BENNETT, COLEMAN & CO. LTD.
| ESTABLISHED 1838
FDI ban ‘discriminatory’, says
China, but continues supplies
Alleges G-20, WTO 390 TONNES OF MED EQUIPMENT SENT China investment
Spirit Violated, ➤ Between April 4 & April 19,
24 flights from China carried
Wants ‘Fair And 390 tonnes of medical supplies, states and also groups like Tata,
including test kits, PPEs and
Equal Treatment’ other equipment, to India
Sachin.Parashar
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: Even as the Chi-
nese embassy on Monday re-
acted to the Indian govern-
ment’s decision to ban Chine-
FULL COVERAGE: P 2-12
 S Korea to supply 5 lakh
rapid test kits to India, P 8
se foreign direct investments
through the automatic route
saying that it violated WTO’s
principle of non-discrimina-
tion and hoped New Delhi wo-
uld “treat investments from
different countries equally”,
the two countries continue to
Mallya loses
appeal against
extradition in UK
V ijay Mallya has lost his
appeal against extradit-
ion in the London high court
in the money
laundering ca-
se. The ED is
hopeful of bri-
nging him ba-
ck to India in
28 days. The beleaguered ty-
coon has 14 days to appeal ag-
ainst the ruling on a legal po-
int in the SC. A plea for per-
mission to appeal could take
months. If granted, the hear-
ing could take a year. P 5
DAY
LOCKDOWN 27
Palghar lynching:
CID to probe case
E ven as the Palghar lyching
case took a communal
turn, the state government or-
dered a CID probe into it and
suspended two cops, inclu-
ding the local police station
35-yr-old BAMS
in-charge. So far, over 110 accu-
sed have been arrested. P 4
Liquor ban can be
lifted: Maha min
I f social distancing is pro-
perly maintained there
should not be any ban on it (li-
quor shops), state health mi-
nister Rajesh Tope said in re-
ply to a question on the go-
vernment’s stand on liquor
shops during an online inter-
action with journalists. P 3
C’garh minister
goes on a drive
T ired of sitting at home”,
Chhattisgarh minister
Kawasi Lakhma travelled to
Raigarh, nearly 250km from
Raipur. First, Lakhma said he
had gone to meet a sadhu, but
later claimed it was a “surpri-
se check” after being told of il-
legal sale of liquor. P 6
RISE IN NEW CASES
SLOWS, DEATHS UP
I ndia’s growth rate of new
Covid-19 cases is coming
down, just as it is in the five
worst-hit countries. The
focus, however, in the coming
days will shift
to reducing
deaths, as the
fatality rate
in India has
begun to
climb up P 8
Move me out,
pleads man, dies
A 25-year-old man who
was admitted to Kastur-
ba Hospital on April 14 with
just cough died on Sunday,
after pleading with his brot-
her to be moved out, saying
he had not had water for a
day and no one was fixing his
oxygen mask. P 2
WATCH OUT FOR TODAY’S
QUESTIONS ON E6<:(
Times Interact | P 6
MUMBAI | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 | PAGES 14
US Prez Trump defends
anti-lockdown protesters,
calling them ‘great
people’ as conflict with
governors worsens
➤ Among the consignees are
Indian pharmaceutical firms,
Birla and Adani
➤ Official sources say
➤ 20 more flights have filed
for permits from the China
aviation authority to carry
supplies to India between
April 21 & April 27
They (new FDI norms) do not conform to the consensus
of G20 leaders & trade ministers to realise a free, fair,
non-discriminatory, transparent & stable trade and investment
environment, and to keep our markets open
quietly work together to facili-
tate supply of medical equip-
ment seen as crucial to India’s
fight against Covid-19.
Between April 4 and April19,
as many as 24 flights from China
—from cities like Shanghai, Gu-
angzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'an and
Confusion and questions as
parts of India return to work
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
A
s parts of India stirred to
life on Monday amid a co-
nditional easing of the
lockdown, confusion prevailed
in Delhi and NCR on how to re-
gulate the surge of people and
traffic due to absence of clarity
on aspects such as who among
the junior central government
workforce would constitute
one- third of the office turnout
allowed on a given day.
In Mumbai, with Thane dis-
trict being declared a contain-
ment zone for industries, MIDC
estates in Thane, Navi Mumb-
ai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ambern-
ath and Murbad stayed shut.
Raigad saw mainly units prod-
ucing medicines and packagi-
ng material being open.
UP resumes rd works, P 8
State units start work, P 6
doctor in UP’s
Moradabad
dies of Covid
Maria Khan@timesgroup.com
Bareilly: A doctor of Bach-
elor of Ayurvedic Medicine
and Surgery (BAMS) from
Moradabad, who tested posi-
tive for Covid-19 and was un-
dergoing treatment at TMU
Medical College, died on Mo-
nday. He was 35.
The doctor, posted at a
health centre in Tajpur, had
screened Tablighi Jamaat
members, officials said. “Af-
ter testing positive 10 days
ago, he was admitted to
TMU’s isolation ward. He
was on ventilator,” Morada-
bad CMO Dr M C Garg told
TOI. “Five members of his
family have been quaranti-
ned. We are trying to find
people who might have co-
me in contact with him,”
the CMO added.
With the doctor’s death,
the toll in the district rose to
three, while the number of
Covid-19 positive cases re-
ached 55 till Sunday.
As emergency patients await treatment,
many hospitals insist on Covid-19 tests
Rema.Nagarajan
@timesgroup.com
A
debate is raging among
doctors on whether or
not to test all patients co-
ming to hospitals for Covid-19
even as reports come in of pat-
ients dying of other causes
while waiting for results.
After a private hospital
chain decided that it would
insist on Covid-19 tests before
admitting patients, to protect
its staff from possible infecti-
on, the Delhi government last
week issued an order stating
that strict action will be taken
against any private hospital
or nursing home denying em-
ergency care and that patien-
PRICE ` 7.00 ALONG WITH MUMBAI MIRROR OR THE ECONOMIC TIMES OR MAHARASHTRA TIMES *
WORST IS YET AHEAD OF US,
warns WHO director-general Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus, raising new
alarm about pandemic just as many
countries are beginning to ease curbs
arms use P-Note,
FPI routes too
I nts like in HDFC in which
t’s not only direct investme-
billionaire entrepreneur Jack
Ma and Alibaba Foundation
have gifted equipment needed
by India and these have been
routed through Indian Red Cross
— Chinese embassy
even Hong Kong — carried 390
tonnes of medical supplies to In-
dia, including RT-PCR test kits,
rapid antibody tests, thermome-
ters and personal protective
equipments (PPEs).
China’s hope, P 8
THE ROAD AHEAD? Work on the WEH near Andheri resumed on Monday
Central team to visit Mum to check violations
T aking a tough stand against lockdown violations in Covid
-19 hotspots, the home ministry has named Mumbai, Pune,
Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata and seven other places in West Bengal
as areas of serious concern, and deployed six inter-ministerial
teams to make on-the-spot assessments. The teams will assess
lockdown measures and the threat of outbreaks, and issue nec-
essary directions to the state authorities for redress. They will
also submit their reports to the Centre. P 2 & 7
54 held for Bengaluru
attack on med staff;
IMA demands spl law
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bengaluru/New Delhi: Pada-
rayanapura area in Bengaluru
turned into a garrison on Mon-
day, hours after mobs attacked
health care workers in the area
who visited the area to isolate
contacts of Covid positive pati-
ents, with hundreds of police-
men, including gun-wielding
Garuda force personnel, statio-
ned at vantage points across
the ward.
Police arrested 54 people
including a woman in connec-
tion with Sunday night’s vio-
lence. The entire ward –
which has thrown up 19 positi-
ve cases – was declared a con-
tainment zone and residents
are barred from stepping out
of their houses.
Meanwhile in Delhi, adop-
ting a tough approach towards
reports of violations of lock-
down guidelines in Covid-19
hotspots and attacks on medi-
cal personnel, the home mini-
stry has deployed teams to ma-
MED DILEMMA: TO TEST OR NOT
➤ Delhi issued order warning of
action against any hosp denying
emergency care and said
patients were not obliged to
submit Covid-19-negative report
➤ TN warned that hosps can be
closed if they deny services
➤ Doctors in Mumbai claim
they insist on a Covid-negative
report only for patients under-
going dialysis and radiotherapy
➤ Haryana OPDs are outside
ts seeking treatment were not
obliged to submit a Covid-19
negative report for treatme-
nt. In TN, too, the director of
medical services has warned
China firmly rejects US President’s
demand to allow an American team into
Wuhan to investigate the origin of the
novel coronavirus, saying it is also a
‘victim (of Covid-19) and not a culprit’
the People’s Bank of China
now has 1% stake. Beijing, thr-
ough its other investment ar-
ms China Investment Corp and
State Administration of Fore-
ign Exchange, has been investi-
ng in India for years now. These
institutions have been investi-
ng through the FPI route as we-
ll as through the more opaque
participatory note (P-Note) ro-
ute, institutional dealers and
fund managers said.
In the past few years, these
investment arms have also
pumped money into some of
the exchange-traded funds
floated by global fund mana-
gers, they said. P11
Uma Kadam
RECENT CASES
➤ Doctors, nurses and cops
attacked, ambulance vehicles
vandalised in Moradabad
➤ In Hyderabad, 2 brothers
arrested for assaulting PG
medical student
➤ At least 6 cases of attack
on health professionals and
cops reported from Bihar since
nationwide lockdown began
➤ Mob protests burial of Dr
Simon Hercules in Chennai.
Burial finally completed under
police protection
ke on-the-spot assessments and
named Indore, Mumbai, Pune,
Jaipur, Kolkata and seven other
places in West Bengal as areas
of serious concern with regard
to spread of the disease.
The Indian Medical Associ-
ation on Monday demanded a
special central law on violence
against medicos and hospitals.
‘White alert’ on Apr 22, P 6
hosp premises to reduce risk
➤ Reports of docs insisting on
test are coming from Rajasthan,
Bengal, Jharkhand & Odisha
➤ Anyone needing emergency
surgery is first tested for Covid
in UP govt hospitals
➤ In Bihar, a majority of
private establishments are
simply not running outpatient
depts or undertaking any
institutional deliveries
that if a hospital or clinic den-
ies services, action will be ta-
ken under the Clinical Estab-
lishments Act, which could
include its closure.However,
Worldwide death toll crosses
165,200.
Renowned bass guitarist Matthew
Seligman, who played with late music
icon David Bowie, dies of Covid-19
First time in
history, oil
futures sell
at under $0 a City Crosses
barrel in US 3,000-Mark, 3rd
O
il futures in the US
collapsed to below ze-
ro for the first time
ever as the deepening eco-
nomic turmoil caused by
the coronavirus crisis left
traders desperate to avoid
taking delivery of physical
crude. In an unprecedented
day of trading, the price for
the May contracts wiped out
all value, breaking every
low for oil prices since 1946.
Stocks were also slip-
ping on Wall Street in after-
noon trading, with the S&P
500 down 0.9%, but the mar-
ket’s most dramatic action
was by far in oil, where
benchmark US crude for
May delivery plummeted to
negative $3.7 per barrel as of
2.15 pm (eastern time).
The June WTI contract
is trading more actively at a
much higher level of $21.6 a
barrel. The spread between
May and June was more
than $23, the widest in histo-
ry for the two nearest
monthly contracts.
Investors bailed out of
the May contract ahead of
expiry later on Monday be-
cause of lack of demand for
the actual oil. When a futu-
res contract expires, tra-
ders must decide whether to
take delivery of the oil or
roll their positions into
another futures contract for
a later month.
The extreme move sho-
wed just how oversupplied
the US oil market has beco-
me with industrial and eco-
nomic activity grinding to a
halt as governments around
the globe extend shutdowns
due to the swift spread of the
virus pandemic. With no
end in sight, and producers
around the world continu-
ing to pump, that’s causing a
fire-sale among traders who
don’t have access to storage.
With the prices of oil hit-
ting rock bottom, gold rates
climbed as much as 1% on
Monday. AGENCIES
Mamata tells
PM: Unilateral
action to send
team to Bengal
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Kolkata: After two central
teams landed in Kolkata and
Bagdogra to visit select areas
on Monday for an on-the-spot
assessment of Bengal’s lock-
down and social-distancing
enforcement, CM Mamata
Banerjee shot off a letter to
PM Narendra Modi and pro-
tested the serious “breach of
established protocol” for “ke-
eping the state government
in the dark” about the visit.
“Such unilateral action
on the part of the Centre is
not desirable, especially wh-
en both the central and state
governments are working re-
lentlessly to contain the vi-
rus,” Banerjee said.
The CM mentioned that
the “inter-ministerial cen-
tral team” landed at the Kol-
kata airport “much before”
union home minister Amit
Shah told her of the decision.
 ‘Deviated from norm’, P 8
AIIMS to resume
elective ops soon
A IIMS, Delhi, is planning to
resume non-emergency
surgeries in a week. The insti-
tute director, Dr Randeep Gu-
leria said although managem-
ent of coronavirus was impor-
tant, non-Covid-19 patients co-
uld not be ignored either. AII-
MS conducts over 500 surger-
ies a day, of which 85% are non
-emergency procedures. P 7
most states are yet to issue
any policy direction on this
issue.
Wait could cost lives, P 8
UP CM Yogi Adityanath will
not be present at his father’s
cremation due to lockdown;
asks that ‘least number of
people’ attend the ceremony
State records 466 cases,
its 2nd worst 1-day count
1K In Just 4 Days
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: The state on Mon-
day recorded 466 new cases,
its second-highest single-day
jump, pushing the total co-
unt to 4,666. Mumbai, which
contributed 308 cases, brea-
ched the 3,000 mark to record
a total of 3,032 cases. While
the city took a month to reach
its first 1,000 cases, its second
thousand came in six days
and the third in just four da-
ys. Nine deaths were recor-
ded on Monday, 7 from
Mumbai and 2 from Malega-
on, taking the state’s toll to
232, the highest in India so far.
Public health officials sa-
id the spiralling numbers are
because a bulk of the test re-
ports from private labs have
been added to the state’s tally
over the pasts three days. Ma-
harashtra has added 1,346 ca-
ses in the last three days, of
which 947 were from Mum-
bai. On Monday, the BMC sa-
id 155 cases were detected in
the city, of which 137 were
from private labs between
April 14 and 17. Dr Anup Ya-
dav, commissioner, National
Health Mission, said the high
number of cases shown are
80% +ve cases show no
or mild symptoms, our
testing policy fine: Govt
WHEN SLOW DOUBLE IS GOOD NEWS
Doubling rate of coronavirus cases in India is now 7.5 days,
up from 3.4 days before lockdown, says govt
WHAT IS
SOME STATES WITH SLOWEST
CORONA SPREAD | Doubling Rate (in days)
DOUBLING RATE?
➤ It’s the time
taken for number
of cases to double.
Himachal
Haryana
A low doubling rate
denotes fast spread
Tamil Nadu
of infection, and
vice versa Chhattisgarh
➤ 18 states have
better doubling rate
than national avg
Karnataka
Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: The health mini-
stry on Monday said 80% of
Covid-19 cases were either
asymptomatic or with mild
symptoms, emphasising on
the need to follow lockdown
rules and maintain social dis-
tancing even within the fami-
ly to avoid further spread.
On concerns that asympto-
matic Covid-19 patients were
silent carriers, the health mi-
nistry as well as the Indian Co-
uncil of Medical Research
(ICMR) said while it was not
possible to test everyone, there
were adequate provisions un-
der the testing strategy to test
Outbreak in slum areas
forces city to confront
its ‘shame’: Ratan Tata
Nauzer.Bharucha
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Imagine 8-9 lakh
people crammed into a 2.5 sq
km area, and you get a popula-
tion density that is perhaps
the highest anywhere on the
planet. That’s the unorgani-
sed sprawl of Dharavi in the
heart of Mumbai, where ex-
perts fear the spread of the in-
fection most. Referring to ho-
using policies which have gi-
ven rise to such slum-domina-
ted neighbourhoods within
Mumbai, Tata group chair-
man emeritus Ratan Tata on
Monday described it as “a wa-
ke-up call” for planners and
administrators struggling to
contain the pandemic thro-
ugh social distancing.
Tata, speaking at a virtu-
al panel discussion on the
“Future of design and const-
ruction” watched by several
thousands, said the Covid-19
outbreak had served to un-
derscore a crisis in housing
which deprived lakhs of
INDIA’S LARGEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER
SPIKE IN DEATHS
PUTS MALEGAON
IN FOCUS
THE CITY’S ARTERIAL ROADS WERE JAMMED DURING PEAK HOURS
h Six deaths in 48 hours in
Malegaon raise concern
h Record 30 cases in Dharavi,
tally 168, including 11 deaths
h 2 BMC disaster control room
staffers +ve, ops shifted to Parel
h 24 staffers, general patients &
kin flee Dahanu hosp quarantine
Just 12% recovery
rate ‘intriguing’
O nly 13% of patients in
Mumbai and 12% in the
state have been discharged.
Experts say the low recove-
ry rate is intriguing as 72%
of patients are under 50 and
the government said 65-70%
of patients have no or mild
symptoms and less than 5%
are critical. P 2
actually the load of the last
few days, verified on Monday.
Mayor Kishori Pednekar
decided to home-quarantine
Kerala
72.2
Odisha 39.8
24.5
21
Bihar 16.4
14
Punjab
13.3
13.1
Delhi
India
9.2
8.5
7.5
Centre protests
Kerala relaxations
T he Kerala government
on Monday amended lo-
ckdown relaxations after the
Centre objected to its directi-
ve allowing barber shops,
automobile workshops and
dining facilities at hotels/
restaurants to function in
some districts. P 7
suspected asymptomatic peo-
ple with contact or travel histo-
ry, and those with mild flu-like
symptoms in high risk areas.
Testing protocol, P 8
We do design for
high-value housing
and provide in the slums the
residue. We should be ashamed
because we have the image we
want to project of ourselves
and there’s a part we want to
hide. We are offended when
people criticise it, but we
have social responsibilities as
architects and builders. The
Corona issue is a
wake-up call of
what beholds us.
What our concern
is that it turns
around and
bites us
Mumbai’s residents of fresh
air and open space. “We do de-
sign for high value housing
and provide in the slums the
residue. We should be asha-
med because we have the
image we want to project of
ourselves and there’s a part
we want to hide,” he said.
‘Quality of life norms’, P 4
Uma Kadam
h 53 journalists test positive,
many found asymptomatic
h Nair Hospital gets new dean as
it becomes `Covid-only’ facility
h KEM jr doc awaiting test result
continues work; made to run
around for a stitch on wound
after testing positive
Pune-Pimpri under
curfew till April 27
A day after Pune-Pimpri
Chinchwad was declared
a containment zone, police im-
posed curfew across the entire
metropolitan area till April 27
midnight, putting further
restrictions on the movement
of the 7.5 million population
and working hours of shops
selling essential items. P 6
herself for 14 days despite
testing negative.
HCQ in some zones, P 3
1,200+ new
cases 3rd day
in row; rate of
infection falls
DurgeshNandan.Jha
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: India registered
more than 1,200 new corona-
virus cases for the third stra-
ight day, with 1,267 reported
on Monday, but the percenta-
ge growth of the infection
dipped from Sunday’s high of
10.3% to 7.3%.
As in the past few days,
Maharashtra led the table
and was followed by Gujarat
(196 cases), Rajasthan (98)
and UP (95). Delhi and Mad-
hya Pradesh recorded 78 ca-
 Delhi patient on plasma
therapy off ventilator, P 7
ses each. Kerala, meanwhile,
dropped to No.11after leading
the tally just three weeks ago.
Covid-19 cases in the co-
untry stood at 18,589, as per
reports from states at the ti-
me of going to press. The de-
ath toll was 595, with 35 Co-
vid-19 patients succumbing
to the infection on Monday.
The continuing rush of
cases has fuelled concerns
about the pandemic gradual-
ly peaking in India. ICMR’s
chief epidemiologist Dr Ra-
man Gangakhedkar said the
situation will be clearer in
the next one to two weeks.
Capital’s toll at 47, P 6
Aus: Google,
FB must pay
media cos for
news content
A ustralia will force Goo-
gle and Facebook to pay
media outlets for their con-
tent, the government an-
nounced on Monday, vow-
ing to lead the world in mak-
ing the tech giants share ad-
vertising revenues with
traditional media.
TIMES VIEW: P 9
Treasurer Josh Fryden-
berg said a mandatory code
of conduct—to be fully un-
veiled by July and made law
soon after—will require the
US-based firms to reimbur-
se Australian media compa-
nies for using their news
and other content. “It is ab-
out holding these tech tita-
ns to account, about ensur-
ing genuine competition,
(and) it is about delivering a
level- playing field,” he sa-
id. “It is about keeping jobs
in journalism and about en-
suring a fair outcome for
all,” he added. AGENCIES
 Related report, P 9
 CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
DAILY PROGRESS OF COVID-19 CASES
State’s Covid-19 *466 from morning till 8.30pm, Monday.
case curve 553 as per state govt’s formal 24-hour
provided from
tabulation done till 9am, Monday
March 30 onwards.
1st case in Maha
was reported on
March 9
148
100
88
67
22 17 15
Mar 30 31 Apr 1 2 3 4 5 6
At 12%, Maha’s low recovery rate is intriguing: Experts
Say Mumbai’s Testing Turnaround
Time May Be Pulling Down Number
Sumitra.DebRoy
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Amid the daily spi-
kes in Covid-19 cases and de-
aths, there has been some hope-
ful surge in recoveries too. Aro-
und 12% of patients in the state
and 13% in the city have been
discharged from hospitals over
the last month. However, ex-
perts wonder if the numbers
are good enough since sout-
hern counterparts, like Kerala
and Karnataka, have seen 64%
and 26% recovery among their
Taking state by surprise, Centre 25-yr-old with no conditions
sends 2 teams to check city, Pune dies after 3 days in hospital
Prafulla.Marpakwar
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: The Centre has de-
puted two high-level teams for
inspection in Mumbai and Pu-
ne on Tuesday and Wednesday
after alleged complaints about
implementation of lockdown
measures, supply of essential
commodities, preparedness of
health infrastructure, safety of
health professionals and con-
ditions at camps for labourers
and the poor.
Chief minister Uddhav
Thackeray was not available
for comment, but senior bu-
reaucrats expressed surprise.
“We have taken adequate mea-
sures, there was no scope for
complaints,” said a senior bu-
reaucrat.
These two teams are among
the six inter-ministerial teams
the Centre has constituted —
two each for West Bengal and
Maharashtra, and one each for
Madhya Pradesh and Rajast-
han — to assess the situation,
issue necessary directions to
the states and submit reports
to the Centre, particularly in
view of the grim situation in
Mumbai, Pune, Indore and Jai-
pur. The reason is that if these
hotbeds are not handled pro-
Emergency aid norms still vague,
doc made to run around for a stitch
Malathy Iyer & Sumitra Deb Roy
Mumbai: Instead of suturing
a bleeding wound sustained
by a first-year resident doctor
in the ICU, seniors at KEM Ho-
spital, Parel, sent her out for
medical aid because, in an
unusual coincidence, they fo-
und out at that moment that
she had tested positive for Co-
vid-19. After a visit to two civic
hospitals, the wound was fi-
nally attended to.
From Parel, the resident
was taken to civic-run Kastur-
ba Hospital, near Chinchpok-
li, and then to Seven Hills Ho-
spital in Andheri — all for a
single stitch that her wound
needed. The incident that took
place late in the evening a few
days ago has underlined how
nearly one-and-half months
into the epidemic, there is no
clarity on emergency treat-
ment protocols even in the ci-
ty’s frontline hospitals.
Some KEM doctors were
upset, but dean Dr Hemant
Deshmukh maintained his
hospital had followed the ru-
les in toto.
The girl reportedly inju-
NRIs fret, make frantic calls to arrange help for elderly parents
Sharmila.Ganesan
@timesgroup.com
T
hese days, 66-year-old
yoga-loving, television
series-shunning Boriv-
li resident Bharti Soni takes a
selfless selfie every morning.
This cheerful photograph is
meant to reassure her Lon-
don-based daughter Jyoti So-
ni that she is doing fine in the
time of lockdown.
“We are lucky that she is
strong,” says Jyoti about her
widowed mother who has ma-
de a habit of downplaying her
challenges with statements
like “don’t worry, neighbours
Maharashtra
229 210 235
149
187
110 121 117
Source: Maharashtra Public Health
Department’s Report of Covid-19 Cases
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
patients. India’s recovery rate,
too, has steadily risen to aro-
und 14% in last one week.
Of the 4,666 patients in the
state, 572 have recovered as of
Monday, said officials. In Mum-
bai, the BMC said that 394 of
the 3,090 affected patients have
been discharged from hospi-
tals. Yet, experts have found the
rate of recovery a tad slower
and even intriguing as over
72% of those infected in the sta-
te are below 50 years. To add to
this, 65%-70% of the patients
are asymptomatic or have mild
As some lockdown norms were eased on Monday, passengers in a BEST bus forgot about social distancing
perly, it will hurt all of India.
The teams will focus on co-
mpliance and implementation
of lockdown measures as per
the guidelines issued under
the Disaster Management Act,
supply of essential commoditi-
es, social distancing norms,
preparedness of health infras-
tructure, hospital facilities
COVID SURVIVOR MOM GOES HOME
BABY’S FINE TOO: NMMC Hospital staff cheer as a Covid-positive
woman who had delivered a girl on April 6 is discharged
red her hand while trying to
fix the suction pump onto a
non-Covid patient. “When she
was brought to emergency ca-
re, someone remembered her
Covid report was awaited. A
quick check revealed that she
was positive,” said Dr Desh-
mukh.
Some senior doctors insis-
ted to the dean that the surge-
ry operation theatre shouldn’t
be opened for a Covid patient
as it would lead to contamina-
tion and would need sanitisa-
are around”.
For NRIs with elderly pa-
rents living alone in India,
the lockdown has been an
especially fraught time.
Unable to fly down or count
on relatives or domestic help
for support, a general sense of
helplessness is the default
state of these NRIs as they
call and try to arrange help
for the seniors.
Architect Deval Choksi
recently suffered 10 sleepless
nights in the UK worrying
about her weak-kneed mot-
her who had recently sold her
house in Dombivli with a pl-
an to move to their native sta-
TIMES CITY
553
*
Cases analysed
as of 9am, April 20.
Total cases in state as
of 8.30pm, Monday
344 350 328
226
288
4,666
BMC reported 155 cases
for Mumbai on Monday
119
evening, of which 137
were private lab reports
of samples tested from
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
April 14 to April 17
A doctor wearing a hazmat suit screens residents in Dharavi
symptoms and less than 5% are
critical, which would warrant
a long hospital stay.
A senior public hospital
doctor told TOI that recovery
and sample statistics in the dis-
trict, safety of health professi-
onals, availability of test kits,
PPEs, masks and other safety
equipment, and condition of
relief camps. The committees
have been set up under the pro-
visions of the Disaster Mana-
gement Act and observations
made by the Supreme Court.
tion for future use. “So we
stopped the bleeding and sent
her to Kasturba Hospital
along with a lecturer from the
surgery department,” said
Deshmukh.
Asked why such a small in-
jury couldn’t be sutured wit-
hin the sprawling hospital,
Deshmukh said KEM hasn’t
been designated a Covid ho-
spital. “We cannot treat mild
Covid patients. However, if a
serious Covid patient is bro-
ught here, we have to treat
te of Gujarat. Deval had been
coordinating with property
agents who could help her
make the move when the vi-
rus hijacked global imagina-
tion, forcing her mother and
arthritic father to hastily mo-
ve into an unfurnished rental
accommodation in Vadoda-
ra. Given the lack of groceri-
es here, Choksi was so con-
cerned about her parents’
survival that she almost con-
templated writing a letter to
the Indian authorities to al-
low her mother to fly down to
the UK.
“My mother didn’t even
have a fridge in the Vadodara
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
HIGHER % OF MALES DYING
THAN FALLING SICK
Sex-wise distribution
CASES
Male | 2,177 Female | 1,471
60%
Available for
3,648 cases
involves epidemiology, biology
and some bureaucracy too.
“While there is some clarity
about the first two, it’s bureau-
cracy that could be pulling
Sanjay Hadkar
For Mumbai, the team will
be led by Manoj Joshi, additio-
nal secretary, department of
food processing industries, S D
Kharpade, adviser, public he-
alth, Nagesh Kumar Singh, di-
rector, health, Abhay Kumar,
director, consumer affairs, and
Anurag Rana, joint advisor,
NDMA.
him,” he said. Staffers and
other resident doctors who
were in MICU have been put in
quarantine; two have already
tested negative.
Inquiries with Kasturba
Hospital revealed that the re-
sident was turned away as the
infectious diseases hospital
doesn’t have a working opera-
tion theatre.
She was taken to Seven
Hills Hospital, a defunct ho-
spital resurrected for Covid
patients only. Technically, this
hospital cannot do surgical
procedures. “It was brought to
my notice that a young Covid-
positive patient with an open
wound was brought to our ho-
spital. I asked my doctors to
suture it as it only needed one
stitch,” said Dr Mohan Joshi,
who headed Seven Hills Ho-
spital till a couple days ago.
A senior doctor from anot-
her civic hospital said, “The
larger point is whether the pa-
tient had Covid or not, first aid
is always possible. The rule is
to treat a patient who comes
into the hospital with a blee-
ding injury whatever their
medical status.”
Ram
home and we didn’t quite ha-
ve relatives we could count on
there,” recalls Choksi, who
DEATHS
Male | 142 Female | 81
40% 64% 36%
Available for
223 deaths
down the state’s recovery num-
bers. A patient can be dischar-
ged only after there are two
consecutive negative reports
from samples taken 24 hours
apart. In Mumbai particularly,
the reports don’t come before
3-4 days, which is delaying dis-
charges,” the doctor said. He
added that Mumbai’s numbers
could be dragging down Maha-
rashtra’s as other parts of the
state are not doing so badly.
Within Maharashtra, Pune
has had the lowest recovery ra-
te at 9%. In comparison, Sangli
has 96%, Ahmednagar 68%
and Nagpur 21%. “If we remo-
ve Mumbai from Maharash-
tra’s equation, the overall pic-
ture would be different. Mum-
Sumitra DebRoy
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: A week ago, 25-year-
old Pradip Mali was a doting
father to his one-and-half-year-
old son, a loving husband and a
caring son to his parents. On
April 14, he fell sick with a co-
ugh and died on Sunday, lea-
ving behind his family with qu-
estions and haunting phone re-
cordings. This is the second de-
ath of a 25-year-old in the city
with no underlying conditions.
“Shift me to a private hospi-
tal. I haven’t had a sip of water
since the previous day. Nobody
is here to even fix my oxygen
mask. Do you think I will come
out it this alive?” Pradip’s last
phone calls to his elder brother
Pankaj were full of these pleas.
Pankaj told TOI, “The last time
we spoke, at 5am on Sunday, he
told me he had not had water
since Saturday. The oxygen
mask wasn’t in place, but there
was nobody to fix it. He asked
me if staffers at Kasturba Ho-
spital could pay a little more at-
tention to him.” At 4 pm that
day, Pradip passed away at Kas-
turba, where he had come wal-
king three days ago.
After being turned away by
two private hospitals, Pankaj
said Kasturba did swiftly admit
him on April 16, but they fear
his condition was not aggressi-
vely managed. After his cough
worsened, Pradip consulted a
private physician on April 14.
An x-ray was done. “The doctor
said his lungs looked cloudy
and were filled with a cough.
We were asked to take a Co-
vid-19 test and get admitted if
necessary. He didn’t even have
fever then,” said Pankaj.
On April 16, they went to Sa-
ifee Hospital in Charni Road
which allegedly asked for a Co-
vid-19 positive report since it
was a dedicated hospital that
Nair hospital begins transition
as Covid-only with five cases
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: The city’s tertiary
care BYL Nair Hospital, outsi-
de Mumbai Central station, be-
gan its transition as a Covid-
only hospital on Monday, with
five serious patients being ad-
mitted. “The hospital had 50
Covid patients, so we totally ha-
ve 55 here,” said Dr Manoj Jos-
hi, who has just been named de-
an of Nair Hospital. The 225
non-Covid patients at the ho-
spital will gradually be shifted
to other hospitals.
Dr Ramesh Bharmal, who
was dean till last week, will
then arranged for her pa-
rents to be moved to her cou-
sin’s bungalow in Godhra on
March 27. Those two hours of
transit, when her parents tra-
velled from Vadodara to
Godhra by road, were sto-
mach-churning for Choksi.
“Thankfully, India doesn’t
have as many corona cases as
the UK, where the death rate
is higher,” says Choksi.
“Otherwise, my brain would
be a washing machine.”
Jyoti Soni knows this
churning feeling quite well
by now. Besides juggling cho-
res, work, home schooling
and Covid-induced anxiety,
Jalgaon 3 1
Nandurbar 1
Nashik 95 8
Palghar 124 4
Thane 403 11
Covid-19 hotspots
in Maharashtra
Mumbai 139
Districts with case 3,032 deaths
burdens less than
that of hotspots
Raigad 48 1
Ratnagiri 7 1
Districts least
affected by Covid Sindhudurg 1
bai, with its highest density, po-
ses a challenge like no other
city,” said infectious disease
expert Dr Tanu Singhal, who
consults with Kokilaben Ho-
spital. She said the median du-
ration of hospitalisations is 10-
11 days. Several doctors said in
critical cases, the duration of
hospitalisation can stretch up
to 21 days. “We have also seen
cases where swabs have come
positive for up to 20 days,” Dr
Singhal said.
In Maharashtra, the first 12
patients were discharged on
March 25, about 16 days after
the first two positive cases were
detected in the state on March
9. One of the city patients, ho-
wever, said recovery took mu-
KASTURBA REFUTES CHARGES OF NEGLECT
TIMELINE
April 14 | Pradip
Mali, a Khetwadi
resident,
develops a
cough
April 16 | Is
turned away by
two hospitals
but admitted at
Kasturba at 4pm
WHAT HOSPITAL SAYS
There were eight nurses in the ward. It is
impossible that patients were not being looked
after. Patients come to us in critical condition… Even
those without comorbid conditions can deteriorate, as
has been seen in many cases
— Dr Chandrakanth Pawar | MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT, KASTURBA HOSPITAL
could only admit patients who
have the disease. The brothers
then went to HN Reliance Ho-
spital in Charni Road, which
said they have stopped testing
for coronavirus and referred
him to Kasturba. When contac-
ted, Reliance hospital officials
told TOI symptomatic patients
are tested as per BMC protocol.
The family finally came to Kas-
turba at 2pm. A day later, their
family of 9—Pradip’s parents,
wife and child, Pankaj, his fa-
mily, and other relative, were
quarantined at a hotel as Pra-
dip tested positive.
“We stayed in touch over
phone. He seemed ok initially
but then was put on oxygen
support. Towards the end, he
asked me many times if he co-
uld be shifted to a private hospi-
tal,” said the brother, who kept
assuring him that as his condi-
tion improved, they would shift
him to another hospital. Hel-
pless, since he himself was qu-
arantined, Pankaj called Kas-
continue as BMC’s director of
medical education, officials sa-
id. It is also learnt that Dr Bhar-
mal and all senior doctors were
opposed to Nair hospital’s Co-
vid transition, as it would af-
fect medical curriculum and
schedules at the medical colle-
ge.
The decision to transform
Nair hospital was taken at a
meeting held by the newly set-
up task-force, headed by for-
mer dean, Dr Sanjay Oak. Whi-
le KEM hospital was the origi-
nal choice, it was dropped as
most at the meeting felt the big-
ger hospital should be kept for
Jyoti has also been coping
with the recent loss of a fami-
ly member to the virus in the
UK. “My aunt-in-law passed
away after contracting the vi-
rus, probably at a temple in
the UK where she had been
volunteering,” says Jyoti,
who advised her mother on
video calls to make peace
with TV series and resist go-
ing out.
“I am also worried about
my mother-in-law who stays
in Bhavnagar. She has aged
by 10 years in the past one we-
ek. She was used to having
help at home and is a perfec-
tionist by nature, so mana-
STATE TALLY As of 8.30pm, Monday
Buldhana 21 1
Dhule 1 1
Akola 16 1
Aurangabad 30 3
Hingoli 1
Ahmednagar 29 2
Jalna 1
Pune 663 51 Beed 1
Satara 13 2
Solapur 21 2
Sangli 27
Kolhapur 8
ch longer as he battled weak-
ness and stomach problems af-
ter a week of getting discharg-
ed. “I was discharged in 16 days
but took longer to recover enti-
rely,” said the senior citizen.
Dr Sadhana Tayade of state
public health department said
Maharashtra shouldn’t be
compared to Kerala as they had
started reporting cases at least
a month before. “We are in the
sixth week and are seeing posi-
tive cases in big numbers, but
people are going home too. We
also have a big share of people
with comorbidities, like diabe-
tes, testing positive.” An avera-
ge of 20-30 people are being dis-
charged every day for 200-300
new admissions in the state.
April 17 | His family
of nine, including
parents, quarantined
as he tests positive
April 19 | Complains
about oxygen masks,
tells brother over
phone he should be
shifted to a private
hospital. Passes away
at Kasturba
turba’s landline several times
and spoke to nurses in ward 30,
where Pradip was. “The nurses
came and gave him water after I
called. They also fixed his oxy-
gen mask but told me he was re-
moving it again and again. Af-
ter I called them a few times, so-
meone switched off my brot-
her’s phone,” said Pankaj.
Medical superintendent of
Kasturba Dr Chandrakanth
Pawar said it was impossible
patients were not being looked
after. “Patients come to us in-
critical condition. We are trea-
ting them with medications
and treatment protocol the
Union government has recom-
mended,” he said, adding even
those without comorbidities
can deteriorate.
News of Pradip’s death was
conveyed over phone. The brot-
hers ran a mobile shop in Bad-
lapur and had shifted to pa-
rents’ house in Khetwadi befo-
re lockdown. On Monday, Pan-
kaj’s mother tested positive.
non-Covid patients.
Dr Joshi said the hospital
will upscale to 300 beds by the
month-end. The plan is to con-
vert at least 700 of the 1,600-bed-
ded hospital into beds for seve-
rely ill Covid patients. He ad-
ded that Nair had adequate
manpower and more could be
pooled in from other hospitals
if needed.
A bed crunch has been felt
across city hospitals as more
people tested positive for coro-
navirus. Mumbai has over
2,500 patients undergoing tre-
atment for Covid-19 at hospi-
tals and quarantine centres.
ging all the household chores
on her own is taking its toll,”
says Jyoti, adding that her
father-in-law, a dutiful doctor,
has been going to work daily.
Some of them wish that
key workers such as domestic
help had been considered es-
sential services.
“In India, the privileged
society has everything while
the common man is left to
fend for himself,” says UK-ba-
sed Sandhya Raghavan, who-
se diabetic 71-year-old father
is now looking after his 92-ye-
ar-old mother in Trichy all by
himself as the cook has been
denied access by the police.
Amravati 6 1 Nagpur
70 1
Gondia 1
Chandrapur
Washim 1
2
Yavatmal 15
Parbhani 1
Latur 8 Other states
Osmanabad 3 13 2
CASES 4,666
DEATHS 232
24 placed in
quarantine
at govt hosp
go missing
Sandhya.Nair@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Twenty-four people
in quarantine at a sealed go-
vernment hospital in Dahanu
allegedly sneaked out, it was
found on Sunday — five days
after they were quarantined.
In all, 187 people had been
quarantined at the sub-dis-
trict hospital at Kasa after a 3-
year-old girl tested positive
last Tuesday. These included
patients at the hospital, their
relatives and hospital staff.
The hospital was sealed and
swab samples of the 187 in qu-
arantine taken over two days.
When the test results came
in on Sunday, two intern doc-
tors and a 26-year-old woman
admitted to the hospital were
found positive. The result of
149 others, including doctors,
nurses, staff and patients,
was negative.
During a routine head co-
unt taken on Sunday, it was fo-
und that 24 people, including
nine employees on contract,
five general patients and 10 pa-
tients’ relatives were missing
from the hospital. Their swab
test reports are awaited. Dis-
trict officials and police are
getting details of the missing.
Blood of Covid
survivors may
now be needed
Mumbai: The civic body on
Monday said that Kasturba
Hospital was in the process of
getting an approval from the
Indian Council of Medical Re-
search (ICMR) to start the con-
valescent plasma therapy and
has asked recovered patients
to come forward to donate it. It
includes giving patients blood
plasma from those who have
developed antibodies to the
novel coronavirus through
transfusions.
An official said that an eli-
gible donor list is being prepa-
red to start the therapy. “Any-
body who has recovered from
the infection a month ago can
donate blood from which the
plasma would be separated.
The plasma is rich in antibo-
dies and can help in the treat-
ment of critical patients,” the
official said, adding that while
they have started building the
bank, the therapy can be offe-
red only after the ICMR has
approved of the trial. Since
it’s an experimental appro-
ach, plasma therapy can only
be offered as part of a clinical
trial. The BMC said that the
BYL Nair Hospital will act as
the collection centre. TNN
30-yr-old man
dies of Covid
in Dombivli
Kalyan: A 30-year-old Co-
vid-19 patient died during tre-
atment at Neon hospital in
Dombivli on Monday. Wor-
king at a private firm in Bhi-
wandi, he had cough, cold and
fever for many days but was
being treated at a local clinic.
When his condition worse-
ned, he approached a civic ho-
spital, and on April 13, he got
admitted to Neon, where he
tested positive.
Earlier, a 65-year-old wo-
man from Dombivli died du-
ring treatment at Kasturba
hospital in Mumbai.
Three more persons tested
positive in Kalyan-Dombivli
on Monday, taking the cases to
78, with three deaths. Two mo-
re were discharged after get-
ting cured, taking the figure of
those discharged to 28, while
47 are still being treated.
—Pradeep Gupta
Cop kills herself
at rented home
Mumbai: A 27-year-old police-
woman committed suicide at
her rented home in Jogeshwari
(E) on Monday. She used to
work with GRP and her hus-
band is with SRPF. Police said
they were investigating if she
had a dispute with her hus-
band. An accidental death was
recorded by Vanrai police. TNN
 THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH 3
ONSET OF SYMPTOMS CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS Flu Cold Allergies
Fever HOW TO KNOW IT’S CORONAVIRUS

88
Disease Onset period Fever
Coronavirus Gradual, may
Until tested, there’s no sure way to know if one has contracted Covid-19. Coughing (dry)
An added difficulty is that coronavirus symptoms are variable for each Common Fatigue
appear 2-14
% Coughing (dry)

68%
days after patient. Sorting through the prevailing confusion, here’s a frequency list Cough (mucous)
exposure (Percentages of Covid-19 symptoms and a comparison with flu, cold and allergy
a frequency
Shortness of breath
Rare
Flu Abrupt
distribution of (Means that Sore throat
Cold Gradual symptoms) dry cough is Shortness Headache Chills Nasal
Fatigue Cough Headache
experienced by of breath congestion Sometimes
38%
(mucous) Muscle/joint pain
Allergies Abrupt when 68% of Covid-19
14% 14% 15%
in presence
of allergen
patients)
33% 19 % 5% 5% 4%
Chills
Nausea
Sources: World Health
11% Slight
Organization, US Centers for Nasal congestion
Disease Control and Prevention Sore throat Muscle/joint pain Nausea Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea

2 BMC disaster control room staff State to hand out HCQS in

test +ve, operations moved to Parel some containment zones
Richa.Pinto@timesgroup.com peon who lives in Worli, another is a the rest have been shifted to the alterna-

Mumbai: After two civic staff working

in the disaster control room located wit-
hin the BMC headquarters tested positi-
ve for Covid-19, the civic body has parti-
ally moved the control room operations
to its Parel centre, where a replica of the
existing disaster control room was set
up in March last year. On Monday, the en-
tire disaster control room as well as the
BMC’s annexe building were fumigated
and entry to it restricted.
According to civic sources, the two ci-
vic staff, who tested positive, are cur-
rently asymptomatic. Both are from the
city’s Covid-19 hotspots. While one is a
shift-in-charge from Dharavi.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak in the ci-
ty, the cabins and conference room in the
disaster control room were also being
used by bureaucrats deputed to oversee
management of the situation. A corona
war room was also set up within the dis-
aster control room.
A senior civic body official said
owing to lockdown restrictions, the two
persons working in the disaster control
room did not come for duty frequently.
But, as a precautionary measure, it has
been decided to allow only 10% of the
central disaster control room staff to
operate from the headquarters, while
te control room, which was made opera-
tional to deal with a contingency situa-
tion.
However, since it is a vital facility, the
central disaster control room has not be-
en sealed. “All those working there will
be closely monitored for the next 14 days.
We are ensuring there is no hurdle in the
control room operations in any way,” sa-
id an official.
“It has also been decided to quaranti-
ne around 40 of the control room staff at
the Parel centre as a precautionary mea-
sure to ensure they do not have any con-
tact with their family members for the
next few days,” said a civic official.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
4-day lockdown
Mumbai: Around 53 of the
mediapersons in the city tes-
ted last week by BMC were fo-
in MBMC as
und positive. After two civic
staff working in the disaster
cases rise to 94
control room located within Mumbai: With a spike in Co-
BMC headquarters tested posi- vid-19 cases, all shops and
tive, the civic body has partial- markets in the Mira-Bhayan-
ly moved its control room ope- der region have been shut for
rations to its Parel centre, whe- four days. Milk has been
re a replica of the existing dis- spared from the shutdown,
aster control room was set up and home delivery of essen-
in March last year. tials has been allowed.
The state also did an analy- Twelve new cases were re-
sis of 2,336 cases and found ported from the region on

Lockdown rules eased but farsan shops

1,890 (81%) had no symptoms,
393 (17%) patients were symp-
tomatic, and 2% (53) were ad-
mitted in the ICU. Emphasi-
zing prevention, public health
Monday, taking the total num-
ber of cases to 94. The region
has registered two deaths.
The lockdown will continue
A Dharavi resident with a mask inside his house on Monday till Thursday after which the

shut, electricians & plumbers stay away Uma Kadam

minister Rajesh Tope said the
state has decided to distribute
hydroxychloroquine (HCQ),
which can boost the immunity
system, to residents in some
containment zones in Mum-
bai. “This medicine will be gi-
ven only to those between 15
and 60 years of age and not to
those with heart condition,”
said Tope. The HCQS plan has
been discussed for the past 15
days, with plans to distribute it
in pockets in Dharavi and Wor-
li, Mumbai’s worst hotspots.
Among the 308 who tested
positivewas a two-year-old boy
from Dharavi, which recorded
its highest daily climb with 30
cases. Dharavi now has 168 ca-
ses, including 11 dead. Assi-
stant civic commissioner Ki-
ran Dighavkar said the high
detection is due to numerous
fever campsconducted in the
BACK TO BACK: Vehicles bunch up on Western Express Highway on Monday, the first day of the official easing of lockdown restrictions area. Out of 657 high-risk con-
tacts, 423 have been tested. To-
pe reiterated more testing wo-
uld lead to more detection.
Over 76,000 tests have been car-
ried outso far. “Over 50,000 of
these have been in Mumbai,”
Malegaon emerged a major
concern as 6 deaths were re-
ported in a 48-hour period.
From Mumbai, a 25-year-old
man was among the 7 dead.
The other six—including two
women—were in the 56-73 age
group and had co-morbidities
such as diabetes and hyperten-
sion. Thane city registered two
deaths; the family of one of the
dead withheld his Covid-posi-
tive status, resulting in the 50
people who attended his fune-
ral being placed in quarantine.
But the Thane deaths were not
part of the state’s Monday tally.
The 2 deaths in Malegaon were
of a 55-year-old woman and a
56-year-old man. The fatality fi-
gure for Malegaon and Nashik
district is 8. The first 3 deaths
were reported on Thursday.
Between late night on Satur-
day and Sunday, 3 others had
succumbed in the textile town.
Tope said the state’s high
tally should be viewed against
the positive development that
572 patients had recovered.
“The number of patients is se-
en increasing on a daily basis
as the state is following every
ICMR guideline,” he added.
The state intends to carry out
75,000 rapid tests, said Tope.
One of 12 buildings of Kohi-
noor Compound, Dadar (E) has
been sealed after a high-profile
photographer tested positive.
He has been hospitalised in a
private clinic in Dadar while
his two close contacts have be-
en kept in isolation in a hotel.
Mira Bhayander Municipal
Corporation (MBMC) com-
missioner Chandrakant
Dange will take a decision on
further restrictions.
23 test positive
in SoBo slum
Mumbai: 23 residents of Ga-
nesh Murthy slum in South
Mumbai have tested positive
while one person tested posi-
tive in Ambedkar Nagar
slums. BJP MLA Rahul Nar-
wekar has demanded BMC
carry out fever screenings in
all 13 slum settlements in his
constituency. Harshita Nar-
wekar, corporator of ward
226, said screening in Ganesh
Murthy was started only af-
ter a househelp’s employer, a
naval officer, tested positive.

1st day, 1st snarls: Arterial Corona claims

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: Despite an official re-
laxation in lockdown restric-
tions for mithai and farsan
shops, carpenters, plumbers
and electricians from Monday,
most establishments and indi-
viduals were unable to restart
activity. Until shops open, wor-
kers cannot purchase parts, to-
ols and raw materials. Moreo-
ver, manpower is at a low ebb.
Chivda Galli in Lalbaug is a
hub of farsan manufacturers.
None reopened their shops on
Monday. Shankar Kale of Vijay-
laxmi Farsan said, “My wor-
kers live in Vikhroli, Chembur
and Dombivli and are unable to
travel to Lalbaug in the absence
of local trains.” Another sho-
powner said, “The steady avai-
lability of raw material needed
to manufacture farsan is not gu-
aranteed either. Basic items
such as curry leaves, condi-
ments and rice flakes are out of
stock. If we reopen, the govern-
ment should be able to assure us
that supplies will reach us un-
hindered regularly.”
Mithai shops, too, are una-
ble to procure adequate milk,
mawa, ghee and food colour.
Rajesh Kumar of Mahalax-
mi farsan and sweet shop in
Bhandup said his outlet opened
but home deliveries were held
Dharavi records new one-day
Tope clarifies
his statement 2 diabetics in
roads, toll plazas clog up
on liquor shops
Mumbai: The city’s highways and entry and exit points saw he-
avy congestion on Monday as several vehicles hit the roads on S tate health minister Rajesh
Tope said on Monday that
Thane in 3 days
Thane: Two men, both diabe-
tics, succumbed to Covid-19 in
high of 30 cases, tally now 168
the first day of the gradual beginning of activity ever since the liquor shops can remain open if Thane in the last three days. As Richa.Pinto@timesgroup.com
national lockdown. Other than special buses ferrying additio- social distancing rules are one of the men, a 55-year-old
nal government staff, especially those to and from Mantralaya, followed. Tope was replying to a from Lokmanya Nagar, tested Mumbai: Covid-19 cases in
more cars, tempos, trucks and bikes were seen on the roads. question that there was no positive a day after his death, 50 Dharavi jumped by 30 on
This led to snarls on arterial Western and Eastern Express clarity on the government’s of his family members who had Monday, the congested slum
highways as well as Bandra-Worli Sea Link at the Bandra end. stand on liquor shops, during an attended his final rites will be area’s biggest single-day tally
“On Eastern Express highway, there were jams all along the interaction with mediapersons put in quarantine. The civic bo- since the first patient was re-
route, beginning from the toll nakas,” said Ravi Gupta, a ban- through Facebook Live. Union dy has cordoned off ward 6 of ported from here on April 1.
ker. The toll naka at Airoli, for instance, had a lot of police home ministry guidelines issu- Lokmanya Nagar till April 26. The total number of cases
checks. It was also the first time after a long gap that toll was be- ed this past week lay down a The 55-year-old was admit- now stands at 168, and the
ing collected. At Dadar, the police intercepted 180 bikers for tra- strict ban on liquor sale though. ted in a civic hospital on Satur- death toll is 11.
velling in twos or threes on a single vehicle. When TOI contacted the day as his sugar level was high. Among the latest patients
On Eastern Express Highway, checkposts were created minister, his brother Amol said “His family did not inform the are a two-year-old boy—the
along Ghatkopar, Kurla and other locations. A transporter of Tope had been misquoted. doctors that he had fever earlier youngest to have tested posi-
essentials said there was a snaking queue of vehicles after the Early on Tuesday, Tope took and had got tested at a private tive in Dharavi—a 40-year-old
Vikhroli signal and towards Ghatkopar. On the Western Ex- to Twitter to clarify: “Although lab,” said Sandeep Malvi, deputy and a 43-year-old from Ka-
press Highway, police checks led to snarls at Goregaon East and the liquor shops are not municipal commissioner. “We lyanwadi area.
an overturned tempo caused congestion at Dahisar. included in the list of relaxation did his X-ray and ruled out pneu- Civic officials said that
Some motorists complained that toll operators at Mumbai’s given from Lockdown, a final monia and treated him for diabe- none of the 30 new patients
entry points and other state highways had still not activated decision will be announced only tes, but he died. On Sunday, his have any travel history. As-
FASTag, though some other mobile e-payment options through after framing their stricter lab report came in that he had sistant municipal commis-
barcode scanning were in place. TNN rules.” TNN tested positive for Covid-19.” sioner of G-North ward Ki- A doctor in a hazmat suit holds a vial containing a sample from a swab
The second patient was a 67- ran Dighavkar said, “All test of a resident from Dharavi
up due to housing society rest- buy parts and these were closed. pta (25) from Vashi said, “In case year-old from Panchpakhadi these cases have been detect-
rictions. Besides, police action Ramkrishna Das (30), a pl- a fuse is burnt, it’s not possible who had got admitted in a priva- ed through the fever camps 150-odd people who have been this purpose.”
against fruit and vegetable ven- umber in Kharghar, said, “I re- to replace it.” Carpenter Shy- te hospital for breathlessness on which we have been conduct- put in institutional quaran- Meanwhile, Dadar, which
dors has made store employees ceived a call from a regular cus- amlal Lohar (45) said, “For ma- April 10. “The next day, he tested ing aggressively in the area. tine have been complaining also falls in G-North ward, re-
worry about their own fate. tomer in Sector 15 for replacing king new furniture, we require positive and was shifted to Hori- We have screened more than about the unavailability of ported three new cases on
In Kalina, too, electricians a kitchen tap but shops are plywood, screws, nuts and bolts. zon Hospital. He was on ventila- 40,000 people, of which 423 doctors and paramedical Monday—a 29-year-old who
depend on hardware shops to shut.” Electrician Jitendra Gu- Where can we buy these?” tor and died on Monday,” said Dr were tested for coronavirus. staff at these centres. “We are worked in a hotel near Shush-
Ram Kendre, in-charge of Covid Of the 423 people, around 83 still hiring medical staff,” rusha Hospital, a 46-year-old

Most industries in MMR fail to restart

cases in Thane. The man had got
the infection after visiting a gas-
troenterologist who had tested
positive. His wife, who too had vi-
sited the doctor, had died on Ap-
have tested positive.”
The BMC continues to
face challenges in keeping
the high-risk contacts of pos-
itive patients in the institu-
said an official. “To reduce
the load on quarantine cen-
tres, we have been shifting
high-risk contacts who are
above 60 years of age or have
from NC Kelkar Road who is a
patient of a Shushrusha doc-
tor who has tested positive,
and a 24-year-old from Gok-
hale Road—taking the total to

ops, 1,335 in rest of state given go-ahead ril 3. It’s not known if she too was
infected. —Shrutika Sukhi
tional quarantines in Dhara-
vi. Officials said some of the
any health complications to a
hospital nearby acquired for
25. Eight of these are staffers
of a hospital in Dadar.

Clara.Lewis@timesgroup.com
Anil Shinde
nment were upset with Thane 53 mediapersons Cops come to rescue
collector’s order declaring the HAPPAIMES
Mumbai: While industries in district a containment zone. test +ve, told to
the Mumbai Metropolitan Re-
gion remained mostly shut on
Monday—the first day of relax-
“The entire district cannot be a
containment zone. Life must go
on,” said an industries depart-
stay in quarantine of Rajasthan woman o

ation of the lockdown—in the
rest of Maharashtra, as many
as 1,335 units employing 20,000
workers were granted permis-
sion to restart operations follo-
wing submission of self-decla-
ration forms online.
A Anbalgan, chief executi-
ve officer, MIDC, said in all 3,000
units had registered to resume
in the rest of Maharashtra, in-
cluding Aurangabad, Vidarbha
and Nashik.
All the Maharashtra Indust-
rial Development Corporation
Wagle Estate in Thane stayed shut as the district is now a containment zone
mitted. Around 35 manufactu-
rers spread across Khopoli,
Khalapur, Kamothe, Panvel, Ta-
loja, MIDC Taloja, MIDC Roha
more than 900 engineers, tech-
nicians and staff working on si-
tes, primarily on monsoon-rela-
ted works,” said MMRCL's di-
ment official.
In Mumbai, port activities
that had slowed have been resto-
red, said Sanjay Bhatia, chair-
man, Mumbai Port Trust. “Oil
tankers were always plying. Ex-
port of cars had slowed because
of the lockdown but is now back
to normal. Import of steel has
resumed,” said Bhatia.
Seshan Ranganathan, ex-
ecutive editor, TISA, a magazi-
ne of Chamber of Small Indust-
ry Associations, said there were
many challenges for industries
Mumbai: As many as 53 of 171
mediapersons who had partici-
pated in the Covid-19 testing
camp for journalists on April 17
have tested positive. The BMC
on Monday contacted them and
asked them to to stay in home qu-
arantine while arrangements
were being made to get them qu-
arantined in a hotel in Gorega-
on. Civic officials said many of
the affected mediapersons were
asymptomatic, but as a precau-
tion they will disinfect areas in
the civic headquarters, like the
stranded in city
V.Narayan@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: When a 30-year-
old Rajasthan native, who
had come to the city for a job
interview, ended up getting
stuck here due to the lock-
down, the Sahar police, an
Andheri-based social orga-
nization and a cab driver ral-
lied to her help. The woman
finally reached her relati-
har police senior inspector,
Shashikant Mane, who im-
mediately stepped in to
help.” “She was running
short of money and had no
money for food as well. We
arranged for a room in a lod-
ge and provided her two me-
als a day,” said Mane.
When the lockdown was
T& Cs appl y P it ,
extended, the police again
came to her rescue. They ar-
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1

(MIDC) estates in Thane were
shut as the collector has decla-
red the district a Covid-19 conta-
inment zone.
Thus, MIDC estates in Tha-
ne, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dom-
bivali, Ambernath and Murbad
were shut. In Raigad district,
where the Taloja industrial es-
tate is located, mainly industri-
es producing medicines and
packaging material were per-
and MIDC Patalganga were
granted permission to operate.
Meanwhile, work on nine
Metro lines in non-containm-
ent areas restarted after a BMC
go-ahead. Contractors have al-
so begun work on MTHL, Kala-
nagar flyover, Koori bridge and
improvement of Western Ex-
press Highway. MMRCL has
started work on the undergro-
und Metro-III project. “We had
rector project S K Gupta.
While ongoing construction
projects where labourers were
already on site have been allo-
wed to resume after taking civic
approval, a BMC official said
the policy to grant permission
to builders was yet to be appro-
ved. Also, no application were
received from builders on Mon-
day.
Several within the gover-
to resume. “Most industries wo-
uld prefer to restart when the
lockdown lifts on May 3.”
Industry minister Subhash
Desai said, “Containing the vi-
rus is the government’s first go-
al. No industry can be allowed
in hot spots. Industries are be-
ing allowed to operate in rural/
no risk areas.”
New norms kick in, P6
press room, which they visit.
On Monday, mayor Kishori
Pednekar decided to home qua-
rantine herself for 14 days. “Last
week I had got myself tested for
Covid-19 and my report was ne-
gative. But I have learnt that a
few journalists, who I have inter-
acted with over the last five days,
have tested positive and so as a
precaution, I have decided to qu-
arantine myself,” she said. TNN
ve’s home at Pen in Raigad
taluka on April 17.
The woman, who had ar-
rived in the city on March 15,
says she panicked when the
janta curfew was declared.
“I did not have enough mo-
ney to continue staying in
the hotel. I called up the Co-
vid-19 helpline and I was di-
rected to the police control
room. I got in touch with Sa-
ranged for a pass so she co-
uld travel to a relative’s ho-
me. The Shaheed Bhagat
1 1
Singh Vichar Manch, which
had provided lodging, ar- rulles is allegedly aii at
which Icountry?
ranged for a taxi to drop her
to Pen. IbFUWWftSN5yM
In a final act of kindness,
N> N7
cab driver, Gurpej Singh
Omm Z> to 111749116
AM
Sandhu, a volunteer with
the manch, refused to char- Stay Safe Tipl
ge her for the ride. 1 1. 1
 4 TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH
73-yr-old made
to run around
for Covid bed
Mumbai: A 73-year-old dialysis
patient, who tested positive for
Covid, had to return home to
Kandivli after waiting outside
Seven Hills Hospital, Marol, for
over four hours on Monday for a
bed. “My father also suffers
from diabetes, so it was not pos-
sible to keep him waiting there
without food,’’ said his IT pro-
fessional son.
His father used to undergo
dialysis at a hospital in Bandra
which was sealed a few days
back when a technician tested
positive for Covid. “My father
was asked to undergo the test on
Saturday,’’ said the son.
The duo left for Seven Hills
Hospital early in the morning,
only to be told they had no beds.
As the family lives in the same
colony as BJP’s IT and social
media co-convener Samir Gu-
rav, he decided to help with twe-
ets and phone calls to the local
ward officer.
“Soon, the family was prom-
ised a bed, but two hours later
they were told to go elsewhere as
there is no dialysis technician,’’
said Gurav. BMC has promised a
bed in Nanavati Hospital by 10
am on Tuesday, he added. TNN
At 37.8, Mon
hottest April
day in 4 years
Mumbai: The city on Monday
experienced its hottest April
day since 2016 as the Santa-
cruz weather observatory re-
corded a maximum tempera-
ture of 37.8 degrees Celsius.
At Colaba, it was 25.2. Humidi-
ty levels were lower compared
to the previous day.
For Tuesday, IMD has fore-
cast that maximum and mini-
mum temperatures will be 36
and 35 degrees Celsius.
In 2016, the highest recor-
ded maximum temperature
was 38 degrees Celsius on
April 28. On Sunday, the maxi-
mum recorded was 34.2 degre-
es Celsius.
In the suburbs, Mulund
(west) and Kalidas (a separate
recording station in Mulund
itself) witnessed maximum
temperature of 39.7 and 39.98
degrees Celsius respectively.
“Mumbai continued to re-
main warmer today as expec-
ted, especially the suburbs...
From tomorrow, Konkantem-
peratures are indicating
falling tendency, including
Mumbai,” said K S Hosalikar,
IMD deputy director-general.
—Vinamrata Borwankar
Alphonso
mango, onion
prices fall
Navi Mumbai: Wholesale
prices of popular varieties of
Alphonso mangoes (Deogad
and Ratnagiri) dipped to half
the rate. They are being sold
for around Rs125/kg, while
the usual price is around
Rs250. The price ranges from
Rs9,000-16,000 a quintal
(100kg). But these prices have
not yet reflected in the retail
market.
APMC fruit market direc-
tor Sanjay Pansare said the
mangoes were good quality as
they are the coastal variety in
Konkan.
Pineapples, oranges and
sweet limes were also cheaper,
said Pansare.
Retail price of onions too
dropped to Rs20-30/kg on
Monday from Rs30-40 earlier.
Wholesale price of onions
crashed to Rs5-11/kg from
Rs10-15 at Vashi APMC mar-
ket. —Sanjay Banerjee & B B
Nayak
Fake tweet: Actor
to take legal action
A ctor Jaaved Jaaferi has said
that he will file a defamation
suit against a social media user
for circulating an alleged fake
tweet under his name. A screens-
hot stating that the actor had ma-
de anti-Hindu comments was do-
ing the rounds on social media.
No pay for school
bus employees
T he School Bus Owners’ As-
sociation has decided to not
pay salaries to their staff for
April and May adding that the
government bear the costs in-
stead as they have not been able
to charge fees from parents.
Spl UAE flights to
take back Emiratis
T he UAE government will
operate special repatriation
flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Ko-
chi and Hyderabad to bring back
its nationals stuck in the count-
ry due to the restrictions on air
travel amidst the pandemic.
Palghar lynching: CID probe Uddhav MLC
ordered, 2 cops suspended proposal: No HC
CM Warns Against Communalizing Incident As BJP, Cong Trade Barbs
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: Amid political
mudslinging over the Palgh-
ar lynching case, chief minis-
ter Uddhav Thackeray said
on Monday that lynchings
would not be tolerated in
Maharashtra and warned
that no one should commu-
nalize the incident. He said
he spoke to Union home min-
ister Amit Shah about the
matter. The state government
has ordered a CID probe into
the case and suspended two
cops, including the local po-
lice station in-charge. The
state has so far arrested over
110 accused.
BJP leaders have accused
the Thackeray government of
“failing to protect” the two
sadhus who were on their
way to Gujarat to attend the
funeral of their guru. The
VHP has demanded a high-
level probe by a special inves-
tigating team (SIT) or the CBI
into the “conspiracy”. The
A CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN JUHU
In a rare sight, a man and a peacock share a quiet interlude on an otherwise busy Juhu road on Sunday
We must re-examine
our norms for
quality of life: Tata
From P 1
W
e are offended when pe-
ople criticise it, but we
have social responsibi-
lities as architects and builders.
The corona issue is a wake-up
call of what beholds us. What
our concern is that it turns aro-
und and bites us,’’ he said.
Tata, a trained architect,
while expressing regret that he
could not practise architecture
except for two years in Los An-
geles, did not mince words abo-
ut the condition of the slumd-
wellers. They live on top of each
other in a manner of speaking,
he added, referring to the mul-
ti-storeyed slum structures in
the precinct. “We as architects
and developers have been satis-
fied to do (that),” said Tata.
Tata, who was speaking at
discussion organised by Corp-
Gini, a global innovation plat-
form, also questioned the poli-
cy of removing slums and shif-
ting the occupants into narrow,
high-density structures 20-30
miles away. “For the first time,
the close proximity, low-value
structures we have built are the
cause of new problems. The
last few months have taught us
that we are suffering from close
proximity,” he said.
“I think there should be re-
examination of what we consi-
der to be acceptable standards
in terms of quality of life,” said
the industrialist. While high-
value housing is put on slum
land, the residue is like “put-
ting the garbage together and
calling it a community, making
Lockdown drives more than 3 lakh cabbies up the wall
Somit.Sen@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: For 37-year-old city
taxi driver Ramavtar Singh,
returning to his village near
Gorakhpur in UP may have
been the best option, but he
missed the last train before
the lockdown and is now gro-
unded at his humble home in a
Powai slum, with zero ear-
nings and pleading with
NGOs for two decent meals
and other essentials.
Others like auto driver
Umakanta Shaw, from Asan-
sol in West Bengal, is strugg-
ling to make ends meet at his
rented home in Rawalpada,
relief on plea
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Par-
ishad has threatened to
launch a stir if strong action
is not taken against those
who lynched the Juna Akha-
ra seers. The Congress, con-
demning the incident,
flagged that the Maharashtra
government has already
cracked down on the culprits
and accused the BJP of try-
ing to “communalize the sit-
uation". Thackeray in his
speech said, “There is no reli-
gious angle to the Palghar in-
cident.”
BJP’s social media head
Amit Malviya said, “The saf-
fron clad sadhus were plead-
ing with cops to protect them,
who let the mob lynch them.
Maharashtra is collapsing,
from health to law and or-
der...” VHP secretary Milind
Parande said, “The ambush
seems to be part of a deeper
conspiracy because many
times in the past, there have
been incidents of violence in-
spired by leftists in the area.”
it difficult to survive,” in a clear
reference to slum rehabilita-
tion policies.
“Perhaps, there ought to be
a revision in terms of the fact
that we are dealing with com-
munities, we’re dealing with
populations that need to be a
part of new India. We are crea-
ting a community which we are
ashamed of. We should be real-
ly driven by the desire of crea-
ting a world culture,” he said.
Tata added, “In the last few
months, we have been humbled
to realise that a disease could
run across the globe… I think
we have to consider this issue
as being our problem and not
their problem. We need to con-
cern ourselves with the quality
of lives everywhere. We need to
ask ourselves, are we ashamed
of what we see or proud of what
we see. We need to consider ur-
ban communities as one. We ne-
ed to look at the possibility of
ownership of slums rather
than rentals. We need to be as-
hamed of what we’re doing and
we need to focus on considerab-
ly being proud of what we’re
doing. Mumbai and Maharash-
tra need to be proud of the
transition that they make. And
the transition needs to be real.”
Peter Rich, founder, Peter
Rich Architects, and Jimmy Mi-
stry, CMD & principal designer,
Della Group, concurred, saying
there is a huge opportunity to do
something human-centric. Ar-
chitects and designers have a so-
cial responsibility. Architects
have to be activists, they need to
work together, they said.
Many auto, cabbies and aggregator cab operators are stuck in the city
Dahisar (E). He has taken a
personal loan to procure this
month’s ration, leave aside re-
paying home and auto loans.
But sate Congress general
secretary Sachin Sawant
tweeted: “The village Divashi
Gadchinchale [where the in-
cident occurred] is known as
BJP bastion for last ten years
including the post of village
head… Most of the people ar-
rested in the lynching inci-
dent are from BJP.”
The incident occurred on
Thursday night when the two
sadhus, from Kandivli, and
their driver were going to-
wards Surat. Their vehicle
was stopped near a village in
Palghar, the three dragged
out and beaten to death. Po-
lice tried to rescue them by
firing in the air, but that
wasn’t enough to dissuade
the mob, as can be seen in a
video of the incident that has
gone viral; the police can be
seen letting the mob take
back the trio. The deceased
have been identified as
Chikne Maharaj Kalpav-
rukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri
Maharaj (35), and their driver
Kaushik Naik
Lockdown still
in force, stay at
home, says CM
Mumbai: Chief minister
Uddhav Thackeray warned
people that if they do not stat
at home and follow social dis-
tancing norms, the govern-
ment would be forced to ex-
tend the lockdown for a few
more days, and enforce a
stringent implementation the
rules instead of allowing re-
laxation in certain areas.
Thackeray said that peo-
ple should not forget that the
lockdown has not been lifted.
“It is just a start to bring the
economy back on track, which
has been stuck for a while. In-
dustrial activities have been
allowed in few zones, with pro-
per guidelines. I would say it’s
a trial to get an idea about how
people are disciplined. It is up
to people to follow the instruc-
tions,” said Thackeray.
The chief minister reitera-
ted that relaxation of certain
rules and in a few areas did not
mean that the lockdown had
been lifted. TNN
Priest opens
temple, booked
Navi Mumbai: The Panvel city
police have registered an FIR
against the priest of Kerumata
temple in Owale village for ope-
ning the temple and allowing
devotees to offer prayers, thus
violating the lockdown order.
Senior inspector Ajay Land-
ge said he was booked under the
relevant sections of IPC, Epide-
mic Diseases Act, Maharashtra
Covid-19 Management Rule
2020, and National Disaster Ma-
nagement Act 2005 and later re-
leased. —George Mendonca
Sanjay Hadkar
Cab driver Shahnawaz
Khan was happy four years
back, when plying an app-ba-
sed cab was a “lucrative care-
Nilesh Telgade (30).
Thackeray said the inci-
dent could have been avoided.
“The two sadhus were on
their way to Gujarat, but
were stopped by authorities
at the Union territory border
of Dadra and Nagar Haveli,
and sent back into Maharash-
tra. The incident would have
been avoided, if the Dadra,
Nagar Haveli authority had
kept them in their custody at
night and handed them over
to Maharashtra the next
morning,” Thackeray said.
the
To avoid being caught at
Maharashtra-Gujarat
border at Talasari, sealed due
to the lockdown, the trio had
taken the Dabhadi-Khanvel
Road that runs through a for-
est. Thackeray said he spoke
to Union home minister Amit
Shah on Monday and Uttar
Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath
on Sunday. “Shah is aware
that there is no communal an-
gle. He just told us to take
care,” said Thackeray.
More hospital
staff test +ve
in city, figure
nearly 300
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: As many as 13 medi-
cal staffers from the ENT Hos-
pital at Fort have tested posi-
tive for coronavirus. A resi-
dent doctor from the state-run
St George Hospital, two ward
boys and one doctor from the
Sewri TB Hospital also tested
positive on Monday. The num-
ber of affected healthcare per-
sonnel in the city is inching to-
ward 300. Cases among medi-
cal personnel alone account
for 10% of the city’s overall
coronavirus incidence.
Sources said the ENT Hos-
pital has been treating several
coronavirus patients. At least
six of the 13 infected person-
nel are believed to be doctors.
The civic body didn’t confirm
the cases or the number of
staffers affected. Residents
doctors from across public
hospitals have started testing
positive since the past 10 days.
In all, the count of affected
resident doctors has exceeded
25 across Sion, Nair and KEM
hospitals. A first-year medi-
cine resident from KEM Hos-
pital was among the latest to
test positive.
A leading infectious dis-
ease expert in the city said it
was surprising to see the large
number of medical staffers
testing positive and also wor-
rying as it could dent the med-
ical services.
GOAT NURSES ANTELOPES
SEPARATED FROM MOM
A pair of four-horned antelope babies, separated from
their mother, is being nursed by a goat. The fawns am-
bled out of a forest in Murbad, Thane, last week with goats
grazing there. The fawns are now at Sanjay Gandhi Natio-
nal Park (SGNP), Borivli, for baby-sitting. The fawns, who
are too young, were huddled amid the goats, said forest of-
ficer of Murbad (west) range, Ramesh Rasal. Dr Jitendra
Ramgaokar, deputy conservator of forests (Thane), said
they tried to reunite them with the mother, but failed.
Now, at SGNP, a goat is playing foster mom to them. “The
goat is being fed tonics and vitamins so the fawns get good
quality milk,” said Dr Shailesh Pethe, chief veterinarian.
“The fawns are healthy and playful.” —Alex Fernandes
er”. He has no earnings for
over a month now. Being the
sole earner for three daugh-
ters, wife and mother at his
home at Hill Park, Jogeshwa-
ri, Khan is frustrated. Bank
officials have been reminding
him of EMIs.
They are few of thousands
of auto-taxi, aggregator cab
drivers of Mumbai who are
penniless. Most had come he-
re to get good jobs and earn de-
cently. Today, with most ha-
ving no earning since March
20, and which could mean a pe-
riod of 45 days till May 3, they
are staring at a bleak future.
“My sons and wife have
Rosy.Sequeira@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Bombay high court
on Monday declined to stay
the state cabinet’s decision
recommending appointment
of chief minister Uddhav
Thackeray as nominated
member of the state legisla-
tive council. The HC said it
was for the governor to decide
whether it was valid in law.
Justice Shahrukh Katha-
walla heard through video
conference a petition filed by
a BJP worker, Ramkrishnan
Pillay, challenging the April 9
cabinet meeting, terming it
“illegal”.
Thackeray, who was elect-
ed CM on November 28, 2019,
is neither an MLC nor an
MLA. As per the Constitu-
tion, he is required to be a
member of either house of
the State legislature on or be-
fore May 28, failing which he
shall cease to be the CM. The
cabinet recommended
Thackeray’s name as MLC for
one of the two Governor nom-
inee seats that are vacant
since elections were unlikely
due to the pandemic.
Senior advocate Atul
Damle, with advocate Vijay
Killedar, argued the CM had
not delegated the power to
preside over a meeting of cab-
inet ministers to any minis-
ter, including the deputy CM.
Opposing relief, advocate
general Ashutosh Kumbha-
koni, with government plead-
Ambulances in overdrive as
cases rise & transport shut
Vinamrata.Borwankar
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: As the city grapp-
les with a rise in number of
Covid-19 cases and transport
remains shut, it is becoming
difficult for Mumbaikars to
reach hospitals for medical
emergencies as ambulances
are in short supply.
For instance, for a corona-
positive Nagpada resident in
need of dialysis, neighbours
and politicians scouted for an
ambulance for over 20 hours
on Friday. Also, Dharavi resi-
dent Farooqui Sohrab (25), sa-
id that his family of nine was
squeezed into one ambulance
to be taken for testing a week
ago. “At least a dozen of us, in-
cluding neighbours, were in
that vehicle,” he said.
The 108 ambulance servi-
ce has dedicated 60 of its fleet
of 93 vehicles to Covid-rela-
ted work. These ambulances
are used to ferry suspected
stood by me. But I feel sorry
for not getting income for
them as I depend on daily ear-
nings from plying my auto,”
said Shaw. “The situation is
grim, I have no earning since
March 20 and it is difficult ar-
ranging food for the family,”
he said. He said drivers will fa-
ce huge problems once the
lockdown ends. “They will ha-
ve to pay for insurance, if it
has expired, get vehicles repa-
ired at garages as many will
malfunction due to remaining
idle and pay for fuel. Where
will the money come from?”
he asked.
Singh is among drivers
er Priyabhushan Kakade,
questioned the maintainabil-
ity of the petition.
Justice Kathawalla, in his
order, said the Governor
could nominate a member of
the legislative council. Under
Article 163 of the Constitu-
tion, the council of ministers
aid and advise the Governor
in such an exercise.
Justice Kathawalla point-
ed out that Pillay himself had
CM Thackeray with Guv Koshyari
averred that the Governor
was bound only by the valid
aid and advice of the council
of ministers. He noted the
Governor till date has not tak-
en any decision. The judge
said the court’s interference
at this stage was not required
as it would prevent the Gover-
nor from taking an independ-
ent decision. The judge said
the relief sought in the plea to
quash and set aside the deci-
sion as well as order a stay,
pending hearing, appears to
be premature.
Transporting a patient can take up
to 8 hours, say drivers
Covid-19 patients for tests and
back, and to take recovered
patients home. Each trip ta-
kes 4-8 hours. “Once we get a
request, we have to co-ordina-
te with ward officers to find
which hospital can take the
patient in. This takes 2 hours.
At the hospital, the admis-
sion takes up to 4 hours at ti-
mes, so the ambulance waits
till then. Sanitisation of the
ambulance takes 30 minu-
tes,” said Dr Ashish Yadav, zo-
nal manager for the 108 ambu-
lance service in Mumbai.
Citizens help 1,270 booked for
20 families in not wearing mask
D espite the BMC mandate to
Chembur slum
Mumbai: After desperate
slumdwellers in Chembur cal-
led helplines on Sunday repe-
atedly, a few good Samaritans
got together to help 20 families
at Sahyadri Nagar slum.
Journalist R D Pai bought
groceries and dropped them
off at a convenient location.
Some of the women from the
slum came to collect the items.
Karuna Magar, one of them,
said most of them were run-
ning out of essentials, as they
worked as domestic help and
were now not being allowed
into societies. She said they
had not been paid their dues
either. Another slumdweller
Meena Kole said no one had
helped them, and that they ne-
eded urgent attention.
On Sunday, 20 families ca-
me together to call helplines.
They got in touch with advoca-
te Rakesh Singh, who distri-
butes food via his NGO. Singh
then spread their message.
— Vijay V Singh
who stay alone and depend on
each other’s goodwill for
emergencies. “Many acquain-
tances have returned to their
villages. I am stuck here and
there’s nowhere to go,’‘ he sa-
id, lauding government, poli-
ce and NGO efforts to ensure
the needy get free meals and
assistance.
More than 50,000 Kaali Pe-
eli, over 2 lakh auto and 80,000
aggregator cab drivers could
be affected. D M Gosavi of Se-
va Sarathi Autorickshaw Taxi
and Transport Union on Fri-
day petitioned chief minister
Uddhav Thackeray on their
plight.
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
1-yr-old among
7 +ve in Panvel,
NMMC, Raigad
Navi Mumbai: Seven people
tested positive for Covid-19 in
Navi Mumbai, Panvel City
and Uran on Monday.
Three of them were from
NMMC limits, taking the total
count of cases here to 69. Of
these, 22 have recovered so far.
“Of the three who tested
positive, two work for a com-
pany in MIDC Rabale which
recently tested its 40 staffers,”
said a civic official. The third
is a 22-year-old from Kopark-
hairane who has been admit-
ted to a hospital in Navi Mum-
bai. Three of his family mem-
bers have been quarantine.
Doc in contact with
+ve kin, PHC shut
A primary health centre in
Neral was shut after its
medical officer came in contact
with his Covid-19-positive
brother. Also, a 40-year-old
man from Neral working for a
pharma firm tested positive for
Covid-19 on Monday. TNN
While three tested positive
for the virus from Panvel City
municipal limits, a 1-year-old
baby from Uran has tested po-
sitive. The three from Panvel
City include a 38-year-old doc-
tor, a 54-year-old homeopat-
hand a 59-year-old homema-
ker. In all, Panvel city now has
37 cases.
The infant from Urancont-
racted the virus from a hospi-
tal, said an officer from the Ra-
igad district administration.
—Vijay Singh, George
Mendonca Umesh K Parida
Private ambulance servi-
ces too are seseing a surge in
demand since the lockdown
began. “We aren’t allowed to
ferry Covid-19 patients, but
we get many calls from those
who aren’t aware. But, with
no public transport available
we are now getting double the
calls. Our vehicles run overti-
me and breakdowns take
longer to fix with no mecha-
nic or spare parts easily avai-
lable,” said an ambulance dri-
ver. He recently drove to Uttar
Pradesh to take a cancer pati-
ent home but has decided not
to travel to other states. “The-
re is no provision for food on
the way,” he said.
Some ambulances are
used to carry samples for tes-
ting. “With the rise in de-
mand, we are prioritising pa-
tients over sending samples,”
said Dr Vidya Thakur, medi-
cal superintendent of the
BMC-run Rajawadi Hospital
in Ghatkopar.
wear a mask when step-
ping outside, and several war-
nings, city police booked 1,270
people till Sunday for not wea-
ring a mask. Police booked 5,448
people in total for lockdown vio-
lations in the city. Police said se-
veral people make excuses, or
leave the masks hanging aro-
und their neck. — V Narayan
Allow room service
facility: Hoteliers
U nder a joint banner, hoteli-
ers requested the govern-
ment to allow them to offer ro-
om service to IT and Infra sector
employees who were permitted
to resume work from Monday.
While the only relaxation in ru-
les for hoteliers was clearance
to offer takeaway; sweet shops,
electricians and plumbers were
allowed to resume all work. TNN
TBM for Coastal Rd
arrives from China
T he 12.2m-wide Tunnel Bo-
ring Machine for BMC’s Co-
astal Road project reached
Mumbai from China on Monday.
Civic officials said it would take
a month for custom clearances,
and then the TBM will be bro-
ught to the site. It will be lowered
from snear Priyadarshani Park
and come out near Girgaon
Chowpatty. — Richa Pinto
Special ‘emergency’
cabs for hosp trips
C ab service provider Ola on
Monday rolled out ‘Ola
Emergency’ in Mumbai, ma-
king the service availability
across 15 major Indian cities. It
will enable citizens to access es-
sential medical care with mini-
mum delay. The platform al-
lows trips to be booked from ho-
mes to hospitals and back. TNN
 TIMES NATION THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020

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Mallya loses extradition appeal in HC ED attaches ANTIVIRUS

`175cr assets of COVID-19 HAS BECOME AN INFODEMIC OF FAKE NEWS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA. TOI HELPS YOU ZAP THE TRENDING LIES
Liquor Baron
ED hopeful he will be Kolkata firm in
File pic

Is 6ft too close while exercising?

May Try To laundering case
I t’sersscientists
hard enough to maintain a 6-foot gap from oth-

Move UK
Apex Court
in India in 28 days TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: In middle of the

Naomi Canton
London: Beleaguered liquor
baron Vijay Mallya has lost his
appeal against extradition in
the London high court and
could be extradited to India
within a couple of months.
Mallya, who spends his
time between his multi-mil-
lion-pound terraced mansion
in London and a sprawling es-
tate in Hertfordshire once
owned by F1 racing driver Le-
wis Hamilton’s father, could
appeal the high court decision
on a legal point in the Supreme
Court. He has 14 days to do that.
First, he must ask the HC to
certify a point of law of public
importance and apply to the
high court for permission to
appeal to the Supreme Court. If
they do certify but refuse per-
mission to appeal to SC, he has
14 days from that date to appeal
to the Supreme Court.
A decision on whether to
certify a point of law normally
happens relatively quickly,
though it could be delayed by
the coronavirus outbreak. If
the HC does not certify a point
of law, then SC has no jurisdic-
tion and he must be extradited
within 28 days of the decision.
An application for permis-
sion to appeal at SC is likely to
take months. If granted, then
an appeal hearing there would
take around a year. If Mallya
does not appeal, he must be ex-
tradited to India within 28 days
after the deadline for appealing
has passed. He can also appeal
to the European Court of Hu-
man Rights at any time as well.
Handing down their judg-
ment remotely on Monday,
Lord Justice Irwin and Justice
Elizabeth Laing, said, “In our
Pradeep.Thakur
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: The Enforcement
Directorate is hopeful of get-
ting former Kingfisher Air-
lines chairman Vijay Mallya
extradited from the UK in less
Vijay Mallya speaks to media outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court than 28 days after the High
during an extradition hearing on September 12, 2018 in London. After Court in London rejected his
the decision, Mallya now has 14 days to appeal the high court
decision on a legal point in the Supreme Court
appeal against a district
court’s order to extradite him
to India for the offence of
money laundering.
‘Disappointed with HC decision, media’ Mallya is accused by Indi-
R eacting to the UK HC decision, Mallya said that he is
disappointed with the UK high court decision. “I will continue to
pursue further legal remedies as advised by my lawyers. I am also
an agencies of defrauding
government banks of Rs 9,000
crore and laundering the ‘pro-
disappointed with the media narrative which states that I must face ceeds of crime’ through shell
trial in India for a fraud of Rs 9,000 crores. I must draw attention to companies created in tax
paragraph 6 of the judgment, which is available to the public. Please
note that the allegations against me and others are specifically
related to three tranches of borrowing from IDBI Bank for a total of
Rs 900 crores in 2009. This loan was subsumed along with loans
havens abroad.
A senior ED official moni-
toring the case said an agency
team is likely to leave for Lon-
from other Banks within the Master Debt Recast Agreement of 2010.
Following the DRT order for the payment of approximately Rs 5,000
crores by way of principal and Rs 1,200 crores by way of unapplied
don soon to take custody of
the fugitive businessman who
has 14 days to seek permission
interest making a total of Rs 6,200 crores, the banks have already to appeal in the UK’s Supreme
recovered in cash a sum of Rs 2,500 crores, which is 50% of the Court. “Permission to appeal
principal amount. I have repeatedly offered to repay the banks in full in the UK’s Supreme Court is
but, sadly to no avail,” he said. TNN only granted on constitution-
al matters. Since this is not a
constitutional matter or an is-
Success in war on looters & scooters: CBI sue requiring constitutional
New Delhi: It is a significant achievement in the continuing war interpretation, it is very un-
against economic fugitives, an elated CBI said on Monday, hours after likely to get such permis-
a British court rejected Vijay Mallya’s appeal against his extradition sion,” the official said.
to India for allegedly defrauding banks of nearly Rs 9,000 crore. “It is a Once Mallya’s request for
significant achievement in continuing war against economic appeal is rejected, ED gets an-
fugitives who have been managing to stay away from the judicial other 14 days to take him into
process in the country,” said CBI spokesperson RK Gaur. He said it
also validates CBI’s painstaking and meticulous probe. The dismissal tations, defaulted on the loans
of the HC appeal came as a major achievement for the agency which and diverted and disbursed
has been pursuing his extradition from the UK. AGENCIES some of the funds.
The judges found that the
judgment, the senior district The allegations against three IDBI loans were dis-
judge was entitled to find that Mallya (64) are that when he bursed as the result of a con-
there was a prima facie case of was CEO and chairman of spiracy, despite Kingfisher Air-
fraud by false representation Kingfisher Airlines, he con- line’s weak financials, nega-
and of conspiracy to defraud. spired with individuals to ob- tive net worth and low credit
Thus there is also a prima facie tain loans from Indian banks rating, and despite not meeting
case of money laundering.” in 2009 based on false represen- IDBI’s corporate loans policy.
This will be a major
success for the ED,
which is also
hopeful of getting
extradition order for
another high-profile
accused, Nirav Modi
its custody and extradite him,
sources said.
This will be a major suc-
cess for the ED which is also
hopeful of getting extradition
order for another high-profile
accused Nirav Modi, the dia-
mond trader who defrauded
Punjab National Bank of over
Rs 13,500 crore.
Modi, like Mallya, had fled
to the UK to evade arrest from
Indian agencies probing
banking fraud and money
laundering. However, unlike
Mallya, who had obtained bail
from a UK court in 2017, Modi
was arrested and is currently
in a prison in London. His
matter will also come up soon,
the ED official said.
The HC concurred with
the district judge’s order that
“loans were disbursed as the
result of a conspiracy be-
tween the named conspir-
ators” and these loans to King-
fisher Airlines were “made
despite KFA’s weak financials,
negative net worth and low
credit rating”.
They found that Mallya made
false representations with re-
spect to equity infusions, he of-
fered “symbolic” and “grossly
inadequate security”, gave an
exaggerated brand value of his
airline and misleading fore-
casts, and that his dishonest in-
tention not to repay the loans
was shown by his later conduct.
Full report on www.toi.in
lockdown, the Enforcement Di-
rectorate has attached proper-
ties worth over Rs 175 crore of a
Kolkata-based company found
laundering funds availed from a
government bank using a maze
of shell companies.
The agency has attached 124
land assets and business estab-
lishments of Prakash Vanijya
Pvt Ltd and its associated enti-
ties on Monday under Preven-
tion of Money Laundering Act.
According to ED, its investi-
gation revealed Manoj Jain, the
director of Prakash Vanijya,
had availed loans of Rs 235 crore
from the Central Bank of India
According to ED, Manoj Jain,
the director of Prakash
Vanijya Pvt Ltd, had availed
loans of Rs 235 crore from
Central Bank of India and
later laundered them using
his shell companies
through a letter of credit and lat-
er laundered them using his
shell companies.
“Among these 124 properties,
10 are located in Kolkata
amounting to Rs 67.19 crore,
three in Jalpaiguri worth Rs
98.70 crore and 111 in Chhattis-
garh worth Rs 9.40 crore. These
properties were traced after un-
folding the layered transactions
during the money laundering
investigation,” the ED said.
The agency accused Jain of
creating fictitious beneficiary
companies and laundering
funds received from the bank by
round tripping through his
shell companies. “These re-
leased funds from bank were
used for personal purpose and
for settling other liabilities
through kite flying operations,”
the agency said.
in public places, now a Belgian-Dutch team of
wants you to stay farther apart during
exercise. Their advice to stay more than 65 feet
behind cyclists, 33 feet behind runners and 16 feet behind walkers
is spreading fast on social media. But is it true? Yes, the findings are
based on a true study, but they might not apply to the real world.
Other scientists have pointed out that the tests were done inside a
wind tunnel, but outdoors, the breeze quickly disperses your
breath. The main takeaway is to not get close directly behind some-
one who is breathing hard from vigorous exercise. Farther is better.
Masks good, gloves bad
T hat’s the way the dwellers of
‘Animal Farm’ would have
dispensed Covid safety guidance. Wear a mask at all times in
public, but leave the gloves at home. The virus doesn’t care whether
you touch your face with bare or gloved hands. It’s an opportunity
to infect you either way. Besides, gloves are porous. If you keep
them on for a long time, bacteria and viruses will slip through and
thrive inside the hot and humid ‘incubator’ you have built for them.
J&K cops book FB user,
reporter over ‘fake news’
Saleem.Pandit The police said that the
@timesgroup.com news item that was
published and uploaded
Srinagar: The Jammu &
Kashmir police on Monday could provoke people and
registered cases against a re- disturb law and order
porter of a national daily for
publishing “fake news” and news” item about an encou-
a Facebook user for upload- nter in Shopian had been pu-
ing anti-national posts with blished in a national news-
“criminal intention”. paper by a local journalist.
“The Facebook post by “The details quoted in
the user can provoke the the news item were factually
public to disturb the law and incorrect and could cause
order and glorify anti-na- fear or alarm in the minds of
tional activities etc…,” the the public. The news was pu-
police statement said. An blished without seeking co-
FIR against the Facebook us- nfirmation from the district
er, under “the relevant pro- authorities. In this regard, a
vision of law” was regis- case was registered in Anan-
tered at cyber police station tnag and the individual was
in Srinagar, it added. called for questioning. In-
The statement further vestigation in both the cases
said the police on Sunday is in progress,” the police
was informed that a “fake statement said.

Hizb terrorists
thrash SPO in
Girl ‘hangs self’ after To bring home
peace, UP dad
TIMES
NETWORK
wow o NOTHING
f

Kulgam, ask uncle asks her to kill kills toddler on

him to quit job mother and siblings tantrik’s advice IT'S TIME T O

Salim.Pandit@timesgroup.com

Srinagar: Three Hizbul Muja-

hideen terrorists barged into
TIMES NEWS NETWORK justice to my mother and sib-
lings. But I’m ending my life,
Mohd Dilshad TNN

the house of a special police of-
ficer (SPO) at Tangbal village
in south Kashmir’s Kulgam
district late on Sunday, dragged
him out to a nearby paddy field
and thrashed him for several
hours before letting him off
with a warning to quit his job.
In South Kashmir’s Shop-
ian district, security forces ar-
rested two overground workers
affiliated to Jaish-e-Moham-
mad on Monday.
The heavily-armed trio en-
tered SPO Adil Bashir Bhat’s
house, abducted and assaulted
him for many hours. They then
threatened him, asking him to
resign. The SPO is presently
posted at Kulgam district po-
lice lines. Police have regis-
tered a case against the three
Hizb terrorists and launched a
search for them, Kulgam SSP
Gurinder pal Singh said.
Meanwhile, the Jaish work-
ers were identified as Zahoor
Ahmad Koka and Uzair Ahmad
Dar, both residents of Zainpo-
ra. They were arrested during
a vehicle-checking exercise.
Agra: Four days after a 16-
year-old girl allegedly killed
herself, a video of her prior
to the “suicide” has gone vi-
ral on social media. She also
left behind a four-page sui-
cide note under a country-
made pistol at her home in
Shanti Nagar.
In the clip, the girl — a
student of Class X — claimed
that her uncle gave her ‘ta-
mancha’ to shoot her 38-year-
old mother and two siblings,
but instead, she chose to take
her own life. She alleged that
her father, two uncles and a
cousin assaulted and men-
tally harassed her mother,
two siblings and her as well.
Her body was found han-
ging in her room on April 16.
Police have arrested her fa-
ther on charges of abetment
to suicide, while the rest are
on the run. An autopsy repo-
rt stated “asphyxia due to ha-
nging” In her “suicide note”,
the girl wrote, “I wanted to
live, to see myself become a
police officer and to provide
as I’m tired now. We, all four,
are mentally tortured and
harassed on a daily basis by
my father, two uncles and
cousin over property.”
She also alleged that,
“Prior to marrying my
mother, my father had mur-
dered his first wife and her
‘HARASSED OVER
PROPERTY’
four children, including a fo-
etus. My uncle, too, has serv-
ed jail term. They molested
me and did wrong things.
They all must be given strin-
gent punishment after my
death.” The message clai-
med that her uncle gave her a
pistol and asked her to kill
her mother, brother (22) and
sister (10), or “I would face
dire consequences, therefore
I’m committing suicide”.
“We are probing allega-
tions made by the girl prior
to her suicide,” Sadar SHO
Kamlesh Kumar Singh said.
Full report on www.toi.in
Muzaffarnagar: A two-year-
old girl was kidnapped in her
14ELP THE HELP,
sleep and allegedly killed by T H E Y ' V E A LWAY S TAKEN CARE OF YOU.
her father who believed that
the “sacrifice” will bring peace NOW IT'S YOUR TURN!
at his home. Police said that the
accused, Wajid, committed the
murder on the advice given to
him by an occultist, Irfan.
Both worked in a brick kiln
in Muzaffarnagar’s Khaikhe-
da and have been arrested.
According to police, the girl
went missing on Sunday night.
Her mother searched the area
thoroughly, and, after growing
suspicious of her husband,
went to Kakroli police station
and filed a complaint again-
st him.
At the time of questioning,
Wajid confessed to have killed
his daughter. “On his tip-off, we
exhumed the body of the girl
from the brick kiln. She was
murdered with a spade, which
has also been recovered,” a se-
nior police officer said.
Both the accused were boo-
ked, arrested and sent to jail on
Monday, said deputy superin-
tendent of police (DSP) Ram
Mohan Sharma.

Caught in lockdown, 6 foreigners survive

in a cave on banks of Ganga for 25 days
MS Nawaz TNN using firewood and procuring vegetables Give your help time off to look after themselves and stay safe,just like you are
from the local market. They used water
doing. Support them with paid leaves. Show some Love. Help them Laugh a

S
ix foreigners, who had been living in from the river to drink and bathe.
hotels in Rishikesh earlier and had to Kathait said they were informed by lo- little. Make this world a better place to Live in.
check out when they ran out of money cal vegetable vendors that some foreigners

during the lockdown, managed to survive
in a cave on the banks of the Ganga for 25
days. The four men and two women — from
US, France, Turkey, Ukraine and Nepal —
were found by Laxman Jhula police on Sat-
urday after local residents tipped them off.
 Virus Watch: P 6- 8
The foreigners were identified as Oleh
Sandetski and Oksana Kravchuk from Uk-
raine, Merve Turhan from Turkey, Michael
Raffaele Falcone from the US, Ladislas Lu-
cas from France, and Vishnu Giri from Ne-
The men and women from US, France, Turkey,
Ukraine and Nepal were found by police on
Saturday after locals tipped them off
hotels and came in contact with each other
#HelpTheHelp
had been coming to buy vegetables. The
team then launched a search operation and
found them living in rock caves. He added
that none of the tourists had any symptoms
but were taken to a government hospital for
check-up. They have now been quarantined
at Laxmi Narayan Mandir Swargashram
Trust Ramjhula for 14 days. “We will con-
duct further inquiries once the quarantine
period is over,” he said.
Kathait said earlier some foreigners
were found living in forests of Uttarakhand #WHFafterWFH
after lockdown. According to police, at pre-

00 0 Romed yNOW I Romedy ow.cam

pal. They were staying in hotels until March soon after and decided to shift to a cave on sent, there are 600 foreign tourists in Rishi-
24 when India announced a lockdown. Neelkanth Road along the banks of Ganga. kesh. Most are from Europe, US and Israel
Police said the tourists checked out of Police said that the tourists were cooking and many are here to attend yoga classes.
 6 TIMES NATION | Lockdown-Day 27 THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020

2 more deaths
take Delhi’s
toll to 47
 From P 1
M
aharashtra and Delhi re-
main the worst affected
states with 4,666 and
2,081cases respectively, with Guj-
arat taking the third spot with a
big spurt in recent days. Two
more Covid-19-related deaths
were recorded in Delhi on Mon-
day, taking the capital’s toll to 47.
Gujarat on Monday reported
196 cases, a significant dip from
the high of 367 on Sunday. Ahme-
dabad, however, continued to be
the biggest contributor with 147,
or 75%, of the new cases. Howev-
er, as many as 26 patients were
declared cured in the state, 20 of
them from Ahmedabad.
UP too saw a slight fall in
numbers with 94 new cases on
Monday, compared to Sunday’s
174. Its Covid-19 tally is now 1,258,
which includes 814 persons con-
nected to the Tablighi Jamaat.
The day also saw a medical
officer in Moradabad, who con-
tracted Covid-19, succumbing to
the infection. A Covid-19 patient
in Kanpur too died during the
course of treatment late on Mon-
day evening. The two deaths
took UP’s toll to 19.
Pune curfew leaves residents, cos in a fix New norms kick
1 Death Reported,
87 +ve Cases New
Single-Day High
Nisha Nambiar &
Abhijit Atre TNN
Pune: A day after Pune was
declared a containment zone
and sealed, the local police on
Monday imposed a curfew
across the city till April 27
midnight, putting further re-
strictions on the movement of
people and vehicles and the
working hours of shops sell-
ing essential items.
In several areas, buyers
flocked grocery shops during
the two-hour window given
for sales. Social distancing
naturally took a beating.
Although the curfew was
imposed only in the munici-
pal limits, it derailed plans of
restarting economic activ-
ities in Pune’s extended ar-
eas. Industries wanting to re-
sume operations struggled
with permissions and logisti-
cal issues.
The sealing of areas and
PLANS TO RESTART ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES DERAILED
the curfew baffled several res- on Monday — the highest one-
idents, who wondered what day rise for the region.
merited the strict action in Justifying his order
Pune. Many sought to know against the backdrop of these
whether the official figures numbers, Pune municipal
regarding the spread of the commissioner Shekhar Gaik-
coronavirus infection in the wad said, “Thirteen out of the
city were true. 15 ward offices in the city have
Official figures released reported an increase in posi-
before the sealing orders on tive cases in the last few days.
Sunday showed that there There is a possibility of our
were 50 Covid-19 deaths and surveys finding more cases.”
669 positive cases in the Pune Asked about this, Pune’s
Metropolitan Region. Just guardian minister and depu-
one death was reported in the ty chief minister Ajit Pawar
PMR late on Monday. The told TOI that there was a “lot
number of positive cases rose of difference” between Mum-
to 756, with 87 being reported bai and Pune although both
cities come in the “red zone” --
areas which have reported
maximum spread of the vi-
rus. “In Mumbai, slums are a
major issue but there are
many other factors too. In
Pune, social distancing
norms were being flouted in
many areas, particularly the
Peths,” he said.
Pawar further said that
chief minister Uddhav
Thackeray was himself fo-
cusing on Mumbai. “It is his
hometown and the Brihan-
mumbai Municipal Corpora-
tion has been under his par-
ty’s rule for the last 25 years.
He is looking into what needs
to be done in Mumbai. After a
detailed discussion with all
officials including health ex-
perts, I decided to initiate
stringent measures for eight
days in Pune,” he said.
Meanwhile, industries
complained that no meaning-
ful activity could be conduct-
ed on Monday. “The regula-
tions around resuming work
are so stringent that it was not
possible for any industry to
start operations,” said Dilip
Batwal, secretary, Federation
of Chakan Industries.
Health experts
back complete
lockdown in Pune
Pune: State health experts as-
sessing the rising graph of
cases for Pune and Pimpri-
Chinchwad reiterate that com-
plete lockdown for both the ci-
ties is essential as it would help
stem the exponential rise in
cases. As of April 20, the state
accounted for 27% of the total
cases in the country as well as
43% of all deaths. The state’s
mortality rate is 5 per cent while
Pune, with 734 cases and 50
deaths, accounts for 15.7% of to-
tal cases in Maharashtra and
21.5% deaths.
While the mortality rate for
Pune is higher than the state,
health experts fear that a com-
plete lockdown will postpone
the epidemic but once social
distancing measures are re-
laxed, cases will rise again.
Ramping up testing facilities
and following proper quaran-
tine protocol will have to be
maintained if the graph has to
be flattened, they stated. TNN
in at work as Maha
factories start ops
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai/Nashik: Compul-
sory sporting of face masks,
sitting on alternate sides in the
companies’ bus shuttles, main-
taining a distance of at least
one metre between people
while entering factories, and
undergoing thermal scanning
are among the new rules work-
ers abided by as select manu-
facturing industries started
operations in Maharashtra
on Monday.
In canteens too, employees
maintained social distancing
even as some plants stopped
serving common food items
like pickle, papad and salad
picked up by individuals.
However, several factories
could not recommence oper-
ations because of pending per-
missions from the state author-
ities. Over 1,100 industries in
the industrial hub of Nashik
submitted their ‘self-declara-
tion’ forms online but due to a
A security guard uses a thermal
screening device to check a
man’s temperature before he
enters an office building in
Patna on Monday
the ‘self declaration’ to MIDC.
Now, we are studying the avail-
ability of materials, workers
and other factors so that we are
ready to commence operations
once the permissions come
in,” said an executive of M&M,
which has an engine manufac-
turing facility near Igatpuri in
Nashik. Likewise, Jindal Saw,
which has a tube and pipe plant
in Sinnar, Nashik, is gearing
up to start production after it

BJP MP’s 5-yr-old ‘Islamophobic’ tweet riles Gulf

Eighteen fresh Covid-19
cases were reported in Karnata-
ka taking the total number of in-
fected people in the state to 408.
In Telangana, two persons
died and 14 others tested positive
for coronavirus, the first such
low numbers of Covid-19 cases in
more than two weeks. The total
number of positive cases in the
state is now 872 and 23 people
have died due to Covid-19, while
the number of recovered people
remains at 186. Andhra Pradesh
recorded 75 new cases, its high-
est single-day tally so far, and
three Covid-19 deaths. In Kerala,
the trend of more people getting
discharged than the number
of positive cases reported each
day continued.
Full report on www.toi.in
Sandeep.Moudgal
@timesgroup.com
Bengaluru: A five-year old mi-
sogynistic tweet of Bengaluru
South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya
has returned to haunt him for
the second time in two years af-
ter its screenshot went viral in
Gulf countriess
Surya’s tweet — purported-
ly quoting an interview of Pa-
kistani-Canadian journalist
and author Tarek Fatah —
dates back to 2015, when he was
astudent. It was deleted it when
it created an online furore for
the first time when he decided
After BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s
tweet created a furore online, the
Indian ambassador to the UAE
went into damage control mode
to contest the 2019 polls.
On Sunday, a screenshot of
Surya’s tweet was widely circu-
lated hours after PM Narendra
Modi tweeted, “Covid-19 does
not see race, religion, colour,
caste, creed, language or bor-
ders before striking...” On Mon-
day, Modi’s tweet was tagged
with Surya’s by several promi-
nent Arab nationals who con-
sidered it evidence of targeting
the Muslim community. It soon
went viral and by evening it
was trending with over 15,000
users commenting and sharing
it. Mejbel Al Sharika, a Kuwaiti
lawyer and director of Interna-
tional Human Rights, wrote,
“Dear @Twitter, this Indian
politicians @Tejasvi_Surya
has racially slurred Arab wom-
en, I wonder how is his account
still active? Is it not ag-
ainst Twitter’s official policy?
Please act as Arab sentiment
has been badly wounded.”
“The ruling family is
friends with Indians, but as a
royal your rudeness is not wel-
come,” tweeted Princess Hend
Al Qassimi, a member of the
UAE royal family, referring to
both the countries’ warm rela-
tions and ‘Islamophobic’ at-
tacks. “All employees are paid
to work, no one comes for free.
You make your bread and but-
ter from this land which you
scorn and your ridicule will not
go unnoticed.”
Earlier last week, one Sau-
rabh Upadhyay had posted sev-
eral tweets targeting Muslims
over the March congregation of
Tablighi Jamaat. The person is
an NRI with business interests
in the UAE. To calm nerves, the
Indian ambassador to the UAE,
Pavan Kapoor, tweeted on Mon-
day, “India and UAE share the
value of non-discrimination on
any grounds. Discrimination is
against our moral fabric and
the Rule of law. Indian nation-
als in the UAE should always re-
member this.”
technical snag on the govern-
ment website, none received an
acknowledgement receipt.
MIDC official from Nashik
office said “the system may
have had problems in handling
the overload as industries
across the region have been
submitting online applications
for resuming operations”.
In the meantime, these
companies are figuring out lo-
gistical and labour issues.
Manufacturers depend on mi-
grant labour for loading and
unloading activities. And get-
ting the labourers from their
home districts back to the fac-
tories is a challenge. “We are
fulfilling all the procedural re-
quirements to resxtart oper-
ations. We have also submitted
receives the nod.
Hikal, whose pharmaceuti-
cals and crop protection busi-
nesses fall under the essential
services category, has been op-
erating its two sites in Maha-
rashtra with 40% capacity.
“We understood the con-
tract labourers’ pain points
and facilitated accommoda-
tion for them as well as other
employees in nearby hotels
with safety precautions, social
distancing in place, which en-
sured that people stay nearby
and come to work safely,” said
Kumaar Priyaranjan, presi-
dent-human capital & CSR, Hi-
kal. “When new guidelines are
announced by the govern-
ment, we will ramp up oper-
ations,” he added.

TWO MINISTERS, BUT TWO DIFFERENT STORIES

Attack spurs K’taka govt ‘Tired of sitting at home’, C’garh State first: Yogi to give
to promulgate ordinance minister goes on 250km drive father’s funeral a miss
From P 1 Rashmi.Drolia@timesgroup.com hu and then I will return.” The minister Neha.Lalchandani@timesgroup.com rites will take place in the CM’s native
didn’t mention anything about his ‘sur- village of Panchur in Pauri Garhwal

T
rouble erupted on Sun-
day in Bengaluru when
a team of health offi-
cials, including doctors and
Asha workers, arrived in Ara-
fat Nagar to take 58 contacts of
positive patients to institu-
tional quarantine.
The attack has spurred
the state government to de-
cide on promulgating an
ordinance, based on the
Uttar Pradesh and Kerala
model, to protect police and
frontline health workers
fighting Covid-19.
And, it is not just in Kar-
nataka. Frontline workers –
policemen, health staff, mu-
nicipal workers – are facing
the wrath of people scared of
being taken into quarantine.
Somewhere else, they are be-
ing targeted for trying to shut
down overcrowded shops or
stopping people from ventur-
ing out. Many are being dri-
ven out by landlords for being
at the forefront in dealing
with Covid positive patients
and suspects.
Residents shower petals at police officers from a balcony in
Secunderabad for their services amid the coronavirus pandemic
The Bengaluru mayhem
followed two assaults that
rocked the country – medical
workers attacked while on du-
ty in UP’s Moradabad district
and Nihangs chopping off the
hand of a policeman in Patia-
la. In states like UP, Bihar,
Maharashtra, Telangana,
Punjab mob fury is singeing
those on duty.
If around 28 cases of as-
saults on police personnel
have been reported in Vidarb-
ha in Maharashtra, including
four in Nagpur, till Sunday
since the enforcement of
lockdown began in the state,
in Hyderabad, police arrested
two brothers for assaulting a
postgraduate medical stu-
dent at Osmania General Hos-
pital on April 15. The accused
were family members of a
man quarantined on suspi-
cion of having Covid-19 symp-
toms. The man’s test samples
later turned up positive.
At least six cases of attack
on health professionals and
police personnel have been
reported from Bihar.
Raipur: “Tired of sitting at home”, prise visit’ then. On allegations that he Lucknow: CM Yogi Adityanath’s in Uttarakhand.
Chhattisgarh industries and excise min- got a locked hotel to open up, Lakhma said father Anand Singh Bisht passed Several party leaders and Opposi-
ister Kawasi Lakhma travelled to Rai- that there was no government rest house away in Delhi’s AIIMS on Monday tion members expressed their condo-
garh, nearly 250km from Raipur, prompt- open so he asked a friend for help and it is morning. He was 89. Bisht, a retired lences at the demise. They included
ing BJP to demand an FIR against him for he who arranged for his stay at a lodge. forest ranger, had been admitted SP chief Akhilesh Yadav,
violation of lockdown norms. Lakhma later said: “I received inputs to hospital on March 14 for liver Congress leader Priyanka
The tribal minister’s initial explana- about sale of illegal liquor on the border and kidney complications. Gandhi Vadra, BSP chief
tion was that he had gone to meet a sadhu, of two districts (Mahasamund and Rai- Yogi, who received the mess- Mayawati and AAP MP San-
but it didn’t materialise. Now, the minis- garh) and decided to see if norms were be- age about his father’s demise jay Singh.
ter has been quoted as saying that he went ing flouted by police.” when he was holding a crucial Anand Singh Bisht was a
to Raigarh on a “surprise check” after be- BJP tore into Lakhma, with Leader meeting on Covid-19, completed government employee who
ing informed about illegal sale of liquor. of opposition saying, “It’s shocking that it and announced later that he served the forest depart-
Amid nationwide lockdown, Lakhma when a large number of migrant workers won’t be attending his father’s funer- ment of undivided UP for 37 years. He
travelled in a convoy to Raigarh on Satur- are forced to stay put at different places al on Tuesday, citing the lockdown joined the department in 1952 and re-
day night and returned on Sunday. and the nation is observing a lockdown, a rules and ‘his commitment to 23 crore tired as a forest ranger in 1991. He
There’s a video of him telling reporters in cabinet minister in Chhattisgarh gets people of Uttar Pradesh facing Co- worked at various places in the then
Raigarh on Saturday: “I was tired of sit- ‘bored’ and flouts norms. I have no word vid-19 menace’. “I will visit after the UO hills like Mussoorie, Tons, Uttar-
ting at home, so I came here to meet a sad- for him.” lockdown is lifted,” Yogi said. Last kashi, Tehri and Pauri.
O JAI
CORRIGENDUM No. - 6 (Tender ID: 2020_AAI 43473_1)
Tender Reference : AAII(CNS -P)- 1412019-20
Work : "SITC of Procedural Approach and Area Control Simulators
for AAI Training Centers at CATC Prayagraj, HTC Hyderabad and
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Executive Director (CNS-P)-l on behalf of the Chairman , AAI has
extended the last date for submission of bid for project'SITC of Procedural
Approach and Area Control Simulators' upto 08.05.2020 15:00 hrs. Please
refer CPP Portal: https://etenders .gov.in/eprocure/app for more details.
N-0412020-21

niw..m........e.e.o. MP farmer dies 4 will&101 I . I I 1411B

S.P River View Apartments , Tadepalli - Amaravathi-522501,
days after being No,4545/APSHCUE&P/Steel Policy /2020 Dt.1 9.04.2020
NOTICE INVITING EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
‘beaten’ by cops for Expression of Interest is invited from Steel Manufacturing Companies for
empanelment with A,P. State Housing Corporation Limited (APSHCL) for
:.
‘lockdown violation’ supply of 7.20 lakh MTs of Fe 415/Fe 500 grade Steel to any Mandal Head

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Jabalpur: A 50-year-old farmer died

reach this office before: 08.05.2020 0 00
Ravo 1 3-PP [LiA0 1 .7 1/ 202 0- 21 Dt 20- 04-2020 Sd/- MANAGING DIRECTOR
in Jabalpur on Monday, four days af-
ter he was allegedly beaten by police

TO PLACE for ‘lockdown violation’. The family

ss
of victim Banshi Kushwah said he GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
had gone to feed his cattle when po- MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

AN lice thrashed him.

Six policemen, including a sub-
(RAILWAY BOARD)
E-TENDER NO.2020RSI4TC
Executive Director , Railways Stores(S), Ministry of Railways , Railway Board,

FREE
inspector, have been suspended. Ja-
ANNOUNCEMENT balpur SP Amit Singh was also trans-
Government of India invites e-tender for procurement of 25 nos . End Loading
Rakes (EUR) using BRNAHS (BG) wagons for Transportation of Long Rails in
Melville Austin Vedamuthu
IN THIS
ferred in the evening. Though the Five Tiers.
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BiAS
reason, his superiors said it may details of the tender and submission of their a-bids.
Husband of Christaline 3.0 No manual offers will be accepted against a-tender.

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Elizabeth Vedamuthu have been the cumulative effect of the 4 . 0 Tender will be closed at 15.00 hours on 04 .06.2020.
farmer death allegation and escape Director , Railway Stores (W),
Selfless soul , always LOVING, of a Covid-19 NSA detainee from a Ministry of Railways , Railway Board , New Delhi.
CARING and KIND for and on behalf of the President of India.

CALL:
hospital in the city on Sunday.
Such memories you leave behind In a video clip recorded on April
984/2020

You fell asleep without goodbye 16, Kushwah can be heard saying that
ts
But memories of you will never die.
9867505472 he was beaten by police when he had
of ga dge
gone to feed his cattle. “They asked
th e wo rld
The LORD replied, me where people were gambling. I
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(21 Constructor cl Sna l r i r. [ rn -;:Ion Roads) r T r n , v .n a - h pr, , - r r , .rcz 1 straig
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 THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
MHA move raises Mamata’s hackles Case-doubling rate slows
Teams Deployed To
Check Lockdown
Dilution, Didi
Questions Criteria
Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: Adopting a tough
approach towards reports of
violations of lockdown guide-
lines in Covid-19 hotspots, the
home ministry has deployed
teams to make on the spot as-
sessments and named Indore,
Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Kolka-
ta and seven other places in
West Bengal as areas of seri-
ous concern with regard to
spread of the disease.
The Centre deployed six
inter-ministerial central
teams (IMCTs) that will assess
the preparedness and lock-
down measures and the threat
of outbreaks and issue neces-
sary directions to state au-
thorities for redress. The
teams, constituted under the
Disaster Management Act,
will submit a report to the
Centre as well.
The decision immediately
raised the hackles of the West
Bengal government which
asked what criteria were used
and said the state will not
move ahead on the decision
even though it indicates the
AIIMS likely
to resume
non-emergency
surgeries soon
DurgeshNandan.Jha
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is
planning to resume non-emer-
gency surgeries in about a we-
ek’s time. Dr Randeep Guleria,
director of the institute, told
TOIthat while Covid-19 manage-
ment was important, the needs
of non-Covid-19 patients co-
uldn’t be ignored either.
“For example, a patient who
requires a knee replacement
cannot be asked to wait for long.
Lack of surgery may affect his or
her quality of life. Similarly, a pa-
tient suffering from advanced
Covid-19 patient on
plasma therapy off
ventilator now
I ndia’s first Covid-19 patient
who had received plasma
therapy has been weaned off
ventilator and shifted to a
normal room from ICU. The
49-year-old man from south
Delhi, who was admitted to
Max Saket (east block) on April
4, has also tested negative
twice for the novel coronavirus
which means he has recovered
from the disease, doctors said
on Monday. “Plasma therapy
worked as a catalyst in
speeding up his recovery. We
cannot attribute 100% recovery
to plasma therapy only, as
there are multiple factors
which helped in the recovery,”
Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, clinical
director of Max Healthcare,
told TOI. TNN
malignancy needs to be operated
soon to check disease progres-
sion and reduce the suffering,”
Dr Guleria said.
AIIMS conducts more than
500 surgeries daily, of which 85%
are non-emergency procedures.
On March 20, the hospital had
announced its decision to post-
pone elective and non-essential
surgery procedure by a month
so that the doctors, nurses and
other staff are not overburdened
amid the pandemic. Many pati-
ents who were lined up for surge-
ries, in some cases after several
month’s wait, were asked to co-
me again, once the situation im-
proves. “The resumption of sur-
geries will have to be in a graded
manner,” Guleria said.
Army kicks off ‘rejoining process’ of over 2L soldiers
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: The over 13-lakh
strong Army on Monday
kicked off the “rejoining
process” for the over two
lakh soldiers who were on le-
ave, deployed on temporary
duty or undergoing training
in different parts of the co-
untry when the nationwide
lockdown came into force
last month.
“The rejoining process
will be conducted in a plan-
ned and phased manner. It
will take time,” said a senior
officer. As per the broad gui-
delines issued by Army he-
adquarters, soldiers rejoi-
ning their units under the
Northern Command in J&K
and Eastern Command in
the north-east, which are re-
sponsible for the fronts with
Pakistan and China, will be
GOING BY THE RULES: With no passengers to ferry, rickshaws
remain parked at a stand in Kolkata on Monday
Centre's resolve to use the Act
and make states address is-
sues seen to be compromising
the lockdown.
Responding to questions,
health ministry spokesper-
son Lav Agarwal said the cri-
teria were doubling of rates
and higher incidence of cases.
"This tells us where we need to
have an effective intervention
so that those areas do not lead
to a larger number of cases
further," he added.
The home ministry re-
ferred to incidents of violence
against frontline healthcare
professionals, violation of so-
cial distancing norms outside
banks, PDS shops and market
places and movement of
private and commercial vehi-
Why bar door-to-door distribution of
newspapers, asks Bombay HC bench
Syed.Rizwanullah
@timesgroup.com
Aurangabad: The Auranga-
bad bench of the Bombay high
court on Monday took suo mo-
tu cognisance of news reports
regarding the state governm-
ent prohibiting the door-to-do-
or distribution of newspapers.
In a related development,
the Nagpur bench of the HC
refused any interim relief in a
petition filed by associations
of journalists on the govern-
ment’s move to prohibit
door-to-door distribution
of newspapers.
Justice Prasanna Varale of
the Aurangabad HC bench ap-
pointed lawyer Satyajit Bora
as amicus curiae and asked
him to submit a PIL on or befo-
re April 22. The court also issu-
ed a notice to the principal se-
cretary of the state govern-
ment’s general administra-
IBF seeks relief for INS to govt: Clear
broadcast sector ministries’ ad dues
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: The Indian
Broadcasting Federation
(IBF) on Monday petitioned
information and broadcast-
ing minister Prakash Java-
dekar for a relief and reha-
bilitation package for the
broadcasting sector.
The industry sought reg-
ulatory moratorium for 18
months, phased resumption
of production activities, ex-
tension of moratorium peri-
od for GST payment and for
the government to mandate
digital payments of sub-
scription and advertising
dues to broadcasters. It also
said the Centre should issue
an advisory to DPOs to re-
lease payments of subscrip-
tion fees up to February.
Seeking a stimulus pack-
age from the government so
that broadcasters can get
back on track, IBF president
N P Singh, said, “IBF has
submitted a standard oper-
ating procedure (SOP) on
prevention/safety mea-
sures for organised, safe and
BACK TO THE FRONTLINE: Army personnel in Jammu wait to
board a train commissioned to take them back to rejoin duty
given the top priority. All Ar-
my Medical Corps, Army
Dental Corps and Military
Nursing Services personnel
will also fall in this category.
Last week, the Army had
run two special military tra-
ins to transport soldiers
TIMES NATION | Lockdown-Day 27
cles with passengers in
urban areas.
The Centre and West Ben-
gal have exchanged some
sharp words recently, with the
home ministry pointing to re-
ports of market places with
large crowds while there have
been media reports of alleged
manipulation of deaths due
to Covid-19.
Two IMCTs each have
been tasked with visiting hot-
spots in West Bengal and Mah-
arashtra, while one team each
will make an assessment in
Indore and Jaipur. Each team
comprises five members and
is led by an additional secreta-
ry-level officer. The rise in
cases in Mumbai and Pune
has been worrying health au-
In Nagpur, the petitioners,
Maharashtra Union of
Working Journalists and
Nagpur Union of Working
Journalists, challenged
the legality of the govern-
ment’s circular of April 18
banning door-to-door
delivery of newspapers
across the state
tion department.
The court observed that
when the state government
was permitting the sale of
newspapers at stalls, it failed
to understand why door-to-do-
or delivery was prohibited.
“One also fails to understand
the logic behind newspapers
being permitted to print but
not permitted to distribute do-
or-to-door,” it said.
“The public is getting a rea-
son or excuse to move out in
CRY FOR HELP
sustainable restart of con-
tent production, media oper-
ations, transmission and
general office operations in
the TV broadcast sector to
PMO, Niti Aayog and I&B
ministry. The SOP will help
the sector to move quickly
towards normalcy and we
certainly hope that the gov-
ernment would consider
it favourably.”
IBF asked the govern-
ment to defer payments due
to Prasar Bharati for free
dish carriage until July 2020
and said all pending refunds
exceeding Rs 5 lakh should
be urgently processed.
Newborn of infected
parents tests +ve
A newborn baby was found
Nagaur on Sunday, the
Rajasthan health department
officials said on Monday. The
baby was born on Saturday to
an infected mother and father
who are residents of Basni
area. Principal medical officer
of Nagaur district hospital said
that the baby is undergoing
treatment in his hospital and is
stable. TNN
from south India to Jammu
and Guwahati, as reported
by TOI.
From Monday, the Army
headquarters in New Delhi
as well as its various com-
mand and formation head-
quarters also started func-
No dining out, barber shops shut in
Kerala after Centre objects to relaxations
T he Kerala government on Monday amended its lockdown
relaxations following objection by the Centre to its directive
allowing barber shops, workshops to function and dining
facility at hotels and restaurants in some districts. It has
withdrawn the directive till further notice. Chief minister
Pinarayi Vijayan, however, ruled out any confrontation with the
Centre, saying the state had brought in some relaxations based
on prevailing circumstances but it would implement the central
guidelines.The government has, however, sought some
changes in guidelines, he said. “The red zone declared by the
Centre was different from what the state had requested, and
now the Centre has accepted our classification. The state
government will submit some such suggestions to the Centre,”
he said. TNN
thorities and Indore has
proved a stubborn area while
Jaipur's Ramgunj has also de-
fied efforts to detect and treat
Covid-19 cases.
“The situation is specially
serious in Indore, Mumbai
and Pune, Jaipur, Kolkata,
Howrah, Medinipur East, 24
Parganas North, Darjeeling,
Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri,”
the home ministry said.
West Bengal CM Mamata
Banerjee took to Twitter to al-
lege that the basis on which
the Centre was deploying
IMCTs in select districts
across India was unclear. “I
urge both Prime Minister Na-
rendra Modiji and home min-
ister Amit Shahji to share the
criterion used for this. Until
the lockdown period to appro-
ach stalls and shops to purcha-
se newspapers. Through new-
spaper boys, they can get new-
spapers at their doorsteps and
need not have to venture out,”
it observed. “'It is a common
knowledge that though majo-
rity of the newspapers are av-
ailable by way of e-paper mo-
de, it is not possible for majori-
ty of public to have an access to
e-paper as they may not be con-
versant with the technology or
are used to reading of hard co-
py of a newspaper,” the c
ourt observed.
In Nagpur, the petitioners
-- Maharashtra Union of Wor-
king Journalists and Nagpur
Union of Working Journalists
– have challenged the legality
of the government’s circular
of April 18 banning door-to-do-
or delivery of newspapers
across the state.
Justice Nitin Sambre has
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: The Indian
Newspaper Society, which pe-
titioned Prime Minister Na-
rendra Modi to grant a two-
year tax holiday on media
businesses, bump up DAVP
advertisement rates and in-
crease government’s adver-
tising outlay, has also urged
the government to settle out-
standing bills that central
ministries owe to the Directo-
rate of Advertising and Vi-
sual Publicity (DAVP), which
` 350CR PENDING
in turn pays media organisa-
tions for running advertising
campaigns for ministries.
Dues totalling more than
Rs 350 crore have not been
paid to DAVP by various cen-
tral ministries despite re-
peated requests by the INS
and the Association of Radio
Operators of India (AROI),
which have demanded re-
lease of outstanding money
for the bleeding print and
broadcast sectors.
Industry sources said
infected with Covid-19 in
tioning with around 50%
strength. Similar was the ca-
se for the much smaller IAF
and Navy. The defence mini-
stry at South Block, in
turn, was working with all
deputy secretaries and abo-
ve, with around one-third of
then, I am afraid, we will not
be able to move ahead on this
as without valid reasons this
might not be consistent with
the spirit of federalism,” she
said. MHA official Punya Sali-
la Srivastava said the purpose
of constituting inter-ministe-
rial teams was to provide sup-
port and assistance to states.
She said the teams were very
carefully constituted so that
support could be provided on
health, administrative and di-
saster managements aspects.
“The orders mention the
observation of the Supreme
Court but they have been is-
sued under various provi-
sions of Section 35 of the Di-
saster Management Act,” Sri-
vastava said.
issued notices to the state chief
secretary, Union information
and broadcasting ministry,
DGIPR, Nagpur collector and
Nagpur Municipal Corpora-
tion (NMC), apart from the sta-
te government. The next hea-
ring is slated for Thursday.
While terming the govern-
ment’s decision as arbitrary, il-
logical and unconstitutional,
the petitioners contended that
it’s also a violation of the fun-
damental right to speech and
expression. “In newspaper
distribution, there’s absolute-
ly no interaction between haw-
ker and reader. On the other
hand, during home delivery of
groceries and vegetables thro-
ugh e-platforms and permit-
ting plumbers, mechanics and
food delivery service, human
interference is bound to take
place,” the petitioner argued.
(With inputs
from Nagpur bureau)
some pending payments re-
lated to ad campaigns nearly
4-5 years ago. The health min-
istry, sources said, owes over
Rs 61crore to DAVP.
The Advertising Agen-
cies Association of India
(AAAI) echoed INS’s demand
for a bailout package, re-
questing the government to
allow advertisers to treat ad-
vertising money as invest-
ments and allow it to spread
expenditure incurred in ad-
vertising over three years.
AAAI’s demands for gov-
ernment intervention comes
on the heels of persistent re-
quests by media organisa-
tions to the Centre to clear
outstanding DAVP dues and
announce a bailout package
for the industry.
AAAI has sought the gov-
ernment’s intervention to
permit a loaded deduction of
200% on advertising expendi-
ture, a move that is likely to
encourage advertisers, both
publicly listed and private, to
advertise sooner and essay a
faster economic recovery.
Full report on www.toi.in
the support staff.
In the rejoining process
in the Army, personnel will
be classified as ‘Green’ (who
have completed the 14-day
quarantine period), ‘Yellow’
(who need to undergo the 14-
day quarantine period)
or ‘Red’ (those who are
symptomatic and require
isolation and further treat-
ment in hospitals), as per the
new instructions.
“Soldiers who were on le-
ave at places within 500-km
of their units are allowed to
directly report for duty by
using private transport,” sa-
id the officer. “The orders for
reporting will not apply to
soldiers located in hotspots
or containment zones. They
will follow strict ‘No Move-
ment’ orders till the areas
are de-notified as contain-
ment zones,” he added.
down to 7.5 days from 3.4
Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: The rate at which
Covid-19 cases are doubling in In-
dia has gone up to 7.5 days from
every 3.4 days before the lock-
down was imposed on March 24,
underlining the impact of strin-
gent social distancing and con-
tainment steps, officials said.
As of now,18 states have a bet-
ter doubling rate than the na-
tional average of 7.5 days, with
Kerala and Odisha registering a
rate of more than 30 days. In Ker-
ala, the time of doubling of cases
is now 72.2 days, whereas it is 39.8
days in Odisha. “The doubling
rate of Covid-19 cases calculated
using growth over the past seven
days indicates that India’s dou-
bling rate has improved,” Lav
Agarwal, joint secretary in the
health ministry, said.
States and UTs where the
doubling time is less than 20 days
are Delhi, where it is doubling in
8.5 days, Karnataka in 9.2 days,
Telangana 9.4 days, Andhra 10.6
days, J&K 11.5 days, Punjab 13.1
days, Chhattisgarh 13.3 days, Ta-
mil Nadu 14 days and Bihar 16.4
days. Places where the doubling
time is between 20 days to 30 days
include Andaman & Nicobar Is-
lands where it is 20.1days, Harya-
na 21 days, Himachal 24.5 days,
Chandigarh 25.4 days, Assam
25.8 days, Uttarakhand 26.6 days,
and Ladakh 26.6 days.
More districts have joined
`46,000cr released to states as share in taxes
Surplus rice
to be used to T
produce alcohol
for sanitisers
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: A government
panel on Monday approved us-
ing Food Corporation of In-
dia’s (FCI) surplus rice stocks
for making ethyl alcohol, the
first time a foodgrain is being
used for making spirit in the
country for blending with pet-
rol and manufacturing hand
sanitisers that are highly in de-
mand in times of the coronavi-
rus outbreak.
The decision was taken at
the meeting of National Bio-
fuel Coordination Committee
headed by oil minister Dhar-
mendra Pradhan. The national
biofuels policy of 2018 allows
use of surplus foodgrains in a
crop year for making ethanol
which so far has been used to
lace petrol with the aim of re-
ducing oil imports and saving
foreign exchange. The move
may give the opposition a han-
dle against the government as
activists are demanding that
the distribution of free food-
grains under the National Food
Security Act be expanded to
cover even those who do not
possess a ration card.
Ethyl alcohol, also com-
monly known as ethanol, is one
of the options — the other, and
more suitable is isopropyl alco-
hol — that manufacturers of
hand sanitisers use as the base
for their product. The annual
requirement of hand sanitis-
ers in India is estimated at
roughly 10 crore litres. It is esti-
mated that the sugar industry
has manufactured about 8 lakh
litre of ethanol in response to
the demand from sanitiser
manufacturers.
Bihar govt
refutes report on
kids eating frogs
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Patna: The Bihar govern-
ment on Monday dismissed a
report published in TOI in its
edition on April 20 that was
based on a video clip showing
some children eating frogs af-
ter catching them from pits in
a locality in Jehanabad due
to alleged non-availability
of food.
Pradeep Kumar Jha, direc-
tor, state information and
public relations department,
said in a statement that the re-
port was baseless as a team
sent to the spot by the district
administration found upon
investigation that there were
sufficient quantities of
wheat, flour, rice and pulses in
the concerned house.
Jha quoted Jehanabad DM
Navin Kumar’s statement,
that the children admitted get-
ting food every day at the com-
munity kitchen run by the ad-
ministration. Kumar said the
video was made with the in-
tention to malign the adminis-
tration. “Bihar government is
dedicated to providing all pos-
sible support to people in the
state in the prevailing scena-
rio of Covid-19 pandemic. The
image of the entire state has
been maligned by such base-
less and unverified news re-
ports,” Jha said.
Full report on www.toi.in
7
NO LABOUR: Rabi crops lay harvested near Agra as no farm hands were
available to lift them and take them to mandis
Covid-19-positive MP fugitive, an NSA
detainee, caught after night on the run
A Covid-19-positive National Security Act detainee, who had
escaped from Jabalpur hospital’s isolation ward on Sunday,
was nabbed early Monday morning at a police checkpoint,
about 130km away, in Narsinghpur district. Police say the
28-year-old — accused of beating up cops in Indore — took a
lift in a truck and then stole a motorcycle to try to reach
Indore, his hometown. He was caught over 400km short, but
officials fear he may have infected people along the way, including
a family that gave him water. He was carrying three bounties for his
capture totalling Rs 75,000. TNN
the list of places with no cases 28 days. Besides, 59 districts in 23
for a substantial period of time. states/UTs have not reported
Along with Mahe in Puducherry any case in 14 days. In Goa, all Co-
and Kodagu in Karnataka, Pauri vid-19 patients have been dis-
Garhwal in Uttarakhand has al- charged from hospital after re-
so not reported any fresh case in covery, Agarwal said.
he finance ministry on Monday approved the release of April
instalment of devolution of states’ share in central taxes and
duties totalling Rs 46,038.10 crore. The release of the funds will
come as a major relief for states who are battling the devastating
impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Uttar Pradesh tops the table
with Rs 8,255.19 crore, followed by Bihar with Rs 4,631.96 crore and
Madhya Pradesh with Rs 3,630.60 crore. West Bengal, which has
seen a surge in Covid-19, cases, has received Rs 3,461.65 crore. The
Centre is faced with a sluggish revenue situation with economic
activity across the country coming to a halt due to the 40-day
lockdown announced to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Revenues from GST have been weak and are expected to remain
sluggish for sometime now. The finance ministry on Monday
released funds to all the 28 states and the share is as per the
recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission. TNN
Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy
CORRIGENDUM
Advt.No.02-R/IMSc/2020 Date: 20.04.2020
Reference indicative Advt .No.01-R/IMSc/2020 Dated 20.03.2020 inviting
applications for the post of DIRECTOR ,IMSc, Chennai (Level - 15 under 7th
CPC) which appeared on all leading Newspapers.
Due to COVID-19 Lock Down the last date for receipt of applications, is
extended up to May 31, 2020.
Other terms and conditions as explained in the detailed advertisement
appearing on the following websites remain same.
i) www.dae.gov.in under "Vacancy Notices "
ii) www.imsc. res.in under "other positions"
GURU HARGOBIND THERMAL PLANT
LEHRA-MOHABBAT
e-tendering website- httD ://egroc.Duniab .oov.in
NOTICE INVITING TENDER
(Through E-tendering)
Tender Enquiry No.: 77/GHTP/MM-I1HM-50(V) dated : 20.04 .2020
E-tenders are invited from reputed and registered firms/contractors for the foll-
owing work:-
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF WORK
Routine , Preventive and Breakdown maintenance of Heavy Earth Moving
Machinery, i.e. Loco Shunters, Bulldozers, Poclain including Grabber
Loader Machines , AUGER Machine and Coal Compactor etc- and Re-ral-
ment of minor derailments of Wagons & Loco Shunters in CHP of GHTP ,
Lehra Mohabat as per tender specifications.
EMD: Minimum Rs.1 ,22,000/-(Rupees one lac twenty two thousand only)
Last Date & Time for bid submission . 20.05.2020 upto 11:30 his.
Date & Time of opening of Fee stage bid . 21.05.2020 at 12:00 hrs.
Detailed NIT and tender specifications can only be downloaded from webste
httol/eoroc.ouniab.oov.in from dated 22.04.2020 onwards.
Note:
1, The prospective bidders can obtain clarification regardng tender speci-
fications from this office. For reg istration of dig ital signatures and upload-
ing of tender , information may be soug ht from htto://eproc ounj ab gov n ,
2. It is informed that in case the tender process is not completed due to any
reason no Corri gendum will be published in newspapers. Detail regard-
ing corri gendum may be seen on website i.e. htt0 //eproc.oun iab.gov n ,
Dy- Chief Engineer,
Mechanical Mtc . Circled, O&M ,
DPR/Pb,: 742-C
GHTP, PSPCL, Lehra Mohabbat ,
Distt. Bathinda (Pb.)-151111.
CHENNAI METRO RAIL LIMITED
(A joint venture of Govt . of India and Govt . of Tamil Nadu)
Admin Building , CMRL Depot, Poonamalle High Road,
Koyambedu, Chennal -600107, Tamil Nadu, India.
GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE
Ref. No . CMRL/ CON /Phase-l/Corridor-5/AIIB/02/2020
Dated :20/04/2020
Project name Chennai Metro Rail Phase -II-
Project - Balance Corridor 5
Country Republic of India
Business sector Transport / Urban Rail
Project ID 000368-IND
Funding Source Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
Type of notice General Procurement Notice (GPN)
Issue date 21/04/2020
The Government of India has applied for financing in the amount
of USD 438.75 Million ( US Dollar Four Hundred Thirty Eig ht
point Seven Five Million Only) from the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) toward the cost of the Chennai Metro Rail
Phase II - Balance Corridor 5, and it intends to apply part of the
proceeds to payments for goods , works , non-consulting services
and consulting services to be procured under this project.
Further details are available at CMRLs official website at
www.chennaimetrorail.org and shall contact at below address .
Chennai Metro Rail Limited,
D Gurunath Reddy
Additional General Manager (Contract Procurement)
Chennai Metro Rail Limited
Admin Building, CMRL Depot ,
Poonamallee High Road,
Koyambedu , Chennai - 600107 ,
Tamil Nadu , India
Phone: +91.-44-23792000, Extn .-22347 , FAX : +91-44-23792200
Email: agmcm@cmrl.in
Website : htt ps://chennalmetrorall.org /
DIPR/485 /Dlsplay /2020 Director (Projects)
88 TIMESTIMES
NATIONNATION
| Virus Watch
THETIMES
THE TIMESOF
OFINDIA,
INDIA,MUMBAI
MUMBAI
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020

Infection rate falls, but fatality rate is rising

Things have improved — in India, as well as in the five countries worst hit by the coronavirus. The rate of growth of new cases
has come down, though India is still growing at a faster clip than these five countries — US, Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
KERALA
Kerala’s recovery rate
98.9%
But things haven’t improved enough for the death rate to come down in any of these countries — in India, too, it is inching up. recovered, best among states
On the brighter side, however, India’s recovery rate is far better than the Western countries, finds Atul Thakur out of 273 Among states with at least 100 closed Delhi, on the
closed cases cases, Kerala has the highest recovery other hand,
WORST TAMIL NADU rate. It’s fatality rate of 1.1% in has the lowest
Case fatality rate is AFFECTED
STATES 96.5% (426) closed cases is likely among recovery rate
the best in the world
30
Rolling seven-day
average of daily
increasing everywhere RAJASTHAN DELHI
increase in cases (%) The deaths have not slowed at the same rate as daily new cases and
hence, there has been a steady increase in case fatality rate — the
92.9% (197) 61.5% (117)
proportion of deaths among all people diagnosed with the disease. TELANGANA GUJARAT
Case fatality rate is used as a measure of severity of a disease, to 91.2% (204) 62.5% (168)
predict its course, and to evaluate the effect of new treatments. Since
KARNATAKA MADHYA PRADESH
the outbreak is still progressing, experts are divided on whether the
20 present calculations of case fatality rate can give a conclusive picture 87.4% (127) UTTAR PRADESH MAHARASHTRA 64.5% (197)
86.4% (125) 69.5% (730)
Rolling seven-day
average of case
fatality rate (%)
13.2 ITALY
Cases in Gujarat

J
GU
12.8 FRANCE Rolling seven-day
20.7
10 9.8 INDIA 10.3 SPAIN average of daily increasing at
increase in cases (%)
7.1 FRANCE in states which have fastest clip
4.5 US reported 50 or

MP
Cases are
5.4 US more cases
2.6 SPAIN increasing at the rate
2.5 GERMANY 3.2 INDIA 18.0 18.3 of 18.3% in Gujarat,
1.9 ITALY 3.2 GERMANY 17.3 RAJ
GUJARAT which is the highest
0 among all states
24 MARCH 20 APRIL 24 MARCH 20 APRIL that have had 50
or more cases so
THE 4 TYPES OF CHARTS
15.2 far. Apart from
LINEAR LOGARITHMIC AVG DAILY % INCREASE ROLLING 7-DAY AVERAGE Gujarat, daily
16,000 10,000 20 20
Works best 14.8 rate of increase
1,000 15
to capture M in cases for
12,000 15 AH
changes within

DE
8,000 100 10 10
past seven days

L
a particular
4,000 10 5 5
period (say, 12.8 J&K 12.8 MP was in double
digits for four
0 1 0 0
since lockdown 12.0
12.2 UP other states
WB
Easiest to understand. …That’s where the This works best when began). Now, you may see a sharp rise one
11.6 12.1 WEST BENGAL
X-axis stands for time log-chart comes in. you want to compare day, and a flat growth the next. So, it is
(day) and Y-axis for cases. If the Y-axis is not 11.1 11.3
two periods of time, best to take the average of a week into 10.9

UP
While this works in the linear, but is a log scale MAHARASHTRA
like, say, pre-lockdown, account (or 7 days, which will even out the PUN
initial days, you get a (usually multiples and post-lockdown. aberrations and give a holistic picture). In 9.9
hockey-stick shaped curve of 10), then you can So, at one go you know this case, the growth rate plotted against,
as the days progress and visualise the trajectory if the rate of growth say, April 20, is actually the average
9.5 BIH 8.9
RAJASTHAN
Rajasthan, Delhi see
8.6
cases pile up. So, you
don’t know which way
better. Remember, here
we are talking
of infection has slowed
down post-lockdown
growth rate of 7 days leading to April 20.
Similarly, for April 19, it’s the average of 8.0 TN KAR decline in new cases
things are headed… exponential growth or not 7 days leading to April 19, and so on AN 7.9 DELHI In the last seven days, Rajasthan, Delhi, Bihar
D
6.7 KARNATAKA and Jammu and Kashmir have seen a steady
decline in daily rate of increase in cases.
GERMANY RECOVERY RATE
India has much higher 5.9 ANDHRA Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which
TEL 5.7 TELANGANA
95.0%
(92,642 recovery rate than many 5.7 5.5 BIHAR
had already slowed down their rate of increase,
managed to stay at the same levels
closed cases) ODI
Another yardstick being used to measure the 5.2 J&K
INDIA severity of Covid-19 is the fatality rate in 4.6 TAMIL NADU Kerala further slows
83.6% closed cases. Closed cases are those that 3.9 HA
3.9 PUNJAB
(3,413) have had a result: either the patient
recovered, or they died. It does not include
R
3.4 HARYANA
down rate of increase
SPAIN
the active cases expressed in the new 3.3 ODISHA Like last week, Kerala is again leading from
79.1% cases but is a part of the total tally 2.1 KER
the front. Cases in the state, which was once at
(97,810) ITALY the eye of the Covid-19 outbreak in India, are
66.5% FRANCE US In India, about 8 in every 10 closed cases ended in recovery increasing at the slowest rate
(70,715)
65.3% 63.5% while the remaining 2 ended in death. India’s recovery rate LEAST 0.7 KERALA
Graphics: Sajeev Kumarapuram | Source: ECDC, Johns Hopkins
(1,11,609) of 83.6% is higher than the global average of 79.1% 14 APRIL AFFECTED 16 17 18 19 20 APRIL University, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, popper.ai
(56,932)

Varied testing
protocol, even
‘Tablighis, foreign returnees Wait for test results could cost lives  From P 1 as N95 masks while attend-

in areas of low
prevalance
caused spike in MP cases’ W hen about 20 big and
small private hospi-
tals and nursing
ing to emergency patients.”
“In emergency care, we
are taking every precaution,
as if the patient is Covid-posi-
TIMES NEWS NETWORK net plays a crucial role. Work- homes were shut down in tive. However, in the case of
 From P 1 ing in a team helps during Mumbai after many health procedures or say, obstetric
Madhya Pradesh chief minis- challenging times. Safety of workers tested positive, or cancer surgeries where we

T
he testing protocol also
covers patients with se-
vere acute respiratory ill-
ness. “On the basis of worldwide
analysis, 80% of coronavirus pa-
tients are asymptomatic or show
mild symptoms. Around 15%
turn into severe cases and 5%
turn into critical cases,” health
ministry joint secretary Lav
Agarwal said. He added “mild
symptoms” to underline that not
all non-serious patients were
asymptomatic.
Pointing to a varied testing
protocol that includes scrutinis-
ing low prevalence areas, gov-
ernment said that the possibility
of a large number of undetected
asymptomatic persons who do
not need medical attention is
slim. However, highlighting the
‘STRATEGY CHANGE
UNWARRANTED’
limitations of testing, ICMR’s
head of epidemiology and com-
municable diseases, Dr R R Gan-
gakhedkar, said the chances of
RT-PCR tests coming positive
were higher when there were
symptoms and the person was
closer to the point of infection.
Dr Gangakhedkar said, as of
now, any change in India’s test-
ter Shivraj Singh Chouhan
attributes the rising number of
Covid-19 cases in the state to Ta-
blighi Jamaat members and al-
so those who came back from
abroad, and hid their travel
history. In an interview to
TOI’s Mohua Chatterjee, he
says a 10-member panel is look-
ing into all aspects. Excerpts:
Do you feel taking over as
CM in the time of corona
was a challenge as the re-
gime change left you with no
system in place to deal with
the pandemic?
From the moment I was
sworn in, my focus has been
preventing the spread of Co-
vid-19. Initially there were few
cases and after that a rapid in-
crease in the number of cases
around major cities like In-
dore and Bhopal. TJ members
who returned from Delhi are
also a reason for this sudden
rise and also people who came
back to the state from foreign
China hopes India
will revise norms
TOI INTERVIEW
visits and hid themselves. But
now, we are trying to strength-
en our medical infrastructure.
More than 400 containment ar-
eas have been marked in the 26
districts. Contact tracing is be-
ing done in all such areas.
Screening and quarantining
of more than 55,000 people
who came from abroad have
been undertaken.
How are you running a big
state without a Cabinet to
oversee departments like
health, agriculture?
Yes, it is right that the Cabi-
test kits to India
public representatives is also
important and every represen-
tative is a part of this fight. I
am continuously coordinating
with MLAs and MPs. We have
just formed a committee of 10
members to look after differ-
ent aspects of this fight
against Covid-19.
How did Indore turn into a
corona hub?
Indore is our prime commer-
cial centre, a densely populat-
ed city. It is a place where a
large number of people travel
abroad for business purposes.
Initially such people hid their
travel histories, came in con-
tact with others and spread the
infection. I am regularly re-
viewing the situation through
video conferencing.
We are implementing an
“identify, isolate, test and tre-
at” (IITT) strategy. The testing
rate in Indore is much higher
than the rest of the state.
Full interview on www.toi.in
South Korea to
supply 5L rapid
many doctors, across cities, can afford to wait, we send
argued that it might be more samples for testing as results
sensible to insist on the test are available within 24
than end up having to shut hours,” said a senior consult-
down operations, which ant in a private hospital in
would affect other patients Haryana. Though OPDs
too. The flip side of the debate opened on Monday in Harya-
is that this not only adds to na, they function outside the
costs for patients, it could al- TESTING TIMES: A medical worker stamps a child after collecting hospital premises to reduce
so mean potentially life- samples for coronavirus in Ajmer on Monday the risk. Reports of doctors
threatening delays, even up
to 48 hours, while results of negative certificate before tive result if they are in the
insisting on Covid tests are
coming in from many states,
tests are awaited. administering dialysis. With early stages of infection,” including Rajasthan, West
In Jharkhand, for in- just one testing centre in Ran- says Dr Prince Surana, who Bengal and Jharkhand.In
stance, a 61-year-old woman chi, there was a long waiting owns three hospitals across Odisha, too, many private
who needed dialysis died period that proved lethal. Mumbai. hospitals such as Apollo Hos-
while the hospital waited for Doctors in Mumbai claim Joy Chakraborthy, COO pital, AMRI Hospital and
her test results to determine they insist on a Covid-nega- of Mumbai’s Hinduja Hospi- Kalinga Institute of Medical
if she should be in the Covid tive report only for patients tal said the group is not mak- Sciences have made Covid
ward or general ward. Simi- undergoing dialysis and ra- ing the test mandatory for pa- tests mandatory.
larly, a 14-year-old in the state diotherapy. “Even that tients. “However, our nurses (With inputs from state
died at a private hospital, seems impractical, because and other staff use personal correspondents)
which demanded a Covid- patients may get a false nega- protection equipment such Full report on www.toi.in
UP resumes road projects, ‘Central team
didn’t keep
lifts curbs on 11 industries state in loop’
 From P 1
 From P 1 A senior official UP appeared to handle
said the UP the first-day challenges bet-

H
e spoke to me around 1

A
ing strategy did not seem warr- round 35 units have ter, with several road pm...Unfortunately, the
anted. In an earlier TV interv- been granted permis- government is projects like the Purvan- team landed at Kolkata
iew, Dr Gangakhedkar had said,  From P 1
The Chinese embassy said
sion to resume oper- ensuring that all chal, Bundelkhand and Go- airport at 10 am, much before the
“We are equally worried about New Delhi:South Korea, one of ations in Maharashtra. labourers brought rakhpur Link expressways conversation. The ministry of
the barriers for investors

asymptomatic persons who are
around and may be spreading
the infection but we must under-
stand that science has not pro-
gressed that far where you can
detect such asymptomatic cases
cost effectively through simpler
tests.” He added that one way of
addressing it was to ensure that
the “index case” helped in trac-
ing his/her contacts or came out
for testing and helped through
early detection and isolation.
“RT-PCR test usually comes
positive when a person is symp-
tomatic. A person takes time to
be symptomatic and when asy-
mptomatic people are tested, ch-
ances of the test coming positive
will remain low as compared to
when he is closer to infection.
This is the limitation of tests,”
Dr Gangakhedkar said. He add-
ed that Covid-19 was a new dis-
ease and research on its various
aspects was still going on simul-
taneously with interventions.
Full report on www.toi.in
M
eanwhile, after India
tweaked its rules for
FDI, the Chinese em-
bassy here said in a statement
that Beijing hoped India would
revise relevant “discriminato-
ry practices, treat investments
from different countries equal-
ly, and foster an open, fair and
equitable business environm-
ent”. With China in mind, the
Department of Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT) made it mandatory for
any country sharing land bou-
ndary with India to invest th-
rough the approval route only.
The embassy said the addition-
al barriers set by India for in-
vestors from specific countries
violated WTO’s principle of
non-discrimination and went
against the general trend of
liberalisation and facilitation
of trade and investment.
While China called for
countries to work together to
meet the economic downturn
from specific countries
violated WTO’s principle of
non-discrimination
caused by Covid-19, and re-
called Chinese enterprises “ac-
tively’’ donating to help India
fight the pandemic, official
sources here said these were
two separate issues.
Official sources said billio-
naire entrepreneur Jack Ma
and Alibaba Foundation had
gifted equipment needed by In-
dia and these had been routed
through the Indian Red Cross
just like any other gift from for-
eign countries. India is cur-
rently engaged with public
and private entities in China to
source required equipment.
To ensure Chinese suppli-
es are not of poor quality, the
government is using diploma-
tic channels to approach man-
ufacturers qualified to export.
Full report on www.toi.in
the few countries to have tamed
the novel coronavirus with ag-
gressive testing and contact
tracing, is turning out to be
an important source of medi-
cal supplies for India, reports
Sachin Parashar.
The Indian embassy in Se-
oul Monday signed an agree-
ment for supply of 500,000 rapid
test kits from a South Korean
company to the ICMR.
The kits will be delivered in
four separate consignments,
the first of which will reach In-
dia April 30. India’s ambassa-
dor to South Korea Sripriya
Ranganathan said the procure-
ment will help scale up the
availability of tests which is a
“big weapon” in the fight
against Covid-19.
The company with which
the embassy has signed the ag-
reement is sourcing raw mate-
rials for production of the diag-
nostic testing kits from India.
Full report on www.toi.in
In Delhi, the attendance resuming after almost a home affairs order reached the
conundrum compelled po- for work are month. The state govern- state chief secretary (only) 30
lice to permit movement screened ment has lifted curbs on 11 minutes before the team ar-
solely on the basis of em- without compromising on industries for now. “The rived,” the CM said, maintain-
ployee identity cards, re- safety and other guide- government is ensuring ing that the visit had occurred
sulting in even those not lines”. Things will be that all labourers brought without “prior intimation”.
supposed to attend office streamlined in next couple for work are medically One of the teams, led by addi-
moving around freely. of days, they said. screened,” a senior govern- tional secretary Apurba Chan-
Traffic in the New Delhi In Gurgaon, classified as ment official said. dra, visited the state secretariat
Municipal Council area and a Covid-19 “red zone”, there Across Kerala—in Thi- on Monday evening after state
on roads along the CGO was some chaos at NHAI ruvananthapuram, Kot- chief secretary Rajiva Sinha
complex, where most cen- project sites after workers tayam, Idukki, Thrissur, Pa- called in for a meeting. Sinha lat-
tral government offices are gearing up to resume work lakkad, Alappuzha and Wa- er said the central teams had de-
located, was heavier than were stopped by police. The yanad districts—all of them viated from the ministry of
expected despite strict NHAI had asked its contrac- classified as either green or home affairs circular that di-
checking at multiple points. tors to resume work on orange zones, lockdown ru- rected the Bengal government
Delhi police’s special Monday with whatever les were eased for business- to offer logistical support to the
branch had issued a circu- workforce was available at es to breathe again. central teams.
lar on Sunday, saying “all these sites, subject to com- But with the Centre “We will not allow them here
central government em- pliance with Union home advising the state govern- if these things continue. The
ployees be permitted on the ministry guidelines on so- ment against an all-out team that reached Kolk-
basis of their identity cial distancing and other resumption, the buzz ata did not wait for state gove-
cards”. Although rosters safety protocols. Police offi- seemed to die down just as rnment logistical support. They
have been made, officials cials, however, said separate quickly. Restaurants that could have first come to
said non-biometric attend- permission was required had been allowed to resume us to get an update and then
ance had made it possible from the administration dine-in from Monday were visited the spots.,” the chief sec-
for senior officials to “make since Gurgaon was in the hastily shut. Salons met the retary said.
informal arrangements red zone. same fate. Full report on www.toi.in

EVA MENDES: WON’T POST PICS OF DAUGHTERS ONLINE
UNTIL THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO GIVE ME CONSENT
US Sees Tiananmen Moment
American Lives Or Economy: Country Divided Over Covid Curbs Google poach on’
Chidanand.Rajghatta
@timesgroup.com
Washington: Some are com-
paring it to the Tiananmen
moment. A male nurse in gre-
en scrubs is blocking the path
of a silver-coloured pick-up
truck at a busy intersection in
downtown Denver amid the
din of car horns blaring all
around. A woman in a stars
and stripes shirt pops out of
the passenger window with a
poster that says, “Land of the
Free.” She yells at him: “This is
a free country…Go to China if
you want communism!”
The clip, shared widely
and seen millions of times on
social media since it was pos-
ted on Sunday evening, illust-
rates the deep divide that is te-
aring America apart. It high-
lights the rift between a popu-
lation stewing resentfully at
being forced to shutter down
because of the coronavirus
and which believes accounts
of the pandemic are exagge-
rated, and those, including
first responders like the nur-
se, who think the lockdown is
for the national good and any-
one who defies it is selfish.
By Monday morning, the
hashtag #GoToChina was tren-
ding on social media as Ameri-
cans weighed in on anti-qua-
Sri Lanka’s EC
puts off polls by
almost 2 months
Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Election
Commission on Monday post-
poned the parliamentary elections
for nearly two months in the wake
of the coronavirus outbreak that
has infected 295 others in the coun-
try. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
on March 2 dissolved the parliam-
ent, six months ahead of schedule
and called a snap polls on April 25.
A gazette notice National Elec-
tion Commission announcing
June 20 date of the election was is-
sued on Monday. The EC has writ-
ten to Rajapaksa asking him to
seek the highest court’s opinion on
a possible constitutional standoff
arising from the postponement. PTI
18 killed in shooting rampage, Netanyahu seals
deadliest in Canadian history coalition deal with
Toronto: Canadians on Mon-
day mourned the shocking rival, stays in power
rampage that left at least 18 de-
ad in rural communities
across Nova Scotia, after a
gunman disguised as a police
officer opened fire on people
hunkered down in their ho-
mes, setting houses ablaze in
the deadliest mass shooting in
the country’s history. Offici-
als said the suspect, identified
as 51-year-old Gabriel Wort-
man, also died in the weekend
attack. Police did not provide
a motive for the killings.
Royal Canadian Mounted
Police chief superintendent
Chris Leather told a news con-
ference on Monday that police
expect there to be more vic-
tims once they are able to
comb through all the crime
scenes, some of which were
left in smoldering ruins. He
said some of the victims knew
Wortman and some didn’t.
Leather said police teams
were spread out at 16 crime
scenes in central and nort-
hern Nova Scotia. “We’re re-
latively confident we’ve iden-
tified all the crime scenes. Ho-
wever we have unable to fully
examine all the crime sce-
nes,” Leather said. “We have
had five structure fires, most
of those being residences, and
‘Media cos invest a
lot for info that FB,
Beijing refuses to
allow US probe
A Times View
team in Wuhan
N ugh Fauci warned that cases
Several anti-lockdown supporters took to the streets in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday to protest against the
ongoing restrictions in the country to counter the pandemic. A male nurse in green scrubs, however, stood his
ground, blocking a line of cars. Colorado is in lockdown till April 26 following over 9,700 cases and 420 deaths
rantine demonstrators who
want to reopen the country for
work (and saving their jobs),
and “safety first” counter-pro-
testers across the country. “On-
ly in america will an american
yell ‘go to china’ to a healthcare
worker who works day and
night to protect americans du-
ring this pandemic,” wrote one
observer. Another added:
“Let’s see if they still feel that
way when they are in need of
ventilators and the only people
Germany cautiously restarts biz
as virus limits ease worldwide
G
ermany and other parts
of the world took tenta-
tive steps to ease lock-
down measures on Monday,
but officials warned the battle
against the coronavirus pan-
demic was far from over. Some
shops reopened in Germany
and parents dropped their
children off at nurseries in
Norway as tight restrictions
in place for weeks were lifted
in parts of the continent.
The virus has so far infect-
ed more than 2.4 million peo-
ple globally and killed over
168,000, with nearly two thirds
of the victims in Europe.
Italy reported its first
drop in the number of people
currently infected. About
108,237 people are either being
treated in hospital or are reco-
vering at home — 20 fewer
than the total on Sunday.
Germany, which has been
hailed for keeping fatalities
low despite a significant num-
ber of cases, is allowing small-
er shops to reopen in some re-
gions from Monday. Larger
shops and those in major Ger-
man cities will open later as
part of an attempted phased
return from May 4. But offi-
cials are keeping a watchful
eye, with Chancellor Angela
Merkel saying she is “greatly
concerned” that virus-fight-
ing discipline among the Ger-
OTHER TOP STORIES OF THE DAY
AFP
Flags of Nova Scotia and Canada
fly at half-staff to remember the
shooting victims. Mass shootings
are rare in Canada. The country
overhauled its gun laws after a
gunman killed 14 women at a
Montreal college in 1989
we believe there may be vic-
tims still within the remains
of those homes which burnt
to the ground.” The dead in-
cluded a policewoman. Anot-
her officer was wounded by
gunfire and was recovering at
home, Leather said.
Canadian PM Justin Tru-
deau noted how close-knit No-
va Scotia is. “The vast majori-
ty of Nova Scotians will have
a direct link with one or more
of the victims. The entire pro-
vince and country is grieving
right now as we come to grips
with something that is unima-
ginable,” Trudeau told an ear-
lier news conference. “The
pandemic will prevent us
TIMES GLOBAL
who can administer one to
them are these heroic nurses.”
Although polls show six
in ten registered voters in US
are worried that easing rest-
rictions too quickly during
the coronavirus crisis will le-
ad to more deaths, 32% of
them are more concerned
“that the US will take too long
in loosening restrictions,
which will harm the econo-
my”. With the rate of infec-
tion and the death toll easing
TRACKING OUTBREAK
Countries Infected
United States 766,664
Spain 200,210
Italy
181,228
France 154,098
Germany 146,398
United Kingdom 125,851
Turkey 90,980
China 83,817
Iran
83,505
Russia 47,121
man public may ebb. “We sta-
nd at the beginning of the pan-
demic and are still a long way
from being out of the woods.”
In Australia, authorities
in Sydney reopened three bea-
ches for walking, running,
swimming or surfing, while
from mourning together in
person, but a vigil will be held
virtually to celebrate the lives
of the victims,” Trudeau said,
adding it would take place on
Friday night through a Face-
book group.
The rampage began late
on Saturday in the rural town
of Portapique, about 100 kilo-
metres north of Halifax, whe-
re police told residents over-
night to lock their doors and
stay in their basements. Seve-
ral bodies were later found in-
side and outside one house on
Portapique Beach Road, the
street where the suspect lived,
authorities said. Bodies were
also found at several other lo-
cations within about a 50-kilo-
metre area from the neighbo-
urhood where the shootings
began, and authorities belie-
ve the shooter may have targe-
ted his first victims but then
began attacking randomly.
Authorities said the su-
spected gunman wore a police
uniform at one point and ma-
de his car look like a Royal Ca-
nadian Mounted Police crui-
ser. According to his high
school yearbook, he long had
a fascination with the Moun-
ties “Gabe’s future may inclu-
ding being an RCMP officer,”
the yearbook profile said. AP
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
Reuters
across the country, including
in New York, President
Trump has weight behind the
latter constituency, arguing
that some governors “have
gone too far” with their lock-
down measures.
Many protestors, who appe-
ar to be rightwing Trump sup-
porters, also embraced conspi-
racy theories, some of which
Trump himself has promoted
in the past. One demonstrator
held a poster that read “Fauci
Death
185
40,931 countries/
20,852 regions hit
24,114
2,447,920+
20,292 infected globally
4,706
16,550
168,500+
have died
2,140
4,636 643,245+
have recovered
5,209
Source: Johns Hopkins
405 University
New Zealand announced that
it will ease a nationwide lock-
down next week, with PM Jaci-
nda Ardern saying: “We have
stopped a wave of devastati-
on”. Sydney’s iconic Bondi Be-
ach, however, was still closed.
The global game plan now
Jerusalem: Israeli PM Be-
njamin Netanyahu and his
chief rival announced on
Monday that they have forged
a deal to form an “emergen-
cy” government, ending
months of political paralysis
and averting what would ha-
ve been a fourth consecutive
election in just over a year.
Netanyahu and former
military chief Benny Gantz,
leader of the Blue and White
party, signed the agreement
after weeks of negotiations
for what they termed a “natio-
nal emergency” government
meant to steer the country
through the coronavirus out-
break. The power-sharing ag-
reement means that Netanya-
hu will almost certainly re-
main in office for the dura-
tion of his upcoming trial on
corruption charges.
The deal calls for a three-
year period, with Netanyahu
serving as PM for the first half,
and Gantz taking the job for
the second half. Gantz’s party
will take control of a number
of ministries, including fore-
ign affairs and defence, but Ne-
tanyahu’s party will gain in-
PERFECTION IS THE
CHILD OF TIME
— JOSEPH HALL
ASHTON KUTCHER AND MILA KUNIS LAUNCH THEIR OWN
QUARANTINE WINE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORTS
erupted even as the US toll
from the pandemic neared
41,000 while the infection rate ustralia’s move to force
appeared to slow down, altho- Google and Facebook to
could surge again if the lock-
pay media outlets for
their content comes after ta-
ews-gathering and
fact-checking is a
C hina on Monday firmly
rejected US President
Trump’s demand to allow an US
down orders were rescinded
prematurely. But Trump,
with a re-election on the line,
lks with Facebook and Alpha-
bet failed to yield a voluntary
code to address complaints by
sprawling, costly and
challenging exercise even in
normal times. In times of
team into Wuhan to investigate seems to have decided he sho- domestic media players that conflict and crisis, such as the
the origins of the coronavirus, uld be at the head of the reo- the tech giants have too tight a Covid pandemic, journalists
saying it was also a “victim and pen sentiment to shore up his grip on advertising, their ma- put their lives at risk to ensure
not a culprit” of Covid-19. prospects in November. in source of income, treasu- that readers get news that is
Chinese foreign ministry spoke- The administration mean- rer Josh Frydenberg said. first-hand and authentic. But
sman Geng Shuang said “the time continues to be embar- Australia’s new regula- Google and Facebook get the
virus is the common enemy for rassed about the close ties it tions will also cover the sha- benefit of all the cost —
all mankind”. “China is attacked has maintained with Beijing ring of data, and the ranking financial and otherwise —
by this virus. We are not co-wor- in the past even amid the new and display of news content, incurred by traditional media
ker for this virus,” he said. He hostility, including exposition to be enforced by binding dis- houses without investing
also turned down Australian of Beijing’s transparency by pute resolution mechanisms anything at all in news
foreign minister Marise Payne’s the president, and his friends- and penalties. operations. As the Australian
call for an international inquiry hip with China’s President Xi The mandatory code in government has said, this has
into coronavirus including its Jinping. On Monday, the ad- Australia follows an 18- created an uneven playing
origin in China. PTI ministration had to face the month inquiry into the po- field and stifled competition.
mortification of an expose by wer of digital platforms by It’s not only patently unfair, it
Lied, Main Street Died”, refer- Fox News that drones being the Australian Competition is dangerous. If newspapers
ring to the nation’s top infectio- used around the country to en- and Consumer Commission and TV channels collapse
us diseases specialist who has force coronavirus lockdowns (ACCC), which recommen- owing to the ongoing
become a new hate figure for were donated by a company ded an overhaul of existing economic crisis, most people
the extreme right, and whose with ties to the Chinese go- regulations. The initial plan will get their news from social
expert advice was instrumen- vernment. Apparently, dro- to come up a voluntary code media. As we have
tal in shutting down the nation. nes from Da Jiang Innova- by November has been scrap- unfortunately seen far too
“These are people expres- tions (DJI) to 43 law enforce- ped, Frydenberg said. often, social media thrives on
sing their views… They seem ment agencies in 22 states The ACCC will submit its fake news and rumours,
to be very responsible people help ensure social distancing draft mandatory code by July, creating panic and even
to me,” Trump said on Sun- rules, with the possibility to be passed into legislation spurring deadly attacks on
day, noting that he had never that they can be used for sur- shortly thereafter, he said. innocent people by hysterical
so many American flags at veillance and snooping. “...Some of that informa- mobs. Australia has taken the
such protests. The protests Full report on www.toi.in tion they (Google and Facebo- right decision — one India
ok) are providing consumers would do well to emulate.
Pak probes
for free has come from people
who have invested a lot of mo- New Zealand managing di-
ney in journalism and the ca- rector Will Easton said the
allegation that se of media to provide that company was “disappoin-
content,” ACCC chairman ted” by the government’s an-
bodies not Rod Sims told the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation.
nouncement, which came
ahead of the May deadline to
If Australia is successful produce the voluntary code.
being tested
is to open up but maintain in its efforts to ensure more A Google spokesperson
enough social distancing to advertising revenue flows to said the company had parti-
prevent new flareups of the vi- Omer Farooq Khan TNN publishers, it would be the cipated in the voluntary pro-
rus. But the head of the WHO, first country to do so. cess and would continue to
Tedros Adhanom Gheb- Islamabad: PM Imran Khan’s France last year became engage with both publishers
reyesus, cautioned that “the top aide on health said on Mon- the first European state to and the ACCC.
worst is yet ahead of us” and day that the government has implement an EU copyright Michael Miller, executive
said that easing lockdowns is launched a probe after a se- directive that requires pay- chairman of Rupert Mur-
not the end of the crisis, just ction of media reports claimed ment for reproduced news doch’s News Corp Australa-
another phase. He didn’t spec- that bodies of elderly people ar- content, but Google has so sia, welcomed Monday’s an-
ify why he believes the worst riving at hospitals are not be-
lies ahead, but there are signs ing tested, thereby potentially
far refused to pay and inste-
ad said it would no longer
nouncement as a vital step.
“For two decades, Google
the virus is swelling in Africa. ignoring the possibility that display French reports. The and Facebook have built tril-
France, although still un- they might have contracted Co- impasse has prompted the lion-dollar businesses by
der a tight lockdown, allowed vid-19. Zafar Mirza said the country’s competition aut- using other people’s content
families, under strict condi- probe will seek to determine hority to order the firm to ne- and refusing to pay for it,”
tions, to visit relatives in nurs- the exact nature of the deaths.
ing homes. In some places, Tests carried out on at least
gotiate with publishers.
A similar battle has play-
Miller said. “The Australia
media industry is at a tip-
lockdown fatigue was on the 10 people in Pakistan’s Khyber
rise. Police fought battles in Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province af-
ed out in Spain, where Goog-
le News has not reopened
ping point and a mandatory
code that leads to the plat-
two of Paris’ suburbs on Sun- ter their deaths have shown that
day, with residents accusing they died due to infection by the
since the country passed le-
gislation in 2014 requiring
forms paying a fair — and ve-
ry significant price — must
officers of using heavy-hand- novel coronavirus, government payment for articles. be put in place urgently.”
ed tactics to enforce lockdown. officials said as the total num- Frydenberg said the go- Monday’s move also co-
The country’s toll surpassed ber of infected persons in the vernment was imposing the mes as the new coronavirus
20,000 deaths on Monday. country climbed to 8,650, with measures after discussions pandemic hits Australia’s
Meanwhile, in Russia, 182 deaths. So far, Covid-19 has on a voluntary code failed to media business hard, with
thousands of troops were or- killed 67 people in Khyber Pak- make headway, with the im- several regional outlets re-
dered into a two-week quaran- htunkhwa. With only 1,235 con- pact of the coronavirus pan- porting steep declines in ad-
tine after rehearsing for a mil- firmed cases there, the percent- demic on advertising reve- vertising revenue. Pending
itary parade in Moscow that age of deaths in the is higher nues hastening the need for the new code, the federal go-
has been called off. Up to 15,000 than in other provinces. action. “We understand the vernment last week unvei-
troops were due to parade on Meanwhile, a pregnant challenge that we face,” he led a support package for the
May 9 to smark the 75th anni- woman in Sindh died of starva- said. “This is a big mountain local media businesses in-
versary of World War II victo- tion amid the coronavirus lock- to climb. These are big com- cluding a 12-month waiver of
ry. The ministry of defence did down. The husband of Sughra panies that we are dealing spectrum tax for commerci-
not say if the quarantine was Bibi, 30, had lost his job as daily with, but there is also so al television and radio bro-
anything more than a precau- wager and the couple were fac- much at stake, so we’re pre- adcasters, and a A$50 mil-
tion and whether any of its sol- ing problems in feeding them- pared for this fight.” lion public interest news gat-
diers had fallen ill. AGENCIES selves and their six children. Facebook Australia and hering programme. AGENCIES
1,426 cases in a AROUND THE WORLD
day in S’pore,
Getty Images
mostly migrants
Singapore: Singapore repor-
ted a record 1,426 new corona-
virus cases on Monday, mostly
among foreign workers,
Reuters
pushing its total number of
confirmed infections to 7,984.
The tiny city-state now has
the highest number of cases
in Southeast Asia, a massive
increase from just 200 infec-
tions on March 15. About 3,000
cases have been reported in
just the past three days.
Over 200,000 workers from
Bangladesh, India and other HARRY & MEGHAN BLACKLIST UK TABLOIDS: Prince Harry and
Asian countries live in tightly wife Meghan have blacklisted four British tabloid newspapers,
packed dormitories. Clusters accusing them of publishing stories that were ‘distorted, false and
of infections have expanded invasive beyond reason’, a media report said. In a scathing letter to
BACK IN FORM: Netanyahu rapidly in the dorms. AP the editors of the Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror and Express, the couple said
there would be ‘zero engagement’ with the dailes. They added they
fluence over judicial appoint-
ments — a key demand of the B’desh tightens did not want to be used as ‘currency for an economy of clickbait’
PM as he prepares to go on tri-
al. “I promised the state of Is- lockdown after S African tries to South Africa’s most populous
province which includes city of
rael a national emergency go-
vernment that will work to sa- mass funeral smuggle GF in car Johannesburg, and which has
the largest number of con-
ve the lives and livelihoods of
the citizens of Israel,” Neta- Dhaka: Bangladesh has tigh-
during lockdown firmed cases of Covid-19.
nyahu tweeted. tened a clampdown on seven
US farm rents out donkey
After an inconclusive
election on March 2, Netanya-
villages after tens of thousa-
nds attended the funeral of a
A man in South Africa was
arrested for trying to
smuggle his girlfriend from one
to crash video calls
A miniature donkey named
hu and Gantz agreed to try to popular local cleric in spite of
form a unity government be- province to another in the tru- Mambo is getting some online
a lockdown. The massive gat-
cause of the coronavirus cri- nk of his car to evade coronavi- love in North Carolina. Peace N
hering in Brahmanbaria dis-
sis. Although Netanyahu re- rus lockdown regulations, Peas Farm will rent Mambo,
trict has raised concerns abo-
peatedly came up short in the authorities said. The woman the 8-year-old miniature
ut the potential for a spike in
last elections, the coalition “consented to be smuggled” donkey, and his friends to
infections. “We’ve strictly or-
agreement returns him to the and was also arrested, accor- crash company conference
dered all residents of the vil-
premiership, defying critics ding to a provincial official. calls. This camera crowding
lages to stay at home at all ti-
who predicted his downfall The man was stopped by donkey is “like a pesky little
mes at least for the next 14 da-
and restoring his reputation police at a roadblock on Friday brother” that “doesn’t let
ys,” a police officer said. Ban-
as a political wizard. AP night travelling from Gauteng, anyone relax too long.”
gladesh has 2,456 cases. REUTERS
10 COMFORTING THE AFFLICTED AFFLICTING THE COMFORTABLE
THE TIMES OF INDIA
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020

A thought for today

Our real problem, then, is not our strength today;
it is rather the vital necessity of action today
to ensure our strength tomorrow
Corona And The Courts
DWIGHT D EISENHOWER Covid-19 crisis is like wartime. Courts must not restrict executive from taking decisions

A New Phase Harish Salve

Democracy is a fragile
virtue. Wars, economic
special interest groups to try to impose
their policies and perspectives upon
elected governments, by using broad
constitutional principles to persuade
Stepping up relaxations now will firm meltdowns, and of late courts to override the elected executive.
terrorism are the Viewed through this prism, the
up strategy to end the lockdown known viruses that reticence of the court in entertaining
eat into the vitals of a cases (PILs) relating to problems that have

T
he graded restoration of economic activity outside red/ democracy. Of late, Covid-19 is seen as arisen in the course of the war on the
containment zones even as the nationwide lockdown continues yet another threat to democracy. virus, is admirable. Decisions taken by
will offer a measure of reprieve to livelihoods that have taken Look at the world around us. the executive government, at a time of war,
a harsh knock over the past month. Across India, governments at Governments have armed themselves are never interceded by courts. John
various tiers, from the Centre down to municipal bodies, are offering with extraordinary powers to deal with Laws, while analysing the reason for
dos and don’ts for local businesses to resume. Contradictions the pandemic. France has postponed separation of powers, had argued that
polls. The UK has given far-reaching while governance is necessarily empirical
between various regulations and differences of opinion between
powers to the executive government to and experimental, jurisprudence had to
authorities are bound to manifest, but the overriding emphasis must impose and enforce the lockdown, be mathematical and precedent based.
be on relaxing restrictions more and more. Even developed countries, while the US has seen restrictions of Judges cannot and should not experi-
which do not lack hard currencies or social security for their citizens, the kind that would, in peacetime, be ment with administrative measures.
and which have been hit far harder than India by Covid-19, are moving plainly unconstitutional. As would the The elected executive at the helm of
towards resuming economic activity. lockdown be in India. The lockdowns affairs is accountable to Parliament and
The partial restoration will renew sentiment among businesses have for the last four weeks changed will be held to account in due course.
the way we have lived, and it needs no Parliament will, once the war has
forced to down shutters. But convoluted distinctions, like those
clairvoyance to see that a lot of “new been won, certainly witness robust
between essential and non-essential services, won’t help the cause. normal” will stay with us. questioning of what went wrong,
This demarcation sowed trouble for truckers and delivery personnel One of the visible changes is the way not only to find fault but to prepare

Uday Deb
at the lockdown’s start and now the we have come to look at our governments. ourselves for the next war. The elected
e-commerce sector, preparing to resume Political scientists, policymakers and executive is also accountable to the
operations, has been jolted. First, it even the courts have acknowledged people of India and will be judged
creates tremendous uncertainty because that streamlined government decision shown remarkable deference to the rigorously in the next elections.
making is vital in order to respond to executive in dealing with cases being The courts administer the law and in
those monitoring the lockdown at
this global health threat. brought by interest groups claiming to Look at the world around us. that sense are not accountable either
grassroots, typically police constables, The alacrity of the executive govern- be champions of rights of those who had Governments have armed to Parliament or to the electorate.
aren’t trained to distinguish between ment in tackling the coronavirus been forgotten by the system. Is this Forcing administrative decisions on the
essential/ non-essential commodities. related crises cannot be praised enough. the time and place for courts to rush in
themselves with executive at a time like this would be
They are more likely to wield the baton Partisan politics was put on one side in where the executive treads with fear? extraordinary powers to fraught with grave danger.
at all and sundry than evaluate the national interest. CMs are working hand The courts sometime “ring the bell” deal with the pandemic Courts have played a seminal role in
nitty-gritties of logistics operations. in hand with the Union government to attract the attention of the govern- bringing social change all over the
irrespective of political affiliations. ment towards issues forgotten or Social scientist Mancur Olson has world. But areas of executive discretion
Second, there is deep inter-linking
I do not agree that governments will overlooked. The Indian judiciary has cautioned that such groups often lobby in matters of governance that are
between inputs for essential and non-essential services. Take plastics become addicted to arbitrary and relaxed the rigour of the “locus standi” for benefits the costs of which were politically and socially neutral, in times
which are needed for manufacturing personal protective equipment unchecked power and this will perma- limitations and at the same time borne by society generally. The late of emergency, cannot be subject to
but could get stalled in transit because of the array of “non-essential” nently damage democracy. From June given an expansive meaning to Harold Laski took it for granted that judicial interference. Perhaps those
industries it caters to. Finally, there is the livelihood aspect. Whether 19, 1975, until March 21, 1977, democracy constitutional freedoms, which is “associations” exist to fulfil purposes of imbued with public spirit can occupy
or not something falls in the “essential” or “non-essential” basket, was put in deep freeze in India. If that did remarkable. But these measures have their members. There is nothing themselves by truly directly serving
or that of bricks and mortar retail versus e-commerce, it provides not damage Indian democracy, surely it had two consequences. inherently objectionable about the those whose cause they seek to espouse!
will survive the lockdown measures. First, it has widened judicial reach formation of such groups. Using the This is the time where we all have
work and livelihood to millions of Indians. Distinguishing between courts to further a socio-political agenda
There is no doubt that the elected beyond its traditional self-imposed to “hang together”. There is a maxim
all these categories is the joy of bureaucrats and despair of enter- executive is taking decisions, and is boundaries. There have been moments by giving it a constitutional hue is where attributed to Benjamin Franklin which
prises. It’s worth remembering how China, in contrast, leveraged taking responsibility for its decisions. of overreach which need to be this system runs awry. says, “We must, indeed, all hang
e-commerce right from the start to help Wuhan successfully outlast The people have, for the most, cooperated recognised for the sake of judiciary’s The contribution of public interest together, or most assuredly we shall all
its 76 day lockdown. with the government despite hardship, credibility. Second, it has given rise to litigation in vindicating constitutional hang separately.”
With a predominantly young population, Covid-19 is mostly and to an extent that is for India, formation of special interest groups, rights of those who have no voice, has The writer is a Senior Advocate of
manifesting with mild symptoms in India. Implementing physical pleasantly surprising. who frequently use the courts to push been seminal. But it would be perilous Supreme Court, and former Solicitor
The courts have then unsurprisingly their own agenda. to turn a blind eye to the tendency of General of India
distancing measures for elderly people must take priority now. Young
people should be allowed to get back on their feet and lead the
country’s economic charge once again. Striking the right balance
now between physical distancing and economic activity could offer
an orderly transition even as lockdowns are brought to an end.
In Corona times, civil services record in fighting
River Flows Clean the virus is a crowning moment for it
M Venkaiah Naidu activities concerning a wide range of part of civil servants. The Bhilwara,
civil services overseeing and managing Agra and Pathanamthitta (Kerala)
Lockdown has done wonders from Ganga to Confidence is the chief them like healthcare, education, poli- models of containing virus are only
Cauvery. Don’t squander the gains afterwards driver of bold decisions. cing, communication, travel, transport, some instances. Some healthcare
Prime Minister Narendra construction, farming, banking, officials and doctors falling prey to

T
he way in which Covid-19 has quarantined most social and Modi’s announcement commerce and industry and even coronavirus while leading the fight
economic activity, is being called the world’s largest scale on the night of March diplomacy. I am glad to assert that the against it are inspiring evidence of
experiment ever. When the quarantine protocols are lifted, data 24 asking 130 crore civil services rose to the occasion with their selflessness and empathy.
Indians to not move out of homes from the nimbleness required. Our civil This is a moment of pride for our
collected during this experiment should help build better societies and
the next day was the most audacious services, the steel frame of our country, civil services. However, like learning
economies. One notable area in which new baselines of what is possible decision in its positive sense taken by whose architect was late Sardar from every failure, we need to do so
have emerged is the environment. Specifically, consider the lockdown any world leader anytime so far. Vallabhbhai Patel, firmly stood between from success as well to further amplify
report cards of India’s rivers. From Ganga to Cauvery parts of our While the amazing cooperation of the virulent virus and our people. Hence, the zone of such success. Experiences
major rivers have reported dramatic improvements in water quality, the people in the current battle against I call this their crowning moment. of fighting SARS-CoV-2 need to be well-
becoming ‘fit for drinking’ for the first time in decades. coronavirus is widely acknowledged, documented for institutional guidance
No mining, no manufacturing, no commercial activity mean no the role of administrative machinery German sociologist Max Weber’s while facing the next such public
across the country in executing PM’s I am glad to assert that the theory of bureaucracy has its critics, health challenge and that too, when
industrial discharge. This makes for swift and thrilling facelifts in
vision in this hour of crisis deserves who say that bureaucracy stifles initia- bioterrorism is being talked about.
cities like Kanpur that have several polluting special mention on the occasion of civil services rose to the tive by being rigid and centralised in Proper protocols and standard
enterprises along the river. Of course the health Civil Services Day today. From the occasion with the nimbleness decision making. Bureaucracy is operating procedures should be evol-
of the nation needs such activities to resume, and cabinet secretary, the head of the civil generally perceived as status quoist ved for quick and concerted response
grow even stronger than before. But that doesn’t services to the chief secretaries and
required. Our civil services, by orientation, which may even be in future. Capacity and infrastructure
mean we have to pollute our rivers again. Several directors general of police, healthcare the steel frame of our country, true on a general plane. But our civil development and crisis response skill
countries have been implementing industrial officials, doctors and the frontline whose architect was late services have a different story to tell of training are required.
warriors on the ground deserve transforming governance in recent The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 is
wastewater treatment strictly for half a century Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,
appreciation for keeping virus infec- years with profound results. today the main legal instrument in the
now and India needs to join their ranks at the tion under check. firmly stood between the The telecom and connectivity fight against coronavirus. This is said
soonest. It needs to protect rivers from untreated About 540 deaths due to Covid-19 revolutions, massive opening of bank to be a hastily drafted short legislation
domestic sewage as well. The 34% reduction in during roughly about 110 days in India
virulent virus and our people accounts for the unreached under PM to tackle bubonic plague in Bombay in
faecal coliform reported from a Haridwar ghat in April may be on is less than one-third to half of those India’s quick and effective response Jan Dhan Yojana in quick time, direct 1896 and is inadequate to handle misuse
account of the paralysis of tourism, suggesting how appallingly dying every day in some leading to the coronavirus threat, now widely benefits transfer, introduction of GST, of biological organisms. Let’s remedy
human excreta are normally allowed to pollute the holy Ganga. countries of the world. It is no acknowledged, began with screening improvements in ease of doing this at the earliest.
mean achievement given the size of of those coming from other countries business, e-NAM, GEM, cloud sourcing The course and duration of the fight
Knowing what needs to be done is one thing, doing it is another.
our population including 53 urban when we had only 28 cases of infection of ideas for participatory governance, against coronavirus is still uncertain. I
But the current pandemic is a clarion call for walking the talk. Even agglomerations with over 10 lakh including 16 Italians, soon followed by smart city planning and execution – all am sure our experienced and able civil
before this, India’s per person disease burden due to unsafe water and population each, packed living in our lockdown 1.0 when we had only 482 game changers – are ample evidence servants of all hues under the effective
sanitation was 40 times higher than China and 12 times higher cities, scale of migrant work force and cases and nine deaths. Consequently, of the new face of our civil services. guidance of political leadership at the
than Sri Lanka. Now the need to wash hands worsens the distress of the status of health infrastructure. more than half of the 700 districts in the The ongoing fight against corona- Centre and in the states will help the
not having enough clean water to do so. Don’t waste a crisis, they The coronavirus crisis impacted a country are without any virus cases virus has thrown up several instances nation in winning the battle.
sensibly say. It has shown that reviving the hydrology of our rivers is whole gamut of human and economic when lockdown 2.0 came into force. of local initiatives and empathy on the The writer is Vice-President of India
not just necessary but doable.
dilbert Sacredspace
Homeworking blues Calm Mind
Pour some water into a tub and
stir it up. Now try to calm the
I am awash in gentle nostalgia for traffic jams water with your hands; you will
and zombie movies no longer appeal succeed in agitating it further.
Arnab Ray
Let it stand undisturbed a while,
and it will calm down by itself.
The quarantine is increasingly stressing me out. For one, i can The human brain works
no longer watch movies and TV series in the zombie genre. It hits much the same way.
too close home. Now i am no longer wondering “how the hell do
they keep themselves so impeccably groomed in a zombie Koichi Tohei
apocalypse that stretches for years” while watching Walking
Dead, i am noting the similarities between a world taken over by

If You Want To Be Happy, Embrace Your Pain

zombies with my own existence: Balancing the risk of what-was-once-normal like
going out for groceries with the risk of being eaten by the coronavirus undead.
At least in a zombie apocalypse, you do not have to home-tutor your children,
amidst undiminished expectations from school. Log into this portal, answer
these questions, and “oh i am sorry i lost your homework, i am not used to this Thich Nhat Hanh all have painful feelings or emotions sumption. We read magazines, watch In a few minutes, you can calm it down.
tech, do it again please, you know what, send a printout in high resolution, but that manifest from time to time. But television, find something to eat, listen If there are other practitioners

A
remember to rotate the pictures clockwise”, and i am missing going to work, nyone who knows the practice of
not work itself mind you, because that i have to keep on doing on my laptop and mindfulness knows that they
over web-conferencing, awash with the gentle nostalgia of being stuck in a have to go home to the present
traffic jam, with at least your own thoughts to keep you company. moment. When you do that, two things
Social media provides me no respite either. I had no idea people can happen. You might find there are so
looked this good doing chores at home. There seem to be so many many conditions of happiness available
Renaissance men and women in my feeds, that i feel ashamed of right here and now. When you breathe in
myself. One day, they are experts on ACE2 receptors and the exact mechanism and bring your mind home to your body,
by which the novel coronavirus infects us, the next day they are opining on how you are established in the present
the national electric grid will fail if lights are turned off all at once with the moment. You find that there are so many
gravitas of a PhD in electrical engineering. The day after next, they have refreshing and healing elements
become ace pandemic modellers in a way that would make Anthony Fauci available in the present moment. There
scream like Sunny Deol, poking holes in the underlying mathematics of are also so many conditions of happi-
existing disease propagation models with the same intellectual authority as ness available in the present moment.
Rahul Gandhi using the word “strategic” in his Covid-19 “strategic” videos, With that awareness, it is easy to
while comparing the pandemic response of the Madhya Pradesh government generate a feeling of joy and happiness.
to that of Germany and South Korea, because they are obviously at the same You can do this in order to nourish
state of development and have similar governmental infrastructure. yourself with joy and happiness. But
No shame in saying it but i am scared. Scared of living in a world where sometimes, when you go back to the
every human interaction comes with a risk to one’s lungs, and every social present moment, you may encounter a
media interaction comes with a risk to one’s brains. painful emotion that is within you. We
when it begins to manifest, you don’t
like to be there so you try to run away,
pretending it’s not there. So no one is
there, to look after the painful feeling.
Even if the present moment is
unbearable, it is still our only chance
to do something in order to calm
the pain down and to
transform it. But most
people don’t do that
because they are afraid
that when they come home
to themselves and feel the
pain inside, they may be
overwhelmed, by
suffering. That is why they run away. Or
else we escape into the past or future in
the hope of forgetting, whereas only the
present moment is real.
Most people also try to cover up the
suffering inside by the practice of con-
to music or pick up the phone to talk. We
hope that by doing these things, we don’t
have to confront the suffering in us. And
we allow that pain to continue to grow in
us. The practice of mindfulness helps us
to go home to the present moment, so
that we can understand the
suffering and find a way to calm
it down and transform it. So,
the next time you find the
present moment not
pleasant, do not think that
running away from it is the
best way. It may be a chance to
stay in the moment and look
deeply into the nature of your suffering.
If you know how to practise mindful
breathing or mindful walking, you can
generate the energy of mindfulness.
This will help you to be strong enough to
recognise pain and embrace it tenderly.
practising with you, you can profit
from their energy of mindfulness and
compassion.
Getting in touch with the suffering
brings about an understanding of the
suffering and the energy of compassion.
These have the power to heal you and the
people who happen to be around you at
the time. And if there is a group of
people practising together, embracing
the suffering with tenderness, they will
experience a collective energy of
compassion. When they suffer less, they
are in a situation to help other people do
the same.
Ahimsa Trust, representing Thich
Nhat Hanh, offers talks, retreats and
Mindfulness Meditation practice; during
lockdown, weekly sessions online by
Dharmacharya Shantum Seth. Call
8860694315.

Consumption Cutbacks Rise,
Recreation Worst Hit At 95%
Estimates of peak hit to consumption
of services, which contributes 60% to
the country’s GDP, were increased by
investment bank Goldman Sachs due to
the lockdown. Assumptions on consumption
cutbacks imply a monthly hit to the level
of annual GDP of around 1.2%, which
implies peak hit to monthly GDP of 14.8%
Source: Goldman Sachs
HC order on Indiabulls NCD
dues puts MFs in tight spot
Allows Non-Bank Finance Co Not To Pay Debenture Holders
Partha.Sinha@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: An order of the Del-
hi high court obtained by pri-
vate sector lender Indiabulls
Housing Finance against
markets regulator Sebi has
put mutual fund houses in a
tight spot. The HC has gran-
ted Indiabulls, a non-banking
financial company (NBFC),
the permission to not pay its
debenture holders, including
fund houses, interest and
principal as long as the RBI al-
lows banks and NBFCs to of-
fer moratorium to their bor-
rowers. Fund managers now
fear that other NBFCs may ta-
ke the same route and not pay
MFs for the next few weeks.
This is the first time in In-
dia a situation has arisen whe-
re fund houses may not be in a
position to meet their pay-
ment obligation to their inves-
tors if they don’t get money
from the issuers of debentu-
res, that is NBFCs. “A situa-
BMW India
CEO Singh
dies at 46
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai: German luxury mar-
que BMW Group’s India presi-
dent and CEO Rudratej (Rudy)
Singh (46) passed away on Mon-
day morning. So-
urces informed
that Singh had suf-
fered a massive car-
diac arrest, but the
company said the
cause of this sudden death is be-
ing ascertained.
Singh joined BMW Group
India on August 1, 2019 after a
little over four years with mo-
torcycle maker Royal Enfield
as global president. On Mon-
day, Eicher Motors MD & CEO
Siddhartha Lal tweeted, “I am
deeply saddened by the sudden
and tragic loss of Rudy earlier
today. He was a wonderful per-
son and a good friend to many
of us at Royal Enfield.”
Prior to Royal Enfield, Singh
had worked with Unilever in In-
dia and international markets
for over 16 years. A Delhi Univer-
sity graduate, he had an MBA in
marketing and finance from In-
stitute of Management Techno-
logy, Ghaziabad.
The German company has
appointed its chief financial offi-
cer Arlindo Teixeira as acting
president in the interim. Singh’s
sudden demise comes less than
two weeks after BMW lost its he-
ad of sales Mihir Dayal to can-
cer. Singh had then tweeted:
“Rest in peace my friend — we
play our pending round of golf
now on the other side.”
Zydus to test use of
Hep C med for virus
Mumbai: Zydus Cadila anno-
unced that its biological thera-
py Pegylated Interferon alp-
ha-2b, ‘PegiHep’, used in Hepa-
titis B and C, may emerge as
one of the pathways to treat Co-
vid-19. Interferon alpha-2b has
been used in the treatment of
Covid-19 in China and Cuba,
and is a part of treatment gui-
delines of the Chinese govern-
ment, it said. PegiHep is not li-
censed or approved for the treat-
ment of Covid-19 yet. TNN
Paytm cuts losses 20% as e-pays fall
Digbijay Mishra &
Madhav Chanchani TNN
Bengaluru: Paytm has star-
ted curbing expenditure
amid the pandemic to extend
its runway. The e-payments
major — India’s most valued
startup at $16 billion — has
been cutting costs at a rate of
15-20% in the last two
months, founder and CEO
Vijay Shekhar Sharma told
TOI in an exclusive intervi-
ew earlier this month.
The development comes
even as digital payments
across channels — Unified
Payments Interface (UPI), e-
wallets and debit/credit
cards — are down by 30-40%.
Consumers have not been
spending on several use-ca-
ses online, apart from get-
ting essential services, as the
economy takes a hit due to
TIMES BUSINESS
0
0.4
Health
Healthcare and ration +15% & +5%
BLEAK SCENARIO
An estimated Rs 20,000cr
worth of non-convertible
debentures (NCDs) are set
to mature by May 31
This will have to be
either paid back to the
investors or rolled over
tion like this has never happe-
ned. Looks like more NBFCs
will take this same route and
not pay MFs on the NCDs they
hold, and MFs will fail to pay
to investors,” said a top fund
manager said. “One of the
way outs could be for the RBI
to step in like in 2008 and 2013
and guarantees a line of cre-
dit to the fund houses.”
So far, the RBI has not spo-
ken about providing a line of
credit to the fund houses. Sebi
is also working to find a solu-
tion to the imbroglio, sources
said. While the RBI has allowed
banks to provide a moratorium
Infy suspends revenue
guidance on uncertainty
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bengaluru: Infosys followed
Cognizant and Wipro in su-
spending revenue and margin
guidance due to lack of visibili-
ty on future deals on account of
the uncertainty unleashed by
Covid-19. The
lockdown in
the last few da-
ys of March al-
so caused the
company to
miss its reve-
nue guidance of 10-10.5% in
constant currency for 2019-20.
Infosys grew at 9.8%, which is
still better than TCS’s 7.1% and
Wipro’s 3.9%.
“There are near-term
challenges in the business en-
vironment and we do not feel
it appropriate to provide gui-
dance at this point of time. We
are not sure of what lies im-
mediately ahead,” CEO Salil
Parekh said.
Like TCS, Infosys too has
Treat ad costs as investment,
give tax relief: AAAI to govt
Namrata.Singh
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: The business of ad-
vertising agencies has shrunk
by more than 70% following
the spread of Covid-19 and the
lockdown. In a recommenda-
tion to the government, the Ad-
vertising Agencies Associa-
tion of India (AAAI), which is
the national association of ad-
vertising agencies, has propo-
sed that advertising expense be
treated as an investment and
the cost be amortised over the
next three years.
The objective is to encoura-
ge a higher level of expenditu-
re by profitable companies,
which will in turn accelerate
the revival of economic activi-
ty. In a letter to Prakash Javade-
kar, the Union minister of in-
formation & broadcasting, AA-
AI said on a Rs 100 expense, an
advertiser be allowed to claim
RAISING FUNDS
The Vijay Shekhar
Sharma-led Paytm
has seen mobile
recharges go up
48%, broadband
payments rise 200%
But categories like movies,
travel biz have taken a hit
Paytm raising Rs 500cr from
customers & employees for
PM CARES fund, has mobilised
Rs 100cr till now
the Covid-19 lockdown.
Paytm was already wor-
king on reducing overall los-
ses by 33% to $400 million, as
TOI reported in October
2019. Sharma said the compa-
ny is cutting down across
verticals like marketing and
cloud-usage, along with re-
negotiating office rentals. It
0.9 -0.5
Food
Recreation & culture
its double-A rating during the
lockdown period. Sources said
However, fund managers say
that the company wants more
time to communicate its plans
there is absolutely no activity in
to the rating agency.
the credit market and rollovers According to Indiabulls’s
are not happening lawyers, the logic was if it did
And each and every not receive money from its bor-
investor wants the money rowers since it has to give loan
back, say debt fund managers moratorium to them, how will
they be able to pay its debentu-
to their borrowers, the Indian re holders? Under section11B of
Banks Association specifically Sebi Act, Indiabulls prayed to
excluded NBFCs. A meeting the court to postpone its liabili-
among lenders on Saturday ty to pay its NCD investors. The
was inconclusive with banks court asked for a status quo on
deciding to approach the RBI. the position and asked Sebi to
Sources in credit rating respond by May 19.
agencies said that with the co- However, the silver lining is
urt order, they might have to su- that on Monday also Indiabulls
spend their rating for India-
bulls or they might inform in-
paid about Rs 30 crore that had
fallen due to some of the mutu-
vestors that given the current
scenario ratings may no longer
al funds. According to a source,
the company has taken this or-
be relevant. According to re- der as a precaution, more like a
ports, Edelweiss Financial Ser-
vices has also approached the
Bombay high court to restrain
last line of defence, and it conti-
nues to honour all principal
obligations including bonds
rating agencies from revising which matured on April 20.
COO U B Pravin Rao also said
PECKING ORDER they are not looking at Covid-
Constant currency revenue growth (%)
related layoffs or furloughs
(leave without pay) at this sta-
9.8 ge. But he said there would be
7.1 performance-based exits.
6.4 In Q4, the company’s reve-
nue grew 4.5% year-on-year on
3.9 a reported basis to $3.2 billion
3.0
Source: Co results
2.6 (the growth was 6.4% in cons-
tant currency). Net profit was
up 1.9% to $592 million. Busi-
nesses across verticals and ge-
Infosys TCS Wipro ographies were impacted and
that will be more pronounced
Q4 FY20
in the first quarter of 2020-21as
suspended salary hikes and
promotions because of the
clients cut back on costs and
discretionary spends. The
business uncertainties follo- most impacted segments in the
wing the Covid-19 pandemic. near term will be retail, travel
Infosys’s increments are nor- & hospitality and energy, the
mally effective April 1. The last due to low oil prices.
company has also suspended Banking, financial servi-
fresh hiring, but it will hono- ces and insurance would be im-
ur all the commitments made pacted due to lower interest ra-
to campus recruits and other tes, deferred loan payments
hires. Infosys has made 36,000 and low premiums, while card
offers to campus recruits for and payments will be soft as
the 2020-21 fiscal. Company customers spend less.
an expenditure of, say, twice ging profitable companies to
that amount (Rs 200), while continue to advertise, it will
computing income tax. spur consumer demand,
The bulk of the agency’s which in turn will kick-start
costs are fixed in nature, be it the economy. The positive be-
salaries, rent, electricity and nefit from an improved consu-
communication, among mer demand will far outweigh
others. “The income and the offsets we are asking for.”
cash flow has been in serious With hotels, airlines and
stress in the last month and
unless there is some inter-
other industries impacted by
the lockdown, Bhasin said ove-
vention, many businesses rall average advertising in-
will either file for bankrupt- dustry revenues have come
down by more than 70%. “We
BIZ DIVES 70% had earlier estimated a growth
cy or will have to under-size projection of 11-12% for this ca-
considerably,” the note said. lendar year. However, with the
AAAI president Ashish current situation, we might
Bhasin, who is also CEO, Dent- just end the year with a deg-
su Aegis Network Greater So- rowth,” said Bhasin.
uth and chairman & CEO of In- AAAI has requested the
dia, told TOI, “Advertising in- government to pay its dues to
dustry is like the lubricant to advertising agencies at the
the economy. And the lubricant earliest possible. AAAI has
for the advertising industry is also asked for an expedited
liquidity. If we can infuse liqui- refund of GST applications
dity in advertising by encoura- within 2-4 weeks.
has also gone to the extent of declined to comment on the
not sending confirmation impact of the new rules,
text messages to users on re- which as of now do not im-
charges and bill payments, pact existing investments.
which typically costs “a few The Noida-based compa-
lakhs” per month.
“We have been able to cut
ny has decided to go forward
with its annual appraisal cy-
a lot of fixed costs and once cle where it now plans to allo-
this is over we will be a lean, cate a higher amount of emp-
mean and stronger machi- loyee stock ownership plan
ne,” said Sharma. He added
that at the current loss rate,
(ESOPs) shares to its staff
than a cash component. It
the company has enough mo- has not undertaken any pay-
ney to survive for over 4 ye- cut measures as of now.
ars. Paytm had announced a Going against the current
$1-billion investment from T trend of a hiring freeze
Rowe Price, SoftBank and across organisations, Paytm
Ant Financial in November is in discussions with execu-
last year, while it is lining up tives for senior roles across
additional funding. the company. At the same ti-
The development also co-
mes as the government has
me, Paytm Payments Bank,
where Paytm owns 49% and
decided that future invest- Sharma 51%, has also crossed
ments from China will need the milestone of Rs 1,000 cro-
to be approved. When contac- re in deposits across 57 mil-
ted, a Paytm spokesperson lion savings account holders.
Estimated peak impact of lockdown
on level of monthly GDP (% of GDP)
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
-1.1
-2.1 Transport Limited hit -20%
services
Goods ex-food Miscellaneous
Restaurant & hotels Education goods & service
-1.1 -1.9
Hardest hit -80% to -95%
-9.4
Govt to issue
`4.5L-cr T-bills
China investment Govt had
to prioritise
in Q1FY21 arms use P-Note, safety, says
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: With ample liquidity
currently available in the ban-
FPI routes too Flipkart CEO
John.Sarkar@timesgroup.com
king system, the government
has decided to borrow an addi- Have Pumped Funds Into India New Delhi: A day after the go-
tional Rs 1.50 lakh crore — that vernment rescinded permis-
is 50% more than planned earli-
er. The government will raise
Indirectly For Several Years sion to e-commerce compani-
es to resume the sale and deli-
the funds through treasury TIMES NEWS NETWORK investors to invest in that fund. very of non-essential items
bills during the April-June qu- The two arms of China ha- from Monday, Kalyan Krish-
arter of the current fiscal. Mumbai: It’s not only direct ve been investors in several namurthy, Flip-
Against a planned borro- investments like in HDFC in ETFs in recent years, some of kart CEO, wrote
wing of Rs 3 lakh crore through which the neighbouring count- which were Asia-focused, whi- to employees say-
T-bills, the government has now ry’s People’s Bank of China le some were more concentra- ing the govern-
decided to borrow Rs 4.5 lakh (PBoC) now has 1% stake. Chi- ted and, as a result, invested in ment needed to
crore through these papers, na, through its other invest- Indian companies. prioritise safety.
which are of less than one-year ment arms China Investment According to an institutio- He said the
duration. By borrowing more Corp (CIC) and State Admini- nal dealer, the Chinese sovere- group will continue to deliver
through the T-bill route and less stration of Foreign Exchange ign funds — CIC and SAFE — groceries to customers in
through government securities, (SAFE), has been investing in have mostly been very patient partnership with kirana sto-
the Centre will also be able to India for years now. investors and, after buying so- res and follow tough standard
bring down its total cost of funds, These institutions have be- me minority stakes, remained operating procedures (SOPs).
bond dealers said. en investing through the fore- invested for years. “As you may know, yester-
The government will borrow ign portfolio investment (FPI) day, the government issued a
a nearly equal amount of Rs 1.5
lakh crore through each of the
route as well as through the
more opaque participatory no-
Tough Sebi norms clarification stating that e-
commerce companies should
91-day, 182-day and 364-day T-bills
over 12 weekly auctions.
te (P-Note) route, institutional
dealers and fund managers sa-
in place till May 28 continue to only deliver essen-
id. Another China government Mumbai: Markets regulator Sebi U-TURN ON
NON-ESSENTIALS
4-fold hike in arm that’s also showing inter-
est in India is the Industrial &
on Monday said its directions
issued on March 20 to curb
market volatility will continue till
tials in the coming days. We
Commercial Bank of China respect this decision because
WMA limit for (ICBC). In the past few years,
these investment arms have al-
May 28. Among other measures,
the regulator had made short
the government has many
complex scenarios to manage
states to `2L cr
so been investors in some of the selling tougher and asked for while protecting more than a
exchange-traded funds (ETFs) stricter margin requirements in billion people in the country,”
TIMES NEWS NETWORK floated by global fund mana- the derivatives segment. Initially, Krishnamurthy wrote to
gers, they said. the measures were in place for a Flipkart employees in an e-
Mumbai: The RBI on Monday In India, such ETFs are re- month only but have been mail on Monday.
further increased Ways & Me- gistered as FPIs under markets extended now. TNN Krishnamurthy’s letter
ans Advance (WMA) limits for
states for April-September of
regulator Sebi. Currently, CIC
manages about $900 billion, “They also took the passive
comes against the backdrop
of the Walmart-backed e-tai-
this year by almost fourfold to ICBC about $600 billion, while investment route…coming ler starting to accept advance
Rs 2 lakh crore, from about Rs SAFE is the agency that mana- through ETFs,” the dealer sa- orders for products other than
51,500 crore that was set on ges China’s forex reserves, cur- id. “SAFE mostly bought a bas- essential goods such as pho-
Friday. This will make avai- rently at over $3 trillion. ket of stocks and never any nes, tablets and TVs.
lable more money for states to According to a top fund ma- single stock.” Buying a basket Flipkart’s rival Amazon,
meet their Covid-related ex- nager, in one of the India-focu- of stocks means buying seve- too, said it will follow all go-
penses, bond dealers said. sed ETFs that was floated by ral stocks at the same time, vernment protocols. “On be-
On Friday, the RBI had al- the Hong Kong arm of a US-ba- which is usually benchmarked half of consumers and sellers,
lowed states to borrow about sed financial major, CIC was against an index. For example, we hope that this situation is
Rs 19,200 crore more from the the anchor investor. An anchor if an investor intends to buy a rectified soon so that the ur-
central bank since most of investor usually invests betwe- sensex basket, it means it will gent need of consumers is met
their revenue streams are en 15% and 25% of the total tar- buy all the 30 sensex constitu- and that there is revival of eco-
now chocked due to the na- get amount of the fund, which ents and in a ratio that would nomic activity,” an Amazon
tionwide lockdown. also gives confidence to other mirror their weight in sensex. India spokesperson said.
(PORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT)
1i
CORRIGENDUM NO.- 10 (Tender ID : 2020_AAI_ 41208_ 1)
ISO 9001 :2015 , IS014001 :2015, ISO 27001 :2013, 150 45001 :2018 CERTIFIED
Tender Reference : AAI/(CNS-P)-09/2019-20
Short e-TENDER NOTICE
Work : SITC of Flight Simulator Training Device (FSTD) of type EASA
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust invites percentage rate basis tenders "ON-LINE"
in two envelopes from the experienced contractors fulfilling the "Minimum
FNPT MCC level II for Airbus 320 famil y of Aircrafts for AAI Training
Qual ifying Criteria " sti ulatedintheres
respective ten forthefollowing works: Centres at CATC Prayagraj, HTC Hyderabad and NIATAM Gondia.
(1) "Construction of Compound Wall for Public Buildings at JN Port Executive Director (CNS-P)-l on behalf of the Chairman , AN has extended
Township". Tender No.: PPD/M4/TS/PubIIc bldgs . compound wall/ the last date for submission of bid for project "Supp ly, Installation,
T-28/2020, dated 30/03/2020. Testing and Commissioning of Flight Simulator Training Device
(2) "Providing and Applying Internal & External Painting and Allied (FSTD)" upto 08 . 05.2020 , 1500 hrs . Please refer CPP Portal :
Civil Works at JNPT Hospital." Tender No.: PPD/M4/TS/ Hospital https ://etenders .gov.in/eprocure/app for more details . (N-03/2020-21)
painting/r-1 32/2020 , dated 03/04/2020.
The detailed tender document will be available on JNPT's website
www.jnport _ gov.in and https :// eprocure .gov.in from 21/0412020.
WEST CENTRAL RAILWAY
Chief Mana ger PP&DD
TENDER NOTIFICATION CORRIGENDUM
Tender Notice no: C/BPL/CP/PBCM/2020 . Date : 20.04.2020
Due to total lockdown in various parts of the country to contain Corona
Virus (COVID-19), the last date of submission of bids invited for
installation of Plastic Bott le Crushing Machine at Bhopal, Itarsi, Harda ,
Hoshangabad , Vidisha , Ganj Basoda , Bina , Ashok Nagar and Guna
stations on Bhopal Division of West Central Railway is postponed. The
IFT No.: BW S S B + C E ( W W P . 1 I , A C E f W W h 1 ) 1 ? T A 1 i 7 3 2 0 2 0 2 1 Dt 18 + 0 4 ; 2 0 2 0 existing last date of submission is 28.04.2020. Now revised last date is
28.05.2020. Other conditions will remain the same.
INVITATI ON FO R TENDER (LCB) Divisional Commercial Manager
WCR , Bhopal
(Through e-procurement portal only)
BWSSB , invites item rate tenders in two cover system
from eli g ible tenderers for the Work of Supp ly and
Installation of DG set of capacity 320 KVA and 1010
(Government of India ::Ministry of Home Affairs)
KVA for 163 Module of 218 MLD STP at K & C Valley.
HYDERABAD - 500 052.
Amount put to tender: Rs.107.50 Lakhs. EMD : Rs.2.00 Lakhs. No.12117/(SC)HK -3/2020 . Dated the 21st April 2020.
NOTICE INVITING TENDERS
Last date and time for submission of tender document is:
04-05-2020 upto 5:30 p.m. The technical bids will be opened The Director, S.V.P National Police Academy, Hyderabad , invites e-tenders
under two-bid system from i n t e r e s t e d reputed firms /
on 06-05-2020 at 4:00 p.m. The details regarding the tender
organizations/institutionsthrough CPP portal for On boarding eLearning
and participation in the e-procurement can be obtained by
providers for eLearning Development and Authoring as a part of iGOT at
logging on to website: https ://eproc .karnataka.gov.in SVPNPA , Hyderabad.
Sd/- , 2. Firms interested can download the tender document containing terms
Chief Engineer (WWM). and conditions from Central Public Procurement Portal
(https://eprocure .gov.in - Tender Id 2020 svpnp 5557091) and bid
can be submitted through the same website_ Bids submitted other than on
CPP Portal will not be accepted, The last date for submission of online
bidding documents is May 09, 2020 at 1600 hrs.
Corrigendum No. 3 (R.Jayanthi ) Admn.Officer (Admn ) SVP NPA , Hyderabad
E Tender No. RRB-AII-Tender-CEN-03-2019
Name of Work : RRBs- Engaging Exam Conducting Agency
(ECA) to conduct Computer Based Tests (CBTs) and all
related activities like processing of Results and Panels etc
for Recruitment of various Ministerial and Isolated
Uttarakhan .
i
- _ - 1 IK - -
categories in Indian Railways notified in Centralized No- 18/2-6-1376/2020-21 Dehradun : Dated: 20.04.2020
Employment Notification (CEN) 03/2019 . REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THROUGH E-
In view of preventive measures to be taken to contain the PROCUREMENT PORTAL TO DESIGN ,
spread of Noval Coronavirus (COVID-19) and extension of PROCURE , INSTALL, OPERATE AND
nationwide lockdown for further 19 days i.e. up to MANAGE TEMPLE ILLUMINATION AT SHRI
03.05.2020 announced by Government of India, the date of KEDARNATH JI DHAM
Pre-Bid Conference , Closing and Opening dates of Details may be obtained on website:
bids/offers which were indicated vide Corrigendum 2 are w w w . u k t e n d e r s .g o v . i n a n d w w w .
hereby revised further and also revised on IREPS as under: uttarakhandtourism .gov.in Proposals must
Date & Time of Pre bid conference - 14.05.2020 @ 15.30 be s u b m i t t e d o n l i n e t h r o u g h
Hrs at RRB , Ajmer. Last date & time of online submission www.uktenders .gov.in only. A pre- proposal
of Tender - 08.06.2020 at 15.00 Hrs. Date & time of meeting is scheduled at 2:30 PM on 11th May
opening of Technical bids -08 .06 .2020 at 15.30 Hrs . 2020 . Prospective Service Providers may
seek clarification till 2:00 PM on 13 th May 2020
The same may be further revised as per the prevalent
situation and No further newspaper advertisement will be through E-mail: w i t h CC to
released in this regard. You may logon to www .ireps.gov.in p r o c u r e m e n t .utdb @gmail.com. Any
for any further revision in dates/updates. Depending on the Addendum / Corrigendum including date
prevalent situation , the Pre-Bid Conference may be held e x t e n s i o n will be u p l o a d e d only on
through video conferencing, if required. All other terms and www.uktenders .gov.inThe thlast date for
conditions will remain the same. submission of proposals is 30 May 2020 till
20.04.2020 Chairman/RRB/Ajmer 2:00 PM. Chief Executive Officer
 TIMES SPORT THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020

MANUEL NEUER’S STALLED CONTRACT TALKS AT KL RAHUL DONATES CRICKET BAT USED IN 2019 WC TO
BAYERN MUNICH BAFFLES MATTHAEUS RAISE MONEY FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN

GALLERY Ambiguity in the air as boards head for confrontation

Cricket administrators
have taken the path of
capitalism, says Turner
New Zealand legend Glenn Turner is
concerned about the
impact of T20 cricket on
the “more worthwhile
forms” of the game and
feels that the coronavirus-
forced break is a good
time to “reassess” the
future of the sport. The 72-year-old Turner,
who is also the former chairman of New
Zealand’s selection panel, believes that
cricket administrators have “gone down a
path of capitalism”. “...money rules and
you’ve got Twenty20 dominating to such an
extent where it is putting what I consider
to be more worthwhile forms of the game
virtually into the background,” Turner was
quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.
South Africa tour of Sri Lanka off
South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka set for
June was officially called off on Monday
because of the coronavirus pandemic with
no new date set for the three ODIs and
three T20 clashes. Sri Lanka Cricket said it
had decided with Cricket South Africa that
the tour should be indefinitely postponed.
ICC Calls For CEC
Meeting, BCCI Not
Losing Sleep Just Yet
K.ShriniwasRao@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: The International
Cricket Council (ICC) has called
for a meeting of all the chief exec-
utives of its member boards on
April 23 via a teleconference. All
participating boards, barring the
BCCI and, to an extent the En-
VIRUS IMPACT
gland & Wales Cricket Board
(ECB), have stakes that are star-
ing down a deep, dark financial
abyss right now.
With no cricket in sight at
least for the next few months —
and the near and distant future of
the sport depending on how and
when the Covid-19 outbreak sub-
The best chess players will be battling it out online in the MAGNUS CARLSEN Invitational.
The reigning world champion has reasons to be optimistic that it will be a success story
sides — most cricket boards be-
lieve they will be forced to lead a
‘hand to mouth’ existence if the
governing body does not inter-
vene, dole out financial help and
tweak the existing international
calendar.
So, what exactly will the CEC
representatives from most
boards expect to hear or say when
the call happens?
As reported by TOI, a) they
will want the Test Championship
Cycle postponed, b) the Future
Tours Program (FTP) revisited,
c) expect a fresh call to be taken
on the proposed one-day league.
The BCCI and ECB are the on-
ly two boards with the ability to
sustain lack of all cricket for at
least a year, BCCI more than ECB
because India are not scheduled
to play any high-profile series at
home until early next year.
ECB, on the other hand, is
scheduled to host the West Indies
for a Test series in June, Austra-
BCCI secretary Jay Shah will be
involved in some key decisions
lia for a white ball series in July,
Pakistan for a Test and white ball
series in August followed by an-
other white ball series against
Ireland – all at home.
India, meanwhile only have
the Indian Premier League’s
(IPL) 13th edition to take care of, a
possibility they are already look-
ing at by bringing member
boards to agree to the postpone-
ment of the T20 World Cup from
October-November this year to
2022 and host the league, should
the virus subside.
“The postponement (of T20
WC) will be a talking point. What
the ICC will want is a commit-
ment from Cricket Australia
(CA) on the same. CA will not
make that commitment right
now. They’re in a bad financial
mess because of their own inter-
nal decisions that were taken by
the previous regime. To call it
‘bad’ is an understatement. Ex-
pect boards to take sides in favour
of / against postponement,”
sources in the know say (see box).
That leaves two talking points
on the table – to postpone the cur-
rent Test championship cycle
and revisit the FTP. Both go hand-
in-hand. To make any changes to
the Test championship cycle, the
FTP will have to be revisited. But
that’s not without its share of
headaches. All countries have
their bilateral rights – and reve-
nues coming out of it – to protect.
Some boards are sitting without
broadcast rights, others are sit-
Those in the know say “CA’s
previous regime had decided to
ting without cash. invest revenue earned from tele-
“Don’t be surprised if some vision rights into private and
(boards) get into a confrontation- government-backed equity mar-
al mode. Everybody will look to kets in Australia. Those markets,
take something away from the ta- like any other globally, have
ble and save themselves from this crashed. That’s the biggest rea-
horrible year,” say those in the son why CA’s facing potential
know. bankruptcy right now,” say those
The final of the Test cham- in the know.
pionship cycle, scheduled for “... Which is something the
June 2021, therefore, can be ex- BCCI has stayed away from. The
pected to get postponed by anoth- Indian board has always believed
er year. “Even once the markets that public money can't be invest-
open, another six months will go ed in volatile markets. One of the
in making up for the lost time,” reasons, they have sustainable
sources add. liquidity,” sources add.
CA, on the other hand, has
Cricket Australia mess a ‘predominantly relied heavily on
result of ‘poor past decisions’ professionals at all levels’, which
Cricket Australia (CA) is facing a has made way for a heavy cash
massive paucity of funds, thanks outflow over the years. “... which
to certain decisions taken in the is otherwise a good thing. But
past which the present adminis- that very cash outflow is coming
tration is busy pinning down on back to haunt them,” say those
the previous one. tracking developments.
Pix: Getty Images

‘THIS MAY BE A GREAT

‘Players willing to take pay cuts’
Australia’s cricketers are willing to take
pay cuts if it will help
keep the game afloat
during the shutdown but
the country’s board must

TIME FOR CHESS’

be transparent about its
finances, paceman Josh
Hazlewood has said.
“We’re obviously partners in the game and
we’ve always said that. We’ve ridden the
highs and now it’s time to ride the lows.
We’ll see what it comes to and we’ll obvi-
ously play our part.”
Mushfiqur to auction his bat
Bangladeshi cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim
has decided to put his ‘very precious’ bat
on auction to raise funds
amid the coronavirus
pandemic. Rahim is
auctioning the bat with
which he struck his
maiden double ton in the
longest format of the
game.
British GP can hold back-to-back races
British Grand Prix organisers said on
Sunday they could host two consecutive
races if required in an effort to help salvage
the coronavirus-hit world championship. So
far nine of the 22 races have either been
cancelled or postponed with the French
and Belgian races tipped to join the aban-
doned list. That would leave the Austrian
Grand Prix on July 5 as the delayed season-
opener with the British Grand Prix sched-
uled to follow two weeks later.
Djoko opposes corona vaccination
Novak Djokovic faces a dilemma if it
becomes compulsory for players to get
vaccinated before they
can begin competing once
the tennis season resumes
following the hiatus
created by the coronavirus
pandemic, the World No. 1
said on Sunday. “Person-
ally, I am opposed to vaccination and I
wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to
take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,”
Djokovic said.
Arsenal agree coronavirus pay cut
Prasad.RS@timesgroup.com
Chennai: The last month-and-
half has seen online chess pro-
vide the ideal battleground for
top players to showcase their
skills. The coming weeks will see
the world’s best fight for top hon-
ours in the Magnus Carlsen Invi-
tational on chess24.com. In a chat
with TOI ahead of the tourna-
ment, which started on Saturday,
the reigning world champion
spoke about how online tourna-
ments are the in thing, its future,
adjustments a player has to make
while playing in such events and
much more. Excerpts…
What have you missed the
most during the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic?
Chess-wise, it was a pity that
the Candidates tournament had to
stop as it leaves the whole World
Championship cycle somewhat in
arrears. Generally, Norway is less
affected than many other Europe-
an countries, and I don’t have
much to complain about.
Is this the best time for people to
get hooked to chess?
This may indeed be a great
ATP warns players of Uncertainty, isolation affecting
corrupt approaches
mental health of footballers
(time) for chess. But I would like to And I do think it is a natural pro-
add that anytime is a good time to gression for chess to grow online.
start playing chess. I see online chess becoming more
In an earlier chat with TOI, you important, more prestigious and
mentioned how starting an online hope it will be taken more seri-
tournament was on your mind. Do you ously now onwards.
feel the conditions worked for you to Sunway Sitges has become the first
have one now? event to be held in online classical
I wish the conditions weren’t format. Do you see more online
like this right now because what classical chess events in the future?
is happening around the world is Established tournaments might
not good at all. People are suffering have to go online if they want to
and dying. However, with the lack take place this year. For now, I think
of sports entertainment, online rapid chess and faster time controls
chess can really make a difference. are the best alternatives for online
The lack of
physical
awareness of your
opponent and the
two-dimensional
board (and how that
potentially affects your
thinking) may play more of a
role than we think.”
“I wish the conditions weren’t
like this right now. People are
dying. But I hope online chess
will be taken more seriously
now onwards.”
— Carlsen
With the lack of sports
entertainment, online chess can
really make a difference. And I
do think it is a natural progression for
chess to grow online.” — Magnus Carlsen
tournaments. It will be interesting
to see the feedback from the Mag-
nus Carlsen Invitational.
What are the measures that must be
taken to curb cheating which is quite
possible in online competitions?
I think chess24.com has taken
sensible measures to avoid cheat-
ing. It is not that we expect any of
the invited players to even con-
sider cheating, but it is simply to
protect the players from any unfair
suspicions.
Are there mental or technical
adjustments that a player needs to
make while playing online chess?
It is of course much the same
as chess across the board. But the
lack of physical awareness of your
opponent and the two-dimensional
board (and how that potentially
affects your thinking) may play
more of a role than we think. Even
more important is, of course, prac-
tice. Young players growing up
with online chess may have a slight
advantage, and the same applies if
you are playing a lot of online He is a very talented and versa- Are there areas you feel you
chess continuously. tile player. You have to be at your can still get better at?
You lost to GM Alireza Firouzja in best to beat him. He played well, There is so much to learn
the Banterblitz final on Wednesday. and I wasn’t quite there on Wednes- in every phase of the game. I
Is he one of the toughest you have day. Of course, Alireza has a bright hope to continue to improve for
faced in recent times? chess future ahead of him. many years.
Laporte buys, then
gives back boxer’s kit
AFP
M anchester City’s Aymeric Laporte

Arsenal became the first Premier League
club to agree a coronavirus pay cut with
their players as manager Mikel Arteta and
his stars slashed their wages by 12.5 per-
cent on Monday. “We are pleased to an-
nounce that we have reached a voluntary
agreement with our first-team players,
head coach and core coaching staff to help
support the club at this critical time,”
Arsenal said in a statement.
‘Playing without fans will be weird’
World No. 3 Brooks Koepka is bracing for
a “weird” experience of playing golf tourna-
ments without fans as the
US PGA Tour eyes a return
to competition in June. “It’s
going to be so weird,
man,” Koepka said on the
Pardon My Take sports
podcast on the prospect of
playing without galleries because of contin-
uing coronavirus concerns.
Don’t tinker with nature: Sameer
The unprecedented health crisis, triggered
by Covid-19, is perhaps a stark reminder
that man should now learn to respect
nature and not tinker with it, says Indian
shuttler Sameer Verma. In India, the
coronavirus pandemic has killed more
Mumbai: Players are free to
participate in exhibition
events while the professional
tennis season remains shut
due to the novel coronavirus
but they must prioritise their
health and remain vigilant
against corrupt approaches,
authorities have said.
EXHIBITION GAMES
Professional tennis came
to a halt in March after coun-
tries started closing borders
and imposed lockdown to con-
tain the spread of the virus,
and all events are currently
suspended till at least July 13.
The tennis shutdown has
left players in the lower tiers
who depend solely on tourna-
ment winnings without the
chance to earn a living.
“Players are self-employed
independent contractors and,
as such, are free to make deci-
sions concerning their own ac-
tivities during the time the
Tour is suspended,” an ATP
spokesman told Reuters on
Monday. Serena Williams’
coach Patrick Mouratoglou
said his tennis academy in
south of France will host a five-
week tournament starting in
May that will give players the
chance to get back on court
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The German state of Rhine-
land-Palatinate is also set to
host an exhibition event with-
out the presence of fans from
May 1, according to The Tele-
graph newspaper.
Both events said they will
comply with local physical dis-
tancing requirements and
health protocols to ensure the
safety of players, coaches and
staff onsite.
“We understand that some
privately organised exhibition
matches may start to take
place where and when local
government restrictions al-
low, and these are attractive op-
portunities for our players to
play some competitive match-
es and earn some income,” the
ATP added. REUTERS
S
ocially isolated, cut off
from their teammates.
Worried about when they
will play again. Concerned
about their finances and the
future of their sport.
The global union for soccer
players has found its members
are struggling with increased
levels of anxiety and depres-
sion during the coronavirus
pandemic that has shut down
most leagues.
As clubs focus on keeping
players fit during national
lockdowns and faced with cost-
cutting needs, Fifpro is urging
them not to neglect providing
mental health provisions.
“If a club has to decide be-
tween having a second or third
right back or a clinical psychol-
ogist within the medical team,
you know which choice you are
going to make, so it’s a kind of
priority,” Fifpro Chief Medical
Officer Vincent Gouttebarge
said on Monday. “Within the
medical staff at any club, we
know that the physical health
Guangzhou R&F coach Giovanni
van Bronckhorst (C) conducts a
training session on Monday.
The Chinese Super League (CSL)
season is due to begin in July
of players is a main priority.
But now we have enough objec-
tive data that show that mental
health is as important as the
physical health.
“We need to have an inter-
disciplinary medical team in
place within clubs in order to
take care of the mental health
of the player.”
Reinforcing the need for
clinical psychologists or psy-
chiatrists to be made available
to players is a survey led by
Fifpro of 1,602 professional
players in Australia, Belgium,
Botswana, Denmark, Eng-
land, Finland, France, Ireland,
Malta, the Netherlands, New
Zealand, Norway, Scotland,
South Africa, Switzerland and
the United States. It found 22%
of female players and 13% of
their male counterparts report-
ed depression symptoms when
asked in recent weeks, around
twice as many as a separate
survey with a smaller sample
size of 307 players found in De-
cember and January.
The findings are indicative
of the mental health issues in
football due to the small sample
sizes and non-scientific polling.
“When you are not engaged
with your family, with your
teammates, then you have a
decrease of social support and
that is likely to lead to an high-
er rate of mental health symp-
toms,” Gouttebarge said. “The
uncertainty about the end of
competition is obviously some-
thing that plays a role.’’ AP
paid around 5,000 euros for the kit used
by deceased French boxer
Alexis Vastine at the London
2012 Olympics in an auction
to raise money for health-
care workers, then donated it
back to his father. Reacting to
Laporte’s gesture, Dumoulin
posted a message on Twitter: “When the facts
speak more than words! Thank you @Laporte
who won this auction with the wish to leave
this outfit to his father! Your talent is great,
your heart too!!!” Vastine died in a helicopter
crash in Argentina in 2015 while taking part
in a reality TV show. REUTERS
‘LEAGUES READY TO PLAY
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS’
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said on
Monday that leagues across Europe were
ready to return to action behind closed doors
in a bid to limit the damage caused by coro-
navirus. “I believe there are options that can
allow us to restart cup championships and
to complete them,” Ceferin told Italian daily
Corriere della Sera. “We may have to resume
without spectators, but the most important
thing, I think, is playing games.” AFP

Akhil now swears by ‘aadesh, nirdesh’

than 500 people and infected over 17,000,
forcing the government to lockdown the
country till May 3 to contain the deadly
disease. “We have been running after
materialistic things for so many years now
and this lockdown period, whatever is
happening globally at the moment, it has
taught us a lot that we shouldn’t tinker
with nature,” Sameer said.
HI begins online sessions
Hockey India has initiated interactive
sessions through WhatsApp for Indian
umpires and technical officials in order
to utilize the lockdown period to improve
their officiating knowledge and motivate
each other on fitness matters. The team
of experienced tournament directors and
umpire managers who are conducting
the interactive sessions include Moghul
Mohammed Muneer, Claudius de Sales
and HS Sokhi for technical officials.
While GS Sangha, Javed Shaikh and
G Harsha Vardhan took the session
for umpires.
Siddharth.Saxena@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: How do you fight an op-
ponent you cannot see? For a boxer,
does it pose the
greatest challenge
because, to par-
aphrase Muham-
mad Ali’s brilliant
articulation of
speed, your hands
cannot hit what your eyes cannot
see? So, against an invisible enemy,
what do you do? Drop your guard?
Laughs Akhil Kumar, “Don’t
even think about it. “In boxing, it is
fine, I did it all the time. I fought
open-guard all the time, but with
the coronavirus, don’t even think
about it,” he reminds us again.
Akhil Kumar is one of the many
high-profile Haryana sportsmen
employed with state police, out on
the roads, doing their bit during the
national lockdown. As ACP Traffic,
Eastern Highway, Gurgaon, the
2006 Commonwealth Games ban-
tamweight gold-winning boxer, is
realizing that like most of them, he
ROLE REVERSAL
is still learning valuable new les-
sons in combat sport, while possi-
bly eschewing those philosophies
born in the ring. Keeping the mo-
rale of his men high with a joke and
a pat is prime among them.
“Bad times arrive unan-
nounced, but teach you a lot when
they leave,” he had said while post-
ing a picture at an empty Gurgaon
Delhi Toll Plaza on his Facebook
page, a popular social media ad-
dress with 97,000 followers, a day
ago. “This is a very different fight,”
he says. “When I was boxing, I was
almost my own coach. I did my own
thing. My aggressive way was my
style, my identity. Even coach-saab
knew that, and he let me be.”
Akhil, a favourite among coach-
es in India, despite his love for indi-
viduality, is today okay with step-
ping out of what he calls his ‘com-
fort zone,’ from his boxing days. He
is happiest to sit back and simply
take the advice, and follow it. “If
you follow the ‘kaptaan’ sitting
above, when he is knowledgeable
about the crisis, all things soon be-
come normal again,” he says.
“In this strange time, I am no
longer that boxer who would do as
he pleased. Here duty is para-
mount, the procedure, the order
from your senior officer, a flow of
order and responsibility — aadesh
aur nirdesh (order and direction),”
he says.
“Has it been difficult adjusting
to such a time suddenly,” he himself
asks. And replies, “Let’s say, this is
leaving one more mature. You are
thinking more, less about yourself,
more about the others.”
Within the extra hours demand-
ed by the force amid the lockdown,
Akhil is also realising he is relish-
ing the growing up process amid
this sudden shake-up. “When I
joined the force around 2013, I car-
ried in some of my sports baggage
too. I would speak my mind, as if I
was training in the national camp.
Now, I sit back and listen. I am more
patient and it’s my job to listen to all
parties involved.”
IPL’s big money can add pressure,
people try to drag you down: Yuvi
Mumbai: Former India all- (now Delhi Capitals) in the
rounder Yuvraj Singh has 2015 auctions. Yuvraj did not
said pressure of being a big have a good IPL that year, ma-
money buy in the Indian Pre- naging 248 runs in 14 matches.
mier League (IPL) is felt when “The pressure is felt be-
you don’t perform and people cause of the big money. I won’t
talk about all that moolah go- say it changes a player. Now
ing to waste, all the time. when you climb the success
Yuvraj still holds the re- ladder, people try to drag you
cord of being IPL’s most-ex- down,” Yuvraj said during an
pensive buy. The 2011 World Instagram Live with former
Cup hero went for a whopping teammate Mohammad Kaif
Rs 16 crore to Delhi Daredevils on Monday. IANS
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TUESDAY APRIL 21, 2020 I ADVERTORIAL, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
It’s #quarantinefashionweek for these models
Debarati.Sen@timesgroup.com
hey are not able to sashay down a
T OF SPICE TO HER ROUTINE
ramp due to the lockdown, but that
has not deterred the glamazons of the
fashion world from ramp-walking online.
Supermodels and fashion choreographers
from Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata have been
POWER DRESSING
LIKE ALESIA RAUT
FOR ONLINE
CLASSES
When model and fashion
choreographer Alesia Raut
is not conducting online
classes, she’s cherishing
the stay-at-home order.
“This has given us an
opportunity to be with our
families. I’ve been brush-
ing up my culinary skills
and they are the guinea
pigs,” she quips.
ENGINEERING | MANAGEMENT | MEDIA | LAW
SUDOKU CHALLENGE
Level: Medium
GARFIELD
HI AND LOIS
ARCHIE
PEANUTS
THE BETTER HALF
MINDBENDER
What am I?
Two personal pronouns if you take
BOMBAY TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA
LEISURE / BOMBAY TIMES 13
participating in #quarantinefashionweek on
social media. No, they are not catwalking for SUCHETA SHARMA JAMES ADDS A TOUCH
#CORONASUTRA
In these trying times, this poem
asks us to be non-judgemental
WE ARE NOT IN THE
SAME BOAT...
clothes as expected, but for household chores.
Fashion show director-choreographer Achla Model Sucheta Sharma James has had no time to think of fashion
Sachdev was one of the first to initiate I heard that we are in the loved ones are going to make
matters during the lockdown. But when given a chance to spice up
something like this. So. let’s have a same boat. it, and some don’t even
her domestic routine, which is running after her “15 month-old believe this is a big deal.
dekko at how the models did But it’s not like that.
their daily chores... son, cooking and fitness training with husband (Harrison
Some of us who are well now
James),” she does it with a knotted tee, hot pants and We are in the same storm, may end up experiencing it,
loads of attitude. but not in the same boat. and some believe they are
CLEANING DISHES Your ship can be
infallible and will be blown
away if or when this hits
IN STYLE LIKE shipwrecked and mine might someone they know.
CANDICE PINTO I did the jhaadu dance on not be, or vice versa.
Some have faith in God
Supermodel Candice Pinto even Facebook one day as I wanted to For some, quarantine and expect miracles during
makes cleaning dishes look amuse myself amidst housework. is optimal: Moment of
reflection, of re-connection.
this 2020.
glamourous. She shares that her The comments were Easy, in flip flops, with a Others say the worse is yet
“isolation schedule” keeps her busy encouraging, so I decided to whiskey or tea. to come.
the whole day. It includes “reading, ramp-up the masti by making it For others, this is a So, friends, we are not in the
cooking, cleaning, washing, working desperate crisis. same boat.
out, video chatting with family and a glam circle and several models
For others, it is facing We are going through a time
friends, and spending time with decided to participate. The idea loneliness. when our perceptions and
my husband.” was to enjoy doing the mundane needs are completely
For some, a peace, rest time, different.
with grace and in style vacation.
And each one will emerge, in
— Achla Sachdev, fashion show director-choreographer
LOOK, AKSHITAA Yet for others, torture: How
am I going to pay my bills?
his own way, from that storm.
AGNIHOTRI’S Some with a tan from their
Some were concerned about pool. Others with scars on
GOT A NEW a brand of chocolate for the soul (for invisible
FASHION PROP Easter (this year, there were
no rich chocolates).
reasons).
According to model and It is very important to see
actor Akshitaa Agnihotri, Others were concerned beyond what is seen at first
about the bread for the week- glance. Not just looking,
you can take away the end, or if the noodles would more than looking, seeing.
ramp from the model, but last for a few more days.
See beyond the political
she will still find a way to Some were in their “home party, beyond biases,
pose. Calling the online office”. beyond the nose on
fashion week a fun way your face.
Others are looking through
to stay “connected with trash to survive. Do not underestimate the
fashion”, she adds that it pain of others if you do not
Some want to go back to feel it.
also helped to showcase work because they are
models as “today’s running out of money. Do not judge the good life of
women, who handle LOKESH KORI’S HEALTHY PLATTER the other, do not condemn
Others want to kill those who the bad life of the other.
their household work Model Lokesh Kori is all peaches and smiles while break the quarantine.
with the same ease as cooking in the kitchen. “Fashion is not just wearing Don’t be a judge.
Some need to break the
fashion weeks.” good clothes, it’s about the way of living a life,” he says. quarantine to stand in line at Let us not judge the one who
the banks. lacks, as well as the one who
exceeds him.
Others to escape.
We are on different ships
TIMES HITORI LOOP THE LOOP Others criticise the
government for the lines.
looking to survive.
How to play Rules Let everyone navigate their
1. A number ■ Connect adjacent dots with vertical or horizontal lines, creating Some have experienced the route with respect, empathy
may appear a single loop (Fig A). near death of the virus, some and responsibility.
just once in ■ Crossovers or branches are not allowed have already lost someone to
it, some are not sure their — Author unknown
each row or (As shown by dotted lines in Fig B).
column. ■ Numbers in the puzzle indicate the number of lines that should
(Fig A) Not allowed
Eliminate surround it, while empty cells may be surrounded by any number (Fig B)
repeat of lines.
numbers by ■ You can’t draw
darkening lines around THE DAILY CROSSWORD
cells. (see zeroes.
HOW TO PLAY example) ■ Each puzzle
2. Darkened has just one
Fill in the grid cells must unique solution.
so that every never be How to begin:
horizontal row, adjacent in Example (Fig A) -
every vertical a row or Begin with the
column and column. zero next to 3.
every 3x3 box 3. Unmarked Since no lines
contains the cells must create a ‘sandwiched’ Level: Easy can be drawn
digits 1-9, single continuous between around zero,
without area, undivided by neighbours of mark crosses
repeating the darkened cells. the same value around it, as
numbers in the 4. Every time can be circled. shown. Now
same row, you darken a (e.g. 6 4 6 ) there is a cross in
column or cell, you can 6. A “triple” one space around
box.You can’t automatically is aspecial 3. So we know the three lines of 3 can only be drawn in the remaining three
change the circle its vertical case of spaces. Next, these lines can only be extended in one direction each.
digits already and horizontal sandwich. Continue, using the same logic.
given in the neighbours, which Circle the centre
Hints: Keep eliminating possibilities by marking crosses in spaces
grid. Every means they cannot cells, and darken
between dots where a line isn’t possible, i.e., if you have already
puzzle has be eliminated. the ends.
completed required lines or where a line extension may create a branch
one solution. 5. Any cell (e.g. 6 6 6 )
or cause a deadend (Fig B)
HEALTH CAPSULE JUMBLE
ANIMAL CRACKERS
changes can lead you in new direc-
tions. You are slightly more detached
than usual when it comes to your
Finolex
work and reputation, and this can
lead to bolder moves.
grak LIBRA September 22 - October 22
FORTUNE Anupam It’s important to remind yourself of
the need to change along with chang-
ild ing times rather than resist those
c,Q l a a t anupamvkapil@gmai l.com things that help you grow and
i,r - e:n 9822042295.
improve. It’s a time for making rad-
ical changes to improve your daily
BIRTHDAY TODAY
ou need to shed your lethargy and habit of taking affairs and routines.
Y things for granted, because nothing in life is handed SCORPIO October 23 - November
NANCY
over a silver platter. 20 Listen to what someone has to
Tip: Your lucky colours are blue and green. Your lucky offer, but don’t buy into a scheme
gems are turquoise and opal.
You share your birthday with: James McAvoy that you know little about. A false
impression can lead to damaging
ARIES March 20 - April 18 Branch out and results. Stick to what and who you
try something you’ve never done. Share your know you can trust.
thoughts and plans with someone you SAGITTARIUS November 21-December
enjoy spending time with. A tele-reunion or 20 Before you make a decision or change,
reconnecting with someone from your past go over critical facts and figures to make
SPELLATHON SOLUTIONS TO GAMES/PUZZLES will be clarifying as well as a lesson. sure you can afford what you want to do.
TIMES SUDOKU TIMES HITORI LOOP THE LOOP TAURUS April 19 - May 19 It’s a strong An adjustment to a partnership may not be
Today’s Ratings: 10-Average
period for making significant, long-term, planned, but it will be to your advantage.
11-Good 13-Outstanding
and impactful changes to your health and CAPRICORN December 21 - January 19
habits, as well as to your work and servic- While you’ve been bringing more maturity
to your work and health in recent years, this
O es, and it all starts this month.
GEMINI May 20 - June 20 Play it safe when energy is shifting towards your key one-to-
0 P dealing with people who are unpredictable, one relationships. You could be bringing a
inconsistent or impulsive. Stick to those you relationship to a new level.
T feel comfortable around, and you will avoid AQUARIUS January 20 - February 18
S T getting tangled up in someone else’s mess. There’s a time and a place for everything,
CANCER June 21 - July 21 While this is and this day is about practical concerns.
U generally a good time for partnering up to Tackle your to-do list, and enjoy the sense
accomplish your goals, there can be some of accomplishment as you finish all those
How many words of four or more let- JUMBLE tension in a partnership if you’re idle or un- items and tasks. That way, it won’t seem so
ters can you make from the letters HER OPTIONS focused with Mars spending the month in boring to work such long hours. Be sure to
shown in today’s puzzle? In making a Answer: Before deciding on which new scale to purchase, she wanted to — WEIGH
your partnership sector. reward yourself at the end of the day with
word, a letter can be used as many
times as it appears in the puzzle. Each
Jumbles: IGLOO NINTH SOFTEN PEWTER
LEO July 22 - August 21 You have a strong good food and company.
desire for authority over your own life and PISCES February 19 - March 19 You might
word must contain the central letter. the need to follow your own inner rhythms. find that winding down from recent events
And join them in due order, There should be at least one seven let- SPELLATHON WHATZIT? Unexpected professional opportunities can can be somewhat disconcerting. Weigh
ter word. Plurals, foreign words and spot, spout, stoop, stop, stout, toot, tout MINDBENDER
An herb will name, without mistake, out of him
pop up for some of you. the pros and cons of a financial matter.
proper names are not allowed. British oust, OUTPOST, post, pout, putt, soot, Thy-me
Make a monkey
That scents the garden border. English Dictionary is used as reference. VIRGO August 22 - September 21 Keep in A situation related to business or finance
mind that minor disruptions or unexpected could yield excellent results.

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I always saw cooking as a symbol of
domestication, but in the lockdown, it
was a new discovery: Vidya Balan
The lockdown began with panic, moved into acceptance, and has
now settled into a state of peaceful gratitude for Vidya Balan. Oh, and along the way, she
discovered that she can enter the kitchen and, for once, not hate the thought!
Anshul.Chaturvedi@timesgroup.com
If you were the sort of person who was
keeping a diary, what sort of notes would
you have made during this period?
That’s a very interesting question. I actually
used to maintain a diary until a few years ago.
But at this point, if I had to maintain a
diary, I’d have probably started with a grati-
tude journal.
Life is more mundane and routine than it
has ever been, because I wake up in the morn-
ing, do my walk and then water the plants and
then whatever housework there is. I do jhaadu-
After gu
poha an
paranth d
Vidy a trie
her han ks
Vidya says she always detested cooking because she saw it as
“a symbol of domestication”. But in the lockdown, she realised that
“it’s not that bad, as long as there is a choice”. Scan the QR code with
Google Lens or a code reader app to watch Vidya make modaks
pocha sometimes, every alternate day. Up to
lunch it’s just doing housework. And then post-
lunch, I’ve just been taking a nap every day
(laughs). And in the evening, we watch some-
thing, or I read a little bit. That’s it. So it would
have read like clockwork more than ever, be-
cause the variables are so few at this point.
Well, even in prison, each day ends identical-
ly, but people can change from within. How
are you feeling about being locked in?
I think there’s a certain ease… I’ve settled into
it, you know. There was initial panic, “Oh my
god, how am I gonna survive without getting
out of home?”, “What am I gonna do with my
time?” But amazingly, I feel like the lockdown
was announced yesterday. So, it’s not been a
drag for me at all. And it may sound ironic,
but I’d say this is an experience that is very
unique, and for lack of a better word, I have
even enjoyed it. I don’t mean to sound disre-
spectful to anyone who’s going through a tough
time, but I am the type of person who doesn’t
THREE TV SHOWS AXED OWING TO THE LOCKDOWN
Beyhadh 2
India takes the
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 I
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Ayushmann and Tahira
turn birthday planners for
daughter during lockdown
Ayushmann Khurrana and
Tahira Kashyap Khurrana
with their children,
WE ARE
MISSING THE
Varushka and Virajveer
PRESENCE OF
OTHER
HUMANS
AROUND US.
IT’S GOING TO
BE JUST US,
BUT THIS
BIRTHDAY
PARTY WILL
BE MEMO-
RABLE AND
SPECIAL.
– Tahira Kashyap
fight the situation. that you’ve not done earlier? Khurrana
I know lots of people who are doing Zoom You know, I would have never gotten into the
calls or calls on Teams, all day. It’s probably kitchen. Never ever. I actually see cooking as…
more exhausting than it normally is. I, of course, (pauses) as a girl, I never wanted to cook be- Rachana.Dubey@timesgroup.com make these things on our own, and for the last 10 days,
don’t have any of those pressures. cause I thought it was a symbol of domestica- we had been devoting a few hours daily to this. We did-
f it wasn’t for the lockdown, actor Ayushmann n’t want Varushka to feel low on her birthday.
I
For me, there is a certain feeling of being tion, so I fought it all my life, I detested going
settled. And maybe because I also know that to the kitchen. Now, suddenly, in these few Khurrana and his filmmaker wife, Ayushmann played music to keep us entertained
okay, now it’s the 3rd of May. If you didn’t weeks, it’s changed. Neither Siddharth nor I Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, would have organ- throughout the days of prep. On some days, he would
know how long this would last, then probably, cook. We have someone at home who cooks, so ised a birthday bash for their daughter Varushka, sing cool songs with the guitar and on others, he
it would get frustrating. But I think otherwise, we were sorted. But suddenly now, because who turns six today. Given that a party is would turn to his playlists. It was so much fun since it
there is a certain peace and most important- there’s no pressure to cook, I stepped into the impossible in the current situation, the doting kept all of us engaged and together.”
ly, I am feeling gratitude. Like enormous kitchen and I made something! I’m not saying parents took it upon themselves to make the While Ayushmann has kept his plans a secret,
amounts of it all the time. that I want to do this for the rest of my life, but occasion a memorable one for their little girl. Tahira started baking six small cakes yesterday. The
You’ve been talking about gratitude it just made me realize that it’s not that bad, as Turning party planners, family has also procured
long as there’s a choice. Ayushmann and Tahira videos from their rela-
What did you cook? rolled back to the age-old tives and Varushka’s
I made gud poha, which is the easiest thing idea of using old news- Tahira makes friends, wishing her
that a mother makes for kids sometimes. It’s papers, spare craft decorative material on her birthday.
really simple and quick. Before that I made papers, white paper with the kids Tahira added, “We are
paranthas, aloo paranthas. Very simple things. sheets, cardboards and missing the presence
It’s not Einstein’s physics. Most recently, I other material readily of other humans
made modaks! available at home to cre- around us. It’s going to
ate decorative items for be just us, but this
the celebration. birthday party will be
IF YOU’D TOLD ME I’D HAVE Tahira told BT, memorable and spe-
“Initially, we tried look- cial. I’m also planning
TO BE SITTING AT HOME FOR ing for vendors who a treasure hunt for the
25 DAYS, I’D HAVE SAID WHAT could help us with items kids, so that they can
to decorate the house,
r RUBBISH, I CAN’T DO THAT! but that didn’t seem pos-
have some fun. You
have to find ways to
d
THERE WAS A LOT OF REST- sible. So, we decided to adapt to situations.”
as,
LESS ENERGY... I DON’T FEEL
d at LIKE THAT ANYMORE. IT JUST
One Direction to reunite, minus Zayn
moda
COMES BACK TO GRATITUDE
If a couple of years back, somebody had said
to you that you would be locked up at home
for some 25-odd days and at the end of it ne Direction is
you’d have this massive absence of restless-
ness, I don’t think you’d have agreed to it.
No, not at all. Not at all. Also, the restlessness
O all
reunite
set to
for
their 10th anniversary,
is… again… I used to get irritated with the but Zayn Malik won’t be
use of the term ‘settled’. Not just people ask- part of the celebrations.
ing me. You know people also ask others “Ar- Band member Liam
rey, are you settled now?” and I used to think Payne has revealed that
that was just an odd thing to say, you know. he, Harry Styles, Louis
“Are you settled?” But actually, settling is a Tomlinson, and Niall
beautiful feeling. Horan will take part in
In the Indian vocabulary, the word ‘settled’ the event. “Most of us
recurrently. What, specifically, for? tends to have a very stock connotation, are in London. We’ve
I think, generally around the time I became an been trying to arrange
actor, I stopped asking for anything. I started more social than personal… the first group
saying thank you and I find that the most pow- Which is why it used to irritate me. But today,
FaceTime at the
erful prayer. Also, over the years, I have start- for me, settled means it’s like I am feeling set-
moment,” Liam shared
ed using affirmations, saying thank you in ad- tled in life and I don’t feel that because of my
during an Instagram
vance even for things that haven’t happened. I marital status. I am just at peace with myself…
Members of One Direction Live session.
think now more than ever, all that I have read, that feeling is precious. If you’d told me I’d have
all that I have understood and all that I haven’t to be sitting at home for 25 days, I’d have said
understood is now coming together at this point. what rubbish, I can’t do that! There was a lot of
I am feeling so much gratitude for my life. Of
course, I am very grateful for the success and
restless energy, there was lots to… I mean for-
get the world, I felt like I needed to prove a lot
to myself.
BUZZSTOP
the fame and all that it brings with it, but I think
more important things, like good health, a lov-
ing family, home, the safety of everyone, these
I don’t feel like that anymore. Again, it just
comes back to gratitude. And it’s those beauti-
ful lines you know ‘na samay se pehle na samay
HARRY AND MEGHAN
things have begun to matter more.
Maybe because I don’t really know – and I
am so grateful for that – I don’t know anyone
ke baad’. There’s no point in running, and I
hope that’s the realisation that the world is hav-
BLACKLIST UK
who has really had it (the infection), and maybe,
therefore, I am able to say all this.
ing right now. It makes you realize that aap still
rehke bhi bahut kuch haasil kar sakte ho.
If this is becoming too philosophical, I am
TABLOIDS OVER
What are you doing differently at home, sorry (laughs)! ‘DISTORTED’ STORIES
PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE blacklisted four
major British tabloids on Sunday, accusing them of publishing
stories that were “distorted, false and invasive beyond rea-
son”, UK media reported. In a scathing letter to the editors of
the Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror and Express, the couple said there
would be “no corroboration and zero engagement” with the
newspapers. “This policy is not about avoiding criticism. It’s
Tanvi.Trivedi@timesgroup.com not about shutting down public conversation or censoring
A still accurate reporting,” the letter read. — AFP
hree daily soaps — Beyhadh 2, Ishaaron from
T Ishaaron Mein and Patiala Babes — will not
return to television post the lockdown. In an
exclusive statement issued to BT, the channel said that
Patiala
Babes
ELLIE GOULDING
the three “are finite fiction shows and the nature and
the pace of their narrative is time-bound.”
It further stated, “Given that all shoots have been SURPRISES NHS
stalled since March, owing to the unprecedented situa-
tion we are in, the logical ends of these shows could not
be shot. All the three shows have had a good spell and
WORKER DURING
would have paved way to newer narratives eventually,
had the shoots been functional. Having said that, keep-
VIRTUAL WEDDING
ing the best interests of all in mind and in joint agree- Ishaaron ELLIE GOULDING surprised NHS
ment with the producers, it has been decided to termi- Ishaaron worker Hayley Pitman and Harvey
nate these shows, as of now.” Mein Skelton at their virtual wedding
Meanwhile, BT spoke to Rajita Sharma, the produc- recently, where she performed her
er of Patiala Babes, who said, “Ours was always a finite hit track, Love Me Like You Do. She
series, but unfortunately, we are unable to shoot the dropped in on their live-streaming
remaining episodes because of the lockdown. None of ceremony and rendered the song
us know when we will be in a position to resume shoot- as they shared their first dance.
ing. So, it was a mutual decision to pull it off air.”