DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA ● REG.NO.
● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 12 PAGES
PUBLICTRANSPORT,DOMESTICHELPS,
liquor shops allowed in green, orange zones
Moregreenthanred,lockdownextended
2 weeks more of
curbs; 77 deaths
in biggest
single-day toll
DEEPTIMAN TIWARY
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
THECENTREonFridayextended
thenationwidelockdownforthe
secondtime,fortwoweeksstart-
ing May 4, but announced con-
siderable relaxations in green
and orange zones, including
movement of private and public
transportwithinastate,andfur-
theropeningupof theeconomy.
Someofthekeyrelaxationsin
green and orange zones are:
opening of markets (barring
malls) and offices; operation of
factories and industries; move-
mentofpublic(withsomerestric-
tions);servicesofdomestichelps,
barber shops and all other self-
employed people; e-commerce
delivery of non-essential items.
Inredzones,barringcontain-
ment areas, private offices can
function with 33% strength, and
standalone liquor shops will be
allowed to open.
However, “movement of in-
dividualsforallnon-essentialac-
tivities shall remain strictly pro-
hibited between 7 pm to 7 am”
across all zones. The local au-
thorities have been asked to is-
sue orders under Section 144 of
the CrPC to ensure this.
Besides, a “limited” number
of activities will remain prohib-
ited throughout the country, ir-
respective of the zone. These in-
cludetravelbyair,rail,Metroand
CONTINUEDONPAGE2
India Inc says relaxed norms give them
some relief but need more to open up
AASHISH AARYAN,
PRANAV MUKUL
& SANDEEP SINGH
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
INITSguidelinesfortheextended
lockdown issued Friday, the
Centre has allowed private com-
panies to operate with up to 33%
staff on their premises across all
threezones,includinginredzones
outside containment areas, and
` 90 per kilo
` 118 per kilo
` 145 per kilo
` 50per Dozen
THE EDITORIAL PAGE
FEAR, HOPE AND
CENTRAL BANK
BY MANISH SABHARWAL
PAGE 8
Halted by sealed Delhi-Gurgaon border:
Doctors, health staff, crucial surgeries
PAGE 1
ANCHOR
SOMYA LAKHANI
& SHIVAM PATEL
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
ONTHURSDAYnight,cancersur-
geon Dr Mandeep Malhotra had
to reschedule a surgery for a pa-
tient suffering from throat can-
cer after he realised he won’t be
able to make it to Fortis Hospital
in Vasant Kunj from his Gurgaon
residence the next morning.
DrTariqMatin,aDelhi-based
neuro-interventionist, had to
postpone a procedure too as he
BUSINESS AS USUAL
BY UNNY
INSIDE
FULL LIST OF WHAT’S
ALLOWED, WHAT’S
NOT IN THE ZONES
STATE PUTS CAP ON
CHARGES PVT
HOSPITALS CAN LEVY
ON PATIENTS
PAGES 3, 4, 5, 6
Few in know before Govt
clears 6 ‘Shramik Specials’
AVISHEK G DASTIDAR
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
EVEN AS the nationwide lock-
down was extended by another
two weeks, the government al-
lowed six special passenger
trains to transport migrants, pil-
grims, tourists and others
stranded across the country to
their home states Friday.
Named Shramik Special, the
permitted cab aggregators and
taxis in orange and green zones.
On paper, these moves are
expected to trigger partial re-
sumption of operations in the
services sector. But, on the
ground,anumberof companies,
especially those operating in red
zone districts, are not so sure.
These firms point to insuffi-
cient availability of commuting
options and the risk of spread of
the disease among employees as
Extra cost, empty OPDs:
Covid hits revenue model
TABASSUM
BARNAGARWALA
& PRABHA RAGHAVAN
MUMBAI, NEW DELHI, MAY 1
THE PREMISES of Southern almostallpatientshaveresched-
Kolkata’s Remedy Hospital uled their elective surgeries.
wears a deserted
look,withstraystaff
attending to a few
P RIVATE
patients in the OPD. I SOLATED homes, the lock-
There isn’t any
AN EXPRESS SERIES
crowd either at the
681-bed PART 3
Rabindranath
Tagore International Institute of dipped by 70-80 per cent, oper-
Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS).
“Compared with about 1,000 hospitals required to provide
patientsvisitingthehospitalona
A long queue of vehicles at the NH-8 border-crossing on Friday, first day of sealing. Abhinav Saha
couldn’t make it to Narayana
Superspeciality Hospital in
Gurgaon.
WiththeDelhi-Gurgaonbor-
der sealed starting Friday morn-
A special train leaving Friday night from Nashik railway station with 332 migrant workers bound for Bhopal, Madhya
Pradesh. They were among the 1,900-odd stranded in relief camps across Nashik. Prashant Nadkar
six trains are from Lingampalli
(Telangana)toHatia(Jharkhand),
Aluva (Kerala) to Bhubaneswar,
Nashik to Lucknow, Nashik to
Bhopal, Jaipur to Patna, and Kota
to Hatia. With Railways in talks
withotherstates,moretrainsare
expected to run in the coming
days to evacuate those stranded.
The decision to run the six
trains — shrouded in secrecy till
the first train departed at 5 am
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
reasonsforeconomicactivitycon-
tinuingtostayonhold.Theguide-
lines also prohibit movement of
individuals for all non-essential
activitiesbetween7pmand7am.
While allowing a section of
the staff to work from offices
could be a big relief for the serv-
icessector,topexecutivesof lead-
ing firms in red zones said they
were unlikely to implement the
relaxations, terming them “too
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
regular basis, only around 50 pa-
tientsarecomingnow,”saidRTI-
ICS CEO R Venkatesh. Most pri-
vate hospitals have witnessed a
hugedropinfootfallofpatientsin
emergency as well as OPDs, and
From large hos-
& pital chains to
smaller nursing
downandtheCovid
pandemic have re-
shaped operations:
revenues have
ating costs have jumped with
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
ing,healthcareworkerswholive
in the two cities were among
those who found themselves
stranded. Apart from the long
queues at border checkpoints,
JOURNALISM OF COURAGE
SINCE 1932 `5.00, WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
PRIVATEOFFICESCANFUNCTIONWITH RELIEF FOR UDDHAV
33% strength in red zones; so can pvt vehicles
Maharashtra
MLC polls on
May 21, says EC
RITIKA CHOPRA Has to get
NEW DELHI, MAY 1 elected
ELECTIONS TO the nine vacant
before
May 27
seats of Maharashtra Legislative
Council will be held on May 21,
the Election Commission (EC) The EC, officials said, will
decided in a meeting on Friday. soon ask the Ministry of Home
The decision is expected to Affairs to appoint an officer of
pave the way for Maharashtra “suitable seniority” to ensure
Chief Minister Uddhav that the MLC election process in
Thackeray to enter the Maharashtra is compliant with
Legislative Council. guidelines issued by the Union
As per Article 164 (4) of the government under the Disaster
Constitution, Thackeray, who is Management Act.
not a member of the state Simultaneously, the EC will ask
Legislature, needs to get elected the Maharashtra government to
to either the Legislative depute an officer “to ensure that
Assembly or Legislative Council the extant instructions regard-
before the six-month deadline, ing COVID-19 are complied with
expiring on May 27 in his case. while making arrangements for
The Commission will next conducting the elections”.
week review the remaining elec- The state’s Chief Electoral
tionsto18RajyaSabhaseatsand9 Officer,BaldevHarpalSingh,will
Legislative Council seats of Bihar, be the observer for the polls, an
whichwerealsodeferredbecause EC official said.
of the COVID-19 outbreak. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
E
First train with migrants leaves state for THE SIX ROUTES
EXPLAINED
Trains
aheadof
● extension Bhopal: ‘Jab wapas aa sakte hai, aayenge’ Jaipur Lucknow Patna
part of the national lockdown. Kota
WITH MAJOR urban cen- IRAM SIDDIQUI & CORONA COUNT To allow migrants stranded Bhopal
Hatia
tres still under consider- SADAF MODAK in Maharashtra return to their Nashik Bhubaneswar
NASHIK, MAY 1
able restrictions for an
additional fortnight, the 35,365 1,152 home states, the Maharashtra
government on Friday morning
Lingampalli
CASES DEATHS
government would have AS THE seven-coach train en- requistioned a special train for Aluva
found it difficult to con- tered Nasik Road station around 9,065 RECOVERED Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh in
tain migrant unrest. This 8 pm on Friday, enthusiasm and which 332 labourers left for
could explain the change relief sweptthosesittinginwell- 9,02,654 samples have been home.
in plans to allow trains, arranged queues on the plat- tested as on May 1 One of the lucky ones was EXPLAINED: FIGHTING
the optimal means to form, waiting to board the first Mahesh Baghde, whose cell- VIRUS WITH PHONES
transport large numbers. passenger train that would chug days after train services came to phone kept buzzing, as he PAGE 7
out of Maharashtra nearly 41 a grinding halt on March 22 as CONTINUEDONPAGE2
Firms told to
ensure 100% of
their staff have
Aarogya app
DIPANKAR GHOSE
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
THE NEW guidelines issued by
the government on COVID-19
management make the down-
load of the Aarogya Setu app
must for all employees at a
workplace, whether public or
private. While thus far the use of
the app was “encouraged”, now
onus has been put on the heads
of respective organisations to
“ensure 100% coverage”.
Under the
Management Act and Section
Disaster
188 of the IPC, violations of any
government guidelines in con-
tainment zones can attract pe-
nal provisions, going up to two
years in prison.
The guidelines for contain-
ment zones, to come into force
from May 4, also state that local
authorities too must ensure
100% coverage of Aarogya Setu
among the residents.
As per the new “national di-
rectives”, “It shall be the respon-
sibility of the head of the respec-
tive organizations to ensure 100
percent coverage of this app
among employees.”
Developed by the govern-
ment, the app is meant to track
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
healthcareworkerssaidtheyhad
to deal with police personnel,
whodidn’tletthempassdespite
their ID cards and explanations
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Mumbai
 2 THE SECOND PAGE
FROM PAGE ONE
‘Shramik Specials’
on Friday from Limgampalli to
Hatia carrying 1,200 migrant
workers — came two days after
theCentreallowedbusestoevac-
uate stranded people.
Hours after the first train de-
parted early Friday morning, the
HomeMinistryissuedanadden-
dum to its Wednesday order on
buses to “include” trains.
“Movement of migrant workers,
pilgrims, tourists, students and
otherpersons...isalsoallowedby
special trains...,” the Home min-
istry order said.
The decision on the six trains
set off requests for trains from
other states, including
Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.
Forthesesixtrainsandforsub-
sequentones,ticketpriceswillbe
paidbytheoriginatingordestina-
tion states. Besides the sleeper-
class ticket fare, Railways has
chargedRs30assuperfastcharge
andanadditionalRs20perticket.
Followingameetingbetween
Railways and Home Secretary
Ajay Bhalla Thursday, the trans-
porter was given to understand
thatthegovernmentwasgoingto
allow migrants to leave by trains.
Following communication
with Telangana Chief Secretary
SomeshKumar,theLimgampalli-
Hatia train was approved past 11
pm on Thursday. The 24-coach
rake,whichwassentforwashing,
sanitation and routine mainte-
nanceat9pm,rolledinpast2am
on Friday. The Railway ministry
kept only a handful of officers in
theloop.Therewasnoindication
then about the government run-
ning any other train.
Thestategovernmentgotthe
labourers in buses, which were
kept waiting till the station au-
thoritiessentthemagreensignal.
Passengers were then screened
andgivenprotectivegear.Station
staff and state government offi-
cials applauded as the train, with
54 passengers in each coach,
pulledoutofthestation.Foodand
water were provided to the pas-
sengers,forwhichmoneywasin-
cluded in the ticket price.
Arun Kumar, DG, Railway
Protection Force, said, “Our men
escortedthetrain.Weensuredso-
cialdistancinginsideandsecurity
of thetrain.Itisanon-stoptrain.”
By Friday afternoon, the
Home Ministry indicated that it
was in the process of allowing
trains to run from other areas.
While the Maharashtra gov-
ernment informed the Railways
thatitwaswillingtosendoutmi-
grants bound for MP and UP, it
said the special train can’t origi-
nate from Mumbai or Pune as
these are hotspots. With Nashik
eventuallychosenastheoriginat-
ing station, clearances were ob-
tained from the state govern-
ments of MP and UP. As per the
protocol finalised, the receiving
states need to arrange for the
medical screening of passengers
upon arrival.
India Inc refrain
risky to expand any further be-
yond the current manner of op-
eration”.“Itisaverytoughcalland
Idon’tthinkIamgoingtotakethe
risk. The virus is very contagious,
andevenifoneemployeecatches
it,thecascadingimpactisprohib-
itive,”saidtheCEOof aleadingfi-
nancial services firm.
Hesaidthatintheservicesin-
dustry, people are critical and his
firmwouldnottakeanychances.
“There is no back-up for a critical
individual and while companies
will have to take the call, we
wouldliketocontinueintheway
we are operating right now.”
“The extension of the lock-
down period... will allow a cali-
brated opening of the economic
activities,” said Sangita Reddy,
President,FICCI,adding, “Though
relaxationshavebeenmade...sig-
nificant part of the economic ac-
tivitywillstillremaininabeyance.”
An executive from a pharma-
ceutical company in Mumbai’s
Lower Parel said employees
would continue to work from
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home, since travel “would be an
issue” without local trains.
“It would be unfair to expect
them to come to office just be-
cause we have been allowed to
have33%employeesatwork.We
moved most of the work online
anyway during the past 40 days.
It is better to wait it out,” the ex-
ecutive said.
Officials at leading fast mov-
ing consumer goods companies
said they would prepare rosters
andseeifpeople,otherthanthose
already coming in, were needed
in office. “We had no idea of this
lockdown being extended, so a
coupleofdaysago,ourHRdepart-
ment sent out mails to vertical
heads, asking them to mention if
they needed more people com-
ing totheofficeafter May 4.Now
I think that becomes irrelevant,”
a senior executive at an FMCG
company said.
However, companies in the
business-to-business space said
thatevenif thereisalimitof 33%,
most departments would want
that strength to be present.
“In the B2B space, it is always
a situation of all hands on deck.
But here, the question of which
employeeliveswherecomesinto
play. Our focus and priority will
be locally situated employees
whocancometoofficeeasily,”an
executive at a steel company’s
corporate office said.
An executive at a top fashion
and lifestyle brand pointed out
thatwhilemostofthecompany’s
largest market segments have
beenclassifiedasredzones,there
was a concern of customers not
turningupevenwithingreenand
orange zones.
In addition to this, e-com-
mercefirms,whichhavebeenal-
lowedtosellbeyondtheessential
items in orange and green zones,
may also witness hurdles. A ma-
jorityofthelargestfulfilmentcen-
tresandshipmenthubsthatserv-
icelargeregionsofthecountryare
situated in red zones.
“We urge the government to
considerthepositiverolee-com-
merce can play to get customers
thepriorityproductstheyneedin
red zones as well,” said an
Amazon India spokesperson.
Two senior executives with
leading private sector banks said
that while their branches are un-
der essential services and are op-
erating with around 30% of the
strengthcurrently,thebanksarein
“nohurry”tocallpeopletowork.
Empty OPDs
staffers financial incentives, per-
sonalprotectiveequipment(PPE),
transport service, and even ac-
commodation.
At Hinduja Hospital in Khar,
Mumbai, elective surgeries gen-
erated 80 per cent revenues, said
its Medical Director, Dr Avinash
Supe. “The occupancy is only 20
per cent since elective surgeries
likecosmeticprocedures,jointre-
placement, have completely
stopped.Wearetreatingonlycan-
cer and fracture cases. OPD has
come down too,” he said.
Forthehospital,PPE,transport
andaccommodation,ontheother
hand, have added 10 per cent to
the cost, he said.
Operating a Covid facility is
much more expensive, said
Abhay Soi, Chairman, Max
Healthcare,andCMD,RadiantLife
Care. “It is thrice that at a regular
hospitalduetothecostofprotec-
tive gear and tests we perform to
ensure our healthcare workers
are not infected. We also have to
exercise caution in operating
other facilities (25 per cent cost-
lier now) so that patients with
othercriticalconditions,anddoc-
torsandnursestreatingthem,do
not get infected,” he said.
Testing costs. Take for exam-
ple, South Mumbai’s Bhatia
Hospital where 51 staffers tested
positive.ItspentRs32lakhtotest
over700staffers.“Andthesetests
will be routinely done again and
again,”saidRBDastur,medicaldi-
rector of the hospital.
Then there are safeguards.
“Our hospital requires 300 PPEs
EXCLUSIVE
WEB
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Lockdown
inter-statemovement byroad;
opening of schools, colleges,
and other educational and
training/coachinginstitutions;
hospitality services, including
hotels and restaurants; places
of largepublicgatherings,such
as cinema halls, malls, gymna-
siums, sports complexes etc;
social, political, cultural and
other kinds of gatherings; and,
religious places/places of wor-
ship for public.
“However, movement of
persons by air, rail and road is
allowed for select purposes,
and for purposes as permitted
byMHA,”theMinistryofHome
Affairs said in a statement.
In green zones — districts
which haven’t reported a fresh
case of COVID-19 in 21 days —
buses can ply with 50% seating
capacity while private vehicle
movement is allowed even for
“non-essential” work. Social
distancing,sanitisationandhy-
giene have to be maintained.
For the first time, the sale of
liquor,paanandgutkha,strictly
prohibited in earlier lockdown
orders, is allowed. However,
MHA sources said only stand-
alone liquor stores will be al-
lowed in red zones.
While the restrictions will
notbeeasedincontainmentar-
eas, private vehicles will be al-
Aarogya Setu
COVID-19 cases, and inform a
user if a positive case is around
them. The new directives also
underlinethatcompaniesmust
avoid large meetings, put up a
listof localhospitalsandclinics
authorised to treat COVID-19,
and ensure employees show-
ingsymptomsareimmediately
sentforcheck-up.Aquarantine
facility to isolate employees
showingsymptomstilltheyare
safely moved to medical facili-
dailyforitsstaff andwespendRs
2.4lakhadayonthis,”saidanad-
ministrator at Breach Candy
Hospital in South Mumbai. “Our
hospital’s income comes mostly
from cardiac and stroke patients.
Butthosecaseshavedisappeared,
we don’t know why. There may
be salary cuts in other industries.
But in private hospitals, we are
payingover20percentincentives
tostafferswhoagreetowork,”the
administrator said.
Some can take these extra
costs, others, including several
neighbourhood nursing homes,
have locked themselves down.
In Ruby Hospital in the city’s
suburbs,staffattendancedropped
by 40 per cent as soon as the first
Covid cases trickled in. “We can’t
afford PPE daily for every staffer.
Somedemandedaraise.Withno
patients,itisdifficulttohandlethe
increased cost,” a paediatrician
fromthenursinghomesaid.
TheBreachCandyadministra-
tor said a hospital makes profits
onlyif occupancyratesare80-85
percent.“Sincethepandemicbe-
gan, bed occupancy is hardly 30
per cent,” he said.
At20percentoccupancylev-
els, revenues per quarter of pri-
vatehospitalsarelikelytodropto
Rs 18,000 crore from Rs 59,000
crore (pre-Covid) and losses at
around Rs 22,000 crore, said Dr
Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing
Director, Apollo Hospitals
Enterprises, and President,
FederationofIndianChambersof
Commerce and Industry.
“Thepainthattheprivatesec-
tor is facing is the complete lack
of revenue right now,” she told
The Indian Express. “The ability to
saythatwecanprovidefreetreat-
ment for Covid-19 is not (possi-
ble)... other nursing homes and
smallerhospitalsareinaverybad
scenariotoo.Mostofthemarelos-
ing money and don’t know how
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
A DOCTOR SUGGESTS WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF MENTAL HEALTH DURING LOCKDOWN
MentalhealthexpertDrRachnaKhannaSinghaddressedqueriesandsharedtipsonhowonecankeeptheir
mindcalmduringthislockdown.
SPECIAL TRAIN
FERRIES MIGRANTS
Aone-off trainferried
migrantsfrom
HyderabadtoJharkhand
lowed in red zones with two
passengers besides the driver
(earlier it was just one passen-
gerinallzones)andmotorcycles
with just the rider. Cycle/auto
rickshaws, taxis/cab aggrega-
tors, buses, barber shops, spas
and salons still remain prohib-
ited in red zones. As far as eco-
nomic and industrial activity in
redzonesisconcerned,thepre-
vious guidelines will remain in
force. The only change is that
privateofficeswillbeallowedto
open with 33% staff strength,
and all shops in rural areas,
without any distinction of es-
sentialandnon-essentialitems,
will be allowed to operate.
While buses will not be al-
lowed to ply in orange zones,
taxisandcabaggregatorswillbe
permitted with one driver and
one passenger. All other activi-
ties, including opening of mar-
kets, liquor stores and barber
shops, have been allowed.
“Intheorangezones,inaddi-
tiontoactivitiespermittedinred
zones,taxisandcabaggregators
willbepermittedwithonedriver
andonepassenger.Inter-district
movementofindividualsandve-
hicleswillbeallowedforpermit-
tedactivitiesonly.Four-wheeler
vehicleswillhavemaximumtwo
passengers besides the driver
andpillionridingwillbeallowed
on two-wheeler,” said an MHA
statement. In green zones, life is
ties should also be earmarked,
the directives state.
Liquor shops are now al-
lowed, and regarding these as
well as outlets selling paan,
gutkha and tobacco, the direc-
tives say all must ensure “min-
imumsixfeetdistance(2gazki
doori),fromeachotherandalso
ensure not more than 5 per-
sons are present at one time”.
Spittinginpublicispunishable
by a fine.
The directives also under-
line that marriage functions
must not have more than 50
to pay salaries,” Dr Reddy said.
Said Dr Naresh Trehan,
ChairmanandManagingDirector,
Medanta - The Medicity:
“Healthcare facilities are already
cruising close to the ground in
terms of revenues and profits.
Now,theoutbreakandlockdown
has resulted in drop in revenue.
There is a huge gap in our ability
topayourcosts.Wedon’twantto
getridof ourstaff andwewantto
keepoperationsintact.Theindus-
try may have to borrow up to Rs
10,000croretokeepalive,”hesaid.
Unlikeotherindustrialsectors,
wherethelockdownmeansunits
are shut down and staff stays
home, said Reddy of Apollo
Hospitals, hospitals don’t have
that elbow room.
“For(sectorslike)aviation,you
know they are shut down. They
are closed, they are at home and
it’s done till they reopen. For
healthcare, not only do you have
no patients, but you have to be
openforthe10percentor20per
centwhowillcomebecausethey
needyou.Ontopofit,youhaveto
also treat this unknown, critical
and difficult to handle third type
of environment (the outbreak)...
and handle your staff’s insecuri-
ties,” she said.
Trehan said there was a need
forthegovernmenttosupportthe
workingcapitalrequirementata
lower interest rate. “We’re not
asking for grants, because we
know that the government is al-
ready under pressure,” he said.
“Now that special COVID-19
hospitalshavebeencreated,there
arenomoreCovidpatientsinhos-
pitalslikeMedanta,sothosewho
arenon-Covidcancomefortheir
treatmentwithoutfear.Oncethat
happens, the financial situation
will improve,” he said.
Ficci has, meanwhile, sought
exemptionsandwaiversonindi-
rect taxes, income tax benefits,
MAY DAY
expected to return to near nor-
malcy,withallactivities,barring
thoseprohibitedacrossthecoun-
try, to be allowed. These include
plyingof busesandoperationof
busdepotswith50%capacity.
“All other activities will be
permitted activities, which are
not specifically prohibited/per-
mitted with restriction in vari-
ous zones, under these guide-
lines,”theMHAnotificationsaid.
It, however, clarified that states
can impose more restrictions if
they deem it necessary.
Pregnant women, those
above 65 years of age, and chil-
dren below 10 years have been
asked to stay home.
States have also been asked
tofollowallSOPsissuedbyMHA
withregardtotransitofmigrant
labour, students and pilgrims
andtransitofforeigners.Thean-
nouncement came on a day
when 77 deaths were reported
acrossthecountryinthelast24
hours — highest single-day toll
so far. With 1,755 new cases in
thelast24hours,thetallyisnow
35,365 cases (9,064 recovered)
and 1,152 deaths. In a commu-
nication to states Thursday,
Union Health Secretary Preeti
Sudanhadlisted130districtsin
theredzone,284inorangezone,
and319ingreenzone.Thelistis
revised weekly.
While17%ofIndia’stotaldis-
trictsareintheredzone,theyac-
people, while last rites cannot
be attended by more than 20.
“No organization/manager of
a public place shall allow a
gathering of five or more per-
sons,” the guidelines say.
Some elements continue
from before, such as compul-
sory face masks at public
places and workplaces.
Guidelines also say social dis-
tancing must be enforced at
workplaces and in company
transport, suggesting stag-
gered shifts and lunch breaks.
“Provision for thermal
deferment of statutory liability
payments, and liquidity support.
But some public health ex-
pertssuggestthattheindustryal-
ways exaggerates its burden. A
fewhospitalbillsaccessedbyThe
IndianExpressshowthatpatients
havebeenbilledinthethousands
for PPE used by hospital staff.
In one instance, a Covid pa-
tient, who is admitted in a large
private hospital for over 10 days
now,wasbilledoverRs8lakhfor
treatment,withPPEcostsrunning
up to nearly Rs 50,000. The hos-
pitalisnotbeingnamedsincethe
patientremainsadmittedandthe
family shared the bills on condi-
tion of anonymity.
DrShaktivelSelvaraj,Director,
HealthEconomics,Financingand
Policy, at the Public Health
FoundationofIndia,estimatesthe
average cost of treatment of a
CovidpatientadmittedtotheICU
for10daysandonventilatorsup-
portatahospitalinthecharitable
sectoratRs2.5-3lakh,justathird
of Rs 8 lakh the patient has been
billed so far.
Hospitals prefer brands that
provide them higher commis-
sions leading to higher costs for
patients. “This holds good even
during a pandemic,” said Malini
AisolarepresentingAllIndiaDrug
Action Network (AIDAN), a pa-
tientactivistgroup.“Wehaveob-
served that costs of repeated
Covid testing, PPE etc are all of-
floaded to the patient.”
(With reporting by Santosh Singh
in Patna and Atri Mitra in Kolkata)
Sealed border
regarding their work.
TheGurgaonauthoritieshave
directedthatthoseworkingthere
andlivinginDelhiandvice-versa
shouldmakelivingarrangements
at or near their workplaces to
avoid cross-border movement.
Malhotra told The Indian
PROTESTS AMID THE
LOCKDOWN
Civilians are protesting
over inequality, hunger
and unemployment
count for about 33% of the pop-
ulation (2011 Census). On the
other hand, 44% districts are in
the green zone, but account for
onlyaboutaquarterofthepop-
ulation. The 39% districts in the
orange zone account for about
43% of the population.
The Centre has allowed
statestorestructureredandor-
ange zones, according to distri-
bution of cases within a zone.
The MHA guidelines say that in
caseadistricthasbeendeclared
a red zone, but barring its mu-
nicipal areas, the rest of the dis-
tricthasnotseenanycaseinthe
last 21 days, the state may de-
clare areas outside the munici-
pallimitsasorange.Similarly,or-
angezonedistrictscouldclassify
such areas as green.
The decision, sources said,
hasbeentakenasmanydistricts
have been declared red or or-
ange because their municipali-
ties,withhigherdensityofpop-
ulation, have reported high
number of cases whereas the
restof thedistricthasremained
largely unaffected. “This kind of
classificationwillopenmorear-
easinanaffecteddistrictforeco-
nomicactivity,”aHomeMinistry
official said. The 21-day lock-
down, which began on March
25,wasextendedbyanother19
days on April 14. With the sec-
ond extension, the lockdown
willnowremaintillMay17.
scanning, handwash and sani-
tizerpreferablythroughtouch-
free mechanism will be made
at all entry and exit points and
common areas,” the directives
say, also calling for frequent
santisation of work areas.
The directives add that or-
ganisations can ask all per-
sons above 65 years of age,
those with co-morbidities,
pregnant women and chil-
dren below the age of 10 to
work from home unless they
are employed in essential
services.
Express,“Icandelaythesurgerya
day or two, maybe even a week,
but beyond that all our work will
be undone.”
Hesaidthehospitalhasgiven
them accommodation to stay
backinDelhi,buthecannotashis
aged grandmother and two
young children stay with him.
Malhotra said even patients
are in trouble as many cross the
border for treatment. “I have a
Gurgaon-based patient who got
operated on for breast cancer.
Now she needs post-surgery ra-
diation.Iaskedhertogetitdoneat
ahospitalinGurgaon,butitturns
out that a lot of its staffers live in
Delhi, so her post-surgery radia-
tion has not been scheduled.”
At 7.30 am Friday, Dr R K
Agarwal (58), senior consultant,
anesthesia, at Sir Ganga Ram
Hospital, left his Gurgaon resi-
denceforworkandreachedinno
time.Onhiswaybackintheafter-
noon though, he found himself
pleading with police. “I work in a
COVIDhospital.Ishowedthepo-
licepersonnelmyIDcard,aletter
from the hospital, but they just
didn’tlisten.ItoldthemIamtired,
ageing and that they should let
mego.Ileftthehospitalat1.30pm
and finally reached home at 4.45
pm,” said Agarwal.
Matin,theneuro-intervention-
ist,said40%of Narayanahospital’s
healthcare staff live in Delhi, and
couldnotcometoworkFriday.
Gurgaon-based Dr Anurag
Gupta, a neurosurgeon at Fortis
Vasant Kunj, said: “NCR has al-
waysbeenoneunit...Iamtheonly
neurosurgeon at the hospital. I
haveaskedaFortisGurgaonneu-
rosurgeon who lives in Delhi to
cover for me. My wife works at
FortisGurgaonandseveralheads
of department and the director
have been unable to come be-
cause they live in Delhi.”
G K Khurana, secretary gen-
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
How the coronavirus
attacks the body
NEWEPISODEEVERYDAY
Dr Swapneil Parikh explains how COVID-19
affects the body, how a person recovers
from the virus and whether those with
severe cases are going to face long-term
problems.
eral of the All India Government
Nurses Federation, said:
“Authorities should either allow
movement or make arrange-
ments for healthcare workers to
stay near their places of work.”
Dr Ritu Garg, zonal director of
FortisMemorialResearchInstitute
in Gurgaon, said while restricting
movementacrossthebordermay
help reduce transmission, “we
alsoneedtoensuremedicalassis-
tance to patients on chemother-
apyandotheremergencies”.
A spokesperson for Max
Healthcare said nearly 40% of
their clinical, para-clinical and
support staff travel between
Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad.
“Sealingatbordersisforcingusto
operatewithlimitedmanpower...
Despite ID cards and passes is-
sued by Delhi for healthcare
workers,theyarebeingstopped,”
the spokesperson said.
Migrants’ train
waited for his turn to board the
train. "My family is constantly
calling tocheck if I have boarded
the train. Those living with us at
the shelter homes also want to
know if we made it," said
Mahesh with a smile. Mahesh,
who worked at a construction
site at Mulund in Thane, had be-
gunwalking homeonMarch29.
He was stopped near Kasara in
Thane and put up at a shelter
home in Nashik.
To ensure social distancing,
therewere54people eachinthe
sixcoaches. Instead of eight per-
sons in one lobby of a sleeper
coach, only six were seated.
From 7 pm, over 10 buses
brought the 332 workers and
others from 27 shelter homes in
Nashik district. As they alighted,
some with all their belongings,
including clothes and utensils,
andotherswithnothingbuttwo
bottles of water given by the au-
thorities, the only word they
were uttering was ‘ghar’.
While some had children
back home, some parents, oth-
ers had farms to take care of.
Kamti Bai (33), who had
come to Mumbai about three
months ago to work at a road
construction site, was excited to
meet her two daughters back at
home in Chilka village near
Bhopal. "There are problems of
foodbackhomeaswell.ButIwill
beabletodosomethingforthem
once I get home," said Kamti,
who was travelling with two
other women from her village.
Janki Devi, also in her 30s,
with a toddler in her arms, said
thatshehadwalkedfortwodays
from Karjat in Raigad to Nashik
after she stopped working in
March.Livinginamakeshifttent
built alongside a road construc-
tion site at Karjat, Devi said she
hadnotevenheardoftheCOVID-
19 pandemic when work at the
project site suddenly stopped.
“Wewaitedforafewdaysbut
then our contractor ran away
without paying us. We then de-
cided to walk home, as we saw
many doing the same,” she said.
Devi, who works at farms back
homeduringmonsoon, saidshe
will return once work resumes
here. “Aur kahaan jayenge? Jab
wapas aa sakte hai, aayenge.”
Dilip Kaul (17), who came to
Nashik to meet his brother on
Holi, could not return home due
to the lockdown. “I had thought
Iwillbuy new clothes for my12-
year-old sister but I could not.
Hopefully,shewilljustbehappy
to see me,” he said.
At the station, local authori-
ties, including District Collector
Suraj Mandhare and Police
Commissioner Vishwas Nangre
Patil overlooked the arrange-
ments.“YouareleavingonMay1.
ItisMaharashtraDayandLabour
Day. We are grateful for you and
hope that you can remember
this and also return to the state
whenthingsgetbetter,”Patilan-
nounced to the crowd.
Nodal officers at the shelter
homes said they attempted to
keep the spirits up of those
stranded by playing movies as
well as conducting counselling
and yoga sessions. “One of the
young boys kept saying he
wanted to meet his mother. I
made a video call on my phone
onedayandhewashappytosee
her,” said Rajshree Gangurde,
who was in-charge of two shel-
ters in Deolali.
The migrant workers were
asked to pay for their tickets
back home – about Rs 215 per
person for a general class ticket
to Bhopal. Collector Suraj
Mandhare said all migrantspaid
for their own tickets. "It is a dig-
nified way of sending them
home.Wehadensuredthatthey
donotfaceanyproblemsatshel-
ter homes," he added.
But for Sawant Kochle, the
around Rs 500 he spent on his
and his wife's tickets was the
onlycashhehadonhim.Adriver
fromMumbai,Kochlehadlefton
foot with his wife, two children
and Rs 4,000 in cash. "We spend
the money over the period in
buying things for the children.
Some new things for breakfast
someday or some more milk. I
have no money left.”
Inall,thereare1,900migrant
workers in 27 shelter homes
across Nashik. While a major
chunk of the 332 who left for
home on Friday are from
Madhya Pradesh, 845 are from
Uttar Pradesh and the remain-
ing from states like Bihar and
Rajasthan. "We need trains for
those from MP and UP, as peo-
plefromthesestatesaremorein
numbers. For those from other
states, buses will be arranged,"
said Mandhare.
Mandharehadrequestedthe
Railways to run two trains from
Nashik – one for Lucknow in
Uttar Pradesh and the other for
Bhopal. However, as permis-
sions needed from UP could not
be received in time, a train will
now depart for the state on
Saturday morning.
Divisional Railway Manager
Vivek Kumar Gupta said, “Soon
afterwereceivedrequestfortwo
trains on Friday morning from
the state authorities, the trains
were arranged. The coach com-
position of the train was made
based on how many were to
travelkeepinginmindsocialdis-
tancing norms.”
MLC polls
The Commission, in the
coming week, will devise the
Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP) for conducting elections
duringa pandemic.TheSOPwill
lay down the precautions the
polling staff, and MLAs will have
to take while casting their vote.
The EC's decision comes less
than a day after Maharashtra
Governor B S Koshyari asked the
Commission to hold elections to
nine Legislative Council seats,
which fell vacant on April 24, “at
the earliest”. Koshyari's letter
came two days after Thackeray
approached Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on the matter.
Thackeray called up the PM after
theGovernorsatonarecommen-
dation made a month ago by the
state government to nominate
him to the Legislative Council.
Thackeray was sworn in on
November 28, 2019. His failure
to enter the Legislature by May
27wouldmeanthestateCabinet
would also have to resign.
The government had hoped
to get Thackeray nominated
through the Governor’s quota
followingtheEC'sdecisiontode-
ferpollstothenineCouncilseats
due to the coronavirus outbreak
and the subsequent nationwide
lockdown, beginning March 25.
BesidestheGovernor’sletter,
the Commission had also re-
ceived representations from the
Shiv Sena, the Congress and the
NCP, the ruling coalition part-
ners in the state. Their letters
stated that on account of the
“peculiar,extraordinary,unfore-
seen facts and circumstances”,
Thackeray had not been able to
get himself elected to the
Legislative Council.
Mumbai
 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

3 THE OUTBREAK
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020

Mumbai

BMC TO PVT HOSPITALS PALGHAR LYNCHING Relative of IIT-B

‘Take action against Separate mob stopped, attacked bus

rushing policemen to lynching site
staffer tests positive
EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE

healthcare staff not

MUMBAI,MAY1

THE IIT-B authorities said they were in touch

MahantKalpavrukshaGiri(70)wasin with the Brihanmumbai Municipal
KAVITHAIYER For more than three hours, thechowkeyforbarelyfiveminutes,where Corporation and strictly following all health

reporting to work’
TABASSUM
BARNAGARWALA
&LAXMANSINGH
MUMBAI,MAY1
THEBRIHANMUMBAIMunicipal
Corporation(BMC)hasaskedpri-
vatehospitalstotakedisciplinary
actionagainstnurses,doctorsand
Class IV workers who do not re-
porttowork.TheBMChasalsoas-
suredprivatehospitalsthatitwill
facilitate these hospitals in find-
ing replacements for employees
who are not reporting to work
during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Severalhospitalshadreached
out to BMC claiming that they
were unable to run routine serv-
ices of out patient department
andadmissionsduetoshortageof
staff. “Since a government order
makesitmandatoryforhospitals
to pay staff full salary during the
lockdown period, several have
stopped reporting to work,” said
Dr Gautam Bhansali, from
Bombay hospital.
He said that nurses and doc-
torshavestartedcomingtowork,
but liftmen, ward boys, and tech-
nicians,especiallythoseattached
withunions,haverefusedtoleave
home. “If we get freedom to cut
theirpay,theymaystartworking,”
he said.
In a video meeting with pri-
vate hospitals, BMC has assured
that it can provide a list of candi-
datesavailablewithitwhocanbe
deputedinprivatehospitalstore-
place employees not reporting to
work. On April 28, BMC also is-
suedanordertoallprivatehospi-
tals that it can take action under
EpidemicDiseaseAct,1897,ifhos-
RETIREMENTAGEOFCIVICMEDICALOFFICERSRAISED
Mumbai: The BMC has decided
toincreasetheretirementageof
medical officers who are set to
superannuate next year by six
months to a year.
The circular, issued by BMC
onApril28,statesthatinviewof
the coronavirus pandemic, the
BMC will need more doctors,
and, therefore, it has decided to
give an extension in service to
them.Officialssaidthatonlydoc-
torswhowereduetoretireinthe
next year may apply for an ex-
tension in service three months
pitalsandstaffdonotresumenor-
mal functions immediately. Dr R
B Dastur, medical director of
Bhatia hospital, said that Class IV
employees continue to refuse to
work.“Privatehospitalsareinafix,
we can’t fire them for not report-
ing. And we can’t function nor-
mally without them.”
Shortage of health workers
spans across private and public
hospitals.Followingissueofman-
power, BMC issued a circular for
its own hospitals and depart-
ments directing civic officials to
ensure 100 per cent attendance.
The circular issued on April 30
states that BMC staff is overbur-
dened with work related to
COVID-19 outbreak and other
municipal activities, and finds it
hard to work with 50 per cent
staff. To ensure there is 100 per
centattendance,BMChasnotified
its staffers under Epidemic
Diseases Act, 1897, there will be
salary deductions if they are ab-
sent and they will be suspended.
prior to their retirement date.
“This will be voluntary, and
doctorsandteacherscandecide
if they want to opt for an exten-
sion,”SureshKakani,Additional
Municipal Commissioner, said.
Thenewrulewillbeapplica-
ble to senior medical officers,
medical officers of all the main
and peripheral hospitals, and
medical college teachers.
Currently,theretirementage
of doctors at civic hospitals and
medical college teachers is 58
and 62 years, respectively. ENS
“Already many staffers who
live in Mumbai Metropolitan
Region are unable to reach office
because of transportation issues.
So, the idea to have 100 per cent
attendance is to absorb new staff
in Covid-related work and pre-
monsoonpreparation,”saidanof-
ficialfromGeneralAdministration
Department (GAD).
The circular states that staff
from non-essential department
can be utilised in contact tracing
of COVID-19 patients at ward
level,quarantinecentremanage-
ment, for upgrading municipal
hospitalswithextrabedsandoxy-
gen, and for de-silting of nullahs
and other pre-monsoon works.
Meanwhile, BMC has asked
staffers aged above 55 years and
with comorbidity like hyperten-
sion, high blood pressure, dia-
betes,dialysis,toworkfromhome
fornextonemonth.Thisincludes
staff nurses and doctors working
in hospitals where COVID-19 pa-
tients are not admitted.
GADCHINCHLE(PALGHAR),MAY1
NEARLY TWO weeks after three men in-
cluding two sadhus were lynched by a
mob of villagers in Dahanu taluka of
Palghardistrict,ithasemergedthatasep-
aratemobof about200menstoppedand
assaulted a Maharashtra police bus that
was rushing reinforcements to the lynch-
ingsiteontheinterveningnightofApril16
and17.Formorethanthreehours,thebus
was held hostage at Chisda village near
Khanvel in the union territory of Dadra-
Nagar Haveli, about 13 km from
Gadchinchle village in Palghar’s Dahanu
taluka where the lynching occurred that
night around 11 pm.
A First Information Report was regis-
teredonApril17atKhanvelpolicestation,
located just 5 km from Gadchinchle, re-
garding this assault on the police bus in
which some policemen sustained minor
injuries. Nineteen men from Chisda and
nearbyareasarrestedonApril24andlater
released on bail. Two men, the alleged
masterminds, were picked up once again
onThursdayandplacedunderpreventive
detention.
According to Dadra-Nagar Haveli
Collector Sundeep Kumar Singh, Suraj
Zimne and Jagdish Rathad of a locality
called Patelpada in Chisda village were
found to have led the mob of 200 to 300
mentocutdownatreeandblockthehigh-
way that night, soon after the lynching at
Gadchinchle. “In order to ensure that the
incident is not repeated, after examining
thesituation,wefelttheyshouldbeplaced
under preventive detention under the
GujaratPreventionofAntiSocialActivities
Act, 1965,” said Singh.
Apurva Sharma, Sub Divisional
Magistrate of Khanvel, said the two insti-
gated others to intimidate the police and
throwstonesatthepolicebus.“Theyheld
thebushostageformorethanthreehours
and damaged the vehicle,” said Sharma.
The complainant in that case is
Assistant Police Inspector Vilas Jadhav of
Talasaripolicestation,whoseteamofrein-
forcementswasheadedtoGadchinchlevia
Dadra-Nagar Haveli.
Superintendent of Police of Dadra-
the Maharashtra Police bus
was held hostage at Chisda
village near Khanvel in
the union territory of
Dadra-Nagar Haveli
Nagar Haveli Sharad Darade said 19 men
were arrested on April 24 for rioting and
obstruction of government officials.
“While the incidents are separate, details
have now been shared with the
MaharashtraCIDtocheckforanycommon
elements.Photographsoftheaccusedhave
been shared too,” Darade said.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra CID
which has started its investigations into
the lynching on Friday arrested five men
from Gadchinchle and Divshi villages af-
ter recording detailed eye-witness state-
mentsaswellasidentifyingmoreaccused
using CCTV footage from a surveillance
cameramountedonaMaharashtraForest
Department chowkey outside which the
attack and lynching occurred. Among the
eyewitnessescalledtoidentifythoseseen
in the footage are Gadchinchle Sarpanch
Chitra Choudhari and Sonu Borsa, one of
twowatchmenpostedattheforestdepart-
ment post.
“We have no reason to stop an Eeco,
we just stop big vehicles that may have
any contraband material, mainly to pre-
ventillegallogging,”BorsatoldTheIndian
Express. He also remembers the men
who threatened to attack him if the Eeco
was not stopped that night as it returned
from the border, refused permission to
proceed due to the lockdown-time seal-
ing of state borders.
Borsa was also in the chowkey when,
nearly two hours into the attack, a police
teamfromKasapolicestationarrivedand
triedtohelpthevictimstrappedinthenow
upturned Eeco vehicle.
“The police moved one sadhu and the
driver into the police vehicle. The second
sadhu,theoldman,washitonhisheadas
soon as he came out of the Eeco.
He ran into the chowkey,” Borsa told The
Indian Express.
a policeman was trying to protect him
fromthemob.“Igotoutofthechowkeyat
that point,” Borsa said. Minutes later, as a
policeman escorted the sadhu into the
waiting police van, the mob rained blows
with lathis on both of them.
“Theoldmanwasthefirsttogo,hefell
and was beaten repeatedly. Then some
othersfromthemobwenttothepoliceve-
hicle and pulled the other two out,”
Borsa said.
Confirming the fresh arrests made on
Friday, Additional Director General of
Police (CID) Atulchandra Kulkarni said all
aspects of the case are being investigated.
“The investigation has just commenced,
newnameshavecomeupintheprobeand
they were arrested,” he said.
Theadultaccusedareallinpolicecus-
tody — the previously arrested 101 were
namedinafreshFIRregardinganotherof-
fenceandremandedtopolicecustodyun-
tilMay13,whilethefivenewarrestswere
also remanded to police custody till May
13. Meanwhile, teams of policemen have
been searching in the forests and hill-
slopes around Gadchinchle for other ab-
scondingaccused.Localpoliceofficialssaid
theaccusedmen’smobileshavebeencol-
lectedtostudytheirlocationatthetimeof
the incident and also any video or photo-
graphic evidence.
Sinceearlythisweek,teamsof police-
men have brought a few accused, one by
one,backtothevillageforasearchoftheir
home and for their mobile phones.
AccusedAjayBorsa’smotherBanasaidhe
was brought home for just a few minutes
on April 27.
“They were looking for his phone any
home and in the mud near the highway,
but we couldn’t find it,” Bana said.
Suman Gavit, wife of accused Suresh
Gavit, said a team of policemen brought
SureshbackonMonday,andtookpictures
oftheirhome,ofthetelevisionandoftheir
stock of rice from their paddy crop. “He
drank a little water. I saw when he was
changing his clothes that there are dark
bruisesonthebackofhislegs,”Sumansaid.
Savita Borsa’s husband Vishnu was also
broughthome.“Hewascrying,buthetold
me not to cry too much.” she said.
advisories after a relative of a non-faculty
memberoftheinstitutetestedpositiveforthe
novel coronavirus on Thursday evening.
The woman, who is a health worker at
Sion Hospital, has been quarantined at a fa-
cilityoutsidethecampus,whileherhusband
and two children have been quarantined at
theinstitute'sVanviharguesthouse,theIIT-B
authoritiesinformed.Inmid-March,through
an executive order, the Collector had taken
over several buildings, including Vanvihar
guesthouseandMTNLguestrooms,ontheIIT-
Bcampusasdesignatedquarantinefacilities.
Director Dr Subhasis Chaudhuri con-
firmedthatthefamilywasresidingattheem-
ployees’ quarters on the institute campus. “It
appears that she may have contracted it (the
virus) outside the campus during her call of
duties... The institute, with its taskforce on
COVID-19,isstrictlyfollowingallhealthadvi-
sories. With the help of BMC officials, we are
now following all additional measures that
experts have been suggesting to us based on
one of our campus residents having tested
positive.” He added that IIT-B was in touch
withBMCofficials.“Weshallmakeourselves
amenabletotesting,ifthatisadvised,”hesaid.
Whiletheinstitutehadvacateditshostels
in March, 83 students who were not able to
gohomeandsomeforeignexchangestudents
were allowed to stay back.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the present Coronavirus
endemic situation, Mr. Jay Shah –
the director of Exertion HR has
sent request letter to CPFC, EPFO
about PMGKY Scheme on 9th
April, which is not beneficial to
maximum employers because of
the criteria that out of 100
employees atleast 90% should
draw a salary below 15000/-.
Moreover, any organisation must
be having atleast 25% of manager
& higher designated category.
Requested them to remove the
clause and give benefit to all
organisations having employees
below 15000/-.

CPCB STUDY
Lockdown
impact: sharp
drop in nitrogen Garbage pile up
at Dharavi, a
dioxide, benzene coronavirus
hotspot that has
reported more
SANJANABHALERAO than 340 positive
MUMBAI,MAY1 cases. So far, 18
COVID-19 related
WITHVEHICLESoffthecityroads deaths have been
and most industries shut for over reported from the
a month due to the coronavirus- slum sprawl.
inducedlockdown,theairquality Nirmal Harindran
in Mumbai has improved signifi-
cantly .
A study, 'Impact of Lockdown
(March 25 to April 19) on Air AFTER COMPLAINTS

State puts cap on charges pvt

Quality', undertaken by the
Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB)showsasharpdecreaseof
77 per cent in nitrogen dioxide

hospitals can levy on patients

(NO2)levelsand59percentdrop
in average benzene (a hydrocar-
bon, C6H6) level during the lock-
down period as compared to the
weeks preceding it.
The data, released Friday, was
generatedbycontinuousambient
air quality monitoring (CAAQM)
network and analysed with 10
stations for Mumbai.
The major sources of anthro-
pogenic emissions of NO2 are
combustion processes like heat-
ing, power generation, and en-
gines in vehicles and ships.
The study has compared
hourlypollutantconcentrationin
pre-lockdownperiodwithduring
the lockdown. The peak hourly
valueofNO2duringthepre-lock-
down period was almost five
times the peak value observed
during the lockdown period. A
similar trend was observed for
carbondioxide(CO2)with61per
centreductioninpeakhourlyval-
ues during the lockdown period,
underscoring the absence of ve-
hicular emissions.
In Mumbai, the Chembur-
TrombayandDeonarareas,which
havepowerplants,severalpetro-
leumrefineriesandafertiliserfac-
tory, are considered hotspot for
high NO2 levels. Lowest 24-hour
average of NO2 levels during the
lockdown period was 5 µg/m3
(microgramspercubicmeterair).
AdropinconcentrationofPM
2.5,(whichisusedtocalculateair
quality index) was also observed
— there was a 40 per cent reduc-
tion in PM 2.5 and 43 per cent re-
duction in PM10 (atmospheric
particulate matter that have a di-
ametre of less than 10 microme-
ters). Average sulphur dioxide
(SO2) levels also decreased by 33
per cent during the lockdown.
TABASSUM
BARNAGARWALA
MUMBAI,MAY1
THESTATEhealthdepartmenthas
put a cap on charges private hos-
pitalscanlevyonpatients,stating
that it has received “a number of
grievances of exorbitant amount
of money being charged by
healthcare providers”. The new
schedule of rates is applicable for
treatment of both COVID-19 and
non-COVIDpatients.Stateofficials
said they came across instances
wherepatientswereovercharged
because hospitals are selectively
admitting patients based on staff
and doctor availability in light of
the pandemic.
An official said patients who
hadnoinsurancepolicywerebe-
ing charged steeply. “We came
acrosscaseswherepackagecosts
offered are high, patients are not
getting admitted in hospitals,”
said Dr Sadhana Tayade, director,
Directorate of Health Services.
Hospitals in Mumbai, Thane,
Navi Mumbai, Panvel and Pune,
which have agreement on treat-
ment packages with General
Insurance Public Sector
Association (GIPSA), cannot
chargemorethanthelowestbed
categoryratesforpatients.GIPSA
is an association of government
insurance companies that fixes
package rates for surgeries in
hospitals.
For hospitals not attached to
GIPSA package rates, the notifi-
cation provides a schedule of
rates beyond which they cannot
charge. For instance, an angiog-
raphy should not cost more than
Rs 12,000, a normal delivery not
more than Rs 75,000, a valve re-
placement is capped at Rs 3.23
lakh, a permanent pacemaker
implantation at Rs 1.38 lakh, a
cataract surgery at Rs 25,000
and so on.
Items like pacemaker, per-
sonalprotectiveequipment(PPE),
intraocularlenses,stents,catheter,
balloon, medical implants, con-
sumablescannotbechargedover
10 per cent mark up on net pro-
curementcost.ThismeansifaPPE
costs Rs 100, hospitals cannot
chargeapatientmorethanRs110.
Hospitals said they are study-
ing the notification and are going
to interact with the government
overthis.DrKhalidShaikh,owner
of Sai hospital, said he is already
followingtheratesfixedbyGIPSA.
“Severalhospitalschargebeyond
GIPSA rates. This notification will
forcethemtochargeanormalpa-
tient as per GIPSA rates,” he said.
The notification stated that
charitable hospitals have to re-
serve10percentbedsforindigent
patients for free and another 10
percentforweakersectionof the
society under the Bombay Public
Trusts Act, 1950.
DrGautamBhansali,consult-
ant with Bombay hospital, said
the capping may force hospitals
to opt for inferior quality surgi-
cal supplies and consumables.
“Hospitals are already going in
losses, they are in a dying situa-
tion. This will further hit private
health sector. Private sector
should have been consulted be-
fore the notification came out,”
Bhansali said.
Lilavati hospital currently
does not follow GIPSA package
rates. “We will follow whatever
government says as we do not
want patients to suffer at this
time of economic slowdown,”
said chief operating officer Dr V
Ravishankar. Ravishankar, how-
ever, added that rates were
never increased after the out-
break in Mumbai. “We are ad-
mitting non-COVID patients in
common and economy ward
too at the same charges as be-
fore,” he said. He added that the
hospital is following protocol to
reserve beds for indigent pa-
tients. “In fact there is one Covid
patient on ventilator who we are
treating for free,” he said.
Dr Avinash Supe, director of
HindujaHospital(Khar),saidthis
notification may have to be fol-
lowed for a few months until the
outbreak subsides. “After the
Covidoutbreakbegan,thereis80
per cent reduction in beds’ occu-
pancy. All elective procedures
have been halted,” he said.
Dr R B Dastur, medical direc-
tor of Bhatia hospital, said this
notificationwillcreateproblems.
“Every day we are getting new
notifications, it is difficult to op-
erate. In a normal operation the-
atre there are not less than 5-6
staffers. Their personal protec-
tiveequipmentcostishigh.Now
we can’t even test a patient for
COVID-19if he is asymptomatic.
So, for every patient PPE has to
beworn,imaginethecosttohos-
pital for this,” he said.

Mumbai

4 THE OUTBREAK
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
1,008 fresh cases reported in
state, doubling rate now 9 days
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, PUNE, MAY 1
MAHARASHTRA RECORDED
1,008 new cases of Covid-19 on
Friday, taking the total count of
infected persons to 11,506. State
health officials have attributed
the rise to the disease's natural
progression and improved test-
ing capacity in Maharashtra.
Mumbai alone recorded 751
fresh Covid-19 cases, taking its
total count to 7,812.
Apart from the increasing
numbers, another area of con-
cernwastheinabilityof thestate
to control the doubling rate of
cases. Maharashtra's doubling
rate worsened on Friday, it now
stands at nine days. Until last
week it took over 10 days for
cases to double.
Atleast 26more deaths were
recorded,takingthedeathtollto
485 in Maharashtra. Mumbai
saw six deaths, including one
death of an Uttar Pradesh resi-
dent, taking its total death count
to295.Pune,however,surpassed
Mumbai by recording 11 deaths.
ThreeothersdiedinJalgaon,and
one each in Bhiwandi,
Sindhudurg, Thane, Nanded,
Aurangabad and Parbhani.
Of those who died, 14 were
aged above 60 years, while one
was aged less than 40. The fatal-
ity rate is highest amongst peo-
ple aged above 40 and with co-
morbidities like diabetes,
hypertension, heart ailment.
On Friday, the state had 792
containment zones with 1.74
lakh under quarantine at home
and in institutions set up by gov-
ernment. Maharashtra has
tested 1.53 lakh samples, and its
positivity rate stands at 7.5 per
cent. The average is much lower
than USA, France or Iran.
TheBMChasdecidedtokeep
all asymptomatic Covid-19 pos-
itive people at home isolation to
decongest hospitals and reserve
them for critical and serious pa-
tients.BMCofficialssaidfeasibil-
ity of home isolation will be
checkedforeachpositivepatient
if they have no symptoms. For
crowdedhouseholdswhereoth-
ers stand a risk of infection, pa-
tient may be shifted to Covid
care centres.
With several corporators in
Mumbai involved in food distri-
bution to migrants and home-
less, and in helping patients get
Home ministry relaxations under consideration,
Maharashtra govt may issue final order today
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, MAY 1
HOURS BEFORE the Centre on
Friday extended the nationwide
lockdown till May 17, while
introducing considerable relax-
ations, Chief Minister Uddhav
Thackeray said stringent
lockdown conditions will con-
tinue in 14 districts of
Maharashtra that are in the Red
Zone, including the Mumbai
Metropolitan Region, Pune,
Nagpur and Aurangabad.
While some restrictions will
be eased in the Orange Zone and
the Green Zone, sources in the
government said a limited set of
economic activities are likely to
bepermittedintheRedZonesas
well in line with the guidelines
issued by the Union Ministry of
HC TELLS STATE GOVT
‘Undertake rapid antibody tests with available reliable kits of Indian firms’
OMKAR GOKHALE
MUMBAI, MAY 1
THE BOMBAY High Court’s
Nagpur bench has directed the
state government to undertake
rapid antibody tests with avail-
able reliable kits provided by
Indian companies since the
Indian Council for Medical
Research (ICMR) has recognised
the utility of such tests for the
surveillance and prevention of
COVID-19 pandemic. It also di-
rected the state government to
place on record the steps pro-
Migrants wait to board a special train to Bhopal from Nashik on Friday night. Prashant Nadkar
admitted, the Brihanmumbai
Municipal Corporation has de-
cided to test corporators and
their family members as a pre-
cautionary measure. BMC will
step away from its mandate to
test only symptomatic people in
this case.
Aseniorcivicofficialfromthe
BMC said that on April 30 addi-
tional municipal commissioner
Suresh Kakani instructed all
zonal Deputy Municipal
Commissioners to set up a camp
for corporators and their family
for COVID-19 test. Officials said
that the tests will be done at
some open space with the help
of privatelaboratories.Thyrocare
and Metropolis have been ex-
empted from testing corpora-
tors. BMC will be paying for the
entire testing expenditure.
"Corporators are also part of
BMCandcity'scaretakersothere
is nothing wrong in paying for
them," an official said.
RTI activist Anil Galgali has
slammed BMC's move claiming
Home Affairs (MHA).
Uddhav said the three zones
have been created based on the
number of cases in each district.
"TheRedZoneincludesMumbai
and neighboring areas like
Kalyan, Dombivli, Panvel, Pune
and surrounding areas, as well
as Nagpur and Aurangabad
where numbers are rising daily.
At present, it is not in our inter-
ests to restart normal activities
there," he said while addressing
the state through webcast.
"In the Orange Zone, which
includes districts with active
cases,weareplanningtoincrease
thenumberof activitiespermit-
ted,exceptinsomeareas.Weare
gradually removing restrictions
in Green Zones," he added.
As per the list issued by the
Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare on Friday, of the total 36
posed to be undertaken to con-
duct rapid antibody tests with
the reliable kits available with it.
“This becomes all the more
significant, considering that the
results of the rapid antibody
tests are said to be quick and,
hence, of assistance to the state
governmentindecidingitsstrat-
egy to deal with areas where
there is rapid spread or appre-
hension of the rapid spread of
COVID-19,” the high court said.
A single-judge bench of
Justice Manish Pitale Thursday
heard, through video-confer-
ence, various pleas, including
11,506
TOTALPOSITIVECASES
INMAHARASHTRA
Number of deaths 485
Total number of people
discharged 1,879
Number of people tested
1.51 lakh
Total number quarantined
11,677
Number of new cases 1008
that the civic body has been
avoiding testing of its frontline
workerslikenurses,sanitarystaff,
doctors. "This is against the BMC
protocolastheyhaddecidedthat
onlysymptomaticpeoplewillbe
tested.Allothercivicstaff should
alsobetested.Whyonlycorpora-
districts in the state, 14 districts
are in Red Zone, 16 in Orange
Zone and six are in Green Zone.
Though the state is yet to put
outitsownlistof whatwillbeal-
lowed or not, as per the MHA
guidelines, some of the relax-
ations in Red Zones include the
reopeningof privateofficeswith
wirth 33 per cent strength, con-
structionactivitiesinurbanareas
with on site accommodation
arrangements for workers, re-
openingof standaloneshopsand
shopsinresidentialcoloniesand
complexesandopeningof stand-
aloneliquorshopsamongothers.
Sources said that the relax-
ations allowed by MHA are un-
der consideration of the state
government and a final order
may be issued on Saturday.
"We are also in favour of
opening public parks and gar-
public interest litigations (PILs)
seekingreliefsandmedicalfacil-
itiesinthewakeof thepandemic.
OnApril8,thehighcourthad
saiditwouldbenecessaryforthe
Union Health Ministry to con-
sider whether it can direct au-
thorities to conduct rapid anti-
body tests. The court had noted
that procurement of rapid test
kitshasbeenmadebytheCentre
in parts, however, their use has
been put on hold in view of di-
vergent results of sample tests.
OnApril 24,thestategovern-
ment said it has requested the
ICMR for more tests kits and will
tors?" Galgali said.
Additional Municipal
Commissioner Kakani on Friday
clarified that he only instructed
toconductmedicalcheck-upnot
Covid-19 testing.
Pune reported seven deaths
on Friday of which two had suc-
cumbed to COVID-19 infection
late Thursday night. The toll has
climbed to 99.
Sassoon general hospital re-
ported three deaths including
that of an 80-year-old woman
from Kavadi Malwadi, who was
suffering from illness since April
26 and was referred by YASH
hospital and admitted to
SassoonhospitalonApril29.She
hadbilateralpneumoniaandob-
structive uropathy and died on
April 30. Her report for COVID-
19 tested positive on May 1.
In another case a 65-year-old
man from Tadiwala Road who
was symptomatic since April 16
was admitted on April 21 to
Sassoongeneralhospital.Hehad
bilateralpneumoniaanddiedon
dens," said a bureaucrat.
Terming the lockdown as a
"speed-breaker", Uddhav said
duringhiswebcastthatthelock-
down helped to break the trans-
mission chain. Still,the numbers
arerisingbecauseof thecontacts
of patients who were infected
initially, he added.
"Though the economic cycle
hascometoahaltanditwilllead
tojob lossesand increaseunem-
ployment, the priority is to save
the realassets of the nation – the
people," he added.
Uddhav also said that the
government is making efforts to
send migrant workers back to
their home states.
"Those who want to go their
states will be allowed to do so,
onlywithduedisciplineandpre-
cautions and after speaking to
theirstates.Similarly,eventhose
seek an additional supply if re-
quired by the local bodies.
JusticePitaleThursdayissued
directions to the state after gov-
ernment lawyers, S Y Deopujari
and D P Thakare, submitted that
it had received 71,000 rapid an-
tibodytestkitsfordistributionin
COVID-19hotspots.However,on
April 20, the director of Health
Services, Pune, through a letter
had communicated that the kits
shouldnotbeusedtillfurtheror-
ders, and that allotment of kits
was not undertaken as per ICMR
directions, Thakare said.
Advocate Tushar Mandlekar,
May 1 due to COVID 19 related
complications.
A 71 year old woman resid-
ing at Tadiwala road who was
smptomatic since April 24 and
admitted on April 28 at Sassoon
general hospital succumbed to
the infection on May 1. She had
bilateral pneumonia and also
had diabetes, hypertension and
obesity.
A 68 year old man from Nana
PethwhowasadmittedtoBharati
hospital on April 28 succumbed
to COVID 19 infection on April
30.Hehaddiabetesandhyperten-
sion. The death was reported on
Friday by municipal health au-
thorities. In another case, a 75
year old man from Parvati
Darshan died due to COVID 19
complications on May 1.
At Symbiosis hospital, a 75
year old man from Siddharth
Nagar succumbed to COVID-19
related infection early on Friday
morning.A51yearoldmanfrom
Yerawada also died on May 1 at
KEM hospital.
want to return to Maharashtra
will be allowed. States are
in touch with each other... But
there should not any crowding,"
he added.
He further said that district
collectors will be instructed to
make arrangements for people
stuck in Maharashtra for intra-
state travel.
■ Red Zone: Mumbai City)
Mumbai suburban, Thane,
Palghar, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur,
Solapur, Yavatmal, Aurangabad,
Satara, Dhule, Akola and Jalgaon
■ Orange Zone: Raigad,
Ahmednagar, Amravati,
Buldhana, Nandurbar, Kolhapur,
Hingoli,Ratnagiri,Jalna,Nanded,
Chandrapur, Parbhani, Sangli,
Latur, Bhandara and Beed
■ Green Zone: Osmanabad,
Washim, Sindhudurg, Gondia,
Gadchiroli and Wardha.
representingthepetitioners,said
thattheICMRcommunicationof
April 27 to chief secretaries of all
states stated that the rapid test
kits of two Chinese companies
ought not to be used and they
will bereturned to the suppliers.
“The April 27 letter did not dis-
close any policy decision of the
ICMR to do away with rapid an-
tibody tests,” Mandlekar said.
Assistant Solicitor General
Ulhas Aurangabadkar, repre-
senting ICMR, said its decision
did not indicate any policy deci-
sion to stop rapid tests. ICMR
submitted,“Rapidantibodytests
Maharashtra
Centre’s decision to locate
IFSC Authority in Gujarat
disappointing, says Pawar
´FiÀ°Fb°F
ÀFWÀFa¹FûþI
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, MAY 1
THE CENTRE'S decision to locate
the newly created International
Financial Services Centre (IFSC)
AuthorityinGandhinagaris“dis-
appointing, and a move against
Mumbai's established status as
the nation's financial capital,
NCPleaderSharadPawarsaidon
Friday.
“The stature of the Prime
Minister is such that s/he should
always rise above his/her state.
The decisions should be broad,
inclusive and of a national level.
Therefore, we will urge Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to re-
consider the decision and retain
Mumbai's status as an interna-
tional financial services centre,”
Pawar said at a Loksatta web in-
teractive series titled 'Sathicha
Gazhal Maharashtracha'.
The series, which began on
Friday, on the foundation day of
the state, will host all former
chief ministers of Maharashtra,
and will end with a talk by Chief
Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Pawar was interviewed by
Loksatta editor Girish Kuber and
associate editor Mukund
Sangoram.
Stating that he hopes all po-
litical parties will come together
to oppose the Centre's decision
High Court allows wage cuts
for absentee workers in areas
with relaxed or no restrictions
OMKAR GOKHALE
MUMBAI, MAY 1
THE BOMBAY High Court’s
Aurangabad bench on Thursday
said employers may deduct
wages as per procedures laid
down in the law for employees
who voluntarily remain absent
inareaswhereCOVID-19restric-
tions have been relaxed.
JusticeRavindraVGhugewas
hearing a plea filed by five man-
ufacturing companies, who had
challenged a notification issued
by the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) on March 29 that
prescribed employers to pay
their employees, including mi-
grants and contract workers, full
monthly wages in view of the
lockdown situation.
The counsel for the compa-
nies, advocate T K Prabhakaran,
said they were seeking exemp-
tion from paying their workers–
despite the workers being will-
ingtocometowork–sinceman-
ufacturing activities have been
restricted due to the lockdown.
could certainly be undertaken
for the purposes of surveillance,
although the best test for diag-
nosis of COVID-19 continued to
be the RT-PCR swab test.”
In view of submission by
ICMR, the Nagpur bench of the
high court said the state govern-
ment could not refuse to distrib-
ute reliable rapid test kits.
In the order, Justice Pitale
noted,“Thiscourtisoftheopinion
that state is not justified in refus-
ing to distribute the rapid anti-
body test kits and not undertak-
ing the rapid antibody tests for
surveillance.Inviewoftheimmi-
NCP chief Sharad Pawar addresses the Loksatta web
interactive series titled ‘Sathicha Gazhal Maharashtracha’.
to set up this new Authority in
Gandhinagar, Pawar said,
“Mumbai has always been the
country's economic capital, and
it has its distinct identity. It is the
leading industrial city. The deci-
sion to shift the IFSC Authority
from Mumbai to Gujarat is dis-
turbing.”
He said, “The decision to lo-
catetheIFSCAuthorityinGujarat
is not a right decision. We will
pursue the matter with the PM
and urge him to reconsider the
decision and relocate it in
Mumbai.”
The IFSC Authority is a uni-
fied agency to regulate all finan-
cial services in international fi-
nancial services centres in the
country and was notified earlier
thisweek.Itwillbelocatedatthe
Gujarat International Finance
Tech City in Gandhinagar.
On the challenges in the light
of thenationwidelockdown,and
its resultant economic fallout,
Pawar said putting the economy
back on track remains a formi-
dable challenge. “Greater focus
on agriculture, industrial and in-
frastructure is a must. It calls for
higher investments. For this, the
ReserveBankof Indiaalongwith
other financial institutions will
have to provide incentives and
plans on loans and interest rates.
TheRBIwillhavetotakeboldde-
cisions.”
Stating that this was not the
Themanufacturerssubmitted
that they would pay 50 per cent
of the gross wages or minimum
rates of wages as per minimum
wages law, whichever is higher.
While advocate D G Nagode,
appearingfortheCentre,andad-
vocateDRKale,representingthe
state, sought time to take in-
structions from authorities,
Justice Ghuge declined to inter-
fere in the MHA order for the
time-being, stating that a simi-
lar case is pending before the
Supreme Court.
The bench noted that the
Supreme Court, on April 27, had
not given any interim relief in
similar pleas and had adjourned
the hearing. Moreover, the
Kerala High Court had stayed an
order issued by Kerala finance
ministry, which had permitted
50percentpaymenttostateem-
ployeesanddeferredremaining.
“Iwouldnotbeinclinedtoin-
terfere with the impugned MHA
orderandwouldexpectthepeti-
tioners to pay the gross monthly
wagestotheemployees,saveand
except conveyance allowance
nent danger of an uncontrolled
spreadof COVID-19,surveillance
could certainly be an important
partofthestrategytocontrolsuch
spread of COVID-19.”
The court further observed
thatthelistof organisations,pro-
viding such kits, also includes
Indian companies and said that
kits provided by them can be
used by the state government.
“In view of ICMR letter, the state
government can certainly un-
dertake rapid antibody tests us-
ing kits of companies other than
those stated (Chinese compa-
nies), because in respect of the
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
time to do politics, Pawar said
the Prime Minister should con-
vene an all-party meeting for
wider consultations.
The former Union minister
and former Maharashtra CM
said: “The task ahead is to reas-
sure industries, (and ensure)
their survival along with work-
ers. The lockdown has affected
key sectors such as agriculture,
industries and infrastructure.
There are concerns and a fear of
increase in unemployment and
closure of industrial units; these
havetobetackled.Theindustrial
belt of Mumbai, Pune and
Nashik will have to be restored
to get the state's economy mov-
ing in the right direction.”
Therefore, he said “ad hoc
lockdownacrossthisbeltwillnot
work.Thegovernmentwillhave
totakeapracticaldecisiontoease
thelockdownwithguidelinesfor
safety of the people.”
The Centre should provide
morefinancialstimulustorevive
infrastructure and accommo-
date the concerns of jobless
workers, he said.
Referring to the Governor's
decision against accepting the
stateCabinet'srecommendation
to nominate Uddhav Thackeray
to the Legislative Council, Pawar
said, “The state is reeling under
theCovid-19pandemic.Itwould
have been better if politics was
kept out of it in such a situation.”
andfoodallowance,if beingpaid
on month to month basis in the
caseofthoseworkerswhoarenot
requiredtoreportforduties,”ob-
served Justice Ghuge.
The court clarified that since
Maharashtra has partially lifted
the lockdown in certain indus-
trial areas, workers would beex-
pected to report to work.
It,, however, added: “In the
event that such workers volun-
tarily remain absent, the man-
agement would be at liberty to
deduct their wages for their ab-
sence subject to the procedure
laid down in law while initiating
such action. This would apply
even to areas where there may
not have been a lockdown.”
Thecourtalsograntedliberty
to trade unions and workers’
representatives to file interven-
tion applications in the
plea.JusticeGhugesaidthatpay-
ment of gross wages by the pe-
titioners to their workers, save
and except conveyance/food al-
lowance, shall be subject to re-
sult of the plea and posted fur-
ther hearing on May 18.
specifically named two compa-
nies, the test kits were found to
be unreliable,” the court noted.
The bench directed the state
government to undertake rapid
tests with available reliable kits
and file a response stating the
steps proposed to conduct them
across Maharashtra.
On Thursday, the court also
asked the Centre and the
Maharashtra government to se-
riously consider the issue of un-
dertaking RT-PCR tests on a pri-
ority basis for its frontline staff,
like doctors, health personnel
and police.
Mumbai

5 THE OUTBREAK
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
‘Given our
constraints, India
handled Covid
situation maturely’
Union Health Minister DR
HARSH VARDHAN speaks to
ABANTIKA GHOSH about the
measuresIndiahastakentofight
COVID-19, and the way forward.
Excerpts:
The government is saying
India has fought COVID-19
the best. Are we counting our
chicks too soon?
No. Given our constraints, I
wouldsaythatIndiahandledthe
situation very maturely — with
speed, scale and determination
pre-emptively,proactivelyandin
agradedmanner.Todaywestand
at a better position compared to
othercountriessofarasmorbid-
ity and mortality is concerned.
Our numbers show this.
Youwouldrememberthaton
January7,Chinareportedthefirst
casetoWHOandonJanuary8,we
starteddeliberationswithourtec-
hnicalteamofexperts.ByJanuary
17, we had formulated our detai-
led response and issued detailed
advisoriestoallstates.Withinthe
next2-3days,westartedthermal
screeningofallinternationalpas-
sengers coming from COVID-19
affectedcountriesatsevenmajor
airports…We strengthened our
mechanismforcountry-widesur-
veillance, contact tracing as well
asentryscreeningfortravellers.In
coordination with states/UTs, we
reviewed our public health sys-
tempreparedness...Keepinginvi-
ew the transmission mode of the
disease, socio-cultural and geog-
raphicconsiderationsofourcoun-
try and on the basis of learnings
fromglobalexperiences,westre-
ssed on ways and means to en-
forcesocialdistancingasthemost
potent‘socialvaccine’forcombat-
ing COVID-19. Lockdown is one
such public health measure...
Is there a sense that India has
got a less virulent strain of
the virus? Why are there such
high mortalities in places like
Indore and Ahmedabad?
This question cannot be an-
sweredwithoutgoingintotheepi-
demiology of the disease. COVID-
19 outbreak in India has been the
resultofanimportedviralstrain…
ApaperfromChinadescribedtwo
different variants of this virus — S
and L. L virus has been described
to be more transmissible and
pathogenic. However, the study
had many flaws. The genetic
make-upofthevirusisnotthesole
predictor of the virulence of the
SARS-CoV-2… The transmission
and pathogenicity could have
been influenced by many other
factors which have not been con-
sideredinthestudy...Hence,wedo
nothaverobustevidencetoattrib-
ute high mortality to viral strains
inIndoreandAhmedabad.
While we are calculating
COVID deaths, patients of
other diseases have been
suffering because of
lockdown, because doctors of
non-COVID hospitals have
not got passes, TB reporting is
down. Migrants have died on
way home. Will these be
counted as COVID deaths?
COVID-19deathisdefinedasa
death resulting from a clinically
compatibleillnessinaprobableor
confirmedCOVID-19case,unless
Rationing water, few offs: Managing a barricade in Jaipur
ANKITA DWIVEDI JOHRI
JAIPUR, MAY 1
A200-MLbottleofsanitiseranda
one-litrebottleofBisleriwaterare
among the first things he packs.
Thelatter,hesays,isfortheentire
night. These, and a pair of gloves,
amask,acap,andthethoughtthat
“duty toh karni hai, dar kar kya
hoga (we have to do our duty,
what purpose will fear serve)”,
saysthe42-year-oldheadconsta-
ble, have helped him report to
workforthepastmonthinJaipur’s
Ramganj — one of the COVID-19
hotspots in the tourist city which
accountsforover50percentofits
nearly 900 cases.
“My duty is in ‘core’ Ramganj,
I feel scared to even keep my wa-
ter bottle on the ground, take
smallsipsthroughmyshift.Since
all shops are shut, I can’t buy an-
other bottle. I don’t accept water
fromresidentseither,itmayhave
the virus,” says the head consta-
blewho has been with Rajasthan
THE EXPRESS
INTERVIEW
WITH
DR HARSH
VARDHAN
UNION HEALTH MINISTER
thereisaclearalternativecauseof
death that cannot be related to
COVIDdisease….Itisevidentthat
patients you are referring to as
well as the migrants, who have
died on way home, cannot be in-
cludedinCOVID-19deaths,asper
definition. … During my various
interactions with state/UT health
ministers, I have been stressing
thatweshouldcontinueprovision
of non-COVID services to needy
patients. They are all trying their
best. However, I do understand
that COVID-19 outbreak has
placed unprecedented demands
onhealthcaresystemsworldwide,
notjustinIndia...Thereisariskthat
thequalityofessentialhealthserv-
ices which communities expect
from the health system may get
compromised.
Is it correct that we can have a
COVID vaccine as early as
September?
The challenges and efforts
needed to rapidly develop, evalu-
ateandproducevaccineareenor-
mous. Physicians, funders and
manufacturers have come to-
gether as part of an international
collaboration, coordinated by
WHO, to help speed up the avail-
abilityofavaccineagainstCOVID-
19...AdraftlandscapeofCOVID-19
candidatevaccines,developedby
WHO, includes seven candidate
vaccinesinclinicalevaluationand
another 82 candidate vaccines in
pre-clinicalevaluation.Atthemo-
ment,halfadozenIndianfirmsare
makingeffortstodevelopvaccines
against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Seven vaccines are at various
stagesof theevaluationprocess.
There are projections of India
hitting 2.74 crore cases by
August 15. How long will this
continue?
Alotofmathematicalandepi-
demiologicalmodelsonCOVID-19
areavailablerightnow.Weshould
understandthateverysuchmodel
uses multiple assumptions when
actualdataisnotavailable,asisthe
case with this disease outbreak.
Hence, most models tend to be
purelyspeculative.Withoutexam-
ining the assumptions that have
gone into theformulation of such
models,itisnotprudenttocomm-
ent on their speculative outco-
mes…Indiahasmanagedtokeep
theCOVID-19threatundercontrol
till date, through proactive and
pre-emptiveinterventions...
FULL INTERVIEW ON
www.indianexpress.com
Policefor26years.Jaipurisamong
the13urbancentresthataccount
for well over half the number of
COVID-19casesinthecountry.For
thepastfourweeks,theheadcon-
stable has been stationed at a
picket in Ramganj, along with a
home guard, in Jaipur’s Walled
City where an indefinite curfew
hasbeeninplacesincelateMarch.
Nearly 1,000 police personnel
havebeendeployedintheneigh-
bourhood.
“I have been on night shift,
from 10 pm to 6 am, for the past
10days.Wearesupposedtogeta
day off after seven days/nights of
work, but I have got only a day’s
leave in 30 days. Maybe I will get
one this week,” he says. The po-
licemenworkintwoothershifts-
6 am to 2 pm, and 2 pm to 10 pm.
He moved into a guest house
withanotherconstableafterapo-
liceman at the Ramganj station
contracted the virus a few weeks
ago. “Hadkamp mach gaya (There
was chaos). Earlier, I stayed in the
barracks at Police Lines. All of us
Two more weeks of lockdown, but more things will be up and running, depending on where you live
Orange
zone
284
District
130
Redzone
District
Greenzone 319
District
CONTAINMENT
ZONES
Areas within red and
orange zones where
there is a significant
risk of spread of
infection; its
boundaries to be
determined by district
administration
RED ZONE
A district is designated
red depending on the
total number of active
cases, doubling rate of
confirmed cases, extent
of testing and
surveillance feedback,
based on directions
from Centre.
ORANGE ZONE
Districts which are
neither red or green
GREEN ZONE
Districts with zero
confirmed cases till
date; or no confirmed
cases in the last 21 days
■ Domestic and
international air travel;
travel by rail and Metro;
inter-state bus transport;
and inter-state movement of
individuals by road -- except
TOKNOWWHICHZONEYOURDISTRICTISIN,VISIT: www.indianexpress.com
Badly hit to very good: how TN rode the crisis
ARUNJANARDHANAN
CHENNAI,MAY1
ONE OF the worst-hit states
aroundmid-April,withthelargest
numbers after Maharashtra and
with 37 of its 38 districts report-
ing coronavirus, Tamil Nadu has
sinceturnedacorner.Withasim-
ilar population as Gujarat, it has
nearlyhalfitscasesandone-eight
itsdeaths.Justfive-sixdistrictsare
now reporting cases, while
Coimbatore, which once had the
most patients, has had no fresh
cases for about a week.
What has helped the state
keep the numbers relatively low
(2,526 cases, 28 deaths, as of
Friday evening), after a sudden
surge, is its health network.
Starting from welfare policies in
the 1950s, and despite bitter
transfers of power between par-
ties,thestatehasinplaceasystem
of quality and affordable health-
care.
Of its 203 cases reported on
Friday, 176 were from Chennai
alone.Thecityalsoaccountsfor16
ofitstotal28deaths.OnThursday,
A police barricade at Ramganj on Friday. Rohit Jain Paras
ate from each other’s plates,
shared water bottles, sat on the
same chair and beds... We now
pay Rs 200 for a room from our
own pockets,” he says. A resident
of Haryana, the 42-year-old has a
daughterwhoispursuing BTech.
Ashisconcernsabouthisown
safetygrew,healsoaskedtheSHO
of hispolicestationtohandhima
dose of hydroxychloroquine — a
preventivemeasureagainstcoro-
navirus.“Buthesaidthestockhad
Lockdown lowdown
CONTAINMENT ZONES
■ Local authorities should
ensure 100 per cent
coverage of Aarogya Setu
among residents
■ No movement of people
allowed in and out of these
zones, except for medical
emergencies, and for
maintaining supply of
essential goods and services
RED ( excluding
containment zones)
■ Out-patient departments
(OPDs) and medical clinics,
with social distancing
norms and other safety
precautions
■ Movement of individuals
for non-essential activities
allowed, only between
7 am and 7 pm
■ Movement of vehicles,
only for permitted activities,
with a maximum of 2
persons plus driver in four-
wheelers, and with no
pillion-rider in case of two-
wheelers
■ Private offices can operate
with up to 33 per cent
strength, with the
remaining persons working
from home
■ E-commerce permitted
only for essential goods
URBAN AREAS
■ All standalone shops,
neighbourhood shops and
shops in residential
complexes can remain open,
without any distinction of
essential and non-essential.
NOT ALLOWED ACROSS ALL ZONES
when permitted by MHA..
■ Reopening of schools,
colleges, and other
educational and
training/coaching
institutions
a 27-year-old pregnant woman
died in Chennai.
The inter-ministerial team
sent by the Centre that visited
TamilNaduobservedonThursday
that its recovery rate was “very
good”, with 54% of patients. Its
casefatalityrate,of1.2%,isalsoless
than half the country’s (around
3%).
The state has 25 government
medical colleges with another 11
beingbuiltindistricts.ItsMaternal
Mortality Rate is 16, against
AndhraPradesh’s32andGujarat’s
30, for example, while its Infant
Mortality Rate stands at 2, com-
paredtoAndhra’sandGujarat’s13
and11,respectively.Neighbouring
Kerala may be the only state bet-
terthanitonthesevitalindicators.
LikeKerala,TamilNadu,which
has a huge diaspora in Southeast
Asia, was among the first to start
screening passengers arriving at
airports. It began this in January
lastweek,whennewsofthecoro-
navirusoutbreakwasjustcoming
out of China.
TamilNadugotitsfirstCOVID-
19 case on March 7, an engineer
whohadreturnedfromOman.Its
finished.Ihadabigfightwithhim,
and the matter reached the DCP.
Itwasresolved,butIdidn’tgetany
HCQ,” he complains.
Jaipur Police Commissioner
Anand Srivastava says, “Across
Jaipur, at least 9,000 policemen
are on corona duty. Of these, 300
were given HCQ doses based on
proximity to infected people,
which included policemen ac-
companying medical teams.
Teams stationed at isolation
WHAT IS ALLOWED
■ In malls, markets and
market complexes, only
shops selling essential goods
allowed
■ Industrial establishments
like SEZs, export-oriented
units (EOUs), industrial
estates and industrial
townships with access
control allowed.
Manufacturing units of
essential goods, including
drugs, pharmaceuticals,
medical devices, their raw
material and intermediates
allowed. Manufacturing of
IT hardware; jute industry
with staggered shifts and
social distancing;
manufacturing units of
packaging material allowed
■ Construction work limited
to in-situ construction
(where workers are
available on site and no
workers are required to be
brought in from outside)
RURAL AREAS
■ Liquor shops can stay
open
■ All industrial and
construction activities,
including MNREGA work,
food-processing units and
brick-kilns
■ All shops, except those in
shopping malls, can open
■ All agriculture activities
allowed — sowing,
harvesting, procurement
and marketing operations in
the agricultural supply
chain
■ Animal husbandry
activities, including inland
and marine fisheries.
■ Hotels and restaurants,
cinema halls, malls,
gymnasiums, sports
complexes
■ Places of worship closed to
the public.
second case, on March 18, was of
amigrantworkerwhohadarrived
fromUttarPradesh,withthepos-
sibilityof tracingthesourceof his
infection,includingonatrainride,
a logistical nightmare. But what
really set off the scare in the state
and set its numbers zooming
were the returning members of
the Tablighi Jamaat congregation
fromDelhi.Atonetime,90%of its
cases had links to the Tablighi
Jamaat.Thatproportionhasfallen
to60%nowwithavegetablemar-
ket at Koyambedu, Chennai, one
of the largest in the country,
emerging as a new cluster.
State Health Secretary Beela
Rajeshsaiditwassurveillanceand
continuous monitoring that
helped them limit the numbers.
“We have many people in public
healthandallofthemworkedto-
gether,” she said.
A senior police officer said,
“We acted quickly when we re-
alised that over a thousand peo-
ple had attended the Delhi con-
ference of the Jamaat. Hundreds
of Call Detail Records were re-
viewed,detailssharedacrossdis-
trict officials, coordination was
THE C RONA
FIGHTERS
AN EXPRESS SERIES
wardshavealsobeengivencom-
pletePPEkits...Wehavesufficient
stockofmasks,glovesandPPEkits
for the next 15-20 days.”
Sevenpositivecaseshavebeen
reportedamongpolicepersonnel
in Jaipur, and 50 staff members
who met them have been quar-
antined in the past month. IGP
(JaipurRange)SSengathirsaysthe
department has received masks
and sanitisers from both govern-
ment and private players.
“Some women police officers
have started sewing masks too.
We have also purchased them
from CRPF stores in Delhi... There
is also an SBI-linked insurance
Nation
WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED
■ Cyclerickshaws and
autorickshaws; taxis and cab
aggregators; intra-district
and inter-district buses; and,
barber shops, spas and
saloons.
ORANGE ZONE
IN ADDITION TO ACTIVITIES
ALLOWED IN RED ZONES
■ E-commerce allowed
■ Liquor shops can stay open
■ Taxis and cab aggregators
will be permitted, with one
driver and one passenger
only.
■ Inter-district movement of
individuals and vehicles, but
only for permitted activities.
■ Four-wheelers can carry a
maximum of two
passengers, besides the
driver; pillion-riding is
allowed on two-wheelers.
(None of the above is
allowed in containment
zones within orange zones)
WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED
■ Inter-district and intra-
district plying of buses
GREEN ZONE
■ All activities allowed,
except the limited number
of activities prohibited
throughout the country,
irrespective of the zone.
■ Liquor shops can stay open
■ Buses can operate with up
to 50 per cent seating
capacity; bus depots can
operate with up to 50 per
cent capacity.
■ Persons above 65 years
and those below 10 years,
those with co-morbidities or
pregnant to stay home,
except for meeting essential
needs or emergencies
done by senior officials from
Chennaiand,intwoorthreedays,
wehadtracedallofthem,includ-
ing those who reported on their
own.”
HeaddedthatunlikeinKerala,
where the government sought
thehelpofpublictoototracepeo-
ple,hereofficialshandleditthem-
selves.“Assomepeopleweretry-
ing to use the Tablighi link for
communal purposes, we did not
share contact-tracing details on
social media. We called each of
themindividually,soughtthehelp
of community leaders.”
A senior state secretary said
another step that helped was en-
suringthattherewasnomassex-
odus of migrant workers. “Local
bodieswerequicktoprovideshel-
ter and food,” the secretary said.
Tamil Nadu is currently run-
ning576communitykitchensfor
a total of 1.18 lakh people. Its 245
Amma Canteens record an aver-
age footfall of 3.12 lakh people
daily.
DrAmalorpavanathanJoseph,
the man behind Tamil Nadu’s or-
gan donation system, seen as the
bestinthecountry,alsolaudedthe
cover of Rs 50 lakh for all police
personnel,” he says.
Despite the department’s ef-
forts,saysthe42-year-old,police-
menonthegroundfendforthem-
selves. “I have home-cooked
meals and lots of vegetables. We
havetostayhungryonshiftssince
no restaurant is open, and carry-
ing food to work is too risky...”
“I have three sets of uniform.
Every alternate day, I wash two
sets. I also wash my mask and
glovesandreusethemforaslong
as I can... Apart from the few that
I have got from work, I have also
taken some from friends and
NGOs.If Idon’thavefivemasksin
reserve, I feel anxious,” he says.
Towards the end of March,
when he was told about his de-
ployment in Ramganj, he says “I
was a little nervous”.
“I have served in the relief
team during the Bhuj (Gujarat)
earthquake. I have been on both
election and curfew duty before.
Butthistimethetaskwasverydif-
ferent... My picket is in the interi-
ONLY A QUARTER OF PEOPLE IN GREEN
33% population
in the red zone,
43% in orange
KARISHMA MEHROTRA
& ABANTIKA GHOSH
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
THE 130 districts in the red zone
form 17 per cent of the total dis-
tricts in the country, but account
forabout33percentofthepopu-
lation (2011 Census).
The284districtsintheorange
zone—39percentofthetotaldis-
tricts — account for about 43 per
cent of the population. And the
319 districts in the green zone
form 44 per cent of the total dis-
tricts, but account for only about
a quarter of the population.
While 17 per cent of the pop-
ulation in the red zone are in
Maharashtra, 16 per cent are in
Uttar Pradesh and 12 per cent in
West Bengal.
According to the revised
guidelines, green zones are those
whichhavenotreportedanyfresh
caseinthelast21days,downfrom
the 28 days earlier. Red zones are
defined “by taking into account
thetotalnumberofactiveCOVID-
19 cases, doubling rate of con-
firmedcases,extentoftestingand
surveillance feedback.”
The new classification means
thatsomedistrictswhichhavenot
reportedcasesfor14dayscanstill
be listed in the red zone.
Health Ministry Joint
Secretary Lav Agarwal said on
Friday that the idea is to prevent
an unforeseen surge in cases.
“Earlier,wehadjusttwocrite-
ria for these classifications: total
cases and doubling rates. But as
the cases increase, the recovery
rates change, sampling require-
ment increases, and we need to
change sampling and identifica-
tion criteria. It should be more
broad-based, multi-factorial so
thateveryeventualityforidentify-
ing critical areas for intervention
are identified and no zone which
can go on to become a problem
state’spublichealthsystem,PHCs
andcommunityhealthnetworks.
However, he said, “confusing ad-
hoc measures” over lockdown
could have been avoided.
“Complaintsfromfrontlinework-
ersaboutpoorfacilitiesandsafety
measures could have also been
addressed,” Joseph said.
DrRRamakrishnan,whoear-
lier headed the National Institute
of Epidemiology, said where
Kerala scored over Tamil Nadu
was in the experience it gleaned
from handling the Nipah virus
outbreaks the past two years.
T Sundararaman, former di-
rector of the National Health
Systems Resource Centre, said
bothKeralaandTamilNaducould
have done better in monitoring
severeacuterespiratoryinfections
(SARI)andinfluenza-likeillnesses
(ILI).
With109casesstillaworry,as
their source of infection has not
been traced, Health Secretary
Rajeshsaidtheywerefocusingon
SARI and ILI now. “We have been
watchingsuchcasessinceMarch.
Wehavebeentestingallofthem,”
she said.
ors of Ramganj, and in the early
days,itwasveryhardtoconvince
people to stay indoors,” he says.
Situated in the heart of Jaipur,
Ramganj is among the most
densely populated areas of the
city — making the task of health
workers and security personnel
even more difficult.
The 42-year-old’s shift begins
by first reporting at the Ramganj
PoliceStation.“Wearemarkedab-
sent even for a 15-minute delay,”
he claims. He then puts on his
gear, cleans a chair with his small
bottle of sanitiser and takes it to
his “point”. Night duty, says the
42-year-old,isparticularlytough,
and scrolling through ‘news’ on
Facebook and WhatsApp only
help for a few hours.
“Thereisnoteashopopen.It’s
a struggle to stay awake without
chai... I also listen to Haryanvi
songs and watch Haryanvi films
on YouTube. It keeps me awake,”
he says.
FULLREPORTON
www.indianexpress.com
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
area in the future, should be
missed out. This is how we have
defined red and orange zones
now.Itiscriticaltopreemptanun-
dercurrent of cases that can be-
come unmanageable for the dis-
trict tomorrow,” he said.
The list is dynamic - there
were 170 red zones on April 15,
there are 130 now. However, 42
districts that used to be orange
zones are now red zones.
A comparison with an
Integrated Disease Surveillance
Programme (IDSP) list from April
27showsthat48districtsthathad
reportednofreshcasesforthelast
14 days have now been listed as
orange or red. Lakhisarai in Bihar
had reported no new case in 28
daysonApril27,butisnowanor-
ange zone.
Responding to a question on
two districts in West Bengal
whichhavenotreportedcasesfor
14daysbuthavebeenlistedasred
zones, Agarwal said: “We have
usedverycomprehensivecriteria.
We have to be careful to not let
thingsgooutofhandinthefuture.
There should not be a situation
that we are testing less and we
miss the undercurrent as cases
keep growing. The density of the
population too may hasten
spread.Wehaveidentifiedpoten-
tial future risk districts too and
identified them as red zone. The
challenge is whether we can de-
lineate containment zones prop-
erly and do everything required
with100percentrigour,”hesaid.
“It is important to carry out
proactive and stringent contain-
ment and to ruthlessly break the
chain of transmission so that it
does not go out of the district.
However, outside the contain-
ment zone, it is possible that
there could be some relaxations
that the Ministry of Home
Affairs can notify under the
Disaster Management Act,”
Agarwal said.
Baghel writes to
PM: Tough to get
buses, special
trains needed
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
CHHATTISGARH CHIEF Minister
Bhupesh Baghel on Friday wrote
to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi asking the government to
run special trains to bring back
workers from the state stranded
in other states.
In his letter, Baghel said
Chhattisgarh is coordinating
with other states for the return
of migrants and an action plan
has been chalked out to bring
back workers in buses.
However, he said, it would be
difficult to arrange buses and
other infrastructure required to
bring back workers in such large
numbers. Baghel said special
trains from point to point could
be run to ensure safety, conven-
ience and hygiene of the work-
ers.
Meanwhile, his party—the
Congress—said the govern-
ment’s April 29 order allowing
inter-state movement of
stranded migrants only in buses
defies logic. Senior Congress
leader Abhishek Singhvisaidthe
needof thehourisa“fiscalinjec-
tion specially designed for mi-
grant labour” and not “Tughlaqi
farmans”. “The order of the
Ministry of Home Affairs…on
movement of stranded work-
ers…is nothing but all fizz and
no pop. We wonder whether it
was issued by an ignorant and
uncaring person. It was, in fact, a
crueljoke,”hesaid.Specialtrains
are now being run to transport
migrant workers home.
Cong slams Central
Vista project
The Congress on Friday
slammedtheUniongovernment
for continuing with the redevel-
opment of the Central Vista re-
development project at a time
the country is battling the coro-
naviruspandemic. Thepartyhas
askedtheSupremeCourt to take
noteof theissueandtodirectthe
government that the project
should be the last priority at this
juncture.
Mumbai
 6 THE OUTBREAK Nation
MAHARASHTRA
Hospital first turned away
ASI who tested positive,
later admitted him: Cop
SAGARRAJPUT
MUMBAI,MAY1
A 57-YEAR-OLD assistant sub-in-
spector(ASI),whotestedpositive
for the coronavirus, was turned
away by Hiranandani Fortis
Hospital in Vashi, Navi Mumbai,
initiallybutlateradmittedafterlo-
calofficialsandpolicethreatened
to lodge a complaint, a constable
who was with his family at the
hospital has alleged.
Theconstableallegedthatthe
hospital demanded Rs 2 lakh to
admithim.Butthreatenedwitha
complaintforrefusingadmission,
doctors admitted him after four
hours, said the constable.
The ASI is posted in the
Protection and Security depart-
mentof Mumbai Police and trav-
elstohisworkplacebystatetrans-
port buses. “As he has been
travellingbySTbusesregularly,his
daughter,whoisapharmacist,de-
cidedtogethimtestedforCOVID-
19,” said constable
Satish Dhage.
Afterthetestresultscamepos-
itive, his wife, daughter and son-
in-law rushed him to a private
hospitalinVashi.“Thefamilywas
in constant touch with our DCP
PrashantKadamandaseniorpo-
liceinspector,soafterthehospital
refused admission, they told me
to reach the hospital and help
them get admission,” Dhage
added. Around 8.30 pm on
Thursday, he reached the hospi-
Claimsaboutthehospital
given admission (to a hospital).
Afterwewereinformed,wehada
demanding Rs 2 lakh for word with the hospital following
admissionarecompletely whichthepolicemanwasadmit-
ted.”
baseless;thepatientwas In its response, the hospital
admittedunder MPKAY said,“HiranandaniFortisHospital
scheme.Thepatient had in Vashi is a Navi Mumbai
towaitforapprovalfrom Municipal Corporation desig-
theauthorities,andnot nateddedicatedCOVID-19health
centre.Clearguidelineshavebeen
becauseof anyfinancial issued by the governing bodies
commitment.” thatpatientsneedtobeadmitted
HIRANANDANI FORTIS in the jurisdiction of their own
municipal corporation, and any
HOSPITAL, VASHI
exceptions need to be separately
authorised.Patientsmustunder-
tal.“Theytoldmetheyhaveorders standthehealthcarenetworkand
nottoadmitapolicemanfromany
other district and, as he was
theeffortsthatarebeingmadeto
contain the infection, which re-
posted in Mumbai, they cannot quires that patients get admitted
admithim,”Dhagesaid.Thecon- in their own city limits.
stable then called the COVID-19 “As per the set COVID-19 pro-
helpline started by Mumbai
Police. After that, the hospital au-
thorities agreed to admit him.
tocols,allpatientsthatareadmit-
tedtoourhospitalarecentrallydi-
rected by the Navi Mumbai
“We filled the online forms. Municipal Corporation. The said
After that, the hospital staffers police officer is a resident of
called the ASI’s daughter again Kamothe, which falls under the
andaskedthefamilytodepositRs jurisdiction of Panvel Municipal
2 lakh. I was shocked, so I in- Corporation. Requirement of au-
formed my seniors who advised thorisation from Navi Mumbai
not to pay any money. Police offi- Municipal Corporation, as per
cials and municipal authorities guidelines,wasexplainedtohim.
fromNaviMumbaithenhadtoin- Sinceherequestedtobeadmitted
tervene,” Dhage said. withus,specialauthorisationwas
When they threatened to requestedfor.Uponreceivingper-
lodge a complaint for refusing to mission from the Navi Mumbai
admit an ASI, the hospital finally Municipal Corporation, the pa-
admitted him at 1 am on Friday. tient was admitted.
When approached, Deputy “Claimsaboutthehospitalde-
Commissionerof PolicePrashant manding Rs 2 lakh for admission
Kadamconfirmedthedevelop- are completely baseless; the pa-
ment,butrefusedtocomment. tientwasadmittedunderMPKAY
Navi Mumbai police com- scheme. The patient had to wait
missioner Sanjay Kumar said, forapprovalfromtheauthorities,
“We learnt that a policeman and not because of any financial
posted in Mumbai was not commitment.”
2,400 students
return from
Kota to Bengal
Kolkata: After being stranded at
KotainRajasthanformorethan
amonthduetothelockdownto
curb the spread of COVID-19,
about2,400studentsfromWest
Bengal returned on Friday. The
busescarryingstudentsentered
the state via Bihar and
Jharkhand. After a medical
check-up there, students were
sent towards their homes. IAS
officer P B Salim said 2,400 stu-
dents came in 103 buses. ENS
Office of the Executive Engineer
Provincial Division, P.W.D. Bageshwar
Phone/Fax.No:- 05963-220006 Email ID:-pdpwdbgr@gmail.com
Short Term Tender Notice (e-Tendering)
The Executive Engineer, Provincial Division, Public Works Department Bageshwar invites Online Short Term (Single Bid
System) e-Tender for the following works on behalf of hon’ble Governor of Uttarakhand. All information regarding tender will be
available on https://www.uktenders.gov.in from 06.05.2020
Sl. Name of work Cost of Earnest
No tender form Money (Rs. of Tender Completion Category of
(in Rs.) In Lakh)
1 2 3 4
1 Renewal work by S.D.B.C. in State Guest House 2000.00+ 0.55
approach road in Km 1,2 & 3(200m) under Annual 18% GST
Repair for Financial year 2020-21 (Length-2.200Km)
2 Renewal work by P.C. in Garur-Kapkoti-Falyati Motor 3000.00+ 0.95
road in Km 1 to 4 under Annual Repair for Financial 18% GST
year 2020-21 (Length- 4.00Km)
3 Renewal work by P.C. in Dangoli-Sailani-Darimkhet- 2000.00+ 0.50
Harbar-Pandrapali-Balighat-Dofar-Dharamghar- 18% GST
Kotmanya-Pakhu-Thal-Saatsiling motor road (SH:60)
in Km 36(330m), 37, 38(670m) under Annual Repair
for Financial year 2020-21 (Length-2.00Km)
4 Fabrication, Erection, Bearing fixing, Riveting and 2000.00+ 0.60
painting work in 30m span bridle bridge on Lahur 18% G.S.T
River near Jakh Khari under District Sector in District
Bageshwar.
5 Renewal work by P.C. in Bageshwar-Girechhina- 2500.00+ 0.70
Someshwar Motor road in Km 3,4, & 7 under Annual 18% GST
Repair for Financial year 2020-21 (Length-3.00Km)
6 Renewal work by S.D.B.C. in Km 3,4,5 & 12 of 4000.00+ 1.20
Karnprayag-Simali-Gwaldam-Chaukuri-Thal- 18% GST
Munsyari-Jauljivee Motor road (Baijnath-Bageshwar
Section) under SPAR (Length-4.00Km)
‘Officials told us at 11 pm,
we packed clothes, rushed’
SREENIVASJANYALA
&ABHISHEKANGAD
HYDERABAD,RANCHI,MAY1
VASUDEV SINGH was sleeping
when the announcement came.
Officials came to the makeshift
labour colony at Sangareddy,
some 40 km from Hyderabad,
around 11 pm Thursday and told
them to pack their bags; they
were going home. “We packed a
fewclothesandrushed.Wewere
screened, given token numbers,
askedtoshowourAadhaarcards,
and then told to board buses.
Around 2 am we left for the train
station,”saysthe45-year-oldcon-
structionworkerfromGarhwain
Jharkhand.
Three hours later, Singh was
amongthe1,200migrantlabour-
ers who left for Hatia, Jharkhand,
from Lingampalli
RailwayStationinHyderabad
onboardaspecialtrain—thefirst
such to run since the start of the
national lockdown on March 25.
The 22-coach train was arranged
by South Central Railways after
theTelanganagovernmentmade
arequesttotheRailwayMinistry.
The workers who were sent
backThursdaywereemployedat
a construction site for IIT
Hyderabad Phase 2 buildings,
workonwhichisatahalt.Manyof
the labourers said they hadn’t
been paid their dues.
“We have been living
crammedinshantiesatthecamp,
survivingonbareminimumfood
and bad facilities. I hope to finally
seemyfamily,”saidanemotional
Sanjiv Kumar, from Kurgi in
Jharkhand, as the train set off.
However,whileKumarhoped
this would happen as early as
Saturdaymorning,theJharkhand
governmentwillscreenthemand
may keep them in quarantine on
a case-by-case basis.
The decision to send the
labourershomefollowedtwoin-
cidentsofviolenceatSangareddy
between the men seeking wages
and their supervisors. They also
clashed with police. Later, the
workers petitioned Jharkhand
Chief Minister Hemant Soren,
who placed a request with the
Centre to get the workers back.
Jharkhandhadearliersaiditcould
not get back an estimated nine
lakh people stranded outside the
state on its own.
JharkhandPrincipalSecretary
Amrendra Pratap Singh, head of
the coordinating team for bring-
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manner whatsoever.
Validity Time of Contractor’s
Registration
5 6 7
60 Days 06 Months Category “D”
& Above in
Road works
60 Days 06 Months Category “D”
& Above in
Road works
60 Days 06 Months Category “D”
& Above in
Road works
60 Days 09 Months Category “D”
& Above in
Road works
60 Days 06 Months Category “D”
& Above in
Road works
60 Days 09 Months Category “C”
& Above in
Road works
BIHAR TO SCREEN
RETURNING PEOPLE
AT PATNA STATION,
QUARANTINE THEM
Patna:TheBihargovernment
welcomed the Centre’s deci-
siontosendmigrantworkers
totheirhomestatesbyspecial
trains,includingonerunning
fromJaipurtoPatnaonFriday,
andsaidpeoplearrivinginthe
train will undergo screening
atPatnastation.Fromthesta-
tion, they would be taken by
buses to their respective dis-
tricts, where they would be
quarantinedfor21daysatthe
blockheadquarters,itwasin-
formed. There would be
screening at the inter-state
borders as well. ENS
ing the labourers back, said the
state was informed on Thursday
night,andTelanganadecidedthe
passenger list.
SecretaryRahulSharma,coor-
dinating with officials in
Telangana, said, “We had sent
them a list of 16,000 people
stranded in various parts of the
state.InitiallytheCentresaidpeo-
ple would be moved by road, but
yesterday evening we were in-
formed they were sending a spe-
cial train.”
RanchiDeputyCommissioner
Rai Mahimat Ray said, “Upon ar-
rivalinHatia,eachmigrantworker
will be welcomed with a mask
and a flower. Thermal screening
will be conducted along with
videographyoftheentireprocess.
Sixty sanitised buses have been
preparedfortheironwardmove-
ment to respective districts.” Ray
said they would put the passen-
gersinhomeorinstitutionalquar-
antine in their districts, based on
medical screening.
A South Central Railway offi-
cial said the labourers were
screenedforsymptomsbeforebe-
ing allowed on the train. “To en-
sure social distancing, we re-
moved the middle berth so that
insteadof72passengerspercoach
therewereonly54.Itisanon-stop
train so the Telangana govern-
ment arranged food and water.”
Sangareddy Divisional
Revenue Officer M Nagesh said
they had ensured an adequate
number of food packets, includ-
ing breakfast, lunch and dinner.
MAHARASHTRA
ED files case in irrigation scam
Mumbai: The Enforcement
Directorate (ED) recently regis-
tered a case in the Vidarbha
Irrigation Development
Corporation (VIDC) scam that
was being investigated by the
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)
of Maharashtra Police.
“TwoECIR'swereregistered
in the VIDC scam on the basis
of an FIR registered by ACB in
connection with the case,” an
official said. It is a predicate of-
fence where the angle of
money laundering will be
probed.
Several leaders in the BJP
government, including former
Maharashtra chief minister
Devendra Fadnavis, had al-
leged that Maharashtra Deputy
Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had
played a role in the scam.
Although Pawar has not been
“They were given eight bottles of
waterperheadandwecounselled
themontheprecautionstotake,”
Nagesh said.
A Telangana official said they
wouldmakearrangementsforthe
remaining labourers in the state
too in the coming days, though
this may take time now with the
extensionofthelockdown.About
athousandworkersfromMadhya
Pradesh,Rajasthan,Chhattisgarh,
OdishaandWestBengalcontinue
tobestuckattheSangareddycon-
struction site.
Saying they were mistreated
by their supervisors, one of the
labourers,DevendraMandal,said,
“When we tried to tell them we
wanted to go home and de-
mandedourmoney,theyscolded
us.Theykeptsayingwewouldbe
paid next month. Our families
cannot survive if we don’t send
money home.”
Speakingaboutlastweek’sin-
cident, Sangareddy SP
Chandrashekar Reddy said, “The
workers said they had not been
paid since February and com-
plainedoflackofproperfoodand
accommodation.”
District Collector M workers from Odisha, who were
Hanumanth Rao said he had is-
sued a notice to the construction
firmemployingthemtopaytheir
wages.
However,asseverallabourers
leftsayingtheyhadbeentoldthey
wouldbepaidlater,RajeshSingh,
38, from Ranchi was among the
lucky ones. Going home with Rs
19,000,hisduessinceJanuary,he
said,“Idon’tknowwhenIwillre-
turn but till that time this money
will be useful.”
Amongthosewhosaidhewas
owed money was Khusbir Singh,
alabourcontractor.“Thecompany
hastogivemearoundRs3lakh.It
paid only a portion of it.”
Speaking to The Indian
Express from onboard the train,
Vasudev Singh said, “As soon as
thetrainstarted,wemadevideos,
clicked photos and sent them to
our family members.”
Hamid Raja, returning home
with Rs 400, said his family in
Garhwastartedcryingwhenthey
heardthenews.“Afteramonthof
uncertainty,thisfeelslikeheaven.”
At11.15pmonFriday,thetrain
arrived at Hatia. Waiting for the
labourers were welcome hoard-
ings, roses, food, masks, doctors
readytoscreenthem,200police-
menonthegroundanddronesin
the sky, plus buses labelled
SammanRath(DignityChariots).
named as an accused yet in any
of the cases, then ACB DGP
Sanjay Barve had said in an af-
fidavit in November 2018 that
Pawar had intervened in the
process of awarding of con-
tracts for irrigation projects, by
ensuring that mobilisation ad-
vance (MA) was given to con-
tractors by tweaking rules, and
also by approving irregular es-
calations of project costs.
Last year, the ACB had con-
tradicted its earlier report and,
in an affidavit before the
Nagpur High Court, said that
there was no evidence against
Pawar.
ACBhadbeeninquiringinto
a total of 2,654 tenders of 45
projects of the VIDC as per the
two PILs filed in 2012 in the
Nagpur bench of the Bombay
High Court. ENS
Cyber frauds use PM CARES
bait to cheat people: police
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, MAY 1
ON APRIL 18, 25-year-old Sarita
Rai, a software engineer, re-
ceived a call from a person
claiming to be from PNB Bank.
The person asked the Panvel
resident if she was on the
PhonePe app. When Rai said
she was, the person told he
that due to the lockdown, Rs
1,000 was being deposited in
her account from the PM
CARES fund.
The Prime Minister's
Citizen Assistance and Relief in
Emergency Situations Fund
was set up on March 28. The
fund is to be used to combat
pandemics like COVID-19 and
take up relief efforts.
When Rai told the caller
that she had not heard of any
such scheme, the person asked
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
Police officers in Aluva provide water to passengers. Express
Screened, certified, home
on their mind, 1,140
leave Kerala for Odisha
VISHNU VARMA
ALUVA, MAY 1
THEFIRSTbatchof 1,140migrant
livingandworkinginErnakulam
district of Kerala, boarded a spe-
cial train arranged by the
Railwaystotakethemhome.The
non-stop train destined for
BhubaneswarleftfromAluvarail-
way station at 10 pm on Friday.
V S Sunil Kumar, minister in-
charge of the district, said that
Railways informed them about
the plan to run the train. A
helpdesk jointly run by police,
revenueandhealthdepartments
began registration of the mi-
grants at several camps early
Friday.
G Venu, Deputy
Superintendent of Police,
Ernakulam Rural, said the mi-
grants who wanted to go home
were chosen on first come-first
serve basis, though priority was
given to women, children and
elderly people. As soon as news
of thetrainflashedonlocalnews
channels,longqueuesformedin
areas like Perumbavoor, a hub of
migrant workers.
The workers were screened
for symptoms of cough, cold,
headache and fever. Those who
passed were given certificates
testifying that they were med-
ically fit.
The officer said that those
who could not get into the first
batch were assured that there
Special train leaves Jaipur for Patna
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
JAIPUR, MAY 1
NEARLY 1,200 migrant labour-
ers from Bihar left for Patna by
a special train on Friday night.
According to senior officials
of the Rajasthan government,
all these migrant labourers
were stranded in the state ever
since the lockdown started and
were living in government
camps.
“The labourers who are
leaving today were lodged at
camps in Nagaur district. We
brought them to the closest
point which is Jaipur and from
where they will be sent to
Bihar,” said additional chief sec-
retary, industries, Subodh
Agarwal.
An official from the North
Western Railways (NWR) said
the train will go non-stop till
her to trust him. He then told
her that she would have re-
ceived a message. When Rai
checked her phone, she found
a message stating, “Hey, Please
Pay me 1000 Using This Link-
https://phon.pe/liq1xmti”.
When she clicked on the
link, the PhonePe app on her
opened on her mobile where
she put in her password.
Immediately, Rs 1,000 was
debited from her account.
When she told the caller that
instead of receiving Rs 1,000,
the amount has been debited
from her account, he told her
there was some problem and
sent a link on WhatsApp again.
“In the next few minutes, she
ended up paying Rs 28,000 in
10 transactions,” an officer said.
Eventually, the woman re-
alised she has been duped. She
later approached the
Khandeshwar police station
wouldbemoretrainsinthecom-
ing days. Migrant link workers,
whohadbeenchosenbythedis-
trict administration to keep
channels of communication
openwiththeworkers,continu-
ously worked the phones to tell
them in Odiya that they would
be allowed to go home.
A heavy contingent of police
officers was deployed at Aluva
railway station to take stock of
themeasures.Volunteerspacked
bread, bananas and water to be
distributed to the workers in the
train.
By 7 pm, the first batch of
workers were ferried to the sta-
tioninstatetransportbuses.The
minister,districtcollectorandtop
police officers welcomed them
with food and checked their
medical credentials.
A migrant link worker from
Odisha said on a loudspeaker
that only two workers should sit
on each seat in the train. They
mustwearmasksatalltimesand
washhandsregularly.Theywere
warned against pulling the
emergency chain to stop the
train.
“The state’s responsibility
was to pick them up from their
camps,registerthemusingtheir
identification cards, conduct
medicalcheck-ups,providefood
forthe34-hourjourneyandferry
them to the station. We have
done a systematic job. Railways
informedusthatworkershaveto
buy tickets for the journey,” the
minister said.
Patna from where Bihar gov-
ernment officials will make
arrangements for screening and
help them reach their homes.
“To ensure social distancing,
the middle berth of the coaches
won’t be opened and the train,
which has 24 coaches will go
straight to Patna,” said the NWR
official.
He added that the labourers
were brought through state-
government buses to the rail-
way station.
Another train from Kota fer-
rying around 1,200 students to
Jharakhand was also scheduled
to leave on Friday.
“I am happy that students
from Jharkhand are leaving by
train from #Kota, #Rajasthan to
Jharkhand and they would soon
reunite with their families. My
best wishes to all the students,”
tweeted Rajasthan Chief
Minister Ashok Gehlot.
where an FIR has been regis-
tered against an unidentified
person.
An officer from Thane po-
lice said that a similar com-
plaint was received at
Khadakpada police station in
Thane. In this case, Manjusha
Madvi, a homemaker, received
a call on Thursday from a per-
son claiming to be from the PM
CARES helpline. He told her
that Rs 5,000 had been debited
in her account.
“She checked her inbox and
found a message asking her to
pay Rs 5,000. She, however,
misread it and thought the
message said that she had re-
ceived the money. As she did
not want the money, the caller
asked her to refund it. She then
ended up making several
transactions, Rs 30,000 in all,
before realising that she has
been cheated,” the officer said.
Mumbai
 E EXPLAINED
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

7
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
@ieExplained
#ExpressExplained
If there are questions of current or contemporary relevance that you would like
explained, please write to explained@indianexpress.com

CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD SIMPLY PUT QUESTION &ANSWER

172,481
United Kingdom
THE WORLD
163,009
Germany
205,463
Italy
120,204
Turkey
Fighting COVID with phones
The govt wants everyone to download the Aarogya Setu app to help fight the pandemic. How do contact
167,303 tracing apps work? Which other countries are using them? What are the concerns around data & privacy?
France
114,431
1,070,032 Russia Aarogya Setu is that it collects a single blan-
US
95,646
PRANAV MUKUL
NEW DELHI, APRIL 29
FIVE APPS BACKED BY GOVTS, WHAT THEY SEEK ket consent from the user at the beginning,
and the details of what this consent would
Iran
be used for, is included in the privacy policy.
87,187 ASTHEworldandIndiabattlethenovelcoro- This isnot the casewith similar apps in other
Brazil 213,435
Spain navirus pandemic, India has all but made it countries. The privacy policy of Australia’s
mandatory to download and use a mobile Permissions Aarogya Home Trace Rakning COVID COVIDSafe notes, for example:
required Setu Quarantine Together C-19 Safe
TOTAL CONFIRMED: 3,276,373 DEATH COUNT: 233,998 phone application called Aarogya Setu de-
veloped by the National Informatics Centre (India) (Poland) (Singapore) (Iceland) (Australia)
“We cannot access any contact data
stored on a device, or share this with health
Source: Johns Hopkins University, updated at 11:00 pm on April 30 (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Approximatelocation officials, unless and until a COVIDSafe user
Information Technology. consentstouploadthedatatothedatastore.”
Preciselocation
According to new guidelines for the ex- TheCOVIDSafe app isbased on asourcecode
ReceivedatafromInternet

HOWMASKS,GOWNSCAUSESKIN
tended lockdown beyond May 3, use of
AarogyaSetuisrequiredforallemployees,pri-
vate and public, with the head of the organi-
from Singapore’s TraceTogetherapp, but dif-
Viewnetworkconnections fers from the original app in several ways.
Around the world, questions have also
Bluetoothdevicepairing/access*

INJURIESAMONGDOCTORS,NURSES
sation made responsible for ensuring 100% been raised about what happens to the data
coverage among employees. Earlier in the Fullnetworkaccess andtheappitself oncethepandemicrecedes.
week,allcentralgovernmentemployeeswere Runatstartup Policies of these apps have detailed
asked to download the app and, beginning clausesondeletionof data.Iceland’sRakning
Friday,ithasbeenmademandatoryforevery-
Preventdevicefromsleeping C-19 app says phone numbers it stored will
one crossing the Delhi-Gurgaon border. Readphonestatusandidentity* bedeletedwhentheneedforcontacttracing
ReadcontentsofUSBstorage* is over, and all location data will be deleted
How does a mobile phone app help in from the database 14 days after uploading.
the control of a viral epidemic?
Modify/deletecontentsofUSB* COVIDSafe gives an option to its users to
The Indian government has adopted the Takepics,videos/recordaudio* request deletion of data held in its database;
PAPER strategy of aggressive and elaborate ‘contact
tracing’(alongwithtesting)asthekeytocon-
Controlflashlight thisisinadditiontoallcontactdatabeingau-
tomatically deleted after 21 days.
CLIP trolling thediseaseand restrictingits spread.
Aarogya Setu is a contact tracing app that
Changeaudiosettings
ReadGoogleServiceconfiguration
Aarogya Setu says that “all personal in-
formation collected. at the time of registra-
Putting on PPE in Guwahati. AP uses GPS coordinates and Bluetooth data to Accessextralocationprovider tion will be retained for as long as your ac-
NEW RESEARCH tracktheuser’slocation,bothontheirown,as commands count remains in existence and for such
well as relative to other users, to establish Readsyncsettings period thereafter as required under any law
THEPERSONALprotectiveequipment wearing PPE. Among them, 42.8% ex- whether they have come physically close to for the time being in force”. It will, however,
(PPE)thatmedicalprofessionalswear perienced serious skin injury related someone suffering from COVID-19, and to Togglesyncon&off purge all data stored on the app that is not
while treating COVID-19 patients — touseofPPE,thestudyfound.Flagging make an assessment of their risk of infection. Drawoverotherapps uploaded to the server after 30 days.
masks, goggles, face shields, and pro- the increased risk of infection, the re- Many countries are using mobile apps to Createaccounts,setpasswords Singapore’sTraceTogetherappsaysthaton
tective gowns — causes skin injury. In searchers wrote: “The skin injuries track the spread and progress of the disease. request,itwilldeletecontactinformationand
the process, it puts them at increased among medical staff are serious, with South Korea and Singapore were the early *Eachentrymarkedwithanasteriskreferstotwo identifiers from its servers, thus rendering
risk of infection, according to a new insufficientpreventionandtreatment.” starters. In South Korea, the app was rolled setsofpermissions.Ineachsuchpair,agivenapp “meaninglessalldatathatyourphonehasex-
study by a large team of Chinese re- They researchers identified three out by private developers; in Singapore, it eitherseeksbothsetsofpermissions,ordoesnot changedwithotherphones,becausethatdata
searchers, and published in Advances maintypesofPPE-relatedskininjuries: was an initiative of the government. seekeitherkindofpermission. will no longer be associated with you”.
in Wound Care, a monthly from Mary device-relatedpressureinjuries;moist The use of these apps has been credited Bluetoothdevicepairing/access:Pairwith
Ann Liebert publishers. associated skin damage; skin tear. with a significant extent for these countries’ Bluetoothdevices;accessBluetoothsettings How many people are currently using
The study covered 4,308 medical Several factors increased the risk for success in flattening the disease curve. The ReadphoneIDandidentity:Separatepermissions Aarogya Setu?
staff from 161 hospitals, with re- skininjury,includinggender(seechart). outbreak in these countries began relatively forphone;andfordeviceID&callinformation The Android and iOS versions of the app
sponses from 4,306 valid. The med- Sources: Mary Ann Liebert publishers; early, but as of the end of April, South Korea ReadcontentsofUSBstorage:Separate have been downloaded more than 75 mil-
icalstaff workeddailyfor8to12hours Advances in Wound Care had under 11,000 cases and 247 deaths, permissionsforstorage;andforphotos/media/files lion times, according to official data.
while Singapore had 15,000-odd cases and Modify/deletecontentsofUSBstorage:Separate While Aarogya Setu started off as a vol-
permissionsforstorage;andforphotos/media/files
SOMESTAFFATGREATERRISKTHANOTHERS only 14 deaths. Their case fatality rate and
deaths per 1 lakh population were very low Takepics,videos/recordaudio:Separatefortaking Care19 app, which is used in some
untary exercise to top the government’s ef-
forts of containing the COVID-19 outbreak,
Risk factor Higher prevalence Lower prevalence — 2.3% and 0.48, and 0.1% and 0.25 respec- photos&videos;andforrecordingaudio US states. Reuters itisgraduallyinchingtowardsbecomingone
Gender Male staff: 59.7% Female staff: 40.5% tively,accordingtodataontheJohnsHopkins of the mainstays in the battle. The govern-
University pandemic tracking dashboard. ment has mandated all central government
Age Over 35 yrs: 46.3% Under 35 yrs: 41.2% Chinahasbeenusinghealthappstoward maintainandsharedatacollectedfromusers. app functions in the following manner: employeesandofficerstodownloadtheapp.
Healthcare role Doctors: 51.9% Nurses: 41.6% off apotentialsecondwaveof infection.Italy, Acomparisonofthetermsandconditions Whensomeoneregistersontheapp,their Onlyif theyaremarked“safe”orat“low-risk”
PPE quality Grade-3 PPE: 88.5% Grade-2 PPE: 21.0%). whichseemstohavegotovertheworstof its oftheiruseisinthechart.Thisanalysisisbased name,phonenumber,age,sex,professionand by the app should they commute to work,
crisis,isworkingonanapp,andGermanyhas on the Android versions of the apps; the iOS the countries they visited in the last 30 days the government order said.
Daily wearing time Over 4 hrs: 47.3% Within 4 hrs: 18.7%
backedajointGoogle-Appleinitiativetobuild versions too, need similar permissions. arecollected,andstoredonaserverrunbythe This is in addition to several private com-
Sweating Heavy sweat: 91.3% Not heavy: 17.8% a contact tracing API. The same initiative is India’sAarogyaSetuseeksninesetsofper- Government of India. This is stored with a paniesaskingemployeestodownloadtheapp
under discussion in France, amid disagree- missions (in the chart, the entry on Bluetooth uniqueID,whichisusedtoidentifytheuserin astheyprepareforliftingofthelockdown.Itis
mentovertheamountof datatobecollected. refers to two sets of permissions) — including all subsequent app-relatedtransactions. This possible that a ‘safe’ status on Aarogya Setu
IntheUK,aBluetooth-basedcontacttrac- fornetwork-basedlocation,GPSlocation,re- digitalIDisalsoassociatedwithanyinforma- couldbecomeaformalorinformal‘permit’to
INDIA COUNT: 35,365 (1152 DEATHS) ing app is under testing. In Israel, the NSO
group, which built the Pegasus surveillance
ceivingdatafromtheInternet,runningatde-
vicestart-up,andpreventingthedevicefrom
tion that may subsequently be uploaded.
At time of registration, the person’s loca-
enterpublicbuildingsandspacesinthefuture.
There is one important point to consider
TOP 10 STATES REST OF INDIA
AndamanandNicobarIslands33
software last year, has tested a contact trac-
ing app, even though an initiative by the
‘sleeping’.Thenumberof permissionssought
byAarogyaSetuishigherthanonlyAustralia’s
tiondetailsarecollectedfromthedevice,and
uploaded to the server. For the app to do its
regarding penetration of the app, however -
which is directly linked to its effectiveness.
ArunachalPradesh 1
Assam 42 Israeli police to use mobile phone location to COVIDSafeapp,whichdoesnotseekpermis- job, users must keep the location and Officials from most of the governments
Bihar 426 enforce quarantine measures has been sionfornetwork-basedlocationorforreceiv- Bluetooth features switched on at all times. rolling out these apps have pointed out that
2584 Chandigarh 56 blockedbyParliamentoverprivacyconcerns. ing data from the Internet. When two registered users come within the key factor that will determine the suc-
3515 Delhi Chhattisgarh 40
Rajasthan Several health experts have argued that a The reasons for seeking particular per- Bluetooth range of each other, typically less cess of these projects would be the rapid
2281 UP Goa 7
key tool at governments’ disposal to contain missions range from the purpose and design than 10 metres, the apps on their respective emergence of a critical mass of users. The
Haryana 313
HimachalPradesh 40 the COVID-19 outbreak, and which was not of a certain app, to thedata thatthe app’s de- devices will automatically exchange the dig- apps, including Aarogya Setu, must have a
JammuandKashmir 614 aroundduringthe1918SpanishFlu,istheabil- veloper intends to collect. For example, the ital IDs and record the time and GPS location penetration of at least 50%. This means that
2719 795 Jharkhand 111 ity to harness digital technologies to track the “prevent device from sleeping” permission, at which the contact took place. unless half the population of the country
MP West Bengal Karnataka 576
4395 Kerala 497
spread.Atthesametime,deploymentof con- which all apps analysed for this report (ex- This information collected at this point is downloads the contact tracing app, the in-
Gujarat tact tracing apps by governments or public cept Australia’s COVIDSafe) seek, is intended stored locally on the devices. If one of these tended outcome will not be achieved.
1039 Telangana Ladakh 22
health authorities has added to the debate on to ensure the app is able to keep the smart- registered users tests positive for COVID-19, While this is a reason for governments to
Manipur 2
10,498 Meghalaya 12 online privacy and personal data protection. phone’s CPU awake to complete work. the information will be uploaded from their aggressivelypushfordownloads,criticshave
Maharashtra 1463 Mizoram 1 While some of these apps have sought Android devices are designed to fall mobile device, and stored on the server. argued that this particular response to the
Andhra Pradesh Odisha 143
Puducherry 8 sweeping access to smartphone functional- asleep when idle, to prevent draining of the According to Aarogya Setu’s privacy pol- pandemic opens out a vast space for intru-
2323 Tamil Nadu Punjab 357 ities, others stop just short of that, collecting battery. But some apps need to work in the icy,theappcontinuouslycollectstheuser’slo- sive surveillance by state agencies, threaten-
Tripura 2 and uploading data without specifically ob- background, and for this, they seek permis- cation data and stores it on the device, creat- ingtheprivacyof largesectionsof theirusers.
Uttarakhand 57 taining the consent of users in every case. sion to wake up the phone’s screen or CPU. ing a record of all the places visited at The critics have said that while some of
UnionHealthMinistryupdateasof 11pm,May1. Somestatesmayhave Again,giventhatPoland’sHomeQuarantine 15-minuteintervals.Further,everytimeauser the features that do not necessarily adhere
reportedhighernumbers.Onlystates/UTswithatleastonecaselistedabove. So, which countries already have such appismeanttoensurethoseunderquarantine conducts a self-assessment on the app, tick- to all privacy norms are all right as long as
apps, and what data do they collect? staythatway,itperiodicallyaskspeopletoupload markingCOVID-19symptoms,theappmarks theappisvoluntary,governmentsmaybegin
9065 PATIENTS DISCHARGED IN 30 STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES
Thereareprivateinitiativesinseveralcoun- a selfie, which is geotagged. Upon failure by a this user Yellow, Orange or Green, based in a to make the apps mandatory in order to
tries, but the main government-backed apps user,policearenotified.Tomakethiseffective, reducing order of threat, with Green mean- achievethenecessarypenetration.Thiscould
Have a question on the COVID-19 outbreak and what you should/should not do? are, apart from India, in Poland, Singapore, the app seeks access to camera and storage. ing the person is safe. mean using the app to give a safety clear-
Write to explained@indianexpress.com Iceland, and Australia. Each of these apps re- ance to individuals before they use public
quiresaspecificsetofpermissionsfromusers, How exactly does Aarogya Setu work? What about questions of user privacy? transport, enter their workplaces or even
and have different policies on how they store, India’s official COVID-19 contact tracing One of the red flags being raised about step out of their residential premises.

How outbreak is disrupting both supply of, and demand for, bank loans
(also referred to as wholesale customers). passenger vehicles, and almost every second
UDIT MISRA And yet, there are several sectors of the CHART 1: GROWTH IN RETAIL LOANS CHART 2: ... AS DEMAND FOR UNDERLYING home (new units); this dip in demand com-
NEW DELHI, MAY 1 economysuchasthemicro,smallandmedium EXPECTED TO STALL... ASSETS IS EXPECTED TO PLUMMET pletelyshutsoffthedemandforretailloans.
enterprises (MSMEs) that are facing acute
ONTHEfaceof it,itisaconundrumwhy,de- shortageoffundsespeciallyinthewakeofthe 19.0 19.2 Figures are in % What about the supply of loans?
16.3 16.5
spitetheReserveBankofIndia’srepeatedef- COVID-19-inducedeconomicdisruption. 14.3 15.0 It is a valid question why banks, which
13.5
forts to bring down the interest rate in the are flushwith cheapmoney,arenotaggres-
economy as well as provide more money to What explains this oddity? sively pushing for loans in the economy.
12.0 11.9 -17%
thefinancialsystem,bankshavenotbeenex- To understand what is happening, one Simply put, banks are increasingly risk-
tendingmoreloanstothebroadereconomy. needs to break down the picture into the 7.9 8.7 2-3 -22% Consumer averse. Moreover, they do not know which
7.0 5.9 2.4 -24%
Forinstance,theRBIhasmadeitcheaper demand and supply sides of loans. -25% Two- durables firmwillsurvivetheCOVID-19disruptionand
0-1
for the banks to borrow from it — by reduc- Chart 1 shows the credit growth rate for Passenger Commercial wheelers which will flounder. The irony is that banks
FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

FY20E

FY21P
FY19

ing the repo rate by 185 basis points since
February 2019. Further, it has made it less
remunerative for banks to park their funds
withtheRBIbycuttingthereversereporate
by 225 basis points.
However,atthecount,bankshadparked
close to Rs 7 lakh crore with the RBI.
Essentially, banks have decided to even park
the deposits that they get (say from savings
accountholders)withtheRBIinsteadoflend-
ing to either retail customers or businesses
retail and wholesale consumers. Credit
growthtobusinesseswasalreadystruggling
forthelastseveralyears.Mostofthemomen-
tumtocreditgrowthwascomingfromloans
retail customers were taking. These were
typically being taken by individuals buying
homes, personal cars, and other consumer
durables like televisions, refrigerators etc.
But, as the graph shows, even before the
COVID-19 disruption in the past couple of
months, demand for loans had already
— Corporateloansgrowth — Retailloangrowth
plummeted amongbusinessesin the2019-
20 financial year. Retail loan growth also
sufferedabitastheeconomysloweddown.
However,theCOVID-19impactislikelyto
be spectacular according to most estimates.
CRISILResearchestimatesthatwhiledemand
cars
NewhousingUnits
-45%
fornewloanswouldremainanaemicamong
thebusiness,retailloans,whichwerepushing
upthetotalcreditgrowthrate,willfalltotheir
lowest growth rate in a decade.
Why is the demand for retail loans
vehicles
Source:CRISILResearch
expected to fall?
Chart2showswhy.Demandformostcom-
moditiesforwhichindividualswouldhavetyp-
icallytakenaretailloanislikelytofallsharply.In
termsoffinancingpenetration,almostallcom-
mercial vehicles are financed, as are 75% of all
maybewillingtogiveloanstothebiggerfirms
but these companies do not need new loans
because they already have excess capacity
whilesmallerfirms,whichareindireneedof
funds, appear too risky for banks’ appetite.
In this regard, the regulatory forbear-
ance, in the form of a three-month-long
moratorium on paying back loans, has
made it difficult for banks to assess which
firms are poor are managing their business
and finances in this period.

Mumbai
 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

8
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
WORDLY WISE

THE EDITORIAL PAGE The only way of catching a train I have ever
discovered is to miss the train before
— G K CHESTERTON

FOUNDED BY
Fear, hope and central bank
§

§
RAMNATH GOENKA
RBI’s job involves trade-offs, not conflicts. The virus
BECAUSE THE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL
lockdown makes them even harder

GET ON RIGHT TRACK Manish Sabharwal

Special trains for migrants are welcome, must be informed by
AMARTYA SEN ONCE wrote in the Economic seculardeclinehas many parents, someeco- Depression. Historian Heraclitus suggested
sensitivity and fair play, and guided by medical protocols and Political Weekly that Alfred Tennyson’s nomic models are useful but all are incom- youcanneverstepinthesamerivertwice;the

A
poem “The Charge Of The Light Brigade”,
DAY AFTER the Union Home Ministry allowed the inter-state movement of which glorified charging ahead in nobility,
migrant workers, a train carrying about 1,000 labourers took off from “Theirsnottoreasonwhy/Theirsbuttodoand
Lingampally in Telangana for Hatia in Jharkhand on Friday morning. The die”, was inappropriate inspiration for policy
homeministryhadinitiallyallowedthemovementof theseworkersinbuses. because “Good reform is the charge of the
But several states had questioned the feasibility of the move and demanded that the rail- heavy brigade. The reason why is central to
the task”. A central bank like the RBI must re-
waysrunspecialtrainstoferrythestrandedmigrants.TheCentrehasdonewelltoaccede
place intellectual certainty with continuous
totheirrequest.TherailwayshasoutlinedplanstorunspecialShramikTrainstomovemi- debate about Why because their job involves
grant workers, tourists, students, and pilgrims back to their homes. It has asked the state complex trade-offs — next quarter vs quarter
governments to make sure that the Centre’s COVID-19-related guidelines on the screen- century,growthvsstability,and mandatesvs
ingof inter-statetravellersarescrupulouslyfollowed.It’snowuptothesegovernmentsto expectations. A global anthropological shock
draw up plans and protocols for this purpose. They must hold regular conversations with like COVID makes these trade-offs — they are
not conflicts — even harder. The RBI must re-
the railway authorities to ensure transparency in running the special trains.
member three things — acting prudently to
By all accounts, about 10 million migrant workers have been stranded in different balancethenextquarterandquartercentury,
parts of the country after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nation-wide lock- acting flexibly to blunt this economic cata-
downonMarch 24. Having livedon charityin cramped sheltersarranged bystate govern- clysm,andactingwithintheirmandatetoen-
ments, NGOs and some business outfits, these workers are yearning to go back to the fa- sure institutional legitimacy and immunity.
miliarity and comfort of their villages. The prospect of a train back home is bound to First, acting prudently. If everybody be-
lieved that in the long run we are all dead,
kindle their hopes. But such situations are also rife with feelings of desperation and anx-
we would never sit under trees planted by
iety. This was evident in Mumbai, about three weeks ago, when distressed migrants people who had no chance of sitting under
swarmed the Bandra railway station, anticipating a relaxing of the lockdown. When their them. The coronavirus is a human tragedy
hope turned to disappointment, the hapless workers took to the streets. To prevent such but a central bank must not act like a com-
a situation from recurring, the railways and the state governments must engage and in- mercial bank because that would compro-
form the migrants while planning special trains. Decisions on who gets to be on the trains mise the balance between today and tomor-
row. A narcissism — bordering on solipsism
must be fair and must be seen to be so too. The state must keep all channels of commu-
— already reflects in global debt levels that
nications open with those who might temporarily be left out.
steal from our grandchildren. More impor-
TherailwayshassaidthatthepassengersontheLingampally-Hatiatrainwerescreened tantly, India doesn’t have the economic
andsocialdistancingprotocolsfollowedduringthejourney.Giventhatseveralstudieshave
strengthtocopytheUSFederalReserve’s$2.3
shown that most coronavirus carriers are asymptomatic, the imperative of following such trillion offer to lend to businesses of all sizes
protocols on future journeys cannot be overstated. The state governments and railway of- and sorts, run anything close to this year’s
ficialsshouldmakesurethattheseoperationsareconductedwithoutburdeningthemigrants expected US fiscal deficit of 15 per cent of
GDP, or sustain Japan’s public debt levels at
but at the same time, care should be taken to ensure that the virus does not spread to the
240 per cent of GDP. We are all in the same
country’sruralareas.Allthismayposelogisticalchallengesfortherailwaysandthestategov- storm but we are all not in the same boat.
ernments.Itwillrequirethemtocooperateandcoordinateonmatterssuchasmakinglists Second, acting flexibly within mandate.
of thetravellingmigrants,ensuringscreeningfacilitiesforthem,andarrangingtransportto, Renaissance physician Paracelsus had im-
and from, the railway stations. This is an opportunity for these authorities to get the first portant advice for central banks; the dose
makes the poison. Anything powerful
steps towards the opening up right. For that reason, they will be closely watched.
enough to help has the power to hurt; han-
dling the inevitable tensions between the
Just like COVID is
particularly painful for
patients with pre-existing
conditions, the RBI’s
COVID balm is constrained
by pre-existing conditions in
Indian banking; bad loans
(peaked at Rs 14 lakh crore
but still large), inadequate
competition (scheduled
commercial bank numbers
have hovered between 90
and 100 since 1947), private
bank governance (CEO so
powerful that boards and
shareholders are weak),
public sector bank
governance (shareholder so
powerful that boards and
CEOs are weak), and the
RBI’s own game (process,
technology and human
plete,andthefogof warinvolvesmakingsec-
ond best choices as long as they are
reversible, proportional, and accountable.
Central banks often undertake liquidity
management while leaving policy rates un-
changed;currentactionsarenotaconspiracy
tounderminetheMPCoritsinterestratecor-
ridor (between reverse repo rate and MSF
rate with repo rate midpoint targeting and
call rate operating target). They are a prag-
matic encouragement for banks to lend to
clients rather than lend Rs 7 lakh crore to the
RBI. Other virus flexibility includes repay-
ment moratoriums (with 10 per cent provi-
sions), bad loan accounting forbearance (de-
spite past experience of breaking the
thermometer doing little for the fever) and
bank windows for NBFC/Mutual Fund liq-
uidity. Listening is hardly compromise.
Especially if accompanied by a will to un-
wind liquidity, asymmetry and forbearance
when the planet’s gap year ends.
Third,actingwithinmandate.Centralbank
governance is a fine balance; they function
best when they don’t declare poorna swaraj
fromthegovernmentandtheyaren’tconsid-
ered a part of the finance ministry. The diffi-
culty of balance isn’t uniquely Indian;
Wharton Professor Peter Conti-Brown asks:
“Is the independence of the US Federal
Reserveapreciouspublicgoodtobeprotected
oranefariousdodgeofpublicaccountability?”
History suggests technocratic central banks
runbyunelectedofficialsamplifyinstitutional
vulnerability by wading into democratic pol-
itics; the messy, slow and clunky process in-
volvingconciliation,compromise,andsqueez-
ing collective decisions out of conflicting
demands described in Bernard Crick’s won-
derful1963book,InDefenceofPolitics.TheRBI
must build on its track record of wisely bal-
ancing the trade-offs between depositors vs
borrowers,companiesvsbanks,andstability
vsgrowth.Anditmustcontinuetostayoutof
river is different, you are different, and the
worldisdifferent.Historymattersbutnobody
knowsif thisisthebeginningorendingof the
virus. Yet the global central bank COVID tool-
box has been substantial; buying corporate
bonds,makingcorporateloans,cuttinginter-
estrates,conductingopenmarketoperations,
and reducing reserve ratios. Additionally,
banks have been permitted to grant loan
moratoriums, hold less capital, restructure
loans,paylowerdepositinsurancepremiums
and delay bad loan recognition. The emer-
gency authority under Section 13 of the US
FederalReserveActbeingused—inmyopin-
ion,prematurely—alsoexistsinSection18of
the RBI Act. But emergency powers are a last
resort. We are not there yet. The recovery be-
ing V-shaped, U-shaped, or Bathtub-shaped
is only modellable after the lockdown.
Just like COVID is particularly painful for
patientswithpre-existingconditions,theRBI’s
COVID balm is constrained by pre-existing
conditions in Indian banking; bad loans
(peaked at Rs 14 lakh crore but still large), in-
adequate competition (scheduled commer-
cialbanknumbershavehoveredbetween90
and100since1947),privatebankgovernance
(CEOsopowerfulthatboardsandsharehold-
ers are weak), public sector bank governance
(shareholder so powerful that boards and
CEOs are weak), and the RBI’s own game
(process, technology and human capital in
regulationandsupervision).Allthesemustbe
tackledwithurgencywhennormalcyreturns.
The true antidote to fear is hope. Another
fiscal package may come soon. But supple-
mentingIndia’sfiscalandmonetarypolicyin-
terventions by announcing two bold reform
plans — 90-day flick-of-pen and one-year
structural — that tackle overdue reforms in
labour,education,cities,finance,compliance,
and civil services, will catalyse hope among
employers, employees, banks, and overseas
investors. Creating a prosperous India needs

SELF-ISOLATED
RBI’s dual mandate of growth and stability
requires continuous work. Our inflation tar-
geting regime is a macroeconomic gift to
India. But recognising that is hardly incon-
In national interest, and in their own interest, private hospitals sistent with acknowledging that inflation’s
capital in regulation and
supervision). All these must
be tackled with urgency
when normalcy returns.
the government’s domain.
The central bank crisis role debate is
skewedbythegreatbook,LordsofFinance,by
Liaquat Ahamed that shows how central
bankers of the 1920s failed to fight the Great
many things. One of them is an independent,
accountable, and boundaried central bank
that listens.
The writer is co-founder, Teamlease Services

must reconsider their divestment from fight against pandemic

I
T IS ALMOST two decades after liberalisation, when private enterprise took the
initiative from state enterprises. In that time, privately-owned and for-profit hos-
pitals took the burden of disease over from a moribund system of publicly-funded
hospitals. But the Rs 2.4 lakh crore private health care sector is faltering in the face
of a public health crisis, whose burden is being borne by government hospitals, their doc-
tors and nurses. Private enterprise owns almost three out of every four hospital beds in
BACK TO THE OLD NORMAL
India, and almost eight out of 10 ventilators, but they are handling less that 10 per cent In Pakistan, religious leaders, not doctors, are setting Covid policy
of those critically ill with novel coronavirus. States like Bihar, where private capital owns
about twice as many beds as government hospitals, have seen the private sector in com-
plete rout. The reluctance to engage is so great that they have been turning away coron- Khaled Ahmed
avirus patients and other patients in need of aid. In Delhi and Maharashtra, the state gov-
ON APRIL 23, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced Ramadan and so did the rebel- acrossthecountrybeingfilledpredominantly
ernment has had to issue orders so that they do not turn any more away.
stagedafour-hour“telethon”tocollectfunds lious mullah Popalzai of Peshawar, claiming by people over the age of 50, the risk of the
As a series of reports in this newspaper showed, numerous factors have been at play for the coronavirus crisis and ended up net- hehadseenthemoon.Now,likemanytimes virus spreading is high”. They disclosed that
inthisfailure—paycuts,employeereluctance,thefearof sealing,thefutureconsequences tingnearlythreebillionrupeesbeforeasking in thepast,Pakistan will getsplit over fasting in“thepast48hoursmorethan80percentof
to brand value of hospitals identified with the pandemic, the lack of established proto- his favourite cleric, Tariq Jameel, to pray. The and end up celebrating two Eids. thepeople”prayinginmosqueswereintheir
cols and protective gear, and bureaucratic instructions, like those issued in Telangana, to mountebank priest first rejected the word PMKhanwasneverforfollowingthedoc- 60s and 70s. “Clearly this has resulted in the
refer viral patients to government facilities. Underlying all this is the economic reality of “fight”againstthecoronavirusbecauseitwas tors — dozens of whom have fallen victim to violation of the first and foremost principle
falling revenues and footfalls, accompanied by new expenses and risk. While the central “a curse of Allah” and needed repentance the pandemic while treating victims — be- of preventing the spread of the virus in the
fromanationhethoughtwascorruptandlas- causehecaredforthelivelihoodofthemasses most vulnerable group of elderly people”,
and state governments should offer to underwrite the risk, the fact remains that a sector
civious.Khanandthenationtookitastheold living below the poverty line. Then the mul- stated the letter from the Pakistan Islamic
which has benefited hugely from government concessions and encouragements, and normal and bowed their head. lahspitchedin,ledbyMuftiTaqiUsmani,who Medical Association (PIMA).
which has tried to take over healthcare in India, has abdicated its public responsibility Unsurprisingly, theclergy in Pakistan has scares everyone because of his de facto au- One-third of Pakistan’s population lives
and remains isolated from the national effort. theupperhand and has defeatedthedoctors thorityinsidePakistanandamongtheArabs. below the poverty line, whose children end
The pandemic offers an opportunity to policymakers to revalue the virtues of public in deciding the state policy against COVID- In this case, he defiantly overruled the Saudi up in free-boarding madrassas. The madr-
versusprivatehealthcare,andthoseof freefacilitiesversusinsurance-backedcare.Butboth 19, which had struck 10,500 victims and had monarchythathaddecidedtobanallcongre- assa’s worldview is focused mostly on jihad
claimed280livesattheendof April.Thedoc- gation together with the other Gulf states. andtherejectionof modernlife.Accordingto
must continue to exist and the present system, however flawed, must carry the nation
tors raised the alarm after Pakistan Tehreek- TheKhangovernmenthaddecidedtounr- one report, there were 300 madrassas in
through the crisis. To retain its perceived value, it is imperative for the private sector to do e-Insaf (PTI) reached an “accord” with the The Khan government had ealistically allow the mosque administration Pakistan in 1947; today, there are more than
its public duty now, and be seen to be doing so. In a crisis in which every citizen is pulling “top” priests of the country to let people decided to unrealistically tosayathree-mannamaz(sic).Usmanijoined 35,000. Poverty and a lack of normal educa-
togetheraccordingtoability,financialexcusesforwithdrawingappeartobepusillanimous throng the mosques five times a day, plus allow the mosque upwiththestate-appointed“moon-spotting” tion set the stage for religion as a psycholog-
and morally wrong. In their long-term interest, abstaining private hospitals must recon- special prayers during the month of administration to say a mullahMuftiMunibtodeclarethatthegover- ical refuge of neglected populations.
sider this divestment from the national effort. Ramadanfallingin the last week of April,de- nment-allowedmosquenamazwasnotacce- InIndia,too,theMuslimminority,asseen
pending on special moon-sighting by the three-man namaz (sic). Taqi ptable and that people should throng to their on TV being beaten up by Hindu vigilantes,
same religious panjandrums. Usmani joined up with the localmosquesasbefore.ThenKhandecidedto has turned inward to religion. Small-time
state-appointed ‘moon-
CREATOR OF MAGIC
Then, something funny happened. parleywiththerebelclerics andended upal- Muslim shopkeepers spend time earning
Another senior priest of Pakistan, Mufti lowingthemosqueprayersthatwouldspread theirdailywageandgoingfivetimesadayto
spotting’ mullah Mufti
Munib, got on to a roof in Karachi to sight the thepandemiclikewildfire.Bothsidesagreed theirlocalmosqueandbecometargetsof the
Ramadan moon but did not find it. There is Munib to declare that the on an unrealistic recipe of keeping the devo- communaldiscriminationthathashitSouth
With grace and a cutting edge, Chuni Goswami held up the an Islamic lunar calendar predicting accu- government-allowed mosque tees three feet apart while praying, which no Asia.InPakistan,itisgoingtobeimpossibleto
rately the rising moon every month but the namaz was not acceptable one believes can be put in practice. keep the masses away from the mosque
most romantic era of Indian football priests would have none of it. When the Thedoctorsof Pakistansaidinaletterthat where they are likely to catch COVID-19.
and that people should

W
moonwasnotsightedonThursday,themufti if the mosques were opened, the country’s
ITH THE PASSING away of Chuni Goswami, Indian football has lost ar- declaredthatthefollowingdaywouldnotbe throng to their local medicalservicewouldnotbeabletotreatthe The writer is consulting editor,
guablyitsgreatest-everplayer.Amonghispeers,hestoodouteasily.PK thefirstdayof fasting.SaudiArabia,however, mosques as before. victims. They warned that “with mosques Newsweek Pakistan
Banerjee had speed and strength, Tulsidas Balaram thrived in an all-
round game but Goswami had magical skills. Nobody in the history of
Indianfootballhadasharpercuttingedgeinthefinalthird.Inhisautobiography,WingTheke
Goal (Wing to Goal), PK mentioned a piece of Goswami’s brilliance during a match at the
1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Goswami dribbled past four opposition players, went around MAY 2, 1980, FORTY YEARS AGO
the goalkeeper and instead of feeding the unmarked PK, the then India captain scored from
a very acute angle. PK wrote, “I asked him why didn’t he give me the ball. Chuni’s reply was FIVE-DAY WEEK in fuel, energy and other expenditures. vote, explained to the Council that he would
sharp, ‘I set it up going past five players, and you will put the cherry on top!’” THE UNION CABINET is understood to have dosobecausetheresolutioncouldnot“bring
Goswami was a born athlete. As a first-class cricketer, he was good enough to lead approved the proposal for a five-day work US VETO ON PALESTINE the achievement of peace one day closer to
week and an announcement in this regard is THE UNITED STATES vetoed a Tunisian reso- practical reality.”
Bengal to a Ranji Trophy final. His inswingers had floored Garry Sobers’s West Indies in
likely soon. The department of personnel of lution that would have had the UN Security
a tour game against East Zone and Central Zone combined in the 1960s. the Union home ministry has been asked to Council call for a Palestinian state. The vote BAHUGUNA RESIGNS
In many ways, Goswami, PK and Balaram symbolised the most romantic era of Indian take necessary action. The five-day week was 10-1 with four abstentions. The resolu- H N BAHUGUNA, Congress-I secretary gen-
football. India was not a footballing superpower then. But they were no pushovers either, plan was mooted some time ago in view of tiongotonemorethantheninevotesneeded eral, has resigned. He also resigned from the
and could produce moments of underdog magic, like beating Asian giants Iran, Japan and the increasingly feltneed for conservation of to put it through under normal circum- Congress-I working committee and parlia-
South Korea. They were not, perhaps, the most technically gifted or systematically regi- energy and fuel. Moreover, it was felt that stances, but the US’s negative vote killed it. mentary board. When he was asked why,
mented footballers. But when in sync, they could orchestrate artistic football, turn on the with two off-days in a week, the employees Britain, France, Portugal and Norway ab- Bahuguna said: “I had become non-func-
will be better equipped physically and men- stained. Tunisia, Niger, Gambia, Mexico, tional.No jobonhandandnothingtodo.”He
style quotient. There was always the allure of raw talent, and a beautiful unpredictabil-
tally to do better justice to their jobs. Jamaica, Bangladesh, the Philippines, China, said it had “nothing to do with” the list of
ityaboutthem.WithGoswamiandBanerjeegone,Balaramremainstheflickeringlinkbe- Government sources have estimated that a the Soviet Union and East Germany all voted Congress-I candidates for the UP assembly
tween the grossly commercialised times of Indian football and its uncomplicated black- five-day week will mean a yearly national for the proposal. US Ambassador Donald elections. He said he had not, however, re-
and-white era. saving of Rs 600 crore in the form of savings McHenry, just before casting his negative signed from the party.

Mumbai

9
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
THE IDEAS PAGE
A new phase of the fightback
Thoughstringent,lockdownwastimely.Now,it’stimetoaddressballooningopportunitycostsacrosssectors
Shamika Ravi
WHILE THE OECD countries are reeling un-
der the COVID-19 impact, India is clearly
ahead of the curve. This is not merely in
terms of the confirmed cases in the country
butisalsostronglyreflectedinverylowmor-
tality numbers (8.5 deaths per lakh popula-
tion)comparedtoothernations(4,040inthe
UK and 1,930 in the US). While the first cases
werereportedinmosthotspotcountriesand
India around the same time (last week of
January), today, the outbreak is far more
manageable in India than in most other
countries. It was pragmatic for a resource-
poor country to be pre-emptive and declare
a national lockdown when the total number
of caseswerestilllowat500.Thesubsequent
growth of thepandemicclearly showsa per-
ceptible decline in the number of cases due
to the lockdown. Though stringent, this was
much-needed and a timely policy interven-
tionbythegovernment.Itisimportant,how-
ever, to appreciate the high and growing op-
portunity costs that are involved during a
lockdown.Wemustbraceourselvesforlong-
term pandemic management (18 to 24
months) with significant economic impact
on our lives.
The immediate costs of the lockdown are
borne by the most economically vulnerable
people in society. This perhaps was the ra-
tionale behind the first round of economic
policy interventions announced by the fi-
nance minister within a few days of the lock-
down. They targeted front-loading of cash
transfers through PM-Kisan, support to con-
structionworkers,self-help groups,fooddis-
tributionthroughthepublicdistributionsys-
tem,amongothers.Beyondwelfareconcerns,
there are significant growth concerns that
aremountingwitheverydayof economicin-
activity in the country. Companies are strug-
gling to honour payroll and maintain their
workforce against cancelling orders and de-
clining demand for their goods and services.
These in turn will lead to greater delays and
defaults in loan repayments, thereby further
weakening the fragile banking sector and
struggling credit markets.
The Reserve Bank of India stepped in for
some timely monetary interventions, how-
ever, the longstanding climate of risk aver-
sionwithinthebankingsectorwillmeanthat
transmission of these monetary interven-
tions is unlikely to be timely or adequate. All
eyes are set expectantly in one direction.
Historically, when economies are faced with
major calamities, governmentsstepin tosta-
bilise theenvironmentandboost confidence
within the business community who are the
creatorsof wealthandemployment.Wehave
seen this response from all major economies
disrupted by COVID-19 over the last several
weeks. India will not be an exception to this
as the government fine tunes its strategy to
supportandkickstartourimmobilisedecon-
omy. The opportunity cost of time, however,
is ballooning with each passing day. Just like
the spread of the virus, we are up against the
Lakshmi Puri
“IT’S AN ideal weapon because it only de-
stroys people... It’s a virus, airborne, inde-
structible,self-perpetuating,multiplyingbe-
yond our calculations and all life will cease
to exist everywhere... Nothing can stop the
Satan Bug.” Gregor Hoffman, the insane bio-
scientistinthe1962AlistairMacLeanscience
fiction book and the 1965 film on the same
(The Satan Bug), ominously described bio-
logical weapons thus.
The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly
awakened the world to the destructive po-
tentialof extremebiologicalevents.Manysee
COVID-19asaquasi-biologicalwarinitsscale,
scope, duration and impact. UN secretary
general Antonio Guterres has called this the
biggest international crisis since World War
II.Healthandbiosecurityhave,thus,become
paramount in national security in 2020.
COVID-19 illustrates the insidious nature
and catastrophic potential of biological
weapons. Highly transmissible and deadly,
new biological agents cannot be anticipated
and the time lag in finding treatment and
vaccines inflicts high morbidity and mortal-
ity on defenseless populations. The latency
period and mutation into different strains
makes disease detection and controlelusive.
Mass contagion and fatalities can bring even
the most powerful countries to their knees
and economies to a halt. Societies can be put
into turmoil and governance can suffer seri-
ous crises.
As such, our preparedness to detect ex-
tantandpotential,naturalandmoredanger-
ous, human-manipulated biological agents,
and biodefend in a timely way is vital.
Makingallournormallaboratoriesandmed-
ical facilities transformable into a seamless
CONFIRMED CASES IN COUNTRIES WITH 50000+ CONFIRMED CASES, AND INDIA AS OF APRIL 30
1,280,000
640,000
320,000
160,000
CaseDoubleevery2days
80,000
40,000
20,000
10,000
5,000
2,000
IndiaUpdate
1,000 March29:Increaseingrowthrate,fromcasesdoublingevery5daystoevery4days
ProbablytheeffectofMarch13thtoMarch15threligouscongregationatNizamuddintotallockdwon
500 IndiaUpdate
March23:Reductioningrowthratefrom
casesdoublingevery3daysto
200 every5days
Day0,300+cases Day10
Data Source: 2019 Novel coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Data Repository by Johns Hopkins CSSE
Data update for India: 2020-05-01 02:32:28 (UTC)
full force and power of compounding.
Mindful policy interventions, when timed
well, can cut growing losses and the misfor-
tune of many.
India is a large country and the current
crisiskeepsremindingusof thatrealityevery
day.Whilewehavesucceededinslowingthe
growth of the virus at the national level, the
true gains and pains are at the state and local
level. As the data reveals, currently we have
threestatesthathavemaderemarkablegains
and “flattened the curve” of COVID cases.
These are Kerala, Haryana and Tamil Nadu
where recoveries are growing and active
cases are rapidly declining. States like
KarnatakaandTelanganaareimprovingtheir
recovery rates consistently, despite fluctua-
tions. While every state and local adminis-
tration has to keep eternal vigil and double
down on containment and testing,they have
to aggressively improve their contact tracing
efforts with the help of their police who are
trained in debriefing, call record mapping
andhavemoremanpowerthanpublichealth
departments of local administrations.
What should our strategy be? Given the
scale and variation in infection control
across the country, our national strategy
needs to be informed and calibrated.
Currently, there are more than 300 districts
in the country which have reported zero
COVID-19 cases. This can be confirmed
quickly with some random testing (we do
have the capabilities to conduct these
meaningfully) and the lockdown can be
lifted effective immediately. Then there are
about 225 districts which have reported less
than 10 cases each. With adequate ring fenc-
ing at the level of the block where these
cases are reported, these districts too can
afford to lift their lockdowns. There are,
however, approximately 30 districts across
the country which have reported large
numbers of confirmed cases and are identi-
COVID-19, a morality tale
Itshouldinspirecountriestorecommittoprincipleof universalbio-deterrence
biosecurity infrastructure for quick and reli-
able testing, and vaccine development and
deployment in telescoped time, is critical.
Any bioweapon attack or pandemic af-
fects the armed forces’ capacity to deal with
other WMDs, conventional and terrorist
threats.Thedoublejeopardyof armedforces
getting weakened by the disease and their
resources being diverted for pandemic re-
sponseposessecuritychallenges.Biosecurity
should be mainstreamed into our defence,
security and counterterrorism strategies.
Ideally, a dedicated National Rapid
Deployment Biosecurity Force of armed
forces, police and health responders should
perform frontlinepandemic-relatedbio-de-
fence, and disaster relief and response roles.
The COVID-19 war has exposed the chal-
lenges of differentiating between the offen-
sive and defensive: Peaceful and aggressive
purposesof biological agents. We, therefore,
need to reengineer verification and certifi-
cation systems for accurate differentiation.
Similarly, healthsecurity and biosecurity are
complementary but require distinguishing
between intentional harm and inadvertent
transmission.
The controversy about whether the
COVID-19 virus was natural or human-en-
gineeredin aWuhanlaband accidentally re-
leased,andtheUSgovernmentinvestigation
into it, elucidates the challenges of biosafety.
Hand wringing about being blind sided dur-
ing the first stirrings of the pandemic in
China has exposed weaknesses in the inter-
national early warning systems. Effective,
credible, national and international, bioin-
telligence and bio-surveillance systems —
especially for new diseases and potential
CaseDoubleevery3days
UnitedKingdom:172481
Turkey:120204
Russia:106498
India:34863
CaseDoubleevery4days
IndiaUpdate
April6:Reductioningrowthrate,fromcasesdoublingevery4daystoevery6days
ProbablytheeffectofMarch25thtotallockdwon
ProbablytheeffectofMarch12th
policies:
1.Travelbanandrestrictionsforcertain
overseascountries
Day20 Day30 Day40
Mudit Kapoor (ISI, Delhi) & Shamika Ravi (Brookings)
India is a very large country
and the current crisis keeps
reminding us of that reality
every day. While we have
succeeded in slowing the
growth of the virus at the
national level, the true gains
and pains are at the state and
local level. As the data
reveals, currently we have
three states that have made
remarkable gains and
‘flattened the curve’ of
COVID cases.
bioweapons—arecritical.China’sfulldisclo-
sureandcooperation,asthevirusoriginating
country, is essential.
Stopping hostilestate or non-state actors
from stealthilyandeasily developingbiolog-
ical weapons is imperative. Biosafety de-
mands prevention of accidental release or
theft of biological disease agents from mul-
tiple, unevenly secured research facilities —
governmental and private R&D labs, biotech
andvirologycentresof countries.Thesefacil-
ities need to be catalogued according to es-
tablished containment/safety levels, espe-
cially for dangerous biological toxins.
Protocols in case of accidents and theft need
to be established for them.
National defence intelligence should in-
corporatemedicalintelligenceandinfectious
diseases-risk assessment, and pandemic
predictions. A dynamic national strategy for
bio-intelligence and cooperation with
friendly biosecurity powers is needed. Close
coordination with the national public health
systems, and keeping a careful tab on biode-
fence facilities is indispensable.
The COVID-19 experiencehas shown the
lack of authoritative and independent mul-
tilateral biosurveillance mechanisms. We
need to empower the WHO’s health secu-
rity mechanisms to surveil and access facil-
ities in ground zero countries, free from
geopolitical pressures. India needs to propel
the early reinforcementof the Biologicaland
Toxin Weapons Convention with a compre-
hensive, legally-binding protocol on credi-
ble biosurveillance, verification and compli-
ance mechanism at the 2021 review
conference.
Biological weapons are now more
US:1069424
Spain:213435 Italy:205463
France:167299
Germany:163009
Brazil:87187 Iran:94640
Canada:54457
Statepolicies:
2.Shutdownofschools/colleges/public
places
3.Statespassstringentquarantinelaws
Day50
fied as “hotspots”. The lockdown in these
places needs to continue with some relax-
ations for basic trade and essential services.
Not surprisingly, these “hotspots” are also
important economic centres of the coun-
try. The capacity of the local administration
to develop and enforce appropriate strate-
gies of containment, contact tracing and
testing, should determine their decisions
to ring-fence and isolate blocks while al-
lowing other parts of the district/city to re-
sume economic activity.
Over the last month, India has developed
significant capacity to test and treat COVID-
19 patients across the country by creating a
large number of specialised fever clinics and
identifying COVID hospitals across every
state. Our disaggregated data analysis, how-
ever, suggests that there is no hospital rush
of patients with symptoms of acute respira-
tory ailments like in the US, the UK, and
Europe. Given the uncertainty of the virus,
we seem prepared for large hospitalisation
and care if the need arises. The efforts now
must be to further contain the growth of the
infection. If the current rate persists, we will
reach over a lakh cases within three weeks.
That is the power of compounding we are
against. Beyond knowledge sharing across
states and adopting successful containment
strategies from each other, there is a role for
the central government in providing “NSG-
like” public health support teams to states
that need them. On the economy front sim-
ilarly, the central government’s timely eco-
nomic package should flatten the curve of
exponentiallyrisingopportunitycostsacross
the sectors. Given the relative scale and vir-
ulence of the COVID-19 virus in India, the
odds seem stacked in favour of a calibrated
opening of the economy.
The writer is a former member of the Prime
Minister’s Economic Advisory Council
amenable to be used by non-state actors.
Biosafety is key to preventing and combat-
ing bioterrorism as is the non-proliferation
and export control on dual-use biological
materials and technologies. Implementing
theUNGAResolution1540of 2019—ongen-
eral and complete disarmament measures
to prevent terrorists from acquiring such
WMDs — assumes significance.
Wehavetomakeourinfrastructure,econ-
omy and healthcare bio-attack and pan-
demic-proof.Protocolsforre-engineeringthe
spatial matrix of production, work, mobility
anddeliveryofessentialservicesandIT-based
healthsurveillancemaynowhavetobehard-
wired. As a part of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’svisionof economicandhealthsecurity
symbiosis,Indiashouldpursuenationalself-
sufficiencyinmedicalandhealthcaresupply
chainsandessentialgoods,servicesandtech-
nologies,anddeveloparobustexportcapac-
ity for global health security.
COVID-19hashurttheorigincountry,but
in equal measure. China’s global economic
footprintandconnectivityhasalsotriggered
adisastrousworldwidepandemic.Weknow
now that in a biological war, every country
will be devastated. There will be no victors
andhumanitywillbevanquished.COVID-19
should be a morality tale to inspire all coun-
tries to recommit to abjuring the use of dis-
ease as a weapon of war, and a doctrine of
universal bio-deterrence. India should mo-
bilise international cooperation and solidar-
itytostopandbanishthe“SatanBug”forever.
The writer is former assistant secretary-
general of the United Nations and deputy
executive director of UN Women
WHAT THE OTHERS SAY
“There are times when government must curtail individual freedoms to protect
the public. But those measures must end once the threat passes.”
Stronger after
crisis
Afterpandemicpasses,MadhyaPradeshwill
emergeasalogisticsandwarehousinghub
forrebalancedsupplychains
Shivraj Singh
Chouhan
COVID-19 IS undoubtedly the biggest chal-
lenge faced by our country since
Independence. The bold and visionary de-
cision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to
enforce a lockdown early on has contained
the spread of the virus.
Today, the resolve and dedication of
medical, paramedical, police, and emer-
gency services staff have ensured that the
growth in confirmed cases in India is linear
andnotexponentialashasbeenwitnessed
bymanyEuropeancountriesandtheUnited
States of America. We salute our heroes.
Sincethe day of taking theoath, mypri-
ority has been the health and safety of the
citizens of my state and to ensure that the
last man standing in a queue is taken care
of.
We have deposited Rs 885 crore in the
accounts of 8.85 lakh registered labourers
in the state. Seven lakh migrant workers
based in 22 states have been given assis-
tance to the tune of Rs 70 lakh. Rs 430 crore
worthof scholarshipshavebeendisbursed.
Sixty-sixlakh students eligible for mid-day
meals have been provided with Rs 117
crore. Forty-six lakh pension holders have
been released advance pension of two
months of Rs 562 crore.
A roadmap for preventionand contain-
mentof theviruswaspreparedasmypred-
ecessor government had not made any
arrangements. A comprehensive IITT
(Identification, Isolation, Testing, and
Treatment) strategy was devised and im-
plemented on a war footing. As of today,
we have 20,243 isolation beds, 783 ICU
beds, 690 ventilators, and 11 testing cen-
tres in the state.
Working on the mantra of self-reliance
as propagated by our Prime Minister, PPE
kits are being manufactured locally in the
state.Peoplehavecomeouttosupporteach
other during this crisis - more than 57,000
volunteers have registered and are helping
in government relief work.
InMadhya Pradesh,thegrowth incases
has moderated and the situation is under
control. The spirit of the people of Indore
and Bhopal, who have set standards for
cleanliness for the rest of the country, will
overcome this battle. The cooperation of
people of the state with the state govern-
ment despite facing challenges has been
commendable.
Every crisis presents an opportunity.
Corona has given us PRERNA. It has taught
us to be patient, reflective, empathetic, re-
silient, natural, and austere.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THOUGHTLESS STATE
THIS REFERS TO the editorial, Going
home’(IE, May 1).When the sudden
lockdown was announced without ad-
equate preparation, it felt like a
thoughtless step. There appeared to be
no concern about the plight of not only
tens of millions of migrant workers but
alsolakhsof seniorcitizensandwomen
living alone in cities and towns.
Surprisingly, this did not occur to our
decision makers. It would have been
better and less risky if people likely to
be affected by COVID-19 it were given a
week’ s time to prepare and the public
transport system mobilised to facilitate
their movement.
S N Shukla, Lucknow
IMMORTAL MEMORIES
THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘Matters of
death’ (IE, May 1). In mourning death,
we inevitably mourn the irreplaceabil-
ity of the person. Yet, why in the case of
artisteslikeIrfanKhanandRishiKapoor
does the mourning becomes personal
even for their millions of nameless
fans? Perhaps, it is because through
their timeless performances, they gave
us an experience of the sublime that
takes us beyond mortality.
Sunil Macwan, Ahmedabad
LABOUR SECURITY
THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘The new
deal India needs’ (IE, May 1). An urban
employment guarantee is the need of
the hour. Had such a policy been in
place, the crisis that labour is facing in
citieslikeDelhiandMumbaicouldhave
been averted.
Tarun Sharma, Aligarh
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
— THENEW YORK TIMES
AsAristotlehasputit,“Patienceisbitter,
but its fruit is sweet.” All of us are patiently
staying at home to ensure that we remain
safe and India remains healthy. This is al-
ready showing better results. This is also
likely to strengthen our relationships.
As Paul T P Wong said, “Time spent in
self-reflection is never wasted - it is an in-
timate date with yourself.” Utilise this time
wisely. The world may never be the same
again. Analyse and hone your skill-sets to
be better prepared for the future.
“Empathy,” it is said, “is seeing with the
eyes of another, listening with the ears of
another, and feeling with the heart of an-
other.” The entire nation has shown empa-
thytowardstheplightof themigrantwork-
ers and people are helping in whatever
small way they can by providing food and
sheltertotheneedy.Wefeelthe painof our
brothers and stand with them in this crisis.
As Steve Maraboli wrote: “Life doesn’t
geteasierormoreforgiving,wegetstronger
and more resilient.” The crisis will make us
stronger. Theselife-long learningswill pre-
pare us to face challenges in the future.
As Frank Lloyd Wright famously said,
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to na-
ture. It will never fail you.” The chirping of
the birds, the clearer skies, and good air
quality during the lockdown have all
brought us closer to nature and made us
realise its importance.
Most of us are enjoying no comforts or
luxuriesduringthelockdown.E-commerce
platforms and local kirana shops are sell-
ing only essential items. People are also
consuming less without hoarding so that
there is no shortage for the needy, leading
lives of austerity.
The way businesses are run will un-
dergoaseachangepostCOVID.Many com-
panies wouldpermanentlyshift personsin
certain roles and functions to work from
home. Remote working provides access to
a bigger resource pool for companies. This
will provide enhanced job opportunities
for the talented youth of Madhya Pradesh.
The coronavirus has disrupted supply
chains globally. This is likely to result in di-
versification of supply chains. Madhya
Pradeshisgeographicallylocatedatthecen-
treof India.Ithasthepotentialtoemergeas
a logistics hub for the country in the near
future, as a rebalancing of supply chains
takes place. Resultantly, the state will be-
come the warehousing hub of the country.
The entire political establishment is
working together under the leadership of
Narendra Modi to tackle the spread of the
coronavirus. We have to remain vigilant,
follow the lockdown strictly, and maintain
social distancing so that the gains made to
date are not negated. The next 10 days are
crucial. Stay home, stay safe. Together, we
will defeat corona and emerge stronger.
Jan Jan Ki Aas, Haarega Corona, Hoga
Vikas!
The writer is the chief minister of
Madhya Pradesh
LETTER OF
THE WEEK
GLARING GAPS
THIS REFERS TO the editorial,
‘Reset and reform’ (IE, April 29).
Inadequacies and deficiencies in-
trinsicinourhealthsystemandthe
absenceofasupportsystem,espe-
cially for daily wage workers, are
attenuating our efforts to contain
the Coronavirus.Thoughourgov-
ernment is seemingly making all-
outeffortstocopewiththisconta-
gion, the initial delay in our
response to it cannot be just
wished away. Our taking shelter
under the extenuating claims like
thesmalldeathtollinourcountry
as compared to those in other
countrieswillonlyshowourreluc-
tance tolearn from ourmistakes.
Tarsem Singh, Mahilpur
IRRFAN’S HONESTY
THIS REFERS TO the article ‘He waited
and won’ (IE, May 1). Irrfan Khan was-
n’t born with a silver spoon. He was an
outlier.Hemadehiswayupwithoutbe-
ing particularly good looking. The les-
son for us in his struggle is that talent
and hardwork do get recognition.
Patience, as the writer suggests, is the
key. The single most striking aspect of
Irrfan’s life, though, was honesty. In
spite of success, he didn’t lose the com-
mon touch. The sea of emotions ex-
pressed by his eyes will be difficult
to forget.
M Abdullah Ghazali, Patna
Mumbai

10 THE OUTBREAK
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
PANDEMIC
WATCH
Emmanuel Macron
FRANCE
Lifewon'tbe
normalafter
May11:Macron
Paris: President
Emmanuel Macron
warnedonFridaythatthe
end of the national lock-
down on May 11 would
only be a first step as
France looks to pull out of
the crisis created by the
outbreak of the coron-
avirus.Traditional Labour
Day protests that usually
see thousands of demon-
strators on streets were
cancelled this year due to
the virus outbreak that
has killed 24,000 people
across France. “May 11
will not be the passage to
normal life. There will be
a recovery that will need
to be reorganised,”
Macron said. “There will
be several phases and
May 11 will be one of
them.”
SINGAPORE
Govtextends
stay-homespan
forworkers
Singapore: Singapore on
Friday extended the stay-
home period of foreign
workers, including
Indians, in the construc-
tion sector by two weeks
until May 18 as the
COVID-19 infections
among the community
continuetorise,constitut-
ing majority of the 932
new infections reported.
With the new infections,
which include Indian na-
tionals, the total number
of casesinthecountryhas
reached17,101,thehealth
ministry said. The vast
majority of the new cases
are work permit holders
residinginforeignworker
dormitories, it said.
SRI LANKA
Govtextends
lockdowninrisk
zonestillMay11
Colombo: Sri Lanka on
Friday extended thelock-
down in the coronavirus
high risk zones of the
country, including capital
district Colombo, till May
11, saying steps were be-
ing made to bring life and
institutions back to nor-
malcy. "The curfew in the
capital district of
Colombo and three other
high risk zones for
COVID-19 was due to be
lifted on 4 May. This has
nowbeenextendedtill11
May," an official state-
ment said. Sri Lanka has
recorded 690 confirmed
COVID 19 cases with 7
deaths so far.
US not releasing data on
Taliban attacks: Watchdog
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KABUL, MAY 1
THE US mission in Afghanistan
has for the first time refused to
publiclyreleaseitsdataoninsur-
gentattacksamidtheimplemen-
tation of a peace agreement be-
tweentheUSandtheTaliban,an
American watchdog said Friday.
The decision not to release
the data comes as the Trump
administration is eager for the
US-Taliban agreement to be
seen as successful so President
Donald Trump can meet his
commitments on pulling troops
out of Afghanistan.
Washington's Special
InspectorGeneralforAfghanistan
Trump hints at tariff
on China over virus
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
WASHINGTON, MAY 1
PRESIDENT DONALD Trump
Thursdayhintedatimposingtar-
iff on China, but ruled out con-
sidering cancelling US debt ob-
ligations to the country as a
punishment for the coronavirus.
He said debt cancellation is a
"roughgame"andmayharmthe
sanctity of the US currency.
"We can do it with tariffs.We
can do it other ways even be-
yondthatwithouthavingtoplay
that game (cancel US debt obli-
gations). That's a rough game,"
Trump told reporters in the East
Room of the White House.
"Well, I can do it differently. I
can do the same thing but even
for more money just by putting
on tariffs. So I don't have to do
that. You know, it's approxi-
mately$1trillion,alittlebitmore
as I understand it, $1 trillion. But
we can do that in probably a lit-
tle bit of a more forthright man-
ner," Trump said.
"You start playing those
games (debt cancellation), and
that's tough. You know, we have
the dollar to protect. We want
to protect the sanctity of the
dollar, the importance of the
dollar. It's the greatest currency
in the history of the world. It's
become stronger. We have a
very strong dollar. That's why
we're borrowing at zero, zero
interest rate," he said.
He also said the WHO
should be "ashamed" of itself,
WHO extends
declaration of
global health
emergency
NEW YORK TIMES
NEW YORK, MAY 1
THE WORLD Health
Organisationextendeditsdecla-
ration of a global health emer-
gencyonFriday,amidincreasing
criticism from the Trump
Administration about its han-
dling of the pandemic.
The move comes three
months after the organisation’s
original decision to announce a
“publichealthemergencyofinter-
national concern” on January 30.
At the time, only 98 of the nearly
10,000 cases confirmed had oc-
curredoutsideChina’sborders.
But the pandemic continues
to grow. More than 3.2 million
people around the world are
known to have been infected
andnearlyaquartermillionhave
died,accordingtoofficialcounts.
There is evidence on six conti-
nents of sustained transmission.
All of this led experts on the
WHO’semergencycommitteeto
reassesstheevolutionof thepan-
demic, and to advise on updated
recommendations,officialssaid.
Many countries have weak
health care systems that could
easily be overwhelmed, even as
the spread has appeared to slow
in parts of Asia and Europe.
“The COVID-19 crisis has il-
lustrated that even the most so-
phisticated health systems are
struggling to cope with the pan-
demic,” said Dr Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO
director-general.
Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which
monitors billions of dollars in US
aid to Afghanistan, expressed its
concern in its quarterly report,
which also discusses the reduc-
tion in ground operations of
Afghan forces.
John F Sopko, who heads the
watchdog, wrote that data on
Talibanandothermilitantattacks
"was one of the last remaining
metrics SIGAR was able to use to
report publicly on the security
situation in Afghanistan."
However, the office of
Afghanistan's national security
adviserearlierthisweeksaidthe
Taliban have carried out 2,804
attacks since the peace agree-
ment between the Taliban and
US was signed on February 29.
President Donald Trump at the White House. AP
as he likened it to a public rela-
tions agency for China amidst
the pandemic after it originated
in Wuhan.
"I think that the World
Health Organisation should be
ashamed of themselves because
they are like the public relations
agency for China," Trump said.
He also said he was confi-
dent the coronavirus may have
originated in a Chinese virology
lab, but declined to describe the
evidence. “Yes, yes I have,” he
said, declining to give specifics.
“I can’t tell you that. I’m not al-
lowed to tell you that.”
The Wuhan Institute of
Virologyhasdismissedtheallega-
tions, and other US officials have
downplayed their likelihood.
US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said on Thursday it was
not known whether the virus
came from the lab.
MAY DAY TURNOUT
An aerial view shows hundreds of protesters practising social distancing during a May Day rally at the Greek parliament, in
Athens on Friday. Rallies were held despite appeals from the government to postpone them until curbs are lifted. AP
Patients try to escape quarantine in Pak
M ZULQERNAIN
LAHORE, MAY 1
SEVERAL COVID-19 patients in
Pakistan, including several
members of the Tablighi Jamaat,
quarantined at a centre here
broke open the building's main
door in a bid to escape, creating
a law and order situation.
Over 400 COVID-19 patients,
mostlyTablighiJamaatmembers
arebeingquarantinedatLahore's
Expo Centre Field Hospital.
Biden denies sexual assault claim: ‘It never happened’
KATIE GLUECK
NEW YORK, MAY 1
FORMER VICE President Joseph
RBidenJronFridaydeniedanal-
legation of sexual assault by a
former Senate aide, Tara Reade,
his first public remarks about an
accusation that has roiled his
presidential campaign.
“I recognise my responsibil-
itytobeavoice,anadvocate,and
a leaderforthechangeinculture
that has begun but is nowhere
near finished,” Biden wrote in a
Medium post. “So I want to ad-
dress allegations by a former
staffer that I engaged in miscon-
duct 27 years ago. They aren’t
true. This never happened.”
Biden, the presumptive
Globalpressure
overvirusorigin
THE US, Britain, Australia
and Germany are among
nations that have pres-
sured on Beijing over the
virus. A statement by US
intel agencies debunked
one theory — that the
virus was manmade.
However, the calls for
Chinatoprovideanswers,
compensation or both
continue to be voiced,
particularly by leaders in
the United States.
RECORD 1-DAY COUNT
990
■ Pakistan has reported a
record 990 new cases of
coronavirus in the last 24
hours, taking the total
number to 17,439 with 391
deaths so far, the health
ministry said on Friday
OTHER TOP GLOBAL STORIES
Biden during an interview
on Friday. AP
Democraticnominee,alsocalled
on the National Archives to re-
lease any existing complaint re-
lated to the allegation.
In an interview with
MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Biden
said of Reade’s claim, “No, it is
not true. I’m saying unequivo-
South Africa eases strict curbs:
‘Fortunately, we are open now’
ASSOCIATED PRESS
JOHANNESBURG, MAY 1
SouthAfricabeganeasingoneof
the world’s strictest lockdowns
onFriday,withrunnersanddog-
walkers returning eagerly to the
streets but not all wearing the
facemasksthatarenowmanda-
tory in the country with Africa’s
most coronavirus cases.
In Johannesburg, Cape Town
and elsewhere, people took a
breath of fall air and some
headedtothemallstobuywarm
clothes for winter, which brings
a new challenge in combating
the virus: flu season.
South Africa has more than
5,600 cases of COVID-19.
Concern among health workers
remains high. On Friday, health
workers, unions and civil soci-
ety members protested outside
one of the country’s best-
known hospitals, Chris Hani
Baragwanath in Soweto, de-
manding personal protective
equipment.
As the country eases down
one notch to Level 4 restrictions,
many businesses can resume
limitedoperations.Many mines,
factories and agricultural busi-
nesses can resume work in
phases,startingwithonlyathird
of employees. Restaurants can
reopen for deliveries only.
People are now permitted to
leave their homes for exercise
between 6 am and 9 am. A night
curfew is in place from 8 pm un-
til5 am.Publictransport,includ-
ing buses, can operate with re-
stricted numbers of passengers.
“OnThursdayagoodnumber
of COVID-19 patients mostly
TablighiJamaatmembersrefused
to stay (at the centre) and broke
openthedoorinabidtoescape,"
said Mayo Hospital's chief exec-
utive Dr Asad Aslam who is also
supervising the management of
the Expo Centre Field Hospital.
"A law and order situation
occurred, however, police man-
aged to control the situation and
send all those trying to escape
back to the centre,” said Aslam.
He said the matter was re-
RACE FOR
THE WHITE
HOUSE
cally it never, never happened.”
Responding to questions
fromMikaBrzezinski,Bidensaid
that all women had a right to be
heard when they come forward
with allegations, and then the
facts need to be examined. But
he strenuously insisted that in
his case, “I assure you it did not
happen. Period. Period.”
The World
People exercise in Cape Town on Friday. AP
MEASURES IN OTHER COUNTRIES
DENMARK
The country has slowly
reopened by allowing some
classes to return to school
and hairdressers, tattoo
parlours, physiotherapists
as well as courts of law to
reopen. Prime Minister
Mette Frederiksen said
"where we stand now
means not everyone can
return to work as they did
before the corona crisis."
But the ban on domestic and in-
ternational travel remains.
Even with the easing, sales
of liquor and cigarettes remain
banned, which some have crit-
solved after holding dialogue
with the patients. “They wanted
to go back to their homes before
thecompletionof thequarantine
period,” he said.
Muhammad Shabbir, a
Tablighi Jamaat member, said
the centre's management had
unnecessarily kept them in the
'detention house' despite being
tested negative.
Aslam said under operating
procedure, the patients would
be discharged after their reports
will be negative twice.
At issue is an allegation from
Reade, a former aide in his
Senateoffice,whohassaidBiden
assaulted her in 1993, when he
was a senator from Delaware.
The statement comes as a
number of women’s rights advo-
cates and organisations have
called on Biden to address the
matter,andasseveralpeoplehave
corroborated parts of Reade’s
claim, saying they recalled her
sharing elements of the story
yearsago.Inhisstatement,Biden
said that women who make alle-
gations “should be heard, not si-
lenced,”buttheirstoriesalsowar-
rant scrutiny. He went on to raise
“thefullandgrowingrecordofin-
consistencies in her story, which
has changed repeatedly in both
small and big ways.” NYT
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh has reopened
hundreds of its garment
factories this week after
nearly one month of
closures, in a move critics
say risks igniting a sharp
increase in infections.
An industry group said
about 850 factories are
operating with fewer
workers and following
safety guidelines.
icised as puritanical. But health
officials warn that smoking
might exacerbate respiratory
problems experienced with
COVID-19. The ban on alcohol
Russia reports record
cases; PM tests positive
GLEB STOLYAROV
MOSCOW, MAY 1
RUSSIA ON Friday reported a
record daily rise in the number
of confirmed coronavirus cases,
a day after Prime Minister
Mikhail Mishustin announced
he had been diagnosed with the
new virus and was temporarily
stepping down to recover.
The nationwide case
tally rose by 7,933 cases and
now stood at 114,431, Russia’s
coronavirus crisis response
centre said.
It said 96 people diagnosed
with COVID-19 had died in the
last 24 hours. That raised the of-
ficialoveralldeathtollupto1,169.
Mishustin, the prime minis-
UAE: Over 32,000 Indians
register to return home
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
ABU DHABI, MAY 1
MORE THAN 32,000 Indians in
the UAE, who wish to return
home amidst the coronavirus
lockdown, have registered with
the Indian missions here on day
one of the opening of the online
registration process, according
to a media report.
On Wednesday night, the
Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi
announced the details of data
collection through the website
of theIndianConsulate in Dubai.
Within minutes, the site
VICE PRESIDENT AUDITIONS UNDERWAY
Washington: Presumptive
Democratic nominee Joe
Bidenbegantheprocessof se-
lecting a running mate in
earnest on Thursday by an-
nouncing a committee to vet
potential candidates. The
panel’s work will likely last
through July, he said, mean-
ing months in which some
candidateswillappearupone
day only to fade and poten-
tially be replaced with some-
one who isn’t on anyone’s
radar the next.
Scott Reed, who managed
Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
sales has reduced brawls
and traffic accidents, according
to police.
Some workers found the re-
turn of business enough reason
to celebrate. “We were badly af-
fected by the lockdown but for-
tunately we are open now. We
had to listen to the leaders be-
causethisisaverydifficulttime,”
said Cameron Elihaz, who owns
a cellphone repair and acces-
sories shop in Johannesburg.
Accordingtoofficials,schools
shouldreopeninphasesstarting
June 1 with the first batch being
Grade 7 and Grade 12 pupils, the
oldest classes in primary and
secondary schools, respectively.
But teachers’ unions have
protested, saying schools should
not reopen until safe conditions
can be assured.
Mikhail
Mishustin
ter,toldPresidentVladimirPutin
onThursdaythathehadbeendi-
agnosed with the virus and
would self-isolate.
Mishustin, who had been
one of the main coordinators of
Russia’s response to the new
coronavirus, was the first high-
ranking Russian official to pub-
licly say they have the virus.
Putinhas warned the peakof
the outbreak has yet to come,
and the authorities have said
there could be a new spike in
coronavirus cases. REUTERS
faced technical issues, prompt-
ing the missions to delete the
tweet about it and repost it
hours later.
In a tweet posted in the wee
hours of Thursday, the Indian
Consulate asked applicants “to
bearwithitif ittakestimeforthe
page to load due to high traffic.”
“As of 5pm on Thursday, we
receivedmorethan32,000regis-
trations,” Consul General of India
inDubaiVipultoldtheGulfNews.
Vipul said the technical is-
sues took place because of the
huge rush of people trying to ac-
cess the webpage on the
Consulate's site for registration.
campaign, said the search for
a running mate often takes
twists and turns because it’s
one of the few things a nomi-
nee can control after a pri-
maryspentlargelyreactingto
surrounding political forces.
He said reverberations from
the choice can last for years.
Biden has limited some of
the mystery by promising to
pick a woman. Gretchen
Whitmer, Amy Klobuchar,
StaceyAbrams,KamalaHarris
and Elizabeth Warren are
considered to be some of the
main candidates. AP
Mumbai

11 ECONOMY
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
ALL PRODUCTION FACILITIES WERE CLOSED IN COMPLIANCE WITH GOVT ORDERS
Barringtractors,automobilesector
recordszerosalesinApronlockdown
ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
OTHER THAN tractor sales,
which benefitted from lock-
downrelaxationsannouncedon
April 20, 2020, the automobile
industry registered zero vehicle
sales across the country. As the
country witnessedanationwide
lockdown for the entire month
of April, impacting production
and sale of passenger car and
other vehicles across the coun-
try, leading automobile manu-
facturers — Maruti Suzuki India
Limited and Hyundai Motor
India—announcedzerounitsale
for April, a first time in any
month since their existence. As
tractor manufacturing and sale
was permitted in green zone,
M&M announced sale of 4,772
units of tractors in April.
In its statement, MSIL said
that the zero sales was because
all production facilities were
closed in compliance with gov-
ernment orders. Hyundai too
Tesla scrip tumbles
after Musk tweets
stock price too high
REUTERS
NEWYORK,MAY1
SHARES OF Tesla Inc tumbled 9
per cent on Friday after Chief
Executive Officer Elon Musk
tweeted that the electric car-
maker’s high-flying stock was
overly expensive.
“Tesla stock price is too high,”
Musk said on Twitter in one of
severalunusualmessages,includ-
ing ones quoting parts of the US
national anthem and that he
would sell almost all his physical
possessions.
The subsequent share drop
erased around $13 billion from
Tesla’smarketvalueandnearly$3
billion from the value of Musk’s
stake. Still, shares remain up al-
most50percentfromthestartof
April.
Morethantwohoursafterthe
tweets began, Tesla had not re-
spondedtorequestsforcomment.
Twitterdeclinedtocomment.The
Wall Street Journal reported that
Musk had responded to an email
asking whether he was joking or
Forex reserves fall
$113 mn to $479.45 bn
ENSECONOMICBUREAU
NEWDELHI,MAY1
AFTER RISING for the past few
weeks, the country’s foreign ex-
changereservesdeclined$113mil-
lionto$479.45billionintheweek
to April 24, due to a fall in foreign
currency assets, according to the
latest data from the Reserve Bank
of India.
In the previous week, the re-
serveshadincreasedby$3.09bil-
lionto$479.57billion.Thereserves
had touched a lifetime high of
$487.23 billion in the week to
March 6, after it rose by $5.69 bil-
lion.During2019-20,thecountry’s
foreignexchangereservesroseby
Court dismisses
ArcelorMittal
application
against Essar
London: The Court of Appeal in
Londonhasdismissedanapplica-
tionfiledbyArcelorMittalseeking
permission to appeal against the
London High Court’s judgment
thatrefusedaworldwidefreezing
orderagainsttheparentcompany
of EssarSteelLtdandmembersof
promoterfamily.
“TheCourtofAppeal’sdecision
given by Lord Justice Newey on
April 21, 2020, concluded that
ArcelorMittalUSA’s(AMUSA)ap-
peal had no real prospect of suc-
cessandtherewasnoothercom-
pelling reason for the Court of
Appealtohearit,”Essarsaid. PTI
SENSEX: 33,717.62 ▲ 997.46 NIFTY: 9,859.90 ▲ 306.55 NIKKEI: 19,619.35 ▼ 574.34 HANG SENG: 24,643.59 ▲ 67.63 FTSE: 5,796.29 ▼ 104.92 DAX: 10,861.64 ▼ 246.10
Wholevalue chain
needstostart
functioning
There is no point starting production, despite some
relaxations, as the vendors and showrooms also need to
operationalise.
Until the whole value chain starts functioning, starting
output will be of no benefit. Nearly 300 showrooms linked
to tractor manufacturers opened after the relaxations
on April 20 and selling the tractors in the zones marked
as green.
said that zero sales in domestic
market was due to “suspension
of manufacturingactivitiesamid
the nationwide look-down.”
While MSIL exported 632
units from Mundra port follow-
ing resumption of port opera-
tions, Hyundai Motors exported
1,341 units in April.
MG Motors too announced
sale of zero units in April. The
The subsequent
share drop erased
around $13 billion
from Tesla’s market
value and nearly
$3 billion from the
value of Musk’s stake
whether his tweet was vetted by
saying, “No”.
Muskhasahistoryof sending
provocative tweets. In August
2018, he tweeted that he had se-
cured funding to possibly take
Tesla private at a big premium,
which led a fraud case by the US
Securities and Exchange
Commission. Musk settled by
agreeing to pay $20 million and
have a Tesla lawyer pre-screen
tweets with important informa-
tion about the company.
The subsequent share drop
erased around $13 billion from
Tesla’s market value and nearly
$3 billion from the value of
Musk’s stake.
almost$62billion.
In the reporting week ended
April 24, the foreign currency as-
sets(FCAs),amajorcomponentof
theoverallreserves,decreasedby
$321millionto$441.56billion.
Expressed in dollar terms, the
FCAsincludetheeffectofappreci-
ation or depreciation of non-US
unitsliketheeuro,poundandyen
held in the foreign exchange re-
serves.
Goldreservesroseby$221mil-
lion to $32.901 billion in the re-
porting week, the RBI data
showed.
The special drawing rights
with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) fell $6 million to $1.42
billion. WITH PTI
US manufacturing skids
to 11-year low in April
REUTERS
WASHINGTON, MAY 1
US MANUFACTURING activity
plunged to an 11-year low in
April as the novel coronavirus
wreakedhavoconsupplychains,
supporting analysts’ views the
economy was sinking deeper
into recession.
The Institute for Supply
Management (ISM) said on
Friday its index of national fac-
tory activity dropped to a read-
ing of 41.5 last month from 49.1
in March. That was the lowest
level since April 2009, just a few
months before the Great
Recession ended. A reading be-
company, however, began oper-
ations and manufacturing on a
smallscaleatitsfacilityinHalolin
the last week of April 2020 and
hopesthatproductionwillramp-
up in the month of May.
Leadingmanufacturers,how-
ever, say that there is no point
startingproduction,despitesome
relaxations, as the vendors and
showrooms also need to opera-
‘Global recession, change in consumer
attitude to shape economic activity’
As India tries to gain control over COVID-19 pandemic, the
period of lockdown, global recession and changes in
consumer behaviour are the factors that will shape economic
activities going ahead, says a Dun & Bradstreet report
The collapse in global demand is depleting the savings and increasing
the debt levels of households, corporates and the governments and
will most likely create a channel for a new round of debt crisis
Amazon says India business
Amid pandemic, PM
reviews performance of worst hit among foreign ops
aviation, power sectors ASMITADEY
PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA
NEWDELHI,MAY1
AMID THE COVID-19 pandemic
andtheresultantlockdown,Prime
MinisterNarendraModireviewed
the performance of the aviation
andpowersectorsonFriday,with
afocusonreducingcostsandmak-
ingthemmoreefficient.
Reviewing the power sector,
the prime minister underlined its
importanceinpropellingtheecon-
omy.Theneedforaneffectiveen-
forcement of contracts to attract
private investment was also dis-
cussed.
At the review of the civil avia-
tionsector,itwasdecidedthatthe
country’s air space should be ef-
fectivelyusedinamannerthatthe
flyingtimefortravellersisreduced
andairlinessavecosts.
Reviewing the power sector,
Modi asked officials to work to-
wards ensuring round-the-clock
low 50 indicates contraction in
themanufacturingsector,which
accountsfor11percentof theUS
economy.
The smaller-than-expected
drop in the ISM index was be-
cause the survey’s measure of
supplier deliveries surged to a
reading of 76.0 last month from
65.0 in March.
A lengthening in suppliers’
deliverytimesisnormallyassoci-
ated with a strong economy and
increased customer demand,
which would be a positive con-
tribution. But in this case slower
supplier deliveries indicate sup-
plyshortagesrelatedtothecoro-
navirus pandemic and not
stronger demand.
tionaliseanduntilthewholevalue
chain starts functioning, there is
no point starting production.
Naveen Soni, senior vice
president, Sales & Services,
Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “As
with many other sectors, with
the closure of dealerships and
manufacturing the operation of
the automotive value chain has
come to a grinding halt. Restart
of the entire value chain cycle
and its restoration will be grad-
ual as the industry is faced with
the challenges of low consumer
sentiments, rebuilding of dis-
rupted supply chains that need
factors of productions to be re-
stored that including return of
workforce etc.”
Tractor sales, however, re-
sumed after the government re-
laxed the lockdown restriction in
certain industries including pro-
duction and sale of tractors since
April 20. Mahindra & Mahindra
sold 4,772 units in the 10 days of
operationinApril.ThesaleinApril
was, however, lower by 83 per
centoverthesalesof28,552units
PM discusses
labour welfare
New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi held discus-
sions on labour welfare on
Fridayandsaidthecountryis
proud of its hardworking
labourforce.
“We discussed ways
throughwhichthissectorcan
power India’s growth,” the
prime minister said in a
tweet.
“India is proud of our
hardworking labour force,”
Modisaid. PTI
supply of electricity to all con-
sumers.
At the meeting on the power
sector, he also discussed various
long-term reforms for enhancing
the sustainability, resilience, and
efficiencyof thesector.
Zero net debt
to be achieved
within 2020:
RIL joint CFO
New Delhi: RIL chairman and MD
Mukesh Ambani has accelerated
the timeframe for wiping out Rs
1.61 lakh crore of net debt at the
company by bringing in strategic
investorsinkeybusinessesaswell
ascommittingmoreequity.
In an investor call, RIL’s joint
chief financial officer Srikanth
Venkatachari said, “The zero net
debttargetwillbeachievedwithin
the2020calendaryear.”Sincethe
August announcement, Ambani
hassolda9.99percentstakeinthe
digital platform and decided to
hive out Reliance’s oil and petro-
chemicalsbusinessintoaseparate
entitytohelpaproposedstakesale
toAramco. PTI
seeninthesamemonthlastyear.
Industry sources say that
close to 300 showrooms linked
totractormanufacturersopened
after the relaxations on April 20
and selling the tractors in the
zonesmarkedasgreen.M&Mre-
sumed manufacturing in its
Rudrapur plant after the relax-
ations were announced.
Commenting on the sales
performance, M&M president-
farm equipment sector Hemant
Sikka said,”The extension of the
nationallockdownimpactedthe
business, with dealers partially
open for just a few days.”
While he said that there are
severalpositivefactorsincluding
a good rabi output, opening of
procurementcentresbythegov-
ernment,indicationof goodcrop
prices,reservoirlevelsthataugur
well for tractor demand, “The
rateof improvementwilldepend
on how quickly the on-ground
sales operations, including the
start of NBFCs are normalised,
following the relaxation of the
lockdown,” Sikka added.
Changes in consumer
behaviour will determine the
segments that are likely to
flourish after the pandemic is
brought under control
A near halt of all non-essential
activities in the industrial
sector, and supply chains have
been significantly disrupted
Daily movement of trucks
falling to less than 10 per cent
of normal levels
Depressed global demand has
led to a collapse in global
commodity markets
As debt levels increase and
loans turn bad, the banking
sector might face challenges
and this can cause a financial
turmoil
Source:
Dun &
Bradstreet/PTI
NEWDELHI,MAY1
AMAZONHASsaiditsIndiabusi-
ness has been the worst hit
among its international opera-
tions. Talking to investors on the
Q12020earningscall,chieffinan-
cial officer Brian Olsavsky said,
“The biggest impact internation-
ally has been in India.”
He said the constraints of op-
erating during the lockdown pe-
riod, during which e-commerce
playershavebeenpermittedtosell
only essential items, had meant
cuttingbackonmerchandise.”We
willexpandwhentheIndiangov-
ernment announces that we are
allowed to resume operations. So
we are in bit of a holding pattern
except for grocery in India,”
Olsavskysaid.
Losses for Amazon’s interna-
tional operations soared to $398
million in Q12020 from $90 mil-
lion in the year-ago period with
operatingexpensesshootingupto
Apple sales inch higher
despite virus, but CEO
sees uncertain future
REUTERS
SANFRANCISCO,MAY1
APPLEINCreportedsalesandprof-
its that beat Wall Street expecta-
tions Thursday, with Chief
ExecutiveOfficerTimCooksaying
China sales were “headed in the
rightdirection”asthatcountryre-
opensfromthenovelcoronavirus.
But Cook said it was impossi-
bletoforecastoverallresultsforthe
currentquarterbecauseofuncer-
taintycreatedbythevirus.Shares
declined2.4percentto$286.56in
extendedtrading.
Sales of subscription services
GOLD
`41,705
Note: Spot gold markets shut due to lockdown in major states. *Indian basket as on March 19, 2020
Note: Stock, currency and bullion markets were closed on account of Maharashtra Day; international market data till 1900 IST
After pharma, pesticide
industry eyes make in India
opportunity from COVID
HARISH DAMODARAN
NEW DELHI, MAY 1
WHILE THE focus has been on
pharmaceuticals, the issue of
“Chinese dependence” is com-
ing to the fore, especially post-
COVID-19, also in pesticides.
India’s imports of crop protec-
tion chemicals — mainly the
technical material or active in-
gredients that go into making
end-use formulations—stoodat
Rs 9,266.84 crore in 2018-19,
mostof itcomingfromChina(Rs
4,904.28 crore), the US (Rs
1,050.69crore)andGermany(Rs
614.53 crore).
“Just as in pharma, the gov-
ernment should encourage
backward integration by our in-
dustry to reduce excessive re-
liance on imports of technicals,
particularly from China,” says
Rajesh Aggarwal, managing di-
rector of Insecticides (India) Ltd.
The Rs 1,250-crore annual sales
company — along with UPL,
Gharda Chemicals, and PI
Industries — is among the few
major domestic manufacturers
of technical grade pesticides.
“Wecanandshoulddomore.
And this is the time for the gov-
ernmenttoalsohelp,”pointsout
Aggarwal, whose company
manufactures technical-grade
products thatinclude herbicides
(bispyribac-sodium,pretilachlor
and atrazine), insecticides
(lambda-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin
Lockdown extension to allow calibrated
opening up of economy, says Ficci
ENSECONOMICBUREAU
NEWDELHI,MAY1
THE TWO-WEEK extension of
lockdownwithnewguidelinesfor
opening up of certain areas and
districts in the green zone will al-
low “calibrated opening of eco-
nomic activities,” Federation of
IndianChambersof Commerce&
Industry (Ficci) president Sangita
Reddysaid.
“Whilearegularassessmentof
thezonesandactivitiesisrequired
to further relax the opening up of
Shares of Amazon, the
world’s largest online
retailer, fell 5 per cent in
after-hours trade. Reuters file
$19.50billion.
The global e-retailer’s net in-
come for the quarter declined to
$2.5 billion from $3.6 billion in
Q1 2019.
Amazon said it could incur as
much as $4 billion on COVID-19
related expenses. “Under normal
Apple CEO Tim Cook. File
such as streaming television con-
tent rose with billions locked in
their homes. Apple saw China
sales of $9.46 billion, down less
thana$1billionfromayearago.
RUPEE
`75.09
The big opportunity
the industry has
to undertake is
manufacturing of active
ingredients that are
scheduled to lose patent
protection in few years
and thiamethoxam) and fungi-
cides (thiophanate methyl).
India, in 2018-19, exported
cropprotectionchemicalsworth
Rs 22,090.18 crore, a large part of
ittoBrazil(Rs4,314.74crore)and
the US (Rs 4,238.63 crore). “Our
exports are higher than the do-
mestic market, the size of which
is Rs 19,000-20,000 crore.
Investing in technical manufac-
turing capacity will allow us to
project ourselves as more seri-
ous players in the global market.
We can emerge as an alternative
global supplier to China of both
formulation products and tech-
nical material,” adds Aggarwal.
The big opportunity the
Indian industry has to under-
take is manufacturing of active
ingredients that are scheduled
to lose patent protection in the
next few years.
These include chlo-
rantraniliprole and cyantranilip-
role (both blockbuster insecti-
cides of DuPont sold to FMC
Corporation of US in 2017, while
marketed under ‘Coragen’ and
The group suggested
that airlines should be
allowed to open for the
general public but after
ensuring the principles
of social distancing
business activities, it is also now
opportune time for the govern-
ment to come up with the finan-
cial package, especially for the
MSMEs, and for the industry on
circumstances,inthiscomingQ2,
we’dexpect tomakesome$4bil-
lion or more in operating profit.
But these aren’t normal circum-
stances. Instead, we expect to
spend the entirety of that $4 bil-
lion, and perhaps a bit more, on
COVID-related expenses getting
products to customers and keep-
ing employees safe,” Jeff Bezos,
founderandCEO,said.
Last month, the Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA) said the sale
of non-essentialsbye-commerce
companies would be permitted
only to reverse the decision a day
before the rules were to kick in.
Small businesses led by The
Confederationof AllIndiaTraders
(CAIT) had strongly opposed re-
sumptionofsaleofnon-essentials
byonlinefirms.AMarchreportby
Forrester Research said e-tailers
areexpectedtotakeahitofatleast
$1 billion in gross sales due to the
lockdownthatlimitsshipmentsto
essential items. The report had
captured the impact of the initial
21-daylockdownperiod. FE
Non-subsidised
cooking gas
price cut by
`162.50/cylinder
PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA
NEWDELHI,MAY1
NON-SUBSIDISEDLPGormarket-
pricedcookinggaspriceswerecut
byarecordRs162.50percylinder
onFriday,inlinewiththeslumpin
benchmarkinternationalrates.
This is the third straight
monthlyreductioninratesofnon-
subsidisedLPG,whichuserswho
have given up subsidy buy. Also,
this is the gas that domestic
household consumers buy after
exhaustingtheirquotaof12cylin-
ders of 14.2 kg each at subsidised
prices.
WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM
OIL SILVER
$26.15 `38,100
‘Benavia’ brands, with their
patents expiring in 2022 and
2024, respectively), flubendi-
amide (insecticide molecule of
Bayer CropScience sold under
‘Fame’ brand and just gone off-
patent) and fluopyram (fungi-
cide, also of Bayer and marketed
as ‘Luna’, with patent expiry in
2024).
“The multinationals that
have developed these active in-
gredients simply import them
now. The government should
speed up the process of granting
registration for their manufac-
ture by domestic companies
once they have become generic
chemicals,” states Aggarwal.
Potentialmanufacturersareper-
mitted to reverse-engineer pro-
prietary crop protection prod-
ucts even during their period of
patent protection.
“The problem today is that
even after the data is submitted,
thegrantof registrationtakesin-
ordinately long time. As a result,
we cannot launch any product
that has gone off-patent and
makeitimmediatelyavailableto
farmers at a more competitive
rate. Since the registration
process is so slow, it discourages
domestic manufacturing and
India ends upbeing a large-scale
importer of technical material
from China, The ultimate loser is
the farmer,” claims Aggarwal.
Whether that pace would
change after novel coronavirus,
has to be seen.
thewhole,”Reddysaid.
Ficciearliersuggestedthedis-
tricts which fell in the green zone
should be opened in a phased
manner. Public transport such as
busesandtrainsshouldbeallowed
to ply only between green zones,
whilethesevehiclesshouldavoid
makinganystopsintheredzones.
The group also suggested
that airlines, which had been
asked to suspend operations on
March 23, should be allowed to
open for the general public but
after ensuring the principles of
social distancing.
BRIEFLY
Govtdefers
releaseofGST
mop-updata
New Delhi: The government
on Friday deferred the re-
lease of April GST revenue
collection data as the ongo-
inglockdownandextended
return filing deadline led to
lowermop-up,sourcessaid.
TarunBajaj
takesoveras
DEASecy
New Delhi: Tarun Bajaj, a
1988batchIASofficer,Friday
assumed charge as the
EconomicAffairsSecretary.
IDFCFirst
Banktoraise
`2,000cr
NewDelhi:IDFCFirstBankon
Fridaysaiditwillraiseafresh
equity capital of Rs 2,000
crorefrominvestors,includ-
ing its promoter and a
WarburgPincusfirm.
NCLT
transfers8
members
New Delhi: The NCLT has
transferred eight members
todifferentBenches.
Ogatanamed
president,MD
&CEOofHMSI
NewDelhi:HondaMotorsaid
it has named Atsushi Ogata
newpresident,CEOandMD
of Honda Motorcycle &
ScooterIndia. PTI
Mumbai
 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

12 SPORT
THE INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020 India lost the top spot in the Test rankings to
Australia, dropping to third after their
stupendous 2016-17 record (12 wins, one loss)
was eliminated from the annual update as per
rules. The latest update rates all the matches
played since May 2019 at 100 per cent and those
of the previous two years at 50 per cent.

Postponement of Hundred
sees ECB chairman resign
COLIN GRAVES has decided to step down
from his position as the England and
Wales Cricket Board chairman on August
31 following the post-
ponement of The
Hundred tournament
to next year, the ECB
announced on Friday.
Graves, who was ap-
pointed as chairman in
May 2015, will be re-
placed by Ian Watmore
after being ratified in the AGM at the end
of the month. Graves is expected to take
over as ICC's next chairman, replacing
Badminton Worlds moved to
avoid clash with Olympics
The badminton world championship slated
for August next year in Spain will now take
place from November 29 to December 5, the
sport's apex body said, postponing its show-
piece to avoid a clash with the Olympics.
“The Badminton World Federation (BWF)
and Spanish Badminton Federation (FESBA)
can confirm the BWF World Championships
traditionally scheduled for August 2021 will
now take place at the end of 2021 from
Monday 29 November to Sunday 5
December," the BWF said in a statement. The
world championship has traditionally been
an annual event, which is however not held
in an Olympic year. But, with the 2020 Tokyo
Games postponed to next year owing to the
COVID-19 pandemic, it will be the first time
that the prestigious event will be conducted
in the Olympic year. PTI
Hungarian GP minus fans
The Hungarian GP on August 2 will be
staged without fans in response to the
coronavirus pandemic, organisers an-
nounced. The race at the Hungaroring is
following the example set by the British GP
and the truncated F1 season's new curtain-
raiser in Austria as likely to go ahead but in
front of empty grandstands. “It has now be-
come clear that we cannot hold the 35th
Formula 1 Hungarian GP in front of specta-
tors despite all our efforts,” a statement
from race organisers announced. The state-
ment added that this decision was neces-
sary to protect the health of fans. AFP
Shashank Manohar. Graves, who had
agreed for an extension till November this
year to oversee the inaugural season of
the 100-ball tournament, decided to end
his term early after the cash-rich tourna-
ment was postponed due to the fast-
spreading COVID-19 pandemic. "With the
launch of The Hundred unavoidably
moved to 2021, I have reviewed last year's
extension of my term as Chair, and put a
request to the Board to now finish early,
on August 31," Graves said in a statement.
"There is still much to be done in the com-
ing months as I continue to lead the ECB
during this challenging time.” PTI
Australia won’t allow sweat,
saliva on cricket ball
Australia will not allow the use of saliva or
sweat to shine the ball once cricket training
resumes in the post COVID-19 world, says a
framework released by the federal govern-
ment, regarding the staged return of sports.
There is speculation that use of saliva to
shine the ball will be stopped to cut down
the risk of the highly contagious infection
with reports suggesting that the ICC is con-
sidering the possibility of allowing the use of
artificial substances to polish the red ball un-
der the supervision of umpires. According to
ESPNcricinfo, Australian Institute of Sport
(AIS) in consultation with medical experts
and sporting bodies has come up with guide-
lines, restricting the use of saliva and sweat
to shine the ball. The framework, which out-
lines a staged return to play, has three stages
— Level A, Level B and Level C. PTI
Pole vault showdown
Three of the world’s top male pole vaulters
will meet in competition on Sunday in
what has been dubbed the “Ultimate
Garden Clash”. World record-holder
Mondo Duplantis, two-time world cham-
pion Sam Kendricks and 2012 Olympic
champion Renaud Lavillenie of France will
be connected via a live video link as they
compete from their own back gardens. The
event, which will be streamed by World
Athletics, is scheduled to start at 1500 GMT
and will span three locations: Lavillenie in
Clermont-Ferrand, Kendricks in Oxford,
Mississippi, and Duplantis in Lafayette. AFP
Wushu beats the lockdown
Maharashtra state championship held via video app; nationals to follow later this month
SHIVANI NAIK
MUMBAI, MAY 1
AROUND 80 athletes, dressed up in their
finestbright,baggymartialartsfinery,pulled
their hair back tight from the face and took
their steady solemn stance for webcams at
Maharashtra's first-ever online Wushu state
championship that happened this week.
The30-secondroutinesinWushu’sTaolu
event comprises barehand and short
weapon defense and offense manoeuvres.
The Covid-19 crisis has halted every
sporting activity in any sensible nation look-
ing to stem the rise in infections.
But shooting had a stab at competing
from home and chess is thriving in this un-
precedentedenvironmentof socialisolation.
Wushu joins the small group of restless
sports itching to find ways — as compact as
they are — for some semblance of normalcy
under lockdown.
Jammu & Kashmir will also see 18 dis-
trictsconducttheironlineWushustatemeet
from May 3-5, while the online Wushu
Nationals will take place from May 25-29.
Taolu Wushu which emphasises on slow
movements—literallyataslow-motautcrawl
— had most participants opt for Nanquan, a
routine which mimics the fighting poise and
movementsof atigeronaprowl.Participants
attheMaharashtrameetwerejudgedonbody
structure, shapeof thestance,balance,speed
and landing efficiency of the jumps, though
degree of difficulty was capped given con-
straintsof spaceinsideahome.“Therewasno
entryfee—afirstforstatecompetition,”Sopan
Katke, chief organiser, said.
Gajanan Pawar of Pune who picked a
medal reckons it was his power-packed 30
second gig that helped him pip opponents.
“It was a first time experiment and I had to
consider the space constraints. But my per-
formance had more power than opponents
which is why I medalled,” he said.
Participants would finish their routine
and then squint into screens to watch their
opponents on Zoom. Pawar's younger
brother helped shoot and in checking the
lights.
On Thursday, many more competed in
Participants completed 30-second routines in Taolu, which is slow barehand
movements of choreographed techniques. Screengrab
the more popular Tai Chi event — which has
served to alleviate edginess of its practition-
ers even beyond this competition. Katke, the
brains behind the event, says he's been busy
these last two months training many in Tai
Chi online. “Besides being a sport at Youth
Olympics and Asian Games, Tai Chi has be-
come relevant as something that helps im-
prove immunity," he claims.
Though all such pronouncements come
with large-fonted disclaimers, Tai Chi has its
famous followers. Former first lady Michelle
Obama is said to have hopped into Tai Chi
classeswhenonanofficialstatevisittoChina
while movie star Jet Li is also a Tai Chi buff.
“It's to do with breathing techniques and
it can be customised for knee problems, BP,
hypertension,asthma,arthritisrelief.Usually
it's three-and-half minutes in international
competition (Taolu is 1 min 20 seconds)
We've cut it to 30 seconds,” says the secre-
tary of the state Wushu association.
Tai Chi — more fidgety and fighting than
yoga and Pranayam and acquiring a mysti-
cal fetish owing to its old association with
Shaolintemples,is increasingly gainingpop-
ularity even in India owing to its expansive
limbmovementsandgeneraljumpsandflips
—360and540degreesintheairandthedra-
matic accurate landings. In competition, the
fringe benefits like mental peace, decision
making and inner-mind control cannot be
calibrated. What does, says world silver
medalist Shravani Katke, Sopan's 18-year-
old daughter, is clean lines inthe movement.
“But movements are in slow motion. So
innerminddistractionsactuallyreflectinthe
movement.Judgescanseeit.Butmostly,par-
ticipants rely on body posture, jumps, land-
ings for points,” she claims. That and cru-
cially, a good internet connection.
Shravanirealisedalsothatwhiletheusual
pressures of performing in front of crowds
arenotafactorinonlinecompetitions,some-
thing else gave athletes sleepless nights.
“We'vebeenpracticingforthis30second
show for many days at home. It's literally
home territory. But even if there’s no public
pressure, imagine failing at home. Or not be-
ing able to perform while competing in the
area where we practiced 1000 times," she
says of a patch created by pushing all furni-
ture against one wall. “I didn't want judges
to get distracted,” she says of not bothering
with the peripherals like cushion covers.
Organisershadtoscaledownambitionsin
Organisers had to scale down
ambitions in how complex the
routines could be — so, no long
weapons like swords or ninja
jumps that could be a problem
on slippery house floors and
none of the Neo, Morpheus
Matrix-artistry.
how complex the routines could be — so, no
longweaponslikeswordsorninjajumpsthat
could be a problem on slippery house floors
and none of the Neo, Morpheus Matrix-
artistry. “Not even the terrace, and following
all social distancing rules,” says Sopan.
India's Wushu practitioners — spread
from Kashmir to the north east to inner
Maharashtra districts like Jalgaon and
Amravati — were quick to leave the couches
whenthenationalfederationgotactiveabout
aggressively pushing for its athletes to incul-
cate Wushu training in their daily regimen.
“They are using Tai Chi to help patients in
Wuhan,” said the federation's Suhel Ahmed.
Videos of nurses and doctors taking Tai
Chi and Qigong classes (with a China flag
strategically placed in widely circulated
videos) for patients with mild symptoms of
thecoronavirusinWuhanwereallon thein-
ternet. These were obviously after the worst
stormhadpassedandthePPE-drapedTaiChi
performing nurses were gently coaxing pa-
tients to resume some exercise. But it found
resonance in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district.
Bhushan Marathe, a Wushu athlete and
judgefromJalgaonwrotetothedistrict'sgov-
ernment hospital andpoliceauthoritiessug-
gesting he could take basic classes on Tai Chi
to help them deal with the stress.
“The response was positive. And we took
2-3 sessions for the frontline doctors and
nurses, wearing PPE of course. And later for
policepersonnel.Wecouldn'thelpmonetar-
ily. But we thought this could be our small
help," he says. “It was possible only because
the cases were not too many and they could
take some time out," he adds.

OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry & T Lewis

CROSSWORD 4107
ACROSS
1 Fail in a raffle but get lucky at
Russian roulette (4,1,5)
6 Jar for a kind of berry (4)
10 It’s to be seen on a rifle (5)
11 She’s used to getting low
scores (9)
12 Eliminate in 10 seconds flat
(5,3)
13 Time for grammar (5)
15 He may go to an ancient city
and sit in ruins (7)
17 People out - on patrol?
(7)
19 They pound away with
mortars (7)
21 Brace of fresh lobster
DAY TODAY
ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 20)
Everything seems to
focus around how
much you can afford,
not to mention the
value you place on certain
relationships. Money itself may
be a cause of friction, but you
may also spend your way to
satisfying long-held desires.
Just check you’ve got the spare
funds first.
TAURUS (Apr 21 - May 21)
There’s a powerful
undercurrent in all
your affairs at the
CALVIN & HOBBES by Bill Watterson moment, sweeping
you inexorably towards the
future. In fact, you’ll soon reach
an emotional high tide. It
seems inevitable that you must
be true to your heart, and this
DOWN will make it very difficult
1 Seat of learning, perhaps (4) to compromise.
2 Angostura put out for Jason’s
crew (9) GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)
3 Greek upper chamber (5) You are bound to feel
4 Anti-labour act? (7) just a little strung out
5 Journey on such a train can today, perhaps
only have one end (7) because it looks as if
7 Free-style wrestling can your work is never done. If
leave one so exhausted (3,2) you put your emotional
8 Those who claim to be energy into achieving
teachers? (10) something of value, rather than
9 Censorious to a dangerous frittering your time away, then
degree? (8) you will soon begin to reap
14 Details put as specified (10) the rewards.
16 A hot line arranged for the
opera (8)
MARVIN by Tom Armstrong CANCER (June 22 - July 23)
BY PETER VIDAL
LIBRA (Sep 24 - Oct 23)
Please don’t lose
your head just
because all around
you partners seem to
be losing theirs. The most
positive way to use your
planetary energy at the
moment is to get involved in
some sort of charitable venture.
Do favours for others and you’ll
benefit within a few years or
even months.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 23)
You think you know
your own mind, but
do you? Now is the
time to face the facts,
as long as you listen carefully to
other people’s views. The only
problem may arise if you are
dealing with matters where
emotions count for more than
do your practical skills. And,
above all, don’t undervalue your
own contribution to the world.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 24 - Dec 22)
This certainly looks
like an expensive
moment and, if you
know what’s good
for you, you’ll stay well clear of
dubious financial involvements.
Put your emotional suspicions
to one side and concentrate on
finding out what makes
someone else tick.

(7)
22 Nothing turns up in the
flower beds (5)
24 Now proud, then undone
before the fall (8)
27 Painful reminder of the need
for filling time? (9)
28 Not qualified to sum up (5)
29 Two-way agreement (4)
30 Up-to-date description of
Christmas (7,3)
18 Charged with putting under You should state CAPRICORN (Dec 23 - Jan 20)
test, perhaps (9) your case and stick You are bound to
20 I’d enter uphill races beside to it. If you know meet your fair share
the motorcycle (7) that what you say is of criticism. In fact
21 They play in the alley (7) an exact reflection of how you the greater the
23 Examine a surgical feel, there can be little room opposition you face, the better,
instrument (5) for compromise. It is up to because you’ll be forced to
25 Point out a device for others to realise that, just now, sharpen up your act, with good
climbers (5) you have to be you. I’m sure consequences for your social
26 Sport may be part of the act, partners will be patient dreams and romantic affairs
or vice versa (4) with you. in particular.

SolutionsCrossword4106:Across:1Elegiac,5Fibre,8Andantino,9Nil,10Ease,12 LEO (July 24 - Aug 23)
Egotists,14Rather,15Recess,17Virginia,18Isle,21Obi,22Implement,24Irene,25 Your planetary
Lateral.Down:1Erase,2End,3Inns,4Cringe,5Frontier,6Banisters,7Enlists,11 aspects could not be
Saturnine,13Definite,14Ravioli,16Dispel,19Extol,20Heat,23Ear. more challenging.
This is just a simple
way of saying that difficulties
should be welcomed as
JUMBLED WORDS DifficultyLevel5s
‘learning opportunities’. You
SOLUTION SUDOKU 4196
AQUARIUS (Jan 21- Feb 19)
Whatever you’re
doing, however you
feel, there are always
balancing factors,
and right now excessive secrecy
relating to feelings will be
compensated for by equally

may see this as a chance to grow forthright honesty concerning

Instructions in wisdom, maturity and ideas and opinions. As a
Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, confidence, even if partners’ matter of fact, it may be all
therespectivesquaresbelow.Selectthelettersintheshadedsquaresandjumblethemtoget everydigitfrom1to9 behaviour is sometimes wild thoroughly confusing.
SUDOKU 4197

theanswerforthegivenquip. mustappearineachofthe and unpredictable.

Happyisthemanwhomthe_____:sweetspeechflowsfromhismouth-Hesiod(5,4) PISCES (Feb 20 - Mar 20)
nineverticalcolumns,in
VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sep 23) You seem to be
eachoftheninehorizontal It’s certainly a smitten by a strange
LPEEO AEEGLU rowsandineachofthe powerful moment, sort of divine
nineboxes. and you seem to be discontent, almost as
unduly affected by if you know that the grass must
the way other people think and be greener on the other side,
LOPSS ACUUMV DifficultyLevel feel. There may be nothing you but you’re not sure how to get
1s=Veryeasy;2s=Easy; can do about it for now, beyond there. News from overseas
3s=Medium;4s=Hard; trying to get them to talk about might just bring relief, but a
5s=VeryHard;6s= their many fears and desires. mystical or spiritual approach
- Hesiod
Answer: Happy is the man whom the Muses love: sweet speech flows from his mouth Genius Don’t judge them too harshly. may reveal the answer.
SOLUTION: ELOPE, SLOPS, LEAGUE, VACUUM

VOL. LXIV NO. 103 PRINTED FOR THE PROPRIETORS, THE INDIAN EXPRESS (P) LTD BY MS VAIDEHI THAKAR AT THE INDIAN EXPRESS PRESS, PLOT NO. EL-208, TTC INDUSTRIAL AREA, MAHAPE, NAVI MUMBAI - 400710 AND PUBLISHED FROM 1ST FLOOR, EXPRESS TOWERS, NARIMAN POINT, MUMBAI - 400021. EDITORIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: EXPRESS TOWERS, NARIMAN POINT,MUMBAI -
400021. PHONE: 22022627/67440000. FAX: 022-22835726. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: VIVECK GOENKA, CHIEF EDITOR: RAJ KAMAL JHA, EDITOR: UNNI RAJEN SHANKER, EDITOR (MUMBAI): NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN.* (*RESPONSIBLE FOR SELECTION OF NEWS UNDER THE PRB ACT) ADDITIONAL AIR SURCHARGE OF `1 .00 - GOA. COPYRIGHT: THE INDIAN EXPRESS (P) LTD. ALL RIGHTS RE-
SERVED. REPRODUCTION IN ANY MANNER, ELECTRONIC OR OTHERWISE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. THE INDIAN EXPRESS®

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