in Sindhudurg. invite imprisonment of three to five February 14 this year, Chief nounced. the number of active cases in far vaccinated two crore people by clone, and directed the authorities Cyclone Tautkae, which made years and a fine of up to Rs 2 lakh. Minister Vijay Rupani had said Before Gujarat, BJP-ruled Maharashtra was 4,04,229, while keeping wastage to the minimum to complete the crop loss assessment landfall in Gujarat Monday night, If the victim is a minor, woman, his government would bring a Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Gujarat had 92,617 active cases. and had the capacity to cover one within two days. also affected several other states Dalit or tribal, the offender may be strict law against ''love jihad'' in the Pradesh had also enacted similar The caseload in Maharashtra million beneficiaries a day if the However, BJP leaders in the state along the west coast, including punished with a jail term of four state. laws banning "fraudulent'' con- and Gujarat were 49,78,337 and Centre made adequate stocks avail- targeted him over the duration of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka. to seven years and a fine of not less “We are going to bring a law versions through marriage. 6,69,490 respectively, and the toll able to the state. Lioness, blackbucks drown, but Parsi body seeks nod for Dokhmenashini The plea in Gujarat High Court seeks to protect the fundamental right to perform not due to Tauktae, says official the last rites of community members who died of COVID-19

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Ahmedabad, May 22: A lioness and four blackbucks were found Ahmedabad, May 22: The Gujarat dead near a dam at Visavadar in Gir High Court has issued a notice to the forest division of Gujarat's Central and state governments as Junagadh district, an official said well as local authorities in Surat Saturday. over a Parsi Panchayat body’s plea These wild animals apparently seeking its direction to permit the died due to drowning, and there does community to perform last rites of not seem to be any connection with its members who died of COVID-19, cyclone Tauktae, which ravaged as per the Zoroastrian tradition. the state earlier this week, he said. The court of Justice Nirzar Desai "The carcasses were found on Friday issued a notice to the re- the banks of a dam in Vekariya spondents, returnable May 27. village of Visavadar range forest According to Dr Homi in Gir West forest division on Friday, Doodhwala, a petitioner in the mat- and the cause of the death is being ter, at least 180 members of the ascertained," chief conservator of Parsi community have died due forest (wildlife), Junagadh, to COVID-19 in the country so far. Dushyant Vasavada said. In its plea, the Surat Parsi Gir forest in Junagadh, one of the Panchayat Board and its trustee Dr Doodhwala said a total of 180 Parsis cumbed to coronavirus, the au- of deceased COVID-19 patients, re- worst cyclone-affected districts in Doodhwala, said it seeks to pro- have died of COVID-19 so far in thorities have compelled relatives spondents (state, Surat municipal Gujarat, has a sizable population tect the fundamental right to per- the country. of deceased patients to opt for corporation and Surat collector) of Asiatic lions. form the last rites of community As per information gathered cremation. do not allow the Parsi community "The lioness, aged around five to members who died of COVID-19 from local sources, 105 deaths have The petition, moved by lawyer to follow its religious and cus- nine years old, appears to have as per its tradition of been reported in Mumbai, 26 in Asim Pandya, said the community tomary mandate for last rites,” died due to drowning. However, Dokhmenashini. Surat, 22 in Navsari, seven each has been compelled by the au- it said.

the incident doesn't seem to have In Dokhmenashini tradition, in Ahmedabad and Pune, four in thorities to opt for either cremation No guideline prohibits such re-

k y m c any connection with the cyclone. the body is kept at a height in a Delhi, three in Nagpur, and two or burial of the deceased mem- ligious customary practices, and it The lioness might have gotten at Vadal in Bhavnagar district on nine years, was brought to the cen- structure referred to as a well or each in Kolkata and Hyderabad, etc, bers “as against their religious is the interpretation of the local au- trapped while chasing the black- Saturday, a few days after being tre on May 16 after it attacked and tower of silence, to be eaten by he said. practice and sentiments”. thorities that is causing problems, bucks," the official said. rescued and brought here, the for- injured a child, an official said, vultures, and the remains are left The plea stated that in the ab- “Since the (government's COVID- resulting in violation of the fun- In another development, a leop- est department said. adding that the predator was sick to decompose under the sun, it was sence of specific guidelines for the 19) guidelines do not recognise damental rights of Parsis, the ard died at an animal care centre The animal, aged between five and and was found dead in the morning. stated. Speaking to PTI, Dr disposal of bodies of Parsis who suc- other modes of disposal of bodies plea stated. P8 DALAI LAMA CONDOLES DEMISE OF SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR I understand that Liposomal ENVIRONMENTALIST BAHUGUNA Amphotericin-B is absolutely Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama Saturday essential for the treatment of expressed condolences on the demise of noted Mucormycosis. However, environmentalist and his “good friend” Sunderlal there are reports of its acute Bahuguna. “I offer my condolences to his family, as

y scarcity in the market well as his many admirers and friends, and I will

k y m national SONIA GANDHI | CONGRESS CHIEF offer prayers for him," his Holiness wrote c

of the day uote Novel complication diagnosed in Covid patients in Delhi Except the four hours MUCORMYCOSIS MOST COMMONLY INVOLVES RHINO-ORBITAL-CEREBRAL SYSTEM OR THE LUNGS. INTESTINAL OR GI relaxation period, lock down MUCORMYCOSIS IS A VERY RARE DISEASE AND MOST COMMONLY INVOLVES THE STOMACH OR THE LARGE INTESTINE should be implemented for the INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE tine and even made a hole in it, BLACK FUNGUS OF INTESTINE had worsened by now requiring on request)) was a diabetic and rest 20 hours. Only said Ganga Ram Hospital ventilator support. The patient had received steroids for treatment people having the emergency passes New Delhi, May 22: A novel com- authorities. was admitted and taken up ur- of Covid. The patient had no as- and essential services should be plication of mucormycosis or black Kumar (name changed on re- gently for surgery. sociated fever and pain was exempted fungus has been detected in a city quest), a resident of Delhi, had According to Dr Dhir, Ulceration very mild. hospital here in which the fungal barely completed the last rites of his of Jejunam (first part of small in- His clinical examination also K CHANDRASEKHAR RAO | CHIEF MINISTER, infection infected the lower intes- wife when he experienced pain in testine) in the patient raised my sus- did not show any signs of intestinal TELANGANA tine of two patients, including a 56- his abdomen. He had been tested picion of fungal disease and pa- perforation. Still, acting on suspi- year-old who lost three family mem- positive for Covid along with his tient was immediately started on cion, Dr Piyush Ranjan, senior bers, including his wife, wife and had been experiencing anti-fungal treatment. We sent the consultant of Medical Assembly due to Covid. mild covid symptoms initially. portion of removed intestine Gastroenterology at the Sir Ganga elections are Both the patients, including one The patient’s abdominal pain for biopsy. Ram Hospital, instructed for an scheduled to aged 68 years, are being treated at was considered gastritis or Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Gastroenterology and Liver happen in March Another patient, Ijaz's family urgent CT to be conducted for the 2022. We will speak Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital stress-related and self-medica- Kumar was evaluated in Covid Transplantation. was relieved to know that their fa- patient. The CT scan revealed to (CM) Pramod for more than a week. It is observed tion for acidity was taken which emergency of Ganga Ram Hospital The CT scan revealed Kumar’s ther had recovered from Covid. small intestinal perforation simi- Sawant for two seats for the first time that the black delayed proper treatment by by Dr Ushast Dhir, senior con- small intestine (jejunum) had been But he started having mild ab- lar to the first patient, the hospital in Goa. If we do not get the fungus infected the lower intes- three days, said authorities at the sultant in department of Surgical perforated. His Covid disease also dominal pain. Ijaz ((name changed authorities said. two seats, we will contest in four to five seats RAMDAS ATHAVALE | PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN O2 CONCENTRATORS CASE PARTY OF INDIA MEA’s vax diplomacy flunks, China profits

I have never Domestically, the Opposition parties criticised External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar ED searches 13 locations asked anyone for any post till for giving away the vaccine to foreign countries when it was severely required at home date. All I seek is linked to Kalra, Duggal Punjab’s prosperity!! Was invited & offered INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE as the top most leader, it had to Cabinet berths many VACCINE MAITRI cede space to the Asian giant China times but I did not accept. Now, Our New Delhi, May 22: India’s much- which saw an opportunity to do INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE Esteemed High Command has hyped ‘vaccine diplomacy’ has vaccine politics and assert its hege- intervened, Will wait..., fallen apart after the country failed monic influence. The CCP regime New Delhi, May 22: The to send the second dose of the Tuesday convened a virtual meet- Enforcement Directorate (ED) NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU | MINISTER OF TOURISM Covid-19 vaccine to many of the ben- ing of foreign ministers from five Friday carried out searches at 13 & CULTURAL AFFAIRS, PUNJAB eficiary countries which had re- South Asian countries assuring premises belonging to business- ceived the first dose. them that it will help them with man Navneet Kalra and Gagan The Ministry of External Affairs Covid-19 vaccines. Duggal in Delhi and Haryana’s SHORT TAKES which initiated the programme There are also reports that China Gurugram in connection with the ‘vaccine maitri’ to showcase India’s is targeting over 20 countries with alleged oxygen concentrator black humanitarian approach even as vaccine diplomacy to get their sup- marketing case. Arms cache it is an aspirational power, has lost port for its position on Taiwan. A According to informed sources recovered face since the virulent second wave US Congressional advisory panel in the ED, the duo had imported of the coronavirus pandemic hit the In a country where we Thursday was told that China’s more than 7,000 oxygen concen- Delhi's Mehrauli. Several incrim- country. We patriotic Indians are sad distribution of its own vaccine in trators from China in the past one inating documents and digital de- Jammu: A huge cache of arms that our country regarded as had successful mass and ammunition was The government had to suspend vaccination drives, Latin America has helped it earn month and sold them to the public vices have also been seized by ED the programme as it grappled with World’s largest manufacturer of strong influence in the region. at exorbitant prices by claiming officials, the source said. recovered in a joint operation ‘vaccine diplomacy’ and shortage of vaccines at home amidst vaccines, and claimant for being The Bhutanese king has already that the concentrators were made The source said the locations by the police and the army refusal to place timely from an underground terrorist rising Covid-19 cases and related fa- Atmanirbhar Bharat nation, has conveyed that though India is a with German technology. included the residences of Kalra and hideout in the Poonch district talities. As a result, India has been fallen due to hubris, to sending purchase orders landed reliable friend but it won’t pres- The source said, “The forensic Duggal on Mandi Road and Kalra's of Jammu and Kashmir, forced to seek foreign medical aid External Affairs Minister on mission us in this gigantic sure India over the vaccine and examination of the concentrators restaurants -- Khan Chacha, Nege officials said Saturday. Police from the US, EU, UAE, Singapore to the US and EU to plead for human tragedy would instead approach other coun- has revealed that they are very and ju, Town Hall, and Dayal said that arms and and even the Chinese Red Cross. vaccines!! SITARAM YECHURY | tries for the second dose of low quality equipment. Their im- Opticals in upscale Khan market. ammunition from an old CPM LEADER The CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, JAIRAM RAMESH | RAJYA SABHA CHIEF WHIP, CONGRESS AstraZeneca. port price per unit is Rs 15,000 and The source said that the bank hideout of terrorists was whose young son Ashish died due According to media reports, the same have been sold for Rs lockers of Kalra were also searched recovered after a joint search to Covid-19 complications, attrib- Congress Rajya Sabha chief whip country regarded as World’s largest Bangladesh foreign minister Abdul 69,999 per unit.” by the ED officials. operation was launched by the uted the rise in Covid-19 related Jairam Ramesh, while questioning manufacturer of vaccines, and Momen has called Jaishankar and The source said that Kalra and The ED action comes after it Special Operation Group deaths and shortage of the vac- the government’s vaccine diplo- claimant for being Atmanirbhar reminded him that Dhaka did not Duggal took advantage of a raging registered a case of money laun- (SOG) Poonch in association with the local army unit in the cines. “In a country where we had macy, put up a poster on the issue Bharat nation, has fallen due to get Covishield vaccines from Serum pandemic and made huge profits dering against Kalra and others Qasba village of Poonch near successful mass vaccination drives, outside his residence. Even within hubris, to sending External Affairs Institute of India despite placing by cheating the public. Tuesday. the LoC. ‘vaccine diplomacy’ and refusal to the ruling party BJP, parliamen- Minister on mission to the US and orders. “Similar problems are re- During searches, ED officials The Delhi Police seized over 500 place timely purchase orders landed tarian Subramanian Swamy in a EU to plead for vaccines!!” ported from Nepal, Sri Lanka and also found more than 150 foreign oxygen concentrators May 6 and 7 us in this gigantic human tragedy,” scathing attack tweeted, “We pa- In its immediate neighbourhood African countries promised vaccine brand liquor bottles at Kalra’s from the three restaurants and a Black fungus he tweeted. triotic Indians are sad that our in South Asia where India is seen from SII,” as per a media report. house on Mandi Road in South farmhouse in south Delhi. notifiable disease DLF BRIBERY CASE Dehradun: With black fungus Govt wants social media posts cases rising in Uttarakhand, it DESERT SILHOUETTE was declared a notifiable Lalu gets clean disease in the state under the on ‘Indian variant’ removed Epidemic Act, 1897 Saturday. So far, 64 people have been chit from CBI PRESS TRUST OF INDIA by the Ministry of Health and Family infected with black fungus in Welfare May 12, 2021 through a press INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE the state and of them, four have died. Black fungus or New Delhi, May 22: The govern- statement. mucormycosis has been ment has asked social media com- The social media platforms have New Delhi, May 22: In relief to declared a notifiable disease panies to immediately remove any been asked to remove all the con- Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder for its co-ordinated treatment content on their platform which tent that names, refers to, or implies Lalu Prasad, the Central Bureau of as a growing number of people mentions or refers to the term ‘Indian ‘Indian variant’ of corona virus Investigation (CBI) has given him are contracting the infection variant’ of coronavirus, in a bid to from your platform immediately. a clean chit in connection with a post COVID-19, Health curb spread of misinformation Previously, the Ministry of bribery case involving DLF. Secretary Pankaj Kumar around Covid-19. Electronics and Information According to CBI sources, the cen- Pandey said. The state Digital platforms said they have Technology had issued advisories re- tral probe agency had initiated a pre- government also issued an received the latest advisory. garding curbing of false news, mis- liminary enquiry for corruption SOP Saturday for the judicious Friday, the IT ministry wrote to all information concerning coronavirus against Lalu Prasad and the real es- distribution of Amphotericin B. social media platforms emphasis- on social media platforms. tate developer DLF group in ing that the World Health India is one of the biggest markets January 2018. The CBI PE was to Organisation (WHO) has not asso- for digital platforms like Google, probe over the allegations if the DLF 1 held in central ciated the term Indian Variant with Facebook, and Twitter. Group, eyeing rail land lease proj- the B.1.617 variant of the coron- As per data cited by the govern- ect in Mumbai’s Bandra and upgra- station blast case avirus in any of its reports. ment, recently, the country has 53 dation of New Delhi Railway Chennai: A suspect wanted in A notice issued in this regard by crore WhatsApp users, 44.8 crore Station, had bribed Lalu Prasad, a connection with the May 2014 the IT ministry states that a false state- YouTube users, 41 crore Facebook former railway minister with a bomb blast at the Central ment is being circulated online that users, while 21 crore use Instagram property in an upscale South Delhi’s railway station here that left implies that an ‘Indian variant’ of and 1.75 crore are on Twitter. New Friend Colony. one dead, has been arrested, coronavirus is spreading across the Earlier this year, the government The source said that it was al- police said Saturday. Police countries. The IT ministry said the had introduced guidelines to curb the leged that AB Exports, an alleged arrested two persons matter has already been clarified misuse of social media platforms. A camel herder with his camels during Covid-induced lockdown in Pushkar PTI PHOTO shell company, had bought a prop- including the suspect, erty in New Friends Colony for identified as Rafi, while nearly Rs 5 crore in December 2007 probing a robbery case and while its actual circle rate was Rs are on the lookout for three 30 crore at that time. The transac- more persons in connection Commonwealth health ministers seek equal access to vaccines tion for buying the property was al- with the May 5 incident where legedly funded by DLF Home they waylaid a jeweller. The INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE So, cooperation to develop a global in countries that are fortunate Government to allocate resources Developers and routed through duo, according to police, immunisation plan to deliver equal enough to have them in sufficient for strengthening health systems, Lexis Infotech and a few other shell robbed the jewellery shop New Delhi, May 22: Commonwealth access to vaccines must be a top quantities, and early results suggest especially through primary health- companies. owner in "a planned" incident. health ministers, led by India, have priority. that vaccines might also drive down care, towards attaining universal However, in 2011, Tejashwi Yadav, called for swift and equal access to Health ministers appreciated transmission.” health coverage. and Lalu Prasad’s daughters - Covid-19 vaccines for everyone the global vaccine equity initia- “The shocking global disparity Chairing the meeting, India’s Chanda Yadav and Ragini - allegedly Lockdown around the world. tive 'COVAX' and encouraged all in access to vaccines remains one Health Minister Harsh Vardhan bought over AB Exports for a mere extended In a joint statement Friday on be- partners to support government of the biggest risks to ending the said, “Accelerating coordinated ac- Rs 4 lakh by transfer of shares. half of the 54 Commonwealth mem- efforts on boosting vaccine confi- pandemic. We seek the support of tion for ensuring equitable access Thus, the property of New Friends Chennai: The Tamil Nadu ber countries, they expressed deep dence and immunisation drives. the Commonwealth in solving the to Covid-19 vaccines and building Colony was transferred to them. government Saturday concern over the stark gaps in ac- Recognising the acute gaps in re- global vaccine crisis by funding resilient global healthcare systems The source said that the CBI had also announced extending the cess and delivery of doses, especially search and development of new the ACT Accelerator, advocating is the need of the hour.” probed the role of Praveen Jain ongoing covid-induced in poor countries, and called for fair tests, vaccines and therapies in for greater sharing of technology, In our closely interlinked world, and Amit Katyal, who executed the lockdown, slated to end May and transparent pricing for the the Commonwealth, they stressed know-how and intellectual property, we need greater transparency to transactions between the DLF y 24, by another week. Chief vaccine. enhanced collaboration with sci- and sharing doses with COVAX.” quickly identify and contain emerg- Group and RJD leader. The CBI

Minister M K Stalin announced Speaking at the meeting, We must talk with each other entists, academics and Ministers further backed a po- ing health threats. Sharing best source said that the “PE has been

k y m c the government's decision Commonwealth Secretary-General to move away from some stockpil- business leaders. tential treaty on the fight against practices, strategies and solutions closed as no case has been made out after holding discussions with Patricia Scotland said the science ing vaccines, while many low-mid- In his guest address, the World pandemics and a Commonwealth shall ensure preparedness against of the allegations”. a medical panel and a is clear, vaccination works and is dle income countries still do not legislature committee Health Organization’s (WHO) mechanism to share and distribute all future challenges. According to sources, the clean comprising of members from the clear and only sustainable route have access to the much-needed Director-General Tedros Adhanom extra medical supplies such as ven- The meeting, hosted by the chit to the RJD leader was given by all parties Saturday, besides out of this pandemic for the vaccines supplies for the vulnera- Ghebreyesus said, “Vaccines are re- tilators and medicines. Commonwealth Secretariat, took Rishi Kumar Shukla before his re- with officials. whole world. ble populations in their countries. ducing severe disease and death They called on Heads of place May 20 and 21. tirement from the top post. AT 20.66L INDIA SETS RECORD P9 With this speed of 8 SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR lakh doses per month, it will COVID TESTING IN 24 HOURS take 30 months to vaccinate all With more than 20.66 lakh tests conducted the adults alone. By then, no in the last 24 hours, India has again set a one knows how many waves new record of highest tests conducted in a will arrive and how many day. Cumulatively, 20,66,285 tests were

y deaths will occur conducted in the country in past one-day

k y m national ARVIND KEJRIWAL | CHIEF MINISTER, DELHI duration, said Union Health Ministry c

of the day uote Barge toll climbs to 66, Making India reports 8,848 mucormycosis cases available divers search for missing various options INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE to the public to get vaccinated, in both Bengal reports first INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE government and New Delhi, May 22: India has so private hospitals, far reported approximately 8,848 black fungus death Mumbai, May 22: The Indian would be a good idea only if there is cases of mucormycosis or black Navy has recovered six more bod- A 32-year-old woman died of mucormy- a surplus supply and availability of fungus, one of the rapidly spread- ies from the Arabian Sea as it cosis, commonly known as black fungus vaccines ing infections observed in those launched rescue efforts with div- recovering from Covid-19. infection, becoming the first death due ing teams and specialised vessels YS JAGAN MOHAN REDDY | CHIEF MINISTER, AP to the disease in West Bengal, a state Taking note of the increasing to search for the remaining miss- health department official said numbers, the Central government Saturday. Shampa Chakraborty, a resi- ing persons after the tragedy that has emphasised upon expediting the dent of the southern part of the city’s befell Barge Papaa-305 last Monday, I am happy to allocation of vials of Amphotericin- officials said here Saturday. inform you that Haridevpur area, was admitted to the B, a key drug to treat raging mu- Sambhunath Pandit Hospital with With this, the toll has shot up to my cormycosis. 66 and another around 10 are still government plans to Covid-19. She was later diagnosed with In this direction, the Union min- reported missing, while 188 persons introduce the Cow mucormycosis, he said. The patient, Protection Bill in the ister of chemicals and fertilisers DV who was highly diabetic and was on have been rescued safely so far. Craft. next assembly Sadananda Gowda has announced insulin, died Friday. Besides constituting Saturday morning, the INS Besides, a p81 long-range multi- session. The proposed bill envisages an allocation of 23,680 additional Karnataka (5,00), Haryana (250), group of molds called mu- an expert committee to deal with black Makar and INS Tarasa set out for mission maritime patrol aircraft imposition of complete ban on vials of Amphotericin-B. Delhi (197), Punjab (95), cormycetes that has been devel- fungus cases, the state health depart- the Bombay High Fields, around conducted reconnaissance mis- transport of cattle outside the state The minister also informed that Chhattisgarh (87), Bihar (56), Tamil oping in Covid-19 patients. The ment has formulated an advisory, titled 175 km off Mumbai, to make an un- sions over the designated areas the allocation has been made based Nadu (40), Kerala (36), Jharkhand fungal disease is commonly being ‘Mucormycosis - if uncared for - may derwater search for the wreckage along with helicopters like ALH, JAGDISH MUKHI | GOVERNOR, ASSAM on total number of patients which (27), Odisha (15), Goa (12) and observed in patients who were turn fatal’, for the common people. of Barge Papaa-305 and an an- Seaking and Chetak, besides ships is approximately 8,848 across the Chandigarh (8). given steroids for a long time, who chor-handling tugboat, Varaprada, such as INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, country. Mucormycosis is a serious but have been hospitalised for a long using experts and special equip- INS Betwa and INS Beas that are After one Gujarat (5,800) and Maharashtra rare fungal infection caused by a time, were on oxygen support or ventilator, faced poor hospital hy- ment. still in the vicinity to trace more person was (5,090) have been allocated the max- giene or those who have been tak- INS Makar is a lead ship of the bodies. found to be imum number of the additional Makar-class of Catamarans used infected with ‘black ing medication for other illnesses “To augment the ongoing SAR fungus’ Friday, the Amphotericin-B vials followed by Wearing a mask for 2-3 weeks such as diabetes. for hydrographic surveys by the operations for the crew of Barge state government Andhra Pradesh (2,310), Madhya If not treated on time, the black Navy for producing navigational Papaa-305 and Tug Varapradha, has made all Pradesh (1,830), Rajasthan (1,780), could lead to black fungus: Doc fungus infection can turn fatal. charts and is capable of collecting the specialised diving teams on- necessary arrangements for treating Karnataka (1,270). he black fungus infection, which is being reported in Covid patients, is The Covid medications can leave marine environmental information board INS Makar (with sonar) black fungus infected patients in Gujarat has reported maximum Tnot new but it has never happened in epidemic proportions before, the body weak and low on immu- by conducting limited oceano- and INS Tarasa sailed out early Agartala Government Medical of 2,281 mucormycosis cases fol- Professor of Neurosurgery at AIIMS Dr P Sarat Chandra said. Explaining nity. They can also escalate the graphic surveys. morning today from Mumbai for College and Tripura Medical College lowed by Maharashtra (2,000), possible reasons for mucormycosis infection, Dr Chandra said, “Using a blood sugar levels in both diabet- INS Tarasa is a Navy patrol ves- carrying out an underwater Andhra Pradesh (910), Madhya mask for 2-3 weeks could be a setting for the development of black fungus.” ics and non-diabetic Covid-19 pa- sel of the Car Nicobar-class in the search,” an Indian Navy spokesper- RADHA DEBBARMA | DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE, TRIPURA Pradesh (720) Rajasthan (700), tients. series of four Water Jet Fast Attack son said.

SHORT TAKES ULFA-I frees abducted 3rd ‘ISRO to transfer tech for O2 concentrator soon’

Sonali Guha wants INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE ment with each of them who are riched level (over 95 per cent) of oxy- ONGC official after 31 days meeting the criteria on technical gen than in air to support patients to rejoin TMC Chennai, May 22: The Indian capability. The technology shar- with respiratory illness or who Kolkata: Former TMC MLA space agency will soon transfer ing transfer will take place in the are on oxygen therapy. Sonali Guha, who switched the technology for making the next two days. The technology The device enhances the oxy- over to the BJP ahead of the ‘Shwaas’, the oxygen concentra- transfer will be free, Somanath gen gas content by selectively sep- elections, Saturday wrote to tor developed by it at a cost of added. arating the nitrogen gas from am- Chief Minister Mamata about Rs 60,000 to industries, said According to him, medical equip- bient air through Pressure Swing Banerjee, apologising to her a top official of Vikram Sarabhai ment, space equipment, electron- Adsorption (PSA), ISRO said. for leaving the party and Space Centre (VSSC). ics and product manufacturing ‘Shwaas’ is capable of supplying urging her to take her back. In Friday officials of VSSC had a companies are selected now and enriched oxygen continuously at the letter, which was shared video meeting of interested com- more could be based on their cre- 10 litres per minute (LPM) ade- by Guha on social media, she panies and explained about dentials. quate for two patients at a time. said that she left the party ‘Shwaas’ and its systems. Somanath said VSSC spent about made here, Somanath remarked. According to the ISRO, the 600 after being emotional. “I am It was a first round meeting and Rs 60,000 to build its prototype. Couple of days back, ISRO had W device operates at a voltage of writing this with a broken about 50 industries participated. The cost can go down by 30 per announced its decision to transfer 220 V50 Hz, has a controllable oxy- heart that I took the wrong I had interacted with them. My cent if production is done on a the technology to make portable gen flow of 0.5-10 LPM, has two decision of joining another INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE team and I answered their queries, party after being emotional. I ULFA-I, April 21, had large basis. All the components medical oxygen concentrators de- oxygen outlets, oxygen concen- could not get accustomed S Somanath, Director, VSSC told are currently available in India. veloped by VSSC. tration of 82 per cent and 95 per there,” she said. Guwahati, May 22: After 31 days, kidnapped three technical IANS. Some items are imported by Indian The medical oxygen concen- cent normal at a pressure of 50- ULFA-I Saturday released ONGC’s persons of the state owned We are entering into an agree- companies but they can also be trator 'Shwaas', can deliver an en- 80 kPa. third technical staff Ritul Saikia Oil and Natural Gas Soldier kills self in Nagaland, Assam Police officials confirmed and said he is likely Corporation from a drilling Centre accords VIP inside IAF station to reach home in eastern Assam’s STREET STORIES Jorhat by Saturday evening. site at Lakwa in eastern security to Adhikari’s Srinagar: A soldier committed An Assam police official said Assam’s Sibsagar district suicide Saturday by handing in Guwahati that Saikia reached father, brother himself inside the Air Force Longwa in Nagaland’s Mon dis- station in Jammu and trict near the India-Myanmar bor- statement, in Assamese language, Kashmir’s Srinagar district. der early Saturday morning. also alleged that the security forces PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Police sources said the soldier “Saikia would be handed over to had hatched a clandestine plan to belonged. He hanged himself in his room inside the air force the Assam police officials by the malign the ULFA-I. New Delhi, May 22: West Bengal station. “A case has been Assam Rifles. He would also be After 2006, this is the second BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s registered in this incident and tested for Covid-19. Immediately time the banned outfit has an- father and brother, both members investigation has been started after his release, Saikia talked to nounced a unilateral ceasefire in of Parliament, have been accorded to ascertain the reasons his aged mother over phone,” the the state. Chief Minister Himanta ‘Y+’ central security cover by the which could have led the official said. Biswa Sarma, after taking oath as Union home ministry, official soldier to take the extreme The Army, along with Assam 15th Chief Minister of Assam May sources said Saturday. step,” sources said. Rifles troopers, rescued two hostages 10, urged the ULFA-I supremo Suvendu Adhikari’s father Sisir -- Mohini Mohan Gogoi, 35, and Paresh Baruah, and other mili- Kumar Adhikari and brother Alakesh Saikia, 28, -- from the mil- tant groups to shun the path of Dibyendu Adhikari have been pro- Migrants reach itants’ custody following a fierce gun violence and join the mainstream. vided the cover by the ministry on battle April 23 night, but Ritul The anti-talk outlawed ULFA-I the basis of a threat perception Indo-Nepal border Saikia, 33, was remained in the had recently released radio oper- report prepared by central security captivity of the banned outfit. ator Ram Kumar, a resident of agencies, they said. Ranchi: Twenty-six Jharkhand The outlawed outfit ULFA-I May Bihar, and drilling superintendent migrant workers stuck in Nepal due to Covid-19 induced 15 announced a unilateral cease- Pranab Kumar Gogoi of Sivasagar lockdown there Saturday fire for three months with imme- district, after more than 100 days reached India-Nepal border diate effect. ULFA-I, in a state- after the two employees of Delhi- and boarded a bus for their ment, had said that in view of the based private oil and gas explo- home in Dumka, a top official Covid-19 pandemic, the outfit has ration company Quippo Oil and said. These migrant workers “unilaterally suspended all kinds Gas Infrastructure Ltd were ab- PTI PHOTO from Jharkhand,engaged in a of military operations in Assam for ducted from Arunachal Pradesh project in Nepal by Larsen & three months from May 15”. The December 21 last year. A woman walks with her kid during Covid-induced lockdown on a deserted street near Jama Masjid in New Delhi Tourbro,through a contractor,had been stranded While Sisir Kumar Adhikari is due to lockdown in the a MP from the Kanthi Lok Sabha Himalayan country to rein in seat, Dibyendu Adhikari is a coronavirus surge and had ‘8L migrants left Delhi in first 4 weeks of lockdown’ Trinamool Congress MP from been sending SOS messages Tamluk in the state. including video messages to The report, the sources said, the Jharkhand government for THE REPORT ALSO MENTIONED THAT TRAIN TRAVEL WAS A PREFERRED MODE BY MIGRANTS IN THE CURRENT LOCKDOWN recommended cover to the two rescue. leaders in view of physical security AS TRAINS WERE OPERATIONAL UNLIKE THE LAST YEAR’S CORONAVIRUS-INDUCED LOCKDOWN IN MARCH threats they face. They are being provided ‘Y+’ Minor raped, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA transport authorities of neigh- the state Transport Department central security cover in the state bouring states, especially Uttar this time had deputed an adequate of West Bengal and the Central two arrested New Delhi, May 22: Over eight Pradesh and Uttarakhand by the number of buses to facilitate mi- Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has Agra: A 12-year-old girl was lakh migrant workers left the na- Government of NCT of Delhi has grant workers to reach their des- been entrusted with the task, the allegedly raped by three men tional capital in the first four weeks helped about eight lakhs migrant tination. sources said. at a village here, police said of the lockdown imposed to contain workers to reach their destination Transport department, Govt. About four to five armed com- Saturday. Police have arrested the spread of the second wave of the without any difficulty, read the re- Of NCT of Delhi prepared a plan mandos each will be provided to two of the accused while the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a port. for deployment of 500 cluster them every time they move in the third is on the run. The girl report from the Delhi Transport There were 21,879 interstate bus buses on interstate routes under state, they said. The CRPF also was taken to an abandoned Department. trips during the four weeks of the emergency. There was no com- provides a ‘Z’ category cover to “ashram” by one of the Between April 19 and May 14, a lockdown, it added. plaint of overcharging as the in- Suvendu Adhikari, who is the accused where she was raped total of 8,07,032 migrant workers left Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal terstate buses were owned and Leader of Opposition in the West y by all three, police said. She Delhi for their home states in buses, had first imposed a lockdown April operated by state governments, Bengal Assembly.

was alone at home when one out of which 3,79,604 left during the 19 which was later extended mul- the report said. Suvendu Adhikari had severed

k y m of the accused turned up c first week of the lockdown itself. tiple times, lastly May 16. It also mentioned that train travel ties with the TMC and joined the there, police said, adding that her parents had gone to The number started declining from Learning from the past experi- was a preferred mode by migrants BJP. He contested the 2021 assem- attend a marriage function. thereon, 2,12,448 left in the second ence of the first surge of pandemic in the current lockdown as trains bly elections against Chief Minister The girl told her parents about week, 1,22,490 in the third week in March 2020 when the city expe- were operational unlike the last and TMC supremo Mamata the incident when they and 92, 490 in the fourth week. rienced heavy movement of mi- year’s coronavirus-induced lock- Banerjee from the Nandigram seat returned home Friday. The timely coordination with grant workers to their native places, down in March. and won the contest. We need to build ‘WE'RE PART OF SOLUTION’ P10 a system of SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR disease surveillance fit for To celebrate natural diversity and the 21st century. A Global spread awareness, May 22 is marked Pandemic Radar will as the International Day for ensure that we are vigilant Biological Diversity (IDB) globally. to new variants and Earlier, December 29 was designated emerging pathogens as the IDB but in 2000, the UNGA

BORIS JOHNSON PRIME MINISTER, UK chose May 22 to mark the day

k y m international | c of the day uote Activists in UK China’s 1st Mars rover steps out to explore red planet block McDonald’s Culture is what which is busy exploring the red days on the Earth), will relay com- endures, what Chinese spacecraft landed distribution centers planet's surface with a helicopter munications for the rover while survives. Think on Mars three months hovering around. of the monuments, conducting its own scientific de- heritage sites, after the successful With an expected lifespan of at tection operations. traditions, and landing of the US space least 90 Martian days (about three Compared with China's lunar stories that stand the months on the Earth), Zhurong rover Yutu (Jade Rabbit), Zhurong test of time, passed down by agency NASA's will record the Martian landscape has a similar speed of about 200 me- communities across generations, Perseverance rover which with high-resolution three-di- ters per hour, but the height of the beyond any one person's life mensional images, analyse the ma- obstacles it can surmount increased terial composition of the planet's from 20 cm to 30 cm. It can climb VOLKAN BOZKIR | is busy exploring the red surface, detect its subsurface struc- slopes up to 20 degrees. PRESIDENT, 75TH SESSION OF THE UNGA planet's surface with a ture and magnetic field, search for Zhurong's six wheels are inde- AGENCIES helicopter hovering around traces of water, ice and observe pendently driven, according to its de- Since the the surrounding meteorological signers. The US has deployed five London, May 22: Animal rights peaceful AGENCIES environment, state-run Xinhua rovers on Mars, besides a helicopter. protesters Saturday blockaded four liberation of news agency reported. The active suspension system British distribution centres for Tibet in 1951, Beijing, May 22: China’s first It carries various scientific in- of the rover could help it to get fast-food chain McDonald's, de- everyone has Mars rover Saturday drove down on the lander to hit the red, sandy The lander carrying the rover touched struments, including terrain cam- out of trouble by moving like an manding they become fully plant- discovered that only from its landing platform to the soil of Mars, starting its journey down in the southern part of Utopia era, multi-spectral camera, sub- inchworm on the complicated based by 2025. with party leadership Martian surface to start explor- to explore the fourth planet from Planitia, a vast plain on the north- surface exploration radar, Martian surface with both loose The Animal Rebellion group can Tibet continue on this road of ing the surface of the red planet. the Sun, the China National Space ern hemisphere of Mars, May 15. surface-composition detector, mag- sandy soil and densely distributed said they intended to block the dis- prosperous development The six-wheeled solar-powered Administration (CNSA) said. Chinese spacecraft landed on netic-field detector and meteorol- rocks, said Jia Yang, deputy chief tribution sites in Hemel Hempstead,

WU YINGJIE | CHIEF, TIBET COMMUNIST PARTY rover named Zhurong, resembling China’s Tianwen-1 mission, con- Mars three months after the suc- ogy monitor. designer of the Tianwen-1 probe Basingstoke, Coventry and Greater a blue butterfly and with a mass of sisting of an orbiter, a lander and a cessful landing of the US space The orbiter, with a design life from the China Academy of Manchester -- all in England -- for 240 kg, slowly trundled off a ramp rover, was launched on July 23, 2020. agency NASA's Perseverance rover of one Martian year (about 687 Space Technology. at least 24 hours. I will say that "We are in the middle of a climate eradicating and ecological emergency and we poverty is just are still consuming huge quantities like winning a big of meat on a scale that is just not battle, and it did not Egyptian mediators hold talks sustainable for our planet," a pro- happen in one day. I G20 leaders commit tester in Coventry said in a video believe that Pakistan posted on Twitter. can learn how to lift its people from McDonald's confirmed that its poverty to firm up Israel-Hamas truce distribution centres were currently IMRAN KHAN | PRIME MINISTER, PAKISTAN facing disruption. to coordinate against AGENCIES "We are assessing the impact on Saturday marked the first full day of a truce deliveries to our restaurants and SHORT TAKES Gaza City, May 22: Egyptian me- that ended the fourth to menu items. We apologise to our diators held talks Saturday to firm Israel-Hamas war in customers for any disappointment up an Israel-Hamas ceasefire as just over a decade caused," said a spokesperson. Nepal President Covid-19 pandemic Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Coventry police said they "recog- Gaza Strip began to assess the dam- There was a nise the right to a peaceful protest, dissolves Parl age from 11 days of intense Israeli widespread however there are safety concerns expectation that the bombardment. A 130-truck convoy as the sole entrance and exit point Kathmandu: Nepal plunged cease-fire would carrying urgently needed aid was into fresh political turmoil stick for now, but that to the distribution site has been Saturday as President Bidya headed to Gaza. another round of blocked and this is causing sig- Devi Bhandari dissolved Saturday marked the first full day fighting at some point nificant disruption to businesses, parliament and fixed general of a truce that ended the fourth seems inevitable which we are taking seriously." elections in November amid a Israel-Hamas war in just over a worsening Covid-19 outbreak. decade. In the fighting, Israel un- The surprise announcement leashed hundreds of airstrikes Biden, Moon express comes after a presidential against militant targets in Gaza, thought the strike was a bit further range rockets toward Jerusalem. statement said neither the while Hamas and other militants from us. But as you can see not an The barrage came after days of willingness to caretaker Prime Minister KP fired more than 4,000 rockets to- area of the shop is intact.” Having clashes between Palestinian pro- Sharma Oli nor opposition ward Israel. More than 250 people been in business for one year, Subeih testers and Israeli police at the Al- leader Sher Bahadur Deuba engage North Korea were killed, the vast majority of estimated his losses were double Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy- were able to demonstrate a majority to form a new them Palestinians. what he has made so far. handed police tactics at the government by the Friday AGENCIES According to the Gaza City’s busiest commercial Both Israel and Hamas have compound and the threatened evic- deadline set by Bhandari. area, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, was claimed victory. There was a wide- tion of dozens of Palestinian fam- Rome, May 22: The G20 leaders declaration, the G20 covered in debris, smashed cars spread expectation that the cease- ilies by Jewish settlers had in- have issued a joint declaration at leaders affirmed their and twisted metal after a 13-floor fire would stick for now, but that an- flamed tensions. the close of the Global Health building in its center was flattened other round of fighting at some The war has further sidelined China: 3 killed, 27 Summit aimed at coordinating support for efforts to in an Israeli airstrike. Merchandise point seems inevitable. Underlying Hamas' main political rival, the injured in quakes worldwide efforts against the Covid- strengthen supply was covered in soot and strewn in- issues remain unresolved, including internationally backed Palestinian 19 pandemic. The Rome Declaration side smashed stores and on the an Israeli-Egyptian border block- Authority, which oversees au- AGENCIES Beijing: At least 3 people were is made up of 16 “mutually rein- chains and boost global pavement. Municipal workers re- ade, now in its 14th year that is tonomous enclaves in the Israeli- killed and 27 others injured forcing principles” that “recon- vaccine-manufacturing moved broken glass and twisted choking Gaza’s more than 2 million occupied West Bank. Washington, May 22: US President after a series of earthquakes firm our commitment to global capacity and welcome metal from streets and sidewalks. residents and a refusal by the It appeared that Hamas in- Joe Biden and his visiting South jolted southwest China’s solidarity, equity, and multilateral “We really didn't expect this Islamic militant Hamas to disarm. creasingly positioned itself as a Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in Yunnan Province, officials said cooperation” and to promoting the vaccines technology amount of damage," said Ashour The fighting began May 10, when defender of Jerusalem in have voiced willingness to engage Saturday. The quake was felt “sustained financing for global Subeih, who sells baby clothes. “We Hamas militants in Gaza fired long- Palestinian public opinion. with Pyongyang, while reaffirming in all 12 counties and cities of transfer hub launched health”, said the G20 leaders. the goal to denuclearize the Korean the prefecture, with Yangbi Yi by the WHO Autonomous County being the “We affirm our support for efforts Peninsula. worst hit, Yang Guozong, Party to strengthen supply chains and CANINE TO THE RESCUE Moon is the second foreign leader, chief of the prefecture said, boost and diversify global vaccine- The most important of those after Japanese Prime Minister Xinhua news agency reported. manufacturing capacity, includ- principles, she said, is multilater- Yoshihide Suga in April, to make Two deaths were reported in ing for the materials needed to pro- alism, which runs like a golden an official working visit to the Yangbi and one in Yongping duce vaccines, including by sharing thread through the Declaration. White House after Biden became County. Three people were risks, and welcome the vaccines "This is a very clear 'no' to health the President in January, reports severely injured and 24 others technology transfer hub launched nationalism, to export bans, to bot- Xinhua news agency. had minor injuries. by the WHO,” the declaration read. tlenecks," von der Leyen explained. During a joint press conference During a joint press conference "Supply chains have to be open. at the White House following their at the close of the summit, Italian All the G20 members have agreed meeting on Friday, Biden said he California to fully Prime Minister Mario Draghi and on that." and Moon discussed the shared European Commission President Draghi followed up by saying that approach towards North Korea. reopen June 15 Ursula von der Leyen expressed "the involvement of multilateral or- "Our two nations also share a will- their satisfaction with the outcome ganizations such as the WTO and the ingness to engage diplomatically San Francisco: California, the most populous US state, has of the event, which was organised WHO will be the forums where coun- with North Korea, to take prag- announced plans to fully by the Italian G20 Presidency in tries will agree on the removal of ex- matic steps that will reduce tensions reopen its economy June 15 partnership with the European port bans, the removal of property as we move toward our ultimate goal amid dropping Covid-19 cases Commission. rights, and ensuring the continuous of denuclearization of the Korean and vaccine eligibility "I am very pleased with this sum- flow of the supply chains. Peninsula," he said. expansion. Almost all industry mit because of the strength of the "We have discovered that a com- "We're under no illusions how dif- and business sectors may commitments that were undertaken, plete openness of boundaries is ficult this is, none whatsoever," return to usual operations and the absolute conviction and sin- essential to produce vaccines in Biden told reporters. "And the past with no capacity limits or cerity with which they were made," huge quantities and to make sure four administrations have not physical distancing Draghi told reporters. they are distributed to everybody," achieved the objective. It's an in- requirements, according to The Rome Declaration is "ground- the Prime Minister said. credibly difficult objective." the updated guidelines breaking and historical because Von der Leyen stressed that the Biden announced that career unveiled by the California for the first time you have the G20 three leading Western manufac- diplomat Sung Kim will act as the Department of Public Health (members) all committing to basic turers of Covid vaccines have made A dog that has been trained to sniff out the coronavirus screens a sweat sample at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, US Special Envoy for North Korea Saturday. There are still principles", von der Leyen said. major pledges going forward. Thailand REUTERS to drive diplomatic efforts. limited exceptions for “mega events”, characterised by large crowds greater than 5,000 attendees at indoor venues, reports Xinhua news agency. White House partners with ‘dating apps’ to boost vax

AGENCIES Independence Day holiday. The tus, the White House said. weeks and run until July 4. SL halts trains partnership with dating sites is Match Group Inc confirmed the Shar Dubey, CEO of Match to curb virus Washington D.C., May 22: The meant to attract young people oth- participation of its top US brands Group, said, “We are honoured to White House has partnered with erwise reluctant to get vaccinated. including Tinder, Match, OkCupid, work with the White House on in- Colombo: Sri Lanka halted popular online dating platforms "Social distancing and dating Hinge, creasing vaccinations across passenger trains and buses for such as Match, Tinder and Bumble were always a bit of a challenging We America, which will allow people four days as authorities imposed to encourage more Americans to get combination," White House coro- are honoured to to once again meet in person and a fresh travel ban across the vaccinated against the virus that has navirus adviser Andy Slavitt told work with the White engage in meaningful ways. This country, in its latest efforts to killed hundreds of thousands of reporters Friday. He said OkCupid, House on increasing will make dating safer for everyone, curb the escalating number of people in the United States alone. one of the dating sites, reported that vaccinations across America, everywhere.” To meet the 70% tar- Covid-19 infections and deaths. With restrictions loosening across people who display their vaccina- which will allow people to once get as demand slows for vaccines, The ban is effective from Friday the country as coronavirus cases, tion status were 14 percent more again meet in person and the White House this month an- night until Tuesday morning. engage in meaningful ways. However, it will not apply to those hospitalisations and deaths de- likely to get a match. "We have fi- nounced partnerships with ride- engaged in essential services cline, people are increasingly get- nally found the one thing that This will make dating safer hailing services Uber and Lyft.

ting back to some semblance of makes us all more attractive: a vac- As of Thursday, the United States

k y m like health, food and power for everyone, everywhere c sectors, and those seeking normalcy in their lives, including cination," Slavitt said. SHAR DUBEY I has administered about 279.4 mil- medical treatment. Sri Lanka dating. The dating platforms, which CEO, MATCH GROUP lion doses, with 48.2% of its people has already banned public President Joe Biden’s adminis- cater to more than 50 million peo- receiving at least one shot, ac- gatherings, weddings tration has set a goal of getting at ple in the United States, will offer Plenty of cording to the latest data from the and closed schools least one vaccine shot into at least badges showing vaccination sta- like boosts, super likes, and super als, and filters to potential hook-ups Fish, BLK and Chispa. Promotional US Centers for Disease Control and universities. 70% of US adults by the July 4 tus, free access to "premium content swipes" for vaccinated individu- based on people's vaccination sta- campaigns will launch in coming and Prevention. P11 In crypto talk, OIL IMPORTS REMAINS SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR when retail investors capitulate, FLAT IN APRIL people say it shakes out Hit by demand slowdown in wake all of the weak hands and of Covid-19 induced mobility the people...who may restrictions in various parts of the have invested because country, India's import of crude

they saw it on the news has plateaued in April, 2021

k y m business ETHAN LOU | AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST c of the day uote Hero MotoCorp to IMF proposes $50bn to fight Covid-19 pandemic resume production Wheels India is planning a at all mfg plants AGENCIES nomic strain," they said. They argued that an estimated capital According to a blog, the "Ending the pandemic is a solv- $13 billion dollars in additional expenditure of `100 $50bn proposal aims to crore that will go into Washington, May 22: The able problem but requires further grant contributions is needed, and PRESS TRUST OF INDIA the wind segment International Monetary Fund coordinated global action." vaccinate at least 40% of the remainder of the overall fi- where we will be (IMF) has proposed $50 billion to Noting that economic recover- nancing plan, around $15 billion, New Delhi, May 22: Two-wheeler setting up a new plant near Chennai speed up vaccinations, boost test- ies are diverging dangerously, the population in all could come from national gov- market leader Hero MotoCorp ing and tracing, and maintain ad- Georgieva and her colleagues said ernments, potentially supported Saturday said it will resume pro- SRIVATS RAM | MD, WHEELS INDIA countries by the end of equate stocks of therapeutics, urg- that as of the end of April 2021, less by Covid-19 financing facilities duction at all its manufacturing ing coordinated global action to end than 2 per cent of Africa's popu- 2021 and 60% by H1 2022 created by multilateral develop- plants in India from coming the Covid-19 pandemic. lation had been vaccinated. ment banks. Monday after temporarily shut- All the product Despite stepped-up global ef- By contrast, over 40 per cent of coverage is low. Georgieva and her colleagues re- ting operations due to the coron- groups other forts, more than a year into the the population in the US and over avirus pandemic. than 'ships, Georgieva and her colleagues iterated that a faster end to the boats and floating global crisis, "new cases world- 20 per cent in Europe had received noted that the G20 governments pandemic could inject the equiv- In the beginning of this week, the structures' recorded wide are higher than ever", IMF at least one dose of the vaccine. have already indicated their will- alent of $9 trillion into the global positive growth Managing Director Kristalina The $50 billion proposal aims to ingness to address the $22 billion economy by 2025, due to a faster re- during this period. Georgieva, chief economist Gita vaccinate at least 40 per cent of the grant funding gap noted by the sumption of economic activity. The growth momentum has Gopinath and economist Ruchir population in all countries by the against downside risks, ensure Access to Covid-19 Tools They added that advanced continued for the past few months Agarwal, wrote in a joint blog end of 2021 and at least 60 per cent widespread testing and tracing, Accelerator, a global collabora- economies, likely to spend the despite Covid shadow published on Friday. by the first half of 2022, according maintain adequate stocks of ther- tion platform launched by the most on this effort, would see the "Urgent action is needed to ar- to the blog. apeutics, and enforce public health World Health Organization and highest return on public invest- MAHESH DESAI | CHAIRMAN, EEPC INDIA rest the rising human toll and eco- It also aims to track and insure measures in places where vaccine its partners. ment in modern history.

We urge the state Country’s Unicorns government to company had resumed partial op- waive fixed charges India’s consumer confidence erations at its three plants at on power levied by Gurugram and Dharuhera in state-run distributors well-suited to list Haryana and Haridwar in on all industrial and Uttarakhand. commercial establishments, which It had halted operations tem- are reeling under the Covid-induced worsens in May amid Covid crisis porarily at all of its six plants in lockdown that has been extended overseas via SPAC route till June 7 AGENCIES n The monthly PCSI, India in a staggered manner for which is driven by AGENCIES four days from April 22 to May 2, PERIKAL SUNDAR | PRESIDENT, FKCCI New Delhi, May 22: The con- the aggregation of which was then extended till May sumer confidence in India has fur- the four weighted New Delhi, May 22: India's 16. ther weakened in May amid the sub-indices, has Unicorns, especially those in the re- Hero MotoCorp is "gearing up to- SHORT TAKES severe Covid crisis and the re- plunged across all newables and tech space, are well- wards a gradual resumption of op- sultant lockdowns across states. sub-indices suited to list overseas via 'SPAC' erations by starting production at The monthly Refinitiv-Ipsos route said consultancy firm Grant all its manufacturing plants in n Minda Industries’ Primary Consumer Sentiment Confidence Thornton Bharat. In industry parl- India from Monday, May 24", the Index (PCSI) for India, in May, has around jobs and ance, 'SPAC' or 'Special Purpose company said in a statement. takeover gets nod shown a sharp drop of 6.3 per- the economy have Acquisition Company' is actually "The other plants of Hero taken a hit and centage points, over April 2021, a shell company with no business MotoCorp in India – Neemrana in New Delhi: Minda Industries right now, the Saturday said its board has amid Covid-19 fears. government's operations which is created mainly Rajasthan, Halol in Gujarat and approved acquisition of The monthly PCSI, which is focus is to contain to raise capital, through an IPO, to Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, will 27.55% stake in CSE Dakshina driven by the aggregation of the the virus and make acquisitions. 60 per cent of completed SPAC also start single shift operations Solar Pvt Ltd for `27 lakh. four weighted sub-indices, has save lives According to Raja Lahiri, Partner, transactions in the US. from May 24," it added. “The board approved the plunged across all sub-indices. The Growth & Overseas Listing Leader, "Imagine the growth India can Production in single shift had al- acquisition of 33,750 equity PCSI Employment Confidence Sub- terrible impact not only on our being imposed. But then it is also Grant Thornton Bharat, Indian achieve if we were to get even a 10 ready commenced at three of its shares of CSE Dakshina Solar Index is down by 4.7 percentage healthcare infrastructure, which impacting livelihoods and earn- renewables and technology firms, per cent slice of the dry powder sit- plants Gurugram and Dharuhera Pvt Ltd of face value of `10 points, the PCSI Current Personal is stressed due to the steep surge ings, he said. considering the SPAC route, stand ting in the US as new-age compa- in Haryana and at Haridwar, each at a premium of `70 i.e. Financial Conditions Sub-Index in cases, but also on consumer sen- "It is a tough dilemma but sav- to benefit from $135 billion liq- nies will not only be able to fast-track Uttarakhand from May 17. `80 per share, aggregating to has steeply fallen by 9.0 percentage timent, which has plummeted ing lives will take precedence over uidity in the US market. their growth but contribute to- `27,00,000,” Minda said. With points. across the four sub-indices. everything else and then of course "In the last 15 months, out of the wards sustainable job creation in the acquisition, the company Further, the PCSI Investment Especially for personal finances, for expediting the vaccination drive, $170 billion plus capital raised in the process," said Vishesh C. ‘Startups engaged will hold 27.55% of total paid- Climate Sub-Index has sharply de- day to day running of household with now Sputnik V too making the the US, around $135 billion is dry Chandiok, CEO, Grant Thornton up share capital of CSE clined by 8.4 percentage points and expenses and savings and invest- India debut. powder signalling a great oppor- Bharat. Dakshina. with EVs to get the PCSI Economic Expectations ments for the future." We will have to closely watch tunity for Indian companies, es- The capital raised by US SPAC's Sub Index, has decreased by 4.4 Confidence around jobs and the the Covid trajectory over the next pecially the ones in renewables in 2020 and during the first two necessary support’ percentage points. economy too have taken a hit and 3-4 weeks and gauge if restrictions and tech who are already consid- months of 2021 was $83 billion and Bharat Parenterals Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India, right now, the government's focus are being lifted from June onwards. ering the SPAC route," he said. $90 billion respectively, which com- POST NEWS NETWORK said: "The second wave has been far is to contain the virus and save If it does not happen and vaccina- As per data, between 2017 and prised 50 per cent and 70 per cent gets DCGI nod greater in intensity as compared to lives. And that is why we are see- tion drive does not pick up pace, we 2020, TMT, Industrial, and of capital raised from IPO in US Bhubaneswar, May 22: The start- New Delhi: Drug firm Bharat the first wave and we are seeing its ing lockdowns and restrictions are looking at a very slow rebound." Consumer sectors accounted for Capital markets. ups, engaged in manufacturing of Parenterals Saturday said it electric vehicles (EVs), will be pro- has received approval from vided necessary support to boost the Drugs Controller General AMAZON TO SHUT the industry, said Satyabrata Sahu, of India (DCGI) for favipiravir BIZ BUZZ principal secretary in the MSME oral suspension, to be used department. for treatment of Covid-19 DOWN PRIME NOW During an interactive session patients. The company has INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE Sonalika committed to JK Lakshmi Cement’s with entrepreneurs, Sahu said, received licence and “Allotment of land to entrepre- authorisation from DCGI to New Delhi, May 22: Amazon has help channel partners net profit soars 25% neurs, banking loan facilities, reg- manufacture and market announced to shut down its stand- Bhubaneswar: Tractor brand Sonalika has ensured its com- Bhubaneswar: JK Lakshmi Cement, one of the leading cement istrations will be offered to them, favipiravir oral suspension alone Prime Now delivery app, and pany’s workforce that they are being safeguarded from any companies, recorded a jump of 25% in its turnover at who are engaged in the manufac- l00mg/ml, Bharat the two-hour delivery options will unforeseen events that may lead to physical or monetary `1,321.99 crore in the quarter Jan-Mar, 2021 against turnover turing of EVs”. He also said that Parenterals said in a now be available on its main app losses. Sonalika has pledged extensive support to its of `1061.19 crore in the corresponding quarter Jan-Mar 2020. the department may amend pol- regulatory filing. Favipiravir, and website. employees by covering the medical expenses related to According to a report, the company’s EBITDA stood higher at icy, if there is a requirement, for an antiviral drug, was The company said that in India, Covid-19 treatment. The company offers `25,000 to cover the `295.20 crore in Jan-Mar 2021 from `224.52 crore in Jan-Mar, boosting the sector. approved in Japan in 2014 for Japan and Singapore, it has al- medical expenses incurred by a dealership employee due to 2020, an increase of 31%. After providing for interest and The Principal Secretary inter- the treatment of novel or re- the Covid-19 pandemic. This is, in addition to other schemes depreciation, PBT moved up by nearly 66% to `217.45 crore in emerging influenza virus ready moved the Prime Now ex- acted with nine entrepreneurs and that are already in force to cover kids of dealer’s employees Jan-Mar20 21 from `131.09 crore in Jan-Mar, 2020. After pro- infections. perience onto Amazon and retired discussed the problems related to the Prime Now app and website. for medical assis- viding for exceptional item, taxes and other comprehensive their work. "In the US, we began making tance and educa- income, JK Lakshmi According to the report, theses two-hour delivery from Amazon tional support of Cement’s profit rose to entrepreneurs are planning to man- PSB reports Q4 Fresh and Whole Foods Market up to `50,000 `138.27 crore in Jan- ufacture EVs in Odisha. Several ` ` available on Amazon in 2019. annually. In case Mar 2021 from 101.21 participants urged the MSME de- profit of 161 cr Globally, we'll move our third-party of demise of a crore recorded in the partment to allot land and also re- dealer associate or corresponding quarter partners and local stores to the quested for financial assistance Mumbai: State-run Punjab & employee, a finan- a jump of 37%. During Sind Bank (PSB) turned Amazon shopping experience before cial assistance of April 2020 to March from them. Sahu assured the in- profitable in the fourth the Prime Now app and website `2 lakh for the 2021, sales increased by dustry representatives of solving quarter of FY21 after eight are retired later this year," informed family member(s) 8% to `4,384.71 crore all the problems and that their de- consecutive quarters of Stephenie Landry, vice president of is assured. (Rs 4,043.50 crore). partment will take every possible losses, posting a profit after grocery at Amazon. Prime Now steps to resolve it. tax of `161 crore on the was launched back in 2014. back of improvement in recoveries and decline in bad loans. The lender had registered a net loss of `236.3 crore in the year-ago period. Startup biz to deliver necessities at the doorstep However, for the full year, its loss widened to `2,732.9 crore as against `990.8 crore ‘PICK UP AND DROP FACILITY’ HAS BECOME AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR CONSUMERS ALL ACROSS INDIA. IT ALLOWS ONE TO in FY'20. DELIVER/RECEIVE ANYTHING, BE IT LUNCH BOXES, DOCUMENTS, LAUNDRY, SHOES, STATIONERY AND OTHER MATERIALS FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER FROM ANYWHERE IN THEIR CITY M&M extends INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE documents, laundry, items for re- "Keeping in mind our customers' key player in the hyperlocal de- service period pair, shoes, stationery and other ma- concerns for safety, the parcels are livery space in Kolkata. Mumbai: Mahindra & Kolkata, May 22: Covid-19 has terials from one location to an- verified twice by provider part- Elaborating on India's logistics- Mahindra (M&M) Saturday brought several businesses to its other from anywhere in their city. ners at the pickup and drop points. tech industry, Kushwaha said, “The said it has extended the knees. But it has also given small It also allows one to buy stuff from We also offer easy payment op- potential for small, medium and big warranty and service opportunities to hungry entre- beetle shops, supermarkets, phar- tions - both online and offline mode companies is huge. Following the period on its entire range of preneurs, keen to display their so- macies and home-cooked means as well as the flexibility of making advent of Covid-19, people are look- vehicles till July 31 due to cial conscience. With companies de- making the daily errands easier. payment at either point. The app ing for contactless deliveries more lockdown in several states in claring a work-from-home model Those running a business can also also allows users to schedule their than ever now.” the wake of the pandemic. and the novel coronavirus pan- opt for deliveries of office docu- orders 24 hours in advance," she In addition to industry biggies This will be applicable for demic spreading its tentacles, BA ments as well. added. like food-tech unicorn Swiggy and those customers whose graduate Hemlata Kushwaha from Kolkata based start-up 'Delivery Initially started to help family ride-hailing giant Uber, the coun- warranty is due to expire Kolkata has taken up the oppor- Pigeon' - a self-funded startup - pro- members suffering from the deadly try witnessed emergence of several between April 1 and May 31, tunity to provide 'pick up and drop vides 'same day pick and drop serv- virus, the start-up is now a full- logistics tech startups including it said. “Amid the second

service' to take the necessities at the ices' to working professionals, small fledged automated, app-based serv- Bangalore-based Dunzo, Delhi-

k y m wave and subsequent c lockdowns, M&M has doorstep of the people of the city. businesses and senior citizens at ice. Like its competitors in other based Jhutpat, Delhi-NCR focused extended the warranty and 'Pick up and drop facility' has be- their doorsteps within city limits. cities, it aims to make local pick and start-up Meretask, Chandigarh- service period on its entire come an essential service for con- Functioning from March 2021, drop services quick, easy and ac- based Jugnoo offering same-day range of vehicles till 31st sumers all across the country. The "the start-up currently gets 200 or- cessible for all through a user- pickup and drop services to indi- July,” M&M said. service allows one to deliver or re- ders per day. The number is steadily Covid cases. We currently operate ners all over the city," said 45-year- friendly and hassle-free app. Efforts viduals and corporates for charges ceive anything, be it lunch boxes, increasing due to an increase in with more than 180 provider part- old Kushwaha. are on to make Delivery Pigeon a based on the kilometre run. P12 SUNDAY | MAY 23 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR sports

‘I don’t need to change just because people criticise my batting,” says wicketkeeper-batsman

y Indian boxers reach

k k y y m m c Dubai for Asian meet c

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, May 22: The Indian SAHA NOT WARY boxing team, featuring the likes of M C Mary Kom (51kg) and Amit Panghal (52kg), reached Dubai to compete in the Asian Boxing Championships aboard an “air- bubble” flight, which had to stay mid-air longer than scheduled as administrative paperwork delayed OF CRITICISM its landing. The tournament starts on PRESS TRUST OF INDIA some matches here and there...” Monday with the draws lined up for India will be playing six Test Sunday. It is the only major com- Kolkata, May 22: It’s a circle of life matches in England over the next petition that the boxers will get that has put Wriddhiman Saha in three months and while Pant start- before the July-August Olympics the same position that he was a ing during the World Test given the COVID-19 restrictions in decade back when he came to Championship is a no-brainer, Saha place around the globe. England in 2011 as skipper MS might fancy that some chance will The team reached Dubai Dhoni’s understudy. come along his way with five games Saturday after their flight was held The script was repeated in 2014 against England starting August. up mid air for over two hours be- with Saha seen dutifully carrying “I think representing India itself cause of a delay in the clearance of the bats, towels and drinks for his is a big motivation, and it will be paperwork which approved the teammates and in 2021, he is again much bigger if an opportunity team’s arrival in Dubai. expected to watch Rishabh Pant’s comes my way,” Saha, who has “There was some confusion re- pyrotechnics from the dressing played 38 Tests, scoring 1,251 runs garding the approval letter for the The 10-strong women’s room, something that has solely and accounting for 103 dismissals, trip which was eventually sorted missed from his style of bats- said. thanks to the intervention of the team is being led by MC manship despite being decent at his “Ultimately, everyone faces this Indian Embassy in the UAE. The Mary Kom (51kg) along craft. kind of a challenge in a small or big- flight took a while to land but the “Obviously, there would be crit- ger way. But being with the team boxers have now reached their with three other icism when you don’t do well. I al- and representing your nation from hotel,” a source close to the team Olympic-bound boxers – ways try to deliver the way I’ve 1.4 billion is far bigger.” told this agency. learnt over the years,” Saha told PTI A teamman to the core, Saha be- The approval was required as Simranjit Kaur (60kg), in an interview, ahead of joining lieves that despite his 11 years of the UAE has imposed a ban on Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) the team’s bio-bubble in Mumbai stop-start Test career, he has never flights from India in view of the on Monday. had any bitter feelings of being heavy COVID-19 caseload here. and Pooja Rani (75kg) Despite being steady with the left out in the cold at times. The Boxing Federation of India The 10-strong women’s team is bat, somehow Saha’s willow wield- “I always approach my game issued a statement, thanking the being led by the redoubtable Mary ing hasn’t exactly inspired the with this mindset. For me, the team Indian ambassador to the UAE for Kom (51kg) along with three other highest confidence and the question always comes first and I will al- his assistance but did not get into Olympic-bound boxers – Simranjit raised doesn’t amuse him one bit. ways want my team to win. It has details of what caused the delay in Kaur (60kg), Lovlina Borgohain “If people are saying my bat- never affected my personal rela- the flight’s landing. (69kg) and Pooja Rani (75kg). ting is not up there, maybe that’s tions with anyone,” he said. “Indian contingent has landed Two Olympic-bound names miss- the case... But, I don’t think I need Looking ahead to the WTC final, in Dubai and reached the hotel. ing from the men’s team are Manish to change anything – mental ap- Saha said the onus would be on Two rounds of RT-PCR test have Kaushik (63kg) and Satish Kumar proach or technique. I just try to the batsmen. “Looking into the been conducted -- one at the airport (+91kg), both of whom are cur- keep my focus and work hard,” English conditions, batsmen will and the other at the hotel. Indian rently recovering from COVID-19. the reticent Bengal stumper said. face the maximum challenge. Pace team flew on SpiceJet flight under A total of five men have qualified He accepts that post Dhoni’s re- bowlers always get the advantage the air bubble agreement with all for the Tokyo Games in July-August. tirement and his spate of injuries there. So the batsmen will hold the necessary and relevant permis- Apart from India, Indonesia, during the whole 2018 season, it key. The team who bats better will sions,” the statement read. Iran, Kazakhstan, South Korea, was Pant, who had best utilised be ahead,” he said. “Boxing Federation of India is Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, and the chances that came along. Asked to compare Virat Kohli and grateful to the Indian Embassy Uzbekistan are among the promi- “Parthiv (Patel), DK (Dinesh Kane Williamson, his Sunrisers and Ambassador Mr Pavan Kapoor nent countries which will compete Karthik) and Rishabh got Hyderabad captain in the IPL, Saha for his help in ensuring the con- at the continental showpiece. chances after I got sidelined said: “Kane is always cool-headed tingent’s participation at the 2021 India had delivered its best ever due to injury. But it was Rishabh, and goes about his job in a calm and ASBC Asian Championships. We Asian Championship performance who made full use of the op- composed manner. But it’s about the are also thankful to the Asian in the 2019 edition in Thailand, portunity and cemented his challenges on-the-field rather than Boxing Confederation and the UAE claiming 13 medals, including two place in the side. Maybe I played the off-the-field talks.” government,” it added. gold, four silver and seven bronze. Indian team begin training in Doha 148 SPORTSPERSONS GET Batra re-elected COVID VACCINE 1ST DOSE as FIH president PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ative results. for second term “Gearing-up for the challenges PRESS TRUST OF INDIA New Delhi, May 22: All the play- ahead. The #BlueTigers had their PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ers and support staff of the Indian training first training session in New Delhi, May 22: As many as football team have tested negative Doha, Qatar last night,” the AIFF 148 athletes across all sports, in- New Delhi, May 22: Incumbent for COVID-19 after arrival in Qatar said in a tweet, along with pictures cluding those who have qualified Narinder Batra of India was and have also started training of training of players under head for the upcoming Tokyo Games, Saturday re-elected as the ahead of the joint Qualifiers for the coach Igor Stimac. have already received their first International Hockey Federation 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian The matches are being played in dose of COVID-19 vaccination, ac- (FIH) President for a second term Cup next month. Doha in view of the COVID-19 pan- cording to the Indian Olympic after beating Marc Coudron of The team, which arrived in Doha demic which doesn’t allow the orig- Association (IOA). Belgium by a slender margin of Wednesday evening, was under inal format of home and away Out of these 148 athletes, 17 have just two votes during the world compulsory quarantine and wait- matches. got both the doses and 131 have re- body’s virtual 47th Congress. ing for the results of their RT-PCR The Indian team, fourth in Group ceived their first shot, IOA president Considered the favourite from the tests before starting their prepara- E with three points, is already out Narinder Batra said. These 148 in- single dose of COVID-19 vaccine beginning, Batra, who is the also tory camp. of contention for a World Cup berth clude potential athletes who can while 23 are fully vaccinated. the President of the Indian Olympic “Yes, all the 28 players and support but is still in the reckoning for the make it to the Tokyo Olympics More than 90 Indian athletes Association (IOA) and an staff tested negative in the tests 2023 Asian Cup in China. which is opening July 23. across sports have so far qualified International Olympic Committee done after their arrival,” All India The Indian players were to have Besides this, 13 Tokyo for the Tokyo Olympics which was (IOC) member, barely managed to Football Federation General a national camp in Kolkata from Paralympic-bound athletes have postponed from last year due to pip Coudron, who is the chief of Secretary Kushal Das told this agency. May 2 onwards but the raging pan- got their first vaccine shot while two the COVID-19 pandemic. Belgium Hockey Federation and The team, bolstered by the return demic in the country led to its can- have received both doses. The Tokyo The Olympic-bound shooters sits on the country’s Olympic panel. of Sunil Chhetri, will have a cellation. Paralympics opens August 24. The who are currently training in Batra secured 63 votes as against preparatory camp inside a bio- The players and the support had total number of athletes (including Croatia will be vaccinated there his rival’s 61 to emerge winner bubble here before their first match left the country Wednesday after un- para-athletes), who have got at least as they are expected to directly fly during the online voting process, June 3 against hosts Qatar. The Head coach Igor Stimac talks to players during India’s practice session in Doha dergoing RT-PCR tests prior to fly- their first dose till May 20, is 163. to Tokyo from there, the NRAI has in which 124 member associations other two matches are against as the players listen with focus PIC: AIFF TWITTER ing off to Doha from New Delhi. Giving the ‘vaccination status of said. Some of them have already got participated. The FIH Congress Bangladesh (June 7) and They had arrived in New Delhi Tokyo-bound Indian athletes and their first jabs in India before de- was held virtually due to travel re- Afghanistan (June 15). Football Association, a 10-day hard Indians and they began training as May 15 with mandatory negative officials in the long list as on May parting for Croatia and they will get strictions imposed in the wake of Through the good offices of Qatar quarantine was waived off for the soon as they got the COVID-19 neg- RT-PCR test results. 20’, Batra said 87 officials have got their second dose in that country. the ongoing pandemic. Cricket gear donation brings joy to migrants stuck in Bosnia

ASSOCIATED PRESS the bags filled with bats, poles, gloves, jerseys and caps. Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), “We are going to play a cricket May 22: Joyful cheers echoed match as soon as possible,” he said, through an asylum-seekers camp explaining that previously “we cut in Bosnia this week as dozens of some wood” to make bats. The closeness of the contest can teenagers and young men put their A day later, Cheema and his be gauged from the fact that 63 daily struggles aside for a game of friends could be seen practicing votes were needed by a candidate cricket. on a playground in Tuzla. “I de- to secure victory and Batra man- Players absorbed in the match cided to go from Pakistan to fol- aged to prevail over his opponent ran over an improvised pitch clutch- low my dreams,” Cheema said. in the battle. ing wooden bats or throwing balls. “I would like to go to England and The Indian will hold the office Others supported the teams by continue to play cricket, because I until 2024 as the FIH has reduced clapping from the side, their faces was a cricket player in Pakistan and the term from four to three years radiant. “It was a good game!” I didn’t get enough opportunity.” due to deferment of the Congress Sifet, an asylum-seeker from Costa said his organization plans last year. The 47th Congress was to Afghanistan, said. “Tomorrow we to do more to help the young for- be held last year in New Delhi but have the final tournament!” Baobab Experience association, toward Western Europe. some football, they say they are that the migrants were very happy,” eigners in Bosnia migrants get en- was postponed because of the Mohammad Jahanzeb, who is from told the Associated Press that ac- From Bosnia, migrants try first missing cricket.” Costa said. gaged in sports and “pass the day COVID-19 pandemic. Pakistan, chimed in. tivists got the idea from the asylum- to cross to neighboring European Costa and his team drove to Among those who waited ea- with the things that they like.” Batra became the first non- The opportunity for relaxation seekers themselves, particularly Union nation Croatia, before con- Bosnia after collecting donations gerly for the packages to arrive “First of all, we believe it is their European president of the FIH in 2016 and fun at the Blazuj camp in those coming from Pakistan, tinuing on toward wealthier EU from the U.K., Indian and Pakistani was Ali Cheema, who said he right to reach their goal, that it is after he was elected to the top post y Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, was Bangladesh or India, where cricket countries. embassies in Rome and those coun- started playing cricket when he their right to reach Europe,” Costa by an overwhelming margin during

made possible by a Rome-based is a national sport. “Speaking with many young tries’ communities in Italy, Costa was 7 and used to play for several said. “And second of all, our or- the world body’s 45th Congress.

k k y y m m c c humanitarian group which brought Thousands of people fleeing war people ... It came naturally to ask said. Along with Sarajevo, gear clubs in his native Pakistan. ganization thinks that since while The veteran Indian sports ad- in donated cricket gear for refugees and poverty in the Middle East, them what they were missing the was delivered to the central Bosnian Now 24, Cheema has been in they are transiting these countries, ministrator, who was the chief of and migrants in the Balkan coun- Africa or Asia have been stranded most, what would they want,” Costa town of Tuzla. “Our next step with Bosnia for two years. As the car car- every effort has to be done to help Hockey India then, remains the try. for months, if not years, in Bosnia said. “Exactly as an Italian boy the cricket will be going back to Italy, rying the cricket equipment pulled them feel welcome and stay in good only Asian to grab the top post in Andrea Costa, president of the while waiting for a chance to move would ask for a football, to play going back to Europe, and saying over in Tuzla, he was there to open condition.” the world body’s 92-year-old history.

Printed and published by Tathagata Satpathy on behalf of Navajat Printers and Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at Navajat Printers, B-15 Industrial Estate, Rasulgarh, Bhubaneswar -751010, Odisha;Phone:7894447142(Marketing). Editor: Tathagata Satpathy, RNI No. ORIENG/2011/37159