&    ' <0    = >     = >   >     $! 0123 ()() ()*+, -(./ ! &   0 2030? ??@ &0A(32?0 2-  (?0 (? (1  ,'C( 2( -2,2-?-1 2-'C0((1C -A ()1"8A-1? -0 (-2- 0('E? 1-' 1- ,1 '- 3-1 1-, A1-2-) D-A-- '  +.$/":  #6 B- ?!    -   )  4*  5 )62467678 066             !   #    %%                               

  in some parts of the country, were found selling fruits and        the Home Ministry asked chief vegetables on their carts. Petrol hen Prime Minister secretaries and DGPs of all pumps were open and supply WNarendra Modi declared States to take action to allay of LPG gas cylinders was oper- a three-week lockdown on apprehensions and maintain ational. Mother Dairy outlets      Tuesday night to prevent the peace and tranquility, and too were open. Safal, the fruits spread of coronavirus, panicky inform people about the avail- and vegetable brand of Mother     tised. Home delivery process for people flooded the streets to ability of food, medicine and Dairy group, has announced  the essential items will be made purchase essential items. The other essential commodities. that all its outlets will be oper- easy by weekend. mad rush made a mockery of Meanwhile, the Home Ministry ational at full capacity. he Delhi Police on Mandeep Singh the theme of social distancing. has asked State Governments to Officials of Agriculture TWednesday issued passes to Randhawa, the Public Relation A day later, the Government’s check the spread of rumours Produce Marketing e-commerce portals for deliv- Officer (PRO), Delhi Police, focus shifted to providing about shortage of food and Committees (APMCs) claimed ery of essential goods through- had a meeting with e-com- essential items, including food, other essential commodities. that there was no shortage of out the 21-day nationwide lock- merce website representatives dairy products, medicine, etc, While Union Food fruits and vegetables. In Delhi, down period after BigBasket where they to millions of people across the Minister Ram Vilas Paswan trading at the Azadpur Mandi,                             and Amazon claimed disrup- shared the problems faced by country. said the Government is moni- Asia’s biggest wholesale fruits " #     $ tions in their services due to them in the movement of Things looked far stable on toring the availability of essen- and vegetable market, has come restrictions put by the author- essential goods. Wednesday. Grocery stores, tial commodities in the market, down by 50 per cent in the last Whereas, Amazon will serve several States, including chart of various essential com- ities. The police representative “We have issued passes to sabji mandi, milk booths, HRD Minister Prakash two days in the absence of cur- only products of high priority. Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and modities after reports of a also said the delivery agents of them and assured that their chemist shops, ATMs, banks, Javadekar said the Centre is few passes to traders. Grocery startup Grofers too Gurgaon, Ranchi, Ghaziabad, few ration shops providing these companies will be helped delivery agents are helped by petrol pumps and supply of committed to ensure smooth Meanwhile, top e-com- suspended operations due to Faridabad, Noida and States, commodities at a higher price by them. Curfew passes will be the police,” said Randhawa. LPG cylinders were open in supply of essential commodi- merce sites Flipkart and lack of clarity in their listing as such as Uttar Pradesh, while some others selling them issued to all delivery persons Earlier, e-commerce portals most of the States and there was ous and asked people not go for Amazon have temporarily sus- an essential service provider Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, in the back market taking and all warehouses will be like BigBasket and Amazon no shortage of supply. hoarding. pended their services. Flipkart while supermarket chain Big Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. advantage of the lockdown opened. Police personnel at were claiming disruptions in Amid reports of panic pur- In a several cities, includ- has listed all products as “out of Bazaar is continued to offer In Jharkhand, the prompted by the coronavirus border checks are being sensi- their services. chase of essential commodities ing Delhi and NCR, vendors stock” on the search page. doorstep delivery services in Government has released rate pandemic.                                       !      "#     !              %"      &     !   !          !"#$5" Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal  '() *"+,     said on Wednesday evening. 56 5"  -     N  O 0-        n the first day of the three- 5" Kejriwal did not give any details Oweek countrywide lock- $!%" about the new patients, but he  !       12 12 * ! down, the count of confirmed 5" &!%" did say that only one of the five      !     '-3 coronavirus cases shot up from  5" & '$%" had a history of foreign travel.  !  !!      519 on Tuesday to 606 on The remaining four were either    !    Wednesday while death toll  (  ) * ) + * family members of coronavirus touched eleven in the country  %+ # % " patients or had come in close with Maharashtra reporting &!% 7 %%+ contact with them. the highest number of cases at The Government said of 2Q"  R )!'% " % 69 128, followed by Kerala with the 64,000 people who arrived 109 cases. Delhi registered five $!%6" "!$%"# in the country since March 21, fresh cases. Of the total 606 % 6#  $'% 6: as many as 8,000 are under -*+ . 56   cases, 42 are cured ones. So far % %# )!'% ; quarantine and 56,000 have authorities have denied com- !"#$% 6 ,-%; gone for home isolation. munity spread of the disease. %7" %"6 After the Group of  7     Madhya Pradesh registered  $%"8+ *% 6; Ministers meeting, Union its first death when a 65-year- % "7 *%7 Health Minister Dr old woman from Ujjain suc- %"%# & '$% + Harshvardhan assured the     '- 3-1 As many as 94,000 NRIs cumbed to the virus on !%% Centre is making efforts to and foreign returned persons Wednesday afternoon. In its ensure personal protective unjab Government has have reportedly landed in updated figures released on equipment and N-95 masks are Pdecided to weed out Punjab, since March 1. While Wednesday morning, the the second death reported in Five more persons tested available in adequate numbers COVID-19 by seeking help at the government maintains that Health Ministry stated that Delhi was Covid-19 negative. positive for COVID-19 in Delhi, for medical fraternity. grassroot level. To track the most of these had been tracked nearly 64,000 “missing” NRIs and 30,000 placed under home who landed in Punjab in the quarantine, efforts to trace the recent days, and those who remaining are being made.               attended Holla Mohalla, the Chief Minister Capt State Government has directed Amarinder Singh on the sarpanches or nambardars in Wednesday also maintained that ! "    villages to provide information. giving highest importance to  The sarpanches and nam- tracing all international pas- bardars have been asked to pro- sengers who arrived after March ##$  vide detailed information of all 10, 2020, direction shave been residents in their respective vil- issued that work should contin- New Delhi: is likely to The package, which could    lages, who would have travelled ue unbated. agree an economic stimulus be announced by the end of the abroad after March 1 or who The Chief Minister also package of more than 1.5 week, will be used to put would have received relatives directed the Health Department lakh crore ($19.6 billion) to money directly into the   person of foodgrains to 80 from abroad. and the Police to ensure further fight a downturn in the coun- accounts of more than 100 crore people under the PDS, That was not all! They have monitoring of those already try that is currently locked million poor and to support day after Prime Minister which is the world’s largest been asked to also find out the traced and placed under home down to stem the spread of businesses hit the hardest by ANarendra Modi declared a food security system,” said number of persons who visited quarantine. For this, the revenue coronavirus, two sources famil- the lockdown, the sources said. 21-day lockdown to prevent the I&B Minister Prakash Hola Mohalla festival at Sri department staff and panchay- iar with the matter told Reuters. The Government will also coronavirus spread, the Union Javadekar, detailing the Anandpur Sahib, where the at staff were being asked to trace The Government has not increase its borrowing plan for Cabinet on Wednesday Cabinet decision. Banga-based COVID 19 patient, such persons. yet finalised the package and the fiscal year 2020/21, which announced world’s largest food He said PDS wheat provid- who died on March 18, had “This information is very discussions are ongoing starts from April 1, from the security scheme to benefit 80 ed at 7 per kg earlier is being stayed for three days. important to curb the spread of between Prime Minister current planned gross bor- crore people across the given at 2 and rice at 3/kg. Till date, total of 22 corona corona virus in Punjab. If any- Narendra Modi’s office, the rowing of 7.8 lakh crore, both country. Detailing the logistics of positive cases, out of 31 report- one is found to be hiding this Finance Ministry, and Reserve sources said. Briefing media, Union supply of wheat, rice and other ed from Punjab, have been information, the Government Bank of India (RBI), said both The sources added that Minister Prakash Javadekar items to 80 crore people, reported which came in contact can register cases under rele- the sources, who asked not to the Government had asked said that every person coming Javadekar said that all States with 70-year-old Nawanshahr vant sections, against such per- be named as the matter was still the RBI to buy some of the under this scheme will get 7 kg have been asked to take food- resident Baldev Singh. sons,” stated the government under discussion. Government securities being ration per month for the next grains from the Centre in “We have asked them to official. The government has One of the sources, a senior issued, a move not undertaken three months, including wheat advance for distribution immediately furnish a list of made the nambardars and pan- Government official, said the by the Indian central bank in at a cost of 2 per kg and rice through the PDS and Food such persons to the government chayat members accountable stimulus plan could be as large decades, due to fears of infla- at cost of 3 per kg. Corporation of India (FCI) doctors and patwaris in the vil- for reporting on all people, liv- as 2.3 trillion, but final num- tion spiking. “The Government has networks across the country are lages,” a senior government offi- ing in villages under their bers were still in discussion. Agency decided to provide 7 kg per geared up for this scheme. cial told The Pioneer. jurisdiction. %&'&()(*+()%,+-./-0&1

 '- 3-1 relatives and friends. come in contact with Punjab’s patient from Moranwali village were brought to the civil hospi- “Since she has no travel his- And in the process, he has first coronavirus death victim, in sub-division of tal here for testing following the tory, we are looking for her con- he dead man Baldev Singh’s transmitted the virus to many tested positive for Covid-19 a day district. SBS Nagar government’s strict instructions tacts to know from where she Tcontact trail has reached 22 others, out which 22 cases have before. Deputy Commissioner Vinay that no contact of the infected contracted the infection. Her on Wednesday as Punjab report- been tested positive, while sev- Health officials said that the Bublani said that the person be left out of sampling. family members, including her ed its 31st coronavirus positive eral others, from districts of samples of a 50-year-old man, his Administration has sealed the State’s industrial town of children, driver and maid and all case from Hoshiarpur. Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur, and 45-year-old wife and their 25- villages from where the patients Ludhiana also reported its first those who came in her contact Nawanshahr’s 70-year-old are under observation. year-old son, all related to Baldev belonged to prevent the further positive case on Tuesday evening. will be quarantined,” said Bagga. Baldev Singh had returned from So far, 22 people, comprising 14 Singh, had tested positive. The spread of the virus. A city-based 55-year-old woman All the family members of the Germany via Italy on March 7, immediate family members, three members of the family Confirming the third with no travel history has been patient, including her husband and died on March 18 due to car- three relatives in the extended belonged to Virk village in the COVID-19 case in Hoshiarpur tested positive and is undergo- and son, and two servants, are diac arrest, before the arrival of family, two persons who sub-division and were from district, Civil Surgeon Dr Jasbir ing treatment at Dayanand being shifted to DMCH and will his report in which he was test- returned from Germany along Baldev’s extended family. In Singh said that teams were Medical College and Hospital. be kept in isolation. The health ed positive for COBID-19. with him, a 68-year-old and his Shaheed Nagar immediately dispatched to the Civil Surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga department spokesperson said During these 15 days, he reached son, contact from Hoshiarpur (Nawanshahr), three more fam- village to collect samples of all said that initial report of the that close contacts of the fresh his native village in and the sarpanch of Pathlawa vil- ily members of Baldev Singh, those persons who had come in patient had turned positive and case has been put under quar- Banga sub division of lage, have tested positive for including two from Pathlawa contact with the patient and his again a test was done for confir- antine and surveillance. Samples Nawanshahr from Delhi in a taxi coronavirus after coming in and one from Sujjon village, test- father, who is undergoing treat- mation which also tested posi- of close contacts of these cases with two others, stayed at Sri contact with Baldev Singh. ed positive on Tuesday. ment in Amritsar. tive. The sample will now be sent have also been taken and sent to Anandpur Sahib for three days Six people, including three of The latest positive case is 31- The Health Department said to the National Institute of designated labs for testing, added to attend Holla Mohalla, met his a family from Phillaur who had year-old son of a coronavirus that 18 residents of Moranwali Virology, Pune. the spokesperson.   ! " "         8   9 # 7     # %   #7" #   ? - ing such items must also be brought under the ambit of  ? -     basis. imachal Chief Minister Jai essential commodities.   Himachal Pradesh State HRam Thakur on Thakur said that as many o strengthen the manpow-    Disaster Management Wednesday held a video con- as 2186 people had been kept Ter available in various Authority (HPSDMA) in the ferencing with Deputy under surveillance out of which health institutions and medical    year 2011 had notified 17 Commissioners, 591 people have completed 28 colleges in Himachal Pradesh    departments which would per- Superintendents of Police, days of surveillance period. to tackle the emergent situation    form Emergency Support Chief Medical Officers and He said that investigations of 99 which has arisen due to spread Functions in the face of disas- District Food and Civil persons had been done so far of COVID-19, the State   ters to ensure a timely and well Supplies Controllers of all the and today reports of 19 persons Government on Wednesday   coordinated response. It was districts from Shimla to take were received and all were deferred and extended the date    decided the considering the stock of the situation in wake found negative. of superannuation of all gravity of the current situation of lockdown for 21 days in the Chief Secretary Anil Medical Officers, faculty mem-  it was decided that more roles country as well as in the State Kumar Khachi assured the bers and paramedical staff of all and responsibilities need to be due to outbreak of Corona Chief Minister that adminis- categories working in the institutions in his or her juris- notified to manage the current epidemic. tration would act pro-active health and family welfare and diction. crisis situation. He urged the people of the approach to minimize the medical education research Thirdly, it was decided that State to remain in-door during impact of lockdown to the who are due to retire on 31 STATE EXECUTIVE COM- the Disaster Management Cell, the lockdown as government people by providing relaxation March, 30 April and 31 May, MITTEE REVIEWS Department of Revenue- has taken this step keeping in in curfew. 2020 up to 30 June, 2020. ARRANGEMENTS for Disaster Management and the view their safety as corona relaxation of curfew period. He the daily needs items like milk, also felt the need for proper He said that steps would Additional Chief Secretary, COVID-19 Department of Health need to virus was a pandemic. He said also asked them to involve bread and vegetables etc. He coordination between various also be taken to maintain and Health passed an order accord- The 10th meeting of the constitute a ‘COVID-19 that action would be taken functionaries of Panchayati Raj said that administration of government departments as supplement the supply line of ing to which the Medical State Executive Committee Management Strategy’ for the against violators under Clinical Institutions as they were the bordering districts of the State well as NGOs for effective essential commodities from Officers and paramedical staff (SEC) constituted under state. The meeting concluded Establishment Act or Epidemic grass root functionaries in the should also ensure that borders implementation of Curfew. other States. who have retired upon attain- Section 20 of the Disaster with the resolve for opeara- Diseases Act 1897 and sections villages as well as urban local were completely sealed and He said that the State Additional Chief Secretary ing the age of superannuation Management Act was orga- tionalizing the state and district of IPC. bodies in maintaining social outsiders were not allowed to Government had already Health R.D. Dhiman said that between 31 December, 2017 to nized under the chairperson- Emergency Operations Centres The Chief Minister direct- distancing. enter their territories. closed temples in the State but there was adequate stock of 29 February, 2020 would also ship of Chief Secretary Anil (EOCs) as a focal point for ed the officers to ensure avail- He said that the shop- The CM directed the Chief still several temples in rural PPE kits in the State. He said be given re-employment on the Kumar Khachi to review the coordination and compilation ability of essential commodities keepers must provide sanitiz- Medical Officers to ensure areas were open. He directed that if required buildings of last post held with effect from preparedness measures for of reports and resources for in their respective districts. ers to the consumers visiting availability of Personal the district administration to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya 1 April, 2020 till further orders COVID-19. COVID-19. He said that necessary steps their shops during the hours of Protective Equipment (PPE) check any type of social gath- Hostels and DIET Hostels subject to written consent, After detailed delibera- Additional Chief should be taken to check relaxation. He also asked them including N-95 masks in all the ering in the rural areas during could be used for category ‘B’ availability and fitness. tions, it was decided that all Secretaries R. D. Dhiman and hoarding and profiteering of to give preference to senior cit- health institutions of their dis- the hours of relaxation in the patients. They will report to their directions and guidelines Manoj Kumar, Principal essential commodities and izens in providing goods dur- tricts. curfew. Director General of Police duties in the offices of the Chief issued by the Government of Secretary Jagdish Chander and stringent actions must be taken ing the relaxation period. He said that the He also asked the district S.R. Mardi said that the police Medical Officer concerned of India will be adopted by the Onkar Chand Sharma, against the defaulters. Thakur directed the Police Government has already decid- administration to make ade- department would ensure the district or Principal of the State in totality. All depart- Director-General of Police SR He directed the Deputy and other law and order ed to postpone the date of pay- quate arrangements for ensure effective implementation of medical college, who has been ments and districts will follow Mardi and Director-cum- Commissioners to ensure ade- enforcement agencies to ensure ment of various public utility availability of spray, fertilizers Curfew besides facilitating the authorised to issue re-employ- the same and the implementa- Special Secretary-Revenue-DM quate social distancing between social distancing while relax- bills like electricity, water etc. and insecticides etc. to the people during the hours of ment orders on need basis and tion of these will be reviewed D.C. Rana) were present for person to person during the ation in curfew for purchasing without any extra charges. He farmers. He said that shops sell- relaxation in the Curfew. further deploy them in health and monitored on a regular this meeting.     .56/   *          +       #              '- 3-1 terror attack happened in the the Sikh community with Gurudwara Guru Har Rai. It's Afghanistan President Ashraf      %888 !F   son, the office of the Maharashtra trains some days back and unjab Chief Minister Capt extremely tragic and unfortu- Ghani urgently. Chief Minister had conveyed to nationwide lockdown imposed PAmarinder Singh, Union nate. Request (Afghanistan) He said that it was unfor- !    Punjab CMO that all steps were since midnight yesterday, there Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, President @Ashraf Ghani Ji to tunate that Sikhs in ?    The faculty has also been asked '() *"+  being taken in this respect, while is no possibility to bring them and Shiromani Akali Dal find out the perpetrators and Afghanistan had been “vic-  ! to share lectures (text/presenta- Maharashtra Tourism, back to Punjab without special (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh look after our people,” Capt tims of forced marriages and   tions) though e-mail and reply Environment and Protocol approval of the Government of Badal on Wednesday strongly Amarinder tweeted. conversions and killings for students'' queries through email,  '- 3-1 Minister Aditya Thackeray India amid COVID-19, wrote condemned the attack on a reli- Condemning the ghastly more than two decades now   !!   WhatsApp or Skype. responded to Capt Amarinder’s Capt Amarinder. gious gathering in a Gurdwara attack, the Union Minister and but no concrete steps had been The authorities also advised unjab Chief Minister Capt tweet on the issue with: “Thank Punjab Chief Minister in Kabul in which at least 11 Bathinda MP Harsimrat Badal taken to ensure their safety”. teachers to take help of YouTube PAmarinder Singh on you sir @capt_amarinder ji. Will pointed out that the State people were killed. said that she has requested the “Sikhs are being systemat-  '- 3-1 for posting lectures or presenta- Wednesday urged the Centre look into it and do the needful.” Government had already taken Capt Amarinder described External Affairs Minister S ically decimated in Afghanistan tions for students and could and the Maharashtra The Chief Minister had up the matter with the Ministry the attack as extremely “tragic Jaishankar to issue immediate due to which thousands had anjab University (PU) on also reply queries through video Government to immediately tweeted: “Have written to HM of Railways to allow plying of and unfortunate”, requesting instructions to the Indian High fled the country to seek refuge PWednesday issued guidelines conferencing. It was also sug- arrange for the evacuation of @AmitShah Ji & Maharashtra special trains to evacuate these the Afghanistan President Commission to ensure the in India…Now only around for online teaching in order to gested for holding interactive 2,000 Punjab pilgrims evacuat- CM @OfficeofUT to facilitate the stranded pilgrims. “The officers Ashraf Ghani to find out about safety of the Sikhs. 300 Sikh families live in compensate academic loss of stu- talks through Skype or ed from Nanded Sahib evacuation of devotees stranded of Punjab Government are in the perpetrators and look after “Shocked to learn about a Afghanistan in the vicinity of dents in the wake of the coron- Zoom. "Topics can be assigned Gurdwara, where they are stuck at Nanded Sahib Gurdwara. The constant touch with the district the people of India. ghastly terror attack at Gurdwaras but even they are avirus outbreak. The guidelines to students. Each student pre- in the wake of COVID-19 lock- pilgrims have been stranded administration of Nanded for Heavily armed gunmen Gurdwara Sahib in #Kabul. I not safe with even gurdwaras were issued by the Dean pares the topic and shares with down. there for long & we owe them making suitable arrangements and suicide bombers stormed request EAM @DrS Jaishankar being targeted as has happened University of Instruction to fac- rest of the class and with teacher Capt Amarinder wrote sep- safe return to their homes & fam- for their boarding and lodging,” a Sikh gurdwara in the heart of Ji to issue imm instructions to today morning,” he added. ulty for teaching online. The PU through email. Queries of indi- arate letters to the Union Home ilies.” he said. Afghanistan's capital of Kabul the Indian High Comm in Sukhbir said that Sikhs, authorities had suspended the vidual students can be answered Minister Amit Shah and In separate letters to the Meanwhile, Capt on Wednesday, killing at least Afghanistan to ensure the safe- who had been displaced by the classes till March 31 and had by teacher through Maharashtra Chief Minister Union Home Minister and the Amarinder Singh also request- 11 worshippers and wounding ty of our Sikh brethren trapped wave of violence against them by asked teachers to work from Skype/email/WhatsApp/video Udhav Thackeray, to which the Maharashtra CM, Capt ed Thackeray to issue necessary as many, in one of the deadliest there..,” she tweeted. fanatics, should be rehabilitated. home. conferencing," the statement Maharashtra Government had Amarinder said that these pil- instructions to the district attacks on the minority com- Meanwhile, SAD chief He said that similarly, all They have advised teachers said. It has also been suggested responded with the assurance grims from Punjab had gone to administration, Nanded, for munity in the country, accord- Sukhbir Badal also condemned Sikh places of worship in to upload e-lectures that the National Programme on that necessary action would be pay obeisance at the historic gur- making suitable necessary ing to a media report. the barbaric attack and urged Afghanistan should be given (texts/slides/presentations) Technology Enhanced Learning taken to help out the stranded dwara Sri Hazur Sahib in arrangements till such time a “Horrific news coming Prime Minister Narendra Modi due protection by the through Google Classroom and (NPTEL) platform should be pilgrims. Nanded in Maharashtra. final decision is taken by the from Kabul where a barbaric to take up the issue of safety of State. also clear doubts of students. used for engineering courses. According to the spokesper- Owing to cancellation of Government of India. - $:  %     &&  " :   2  +#

           2( - ited Hrishikesh in Uttarakhand tion hasn't revealed the travel Pradesh. #  for a vacation. history of others tested positive Till now, over 12,500 ith five more patients Speaking to the media, for novel coronavirus in Indore. Travellers have been screened Wtesting positive for Novel Indore Collector Lokesh Indore is the city where at various airports of Madhya  '- 3-1 resident of Mohali, Punjab  '$#()  Corona virus in Indore district, Kumar jatav said that out of the locals had came out on streets Pradesh, set a community from admitted at CD-Ward PGIMER the number of total positive total 21 samples forwarded to during Janata curfew organised the state government. For tak- o new positive case of has tested negative for COVID-  '- 3-1 Urban Estates Department and cases in the Madhya Pradesh virology lab MGM College on last Sunday. The adminis- ing stock of the situation, Chief NCOVID-19 (Coronavirus) 19. Giving details of other sus- CEO, Faridabad Metropolitan has risen to 14 on Wednesday. Indore, five have tested positive tration has already initiated Minister Shivraj Singh was reported in Chandigarh on pected patients, the spokesper- aryana government on Development Authority has Out of these, four patients late night on Tuesday. punitive action against these Chauhan will hold a video Wednesday.The number of cases sons said that a 29-year female HWednesday deputed 24 been deputed in Sonipat. Deepti belong to Indore while the We are now trying to ascer- offenders. conferencing with offices of the in the city stood at seven while resident of Chandigarh with IAS, 2 IFS officers in the dis- Umashankar, Principal fifth one, women from Ujjain tain how many people came Earlier, six positive cases state on Wednesday the persons under home quar- history of travel to Dubai has tricts for planning, coordina- Secretary, Monitoring and is also admitted in Indore, the into contact of these patients, have been reported from afternoon. antine are 502 till the evening. been admitted at isolation ward tion and monitoring and Coordination Department and commercial capital of the said the collector. Jabalpur in the state, one each The video conferencing “The condition of all seven of GMSH-16 and has been sam- implementation of all activities Commissioner Ambala Division state. These five cases our first in Bhopal, Gwalior and would be attended by senior positive cases is stable,” said an pled for COVID-19. Also, a 25- for the prevention and control has been deputed in Ambala. Sources in the administra- ever positive COVID 19 cases Shivpuri.With the fresh cases, officers of police, health depart- official spokesman. On reports year female resident with no of spread of COVID-2019 in Anurag Agarwal, Chief tion claimed that two of these reported from Indore. the number of Total positive ment, Municipal corporations of first positive patient being dis- travel history has been admitted addition to their present duties, Electoral Officer, Principal five patients had recently vis- However the administra- cases has risen to 14 in Madhya and administration. charged from GMCH-32 after at CD-Ward of PGIMER and with immediate effect. Secretary, Elections recovery, the spokesperson said sampled for COVID-19. Both Mahavir Singh, Principal Department, and Managing that the message is fake and the reports were awaited till the fil- Secretary, School Education Director, Haryana State patient is still admitted in isola- ing of the report. Department has been deputed Industrial Infrastructure !      " tion ward at GMCH-32. Among other suspected in Bhiwani. Sudhir Rajpal, Development Corporation has The health condition of the cases, a 49-year male resident of Principal Secretary, been deputed in Yamuna patient is absolutely fine, the Derabassi, Punjab with no trav- Development and Panchayats Nagar. D Suresh,     2( - spokesperson added. Out of the el history and a 27 –year old male Department has been deputed Commissioner, Rohtak 566 passengers reported in resident of Chandigarh with no in Palwal. Division has been deputed in he abrupt weather conditions Chandigarh in past few weeks, travel history were admitted at Anand Mohan Sharan, Rohtak. Rajeev Ranjan, Tcontinue to prevail as sever- 502 passengers are under home isolation ward of GMCH-32. Till Principal Secretary, Mines and Director General, Tourism and al regions of the state witnessed quarantine and 64 have com- now, no samples for COVID-19 Geology Department, Social Secretary, Tourism Department rainfall in the past 24 hours and pleted home quarantine or testing have been collected in Justice and Empowerment and has been deputed in Fatehabad. good rainfall was witnessed dur- migrated to other states. both cases, the spokesperson Welfare of Scheduled Caste Haryana Home and Health ing the day on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a 31-year old male added. and Backward Classes Minister Anil Vij said that the Met department told that Departments, Principal state government was making two WD one over Iran and Resident Commissioner, every effort to prevent spread other over Pakistan and system Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi, of COVID-19 infection in the over Rajasthan are inducing the has been deputed in Panchkula. State. The total number of weather conditions which pre- Raja Shekhar Vundru, coronavirus positive cases in vailed over the past two days and Tikamgarh, Sagar, Damoh, witnessed significant increase. cloudy weather conditions would Principal Secretary, Sainik and Haryana stands at 17. Vij said and more abruptness in the Narsinghpur and Chhindwara State capital witnessed be witnessed in the night and Ardh Sainik Welfare and that state government has start- weather conditions would pre- districts in the next 24 hours. moderate rise in night tem- speedy winds are likely to be wit- Animal Husbandry and ed preparing a list of retired vail in the next 24 hours. Day temperature peaked at perature which recorded at nessed. Dairying Department has been government doctors and if Thundery activities and 41 degree Celsius in the state 23.2 degree Celsius making According to the forecast posted in Nuh. Vineet Garg, need arises their services will be speedy winds would be wit- which was recorded in the night little discomforting. light rainfall and thundery activ- Principal Secretary, Haryana availed. The purchase orders nessed in six divisions and Khargone. The day tempera- The day temperature was ities would be witnessed in Labour Department, and have been placed to have five five districts warned Met offi- tures were recorded without recorded at 35.6 degree Celsius. Indore, Ujjain, Hoshangabad, Commissioner Karnal ventilators in each of the 22 dis- cials. The warning of thunder any significant change. The forecast claims that the Gwalior, Bhopal and Chambal Division, has been deputed in tricts."Besides, purchase of 210 lightening and speedy winds The lowest night tempera- state capital would witness day divisions and Tikamgarh, Sagar, Karnal. Apoorva Kumar Singh, new ventilators for medical has been issued for Indore, ture was recorded at 16 degree temperature at 36 degree Celsius Damoh, Narsinghpur and Principal Secretary Town colleges has been approved," he Ujjain, Hoshangabad, Gwalior, Celsius in Dhar. In Ujjain divi- and night temperature at 21 Chhindwara districts in the next and Country Planning and said. Bhopal and Chambal divisions sion the night temperatures degree Celsius. The partial 24 hours.                                                                                                                                                !        "                                            #            $ % 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/$//0+/=  #   ! " " ) ) + *   !"# " #$! "#

 '- 3-1 functional staff. Such employ- it is decided by the District and general public, the Chief N',1& -??O ?1K, 1L &1(10(30',1& -??L ees of the State Government Administration in due course Minister assured the people. midst reports of disrupt- and those employees of to relax it in a selected area, He has directed the police     !     !  &?'5&          Aed supply of essential Government of India that due care must be taken to and administrative officials to        !      !  !     commodities and violation of have been allowed to report avoid overcrowding and to ensure that door-to-door  '   !F3    !    !! 5& ! ) curfew orders on the first day on duty as per Government of observe prescribed social dis- delivery of essential services is   !      ! !    !  - ! 5  ) ?!    of 21-day nationwide lock- India’s order will be allowed to tancing,” stated the fresh maintained for the desired or ! ('> '        !      down, Punjab Chief Minister travel from home to office on guidelines. prescribed period and it may,  3!     !          ! '     5 Capt Amarinder Singh on their institutional Identity Taking cognizance of the as far as possible, be further         !  !    ! ! Wednesday came out with Card, and specific curfew need to ensure timely supply streamlined with the assis- !!    !    !    (  5   M  !  new commandments to passes will not be necessary, of critical materials and equip- tance of e-commerce compa-  !       ' -   streamline the curfew man- the revised guidelines states. ment, including PPE kits, nies or service providers.   !          !  H  ' - !! (  5&      agement and facilitate supply It is specifically provided masks, medicines etc, to gov- Volunteers may also be  !   I    !   of essentials. in the guidelines that for ernment hospitals, primary engaged, if necessary, for   ? - '   H3 I?0    Besides issuing a fresh set employees of Governments and community health centres ensuring prompt door-to-    !      J!    !     ! '    of directives to the police and including PSUs and SPUs, of (PHCs and CHCs), the door delivery of essential ser-   ! !   !    !  civil administration including Haryana, Punjab and UT of Deputy Commissioners have vices and commodities, said 3       H  detailed instructions for Chandigarh who are residing been asked to contact Punjab the Chief Minister, adding !    '''I    ;+-8(%1)).+-+- issuance of passes to maintain in Mohali district (especially State Health and Family that providers of essential ser-         critical systems and services in Mohali and Zirakpur) and Welfare Department and vices whether individuals  ! !     !   '  <;+')/(+-8/*=)<.&(( order to ensure that people are are facing acute problems in Punjab Health System (hawkers or delivery boys) or not inconvenienced in these reaching their offices, located Corporation (PHSC) manag- institutions should be allowed SSPs, as well as other senior ery of essential goods and ser- he DCs have to declare all should be honoured both dur- difficult times, the Chief in Chandigarh and Panchkula, ing director with the facility of to operate for fixed duration officials concerned with man- vices as the only option in the Tthe officer concerned ing transit and at destination Minister has also constituted it has been decided that they sending advance indents to but on specific permissions aging the situation. given situation and asked the authorized signatories and but such pass holders should a Committee, under the chair- may be allowed to commute facilitate early procurements. and after observing required The DCs have been asked CPs and SSPs to ensure that inform the district police not be allowed to stop or go manship of Additional Chief to their offices for official At the same time, Capt health safeguards. to ensure strict compliance of functioning of delivery boys, accordingly. Besides, due record anywhere other than the spec- Secretary (Industry and duty (not with their families Amarinder has ordered that The Chief Minister also the guidelines. rehris, small motorized vehi- of the passes, issued by the ified destination. Commerce), to oversee the or in groups) by showing requisite protocol issued by ordered sanitization of affect- With the civil adminis- cles etc is facilitated to ensure authorized signatories, must Central Government, in procurement processes for all their official or institutional the Health Department for ed or vulnerable areas, etc for tration and police working in smooth supplies. be maintained. its order, has also emphasized CoViD-19 related items. photo ID cards and they testing of suspected cases which guidelines have been close coordinate, DGP Dinkar For individual emergen- For point-to-point move- maintaining supply chains of As per the revised curfew would not be required to should be followed meticu- issued by the Health and Gupta also issued clear cies, DCs have been asked to ment of individuals or essential goods and commodi- management guidelines, gov- obtain special curfew passes. lously. Further, compliance Family Welfare Department to instructions to his officers to continue following up and providers of essential goods and ties. For the same, vehicle num- ernment offices that have At the same time, it was of protocol issued by the be undertaken in both con- ensure efficient facilitating the common man services, the passes can be ber and mode of transportation been designated in clarified that all other Health Department, dated cerned towns and villages. delivery mechanisms and through helplines already issued by the authorized sig- should also be specified, how- Government of India’s order Government employees will March 22, 2020, should be On directives of the Chief processes in the light of cur- established in the districts. natories at origin, clearly giving ever, movement of people in will be allowed to remain be directed to work from strictly ensured. Minister, Secretary Arun few with no relaxations The number of helplines and address of destination and pur- groups should be avoided even open with skeletal staff. home and remain available on Continuing with its earli- Sekhri on Wednesday issued already in place in the State, persons attending on such pose of traveling. Such passes from point-to-point. In order to ensure supply call should any such need er curfew orders, the State revised curfew management and the subsequent national lines may be increased and of other essential services, arise. Government will take all pos- guidelines to all Divisional lockdown announcement by properly publicized, the and PSFS would issue a com- potatoes, ACS (Development) specific State Government It was also clarified that sible steps to avoid any undue Commissioners, Deputy the Prime Minister. guidelines state. prehensive mandi-wise plan in would issue necessary guide- offices may also be required to there would be no general inconvenience to the Commissioners, He emphasized arrange- For procurement of due course. lines by Friday, March 27, remain open with minimal relaxation in curfew. In case, providers of essential services Commissioners of Police or ments for door-to-door deliv- wheat, ACS (Development) Likewise, for harvesting of 2020. #  #   #      77 #     $

 '- 3-1 Administration decided to decided that no relaxation will vegetables, he said that CTU ing, it was informed that there  (               allow retailer shops (ration) in be allowed in curfew restric- buses will be used accompa- is no shortage of beds, medi-  ,0  =        ith curfew continuing sectors to open from Thursday tions and no individual will be nied with police personnel for cines, protective gears etc. for -  F    ?    !   !-     Wwithout any relaxation onwards and allow the resi- allowed to visit any shop for its supply in sectors. And, milk treating the patients in the L0    =0 for the second day in the city, dents to place their order tele- direct purchase of essential supply will be ensured from city.  !  '  -           =      the denizens struggled to get phonically for essential items. items. The residents can only house to house from 6 am to It was further informed  !  -    O = supply of essential items as the The Administration will depute place order telephonically for 10 am daily in all sectors, he that in case anyone is found '?   ,      !  ?  3! 1 C!     !   Chandigarh Administration government and private per- delivery of essential items at added. violating the curfew orders ! !  failed to put in place its plan to sons to deliver such items. their doorstep. The Administration has and buying essential items   1!  F ? 2     #"%   =  F ? ?!       ensure home delivery of essen- The overall responsibility “With regard to essential also decided to distribute and from shops, strict legal action      tial food items and medicines of providing essential services items including groceries, sell separate packets of ration would be taken against both  !    '? !"7+  !   0F ? ?    '     on Wednesday. related to food, groceries, fruit chemists, supply of fruit, veg- packed for 10 days and 21 days the individual and the shop !  =M While roads in parts of and vegetables, dairy and milk etables etc, it has been finalized in the periphery through the owner as per law.       !    !  Chandigarh were deserted products will is given to MCC to provide the same to the res- available government vehicles.  (    !      =    throughout the day, people Commissioner KK Yadav. idents at their doorsteps Further, it was decided )  9*    !    ?? ? - '() *"+=-+9" lined up outside milk booths in Besides, four senior UT officers through government and pri- that no retail sale of fruits and   P ,0 ?  - !   !       various sectors in the morning have been deputed for better vate carriers. A list of chemist vegetables will be allowed in & ) C!  3!  L-   ! !  J!  !  defying curfew orders. With management of delivery of shops and retail shops for gro- Mandi Sector 26 and the While an indefinite curfew                !  milk and vegetable vendors essential goods across the city. ceries will be uploaded by wholesale market will only imposed in Chandigarh has         !        visiting various sectors, people Apart from this, four Administration so that resi- function maintain the supplies triggered panic among city != !  -       = resorted to panic buying and a mobile ATMs vans will be dents can place an order tele- chain. denizens, the city MP Kirron large number of people were made functional in few days, phonically,” said MCC Meanwhile, UT Kher is nowhere to be seen and not able to get essential items. which will visit different parts Commissioner KK Yadav. Administrator VP Singh is currently in Delhi. sine die on Monday due to absence of the city MP Kirron problems of the people of the After Punjab Governor of the city. The residents would The retail shops will be Badnore directed MCC Kher had left for Delhi to lockdown in the entire country Kher, Chandigarh Congress city, she is missing today. and UT Administrator VP be allowed to avail the facility used as distribution and stor- Commissioner to ensure that attend Lok Sabha which in view of COVID-19 out- president Pradeep Chhabra He said that by giving a lit- Singh Badnore reviewed the on their doorsteps for fixed age point for carriers to pick up all areas get adequate stock of reassembled on March 2 for break, the MP is not back to the said that in such a difficult time tle fund at this late stage, she situation in a meeting on hours. in carts or autos, he said. essential items on time. budget session. While the Lok city and stuck in Delhi. where the MP had the prima- cannot run away from her Wednesday, the The Administration also On supply of fruits and During the review meet- Sabha session was adjourned While questioning the ry responsibility to remove the responsibilities.  *  *!         !F %#             

 '- 3-1 media to show some patience engaged from Swiggy for home Amritsar. Similarly, the  '- 3-1 Commissioners will upload the directed that the vegetable pro- The chief secretary said that as arrangements on such a delivery of essential goods, Pardhan of the Mandi has list of vegetables, milk and gro- ducers should be allowed to smooth transportation of raw mid tighter restrictions large scale need time for imple- while in Patiala district, home assured that around 100 ven- aryana Chief Secretary cery vendors along with their come to the Mandis and while material coming from the neigh- Aand controls as part of the mentation. “The police is tak- delivery of essential com- dors will be deputed for under- HKeshni Anand Arora on contact numbers on their web- returning they should be given bouring States for the necessary anti-COVID curfew or lock- ing prompt action on any infor- modities was being ensured in taking door-to-door supply or Wednesday directed all the sites according to the area or a pass or letter so that the police- goods or manufacturing units is down in place, the Punjab mation that comes to their coordination with the delivery delivery of fruits. Divisional and Deputy Ward in their respective districts. men do not stop the empty vehi- ensured and for this, the State Police on Wednesday went notice the from social media,” boys from Zomato and Swiggy. In Khanna district, veg- Commissioners to ensure that Further through media, the cle. Apart from this, the vehicles Police should coordinate with into mission mode to launch he said while disclosing that As many as 100 trolleys etables and fruits are being sold there is no problem in move- Divisional and Deputy engaged in the movement of the neighbouring States and innovative and indigenous ini- prompt arrangements were containing essential com- out door-to-door via rehris, ment of essential commodities Commissioners will also ensure essential commodities should special direction should be issued tiatives across districts to facil- made for delivery of diabetic modities were dispatched after getting the same from during the complete lockdown that these numbers are shared have a sticker of "Essential to the policemen deployed on itate door-to-door supply of medicines to a Jalandhar fam- across Sangrur district on mandis. in the State for 21 days and a with the people so that people as Commodities Services", so that the Inter-State border. essential goods through strate- ily after they had tweeted for Wednesday by engaging ser- For dry rations, necessary mechanism should be prepared per their respective Wards, can policemen do not stop these Arora directed that the gic tie-ups with Zomata, help. vices of local volunteers, said tie-ups with the Kiryana stores for the supply of essential com- contact these vendors directly to vehicles repeatedly at the check homeless and daily wagers Swiggy, Verka, Amul, mandi He pointed that strict the DGP adding that in Tarn have been made, and they are modities to every house in the get the items as per their require- points and the supply chain should ensure to get ration and pradhans, chemist associations, enforcement of curfew had Taran district, milk producing also taking orders on phone State by today evening. ment, the Chief Secretary added. continues. if necessary, make the arrange- among others. curtailed the number of FIRs entities like Verka and Amul and ensuring home delivery. She said all on-duty police- The Chief Secretary direct- The Chief Secretary said ments for delivering the cooked As a result of the initiatives for violations to 74 on have been roped in for ensur- Information about the avail- men while ensuring social dis- ed that all the Deputy that during this crisis, food, and food at their doorstep. She said taken by the district police, Wednesday against Tuesday’s ing decentralized distribution ability of the home delivery ser- tancing, should also ensure that Commissioners should remain fodder for humans, as well as that if necessary, stock of flour, door-to-door supply of essen- 230, with a 38,468-strong police of milk following proper social vices is being disseminated people going to purchase essen- in contact with the traders, animals and birds, also falls in rice, oil, etc. should also, be tial goods like medicines, gro- force on the ground to enforce distancing measures. through the WhatsApp tial commodities should be wholesalers, and retailers of their the category of important and arranged in collaboration with cery, eatables had started in the restrictions while ensuring Officers of Verka Milk groups. allowed to go after thorough respective districts and ensure essential items. Therefore, the HAFED at Vita booths. She fur- many of the districts in the access to essential goods and plant have been liaised with “Certain issues are being checking. availability of stock of all types movement of food and fodder ther directed the officers to state, while similar delivery services for the people. and they have assured that faced by the police teams in Presiding over the meeting of essential commodities. for animals and birds should ensure the availability and sup- mechanisms were being The violations of curfew their 700 vendors will under- certain areas, including short- with all the Divisional and She said that grocery and remain constant and for this, ply of medicines such as diabetes, worked out in others too. were reported from Ludhiana take door to door supply of age of essential items and LPG Deputy Commissioners through medicine shops should be kept special directions should also be blood pressure, and heart ail- Passes were also being City, Ludhiana Rural, Khanna, milk in Amritsar city too, with etc, daily visits at government video conferencing, the Chief open and no fixed timeline given by the Home Department ments so that people suffering issued to authorized vendors Ropar, Sangrur, Patiala, the Commissionerate Amritsar hospitals by drug addicts with Secretary said that in the event should be set for them. She said to the policemen so that they do from such conditions do not get for the supply of essential Jalandhar City, Hoshiarpur, directed to issue the necessary de-addiction centre cards seek- of lockdown announced by that if these shops will be open not stop the vehicles supplying nervous or panic. goods, said the state DGP Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Mansa passes, said Gupta. ing medicines, pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the fixed time, then people these items. The Chief Secretary direct- Dinkar Gupta, adding that for and Ferozepur. Further, for fruits and veg- wheat farmers for opening of for 21 days in the whole coun- will gather in large numbers, so She said that depots would ed that PPE kits for medical, home delivery of medicines, in Responding to the DGP’s etables in Amritsar city, liaison pesticide markets and shops, try, the biggest challenge is how to prevent such a situation, these also be open under the Public paramedical staff should be pre- particular, necessary tie-ups directions to think out-of-the- has been established with mer- demand from potato growers to provide essential commodities shops should be kept open for as Distribution System, adding that pared in the medical colleges are being made with the respec- box, Commissioners of Police chant leader (Pardhan) of the for safe passage and trans- to the people at their doorstep. long as possible and these shops manufacturing units and facto- according to the technical spec- tive Chemist Associations, so and SSPs in several districts had Sabzi Mandi. As a result, portation for supply of their She said people should not should be opened at the night ries should also be allowed to ifications prescribed by PGI. that orders can be taken on come out with innovative ways around 200 vendors from the crop to other states, among leave the house at all, this will also so that people rather than remain open for the continuous She also directed that hydroxy- phone and home delivery is to ensure that essential com- Mandi will undertake door-to- others,” he said adding that all only be possible when they get gathering at one time should be supply of goods to wholesalers. chloroquine and chloroquine accordingly undertaken. modities reach the citizens. door delivery of vegetables to efforts were being made to the delivery of daily needs at their able to buy these essential items Apart from this, food processing medicines should be discontin- At the same time, the DGP In Amritsar and Ludhiana the residents of each colony resolve these concerns at the doorstep. For this, all the easily. units and packaging units will ued without a doctor's prescrip- appealed to the people and the cities, 650 persons had been and area in Commissionerate earliest. Divisional and Deputy The Chief Secretary also also remain open. tion.     $ %  &'()*+,- 

 '- 3-1 given six weeks of special parole. added. Parole. He said that those who He informed that prisoners Magistrate. step is being taken by the depart- place for them in the jails. He said Haryana Jail Minister, Ranjit The minister said inmates are convicted in cases like over- who were serving sentences of Ranjit Singh said that ment in view of the Corona epi- that directions have already been n the wake of fears of infection Singh said that inmates who are whose sentence is not more dose of drugs or Section 379 B at least seven years and do not inmates with good behavior in demic and it is being ensured issued by the department to all Idue to the corona virus epi- over 65 years of age and are not than seven years and no other or POCSO Act, rape and acid have any pending cases against the jail will be given special par- that the health of the prisoners the jails of the state. demic, Haryana Government on involved in more than one cases case is pending in the court, attack will not get this benefit. them in the court and those who don for two months by the in jail is taken care of. He said The meeting was held on Wednesday decided to reduce or those who are not involved in those who owe no penalty will The Jail Minister said that have one or more cases pending Director General, Prisons and that as per the directions of the March 24, through video confer- the pressure on jails of the State. drug cases or those who have not also be given six to eight weeks the cases of prisoners, whose against them but the punish- one month by Jail Supreme Court, major decisions encing, under the chairmanship As per directions of the been booked under Section 379 of special parole based on good parole or furloughs cases are ment for which is not likely to Superintendent according to have been taken on humanitar- of Justice Rajeev Sharma, for Supreme Court, inmates already B or POCSO Act and those who behaviour. He said that, special already pending with the District be more than seven years, and their merit as per the provision ian grounds for prisoners and deliberations for compliance of on parole or furlough will get an are not convicted in cases of rape parole will also be given to those Collector or Divisional Collector who have good behaviour in jail, described in the Punjab Jail detainees so as to reduce the directions issued by the Supreme extension of four-week special or acid attack will also be given prisoners whose maximum sen- will be shown leniency and will will be released on bail or given Manual. This pardon will not be pressure of prisoners in jails Court on March 23 which was parole. Similarly, prisoners who six weeks of special parole on the tence is up to seven years and if be disposed of soon. It will also interim bail of 45 to 60 days by granted to prisoners who have and in any situation arrests are attended by Additional Chief return to jail after only one basis of good behavior. Foreign there is a case pending in which be ensured that in such pending District and Sessions Judge, been convicted in serious made by the administration as a Secretary, Home, Jails, Vijai parole or furlough on time in a prisoners are not included in this, they are out on bail and has cases, a decision is taken with- Additional District and Sessions crimes, he added. precautionary law and order Vardhan and Director General, K. peaceful manner will also be healready returned peacefully after in three to six days, he added. Judge or Chief Judicial He said that every possible measure then there is sufficient Selvaraj.   ! " " .

% & & '  ,P    / 0     ()   ' +    .        .     reviewed the preparations for in these facilities.   mals around as they may have   decision suo-moto and it is meeting the challenge of coro- In addition, more Army been deprived of their daily decided to allow usage of ith the objective of social navirus and decided that at medical facilities at Jhansi, rime Minister Narendra food due to the corona-quar- he Election Commission Indelible Ink on persons for Wdistancing to prevent least 35 percent officers and 50 Binnaguri and Gaya are kept at PModi on Wednesday asked antine. “Conquer Corona with T(EC) on Wednesday stamping for home quarantine spread of coronavirus pandem- per cent other ranks will work standby with an additional col- citizens to adopt a right “war Karuna (win Corona virus allowed the use of indelible ink, by health authorities with the ic, the Armed forces have decid- from home at the Army lective capacity of 1,600 in addi- strategy” against pandemic battle by being kind),” he which it exclusively uses to conditions." ed to have bare minimum staff Headquarters till March 31. tion & those activated already. coronavirus by maintaining affirmed. mark the index finger during "As per the provisions of at their respective headquarters The second batch will work This does not include the addi- social distancing, assisting who he said were “working for The Prime Minister, who voting, to stamp the hand of Rule 49K of the Conduct of here. While the Army started the from home from March 31 tional capacity created and kept administration and health 18 hours to save human lives” took questions from people people who have been advised Elections Rules,1961, the left process on Wednesday, the IAF onwards. The IAF and Navy ready, they said. workers, and providing for and are like Gods. from Varanasi, said, “Aapda ko to stay under home quarantine forefinger of electors is required and Navy will implement the Headquarters here will also Moreover, the Ordnance poor, left stranded because of Modi said instead of allow- avsar mein badalna hoga” and for coronavirus. The EC took to be marked with indelible ink orders from Thursday onwards. implement more or less the Factory Board (OFB) has des- the lockdown. The PM ing things to worsen beyond pointed out that this has also the decision after a suo motu at the polling stations before the Meanwhile, in the national same system of working with ignated 285 beds for isolation appealed to public to “endure imagination, all should “endure offered an opportunity to peo- review against the backdrop of elector is allowed to vote. effort to look after Indians com- bare minimum staff, they said. wards in handling Coronavirus temporary difficulties” with difficulties for next 21 days and ple to be with their families various State Governments hav- Subrule (4) of the said Rule 49K ing from pandemic affected Giving details about the (COVID-19) cases. Forty beds determination to win the bat- follow social distancing pro- and “ humanity as such has ing already started using the provides that in cases where the countries, the Army on ongoing efforts to look after the have been earmarked in hospi- tle against the virulent disease tocol with all seriousness.” come together to deal with indelible ink. elector does not have forefinger Wednesday received another Indians evacuated from foreign tals at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur, in 21 days. He appealed to all social, calamity”. The EC, however, clarified on the left hand, the ink is to be batch of 273 citizens, mostly pil- countries, officials said the batch thirty beds each at Metal and A day after announcing a cultural and religious organi- He praised children’s con- that the indelible ink mark is marked on any finger on his left grims from Iran, at its medical of 273 pilgrims from Iran Steel Factory Ishapore, Gun and three-week nationwide lock- sations and public spirited tribution in providing positive normally expected to last for hand, and if he does not have facility at Jodhpur. At present, included 149 women and six Shell Factory Cossipore, down, the Prime Minister on people to pool in their efforts messaging on social media three days when applied on the any finger on his left hand, the the Army is looking after near- children. Ammunition Factory Khadki, Wednesday interacted with a to help out poor who are suf- and raising confidence of the skin but lasts for a few weeks on ink is to be marked on his right ly 1,200 Indians in its various The evacuees, who were Ordnance Factory Kanpur, section of citizens from his fering difficulties on account of all those engaged in coping the fingernail till the nail grows forefinger. Hence, concerned centres all over the country. transferred on IA Flights from Ordnance Factory Khamaria, parliamentary constituency the lockdown. with the situation across the out. Usually, people are kept authorities shall be instructed As regards the closure of the Delhi to Jodhpur were screened Ordnance Factory Ambajhari, Varanasi via video conferenc- Modi said “Centre and country. under home quarantine for a not to use the Indelible Ink on Army Headquarters, officials on arrival at Jodhpur airport and 25 beds at Ordnance Factory ing. states are putting their best to Answering a question on a period of 14 days. People in sev- any finger on the left hand of said here the global lock-down then taken to the Army medical Ambernath and twenty beds In his address and inter- defeat the pandemic” but peo- section of people not adhering eral States like Delhi, any persons," read the state- has affected and significantly facility which has been designed each at Heavy Vehicle Factory actions, the Prime Minister ple need to chip in to win the to general instructions and Maharashtra, Kerala and ment. reduced the office work be it isolation as well as mental and Avadi and Ordnance Factory reiterated that none should war against the coronavirus. “misbehaving” with doctors, Karnataka are putting stamps “The Ministry may stan- international cooperation, train- physical wellness which includes Medak.Setting up of Isolation “hold the illusion” that prob- The Prime Minister said these the Prime Minister said though on the back of the palm of those dardise mark and location on ing events, postings and cours- various activities including ward and corresponding num- lem would not come in a cri- are not “normal times.” most of the people across the put under home quarantine. the body where the mark has to es besides many such other sports. ber of beds in OFB hospitals has sis like the one that has been Prime Minister also shared country whole-heartedly par- The EC made it clear that be applied so that it does not functions. The critical appoint- At present, the Army is been done as per Ministry of looming large across the globe. a WhatsApp number ticipated in the ‘janata curfew’ the authorities should not use affect the conduct of any poll. ments and which includes operating medical facilities for Health and Family Welfare “Main nahin keh sakta (9013151515), which has been on Sunday, some may have indelible ink on any finger The authorities concerned almost 40 per cent of the office evacuees at Manesar, Jaisalmer (MoHFW) instructions in the hoon ki sab kuch theek hai,” created by the government to deviated from the prescribed on the left hand of any persons should be instructed to main- goers continued to work from and Jodhpur with evacuees from Cabinet Secretary's meeting on Modi said and asked people to help people get answers to line. Modi said “bad behaviour and it should not be used for tain the record of the persons home. Emergency staff includ- Iran, Italy and Malaysia lodged Tuesday, officials said. The OFB cooperate and assist adminis- any of their queries relating to against doctors or nurses” will any other purpose. In a state- to whom Indelible Ink is ing, duty official, medical fra- in these camps. Evacuees from is also trying to produce per- tration and “not to put pressure Coronavirus. not be tolerated and that he has ment, it said, applied. The authorities ternity, drivers, cooks and other Wuhan and Japan have already sonal protection equipment and on them and create negativity He asked people to observe asked the Home Ministry "Due to extraordinary cir- should also be instructed to support staff continued to work been discharged after full pro- face masks as per pilot order ”. He asked the people to coop- the 9-day “navratras” by pro- and Directors General of Police cumstances because of ensure that the Indelible Ink at the headquarters. tocol was observed. Over 1,200 quantity placed by HLL Lifecare erate, particularly with the viding food to at least nine of states to take strict action COVID-19 pandemic, the shall not be used for any Army Chief General M M evacuees, medical staff and air Limited (HLL), a PSU under doctors and health workers, needy families and also to ani- against the miscreants. Commission has reviewed its other purpose,” the EC said. Naravane last week had crew have so far been catered to MoHFW. 0               " 1+     Minister Prakash Javadekar the taking up of construction tially required to remove the detailing the package. This of Aligarh-Harduaganj flyover bottleneck to traffic move-   despite early warnings in COVID-19, the Congress leader ness relief to farmers was the o strengthen the rural scheme will make the RRBs by Ministry of Railways. The ment. By construction of fly- February," Congress chief also said, "we will rise together only way forward in these test- Tbanking in the wake of the financially stronger and will total length of the railway fly- over connecting Aligarh to he Congress on Wednesday spokesman Randeep Surjewala as a nation & defeat ing times as they are the "back- corona pandemic, the Cabinet enable them to meet the cred- over will be 22 kilometer. The Harduaganj the delays and Tdemanded the implemen- asked. COVID2019. We stand with the bone" of country's economy, he Committee on Economic it requirement in the rural project is expected to be com- detentions will be avoided,” tation of the party-proposed In a series of tweets, lockdown but are deeply disap- said there should be a morato- Affairs, chaired by Prime areas, he added. pleted by 2024-25 at a cost of said Government. Nyay Yojana (minimum addressed to the prime minis- pointed by the lack of coherent rium on farmer's loans and Minister Narendra Modi, on “As per RBI guidelines, the over 1,285 crore. “At Aligarh The Union Cabinet also income guarantee scheme) to ter, Surjewala said,"The strategy or a clear 'way ahead' on recoveries and the government Wednesday, approved the con- RRBs have to provide 75% of Junction Station a branch line approved continuation of help the poor families in the Congress demands relief pack- your part." should ensure procurement of tinuation of the process of their total credit under PSL Bareilly-Aligarh terminates. Rebate of State and Central country to cope with the situ- age for framers... fair price for "Please remember, Trying crops at MSP. recapitalisation of Regional (Priority Sector Lending). The trains coming from Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) ation arising out of the nation- crops, indebtedness relief and times are true test of leadership. Rahul also stated that India Rural Banks (RRBs) by pro- RRBs are primarily catering to Howrah side and going to from 1st April, 2020 onward wide lockdown. suspension of all recoveries Is government ready to rise up is fighting a war against the viding minimum regulatory the credit and banking require- Harduaganj/Bareilly cross until such time that the scheme Former party chief Rahul from farmers." & deliver," he asked. Coronavirus but the question is capital to them for the next ments of agriculture sector Howrah-New Delhi main is merged with Remission of Gandhi said those who survive "Dear PM, need of the hour "The Congress demands a how can we minimise casualties financial year 2020-21. and rural areas with focus on route, which is busiest section Duties and Taxes on Exported on daily wages need immediate is to implement forthwith 'min- comprehensive package for in this war. "Isolate the virus and The RRBs were facing small and marginal farmers, of Indian Railways. Due to Products (RoDTEP). “RoSCTL help and support through direct imum income guarantee daily wagers, MGNREGA block its escape routes. problem to maintain mini- micro & small enterprises, heavy traffic there is no path scheme for apparel and made- cash transfers into their scheme(Nyay) mooted by Rahul workers, factory workers, unor- Massively expand testing to mum capital to Risk weighted rural artisans and weaker sec- available for surface crossing of ups will be continued with accounts and free rations. ji and Congress. Please transfer ganised workers, fishermen and identity and treat those who are Assets Ratio (CRAR) of 9%, as tions of the society. In addition, loaded goods trains coming effect from 1st April, 2020 "Delaying this will cause wide- Rs 7,500 to every Jan Dhan A/C, farm labourers," Surjewala said. infected. Create massive emer- per the regulatory norms pre- RRBs also provide lending to from Howrah side and going to without any change in scheme spread devastation & chaos," PM Kisan A/C & every Pension He asked when the doctors, gency field hospitals in partic- scribed by the Reserve Bank of micro/small enterprises and Harduaganj/Bareilly. This guidelines and rates as notified Rahul said. A/C to tide over nutrition needs nurses and health workers will ularly in urban areas with full India and this decision will help small entrepreneurs in rural results into heavy detention of by Ministry of Textiles till such Asserting it supports the of 21 days and give free PDS have adequate protection and ICU capability to provide care to overcome the minimum areas. With the recapitalization trains at Aligarh Junction. time that the RoSCTL is lockdown, the Congress in a ration," he said. how many isolation beds and to patients, " Rahul demanded. capital keeping crisis. support to augment CRAR, “This location has become merged with RoDTEP. statement, however, said it was Ahead of the 2019 Lok ventilators are available in the Rahul Gandhi further said As per this decision, the RRBs would be able to contin- a bottleneck and is affecting the Continuation of RoSCTL "deeply disappointed" by the Sabha polls, the Congress had country and where. many industries are struggling. Centre will pay Rs.670 crore ue their lending to these cate- train working badly causing beyond 31st March, 2020 is lack of a coherent strategy or a proposed, and promised to "How will daily wagers, "Act quickly by announcing (50%), subject to the condition gories of borrowers under their delays and detentions and also expected to make the textile clear way ahead on the part of implement the Nyay scheme if labourers, MGNREGA workers, tax breaks & financial support that the release of Central PSL target, and thus, continue reducing the wagon turn sector competitive by rebating Prime Minister Narendra Modi. voted to power. Factory workers, Unorganised to prevent massive job losses & Government’s share will be to support rural livelihoods,” round. Flyover at Aligarh all taxes/levies which are cur- "Dear PM, India will adhere In his remarks, a day after workers, Fishermen, Farmers & reassure business owners that contingent upon the release of said the statement issued by going over the existing Delhi- rently not being rebated under to the lockdown. But what steps Modi announced a complete Farm Labour sustain for 21 the Government will support the proportionate share by the Government. Howrah main line is an oper- any other mechanism,” said did the government take to nationwide lockdown for 21 days," he asked. them through this crisis," he sponsor banks, said Union The Cabinet also approved ational necessity and is essen- Government. tackle the corona pandemic days to contain the spread of Asserting that indebted- said.       -! ' 33  -.*  *   *2/#3 1  !*    7#  7   According to the ministry, #   ##               these relaxations will be given to he Ministry of Housing and such allottees also where (s)he  #$   statement, the ministry also said a grim reminder of atrocities TUrban Affairs has allowed has become unauthorized occu-     “We convey our sincerest con- that continue to be inflicted suo-moto retention for the peri- pant of government accommo-   ndia on Wednesday con- dolences to the immediate fam- upon religious minorities in od from March 17 to May 31 for dation before March 17. thermal imaging scanners or Idemned the terror attack on ily members of the deceased some countries and the urgency all allottees under the Central However, in such cases, after the n view of the 21-day lock-   cameras for railway stations and a gurudwara in Kabul terming and wish speedy recovery to the with which their lives & reli- Government General Pool retention period of 75 days up to Idown, the Union Home airports, and any other medical it “diabolical” at the time of injured. Such cowardly attacks gious freedom have to be safe- Residential May 31, the damages at tele- Ministry on Wednesday post- embers of Parliament equipment to check COVID-19, Covid-19 crisis even as Prime on the places of religious wor- guarded," Puri tweeted. Accommodation(CGG- scopic rates, as was continuing poned the first phase of M(MPs) can now use among others, the ministry said Minister Narendra Modi said ship of the minority commu- The Punjab Chief Minister PRA) Rules, who were/are prior to this period, will be Census and National Member of Parliament Local in the order, the killings have saddened him nity, especially at this time of called the incident "tragic and expected to vacate or shift their resumed. Population Register (NPR) Area Development Scheme "Personal Protection and expressed condolences to COVID 19 pandemic, is reflec- unfortunate" and asked houses. This relaxation will be The Ministry has been updating process. The Home (MPLADS) fund for medical Equipment (PPE) Kits to keep the families of the deceased. tive of the diabolical mindset of Afghanistan President Ashraf applicable to all cases of retention receiving calls from various allot- Ministry said that the popu- testing and other facilities the medical personnel well-pro- The attack claimed at least 27 the perpetrators and their back- Ghani to "find out the perpe- and change of accomodation tees of General Pool Residential lation enumeration process required to detect and contain tected and enable them to func- lives. ers.” trators and look after our peo- under GPRA Rules. “The Accommodations (GPRA), who is postponed till further coronavirus. After this, Union tion efficiently by minimising the In a strong reaction to the Besides the Prime Minister, ple." He also tweeted "Horrific Retention will be suo moto and were/ are due to vacate their flats/ orders. Food Minister Ram Vilas risk of transmission," the order incident, the ministry of exter- Civil Aviation Minister news coming from Kabul where allottees need not apply for it. houses and are not able to do so “The Census 2021 was Paswan, and Ram Gopal Verma stated. It also stated that with the nal affairs while describing it as Hardeep Singh Puri and Punjab a barbaric terror attack hap- The suo-moto retention period in the light of the advisories scheduled to be conducted in have donated RS one crore each help of these funds, thermal a “cowardly attack,” said India Chief Minister Captain pened in the Gurudwara Guru will be on the payment of licence regarding social distancing two phases, viz., (a) Phase I i.e. from the MPLAD funds for imaging scanners or cameras for stands ready to extend “all pos- Amarinder Singh also Har Rai. It's extremely tragic fees as applicable to the issued by Ministry of House listing & Housing coronavirus treatment. The railway stations, airports and sible assistance to the affected expressed sorrow. "Suicide and unfortunate. Request allottee under these rules. No Health and Family Welfare Census during April- move follows appeals by some other points of entry which families of the Hindu and Sikh attack on a Gurudwara Sahib in President @AshrafGhani Ji to damage will be charged for this (MoH&FW) under the current September, 2020 and (b) MPs to use MP LAD for coron- allows detecting of temperature community of Afghanistan.” Kabul needs to be strongly find out the perpetrators and period,” the ministry said in a global Corona Virus Pandemic Phase II i.e. Population avirus treatment. As per earlier from a safe distance can also be Stating this in an official condemned. These killings are look after our people." statement. (COVID-19). Enumeration during 9th to guidelines, MPLADS funds can purchased. 28th February, 2021.The be used only for permanent "Corona testing kits updation of NPR was also work. approved by Ministry of Health proposed to be done along The Ministry of Statistics and Family Welfare, ICU venti-           with the Phase I of Census and Programme lator and isolation/quarantine 2021 in all the States/UTs, Implementation then issued wards within their approved except Assam. fresh guidelines on Tuesday facilities and face masks, gloves, &%8"+        2  by the “Keeping in view the allowing the use of MPLAD and sanitisers for medical per- Jharkhand above, the first phase of fund for the purpose. As per the sonnel can be procured," the cir- Government. Census 2021 and updation of amendments to MPLADS cular stated. The Government   besides those of the Arms Act Prasad, Varengnow Earlier two NPR, which was to begin on Guidelines, MPs can now utilise has also allowed procurement of and Unlawful Activities Kahorngam and Clearson Chargesheets various dates decided by the funds under MPLADS for pro- any other medical equipment he NIA on Wednesday (Prevention) Act at a desig- Kabo travelling in a SUV. were filed State/UT governments begin- curement of infra-Red ther- recommended by the Ministry of Tchargesheeted an accused nated court in Patna on "Investigations found that against six other ning 1st April 2020 and vari- mometers (Non-contact) to Health and Family Welfare for Santosh Kumar for money Wednesday. accused Santosh Kumar was accused per- ous related field activities, are enable doctors and medical per- prevention, control, and treat- transfers to the tune of 2.2 The accused Santosh one of prime members of the sons-- Suraj postponed until further sonnel to record and track a per- ment of COVID-19. crore in the February 2019 Kumar has a number of alias- weapons trafficking network Prasad, VR orders,” said the Home son's temperature. Vivek Tankha, a Rajya Sabha sophisticated arms interdic- es including Santosh Singh and their supply to Naxals in Kahorngam, Ministry in a statement. There The ministry, based on the member from Madhya Pradesh. tion case of Bihar. and Umesh Kumar and is a res- Jharkhand. Clearson Kabo , has been continuing protests requests of MPs, has decided that of the Congress thanked the Northeast insurgent group ident of village Horil Chappra He had extensively used Tripurari Singh against the proposed NPR district authorities may utilise prime minister and the govern- NSCN (IM) was involved in under district Ara, Bhojpur, banking and hawala channels Mukesh Singh exercise, besides the MPLADS funds for medical ment of India for relaxation in supplying Under Barrel Bihar. for transfer of funds for pro- and Ningkhan Citizenship Amendment Act, testing, screening and other MPLADS rules permitting MPs Grenade Launcher (UBGL) The case relates to inter- curement of weapons and such Sangtam on both by some oppositions facilities required to detect and to use public funds in the war and AK 47 assault rifles to diction of highly sophisticated transactions worth more Rs 2.2 weapons and ammunition were August 3 and November 22 parties as also some contain COVID-19, an order against coronavirus. “This battle banned Naxal outfit Tritiya weapons and ammunition on Crores have been identified supplied by an accused last year. Opposition-ruled States as it said. It has been decided to is everyone's responsibility," Prastuti Samiti (TPC) in February 2.2019, by Bihar during investigation," the NIA Ningkhan Sangtam, a self Further investigation was being billed as a precur- grant one-time dispensation Tankha said. He said the Jharkhand. Police, including Under Barrel said in a statement. styled Major of NSCN(IM) against co-conspirators and sor to the Centre's National under MPLADS fund to buy face parliamentarians will now be The National Investigation Grenade Launchers (UBGL), The agency said through illegal arms dealers of other suspects including Register of Citizens (NRC) masks, gloves and sanitisers for able to help the administration Agency filed the chargesheet AK series rifle and large num- investigation has established Bihar to Bhikhan Ganjhu, a absconding accused Bhikhan move, especially against the medical personnel, in providing assistance to the against Kumar under various ber of 5.56 x 45 mm ammuni- that a large number of illegal Zonal Commander of TPC, a Ganju is continuing, added backdrop of some new queries coronavirus testing kits, needy ones. Indian Penal Code Setions tion from three persons---Suraj sophisticated prohibited Naxal terrorist gang, proscribed the agency. being incorporated in it.   ! " " ) + (0; *&  /

 "7     2E ),  -.""  ' *"+ precautions in view of the     %&'&()(%/-% COVID-19 pandemic. #  6  7  Unlike in the past, the Maharashtrians celebrated the      * ,2- travel, while one person con- world war, Uddhav said: “This festival by hoisting the auspi- * )  the queues in front of the This has dampened the spirits tracted the pandemic through is a World War. During war cious ‘gudi’ in the confines of '- Kerala State Beverages of millions of tipplers across the  C(C-0- ith no let-up in the con- “a close contact”. you do not get out of your safe homes with only family mem- Corporation (BEVCO for State, which has a reputation as Wtinued increase in the In what came as a cause of zone which in this case is your bers in attendance. hatever the court dis- short) counters, the State the largest guzzler of liquor in omplaining of inadequate confirmed coronavirus cases in concern for the authorities, all home. We literally do not Meanwhile, State Public Wposes, the Government monopoly in liquor business, the country. Csupply of masks, sanitisers Maharashtra, another 15 more the five members of a family know where the enemy Works Department Minister proposes is the new dictum in exposing themselves to poten- But sources in the and personal protection equip- persons tested positive for the who have been diagnosed pos- (CoronaVirus) is going to Ashok Chavan said that as the State of Kerala. Last week tial attack by coronavirus. He Department of Excise said the ment (PPEs), nurses and health pandemic on Tuesday, taking itive for Covid-19 had con- attack us from. I hope people precautionary measure, his saw the Kerala High Court dis- also pointed out that if liquor Government was studying the workers of ID Hospital, the total number of infected tracted Coronavirus through have now started under- ministry had readied 22,118 missing a petition filed by a pri- is sold through the online plat- possibilities of making liquor Beliaghata — the epicentre for persons in the State to 122. contacts. “…In Sangli 5 people standing the gravity of the sit- beds to accommodate vate citizen who had pleaded forms, the State need not sur- available through on line plat- treatment of coronavirus in On a day when from one family are identified uation”. Coronavirus patients and it with the court to direct the render or sacrifice the revenue forms. Officials pointed out Kolkata — on Wednesday Maharashtra celebrated its as positive due to contacts,” Making appeal to the citi- could increase the bed capac- Government to ensure the accrued through the sector. that the Excise Minister T P staged a demonstration and traditional new year day State Health Minister Rajesh zens not to indulge in panic ity to 55,707. availability of liquor through But the judge who heard Ramakrishnan had launched a threatened to go on mass leave “Gudi Padwa” in a low-key Tope tweeted. In another tweet, buying, the chief minister said: In a news released put out online platforms so that tipplers the petition came down heav- project of on-line booking of if their demands were not met. manner, the State witnessed Tope said that fourteen patients “We have enough stock of by his ministry, Chavan said: need not stand in long queues ily on Jyothish by giving him a liquor to help the tipplers from The demonstrators laid an alarming jump in the had recovered from the illness essential commodities and food “The people need not panic as for hours to get their daily sermon on the responsibilities the hassles of standing in ser- siege on the office of the super- total number of people testing and were in the process of grains, do not worry. In any the situation in the state is quota of spirits. of the ourt, Government and pentine queues in front of intendent and the principal of positive for coronavirus, a being discharged from the hos- case, shops selling essential very much under control. We Jyothish, a Cochin-based the citizen. To express the dis- BEVCO. the teaching hospital, the state's jump from the earlier 107 pitals. goods & services will not be have made all kind arrange- youth had approached the judi- pleasure of the court towards Consumerfed, the apex primary referral facility for cases to 122 cases. Significantly enough, the shut. So, I appeal to you to not ments for extreme situations ciary in the backdrop of the the petitioner for filing such body of all consumer cooper- infectious diseases, expressing In what came as a relief, total number of infected cases panic”. that they might arise. As part coronavirus and the medical pleas, the judge ordered him to atives in the State too had fears that they could themselves the first two patients -- who has nearly doubled during the “The positive that we can of the exercise, the Public directives regarding the social pay Rs 50,000 as fine which made elaborate arrangements contract the disease 'any had earlier tested positive for last five days from 64 and 122. take out of the current situation Works Department (PWD) distancing. would be credited into the for the on line booking of moment' as the protocol for Covid-19 -- were discharged Currently,as many as is we have more time to spend has made available 22,118 His contention was that if Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief spirits through on line agencies. their personal safety norms from Pune's Naidu Hospital 14,502 people are in home with our family which we all beds in hundreds of our the Indian Made Foreign Fund. The State Cabinet which A final declaration about the were not being maintained. after they recovered fully. The quarantine, while 932 people agree that we had lost on our buildings. They include rest Liquor (IMFL), as the stuff is met on Wednesday morning new bventure may be out "We are working day in and two, who are a married couple are in institutional quarantine way. This feeling of together- houses, hostels and new built known in this Southern State, decided to shut down all the shortly as the unprecedented day out. But we are not getting from Pune, tested negative in the state. ness & spending time with government buildings which is sold through in-line plat- BEVCO outlets in view of the closure of ‘watering holes’ has adequate medical equipment. twice during the follow-up There have so far been parents, children, grandpar- are not being used currently” forms like Amazon or Flipkart, national lock out declared by dampened the spirits of veter- Covid-19 is such an infectious period. The two were pre- four Covid-19 deaths in the ents, grand children is inex- “The places where we have the tipplers need not stand in the Centre on Tuesday night. an tipplers. disease. But we haven't been sented flowers by the in- state. On Monday evening, a plicable,” Uddhav said. made bed arrangements have provided adequate number of charge doctors when they 65-year-old COVID-19 patient Deputy Chief Minister Ajit drinking water and electricity masks, sanitisers and PPEs. were discharged from the hos- died at Kasturba Hospital in Pawar, state Congress President facilities. These places can be Even there is no drinking water pital on Tuesday. Mumbai on Monday evening. and Revenue Minister used as centres to quarantine     !   and food in the canteen," said Of the fresh Covid-19 pos- Earlier on Sunday night, Balasaheb Thorat, Health patients with Coronavirus a protester. itive cases reported on Tuesday, Filipino died at a private hos- Minister Rajesh Tope appealed symptoms. They can also be "If our demands are not Mumbai accounted for a max- pital late on Sunday night. The to people to celebrate Gudi used as make-shift hospitals,” met, we have to consider going imum seven positive cases, coronavirus had claimed first Padva indoors exercising all Chavan said.      on mass leaves or strikes," said while five persons from a same life in the state on March 17, another. family from Islampur town in when a 63-year-old disease- Bengaluru: A lockdown in many countries the port the most, while prioritizing the safety and The nurses also alleged Sangli district in Western infected had died at the       world over has forced 1.7 lakh Infosys techies wellbeing of our entire global workforce," he said. that while their counterparts in Maharashtra. There was one Kasurba Hospital on March 17. to work from home to ensure business conti- Though Rao did not declare that all busi- other hospitals were being case each from Kalyan- Subsequently, another 63-year-    *  / ( nuity, a senior executive said on Wednesday. ness travel has been suspended, he said the com- given lift and drop Dombivli, Navi Mumbai and old male patient, who had "About 70 per cent of our 2.4 lakh global pany has restricted travel as aappropriate after facilities, these have been Panvel. been admitted to private hos-     + )  In a joint issued after the workforce is working from home to avoid being monitoring the situation across countries. denied to them. The Kasturba Hospital in pital in Mumbai died on March ,2- representatives of the pub- affected by coronavirus," Infosys Chief Operating To facilitate so many geeks to operate from "As a result, we are facing Mumbai, which is the nodal 19. lishers and distributors met Officer U.B. Pravin Rao told IANS in an email. home, the IT major has arranged for laptops, lot of harassment while return- hospital dealing with Covid-19, Addressing the people he people across him on Tuesday in connec- In 46 countries, Infosys employs more relocated desktops to home environments, cus- ing home from hospital amid reported four infected cases in across the state through social TMaharashtra, who have tion with the difficulties faced than 2.4 lakh employees, serving 1,384 cus- tomised personal devices for official use, the lockdown," said a nursing the morning, while five more media, chief minister Uddhav been going without newspa- by them in the distribution of tomers. The 70 per cent workforce translates to arranged high speed broadband internet con- staff. persons tested positive for pan- Thackeray all Maharashtrians pers since March 23 in view newspapers, Maharashtra 1.7 lakh employees. nectivity at residences and improved virtual pri- Sources in the state health demic in the afternoon. Three a traditional Marathi new year of the coronavirus situation, Industries Minister Subhash Calling coronavirus pandemic an uncertain vate network bandwidth. Admitting that all work department said the grievances of the four infected reported on the occasion of “Gudi will have to wait till April 1, Desai said: “As decided at the and testing time for the company, Rao said both cannot be executed from home, especially, busi- of the nurse and other health from Kasturba Hospital in the Padwa”. before the publication and meeting, newspapers will employees and clients are of utmost importance. ness critical functions, Rao said the company has workers of ID Hospital were morning were that of persons Likening the ongoing distribution of the newspa- resume publication and dis- "We are doing all we can to be there for those prepared teams to deliver account-specific being looked into and proper with history of international spread of Coronavirus to the pers resume. tribution from April 1.” employees and their families that need our sup- business continuity plans. IANS steps would be taken. = "    :   "  #  $ % 

travel history after landing in have been now tested negative and devotees stayed at home. division. The traffic on the Murmu Wednesday directed     Srinagar. after following due protocol in Special prayers were only Jammu-Srinagar National the immediate release of all     Spokesman of Jammu. offered by the priests in famous Highway was regulated and pensions of one month to give ((678 Jammu&Kashmir On the other hand, health temples of Mata Vaishno Devi, trucks ferrying essential sup- reprieve to the retired class in Government, Rohit Kansal department authorities quar- Raghunath temple, plies were allowed to move view of the situation arising out & %' Wednesday evening tweeted, "4 antined at least eight contacts Ranbireshwar temple, Kali towards their destination. of the ongoing COVID 19     more persons, all from of a religious preacher, who had Mata temple located inside According to the daily pandemic. Bandipore, tested positive on stayed with them in Teli Basti Bahu Fort in Jammu. Media Bulletin on novel coro- The Administrative Jaipur: Bhilwara, the textile Mushtak Khan. Wednesday. Preliminary find- area of Bari Brahmana in Shops, supplying essential navirus (COVID-19), 3061 Council also decided that in city of Rajasthan, is fighting the He said over 38,000 hous-      D-, ings suggest they were close Samba district of Jammu on his items, remained open while persons have been kept under view of the difficulties being tough Covid-19 battle with the es had been screened and the contacts of Srinagar patient return from Andaman Nicobar markets remained shut and home quarantine while as 80 faced by them, ration packets number of people testing pos- remaining 25,000 would be ormal life came to a stand- who tested positive on Tuesday. Islands. roads wore a deserted look. are in hospital quarantine. be immediately distributed itive reaching 16 on screened in the next two days. Nstill in Jammu & Kashmir All 5 reported to have partici- According to local contacts In old city area of Jammu, Persons who are under among the destitute and slum Wednesday, making it the high- The second and third phase of on the first day of the 21-day pated together in religious of the religious preacher, he policemen were deployed out- home surveillance stand at dwellers. est count from a single city in screening would be conducted long nation-wide lockdown event". arrived here in Teli Basti area side the main streets and con- 1477 while as 506 persons have Teams of health depart- the state. in areas that reported Covid-19 imposed by Prime Minister So far, 11 cases tested pos- on March 13, participated in certina wires were spread to completed their 28-day sur- ment also visited several slum Four new coronavirus pos- positive cases, he added. Narendra Modi to slow the itive (10 active positive and 01 relgious events and returned to prevent movement of people in veillance period. dwellings and spread awareness itive cases were reported on Calling it a tough process, spread of the coronavirus. recovered) in Kashmir valley on March 14. the walled city area. The Bulletin further said among the residents and edu- Wednesday, taking the total Khan said potential carriers Meanwhile, with four new Jammu&Kashmir. At a high The samples of all those eight Police teams were deputed that 326 samples have been sent cated them to stay alert and number of cases to 36 in the could have spread all over the fresh cases testing positive level meeting chaired by Chief persons who came in contact on ground zero to patrol thick- for testing of which 294 tested report any symptoms of virus. state, said Additional Chief district. from Bandipore, the authorities Secretary BVR with him have been sent for ly populated areas. Complete as negative while as 21 reports Separate teams Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh. Till Tuesday, over 5,000 in Kashmir valley stepped up Subhramanyam, Financial testing in GMC, Jammu lock down was witnessed are awaited till March 25, 2020. were rushed to different areas While two healthcare per- people had been isolated at their efforts to break the chain. Commissioner Health and Meanwhile, on the first across Kathua, Samba, Meanwhile, the to distribute basic ration sup- sonnel tested positive in home, and 38 were admitted to Appeals were made to all those Medical Education Atal Dullo day of the nine day long Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Administrative Council which plies to destitute, needy and Bhilwara, the third positive hospital isolation wards soon who may have skipped screen- informed that the two con- Navratra festival, main doors of Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and met here under the chairman- slum dwellers across different case had been of a person who after three doctors and nine ing and deliberately hid foreign firmed cases of Coronavirus famous temples remained shut Poonch districts of Jammu ship of Lt. Governor, G C places. came in contact with a doctor healthcare workers from the who tested coronavirus positive, city's Bangad Hospital tested while the fourth was from Covid-19 positive. Jodhpur, Singh said. According to Bhilwara city '   5   Bhilwara was declared the residents, the spread chain must !  "  "#"  epicentre of Covid-19 in have begun when a person Rajasthan soon after the six with breathing issues admitted healthcare personnel tested himself to the hospital, few days '    ? Covid-19 positive last week. back, hiding his travel history. 2>>#  7  # And since then, the town has He then travelled to Jaipur *  * C(C-0- the Act. been undergoing the largest and visited two hospitals. There Accordingly “we will hold a screening exercise with all its too his travel history was not ven as Bengal entered the third review meeting on March 31 before   -,1- hypertension," the Health Minister According to the Union Health borders sealed and the residents checked. He was not tested for Eday of lockdown, Chief Minister giving relaxation in the ongoing tweeted. The Minister also cautioned Ministry, the number of coronavirus facing curfew for the past five coronavirus even after he Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lockdown,” adding her Government 54-year-old man infected with that COVID-19 with co-morbidity is cases on Wednesday rose to 562 with days. Till Tuesday, 13 people showed symptoms of pneu- slammed the Centre for not doing was fully aware of the approaching Athe coronavirus died at a hospi- a high risk condition. nine deaths. This does not include the had tested positive for Covid- monia. He died on March 13. enough to help her State tackle the Bengali New Year’s Day on April 15. tal here in the early hours of "Having known the impact of Tamil Nadu death. The State 19 here. But the doctor and his coronavirus crisis and demanded an “Like the New Year in Punjab and Wednesday, Tamil Nadu's first virus infections, I've been telling in Government had announced a lock- Intensive search is being team that treated him in immediate package of 1,500 crore. some other States we too have our recorded death due to the disease, my press meets that COVID19 with down from March 24-31 as part of its conducted in the city to locate Bhilwara didn't share any con- “It is very difficult to tackle such a New Year coming on April 15 and for State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar co-morbidity like uncontrollable dia- efforts to stem the spread of the dead- active cases. 300 teams are con- cern and travelled to Udaipur huge crisis with our limited resources” that we will review the situation on said. The man had a medical histo- betes & hypertension, immunosup- ly virus. ducting house-to-house sur- on Holi. However, a few days and the Centre should come out with March 31 on how some relaxation ry of prolonged illness with uncon- pression are high risk conditions. If On Tuesday, Prime Minister vey on the basis of polio after, they isolated themselves. adequate financial packages for all the can be given if at all it can be given,” trolled diabetes. anyone in ur family has such condi- Narendra Modi said the entire coun- microplans. The second phase Soon 12 people from Bhilwara corona-affected States, the Chief she said. “Despite our best efforts, the tions be extra cautious,pls," he added try would be under lockdown for of survey will be started soon. tested Covid-19 positive, which Minister said while making her own Directing the police not to stop the COVID19 positive patient at MDU, in another tweet. three weeks starting midnight. The During March 19-24, included the doctor's wife. claim for Rs 1,500 crore. online delivery service of essential items Rajaji Hospital, passed away... he had On Tuesday, the total number of Tamil Nadu Government had also around 70,000 families were By Tuesday, the adminis- “We had made the same request at and also the vegetable vendors and staff medical history of prolonged illness COVID-19 cases in the state rose to said it will impose section 144 of surveyed and over 300,000 peo- tration set up screening centre the all-party meeting two days back. of medicine shops as also the farmers with steroid dependent COPD 18 after six more people, including Cr.PC, which prohibits the Assembly ple screened in Bhilwara. Over for all the symptomatic and The Centre should announce a who were working in fields Banerjee (chronic obstructive pulmonary dis- three woman, tested positive for the more than five persons in public 30 lakh people would be contacts of the Bangad Hospital, special financial package for the state said “the police have been instructed ease), uncontrolled diabetes with coronavirus. places to implement the lockdown. screened till March 27 in the the epicentre of COVID -19 in the current situation,” she said. to strictly go by the rules and ensure Bhilwara district, said Chief positive cases in Bhilwara. Reminding how her Government the lockdown but with a human face.” Medical and Health Officer IANS had already created Rs 200 crore fund If required, passes should be issued to to tackle the initial spell of the crisis people employed for home delivery ser- " *4555    Banerjee appealed to the corporate, vices, she said. industrialist, organizations and well-off Warning that strong action would   !  citizens including the non-resident be taken against policemen who would Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on health infrastructure and for essential equipment, medicines Indians to generously donate in the des- stop people involved in essential ser- Wednesday asked the Central Government for Rs 4,000 crore and for preventive public health measures at this crucial junc-     - !  ignated State Emergency Relief Fund. vices Banerjee said “Social distancing to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the State. ture. He said Tamil Nadu is vulnerable to coronavirus because Banerjee who has earned special doesn’t mean social isolation.” The In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the text of the large number of international passengers who tran- Agra: The festivities associated with the Hindu New Year and acclaim for her inspiring performance Chief Minister also warned of stern of which was released to the media here, Palaniswami sit through its four international airports and four major Nav Durga beginning Wednesday, were badly hit in the Taj city in handling the crisis used a white action if doctors, nurses and health requested special assistance of Rs 4,000 crore and other finan- ports and as it also adjoins states where the outbreak has and the neighbouring Mathura district which has seen a mass board to personally draw diagrams workers are harassed by their neigh- cial measures be considered expeditiously. been initially more severe. exodus of pilgrims due to COVID-19 in the last few days. showing citizens how to maintain bours or landlords. Citing the hit taken by the government revenues due "Hence, while immediate measures have been taken, we The religious shrines and temples in Vrindavan and physical distance while visiting markets Meanwhile, BCCI president to coronovirus and the additional expenditure, he also will need to prepare for a significantly higher case load in Goverdhan were deserted. Police effectively prevented movement for daily essentials. Sourav Ganguli have come out with a requested Modi to relax the fiscal deficit limits of three per the coming weeks and months," Palaniswami told Modi. of vehicles and groups of devotees. Barricades have been raised Saying that the total lockdown proposal offering a part of the Eden cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for fiscal 2019- According to Palaniswami, more resources are needed to at all entry points, local officials said. under National Disaster Management Gardens as a quarantine centre for sus- 20 and 2020-21 as one time measure. face the projected number of cases effectlivey including Bharatiya Janata Party MP Hema Malini made a fervent Act had been imposed by the Central pected Corona cases, sources in the "Further, additional borrowing of 33 per cent above the through the establishment of isolation hospitals, quarantine appeal to the locals to stay home and to strengthen Prime Minister Government not in consultation with Cricket Association of Bengal said level permitted for the fiscal year 2019-20 may be allowed centres, supply of hospital equipment including hospital beds, Modi's resolve to contain the menace of COVID-19. She has the States the Chief Minister said the adding a proposal to this effect has for 2020-21 to enable the states to meet the additional expen- ventilators and personal protection equipments (PPE), med- already donated Rs 1 crore from her constituency funds to help State’s still had right to take decisions already been sent to the State diture requirements." Palaniswami said the state needs Rs icines and testing kits and disinfection equipment and chem- the health services. on certain things while implementing Government. 3,000 crore for the augmentation and strengthening of the icals. IANS IANS   ! " "  0   (   = >    <0      = >   > " "  +/  + " " 6  6 7       6  6 $ $ 7  $ $   6     %?+>@                   S   1      (  ( O   '       !    !!  F       $  1    1  ,      ( 0 =   !  !   !         -9 (       ( 1             P (          Q  )*+,(-. 1             "                              :                      $1S   ) *+, 1")       0  :          (                  Tibetan man became the first     1     ;<       ( victim of Coronavirus but not   #        (         in Tibet but in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. According %             0     ,  to The Tibet Sun, Tenzin         =            AChoephel, a 69-year-old man from McLeod   )               ( Ganj (where the Dalai Lama lives), died of Coronavirus after returning from a trip to    (   "          # the US on March 15. It said, “After staying %                  " ( in Delhi for a few days, Choephel returned     #               ( to McLeod Ganj by a taxi on March 21. On the morning of March 23, he complained  0         8 S       ( of respiratory problems. He was then                     taken to the Tanda Government hospital    "              where he died.” Meanwhile, in Tibet, the situation is surprisingly “normal.”                   Contrary to other provinces in China,        :    S        the mountainous region had only one        ,  56        ( infected patient of the Novel Coronavirus. The patient was a 34-year-old man, who     ,             came from the city of Suizhou, the hard-    1              est-hit province amid the ongoing out- ->>>    ,   >?    --@  6 8  =    break. He was discharged from hospital on February 12. Xinhua reported, “He trav- 6        S         elled from the city of Wuhan to Lhasa by   ) (-.         8  1   train from January 22 to 24. On the evening    $ $              of January 25, he developed symptoms of cough and fever and was hospitalised.” He     0      0:*(      -  was confirmed to be positive on January  ->>>                29 and after an 18-day treatment he was ture projects in Tibet.” It gave Assam). Located in Sangri workers back from the This was not a good sign.         ->>>>         ( let out. the example of the 11.5-km County in Lhoka, the Dagu Mainland to Tibet “to resume With the “victory” of         6     ?>          It’s difficult to say if this is propagan- long Mainling tunnel on the HPS has a capacity of 660 the construction of major pro- Wuhan, triumphantly da or truth. Nevertheless, the high plateau Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway. It is MW. Two billion dollars have jects in the region.” Tibet announced by the Chinese                 appears to have been less affected than the located just north of Arunachal already been invested: “It is a Online, another official website propaganda, the PLA, which               4 rest of the Middle Kingdom. If facts are cor- Pradesh: “It (Lhasa-Nyingchi major project supported by of China, mentioned that on played a decisive role, is bound #     )            rect, scientists will have to undertake a Railway) currently has the most the Central Government for that day, TV6031 flight operat- to come out reinforced from detailed study of the Tibetan case when the complicated geological condi- Tibet’s economic and social ed by Tibet Airlines landed at the crisis. Can Chinese     #                 outbreak of the virus recedes. tions and is the most difficult development.” The dam is one the airport of Nyingchi City. It President Xi Jinping, who is in   )     "   %  S       One reason why Tibet managed to project in China’s construction of the three cascade dams said, “The 105 power workers an extremely weak position =    0      )           keep cases low is because the authorities of a railway on the plateau,” under construction not far onboard, from Zhejiang today both internally and exter- over there used Tibetan medicine exten- noted the website. from the Indian border. Province, will be assigned to nally (despite the disinforma-        P   #        sively to fight the disease. For example, The Mainling tunnel is It is said that even during the power grid projects in the tion war going on a full swing),        Q  :  1    ( when the Tibetan-inhabited area in north- scheduled to be completed by the Spring Festival, more than region’s most impoverished keep his control over the PLA              0     0:* west China’s Qinghai province reported 18 the end of March: “In order to 300 workers remained on duty areas.” Other such charter in the months to come? confirmed cases of the infection last ensure constructing process, near the site. Later, they were flights landed in Lhasa, Shigatse Only time will tell. But the           A    4 0    ( month, 17 of them received a treatment currently, the construction said to “have successfully and Chamdo. speed at which it has resumed                      involving Tibetan medicine (TM) and tra- workers are digging the last returned to construction. The Quoting a Tibetan power the construction of infrastruc-    0                  ditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the two 60m of the tunnel. About 1,881 construction site in the valley company, China Tibet News ture projects in Tibet is certain- independent traditional medical systems. workers in Tibet are doing is busy; a large hydropower sta- said on February 29 that more ly ominous. A Chinese website                     Huang Licheng, an official with the their best to construct the tion is beginning to take shape.” than 2,800 workers had published a photo feature. Its         *         provincial Health Commission, was quot- Lhasa-Nyingchi railway. With Another project is in Sakya resumed the construction of caption read: “Multiple rocket ed by Xinhua as saying, “The Tibetan med- a designed speed of 160 km/h, county, near Shigatse, the sec- 338 projects, accounting for 75 launch systems attached to an icine played an active role in the treatment.” it will be the first electrified ond largest town in Tibet. A per cent of the total. It includ- artillery brigade under the He further said, “The provincial hospital railway in Tibet.” mega water project restarted ed the Ngari Power Grid PLA Xizang Military .  '+  of Tibetan medicine produced a batch of But why so much hurry at around February 20, a few Interconnection Project, not far Command fire anti-aircraft anti-virus medications featuring Tibetan a time when the rest of China days before Losar, the sacred from the Uttarakhand and rockets simultaneously during <  #$  6 7   "  $     medicine; 1,000 of them have already been is still under clampdown? Tibetan New Year. “With the Ladakh border. a live-fire operation at the ele- $ "        #     sent to the front lines in Hubei Province, Beijing has already invested biggest investment ever in The resumption of con- vation of 4,500 metres in the centre of the virus outbreak.” $3.9 billion in this project and Tibet’s water project history, the struction projects at a time Southwest China’s Xizang             This aspect, too, needs to be analysed. the railway line will be opera- project will help with irrigation, when the rest of China was Autonomous Region on March            At the same time, these harrowing times tional by next year. “Workers supply water, generate power under lockdown is perplexing. 11, 2020.” # have shown Beijing’s priorities in the have completed 44 tunnels out and prevent flooding,” Why this frenzy? It’s difficult to China will argue that it is           Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), the of 47 and 119 bridges out of 120 explained a Chinese website. It answer. A few weeks ago, an only a routine exercise but             first region in China to restart normal activ- along the route.” further said, “Tibet has intrusion by the People’s India needs to watch carefully   )*+,(-.      ities and that, too, on a war-footing. Guess Yet another development arranged 179 projects for this Liberation Army (PLA) was and take necessary measures to        S   /   what started first? Infrastructure projects that should worry India is the year…Work has resumed on reported in Naku-la, south of be ready for a new outbreak à close to the border with India. Dagu Hydropower Station some of these projects.” the watershed in northern la Doklam.              On February 20, China Tibet Online (HPS) project on the Yarlung On March 3, charter flights Sikkim, an area supposed to be (The writer is an expert on             asserted: “Work continues on infrastruc- Tsangpo (Brahmaputra in were being arranged to bring a “settled” undisputed area. India-China relations)                           ' 2 3 * 4) 5 #                    (  !!  2     0H- -  I  0   !   !=                  *             )*+,(-.          =       !              ,             ! =    !   !    '  != ,     *          ( 0%"*   =       =0  * 0  !   =   =  !  =   =                   0 (            S         #! < #.(=.$!!#! * !  )! <.< < # <<                   #    K2 K  1F K0 ! K2 1             0                       1               #              6 5 5 1  '  % 5  5*) '1      )       P)  (Q       (                           (                       4 #    (  (      Sir — The Ministry of Electronics     !     O Sir — With the country in com- and Information Technology  * J!     * plete lockdown mode for three 1   )     P) Q         ( must be appreciated for asking all       '  !  weeks, this time must be utilised          ,   )     $   social media companies to   ?!= , !    "7*!  !  well to introspect, think and dis-           0      "    56 remove reports spreading misin-     F!  !* cuss ways to make life happier. formation about COVID-19 from   !=0    * For couples in a strained relation- $    #              ( their platforms with immediate       * ship or not on talking terms, this       P)   Q      (  ) effect. Circulation of false infor-     =           is the best time for them to ,                       mation is only creating more             = restart. This time can also be panic among the people. Social '  !             utilised to improve knowledge                     PQ media companies should initiate    !   about things people wanted to 5     1  /          (   an awareness campaign on their      * know but did not have the time             (  56   ( platforms on the ill-effects of    =0      O to find the answer to. uploading false information about  *     = 0      '() *"+    Kumud Agrawal            $         ( ( Coronavirus. 2! !    *  !*    =0 !  Via email                   MN Musaeed    !=            !   56 7   +               Mumbai  ! 5'() *"+   *  !         = !   !            !      58               P    Q        =  F ! =       0                 (   =2! !=,     =03   ! Sir — Given the sharp rise in the                      ! !!       !        !  number of COVID cases, a com-       =3       =                 Sir — The Prime Minister has plete lockdown was unavoidable. done well to impose a nation-       !  Staying home is difficult but peo-   ,     )             wide lockdown for three weeks to       !=   ple must be patient and not fall                  prevent large-scale transmission prey to rumours. Citizens need to    *    S     # 0   (   of COVID-19 and the public trust the Government and be rest health catastrophe it may bring follow the instructions of the part of successive Governments be prepared to face any such kind assured that there will be no           P Q  (  /    along. The Central and State Government. We have to fight the is the reason why the healthcare virus in the future. Crucial sectors shortage of food supplies. $()                 ( Governments are doing their bit disease at individual and collec- sector stands crippled today. like healthcare, education and Kanika Nayan        /   ,      ,4 6 in taking precautionary mea- tive levels. It also remains an COVID-19 is definitely not here agriculture determine the real sta- Via email sures but people do not seem to indubitable fact that our health- to stay but after this, the tus of a country.                 4 # be serious about it. It is the care management system is rick- Government must take urgent Nimai Charan Swain 3     9                        responsibility of every citizen to ety at the moment. Neglect on the measures and immediate steps to Bhubaneswar $  .=!. >'"!$/#."   ! " "   7   (  8)1 &'623 ,     -.&'23 51-.   & * +      ?60 5       5) 54&*        5/ 5 *)    5 *    5  / *   +   ) + *  / 5 60 5&*  & 5  / '() *"+     L      L   )        !   J!     ) &        + +#  #   (  A

01, *951  &&6   " # 9 #       7 " #                  PB        Q *      )*+,( Q #   R$       +#  B   7 #-.                  "              :               =       )S                        <>     )      )            -- (     )   $                     ,            ,         7                            #          &2,3. 4)               CD       (           (       ome Minister Amit Shah assured the Upper              E *   House that no existing citizen will be tagged             S      H“D” or doubtful during the course of collec-                 tion of information under the National Population # S          ( Register (NPR). The provisions of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National        F 1        ( Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 allow for marking a           :        ( doubtful citizen, verification of documents and even  S      =         striking off someone’s name from the National                 Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC), if found doubt-  S      #         ful by officials vested with discretionary powers at            local, State and national levels. Though Shah has also *               ( assured that no such verification on the data pro-                    vided will be undertaken, yet letters of law create        6          ( some confusion in the larger public. In almost a sim-  (           ilar vein, the Union Government kept assuring the country’s Muslim minority populace that no one           )        would lose their citizenship under the newly-enact- #             S   ed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The fact that              <>>G , S such assurances have to be given demonstrates the    P   Q            anomalies and inconsistencies of such laws like the ,                 NPR-NRC-CAA. While Shah assured a certain               application of mind, it leaves wide open the discre-                      ( tionary powers granted in laws pertaining to the  )    0             ( NPR-NRC-CAA. legislation and bilateral pact. The same domain of the Parliament, in terms of its deported if they entered India illegally              C   E  In a recent article countering the critics of CAA, spirit is reflected in the Immigrants’ direct linkages with the State security and without valid papers. In contrast to immi-                    noted legal luminary Harish Salve argued that with -?'--(?(0 (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, that foreign policy. The affidavit further states grants from six religiously-persecuted the passage of CAA, Muslim illegal immigrants ?1)-A excluded any person displaced due to fear that neither such matters of national secu- groups, a Muslim immigrant from these   remain liable to be deported to their country of ori- of civil disturbances from the definition rity and immigration policy can wholly be countries would now become immediate- S      /         ? ' - ,1 (? gin. Salve argued that the criterion of “intelligible @' 0- 3 of “illegal immigrant.” Subsequently with subjected to judicial review, nor could ly illegal, because of his/her religion. This    %   "  $      differentia” makes CAA rational as it includes only the passage of the Citizenship Act, 1955, these matters be interpreted even within difference of entitlement in India, for the   S         ?(1 3 (,? the “six” religiously-persecuted minorities from the 31(, ?-? Section 5 and 6 of the Act provided for nat- the ambit of fundamental rights. As a first, first time, sows seeds of selective prefer-                ( three neighbouring countries of Pakistan, uralisation of immigrants from erstwhile the affidavit also separates “fundamental ence. This runs contrary to the Citizenship S  7    6 $   1      =   Bangladesh and Afghanistan. This is how CAA, 1?',0- territories of undivided India. Therefore, rights” from the scope of interpretations Act, 1955 that keeps the process of natu-              $  according to Salve, fulfils its objective of granting  3 20( it is argued that the CAA does not do any- allowed by international covenants and ralisation open to people originating 1 H     /    %     citizenship to those religiously-persecuted refugees - A&(1  - thing extra that cannot be taken care of protocols. from undivided India. As stated by the affi-   G>                !<@>> who are forced to come to India, leaving behind their ' 0 R?  0 ? by the existing Citizenship Act, 1955, with Reading together Salve’s justification davit, it is true that the Citizenship Act, C;9>>>E            $   #  homes. In effect, the CAA draws a line between those 01 3, 30( respect to any class of immigrants. Or for only a sub-class of immigrants as eli- 1955 allows the State to decide who should who are to be naturalised and those who are liable (00-0?-) rather, the classification and sub-classes gible to be covered in CAA and what the be admitted to naturalized citizenship but      P   Q      ( to be deported. It opens up Indian citizenship to a drawn up with the CAA can all be given affidavit of the Centre stated, it is a mat- religion has not been made a reason for  D,?0 & ? 0( rationally-classified set of people, while it closes it 031(,0-0 due coverage and even their citizenship ter of concern whether such stipulated anyone’s rejection. With CAA, religion 0             P  Q O ( to a set of people who do not fit into this classifica- could be fast-tracked, depending on the sub-classes of inclusion go against the let- could be taken as a factor for rejection of         P   Q O   ( (31-  ' tion. Salve emphasised on this methodological dis-  ?0(10 (? urgency. A case in point is singer Adnan ter and spirit of part-III of the an applicant’s citizenship, as CAA gives a              0 tinction that CAA draws and justified it on heuris- Sami’s citizenship did not require CAA, Constitution. It is a matter of due consid- power of exclusion of a special sub-class %        (       ( tic grounds of profiling the “illegal immigrants” on '-,?2A or many other cases of erstwhile Pakistani eration before the Supreme Court that the to the State, as per the affidavit. Of course,     6  H            the basis of their religious identity. 2-3-? or Bangladeshi citizens naturalised by due constitutional foundation of unity and the State will have an application of mind S  "  5  / ,         What connects Shah’s commitment of non-vic-  31-0? process prescribed under the Citizenship equality between all classes of citizens of in not victimising someone as assured by     :     %    6  ( timisation in the NPR and Salve’s justification of the '(,2 Act, 1955. India, as stated in part-III, can be abridged the Home Minister in the case of NPR.       (        deployment of “intelligible differentia” in the CAA 1?0(12A 0= As CAA does not serve any special and violated by identifying a special class Couldn’t framing of such important is the common idea of taking the next step without 0 ?0(?0-0 purpose except naming some religious and granting it certain rights. Assumption laws related to immigration be more 0         S   stopping to think about what is going to be the next groups as persecuted and eligible to apply of the power of exclusion to discriminate coherent and non-discriminatory? What              ( 0(2) (,? course of action in case anyone is affected. Salve does  C?'-- 0- for Indian citizenship, it is intriguing to between classes who are affected by the stops the State from framing religiously    %             not deny the fact that Muslim illegal immigrants note that Salve justifies it on the ground legislation is also a grave concern. If the un-biased laws that rise above religiosity              56 0  1(',1(& remain liable to be deported as CAA would not 01 -0 ( that demographic distortions caused by power of exclusion by the Parliament fur- and champion India’s pluralism, even in 6              6  0  include them. Many commentators including Bangladeshi immigrants could be restored ther leads to abridgment of fundamental case of non-Indian citizens? As stated by 0  #       )     ,   Mukul Kesavan pointed out that the criterion of dif- (&' 0 R? 2A by it. This, to state the obvious, links CAA rights to equality and right to life of a cer- political philosopher Charles Mills’ book H /                  ferentiation that CAA uses is not self-consistent, as 1 '- 1 with a procedure of determination of cit- tain excluded class, constitutional moral- Racial Liberalism, sacrificing constitution-  /  6          #  it excluded worst religious persecuted such as 0-0'-'1-0 izenship by NRIC and NPR that can cre- ity prohibits such exclusion. Indeed CAA al impartiality in dealing with different     Ahmadiyyas, Shiyas, Rohingiyas, Tamils and Tibetan -?,2*'-??(& ate a sub-class of doubtful citizens by sus- legalises the prohibited categories of reli- races would result in supremacy of dom-             Buddhists from its purview. Further, as per Kesavan, (,20&, pending their nationality and by treating gion under Article 15 and makes it a basis inant races. Defending such dominance within the intelligible criterion, CAA creates a sub- ' 0 R?2A them as a class of illegals. Indeed most crit- for consideration for citizenship for a spe- is what Mills called “racial liberalism.” C    E           P( class of only three neighbouring countries and then ics of CAA are worried about this plight cial class of non-citizens hailing from for- CAA, as a consequence, might allow for    Q     ,         ?,?  3 a further sub-class of “select” religiously-persecut- 0 1 of being subjected to undue suspicion on eign countries. such “racial liberalism” towards some     6 S        C   ed minorities. a section of Indian citizens as As India is not yet a signatory to the classes, while excluding certain other class-        H :        -@KLE -0 (- 0A- Salve’s advocacy misses the forest for the trees 2A01-0 3 Bangladeshis, based on ethno-racial pro- Refugee Convention and Protocol, does es of immigrants. 6                and trees for the forest. It misses the general point filing and dual filtering through NPR- this entitle it to draw a distinction between Even better is the description given by                    , of India’s commitment to those who come to it due 0-?-'-?? NRC. The affidavit submitted by the classes of asylum seekers and refugees? sociologist Zygmut Bauman, who consid-               0       to fear of civil or any other kind of disturbances, as (& 3-? Centre in the Supreme Court in the cases This is a grey area in which the current ered modern Statecraft of choosing cer-    # 6 8   ) C    ( stated in Section 19 (4) of the Indian Independence filed against CAA makes it further clear formulation of the CAA excludes tain people over the other on certain con-  E           M       Act, 1947. Premised on such a consequential follow- that the power of exclusion of immigrants Muslims. Salve justifies it by saying that sideration as a “gardening State.” The CAA, #         ,   )    up of India’s independence, the Nehru-Liaquat pact arises from “sovereign” power of the as there is a settled political boundary by choosing some and excluding the other guaranteed settlement of the displaced minority in Indian State by which it is entitled to have between India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and has performed the role of “gardening” /  =   %       their respective country of choice until the last day its own immigration policy. This power Afghanistan, so Muslim immigrants from within the contours of Indian citizenship. C   S          of 1950. Recognition of “minority rights” irrespec- of exclusion of certain class of immigrants these countries, other than India, cannot (The writer is a legal philosopher and      E tive of religion has been the very bane of this early in CAA, as per the affidavit, is the claim citizenship and they are liable to be a political analyst based in Shillong.) * 7    "  #                                        8'15)3595                    with nearly all States and Union been in a free fall for long and in the down forests and commercialising animals for consumption purposes, ee from venturing into the tropical Territories observing the diktat of the process this has been eroding the cen- animal life contained therein. Once must ban this forthwith. When the forests to cut trees. Similarly those Central Government or imposing turies of resilience developed by these biodiversity hotspots were buying stops, so will the exploitation dealing in live animals for commer- curfew-like conditions. Mother Nature to withstand the destroyed by mankind, the animals and in turn the transmission of any cial purposes will think twice before Nationally and globally, the degeneration brought on by mankind. and the virus strains existing there- harmful pathogens. Many of these wet laying hands on the animals due to the impact on economies has been disas- But now it seems that nature is in, needed new hosts and humans markets in South-East Asia feed a fear of contracting fatal viruses. If one trous, with the global stock markets responding definitively and punish- became unwitting hosts to them. huge number of populations but in examines the past, it is clear that the -0(,3' ? ( plummeting due to a sell-off amount- ingly. Nature’s repositories such as This aspect was recently confirmed by the larger interest of humankind, these viruses have kept plaguing humani- 0(-C ing to $6 trillion in value, triggered by tropical forests around the world the United States Centre for Disease markets must be forced to close ty and possibly will continue to do so the Coronavirus within a short span with their teeming exotic animals Control as well. The exploitative down and Governments must provide unless mankind disconnects itself 0     -. 1)1 : of six days. The US is already com- were earlier considered the source of activities of humans have become a alternative source of nutrition for the from the concept of pillaging the envi-  '  !    paring the current economic condi- viruses and pathogens that caused dis- highway of sorts, using which viru- dependent population. In the after- ronment for material gains and  5 OVID-19 has a vice-like grip tions with the Great Depression of eases such as Ebola and HIV. But new lent pathogens are crossing from the math of COVID-19, China has instead focusses on co-existence with 0   !! over India and the rest of the 1930. research under the discipline of plan- animal kingdom to mankind. The already shut down many wet markets, nature so that it is given ample space    ! world. According to the However, the fact remains that etary science is showing that human- tragedy is that despite earlier experi- albeit a delayed move but neverthe- of its own. C   =  WorldoMeter, there have been over while the world economy is in the dol- ity’s destruction of biodiversity is in ences with such viruses as the Nipah, less a welcome one. Many other busy Large-scale human casualties due 19,607 casualties across the globe; the drums only now, the environmental fact causing the creation of new Ebola and Severe Acute Respiratory wet markets such as those in Lagos to the Coronavirus must serve as a     number of people infected stands at conditions across the globe have not strains of virus pathogens that are Syndrome, we are yet to learn any must also be shut down if more virus wake-up call to help understand the    ! =   4,35,002 and is growing by the hour. been good for decades as is evident moving from animals to humans at an lessons. transmissions are to be averted from reality that the abuse of the environ-       In India, too, the situation is grim as by the threat of climate change that alarming rate. The ongoing COVID- This indiscriminate and unthink- these locations. ment has now reached catastrophic    * the number of casualties stands at 10 is looming large. In February, the 19 is the latest example of this. ing exploitation of nature has the Awareness needs to be made a levels and unless nature is given the whereas the number of infected peo- Antarctica experienced one of its There is an urgent need to change potential of ending mankind and tool of investment in nature. The respect it deserves, it will eventually  !    ple stands at 562. major meltdowns amid record-high the narrative here from exploitation hence it is time to start investing in stakeholders must be made aware of reclaim the same and on its own  J!  = O  India has now taken the unprece- temperatures, causing some of the of nature to investment in it. Mankind the environment for the greater good the risks involved to them and to their terms.   = dented step of imposing a 21-day-long major glaciers to melt. The environ- has, for decades, exploited nature’s of humanity. As a first step, nations family members. This will for instance (The writer is an environmental H      I curfew and locking down the nation, ment and ecological biodiversity have hotspots by building roads, cutting where wet markets thrive and sell live dissuade a logging company employ- journalist)  ;   ! " " ) + (0; *&  #0(120!*2/3/(0021(4*,

 -1 ? more fatalities than China with 3,434, as well as having 47,610 Q<  7  RC?  7 ""  " #   (7 +  he number of deaths infections and 5,367 recoveries. Taround the world from China -- excluding Hong the novel coronavirus cases Kong and Macau -- has to date  -1  while knowing that you are Hospital de la Paz, which has the ability to respond to the cri- stood at 19,246, according to a declared 3,281 deaths and dearly needed at work,” she told 1,000 beds. sis. On top of that, they raise tally compiled by AFP at 1100 81,218 cases. The other worst- y the time Patricia Núñez’s The Associated Press. This week, 11 of the hos- the specter of hospitals becom- GMT Wednesday from official hit countries are Iran with Bcough started, she was The coronavirus is waging pital’s 14 floors are devoted to ing breeding grounds of infec- sources. 2,077 fatalities and 27,017 already familiar with the dread- a war of attrition against health caring for those suffering from tion. More than 427,940 cases, France with 1,100 deaths ed dry hacking sound tor- care workers throughout the COVID-19, and there is still Spain’s experience has been declared cases have been reg- and 22,302 cases, and the menting patients who had for world, but nowhere is it win- not enough room: The patients reflected elsewhere. istered in 181 countries and ter- United States with 600 deaths weeks been filling the Madrid ning more battles at the with less serious cases of the The World Health ritories since the epidemic first and 55,225 cases. emergency ward where she moment than in Italy and in disease are being put in the Organization’s director-gener- emerged in China in Since 1900 GMT Tuesday, works. Spain, where protective equip- hospital’s gym or in a large tent al this week called reports of December. Cameroon and Niger have “We were fed up of hearing ment and tests have been in outside. large number of infections The tallies, using data col- announced their first deaths it at the hospital, so it was just severely short supply for weeks. “If you had told me three among health workers “alarm- lected by AFP offices from while Libya, Laos, Belize, a matter of time before I would Spain’s universal health months ago that I would be ing.” national authorities and infor- Grenada, Mali and Dominica contract it,” said Núñez, a 32- care system is a source of working in these conditions in “Even if we do everything mation from the World Health reported their first cases. year-old nurse who tested pos- national pride and often hailed Spain, I wouldn’t have believed else right, if we don’t prioritize Organization (WHO), are like- By continent, Europe has itive for the new coronavirus as a reason for its citizens’ leg- you,” Perera said, adding that protecting health workers, ly to reflect only a fraction of listed 226,340 cases and 12,719 about a week ago. endary longevity, but the out- %                / staff at La Paz are only being many people will die because the actual number of infections. deaths to date, Asia 99,805 Speaking via video call break is exposing its short- tested for the virus if they the health worker who could Many countries are now cases and 3,593 deaths, the US from her home, Núñez said she comings, some of which are the the 12 de Octubre University nationally, health authorities have symptoms. “If they did have saved their lives is sick,” only testing cases that require and Canada together 57,304 is eager to recover, so she can result of years of budget cuts. Hospital, patients could be said, representing 13.6% of the (regular testing), they might Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hospitalisation. cases with 624 deaths, the relieve overworked colleagues The country’s hospitals are seen on the floor as they wait- country’s 47,600 total cases end up without any workers.” told journalists. Italy, which recorded its Middle East 32,118 cases and dealing with a rising wave of groaning under the weight of ed for a bed in recent days. The and about 1% of the health sys- Widespread infections In Italy, where nearly one- first coronavirus death in 2,119 deaths, Latin America patients and dwindling num- the pandemic: Video and pho- hospital says the patients have tem’s workforce. At least three among health workers reflect tenth of about 70,000 infections February, has to date declared and the Caribbean 7,337 cases bers of healthy nurses and tos from two hospitals in the since been accommodated else- health care workers have died. the universal difficulty of stem- are among medical workers, 6,820 fatalities, with 69,176 with 118 deaths, Oceania 2,656 doctors. Spanish capital showed where. “We are collapsing. We ming the spread of the pan- doctors and nurses have been infections and 8,326 people cases with nine deaths and “The worst thing is that patients, many hooked up to On Wednesday, the num- need more workers,” said Lidia demic. But sick health workers begging the government daily recovered. Africa 2,382 cases with 64 you need to stay at home, wor- oxygen tanks, crowding corri- ber of medical personnel Perera, a nurse who works do double damage: They add to to provide more masks, gloves Like Italy, Spain now has deaths. ried about infecting relatives, dors and emergency rooms. At infected was nearly 6,500 with Núñez at Madrid’s the toll while also hampering and goggles.

 /                   $                2    /    1( on Wednesday evening -- February 21. steady downward line. although the government is all It had been running at as The slowing contagion rate  )10()- taly on Tuesday received but certain to extend them in high as 50 percent at the start is at least offering a ray of hope Imore reassuring evidence some form for weeks or even of March. in the midst of a global health he obituaries posted on a that its coronavirus infection months. “The measures we took emergency that is only deep- Tboard where the newspa- rate was slowing thanks to a Italy’s 743 new deaths two weeks ago are starting to ening in other parts of Europe pers might otherwise hang tell painful lockdown that other broke two days of successive have an effect,” civil protection and the the story of an Italian village liv- nations are starting to apply at declines that had taken the service chief Angelo Borrelli United States. ing through a disaster the mayor great economic cost. number down to 601 on told the daily La Repubblica Scientists believe that calls “worse than the war”. Health officials across the Monday. before Tuesday’s toll countries such as Spain and The war Vertova mayor ravaged Mediterranean coun- It set a world record of 793 came out. France are following in Italy’s Orlando Gualdi refers to is try are poring over every new fatalities on Saturday. He said more data over the footsteps with a lag of a few World War II — a cataclysmic piece of data to see whether two But officially registered next few days will help show “if weeks. event more and more Italians weeks of bans and closures new infections rose just eight the growth curve is really flat- The numbers from the US cite while describing the dam- have made a dent in the crisis. percent -- the same as Monday tening.” Few scientists expect are also similar to the track of age wrought by the coron- The harshest restrictions and the lowest level since Italy Italy’s numbers — if they real- those of Italy about 20 days avirus pandemic. are theoretically due to expire registered its first death on ly are dropping — to follow a ago. Italy’s death toll is some- what hard to grasp when they are read out every evening in 1    Rome. The total across the -%  )2/(% /(   $ country soared to 6,820 by    93 Wednesday. It is 36 in Vertova. But the    village — its ancient stone hous-       7 /5% %   %  56*  es hugging the side of a moun- $   : tain 70 kilometres northeast of  -1  testing, the number of people curb the spread of the virus   -? 30( Milan — has 4,600 inhabitants diagnosed with COVID-19 rose both in the military and in the  ?,1-2-A- and usually sees around 60 pain’s armed forces on by nearly 20 percent to 39,673, civilian population. he number of coronavirus deaths the entire year. STuesday asked NATO for the health ministry said. Health The request specified Tcases in the United States losed borders and social “It’s worse than the war,” humanitarian assistance to authorities said it would become 450,000 respirators, 500,000 jumped by nearly 10,000 while Cdistancing rules to stem the Gualdi told AFP in one of the fight the novel coronavirus as clear whether the lockdown rapid testing kits, 500 ventila- about 150 Americans died in a coronavirus outbreak failed to village’s empty squares. the national death toll touched was having the desired effect. tors and 1.5 million surgical day even as President Donald stop one transnational couple Four freshly made coffins 2,700 and infections soared “This is a very hard week masks. With the numbers still Trump hoped to reopen the in Indonesia from tying are bunched together near the towards 40,000. because we’re in the first stages spiralling, the government of country’s economy by Easter, the knot on Wednesday, minus entrance of a chapel nearby. With the pandemic spread- of overcoming the virus, a Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez April 12. the customary kiss to seal the They are waiting to be ing across the world, Spain has phase in which we are on Tuesday sought parliamen- With millions of deal. cremated and then buried in been one of the worst-hit coun- approaching the peak of the tary approval to extend the Americans under a lockdown, Irra Chorina Octora, 29, the cemetery in the back. tries, logging the third highest epidemic,” Health Minister state of emergency for an extra the National Guard as well as and her Turkish partner Yavuz Funerals have been banned number of deaths with the lat- Salvador Illa told a televised two weeks, until April 11 — the the armed forces were pressed Ozdemir, 32, swapped vows at for weeks and the ceremony est toll standing at 2,696 after news conference. day before Easter — in a bid to into service in several states Al Akbar mosque in Surabaya, will be a muted affair attended another 514 people died over Like many other countries, slow the spread of the virus. such as New York which saw at as friends and family -- each sat by caretakers wrapped in pro- the past 24 hours. Spain has been struggling with “We are aware of just how least 53 deaths and about 5,000 two metres apart -- looked on. tective suits and masks. Despite an unprecedented a lack of medical supplies for hard it is to prolong this situ- new cases on Tuesday. New                      The couple both wore face- The cemetery itself lockdown imposed on March testing, treatment and the pro- ation, but it is absolutely imper- York has so far reported more      608  " 1 / masks and kept their distance remains closed to the villagers 14, both deaths and infections tection of frontline workers. ative that we keep fighting the than 25,000 COVID-19 cases through the ceremony to com- because public gathering are have continued to mount, with In a statement, NATO said virus in order to win this bat- and 210 fatalities. time by Easter, which is on would be,” Trump said but ply with strict rules imposed by banned — so grieving for your the Spanish army called in to Spain’s military had asked for tle,” government spokeswoman According to Worldometer, April 12. asserted that his first priority authorities, who have banned loved ones with flowers at their join efforts to curb its spread. “international assistance”, seek- Maria Jesus Montero told the a website which compiles “I want to encourage was always the health and safe- mass gatherings including wed- grave is no longer allowed. With authorities stepping up ing medical supplies to help news conference. COVID-19 cases, nearly 10,000 everyone to keep following ty of the American people. dings but allowed some excep- new coronavirus cases were our guidelines on social dis- However, Director of the tions for marriages booked reported across the country on tancing, avoiding large gather- National Institute of Allergy before the pandemic began. $         Tuesday alone taking the total ings, hand washing and all the and Infectious Diseases Dr Virus precautions were on 8   9 to around 54,000 while the other things that everybody Anthony Fauci cautioned full display, with a maximum of           number of fatalities surged by knows they are supposed to be against setting any timeline 25 people at the event, tem-   2 D 3 the city with a population of 150 in a day bringing its total doing. Ultimately, the goal is to for resolving the crisis, saying, perature checks at the door and over 11 million.   '$#() to about 700. ease the guidelines and open “You got to be very hand sanitiser throughout the hina on Wednesday down- Also, Wuhan will resume  01- Apart from New York, things up to very large sections flexible.” venue. The wedding was also Cgraded the risk level of the commercial flights from April London: Psychologists have neighbouring New Jersey, along of our country as we near the “You can look at a date, but wrapped up in just 30 minutes. coronavirus in its epicentre 8, excluding international ran’s president warned that launched a study of the men- with California, Michigan, end of our historic battle with you got to be very flexible. And The only hint of physical Wuhan from high to medium flights and flights to and from Ihis government was poised to tal health and social impacts of Illinois and Florida were the the invisible enemy,” the pres- on a literally day-by-day and intimacy came when Ozdemir, and resumed bus services with- Beijing. introduce tough new measures the COVID-19 pandemic, an other coronavirus hotspots. ident said. week-by-week basis, you need whom Octora first met on in the city for the first time The government has against the coronavirus effort that may shed more light However, no new cases or “I hope we can do this by to evaluate the feasibility of social media, briefly took off since the nine-week lockdown downgraded the risk level of Wednesday as the death toll on how the spread of the dis- deaths were reported in Easter. I think that would be a what you’re trying to do,” he his mask for his bride to feed even as a new study said thou- Wuhan for COVID-19 out- from one of the world’s dead- ease affects people’s behaviour. Washington, the state which great thing for our country and said. him a piece of wedding cake. sands of positive cases there break from high to medium, liest outbreaks topped Researchers, led by was first hit by the pathogen in we are all working very hard to White House Coronavirus Their reception party was may have gone under the radar. state-run China Daily report- 2,000. Professor Richard Bentall at the the US. make that a reality. We will be Task Force Coordinator cancelled and only a compro- China has decided to lift ed on Wednesday. President Hassan Rouhani University of Sheffield, are sur- President Trump, whose meeting a lot of people to see Deborah L Birx informed mise with the mosque allowed the three-month lockdown on While Hubei and Wuhan said that the new measures, veying 2,000 people in the UK, approval rating touched 50 per if it can be done,” he said and reporters that of the 3,70,000 the pair to proceed with the more than 56 million people in has not reported any new which could be adopted as and again in a month’s time, cent for the first time appar- also hoped the Congress would tests done so far, 2,20000 were ceremony on Wednesday, ear- the central Hubei COVID-19 case, four people soon as Wednesday evening, and hope that their findings ently because of his handling soon vote on a USD 2 trillion carried out in the last eight lier than planned. province. died in the city taking the included Iran’s first restric- will help inform the better the coronavirus crisis on a war bill that would deliver direct days. The new cases, she said, “All people must pass our However, the prolonged death toll in China to 3,281, the tions on movement to try to management of future public footing, put up a brave front on cash payments to struggling would continue to surge disinfectant gate after being lockdown of Hubei’s capital National Health Commission stem the spread of the virus and health crises, the University Tuesday telling reporters that Americans. because the government is still checked with a thermal gun,” Wuhan will end on April 8, lift- (NHC) said on were likely to be “difficult” for said in a release. PTI he expects things to go back to “Easter is our timeline, working on the Al Akbar mosque spokesman ing the mass quarantine over Wednesday. the public. normal in about three weeks’ what a great timeline that backlog. Helmy M. Noor told AFP.  -   ! " " ) + (0; *& 

,5N . 7 7 7 6  ,!       "   !  O        !     "     !  (   (  '  +  , 0-0 (?  (?'( months, would reset presiden-  3)- he coronavirus pandemic is tial term limits and potential-      Tthreatening the entire ussian President Vladimir ly allow Putin, in power for 20 ountries must protect peo-  ' +/  human race, the United RPutin said Wednesday the years, to stay in office until Cple in detention from the Paris: Metro and rail services Starting Thursday, about Nations said Wednesday as it public vote on his constitu- 2036. COVID-19 pandemic by in Paris and its suburbs will be 50 of the roughly 300 Paris launched a humanitarian tional reforms must be post- Putin also took the unusu- releasing vulnerable prisoners, cut to a minimum as part of the metro stations will be closed, response that includes appeals poned due to the coronavirus al step of declaring next week the UN’s rights chief said on nationwide coronavirus lock- and service across the net-  '( -3 on February 23 before it was for USD 2 billon for the world’s pandemic and declared next a non-working week. Wednesday. down, officials said work, as well as on RER com- extended nationwide on March poorest people. “COVID-19 is week a public holiday. “The long holidays are “Covid-19 has begun to Wednesday. muter lines serving the sub- taly’s air quality has improved 9. As of 1100 GMT Wednesday, threatening the whole of “I believe the voting must provided to slow the speed of strike prisons, jails and immi- Both Paris transport oper- urbs, will run only from 6:00 Isince the country went into Italy had recorded more 69,000 humanity -- and the whole of be postponed to a later date,” expansion of the disease,” he gration detention centres, as ator RATP and national rail am to 10:00 pm (0500 to 2100 coronavirus lockdown, the cases with 6,820 deaths. humanity must fight back. Putin said of the April 22 said. Unlike other countries, well as residential care homes group SNCF have already GMT). European Environment EEA said its “data confirm Global action and solidarity are plebiscite in a rare televised Russia has not yet introduced and psychiatric hospitals, and sharply reduced services since The operators said the goal Agency (EEA) said Wednesday, large decreases in air pollutant crucial. Individual country address in which he called on mandatory at home sheltering. risks rampaging through such the self-confinement orders was to keep just enough trains a trend seen elsewhere in concentrations... Largely due to responses are not going to be Russians to show solidarity. Putin urged Russians to institutions’ extremely vulner- came into effect on March 17. running for health workers Europe as well. reduced traffic and other activ- enough,” Secretary General The reforms, proposed by help each other and follow able populations,” Michelle They apply to all but essential and others who need to get to In Milan, Italy’s economic ities, especially in major cities Antonio Guterres said in the president and approved by instructions given by medics Bachelet said in a employees and those who can- work during the coronavirus capital, the concentration of under lockdown measures.” announcing the initiative. lawmakers over the last few and the authorities. statement. not work from home. crisis. AFP nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas Other parts of Europe have emitted mainly from vehicles seen similar effects, in Spain for and power stations and which example where NO2 concen- can cause inflammation of the tration has fallen by 55 percent + $   3 +& ' respiratory system, has fallen by in Barcelona and 41 percent in 24 percent in the last four Madrid, on a 12-month com-   (( the streets of London to advise police service. I am deter- weeks, compared with the pre- parison. people and businesses of the mined we will do that,” she said. ceeding four weeks, the EEA In the Spanish capital, aver- cotland Yard on Wednesday new rules. Her message came as it said. age NO2 concentration has Ssaid that its officers stand “We will only use enforce- emerged that police had to step The week starting on fallen by 56 percent from one ready to take enforcement ment if we absolutely have to in to break up a barbeque March 16 alone saw a 21 per- week to the next. action if “absolutely necessary” but we won’t hesitate if there are gathering of 20 people in cent reduction compared with NO2 levels have halved in and called on the UK popula- people who are deliberately Coventry, central England. the same week one year earli- some other parts of the conti- tion to comply with the law and breaching the law. But I think “Officers felt they needed to er. nent. But the French air qual- stay indoors as part of the lock- the vast majority of people end the gathering by tipping In Rome, NO2 levels have ity monitoring agency cau- down measures to combat the will want to comply with the over the BBQ and insisting the fallen between 26 and 35 per- tioned that the lockdown had spread of the coronavirus pan- law to keep their society safe. group dispersed to their cent for the same four weeks, not led to marked declines in demic. “We’ve shown time and homes,” West Midlands and in Bergamo, Italy’s hardest so-called PM2.5 and PM10 Metropolitan Police com- again our ability to adapt, to Police said. hit city, the reduction was 47 particles, the smallest and most missioner Cressida Dick said rise to a challenge, to flex and “It’s vital everyone follows percent. harmful air pollutants, owing to that since Prime Minister Boris surge our resources and our the new lockdown instruc- The lockdown in Italy increased home heating and                           $  Johnson’s “stay at home” staff, and even in the darkest of tions. They are essential and began in certain northern areas continued agricultural activity.     / announcement on Monday time to be able to keep people will save lives,” the force said. evening, officers have been on safe and give a good quality !    2' 3  1  D  " 3            #     )5    C* 7   <3      (( with the emerging picture of spoke. )    enthused by recovery in glob- markets took confidence from   ,2- improvement in the economy, the economic damage, means “So many people are being   < al stocks after the US Senate the 21-day lockdown imposed ageing provisions and coupled global stocks rally petered we need to take another leg put out of work through no and White House reached by Prime Minister Narendra he outbreak of COVID-19 with the recent outbreak of Aout Wednesday as Europe lower before the bottom is fault of their own. They don’t agreement on a USD 2 trillion Modi as the move somewhat Tand continued slowdown ‘COVID-19’, the banking sec- took up the baton, despite US found,” said Neil Wilson, chief know what their future is going stimulus package for the US removes the uncertainty and in the economy are likely to have tor might witness an adverse lawmakers agreeing a mam- market analyst at trading group to be like, how are they going   ,2- economy. showed that the government is an impact on banks asset qual- impact on credit delivery and moth stimulus package to help Markets.Com. to pay the bills,” Schumer Reliance Industries was the willing to take hard steps to ity and may trigger a surge in asset quality leading to pressure the world’s biggest economy While COVID-19 contin- noted. “Well, we come to their ndian stock benchmarks top gainer in the Sensex pack, fight the Covid-19 pandemic. gross non-performing assets on capital adequacy,” the rating resist effects of the COVID-19 ues to spread, traders have a rescue.” ISensex and Nifty posted their rallying up to 15 per cent, fol- Receding uncertainty in (GNPA) ratio to 9.6 to 9.9 per agency’s senior director, Sanjay pandemic. rare semblance of optimism The measure will put cash best single-day rise in over a lowed by Kotak Bank, Maruti, domestic markets following cent by the second or third quar- Agarwal, said in the report. After huge gains for equi- after weeks of carnage across directly into the hands of decade on Wednesday, mir- HDFC twins, Titan, L&T and defined lockdown announce- ter of the next fiscal, says a The GNPA ratio of banks is ties Tuesday, which continued global markets, with eyes fixed Americans, provides grants to roring buoyancy in global mar- Axis Bank. ment and assurance of domes- report. The global pandemic has likely to be in the range of 9.6- into Wednesday with Tokyo on Washington where law- small businesses and hundreds kets and anticipating a stimu- On the other hand, tic stimulus by the government stalled the economic activity 9.9 per cent by the second or soaring and European indices makers thrashed out an emer- of billions of dollars in loans for lus package by the govern- IndusInd Bank, ONGC, ITC boosted investor sentiment, which is going to severely impact third quarter of FY21 from 9.3 jumping at the open, London gency bill worth as much as $2 corporations including embat- ment to tide over the financial and Bajaj Auto closed with said Narendra Solanki, Head- sectors such transport, travel and per cent as of December 2019, lost some of its gains and trillion — around 10 percent of tled airlines, while expanding turmoil caused by the coron- losses. Equity Research tourism, aviation, among others. given the exposures to certain Frankfurt was in the red near- US gross domestic product. “At unemployment benefits. avirus pandemic. All sectoral indices on the (Fundamental), Anand Rathi. The Reserve Bank and the stressed sectors, moderation in ing the half-way stage. last, we have a deal,” Senate The prospect of a massive The BSE gauge Sensex shot BSE ended in the green with “The rally was supported government may announce a the bank credit growth and Elsewhere, the dollar was Majority Leader Mitch spending splurge, combined up 1,861.75 points or 6.98 per energy, finance, bankex, auto, by strength across the markets regulatory forbearance or an muted demand scenario, he said. lower against main rivals and McConnell said, calling it a with the Federal Reserve’s cent to settle at 28,535.78, and basic materials and oil and gas including large frontline and interest subvention scheme on The rating agency said as oil prices retreated. “wartime level of investment pledge to essentially print as the NSE barometer Nifty spurt- indices rallying up to 10 per mid-small cap stocks ahead of report by Care Ratings loans to there is a lockdown imposed “The stimulus is now by into our nation”. “We have a much cash is needed, sent Wall ed 516.80 points or 6.62 per cent. expiry tomorrow (Thursday) help banks deal with the NPA within India and the world, and large in place, the question bipartisan agreement on the Street into overdrive Tuesday, cent to end at 8,317.85 – the Broader midcap and small- which also played its part in stress, according to a report it both domestic consumption is whether it’s enough for the largest rescue package in with the Dow seeing its biggest biggest single-day gain for the cap indices surged up to 3.53 terms of short-covering which said. as well as export-oriented markets or whether the expect- American history,” top Senate rise since 1933, while the S&P indices. per cent. added further fuel to the rally,” “Considering that there industries could be affected due ed spike in cases and deaths in Democrat Chuck Schumer 500 enjoyed its best day in Domestic market was Experts are of the view that he added. has been no substantial to muted demand. the US and Europe, combined said shortly after McConnell more than a decade.  '  7#        9=        (( but inevitable. The Senate and House of The Fed has kept up near-    6 " In the United States, Senate Representatives still need to daily announcements to keep  67893  overnments and central leaders and the White House pass the legislation before send- dollars flowing, in addition to Gbanks around the world early Wednesday struck agree- ing it to President Donald slashing its main lending rate 6  #$ are ripping up the policy rule- ment on a USD 2 trillion stim- Trump for his signature. to near zero. book as they battle to immu- ulus package for the world’s The package will put cash On Monday, the Fed  Q R 3  C(C-0- duction stage, he said. nise their economies from largest economy. directly into the hands of vowed to buy unlimited Tea Board’s deputy chair- deeper coronavirus carnage. The biggest ever spending Americans, provides grants to amounts of government debt -   ,2- The CAPA has also sought ea production in the coun- man Arun Kumar Ray said that Printing new money, gar- plan in US history had been small businesses and hundreds - akin to printing money -- and “urgent” government inter- Ttry is likely to fall by 100 the “likely shortfall in produc- gantuan debt spending, loan knocked back by Democratic of billions of dollars in loans for offered to lend directly to viation consultancy CAPA vention and coordinated indus- million kg this year due to the tion due to lockdown would be guarantees, tax breaks and objections to the Republican larger corporations including small- and medium-sized Aon Wednesday projected try response to address all the 21-day lockdown which was around 100 million kg this even direct payments to work- plan, which was decried as a airlines, and expands unem- firms. initial losses of USD 3.3-3.6 bil- requirement of the aviation “inevitable” to tackle the coro- year”, which could lead to rise ers are all in the highly “slush fund” for bosses. ployment benefits. Some observers are lion for the Indian aviation industry. navirus crisis, an official said on in prices. unorthodox mix. But party leaders over- A separate package from demanding a collective industry in the first quarter of According to the CAPA, Wednesday. “The impact of the coron- AFP surveys the latest came their differences to clinch US financial overseers includ- response from the G7 and G20 FY2021 in the eventuality of all the airline sector losses are The country had produced avirus outbreak will be felt responses by major economies a “wartime level of investment ing the Federal Reserve would to fight the pandemic, and air services including domestic expected to be around USD around 1,389 million kgs of tea across the globe. The priority as COVID-19 has spread from into our nation”, Republican provide a stunning USD 4 tril- help poorer nations who lack remain shut until June due to 1.75 billion while that of the in 2019, he said. is to prevent community China to the rest of the world, Senate Majority Leader Mitch lion in liquidity to juice up the the borrowing capacity of their the coronavirus pandemic. airports and concessionaires at “The lockdown was transmission,” Ray said. making a global recession all McConnell said. economy. richer peers. The pandemic has had a around USD 1.50-1.75 billion inevitable as there is no other With this lockdown, significant impact on the avi- and another USD 80-90 million option to prevent the spread of Darjeeling tea planters will ation industry due to the strin- losses of the ground handling the disease. However, the coun- lose first flush production, a gent border controls by a host companies. try’s tea production will be hit premium variety, by around 30 of countries and imposition of Noting that the domestic and this will lead to a collapse per cent, Bezbaruah said the travel ban on the people of airline sector was already vul- of the industry,” Tea Board The loss of production in other nationalities to contain nerable even prior to the advent Chairman P K Bezbaruah told West Bengal’s Dooars is likely the virus infection. of COVID-19, the CAPA said PTI. It will take time to bring to be around 11 per cent and 10 The Indian government most Indian airlines have not tea bushes again to the pro- per cent in Assam, he said. has also suspended all air ser- structured their business mod- vices among the several mea- els to be able to withstand even sures to prevent if from getting regular shocks, such as elevat- a large part of the population ed fuel prices or economic infected. downturns, let alone once-in- “ India’s aviation sector a-century events. could incur losses of USD 3.3- With few exceptions, 3.6 billion in 1QFY2021. Indian carriers have weak bal- Assuming that all domestic ance sheets and precarious lev- and international operations els of liquidity, the CAPA said remain grounded until Jun in the report, adding airlines 30,” the Centre for Asia Pacific have generated cash to stay Aviation (CAPA) India said in afloat through advance sales or its preliminary report. sale-and-lease back margins Prime Minister Narendra (and government infusion in Modi on Tuesday announced a the case of Air India), but with 21-day complete lockdown no cushion to be able to with- from Wednesday, stating that it stand downward cycles. was the only way of breaking Stating that with global COVID-19 infection cycle. aviation almost grinding to a “Even with some partial halt - and for what could be an resumption of services in May extended period – this is a state and June, the financial out- of affairs that will heighten risks comes may not change signif- for even the strongest carriers icantly,” Modi said in his tele- in the world, CAPA appre- vised address to the nation hended several weaker airlines Monday evening. might go belly-up.   ! " "  ,

1.  used to sing at a restaurant in Delhi when he saw a news story, which had a TV reporter interviewing a woman during the  #4*5 Kashmir floods. “Her son had disappeared and the reporter was asking, ‘Kaisa lag #6   raha hai aapko aapka bachcha baadh me Observational gayab ho gaya? (How do you feel as your    son has disappeared during the floods?)’ $   She replied, ‘Kaisa lagega? (How will I ( feel?)’ I thought this is typical Indian news     and an Indian reporter. I made a video 7  ( ( about it and posted it on Facebook as at -  ,*   that time, I was unaware that I could use        8  YouTube for this. I thought it was primar- ..! O  artiste ily for film trailers. One of my friends told    =  me to separate the videos from my musi- !    26 2..& cian profile, so I made a Facebook page   ! = called BB Ki Vines. It caught on by word ockdown = Soaring demand for of mouth and people started following - F! * internet content for both entertain- me,” recalls Bhuvan who still finds his     Lment and information. But more escape route in music as he tells us, “When     often than not, these have become the I am done writing jokes and creating con- -!  tools for spreading falsehood and myths. tent, I play the small keyboard that I keep = YouTuber and singer Bhuvan Bam, who’s in my room. That is how I get out of stress     BB Ki Vines has 16.7 million subscribers and anxiety.” on YouTube, has come out with a video However, he has spread his wings L   ! to tackle both. It is called ‘Time to be a beyond music and videos and even     Hero’ and focusses on the WhatsApp acted in a short film, Plus Minus. Bhuvan ! forwards being circulated about happened to be in the right place at the  Coronavirus. Says Bhuvan, “This has right time to bag this. “I was lucky to be  been going on in my head for a long time. in that room when director Jyoti Kapoor In my own house, I see my parents shar- Das and the producer were discussing     ing fake news on WhatsApp because they that they were planning a story on Baba  think it is legit. If this is a scenario in my Harbhajan Singh. He is the soldier, who,   = O house, then how many families are there it is believed, continues to guard the Indo-    who actually believe this?” So he decid- China border, long after his death. I was  ! ed to collect all the fake information really intrigued and wanted a narration. !  =0  related to Coronavirus and compared it When I heard it, I was like ‘let’s do it’. with the reality in a 4.05 minute video. What made the experience different was   The video, which lists out the do’s and that for once, I was not holding a phone  ! don’ts while providing the links to WHO in my hand,” he says with a laugh and the -!O and Ministry of Health and Welfare site fact that he worked with actor Divya  * in a conversational manner, a style which Dutta made it special. “Sone pe suhaga ho  ! the artiste is known for, has garnered for the audience as they will listen to that The political views for or against any issue difference is that I am a little transpar- gaya (icing on the cake),” he adds. =   !  eight million views within three days. too even if they don’t comply with it in are always there and artistes reflect it. ent while others are hiding it.” He Bhuvan has also received several Not just falsehood, Bhuvan also feels entirety,” he says. Of course, there is the What has made it really popular in India believes that it is nothing but “sheer awards including the ‘Entertainer of the =0!   that there is always the possibility of a possibility that the repetitions from dif- is that the younger generation is taking hypocrisy” when people profess to be fans Year’ at Cannes last year, recognising the !  =M message being misinterpreted which ferent people might be irritating for the politics seriously. Earlier, elderly people of Russell Peters or claim to have enjoyed way he is extending his boundaries. Does happened with the Prime Minister’s audience but “it is the only way to rein- discussed it occasionally over tea. That American Pie or Euro Trip but are criti- he see Indian artistes across board get- address calling for a lockdown on March force the message.” He goes on to point way, it is a refreshing change,” he says. cal of the content that he puts out. “I am ting recognition worldwide? “In every art O) 22. He says the message needs to be out, “The YouTube community is a vast However, scrolling through his chan- not showing nudity or anything. If some- form, India is right there. I am glad that ! spelled out to coherently. “I immediate- market and each of the creators can do nel reveals that there is nothing which one is criticising me for my choice of lan- people across the globe are appreciating ly thought that when he asked for a Janta it in their own typical fashion.” would qualify as a political satire or com- guage, it is nothing but sheer hypocrisy,” us. Bollywood films were already a hit     Curfew on Sunday, we are a billion peo- Time and again we have seen com- edy. Bhuvan laughs as he says, “I person- he asserts. abroad. But now people have started talk-  < ple, many of whom believe everything. He edy being used effectively for discussing ally don’t like getting into politics. I know While India and Indians might be ing about YouTube as well as there is could have specifically emphasised that a social issue. It has been explored and very little about it and half knowledge is critical of the content being put out, for diversity of content. There is comedy as !  you should not be stepping out post 22 utilised widely in films, series as well the worst. And you should not speak if Bhuvan, the country and its people have well as bloggers who create cooking,     too as we have to be spoon-fed. The YouTube videos. Bhuvan too believes in you have one-sided or half-baked opin- acted as a source of inspiration. “The beauty, travel and more content,” he says    mindset is that if we have to beat the thali the efficacy of the genre. “If you look at ion. Politics is not my cup of tea.” country is chalta phirta (fertile ground) and points out that it seems while the or clap, we will do it together. The grav- my channel history, whenever I do a While political content might be meme material. Everyday, a lakh people content is exploding there are not enough   <> ity of the situation was lost on most as social issue, I try not to sound preachy. absent, BB Ki Vines is replete with cuss can create a thousand different videos on viewers. He gives several parallels to    < many thought that the disease is spread- I have 18 characters in BB Ki Vines, so I words and that is often the reason why different topics because there is so much explain the situation and says, “During ing in China or Italy or even in another can put across my views in the form of it has received a lot of flak. Moreover, very comedy and content happening around 90s, every second house had a bat and ball !)< Indian states and there is a border, so it a conversation which makes it effective. often, while the audience might enjoy a us. India still wouldn’t run out of content,” as everyone wanted to be a cricketer.      cannot cross that. You don’t know who The message given out as a comedy particular episode, it is wary of sharing says Bhuvan, who works on observation Then there was the phase of the Indian is travelling where and who has brought always registers better,” says Bhuvan it further unless it is with a group of which the lockdown has put on hold for Idol and everyone aspired to be Abhijeet $     which virus. People are underestimating who before the lockdown had just start- friends. Bhuvan is upfront and says, “I am a bit. To apply this in practice, the Sawant. Currently, it is the same scenario       the situation,” he asserts. ed working on his dream project, from Delhi and let that be the end of dis- YouTuber travels in the metro and sits in as every second house has a YouTuber. It    < However, now with people staying at Dhindora, about which he refuses to cussion.” He goes on to explain the con- a random coach. “When I look at people, is growing rapidly.” home, there is naturally an explosion in divulge much information. tent that he puts out, “If someone follows I see how they behave and pick at least one When asked about his future plans, <   the demand for content. Bhuvan feels that A genre of comedy that has come into my channel closely, they know that the trait. Observation is important and we the artiste points out that he does not <     this is a golden opportunity for its own in the past few years in India is cuss words are there when three friends need to be aware and alert to everything know beyond two days from now. “I YouTubers to create content and share it, the one which takes a political stand. are together or if Titu Maama makes an around you,” he says. know what I have to do on Saturday or   though he lists out a prerequisite. “The However, for Bhuvan, every art form is appearance. Truth is that my friends have However, comedy and YouTube Sunday but I don’t think ahead of that. I     >P creator has the responsibility that if s/he like an opposition. “Someone can voice never talked without using slangs. And videos was not what he had set out to do, take life as it comes and have stopped hav- L% <1  is creating a seven-minute comedy, then their opinion and dissent through music this is true for every friend group across though he had his heart set on being a per- ing any expectations from it,” says s/he should also create an awareness video or through stand-up or through painting. the world. It is a part of our life. The only former from the very beginning. Bhuvan Bhuvan.

s senior citizens deal with anxiety Aabout the Coronavirus, grocery 1$# 77 store chains and other retailers have come up with a way to ease their fears — shopping times reserved exclusive- ly for them. >##$ Target, Whole Foods, Walmart -     and Dollar General, as well as super- markets in Europe, began dedicating s Prime Minister Narendra Modi !    * early morning shopping times for Aannounced a nationwide lock-        older customers this week. The theo- down for 21 days on Tuesday evening   !   * ry is that allowing seniors to shop to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, B-  = among smaller crowds could reduce Town took to social media to express their chances of acquiring the virus and their support and urge citizens to      give them first crack at buying hand cooperate and stay indoors.     sanitiser and other products that have Bollywood veteran Amitabh       * been hard to find because of panic Bachchan wrote a poem in Hindi,  L    shopping. “Hath hain jodte vinamrata se aaj The idea seems to have worked hum... Sune adesh Pradhan ka, sada  =   well in smaller shops but backfired in tum aur hum. Yeh bandish jo lagi hai,        some larger stores, where big crowds jeevdayee banegi... 21 Dino ka sankalp  !      made “social distancing” difficult. nishchit Corona dafnayegi.”  =-     “If you didn’t have coronavirus Veteran Bollwood star Dilip Kumar before you got there, you probably do tweeted, “Dawa bhi, dua bhi, Pehle kuch  =A!O2   now,” said Roger Glenn Miller, 82, after faasla bhi, Woh kareem hai raheem hai,  =M he showed up on a recent morning at Aur wahi mushkil kusha bhi. My sin- a Stop & Shop grocery store in North cere appeal to all of you, #StayHome Providence, Rhode Island, along with and obey the #CoronaLockdown. God ! ! < about 200 other seniors. bless us all.”   < Don Gregson, 81, had a similar Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt advised in his address and stay safe. experience at the same shop. Gregson shared on Twitter, “We are now at a col- Also, essential services will be opera-   ) *    said he expected to shop with a small lective turning point, where we must tional. Please don’t put yourself at risk   !?! group of seniors but instead found stop, listen and help the government by overcrowding shops to stock up. aisles crowded with people. implement the 21 days all India lock- #Covid19India.”  '$    When he saw the number of peo- down.” Aditi Rao Hydari tweeted: “21-day    !!   = ple in the store, Gregson slipped on a Lyricist and censor board chairper- lockdown. Let’s be responsible and stay &     surgical mask he carries in his pock- .    son Prasoon Joshi tweeted, home. if we don’t we’re in for big trou-    !  et, then bought four gallons (15 litres) “#IndiaFightsCorona. In this war, ble and could have an even longer lock-    ! ! of distilled water for the machine he restraint will be our weapon, stillness down as well as a catastrophic econo- needs for sleep apnea. 3              will be our defence, distance will be the my. Help us help ourselves. 21 days of    * “I’m sure they were trying to do the sign that we deeply care. Have to fight discipline is all it takes, please! Let’s do !  right thing, but somehow the planning         it with new rules. this.”  ! went astray,” he said. #CoronavirusLockdown.” Singer Shreya Ghoshal shared:      The Massachusetts-based chain, hour of shopping every day for seniors to ignore the request to reserve the Shahid Kapoor posted, “Be at “#CoronavirusLockdown for 21 days which has started offering the special at its more than 16,000 stores. Target hour for senior citizens. home. Stay safe. Stay mentally, emo- announced by our PM in his speech.  = shopping time for seniors every day, has set aside an hour every Wednesday Most of the products he was look- tionally and physically strong. Spread We can do this India!! Let’s stay posi- ' !  said in a statement that it is asking its morning for vulnerable shoppers, ing for were there, though many love. Have faith. Pray often. Speak to tive and sincere to this effort!   ! customers to consider staggering the including the elderly and those with canned items were “leaping off the all those who matter daily. Meditate. #StayHome.”    days they shop “to ensure a less crowd- underlying medical conditions. shelves” and he couldn’t get the med- Read. Cook. See the sky turn bluer Even though most Bollwood celebs    ed environment as well as for everyone Walmart said it will host an hour-long icines that he and his 73-year-old wife everyday. 21 days. Will pass. Keep it real were seen supporting the 21-day lock- to exercise caution and social distanc- “senior shopping event” every Tuesday want “for love or money.” and make it count you all.” down decision, actor Aahana Kumra   = ing while shopping.” for customers who are 60 and above, William Petri, a professor in the Ishaan Khatter urged, “To all my felt that the government should have -!  Ernest Hodge, 72, had a much one hour before stores open to the gen- University of Virginia’s Division of friends, everybody that this post reach- given some more time to the panick-  L * smoother experience at a Dollar eral public. Infectious Diseases and International es. We’ve got this. Let’s not panic. Let’s ing citizens to stock up in this crisis.  General store just north of Richmond. In South Africa, a supermarket Health, said setting aside dedicated look out for each other. Let’s find ways She tweeted, “I feel the government  Hodge showed up at 8 am sharp chain, Pick n Pay, said that it will open times for seniors to shop makes sense. to help one another. This is the time for needs to give some more time for peo- Wednesday, wearing a face mask and all its markets an hour early every He added that health officials have resilience, patience and consideration. ple to stock up. I understand and    O blue rubber gloves to protect himself. Wednesday for shoppers over 65. found that many people who are I promise to do my part. Please do applaud the government’s efforts to 0 =- He was able to shop among just a half- Sainsbury’s, one of the largest infected don’t have symptoms right yours, don’t step out for anything that combat the #coronavirus but this panic   dozen other seniors and got most of supermarket chains in the UK, away but are still infectious. is not essential. Don’t put others and is going to create more #COVID-19   what he needed, including disinfecting reserved the first hour of shopping in “That’s an even better reason to try yourself at risk. We will come out of this patients than ever!”    wipes, spray cleaner and bottled water. its stores Thursday for elderly and to isolate those who are most vulner- stronger. Prayers, LOVE and energies Singer Adnan Sami shared govern- Hodge said he was happy when he other vulnerable customers. able, like the elderly, from younger for everybody. #21dayslockdown.” ment’s guidelines issued by the govern-     heard about the special shopping Jim Gibson, 72, from Crofton people through dedicated shopping Randeep Hooda tweeted: ment and tweeted, “Ministry of Home  hours because he is trying to limit his Park, southeast London, went to his hours,” he said. However, Petri suggest- “#CoronavirusLockdown. If we don’t Affairs Guidelines for 21-day lock- O exposure to people. “I get off work, I local superstore in Bell Green, where ed that it would be even better for follow guidelines for the next 21 days, down. Check out the list of essential   =M go home. I don’t come out again he said that he had a “relatively trau- seniors to get groceries delivered to days after that could be even more chal- services that will remain open.” unless it’s a must,” he said. ma-free” experience except for the fact their homes. lenging. Let’s follow what our PM L$/"3 Dollar General is reserving the first that some younger shoppers appeared L/  $%  ,,   ! " " UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE IS CRITICAL ) '  D2 1-3-)'--!      !   !    '  !  

no problem is faced in move- ment of water tankers.  Availability of staff/human resources on the ground to pro- vide best possible services has to be ensured. It was noted in the meeting that there is an issue of outstationed employees that are unable to report due to non- availability of inter state con- veyance and inter-state travel restrictions. Senior officials were directed to coordinate with local police and DMs/SDMs to facili-   ( 77  tate the travel of such employees.  Maintenance and service level quality to be ensured during the lockdown period.  $ "57   All workshops involved in providing necessary equipment for repair and Maintenance nec- n connection with the essary for the functioning of the ICovid-19 pandemic, treatment plants and DJB net- Minister of State (I/C) for work lines were asked to make Shipping Mansukh appropriate provisions so that Mandaviya reviewed the sit- supply chain is not distributed. uation at all major ports  Delegation of emergency regarding cargo handling, powers ( financial and adminis- SOP, payment to casual trative) to field officials will be labourers, through video done for immediate and swift conferencing with all the disposal of work and grievances. chairpersons of ports and  Decisions regarding quick DG, Shipping. release of payment to vendors, More than 90 per cent of who are involved in day to day exim cargo is handled operations and maintenance of through ports. For proper plants, is taken so that they do and smooth maintenance of aghav Chadha, Vice cials of the board. was reviewed. Directions were police officials for unhindered not face any financial crunch and the supply chain, the Chairman of Delhi Jal The following decisions were given to the officials to ensure movement of tankers. their service quality remains Ministry of Shipping is tak- RBoard (DJB), chaired a taken to ensure uninterrupted that supply chain of such essen- Instructions were given with unaffected. ing all-round measures. For meeting to review the present water services in entire Delhi tial chemicals and supply of regard to social distancing while  Engineering divisions were easy movement of cargo at water supply services. He urged along with adoption of strict clean drinking water must supplying the water through directed to ensure adequate water ports, the Ministry of everybody to maintain unhin- social distancing measures: remain uninterrupted. tankers. supply using tankers at night Shipping has prepared dered water supply and sewage  Water distribution through  Concerned senior DJB officers shelters set-up by the Standard Operating services amid Coronavirus pan-  The stock position and avail- tankers was reviewed and neces- were directed to take the local Government, where the food is Procedures (SOP) to be demic. The meeting was attend- ability of chemicals, and other sary instructions were given with administration of police and being provided to the poor and adhered at all ports to fight ed by all senior officers and offi- items used in treatment of water regard to coordination with local magistrates in confidence so that destitute. against Coronavirus.   )3%'1 "2       () 8        ver since the Government of been earmarked and kept ready to employees working in various          .) EIndia started issuing various function as isolation wards to regional offices at Chennai,      advisories to take precautionary meet any emergency. Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata,      ational Thermal Power Corporation steps to prevent spread of A high level team of doctors of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow       NLimited (NTPC), India’s electric power Coronavirus, the NLC India NLCIL belonging to various dis- and Bhubaneswar.   ?,   distribution company, is prepared to supply Limited management is imple- ciplines such as General Medicine, Similar preventive measures          uninterrupted power to the nation despite the menting a slew of preventive Occupational Health, Pediatrics, have also been taken up at all pro-        pandemic of Covid-19. To deal with the ongo- actions and awareness campaigns. Pathology and also with represen- ject sites —Thoothukudi (TN),        ing crisis, NTPC has issued suitable advisories A few of them are listed as under: tatives from Nursing, Hospital Barsingsar (Rajasthan),    for its employees. All the employees have been Administration and Human Ghatampur (Uttar Pradesh),      advised to avoid face to face meetings and pub- The top management compris- Resource has been formed to South Pachwara (Jharkhand),         lic gatherings to the extent feasible. ing Rakesh Kumar, Chairman- review and implement necessary Talabira (Odisha) and all solar   ? The company has ensured wide circulation cum-Managing Director, R action on war footing on day- plants. / 3     of do’s and don’ts with regards to Coronavirus Vikraman, Director/HR, NNM to-day basis. A team of around 130 volunteers   " '#   through different modes of extensive cam- Rao, Director/P&P, Prabhakar The management has sanc- is carrying out in thermal scan- /  M    paigning like films, posters, hoardings etc. Chowki, Director/Mines, Shaji tioned special funds to pur- ning of incoming passengers. The    ?3 Officials have been advised to curtail visit to John, Director/Power and N chase all required essential Management has enlisted addi-         foreign countries. Further, any person who has Jaikumar Srinivasan, items like sanitisers, masks, tional volunteers to put in action     visited affected foreign countries in the recent Director/Finance are constantly personal protective wear, if situation demands.       ? past (last 14 days) is advised to report to the monitoring the activities besides foggers, disposable NLCIL, following     State Health Authorities for necessary action. having a structured review start- linen... for hospital, government = +  ,   ?N While entering NTPC campus or corpo- ing at 9.30 am daily. township and units’ guidelines, %        rate office, hand sanitisers are made available NLCIL’s regular employees and usage. has ordered      ? with instruction of its use. Biometric process the workmen of contractors have The health depart- that the places $   #  for employee attendance has been made man- been exempted from marking ment of township of Worship in / %  '  ual for the time being. biometric attendance. Instead, administration Neyveli shall #B+     All the trained health care staff at NTPC they are recording attendance is taking care not be open to        is observing the prevention and control and electronically by using their iden- of maintain- public until fur-     are using Protective Personal Equipment tity cards. ing sanita- ther orders.         (PPE) as per the guidelines issued by the A positive awareness campaign tion and  The mega  ? administration. The company has also ensured has been launched through pam- expediting annual festival of that visitors with essential business require- phlets, posters, hoardings and holistic activi- Panguni Uthiram      ment ‘only’ are permitted to enter NTPC videos to imbibe and promote the ties to maintain at Siva Subramania ()  "  B premises with prior approval. For submission habits of personal hygiene, work- health and Swamy Temple,   $      of vendor bills, claims pertaining to ex- place hygiene and maintaining hygiene. Veluduyanpattu, has        employees of NTPC can be put in a drop box social distance. Disinfection, been cancelled to  ?     at the entry gate to avoid physical transactions. Accommodation in NLCIL’s fumigation and avoid large gathering         Also, strict provisions are in place for screen- guest houses have been highly related activities are of public. Only the        ing of visitors and employees entering NTPC restricted. The travel history and being carried out on rituals will be per-       premise with thermal scanners/screeners. medical status of the guests are regular basis. formed by the priest. C3 % $  B? Allotment of guest houses at the plant loca- thoroughly scrutinised before per- A special awareness NLCIL has also imple- $#0 (55  tions are being regulated as per essential mitting them in the guest house. programme on Covid- mented government guide-       requirements. Guests are also required to record 19 has been arranged lines to deploy skeletal staff "BD  ?  All gyms, clubs, swimming pools, cine- any contact with those who have with participation of Dr in activities not directly     % mas... have been closed at NTPC Townships. a travel history within two months Saravana Kumari, MD, connected to operation and main- , /  B   Plant canteens and dining halls are provided to foreign countries and also Government Medical tenance of mines and thermal +  *  '  with adequate handwashing facilities and about any clinical test undergone College, Villupuram. power stations. *  8 * proper cleanliness of frequently touched sur- by them for Covid-19 or H1N1. A system has been NLCIL is, thus, continuously B"     faces. Despite this pandemic situation, NTPC In NLCIL’s general hospital, a put in place to per- monitoring the situation arising  +   8   <  3  ?       is making sure that there is no gap in power ‘Quarantine Ward’ has been cre- mit ‘work from out of Covid-19 pandemic and         D       generation and taking all precautionary mea- ated with 20 beds. Additionally home’ on alter- taking all possible steps to prevent         ? sures to ensure the same. three wards with 73 beds have nate days for incidents.

N Shrivastava, CP, Delhi has ciate released from their custody. and also heard the sound of firing. when he reached at Loknayak Sgranted out-of-turn promotion Rajiv, showing exemplary courage, Before he could understand the Puram, Bakkarwala, he could hear to constable (exe) Rajiv, posted in     retaliated against and fired at the complete situation, he saw one per- screams of a woman nearby. Later, Dwarka district and conferred assailants despite sustaining seri- son running with a pistol in his the woman informed him that two ‘Asadharan Karya Puraskar’ to five ous bullet injury on his face. hand. He began chasing him. After men robbed her gold chain and personnel — namely ASI Ravindra, The constable was patrolling in Later, the police carried out doing that for 50 metres, he nabbed locket at gun point and ran away. posted in central district, HC the area along with DHG Ajay vigorous investigation and arrest- him with his pistol. Later, the sus- Joginder immediately informed Joginder Singh HC Vijay, HC Kumar on the intervening night of ed two assailants within 12 hours pected was identified as Imran the SHO/Mundka as well as the Sanej, HC Krishan. They all are March 16 near L&T construction of the incident and subsequently from Ziauddinpur, New nearby beat staff and started chas- currently posted at PS Mundka, site in Bharthal village, Sector 26, more other accused were arrested. Musrafabad. ing the accused men. One of the outer district, in recognition of Dwarka. They received informa- Ravindra, later, handled the sit- accused opened fire on Joginder, their extraordinary acts of courage. tion from the local guard about fir- ASADHARAN KARYA uation tactfully and persuaded who retaliated the fire with one Here are the details of police ing at the construction site and PURASKAR the group. The accused were hand- round in self-defence. During this, personnel and their act of courage. rushed to the spot. However, the Currently posted at DCP office ed over to local police of PS both the accused reached the fac- assailants had escaped by then. complaint branch, central district, Bhajanpura for further investiga- tory area of village Hirankudna OUT OF TURN PROMOTION They searched the area for the flee- Daryaganj, ASI Ravindra (number tion. and robbed a motorcycle at gun Currently posted at PS Dwarka ing assailants and observed some 439/C) joined Delhi Police in 1991 Currently posted at PS point and fled. Krishan, deployed Sector 23, Constable Rajiv (num- suspicious movements in a plot as a constable and now, has been Mundka, outer district, HC at Hirankudna Mor, noticed both ber 2404/DW) joined Delhi Police located at the outer periphery of conferred with ‘Asadharan Karya Joginder Singh (number 658/OD), accused persons reaching the point in 2010 as a constable and now, has the area. They entered the premis- Puraskar’ by CP, Delhi for his HC Vijay (number 1286/OD), HC on the robbed motorcycle. On been granted out of turn promo- es and questioned those who they exceptionally brave work in nab- Sanej (number 1263/OD) and HC seeing the police, one of the tion by CP, Delhi, for showing were suspicious about. All the bing one of the accused in a case Krishan (number 627/OD) have accused persons opened fired aim- exemplary courage in rounding up four suspected persons had ran by going beyond the call of his been conferred with the ‘As adharan ing at Vijay. In retaliation, Vijay the armed desperate criminals away towards different directions. duty. Karya Puraskar’ by CP, Delhi for fired two rounds and caught hold without caring for his life. He retal- The personnel managed to over- On the evening of March 17, showing high sense of responsibil- of one of the accused persons while iated and fired at the criminals power one of the fleeing suspects he was on his way back to his res- ity in their official duties and Krishan overpowered the second despite sustaining serious bullet and while taking him for further idence after finishing his duty, putting their lives in danger in the one. The two were later identified injuries on his face while falling on questioning to the PS Dwarka when he reached near B-1/30 line of duty. as Dharmender from JJ Colony, the ground. Rajiv had to be admit- Sector 23, the escaped three Building, Noor-E-Illahi, Anand On March 19, Joginder was Sawada, Delhi and Romil from ted in a hospital and is currently assailants returned and opened fire Sagar Road, that he found three deployed on QRT vehicle from 8 Jamrud Pur, Greater Kailash I, under observation in ICU. at Rajiv in order to get their asso- persons scuffling with each other am to 8 pm. During patrolling, Delhi.   ! " "  ,

=   '         9B  '      -,?- /         Going by current rankings, P V Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth and the men’s nternational Olympic & Q  +R  he athletes are playing the waiting doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Committee President Thomas Tgame for now but coaches involved Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are assured of an IBach on Wednesday said that  (5(<%    with India’s Olympic-bound bunch have Olympic berth. the postponed Tokyo Games already put their thinking hats on to “I think a year is a good time...We will would require “sacrifices and  % The postponement of the redraw the preparation plans a day after have enough time to come back. So, I compromises” from all sides to Tokyo Olympics due to the coro- the Games got postponed to 2021. don’t think there will be any problems or make them work. navirus pandemic will have “no “It is going to affect the shooters in negative effect on preparations,” he “These postponed Olympic impact” on the Paris Games, a big way, especially the young ones who asserted. Games will need sacrifices, will which will go ahead as scheduled are appearing in their first Olympics. We Another strong medal bet for India need compromises by all of the in “summer 2024”, the head of the have been preparing for the past three is wrestling and Vinesh Phogat, one of the stakeholders,” Bach told reporters organising committee Tony years. Having said that, we need to biggest stars among the Indian hopefuls, in a conference call the day after Estanguet said. accept this without any complaints,” will take the break positively, according the IOC decided to delay the 2020 The 2020 Games were national pistol shooting coach Jaspal Rana to her coach Woller Akos. Games. delayed until “no later than sum- said. “We need to look at the positive side The IOC’s role, Bach said, was mer 2021” by the IOC and So far, close to 80 Indian athletes have with Vinesh. We have got one more year “to make the Olympic dreams of Japanese Prime Minister Sinzo qualified for the Games and the number to prepare against the best opponents,” the athletes come true”. Abe on Tuesday, but Estanguet is expected to swell once the qualifiers re- Hungarian said, asserting that the Asian He admitted that cancelling said the first postponement of an start. Games champion is more than ready for the Tokyo Games was “discussed Olympics during peacetime Shooters are almost always consid- any challenge even right now. and considered”, but said: “It was would not affect the Paris edition, ered India’s best bet for Olympic medals. “An athlete needs to be a maximal- very clear from the beginning that which will now be staged three In Tokyo, 15 of them — eight men ist. She (Vinesh) is ready to follow our cancellation was not something years after the Tokyo event. and seven women — will take aim for dreams and preparation,” he added while the IOC would in any way favour.” “The 2024 Games will be held medals, including a bunch of exciting talking about the lone woman among It is the first Olympic Games in the summer of 2024. There is teenagers competing in their maiden four wrestlers to have qualified for in peacetime to be postponed. no impact on the date,” said the Olympics. Tokyo. Bach said the rescheduling of three-time Olympic canoeing Nine boxers and an equal number of National weightlifting coach Vijay the Games in 2021 remained a champion. track and field athletes have also made the Sharma said he will have to rework his “very challenging question”. “It was the best decision for cut so far. planning to ensure that the one year in A taskforce, named Here We the athletes, for all the players in “I will redraw the plans only after the hand is put to best use. Go, had been created to examine the Games,” added Estanguet. dates for the 2021 Games are out. We Only former world champion the issue, Bach added, saying the “I believe that the Games need to know when are the next quali- Mirabai Chanu is currently assured of a first port of call would be with the must stay in their place. fiers. We aren’t really worried because we Tokyo ticket among the lifters. 33 international federations, like- $'     B             &5&5'        / “We are really advancing on have got qualification in nine out of 13 “We will have to plan everything ly starting with a conference call our own preparation plan. Each weight categories,” said boxing’s High again now. We are now waiting for on Thursday. German said. Both World Athletics and The Athletics world champi- situation in the Games is differ- Performance Director Santiago Nieva, guidelines on the new qualifying system, “The first step, we have to see The rescheduling, he added, the International Swimming onships are due to be held in ent. We do not have the same referring to the five men and four accordingly, we will plan our training,” he with them, to see what the options “is not restricted just to the sum- Federation say they are prepared Eugene, Oregon on August 6-15 infrastructure to build. women, who have already made the cut said. are. We also have to take into mer months. All the options are to move their 2021 world cham- next year, with the swimming “We are advancing on our for Tokyo. “With the cancellation of the Asian account the sports calendar on the table, before and including pionships to accommodate the worlds at Fukuoka in Japan schedule independently of that of Boxing was scheduled to have a Championships (earlier) we changed around the Olympic Games,” the the summer of 2021”. rescheduled Games. between July 16 and August 1. Tokyo.” AFP world qualifying event in May, which was our plan a bit but now with the Olympic postponed. India will have a shot at more postponement, it will change complete- Olympic slots whenever that tournament ly. We will try and find the best way to (-?      takes place. benefit from this situation,” he added. #09 (   “These are unreal times...The plan- Rising Table Tennis player G ning going forward would be focussed Sathiyan’s coach S Raman, a former        mostly on building up rather than qual- national champion, welcomed the post-     ifying. We are not as concerned as some ponement.     others, who did not have enough quali- Based on current rankings, Sathiyan    start again. fications in the Asian tournament (in is eligible for the Tokyo men’s doubles “However, we are still he Indian Olympic Association on Jordan),” Nieva said. event along with veteran A Sharath he Badminton World working on the technical TWednesday conceded that careers of some Deputy national athletics coach P Kamal. TFederation (BWF) on solution to ensure the athletes would be impacted by the postpone- Radhakrishnan Nair struck a note of “Right decision and should not have Wednesday said it might freezing and eventual un- ment of Tokyo Olympics and the IOA would skepticism on what can be achieved and come later than now as it would have con- freeze the world rankings freezing of World look to address this when it makes revised feels a postponement till 2022 would have fused players...You don’t want panic for a while as it works on Rankings works fairly for %"7 7 7 "  preparation plans in consultation with the been better. training and the resultant virus among a “fair solution” to the all players and we will sports ministry. Indian athletics has not produced an community of ath- Olympic qualification announce this shortly.” Q$ E   R#   Like all stakeholders, the IOA on Tuesday Olympic medallist till date. letes,” he said. process after the COVID- Shuttlers in the singles welcomed the International Olympic “It will be a challenge for us as far as 19 pandemic forced a competition have to be  0(CA( Committee’s decision to postpone the Summer planning of training and competition postponement of Tokyo inside top-16 of world Games. schedule is concerned. In this situation Games. rankings to qualify for the apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heard “A one-year postponement might impact of lockdown I feel the athletics season There have been “BWF, in the short- Olympics. In doubles, a Jfrom US President Donald Trump during the career/ qualification and plans of some ath- is as good as over for this year,” Nair growing calls to freeze the term, is also looking into country can field one pair phone talks that the decision to postpone the letes, which would be addressed in the com- said, referring to the nationwide world rankings after can- the possibility of freezing if they are in the top 16 and Tokyo Olympics for one year was the right one, ing months and all necessary support would lockdown till April 15. cellations and postpone- World Rankings until two if both pairs are in the Japan’s top government spokesperson said on also be extended by us,” IOA Secretary “I don’t think we can start ments wrecked the sport’s international tournaments top eight. Wednesday. General Rajeev Mehta said in a letter to the doing anything before calendar. Indian shuttlers Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga IOC and the Tokyo Games organisers with- September or October. Then Saina Nehwal, B Sai "     R & told a press conference after the call that Trump out specifying any names. the seven-eight months before Praneeth, Parupalli had described the move to delay the games “I am holding discussions and there the Olympics (in 2021) may not Kashyap and H S Prannoy    % Badminton lockdown, we have decid- amid the coronavirus pandemic as a “wise and would be meetings scheduled with the be enough. Had it been 2022, it have been leading the way Association of India on ed to postpone the 84th great” decision. Federations after the locked-down in India is would have been better,” he in expressing concerns. Wednesday postponed Senior nationals bad- “President Trump repeatedly said the over. Athletes’ safety is our utmost priority added. “For our athletes, we the 84th Sr Badminton minton C’hips and 75th postponement was a very wise and great deci- now. National badminton will review any impacts on National C’ships sched- Inter State — Inter Zonal. sion and he expressed support for the prime “We would be also be consulting with the coach Pullela the Olympic and uled to be held in It is unfortunate that the minister’s stance,” Suga said. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in Gopichand went Paralympic qualification Lucknow from April 27 to tournament couldn’t be Abe and Trump confirmed they would revising the preparation plans,” he added. with the majority system to ensure a fair May 3 after the govern- held as planned but it is a work closely to realize the games in a “com- While the postponement of the Games has view and said he solution is found to qual- ment put country under grave situation and fight- plete” way as “proof that humankind has beat- brought relief to the athletes, it has also made doesn’t expect any ify players for the post- lockdown till April 14. ing this disease is the pri- en the virus,” Suga also said, adding that the some of them uncertain about the qualifica- major glitch in poned Games,” the BWF “Now that the gov- ority,” BAI General secre- two leaders also pledged to work together to tion process, which was abandoned in most the shuttlers’ said in a statement. ernment has extended the tary Ajay Singhania said. tackle the global coronavirus pandemic. sports due to the deadly outbreak. build-up. ?     E6 # # " # 8        )&6       0 #$   high infection rate in the city and wider province.   ,2- the duo of Webb and Patel have made player spe- “Some 40,000 Bergamo inhabitants cific routines for all the contracted players to went to Milan to watch the game. est cricket is ultimate test of batsmanship and ensure that they can continue to stay in shape. Others watched it from their homes, in TShreyas Iyer is now “eargerly waiting” to don “All the players, irrespective of whether families, in groups, at the bar,” he said. the India whites having cemented his place in they play red-ball cricket or white-ball crick- “It’s clear that evening was a situa- limited overs format. et or all formats have been given fitness rou- tion in which the virus was widely The stylish right-hander has already made tines which they are to follow and give spread,” he added. a mark as a No 4 in white ball formats and there updates to Webb and Patel from time to time. But Gori said he didn’t think it was is a lot of buzz that once India again play Tests The routines have been created keeping in “the starting point”. at the end of the year, he might replace a big name mind the demands of the players. So, for exam- Instead he believed Bergamo’s trou- in that Indian middle order. ple, a bowler will has been given exercises bles began when a patient at the Asked about his Test ambitions, Shreyas dur- which work to make his core and lower body /        2 (E         3 3 / Fenaroli Hospital in Alzano was admit- ing an interactive session on Twitter said: “It is strong. Similarly, a batsman has been given ted with coronavirus but it went unde-   - the ultimate test. It’s every cricketer’s dream to  8     7  " exercises which also work on his shoulders and having a stellar season, with a historic tected, allowing him to infect others. play Test cricket. I’m eagerly waiting for my wrists,” the source explained. Champions League qualification. Its Two weeks after the historic match opportunity to represent my country in whites   The source further added that the routines cstatic fans cheering and hugging at game against Spanish rival Valencia on in Milan the curve of the number of also.” have been made keeping in mind the workout Ethe Champion’s League game February 19 at the San Siro stadium in those infected in Bergamo began to rise Shreyas, who is also the skipper of Delhi ith the government calling for a lockdown patterns of the players. between Atalanta and Valencia in Milan had been feverishly awaited by steeply and the town has become the Capitals in the Indian Premier League, and has Wto fight the coronavirus outbreak, the “So, for example, someone like a Kohli February boosted the spread of the fans. epicentre for the pandemic in Europe. worked with Ricky Pointing, also said that the Indian cricketers are all home and spending time loves to train with weights as well. So, his rou- coronavirus, the mayor of the worst-hit Atalanta pulled off a stunning 4-1 Some 4,178 people have died so far freedom which the former Aussie skipper gives with their families. But strength and condition- tine would have weights involved like the clean Italian city said on Tuesday. victory — each goal met with shouts of in Lombardy, out of a total of over 6,820 to a player was unbelievable. ing coach Nick Webb in consultation with physio and jerk and deadlifts and other exercises. Bergamo, in the northern glee, fans clutching at each other in in Italy. “He is an outstanding coach to work under Nitin Patel has customised routines for Virat While another player might be more comfort- Lombardy region, is now Italy’s worst- excitement. Spanish club Valencia have said that and the amount of freedom he gives you is mes- Kohli and boys to ensure they stay in top shape able doing free-hand exercises, so in that case, hit province, with nearly 6,728 infec- Bergamo Mayor Giorgio Gori told 35 per cent of their team and staff have merizing,” added the stylish Mumbaikar when despite the pandemic induced break. he has been given more free weight function- tions. foreign journalists the match was tested positive for coronavirus, follow- asked about Ponting’s coaching style. Sources in the team management said that al training options,” the source pointed. Its football team Atalanta had been “among the sad explanations” for the ing the trip to Milan. Shreyas also had words of gratitude for his India teammate and senior pro Rohit Sharma. “(Rohit) is a very good !!"   . )=&  personality to be 8  O  P3 P    around. He’s very moti- try in November,” the apex body said vating, caring towards   % Tottenham forward Harry Kane next 12 months then he has to leave,” in a statement. his teammates,” said will leave the club next year if they fail to Shearer told the Match of the Day: Top 10 “With public health and safety in Shreyas about Sharma. win a trophy in that time, Premier League podcast. mind, FIFA is also working with the He was also asked one all-time top-scorer Alan Shearer has “He’ll do another year, I think, and if Local Organising Committee to iden- word for his skipper Virat warned. nothing comes in terms of trophies, then tify any potential impact on prepara- Kohli and he replied, Kane is yet to lift silverware in he’ll be off.” tions for the FIFA U-17 Women’s “Relentless”. his career despite an eye-catching Shearer sits at the top of the Premier World Cup India 2020, as well as find- He also said that crick- goalscoring record for both club League scoring charts with 260 goals.    % World football governing ing alternative solutions to upcoming eting icon Sachin and country. Asked if Kane, currently on 136 body, FIFA, on Wednesday said it is events that were planned in India in the Tendulkar, former England The England captain has not goals, could one day overtake his tally, monitoring the developments arising lead up to the tournament,” it added. batsman Kevin Pietersen, played since January due to a seri- the former Blackburn and Newcastle out of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sixteen teams will take part in the former South African ous hamstring injury and was on the striker said: “It depends on his fit- India, which is scheduled to host the World Cup, of which only three have batsman Ab De Villiers, losing side as Tottenham lost to ness, where he is and what suc- Women’s U-17 World Cup in sealed their berths. Rohit Sharma and Kohli Liverpool in last season’s cess he’s had at whatever club November. India has qualified as the host were his role models. Champions League final. he’s at — whether that’s at FIFA said it is also exploring nation, while North Korea (winner) The middle-order bats- That is the closest the 26- Spurs or somewhere else. “alternative solutions”. and Japan (runner-up) progressed man also picked former year-old has come to major “It’s going to be hard for In India, the pandemic has affect- from the Asian qualifiers. India pacer Zaheer Khan honours and Shearer feels it him. He’s on 136 and there’s ed over 600 people besides 10 deaths. FIFA is also working with repre- as his all time favorite may be time to move on if a lot of ‘ifs’ being asked — if “FIFA is currently monitoring sentatives of all confederations regard- India bowler and     &(       that does not change in he stays fit or if he stays in the developments regarding the coron- ing dates for their respective qualify- Jemimah Rodriques      $  =/   the coming months. Premier League. It’s going to avirus outbreak in India to decide the ing tournaments. as his favorite     6B    $2 “My guess is, if he be tough, but it’s going to go future of the U-17 Women’s World Cup The World Cup is scheduled to be women’s cricketer.          doesn’t win anything in the one day.” AFP which is slated to be held in the coun- held from November 2 to 21. PTI