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ith political temperature Wrunning high ahead of #      the Assembly polls, the Election Commission (EC) on Friday announced that voting %  %   ).)" " for five Assembly polls will begin on March 27 with West oon after the Election Bengal going for an eight- SCommission of phase elections till April 9 and announced an unprecedented Assam for a three-phase exer- 8-phase Assembly election for cise till April 6. The Assembly Bengal, a furious Mamata polls in Tamil Nadu, and Banerjee attacked the poll Puducherry will be held in a panel accusing it of playing a single phase on April 6. prejudiced role to the advan- The counting will be held tage of the BJP. for all five States on May 2.                The TMC chief said the With the announcement of           ECI was “following the com- poll schedules, the model code !" mands of Prime Minister of conduct came into effect Narendra Modi and Home from Friday evening. Terms of phases on March 26 (47 seats), elections were conducted in Minister Amit Shah,” and that the Legislative Assemblies in April 1 (39 seats), April 6 (40 seven phases in Bengal. A total the “people of Bengal will not West Bengal, Assam, Kerala seats). The last date of nomi- of 68 seats are reserved for the forgive them for giving us and Tamil Nadu are coming to nation is March 9. Scheduled Castes and 16 for the such a humiliating deal.” an end in May and June. Announcing the schedules Scheduled Tribes. Term of the cials, over 6,600 polling sta- forces will be deployed during Emerging from a Announcing the election for West Bengal, Arora said, current West Bengal Assembly tions in West Bengal have been the elections. Trinamool Congress core com- schedule, Chief Election “For 294 seats in West Bengal, is scheduled to come to an end identified as “vulnerable” and All sensitive, critical and mittee meeting, she said, “I / . ( )  ) .    Commission Sunil Arora said the first phase of the election on May 30. 715 critical ahead of the vulnerable polling stations have have reports that the list of  (   &   !" that nearly 18.68 crore electors has been scheduled on March The election for the 140 Assembly elections while over been identified and an ade- phase-wise elections found in will vote at 2.7 lakh polling sta- 27 and it will cover 30 con- seats in Kerala, 234 seats in 2,654 polling stations has been quate number of CAPFs will be the BJP office completely Assam in three phases, Tamil given as per the requisition of tions for 824 seats in these stituencies. The second phase Tamil Nadu and 30 seats identified as “critical” and 338 deployed there. matches with the EC’s Nadu and Kerala in single the BJP… tell me why the dis- Assembly elections and polling of West Bengal’s Assembly elec- Puducherry will be held in a vulnerable in Assam. announcement … I think as a phase, but they are holding tricts have been divided in stations will be at the ground tions has been scheduled for single phase on April 6. Recounting the Covid-19      Constitutional body it should elections in Bengal in 8 phas- halves for the conduct of the floor without any negotiation. April 1 and will cover 30 con- Taking note of the threat of guideline issued by the com- have been more reasonable, es … why they are heaping elections… Moreover districts “There shall be maximum stituencies, followed by the intimidation and violence dur- mission in August 2020, the   impartial while deciding on the such an insult on the people of like South 24 Parganas where 1,000 electors instead of 1,500 third phase on April 6 for 31 ing the poll campaign, the EC CEC said polling time has number of phases.” Bengal … the people will not the TMC is stronger, the elec- electors at a polling station and seats, the fourth on April 10 for has directed that the election been extended by an hour and     Bengal had witnessed 7- take this lightly.” tions are being held in three voting will be allowed for an 44 constituencies, the fifth on security plan of poll-going door-to-door campaigning has phased elections in 2019 Lok The Bengal Chief Minister phases… This means that the extra hour, adding that April 17 for 45 seats, sixth for States will be jointly decided by been restricted to five people. New Delhi: Everyone on elec- Sabha polls. also said, “The EC is an impor- polls have been planned as per arrangements would be made 43 seats on April 22, seventh a committee comprising the He added that States can mod- tion duty for the upcoming Wondering as to why polls tant Constitutional body. If the desire of the Modi and for candidates to file nomina- phase on April 26 for 36 seats chief electoral officer, State ify the guidelines according to polls for five Assemblies will be would be held in four other they do not give justice to the Shah. But let me tell you the tions online,” he said. and last and eighth phase on police nodal officer and Central their local Covid-19 situation. vaccinated against Covid-19 States in lesser number of people then who will they Prime Minister and Home In Assam, elections will be April 29 for 35 seats.” Armed Police Forces (CAPF) The CEC also said that ade- before polling day, the Election phases, Mamata said, “They turn to? I came to know that Minister cannot misuse their held for 126 seats in three Last time, the Assembly coordinator. According to offi- quate Central paramilitary Commission said on Friday. are conducting elections in the election dates have been power like this.”     1!   (     $%           (     ( &'&( 

  ,9 !." cumstances and condemned Agnihotri alleged that the   -9"58 *":9 the behaviour of Congress Congress legislators were, in  )  *% he Budget Session of members and said they blocked fact, manhandled by BJP leg- n view of sudden spike in THimachal Pradesh the passage of the Governor, islators and Ministers when ICovid-19 cases in the city, the   -9"58 *":9 Assembly began on a stormy threw the copy of Governor’s they tried to talk to the Chandigarh Administration is note on Friday with suspension address on him and indulged in Governor. “We did not touch considering imposition of night unjab reported a 101 per- of five Congress legislators, jostling. Parmar said he had to the Governor, the CM (Chief curfew, closure of markets, Pcent increase in the number including Leader of Opposition recall the house after adjourn- Minister) or Ministers,” he sealing of borders among other of active cases in the month of Mukesh Agnihotri for alleged- ment under rule 346 to discuss said. restrictions in the city. February. From 2,101 active ly jostling Governor Bandaru the issue, which was most The suspended Congress The issue was discussed cases on February 1, the Dattatraya when he was leav- shameful and never happened MLAs said that they were wait- during the review meeting of figure stood at 4,222 on Friday ing the Assembly complex after in the past. ing outside the Speaker’s office Covid-19 situation held under — registering a jump of his address. Parliamentary Affairs and wanted to ask the Punjab Governor and UT 100.95 per cent. Five Congress MLAs— Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said Governor why he cut short his Administrator VP Singh On February 15, Punjab’s Mukesh Agnihotri, Harsh that the Governor was man- address but they were not Badnore. 1.34 per cent cases were active. Varhan Chauhan, Sunder Singh handled by Congress MLAs allowed to do so. The Congress Expressing concern over The figure has now reached Thakur, Satpal Raizada and when he was going towards his legislators alleged that it was sudden surge in infections, the 2.33 per cent. As of Friday, the Vinay Kumar, were suspended vehicle. He moved a motion to Deputy Speaker Hans Raj who UT Administrator said that state has 4,222 active cases, of and Nawanshahr; besides one for the entire session till March suspend the five Congress leg- manhandled the MLAs, a the option of night curfew, clo- which 78 patients are on oxy- each from Amritsar, Jalandhar, 20. No Congress MLA was pre- islators in the absence of the charge denied by Parliamentary sure of markets, sealing of bor- gen support; while 16 are crit- Hoshiarpur, and Kapurthala. sent in the House at the time of entire Opposition. Affairs Minister Suresh ders and restrictions of num- like wearing masks, social dis- number of infections, the ical and on ventilator support. Of the total fresh cases, suspension of the five MLAs. Chief Minister Jai Ram Bhardwaj. bers in different events will be tancing and washing hands. Directors concerned must take The state’s COVID-19 tally highest 89 were reported from The Congress MLAs had Thakur informed the house The suspended Congress considered, in case the number He also requested the hosts their in house decision regard- continues to witness an upward Nawanshahr, followed by 80 allegedly tried to stop the that the Governor’s ADC was MLAs have decided to sit out- of Coronavirus patients con- and organizers of events like ing the number of patients trend with a whopping 628 from Hoshiarpur, 75 from Governor in front of the manhandled by the Congress side the Assembly in protest tinue to rise in the city. marriages, conferences etc. to and other precautions to be fresh cases reported on Friday Ludhiana, 66 from Jalandhar, Speaker’s chamber when he Legislative Party leader and this during the budget session. The Administrator direct- provide for masks and sanitiz- taken in the premises. along with 16 casualties. With 65 from Kapurthala, 56 from was going towards his caval- was against the traditions of the Earlier, the trouble began ed that mobile teams for test- ers on the site, so that the par- During the meeting, Dr this, the total number of posi- Mohali, 48 from Amritsar, 25 cade, accompanied by Chief State Assembly. as soon as the House assembled ing should be sent to crowded ticipants and the guests can use Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER tive cases has reached 1,81,004 from Gurdaspur, among others; Minister Jai Ram Thakur and At this, the House passed at 11 am. The Congress mem- places like Apni Mandis, Bus it while attending the events. said the present Covid strain in the State at the rate of 2.30 with Barnala and Mansa Parmar, after addressing the the resolution to suspend the bers led by Leader of the Stand, Railway Station, Sukhna On the issue of re-opening seems to be more severe. It was percent, while the death toll has reporting no fresh case. Assembly on the opening day five Congress MLAs for the Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri Lake, Rose Festival venue and of OPDs in the hospitals, the informed that 130 samples reached 5,814 at the rate of 3.21 A total of 255 patients of the budget session. entire session. The Speaker rose from their seats and raised other places, where people Administrator said that have been sent to the Virology percent. were discharged after recover- After the ruckus, Vidhan said that the Congress mem- slogans as the Governor was gather in large numbers. although he had directed nor- Institute in Pune and the final Among the deaths, three ing from the contagion, taking Sabha Speaker Vipin Parmar, bers’ action was against rules. delivering his address on the Badnore appealed to the mal OPDs functioning in all report has not yet been received each were recorded from the total number of recoveries who had earlier adjourned the On the other hand, Leader first day of the session. residents to strictly observe medical institutions, yet keep- as to confirm whether it is a dif- Ludhiana and Gurdaspur; two to 1,70,968 at the rate of 94.46 House, recalled it in special cir- of opposition Mukesh Continued on Page 2 Covid appropriate behaviour ing in view the increase in ferent Covid strain. each from Bathinda, Patiala, percent.  #$               !  "          Union Health Ministry has Sujeet Kumar Singh, the        denied that the increase is due director of the NCDC con-            to the new variants. firmed that monitoring has       The NCDC has asked increased after samples from           7",9 5* 5 with Democrats and States to keep tabs on cases these regions revealed the pres-      Republicans in Congress to with variants arriving here ence of mutated versions of the S President Joe Biden get that done,” she said a day from other countries as the tally virus.      Ubelieves that it is important after Biden issued the procla- of people infected from such “They have been further    and long overdue to mod- mation reversing the decision strains has reached 194 in the advised to send at least 5 per      ernise the immigration system, of his predecessor Donald country, according to the latest cent daily samples for genome     and this includes taking steps Trump. figures shared by the Union sequencing as per the norm,” he    ! "# O to help ensure highly skilled Indian IT professionals, Health Ministry. added.     !#  workers can stay in the coun- most of whom are highly These include 187 cases of #       try, the White House has said.  - .  &     skilled and come to the US the UK variant, six from the         Biden has revoked a poli- / %  , ) 0  mainly on the H-1B work South African variant while !"      L&M   & cy issued by his predecessor / %    visas, are the worst sufferers of one has been found infected by         # during the Covid-19 pandem- the current immigration sys- %  &   ' (  )!      ( the Brazilian one. ic that blocked many Green that it’s important and long tem which imposes a seven per (  *#+  ),  !" “The States have been told #%        Card applicants from entering overdue to modernise our cent per country quota on to increase monitor interna-   ! the US, a move that will bene- immigration system, and that allotment of the coveted Green tional arrivals and ensure strict : In "#$"#  () *    fit many Indians working in includes taking steps to help Card or permanent legal resi-   567 86.9 (NCDC), a Central agency for isolation of positive cases, as view of rise in fresh Covid-19     + & #  America on the H-1B visa. ensure that high skilled work- dency. disease surveillance and pre- per protocol as well as increase cases, the Kerala Government  ,  -   &  A Green Card, known offi- ers can stay in the country and The H-1B visa, the most fter the UK, South Africa vention. genome sequencing in the will conduct RT-PCR tests  &  .  # /0  cially as a Permanent Resident can go through the proper sought after among Indian IT Aand Brazil Covid-19 strains These regions have added states,” an official from NCDC. free of cost for expatriates   1 &   Card, is a document issued to processes to stay in the coun- professionals, is a non-immi- rose to touch to 194-mark on almost all the cases of Covid- He also said the presence of returning to the State, the     ,    immigrants to the US as evi- try,” White House Press grant visa that allows US com- Friday, at least 18 States, includ- 19 strain from the UK, South the foreign variants has been Government said on Friday as  &  +   , dence that the bearer has been Secretary Jen Psaki told panies to employ foreign work- ing Maharashtra, Kerala and Africa and Brazilian variants of also found in large States such 3,671 more peopled tested 2 , ,3   &    granted the privilege of resid- reporters at her daily news ers in speciality occupations Telangana have come under the SARS-CoV-2. Also, these States as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya positive, taking the infection   &     ing permanently. conference on Thursday. that require theoretical or tech- scanner of the National Centre are reporting a surge in the Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil count to 10.52 lakh. “The President believes “So, we are eager to work nical expertise. for Disease Control Disease Covid-19 cases, though the Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan.    !"#!$!%  #$

      %%% From page 1 The Congress legislators    alleged that contents of the address are “a bundle of lies” and the issue of unemploy-   ,9 !." ment, increase in cooking gas, petrol and diesel prices is not fter the suspension of five included in the address. ACongress MLAs for the Following din in the House, the entire budget session for Governor read the last line of allegedly mishandling his address and stated that the Governor Bandaru Dattatraya, entire speech should be Himachal Vidhan Sabha deemed as read.Notably, the Speaker, Vipin Parmar is exam- budget session is scheduled to ining the Assembly rules to conclude on March 20. The lodge an FIR against the five Chief Minister will present the Congress MLAs. budget for 2021-22 in the The Speaker said that this %  2  .   , ( ,)  - Assembly on March 6. is for the first time in the his- !& '&3 ,    ,(    tory of the Himachal Pradesh %3 ,       Assembly that the Governor 1%.3  was manhandled by opposition He is examining the rules pended Congress MLAs, the members. to lodge an FIR against the sus- Speaker said. (        ,   (0' , Panchkula:UHBVN has start- ed the “Know your Bill Scheme” for the Redressal of complaints of electricity bills of consumers, under which Open Darbar will be organized in all sub-division offices on Thursday of every week from 10 am to 2 pm.A spokesman of UHBVN said that Open Darbar will be organized in all the districts of UHBVN -- Panchkula, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Sonipat, Panipat, Rohtak and Jhajjar.Instructions have been issued by the Managing Director of UHBVN, Shashank Anand, that all the sub-divi- sional officers organize open darbar to solve the problems related to the bills on every Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm related to consumer bills Problems. PNS

                                                                                                                                               !        "                                            #            $ % S                      '                "       (          

                      !     "   # $% % & '   (  )*+  ( + %$**)* , - *%.)+/$*01/.      23       -))  +44 4       5    !6  +     7 !6     47 27578!  7%** ! 6    7   9  -6  :6    ;    6 (  ;     6  3   ' #6 - $  8   9       <    ( -9 '+%%* **) 6 *%%+/*%%*/==    #6 &+ 0%  $ -#4' 8    - ( +)*%0*% 2 6 *%)*+/1.>1** ; /1.>>**  9 #6 / &     (  & ?  7   9+))$ *%$ , 6 *=))+)0/$//0+/=    !"#!$!%  #&       ! +  "   --      %  +    ,  "        .%  - + -/     -9"58 *":9 Commissioners of Police (CPs) aged or older. Training Centres to establish and Senior Superintendents of Besides, directions were such centres.  97-        -9"58 *":9 unjab’s portly and unfit Police (SSPs) have been asked also issued to conduct the DGP Gupta added that an      &   Pcops now have a fat chance to constitute a panel to identi- physical fitness test — to be amount of Rs two lakh annu- -   aryana Chief Minister to get in shape with the Punjab fy the cops, who require to conducted at the police train- ally has also been earmarked to  !  # 97- HManohar Lal Khattar on Police deciding to establish undergo health and wellness ing academies in presence of a each district from the next   "     Friday took an online pledge Health and Wellness Centres programs. team of doctors — of all police financial year under the head    & -   and launched the official web- (HWCs) for its Police force in Divulging details, the state officials who failed to nab welfare of police personnel to  97-       site of Hifazat campaign, which all the districts, including the Director General of Police accused in excise and drug conduct Health and Wellness  &   was started earlier this week by three Commissionerate Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said cases. programs.    & Haryana State Commission for (CPs) in the State. The Centres that the pressures of job and “If need be, all these police The five to seven days      Protection of Child Rights in are also proposed to be set up stressful working conditions officials be deputed for a phys- health and wellness programs   &  collaboration with Haryana in all the Armed Police and of Police leads to fatigue, trau- ical training session of three will be conducted at the Health Police for creating awareness Police Training Centres. ma and stress, among which months to make them physi- and Wellness Centres by health  - ,,   against Child Sexual Abuse. Aimed at improving the could lead to serious health cally fit for conducting raids. In professionals including psy-        The campaign’s official health and overall well-being issues. the alternative, the Additional chologists who will recom-   C   website (www.hifazat.info) will besides preventing lifestyle dis- “Health and Wellness Director General of Police mend physical exercise, diet   &    provide Information, eases among the cops, the Centres will encourage the (ADGP), Bureau of advice, counselling to bring    &  Education and HWC will have facilities, police personnel to focus and Investigation, Punjab, will necessary lifestyle changes in  : /    Communication (IEC) mater- including indoor gym, out- attend to their physical and explore the possibility of deput- the cops for better health, said        ial, Volunteering opportunity, door gym, space for meditation mental fitness and provide the ing young and fit officials, the DGP adding that the        details about the Hifazat dis- imum number of people in the also take an online pledge to and yoga, physiotherapy centre necessary interventions to where the raid under the Excise Physiotherapy centres will pro-      tricts events and an option for state and spread awareness mark their presence for ensur- and counselling room to pro- bring the required change in Act is to be conducted,” stated vide facilities to the cops, who  &  corporates to sponsor these regarding the need for sensiti- ing a bright future for the chil- vide counselling and appro- their overall health and well- Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan. are suffering from age related     &  activities. zation against Child Sexual dren,” said Jyoti Bainda, priate interventions to focus on being,” he said. In the first phase, an minor pain and aches in knees,  #    97- The idea behind making an Abuse. Chairperson, Haryana State the health and wellness for the The coming up of such amount of Rs 2.97 crores from joints, back etc. #     official website of the Hifazat We would urge people to Commission for Protection of cops. centers comes over four the Budget’s welfare head has The state ADGP (Welfare)   & & campaign is to reach the max- use the website’s services and Child Rights. For the purpose, the police months after the Punjab and already been given to 15 dis- V Neeraja said that instructions department has planned a week Haryana High Court had asked tricts, including Ludhiana and had been issued to all the  -  &   long health and wellness pro- the Punjab Police not to depute Amritsar’s Commissionerates Commissioners of Police (CPs)       &  #  &  $%    grams by health professionals, overweight police officials in of Police to establish HWCs, and Senior Superintendents of    including psychologists who investigation of cases involving the DGP said adding that Police (SSPs) to constitute a  &    will recommend physical exer- raids on bootleggers and drug majority of centres including in Committee with the SP head- cise, give advice regarding diet, peddlers. CP Amritsar and districts quarters and medical officer to   0    conduct counselling sessions to The High Court, taking Patiala, Tarn Taran, Mansa and identify cops, who require to bring necessary lifestyle cognizance of the cases where Pathankot are almost ready undergo health and wellness gram at least once a year, she changes. middle-aged, and even elderly and expected to get function- program. said.   -9"58 *":9 Parkash to make the proceed- member would have a multi- Besides, the Physiotherapy persons managed to run away al by mid March while con- The committee will also Meanwhile, the DGP has ings of the Punjab Vidhan purpose touchscreen panel in centres will provide facilities to from the police, had directed struction work at the remain- design and conduct monthly expressed hope that the HWCs unjab may soon become Sabha paperless under ‘Digital the House that shall provide the cops, who are suffering the police not to depute offi- ing centres are going on. Health and Wellness programs will be able to nudge the cops Pone of the first states to roll India’ on Friday. them to access all information from age related minor pain cials who failed to nab the He said that in the second as suitable to the cops besides in adapting to a healthy lifestyle out the National e-Vidhan Mahajan said that as some pertaining to the Vidhan and aches in knees, joints, accused at the spot during phase, funds will be disbursed ensuring all the Police person- and ensure early interventions Application (NeVA) involving approvals for the project are Sabha, including questions, back, etc. investigation even though the among the remaining districts, nel posted in a district get an in preventing various life-style computerization of the Vidhan being obtained, concurrently, answers, budget, speeches etc, Apart from that, the accused were either middle- Armed Police and Police opportunity to attend the pro- diseases. Sabha to ensure electronic the capacity building of exist- and enable them to participate delivery of information or data ing staff is being carried out, in an e-voting process. to the legislators and to inter- and the requisite professional The project would also act with the State Departments. staff is being deployed. create a facility of video con- 3    P  '      If all goes as per plan, the As per the Union Ministry ferencing and enable informa- proceedings of Punjab Vidhan of Parliamentary Affairs’ tion dissemination for the com-  , 67,  89*67    Sabha’s monsoon session would Secretary, Punjab is likely to be mon citizens through the pub- be held digitally and the entire among the first states to rollout lic portals. proceedings will be digitized. the NeVA — the Centre’s pro- This shall lead to e-inter- * ,  ,)     -9"58 *":9 to 3044. Of the 148 fresh cases, Meanwhile, union territo- “The whole process will ject to digitize and make the action and efficient communi- 29 were reported from ry of Chandigarh on Friday require 122 touch screen Vidhan Sabhas of all the states cation between the citizen and   -9"58 *":9 fication to that effect by a aryana recorded 148 fresh Gurugram, 30 from Karnal, 23 reported 69 fresh COVID-19 tablets, 40 computers, and and Union Territories of the their public representative for Registered Medical Hcoronavirus cases on from Kurukshetra and 21 from cases. With this, the active other equipments,” said the country paperless. Under the their grievance’s redressal. ith the prioritization as Practitioner. Friday, taking the infection Panchkula, the bulletin said. cases crossed 300-mark in the state Chief Secretary Vini project, the NeVA app and With a total project cost of Wguided by the National Sidhu said that to augment tally in the State to 2,70,411, a While there are 1103 active city. The total tally stood at Mahajan during a review meet- website will also be launched, Rs 12.31 crore, the project also Expert Group on Vaccine and simplify the process of reg- health department bulletin cases in Haryana, 2,66,264 21659 in the city while the ing with the Union Ministry of and a total of Rs 739 crore has envisages the setting up of a Administration for Covid-19 istration for vaccination, the said. One more Covid-19 death people have recovered from the active cases were 322, accord- Parliamentary Affairs’ been earmarked for the pur- NeVA Seva Kendra (NSK) for (NEGVAC), the next phase of Union Ministry of Health and was reported over the past 24 infection so far. The recovery ing to the Chandigarh Health Secretary Dr Rajinder S Shukla pose. e-Facilitation. vaccination is due for citizens Family Welfare is coming with hours, taking the total death toll rate is 98.47 percent. Department’s evening bulletin. and Joint Secretary Dr Satya Under this project, each of age appropriate categories, COWIN 2.0, based on the including initially the people feedback received during the above 60 years of age and implementation of the first those aged from 45 years to 60 phase of COVID-19 vaccina- years and have the co-mor- tion drive. bidities. “The citizens will be able to Punjab Health and Family register and book an appoint- Welfare Minister Balbir Singh ment for vaccination using the Sidhu on Friday said that sec- COWIN 2.0 portal or through ond phase of vaccination would other IT applications such as cover all such citizens that are ArogyaSetu etc,” he said. aged, or will attain the age of 45 The Minister said that as years to 59 years as on January per World Health 1, 2022, and have any of the Organisation, COVID-19 vac- specified co-morbidities, which cination is the single way out to have been recommended by deal with pandemic so that eli- NEGVAC and approved by gible beneficiaries have to take the Central Government from maximum benefit of this time to time, subject to certi- opportunity. 9   *      &   N)   */E/0O  -!   -9"58 *":9 Dhesi, Principal Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs aryana Chief Minister Department, Yogendra HManohar Lal Khattar on Chaudhary, Deputy Principal Friday said that the State Secretary to Chief Minister, Government will make all the Ashima Brar and other officers arrangements for successful were present in the meeting. completion of ‘Khelo India Giving a presentation relat- Youth Games-2021’. ed to Khelo India to the Chief Presiding over a meeting Minister, a team of officers with the officers of the Union from the Union Ministry of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Youth Affairs and Sports and Sports and Sports Authority of Sports Authority of India India, the Chief Minister said apprised that the respective that Khelo India Youth Games managers of the Games -2021 is a very prestigious inspected their respective competition, assuring that all venues as well as the infra- arrangements will be made by structure and equipment avail- the Haryana Government. able. A meeting of Competition Managers and Minister of State for Sports Competition Incharges was and Youth Affairs, Sandeep also held in regard to prepara- Singh, Chief Principal tions for the games in Secretary to Chief Minister, DS Panchkula. 9- &   #  # &  5 )

Chandigarh: The Punjab and been severely beaten up at a Haryana High Court granted police station after she was bail to labour rights activist arrested by the Sonipat police Naudeep Kaur on Friday in a on January 12. The police have case filed under attempt to denied the charge as “baseless”. murder and some other Kaur had also claimed that charges, more than six weeks she was falsely arraigned as after she was arrested in accused in an FIR lodged under Haryana’’s Sonipat for alleged- various sections, including 307 ly gheraoing an industrial unit (attempt to murder), of the and demanding money from Indian Penal Code (IPC). The the company. activist claimed she was tar- “The court accepted the geted and falsely implicated in bail application of Naudeep the case as she was successful Kaur. She has been granted bail in generating massive support by the high court,” her counsel for the ongoing farmers’ Arshdeep Singh Cheema said. movement against the Centre’’s In her bail plea, the 23-year-old three contentious farm laws. activist had claimed to have Agencies    !"#!$!%  #' "#$   &    ",            , ( , &     5 "  & 0    567 86.9 (  &  he Council of Scientific   567 86.9 tered this case as RC- Tand Industrial Research   567 86.9 03/2020/NIA/LKW on April (CSIR), India’s apex scientific he NIA has filed a supple- 6, 2020 and took up the research organisation, head he NIA on Friday filed a Tmentary chargesheet investigation. Shekhar Mande on Friday bat- Tchargesheet before Special against accused Rajakbhai Earlier, a chargesheet was samples were tested on ted for US based Pfizer and NIA Court here against 11 Kumbhar of Mundra, Gujarat filed against Rashid on July   567 86.9 Thursday. BioNtech’s Covid-19 vaccine members of Al Qaeda/AQIS in an espionage case of Uttar 16 last year for his role in A total of 1,56,825 deaths saying that he will try to “con- from West Bengal and Kerala Pradesh relating to passing on supplying sensitive, tactical resh Covid-19 cases are have been reported in the vince” the Government to ini- under various IPC Sections defence secrets to ISI opera- and strategically important Fshowing a worrying country so far, including tiate talks with the pharma and provisions of the Unlawful tives. information about vital upward trend over the past one 51,993 from Maharashtra, giant and find out ways to Activities Prevention Act. Kumbhar has been installations and movement week with India recording its 12,483 from Tamil Nadu, bring it back for vaccination of be stored at warmer tempera- However, on February 5, 2021 Those chargesheeted are charged for Indian Penal Code of Indian security forces to single-day increase of above 12,316 from Karnataka, 10,905 people in India. tures. the company decided to with- Murshid Hasan alias Sofiq, Sections relating to criminal his ISI handlers based in 16,000 for the second consec- from Delhi, 10,260 from West Not only Pfizer, he said, Earlier, the vaccine draw its application. Mosaraf Hoseen, Mainul conspiracy and waging war Pakistan. utive day on Friday. The infec- Bengal, 8,723 from Uttar the government should also required storage temperatures According to the minutes Mandal, Lea Yean Ahmed alias against Government of India “The chargesheeted tion tally rose to 1,10,63,491, Pradesh, and 7,168 from consider inviting Johnson & between -80ºC and -60ºC, of the meeting of the Subject Leion, Najmus Sakib, Iyakub besides provisions of the accused Rajakbhai Kumbhar while the recoveries have Andhra Pradesh. Johnson, Sputnik and which made the vaccine less Expert Committee (SEC), the Biswas, Samim Ansari, Abu Unlawful Activities was arrested on September 30 surged to 1,07,50,680. Meanwhile, the country Moderna to India and assert- viable for India. expert panel that recommends Sufian, Atiur Rahman, Al (Prevention) Act. last year. Further investigation According to data from the has so far since January 26, ed that India will need at least Also, the requirement of vaccines to India’s drug regu- Mamun Kamal and Abdul The case was initially had revealed that he had vis- Union Health Ministry on 2021, vaccinated 1,34,72,643 4 other vaccines to help finish multiple options of vaccine lator for approval, it had Momin Mandal. They have registered as FIR No. 01/2020 ited Pakistan twice on legal Friday, a total 16,577 infections healthcare and frontline work- immunisation drive faster. candidates in India will soon turned down Pfizer’s propos- been charged for criminal con- dated January 19, 2020 at documents. During his return were reported in a day, while ers. However, no vaccination Pfizer had applied for an go up as India Wednesday said al as the company did not spiracy, waging war against Police Station-ATS, Gomti in the course of second visit, the death toll increased to will take place on Saturday and emergency-use nod for its private hospitals could start show interest in conducting the nation, collecting arms Nagar, Lucknow in which Kumbhar had come in con- 1,56,825 with 120 new fatali- Sunday as the Centre will Covid vaccine in India, but vaccination now. ‘bridging trials’ in India. with intention to wage war accused Md. Rashid of tact with Pakistani ISI oper- ties. As per the data, the Union enable transition of CoWIN withdrew its application earli- “I am not aware of the “The firm has not pro- against the Government of Mughal Sarai, Chandoli, UP atives Hamid alias Asim and Territory of Lakshadweep has app from version 1.0 to 2.0 er this month. issues due to which Pfizer posed any plan to generate India besides provisions of UA was arrested on January 19, he had joined the conspiracy reported its first death. The 120 ahead of the commencement Mande’s comment comes had withdrawn the application safety and immunogenicity (P) A and Arms Act. 2020 for supplying sensitive with the co-accused. He new fatalities include 56 from of vaccination from March 1 in the backdrop of a study that but now the regulator and data in Indian population,” The instant case was regis- information, photos and transferred funds to accused Maharashtra, 14 from Kerala, for people above 60 years of said that a single dose of Pfizer company should try to find a the minutes read. tered following inputs about an videos of vital installations of Md. Rashid for the informa- 13 from Punjab. age and those above 45 years and BioNtech’s Covid-19 vac- middle way. Pfizer is per- However, Mande said he Al Qaeda inspired module strategic importance to ISI tion he had provided to the The number of active cases with comorbidities, said the cine cuts the number of forming very well in other would not like to comment on sprouting and operating in operatives based in Pakistan. ISI operatives in Pakistan,” the increased to 1,55,986, which Ministry. asymptomatic infections and countries,” he told a news why the company withdrew its West Bengal and Kerala under The NIA had re-regis- NIA said in a statement. accounts for 1.41 per cent of The vaccination will take could significantly reduce the agency. application. “I want both of the leadership of Murshid the total infections, the data place at around 10,000 gov- risk of transmission of the Pfizer was the first phar- them, the company and the Hasan alias Sofiq and that the Hasan along with his other and ammunition/explosive stated. The number of people ernment facilities which will be virus. In fact, Pfizer had also maceutical firm to apply for regulator to find a middle members of this module were associates conspired to radi- materials, radicalising and who have recuperated from the free of cost. However, at private announced earlier this week emergency-use authorisation way,” he said, according to the in an advanced stage of con- calise and recruit more indi- recruiting more members and disease surged to 1,07,50,680 hospitals, beneficiaries will that its Covid-19 vaccine can for its Covid vaccine in India. agency. spiracy to execute terrorist viduals into the terrorist organ- charting out the future course which translates into a nation- have to pay for vaccination. attacks in different parts of the isation Al Qaeda,” the NIA said of action including establishing al recovery rate of 97.17 per country. in a statement. a Markaz (a training centre for cent. The case fatality rate In synchronised raids con- The accused persons providing religious and stood at 1.42 per cent. !9"    & -0F &   !  G0 ducted on September 19, 2020 allegedly disseminated radical weapons training to new India’s Covid-19 tally had across West Bengal and Kerala, material through social media recruits). The accused persons crossed the 20-lakh mark on   567 86.9 fully overcome the pandem- nine alleged terrorists were and encrypted chat platforms were also in active communi- August 7; 30 lakh on August ic. arrested. Subsequently, two with an intention to radicalise cation with an arms dealer 23; 40 lakh on September 5; he Home Ministry on The States and Union more terror operatives were and recruit others for estab- through their foreign based and 50 lakh on September 16. TFriday said the existing Territories have also been arrested from West Bengal on lishing an Islamic State by handlers and were planning to It went past 60 lakh on Covid-19 guidelines will advised to speed up the vac- August 26, 2020 and waging violent jihad in India, receive a consignment of September 28; 70 lakh on remain in force till March 31. cination of the target November1, 2020. it said. sophisticated arms and ammu- October 11; 80 lakh on In a statement, the population so as to break the “Investigation has revealed Investigation has also nition in the national capital. October 29; 90 lakh on Ministry of Home Affairs chain of transmission and that Murshid Hasan alias Sofiq revealed that the group mem- “However, their nefarious November 20; and the one- (MHA) said while there has overcome the pandemic. was in touch with Al Qaeda bers planned to attack indi- plans were obviated by their crore mark on December 19. been a substantial decline in Accordingly, containment handlers based in Pakistan and viduals whom they consider timely arrest by NIA. The According to the Indian the active and new Covid-19 zones will continue to be Bangladesh and had received Kafirs. accused persons were plan- Council of Medical Research cases, there is need to main- demarcated carefully and instructions along with radical The group members had ning to attack among others, an (ICMR), 21,46,61,465 samples tain surveillance, contain- prescribed containment mea- propaganda material through conducted a series of conspir- India based Bangladeshi blog- have been tested up to ment and caution so as to sures will be strictly followed. encrypted social media plat- atorial meetings for raising ger for his views expressed on February 25, of which 8,31,807 forms from them. Murshid funds for the purchase of arms social media,” it added.    ,((( , ' A  # &   ." '      . (    567 86.9 free baggage allowance as well &   8  as “zero baggage/no check in lying within the country baggage fares,” the DGCA   5& 9 !    ' (  Fwithout any check-in bag- said in its circular. gage could soon get cheaper. Passengers will be charged The Directorate General of if they choose “no check-in   567 86.9 Civil Aviation has issued a cir- baggage” fare and turn up at cular, allowing airlines to give the airport with check-in lug- he Congress on Friday concessions in ticket prices to gage. “These applicable Tdemanded a judicial enquiry passengers who carry no bag- charges shall be reasonable; into the alleged suicide of Dadra gage or only cabin baggage. prominently displayed to the and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan The new rules will provide passenger at the time of book- Delkar in earlier this ( )   tickets for cheap for those pas- ing of ticket and also to be week and asked why the Centre    + sengers travelling with no printed on the ticket,” the had not acted when he repeat- ,    baggage or just cabin baggage. DGCA said. It also allowed edly raised the issue of “harass-   ,  However, the cabin bag- based on feedback received The move comes as an unbundling of other services ment” by the Union Territory’s -  ,    gage has to be within the from passengers. The DGCA effort to make flying more like preferential seating and administrator.      permissible weight limit. The said that “as part of airline affordable and accessible to said passengers should be The Opposition party        ).)" " services that will now be baggage policy, scheduled air- passengers. It is noted that charged if they opt them. claimed the seven-time MP,   .    chargeable on the opt-in basis lines will be allowed to offer domestic airlines have seen “On the basis of various who was found dead in a hotel include preferential seating, free baggage allowance as well 10-12 per cent drop in book- feedback received, it is felt that room, had named the adminis- nvestigation agencies CBI      meal or snacks or drinking as “zero baggage/no check-in ings as state governments many times these services trator, Praful Khoda Patel, and ever since he won the Lok Iand Enforcement Directorate   charges, sports equipment baggage fares”. have tightened measures to provided by the airlines may other officials of the union ter- Sabha elections in 2019 as an on Friday conducted joint raids charges, musical instrument This will be subject to the prevent the spread of Covid- not be required by the pas- ritory in his purported suicide independent candidate,” Khera at various places in West Bengal  .    carriage, fee for special decla- condition that the passenger 19 in the last two weeks. sengers while travelling. note. According to Congress said at AICC Press conference. in connection with the multi-       ration of valuable baggage ( booking ticket under such Under the new rule, if a Considering the fact that spokesperson Pawan Khera, “This is a set template of the crore coal pilferage scam, allow for higher unit on car- fare scheme is made aware of passenger declares s/he will be unbundling of services and Delkar had in the past written Government in power (at the sources in them said.    rier liability), charge for using the charges that shall be travelling with no check-in charges thereto has the letters to Prime Minister Centre). If you lose elections, CBI sources said its sleuths airline lounges. Currently, a applicable if the passenger baggage or only with cabin potential to make basic fare Narendra Modi, Home Minister you try and harass, you try and raided the official and resi- passenger can carry up to 7 turns up with the baggage for baggage within the more affordable and Amit Shah and other senior intimidate through agencies, dential premises of business- dering angle of the scam. kilograms of cabin baggage check in at the airline counter. permissible weight limit, air- provide consumer an option leaders, flagging the “harass- governors, lieutenant governors man Randhir Kumar Barnwal CBI has already examined and 15 kilograms of check-in These applicable charges shall lines can offer tickets at less- of paying for the services ment” he was facing at the and administrators. They try in Kolkata. Trinamool Congress MP baggage. be reasonable; prominently er prices. This declaration which he/she wishes to avail, hands of the administrator and and browbeat the person, try ED sources said the agency Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira In a circular, the DGCA displayed to the passenger at will have to be made at the it has been decided by the gov- other officials of Dadra and and control him or her. If they has started searches at for her alleged involvement in said the government has the time of booking of ticket time of the booking of the ernment to allow these ser- Nagra Haveli. agree with you (government), Durgapur and Asansol and the coal scam. Banerjee in the decided to unbundle certain and also to be printed on the ticket. “As part of airline bag- vices to be unbundled and “He (Delkar) had enumer- make them join you, if not then also in the city. nephew of Chief Minister services and make them ticket,” DGCA said in a cir- gage policy, scheduled air- charged separately on opt-in ated the manner in which he was these are the tragic results,” Both the agencies are con- Mamata Banerjee. chargeable on an opt-in basis cular. lines will be allowed to offer basis,” the DGCA added. being humiliated and harassed Khera alleged. currently probing the scam. It has also issued a look out While CBI is looking after notice against alleged kingpin 6-    G#        the criminal aspect of it, ED is Anup Majhi, alias Lala, who  P    delving into the money laun- has been absconding.  2 !   567 86.9 tions adequate CAPF (Central EC, in a communication Armed Police Forces) deploy-  '    ( ( P  ,'   ' ; ith the possibility of sent to chief electoral officers ment will be ensured for the Wlarge-scale violence, the of all all states and UTs on assembly polls, he said. & ( !(   Election Commission (EC) has February 8, directed that the The CEC Arora said that  567 86.9 chooses to face the inquiry. directed that the election secu- committee comprising state the CAPFs/SAP shall also be “You are walking on a rity plan of poll-going States be CEO, state police nodal officer deployed in the Expenditure he Supreme Court Friday very thin ice you can fall any jointly decided by a committee and CAPF coordinator, shall Sensitive Constituencies and Tsaid it cannot allow sexu- time. You may have a chance comprising the chief electoral periodically/ frequently meet other vulnerable areas and crit- al harassment cases to be in the inquiry they conduct officer, State police nodal offi- during the polls to monitor ical polling stations as per the “swept under the carpet” and you may acquitted,” the bench cer and state Central Armed deployment and ensure effec- assessment of ground realities asked a retired District Judge said, asking him to join the Police Forces (CAPF) coordi- tive and optimum utilisation of by the CEOs of Assam, Kerala, of Madhya Pradesh to face “in- inquiry. nator. According to officials, police and security forces. The Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and house departmental inquiry” for the former judge, that the The counsel for the former over 6,600 polling stations in committee will also oversee the Puducherry, in consultation instituted by the high court on woman judicial officer had judge then withdrew the West Bengal have been identi- arrangements made for the with the various stakeholders. the allegations levelled against withdrawn her earlier com- appeal against the high court’’s fied as ‘vulnerable’ and 715 crit- security forces within the poll- “All critical events will be him by a junior woman judi- plaint and had categorically order. ical ahead of the Assembly bound state. video-graphed. District cial officer. stated that she wanted “con- Earlier, the top court had elections while over 2,654 According to the Chief Election Officers will arrange  567 86.9 tronic toll plazas across the “We cannot allow sexual ciliation”. observed that “to flirt with a polling stations have been iden- Election Commissioner Sunil sufficient number of video and country, the Ministry of Road harassment cases to be swept In the proceedings con- junior official is not acceptable tified as ‘critical’ and 338 vul- Arora, all critical and vulner- digital cameras and camera he Supreme Court on Transport and Highways has under the carpet like this,” a ducted through video confer- conduct for a judge”. nerable in Assam. able areas have been identified teams for the purpose,” he TFriday refused to entertain said. bench headed by Chief Justice encing, the bench made clear It, however, had taken According to EC, the first and advance teams have been said. a plea challenging the Centre’s A three-judge Bench of S A Bobde said. that it is not going to interfere note of submission of such formal arrangement that already deployed across all Vulnerable polling stations decision to make FASTag Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice The Bench, also compris- with the Madhya Pradesh Balasubramanium that sexual will apply to all future polls, will four states and one union ter- have been identified on the mandatory for all the vehicles. Bopanna and Justice V ing justices A S Bopanna and High Court order of an harassment allegations were ensure randomisation of the ritory Puducherry going to the basis of several parameters The Government has made Ramasubramanian asked the V Ramasubramanian, rejected inquiry and said that as on levelled against the former state police and CAPF person- polls. “Also, webcasting which include a polling booth FASTag mandatory from petitioner to approach the vehement submissions of date the former judge stood judge only when he was in the nel, besides their optimum and arrangements will be in place that has recorded more than February 15 midnight and any Delhi High Court and granted senior lawyer R “convicted” and there may be zone consideration for eleva- effective utilisation in the inter- at polling stations in critical 90% polling is classified under vehicle not fitted with it will be the petitioner liberty to with- Balasubramanium, appearing a chance of his acquittal if he tion as a high court judge. est of free and fair and fair elec- and vulnerable areas, while vulnerable category. charged double the toll at elec- draw the plea.    !"#!$!%  #

) B  +  1A     &  C 5       . () ! ) %   %      : In what could be a dilem- izens. Though the groups owing alle- who is known as a BJP fellow trav- %   $            ma for the Kerala BJP, one of the giance to K Surendran, union min- eller said there was nothing shock-     # &      senior leaders of the party belonging ister V Muraleedharan and former ing in Baby John’s resignation.     # & &      !   *+  to the Christian community resigned party chief Krishnadas do not see eye “He belongs to the group of &  &     #  &  from all posts including the post of to eye on any issues, they are united migratory birds who came to nestle      &   &   !     )-9 Navigation Corporation for deep issue, dear to all Hindus in the general secretary of the minority against their hatred for Christians in the BJP on the recommendation &    &     *# sea fishing. Similarly, the ongo- State,” said Rajan. wing of the party on Friday. and Muslims. I am disappointed that of a cartel led by bishops and arch 8  "  s kick-off began for the ing agitation by rank holders of N Prasanth, the managing Baby John, former RSP leader I joined a party like this and devot- bishops. The BJP leadership’s failure 7     /EEE &     AApril 6 Assembly polls in the Kerala Public Service director of KSINC, who has who joined the BJP in 2011 and was ed my life for them,” said Baby John. to thoroughly scan the people who     & #   *8" 5  *8"   Kerala on Friday, poll observers Commission for appointment been alleged by the chief min- elevated to the position of the minor- He said he is likely to cast his lot come in search of greener pastures &  &  &  "  -  & in the State are of the view that in Government service and the ister and J Mercykutty, the fish- ity wing general secretary told The with the CPI(M) in coming days. “As is the root cause of this phenomenon. ,    *# 8  the Congress-led United goofing up of the way the eries minister, of signing the deal Pioneer that his elevation in the party a school student I was a member of The BJP leaders in Kerala should "            0EE Democratic Front (UDF) has a administration treated the job with the US company for deep was because of his organisational and the SFI, the student wing of the work together and appoint only       # *8" @    )   slight edge over the CPI(M)-led seekers too will play a significant sea fishing, created a sensation mobilising capabilities. “But of late CPI(M) and hence there is nothing people with credentials to various )         9& -   Left Democratic Front. role in coming days,” said Rajan. when he warned all that he I understood that the Kerala BJP is new in my regards for that party,” wings of the party ,” said Prof &     &  &  -  &  Veteran scribe and author P He said he does not expect would not take it lying down. “I a divided house with so many groups said Baby John. Sebastian who is one of the pioneers /E/E #   &        Rajan, who led Mathrubhumi a sweep by the UDF which was will disclose all details associat- and sub-groups. The minorities But Prof Stanly Sebastain, an who alerted the Kerala Government     -  &  /E0E     daily’s editorial team for four witnessed during the Lok Sabha ed with the signing of the MoU always are treated as second-class cit- educationist-turned-entrepreneur, about Love Jihad in the State. PNS !&  /E/E decades and continues writing election. The UDF had won all at the right time,” he had told and commenting on political but one seat in the 20 Lok reporters on Friday. and social issues, is of the view Sabha constituencies from the Hari Kartha, senior scribe that events in the last one week State. “The situation has changed and commentator, is of the view 2 ,     (   6    3   6 witnessed by the State have cast because the minorities which that Wednesday night’s murder an uncertainty over the poll voted en masse for the Congress of RSS leader Nandhu by SDPI  *    prospects of the LDF. hoping that the party would activists at Alapuuzha has upset -  )     . “Chief Minister Pinarayi regain the power which it lost in Hindus all over the State. “What Panaji: The Goa Education 44"5$#6(" #"5$5 Vijayan himself had to announce 2014 have understood that the I understand is that though the Department on Friday banned ''$54("5"8 the cancellation of the MoU Grand Old Party is no more the police was presemt in the spot, students from driving two- Bengaluru: The day-long strike Bengaluru -- both up and 200 per cent of the tax value, or $4 ("# #("' signed with the US based same entity. The CPI(M) has they did not do anything to save wheelers to school. in support of the Bharat down -- were off the roads. “We 100 percent of the invoice EMCC, a dubious company and said that it made a mistake in the victim from the attack,” he According to an order "#9 5-(5 '"# Bandh-call given by the CAIT did not disturb supply of daily value under Section 129 of the Kerala Shipping and Inland handling the Sabarimala temple said. issued by Director of #$ ###6'4"" on Friday in protest against the essential commodities like CGST Act, 2017,” he explained. Education Santosh Amonkar, '($#('85"$5#6"# rising fuel prices among others, milk, medicine and fruits and According to him, a lorry the reason behind banning (";5''('85" was largely successful as major- vegetables, but our strike was owner in the changed tax and !1  )  #20 - &    & school students from driving 4"< #('"8549'' ity of trucks and goods-carry- largely successful,” he said. fuel regime was forced to shell on two-wheelers stems from $5#6'($#(' ing vehicles did not ply on He also told reporters that out around Rs 1,000 extra just -    % 3 complaints of reckless dri- highways across the State. transporters across the country to pass from Nelamnagala to  &     ( ving by students. Teachers Associations, while The Karnataka State Lorry have been using the latest Attibele, which is around 35   .   4   “It is informed that many also urging them to ensure Owners and Agents amendment in the GST laws, km.  !!  2  567 86.9 students are seen using two that no student should drive Association (KSLO&AA) came which has halved the validity of “This is a classic case how !#       wheelers and riding in a reck- two wheelers to the school out in full support of the Bharat the E-way bill, a permit asso- cost has become unmanageable ongress is all set to initiate a dialogue process less manner violating traffic campus. Bandh-call given by the ciated with the inter-state and to transporters. Therefore, both  / #  &   Cat grassroot level in the main Hindi heartland rules,” Amonkar said in his “It is once again enjoined Confederation of All India intra-state movement of goods, union government and state of Uttar Pradesh while it prepares to reap bene- order. upon all heads of institutions Traders to protest against the from 100 km per day, to 200 governments need to be more  %    !(!1" fits ahead of the assembly elections next year under Amonkar has also urged to address this issue in PTA rising fuel prices, Goods and km per day. sympathetic towards us and the leadership of party general secretary Priyanka heads of all educational insti- meeting and ensure that no Services Tax, E-Bill etc. “Penalties for a truck car- must agree to roll back their aving established that SUV that lay aban- Gandhi. To being with the manifes to commit- tutions to address the issue of students will drive two wheel- KSLO&AA President GR rying a consignment with an back breaking taxes, toll Hdoned near Industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s tee of the grand old party will visit Bahraich this reckless driving by students ers to the schools,” the order Shanmugappa said that around expired E-way bill, or with an charges and fuel prices,” he skyscraper mansion “Antilia” in south Mumbai weekend to get people's feedback to formulate a with their respective Parents states. 75,000 trucks that operate in erroneous E-way bill amount to appealed. IANS on Thursday evening was a stolen car and the `people’s manifesto’. gelatin sticks found in it were manufactured in In this regard the members of the manifesto a Nagpur facility, the crime branch sleuths of committee for Uttar Pradesh polls met on the Mumbai police on Friday launched a man- Thursday in the presence of Priyanka, who also 7 )   hunt for two unidentified culprits behind the is general secretary in-charge of the state to brain- sensational plot. storm how to take on the might of incumbent gov- A day after the 20 gelatin sticks and a let- ernment led by Yogi Adityanath and overall the ter were recovered from a Scorpio that was prevailing charisma of Prime Minister Narendra R 6  &9:'' found abandoned in the vicinity of Mukesh Modi. Ambani’s 27-storey residence “Antilia” on In the present UP assembly of 403 seats, BJP Carmichael Road in south Mumbai, the is 312 while Congress is just seven while other two %  6  Gamdevi police registered an FIR in the case, big regional players, Samajwadi Party and BSP while the Mumbai Crime Branch sleuths land- who have ruled back to back in the State has been ed “strong leads” in their investigations in the downsized to 49 and 19 respectively. The last best Bengaluru: The Karnataka  ;  " case.The two early leads that the investigations of the Congress in UP was in 1980 at 309 seats Government on Friday signed 1     found in the case were: the SUV – a Scorpio - followed by 269 in 1985. an agreement with Cognizant  )3   used in the crime had been stolen from Vikroli According to the grand old party think thanks, Technology Solutions India %$ )  -   in north-east Mumbai and e the gelatin sticks while the country witness large scale unemploy- Pvt Ltd and Rotary Club   )  -  found in the car were manufactured at Nagpur- ment, poor economy and highest ever inflation Whitefield to provide 12,500 based firm M/s Solar Explosives Ltd. besides several restlessness in all spheres across de-bonded desktop computers    .  Informed sources in the Mumbai police said the country, Modi and BJP still remains popular to the first-grade government      6  that the Scorpio used in the crime had been and common man issues have been eclipsed by colleges in the state as part of  --   stolen from a service road near the Vikhroli this. the 'Help Educate' initiative,   -    Airoli junction. The owner of the car has told AICC sources said the leaders under the chair- Deputy Chief Minister C.N.   - .   -  the police that his car broke down near Vikhroli manship of former Union Minister Salman Ashwath Narayana said. Airoli junction while he was on his way from Khurshid deliberated to prepare a “people's man- This initiative is part of the        Thane to Mumbai. The owner parked the car ifesto” and on strategise for the elections right from 0 )  2*"    (   ,      ( ( 03"*#+  Karnataka Learning    %6   on the wayside of the road. On the following now onwards. Besides Khurshid, who is party's ),   !" Management System afternoon, when he returned to take the car for UP manifesto committee chief, Congress (Karnataka LMS) based digital care of transportation and repairs, he found the vehicle was missing. He spokesperson Supriya Shrinate were among those learning. The Karnataka LMS installation of the desktops in lodged a complaint with the Vikhroli police. present in the meeting. "   &  initiative is aimed at training the respective colleges. After the theft of the SUV, the miscreants Ahead of the Assembly elections in the State , -   around 24,000 teachers and 4.5 The Deputy CM explained damaged the chassis plate and tried to make the next year, Priyanka has stepped up her efforts to F>   - lakh students of 430 govern- that the initiative's prime objec- number illegible. However, the police retrieved revive the party in the politically crucial State ment first grade colleges, 87 tive is to facilitate the govern- the chassis number and identified the owner. where the party has been struggling to make a      ( government polytechnics and ment first grade colleges with In one of the multiple CCTV footages from presence in the past three decades. In recent days,     14 government engineering computers and make a differ- the area around the crime spot showed the sus- Priyanka has been attending and addressing kisan Lucknow: The Yogi should be taken to make colleges. ence in the learning of students, pect who parked the car at the site, but he has mahapanchayats to connect with farmers protest-   HHF  Adityanath Government in women economically inde- Addressing reporters after most of whom hail from a not been identified as yet as he sported a mask ing against the new farm laws for three months Uttar Pradesh will launch a spe- pendent so that the benefits of Cognizant Technology and socio-economically margin- on his face and had covered his head with a now. ,  <&   cial Covid-19 vaccination drive government-run schemes can Rotary Club signed an agree- alised background. hoodie that he wore. She also went to Rampur to condole death of for women above the age of 60 be made available to women on ment with the Department of “These 12,500 desktop The seized car has meanwhile been sent for a farmer who had died during the January 26 trac-  )   years on the occasion of priority.”He also directed the Collegiate Education and computers will be distributed a forensic analysis tor rally violence, and last week she addressed farm-  )    International Women's Day on officers to pay special attention Technical Education (DCTE) among all the government first The purported threat letter -- written in bro- ers at Mathura and also visited the Vrindavan tem- March 8. to the programmes run under here, Narayana, who also holds grade colleges to establish com- ken English and Hindi – that was recovered ple and before that she took also a holy dip at =& 6  This was announced by the Mission Shakti campaign. the Higher Education portfo- puter laboratories for the use of from the seized SUV was addressed to “Nita Sangam in Prayagraj. She is scheduled to visit       additional chief secretary ACS Home also lio, said, “The 'Help Educate' the students,” he said. Bhabhi aur Mukesh bhyya aur femili”. The cul- Varanasi on Saturday to attend Guru Ravidas (ACS) home, Avanish Kumar announced that the state gov- initiative is aimed at partnering Narayana said that the gov- prits said that what they were witnessing was Maharaj birth anniversary. Awasthi on Friday during a ernment will facilitate women with MNCs and philan- ernment colleges need at least a mere “trailer”. ‘“Be alert. We have made all “She has been frequenting the State and is Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh high-level meeting with of UP entrepreneurs on March 10 in thropists to educate and train 30,000 computers, but under arrangements to blow up the entire Ambani focusing only that State ever since she came into registered 96 new Covid cases Women's Commission chair- Lucknow. students, train professors in this initiative, 12,500 comput- family”, the letter read. full active politics. People of the state, particular- on Friday, increasing the person Vimala Batham. “The invitees will be hon- modern methodology through ers are being provided. “An FIR has been registered and investiga- ly the oppressed and downtrodden are looking state's tally over 8.89 lakh, The official, during the oured, and the participants faculty development pro- “This contribution is val- tions were in progress,” deputy commissioner towards her as a ray of hope in the same fashion even as 71 more persons meeting with Women's will be informed about the grammes and digital teaching ued about Rs 50 crore and will of police (operations) and Mumbai Police the State loved her grandmother former PM Indira recovered from the virus in Commission chairperson, dis- efforts and success made by and also equip the government help fill the digital divide of the spokesperson S Chaitanya said.Chaitanya, how- Gandhi,” said a senior Congress leader who is close- the past 24 hours. cussed measures to provide a women entrepreneurs. Efforts colleges with digital assets in students studying in govern- ever, declined to comment on the contents of ly associated to Team Priyanka with the sole agen- Chittoor district report- safer environment to women, will also be made to motivate order to adopt digital learning ment colleges,” Narayana said, the letter, saying: he said: “I cannot comment da to win back the confidence in the State which ed the highest number of strengthening the peace, effec- women working in various which is both a recent trend as he hoped that many more on the letter. It is part of the investigations. We sends the maximum number of Lok Sabha MPs. cases at 22, followed by tively curbing crime and pro- institutions of Lucknow district and also a necessity of times.” MNCs would come forward to have got some leads, we are working on it”. Last week the grand old party’s electoral foot- Guntur (17), Krishna and viding cent percent benefit of in the programme,” he said. He added that Cognizant contribute to this initiative. Having confirmed that the gelatine sticks print shrunk further with the fall of its govern- Nellore (9 each), East government-run schemes UP Women's Commission India will provide 12,500 de- Launched in November found in the car were manufactured at a ment in Puducherry. The party is now left on its Godavari (7), Kadapa and under the state government's chairperson Vimla Batham said bonded desktop computers, last year, the Karnataka LMS is Nagpur-based firm, the investigators have own only in Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Anantapur (6 each). Mission Shakti campaign. a work-plan would be pre- while the Rotary Club has a comprehensive system which sought the details of sale of the seized gelatin while as coalition in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Among other places, Awasthi said, “As per direc- pared by the commission for come forward to instal aims to empower teachers, sticks “Since only packets and not the individ- Crucial states like Madhya Pradesh which the Visakhapatnam (5), tives from chief minister Yogi the empowerment of women Windows operating system enrich students and bridge the ual sticks are bar-coded, it will take us time to party won over after long stint was lost due to acute Srikakulam, Vizianagaram Adityanath, effective action through Mission Shakti. IANS and Office 365 besides taking digital divide. IANS confirm who bought it or whether these were internal squabbling and similar situation prevailed and West Godavari (4 each) also stolen,” a senior police officer said., in another state Rajasthan. and Kurnool (3). However, no infection was recorded in Prakasam district in the past 24 hours  " / 2<7<# (  -= while Chittoor has been log- ging the highest number of !   A"!!( The Prime Minister said that winter games in cases for some days already. Jammu & Kashmir would help in developing a new East Godavari's tally he scenic resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam in sporting ecosystem and would instill new spirit and crossed 1.24 lakh, the high- TKashmir valley are witnessing huge rush of enthusiasm in the tourism sector in Jammu & est among all Andhra dis- tourists and adventure sport lovers who are flock- Kashmir. tricts, while the state's posi- ing there to participate in the ongoing winter car- Experience from this winter games would help tivity rate fell to 6.41 per cent, nival and sporting events. the players while participating in the Winter which is still higher than the On Friday Prime Minister Narendra Modi Olympics, said the PM. national average of 5.15 per delivered the inaugural address at 2nd edition of With two Khelo India Centres of Excellence cent. Khelo India National Winter Games-2021 through and Khelo India Centres in all 20 districts com- Surprisingly, the state's virtual mode. ing up in J&K, the UT would become the centre active coronavirus cases Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha and Union of sporting excellence, he added. climbed back over 600 to Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports, Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant reach 635. Kiren Rijiju also addressed the huge gathering dur- Governor, Manoj Sinha called upon the partici- Meanwhile, one more ing the inaugural ceremony of the mega event. pating sportspersons to spread the message of fatality occurred due to the From February 26 to March 02, 2021, more than Peace, Unity, Goodwill, Love and Empowerment. virus in the past 24 hours, 600 Athletes from all over the country are par- Let us share this experience of unifying power raising the total number of ticipating in different winter-sports disciplines of sports with the world, remarked the Lt deaths to 7,169. including Alpine Skiing, Nordic Ski, Governor. Gulmarg has been acknowledged as a With 71 more recoveries, Snowboarding, Snow Mountaineering, Ice Hockey, promising Winter-sports destination in the total recoveries crossed 8.81 Ice Skating, Ice Stock and Snow Shoe. International circuit. Khelo India Winter Games lakh in the southern state. In his address, the Prime Minister observed is not merely an event, it is a mission to bring With as many as 34,778 that the second edition of Khelo India Winter together the youth from all over the country and more tests, total Covid tests Games is a major step towards making Jammu and showcase our sporting talent to the world, in Andhra Pradesh crossed .     ) - 1  ( >'  (     2    -!    , ,, & (      Kashmir a hub of the Winter Games. observed the Lt Governor. 1.38 crore mark. IANS ,      (     , ( ),   !"    !"#!$!% #/

"# "$ #<   ; 8    & <  < -./0+1  -    )   !,  7 )  R       ?   -            -. @  -    '( )0(1   (     S          (                        #                      )  "      *         &   # & (   (                      +  7878        %  S          #           #                    ( t is not good form to write                       columns in the first person       <  O          but since this column talks of        O               a personal experience, I will beI writing it as such. The expe-       @ (# (# 0@##1   rience in question was catching a )            flight for the first time in 350 days.          )  6( Part of my work involves evalu-           ( ating and reviewing motor vehi-               C  cles and that invariably involves a lot of travel, although the            0    COVID-19 pandemic ensured  788D   3 )   <  6  that the few drives we did in 2020  !     # 1  all occurred in the Delhi-NCR              and were fairly well-managed.             @##  ( Car companies don’t do events in places like Goa because of the sun         O P  ( and sand or because folks like me    Q       )  enjoy flying, there are hundreds        O        of decent hotel properties in Goa         *E      78=>    and the State is connected by flight to almost every major city !   *E                in India. So, to do a media drive # P    Q                ( in Goa makes immense sense; in                    fact it is probably cheaper than                  #     # organising individual drives in We have all heard the term, to deal with the virus. What had travelled to the party different cities and is definitely the “new normal”, things like else could explain the low State to leave their    *  S                 P  ( logistically easier. working from home, fewer death toll in India, many parts Coronavirus worries behind.     Q       S        I had promised myself that people commuting and the of sub-Saharan Africa and ‘Thalassa’ on Vagator beach  3 7F    !  G              S ( I would not fly in 2020, even after need for hygiene. But other South-East Asia? One could was packed to the rafters and            @##        flights resumed and a few isolat- than everyone wearing face argue that the “true” death toll nobody appeared to care. ed automotive events took place. masks and the Central has been suppressed but there With the Goa airport see-        # "     A   %      ( But as the new year rolled Industrial Security Force is no way to hide hundreds of ing flights from every corner                      H C  around and the first events (CISF) staff wearing shields thousands of deaths; people of the country even if some    7>                 ( began to be planned, one could and attaching a handle to their would be talking about it, States ask for the returnees to                     E S not put off travel much longer. metal detector “wands”, flying and that clearly isn’t the case. be tested, the crowds at restau- After all, working in a newspa- in 2021 was not very different That said, we should still be rants and bars were back to  <    %                per, I had been reading first- from flying in 2019 and before. 9" ," 8 76 careful, particularly since there pre-COVID levels, just that   <                 hand how the Government has Though I did sanitise my ,9(.8 , .. 16 is in all likelihood a more vir- they were almost completely                         more or less brought the pan- hands after going through ulent strain doing the rounds. Indian with very few foreign-                 @       demic in check. Of course, by the security which I feel is the -":6(. It may (or may not) be more ers. That said, there were some time I did eventually fly that had biggest congregation point of ": -(.":. deadly, but it would be stupid expats around; those who had                       actually changed a bit with the the entire flying process, it felt to find that out the hard way. business and diplomatic visas new strain emerging in the same as before. I must state, , 5-6 96:6 , 5 I was flying on Vistara and and they were praising the Maharashtra. However, my tick- at no point did I feel unsafe and ".. . )6. 98 " while mask compliance was Government and Indians for 0%&' ets were booked and I was tak- while I would not go as far as followed, the flight was packed taking such a “Zen” attitude to ing a flight after 350 days. to claim that there was a lais- !:6 @ :(.65 with families travelling to Goa the pandemic. A drive that once seemed like sez faire attitude, you really , :" 5 8 5* 96 to get away from the boredom, It was really incredible. a weekly commute to Terminal would not have guessed that one presumes. Some passen- Either people were not worried 3 from my house appeared there was a pandemic going on. :(58, !" gers stuck in the middle seats or they had reverted to their strange, not least because this was Now part of this can be 2: !" 5 3 16 were covered in their woven- usual “dekha jayega” (we will my first time in a taxi after almost explained by India’s caseload, fibre protective suits and most see) attitude. Or maybe this a year. Traffic to and from the air- something that was well !:6 86"8. 1( people kept their face-shields was another example of Goan port seemed normal and the few explained by oncologist and 7(.8 16 on during the flight. “susegad”, the chilled-out laid- jams were more to do with the award-winning medical writer But it was not so much the back attitude. I still don’t know construction of the new flyover Siddhartha Mukherjee in The , ( 8   58 flying experience, but what I whether it is the attitude to taxiways. Since my flight was in New Yorker recently. It eluci- 9" ( 96 saw in Goa which was scary. adopt, but being constantly the afternoon, there was less dated on the concept that 9":8 7" My hosts had organised din- stressed about the virus is chaos at the drop-off area. because we live in India and ner at a popular nightspot and clearly not the way to be. But Airlines are running at a restrict- have been exposed to so many it was crowded. There were the “new normal” doesn’t real- ed domestic schedule at about pathogens before, maybe we few precautions being taken ly seem very different from the three-quarters capacity and with had been exposed to a “rela- and while the bouncers were “old normal”. very few international flights, tive” of the COVID-19 virus taking temperatures using an (The author is Managing India’s largest airport terminal did and that gave our bodies the infra-red scanner, it was quite Editor, The Pioneer. The views not feel crowded. B-cells and the T-cells needed evident that the public at large expressed are personal.)

.    ,    (   (  1    (  ,    ((1 () (( .0()1 SOUNDBITE

            # Sir — This refers to the editorial ‘Slip of   !"#$"%#     )   the tongue?’ (February 26). Congress   &       - !   *+        leader Rahul Gandhi has yet again proved    , C   "         ,   )     6    > that he is suitable for politics and can  !J         &     5 make the BJP and its leaders uncomfort-  &#        5"   #     ,    -      .> able. The BJP leaders, including the top                K   5"      brass, fear the popularity that Rahul         #      )  *      + !     P enjoys among people and miss no oppor- 7         &   5#'(5   Q .          (  (( tunity to project the Gandhi scion in bad   !    #     K 5    ! light or poke fun at him.  +             / $       !#O 1 #    They know that only he can change 7         0/$1                  ( :      political equations and has the ability to       ,       &                  +2   lead the country. On the other hand, 5 !#O 8  , 1 & O ! &&   /$S + )         ! knowingly or otherwise, Rahul makes         # &   -  ,   - O !"     & such statements or speeches which give    &  !    -#  , !O -" ,      3  $          good fodder to the BJP to keep attacking " # $  /$ %           !  5    !        1--    +#   &  # him, his family and also the Congress.  &             -  "    , 1   9   &                 Attacking Rahul gives the ruling party an !  O     &                   '' # 5'$#(           /$ $ S  opportunity to cover up its own failures.     !               # K@          "     All the BJP leaders talk about 70 years of #      A  5  &        !   9                ( Congress rule alleging that the ‘Grand Old   *  :+ *       6               "     Party’ did nothing for the nation but        /$S 43$(  %    $S         #              rather looted it. However, they fail to &         5    !  5 $         *  %        count the achievements of the Congress  & #    #    )  *  5       against which the seven years of the BJP’s +       S         rule stand nowhere. not receive a fair trial in India. With this, ually harassing her. This is what happens &        # Fuel prices are at an all-time high, the             Nirav lost his nearly two-year-long legal when officers are promoted to senior    economy is at all-time low, unemployment battle against extradition on all grounds. positions, particularly in the police 4("5             rates are high and there are no jobs in the The 49-year-old fugitive businessman department, without taking into account K"            43$ +2 6  Government sector. The Modi has been repeatedly denied bail due to the their past records but rather on various !  7889                Government is doing rampant privatisation seriousness of the allegations against other considerations. It is also unwarrant-     6(:;   #         :88       to benefit its corporate friends and is least him and remains behind bars in a London ed that posts such as Special DGP are cre-       concerned about the plight of the poor and      "    *4<    78=> prison since his arrest in March 2019. It ated with the intention of accommodat-     & the have-nots. Only a Government under will also set an example for other crimi- ing blue-eyed officers.     !     43$S + +2  !   +2S    Rahul’s leadership can save the nation and nals who flee the country after commit- Suspension would not be sufficient        *    $   % ?      %    $ put the economy back on tracks. ting financial and other crimes and think in his case and he should be summarily       !      .             N Nagarajan | Secunderabad they can get away with it. Such criminals dismissed from service as the female IPS         officer has come forward to lodge a com- # /$ $      P  ( Q                and fugitives can afford big lawyers, but              @   P  ( Q 2 they must remember that law is above all plaint against him. 549(5 Sir — There is finally the good news that and it’s not easy to hide or escape its long It is expected that the panel to probe K 

      ?      )      ( fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, hands. All fugitives should be extradited the harassment charge would do a fair job   P   Q      P        wanted in India on charges of fraud and and punished as per the law of India. and submit its final report in record time.   /E0F  Q      #                 money laundering in Punjab National CK Ramani | Chennai If women police officers are not safe and  "   2 "3     $          /$ $  4   Bank (PNB) scam case, will be extradit- are vulnerable to such crimes at the hands      ed from the UK. Mumbai’s Arthur Road      A #  ((  (          of their own colleagues, the plight of com-     jail has kept a special cell ready to lodge Sir — It is really shocking that Rajesh Das, mon women is not hard to understand.                             him. It is like a win-win situation for the the Special Director General of Police, Tharcius S Fernando | Chennai  O  &                          Indian Government and authorities. Tamil Nadu, has turned out to be a black    L5 M                        Further, the UK judge ruled that there is sheep as he is accused of misbehaving   , & ; #"#"#'(5               "  no evidence to suggest that Nirav would with a female IPS officer on duty and sex- ((5'("<"#5=6 &4" K" ,    !"#!$!% #2

"# "$ #<   ; 8    & <  < FIRSTCOLUMN   -    -    )(/-)(/+1 ,(-)./- -0() -//+/(12- )    -1 -1        &  &     # #   &  -  #      )                  7 )              )      -       

he recent havoc in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand — where a large part of the TNanda Devi glacier fell into the Alaknanda stream near Joshimath and caused severe flood- *+) -1 ing that resulted in the hydropower projects of Rishi     .  G   A P    Ganga and NTPC Tapovan Vishnugad plus many      (       78   I8    buildings being destroyed and scores of people  being killed — has raised the pertinent question:               (    (        Q #     Is this development or the destruction of the envi-           C 0C1   ( ronment and people? The Chamoli incident has brought back the traumatic memories of the June       =9           2013 tragedy when the Mandakini river was sud-                 ( denly flooded after a cloudburst and the flow of  #      <       =7    water killed more than 5,000 people and left mil-  =>:;  ;D     78==         ( lions stranded in floodwater for days. The fact     %             remains that though Uttarakhand is blessed with <  79;F               78==  ( natural beauty and invaluable resources such as  )  *             dense forests, rivers and mountains, it has a very fragile ecosystem. Hence, the State is prone to nat-          G      ural disasters. An earthquake of the magnitude 6.8 6@65  96 C $ 0 C$1 =>IF   2  +   on the Richter scale hit the district of Uttarkashi *@6:5!65 0 2+1           (     in 1991, killing hundreds of people and destroy- -( ,     =9(D9      (   ) "    ing thousands of houses. Another earthquake in *:6659(,6 ) 4  $      +  78=I 1999 in Chamoli killed hundreds, too. The entire *", 6! ,, 5, 5 Malpa village of Pithoragarh was devastated by a "--:8"5-6 massive landslide in 1999 and 250 people lost their 7 9 96 ": , lives. -. !" 6 Though earthquakes, cloudbursts, landslides, "*:66!65  massive avalanches and other natural disasters have 56 9 :8  96 been a part of natural processes in Uttarakhand *."- 6:,  96 of experts. Magsaysay Award win- these roads pass through an environ- abide by environmental norms. for centuries, the increase in their frequency and 9 !".""5 "58 ner Chandi Prasad said that he had mentally-sensitive zone. The con- However, the Government seems to depth of intensity is due to human activities. The 9 58( )(,9 written a letter to the then struction of this 900 km stretch was be in no mood to hear the alarm natives of Uttarakhand are acutely aware and have !(5 " 5 Environment Minister in 2010 done by dividing it into 53 small sec- bells as the Central Government is widespread knowledge about the fragility and eco- :"5*6, warning about the adverse effects of tions. planning to relax environmental sensitivity of their environment. For centuries they hydropower project on Rishi Ganga. The Environmental Impact standards for Mopa Airport in Goa,                 have lived in harmony with the environment, but 7 .. !6. 1 96 His worst fears were realised in 2021. Assessment Department’s permis- sand mining in Uttar Pradesh,     ;FD   (    9DI     now, this stability is being threatened by indiscrim- 658  96 He claimed that if his warning had sion has to be sought to construct Sterlite Copper in Tamil Nadu and          A 4        inate development and flagrant violation of envi- /0, -65 (: been heeded in 2010, the catastro- more than 100 km of a road that is construction activities in and around       <   ( ronmental rules. They have been trying to save their 965-6 (:*65 phe would have been prevented. passing through environmentally Delhi, which have been blocked by State for a long time. "- 5 5668,  Rising temperatures are melting sensitive areas. This road’s width is the Supreme Court and the National     %              16 ")65 ,56:               As early as June 1950, Mira Behn, an environ- the glaciers rapidly and, according being kept at 12 metres, for which Green Tribunal. Meanwhile, the mental activist of Garhwal, published an article ", 5" (:". to a report by the International land with a width of 24 metres NITI Aayog — the Government’s      (         $  +  3  titled ‘Something is wrong in the Himalayas’ doc- 8 ,", 6:, ":6 Centre for Integrated Mountain would be required. Significantly, apex think tank — has commis- J 5                  umenting that the flash floods in Uttarakhand are . )6.  Development (ICIMOD), this melt- most European countries have kept sioned a study that seeks to exam-       (              bound to wreak havoc as the sensitivity of the envi- 5-:6",6 7 9 ing doubled between 1980-2005. the width of their roads in the ine the “unintended economic con-   #                ronment is being overlooked during the econom- 6!6:" (:6 Even if the Government cuts green- mountains to eight metres. sequences” of judicial decisions that  C           C$ 7878 #    ( ic development process. Later, she also wrote to : ,6 house gas (GHG) emissions in In the aftermath of the February have hindered and stalled big pro-          *  C !    Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on the issue. It is per- accordance with the Paris Climate 7 catastrophe, Prime Minister jects on environmental pretexts.  #  0 *C!#1      A G ( tinent to note that the site of the recent mishap is Agreement, one-third of the glaci- Narendra Modi had said that the If mountainous areas of the the cradle of the Chipko Movement that was ini- ers of the Himalayan and Hindu country stands by Uttarakhand. He country, including Uttarakhand and     K     0     ( tiated to save trees from commercial lumber firms. Kush mountain ranges will melt by also announced financial assistance their people, are to be saved, then it                 The first protest occurred near the village of Mandal the end of the 21st century. Hence, to the families of the victims. But is incumbent upon the Central      1K     K  ( in the upper Alaknanda valley in April 1973. Alas, urgent action needs to be taken such promises and financial aid are Government not to carry out devel-     0     ( governments past and present have neither listened sooner as natural disasters are like- of no use for Uttarakhandis as con- opment work in these areas without                   to the cries of locals and environmental activists ly to increase with temperature tinuous negligence of environmen- seeking the opinions of geologists          1 nor learnt any lessons from the tragedy of 2013. rise. tal regulations by successive govern- and the locals. # C$(7878         %   Still, more than 50 hydroelectric projects are under- An increase in natural disasters ments has led to repeated natural The Government should imme- way on the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers, even in India is a result of climate change, disasters. A few lakhs in assistance diately ban unsustainable develop-   C            though a committee of experts warned that such but an increase in their impact is due from the Centre and State won’t help ment projects in the hilly regions, be                  =88 projects were a threat to the State and its frail ecol- to overexploitation of natural people rebuild their houses or bring it the Char Dham route or       #           ) ogy. resources. The Centre and State back their loved ones. To prevent hydropower projects. If this does not    % 0)%1 :F   /   %     In fact, Uma Bharti, a senior BJP leader and Governments have been pursuing such emotional and financial loss- happen, the people of these areas will      / 4  787=(77    P     former Water Resources Minister, in her time had Kaur is professor, pro-corporate development by es to the people, the Government be forced to endure frequent natur-                 requested the Centre not to build power projects Department of Geography, ignoring environmental norms. should mend its pro-corporate eco- al disasters in the future. The peo-      Q .           C on the Ganga river and its major tributaries since Punjabi University, Uttarakhand is inviting climat- nomic development methods. ple living in the hilly regions and the the Himalayas are a fragile area. Following the Patiala, and Visiting ic tragedies and destroying its beau- The massive loss of life and country at large demand that the              )   / #    recent catastrophe in Uttarakhand, the Professor, IMPRI, while ty by regularly flouting the property resulting from natural dis- Central Government adopt a pro- 0/#1            <  Kumar is Director, IMPRI. Government needs to seriously reconsider its stance The views expressed Environmental Impact Assessment asters should serve as a warning sig- people and pro-nature develop-  * #  0<*#1        on building hydroelectric dams in the region. It are personal. Laws to build a 900-km-long stretch nal to the Central Government and ment model instead of a pro-corpo-                      should no longer ignore the advice and warnings of the Char Dham route. Shockingly, make it realise that it must strictly rate economic development one.                   0  1                     * )  *  POINTCOUNTERPOINT 0*)*1               *C!# <@)  <  *    C   <*#     (  %  %   %   %              )   /#     2  %                   (       + %   P+    <S   %&  P % &       " Q L% ! L% ! 0        ?      1  % 6 -  .     %  .    G„tyqxq‰q„u”ˆuƒu‚•‚ “ˆqy„“quˆxqˆ’u‰y„w†uˆsu„qwu’qˆ•y„wvˆ ƒxˆuu‰y”†uˆsu„ vxuq„„‘q‚ˆqy„vq‚‚ Fu„su“quˆ‰xutƒq„qwuƒu„y‰yƒ†uˆqy’u

he farmers’ protest water is contaminated and scores vary widely, but most and institutions are in place for leader in water governance. Recharge.” India has an reflects their approach wastewater treatment remains States have achieved a score national water governance. And India has partnered with extremely low rainwater har- Ttowards securing their stuck at the national average of below 50 per cent and could By 2030, the country’s them to share methods and vesting percentage, varying future, and soon there would be over 33 per cent, leading to the significantly improve their water demand is projected to be technology. There is a need for from three-six per cent of a solution to that. But there still high burden of waterborne water resource management twice than the available supply, more such partnerships, annual rainfall. Large-scale looms a larger crisis for India diseases. practices. implying severe water scarcity knowledge transfer but more watershed management is and its people, including the More than 600 million Because of this, food secu- for hundreds of millions of peo- than that, it is awareness that is imperative for holistic manage- farmers. One of the most fer-  .- 3 people in India face high to rity is at a risk as the low per- ple and an eventual over six per needed by common users ment of ecosystems. Coupled tile lands on Earth today stands extreme water stress and 21 formers on the Water Index are cent loss in the country’s GDP. about the impending water with stronger implementation as the most water challenged cities, including New Delhi, home to over 50 per cent of the As per the report of the crisis. policies and regulations, an nations in the world. India has Bengaluru and Chennai, will country’s population and its National Commission for With nearly 70 per cent of ecosystem management the highest number of people run out of groundwater soon, agricultural baskets. The low Integrated Water Resource the water being contaminated, approach will bring in adoption in the world without access to affecting 100 million people. performers, worryingly, com- Development of MoWR, water India ranks 120 out of 122 of newer conservation tech- safe water. Over 80 million peo- Critical groundwater resources, prise the populous northern requirement by 2050 in a high countries on the water quality nologies. ple — a majority from impov- which account for 40 per cent States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, use scenario is likely to be a index. Policymakers face a dif- The agriculture sector will erished communities — living of our water supply, are being Rajasthan, Haryana and others, rates. Droughts are becoming milder 1,180 BCM, whereas the ficult situation because there is evolve further to improve irri- on less than $4 a day, are exploited at unsustainable rates. and are home to over 600 mil- more frequent, creating severe present-day availability is 695 not enough data available on gation and water use efficien- forced to collect dirty water India is already plagued with lion people. Given the combi- problems for India’s rain- BCM. how households and industries cy. All this is not possible with- from open ponds and rivers or groundwater contaminated nation of rapidly declining dependent farmers (over 53 per The total availability of use and manage water. out investment in education spend most of what they earn with iron, nitrate, chlorine, groundwater levels and limit- cent of agriculture is rainfed). water possible in country is still There is an urgent need to and awareness. Community buying water from tankers. The writer is a along with the predominant ed policy action this is also like- When water is available, it is lower than this projected deepen understanding of our governance and partnerships, A report by the NITI conservationist, arsenic and fluoride, both pos- ly to be a significant food likely to be contaminated, demand, at 1,137 BCM. Thus, water resources and usage and water pricing a strong waste- Aayog in 2018 revealed that 75 wildlife photographer, ing human health risks. security risk for the country resulting in nearly 2,00,000 there is an imminent need to put in place interventions that water recycling ecosystem and per cent of households do not documentary film-maker A study published by Duke going forward. deaths each year. Interstate deepen our understanding of make water use efficient and increasing rainwater, stormwa- and sustainability have drinking water on the professional. The views University in 2018 found ura- Critical groundwater disagreements are on the rise, water resources and usage and sustainable. Consumers and ter harvesting will make peo- premises; 84 per cent of rural expressed are nium contamination in aquifer- resources, which account for 40 with seven major disputes cur- put in place interventions that industries need to look at the ple realise the importance of households do not have piped personal. drawn groundwater in 16 per cent of our water supply, are rently raging, pointing to the make water use efficient and 4Rs with renewed rigour. every drop of water and pro- water access; 70 per cent of the Indian States.Water Index being depleted at unsustainable fact that limited frameworks sustainable. Israel is the world “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, mote sustainable use.    !"#!$!%   #5

-    , , #    %  (   (  1  !       # &    ()  & &  ,           ,-  Lagos: Hundreds of girls are UNICEF representative in the R   * missing after a large group of country. “This is a gross viola- Beijing: China on Friday welcomed India sup- London: The UK Government on Friday won a major gunmen raided a school in tion of children's rights and a plying more Covid-19 vaccines to a number of legal battle as the Supreme Court ruled against northern Nigeria early Friday horrific experience for children countries, playing down reports that New Delhi allowing a London-born 21-year-old woman of morning, residents say. to go through.” He called for has beaten Beijing in its vaccine diplomacy Bangladeshi descent, who ran away to Syria as a teenag- The Government their immediate release. .0+ !  2 around the world. er to join the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group, to return Secondary Jangebe School in The West African nation has Responding to a question on a report that and fight her citizenship case. Zamfara state was the scene of seen several such attacks and Geneva: WHO chief Tedros Adhanom through the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access India has beaten China in its own game of vac- The unanimous decision – with all five top court the latest mass abduction of kidnappings over the years, Ghebreyesus has lauded Prime Minister Facility (COVAX), which Ghana among near- cine diplomacy, Chinese Foreign Ministry justices in agreement – comes six years after the then school children in northern notably the mass abduction in Narendra Modi's commitment for supporting ly 92 countries have signed into. spokesman Wang Wenbin during a media brief- 15-year-old schoolgirl, Shamima Begum, ran away with Nigeria. April 2014 by jihadist group vaccine equity and sharing Covid-19 vaccines The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) ing said, “We welcome that and hope to see more two other friends to join the Islamic State (ISIS) group Nasiru Abdullahi told The Boko Haram of 276 girls from with over 60 countries across the world, hop- on February 12 said that India has provided countries taking actions to provide vaccines to in February 2015. Associated Press that school the secondary school in Chibok ing that other nations will follow his example. over 229 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines the world, especially developing countries, to help Begum had her British citizenship revoked on records show 300 girls are miss- in Borno state. More than a hun- In a tweet, Ghebreyesus, Director-General to various countries out of which 64 lakh doses with the global response.” national security grounds shortly after she was found ing. His daughters, aged 10 and dred of the girls are still missing. of the World Health Organisation, said that have been supplied as grant assistance and 165 “China has been overcoming domestic dif- in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019. 13, are among them. Friday's attack came less India's support in supplying its vaccines is help- lakh on commercial basis. ficulties to provide vaccines to other countries “The Supreme Court unanimously allows all of the Resident Musa Mustapha than two weeks after gunmen ing over 60 countries to begin the vaccination MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava in concrete measure,” he said, flagging China's Home Secretary's appeals and dismisses Ms Begum's said the gunmen also attacked a abducted 42 people, including process. said India will continue to take forward the own vaccine requirement to inoculate its 1.4 bil- cross-appeal,” said Lord Robert Reed, the President of nearby military camp and 27 students, from the “Thanks India & Prime Minister @naren- global vaccine supply initiative and cover more lion population. He reiterated that China has the Supreme Court. checkpoint, preventing soldiers Government Science College dramodi for supporting #VaccinEquity. Your countries in a phased manner. been providing vaccines to 53 countries and “The right to a fair hearing does not trump all other from interfering while the gun- Kagara in Niger State. The stu- commitment to #COVAX and sharing Consignments of coronavirus vaccine exporting vaccines to 27 countries, amid reports considerations, such as the safety of the public,” he said. men spent several hours at the dents, teachers and family mem- #COVID19 vaccine doses is helping 60+ coun- doses were supplied as gifts to Bangladesh (20 that many of those countries are yet to receive Begum was born in the UK to parents of school. It was not immediately bers are still being held. tries start vaccinating their #healthworkers and lakh), Myanmar (17 lakh), Nepal (10 lakh), Chinese vaccines or the promised quantities. Bangladeshi heritage. clear if there were any casualties. In December, 344 students other priority groups. I hope other countries Bhutan (1.5 lakh), the Maldives (1 lakh), For its part, China has promised 10 million Begum, dubbed an ISIS bride in reference to her Several large groups of were abducted from the will follow your example,” he said in the tweet Mauritius (1 lakh), Seychelles (50,000), Sri vaccines to the United Nations-backed COVAX marriage to Dutch ISIS fighter Yago Riedijk, was one armed men operate in Zamfara Government Science Secondary on Thursday. Lanka (5 lakh), Bahrain (1 lakh), Oman (1 initiative COVAX, but the first supplies of of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green in east London state, described by the govern- School Kankara in Katsina State. India on Wednesday dispatched the first lakh), Afghanistan (5 Lakhs), Barbados (1 COVAX vaccines went from the Serum Institute who travelled via Turkey to ISIS headquarters in Raqqa. ment as bandits, and are known They were eventually released. batch of six lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses to Lakh) and Dominica (70,000), he said. of India to Ghana. When discovered in a refugee camp two years ago, to kidnap for money and for the Anietie Ewang, Nigeria the African country of Ghana under the Srivastava said countries which received India on Wednesday dispatched the first she had already lost two children and was heavily preg- release of their members from researcher at Human Rights COVAX facility in collaboration with UNICEF, vaccines on commercial basis are Brazil (20 batch of six lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses to nant with her third who died shortly after being born. jail. Watch, noted the recent abduc- which aims to cover 92 countries under the ini- lakh), Morocco (60 lakh), Bangladesh (50 Ghana under the COVAX facility, an interna- Begum had challenged the UK Home Office's deci- “We are angered and sad- tions and tweeted that “Strong tiative. lakh), Myanmar (20 lakh), Egypt (50,000), tional cooperative programme formed to make sion to remove her British citizenship and wanted to dened by yet another brutal action is required from the The doses are a part of the first batch of Algeria (50,000), South Africa (10 lakh), sure low- and middle-income countries have fair be allowed to return to the UK to pursue that attack on schoolchildren in authorities to turn the tide Covid-19 vaccine the country is acquiring Kuwait (2 lakh) and UAE (2 lakh). PTI access to COVID-19 vaccines. PTI appeal. PTI Nigeria,” said Peter Hawkins, & keep schools safe.” AP ! B (, 1$ 2 ! B 5 # " )  )    3  A &       ,   ##44   # &                 3 A Colombo: Amidst mounting international 0     # # "  criticism, Sri Lanka has revised a contro- Yangon: Myanmar security forces cracked London: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has said that versial mandatory order to cremate the bod- Baghdad: A US airstrike in down on anti-coup protesters in the coun- Islamabad: There was no possibility of receiving her vaccine to protect against Covid-19 “did- ies of Covid-19 victims, which denied Syria targeted facilities belong- try's second-largest city on Friday, injuring Pakistan being blacklisted by the FATF n't hurt at all” and encouraged those hesitant about minority communities, including Muslims, ing to a powerful Iranian-backed at least three people, two of whom were shot as it has made “significant progress”, a getting jabbed to think about how it would help oth- their religious rights. Iraqi armed group, killing one of in the chest by rubber bullets and another senior minister claimed on Friday, a day ers in preventing the spread of the deadly virus. The government on Thursday revised a their militiamen and wounding who suffered a wound on his leg. after the global anti-money laundering In a rare reference to private health matters, the gazette notification issued in April last year. a number of others, an Iraqi Protesters had gathered on a wide road watchdog retained the country on its 94-year-old monarch backed the National Health The new notification has allowed both militia official said on outside a park in Mandalay in the early after- “Grey List”, citing “serious deficiencies” Service (NHS) led vaccination programme in the UK burials and cremations. Friday. noon when security forces arrived and on its part in checking terror-financing. during a video call earlier this week with health offi- For 10 months, Muslim and Christian The Pentagon said the began firing what sounded like gunshots later released, according to Japan's Kyodo Addressing the media after the cials coordinating the rollout across England, Wales, minorities in the country and international strikes were retaliation for a and using flash bang grenades to disperse news agency. Yuki Kitazumi could be seen Financial Action Task Force, the Paris- Scotland and Northern Ireland. rights groups have been lobbying the gov- rocket attack in Iraq earlier this the crowd. in a video circulating among media as police based global body against money-laun- She and husband, 99-year-old Prince Philip, ernment to end the policy of forced crema- month that killed one civilian Bullets, shell casings, and other pro- seized him, with one of the officers briefly dering and terror-financing, announced received their first of two doses last month. tions. contractor and wounded a US jectiles were later found by local residents putting a truncheon around the journalist's to keep Pakistan on its Grey List until “Once you've had the vaccine you have a feeling The government was resisting calls to service member and other coali- on one of the main streets and shown to neck. June, Minister for Industries Hammad of, you know, you're protected, which is I think very allow burials citing health concerns. It cited tion troops. journalists. Earlier in the day, security forces in Azhar said that Islamabad achieved the important,” said the Queen, in reference to her jab. the opinion of some experts who claimed that The Iraqi militia official The victims were all taken to a private Yangon fired warning shots and beat trun- targets despite the challenging timeline “As far as I could make out it was quite harm- the burial of COVID-19 victims would con- told The Associated Press that clinic for treatment. One of the men who cheons against their shields while moving given to it. less. It was very quick, and I've had lots of letters from taminate the water table thereby spreading the strikes against the Kataeb was shot in the chest with a rubber bullet to disperse more than 1,000 anti-coup pro- “There was no possibility of Pakistan people who have been very surprised by how easy it the pandemic further. Hezbollah, or Hezbollah also had a white bandage wrapped around testers. being blacklisted by the FATF,” Azhar, was to get the vaccine. And the jab – it didn't hurt The country had earlier come under Brigades, hit an area along the his head. The man with an injured leg was The demonstrators had gathered in who led Pakistani delegation at the ple- at all,” she said. Addressing some concerns about the intense criticism from rights groups, includ- border between the Syrian site of later photographed in a cast that stretched front of a popular shopping mall, holding nary as the chairman of the FATF uptake of vaccines and reluctance among certain ing the UNHRC, over the cremation Boukamal facing Qaim on the from his foot to his knee. placards and chanting slogans denouncing Coordination Committee, said. PTI groups, the monarch added: “I think the other thing order. Iraqi side. AP The confrontations underscore the ris- the Feb. 1 coup even as the security pres- is, that it is obviously difficult for people if they've They said it failed to respect the religious ing tensions between a growing popular ence increased and a water-cannon truck never had a vaccine... But they ought to think about feelings of the victims and their family mem- revolt and the generals who toppled the was brought to the area. 0  ;%(  (&  other people rather than themselves.” bers, especially of the Muslims, Catholics and elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in When around 50 riot police moved The video interaction, posted on the Royal some Buddhists. a February 1 takeover that shocked the inter- against the protesters, warning shots could

20"# ## 3  # # #)#)3 5    )&, &      567 86.9 uct (GDP) had expanded by 3.3   C  &   '   per cent in the corresponding  '     #7  &   ndia Inc on Friday said the period of 2019-20, according to    '   Irecouping of the country’s the data released by the  &#+87' ( ,         0F   B 5 economy to a positive trajec- National Statistical Office New Delhi:Prime Minister tory in the third quarter is a (NSO).   0EN  567 86.9 industry, start-ups and citi- Narendra Modi on Friday promising sign as it portends Chandrajit Banerjee,  !(!1" the US and Syria. zens. stressed on increasing credit to the end of the pandemic- Director General, CII, said At the day’s close, the 30-  &  O T industry body Nasscom on Nasscom also highlighted businesses to meet the needs of induced recessionary phase that “recouping of GDP to the he BSE Sensex crashed share BSE Sensex settled IFriday said the new rules for it is imperative that there is a a fast reflating economy and seen in the first-half of the fis- positive territory by posting a Tabout 1,940 points to post 1,939.32 points or 3.80 per Mumbai:The Indian rupee social media, OTT and digital balance between regulation said financial products will cal year. growth of 0.4 per cent in the its biggest single-day fall in cent lower at 49,099.99 – its on Friday posted its biggest media players aim to address and innovation as the world is have to be tailor-made for fin- Industry bodies expressed third quarter is a promising nearly 10 months and the NSE worst one-day fall since May single-day fall in nearly 19 concerns like grievance redres- in a phase of accelerated tech- tech and startups. confidence that the GDP will sign as it portends the end of Nifty plunged over 568 points 4 last year. months, tumbling 104 paise sal, fake news and online safe- nology shifts. He said that although the improve further in the coming the pandemic-induced reces- to crack below the psycho- Similarly, the broader to close at 73.47 against the ty, but will require the right “...Code aims to address government’s endeavour is to months on the back of positive sionary phase seen in the first- logical 15,000-mark on Friday, NSE Nifty plunged 568.20 US dollar as a rout in glob- implementation to ensure that many of the concern areas of promote the private sector, the growth stimuli emanating from half of the year”. tracking global selloffs trig- points or 3.76 per cent to close al bond markets weighed on they do not become onerous grievance redressal, fake news, public sector still needs to the Union Budget and initia- He observed that one of gered by a panic in bond mar- the session at 14,529.15 – the investor sentiments. for the platforms. online safety and parity with have their presence in banking tives like the Production highlights of the data is the pos- kets overseas. biggest single-day drop since Besides, rising geopolitical There are, however, sec- existing laws. and insurance to support the Linked Incentive scheme itive momentum seen in invest- Investors also turned cau- March 23 last year. tensions between the US tions of the industry, including “From a user perspective... poor. unveiled by the government. ment demand as it grew by 2.6 tious ahead of the third quar- On the Sensex chart, all and Syria also led to weak- tech firm Mozilla, which felt The option of voluntary self- Speaking at a webinar on After contracting for two per cent in the third quarter ter GDP data release, besides 30 constituents ended in the er appetite among investors that certain provisions could verification of user accounts Budget announcements on quarters in a row, the Indian after being in doldrums for sev- keeping an eye on simmering red, with eight scrips logging in domestic forex markets, “harm” freedom of expression. and the right to receive an Financial Services, Modi said to economy grew by 0.4 per cent eral quarters now. geopolitical tensions between over 5 per cent drop. analysts said. Nasscom noted that tech- explanatory notification on help medium and small busi- in the October-December “This bears testimony to nology is becoming all perva- removal or disablement of nesses during the COVID pan- quarter amid coronavirus pan- the unrelenting efforts of the the various measures which “Going forward, we are sures including the PLI will sive and it is important that access and to seek remedy demic, 90 lakh Micro, Small demic, official data showed on government formed a part of the confident that the growth stim- lead to a sturdy growth path there is responsible use and against the action being taken and Medium Enterprises Friday. to go all-out to revive Aatmanirbhar Bharat pack- uli available from the Union over the recovery horizon,” he building of technology for all by the intermediaries should be (MSMEs) were given credit The gross domestic prod- investments under the ambit of age,” Banerjee said. Budget and the additional mea- added. stakeholders government, helpful,” Nasscom said. worth Rs 2.4 trillion. “Supporting MSME and startups and expanding credit "   P  ' #34#5 flow to them is necessary. The *  -    &9=C Q 0  R ) 6 government has undertaken     reforms and opened up sectors 6     - D  4  6  like farm, coal and space. Now 6.    & &    it’s the responsibility of the  567 86.9 In absolute terms, the fis- 3  3# financial sector to understand cal deficit stood at 12,34,004  567 86.9 many saying that despite sup-     New Delhi:Government seems the aspirations of rural and he central government’s fis- crore at the end of January porting the cause, they did not to be in no mood to subsidise New Delhi:Oil marketing com- smaller cities and make them Tcal deficit soared to 12.34 2021, as per the data released he day-long ‘Bharat Vyapar want to suffer another day of 1   the price of common mans panies on Friday continued the strength of Aatmanirbhar lakh crore or 66.8 per cent of by the Controller General of TBandh’ called by the losses. cooking gas which like the with their wait and watch strat- Bharat. “As our economy is the revised budget estimates at Accounts (CGA). The lock- Confederation of All India However, CAIT in a price of auto fuels petrol and egy and kept the retail price of growing, and growing fast, the end of January of the cur- down imposed to curb spread- Traders (CAIT) evoked a luke- statement said the shutdown   diesel has maintained consis- petrol and diesel unchanged for credit flow has also become rent fiscal. ing of coronavirus infections warm response with most was a “grand success” as more tent increase for past few the third consecutive day. equally important. You have to The fiscal deficit at the end had significantly impacted shops and commercial estab- than 8 crore small businesses   0.    months. Accordingly, petrol con- see how credit reaches new sec- of January in the previous business activities and in turn lishments open through the belonging to about 40,000 The price of domestic 14.2- tinues to be sold at 90.93 a tors, new entrepreneurs. Now financial year was 128.5 per contributed to sluggish revenue day. trade associations across the kg LPG cylinder was increased litre and diesel at 81.32 a litre you will have to focus on cre- cent of the Revised Estimates realisation. The traders’ body, howev- country kept their shutters New Delhi:A major trade by  25 on Thursday, the third in the national capital. ation of new and better finan- (RE). In the current fiscal end- The fiscal deficit or gap er, claimed that shopkeepers down and no trading activity union declared ‘Bharat Vyapar increase in the month of Elsewhere in the country as cial products for Startups and ing March 31, the fiscal deficit between the expenditure and supported its nationwide busi- took place in any commercial Bandh’ a success as more than February itself, taking its price well, fuel prices remained Fintech,” Modi said. is likely to touch Rs 18.48 lakh revenue had breached the ness shutdown call to protest market. eight crore small businesses 794 a cylinder in Delhi. unchanged after oil companies Stating that Kisan Credit crore or 9.5 per cent of the annual target in the month of against issues related to the Brijesh Goyal, president belonging to about 40 thousand While the practice of week- increased the pump price on 13 has helped small farmers and GDP. July during this financial year. Goods and Services Tax (GST) of Chamber of Trade and trade associations were claimed ly or fortnightly price revision of the last 18 days. those involved in animal hus- and “unethical business prac- Industry (CTI), said most of to be closed for business on of cooking gas is normally In the 13 increases since bandry to come out with the tices of foreign e-commerce the markets in Delhi were Friday. done for non-subsidised cylin- February 9, prices have gone up grasp of informal lending,Modi companies”. open but the association The call for the bandh was ders, this year oil companies by Rs 3.98 per litre for petrol said the private sector now will Various markets in the extended its support to the given by the Confederation of shave maintained almost equal while diesel rate has risen by Rs have to think of innovative national capital were open on nationwide business shut- All India Traders (CAIT). increase in price of subsidised 4.19 a litre in Delhi. financial products for this sec- Friday during the Bandh with down. IANS LPG cylinders as well. IANS IANS tion of the society. PTI *"   #   /M/H #   /E/0

New Delhi: The Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), a non-profit organi- zation, and leading association for the Indian medical diaspora announced the organizing of its annual Global Indian Physicians Congress on February 27th - 28th 2021. The Congress has become an important event in the medical cal- endar where the exchange of knowledge from subject specialists from across the world takes place. This year’s virtual conference will provide an international forum to delegates to share their knowledge and exchange ideas on clinical skill development, solutions to contemporary health issues and modernizing the approach to deliv- ering healthcare. Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Hon’ble Health Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be the Chief Guest.    !"#!$!%    P'(  )   * ++ +,'- L/  '(  7# ('' +011   1'1

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his was damaged by a tusker water the plants. Transplanting full- which had taken affront to a tiger grown trees takes a minimum of six Thaving dared to cross his path,” months but it adds to the experience of said Bhagwati Prasad Dhyani, gesturing the visitors.” to the remains of a magnificent column On the last day of our stay, we accom- at the Vatanvasa Gate which marks the panied a steward, Soori — who looks entry into the 301. 17 sq km of the older than his 45-years, thanks to his grey Kalaghar Tiger Reserve lies in the hair, but is surprisingly agile on his feet Lansdowne division of the Pauri district — to see a huge water tank being con- of Uttarakhand. It is a part of the 1,286 structed to supplement the existing water Corbett National Park where Dhyani has resource. A tiger pugmark near the tank, been working as a Van Daroga with the which is about three km away from the Uttarakhand Forest Department since resort, was the real attraction. An amaz- 2003. While the big cat got away, the gate ing raconteur, Soori told us about the which proclaimed the existence of the goings-on in the surrounding villages, feline species — with a photograph — pointed out herbs and imparted local wis- within the Kalaghar Tiger Reserve was dom. not as lucky. He gestured to the build- On our way back, we competed to test ing next to the gate and said, “I was our physical fitness at the outdoor adven- standing on the roof top and crouching. ture sports area. It was here that Rawat, It was a sight, both scary and magnifi- who by that time had come to check upon cent at the same time, which surpassed %%/-. and plains, varied temperatures and sev- ever temporary. The chirping of birds our well-being, told us that he calls Soori much of what I’ve seen.” Incidentally, The four of us had started much eral water bodies as well as sparse human rather than incessant honking of horns his ‘local reporter’ — clearly for a reason Dhyani, while walking home one day, before dusk from Delhi but, since we were settlements, this side holds out promis- makes for a pleasant distraction. The faint — and promised us that the journalist fra- encountered a tiger less than three feet more focussed on having a good time es of frequent spottings and keeps them rustling of trees creates an ambience ternity had more up its sleeves. He was away. He just stood and waited. “The rather than reaching the destination at any — sometimes making people fearful. which is so relaxed that it makes you sink hinting at Soori’s talent which is not lim- truth is just like any other animal fixed time, we finally arrived at the resort deeper into its comfort even though it is ited to story-telling. At night, on a day $  which is a prey for the carnivores, in the late afternoon. But if you are the &).),,-(). faintly unfamiliar or buried deep into a when the resort which is usually full-up humans too can’t react or even say a kind of traveller who doesn’t care much At Vanvasa Resort in Juee village, nostalgic past of a city slicker in her 40s. was deserted as it was the mid-week after word when we are face to face with any to stop at scenic spots to soak in the views home for the next three nights, I met One evening I decided to catch up a long weekend, Soori entertained us by of the big cats. We are stunned into during a journey, it can take about seven another visitor, Sudheer Gusain, who with the hotelier, Satender Rawat, who singing Garhwali and Nepali songs which  !  silence,” he said. The tiger walked away and a half hours. It was fascinating to recalled that while driving, early in the much like me had spent much of his adult was accompanied by energetic dancing in and Dhyani lived to recount the tale. As watch the sunlight make patches on the morning, he was practically sandwiched life in the capital, before deciding to step the gazebo attached to the dining area. fter wrapping her shooting schedule for Farhad he continued to regale us with incidents surface as it streamed in through the tree in between two elephants. “In those five back and connect with the land of his Equipped with a keyboard, a TT table and ASamji’s Bachchan Pandey, Kriti has already of his close encounters with the wild cover as the car ploughed its way through seconds, a thousand thoughts raced ancestor. This property spread over 30 more, it doubles up as an activity area started the shoot of her next horror-comedy, kind, we spotted a fox quickly making the wooded road. It was akin to chasing through my mind. Whether I should acre, powered by his vision, foregoes com- where, in the evening, there is a magic- Bhediya’s Mumbai schedule. Directed by Amar its way into the depths of the forest. clouds in the sky, which has been one of wake my three friends and run while leav- mercial gains in favour of ensuring that tricks show for children and a musical one Kaushik, the film will also star Varun Dhawan. This unexpected meeting with my favourite past times since child- ing the vehicle behind or park quietly in each of the cottages and one villa has for adults. It was in the gazebo that Rahul With shooting back to back for her films, it looks Dhyani set the tone for our entire trip hood. It smelled green due to the dense one corner or speed off and more,” he said. unobstructed view of the mountains. Mukherjee and Frank, the in-house like the actress has no time to spare. Confirming the especially since the time we crossed trees, which was a sensorial delight and He chose to step on the horn and the gas “Three more rooms are coming up and singers, entertained us with a mix of slow, same, a source revealed, “Kriti has been keeping Kotdwar. Even before we reached an immediate mood lifter for a city-slick- to make a quick getaway as he knew that eventually I plan to have 40,” said Rawat romantic and fast-paced songs every extremely busy with her hectic schedule and is work- Vatanvasa gate which demarcates the er. elephants, when angry, could be extreme- for whom it is clearly a passion project. evening. ing hard to balance all her forthcoming projects. In starting point of the jungle safari, we’d ly dangerous. A clear indication of the same are the The fourth morning, after a leisure- between Bhediya, she will also shoot for a song for lost count of the number of times wild 8%&/ ) ./ Vanvasa, which means abode in the more than a 1,000 variety of trees carted ly breakfast of Bichchu buti ka saag, a local her film, Mimi. To be all prepared and ready, the fowls had crossed our path, screeching The part through which we were trav- forest, actually lives up to the idea that from Meerut, Kolkata and even delicacy, and potato spring onion gravy actress is rehearsing every night post her shoot.” and scrambling as the car came careen- elling is in the Pauri Garhwal region went in naming it. It is an existence that Bengaluru. Rawat showed me around cooked in Garhwali style, we hit the road Recently, the actress created quite a stir on the ing down the road. On the way there which encompasses 70 per cent of the is unhurried, almost a step back in time. pointing out each of the trees by its com- on our way to the capital. And while I car- internet with her sexy biker look for her film were also scattered hutments enclosed Corbett Tiger Reserve while the remain- Mobile connectivity is low and there are mon and botanical names. When I asked ried the fond memories of the place and Ganapath directed by Vikas Behl where she will be by electric wires to ensure that the wild ing 30 per cent in Kumaon, where Jim no TVs in the rooms to ensure that the him about the number of gardeners, he the people, I also left a part of me behind. seen opposite Tiger Shroff. Having a packed slate for animals did not gatecrash as uninvited Corbett — the legendary tiger conserva- real world does not encroach upon the answered with an impish smile, “Just one. Till we take abode in the forest...again. the year, the actress is all set to surprise her fans and guests at a family dinner. tionist — lived. With a mix of elevation cocoon that you are lulled into — how- He’s standing in front of you. The rest    ; & audiences on screen.

  D0  roducer Maneesh Sharma and direc- Ptor Sharat Katariya were in sheer dis- =  belief when they won the prestigious National Film Awards for Best Feature  6    % 1 Film in Hindi for Dum Laga Ke Haisha , 6         # D*E5 (DLKH). On the sixth release anniver- sary of the film starring Ayushmann   4 4#$    :    ) %    Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar, the duo opened up about their journey into mak- 1)//  -1  -%'%-;$$<  irector and producer ing this fresh, timeless romance. DKanwal Khoosat’s teleplay <#42  4#$<  Gidh revolves around two DLKH was your first film as a pro- women protagonists bound ducer at YRF. What made you take the ##  "=%/1 ** together by their shared mis- plunge as a producer? eries of life in a patriarchal soci- Maneesh: Some take the plunge, sure of ambition. This one did tick many ety. The teleplay starring Sana others are tripped into the pool. I am def- of the boxes. Jafri, Rasti Farooq, and Adeel initely the latter. Producing films was Afzal delves into the life of nowhere in my scheme of things but I The film gave a new pairing Saleema and an unexpected had not anticipated the plans of Aditya (Ayushmann-Bhumi) to people who visitor Salma who claims to be Chopra. Shuddh Desi Romance had just have now had a hattrick of hits. Why her sister-in-law. released and I was prepping for anoth- do you think people have loved them As the plot unfolds, both er film. One fine day, a conversation ini- ever since? the women share the trials of tiated by Adi led to me becoming a pro- Sharat: It’s just their talent nothing their respective lives which ducer pretty much overnight. C ‘est la else. It’s their talent of getting into the they had to undergo because of vie! (such is life) skin of the character and becoming the the same man — Junaid, characters they’ve asked for, for any film Salma’s brother, and Saleema’s Did you expect this reaction to the that they do. And I’m sure that is why husband. Together, they decide film while you were writing it? their films and performances work. to do put an end to their suf- Sharat: No, one is not thinking any fering. What in fact transpires kind of (such thing), one is always What was the first thing you and changes one of their lives for- unsure and is trying to write with the Sharat said to each other when you won ever, but not in a predictable best possible ideas. There was no expec- the National Award for the film? way. tations. Yes, I was overwhelmed by the Maneesh: Kya baat kar raha hai! Sana says, “Working with reaction but never expected it like that. (What are you saying?) Kanwal has been definitely the best experience of my life Sana adds, “We rehearsed the As a producer, what are the kind of What was your reaction when you because she brought out the teleplay just like we do in the- stories that you want to tell? won the National Award for the film? creative aspects in me that I atre and that process was very Maneesh: Irrespective of which Sharat: I have very fond memories. didn’t even know could trans- helpful. Also, the fact that we role I am engaged in a film with — pro- I’ll tell you bit by bit what happened. My late onto the screen. Each line were a team of five women ducer, director or story writer — I rely first reaction was like Oh God! I won’t that Kanwal wrote had two or helped. Whenever we got stuck a lot on my instinct. It’s a lot to do with be able to work the whole day now. First, more meanings and it was creatively, our art director, what feels right at that stage of life and it wasn’t sinking in but it sank when there tough to express them all with- Kanwal, myself, Rasti, and our you click with a narrative or a charac- were multiple phone calls, post which I out actually saying what the assistant shared our real-life ter or a genre and you back your at a film festival with the audience. I still When you and Sharat were teaming remember calling Maneesh. I told him character was going through.” experiences which helped us instinct and commit to investing your don’t know what worked with the audi- up for the film, what were your expec- that the film has won a National Award, The teleplay format, she move forward. This ensemble time and energy to the process. So far, ence, but I am assuming that may be the tations? not just for the film but also for the best says, was tricky because she is of five amazing women who that’s mostly worked for me, I guess. comedy or the characters. I really don’t Maneesh: All we really hoped was for singer (Monali) and Varun (Grover) for a trained theatre actor but had so much to share with each know what was new in it because when the audience to connect with the the best lyrics as well. So, he was also Kanwal blended the two gen- other really helped me as an What do you think is the USP of the I hear the word ‘fresh’, I can’t figure out grounded and nostalgic quality of the equally surprised. And then phone calls res and translated them harmo- actor.” film that it became a hit? exactly what was fresh in it? I can’t break narrative. The love and warmth the film started coming in non-stop. This has niously for the small screen. (The teleplay will stream on Sharat: Honestly, I don’t know. I saw it down for myself. If I could, I would has received overtime, does validate our never happened to me in my life. It was Kanwal also helped her to Airtel Spotlight on February 28 the film a year after it was released, again, do that again. conviction. Each film has its own mea- really an overwhelming experience. push her creative boundaries. at 2 pm and 6 pm.)                 77    !"#!$!% 7$