First India-Ahmedabad Edition-09 December 2020

AHMEDABAD l WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 2 l Issue No. 15

60 ENVOYS TO VISIT FIRMS IN HYDERABAD DEVELOPING VAX OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD & LUCKNOW

New Delhi: More than 60 foreign heads of missions will on Wednesday visit leading biotech companies in Hyderabad - Bharat Biotech and Biological E - which are developing vaccines against the novel coronavirus, sources said.

17°C - 34°C

They said that this is the first such visit and it will be followed by visits to facilities in other cities. Meanwhile as per health ministry estimates, 300 mn people may get vaccinated simultaneously as per availability of doses.

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GOVT NOT READY FOR ROLLBACK, SAY FARMERS

SHAH’S MEETING WITH FARMER LEADERS ENDS WITH NO SOFTENING OF STAND Aditi Nagar New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah met with farmers on Tuesday at 8 pm, raising hopes for a resolution a day before the government’s sixth round of negotiations to end massive protests against farm laws.

The meet which began after 8 pm was held at the office of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. As many as 13 farmer leaders were invited for talks with Shah which ended post 11pm. The farmer leaders said that Centre was not ready to repeal the farm laws.

The meeting finally ended with farmer leaders saying that Centre was not ready to repeal the farm laws.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Hannan Mol-

lah post the meeting said the home minister told the government would give in writing about the amendments it is willing to make, reports PTI. Turn to P6

FARMERS TAKE CENTRE STAGE! Bharat Bandh ends peacefully; life hit in some states New Delhi: Farmers took the national centrestage on Tuesday as their call for a Bharat Bandh’ to push for a repeal of the new agri laws disrupted life in myriad ways with shops closed, transport affected and protesters squatting on roads and train tracks in several places, though many states remained largely unaffected.

The day wound to a mostly peaceful close even as thousands of farmers who have been protesting for last 12 days said that the bandh was effective and was

OPPN TO MEET PREZ TODAY

Crowd at Azadpur vegetable market amid a nationwide strike called by agitating farmers to press for repeal of agri laws, in New Delhi on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

observed in around 10,000 places in 25 states.

Emergency services were exempted and

PM: Mobile tech to be used for mass vaccination drive against pandemic

Ambani hints at 5G rollout by 2021 mid New Delhi: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Tuesday hinted at rolling out 5G telecom services in the second half of 2021 and said policy steps are needed to accelerate the early rollout of ultra-high-speed 5G services that are affordable and available everywhere.

5G is the 5th generation mobile network that enables connecting virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.

“In order to maintain this lead, policy steps are needed to accelerate the early rollout of 5G, and to make it affordable and available everywhere,” he said. “I assure you that Jio will pioneer the 5G Revolution in India in the second half of 2021.”

Jio’s 5G will be powered by the indigenously-developed network, hardware and technology components. “Jio’s 5G service will be a testimony to your inspiring vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat.”

Self-register via Co-WIN app to enter vax programme PM Narendra Modi greets as he addresses inaugural session of India Mobile Congress 2020 virtually in New Delhi on Tuesday.

New Delhi: With the chances of a COVID-19 vaccine being available soon increasing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the mobile technology will be used for mass inoculation against the pandemic.

Speaking at the India Mobile Congress, he said mobile technology has enabled benefits worth billions of dollars to reach the deserving and also helped the poor and vulnerable during the pandemic.

“It is also with the help of mobile technology that we will embark on one of the world’s largest COVID-19 vacci-

nation drive,” he said.

He did not provide details. Three leading coronavirus vaccine developers—Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc and Bharat Biotech— have applied for emergency use authorization in India.

While Pfizer India has applied to drug regulator for permission to import its experimental mRNA vaccine for sale and distribution without the requirement for local clinical trials, Serum Institute of India Ltd, AstraZeneca’s India vaccine partner, has applied for emergency use authorisation.

Turn to P6

New Delhi: With three vaccine-makers having applied for emergency use authorisation in India, the vaccination drive in India is likely to begin shortly. The health ministry on Tuesday revealed details of how the entire vaccination programme will be conducted, though no date has been made public so far.

Addressing a press meet on Tuesday, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said Centre has created an application which will monitor the process from the beginning to the end. Co-WIN, the new app will be available for free download, is an upgraded version of the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN).

ALL ABOUT THE APP z App will be useful

for all those engaged in the process. Govt will be vaccinating priority groups in the first two phases.

z There are five mod-

ules in Co-WIN app: Administrator module, registration module, vaccination module, beneficiary acknowledgement module and report module.

vaccination status. z Beneficiary

module is for administrators who will be conducting these vaccination sessions.

acknowledgement module will send SMS to beneficiaries. It will also generate QRbased certificates after one gets vaccinated.

z Registration

z Report module will

z The administrator

module is for people to get registered for vaccination.

z Vaccination module

will verify beneficiary details and update

banks, too, continued operations as the panIndia shutdown, backed by most opposition par-

prepare reports of how many vaccine sessions have been conducted, how many people have attended those, how many people have dropped out etc.

ties and trade unions, rolled out noisily but peacefully with its impact felt Turn to P6

Oppn will meet Prez Kovind on Wednesday and the delegation of 5 will include Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and others. “Leaders from different political parties (opposing the farm bills) will sit, discuss and take a collective stand on the contentious farm laws before meeting President Ram Nath Kovind,” NCP chief Sharad Pawar told reporters.

China’s military camps coming up along LAC

New Delhi: It seems the Chinese had been enhancing their preparedness for situations like the ongoing conflict with India on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) soon after the 2017 Doklam crisis as they have developed several military camps in their depth areas all along the LAC from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

The Chinese and Indian troops have been engaged in a standoff position with India since April-May timeframe and are now sitting on the heights upto 18,000 feet in the cold desert area of Ladakh. “The Chinese have been developing military camps in their depth areas all along the LAC. Around 20 of such camps have been observed with some civilians also around these places,” government sources told ANI.

Such camps can provide ability to the Chinese Army to better patrol their side of the LAC as well as to react faster to the developing situations in the border areas, they said.

The over two-months long Doklam crisis had taken place in 2017 when India had objected to the Chinese building roads in the Bhutanese areas which would have given them access close to the Chicken’s neck area which connects mainland India with the Northeastern states.

The Chinese have come up with close to 60,000 troops backed by heavy artillery, missile forces and armoured regiments.

India too has moved its might to the highest battlefield in the world and deployed three full mountain warfare divisions on the frontline. —ANI

Rural areas observe bandh, urban life unaffected across the state First India Bureau Gandhinagar: The call for Bharat Bandh on Tuesday was answered by more than 20 farmer unions and the state unit of the Congress party. While the bandh received good response in rural areas and a few pockets of the Saurashtra region and

other parts of the state, it had little impact on urban areas.

Despite making announcements about not observing the bandh, very few market yards conducted business as commission agents and traders had answered the bandh call.

Politically speaking, the Congress declared the bandh a

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

BJP calls the shutdown unsuccessful, CM Rupani takes a dig at RaGa’s general awareness

Steady traffic movement was seen at Ellis Bridge in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

success and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a coun-

ter claim and termed it “a flop show”.

Addressing people in

Mehsana while dedicating the Nal Se Jal scheme, Chief Minister

Vijay Rupani took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and questioned his intellectual prowess. “Before raising farmers’ issue, he (Gandhi) should first prove that he understands the difference between coriander and fenugreek leaves. People are well aware about his general awareness level. Therefore, he should not attempt to talk about the benefits or disadvantages of farmers,” he stated.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Manish

Doshi claimed that the bandh received wide support from the agricultural sector with most of the market yards staying closed. “The reality is that the state government was so frightened of the bandh call, that several MLAs and leaders were put under house arrest since Monday.

A few were detained when they ventured out of their homes,” said Doshi.

He added, “A few organizations and their

leaders could not join the bandh call due to pressure from the state machinery. The state government tried its best to foil the shutdown, but it failed as people voluntarily observed it.”

Refuting Congress’ claims, BJP’s media incharge Prashant Vala said, “The farmers did not join the bandh call in the state and even the APMCs functioned smoothly. The people of Gujarat have rejected the Congress party and its call for a bandh.”

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AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

Gujarat observes a sporadically eventful

Bharat Bandh

02

Cong workers, activists come out in support of farmers, set fire to ST buses, tires to show dissent towards new farming laws

1 First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) declared a nationwide bandh on Tuesday, which garnered the support of 20 political parties, including the Congress.

Protesting farmers camped on the borders of the national capital called for Bharat Bandh, to express their dissent with the farming laws passed by the Parliament in September this year.

The impact of the shutdown was evident all across Gujarat, with sporadic instances of violent incidents that disrupted public life. Members of the opposition party Congress, activists, and farmers who came out in support of the bandh were detained by police personnel.

In Ahmedabad, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) activists, who had reached the Gujarat University area to protest against the Bharat Bandh, stopped three BRTS buses and fled with their keys. A video of the incident has also surfaced on social me-

dia platforms where police personnel are seen rushing to nab the fleeing culprits.

In Jamnagar, Congress activists burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several incidents of tire-burnings and traffic jams were reported in the state.

Congress workers blew up state transport (ST) buses on the Shamlaji-Bhiloda-Idar Road in Aravalli. Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) Leader of Opposition Shailendrasinh Bihola and four others were detained by police.

The road Bharuch and Dahej, a few unknown elements set fire to tires and held a demonstration, causing a traffic jam. Further, over 500 to 700 shops were closed in Bharuch’s Vaddala APMC vegetable market and Mahmadpura APMC. Former MLA of Dahegam Kaminiben Rathod was detained by police.

Meanwhile, despite making an announcement about not supporting the bandh, none of the shops were operational at the Rajkot Bedi Yard.

2

3

4 5

70 detained in Surat

6

1. Supporters of farmers burning a tyre on the Sanand-Kandla highway, 2. People lighting tyres on fire on the Viramgam highway, 3. Farmer supporters at a demonstration in Ahmedabad, 4. Congress workers burn an effigy to protest the bandh call in Khokhra area of Ahmedabad, 5. Members of the Krantikari Vichaar Manch trying to block the main road near the Amraiwadi post office area in Ahmedabad, 6. Trucks parked on the Ahmedabad-Kheda highway, answering the call for shutdown.

Surat: Around three units of citybased transport and labour unions on Tuesday joined the nationwide farmers’ protests. An agitation was held by farmers and their supporters near the APMC market at Sahara Darwaja. Apart from that, smaller demonstrations were witnessed in Varachha and Udhana areas of the city. The areas around the textile market, ring road were blocked by protestors. A total of 70 people were detained by the police, including president of the Gujarat Khedut Samaj Jayesh Patel.Members of the Congress party also came out in support of the farmers. Meanwhile, Surat Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Tomar, in a circular, stated that people found spreading false information will be detained by police.

—PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI

LoP Dhanani detained for trying Mixed response to Bharat Bandh in Saurashtra region to garner public support for bandh First India Bureau

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Extending support to the call for Bharat Bandh on Tuesday, Gujarat Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) Paresh Dhanani took to the streets on his twowheeler vehicle and appealed to people to support the bandh in Amreli. He was intercepted by local police and detained at a police station despite the fact that he was alone.

In a video that was popularly shared on social media platforms, the police can be heard saying he (Dhanani) was protesting despite the fact that the government had not supported the bandh. Dhanani had then argued with the

Video grab of Dhanani being accosted and detained by police personnel in Amreli.

cops that he was alone, following which, the police forcefully tried to detain him.

“If I test positive for COVID-19 later, the po-

lice will be held responsible,” warned the leader, before submitting to his detention.

Thereafter, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

leader Dilip Sanghani rode a bicycle and ventured out to a nearby market and requested traders, shopkeepers to keep their business-

es operational. In Jamnagar, councillor Zainab Khafi travelled to a market in a bullock cart to protest the bandh and was later detained by police personnel.

Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, notable MLAs Shailesh Parmar, Imran Khedawala, and Gyasuddin Shaikh, among others, were kept under surveillance by the police. Several complaints flooded social media about members of parties detained by cops without any written order.

Around 20 Congress workers, including MLA Vikram Madam, were also detained in Jamkhambhaliya of Devbhoomi Dwarka district.

Rajkot: The nationwide bandh called by farmers protesting against the Centre’s new farming laws on Tuesday received mixed response in Saurashtra.

While some villages observed a complete shutdown, it was business as usual in majority of the villages in the region. A few areas in Rajkot city responded to the bandh with protestors blocking highways, staged demonstrations on roads or forcefully trying to shutter open shops.

Over 100 members of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress party were detained in Rajkot alone. In Mavdi Overbridge area Congressmen reportedly sat on the road and shouted

slogans such as “BJP Hai Hai”, “Withdraw the new laws” and “Jab Jab BJP Darti Hai, Police Ko Aage Karti Hai” (Whenever the BJP is scared, it hides behind the police).

Police bandobast was intensified in major areas including the Gondal market yard to ensure prevention of any untoward incident.

In Junagadh, for-

mer Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Reshma Patel was detained along with seven others. Visavadar city observed a complete bandh. As per reports, Lodhika, Maliya Hatina, Ajab, Moti Paneli, Bhanvad and Tankara villages of Junagadh, Morbi and Rajkot districts also saw a shutdown.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

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BJP govt provides solutions to issues, unlike Congress: CM

Complaint against man for misusing wife’s pics First India Bureau

Launching ‘Nal Se Jal’ in Mehsana, Rupani said that drinking water would reach all citizens soon

First India Bureau Mehsana: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani laid the foundation stone of the Nal Se Jal water-supply scheme to be established in Mehsana at an investment of Rs287 crore on Tuesday. Highlighting the government’s developmental projects, he said, “Our government has launched and executed several schemes to meet the basic needs of all citizens. Under the Congress regime, people and their queries remained forgotten but our government has come up with solutions to the problems being faced by the public.”

Commenting on the shortage of water supply in North Gujarat, the CM said that people suffering from elephantiasis, broken bones, yellowing of teeth due to

NO WATER

Water Supply Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya, CM Vijay Rupani and Dy CM Nitin Patel at the event on Tuesday.

fluoridation, alkaline and borewell water.

Two decades ago, only 4,700 villages had watersupply schemes implemented under the Congress party’s rule. Out of the total population of the state, only 24% had access to tap water.

First India Bureau Mehsana: The State Goods and Service Tax (SGST) team has unearthed a Rs144 crore fake bill and credit scam in Unjha, where Asia’s biggest market yard is situated, and arrested one Supreme Patel, who was running a transport company.

Department sources said, Supreme Patel had created fake companies and used them to generate bills and take credit. While the GST team did not find any circumstantial evidence when it raided Patel’s Unjha office, a search of his residence revealed documents and bills.

Patel had been generating e-way bills for cumin in the name of

Patel had been generating e-way bills in the name of several fake trading companies

tances to procure water.”

He added, “The annual budget at the time was only Rs8,000 crore. But the government now allocates Rs2,10,000 crore to sustain water-supply schemes implemented in the state. The daily water ration—once 45 litres

per head— is now 150 litres per head.”

Rupani also said on Tuesday that the government has decided to start a Lok Adalat for the Revenue department, where inquiries against employees of class III and IV will be taken up.

Vadodara: Three years into her marriage, a woman has alleged that her husband posted pictures of her on matrimonial and adult websites. She has filed a case of domestic violence against her husband and in-laws with the Makarpura police station in Vadodara.

Sushmita Singh (name changed) married Prakash Singh in November 2017. According to her complaint, her father had given Rs12 lakh in cash and through a cheque to her husband and in-laws, along with jewellery and other household things at the time of her wedding. Yet, she was subjected to mental torture and harassment all these years.

She was compelled to pay the bills for her honeymoon and even the monthly grocery

A case has been filed at Makarpura police station.

bills from her salary. In 2019, she says, her husband had attempted to kill her by keeping the gas on. However, luckily, she survived.

Further, when they had trouble conceiving, medical tests showed that Prakash was infertile. Her husband then threatened her against sharing his report with anyone. When her in-laws learned about the test, they threatened her too.

In addition, Sushmita told the police in

her statement, that her brother-in-law had accused her of impropriety in front of her parents.

A few days ago, she found her photographs on a number of matrimonial websites. Since then she has called the sites and had them delete her photos. Then, she learnt that her husband had also uploaded her photos to an adult website. That was when she decided to file a case against her husband and inlaws.

STATE ADDS 1,325 MORE CASES Unseasonal rain First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Gujarat has recorded 1,325 new cases of SarsCoV-2 infection in the last 24 hours, the state health department said in its COVID-19 bulletin on Tuesday evening. This took the state’s total tally to 2,21,493 cases.

With another 15 patients succumbing to the infection during the day, Gujarat’s death toll due to the pandemic has reached 4,110.

Nine of the latest fatalities occurred in

—FILE PHOTO

SGST unearths `144 cr billing scam

Recalling the dire situation in the ’80s and ’90s, Rupani said, “Water was sent to remote places in Saurashtra-Kutch by trains and through tankers in other places. There was rampant corruption due to which several people had to travel long dis-

03

Gujarat conducted about 60,875 tests in the past 24 hours.

Ahmedabad, while Surat saw three and Vadodara, Rajkot, and Amreli each saw one death.

Ahmedabad also witnessed the highest number (294) of new cases, while new cases also

emerged in Surat (214), Vadodara (171), Rajkot (129), Gandhinagar (50), and Mehsana (47), among others.

There are currently 14,272 active cases in the state, with 78 patients on

trading companies situated in Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Himmatnagar, Unjha, Vadnagar and other places— none of which were found to even exist.

The accused had misused the documents and to create a fake trading firm.

The SGST team found that none of these firms had filed their returns in the last few quarters.

Neither had the they stated their turnover and nor have they paid any taxes. The SGST team has accessed some documents that raised questions.

1,325 cases, 15 fatalities take state tally to 2,21,493 cases, toll to 4,110 ventilators.

In the meanwhile, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Mukesh Kumar has suspended Dr Arvind Patel for his involvement in a billing scam, after the AntiCorruption Bureau one of his associates, Dr Naresh Malhotra, for demanding 10% to approve a bill of Rs1.5 crore.

ONE MORE BIG FIRE A fire broke out at the Nyay Mandir Hotel located on the national highway on the outskirts of Bharuch city late on Tuesday night. However, no casualties were reported. This is just the latest in a string of fires to plague the state in recent times.

likely on Thurs-Sat

—FILE PHOTO

The rain might cause an increase in temperatures.

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhopal, Indore, Ratlam, Ujjain, Udaipur, Kota and Mount Abu may receive unseasonal rain between December 10 and 12, according to the Meteorological Department.

On the other hand, meteorologist Ambalal Patel commented on the onset of unseasonal rains and cold and the damage to winter crops.

Patel said, “Normally there is non-seasonal rainfall in winter but this year it has not even cooled down, due to the impact of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Clouds will be seen in South Gujarat and Central Guja-

rat during the next few days, especially in the coastal areas of southern Gujarat. There is a possibility that light to moderate rains will adversely affect cumin, cotton, and other crops.”

Unseasonal rains can damage the cumin crop, and warming weather can affect the wheat crop.

However, cold is likely to return to Gujarat on December 14 after unseasonal rains in Delhi and North India.

Jayant Sarkar, Director, Meteorological Department, Ahmedabad, said, “Light rain may fall in Gir-Somnath on December 10, in Surat on December 11 and scattered showers are expected in Bhavnagar, Dahod, Panchmahal, Anand, and Vadodara on a daily basis.”

LONG-AWAITED

State to assign Detailed Project Report work on Kalpasar to NIOT Goa-based institute will likely study tidal velocities for eight years, after which construction can finally begin

First India Bureau Gandhinagar: The state has decided to assign the Detailed Project Report (DPR) work of the Kalpasar project to the internationally reputed and Goa-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).

“It is going to be a Herculean task for the agency, but once the final report is submitted, the state will begin the construction of Kalpasar

dam between Bhavnagar and Dahej,” said BN Navlawala, advisor to the Chief Minister on water resources issues.

The dam was a dream project of former chief minister and one-time stalwart of the Bharatiya janata Party, the late Keshubhai Patel.

So far, the Kalpasar department has already conducted 28 of the 33 studies required for the project. The Gulf of Khambat (formerly, Cambay) has the high-

The Gulf of Khambhat has the highest tidal velocity in India.

est tidal velocity along India’s entire coastline.

So, oceanography experts are likely to study the tidal velocity for seven to eight years. So, even if construction begins at the end of eight years, it will be another 10 years before the project is completed.

This means a considerable escalation in development costs is likely. The project was initially estimated to be developed at Rs53,000 crore in 1998. If it takes

even another eight years to take off, it will cost Rs1,42,040 crore.

According to a study conducted by Arjun Babu under the guidance of Dr SG Aparna, Senior Scientist, National Institute of Oceanography in 2012, “In India, the highest tidal range is found in the Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay), having a spring tide range of 8.8m. However, in the open ocean, the mean tidal range is usually less than 2m.”

PROJECT STATS

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

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04

ENTREPRENEUR NEEDS TO BE A GOOD HR MANAGER

IN-DEPTH

AMIT SHAH ENTERS SCENE, DEADLOCK CONTINUES

B

arring the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states, the nationwide shutdown called by farmers for a repeal of the three farm laws remained peaceful. Sensing their resolute mood, Union Home Minister Amit Shah invited a delegation of farmers for talks on Tuesday. He had to concede to their demand of meeting at a neutral place instead of Shah’s residence or office. Shah was later joined by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. The government agreed to give its proposals in writing but ruled out a complete rollback. The farmers were not enthused.

Until now Centre’s negotiating team consisted of Tomar and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal. After today’s talks, there is now a question mark over the sixth round of talks due on Wednesday. With Amit Shah entering the scene there was talk of the Centre agreeing to amend the farm laws for parity between private and government mandis, give a written assurance on the minimum support price, and allow farmers to approach civil courts to seek dispute resolution. Whether the government will indeed take a few steps back and agree to incorporate these points and whether the farmers will drop their demand was unclear as the talks were underway at the time of writing.

On Tuesday, life was disrupted in several states due to the Bharat Bandh. Punjab remained the epicenter of the protests with over 50,000 government employees taking mass casual leave in support of the agitating farmers who stayed put along the HaryanaDelhi border.

In Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that after he met farmers at Singhu, he was placed under house arrest by the Delhi Police, which strongly denied the charge.

The BJP asked Kejriwal not to do theatrics over the farmers’ strike.

Protests were held across Telangana, Assam, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu affecting normal life. In Chhattisgarh’s major cities the streets looked deserted as business establishments remained closed. In some other states like Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh the bandh had no effect. Overall, the bandh remained peaceful.

Taking advantage of the situation the opposition parties have also come together to mount pressure on the government. Representatives of 24 national parties wanted to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday. However, the President agreed to meet only five leaders. Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar, Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, and CPI’s D. Raja and TR Balu are now expected to represent the Opposition.

The opposition parties had earlier written to the President urging him not to give his assent to the controversial ordinances. Arguing that agriculture was a state subject, the Punjab government had passed its own set of laws and sought presidential approval but the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

BHAVESH UPADHYAY BUSINESS/ HR EXPERT

T

It has been noted that the HR Managers of a company have a much more extended role than just being the HR. They also give their inputs for the betterment of the organization or company. After all, any company or organization is a group of people.

Directing them in the right way often leads to progress

here are many organizations in the world and are categorized as average, below average, and above average organizations. A very few fall into the above-average category. Such organizations have the authoritative figures to thank for most of their success. Heavy stones are there on the shoulders of the prior authority of such organizations or companies. HR himself must become a part of the team to encourage and motivate them.

An organization can be considered above average when its leaders are capable of recognizing the talents and potential of its employees and when they prove themselves to be a part of the team to motivate the employees to give their best. For this, they need to study human

resources and implement it.

This means a great organization is only as great as its leaders. It has been noted that the HR Managers of a company have a much more extended role than just being the HR. They also give their inputs for the betterment of the organization or company. After all, any company or organization is a group of people. Directing them in the right way often leads to progress.

Every entrepreneur needs to know this in order to lead their organization on the path of glory. The chairman of Vedanta group, famously known as the metal king of the sector, Anil Agarwal was recently interviewed on one TV channel. During the interview, he was asked to state the reason for the success of the Vedanta group, to which his answer was, “People, people, and people.” He also added, “If you want to see your organization at the peak, you need to perceive your staff members as business partners rather than employees, and most importantly, you need to be a good HR manager for achiev-

TREATING EMPLOYEES AS PARTNERS RATHER THAN WORKERS MAKES THEM LESS INCLINED TO JUMP FROM THE SHIP WHEN IT’S SINKING. FOR THE GOOD PRODUCTIVITY OF THE COMPANY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY YOU NEED TO RESPECT ALL WORKING STAFF JUST AS YOU WOULD RESPECT YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER

ing the highest peak. After all, an organization is nothing without manpower; hence it becomes essential to preserve it.”

Young entrepreneurs should be encouraged to take inspiration from these words of wisdom from the chairman of the Vedanta group about maintaining human relation.

Treating employees as partners rather than workers makes them less inclined to

Did you feel time slowing down during the pandemic?

M

any people feel that their experience of time has been a bit off this year.

Even though the clocks are ticking as they should be, days stretch out and some months seem to go on forever. We all know that there are 60 seconds in a minute but 2020 has made us all aware of how we can experience the passage of time a bit differently.

The French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941), who was a bit of a celebrity in his time, came up with an idea that can help us understand why the time has felt so strange in the year of the pandemic, la durée.

Bergson argued that time has two faces. The first face of time is “objective time”: the time of watches, calendars, and train timetables.

The second, la durée (“duration”), is “lived time,” the

time of our inner subjective experience. This is time felt, lived, and acted.

LIVING ON OUR OWN TIME Bergson observed that we mostly do not pay attention to la durée. We do not need to – “objective time” is far more useful. But we can get a glimpse of the difference between them when they come apart.

The stretch of objective time between 3 pm and 4 pm is the same as that between 8 pm and 9 pm. But this does not have to be so with la durée. If the first interval is spent waiting at the dentist’s office and the second at a party, we know the first hour drags and the second just passes by too quickly.

An example of this that Bergson would have loved can be found in a highly unlikely place, the 1998 animated film AntZ. In a

short scene halfway through the film, two ants get stuck to the soles of a boy’s shoes. The two-minute sequence involves them talking to each other while the boy takes four or five individual steps.

In the scene, talking happens in normal time while the steps happen in slow motion. The filmmakers have managed to squeeze two du-

rées of different speeds into one sequence: the boy walks in slow motion, while the ants converse in real time.

None of this can be captured if we took a stopwatch and noted the precise positions of the shoes and the content of their conversations. “Objective time” is just irrelevant to the description of the scene: the ants’ durée really matters to the viewer.

THE PANDEMIC SLOWDOWN If we shift our focus from “objective time” to la durée, we can put our finger on the feeling of strangeness surrounding time this year.

It’s not just that that for many la durée slowed down during lockdown and sped up towards the relatively restriction-free summer.

For Bergson, no two mo-

ments of la durée can ever be identical. The arrival of a train at a particular moment of objective time is always the same. But our past feelings and memories influence our present experience of time. People who were lucky enough to not have to cope with the negative effects of the pandemic might have felt a sense of “novelty” about the first lockdown: the sales of exercise equipment rose sharply, some started learning Welsh, others began making bread.

The reason why we often struggle to get into the same mindset now is that the memory of the first lockdown “flavours,” as Bergson would say, the current one. Countless yogamats will end up behind cabinets as we recall how fed up we got having to stay inside the first time around.

jump from the ship when it’s sinking. For the good productivity of the company and most importantly for the sake of humanity you need to respect all working staff just as you would respect your business partner.

Remember that employees do not only work for a wage but they also aspire to make their identity working at an organization. When this happens, it often also results in the overall progress of the organization and indicates good leadership policies. A good entrepreneur is characterized by inspiring such individuals. When an entrepreneur grasps this to their veins, they become unstoppable and undefeatable because the success of an organization depends on its people, it is of the people and given by the people.

If You take care of your people, they will take care of your customers and business. Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers. The gist is human approach is required while dealing with people.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @ dpradhanbjp India has a billion+ people with unique digital identity & the fastest growing mobile app market, offering unparalleled opportunities.

Our extensive mobile & internet penetration will help in carrying out the world’s largest COVID19 vaccination drive. @PMOIndia @ MoHFW_INDIA Anand Sharma @AnandSharmaINC How can DCGI start processing these applications in violation of rules and protocols. Cautioning the government that human lives and health is involved. No shortcuts and compromising safety standards and rules can be accepted.

Spiritual SPEAK

When watching after yourself, you watch after others. When watching after others, you watch after yourself.

—Buddha

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

Vol 2 Issue No. 15 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad.

Published at D/302 3rd Floor Plot No. 35 Titanium Square, Scheme No. 2, Thaltej Taluka, Ghatlodiya, Ahmedabad. Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra. Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

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FARMERS’ PROTEST

‘OPPOSITION TRYING TO DISRUPT PEACE, LAW & ORDER’ UNION MINISTER SMRITI IRANI REITERATED THE RULING BJP’S COMMITMENT TOWARDS THE MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP)

New Delhi: Accusing them of “imposing” the Bharat bandh for “political gain”, Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday said that the opposition parties were trying to disrupt peace, and law and order in the country in the name of the farmers’ protest.

“The opposition, which could not get to power through people’s support and votes, is infuriated and is trying to disrupt the law and order situation for political gain. We have seen scenes where workers of the opposition parties are forcefully shutting down shops and markets. The country does not want bandh. But a bandh on the opposition’s misguided policies and corruption,” the Minister for Textiles and Women and Child Development told ANI here.

Irani reiterated ruling BJP’s commitment towards MSP and claimed that opposition have been spreading rumours about MSP and APMC.

‘Congress’s opposition to farm laws hypocritical’

Farmers of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan demonstrate during ‘Bharat Bandh’ against Centres’ farm reform laws, in Bhopal on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

When the Bill was tabled before the Parliament, the opposition tried to spread rumour about the MSP and APMC. They claimed that the government will close the APMC markets. Nothing of that sort happened.

The Government of India did not even touch the APMC law

—ANI

—Smriti Irani, Union Minister

New Delhi: Union Minister for I& Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar “I have full confidence that this matter will be resolved. If farmers have any confusion, then it is our job to clear them. We’ll solve their problems. But, the Congress, who is asking to roll back these laws, is hypocritical as they themselves had passed the Contract Farming Act while in power.

Many states, ruled by the opposition parties, also accepted the Model Act on Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), proposed by Sharad Pawar.

Congress also mentioned introduction of these laws in their manifesto,” he said. —ANI

SC stays contempt notice I’ve been detained against Maha Guv Koshyari again, alleges New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the contempt of court proceedings against Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in connection with the alleged non-payment of the market rent for the government bungalow allocated to him as a former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and also comprising Justices KM Joseph and Krishna Murari, stayed the contempt proceedings against Koshiyari on his petition against the notice issued to him by the Uttarakhand High Court.

The bench, after hearing Koshyari’s petition, issued a notice to

Mehbooba Mufti

the Uttarakhand government and tagged his petition with a pending plea challenging the basis at which market rent rates were decided by the Uttarakhand High Court.

Koshyari had moved the apex court on November 17 against the

MARKETS SCALE NEW PEAKS; SENSEX JUMPS 182 PTS Mumbai: Rising for the fourth straight session, equity benchmark Sensex jumped 182 points to end at its fresh lifetime peak on Tuesday, tracking gains in index majors Reliance Industries, TCS and Infosys amid persistent foreign fund inflows. After touching a record intra-day high of 45,742.23, the 30-share

BSE index climbed 181.54 points or 0.40 per cent to finish at 45,608.51.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose for the sixth consecutive day, up 37.20 points or 0.28 per cent to 13,392.95 -- its new lifetime closing high. It touched its intra-day record of 13,435.45 in early trade. UltraTech Cement was the top gainer.

notice issued by the HC on a plea seeking to initiate contempt proceedings against him for not paying the market rent of a government bungalow allocated to him as a former Chief Minister. of Uttarakhand between 2001 and 2002.

—ANI

Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday alleged that she was illegally detained at her residence in Srinagar.

Mufti said she wanted to visit Budgam to meet the families evicted from their homes but was stopped by security forces deployed outside her residence.

She further said that the government of India was using illegal detention as a method to muzzle the opposition.

“Illegal detention has become GOIs favourite go to method for muzzling any form of opposition. Ive been detained once again because I

BIHAR: NIA ARRESTS ARMS TRAFFICKER FROM GAYA New Delhi: National Investigation Agency has arrested an alleged arms trafficker from Bihar’s Gaya district in connection with stealing weapon parts from Central Ordnance Depot, Jabalpur, MP, according to an official statement. The accused has been identified as Rajeev Ranjan Singh aka Chunnu Singh, a resident of Atri in Bihar’s Gaya district. He was arrested on Monday. According to the investigating agency, three AK series weapons were seized in district Munger, Bihar from the house of one accused Rizwana Begum.

wanted to visit Budgam where hundreds of families were evicted from their homes,” Mehbooba tweeted.

“GOI wants to continue inflicting oppression & zulm on the people of J&K without any questions asked,” she added. —Agencies

AMID BHARAT BANDH, FARMERS’ PROTEST AGAINST AGRI LAWS ENTERS 13TH DAY New Delhi: Amid a Bharat bandh call, the farmers’ protest against the three recently enacted agricultural laws entered its 13th day on Tuesday with demonstrations continuing on Sant Nirankari Samagam ground in Burari on the outskirts of Delhi and at borders. Farmers at Burari’s Nirankari Samagam ground started their day with the morning prayers as usual. The day ahead is expected to be busy with the protesting farmer unions observing a nationwide bandh as they are not satisfied with the amendments to the agricultural legislation being proposed by the government during several rounds of talks. Farmers, however, have informally assured police that the protest will be peaceful.—ANI

CONG USING FARMERS TO OPPOSE PM MODI: UNION MIN

NO RESTRICTION ON MOVEMENT OF KEJRIWAL: POLICE

New Delhi: Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, “Congress has become a party of dual policy, the Opposition has no issues left. They are doing only PM Modi’s opposition using farmers protest as a pretext.”

Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP MP said, “Rahul Gandhi thinks that Adani and Ambani may make wheat in a factory because once he (Rahul Gandhi) was making potato in a factory. So he has no idea. He does not know about poverty and what are the issues of farmers. He uses words given by others.” —ANI

New Delhi: Satish Golcha Special CP said, “It has been claimed in certain sections of social media and otherwise that there is some restriction on movement of CM of Delhi, I would like to clarify in this regard that these claims are totally baseless . There’s absolutely no restriction whatsoever. The Honourable CM has been meeting his usual engagements and has been moving out of his residence.

There’s adequate security in the area to maintain peace and to prevent any untoward incident.” —ANI

32-YR-OLD FARMER FOUND DEAD AT DELHI’S TIKRI BORDER AMID STIR New Delhi: A 32-year-old farmer from Haryana’s Sonipat was found dead at Tikri border here on Tuesday, on a day the farmers’ protest in and around Delhi entered 13th day with a Bharat bandh called by them. The farmer has been identified as Ajay Moor, a resident of Sonipat’s Gohana area. His family members have been informed, police said. “Moor had been sleeping in an open park. Today morning he was found dead. The body has been sent for the postmortem examination,” a police officer said. Further investigation is underway to find out the cause of death. —ANI

MISLEADING PEOPLE HAS BEEN OPPN’S WAY: NAQVI New Delhi: Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that it has been the way of Opposition to create confusion and mislead the people. Speaking on the issue of farmers protest against the new agriculture laws, Naqvi said, “We have no complaints from farmers, but unfortunately there is a syndicate of criminal conspirators that tries to paint in a bad way the good work done by PM Modiji. You can see the history of the past 6 years how Modiji worked for all the sections of society, for development, economic progress, and security of the country. Did they support any work?”

“To create confusion, mislead people of the country & do conspiracy to defame image of the country, this has been their way,” Naqvi said. —ANI

BJP chief Nadda to begin his two-day visit to Bengal today New Delhi: As part of his 120-day tour of the country, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Jagat Prakash Nadda will start his two-day visit to West Bengal from Wednesday, where he will participate in various programmes aimed at “strengthening the party at the base as well as at the booth level”.

BJP’s national media head Anil Baluni said in a statement that Nadda will be on two days ‘Pravas’ to West Bengal on December 9 and 10.

On December 9, Nadda will inaugurate nine BJP state party offices.

“He will also do a community outreach programme on BJP’s mission of ‘Aur Noi Anyay’ in the Bhabanipur assembly seat. He will

‘GOVT TO START 1000 KHELO INDIA CENTRES TO EMPLOY RETD PLAYERS New Delhi: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the government has made various policy changes and has taken initiatives to encourage and support sportspersons and the sporting community even after they retire. Addressing the 10th Global Sports Summit, TURF 2020,

05

organised by FICCI, Rijiju said, “We are also starting 1000 Khelo India small centres across the country that will help retired sportspersons get employment or some role in shaping the sports culture of the country. “When a sportsperson suffers, it discourages generations.

The government is also ensuring that the prize

also pray at the Kalighat Kali Temple and will interact with members of the slum community,” the statement revealed.

Nadda will land at the Kolkata airport on December 9 at 12 noon and will receive a grand welcome. Post this at 1 pm he will inaugurate the party’s West Bengal election office at Hastings, Kolkata. At 1:05

pm he will virtually inaugurate party offices in nine districts. He will then leave for Bhabanipur Assembly seat where he will conduct a community outreach programme called ‘Aur Noi Anyay’.

“The programmes is the BJP’s mission against the hegemony and the gunda raj of the TMC (TMC),” the party said. —ANI

5 HELD FOR ATTACKING POLICE TEAM IN MOGA Moga: The Punjab police on said it have arrested five people who allegedly attacked the police party in Moga district on December 5 and recovered 315 bore pistols and 5 live cartridges including AK-47 assault rifles from them. Harmanbir Singh Gill, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Moga said that on December 5, around 11:30 pm, SI Major Singh 735/Moga along with a PHG Sukhwinder Singh had gone to attend a 112 red call at Village Jalalabad, PS Dharamkot.

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UNCTAD declared ‘Invest India’ as winner of the UN Investment Promotion Award 2020

‘India emerging as preferred nation for mobile inventing’ New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India is emerging as the most preferred destination for mobile manufacturing. Addressing the India Mobile Congress via video conferencing, he said that every village in India will have highspeed optical fibre data network connectivity in three years.

"India is emerging as the most preferred destination for mobile manufacturing.

We have also come up with a production linked incentive scheme to promote telecom equipment manufacturing in India. Let us work together to make India a global hub for telecom equipment, design, development and manufacturing," he said.

"Today we are a country with billion-plus phone users, we have a

INDIA IN POST COVID WORLD

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the inaugural session of India Mobile Congress 2020 virtually through video conferencing in New Delhi on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

billion-plus people with unique digital identity, we have over 750 million users, the scale and speed of internet penetration can be seen by following facts," he said.

PM said that the government is able to provide benefits worth billions of dollars to millions of Indians due to mobile technology. -ANI

PM CONGRATULATES FOR THE WIN

P

Serum Institute likely to provide Covid Vaccine at ` 250 per dose to Centre Bengaluru: Serum Institute is amongst the 3 leading vaccine developers to have applied for emergency use authorisation in India. The government is likely to seal a deal for major supply contract of the Astra Zeneka vaccines.

Reportedly, there are talks to fix prices at Rs 250 per dose of the vaccine which is quite low-

er as it was earlier priced at Rs 1,000 per dose. However, neither Serum Institute nor the government has reacted to the reports.

According to a report in Business Standard, Serum Institute of India will soon be signing a deal with the central government of India and will also fix vaccine price at Rs 250 ($3.39)

per dose of the vaccine.

Earlier, CEO Adar Poonawalla had said the vaccine price will be somewhere around Rs 1,000 per dose in the Indian market. Serum Institute of India on Monday had applied to seek emergency approval of its Covid vaccine in the country, followed by Bharat Biotech and Pfizer. The government

has high hopes for the upcoming vaccines.

An expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will meet on Wednesday to review applications of Pfizer, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech seeking emergency use authorisation for their COVID-19 vaccine candidates.

PM extends b’day greetings to Parkash Singh Badal New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal over phone and extended best wishes on his birthday, sources said. Last week, Badal, the five-time chief minister of Punjab, returned the Padma Vibhushan award "in protest" against the "betrayal of the farmers by the Government of India" and for the "shocking indifference and contempt" with which the government is treating the ongoing peaceful and democratic agitation of the farmers.

Badal's party SAD also broke ties with the BJP after the Central government brought farm Bills and got them passed at the Parliament. Badal's daughterin-law and party leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal also resigned from the Union Cabinet regarding this issue.

Mount Everest higher than thought, say Nepal & China Kathmandu : Nepal and China jointly announced that revised height of the world’s highest peak Mount Everest was 8,848.86 metres, about 86 centimetres more than the previous measurement done by India in 1954.

The new height of Mt Everest, the world’s highest peak, is 8,848.86 metres, China & Nepal announced. The new height is 86 cms more

than the previous measurement. According to the measurement done in 1954 by Survey of India, the height of Mount Everest is 8,848 metres.

Bindal appointed as Chief Justice of J&K

Arnab seeks stay to probe

by Mum police

BJP indulges in lies; holds rallies & kills people: Mamata Banerjee

New Delhi: Justice Rajesh Bindal has been appointed as the Chief Justice of High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. Bindal, the senior-most judge of common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh will perform the duties of the office of Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from December 9 consequent upon the retirement of Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice,

Mumbai: Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami moved to Bombay HC on Tuesday seeking a stay to further investigation by the Mumbai police in the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation scam. The petition, filed by Goswami also alleged that one of the employees of the firm was tortured by the police in custody.

It sought protection for all employees from the “malicious witch hunt” allegedly being carried out by the Maharashtra authorities. -ANI

Raniganj: A day after a BJP worker died during a protest march in Siliguri, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday claimed that the "saffron party kills people at its rallies".

The BJP called a 12hour bandh on Tuesday to protest the killing of party worker Ulen Roy and alleged police brutalities during their march on Monday to ''Uttarkanya'', the branch state secretariat in North Bengal.

"The BJP indulges in lies, kills people; it

holds rallies & kills people," Banerjee said at a public meeting. Asserting that the TMC will not allow the BJP-led Centre to sell government-owned coal mines, Banerjee also said "coal mafia are thriving un-

der the saffron party". I had proposed that illegal (coal) factories be legalised by the Centre and the state jointly, so that people get employment. The Union government, however, did not respond.

four-hour symbolic protest on Tuesday, which evoked mixed response across the country, but received massive political support from opposition parties and regional parties. On Wednesday, the farmers and the Centre are scheduled to meet for the sixth time to discus the farmers’ grievances over the farm laws enacted in September.

rashtra and Bihar.

In several parts of the country, including in BJP-ruled Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, life continued unimpeded.

In other places, the pandemic appeared to recede into the background.

Security was stepped up, restive crowds demonstrated in some places and the numbers swelled at Delhi’s border points.

Protesters also blocked railway tracks in places in West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.

In Delhi, where most main markets were open, tension spiralled

with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleging that Delhi Police had put Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest.

Farmer unions had threatened to block national highways and occupy toll plazas across the country during a ‘chakka jam’ protest from 11 am to 3 pm.

All major parties in Punjab the ruling Congress, AAP and the Shiromani Akali Dal -- extended their support.

Over 50,000 government employees took mass casual leave in support of farmers, said Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff

Association president Sukhchain Khaira.

In Haryana, the opposition Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal backed the call.

In West Bengal the response was mixed. Railway tracks were blocked in several places and there were sit-ins on major roads. Life was hit in Bihar too with train tracks, highways and inner roads teeming with protesters as opposition parties extended their support.

Train services were also affected in Odisha.

Major cities in Chhattisgarh were deserted with most business establish-

Common HC for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. He was appointed as Permanent Judge of the Punjab and Haryana HC on March 22, 2006.

06

POWER Gallery MEETING FOR EMPANELMENT OF 1990 AND 1991 IRS(IT) BATCH THIS MONTH?

Meeting for empanelment of 1990 and 1991 batch officers to the rank of Principal Commissioner (PCIT) is expected to take place this month.

WILL RAILWAY BOARD CEO YADAV GET EXTENSION?

In the Rail Bhawan, all are curious whether Vinod Yadav, CEO will get another extension ? Yadav is already on extension.

WILL AJOY MEHTA SUCCEED ANAND KULKARNI IN MAHARASHTRA?

Latest information says that Ajoy Mehta may succeed Anand Kulkarni as Chairman of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC). He is former 1984 batch IAS officer.

INTER CADRE DEPUTATION TENURE OF R SUDHAN EXTENDED

The inter cadre deputation tenure of R Sudhan from Manipur to Tamil Nadu has been extended for a period of two years beyond December 17, 2020.

He is a 2006 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre.

WHO IS THE MOST POWERFUL BUREAUCRAT IN TELENGANA?

In bureaucratic circles, Somesh Kumar is considered to be the most powerful person in Telengana.

1989 batch IAS officer Somesh Kumar is presently Chief Secretary.

THREE CANDIDATES APPOINTED TO IFS

Three candidates have been appointed to the Indian Forest Service on the basis of the result of IFS Examination, 2019 (Batch-2020). They are: Amit Kaler, Shubham and Aman Verma.

8 IAS OFFICERS GET NEW RESPONSIBILITY IN BIHAR

The Bihar Government has shifted eight IAS officers. Accordingly, Sudhir Kumar was posted as Additional Member, Board of Revenue, Bihar, Patna, while Brajesh Mehrotra was made ACS, Industry Department and he will continue to hold the additional charge of Parliamentary Affairs Department.

Similarly, Chaitanya Prasad is appointed as Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, while Sanjeev Hans will join as Secretary, Energy Department; Robert L Chongthu is Secretary, Governor Secretariat, Patna; Pankaj Kumar, Commissioner, Tirhut Division, Muzaffarpur, will hold additional charge of Commissioner, Saran Division, Chhapra; Lokesh Kumar Singh is Secretary, Science and Technology Department and will continue to hold additional charge of Secretary (Resources), Finance.

FOUR IRS-IT OFFICERS GET NEW POSTINGS

Ms Kavita Pandey has been appointed as PCIT (OSD), in Pr. CCIT, Delhi region, while Shibanka Das Biswas was posted as DCIT(OSD) in Pr.DGIT (HRD) office and Sanjeev Kashyap is CIT (OSD) in Pr CCIT, Mumbai Region. Besides, Ms Meera Srivastava has been appointed as CIT (OSD) in Pr CCIT, Delhi Region.

ANIL SINGHAL GETS FULL CHARGE OF SPECIAL COMMISSIONER, AP BHAVAN

Anil Kumar Singhal, Principal Secretary, Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department, has been placed on full additional charge of Special Commissioner, AP Bhavan, New Delhi. He is a 1993 batch IAS officer of AP cadre.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a public rally, in Midnapore.

—PHOTO BY ANI

MS ANURADHA PRASAD IS ALSO DG, ESIC

Ms Anuradha Prasad, Additional Secretary, Labour & Employment, has been assigned an additional charge of Director General, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for a period of three months with effect from November 14, 2020. She is a 1986 batch IDAS officer.

By arrangement with: http:// whispersinthecorridors.com

FROM PG 1 Govt not...

Earlier, the meeting venue was moved to the sprawling Pusa agricultural institute campus a few km from Shah’s official home, reportedly to restrict media glare.

The Home Minister’s invite, indicating that the government is engaging with the farmers at the highest level, came as a nationwide shutdown or Bharat Bandh called by protesting farmers hit road and rail traffic in parts of the country.

“I received a phone call. Amit Shah has called a meeting. We have been called at 7

pm,” said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.

Tikait said various representatives of farmer groups protesting on the highways near Delhi would attend the meeting.“There is no midway. We will demand just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the Home Minister at today’s meeting,” farmer leader Rudru Singh Mansa told reporters at the Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, one of the main centres of the weeklong protest.

The meeting assumes significance as Shah’s intervention comes after the farmers called a

—With inputs from agencies

Farmers take... in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, the epicentre of the snowballing protests, as well as in states such as Odisha, Maha-

ments closed and public transport keeping away.

In Maharashtra, wholesale markets in major cities like Pune, Nashik and Nagpur were shut.

In Uttar Pradesh, shops and offices were mostly open, while the Samajwadi Party held protests in a number of districts and even stopped a train in Allahabad.

PM: Mobile...

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has sought nod Covaxin which is being indigenously developed in collaboration with ICMR. The applications mean that a mass vaccine ef-

fort could be shortly underway in a nation that has the world’s secondlargest coronavirus caseload.

Speaking on mobile technology, he said it was because of this that the government was able to provide benefits worth billions of dollars to millions of Indians.

“It is because of mobile technology that we are seeing billions of cashless transactions which boost formalisation and transparency.

It is because of mobile technology that we will enable smooth contactless interface on toll booths,” he said.

TALKING POINT AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

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07

When health workers came up against COVID-19 it laid bare gaps in their training

ILL-EQUIPPED &

Under-trained Infection control

JED MONTAYRE Senior Lecturer (Nursing), Western Sydney University YENNA SALAMONSON Professor in Nursing, Western Sydney University

C

OVID-19 turned 2020 on its head for all healthcare workers, particularly those at the front line of the pandemic response.

Unexpectedly, the need to control the spread of the coronavirus has consumed healthcare systems. The healthcare workforce’s pivotal role in our pandemic response has been in the public spotlight. The experience has exposed knowledge gaps in cur riculums, bringing to the fore questions about the education and training of front line healthcare workers.

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of including infection control, mental healthcare and ageing and aged care in all educational programs for health professions.

A

ll healthcare disciplines are expected to include infection control contents and principles in the curriculum. However, the teaching of this content was not designed to address a pandemic of historic proportions. Nor are healthcare workers specifically taught to apply infection controls in their workplaces with a pandemic in mind. Infection control protocol during this pandemic requires all front-line healthcare workers to wear protective personal equipment, observe strict hand hygiene and adhere to contact-tracing measures.In addition to including the classic “chain of infection” in teaching healthcare, we need to ensure students can apply these concepts in specific clinical settings. For example, aged care homes have a different

set of infection control challenges from hospitals. These include potential breaches of isolation and infection containment measures by COVID-positive residents visiting other residents, a lack of dedicated isolation rooms and staff with limited training. Infection control goes beyond competence in the use of protective gear and isolation measures.

Management skills are needed to ensure everyone follows recommended infection control practices within their organisations.For example, registered nurses in aged care must oversee and manage staff adherence to infection control protocols with their facility. These workers include students, cooks and cleaners, so they too must have the essential infection control knowledge and training.

during the pandemic.

Education and training are essential as complex challenges can arise when non-expert healthcare workers manage mental health issues. There’s a need to consider the inclusion in healthcare curriculums of mental health education encompassing the lifespan and life transitions – for example, maternal mental health with pregnancy and childbirth during a pandemic.

Building in pandemic preparedness

Ageing and aged care

O

lder people are unquestionably at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. To protect them, visits by family and friends are often curtailed, particularly in residential aged care facilities. Not surprisingly, loneliness and social isolation are increasing among older people.

Psychosocial issues like these underscore the importance of a focus on ageing and aged care in healthcare curriculums. In Australia, pre-pandemic evidence indicated a lack of ageing-related education for health professionals. This was highlight-

The mental health impacts of COVID-19 have affected all population groups. Preventing further mental health issues is now the main goal.However, not all healthcare programs include content that incorporates approaches to psychological distress and a potential mental health crisis. COVID-19 has exposed this gap in the education of healthcare workers who have had to attend to patients’ mental health needs

COVID-19 cases included many medical staff who weren’t fully prepared to cope with a pandemic.

—PETER DEJONG/AP/AAP

—PHOTOGRAPHEE.EU/ SHUTTERSTOCK

The lack of social contacts under COVID-19 restrictions has been challenging for people’s mental health.

Mental health

The emergence of COVID-19 has highlighted the need for healthcare curriculums to include pandemic preparedness.Preparedness of course includes clinical competence of healthcare workers. However, a successful pandemic response also requires

building resilience at a time of change in health systems.

Students need to be prepared for changes in health-service delivery such as the use of telehealth and digital platforms.Access to healthcare must be maintained even in the midst of a pandemic.

Upholding human rights

Aged care homes that acted decisively to implement measures appropriate for a pandemic protected their residents from COVID-19.

—BELUSHI/SHUTTERSTOCK

ed by the Aged Care Royal Commission recommendation to integrate age-related con-

ditions and aged care into healthcare curriculums as an accreditation requirement.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that healthcare students are well

prepared to provide optimal care for our most vulnerable age group.

COVID-19 has raised ethical and moral issues relating to the rights of every individual to health.

The pandemic has exposed inequalities at every level – for example, rationing healthcare resources for older people. It’s vital that healthcare curriculums integrate content on upholding human rights during a pandemic. Understanding the social determinants of health

in a pandemic also helps provide contexts for infection control, care for vulnerable groups and prevention of mental health issues.Attention to the most vulnerable groups, people and their families who experienced COVID-19 deaths, and an understanding of universal health coverage are fundamental for healthcare students during this pandemic and beyond.

SOURCE: THECONVERSATION.COM

Hope is the sunshine of lifeit makes difficult times easier and good times better.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

INDIA

08

GUJARAT

15,55,324 6,81,64,209 1,41,344 97,31,858 4,110 2,21,493 CONFIRMED CASES

DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 47,774 DEATHS 18,55,341 CASES

UTTAR PRADESH 7,967 DEATHS 5,58,173 CASES

DEATHS

KARNATAKA 11,880 DEATHS 8,95,284 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

DEATHS

DELHI 9,763 DEATHS 5,97,112 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN 2,468 DEATHS 2,84,116 CASES

I-T unearths `1,000 cr benami deals

POPULAR BUILDERS CASE: In a 3-month operation despite the Covid, I-T Department officials have busted a huge real estate scam Haresh Jhala Ahmedabad: In an investigation that stretched well over three months in the thick of the Covid-19 crisis, the Income Tax Department has attached properties worth a whopping Rs 1,000 crore owned by Ahmedabad’s eminent realtors, the Popular Builders.

In what is considered to be strongest such action in recent times, the attached properties worth Rs 600 crore are within the Ahmedabad city and the rest valued at Rs 400 crore in rural Ahmedabad. The department has issued as many

Sonia not to celebrate b’day for farmers

First India Bureau New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided not to celebrate her birthday on Wednesday in view of the ongoing farmers’ agitation and the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to party sources, Congress General Secretary Organisation has communicated to all the incharges and PCC Presidents of the states that in view of the distress caused by Covid-19 pandemic across the country and amid the ongoing farmer’s agitation against the “draconian” agriculture bills Sonia Gandhi has decided not to celebrate her birthday this year.

“Farmers are on the street-facing the harsh climate and brutal crackdown from the government, Congress leaders instead of celebrations should strengthen the efforts to provide relief to all those who are suffering and extend support to fighting Anndatas,” Sonia Gandhi has conveyed to all the incharges.

HUGE OPERATION

as 234 showcause notices so far.

In an official briefing, the Income Tax Department has stated that Raman Patel and Dashrath Patel, owners of the Popular Builders, used to pay one per cent incentive on purchase of property in other people’s names.

The Income Tax department seized a truckload of documents during searches on the premises of Popular Builders. (Left) Raman Patel, a partner of Popular Builders.

—FILE PHOTO

As much as 22 lakh square metres of land had been bought by them under such contracts.

The department sleuths identified 27 such locations under the Benami Transaction Prohibition

Act and attached 23 bank lockers. Jewellery worth Rs 91.11 lakh and a plethora of documents of

land deals of Rs 2.27 crore have been seized.

The realtors used to sign MoUs (memoran-

dum of understanding) with other persons and would buy land and property under their names. The MoU papers would be kept by the builders themselves.

The department has examined as many as 100 bank accounts to establish these transactions.

The department has stated that Raman Patel had admitted before officers during questioning that land parcels were purchased in the name of 10 persons using 16 cooperative bank accounts. So they will also be prosecuted under the Benami Transaction Prohibition Act. It has also issued notices of provisional at-

tachment of 49 properties. The department is investigating 56 companies transactions, 8 firms, 6 trusts, 6 HUF property and 28 properties in personal names.

The builders would hire such persons as employees with whom they sign MoUs and purchased land in his or her name. Then a sale deed would follow within the company and at the end money and land would be in the name of partners of Popular Builders.

On October 08, the Income Tax department had conducted search operations at as many as 35 premises of the Popular Builders.

CID files chargesheet in Vadodara custodial death HC wants Guj reply First India Bureau Vadodara: The State Crime Investigation Department (CID) has filed a chargesheet in the controversial Vadodara custodial death case. Two key accused persons, a PSI and a head constable, are still absconding.

The chargesheet stated that more than 105 witnesses have been examined and various

sections of Indian Penal Code have been invoked against the accused in the custodial death case.

Advocate Imtiyaz Kureshi, who represented the petitioner, said with the direction of Justice Sonia Gokani of Gujarat High Court, an FIR was filed against the 6 accused police officers, and section 302 of IPC was invoked against all of them.

Fatehganj police station, where the custody death took place.—FILE PHOTO

Gujarat High Court has asked the State Government to sanction a special public prosecutor in the case before

the Vadodara Sessions Court at the earliest.

The CID (Crime), in its report before the court, said Babu Nisar

Sheikh was dead but his body was yet to be recovered. Based on the High Court’s directions, the investigating agency searched for the body in the main Narmada canal of Vadodara but could not find.

Nisar allegedly went missing on December 10, 2019, after he was apprehended by the Fatehganj police station in a theft case.

SGCCI renews demand for more transformers

GHOST TOWN!

First India Bureau

Ahmedabad’s usually busy streets like Pankornaka, Manek Chowk, Gandhi Road, Teen Darwaja wear a deserted look during the night curfew in the city.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

Surat: The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry has submitted a memorandum to the managing director of Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company limited (DGVCL) Yogesh Chaudhary to increase the number of transformers of 200kv and 500kv in industrial areas.

The SGCCI said it had demanded this for

long but the DGVCL said due to lockdown transformers were short of supply. However, it has been four months now but still no action has been taken, the Chamber wonders.

On the other hand, increasing usage had pushed the power bills and the industrial units were facing a huge financial crisis. It said several new applicants were waiting for the power connections because of this.

on PIL against oil pipeline, rlys in Gir First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday asked the State Government and State Board for Wildlife to respond to a suo moto petition about its decision to divert land from the Gir Lion Sanctuary to lay oil pipelines, optical fibers and railway lines.

This follows a suo moto application based on a PIL before the high court seeking directions to the State not to allot 150 hectares of land from the Sanctuary to railways for broad gauge conversion and track electrification projects, as also for oil pipelines and optical fibers.

The application stated that such activities in the sanctuary area was a hindrance to the Asiatic lion population in and around Gir for-

ests and should be heard in subordinate courts on a fast-track basis. It claimed that the government had already approved the diversion of the sanctuary land to lay lines for oil and optical fibers.

A member of the State Board for Wildlife had objected to the broad gauge railway line since this would mean trains running at not less than 50 km per hours, posing grave risk to the lions. Such an incident was reported near Pipavav in December 2018. Similarly, oil leaks could cause huge fires in the forests.

Gir and surrounding areas have 674 lions, up from 523 in 2015 and their spread expanded from 22,000 sq km to 30,000 sq km by 2020, occupying large areas outside the sanctuary.

ROCKET SCIENCE

IIT-Gn experts develop new additives for space, defence fuels The new class of nano-additives lead to superlative enhancement in the performance of solid propellants used in rocket propulsion systems First India Bureau Gandhinagar: A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn), including Prof Kabeer Jasuja, Prof Chinmay Ghoroi and a PhD student Harini Gunda, has developed a new class of nano-additives for fuels used in

space and defence applications.

They claim that these nano-additives result in a superlative enhancement in the performance of solid propellants used in rocket propulsion systems.

Explaining the research, an IIT-Gn press release says ‘solid propellants’ are used as

IIT Gandhinagar.

—FILE PHOTO

fuel in rockets and missiles, which are a mix of fuel and oxidizer. ”Whether it is ISRO’s famous PSLV launch vehicles to lift satellites or DRDO’s AGNI missiles, all are powered by solid propellants,” it said.

Ammonium Perchlorate (AP) is one such fuel used widely in rocket propulsion systems. Conventionally, several additives are added to AP to improve its performance. These additives can take up to

30% of the total weight of the fuel. Boron is one of those fuel additives, but it faces severe ignition delay.

To overcome this issue, Harini Gunda, working with Prof Kabeer Jasuja, has developed a significantly efficient boron-rich nanoadditive. “It can be used as a single substitute for multiple additives that are conventionally required in propellants.

Then, nano-material takes only 1% of the total weight.”

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9, 2020

There’s no two way about it that high heels ups our confidence levels and when we walk in them we feel like we are on the top of the world and there’s no stopping us. For many, the mere smell of a freshly delivered shoe can enliven the minutest desires!

MITALI DUSAD

mitalidusad01@gmail.com

T

he high-heeled shoe, the ultimate piece of fashionable footwear, has come a long way. This shoe, which has often been a matter of discussion and debate, has not always been what we know it as today. Over time, it has considerably evolved. But apart from all this, it is equally important to take care of these heels. City First brings you some tips on how to take care of those pretty heels.

1. First and foremost don’t wear them regularly. Give them a rest day and opt for different footwear so that they can rest and breath and be ready for a tough day’s battle ahead.

2. A shoe closet is a great way to

FEEL THE keep them safe and moist free.

Invest in a good shoe closet so that they stay longer and aren’t affected by outside elements.

3. Never drive in heels. Driving in high heels is a sure way to damage your shoes as the pressure on your heels from driving can cause heels or shanks to break.

It’s the age-old question asked by every shoe-loving woman at one point or another: How in the world do I wear high heels with-

out the pain? Is it even possible?

Are we relegated to a “grin and bear” mentality for life in the name of looking—and feeling— awesome? Turns out, a fabulous pair sky-high shoes and painfree feet aren’t mutually exclusive.

Some things to remember can be the fit as no matter how gorgeous the shoe looks, make sure they are neither too big nor too small or try considering an open toe! Let your little piggies breathe!

09

ETC www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

10

Remembering

Ahmed Patel: A Family Man! The Stalwart Congress leader Ahmed Patel’s tragic and untimely demise has left a void in many hearts which can never be filled. Congress will never be able to find someone who can fill his shoes and the lakhs he helped through his NGO have lost a father. His family is bereft as they strive to learn to live without him. He was a doting grandfather and the loss to his beloved grandchildren Esra, Miriam and Zyra, who will now grow up without his care, with his memories can never be fulfilled. City First brings a tribute from the innocent hearts of the children for their much loved and missed granddad and wherever Ahmed Bhai is today, we know that he blesses them and knows how much he is loved. —Anita Hada

Congress veteran Ahmed Patel with (anti-clockwise) daughter Mumtaz, his wife Memoona and grand-daughters Miriam, Esra and Zayra

Ahmed Patel with his son Faisal

u, lways Dear Dad s miss you and I a y y. a I will alw ur jokes were funn to o y n a t e d though e to be nic e did. I m t h g u ta ow h Dadu just like h nd watching rs e th o lp a he g popcorn ind, miss havin h you. Dadu was k ery it a w s s e wa v movie nny and h ts people fu d n a calm trea eryu. And he good dad and gets people ev I ly e e h ad w n very nic ed. I felt s we all were e n y e th and thing dadu died the found out when he was in o e im id h missing e had fun doing v u W d a l.

D a ay. hospit u every d ven if he d a d h it w calls r us e ray ok time fo always to very day. We will p s y e a had work t. And we will alw lo a u for yo tel r you.

—Esra Pa remembe

Dear Nanu , You will fo rever be in that you w our hearts il , I know yo l like it better up in h I know u as a pers eaven. on who w anything fo ou r help others anyone if you ever ld do asked, w h e n th ey you’re doin g better up need it. I hope have wante d you to s there, I wouldn’t uffer in th You were eh alw us all, you ays very nice and ospital. sweet to did everyth you were ing for us. a made time very busy man but y I know o fo never forg r us. We will pray u always for you an et you. I k d no for what y ou believe w that you stood u p d in, you w congress le ere When Zay ader and everyone m a great ra and I w isses you. ere to steal yo ur pens an very small we use d d paper fr office, I re om m you taped ember I made this b your it u removed it behind your door, y tterfly and ou never . Last I ca m there. I kn ow many e to 23 it was still people loo you and s ked till for us, you do. This was a very up to were a gre big loss imagine o ur lives wit at man. We can’t h forever an d always. out you. Love you —Miriam

Dear Nanu, I will always love you and miss you and cherish the memories we had together. I guess I never thought abo ut what it would be like when you would no lon ger have always been such a key be here. You part of my life, and such a great person. I am so thankful that you were my Nanu. An d I’m even more thankful that I was able to live so close to you and to be able to do so ma ny things with you throughout the years, creatin g relationship that I have had the awesome with you. When you were in the hospital I thought about all the things you have done not only for us but for the entire nation. You we re loss for us but were for the not just a huge entire nation.

Everyone who personally knew you know what a great person you we re. We are all so so so thankful for you and are praying for you every day. I’m very pro ud of what a great person my Nanu was and how is one of the most kind-hearted people I hav will forever be in our hearts e ever met. He and is gone but never ever forgotten. He is truly a great man and has so many good me mories with us.

I will always remember the thin done for me, Miriam and Esr gs you have a and for everyone else yet. When you we re in the hospital I couldn’t imagine the pain you were going through, and even after tha t, you tried helping all the people you could. I would never expect to see you in the kabrastha n and I thought that day would come many ma later. You were not just a Na ny many years nu or a dadu u were an asset to everyone.

I hope you are resting in peace and hopef ully one day I can meet you again. For now this is to say but words cannot des all I’m going cribe how much I love him, miss you and ho w great of a person you were. LOVE YO U FOREVER..

—Zayra Siddiqui

ETC

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AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

Kangana on ‘Bharat Bandh’

THIRD

CARDI B’S TWITTER WAR

CHARLOTTE C

ardi B sent out a tweet asking fans if she should buy a USD 88,000 purse and it went about as well as you’d think this would go. “Should I spend 88K for this damn purse?

Omggg it’s tempting,” she asked her followers on Twitter on Sunday. Well, the tweet quickly got a lot of attention from Cardi B‘s

OPENED! T

iff ’s Treats, the original warm cookie delivery company that opened last year in Charlotte, N.C., with the support of its power couple brand ambassadors actress Brooklyn Decker and tennis star Andy Roddick, has opened a third Charlotte location in the Apex SouthPark retail centre at 4425 Sharon Road.

“One of my favourite things about Tiff ’s Treats is their commitment to philanthropy, and I couldn’t be more excited for the newest Charlotte store to open, especially with kickoff sales supporting our local Special Olympics chapter,” said Brooklyn Decker, a global Special Olympics ambassador who, along with husband Andy Roddick, came on board as an investor and brand ambassador for Tiff ’s Treats in 2018.

—Agency

Kangana Ranaut

A

s the farmers protesting against the Centre’s new agricultural laws have called for a ‘Bharat Bandh,’ today, actor Kangana Ranaut voiced her opinion on the matter in a poetic style. The ‘Queen,’ actor who is one of the most active celebrities on social media, shared her views on Twitter along with a video of spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev in which he is seen talking about protests.

“Aao Bharat ko band

Still from her video

kr dete hain, yun to tufaano ki kami nahi is naav ko, magar laao kulhaari kuch chhed bhi kar dete hain, reh reh ke roz marti hai har ummeed yahaan (come let’s shut India, though there is no scarcity of storms hitting this boat, but bring an axe to make some holes in the boat, every hope dies here every day),” she tweeted.

—Agency

11

followers.

Many Twitter users responded, pointing out that we’re in the middle of a global pandemic and many cannot afford to eat and pay their bills.

Cardi B quickly pointed out that she has been donating money all year w h e n people began calling her out.

—Agency

Brooklyn Decker

WEDDING FESTIVITIES IN

ROYAL RAJASTHAN

N

aga Babu’s daughter Niharika Konidela and Chaitanya JV will tie the knot today, 9 December in Udaipur. Various stars from Tollywood have flown to the City of Lakes to be a part of the couple’s big day. Here are a few glimpses of the pre-wedding festivities of Niharika and Chaitanya.

Cardi B

MATTHEW PERRY’S FIANCEE! Dia, on her skin colour M

SIENNA MILLER’S

PUBLIC HEARTBREAK

atthew Perry has shared the very first picture of fiancé Molly Hurwitz on his Instagram. This weekend, while promoting his limited Friends t-shirt line, the 51-year-old actor uploaded a pic of Molly wearing one to his feed. “You don’t have to pose this way while wearing the shirt, but please feel free.,” Matthew captioned the photo of Molly, who is holding her hair up by her eyes. The shirt she is wearing reads: “Could this BE any more of a t-shirt?”, which calls back to his character on Friends, Chandler Bing’s, iconic phrase. Matthew announced his engagement to Molly late last month.

However, he hadn’t shared a photo of her yet.

—Agency Matthew Perry

Sienna Miller and Jude Law

S

ienna Miller recently opened up about the “public heartbreak” that she experienced after her then-fiance Jude Law‘s affair with his nanny became public. The actor cheated on Sienna with his children’s nanny back in 2005 and it put her in the public eye in a way she had never experienced before.

When the story went public, she was starring in the play As You Like It on London’s West End. “That was one of the most challenging moments I hope I’ll ever have to experience,” Sienna recently opened up. “Because with that level of public heartbreak, to have to get out of a bed let alone stand in front of 800 people every night, it’s just the last thing you want to do.”

—Agency

D

... his post

Hina Khan on ‘Wishlist’

H

Hina Khan

ina Khan has been on a roll in 2020. From films to web shows, and music videos to a special appearance in the Bigg Boss 14 house, Hina has been doing it all with back to back projects.

Hina’s upcoming web film, Wishlist, which the actress shot

for post her Cannes appearance in 2019 in Europe, is all set to digitally release early next week.

Going by the name, the film is all about fulfilling one’s wishes and dreams, and will see Hina in a new avataar this time. Speaking about how excited she is for people to watch Wishlist, Hina

shares, “I am very excited for Wishlist. We had shot this film in Europe post my first Cannes walk in 2019. We had made this film for festivals across the globe, but due to unforeseen conditions we best thought to release it on a digital platform first.”

—Agency

Dia Mirza

ia Mirza grabbed national headlines when she was crowned Miss Asia Pacific International when she was 18-years-old. The next year, she made her Bollywood debut with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, which became a cult classic. However, not everything went smoothly for Dia. The actress had to face certain hardships in the industry. In a recent interview, Dia revealed that she has lost projects due to her skin colour. The way she looked proved to be a disadvantage for her.

Dia said, “I think any stereotype and preconceived notions are not good. The way I look has been a disadvantage for me in my acting profession many a times.

I have lost a job and not been cast in a part because I look too good. It is a strange disadvantage.”

—Agency

CITY BUZZ www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

MEET & GREET!

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020

LUXURY RIDE IN JAIPUR

12

WEDDING BELLS!

Jagdeesh Chandra with Jitendra Soni, Director, Mission Gyan, during his visit to the former’s residence to hand over a token of respect for the ‘Project E Kaksha’ campaign. This campaign is about providing free education to students of classes 6 to 12 Rajasthan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Devang and Gaurang Maheshwari CITY FIRST

M

Mining and Gopalan Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya celebrated his birthday at Baran with his wife Urmila and supporters.

During the day Bhaya and Urmila distributed blankets to the needy, gave fodder to the cows and fed dogs and pigeons too. They also visited all the temples to seek divine blessings on the occasion. A blood donation camp was also organised by his supporters.

eet the cofounders, Devang Maheshwari and Gaurang Mangal, who turned their love for cars into one of the hottest automotive destinations.

At Luxury Ride Jaipur, they believe in no substitutes and no compromises, and in the event that they don’t have the exact car you’re trying to find, they make sure that we leave no stone unturned to find it.

Their world-class

team ensures that the foremost minute particularization, to all or any of their cars meets and exceeds our customer’s demand.

Their service team is skilled, empathetic, and engaged to deliver you the most effective in the Pre-Owned Luxury car industry. They will tailor the delivery of your

car to best suit you, while their unconditional aftercare will guarantee an extended and lasting relationship. They tend to lay emphasis solely on the high-end of every class to confirm that tremendous listings are showcased within the way they deserve and that buyers find precisely what they’re trying to find.

Ranging from premium vehicles to thoroughbred racecars like the Lamborghini, their goal has always been to create joyous moments for all of us in Jaipur. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Jagdeesh Chandra at the wedding ceremony of Gaurav Bhatia and Rashi Arora at The Wedding Villa in Jaipur on Monday. Gaurav is the son of Rakesh Kumar and Sunita Bhatia, while Rashi is the daughter of Dinesh and Reeta Arora. Also seen here is Gaurav’s sister, Khushboo.

A SAD DEMISE...

UP: National Secretary, AICC, Vivek Bansal mourned the sad demise of a 10-year old innocent Yashvi, daughter of Brajesh Varshney, resident of Housing Development Colony at Sasni Gate on Monday. Yashvi was suffering from a brain disease.

Virtual condolence meet

CITY FIRST

A

condolence meeting was organised in remembrance of a noted journalist late Dheerendra Jain. Seeing the pandemic, the meeting was organised virtually

by Jain’s daughter Journalist Anubha Jain in which prominent personalities were present. With two

Online Webinar on Industry-Academia CITY FIRST

T

he purpose of education is that along with knowledge one must also be skilled.

This is why in the National Educational Policy (NEP), employment-oriented education has been linked to skill development. This will help students gain much-needed skills at the beginning of their education and the benefits of their experience and knowledge can be passed on to others. This was stated by the Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Kalraj Mishra, who was the Chief Guest.

He addressed the Online Webinar on Industry-Academia Interface held on the virtual

platform on Tuesday.

The programme was organised by Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) in association with Bhardwaj Foundation Jaipur and Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It was attended by heads of various universities and industry stalwarts.

The program was coordinated by Founder President, Bharadwaj Foundation, PM Bharadwaj.

President Manipal University Jaipur, Dr GK Prabhu said that for many years it has been said that the graduates are not ready for the industry.

However, no concrete steps were being taken to address this gap between academia and industry.

minutes of silence family and friends paid last respects to the departed soul.

A condolence letter sent by the Hon’ble Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was read by Jain’s daughter Anubha. CM Ashok Gehlot said that the sudden demise of such noted journalist Dheerendra Jain is an irreparable loss not only to society but to the

domain of journalism too.

Vijay Darda, Chairman Lokmat Media, and Ved Pratap Vaidik proposed to start an award and lecture series in the name of great personality late Dheerendra Jain. Anubha assured that certainly, an award along with a lecture series will be started in her father’s name soon. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Jairangam Theatre Festival

Debate competition in DBM

CITY FIRST

CITY FIRST

C

o-partnered by 3M dot band and Ministry of Culture, Government of India, on Fourth day of Online Fringes Jai Rangam witnessed an interesting play, the Hunger Artist based upon a short story

by Franz Kafka was performed. Directed by Gurleen Judge, this extraordinary tale revolves around an artist, who takes on elaborate fasts for the amusement of the general public.

CITY FIRST

T

he world’s biggest tech conglomerate, Google Inc., has been organising various art workshops and programs for its teams around the world under “Arts at Google’s Create at Home Program,” and Rajasthan Studio recently organised a Tie

A The sound design of audio loops, soundscapes, and music used efficiently to create the required disturbance and alienation.

Two play Teelapur Ka Rakshas, directed by Anupama Roy and Barnali Mehdi directed Bogezari will be performed today.

very exciting debate competition took place in Digital Baal Mela on Tuesday. Children participated and shared their entries with full enthusiasm.

During this typical phase of Covid-19, children got a great opportunity to share their views over the topic ‘Online classes are good/ bad’. Sponsored by Future Society and LIC, the event has various rewards for children.

Most of the students

TIE & DYE WORKSHOP and Dye making online experience for them.

“While we have catered to multiple corporates on the state and national level in the past months, it was our first ever session with a tech giant like Google,” shared Kartik, founder of Rajasthan Studio.

Attended by their teams from many parts of the world including Israel, the United States, and India, the curated Tie & Dye workshop was conducted by one of the eminent artists in the field and one of the earliest members of

the young startup.

The 1-hour experience involved learning Rajasthan’s traditional techniques of tie and dye on t-shirts and scarves using organic colours made from beetroot, coffee, saffron, turmeric, spinach, kumkum extracts, etc.

stood in favour of online classes. 7 years old Arpita of Jaipur told that in such a hard time, the school provided education to us and taught us a new way as well.

Ayushi Kumawat and Devesh Aggarwal were happy to share that they

can study anywhere while staying at home.

Tanisha Jain also spoke in support of online classes. Ashish Kalawa spoke about the economic crisis of Corona and laid stress on the problems faced by a common man.