RNI NO.: DELENG/2005/15351 MILLENNIUMPOST.IN REGD. NO.: DL(S)-01/3420/2018-20

PUBLISHED FROM | KOLKATA VOL.16, ISSUE 233 | Monday, 23 August, 2021 | | Pages 12 | Rs 3.00 No Half Truths

City: Pg 3 Nation : Pg 6 Film: Pg 12 DMRC replaces conventional lights 4-day Malabar wargame Scarlett’s lawyer slams with LED at 155 stations to begin on Thursday Disney for misconduct EVACUATION FROM AFGHANISTAN Covid: logs 30,948 new India brings back 392 people infections, 403 fresh fatalities NEW DELHI: India logged 30,948 new coronavirus infec- tions, while the active cases declined to 3,53,398 compris- including 2 Afghan lawmakers ing 1.09 per cent of the total infections, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The total tally of COVID- 19 cases has increased to 3,24,24,234. The death toll has climbed to 4,34,367 with 403 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am. The active cases have The daily positivity rate was on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on declined to 3,53,398, the lowest recorded at 1.95 per cent. It has August 23, 40 lakh on Septem- in 152 days, while the national been less than three per cent ber 5 and 50 lakh on Septem- COVID-19 recovery rate has for the last 27 days. ber 16. It went past 60 lakh increased to 97.57 per cent, the The weekly positivity rate on September 28, 70 lakh on highest since March 2020, the was recorded at two per cent. It October 11, crossed 80 lakh ministry said. has been below three per cent on October 29, 90 lakh on A reduction of 7,942 cases for the last 58 days, according November 20 and surpassed has been recorded in the active to the ministry. the one-crore mark on Decem- COVID-19 caseload in a span The number of people who ber 19. India crossed the grim of 24 hours. have recuperated from the dis- milestone of two crore on May As many as 15,85,681 tests ease surged to 3,16,36,469, 4 and three crore on June 23. were conducted on Satur- while the case fatality rate Cumulatively, 58.14 crore day taking the total cumula- stands at 1.34 per cent, the COVID-19 vaccine doses have tive tests conducted so far for data stated. been administered under the detection of COVID-19 in India's COVID-19 tally nationwide vaccination drive the country to 50,62,56,239. had crossed the 20-lakh mark till Sunday morning. MPOST I-T PORTAL LIVE AFTER ALMOST 2 DAYS People who were stranded in crisis-hit Afghanistan arrive by a special repatriation flight of IAF at the Hindan Air Force Station, in , on Sunday PTI OUR CORRESPONDENT Govt summons Infosys CEO seeking All Afghanistan returnees to NEW DELHI: India on Sun- day evacuated 392 people get vaccinated against polio explanation for glitches in I-T portal including two Afghan lawmak- ers in three flights as part of its NEW DELHI: India has decided to vaccinate Afghanistan MPOST BUREAU Unit in a late evening tweet mission to bring Indians and returnees against polio for free as a preventive measure against said, "The emergency mainte- Afghan partners from Kabul the wild polio virus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Man- NEW DELHI: With the new nance of the @IncomeTaxIn- in the backdrop of increasing daviya said on Sunday. I-T portal remaining unavail- dia portal has concluded and Taliban hostility and deterio- The minister also shared a photo where returnees could be able for almost two consecutive the portal is live. We regret rating security situation in the seen getting jabs at the Delhi international airport. days, the Finance Ministry has any inconvenience caused to city after it fell to the militant Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the "summoned" Infosys MD and taxpayers." outfit a week back. world where polio is still endemic. CEO Salil Parekh on Monday Earlier on Sunday, Infosys Separately, 146 Indian "We have decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees with to explain to Finance Minis- had tweeted that the income nationals, who were evacuated free Polio Vaccine - OPV & fIPV, as a preventive measure against ter the tax portal was under emer- from Afghanistan to Doha, Wild Polio Virus.Congratulations to the Health Team for their reasons for continued glitches manual filing of remittance gency maintenance. On Sat- are being repatriated to India efforts to ensure public health Take a look at the vaccine drive even after over two months of forms and also extend due urday too it had tweeted that on Sunday night, the Indian at Delhi International Airport," Mandaviya tweeted. MPOST launch. dates for electronic filing of the portal is "inaccessible due embassy in Qatar said this Meanwhile, the company forms related to intimation by to planned maintenance". evening. The 168 people evacuated Indian friends for their mes- in a late-evening tweet said pension funds and sovereign Quoting the I-T depart- In the morning, a total of from Kabul included Afghan sages of support. emergency maintenance of wealth funds. ment tweet, Ministry of 168 people, including 107 Indi- lawmakers Anarkali Honar- "I appreciate the kind words 7 killed at Kabul airport; fighters the portal has concluded and "Ministry of Finance has Information and Broadcast- ans and 23 Afghan Sikhs and yar and Narender Singh Khalsa of sympathy and support mes- the site is live. summoned Sh Salil Parekh, ing, Senior Advisor Kanchan Hindus, were flown from Kabul and their families, people sages from all Indian friends seize areas from Taliban The new income tax e-filing MD &CEO @Infosys on Gupta tweeted, "This is the sec- to Hindon airbase near Delhi in familiar with the evacuation and the diplomatic missions in portal "www.incometax.gov. 23/08/2021 to explain to ond major GoI project @Info- a C-17 heavy-lift military trans- mission said. New Delhi over the suffering of KABUL: A panicked crush of In chaotic scenes Saturday, in', developed by Infosys, had a hon'ble FM as to why even after sys has messed up. The first was port aircraft of the Indian Air "India is our second home. Afghans in the past few weeks, people trying to enter Kabul's British and Western troops bumpy start from the day of its 2.5 months since launch of new #GST portal. Now it is #Inco- Force (IAF). Even if we are Afghans and live particularly the last 7-8 days. international airport killed in full combat gear tried to launch on June 7, as it contin- e-filing portal, glitches in the meTax portal. Infosys bags GoI Another group of 87 Indi- in that country, people often "The avoidable suffering of seven Afghan civilians in the control crowds big enough ued to face tech glitches with portal have not been resolved. projects using L1 route which ans and two Nepalese nation- call us Hindustanis. I thank Afghanistan is man-made and crowds, the British military to be seen in satellite pho- users complaining that cer- In fact,since 21/08/2021 the limits options. Clearly lacks als were brought back in a India for extending its helping at a scale beyond all civilized said Sunday, showing the dan- tos pressing into the airport. tain functionalities were either portal itself is not available," either capacity or intent to special Air India flight from hand," Khalsa told reporters at contemplation. Afghanistan is ger still posed to those trying They carried away some who unavailable or working slow. the Income Tax department deliver. Two 'failures' in a row Dushanbe, a day after they were the Hindon airbase near Delhi. going through a difficult time, to flee the Taliban's takeover were sweating and pale. With Consequently, the I-T tweeted. cannot be coincidence". evacuated to the Tajikistan cap- "I feel like crying. Every- and only good leadership, com- of the country. temperatures reaching 34 department had to allow Infosys India Business Turn to P4 ital in an IAF 130J transport thing is finished. It is a very dif- passionate attitude and interna- The deaths come as a group degree Celsius (93 degrees aircraft, officials said. ficult and painful decision to tional support to the Afghan of fighters opposing the Tali- Fahrenheit), the soldiers As many as 135 Indians, leave the country. We have not people would somewhat bring ban’s rule battle the insurgents sprayed water from a hose on who were earlier evacuated seen such a situation. Every- an end to these miseries," he in the mountains and valleys those gathered or gave them Petrol, diesel prices cut by 20 paise from Kabul to Doha in the last thing has been snatched away. tweeted. to the north of Kabul, cap- bottled water to pour over few days by the US and NATO It's all over," Khalsa said as he India carried out the evacu- turing several rural districts. their heads. MPOST BUREAU ing to a price notification of aircraft, were flown back from broke down when asked about ation missions in coordination While details of the fighting The British military on state-run oil companies. The the Qatari capital city to Delhi the situation in Afghanistan. with the US and several other remain unclear, it marks the Sunday acknowledged the NEW DELHI: Petrol and die- reduction came as interna- in a special flight, they said. With Sunday's evacuation, friendly countries. It is learnt first organized resistance to rise seven deaths of civilians in the sel prices were cut by 20 paise tional oil prices tumbled to "Bringing Indians back the number of people brought that a small group of Indian offi- up against the Taliban since crowds. There have been other per litre each on Sunday — their lowest level since May, from Afghanistan. 2nd batch of back by India from Kabul cials is coordinating the evac- they blitzed across the coun- stampedes and crushing inju- the first reduction in petrol after the US Federal Reserve 146 Indian nationals, who were reached around 590 since last uation mission at the Kabul try in under a week to seize the ries in the crowds, especially rate in over a month, and the signalled it was set to start evacuated from Afghanistan to Monday. airport, and another batch majority of the country and its as Taliban fighters fire into the fourth in case of diesel in less tapering asset purchases within Doha, being repatriated today Taking to Twitter, Farid of Indians is expected to be capital. The Taliban deployed air to drive away those desper- than a week. cut to Rs 101.64 a litre and die- months, hurting commodities to India," the Indian mission in Mamundzay, Afghanistan brought back from the Afghan fighters Sunday to launch a ate to get on any flight out of Petrol price in Delhi was sel to Rs 89.07 per litre, accord- and lifting the dollar. Turn to P4 Qatar tweeted at around 8 PM. ambassador to India, thanked capital on Monday. Turn to P4 possible offensive there. the country. Turn to P4 NO DEATH AMONG CHILDREN RESIDING IN CCIs ACROSS 11 STATES AND UTs Both factions of Hurriyat Kalyan Singh was symbol 721 children in child care institutions Conference likely to be of trust for people banned under UAPA

PM contracted Covid since outbreak: RTI SRINAGAR: A ban under is, or has become, an unlawful the stringent Unlawful Activi- association, it may, by notifi- NEW DELHI: Over 720 children Commission for Protection of ties (Prevention) Act may be cation in the Official Gazette, in child care institutions in 11 states Child Rights for 11 states and UTs. imposed on both factions of declare such association to be In today’s and Union Territories have con- There are 857 CCIs in these the secessionist conglomerate unlawful." tracted COVID-19 till now and states and UTs and 33,695 benefi- Hurriyat Conference which has They said the proposal was paper no fatalities have been reported, ciaries reside in them, according been spearheading the separat- mooted in accordance with the according to data from the coun- to government data. ist movement in Jammu and Centre's policy of zero toler- ... try's apex child rights body. In June, the Women and Child Kashmir for over two decades, ance against terrorism. City The data, which was shared by Development Ministry had asked officials toldPress Trust Of The Hurriyat Conference the National Commission for Pro- states to make suitable arrange- India on Sunday. came into existence in 1993 CITY REPORTS 24 COVID CASES 3 tection of Child Rights in response ments for isolation facilities within They said a recent probe with 26 groups, including to an RTI query from PTI, also CCIs to take care of children suffer- into the granting of MBBS some pro-Pakistan and banned Nation stated that 686 children living in ing from COVID-19 and prepare seats to Kashmiri students by outfits such as the Jamaat-e- HM VIJ ADMITTED 5 child care institutions (CCIs) have a roaster of child psychologists or institutions in Pakistan indi- Islami, JKLF and the Dukhta- been infected with COVID-19 so counsellors to visit the facilities and cates that the money collected ran-e-Millat. It also included edit far this year. interact with them. To ensure insti- from aspirants by some organ- the People's Conference and Last year, was the tutional support through CCIs, the isations which were part of the the Awami Action Commit- THE REAL PROTAGONISTS 7 only state out of the 11 states and ministry had also asked states and Hurriyat Conference conglom- tee headed by Mirwaiz Umer Union Territories (UTs) to report UTs to organise special inspection erate was being used for fund- Farooq. international coronavirus cases among children drives in collaboration with district ing terror organisations in the The separatist conglom- DON'T WANT AFGHAN MILITANTS: PUTIN 8 in CCIs. It had reported 35 cases, magistrates, for assessment of qual- union territory. erate broke into two factions according to the data. among children residing in CCIs It stated that the number of ity care at all CCIs for ascertaining The officials said both the in 2005 with the moderate business This year, no coronavirus case from these 11 states and UTs. COVID-19 cases among children the wellbeing of children. factions of the Hurriyat are group being led by the Mir- has been reported yet from such Out of 721 children in such in CCIs in Mizoram was 46, Karna- CCIs were also directed to likely to be banned under waiz and the hard-line headed FPIS PUMP `7,245 CR IN AUG SO FAR 10 institutions in Uttar Pradesh, it institutions, who contracted the taka 37, Delhi 19, Telangana seven, ensure proper facilities such as Section 3(1) of the Unlawful by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. So stated. infection, the highest number was six, Chandigarh three. clean and hygienic living condi- Activities (Prevention) Act, far, the Centre has banned the sport According to the commission's reported from Haryana (288) fol- No case was reported from tions, basic amenities, quality food or the UAPA, under which "if Jamaat-e-Islami and the JKLF BAGAN NEED JUST A DRAW 11 data, no death due to the corona- lowed by Tamil Nadu (149) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and safety for all children from the the Central Government is of under the UAPA. The ban was virus infection has been reported Bihar (131), according to the data. stated the data of the National infection. AGENCIES opinion that any association imposed in 2019. Turn to P4 mp millenniumpost 2 City MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 | NEW DELHI AAP prepares to kick-off Mandatory app attendance: MCD teachers move HC, notice issued 2022 civic polls campaign OUR CORRESPONDENT and still a large number of offi- ers have now been protesting cers have not downloaded the against these directions, say- NEW DELHI: Teachers from mobile app for marking their ing that being made to down- schools run by the municipal attendance.” The authorities load and use such an application MLAs to visit door-to-door & fix problems, CM to review them corporations of Delhi have now have directed the employees on their mobile phones — a decided to move court against to download the app within personal device, would invari- AAISHA SABIR attention to the people’s prob- the corporations’ need to mark the next five days, adding that ably lead to security and privacy lems, the AAP has decided to their attendance through a non-compliance will be viewed intrusions. Hence, the teachers NEW DELHI: With the Aam solve as many problems as pos- mobile application, alleging a “seriously”. have also been demanding that Aadmi Party here aggressively sible. At times we plan to use potential breach of privacy. The Nagar Nigam Shikshak the civic bodies give them offi- hitting the ground and raising the MLA fund or through any Municipal corporations in The ‘MCD Smart’ Sangh has moved a plea in the cial mobile phones to use if they municipal issues over the last of the Mukhyamantri Yojana the city have been since Septem- app might have against these want to press on with the use of year — poised as the main oppo- and if some matters are compli- ber directing their employees orders, arguing that “there are this application. sition party to the BJP in the cated and cannot be resolved at across departments to down- unrestricted access major security concerns with A notice has been issued on upcoming municipal polls next local level then the matter will load the “MCD Smart” mobile to confidential data the mobile application as the their petition in the Delhi High year, leaders have now started be kept on hold and discussed application to mark their daily application might breach the Court, asking the corporations to work on their campaign for with the Chief Minister who will attendance but the employees apart from the GPS security of the person who to file the terms and conditions the 2022 polls — starting with then guide the party workers,” a have been resisting. location, plea says downloads it and it would have of using the mobile application. MLAs solving local issues and senior official from the Timar- Earlier in August, civic bod- unrestricted access to confiden- The court had highlighted that apprising residents of whom to pur Party office said. ies in both North and South tial data apart from the GPS it would require the terms spe- hold accountable for a particu- Highlights In the last year, the Aam Delhi have issued fresh direc- observed that very few officials location”. cifically relating to the privacy lar problem. »»The campaign “aapka vidhayak aapke dwaar” will Aadmi Party’s MCD in-charge tions stating, “…it has been have followed the directions The association of teach- settings before the next hearing. The campaign “aapka vid- officially kickstart from August 25 Durgesh Pathak has signifi- hayak aapke dwaar” will offi- »»The groundwork has already begun cantly upped the ante against cially kickstart from August the BJP-run MCDs, often high- Najafgarh: Air Force Noida: 3 men beat traffic 25 but the groundwork has »»MLA Dilip Pandey is getting DDA officials on board to visit lighting issues of alleged cor- already begun. The campaign local residents and solve the problems ruption in the civic bodies to cop when asked to move has started in Timarpur with »»Pandey visited the Signature View Apartment in what the AAP calls the hollow employee detained MLA Dilip Pandey even get- promises of the party despite ting DDA officials on board to Mukherjee Nagar area to interact with its 1000 plus running the municipalities of car from middle of road visit local residents and solve residents and take stock of the local issues the Capital for over a decade. for running over man the problems. The AAP’s push for a seri- »»For the next 45 days, the party will focus on phase one OUR CORRESPONDENT Pandey visited the Signature of the campaign and go door-to-door to address the ous effort for next year’s elec- created commotion and halted View Apartment in Mukherjee people’s issues. For the next 45 days, the party will focus tions also comes after several NEW DELHI: A 52-year-old- traffic for over 30-45 minutes. Nagar area to interact with its years of bitter political battles man was allegedly run over by However, the NOIDA: A constable with Noida Even commuters started to post 1000 plus residents and take on phase one of the campaign and go door-to-door to between the party and the BJP. a car driven by an Air Force complainant has traffic police was allegedly beaten about traffic problems on social stock of the local issues. address the people’s issues A long-running problem employee here in Najafgarh in the up by three people travelling in media,” he said. “This is part of the first for the AAP here has been to wee hours of Saturday, the Delhi alleged that a car in Bisrakh area in Noida When Kumar reached the phase of the campaign in party will focus on phase one MCD. Such kind of awareness bring local infrastructure to Police said. As per police, the Umesh’s son was extension on Saturday. Police spot, he found the driver of which local volunteers, coun- of the campaign and go door- is needed. People should know Delhiites, which the Delhi gov- man, identified as one Ratal Lal, have lodged an FIR against the car taking on phone. “When cillors, and MLAs will go to to-door to address the people’s who to hold accountable when ernment has said is not being was a resident of Gopal Nagar learning to drive accused and started an investiga- I objected, one of the accused each resident and understand issues. The problems that cannot the work is not done,” an offi- done because the BJP admin- extension. Officials said that during the accident tion in the matter. As per police, got off the car and started argu- their problems and resolve the be resolved at local level under cial from Pandey’s office said. istrations at the civic levels they received a call regarding a the suspects were unknown. A ing with me. The other two also issue,” a party official told Mil- the MLA and require interven- In ward no 14, also known as actively prevent them from fatal accident at the rail factory complaint was filed by Sushil joined him and started beating lennium Post. tion from higher authorities — GTB ward, which comes under doing so. road following which police one Kirorimal, has alleged that Kumar, the traffic police cop. me in front of the public. They Residents there raised issues such matters will be kept before the North MCD and has sev- The Aam Aadmi Party’s ral- rushed to the spot and found Umesh’s son was driving the car In his complaint, Kumar said also tore my uniform and fled of stray dogs, sewer problems CM Arvind Kejriwal who will eral issues regarding drainage lying cry for its push to take that the deceased had already at the time of the accident and not that when he was managing traf- with the car,” he added. and boundary related issues take up the matter personally. and sewer problems which the over the MCDs has since then been taken to the hospital. The Umesh himself. An FIR under fic near Chipiyana village on Sat- The constable informed while interacting with Pandey In this phase, the AAP also concerned mayor is not keen on been that if it is allowed to suspected driver has been identi- IPC sections 279 (rash driv- urday evening, three men in a police and a team from Bisrakh who then requested the DDA aims to apprise people of the resolving even though the MLA have administrative control fied as one Umesh Kumar (56), ing) and 304A (causing death Maruti Suzuki Alto reached and police station reached the spot. officials to look into the mat- rules and regulations when had asked him to do it but the over both the civic bodies and who was an employee with the by negligence) has been lodged stopped their car in the mid- However, the suspects managed ter. Follow-ups of such issues it comes to local problems. requests have been unanswered. the Delhi government, pub- Air Force. The deceased used in the case. Umesh has only dle of the road. “There was lot to escape. However, the consta- will be done by the AAP vol- “We have often found people “In such situations when lic services and infrastructure to work at the Delhi Jal Board, been detained for questioning of rush in area due to festival. ble was able to capture a photo unteers and workers. unaware of the fact that gar- the MCD authorities or the can be improved quickly and officials said. as of yet while none have been The three accused stopped the of the car’s registration number For the next 45 days, the bage collection is under the DDA authorities do not pay smoothly. However, the complainant, arrested, an officer said. MPOST car in the middle of road which plate before the suspects fled.

A BIG STEP AGAINST POLLUTION INAUGURATION OF INDIA'S FIRST SMOG TOWER

Smog tower specifications

Height of smog tower : 24.2 m Clean air delivery rate : 1000 cubic Plan area of Smog tower : 784sq.m meters per second The tower constructed is a combination of No. of fans : 40 RCC and steel structure No. of filters : 5000 The tower will suck the air from the top and release Area of Influence about 1 km radius filtered air near the ground through fans

INAUGURATION CEREMONY MONDAY , 23 AUGUST 2021 AT 12:00 pm Baba Kharak Singh Marg , Near Connaught Place , New Delhi

CHIEF GUEST Arvind Kejriwal Chief Minister, Delhi

Presided by Gopal Rai Environment Minister, Delhi DIP/SHABDARTH/D/0060/21-22

Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi

Although every possible care and caution has been taken to avoid errors or omissions, this publication is being sold on the condition and understanding that information given in this publication is merely for reference and must not be taken as having authority of or binding in any way on the writers, editors, publishers, and printers and sellers who do not owe any responsibility for any damage or loss to any person, a purchaser of this publication or not for the result of any action taken on the basis of this work. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent court and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only Printed and Published by Jaiyendra Kumar Sharma on behalf of Front Row Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at The Indian Express Pvt. Ltd., A-8, Sector-7, Noida-201 301 (U.P.) and published from First Floor, Pratap Bhawan, 5 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002. Editor: Durbar Ganguly. Email: [email protected], Tel. No. 011-47777500 millenniumpost mp NEW DELHI | MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 City 3 DJB IS INTENT ON REVIVING AROUND 50 WATER BODIES IN THE CITY Delhi reports 24 cases; DJB floats water-cleaning organic positivity rate at 0.04% wetlands over lakes across Capital OUR CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: Delhi reported zero daily deaths due to OUR CORRESPONDENT have been installed at the Jaffar- systems that complement the COVID-19 for the third con- Highlights pur Kalan Lake, Nangloi lake, floating wetlands are still in the secutive day on Sunday and NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal »»These ‘floating wetlands’ have plants that have roots with and Ranikhera. making with officials saying 24 new cases of the infection, Board is now setting up float- bacteria that can separate organic waste from the water Officials have explained that that they are planning to intro- while the positivity rate stood ing platforms with plants across an aeration system also needs to duce these floating platforms at 0.04 per cent, according to the city’s lakes in an attempt to in the lakes be put in place that will supply in ten lakes across the city as the health department here. clean them of nutrient pollut- »»These floating platforms have recently been installed at the required amount of oxygen part of their project. Regardless, This is the 13th time since ants and by extension improve the Sanjay Van Lake and had also been early placed to the bacteria in the plants’ the DJB has said it will ensure the beginning of the second the water there. These “float- roots, which in turn helps to the maintenance of these sites wave of the pandemic that the reported 19 COVID-19 cases, day of which 64,931 received ing wetlands” have plants that in lakes at Nangloi and Rajokri but officials working on clean out ammonia and other once the wetland systems are national capital has logged zero the lowest since April 15 last their first dose, according to have roots with bacteria that can the ‘City of Lakes’ project of the DJB have said that these pollutants from the lakes in place. The project by the fatality due to the disease in year when 17 people were diag- official data. separate organic waste from the floating platforms alone may not be enough to clean the thereby reducing the biologi- Delhi Jal Board is intended to a day. nosed with the disease. The vaccination bulletin water in the lakes. water adequately cal demand for oxygen. revive around 50 water bodies The new cases push the On Friday, the capital released by the Delhi govern- These floating platforms Curiously, however, the in the city with work on nearly overall infection tally in the reported 57 cases of the coro- ment on Sunday said over 1.23 have recently been installed at »»Officials have explained that an aeration system also needs plants on the floating wetlands 20 such water bodies nearing city to 14,37,317. Of these, over navirus infection, as the posi- crore doses have been admin- the Sanjay Van Lake and had to be put in place that will supply the required amount of contribute to cleaning up just completion. 14.11 lakh patients have recov- tivity rate stood at 0.08 per cent. istered in Delhi since the inoc- also been early placed in lakes at around 10 to 12 per cent of the However, given what DJB ered from the disease, and the There are 398 active cases ulation exercise started on Nangloi and Rajokri but officials oxygen to the bacteria in the plants’ roots, which in turn pollutants themselves with offi- officials have said about the sys- death toll stands at 25,079, a of the disease in Delhi at pres- January 16. As many as 34.86 working on the “City of Lakes” helps to clean out ammonia and other pollutants from the cials saying that the need for the tems being put in place, it would bulletin issued by the depart- ent, and 129 of them are under lakh people have received both project of the DJB have said that lakes thereby reducing the biological demand for oxygen aeration system only increases seem to experts that author- ment showed. home-isolation. the doses, it said. these floating platforms alone as the plants grow and mature. ities are not exploring more Twenty-six people have The number of contain- According to the Delhi gov- may not be enough to clean the maintenance, pampas grass, spi- such floating “wetlands” have Officials said that as the plants efficient methods, adding that succumbed to the disease this ment zones stands at 236, the ernment’s data, the city had water adequately. der lily, yellow and red canna, been installed in the Sanjay Van grow, their intake of the pollut- they should first focus on mak- month so far. The cumulative bulletin showed. over five lakh vaccine doses On these floating wetlands, elephant ear plants, and soft Lake and over 1,300 have been ing nutrients is reduced, neces- ing sure that no pollutants on death toll was 25,053 on July Meanwhile, over 92,300 over two lakh Covaxin and which can cost between Rs 8,000 rush or bulrush plants. Offi- installed at the Sonia Vihar lake. sitating the aeration system’s use. drain water enter the lakes in 31. people were vaccinated against 2.99 lakh Covishield — left as to Rs 10,000 apiece along with cials have said that nearly 600 In addition to this, the wetlands Significantly, the aeration the first place. On Saturday, the capital COVID-19 in Delhi on Satur- on Sunday morning. Gurugram: One death, 123 ‘Adopt ISRO protocol for farm fire estimation’

OUR CORRESPONDENT develop a time-bound compre- Indian Agricultural Research ana alone. burning in Punjab and Hary- COVID cases in Aug so far hensive action plan, in consulta- Institute, it said. The panel on air quality ana, farmers continue to defy NEW DELHI: Ahead of the tion with stakeholder agencies “Now, therefore, in view of has also asked these states to it as there is a short window harvesting season, the Com- responsible for monitoring and the compelling need to monitor submit a compliance report on between the harvesting of paddy PIYUSH OHRIE mission for Air Quality Man- reporting of agriculture residue and control air pollution from the adoption of the protocol by and sowing of wheat. agement (CAQM) has asked burning events, based on the stubble burning, the commis- August 30. The northern states The high cost of manual or GURUGRAM: Following the Delhi and neighbouring states to protocol. The commission had sion hereby directs government of Punjab, Haryana, mechanical management of months of April and May when ensure the adoption and appli- stressed the need to develop of NCT of Delhi to ensure adop- and Uttar Pradesh attract atten- straw is a major reason why Gurugram not only witnessed cation of a standard protocol and implement a standardised tion and application of the stan- tion during the paddy harvest- farmers choose to burn it. a large number of COVID-19 developed by ISRO for estima- methodology across NCR and dard protocol for estimation of ing season between October 15 State governments are pro- cases but also a high number tion of crop residue burning adjoining areas for the moni- crop residue burning fire events and November 15. viding 50 to 80 per cent sub- of fatalities, the situation now fire events using satellite data. toring of fire events at meetings using satellite data,” the direc- Farmers set their fields on sidy to farmers and cooperative is gradually improving in the The commission, mandated with the Indian Space Research tions read. fire to quickly clear off the crop societies to buy modern farm district, with all of August (till to devise and execute plans to Organisation (ISRO) at a meet- The commission said the residue left behind after harvest- equipment for in-situ manage- August 22) seeing 123 new prevent and control air pollution ing held in December last year. protocol should be adopted uni- ing and before cultivating wheat ment of paddy straw, installing infections and just one death in the national capital region The protocol has been pre- formly across the states of Pun- and potato. It is one of the main paddy straw-based power plants from the virus (on August 7). uation of COVID-19 is gradu- died of the virus. With six and adjoining areas, has also pared in consultation with jab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, reasons for the alarming spike in and running a massive aware- The rate of vaccination ally being witnessed from the deaths reported in the month asked Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, stakeholder agencies like State Rajasthan, and Delhi, and not pollution in Delhi-NCR. ness campaign against stubble has also picked up massively last week of June when Guru- of January, three in February, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan to Remote Sensing Centers and restricted to Punjab and Hary- Despite a ban on stubble burning. in the month of August. From gram began to witness a decline not only a substantial number close to 18.3 lakh people hav- in the number of cases. In the of citizens but even the public ing got vaccinated on July 31, month of July, there were 210 agencies had begun to realise till August 22 close to 21 lakh cases reported and 16 deaths that the situation of COVID- Rain lashes some parts of city City Briefs people have been given at least due to the infection that was 19 in Gurugram was under one dose. reported. In comparison to control. OUR CORRESPONDENT The MeT department has Despite making huge this, there were 655 cases of Things began to go down- forecast generally cloudy sky One killed in SPECIAL CELL NABS TWO WITH FAKE improvements, it is not that the COVID 19 reported in June, hill however in the third week NEW DELHI: Rains lashed with light rain later in the day. fear of COVID-19 has com- during which month, 83 deaths of March when the number of some parts of the city on Sun- According to IMD officials, house collapse CURRENCY WORTH RS 4 LAKH pletely ebbed in the district. from the virus were reported. COVID-19 cases began to peak day morning, and the mini- Saturday’s rainfall of 138.8 mm NEW DELHI: The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Even now, on average, six cases In April and May, the situ- and with that, the number of mum temperature settled is the ninth highest in the last GHAZIABAD: An 8-year- Sunday said they have busted a Dubai based racket are being reported daily. ation was dire in Gurugram as deaths also increased. at 24.5 degrees Celsius, two 62 years for August.. old child was killed while his pumping fake Indian bank notes into the country. There have also been times in Delhi and many other states There have been 921 deaths notches below the season’s The highest ever rainfall for mother and grandmother were when the number of cases had across the country. Almost due to COVID-19 that have normal, said a meteorological August since 1961 is 184.0 mm. injured after a portion of house Police have arrested two people and recovered Fake reached double digits. With all hospitals were occupied been reported to date. Of these, department official. It was recorded on August 2, collapsed on them in Prakash Indian Currency Notes (FICN) worth Rs 4 lakh. Police economic activities in Guru- by COVID-19 patients with while 606 patients were those The relative humidity 1961. Nagar colony in Khora area of identified the accused as Mohammad Zakir, a prop- gram now having almost patients running from hospital who possessed co-morbidities, recorded at 8.30 am was 92 per On Saturday, the maximum Ghaziabad on Saturday evening. erty dealer, who lives in the Kardampuri area and opened fully, more emphasis to hospital looking for a bed. In 315 were those who did not cent.In the last 24 hours, the temperature settled at 32.6 The incident occurred due to Kamre Alam, a native of Sambhal (UP), who was pre- is being given to getting a large May, there were 52,553 cases of have any co-morbidities. On city received 9.2 mm rainfall, degrees Celsius, a notch below incessant rainfall on Saturday. viously involved in eight cases including murder. DCP number of people vaccinated. COVID-19, of which 341 had Sunday, the district reported six they said. the season’s normal while the The woman identified as Aarti Close to 24 per cent of all resi- succumbed to the virus. new cases and no deaths from According to the weather minimum temperature settled had come to her mother’s house (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said they have dents in Gurugram are now And a month before in the virus, with active cases at office, the maximum tempera- at around 23.8 degrees Celsius, along with her eight months old arrested the duo near Sarai Kale Khan on August 20. fully vaccinated. April, 59,540 cases of COVID- 78, 72 of whom are recovering ture is expected to settle at 33 three notches below the sea- son, Prashant, to celebrate the The improvement in the sit- 19 were reported and 111 had in home isolation. degrees Celsius. son’s normal, it said. Rakhi festival. MPOST 2 HELD FOR SUPPLYING ILLEGAL FIREARMS NEW DELHI: The police have arrested two men from SDMC reduces mobile outer Delhi’s Mangolapuri area and recovered seven DMRC replaces conventional lights illegal firearms from them, officials said on Sunday. Vipin (22) and Imran (28), both residents of Mangola- tower installation rate puri here, have been supplying illegal firearms for the with LED at 155 Delhi Metro stations last eight months, they said. The police said the duo after HC’s directions were unemployed for a while and during that period, OUR CORRESPONDENT they came in contact with a Uttar Pradesh-based man installed in Ph-I and Ph-II was who lured them into this trade on the pretext of mak- NEW DELHI: After the Delhi reduced rates were a result of around 10 years. The DMRC High Court heard a petition deliberations with the con- NEW DELHI: To save energy decided to replace these lights ing easy money. DCP (Outer) Parvinder Singh said, from the Cellular Operators cerned associations after the and provide a better experience, which are well past their effec- “Acting on a tip-off, our team on August 20 identi- Association and the Tele- high court’s orders. the Delhi Metro is replacing the tive age now with these new- fied two men engaged in the business of supplying com and Infrastructure Pro- “Cellular operators/telecom existing conventional illumina- age LED lights which are both illegal firearms and arrested them from Mangolpuri vider Association against the service providers will have to tion system with LED lights at cost effective as well as energy area.” Seven illegal firearms and 27 live rounds were South Delhi Municipal Cor- pay a fee of Rs 3 lakh for 5 years 155 locations, spanning its sta- efficient. recovered from them. It was revealed that the duo act poration’s fee hike for installa- for Roof Top Towers, Ground- tions, depots and parking lots, The LED-based light system tion of cellular towers in their Based Towers & Ground-Based officials said on Sunday. will help DMRC save around as conduit between UP-based suppliers and gangs jurisdiction, the civic body has Mast irrespective of sharing,” the This is being done as part of half of the energy expenditure operating in the outlying areas of Delhi, he said. now announced that they are SDMC said in a statement. For a massive drive started earlier vis-a-vis the existing lighting reducing the rate now from Rs upto 12-metre-high pole sites, a this year, and around one lakh system. As a result, the whole 37.27% TURNOUT IN DELHI GURDWARA 5 lakh for 5 years to Rs 3 lakh fee of Rs 25,000 has been fixed LED lights have been installed ering metro stations, depots, conventional lights, a senior cost of installing these lights BODY POLLS for 5 years. per operator for a period of 5 by replacing bolf ones in the parking etc. which were con- official said. will be recovered by the DMRC The SDMC had earlier years. In case the height exceeds recent months, they said. structed or opened for public The remaining 25 per cent in around two years time, the NEW DELHI: The polling for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara announced the fee for installing 12 metres, the operator will have “To save energy and provide under DMRC’s Ph-I (2005) and of the drive will be completed statement said. Management Committee elections witnessed a low the tower at Rs 10,000 a month to pay a fixed fee for installing a much better lighting experi- Ph-II (2010),” the DMRC said by the end of October this year, The lifespan of an LED sys- turnout of 37.27 per cent on Sunday, officials said. or Rs 1 lakh per annum. In addi- the mobile towers. While the ence, Delhi Metro has under- in a statement. wherein around 35,000 LED tem is longer compared to con- The DSGMC which controls shrines in the city, including tion to this, the civic agency had earlier rates meant Rs 10,000 taken a massive drive to replace The DMRC has already cov- lights will be installed in the ventional existing lights, with Rakabganj and Bangla Sahib Gurudwaras as well as placed a 25 per cent extra fee per month for the mobile tow- the conventional existing lights ered 75 per cent of the drive remaining portion of these loca- much reduced maintenance per sharing in case the towers ers, the reduced rates essentially (incandescent bulbs, fluorescent in recent months by installing tions, he said. cost. On an average, an LED various academic institutions and hospitals, goes to polls are being shared. mean that the monthly cost had lamps, CFL lamps etc.) with around one lakh LED lights at The operational life of con- system lasts 50,000 operating after every four year. The DSGMC is a membered The SDMC said that the been cut to Rs 5,000. MPOST LED lights at 155 locations cov- these locations by replacing the ventional lights, which were hours or more, it said. body, of which 46 are directly elected from 46 wards in Delhi. Rest of the members are appointed from dif- AMID A CONSISTENT DECLINE IN COVID CASES, DEATHS ferent seats of Sikh religion and groups. The elections being conducted by the Delhi government’s Directorate of Gurdwara Elections, has 3.42 lakh voters. The voting Delhiites step out to celebrate Raksha Bandhan percentage of male voters was 39.95 per cent and it was 34.95 per cent for females, officials said.

NEW DELHI: With a dip in nil, while 19 new cases, the low- “Even though we miss eat- take my maternal grandfather gathered at one of my cousins’ WATER SUPPLY TO BE AFFECTED TODAY COVID-19 cases and easing of est since April 15 last year, were ing out, this has turned out to to Delhi as he still has some house,” she said. NEW DELHI: Water supply in the following areas will restrictions, several people here also reported here, according to be a good way to bond. We all complications post-recovery According to the Delhi be available at low pressure on Monday due to reno- chose to travel to meet their health department data. are cooking a little of some- from Covid,” he said. Traffic Police, traffic jams were relatives and celebrate raksha However, information tech- thing, and enjoying a variety Gautam said that travelling reported from Tilak Nagar, vation of 700 mm dia Sluice Valve at Sonia Vihar BPS. bandhan on Sunday, unlike last nology (IT) professional Swati of dishes at home,” Singh said. to Jamshedpur, brought some Najafgarh, Punjabi Bagh, The affected areas are as under — Yamuna Vihar, Ta- year when festivities were sub- Singh celebrated the festival of Professional photogra- change. Pitampura and Peera Garhi, hirpur, Nand Nagari, Mauzpur, Brijpuri, Jagjeet Nagar, dued because of a rampaging brother-sister bond at home for pher Ankit Gautam, who lost Preeti Mishra, a researcher among other places in the city. Jaiprakash Nagar, Gamri, Village & Gamri Extn., pandemic. the second consecutive year as his maternal uncle in May in at IIT-Delhi, caught up with “I m going to Delhi to my Pura, Harsh Vihar, Mandoli, Dilshad Garden, Traffic snarls were reported her family is yet to be fully vac- Jamshedpur, decided to travel her cousins to celebrate the fes- grandmother’s house to tie Dilshad Colony, Old Seemapuri, New Seema Puri, from various parts of the city, cinated against COVID-19. with his family to the city in tival after a year’s gap. rakhi to my cousin... stuck in including Tilak Nagar and heavy due to festival”. She said that on every rak- . “This year, we are back to traffic for an hour. Just how Sunder Nagri, Water Emergency Tahirpur, Water Pitampura, with the Delhi Traf- No death due to COVID-19 sha bandhan, before the infec- “This year, I am away from our regular celebration. We much I wish I was at home...” Emergency Yamuna Vihar, Sonia Vihar, Karwal Nagar, fic Police responding to sev- was recorded in Delhi on Satur- tion’s outbreak, her family went home (Delhi) and celebrating cousins met up to celebrate a Twitter user posted. Police Mustfabad and adjoining area. People are requested eral tweets of people, who were day, the second consecutive day out for lunch at a restaurant to rakhi with my cousins. The which we missed last year due in responded saying, “traffic is to store sufficient quantity of water. stuck in jams, saying “traffic is the daily fatality count stood celebrate the day. other purpose of this visit, is to the pandemic. This year, we all heavy due to festival”. PTI mp millenniumpost 4 Nation MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 | NEW DELHI Modi pays tributes to ex-UP ‘Railways suffered `36K cr loss during pandemic’ CM Kalyan Singh in Lucknow Union Minister terms goods trains as the real revenue generators for the national transporter Prime Minister Modi calls BJP veteran a capable leader who became a OUR CORRESPONDENT symbol of trust for people and made public welfare main aim of his life JALNA: Union Minister Rao- saheb Danve on Sunday said OUR CORRESPONDENT ing and a holiday on Monday. the Railways has suffered Singh, who also served as losses to the tune of Rs 36,000 LUCKNOW: Prime Minister the Rajasthan , was crore during the Coronavi- Narendra Modi on Sunday paid admitted to the Intensive Care rus pandemic, and termed tributes here to former Uttar Unit of the SGPGI in a critical goods trains as the real reve- Pradesh chief minister Kalyan condition on July 4. nue generators for the national Singh, calling the BJP veteran He died due to sepsis and transporter. He also said that a capable leader who became multi-organ failure, the hos- a bullet train project would be a symbol of trust for the com- pital said. executed along the Mumbai- mon people. Singh was the Uttar Pradesh Nagpur Expressway, which is these trains played an impor- he would check if the Jalna- The prime minister said chief minister when the Babri under construction at present. tant role in carrying goods and Khamgaon railway line was Singh made public welfare the mosque was demolished by a The Minister of State for providing relief to people," the viable or not. main aim of his life. mob of "karsevaks" in Railways was speaking at the minister added. Hitting out at his detrac- Singh died at the Sanjay on December 6, 1992. Along foundation stone laying cere- Speaking about bullet train, tors, Danve said he was being Gandhi Post Graduate Institute with BJP veterans L K Advani mony of an underbridge at the he said this project would be attacked from all quarters. "But of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) and M M Joshi, he was among Jalna railway station. rolled out along the Mumbai- I become stronger after facing in Lucknow on Saturday night. the 32 people acquitted in the "The passenger train seg- Nagpur Expressway as it is nec- criticism," he said. He was 89. demolition case in September ment always runs into losses. essary for people. Health Minis- "The country has lost a valu- last year. A Lodhi leader, he was Since increasing the ticket fares The Railways has under- ter Rajesh Tope, who was also able personality and a capable instrumental in the rise of the affects the passengers, we can- taken the Western Dedicated present at the event, said the leader. To fulfill the void left BJP to power in Uttar Pradesh not do so. During the pan- Freight Corridor project, which state government has sanc- by him, we should do maxi- in the 1990s. demic, the Railways suffered will connect Navi Mumbai to tioned a hospital in Jalna for mum hard work for his ideals, He is survived by his wife losses of Rs 36,000 crore," he Delhi, Danve said. treatment of those suffering his promises and leave no effort fare. Whatever responsibility he He was accompanied by leader. Ramvati Devi, son Rajveer said. He assured doubling of from mental illnesses. He said in achieving his dreams," Modi had got, be it as an MLA, any BJP chief J P Nadda, UP Gov- Singh's body was taken to Singh, who is the MP "Only goods trains generate tracks between Nanded and the facility would benefit the told reporters after paying his post in the government, or as a ernor , UP UP Vidhan Bhavan from his res- from Etah, and grandson Sand- revenue. During the pandemic, Manmad stations, and said Marathwada region. last respects to the BJP leader. governor, he had been a centre Chief Minister Yogi Aditya- idence in the afternoon. From eep Singh, who is the minister He said Singh lived true to of inspiration for everyone. He nath, deputy chief ministers there, it was taken to the office of of state for finance, technical his name given to him by his became a symbol of trust for the and the state BJP, party leaders said. education and medical educa- says Mizoram tried to parents. public," Modi added. Dinesh Sharma. On Sunday evening, the tion in Uttar Pradesh. He lived his entire life for "I pray to Bhagvan Prabhu Defence Minister Rajnath body is scheduled to be taken said his father public welfare. He made 'jan Shriram to give Kalyan Singh ji Singh also paid tributes to the to Aligarh, where it will be kept was born for "Jai Shri Ram", a kalyan' as the mantra of his life, a space at his feet. May Prabhu former UP chief minister. in a stadium. On Monday morn- slogan that reverberated outside construct bridge in its territory and dedicated his life for the Ram give strength to his family Speaking to reporters, ing, it will be taken to the veteran BJP leader's home BJP, fam- in the hour of sadness to bear said, "We used -- his "karmabhoomi" and "jan- on Sunday as people gathered GUWAHATI: The Assam gov- bridge on the Assam side," Kachurthal on Sunday morn- ily, for an ideology and for the the loss. May Prabhu Ram give to tell him (Kalyan) that we mabhoomi", Adityanath had there to pay their last respects. ernment alleged on Sunday that he said. Upadhyay alleged that ing," Upadhyay said. bright future of the country," consolation to people in the are 'bhootpoorv' (former) chief said on Saturday. (Sonelal) leader Mizoram officials entered its around 40-50 security person- He, however, stated that Modi said. country who believe in his val- minister, you are 'abhootpoorv' The last rites will be per- and Lok Sabha MP from Mirza- territory in Hailakandi and nel from Mizoram reached the being a responsible force, the He hailed Singh as a com- ues, ideals, culture and tradi- (unprecedented) chief minis- formed with full state honours pur said the started constructing a bridge, bridge site on Saturday and few Assam Police did not con- mitted decision maker who tions," the prime minister said. ter, on which he used to laugh. in Narora town, around 60 kilo- death of Singh marks the end in a fresh escalation between of them crossed to the Assam front and gave the respective symbolised trust across the Modi, after reaching the resi- I have seen him as an elder metres from Aligarh, on Mon- of an era in politics and he was the two Northeastern states. side "in complete violation of civil administrations a chance country. dence of Singh here, paid trib- brother." day afternoon, he had said. like a father to her. She was at The incident took place on the joint statement issued by to amicably resolve the mat- For the most part of his life, utes to him and placed a wreath BSP chief also Uttar Pradesh has the BJP office to pay tributes to Friday when a few workers from both states on August 5 to main- ter by stopping the construc- he made efforts for public wel- at his body. paid homage to the departed announced three-day mourn- the leader. Mizoram were trying to con- tain peace in the border area". tion on the unauthorised struct a bridge at Kachurthal in The local police team from bridge and remove the force of the Ramnathpur police station Assam urged the Mizoram Mizoram. 4,141 new Covid cases, 145 deaths in Maha; 4,780 recuperate area, Hailakandi's Superinten- security personnel to leave the "The allegation of any theft dent of Police Gaurav Upad- Assam land, but they refused to by a disciplined force like Assam hyay said. do so, he alleged. Police is absolutely concocted, MUMBAI: Maharashtra discharged from hospitals dur- ducted on Sunday, the state’s to 7,41,164 and fatality figure Nashik division reported "The Officer In-Charge "In order to assert the baseless, malafide and devoid reported 4,141 new coronavi- ing the day. With this, the overall overall test count climbed to to 15,947. Mumbai division, 586 cases during the day, includ- (OC) of Ramnathpur police position of Assam and to ask of any facts and is an attempt rus positive cases on Sunday, recovery count of the state grew 5,22,92,131, it said. At present, which comprises the metrop- ing 518 in Ahmednagar dis- station and his patrolling Mizoram forces to retreat from by Mizoram administration which took its infection count to 62,31,999, it said in a state- there are 53,182 active COVID- olis and its surrounding areas, trict, while Pune division logged team immediately reached the Assam side of the bridge, to divert the attention from to 64,24,651, while 145 deaths ment. Maharashtra’s recovery 19 cases in the state. saw 683 cases and six deaths. 1,886 fresh cases, including 643 the spot and stopped the con- a party of around 200 Assam main issue, that is illegal con- pushed the toll to 1,35,962, the rate is 97 per cent, while the Mumbai reported 294 It pushed the number of cases in Satara district. Kolhapur divi- struction work, calling it a Police personnel and comman- struction by Mizoram authori- health department said. fatality rate is 2.11 per cent. cases and one death on Sun- in the region to 16,57,144 and sion recorded 765 cases, includ- trespass by Mizoram as they dos under my leadership and ties on Assam soil," Upadhyay A total of 4,780 patients were With 1,67,881 tests con- day that took its total case count death toll to 34,845. ing 400 in Sangli district. AGENCIES had no authority to build a other senior officials reached asserted. AGENCIES

to hide them from view. Other troops of anonymity because he was not autho- officials, took note of the issues high- sel rate change was effected after 33 days Later, JKLF chief Yaseen Malik, From Page 1 stood atop concrete barriers or shipping rised to talk to the news media. lighted by the stakeholders. of no change. DeM head Asiya Andrabi and pro-Pak- containers, trying to calm the crowd. Baradar negotiated the militants’ They also acknowledged the tech- The freeze in rate revision coincided istan separatist Masarat Alam were also Gunshots occasionally rang out. 2020 peace deal with the US, and he is nical issues in the functioning of the with Parliament session, where the named in a supplementary charge sheet The chaos at Kabul airport comes now expected to play a key role in nego- portal and shared the status of the reso- opposition parties tried to corner the in a case of terror financing. 392 people as a new, perceived threat from the tiations between the Taliban and offi- lution with respect to areas highlighted government on various issues including Another case which is likely to be Islamic State group affiliate in Afghani- cials from the Afghan government that by the stakeholders, an official statement the hike in fuel prices. cited for banning the two Hurriyat Con- However, it will depend on whether stan has seen U.S. military planes do the militant group deposed. issued after the meeting had said. Petrol and diesel prices were last ference factions is the one against PDP a sizeable number of Indians, as well as rapid, diving combat landings at the air- Afghan officials familiar with talks In 2019, Infosys was awarded a con- hiked on July 17. Before that, the pet- youth leader Waheed-ur-Rahman Parra, Indian-origin people, manage to reach port. Other aircraft have shot off flares held in the capital say the Taliban have tract to develop the next-generation rol price was increased by Rs 11.44 a who is alleged to have paid Rs 5 crore the airport. on takeoff, an effort to confuse pos- said they will not make announcements income tax filing system to reduce pro- litre between May 4 and July 17. Diesel to the son-in-law of Geelani for keeping People familiar with the situation in sible heat-seeking missiles targeting the on their government until the August cessing time for returns from 63 days to rates had gone up by Rs 9.14 during this Kashmir in turmoil after the death of Kabul said Afghan nationals who are planes. 31 deadline for the US troop withdrawal one day and expedite refunds. period. Hizbul Mujahideen terror commander having Indian visas are facing increasing Meanwhile, fighting has erupted in passes. Till June 2021, the government has The price hike during this period Burhan Wani in 2016, the officials said. scrutiny from the Taliban. Afghanistan’s Baghlan province, some Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official paid Rs 164.5 crore to Infosys for devel- pushed petrol prices above Rs The NIA has alleged that after the “Evacuation continues! IAF special 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of in the ousted government, tweeted that oping the portal. 100-a-litre mark in more than half of the death of Wani, who was killed in an repatriation flight with 168 passengers Kabul. Forces organizing under the ban- he and ex-President Hamid Karzai met Sitharaman last week had said that country, while diesel crossed that level encounter with the Army in July 2016, on board, including 107 Indian nation- ner of the “People’s Uprising” have taken Saturday with Taliban’s acting governor technical glitches in the new e-filing in at least three states. Parra got in touch with Altaf Ahmad als, is on its way to Delhi from Kabul,” three districts around the Andarab Val- for Kabul, who assured us that he would portal will be largely fixed in the next Shah, alias Altaf Fantoosh, and asked External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson ley, nestled in the Hindu Kush moun- do everything possible for the security few days and that she has been con- him to ensure that the Valley was kept Arindam Bagchi tweeted hours before tains near Panjshir, the only province of the people of the city. stantly reminding Infosys about the Hurriyat on the boil with widespread unrest and the plane landed at Hindon. still not under Taliban control. In another development, a NATO matter. stone pelting. It is learnt that the Indians evacuated On Sunday, the Taliban published official said on Sunday that at least 20 “I have been reminding Infosys The officials said a probe into fund- Also, the Counter Intelligence (Kash- to Doha from Kabul were employees video online showing fighters, includ- people have died in the past seven days constantly, and (Infosys head) Nandan ing of terror groups indicated alleged mir), a branch of CID department of of a number of foreign companies that ing their elite special forces, preparing to in and around the Kabul airport dur- Nilekani has been messaging me with involvement of secessionist and separat- Jammu and Kashmir Police, registered a were operating in Afghanistan. head there, possibly to fight the “People’s ing the evacuation effort after Taliban assurances that next couple of days they ist leaders, including the members and case in July last year following informa- “Bringing Indians home from Uprising” forces. Four officials said the insurgents took over the Afghan capital will sort out majority of problems,” she cadres of the Hurriyat Conference who tion that several unscrupulous persons, Afghanistan! AI 1956 carrying 87 Indi- Taliban had gone into the Keshnabad last week. had said, adding that to a large extent, have been acting in connivance with including some Hurriyat leaders, were ans departs from Tajikistan for New area of Andarab Valley to abduct the “The crisis outside the Kabul airport the system is far better than what it was active militants of proscribed terror- hand in glove with some educational Delhi. Two Nepalese nationals also children of those opposing them. is unfortunate. Our focus is to evacu- in June but still some issues remain. ist organisations Hizb-ul-Mujahideen consultancies and are selling Pakistan- evacuated. Khair Mohammad Khairkhwa, the ate all foreigners as soon as we can,” the The revenue secretary is monitoring (HM), Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) and based MBBS seats and admission in “Assisted and supported by our former head of intelligence in Balkh official, who sought anonymity, told this on a weekly basis, she had said, add- Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). other professional courses in various Embassy @IndEmbDushanbe. More province, and Abdul Ahmad Dadgar, Reuters. ing the glitches will be fixed largely in The cadres raised funds in the coun- colleges and universities. evacuation flights to follow,” Bagchi another leader in the uprising, alleged Crowds have grown at the airport the next couple of weeks. try and from abroad through various At least four persons, including tweeted at around 1:20 AM. that Taliban fighters had attacked peo- every day over the past week, hinder- Earlier this month, in a reply to a illegal channels, including hawala, for Mohammad Akbar Bhat alias Zaffar MEA had requested the Indians, as ple’s homes and burned them while tak- ing operations as the United States and Parliament question on whether techni- funding separatist and terrorist activities Bhat, self-styled chairman of Salvation well as their employers, to urgently share ing children. Two other officials, who other nations attempt to evacuate thou- cal glitches continue to mar the func- in Jammu and Kashmir, they said. Movement which is part of moderate relevant details with the special Afghan- spoke on condition of anonymity, also sands of their diplomats and civilians as tioning of the new I-T portal, Minister The funds collected were used for Hurriyat Conference, were arrested in istan cell that was set up on August 16. alleged the Taliban seized fighters’ chil- well as numerous Afghans. “Our forces of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary causing disruption in the Kashmir Val- this case. It is alleged that the constitu- Sources said the cell received more dren. The Taliban did not immediately are maintaining strict distance from had said most of the issues reported by ley by way of pelting stones on security ents of Hurriyat Conference were “sell- than 2,000 phone calls and answered respond to a request for comment on outer areas of the Kabul airport to pre- taxpayers pertain to non-availability or forces, systematically burning schools, ing” MBBS seats in Pakistan to Kashmiri over 6,000 WhatsApp queries during the the fighting. vent any clashes with the Taliban,” the technical issues of certain functionalities damaging public property and waging students and using the money collected, first five days of its operation. The cell Later on Sunday, Defense Secretary NATO official added. AGENCIES or forms. war against India as part of a criminal at least partly, to support and fund answered more than 1200 e-mails dur- Lloyd Austin activated the initial stage “Certain key functionalities like user conspiracy, they claimed. terrorism. ing the period. According to a rough of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, profile, dashboard, filing of ITR 1,2 & 4, Supporting the case for banning the During the probe, it had surfaced estimate last week, the number of Indi- asking for 18 aircraft from American I-T portal e-proceedings including Video confer- two factions of the Hurriyat Confer- that individual Hurriyat leaders had ans stranded in Afghanistan could be carriers to assist in transporting Afghan encing requests, Digital Signing Certifi- ence under the UAPA, the officials cited their quota of seats which were sold to around 400, and India has been look- refugees once they are evacuated from ‘L1’ route refers to the lowest bidder cate, viewing of old Income Tax returns, several cases related to terror funding, people desiring to obtain MBBS and ing at ways to evacuate them including their country by military aircraft. Under in the tender for a contract. e-verification, e-PAN service, Aad- including the one being probed by the other professional degrees in one way or by coordinating with the US and other the voluntary program, civilian airlines Infosys had also developed the GST haar-PAN Linking, Adding Authorised National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the other, the officials said. friendly countries. WITH AGENCY INPUTS add to military aircraft capability during Network (GSTN) portal, used for GST Representative, etc. are available to the which several of the conglomerate’s cad- The officials said evidence showed a crisis related to national defense. That payments and returns filing. The soft- users,” he had said in a written reply in res were arrested and jailed. that the money was “put into chan- program was born in the wake of the ware major had faced flak for slow func- the Lok Sabha. Many of the second-rung cadres of nels that ended up in supporting pro- 7 killed Berlin airlift. tioning of the GSTN portal as well. both the factions are in jail since 2017, grammes and projects pertaining to The Biden administration asked As users complained of several they said. terrorism and separatism like payment “Conditions on the ground remain for three aircraft each from American glitches on the I-T portal after a fort- Petrol, Diesel Among those in jail are Altaf Ahmed for organising stone pelting.” extremely challenging but we are doing Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines and night of launch, Sitharaman had on June Shah, the son-in-law of Geelani; busi- Citing investigation, the officials everything we can to manage the situ- Omni Air; two from Hawaiian Airlines; 22 called a meeting with key officials of The price cut in diesel is the fourth nessman Zahoor Ahmed Watali; Gee- said that average cost of an MBBS seat ation as safely and securely as pos- and four from United Airlines. Infosys to review the issues. since August 18, when the reduction lani’s close aide Ayaz Akbar, who is also in Pakistan was anything between Rs sible,” the Defense Ministry said in a Meanwhile, the Taliban’s top politi- The minister had then asked Info- cycle began. All four reductions have the spokesperson of the hardline sepa- 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh. In some cases, statement. cal leader arrived in Kabul for talks on sys to address all issues without further been of 20 paise per litre each. ratist organisation Tehreek-e-Hurriyat; the fee was brought down on the inter- It wasn’t immediately clear whether forming a new government. The pres- loss of time, improve their services, and On the previous three occasions Peer Saifullah; Shahid-ul-Islam, spokes- vention of Hurriyat leaders. Depending those killed had been physically ence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, redress grievances on priority as it was when diesel rates were cut, petrol prices person of the moderate Hurriyat Con- upon the political heft of the Hurriyat crushed, suffocated or suffered a fatal who returned to Kandahar earlier this impacting taxpayers adversely. remained unchanged. ference; Mehrajuddin Kalwal; Nayeem leader who intervened, concessions were heart attack in the crowds. Soldiers cov- week from Qatar, was confirmed by a Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, and COO Sunday’s cut in petrol price came Khan; and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias extended to aspiring students, the offi- ered several corpses in white clothes Taliban official who spoke on condition Pravin Rao, along with other company after 36 days of status quo in rates. Die- ‘Bitta Karate’. cials said. PTI millenniumpost mp NEW DELHI | MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 Nation 5 Everything is finished, future I&B ministry to launch activities to mark ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’

OUR CORRESPONDENT "One of the key aspects of opment Corporation of India uncertain: Evacuees from Afghan the synergistic celebration is (NFDC) is also organizing a NEW DELHI: The Union 360 degree outreach through film festival on its OTT plat- Ministry of Information and traditional means such as cul- form -- www.cinemasofindia. Broadcasting is launching a tural programmes, nukkad com -- screening a specially ‘All the achievements of the last 20 years in Afghanistan have been lost’ gamut of activities to celebrate natak and TV programmes curated bouquet of films such the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' as well as innovative means of as "Island City", "Crossing OUR CORRESPONDENT to our gurdwaras and temples from August 23-29, an official digital/social media. Bridges" etc, the ministry said. and serve the people," Khalsa statement said on Sunday. "All India Radio's daily cap- Other key highlights NEW DELHI: "Everything added. 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahot- sule 'Azadi Ka Safar, Akash- include an online interactive is finished", don't know what Explaining the ground sit- sav' is an initiative of the cen- vani Ke Saath' will be reaching session for film students and the future holds for us"-- these uation in Afghanistan and its tral government to celebrate schools and colleges across enthusiasts by the NFDC, and were the words of an Afghan new rulers, Khalsa said, "The and commemorate 75 years of India through collaborative a webinar on 'Technological lawmaker and a mother of an Taliban is not one group. There India's independence. efforts of Directorate of Infor- Advancements in film making' infant who burst into tears as are 10-12 sections. It is hard to The activities will be mation and Public Relations by the Films Division, it said. soon as they arrived at the Hin- find who is a Talib and who is launched under the ministry's of various states and regional The Bureau of Outreach and don airbase along with over 160 not." The mother of an infant 'Iconic Week' celebrations. offices of the Ministry," the Communication will also reach other evacuees from Taliban- who broke down while she The 'Iconic Week' under the statement said. out to the people through nuk- besieged Afghanistan on Sun- was waiting with the baby in 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' will A series of special pro- kad nataks, skits, magic shows, day morning. While a sense of her arms for an RT-PCR test be a grand celebration by the grammes to be launched by puppetry, folk recitals through relief and gratitude was palpa- here, said, "The past seven days ministry which will showcase AIR Network include 'Dharo- more than 50 Integrated Com- ble among the evacuees who have been very stressful for us the convergence of the val- har' (speeches of freedom lead- munication and Outreach Pro- came to India after days of with no clue about what future ues and glories of the freedom ers), 'Nishaan' (75 landmark grammes by ROBs and over uncertainty following Kabul's holds for us. It all looks very struggle of the past with the sites to be showcased), and 1,000 PRTs by Song and Drama fall to the Taliban, many of uncertain". Another infant aspirations and dreams of a 'Aparajita' (women leaders). Division across the country, it them recounted the fear they was among the evacuees who young, new and iconic India, The DD Network will be added. faced in the past one week and arrived on Sunday. An over- it said. Union Information and broadcasting sectoral pro- The BOC will also launch termed the decision to leave People who were stranded in crisis-hit Afghanistan arrive by a special repatriation flight of IAF at the Hindan hwhelmed little girl could be Broadcasting Minister Anurag grammes under "Naye Bharat an ebook on 'Making of the Afghanistan and their lives Air Force Station, in Ghaziabad on Sunday PIC/PTI seen kissing the infant in pic- Thakur will start off the cele- Ka Naya Safar" and the "Jour- Constitution' which will back there a "difficult" one. tures from the airbase. Uncon- brations that will attract partic- ney of New India" covering be available on its website. A total of 168 people, mission said. is left. It's zero now," he added. there because small children firmed reports suggested that ipation from across the country themes such as diplomacy, Dig- Enthusiastic readers can also including 107 Indians and 23 "I feel like crying. Every- Terming India his "second were with us," he told report- the infant has travelled to India under the overall spirit of "Jan ital India, legislative reforms, find informative and excit- Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, were thing is finished. It is a very dif- home", Khalsa narrated his ers at Hindon. without a passport. Bhagidari and Jan Andolan", etc apart from ongoing daily ing books on related themes flown from Kabul to the Hin- ficult and painful decision to horror story which unfolded The lawmaker, a resident of Honaryar, a member of the it said. special news capsules on at Publication Division book don airbase in a C-17 heavy- leave the country. We have not as their vehicle was separated Kabul, expressed hopes that he Upper House of Afghan Par- The objective is to show- 'Unsung heroes and Freedom galleries across India. "Young lift military transport aircraft seen such a situation. Every- from a convoy of those being will manage to go back to his liament, in a video message, case the journey of new India Struggle', it said. patrons can also enjoy interac- of the (IAF). thing has been snatched away. taken to the Kabul airport for country after it rebuilds itself. said "I thank the Government and celebrate the contribution Screening of iconic films tive activities, quizzes and com- The group included Afghan It's all over," Sikh Lawmaker rescue. "They (Taliban) sep- "India is our second home. of India, Prime Minister Nar- of freedom fighters, including will be a special feature of the petitions across social media lawmakers Anarkali Honar- Khalsa told reporters. arated us from others while We have been living there since endra Modi, the Ministry of the 'Unsung Heroes' of the free- 'Iconic week' celebrations and platforms of the Ministry, along yar and Narender Singh Khalsa "All the achievements of going to the Kabul airport yes- generations. We pray to God External Affairs and the Indian dom struggle, through massive popular Indian films such as with audiovisual glimpses of and their families, people the last 20 years in Afghani- terday (Saturday) as we were that Afghanistan is rebuilt, and Air Force for lifting us from outreach activities, the minis- "Razi" will also be telecast. the freedom struggle and the familiar with the evacuation stan have been lost. Nothing Afghan nationals. We fled from we can go back there to tend Kabul and saving my life." try said. The National Film Devel- New India, ministry added. Haryana HM Capt takes exception Assam MP lists ‘failures’ of Maha: Rane meets MLA Vij admitted to ‘atrocious’ comments Himanta government’s 100 days Hitendra Thakur despite to C’garh's of 2 of Sidhu's advisors OUR CORRESPONDENT back on the promise of waiv- Bora claimed that there oppn by BJP workers ing off the micro finance loan were 35 encounters between PGIMER CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Kashmir. GUWAHATI: Congress leader of women. police and drugs peddlers in PALGHAR: In spite of opposi- son Kshitij, who was also pres- Chief Minister Amarinder He had reportedly said if and Rajya Sabha MP Ripun The Congress leaderthe first 100 days of the BJP tion by the BJP workers, Union ent during the meeting, is a leg- Singh asked state Congress Kashmir was a part of India, Bora has slammed the Himanta said in a statement that Sar- government in the state, which minister Narayan Rane met islator from Nalasopara. Both president Navjot Singh Sidhu then what was the need to have Biswa Sarma-led Assam gov- ma’s government has made is a serious threat to human Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) the constituencies are in Pal- on Sunday to "rein in" his Articles 370 and 35A. ernment for the alleged slow tall claims about success in rights and against a Supreme legislator Hitendra Thakur, ghar district. During the yatra, advisers after two of them Singh expressed shock at pace of vaccination in the various fields but “practi- Court ruling. who is the saffron party's when Rane decided to take made "atrocious" comments the "extraordinary statements" state and “jeopardising” cally there is nothing to show Even the chief minister has political rival, at Virar town a stop and meet the Thakur recently on sensitive issues like of Mali and Garg, which he age-old social harmony by as achievements”. provoked the police to shoot in Maharashtra's Palghar dis- father-son duo, the BJP work- Kashmir and Pakistan. claimed were totally misplaced bringing in a cattle preserva- Out of Assam’s 3.35 crore the accused, he claimed. trict during his ongoing 'Jan ers and office-bearers accom- In a statement issued here, and antagonistic to the stated tion law. population, just 20 lakh were The former president of Ashirwad Yatra'. panying him opposed the Singh warned against such position of India and the Con- Making an analysis of fully vaccinated till now while Assam Pradesh Congress During the meeting that move. They created ruckus, but "atrocious and ill-conceived gress on Pakistan and Kashmir. the 100 days performance of 1.28 crore people got just single Committee said the Cattle took place at a college on Satur- it failed to change the former comments that were poten- "Kashmir was and is an the BJP-led government in dose and 1.07 crore people of Preservation Bill 2021 will day night, Thakur called Rane Maharashtra chief minister's OUR CORRESPONDENT tially dangerous to the peace inalienable part of India," the Assam, Bora also alleged that the age of above 18 years did “jeopardise” the long-lasting his "guide", which has raised mind, eyewitnesses said. and stability of the state and the chief minister asserted, add- the inter-state border disputes not get even a single dose of peace and tranquility between eyebrows in political circles. At the meeting, Thakur CHANDIGARH: Haryana’s country". The chief minister, ing that with his "proclama- have escalated during the new vaccine, which is very alarm- the Hindu, Muslim and Chris- Hitendra Thakur represents called Rane their "guide in poli- Home and Health Minister who has been at loggerheads tion to the contrary", Mali had dispensation and it has gone ing, he said. tians in Assam. Vasai constituency, while his tics", they said. AGENCIES Anil Vij was on Sunday admit- with Sidhu in the past, trained effectively and inexplicably ted to the PGIMER here as his his guns on the Punjab Pradesh toed Islamabad's line. "This is SUBMERGE oxygen levels dropped. Congress Committee (PPCC) totally anti-national," he said, Rajnath to felicitate forces personnel The 68-year-old Bharatiya chief's advisors. He urged also slamming Mali for fail- (BJP) leader had them to stick to giving advice ing to withdraw his statement, earlier on health grounds to Sidhu and not speak on mat- despite the widespread con- who participated in Tokyo Olympics expressed inability to attend ters "of which they clearly had demnation it had evoked not the state Assembly’s mon- little or no knowledge and had only from other political par- NEW DELHI: Defence Min- sented India in the recently- ant General J S Nain," the min- soon session, which began no understanding of the impli- ties but also from within the ister Rajnath Singh will felic- concluded Tokyo Olympics, istry said on Sunday. here on Friday. Vij was admit- cations of their comments". Congress. Ridiculing Garg's itate armed forces personnel including gold medallist javelin ASI has produced 34 ted to the Post-Graduate Insti- Singh was reacting to the statement that Pakistan's criti- who participated in this year's thrower Subedar Neeraj Cho- Olympians, 22 Common- tute of Medical Education and reported remarks of Pyare Lal cism by him (Singh) was not in Olympics in Tokyo at the Army pra, are likely to be present on wealth Games medallists, 21 Research (PGIMER) here on Garg, questioning his criticism the interest of Punjab, the chief Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune the occasion. Asian Games medallists, six Sunday evening. of Pakistan, as well as an earlier minister said Sidhu's advisor is on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Singh will also interact Youth Games medallists and Hospital sources said statement made by Malwinder clearly disconnected from the the Defence Ministry had said with budding sportspersons 13 Arjuna Awardees till date, Vij is under the supervi- Singh Mali on Kashmir. Both of ground reality. the felicitation event was going of the ASI and troops during it mentioned. sion of doctors led by a pul- them were recently appointed "The fact, which every Pun- to take place on Monday. his visit, it stated. "He will visit "Indian Army has always monary and respiratory by Sidhu as his advisors. jabi and in fact every Indian Later, it said the minis- the Headquarters of Southern been the backbone of Indian medicine specialist. In a recent social media knows, is that Pakistan's threat ter's visit has been deferred to Command. The Raksha Mantri sports - from Major Dhyan “They are conducting tests post, Mali had waded into the to us is real. Every day they are Tuesday "due to unavoidable will be accompanied by Chief Chand to Subedar Neeraj Cho- to ascertain why oxygen lev- issue of revocation of Arti- pushing weapons and drugs circumstances and any incon- of the Army Staff General M M pra who etched their names in els are dropping,” Vij told PTI cle 370 of the Constitution, into Punjab via drones in a bra- A man lifts his cycle as he makes way through the rain water after venience is deeply regretted". Naravane and General Officer golden letters in the history of over the phone. “PGIMER which gave a special status to zen attempt to destabilise our heavy downpour in Bathinda on Sunday PIC/PTI It noted that all armed Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian sports," the statement Director Jagat Ram was also the erstwhile state of Jammu state and our nation. AGENCIES forces personnel who repre- Southern Command Lieuten- added. MPOST here a short while ago. All doctors of this premier insti- CANE PRICES PRO-PAK tute are taking good care of me,” said Vij. SLOGANS Nation Briefs Vij had last week gone to Rohtak to attend the crema- Farmers’ stir continues in Punjab as 10 arrested; tion of Chief Minister Mano- WOMAN DOC KILLS MOTHER, SISTER har Lal Khattar’s younger brother. NSA invoked WITH INJECTION, ATTEMPTS SUICIDE He suspects that high meet with mins remains inconclusive SURAT: A 30-year-old doctor allegedly killed her altitude during the chop- against four mother and sister by injecting them with drugs before per ride could be the cause Scores of farmers on Friday launched an agitation for indefinite period to press Punjab overdosing on sleeping pills in a bid to end her life behind the drop in his oxygen govt to accept their demands related to pending dues of sugarcane, hike in cane prices in Ujjain here in Gujarat but survived, police said on Sunday. levels. Dr Darshana Prajapati injected her mother Manjula- “My oxygen saturation ben (59) and her sister Falguni (28) with drugs at their level has been fluctuating OUR CORRESPONDENT culture departments will hold OUR CORRESPONDENT since then,” said Vij. When a meeting in Jalandhar with house in the Katagram area on Saturday night that asked if doctors earlier cau- CHANDIGARH: Farmers farmers' representatives and all UJJAIN (MP): Police on Sun- caused their death on Sunday morning. She also tried tioned him regarding high seeking a hike in sugarcane calculations regarding cost of day invoked the stringent to end her life by consuming a large number of sleep- altitude as he had contracted prices continued to block rail production will be worked out. National Security Act (NSA) ing pills. She is currently undergoing treatment at the Covid, Vij said he would have tracks and a national highway When asked that cane against four persons out of ten civil hospital, a police officer said. taken care had he known in Punjab's Jalandhar as a meet- growers are demanding Rs 400 arrested so far for allegedly about it. ing between their representa- per quintal, he said the govern- raising pro-Pakistan slogans 7-MONTH-OLD CHILD STOLEN FROM However, Vij added, tives and state ministers here ment's job is to watch inter- during a Muharram event in “Don’t worry, I will come out remained inconclusive with ests of farmers as well as the Ujjain of , a CHH’GARH RESCUED IN MP; 3 HELD of this hospital fully recov- another round now scheduled industry. senior police officer said. BILASPUR/UMARIA: A seven-month-old boy alleg- ered.” Haryana Chief Minister with agriculture experts on Asked if a meeting between The development comes edly stolen from the Institute of Medical also vis- Monday. Farmers block railway tracks during their indefinite protest demanding farmers' representatives and a day after some right-wing Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur district was rescued from a ited the PGIMER to enquire Scores of farmers had on higher sugarcane SAP, in Jalandhar on Saturday PIC/PTI chief minister will also be held, organisations and religious train in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh and three about his health. Earlier in Friday launched an agitation Randhawa said, "This will be leaders clad in saffron staged persons, including two women, were arrested, Chhat- the day, Haryana BJP presi- for an indefinite period to standing arrears of private mills ever, being allowed to ply. decided after tomorrow's demonstrations, torched effi- dent O P Dhankar met Vij at press the Punjab government will be cleared within next 15 Giving more details of the meeting." Earlier, the opposi- gies of Pakistan, and demanded tisgarh Police said on Sunday. The main accused, Rita the minister’s Ambala resi- to accept their demands related days and those of cooperative meeting, Dallewal said, "On tion party Shiromani Akali Dal tough action by the police Yadav, had kidnapped the baby boy from the CIMS dence and enquired about his to pending dues of sugarcane be settled by September first cost of production issue, the had demanded from the Con- against those people who had and was travelling to Delhi to meet her boyfriend, an well-being. and hike in cane prices. week. government admitted that the gress government to increase raised pro-Pakistan slogans in officer said. “Bilaspur Police safely rescued the child Vij had last year contracted After the meeting here Another senior farmer officials had not given them the state assured price (SAP) the Geeta Colony area on the by arresting Rita Yadav, a resident of Bilaspur district, Covid and was hospitalised for on Sunday, senior farmer leader, Balbir Singh Rajewal, correct feedback and now of sugarcane to a minimum of night of August 19. from the Umariya railway station in Madhya Pradesh nearly a month. On November leader Jagjit Singh Dalle- told reporters that the blockade in the meeting in Jalandhar Rs 380 per quintal. Ujjain superintendent of 20, 2020, Vij had offered to be wal told reporters, "Not will continue till their demand these things will be discussed Protesting farmers are police Satyendra Shukla con- with the help of the Railway Protection Force (RPF),” the first volunteer in the phase much was achieved from of hike in cane prices is met. threadbare." demanding that the Punjab firmed to the news agency that Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nimesh 3 trials for anti-Covid vaccine today's meeting. It remained The blockade by farmers Cooperation Minister government raise the SAP of the NSA has been invoked Baraiya told reporters. The two other arrested per- Covaxin. He was administered inconclusive." has been affecting movement Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa sugarcane and clear payment on four persons who among sons are identified as Yadav’s boyfriend Pushpendra the dose at the Civil Hospital in He, however, said the gov- of trains and vehicular traffic. said agriculture experts, offi- of arrears to the tune of Rs 200- others had allegedly shouted and one Hema Kaushik, he said. Ambala Cantonment. ernment has assured that out- Emergency vehicles are, how- cers of cooperation and agri- 250 crore. the slogans. mp millenniumpost 6 Nation MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 | NEW DELHI INDIA, US, AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN TO PARTICIPATE J&K: Gupkar alliance 4-day Malabar wargame to begin on Thur meeting on Tuesday OUR CORREPSONDENT ‘This meeting will be ‘The Malabar-21 would witness high-tempo exercises among destroyers, frigates, corvettes, SRINAGAR: The People's Alli- a different one from ance for Gupkar Declaration is the earlier ones. This submarines, helicopters and long-range maritime patrol aircraft of the participating navies’ likely to meet here on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing situ- time it is not only OUR CORRESPONDENT Senior officials of India and Guam in 2018 and off the coast ation in Jammu and Kashmir, the top leadership the other member nations of of Japan in 2019. and have wider consultations of the constituent NEW DELHI: The Quad coun- the Quad on August 12 held Last year, the exercise was on the way forward. tries -- India, the US, Austra- extensive talks on advancing hosted in two phases in the Bay The PAGD is an alliance of parties which has lia and Japan -- will carry out practical cooperation in areas of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. six mainstream political par- been invited for the next edition of the high- of infrastructure, maritime There have been mounting ties seeking the restoration of consultations but voltage Malabar naval exer- security, counter-terrorism global concerns over China’s the special status of Jammu and cise from August 26 to 29 and cybersecurity to achieve growing military assertiveness Kashmir, which was revoked the middle rung off the coast of Guam amid the goal of a free and open in the Indo-Pacific region. by the Centre in August 2019. leadership as well’ mounting global concerns over Indo-Pacific. India, the US, Austra- A leader said the meeting China's growing military mus- Commander Madhwal said lia, Japan and many other will take place at alliance chair- around 150-200 leaders to take cle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific the conduct of the exercises like-minded countries are man Farooq Abdullah's resi- part in the meeting," he said. region. despite the coronavirus restric- working towards ensuring a dence at Gupkar here at 11 am. The meeting has been Indian stealth frigate INS tions is a "testimony of synergy" free, open and inclusive "This meeting will be a dif- called to discuss the pre- Shivalik and anti-submarine among the participating navies Indo-Pacific. ferent one from the earlier vailing situation in Jammu warfare corvette INS Kadmatt and their commitment to safer “The exercise will provide ones. This time it is not only and Kashmir and "have wider arrived in Guam, an island ter- seas. Following India's invita- an opportunity for common- the top leadership of the con- consultations on various ritory of the US in the Western tion, Australia participated in minded navies to enhance stituent parties which has been issues", he said. Pacific, on Saturday to take part the Malabar exercise last year inter-operability, gain from invited for consultations but "It (the meeting) will dis- in the exercise that will fea- that effectively made it a drill best practices and develop a the middle rung leadership as cuss the way forward and it is ture an array of complex drills, by all four member nations of common understanding of pro- well," he said. the first such attempt in the Indian Navy officials said on the Quad. China has been sus- cedures for maritime security The leader said it has been Kashmir valley by the alliance Sunday. picious about the purpose of operations,” the Navy spokes- left to the alliance parties to to get a broader perspective on "The Malabar-21 would the Malabar exercise as it feels person said. select the party leaders for the the issues. We wanted to have witness high-tempo exercises Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt arrived at Guam, an Island Territory of the USA, on Saturday PIC/PTI that the annual war game is an “As part of the exercise, Vice meeting. this kind of consultation before among destroyers, frigates, cor- effort to contain its influence in Admiral AB Singh, Flag Officer "The participants will be but various factors like Covid vettes, submarines, helicop- drills, anti-surface, anti-air maritime domain as well as ing partnership among the the Indo-Pacific region. Commanding-in-Chief, East- from the length and breadth prevented such a gathering," ters and long-range maritime and anti-submarine warfare military cooperation among four countries. The Malabar exercise ern Naval Command will have of the Valley and we expect the leader added. patrol aircraft of the partici- drills, and joint manoeuvres the four Quad countries in the Later this year, US President started in 1992 as a bilateral operational discussions with pating navies," Indian Navy and tactical exercises will face of China's increasing Joe Biden is expected to hold drill between the Indian Navy Rear Admiral Leonard C ‘Butch’ spokesperson Commander be conducted during the assertiveness. Though the an in-person summit of the and the US Navy in the Indian Dollaga, Commander task force- ‘More than 1,000 govt Vivek Madhwal said. exercise," he said. The Mal- exercise is not part of the leaders of the Quad countries Ocean. Japan became a perma- 74, focussing on developing an "Complex surface, sub- abar exercise is taking place framework of cooperation in Washington to explore ways nent member of the exercise action plan and coordinated surface and air operations in the midst of growing con- under Quad, it is increasingly to further expand cooperation in 2015. This annual exercise operations in the maritime schools in Odisha will including live weapon firing vergence of interests in the seen as a reflection of increas- among its member countries. was conducted off the coast of domain,” he added. 3 dacoits shot dead, Guj govt approves non-practising be transformed with bank robbery foiled allowance for in-service doctors modern facilities’ BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pat- in Assam: Police OUR CORRESPONDENT health portfolio, announced The nod comes a few department. naik said more than 1,000 gov- this as the "Rakshabandhan months after the state gov- Gujarat Medical Teachers ernment schools in the state AHMEDABAD: The Guja- gift" for the doctors and medi- ernment in May approved the Association (GMTA) president will be transformed with mod- OUR CORRESPONDENT anta said. rat government on Sunday cal college teachers, who were NPA for teachers of six gov- Dr Rajnish Patel welcomed the ern facilities like smart class- Chief Minister Himanta approved a non-practising pressing for it and had even ernment medical colleges, as government's decision. rooms, e-library cum reading GUWAHATI/ KOKRAJHAR: Biswa Sarma lauded the efforts allowance for in-service doc- gone on strike over the demand. per the 7th Pay Commission, "It is a welcome move that rooms, modern science lab- Three suspected dacoits were of the police in preventing the tors of government hos- Deputy Chief Minister as a condition for them to call the government has accepted oratory, hygienic toilets, safe shot dead as they tried to rob bank robbery. pitals and teachers of the Nitin Patel has approved NPA off their strike along with teach- the pending demands of drinking water and sports a bank in Assam's Kokrajhar "A robbery gang was neu- Gujarat Medical Education and as per the 7th Pay Commission ers of eight GMERS medical the GMERS medical col- infrastructures. district in the early hours of tralised by Assam Police in Research Society (GMERS) to the eligible in-service doc- colleges. The GMERS medi- lege teachers and in-service Patnaik said in the first Sunday, police said. Kokrajhar. This prevented a big medical colleges, in line with tors of government hospitals cal colleges are semi-govern- doctors. They had been a phase 1,070 schools will be Odisha Chief Minister Naveen The police had intelligence bank robbery," he said. the 7th Pay Commission's and GMERS medical college ment institutions established part of the strike called by the transformed with modern Patnaik input that a gang of dacoits Sarma also appreciated the recommendation. teachers as a Rakshabandhan under the Gujarat Medi- GMTA, but the government facilities and termed the move would attempt to rob an Alla- police for nabbing 15 alleged Deputy Chief Minister Nitin gift, said a note on Patel's Face- cal Education and Research had not approved of it earlier, as the base for a progressive habad Bank branch at Bhot- Taliban supporters on Saturday Patel, who also holds the state book page. Society of the state health he said. Odisha, Patnaik dedicated gaon near Kokrajhar town, a from different parts of the state. The chief minister on Satur- 10 transformed senior police officer of the dis- "Assam has to be crime- DEVOTION day said the decision to trans- trict said. free. Murder, violence, form the schools will bring new government schools A previous attempt of rob- hatred -- these all have to be opportunities for children of to the state which bing the same branch was foiled eliminated from the state. the state and will help them ful- three months back, he said. The And we will continue to fil their dreams. have all the modern gang was intercepted at Cheng- work till we achieve our goal," Patnaik dedicated 10 trans- facilities like smart mari near Bhotgaon around he added. formed government schools 2.30 am, the officer said. The death toll in purported to the state which have all the classrooms, e-library They allegedly opened fire police encounters in the state modern facilities like smart cum reading rooms, on the security personnel on rose to 20 with this incident, classrooms, e-library cum being intercepted, and in retal- while 31 persons were injured reading rooms, modern sci- modern science iatory firing by the police, three as they allegedly attempted ence laboratory, hygienic toi- laboratory, hygienic dacoits were injured, he said. to escape from custody lets, safe drinking water and Other members of the gang since the new BJP-led govern- sports infrastructures. toilets, safe drinking managed to escape, the offi- ment under Sarma assumed He inaugurated 10 such water and sports cer said. The injured dacoits charge in May. transformed schools in his were taken to a nearby hospital Sarma's government is own assembly constituency of infrastructures where they were declared dead, under fire from the oppo- Hinjili in Ganjam district on he said. Motorcycles, mobile sition parties and rights Saturday. As many as 50 such and other functionaries were phones, tools, gas cutters, two activists for the rising number schools have been completely present at the schools along pistols along with oxygen cylin- of people being killed in police transformed with all the facil- with the students, parents and ders were recovered from those shootings. ities that are not even avail- local people. The projects were killed, the officer said. However, the chief minister able in private schools in the undertaken under the state "The operation was on till has maintained that the state state capital. While Patnaik government's 5T (Technology, late night to flush out rest of police has "full operational lib- inaugurated the schools from Team work, Time, Transpar- the dacoits," Director-General erty" to fight criminals within Children perform rituals on Sharavani Purnima in Indore on Sunday PIC/PTI Bhubaneswar through vir- ency leading to Transforma- of Police Bhaskarjyoti Mah- the ambit of the law. tual mode, ministers, MLAs tion) initiative. AGENCIES Nation Briefs SC sets aside HC order School girls, women celebrate rakshabandhan granting bail to man who WOMAN FOUND MURDERED IN UP with soldiers at Indo-Pak border, LoC MUZAFFARNAGAR: A 25-year-old woman was raped his minor daughter found murdered at a village here, police said on ‘Bharat Raksha Parv' was organised at the Central Reserve Sunday. According to police, she was strangled with OUR CORRESPONDENT the time the prosecution evi- Police Force (CRPF) group headquarters in Jammu’ a “chunni”. The body was found in a field at Ladwa dence is over," the bench said village under the Titawi police station in the district. NEW DELHI: The Supreme in its August 16 order. SHO Radhey Shyam Yadav said the woman is yet to Court has set aside an order An FIR was registered OUR CORRESPONDENT be identified and the body has been sent for a post- of the Rajasthan High Court against the accused in April last mortem. It is suspected that the body was dumped in granting bail to a man accused year under the Indian Penal JAMMU: Soldiers and para- of raping his minor daughter, Code and the Protection of military personnel posted far the fields after murdering the woman, police said. saying his incarceration is nec- Children from Sexual Offences away from home along the Line 35 INJURED IN BUS-TRUCK essary in the interest of justice (POCSO) Act. of Control and International at least until the recording of The girl has alleged that Border in the Jammu region cel- COLLISION IN HIMACHAL’S SOLAN statements of prosecution wit- when she was going for her ebrated rakshabandhan on Sun- SHIMLA: At least 35 people were injured in a colli- nesses is over in the case. Class IV examination, the day as school girls and women sion between a truck and a bus in ’s The apex court, which accused had sexually exploited tied them rakhis to mark the Solan district on Sunday, a state disaster management directed the accused to surren- her and as the exploita- festival of brother-sister bond. der before the competent court tion continued, she lodged Events were held at several secu- official said. The incident took place near Jabli- within a week, passed the order a complaint. rity installations and camps to Dharampur around 11.30 am, when the truck with on a plea filed by the girl chal- The top court observed that celebrate the day, with a number three persons hit the rear end of the bus carrying 32 lenging the high court's Sep- the only aspect noticed by the of videos of locals tying rakhi to passengers, he said. The Chandigarh-bound bus and tember last year order granting high court in its order granting army, paramilitary and police the truck were on their way to Kalka. Both the vehicles bail to her father. bail was that trial in the case personnel going viral on social overturned after the collision, the official said. A bench of Justices Sanjay would take sufficiently long media. Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh time. 'Bharat Raksha Parv' was ‘INDIAN FISHING BOATS DAMAGED IN Roy noted that the counsel "However, this would organised at the Central Women tie tricoloured rakhi on the wrists of BSF jawans on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan festival at appearing for the state has be contrary to the direc- Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Attari-Wagha border near, Amritsar on Sunday PIC/PTI STONE-PELTING BY SRI LANKAN NAVY’ said that the trial in the case tions that POCSO cases are group headquarters in Jammu, RAMESWARAM (TN): Around 60 Indian fishing boats would commence in Septem- to be dealt with on prior- a spokesperson of the paramili- ment Degree College in Bhader- the festival depicting brother- the girl said. A woman said she from here were damaged in stone pelting, allegedly ber this year and every endeav- ity. No other reason has been tary force said. "Rakhis were wah in Doda district tied rakhis sister bond with our jawans, was happy to see the smile on by the Sri Lankan navy, a Fisheries department official our would be made to complete given, it said. tied on the wrists of officers and to soldiers at an army camp. who are miles away from their the faces of the BSF personnel. said on Sunday. The Lankan naval personnel also it at the earliest. The accused had claimed in jawans, and tilak was applied to In a video, a girl, who tied a families guarding the borders "We are thankful to our "We are thus of the view that the court that because he had their forehead by visitors, who rakhi to a Border Security Force of the country." sisters who joined us in the damaged fishing nets in 25 boats, while they were the incarceration of respondent frowned upon the relationship also prayed for their long life," (BSF) personnel at a camp along "The purpose of our visit was celebrations and made us involved in fishing near Katchatheevu late last night, No. two (accused) is necessary of his daughter with a person the spokesperson said. the India-Pakistan border in to make sure that jawans do not feel at home despite being he said. in the interest of justice and in from other religion, he was Girls of the National Cadet Samba district, was heard say- feel that their sisters are not with away from our families," a BSF accordance with law at least till being made a target. Corps' group at the Govern- ing, "Today, we are celebrating them on this important day," officer said. millenniumpost mp NEW DELHI | MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 Editorial 7 EDITORIAL Killing us softly The real protagonists The last 18 months have been tough in terms of rising fuel he Lords Test between India and England proved to be a tipping point of the process that was in the and LPG prices. We got a break for a month. Now it is back, betraying making for the past few years. Indian pacers put on a stunning performance collaboratively as a the callousness with which the average Indian is being rebuked unit.T Mohammad Siraj and Mohammad Shami delivered bodyline attacks at a staggering pace — forcing the Eng- lish batsmen to play for outside edges. Bumrah had been Abou Ben Adhem awoke one the bumper price to Rs 859.50. without undue or unreason- on fire with his unconventional bowling style — hitting RAJEEV NARAYAN night from a deep dream of My diamond ring aspira- able adjectives. the deck really hard along with his unpredictable varia- peace and saw an Angel tions are now down the tube. And thus moves on an tion of pace and length. The pacer would skid the ball into writing in a book of gold… That’s okay, but not for the elected Government and our stumps to which batsmen had no answers. The formidable The Angel wrote, and vanished. millions of Indians who have largest democracy. But at what Indian pace attack has now come to be recognised more – Leigh Hunt (abridged) had to revert to type, discard- cost and for how long? At last clearly than ever before on the global stage — the use of ing their freebie gas stoves count, we have 3.5 crore edu- adjectives for it is explicit in meaning and undisputed in have mercilessly con- and paperweight empty cylin- cated unemployed Indians liv- manner. An Indian kid from the 90s or the 2000s would densed the beautiful ders, rushing to the woods and ing in our metropolises, with have had a baseless sense of revenge that the fast bowlers couplet above, penned shrubs to find kindle and sap- EMIs and bills to pay. We have of their team revert back in the same tone and tenor the by Leigh Hunt in 1834, lings to keep home and hearth 23 crore people pushed below Australians, Pakistanis, New Zealanders, South Africans Ian illustrious muse who still going. Children and chauvin- the poverty line in the last and Caribbeans did. This has become possible now with strikes a chord in me nearly istic husbands have to be fed, three months. Where are we emerging talents who, with the strength of their qualities 300 years later. Somehow, this right? That is our India. Per- headed is anybody’s guess… and capabilities, have claimed the global limelight. This, of little poem had a profound haps not you and I, but our Here’s mine. course, is backed by the team’s leadership which is playing impact on me, and I have Gods need to understand the Nowhere good its part fairly well. But there is a need to distinctly figure lived by Ben Adhem’s esoteric impact of a fall from grace Dismal times call for deci- out the real roots of our strength in pace attack — is it to dictum – “Do good to others that the ladies of our coun- sive measures, especially from be seen as a trickle-down of the spirit and resolve of Virat and the Angels shall take care try are facing, being made to those in positions of author- Kohli’s leadership, or should it be seen as the culmination of you.” Quite frankly, it has eat humble pie as their new- ity. And when the power- of efforts of the fresh talents from the bottom? One answer worked for me for five decades LPG cylinders prices have risen from Rs 410.5 in 2014 to Rs 859.5 in 2021 found luxury of a gas cylinder ful are less-than-bohemian, could be — both. But we still need to go beyond that to take Today, we have of my life and I count and bless has slithered woefully south. there’s cause for worry. Today, a crystal-clear stand because the degree of concreteness in a worrying my stars each day. ematical wig, and chew a con- a diamond ring, LPG prices For people needing clarity we have a worrying situation. the answer may define the extent of success in the future. A As I did yesterday, when I troversial twig. were increased by Rs 50, tak- on this perplexity, here’s yet We don’t need mirth or politi- team leader can channelise and optimise the potentials of situation. We went to the petrol station and Let’s look like Einstein ing the number to a bashing Rs another number. When crude cal menopause. We need deci- particular players but the potential itself is defined by the don’t need went ‘Yeeaaaahhhh’. That was I am trying to look like him, 769 per cylinder. Ten days later, oil and gas prices were at all- siveness, constructive verbiage qualities of the player. To shape gold into an extremely deli- mirth or political my exuberant exclamation but I find myself falling way on February 25, 2021, when time highs, on March 1, 2014, and less-than-mute acceptance cate ornament, the gold has to be ‘gold’. And the process of as I filled up fuel in my die- short of matching up to even I thought of buying a rose to we were paying Rs 410.50 per and a fallacy of the chosen ide- delivering that delicacy has to first identify the gold as ‘gold’. menopause. sel and petrol cars in the week a pale mockery of the great make up for the diamond ring LPG cylinder. als. We still have the ability to In order to maintain the consistency of the pace attack, it is We need gone by, back-to-back. The man. Here’s the Math, though, I could no longer afford, the Juhi: Chawla or Singh? resurface from the ‘pundubbi’ pertinent to dissociate its image as a reflection of a particu- price was the same as it had that of today and the last few price was increased by Rs 25, This is not about a humble we find ourselves afloat on for lar leader — so that it becomes a unit in itself that could be decisiveness, been a month back. ‘Yeeaaaah- months, one that has seen LPG taking it up to Rs 794. LPG cylinder; or petrol and a bit, but only if we find the worked upon, improved and made excellent. Looking at it constructive hhh’ indeed, for this has been cylinders being wiped off the Cometh the bludgeon diesel. The bigger picture is moral courage to follow a new- as an extended trickle of leadership is the process that may unheard of in recent times. I kitchens of those that need it On March 1, 2021, the more worrisome. On a week- found path, rather than wave to lead to a situation where their strength is taken for granted. verbiage and prayed that my ‘annadaatas’ the most, our ‘Ujjwalas’ who Gods continued with their lack day debate on a ‘friendly’ tele- non-existent expanses in the Overemphasising the effect of individual influence hides less-than-mute would continue to protect me have since returned to kindle- of piety, only displaying scorn vision channel (we have few of mountains of a very differently some extremely important minute details. Behind the glit- and my ilk, aiding us at the wood and ‘upalas’, shunning and mirth, inflicting another those left anyway), a spokes- manifested country. ter of, say for example, Jasprit Bumrah, lies the commend- acceptance and height of an ever-worsening whatever fossil fuels we have blow of Rs 25, pushing the LPG person for the ruling party It is time to be different, able effort that the player puts into training and fitness a fallacy of the economic and personal finan- left on this fast-being-depleted asking price to Rs 819. Merci- called the counterpart from to be brave. We can be, pro- purposes. The essence of the argument is to put more focus cial crisis. planet. fully, though, on All Fool’s Day, another party ‘Juhi Chawla’, vided we don’t talk about his- on the qualities and skills of Indian pacers in public com- chosen ideals In the evening, I put on the Numbers, you said, so April 1, 2021, we got a bumper once part of India’s winning torical figures who came from mentaries and write-ups. Such sort of communication and TV. It was ‘dabba gol’ (back to here you are (we are only talk- prize when LPG prices were beauty pageant and a promi- a rather long lineage and went emphasis would set an agenda towards streamlining the misery) again, as LPG (Liq- ing LPG prices, for now). On reduced by Rs 10. Yeeaaaah- nent Bollywood actress. Our away inside small, mutilated process of making and retaining pacers — rather than cre- uefied Petroleum Gas) cyl- December 1, 2020, prices were hhh, I thought again, and the ruling party gentleman got the aircrafts. I don’t know who is ating bubbles of sensation. The beauty of the Australian, inders had mirthlessly seen hiked by Rs 50 to Rs 644 (from diamond ring was suddenly first name right and waxed elo- right or who is wrong. What I West Indies, Pakistani pace attack has been the consistency. another price hike of Rs 25 for Rs 594 earlier) for a domestic within reach, as LPG costs fell quent about how he got the do know is that my fellowman Australians, in particular, are a thing to learn from. The the domestic category. Bluntly 14.4 kg LPG cylinder. A fort- to Rs 809. second wrong. He was embar- is suffering. And unless I help way they effectively use their bench strength and maintain speaking, I understand that night later, on December 15, But on July 1, 2021, as all of rassed beyond words, red him today, I stand to lose my the fitness of their fast bowlers is worth emulating. It is an my countrymen and I are not 2020, prices were increased us heaved a sigh of relief on the in the face – that is food for basic Indian-ness. If that hap- indisputable fact that the quality of the Indian pace attack being spared any pain any- by another Rs 50, to Rs 694. passing of the Second Wave, we thought. For the panelist grat- pens, I would have metamor- is not second to any other at this point in time. But apart more; we are being killed softly. India was given a respite for were confronted in a less-than- ing brains with him was Juhi phosed and become part of the from quality, the greater issue for India has been the consis- And what decides the expira- a mite, till February 4, 2021, sanguine number – another Singh. We need to be dead- same bucolic system. tency of fast bowlers. We do have the memories of individ- tion of our temporary reprieve when another quarter of a cen- Rs 25.50 extra – taking the red in our words and causes, I would rather retire, and ual pacers coming in with a good pace and skills that would is the direction of blowing tury of rupees was added to the diamond ring away from my indeed, if we claim to be lead- this time for good. only dip down in the coming years, the reason being fitness winds, or the polite fanning LPG price, taking the total to domestic peace and the asking ers of any stature. The beauty The writer is a communica- issues. The graph should only grow upwards from here. of the ongoing political breeze. Rs 719. Two weeks later, after price to Rs 834.50. The battle of this particular situation was tions consultant and a The minutes of the pacers’ strengths should be observed You want numbers to jus- a rapidly-ageing me raised my went on. And it hit home in that despite the miserable mis- clinical analyst. narayanra- and backed with delicate training and fitness activities. The tify this, don’t you? So here hopes to fulfill my still better the week gone by, when prices take, the flagellating opposition [email protected]. Views Indian cricket team has before itself a golden opportunity goes. Let me put on the math- half’s Valentine’s Day wish for were increased by Rs 25, taking was forgiving and moved on expressed are personal that has to be availed with the right focus. The standard that we have achieved goes beyond the previous individual finds. The real advantage of the Indian pace attack is the bench strength. The added advantage is the blend of expe- rienced and new cricketers comprising names like Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Bhubanesh- war Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur etc. Bhubaneswar Kumar might not fit into the league of Vicious ramifications lethal pacers but his disciplined and mindful bowling is a great asset for the team. The current combination of pac- ers gives an assured space to Bhubaneshwar Kumar for Taliban’s takeover has serious security implications for India and its neighbours recovery. With his coming back into the team after com- plete recovery, we will have the required variation in our pace attack and it will become more unplayable. This com- fghanistan has been fetched assessment at least bination has come to us after a very long wait. The Indian witnessing mul- for now. No doubt, ISIS and cricket team registered its presence more assertively in the tiple happenings Al Qaeda activists have been past decade and a half but that has largely come through its that are unfolding freed by the Taliban and the outstanding batting line-up and characteristic spin attack Aat a speed that is difficult to foreign elements must be pres- — pacers shone occasionally with individual performances. keep pace with. By the time surizing Taliban leadership to Now the team has come into balance with an equally this piece goes to the press, take on Indian targets but they matching bunch of fit and fast pacers along with the skil- SHANTANU many more interesting devel- are aware of the Indian alert- ful spinners. The team is very much complete in itself given MUKHARJI opments must have happened. ness. This said, the real peril that its fielding has also become world-class. This complete- In any case, preliminary analy- lies in the role of Pakistan who ness needs to be maintained in the long run by setting up sis in the immediate aftermath will now try its best to use the the right priorities. of the Taliban occupation of Taliban to wage a proxy war in Kabul seems imperative. First India. That must be thwarted and foremost, the ‘might’ of and preempted at any cost. the superpower, the US, is Again, the intelligence agen- shockingly exposed. The way cies must be doubling up their DearEditor the US troops engaged on the efforts to foil such plans. Afghan soil for nearly two long Among other countries in REGRESSIVE DIKTAT decades, and have decided to the region in South Asia, Ban- leave the country at this point gladesh has noticed a large The latest diktat of the Taliban shows that they will in time, has been most dis- number of fundamentalist never be able to discard their barbaric fundamental appointing — belying trust and extremist groups exhib- thoughts and practices and, in wake of their religious of the allies the world over. iting extraordinary interest in fanaticism, will go to any extreme even if it is The poorly equipped Afghan the rise of the Taliban. Many inhumane. Just days after assuring that they will troops were left in a lurch to Apprehensions that Taliban might now focus on Kashmir and other targets in India are far-fetched are thought to be trying to go fend for themselves at a time to Afghanistan to firm up ties respect women’s rights in Afghanistan, in a new order Under no when they needed the US and intelligence do it almost two is now complete. With China’s icant in Afghanistan. Under in furtherance of their terror in the Herat province, the Islamic fundamentalists NATO support, both militarily centuries later, when all the open support to the Taliban no circumstances, Pakistan agenda. Here also, Indo-Ban- have banned co-education in government and private circumstances, and politically. sophisticated means were and ‘recognition’ of its exis- should gain any upper hand gladesh Joint Counter Terror universities, describing it as the ‘root of all evils in Pakistan should Such betrayal apart, the US available? The US administra- tence, it is set to reinforce its to woo India’s proven Afghan measures could help burst the society’. The first ‘fatwa’ issued by the Taliban after intelligence machinery, partic- tion may hold its intelligence ties with Iran and Russia vis a friends. Any such move needs plans before it’s too late. The its swift takeover of Afghanistan last week obviously be allowed to ularly the CIA, stands exposed arm to account for this lapse, vis Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. to be neutralized. situation, either way, is com- exposes their misogynistic perspective and their have an upper to nothing short of smither- or else, one wouldn’t have seen Pakistan was all along wary As things unfold, Paki- bustible because, in India, Ban- lack of consideration for women. The diktat is not hand to woo eens. Their capacity to draw up the chaotic scene that the US about Ashraf Ghani’s Pres- stan has started moving sev- gladesh, Indonesia, Maldives, something new and goes on to show how dangerous a proper contingency plan to left behind after the Taliban identship due to his trust in eral extra miles to warm up to Malaysia etc. one may see a new these extremists are for the whole of human society. India’s proven make an honourable exit was assumed power. The Biden India, now that he too exited the new Taliban regime. Prime wave of religious radicalization Afghan friends never in place, although the administration, and more spe- from the scene and that too Minister Imran Khan, at a very which will be a serious detri- The modern world promotes co-education at all levels, US was crying hoarse that it cifically, the Pentagon and the most cowardly, Pakistan has recent function, endorsed Tali- ment to the region. As mili- starting right from primary classes, as this system would withdraw troops before CIA have to answer that. heaved a sigh of relief. It’s also ban policies by saying it has tant groups are emboldened generates harmonious relationships, a sense of co- August 31. To put things in his- Talking about the security trying to reach out to Afghan unchained shackles from slav- by the capture of power by the operation, broad-mindedness and tolerance towards torical perspective, it may be implications in the region, friends of India to wean them ery of foreign rule. This state- Taliban, a statue of iconic Sikh the opposite gender and helps in the progress of the germane to mention Sir Alex- referring to the cakewalk by away. This was evident in the ment was unbecoming of an ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh society. Taliban’s barbaric, inhuman, puritanic and ander Burnes, the Scotsman the Taliban in re-annexing recent meeting between erst- Oxford-educated, cricketer- was vandalized by the militant fundamentalistic approach goes only to show how grim who turned into a spy cum Afghanistan, Pakistan is the while Northern Alliance lead- turned-politician. A calcu- zealots in Lahore. This signals the situation is in Afghanistan, and if not controlled diplomat and operated as early first country that started dis- ers, brothers of Ahmad Shah lated restraint is certainly that in Pakistan, supporters of how dangerous it can be to the whole of mankind. as 1839 to raise native friends tancing itself from the US, a Masood, who were sworn ene- called for as caving into the the Taliban have scant respect to espy and report to the Brit- trend it had already embarked mies of Pakistan in the ear- Taliban mindset means that for an elected government and — M PRADYU, KANNUR ish empire about the activities upon, most likely due to Chi- lier Taliban regime but have Imran Khan is, by implication, they may have a field day in via email in Afghanistan. Sadly, he was nese pressure. It is more vocal become turncoats now. This supporting religious extrem- running amok, putting tran- assassinated in 1841; he was in anti-US and brazenly pro- was visible when they were ism and a regressive social and quillity in jeopardy. millenniumpost.in able to raise several sources Taliban rhetoric. Other than its seen in Islamabad on August political rule. The writer is a retired from the traditional statecraft steadily decreasing proximity 16 in the company of Pakistan There are apprehensions in IPS officer, a security Log on to write letters to the editor or send them to of human intelligence. If he with China, Russia and Iran, Foreign Minister Shah Mah- certain quarters in India that analyst and a former [email protected]. You can also send your comments to The Editor, could do it, then why couldn’t a the US has lost a longtime ally mood Qureshi. Perhaps India the Taliban might now focus National Security Advisor to Millennium Post, Pratap Bhawan, 5 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002 gigantic and affluent CIA with in Pakistan due to a trust deficit has to recalibrate its Afghan on Kashmir and other targets the PM of Mauritius. Views its technological and electronic after the Taliban’s ascendancy policy so as to remain signif- in India. This looks a little far- expressed are personal mp millenniumpost 8 World MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 | NEW DELHI

WITH STRICT COVID-19 PROTOCOLS China both worries and hopes Pak to allow fully-vaccinated Sikh as US departs Afghanistan pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to allow fully-vacci- nated Sikh pilgrims to visit President Joe Biden has said leaving Afghanistan will prepare America Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur from next month to deal with bigger potential threats, including from China with strict COVID-19 pro- tocols, ahead of the 482nd BEIJING: In the US departure is concerned about the risk death anniversary of Sikhism from Afghanistan, China has of terrorism from a Taliban- founder Guru Nanak Dev on seen the realisation of long-held led Afghanistan. Beijing has September 22, media reports hopes for a reduction of the repeatedly told the Taliban that said on Sunday. influence of a geopolitical rival the country cannot become a On this occasion, three- in what it considers its backyard. breeding ground for militants day rituals will be held at Yet, it is also deeply con- to launch attacks in Xinjiang, the shrine from Septem- cerned that the very withdrawal much as Osama bin Laden used ber 20. Guru Nanak died could bring risk and instability it as a base to prepare his 9/11 in Kartarpur on September Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartar- Apart from this, a Rapid to that backyard Central Asia attacks on the US. 22, 1539. pur next month under strict Antigen Test (RAT) will also and possibly even spill over A more proximate threat Pilgrimage to the Kar- COVID-19 protocols. be conducted at airports and their narrow, remote border may be the spillover of militancy tarpur Sahib gurdwara was Due to the Delta variant, in case of a positive result, the into China itself and the heav- into Pakistan and Central Asia, suspended in March 2020 India was in category C in Pak- individual will not be allowed ily Muslim northwestern region where China has invested heav- because of the COVID-19 istan from May 22 till August to enter Pakistan. of Xinjiang. ily and sought to build alliances. outbreak. 12, and a special approval was Besides, as per Non- The Taliban's takeover The Afghan Taliban have The decision to open the required for people coming Pharmaceutical Interven- could certainly present politi- promised that they will break Kartarpur shrine was taken by from the country, including tions (NPIs), a maximum of cal and economic opportunities from international terrorist the National Command and Sikh pilgrims. 300 people will be permitted for China, including develop- Taliban fighters search a vehicle at a checkpoint on the road in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood in the forces, but we still haven't seen Operation Centre (NCOC) on However, fully-vaccinated to assemble at a time at the ing Afghanistan's vast mineral city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday PTI how they will do this because Saturday due to the approach- persons with certificates will darbar. riches, and Beijing has said they are not officially in power, ing death anniversary of Sikh- be allowed to enter Pakistan According to an official it is ready to help rebuild the can withdrawal has been more painting this as evidence of why Services Institute in London. said said Li Wei, an interna- ism founder Baba Guru Nanak provided they show Real-Time of the Ministry of National impoverished nation. But sta- instability, not less. Beijing will be a better steward But in reality, I am not clear that tional security expert retired Dev on September 22. Polymerase Chain Reaction Health Services (NHS), Pak- bility will be required to reap I think Beijing will play up for the Eurasian heartland, said I see that many huge upsides for from the China Institute of Dawn newspaper reported (RT-PCR) test reports which istan had introduced three most of those benefits, and the the narrative of American feck- Raffaello Pantucci, an expert on Beijing at the moment. Contemporary International that the NCOC meeting unan- should not be more than 72 categories to deal with the immediate result of the Ameri- lessness and decline of Empire, the region at the Royal United Like many nations, China Relations. AGENCIES imously decided to allow hours old. Coronavirus spread. AGENCIES We don't want Afghan militants in Russia: Putin

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Sunday rejected the idea of sending people evacuation from Afghanistan to countries near Russia, saying he did not want "militants showing up here under cover of refugees", Russian news agencies reported. Putin criticised an idea of some Western countries to relocate refugees from Afghanistan to neighbouring Cen- tral Asian countries while their visas to the United States and Europe are being processed. "Does that mean that they can be sent without visas to those countries, to our neighbours, while they themselves (the West) don't want to take them without visas?" TASS news agency quoted Putin as telling leaders of the ruling United Russia party. "Why is there such a humiliating approach to solving the problem?" he said. The United States held secret talks with a number of countries in a desperate attempt to secure deals to tempo- rarily house at-risk Afghans who worked for the U.S. gov- ernment, Reuters reported last week. Putin said Russia, which allows visa-free travel for resi- dents of ex-Soviet Central Asian countries, opposes that. “We don’t want militants showing up here under cover of refugees,” TASS cited Putin as saying. While some Western nations scrambled to evacuate people from Afghanistan, Moscow praised the Taliban for restoring order following its takeover of the country. Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Taliban lead- ers had stuck to their promises so far. “We are seeing the statements the Talibs made about ceasing combat actions, an amnesty for all of those involved in the confrontation, about a need for a nationwide dia- logue ... they are being implemented,” he was cited by RIA as saying. Lavrov said the Taliban had started contacts with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai. AGENCIES Israel launches Covid antibody tests for children as young as 3

NETANYA (Israel): Israel on Sunday launched antibody test- ing for children aged as young as three, seeking information on the number of unvaccinated youths who have developed protection against Coronavirus ahead of the new school year. Despite surging daily infections caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant, Israel's government insists it wants to avoid the hardships and developmental setbacks caused by school closures. Israel has already begun vaccinating children aged 12 and above. The national serological survey is focused on pupils between the ages of three and 12 who are not yet eligible for the jab, nearly 1.5 million children. It is aimed at discovering how many children developed strong antibody protection against Coronavirus after hav- ing an unrecorded or latent case, according to the educa- tion ministry. Those children with sufficient antibodies will not be forced to quarantine when exposed to a Covid patient, a move aimed at limiting school-year disruptions. In a statement Sunday from the Jerusalem municipality announcing Israel’s “largest serological operation,” Mayor Moshe Leon urged parents to bring their children for the free 15-minute test done by finger pin-prick. The survey is being conducted jointly by the health and education ministries and by the army’s Home Front com- mand, which told AFP Sunday that its antibody testing operation had begun. A pilot programme conducted last week focused in mainly ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities found that roughly a fifth of children had developed antibodies, army radio reported Sunday. Education ministry director general Yigal Slovik said in a statement last month that last year’s school closures caused “emotional and social damage” to students. “The lockdowns and remote learning caused a 44 per- cent increase in referrals for suicidal risk diagnosis,” among other impacts, he said. Israel was one of the first countries to launch a vaccination drive in mid-December via an agree- ment with Pfizer to obtain millions of paid vaccine doses in exchange for sharing data on their effectiveness. The inoculation campaign was hailed as a success story that helped drastically reduce infections, but Israel is again registering thousands of daily cases. As it launches the serological survey, Israel is also push- ing forward with vaccinations, offering a third, or booster, shot to everyone over 40 while urging the unvaccinated to get the jab. AGENCIES millenniumpost mp NEW DELHI | MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 Business 9 ‘No GST on canteen charges Indian startups raise $6.5 bn recovered from employees’ funding from April-June 2021 OUR CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: GST will not be levied on the amount paid by employees for availing can- Nasscom-PGA Labs report says 11 startups entered coveted unicorn club teen facilities provided by their employers, the AAR has ruled. Tata Motors had OUR CORRESPONDENT accounting for 9 per cent of approached the Gujarat bench Highlights the total funding raised. of Authority for Advance Rul- NEW DELHI: Indian start- »»During the second quarter, The June 2021 quarter also ing (AAR) seeking a ruling on ups received about $6.5 billion 160 funding deals were saw the rise of 11 unicorns whether Goods and Services in funding in the April-June closed — up 2 per cent (companies with $1 billion val- Tax (GST) is applicable on the 2021 quarter, while 11 of them uation) — Urban Company, nominal amount recovered by entered the coveted unicorn from the January-March Cred, Meesho, Groww, Share- it from employees for the usage club, a report by Nasscom-PGA period Chat, PharmEasy, Zeta, Brows- of canteen facility. of canteen charges are collected canteen service provider,” the Labs said. »»The biggest deal during erStack, Moglix, Gupshup and The company also sought by the company and paid to the AAR said. During the second quarter, the quarter was the $800 Chargebee. a ruling on whether input tax canteen service provider. AMRG & Associates 160 funding deals were closed This has taken the total credit (ITC) is available on GST Also, Tata Motors submit- Senior Partner Rajat Mohan — up 2 per cent from the Jan- million fund raise by food number of unicorns in the charged by the service provider ted that it does not retain with said currently corporates pro- uary-March period. delivery platform Swiggy, country to 53 as of June 2021. on the canteen facility provided itself any profit margin in this viding subsidised food facili- “Q2 2021 has been impec- followed by ShareChat About 27 per cent of the to employees working in the activity of collecting employ- ties are charging 5 per cent tax cable for the start-up growth ($502 million), Byju’’s unicorns added in the second factory. ees’ portion of canteen charges. on food recoveries made from story. From being the most ($340 million), PharmEasy quarter of 2021 were fintech In its ruling, the AAR In its ruling the AAR said employees. funded quarter, it has also ($323 million) and startups, while 18 per cent each observed that Tata Motors that the ITC on GST paid on “Authority has ruled that added the most number of belong to SaaS (software as a has arranged a canteen for its canteen facility is blocked where canteen charges are unicorns. Standing tall dur- Meesho ($300 million), service) and social commerce, employees, which is run by credit under the GST Act and borne by the employer and ing the pandemic second wave About 27 per cent of the unicorns added the report said the report said. a third party canteen service inadmissible to applicant. only a nominal part is charged headwinds, Indian start-up in the second quarter of 2021 were »»Fintech was the most Interestingly, Tiger Global provider. As per their arrange- “GST, at the hands of the from employees, no GST would ecosystem has shown a strong fintech startups, while 18 per cent each funded sector, accounting invested in 64 per cent of the ment, part of the canteen applicant, is not leviable on be payable on such recoveries. resilience in this quarter,” the for 27 per cent of the unicorns during the second charges is borne by Tata Motors the amount representing the This ruling has enough persua- report said. belong to SaaS (software as a service) quarter of 2021. whereas the remaining part is employees portion of canteen sive value for all the corporate Funding raised in June total deal value in the The report noted that B2B borne by its employees. charges, which is collected by taxpayers to take a tax-efficient quarter was at $6.5 billion, up by and social commerce, the report said reported quarter startups raised over $1.9 billion The said employees’ portion the applicant and paid to the tax position,” Mohan added. 71 per cent quarter-on-quarter. across 85 deals, with an average The biggest deal during Company $188 million in never before,” PGA Labs Direc- 27 per cent of the total deal deal size of $22 million. the quarter was the $800 mil- the June 2021 quarter, as per tor, Competitive Intelligence value in the reported quarter. The top three B2B funded ‘Kharif Three insurance-related lion fund raise by food deliv- the report. Abhishek Maiti said. This was followed by food- startups were Zeta, Razorpay ery platform Swiggy, followed “The Indian startup eco- He added that the deal flow tech (13 per cent), enterprise and Axtria. sowing area by ShareChat ($502 mil- system that generated 53 uni- looks promising for the latter tech (11 per cent), edtech (10 B2C startups raised over companies to raise lion), Byju’’s ($340 million), corns till June 2021 has made half too as India opens after per cent), and media and enter- $4.2 billion across 75 deals, PharmEasy ($323 million) great strides in the April-June series of lockdowns and sectors tainment (8 per cent). with an average deal size of 1.55% lower `10,000 cr through IPOs and Meesho ($300 million), quarter. From recording most such as fintech, foodtech and Growth stage funding $56 million. the report said. funding deals to adding the healthtech continue to ben- accounted for 61 per cent of Top three B2C funded start- than last Pine Labs raised $285 most number of unicorns in a efit from pandemic-induced the total deal value, the report ups sere Swiggy, ShareChat and MUMBAI: Adding more fire to administrator, is lining up a Rs million, Delhivery $277 mil- quarter, investors’’ confidence adoption. added. Byju’’s, the report added. year so far’ the already-frenzied IPO mar- 840-1,000 crore issue, accord- lion, Zeta $250 million, Cred in good-quality digital busi- Fintech was the most About 100 startups received DeepTech startups raised ket, three insurance sector com- ing to their draft red herring $215 million and Urban nesses has strengthened like funded sector, accounting for funding in the early stage, $450 million across 29 deals. panies are entering the primary prospectus (DRHP) filed with NEW DELHI: Area sown to market with initial public offer- the market watchdog. Powergrid Executive summer crops like paddy was ings in coming months to mop While PB Fintech has filed Sitharaman to launch National lagging behind by 1.55 per cent up over Rs 10,000 crore. the DRHP on August 4 (a day at 1,043.87 lakh hectare so far in These companies are PB Fin- when four companies launched Director thirdIndian to the ongoing kharif season of the tech, which runs the insurance their IPOs), and Star Health did crop year 2021-22 (July-June), brokerage Policybazaar; stand- so on July 28 and Medi Assist Monetisation Pipeline today according to data released by the alone health insurer Star Health on May 11. receive CIGRE Tech award agriculture ministry on Sunday. & Allied Insurance Company; Star Health, backed by bil- NEW DELHI: Union finance monetisation as a means to Sowing operation is still and third-party administrator lionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala minister Nirmala Sitharaman raise innovative and alternative GURUGRAM: The Interna- underway and planting of sum- Medi Assist Healthcare Service. and Westbridge Capital, is the on Monday will launch the financing for infrastructure. tional Council on Large Elec- mer (kharif) crops can be con- They have already filed their largest standalone private health National Monetisation pipe- In her Budget speech, tric Systems (CIGRE) France tinued till the end of August, draft prospectus with markets insurer with a market share of line (NMP), which will list out Sitharaman had said that has presented the Technical it said. regulator Sebi. Already over 15.8 per cent in the health insur- the government’s infrastruc- monetising operating pub- Council Award for year 2021 to Farmers had planted sum- 40 companies have hit the IPO ance market in the financial ture assets to be sold over the lic infrastructure assets was Anish Anand, Executive Direc- mer (kharif) crops in 1,060.37 market so far this year, raising year 2021. next four-years, according to a very important financing tor, Power Grid Corporation of lakh hectare in the year-ago close to Rs 70,000 crore. Its public offering will con- the finance ministry. option for new infrastructure India Limited (POWERGRID), period. Sowing of kharif crops August alone saw four list- sist of a fresh issue of shares “The NMP comprises a government is finalising ₹6 construction. during CIGRE’s Centennial Ses- begins with the onset of south- ings, and the fifth one (Nuvoco aggregating Rs 2,000 crore and four-year pipeline of the cen- lakh crore worth infrastructure “A National Monetisation sion held on August 20, 2021. west monsoon from June. Mon- Vistas Corp, which raised Rs an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 60.1 tral government’s brownfield assets, including national high- Pipeline of potential brown- This prestigious award has soon rainfall was lower eight per 5,000 crore) is slated for Mon- million shares by shareholders. infrastructure assets. Besides ways and power grid pipelines, field infrastructure assets will been bestowed on two Indians cent between June 1 and August day and as many as 24 more Safecrop Investments India providing visibility to inves- which would be monetised. be launched. An asset moneti- prior to this, since its incep- 20, the ministry said. have filed their IPO papers so is looking to offload 30.68 mil- tors, NMP will also serve as a “A national monetisation sation dashboard will also be tion in 1993. CIGRE is a global However, water storage far this month, seeking to mop lion shares, followed by Apis medium-term roadmap for the plan of about ₹6 trillion is in created for tracking the prog- nonprofit organisation com- more than 35 years of experi- available in 130 reservoirs in up over Rs 4,000 crore. Growth, which is looking to asset monetisation initiative of the offing which will have a ress and to provide visibility to prising community of power ence and has assumed various the country was 96 per cent of Investment bankers are sell 7.68 million shares. Other the government,” the finance range of assets from pipelines investors,” she had said. system professionals having 60 responsibilities & positions in live storage in the correspond- expecting more than 100 issues investors such as the Univer- ministry said in a statement to power grid pipelines to The government views National Committees spanning POWERGRID over the years. ing period of last year, and 99 this year, making it the best-ever sity of Notre Dame, Mio Star, on Sunday. The Department national highways, ToT (toll- asset monetisation as a strat- 90+ countries with more than He is also Chairman of CIGRE- per cent storage of average in the for the IPOs. Roc Capital, Sai Satish, Venka- of Investment and Public Asset operate-transfer) and so on,” egy for the augmentation and 15,000 members & 1,250 mem- India National Committee B-2 last 10 years, as per the Central PB Fintech, the parent com- tasamy Jagannathan, Konark Management (DIPAM) secre- Pandey had said. maintenance of infrastruc- ber organisations. on Overhead lines and member Water Commission, it added. pany of online insurance dis- Trust, Bejris Minoo Desai, and tary Tuhin Kanta Pandey had The Union Budget 2021-22, ture, and not just a funding Anish Anand is a prominent of CIGRE Study Committee B2 According to the minis- tributor Policybazaar, is looking MMPL Trust are also selling earlier this month said that the laid a lot of emphasis on asset mechanism. PTI transmission line expert having & its SAG, CAG & TAG. MPOST try, “sowing is still going on” to raise Rs 6,017 crore, which shares through the OFS. in states growing kharif crops will make it the second-biggest PB Fintech addresses the with “occurrence of monsoon issue so far this year after the Rs large and highly underpen- rains in many states”. 9,375-crore Zomato issue last etrated online insurance and GAIL scouts for acquisition to foray into hydrogen A majority of states have month. PB Fintech is backed lending markets in the country informed the central govern- by Tiger Global and Tencent through its Policybazaar and NEW DELHI: India’s top gas Manoj Jain said. 6,000-kilometres of pipeline, “In addition, the company is ambitious plans for generating ment that the sowing of kharif Holdings. Star Health, the larg- online lending platform Paisa- company GAIL will foray into “The global energy sector including a west coast to east also foraying into ethanol and hydrogen. GAIL too joins that crops, particularly paddy, urad, est standalone private health bazaar, the largest digital insur- hydrogen generation and take is witnessing a paradigm shift coast pipeline from Mumbai hydrogen generation,” he said list now. GAIL, Jain said, has the moong and sesamum castor, can insurer, is planning to raise Rs ance marketplace with a 93.4 per the acquisition route to scale up in recent years as the world is to Jharsuduga in Odisha via without giving details. largest and most diverse LNG be continued up to the end of 3,000 crore; while Medi Assist, cent market share based on the its renewable energy portfolio as transitioning to a sustainable Nagpur, he said. It currently has Hydrogen is a clean fuel portfolio in India that can offer August, it said. PTI which is the largest third-party number of policies sold. PTI it pivots business beyond natu- energy future,” he said in the around 13,700-km of natural gas that, when consumed in a fuel both stable prices and reliable ral gas to align with energy tran- company’s latest annual report. pipeline network. cell, produces only water. Many supply to consumers. GOVERNMENT OF Notice Inviting Tender No:WEBEL/EOT/COM/21-22/00030 North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad Tender Dated 19.08.2021 for“Procurement of Desktop & Printers for IT Parks sition being witnessed across To accomplish a cleaner pri- GAIL “will be selectively countries are venturing into The company “shall be Additional Executive Officer, North WBEIDC Ltd. the globe. mary energy mix for India, the investing in the renewable hydrogen production from a pushing for higher gas usage 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad invites (A Government of West Bengal Undertaking) Under Webel.”Due date of Submission: 27.08.2021(12:00 Hrs.). As part of a push to embrace government is emphasizing the energy domain given the future variety of domestic resources, in the industrial segment, trans- e-tender vide NIT NO. NPG/ N05 Webel Bhavan, Block-EP&GP, Sector-V, Interested parties may go through website www.wbtenders.gov.in for details cleaner forms of energy, GAIL expansion of the natural gas sec- growth potential,” he said. The such as natural gas, nuclear port segment using CNG and / 21 - 22 (Eng) dt: 19/08/2021 Bidhannagar, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 091. or contact 033- 23392270/033- 23392387. for 01 no. work within North 24 Notice Inviting Tender No: will be laying pipeline infra- tor so as to achieve a gas-based company “has been scouting for power, biomass, and renew- LNG, Trigeneration, cold stor- Parganas Zilla Parishad. Tender WEBEL/EOT/COM/21-22/00030 structure to connect consump- economy along with growth in opportunities to scale up the RE able power like solar and wind. age, etc,” he said, adding the Dated 19.08.2021 can only be submitted online through for“Procurement of Desktop & Printers for IT tion centres to gas sources while renewables. GAIL as a leading portfolio from the current 130 In India, companies rang- firm was looking for avenues to website https://wbtenders.gov.in. Parks Under Webel.”Due date of Submission: also augmenting its renewable integrated energy major has MW through bidding and other ing from Reliance Industries supply gas in the new segments Sd/- Additional Executive Officer, 27.08.2021(12:00 Hrs.). energy portfolio, GAIL Chair- aligned with this vision, he said. inorganic routes such as merg- to Indian Oil Corporation like LNG trucking (LNG for North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad. Interested parties may go through website: 1530(3)/DICO/N24Pgs, man and Managing Director The firm is laying around ers and acquisitions.” and NTPC have announced long-haul transportation). PTI www.wbtenders.gov.in dt. 19.08.2021 For details or contact : 033 - 2339 2270 / 2339 2387. Global trends to direct market ICA- 4 x 4cm T10375(2)/2021 19.08.2021(A) movement this week: Analysts ICA- T10372(3)/2021 During last week 30-share Sensex declined 107.97 points

NEW DELHI: Equity mar- ket sentiment this week will be guided by global trends in the absence of any major domes- tic triggers, while bourses may also see some volatility amid expiry of derivatives contracts, analysts said. ICA- T10369(3)/2021 Fears of sooner-than- expected tapering in mone- tary stimulus by the US Federal Reserve, rising cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus cou- pled with China’s regulatory crackdown triggered selling in global markets in the previous week. “In the absence of key domestic economic data points, the volatility high,” said Vinod 107.97 points or 0.19 per cent. the market is expected to con- Nair, Head of Research at Geojit With the earnings season tinue its focus on global events Financial Services. over, markets would track move- in order to gain momentum. During the last holiday- ment in rupee, Brent crude and Global rise in COVID cases is shortened week, the 30-share foreign fund inflows to derive also a cause for worry, keeping BSE benchmark Sensex declined further cues, analysts added. PTI ICA- T10378(3)/2021 ICA- T10379(4)/2021 mp millenniumpost 10 Business MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 | NEW DELHI FROM 1,095 TO 306 DAYS India’s exposure to US Government data shows quicker securities up over $20 bn

NEW DELHI: India’s holding dar year so far, and has in fact of US government securities Latest data from appreciated 4.1 per cent (Dollar disposal of commercial disputes surged by more than $20 bil- the US Treasury Index) and 1.8 per cent against lion in just three months ended the INR,” he said, adding that June to $220.2 billion amid ris- Department showed apart from RBI, it is learnt that ing foreign exchange reserves. that India, with Indian commercial banks have Fixing of time standards for key court events & streamlining of trial process Compared to June last year, also started deploying some of when most of the economic holding worth their surplus funds in overseas have led to speeding up case disposal, Department of Justice claimed activities were ravaged by the $220.2 billion at sovereign papers. coronavirus pandemic, the In terms of US Treasury exposure of India to the US the end of June this securities’ holding, Japan is at OUR CORRESPONDENT issued advisory to all the dedi- Treasury securities jumped by year, is the 11th the top followed by China with Highlights cated commercial courts under nearly $40 billion. an exposure of $1.061 trillion at NEW DELHI: The number of their jurisdictions to strictly Latest data from the US largest holder the end of June. days it takes in trial and judg- »»The Code of Civil adhere to the timelines and Treasury Department showed At the third spot was the ment of commercial disputes Procedure of 1908 three-adjournment rule. that India, with holding worth steadily thereafter, have been United Kingdom with holding has come down significantly provides time standards The rule of maximum $220.2 billion at the end of on a decline since May’21, while worth $452.9 billion, followed in Delhi and Mumbai, accord- for case management three adjournments is being June this year, is the 11th larg- RBI has been gradually rais- by Ireland ($322.9 billion), Lux- ing to the latest data of the Law »»According to it, the filing actively enforced in more than est holder of these securities ing its exposure since April’21,” embourg ($301.8 billion), Swit- Ministry. 50 per cent of cases of dedi- while Japan has the most expo- he said. zerland ($270.1 billion), Brazil According to the World of written statement cated commercial courts of sure at little over $1.277 trillion. Forex reserves of India stood ($249 billion), Cayman Islands Bank’s ‘doing business’ report should be done within Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and India has been steadily hik- at $619.365 billion in the week ($244.8 billion), Taiwan ($239.4 for India, it used to take 1,095 30 days of the notice Bengaluru. ing its exposure to the treasury ended August 13 after touching billion) and Belgium ($228.5 days in trial and judgment of served on defendant This has reduced the time securities since March when it a record high of $621.464 billion billion), as per the data. commercial disputes in 2020. and the judgment should taken for trial, arguments and was at $200 billion. In April, in the previous reporting week. Nimish Shah Chief Invest- But following a push be delivered within final judgment, the department the holding rose to $208.7 bil- Kulkarni noted that domes- ment Officer Listed Invest- for reforms, the number of noted. lion and then to $215.8 billion tic liquidity in the Indian money ments at wealth advisory firm days has come down to 424 30 days from hearing Besides, e-committee of the at the end of May. markets has been ruling high, Waterfield Advisors said RBI in Delhi and 306 in Mum- conclusion date Supreme Court has ensured In February, the country’s and RBI has been trying to nor- and banks have started to bai, according to the data put The rule of maximum three adjournments »»Time standards are compliance with the three- exposure stood at $204.4 bil- malise the liquidity situation increase exposure and invest the in public domain by the is being actively enforced in more than respected in more than adjournment rule by creating lion, a steep decline from $211.6 through variable rate reverse surplus in US treasuries on Department of Justice in the facility which is provided in billion in January. The holding repo auctions. the back of revised rules for Law Ministry. 50 per cent of cases of dedicated 50 per cent of cases in “daily proceedings screen” to was at $182.7 billion at the end “The increasing forex investing in offshore sovereign The Code of Civil Procedure commercial courts of Delhi, Mumbai, dedicated commercial alert judge about the listing of of June 2020. reserves further add to the securities. of 1908 provides time stan- courts, the Department case. Unmesh Kulkarni, Manag- domestic rupee liquidity, and “Strength of the US economy dards for case management. Kolkata and Bengaluru of Justice said Green colour indicates that ing Director Senior Advisor therefore it makes sense for RBI and currency when compared to According to it, the filing the case is listed on the same at wealth management major to drain a part of the surplus other countries make US a pre- of written statement should cent of cases in dedicated com- Order XVII Rule (1) of the the circumstances are beyond stage for less than three times. Julius Baer India, said the rise in liquidity by purchasing forex ferred destination. Banks having be done within 30 days of the mercial courts, the department CPC provides for a maximum control. Orange colour indicates India’s exposure to US treasur- assets. hit the limit for investments in notice served on defendant and said. of three adjournments during The Department of Jus- that the case is listed on the ies needs to be seen in the con- “Among forex sovereign unlisted investments, including the judgment should be deliv- Fixing of time standards for the hearing of a suit. tice had sent letters to the high same stage between three and text of the continuous build-up assets, the US dollar is gener- foreign sovereign bonds, were ered within 30 days from hear- key court events and stream- Order XVII, Rule 2(b) of courts of Delhi, Bombay, Cal- six times. of the country’s forex reserves. ally the more preferred currency pushing for increasing the lim- ing conclusion date. lining of trial process have led the CPC states that no adjourn- cutta and to adhere Red colour shows the case “US Treasury yields, after of the RBI; contrary to market its. This increase in limits could Time standards are to speeding up case disposal, ment will be granted at the to the three-adjournment rule. is listed on the same stage for bottoming out around the expectations, the US dollar has also help stabilise forward rates,” respected in more than 50 per it claimed. request of a party, except where The four high courts have more than six times. middle of last year and rising been stable in the current calen- Shah said. PTI 7 of top-10 483 infrastructure projects show IBA moves RBI seeking licence for `6,000 cr cos add cost overruns of `4.43 lakh crore NARCL; approval likely in next few weeks `1.31 lakh cr NEW DELHI: As many as 483 ects, 92 have overall delay in NEW DELHI: The Indian IBA, entrusted with the task take over the existing stressed in m-cap infrastructure projects, each the range of 1-12 months, 118 Banks’ Association (IBA) has of setting up a bad bank, has put debt,” she had said in the Bud- worth Rs 150 crore or more, have been delayed for 13-24 moved an application to the a preliminary board for NARCL get Speech. It will manage and have been hit by cost overruns months, 178 for 25-60 months Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in place. The company has hired dispose the assets to alterna- NEW DELHI: Seven of the 10 totalling more than Rs 4.43 lakh and 116 projects have delays of seeking licence to set up a Rs P M Nair, a stressed assets expert tive investment funds and other most valued domestic com- crore, according to a report. 61 months and above. 6,000-crore National Asset from State Bank of India (SBI), potential investors for eventual panies together added Rs The Ministry of Statistics The average time overrun Reconstruction Company Ltd as the managing director. value realisation, she had said. 1,31,173.41 crore in market and Programme Implementa- in these 504 delayed projects is (NARCL) or bad bank, accord- The other directors on the Last year, IBA made a pro- valuation last week, with HUL tion monitors infrastructure 46.85 months. ing to sources. board are IBA Chief Execu- posal for the creation of a bad and TCS emerging as the big- projects worth Rs 150 crore and According to the report, the Reasons for time overruns NARCL was incorporated higher amount of cash required tive Sunil Mehta, SBI Deputy bank for swift resolution of non- gest gainers. above. expenditure incurred on these as reported by various project last month in Mumbai following to buy bad loans. Managing Director S S Nair and performing assets. The govern- Reliance Industries, Info- Of the 1,781 such projects, projects till July 2021 was Rs implementing agencies include the registration with Registrar RBI has its process and pro- Canara Bank’s Chief General ment accepted the proposal and sys, HDFC, Bajaj Finance 483 reported cost overruns and 13,22,515.87 crore, or 48.53 per delay in land acquisition, delay of Companies (RoC). cedure for granting licence for Manager Ajit Krishnan Nair. decided to go for an asset recon- and Wipro also saw a rise in 504 were delayed. cent of their anticipated cost. in obtaining forest and envi- According to sources, the such business, sources said, add- Finance Minister Nirmala struction company and asset their market valuations, while “Total original cost of However, the report said ronment clearances, and lack company after mobilising an ing, it could take next few weeks Sitharaman in Budget 2021-22, management company model HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and implementation of the 1781 the number of delayed proj- of infrastructure support and initial capital of Rs 100 crore and to obtain licence from the regu- announced that the high level in this regard. SBI suffered losses. The mar- projects was Rs 22,82,160.40 ects decreases to 369 if delay is linkages. fulfilling other legal formalities lator. RBI’s approval could come of provisioning by public sector Meanwhile, state-owned ket capitalisation (m-cap) of crore and their anticipated calculated on the basis of the Delay in tie-up for project has approached the RBI seek- either in September or October, banks of their stressed assets Canara Bank has expressed its Hindustan Unilever Limited completion cost is likely to be latest schedule of completion. financing, delay in finalisation ing licence to undertake asset sources added. calls for measures to clean up intent to be the lead sponsor of (HUL) zoomed Rs 50,234.21 Rs 27,25,408.00 crore, which Further, for 1,001 projects of detailed engineering, change reconstruction business. Legal consultant AZB & bank books. NARCL with a 12 per cent stake. crore to Rs 6,15,016.63 crore. reflects overall cost overruns neither the year of commission- in scope, delay in tendering, The RBI in 2017, raised the Partners has been engaged to “An Asset Reconstruction The proposed NARCL The valuation of Tata of Rs 4,43,247.60 crore (19.42% ing nor the tentative gestation ordering and equipment supply, capital requirement to Rs 100 seek various regulatory approv- Company Limited and Asset would be 51 per cent owned Consultancy Services (TCS) of original cost),” the ministry’s period has been reported. and law and order problems are crore from the earlier level of als and fulfilling other legal Management Company would by PSBs and the remaining by jumped Rs 35,344.44 crore latest report for July 2021 said. Out of the 504 delayed proj- among the other reasons. PTI Rs 2 crore, keeping in mind the formalities. be set up to consolidate and private-sector lenders. PTI to reach Rs 13,15,919.03 crore. Bajaj Finance added Rs 30,442.29 crore to its valua- ` tion to stand at Rs 4,01,782.58 NABARD’s loans rise 25.2% to 6L cr in FY21 ‘Customs commissionerates not crore, while Infosys gained Rs 8,335.27 crore to reach Rs NEW DELHI: The total loans in 2020-21, the highest across rural sector is likely to remain 7,34,755.12 crore. and advances extended by NAB- all sectors. buoyant,” it said. to issue reports interpreting law’ The valuation of HDFC ARD during 2020-21 registered “This gives us confidence to The report further said the went up by Rs 3,512.87 crore a growth of 25.2 per cent year- meet the target of Rs 16.5 lakh quantum of short-term sur- NEW DELHI: The CBIC has interpretation. Board, the CBIC said. to Rs 4,91,729.99 crore and that on-year to reach Rs 6 lakh crore, crore rural credit flow set by plus deployed by NABARD in asked customs commissioner- Currently, circulars/reports/ “.... in order to establish a of Wipro climbed Rs 2,385.11 with half of it going into produc- the Union Budget 2022, as the various financial instruments ates not to issue any circular or alerts are issued by the director- standard practice on all matters crore to Rs 3,39,632.11 crore. tion and investment, the bank monsoon during current year including deposits with banks reports which are in the nature ates/ commissionerates/audit to of classification of goods, with Reliance Industries added said in its annual report. is also expected to be normal,” stood at Rs 47,740 crore as on of interpretation or clarification all the Customs zones in order respect to levy of duty thereon Rs 919.22 crore, taking its valu- The report said NABARD Chintala said. March 31, 2021, accounting for on matters covered under the to promote information sharing and for the implementation ation to Rs 13,60,571.28 crore. earned Rs 34,671.2 crore income ground level. Highlighting deployment of 7.3 per cent of the balance sheet. Customs Act, a move aimed at on the modus operandi, find- of any other provision of the In contrast, SBI’s valuation during 2020-21, or a 6.1 per cent “We achieved a record year- funds and year-on-year growth Out of this, it said 94 per avoiding any possible contra- ings or observations detected Customs Act, 1962 or of any dropped Rs 21,776.05 crore to increase over the preceding year. on-year growth of 24 per cent as on March 2021, the annual cent was deployed in govern- diction and ensuring ease of during the investigation, audit other law for the time being in Rs 3,63,187.07 crore. Its profit before tax in 2020-21 in our total assets and similar report said the total loans ment securities and other finan- doing business. or risk analysis. force... it is hereby directed that The valuation of ICICI was Rs 6,081.4 crore, against impressive growth in loan port- and advances from NABARD cial instruments and Rs 2,945 In an instruction to all Prin- This has helped in uniform - Directorates/Commissioner- Bank eroded by Rs 16,854.73 Rs 5,234.3 crore in the year-ago folio,” NABARD Chairman G reached Rs 6 lakh crore com- crore was kept in the form of cipal Chief Commissioners of application of the findings ates/Audit shall not issue any crore to Rs 4,71,497.28 crore period. The profit after tax was R Chintala said in the annual pared to Rs 4.8 lakh crore as on short-term bank deposits to Customs, the Central Board resulting in the safeguarding Circulars/ Reports/Alerts etc. and that of HDFC Bank dipped Rs 4,320 crore compared with report. March 31, 2020. The growth was meet liquidity and contingency of Indirect Taxes and Customs of revenue and better enforce- which are in the nature of inter- Rs 5,947.03 crore to reach Rs Rs 3,859.2 crore in 2019-20. He noted that because of the 25.2 per cent despite the pan- requirements, as on March 31, (CBIC) said in order to establish ment of compliances. pretation/ clarification/prescrip- 8,37,756.50 crore. The National Bank for Agri- government’s Aatmanirbhar demic compared with 11.5 per 2021. a standard practice on all mat- However, it has been tion for the sake of uniformity, RIL maintained its posi- culture and Rural Development Bharat package and hardwork- cent in 2019-20. NABARD said that during ters of classification of goods, observed that on multiple on matters covered under sec- tion as the most valued Indian (NABARD) also said its bal- ing farmers, the agricultural “Encouragingly, half of this 2020-21, it formed about 6.8 with respect to levy of duty and occasions, communications are tion 151A of the Customs Act, company, followed by Tata ance sheet size reached Rs 6.57 sector recorded a growth of 3.6 total went into production and lakh self-help groups (SHGs), for the implementation of any issued which are either contrary 1962...,” the CBIC said. Consultancy Services, HDFC lakh crore as on March 31, 2021, per cent last year and is likely investments and a third into ensured bank credit for nearly other provision of the Customs to an existing circular issued Clarifications on all such Bank, Infosys, Hindustan Uni- most of which is on account of to repeat the performance in infrastructure development. 4 lakh, and released Rs 170.2 Act, 1962, directorates/com- by the Board or delve on mat- matters would be issued by lever Limited, HDFC, ICICI non-idle (earning) assets that, the current financial year also. With the package unfolding crore against a sanction of Rs missionerates/audit will not ters covered by Section 151A the CBIC under Section 151A Bank, Bajaj Finance, SBI in turn, helped create private Agricultural credit out- over the coming years, the retail 418.20 crore for promoting over issue any circular which are in of the Customs Act without the of the Customs Act, 1962, and Wipro. PTI and public investments at the standing grew at 12.3 per cent credit offtake in agriculture and 8.7 lakh SHGs. PTI the nature of clarification or approval of, or a reference to the it added. PTI FPIs pump in `7,245 cr in Aug so far $17.2 bn infused in Indian startup ecosystem by

NEW DELHI: Foreign port- investors between August 2-20. macroeconomic environment folio investors (FPI) have This took the total net invest- and positive outlook, FPIs are pumped in a net Rs 7,245 ment to Rs 7,245 crore. focusing their attention on venture capital firms during Jan-July: Report crore into the Indian capital Regarding other emerging Indian equities. markets in August so far amid markets, Shrikant Chouhan, However, he added that positive sentiments due to an executive vice president, equity short-term risks continue to This is much higher than $11.1 billion and $13 billion investments made by VCs in 2020 & 2019 improving macroeconomic technical research at Kotak persist. environment. Securities, noted that flows in Additionally, lower chances NEW DELHI: Venture capital series F investments in compa- expected to continue in the lat- series A and B funding wit- “There are tailwinds sup- The gradual increase in the South Korea, Taiwan and Thai- of further rate cuts on the back firms infused a total of $17.2 bil- nies less than 10 years old, and ter half of the year with move- nessed a marginal increase with porting exits as the ecosystem amount of net inflows indi- land continue to be negative of global inflation continue to lion investment into the Indian late stage tech investments. ment forecast in the AI/ML, $6.8 million investment, across has started actioning IPOs and cates that investors are slowly to the tune of $5,269 million, add to their worries. startup ecosystem during Jan- Some of the big VC deals Edtech and food tech space,” 110 deals till now. offshore listing for Indian start- dropping their cautious stance $855 million and $341 million, “With the latest Fed min- uary-July 2021, according to included those in Udaan, IVCA said. Additionally, the growth ups is under discussion, with and gaining higher conviction respectively. utes indicating the possibility of data released by the Indian Pri- Lenskart, Zomato, Swiggy, The report said the average stage deals almost doubled this the also on the Indian markets, said On the other hand, Indo- tapering by year-end, markets vate Equity and Venture Capital PharmEasy, Meesho, Pine Labs, VC deal cheque size expanded year — $7.5 million in 2021 in sync with this principally,” Himanshu Srivastava, associ- nesia reported FPI inflows of have turned a bit volatile. With Association (IVCA) and Ven- Zeta, Cred, RazorPay, Health- in 2021 across stages when com- whereas it was close to $4.9 mil- IVCA President Rajat Tandon ate director - manager research, $156 million. the Dollar index at around ture Intelligence (VI). ifyMe, Byju’s, Unacademy, Eru- pared to 2019-20. lion in 2020, the report said. said. Morningstar India. As per Srivastava, the 93.57, FPIs are likely to be on a This is much higher than ditus, Vedantu, Dunzo, Bira 91, The amount put in seed The average amount The Indian consumption As per depositories data, Indian equity markets offer an wait & watch mode, going for- the $11.1 billion and $13 bil- Boat, Mamaearth, MyGlamm, funding was approximately infused in the late-stage tech story is really playing out, users Rs 5,001 crore was invested in attractive investment propo- ward,” said V K Vijayakumar, lion investments made by VCs Uniphore Software Systems, $1.8 million compared to $1.2 ecosystem till July in 2021 was have been switching to digi- equities and Rs 2,244 crore in sition from the long-term chief investment strategist at in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Yellow.ai, Entropik and others. million in 2019, the report said. $217.57 million across 38 deals, tal buying more through the the debt segment by overseas perspective. With improving Geojit Financial Services. PTI VC funding included seed to “The strong deal flow is The amount invested in it added. COVID times, he added. PTI millenniumpost mp NEW DELHI | MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 Sport 11

TOKYO PARALYMPICS Depay's 1st goal for Barcelona 5 athletes, 6 officials from Indian contingent earns 1-1 draw at Bilbao to take part in opening ceremony

TOKYO: Only six officials Tek Chand and powerlifters The draw at Bilbao came after Barcelona beat Sociedad from the Indian contingent Jaideep and Sakina Khatun. are allowed to take part in the Out of the six officials taking 4-2 last weekend in its first match since Messi left the club opening ceremony of Tokyo part in the opening ceremony, Paralympics on Tuesday, chef four have been decided, which BARCELONA: Memphis de mission Gursharan Singh include the chef de mission, Depay showed just why coach said on Sunday. deputy chef de mission Arhan Ronald Koeman urged Bar- India will thus have 11 Bagati, COVID-19 chief liaison celona for months to sign the members participating in the officer V K Dabas and Mari- Netherlands striker after scoring opening ceremony, the remain- yappan's coach and para athlet- with a blistering strike to help ing five being athletes. ics chairperson Satyanarayana. his team avoid its first defeat of There is no cap on the num- A third batch of Indian the post-Messi era with a 1-1 ber of athletes for the open- athletes is leaving on Monday draw. ing ceremony but only seven Javelin thrower Ajeet Singh Yadav practices at the JLN Stadium ahead but those part of it will have Depay's goal from a tight Indian participants have of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, in New Delhi PTI to serve a quarantine period angle came with Barcelona play- reached Tokyo so far. before being allowed to train. ing poorly against an Athletic Of those seven, two table mony while there is no cap on The same rule of having a India are being represented Bilbao team inspired by having tennis players -- Sonal Patel the number of athletes," chef de cap of six officials during the by 54 athletes -- the biggest ever some fans in the stands of San and Bhavina Patel -- have com- mission Singh, who is also the opening ceremony was fol- -- and the country is expecting Mam s for the first time since petition on Wednesday and secretary general of Paralympic lowed during the Tokyo Olym- its best medal haul this time. the start of the pandemic. will not take part in the cere- Committee of India, said. pics which ended on August 8. In view of the surg- The draw at Bilbao came mony, during which Japanese "The two table tennis play- The five athletes expected to ing COVID-19 cases in after Barcelona beat Real Socie- Emperor Naruhito will declare ers have competition the next take part in the opening cere- Tokyo, fans have been dad 4-2 last weekend in its first the Games open. day, that is Wednesday, so they mony are flag bearer Mariyap- banned from the Paralym- match since the club had to let "Only six officials are are not taking part in the open- pan Thangavelu, discus thrower pics, just like the preceding Lionel Messi walk away to sign allowed for the opening cere- ing ceremony." Vinod Kumar, javelin thrower Olympic Games. AGENCIES for Paris Saint-Germain due to its financial situation. Depay, who arrived as a even if it does help the club that crossbar in the 11th. Moments moments before Depay struck AHEAD OF AFC ASIAN CUP Medvedev free agent this summer, gained is 1.6 billion in debt. later Frenkie de Jong's timely the equalizer. possession on a rare counter- Bilbao, which only has play- slide blocked a point-blank Depay came close to scor- crashes out - attack from Barcelona after ers from the northern Basque chance by I aki Williams after ing the winner in the 86th after Indian women hope to make Sergio Busquets recovered the Country region and neighbor- goalkeeper Neto had lost pos- a similar counterattack started ball. Taking a pass from Sergi ing provinces, dominated long session inside his own box. by another ball stolen by Bus- literally - in Roberto in his stride, Depay stretches of the match. Barcelona lost Gerard Pique quets, only for his shot to roll drove a left-footed shot over Other than a poor miss by to a left-leg injury after half an past the far post. most of national camp Cincinnati goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala Martin Braithwaite, after he was hour. He was replaced by Ron- Barcelona lost defender Eric and into the top of the net in set up by Depay following his ald Ara jo, who blocked a strike Garc a in the final seconds of NEW DELHI: Grateful to the pandemic situation in the world has an experience of over 30 CINCINNATI (US): Daniil the 75th minute. dribble past two defenders, the early in the second half by lex the match after he was shown a Jharkhand government for it's not easy to set up such camps years in guiding several national Medvedev was left fuming in the "(Depay) is a great player, first hour was all about Bilbao's Berenguer after Williams drew direct red card for fouling sub- allowing them to camp in Jam- for any sporting events. We are squads with much success. second set of his 2-6 6-3 6-3 loss that is why we signed him," Koe- pressure that disrupted the visi- Neto off his line. stitute Nico Williams with only shedpur amid the COVID-19 extremely thankful that the The UEFA Pro diploma to compatriot Andrey Rublev at man said after the match. tors' attack. After Mart nez headed in goalkeeper Neto to beat. pandemic, the Indian women's Jharkhand government and holder had guided Sweden's the Western and Southern Open "He scored a great goal For Koeman, Messi sure Iker Muniain's cross from one of Some 10,000 spectators, all football team players are hoping AIFF have come together to women's national team to a 3rd- in Cincinnati, USA. today. He is an important player would have helped. 13 corners by Bilbao, compared wearing masks and separated to make the most of it ahead of arrange this camp for the team. place finish in the FIFA World While chasing down a base- for us. He is strong, fast and is a "I don't like always talking to two for Barcelona, Koeman from one another by empty the AFC Asian Cup. "We only hope to move for- Cup in 2011, and a quarter-final line shot from Rublev, Medve- good finisher." about the same thing, but it is looked for answers by chang- seats, were allowed to attend the The team gathered in Jam- ward together in our prepa- spot in the 2012 London Olym- dev crashed into an on court TV Bilbao had gone ahead in true, opponents are more scared ing his lineup. The 18-year-old match by regional authorities shedpur for the preparatory ration for the Asian Cup," she pics. He also served as the head camera. The contact was with the 50th when defender I igo if they are facing Messi than if Yusuf Demir made his com- for the first time since March camp leading to the continen- mentioned. coach of the Nigerian women's such force, the heavy broadcast Mart nez headed home one of not, and we notice it too," Koe- petitive debut as a second-half 2020. tal event, which is to be hosted The Indian women had ear- national team and guided the camera was knocked over. Med- a slew of corner kicks the hosts man said. substitute. "We let three points slip in India next January. lier travelled twice on interna- Super Falcons to the 2019 FIFA vedev checked the operator was generated with their high-paced "With Leo you normally But only when Bilbao's play- away against a great team," At a time when the pan- tional exposure tours in Turkey Women's World Cup. ok and then looked to reset for attack. don't lose the ball and in the ers began to tire did Barcelona Bilbao's Mart nez said. Carlos demic has affected normal life, and Uzbekistan where they He also helped the Nigerian the next point, before remon- Other than the fine goal first half we lost a lot of balls find its way back into the game. Soler earned another point for the players are elated at being played the likes of Uzbekistan, women to win the AWCON strating with the chair umpire. by Depay, the trip to Bilbao when we couldn't break their De Jong hit the crossbar Valencia after converting an back at the national camp. Belarus, Ukraine and Russia Award 2018, and was awarded He kicked the camera in showed how costly letting Messi pressure." with an audacious chipped 88th-minute penalty to snatch Captain Ashalata Devi said: earlier this year. The team's new the 2018 Coach of the Year frustration, then complained he go could be in terms of results, Bilbao's Oihan Sancet hit the shot from the edge of the box a 1-1 draw at Granada. AGENCIES "Keeping in mind the current head coach Thomas Dennerby in Nigeria. AGENCIES "nearly broke his hand". AGENCIES Indian team undergoes first training session at Headingley Bagan need just a draw in last group match to advance LEEDS: The Indian team ticing soon after reaching ane and senior opener Rohit wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. dent on captain Joe Root. "Hello and welcome to the on Sunday began training Leeds to play the third Tes- Sharma to pacers Jasprit Bum- Kohli will be keen to win The last time India played Headingley Stadium, Leeds. for the upcoming third Test tof the five-match series, hav- rah, Mohammed Shami and the Leeds Test and take an a Test at Headingley was way Our venue for the 3rd Test to AFC Cup knock-out stage against England in earnest ing taken a 1-0 lead with a big the spin duo of Ravichandran unassailable 2-0 lead in the back in 2002, meaning it will against England. #ENGvIND, with almost all its top players 151-run win over the hosts at Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, rubber in which England have be the first outing for all the the BCCI tweeted after the MALE (Maldives): ATK out a 0-0 draw against Bashund- sweating it out at the nets at the Lord's. all the players were seen train- been found wanting on many current team players. team's arrival. Mohun Bagan pumped in three hara on Saturday after losing to Headingley. From skipper Virat Kohli, ing at the nets. occasions, especially their bat- The third Test starts on The first Test had ended in second half goals in a brilliant ATK Mohun Bagan 0-2 in their The visitors started prac- his deputy Ajinkya Rah- Also part of the session was ting unit that is solely depen- Wednesday. a draw. AGENCIES comeback to beat Maziya Sports campaign opener. & Recreation of the Maldives The home side opened their 3-1 in their Group D match and account for the campaign after move within a point of reaching 25 minutes when Cornelius Fouaad Mirza has to look at life Long jumper Shaili misses gold, the AFC Cup knockout stage Stewart led a quick counter- here. The Kolkata-based Indian attack, embarking on a solo run Super League team was trail- down the right before crossing beyond Seigneur Medicott settles for silver in U-20 Worlds ing 0-1 at half time after Ibra- for Ibrahim Aisham who swept him Aisham had scored for the home Maziya's opener. S KANNAN NAIROBI: Highly talented long the country had won one gold home side in the 25th minute. Five minutes later, the Mal- jumper Shaili Singh on Sunday each in the earlier two editions But ATK Mohun Bagan dives side were close to adding a NEW DELHI: The euphoria missed out on scripting history -- by Olympic champion javelin struck in the 48th, 63rd and second in a similar fashion with over India's success at the Tokyo by a mere 1cm as she settled thrower Neeraj Chopra (2016) 77th minutes through Liston Stewart again providing the sup- Olympics continues. Even as for a silver in the U-20 World and quartermiler Hima Das Colaco, Roy Krishna and Man- ply down the right, but this time the select seven, who won med- Athletics Championships here. (2018). The mixed 4x400m relay vir Singh to emerge victorious he fed Hussain Nihan inside the als, soak in the glory and rake in The 17-year-old Indian's quartet and 10,000m race walker on Saturday. With two wins box and the latter squared across the moolah, there are some ath- personal best effort of 6.59m Amit Khatri had earlier won a from two matches, Antonio the mouth of goal for Hamzath letes who are content with the was not enough for a gold as bronze and a silver respectively Habas' side just need a draw Mohamed who fluffed his lines. experience garnered and what she was pipped to the post by in this championships. in their last group match on Liston Colaco tested the next they need to do. Sweden's reigning European Shaili began brightly with a Tuesday against Bashundhara goalkeeper with a well-struck Equestrian exponent junior champion Maja Askag, 6.34m and repeated the same Kings -- on four points -- of free-kick from 25 yards out Fouaad Mirza, virtually a who managed 6.60m for the fourth round by a mere 1cm distance next before her best Bangladesh for a place in the as ATK Mohun Bagan chased rookie going into Tokyo 2020, top spot on the final day of the which proved to be decisive in effort in the third round. Her Inter-Zone Semi-final. an equaliser, but Mirzokhid finished more than a creditable championships. the end. Mariia Horielova of next two attempts were fouls Maziya join India's another Mamatkhonov was up for the 23rd with his mount Seigneur A protege of legendary long Ukraine took the bronze with and she could not get past the club Bengaluru FC in being challenge and parried away the Medicott in extremely challeng- jumper Anju Bobby George, a best jump of 6.50m. 6.60m in her final jump and eliminated from the competi- effort to keep Maziya in the lead ing conditions. Shaili was leading at the end of India ended their campaign the youngster seemed to be dis- tion. Bengaluru FC had played at the break. AGENCIES It was not easy for the man- Fouaad feels the challenge in how the riders dealt with the the third round but the 18-year- with a best ever medal haul of traught at missing a gold and rider combination to excel. For Tokyo was very different. "I take challenges and heart break. old Swede overtook her in the 2 silver and 1 bronze, though chance to create history. AGENCIES Fouaad, it was not just about back a lot of inputs and posi- The key for the Indian rider picking the right horse. tives from my maiden Olym- was to nurse his mount and not He was dilly-dallying, so to pics. Not many will know what punish it any which way. There say, caught between his two best it means to finish 23rd in the was a tinge of sadness when Former national football horses, Seigneur Medicott and Olympics but I did my best," Fouaad said he could not use Dajara 4. said Fouaad. Seigneur Medicott at the Asian If he had initially chosen The young man certainly Games next year in China. coach SS Hakim passes away Dajara 4 first, then his heart had made the equestrian fra- "He (Seigneur Medicott) said something else at the last ternity sit up and take notice has been good for me. There minute. He then shifted to his as he performed with coolness is a new rule which says horses His last serious coaching assignment was with lucky charm, Seigneur Medi- and composure. which have competed at the cott. Speaking to Millennium "The first day (dressage) was Olympics cannot be used for Bengal Mumbai FC in 2004-05 Post after returning to his base fairly good. But in cross coun- the Asian Games. I will have in Germany, Fouaad was happy try, on the second day, there to look at other horses for the NEW DELHI: Syed Shahid Asian Cup matches and was with the overall experience. were a few technical issues. I next year where I will compete Hakim, a former India foot- also conferred with the pres- It was not about having got started late and it was harder in the Asian Games as well as baller and member of the team tigious Dhyan Chand Award. to sample the atmosphere at for me to get him (Seigneur the World Equestrian Games," that played in the 1960 Rome A former squadron leader the Olympics, but how much Medicott) to get warmed up said an emotional Fouaad. Olympics, died on Sunday at a of the Indian Air Force, Hakim he learnt about the nuances of and then hit a rhythm. I had In Dajara 4, he has one hospital in Gulbarga, Karna- was also a regional director of the sport. "I am very happy with to make changes with the way very good horse, which was taka, family sources said. Sports Authority of India and whatever results I achieved in I adapted to the fresh situation also prepped up for the Tokyo Hakim saab, as he was pop- his last assignment was as proj- Tokyo. I can say one thing with in cross country. Show-jumping Olympics. However, he and his ularly known, was 82 years old ect director in charge of scout- certainty, the best is ahead of (third day) has been the weak team sponsors, Embassy Group, at the time of his death. He had of the national team during a ing before the 2017 U-17 FIFA me. The conditions in Tokyo link for us (horse and rider). may have to look at more very recently suffered a stroke, tournament. World Cup. were extremely challenging not I now know what all I have options as well for the future. after which he was admitted to At the domestic level, his All India Football Federa- just for me bit also for the horse. picked up from Tokyo and will He says the gains from under- a hospital. finest hour as coach came when tion (AIFF) president Praful If there were 75 horses on the better prepared for the chal- standing the logistics at the "He passed away at 8:30am he guided the erstwhile Mahin- Patel condoled the death of start list, 10 dropped off very lenges in the next year," said Olympics are very important. today (Sunday) at the hospital," dra & Mahindra to the Durand Hakim. "It is devastating to hear early. A few more went off the Fouaad. "I guess my team manage- his wife Sadia Syeda said. Cup title in 1998, beating a for- that Hakim-saab is no more. He list, and when I say that it's not Talking at length about the ment knows what next is to be In his more than five- midable East Bengal team. He was a member of Indian foot- that they died but were with- heat and humidity, which was done for me in future competi- decade association with has also coached Salgaocar and ball's golden generation who drawn due to the heat," said gruelling, Fouaad said some tions and challenges. I am glad I Indian football, the Dronacha- Hindustan FC. His last serious played a stellar role in popu- Fouaad. horses did not start as it would could do my best in Tokyo but I rya awardee has also been an coaching assignment was with larising the sport in the coun- As one who is an Asian have been cruel to the mount. will miss Seigneur Medicott," he assistant coach to the late PK Bengal Mumbai FC in 2004-05. try. His contribution to Indian Games medallist from Jakarta If 10 horses after the mandatory added. He was the lucky charm Banerjee during the 1982 Asian He has been a FIFA badge Football can never be forgotten. in 2018 and has competed inspection could not even step in the Asian Games and the Games in Delhi, and also inde- holder international referee I share the grief," Patel said in in competitions in Europe, out, it speaks volumes about Olympics. pendently has been in charge having officiated in 1988 AFC a release. AGENCIES Entertainment

mp millenniumpost 12 Leisure MONDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2021 | NEW DELHI ‘BLACK WIDOW’ LAWSUIT ‘Bell Bottom’ gets banned Scarlett’s lawyer slams in three Gulf nations Film authorities of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar al- Disney for misconduct leged that the content in the film is not fit for exhibition n August 19, ‘Bell Bottom’ had released He accused Disney of being ‘afraid’ to publicly in India in the cin- Oema theatres. But according litigate her lawsuit about ‘Black Widow’ to some media reports, the spy thriller got banned from carlett Johannson’s law- three Gulf nations - Saudi yer retaliated after ‘Disney’ In the later part Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. made its move in the law- The film certification author- Ssuit that the Hollywood actor had of the statement, ities of the countries report- filed against the studio. Berlinski said that edly cited tampering with According to ‘Just Jared’, the historical facts as the reason financial dispute arose when she Scarlett’s team for the ban. sued the studio claiming that she looks forward to Akshay Kumar-starrer could earn better profits with the presenting the emerged to be the film that movie’s theatrical release which unlocked cinemas in India she has to miss out on due to overwhelming amid the second wave of the movie’s release on both the evidence that will the pandemic. Apart from streaming platform ‘Disney+’ and India, the movie was also in theatres. support their case released in several coun- However, as per ‘Dead- tries, but Saudi Arabia, line’ via ‘Just Jared’, ‘Disney’ He continued the Kuwait and Qatar imposed had responded to the lawsuit statement by asking ques- a ban on the film. The film by appealing that the case shall tions to ‘Disney’ over authorities of the respective move into arbitration. As per Dis- ‘Marvel’s promises to give nations alleged that the con- ney’s lawyers, it was previously According to ‘Just Jared’, in a ‘Black Widow’ a typi- tent in the film is not fit for agreed that ‘all claims arising out very recent statement to ‘Dead- cal theatrical release like exhibition. of, in connection with, or relat- line’, Johansson’s lawyer John its other films’. He noted “The second half of ‘Bell ing to’ Scarlett Johansson’s act- Berlinski stated that the studio is that the promise ‘had every- ing “services for ‘Black Widow’ ‘predictably trying to hide its mis- thing to do with guarantee- Helmed by Ranjit M would be submitted to confiden- conduct in a confidential arbitra- ing that ‘Disney’ would not Helmed by Ranjit M Tewari, the Tewari, the plot of the film is tial, binding arbitration in New tion’ after ‘initially responding to cannibalise box office receipts plot of the Akshay Kumar film is inspired by the real-life hijack- York. Hence, they are moving for- this litigation with a misogynistic to boost ‘Disney+’ subscrip- ing events that took place in ward with the step of arbitration. attack against Scarlett Johansson’. tions’. AGENCIES inspired by the real-life hijacking the 1980s. A skillful under- events that took place in the 1980s cover agent (Akshay Kumar) who is married, sharp- Bottom’ shows the hijack- and it was the UAE authorities minded and an exceptional ers taking the aircraft to who had nabbed the hijack- chess player is assigned the Hilary Duff testsCOVID-19 positive Dubai from Lahore. As per ers. So there is a strong pos- mission of rescuing 210 hos- the actual incident that took sibility that the censor board tages from a hijacked Indian Taking to ‘Instagram’, she shared a picture of herself lying in bed place in 1984, United Arab in the Middle Eastern coun- plane. While Vaani Kapoor Emirates Defence Minis- tries must have taken objec- essays the role of Akshay’s ter, Sheikh Mohammed Bin tion to it and hence banned it,” wife, Lara Dutta looks unrec- n August 21, Hol- came just days after she Rashid Al Maktoum, had per- revealed a source from a news ognisable as Indira Gandhi. lywood star Hil- shared a picture from the sonally handled the situation agency site. AGENCIES ary Duff revealed sets of her upcoming sitcom Othat she tested positive for ‘How I Met Your Father’, the COVID-19. ‘Hulu’ spinoff to ‘How I Met Taking to her ‘Instagram’ Your Mother’. B-Town pays homage to Pradeep Guha handle, the 33-year-old actor The snap featured her shared a picture of herself posing alongside fellow lying in bed with a caption cast members Chris Lowell, The film personality breathed his last on August 21 at Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital that read, “That delta? She is Francia Raisa, Tom Ainsley, a little monster. Symptoms: Tien Tran, Suraj Sharma and MUMBAI: Bollywood film pro- were always my forever champion. bad headache. No taste or Brandon Michael Hall. ducer and well-known media per- Your random calls of encourage- smell. Sinus Pressure. “Who is ready for us? We sonality Pradeep Guha breathed ment, your zest for life and your his last on August 21. ambition were something I have Guha, who had produced always admired so much. This The news of the actor being Hrithik Roshan and Karisma loss is so personal. I will miss your COVID-19 positive came just Kapoor-starrer ‘Fiza’ as well as voice and strength so much.” the 2008 film ‘Phir Kabhi’, passed Lara Dutta said, “My dear- days after she shared a picture away at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai est Pradeep, you were always the from the sets of her upcoming Ambani Hospital. king who was the most successful The producer’s wife Papia queen maker. May we, your pro- sitcom ‘How I Met Your Father’ Guha and son Sanket Guha shared tégés, always keep your memory the news of his demise in a state- alive and shining bright and may Brain fog. Happy to be may or may not have been ment issued to the media. you always watch over us as you vaxxed.” The 33-year- sitting in front of a certain “We regret to announce the sad have always done.” old actress took to her someone’s apartment,” she demise of our dear Pradeep Guha. “I will never forget that car ride Instagram Story to had captioned the picture. In the time of the pandemic, the as you dropped me off at the air- reveal that despite being According to ‘The Holly- family has requested to be allowed port as I left the country to repre- vaccinated, she con- wood Reporter’, the 10-epi- to grieve in private and will share a sent India at the ‘Miss Asia Pacific’. tracted the delta variant sode TV series ‘How I Met date for a prayer meeting in a few ‘What if I lose?’ I had asked you of COVID-19. Your Father’ is set to follow days. No condolence visit at home and you said, ‘It will be their loss. She made a follow- Hilary’s character – Sophia - will take place due to COVID-19 Film personalities Manoj Bajpayee, Priyanka You are a winner’,” Dia Mirza up post to her Stories who explains to her son how restrictions. Please keep him in Chopra, Subhash Ghai, Lara Dutta and Adnan recalled. Sami lamented, “He was today, asking her fol- she met his father and her your prayers,” read the statement an incredible person and a genius lowers, “Should I do a close friends. The comedy of the late producer’s family. Sami condoled Guha’s death on social media at marketing! I have many fond makeup tutorial today?” was given a straight-to-series According to a hospital source, memories with him starting from with the poll options “DO pickup in April. It is unclear Guha, who was in his 60s, was bat- Bajpayee, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, ing away! May you rest in peace the time when he was Editor of IT GIRL” or “HECK NO whether production of the tling cancer. Subhash Ghai, Lara Dutta and Pradeep,” tweeted Bajpayee. ‘Bombay Times’ 20 years ago.” SICK FACE,” so the Younger show will be affected. Reps Guha was currently serving at Adnan Sami condoled Guha’s Chopra Jonas, who first met “Goodbye, my friend. I will star is in good spirits. for Hulu did not immediately the position of managing director death on social media. Guha during her time at always be indebted for your genu- The news of the actor respond to Fox News’ request at ‘9X Media Private Limited’. “Deeply shocked and saddened the ‘Miss India’ pageant ine love and support,” tweeted being COVID-19 positive for comment. AGENCIES Film personalities Manoj to hear about my friend pass- in 2000, said, “You Ghai. PTI Jennifer teases fans about her ‘Netflix’ collaboration In a statement via ‘Netflix’, Lopez had also mentioned being interested in a ‘forward-leaning content creation company’

ennifer Lopez recently took intriguing hashtags, to her ‘Instagram’ handle to including ‘Netflix outfit share the news about her check’ and ‘something Jnew collaboration with stream- is coming’, Lopez made ing platform ‘Netflix’. several points and the Captioning the post as foremost being, she ‘bringing the beige,’ the singer might be on ‘Netflix’ shared some stunning pictures pretty soon. of herself while she posed in a In a statement via beige-coloured top along with ‘Netflix’, Lopez had also a loose suit and looked like she mentioned being inter- is hard at work. ested in a ‘forward-lean- Fans took to the comment ing content creation section of the post to shower company’, which will explore art without Captioning the ‘boundaries and limita- tions of the past’. post as ‘bringing “I’m excited to the beige,’ the announce my new partnership with ‘Net- singer shared some flix’. Elaine, Benny and stunning pictures the singer with their love and I believe there is no support. better home for us than a for- of herself while she While some were too moti- ward-leaning content creation posed in a beige- vated to dress up like Jennifer, company that seeks to defy con- Arjun Kapoor coloured top along others simply shared how they ventional wisdom and directly cannot wait to witness what she market to the millions across shares a picture from his sister’s with a loose suit and has in store for them. the globe who no longer view wedding on the occasion of looked like she is Eagle-eyed fans also did not art and entertainment with ‘Raksha Bandhan’ fail to notice how Lopez did not the kind of boundaries and hard at work wear her famous ‘Ben’ necklace limitations of the past,” she during the photo shoot. With had said. AGENCIES