First India-Ahmedabad Edition-14 June 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

22°C - 36°C

ALERT AHMEDABAD l SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

4,30,133 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 3,830 DEATHS 1,04,568 CASES

78,10,449 CONFIRMED CASES

TAMIL NADU 397 DEATHS 42,687 CASES

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RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 199

9,199

INDIA

DEATHS

3,21,406

CONFIRMED CASES

DELHI 1,271 DEATHS 38,958 CASES

GUJARAT

1,449 DEATHS

RAJASTHAN 282 DEATHS 12,401 CASES

23,079

CONFIRMED CASES

UTTAR PRADESH 385 DEATHS 13,118 CASES —PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

DRESSING UP

THE GOD!

A tailor in Ahmedabad’s Shahpur area puts the finishing touches to the clothing of Lord Jagannath ahead of annual Rath Yatra on Saturday. This year, the world-renowned Rath Yatra will take place without the accompaniment of troupes and crowds for the first time in its 143year history in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.

POLITICAL MAPPING: NEPAL PM reviews Corona fight PARL ALTERS BOUNDARIES as highest spike reported India controls Lipulekh, Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and its maps show the area as part of its territory which is contested by Nepal Kathmandu: Nepal’s lower house of Parliament on Saturday passed an amendment to include a new map incorporating Indian areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in the Constitution of the country.

Nepal’s House of Representatives had on June 10 endorsed a proposal seeking consideration of a constitution amendment bill for change of country’s map after a lengthy discussion. Nepal has made offers to India to hold “diplomatic talks to resolve the territorial issue” between the two countries.

India has said earlier this week that has made

INDIA REJECTS NEW MAP, SAYS NOT TENABLE its position clear on these issues and deeply values its civilisation, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal.

After Nepal released a new political map last month showing areas like Lipulekh and Kalapani as its territory, India said such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it and noted that the “unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence”. —ANI

New Delhi: India said on Saturday said that it had noted Nepal’s House of Representatives passing a constitution amendment bill for changing map of Nepal to include parts of Indian territory and the artificial enlargement of claims “is not based on historical fact” and is not tenable.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also said that the move is violative of the current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues. He was answering a query about Nepal’s lower house of Parliament on Saturday passing an amendment to include a new map incorporating Indian areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in the Constitution of the country.

Srivastava said the government has already made its position clear in the matter.

“We have noted that the House of Representatives of Nepal has passed a constitution amendment bill for changing the map of Nepal to include parts of Indian territory. We have already made our position clear on this matter,” the spokesperson said.

Turn on P6

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a detailed meeting with senior ministers and officials to review India’s response to COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting, attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, reviewed the national level status and preparation in the context of the pandemic. The meeting also took stock of the situation in different states and union territories including Delhi.

India’s count saw highest-ever spike of 11,458 cases on Saturday. The total number of coronavirus cases reported in the country now stand at 3,08,993, including 1,45,779 active

A doctor in PPE suit collects swab sample for COVID-19 testing.

cases, 1,54,330 cured/ discharged/migrated and 8,884 deaths.

A PMO release said that it was observed that out of the total cases, two-thirds are in five states with an overwhelming proportion of cases in big cities.

“In view of the challenges being faced, particularly by the large cities, it was discussed

to augment testing as well as the number of beds and services to effectively handle the peak surge of daily cases,” the release said.

The Prime Minister took cognizance of the recommendations of the Empowered Group on the city and districtwise requirements of hospital beds/isolation beds which Turn on P6

Loss of smell and taste new Corona symptoms!

New Delhi: Union Health Ministry on Saturday added loss of smell (anosmia) and loss of taste (ageusia) in the list of symptoms of COVID-19.

Union Health Ministry in its report titled ‘Clinical Management Protocol: COVID-19’ has said that COVID-19 patients reporting to various treatment facilities have reported signs and symptoms including fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, expectoration, myalgia, rhinorrhea, sore throat, diarrhoea. “Loss of smell (anosmia) or loss of taste (ageusia) preceding the onset of respiratory symptoms has also been reported,” it said.

According to Ministry, older people and immune Turn on P6

CM Rupani to launch ‘Ghare Shikhiye’ education programme TO BE AIRED ON DD GIRNAR, IT AIMS TO KEEP SCHOOL STUDENTS OCCUPIED UNTIL SCHOOLS, COLLEGES REOPEN IN AUGUST First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Having decided to keep schools and colleges shut until the middle of August, the state government has created a unique educational programme for students of Classes III to XII. This pro-

gramme--which will be telecast on DD Girnar, the Gujarati language channel of India’s national broadcaster, Doordarshan-will be launched by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Monday.

Making the announcement on Saturday, state Education

Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said the decision was taken in order to keep the students engaged in academics while also keeping them safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The students’ studies should not be affected while schools and colleges are shut.

We did not want them to waste time for two months, so this programme was created and will be aired on DD Girnar,” the min-

Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama addressing media.

ister said.

He clarified that the department has not issued any circular asking

schools to not levy charges other than tuition fees and, that too, in monthly instalments until Sep-

tember. However, he did say that the office bearers of the school owners’ association have assured the state government, that they will abide by the state’s suggestion.

“So there is no question of any private school asking parents to pay anything other than tuition fees,” he said.

Chudasama added that the department will take strict action against any schools that do not follow the “arrangement”, ac-

cording to which schools will refrain from levying charges other than tuition fees--such as fees for activities or transportation.

Citing an example, he said, “My department had received one such complaint about a school from Surat. The DEO (district education officer) has already issued notice to the school. It will be followed by harsh action against the school.”

Meanwhile, the department is also considering fresh suggestions with regards to final year exams for under-graduates and post-graduates.

The minister remained non-committal about the school fees levied for March, April and May--when the schools were closed because of the lockdown-while clarifying that any relaxation in fees is only for the academic year 2020-21.

NEWS AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

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FRICTION DIFFERENCES SPREAD IN BJP TO MORE DISTRICTS Party might be eyeing Assembly by-elections alongside corporation and Panchayat polls later this year, even as old hands try to shore up their territories to safeguard against ‘gatecrashers’ Haresh Jhala Ahmedabad: The state-level leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party might be welcoming disenfranchised politicians into its fold with open arms, but those at the district- and taluka-level are sharpening their claws and shoring up their territories.

After Morbi and Surendranagar, reports have now started coming in from Vadodara and Kutch districts that hardcore party workers and leaders are gearing up to protect their political

interests while sending a strong message to the party leaders and high command that they are unhappy.

As soon as Pradyumansinh Jadeja--the Congress MLA from the Abdasa constituency in Kutch--threw in the towel, BJP workers in the district began to speculate that Jadeja would join their party sooner or later.

And if he did, the rumours went, the party leadership could well offer him the Abdasa constituency ticket in the by-elections.

This has pushed some local

leaders to test the waters and their supporter base, while also sending a signal to the state leadership.

People familiar with the issue at the ground level tell First India that various local factions have been holding regular meetings.

Sources in Abdasa say there are at least two major groups: one dominated by Patels, and the other, by Rajputs. The Rajput group is led by the party’s Young Turks. Many of these are worried about their political careers, which could take a hit it Pradumansinh joins

the BJP. So, they will be doing as much as they can to guard the gates of the party, or at least insulate themselves against fallout from potential gatecrashers.

There is also division within the Patel ranks.

In the last Assembly election, one group supported Chhabil Patel and another was with the late Jayantibhai Bhanushali.

One such meeting took place in Kukas village in Vadodara district. Called by former BJP MLA Satish Patel, it was officially meant to discuss means and measures to stop illegal

mining. Bharuch MP Mansukh Vasava had joined this meeting because he too is running a campaign against the sand mafia. However, sources said that the topic of discussion swiftly went from illegal mining to Congress turncoat Akshay Patel, who had defeated Patel in the last Assembly elections, and his son, who is allegedly involved in illegally mining sand.

However, they are not alone in testing the waters. On-the-ground sources say that Jadeja has met with his supporters in an effort to

gauge how many will support him joining the BJP. He has also been trying to get a sense of whether some BJP leaders would support him or not.

Those in the know say the meeting rounds may have followed the buzz in political circles that Assembly by-elections may be held alongside the civic and panchayat general elections, which are due in December.

The official line is that these meetings are a figment of the imagination but if they did happen, there’s nothing special about them.

There are no indications of by-elections in the near future so the question does not arise about any meetings. Even if Panchayat or any other elections are announced, we don’t have to start afresh, as we prepare for any challenge through the year,.

—Keshubhai Patel, BJP President, Kutch district

MEETING THAT ‘DID NOT HAPPEN’

T

he official agenda at a meeting in the Kukas village of Sinor Taluka in Vadodara was to stop illegal mining. However, sources said that the meeting was called by former BJP MLA Satish Patel, who had faced defeat at the hands of Congress turncoat Akshay Patel. Bharuch MP Mansukh Vasava had joined this meeting because he too is running a campaign against the sand mafia. Sources said that the topic of swiftly went from illegal mining to

Akshay Patel, whose son has been accused of illegally mining sand. Some attendees reportedly voiced concerns over having to accept a leader whose own son is allegedly involved in the activity they are campaigning against.

A few hotheads also raised their voices against “imported leaders” being imposed on them and expressed displeasure at having to constantly toe the party line. However, they were quickly quietened by senior party members.

No official or unofficial meetings have been called by any of the party leaders. There may be some rumours doing the rounds, but there is no substance to any of it. Vadodara district BJP organization is united and works with unity and is always prepared for elections, whenever they are announced.

—Dilubha Chudasama, BJP President, Vadodara district

After quit party mode, wary Cops trying to keep me from Cong wakes up to fill ranks voting in RS polls: Vansh First India Bureau

Gargi Raval

Ahmedabad: After eight members defected from the party, the state Congress unit has sprung into action to fill the void in its ranks. Several party members along with senior leaders have been roped in to conduct door-todoor meetings in groups across the state.

A group of 10 MLAs had toured South Gujarat on Saturday and since then have visited places and villages of Kaprada constituency, from where Jitu Chaudhary tendered his resignation. Kaprada has been Congress’ bastion since long and the lawmakers have already started door-to door-campaigns for the upcoming by-election.

On Saturday, three to four different groups of MLAs

Ahmedabad: The runup to the upcoming Rajya Sabha election has been full of twists and turns. With eight MLAs quitting Congress, the party MLAs cannot expect a smooth course until June 19, when polls are slated for four vacant seats in the state.

As previously reported by First India, according to Congress party leaders, senior leader and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha Punja Vansh was being harassed. In a conversation with Vansh, he told First India that the police were summoning him to a station every day just to prevent him from voting on June 19.

“They called me for an inquiry and I have obliged them with answers to all their questions. Most of

Lawmakers of Congress met with local activists on their survey tour.

travelled to South Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch to survey and understand the undercurrent of the people.

In Morbi, Congress leaders held a protest against party defector Brijesh Merja, who resigned in the first week of this month, days ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

Currently, the leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani accompanied by other MLAs have been touring the Saurashtra region and holding demonstrations. The party members allege that Merja left the party and deceived the people who had elected him. They asserted that people will teach him a lesson, in

the upcoming election.

Meanwhile, a poster war in support of and against Merja has begun. After his resignation, many villages in his constituency have banned him from entry with posters put up in five such villages. While Merja’s native village has welcomed his move to resign from Congress.

the questions they posed to me were trivial. In my three-decade-old political career, I have never committed a crime or gone to a police station,” asserted the senior leader.

He added that he underwent an hour-long inquiry for four days and all the questions asked remained the same. “There was hardly any change in the questions being asked by the cops. Apart from one or two, almost all

Senior Cong leader Punja Vansh

the questions I was asked were the same.

Their intention is to harass me and they are suing every trick in the

book to keep me from voting,” he said.

Vansh requested the police to allow him time until the Rajya Sabha election in order to fulfill his party’s mandate as a member. Now, Congress party members have submitted a letter of complaint to the Election Commission alleging misuse and abuse of official machinery by the ruling party to harass Congress MLAs for political benefit.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

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Single-day high of 517 cases, 2K+ in 4 days

With 344 fresh cases, Ahmedabad has now seen a total of 16,306 cases; State tally at 23,079 cases, with 1,449 deaths and 15,891 discharged First India Bureau Gandhinagar: With another record single-day high of 517 cases on Saturday, the state has registered a whopping 2,035 cases in just four days.

With 344 fresh cases in Ahmedabad, the city has now seen a total of 16,306 cases, with 1,344 emerging in the past four days.

The dean of Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical College, Dr Pranay Shah and his wife have both tested positive and are now under treatment. In Vadodara, front-line warriors including urban health centre nurses have tested positive as well.

As of 11am on Saturday, there were 3,219 active cases in Ahmedabad city, with 21 deaths being reported in the preceding 24 hours. The North zone accounted for 23.1% with 743 cases, while the West zone had 19.1% (615) and the East zone had 18.9% (607).

Rural Ahmedabad

Four BJP councillors infected

F

our BJP councillors of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, including one woman councillor who had shared the dais with Mayor Bijal Patel on June 5, tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. The councillor from Naranpura had participated in the AMC’s sapling-distribution programme at a containment area, to marking World Environment Day. The deputy mayor and standing committee chairman were also present. As per the revised ICMR policy, contacts of last week will have to be traced. Mayor Bijal Patel could not be reached for comment.

With Unlock 1.0, people have become lax in following social distancing and other norms. —FILE PHOTO

saw 25 fresh cases, with 12 coming in from Sanand, seven from Dholka, four from Daskroi, and two from Bavla. With this, the region now has a total of 542 cases.

In Surat, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani has warned that parts of the city may be put under total shutdown for 28 days again, if cases increase further. Already, 273 cases have emerged

from Katargam and Varachha zone in 12 days.

This is a 50% rise.

According to a press release issued by the local civic body on Saturday, Surat witnessed 67 new cases: 53 in the city area and 14 from rural areas. With this, Surat’s total cases have touched 2,745. Commissioner Pani has appealed to the people to strictly imple-

ment precautionary measures against the spread of the SarsCoV-2 virus, including wearing masks and practising social distancing.

Vadodara’s Padra has reported six more cases, bringing the total up to 31. Vadodara district health team report says super spreaders like vegetable vendors account for the highest number of infections.

8 diamond units shut after 23 workers test +ve First India Bureau

Surat: After 23 diamond workers tested positive for COVID-19 in just three days, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) sprung into action and partially closed eight diamond units located in Katargam area. All staff members at these units have been asked to stay under quarantine for 14 days.

SMC Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani expressed concern on the rise in positive cases in Katargam area with diamond workers getting infected with SarsCoV-2. Therefore, SMC ordered closure of certain floors and departments of eight diamond units of Katargam zone to control the transition of the virus.

With the number of

Diamond polishers in Surat.

cases in the Katargam area gaining momentum, a campaign has been initiated by the local civic body SMC to control the spread of the virus in diamond units. Around eight diamond units have already reported positive cases, so workers of other units have been asked to follow all social protocols and maintain social distancing.

The affected units are

—FILE PHOTO

Shivam Jewellers, SRK Empires, Dharmanandan Diamonds, Rinkle Impex, C Dinesh & Co, JB & Brothers and Royal Diamonds.

Pani added that three lakh co-morbid people had been surveyed as part of the city’s fight against the disease.

There are 125 people in Samras Hostel, 325 people under institutional quarantine and 8,261 in home quarantine.

Why is Tocilizumab Three-day-old baby girl found abandoned in Surat so difficult to get?

First India Bureau

Surat: A three-dayold baby girl was found abandoned on the Amroli-Chhaprabhatha Road in the city on Friday. Vivek Ravji Borda, a resident of Amrakunj Apart-

Masuma Bharmal Jariwala Rajkot: After yielding positive results in combating SarsCoV-2, the tocilizumab drug has become the Holy Grail for medical workers treating critical COVID-19 positive patients. But, the long and tedious process in its procurement has become a major concern for local hospitals.

The tocilizumab injection is a monoclonal antibody primarily meant for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

But, the drug has worked in treating COVID-19 patients in clinical trials being conducted across the world including the World Health Organization (WHO) solidarity trial.

According to highly placed sources at Civil Hospital, there are longdrawn procedures that require everything to be put in writing and have to be passed through various levels of the government for approval.

Doctors at a private

ment, was out for a morning walk at 5 in the morning when he spotted the girl. He brought her back to his house and informed the police about the infant, who collected the girl from Borda’s residence.

The baby has been admitted to SMIMER Hospital and is said to be healthy. Police have registered a case against the unidentified mother. According to Borda, there were dogs roaming near the tiny tot when he saw

JUMBO KHUSH HUA —Representational purpose only

hospital complained of “a complex procedure to receive the drug from the government. It takes two to three days for the drug to reach us. Although tocilizumab is not the exclusive treatment for novel coronavirus, it has provided results. But, delay in procurement of the drug may put the lives of patients at risk.”

A source at the health department said, “It is nothing but a market-driven shortage, since tocilizumab is a well-known medication. But, there are complicated formalities attached to its procurement which may cost patients’ lives. The price of the drug has also gone up from Rs10,000-Rs12,000 to a whopping Rs40,000.”

her on the ground. The girl was found with a bag containing clothes and milk.

“When I went for my run in the morning, I saw that a baby was crying on the road.

When I went closer to investigate, I found a

bag with milk and clothes next to her. I immediately took her home and the women of my family bathed and cleaned her,” Borda said.

He added, “ Later, we contacted Amroli police and they came to

our house to collect the infant. Our family is ready to adopt the girl but she had to be handed over to the police due to legal reasons.”

Police are investigating the case but the girl’s parents have not been identified yet.

It’s official: Monsoon season set to begin today in Gujarat First India Bureau

With the weather still hot and humid, this elephant finds a way to cool off, with a little help from his mahout, who is just outside the frame.

—PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

Ahmedabad: With good rainfall during pre-monsoon activities, the South Western monsoon is likely to reach Gujarat today. According to Manorama Mohanty, a scientist at the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Ahmedabad, conditions seem favourable for the progress of the monsoon season this year.

Currently, there is a cyclonic circulation over North India, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and neighbouring states. It extends between 1.5 km and 2.1 km above mean sea level. The east-west shear

With road work underway in many parts of Ahmedabad, the rains are likely to spell trouble for motorists. —PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

zone now runs roughly along latitude 19°N across peninsular and Central India at 3.1 km above mean sea level and extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level tilting southwards with height persists.

Even the state has received continued rain showers in some parts over the last few days.

So far 188 talukas of Gujarat have received rainfall out of the total of 252.

As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, rainfall was reported in around six talukas as of 6 pm on Saturday. The highest amount of rainfall was reported at Nakhatrana (36mm) of Kutch.

THE LONG WAIT

Dearth of morgue & sanitization vans leads to delays in last rites Haresh Jhala Ahmedabad: With the COVID-19 outbreak picking up momentum post Unlock 1.0, the death toll in the city has seen a sudden surge. So much so that dead bodies of the deceased are being kept in morgues for hours awaiting pick-up and cremation. The reason for delay in performing final rites of COVID-19 patients is

the lack of morgue vans and personnel to transport the bodies to crematoriums.

In present times, the demand for morgue vans has jumped by 25 to 30%.

According to a source at local civic body, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), there are 18 morgue vans in the city, two of which are dedicated to Muslim janaza.

Therefore, of the remaining 16 vans, four

have been out of commission, leaving only 12 functional vans. But, due to a dearth of personnel to help transport the bodies, only eight or nine vans are currently available for the disposal of dead bodies.

Meanwhile, ever since the novel coronavirus hit the city, the fire department which received 70 to 75 calls per day, has been receiving at least 90 to 100 calls every day. The van

A health worker sanitizes a hearse.

—FILE PHOTO

takes at least four hours for every trip it makes because after handing over the body at the crematorium it needs to be sanitized each time. Most of the time the van has to wait for the sanitization team, as there are just two such vans in the entire city.

Overall, there are 24 crematoriums and 24 graveyards, so the AMC fire department gets calls from all across the city. According to per-

sons familiar with the situation, even the Civil Hospital was using AMC’s morgue vans to transport dead bodies to crematoriums in April and May. Every day, the number of calls received from the hospital administration and other people amounted up to 15. It was only after the local civic body conveyed its limitations that the Civil Hospital stopped demanding its services.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

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IN-DEPTH

TITTLE-TATTLE, FEAR AS COVID CURVE RISES

A

fter the first coronavirus case on January 30, India took 45 days to reach 100. By March 24, when lockdown 1.0 began the figure had gone up to around 500. By May 6 the cases had zoomed to 50,000. Simultaneously, lockdown curbs began to be relaxed.

With positive cases now crossing the 3 lakh mark, overtaking Britain, the air is filled with fear and rumours.

With the pandemic situation being grim in states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Bihar, where Covid-19 cases and fatalities have increased at a scary pace, panic is a natural corollary.

Coupled with this is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled virtual meeting with chief ministers on June 16-17. Together these factors seemed to have spawned tittle-tattle of another lockdown. The Union government’s repeated assertion that stringent curbs put in place for three months were effective in checking the spread of the virus may have also contributed to speculations about lockdown 5.0.

As Covid-19 cases are logging a daily figure of 10,000, a message regarding total lockdown from June 15 has gone viral on WhatsApp and other social media sites. The message also claims that the Home Ministry has given hints of stopping air and train services.

In Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami has denied rumours of a 15-day intensified lockdown in Chennai and some other districts from June 15 to 30 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Reacting to a message on social media, Palaniswami said, “A message circulating on social media with my photo is a false one. Criminal action will be taken against people who circulate the false message.” The government also informed the Madras High Court that it did not implement complete lockdown in Chennai and other districts. Maharashtra has also dismissed such rumours with “Begin Again” slogan.

Despite the pandemic going out of hand in states like Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, another fortnight of the shutdown may not be the option under the consideration of the Union government which is grappling with a struggling economy. Relaxations given under Unlock 1.0 have just started showing some green shoots with demand beginning to pick up. Another lockdown would be a big blow to businesses looking tentatively at a revival after a prolonged cessation of all economic activities.

One fall-out of Delhi’s rising COVID curve has been that Uttar Pradesh has again sealed its borders. The UP government even told the Supreme Court on Friday that it will continue travel restrictions between Noida-Delhi and Ghaziabad-Delhi borders. The move may not stop cases from rising in these two border districts of UP nor Agra and Meerut, but it will certainly disrupt the lives of office-goers who will have to queue up for official passes.

A LETTER FROM MULK RAJ ANAND, RAJA RAO & RK NARAYAN K NATWAR SINGH The author is Former Minister of External Affairs of India n the mid-nineteen thirties of the last century, three young Indian writers appeared on the English literary landscape. Mulk Raj Anand’s “Untouchable” was published in London in 1935. It carried E.M. Forster’s preface. R.K. Narayan’s “Swami and Friends” appeared, also in London in the same year. Raja Rao’s “Kanthapura” followed in 1938 published by George Allen and Unwin.

All three became very intimate friends of mine.

I produce one letter from each.

I

Chandigarh July 31, 1963

Dear friend,

to me that fter writing to you last week, it occurred ofs or y-pro galle me send to I forgot to ask you -proofs. page into goes it re befo e revis to even my text ible. poss if s I would just like to pass a few sentence to ce If you are reproducing the prefa to put in the Untouchable, perhaps you would like withdrew, ter Fors E.M. h original beginning whic n referred mea (I d, erne conc on because the pers gan did Mor and alive still was ence sent to) in this him if ask d coul not want to hurt him. Perhaps you than r rathe in go to g he would allow that beginnin e the quot I .” le… rkab rema the tame sentence: “The g” original beginnin of mine “Sometimes ago, I came across a book an by A Passage to India, which had been read n done, whe n “bur en, indignant Colonel. He had writt page to ed turn I ” 259. has a dirty mind: see page d the words: 259 with pardonable haste where I foun k and the “The sweepers of Chandrapur had struc . That lightcommodes lay desolate in consequence” for military sion hearted remark has earned me exclu society ever since. to India, If the Colonel thought this of A Passage ribes a desc h whic ble, ucha Unto of what will he think day in the life of a sweeper….” nning. But You will agree that this is a better begi le, and gent , itive sens g our dear friend Morgan bein t wan not do I ted. prin be to timid, did not wish it may he now aps perh But way. any to upset him in But I am not like the idea of using that sentence. use he had insisting that he should allow it, beca s in the word e his reasons for disallowing thes

A

first instance.

With kindliest wishes.

Yours Sincerely Mulk Raj Anand

Mysore April 10, 1961

The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, Dept. of Philosophy, September 11, 1978

My dear Natwar,

i. I miss you hat a joy it was being with you in Delh which can ness busi no you Have you. badly, I tell bring you to Mysore? re, but now I used to be a hopeless letter writer befo to you as write to g goin I promise improvement. I am I will from hear t don’ I if and often as I hear from you, it. cred at always leave one the P.M, I want some more copies of the photo with tive of nega the preferably some that include Indira, and ate hesit d woul I this? my picture. Could you manage all is sion occa the but phs, ogra to bother anyone about phot you. k Than you. with y libert this take special and I feel I can s?

Time n usta Did you manage that piece for The Hind How did it go? theme for my I am in torment about the choice of a each day and ect subj new a next novel. I am thinking of speculation. tic usias enth of s hour rejecting it after a few ater an-e Wom the be to s seem le ptab The most acce of Malgudi!

Affectionately R.K. Narayan

W

On 9th Tuesday a friend of many years passed away from multiple organ failure, at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. Ajay Singh was born on 15th August 1950. His great grandfather had migrated to Fiji in the closing decades of the 19th century. Ajay was educated at St. Stephen’s College.

He was a top-class journalist for many years. He was the News Editor of India Today for some time.

As Managing Trustee of the Kisan Trust in the early 1980s, he worked closely with veteran socialist leaders Mandu Limaye and George Fernandez, Biju

My dear Natwar,

ived both have been meaning to write to you. I rece in writing am I lazy your letters- but you know how . days e thes letters. But I shall one of ion. Naik Meanwhile, I send this letter of introduct is going he and bia, Zam from ent stud t is a very brigh ld go shou he back. So I thought it would be good that and see you. but the Naik is an immensely intelligent student He came er. fodd mon com s University machine want ester and sem le who one for inarsem to my graduate him. did a splendid job that was assigned to sophy I think someday he will do a work in philo that will be creative. and thank I am sure he will be happy to see you him. you for receiving Sorry I Your family I imagine is back with you. missed you in Delhi.

Yours ever, Raja Rao

I

Patnaik, Karpuri Thakur, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, and Ram Vilas Paswan. Chaudhury Charan Singh treated him with affection.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989 and became Minister of State for Railways in V.P Singh’s government. From 2005 to 2007, he was High Commissioner to Fiji.

At the time of his death, he was working on his autobiography.

Economic consequences of disrupted global supply chains

F

or nearly three decades, global supply chains were the quiet engines of economic globalization. From 1990 to 2008, they drove the rapid expansion of trade, accounting for 60-70% of its growth. More than a decade later, however, they have stalled – and may in some areas be going into reverse.

The strain on global supply chains partly reflects the turn by many governments toward protectionist policies since the openness of the world economy peaked in 2011. And now, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a supply-shock recession. The related uncertainty may slow the expansion of global value chains by at least 35%. Indeed, world trade is no longer expanding faster than world GDP. If this continues, companies will

04

reshore manufacturing from Asia and elsewhere.

It’s clear that shrinking production at firms worldwide will create a recession – and a recovery – unlike any we have seen. In outlooks for next year, the International Monetary Fund, the OECD, and other international organizations assumed a V-shaped recovery. But this narrative was likely influenced by the rapid recovery of global value chains after the 2008-10 Great Recession, a downturn that originated in the financial system, not the real economy worldwide. Given the importance of broken supply relationships in the current downturn, this recession is likely to be unique.

Firms are vulnerable in other ways. For example, suppliers affected by a lockdown impose substantial output losses on their

customers when the input they produce is specific to the customer and embodies a high level of research and development and intellectual property. In such cases, switching to another supplier is costly and slow.

It’s not surprising that pandemic-related disruptions are unique. After researching three decades of major natural disasters in the United States, Jean-Noël

Barrot and Julien Sauvagnat of MIT found that suppliers hit by a flood, earthquake, or similar event impose large output losses on customers. Indeed, when a disaster hit one supplier, firms’ sales growth suffered an average drop of 2-3 percentage points. The impact spilled over to other suppliers, magnifying the original shock.

It is also likely that this recession will generate

lower trend GDP growth.

After all, global supply chains were a major driver of productivity growth in many countries in the 1990s and for most the aughts.

The integration of Eastern Europe into the global economy after the fall of the Berlin Wall contributed not only to Germany’s recovery from being the “sick man of Europe,” but also to rapid growth in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and other countries in the region.

If the slowdown in the growth of global value chains since 2011 was already contributing to anemic productivity growth in developed countries, an accelerated slowdown, or even contraction, owing to pandemic-related disruptions, does not bode well.

In these circumstances, the only option for policymakers is to spur growth

in specific sectors, which is exactly what stimulus programs are designed to do.

In Germany, Volkswagen and other companies have pushed for a “cash for clunkers” stimulus package similar to the one that was enacted in 2009, but Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government has decided not to pursue such a policy.

It’s worth rethinking that decision. New macro models of the pandemic suggest that sector-specific stimulus may generate the largest fiscal stimulus per dollar spent. An economy in which 50% of the economy is fully shut down, as in a pandemic, is not the same as one in which all economic activity collapses by 50%, as in a depression. In a pandemic, a sector’s relationship to the rest of the economy determines the outcome.

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.PROJECTSYNDICATE.COM

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp An investment of `8,770 crore is underway in the expansion of gas infrastructure in Odisha. @ gailindia is developing natural gas pipeline of 1550 km, 4100 inchkm of CGD network & 60 CNG stations in 7 districts of Odisha to provide clean, convenient and economic energy to people.

Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal Empowering the poor & vulnerable by ending decades of uncertainty has been the hallmark of PM @ NarendraModi ji’s governance.

Through the goal of lcdk lkFk, lcdk fodkl, lcdk fo’okl, Govt. has ensured fruits of development reach all. #SanwartaJeevan

Spiritual SPEAK

For we live by faith, not by sight.

—2 Corinthians 5:7

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COMBATING COVID

UP TRANSPORTED 35L MIGRANTS: CM YOGI Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, said that the state performed a big relief exercise by transporting around 35 lakh migrants back to t h e i r homes amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Yogi also initiated the process for the cash transfer of Rs 1,000 to the accounts of each migrant labourer in the state. Rs 104.82 crore will be transferred in the accounts of 10 lakh 48 thousand 166 labour families.

Earlier, as many as Rs 611 crore were transferred to the accounts of migrant labourers.

“Revenue Department and Office of the Relief Commissioner have done a commendable job in this coronavirus pandemic. I think this is the world’s biggest relief work.

Around 35 lakh migrant labourers and workers were safely sent to their homes,” Yogi said during the event.

He said that arrangements were also

Domestic production of Remdesivir to begin soon

Migrants flouting social distance norms rush to board a bus to leave for their native place at the Delhi-Noida border on Saturday.

CONG GENERAL SECRETARY PRIYANKA SLAMS YOGI OVER FARMERS’ SUICIDE IN BUNDELKHAND New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the alleged suicide of four farmers and labourers in Bundelkhand in the last one week.

“In Bundelkhand, four farmers and laborers made to feed around 12 to 15 lakh people every day through community kitchens ever since the lockdown was first imposed.

“The largest number

18% GST on frozen parottas: Govt explains New Delhi: The ordinary or any parotta served by restaurant for eating there or for takeaway would be taxed at a GST rate of 5 %just like the plain roti, government sources said a day after social media users debated the government’s move to put frozen parotta on a higher bracket than roti under the GST. “It may be noted that frozen parota is pre-

served, sealed packed, branded and is usually sold at higher prices. It is not a staple item and is consumed by the class which could afford to pay taxes. Even items like cheaper biscuits, pastries, attract GST at the rate of 18%. Frozen foods cannot be comparable to plain roti or plain parota served in restaurants or taken as staple food, or eaten by poor on day-today basis,” sources said.

ANDHRA: 186 CASES

committed suicide in the last one week. In this, there were also migrant labourers, who returned from outside. UP CM and officials in Lucknow are daily talking about getting the mapping done,” Priyanka tweeted. “Sadly, these farmers and migrant labourers do not have a place in their map,” she added.

of migrant labourers returned to Uttar Pradesh. Over 1,650 Shramik special trains were arranged to bring migrants to the state. and over 12,000 Uttar

Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses, other private buses were also arranged to send them to their homes,” Yogi said.

Yogi also said that

quarantine centres, with a total capacity to house and feed 15 lakh people, were also set up for the screening, etc of these returning migrant workers. —ANI

New Delhi: India is soon going to have its domestic production of anti-viral Remdesivir drug, which would have safety, efficacy and stability for “restricted emergency use” on COVID-19 patients.Recently, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given the approval to Remdesivir for “restricted emergency use” on severely ill hospitalised coronavirus patients. For this, the country’s top drug regulator is evaluating the application submitted by four domestic pharma giants who want to seek the approval to manufacture and sell Remdesivir in India.”Their applications are being thoroughly studied and examined day and night.

When it fulfils the safety parameters at the dose, India would soon have the benefit of its domestic product (Remdesivir) which have efficacy, stability and

“I am excited and honoured to be fulfilling my dream of graduating from West Point on Saturday,” 2LT Narang said in a statement on the eve of the historic occasion.

“The confidence and support of my community back home in Georgia has been deeply meaningful to me, and I am humbled that in reaching this goal, I

In this Jan 1, 2020 file photo, are seen Cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar& Steve Waugh with Vasant Raiji at his residence.

SMRITI’S RALLY WILL INCLUDE VILLAGES ALONG YAMUNA New Delhi: The residents of Chak Chila village near Yamuna river in Delhi will also participate in the virtual rally of Union Minister Smriti Irani as the party leaders have arranged for television and inverter to broadcast her address. The virtual rally of Irani is being arranged in the village in national capital by BJP’s

good governance cell leader Virender Sachdeva, who has provided prepared food packets to over 50 residents of the village for 55 days during the nationwide lockdown from March 25 to May 14. The Chak Chila village is situated in the Yamuna river from where the Delhi-Noida-Direct flyway passes by.

scoring 277 runs with 68 being his highest score.

He made his debut for a Cricket Club of India team that played Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939.

His Mumbai debut happened in 1941 when the team played Western India under leadership of Vijay Merchant.

Former India batting great Sachin Tendulkar and Board of Control for Cricket in India paid tribute to Raiji on Twitter. —PTI

am showing other Sikh Americans that any career path is possible for anyone willing to rise to the challenge,” she said.

Anmol will complete her Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. —PTI

5 KILLED IN MADHYA PRADESH MINE COLLAPSE MISHAP Shahdol: Five persons were killed and as many others injured on Saturday when the lime mine they were working at caved in at Pasgari area near here in Madhya Pradesh, police said. The condition of three of the injured persons is critical, said Shahdol police control room spokesman Suhail Khan. He said the incident occurred when some people were digging the lime mine under the limits of Beohari police station. “The critically injured persons have been admitted in district hospital while two others a local hospital,” he said.

Ashok Gehlot @ashokgehlot51 My heartfelt condolences at the passing away of #VasantRaiji, India’s oldest first-class cricketer & historian. His contribution to the world of cricket would always be remembered. May God give strength to his family, friends & fans to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace.

BCCI @BCCI BCCI mourns the sad demise of Vasant Raiji.

The former first-class cricketer and historian, who turned 100 this year in January, passed away in his sleep.https://www. bcci.tv/articles/2020/ news/147288/bccimourns-the-sad-demise-of-vasant-raiji...

2 TERRORISTS GUNNED DOWN IN ENCOUNTER IN KULGAM Srinagar: Security forces killed at least two terrorists in Kulgam district of J&K.”Two unidentified terrorists killed. Search going on. Further details shall follow,” the Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet today, having earlier tweeted that an encounter had started in Nipora area of Kulgam, adding that police and security forces

safety for ‘restricted emergency use’ on COVID-19 patients,” a senior government official told ANI. —ANI

‘Sad, concerned at captivity of these worthy leaders’

Vasant Raiji, India’s oldest first-class cricketer, dies at 100 Mumbai: Vasant Raiji, who was India’s oldest first-class cricketer at 100, died in the early hours of Saturday. Raiji was 100 years old and is survived by his wife and two daughters. “He (Raiji) passed away at 2.20 am in his sleep at his residence in Walkeshwar in South Mumbai due to old-age,” his son-in-law Sudarshan Nanavati said. Raiji, a right-handed batsman, played nine first-class matches in the 1940s,

REGISTERED LABS

New Delhi: Adar Poonawalla, CEO and Owner, Serum Institute of India (SII) announced that his firm has signed a deal with Astra Zeneca to supply one billion doses of vaccine for low and middle-income countries before the end of 2020 to combat coronavirus.

“We finally have a deal signed with @ AstraZeneca, to exclusively manufacture their product for India and @gavi countries, up to a billion doses annually. This will ensure supply and access to all Indians,” he tweeted. “Serum Institute of India is delighted to partner with Astra Zeneca in bringing this vaccine to India as well as low and middle-income countries. —ANI

WB GUV SLAMS MAHUA MOITRA

Anmol Narang becomes first observant Sikh to graduate from US Military Academy Washington: Second Lieutenant Anmol Narang will create history by becoming the first observant Sikh to graduate from the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point on Saturday.US President Donald Trump will deliver remarks at the 2020 US Military Academy at West Point graduation ceremony.

SII SIGNS DEAL WITH ASTRA ZENECA FOR VACCINES

were on the job. A joint team of the J&K Police, 19 Rashtriya Rifles & CRPF launched a cordon and search operation.

Kolkata: After TMC MP Mahua Moitra criticised West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for “firing BJP arrows at state government,” Dhankhar hit back and said that he feels “sad and concerned at the captivity of these worthy leaders”.

Over a viral video showing decomposed bodies being dragged into a vehicle, Kolkata Police earlier tweeted, “West Bengal Health Department has informed that dead bodies were not of COVID patients, but were unclaimed/unidentified bodies from Hospital Morgue. Legal action is being taken against persons spreading fake news.”

While tagging the post, Moitra on Friday tweeted, “Governor WB back to firing BJP arrows at state government which is handling

COVID, Amphan and migrant return smoothly all at once. A (rotten) apple never falls far from the tree.”

Hitting back at her, Dhankhar on Saturday wrote, “After being in the firing line for letting corruption cat out by revealing hydra headed corruption in panchayats- now trying to curry favour Mamata Banerjee by taking on Governor. Not the only one in such state of helplessness! Sad and concerned at the captivity of these worthy leaders.” —ANI

ON B’DAY, ADITYA THACKERAY HELPS SAVE 6-DAY OLD INFANT Mumbai: In a warm gesture on his 30th birthday, Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray helped save the life of a 6-day old infant suffering from major heart problems. A Navi Mumbai man, Abdul Ansari, working as a painter, was running helter-skelter after his newborn son was detected with three blockages and a hole in the heart, necessitating immediate surgical intervention. After knowing about it through his party workers, the son of CM Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya, immediately sent a contribution of Rs 100,000 to Ansari.

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Insanity is doing the same thing again: RaGa New Delhi: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a jibe at the Centre for extending the nationwide lockdown even as coronavirus cases continue to rise.

On Twitter, the Gandhi scion shared four graphs depicting the rise of COVID-19 cases while sharing a quote to hit out at the Centre's decisions. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” he tweeted.

Yesterday also he attacked the Centre over the surge in the cases of novel coronavirus cases across the country.

On micro-blogging site, the Congress leader referring to the country having the highest number of COVID-19 cases after the US, Brazil and Russia, stated, 'India is firmly on it's way to winning the wrong race. A horrific tragedy, resulting from a lethal blend of arrogance and incompetence.'

At present, India has been placed at the fourth position among all countries in terms of the number of coronavirus cases. —ANI

Rahul Gandhi @Rahul Gandhi ‘India is firmly on it’s way to winning the wrong race.

A horrific tragedy, resulting from a lethal blend of arrogance and incompetence.’

Parts of Beijing locked down after fresh virus cluster New Delhi: Several markets in Beijing were shut down after six new domestically-transmitted coronavirus cases were reported, taking the tally to nine in the Chinese capital in the last three days, while 12 new infections were registered in other parts of China. China’s National Health Commission, (NHC) said on Saturday that 18 new confirmed coronavirus cases were reported in the country on Friday, including six domestically-transmitted cases in Beijing. Officials in

BAGHJAN GAS BLOWOUT

Exchanges between MoPNG & US DOE Vaishali New Delhi: Senior officials of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas along with the CMDs of OIL & ONGC, Crisis Management Team & other experts held detailed discussions with senior officials of the US Department of Energy (DOE) and US specialists on oil & gas disaster control on containment of the blowout & fire in the gas Well of Oil India Limited at Baghjan, Assam.

The foreign experts from Singapore also attended the meeting.

The US side shared their experience in dealing with similar gas blowout incidents . The Indian side elaborated the entire spectrum of ongoing efforts at Baghjan to contain the fire

High-quality mask made at BARC: Singh New Delhi: High-quality Face mask has been developed at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Mumbai which is affiliated to Department of Atomic Energy.

Jitendra Singh, who is in-charge DAE, said the SOP for re-use of PPE is under consideration by Health Ministry.

“One of the important achievements under Modi govt has been that we have extended activities of atomic energy to different parts of the country,” he said. —ANI

Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan

and also preparations for capping the Well, including from the perspective of preventing spread of fire and use of modern technologies to cap the well.

The US DOE and experts have broadly endorsed the steps taken so far by ONGC experts, and also the plans outlined to cap the Well.

These discussions were held as part of the ongoing India-US strategic energy partnership.

Beijing found the coronavirus on a chopping board of imported salmon at Xinfadi market.Following this, nine related people have been put into quarantine even though their test results were negative, Zhang Yuxi, head of the Xinfadi market, told the Beijing News on Friday. The sudden spike in cases in Beijing sent the officials into a tizzy as the city which was well protected from the rest of the country has not reported new cases for about two months.

Kerala puts Covid-19 rider for West Asian chartered flights

DELHI MAY GET CHINA-LIKE MAKESHIFT HOSP The Delhi government is planning a 10,000bed makeshift hospital for COVID-19 patients under a sprawling tent in south Delhi to prepare for a projected surge in cases in the city.The planned COVID-19 facility will come up at the south Delhi campus of spiritual organisation Radha Soami Satsang Beas.The campus is located near the DelhiHaryana border.

FORMER PAK PM YUSUF RAZA GILANI TESTS+VE Islamabad: Pakistan’s former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday, becoming the latest top political figure to contract Covid-19 that has claimed 2,551 lives and infected 132,405 people in the country.

Gilani, 67, tested positive after attending a hearing of the National Accountability Bureau in a corruption case.

06

POWER Gallery JUSTICE R BANUMATHI RETIRING NEXT MONTH

The Supreme Court Judge, Justice R Banumathi is retiring on July 19, 2020.

CADRE OF TEJASVI RANA TRANSFERRED TO WEST BENGAL Army Chief Gen MM Naravane speaks to media during an IMA passing out parade in Dehradun on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI

‘Situation along borders with China is under control’ New Delhi: The situation along India’s borders with China is under control, Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said in Dehradun. Naravane said that the ongoing series of high delegation-level talks with the Chinese side has been followed up with meetings at the local level between the commanders of equivalent ranks.

Chief Naravane said that through the continued dialogue, it is hoped that all perceived differences between India and China will be set to rest.

“We are hopeful that through the continued dialogue we’re having, all perceived differences that we have will be set to rest. Everything is under control,” he said.

Talking about the

I would like to assure everyone that entire situation along our borders with China is under control. We're having a series of talks which started with Corps Commander level talks&has been followed up with meetings at local level b/w Commanders of equivalent ranks.

—General MM Naravane, Army Chief

situation in J&K, Naravane said that in last 10-15 days, more than 15 terrorists have been killed. “All of this has been because of very close coordination between all security forces operating in J&K,” he said. —ANI

Monsoon to hit Mumbai in next 24 hours, say IMD experts

New Delhi: Amid rising number Covid-19 cases among expatriates returning home, the Kerala government on Saturday said only people certified negative for coronavirus will be allowed to board chartered planes from West Asian countries.

The restriction will not apply to Vande Bharat Mission flights..

“From June 20, all private chartered flights departing to Kerala from Middle East countries shall only carry Covid-19 negative passengers. Test certificates must be carried by them. It applies to all flights for which consent letters were issued earlier,” Kerala Principal Secretary Dr K Elangovan said. The third phase of the evacuation will continue till August 2. —ANI

Mumbai: As the Southwest Monsoon is moving towards the southern part of the country, it would further advance into remaining parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, and few areas of southern Gujarat in the next 24 hours, predicted India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday.

As per IMD, the Southwest Monsoon is

on the onset line now from 18°N AS, Harnai, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Gondia, Cham-

pa, Ranchi. Moreover, rain is also likely to batter Vidarbha in Maharashtra. —ANI

Minister should convene an emergency meeting with Lt Governor, Chief Minister of Delhi in presence of all senior officials of central and Delhi governments and municipal corporations to plan a coordinated and comprehensive response to handle the challenge posed by rising cases of COVID-19. The meeting was also attended by Principal Secretary to PM, Cabinet Secretary, Health Secretary and DG ICMR. Dr Vinod Paul, Member NITI Aayog and Convenor of the Empowered Group of Med-

ical Emergency Management Plan, made a detailed presentation on the current status and likely scenario of COVID-19 cases in the medium term.

The release said it was noted and appreciated that there have been many instances of outstanding work done by several states, districts and cities in containing and controlling the outbreak successfully.

“These success stories and best practices should be widely disseminated to provide inspiration and innovative ideas to others,” it said. —ANI

India rejects...

“This artificial enlargement of claims is not based on historical fact or evidence and is not tenable. It is also violative of our current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues,” he added.

Nepal’s House of Representatives had on June 10 endorsed a proposal seeking consideration of a constitution amendment bill for change of country’s map after a lengthy discussion. The amendment in the schedule is related to an Article concerning coat-of-

arms of Nepal.

Nepal has made offers to India to hold “diplomatic talks to resolve the territorial issue” between the two countries.

India has said earlier this week that has made its position clear on these issues and deeply values its civilisation, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal.

After Nepal released the new political map last month, India had said such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it and noted that the “unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence”. —ANI

The cadre of Tejasvi Rana has been transferred from Rajasthan to West Bengal on the grounds of marriage to Abhishek Gupta, a 2016 batch IPS officer. She is a 2017 batch IAS officer.

11 IRS-CUSTOMS OFFICERS GET POSTINGS

As many as 11 IRS-Customs officers, who have been repatriated from deputation, were given postings. Accordingly, Sanjay Lawania has been posted as ADC CC (AR), CESTAT, Delhi while Rohti Singla was made JC, DC Audit Mumbai ZU and S A Uma Shankar Gaud is ADC, Hyderabad CGST & CX zone. Similarly, Md shahreyar Iqbal Faisal has been appointed as ADC, Ranchi, CGST & CX zone; Meenal Bhosale as ADC DG ARM, Delhi; Shailendra Kumar Deshmukh as JC, Chennai CUS zone; Vishal M Sanap as Mumbai zone-III Cus; Ashish Mishra as Ranchi CGST & CX zone; Sachin Balasahab Sawant as JC Visakhapatnam CGST & CX zone; Md Salik Paraiz as JC Delhi and V Ramanadha Reddy was made JC Mumbai Zone-I, Cus. PRASENJIT SINGH APPOINTED AS JOINT SECRETARY, LOK SABHA

Prasenjit Singh presently PrCIT-7, Mumbai, has been appointed as Joint secretary in Lok Sabha Secretariat. He is an IRS-IT officer.

DR AJAY KUMAR APPOINTED AS JOINT SECRETARY, LOK SABHA

Dr Ajay Kumar presently Deputy Chief of Mission, Kathmandu, Nepal, has been appointed as Joint Secretary in Lok Sabha Secretariat. He is a 2002 batch IFS officer.

RUCHIKA GUPTA RETURNS TO PARENT CADRE

Ruchika Gupta, Joint Secretary at Director level, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), has been repatriated to her parent cadre in order to avail the benefit of promotion. She is a 2001 batch ISS officer.

PURUSHOTTAM TIWARY RETURNS TO PARENT CADRE

Purushottam Tiwary, Joint Secretary, Department of Heavy Industries, has been repatriated to his parent cadre on personal grounds with the imposition of extended cooling off. He is a 1996 batch IA & AS officer.

VADM BISWAJIT DASGUPTA TAKES CHARGE AS EASTERN NAVAL COMMAND’S CHIEF OF STAFF

Chief Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, AVSM, YSM, VSM has assumed the charge as Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command(ENC),Visakhapatnam.

S BALAJI ARUN KUMAR GETS PREMATURE REPATRIATION, GOES TO SOUTHERN RAILWAY

S Balaji Arun Kumar on his premature repatriation from Kolkata Port Trust has been posted in Southern Railway in the cadre. He is an IRTS officer.

During the next 24 hours, heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is expected to occur in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and heavy rainfall is likely to occur at some places in Madhya Pradesh.

—Mohan Lal Sahu, Deputy Director, IMD Nagpur

DR J RADHAKRISHNAN IS NEW HEALTH SECRETARY IN TAMIL NADU

Dr J Radhakrishnan has been appointed as Health Secretary in Tamil Nadu. He is a 1992 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.

NILAM SAWHNEY GETS EXTENSION AS CHIEF SECRETARY, ANDHRA PRADESH

Nilam Sawhney, Chief Secretary to Government, who is due to retire from service on June 30, 2020, has been given extension to the service upto September 30, 2020. She is a 1984 batch IAS officer of AP cadre.

FROM PG 1 PM reviews... will be required and instructed Health Ministry officials to undertake “emergency planning in consultation with the states and union territories”. He also advised the ministry to ensure suitable preparations in view of the start of the monsoon season.

The present and emerging scenario of the COVID- 19 disease in the national capital was discussed and the projections for the next two months were deliberated.

The Prime Minister suggested that Home Minister and Health

Loss of...

-suppressed patients, in particular, may present with atypical symptoms such as fatigue, reduced alertness, reduced mobility, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, delirium, and absence of fever.

Children might not have reported fever or cough as frequently as adults, it said.

The ministry quoting data of Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP)/ Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) portal case investigation forms for COVID-19, said that the details on the signs and

symptoms reported (as on June 11, 2020) are -fever (27 per cent), cough (21 per cent), sore throat (10 per cent), breathlessness (8 per cent), weakness (7 per cent), running nose (3 per cent) and others 24 per cent.

India’s COVID-19 count witnessed its highest-ever spike of 11,458 cases on Saturday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stand at 3,08,993, including 1,45,779 active cases, 1,54,330 cured/discharged/ migrated patients and 8,884 deaths. —ANI

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07

Crises that could worsen under

 The COVID-19 pandemic

may increase the number of people battling acute hunger, the United Nations says.

T

he impact of the coronavirus crisis might be extending further than you think. It’s no longer just the human and economic costs of the pandemic sparking the concern of scientists and humanitarians – other crises are at risk of being neglected by policy-makers or unwittingly exacerbated by the outbreak.

 Climate change

 Income losses for

policies are coming second as officials focus on fighting the virus.

informal economy workers could be “massive”, according to the ILO.

OVID-19 leaves some of the world’s most vulnerable communities facing “a crisis within a crisis”, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Around the world, the economic downturn and rising unemployment will reduce people’s purchasing power, exacerbating the global hunger problem. The 55 countries that are home to acutely food-insecure people in need of urgent humanitarian food and nutrition assistance “may face an excruciating trade-off between saving lives or livelihoods or, in a worst-case scenario, saving people from the coronavirus to have them die from hunger,” according to the Global Report on Food Crises 2020. “The number of people battling acute hunger and suffering from malnutrition is on the rise yet again, says António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. “And the upheaval that has been set in motion by the COVID-19 pandemic may push even more families and communities into deeper distress.”

 The pandemic could result in 7 million

unintended pregnancies, the UN warns.  Many mass vaccination campaigns are being temporarily suspended.

Unintended pregnancies

T

he UN warns that a lack of access to family planning, coupled with lockdowns and major disruptions to health services, could result in 7 million unintended pregnancies in the coming months. Facilities are closing, women are skipping medical appointments for fear of catching the virus and it’s becoming more difficult to get contraceptives due to disrupted supply chains.

Should health services remain disrupted and lockdowns continue for six months, some 47 million in these countries may not be able to access

modern contraceptives, the analysis by the UN Population Fund, UNFPA, and its partners, shows.

It’s not just unintended pregnancies highlighted in the report – it predicts there could also be a rise in gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and child marriages, as the lockdown holds back preventative programmes.

“This new data shows the catastrophic impact that COVID-19 could soon have on women and girls globally,” says Dr Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA. “The pandemic is deepening inequalities.”

Vaccination programmes

Hunger

C

COVID-19 Unemployment

T

M

easles and polio vaccine programmes are being postponed amid fears that the contact needed to deliver them could spread coronavirus.

At the end of March, the World Health Organization released guidance to help countries sustain immunization services but recommended mass vaccination campaigns be temporarily suspended, underscoring how tricky it is to balance ensuring the safety of health workers and protecting people against preventable diseases.

Scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) forecast carrying on with routine immunisation in Africa would prevent between 29 to 347 future child deaths for each excess COVID-19 death due to an infection acquired during a vaccination visit.

“Without vaccination these deaths could result from a range of diseases including measles, yellow fever, pertussis, meningitis, pneumonia and diarrhoea,” LSHTM says.

The research suggests the health benefits of deaths prevented by sustaining routine childhood immunisation in Africa outweigh the excess risk of COVID-19 deaths associated with vaccination clinic visits, according to Kaja Abbas, assistant professor in disease modelling at LSHTM.

he global economy will contract 3% in 2020, according to the International Monetary Fund, a deeper downturn than that seen in the 2008–09 financial crisis. That’s likely to push unemployment up across the board, with the Fund predicting the unemployment rate will rise to 10.4% this year, from 3.7% in 2019, and to 9.2% from 6.6% in advanced European countries.

But it’s not just those in formal employment that give rise to concern. More than 2 billion people worldwide working in the informal economy are among the most vulnerable, according to the International Labour Organization.

“They often have poor access to health-care services and have no income replacement in case of sickness or lockdown,” the ILO says in a report.

“Many of them have no possibility to work remotely from home. Staying home means losing their jobs, and without wages, they cannot eat.”

Income losses for informal economy workers will probably be “massive”, the ILO says, with its estimates showing their earnings declined by 60% globally in the first month of the crisis.

Climate

T

he climate was supposed to be top of the political and business agendas in 2020. Saving the planet was one of the key themes of the World Economic Forum’s 2020 meeting in Davos, where environmental activist Greta Thunberg addressed delegates.

Since then the climate emergency has taken a back seat as policy-makers focus on containing the pandemic. But the problem isn’t going away – 2019 was the secondhottest year on record.

While some argue the reduction in pollution and green-

house gas emissions due to lockdowns serves as an illustration of what can be achieved, others say concrete plans to take action are being shelved. In New York, carbon monoxide levels shrank to half their usual March levels and in China, the initial lockdown saw pollution levels fall 25%.

“The coronavirus has shown us the scale of the response needed to fight the climate crisis,” says Emily Kirsch, founder and managing partner, Powerhouse Ventures, in a Forum article about the issue.

SOURCE: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

CONCEPT: DIVYA HEMNANI

DESIGN: SITARAM SHARMA

Be sincere. Sincerity as a virtue is often not given due credit but I find it to be the first and most critical step in the ladder of success.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

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

CORONA DIDN’T SPARE MODI GOVT ovid-19 seems to be redefining communism giving equal treatment to all irrespective of the fact whether one is on the margins of the society or in the ‘safe’ powerhouse cocoon. The investigation has assumed top priority as to how did Covid-19 reach higher officers and most powerful central ministers. With Unlock 1.0 the central govt ordered opening up of all the central govt offices with 50% employee attendance mandatory.

Senior officers were asked to report regularly on the duty. Home Ministry was working full throttle even during the lockdown. The factual and grammatical errors in the bill brought on Kashmir were being rectified. It is said that there were 57 such errors in the bill that were to be corrected and the bill was to be presented to the parliament. This task was assigned to a capable officer specially summoned from the Law ministry. Later the same officer was found to be corona positive. The chain of officers in various ministries like Nir-

C

man Bhawan, Rail Bhawan, Shashtri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, National Media Centre and Health ministry being found corona positive continued unabated.

Although there is no official list of all the infected officers in various ministries but according to an estimate, around 300 officers have turned positive. Among the seniors, the name of Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Vinod Pal of the Niti Ayog, Under Secretary of the Finance department Rita Mal (who sits in the North Block), Dhatwalia of PIB along with 30 other officers feature in the list. Many senior ministers like Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javdekar and Narendra Singh Tomar have gone for a self quarantine.

Apart from these, 6 Secretaries along with 6 Joint Secretaries are also self quarantined.

WHITE COLLAR OFFICIALS DOING DUSTING oronavirus has changed the style of functioning of senior officers. The big bosses drive themselves and carry home packed food

C

FIRST INDIA SUNDAY SPECIAL

BY TRIDIB RAMAN

Prakash Javadekar

Jyotiraditya Scindia

Priyanka Gandhi

Jamyang Tsering Namgyal

and water. The first thing they do upon reaching office is to dust the office, sanitize the doorknobs, tables, chairs, computer etc. Everyone resists calling the peon inside the chamber and even if they need tea, they prefer to self pour from the thermos/flask brought from home. But there are still some officers whose bossism didn’t take lessons from the might of coronavirus and they didn’t stop peeping into the junior section to check who all had reported on time. One such is a

Joint Secretary in the Labour Ministry. Later this JS along with 26 other colleagues of the ministry was found to be corona positive. With the tide of time changed now the focus of the investigation is on who all came in contact with this JS? Who came to deliver him files? Where did JS venture out?

Jyotiraditya Scindia due to the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. In any case, the by-elections to the 24 seats in Madhya Pradesh assembly are due too. Sources say that Jyotiraditya and Suresh Prabhu may be sworn in on June 26 as central ministers. This has the internal politics in the BJP on the boil with the Narendra Singh Tomar supporters are putting forth the logic that had Jyotiraditya been such a powerful leader then he should have ensured a full majority for Con-

gress in the MP assembly polls. These supporters say that the upcoming by-election results in the non-Chambal areas with no Scindhia effect will show the real BJP power in MP. But the BJP central leadership is in no mood to take any risk with Scindhia as the fate of Shivraj govt in MP hangs with him.

WILL SCINDIA BE SWORN IN AS MIN ON JUNE 26? he news is that BJP has once again started giving importance to

T

VANISHING ACT: FURIOUS KIN ALLEGE PATIENT MISSING

Ajaysinh Raulji admitted in Civil hospital has gone missing, his family has alleged First India Bureau

DISCHARGED!

Ahmedabad: Ajaysinh Raulji admitted to the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad city has gone missing, his relatives alleged on Saturday. The hospital has clarified that 40 year old Ajaysinh Raulji was discharged on May 27 after he tested negative for coronavirus, but his family claims that he never reached home.

“Raulji was admitted to the civil hospital on May 26 as he was feeling unwell. He was admitted to the COVID-19 ward. His 70 year old mother was with him,” said Raulji’s brother-inlaw Pushpendrasinh Thakor, “ His mother returned home on 28th May but when a friend called him, he said he

—FILE PHOTO

was still at the hospital.

His phone was switched off when we called him” he continued.

Thakor and his wife visited the Civil hospital on June 10, hoping to find Raulji in quarantine but there was no trace of him. The Civil Hospi-

tal’s Resident Medical Officer Sanjay Kapadia is insisting that they had discharged him on May 27 but did not place the mandatory call to relatives before discharging Raulji.

“The hospital did not provide us any dis-

charge papers,” Thakor said, adding that they lodged complaint about Raulji’s missing at Shahibaug police station on the basis of print out of the computer entry.

Inspector A K Patel of Shahibaug police station said they were probing the case.

With ever-growing number of coronavirus cases, instances of Civil Hospital authorities failing to keep track of patients have come to light. In one case, family members had to run from pillar to post to locate a dead body.

PRIYANKA’S NEW STYLE OF POLITICS! P Congress President Ajay Kumar Lallu is in jail from the last 20 days after the mi-

U

Gir is unique as one can see the rare combination of lions and an African tribe outside Africa, co-existing peacefully!

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The last remaining pride of Asiatic Lions have Gir as their home and so do the Siddis, one of India’s lesser known tribes, who co-exist with the lions in the forest. The Siddis are largely settled in the villages of Sirvan and Jambur in Talala Taluka adjoining the Gir National Park and Sanctuary.

Once hunters, the Siddis are now largely agriculturists.

Siddi Tribals who live near Gir National Park .

They are said to have been brought from Africa as slaves some three centuries ago by the Nawab of Jun-

agadh though some say that they were brought by Portuguese traders. But today, they are a beauti-

BJP SILENCES ITS LADAKH MP hen the tensions between India and China due to the recent border spat were on its peak, the first time BJP MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal couldn’t control his emotions and went near the LAC, inspected the situation through his binoculars and gave a statement that China hadn’t en-

W

Surat Airport expansion plan in progress

croached upon on single inch of Indian soil. After this, he participated in a TV debate and said that the Chinese had encroached upon Indian land. This wasn’t music to the BJP high command and they called Namgyal and asked him as with whose permission did he go to the LAC and then participated in the TV debate? The young MP is said to have insisted on his role as MP from Ladakh. The party made him understand that the party has deputed spokespersons to represent it in the media and he should refrain from expressing the party or government’s view directly. Namgyal’s graph is certainly down in the BJP now. It is worth mentioning that in 2018, the then sitting BJP MP from Ladakh Thumpstan Chhewang refused to contest elections citing his age, BJP had hurriedly asked his deputy Namgyal to contest without many deliberations and Namgyal won the seat as well.

The author is a journalist and political commentator and views expressed are his personal

@ahmedpatel

First India Bureau Surat: The Airport Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has approved to widen the apron of the Surat International Airport. Now 23 flights can be parked at the airport wherein earlier airport had space for only 5 flights.

Surat Airport Director, Aman Saini informed that “Now 23 flights will be able to park at Surat Airport as we have got the approval to enlarge the Airport Apron area. Moreover, the plan to build three aerobridges is also being implemented after expanding the terminal building. Three more aerobridges will be created so a total of five aerobridges will be there at the Surat airport.

One of the most decisive victories ever against Chinese happened in 1967 at Sikkim border,under the Congress govt. India successfully inflicted huge casualties on enemy,drove them back & won the confidence of Sikkimese ppl. It was a befitting reply to 1962.

While Chinese have again occupied our territory,important to remember list of official visits to China — Pt Nehru: 1, Shastriji:0, Indira ji:0, Morarji Bhai:0, Rajiv ji: 1, Narsimha Rao ji: 1,Devegowda ji:0, Gujral ji:0, Vajpayeeji: 1, Dr Singh:2, Modi ji: 9 (5 times as PM, 4 times as CM)

Cyber crime on the rise in Ahmedabad First India Bureau

Where human tribe and the beast co-exist 

grants bus controversy.

There is visibly frustration in the state Congress and they have been apprising Priyanka Gandhi of it. They suggested that Congress should take to the streets and launch a mass agitation against the detention of Lallu.

But Priyanka said that it would be improper to come on streets during Covid-19 crisis and the better way would be to tell all poor and needy about Lallu’s detention due to taking up the cause of migrant workers while distributing food packets to them.

Now the UP Congressmen fail to understand this new style of politics and are wondering who is the real ‘Lallu’?

08

ful mix of Gujarati and African culture; speak fluent Gujarati, wear Indian clothes but have kept their ancestry alive in African traditions like the Dhamal dance.

Since they prefer to inter-marry they have preserved their distinctive African ancestral looks.

They share a unique relationship with the Gir Asiatic lions who do not attack the tribals living so close. In fact, when the lions venture close to their villages,

they beat sticks or shout to the lions away. The Siddis are protective of the lions too, as they immediately inform the forest department in case any poacher is spotted. They have named the lions affectionately as Mohan, Sultan, Radha etc.

The coexistence of many centuries has created a relationship between the animals and the tribals. There is a definite lesson for all in this, peaceful co-existence is the key to survival.

Ahmedabad: Another cybercrime issue has come to light, where a 22-year-old girl was being blackmailed by her boyfriend, wherein he demanded nude video calls and Rs. 50,000 in return for giving the hacked Facebook and Gmail passwords.

The incident was reported from the Ognaj area of Ahmedabad, where the girl has now filed a police complaint against the accused identified as Jitendra Kumar. As per sources, the girl met the accused through a female friend via PUBG game.

The girl accepted

the friendship proposal from the accused, after which he started making indecent demands. Upset with his continuous harassment, the girl called the Police and complained. Sola police have now booked Jitendra Under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Information Technology Act.

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD, SUNDAY JUNE 14, 2020

LINGER ON IN There is a sense of liberation in dressing up in sexy alluring lingerie and then covering it up with staid everyday clothes, City First dips into the world of lingerie.

KARISHMA GWALANI

karishma.gwalani@firstindia.co.in

T

here is something quintessentially feminine and alluring about lingerie and when it teams up with lace, the possibilities are immense. It celebrates every shape of a woman and the wearer is transformed into a beautiful personification of womanhood.

Lace somehow exudes ideas of romance, intrigue, vintage allure and elegance.

Every woman has gone in for special lacy lingerie for her wedding and honeymoon but sensuous lacy lingerie is an everyday thing. Looking at the weather conditions one might have to opt for cotton lingerie but nowadays cotton briefs, shifts and nightwear come in a gorgeous range of wonderfully sexy stuff too!

I am not very comfortable buying lingerie online, still believe in the old ‘wear it before

you buy it’ and the sizes somehow always differ marginally in various brands. An illfitting bra can damage your breast size and also cause neck, back and shoulder pain.

Get fitted properly and choose the best that you can afford, it’s the first thing next to your skin and remember lingerie is the foundation garment for outfits. The right fitting lingerie will give you the confidence to carry off any outfit.

Experiment with different styles, if you are a fashionista, your wardrobe must contain bras from the basic Tshirt bras, sports bras to the elegant and chic plunge bras and backless bras. While most of us are content with owning a few pieces in basic neutral colours, it is time to get out of the comfort zone and try bold colours or delicate lace patterns.

Also, lingerie must always be hand washed. If you must put it in the washing machine, make sure you fasten the hooks first and use a mesh washing bag so it doesn’t get caught in other clothes.

Good lingerie is an investment, it will make you feel special, beautiful, confident and will add a spark to your romantic life too. So, go ahead and buy that saucy red lacy chemise you have been dreaming about. YOU are worth it!

09

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AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

10

INTERNATIONAL

CONFERENCE A

A simple and easy way of raising the immunity is eating, drinking and doing what our NaniDadi’s did!

n ‘Attitude of Gratitude, does take you to high altitudes’ said Meena at an international conference on ‘COVID19-Roadmap to Future Environment’, which was organised by St John’s College, Agra, where Meena a Reiki Master, shared techniques to cope with the current lockdown, improve life overall, and to live it 200%.

She motivated and empowered the participants by reminding

them that each one of them was unique and had come on earth to fulfil a bigger purpose. They needed to strive, use their reasoning powers, grow and become human beings. She told them that their body was their best friend and it was made up of the earth, water, fire, air and the sky.

Being made up of these elements, the body was just energy, and since energy can’t be created or destroyed this body would return to nature, so they were obligated to take good care of it physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

She shared many simple but effective ways of raising the body’s immunity which results in increased vibrations. Number one on the list was being grateful, appreciating all they had, counting their blessings and take nothing for granted. She pointed out that sometimes, ‘the little things’ were the ‘big things’ in life! Another simple and easy way of raising the immunity is eating, drinking and doing what their Nani-Dadi’s did! If they were lucky enough to have the elders around, they should respect them, and be kind to them, touch

their feet, and receive their blessings. Our tradition of touching feet is Reiki, an ancient technique listed in our Upanishads, but rediscovered and touted as an Oriental art of healing. Other techniques discussed were meditation, positive affirmations, and controlling the ‘monkey-mind’ and making it stay positive which takes a lot of practice, patience, and effort but it is worthwhile and very rewarding.

Meena pointed out that this ‘little invisible but smart virus’ was not here to kill us, especially since we were its host. The best way moving forward was to learn how to survive, co-exist, and get acclimatized to the ‘new normal’. She appealed to each one of them that in case they were infected, they should not

FA CE OF TH ED AY

Meena Rathee

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

On financial front, you will finally get the break you have been looking for a long time but patience is all you will need. On professional front, team leaders will have to make a tough choice. You must stop experimenting with food to avoid your stomach from getting upset.

You will get the monetary support from people in whom you had no faith.

You will feel hopeful and motivated to start a new business. On professional front, you always manage to keep yourself updated and be in the good books of the important people. You are fit and fine.

On professional front, you may need to convince your boss before he/she may allow you to do things as your way. You must go for health supplement without thinking twice if your body isn’t getting enough nutrients from the food you eat. You will get in touch with relatives.

You will attract new finances because of your sheer presence of mind and few knowledge. Don’t be in hurry when it comes to your career as slow and steady wins the race therefore have patience. You must cook at home and eat to avoid any seasonal allergies or flues.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Earning opportunities will rise within no time. Keep distance from people who are involved in politics all the time as you don’t know when the may start conspiring against someone who was a friend one day before.

Your family needs your attention to solve issues by talking things out.

On work front, you will get a pat on your back for the efficiency that you have shown in the office in managing things. In terms of your health, you are making a great progress and you are in better shape now. You may have to go out of budget to get something important.

You must sit and review your expenses and make sure to strategies things in a way that you can limit any new unnecessary expenditure. To avoid last minute rush, keep yourself updated with the project details by keeping a close tab on your team’s work. You will stay happy today.

It would be the best advice to stop running after money and rather focus on stabilising a good name in the new business that you have started, profits will come for sure.

You must be very alert and ready to play your best cards on professional front when the right time comes.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You can expect profits from the deals you recently made in your business. You are a wise person, someone who always know what is best for everyone.

To keep yourself fit as a griddle you must take up some sports or an physical activity. You will get in touch with an old friend to share memories.

You have enough money in reserve for the unpredictable times therefore without any fear invest your time in the new endeavours.

You must aim to complete your given assignment on work front before the deadline to impress your boss and prove your mettle in the workplace.

Even if there is no boost in salary but you will keep your job for infinite times and there is no bigger security than this at current times. On professional front, do something extra ordinary to get in the limelight if that is what you desire. Health benefits will be experienced by working towards it.

Your efforts will make things work for you on professional front. Your confidence will get boosted by merely trusting your abilities. Your family is always supportive to your new ideas. You must carefully pick the food you eat as food plays a very important role in your health.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

KARISHMA TAK, Model

panic, but isolate, and nurse themselves back to health. The one thing they must ensure is that no one else gets it from them. That is our duty to each other as human beings since we are in this together.

Meena participated as a keynote speaker in another International conference -Psychological Well-Being & COVID-19: An internal Journey earlier in May, where she motivated the Delhi University students. Locally in New Jersey, she co-presented a webinar titled: Complementary Medicine-Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Reiki, and Yoga.

In all the talks, the audience was encouraged to dream big and reach for the stars, but also that ‘Dreams work, only if they did’ and that the ‘journey ahead was not going to be easy, but would be worthwhile’ She ended her talks with a gentle reminder to everyone to “Never stop doing little things for people because sometimes those occupy the biggest part of their hearts” Meena is a Reiki Master and loves to make time and practice her passion of helping others after a full day of work. She was awarded the New Jersey State Community Service Award for her volunteer work with Helping Hands Pantry, Trenton Soup Kitchen, and as a Hospice volunteer with Penn-Medicine. She is a Medical Technologist by profession and works at the New Jersey Department of Health as the Training Coordinator and Hospital Laboratory Liaison for the Office of Disaster Resilience.

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

11

Striking a BRIGHT SMILE!

K

im Kardashian and Kanye West are blessed with four children. The doting mother of four has been looking after her little munchkins throughout the lockdown and is making the most out of her time with them. With Kanye West being busy making new music, Kim Kardashian has been spending most of her time with the kids. Recently, she took to her Instagram and shared a picture of her children gushing over them.

The adorable picture shared by Kim Kardashian shows her four children, North West, Chicago West, Psalm West, and Saint West posing in

Celebrating

SUCCESS!

Kiara Advani

F

or any star in Bollywood, their debut film is extremely important and special. Speaking of this, Kiara Advani, the star of films like ‘Kabir Singh’, ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’ and more, made her debut 6 years ago in a film titled ‘Fugly’ starring debutantes Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh and Arfi Lamba. The film was helmed by Kabir Sadanand and produced by Akshay Kumar. Recently, the film clocked in 6 years, Kiara thanked Akshay and team of Fugly for the wonderful launch.

Taking to Instagram, Kiara shared a couple of photos from the film and penned a sweet note of thanks to the team of Fugly including Akshay, Jimmy Shergill and all her co-stars.

Her insta post..

One of the photos Kiara shared was from the launch of the trailer of the film and the other one, was a still from the song of the film. The Kabir Singh star reminisced the old days when she shot for her first ever Bollywood film and thanked Akshay for making her a part of it.

—Agency

A

ARBI SATAY

he Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling shared a controversial transphobic post on Twitter, which caused a huge storm on the social media platform. The film, Harry Potter’s lead actor Daniel Radcliffe, reacted to J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tweet, stating that trans women are women. Now, one of the actors from the world-renowned Harry Potter franchise, Bonnie Wright aka Ginny has shared a powerful message on her Twitter account saying, “If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question.

Transwomen are Women. I see and love you, Bonnie x.”

Even actress Katie Leung aka Cho Chang from the blockbuster Harry Potter films responded to the JK Rowling controversy.

—Agency

Kareena Kapoor Khan

METHOD FOR SATAY 

Grate or mash boiled Arbi.



Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and sauté onions , capsicum , carrots till soft. Add this mix to boiled Arbi.



ABOUT ISHA SWARUP

Isha’s Kitchen by Isha Swarup is where creativity in cooking, innovation in recipes and passion for food flows.

Isha loves to design food in most artistic fashion, fusing cuisines in a manner which suits Indian palette.

FOR PEANUT SAUCE



Arbi – boiled and peeled – 250 gms



Peanut – roasted and coarsely crushed – 3 tbsp



water-1/3 cup



Onion – finely chopped -1 no





Red Thai curry paste – 3 tbsp

garlic -2 cloves (optional)



Hara dhania – chopped – 2 tbsp



soy sauce-2 tsp



Carrot grated – 4 tbsp





Capsicum – finely chopped – 1 no

brown sugar-2 tbsp





Lemon juice -1 tsp



Fresh bread crumbs – 1 cup



Corn flour -1 tbsp



Salt to taste



Oil- 2 tsp for sauté and more for Pan fry.

one frame. All the four kids are striking a bright smile and Kim Kardashian can’t stop gushing over them. “My whole heart,” she wrote alongside the cute picture. The beauty mogul seldom shares pictures of her kids and whenever she does, it definitely takes away the cake.

—Agency

T

ette with her hair tied up in a high bun. As she readied herself for her workout session, Kareena posed for a selfie in which she was seen nailing her signature pout. The ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ star took a dig at herself for pouting at least 100 times a day and revealed that she feels that her lips are the part of the body that workout the most.

Her insta po st..

—Agency

INGREDIENTS FOR SATAY

Her insta post..

Storming the Social Media

SWEATING IT OUT

ctress Kareena Kapoor Khan is among the most popular stars in Bollywood. Kareena is known not just for her acting but also for her love for fitness and fashion.

Amid the lockdown, Kareena has been working out at home. With the restrictions being eased out, she has been seen sweating it out in her building compound by jogging. Kareena began the day on a healthy note with her workout session and even shared a selfie on social media. However, her signature pout was back and this time, she hilariously trolled herself for it.

Taking to Instagram, Kareena shared a selfie in which she was seen clad in a black sports bral-

Kim Kardashian



fresh dry roasted peanuts (unsalted)-1 cup

tamarind paste/ lemon juice 2 tbsp ta

Add Red Thai curry paste, peanuts , hara dhania , lemon juice and salt to above mixture.

Mix well.



Take a golf sized ball of mixture and shape into small fingers.



Make corn flour slurry by mixing corn flour in 4 tbsp water.



Spread bread crumbs on a plate.



Dip Arbi fingers in cornflour slurry ( take care not to drown them in it ) and then roll in breadcrumbs



Shallow/ pan fry in heated oil



Insert a satay stick in each finger and serve hot with peanut sauce.

FOR PEANUT SAUCE



red chili powder 2 tsp



Gather all ingredients and place in a blender.



coconut milk-1/3 cup



Churn to a smooth paste.



Adjust consistency of sauce with coconut milk.



Salt to taste

Bonnie Wright

NOTE 

Be cautious while adding salt as Soy sauce is high in salt content.



Arbi satay can also be shaped like balls and deep fried. In that case, mix 2 tbsp bread crumbs in the dough.



Can coat Arbi satay with poppy seeds before frying.



Red Thai paste can be bought from the market or can be homemade ( recipe below).

RED CURRY PASTE 

Dry kashmiri red chillies , soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained-10 whole



Hara dhania with stems – 2 stalks



Dhania powder -1 tbsp



Jeera powder -1 tsp



Onion -chopped -1 no



white pepper powder- 1 tsp



Garlic cloves -4 no



Salt to taste



Galangal -1 inch piece

METHOD



lemongrass stalks -2 no



Kaffir lime leaves – chopped -6 no



Grind all the ingredients to a fine paste in a blender, using little water.

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

AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020

HARD WORK

12

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

PAYS OFF SWATI JANGID

swati.jangid@firstindia.co.in

D

reams is not what you see in sleep, it is the thing that doesn’t let you sleep.

TikTok star baba Jackson from Jodhpur won a prize money of 1 crore rupees and again proved this quote by his dedication towards his talent.

His family was astonished after hearing about this.

These days people are objecting TikTok and uninstalling this app but side by there are many people and stars who are creating a superb entertaining content.

One of them is Yuvraj Singh, “Baba Jacktion” who is very famous for his dance moves like Michael Jackson.

The competition “Entertainer no.1” was organised by Flipkart and was hosted by Varun Dhawan.

This virtual reality show was of eight weeks and was started to entertain people during this lockdown. There were eight challenges in this

RAJASTHAN: As a part of an online chat show ‘Keeping It Real with Ramona- Real Conversations with Real People,’ Jaipur-based Educator and Writer, Kartik Bajoria was interviewed by renowned Life Coach Ramona Jind, where they discussed Kartik’s battle with Smoking, Cancer, Career, and all of which have led him to become a happy person. The series aims to use the experiences of people to inspire young people.

competition, and Baba Jackson was announced as the winner by Varun Dhawan.

Dhawan also tweeted about him saying, “India’s first Entertainer no.1 is Baba

UNIQUE GIFT!

Jackson on Flipkart. He has won 1 crore rupees. I congratulate him”.

I Am Afraid I’m afraid of reading newspapers It’s full of numerous shameful crimes.

Rapes, murders, kidnapping are published daily And the whole system works as a mime.

WRITTEN BY: CHANDNI TRIPATHI I’m a girl, a daughter, a mother, a sister, a wife Still afraid of every guy in my life.

T

he new Chief Secretary of Kerala, Dr Vishwas Mehta was filled with the excitement when he was presented a unique gift by the Chief Post Master General of Kerala. The gift included an attractive postage stamp, issued by the postal department of India on the rare flower of Kurinji and a set

of photographs of Dr Vishwas Mehta with it, as a personal gift to him.

The postage stamp of Kurinji, an attractive rare purple flower of blue color, is found in southern India. It is noteworthy that Dr Vishwas Mehta is a native of Dungarpur town in Udaipur division of Southern Rajasthan.

—City First

I’m afraid of walking alone on the road In the break of night.

Few roadside dogs hanging their tongues Are there to bark and bite.

I’m afraid of wearing my favourite dress People warn me not to wear.

They say it’ll titillate them Will make them approach and tear.

RAJASTHAN: In the memory of Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malviya, Mahamana Malaviya Mission (MMM), Jaipur, organised a ‘Dry Ration Kit Distribution’ program for needy people at Bari ka Bas village, Jaipur, on Saturday, where more than 100 ration kits and 100 homemade masks were distributed amongst the needy people.

I’m afraid of being a girl Even afraid of being a bride.

I’ve to tolerate rape, molestation, Dowry system and female feticide.

India is my country All Indians are my siblings.

Still we’re raped, teased, molested Every day, night and evening.

Don’t compare me to minorities or handicapped I don’t want any reservation.

All I need is safety and dignity A girl’s well being and her preservation.

HAPPY B’DAY!

IAS Shailee Kishnani (top) and IPS Dr Raviprakash Meharda celebrated their birthday on 13 June, Saturday. We wish them all the best!

GUJARAT: During the fight against the pandemic, Founder of Youth Nation NGO, Veekas Champalal Doshi, donated 2 Disinfectant Tunnels, at SMIMER hospital and Ankleshwar, respectively.

RAJASTHAN: To encourage the Corona warriors, Jaipur Catholic Society in collaboration with HCL Foundation and Caritas India, distributed goods worth Rs 40 lakh including PPE Kits, masks, sanitizers and soaps, at various government hospitals of the city on Saturday.

RAJASTHAN: As a part of the ongoing ‘Online Learning – Children’s Summer Festival, an online learning session on ‘Theatre’ was conducted by theatre artiste, Dr Sayeed Alam, where he discussed how to write a story, stagecraft, qualities of a playwright and much more.

RAJASTHAN: With a rare blend of Indian, British and Mughlai dishes, prepared at home, Uncle Nibolson’s Kitchen has been catering to people with their wonderful food recipes. With the passing legacy, Manoj Edwin is now keeping the traditional cooking alive with his dishes replete with rich flavour and rare aroma.

GUJARAT: In the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, a Surat-based NGO Hope has been distributing food amongst the needy people. The founder of Hope, Jignesh Gandhi shared that approximately 6000 people are being provided with the food daily.