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KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR

MANMOHAN TO RELIGION BORIS BACK AT WORK, ‘MALIK TO LET

GUIDE PUNJAB’S IN CRISIS WARNS AGAINST THE CAT OUT
REVIVAL STRATEGY RELAXING RESTRICTIONS OF THE BAG’

P3 P6 P10 P12

WEATHER

Partly cloudy sky with possibility of

Danger far from over: PM cautions CMs
Modi stresses on need to focus on economy & remain vigilant; hints at staggered exit from lockdown in video conference with CMs
thundery development. The maximum
and minimum temperatures would be
SNS & PTI ahead. He said that as per

Over 22 per cent

around 36 and 20 degrees Celsius
respectively. NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL experts, the impact of coro-
navirus will remain visible

P
RAINFALL: Nil rime Minister
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Max.96%
TEMPERATURE
Min.50%
Narendra Modi on
Monday said econ-
omy needs to be
Max: 33.8°C (-5)
SUN RISES
05:42 hrs
Min: 18.9°C (-5)
SUN SETS
18:55 hrs
given importance, too, while
fighting Covid-19 and asked
chief ministers to plan for
MOON RISES MOON SETS the way ahead after two
10:18 hrs 23:46 hrs phases of lockdowns end on
3 May. He also cautioned
that the danger is far from
THUMBNAILS over, while Health Min-
istry said a record number
of 60 Covid-19 patients
have died in the last 24
hours.
However, a ray of hope
emerged with authorities
declaring that 85 districts
across India have not
reported a single infection
in the last two weeks and
five northeastern states
have become totally free of
the virus. The nationwide
tally of coronavirus positive
cases, in the meantime,
in the coming months,”
according to an official
statement.
Modi said masks and
face covers will become
part of people's lives in the
days ahead. He empha-
sised on the importance of
the use of technology as
much as possible, and also
on a need to embrace
reform measures. He, how-
ever, forewarned that the
danger of the virus is far from
over and a constant vigil is
of paramount importance.
In the meantime, the
country’s apex health
research body ICMR asked
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the 4th interaction with chief ministers of all states states to stop using the
and Union territories through video conferencing in New Delhi on Monday. IANS/PIB Covid-19 rapid antibody
test kits procured from two
Separately, Union Min- the highly-infected areas. Chinese companies and
ister Jitendra Singh said However, most people said return them to be sent back
five Northeastern states ~ public transport, schools to the suppliers.
Sikkim, Nagaland, and colleges and public Some states including
Arunachal Pradesh, gatherings including those Rajasthan had flagged issues
Covid-19 patients
have recovered
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
A total of 6,361 Covid-19
patients have recovered
so far, taking the recovery
rate in the country to
22.17 per cent, the Health
Ministry said on Mon-
day.
There has been a rise
of 1,463 cases in 24 hours
since Sunday morning,
taking the total number
of COVID-19 cases to
28,380 in India, the min-
istry said.
According to Health
Ministry data, the total
number of COVID-19
have not reported any
new case of Covid-19 in
the last 28 days.
A total of 85 districts
in 25 states and UTs have
not reported any fresh
case in the last 14 days,
Agarwal said.
He further urged peo-
ple to ensure that no com-
munity or area should be
blamed for the spread of
the virus and healthcare
and sanitation workers
should not be attacked as
they are helping in bring-
ing the crisis under con-
trol.
At the briefing, empow-
ered group-5 chairper-

28,380
Farmers, traders and vendors gather to nego-
rose to 28,380 with at least Manipur and Tripura ~ are for religious purposes might with results given by these deaths in the country son Param Iyer said
tiate prices at a wholesale vegetable market
886 deaths, but more than now completely coron- remain shut. kits. Opposition Congress stood at 886. cooked meals are being
on the outskirts of Amritsar on Monday. �AFP
6,300 patients have been avirus-free and the other As the final week of the leader Rahul Gandhi has Addressing a press served to 1.5 crore peo-

discharged, pushing the
RBI announces `50,000 crore special liquidity recovery rate to over 22
facility for mutual funds: The Reserve Bank of per cent, according to the
India on Monday provided a Rs 50,000-crore Union Health Ministry.
shot in the arm to stressed mutual funds by
unveiling a special liquidity facility for the sec-
tor, days after Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund
Domestic rating agency
Crisil warned that the “dis-
astrous” lockdowns will
decided to close six debt schemes. “With a view lead to losses of Rs 10 lakh
crore, as it nearly halved its
to easing liquidity pressures on MFs, it has been
decided to open a special liquidity facility for GDP growth estimate for the
mutual funds of Rs 50,000 crore,” the central current fiscal to 1.8 per
bank said in a statement. P8 cent.
“Lockdowns are show-
21,132
three ~ Assam, Meghalaya second phase of lockdown alleged that some people briefing, Health Ministry ple daily by the govern-
and Mizoram ~ have not began, Modi conveyed to were indulging in profi- Joint Secretary Lav Agar- ment, NGOs and indus-
added any new Covid-19 chief ministers that the teering while supplying wal said 16 districts which try as per data available
positive case in the last country will have to give rapid test kits for Covid-19 earlier had positive cases on 25 April.
few days.
The nationwide tally
suggested that some large
1,463 importance to the econo-
my as well as continue the
fight against the novel coro-
to the government.
The Union Health Min-
istry, in its evening update, than 200 have died in Mum- 26 in Telangana, 24 in Tamil
urban centres are facing the navirus. said there has been a spike bai, over 100 in Ahmedabad Nadu while West Bengal and
brunt of the deadly virus In his fourth video con- of 1,463 cases since Sunday and at least 54 in the nation- Karnataka have reported 20
448
much more than many ference with the chief min- evening. al capital. These three major deaths each.
other parts of the country isters over the pandemic, The number of active urban centres also impact Punjab has registered
with just three of them ~ Modi also underlined that Covid-19 cases stood at a significant part of the 18 fatalities so far. The dis-
Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmed- the nationwide lockdown 21,132, while 6,361 peo- country’s overall econom- ease has claimed six lives

India Ratings cuts growth forecast to 1.9% for

FY21: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) on
ing a disastrous impact on
the economy and could
lead to a permanent loss of
Monday revised its FY21 economic growth fore- GDP, unemployment and
cast for the country down to 1.9 per cent, cit- poverty, despite relief pack-
ing the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on ages, Crisil said.
economy. They said the revised number is On the positive side, the
based on the assumption that the partial lock- Health Ministry said 16
down will continue till mid-May. It, however, districts have not witnessed
sees GDP growth to slip to negative 2.1 per cent even one case in the last 28
if the lockdown continues beyond mid-May. P8 weeks.
abad ~ accounting for
almost one-third of the
total positive cases in the
country. These three also
account for nearly 40 per
cent of Covid-19 deaths.
Amid indications that the
lockdown might get further
extended, at least in the
areas considered as ‘red
zones’ or hotspots of the
886
UNION HEALTH MINISTRY
FIGURES AS OF 10.00 P.M.
MONDAY 27 APRIL 2020
deadly virus spread, spec-
ulation was also rife about
some relaxations including
for private cars and eco-
nomic activities outside
has “yielded positive results
as the country has managed
to save thousands of lives
in the past one and a half
months.”
“The Prime Minister
said that the country has
seen two lockdowns till
now, both different in cer-
tain aspects, and now we
have to think of the way
ple have recovered, and
one patient has migrated,
the ministry said. The total
number of cases includes
111 foreign nationals.
Among major cities,
Mumbai alone has report-
ed over 5,400 cases, while
Delhi has more than 2,900
and Ahmedabad more than
2,100 cases. Besides, more
ic activities.
Of the nationwide death
toll of 886, Maharashtra
tops the tally with 342 fatal-
ities, followed by Gujarat at
151, Madhya Pradesh at
106, Delhi at 54, Rajasthan
at 41, and Andhra Pradesh
and Uttar Pradesh at 31
each.
The death toll reached
in Jammu and Kashmir,
four in Kerala while Jhark-
hand and Haryana have
recorded three Covid-19
deaths each.
Bihar has reported two
deaths, while Meghalaya,
Himachal Pradesh, Odisha
and Assam have reported
one fatality each, accord-
ing to the ministry data.

HC asks Delhi to ensure ‘Partial lockdown may FUTURE OF FLYING?

food grains for the poor extend till 21 May in WB’

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
A Division Bench of the Delhi
High Court today directed the
Delhi Government to ensure
that all ration shops are kept
open daily from 9 am to 1 pm
and from 3 pm to 7 pm and dis-
tribute food grains to the poor,
marginalized and underpriv-
ileged sections of society.
Passing interim orders on
a petition filed by the Delhi Rozi-
Roti Adhikar Abhiyan, a bench
of Justices Siddharth Mridul and
Talwant Singh directed the
government to ensure “that the
Sub-Divisional Magistrates of
each district carry out strict and
regular monitoring and over-
sight of the distribution of
food grains, as afore directed
and upload the details of shop-
wise distribution of ration to
both the PDS and non-PDS res-
idents on their official website,
at the end of each day.”
The Bench said:“We observe
that the distress caused to the
residents of the city by the
ongoing lockdown imposed in
order to contain the spread of
the Covid-19 virus, has been
further aggravated by the stat-
ed denial of access to food grain
to the poor, under-privileged
and marginalized sections of
the populace, even though
we are informed at the Bar that,
the GNCTD is undertaking
necessary steps to alleviate
their suffering through various
measures, stated to include the
serving of hot meals twice a day
at a large number of specified
locations.”
The state government was
directed to widely publicise the
Court’s directions through the
print and electronic media
and to further disseminate
information on Grievance
Helpline numbers that could
be reached by those aggriev-
ed because of non-distribution
of food grains.
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, 27 APRIL
The West Bengal government
will take necessary precautions
and restrictions to combat
Coronavirus till 21 May though
the final decision on extend-
ing the lockdown will be
taken by the Centre, said
chief minister Mamata Baner-
jee at Nabanna today.
During this period, lock-
down will be imposed strict-
ly in four districts namely
Kolkata (227 areas), Howrah
(56 areas), North 24 Parganas
(57 areas) and East Midnapore
(8 areas) that are under red
zone. In 11 districts (South 24
Parganas, Hooghly,West Mid-
napore, East Burdwan,West Bur-
dwan, Kalimpong, Nadia, Jal-
paiguri, Darjeeling, Murshid-
abad and Malda) under orange
zone some relaxations would
be offered and for remaining
eight districts (Alipurduar,
Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur,
South Dinajpur, Birbhum,
Bankura, Purulia and Jhar-
gram) in green zone further
relaxations would be given.
But relaxations and restric-
tions would change if a zone Low-cost carrier AirAsia has introduced new personal protective equipment (PPE) for its cabin
shifts from orange to red or crews as flights in SE Asia are set to resume. Designed in collaboration with Filipino fashion
visa versa, she said. designer Puey Quinones (who posted this photograph), the suits have been approved by
TURN TO PAGE 4 Philippines health officials.

Covid-19 impact: The virus has robbed them of their magic

SOUMYADIP MULLICK
KOLKATA, 27 APRIL
Conjurers, who always have
some tricks up their sleeves or
in their hats, now wish they
could make disappear the
plight that Covid-19 pan-
demic has brought forth in their
lives. Magicians are left in the
lurch due to unavailability of
shows and cancellations of
scheduled ones due to the pre-
vailing lockdown.
On a normal day, as the
evening show reaches its
crescendo, pairs of specula-
tive eyes remain fixed on the
magician, dressed in a multi-
coloured robe. The hypnotic
words, “Abracadabra” and
“Hocus Pocus”, breaks the
gripping silence in the hall, and
in the blink of an eye, the
conjurer disappears from the
stage and reappears in the audi-
ence. With a royal gait, he
walks down the aisle, return-
ing to the stage while swing-
ing his wand amidst a roaring
applause. Bowing before the
spellbound viewers, he takes
off his hat in gratitude, and out
flies a pigeon flapping its
wings. Suspended jaws and
murmuring voices in the the-
atre stand witness to the
bewilderment. One is left to
decipher how the impossible
feat was pulled off with great
ease.
Mahajati Sadan, often
termed as the magic haven of
the city, has time and again
hosted these wizards. City
based magician, Subrata
Kumar Mukherjee, has been
in the profession for over 35
years and prefers introducing
himself as an “illusionist”.
Using virtual medium and
magic to create social aware-
ness about the pandemic, he
writes “novel Coronavirus”
on a piece of paper and slips
it into a box. When re-opens
it, the paper has vanished.
Drawing a metaphor, he says
“One needs to stay indoors to
ward off the disease.”
The illusionist recalls to The
Statesman that magic caught
his fancy at the age of six.
Mukherjee admits, “ Times are
difficult now. I had a sched-
uled tour in June to perform
at Canada, Japan and Nepal,
but now it stands cancelled due
to the pandemic. Our earnings
depend on our performances.”
The dwindling number of
magic stage-shows has any-
way compelled magicians to
perform at private events but
due to the lockdown, these
opportunities, too, have faded
into oblivion. Paying assistants
and team members now, has
become a great concern for well
established wizards.
The plight is even a shade
darker for small-scale magi-
cians who are uncertain as to
when the situation will nor-
malise and, if it does, what will
be the “new normal” for
mankind? Will we again take
part in social gatherings to wit-
ness a performing art such as
magic? These questions have
put them in a quandary. The
Magic Artistes Society of which
Mukherjee is a founding mem-
ber and secretary, has decid-
ed to write to the state gov-
ernment for certain relief
measures for supporting these
artistes.
Magician A. Sarkar, presi-
dent of ‘Magic World’ ~ a gov-
ernment registered trust of
magicians ~ based out of
Kolkata, highlighted, in India,
75 per cent of magicians are
small timers. “We have around
550 members who perform in
private events every day to earn
their daily living. We are now
providing them with tempo-
rary relief from the limited fund
of our trust and have decid-
ed to approach the state gov-
ernment for aid.”
The woes don’t seem to end
here. Budding magician, ‘Koko’,
an eight-year-old boy, held a
ring in his left palm and a stick
in the other. He banged both
his wrists against each other
and Presto! the ring hangs
from the stick. How and when
the stick went through the ring,
is best left to our fertile imag-
inations.
Magician Kaushik Bose
alias “Sand Kaushik”, secretary
of Federation of Indian Magic
Associates (FIMA), says, “Koko
is one of our youngest and tal-
ented member magician. He
is suffering from thalassemia
and because of lockdown,
arranging for blood has turned
out to be a herculean task.”
FIMA, which has more
than 4000 member magicians
in India and abroad, com-
bined, also hosts the Kolkata
Magic Fair. The magicians are
now staring at a bleak future.
The pandemic, thus far, has
managed to deceive us with
a Houdini-like-expertise and
might continue with its adven-
tures till we come out with the
magic pill. Till then, each day,
the human race is incurring
irredeemable losses.
02
We have formed a state-level committee to take measures to
reorganise the state's economy and provide it a momentum
at the end of the coronavirus crisis
SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020 MADHYA PRADESH CHIEF MINISTER

JMI Alumni Assn president HC seeks Netflix stand

on plea for stopping
arrested for N-E Delhi riots
Delhi Police books another Jamia student leader under UAPA; serious concerns raised by human
webseries ‘Hasmukh’
rights & civil society activists over 'witch-hunt' against anti-CAA-NRC student protesters
SNS & PTI A slew of human rights
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL activists, academics and
prominent civil society mem-

D
elhi Police has
slapped the dra-
conian Unlawful
Activities (Preven-
tion) Act (UAPA) on yet anoth-
er Jamia student leader, arrest-
ing the Jamia Millia Islamia
Alumni Association's president
Shifa-ur-Rehman in connec-
tion with the February North-
east Delhi riots.
Shifa-ur-Rehman is also a
member of the Jamia Coor-
dination Committee (JCC) ~
a group comprising students
and alumni of the Jamia Mil-
lia Islamia ( JMI) varsity,
which has been at the fore-
front of the agitation against
the controversial Citizen-
ship Amendment Act (CAA)
and the proposed National
Register of Citizens (NRC) in
the national capital.
Shifa-ur-Rehman was
booked under the stringent
UAPA for alleged involve-
ment in the Northeast Delhi
violence and was subse-
quently arrested by the Delhi
Police's special cell yester-
day, officials said today.
“We had technical evi-
dence against him which
suggests that he incited mobs
during the riots. He was also
seen in the CCTV footage
which was collected from
the riot-affected areas. We
have checked his call record
details and WhatsApp mes-
sages and found more evi-
dence which suggests his
involvement in the riots,” a
senior police officer said.
He was produced before
a city court which remand-
ed him in police custody for
10 days for further interro-
gation in connection with the
case, according to police.
Ten people have been
arrested by the special cell
cops for their alleged involve-
ment in the Northeast Delhi
communal riots.
Earlier, JMI scholars, Meer-
an Haider and Safoora Zargar,
were also arrested under the
UAPA for allegedly hatching
a conspiracy to incite the city
riots.
Zargar is the JCC's media
coordinator. Haider is also a
leading JCC member.
In the FIR, police have
claimed that the commu-
nal violence was a “pre-
meditated conspiracy”
allegedly hatched by former
JNU student leader Umar
Khalid and two others.
The riots had broken out
in Northeast Delhi on 24
Febr uar y after clashes
between the pro and anti-
CAA-NRC protesters snow-
balled into a devasting com-
munal conflagration that
raged for several days leav-
ing at least 53 people dead,
hundreds injured, and
largescale destruction of
shops and houses in its wake.
Police were accused of either
inaction or complicity in
some instances of violence.
Amid serious concerns
raised by human rights
activists and civil society
members against alleged
FILE PHOTO
witch-hunt and victimisation
of leading anti-CAA-NRC
protesters and student
activists by the State and
police, Delhi Police had last
week said that its investiga-
tions into the December
2019 Jamia area violence
and February 2020 Northeast
Delhi riots have been under-
taken professionally and
impartially. It had also
claimed that all arrests in
these cases were made after
analysis of forensic evidence.
bers, however, charged that
Delhi Police was going after
the anti-CAA-NRC student
activists and JCC members,
accusing it of allegedly abus-
ing the ongoing coronavirus
lockdown to "silence those
who oppose government
policies”.
The JCC had last week
condemned the city police's
move, saying that the arrests
of its members, including
Zargar, in connection with
the Northeast Delhi riots
were made “without rhyme
or reason”.
Meanwhile, officials said
that Zargar has been lodged
in a separate cell in Tihar Jail
and that all medical facili-
ties were being provided to
her.
Zargar, who is pregnant,
has been in judicial cus-
tody. She is also fasting dur-
ing the ongoing holy month
of Ramzan.
The Tihar Jail officials
said they make special
arrangements for food dur-
ing sehri and iftar.
“She is in jail number six,
which is a women's jail. She
is alone in the cell. Due to
Covid-19, we lodge new
inmates separately for a par-
ticular time,” a jail official said.
Since Zargar is pregnant,
she has been placed under
a doctor's supervision and all
medical facilities have been
provided to her, the official said.
“If doctors recommend some-
thing extra in her diet, it will
be provided to her.”
PTI
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
The Delhi High Court on
Monday sought response
of media streaming platform
Netflix and producers of
webseries 'Hasmukh' on a
plea seeking to stop its air-
ing on the ground that it
allegedly maligns image
and reputation of lawyers.
The High Court also
reserved its order on the plea
seeking interim stay on the
airing of the webseries.
Justice Sanjeev Sachde-
va asked Netflix and the
webseries producers and
director to file their written
statements on the main
suit, seeking permanent
injunction on airing of the
show, and the application
for interim stay on broad-
casting it.
Netflix was represented
by advocate Saikrishna
Rajagopal, who opposed
the lawsuit, which will now
come up for hearing on
July 7.
The lawsuit is filed by
lawyer Ashutosh Dubey
who has also sought direc-
tions to the webseries pro-
ducers, directors and writer
to “tender unconditional
apology online for malign-
ing the image of the lawyers
community, which includes
judges as they too had been
lawyers at one point of
time”.
He has further claimed
that in episode 4 of the
webseries, lawyers have
been allegedly referred to
as thieves, scoundrels, goons
and rapists.
Dubey, who practices
in the Supreme Court, has
contended that “statements
(in the series) are highly dis-
paraging, defamatory and
bring disrepute to the law
profession and lawyers and
advocates in the eyes of
general public”.
“The said remarks have
caused utmost damage to
legal profession and impugn
the image of lawyers in the
eyes of millions of viewers/
subscribers who visit the
streaming website where the
show is being streamed,” the
lawyer has said in his plea
seeking a permanent
injunction on airing of the
series.
It also seeks “deletion or
removal of the statements
and contents from the show
'Hasmukh', especially from
episode 4 of the series.

Covid-19: Cured Tablighi Jamaat members UNTAMED SPIRIT

donate their plasma for serious patients

SNS & PTI
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
A number of theTablighi Jamaat
members, who attended its
congregation at Nizamuddin
last month and subsequently
tested positive for novel coro-
navirus (Covid-19), have come
forward and donated their
plasma for the treatment of seri-
ously-ill coronavirus patients
in the national capital.
Sources said ten Tablighi
Jamaat members who have
come forward to donate their
plasma have recovered from
Covid-19 at the Sultanpuri and
Narela quarantine centres.
Many more have volun-
teered to donate their plasma,
they said.
The Tablighi Jamaat, a Mus-
lim global missionary organ-
isation headquartered in South
Delhi's Nizamuddin, came
under intense attack from var-
ious quarters for the spread of
coronavirus after it allegedly
organised a congregation ahead
of the lockdown despite some
curbs on gathering imposed by
the Delhi government.
In the plasma therapy, the
transfusion of plasma from
recovered Covid-19 patients to
gravely-ill coronavirus patients
is conducted. Sources said
several Tablighi Jamaat mem-
bers at different quarantine cen-
tres have also volunteered to
donate their plasma for the
recovery of Covid-19 patients.
An appeal was recently
made by Delhi chief minister
Arvind Kejriwal to patients,
who have successfully recov-
ered from coronavirus, to
donate their plasma for treat-
ment of serious corona
patients.
Kejriwal said the initial
results of plasma therapy on
critically-ill Covid-19 patients
have shown “encouraging”
initial results. Last week, Tab-
lighi Jamaat head Maluana
Saad Kandhalvi also appealed
to the organisation's follow-
ers, who have recovered from
the coronavirus infection, to
donate their plasma. A Delhi
government official said the
process of taking plasma from
the Tablighi Jamaat mem-
bers has started. According to
Dr Mohammad Shoaib, who
is facilitating the exercise, 10
Tablighi Jamaat members
have donated their plasma to
help other coronavirus patients
so far.
The exercise commenced
on Sunday evening after the iftar
at Sultanpuri and Narela quar-
antine centres following which
a team from the Delhi gov-
ernment's ILBS Hospital and
another private hospital visit-
ed the premises, he said.

KOLKATA CHANDIGARH RAIPUR & CHATTISGARGH

Statesman House, Mr. Manish Saluja
SCO 56-57 (First Floor) 53, Sahid Samarak Complex Bombay
4, Chowringhee Square Near G.P.O, Sectro-17D People flying a kite on a building's rooftop during the continuing countrywide coronavirus lockdown, in the Capital on
Market, G.E. Road,
Kolkata-700 001 Chandigarh-160017 Raipur 492001 Monday. AMARJEET SINGH
Tel: (033) 22127070-76, Mob: 09779188811 Tel.: 5035985, (M): 9425202097
(033) 41071700 Email: Email:
Fax: (033) 2212-6181 / 7107-1780 chandigarh@thestatesmangroup.com manish_saluja@yahoo.com
Email: classified@thestatesman.net /
statesmandisplay@gmail.com
BHUBANESWAR
Plot 3A, Zone B, Sector A, Mancheswar
RANCHI
11/C, Road#1, Ashoknagar
Ranchi - 834 002
HC seeks govt stand on plea seeking
DELHI
Statesman House,
148, Barakhamba Road,
Industrial Estate, Bhubaneswar- 751 010.
Tel: (0674) 2588060/61/ 62/2586371,
Telefax: 0674-2588061
Fax: (0651) 2247054
Email:
binodenarayansingh@yahoo.co.in
food for stray animals during lockdown
New Delhi-110 001 Email:
Tel: (011) 2331 5911
ASSAM & TRIPURA
thestatesmanbbsr@thestatesman.net PTI that the failure to take any action
Fax: (011) 2331 5295 Fallguni Bhattacharya
Email: thestatesman.delhi@thestatesman.net / Dr. Tarini Bose Commercial Complex 3rd floor, NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL could result in deaths of count-
HYDERABAD Maligaon, Chariyali, Guwahati- 781001 lessstrayanimalsduetostarvation
delhistatesman@gmail.com
The Statesman Limited, Ph.: 09435017934 The Delhi High Court on Mon- and it could lead to another epi-
3/10, INS Building, (3rd floor) Email: fbhatta@gmail.com
Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110 001, 2nd Floor, UNI Building, day sought response of the demic as the limited municipal
Tel: (011) 2371 8434 A.C. Guards, Hyderabad-500004, BIHAR Centre and AAP government on staff engaged in sanitization of
Email: thestatesman.delhi@thestatesman.net Ph.: 040-2339 1739 a plea seeking directions to them colonies and garbage collec-
Mr. Neeraj Kumar
shivaji.samaddar@gmail.com Email:
thestatesman.hyd@gmail.com
C/o. Abhya Sharma to provide food and water to stray tion, would beunable to dispose
Ishan House (2nd floor) North Jai Prakash Nagar animals during the coron- of the dead animal bodies.
A-90, Sector II NOIDA, UP 201 301 Mob: 986632909 Road No. - 5,
P.O. Ashina Nagar
avirus lockdown. “Apartfromlossofanimallife,
Tel: (0120) 95120-3891800/810,
Patna - 800025 A bench of Justices Sid- a situation will also arise where
Fax: (0120) 95120-2547216 MUMBAI
Mob: 9082815436 dharth Mridul and Talwant the stray dogs in particular,
5, Kasturi Buildings Jamshedji Tata Road, Singh issued notices to the enterintootherterritoriessearch-
SILIGURI Mumbai-400 020 GUJRAT Ministry of Fisheries and Ani- ing for food and display aggres-
13A, Dabgram Industrial Growth Centre, Tel: (022) 2202 1045 Reyna Desai, 310 Shan Complex mal Husbandry, Delhi gov- sive behaviour towards humans
P.O. Satellite Township, Fax: 2204 4877 (Oposite Of M. J Library,
Beside Sakar 4), Elis Bridge,
ernment, the Animal Welfare in search of food,” the petition
Siliguri-734015 Email:
thestatesman.mumbai@gmail.com Ahmedabad - 380006. Board of India (AWBI) and the said.
Tel: 2568615, 2568063 and 2568787.
Ph.: 079-26579115/09824022296 municipal bodies here. It also said that presently
Fax: (0353) 2568296, Email: reyna.desai@gmail.com
Email: thestatesman.siliguri@thestatesman.net CHENNAI The bench sought their only a handful of NGOs and vol-
sil_statesman@yahoo.co.in NAGPUR reply on the petition by June 10, unteers are ensuring that stray
Fagun Mansion (4th floor)
Office: The Statesman Ltd. Sarabjit Ahluwalia
the next date of hearing. animals are fed in very limited
26, Ethirai Road, Chennai-600 008,
3rd floor, Rina Bhawan, Tel: (044) 28278037, 28279984 Flat No. 101, Bindra Mansion Advocate Gauri Puri, who areas of Delhi.
Opp. HDFC Bank, Panitanki More, Sevoke Fax: 28224800 21, Kadbi Chowk appeared for the petitioner, Further, due to lack of ade-
Road, Siliguri-734015 Email: ananth_swaminathan@rediffmail.com / Nagpur - 440014 said the high court also asked quate fund and support, as also
Tel: (0353) 2524077 Ph.: 9822221418 the Delhi government to issue penal consequences that may
statesmanchennai@thestatesman.net
Email:
sarabjit. ahluwalia1@gmail. com travel passes on sympathetic entail for violation of the lock-
SHIMLA grounds to animal welfare vol- tended that stray dogs and other down, and therefore, the strays down order, the volunteers are
The Statesman Ltd. LUCKNOW PUNE unteers during the lockdown. animals are largely dependent aresufferingfromstarvation,the unable to take care of the sev-
Cabin No. 305, P. C. Chambers 2/2, Butler Palace (Near Jopling Road),
Lucknow-226 001,
Nitin Akolkar The Central government ongarbageandleftoverfoodfrom plea said. eral starving stray animals in
Near Jodha Niwas 34/3, Suwas Building standing counsel, Anurag restaurants, canteens and mar- It was further contended the national capital, the peti-
The Mall Shimla-171001, H.P. Ph.: (0522) 2206705, 9696000004 Beside Hotel Laxman, Prabhat Road
Email: Pune-411004, Maharashtra.
Ahluwalia, accepted notice for ketplaces, all of which have that while the governments tion said. The plea has also
Mob: 09418027177
Email: achal.khosla@gmail.com Ph.: 9822331346 the ministry. been shut down in the wake of were taking adequate measures sought directions to the Animal
naveensharma.thestatesman@gmail.com Mob: 9005999018 Email: nitin.akolkar@gmail.com The order came on the plea COVID-19 pandemic. Even to ensure the poor and needy Welfare Board of India to estab-
by Arti Puri who has been those private persons who were get food, no such steps are being lish a committee to ensure
AIR-SURCHARGE; Kathmandu - Re. 2, Eastern Region - Re. 1
All other stations in India - Re. 1 working for welfare of animal feeding them are not venturing taken for stray animals. adequate food and water is being
for the last 15 years. She con- outoftheirhomesduetothelock- The petitioner submitted provided to stray animals.

Bring Delhi students back
from Kota: LOP to Kejri
Delhi's Leader of Opposition Bidhuri urges CM to take urgent steps for return of the city's stranded students
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
T
he Leader of the Oppo-
sition (LOP) in the
Delhi Assembly,
Ramvir Singh Bidhuri,
today urged chief minister
Arvind Kejriwal to take urgent
steps to bring back students
of the national capital who have
been stranded in Kota in
Rajasthan due to the contin-
uing nationwide lockdown
imposed since 25 March to
curb the spread of the novel
coronavirus (Covid-19) out-
break.
In a letter to CM Kejriwal,
Bidhuri pointed out that Kota
is a popular centre of educa-
tion in the country and that
students from different states
go there to prepare for vari-
ous competitive examina-
tions.
“Most of the state govern-
ments have made arrange-
ments to evacuate children of
their states acknowledging
their problems due to the
lockdown. Therefore I also
HP delivers medicines
at doorsteps under
CM helpline scheme
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 27 APRIL
The CM Essential Medicine
Helpline started by the
Himachal Pradesh govern-
ment is proving to be a boon
for the people across the state
amid nationwide lockdown
imposed in wake of coron-
avirus pandemic.
The district administra-
tion of Sirmaur is also oper-
ating a medical helpline.
The telephone numbers
of medicine stores in vari-
ous blocks of the district
have been shared with the
people.
Through the CM helpline
more than 1500 people have
been benefited by getting
essential medicines at their
homes in far-flung areas so
far.Sirmaur district assis-
tant drug controller Sunny
Kaushal said: "52 requests
have been received from
the district under the helpline,
out of which 48 have been
resolved and remaining four
will be also provided help at
the earliest."
"Most of the cases have
come on the helpline who
are under treatment from
other states. In all such cases,
every effort has been made
Coronavirus: Himachal’s ‘Active Case Finding’ strategy appreciated by PM
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 27 APRIL
Himachal Pradesh's strategy
of Active Case Finding (ACF)
to deal with Covid-19 which
helped in screening the entire
population of state for any
Influenza Like Illness (ILI), has
reportedly been appreciat-
ed by Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi.
An official press release
said that in a video conference
with Chief Ministers of different
states today, Prime Minister,
Narendra Modi appreciated
the efforts of Himachal Pradesh
government for effectively
taking up ACF campaign and
asked other states to follow the
HP model to deal with the pan-
request you to make proper
arrangements to bring back
the students of Delhi in Kota,”
the LOP told the CM in his let-
ter. The state governments of
Uttar Pradeh, Madhya Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh, Haryana,
Assam and Gujarat sent buses
to Kota to bring back their stu-
to manage medicines for
patients in their areas.
Apart from this, for the
elderly and patients who
cannot go, this facility is
being provided at their
doorsteps," he said.
District chemists and
drug alliance president
Rakesh Malhotra informed
that around 1500 home
deliveries have been made
in Simaur since 1 April, 2020.
"The medicines are being
delivered to all those areas
from where phone calls for
medicines are being made
through the CM helpline or
by coordinating with the
district's drug dealers under
the medicine helpline of
the district administration.
The administration
recently provided medicines
to heart and diabetic patient
in Ronhat area, about 160 km
from district headquarter,
Nahan."
"As per the guidelines of
the state government and the
district administration, the
alliance has made medi-
cines available to the peo-
ple especially the elderly
according to their need so
that they do not have to
leave the house in lockdown
period." he said.
demic.
The ACF Campaign was a
unique program under which
70 lakh population was
checked for ILI with the team
of 16,000 officials including
ASHA workers, Anganwadi
workers, Para-medics and
police. The ILI patients are now
being tested for coronavirus.
The testing ratio of the
state is 700 per million of
population, which is one of
the highest in the country.
The PM asked the states to
motivate people to down-
load Arogya Setu App which
would help in detecting an
active coronavirus carrier.
Himachal Pradesh Chief
Minister, Jai Ram Thakur
urged the PM to provide ade-
dents and the Delhi govern-
ment should also follow suit,
Bidhuri said.
“According to informa-
tion, hundreds of children of
Delhi are trapped there. There-
fore, adequate arrangements
should be made to get them
out,” he said.
Thousands gather at border as HP allows residents to return
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 27 APRIL
Thousands of Himachal
Pradesh residents turned up
at Punjab-Himachal border
after the Himachal government
decided to allow them to
return homes, resulting in
flouting of social distancing
norms.
However, the situation was
soon brought under control
at Mehatpur border in Una dis-
trict.
The residents of Himachal's
various districts like Kangra,
Hamirpur, Una and Chamba,
who were stranded in Punjab,
started gathering at Mehatpur
at the Punjab-Himachal bor-
der since Monday morning.
There was around 1.5 km
Manmohan to guide Punjab’s
post-Covid revival strategy
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, 27 APRIL --
Former Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh will guide
a group of experts for Pun-
jab's post Covid-19 revival
strategy.
While group of experts led
by the former deputy chair-
man of the Planning Com-
mission the Montek Singh
Ahluwalia will prepare the
stratgey for the revival of
Punjab's economy post-
Covid-19 panedemic, Dr
Singh has accepted Chief
Minister (CM) Amarinder
Singh’s request to provide
overall guidance to the state
government to restore the
state’s growth and econo-
my.
The group of expert, had
its introductory meeting,
through Video Conference,
with the CM who stressed the
need for the Union govern-
ment to come up solutions
as Punjab was in dire state.
Amarinder told the group
that the state’s financial sit-
uation was grim, with month-
quate number of ventilators
to meet any eventuality. He said
The chain of transmission of the virus should be broken,
strictly for districts falling in the red and orange zones.
Bidhuri proposed that the
Delhi government could use
the sanitised state-run Delhi
Transport Corporation (DTC)
buses to bring Delhi's students
back from Kota.
He said the parents of the
stranded students have been
distressed and have urged
long queue of vehicles and peo-
ple including women and
children waiting eagerly to
enter the state and it led to vio-
lation of social distancing
norms.
However, the situation was
brought under control with-
in few hours after Una Deputy
Commissioner Sandeep
Kumar along with a team
reached the spot and cleared
the logjam.
The persons, who were
waiting to return to their
native places after the lock-
down was enforced, have
been told to remain under
home quarantine by Una dis-
trict administration.
The residents of other dis-
tricts as Hamipur, Kangra and
Chamba will be told to remain
ly revenue losses to the tune
of Rs 3360 Crore.
The state’s cash inflows
had completely dried up,
said the CM, adding that
Power consumption had
declined by 30 percent with
a daily loss of Rs 30 Crore in
collection of electricity tar-
iff to the Punjab State Power
Corporation Ltd.Punjab’s
industry has been shut down,
with less than one per cent
of then working.
Group member and
industrialist SP Oswal said the
state and the industry were
that although manufactur-
ing in pharmacy units in the
the government to help their
children return homes.
Many of these parents
have also reached out to him
seeking help in this regard, Bid-
huri noted in his letter, urg-
ing Kejriwal to take immedi-
ate action to bring the students
of Delhi back from Kota.
The residents of Himachal's various districts
like Kangra, Hamirpur, Una and Chamba, who
were stranded in Punjab, started gathering at
Mehatpur at the Punjab-Himachal border since
Monday morning. There was around 1.5 km
long queue of vehicles and people including
women and children waiting eagerly to enter
the state and it led to violation of social dis-
tancing norms.
under home quarantine at
the border of concerned dis-
tricts.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister
Jai Ram Thakur on Monday
directed the officers to ensure
complete medical examina-
tion of people entering the state
at the borders itself.
"It is only the medical
checkup that they should be
facing a hard time, necessi-
tating hard decisions and
sacrifices.
The CM said Agriculture
was currently offering the only
bright side to the situation,
with the state having a
bumper wheat crop, which
will be followed by Cotton and
Paddy.
The Centre, Amarinder
said, had not even accepted
his government’s request for
bonus to incentivise the
farmers to bring in their pro-
duce in a staggered manner
to the Mandis, which was
essential to check the spread
of Covid-19, which was cur-
rently affected eight districts
in the state and had shown
a mortality rate higher than
the national average.
However, the state’s per-
centage of the national total
had declined from 2.2 per cent
on 1 April to 1.2 per cent on
25 April. The doubling rate
of positive cases (as average
of last one week) stood at
around 18 days against the
national average of nine
days.
state has started and they
were meeting out the require-
NARENDRA MODI
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
PRIME MINISTER
Punjab Police launches
#MainBhiHarjeetSingh campaign
for solidarity with Corona warriors
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, 27 APRIL
Expressing solidarity with sub
inspector Harjeet Singh whose
left hand was chopped off in
an attack when he was trying
to impose lockdown restrictions
in the state, Punjab Police on
Monday started a campaign
under which all police per-
sonnel in the state will have
Singh's name instead of their
own names on the badges
they pin to their uniforms.
Launching the campaign
#MainBhiHarjeetSingh, the
Director General of Police
(DGP) Dinkar Gupta today
placed Singh’s on his nameplate
for the whole day.
He said this special cam-
paign in hashtag of #MainBhi-
HarjeetSingh on social media
platforms aims to highlight his
bravery in the time of adver-
sity and express solidarity with
all doctors, health workers, all
civil officers during the fight
with Covid-19.
Gupta said Singh has
emerged as a symbol of nation’s
fight against Covid-19. "This
battle is being led by frontline
policemen and healthcare
professionals but unfortu-
nately some of them are being
allowed to go to their respec-
tive destinations for home
quarantine," he told Deputy
Commissioners, Chief Med-
ical Officers and Superinten-
dent of Police of all districts.
Addressing the government
officials through video-con-
ferencing, Thakur said it must
be made mandatory for the
people entering the state to
Khattar asks Centre to end uncertainty
over dates of competitive exams
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, 27 APRIL
Haryana Chief Minister
Manohar Lal Khattar today
urged the Union govern-
ment to take quick steps to
remove the prevailing uncer-
tainty around dates of com-
petitive examinations like
Combined Defense Services
(CDS), JEE, and NEET for
admissions into National
Defense Academy, engi-
neering colleges and medical
colleges respectively.
While speaking through a
video conference of CMs
chaired by Prime Minister,
Narendra Modi on Moday,
Khattar said all efforts are
being made to revive eco-
nomic activities in a safe
manner. Sharing details about
Haryana in tackling the Covid-
19 pandemic spread.
The CM said: "The present
statistics of the state are quite
promising. We are testing
3115 samples every day. Out
of the total 22,243 tests con-
ducted till date, only 299
have been found positive.
After treatment, 205 patients
ments of the country as well
as world.
He said that almost 80 per
cent pharmacy was in MSME
sector, therefore the Union gov-
ernment should provide all
possible help to ensure smooth
supply of chemicals and raw
material.
"The government has con-
stituted a task force to restart
economic activities in the
state." the CM said.
"Himachal Pradesh is a
tourist state as lakhs of domes-
tic and foreign tourists visit here
every year. Due to the coro-
na pandemic the tourism
industry in the state has com-
pletely ruined.
Similarly, as apple plays a
vital role in the economy
Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta
affixing name of SI Harjeet
Singh to his uniform at
Chandigarh. SNS
attacked by people in many
places across the country",
he said adding Singh’s hand was
chopped off at Patiala during
an attack by Nihangs but he
symbolised the top attribut-
es of a good cop while remained
calm and shown exemplary
download Arogya Setu app.
"The mechanism of issu-
ing passes by the concerned
Deputy Commissioners should
be staggered so as to avoid over-
crowding in the entry points
of the state. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi during video
conferencing with the Chief
Ministers of the country has
specially emphasised the need
for social distancing," he
added.
He said PM Modi has also
stressed on making best pos-
sible efforts to ensure that
coronavirus does not enter the
green zone and separate strate-
gies should be prepared for red
zones and orange zones to con-
vert these into green zone at
the earliest. Thakur said efforts
should be made to start eco-
have recovered and dis-
charged from the hospital."
He also said that present-
ly there are 155 containment
zones in the state where the
lockdown is being strictly
implemented. He shared that
presently, quarantine arrange-
ment has been made for 19
thousand patients and
arrangement of isolation
beds for 9444 patients has also
been made. As many as 1101
ventilators are in working
there is an urgent need to
ensure adequate supply of car-
ton boxes and also a better
facility for smooth trans-
portation of apple." thakur
said.
"Out of the reported cases
in Himachal, including one
death 25 persons have been
discharged after being found
negative, while four persons
have gone for treatment out-
side the state. Remaining 10
persons were under treat-
ment in the hospitals of the
state. No covid-19 case has
been reported during last five
days from any part of the
state." the CM said.
The first case for corona
virus in the state was report-
ed on 19 March from Kangra,
03
courage in the face of fire.
He requested everyone to
join this campaign to encour-
age all the frontline warriors
fighting against Covid-19 in dif-
ferent parts of the country.
Gupta informed that he has also
written several state police
heads to show solidarity with
all police personnel, health pro-
fessionals and other officials
working untiringly to save the
lives of people.
He said that after the unfor-
tunate episode of Singh’s hand
being dismembered, all the
frontline warriors have unit-
ed in a demonstration of sol-
idarity and support to each
other to convey a clear mes-
sage - don’t attack policemen,
the ‘protectors’; and doctors,
the ‘saviours’. DGP also urged
everybody to post a picture or
share a video and upload it on
various social media plat-
forms like Facebook,Whatsapp,
Twitter and Instagram with the
hashtag #MainBhiHarjeetS-
ingh and #MainBhiPun-
jabPolice and tag Punjab Police
and Post Graduate Institute of
Medical Education and
Research, Chandigarh where
Singh, 50, is recovering after
a successful surgery of his
hand.
nomic activities particularly
in the green zones and spe-
cial thrust must be laid on pro-
viding smooth movement of
essential commodities and
farming equipments.
"People should also be
motivated to wear face masks
and face covers as this could
check spread of coronavirus.
Since selective shops were
allowed to open in certain areas
but it must be ensured that
effective social distancing is
maintained there and every-
one uses face masks and san-
itizer.
Chief Secretary Anil Khachi
said that people arriving from
other States must be allowed
to go for home quarantine after
recording down their complete
travel and contact history.
condition in the state, he
said. "Industrial and con-
struction activities have been
started at places excluding
the containment zone and
18750 workers are working 415
such units. Apart from this,
more than two lakh labour-
ers are working in 1448 brick
kilns. However, stringent
measures are being in Pani-
pat, Gurugram, Faridabad,
and Panchkula, where some
cases of Covid-19 have come
to light." he said.
Informing the Prime Min-
ister about the agricultural
activities started in the state,
the CM said that utmost care
is being taken in the pro-
curement of wheat and mus-
tard in the mandis (grain mar-
ket).
T two days prior infor-
mation is being given to the
farmers through SMS as
which farmer has to bring his
crop in which mandi and at
what time. All the employees,
Arhtiya, farmers, and labour-
ers working in the mandis
have been given a free life
insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh
for Covid-19.
curfew was imposed in that
district. On 23 March entire
state was placed under cur-
few to break the chain of
coronavirus.
The CM said that supply
chain of essential commodi-
ties had been ensured so that
people do not face any incon-
venience due to imposition
curfew. Six out of 12 districts
of Himachal are in green zone
and not even a single case of
coronavirus has been report-
ed in these districts. \
He felt the need to continue
lockdown to tackle covid-19
pandemic, but at the same
time pressed that the states
should be allowed to start
their economic activities par-
ticularly in the green zone.
04
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
THUMBNAILS
A Railway Protection Force
cadet walks on a platform
with social distancing tape
on the floor at Egmore
Railway station, in Chennai
on Monday. AFP
Kerala reports 13 more
Covid-19 cases: Kerala on
Monday reported 13 more
Covid-19 cases, while an
equal number of persons
have recovered from the
disease. Chief minister
Pinarayi Vijayan said of the
new cases six are from
Kottayam, four from Iduk-
ki and one each from
Palakkad, Malappuram and
Kannur districts. SNS
Sanitisation campaign: The
Congress’ Delhi unit on
Monday launched a saniti-
sation campaign, ‘Congress
Ke Sipahi, Karenge Corona
Ki Dhulai,’ in the wake of
the pandemic. Over 1,120
sanitising machines were
handed over to party’s
280 block committees. PTI
5 N-E states Covid-19 free:
Five of the eight North-
eastern states are comple-
tely coronavirus-free and
the remaining three have
not added any new Covid-
19 positive case in the
past few days, Union min-
ister Jitendra Singh said on
Monday. PTI
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Homeless men pick up food packets kept on the sidewalk by local residents for people in need
during a lockdown as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19, in Mumbai on Monday.
Bengal people
stuck outside
state need not
worry: Mamata
PTI/SNS
KOLKATA, 27 APRIL
West Bengal Chief Minister Mama-
ta Banerjee on Monday assured
all possible help to people stuck
outside the state amid the coro-
navirus-triggered lockdown, and
said she would personally over-
see the measures being undertaken
to reach out to them.
Taking to Twitter, Banerjee
also said that the process to bring
back students stuck in Rajasthan's
Kota has been initiated and they
would soon start their journey back
home.
She asserted that people of Ben-
gal stranded elsewhere need not
feel helpless as long as she is the
chief minister.
“GoWB (Government ofWest
Bengal) will initiate every possi-
ble help to people of Bengal stuck
in diff (different) parts of the
country due to lockdown, in
returning home. I've instructed
my officers to do the needful. Till
the time I'm here, nobody from
Bengal should feel helpless. I'm
with you in these tough times,”
she tweeted.
“I am personally overseeing this
& we will leave no stone unturned
in ensuring that everyone gets any
possible help. The initiation has
already started & all students
from Bengal stuck in Kota would
begin their journey back soon,”
Banerjee added. Last week, Chief
Secretary Rajiva Sinha had
expressed helplessness in bring-
ing back around 5,000 students
stuck in Rajasthan's Kota, a coach-
ing hub for engineering and med-
ical aspirants, saying logistically
it was not possible at that point
in time.
Jagan: AP ready to resume
economic activity with
restrictions in green zones
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
HYDERABAD, 27 APRIL
Andhra Pradesh chief minis-
ter YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
today indicated that the state
was ready to resume eco-
nomic activity with certain
restrictions in the green zones
that covers 80 per cent man-
dals in the state. Eighty pos-
itive cases were reported for
the second consecutive day.
While public transport will not
resume at the moment, pri-
vate vehicles will be allowed
to move in green zones, said
the chief minister after his
video-conference with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the people of
the state through a televised
address the chief minister
claimed that the mortality
rate in AP was 2.83 which was
better than the national aver-
age of 3.13 while the doubling
rate of Covid -19 cases was 9.1
in the country but in the state
it was 9.8 days.
Moreover, the chief min-
ister said that it was a good
sign that AP's positivity rate
was 1.61 per cent, lower than
the national average though
70 per cent of its testing was
done in the red zone.
The state is now ranked first
among the states in terms
number of tests conducted for
every million of the popula-
tion. AP has till date report-
ed 1177 positive cases with 31
deaths with Kurnool and Gun-
tur as the worst affected dis-
tricts.
Out of 676 mandals only
63 mandals are in red zones
and another 54 are in orange
zone and the rest 549 are in
the green zone. Areas with
more than four cases are
marked red zones, between
one to four are orange zones
Covid-19: Congress alleges
scam in test kits purchase
PTI
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
The Congress on Monday
alleged a scam in the purchase
of rapid testing kits and
demanded a probe into the
matter, urging Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi to bring
the culprits to book.
The party also urged the
government to make public
details of all purchases made
in the last one month to
fight COVID-19.
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi said nobody could
imagine one would profiteer
from the immeasurable suf-
fering of millions, saying the
“scam was an insult to every
Indian.
“That any human being
would try and profiteer from
the immeasurable suffering
of millions of his brothers
and sisters, is beyond belief
and comprehension. This
scam is an insult to every
Indian. I urge the PM to act
swiftly to bring the corrupt to
justice,” he said on Twitter.
He said one detests and
feels ashamed of such a cor-
rupt mindset in such times of
crisis. “The country will never
pardon them,” he said in a
tweet in Hindi.
Congress spokesperson
Manish Tewari said it was an
extremely serious issue that
people indulged in huge prof-
iteering in times of crisis, not-
ing that it hurts the fight
against COVID-19.
He asked the government
to ensure that huge profi-
teering in procurement of
while green ones have zero
cases.
“I appeal once again against
stigmatising those who are
affected by the virus. We will
have to improve our immu-
nity as it is our last weapon,”
said the chief minister. He
reminded that the disease
can happen to anyone, 80 per
cent of those affected are
asymptomatic and get cured
themselves but care should
be taken with elderly patients.
Yesterday, four of the staff
of AP's Raj Bhavan tested
positive including the chief
security officer and a nurse
while six family members of
Kurnool's YSRCP MP Dr San-
jeev Kumar too tested posi-
tive. Two of his brothers and
their wives who have tested
positive are all doctors.
Telengana chief minister
K Chandrsekhar Rao has
claimed that the spread of the
Covid-19 virus has been arrest-
ed and assured the public
that they need not be worried
about the spread as by tomor-
row (28 April) 21 districts in
the state will be free of the virus
with no cases.
The number of affected
people have declined in the
past few days said a release
from the chief minister's
office after a high level meet-
ing with ministers and officials
following the video conference
with Prime Minister.
On 2 persons out of 159
people tested in the state
today were found to be pos-
itive. Yesterday, the number
was 11. The state currently has
646 positive cases. The num-
ber of containment clusters
are also reducing In Telangana
ruling TRS today observed its
foundation day with low key
celebrations in view of the pan-
demic.
AFP
equipment for fighting COVID-
19 be stopped immediately and
action taken against the cor-
rupt.
“We would demand an
immediate probe into this
matter and ask the government
to put an end to this kind of
profiteering. There seems to
be absolute anarchy in pro-
curement of equipment for
fighting COVID-19,” Tewari
said at a press conference via
video conferencing.
“We would like to demand
from the health ministry
and the government to make
public all procurements made
with regard to equipment to
fight COVID-19 for testing,
PPEs and ventilators. All those
transactions must be trans-
parently placed in public
domain,” he said.
Referring to a company
engaged in supply of testing
kits, the Congress leader
alleged that 5 lakh kits pur-
chased atRs 245 each from
China were being sold to
ICMR at Rs 600 each, and to
Tamil Nadu government at Rs
400 each.
He said in a transaction of
Faulty PPE were supplied to many medical colleges of UP. It was
good that this was detected early and the same were returned...
ASKING THE YOGI ADITYANATH GOVERNMENT IF THOSE BEHIND THE ‘SCAM’ WILL BE PUNISHED
Modi approves MEA’s plan to
evacuate stranded Indians
Under the plan, it would be ensured all those returning to India carry Covid-19 negative certificates
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
P
rime Minister Naren-
dra Modi today gave
the go-ahead to the
proposal for bring-
ing back Indian nationals
stranded abroad due to the
coronavirus crisis.
The evacuation of Indians
has to be done keeping in
mind the fact that they don’t
get inconvenienced and their
families were not under any
risk, he said at a meeting
with chief ministers at which
he reviewed the progress
made by the country in the
fight against the pandemic
during the lockdown period.
The External Affairs Min-
istry, in coordination with the
Civil Aviation Ministry and
Indian missions abroad, has
prepared an elaborate plan
for evacuating the Indian
nationals stuck in different
parts of the world.
The broad contours of
the plan were presented to
Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba
on Saturday. Foreign secre-
tary Harsh Vardhan Shringla
is understood to have expl-
ained details like how many
Indians were stranded in
which country, which state
in India they belong to and
how many flights were
required to bring them back
home, sources said.
Under the plan, it would
be ensured that all those re-
turning to India carry Covid-
19 negative certificates with
Partial lockdown...
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“We want to remain careful
till 21 May as I’ve already
said that 49 days are very sen-
sitive.Twenty five per cent of
government employees are
attending office and educa-
tional institutions have already
been closed,” she said.
Alleging lack of clarity in
the lockdown directives issued
by the Centre, Banerjee said,
“We are being told to impose
the lockdown strictly but at
the same time directives are
being issued to open shops.
If all the shops are opened then
we can't stop people from
going there or from keeping
the roads empty. The state
chief secretary will seek a
clarification from cabinet
Rs 30 crore, the arbitrage
earned by companies is Rs
18.75 crore, almost two-third
of the cost of transaction.
Tewari said the matter
came to light in a petition
before the Delhi High Court
by a company supplying such
equipment.
“This is an extremely seri-
ous matter which hurts the
fight of India against COVID-
19. Our country's resources
are scarce and we have to opti-
mise the resources and not
allow companies to make
arbitrage of over 60 per cent
in these transactions, he said.
Congress chief spokesper-
son Randeep Surjewala said
it was “shameful and inhu-
man” that people were sup-
plying test kits bought for Rs
225 at Rs 600 to the state
exchequer.
“Corruption in Corona
Testing Kits OR Profiteering
by duping the Exchequer.
Import Price of 1 Testing
Kit= Rs 225! Purchase Price
of Testing Kit= Rs 600! Prof-
it Margin = 166.66 pc! Shame-
ful and Inhuman! Will PM fix
responsibility,” he tweeted.
CONGRESS GENERAL SECRETARY PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA
them. This would help the
authorities determine whe-
ther to send an individual to
quarantine camp or recom-
mend him/her to self-quar-
antine at home after return-
ing. Those being evacuated
would have to pay for their
air tickets.
Those intending to return
to India include Indian na-
tionals working abroad, vis-
itors and students, stranded
due to the lockdown. The Indi-
ans would wish to return for
some compelling reason
would also be brought back.
If necessary, ‘naval ships’
could also be pressed into ser-
vice for evacuation.
There are thousands of
Indians stranded abroad,
especially in the Gulf, with
many of them appealing by
posts on Twitter to airlift
them home. Since the nation-
wide lockdown, Indians from
a few locations have been
brought back by special
flights/
Meanwhile, more than
12,000 labourers from Uttar
Pradesh who were stranded
in Haryana due to the lock-
down have been brought
back to the state, a senior offi-
cial said on Monday, adds PTI.
“Chief minister Yogi Adit-
yanath has already issued
directions that labourers be-
longing to UP, who are work-
ing in other states and have
completed 14 days of quar-
antine, should be brought
back,” additional chief sec-
retary (Home and Informa-
tion) Awanish Awasthi said.
A total of 12,216 labour-
ers were brought back from
Haryana in 410 buses by
Sunday evening, he said.
secretary on this issue,” she
said.
“We will accept all direc-
tives if these are issued prop-
erly and there is transparen-
cy and non interference,”
she said. Banerjee further
lamented that it becomes
difficult for state officials to
report to the central team con-
stantly instead of focusing on
work. “There should be some
justification in sending the
teams. Teams can come for
assistance but not for non
cooperation,” she said.
Banerjee said that the
Centre should come up with
long term, mid term and
short term plans in consul-
tation with the states for
handling the present situa-
tion. She said that she would
Centre cancels Chinese
Covid-19 test kit orders: ICMR
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
The government on Mon-
day said that Coronavirus
test kits made by two Chinese
companies GuangzhouWond-
fo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon
Diagnostics have been found
under-performing by the
Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR).
Not a single rupee will be
lost to Chinese firms who
provided faulty Covid-19 test
kits to India as the orders have
been cancelled and the pay-
ments not made, the gov-
ernment said. Issuing a clar-
ification, the government
said not only had it not paid
in advance for any of the
India 3rd top military spender in the world: SIPRI
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
India was among the five lar-
gest military spenders in the
world in 2019, the Stockholm
International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI) said today.
In new military expendi-
ture data released this morn-
ing, the renowned institute said
the total global military expen-
diture rose to $1,917 billion
in 2019, representing an in-
crease of 3.6 per cent from 2018
and the largest annual growth
in spending since 2010.
The five largest spenders
in 2019, which accounted for
62 per cent of expenditure, we-
re the US, China, India, Rus-
sia and Saudi Arabia.
This is the first time that
A doctor (R) speaks with motorists at a Drive-thru Collection Point Test Centre during a lock-
down in Mumbai on Monday.
Biman to operate 3 special flights for
stranded Bangladeshis from India
THE DAILY STAR/ANN
DHAKA, APRIL 27
Biman Bangladesh Airlines will
operate three special flights
from Kolkata, Delhi and Mum-
bai from next week to bring
back Bangladeshi citizens
stranded in India due to sus-
pension of scheduled flights
following Covid-19 outbreak.
The Kolkata-Dhaka flight
will be operated on 1 May, De-
lhi-Dhaka flight on 2 May
and Mumbai-Dhaka flight
will be operated on 3 May, Bi-
man MD and CEO M Mokab-
bir Hossain told the media th-
rough a WhatsApp message.
speak to the other chief min-
isters in this regard adding that
she sat mum for three hours
at the video conference with
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi today as there was no
scope for the state government
to give opinion.
The total Corona active
cases is 504 with 109 patients
released in the last 24 hours.
Since yesterday, 1150 samples
were tested. The recovery
rate in Bengal is higher than
national average and fatali-
ty rate of 2.6 per cent is bet-
ter than national average of
3.1 per cent.
According to Banerjee, till
normalcy prevails borders
must be closed, all flights
(domestic and internation-
al) and train services stopped.
Till Centre provides clar-
ification, home delivery of non
essential items would be
allowed in Bengal.
anti-body test kits, it had
conducted a tender process
that received bids between Rs
1,204 and Rs 600 and finally
selected the lowest quote.
Earlier this month, around
5 lakh rapid anti-body test kits
and RNA Extraction Kits were
procured by the government
and distributed around the
country after the ICMR rec-
ommended that every resi-
dent in coronavirus hotspots
- or areas with a large num-
ber of cases will be tested for
the virus. ICMR has asked
states and hospitals to stop
using the kits made by the two
companies and since "due
process followed (not going
for procurement with 100%
advance amount), GoI does
China and India have featur-
ed among the top three mili-
tary spenders in the world.
They were the second and the
third largest military spenders,
respectively. China’s military
expenditure reached $261
billion in 2019, a 5.1 per cent
increase compared with 2018,
while India’s grew by 6.8 per
cent to $71.1 billion.
“India’s tensions and rival-
ry with Pakistan and China are
among the major drivers for
its increased military spend-
ing,” said Siemon T. Wezeman,
SIPRI senior researcher.
In addition to China and
India, Japan ($47.6 billion) and
South Korea ($43.9 billion)
were the largest military
spenders in Asia and Oceania.
Military expenditure in the
Earlier on 25 April, the
Bangladesh national flag car-
rier operated a chartered
flight from Delhi to bring
back around 166 Bangladeshis
who were stranded in India
for over a month.
At least 2,500 Bangladeshis,
including students, tourists
and medical treatment seek-
ers, remained stranded in
Further state government
has permitted corona posi-
tive patients to remain in
home quarantine if they are
reluctant to go to hospital and
treatment would be through
telemedicine.
She even criticised the
Centre’s decision to freeze
dearness allowances of cen-
tral government employees
saying instead of putting
employees in trouble there
should have been other refor-
mations. Bengal is the most
humane government as unlike
many other states, salaries
have not been slashed to
combat the existing financial
crisis, she said while com-
plaining that the Centre has
not given any assistance to
combat Corona. She reiterated
that special financial packages
should be announced for
MSME and unorganised sec-
tor.
not stand to lose a single
rupee", an official statement
said. It was decided to use fast-
track kits as the regular RT-
PCR tests are slow and have
to be conducted in labora-
tories. Many states do not have
adequate testing facilities.
The quality dispute came
to fore after a controversy
flared over the Chinese rapid
tests after a legal issue erupt-
ed between the distributor and
the importer in the Delhi
High Court suggested that
India had paid double.
The court, while hearing
the dispute, found that the
mark-up was "on the higher
side" and directed that the
price of the kits be reduced
to Rs 400 per kit.
region has risen every year
since at least 1989.
Military spending by the US
grew by 5.3 per cent to a total
of $732 billion in 2019 and
accounted for 38 per cent of
global military spending. The
increase in US spending in
2019 alone was equivalent to
the entirety of Germany’s mil-
itary expenditure for that
year. “The recent growth in US
military spending is largely
based on a perceived return
to competition between the
great powers,” Pieter D. Weze-
man, senior researcher said.
Russia was the fourth-lar-
gest spender and increased its
military expenditure by 4.5 per
cent to $65.1 billion. “At 3.9 per
cent of its GDP, Russia’s mil-
itary spending burden was
AFP
different cities of India, espe-
cially in Chennai, Bangalore,
Delhi and Hyderabad, the
foreign ministry said in a
statement on 3 April.
Following the outbreak,
the Indian government sus-
pended air communication
with different countries,
including Bangladesh, to con-
tain the spread of the dead-
ly coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh
High Commission in New
Delhi said in a recent state-
ment that they are working
relentlessly to bring back all
the stranded Bangladeshis
from all states of India.
52 new cases in
TN; complete
lockdown of cities
attract criticism
from Opposition
CHENNAI, 27APRIL
Amid political backlash due
to the sudden lockdown of
cities which created panic
buying and storage of essen-
tials, Tamil Nadu on Monday
recorded 52 more Covid-19
cases taking the total num-
ber of patients in the state to
1937.
The health department
tested almost one lakh peo-
ple and 1101 tested positive
are discharged from the hos-
pitals curing the disease. The
death rate in the state is 24 as
no more death reported. The
fact that 100 plus children get-
ting infected out of the 1937
positive cases also giving
concerns to authorities. PMK
chief S Ramadoss said it was
due to the negligence of fam-
ily members as the little ones
did no wrong.
Meanwhile, the complete
lockdown in the major cities
in the state, including Chen-
nai and Coimbatore, has
given opportunity for the
civic bodies to intensify dis-
infection work in their respec-
tive regions. While police
patrol vehicles and flying
squads of civic bodies alone
could be seen in Chennai,
Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem
and Tiruppur, people in some
localities loitered around and
police warned them to stay
indoors. Police said alone on
Sunday 826 cases have been
filed for violating lockdown
norms and 543 two-wheelers,
35 light motor vehicles -
including cars- and 24 auto
rickshaws have been seized.SNS
among the highest in Europe
in 2019,” SIPRI researcher
Alexandra Kuimova said.
In Europe, Germany’s mil-
itary spending rose by 10 per
cent in 2019, to $49.3 billion.
This was the largest increase
in spending among the top 15
military spenders in 2019.
However, military spendings
by France and the UK
remained relatively stable.
There were sharp increas-
es in military expenditure
among NATO member states
in Central Europe: for exam-
ple, Bulgaria’s increased by 127
per cent~mainly due to pay-
ments for new combat aircraft~
and Romania’s rose by 17 per
cent. Total military spend-
ing by all 29 NATO member
states was $1035 billion in 2019.

THUMBNAILS
A municipal officer walks
past beds at an isolation
centre set up for coron-
avirus patients, in Mumbai
on Monday. ��AFP
Pakistan violates cease-
fire: Pakistani troops vio-
lated ceasefire along the
LoC in Uri sector of Jammu
and Kashmir by resorting
to unprovoked firing, offi-
cials said on Monday. They
targeted Indian positions
by using both small and
heavy firearms in Silikote,
Churunda and Tilawari
areas of Uri sector in Bara-
mulla district, they said.PTI
Maoist case: The National
Investigation Agency on
Monday filed charge sheet
in the Ernakulam NIA Spe-
cial Court against three
accused in connection
with the Kozhikode Maoist
Case. PTI
Indonesians arrested: Ten
Indonesians, who all are
members of the Tablighi
Jamaat and had attended
the meet at the Nizamud-
din Markaz, have been
arrested by the Mumbai
Police under various sec-
tions of the IPC on comple-
tion of their quarantine
period. PTI
Mayor dons nurse's uni-
form again: Mumbai mayor
Kishori Pednekar, a former
nurse, has donned her old
uniform again to serve
Covid-19 patients in the
city. She will be contribut-
ing her services in the
late night shift, a leader
from her Shiv Sena party
said. PTI
MP farmers face police wrath
over ‘poor’ quality wheat
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
BHOPAL, 27 APRIL
Officials of the district admin-
istration and police in Sheop-
ur district of Madhya Pradesh
beat up farmers with canes
after some of the farmers, who
had been waiting outside a
government procurement
centre for past four days to
sell their wheat crop, became
agitated when their wheat
samples were rejected on
grounds being of inferior
quality. The issue heated up
politics in MP, with former
chief minister Kamal Nath on
Monday alleging high-hand-
edness of officials and harass-
ment of poor farmers.
Nath threatened of
demonstrations on the roads
if the BJP state government
did not make the wheat pro-
curement process farmer-
friendly. Nath has also
demanded action against
the responsible officials and
an FIR against a teshildar
who allegedly beat up a
farmer. The incident occurred
at the Salmanya Silo centre
in Sheopur district.
The officials involved in the
Central team lauds Jalpaiguri set-up
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SILIGURI, 27 APRIL
The Inter-Ministerial Central
Team (IMCT) that has been
touring Jalpaiguri, Darjeel-
ing and Kalimpong districts
today expressed satisfaction
over the infrastructure and
maintenance of health facil-
ities for treatment of sus-
pected Covid-19 patients
and positive patients in Jal-
paiguri. The team today vis-
ited quarantine centres and
shelter homes in the dis-
trict there. Meanwhile, rais-
ing questions on the logic of
the visit of the central team,
state tourism minister Gau-
tam Deb said it seemed that
the team did not come to help
the state government.
“We are meeting people,
‘Impossible to bring back students’
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says students can’t be brought back from Kota unless Centre makes amendments in its rules
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
PATNA, 27 APRIL
E
ven as states like
Assam and Haryana
have brought back
homes their students
stuck in Kota by sending them
buses, Bihar chief minister
Nitish Kumar today again set
aside the impassioned appeals
from the Bihari students say-
ing it was impossible to bring
them back until the Centre
makes amendments in its
rules. There are some 11,000
students from Bihar stuck in
Kota for the past one month
due to lockdown.
“According to the Central
Disaster Act brought into
force by the home ministry,
there is total ban on interstate
transportation and we are
strictly adhering to the Cen-
tre’s guidelines on lockdown.
It will not be legally fair to bring
anyone back until the centre
makes amendments in its
guidelines,” Kumar said while
participating in chief minis-
ters’ videoconference with
the Prime Minister. The chief
minister said the students
from Bihar are not only in Kota
but in many parts of the coun-
try but he is bound by the cen-
tre’s guidelines.
AIIMS claims health worker got infected
from Varanasi, sends staff to quarantine
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
DEHRADUN, 27 APRIL
After launching a massive
operation to find the possi-
ble cause of one of their staff
getting infected by coron-
avirus, All India Institute of
Medical Sciences at Rishikesh
claimed solving the mys-
tery.
The hospital administra-
tion asserts that the health
worker had travelled to
Varanasi last month and he
possibly got the virus from
there.
procurement process are
allowing only about six farm-
ers at one time to come inside
and sell their produce to
maintain social distancing
amidst the ongoing Covid-19
lock down. As a reason, many
farmers have to wait for their
turn for days.
The farmers alleged that
Tehsildar Shivraj Meena beat
up a farmer, identified as
Ramesh Suman of village
Pandola, after the farmer
went to the officer with the
complaint that his wheat
was not being bought on the
grounds of inferior quality.
When other farmers came
to know about the incident,
visiting facilities, and of
course this has been nicely
maintained. It has been
developed in a short span of
time. We have collected data
from the hospital, and we will
study and discuss this before
submitting our reports,” said
Vineet Joshi, the additional
secretary of the ministry of
human resource develop-
ment, and the team leader,
in Jalpaiguri today.
Both the treatment facil-
ities there have been set up
at the Biswa Bangla Kriran-
gan. Sources said there are
200 beds for suspected
patients and 100 for positive
patients there.
“We reviewed the arrange-
ments for patients suffering
from severe acute respiratory
infection and the positive
Where will Haryana’s youth go for one year if government
freezes recruitment
HITTING OUT AT CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR FOR ‘FREEZING’ NEW RECRUITMENT
Meanwhile, 73 fresh cases
of Covid-19 have been report-
ed from across the state in the
past 24 hours, bringing the total
tally to 328 today. According
to a latest report of the health
department, the disease has
now spread to 25 districts
out of state’s total 38.
Of 25 districts from where
these cases were reported,
seven have emerged as the “hot
spots” with Munger remain-
ing on top with 90 cases, fol-
lowed by Patna with 39 cases,
Nalanda with 34 cases, Siwan
with 30 cases, Buxur with 25
cases and Rohtas with 15
cases.
According to the health
department, only five per-
sons have infected 101 per-
sons in the state. The report
said a man from Munger has
The AIIMS-Rishikesh was
shocked when a health work-
er of their urology department
was tested positive of Covid-
19 on Sunday.
The news created shock-
waves as AIIMS-Rishikesh
is among the three centres in
Uttarakhand where coron-
avirus tests are conducted.
So far AIIMS-Rishikhes
has conducted tests of over
3000 persons and none was
found positive. The case of
one of their staff getting
infected from Covid-19 sur-
prised the hospital man-
The issue heated up
politics in MP, with
former chief minister
Kamal Nath on Mon-
day alleging high-
handedness of offi-
cials and harassment
of poor farmers
they also reached the spot and
agitated. At that moment,
the district administration offi-
cials ordered the police to cane
charge the farmers. Police
chased away the farmers and
beat them up with canes.
Some reports said that ADM
Sunil Raj Nayar was also pre-
sent on the spot when the inci-
dent occurred. Farmers
alleged that some of them sus-
tained serious injuries and
many sustained minor injuries
in the cane charge.
Local leaders of both the
Congress and BJP reached the
spot and unanimously
demanded that an FIR be reg-
istered against the officials.
Meanwhile, so far on Sunday,
Madhya Pradesh reported
2,090 coronavirus positive
cases with 103 deaths.
patients,” Mr Joshi said.
The superintendent at
the Jalpaiguri Covid hospi-
tal, Dr Gayaram Naskar, said
the team reviewed cleanli-
ness, checked PEEs of health-
care responders, sought to
know about problems, if any,
faced by doctors and nurs-
ing staff, and inquired about
tests.
The team also visited one
quarantine facility at Rajganj,
and a shelter home for
migrants at Raninagar on
the way towards Jalpaiguri.
The team, accompanied by
a state government official
from Jalpaiguri district, fur-
ther went to Din Bazaar, a
prominent market area in the
town.
Mr Joshi, however, once
again expressed concerns
SENIOR CONGRESS LEADER RANDEEP SINGH SURJEWALA
infected 29, a man from Nalan-
da has infected 19, a man from
Siwan has infected 22, a man
from Rohtas has infected 14
while a man from Patna has
infected 17 so far, indicting how
the chair is spreading fast.
Keeping in view the seri-
ousness of the situation, the
state government has
launched the door-to-door
screening across the state to
identify the suspects and pro-
vide them immediate treat-
ment to break the chain. An
official report said more than
four crores population from
75 lakh families across the state
have been extensively screened
so far during which 2,573
people have been found suf-
fering from cold, cough and
fever.
Of the total 328 cases iden-
agement.
A special operation was
launched and list of all the
persons who came in contact
with the health worker was
prepared.
The senior, junior resident
doctors, nursing staff and oth-
ers of urology department
were sent on quarantine.
Issuing a press release AIIMS
claims that the health of the
staff is improving and he
has been kept at an isolation
ward.
Professor U.B Mishra,
dean of hospital affairs at
HOME-BOUND
British nationals queue up before checking-in for a special flight to London during the
lockdown, at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Monday.
and said that social dis-
tancing was not maintained
properly.
“Public awareness still
needs to be improved. We
have seen during our visit that
at many places people are not
following social distancing.
Such awareness is extreme-
ly important,” he said.
At the shelter home, the
team members inquired
whether the inmates were
getting food grains. Fifty two
migrants from Assam, includ-
ing 20 children, are staying
there presently. They greet-
ed the team with claps. Mr
Joshi said the migrants were
satisfied with the facilities.
On the other hand, Min-
ister Deb said, "It appears that
they did not come to help the
state government.”
Assam students return from Kota
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
GUWAHATI, 27 APRIL
Nearly four hundred stu-
dents of Assam, who were
stranded at Kota in Rajasthan
because of the ongoing lock-
down , have arrived in the city
this morning with vehicles
arranged by the State gov-
ernment in Dispur.
State health minister Dr
Himanta Biswa Sarma, who
took personal interests to
bring back 391 stranded stu-
dents, welcomed them at
Sarusajai stadium, where
they would be put for 14-day
mandatory quarantine. The
students had to travel over
60 hours to reach Guwahati
amid lockdown.
Dr Sarma also informed
that Dispur had launched a
new scheme titled Dhan-
wantari to deliver locally
unavailable medicines to
patients at their residences.
Medicines below Rs 200
tified so far, 57 patients have
got fully recovered and
returned to their homes.
AIIMS, says, “The health
worker toured Varanasi from
1-5 March and after that
stayed with his friend for
three days at Ganganagar in
Rishikesh from March 16-18.
He possibly got infected
there.”
After the health worker was
tested positive, AIIMS-
Rishikesh conducted Covid-
19 screening of 69 individu-
als-who came in contact
with the patient-on Mon-
day. Among it, 64 were test-
ed negative and five reports
are awaited.
Earlier, the central team
visited the containment zone
in Ward-41 in Siliguri, where
four persons were earlier
tested positive for Covid-19
after they came in contact
with the first victim of north
Bengal, the Kalimpong
woman, who died at the
North Bengal Medical Col-
lege and Hospital (NBMCH)
on 30 March.
The administration has
virtually sealed the area
under Ward-41 to prevent the
entry of outsiders, while the
health depar tment has
stepped up surveillance there
and a fever survey is under-
way. During the visit there,
a team member and the
Advisor (Ops), National Dis-
aster Management Author-
ity, Brig Ajay Gangwar, spot-
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
would be provided free of cost
to them, who cannot get it
within 10 kilometer of their
radius, by the assigned health
workers.
Visiting the State home for
women at Jalukbari locality,
Sonowal commented that
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi by declaring nationwide
lockdown gave an opportu-
nity to the people to keep
themselves safe through
maintaining social distanc-
ing.
He said that keeping this
in view the social welfare
department was directed to
ensure safety and well being
of the inmates.
By now, four out of eight
northeastern States have
come out of novel corona
virus infection, where Assam
has 7 active Covid-19 cases.
Assam and Meghalaya also
reported two casualties
because of corona compli-
cations.
Health experts say early detec-
tion of cases, timely medica-
tion, high immunity rate of
3 terrorists killed, civilians
injured in encounter
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, 27 APRIL
About 13 civilians were injured
on Monday as some unex-
ploded shell went off under
the debris after the encounter
with security forces in which
3 terrorists were killed at
Lower Munda on the strate-
gic Jammu Srinager high-
way in South Kashmir's Kul-
gam district.
Four terrorists were killed
last night in the Asthal village
of the district.
Police and Army said that
3 unidentified terrorists have
been killed in the encounter
that broke out this morn-
AFP
ted the mask of a policeman
posted there below his nose.
He asked him to cover his
nose too.
Mr Joshi and Prof Shibani
Dutta, the head of the depart-
ment of health promotion &
education of the All India
Institute of Hygiene & Pub-
lic Health, talked with lorry
drivers after they found a
series of lorries parked on
National Highway-31D at
Fulbari, which connects Jal-
paiguri. The trucks coming
from Assam were empty.
lege and Hospital in
Kolkata. Around 30 doctors
as well as students donated
blood in the camp attended
by minister of state for health
and family welfare, Chan-
drima Bhattacharya, sources
said.
Tripura reported two coro-
na positive cases and both
of them have already recov-
ered. Manipur too witnessed
two cases and both have
been discharged from the
hospitals. Arunachal Pradesh
had one case and he too has
recovered. Sikkim has how-
ever not reported any Covid-
19 positive case till date.
Meanwhile in Delhi
Leader of Opposition Ramvir
Singh Bidhuri on Monday
asked chief minister Arvind
Kejriwal to take urgent steps
to bring back students of
the national capital Kota .
“Most of the state gov-
ernments have made arrange-
ments to evacuate children
of their states acknowledg-
ing their problems due to the
lockdown.
“Therefore I also request
you to make proper arrange-
ments to bring back the stu-
dents of Delhi in Kota,” he said
in the letter.
Bihar residents and positive
mood of patients have worked
wonders.
Four terrorists were
killed last night in the
Asthal village of Kul-
gam district.
ing. Reports said that the civil-
ians, who rushed to the
encounter spot after the
exchange of fire, were injured
as some unexploded shell
blasted in the debris of the
building that was damaged
due to firing.
Defying orders of the secu-
rity forces, these people had
reached the encounter spot
to search the killed terrorists.
Further details were awaited.
Absence of buyers lead
farmers to dump marigold
flowers in Ranbir Canal
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, 27 APRIL
The lockdown that has been
ordered to fight the ongo-
ing Covid-19 has badly hit
the farmers engaged in cul-
tivation of flowers in the vil-
lages of Ranbirsinghpura
along the international bor-
der with Pakistan.
In absence of buyers of
their bumper crop, the farm-
ers are now engaged in
dumping their crop of
marigold flowers in the Ran-
bir Canal that was built by
the Dogra rulers for pros-
perity of farmers at the tail
end.
An enterprising farmer
of the area, Rohit Choudhary,
said that those engaged in
flower cultivation have suf-
fered total loss as not a sin-
gle marigold flower has
been sold in the market.
More than 1000 farmers
were involved in flower cul-
tivation twice during the
year particularly in the
Korotana Kalan and Bid-
hipur villages of Suchet-
garh that is located along the
border fence with Pakistan.
“Merigold had turned
into a cash crop for these
farmers who would sell their
produce in the market for
a price ranging between Rs
30 and Rs 35 per kg”, said
Rohit.
Small and marginal farm-
ers have set apart some part
of their land holdings for cul-
05
Migrant workers
left out of Corona
cash doles
AHMEDABAD, 27 APRIL
Even as the Gujarat govern-
ment is continuing its fight
against the Corona pan-
demic, the stranded migrant
labourers are still caught
between the devil and the
deep sea.
It is more than a month
that these migrant labourers
were left at the mercy of vol-
untary agencies who are
feeding them as they are
still not being allowed to
return to their native places.
To add insult to the injury,
the promised monetary doles
are also not being deposit-
ed into their Jan Dhan
accounts by the government
agencies.In a letter to the Addi-
tional Chief Secretary, Labour
& Employment, the
Bandhkam Mazdoor San-
gathan has pointed out sev-
eral irregularities in the
process of depositing Rs
1,000 each under the Direct
Transfer Benefit (DBT )
scheme. Since the DBT
money are being paid accord-
ing to ration cards, most of
the migrant labourers fear that
they would be left out of
even this meagre amount as
they are migrants from
Rajasthan and Madhya
Pradesh, Pandya pointed
out in his letter.
Meanwhile, Principal Sec-
retary (Health) Dr Jayanti
Ravi said that Ahmedabad,
Surat and Vadodara togeth-
er constitute 89 per cent of
all Covidt-19 cases in Gujarat.
Ahmedabad alone
accounts for 65 per cent
cases, she said adding that
three districts Amreli, Juna-
gadh and Devbhoomi Dwar-
ka still remain untouched by
the Corona virus.
The Covid-19 cases in
the state have touched 3,301
till now, with 230 new cases
in last 24 hours. Of the 2,837
active cases now, only 27
are currently under ventila-
tor.The State Government has
roped in several physicians,
gynaecologists, dermatolo-
gists and paediatricians in a
new project under telemed-
icine to provide treatment and
guidance to the affected
patients, said Dr Ravi. SNS
tivation of marigold flowers
that were in great demand
in Jammu which is popularly
known as the city of temples.
Keeping the high demand
of flowers in mind, many
farmers had this season
doubled the area for
marigold cultivation instead
of the traditional wheat or
paddy. This border belt is
known as the rice bowl of J&K
from where the famous Bas-
mati rice is also exported.
Several farmers had in
the recent past diversified
to the cash crop of marigold
flowers.
However with all temples
and marriage halls shut,
they have suffered losses and
were now looking towards
the government for com-
pensation.
Rohit said that the
demand for flowers partic-
ularly during the current
season used to be high
because of the Navratras
and also rush at the Vaishn-
odevi shrine because of hol-
idays in schools in rest of the
country.
As the temples have been
shut, there was no demand
for their flower crop. Mar-
riages were also being per-
formed in a simple way as
a result of which there was
no flower decoration.
He said the marigold
flower cultivation is done
twice a year and the season
lasts six months in a stag-
gered way.
06 NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
Incorporating and directly descended
from THE FRIEND OF INDIA - Founded 1818
Hunger Pandemic
H unger may yet be the biggest killer. The visu-
al, released on Sunday by the World Food
Programme, of a child looking out of a slum
in Sanaa, capital of embattled Yemen and now one
of the countries most at risk from famine, emits
the chilling signal that the danger of famine is dan-
gerously real; the prospect runs alongside the cata-
strophe. Indeed, fears have been expressed that the
repercussions of Covid-19 could be deadlier than
the virus itself. While coronavirus has left families in
even the richest countries in hunger, it could mean
starvation for the poorest, as in parts of Odisha as
reports in this newspaper affirm. The warning by
the head of the World Food Programme can, there-
fore, be contextualised with the overwhelming cri-
sis, specifically that a swathe of countries are now
on the brink of a hunger pandemic. Households
already struggling to survive have lost the work that
fed them. Remittances sent home by family mem-
bers abroad might fall by around a fifth due to
Covid-19. While tourism is out of the question, chil-
dren are deprived of the nutritious school meals
they depend upon. Food supply chains have been
dislocated by quarantine regulations and absence
of connectivity. On closer reflection, Covid-19 has
brought matters to a head. The dreadful pandemic
has deepened the problems of countries that are
already struggling with the impact of war, global
warming and other health crises. Data garnered by
WFP indicates that it could almost double the num-
ber of those facing acute hunger, pushing an addi-
tional 130 million people to the brink of starvation
by the end of the year. Indeed, shortages are likely
to affect a fifth of the world’s population.
Developing countries cannot afford the sup-
port packages adopted elsewhere, and no single
nation can solve supply issues. International solu-
tions are required; UN organisations are in a posi-
tion to handle border closures, restrictions and
transport disruption given their regional presence,
contacts and diplomacy. Economists and global
health experts have warned that in the long run,
developing countries will need trillions of dollars to
recover. The UN has sought $2 billion for its emer-
gency appeal; till last week, however, wealthier
countries had pledged only a quarter of that. They
must be more generous, if they have to deliver on
the promises. Particularly essential is the $350 mil-
lion logistics plan, which will allow goods and relief
workers to reach crisis-hit areas. Governments will
be expected to allow essential agricultural and food
workers to move within and between countries.
The UN has warned against protecting domestic
supplies through tariffs and bans on export. That
the G20 and International Monetary Fund have
agreed to suspend debt is a salutary development,
but rather insufficient. Aside from coronavirus, the
food crisis owes not a little to the climate crisis and
the war in Syria.
Negativism reinforced
T
he functioning of hospitals in West Bengal,
government as well as private, has been called
into question by the apex level of the state
bureaucracy. Many if not most of them have been
insensitive to a shocking degree; i.e. patients are
being asked to furnish what they call “Covid-19
negative certificates” to get admission. To put it
bluntly as we must, this is almost institutionalised
negativism. A more evasive approach to healthcare
would be difficult to imagine. It is hard not to won-
der if the murk has extended in parallel to the virus.
The establishment ~ the Chief Minister downwards
~ has been jolted to its foundations with the death
on Sunday of Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta, Assistant
Director of Health Services, Central Medical Stores,
which controls the procurement and supply of
medicines to treat the virus. A more cruel irony
would be hard to imagine. Decidedly depressing
are reports that authorities of Kolkata’s MR Bangur
Hospital, dedicated to ensure care and cure of Co-
vid patients, are not shifting bodies of patients for
hours. Granted that it takes at least four hours for a
death certificate to be issued, there can be no
excuse for the inexcusable ~ to leave the body unat-
tended and what is infinitely worse, next to a patie-
nt. Small wonder that such a gut-wrenching visual
went viral over the weekend. The formalities after
death are the least that can be expected of the hos-
pital authorities, the fact that the Chief Secretary
has had to intervene points to the negligent nocha-
lance towards death in the ward. “Bodies of Covid-
19 patients should immediately be shifted to the
mortuary,” was Mr Rajiva Sinha’s stern directive to
hospitals in general. Which is not to deny that doc-
tors and nurses have not been afflicted; one mem-
ber of the nursing profession at Howrah District
Hospital, who had tested positive, is said to have
afflicted no fewer than 17 newborns. The other
major problem that is faced by relatives of patients
in hospitals is the inordinate delay in crafting test
reports, in the absence of which treatment cannot
start for any illness. Particularly distressing must
be the fact that test reports are available at the hos-
pital counter five to six days after collection of the
sample. Hence the Chief Secretary’s directive last
Saturday that results of Covid tests must be ready
“within 12 hours of the sample collection”. This is
the norm in pathological centres; the crisis has
deepened with the utterly casual approach towards
fundamentals. No less alarming is Mr Sinha’s reve-
lation that “we have received reports that some
medical colleges and hospitals in Kolkata have
refused patients”. That remarkable insensitivity has
provoked the Chief Secretary to iterate the express
policy of “zero tolerance”. Not wholly unrelated is
the request to private hospitals to not refuse non-
Covid patients, a malaise that extends to some hos-
pitals around the country. Saturday’s directive by
the Chief Secretary reaffirms that hospitals are in
crisis. The patient, whether Covid or non-Covid,
deserves better. So too must the departed.
Religion in crisis
Organised religion is indeed retreating from public into private space. Spirituality and
toxicity are the two sides of the coin named religion. While in the public space, in the
name of spirituality, it often spreads toxicity and hatred against other faiths, in the
private space, especially in uneasy times like this, it plays a benign role by bringing
peace and solace to stressed individuals and families
I
n the 2000-year history of
Christianity, never before
has Easter been so lonely.
On 12 April, Pope Francis
presided over the Easter mass in
an empty Papal Basilica, over-
looked by an equally empty St.
Peter’s Square. Millions did lis-
ten though, via the internet. On
Good Friday, he had to walk
alone in the empty Square to re-
enact the poignant scene of
Christ’s execution, an event usu-
ally attended by thousands of
Christians. But by and large,
Christian priests and folks slept
peacefully over the weekend,
though some among the devout
felt betrayed and let down, by
their Governments or by God.
In the 1400-year history of
Islam, never before have Mus-
lims been shut out of their holi-
est shrines. With Saudi Arabia
shutting Masjid al-Haram, the
Grand Mosque in Mecca, and Al-
Masjid an-Nabawi built by the
Prophet in Medina, the annual
Haj has been suspended. With
the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
also closed for prayers, three of
the holiest shrines of Islam are
out of bounds of the worship-
pers. Iran, one of the worst coro-
na-hit countries and ruled by the
fundamentalist clergy, has also
suspended pilgrimage to the
holy city of Qom and other
places. The merciful Allah does
not seem to be unduly perturbed
by these disruptions to his wor-
ship. Likewise, the Buddhist New
Year, the Sikh Vaisakhi and the
Hindu Ram Navami were also
celebrated in private. The presid-
ing deities at Venkateswara at
Tirupati, Viswanath at Kashi, Sid-
dhivinayak at Mumbai and
Vaishnodevi have all gracefully
reconciled themselves to their
solitary existence; maybe they
are enjoying the solitude after
millennia of assaults by noisy
and unruly crowds of devotees.
Of course, prejudices die
hard and fanatics will always
exist. Like the diehard Tablighi
Jamaat followers in India who
believed that the Allah merciful
will protect them from the virus
and nothing can happen to Mus-
lims, the Mullahs in Pakistan, in
outrageous defiance of their
Government, are conducting
congregational prayers in
mosques and will continue to do
so during the holy month of
Ramzan, undeterred by the soar-
ing numbers of the afflicted and
the dead. The dysfunctional gov-
ernment of Imran Khan meekly
capitulated before the Mullahs
whose sermons apparently are
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A mask to kill coronavirus
SIR, This is with reference to
the report, ‘Burdwan school
girl designs mask which, if
worn, can kill coronavirus’
(24 April). India has always
been in the vanguard of
innovative breakthroughs
and scientific advancement.
Over decades, young minds
in this country have also lent
credence to this thought.
Thanks to The Statesman,
we have come to know abo-
ut another such prodigy. At a
time when qualified minds
all over the world are striv-
ing hard to find ways not
only for a clinical solution to
this epidemic, but also ways
to combat the menace, a
young Digantika Bose, who
is a class XI student of Vidya-
sagar Smriti Vidyamandir
Institution (Unit-II) at Me-
mari in Burdwan (East), has
Vol. CXXXXXI 100
A MEMBER
OF THE
ASIAN VOICES
Pandemic
lessons
W
hen I first came across John
Donne’s poetry as a teenag-
er, I never realised that there
would come a time in my life when his
words would be a reminder of what
we have ignored at a human level: that
a global crisis would affect us all irre-
spective of where we are situated in
the world, and that our wealth, our
technology or our hubris would not
protect us in the short run. These lines
are a stark reminder of our intercon-
nectivity and our helplessness when
it comes to our common fate:
“No man is an island entire of
itself; every man is a piece of the con-
tinent, a part of the main…”
Covid-19 has been one of the
greatest equalisers of this century, as
rich or poor, young or old, advanced
or backward, north or south, however
we define the contradictions that
beset modern societies, are equally at
risk. Countries like Pakistan are walk-
ing a tight rope when it comes to
addressing the pandemic, something
far more important than human such terror upon them, and because religion has always Prime Minister Imran Khan has allud-
lives. A Maronite Catholic priest doubting, like the dying Jesus on looked upon science as a usurper, ed to in his recent speeches. The
in Beirut refused to use any mask the Cross, “My God, my God, an appropriator of territories that country’s already overburdened
or sanitiser, in the belief that why have you forsaken me?” once exclusively belonged to it healthcare system and declining econ-
Jesus was his protection. Georgi- Organised religion is indeed and which it has never been able omy will not be able to sustain the
an priests continued to offer retreating from public into pri- to reclaim. Religion has fostered burden of massive contagion or the
consecrated bread and wine to vate space. Spirituality and toxic- violence and terrorism far worse economic ramifications of an exten-
the worshippers in the unshak- ity are the two sides of the coin than the bloodiest of wars. It is sive lockdown. Furthermore, 38 per
able conviction that these offer- named religion. While in the the worst virus that eats into the cent of the population that lives below
ings are divine and hence harm- public space, in the name of body politic. It is a lethal pathogen the poverty line relies on vulnerable
less. Some Christians asserted spirituality, it often spreads toxi- against which humanity, like the sources of income and lacks the eco-
that communion being the body city and hatred against other coronavirus, has not yet found a nomic wherewithal to sustain itself in
and blood of Christ cannot ever faiths, in the private space, espe- cure and thrives on fear much times of crisis. Low-income house-
get infected. The fiery Iraqi cler- cially in uneasy times like this, it more than on love. It has gal- holds will be the hardest hit by the cri-
ic, Muqtada al-Sadr, proclaimed plays a benign role by bringing vanised people more often to sis. Continuing with a full lockdown is
that coronavirus to be a punish- peace and solace to stressed destroy rather than create, divide an effective strategy in terms of reduc-
ment for gay marriage. He is, individuals and families without rather than unite, misunderstand ing contagion and flattening the
however, not alone ~ many pious any of its negative effects that rather than empathise.
believers reckon that the pande- create cleavages among soci- God, if he exists at all, has
mic as divine displeasure for the eties, pollute minds and set many reasons to be angry with
many sins of flesh humans against man for what he has done to his Covid-19 curve; however, it also places
and spirit of imper- humans. The coro- creation, this beautiful earth that an undue burden on low-income fam-
fect humans. navirus is reconfig- is now slowly reviving while ilies given their economic vulnerabili-
However, leav- uring and redefin- humans have been forced to ty. At the same time, if the lockdown is
ing aside these few ing religion, bring- restrain their greedy activities, discontinued, the very same house-
aberrations, most ing its countless fis- albeit temporarily. Nature is holds will suffer the most if infected
people belonging to sures and faultlines redeeming herself. In exiling reli- by the virus, while women will face the
all faiths across the to the fore, unravel- gion permanently from the greatest repercussions as they will take
world have behaved ling its contradic- churches, mosques and temples on the burden of caregivers.
responsibly, ratio- tions and exposing to homes where it truly belongs, Not only that, an extensive lock-
nally and pragmati- the essence of its society has a rare opportunity to down can also lead to domestic vio-
GOVIND
cally. Priests, Bish- BHATTACHARJEE rituals for what they redeem itself for all future times. lence increasing within households.
ops, Imams, Rabbis actually are ~ use- As behavioural economics tells us, Truth be told, the notion of social dis-
The writer is a
and Granthis every- commentator. Opinions less. And not only a desired behaviour can be pro- tancing itself is a luxury when viewed
where are heeding are personal useless, dangerous moted by state intervention. A in the light of overpopulated low-
to their Govern- too. As the Pope has common example that is often income communities, where on aver-
ments’ call for sus- said, the pandemic cited is the huge difference in age 3.3 people live in one room. The
pending all religious services is indeed “a time to separate that
while urging their faithfuls to which is necessary from that
organ donation rates between two
advanced countries, Canada (2.5
stark reality is that if nothing is done
or if the lockdown is not effective, over
worship God from the confines which is not”. If we can learn to per cent) and Austria (99 per a 100 million people will be infected
of their homes. In India where do just that, the world after coro- cent). The reason is the way organ by the virus in Pakistan.
politics and religion are insepa- na would certainly be a better donation is designed is these The situation on the ground is
rable and their relationship is place for humanity to live. countries. In Canada, one who dire, as a recent telephonic survey
almost symbiotic, the Govern- Since time immemorial, rit- wants to donate has to register conducted with 1,000 low-income
ment has banned all gatherings uals have been the principal oneself for such donation and the families highlighted that 91pc of such
in religious establishments cut- instruments through which reli- process of registration is rather households don’t have regular sources
ting across faiths, and is enforc- gion has exercised its power over cumbersome. In Austria, where of income post lockdown. A majority
ing the ban in a no-nonsense individuals. In every crisis, it has donation is treated as normal of such households are struggling to
manner. rediscovered new strength in old behaviour or default, one who feed themselves, and lack the cash to
Religion actually is in crisis, rituals and has thus reinforced does not want to donate has to purchase food, which is their top pri-
and has indeed been responsi- its power. Today the coronavirus deregister oneself following an ority. Undoubtedly, poverty levels
ble for much of the current crisis. has presented an absurd reality equally cumbersome procedure. amongst individuals in informal
But for the crass stupidity of the to religion ~ it has forced it to Deregistration thus imposes a employment are twice as high as that
Tablighis in India that led to a abandon rituals and reduced the transaction cost that deters peo- of individuals in formal employment
huge spike in the contagion, churches, mosques, temples and ple from opting out of a desired since most lack social safety nets, and
their 16,000 strong assembly in synagogues to irrelevance. Reli- behaviour. If the State wants peo- will therefore be the hardest hit by the
Malaysia in February that caused gion does not yet know how to ple to worship from home rather pandemic.
the spread of the deadly virus to adapt to this new reality, but it is than from temples, a similar Undoubtedly, Pakistanis have
many other countries, the igno- trying hard. Religious establish- transaction cost can be imposed responded to the crisis by demon-
rance and arrogance of the ments are offering worships upon attendance at the temple by strating their generosity and distrib-
medieval Mullahs in Pakistan through livestreaming of their ser- carefully designing a choice archi- uting food packages, while the gov-
who refused to keep their faithful vices ~ a rather sterile substitute. tecture. A crisis is not to be wasted. ernment has also initiated a relief pro-
away from the packed mosques, Religion today is badly in need of Corona has already taught and gramme to address immediate con-
religious congregations in South a miracle. prepared people to pray from cerns. The question then arises ~ how
Korea and New York, etc., the For a change, religious lead- home. They probably will not long can this continue, and what
virus would not have caused ers and governments are mind continuing to do so without happens when short-term relief has
such widespread affliction and focussing their attention towards the intervention of the priests and been provided to some but not all?
death in the entire world. The their own practices rather than mullahs in the future. In our self- Feeding the multitudes in these times
crisis and the hardships are also denigrating those of other faiths. isolation, may we ourselves would be a feat as the overall outlay
turning some faithful followers They are trying to find ways in become our own shrines. May to ensure food security would be over
away from religion. They are which religion can be combined God dwell only in the sanctuary of Rs400 billion/Rs 450bn, according to
asking why a merciful God to with technology, and with some our hearts, and may the clergy find one estimate, while the economy may
whom people pray for guidance science as well. This is something a new vocation. If that happens, contract at 10pc to 15pc post pan-
and protection would unleash novel in the history of humanity, that would indeed be a miracle. demic.
editor@thestatesman.com
subsequent innovation at
such a critical juncture.
Yours, etc., Anupam Neogi,
FROM CHINA... WITH DEFECTS!
Kolkata, 24 April. SIR, This refers to your editorial, ‘Clinical Chaos’ (23
April). Your point of view is commendable. China has
SIZE OF THE VIRUS never been a tested and trusted neighbour. Border dis-
SIR, Dr Bikash Snha is com- putes with that country remain unresolved. It has been
pletely mistaken when in his consistently supporting Pakistan on the Kashmir issue,
editorial page article he especially aggressively and arrogantly after the abroga-
writes that the size of the tion of Article 370 and Article 35. Now without in-depth
coronavirus is 400 to 500 verification, India has imported 500,000 test kits to test
microns. Transmission Elec- Covid -19; these did not yield the desired result. While
tron Microscopy (TEM) has other European countries had warned against the sub-
revealed that the average standard test kits, India committed the cardinal mistake
diameter is 120 nm, the by buying them from China. It could have brought some
envelope diameter is 80 nm sample kits for tests, and if the results were convincing,
come out with an exception- entity under the Ministry of and the spikes are 20 nm. the government could have imported additional con-
al and innovative idea of Science and Technology. The (nanometers not microns!) signments. Were India’s healthcare experts consulted
developing a virus-killing Centre has plans to produce This virus is based on a sin- before the import?
mask. It will be able to kill masks based on Digantika’s gle strand RNA. Yours, etc., Nimai Charan Swain, Bhubaneswar, 25 April.
every virus coming out of a prototype. This will help Being a parasite it preys
Covid-19 patient who wears physicians and also reduce on human cells and has no
it, during exhalation, by the pandemic through exte- life outside. Bacteria on the cleansing water from bacte- acquired some knowledge
trapping the coronavirus nsive use. I would like to other hand has a certain ria and hence could be tried of the field. Virologists could
and destroying its lipid pro- congratulate and thank magnitude which is larger in against the virus. Having throw more light on the sub-
tein cover. It has been recog- Digantika through your size and are living single taught Medical Instrume- ject.
nised by the National Inno- esteemed newspaper, for cells. UV radiation has been ntation for a decade at Cal- Yours, etc., DN Bose,
vation Foundation (NIF), an her praiseworthy efforts and shown to be effective in cutta University I have Kolkata, 25 April.

HARSHA KAKAR
T
he rapid spread of coronavirus
across the globe leaving over 2.5
million infected and 200,000
dead enhances international
anger against China, which hid details,
delayed its response and continues deny-
ing permission for global investigation
to determine the origin of the virus.
Nations, while seeking explanations from
China, are permitting groups to file legal
proceedings against it for the loss of
human lives and economy.
China’s supply of faulty testing
kits and low-quality medical equip-
ment pushed medical preparedness
of nations way behind, only adding to
frustration and reducing trust in the
country. The description of the dis-
ease as the China virus or the Wuhan
virus angered China and it attempt-
ed to deflect the damage.
China adopted a series of differ-
ent strategies commencing with
defensive, moving onto ‘defensive-
collaborative’, ‘offensive-defence’ to
its current ‘all-out-offensive’ strategy,
hoping to stem global accusations
and deflect growing internal anger.
These strategies changed as interna-
tional pressures mounted, accusa-
tions increased, and its leadership
faced rising internal criticism for its
flawed handling of the crisis and sup-
pression of casualty figures.
It simultaneously employed its
army of internet warriors to activate
mass social media accounts to advo-
cate and defend Chinese strategies as
they evolved, simultaneously silenc-
ing critics.
When China was impacted by the
virus, it was defensive, requesting
global aid, thanking nations which
provided it, while sharing inputs on
the virus and its containment mea-
sures through the WHO and limited
media briefings. The world believed
China and nations which provided aid
never sought photo-ops to display
their largesse.
With the virus spreading globally
and nations requesting medical
equipment, China switched to a
‘defensive-collaborative’ strategy,
hoping to win global acclaim rather
than be accused as the originator. It
provided equipment, exploited mass
demands for testing kits, ventilators
and protective clothing by supplying
poor quality products. It billed
nations while touting its supplies as
Chinese generosity. China countered
claims of “poor quality” stating that
stores received in aid were also below
Chinese quality standards. Its defec-
tive equipment impacted nations’
preparedness, resulting in them los-
ing trust in China.
Swedish exercises, Indian calisthenics
ISHAN JOSHI
T
he science is clear. There are only
two known ways of protection
against the Covid-19 virus till
such time an anti-viral and/or
vaccine is developed.
First, frequent and thorough
washing of hands; even the West has
accepted the necessity of hygiene to
fight disease for over a century now.
Secondly, physical distancing; at least
1.5 metres between human beings at
all times.
Sweden has gone about business
as usual - protecting lives, livelihoods
and perchance developing herd
immunity - by adhering to these pre-
ventive steps.
The Swedes have exhibited exem-
plary discipline in adhering to these
preventive measures. As a result, pub-
lic transport, educational institutions,
workplaces, restaurants and cafes are
open and post-Covid 19 life goes on
with these behavioural changes now
hardwired into societal interaction.
Ergo, lives and livelihoods flourish.
India, on the other hand, opted
for a complete lockdown for 40 days
which ends on 3 May. There is now
some evidence in the public domain
to suggest if the lockdown continues
till mid-May, which would imply an
extension of another 12 days or so, the
country could flatten the Covid-19
curve.
Perhaps it won’t be needed and
the spread of the virus would be sub-
stantially curtailed by 3 May itself.
That would be the best possible out-
come. Ruling out a limited extension,
CROSSWORD
China’s strategic shifts
as the virus spread
As the virus spread across the US,
Donald Trump began terming the virus
as the ‘Chinese virus’ and Mike Pom-
peo called it the ‘Wuhan virus.’ The US
simultaneously accused the WHO of
being in league with China and
enabling it to hide facts. In retaliation
China shifted to an offensive-defence
strategy wherein it sought to deflect
discussion on the origin of the virus.
It initially accused the US army
of leaking the virus into Wuhan dur-
ing the world military games held in
October 2019. Its mouthpiece, ‘Global
Times’ came out with a series of arti-
cles claiming the virus originated in a
US lab. Its spokesperson stated in
mid-March, ‘When did patient zero
begin in US? How many people are
infected? What are the names of the
hospitals? It might be US army who
brought the epidemic to Wuhan.’
though, would be irresponsible.
Yet, there are howls of protest
from a curious admixture of Modi
Administration-haters, business lead-
ers and the unelected claiming to
speak for the Indian subaltern against
considering a lockdown extension if
the situation warrants it.
The arguments trotted out by
them are familiar and can be sum-
marised as alleging that any sugges-
tion of a limited extension of the lock-
down reflects a self-serving, elitist view
propagated by those with no skin in
the game.
What the government of the day
knows and professional protestors do
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION
ACROSS
7 Unconventional
requital for one
fourth of the
NOTE: Figures in parentheses denote the number of letters in the words required. (By arrangement with The Independent, London)
It also attempted to shift blame
to Italy but received no support. Inter-
cessfully controlled the coronavirus.
It also projects that success is because
nally it spread fake news of African of its form of government, emphasiz-
residents of Wuhan being carriers of ing that democracies are failures and
the virus, leading to them being evict- heading for collapse. This campaign
ed from residences, maltreated and has been unleashed simultaneously
manhandled, resulting in protests by comments/articles on embassy
from the African continent. websites, publications in internation-
Externally this strategy failed, al media and op-eds in Chinese
while internally there were increasing mouthpieces. In France, a comment
pressures. With lifting of restrictions in on the Chinese embassy website stat-
Wuhan, details of malpractices, fudg- ed, “Residents of French retirement
ing of casualty data and suffering homes were made to sign certificates
imposed on the populace began to of ‘waiver of emergency care’; nursing
surface. The Fang dairy is just one staff abandoned their posts overnight,
source of inputs. These accusations deserted collectively, leaving their res-
needed to be deflected. Thus, emerged idents to die of hunger and disease.”
the ‘all-out-offensive’ strategy. This led to the French government
This is a planned, organised, summoning the Chinese ambassador.
multi-pronged approach to convince Similar disputes between Chi-
the world and its own population that nese diplomats and home countries
China is the only nation to have suc- have occurred in Germany, Nether-
India’s derelict public health sys-
tem would definitely not have been
able to cope. The rich and the profes-
sional classes would have survived
albeit with some damage thanks to
private sector healthcare but for the
rest of India bodies piling up on the
streets could well have been a reality.
Instead, for arguably the first time
in the contemporary history of India,
there’s been a premium put on the
value of the regular or garden variety
of citizen’s life in times of calamity.
So far, so good. But there are dan-
gers on the horizon.
The Centre could get carried
away. On the evidence available thus
far the Union government has shown
both responsibility and restraint but it
must guard against slipping into a sta-
tist, paternalistic, mai-baap role. There
is a difference between being respon-
sible for the lives and livelihoods of
millions in times of crises and delud-
ing oneself into believing daddy knows
not or least pretend not to, however, best. India has experimented with a
is the Indian reality. Physical distanc- command economy in the past and
ing and the level of hand hygiene still has the scars to show for it.
required by epidemiology to contain More worryingly, different states
Covid-19 till a cure is found was could start getting pulled into the vor-
always a non-starter in these parts. tex of what may be termed competi-
And it’s impossible to enforce. tive lockdown politics. Each state may
Perhaps precisely because the rul- soon start claiming it is saving more
ing dispensation is helmed by those lives by extending the lockdown
who have emerged from the eco-sys- beyond mid-May, incentivised by the
tem millions of Indians inhabit, they appreciation of the Centre’s approach
have got it right. Had the lockdown from an overwhelming majority of
not been imposed, the nightmare sce- party-political neutrals. The penny
narios floated by sections of the West- drops for politicians long before it
ern establishment and echoed faith- does for anyone else and each one of
fully by the post-colonial Third World them knows the narrative of ‘lives
elite could well have come to pass. saved’ is a winner at the hustings.
genius solver's sophisticated (5-10)
getting theme 23 One of five at the
(4,4,2,3,2) present time can 5 Athletes retreating
11 Flirt with Romeo, afford fruit (6)
leaving game (6) 24 HQ Russia built
12 Animal's hide when shaped
given away (8) approximately like 6 Work discussing
13 Remain and hunt a block (8)
for what's left (7)
DOWN
19 Without hesitation,
shelter Mary Jane 1 Extravagantly 8 A French electronic
in vessel (5,3) update car, finally,
20 Set clue needing a and exchange Ford
measure of for Ferrari, 12 Jet's prompt,
intelligence to perhaps (5,2)
penetrate (6) 2 Animal on the 14 Spat out
21 A diva's quite loose in gorge (3,3)
population (8)
9 Provides jokes on confused about 3 Fruit and
the internet? (6) group of followers, vegetable recipe (4)
though seemingly 4 Suppose a drunk 15 Wait ended after
10 Pay attention:
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
lands, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Iran and
Singapore. In Brazil, the Chinese
Embassy had a spat with a Brazilian
minister on his comment about
China’s plan for world domination.
In Sri Lanka, the Chinese
Embassy twitter account was shut for
inflammatory comments. The Chi-
nese ambassador to Cyprus faced flak
for stating that the world was embar-
rassed on how quickly China recov-
ered and has hence resorted to ‘blame
shifting and lies.’ When Australia and
New Zealand joined critics demand-
ing an investigation into the source of
origin of the virus, Chinese mouth-
pieces accused them of joining an
‘anti-China crusade’ with the US to
‘smear China.’
Global Times has devoted maxi-
mum op-eds to accuse the US of
adopting wrong strategies. In an op-
ed it stated that the US is ‘no match
for China in terms of anti-epidemic
organization and mobilisation.’
Another compared the US to ‘a primi-
tive society’, adding, ‘American
democracy is dying.’
The publication also accused
Trump of seeking to gain advantage
in forthcoming elections by smearing
Beijing. The op-ed stated, ‘China’s
achievements stand the test of time.
The Trump administration only wants
to shirk responsibility by blackening
China.’ To back them are comments
by Chinese spokespersons. Hua
Chunying, from China’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, stated, ‘US should
know that their enemy is the virus,
not China.’ It simultaneously accused
the US of blackmailing the WHO by
withholding funds.
The anti-US approach was to
convince its domestic audience that
while the US is failing, China has suc-
ceeded and while it has stemmed the
spread, the US loses lives daily.
China’s shifting strategy aimed at
changing global perspectives will not
work. It may convince its own popu-
lace, which anyway cannot protest
nor accuse the government. The virus
will remain the China Coronavirus.
Demands for investigation of its leak
would only grow louder, while trust
on China would recede.
The writer is a retired Major-General of the
Indian Army.
Such an approach will devastate
an already severely damaged econo-
my and must be avoided at all costs.
For its part, the Modi Administra-
tion needs to amplify the message that
it hopes evidence of a significant flat-
tening of the Covid-19 curve will lead
the team of scientists guiding it to
advise the government to lift the lock-
down as scheduled on 3 May.
It should also let citizens know
about the possibility of an extension
of the lockdown till mid-May if the
professionals assess it will take anoth-
er 12 days for the curve to flatten deci-
sively. It will give all some time to pre-
pare.
Naturally, the two preventive
steps viz hand hygiene and physical
distancing will be the new reality and
must, if needed, be enforced ruthless-
ly by the State.
Crucially, various state govern-
ments need to accept that while it is
perfectly within their domain to adopt
variegated approaches towards green,
yellow and red zones as advised by
their respective scientific teams, these
must be with the concurrence of the
Centre. Ditto, the staggered easing of
restrictions. One size does not fit all
but neither does being completely out
of whack with the rest of the country
given our socio-economic intercon-
nectedness.
It is worth underlining that the
Indian Constitution provides for a uni-
tary structure with federal characteris-
tics and not the other way around
despite what many including state-
contraction theorists would have us
believe.
The writer is a senior, New Delhi-based
journalist.
NO 27935
makes liquid Queen rejected
lunches? (3,5) continental alliance
twice (5,2)
two steps at the 16 Pence dispatched
start? They make again and put on
us groan (7) display (7)
17 Man on board
ten square chains meets strange
becomes more (naked) old
baffling (7) adventurer (7)
18 India's ready and
device gets preposterously
minimal support (6) sure about
exercise (6)
ahead of time (5) 20 Be brave, I punch
erratically (4,2)
everything, but 22 Addendum: I lied at
sent back taro, as first about how to
predicted (8) get thin from
gluttony, maybe (4)
07
100 YEARS AGO
OCCASIONAL NOTE
The Chicago meat packers have fallen
upon evil days. It is only about two
months since they consented to a
decree being signed by the District
Supreme Court of Washington enjoin-
ing them against continuing their
alleged combination in restraint of
trade; and now we have a Federal Grand
Jury in New York indicting them for prof-
iteering. It is quite probable that they
have done so many wrong things, in so
many States, that to square up their var-
ious debit accounts with the law will
take them almost as long as the work of
building up their vast monopoly. The
moral, if there is one, would appear to
be that the way of transgressors is not
merely hard to travel in, but hard to get
out of, and it is to be hoped that other
exponents of "big business" in the States
and elsewhere will take warning by the
awful fate of the Chicago magnates. In
the meantime the consent decree
passed in Washington appears fairly
drastic, although it has been subjected
to a good deal of criticism. Under it, to
quote Attorney-General Mitchell Palmer,
"the chief packing companies, their sub-
sidiaries and principal stockholders, are
compelled to sell, preferably to live-
stock producers and the public, all their
holdings in public stockyards, all their
interests in stockyard railroads and ter-
minals; all their interest in market news-
paper; all their interest in public cold
storage warehouses except that which is
necessary for their own meat products.
NEWS ITEMS
POSTAL WORKERS
GRIEVANCES
The Postal Committee commenced its
sittings here yesterday, all the members
being present. The president opened the
sitting by outlining its scope and terms
of reference. Two witnesses from Bom-
bay who were examined at length com-
plained of insufficient pay for hard work.
The Committee resumed its sittings
today and examined two further wit-
nesses. Mr. D.S. Joshi, a postal clerk, rep-
resenting the Bombay Postal Clerks
Association and the G.P.O. and Town
Delivery Office, was examined at length.
Mr. Joshi, after detailing his career in the
post office, pointed out that after about
15 years’ service he had reached the
grade of Rs 75. No wonder, therefore,
that postal works were discontented.
Speaking for himself he regretted that
he had run into debt to the extent of Rs
600 for reasons over which he had no
control.
DARJEELING
The annual flower show was held yes-
terday at the Gymkhana Club rink under
the patronage and in the presence of
H.E. the Governor. The weather was
lovely, and the attendance was large. The
exhibits were not so many as last year
owing to the recent hailstorm damaging
flower plants but were up to the mark.
Her Excellency Countess Ronaldshay
distributed the prizes. The Governor’s
cup for the most artistic group of flower-
ing plants was awarded to Mr. G.G. Dey,
Mr. Morgenstein, junior obtaining sec-
ond prize. Major Webb took the prize for
the best rose in the show. Mrs. Morgen-
stein obtained first prize for baskets of
flowers, and Mrs. Cave second prize. Mr.
C.T. Irwin was given first prize for veg-
etables, and Capt. A.T. Dominy first
prize for a smaller group of vegetables.
TO SAVE EUROPE
Signor Nitti, receiving journalists, said
that since the war was over it was
absolutely necessary, if Europe was to
be saved, to place Germany and Russia
in a position to reconstitute themselves.
Italy was most anxious to resume com-
mercial relations with them. The Allies
must convince Russia that they had no
ill-feeling, but Russia must guarantee
not to interfere with their internal
affairs. When relations had been
resumed, the works would be able to see
that Bolshevist conditions in no way
resembled El Dorado. Signor Nitti added
that it was useless to discuss the revi-
sion of the Peace Treaty, because Ger-
many was responsible for the war, but
the Treaty must be honestly applied. The
Allies should enable Germany to work,
for her collapse would mean the col-
lapse of the whole of Europe.
WAR GRAVES
In the course of a speech in London today
on the work of the Imperial War Graves
Commission, Mr. Kipling emphasised
that the basic principle on which the
commission was working was absolute
equality and permanence. He stated that
no point had been more insisted upon by
Imperial representatives both from the
point of view of justice and sentiment. He
pointed out the impossibility of acceding
to requests for private expenditure. The
commission aimed at making the graves
uniform and identical for every man,
whether Field-Marshal or camp-follower.
Mr. Churchill, in the course of a speech,
similarly emphasised that the Dominions
were contributing their quota of expen-
diture on the basis that the graves would
be equal and uniform. Half-a-million
headstones would be required for graves
in France and Belgium alone.
08
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
THUMBNAILS
Reliance-WhatsApp:
Reliance Industries has
started limited test-use of
WhatsApp to connect cus-
tomers to grocery stores,
days after Facebook decid-
ed to invest $5.7 billion in
digital assets controlled by
the company. JioMart, an
e-commerce venture of
Reliance Retail, “has
already started interact-
ing with customers on
WhatsApp for grocery
orders” in Navi Mumbai,
Thane and Kalyan, Credit
Suisse said in a report. PTI
Inox Wind: Wind turbine
maker Inox Wind Ltd on
Monday said it has
resumed operations at all
three manufacturing
plants. These plants are
located at Barwani (Mad-
hya Pradesh), Ahmedabad
(Gujarat) and Una
(Himachal Pradesh). In a
regulatory filing, Inox
Wind said it has resumed
operations at its three
plants. PTI
Online car sales: German
automakers Volkswagen,
BMW and Mercedes on
Monday said they have
introduced online sales ini-
tiatives in India in order to
help customers book vehi-
cles from the safety of
their homes amid the
coronavirus pandemic. PTI
‘35K containers of imported
waste paper stuck at ports’
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
Indian Agro and Recycled
Paper Mills Association (IARP-
MA) alleged that over 35,000
containers with imported
waste paper are held up at
Inland Container Depots (ICD)
and Container Freight Sta-
tions (CFS) despite directives
of the government on waiver
DFCCIL distributes
PPE equipment
DFCCIL has run COVID
protection special and dis-
tributed face masks, hand
sanitisers, hand gloves, tis-
sue papers, leaflets of do's
and don’t and leaflets to how
to make home made face
mask on 23 and 24 April.
The total quantity dis-
tributed was 500 litres of
sanitisers, 3,000 face masks,
3000 hand gloves and one
lakh wipe papers. The area
where these items were
distributed include New
Khurja, New Daudkhan
Junction, New Hathras,
New Tunda Junction, New
Makhanpur, New Bhadan,
NHPC allocates interim CSR budget of ` 60.5 cr for 2020-21
The committee of directors
on CSR & sustainability of
NHPC Limited during its
35th meeting held on 24
April approved the interim
CSR budget allocation of
Rs 60.5 crore for 2020-21
including an amount of Rs
15 crore for “PM CARES
Fund”.
NHPC raises `750 crore at
coupon of 6.80% per annum
NHPC Limited raised Rs
750 crore through private
placement of bonds at very
competitive interest rate of
6.80 per cent per annum for
a loan tenure of 10 years. The
issue structure consists base
size of Rs 500 crore with
option of Rs 250 crore.
The issue was taken very
overwhelmingly by the mar-
ket and oversubscribed 3.87
India Ratings cuts growth
forecast to 1.9% for FY21
Many other research agencies have also cut their FY21 growth forecast amid Covid-19 pandemic
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
MUMBAI, 27 APRIL
India Ratings and Research
(Ind-Ra) today revised its
FY21 economic growth fore-
cast for the country further
down to 1.9 per cent, lowest
in the last 29 years, citing the
Covid-19 pandemic and its
impact on economy.
The rating agency said the
revised number is based on
the assumption that the par-
tial lockdown will continue till
mid-May.
It, however, sees GDP
growth to slip further to neg-
ative 2.1 per cent if the lock-
down continues beyond mid-
May.
“We have revised our FY21
gross domestic product (GDP)
growth further down to 1.9 per
cent from our forecast of 3.6
per cent published on 30
March 2020,” its principal
economist and director pub-
lic finance Sunil Kumar Sinha
said in a report.
The country's economy
had grown by 1.1 per cent in
FY92.
“However, if the lockdown
continues beyond mid-May
of port logistics charges dur-
ing the lockdown period.
"Small paper mills are incur-
ring losses as they are unable
to commence operations since
raw material is stuck at ports.
This is affecting packaging of
essential goods like pharma
and FMCG during lockdown
period," said IARPMA presi-
dent Pramod Aggarwal.
New Ekdil, New Achaldah,
New Kanchausi, New
Bhaupur station of EDFC.
New Rewari, New Ateli
Junction , New Dabalaa,
New Bhagega Station, New
Srimadhopur, New
Mallikpur, New Phulera,
New Sakun, New Kis-
hangarh, Madar Pota Cab-
ins of WDFC.
DFCCIL also started
the construction work at
different places wherever
local state government
had permitted. At all these
places 'social distancing'
& norms have been fol-
lowed strictly.
A total contribution of Rs
40 crore (including afore-
mentioned amount of Rs
15 crore) has already been
made by NHPC to “PM
CARES Fund” from its CSR
Budget of FY 2019-20 and FY
2020-21.
The above allocation of
Rs 60.5 crore includes an
times for Rs 2899 crore amid
outbreak due to Covid-19.
The coupon rate of 6.80
per cent is the lowest in the
current fiscal and lower by
30 bps or 0.30 per cent than
the prevailing AAA rated 10
years bonds at 7.10 per
cent. NHPC carries highest
credit credentials and rated
AAA by leading rating agen-
cies.
LOWEST IN 29 YRS
� India Ratings and Research
on Monday revised its FY21 eco-
nomic growth forecast for the
country further down to 1.9 per
cent, lowest in the last 29 years,
citing the Covid-19 pandemic
and its impact on economy
� The rating agency said the
revised number is based on the
assumption that the partial
lockdown will continue till
mid-May
� However, if the lockdown
continues beyond mid-May 2020 and a gradual recovery takes root only from end-
June 2020, GDP growth may slip further to negative 2.1 per cent
2020 and a gradual recovery
takes root only from end-
June 2020, GDP growth may
slip further to negative 2.1 per
cent, lowest in the last 41
years," Mr Sinha said, adding
it will be only the sixth instance
of contraction since FY52.
Many global and domes-
tic research agencies have
also cut their FY21 growth fore-
cast for the country amid the
Covid-19 pandemic and its
impact on economy.
The agency said the Reserve
Financial stocks steal the show
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
MUMBAI, 27 APRIL
Equity benchmark Sensex set-
tled 416 points higher today,
led by gains in financial stocks
as RBI's Rs 50,000-crore stim-
ulus to mutual funds and pos-
itive cues from global markets
buoyed investor sentiment.
Though, after rallying over
700 points during the ses-
sion, the BSE gauge pared
PUBLIC SECTOR ROUNDUP
SCOPE’s webinar on biz continuity measures nCoV: ITPO announces relief
Standing Conference of Pub-
lic Enterprises (SCOPE organ-
ised an interactive webinar
with Ministry of Corporate
Affairs (MCA) on‘Ease of Doing
Business Initiatives & Busi-
ness Continuity Measures
undertaken by MCA during
COVID-19’. MCA joint secre-
tary Manoj Pandey interact-
ed with participants on steps
taken to sensitise and facilitate
corporates to meet the chal-
lenges arising out of COVID-
19 besides new initiatives to
make business in India cor-
porate friendly and simpli-
fied. The webinar was also
addressed by SCOPE chair-
man & NLC CMD Rakesh
Kumar, SCOPE director general
Atul Sobti and CCI director
(finance) S Sakthimani. The
webinar was attended by over
260 participants including sev-
eral senior members of the pub-
lic sector fraternity.
Pandey highlighted the
business continuity measures
of the government during the
lockdown in the form of virtual
offices, regular interactions
with industrial bodies and use
of online platforms to handle
amount of Rs. 32.50 crore
sanctioned for implemen-
tation of CSR activities in the
thematic areas of educa-
tion and health for people
around Power stations and
projects of NHPC, through
various KVs & other schools
and medical facilities through
NHPC dispensaries.
LIC’s P&G scheme achieves `1 tn income in FY ’20
In spite of nationwide lockdown
due to Covid-19, Life Insurance
Corporation of India achieved
its highest number of policies
for the last six years in finan-
cial year 2019-20. Individual new
business performance of the
Corporation as at March 2020
has shown impressive figures
of 2.19 crores in number of poli-
cies and Rs 51,227 crore in
first year premium income.
While ensuring growth in num-
ber and premium both, inspite
of the truncation of the most
We are on an active lookout for startups that
complement our product capabilities
Bank of India, on 27 March,
had announced reduction in
repo rate by 75 basis points,
cut in the cash reserve ratio
by 100 basis points to 3 per cent
and a targeted long term repo
operations (TLTRO) worth
Rs 1 lakh crore, focused on eas-
ing the tight monetary con-
ditions building up in the
economy. However, the finan-
cial market reacted other-
wise.
Mr Sinha said due to risk
aversion, deployment of
some of its intra-day gains. The
30-share index finally settled
415.86 points or 1.33 per cent
higher at 31,743.08.
Similarly, the NSE Nifty
closed 127.90 points, or 1.40
per cent, to 9,282.30.
IndusInd Bank was the top
gainer in the Sensex pack,
rallying over 6 per cent, ahead
of its earnings announce-
ment. Axis Bank, Kotak Bank,
ICICI Bank and Bajaj Finance
package for exhibition industrythat India has achieved a sig-
grievances. During the pre-
sentation, he also highlighted
thegovernmentinitiativestopro-
vide a simplified business plat-
form to corporates. He explained
the use of new Web form -
Spice+ whereby multiple com-
pliances for registration are
done through a single window
system, electronic filings and set-
tlement through e-office.
Rakesh Kumar said that
the global slump in demand and
limited resources can decelerate
growth and PSEs role therefore
becomes important. Sobti
expressed the significance of
rising virtual platforms which
offer greater access to a wider
audience and a great oppor-
tunity. Taking cue from Prime
Minister, he said that this pan-
demic has taught us to be self-
reliant and self-dependent
and PSEs can play a vital role
in the country. Sobti also said
An amount of Rs 1.25
crore has also been allocat-
ed for combating COVID-19
pandemic around NHPC
Power stations and projects.
The meeting was held
under the chairmanship of
NHPC independent direc-
tor Bhagwat Prasad Mak-
wana through video con-
productive fortnight of the
year, the corporation achieved
a healthy business mix. It col-
lected single premium of Rs
21,967 crore and non single pre-
mium of Rs 29,260 crore, the
ratio being 42.88 for single pre-
mium and 57.12 for non sin-
gle premium.
LIC Pension and Group
schemes vertical created a new
record by clocking more than
one trillion rupees premium
income during the Financial
Year 2019 - 20. LIC settled 2.03
V-P CORP DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGIC FINANCE, SHARECHAT
TLTRO funds so far has large-
ly been into the bonds issued
by public sector entities and
large corporates.
Given the uncertainty sur-
rounding the Covid-19 pan-
demic and its impact on econ-
omy, he said the risk aversion
is likely to continue and funds
available under TLTRO 2.0
may also not flow to the
targeted segment ~ invest-
ment-grade bonds, com-
mercial papers, and non-con-
vertible debentures of NBFCs,
too surged up to 5 per cent.
On the other hand, NTPC,
M&M, HDFC Bank, Bharti
Airtel and ITC were the lag-
gards.
The Indian market started
the week on a positive note
tracking positive Asian peers
as hope for more monetary pol-
icy easing by global central
banks gained further traction
after Bank of Japan stepped up
its stimulus to contain virus
nificant leap in Ease of Doing
Business rankings with the
efforts of the Government and
PSEs must make best use of the
facilities offered.
3rd webinar on ‘Economic
Impact of COVID-CPSEs
Perspective’
Standing Conference of Pub-
lic Enterprises (SCOPE) organ-
ised the 3rd webinar of the
SCOPE Webinar Series 2020
titled ‘Economic Impact of
COVID- CPSEs Perspective’
with Deloitte as knowledge
partner. SCOPE has recently
introduced live webinars on rel-
evant topics imperative for
capacity building of Public
Sector Enterprises (PSEs).
Based on the overwhelming
response, SCOPE will contin-
ue to host webinars to enhance
competitiveness in PSEs.
FACT CMD & SCOPE vice
chairman Kishore Rungta and
SCOPE director general Atul
Sobti addressed the webinar that
was attended by over 250 par-
ticipants including several
senior members of PSEs.
ferencing. During the meet-
ing senior officials of CSR and
SD division were also pre-
sent.
The committee of direc-
tors appreciated the various
ongoing CSR activities per-
taining to COVID-19 by var-
ious projects and power sta-
tions of NHPC limited.
crore maturity and money
back claims and annuities. It
also settled 7.50 lakhs of death
claims. Annuity payments due
in March 2020 and April 2020
have also been settled on due
dates.
LIC collected Rs 126,749
crore as group schemes new
business premium income as
against Rs 91,179 crore in the
previous year with a growth rate
of 39.01 per cent and a market
share of 80.54 per cent as com-
pared to 77.94 per cent last year.
MANOHAR CHARAN
with at least 50 per cent of the
total amount going to small
and mid-sized NBFCs and
microfinance institutions
(MFIs).
“This risk aversion across
financial sector participants
coupled with slow banking
credit growth will have a sec-
ond round impact on the
GDP growth," he said.
The rating agency further
said the dip in tax/non-tax rev-
enue due to the lock-
down/growth slowdown cou-
pled with the need to provide
fiscal stimulus will destabilise
the fiscal arithmetic of both
union and state governments.
"Even without any signif-
icant fiscal stimulus, we
expect the fiscal deficit of the
Union government to escalate
to 4.4 per cent of GDP in FY21
and a stimulus package of Rs
4 lakh crore would push it to
6 per cent of GDP," Mr Sinha
said.
The Budget estimate of
fiscal deficit for financial year
2020-21 is 3.5 per cent of
GDP.
The agency expects retail
inflation for FY21 at 3.6 per
cent.
shock to its economy, Mr
Narendra Solanki, head-equi-
ty research (fundamental),
Anand Rathi, said.
During the day the positive
momentum further strength-
ened as the Reserve Bank of
India announced a special
liquidity facility of Rs 50,000
crore for mutual funds, with
an aim to ease liquidity pres-
sures on mutual funds, he
added.
The exhibition industry, one
of the badly hit sectors glob-
ally due to the lockdown being
imposed across the coun-
tries to curb the spread of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the
trade fair organisers are like-
ly to get further impacted in
latter half of the year as
prospective exhibitors are
likely to go through a down-
turn.
Considering the constraints
and hardship being faced by
the third party fair organisers
in this difficult time, ITPO, the
nodal trade fair organisation
of the Government of India
under Ministry of Commerce
and Industry, announced
relief package/steps to the
third party organisers who
organises exhibitions in Pra-
gati Maidan. These steps
enable trade and industry to
continue their participation
in these difficult times, which
in turn help the event to sur-
vive and also participate indus-
try to grow.
The revised policy will be
SAIL becomes largest domestic
crude steel producer in FY ’20
Steel Authority of India Lim-
ited (SAIL), become the leader
of crude steel production in
India in FY 2019-20. It pro-
duced 16.15 million tonnes
of crude steel during the
financial year 2019-20 and it
was the highest among all
other steel producers in the
country. SAIL chairman Anil
Kumar Chaudhary said, “SAIL
has been continuously
focussing on ramping up its
steel production from the
new units, which came up
under modernisation along
with optimally utilising the
older units. The concerted
efforts to increase volumes
have resulted in the compa-
ny becoming the largest
domestic steel producer in
FY'20. The company’s well-
coordinated production
strategies leveraging aug-
mented production capaci-
ties, which were installed
RBI announces
`50K cr special
liquidity facility
for mutual funds
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
MUMBAI, 27 APRIL
The Reserve Bank of India
today provided a Rs 50,000-
crore shot-in-the-arm to
stressed mutual funds by
unveiling a special liquidi-
ty facility for the sector, days
after Franklin Templeton
Mutual Fund decided to
close six debt schemes.
In a statement, the cen-
tral bank said heightened
volatility in capital markets
in reaction to COVID-19 has
imposed liquidity strains on
mutual funds (MFs), which
have intensified in the wake
of redemption pressures
related to closure of some
debt MFs and potential con-
tagious effects therefrom.
The stress is, however,
confined to the high-risk
debt MF segment at this
stage; the larger industry
remains liquid, it said.
“With a view to easing liq-
uidity pressures on MFs, it
has been decided to open a
special liquidity facility for
mutual funds of Rs 50,000
crore,” it said.
The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) also stressed it remains
vigilant and will take what-
ever steps are necessary to
mitigate the economic
impact of COVID-19 and
preserve financial stability.
Last time, the RBI had opened
a special borrowing window
of Rs 25,000 crore for banks
to help meet the cash require-
ments of mutual funds in July
2013.
Following the collapse of
Lehman Brothers, RBI in
October 2008 had provided
applicable to all the third
party fairs to be organised in
Pragati Maidan from 1 April,
2020 to 31 March, 2021. The
relaxations provided to the
trade fair organisations include:
� ITPO will not levy any penal-
ty for cancellation/ re-sched-
ulement/ reduction in space
booked by third party fair
organisers upto March, 2021,
provided the request is received
at least 90 days before the
scheduled date of the event
or date of notification of this
order, whichever is later.ITPO
will issue credit note to third-
party fair organiser, which
can be adjusted in their future
events.
� ITPO will give discount of
20% in the
published/approved rentals
to the third party fair organ-
isers for the events booked/to
be booked or re-scheduled/to
be re-scheduled during the
same business periods up to
March 31, 2021.
SAIL’s contribution to nation
in fight against coronavirus
A cheque handed over by
Rourkela Steel Plant to the
district administration of
Sundergarh district in
Odisha.
Steel Authority of India Lim-
ited (SAIL) continues to be
at the forefront of India's fight
against COVID-19. Under
the guidance of Union Min-
ister of PNG & Steel Dhar-
mendra Pradhan, SAIL con-
tributed Rs 4 crore to four
states ~ Jharkhand, Odisha,
a similar additional liquid-
ity support exclusively for
mutual fund industry.
Under the Special Liq-
uidity Facility for Mutual
Funds (SLF-MF), the RBI
will
conduct repo operations of
90 days tenor at the fixed repo
rate.
“The SLF-MF is on-tap
and open-ended, and banks
can submit their bids to
avail funding on any day
from Monday to Friday, the
central bank said.
The scheme will be avail-
able from Monday itself till
11 May 2020, or up to utili-
sation of the allocated
amount, whichever is earli-
er.
The Reserve Bank also
said it will review the time-
line and amount, depending
upon market conditions.
The RBI further said funds
availed under the SLF-MF
should be used by banks
exclusively for meeting the
liquidity requirements of
MFs by extending loans, and
undertaking outright pur-
chase of and/or repos against
the collateral of investment
grade corporate bonds, com-
mercial papers, debentures
and certificates of deposit
held by MFs.
In case of over-subscrip-
tion of the notified amount
on any given day, the cen-
tral bank said the allotment
will be done on pro-rata
basis.
“RBI will, however, reserve
the right to inject marginally
higher amount than the noti-
fied amount due to round-
ing effects,” it said.
�The re-scheduled event in
FY 2020-21 will need to pay
the originally booked rentals
or the published/approved
rentals of the relevant business
period, whichever is lower. In
case the organiser intends to
shift/ re-schedule the event
from lean to semi-peak/peak
or semi-peak to peak or vice-
versa, such a request should
come at least 90 days before
the scheduled date of the
event or date of notification
of this order, whichever is
later. (In case of re-schedule-
ment inter business periods,
the general benefit of 20%
rebate will not be applicable).
�The present payment plans
for ITPO rentals i.e. “Eight
Months before start of tenancy”
has been relaxed and revised
as “Four Months before start
of tenancy”.
� The delayed penalty, if
any, for the period 01-02-
2020 to 30-06-2020 will not be
charged.
Chhattisgarh and West Ben-
gal in which its five integrated
steel plants are located. The
company has contributed Rs
1 crore each, amounting to
Rs 4 crore, to the CM relief
unds of these states respec-
tively. The steel plants locat-
ed in these states are Bokaro
Steel Plant in Jharkhand,
Rourkela Steel Plant in Odisha,
Bhilai Steel Plant in Chhatis-
garh and Durgapur Steel
Pant and IISCO Steel Plant
in West Bengal.The compa-
ny has enhanced its medical
facilities across its Plants
and Units in coordination
with local authorities of
respective state governments
in its fight against COVID-19.

Kim Jong Un alive and well, claims Seoul
Conjecture over Kim has grown since his conspicuous no-show at 15 April birthday celebrations of his grandfather Kim Il Sung, North’s founder
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
SEOUL, 27 APRIL
N
orth Korean leader
Kim Jong Un is
"alive and well", a
top security advis-
er to the South's President
Moon Jae-in said, downplay-
ing rumours over Kim's health
following his absence from a
key anniversary.
Conjecture over Kim has
grown since his conspicuous
no-show at April 15 celebra-
tions for the birthday of his
grandfather Kim Il Sung, the
North's founder -- the most
important day in the country's
political calendar.
"Our government position
is firm," said Moon's special
adviser on national security
Moon Chung-in, in an inter-
view with CNN on Sunday.
"Kim Jong Un is alive and
well."
Saudi coalition urges
Yemen separatists to
honour Riyadh deal
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DUBAI, 27 APRIL
A Saudi-led coalition mired
in a yearslong war in Yemen
on Monday urged Emirati-
backed southern separatists
to honour terms of a Riyadh
peace deal and return control
of the port city of Aden to the
country's internationally rec-
ognized government.
The statement by Saudi
Arabia comes after the sep-
aratists' Southern Transi-
tional Council again claimed
sole control of Aden on Sun-
day, a Red Sea port that serves
as the seat of the interna-
tionally recognized govern-
ment as Yemen's Shiite rebels,
known as Houthis, hold the
country's capital, Sanaa.
The council's decision
adds yet more complexity to
the grinding war in Yemen that
has pushed the Arab world's
poorest nation to the brink of
famine and killed over 100,000
people. The Saudi statement
urged the council to return to
the terms of the November
2019 Riyadh agreement, which
ended earlier fighting between
the separatists and the gov-
ernment forces ostensible
LEISURE
10 MINUTE CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Tavern (3)
3 Baked product (5)
7 Municipal building (4,4)
8 Stiff paper (4)
9 Responsible (10)
12 Interest (6)
14 Dismal (6)
15 From that time on (10)
18 Erstwhile (4)
19 Despite the fact that (8)
21 Set of furniture (5)
22 Caustic solution (3)
SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S CROSSWORD
ACROSS 12 Fragmen-
tary,
1 Hart,
3 Brake (Heart- 17 Risks,
19 Dilemma,
break),
8 Rinse, 21 Marquis,
22 Strip,
9 Light up,
10 Booze-up, 23 Sedge,
11 Hares, 24 Rear.
By arrangement with The Independent
Figures in parentheses denote
the number of letters in the words required
The adviser said that Kim
had been staying in Wonsan
~ a resort town in the coun-
try's east~ since 13 April,
adding: "No suspicious move-
ments have so far been detect-
ed."
Kim has not made a pub-
lic appearance since presid-
ing over a Workers' Party polit-
buro meeting on 11 April,
and the following day state
media reported on him
inspecting fighter jets at an air
defence unit.
His absence unleashed a
series of unconfirmed media
reports over his condition,
which officials in Seoul pre-
viously poured cold water on.
"We have nothing to con-
firm and no special movement
has been detected inside
North Korea as of now," the
South's presidential office
said in a statement last week.
South Korea's unification
allies in the war against the
Houthis after the council
seized control of Aden just a
few months earlier.
That deal had called for
both sides to remove heavy
military equipment from
Yemeni cities under their
control and form a unity gov-
ernment that included equal
representation.
But that deal had yet to be
implemented as the war con-
tinued, massive floods struck
Aden and Yemen faces the
threat of the coronavirus pan-
demic and the Covid-19 ill-
ness it causes. The Saudi-led
coalition urged the council to
honour the deal to unite
Yemeni ranks, restore state
institutions and combat the
scourge of terrorism.
The deal entails forming
a competent government”
that would operate out of
Aden to tackle economic and
developmental challenges,
in light of natural disasters such
as floods, fears of the Covid-
19 pandemic outbreak and
work to provide services to the
brotherly people of Yemen.
The statement did not say
what Saudi Arabia would do
if the council refused.
BEETLE BAILEY/Mort Walker
RED EYE/Bill Yates & Mel Casson
DOWN
1 Cut-off (8)
2 Granny (3)
3 Short post (7)
4 Splendid (9)
5 Highland dagger (4)
6 Gateau, for example (4)
10 Pasta (9)
11 Discontinue the meet-
ings of (8)
13 Abandon (7)
16 Singing voice (4) ADDY DAZE/John Kovaleski
17 Church service (4)
20 Lubricate (3)
DOWN 13 Gesture,
1 Hereby, 14 Remorse,
2 Rancour, 15 Crumbs,
3 Big shot, 16 Pauper,
4 Astir, 18 Shred,
5 Expose, 20 Last.
6 Gene,
7 Slipped disc,
Trump’s Mideast plan envisions turning over Israel’s dozens
of settlements and strategic Jordan Valley, to Israeli control.
EXUDING CONFIDENCE HE WILL BE ABLE TO ANNEX LARGE PARTS OF WEST BANK WITH USA’S SUPPORT
A television news broadcast shows file footage of North Korean
leader Kim Jong Un, at a railway station in Seoul on 21 April. AFP
minister Kim Yeon-chul reit-
erated Monday that remained
the case, adding the "confi-
dent" conclusion was drawn
from "a complex process of
intelligence gathering and
assessment".
The comments came two
Korea uses e-bands to enforce quarantine
PARK HAN-NA
SEOUL, 27 APRIL
South Korea today began
placing electronic bracelets on
people who have disobeyed
self-isolation orders, tough-
ening up against quarantine
violators to combat the new
coronavirus.
“From midnight today,
those who violated quaran-
tine rules among those who
have been obliged to self-
isolate at their residences
started to wear the band.
Only the people who con-
sented to wear the band will
do so,” Park Jong-hyun, an offi-
cial at the Ministry of the
Interior and Safety, said dur-
ing a press briefing session
today.
Some 39,740 people in the
country were in self-isola-
tion as of Sunday, with 95 per
Express delivery: Mothers rally to donate vital breastmilk
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
HONG KONG, 27 APRIL
Whisked out of her Hong
Kong home by medics in pro-
tective gear, Catherine Kosasih
didn't know if or when she
would see her children~ aged
just four months and 21
months~again.
Once in hospital, her Covid-
19 diagnosis was confirmed,
she was kept in isolation and
her husband and children
quarantined. Worse still, they
discovered that because her
youngest was allergic to for-
mula, there was no way to feed
her. "I left the house sud-
denly and I didn't know how
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
years after Kim and Moon's
first summit in the Demilita-
rized Zone that divides the
peninsula.
Seoul marked this anniver-
sary with a ceremony at the
South's northernmost train sta-
tion, seeking to highlight its
cent of them having just
arrived from abroad, accord-
ing to the ministry.
Of them, 286 people have
so far been caught violating
the 14-day self-isolation rules
by venturing out from their
homes.
The government opted to
use wristbands to stop peo-
ple from violating quarantine
because tracking apps are
easily cheated by users who
leave their phones at home.
Seeking to ease concerns
over human rights breaches
stemming from harsh enforce-
ment measures, the ministry
said the wristband would
provide an option for self-iso-
lation violators.
Under current law, heads
of municipal and provincial
government are authorized to
confine violators at govern-
ment-designated facilities,
long I would be in the hospi-
tal. I had so many worries but
one of the biggest ones was
for the baby, who is breastfed,
especially after she had such
a bad reaction to formula
that my husband was close to
calling an ambulance,"
explains the 33-year-old.
After doctors told Kosasih
to dump her pumped milk
because the medication she
was taking to treat the virus
could be passed to her baby,
she contacted Gemma Mac-
Farlane founder of Hong Kong
Breastfeeding, a social media
support group.
MacFarlane posted an SOS
call for donations online.
commitment to a cross-bor- US official. US President Don-
der railway project. ald Trump on Thursday reject-
But inter-Korean relations ed reports that Kim was ail-
are largely frozen with talks ing but declined to state when
between Washington and he was last in touch with him.
Pyongyang at a standstill, and On Monday, the official
there was no indication of Rodong Sinmun newspaper
any commemoration in the reported that Kim had sent a
North. Daily NK, an online message of thanks to workers
media outlet run mostly by on the giant Wonsan Kalma
North Korean defectors, has coastal tourism project.
reported Kim was undergoing It was the latest in a series
treatment after a cardiovas- of reports in recent days of
cular procedure earlier this statements issued or actions
month. taken in Kim's name, although
Citing an unidentified none has carried any picture
source inside the country, it of him.
said Kim, who is in his mid- Satellite images reviewed
30s, had needed urgent treat- by 38North, a US-based think
ment due to heavy smoking, tank, showed a train proba-
obesity and fatigue. bly belonging to Kim at a sta-
Soon afterwards, CNN tion in Wonsan last week.
reported that Washington was It cautioned that the train's
"monitoring intelligence" that presence did not "indicate
Kim was in "grave danger" after anything about his health" but
undergoing surgery, quoting did "lend weight" to reports
what it said was an anonymous he was staying on the coun-
but those who consent to piratory virus was transmit-
wear the band can continue
to stay at home, Park said.
ted from an unknown
source.
The government distrib- The number of patients
uted 2,000 of the wristbands with an unknown infection
to local governments. source has grown from three
The country now has among 175 confirmed cases
Covid-19 mostly under con- last week to six in 65 confirmed
trol, having reported fewer cases this week.
than 15 new patients per day “This means that Covid-19
for nine consecutive days. patients, which the health
Even so, a series of public authorities haven’t confirmed,
holidays in late April and still exist in the community,
early May is causing concern and that a large-scale infec-
about the possibility of a tion can spread again with a
resurgence. moment of neglect,” Kim
Vice Health and Welfare said.
Minister Kim Kang-lip stressed Efforts to stay vigilant
the need for tough quarantine about monitoring high-risk
measures to remain in place, facilities like nursing homes
such as mandatory 14-day self- and residences for elderly,
isolation for all travellers disabled and homeless peo-
coming from overseas and ple will continue.
health screening at airports “We plan to conduct re-
and ports, amid a growing examinations twice a week for
number of cases where the res- facilities and hospitals where
Within hours, scores of pledged. "I was in tears, I still
mothers had come together can't believe so many mums
to offer what they could, and pumped milk for my baby,"
within a day more than 15 litres says Kosasih, who suffered
~ enough to feed the baby for fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and
around two weeks ~had been had white spots on her lungs.
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rabble and Scrabble Tiles are registered trademarks. All
rights in the game are owned in the U.S.A by Hasbro Inc.,
in Canada by Hasbro Canada Inc., and elsewhere by J.W.
Spear & Sons Limited, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc.
09
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
Accept Rohingya
boats: UN rights
chief urges B’desh
DHAKA, 27 APRIL
try's eastern coast. A top UN official has urged
Reporting from inside the Bangladesh to let two strand-
isolated North is notoriously ed boatloads of starving
difficult, especially regard- Rohingya Muslims land amid
ing anything to do with its lead- mounting fears Monday over
ership, which is among its the fate of the refugees.
most closely guarded secrets. UN High Commissioner
Andrei Lankov, director of for Human Rights Michelle
Korea Risk Group, said all Bachelet warned of a “human
reports should be "taken with tragedy of terrible propor-
a grain of salt", but noted tions” unless action is taken
Kim's disappearance was to help the Rohingya.
unusual. The appeal was made to
"So for some reason, he is the Bangladesh government
not really capable to act pub- after Foreign minister A K
licly," Lankov said. Abdul Momen said the South
Previous absences from Asian country would not
the public eye on Kim's part accept the boats.
have prompted speculation His declaration last week
about his health. set alarm bells ringing as it
In 2014 he dropped out of came only days after dozens
sight for nearly six weeks of Rohingya died on a boat
before reappearing with a that waited at sea for two
cane. Days later, the South's months before it could land.
spy agency said he had under- The two new boats are
gone surgery to remove a cyst believed to be in interna-
from his ankle. tional waters hoping to get
an opportunity to reach
Malaysia.
The Malaysian navy
rebuffed one boat last week
and has increased patrols as
mass infections have occurred
it expects increased attempts
to smuggle people into the
and thoroughly take the nec-
essary measures to prevent
country.
The one million Rohingya
transmission,” he said. in camps in Bangladesh,
Korea reported 10 more where they fled a military
cases of the novel coron- crackdown in their native
avirus, bringing the nation’s Myanmar, favour going to
total infections to 10,738, Malaysia as it is a Muslim
according to the Korea Cen- majority country with more
ters for Disease Control and work opportunities.
Prevention today. “In a spirit of solidarity and
Of the 10 new patients, at the beginning of the Holy
seven were imported cases, Month of Ramzan, I appeal
including five who were to you in the strongest terms
detected at border check- to open your ports and allow
points. the boats to land,” Bachelet
One more patient has died, said in the letter.
raising the death toll to 243. “The reportedly more than
The number of those who 500 men, women and chil-
have been discharged from dren aboard these boats have
care after recovery marked been at sea for an extended
8,764, accounting for 81.6 period of time, and we under-
percent of the total accumu- stand that they require urgent
lated cases. Korea’s fatality rate rescue, food, medical care and
stands at 2.26 per cent. other necessary humanitar-
THE KOREA HERALD/ANN ian assistance.” AFP
She spent two weeks in hos- with her baby having a terri-
pital battling the virus that has ble reaction to the artificial
killed more than 200,000 peo- breast milk substitute. You'd
ple worldwide since it was first be heartless not to care."
identified in China in Decem- For many parents, the fear
ber. Novel coronavirus has so of their children facing quar-
far not been found in breast antine or hospitalisation alone,
milk and the WHO says moth- or being separated from them,
ers who have Covid-19 and is far more of a concern than
wish to breastfeed should be contracting the virus itself.
supported to do so safely. The volunteers who run
But Hong Kong has some Hong Kong Breastfeeding
of the strictest isolation rules effectively formed a breast
for virus patients. milk supply relay.
MacFarlane felt compelled The spread of the virus is
to help: "It's bad enough that fostering similar milk drives~
she's been separated from originating online but with real-
her baby but to think that she's world results -- globally. Donat-
had to waste her liquid gold ing breast milk is legal but
is horrible, then top that off unregulated in most countries.
22586262, 22585007 � Punjab Roadways 23867842,
port 011-25671580; Terminal I-
23860626
B 25671576, Palam Road
INQUIRY � Rajasthan Roadways
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SUDOKU
irections Make a 2 to
7 letter word from the
letters in each row.
Add points of each
word, using scoring
directions at right, 7-
letter words get 50- Sudoku is a number-placing
point bonus. "Blanks"
used as any letter puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with
have no point value. several given numbers. The
All Judd’s words are
in The Official object is to place the numbers 1
Scrabble Players to 9 in the empty squares so
Dictionary(Merriam-
that no row, no column and no
Webster) and OSW
Official Scrabble answer to 3x3 box contains the same
Words(Chambers).
number. The difficulty level
Judd’s solution previous
increases through the week.
tomorrow.
10-25-12
puzzle
10
No widespread undetected community transmission in
New Zealand. We have won that battle
NEW ZEALND PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDER
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020 CLAIMING NO COMMUNITY CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS AS LOCKDOWN EASES

WEATHER
CITY
SINGAPORE
MAX(°C)
31
MIN(°C)
26 H
Boris back at work, warns against relaxing virus restrictions
HONG KONG 24 19 CL PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ly virus. He returned to 10 “I know there will be many Dominic Raab, who has been net minister Rachel Reeves said
TOKYO 18 09 R LONDON, 27 APRIL Downing Street on Sunday people looking at our appar- deputising for the UK prime the UK should “potentially” be
LONDON 10 07 R evening from his prime min- ent success, and beginning to minister as the First Secretary following the example of other
DUBAI 36 27 S Prime Minister Boris Johnson isterial countryside retreat at wonder whether now is the of State during the leave of European countries like Bel-
SAN FRANCISCO 21 12 S on Monday warned against Chequers, where he had been time to go easy on those social absence, described his boss' gium, Germany and Den-
NEW YORK 18 08 S relaxing the coronavirus restric- based since his discharge distancing measuresI entire- return as a boost for the gov- mark, which have already sig-
MOSCOW 11 06 CL tions too soon as the country from St Thomas’ Hospital on ly share your urgency, it's the ernment and a boost for the nalled partial re-opening of
S= sunny, CL= clear,
was still facing a moment of 12 April. government's urgency and country. He's raring to go, some businesses and schools.
H=hazy, R= rainy...
“maximum risk”, in his first “I ask you to contain your yet we must also recognise the Raab said. Johnson resumed “We want to work with the
remarks since returning to impatience because I believe risk of a second spike,” work amid growing pressure government in bringing for-
THUMBNAILS work after contracting the now we are coming to the end He said the UK has “so far from within his own Conser- ward a plan and getting it
disease that has killed over of the first phase of this con- collectively shielded our NHS” vative Party backbenchers as right,” she said.
20,000 in the UK. flict, he said, promising max- and “flattened the peak” but well the Opposition parties to Officials are reported to
While declaring that the tide imum transparency on the he could not yet say when or set out a clear exit strategy to be working on a Singapore-
is being turned on the coro- decisions to be taken as the which restrictions would be begin lifting the strict lockdown style plan for passengers arriv-
navirus pandemic in the coun- UK enters phase two of the lifted to ease lockdown. measures in place to curb the ing at UK sea and airports to
try, he urged the British pub- Covid-19 fightback, which UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks outside 10 Downing The UK PM chaired a reg- spread of coronavirus. be quarantined for 14 days as
lic to contain their impatience will involve one by one firing Street on Monday after returning to work following more than ular special Cabinet meeting “If there is a question over part of the second phase of the
against the crippling lock- up the “economic engines” of 21 days off after being hospitalised with Covid-19. � AFP on Monday as he takes back whether something is neces- measures, which must be
down. We are beginning to turn the UK economy. charge of the government's sary or not, I think we should reviewed by law on 7 May.
the tideThere are real signs we Johnson said the UK has “so making it imperative that no I can tell you from personal response to the coronavirus err on the side of openness and However, UK Environment
are passing through the peak, far collectively shielded our steps can be taken to ease up experience, it is then this is the pandemic, which has claimed trying to make sure that more Minister George Eustice
said Johnson, in an upbeat National Health Service” and restrictions that could lead to moment when we have begun 20,732 lives in the UK. people can get on with their seemed to dismiss the idea.
address to the nation on the “flattened the peak” - but he a risk of a second spike of infec- together to wrestle it to the floor. “It is hard to find the words lives and more people can get Johnson has meanwhile
An employee prepares steps of 10 Downing Street. could not yet say when or tions. “And so it follows that this to express my debt to the on with getting back to their kept in contact with his min-
masks to be cleaned at the Johnson, 55, had been which restrictions would be And comparing the fight to is the moment of opportuni- NHS [National Health Ser- jobs,” said Sir Graham Brady, isters and officials and held his
Clean Mask Decontamina- recuperating from his inten- lifted to ease lockdown. someone being attacked, he ty, this is the moment when vice] for saving my life, he said, the chair of the Tory party's weekly audience by telephone
tion Room container, on sive care treatment at a Lon- Johnson wanted to send out noted: “If this virus were a phys- we can press home our advan- in his message to the medical influential backbench 1922 with Queen Elizabeth II last
Monday in Merelbeke. AFP don hospital earlier this month a clear message that this is the ical assailant, an unexpected tage, it is also the moment of team on leaving the hospital. Committee. Opposition week, indicating his readi-
after he contracted the dead- moment of maximum risk, and invisible mugger which maximum risk. UK Foreign Secretary Labour Party's shadow cabi- ness for full-time duties.
Singapore virus cases: Singa-
pore’s coronavirus tally
reached 14,423 on Monday

Nations, USA each chart

after 799 new cases were BACK TO SCHOOL
reported with majority of
them being foreign workers,
including Indians, residing in
dormitories, which have

own path on reopening

emerged as the hotspots
for the transmission of the
disease in the country. PTI

Pakistan infections: Pak-

istan's coronavirus cases
Common goal: Restarting economies without triggering another surge of cases
have climbed to 13,328
while the death toll from
Chinese envoy
the pandemic has reached ASSOCIATED PRESS day. caution will be our guideline threatens Oz
281 with 12 more fatalities, MINNEAPOLIS (USA), 27 APRIL The official death toll from
the virus topped 200,000 world-
for the rollback.
His French counterpart boycott over

the health ministry said on
Monday. PTI
Japan travel ban: Japan's
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
said on Monday that his
country is adding 14 more
countries, including Russia,
Peru and Saudi Arabia, to
the entry ban list as the
country steps up border
control as the coronavirus
infections continued to
spread in the country. AP
Lanka parliament: Lanka's
Opposition parties on Mon-
day urged President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa to sum-
mon the dissolved parlia-
ment while pledging cooper-
ation to tackle the Covid-19
pandemic. PTI
S
pain has let children go
outside and play for the
first time in six weeks as
European countries
methodically worked to ease
their lockdowns and reopen
their economies, while in the
United States, governors moved
at differing speeds, some more
aggressive, others more cau-
tious.
Nations and US states have
begun easing coronavirus
lockdowns, each pursuing
their own approach but all with
a common goal: restarting
their economies without trig-
gering another surge of infec-
tions
Elsewhere around the world,
High school students were back in class in Shanghai on Mon- China's state-run media said
day, joining tens of thousands of their compatriots there and that hospitals in Wuhan, the
in Beijing. CHINA DAILY/ANN original epicentre of the dis-
aster, no longer have any
Covid-19 patients, after a cri-
wide, with over 2.9 million
confirmed infections, accord-
ing to a tally by Johns Hopkins
University, though the real
figures are believed to be much
higher, in part because of
inadequate testing and dif-
ferences in counting the dead.
Italy, Britain, Spain and France
accounted for more than 20,000
deaths each, the US for about
55,000. Some encouraging
signs were seen, as Italy record-
ed its lowest 24-hour number
of deaths since mid-March, with
260, and New York state reg-
istered its fewest since late
last month, with 367.
Seven weeks into Italy's
strict lockdown, Premier
Giuseppe Conte laid out a
long-awaited timetable for
getting back to normal,
announcing that factories,
construction sites and whole-
This combination of pictures
taken amid the coronavirus
outbreak shows (from left
top) Lebanese pharmacist;
Serbian supermarket employ-
ee, British cleaning contrac-
tor, French postwoman, Mex-
ican dog walker, Argentine
greengrocer, French garbage
collector and Ecuadorean
cemetery workers ahead of
likewise said he will unveil a virus inquest
national deconfinement strat-
egy on the same day. demand
In the US, where President CANBERRA, 27 APRIL
Donald Trump has repeated-
ly pushed to reopen the coun- China’s ambassador in
try for business and a split has Australia has warned
opened among the states along that demands for a
often partisan lines, Okla- probe into the spread of
homa Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Repub- the coronavirus could
lican, told Fox News that with lead to a consumer boy-
hospitalizations dropping in cott of Aussie wine or
his state, he will reopen church- trips Down Under.
es and restaurant dining on Fri- Australia has joined
day, with social-distancing the United States in
guidelines in place. calling for a thorough
We believe it's the time to investigation of how
have a measured reopening, the virus transformed
he said. But Michigan Gov. from a localised epi-
Gretchen Whitmer, a Demo- demic in central China
crat,said that her state is not into a pandemic that has
ready and needs more robust killed more than 200,000
testing, community tracing people, forced billions
and isolating those who get sick into isolation and tor-
with Covid-19. pedoed the global econ-

TENDER French police sis in which the city recorded

nearly 3,900 deaths.
sale supply businesses can
resume activity as soon as
May Day on Monday. � AFP We've got to be nimble and
we have to follow the science
omy.
In a thinly veiled
seize 140k black While governors in states they put safety measures in and be really smart about how threat, ambassador
like hard-hit New York and place against the virus. dren's shrieks of joy and the we reengage,” she said, because Cheng Jingye warned
market masks Michigan are keeping stay- Conte also said that start- clatter of bicycles after young- no one no one, even if you're the push for an inde-
at-home restrictions in place ing 4 May, parks and gardens sters under 14 were allowed out a protester or you're the sitting pendent inquest into
PARIS, 27 APRIL until at least mid-May, their will reopen, funerals will be of their homes with one par- governor or you're on anoth- the origins of the out-
counterparts in places such as allowed, athletes can resume ent for up to an hour of play. er side of the issue we know break was "dangerous".
French police have seized Georgia, Oklahoma and Alas- training, and people will be able Spanish Prime Minister that no one wants a second "The Chinese pub-
140,000 face masks intended for ka are allowing certain busi- to visit relatives living in the Pedro Sanchez will present a wave. Germany allowed none- lic is frustrated, dis-
the black market in a record haul nesses to reopen. And church- same region. In Spain, where detailed plan on Tuesday for ssential shops to open last mayed and disap-
since the start of the coronavirus es in Montana began holding the crisis is also easing, the the de-escalation of Spain's week and Denmark has pointed with what Aus-
pandemic. in-person services again Sun- streets echoed again with chil- lockdown, saying: Maximum reopened schools. tralia is doing now," he
HIMACHAL PRADESH It is the largest seizure since claimed in an interview
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT the French government banned with the Australian
E-Procurement Notice the resale of protective masks Financial Review pub-
INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB)
The Executive Engineer, Tauni Devi Division HP:PWD, Tauni Devi on behalf
of Governor of H.P invites the item rate bids, in electronic tendering system from the
to prioritise their distribution
to health workers in the fight
Activists alarmed as Jakarta cracks whip on dissent lished on Sunday.
"If the mood is going
eligible class of contractors registered with HPPWD for the works as detailed in the against the Covid-19 pandemic. from bad to worse, peo-
table:- Two individuals were arrest- THE JAKARTA POST/ANN ple to fight against capitalism”. Ravio Patra, an independent attempt to frame Ravio as a ple would think 'why
Sr. Name of Work Estimated Starting date Earnest Deadline for ed while they were unloading JAKARTA, 27 APRIL The incidents, the activists researcher known for his crit- provocateur calling for nation- should we go to such a
No. cost for Money submission
(In Rs.) downloading of Bid boxes in Saint-Denis, just north said, were indications that the ical tweets and op-ed on gov- wide riots on 30 April. Labour country that is not so
1. C/o link road to Mehli Bridge 14102786/- 13.05.2020 173500/- 19.05.2020 of Paris, a police source said on Activists have raised the alarm state was now more incli-ned ernment policies who was groups have previously threat- friendly to China?' The
to Village Thathi & Plahi to Sunday. over a growing climate of fear to resort to acts of repression arrested by the police after ened to protest the omnibus bill tourists may have sec-
Village Pargna Km. 0/0 to One of them said he was a in Indonesia following the and intimidation to silence reporting that his WhatsApp on job creation on the same date, ond thoughts," he
2/130.(SH:- 5/7 mtr. Wide
formation cutting, R/wall business owner and had bought arrests of a number of people critics, a trend that has put the account had been hacked and although the plan was later added.
cause way, C.D. GSB, the masks, including 5,000 high critical of the government as it President Joko "Jokowi"Wido- found to have broadcast cancelled. "It is up to the peo-
WMM and tarring, V-Shape protection FFP2 masks, in the scrambles to weather the social do’s credentials as a democra- provocative messages. National Police spokesper- ple to decide. Maybe the
drain, Parapets, sign boards
and Km. stone) Under Netherlands for a total of 80,000 and economic fallout of the tic leader in time of crisis in ques- Ravio and a Dutch citizen son Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono ordinary people will say
Nabard RIDF-XXV. euros ($87,000). The masks Covid-19 pandemic. tion. identified as RS were arrested confirmed the arrest of the two 'Why should we drink
As if there will be chances for extension of date otherwise, the bidders were to be sold to construction In Jakarta, a government “The President’s commit- by the Jakarta Police between people in a press conference, Australian wine? Eat
are advised to note all details of tenders from the department website www.hpten- workers for a large profit, accord- critic was arrested and ques- ment to upholding the demo- 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. in Menteng, saying that Ravio was arrested Australian beef?'"
ders.gov.in. Tender document and other instructions can be downloaded or viewed
online from the portal https://hptenders.gov.in by the firms/individual registered on
ing to police. tioned for 33 hours after his cratic system during the [Covid- Central Jakarta, lastWednesday, as he was about to enter a vehi- Cheng also threat-
the website which is free of cost. In March, 32,500 masks WhatsApp account, which he 19] crisis should be evaluated,” shortly after he announced on cle belonging to the Dutch ened the flow of Chinese
from China were seized from claimed was hacked, broadcast saidWahyudi Djafar, the deputy his twitter account @raviopa- Embassy. Ravio was released on students to Australian
0116/2020-2021 HIM SUCHNA AVAM JAN SAMPARK
a warehouse near Paris and an inflammatory message call- director of the Institute for Pol- tra that his WhatsApp account Friday but is still facing incite- universities, a key source
28,800 masks were discovered ing for nationwide looting. In icy Research and Advocacy had been hacked, although he ment charges, while the police of revenue that is already
HIMACHAL PRADESH in a shop in a district of Chinese Malang, East Java, three students (ELSAM). later recovered it. are trying to trace his digital activ- under threat from pan-
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
wholesalers, also in the Paris were arrested on charges of In the past few days, human Human rights organizations ities and authenticate his hack- demic travel restric-
E-Procurement Notice
region. AFP vandalism and “inciting peo- rights groups have rallied behind believe the hacking was an ing claim. tions. AFP
INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB)
The Executive Engineer, Tauni Devi Division HP:PWD, Tauni Devi on
behalf of Governor of H.P invites the item rate bids, in electronic tendering system
from the eligible class of contractors registered with HPPWD for the works as
detailed in the table:-
Sr. Name of Work Estimated Starting date Earnest Deadline for
Three Beijing activists missing Nancy Pelosi endorses Biden for President
No. cost for
(In Rs.) downloading
Money submission
of Bid after saving virus articles online PRESS TRUST OF INDIA 2020 presidential polls. “Today, former President Barack
1. C/o link road to Bakkar Khad via 22071815/- 14.05.2020 253300/- 21.05.2020
Ghodlamber from Km. 0/0 to 2/0 AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Chen's brother Chen Kun. WASHINGTON, 27 APRIL I am proud to endorse Joe Obama, former Vice Presi-
and Kakkar to Bakkar Khad via
Trota from Km 0/0 to 3/570. (SH:- BEIJING, 27 APRIL The volunteer-driven pro- Biden for President of the dent Al Gore, Senator Bernie
5/7 mtr . wide formation cutting ject, named Terminus2049, Speaker of the US House of United States because he will Sanders and Senator Elizabeth
,R/wall,C.D., GSB,WMM and tar-
ring ,V-shape drain,Parapets,sign
Three Beijing-based Inter- preserved articles that were Representatives Nancy Pelosi be an extraordinary Presi- Warren , among others, in
boards and km stone) Under net activists have disappeared blocked/removed from main- on Monday endorsed former dent. He knows how to get the backing Biden in taped tes-
Nabard RIDF-XXV. and are believed to be detained land news outlets and social vice president Joe Biden's job done,” Pelosi said in the timonials, the New York Post
2. C/o link road from Ree to 14473286/- 14.05.2020
Gartholi via Balyana Km 0/0 to
253300/- 21.05.2020 by police for archiving cen- media by China's aggressive 2020 White House bid, calling video. reported. Pelosi has earlier
2/825.(SH:- formation cutting, sored coronavirus news sto- online censorship. the presumptive Democrat- Citing his work on the alleged that the Trump admin-
R/wall, C.D. soling ,wearing ries online, according to a Two of the volunteers, Mr ic nominee a leader who is the Affordable Care Act and Can- istration has failed in handling
,Tarring ,Parapets, V-Shape
drain and 2 Nos 10.00 mtr span
relative. Cai and Ms Tang, were charged “personification of hope, cer Moonshot programme, the coronavirus crisis.
RCC slab culverts ) Under China has faced criticism with "picking quarrels and pro- courage” and can help Amer- Pelosi said Biden has “been Last week, she said that,
Nabard RIDF-XXV). over its handling of the out- voking trouble" and are cur- ica out of the coronavirus with us every step of the way “Frankly, I don't pay that
3. C/o link road Ansla to Saud upto 25072475/- 14.05.2020 290000/- 21.05.2020
Pung Khad Km. 0/0 to 4/105
break, including punishing rently under "residential sur- crisis. to protect American's quali- much attention to the presi-
.(SH:-F/C ,R/wall,B/wall ,C.D. whistle-blowers who tried to veillance at a designated loca- Pelosi, in a recorded video, ty affordable health care.” dent's tweets against me. As
works, soling ,wearing ,Tarring warn about the new virus. tion", according to a notice said that Biden has been a voice the Washington Post. “For these and other rea- I've said, he's a poor leader.
,Parapets, V-Shape drain and 1
No. 6.00mtr Nabard RIDF-XXV). Chen Mei, Mr Cai Wei and from Beijing's Chaoyang Dis- of reason and resilience. With the two key endorse- sons, I am proud to endorse He's always trying to avoid
As if there will be chances for extension of date otherwise, the bidders his girlfriend surnamed Tang trict police. “As we face coronavirus, Joe ments, decks are now clear for Joe Biden for President, a responsibility and assign
are advised to note all details of tenders from the department website www.hpten- ~ who contributed to the Mr Chen Kun said that he has been a voice of reason and a direct contest between leader who is the personifi- blame.”
ders.gov.in. Tender document and other instructions can be downloaded or viewed crowd-sourced project on the is still waiting on official con- resilience, with a clear path to Biden, 77 and the 73-year-old cation of hope and courage, The number of Covid-19
online from the portal https://hptenders.gov.in by the firms/individual registered on
the website which is free of cost.
software development plat- firmation from Chaoyang lead us out of this crisis, the incumbent President Don- values authenticity and integri- cases in the US are more than
form GitHub - went missing police that his younger broth- 80-year-old California Demo- ald Trump, who is seeking ty,” she said. 965,000 and 54,877 deaths
0141/2020-2021 HIM SUCHNA AVAM JAN SAMPARK
on 19 April, according to er, aged 26, has been detained. crat was quoted as saying by re-election in the November Her endorsement follows have been reported.

The government can consider proper implementation of e-education so that students
are capable of using the Internet to dream big and eventually be participants in India's
growth
RUSTOM KERAWALLA
W
ith the Covid 19 pan-
demic at its peak, acad-
emics have silently sought
to move on to the online
platform. With several applications,
e-learning options, teacher training
modules and skilling applications
available, the urgency to optimise them
has been felt more now than ever.
However, dynamic changes have to be
initiated in our system to make
e- education accessible to every
student.
To facilitate this, the government
of India will have to lead the path and
reign in revolutionary changes in our
education framework. This massive
exercise will require precision timing,
large scale operations, meeting of
minds and industries and a long rope
to integrate the public-private part-
nership model in achieving these
objectives. Here are five important
changes that the government should
initiate for rolling out e-education in
India:
VIKAS GUPTA
C
ovid-19 is by far the biggest 21st
century crisis, which has caught
us unawares. It has presented
a case for testing crisis response
preparedness of the modern world.
Artificial intelligence is being used to
analyse, predict and take decisions for
spread prevention of the pandemic. How-
ever, technology can only work with the
competence and creativity of the humans
who use it.
Given this, few skills become crit-
ical in the new world. One is the abili-
ty to adapt and learn, unlearn and re-
adapt, to keep pace with the rapidly
evolving technologies and their wide-
Looking beyond
textbooks
Define standards and regula-
tions for online education
While online education is flour-
ishing with a plethora of digital solu-
tions, we are spoilt for choice. How-
ever, at the moment none of these
online applications have any defini-
tive standards to follow and there is
no regulatory body to oversee the
operations of e-learning services
providers. Hence, in order to integrate
them into our system, it is imperative
that the government initiates policies
by giving them recognition and creat-
ing guidelines and framework to oper-
ate. Formalising these operations and
syncing them to our educational setup
will help them understand the
requirements of different existing
boards and also give students, teach-
ers and parents access to this form of
learning.
Include online education as part
of the curriculum across all
boards
India has numerous boards oper-
ating across multiple states and pro-
spread impact. Secondly, to be able to
solve unknown, disruptive problems
and come up with new, innovative
ideas, which can create growth oppor-
tunities amidst disruption and chal-
lenge the status quo.
The impact of the pandemic on
global economy will bring about the
next level of disruption in how we run
Industry 4.0, altering the rules of pro-
duction, operation and workforce. It
is pushing organisations to reconfig-
ure operations, while creating oppor-
tunities for startups and companies to
come up with disruptive models.
In this transition, we have to
ensure that the supply chain of skills is
built on a robust foundation of an
viding state-of-the-art curriculum to
students. However, to add a layer of
ingenuity and to revolutionise educa-
tion, it becomes mandatory that online
education is integrated across all
boards. This would give students
greater accessibility to their academics
and also bring them at par with one
another. This move will also eradicate
economic disparity among students
and give them every opportunity to
excel. It will make them accessible to
numerous learning aspects, which was
not possible earlier due to abysmal
infrastructure, harsh weather condi-
tions and difficult geographical terrain.
Invite edu-tech companies for
public private partnership
The edu-tech industry is witness-
ing a boom akin to how the IT revolu-
tion has changed India’s fortunes and
made the country a force to be reck-
oned. The government should embark
on a mission plan to leverage this
opportunity by partnering with pri-
vate companies in the field of educa-
tion. While defence, medicine and
Need for
consistent
innovation
If universities and
corporate organisations
work in collaboration,
they can build a tech
talent pipeline that
evolves as fast as the
industry
aligned learning ecosystem, which can
foster an everyday innovation mindset.
The current assessment of our
workforce shows total unpreparedness
to deal with this scenario. Consequent-
ly, employers are wrestling with a tech-
nical skills gap catapulting into various
shortages and surpluses of skills at all
levels of hierarchy. The major discon-
nect however is at entry level and caus-
es not only a pinch in the budget to
train the incoming workforce, but also a
delay in return on investment.
The root of this gap emerges from
our current formal education system.
Most college students begin their
careers with no training on how to trou-
bleshoot problems in the contextual
space have been opened for joint par-
ticipation, similar initiatives with the
edu-tech companies can assist mil-
lions of students not only in acade-
mics but also help them in develop-
ing their cognitive and motor skills
through the use of technology. While
the government should be the plat-
form for such a rollout, private com-
panies can be drivers for the same.
Easing investments in telecom
infrastructure in and around
school clusters
India has one of the world’s dens-
est penetrations of telecom services
along with China. The government
has invested billions along with pri-
vate companies to give access to
mobile communication to the 1.3 bil-
lion Indians. India should use this
infrastructure for further development
by allowing education services to use
the telecom platform to usher online
education to the last mile. This would
enable the students to gain access
beyond textbook knowledge and can
use the power of Internet and online
business world. Academic institutions
are not equipped enough to keep pace
with this change. In some cases, they
may not have an updated curriculum,
infrastructure or the faculty expertise
to help understand how to apply con-
cepts to context. The other challenge is,
lack of soft skills, because solving busi-
ness problems requires one to be a
team player and communicator.
These will be possible to overcome
by re-thinking learning models enabled
by digital technology and synergic
industry collaborations. We need to
constitute an industry innovation coun-
cil with global corporate leaders to
identify the skills they need for entry
level and experienced professionals. In
NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, 28 APRIL 2020
learning to dream big and be a partic-
ipant to India’s growth.
Need for monitoring mecha-
nism, online assessment, data
localisation and security
While India makes moves to pro-
vide an auxiliary set up to the conven-
tional form of education, it becomes
imperative that there should be data
protection laws and security guide-
lines to protect intellectual property
rights of the service providers and
ensure they are not misused. Also, it
is essential that a monitoring mecha-
nism be formed to administer the
operations across this spectrum. This
will ensure greater transparency,
accountability and output. There is
also need for online learning out-
comes and an assessment based on
rules, regulations and norms guided
by the government which should be
on a cloud based system and can be
evaluated through the usage of artifi-
cial intelligence.
The writer is chairman, Ampersand Group
partnership with colleges and univer-
sities, we can start building a day-1 job
ready workforce which is trained in
functional, behavioral and technical
skills as per the needs of Industry 4.0.
This model can support the universi-
ties to shorten the lag time required to
adapt curriculums, conduct assess-
ments with individualised data and
insights and deliver micro credentials
relevant to a personalised career speci-
fication.
Also, 60 per cent of the existing
workforce needs to be reskilled as well.
Learning in itself is an industry in trans-
formation, with two large demograph-
ics to be catered to: the future as well as
the existing workforce. Universities of
the future need an ecosystem to deliver
training across geographies and reach
multiple segments of learners with tai-
lor-made offerings. A tangible frame-
work can be to offer nano or micro
degrees which not only deliver individ-
ual value but create a comprehensive
learning programme when stacked
together.
Universities can no longer be silos
and strive on content alone, the deliv-
ery and acknowledgement of content
by industry has to be equally powerful.
For this, universities need to break
away from their current operating
model and ecosystem. Besides part-
nering with industries to co-create
curriculum, universities are required
to develop contextual learning in form
of business problems, case studies,
simulated project tools and infra-
structure for hands-on learning and
mentoring. Thus they can become the
go-to destinations that offer upskilling
and reskilling programmes for corpo-
rate learning and development for
continuous learning.
The new age workforce that
emerges out of this ecosystem has
widespread industry acceptability. To
sustain and grow in the future, univer-
sities will need to adopt and develop
the enterprise culture and environment
to function. Together, they hold the
potential to build a tech talent pipeline
that evolves as fast as the industry.
The writer is managing director, Wiley India
11
PLUS POINTS
Expanding
prowess
With an aim to support people in pursu-
ing their dreams amidst Covid-19 pan-
demic Institute of Laser and Aesthetic
Medicine (ILAMED), an institution that
provides training in cosmetology and
aesthetic medicine has come up with
online live sessions by experts like Dr
Ajay Rana and Dr Monica Kapoor
wherein one can learn about aesthetic
medicine from home. In the sessions,
the experts will do live demonstrations
related to aesthetic medicine. The pro-
grammes are ideal for those looking for a
fresh start in their career as well as for
physicians or cosmetologists looking for
expansion of their practices.
Many people complain about not
having time to pursue a hobby or
enhance a skill. Now, one can invest the
time to upgrade skills and do better in
the coming days. One can register one’s
seat by giving a call at +91 7838606869.
For details visit: www.ilamed.org
Raising abilities
Sanskriti University organised a webi-
nar on seven habits of highly effective
people to upgrade the skills of their fac-
ulty as well as that of its students. Dr
Manjunath Expert, MSME, Bangalore
and Rajesh Chakravarthy jointly han-
dled the session and explained each
habit with the help of examples includ-
ing the current topic of Covid-2019.
The webinar session aimed to sum-
marise various chapters of the book to
inspire the audience to achieve excel-
lence in their personal and professional
lives. Dr Rana Singh, vice-chancellor of
the university said, “It was a wonderful
session and we learned so much from
it. We need to make our efforts toward
the effectiveness thereby achieving
excellence.”
A step to support
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
has been donated by University of
Sheffield departments and alumni to
front-line NHS staff treating patients
with coronavirus at the Northern Gen-
eral Hospital from the University of
Sheffield.
Essential university staff is busy col-
lecting unused stocks of disposable PPE
from the many laboratories and work-
shops at the university, which are cur-
rently closed due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 160,000 items filling two vans were
delivered to Sheffield Teaching Hospi-
tals NHS Foundation Trust. The supplies
include eye protection, face masks,
aprons, coveralls, latex gloves and hand
sanitizer. For details information visit:
www.sheffield.ac.uk/coronavirus/our-
response
Upskilling youth
In an endeavour to upskill the youth and
promote e-learning during Covid-19
lockdown, IIT Roorkee launched an
advanced certification course on deep
learning at Cloudxlab.com – a US-based
ed-tech company.
The launch comes in the wake of
the current economic crisis which
underscores the significance of technical
skills to tackle the global slowdown. It
follows the signing of the memorandum
of understanding (MoU) between IIT
Roorkee and Cloudxlab.com, for offer-
ing a series of instructor-led as well as
self-paced executive online courses. The
course is a new addition to a host of pre-
existing courses such as artificial intelli-
gence, machine learning, data science
and many more. It will be delivered by
the faculty of IIT Roorkee and other
experts from the industry. The classes
will be streamed online through a live
video. Upon completion of the course,
users will receive a certification from IIT
Roorkee.

For more updates
THUMBNAILS
Oz debate: Former Interna-
tional Cricket Council chief
executive Malcolm Speed
says Cricket Australia's
financial matters are quite
complicated and current
boss Kevin Roberts has
failed to offer a certain
degree of clarity required
in these troubled times.
Pressure situation: The
pressure attendant upon
replacing MS Dhoni behind
the stumps was
“immense” owing high
expectations among fans,
says K L Rahul, who has
been doing the wicket-
keeping duty for India in
the limited-overs formats
for some time now.
Fitness philosophy: India's
former cricket team trainer
Ramji Srinivasan says fit-
ness for elite athletes is a
“waste of time” if it does
not yield “world-class per-
formances,” which are not
possible during the country-
wide lockdown in the wake
of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pay cut: Australia captain
Tim Paine says he and his
team-mates will not be
“greedy” if it comes to a
pay cut to sustain cricket
in the country after the
financial crisis caused by
the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cricket Australia has
already stood down 80
per cent of its staff.
Lead role: English cricket’s
governing body said it has
been given the leading
role for all sport in the
country, including foot-
ball, in examining how to
create "bio-secure" venues
as leagues try to restart
their competitions with-
out fans. Secure environ-
ments are targeted.
Online wisdom: Eight for-
mer Pakistani cricketers,
including Javed Miandad
and Wasim Akram, will
hold online sessions with
the current and emerging
Pakistani cricketers to
help them stay focused
and make the best use of
the time they have amid
the lockdown.
Murray's secret: Andy Mur-
ray has revealed he
believes he contracted
coronavirus before the UK
went into lockdown. The
ex-Grand Slam champion
and former world No 1
said he had displayed
symptoms consistent with
Covid-19 prior to the gov-
ernment restrictions.
Medal found: England's
Jofra Archer said yester-
day he had finally found
his World Cup-winner's
medal after "going mad"
looking for the prized pos-
session following a house
move. The 25-year-old Sus-
sex fast bowler published a
photograph of the medal.
Five changes: Teams will
be able to make up to five
substitutes under a new
proposal from Fifa to help
cope with the return to
action amid the virus pan-
demic. The substitutions
will be allowed at a maxi-
mum of three slots plus
the half-time interval to
avoid stoppages.
Ronaldinho says arrest
'hard': Former Brazilian
football star Ronaldinho
said on Monday that his
arrest and subsequent
house arrest in Paraguay
for using a false passport
was “a very hard blow”.“I
would never have imagined
myself in such a situation,”
said the former Barcelona
and Paris Saint-Germain
striker in an interview.
Printed and published by VINOD KUMAR GUPTA for THE STATESMAN LTD, Statesman House, 148 Barakhamba Road, New Delhi ��Editor: RAVINDRA KUMAR ��Executive Editor: ARYA RUDRA ��Printed at Vibha Publication Pvt Ltd, D-160 B, Sector 7, NOIDA 201301 (UP). ��The Statesman Ltd. RNB REG. No. M-8905,RNI No. 507/57
MATTER OF PRIORITY
Brighton boss Graham Potter (photo, left) says he is uncom-
fortable over the desire to resume playing foot-
ball while the coronavirus pandemic is still hit-
ting England so hard. Premier League clubs
are meeting and the focus will be on how they
can restart the season.
www.thestatesman.com
Malik promises to tell-all if allowed to return
'No back-up plans for home season'
Chances are the Indian Premier League will coincide with other domestic competitions
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
T
he Board of Control for
Cricket in India has not
yet made any con-
crete back-up plan
for the 2020-21 domestic sea-
son, which is to start in August,
but the man in charge, Saba
Karim (in photo), says the
priority will be to organise as
many games as possible amid
the challenges posed by the
Covid-19 pandemic.
The England and Wales
Cricket Board has already
announced the suspension of
all its activities till July, includ-
ing the domestic season, in the
wake of the fast-spreading
coronavirus pandemic. All
sporting activities around the
world have come to a grind-
ing halt.
“There are no concrete
Players protest
KOLKATA, 27 APRIL
The Football Players Associ-
ation of India today said invok-
ing force majeure and simul-
taneously signing players for
the next season were not quite
all right after East Bengal had
prematurely ended their con-
tracts with their players with
effect from April 30. Most
clubs have force majeureclaus-
es in their player contracts,
though. "If you are activating
the clause on the one hand and,
on the other, taking in new play-
ers, it is not acceptable.We have
a Fifa notice on force majeure
and it is not 100 per cent
applicable to the clubs, unless
there are certain guidelines
which they set forth," FPAI gen-
eral manager Cyrus Confec-
tioner said. "If there are, say,
five months left for the sea-
son to finish, it's still under-
standable. But terminating
contracts with two months left
is not done," he added. On Sat-
urday, in an e-mail to the play-
ersandthecoachingstaff,Quess
announcedthestepinthewake
of the Covid-19 pandemic. IANS
F1 season set for Austria start
as French Grand Prix cancelled
AGENCIES
PARIS, 27 APRIL
Formula One boss Chase Carey
on Monday targeted the coro-
navirus-hit season eventually
starting in Austria on July 5 after
the French Grand Prix was can-
celled and fans barred from the
British race at Silverstone.
The French Grand Prix,
which was to have been held
on June 28, was the tenth race
of the season to be scrapped or
postponed.
“We're targeting a start to rac-
ing in Europe through July,
August and beginning of Sep-
tember, with the first race tak-
ing place in Austria on 3-5 July
weekend,” Carey said in a state-
ment. “September, October
and November, would see us race
in Eurasia, Asia and the Amer-
icas, finishing the season in the
Gulf in December with Bahrain
before the traditional finale in
Abu Dhabi, having completed
between 15-18 races.”
DAWN/ANN
LAHORE, 27 APRIL
Former Pakistan
captain Salim
Malik(cartoon)has
apologised to the
nation over match-
fixing after 19 years,
saying he was ready
to reveal all the
secrets linked to
match-fixing
owing to which
he was banned
for life.
“I am very
sorry for what I did
19 years ago. I am
ready to extend
unconditional
cooperation to the
International Crick-
back-up plans as such. There
is still time before August.
We are taking it month by
month,” Karim, BCCI gener-
al manger (cricket opera-
tions), told PTI.
The 2019-20 season had
begun with the Duleep Tro-
phy in August and ended with
the Ranji Trophy final last
month.
The season-ending Irani
Cup, which was to have start-
ed four days after the Ranji Tro-
phy final, was put on hold
indefinitely because of the
coronavirus outbreak.
The Indian Premier League
has been postponed indefi-
nitely and there is a possibil-
ity that it might be held in Sep-
tember when the domestic sea-
son is also underway. So far,
no other cricketing activity has
taken place in India at the time
of the IPL.
Global high-ups contradicting themselves: Holding
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
Michael Holding(in photo,
left) says legalising ball-tam-
pering in the post Covid-19
world is a bit “self- contradic-
tory” while Allan Donald(in
photo,middle) is at the oppo-
site end of the spectrum on a
subject that has divided opin-
ions.
The International Cricket
Council, at its recent meeting
of chief executives, considered
the use of artificial substances
on the ball instead of saliva.
“I have read that the ICC is
contemplating preventing
people from using saliva on the
ball owing to Covid-19 and
allowing them to use foreign
substances on the ball to keep
the shine on but in front of the
umpire. I don't understand the
logic behind that,” Holding told
a website.
“Before they got to that
point they said if they restart
cricket it has to be played in
a bio-secure environment.
They were saying cricketers
would have to isolate them-
Carey's statement followed
quickfire announcements from
the French organisers and a state-
ment from the owners of the Sil-
verstone track where the British
Grand Prix is due to take place
on July 19.
“Given the evolution of the
situation linked to the spread
of the Covid-19 virus, the French
Grand Prix takes note of the deci-
sions announced by the French
state, making it impossible to
maintain our event,” the race's
managing director Eric Boul-
lier said.
It joins nine other races in
the decimated 2020 champi-
onship to be either cancelled
(Australia, Monaco) or post-
poned (Bahrain, China,Vietnam,
Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan,
Canada).
Organisers of the race at Le
Castellet were forced to act
after President Emmanuel
Macron's announcement last
week that the lockdown in
France will be extended until
et Council and the Pakistan
Cricket Board in this regard,”
he said here in a video message.
Malik, now 57, was found
guilty of match-fixing and was
banned for life after a judicial
inquiry in 2000 into a scandal
that had rocked the cricket-mad
nation.
The Australian trio of Shane
Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim
May accused him of offering
them bribes to underperform
during their tour of Pakistan
in 1994-5.
Malik’s ban was lifted by a
Pakistani court in 2008 but
the decision was not endorsed
by the PCB or the ICC.
The former middle-order
batsman, who played 103 Tests
and 283 One-Day Interna-
tionals in a career that stretched
Asked about a possible
clash between the IPL and the
domestic season, the former
India wicketkeeper said: “It is
difficult to talk about it at
this stage. It all depends on how
soon we overcome this situ-
ation. At this stage, it is more
important to be safe and
selves for two weeks to make
sure that everything was fine
for when they got to the venue
before the match started. And
everyone involved (with the
match) will have to do the same
thing,” he said. What Holding
cannot fathom is that if peo-
ple quarantine themselves
and then start playing, why sali-
va can't be used then. “Now,
if you are saying everyone is
in the bio-secure environ-
ment, you are staying in the
same hotel, you are not mov-
ing for the length of time you
are playing the matches, if
that is the case why are you wor-
ried about someone's saliva?
That person according to what
you are doing should be free
May 11 and public gatherings
banned until mid-July.
Ruling out holding the race
behind closed doors, Boullier
said: “Le Castellet are already
turning towards the summer of
2021”.
'Races without fans'
In a series of coordinated
announcements, Silverstone's
owners then announced that
no spectators would be able to
attend the British Grand Prix but
that they hope it will go ahead
as scheduled.
“I am extremely disappointed
to tell you that we are unable
to stage this year's British Grand
Prix in front of the fans at Sil-
verstone,” the circuit's managing
director Stuart Pringle stated on
Silverstone's Twitter account.
“We have left this difficult
decision for as long as possible,
but it is abundantly clear given
the current conditions... that a
grand prix under normal con-
ditions is just not going to be
possible.”
from 1982 to 1999, said he
was also ready to cooperate with
the anti-corruption unit of the
ICC to give them information
about the match-fixing scan-
dal. He said, according to the
law, his case should be con-
sidered on human grounds
as he had suffered a lot owing
to the mistake he made long
ago and spent 19 years of life
in the wilderness, away from
the game.
“I did not do anything other
than playing cricket which I
started at the age of eight. I have
played this game throughout
my life, this is my bread and
butter. Therefore, I appeal that
under the laws of human rights
I like other players (found
guilty of match-fixing) should
be treated humanely,” he said.
secure.
I am sure gradually things
will open up. So we are pos-
itive. We will try to make the
best out of the circumstances.
Whatever window is avail-
able, we will try to incorpo-
rate as many matches as pos-
sible,” said Karim.
of Covid-19. If the ICC thinks
that the two-week period is not
foolproof, then that means
you are putting everyone in that
environment in jeopardy.Why
would you want to play crick-
et under those circumstances?
It's either safe or it's not. No
guessing, please,” Holding
said.
Waqar Younis(in photo,
right)made it clear that the use
of saliva was a must and could
not be done away with when
competitive cricket resumed.
“As a fast bowler, I reject this
because this (using saliva and
sweat) is a natural process. A
ball changes hands all day, you
run in, huffing and puffing, you
sweat and using saliva is nat-
FIFA's Infantino suspected of Time running out for Serie A return
intervening to stop probe: report AGENCIES
AGENCIES
LAUSANNE, 27 APRIL
FIFA president Gianni Infanti-
no is suspected of having inter-
vened with Switzerland's attor-
ney general to try to get an inves-
tigation dropped, a Swiss news-
paper alleged on Monday.
The Office of the Attorney
General (OAG) launched an
investigation in early 2016,
shortly after Infantino was
elected president of world foot-
ball's governing body, about his
awarding of a television rights
contract to an offshore company
in his previous role as UEFA's
legal affairs director.
According to the Tribune de
Geneve newspaper, Infantino
was “worried” about this inves-
tigation and wrote to his child-
hood friend, Rinaldo Arnold, who
had become a senior prosecu-
tor in Switzerland's Haut-Valais
region where they grew up.
“I will try to explain to the
OAG that it is in my interests that
everything should be cleared up
PCB hands Umar Akmal three-year ban
for not reporting corrupt approaches
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
KARACHI, 27 APRIL
Temperamental Pakistan bats-
man Umar Akmal was on
Monday banned for three
years by the PCB for failing to
report corrupt approaches
ahead of the country's premier
T20 league this year.
The Pakistan Cricket Board
(PCB) had suspended the 29-
year-old in February pending
an anti-corruption investi-
gation by its disciplinary panel.
The PCB charged him for
two breaches of Article 2.4.4
of its Anti-Corruption Code in
two unrelated incidents in
February this year ahead of the
Pakistan Super League -- a T20
event also featuring interna-
Last season, the BCCI con-
ducted as many as 2, 035
games across age groups in the
men's and women's cate-
gories. Out of those, 470
matches were organised in the
senior men's segment.
With nine teams added to
the domestic circuit in 2018,
the number of games has
increased significantly. Karim
acknowledged the challenge
of conducting a long season.
“The thought has crossed
my mind (a rejig of the sea-
son) and we are extremely flex-
ible. Otherwise also, we need
to be flexible owing to the
weather. It looks like this year
is going to be different.We need
to be vigilant and flexible for
any changes that are required.
“Whatever changes we
bring in, it will be for the ben-
efit of the players and the
state associations,” he added.
ural rather than on intent. It's
a habit and you just can't
control this aspect,”Younis said.
He said these ideas showed a
certain desperation to start the
proceedings. “I don't know how
this discussion came up but
I feel people who want the game
to be played are frustrated
with the lockdown.
They are over-thinking
about it. I doubt this new idea
of using (artificial) substance
instead of saliva is a solution.
You can make a bowler use a
predefined substance on the
ball, but at the same time it's
not possible to prevent a
bowler using his sweat or sali-
va,” Pakistan's current bowl-
ing coach said.
such as football, rigid safety pro-
as soon as possible, that it be
clearly stated that I have noth-
ing to do with this matter,” he
wrote in an email cited by the
newspaper.
Arnold, who had helped to
set up a first meeting between
Infantino and Attorney General
Michael Lauber, replied: “What
is important is the meeting in
two weeks' time. If you like, I
can come with you again.”
The meeting took place on
April 22, 2016, the newspaper
said, adding that what happened
during it remains “a mystery”,
and the OAG “refuses to speak
about it”.
The OAG declined to com-
ment on the Tribune de Gen-
eve article when contacted by
AFP. FIFA was also contacted for
comment but there was no
immediate response. The
Zurich-based federation has
always indicated that the meet-
ings between Infantino and
the OAG were intended to show
that FIFA was “ready to engage
with the Swiss justice system.”
NEW DELHI
TUESDAY 28 APRIL 2020
Postal Reg. No. DL (ND)-II/6088/2018/-19-20
tional cricketers.
Akmal had decided against
appealing against the charges
last month.
“Umar Akmal handed
three-year ban from all crick-
et by Chairman of the Disci-
plinary Panel Mr Justice
(retired) Fazal-e-Miran
Chauhan,” read a tweet from
the official handle of the PCB's
media department.
Akmal was suspended
hours before his PSL team
Quetta Gladiators was to take
on Islamabad in the opening
match of the 2020 edition.
Reacting to the ban
imposed on him, former Pak-
istan captain Ramiz Raja said
time has come to criminalise
match-fixing.
Bowling in Twenty20 matches
not all that easy, says Ashwin
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 27 APRIL
Two bad games in the Indi-
an Premier League were all that
it took for Ravichandran Ash-
win (in photo) to realise that
bowling in Twenty20s was
not as easy as he had assumed,
the reality hitting him like a
“hard slap” a decade ago.
During a podcast with
Sanjay Manjrekar, Ashwin
narrated how the 2010 Indi-
an Premier League with Chen-
nai Super Kings had affected
him, spoke of the challenges
of bowling in the hostile con-
ditions of Australia and Eng-
land, and why spin twin
Ravindra Jadeja was a “nat-
ural athlete.” Ashwin recalled
the 2010 IPL when he was
dropped from the CSK squad
after two bad games, which
was like a “hard slap” because
coach Stephen Fleming “did-
n't talk to him” and he was not
backed up sufficiently.
“People thought that I
think highly of myself but
the flattening of the curve hap-
pened when I played in the
IPL. It was like a slap in the
face like 'Listen boss you are
not even here.' I thought
bowling in a T20 game was
much easier than bowling in
a first-class game,” Ashwin
said. It was a game against
Royal Challengers Bangalore
in Bangalore where Robin
Uthappa and Mark Boucher
took him to the cleaners.
“Robin Uthappa and Mark
Boucher taught me harsh
lessons as I bowled the 14th,
16th, 18th and 20th overs. That
youth in me never told me that
it was a challenge. I found it
an opportunity to pick up
wickets. I didn't get wickets
but went for 40 or 45 runs and
put my team into a hole as the
next game went into a super
over and we lost it and I was
dropped from the squad. It felt
like a hard slap,” the tweak-
er said. Those were the days
when IPL franchises, during
home games, would release
players who were not in the
first 18 to save money. Ash-
win was back home watch-
ing CSK games on TV.
MILAN, 27 APRIL
The Italian government has
ruled out team training before
May 18, leaving Serie A chiefs
with their backs against the wall
if they are to finish a season inter-
rupted by the coronavirus cri-
sis.
Prime Minister Giuseppe
Conte on Sunday delayed a deci-
sion on restarting football
despite allowing top athletes
to resume training in a week's
time.
From next Monday, indi-
vidual athlete will be able to
resume training.
But for team sports, in par-
ticular football, it remains a wait-
ing game, in a championship
suspended since March 9.
So, while cyclist Vincenzo
Nibali will able to resuming his
usual training, Cristiano Ronal-
do of Juventus will not.
Sports Minister Vincenzo
Spadafora was cautious, warn-
ing: “It's not a given that foot-
ball will resume.” “On May
18? We will see, for team sports,
12
“So Umar Akmal officially
makes it to the list of idiots!
Banned for 3 years. What a
waste of a talent! It's high
time that Pakistan moved
towards passing a legislative
law against match fixing.
Behind bars is where such
jack asses belong! Otherwise
brave for more!!” Raja tweet-
ed. Akmal is the younger
brother of former Pakistan
wicketkeeper-batsman Kam-
ran Akmal, who played 53
Tests, 58 T20s, and 157 ODIs
for Pakistan, and cousin of cur-
rent captain Babar Azam.
Akmal, who last played for
Pakistan in October, has fea-
tured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and
84 T20s, scoring 1003, 3194 and
1690 runs respectively.
“I was dropped, I vacated
the hotel and was sitting at
home. I thought that I deserved
better as I was among the 30
probables for the 2010 World
T20 championship in the
West Indies (he did not make
it),” he said. “Like I thought,
why didn't you back me (CSK).
I did exceedingly well in the
first three games and I had just
had two bad games. Any-
body can be hit for a couple
of games.” He admitted hav-
ing issues with Fleming who,
he thought, had let him down.
“Actually, I had an issue with
Stephen Fleming that he did-
n't have a chat. I valued him
so much and he didn't have
a chat. So I was sitting at
home watching CSK games
and making promises that one
day I will turn the tide,” Ash-
win said. He has come a long
way since then. The 33-year-
old Ashwin has picked up
365 wickets in 71 Tests, but his
performance in South Africa,
England, New Zealand and
Australia has not matched
the high standards he has
attained at home.
Vihari's belief
Happy to be a Test specialist,
India batsman Hanuma Vihari
says being snubbed by IPL
franchises this season has
neither made him sad nor
dented his belief that he is good
enough for the shorter formats
as well.
Bumrah confident
Jasprit Bumrah says many
thought that he would be the
“last person to play for India”
given his unusual bowling
action. “Many people told
me that I won't play for long,
there was an expectation that
the last person to play for the
country would be me. They told
me that I would just play the
Ranji Trophy. But I kept improv-
ing and persisted with my
action,” said the 26-year-old.
tocols are needed,” Spadafo-
ra told Italian television.
Spadafora spoke of “short-
comings” in the health and safe-
ty protocol presented last week
by Italian football federation
(FIGC) officials.
FIGC president Gabriele
Gravina insisted Monday they
were “working to restart foot-
ball safely,” warning of the
damage not finishing the sea-
son would entail.
“We're working tirelessly
to define the best conditions
for the completion of the sus-
pended championships,
responsibly planning all the
steps to be taken, but also to
define the various scenarios,”
said Gravina.
For the Italian sports press
the government's announce-
ment was “a cold shower” in
the words of Turin-based Tut-
tosport.
“Two-speed recovery,” wrote
Gazzetta Dello Sport of push-
ing a decision on team sports
back, while Corriere dello Sport
branded it “a joke”.