Little Richard, who laid a

foundation for rock ’n’

roll with his raspy,
shouted vocals, piano
riffing, nonsensical
CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY INDIA’S LARGEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER lyrics & outlandish style,
MAY 10, 2020 | PAGES 16 dies at 87 in the US, P 11

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 To advertise with us, call 1800 120 5474 | To order your copy, call 1800 1200 004 toll free or visit - subscribe.timesgroup.com
Former US Prez Barack Obama
says Trump White House’s
PUNE
Centre eases discharge rule, Forces must shun imports, go for
‘Make In India’, says Gen Rawat
BMC scraps strict test order ‘Should Not
2 Negative Tests
Not Needed For
Any Patient
Sushmi Dey & Sumitra Deb Roy TNN
New Delhi/Mumbai: In a
move that is likely to reduce
India’s need for Covid-19 tes-
ting kits, the Union health mi-
nistry on Saturday said mild
and moderate cases do not ne-
ed to be tested before dischar-
ge of such patients from hosp-
ital. So far, patients have had
to test negative twice prior to
discharge. The new directive
is part of the revised policy
for discharge of patients
from hospitals.
Even for severe cases, a pa-
tient would need to test nega-
tive only once, as against twi-
LOCKDOWN 46
DAY
‘Free of disease’,
says Shah on
health rumours
U A
nion home minister
Amit Shah on Monday
squelched speculation aro-
und his health and tweeted,
“I want to make it clear that I
am absolutely well and am
not suffering from any disea-
se.” Shah said he felt compel-
led to scotch the rumours be-
cause of the concern sparked
among BJP cadre. P 6
8 flights bring
in 3,500 Indians
A round 3,500 Indians
stranded abroad had be-
en flown into India until early
hours on Sunday as the Vande
Bharat Mission motored ahe-
ad under what official sources
described as regular high-le-
vel oversight. While eight
flights landed across cities on
Saturday, an equal number
was expected on Sunday. P 7
Docs save migrant
with free surgery
T hree doctors of a private
hospital saved a 26-year-
old pregant migrant worker
who needed abdomen surge-
ry by performing it free of
cost and arranging for medi-
cines and food. Her husband
was afraid of getting her tre-
ated in the city and was plan-
ning to walk to Bihar and get
her treated there.
Cong to contest
two MLC seats
T he Shiv Sena’s plan to en-
sure unopposed elections
to nine seats of the state legis-
lative council, which CM Udd-
hav Thackeray is also contes-
ting come May 21, may not
succeed as the Congress has
now decided to contest two se-
ats. Earlier, Congress was to
contest one seat, the NCP 2,
Shiv Sena 2 and BJP 4. P 5
OTHER TOP STORIES
Raped teen can
abort fetus: HC
T he Bombay HC has allo-
wed a 16-year-old rape
survivor from Pune to abort
her 24-and-a-half-week-old
fetus. It gave the order “in vi-
ew of her history and teen
pregnancy carrying higher
mental and physical morbid-
ity and mortality”. The girl’s
father had filed a plea seeki-
ng urgent orders. P4
ED attaches
bldg in AJL case
T he ED has attached a ni-
ne-storey Bandra buildi-
ng belonging to Associated
Journals Ltd, owned by You-
ng Indians in which Congr-
ess president Sonia Gandhi
and her children Rahul and
Priyanka have majority sta-
kes. The action is related to
an alleged illegal acquisition
of a plot in Haryana. P 5
Times Interact | P0 6
response to pandemic has
been ‘absolute chaotic
disaster’, reports CNN
NO NEED TO GET ADMITTED FOR TEST
Health Ministry Order
h Mild patients can go
home if there’s no
fever for 3 days. No
test needed before
discharge
h Only 1 negative test
will do to release other
patients
h So far, patients had to test
negative twice prior to discharge
SHUNTED BMC CHIEF PARDESHI GOES ON 14-DAY LEAVE, P 5
ce earlier.
Testing rules were eased
in Mumbai too as the BMC on
Saturday revoked a change in
protocols ordered by ex-civic
chief Praveen Pardeshi on Th-
ursday. The change had meant
patients had to go to a BMC qu-
arantine centre to give swab
samples and stay there till test
results were out, and tests co-
Cases go from 40k to
60k in 6 days, 113 deaths
take toll to over 2,000
DEATHS: NUMBERS RISING, RATE STEADY
Deaths Days Case
Taken Fatality
Rate (%)
500
1,000 37 3.3
10 3.2
1,500
7 3.4
2,000 4 3.3
Source: Data from state govts
New Delhi: The number of
fresh cases held steady at
over 3,000 for the fourth day
running as India’s Covid-19
count crossed 60,000 on Sa-
turday, taking just six days to
reach the milestone after go-
ing past the 40,000 mark on
May 3, with Maharashtra
Lockdown till May 31 can
stall pandemic: Study, P 6
continuing to report daily
cases in four figures.
The death toll from the
pandemic topped 2,000 on a
day when 113 fatalities were
recorded, the second-hig-
hest single-day number so
Way forward: Focus on
hotspots, not lockdowns
Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: With economic
activities coming to a halt for
several weeks due to the na-
tionwide lockdown, there is
a thought within the govern-
ment to zero in on areas with
Covid-19 cases for restric-
tions rather than putting a
blanket ban on activities
across a district or the larger
part of any city, sources said.
TOI has learnt that talks
are on to push economic activi-
ties in a big way outside conta-
inment zones to tide over the
economic losses due to Cov-
id-19. Though the government
has announced several relax-
ations to kick-start constru-
TOI dominates Pune, Mumbai, leads
HT by 2.9L in Delhi-NCR readership
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
T she had severe hyper-
he Times of India rema-
ins the dominant mar-
ket leader among Eng-
lish dailies with its total rea-
dership of over 1.73 crore, al-
most equal to the combined
readership of the three big-
gest dailies outside the Times
Group – The Hindu, Hindustan
Times and The Indian Express.
This has emerged from the just
released Indian Readership Sur-
vey for the fourth quarter (Q4) of
2019.
The data shows that while re-
adership of all English dailies ro-
se by 5.9 lakh over the previous
quarter, this was mainly driven
by a 3.6 lakh-rise in the readers-
hip of the TOI main paper. The
share of group publications (The
Economic Times and Mirrors be-
Global cases cross 4m, toll crosses
276,000. According to a study, patients
given three-drug cocktail tested -ve for
Covid-19 in 7 days compared to 12 days
among those treated with just one drug
BMC’s Strict Test
Rule Revoked
h Patients would
have to go to a BMC
quarantine centre
to give swab
samples and stay
there till test results
were out. Tests could be
done only if routed through
BMC’s medical health officer
uld be done only if routed thr-
ough BMC’s medical health
officer. AMC Suresh Kakani
said the order requiring pa-
tients to get admitted for tests
stood revoked. “Private doc-
tors too can write prescripti-
ons as long as the patient has
symptoms,” he said. (See P 2)
Continued on P 6
ONE-THIRD CASES
FROM MAHARASHTRA
➤ India’s corona cases
cross 60,000, but growth
rate dips in past 2 days
➤ Maharashtra count goes
past 20,000; highest 48
deaths in state on Saturday
➤ Delhi cases down on
Saturday (224) as govt
changes reporting cycle
far. Again, Maharashtra ac-
counted for 42% of all fatali-
ties on Saturday, with deaths
surging to 48 — the highest
reported by any state in a
day — 27 in Mumbai alone.
With 3,171 new cases on
Saturday, India’s coronavi-
rus count stood at 62,915 late
on Saturday, as per reports
from the states. However,
with no big spike in cases in
the past three days, the
growth rate of cases has aga-
in begun to drop. It was 6.8%
on Saturday, as compared to
7.1% two days earlier.
2 expats test +ve, P 6
Taiwan seeks India
support for meet
T aiwan has donated a mil-
lion surgical masks to
India in the backdrop of the
island nation calling for In-
dia’s support for its partici-
pation in a key WHO meet to
be held in Geneva on May 18.
China has opposed Taiwan’s
participation. P 7
ction, manufacturing and reta-
il activities, some states have
imposed restrictions over lar-
ge geographical areas to pre-
vent the spread of the virus.
 E-way bills up to 6L, P 7
UNDISPUTED No. 1
➤ TOI’s total readership of
over 1.73cr is almost equal
to the combined readership
of The Hindu, Hindustan Times
and The Indian Express
➤ Times Group publications
(ET and Mirrors besides TOI)
have a 52.6% share of English
dailies’ readership
➤ In Mumbai, TOI’s readership
has increased by 1.2L to 28.9L,
a clear 8.5L more than HT
➤ In Bengaluru, TOI’s
readership of 13.6 lakh is
more than double Deccan
Herald’s 6.3 lakh
Source: IRS for Q4 2019
sides TOI) among English dailies
continued to grow to reach 52.6%.
The all-India dominance
is also reflected in the count-
O F I N
Surfers flock to
a reopened
beach in
Barcelona after
Spain eases curbs
MAY 10, 2020 | PAGES 16
BMC races to start
1,500 oxygen-support
beds in two weeks
E stimating a requirement
of at least 1,200 critical-
care beds with ventilators in
the city over the next two
weeks by only a fraction of
the rapidly increasing Co-
vid-19 patients, the BMC is
racing to increase the 500 ICU
and 3,000 oxygen-support
hospital beds it has now. Its
target is close to 5,000. More-
over, it is planning to put ox-
ygen-support beds among the
thousands in the quarantine
centres, reports Sumitra
Deb Roy. Private doctors
have been asked to fill forms
on taking up Covid-care roles
in three days or face action
under the epidemic Act. P 5
Govt okays
free travel by
ST bus, many
leave on foot
day after 16 migrants
were run over by a train
near Aurangabad, the
Maharashtra government was
finally jolted into setting aside
Rs 21 crore for free inter-dis-
trict ST bus travel in the state.
On Saturday, transport minis-
ter Anil Parab said the govern-
ment was considering paying
for train tickets of migrants
bound for other states.
Despite Friday’s tragedy, a
sea of migrants continued to
leave the state on foot. So far,
83,099 migrants have left the
PM must ask CMs to let in
migrants: Sharad Pawar, P 4
Intense heat makes the
walk home more difficult, P 4
state by rail and road— a frac-
tion of their population in
Maharashtra that runs into
lakhs.
In Pune, a group of 10 ma-
sons, tired of waiting for man-
datory passes to go to their
hometown Agra in Uttar Pra-
desh, took to the highways on
two-wheelers on Monday
night. By Wednesday night
they had made it home.
Sleeping through the day at
petrol pumps and dhabas, they
covered most of the distance at
night. “We were stopped by po-
lice at some places, but we were
determined to keep moving,”
one of the group, Premshan-
kar, said. TNN P 4
Alert train driver averts accident
near Pune, saves 20 migrants’ lives
Joy.Sengupta@timesgroup.com
Pune: An alert loco driver of a
goods train saved the lives of at
least 20 migrant workers by ap-
plying the emergency brakes
and halting the train just 100
metres away from them near
Pune on Friday evening.
“The migrants were walking
on the tracks between the Uruli
and Loni stations little realising
that a goods train was coming in
ry’s largest cities. In almost eve-
ry case, the TOI main paper has
either consolidated its leaders-
hip and widened the gap with its
closest rival or, in the few cities
where it is not the leader, it has
narrowed the gap with the lea-
der.
In Delhi and its satellite citi-
es, TOI’s lead of 92,000 readers
in the third quarter has wide-
ned massively to 2.9 lakh rea-
ders in Q4. In Mumbai, the pa-
per’s readership has increased
by1.2 lakh to 28.9 lakh, giving it a
clear 8.5 lakh more than HT’s
20.4 lakh.
In Pune and Ahmedabad,
TOI has had no real competition
for quite some time now and
that remains the case. In Jaipur
and Lucknow too, TOI has no ri-
vals to speak of.
Continued on P 7
CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY
D I A
Misrepresent
Requirements’
Rajat.Pandit @timesgroup.com
New Delhi: The armed forces
have to get rid of their over-
whelming dependence on ex-
orbitant foreign weapon sy-
stems, and instead put their
entire weight behind ensu-
ring that ‘Make in India’ does
TOI EXCLUSIVE
not remain a mere slogan,
chief of defence staff Gene-
ral Bipin Rawat told TOIin an
exclusive interview on Satur-
day.
“We are not expeditionary
forces that have to deploy aro-
und the globe. We have to gu-
ard and fight only along our
WHAT SOCIAL DISTANCING?
Over 100 UP-bound labourers were found in two trucks in Ghatkopar on
Saturday. The highways out of Mumbai continued to see a flood of migrants
who, tired of waiting for buses or trains, are walking to their villages
SAFE DISTANCE AT PUNE STN
Migrant workers from various parts of the city stand in a queue outside
Pune station before boarding the Shramik Express to Lucknow. The
train left with 1,200 passengers at 10pm on Saturday
high speed from the opposite di-
rection,” sources in the Pune rail
division told TOIon Saturday.
The incident happened bare-
ly 14 hours after 16 migrants who
were sleeping on the tracks in
Driver saves migrants’
lives in West Bengal, P 5
Aurangabad were run over by a
goods train.
“It was around 7pm when the
loco pilot, from the Daund sec-
Push for online
filing of leave &
licence papers
he state registration de-
T partment has proposed
to amend the provisions un-
der Rent Control Act, 2000,
to push for the online filing
of leave and licence docu-
ments amid the Covid-19
lockdown, reports Nisha
Nambiar.
If the amendments are
made, the documents can be
filed online without regis-
tration under the Rent Con-
trol Act instead of the Reg-
istration Act, said an offi-
cial of the state registration
department. Inspector-gen-
eral of registration and
stamps Omprakash Desh-
mukh told TOI, “The
amendment is being sought
so that leave and licence
documents can be filed
without registration.” P 3
INDIA’S LARGEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER
US Veep Mike Pence’s press secy tests positive
for Covid-19. Ivanka Trump’s assistant too
contracts virus. FDA Commissioner Stephen
Hahn is in self-quarantine after he came
in contact with a Covid-infected person
Covid-19 has affected everybody. We need to
be realistic, start adjusting and have a major
relook at our operational priorities and what we
actually need. Arms imports...have
become increasingly cost prohibitive
We should boost ‘Make in India’ by
hand-holding our domestic industry
even if they deliver weapons with only
70% GSQRs (general staff qualitative
requirements) in the beginning...
given the opportunity, they will
eventually deliver cutting-
edge tech—GEN BIPIN RAWAT
Chief Of Defence Staff
borders and, of course, domi- listic, start adjusting and ha-
nate the Indian Ocean Re- ve a major relook at our ope-
gion. So, we should not go in rational priorities and what
for large amounts of imports we actually need. Arms im-
by misrepresenting our ope- ports, along with supply of
rational requirements,” said spares and maintenance, ha-
Rawat. ve become increasingly cost
“Covid-19 has affected prohibitive,” said the count-
everybody. We need to be rea- ry’s first tri-service chief.
Sanjay Hadkar State toll hits record
48 as tally crosses
20k; 160 +ve in Pune
Bhavika Jain &
Sumitra Deb Roy TNN
Mumbai: Two months since
the first Covid-19 case was
reported in the state,
Maharashtra on Saturday
breached the 20,000 mark.
For the fourth day in a row,
the state added over 1,000
cases (1,165), taking the total
to 20,228. The doubling time
from 10,000 cases, reached on
April 30, to 20,000 was 9 days.
Breaking its record of
highest single-day fatalities
again, the state recorded
Aditya Waikul
48 deaths. The previous
highest was 43, on May 7.
Maharashtra’s toll now
stands at 779.
A total of 160 people test-
ed positive for Covid-19, in-
cluding 130 from the PMC
limits, in the Pune Metropol-
itan Region on Saturday,
pushing the tally to 2,732.
The city’s total count has re-
ached 2,371.
Five Covid-positive pa-
tients died in Pune region,
pushing the toll for the Pune
region to 148. A total of 110
patients recovered and were
Facing labour crunch,
Maha eases work laws
Clara.Lewis@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Facing a shortage
of workers as the exodus of
migrant labourers continue,
tion under the Solapur division,
saw a large group of migrant
the state labour department
has eased the restriction on
the number of working ho-
workers walking on the same urs under the Factories Act,
rail track on which the train was 1948.
moving. It seems they were go- Three more states notify
ing towards Daund. All of them 12-hr work days, P 5
had luggage, which made it clear
that they were migrant work- In a notification issued
ers,” a railway source said, add- on May 6, the department
ing that some people were also has referred to the represen-
sitting on the rail tracks. tation it has received from
Continued on P 4 the Maharashtra Chamber
NHRC notice to chief secy, P 4 of Commerce Industries
Twin joy for Covid-19 patient,
both babies test negative
Rujuta.Parekh
The woman was admitted
@timesgroup.com
as an emergency case as
Pune:A 34-year-old woman un-
der in vitro fertilization (IVF) tension, and a C-section
treatment in the city delivered
twins on Saturday. As she lives was suggested after
in a red zone, the doctors tested examination, said officials
her and the babies for Covid-19.
The woman tested positive, but as she also was suffering from
her children tested negative.
Officials from the fertility
severe hypertension,” the offi-
cials said, adding that C-sec-
centre said the mother and the
twins — a girl and a boy — were
healthy and on the road to re-
tion was suggested following a
preliminary examination.
Since she came from a Co-
covery. vid-19 red zone she had to be
Gynaecologists and IVF tested for the virus. But the de-
specialists Amol Lunkad and livery could not wait and she
Ishita Lunkad performed the was rushed in for the proce-
delivery via C-section. dure. “Any delay in treatment
Hospital officials said the fearing coronavirus infection
woman arrived in severe pain could have proved dangerous
and with swellings all over. for both mother and babies,”
“Pregnant with twins, she was Amol Lunkad said.
admitted as an emergency case All personal precautions
PRICE `5
His forthright remarks
mean the over 15-lakh strong
armed forces have to undergo
a major reorientation to wean
themselves off foreign-made
arms that have been their pre-
ferred option for long. The re-
marks are also significant in
the backdrop of the tempora-
ry freeze in new major deals
for foreign weapons and the
possibility of the defence
budget being slashed due to
the enormous impact of the
pandemic on the country’s fi-
nances.
India currently languis-
hes in the strategically vul-
nerable position of being the
second-largest buyer of fore-
ign weaponry after Saudi
Arabia in the world, accoun-
ting for 9.2% of the total glo-
bal arms imports during
2015-2019.
Continued on P 7
Malegaon, A’bad
cross 500-mark
A
urangabad and Male-
gaon crossed the 500-
mark on Saturday. Fif-
ty-six Covid-19 cases were re-
ported from Malegaon, tak-
ing the tally to 504 while Au-
rangabad reported 30 new
cases, pushing the total pa-
tient count to 508. P 4
discharged on Saturday.
Mumbai, with 27 deaths
on Saturday, equalled its
highest toll for a day, previ-
ously recorded on May 2.
Meanwhile, private doctors
must state within 3 days
their willingness to treat Co-
vid cases.
The total deaths in the
city are now 489.Mumbai,
which accounts for 63% of
the state’s deaths, has wit-
nessed at least 25 deaths ev-
ery day for the past five days.
The case fatality rate for the
state and Mumbai continues
to be around 3.8%.
Continued on P 2
and Agriculture on labour
shortage on account of the
ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
The department said it
has relaxed the condition on
working hours, allowing
workers to work twelve ho-
urs instead of eight daily
and further said that a wor-
ker cannot work more than
60 hours a week. Workers are
to be paid double the wages
for the extra hours and can-
not be allowed to work all se-
ven days of the week. The
condition has been relaxed
only up to June 30.
Unions oppose move, P 6
and safety guidelines pre-
scribed by the World Health Or-
ganisation were followed dur-
ing the delivery, officials said.
Both babies, having been
delivered pre-term, are conva-
lescing in the nursery under
the care of a neonatologist.
“The woman’s report came
back positive, but she was
asymptomatic. Both babies
tested negative for the virus,”
doctors said. “The woman has
been advised quarantine until
she repeatedly tests negative,”
doctors added.
“As this is a novel virus, we
are learning about it. However,
there is little evidence to sug-
gest an increased risk of mis-
carriage or transmission from
mother to baby. Though verti-
cal transmission is rare, we re-
quire more evidence,” Ishita
Lunkad said.
 2 TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020

57% of Covid victims in city Rush subsides at fuel stations, gas

died within week of falling ill cylinder delivery remains affected Graphic: Sandeep Salunke | Pic: Aditya Waikul
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
File photo

Study Shows NEW RESEARCH ANALYSED 134 DEATHS
How Severe FROM ONSET OF ILLNESS
Disease Has
12
Been In Some
Umesh.Isalkar@timesgroup.com
Pune: Many Covid-19 patients
in the Pune Metropolitan Re-
gion died within a week of onset
of illness, an analysis of the toll
so far has revealed.
A study of 134 deaths in the
region, recorded until May 7,
shows 77 of the134 patients — or
57% — died within seven days of
showing serious symptoms.
The rest succumbed to infection
after little more than a week.
Among the 77 patients, 12 di-
ed within just 24 hours of being
admitted to a hospital — sho-
wing how the viral disease has
had a severe progression in so-
me people.
The problem of rapidly wor-
sening conditions that eventu-
ally led to death can be attribu-
ted to pre-existing illnesses, ex-
perts said. The study — by the
district administration — said
90% of the 134 individuals who
died had comorbidities in their
system. About10% of the134 we-
re healthy individuals who had
no history of serious illness
other than Covid-19 infection.
“Advanced age, signs of re-
spiratory distress during ad-
mission, underlying conditions
such as high blood pressure, di-
abetes and self-delay in seeking
medical care, despite having
other illnesses, were important
factors in the deaths of these pa-
tients,” a senior health official
said.
In age-wise breakup, it was
revealed that 66 of the134 people
who had died were above 60 ye-
ars of age. Another 35 who died
were between the ages of 51and
60. The rest of the 33 deaths were
patients below 50.
The study also tracked how
urban living conditions influ-
enced the spread of Covid-19 in
the PMR.
Most who died were resi-
dents of densely populated
pockets of the Peth areas. Disea-
se investigators said the crow-
ded living conditions and lack of
awareness combined to create a
worrisome situation. Officials
also said many people from the-
se areas delayed seeking care.
“Quite a few who died turned up
at hospitals in a critical condi-
tion. They had the symptoms
for more than five or six days.
They procrastinated, despite
having pre-existing conditions
such as hypertension, diabetes
and heart disease,” said dean of
Sassooon hospital, Muralidhar
Tambe.
Pune: The petrol pumps
across the city recorded a de-
GENDER-WISE
NUMBERS
THE BODY IN EXTREME CASES cline in customer footfall over
the past couple of days with
h BRAIN | Some Covid patients
Within 24 hours
9% the initial rush to the fuel
80 have suffered strokes,
48-72 hours pumps in the non-contain-
seizures, confusion and brain
24-48 hours
9
54 inflammation. Doctors are still
3 to 7 days
trying to determine what is being
7%
ment zones having subsided,
Petrol Dealers Association
(Pune) told TOI.
More than 7 days
5% directly caused by the virus The district collector, Na-
Not known 7
h EYES | Conjunctivitis has val Kishore Ram, on Wednes-
Total 7 been observed in some of the day had permitted fuel sales to
Male Female private vehicles in Pune and
*
134
Deaths
5% sickest patients
h NOSE | Some patients have
Pimpri Chinchwad without
any pass. The resumption of
lost their sense of smell. service had powered fears of
50 37% Scientists speculate the fuel shortage in the face of a
*recorded District collector Naval Kishore Ram on Wednesday had permitted fuel sales to private vehicles in Pune
until May 7 virus may move up the nose’s sudden spurt in the demand. and Pimpri Chinchwad without the need for a special pass; LPG cylinder delivery continues to be a problem
49 nerve endings and damage cells The sources in the oil mar-
h HEART | The virus enters keting company, however, con- ment zones without require- me godown or a delivery po- eties is also a huge issue, as the
37% firmed to TOI that the suppli- ment of passes, every one int,” an LPG customer from latter often prevent delivery
cells, including those lining
es were normal. “There is no wanted to get a refill owing to Kondhwa tweeted on May 7. personnel from entering the
blood vessels, by binding
shortage of any fuel. Petrol sa- the supplies having opened up Another tweet read, “Boo- residential complexes.”
with ACE2 receptors on cell
les in Pune in April 2020 were after a huge gap of almost 40 ked for cylinder refill. The Another source in the fede-
surface. Infection has been known only about 19% when compa- days,” a source from the Petrol first time it got auto-cancelled. ration said, “Around a month
to trigger clots, heart attacks and red to the same period last ye- Dealers’ Association (Pune) The second time, the response ago, the delivery backlog for
cardiac inflammation ar. In the current period, ho- said. was they were not ready to de- LPG cylinders was around fi-
h LIVER | Enzyme levels in wever, they are 35-40% of the The LPG cylinder delivery liver it at home. Please help! ve to six days, which has now
patients show livers that are same period last year,” a sour- in the city continued to be a I’m attaching a screenshot for come down to around two to
struggling. An immune ce said on Saturday. problem with customers reference.” three days. However, the deli-
system in overdrive may be “The initial surge in de- complaining of not getting ho- Usha Poonawalla, the pre- very process in still under
causing damage mand for petrol has reduced, me delivery of cooking gas on sident of All India LPG Distri- strain as the gas agencies are
with the sale recording a dip time. butors Federation, Maharash- working with a skeletal staff.
h KIDNEY | Kidney damage in the past couple of days. On “Amid this pandemic, sho- tra, said, “Gas agencies at pre- Making deliveries in contain-
AGE-WISE SEPARATION COMMON SYMPTOMS has been common in Saturday, my fuel sales were uld we be forced to go out and sent are working with skeletal ment zones and high-risk are-
OF CASUALTIES Often starts with fever | severe cases 1/4th of what they would be on collect gas cylinder instead of staff as several delivery boys as has been a huge issue,” the
11-20 yrs 1 Dry cough | Tiredness | a normal day before lock- gas agencies ensuring home had left for their native places source said, adding that the si-
Total Less common symptoms VERY SERIOUS SYMPTOMS down. Even the rush at the fu- delivery? I had booked my after the news of the Covid-19 tuation had improved slightly
21-30 yrs 2
134 Aches & pains | h Difficulty breathing or el stations has gone down. LPG cylinder a week ago, and outbreak. In the current pan- from what it was a month ago
31-40 yrs deaths 10
Sore throat | Diarrhoea | shortness of breath When fuel sales were re-ope- it is yet to be delivered. They demic situation, social distan- as customers were no longer
41-50 yrs 20
Conjunctivitis | h Chest pain or pressure ned to public in non-contain- asked me to collect it from so- cing imposed by housing soci- panic-booking.
51-60 yrs 35
Headache | Loss of taste h Loss of speech or movement
61-70 yrs 44
or smell | A rash on skin,
71-80 yrs
81-90 yrs
21
1
or discolouration of
fingers or toes
Source: District Collectorate, Pune; Science;
Nature; World Health Organisation
Milk & Medicine Shops Will Remain Open In Sealed Areas
AFMC sets up
State tally crosses 20,000 Civic body closes lanes in
task force to
hotspots, steps up vigil
Continued from Page 1 ing treatment on Saturday while 24 cases were re-
ported from Kalyan-Dombivli on Saturday, taking
contain nCoV
M
umbai recorded 722 cases on Saturday, tak- the case tally there to 305 and deaths to 4 in Dom-
ing the cases here to12,864. The city is thus bivli. Sadanand Godse
steadily inching close to the 13,000 mark.
BMC’s H East ward, which houses the residence of
Navi Mumbai added 65 cases, taking the tally
to 592 within NMMC. A 53-year-old BEST conduc-
Sarang.Dastane
@timesgroup.com outbreak
CM Uddhav Thackeray, has reported 550 cases so tor and 48-year-old APMC trader passed away at Pune: The civic administra- Sandip.Dighe@timesgroup.com
far. Around two weeks ago, the ward had 238 cases. the Covid-19 hospital in Vashi, taking the number tion on Saturday initiated
Three deaths were recorded and 60 patients, of deaths in NMMC jurisdiction to 12. steps to close all internal stre- Pune: The AFMC has constitu-
including an MLA, tested positive in Thane, tak- Five persons tested positive and one died in the ets, bylanes and smaller app- ted a Covid-19 task force to coor-
ing the tally there to 671. Some of these deaths PCMC (Panvel) area. In Panvel taluka rural area, 2 roaches to main roads to dinate and monitor all activiti-
were from before the past week and were added to persons tested positive. restrict the movement of peo- es pertaining to containing the
the tally on Saturday. The deaths in Malegaon The Pune Metropolitian Region continued to ple within the containment spread of the contagion in Pune
were from April 25 to May 8. Apart from this, one add a significant number of cases. Over 130 tested areas, a day after district gu- and surrounding areas.
death was recorded from Pune rural, and one each positive and 4 patients died there on Saturday. The ardian minister Ajit Pawar The specialists, medical of-
from Akola and Nanded. In Mumbai, out of 27 region for the third consecutive day has reported underlined stricter execution ficers, nursing officers and pa-
deaths, 21were of patients with co-morbidities. over 100 cases. Over 96 patients were discharged of the lockdown measures till ramedical staff have undergo-
A day after 33 persons tested positive in Mira- centres on Saturday. As many as 70 patients are in May 17. ne special training on various
Bhayander, 7 cases were added there. Till April 18, critical condition and are being treated at various Most of the hotspots to re- aspects of Covid-19 prevention,
the number of cases there were 102. By Friday, the hospitals. Over 3,800 people have been treated suc- main under the close watch control and management over
cases more than doubled to 235. cessfully and discharged from hospitals across for the next one week are spre- Barricades of tin sheets block the entrance to Burud Ali in Bhavani Peth the last few weeks. The AFMC’s
A 67-year-old patient from Dombivli died dur- the state so far. ad in five civic wards — Bha- microbiology department has
vani Peth, Shivajinagar-Gho- been accorded Indian Council
The most common pre-exis-
ting conditions in the 134 pati-
respiratory tract,” said senior
physician Dilip Kadam. "If the
progression can be sudden and
fulminant,” Kadam said.
le Road, Tadiwala Road, Yera-
wada-Kalas-Dhanori and
Talegaon Dabhade town of Medical Research (ICMR)
approval for RT-PCR testing of
ents were hypertension and dia-
betes, followed by coronary he-
infection is not treated at that
stage, it reaches down to impact
Critical care expert Kapil
Borawake added, “Non-survi-
Kasba-Vishrambaug.
An official of the Pune declared containment zone Covid-19 samples and it has con-
ducted over 3,000 tests till date.
art disease. the lower respiratory tract, vors had higher instances of re- Municipal Corporation Siddharth.Gaikwad@timesgroup.com “The lab is also assisting ci-
“In the first five to six days, which involves the lungs. In peo- spiratory sepsis and secondary (PMC) said, “The measures vil authorities by conducting
Covid-19 is limited to the upper ple with co-morbidities, this infections.” are being taken in old Peth Pimpri Chinchwad: Sandesh Shirke, sub-divisional officer, tests for Ahmednagar, Nashik,
areas and slum pockets that Maval and Mulshi, has issued an order to create containment Satara districts and State Re-
have emerged as Covid-19 zone of around 3km with the Talegaon Dabhade town as cent- serve Police Service, Pune. The

160 people positive, four Only 0.36% hotspots. In some slum pock-
ets and densely populated are-
as like Tadiwala Road and Ka-
tested for sewadi, people were using
smaller approach roads for
re from May 9 onwards. lab is now conducting 200 tests
An area of 5km around Talegaon Dabhade town has been daily. AFMC is also involved in
declared a buffer zone. Deepak Zinjad, chief executive officer, guiding various government
Talegaon Dabhade Municipal Council, told TOI, "A woman and private medical colleges in
the state to set up SARS CoV-2

succumb in Pune region

tested positive for covid-19 here on Thursday. She has been
entry-exit. Also, gathering of RT PCR laboratories as per the
contagion in people on internal roads was
defying the containment ini-
sent to Aundh hospital for treatment. So, containment zone
has been created to prevent the spread of covid-19."
Selling of milk, vegetables and fruits has been permitted
mandate given by the ICMR
and health and family welfare

Sarang.Dastane PMC limits tiative. We are looking at plug-

@timesgroup.com
Pune: Nearly 130 patients
tested positive for the Co-
vid-19 contagion on Saturday
in Pune Municipal Corpora-
tion limits, taking the city
tally to 2,371.
From the rest of the Pune
region, there were seven
fresh cases in the Pimpri
Chinchwad municipal li-
mits, and nine from the rural
areas, taking Saturday’s tal-
ly to 160, pushing the overall
tally in the Pune Metropoli-
tan Region to 2,732.
On May 7, the region had
SATURDAY’S COUNT Pic: Aditya Waikul
Prasad.Kulkarni
@timesgroup.com
Pune: Around 12,000 people ha-
ve been tested for coronavirus
infection in the PMC limits so
far, accounting for just 0.35% of
the total population of 33 lakh.
This has been revealed in a
report of Pune Municipal Cor-
poration (PMC) and Pune Smart
City Development Corporation
Limited, which did not include
Residents of a Bhandarkar Road complex watch from behind the data from the Pimpri
a closed gate on Saturday Chinchwad municipal limits.
Out of the 15 ward offices of
l STILL IN HOSPITAL l DAY’S TALLY l CASUALTIES DISCHARGED PMC, a majority of the tests we-
ging all such spots. Every la-
ne, bylane or even a small app-
roach road will be monito-
red.”
The official said milk and
medicine shops would be
open within the containment
zones. The distribution of gro-
cery kits had started, and peo-
ple need not come out in se-
arch of basic items, he added.
The administration also
increased public announce-
ments in the hotspots, telling
people to stay at home and we-
ar masks.
The civic administration
only from 9 am to 1 pm at places designated by the civic body. .
said it was planning to increa-
se the presence of police in
the containment areas. The
authorities are exploring the
option of taking help of the
State Reserve Police Force
(SRPF) at some locations.
Additional municipal
commissioner Rubal Agar-
wal said rigorous contact tra-
cing had been the top priority
in the containment zones. Pe-
ople suspected to have been
infected were being moved to
institutional quarantine af-
ter their swab samples were
collected, the official said.
Every positive case was being
monitored closely with tra-
cing of maximum high risk
and low risk contacts in mini-
mum possible time, Agarwal
said.
The PMC has identified 69
micro-clusters recording the
outbreak of coronavirus con-
tagion. These pockets would
remain sealed and there wo-
uld be restriction on the mo-
vement of people.
ministry,” an AFMC official sa-
id.
The college has developed
advisories and guidelines to
prevent, control and treat Co-
vid-19 infection based on the
best scientific evidence availab-
le worldwide, the AFMC stated
in a statement issued on Satur-
day. “A large amount of resour-
ce material has been developed
including, posters on scree-
ning, testing and treatment pro-
tocols, guidelines for contact
tracing, a protocol for disinfec-
tion and rational use of perso-
nal protection equipment,” the
statement added.

Army ropes in special teams to monitor

reported 161new cases, while re conducted in Bhavani Peth
on May 8 about 111fresh cases and Dhole Patil Road ward offi-
were added to the overall tal- 124 7 29 ces, while the lowest in the Koth-
ly. 816 71 50 rud ward office area. The per
Saturday’s deaths pus-
hed the toll for the region 148.
The report released by
the district health officer sta-
2,371

PMC LIMITS
133
166

PCMC LIMITS
6
195

ted that 110 patients were cu-
red and discharged from va-
rious hospitals and quaran-
tine centres on Saturday.
Of the five deaths repor-
ted on Saturday — three we-
re at Sassoon General Hospi-
tal. A 65-year-old resident of
Kasewadi, who was admit-
ted to the hospital on May 7,
succumbed to the infection
on May 8.
A 78-year old woman
from Yerawada, who was ad-
mitted to hospital on May 8,
too succumbed on Saturday.
She had underlying comor-
bidity complaints. The third
fatality — a 62-year-old male
resident of Ramtekdi — died
on Saturday, also with co-
morbidity conditions.
The health officials from
Pune Municipal Corpora-
tion said as many as 70 pati-
ents were in a critical condi-
tion and were being treated
at various hospitals in the ci-
ty. Of them, 12 patients were
PUNE RURAL
9
ward office testing ranges from
3,00 to 1,700 people, the report re-
vealed. “Our focus is on the dense-
ly populated areas as cases have
spread of virus in civil areas of PCB Sadanand Godse
surged in these parts. More tests Sandip.Dighe@timesgroup.com with flu-like symptoms in
patients were deemed completely and contact tracing will be done the congested areas of Mo-
ä The case tally in
PMC limits rose by
124 on Saturday
84 cured in PMC limits on Saturday
in such areas,” PMC commissio-
ner Shekhar Gaikwad said.
Pune: In a first, the army's
Local Military Authority
dikhana and Bhimpura.
These localities are in the vi-
ä In PCMC, not a single patient He said people who might ha- (LMA) has roped in its quick cinity of the worst-affected
ä Only 7 fresh was discharged ä In rural areas, ve come in contact with infec- response team (QRT) to mo- Bhavani Peth in Pune Muni-
cases were 26 patients were declared free tion individuals should get nitor the Covid-19 situation cipal Corporation limits.
reported in of the virus and discharged themselves tested.“On an avera- in civil areas of the Pune "Our endeavour is to car-
PCMC limis ge, we are testing around 700 Cantonment Board (PCB). ry out maximum testing of
ä Five patients succumbed samples every day. We are going The board on Friday de- people so that we can focus
ä Rural areas to Covid-19 on Saturday to increase this number to 1,000 clared its entire limits, com- on contact tracing, thereby
witnessed a surge in the next couple of days,” Pune prising eight wards, as con- containing the spread of the
of 26 cases ä No deaths in PCMC or rural limits district collector Naval Kishore tainment zone due to a sud- virus. We have observed that
Ram said. den spike in Covid-19 positi- many residents of these are-
Patients are As per the officials, govern- ve cases in the last few days. as do not adhere to social dis-
in critical ment as well as private laborato- Till Saturday morning, the tancing norms. They use
of them are on
conditions at 70 12 ventilator support
ries are also testing swab sam- board recorded 56 cases, of A boy plays outside his house in the Bhimpura lane, which falls within common facilities at many
ples. The numbers will go up which 40 were from Modik- the Pune Cantonment Board limits, on Saturday places," Kumar added.
many hospitals
with more private laboratories hana area. The board authorities
getting permission for testing. Amit Kumar, chief execu- QRT personnel will visit the mulated a strategy to provi- claimed that they have recei-
on ventilator support. The collection of swabs of su- Political parties have deman- tive officer, PCB, told TOI on civil areas at least thrice a de essential items to people ved a positive response from
spected patients has increa- ded that more tests should be Saturday, "The army’s QRT day with due precaution." so that they will not step out people. "Controlling the situ-
More than 1,500 swab sed in the PMC limits, offici- carried out. “The state govern- team and our officials along On Friday, Brigadier Kul- of their homes. We have for- ation in the civil area has be-
samples collected al said. “New centres have ment is sending kits, which can with the police will visit dif- jeet Singh, president of the med eight teams consisting come a crucial thing for the
The PMC’s health offici- been commissioned in the enable the authorities to test ferent areas to monitor the board, senior army officers, of volunteers, security per- board as there are a number
als said they collected about most affected civic wards. 1,500 swabs a day. But on ground, situation and control the elected board members and sonnel and guards," Kumar of army quarters in the vici-
1,543 swab samples on Satur- The mobile vans have been there is a lot of gap in completing crowd. This is the first time PCB officials held a meeting added. nity. That is why the army
day, which they claimed was introduced for collection of the tests,” Sanjay More, city unit that the army personnel are and discussed issues related The cantonment officials has deployed the QRT," said a
the highest so far in a day. swabs,” officials added. chief of Shiv Sena, said. on ground to help us. Their to containment zone. "We for- have started testing people senior PCB official.
 SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020
Proposal for online filing of
leave & licence documents
Initiative To
Amend Rent
Control Act
Nisha.Nambiar
@timesgroup.com
Pune: The state registration
department has proposed to
amend the provisions under
Rent Control Act, 2000, to push
the online filing of leave and li-
cence documents amid the Co-
vid-19 lockdown.
If the amendments are ma-
de, the documents can be filed
online without registration
under the Rent Control Act in-
stead of the Registration Act,
said an official of the state regi-
stration department. Inspec-
tor-general of registration and
stamps Omprakash Desh-
mukh told TOI, “The amend-
ment is being sought so that le-
ave and licence documents can
Unaided
professional
institutes list
demands
Ardhra.Nair@timesgroup.com
Pune: The associations of
management of unaided in-
stitutions in Maharashtra ha-
ve listed a charter of de-
mands, including interest-
free loans, immediate disbur-
sal of pending scholarship
amount and permission to ad-
mit students without common
entrance test (CET).
Among their other de-
mands are making students to
pay the full fee with the go-
vernment reimbursing scho-
larship holders later and re-
presentation in all committe-
es related to professional edu-
cation.
On Saturday, a conference
call meeting was held with di-
rectors and principals of 219
unaided educational institu-
tes to discuss the challenges
faced by educational institu-
tes due to Covid-19 outbreak
and the nationwide lockdown.
The institutes said that
currently 72% of the seats we-
re reserved, while 50-60% of
the scholarship fee for last ye-
ar was yet to be reimbursed by
the state government. The fi-
nancial crunch, would affect
their ability to pay salaries on
time, they said and threatened
to move court if their de-
mands were not met.
Ramdas Zol, founder, Asso-
ciation of Management of Un-
Aided Institutions in the sta-
te, said, "If we are cancelling
semester examinations, why
are we going ahead with CET?
Why can’t we just conduct ad-
missions based on class XII
board exams this year?"
WEATHER
Shivajinagar Lohegaon
40.6°C/ 40.9°C/
22.7°C 22.9°C
Sunrise:0603
Sunset:1859
Moonrise: 2210
Moonset: 0832
Forecast: Generally cloudy sky, very light
rain likely. Max and min temperatures to
be around 41°C & 23°C
Relative humidity: Max: 63%,
Min: 16%
ALMANAC
10-05-2020 –Sunday- Mesha Masa 27 Shri
Sharvari Nama Samvatsara – Uttarayana –
Vasanta Ritu - Tithi: Vaishakha Krishna
Tritiya Hr. 08-04 Nak: Mula Hr. 28-13 Yoga:
Shiva Hr. 06-40. | 16 Ramadan
Rahu Kalam 04-30 – 06-00 P.M.
Kali Day 1870514
—K.L Vidya Shankara Somayaji
In time of coronavirus pandemic, neighbourhood grocery stores bounce back
Rujuta.Parekh@timesgroup.com
T
he once flourishing but
humble neighbourhood
grocery stores were
fighting a losing battle aga-
inst large supermarket cha-
ins. But Covid-19 has turned
the tables.
Today, it’s the local grocer
who has turned into a super-
hero for residents. But many
PUNE
of these small businesses are
wary: Will the good run conti-
nue after the lockdown lifts?
“We had been reduced to
an emergency store over time
by the supermarket chains.
People would come to us only
when they needed something
urgently,” said a grocery sto-
re owner in the Deccan area.
“But since the lockdown,
If the proposal is approved people can file a huge number of documents
from home using a one-time password (OTP) and other security checks
be filed without registration.”
Deshmukh said, “This will
reduce the pressure on the sub-
registrars’ offices and even the
service providers. The officers
will be able to focus on registra-
tion of documents where the
actual transfer of ownership of
property is involved, states the
proposal being put forth to the
government. Presently, all lea-
ve and licence documents filed
online have to be registered.”
Explaining the concept, he
State issues notification
for parole of convicts
Asseem.Shaikh
@timesgroup.com
Pune: Convicts serving sen-
tences of more than seven ye-
ars can now apply for a paro-
le, in addition to those jailed
for less than seven years, ac-
cording to a notification issu-
ed on Thursday by the state
home department.
Those convicted under
special enactments, such as
MCOCA, PMLA, MPID,
NDPS, UAPA and serious eco-
nomic offences or bank
scams will not be eligible.
The notification authori-
zes jail superintendents to
grant emergency parole for 45
days, or till the withdrawal of
the notification under the
Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
The parole can be extended
periodically in blocks of 30
days.
“Around 3,500 eligible con-
victs are lodged across jails in
the state. The jail superinten-
dents started the process of
releasing convicts on emer-
gency parole on Saturday,”
Additional director general
(prisons) Sunil Ramanand
told TOI.
The prisons department
had started releasing under-
trial prisoners on temporary
Prisoners enjoy equal right
to life as those outside: HC
Rosy.Sequeira
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Prisoners equally
enjoy a right to life as those in
the outside world, Bombay
high court observed when
told that due to spread of Co-
vid-19, jails such as the one at
Arthur Road, Mumbai Cen-
tral, have become more vul-
nerable to infection. The co-
urt said the state govern-
ment had to take an appropri-
ate policy decision to keep
inmates safe.
Justice Bharati Dangre,
via video-conference on May
8, heard an application by a
43-year-old inmate to release
him on temporary bail as he
may be exposed to the virus.
Senior advocate Abad Ponda,
who represented him, sub-
mitted that 103 inmates and
staff of Arthur Road jail had
tested positive. Ponda said as
his client was a chronic pati-
ent of diabetes, hyperten-
people have once again tur-
ned to us for their monthly
supplies.”
A resident of the area,
Santosh Jalan, said, “Earlier,
I would head to a supermar-
ket on the other side of town
to buy everything from coo-
king oil to detergent. But sin-
ce the lockdown, I have been
visiting a grocery store near
my house. It always has what
I need and re-stocks regular-
ly. So I will continue going to
the smaller store.”
About trade during the
lockdown, Ramesh Agarwal,
a grocer from Kalyaninagar,
said, “Our shelves emptied in
two days when the lockdown
was announced. And that
hasn’t happened to us in 30 ye-
ars of business here,” he said.
Rasik Kothari, a grocer
from Vimannagar, said his
store is seeing some of its bu-
File photo
said the proposal for amend-
ment put up by the department
would reduce the burden of re-
gistration of huge number of
documents and anyone could
file the same sitting at home
using one-time password
(OTP) and other security
checks.
“Our offices in about 30
districts in the green and
orange zones have opened, but
we are working with just 5%
staff though it can be about
The notification authorizes jail superintendents to grant emergency
parole for 45 days, or till the withdrawal of the notification under
the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
bail on March 27, as per the
Supreme Court-mandated
High Power Committee
(HPC) directions.
However, convicted priso-
ners were not being released
on parole in the absence of a
notification. The state go-
vernment’s action comes af-
ter 77 prisoners and 26 staf-
fers at Arthur Road jail, and
four prisoners in Satara dis-
trict jail, tested positive for
Covid-19.
The notification, issued
by deputy secretary N S Ka-
rad, states that amendments
Taloja jail to quarantine all before admission
A fter many inmates of Arthur Road jail tested positive for
Covid-19, Taloja jail decided to quarantine those sent by court,
before admitting them. Twenty-five accused have been
quarantined at Kharghar, and police will keep a tight vigil there.
Taloja jail superintendent Kaustubh Kurlekar said Raigad
district collector Nidhi Choudhari had provided a centre at Gokhale
school in Sector 12, Kharghar. “The accused will have to stay there
for 14 days as per government norms. A decision has been taken to
extend their quarantine by 14 more days and only after their test
reports come back negative will they be lodged at Taloja jail,” said
Kurlekar. —George Mendonca
sion, high blood pressure
and had a sinus problem, he
required constant medical
treatment and supervision.
He said this medical con-
dition may prove fatal as per-
sons suffering from hyper-
tension and diabetes, in
terms of a study and rese-
arch, are considered more
susceptible to coronavirus.
Justice Dangre said the
situation no doubt was pre-
carious and Ponda may be
justified about the situation
Since the lockdown came into effect, residents have been making a beeline for small stores. One trader said sales at his shop have risen 200%
siest days. “Supermarkets
have a coupon system. People
don’t want to wait in long que-
ues so many have been co-
ming to us. We have started
home deliveries too.”
Wadgaonsheri resident,
TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH
33% as per the guidelines in
other offices. The offices in Pu-
ne, Mumbai and Thane are yet
to open,” he said.
Settlement commissioner
S Chockolingam, who helped
in drafting the recommenda-
tion, said it would help citizens
at large and the registration of-
fices. “If one were able to re-
new or draft the leave and li-
cence and file it online after
due checks while sitting at ho-
me, it would be easier for all,”
he said.
P Ahirrao, the IT depart-
ment head of the registration
department, said, “The propo-
sal is to amend the Rent Cont-
rol Act and related provisions
so that it reduces the load on
the officials.”
Residents hailed the initia-
tive, stating it would bring so-
me respite during these hard ti-
mes. “I want to renew the lease
agreement. This process wo-
uld be simplified if the amend-
ments are made,” said S Hari-
das, a resident of Kondhwa.
File photo
have been made to sub-rule (1)
of Rule 19 of Maharashtra
Prisons (Mumbai Furlough
and Parole Amendment) Ru-
les, 2020, allowing convicted
prisoners sentenced to more
than seven years to become
eligible for emergency parole.
Parolees must report to
the police station concerned
once in 30 days.
“The HPC had recom-
mended releasing convicts
sentenced to more than seven
years’ imprisonment on
emergency parole to decong-
est jails,” Ramanand added.
at Arthur Road jail.
She noted that inmates
who are aged over 60, who are
languishing in jail, are more
prone to the virus compared
to the applicant, who has not
placed on record any papers
depicting the aggravation of
diabetes and hypertension,
except that that he suffers
from them. She rejected the
inmate’s bail plea, stating no
imminent health impedi-
ment was reflected in his ca-
se.
Rajendra Chaudhary, said, “I
have no option but rely on the
neighbourhood grocer. A few
items are still unavailable
but the grocer has fruit and
vegetables. The best part is
that his shop is just a minu-
One booked for
posing as
anti-corruption
activist
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Pune: The Khadak police boo-
ked a man from Chudaman
Talim in Bhavani Peth for po-
sing as an anti-corruption ac-
tivist and misusing the natio-
nal emblem and other govern-
ment signage on his car on
Friday.
The Khadak police said the
man was found travelling in
his car in Bhavani Peth which
is a containment zone. Police
officials questioned him abo-
ut the logo, national emblem
and the purpose behind his
travel, but he failed to provide
answers.
The police then questio-
ned him about whether he had
sought permission from the
government to act as an anti-
corruption activist but he fai-
led to produce any legitimate
permission. Thus, the police
filed a case against him for mi-
susing the national emblem
and other government signs.
The state government and
office of charity commissio-
ner, Maharashtra, issued or-
ders in 2017 stating that no per-
son would be allowed to use
the government emblem or an
anti-corruption activist bo-
ard on cars.
Hadapsar
couple die in
car crash
Vivek.Waghmode
@timesgroup.com
Kolhapur: A couple from Pune
(Greenfield Society, Hadapsar)
died in an accident after the
driver of the car lost control
and hit a divider near Bhosale-
wadi at Umbraj on Pune-Ban-
galore National Highway
arounfd 4am on Saturday.
The deceased were on their
way to Kolhapur district to
meet their five-year old son who
was staying with the woman’s
parents, said the Umbraj police
where the incident has been
registered.
According to police, the vic-
tims have been identified as
Amit Appaso Gawade (38) and
Anjua Gawade (35). Amit
worked in a private company
and Anuja was a medical pro-
fessional and ran a clinic in Ha-
dapsar. Police said they were on
their way to Nittur village in
Chandgad taluka in Kolhapur
district located on the Maha-
rashtra-Karnataka border.
Man held on
charge of killing
daughter
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Pune: The Hinjewadi police
on Saturday arrested a 35-ye-
ar-old man from Kshatriyana-
gar in Bavdhan for throttling
his five-month-old daughter
to death.
"The murder was a fallout
of a quarrel between the cou-
ple over the man’s illicit rela-
tionship," Anand Pagare, assi-
stant inspector of the Hinje-
wadi police said. He said early
on Saturday, Bapurao Jadhav
throttled his daughter in her
sleep and kept her outside the
house. He then woke up his wi-
fe and enquired about his
daughter, Pagare said.
After his wife and Jadhav
went out in search of their
daughter, she spotted her ly-
ing unconscious. The girl was
taken to a hospital where she
was pronounced brought de-
ad by doctors. Later, Jadhav
admitted that he had killed his
daughter.
te’s walk away from my ho-
me.” Bhawani, who runs a
store on Salunke Vihar Road
said visits to his shop have in-
creased. “I also have new cus-
tomers — upper-class people
who come in big cars. I hope
Residents claim shutters
stayed up, rules flouted
Rujuta.Parekh
@timesgroup.com
Pune: Several traders ope-
ned shutters on Saturday an-
ticipating weekend rush, but
residents across the city clai-
med that many shops viola-
ted the guidelines issued by
the commissioner of the Pu-
ne Municipal Corporation.
As per the orders, shops
selling electronic goods,
computers and related go-
ods, mobile shops, electro-
nics service centres, electri-
cal items and utensils were
permitted to function on
Monday, Wednesday and Fri-
day. Meanwhile, garages and
shops selling hardware,
plumbing equipment, const-
ruction equipment, clothes
and dairy products were per-
mitted to operate on Tuesday,
Thursday, Saturday and Sun-
day.
However, shops selling an
assortment of goods inclu-
ding stationery, toys, electro-
nics and electrical items,
sweet marts and others were
open in certain parts of the
city on Saturday. Many resi-
dents stated that such viola-
tions were noticed on Thurs-
day and Friday as well. “I had
seen a couple of gadget sto-
res functioning on Thursday
and Saturday. even though
the PMC order says otherwi-
se. Likewise, tyre repair sto-
res and garages can be seen
open throughout the week,
instead of allotted days,” a
resident of Erandwane said.
Residents of Kothrud and
Karvenagar also said an as-
sortment of shops were kee-
ping their shutters up every-
LOCKDOWN DAY 46
Residents buy items from a general store in Baner on Saturday
VEGETABLES
h There was adequate
stock of locally grown
vegetables
albeit 30%
higher price
h With markets shut,
vendors are
dependent
on farmers
for supply
h Some
farmers complained
they were still getting
low rates for their
produce compared to
retail market rates
BJP doesn’t give Medha Kulkarni
council ticket, supporters upset
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Pune: BJP’s former legislator
Medha Kulkarni, who was de-
nied an assembly ticket last ye-
ar by the party, tasted disappo-
intment yet again when she
was overlooked for the forthco-
ming elections to the legislati-
ve council.
Kulkarni took to social me-
dia, expressing her disappoint-
ment with a verse. “Aaj phir dil
né ek tamanna ki … Aaj phir dil
ko hamne samjhaya…” (today
my heart wanted something ...
today I again had to console my
heart) appeared on her social
media account soon after BJP
declared its candidates.
Last year, Kulkarni, the
then Kothrud MLA, had to step
aside for state party chief
Chandrakant Patil. The deci-
Mandar Deshpande
they continue coming to me. I
am changing inventory to su-
it their demands,” he said.
Prakash Punaram Chaud-
hari, owner of a grocery store
along NIBM Road, said sales
at his store have risen by over
A cellphone repair shop on Paud Road was open on Saturday
day. “The stores including
those selling gifts, toys, sta-
tionery, photo studios and
photocopy shops, have been
open everyday from the be-
ginning of this week. There
was no mention of such sto-
res in the PMC notification.
We do not know whether
these shops are even permit-
ted to open yet. They seem to
be operating with complete
disregard to the orders,” Ro-
han Joshi, a Kothrud resi-
dent, said.
Residents of Sinhagad
Road said that apart from the
stores selling essential and
non-essential items, several
roadside vendors had also co-
me back and set up business
in the area. Locals living aro-
und Kamla Nehru Park said
that roadside vendors selling
fruits and vegetables, who
had disappeared from the be-
ginning of the lockdown, we-
re also back in the area.
Joshi said the PMC or-
ders permitted only five
GROCERY SEALED AREAS
h The h Grocery supply
housing and availability
societies has stabilized
have h Vegetable
implemented the pass
and milk supply
system for vegetable
remained an area
stalls at the gates
of concern
h Many e-commerce
players continued to KEY APPLIANCES
face a tough time in h Some companies managed
maintaining stocks to sell a handful of air-conditioners
h In most h There was a slight delay in installation
`
markets
h Components remained unavailable
prices of 120/kg to carry out repair works of several
key pulses
was over
appliances
sion had not gone down well
with Kulkarni, who — with her
supporters — rushed the the
state party headquarters in
Mumbai to contest the deci-
sion.
Eventually, she reconciled
herself after she was reported-
ly assured that she would be
OVERLOOKED AGAIN
compensated. Kulkarni being
denied a second time left her
supporters disappointed too.
“We were sure that she will
get a nomination, but the par-
ty’s leadership clearly felt diffe-
rently. It is very difficult to ac-
cept,” one of Kulkarni’s sup-
porters said.
In the 2014 assembly polls,
Kulkarni was elected from the
Kothrud seat. She was gearing
200%. “But I fear a drastic
slowdown after the lockdown
lifts. I hope people will re-
member the role small shops
played during this difficult ti-
me,” he said.
Resident Jigisha Priya-
darshini said she will conti-
nue to support small busines-
ses. “Grocery stores have be-
en vital to the smooth supply
of essentials in the NIBM Ro-
ad area. One supermarket,
which was carrying out ho-
me deliveries, refused to co-
me to our housing society be-
cause ours is a building with
87 flats. It was the local gro-
cers who came to our rescue.
They aren’t allowed past our
gates, but they leave parcels
with the security,” she said.
Pimpri Chinchwad too is
seeing a similar trend. “Ma-
ny have started to queue up at
the smaller shops. Earlier, pe-
3
Aditya Waikul
shops located in a stretch of a
kilometre to function. “The
order stated that as streets or
roads would have more than
five shops within a kilomet-
re, only the stores mentioned
were permitted to operate.
But, the good thing was that
these shops were at least ma-
intaining social distancing
and other measures to ensu-
re safety,” he said.
A trader from Model Co-
lony, who is not permitted to
keep his store open on Satur-
day, said, “This is the first we-
ekend after the restrictions
were eased and we opened
the store to serve customers.
We have faced tremendous
losses over the last few weeks
and thought it was prudent to
open, considering the de-
mand. Lots of people are loo-
king for electronics, gadgets
or repairs and I deal in some
of these items. We are not
permitting customers inside
the shop. Wearing masks is
mandatory for all.”
Pic: Ashish Gupta
INTERNET
h With no
provision
for new
connections,
work from
home efforts
suffer
Text: Satyanarayan Iyer
up for a second run, when she
was asked to step aside in favo-
ur of for Patil’s nomination.
“After she was denied the
assembly ticket, all top party le-
aders had assured Kulkarni
that she would get a respectable
position later. Nominating her
for the legislative council was
the best possible option. We de-
mand an explanation for why
she was overlooked,” a staunch
supporter of Kulkarni said.
BJP sources said though
Patil won the Kothrud seat, his
winning margin was signifi-
cantly lower than the 2014 re-
sult. “This was a clear indica-
tion of the displeasure among
party supporters. BJP leaders
now face a tough task of pacify-
ing miffed cadre and keeping
them motivated,” the source
said.
ople would travel five kilo-
metres, at least, to the chea-
per wholesale markets. But
since they have started ratio-
ning, we have been getting
their business too. We have
never charged very high pri-
ces, but we cannot match dis-
count coupons of online play-
ers. We can only assure our
customers a steady stream of
supplies,” said Jiten Parmar,
a PCMC-based grocer.
An IT professional from
the area, Shruti Sawant, said,
“I tried adding items to cart a
dozen times on an online plat-
form. Each time, the slot re-
mained unavailable. Now, I
just walk across the road to
get the stuff I need. The pan-
demic has obviously changed
the way we shop. I don’t know
if I will stick to this, but the lo-
cal grocers have become
much more reliable now.”
 4 TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020

Bureaucratic Delays Prolong Agony for Those Stranded & Desperate to Return
Malegaon, Aurangabad
Fed up of wait for e-passes, NHRC issues
notices to cross 500 cases each
stuck migrants ride to Agra DM, state
secretary Pics: Aditya Waikul & Shantanu Das
Ranjan Dasgupta &
Arpita Sharad TNN

Nashik/Aurangabad: The
File photo
vid 19 tests daily from Male-
gaon and we are getting re-
ports of 60-70 samples per day.
There is a need to hasten the
Nisha Nambiar & spread of coronavirus contin- speed of testing,” officials
Gitesh Shelke TNN Mohammed.Akhef ues unabated in Malegaon and said.
@timesgroup.com Aurangabad, which are The total numbers of pa-

D
esperate times call for de-
sperate measures goes
the adage. Ten migrant
workers in the city just did that.
Tired of waiting for manda-
tory passes to go to their home-
town Agra in Uttar Pradesh, the
10 masons in their mid-30s hit
the highways on two-wheelers
on Monday night. They had to
cover 1,200km. The mission was
accomplished in three days,
oops nights. They were in their
“home-sweet-home” in Agra on
Wednesday night.
Why the delay in
issuing permits?
T he delay in response from WB,
Karnataka, Odisha, Bihar,
Uttarakhand and Jharkhand is
hampering the process of issuing
of e-passes to migrant workers,
said state officials. State Congress
chief Balasaheb Thorat tweeted
that states like Gujarat were not
accepting the workers despite
repeated requests and the
Congress announcing that it
would fund their travel.
Left with no ration and no
source of income, these wor-
kers decided to “vroom”. Cal-
ling it a drive to survive, they
started for home after their ro-
unds to the tehsildar’s office on
Monday morning proved a futi-
le exercise.
“Hamein koi umeed nahi
dikhai de rahi thi, bas nikalna
tha (We did not see any hope in
these rounds and we decided we
had to leave),” Premshankar,
one of the migrant workers, told
TOI over the phone after rea-
ching his village in Agra.
The 10 masons stocked up
(Clockwise from top) Migrants on board the Lucknow-bound Shramik Express at Pune station on Saturday
night; migrants walk to their homes in other parts of the country via the Mumbai-Agra highway; a bus leaves
from Aurangabad to ferry workers to their homes in other districts in the state
Premshankar said.
Using Google map, Prems-
hankar and his peers managed
to reach their hometown. “We
can do farming here and be with
our family. In Pune, we were left
will take note of our situation.
We do not have any ration left,”
said Sinh.
Fearful that the government
could extend the lockdan again,
Sugand Kumar, a migrant wor-
ruction sites in the city as pain-
ters, centring workers, etc.
“We have spent all the mo-
ney we had. How long will we li-
ve on food served by others,”
Premshankar said.
emerging as the new hotspots tients in Nashik district has
Aurangabad: Taking suo motu in the state. touched 632, with 20 (18 in Ma-
cognizance of 16 migrant wor- With the addition of 56 new Malegaon has a total of 504 legaon) deaths and 46 (41in Ma-
kers’ tragic death on Friday mor- cases on Saturday, the total Covid-19 patients legaon) recovered.
ning, National Human Rights number of Covid-19 patients in On Saturday, Aurangabad
Commission (NHRC) sent noti- Malegaon reached 504. The legaon again soon to review reported 30 new cases of Co-
ces to the Maharashtra state chi- textile town in north Maha- the scenario.” vid-19, pushing the total pa-
ef secretary and Aurangabad rashtra has seen the cases Officials in Malegaon said tient count to 508. At the same
district magistrate on Friday. touch 500 in just a month. that the rate of doubling of time, 22 patients were dis-
The NHRC stated: “The offi- State health minister Ra- cases in Malegaon is around charged from district civil hos-
cers have been directed to sub- jesh Tope told TOI, “The rise in 4-5 days as against the national pital on Saturday.
mit a detailed report into the in- novel coronavirus cases in Ma- average of about 11 days. Ac- Of the total patients, 311are
cident within four weeks. It sho- legaon is a concern. State gov- cording to the data provided by men and 197 are women. So far,
uld also include details of the ernment is rendering all possi- the officials, the town had re- 52 patients have been cured
steps taken by the state and the ble assistance to authorities to ported first five cases on April and discharged, 12 have died
district authorities to provide fo- tackle the issue on a war foot- 8, which climbed to 114 by April and the remaining are under
od, shelter and other basic ame- ing. The scenario in Malegaon 24 and further swelled to 350 by treatment at district civil hos-
nities to the poor people, especi- is worrisome and I am moni- May 3. pital, GMCH, Covid Care Cen-
ally the migrant workers, who toring the situation closely. In “On an average about 300 tres run by AMC and at private
are facing extreme difficulties. fact, I am planning to visit Ma- samples are being sent for Co- hospitals.
The details of the relief and re-
habilitation provided to the vic-
tim workers and their depen-
dents, along with the status of LOCKDOWN EFFECT Snehil Sakhare
the medical treatment provided
to the injured, is also required to
be given in the report.”
The commission observed:
“Prima facie, the mishap can be
termed as a train accident as
normally it is not expected by
anyone that some people will be
sleeping on the railway tracks.
However, the crucial aspect is
that the poor workers — who we-
re already facing many hard-
ships due to the countrywide
lockdown, were forced to walk
on foot for a very long distance
due to non-availability of any
mode of transport — lost their li-
ves due to the apparent negligen-
ce of the district administration.
Had some arrangements been
made for their shelter or halt du-
ring their tiring journey, the pa-
inful tragedy could have been av-
erted.”
Aurangabad rural police start Two blackbucks step out freely near a residential area in Aurangabad on Friday
recording statements
Initiating an investigation

Alert loco driver

dry snacks, water and headed
home on five bikes. Sleeping
through the day at petrol pumps
and dhabas, they covered the
maximum distance at night.
“We were stopped by police
at some places, but we were de-
termined to keep moving,”
begging for food and ration,” sa-
id Premshankar, audibly happy
to be with his family.
Premshankar’s friend, Ma-
hendra Sinh, could not leave Pu-
ne because his wife and child-
ren were with him. “We do not
know if the administration
ker from UP, and his seven fri-
ends, are headed to their village
Meerganj near Jaunpur. They
left their room in Katraj around
6am on Saturday and managed
to reach the Katraj-Dehu road
bypass in Warje by noon. The
group of men worked on const-
It was a similar story across
the state, with migrants from
Mumbai and Thane taking to
the Mumbai-Agra highway to
proceed towards M, UP, Bihar
and other states. Large groups
of workers had reached Dhule,
on the Malegaon side.
into the death of 16 migrant wor-
kers, the Aurangabad rural poli-
ce have started recording state-
HC allows
ments. The South Central Rail-
termination
ways, the Jalna district admini-
stration and the Aurangabad
district collectorate have laun-
averts rail tragedy of pregnancy
ched independent probes. Continued from Page 1 day’s tragedy in Aurangabad.
A senior official of the Swati.Deshpande

PM must ask Govt okays free travel by ST Workers may S

ources said, “As soon as
the loco pilot saw them,
he applied the emergen-
Pune division told TOI that
all the station masters, depu-
ty station superintendents,
@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: The Bombay high

CMs to let in leave if work cy brakes. The train was run- trackmen, gatemen in Pune court on Friday permitted a

bus, 4 trains leave Mumbai

ning at a high speed but fortu- rail division have been told to 16-year-old rape survivor to
nately it stopped just around keep a watch on the tracks. abort the pregnancy of her 24-
migrants, Sanjay Hadkar
doesn’t start: 100 metres away from the mi-
grant workers.”
“They have been told to re-
move the people who are
and-a-half-week-old foetus.
The HC said, “In view of

says Pawar Priyanka Kakodkar &

Sujit Mahamulkar TNN Realtors According to the sources,
the guard and loco pilot im-
mediately got out of the train
found walking on the tracks
and inform the control sec-
tion. The railway protection
her history and teenage preg-
nancy carrying higher men-
tal and physical morbidity
Prafulla.Marpakwar Mumbai: A day after 16 mig- Satyanarayan. Iyer and informed the control of- force (RPF) is also on an alert and mortality, termination of
@timesgroup.com rants were run over by a train @timesgroup.com fice about the incident and and patrolling has been initi- pregnancy has been recom-
near Aurangabad, the Maha- moved all the people from the ated.” mended by medical board.’’
Mumbai: A day after 16 labou- rashtra government was finally Pune: City-based realtors on Sa- rail track. A source in the RFP said Justice S C Gupte, who
rers were run over by a goods jolted into setting aside Rs 21 turday said migrant workers in- Another source said that people seen walking along passed the order via a video-
train near Aurangabad, politi- crore for free inter-district ST volved in the construction sec- the people were warned rail tracks are being sent to conference hearing a petition
cal parties quickly swung into bus travel in the state. On Satur- tor wanted to go home if the about the dangers of walking quarantine centres with the filed by her father, said, “...de-
action. day, transport minister Anil Pa- work did not begin at some scale. on rail tracks as goods train help of Pune police. spite being aware of the dang-
NCP president Sharad Pa- rab said the government was Arecent survey by Credai re- and some special Shramik “A joint team consisting of ers of continuation of preg-
war sought Prime Minister Na- considering paying for train Around 140 migrant labourers, on their way to villages in UP, were vealed that nearly 46% of the trains have been operational. RPF men, officials of the op- nancy as well as its termina-
rendra Modi’s intervention for tickets of migrants bound for found in two trucks on Saturday afternoon in Mumbai. One truck sped 47,500 workers in the limits of No legal action was taken erations department and the tion, the petitioner and his
safe travel of migrants, opposi- other states. Despite Friday’s off. The police registered a case against the driver Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad muni- against them, added the engineering department of daughter having expressed a
tion leader Devendra Fadnavis tragedy, a sea of migrants conti- cipal corporations and PMRDA source. the railways has been keen desire ... it is imperative
took up the issue with railway nued to leave the state on foot. ders and want to travel to other the service will become opera- would want to leave for home, Information on what hap- formed. The team is patroll- to permit ... medical termina-
minister Piyush Goyal and de- “The proposal to finance districts within the state can tional on Monday. especially if work did not start. pened to the workers after- ing on tracks very frequent- tion of pregnancy.’’
puty chief minister Ajit Pawar train tickets is under considera- apply for the free ST service. Meanwhile, officials said “I want to go home and meet wards and whether the rail- ly,” said the source. The petition related to a
said the state should bear their tion,” Parab told TOI. The pro- Migrants, workers, students, to- West Bengal and Karnataka we- my children. I sat here doing not- ways assisted them in any- “On Friday evening, we case in Pune had sought ur-
travel cost or corporate social re- posal for free ST bus travel was urists and others can avail of re still not receiving migrants hing for the last 45 days,” Dur- way was awaited. had caught 180 people walk- gent orders during the ongo-
sponsibilty (CSR) funds must be discussed during Wednesday’s the free service. from the state. Trains to Odisha gesh Singh, a worker from Uttar The railway ministry has ing along the tracks at several ing lockdown. The FIR was fi-
made available for the purpose. cabinet meeting. While the buses will carry a resumed after theSC struck Pradesh, said. been sending alerts on social points of the Pune rail divi- led under Pocso and rape-
Pawar tweeted that Modi The proposal to allow free pre-approved set of passengers, down a high court order deman- “We have told them if they media handles that goods sion. These people were sent .When the family approached
should ask the chief ministers travel by ST buses was cleared the government resolution has ding a Covid-negative test from go, it would be difficult to come trains were running and to institutional quarantine a hospital in Pune, its doctors
to allow migrants entry into the- by chief minister Uddhav an unexpected clause. It says if passengers. “Gujarat and Ra- back immediately. They are sca- walking on the tracks was centres with the help of local expressed inability to termi-
ir home states. Pawar also raised Thackeray on Saturday. When an ST driver notices stranded jasthan have said that applica- red they will have to be in 14-day highly risky ever since Fri- police,” added the source. nate the pregnancy.”
the issue with Goyal and CM asked about the delay, transport people walking on the road and tions for travel to their state ha- quarantine,” Jayant Gosavi, se-
Uddhav Thackeray, who said minister Anil Parab said, “The- they are headed in the same di- ve to be made on their portal,” nior vice-president of opera-

Cops perform last rites of

that state transport buses will be re were some concerns raised rection as the bus, he can take said a senior official. A total of tions at Gera Developments, sa-
made available for migrants. by districts in green zone about them in if there are seats avai- 40 trains left the state so far, with id. “The workers are noticing
Goyal, too, promised all pos- outbound migrants from red zo- lable. The driver and conductor 44,323 passengers. On Saturday, the raw materials are not co-
sible help. Fadnavis suggested ne areas.” Travel in and out of will have to make a separate list one train left from Amravati for ming. I am afraid that more will
that Goyal draft a time-bound containment zones will not be of the new travellers and give it Lucknow, one from Mumbai for line up to go back home,” Suhas
plan to shift migrants. A senior allowed, though. Free travel
NCP minister said it was high ti- will only be permitted till May
me Thackeray personally took 17, when the current lockdown
up the issue with Goyal and ge- is expected to end.
to the depot manager.
The buses will only halt at
depots for toilet facilities and
carry a maximum of 22 passe-
Basti and three for Gonda. One
train left Thane for Barauni in
Bihar. Also, two trains ran from
Pandharpur for Tamil Nadu
Merchant, the president of Cre-
dai Pune Metro, said. Atul Chor-
dia, director of Pancshil, said
his 3,000 workers across six sites
construction site worker
neral managers of the central Those within the state or lo- ngers, said MSRTC MD Shek- and one from Panvel for Odisha. wanted to stay because work had
and western railways. cals who are at the state’s bor- har Channe. The web portal for (With inputs from Somit Sen) begun in full-swing.
Gitesh.Shelke@timesgroup.com
Constable lights stranger’s
Pune: The Bharati Vidyapeeth police on pyre as kin can’t make it
Intense May heat could make walk PCMC to give Wednesday performed the last rites of a
construction site worker — hailing from Gul-
barga in Karnataka — as the Covid-19 lock-
Mumbai: A cop performed the final rites of a
stranger who died of a cardiac stroke. The family

buses to down prevented his family members to come members of Pramod Khare (42), a bachelor, are

back home all the more difficult

to Pune. Hanif Patel settled in Delhi, Kolkata,
The 55-year-old worker, Mallikarjun Bar- Dubai and South Africa
reach station ma, had died of asthma-related complica-
tions at his tin-shed home in Katraj on Sun-
could not make it due to
the lockdown. The
Neha.Madaan@timesgroup.com peratures, day temperature TIMES NEWS NETWORK day. He, with members of his family, used to funeral was

Pune: It is not just hunger and

the threat of coronavirus that
hangs over hundreds of mig-
rant workers walking back to
their villages, the intense May
temperature could expose them
to illnesses like heat exhaus-
tion, heat stress, heat stroke,
and sun stroke, among others,
health experts told TOI on Sa-
turday.
The rising temperatures in
parts of the state show no signs
of reducing as per the India Me-
teorological Department
(IMD). In fact, on Saturday, the
IMD said maximum tempera-
tures were likely to remain bet-
ween 41-44°C over some parts of
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya
Maharashtra, Marathwada, Te-
langana, Rayalaseema and
north interior Karnataka du-
ring the next two to three days.
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE over 40°C coupled with exertion
outdoors can expose them to the Pimpri Chinchwad: The
work at a construction site in Katraj.
Barma and his family had decided to walk
live-streamed for them.
On Wednesday,
n Heat cramps | A condition marked by sudden
risk of a heat stroke,” he said. Pimpri Chinchwad Munici- back to their native place. However, he was neighbours found
development of cramps in the skeletal muscles resulting Avinash Bhondwe, presi- pal Corporation (PCMC) stan- forced to stay back after his health deteriora- Khare, a real estate
from prolonged work or dent of Indian Medical Associa- ding committee chief Santosh ted. agent, unconscious in
exercise in high temperatures, tion’s Maharashtra chapter, sa- Londhe on Friday directed the “After his family and others from his nati- his flat and informed the
Heat stroke accompanied by profuse
id, “Initially, the patient may fe- civic administration to provi- ve place left, residents and local volunteers CALL OF HUMANITY police. He was declared
A condition
caused by
the failure of the
perspiration and loss of
sodium chloride from the body
el giddy, experience low blood
pressure, causing a failure in
de buses for transporting mig-
rant workers to Uruli Kan-
would provide him with food,” senior inspec-
tor Vasant Kuvar said.
dead at a public
hospital. Constable Subhash Shinde (34) who had
n Heat exhaustion | A clinical the body’s cooling mechanism chan railway station. “On Sunday afternoon, residents went to taken Khare to hospital tried to get contact
body to dissipate heat in an governed by the hypothalamus, Londhe said, “Many mig- Barma’s house with food, but he did not re- numbers of his relatives from his phone when his
syndrome caused by heat
excessively hot environment which may result in an increase rants from various states are spond to their calls. The residents opened the brother called. “I gave him the bad news,” said
stress, such as over-exertion
or during physical exertion in in body temperature exposing living in the city but all they door and found Barma lying motionless,” the Shinde. As they could not make it to the funeral, he
in a hot environment or
a hot environment him to a sunstroke. The first sta- want is to return home as they officer said. offered to perform the final rites. “I asked them for
excessive exposure to the sun
ge is dehydration, the second is have no work. Private vehicles The residents alerted the police and a te- a consent letter,” said Shinde. TNN
On Saturday, at least 14 loca- back to their villages must be heat stroke and the third is a and public transport are not am rushed to the site. Barma was taken to
tions in Maharashtra, especial- extremely careful as the high sun stroke.” available for migrants to re- Sassoon hospital, where he was declared de- Barma’s family approached the local poli-
ly in Madhya Maharashtra, Vi- temperature may expose them He said people walking in ach the station. PCMC will be- ad. “The post-mortem revealed that he died ce for travel permission but were unable to
darbha and Marathwada, re- to the risk of heat stroke, if they the sun may be exposed to such ar the expenditure of the bu- of multiple-organ failure,” Kuvar said. secure it, as the Karnataka-Maharashtra
corded day temperatures above do not take proper precautions, dangers if they do not take pre- ses.” “We contacted his family members — border was sealed. “We then sought the per-
40°C, including at Pune, Lohe- said Dileep Mavalankar, direc- cautions. He added that condi- He said the migrants who who reached their native place — to return to mission of the family members and perfor-
gaon, Parbhani, Nanded, Ako- tor of the Indian Institute of tions related to kidney stones as applied for permission to tra- Pune and take back his remains. We had pre- med his last rites with the help of the Pune
la, Amravati, Buldhana and Public Health Gandhinagar. well as conjunctivitis can also vel would be intimated about served the body in the mortuary for three da- Municipal Corporation authorities on Wed-
Chandrapur. “In case of migrant wor- occur due to high heat outdo- availability of the train 8 ho- ys,” he said. nesday,” Kuvar added.
Migrant workers walking kers, who are used to high tem- ors. urs before its departure.
 SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020 TIMES NATION | Virus Watch 5

How Kerala contained

NIA arrests
‘narco terrorist’ AJL case: ED attaches
Covid-19 in 100 days
with Pak links
New Delhi: After being on the
run for nearly a year, the Nation-
part of Mum building
al Investigation Agency (NIA) TIMES NEWS NETWORK plot in Panchkula, Haryana process of illegal possession
on Saturday nabbed Ranjit in which Congress members of crime proceeds i.e.. the
The state completes 100 days since reporting the country’s first Singh, a “notorious narco ter- New Delhi: The Enforce- Motilal Vora, former CM of (Panchkula) property which
Covid-19 case. As on May 9, its growth rate of new infections was rorist”, from Sirsa as he was act- ment Directorate (ED) has Madhya Pradesh who for was provisionally at-
0.1% — the lowest among all states that have crossed 500 cases ing as a conduit of Pakistan- attached a nine-story build- long served as party treasur- tached,” ED said in its at-
based terror groups in pushing ing in Bandra, Mumbai be- er, and B S Hooda, former Ha- tachment order.
7-DAY AVG GROWTH drugs into India, the proceeds of longing to Associated Jour- ryana CM, are accused. “The said asset at Mum-
1 RATE IN STATES THAT 2 The best model to contain the outbreak? which were used for terror activ- nals Ltd (AJL), an entity The Bandra building was bai germinated out of pro-
HAVE REPORTED OVER Even compared to countries with similar populations, Kerala ities. The NIA, along with the now owned by the Young In- constructed by AJL with a ceeds of crime and has been
500 CASES AS OF MAY 9 has done remarkably well in controlling the virus transmission Punjab and Haryana police, ar- dian in which Congress bank loan availed from Syn- attached to the extent of Rs
rested Singh alias Cheeta, a resi- working president Sonia dicate Bank mortgaging the 16.38 crore. Further investi-
0.1 KERALA POPULATION IN CR CASES dent of Amritsar, in an intelli- Gandhi and her two children Panchkula property. gation is going on,” the En-
gence-based operation, the agen- Rahul and Priyanka have While Vora is chairman forcement Directorate said.
CANADA 3.8 67,674
1.0 TELANGANA cy said. majority stakes. and managing director of Young Indian was incor-
KERALA 3.5 503 The NIA said that an investi- The ED order is- AJL, Hooda has porated in November 2010,
gation into a drug case had led to sued on Friday is for been made an ac- and three months later, the
2.8 BIHAR PERU 3.3 61,847 the revelation that Pakistan- the attachment of cused for illegally new entity acquired 99%
MALAYSIA 3.2 6,535 based terrorist organisations the portions worth allotting the Panch- shares of AJL which owned

AUSTRALIA 2.5 6,927 Understanding were using narcotic trade to gen-

erate funds for terror activities
Rs 16 crore of the
AJL building which
kula plot anew in
2005 to AJL. The
property across India worth
over Rs 414 crore, according
3.0 MP the Kerala model
SRI LANKA 2.1 835 in India. AGENCIES has been valued at Rs plot was taken back to an income tax assessment
Infection rate is a function of 160 crore. AJL used from AJL because order passed earlier. The
ECUADOR 1.8 28,818
3.1 ANDHRA NETHERLANDS 1.7 42,292
isolation, testing and tracing
KERALA MODEL Even during
CBI files FIR, to bring out National Motilal Vohra
Herald and other
mouthpieces of Congress.
of its failure to com-
ply with the condi-
tions, an action that was up-
Gandhis have moved Su-
preme Court against the I-T
order seeking to reopen the

3.3 KARNATAKA 3 Smart testing

the start of the outbreak,
many susceptible people
defaulters may ED’s action stems from a held by the court.
case it registered under the “Investigation under
I-T returns of Sonia Gandhi
and Rahul Gandhi to reas-
4,033
3,000 The state used testing optimally. The
number of samples tested per day never
TESTS
MAY 2
were isolated. Those with
symptoms were tested and have fled India Prevention of Money Laun- PMLA revealed that Moti Lal
dering Act (PMLA) regard- Vora and Bhupinder Singh
ing illegal acquisition of a Hooda were involved in the
sess their income in view of
the Young Indian taking
over AJL and all its assets.
crossed 1,000 till the end of April and hence lower number of
3.7 J&K the beginning of May. Average number tests were needed New Delhi: Three promoters of
2,000 266 Ram Dev International, recent-
of tests per day after active cases DURING LOCKDOWN
3.9 UP
crossed 100 has been 687. Only on
four of the 100 days were more
ACTIVE
CASES
APRIL 6
(likely to be implemented
during peak infection rate)
ly booked by the CBI for alleged-
ly cheating a consortium of six
banks to the tune of Rs 411crore, India rejects Nepal’s Vizag villagers
demand closure
1,000
than 1,000 tests conducted have already fled the country be-
Isolation > Testing + Tracing

protest against new

fore the State Bank of India reac-
KERALA MODEL There were
4.3 RAJASTHAN
0
JAN 30 MAY 8
several 100 people put in
isolation per active case
hed the agency with the com-
plaint, officials said on Saturday. of ‘killer’ plant
`411 CRORE SCAM
Lipulekh link road
Siva G & Nalla Babu
6.6 GUJARAT AFTER LOCKDOWN
4 Effective isolation At the peak, a total of (yet to come) The CBI had recently booked Visakhapatnam: Hundreds of
At the peak of the outbreak (April Testing + Tracing > Isolation the company engaged in export villagers on Saturday staged a pro-

7.5 MAHARASTHRA
first week), there were about 550 1.7 lakh KERALA MODEL Tests per day
of Basmati rice to the West
Asian and European countries
Indrani.Bagchi
@timesgroup.com
test outside the main gate of LG
Polymers at Visakhapatnam de-
people under isolation for every people were under
is many times the number of and its directors Naresh Kumar, manding that the unit either be
active case. When cases were over isolation. Even now,
active cases. Thousands still Suresh Kumar and Sangita on New Delhi: As Nepal re- moved away from RR Venkatapur-
200, between 550 and 750 people with just 16 active cases,
under isolation, but that will the basis of complaint from the sponded with alarm and an- am village or be shut. Styrene va-
7.8 DELHI were under isolation for every case over 20,000 are isolated
drop significantly once they State Bank of India, which suf- ger to India building a link pours had leaked from the unit’s
HOME ISOLATION AS % complete protocol and tests fered the loss of more than Rs173 road to Lipulekh, which storage tanks on May 7, leading to
2,276 100%
OF TOTAL ISOLATION crore, they said. CBI did not car- was inaugurated by defence the death of 12 people.
ISOLATED ry out searches due to the lock- minister Rajnath Singh,
8.7 HARYANA
2,000
PERSONS PER
ACTIVE CASE 5 Hospitals never down, the officials said. AGENCIES New Delhi said the road
“lies completely within the LG Polymers
FEB 2 50 More than 9 in overwhelmed
11.3 WEST BENGAL 1,500
10 persons were
isolated at home At its peak, In clip, Hizb territory of India. The road
follows the pre-existing People shout slogans as they confirms leak
only 816 route used by the pilgrims are detained during a protest

1,000
0

FEB 2 MAY 8
people were APRIL 11 chief mourns of the Kailash Mansarovar
Yatra. Under the present
against the building of a link
road to Lipulekh by India, in
L G Polymers India Pvt Ltd on
Saturday confirmed a
leakage of vapour from a sty-
hospitalised; the
12.2 PUNJAB
Between Feb 20
health system
was never
Naikoo’s death project, the same road has
been made pliable for con-
venience of pilgrims, locals
Kathmandu on Saturday

tablished mechanism to deal

rene monomer storage tank at
its facility on May 7. “We are
500
and March 8 overburdened happy to confirm the st-
there were no New Delhi: In a recent video and traders”. with boundary matters. The atus-quo at the plant is brought
active cases,
250
from Pakistan Occupied Kash- In a strongly worded boundary delineation exer- under control this morning,” it
13.2 TAMIL NADU 0
hence the gap
mir, Hizbul Mujahideen chief statement on Saturday, the cise with Nepal is ongoing.
JAN 30
said in a statement. TNN
MAY 8 ACTIVE Syed Salahuddin was seen hold- Nepal government asked In- India is committed to resolv-
HOSPITALISATIONS
Research: Atul Thakur & Rema Nagarajan | Graphics: Sajeev Kumarapuram ing a condolence meet for Hizbul dia to “refrain from carrying ing outstanding boundary is-
Sources: Kerala govt, Johns Hopkins, UN Population, popper.ai JAN 30 MAY 8 terrorist Riyaz Naikoo, who was out any activity inside the sues through diplomatic dia- They brought with them bod-
killed by Indian security forces territory of Nepal”. Accord- logue and in the spirit of our ies of three victims, all residents of
in Kashmir on May 5. ing to Nepali media reports, close and friendly bilateral the village, and said they would

Driver stops
104 Keralites die of Covid
In the video, Salahuddin can
be seen lamenting the loss Riyaz
Naikoo, who was appointed Hiz-
train, saves bul commander in J&K and
claimed responsibility for the
lives in WB
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
abroad, but only 4 in state
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
terror attack in Handwara. Syed
Salahuddin’s admission on cam-
era is significant as it seemed to
have contradicted the urgent
Nalhati (Birbhum): A major Kerala active cases at 17 as 2 from UAE +ve pleas made by Pakistan’s PM Im-
foreign secretary Shankar
Das Bairagi complained to
Indian ambassador Vinay
Kwatra, while foreign minis-
ter Pradeep Gyawali told
journalists in Kathmandu he
would respond. India said it
would schedule foreign sec-
retary-level talks with Nepal
after the Covid emergency
relations with Nepal,” the
ministry of external affairs
said. Lipulekh is seen by
India as a tri-junction be-
tween India, Nepal and
China. Lying at the north-
western edge of Nepal , the
Himalayan country though
has not accepted it as such
and claims the southern end
not complete the final rites until
the government announced the
unit closed. The victims’ relatives
too joined the protest and said they
had rejected the Andhra govern-
ment’s Rs 1 crore compensation,
they said. The villagers also tried
to stop DGP Gautam Sawang, who
was visiting the plant. Tempers
ran high and the police had to cor-

O T
train tragedy was averted in ver 100 Keralites have
West Bengal’s Nalhati on Fri- died from Covid
day night when an alert train abroad while only four
driver spotted migrant wor- have died in Kerala.
wo expatriates flown back to Kerala from the UAE on Thursday ran Khan of a “false flag oper- was over. of the pass. don off the plant to stop the villag-
tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. They have been ation” by India. AGENCIES “India and Nepal have es- Full report on www.toi.in ers from entering it.
admitted to Covid hospitals in Kochi and Kozhikode while all their
co-passengers have been put under surveillance. “It’s a worrisome

Contest on for 9 seats as Pardeshi on

kers walking on the tracks and
braked in time.
The group was part of aro-
und 45 farm labourers who had
left Burdwan on Wednesday for
their homes in Jharkhand and
Malda. They split themselves
into groups, with each group
reaching Birbhum’s Tarapith
on Friday morning by hitching
rides on goods vehicles. Once
in Tarapith, they started wal-
king along the railway tracks
and reached Nalhati at night.
Around 9.30 pm, when 20 of
them were walking along the
tracks on a bridge over the ri-
ver Bramhani, the train in-
spection van driver, approa-
ching from the opposite direc-
tion, spotted them and applied
the emergency brakes.
Sources in the Eastern Rail-
way zone said in Kolkata on Sa-
turday that it was fortunate
that the engineering & inspec-
tion car was moving slowly and
stopped in time. The 20 workers
are sheltered in the Nalhati
BDO’s office and efforts are on
to send them to Jharkhand sa-
fely, officials said.
As the number of deaths
in other countries started in-
ching up, the desperation of
Malayalis abroad to get back
home increased.
On May 8, the number of
Keralites who died of Co-
vid-19 abroad rose to 104. Less
than two weeks back, this
number was 53. Of the 104,
the Gulf countries account
for 42, the US for 37 and the
UK for seven, while the re-
maining are scattered across
Europe and other countries.
Most of the deaths in the US
are from New York.
Kerala’s success in hand-
ling Covid-19 has eclipsed
those of several first world
countries to which Malayalis
had flown looking for better
paying jobs and opportuni-
ties. As the health systems
and hospitals of countries
like the US, the UK and Gulf
countries tottered from the
rush of Covid cases, non-res-
ident Keralites (NRKs) start-
ed calling up the Kerala chief
minister seeking help.
NRKs complained of
development but we had been anticipating the same and are
prepared to handle it,” CM Pinarayi Vijayan said
at his daily news conference. One more person
recovered from the infection on Saturday. Till
date, 505 Covid cases have been reported in the 14-day leave
state; of these, 17 are under treatment. As many
as 123 persons with Covid symptoms were
admitted to hospitals on Saturday. Vijayan said
Cong names 2 candidates after getting
there would be no compromise in tracking the health condition of
expatriates reaching the state. He said the government was in talks
with Indian Railways for evacuation of Keralites stranded in other
Prafulla.Marpakwar
@timesgroup.com
trict Congress chief Rajkisho-
re Modi as its nominees. “I am
ew that the Congress should
contest only one seat on the ba-
transfer jolt
states. “The first such train service will be operated from Delhi. The sure both Rathod and Modi will sis of its strength, Thorat took Mumbai: A day after IAS offi-
date will be announced later. As decided earlier, students will be Mumbai: The Shiv Sena’s plan win,” Thorat said. the view that if the combined cer Praveen Pardeshi was
given priority for travel. Help desks will be set up for registration at to ensure unopposed elections Significantly, while Rat- strength of the ruling Maha Vi- transferred abruptly from the
Kerala Houses in Delhi and Mumbai and Norka offices in Chennai to nine seats of the state legisla- hod’s name was declared by kas Aghadi were to be taken in- post of the municipal commis-
and Bengaluru,” he said. TNN tive council, which chief mini- AICC general secretary Mukul to consideration, it should not sioner, he proceeded on leave
ster Uddhav Thackeray is con- Wasnik, Modi’s candidature be difficult for the Congress to for 14 days on Saturday.
overwhelmed hospitals re- tions with doctors in Kerala testing, may not succeed as the was announced by Thorat. win the second seat. Officials from the general
fusing to take in patients and for Malayalis abroad. Congress on Saturday decided Ever since the Election Since the Congress has fiel- administration department
of doctors not being availa- As international media to contest two seats instead of Commission declared the elec- ded a second candidate, it now (GAD) said that Pardeshi appli-
ble for consultation. In the started featuring Kerala’s one. tion schedule, with polling to appears that the candidates wo- ed for the leave citing a family
case of Malayalis in the Gulf, success in dealing with It had been proposed that be held on May 21, the Sena’s uld not be elected unopposed. emergency. He informed the
many were just too poor to af- coronavirus, the clamour of the Congress would contest plan was to ensure that the elec- “We feel that better sense will GAD that he had taken charge
ford expensive hospital care NRKs to return home one seat, the NCP 2, Shiv Sena 2 tions are held unopposed so prevail and Congress will with- of his new posting as the addi-
in those countries. grew stronger. As Kerala and BJP 4. If that were to hap- draw one of its candidates so tional chief secretary of the ur-
In response to the de- starts receiving Malayalis pen, the elections would have MAHA MLC POLLS that the elections are held ban development department.
mands of NRKs, the CM, at from abroad with the re- been unopposed as there would unopposed,” a senior NCP mi- Additional chief secretary (ur-
the beginning of April, had sumption of flights, Malaya- have been nine candidates for that it would be smooth sailing nister said. There is time to ban development) Iqbal Singh
announced that NORKA (de- lis from different states in In- nine seats. The 288-member for Thackeray, who is not a withdraw nominations until Chahal replaced Pardeshi in
partment of non-resident dia are now demanding that state assembly forms the elec- member of either house of the May 14. the BMC.
Keralite Affairs) would set they too be allowed to get toral college for the polls, and a legislature. The NCP has fielded Shas- Speaking on condition of
up audio and video consulta- back at the earliest. candidate needs 29 votes to win. Accordingly, several ro- hikant Shinde and Amol Mit- anonymity, officials said the ri-
The Congress has 44 MLAs. unds of talks were held with kari for these elections, while sing number of Covid-19 cases
Revenue minister and state NCP president Sharad Pawar, the BJP has nominated Prave- in the city, the observations of

BMC to add 1,200 ANTIVIRUS Congress president Balasaheb

Thorat tweeted on Saturday
that the Congress would con-
COVID-19 HAS BECOME AN INFODEMIC OF FAKE NEWS ON
test two seats, with Jalna-based
deputy chief minister Ajit Pa-
war, Sena’s Anil Parab and
Congress’ Thorat, but there
was no consensus on the mat-
en Datke, Ajit Gopchade, Gopi-
chand Padalkar and Ranjeet
Mohite Patil. The Sena has no-
the central team here to moni-
tor the fight against the novel
coronavirus, and the mismana-
minated Thackeray and Nee- gement in municipal hospitals

beds after viral clips

Sumitra.DebRoy
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Staring at a require-
ment of at least 1,200 critical-ca-
re beds in the city in the next do-
ents waiting on wheelchairs, a
few lying on the floor and even a
body in the middle of the ward.
An expert said that with the
current doubling rate, the city
could have almost 24,000 cases
SOCIAL MEDIA. TOI HELPS YOU ZAP THE TRENDING LIES
Rajesh Rathod and Beed dis- ter. While the NCP took the vi- lam Gorhe. caused his exit. TNN
NYC funeral home video used to target Muslims
A false rumour about a New York funeral home has gone viral on
social media. AFP Fact Check reports that a 3.5-minute video clip
shot at a Brooklyn mortuary named ‘Islamic International Three more states notify 12-hr work days
Funeral Services’ has been circulated with the claim
that it’s an apartment where members of a New York- TIMES NEWS NETWORK from industry bodies and em- tained 130 years ago after a long ka relaxes labour norms, they
based Islamic group stayed. They allegedly defied ployers’ unions for longer work struggle. Citu’s D L Karad said would challenge the decision in

zen days, the BMC is racing aga-
inst time to ramp up its strength
in the tertiary and peripheral
hospitals. From the current co-
unt of nearly 500 ICU and 3,000
oxygen-support beds, the plan is
to increase the numbers to bet-
ween 4,700 and 5,000.
Another video emerged on
Saturday, purportedly from
Sion Hospital, showing a bed be-
ing shared by two patients, so-
me receiving oxygen support
sitting on the floor and relatives
teeming inside the emergency
ward filled with Covid-19 pati-
ents. A similar clip from KEM
Hospital in Parel showed pati-
in the next 10 or so days. “Statis-
tically, at least 5% of them will
need critical care beds, which
means the city needs a mini-
mum of 1,200 of those, in addi-
tion to the existing count of
3,500,” he said.
Additional municipal com-
missioner Suresh Kakani said
they were creating up to 40,000
beds with oxygen support on a
war footing in quarantine facili-
ties. “The plan is to create 25,000
more in the coming weeks. We
are not restricting such beds to
hospitals, but even quarantine
centres would have oxygen sup-
port beds,” he said.
M
physical-distancing guidelines and became sick with the aharashtra relaxed la-
new coronavirus. The body bags seen in the video are said to con- bour laws under the
tain the corpses of some of them. However, a spokesperson for the Factories Act of 1948
funeral home told AFP they were bodies of Covid-19 victims from and approved 12-hour daily
different faiths, including Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, and they had work shifts (four hours more
than the current 8 hours daily)
been stored there due to the rising Covid death toll in the city.
till the end of next month on
Going veg won’t protect you from Covid-19 Saturday, a day after Odisha and
Goa did the same for a period of
T he coronavirus crossed over from another animal to humans,
but going vegetarian doesn’t guarantee protection
from it. For almost two months now, social media
three months due to the novel
coronavirus pandemic. All
three states said the workers
posts originating in India have spread the lie that no would be paid overtime for the
vegetarian has contacted Covid-19. However, India extra hours.
representatives of both the WHO and the IMA have The move, which means
clarified that there is no medical evidence linking a non- workers can be asked legally to
vegetarian diet to a higher Covid-19 risk. work four extra hours every day,
came after representations
hours to make up lost time and
production and to restart the
economy. Uttar Pradesh, Mad-
hya Pradesh and Gujarat had al-
ready extended daily working
hours in the past two days.
In Maharashtra, the cap on
working hours was relaxed sub-
ject to the condition that work-
ers are paid double for the extra
hours as well as a weekly limit
of 60 hours and a stipulation
that they cannot be allowed to
work all seven days.
The CPM-affiliated Centre
of Indian Trade Unions has op-
posed the move, saying the right
to work only eight hours was ob-
past experiences show that in
small and medium enterprises
labourers are never paid double
for extra hours. “This is being
done under pressure from cor-
porates and big business
houses who want to restructure
their enterprises,” he said. Citu
said it will approach the courts.
Karnataka, too, was plan-
ning to do so and said it would
work with industry associ-
ations and workers' unions to
arrive at amicable solutions on
the number of working hours
and wage arrears. But workers’
unions in the state, like AICC-
TU and INTUC, said if Karnata-
the Supreme Court.
“No adult worker shall be al-
lowed/required to work in a fac-
tory for more than 12 hours in
any day and 72 hours in any
week,” a notification by Odisha
Labour and Employees’ State
Insurance Department said. It
added that the work would be
structured so that no work peri-
od would exceed 6 hours and no
worker would work for more
than six hours before a half-
hour rest. Goa relaxed some
provisions of the Factories Act
and extended working hours in
factories to 12 hours.
Full report on www.toi.in
66
15 arrested as
migrant unrest
spreads in Guj
Yagnesh.Mehta
@timesgroup.com
Surat: Migrant unrest spread
to the industrial belt of Hazi-
ra, in Gujarat, on Saturday af-
ter a large number of labour-
ers came out onto the roads
and pelted the police with
stones.
The police lobbed six tear-
gas shells and resorted to a
lathicharge to disperse the
migrants who were demand-
ing transport back to their na-
tive states. For the past couple
of days, migrants have been
gathering in groups in Mora
to press their demand.
Fifteen migrant workers
were arrested and over 100 de-
tained for rioting. “We identi-
fied those arrested and de-
tained from CCTV footage,”
said ACP A K Verma. “A ju-
nior government officer in
Mora announced that trains
for migrants are being can-
celled due to multiple reasons.
Following this announce-
ment, the workers feared they
wouldn’t be able to return,” a
top police officer told TOI.
Labour unions:
Double wages
are never paid
Continued from Page 1
A
Anbalgan, chief executi-
ve officer, MIDC said till
Saturday, 55,905 had self-
certified to resume operations.
Of these 30,115 units have star-
ted operations with eight lakh
workers. The requirement is
for 13.9 lakh workers.
Centre of Indian Trade
Unions opposed the govern-
ment’s move saying the right to
work only eight hours was obta-
ined 130 years ago after a long
struggle. Labour leader D L Ka-
rad said past experiences show
that in small and medium en-
terprises labourers are never
paid double wages for the extra
hours. CITU will approach the
courts, said Shubha Shamim,
divisional secretary.
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‘Lockdown till May 31
can stall pandemic’
India Would’ve
Had 171m Cases
Without First 2
Phases: Study
New Delhi: A possible
maximum of three million
people will be infected by
October if the ongoing
third
phase of lockdown till May
17 is “implemented with
full vigour” but the absen-
ce of the two lockdowns
may have seen a projected
maximum that would be as
high as a staggering 171
million cases, a study of
the Mumbai-based Inter-
national Institute for Po-
pulation Sciences has said.
The study makes its
projections while noting
that the lockdown has suc-
ceeded in significantly re-
ducing the burden of infec-
tions in India. The analysis
shows that if the ongoing
third phase is implemen-
ted effectively and the lock-
down is extended until
May 24 the reproduction
rate is likely to become less
than one (0.975) and if furt-
her extended till May 31,
the RO will be 0.945. In this
scenario, the Covid-19 pan-
demic may begin to recede
and infected cases shall
start to decline and less
than 0.01% (0.14 million) of
the India’s population is
likely to be infected by July
2020.
“These estimates clear-
ly suggest that the two lock-
downs have played a key ro-
le in reducing the number
of (maximum projected)
peak infections by about
140 million,” said Profes-
sor Abhishek Singh from
IIPS.
However, if the third
phase does not deliver re-
quisite results and the RO
of infections remains at
what it was in the second
TIME S S
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TIMES NATION| Virus Watch
TIMES NATION
SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020
SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020
Two migrant
women give
Union home min, Bengal
birth on
special trains
govt spar over migrants
TIMES NEWS NETWORK Railways said after Shah’s
Agra/Bareilly: There was so-
me hope in the time of Covid de- New Delhi: Tensions between
letter, Bengal approved three
trains from Karnataka, two
spair among migrant workers
travelling on Shramik special
the Centre and the West Beng-
al government flared again
each from Punjab and Tamil
Nadu and one from Telangana,
trains and passing through Ut-
tar Pradesh. Two women mig-
with home minister Amit
Shah writing to CM Mamata
which are being arranged.
“However, WB has not appro-
rant workers gave birth while
travelling on separate trains on
Banerjee pointing out the sta-
te’s failure to make arrange-
CM Mamata Banerjee-led TMC
says that Amit Shah’s allega-
ved any train from Maharash-
tra, while there is a require-
Saturday. ments for the return of mig- tions about Bengal’s response to ment of 16 trains to WB and six
Most of these labourers ha- rant workers from the state the return of migrants are false requests are pending”.
ve been left without work and and Trinamool responding by TMC responded, with RS
are making desperate attempts accusing Shah of spreading state. Late on Saturday, the ra- member Derek O’Brien say-
to reach home during the pro- lies. ilway ministry tweeted that ing, “Retract or apologise. It is
longed Covid-19 lockdown. As Shah said while migrants Railways has so far run more part of home minister’s DNA
soon as one of the Bihar-bound from Bengal working in other than 300 trains for states like to play politics during a natio-
special trains reached Agra states are anxious to return ho- UP, Bihar, Odisha and MP but nal epidemic.” He cited letters
Fort station, a doctor along with me and the Centre and states from Bengal till Saturday mo- written by state chief secreta-
team of railway staff helped a where they are stranded have rning “we had received appro- ry Rajiva Sinha from May 3-7 to
Stranded students from J&K undergo thermal screening before worker give birth to a baby girl made arrangements, inclu- val for only 2 Shramik special other states for arranging mig-
leaving for their native places, in Bhopal on Saturday inside a train coach. The wo- ding trains to send them back, trains- 1 from Ajmer Sharif & rant workers’ return.
man, identified as Mamta Ya- there is no response from the other from Ernakulam”. Full report on www.toi.in
dav, was on Jamnagar-Muzaf-
15 districts account for 64% of Covid-19 farpur Shramik express.
cases in country, says Niti Aayog CEO
Only 1.5% of 1.3L Severity of cases
“The coach in which the wo-
man was travelling was made
F ifteen districts are contributing 64% of the Covid-19 cases in
the country and out of these five account for 50% of the
empty, and a team of doctors
conducted the delivery. Both the to be decided by
cases, according to Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. These five
districts include Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and
Chennai. All of Delhi and all of Mumbai have been considered
as a district each for the purpose of the study.
baby girl and the woman were
healthy and safe,” S K Shrivas-
tav, divisional commercial ma-
nager of Agra division, said.
Covid beds used oxygen saturation
Continued from Page 1
“These five cities are critical for India. States must There was a similar story on Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com tive villages, the government
strengthen containment strategies and undertake rigorous
testing and contact tracing,” Kant said. Of these, five highest
board Akbarpur-bound Shra-
mik express. Subhadra, a 30-ye- New Delhi: Less than 1.5% of
does not want to rush to
change its plans and is likely T he Union health ministry,
outlining its revised dis-
contributors are Mumbai (17%), Delhi (11.3%), Ahmedabad ar-old migrant worker, gave over 1.30 lakh hospital beds to wait to see if there is a signi- charge policy, said, “Mild/very
(9.8%), Chennai (5%) and Pune (3.4%), an analysis by the
government think tank has shown. TNN
birth to a healthy baby boy. Sub-
hadra was with her husband
earmarked for Covid-19 pati-
ents across the country are
ficant increase in the number
of cases.
mild/pre-symptomatic cases ad-
mitted to a Covid care facility
phase , then the number of across all the states by
Durgesh. Railway officials said
that the couple had boarded the
currently being utilised and
this could see, depending on
In dedicated hospitals,
99,000 beds have oxygen sup-
will undergo regular temperatu-
re and pulse oximetry monito-
people estimated to be in- April 2020. As on May 5, train at Jalandhar. After suc- trajectory of cases, a review port and 35,000 are in ICUs. ring. The patient can be dischar-
fected with Covid-19 could 2020, the total number of cessful delivery, doctors exami- of hospital preparedness While most of the capacity is ged after 10 days of symptom on-
go up to a high 20 million by active cases was 32,138, cu- ned the woman and newborn plans that might free up some in the public sector, around set and no fever for 3 days. There
October. red and discharged were and allowed them to leave. beds for non-Covid care, 10% of the beds are in private will be no need for testing prior
These are the findings 12,726, deaths were 1,568, Rekha Sharma, senior divi- which has suffered in the last hospitals, mostly in metros. to discharge. At the time of dis-
of a study on the future pro- and one person had migra- sional commercial manager few months. At present, there are around charge, the patient will be advi-
jections of Covid-19 infec- ted. (SDCM) of Northern Railways, “Our hospitals are not 970 Covid-only hospitals for sed to follow home isolation for
tions in India based on RO However, Covid-19 case Moradabad division, said that overwhelmed as we have comprehensive treatment of further 7 days as per guidelines.”
of infections till May 3. In recovery rate in India is a the railway protection force stepped up capacity during severe and critical patients. Moderate cases have been ca-
the study steered by resear- matter of concern as it is (RPF), deployed in Shramik the lockdown. Most cases are Besides, there are around tegorised as those whose symp-
chers at the department of comparatively very low. special train, had informed mild and very few require 2,300 Covid health centres – toms resolve within 3 days and
public health and mortali- This may be due to the ear- them before the train arrived in hospitalisation. At present, either full hospitals or ded- where patients maintain oxygen
ty studies at IIPS, it is poin- ly stage of the infection in Moradabad. It reached at 6:10 only 1,000 to 2,000 beds are ut- icated blocks with oxygen saturation above 95% for the
ted that the strategy of the country. However, the am. “Our medical team led by ilised out of over 1.30 lakh support for clinically mod- next 4 days. “If the fever resolves
lockdown has contributed researchers point that the Dr Piyush Rana was fully pre- beds earmarked with ICU erate patients. within 3 days and the patient ma-
in flattening the curve of government must take me- pared for the task. The team and oxygen support (which “We are watching the situ- intains saturation above 95% for
infection and is also likely asures to try to push the ca- suggested that they stay here at are a larger proportion),” a se- ation very closely. A decision the next 4 days (without oxygen
to reduce the burden of in- se recovery rate, in the ab- railway hospital, but they just nior official said. on escalation or de-escalation support), such patient will be
fection tremendously in sence of which the chance wanted to reach home. Since However, with the pro- will be centered around utili- discharged after10 days of symp-
India. of re-occurrence of infec- doctors were satisfied with the gress of the third phase of sation. I think we will wait for tom onset in case of absence of fe-
Covid-19 infection star- tion is very high. health of mother and newborn, lockdown along with relaxa- some time and take a call on ver without anti-pyretics, reso-
ted in India by the end of Ja- Full report on they allowed them to go,” the tions and movement of mig- this by end of this month,” lution of breathlessness, no oxy-
nuary 2020 and spread www.toi.in SDCM added. rant workers back to their na- the official told TOI. gen requirement.
[mate
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TIMES inter 0
Two expats flown to
call
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o1 bmvv Jby I',eAdOx
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Full report on www.toi.in
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r took to twitter to pray for my death. I
did not deem it necessary to issue
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my preoccupation with my job as
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reputed Institute. Lives in Pune. Parents are
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T
SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020 TIMES NATION | Virus Watch 7

Job anxiety is natural but live in 3,500 fly back in 3 days, PMO
the present instead of worrying monitors Vande Bharat ops PTI

To help readers cope with their corona anxieties, The Times of India has
launched Talk it Out, a new series under which our panel of expert
counsellors will answer your mental health queries. This week’s advice
comes from mental health expert and life skills coach Dr Jitendra Nagpal
I am 50 and work at a senior position in
the marketing division of a company. I am
not that qualified but reached the top by
dint of hard work. I fear that I may lose
my job in this Covid phase, and at this age
I won’t get any work. Even if I get some-
thing, the salary will be too low. How can
I manage the stress?
— Anonymous
Your apprehension is expected and
understandable but hard work never
goes waste and your organisation has
already proved that it values you. You
are worrying about something that
hasn’t happened yet. You have seen
your achievements in the past and
shared that with your diligent efforts
you have reached the top. This means
you have the potential and that’s what
matters the most. You just need to con-
tinue with the same zeal when you join
back. You can utilise this lockdown to
enrich your skills. Stay connected and
keep communicating with your family,
friends and colleagues, which will
make you feel better. Since you have a
job in hand, I suggest you live in the
present moment. When you live in the
past or the future, you aren’t able to
make things happen in the present.
I recently graduated from a US university
and got a job in Texas. I did not know that
Covid-19 would become a global crisis or
else I would have returned to Mumbai. Now
I am stranded. Business is down and there’s
a possibility that my company will lay us
off. I am living here by myself, mentally
stressed and depressed. Video calls are not
helping, I have no one to go and meet. I mail
the embassy and DGCA to help us fly back
home every day. I am ready to isolate myself
for 14 days because it’s better than being
tigious universities. Engage in leisure
activities or pursue a new hobby. Seek
tele-counselling by a mental health pro-
fessional if you are unable to cope with
the situation.
I am 22. Due to the lockdown, I sleep at
6am and wake up at 3pm. I am unable to
get proper sleep. What should I do?
—Sarath
Though sleep is affected by many
factors, it is important to remember
how commonly our mood, anxiety, wor-
Getty Images
yoga and muscle relaxation exercises
will also help. If you still feel seriously
concerned, seek therapy.
I have a small cake shop with multicul-
tural staff. Ever since the lockdown, it’s
been difficult to convince them that work
will start soon. Despite the extended lock-
down, I have managed to settle their cur-
rent wages. Since my city is in the red
zone, chances of resuming work do not
look favourable. I am wondering how will
I manage to look after them without open-
ing the store. Some of them are migrant
workers and I take care of their stay by
paying their rent. I am seeking advice to
help me with ways to stabilise their men-
tal health during these trying times.
— Richard Borges
8 Flights Land On 60 elderly in 1st
Saturday, Equal Vande flight
Number Set To from Malaysia
Fly In Today Aradhana Takhtani
Sachin.Parashar Kuala Lumpur: Day 3 of
@timesgroup.com Vande Bharat Mission, world’s
largest repatriation pro-
New Delhi: Around 3,500 In- Officials check documents of an Indian national who arrived by an Air gramme launched by India to
dians stranded abroad had India flight from Dubai, at Chennai airport on Saturday rescue stranded citizens in vari-
been flown into India until ous countries, saw the maiden
the wee hours on Sunday as from departure to destina- turn. rescue flight Air India Express
India’s Vande Bharat Mis- tion and beyond. “All states The government is using take off from Kuala Lumpur for
sion motored ahead under have arranged very efficient an online platform created by Trichy with 177 passengers on
what official sources de- reception and health scan- MEA, on which requests re- board.
scribed as regular high-level ning facilities before quaran- ceived by Indian missions This first flight from Malay-
oversight. While eight flights tine. Great relief for many to from those wishing to return sia after travel restrictions were
landed across India on Satur- be back home,” said a source. are being uploaded. The plat- announced on March 17, includ-
day — Day 3 of the operation An additional 1,800-2,000 peo- form has not been made ac- ed 60 elderly citizens, 4 persons
— an equal number was ex- ple were being brought back cessible for all because of pri- with medical conditions, 14
pected on Sunday. by two Indian naval ships vacy issues. pregnant women, 8 children
Principal secretary to PM from the Maldives. A total number of 64 and 2 infants. According to a se-
P K Mishra held a meeting Five of the flights which flights carrying approxi- nior Indian embassy official,
Saturday with top govern- returned with Indians on mately 15,000 returnees from the tourists, migrant labourers
ment officials to review the Saturday were from the Gulf 12 countries will land at 14 and students were given a prior-
situation, sources said. The region. Four more from the airports across India during ity while planning the evacua-
meeting was attended by cab- Gulf are scheduled for Sun- the first week of the Mission. tion schedule for Malaysia.
inet secretary Rajiv Gauba, day. Apart from Gulf, repa- Two Indians who landed in The renewed India Malay-
foreign secretary Harsh triation flights over the Kerala in separate flights sia friendship too was in full dis-
Shringla, Union home secre- weekend have been mostly from Dubai and Abu Dhabi play at the KL International air-
tary Ajay Bhalla and civil from London, Singapore, tested positive for Covid. port as the passengers were
aviation secretary P S Kharo- Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka. Of all the flights in the seen off by the speaker of Ma-
la. The government is looking to first week, as many as 27 will laysian senate and MIC Presi-
Official sources said the expand the Mission to Eu- be from the Gulf. From the dent, Tan Sri Vigneswaran and
operation had been conduct- rope and central Asian coun- neighbourhood, seven Malaysia’s minister of human
ed smoothly so far with offi- tries next week as many Indi- flights are scheduled from resources, Sarvanan Murugan.
cials tracking each flight ans there registered to re- Bangladesh. Full report on www.toi.in
Per day e-ways
bills double in
ICICI Bank net TOI dominates
Pune, Mumbai,
three weeks
Continued from Page 1
profit rises 26% leads HT by 2.9L
in Delhi-NCR
TIMES NEWS NETWORK office to Mumbai was taken
Continued from Page 1

C
Richard, it’s great to be thoughtful onstruction activities because most of the bank’s
isolated in another country away from fam- WANT SOME ADVICE? towards your employees. Keep them are yet to pick up due to Mumbai: ICICI Bank has shareholders are from

ily. This mental stress is killing me.
— Anonymous Indian student
stranded abroad
On a global scale, this situation is
unprecedented, and it is natural to feel
confused. You need to keep talking to
your colleagues to know how they are
coping. Stay connected to your family
in India and keep yourself updated
with any options opening up for people
who want to come back. Social connect-
edness improves our chances of show-
ing resilience in a stressful situation.
You may focus on upgrading your skills
by enrolling in online courses by pres-
Write to us at talkitout@timesgroup.com
with your question, name and place.
But if you wish to stay anonymous, do
indicate that in your email.
ries and feelings of uncertainty are
hard stressors affecting sleep patterns.
It is high time you improve your sleep
hygiene. Take out some time to relax
and unwind before retiring to bed. Mod-
erate exercise early in the evening,
with restriction on heavy meals and
avoidance of caffeinated products will
certainly go a long way. Meditation,
engaged by planning daily activities
where a healthy exchange of thoughts
and emotions is possible. Be empathetic.
Motivate them regularly to communi-
cate with their families through phone.
Help them adopt a healthy routine. Del-
egate tasks, such as asking them to ex-
plore more recipes and note down in-
novative and creative ideas. Finally,
continue to give them reassurance and
help with their basic economic viability.
Treat this crisis as an opportunity to
make a better future.
For more questions and
answers, visit toi.in.
I
various reasons, inclu- reported a 26% increase in Mumbai. Hitherto, the n Bengaluru, the lead over Dec-
ding shortage of labourers. its net profit to Rs 1,221crore bank had been conducting can Herald, which was 6.6 lakh
Sources said the movement of for the quarter ended its annual general meetings just a quarter ago, has now reac-
goods has also not picked up in March 2020 up from Rs 969 in Vadodara. Shifting the hed 7.3 lakh.
a big way since manufactu- crore in the corresponding registered office will enable TOI’s readership of 13.6 lakh in
ring is yet to start on a big sca- quarter last year. the bank to hold its meet- India’s Silicon Valley is over twice
le. The bank also an- ings in Mumbai, where its as large as Deccan Herald’s 6.3
The number of e-way bills nounced the decision to senior management are lakh. Indeed, the closest rival to
per day now stands at six lakh shift its registered office based. TOI in Bangalore now is Bangalore
as compared to nearly 22 lakh from Gujarat to Mumbai The profits take into ac- Mirror, a group publication.
before the lockdown started. and said that its board count provisions for two
However, there has been near- passed an enabling resolu- large overseas account TOI’s readership of 13.6 lakh
ly a 100% rise in their number tion authorising the bank to where the borrowers did
in the past three weeks—from raise Rs 25,000 crore of debt not disclose their debt posi- in Bangalore is over twice
3.2 lakh a day to 6 lakh—which in domestic markets and $3 tion to borrowers. Batra as large as Deccan Herald’s
is being seen as a positive billion in the international said that the two accounts 6.3 lakh.
trend. markets. were a healthcare group in

GANESHA SAYS
BEJAN DARUWALLA
Aries: Ganesha says you
will be busy with
several creative
pursuits. It is a
busy period and in addi-
tion to it all will be new
hobbies and friends. Your
plate is full and overflow-
Libra: Ganesha says you
will rise in pres-
tige and power. But
please remember
that control over your
temper, and emotional
balance, are necessary
ingredients for growth.
Gen Rawat: No option
but to build robust
defence-industrial base
Continued from Page 1
push for imports because
they come up with “unrealis-
“Extending restrictions The bank ended the year the Middle-East and a trad- In Kolkata, TOI gained 7% read-
that impact large areas is not a with deposits of Rs 7.7 lakh ing company in Singapore. ers and narrowed the gap between
viable option. Hence, we need crore — up 18% from the The two firms are believed itself and The Telegraph from
to adopt strategies that can de- same period last year while to be BR Shetty’s NMC 81,000 readers to 48,000 over just this
al with Covid-19 cases in a par-
ticular location and also pave
the way for more economic ac-
advances at Rs 6.5 lakh
crore were up 10%. Follow-
ing provisions, the bank’s
Health and Singapore oil
trader Hin Leong Trading.
Batra said that 32% of
one quarter.
In Chennai too, while TOI con-
tinues to lead over Hindu readers
tivities,” said a source. The
government has said the co-
untry has to live with Covid
net non-performing assets
shrunk 1.41%, a nineteen
quarter low compared to
the bank’s borrowers (by
value) had opted for a mora-
torium on repayment of
on average issue readership, the
gap with The Hindu on total reader-
ship has also reduced by 4,000 read-
and adoption of safe practices 2.06% corresponding quar- loans. He added that the ers during Q4, while in Hyderabad,
are needed to win over the he- ter last year. bank had made provisions Deccan Chronicle’s lead was cut by

ing. Guard against losing
your cool, says Ganesha.
Taurus: Ganesha says try
not to be brusque,
impatient or irrita-
ble. Ganesha says
you must overcome this to
get the best out of this
phase. Home, family, par-
ents and in-laws will con-
tinue to demand atten-
tion. The mental stress
could wear you down, if
allowed to grow.
Gemini: There is a lot of
movement in every
sphere in the early
part of the period.
You move ahead with
speed and purpose. Do-
mestic issues hog centre
stage. As the period pro-
gresses, you turn your
attention to work and set
fresh goals and get your
priorities well-aligned.
Cancer: Ganesha says
this is the time for
love, beauty and
the great joys of
life. There is great bond-
ing and many beautiful
moments with loved ones.
Towards the end of this
period, there will be ten-
You immerse yourself in
several activities.
Scorpio: Ganesha says
there is a lot on
your plate, assures
Ganesha and you
will be frantically looking
for time to complete it all.
You push hard to meet
deadlines. You are also
firmly entrenched in the
more pragmatic pursuits
of funds and loans, lega-
cies and money matters.
Sagittarius: Ganesha
says you are also
firmly entrenched
in the more prag-
matic pursuits of funds
and loans, legacies and
money matters. This is a
very pronounced trend.
You will be brimming
with ideas and will win
kudos. There will be a rise
in prestige.
Capricorn: Ganesha says
loved ones, your
spouse or partner
provide your exhil-
arating moments. There is
a lot of anxiety too as
there could be illness in
the family and many hos-
pital bills to be paid. Ga-
I
ndia has in recent years
signed several big-ticket
purchases for defence
equipment, like the ones for
36 French Rafale fighter jets
(Rs 59,000 crore) and five Rus-
sian S-400 Triumf surface-to-
air missile squadrons (Rs
40,000 crore), even as the gov-
ernment has sought to pro-
mote home-grown options.
Gen Bipin Rawat
said there was no other
option but to build a ro-
bust domestic defence-
industrial base, even if
indigenous weapon
systems were initially
produced with “reduced tech-
nical specifications” or
GSQRs (general staff qualita-
tive requirements) than those
framed by the armed forces.
“We should boost ‘Make
in India’ by hand-holding our
domestic industry even if
they deliver weapons with on-
ly 70% of the GSQRs in the be-
ginning… given the opportu-
nity, they will eventually de-
liver cutting-edge technolo-
gy,” he said.
The armed forces often
Taiwan seeks help
tic GSQRs” for weapon sys-
tems that DRDO, ordnance
factories and the domestic in-
dustry simply cannot deliver
in time. “We should define
GSQRs as per our own oper-
ational requirements, and
not look at what the US or oth-
er advanced countries have,”
said Gen Rawat.
If the armed forces need
some high-tech weap-
on systems that cannot
be made indigenously,
then the focus should
be on tying up with for-
eign partners for
‘Make in India’ pro-
jects with concrete transfer of
technology. “India started
small with Maruti-800 but has
now become a major automo-
bile manufacturing hub,” he
said.
The Army, for instance, is
now importing a limited
number of advanced assault
rifles and light machine guns
for frontline troops from the
US and Israel, but the bulk of
its requirements will be met
through ‘Make in India’ pro-
jects.
alth crisis. The third phase of Announcing the results, of Rs 2,725 crore to strength- 6,000 readers over this period.
the nationwide lockdown, ICICI Bank President Sand- en the bank’s financials in
which began on March 25, eep Batra said that the deci- the wake of the Covid-19 cri-
ends on May 17. sion to shift the registered sis. wrqh ;m --PTi f c4 14 m, wreT
WI11-fi:-W+ 3 TAR 19-2014-34
t-
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GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU 3# r T Rif: 03/20-21
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT / WRD., grit fawr1 - f m , izr -iFft 31'ft -A #
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` IFB No :TSIJDO21F.T.DripINIT No.112020-20211PAB CircletPollachi / Dated.08.05.2020 z> r/ 3 Q FiRf3 Y11 fdwf
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Critical Dates 12 WIV (UBN No UIK2021WSOB
Tender Reference and
Part iculars
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Name of Work Notice Issued on 27.04.2020
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"Supp ly, Installation , Resting Bid Submiss ion End 19052020 03.06.2020
Date 1130 His ( S 11.30 Hrs IS httpai/eproc.rajaa than.gov.in , https://
Commissioning, Training and Maintenance
19 .05.2020 03.D6.2020 appp.rajasthan.gov.in 1 http :// urban.
of Real Time Structural Health Monitoring i Bid opening Date
12.00 Hrs (IST) 12.00 Hrs (IST) rajastha n.gov. in / uitkota 4i tb
7
17 Seventeen Dri dams of WRO"
Superintending Engineer, PWD I WRD.,
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3iffMSff 3TRT4 f
-COV
DIPRI1764ITender/2020 Parambikulam Aliyar Basin Circle , Pollachi 3 RR f4wm -;am,
; II 1
a
Office of the Addl. Chief Engineer
Room No. 601. 6th f l o o r , D r e a m a x Plaza , SahakarMarg, J a i p u r - 3 02 00 5
NOTICE INVITING BID: TNC-0 1(RVU2021WSOB001 35)
Water Resources Zone , Jaipur
Sinchai Bhawan , J.LN. Marg, Jaipur-302017
Online tenders are invited for the work of "Construction of Approach Road
No.: 7080 Date: 07.05.2020
and Street light , Drinking water tank and pump , water supply line , sewer
line and park for CISF Qtrs . at SSCTPP Township, Suratgarh ". Tender INVITATION OF E-TENDER NO 3 YEAR 2020-21
details are available on websites htt p://epr oc .raj asthan .gov. in (for e- tender ), On behalf of Governor of Rajasthan invites e-tender
www.energy .rajasthan .gov.inlrvunl & www.sppp .rajasthan .gov. in. from eligible contractor for civil works under RWSI, IP
Raj.samwad iC /20/126 R\ I GTR -3379 Chief Engineer (Civil ) Scheme, estimated cost of 2 works is Rs. 2140.00 Lacs. The
details are available in the following websites:-
UBN No.: WRD2021WLOB00064 , WRD2021WLOB00065
BRUHAT BENGALURU MAHANAGARA PALIKE
1. wwweproc.rajasthan.govin
Office of the Executive Engineer, Chickpet Division , 8th Main , 2. wwwdipr.rajasthan.govin
2nd Block , Jayanagar , Kanakanapalya , Bangalore - 560 011.
No. : BBMP/EE/CKP/e-Proc/01/2020 -21 Date : 08-05-2020
3. http://sppp.rajasthan.gov.in

DIPR/C/3252/2020
Addl. Chief Engineer
Water Resources Zone , Jaipur
dency to look for escape
routes in food, drink and
indiscreet liaisons. Take
nesha ensures that in the
midst of all the frenetic
activity you also have for WHO meet I I I I I

care, says Ganesha. some happy times.

Leo: You have luck on
your side as stars
influences your slot
of work and pro-
jects. There will be both
ideas and opportunities
that could lead to very
definite and pleasing
g a i n s. P l u s yo u a re
charg ed and will do
whatever it takes to en-
sure success.
Virgo: There will be do-
mestic bliss as chil-
dren and the home
will be a source of
h a p p i n e s s. Yo u a l s o
manage to do the juggling
act between work and
play with ef ficiency.
Ganesha says it will be a
busy, hectic.
Sachin.Parashar
@timesgroup.com
Aquarius: Ganesha says
several issues con-
New Delhi: Taiwan has do-
front you almost
nated a million surgical
simultaneously.
You will be hard pressed to
masks to India as it resists
attempts by China to pre-
find the time and resolve
vent it from attending a key
to sort it all out. The period
WHO meet later this month.
will be a fraught, some-
Diplomatic sources said
what anxious, period that
the donation was made
may bring some tussles,
conflicts or hassles. These
against the backdrop of Tai-
will be more profession or
wan — which is claimed by
job-related than personal.
China as a part of its territo-
ry and remains excluded
from UN and its subsidiary
Pisces: Ganeha says you
bodies — calling for India’s
enjoy and ties, fam-
support for its participation
ily, domestic bliss,
in the WHO meet, World
and satisfaction in
Health Assembly, which will
bonding. You turn back to
your roots, maybe return
be held in Geneva on May 18.
China doesn’t want self-
home. Towards mid-peri-
ruled Taiwan to attend the
od, there is money.
meeting and said on Friday
www.bejandaruwalla.com
that the “so-called attempts
to get into the WHO and par-
ticipate in the WHA are ab-
solutely not for the health
and well-being of Taiwan’s
people but are political ma-
nipulation, and will not suc-
ceed”. Taiwan though says
that its absence from the
meeting will dent the inter-
national fight against Co-
vid-19.
With not more than 500
Covid cases, and only six
deaths, Taiwan has been one
of the most successful in the
world to neutralise the vi-
rus. It is rare for India
though to accept such assist-
ance from Taiwan with
which it has no formal diplo-
matic ties. The government
had declined an offer of as-
sistance from Taiwan even
during the Kerala floods.
Full report on www.toi.in
The Executive Engineer, Chickpet Division , BBMP invites tenders
on behalf of the Commissioner , BBMI? Bengaluru from eligible
tenderers forthe Construction of work detailed in the table below.
Approx . Amount
St. EMD GURU HARGOBIND THERMAL PLANT , LEHRA MOHABBAT
Name of the Work put to Tender (in Rs.)
No . DISTT . BATHINDA (PUNJAB)-151 111
(Rs. in Lakhs) e-tendering website-http ://eproc .punjab .gov . in
NOTICE INVITING TENDER
Balance Work in MS Building
1 250.00 2,50,000 (Throug h E-tendering)
A Block in Ward No. 119. Tender Enquiry No.: 62/ CHP/OP -302/GHTP/2020-21 Dated 07 .052020
(1) The Tender documents may be downloaded from the e-Procurement SHORT DESCRIPTION: General housekeeping/cleaning & reclamation of
spiled coal etc. from all locations of coal handling plant as per scope of work
portal of the Government of Karnataka from 11-05-2020 . (2) Pre Bid on Stage-I & II at 2x210 MW + 2x250 MW , GHTP , Lehra Mohabat.
Meeting will be held on 15-05-2020 at 3.00 pm in the Office of the Last Date & Time for bid submission 26.05.2020 upto 17:00 his.
Date & Time of opening of Fee stage bid 28.05.2020 upto 10:00 his.
Executive Engineer (CKP), BBMP Kanakanapalya , 8th Main, 2nd Detailed NIT and tender specification can be downloaded from PSPCL web-
Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru - 560 011. (3) Tenders must be submitted site htto ://eoroc-nuniab.oov-in from dated 08.05.2020 onwards.
Note:
online through e-Procurement portal On or before 4 .00 pm on 1. The prospective bidders can obtain clarification regarding tender speci 'i-
27-05-2020, and the Opening of tenders will be as per e-Procurement cations from this office. For registration of digital signatures and uploading
of tender , information may be sought from http ://eoroc nu )ab.pov.in
portal guidelines. (4) Technical Bids will be opened on the Website 2. It is informed that in case the tender process is not comp leted due to any
https :// eproc . karnataka .gov.in in the Office of the Executive Engineer, reason no corrigendum will be published in newspapers . Detail regarding
Chickpet Division, on 28-05-2020 at 4.30 pm if possible . The Details corrigendum may be seen on PSPCL official website i.e. httpsJ/pspcl.in.
-Sd/-
regarding participation for this tender can be obtained by logging onto :
Dy. Chief Engineer,
https://eproe .karnataka .gov.in.
Mechanical Mtc. Circle-II , O&M ,
GHTP , PSPCL , Lehra Mohabbat.
Sd/- Executive Engineer , Chickpete Division. DPR/ PB :799-C Distt . Bathinda Pb , -151111.
Pay Development Char ges , i Develop Bengaluru
 Best of
YOUR GUIDE TO A RICHER LIFE ONLY IN

Easy ways to combat Deep-space ice comes

a meeting is a great way to organise your day
and cause you less strain. Also, don’t schedule
back-to-back VCs. Make sure you have a break
in between where you can walk around and
give your eyes a break. visiting on a comet with

video-call fatigue a 1,60,934 km-long tail

Etiquette matters If everyone talks at the
same time, no one is actually going to come
away with anything. So, set up some rules.
Keeping your microphone on mute when
not speaking, taking turns one by one, and
The interstellar visitor was probably formed
even special code words or signals for when around a star cooler than the Sun

Pics: Getty images, Instagram - Boris Johnson, Rafael Nadal

you want to interject can help the conver-
Prolonged use of video sation go smoothly and not tax everyone.
Alternatively, you could also only have the
The 2I/Borisov is

calls, which confine person who is speaking stream their image

so that everyone gets a break from being
different in its
composition from

one to a square on “on” the whole time.

comets hailing
from our celestial

Pic: NASA
neighbourhood
a screen, can cause Put yourself first Since VCs are the
new ‘let’s hang out’, you may feel guilty
mental strain. Here’s not picking up that group call with your
friend. Don’t. If you have been in
Deep-space ice formed in one
of the coldest parts of the cos-
ous to humans, is a common
gas in space and forms as ice
how to overcome it front of a screen all day, it can
hardly be relaxing to log on
mos has been found in our so-
lar system.
only in the most frigid loca-
tions. The presence of so much
Tennis champ Rafael Nadal video chatted with when all you want to do is It was carried on a comet carbon monoxide suggests 2I/
Glynda.Alves@timesgroup.com tune off. So, cut yourself that formed far from its host Borisov was formed in a dif-

W
the staff and kids confined at his academy Posting a photo of him addressing
his team via video conference, UK
some slack and don’t feel star, where temperatures ferent manner than comets in
ork video calls by day, socialis- Prime Minister Boris Johnson
that every interaction could reach minus 250-de- our solar system — in a very
ing conference calls by night, Why am I tired? urged citizens to work from home
needs to be a VC. Suggest gree Celsius. cold outer region of its home
and perhaps some of your The main reason for the fatigue boils down to a regular call, an email Named 21/Borisov, the star system or around a star
child’s home-schooling via one thing: VCs are not the same as meeting or simply tell them that comet, which is around 800 cooler than the Sun.
video chat in the afternoon. someone face to face. There are a lot more ele- Limit the strain you will check in later. metres wide with a tail almost D r M a r t i n C or d i ner,
Video calls (VCs) have filled the void created ments to focus on. You and your colleagues are Don’t wing it Set up meetings at the 1,60,934-km long, was spotted of NASA’s Goddard Space
by social distancing. But is it too much of a all represented by small boxes. So while in real same time every day if it is for work. just outside the orbit of Mars. Flight Centre in Maryland,
good thing? For some, yes. VC fatigue is a real life situations, you can pick up on a lot of non- Keeping a schedule lets you mentally Oberoi Realty CMD Vikas Now scientists have found the US, said, “This is the first
thing and there are a number of reasons why verbal cues, on a VC, you have to pay a lot more prepare and plan ahead for the meeting. Oberoi revealed that he coma — a fuzzy outer layer of time we’ve ever looked inside
it happens. But, if you keep a few pointers in attention to words. Apart from that, sitting in Also, have a time limit. While 10 min- currently Skypes a lot with light — contains water and a a comet from outside our so-
mind, you can get most of the benefits and just one space and constantly feeling like you’re on utes here or there won’t make a differ- global consultants in lot of carbon monoxide. lar system.”
a few of the drawbacks. display, can be exhausting. ence, having a specified time frame for Singapore, the UK and the US Carbon monoxide, poison- — DAILY MIRROR

A four-step guide to dealing with The three Cs to regulating

There are aquariums and zoos
that offer live cameras to
entertain and educate children.
Older kids may turn to video

anxiety during the pandemic your children’s screen-time games, and experts also believe
this isn’t necessarily associated
with violence. Many games may
As lockdowns continue across the let teens maintain relationships at
These are tough times, sets you, change the topic of conversa-
tion. Take some time out for yourself,
world, many parents are turning
to television, tablets and video
a time when direct interactions
aren’t possible.
but don’t make it harder where you focus on things unrelated games to keep their children
to the pandemic. Read a book, watch a entertained. After years of Context
on yourself. Follow movie, speak to a friend. following guidelines to limit How we interact with children
these tips to maintain Routine makes one perfect
children’s media exposure, it’s
hard not to wonder about the
with regards to the media is also
important. Taking an interest in
Pic: Getty Images

your sanity It’s important to follow a schedule. perils of all this screen-time. what your kids are doing will help
Routine makes people feel safe. Stick Experts, however, believe the boost their self-esteem. So, ask
Pic: Getty Images

As if the pandemic wasn’t stressful to your normal sleep and mealtimes. pandemic may provide parents a questions about the content;
enough already, the uncertainty sur- Focus on activities that make you feel chance to stop thinking of screen- whenever you can, help connect
rounding the disease, as well as the happy. Plan your day around a sched- time in a negative way. They say Child singing, like a musical with a your child’s media use with real-
knock-down effect it’s having on the ule and you’ll feel less stressed. that instead of looking at this in “You know your child better than soundtrack which you can world experiences. Radesky also
economy, is making us all anxious. source. Read genuine news articles shades of black and white, anyone else and are the best listen to. suggests watching a cooking
Here are a few tips that could help you as against social media posts, and fol- Think rationally approach their media use in terms person to decide what and how video and then translating that
in these times: low official government handles and While safe is better than sorry, don’t of what they are watching. much media use is the right Content into an actual cooking activity.
press releases rather than rumours let the paranoia get to you. Follow ad- Dr Jenny Radesky, a amount,” she said. So, for Quality matters more than Ensure you eliminate screen
Watch out for fake news floating around. equate precautions. Wear masks and paediatrician at the University of example, if your child is anxious, quantity. Instead of limiting use for at least an hour or two
Staying up-to-date with information gloves, wash your hands regularly and Michigan, suggests a ‘Three C’ avoid the news or a scary video. If screen-time in terms of minutes before bedtime to avoid impacting
is important, but even more critical Focus on what you can control most importantly, think rationally. approach towards this issue: your child likes music, find or hours spent, prioritise content sleep cycles.
is to ensure they come from a trusted If endless talk about coronavirus up- — DAILY MIRROR Child, content, context. programming that incorporates developed by reputable sources. — THE NEW YORK TIMES

TIMES CURATOR
Why we reveal
private details
What the reaction to Adele’s INCREDIBLE

120,000,000
Hardly
anyone uses

slim pic says about fatphobia

a hula-hoop

on the internet now, but when it was launched back in 1958, it became a
sensation, both as a toy and personal exercise equipment. Up to 120

N
million were sold in six months.

T
o matter how long people talk about Instagram/ Adele Source: The Washington Post
the game of online privacy, a recent he internet has been in a try are put in an impossible posi-
experiment has revealed that in prac- tizzy over Adele, yet again. tion — they are held to ridicu-
tice, users readily divulge personal or pri-
vate information online.
Not because of a new hit
single, but because of a
lously high beauty standards, and
in other cases, like Adele or Lizzo,
Why Kiwi English sounds so different
A team of Penn State researchers identi- photograph she posted on Insta- Laura Snapes points out in The
fied a dozen subtle reasons that may make gram on her birthday. Her caption Guardian, they become spokes-
people reveal information online. Certain
cues analysed by the researchers signifi-
thanks fans and friends for birth-
day wishes and essential workers
people for a certain kind of body
image. “It is its own kind of pris-
½ English
cantly increased the chance that people for their efforts amid the pandem- on, one that preserves physicality
Getty Images ic. But what everyone has been as the ultimate measure of a fe-
talking about is her weight loss. male star’s worth — and the stand-
When Adele first emerged on the ard by which they can be under-
scene, she was both lauded and mined,” she writes. Sure, the ¼
criticised for not fitting into the media also writes about men’s Scottish
prototypical pop star mold. In a 2012 bodies, but the level of scrutiny
interview with People, she said, isn’t paralleled.
“I’ve never wanted to look like mod- Yet others argue that praising ¼ Irish
els on the cover of magazines. I her for losing weight is fatphobic
represent the majority of women in itself. Why is losing weight in-
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda
and I’m very proud of that.” trinsically positive? And what
Her success has been utterly does that say about how we think Ardern has won hearts and praise for her
undeniable — her three albums about each other? Fans have all handling of the Covid crisis, but each time
TOO TRUSTING: We think it’s safe to reveal have sold a combined 60 million BEAUTY STANDARDS: While some have been praising Adele kinds of reactions — of course, you hear her speak, you perhaps wonder
personal information online when many copies, and she broke the record for for her dramatic weight loss, others argue that the focus many praised her (and pointed out why ‘seven’ is ‘siven’, ‘check in’ ‘chickin’,
others have done so too fastest-selling album in the US be- should be on her musical talent rather than her body her striking resemblance to ac- and so on. What’s with that Kiwi accent?
fore she turned 30. But, over the tress Sarah Paulson), but others
The Herald newspaper from Glasgow says New Zealand owes its
would turn over phone numbers or social course of this year, when pictures of her The ways in which pop stars’ bodies have pointed out that she has always
security numbers. having lost weight emerged, that seems are scrutinised and discussed, as if they been beautiful. Some even feel a sense of unique dialect to its original mix of settlers, half of whom came
“What we did in this study is to identify to be most of what the media and general were a public good, is incredibly prob- betrayal, like they have lost someone to from different parts of England, 27% from Scotland, and the
12 different kinds of appeals that influence public can focus on, a piece in The Inde- lematic. Billie Eilish recently issued a look up to. remaining 23% from Ireland. Since most of the teachers were Scots,
people to reveal information online,” said pendent points out. And what does that statement addressing this, The Inde- We praise women when they “embrace they had an outsize influence on the language from the second
S Shyam Sundar, co-director of the Media really say about us? pendent reports. She wrote: “While I feel their curves” but lose our minds with en- generation onwards.
Effects Research Laboratory. “These appeals “Adele shows off weight loss transfor- your stares, your disapproval or your thusiasm when they lose weight. Adele
are based on rules of thumb that we all hold mation,” headlines read. “Adele looks sighs of relief, if I lived by them, I’d has not commented upon her weight loss.
in our head, called heuristics.” UNRECOGNISABLE after massive never be able to move. Would you like me We do not know why she chose to lose
The rule of thumb that “if most others weight loss,” another went. “Body trans- to be smaller? Weaker? Softer? Taller? weight, how she feels about all the com- It’s possible
reveal their information, then it is safe for formation”, “revenge body” (referencing Would you like me to be quiet? Do my ments and whether it changes how she
me to disclose as well” is labelled “band- her recent divorce), “her weight loss jour- shoulders provoke you? Does my chest? sees herself. We do know she’s a talented to solve a
wagon heuristic” by the study. ney” are the words that come up when Am I my stomach? My hips?” musician. Maybe that’s enough.
For the authority cue, Rosson said that a you Google the accomplished singer. Women in the entertainment indus- For more: The Independent Rubik’s cube
graphic that signals the site is being overseen
by a trusted authority may make people com- in 2 seconds
fortable with turning private information
over to the company. ANI
Now, pop-up strip clubs on Instagram Getty Images
A Rubik’s cube is one of the best
ways to kill time, and the extended
lockdown is your chance to raise your
CHOCOLATE TIME! Taylor Lorenz loved it. “I was like, hold up, we can’t be
doing this for free,” LaBoy said. “Some
game. Here are some benchmarks

F
Yet, many
I f you need an excuse to have chocolate,
here’s one: some years ago, a research
or the past three weeks, Justin
LaBoy, 28, a former professional
girls were dancing, twerking, taking it all
off.” He began pinning the dancer’s Cash
43,000,000,000,000,000,000 speedcub
ers
basketball player and a social media App user names to the top of the feed, so You can scramble an ordinary 3x3 Rubik’s cube can unscra
mb
paper pointed out a very strong
personality, and Justin Dior Combs, an that followers could send them money. in 43-billion-billion ways it in less th le
correlation between a country’s chocolate an
entrepreneur and P. Diddy’s 26-year-old Women said they have raked in thou- 10 second
consumption and the number of Nobels it s
son, have been hosting virtual pop-up sands of dollars from Cash App donations.
won in proportion to its population. While
the researchers suggested flavanols in
strip clubs on Instagram Live. Alexis said she has made about $18,000 3.47 sec Is the world record, which
“If it wasn’t for Justin and his Lives I (Rs 13 lakh) total from dancing on Insta- can be broken because…
chocolate—organic molecules also found don’t know what I would have done or how gram Live during a time when she’d oth-
in green tea and red wine—had boosted I would have paid my bills or gotten food DIGITAL CLUB: Out-of-work dancers are erwise be completely out of work. Mathematicians ,
cally
the population’s cognitive ability, science in my house,” said Sasha, a dancer who getting donations through apps The amount of money Alexis has been have found out you h e oreti e
The best So, t
has been featured on the pop-up show. able to earn through the internet far out- can unscramble ng th
writer Ashutosh Jogalekar has an earthier speedcubers solvi in 2
explanation: countries that consume
Many bars and strip clubs were forced started offering “virtual lap dance” perfor- paces what she was previously earning at a cube from any
make up to cu e s is
b
to close nearly overnight around much of mances on Instagram stories. Tory Lanez, her job at the club, and for far less effort. position in 20 moves nd
more chocolate are better off, and have 10 moves per seco ible
better schools and universities. But
the world. Thousands of bartenders, bottle a rapper, also recently began hosting dance “If I’m in the club, I’m there for eight or less. They call it
second poss
service girls and dancers have been left nights for his 7.5 million followers. hours,” she said. “On Instagram Live, it’s ‘God’s Number’
surely, their chocolate-eating pupils are with no income. Women immediately requested to be five minutes. Five minutes compared to
also happier. Magic City, a strip club in Atlanta, has guests on his livestream. His followers eight hours of work.” NYT NEWS SERVICE Source: Wired
SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020
Inside virtual locker rooms:
Where women are objects of lust & loathing
Bois Locker Room is only a small peephole into the rape culture that thrives on the internet
Ketaki Desai & Chandrima Banerjee | TNN
T
he Bois Locker Room, an
Instagram group of Delhi
schoolboys that shared
sexual images of their
classmates and spoke of
gangrape, horrified many. But the
truth is that rape culture is clearly vis-
ible on the internet.
Last year, a Mumbai school sus-
pended eight 13-14 year-olds, for mak-
ing similar sexually explicit and vio-
lent remarks about their classmates.
Meanwhile, students of a Chennai
college had a Facebook group, which
later moved to Reddit, and shared
nudes and personal information
about their classmates. In a screen-
shot shared by a Twitter user, one
student writes: “She didn’t share her
nudes herself. It was her bastard ex.
PS: I have them too”. The community
was later banned by Reddit.
Reddit has many pornographic
subreddits — but TOI has found that
many of these are not only used to
share porn but also photos pulled
from social media accounts — some-
HOW A SLEAZE
GROUP WORKS
O n one WhatsApp group, which
TOI joined, nudes and semi-
nudes are shared — of actors,
female acquaintances, former
girlfriends. Conversations quickly
go from how each would have sex
with or rape the woman to who
would do it better. Several people
joined and left repeatedly over the
course of a day. Within minutes of
joining, one member — clearly an
adolescent, going by the profile
photo — asked if there were any
other “fap group”
recommendations. Suggestions
were quickly shared and deleted
so that there is no trail.
times of influencers, other times of
women they know. One subreddit,
‘Indians who make you fap (mastur-
bate)’, which has now been banned,
was created to share pictures of one’s
friends, classmates, neighbours, to
discuss “what they would do (to her)”
and give out their names.
Most have thousands of subscrib-
ers, and include pictures of girls with
links to “leaked videos”. Some are
dedicated to girls who either
are or look like teenagers. Some posts
are clearly acts of what is colloqui-
The tale of 3 women whose naked pics were leaked
‘A FRIEND PUT MY HALF-NAKED
PHOTOS ON INSTA’
I
t happened around 2017. We were
a tight group of eight friends from
school and practically grew up
together. One day, my best friend’s ex-
boyfriend showed me an Instagram
account named ‘Not your bang’ which
was sending him random flirty mes-
sages mentioning me. Then he got a
picture of me in a bra, with my face
visible. I had sent nudes when I was
in a long-distance relationship with
my boyfriend in college, but we would
both delete it immediately from our
phones and Google photos.
I reported the account and got
many others to report it, but no ac-
tion was taken. I suspected a friend
who would get touchy-feely at par-
ties. Then another friend got my
picture. When she threatened him,
Millennials’ love for gardening is blooming in a big way
It’s not just their Insta
pages that are turning
green. A desire to nurture
and be close to nature is
fuelling a craze for plants
Ketaki.Desai@timesgroup.com
S
uraj Chauhan has always been in-
terested in nature — he liked hik-
ing, and found himself fascinated
by the colours and patterns of foli-
age. But, it wasn’t until a few months ago
that the 30-year-old fitness entrepreneur
decided to get his hands dirty. “I have a
collection of about 50 succulents. Andre-
cently, I made my first succulent arrange-
ment, which is basically decorative
plant art.” This shift was inspired by
his involvement in the Aar-
ey protests, as well as
a movie where Mark
➤ Green Souls co-founders
Ruffalo played a ma-
cho gardening enthusi- Manasvini Tyagi and Sabita
ast. Well, if Mark Ruf- Rajindran run a community
falo can do it, why not farm and host workshops
the rest of us? on kitchen gardening
The last few years ➤ Many of their
have seen an increasing volunteers are college
number of millennials be- students
coming immersed in gar-
dening and plant culture,
and the lockdown has only led more of
them to discover their green thumbs.
Many of these new and nervous plant
parents are turning to social networks
for advice. Ekta Chaudhary runs Garden
Up, a YouTube channel dedicated to in-
troducing millennials to the basics of
Getty Images
ally called revenge porn – where an
ex-partner leaks intimate pictures.
In a post seen by TOI, a man had
pulled down the pants of a sleeping
young woman and photographed her.
It’s easy enough to trace these vir-
tual locker rooms. You could start
with YouTube videos that aggregate
sexualised clips of female Bollywood
actors. The comments section —
where words like “whore” and “rape”
are thrown around casually — is only
a gateway. Amid graphic descriptions
of violent sexual fantasies are invita-
tions for “sex chats” — which are
essentially asking if others with
similar rape fantasies would like to
“do it together” on WhatsApp or
Hangouts chats. Most use email ad-
dresses created just for this purpose,
with names like lustman000 or spi-
cyactresslover, but a surprising num-
ber seem to use their primary emails
and phone numbers.
On Instagram, a basic search for
terms like “teen” and “girls” leads to
he got scared and deleted the ac-
count. My suspicions were con-
firmed. We got a confession out of
him, and I asked him how he re-
trieved those photos. He said it was
easy, he’d got it from my cloud back-
up. I even spoke to his mother, who
said she would get him help.
At that time, I was a very scared
and stressed 21-year-old girl. I had just
started studying for GMAT but I had
to put that on hold. I’ve thought about
going to cops and coming out on my
social media many times but it’ll be
a lot more for me to deal with than
him. And why should I be the one
dealing with the fallout again?
TEACHERS PASSED COMMENTS
LIKE, BAHUT SHAMELESS HAI
I was in my teens, studying in a pres-
tigious school in a metro. I had no
gardening. Her
5.7 lakh sub-
scribers are
mostly between
the ages of 25-35.
They have all
kinds of questions
— how much do
you water? This
leaf has turned yel-
low, is that okay?
“Most people tend to over-care
and over-water,” says the 29-year-
old ecologist.
Instagram has only fuelled this obses-
sion with pages dedicated to pretty green
foliage set against minimalistic white dé-
cor. Shaan Lalwani, who runs Mumbai’s
SUNDAY SPECIAL
accounts offering images of
underage girls, with dis-
claimers saying they are
“sourced” from various
places. Some accounts
mention they are run by
“boys” — which is code for
‘girls’ photos only’. Some
strike a bargaining note
— “pls dont report if u
have problem tell in dm”.
And while many are vir-
tual circle-jerks, where
the only point is arousal,
others go beyond to so-
licit sex or offer “model-
ling services” of teenaged
Indian girls.
Advocate and cyber-
crime victim counsellor
Dr Debrati Halder says:
“Since 2018, we have no-
ticed a rise in such group
chats where photos of
girls are taken from pro-
file pictures on What-
sApp, Facebook or Insta-
gram and shared without
their consent.” Many
victims may not even
know their images have
been shared. Only about
10% succeeded in taking
down their pictures,
says Halder.
“In rural areas too,
there are a lot of sexual
comments, texts, and
morphed photos being
shared on a number of
AI THAT CAN STRIP
AWAY CLOTHING
➤ As technology evolves, there
are new forms of harassment like
DeepNudes, where artificial
intelligence tools create highly
realistic fake nudes from normal
clothed images.
digital communication platforms,”
says Poonam Muttreja, executive direc-
tor of Population Foundation of India
which works on adolescent reproduc-
tive and sexual health.
They are not merely explicit or
raunchy comments, as the recently
circulated Girls Locker Room chats
were. These make rape threats, and
direct harassment towards the vic-
tims. “There’s a sort of targeted vio-
lence when it’s about someone you
know,” says Richa Kaul Padte, author
of Cybersexy: Rethinking Pornogra-
idea that I guy I had dated had leaked
and circulated my photos online un-
til an acquaintance told me they had
been out for a few weeks. I felt odd as
other students kept looking at me.
Soon enough, the whole school, in-
cluding the teachers got to know. We
were called to the principal’s office.
He cried and apologised and his part
was done. I was questioned, and the
onus was on me for letting it happen.
My parents were asked where they
had been and that this was all be-
cause of them. Teachers would pass
all sorts of comments during class:
‘bahut shameless hai’, ‘there’s noth-
ing more you can expect from her’.
I shut myself off from people for
the next two years, and told myself
that I was at fault. That had I not let
him do that, it probably wouldn’t
have happened.
Vriksha Nursery with 22,000 fol-
lowers, says popular plant pages
and hashtags like #gardengoals
have led to an increasing number
of young people taking an interest
9
A mother’s day toast to all
the perfectly imperfect
moms in the world
M
other is prowling around the
phy. Morphing, she adds, is a “bodily house like an overzealous detec- Mrs. Funnybones
violation, even if you don’t feel it tive looking for clues of my in-
physically. People say, ‘oh it’s not you’, eptitude as a homemaker. This is
but it is you, your face, your image.” an old habit. In the past, when I once asked
Non-consensual intimate images her to babysit while I was travelling, she mes-
are not pornography, they are hate saged me at 3am with photographs of dust TWINKLE
KHANNA
speech, says Nishant Shah, professor balls she had found inside a duct in my study.
of Aesthetics and Culture of Technol- This morning, she is trying to push the
ogy at ArtEZ University of the Arts, sofa away from the wall hoping she will find
The Netherlands, who has studied the necessary evidence. All I can do is hope is that she will realise
these spaces for a decade. “It’s not about ‘Mom, leave it alone. I don’t have time that there are very few truly terrible mothers.
the content, but the intention — which and even the bloody vacuum cleaner is not Even the mother from Home Alone — who
is anchored in expressions of hatred, working.’ forgot about her child not once, but also in
naturalisation of violence and dimin- ‘Oof oh, just send it to Juhu market for the sequel — was not evil, just overwhelmed.
ishing the dignity of the person.” repairs,’ she replies. Mothers are far from perfect, but most of us
Such groups are “incredibly com- When I roll my eyes and remind her the try to do our best, even on our worst days.
mon”, says Shah. “They’re not even all market is shut except for medicines and gro- I would like to propose a toast to all the
male, they’re often mixed groups where ceries, she snarls, ‘Why are you snapping at perfectly imperfect mothers, but since I have
women who try to resist are bullied and me? How would I know? I haven’t gone to the run out of alcohol, the only thing I can do is
asked to learn to take a joke.” Locker market since the lockdown, have I?’ pop some bread into the toaster and wave it
room groups exist in workplaces as Since there is nowhere to run and just the over my head.
well. “As someone who has been work- bathroom to hide, I take my coffee, my laptop I continue watching the twosome from the
ing on employee conduct for a long and lock myself in. doorway, their heads bent together having
time, I know they exist in every work- When I emerge with a clearer head, I see discussions about gems, summons and super-
place, at least at entry and middle-man- her sitting with her granddaughter, im- heroes I have never heard of. I see so much
agement levels,” says Pallavi Pareek, mersed in a game that they both play with of myself in both of them. In my forties, I
founder of Ungender legal advisory. zealous devotion. have to concede that I am a lot like my moth-
Toxic masculinity is everywhere, Their gamer names are almost identical. er. Often I catch myself calling my daughter
just look at the graffiti on a boys’ bath- My mother sees this as a sign of their bond. by bizarre names like ‘nainzoid’ just the way
room, says Amitabh Kumar, founder ‘She wanted to be Robin like me,’ she says, my mom, when she feels a rush of affection
of feminist non-profit Social Media ‘but since she still mirrors some letters, she for me, calls me ‘tignashwer’.
Matters. In a Delhi government accidentally typed in Rodin.’ There are so many aspects of my person-
school, they saw “comments about
gang-raping teachers, and explicit
Unlike the tranquil relationship with ality wedged within my seven-year-old, whose
grandchildren, with Chad Crowe
cartoons”. The internet creates a dis-
inhibition effect, says Bishakha Datta,
a generation thrown
in as buffer, mothers
executive director of Point of View, a are always at war
non-profit working at the intersection with their daugh-
of gender, technology and disability. ters, ar med with
“A lot of people behave very differ- blame on one side
ently online than they do in person. A and disappointment
man won’t threaten you with rape on on the other.
the street, but would do it on Twitter
even if his name and photo is on his
I clearly recall
more than one occa-
account,” she says. The other factor, sion when I almost
she adds, is herd immunity: “When had to sit on my
you are part of a pack, it’s easy to be- h a n d s s o t h at I
have like there are no consequences.” would not end up
Sharing an image of someone’s strangling my moth-
private area without consent is illegal er. Like the time, she
in India under section 66E of the IT
said my newly done
Act. Reddit prohibits images or videos highlights looked
of nudity or sexual conduct posted like someone had
without permission, including fake spat paan on my
depictions. A spokesperson from Fa- head. She said it as
cebook, which owns Instagram, said a joke but her criti- In my forties, I have to concede that I am a lot
they use sophisticated technology to cism, even light-
proactively find and remove such con- hearted, would sting. like my mother. Often I call my daughter by
tent. “We have absolutely zero toler- Now after having bizarre names like ‘nainzoid’ just the way my
ance for any behaviour or material children of my own,
that exploits young people online”. I do understand a lit- mom, when she feels a rush of affection for me,
But internet platforms need to take tle better.
even more responsibility, says Datta. Raising a child in- calls me ‘tignashwer’
People are often discouraged from volves poking your
reporting because of the templated nose in every aspect
responses they receive. of her life when she is little. You create each tongue, like mine, is sharp enough to carve a
With inputs from Sonam Joshi block of her being. Pile it together in a struc- Thanksgiving turkey.
ture you see fit. You do this year after year, and The two most important women in my life
get so used to it that you forget that those blocks cuddle together with an ease that I envy. With
finally belong to her. As an adult, she has to grandmothers and granddaughters, the gen-
take them and change them around. Maybe erational gap is wide enough so that both can
build a pyramid instead of the rectangle that stretch out their arms without smacking the
you consider an impeccable accomplishment. other in the face.
‘A SENIOR PUT MY PHOTO ON A Mothers of adult daughters, if you have My mother spots me and calls out, ‘Come
SHARED CLOUD DRIVE’ done your job well, then you have equipped sit! You never have time for me. Always so
I was introduced to him in the first your offspring with enough sense to make the busy doing god alone knows what.’
year of college. He seemed like a help- right choices. Now comes the most difficult I retort, ‘Mom, what shit! You really can’t
ful senior and we got talking. Sud- part of parenting — developing the willpow- say that now, when we have been literally
denly, he was manipulating me into er to refrain from giving unsolicited advice. stuck inside a house together since this lock-
sexting and sending photos. It made Meanwhile in this tug of war between in- down began. In fact, the last time I probably
me very uncomfortable but I gave in. dependence and support, we, daughters, have spent so much time with you was when I was
He also sent an unsolicited photo of to acknowledge that parenting is an arduous in your womb.’
his penis. I stopped replying to him. task. I try to help my daughter rejoice in her My little one swiftly snaps, ‘Don’t back
I thought he’d deleted the pictures but strengths, build confidence, integrity and answer Nani. You keep telling me, “Learn to
in 2018, I found they were on a cloud fearlessness while also throwing a few vegeta- respect your mother!” So you also respect
drive. His friend, who had access to bles down her throat. But I know I will still your mother.’
the drive, showed my photo to a class- slip up inadvertently. Chastised, I sit down with Robin and her
mate and said there were more such In the future, she may sit on a therapist’s chamchi Rodin, not quite the kabab mein
pictures of girls on it. I felt violated couch and moan about something that slipped haddi, though both will always have a bone
and traumatised. I didn’t go to college out of my mouth, perhaps just once, but has to pick with me.
for a month. It also made me wary of never been forgotten. Or she may tell her My daughter then informs us that she has
interacting with men. I still get trig- partner, ‘You remember 20 years ago, there cards ready for Sunday, her brother is doing
gered and can’t concentrate on any- was some sort of quarantine? While all the a cake and we will also get massage coupons.
thing at hand for a few days. other moms were making delicious pancakes And with that, Mother and I sit back and look
— As told to Sonam Joshi with strawberry drizzle, mine just gave me forward to an imperfectly perfect Mother’s
toast with some peanut butter.’ Day, all locked in together.
in plants. The kinds of plants that are in
demand have also evolved. “Our parents
were obsessed with rose gardens and
HOW CACTI BECAME COOL
things like that, because maybe they had
a colonial hangover. Today, people want M illennials don’t just sport cacti on
their tees, succulents are also
their favourite plants. Low-cost, low-
for them. They also hold Q&A sessions
every Monday on their Instagram
account, which has 50,000
earthy plants, or colourful ones,” says the
32-year old. One surprise hit — Venus fly maintenance, tough to kill, pretty followers. Aizawl-based
traps, which sell out within days of Vrik- but prickly… they check all the Abishag Roluahpuii has
sha stocking them. boxes for someone who is about 40 varieties of
Gardening YouTuber Annette Mathew looking to go green but succulents. She says,
has a collection of 300 plants that spills without all the commitment “When I took a break from
out of her 1bhk home and balcony into that a rose bush takes. academia, I started collecting
her brother’s house as well as her neigh- Co-founder of a few plants for house
bours’. She has also noticed Instagram’s MyBageecha, Saumitra Kabra decoration. Since succulents
role in this hobby. She says, “Youngsters says succulents are the most are very unique to grow
living alone want to keep plants and get popular choice with first-time especially for first-timers, I
into that Instagram green culture. There gardeners. “We get lots of started with one or two and
is a desire to have a stylised space.” Or calls and messages with instantly became
maybe it’s just the desire to nurture and people asking what the obsessed.”
care for something. simplest plant to take care FYI: All cacti are
What’s clear is that there’s also a yearn- of would be,” says the succulents but all
ing to be closer to nature, precipitated by 31-year-old Ahmedabad succulents are not cacti.
the dangers of climate change. Manasvini
resident whose startup Succulents are plants that
Tyagi and Sabita Rajindran, co-founders
sells plants and provides store water in their stems,
of Mumbai-based Green Souls that runs a
information on how to care roots and leaves.
community farm, as well as workshops on
kitchen gardening, say that in the last
seven years, their volunteers organisation that lets out small plots of eating, and how common pest-laden veg-
have gone from people in their land, organises farmers’ markets and hosts etables are in our markets. This is a won-
late-20s to more and more col- workshops on gardening and sustainabil- derful way to connect with nature as well,”
lege-goers. “It took us ity. She has seen a number of college-goers says Kapil Mandawewala, their founder.
a few years in corpo- and 20-somethings get involved, as well as Ansoo Gupta also conducts similar
rate jobs to realise many who work in the IT industry. “My one workshops. Living in Mumbai, space is a
➤ Ekta Chaudhary that we could contrib- employee is a 25-year-old boy, and this is his constraint, but Gupta says it shouldn’t stop
runs a gardening- ute in different ways. first job out of college.” anyone. “I had what I called a windowsill
related YouTube But, these kids are born Most metros have plenty of avenues farm, where I grew palak, methi, bhindi
channel into an understanding available for those interested in fostering and tamatar.” She adds that she knows of
➤ Garden Up has over of what is happening to their green thumbs. Delhi-based Edible several community gardens that have come
5.7 lakh subscribers the environment.” Routes puts together workshops on kitchen up in Bandra — people come together to
mostly in the age Ag rees Anamika gardening, as well as topics like compost- set up gardens on someone’s terrace or
group of 25-35 Bist, founder of Village ing, microgreens and air-purifying plants. balcony, and divide duties to take care of
Story, a Bengaluru-based “People have become aware of what they’re their plants and split the produce.
10 ALL THAT MATTERS SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020

Why prohibition Aarogya Setu app does not access

makes little sense your data unless you have Covid-19
in Covid times India’s contact tracing app Aarogya Setu, mandatory for those
work in private and government offices, has been in the eye of a
is a temporary solution to a temporary
problem. As such, no data related to
Covid-19 will be retained in any manner
UNDER THE INFLUENCE storm over privacy and security concerns. But NITI Aayog post the pandemic.

INDRAJIT HAZRA
One of the unprepared-for aspects of the
continuing lockdown was the 40-day pro-
hibition of over-the-counter sale of alco-
hol. To complain about its unavailability
while people are fighting for lives and
livelihoods would be, at best, churlish, and at worst, elitist
— such elitism presuming that only a certain socio-eco-
nomic section of the drinking classes was clamouring for
it, a presumption since disproved hopefully by the images
of lined-up ‘liquor louts’. So, in a country that goes im-
practically ‘dry’ — one just hoards up on every ‘dry day
eve’ — tipplers bore national temperance (wo)manfully.
True, alcoholic drinks were never going to find themselves
on any ‘essential goods’ list. But as the lockdown continued
to grind away, the pinch was being also felt by state govern-
ments denied their income. Through excise duty revenues,
about Rs 2.48 trillion is earned annually across the republic.
Turning off this tap, at a time when easy money is tough to
find, was self-righteous and self-lacerating.
Displays of social distancing going to the dogs outside
thekas since Monday may well roil many a single-malter or
cofficionado. But these demand throngs were born out of sup-
ply shutdowns — something that should have been soberly
factored in when invoking temporary prohibition.
But drinkers have always been an easy target for the mai-
baap State. Not content with gathering ‘sin tax’ — where you
pay for the sin of drinking, and that money will be well used
to ‘better society’ — the State uses both the valid reasoning of
additional health expenditure and the less valid excuse of
moral turpitude to see alcohol consumption less as a social
activity, and more as an evil to be dealt with pragmatically.
This frowning upon drinking is enjoined in the Consti-
tution itself. Article 47 states that ‘the State shall endeavour
to bring about prohibition of consumption except for me-
dicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks’. Interestingly, the
perception of drinking being a bad foreign influence, and
that the State will strive to get rid of it one sunny day, is
somewhat mirrored in Article 343. After failing to phase
out the English language over a 15-year period as an official
Indian language when the Constitution was adopted in 1950,
it now ‘tolerates’ its continued use as official language.
The invisible connection between the English (not lan-
guage, but rule) and drinking alcohol, made by the likes of
Tilak and Gokhale, was echoed as recently as in 2016 by chief
minister Nitish Kumar while imposing a total prohibition in
Bihar. ‘I want to make it clear to these English-speaking people
that consuming liquor is not a part of fundamental rights,’ he
program director and part of Team Aarogya Setu, Arnab Kumar, Smartphone penetration in India is only 30%.
tells Himanshi Dhawan that not only is the app providing Even if all Indians were to download the app it
may not reach critical mass. Experts say that
DOSE FOR ECONOMY: State governments earn Rs 2.48 trillion in valuable insights into the pandemic, there has been no data breach an app can only be effective if 50%-60% of the
liquor revenue annually so why turn off the tap? population is using it.
How long did it take to develop tween the device and the Aarogya Setu has been providing incred-
said, dedicating the prohibition decision to the ‘Rashtrapita’. Aarogya Setu? FOR THE server is done using this DID, ibly valuable insights at the current
Which is where we can source our mai-baap State’s mater-
nal-paternal discomfort with its uneasy sanctioning of Indian
The concept and initial prod-
uct design was proposed in RECORD and no personal information
is exchanged. The Bluetooth
adoption. The intelligence from this app
will get even better with more adoption,
adults drinking: the father of the nation. In their 2005 insight- mid-March, and it was re- signature of interaction (DID, and, hence, we are requesting all Indian
ful essay, ‘Poverty and Purification: The Politics of Gandhi’s leased on April 2. Team Aarogya Setu time, proximity, location and duration) smartphone users (~450 million) to in-
Campaign for Prohibition,’ historians David M Fahey and had more than 60 people across engi- is securely encrypted using the native stall it.
Padma Manian explore Mohandas Gandhi’s profound antipa- neering, data science, healthcare, pri- keychain of the operating system and
thy towards drinkers. ‘… he even went so far as to argue that… vacy and security domains involved in stored on the phone itself. Unless you The app depends on self-reporting. ICMR
“in the wake of drinking follow insanity, adultery, gambling, the project. turn Covid-19 positive, this information says 69% of the patients are asymptomatic, so
etc. It depraves the mind and hardens the heart with cruelty.”’ is never accessed and permanently de- people may be unaware of their Covid status
While any prohibitionist’s argument can be used to high- How effective is contact tracing through leted from the phone in 30 days. or choose not to reveal it. How effective can an
light the correlation between drinking and domestic violence, apps in containing Covid? If you have Covid-19, your contact app be in such a case?
the correlation is made to grow into a cause. Brawls, wife- Contact tracing is absolutely essential tracing data is uploaded (anonymised The app doesn’t depend on self-report-
beating and child abuse are, indeed, caused by drunken men, in accurately identifying and alerting and encrypted) to the server and the pos- ing. It is integrated with the ICMR da-
but hardly by drunken men alone. Instead of coming down people who may be at risk of infection. sible risk of the people you may have tabase and information about patients
hard on such crimes, the correlated cause — in this case, drink- Using technology to do this significantly come in contact with in the last 14 days who have tested positive is received in
ing — becomes the target. The fact that wife-beating can be improves outcomes. The insights gener- is calculated. So far we have fetched con- real-time. Contact tracing is done only
conducted by a sober man, or indeed female members of a ated by the app have been incredible. tact tracing data of about 10,000 users for users who have been confirmed
family, are not made to muddy this ‘equation’. But Gandhi’s More than 100,000 people have been — less than 0.1% of all users. positive by ICMR. The self-assessment
success in stigmatising a drinking habit as foreign to India alerted of their possible risk of infection The app does not use location for con- test in the app, based on ICMR guide-
stands on less firm legs. As Fahey and Manian point out, ‘most and suitable medical facilities have been tact tracing. The location information is lines, is for users to self-report symp-
Indian drinkers were [and remain] poor, illiterate, and lacking extended to them. In addition, we have not used on an individual level and is toms so that likelihood of Covid-19 in-
in political influence,’ thereby making prohibition ‘a policy identified several potential emerging aggregated to identify hotspots — for fection can be evaluated and proactive
with few political disadvantages… except for the Parsis and and hidden hotspots. proactive testing and sanitisation of medical help provided.
some Sikhs and Kshatriyas, however, Indian elites, influenced these locations. The app does not
by religion and custom, rarely drank alcohol’. There is a concern that the app continuously monitor any us- Ethical hacker Eliot Alderson has revealed
Fahey and Manian refer to a 1951 Bombay University may be used for surveillance. What er’s location. Any contact trac- that the app can be hacked and the data on it
study that looked at the drinking practices in eight South will happen to the data once the ing and location information is vulnerable. Have you been able to fix the
Gujarat villages. At least one family member drank in 80% pandemic is over? that might have been upload- problem?
of lower caste, Dalit and tribal families; 59% in Muslim The Bluetooth-based contact ed to the server is permanent- The app has gone through rigorous secu-
families; 7.5% in upper caste families. So, in historian David tracing is done in an anony- ly deleted 45 days from the rity testing before launch, including
Hartiman’s words, people like Gandhi ‘confused their own mous and secure manner. date of upload if you have evaluation by IIT Madras and by a large
elite values with Indian culture as a whole’. Data is kept on the phone by not tested positive for Cov- tech audit firm as well. The beta version
A call for prohibition threatened to deny significant rev- default, and only accessed and id-19 within that time. If you was widely distributed to ethical hackers
enue to the British India administration by way of alcohol analysed when needed for have tested positive, all con- and feedback was incorporated. We con-
sales. This made ample political sense for freedom fighters. Covid-19 intervention. Upon reg- tact tracing and location in- tinue to do security vulnerability testing
But in 2020, swaraj being attained for a while now, GoI abstain- istration, each user is assigned formation is permanent- before every release. The recent claims
ing from much-needed revenue bears more than a strong whiff a unique, anonymous and ly deleted 60 days about data breach are inaccurate. All the
of a colonial hangover. Something I hope to wake up with, randomised DID after you are information that this hacker claims has
minus the colonial bit, tomorrow, for god and country. (digital identity). declared been “leaked” is already in public do-
All future in- cured. main. No data or security breach has
Like the article: SMS MTMVCOL teractions be- The app been identified.
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Lift restrictions in all zones by July, and just learn to live with corona
SWAMINOMICS
SWAMINATHAN S ANKLESARIA
AIYAR
India’s lockdown has been eased by
dividing the country into red, or-
ange and green zones, with high,
medium and minimal infections so
far, and correspondingly tough curbs on economic
activity. This can at best be a very temporary meas-
ure. Beyond two or three months, it will mean eco-
nomic disaster without avoiding high deaths. Opti-
mists hope the disease will peak and fall after June.
If it continues — as is most likely — the best policy
will be to ease curbs even in red and orange zones,
along with precautions and behavioural changes.
Given India’s natural crowding in streets and
markets, plus several people sleeping in one room, I
greatly doubt the disease can be controlled quickly
through lockdowns or zoning. Besides, as I wrote last
week, global experience shows that lockdowns have
caused non-Covid deaths to rise almost as fast as
Covid deaths because of neglect of other diseases,
postponement of cancer screening and elective sur-
geries, and fear of going to infected hospitals. So,
lockdowns can kill almost as many as the virus.
I fear Covid-19 will continue into 2021. Even par-
tial lockdowns for more than a few months in red
and orange zones accounting for 88% of GDP can
kill most of India’s 60 million small enterprises that
sustain millions. After July, at the latest, we should
lift all but minimal restrictions in all zones. That
means learning to live with Covid, as we do with TB,
malaria and other diseases, while popularising social
distancing and masks, isolating the aged, and using
innovations like plexiglass partitions in offices and
mass transport.
Global experience suggests that alcohol-related
deaths are 5% of the total, far more than Covid is
likely to cause. Yet India has relaxed liquor sales to
get extra revenue, and the Supreme Court has even
advocated home delivery of liquor! Beedis are mass
killers yet taxed lightly to protect jobs. If we can live
with deadly diseases like TB and malaria, with
deaths from alcohol, tobacco, transport and work-
place accidents, it may be no riskier to live with
Covid, staving off economic disaster.
Optimists say India is handling Covid well with
barely 60,000 infections and 2,000 deaths against 1.4
million and nearly 80,000 respectively in the US.
This is because of a later start, very little testing
and hence a huge underestimation of infections
and deaths, and maybe some immunity through
vaccinations. But as testing is rising, casualty fig-
ures are rising exponentially.
What if the virus persists beyond July? Please
admit that the lockdown approach (including zoning)
has failed, and so switch to minimal restrictions plus
trying for improved social behaviour and innova-
tions to reduce travel and workplace risks.
Data on industrial production and GDP for the
lockdown month of April will come only after a lag.
The quickest indicator is the purchasing managers
index (PMI), estimating changes in orders of manag-
ers buying goods or services. A PMI over 50 signifies
an increase in orders, and below 50 a decrease. A bad
month typically has a PMI of 49 or 48.
But in April, thanks to the lockdown, India’s
PMI for manufacturing crashed to 27.5, from 51.8
in March. The services PMI crashed from 49.3 to
just 5.4, a world record low. CMIE data suggest
unemployment soared to 25% even while labour
participation fell. April was an utter disaster.
People can make sacrifices and survive with hand-
outs for a few months but not more. Economic
activity must resume.
Some easing of the lockdown, possibly the strict-
est in the world, has begun within graded zones.
But the red zones create 43% of GDP, and even with
the new relaxations, will be 50% closed. The orange
zones with another 38% of GDP will be 30% closed.
Since companies even in orange and green zones
require components from red zones, the economic
disruption will remain massive. The virus is still
spreading fast, so economist Neelkanth Mishra es-
timates that red zones will expand from 130 districts
to 181. The answer can’t be to keep shutting down
more and more districts.
Assuming Covid peaks in June, followed by a
sharp economic revival, the IMF estimates India’s
GDP growth at 1.9% in 2020. The IMF admits that if
the disease persists, growth could be 3% lower.
Moody’s estimates zero growth. Anantha Nag-
eswaran of the PM’s economic advisory council says
the worst case could be minus 3%.
By contrast, GDP rose 3.9% even in the recession
of 2008. Yet the resulting bankruptcies hit our finan-
cial sector so hard that banks have not yet recovered.
Imagine how badly minus 3% growth will wreck
already-crippled banks. Covid panic must not blind
us to the consequences of a prolonged shutdown.
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Any capital redesign must move INBOX

towards a participatory culture
BY INVITATION
GAUTAM BHATIA
At a time when the government
should be deeply troubled by the
coronavirus pandemic and devis-
ing long-term health strategies, its
inner circles are busy planning the
upgrade of Parliament House and the Central Vista.
But even there, the real issue is forgotten in a haze
of environmental jibes and accusations of urban
malpractice. At the core of the proposal lies the
critical problem of the misappropriation of culture.
When unlikely bureaucratic departments — exter-
nal affairs, agriculture, home, etc — are allowed to
sit side by side with national museums, when cen-
tres for art mix with government offices, the uncom-
fortable proximity of two disparate intentions leaves
culture an unwanted stepchild of the government.
The museum was — and still remains — a second-
ary government institution. At the time the Central
Vista was conceived, the government was the only
instrument for promoting, financing and institution-
alising public culture. The blame for such precedence
then lies squarely with Edwin Lutyens. Employed as
the architectural representative of the British gov-
ernment, his plan for buildings along Rajpath quite
naturally gave prominence to government and bu-
reaucratic functions — the Viceroy’s House at the
head, the secretariat and parliament next door, the
ministries falling below, and further away in receding
pockets of shadow, culture was fitted as an after-
thought — an effort to appease his political masters.
The new government proposal merely enlarges
the Lutyens footprint and gives itself an even grand-
er presence in public space. Ministry offices will be
modernised and enlarged; the Prime Minister’s and
Vice President’s home will additionally be shifted
close to Rashtrapati Bhavan. A new parliament will
be constructed adjacent to the old 1912 building.
New office blocks will be added along Central Vista
to make a more comfortable home for the bureau-
cracy; and culture will be located further afield. The
proposal sends a clear message: public architecture
must serve the government better.
At the time of the pandemic, amid growing social
unrest, shortages of funds, food and medical supplies,
how can a government justify a Rs 20,000-crore ex-
penditure on a showpiece? Moreover, is such a vast
expansion valid at a time when governments around
the world are reducing their public footprint?
A reverse exercise is currently in progress in Eng-
land. The upgrading of the 1840 British parliament
building is intended only to modernise the interior
and retain the outer structure in its original form.
With advanced communications technology available
now, the surrounding government departments will
move out of London to other cities so as to help regen-
erate local economies. Shouldn’t a similar exercise be
REIMAGINING ARCHITECTURE: Shift bureaucracy to
smaller cities and make space for culture
attempted in Delhi? What value does Krishi Bhavan’s
proximity to the National Museum add to public
space? In the digital age, devoid of paper shuffles be-
tween departments, the shift of bureaucracy to small-
er cities like Bhopal, Lucknow or Kochi should be
encouraged, leaving the entire vista free as a spine of
culture. Given that there is no comprehensive repre-
sentation of Indian culture in a single place anywhere
in India, the value of such a move is essential.
Moreover, a truly democratic culture must wil-
fully demonstrate independence from authority
and do away entirely with political nomenclature
— no more Indira Gandhi National Centre for the
Arts, or the Sardar Patel Museum of Science, only
a National Centre for Culture. An autonomous
place, free of alignments to political leaders, par-
ties or religious ideologies. Barely a stone’s throw
from the seat of government, culture then can act
as an antidote to political power and thus gain
added significance by proximity. In times to come,
its focal location will be critical for free expression.
How then do you conceive of culture in such a
monumental public space? Recent exhibits around
the world clearly demonstrate that the age of the
single museum is gone; replaced instead, by more
engaging technological presentations of objects,
information and materials, streamed in visual se-
quences. As a single mall of culture, containing
museums, galleries, theatres, craft centres, science
and technology pavilions, the centre should also in-
clude an India Library in line with the British Li-
brary and the American Library of Congress, and a
significant presence of science, technology and
medicine in the mix. The design must ensure a par-
ticipatory experience that gives a true sense of dis-
covery to cultural expression — a place unlike any
in India. A government that has so far succumbed
to Western imitations has an obligation to discover
a new public architecture for Indian culture — some-
thing that requires a leap of imagination beyond the
straitjacket of bureaucratic regulations.
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Why conspiracy tales?
People need a fall guy
This refers to the article by Vikram
Doctor, ‘Why Covid-19 has sparked
a boom in conspiracy theories’
(ATM, May 3). Every crisis triggers
a conspiracy theory so tactfully
articulated that it engenders
followers en masse. Quite
reminiscent of old times when
smallpox used to be blamed on an
offended goddess. People take
refuge in such theories as these
seem to be the only solace. For the
people, it’s better to blame the
crisis on something more tangible
than to have a faceless enemy.
Manish Shukla, Kota
Who’s thinking of workers?
Swapan Dasgupta in his article
(ATM May 3) has glossed over the
massive movement of lakhs of
migrant workers across states
over many miles as mere “reports
of distress”. All the contemporary
reports of responsible media are
presenting this phenomenon as
the worst human tragedy
comparable to what happened
after Partition in 1947. We recall
Gandhiji’s famous saying to the
effect that the touchstone to
justify any decision should be
whether it benefits the poorest of
the poor. Wonder if any thought
was given to this grave issue at
the proper time.
C Ashok Kumar, Bengaluru
It’s a tightrope walk
This refers to Swaminathan
Aiyar’s article (ATM, May 3). The
government doesn’t have much
room to manoeuvre while
choosing between life and
livelihood. Resumption of all
economic activities at one go can
also lead to a sudden spurt in
Covid cases, negating the gains
made so far. It’s a tightrope walk
for the government.
Vijai Pant, Hempur
Email your letters to the editor at
sunday.times@timesgroup.com
with ‘Sunday Mailbox’ in the subject line.
Please mention your name and city
OkCovid: Lockdown lust stories
are going viral in time of virus
Kim is going through, since she has decided not to
POLITICALLY INCORRECT comment on the saga, which has all of Britain hanging
SHOBHAA DE on to every salacious detail. Neil and Antonia met on
the OkCupid app — which makes them sound like
Aaaah! Rejoice… love is in the air… teenagers desperately seeking love.
and it is beating the virus! Let’s una- The question posed by Colombian Nobel laureate
shamedly swoon over the parallel Gabriel Garcia Marquez ‘s brilliant (first published in
‘love tracks’ of these two ‘Lockdown Spanish in 1985) tome ‘Love in the time of cholera’, simply
relationships’ — one featuring a asks, “Is love a young person’s sole prerogative?” Critics
51-year-old, world famous, London-based scientist, the argue that the book presents a ‘reality of marriage’, and
other, an unknown 24-year-old delivery boy from Turb- argues that lovesickness is literally an illness, a sickness
he in Navi Mumbai. Both are hogging headlines for comparable to cholera. Cholera can be interpreted as a
the same reason — by abandoning all reason during disease or a passion and readers can draw their own con-
the pandemic and following their hearts! Neil Fergu- clusion. Ferguson’s supporters point out that the scientist
son, also known as ‘Professor Lockdown’, shot to in- had indirectly saved thousands of lives with his early
ternational fame when, as a government scientist warning, and that he is ‘only human’. Critics have torn
heading SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emer- into his ‘hypocrisy’ and challenged his explanation where,
gencies), he warned Prime Min- while admitting he had ‘under-
ister Boris Johnson about the mined the lockdown’, he also added
impending number of Covid-19 that he had acted on the belief that
deaths in Britain hitting 250,000. he was ‘immune’ after self-isolating
Ferguson had tested positive for a fortnight. Meanwhile, Antonia
himself, and Boris Johnson’s near- is reportedly telling friends she
miraculous recovery made history thinks her husband is Covid-posi-
(with a bonus — a ‘welcome home’ tive and ‘had it’. Let’s see where this
gift from fiancée Carrie — a bonny goes. Bechare Neil ka bajaa diya,
for sure.
baby boy). Well, Ferguson is in the
news again, but not for the state of Closer home, an equally fool-
his repaired and healed lungs ish and lovestruck delivery boy
alone. It’s his racing heart beats figured he couldn’t live without
and slow rate of brain function his 24-year-old partner, a nurse,
that’s hogging headlines. Last who was 500 kilometres away,
week, the celebrated scientist re- stuck in her parents’ village
signed from his prestigious post home, and set off to get her back.
following a racy personal scandal He hitched rides, starting on
(the kind British tabloids thrive THAT’S AMORE: Neil Ferguson, whose April 27 and finally reached her
on). To put it crudely, the eminent modelling persuaded ministers that village on May 3. Reunited and
scientist who had strongly advo- Britain needed a lockdown, quit his euphoric, the lovers set off for
cated following lockdown rules, advisory position after it emerged that Navi Mumbai on May 4, but once
staying home and self-isolating, his lover had visited his home twice again, someone mean sneaked on
was unfortunately caught with his them and tipped off the cops as
pants down. Some spoilsport sneaked on Neil’s clandes- they stopped for lunch in Lanja, Ratnagiri, where they
tine tryst and alerted authorities. Neil had indeed been are now in quarantine. Unfortunately, so are 34 others,
very naughty! He had forgotten his own excellent advice including the girl’s parents, who came in contact with
to the nation when he spent two nights with his lady love, the love birds. The lockdown spares nobody — from
the rather fetching Awaaz staffer, Antonia Staats (38). mighty scientists to hardworking delivery boys. The
It gets a tad more complicated since both happen hefty price of love, desire and unbridled passion has
to be married — Antonia to Chris Lucas, an Arabic to be paid. Neil Ferguson described his ill-timed liaison
professor, who speaks several languages, and looks as an ‘error of judgment’. Poor excuse, mate. Scientists
like a younger version of Neil the scientist, and Neil know the precise weight of such phrases. However, he
to an unassuming lady named Kim Polgreen. The has done the ‘honourable’ thing according to support-
younger couple has two children. Neil, and his es- ers, by resigning from his post. It will be interesting
tranged wife Kim Polgreen, have a child. Antonia has to monitor how many more high-profile personalities
talked about her ‘open marriage’ in interviews and err romantically when it comes to their judgments.
admitted the Covid crisis has posed an “interesting Neil’s is but the first case to go public, I am rubbing
lockdown challenge”. She lives the good life in a my hands in anticipation. Someone a little closer to
1.9-million-pound home, and has joked it’s hard to cope home? We all love lockdown lust stories.
with domestic chores in the absence of a cleaner and
an au pair (yaani ke, like so many of us, Antonia is Like the article: SMS MTMVCOL
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SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE
MAY 10, 2020 TIMES GLOBAL 11

Post-reopening cases Corona in White House, but prez A STORY YOU SHOULDN’T MISS

Little Richard, the wild

in S Korea, Germany
spark 2nd wave fears continues to play down threat man of rock ‘n’ roll, dies
3 Aides Test +ve; Obama Says Trump’s Virus Response ‘Chaotic Disaster’ AFP

S Magician Roy Horn

outh Korea’s capital closed Tim Weiner
down more than 2,100 bars
dies of Covid at 75 Bill introduced in US Congress seeking
R
and other nightspots on Chidanand.Rajghatta ichard Penniman, better
Saturday because of a new clu- @timesgroup.com known as Little Richard,
ster of coronavirus infections,
Germany scrambled to con- M agician Roy Horn, who
alongside Siegfried Fisch- Washington: Three aides
green cards for foreign nurses, doctors who combined the sa-
cred shouts of the black ch-
bacher starred in
tain fresh outbreaks at slaugh-
terhouses, and Italian author- a popular,
long-running Las
working for US President Do-
nald Trump, vice-president Mi- S everal US lawmakers have introduced a legislation in Congress
to offer the 40,000 unused green cards to thousands of foreign
nurses and doctors to meet the urgent needs of the pandemic. The
urch and the profane sounds of
the blues to create some of the
ities worried that people were ke Pence, and first daughter world’s first and most influen-
getting too friendly at cocktail Vegas act built Ivanka Trump have tested pos- Healthcare Workforce Resilience Bill seeks to allow recapturing of tial rock ‘n’ roll records, died Richard, whose electrifying 1950s
hour during the country’s first around rare itive for the coronavirus this green cards that were approved by Congress but unused in past on Saturday. He was 87. His de- hits such as ‘Tutti Frutti’ and ‘Long
weekend of eased restrictions. tigers, died on week. This has brought the years. The move is likely to benefit a large number of Indian ath was confirmed by his son Tall Sally’ influenced legions of
The new flareups — and fears Friday from of complications of pandemic to within a degree of nurses and doctors in the US, who are either on H-1B or J2 visas. who said the cause was cancer.
A personal aide to Ivanka Trump performers like The Beatles, Prince
of a second wave of contagion Covid-19. He was 75. Fischbacher the centre of power in the US Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal report said that the Trump Little Richard did not in-
has tested positive for Covid-19. and Bob Dylan, died of cancer at 87
— underscored the dilemma and Horn, who were both born in and made the White House an administration is working to temporarily ban the issuance of vent rock ‘n’ roll. Other musi-
Germany, co-founded their The report came hours after
authorities face as they try to unexpected emerging hotspot. work-based visas like H-1B as well as students visas amid cians had already been mining later years that if Elvis Pres-
stage act after meeting on a vice-president Mike Pence’s
reopen their economies. All three principals and th- growing unemployment. The report came a day after four a similar vein by the time he ley was the king of rock ‘n’
cruise ship in the late 1950s press secretary, Katie Miller,
Worldwide, the virus is eir spouses are reported to have senators wrote a letter to Trump seeking the same. PTI recorded his first hit, “Tutti roll, he was the queen. He cha-
before bringing the show to Las was found to have been infected
confirmed to have infected tested negative. The White Frutti” — a song about sex — racterised himself variously
nearly 4 million people and Vegas in 1967 and performing for House has now updated its pro- dent quarantining, saying, “All utive mansion into a tizzy. president and their aides are in September 1955. Chuck Ber- as gay, bisexual and “omni-
killed more than 276,000, ac- the next four decades. REUTERS tocol to include daily tests for you can do is take precaution Despite the alarm, Trump being pilloried though for not ry and Fats Domino had rea- sexual”. His influence was im-
cording to a tally by Johns everyone entering the complex. and do the best that you can”. and his aides have maintained setting an example and follow- ched the pop Top 10 chart. measurable. It could be seen
Hopkins University based on before testing positive. Officials Trump himself confirmed On Saturday, FDA chief Steph- publicly the White House is a ing the administration’s own But Little Richard, del- in the showmanship of Prin-
data reported by governments. in Germany faced outbreaks at the latest breach on Friday, en Hahn said he would self-qua- safe place and life has to go on. guidelines of wearing masks ving into the wellsprings of ce, whose ambisexual image
In South Korea, where a de- three slaughterhouses. griping about how Pence’s rantine after he came into con- “This is going to go away with- and social distancing. Among gospel music and the blues, owed a major debt to his.
cline in new cases had prompt- Meanwhile, three children press secretary Katie Miller tact with a coronavirus positive out a vaccine… we are not going the critics are Barack Obama, pounding the piano and screa- Elvis and the Beatles recor-
ed the government to loosen up, have now died in New York state “tested very good for a long pe- person, believed to be Miller. to see it again after a period of who in a private phone call with ming, created something not ded his songs. Paul McCartn-
Seoul shut down thousands of from a possible complication fr- riod of time and then today she Earlier in the week, Tru- time… may be there will be fla- members of the Obama Alum- quite like any music that had ey imitated Richard’s signatu-
nightclubs, hostess bars and di- om the coronavirus involving tested positive…out of the bl- mp’s White House valet, whose reups or maybe not, but eventu- ni Association (people who been heard before. Art Rupe of re yelps — perhaps most nota-
scos after dozens of infections swollen blood vessels and heart ue” and “this is why the whole duties included serving meals ally it will be gone,” Trump said worked for him in the White Specialty Records called Litt- bly in the “Wooooo!”. Bob Dy-
were linked to clubgoers who problems. At least 73 children in concept of tests aren’t neces- and snacks to the president, on Friday as malls and stores House) called the Trump ad- le Richard “dynamic, uninhi- lan wrote in his high school ye-
went out last weekend as the na- New York have been diagnosed sarily great”. He also dismissed tested positive for the coronavi- across US began to reopen. ministration’s virus response bited, unpredictable, wild”. arbook that his ambition was
tion relaxed its social-distanc- with symptoms similar to Ka- the idea of he or his vice-presi- rus. The breach threw the exec- The president, the vice- an “absolute chaotic disaster”. He was fond of saying in “to join Little Richard”. NYT
ing guidelines. Many of the in- wasaki disease — a rare inflam-
fections were linked to a 29-ye-
ar-old who visited three clubs
matory condition in children —
and toxic shock syndrome. AP
Cracking The Covid Code Pak lifts curbs AROUND THE WORLD
ROME, ITALY
FDA clears 1st 3-drug cocktail may even as Covid Reuters

at-home Covid cases surge

saliva test speed up recovery Omer Farooq Khan TNN

T P Patients given the

he US food and drug ad- atients with mild to mo- Islamabad: Pakistan on Sat-
ministration said on derate Covid-19 appeared urday lifted the weeks-long
Friday it had granted to improve more quickly
cocktail tested lockdown that was enforced to
negative for the
TRACKING OUTBREAK emergency authorisation for
the first at-home saliva col-
if they were treated with a
three-drug cocktail, compa- virus within seven
contain the spread of the coro-
navirus, even as the country re-
lection kit to test for the coro- red with a group receiving ported 1,637 new cases of infec-
Countries Infected Death navirus. The test kit was de- just a two-drug combination,
days, compared with tions and 24 casualties in the
187 veloped by a Rutgers Univer- scientists reported on Friday. an average 12 days last 24 hours. Soldiers who
United States 12,97,549 77,744 countries/ sity lab in partnership with In the new study, publis- among those treated were patrolling the roads since
Spain 2,22,857 26,299 regions hit Spectrum Solutions and Ac- hed in Lancet, researchers at mid-March returned to bar- PARADE DEFIES PANDEMIC: Soldiers marched in Belarus on
curate Diagnostic Labs. Rut- six public hospitals in Hong
with two-drug mix racks while people were seen Saturday to celebrate the Soviet victory in WWII as President
Italy 2,18,268 30,395 gers got FDA permission last Kong and the University of ving their first symptoms star- in large numbers in markets. Alexander Lukashenko rejected calls for lockdown measures to fight
39,91,010+ month to collect saliva sam- Hong Kong followed 127 adults ted recovering and no longer The Pakistan Medical As- Covid-19. In contrast, a muted event took place on an empty Red
United Kingdom 2,16,525 31,662 infected globally ples from patients at test sites with Covid-19, including 86 on infectious earlier than pati- sociation urged the govern- Square in Russia. Belarus has officially reported 21,101 virus cases
but can now sell the collec- the three-drug cocktail and 41 ents in the comparison group. ment to implement strict lock-
Russia 1,98,676 1,827
2,76,815+
tion kits for individuals to in a comparison group. Their Patients given the cocktail tes- down. “We think the number Google announces home-related burnout during
France 1,76,202 26,233 use at home. They must be or- study was a preliminary Phase ted negative for coronavirus will spike. According to our the pandemic. CEO Sundar Pic-
have died dered by a physician. The 2trial, intended to see if a treat- within seven days, on average, information, there are five company holiday hai announced the move in a
Germany 1,70,998 7,510 FDA said Rutgers had sub- ment works. (It doesn’t deter- compared with an average 12 hospitals in Karachi that have memo to employees on Thurs-
mitted data showing that tes- mine whether the treatment is days among those treated with 63 beds reserved for corona to stem burnout day. Google said it would begin
Brazil 1,48,670 10,100 13,46,319+ ting saliva samples collected better than other options.) the two-drug mix. The cocktail patients. If this is the condi-
Turkey 1,37,115 3,739
have recovered by patients, under the obser-
vation of a health care provi-
Researchers said patients
who were started on the cock-
also cut the duration of Co-
vid-19 symptoms in half, to fo-
tion in Karachi, then you can
imagine what it would be like
A lphabet’s Google said on
Friday it has asked emplo-
yees to take a day off on May
reopening more offices globally
as early as June, but most emp-
loyees would likely work from
Iran 1,06,220 6,589
Source: Johns Hopkins
University
der, were accurate. NYT tail within seven days of ha- ur days from eight days. NYT in other cities,” Ikram Tunio, 22, to address work-from- home until the end of this year.
a PMA representative said.

THE TIMES OF INDIA, PUNE

SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2020 TIMES SPORT 11

ONE-DAY
You read and saw and probably NO. 3254 SUNDAY CROSSWORD
GALLERY
debated furiously over our fantasy
Hockey legend Test XI. We thought of needling you
Balbir Sr critical

WONDERS
more and switching colours. How
Hockey legend Balbir Singh about selecting a fantasy ODI XI? KIRSTEN
Sr, a triple Olympic gold
medallist, has been ad- Time again to pick and choose...
mitted to a hospital in
Chandigarh in critical
condition. “He is currently in
ICU but better than yester-
TOI’S FANTASY HARBHAJAN SINGH
His ability to generate bounce and turn at
day (Friday). His Covid-19
test went for examination INDIA ODI XI GANGULY
means he can be a menace for all
opposition batsmen. Is a feisty competitor
today and the results are Dwaipayan Datta who will form a lethal combination with
expected tomorrow,” Rajin- & Gaurav Gupta | TNN Kumble. Can be economical and run
der Kalra, the doctor of 1975 through a side too when in rhythm. His
World Cup winning side as SACHIN TENDULKAR TENDULKAR doosra can be a surprise weapon. Can chip
well as the 96-year-old’s Shifting to the opening slot in the fifth year in with the bat in the lower order too.
family physician, said. of his career, Tendulkar changed the way M: 236, Wkts: 269, Avg: 33.35, Best: 5-31, CRYPTIC CLUES
India would play ODI cricket over the next Economy rate: 4.31. Across Down
Final Olympic archery two decades. During the 2007 World Cup, YUVRAJ 1 Old-fashioned defence formation 1 Makes slow progress on
ANIL KUMBLE (6) a street car (7)
qualifier in June ’21: The he occupied the No. 4 slot and the
4 Case involves every one in a trial 2 Kind of steak that is
Indian archery women will consequences were disastrous. India’s most successful Test bowler was (3,5) rarely served (9)
get their final chance to Switching back, he got his 100th any captain’s go-to man even in ODIs for 9 It may be used to sort out a 3 Very much like sauce (6)
clinch a quota for the Tokyo international 100 (49th in ODIs) in his more than a decade. His nagging accuracy difficult problem (6) 5 Around midday set out
10 See great changes in economy the food (4)
2021 Olympics during the penultimate ODI in 2012. and ability to take wickets cover for the travel (8) 6 Tenacious climber found
HARBHAJAN
Paris Stage of the World M: 463, Runs: 18426 Avg: 44.8, Hs: 200* fact that he wasn’t the most explosive 12 Early birds sound like cats we in a variety of climates
Cup in June next year. SR: 86.2, 50s: 96, 100s: 49 lower-order batsman or an agile fielder. hear in the garden (8) (8)
JADEJA M: 271, Wkts: 337, Avg: 30.89, Best: 6-12, 13 It may be pointed out in the 7 Right to insist upon (5)
desert (6) 8 To commit it one rats by
Anand rested, India ROHIT SHARMA Economy rate: 4.30 15 Store between 180 and 270 design (7)
lose to China: India, with Probably the greatest ODI opener India has degrees (4) 11 Its records make money
former world champion V produced after Tendulkar. After struggling ZAHEER KHAN 16 It’s one live form of broadcasting (7)
(10) 14 Football official on the
Anand rested, lost 1.5.-2.5 for relevance in the middle order, Rohit One of the most under-rated performers in 19 Fabricated steel-cored conductors application form? (7)
to title contenders and top found his mojo once MS Dhoni, in a Indian cricket, his role in the 2011 World of current (10) 17 Rebelling against
seed China in the ninth masterstroke, asked him to open in 2013. GANGULY Cup triumph almost goes unnoticed. The 20 Like to get a first-class return for authority, gets run in
The only batsman to score three ODI left-arm swing bowler was equally the continent (4) perhaps (9)
round of FIDE-Chess.com 23 Dad having lost her, I get Mum to 18 Shattering discovery in
Online Nations Cup on double hundreds, he possesses probably effective both in the beginning of the find her (6) Moab tomb (4,4)
Saturday. the best pull shot in the game today, and innings and at the death and had the ability 25 Blamed a number before having 19 Impressions left by the
becomes more lethal as the innings to take wickets at any stage. Developed the made certain (8) dead (7)
ROHIT 27 For an NCO such punishment may 21 A go-slow which could
Batra gets extension as progresses. Can kill you softly. knuckle ball before the 2011 World Cup and well involve stripes (8) be at an end (7)
FIH President: IOA chief M: 224, Runs: 9115, Avg: 49.27, HS: 264, put it to good use in the tournament 28 Glutton takes an age to finish a 22 Aim for a high place in
Strike Rate: 88.92, 50s: 43, 100s: 29 KUMBLE M: 200, Wkts: 282, Avg 29.44, Best: 5-42, bird (6) the church (6)
Narinder Batra’s tenure as 29 Winter dancing party? No, but it’s 24 A trunk with tangled
the FIH president has been Economy rate: 4.93 roots (5)
thrown for enjoyment (8)
extended till May 2021 after SOURAV GANGULY 30 Got a seat when prepared to 26 Seasonal slump in
Though he played mostly as an opener in VIRAT JASPRIT BUMRAH stand (6) America? (4)
its annual congress was
postponed. ODIs, Ganguly was superb as a No. 3 during Can fire toe-crushing yorkers at will to
the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. His trouble the best of batsmen in the slog QUICK CLUES
Besiktas player tests ability to clear the in-field with ease overs or bowl traditional seam and swing Across Down
positive: One Besiktas makes him a suitable candidate in the at the start. Can also do a great job in the 1 A chessman (6) 1 Middle East capital (7)
top-3. Two World Cup heroes, Mohinder ZAHEER middle of the innings to break partnerships 4 Bodily (8) 2 Imaginary utopia (7-2)
player and a staff member 9 A French wine (6) 3 Dish made with eggs (6)
Amarnath and Gautam Gambhir, were BUMRAH or stem the flow of runs. Has a very good
tested positive for the 10 Refuse to sanction (8) 5 Greet (4)
close contenders for the spot but bouncer and a slower ball too. Perhaps 12 Poor quality verse (8)
coronavirus three days KAPIL 6 Unfailingly reliable (8)
Ganguly’s class, leadership skills and India’s best ODI pace bowler ever. 13 Stab of pain (6) 7 Punctuation mark (5)
after the announcement 15 Raised platform (4)
longevity seals it for him. M: 64, Wickets: 104, Avg: 24.43, Best: 5-27, 8 Anarchic (7)
that the Turkish league will 16 Facing desperate adversity
M: 311, Runs: 11363, Avg: 40.73, Hs: 183; Easy on the eye with his batting, a brilliant guts to promote himself to No. 5 ahead of Economy rate: 4.55. 11 Nom de plume (3,4)
resume next month, the (2,8)
14 Efface (7)
SR: 73.71, 50s: 72, 100s: 22 fielder and an effective part-time spinner, Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 World Cup final. 19 In great demand (2,1,7)
club said on Saturday. 17 Indian Ocean island (9)
Yuvi edges out Mohammad Azharuddin, The way he countered Murali and steered 12th man 20 Cougar (4)
18 Debris (8)
VIRAT KOHLI another legend vying for the No. 5 slot. The the team home is part of cricketing folklore. RAVINDRA JADEJA 23 Government department (6)
19 From this time onward (2,2,3)
Maradona signs 1986 Arguably the best Indian batsman while fact that Yuvraj, then battling lung cancer, M: 350, Runs: 10773, Avg: 50.57, Hs: 183*; Along with Mohammad Kaif, perhaps the
25 Public disgrace (8)
27 District barricaded off (2-2,4) 21 Unfathomable (7)
WC replica shirt: Diego chasing in ODIs. Even if the target is huge, was the Man of the Series in India’s 2011 SR: 87.56, 50s: 73, 100s: 10 best limited-overs fielder India have had. 22 Comfort in sorrow (6)
28 Love of cruelty (6)
Maradona has lent a hand in 29 Comfortably (4,4) 24 Combat (5)
‘King Kohli’ can make a mockery of it with World Cup win makes him an emotional ™He has also taken 321 catches and Since he is an all-rounder, can be
the fight against Covid-19 in his terrific strokeplay and lightning running favourite for the spot. effected 123 stumpings considered in the XI should a batsman or 30 Small ferocious carnivore (6) 26 Sediment in wine (4)
Buenos Aires by autographing between the wickets. Once in, expect him M: 304, Runs: 8701, Avg: 36.56, Hs: 150; bowler suffer a last-minute injury.
a replica of the jersey he wore to finish off a game without playing a false SR: 87.68, 50s: 52, 100s: 14 Bowling: KAPIL DEV M: 165, Runs: 2296, Hs: 87, Avg: 31.88, SOLUTIONS FOR CROSSWORD NO. 3253
when he led his country to stroke. Though he has excelled at No. 3, he Wkts: 111, Avg: 38.68, Economy rate: 5.1 Another player who walks into any fantasy SR: 85.96 CRYPTIC QUICK
victory in the 1986 World Cup can adapt his game to bat at No. 4 as well, Indian XI across formats. Kapil is probably Wickets: 187, Best: 5-36, Avg: 36.57,
for a raffle. AGENCIES since he can rotate the strike and take MS DHONI (wk, captain) the only genuine all-rounder India ever had. Economy rate: 4.89.
quick singles under pressure. Is also a huge There are many ways to describe Dhoni, He was a master of swing, a brilliant death
No. 19 Vol. XX. Registration No. MAHENG / 2000 /
asset in the field. the ‘greatest finisher in ODIs’ and ‘best bowler, one of India’s finest outfielders and COACH: GARY KIRSTEN.
240:Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & M: 248, Runs: 11867, Avg: 59.33, Hs: 183, Indian captain in the shorter formats’ being an explosive batsman. His 175* against Alternative XI: Virender Sehwag, Kris
Co. Ltd., by Ranjit Jagdale at The Times of India, 577, F.C.
Road, Pune 411 004 and printed by him at The Times of Strike Rate: 93.25, 50s: 58, 100s: 43. the two stand-out attributes. Keeping, Zimbabwe in the 1983 WC is rightly rated Srikkanth, Mohinder Amarnath,
India Press, Sector No. 10, Plot No. 119, PCNTDA, Bhosari,
Pune 411 026. Editor (Pune Market): Joy Purkayastha batting under pressure and ability to take as the greatest ODI knock by an Indian. Mohammad Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid,
(Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act.) All
rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Road
YUVRAJ SINGH unbelievable risks as captain, and pulling M: 225, Runs: 3783, Avg: 23.79, Hs: Manoj Prabhakar, Kiran More, Ashish
Surcharge: Rs 2.00 for all locations except Pune City, A combination of class and match-winning those off more often than not, make him 175*SR: 95.07, 50s: 14, 100s: 1 Wkts: 253, Nehra, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami; 12th
PCMC, Dehu Road, Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar,
Panchgani, Satara, Shirdi, Solapur, Talegaon and Wai ability makes Yuvi India’s best bet at No. 5. the best India ever had in that slot. Took Avg: 27.45, Economy rate: 3.72 man: Javagal Srinath; Coach: John Wright
12 PUNE TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA
LEISURE / PUNE TIMES SUNDAY 10 MAY 2020 I ADVERTORIAL, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Aries Libra life. Close ones have no sense of

where you’re coming from – be-
unfold, but you’re
going to come out
Mars guides the way The eighth house is
1 cause their issues are as big as and all of it in the end.
forcefully, being po- .a1 occupied by Mer-

FinOlex
perhaps equal and opposite to Between now and
sitioned in the house cury and Venus.
yours. Compassion and forgive- then, the deal
of gains. After a long There is so much
ness hold the key to everything seems to be about
period of trial and going on, let’s hope
that’s going on with you right now. knowing more
error, your experi-
ence has led you FORTUNE Anupam V Kapil
you are in the mood
to deal with it. If Shweta Capricorn Kavita
about other peo-
ple’s issues than
through the gauntlet you could see your Tiwari The things that have been in place Kaushik they themselves
Anita and you’re sailing life from a bird’s eye are no longer relevant. In your con-
For appoint-n pnts mail at anupamvkapiI@gmaiLCom do.
Hassanandani into more certain or sms on 9822042295.
view, you would know that no mat- versations with
waters. As triumph
and success open the way to whatev-
ter how things look at the moment,
everything is on the increase and
others, you keep Pisces
getting lit up by Mercury and Venus activate your
er you’ve been shooting for, don’t let
pride lead you into believing that you
ASTROSPEAK waiting to pop. The need to remain
constant is imperative. If there are
the idea that none
of this was ever
communications
sector. Your rela-
can’t lose, or that this is about any- concerns about your health, take a meant to be per- tionship issues
thing but remaining true to yourself. brakes on the idea that you can ignore more holistic approach. Things will
all that stuff. Coming back to the cen- manent. And have never mat-
The more you cultivate your ability improve as soon as you realise that what’s going on tered as much as
to appreciate the beauty in others, tre, and finding a way to stay abreast spiritual components matter as much
of what is out of control will require Mithila with you now is they do now.
along with their insanity, the more the as the physical issue. Treat yourself Palkar showing you that What hasn’t been
next phase of your plan will take off. you to haul back and beam in on to as much peace and quiet as it takes
what’s been hiding in your blind spots. there’s got to be working hasn’t
to remember that you are not a ma- more to life than this. You are right Abigail improved and

Taurus Leo chine. on the money. Keep up with your Pande you’re desperate

Many of you
After a long stretch
of limbo, you are be-
Scorpio search. You can’t get too worked up to know what to
about things when they’re this in- do about it. The usual cures have
are in situa- Mercury and Venus
ginning to remember tense. not made a dent. There are no sim-
tions where you move in your sev-
that there is more to ple solutions. As the relationship
know it’s time life than what you’ve
enth house. You can’t
expect people to
Aquarius paradigm shifts, all of us are being
to quit, but your been engaged in. It’s Your life is at a crossroads. The de- called to find ways to be together
money trips wake up before their sire for total freedom and autono- that actually work. Things we do in
like the lid got time, and there’s
outweigh the Shraddha Arya blown off and my competes with the reality of the heat of the moment rarely gen-
concept that nothing you can do your situation. Breaking free will erate anything but a quick high and
you’re ready for anything. If circum- Niti Taylor to change the way
Kulraj nothing good stances don’t allow you space and time require more than you are willing a lot of trouble. This could be one
happens when they see things. That to sacrifice,and at this point it might of those karmic things that’s meant
Randhawa to fly away, you at least need to shake being the case, you are beginning to
joy is gone. If your schedule enough to include ac- see that you’re the one that has to make even be out of the question. Time to teach you a huge lesson, but it
you know what it means to walk tivities that take you both “out of time” a few adjustments. If you can put the and the actions of other people have could just as easily be you, acting
your talk, you will rejuvenate and out of the box. The daily chores internal stuff into place, your per- a lot to say about how things will out of desperation.
your life in no time. However, the can’t be ignored. There will be slow spective on all of this will lighten up.
movement of Mercury with progress in limited areas. Timing is On other fronts, it looks like it’s time
Venus in your sign is good to the key. What you hope for depends so to review your entire life. If you can
bring in positivity amongst the much on how others respond to you. separate what others want from what
global uncertainty. Some oppor-
tunity will surely come up now,
keep planning and working hard.
STAR BIRTHDAY
TAURUS: ADAA KHAN
Don’t push too hard or expect life to truly matters to you, you will totally
go along with your plans. lighten up.
#CORONASUTRA
MAY 12, 1989 Virgo Sagittarius The best of locked-down creativity
Mercury and Venus Health needs care as
in your luck sector indicated by Mer-
bring the potential cury/Venus transit
for radical change in your sixth house,
everywhere. And you might adopt a
Gemini what you’re trying to change in diet. Re-
Your sign lord Mer- figure out is how all
cury has joined
keep the light on and remain vigi-
lant. It’s either going from bad to
Cancer Asha Negi of it is going to affect
cent life and death
experiences and
Venus in the second Mars moves you. There is no way to predict the out-
worse or it’s getting better. Your at- events have made it
house – they will tempts to resolve things have been
through the difficult come. If you keep moving easily from Divyanka
eighth house. If totally clear that
bring good sleep totally heroic. Don’t be surprised if one miracle to another, don’t fight it. Tripathi everything happens
and pleasures, but there is an issue it’s If there are obstacles at every turn, Dahiya
your situation takes a dive, or turns for a reason. No mat-
nothing strongly about the fact that so it’s a sign that it’s time to cut your loss- ter how things go, at the end of the
around when you least expect it. Do-
material. Nothing much is slipping es and bail out. It’s so clear that some- day we learn that it’s all perfect. At
ing things your way is unrealistic.
Pooja Gor will improve until through the cracks, thing has to change because you’re this point your lessons also include
The minute you begin to see that all
you are willing to keep at it with all you are losing track getting restless and you need to review letting go of the need to cling to the
of it is happening for your benefit, Smriti
your heart. Whether you know it or of the details. Don’t where you’re at in order to keep grow- issues of the past. That stuff keeps
the space opens up for the solutions Khanna
not, you have tons of support. Just be averse to putting ing.
to emerge. you from getting along in your daily

Actor Aashutosh Gokhale NotKnowing

The Land of NotKnowing
-†This†is†the†Lšnd†of† cheer.
-†A symphony†plšyed†songs

distributes food to the needy

-†where†mšny†things†šre†new. for†free
-†We're†not†eŸšctly†sure -†so†folks†hešrd†bešuty
-†of†whšt†to†sšy†or†whšt†to†do. through†their†fešr.
-†Our†world†seemed†normšl -†Ešch†of†us†hšs†power
yesterdšy. -†we†cšn†use†in†little†wšys.
hile Aashutosh Gokhale has distributing food to those in need. “A couple of

W enthralled viewers with

performances in serials like Tula
his

Pahate Re and Rang Maza Vegala, the actor has

weeks ago, I came across an article about this
initiative and I decided to be a part of it to give
back to the society. I requested the group to
-†Todšy†it†šll†feels†stršnge.
-†We†cšnnot†know†eŸšctly
-†how†our†lives†will†chšnge.
-†There†is†much†we†cšn't†
-†We†ešch†cšn†choose†š†gift†to
shšre.
-†œhšring†lights†the†dšrkest
dšys.
been in the news for a different reason in the allow me to join and have been distributing food control -†NotKnowing†cšn†feel†scšry.
last few days. in the Goregaon, Malad and Kandivali areas,” -†(we†never†rešlly†could). -†We†hšve†not†been†here†
Aashutosh, who lives in Mumbai, has been shares Aashutosh. -†But†we†cšn†choose†to†help. before.
volunteering with a group of people who are Donning safety gears, Aashutosh reports to -†We†cšn†use†our†gifts†for -†But†the†moon†is†still†so
the collection centers at 3.30 pm, picks up food good. splendid.
by 4.30 pm, and leaves for distribution. In a day -†When†one†girl†sšw†thšt†hugs -†Come†look†with†me.
I HAVE LEARNT THAT he distributes around 900-1000 food pockets. hšd†stopped -†I'll†hold†the†door.
Speaking about what the lockdown has -†she†drew†smšll†hugs†to†offer †Amy†Ludwig†VšnDerwšter
WE ALL CAN LIVE IN taught him, Aashutosh adds, “I have learnt that
THE MINIMALIST WAY, we all can live in the minimalist way, with
whatever we have at our disposal. After this
WITH WHATEVER WE HAVE experience, I am already feeling like a changed
Aashutosh
Gokhale
AT OUR DISPOSAL person.”
— Anup.Satphale@timesgroup.com The actor while on a distribution round

TIMES KAKURO SPELLATHON

Today’s Ratings:
20-average 22-good
24-outstanding

ENGINEERING | MANAGEMENT | MEDIA | LAW

C
G A
SUDOKU CHALLENGE M
HOW TO
R I
PLAY E
Fill in the grid so
that every How many words of four or more letters can you
horizontal row, make from the letters shown in today’s puzzle?
every vertical In making a word, a letter can be used as many
column and times as it appears in the puzzle. Each word
must contain the central letter. There should be
every 3x3 box at least one seven letter word. Plurals, foreign
contains the words and proper names are not allowed. British
digits 1-9, English Dictionary is used as reference.
without The numbers in the coloured Level: Medium
repeating the squares refer to the sums of the 20
numbers in the digits that you must fill into the 12
SOLUTIONS TO GAMES/
same row, empty spaces directly below or PUZZLES ABOVE
column or to the right of the coloured
box.You can’t square containing the number. TIMES SUDOKU
For instance, in the given exam- Example
change the digits
ple, the 2 boxes below 12 must
already given in contain 2 digits that add upto
the grid. Every 12, whereas for 20, the 3 boxes
puzzle has one placed horizontally next to it Note: A digit cannot appear more than
solution. must add upto 20. No zeroes are once in any particular digit combination.
Level: Medium used here, only the digits one For instance in the example, we cannot
through nine. have the combination of 8+4+8 for 20.

LOOP THE LOOP SCRAMBLE LOOP THE LOOP

Hints: Keep HOW TO PLAY
eliminating
possibilities by Now arrange the letters in the circles to form the answer to the riddle or to fill in the
marking missing word as indicated
crosses in Rearrange the letters in the four word jumbles, one letter to each square/circle, to
spaces make four ordinary words
between dots
where a line
isn’t possible,
i.e., if you have
VWAEE TIMES KAKURO
already
completed
required lines
ALANS
or where a line
extension may
create a
branch or
ARSUCM
cause a
deadend
(Fig B) AEIWGH SCRAMBLE
they are the same. - Alphonse Karr
Rules Answer: The more things change, the more
„Connect adjacent dots with vertical or horizontal lines,creating a single loop (Fig A). Words: Weave, nasal, sacrum, aweigh
„Crossovers or branches are not allowed (As shown by dotted lines in Fig B).
„Numbers in the puzzle indicate the number of lines that should surround it, while empty cells The more things ___, the more they are the __. - Alphonse Karr (6,..,4)
may be surrounded by any number of lines. SPELLATHON
„You can’t draw lines around zeroes.
„Each puzzle has just one unique solution. mica, mice, mirage, mire, ramie, ream
How to begin: Example (Fig A) - Begin with the MACE, grime, image, mace, magic, mare,
zero next to 3. Since no lines can be drawn
around zero, mark crosses around it, as shown. MINDBENDER emir, game, gamier, germ, gram, grim, GRI-
acme, amir, came, cram, cream, crime,
Now there is a cross in one space around 3. So
Not allowed
we know the three lines of 3 can only be drawn (Fig A) (Fig B) Even though the Tasmanian Tiger is classified as a carnivore,
in the remaining three spaces. Next, these lines MINDBENDER
can only be extended in one direction each.Continue,using the same logic. why doesn’t it eat meat? Because it’s sadly extinct
 THE FILMMAKER’S Whose recommendations do you
want to see here? Write to us at
I like to
TOP MOVIE PICKS timeslife@timesgroup.com watch
films
dealing with
man and na-
ture. Native
wisdom is
something
GOUTAM GHOSE Rocco and His Citizen Kane, 1941 Seven Samurai, Virgin Spring, 1960 Kanchenjungha, that attracts
Brothers, 1960 Dir: Orson Welles 1954 Dir: Ingmar 1962 me a good deal
masterclass Dir: Luchino Visconti Dir: Akira Kurosawa Bergman Dir: Satyajit Ray
A SUPPLEMENT OF SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA MAY 10, 2020 NATIONAL
ADVERTORIAL, LIFESTYLE PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

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P A J A M A DESIGNERSPEAK
Digital surprise for
mummy dearest!
CHIC!
Pair them with a For a virtual
camisole, a crop date, accesorise
top and an oversized your pajamas with
With no chocolates
shirt as overlay printed scarves or cakes available, Istock

Team it with a Mix and match many are opting for

pair of sneakers patterns like florals
Shikha.Shah@timesgroup.com
When times with stripes, ging- digital gifts this
change, wear it with ham with polka Mother’s Day
W
hat makes a quarantine queen? Casual slip
dresses, comfortable pajama sets, fancy slip- strappy stilettos and Slip on a lace
pers and oodles of comfort. With work, Sun- a boyfriend blazer and silk camisole Niharika.Lal@timesgroup.com
day brunches, movie dates and parties nowhere on the – Samyukta Nair, for layering

W
horizon – and your shirts, suits, formal dresses, denims founder of a ith the lockdown in place,
and high heels cooling in the cupboard – it’s time you
– Aniket Satam,
sleepwear label designer making your mother’s day
repurposed the humble pajama, gave it an easy breezy special today may not mean
makeover and made #HomeCouture your chic fashion getting her cakes, chocolates or other
statement in the lockdown. stuff of her choice. Many have opted
The most pop trend is the solid-coloured for innovative digital gifts this year
Pajama chic is more than loose collared set with contrast trimmings to ensure that even in the time
st
trousers and shirt. Think silk Abstract prints, colour blocking and slo-
of social distancing, celebrating A guitari is
Mother’s Day doesn’t get ham- on video
bowling shirt with wide boxer gans are in vogue too pered. All of this, thanks to digi- a great t
if
Mixing and matching can add a fun ele- tal gifting websites that have digital g
shorts, retro tracksuit set or a ment, like pairing contrast prints together worked out some innovative gift
Shraddha Kapoor and Karishma Kapoor XXL hoodie paired with leggings – Saaksha Bhatt, designer
options.
Pawan Gadia, CEO, Online and Re-
show off their cool quotient in pajamas tail, Ferns N Petals, says, “Shipping is
restricted due to the pandemic, but
Mother’s Day special digital gifts will

What’s #lockdownlife like for pets? arrive on time on phone. We have re-
ceived over 500 orders.”
Online gifting websites like Cher-
Istock

ishX are also offering guitar calls and

Farzana.Patowari1@timesgroup.com HOMEMADE FOOD
With pet food scarce, many
VET ON CALL are turning chefs hat for their
Your furry and feathered friends furry babies. When Bhopal-
will need medical advice, even in based educationist Lavanya
lockdown. And that’s why many Singh ran out of dog food, she
vets have opened online consulta- started cook-
tion. “I’ve been flooded with at ing for her
least 50 calls a day, ranging from
pets suffering from seasonal ail-
one-year-old
golden re- Pets & Us
ments, to infections and injuries. triever. “It’s
Issues like loose motions, vomit- curd rice and roti, with cookies
ing, fever can be easily addressed
and biscuits as new treats,” she
and treated online,” says veteri- shares. student Harshita
narian Rahul Choudhary, who’s Dawani, from Gurugram, is
decided not to charge anything for baking vegetable cookies for
the advice. her bullmastiff Hogo.
TIME TO WORK OUT special radio shows which can be
With walks not possible, pet booked. Salomi, a lecturer living in At-
parents are doing new work- lanta, has booked one such show.
outs. Akkashh Chauhaan takes “My brother and I have decided to get
the lift down from his 13th a radio show done online. We’re still
floor Mumbai apartment with discussing the content – if it should be
his Dober- funny or sugary sweet. I’m sure she
man, Shadow. will remember this experience.”
Then
both
they
climb
the stairs back DIGITAL GIFT OPTIONS YOU COULD ALSO...
up! Or, you could keep it sim- Go on a virtual trip with your mom
FOR YOUR MUM
ple, like Roshni Trivedi from Attend a virtual concert or show
Noida, who hides oranges in Guitarist/ poet on video call
her apartment, which her five- Beautician or yoga online
year-old husky, Cupid, then Personalised e-books HOW MUCH WILL IT COST YOU?
finds! Video message from a celeb All these digital gifts range from `200-3,000

WFH is revealing people’s office avatars to spouses

Good mothers also Is your shy Amrita.Prasad@timesgroup.com Kavita Khanna’s husband is “one of the laziest”
people she’s met. “His wardrobe and book-

make great CEOs! spouse S

hekhar Jadhav, an entre-
preneur from Pune, al-
ways thought his wife was
shelves are a mess. He can never find his
watch,” she says, adding, “But when he is in ‘of-
fice mode’, he’s very well-organised. He tells col-
leagues to churn out clean PPTs with uniform

The same qualities matter in both the roles
Vinita Dawra Nangia
a boss
soft-spoken. “Now I overhear
her shouting at her team fonts and excel sheets with perfectly aligned
columns and rows. Wish this version of Monica
unique, inherent qualities. every morning on Zoom
meetings. As soon as they’re Geller took over his personal life too!”
For one, they are creators, nurturers

A
mirror was held up to me in a
rather rude awakening just one
day after I spoke passionately at
and healers. The fact that Nature in-
tended a woman as the primary nur-
turer also gives her greater emotional from over, she’s back to being
very polite.” He still can't fig-
ure how she switches be-
tween the two modes.
IS YOUR PARTNER ANY OF THESE?

hell?
a webinar on 'Women in Leadership strength, more patience and greater
Roles.' sensitivity. Women have a natural tal- That’s one of the biggest 1. Terrifying husband who can only say
My son happened to share a riddle ent at people management and they learnings of the lockdown – ‘sure’ on call with his boss
on Instagram. It went like this - A fa- use this adeptly when working in sen- shy husbands turning into
monstrous bosses, controlling
2. Wife whose accent changes
ther is driving his son to an interview ior positions, to attract and retain tal- magically on a work call
for a position at a large stockbroker's ent. They are more persuasive, with wives changing into timid em-
ployees, and introverts meta- 3. Boyfriend who calls co-workers to
company in the city. The son gets a
call from the trading company's CEO
who says, "Good luck son, you've got
better people skills. They also tend to
take greater risks when it comes to
their ideas and passions.
work wise morphosing into
smooth-talkers with clients.
jovial, “brainstorm” and steals their ideas
4. Hubby who's a doormat to colleagues
Protective about their progeny, Istock
this!" The son looks at the father who
is sitting next to him. How women are better at seeking
can this be? counselling and peer advice,
Some guessed it could
be a previous audio
and hence have a
more inclusive MANGO ICE CREAM: tuning out
C
an’t stop binge-ing on TV
news channels or ‘snack-
recording, others said it leadership style,
RECIPE SEARCH A ing’ on headlines on your
was the boy's
grandfather or that
his name was ees.
thus better able to
engage employ-
QUARANTINE FAVE! Time to go on an smartphone during lockdown?
This could end up taking an
emotional toll on you in the form

'Son'. Maybe
he has two fa-
thers, said one!
The correct
answer? The CEO of the company was
the boy's mother! Interestingly, one of
those who didn't get the right answer
was a woman CEO and another, a
woman who aspired to be a CEO! And
yes, me too! We fell victim to the im-
plicit gender bias that affects the lives
of women world over and saturates
leadership in all spheres.
While women represent just 5 per-
cent of Fortune 500 CEOs, they cer-
tainly deserve many more slots at the
top. Not just because diversity is criti-
cal to a company's success, but also be-
cause women are better managers and
make great leaders due to some
information diet
Always fighting per- of stress, anxiety and panic
ception and prejudice, Here’s how to limit your info in-
women have to put in After dalgona coffee and banana
bread, mangoes are the new craze take:
that extra effort. This
then gives them an edge over male social media. Desi netizens are LIMIT NEWS INTAKE
counterparts. It's a scientific fact that busy searching for various recipes While we watch how much fat,
the area of the brain that connects the involving the king of fruits. Constant sugar and carbs we put in our
mouth, keep a fixed timing aside
left (rational) and the right (intuitive)
hemispheres is larger in women, be-
access to for your news intake.
On May 8, users' interest in ‘man- NO SNACKING PLEASE
cause of which they can think and feel
at the same time, while men need to go ice cream recipe’ rose by news in Turn off all that extra noise and
separate the two activities. 3,250%, shows Google. Vijay De-
verakonda recently shared a video
lockdown information that keeps popping
Convinced? But the story will nev- up on your feed, with the help of
er change till all of us are aware of and of him whipping up the treat. could take different apps, ad-blockers, and
ready to fight the implicit sexism and social media site settings.
bias against women. She is a mother,
Apart from ice cream, mango
a toll on AVOID UNHEALTHY INFO
but that does not throw her out of the
reckoning. In fact, that is what gives
Istock cake, cheesecake, souffle, emotional Study your news intake habits. If
shakes, kulfi and lassi are also certain headlines and topics up
her the power to win the race to the
corner office!
There’s nothing like
beating the heat with among the top-searched mango- health your anxiety, it’s time to cut
mango ice cream related recipes in India. them out of your diet altogether.
 India takes the
Follow us on: twitter.com/PuneTimesOnline
facebook.com/PuneTimesOnline SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2020 I ADVERTORIAL, ENTERTAINMENT
INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL FEATURE I PUNE
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IRRFAN AND I: VISHAL My mother has always stood

BHARDWAJ PENS SCREENPLAY up for herself, and I learnt
ON HIS BOND WITH IRRFAN
Aparna Jayakumar
that from her: Kriti Sanon Neha.Maheshwri@timesgroup.com
EXCLUSIVE riti Sanon is ready to celebrate Mother’s Day with her mom in

K her Mumbai home during the lockdown. The actress proudly

tells us about how her mom, Geeta, was the first woman in
their family to get a job and how she forged her way by fighting
patriarchal stereotypes.
Kriti shares, “My mother, a Physics professor, completed her PhD
after I was born. My
grandparents would say,
‘Kya karogi itna padhayi kar
ke, naukri karke?’, but she
never relented. And thank
God that she didn’t, because
whatever I have imbibed
from her has made me what
I am, today.”
The Luka Chhupi actress
says that she has also drawn
her sense of values and
strong ideas of feminism
Vishal Bhardwaj from her mother. She adds, Kriti Sanon,
and Irrfan “I think my values, and (left) the
worked thoughts, mindset, opinions, actress with
together on a lot of it comes from my her mom
many mother. She has always been
acclaimed films. an empowered person. She
The filmmaker stood up for herself and
was waiting for never gave into bias or discrimination. She would question rules and
his warrior to rituals and would never follow them until they made sense to her. If I
return for their am a feminist today, that’s because I have learnt to stand up for myself
next project from my mother. She supported me in my choices. She didn’t want me
to give up on my dreams. Despite being an academically inclined
person herself, she let me pursue my Bollywood dreams once I
completed my B.Tech, because she did not want the world to tell me
that I couldn’t do what I wanted to.” MY MOM LET ME PURSUE MY
Anshul.Chaturvedi I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY victorious return. For Kriti, maa ke haath ka khana can match none other, but for BOLLYWOOD DREAMS, BECAUSE SHE DID
@timesgroup.com Vishal stayed engaged with
ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP Irrfan through these two years as
Mother’s Day, she has planned to reverse the role and indulge her mom
with freshly-baked chocolate tarts and a lovely home-cooked meal NOT WANT THE WORLD TO TELL ME THAT
he lockdown has warped WITH HIM. I COULD HAVE
T
he battled the situation, exchanged dished by her sister Nupur and her. I COULDN’T DO WHAT I WANTED TO
our sense of time. Has it notes, jokes, and apprehensions.
really been thirteen days WRITTEN AN ARTICLE OR A And when it all ended, he summed
since Irrfan passed away? The BLOG, BUT I DECIDED TO it up with “a part of me has died
calendar tells you that it indeed
WRITE A SHORT SCREEN- with him”.
has.
And for one among the many PLAY, WHERE IRRFAN AND I
Thirteen days after Irrfan’s
passing away – on the terahvi, as
BUZZSTOP TAYLOR SWIFT
devastated by the untimely ARE TWO CHARACTERS it were – Vishal shares with us a
death of Irrfan, these days have
been particularly difficult as he
– Vishal Bhardwaj note in Irrfan’s memory. A labour
of love and of grief. Not a blog, IDRIS ELBA LENDS HIS ANNOUNCES
reconciles to the void. And
Vishal Bhardwaj has gone back to what he knows best – his
but a screenplay – a short one –
that condenses and distils the relationship of many years. VOICE TO A SONG HELPING ‘CITY OF
craft – to express what has been bottled up within.
In the first half of 2018, Irrfan was about to work on a
project with Vishal – the man who had directed him in
From flashbacks of Irrfan’s mischievousness and dry wit
to the moments of gazing at his face one last time as he lay
wrapped in a shroud, he explains why, in his own words,
RELIEF EFFORTS LOVER’
Maqbool, 7 Khoon Maaf and Haider, and also worked with
him in Talvar and Madaari – when things took an unex-
“no actor will be able to take that space in my life, ever
again.”
IDRIS ELBA, who battled the
coronavirus this year, has lent
CONCERT
TAYLOR SWIFT, who has cancelled
pected turn. “Irrfan is a warrior and we know he will con- As you go through it with him, you can, navigating this his voice to a new song about
quer this battle”, Vishal announced in March that year, short screenplay, sense what he experienced when he heard, black men and mental health all her concerts for 2020,
as he postponed the project and promised to “start with from the graveyard’s caretaker, the that will benefit pandemic relief announced a new concert, City Of
renewed energy and celebration when our warrior words that brought a finality to it all: efforts. The actor has delivered Lover, set to air on a US TV network.
returns as a winner.” “Kisi ko aakhiri deedar karna ho a spoken performance on the “We filmed my show in Paris in
The warrior battled on, but there was to be no toh aage aa jaaye…” song Kings by Kosine. “This September and thought it'd be fun
song looks at mental health, to share it with you,” the 30-year-old
mental enrichment,” the actor singer tweeted about the show that
Go to etimes.in, or scan the QR code, to read Vishal Bhardwaj’s wrote on his Instagram. will be aired on May 17. — ANI
screenplay in memory of Irrfan

RAJASHRI KANADE, PUNE DR SUSHMITA MUKHERJEE, INDORE

NURSE DOCTOR

MOM’S A WARRIOR: ANIKET KANADE

Aai returned home for a break after 20 days of duty at Pune’s
Sassoon Hospital which had many cases of COVID-19. Those 20
days were the
toughest for us as a
family because we
kept hearing about
new cases and doctors
and nurses having
contracted the
infection. We would
THE WARRIOR MOMS
MEET Saptaparna.Biswas@timesgroup.com
MOM HAS BEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD, WITH
A SMILE ON HER FACE: SHANGORAV
MUKHERJEE
I am in my final year
of MBBS and my
mother is my
inspiration! We both
have been on duty
for over 40 days and
besides her
experience in my
treasure the precious
few minutes of video
calls with her. While
THE MOTHERS T hey don’t wear capes, neither do they fly, but these women don’t need all that
jazz to be called superheroes, because their work speaks higher volumes!
And these #CoronaWarriors are mothers, which makes them even more
field of study, this
crisis has also
shown me a new
we were worried, Aai,
who was in the midst
of a warzone, handling
LEADING THE special. While their courage needs to be applauded daily, on Mother’s Day today,
we celebrate their spirit with words from their proud kids. side of her. Come
what may, she
always sports a
patients and doing her
duty, would console us
and tell us not to
BATTLE AGAINST smile on her face.
Perhaps that’s what
you call ‘leading a battle with a smile on your face’. My mother
worry. It’s strange isn’t
it? It should’ve been us
consoling her, and not the other way round. But perhaps
COVID-19 is gynaecologist and a laparoscopic surgeon, and in these
tough times, she is bringing new life into this world, calming
and pacifying the anxious mothers-to-be. She has become a
that’s what makes her a supermom- her love, dedication and source of happiness for so many people amidst this chaos, just
fighting spirit. like she has always been for us forever. Words aren’t enough
to express my gratitude towards my mother.

MANJU YADAV, INDORE DR NEELKAMAL KAPOOR, BHOPAL

THANA INSPECTOR DOCTOR

MOM WORKS TO KEEP EVERYONE MY MOTHER PUTS OTHERS’ HAPPINESS

SAFE: SHIVANI YADAV AHEAD OF HERS: AVANEE KAPOOR
My mother is in the police force and a frontline warrior in the My mother heads the pathology department at AIIMS Bhopal, a
true sense of the term. hospital that has been
She works 10 hours a treating COVID-19
day and yet, doesn’t let patients. As kids of
that affect her love for healthcare
the family. Because professionals, we know
she is on the field in that our parents are at
these tough times, risk during outbreaks
mom exercises extra and otherwise as well.
caution at home for us. However, I am more
She is posted in the worried right now
containment areas because my mom is at
ensuring people stay an age where she is
home. It is scary when most vulnerable to the
people flout rules. We virus infection. But she
can’t help but think is calm and composed.
about her safety all the She keeps assuring me
time. The current crisis not to worry about her. I
is bad, but it is people am sure she must be
like my mom who will under a lot of stress, but she always maintains a strong exterior
help us come out of so as to not upset us. That’s the kind of person she is- putting
this with their courage and dedication. I may not say it very others’ happiness ahead of hers.
often, but I am extremely proud of my mother. She is a
braveheart. — Inputs by Farzana.Patowari1@timesgroup.com and
Gaurav.Kadam@timesgroup.com