First India-Ahmedabad Edition-17 July 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

26°C - 35°C

ALERT AHMEDABAD l FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

5,89,222 1,38,10,247 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 11,194 DEATHS 2,84,281 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

DELHI 3,545 DEATHS 1,18,645 CASES

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RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 232

INDIA

GUJARAT

25,609 10,04,590 DEATHS

TAMIL NADU 2,236 DEATHS 1,56,369 CASES

2,090

CONFIRMED CASES

DEATHS

KARNATAKA 1,037 DEATHS 51,422 CASES

45,567

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN 538 DEATHS 27,174 CASES

FRIDAY BLOCKBUSTER HC ASKS PILOT TO A viral audio that could ‘rupture’ the political scene in Raj!

HOLD HIS HORSES!

 Day of reckoning for Pilot?  Salve and Rohatgi as Pilot’s lawyers also have a ‘message’ from New Delhi!

Aditi Nagar & Kartikey Dev Singh Jaipur: This Friday will bring forth the most awaited ‘cine’ in the history of Rajasthan as for the first time in its polity, the future of two ‘warring’ armies depends on a court hearing, and as a result of this, Friday, is being anticipated, waited and looked upon with equal curiosity in both Gehlot and Pilot camps.

This came about after Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident leaders on Thursday moved the high court, challenging notices from the Rajasthan Speaker over Congress’s move to disqualify them from the state assembly. All these 19 were sent notices by the assembly secretariat on Tuesday and allowed up to Friday to

HORSE TRADING AUDIO VIRAL: SOG NABS MIDDLEMAN Close on the heels of the audio going viral on social media allegedly on horse trading involving MLAs and ministers and a middle man, the Special Operations Group (SOG) nabbed one Sanjay Jain alias Sanjay Bardiya on Thursday late evening. It is reported that the Jain is one of the middleman who was tapped in conversation with the MLA about horse trading. Jain is reported to be a native of Lunkaransar of Bikaner district and allegedly, has been involved in such activities since 2013. it is also said that he has good contacts with several IPS officers.

CM ASHOK GEHLOT WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AT 9:30 AM AT HOTEL FAIRMONT give their replies. The notices said Speaker CP Joshi will take up the matter at 1 pm on Friday. The notices were served after the ruling party complained to the Speaker that the MLAs had defied a party whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meet-

ings, on Monday and Tuesday.

The Pilot camp, however, argues that a party whip applies only when Assembly is in session.

Their petition first came up before the court of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma at about 3 pm. But the dissidents’

Jadhav ‘visibly under stress’, access not credible: Govt New Delhi: Indian officials who were allowed to meet Kulbhushan Jadhav— the Indian national sentenced to death in Pakistan on alleged charges of espionage—were not given “unimpeded access”, India said on Thursday.

The officials were “prevented” from getting his written consent regarding legal representation”. Jadhav, who was accompanied by Pakistani officials, was under “visible stress”, New Delhi also said af-

Kulbhushan Jadhav

ter the two-hour meeting. Consular officials were allowed to meet Jadhav ahead of the July 20 deadline Pakistan has set for filing a review petition. This

was the second time he was allowed to meet Indian officials. The first consular access was given in September 2019 after an order from the International Court of Justice.

Islamabad earlier said Jadhav has refused a review of his case and wants to appeal for mercy. India said it was proof of Pakistan’s “reticence” to implement the order of the International Court of Justice in “letter and spirit”.

—Agencies

Naresh Sharma Jaipur: In what could be termed as ‘rupture’ in Rajasthan politics, three audio clips went viral on social media platforms on Thursday late evening wherein, it was alleged that there were voices of two ministers—a Union and a minister from Rajasthan—one MLA and a ‘middleman’. These clips are said to be that of Vishvendra Singh, Bhanwarlal Sharma and Sanjay Jain.

First India does not confirm the truth behind audio being of ministers or MLAs but clips went viral & could play a role in future course of action in ongoing political drama.

In a late night

advocate Harish Salve sought time to file a fresh plea. Salve appearing for Pilot submitted that the Speaker’s notice should be cancelled and should be declared illegal.

At about 5 pm, the dissident camp submitted an amended petition and the court referred it Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty, for the appointment of a twojudge bench. Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi’s counsel said then that the matter will be heard at about 7.30 pm, but the bench did not assemble then and the hearing was put off to Friday.

Meanwhile, the matter is scheduled to be heard before a division bench of the Rajasthan High Court at 1 pm Friday, Turn on P6

CMR has become the centre for making fake audios viral —Satish Poonia

‘Disengagement process requires constant verification’

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting top officials of the finance and commerce ministries later on Thursday to assess the impact of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy, official sources said. They said the Prime Minister’s focus will be on speedy recovery of the economy which has witnessed a slowdown in recent quarters due to falling consumer demand.

During this one-andhalf-hour scheduled meeting through video

New Delhi: China and India are committed to “complete disengagement” of troops, and the process is “intricate” that requires “constant verification”, the Indian Army said on Thursday after the fourth round of marathon military talks on de-escalation of the situation in eastern Ladakh.

The army said senior commanders of the Indian and Chinese military reviewed the progress on implementation of the first phase of disengagement and

24 HOURS: 919 CASES, 10 DEAD, 828 DISCHARGED TOTAL: 45,567 CASES, 2,091 DEAD, 32,174 DISCHARGED Gandhinagar: The Centre’s team of medical experts will on Friday visit hospitals in Ahmedabad and Surat, where they will meet doctors, assess the ground situation and guide local teams

as part of their twoday visit to the state.

The team comprising Niti Ayog member Vinod Pal, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargav, AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, and Additional Secretary of the Union Health Ministry

fake audio has been released in my name —Bhanwar Lal Sharma

Reviving economy: PM seeks inputs from babus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

conferencing, officials from the finance and commerce ministries will make presentations on the situation.

According to sources, the Prime Minister is taking inputs from top 50 officials.

Experts from Delhi on two-day visit to state Haresh Jhala

CMO press note, Bhanwarlal Sharma has been accused as a habitual conspirator and offender in pulling down state governments where he has never succeeded in his game plans including his serious attempt to throw out Late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat government in the 90s, when Shekhawat was away to US for a major heart surgery.

The transcript First audio: First Person: The fellow who is sitting in Delhi has taken our money. The first installment has arrived.

When are you meeting again? Tomorrow?

Second man: See you tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock.

Turn on P6

Passengers get temperature checks as they stand in a queue awaiting a COVID-19 test at Sanathal crossroads, an entry point into Ahmedabad city, on Thursday —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

Aarti Ahuja is expected to spend half a day in Surat before visiting containment zones in Ahmedabad in the afternoon and meeting with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation later in the day.

On Saturday, the officers will meet the Chief Minister and other senior officers and share their assessment and will also make some recommendations to curb the spread of corona.

In the past 24 hours,

the state government has tested 11,463 samples across the state-its highest number of single-day tests yet.

Twenty-nine districts and eight municipal corporation areas have reported 919 cases over the past 24 hours. Ten persons died: five each in Ahmedabad and Surat city.

As many as 265 cases have emerged in Surat district, giving it the unenviable title of worst-hit, with Ahmedabad Turn on P6

An Indian Air Force Apache chopper flying over the mountains in Leh on Thursday.

—Photo by ANI

discussed further steps for “complete disengagment”.

The Corps commanders held 15-hour-long negotiations in Chushul

on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control(LAC) from 11 AM on Tuesday to 2 AM on Wednesday, covering various aspects.

India to resume int’l flights to US from today New Delhi: India has established individual bilateral bubbles with France and the US that will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday, adding that similar arrangement with Germany and the UK will soon be permitted.

Air France will be operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris

from July 18 to August 1, the minister said at a press conference, adding that American carrier United Airlines will be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to July 31.

—PTI

NEWS AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

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02

MODI, SHAH CONDOLE DEMISE OF SPIRITUAL LEADER First India Bureau

Ahmedabad/New Delhi: The head of one of the divisions of Swaminarayan sect, which has its temple in Maninagar area here in Ahmedabad, died on Thursday, the temple authorities said. He was 78.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who expressed grief over the demise of Purushottampriyadasji Maharaj--head of the Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi San-

sthan.

“Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj was blessed with immense wisdom. His emphasis on community service, education and women empowerment will always be remembered.

I will never forget my many interactions with him. Om Shanti, “the prime minister tweeted.

“We will always remember Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj for his noble service to society. He worked hard to allevi-

The spiritual leader was laid to rest on Thusday.

ate human suffering and further compassion. He will be remembered by countless people, not only in India

but globally,” Modi said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, the home minister said Purushottampriyadasji’s

divine teachings and selfless contributions towards the welfare of society had no parallels.

In a message, Shah also said the spiritual leader’s life was full of values and wisdom and that he had selflessly devoted himself to the greater cause of humanity and blessed and enlightened millions of lives.

Terming the death of the spiritual leader an “irreparable loss,” Shah said he prayed for his noble soul to rest in peace and for strength to his followers across the globe.

Purushottampriyadasji Maharaj was the fifth heir in the lineage of ascetic acharyas.

‘Slip is showing’: No deaths in a month, says VMC dashboard

@narendramodi

Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj ji’s life was full of values & wisdom, selflessly devoted to the greater cause of humanity. His passing away is an irreparable loss. My deepest condolences to his followers all across the globe. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.

@AmitShah

We will always remember Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj for his noble service to society.

He worked hard to alleviate human suffering and further compassion. He will be remembered by countless people, not only in India but globally.

Bank workers fear they could become SUPERSPREADERS

NUMBER OF COVID-19 DECEASED HAS REMAINED CONSTANT AT 60 SINCE JUNE 16 Haresh Jhala

3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 Positive

1,500 1,000

Recovered Death

500 0 20-03-2020 22-03-2020 24-03-2020 26-03-2020 30-03-2020 01-04-2020 02-04-2020 05-04-2020 07-04-2020 09-04-2020 11-04-2020 13-04-2020 15-04-2020 17-04-2020 19-04-2020 21-04-2020 23-04-2020 25-04-2020 27-04-2020 29-04-2020 01-05-2020 03-05-2020 05-05-2020 07-05-2020 09-05-2020 11-05-2020 13-05-2020 15-05-2020 17-05-2020 19-05-2020 21-05-2020 23-05-2020 25-05-2020 27-05-2020 29-05-2020 31-05-2020 02-06-2020 04-06-2020 06-06-2020 08-06-2020 10-06-2020 12-06-2020 14-06-2020 16-06-2020 18-06-2020 20-06-2020 22-06-2020 24-06-2020 26-06-2020 28-06-2020 30-06-2020 02-07-2020 04-07-2020 06-07-2020 08-07-2020 10-07-2020 12-07-2020 14-07-2020 16-07-2020

Vadodara: In a surprising mismanagement of data, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) seems to have overlooked updating the death toll in the city on its COVID-19 dashboard this past month.

According to the data available on it, not a single Sars-CoV-2 death has occurred in Vadodara since June 16. Although, the dashboard does show a spike in novel coronavirus cases and also the patients discharged post recovery, but the death tally has remained constant at 60 victims since last month.

On June 16, one person had died of COVID-19, which took the death tally of the city to 60 people. On the same day, the number of positive cases reported in Vadodara stood at 1,650 and over 1,094 had been discharged till then. A month later on July 15, the dashboard updated the positive cases to 3,296 and the number of discharged patients to 2,433. But, the number of deaths as on July 15 has not been updated. It means that over the last month not one person has succumbed to the deadly virus in Va-

TRANDS OF POSITIVE, RECOVERED AND DEATH CASES (CUMULATIVE) IN VADODARA AREA

— FILE PHOTO

Vadodara Municipal Corporation.

dodara.

This revelation begs the question if the people buried in graveyards or cremated in adherence to COVID-19 guidelines were from outside

the city. The Mataria Muslim graveyard has already buried 250 bodies abiding by COVID-19 guidelines. It has a maximum capacity of 400 burials, said Mahom-

mad Rafiq, who provides burial services at the graveyard.

Rafiq added that not all people buried at the graveyard are from Vadodara, a few people

buried there were from Ahmedabad, Thasra and other places too.

Similarly, until July 15, there was only one designated cremation site for Hindu COVID-19

patient deaths- the Khaswadi crematorium. But, according to sources, the crematorium has cremated over 59 people in adherence to COVID-19 guidelines this month alone.

VMC Fire Officer Parth Brahmbhatt told First India, “In the last four months, the fire department’s morgue van has answered over 260 suspected and positive COVID-19 death calls from the city alone. Besides us, there are private services also available to people.”

When asked about the discrepancy in the death toll data, Vadodara Mayor Jigeesha Sheth defended the civic body. “VMC has constituted a committee which has been given the responsibility to ascertain and declare whether the death of a person has occurred due to novel coronavirus or some other reason. There is a possibility that the numbers might have been coming in late because the committee’s impending decision. But, we are not hiding anything from the people.”

Notably, VMC designated three more crematoriums to conduct cremation of deceased COVID-19 patients on Wednesday.

Surat has about 15,000 bank employees

Ruchi Thakar Surat: With the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise in their fraternity, Surat’s bank employees are worried that they might form the next batch of superspreaders of the Sars-CoV-2 virus.

To avoid this fear from becoming a reality, the Maha Gujarat Bank Employees Association here has written to District Collector Dr Dhaval Patel, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani and other authorities asking that bank branches be shut in areas where a high number of cases are being reported. They have also asked for bank working hours to be reduced.

So far, as many as 40 bank employees in Surat have tested pos-

itive for COVID-19, while one has died.

The letter from the association points out that the number of cases has risen significantly over the past 10 days, putting the city’s estimated 15,000 bank employees at additional risk.

The letter says, “We demand that the government cut back the working hours of banks so that we report for duty from 10 am to 2 pm,” and adds that bank staffers, especially in areas such as Varachha, Sarathana, Katargam and Palanpur Patia, could fall prey to the virus if proper action is not taken in time.

The letter also says that the number of employees in the branches should be reduced and work should be done with less staff.

CM Rupani kickstarts religious tourism uplift project With a total investment of Rs126 crore, facilities will be installed at various sites across the state 

Haresh Jhala Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani laid the foundation stone for developmental work aimed at boosting religious tourism in the state through an e-launch on Thursday. Various projects will be commissioned by the government with an investment of Rs126 crore.

The biggest develop-

ment project unveiled was pilgrimage facilities to be established at the Somnath Temple.

An allocation of Rs45 crore has been made towards the project which will provide various facilities to devotees as well as tourists who visit the jyotirlinga. A Somnath Museum will also be developed that will showcase the history of the jyotirlinga and how it was rebuilt post- inde-

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani with Dilip Kumar Thakore, Minister for Devasthan and Pilgrimage Development, on his right, and Vibhavariben Dave, Minister of state for Devasthan, on his left, as he dedicated development work at pilgrimages of Gujarat via video conference on Thursday.

pendence. The project would also include a world-class library, where people or scholars could imbibe knowledge about spir-

ituality, the Purans, or about Lord Shiva.

The CM expressed his elation on the commissioning of the developmental

projects and facilities at religious sites, which will attract more tourists to the state. “These projects will boost the local

economy and tourism of surrounding places. Earlier, tourists were interested in travelling only to major tourist spots but, since religious places have been developed now with a lot to offer them, ‘pilgrimage tourism’ has found many takers.

It has an important role in boosting the tourism economy,” he stated.

He added that the religious tourism sector has generated employment and seen overall growth in the last two years. A few places which were previously

only visited by locals or people from across the country, now receive visitors from all over the world.

Similarly, the state tourism department is set to develop light and sound systems and restore various structures of the Junagadh Fort with an investment of Rs45 crore. It has also allocated Rs20 crore for the development of the Phase-3 of the Dinosaur Museum, which has been established at Balasinor in Mahisagar district of Central Gujarat. The CM also laid the foun-

dation stone of the museum via video conferencing.

The state also plans to develop facilities at the White Rann of Kutch, where the annual Rann Utsav is organized, at a cost of Rs10 crore. A Shrimad Rajchandra Bhavan will also be built with an investment of six crore rupees at Vavaniya in Morbi district.

It is the birthplace of renowned Jain poet, scholar and philosopher Shrimad Rajchandra. A Vir Meghmaya Bhavan will also be developed at Patan in North Gujarat.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

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PIL seeks compensation for those affected by COVID-19 Petition filed in the state high court invokes sections of Disaster Management Act Ahmedabad: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking financial compensation for the kith and kin of people affected by novel coronavirus under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 has been moved in the Gujarat High Court. Petitioner Neel Lakhani’s prayer is that the Act itself mentions payment of compensation to those affected by a disaster.

Lakhani has raised an issue in his PIL under various sections of the Disaster Management Act. The petitioner’s submission is that the central and state government imposed the first and second lockdowns to control the spread of COVID-19.

But, despite the precautions taken, the virus has managed to spread across the nation, with the number of cases

—FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau

and deaths increasing on a daily basis.

Due to the lockdown, people have directly and indirectly suffered a lot, but those infected with the virus have taken a bigger hit, read the petition.

The petitioner has drawn the court’s attention towards Section 11 of the Disaster Management Act, which states that the central govern-

First India Bureau —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

Ahmedabad saw another evening of heavy rain on Thursday.

should be for the purpose of mitigation for relief, rehabilitation of victims. The petition also asks that the court direct respondents to provide appropriate compensation to people or their family members, who have directly suffered or have been affected by novel coronavirus. The petition is likely to come up for hearing soon.

Gargi Raval Ahmedabad: To clear its backlog of transplant surgeries, the Institute of Kidney Diseases & Research Centre (IKDRC) will perform two surgeries every day from next week. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the institution has racked up a pile of more than over 100 transplant surgeries in the last three months.

“Under the new set of National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) guidelines which factor in COVID-19 precautionary tests for cadaver and live donors, we aim to achieve our monthly average of 30-40 transplant surgeries,” Dr Vineet Mishra, Director, IKDRC-ITS said in a statement on Thursday.

As per the plan, the institute has decided to admit the recipient patient a day before the surgery, while the live donor will be admitted on the day of surgery itself. The decrease in

Post-op hospitalization will now be just three days, down from 10 the number of days for hospitalization will help the institute to engage labour for an increased number of transplant surgeries.

Earlier, the hospitalization of the recipient patient was a minimum of 10 days, which has been reduced to three days for post-operative care.

“The patient will be shifted closer to his home after ensuring that facilities such as a physician’s visit, pathology labs, and the enhanced use of tele-

—FILE PHOTO medicine for post-operative care are available to them,” explained Dr Mishra, adding that this would help the institute to catch up on live donor transplant surgeries performed in pre-nCov days.

Last week, IKDRC harvested four kidneys, two livers, and one heart from two brain dead people from Surat and Rajkot, giving a fresh lease of life to seven people in one go.

However, the cadaver organ donor rate in India is abysmally low at 0.05 per million population, in contrast to six per million in Greece, 22 per million in the United States, and 32 per million in Spain.

repair work is being conducted. The state highways will remain open partially after a makeshift road is ready,” said a senior officer.

Currently, there is an upper air cyclonic circulation over Bay of Bengal, adjoining Odisha which will move towards the western and central parts of the country. This circulation is likely to become a low pressure, creating a trough line to the Gujarat coast. As a result, heavy showers are likely to hit the state on Friday and Saturday.

Another cyclonic circulation now lies over the South Gujarat region, which may ensure good rainfall.

Surat: A gambling den was raided by the State Monitoring Cell with help from local police in Tulsi Phalia area of Begumpura extension of Surat city on Thursday afternoon. Over 99 gamblers have been arrested from the infamous Asif Ganda’s two-storied house.

Notably, the site of

the gambling operation is located near the local Mahidharpura police station.

According to reports, Ganda ran the gambling den with closed shutters. Hundreds of gamblers used to come to the den every day even amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Due to the delicacy of the operation and the location of the den, the State Monitoring

The operation was located near the local police station.

Cell enlisted the assistance of local police in conducting the raid.

4.8 magnitude tremor hits Rajkot, no major damage First India Bureau Rajkot: A month after an earthquake hit Rajkot, another 4.8 magnitude tremor hit the city on Thursday. According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km at 7.40 am. No loss of life or property was reported.

Rajkot residents reported feeling underground movement accompanied by a loud sound at several loca-

tions around 7.40 am, which left them puzzled. With the tremors shaking buildings and houses, people came out in the open to wait out the quake.

The epicentre of the earthquake was located at Bhayasar village situated at 18 kilometres south-west of Rajkot city. While there were reports of cracks forming in a few buildings, the tremor was also felt in Gondal, Amreli, Junagadh and Jamnagar.

The rooftop of a

school at Kolithal village in Gondal was reported to have fallen off.

However, there were no casualties since the school has been closed due to ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.

State Chief Minister Vijay Rupani personally spoke to all three collectors of Rajkot, Amreli and Junagadh districts and took stock of the situation.

On June 15, an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale had hit Rajkot city.

Since the Begumpura extension is a sensitive area of the city, the Cell

took no chances with the execution of the operation.

Police seized goods including gambling cards, stakes coins, cash, mobile phones and laptops from the site. The den had been functioning right under the nose of Mahidharpura police station, successfully slipping under the radar of the cops.

With the number of COVID-19 cases on the

rise in the diamond city, local administration Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has advised people not to switch on ACs in shops.

But, the gamblers fearlessly conducted the whole operation in a closed air-conditioned house. Therefore, the raid at Ganda’s den has caused a stir at the local level. However, the operator of the gambling den is still absconding.

FINE FEATHERED FLOCK —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

Ahmedabad: As the state continues to receive heavy rainfall, roads in several parts stayed close for traffic on Thursday. With Saurashtra being the worst affected region, the deluge has left many districts flooded in the past week.

Two state highways of Jamnagar and Porbandar districts, two main district roads of Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar and a total of 15 panchayat roads were closed for traffic.

“All these roads have been severely damaged due to heavy rains.

Therefore, vehicular movement has been suspended for a week as

for the same. Unfortunately, no such compensation has been awarded to any person directly affected by the disaster so far.

The PIL petitioner’s prayer before the high court is to direct the state as well as the central government to create funds and formulate schemes under the aforementioned sections of the DMA. It

Will do 2 transplants a day to clear pile: IKDRC

Asif Ganda’s gambling den raided, 99 arrested

Rain causes closure of 19 roads in state

First India Bureau

ment has to draw a national disaster plan for the mitigation of the effects of the same, but unfortunately no such national plan has been made available till date.

Lakhani has also highlighted Section(s) 12 (iii) and 12 (iv) of the DMA, which clearly mentions that every person affected by the disaster deserves to receive compensation

MAKE IT RIGHT

03

They say birds of a feather flock together, but here we see a pair of crows join a few black ibises and white herons atop a lamp post at the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday.

TRADITIONAL METHODS

Modern aids take a backseat as restoration begins on Uparkot fort 

Masuma Bharmal Jariwala

Hing, gud and urad dal key ingredients in recipe to conserve and restore an archeological wonder that is hundreds of years old

Junagadh: Black gram, jaggery and asafoetida will be key ingredients in an ambitious plan by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) to “conserve, restore and develop” the centuries old Uparkot Fort in Junagadh. Inaugurated by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday, the plan is expected to cost the exchequer a

whopping Rs44.46 crore, and will use only ancient methods—those that might have been used when the monument was first built—to restore it to its former glory.

As Deputy Executive Engineer, TCGL, Shyamal Patel told First India, “In the old days, molasses or jaggery water and black lentil water were used for bonding clay together.

Not only does this mixture strengthen the

Situated in the foothills of Girnar hill, the fort is believed to be at least 900 years old.

structure, but it maintains its stability in extremely hot weather, unlike cement, which

might crack. Similarly, asafoetida serves to remove excessive vegetation. We will be using

these same methods and ingredients in our project.”

Marble stone dust

and gypsum will also be used, and all cleaning work will be done with jets of water and soft plastic brushes to ensure no stone is damaged in the process.

Patel said that work on the fort’s Ranakdevi Palace, Anaj Bhandar and two wells, will likely take about 18 months to finish.

“In addition to conservation and restoration, we are also planning some developmental work. If

the Archeological Survey of India permits, we are also planning a sound and light show at Uparkot, along with audio guides and digital displays, and a 2.5 km walkway covering various structures inside the fort,” Patel added.

The complex, which is believed to be at least 900 years old, is spread across about 70 acres of land and has walls that are 60-70 feet high.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

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Youth and Education

IN-DEPTH

HACKERS SEND TWITTER IN A TIZZY

I

n an unprecedented development Twitter accounts of famous and powerful people and companies were hacked in presumably a scam involving digital currency, Bitcoin. Those whose accounts were hacked included former US President Barack Obama, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, presidential candidate Joe Biden, celebrity American rapper Kanye West and former mayor of New York Mike Bloomberg. The companies whose Twitter accounts were also hacked included Uber and Apple.

The anonymous hacks first attacked Elon Musk’s account by posting multiple messages promising to “double” payments to his bitcoin address. Messages on Biden’s and Gates’ accounts read, “I am giving back to the community. All Bitcoin sent to the address below will be sent back doubled! If you send $1000, I will send back $2000.”

Twitter responded with @TwitterSupport saying, We are aware of a security incident impacting accounts on Twitter. We are investigating and taking steps to fix it. Conspiracy theorists immediately began looking into possible angles to the hacking of Twitter these accounts.

Does it all have anything to do with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey taking a hard line against US President Donald Trump’s tweets glorifying violence?

In a first, Dorsey had decided to hide all such tweets by Trump who retaliated by diluting legal immunity to social media giants over content.

The asset, to overtake China?

YASH KALRA The writer is a motivational speaker, visiting faculty to speak on management in various universities by choice and an event manager by profession

A

INVOKING GOD TO SAVE KARNATAKA

K

arnataka which was being applauded not very long ago for its effective use of technology to trace, test and treat Covid-19 patients now finds itself at the receiving end for the fast rising novel coronavirus graph in the state, more particularly in Bengaluru.

Of the 80 deaths in Karnataka on Wednesday, 60 were reported from the state capital. Similarly of the state’s total of 27,853 active cases, Bengaluru accounted for a sizeable 17,051 cases. A despairing scenario indeed. To add to people’s despair the state health minister B. Sriramulu said, “What can the government do? Only God can save us now.”

Coming from the health minister the statement was not only startling but also irresponsible. True, when it comes to the pandemic not just Bengaluru but the entire country is at God’s mercy as tracing and testing of patients becomes a big challenge.

But the health minister is expected to instill confidence in the people and not leave it to God to salvage the situation when there are less than 30,000 active cases. After all, the government did make arrangements for quarantining 100,000 patients in March and expected 1.6 per cent of the 6.5 crore population to get infected. The government turned complacent after the initial slow increase in cases.

In this hour of crisis a reported feud between three ministers---Sriramulu, medical education minister K. Sudhakar and revenue minister R. Ashoka---is not helping matters. Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who doesn’t seem to be in command, must take effective control to ramp up tracing and testing to avert a disaster.

Success of a democratic nation depends on its education standards and India has managed to reach a benchmark where the majority can read and write

pathway to becoming the workforce and the working engine for the world as an exemplary, a nation needs two things, Human resources and the ability to drive that resource. A group of people, led by a cause and proper communicative leadership can be an asset to the organization or the nation. Leaders are not responsible for the results; they are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results.

Education, across the globe, is said to play a vital role in the social and economic reforms of the nation but it also is national security the issue because if we do not equip the population at a large with these skills of learning, they might land up being misled and devastate the community and the society with disruptive ideas of violence turning this so-called resource from a dividend into a disaster.

We in India, have the people, but do we as a nation, have the ability and the leadership to transform the minds of this valuable resource through the virtue of education to make them equipped and skilled in different professions to march towards excellence as a country.

The Strategy for every goal needs to be visualized until the end with an obsessively detailed discussion of implementing a system in place before the first step, in reality, is executed to achieve that goal. Bobby Knight, said “The key is not the will to win. It is the will to prepare to win that is important”.

India, as a nation stands on the verge of becoming a superpower through industrialization on the terms of being self-reliant and can compete China over the years to become the world’s first choice of the destination for industrial and logistical establishments but for that we not only need skilled labor but also well-educated minds

led by efficient leadership to make India, a global destination for industrial entrepreneurship. The increase in perception is the beginning of a transformation. When we would learn more, we will earn more and for this, we must have the following to go hand in hand.

UNBIASED EDUCATION TO ALL Over the last few decades, though we have, as a nation, taken prominent steps for equality in education awarded by the right to education act, the aim of the leadership should be 100% literacy, irrespective of the genders as today also one out of three women in the country are uneducated.

The success of a democratic nation completely depends on its education standards and India has proudly managed to reach a benchmark where the majority can read and write in our young nation. The new target should be that we must include the excluded from education unbiased of their castes, religion, and regions.

WIDER EDUCATION NETWORK The country, today, is walking on a formidably dependable platform and is increasing schools, colleges, and

stand in the world and we need massive expansion in this regard.

We in India, have the people, but do we as a nation, have ability and the leadership to transform the minds of this valuable resource through the virtue of education to make them equipped and skilled

universities. We have several good education institutes for higher education and various other super specialty subjects. We proudly flaunt with IIT’s which is an example of a high-end institute for education in the country but the fact is that platforms like these are small islands of excellence whereas the need for the hour is to build a kingdom of knowledge with superior quality. The higher education of the country simply does not meet the standards to out-

Protecting refugee children during pandemic

T

aima’a al-Hariri, a 17-year-old Syrian refugee living in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, had been regularly attending school before the Jordanian authorities introduced a necessary lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“When the coronavirus appeared, they shut down all the classrooms and we didn’t have teachers we could interact with anymore,” Taima’a says. “I was starting to do charity work with [refugee] children with cancer, but that was put on hold.”

Although the pandemic has affected children and young people around the world, refugees like Taima’a have been especially hard hit. These children have long suffered multiple deprivations:

04

they were forced to flee wars and emergencies, sometimes without family, and are struggling to survive with no familiar comforts. And now COVID-19 is exacerbating their hardships.

Even before the pandemic, only half of the world’s refugee children of primary-school age were receiving formal education, and only 22% of children of lower-secondary-school age were. Moreover, children living in extreme poverty – including refugees – are vulnerable to forced labor and trafficking, putting them at further risk of being out of school.

Lack of access to formal education is just one of many challenges that refugees face. Health care and sanitation – critical to protecting large refugee populations living in camps –

These children have long suffered deprivations: they were forced to flee wars and are struggling to survive with no familiar comforts

were already inadequate before COVID-19 struck.

And with parents now less able to put food on the table for their children, starvation is a far greater threat than the pandemic itself, as recent warnings and budget cuts by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization have

made clear.

Today, 80% of refugees live in countries that are not equipped to support them.

Turkey is home to 3.7 million refugees, while Uganda, Pakistan, and Sudan together host almost four million. Jordan and Lebanon have long been home to refugees, who account for almost one-third of each country’s population. Because over half of the world’s 26 million refugees are children – some 300,000 of whom are unaccompanied – defending their rights is a vast challenge.

We are working on the ground with youth activists from the 100 Million campaign for children’s rights, who are continuing their efforts despite COVID-19. They include Seme Ludanga Faustino, a South Sudanese refugee who in 2017 co-founded the youth-

led organization I CAN South Sudan in the Bidibidi refugee camp in Uganda, home to the world’s biggest concentration of unaccompanied minors.

Faustino’s organization, which was set up to use the arts to provide trauma relief to unaccompanied children, has shifted to distributing soap and conducting home visits to teach them how to keep themselves safe from the coronavirus.

Against this background, rich-country governments are behaving shamefully, spending trillions of dollars to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on their economies while leaving countries with large refugee and displaced populations struggling to cope.

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.PROJECT-SYNDICATE.ORG

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION A country with 1.3 billionplus people cannot afford to stand with a shortage of skilled labor like plumbers, masons, carpenters, electricians, etc. and thus a program should be in place to teach the youth about vocational training as well. The trend in the country still is that a cobbler’s son will become a cobbler. It should be entertained to the population at large to take up these courses because these informal, unstructured, blue-collared skills and professions are the real gamewinners in bringing about the industrial revolution.

Growing business trends tell the way ahead is about vertical leadership where the wide web of customers and employees are parallel segments which needs product knowledge at regular intervals. Though customer service is very important but employee skill development would play a more vital role in industrial transformation and the Indian economy as a whole.

The challenges are huge, but if we get a leadership with a vision of knowledge and education – we can say this loud and clear to the world – INDIA IS COMING !!

Top

TWEET Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank @DrRPNishank There is no age limit to ‘Learning.’

Lakyntiew Syiemlieh, a 50-yearold working mother, just proved it. I am so glad to hear that she recently cleared her class XII board exams after a gap of 30 yrs. What an inspiration! Congratulations.

Shashi Tharoor @ShashiTharoor In BJP’s Orwellian regime, not only is propaganda adopted as a strategy, it is advertised with such unashamed brazenness. No doubt they study the techniques of Goebbels with great devotion!

Spiritual SPEAK

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

—James 1:12

Vol 1 Issue No. 232 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad.

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‘Rlys to be world’s 1st large, clean entity by 2030’ The sector will move to 100% electrification in next three & half years & 100% ‘net zero’ operator in next 9-10 years, Piyush Goyal said New Delhi: Union Railway and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the Indian Railways will become the world’s first large, clean railways and move towards 100 per cent electrification in the next three and half years.

Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) event on ‘Towards a Self-Reliant India: Renewable Energy Manufacturing’, Goyal said, “Prime MInister Narendra Modi had said that India has be-

come a model for the world when the transition to renewable energy is mentioned.

“Today, every willing citizen has access to power at affordable prices. And, we have invested deeply in the transmission sector for widespread availability of sector. I do hope the states support us to make power 24×7 available at affordable prices,” the Minister said.

Emphasising on renewable energy, Goyal said that dependency on fossil fuel is not via-

Call me ‘Sir,’not ‘My Lord: CJ Calcutta HC Kolkata: Calcutta HC CJ TBN Radhakrishnan has said that he would want to be addressed as ‘Sir’ by all judiciary officers in Bengal and Andaman instead of ‘My Lord’ or ‘Lordship’, as was the practice so far.

In a letter to the district judges and chief judges of lower courts in the state and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, High Court Registrar General Rai Chattopadhyay conveyed the message of the chief justice, an official said on Thursday.

The chief justice has expressed the desire that “henceforth offic-

ers of district judiciary, including members of Registry of the Hon’ble High Court would address the Hon’ble Chief Justice as ‘Sir’ instead of ‘My Lord’ or ‘Lordship’, in conformity with the applicable judicial and administrative precedents”, the letter said. —PTI

Today, every willing citizen has access to power at affordable prices. And, we have invested deeply in the transmission sector for widespread availability of sector. I do hope the states support us to make power 24×7 available at affordable prices.

—Piyush Goyal, Railway Minister

ble. “Along with environmental benefits, renewable energy is good for the nation economically. In renewable energy, we have been able

to bring in scale, increase demand and reduce prices. We are seeing people wanting to go in for renewable energy,” Goyal said.

New Delhi: In the run-up to the 2nd Ministerial meeting of the India and US Strategic Energy Partnership, scheduled on July 17, 2020, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan, along with US Secretary of Energy, HE Dan Brouillette, coChaired industry-level interaction, organised

by US-India Business Council (USIBC).

During these interactions, Pradhan invited US companies and investors to engage and invest in India in

SC directs Centre to make new appointments in AFT in one mth

clined to extend by 3 months the tenure of officers retiring on July 22 and 23. “We will extend the tenure. In the meantime, Union can make regular ap-

pointments,” CJI Bobde said directing the Central government to make appointments in one month.

Pulling up the Attorney General, the CJI said, “When we enabled you to make appointments, you haven’t done anything.

Why must we give you directions every time?” —ANI

HC NOTICE TO AIR INDIA ON PILOT’S PLEA

SC SEEKS RESPONSE OF CENTRE IN J&K NET CURB

New Delhi:Delhi HC has issued notice to Air India Limited on a plea filed by a pilot commander associated with the airline, who had participated in several evacuation flights to different countries, seeking to withdraw the resignation tendered by him. A bench of Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to airline & slated matter for further hearing on Aug 4.

New Delhi: SC asked the Centre& J&K administration to file a detailed affidavit on a contempt petition for allegedly violating its judgement over internet restrictions in the Union Territory.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice NV Ramana, also comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy & BR Gavai, while hearing PIL filed by Freedom for Media Professionals, directed the Centre & J&K to file their affidavits within a week.

INDIA-BHUTAN OPEN NEW TRADE ROUTE TO EASE CONNECTIVITY Thimpu: India and Bhutan have opened a new trade route between Jaigaon in West Bengal and Pasakha in Bhutan. “Delighted that since yesterday a new trade route has been opened between Bhutan & India. This link between Jaigaon and Ahlay, Pasakha will facilitate connectivities between our two countries in

these COVID 19 times, further strengthening our special relationship. A step forward!” Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Ruchira Kamboj said in a tweet. Indian Embassy in Thimpu in a press release said an additional Land Customs station has been opened at Ahllay, Pasakha by the Government of India on July 15.

support of the states,” he said. Talking about the national transporter’s plans to go green by 2030, the Minister said, “Railways will move to

Pradhan invites US investors to seize opportunity in India’s growth story FUTURE READY

new opportunities.

“There have been a few collaborative efforts between Indian and American companies in this sector, but it is far below their potential,” said Pradhan.

He noted the resilience of the US-India Energy Partnership and characterized it as one of the most durable pillars on which India-US Strategic Partnership rests.

“Even during these challenging times, India and the US have been working in close collaboration, be it in stabilizing global energy markets or in collaborative efforts to address COVID-19. In today’s turbulent world, one constant isand always will be -the strength of our bilateral partnership,” he added.

The Minister had also separately Chaired an industry-level interaction organized by USIndia Strategic Energy partnership (USISPF) on Tuesday. —ANI

pleted electrification of more than 40,000 route km (RKM), which is 63 per cent of the broadgauge routes, in which 18,605 km electrification has been done during 2014-20.

Railways has fixed a target of electrification of 7,000 RKM for 2020-21.

All routes on broadgauge network have been planned to be electrified by December 2023 & Railways is focusing on electrification of the last-mile connectivity & missing links, officers said. —Agencies

Palghar lyncing: CID files chargesheet against 126 Palghar: The Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a chargesheet in a court against 126 accused in the Palghar lynching case in which two monks and their driver were beaten to death by a mob exactly three months ago.

The CID filed the 4,955-page chargesheet in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Dahanu taluka in Palghar district located adjoining Mumbai, the probe agency said.

The team probing the incident examined 808 suspects and 118 wit-

nesses to collect strong evidence against the accused, the CID said in a release.

In all, 154 persons were arrested and 11 juveniles in conflict with law, were detained.

None of the accused has been released on bail so far, the release said.

“The chargesheet was filed by Dy SP (CID) Vijay Pawar, the IO, at the JMFC court in Dahanu against 126 accused,” it said. They were charged with murder, armed rioting and using criminal force to prevent a public servant from doing is duty, among other offences.

POLICE ATROCITY

IN THE COURTYARD

New Delhi: SC pulled up Central government for not making timely appointments of judicial members in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) and directed it to do the same within a period of one month.

A three-judge bench headed by CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde also said that the court is in-

“For renewable energy to further progress, we need to enhance our manufacturing and become selfsufficient and need the

100 per cent electrification in the next three and half years and 100 per cent ‘net zero’ operator in the next 9-10 years.

“By 2030, each one of us will be a proud citizen, owning the world’s first large clean railways,” Goyal said.

The Indian Railways has initiated a number of major initiatives to mitigate global warming and combat climate change. According to the Railway Ministry officials, the national transporter has com-

RELIGARE MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

SC reserves order on Shivinder Singh’s bail plea

New Delhi: Delhi HC reserved its order on the bail plea filed by Religare Finvest promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh in connection with a money laundering case.

A bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani reserved the order after hearing the submission from both sides. Senior Advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Singh, told that ED has already filed its prosecution complaint and therefore no purpose would be served by keeping his client in further custody. —ANI

MAN WHO INVESTED ABU SALEM’S MONEY IN DELHI, HELD Noida: A key aide of 1993 Mumbai blasts case convict Abu Salem who worked in his illegal property business in Delhi-NCR has been arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of UP police, officials said. “Gajendra Singh had taken Rs 1.80 crore from a Delhi-based businessman in 2014 in a property-related case. When he was pressured to return the money, Singh had Khan Mubarak’s shooters open fire at the businessman in sector 18 of Noida,” Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Raj Kumar Mishra said.

Guna: Oppn hits out at BJP-led govt over cops beating Dalit couple Anirudh Tiwari Bhopal:Days after a Dalit family was beaten up by cops in MP’s Guna district, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati hit out at the BJP government in the state over the issue and asked for strict action against those responsible. A farm belonging the the Dalit family was also destroyed by the district administration with the help of a JCB machine. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, “This is Madhya Pradesh, there is rule of law here. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The team from Bhopal will go to Guna to investigate the matter and the culprits

A video that went viral on social media showed cops beating the man with batons while his wife & others were trying to save him.

will not be spared.” After the instruction of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, SP and Collector of Guna were replaced. Tarun Nayak has been replaced and Rajesh Kumar Singh has been made the new SP. The video of police mercilessly beating the farmer and women members of his family went viral in no time and on Wednesday the incident hogged wide

NITISH KUMAR VS OPPOSITION AFTER 260-CR BRIDGE FIASCO Gopalganj: A link road to a new bridge in Bihar opened to public a month ago by CM Nitish Kumar was washed away due to heavy rain. As the opposition attacked Nitish Kumar saying the bridge had collapsed, his government and party put out strong denials. The road was near Sattarghat Bridge on the Gandak Riv-

er in Gopalganj, around 150 km from Patna. Opposition leaders, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD and Madan Mohan Jha of Congress tweeted pictures alleging the “brand new Sattarghat Bridge has collapsed just a month after it was inaugurated by CM Nitish Kumar.” Over Rs 260 crore was spent on the bridge, they said.

space on social media sending jitters to Madhya Pradesh state capital and Home minister Dr Narottam Mishra set up a probe panel of senior police officers by evening regretting the incident. Condemning the incident, the BSP chief on Thursday took to Twitter and said, “To force a couple to attempt suicide by destroying the crops from the JCB machine in the name of encroachment

by the Guna Police and Administration of Madhya Pradesh is highly condemnable. The nationwide condemnation of this incident is natural. Government should take strict action.”

Speaking about Rahul Gandhi’s tweet about the incident, Mishra said, When there was a government of Rahul Gandhi, then officers were posted under the prepaid system.

Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra, who issued orders for removing Collector S Viswanathan and SP Tarun Nayak on Thursday, hit back at Congress party saying during Kamal Nath government police-administration used to see prepaid transfers.

“When two kids were abducted in Satna, they returned only after their death,” added Mishra.

SENSEX JUMPS 420 PTS, INFOSYS STOCK UP 9 PERCENT Mumbai: Equity benchmark indices closed 1 per cent higher on Thursday led by smart gains in IT stocks.The BSE S&P Sensex wound up the volatile trading session 420 points or 1.16 per cent higher at 36,472 while the Nifty 50 edged higher by 122 points or 1.15 per cent at 10,740. Except for Nifty realty, all sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the green with Nifty IT up by 2.8 per cent, pharma by 1.6 per cent, auto by 1.1 per cent and private bank by 1 per cent.

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COVID UPDATE The death toll now stands at 24, 915 & Maharashtra continues to record the highest number of cases in the country

India records highest single day spike of 32,695 new cases New Delhi: India has recorded 32,695 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 9,68,876, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday, said. The country at present has 3,31,146 active cases and 6,12,815 coronavirus patients have been cured/ recovered.

1,118 people have succumbed to the deadly contagious disease since Wednesday. The death now toll stands at 24,915.

Of the 24,915 deaths, Maharashtra has reported 10,928 fatalities, Delhi 3,487, Tamil Nadu 2,167, Gujarat 2,079, Uttar Pradesh 1,012, West Bengal 1,000, Karnataka 928, Madhya Pradesh 682 and Rajasthan 530.

Andhra Pradesh registered 452 deaths in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana 386, Haryana 319, Punjab 221, Jammu and Kashmir 206, Bihar 180, Odisha 77, Uttarakhand 50, Assam 46, Jharkhand 38, Kerala 35.

20 people have lost their lives due to the COVD-19 disease in Chhattisgarh, 21 in Pu-

India can produce COVID-19 vaccines for entire world: Bill Gates

PB CAPS TREATMENT RATES FOR PRIVATE HOSPITALS Chandigarh: The Punjab has fixed the coronavirus treatment rates for private hospitals in order to check profiteering. The rates, finalised for private hospitals and medical colleges by the Dr K K Talwar Committee, cover isolation beds, ICU treatment and hospitalisation charges, per day of admission. The rates have been fixed at Rs 9,000 for NABH accredited hospitals (including private medical colleges without PG/DNB Course) and Rs 8,000 for non-NABH accredited hospitals. —PTI

ducherry, 18 in Goa, 11 each in Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, 3 each in Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura, two each in Meghalaya and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, while Ladakh has reported

one fatality.

Maharashtra continues to record highest number of cases.

2,75,640 people have been affected by the coronavirus disease so far.

There are 1,12,099 active cases & 1,52,613 have been cured. — Agencies

Two dead in building collapse incidents as rains lash Mumbai Mumbai: Two people died and at least 15 were injured in two incidents of building collapse in Mumbai on Thursday as rains lashed the city, officials said.

While two persons died after a portion of a ‘chawl’ (tenement) collapsed in suburban Malvani, many people were feared trapped under debris after part of an old building collapsed in south Mumbai’s Fort area, civic officials said.

A part of a three-storey chawl in Malvani Gate Number 5 area in the western suburbs collapsed around 2.30 pm.

Four fire engines, a rescue van and ambulances were rushed to the spot and 15 people were rescued from the debris, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

While two persons died, 13 others were injured, said a BMC offi-

The incident took place around 4.43 pm at the Bhanushali building in Fort near Lucky House.

cial. Elsewhere, at least two persons were injured and several others were feared trapped under debris after a corner portion of an old sixstorey building collapsed

in south Mumbai’s Fort around 4.45 pm. Eight fire engines, two rescue vans and ambulances were rushed. Mayor Kishori Pednekar also visited the spot. —PTI

proached the court, asking to be heard before it passes any order.

Notably, If the Congress dissidents are disqualified, the current strength of the state assembly will reduce to 181, slashing the halfway mark to 91 and seemingly making it easier for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to retain majority support.

In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs and the BJP 72.

back the same day.

First: No. Second: Why. First: We cannot take it back.

Second: Let’s do it in the morning, I have some other work in Delhi. I will settle it at 8-9 am, then will meet when you say. Less on the phone.

First: Now we will move legally. Second: Your action has been reduced.

First: How. Second: Which line are you taking?

First: Yes, we are taking the line.

Second: You are with them only. First: Yes. Second: Chandna did

New Delhi: India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates. A lot of “very important things have been done” in India and its pharma industry is doing work “to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases”, said the Co-Chair & Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Speaking in a documentary - COVID-19: India's War Against The Virus, Bill Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density.

Commenting on the

strength of India's pharma industry, he said, “India has a lot of capacity there - with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere - starting with Serum Institute, that's the largest.” I am excited that pharmaceutical industry there will be able to produce not just for India but also for the entire world. What we need to reduce the deaths and make sure we are immune, which is how we end the epidemic.” —PTI

GOLD SMUGGLING CASE

Kerala govt suspends CM’s former secretary Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan announced that government has suspended his former principal secretary M Sivasankar, a senior IAS officer, for flouting service rules amid reports of his imminent arrest in gold smuggling case.

Vijayan said the action was taken on the basis of an inquiry conducted by a twomember panel headed by chief secretary Viswas Mehta.

“Inquiry report pointed out that there were some lapses on his part and he violated all-India service rules,” said the CM. The opposition Congress and BJP said the CM cannot get away with action against his former

14-day complete lockdown in Odisha Bhubaneswar: In view of the rising COVID-19 cases, Odisha government on Thursday, imposed a 14-day lockdown in four districts and entire Rourkela Municipal Corporation area of Sundergarh district.

Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy informed that the lockdown restrictions will be clamped in Ganjam, Khurda, Cuttack and Jajpur districts along with the entire Rourkela Municipal Corporation area. The lockdown restrictions will come to effect from today.

“From ongoing surveys, it is learnt that nearly twothird of active cases and new case load which accounts for nearly 66% of cases have been reported from Ganjam, Cuttack, Jajpur and Khurda. Hence, we have decided to impose 14-day lockdown till July 31,” said Tripathy.

IMA issues ‘Red Alert’ for medicos New Delhi: As many as 99 doctors in the country, a majority of them general practitioners, have succumbed to COVID-19, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Wednesday, and declared a red alert for medicos and medical administrators asking them to raise their guard.

According to IMA National COVID registry data, of the total 1,302 doctors infected with COVID-19, 99 have succumbed to the dis-

ease. Of those dead, 73 were above the age of 50 years, 19 in the agegroup of 35-50 and seven below 35 years, the data showed. “IMA declares RED ALERT to doctors and medical administrators to raise their guard. If COVID-19 mortality has to be lessened, it has to start with doctors and hospitals,” the doctors’ body said in a statement. A feedback system from doctors, employees & public needs to be put in place. —PTI

Yogi calls for concerted strategy to curb Corona

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials on Thursday to prepare a concerted strategy for effectively checking the spread of COVID-19 and communicable diseases.

In a meeting with senior officials, the chief minister also called for daily review of the prevailing situation by the nodal officers appointed in different districts, according to an official statement.He stressed that special cleanliness and sanitisation drives should be carried out across districts, and asked officials to ensure proper medical screening and supply of clean potable water.

Bengal Guv, Govt in row over ‘Politically caged’ education

secretary. “He took action against his secretary since needle of suspicion is turning towards him. We want the CM’s resignation” said BJP’s Kerala unit president K Surendran.

Considered close to Vijayan, he was removed from the powerful principal secretary’s post after reports surfaced that he was allegedly close to one of the key accused in gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh.

He was grilled by Customs department for nine hours on Wednesday. Officials found discrepancies in his statement & decided to call him again for questioning.

They also said his arrest was imminent.

Kolkata: Who is the boss at state-run universities - is it the Governor-cum-Chancellor or the Education Department?

This question triggered a showdown between West Bengal Governor and the state government, with Jagdeep Dhankar accusing the state of politically controlling education.

“Education is politically caged, politically controlled. The political grip on education is frightening,” Dhankar tweeted on Thursday after no one turned up for a virtual conference he had called of ViceChancellors from 23 universities on Wednesday. Dhankar blamed the government for this situation.

The West Bengal government has appealed to UGC to rethink its decision to hold final

jendra ji.

Second: I’ll get it done now. First: Do it.

Third person: Gajendra Singh speaking Maharaj.

Second: Bless you, may you win. Third: Hey you are victorious.

Second: The number will be completed in 1-2 days.

Third: Sanjay ji also spoke. Now we have to wait 8 to 10 days. Raj cannot stay in the fence for so many days. As soon as they come out they will come to themselves. Second: I also understand that Raj does not run from the hotel. Number is not

force. The rest would have become a matter of Sanjay. I do not have a name in the list. Ok sir Third audio: First man: Hello Second man: Yes okay sir, the whole thing is done. There is no doubt.

First: Yes, now there is no government, so all efforts have to be made.

Secondly, it is okay for you, but you see, once the numbers become stronger, I have already told you the entire program.

First: Yes, okay.

Second: I have a responsibility for you.

First: Okay.

GOVERNOR SPEAK

semester university exams by September in view of the epidemic.

The Governor said he too was in touch with the UGC chairman on the issue.

“In these Covid times, I wanted to fathom the problems of colleges and universities and called a virtual conference of Vice-Chancellors. But it was opposed; it is a war-like situation. The roof has fallen on our heads (sic),” he said at a press meet.

Even as Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar was speaking, Bengal's Higher Education department tweeted a letter to the Governor saying he was going “beyond his jurisdiction” with his “action”.

The state government said it was “surprised” at Dhankar's tweets and cited Rule 8(5) of the State Universities (Terms & Conditions of Service of the Vice Chancellors & the Manner and Procedure of Official Communication) Rules, 2019. —Agencies

FROM PG 1 Friday blockbuster... which is also the deadline that the Speaker’s office gave the MLAs to file their replies to the notices. Interestingly, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is also a Congress leader, is slated to represent the Speaker’s office while Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, who have represented the BJP-led government at the Centre in the past, are the lawyers for the Pilot’s camp.

On Thursday, Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi, who had written to the Speaker seeking the MLAs’ disqualification, also ap-

A viral...

First man: Don’t come till 11 am.

Second: I have to come

not receive a call.

First: No, nor did I. Second Viral Audio: First man: You are alone?

Second man: Yes. First: The number will be completed in twothree days. Second: Yes. First: I have told that there are 2 people who are hesitating, their talk is direct with you.

There is no problem anywhere, work will be done immediately. Second: Yes. First: Now if I give the list of Sachin, then tell me, sir, my point is kept, don’t take names. Second: Yes, I will say.

First: Please talk to Ga-

Second: Your seniority will be taken care of.

Don’t worry. First: Okay. Now just Chetan Doody and Balwant Poonia will come First: Chetan Doody will also come, Balwant Poonia will also come, and more will come.

Second: That will be good.

Experts from... and Vadodara next in line.

Apart from these, Rajkot saw 51 cases in 24 hours, while Bhavnagar saw 50, Junagadh, 39, and Surendranagar and Kheda witnessed 20 each.

In the past 24 hours, 522 samples were tested in Vadodara, of which 74 were positive. As on Thursday, there are 770 active cases, with 125 patients on oxygen support and 38 are on Bipap machines. New cases have been reported from Sama, Manjalpur, Makarpura, Gorva, Chhani, Navapura and other areas. Cases have emerged even from villages like Por, Bajva Dabhoi, Simli and Padra. Bharuch district recorded 38 cases: 17 from Bharuch, 13 from Ankleshwar.

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T

he list of famous figures whose Twitter accounts were hijacked by scammers on Wednesday reads like a Who’s Who of the tech and celebrity worlds: Tesla boss Elon Musk, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, former president Barack Obama, current Democratic nominee Joe Biden, celebrities Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, billionaires Warren Buffett and Mike Bloomberg, the corporate accounts of Apple and Uber, and more besides.

The point of the hack? To lure followers into sending US$1,000 in Bitcoin, with the classic scammer’s false promise of sending back twice as much.

After a preliminary investigation, Twitter said it believed the incident was “a coordinated social engineering attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools”.

The details are still far from clear, but it seems likely someone with administrative rights may have granted the

AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

07

VIRTUAL HACKING Stakes too high in the real world!

The Twitter hack targeted the rich and famous.

But we all lose if trusted accounts can be hijacked

hackers access, perhaps inadvertently, despite the presence of two-factor authentication on the accounts – widely considered the gold standard of online security. It appears insiders may have been involved, although the story is still unfolding.

The use of the niche currency Bitcoin limited the number of potential victims, but also makes the hackers’ loot impossible to trace. Ironically enough, Bitcoin is a currency designed for a post-trust world, and the anonymity of its transactions makes the hackers even harder to track down.

Whom do we trust?

Who’s in charge?

This is not the first time we have seen the complex and profound impact social media can have. In 2013, hackers gained access to @AP, the official Twitter account of the respected Associated Press news agency, and tweeted: Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is Injured.

The stock market dived by US$136.5 billion almost immediately but bounced back within six minutes, illustrating the interconnected systems that move so quickly a human cannot intervene - algorithms read the headlines and the stock market collapsed, albeit fleetingly.

By shorting stocks, whoever hacked AP’s Twitter account stood to make enormous profits from the temporary stock market tank. We do not know what the financial benefits, if any, to the hackers in 2013 were.

This week’s Twitter hack definitely had financial motives. The Bitcoin scammers in this recent hack netted more than US$50,000.

More sinister still, however, are the implications for democracy if a similar hack were carried out with political motives.

What if a reliable source, such as a national newspaper’s official account, tweets that a presidential candidate has committed a crime, or is seriously ill, on the eve of an election? What if false information about international armed attacks is shared from a supposedly reliable source such as a government defence department?

The impacts of such events would be profound, and go far beyond financial loss.

This is the inherent danger of our growing reliance on social media platforms as authoritative sources of information. As media institutions decline in size, funding and impact, the public increasingly relies on social media platforms for news.

The Bitcoin scam is a reminder that any social media platform can be hacked, tampered with, or used to spread false information. Even gold-standard technical systems can be outwitted, perhaps by exploiting human vulnerabilities. A disgruntled employee, a careless password selection, or even a device used in a public space can pose grave risks.

The question of who polices the vast power accrued by social media platforms is a crucial one. Twitter’s reaction to the hack – temporarily shutting down all accounts verified with the “blue tick” that connotes public interest – raised the ire of high-profile users (and prompted mirth among those not bestowed with Twitter’s mark of legitimacy). But the underlying question is: who decides what is censored or shut down, and under what circumstances? And should companies do this themselves, or do they need a regulatory framework to ensure fairness and transparency?

Broader questions have already been raised about when Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms should or should not censor content. Facebook was heavily criticised for not removing oppressive posts about Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and what the United Nations referred to as a genocide ensued.

Twitter much later suspended some accounts that had been inciting violence, with some criticism.

What is the responsibility of such platforms, and who should govern them, as we become more heavily reliant on social media for our news? As the platforms’ power and influence continue to grow, we need rigorous frameworks to hold them accountable.

Last month, the Australian government pledged a A$1.3 billion funding increase and an extra 500 staff for the Australian Signals Directorate, to boost its ability to defend Australia from attacks. Australia’s forthcoming 2020 Cyber Security Strategy will hopefully also include strategies to proactively improve cyber security and digital literacy.

In an idea world, social media giants would regulate themselves. But here in the real world, the stakes are too high to let the platforms police themselves.

n SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION n CONCEPT: RAKSHITA PAREEK n DESIGN: SITARAM SHARMA

People could do much better in life if they had the wisdom and experience of the elderly when they are young.

2ND FRONT COVID SCARE : Key agri Cong backs teachers, Doshi undertakes fast markets in Gujarat shut —Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

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08

First India Bureau

Fear created in agriculture & commodity markets has forced suspension of auctions Shishir Awasthi Ahmedabad: With several traders contracting the dreaded coronavirus and many more scared, the agricultural trades in key Gujarat markets have been badly hit even as several of them have downed their shutters for auctions.

In North Gujarat’s prominent grain market at Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district, some traders at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) have tested positive for the virus and the market yard has been closed till July 31. “It is difficult to ensure social distancing and keeping a watch over every individual if he has a mask on or not.

So in the interest of farmers, traders and buyers, the auctions have been suspended till July 31,” Ashok Shah, a grain merchant in Himmatnagar, said.

Himmatnagar is a key marketplace for wheat and castor trade. “Most

MARKETS SHUT

Several agriculture produce and commodity markets have downed shutters following Corona scare.

of the grains are transported to South India, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Since there are no buyers, there is great uncertainty on payments and deliveries at far locations. So, it is best to wait for the situation to normalise,” said Rafiq Ahmed Vekaria, an office-bearer at the local merchants’ association.

Farmers are waiting with small quantities of

agricultural produces, including wheat, maize and castor as most of the rabi season arrivals have taken place. “However, we were seeing thin supplies from farmers,” said Shah. Meanwhile, Unjha, the country’s largest cumin seed market, has implemented the oddeven formula with jeera (cumin seed) and isabgol (psyllium husk) auctions to take place on every alternate days i.e.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while all other commodities, including fennel seeds, are auctioned on the remaining days. “The move is to reduce crowding at the market and avoid the spread,” said a note from the Unjha market authorities. In Saurashtra, Mahuva market yard in Bhavnagar district has also announced a 10-day shutdown. The APMC authorities here an-

nounced suspension of operations from July 1627. However, fresh vegetable auctions are continuing. At, Mahuva, one of the country’s largest onion markets, most of the crop had already arrived and few farmers were bringing their produce for auctions. As Mahuva had started seeing daily new Covid-19 cases, the auctions were suspended for the next 10 days.

Ahmedabad : Thousands of teachers across the state have joined a digital protest demanding regular grade pay from the State Government in accordance with their recruitment process. The government had enforced a cut in the pay grade of teachers in 2010. Taking up cudgels for them, Gujarat Congress chief spokesperson Manish Doshi extended the party’s support to the teachers and demonstrated by a symbolic online day-long fast from his residence on Thursday.

“The State Government needs to focus on education reforms.

There is a dire need to improve the existing educational provisions. There are thousands of youngsters who have cleared competitive examinations and are awaiting their job postings,” asserted Doshi.

The State Government needs to focus on education reforms.

There is a dire need to improve the existing educational provisions.

There are thousands of youngsters who have cleared competitive examinations and are awaiting their job postings.

—Manish Doshi, Gujarat Congress Chief Spokesperson

“Youths who have passed mandatory exams such as Teachers Aptitute Test (TAT) and Head Teacher Aptitude Test (HTAT) want employment.

But, instead of recruiting young guns, the government is slashing the salaries of teachers who are currently on the pay roll,” he added.

Over 65,000 school teachers have been af-

fected by this revision of pay grade who launched a digital protest to voice their frustration.

In an appeal to all citizens, Doshi asked them to pledge support to the protest by demonstrating at their respective homes, since a protest cannot be held publically due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

India’s edible oil exports GCMMF to elect chairman, Experts panel to dip 15% in current fiscal vice-chairman on July 23 check Covid hosps First India Bureau Ahmedabad: India’s edible oil exports have dipped 15 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal and this is likely to fall further, given that the minimum support prices (MSP) of soybean and rapeseeds have been pegged quite high.

The Solvent Extractors’ Association, in a press statement, stated that edible oil exports were of 5.79 lakh tonne between April and June and this is 15 per cent lower than the corresponding quarter in FY ‘20.

Oilmeals export stood at 6.84 tonne and

Edible oil exports fall in first quarter.

it was 2.29 lakh tonne in June, which is around the same of over 2.28 lakh tonne in June 2019.

During the first quarter, the country exported 1.29 lakh tonne soybean, 2.88 lakh tonne rapeseed, 98,787 tonne rice bran and 62,821 castor seed meals.

Castor seed meals

export this time is one-third compared to previous year, while rice bran export is 23,000 tonne higher than last year and soybean oil export is down 27,000 tonne.

Kandla Port enjoys 33 per cent share, followed by JNPT-Mumbai, Mundra and Kolkata.

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

Anand: Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets the Amul brand products, is slated to elect its chairman and vice-chairman on July 23, on conclusion of their tenure of two and a half years.

Since its inception in 1973, the Federation never had an election and the member-dairies would unanimously select the chairman. And till 2015, there was no post of vice-chairman, which was created by amending the law to appease BJP MLA and Panchmahal Dairy Chairman Jethabhai Bharwad. He was the first vice-chairman.

The State’s 18 dairy unions on the board de-

Gandhinagar: The State Health Department has constituted an experts committee to inspect, supervise and provide guidance to dedicated Covid-19 hospitals, as directed by the Supreme Court.

There are 11 doctors on this committee, including Deputy Director (Medical Education) Dr Gunvant Rathod, Dr Saugata Chatterji and Professor of Medicine at Jamnagar Medical College. Others are from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and Gandhinagar GMERS colleges.

The experts will inspect facilities and medical practices at these hospitals and will guide the doctors there should

GCMMF, the marketer of Amul products, will elect its new chairman and vice-chairman next week.

cide whether to hold elections or unanimously select the chairman and vice-chairman. Of the Federation’s total 1,300 vote, the highest 25 per cent voting share (320) is of Banas dairy.

BJP’s OBC leader and Banas Dairy Chairman Shankar Chaudhary, who is vice-chairman of Gujarat State Cooperative Bank, is likely to throw his hat in the

ring. It remains to be seen if chairmen of other dairies will support him.

In January 2018, the Federation had unanimously elected seasoned cooperative leader and Kheda District Milk Producers Union Limited Chairman Ramsinh Parmar as the Federation’s chairman and he too is in the race for another term.

they feel the need to make amends.

They will also submit an Action Taken report to the Health Department, along with audiovisual reports. Before leaving the hospitals, they will discuss noncompliance of Covid-19 treatment practices with the stakeholders.

The Health Department claims that the committee has chalked out a plan to strengthen public health facilities and will play an important advisory role for the State Government.

This is the second such committee being formed to help the state government to prepare short, medium and long term public health plans.

RESTLESS YOUNGSTERS

JOBLESS YOUTH TAKE E-ROU TE, SAYS NO WORK, NO VOTE They threaten govt to boycott upcoming assembly by-polls and panchayat elections if recruitment process not completed

SEVERE UNEMPLOYMENT



First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Months after they almost brought the State Government to its knees, restless unemployed youth in Gujarat have upped the ante again -- through the social media -threatening to boycott the upcoming assembly by-elections

if the recruitment process is not expedited.

The educated jobless youth have already launched different agitations for recruitment, but now they have held out the threat to boycott the upcoming by-elections and panchayat polls.

One estimate puts the number of edu-

Youth leaders in Gujarat have threatened to boycott upcoming assembly by-elections if the government doesn’t initiate recruitments.

cated unemployed in Gujarat at 10 lakh.

The government has

announced several exams but has not initiated any process,

while in many cases youngsters are awaiting their appoint-

ment letters. There are some exams that have also started.

Meanwhile, Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, who had become the face of the LRD protest (Lok Rakshak Dal) and leader of Yuva Rojgari Bachavo Samiti, has raised the

issue through social media.

“There are around 30 to 35 lakh unemployed educated youth. There are thousands of pending applications with the government, and around 4,000 are

such where they are awaiting their appointment letters,” Jadeja said.

He said the government wakes up only when an election is near. “The government makes tall claims and tries to woo each class by big promises. The leaders will again hit the streets for campaigning but we want to be clear that must first complete the recruitment process and then ask for votes.

First, finish the recruitment process and then hold the elections,” Jadeja asserted.

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DECK THE NECK

Worn by everyone around the world, necklace is the type of jewellery that is loved by all age groups to add a spark to their outfit

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

N

ecklace, worn around the neck, is one of the most elegant pieces of jewellery. These are also one of the earliest types of ornaments worn by the humankind.

To some, it is just a piece of jewellery, but to some, it is a symbol of status,

wealth and also religion.

The main thing that holds a necklace or a neckpiece together is a chain, band or a cord that is wrapped around the neck.

On one hand, there are artificial necklaces that go with the fashion in trend and are much affordable, and on the other, there are the ones that are rendered in precious metals like silver, gold and platinum.

These also include precious and semi-precious materials like diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and the list can go on.

There are various types of necklaces that are worn by women, like- Choker: which is a short length necklace worn closely around the

neck; Lavalier: the one that ends in one large-size pendant; Bib: it is wider at the front and tapers towards the back; Flapper: the ones that are made of pearls and necklaces and were the most iconic ones back in the 1920s; Collar: these are the ones that lie flat to the body and are more freestyle; Fringed: the ones that are made of a round chain with a fringe in the front; Pendant: the ones that have an ornament that hangs freely in the front; and there are so much more.

With the other pieces of jewellery that are available, the necklaces are considered to be one of the most important ones for decorating the

body and lighting up the entire outfit. The durability of any necklace depends upon the type of metal it is made of and the quality of the same; it also depends upon the quality of the stones used for its decoration. Since these are fragile, necklaces need to be taken care of really well. You’ve to Turn to P12

09

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AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

10

TURNING FANTASIES INTO REALITIES S

omewhere, someone has been desperately hoping that Hollywood would get around to making a movie adaptation of the late-’70s TV show “Fantasy Island.” Meanwhile, it would seem that the rest of us that is, the filmgoing public are just extras in an elaborate cautionary tale designed to teach that person a lesson. The point being: Be careful what you wish for; such corny old TV series are better suited for reruns than

for reboots. As suave yet sinister host Mr. Roarke warns the half-dozen expendable douchebags, guests who’ve traveled to this enchanted retreat to live out their wildest dreams, ‘Fantasies rarely play out as you would expect.’

This one at least packs the novelty of having been reconfigured into a Blumhouse horror movie. That means a chance to explore the shadowy corners of a property originally designed to accommodate a parade of flashy guest stars, à la ‘The Love Boat’ before it although that show doesn’t accommodate a zombie outbreak nearly so easily. In remaking Gene Levitt’s primetime series, “Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island” leans into the natural darkness of its namesake while mistakenly assuming that millennials know or care the slightest thing about it. On one hand, Blumhouse’s “Fantasy Island” seems unlikel y

the show), where a tortureporn scenario awaits: Sloane sits strapped into a dental chair, while a diabolical surgeon (Ian Roberts) with an autopsy saw is prepared to make her pay.

Again, things can only go so far within the confines of a PG-13 rating — which comes as a relief in this particular situation.

It takes the characters nearly an hour to understand the idea that they’re getting to experience their fantasies. Maybe that’s because, instead of paying $50,000 for the privilege the way they did on TV, they are all winners of a contest

to satisfy anyone who remembers the vintage ABC show or its short-lived 1998 revival, swapping out the weekly pleasure of watching Roarke torment the revolving cast of has-beens (TV stars like Peter Graves and Maureen McCormick found intermittent work after their hit series were canceled) for a more convoluted plot in which the island engineers a series of deadly scenarios for a bunch of shallow nobodies (over-actors like Lucy Hale, Maggie Q, and Portia Doubleday).

Director and co-writer Jeff Wadlow must have impressed someone with his take on the material, with its “Cabin in the Woods”like ambitions. The finished film plays at times like an out-of-control pitch meeting, lurching from one ostensibly clever idea to the next without taking the

trouble to connect the dots, or even to remain consistent with the two simple rules it sets out for itself.

First, only one fantasy per person (no do-overs, unless the do-over itself happens to be your fantasy). Second, each guest must see his or her fantasy through to its natural conclusion — and they inevitably “turn twisted” after a time. Whose fantasy is this, again? Oh right, yours. And if such titillation does it for you, then the ensuing assortment of cheap thrills just might suffice. For a horror remake of “Fantasy Island,” however, the PG-13 rating doesn’t allow for much in the way of actual scares. It may be more practical to think of the movie as a hybrid of various genres, as each character’s fantasy takes the shape of a different kind of film.

JD dreams of “having it

whose details are never divulged. Given that change, few will be surprised to learn that they’ve been assembled for the amusement (or revenge) of someone else, although the movie doesn’t explain why that person is allowed to violate the first rule of Fantasy Island.

No matter. Wadlow has designed the experience like a ride, whisking audiences along quickly enough that they’re not meant to dwell on plot holes. Granted, it’s hard to predict where the plot is headed when the core premises are constantly in flux.

all,” so Roarke leads him and Brax to a crazy backyard bash cribbed from pothead house-party movies like “Old School” and “This Is the End” (minus anything that would have pushed the film into R-rated territory). Gwen regrets turning down a boyfriend’s marriage proposal five years earlier, so Roarke conjures a soft-focus romantic scene straight out of the Nicholas Sparks playbook.

Patrick always wanted to be a soldier, so he gets to play “Platoon” alongside the hero dad he never knew.

The only one who seems to be sticking to the horror genre is Melanie, who longs to get back at the girl who bullied her in high school, Sloane (Doubleday). Roarke instructs her to take the elevator to the basement of the island mansion (whose exterior does a fine job of matching the one seen on

FA CE OF TH ED AY

Sources: https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/fantasy-island-review-1203502991/

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Lustre on face is the indication of a good news on its way. Sometimes taking advices is not so bad so listen to the one who is trying to save you some time. You are likely to do more work than is required from you because you will feel really happy doing the work that you love.

Quietude mode will benefit you as a mental therapy therefore take your space and spend some time alone. You will find your own way on professional front. No opposition can stop you from getting what you want on career front. You love to interact with people in ongoing basis.

Overblown by your hard work in projects, you seniors are going to reward you. You will be all time lost in reading, you may also go for books shopping. Avoid taking any legal actions to get your money back, give some time and you will have it without any problem.

Killjoys are everywhere but it totally depends on you if you let them do their job or not. Judicious spending is what you have been practicing for sometime now. On professional front, you may get nominated for some award. Catch up with your friends even if its on phone.

MAR 21 - APR 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

TJeopardise someone’s safety for self gain should be avoided, you are a good person and don’t let anyone else influence you otherwise. On professional front, you need to be more alert and careful of your work.

Your opinions are of great value to your children when they go astray.

Gravitating towards someone in office is indicated by cards. You are a brainy person and find logic in everything. Remain regular in with your studies to keep up to date with everyone else. You have many options in life and to choose the right one also depends totally on you.

Fulminating against evil practices will be the best thing to do. A good bank balance will allow you to experiment with businesses. If you are tired of the monotonous way of life, try and incorporate new hobbies in your routine. You are all about fitness and routine these days.

Enduring financial pressures in the past has made you this strong person that you are today.

If you get a chance to see your family, don’t miss out on it. On office front, all you need is a planned schedule and then see how fast things will work for you.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Peculiarity is often noticed and can benefit you more than you can ever imagine.

You are stubborn when it comes to getting things that you like.

You are a sweet person to sweet people and a devil for all the devils.

You have your parents hand on your head and nothing can harm you.

Cocky personality and straight forwardness is your personality trademark. Someone will share you workload today but express your gratitude by doing the same for this person in the near future when chance comes.You will grow very sensitive towards a family member.

Bestow your blessings and good wishes on someone who really needs them right now. Justice is very important if you are the one who is asked to judge. You will complete the given task in record time and will get free from the extra burden. You are get a surprise call from someone dear.

Besmirch your family’s name is very easy therefore think before you decide to do something from which there is no looking back.

Your well being is in the well being of your family, such a large hearted person you are. You are somebody who can sacrifice anything for kids.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

RHYTHM SANADHYA, Entrepreneur

APR 21 - MAY 20

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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Besties Forever

11

Flaunting

T

he supermodel Gigi Hadid is expecting her first child with singer Zayn Malik.

The stunner took to her Instagram account to do a live video chat with her fans and followers. This is the first time when the soon to be mom, Gigi Hadid flaunted her baby bump. The fans and followers of the gorgeous diva are going gaga over her, and how the supermodel did not shy away from flaunting her baby bump.

The stunner had confirmed with the media that she and beau Zayn Malik are expecting their first baby. The news of Gigi Had-

AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

Baby-bump

...her post

id’s pregnancy pleasantly surprised the fans of the beautiful looking couple. The fans of the supermodel are eagerly waiting for the baby’s arrival. —Agency

Iggy Azalea

A

month after announcing her first child, the Lola rapper, Iggy Azalea revealed her son’s name with a clip titled ‘Amethyst and Onyx’ when she posted an audio recording via Instagram of herself talking to the newborn. Her son’s name Onyx is a homage to her birth name, Amethyst, which, like Onyx, is a type of quartz. (Azalea was born Amethyst Amelia Kelly.) In the clip, Iggy asks the cooing baby, “Baby boy, are you going to say something to me?” When a fan commented, “Your names go so well together” “We besties forever”. I kept waiting for the right time to say but it feels like the more time passes the more I realize that I’m always going to feel anxious to share the news that is giant with the world,” the caption read.

—Agency

Gigit Hadid

Katrina turns 37

K

atrina Kaif celebrated her 37th birthday on Thursday. Starting her career with ‘Boom’ in 1999, she has come a long way in her professional life; the actress’ life also boasts of an impeccable journey personally. Katrina has wowed everyone with her power moves in the industry and she will soon be India’s first female superhero too. With almost everything falling into place for the actress, it is rather obvious that this year she’d be celebrating a little more, even though it’ll be at home due to the global pandemic. A lot of celebs took to social media to wish the star in special ways. Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Ali Abbas Zafar, Anushka Sharma, Karisma Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and many other stars wished the actress on her big day.

—Agency

Rhea demands

CBI PROBE

‘Our film will reach out to

LARGER AUDIENCE’

Extending SUPPORT

Katrina Kaif

B

eyonce is continuing to help those who’ve been affected by the global coronavirus pandemic. The singer’s BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund collaborated with the NAACP to assist Black-owned small businesses that have directly been impacted by the recent events across the nation. “Over the last couple of months, the pandemic and outpours for justice throughout the Black community and across the country has been felt in every imaginable area of our lives, inBeyonce cluding in how our local businesses continue to operate,” an official statement on the NAACP website reads.

It continues, “The challenges of Black business owners navigating in the climate cannot be understated. Grants of USD 10,000 will be offered to Black-owned small businesses.”

—Agency

Bhumi Pednekar

A

s her upcoming film ‘Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare’ is skipping theatrical release to premiere on Netflix, actor Bhumi Pednekar on Thursday said she feels online release will make her film to a larger audience.

“As an artist, I only look to entertain audiences every time I come on screen and I’m ok with any platform becoming the vehicle of my creative expression.

At this day and age, producers will do what is needed and we must all support each other’s decisions,” she said. “I feel our film will reach out to a much, much larger audience with this move,” she added.

Pednekar went on to explain how the film is a very special one for her and how she is happy to share the screen space with Konkana Sen Sharma for the first time.

“Dolly Kitty is a very special film. Konkona, as we know, is a really, really phenomenal person and as an actor,” she added.

—ANI

R ...her post

Rhea Chakraborty

h e a Chakraborty on Thursday made an appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide case.

Taking to social media, Chakraborty confirmed for the first time that she was the ‘Kai Po Che!’ actor’s girlfriend.

Along with a photo of Rajput, the 28-yearold actor wrote on Instagram, “Respected @amitshahofficial (Amit Shah) sir, I’m Sushant Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however, in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely Rhea.

—Agency

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

WELCOME!

CITY FIRST GUJARAT

I

First India CMD Jagdeesh Chandra welcomed Mahipal Singh, as a Director, on the Board of Directors of First India News International Pvt. Ltd.

FROM PG 1

DECK THE NECK

be careful with the light and heat they are exposed to, must be cleaned regularly, must be kept away from chemicals, the gems used in it must be treated with special care and most importantly, the necklaces must be stored in an extremely secure place. Keeping them separately might help you take

care of them in a much better way.

In the Indian tradition, the most common necklace is the ‘Mangala Sutra’- it is tied by the Groom around the Bride’s neck during their wedding ceremony. The name originated from Sanskrit‘Mangala’ meaning holy and auspicious and ‘Sutra’ meaning thread.

n an all-new avatar, Ahmedabad based jewellery powerhouse Harit Zaveri Jewellers (HZJ) has come up with monsoon inspired jewellery. In keeping with the brand’s appreciation of Indian culture, history and heritage, as well as the opulence of the country’s past, the HZJ store, is decorated in shades of deep burgundy with handpainted replicas of masterpieces by Raja Ravi Varma and Amrita Shergil, as well as ancient Mughal miniatures adorning the walls. Intricate chandeliers grace the entrance and the display cases themselves are reminiscent of historical monuments, complete with detailed engraving and inlay work.

Harit Zaveri said, “Now that people have finally decided to step out and make new purchases.

Purchasing jewellery during these unprecedented circumstances will be a memory cherished forever. Portraying the store itself as a storyteller, Harit Zaveri Jeweller (HZJ) designs weave a tapestry through time and traditions. Deeply rooted in its own Gujarati history, HZJ is influenced by the ancient Vedas, Hindu mythology and the celebration of festivals.”

The monsoon inspired jewellery collection is beautifully crafted depicting the elements of the rainy season and offers a balance and variety of the pleasing colours we see around such as radiant shades of blue and emerald greens. The collection also has tones of red to add a dash of vibrancy.

The collection comprises of an assortment of beguiling necklaces, elegant kadas and a dazzling ring. With this exquisite collection of Harit Zaveri, it’s all about combining these emeralds and sapphires in seamless designs to give you that effortless, perfect look this monsoon. cityfirstgujarat@ gmail.com

N

issan India on Thursday revealed the concept version of its highly anticipated B-SUV. Christened as the Nissan Magnite, the technology-rich and stylish B-SUV will be launched in FY 2020 in India.

Magnite is a portmanteau of the words ‘magnetic’ and ‘ignite’. Whereas magnetic highlights the design and the product attributes that will attract customers, ignite emphasises on the beginning of a new era that Nissan wants to bring in India.

12

AN ODE TO THE

MONSOON

‘Nissan Magnite’

CITY FIRST

AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020

“The Nissan Magnite is an evolutionary leap in Nissan’s global SUV DNA. With cuttingedge technology on board, it will be a game-changer in its segment. A bold offering in the sub-four-meter category, we are confident that Nissan Magnite will redefine the B-SUV segment for the industry. The Nissan Magnite is made on the philosophy of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ and has been designed in Japan while keeping in mind the requirements and aspirations of Indian customers,” said Rakesh Srivastava, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

RAJASTHAN: Meghna Sharma, a student of St Xavier’s School Jaipur, got 94 % marks in 12th CBSE boards. Meghna is currently preparing for CLAT and post her 5 year Law degree from some NLU, she wants to go in Judicial Services.

RAJASTHAN: Farzaan Ali, son of Mohsin Ali and Rubina Khan from St Xaviers School, Jaipur has successfully scored 94% in class 12th CBSE examination.

RAJASTHAN: Mahak Katyal, daughter of Sameer Katyal and Mamta Katyal from MGD School Jaipur has successfully scored 92% in class 10th CBSE boards.

She said that her mother guided and supported her throughout the journey.

RAJASTHAN: Harshita Jain, who scored 98.8 per cent in the CBSE Class X board examination, considers peace of mind to be most important for successful performance in examinations. She aspires to become an Architect and credits her success to her Architect father Manish Jain.

Professor Manish Tiwari, Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication, Manipal University, Jaipur, has been selected as the OSA Ambassador for 2020 by the ‘OSA - The Optical Society’, the institution headquartered in the US. Every year only 10 leading researchers and scientists in the field of optics and photonics are given this special lifetime honour. In his tenure as OSA Ambassador, Prof.

Tiwari will visit various European, Asian and American countries including the US and work on the innovations in the field of optics and photonics. Before this, Professor Tiwari has also been a visiting researcher in London and Beijing and has given lectures in several international universities.