First India-Ahmedabad Edition-19 August 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

26°C - 31°C

ALERT

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

AHMEDABAD l WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 263

COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

7,79,999 2,21,74,684 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 20,687 DEATHS 6,15,477 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

TAMIL NADU 6,007 DEATHS 3,49,654 CASES

INDIA

GUJARAT

53,018 27,64,092 2,822 DEATHS

DELHI 4,226 DEATHS 1,54,741 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

DEATHS

KARNATAKA 4,210 DEATHS 2,40,948 CASES

80,942

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN 898 DEATHS 63,977 CASES

GREAT SIGH OF RELIEF FOR GEHLOT GOVERNMENT

NO NEW TOPPLING EFFORT FOR NEXT 6 MONTHS! Aditi Nagar New Delhi: According to highly placed sources in New Delhi and Jaipur, there will be no new toppling effort or no-trust motions in Rajasthan assembly at least for another six months by the principal opposition party BJP, or any other group of rebel or disgruntled MLAs against the Gehlot government. While reacting on Gehlot’s

Amit Shah admitted to AIIMS, Delhi

trust vote victory, even Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in his Indian Express function speech two days back, clearly indicated that there will be no such new move (no-Confidence motion) in the next 6 months, though the party is always prepared for any such unforeseen eventuality.

Now the party’s main focus will be to win Panchayat and Local Self

elections.

Notably, Gehlot government had won a record trust vote recently in Rajasthan Assembly by a record margin of 75 versus 123 not out. Incidentally, if the actual voting would have taken place on that

day in the house then BJP’s real strength was reduced from 75 to 71

Ashok Gehlot

because 4 BJP MLAs, in a mysterious move, had opted out from the as-

Gulab Chand Katariya

sembly. Now a ‘redfaced’ Gulab Chand Kataria and Satish Poonia have asked the four absentee MLAs to explain their conduct by 20th August.

According to Gehlot camp, even 6 more BJP MLAs

Satish Poonia

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said necessary legal provisions will be made to ensure that only local people get jobs in the state government. He also said resources of the state are meant for residents of the state.

“The state (BJP) government has taken an important decision that government jobs will be given only to youths of Madhya Pradesh. We are making necessary legal provisions for this purpose. Resources of Madhya Pradesh are meant for children of the state,” Chouhan said in a video statement.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan during the VC on Tuesday.

He, however, did not elaborate on the proposed legal provisions.

Later in a tweet addressed to youths, the CM said, “From today,

ASHOK LAVASA RESIGNS AS ELECTION COMMISSIONER, TO JOIN ADB AS V-P New Delhi: Ashok Lavasa on Tuesday resigned as Election Commissioner and would soon be joining the Asian Development Bank as vice president, sources said. Lavasa was next

face value, the saffron party had always maintained that Rajasthan’s political crisis was only an internal feud between the two warring Gehlot and Pilot camps and the BJP has nothing to do with the toppling game plan.

Meanwhile, there is a growing feeling among the top BJP leadership at the centre and in state that their indirect or silent association with Sachin Pilot Turn to P6

SHIVRAJ GETS ROHIT SHARMA AMONG 4 PICKED FOR VOCAL FOR LOCAL! KHEL RATNA AWARD Govt jobs in MP only for local residents: CM Chouhan

New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah has been admitted to AIIMS in Delhi for post-COVID care, the hospital said.

“The Home Minister has been complaining of fatigue and body aches for the past 3-4 days. He has tested negative for COVID-19,” the statement by hospital said, adding, “he has been admitted for postCOVID care. He is comfortable and is continuing his work from the hospital.” Shah was discharged from Medanta Hospital, Gurugram on August 14, after testing negative for COVID-19.

—ANI

were kept on the ‘reserved list’ which could have voted in favour of Gehlot, if the situation required. The Central Congress and even BJP leadership is ‘impressed’ with Gehlot’s smart move and tactics to keep his 102 MLAs intact for a period of more than 35 days, against a serious Pilot camp attempt to bring Gehlot government to minority with an indirect support of BJP, though, on the

in line to head the EC. Lavasa has sent his resignation to Rashtrapati Bhavan and has requested to be relieved on August 31.

He would be joining the Philippines-based ADB in September.

the children of Madhya Pradesh will have the first right over the resources of Madhya Pradesh. All government jobs will be re-

served only for the children of Madhya Pradesh.

Our aim is to involve the local talents in the upliftment of the state”.

The MP CM said that students of state will be taken in government services and “necessary statutory provisions will be made to ensure this”.

In his Independence Day speech, Chouhan had announced that preference would be given to local people in government jobs. He had also said his government will devise a mechanism to ensure employment to youths on the basis of their marksheets of classes 10 and 12.

Turn to P6

SC dismisses plea to transfer PM Cares Fund New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to direct the Centre to transfer the contributions made to PM CARES Fund for battling the COVID-19 pandemic to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). A bench

headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said that voluntary contribution can always be made to the NDRF as there is no statutory bar under the Disaster Management Act. The judgement came on a PIL, filed by NGO Turn to P6

The committee also recommended names of 29 players for Arjuna award

 Indian opening batsman Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, table tennis player Manika Batra and Paralympian M Thangavelu have been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award — India’s highest sporting honour.  Rohit Sharma will be the fourth cricketer after legendary Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni

and Virat Kohli to be conferred the award.  India pacer Ishant Sharma, male recurve archer Atanu Das, women’s hockey team player Deepika Thakur, cricketer Deepak Hooda and tennis player Divij Sharan were named in a 29-strong list of athletes recommended for this year’s Arjuna award.

Turn to P6

IPL 2020: Dream11 wins title rights, Tata group stays away New Delhi: Fantasy gaming platform Dream11 on Tuesday won the IPL title sponsorship rights with a bid of Rs 222 crore, replacing Chinese mobile phone company Vivo for a four and a half month deal.

Dream11 has been one of the IPL sponsors for a couple of years now.

“Dream11 has won the rights with a bid of Rs 222 crore,” IPL chairman Brijesh Pa-

tel said. It is learnt that multinational conglomerate Tata group didn’t place a final bid while two education technology

companies – BYJUs (Rs 201 crore) and Unacademy (Rs 170 crore) – came second and third respectively.

Turn to P6

RUPANI GOVT PERMITS SKYSCRAPERS IN FIVE CITIES Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhinagar can now get 70-storey buildings First India Bureau Gandhinagar: In a major change to the Common GDCR (General Development Control Regulations) 2017, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday approved the construction of buildings of 70 floors or more in five major cities of the state. At present,

builders have permission for construction of up to 22 floors.

The new permission will be applicable to structures which are taller than 100 metres in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhinagar cities, an official release from the state government said.

The change is aimed at helping to create de-

mand in the real estate market and meet land requirement shortage, to this make property more affordable in the long run.

The state government will set up a Special Technical Committee (STC) in each of the five abovementioned cities to approve proposals for these skyscrapers. The STCs will “advise the competent authority regarding the feasibility of development proposals,” the release said, adding that the

CM Vijay Rupani

competent authority may collect such additional processing fees per proposal at the time of submission of the proposal, as it finds necessary for

scrutiny by the STC. The new rules shall be applicable to buildings taller than 100m and with an aspect ratio of 1:9 (width and length ratio). The provisions will

be applicable in D1 category in the urban development authorities of Ahmedabad (AUDA), Surat (SUDA), Vadodara (VUDA), Rajkot (RUDA) and Gandhinagar (GUDA), where the permissible base FSI is equal to or more than 1.2.

The plot size to construct a skyscraper with a height of 100150m must be 2,500 sqm, and 3,500 sqm if the proposed height is above 150 m. The skyscrapers can only be constructed if the adjoining road is more

than 30m wide.

The maximum FSI (Floor Space Index) will not be more than 5.4 in any case. Premium FSI will be available on a chargeable basis. The Premium FSI charges will be 50% of Jantri rate of Non-Agriculture land.

The buildings can either be used for residential, commercial, or recreational purposes or a combination of the same.

Apart from preparation of a disaster management plan and an Electric Charging facility in the parking zone,

a wind tunnel test of the model structure has been made compulsory under the new rules, the release said.

It is expected that the new permissions will not only Gujarat’s skyline to new heights but will also show the state’s mettle in terms of infrastructure capacity. With the construction of the skyscrapers, the state’s urban infrastructure will be able to accommodate the rising population and generate more employment for the dwellers.

NEWS AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

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

02

Skyscrapers will raise land prices but it is unclear if advantages will trickle down to end consumers

WILL CHANGING SKYLINES CHANGE GROUND REALITY?

Gargi Raval & Haresh Jhala

Ahmedabad: The state government’s decision to allow 70-storey buildings has boosted the morale of real-estate developers but—to draw from the philosophy of a popular superhero—with taller buildings come taller responsibilities.

With Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhinagar set to receive facelifts, builders say vertical development will bring down the prices of residential and commercial properties. However, this development will also cost more in terms of infrastructure. So, it is unclear as to how much advantage will reach property buyers.

On the plus side, taller buildings could bring benefits to those forced to live in cramped conditions, especially since the room-person ratio in Gujarat is 1:70, a tighter fit than the national average of 1:41.

Similarly, more people living in smaller spaces would also bring

in more taxes, which could also be used to further develop these megacities, as was done in Singapore and other places.

Yet, as Pravin Bavadiya, CMD of City Estate Management, said, “For the execution of this announcement, the state government and local authorities will have to make many changes in detail rules and regulations.”

He, like many others, said that, while the primary announcement appears beneficial to both house seekers and builders, there are challenges ahead.

“The building materials will have to be different from exist-

ing ones. Plus, at least in Ahmedabad, these buildings will need to be earthquake resistant,” he said.

It is to be remembered that Ahmedabad-the state’s most populous city--saw several buildings collapse or be severely damaged in the 2001 earthquake that hit Bhuj, around 240 km away from the city.

“Cities are the engines of growth and development worldwide. As India is experiencing rapid urban and economic growth, there is a need to accommodate more people and jobs in our cities. However, this needs to be

both economically and environmentally sustainable,” said Professor Jignesh Mehta, Programme Chair, Masters of Urban Planning, at the CEPT University.

Mehta added, “Such compact, mixed-use vertical development must be facilitated by sufficient area under street network, and walkable urban blocks of 100m x 100m, or 100m x 150m and appropriate underground infrastructure and social amenities. Such development, if it comes up around areas with public transport like the Metro rail or BRTS stations using the principles of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

APPROVED SKYSCRAPERS IN GUJARAT Name

Height (m)

Floors

City

GIFT Diamond Tower

410

86

Gandhinagar

Gate Towers 1 & 2

362

70

Gandhinagar

Crystal Tower 1 & 2

276

65

Gandhinagar

Clippers Tower - 1

260

65

Gandhinagar

Naga Tower -1 & 2

230

54

Gandhinagar

Garba Tower

210

55

Gandhinagar

State will not interfere in khaki affairs if actions legal: CM First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has assured state police that there will be no intervention from the state government when it comes to the modus operandi of the force. He also emphasized that the police should strive to discharge their duties with courage and bravery.

In a video conference with various police commissioners, inspector generals and district superintendents of the state on Tuesday, CM Rupani appreciated the service of the police in the fight against novel coronavirus. He asked the police to take strict actions against all anti-social elements in the wake of the ongo-

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

ing health crisis.

The chief minister also credited the development and growth seen in the state to good and efficient policing. “It is because of effective policing that the crime rate in the state is low. The state will extend its support to the force

by providing upgraded technology and equipment,” he stated.

Advising the state police to bring about a change in its public image, the CM said that building a reputation of honesty and stern action will prevent several offences.

Minister of State

for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja instructed state police to show zero tolerance towards liquor consumption in the state and strictly implement prohibition. He also appreciated the work of the police for using technology to crack cyber crimes and helping people recover their lost money. Jadeja advised that the police will have to keep themselves updated about new technology and study the mindset of criminals active in cybercrime to meet new challenges.

In a crackdown on corruption within the force, the state government plans to increase manpower to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Bureau and expose corrupt officials.

could help reduce people’s dependence on private vehicles, which would also reduce congestion.”

Aashil Patel, Director of Remix Corporate Services feels that the announcement could help the real-estate market to bounce back.

“It can increase land prices in accordance with Floor Space Index (FSI). In the coming days, Ahmedabad city is likely to see such skyscrapers planned along the 132-foot-ring road, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway and Sardar Patel Ring Road,” he said.

A number of existing buildings in these areas are also likely to be redeveloped under

the new rules.

Vadodara too is likely to see skyscrapers coming up in in Bhayali and Sevasi areas, where-under the recently approved town-planning scheme--most roads will be at least 30m wide, Hemant Patel, Chairman of Vadodara’s chapter of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association (CREDAI) said.

Pritesh Shah, president, CREDAI-Vadodara, is hopeful that the city will start seeing such projects within the next six to 12 months.

Aashil Patel’s first impression is that such vertical growth will not

add any burden on basic amenities. Citing Mumbai as an example, he said, “Mumbai has many such skyscrapers but there are no complaints about a shortfall in basic amenities.”

Hemant Patel and Pritesh Shah are both of the opinion that the sector will initially have to hire experts and consultants from outside but will eventually evolve to grow its own technologies and technical experts to execute such mega projects.

In addition, in order to abide by the national building codes and guidelines, each project will also have to set up its own firefighting infrastructure and

CONSTRUCTED AND UNDER-CONSTRUCTION SKYSCRAPERS IN AHMEDABAD/GANDHINAGAR Name

Height (m) Floors City

GIFT 1 & 2

122

28

Gandhinagar

WTC Gift Tower

122

24

Gandhinagar

Sobha Dream Heights 102

33

Gandhinagar

Takshashila Air

25

Ahmedabad

79.48

FILE PHOTO OF PROPOSED NAGA TOWERS IN GANDHINAGAR

even hire a small team of firefighers.

“The structures will have to be such that they resist fire for at least two hours,” Basant Kumar Pareek, Incharge Chief Fire officer of the Surat Municipal Corporation, said. He added that the Surat Fire department is currently short of 500 firemen. “If such skyscrapers are permitted, each zonal office department will need more equipment and fire platforms for rescue operations. It will increase investment by local authorities, too,” he said.

Further, the national building codes require high-rise buildings that are 50m or taller to have provisions for a helipad on the terrace.

It has to be approved by the authority. Such buildings will need enough open space in the surrounding areas and need internal and external staircases. All these will add to the cost of the project. The maintenance of such a project too will be high-all of which could end up costing future property owners dearly.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

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

03

State’s total +ve cases cross 80K mark Single-day of highest testing of 57K sees 1,126 fresh cases, and 20 deaths; 1,131 discharged in 24 hours; death toll has now reached 2,822 Haresh Jhala Gandhinagar: Gujarat has now seen 80,942 people infected with the novel coronavirus, and has lost a total of 2,822 lives to the virus, according to data from the state government’s health department released on Tuesday.

The day also saw the state conduct a record high of 57,234 samples.

Given that the government has previously announced that the total daily testing capacity at state-run and private laboratories is 10-11,000, this mean as many as 46,000 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Tuesday.

While the numbers may seem high, it is important to note that the government has—over the span of five months— tested just 14,15,598 samples in a state with a

COVID-19 testing at a residential society in Ahmedabad.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

population of 6.5 crore.

Dang district has seen the lowest testing, with a mere 3,969 samples, or 2.2% of the population, having been tested.

According to Tuesday’s health bulletin, the highest number of new cases, 252, came from Surat: 175 from the city and 77 from rural areas. The New Civil hospital in Surat is treating 142 patients, of which six are on ventilators, 23 on BiPAP ma-

chines and 75 on oxygen support. Meanwhile, SMIMER is treating 88 patients, six of whom are on ventilators, 20 of whom are on BiPAP machines and 49 are on oxygen support.

Vadodara tested 1,894 samples, of which 111 came back positive.

There are 1,139 active cases there, of whom 53 are on BiPAP machines and 136 are on oxygen support. BJP councillor from Ward 17 Nilesh

Rathod has tested positive and is being treated at a private hospital.

The Rajkot Municipal Corporation conducted tests on 1,500 sweepers, 68 of whom have tested positive.

In addition, 165 cases occurred in from Ahmedabad; Rajkot had 98, Jamnagar, 58, Morbi, 46, Panchmahal, 39, Dahod 28, Gandhinagar, 27, Banaskantha and Bharuch had 26 each and Mehsana had 18.

Youth drowns in Jeramsar Road near Mundra gets washed away as Lake at water worship event 93% of Gujarat’s talukas see rain in 24 hrs First India Bureau

First India Bureau

Ahmedabad: In a bizarre incident, a youth drowned in the Jeramsar Lake in Mundra, where several people had gathered to welcome fresh water in the nearby dam. Local BJP MLA Virendrasinh Jadeja was also reportedly present at the gathering.

Locals said there is an age-old tradition to worship the water after rainfall. They also claimed that the person who drowned had participated in a swimming competition during the event.

“The event was held amid the pandemic,

Ahmedabad: The incessant rain that has been pelting the state for the past few days has resulted in floods, road damage, and disruption in transport.

On Tuesday, the road connecting Adani Hospital to Samudra Township in Mundra got washed out due to the heavy rains.

According to data from the state government, 234 of the state’s 251 talukas—93%—have experienced rains in the last 24 hours. It further says that as many as 104 talukas received between 1 inch and 11 inch-

A crowd gathered at the site of the accident.

when mass gatherings are banned under the Epidemic Diseases Act,” Manish Doshi, Chief Spokesperson, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, said, adding, “There was a BJP MLA and a village sarpanch, who were present at the event and vio-

lated social distancing norms. People are not allowed to gather in one place, but if the BJP organizes an event, large numbers can be in attendance. Also, when a person died, the ruling party did not even bother to know the whereabouts of the deceased.”

Disabled 21-year-old kidnapped, gang raped by 5 men in Viramgam First India Bureau Viramgam: A disabled 21-year-old woman was allegedly gang raped by five people, who then dumped her by the side of a road. The assault, which could be described as horrific, occurred on Saturday night, after the woman was kidnapped and taken to an isolated location.

According to a First Investigation Report filed at the Viramgam

Autorickshaw driver grabbed her, assaulted her and then called 4 friends police station, an autorickshaw driver named Rahul Bharwad pulled the woman, who has 75% disabilities, into his vehicle. She had been on her way to the hospital where her mother is working.

Bharwad sexually assaulted her and

then called his friends—Pancha Bharwad, Dashrath Bharwad, Lakha Bharwad and one more unnamed person—who also raped her and then left her on the side of a road.

She was unconscious when members of her family found her.

When she was revived, she narrated the whole episode to her family and went to the police station to file her complaint against the accused.

“It came to light that the accused had connections with some senior Congress leaders, who tried hard to save them. However, local youths resisted and pressured the police into filing the complaint,” said Shamshad Pathan, advocate and a member of Alpsankhyak Adhikar Manch. “We will support the victim, provide legal help, and also fight the case on her behalf pro bono,” asserted Pathan.

nCov causes survival scare for local Ganesh idol artisans Ruchi Thakar Surat: With the state government calling for low-key Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the livelihoods of people and small businesses associated with the festival in Surat, will be adversely affected. The festival, which generates a turnover of more than Rs15-20 crore every year, is set to be observed with minimal festivities this year.

Over 70% of the city’s population is directly involved in the festival in some way.

Of these, nearly 20%

A stall selling Ganesh idols in Surat.

are indirectly responsible for logistics and other services.

Anil Biscuitwala, President, Ganesh Utsav Samiti, Surat—an umbrella body coordinating between the local civic body Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Ganesh mandals-said, “This year, the

situation is not the same. We are facing an extraordinary situation due to the pandemic,” adding, “The health crisis will have an adverse impact on the livelihoods of artisans who make Ganesh idol. It will also affect the small industry which works during this festival

involving flower vendors, electricians, sale of items such as bamboo for setting up mandapas, transportation facilities, among others.”

He also said: “More than 65,000 Ganesh idols were being installed every year but this time, the number is down to 10,000.”

Chetan Dummasiya, an artisan who sells his idols in the Gopipura market, lamented, “We will never forget 2020. It is the first time ever that we have such a low number of orders. Our survival is at stake.

Till last year, I used to sell over 70 idols a day and now can barely manage 20.”

The road connecting Adani Hospital to Samudra Township in Mundra.

es of rain during this time period.

The Kutch region has already received 142.57% of its annual average rainfall—making the wettest part of

the state this monsoon season so far—while north Gujarat is the driest, having received 60.88% of its annual average rainfall.

Dolvan in Tapi district

received the most rainfall across the state— 277mm, or 11 inches—in the past 24 hours, followed by Mandvi in Surat, which got 252mm, or 10 inches, of rain.

The coming days will continue to bring rainy weather, according to the India Meteorological Department, which has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over Maharashtra and Gujarat during the next four to five days.

There is a rise in water levels in the basins of the Lower Mahi, Lower Narmada, Lower Tapi, and Damanganga rivers. Similarly, the waters in the Narmada, Tapi, Damanganga are rising rapidly and are expected to rise even further due to the heavy rainfall forecasted for the next four to five days.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

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

IN-DEPTH

DR SANJEEV CHOPRA

BJP TO KEEP FB OUT OF FIRING LINE

The author is an IAS & Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration Mussoorie and Honorary Curator, Valley of Words: Literature and Arts Festival, Dehradun

T

he political row over Facebook’s proBJP bias has turned into a full-scale war between the Congress and the ruling party. The situation turned unsavoury after Shashi Tharoor, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, announced summoning Facebook executives to face the panel for their inaction against some BJP leaders for their hate speech. Jumping to Facebook’s defence, the BJP has announced it will seek Tharoor’s removal.

The alacrity with which the ruling party moved against the Congress MP makes one wonder why it should go all out to shield the social media giant if not for its own interests.

Ever since the massive data leak by Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm that worked for Donald Trump’s election victory, Facebook has been mired in controversy. The row in India is not about data protection but Facebook’s partisan role when it comes to enforcing its hate-speech rules in India. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal headlined “Facebook Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics---Company executive opposed the move to ban controversial politician” said that Facebook turns a blind eye to hate speech and objectionable content posted by BJP leaders and workers while blocking even mildly critical content posted by those from the opposition. The Journal quoted an executive of Facebook saying that punishing BJP workers for violating rules will hurt the social media giant’s business prospects in India. This prompted Shashi Tharoor to summon FB executives.

Facebook insists that it prohibits hate speech irrespective of one’s political affiliation but is yet to block BJP leaders for their offensive posts.

T

CONG NOT LOSING SLEEP OVER JHA

S

uspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha set the cat among pigeons when he claimed that about 100 leaders of the party, including some MPs, have written to party president Sonia Gandhi seeking a change in leadership, an issue which has been dogging India’s GOP after repeated setbacks, and transparency in working committee elections. “It is estimated that around 100 Congress leaders (including MPs), distressed at the state of affairs within the party, have written a letter to Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, asking for a change in political leadership and transparent elections in CWC. Watch this space,” Jha tweeted last Monday.

The Congress denied the existence of any such letter and accused Jha of playing into the hands of the BJP to divert attention from the more pressing issue of Facebook’s partisan role favouring the BJP. In recent months, Jha has been openly critical of the leadership’s indecisiveness in several important matters like Jyotiraditya Scindia leaving the party and Sachin Pilot’s recent episode. In fact, Jha was suspended after he questioned the party’s silence over Sachin Pilot’s resignation. In an article in June, he wrote, “The Congress…has demonstrated extraordinary lassitude and its lackadaisical attitude towards its own political obsolescence has been baffling, to say the least (and this despite a whopping defeat in two Lok Sabha elections and several reverses in states)”.

Throughout the length and breadth of the country, the leadership provides by the district magistrates, municipal commissioners and chief executives of Zillah Panchayat have been appreciated by one and all. It is a reflection of their training, spirit de corps, informal interaction and the ability to talk across states that made a crucial difference

hat the Union and most state governments were able to handle the COVID crisis on the front foot is not in doubt. Rather the unity of purpose displayed by the political leadership, the bureaucracy, civil society and corporates made it possible for India to tide over this crisis, which could have really spelt disaster if the provisions of the Disaster Management Act was not invoked by the executive authorities as and when required.

In fact, it is important to note that the policy instruments and institutional arrangements were in place when Corona struck India. Throughout the length and breadth of the country, the leadership provided by the district magistrates, municipal commissioners and chief executives of Zila Panchayat have been appreciated by one and all. It is a reflection of their training, spirit de corps, informal interaction and the ability to talk across states that made a crucial difference. The movement of the migrant workers, the logistics with regard to their quarantine and treatment, ramping up the MNREGA works in the rural areas and mapping their competencies for deployment after the COVID was all done seamlessly. The extensive use of IT platforms, including MyGov and the documentation of the Centre of Disaster Management at the LBSNAA also helped the district administrations to seek references on best practices and norms without the usual hierarchical mode of seeking information from across states.

One must mention here that over the last few years the DoPT and the LBSNAA, the apex training institution of the country have been working in sync to ensure that the orientation, methodology and content of the training is geared towards making the officers aware of their eco-system, as well as the expectations of them. The focus has shifted from content to context, from information to institutional settings and from individual excellence to working in teams

VIRTUAL IS THE

NEW REAL

and groups. Rather than look at the teaching of economics, law, management, public administration in silos, the emphasis today is on understanding the deliverables in education, health, agriculture and rural development, among others.

The sequence in KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitude) framework has been reversed – and the leitmotif for training today is ASK (Attitude, Skills and Knowledge). If officers are endowed with a positive attitude, a spirit of inquiry, and empathy towards those who need the state the most – skills and knowledge would follow quite easily. The government is also quite clear that training is not a onetime affair alone.

There is an increasing emphasis on mid-career training programs, and after the completion of the initial two-year training program (both at the Academy and in the districts, officers return after the completion of ten, twenty, and thirty years in the field. It is also important to mention here that for the last five years , the DoPT also posts officers across departments of the Union governments as Assistant Secre-

THE SEQUENCE IN KSA (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDE) FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN REVERSED – AND THE LEITMOTIF FOR TRAINING TODAY IS ASK (ATTITUDE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE)

taries, during which period that are attached to a Joint Secretary to understand the functioning of the government of India, and more specifically, the nuances of interdepartmental co0ordnation. There is thus a clearer understanding of the Rues of Business as well

Priorities for saving the private sector F

or most countries, navigating the protracted economic slump brought on by COVID-19 is starting to look more like a marathon than a sprint. According to our estimates at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), domestic private investment and foreign direct investment in emerging economies will fall this year by almost $700 billion and $250 billion, respectively, and may not return to precrisis levels until 2023.

Worse, the crisis is exacting a massive toll on the world’s poor and most vulnerable, jeopardizing decades of hard-won development gains. The World Bank warns that we are about to witness the first increase in global poverty since 1998, with up to 100 million people being pushed

into extreme poverty.

How governments and firms navigate this uncertain period between shock and recovery will determine whether there is a sound economic foundation upon which to revive employment, long-term growth, and global development efforts. The situation demands that we reorganize and fix markets.

Many companies have had no choice but to reshape their business models, now that the pandemic is accelerating changes in how we work, consume, and communicate. These trends could reshape entire industries, creating opportunities for those with the innovative capacity.

But governments, too, must seek creative ways to adapt their economies and protect viable firms, while quickly unwinding those

that should disappear because they are insolvent or obsolete. This will be a time of trial and error, requiring strategic vision and pragmatism on the part of business and political leaders.

Countries can do three things to speed up the recovery. The first task is to adapt the rules of the game to new

04

realities. A prolonged crisis means that emerging economies will increasingly find themselves ill equipped to help thousands of companies renegotiate their debts.

In many low-income countries, an insolvency proceeding averages more than three years, a half-year longer than the global norm. But

with informal out-of-court mechanisms and simplified court proceedings, governments can give viable businesses an opportunity to weather the storm and avoid lengthy legal processes and costly and cumbersome negotiations. Developing countries can also increase the threshold for insolvency and

adapt debt-restructuring rules to prevent unnecessary liquidation of firms that are struggling for no other reason than lockdowns.

Second, governments must adopt a “do-no-harm” principle when organizing their responses. Wherever possible, the public sector should limit or simply suspend its arrears to private contractors, especially in job-rich sectors and critical supply chains. That will mitigate the damage to balance sheets, prevent viable businesses from going bankrupt, and limit the kind of ripple effects that could delay the recovery.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, public-sector arrears represent 3.3% of GDP. Clearing them could create the equivalent of a large stimulus package.

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.PROJECTSYNDICATE.COM

as the procedure to be followed for preparing agenda noted, memoranda for meetings and notes for the consideration of the Committee of Secretaries, as well as for the Cabinet.

During the times of COVID, while some training institutions closed down, the LBSNAA continued with the key training programs for officers in an online mode.

Not only classroom lectures, but even negotiation modules, interaction with luminaries, language classes and counselor group meetings were conducted online. Starting with the morning yoga to quiz programs, debates on contemporary issues, dance and sketching completions and film festivals were held over the Gyan portal of the Academy. The National Police Academy also followed suit, and now the working protocols established in the apex institution are being replicated elsewhere, including the state training academies.

If virtual is a new reality, the DoPT and LBSNAA deserve accolades for doing a great job.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Ravi Shankar Prasad @rsprasad PM CARES is a registered public trust made under Chairmanship of PM @narendramodi for emergencies like COVID19 whereas PMNRF was made in 1948 by an oral observation of the then PM to serve the needs to refugees from Pakistan etc.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal @HarsimratBadal_ A humble tribute to the great revolutionary leader Netaji #SubhashChandraBose on his death anniversary. #Netaji will always be remembered for his courage, patriotism & strategic prowess.

Spiritual SPEAK

Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good.

—Buddha

Vol 1 Issue No. 263 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad.

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

To Receive Free Newspaper PDF Daily Whatsapp: http://bit.ly/whatsappahm

Telegram: https://t.me/firstindiaahmedabad Click the above link� & subscribe us on your preferred platform.

INDIA AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

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

SC verdict, a blow to Congress Party’s cheap politics: Thakur The govt works with honesty and thus, enjoys peoples’ support, the Union Minister said

Transparency writ large on PM Cares Fund, says Prasad Anurag Thakur

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Finance, Anurag Thakur has welcomed the decision of Supreme court on PM Cares fund saying this is a blow to cheap politics of the Congress party and the victory of the truth.

He further said that the fund was created in the leadership of PM Narendra Modi to provide relief to people during the corona pandemic. “The verdict of the Supreme Court is a blow to the Congress’s petty politics and agenda. The party did not desist from its petty politics and started misleading the public at the time of the Corona crisis,” Thakur said.

“The creation of this fund was considered necessary to help the affected people during the time of crisis or disaster.

But even in the time of this disaster, the Congress Party started propaganda about the PM Cares Fund. Today, the Supreme court judgment is very important and it is the victory of truth,” he said.

The Supreme Court

has decided to not give order for fund transfer from PM Cares Fund to National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The decision not to pass the order and the separation of the two funds has been given, the Minister said, adding that the verdict has failed the Cong ress-sponsored propaganda.

Modi government is following a ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ against corruption & constitutional institutions have validated it. “The government works with honesty and therefore, it enjoys peoples’ support. The same honesty is also there in the PM Cares Fund,” he said.

“Government has provided Rs 3,100 crore as corona relief package including Rs 2000 crore for procurement of ventilators. 50,000 ventilators have been made available using the fund.

Rs 1,000 crore were given to states for making arrangements for migrant labourers & Rs 100 crore were sanctioned for conducting research on corona vaccine,” he said.

New Delhi: After SC rejected a plea seeking transfer of all contributions made to the PM Cares Fund to the National Disaster Response Fund, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that transparency is writ large on the PM Cares Fund.

“Transparency is writ large on the PM Cares Fund both in terms of legal requirement and transparent management of funds, which were received on a voluntary basis. Our govt has not faced even a single accusation of

He has all rights to criticise me, says Scindia Indore: BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia responded to the criticism by senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh “He has all the democratic rights to say whatever he wishes to say. In a democracy, there is only one god, which are people.

They will decide who is real and who is fake. It’s a democracy, he can say anything about. He is also an elder to me.” —ANI

Ravi Shankar Prasad Pralhad Joshi @JoshiPralhad Another blow to the nefarious designs of the Gandhi family with the Supreme Court upholding the validity of the PM CARES Fund. Will the Gandhi scion apologise to the nation for misleading people?

corruption.”

“It is not like the family-run Rajiv Gandhi Foundation which re-

ceived money from China and also Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund,” he added. —ANI

Truth shines despite Cong’s ill-intent: Nadda New Delhi: BJP President JP Nadda described SC decision on PM CARES Fund as a ‘resounding blow to the nefarious designs’ of Rahul Gandhi and his ‘band of rent a cause’ activists. The apex court has refused to direct the Centre to transfer the contributions made to PM CARES Fund for battling COVID-19 pandemic to National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

“The verdict by Supreme Court on PM CARES is a resounding

JP Nadda

blow to the nefarious designs of Rahul Gandhi & his band of rent a cause’ activists. It shows that the truth shines despite the ill intent & malicious efforts of the Congress party and its associates,” Nadda tweeted.

—ANI

Set up high-level inquiry into FB hate content, says Congress to Zuckerberg New Delhi: Amid a controversy over Facebook allegedly favouring “hate content” on the social media platform and the Congress demanding a parliamentary probe, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, demanding a “high level inquiry” into the controversy by the social media giant.

“Set up a high-level inquiry by Facebook headquarters into Facebook India’s leadership team and their operations in a time-bound manner, and publish and make transparent all instances of hate

speech since 2014 that was allowed on the platform. Facebook India should appoint a new team so that the investigation is not influenced,” said Venugopal in the letter.

The Congress said that the party is disappointed by the revelations made in the USbased Wall Street Journal’s article and added that this is a “damning and serious allegation of Facebook India’s interference in India’s electoral democracy.”

The opposition party has accused the BJP and the RSS of controlling Facebook and WhatsApp in India, as the Congress on Sunday

ARMY BEGINS INVESTIGATION IN ENCOUNTER OF 3 MILITANTS Srinagar: The army has begun its probe and recorded statements in connection with last month’s encounter in Shopian area of South Kashmir after families in Rajouri area of Jammu region filed a complaint with J&K police about its members missing from the same region. Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson

Col Rajesh Kalia issued a statement saying a high-level Court of Inquiry into Operation Amshipora in Shopian is under progress. “Statements of key witnesses are being recorded and progress is being monitored closely.

Additional civil witnesses are being asked to depose before the Court of Inquiry,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi We cannot allow any manipulation of our hardearned democracy through bias, fake news & hate speech. As exposed by @ WSJ, Facebook’s involvement in peddling fake and hate news needs to be questioned by all Indians.

alleged that the two had attacked democracy in the country and de-

Set up a high-level inquiry

by FB HQ into Facebook India’s leadership team and their operations in a time-bound manner, and make transparent all instances of hate speech.

Facebook India should appoint a new team.

KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary

manded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into alleged vio-

SATYA PAL MALIK APPOINTED MEGHALAYA GOVERNOR New Delhi: Satya Pal Malik was on Tuesday transferred as Governor of the northeastern state of Meghalaya, replacing Tathagata Roy who completed his five-year tenure on the gubernatorial post. A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said Malik has been shifted to Meghalaya, and Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been asked to discharge the functions of Goa governor in addition to his own duties. There is no fixed tenure for governors, but conventionally it is considered for a period of five years.

lations by the social media platform and its messaging service.

Meanwhile, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “We cannot allow any manipulation of our hardearned democracy through bias, fake news & hate speech. As exposed by @WSJ, Facebook’s involvement in peddling fake and hate news needs to be questioned by all Indians.”

On Sunday, Cong ress leader Rahul had tweeted: “BJP and RSS control Facebook and WhatsApp in India.

They spread fake news and hatred through it and use it to influence the electorate.

—ANI

‘Ally with govt for low-cost housing for migrants’ Vaishali New Delhi: The Minister of Steel and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan has appealed to steel industry leaders to partner with the government in providing lowcost housing for migrant labourers. Speaking as the Chief guest at a Webinar on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat: Fostering Steel Usage in Housing & Construction and Aviation Sector,’ he referred to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ scheme, and called upon PSUs and steel industry leaders to partner with the Government in the project. He

Dharmendra Pradhan

said that the Government has set a target of providing 1 lakh such houses, but the industry should build many more steel-intensive, low-cost houses which will be model for others to emulate. The Minister said that the industry should partner in such welfare-oriented initiatives of the gov-

ernment, as the AatamNirbhar Bharat seeks to provide dignity and self-respect to every citizen of the country.

Mammoth projects being undertaken by ministries of Housing & Urban Affairs & Civil Aviation & their future plans should be music to the ears of steel industry, Pradhan said.

IN THE COURTYARD 6 advocates to be elevated as judges of Delhi High Court

VERDICT ON PLEAS OPPOSING UGC CIRCULAR RESERVED

New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium has approved a proposal for elevation of six advocates as judges of the Delhi High Court. The apex court collegium, in its meeting held on August 17, recommended advocates Jasmeet Singh, Amit Bansal, Tara Vitasta Ganju, Anish Dayal, Amit Sharma and Mini Pushkarna, as judges of the High Court.

The collegium headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde also approved the proposal for elevation of advocate Rajesh Kumar Bhardwaj as Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court .

—PTI

New Delhi: The SC reserved its order on a batch of pleas challenging a circular of the UGC mandating to conduct the final term exams in all affiliated universities by the end of September.

A bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan reserved the judgement and said it will also decide whether the states will have power under the Disaster Management Act to defer final examination till the COVID-19 situation normalises. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the UGC, told the court that there was a political somersault by the Maharashtra government in this matter.

He said that on May 6, Maharashtra had constituted a state-level committee by the Minister of Higher and Technical Education. Their own committee recommended that the exams can be conducted, Mehta said.

“One thing I must emphasise is that the deadline was given for the benefit of the students. It’s not a diktat. All universities have to start admissions of postgraduate courses The country is working. These students are 20/21 years old. Do you really think they —ANI are not stepping out?” Mehta contended.

Netaji’s date of death unknown: Choudhary

‘India setting air bubble arrangements’

New Delhi: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury remembered freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, saying that while it is believed that the latter was a victim of a plane crash in Taihoku, it was never been confirmed by authenticated sources.

“The Tragic Hero Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is said to have been a victim of the plane crash in Taihoku today, however, it is not confirmed by any authenticate sources that he died or not,” he tweeted.

“He is the only Nationalist Hero and a world personality whose only birth anni-

New Delhi: Part of Central government’s Vande Bharat Mission, India is establishing bilateral air bubble arrangements with 13 countries. Making the announcement on Twitter, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said, “We continue to further strengthen the reach and scope of VBM. Air Travel arrangements are already in place with USA, UK, France, Germany, UAE, Qatar & Maldives. We are now taking these efforts forward and are negotiating with 13 more countries to establish such arrangements,” Puri said in a series of tweets.

—Agencies

‘COME UP WITH INNOVATION TO SOLVE FARMERS’ PROBLEMS’ New Delhi: Emphasising on the importance of agriculture in India, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu urged researchers and scientists to come up with innovations to address the problems faced by the farmers.Speaking at a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Naidu said, “From providing timely information to farmers

05

on various issues to creating cold storage facilities and supplying new technologies should be the focus of innovators and researchers.” He also stressed the need for preventing farmer’s exploitation by middlemen and ensuring remunerative prices for their produce.

He asked agricultural firms to work in unison.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

versary is celebrated, nobody knows about his date of death,” he tweet.

The controversy still continues over Bose’s death in a plane crash in Taihoku, on August 18, 1945. Govt formed various panels to uncover the truth behind the incident and Bose’s disappearance.

—ANI

SENSEX RALLIES 478 PTS; NIFTY TOPS 11,350 Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 478 points, driven by gains in index majors Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank amid positive cues from global markets and sustained foreign fund inflows. The BSE Sensex ended 477.54 points or 1.26% higher, while the NSE Nifty surged 138.25 points to 11,385.35. UltraTech Cement was the top gainer, rising over 3%, followed by Kotak Bank, ICICI Bank, Asian Paints and Tata Steel. Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank added most to the gains on the index.

INDIA AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

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

‘Take all precautions to keep vector-borne diseases at bay’ Govt is closely monitoring the situation & ensuring care to those affected, the PM said New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens on Tuesday, to take precautions during the ongoing monsoon season, noting that this is the time when tropical and vector-borne diseases spread.

The government is also closely monitoring the situation and ensuring care to those affected, he said.

“This is the season of tropical and vectorborne diseases. I urge you all to take the right precautions. The government is also closely monitoring the situation and ensuring care to those affected. Stay safe, be happy,” he tweeted.

He also tagged a DD News report on precautions to prevent vectorborne diseases. —PTI

Narendra Modi @narendramodi This is the season of tropical and vector-borne diseases.

I urge you all to take the right precautions.

The Government is also closely monitoring the situation and ensuring care to those affected. Stay safe, be happy!

PM Modi chairs a meet to review the preparations of National master plan via VC in New Delhi.

‘Swachh Survekshan 2020’ results on Thursday New Delhi: P M Modi will announce results of the fifth edition of nationwide annual cleanliness survey, ‘Swachh Survekshan 2020’, on Thursday, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said.

Ministry spokesperson Rajeev Jain said that 1.87 crore citizens participated in the survey of 4,242 cities, 62 cantonment boards and 92 towns along the Ganga river. Jain said that a total of 129 awards will

be handed over to the top performing cities and states at the “Swachh Mahotsav” event. The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, which is organising the event, said that the prime minister

will also interact with select beneficiaries of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban - ‘swachhagrahis’ & ‘safaikarmis’ (sanitation workers) -from different parts of the country through video conference. —PTI

06

IAF deploys indigenous LCA Tejas along Pak border New Delhi: Amid border tensions with China, the Indian Air (IAF) Force has deployed the indigenous LCA Tejas fighter aircraft on the western front along the Pakistan border.

“The LCA Tejas was deployed by the Indian Air Force on the Pakistan border to thwart any possible misadventure,” government said sources. LCA is India’s first indigenous fighter aircraft. After the induction of the first two squadrons, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said the deal for the 83 Mark1A LCAs will be finalised soon.

The deal, expected to be worth over Rs 40,000 crore, will likely be the largest-ever deal for an indigenous equipment in the country.

There were differences between the Air Force and the production agencies over specifications issued by IAF

ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT

but the then Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, ensured that both sides reached a middle path and clearance for 83 additional planes was given in 2016 by the Defence Ministry.

In view of the Chinese aggression on borders, the IAF had de-

ployed its assets along the borders with both China and Pakistan.

The forward airbases of the force have been equipped to take care of situations along the western and northern fronts and have seen extensive flying operations in the recent past.

India’s COVID-19 tally crosses SC verdict on Rhea’s plea to transfer 27 lakh mark: Health Ministry case from Patna to Mumbai today

New Delhi: A spike of 55,079 cases took India’s COVID-19 tally past 27 lakh on Tuesday just a day after it crossed the 26-lakh mark, while 19.77 lakh people have so far recuperated from the disease pushing the recovery rate to 73.18 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The COVID-19 caseload stood at 27,02,742, while the death toll climbed to 51,797 with 876 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Case fatality rate stands at 1.92 per cent.

There are 6,73,166 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which is 24.91 per cent of the total caseload, while the number of recoveries has risen to 19,77,779.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 3,09,41,264 samples have been tested up to August 17 with 8,99,864 samples being tested on Monday. —PTI

Medical team with new kits for COVID-19 testing in Lahaul Spiti.

—PHOTO BY ANI

Nearly 9L tests done in the last 24 hours, highest so far: Govt New Delhi: India has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 tests in the last 24 hours while the number of people recovered has now gone up to about two million, Union Health Ministry said.

Addressing a press conference here, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that case fatality rate is below two per cent and recovered patients are 2.93 per cent of active cases. He said nearly 9 lakh tests were conduct-

ed in the last 24 hours.

“A total of 8,99,864 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours.

Recovered patients are more than 19.70 lakh and

25 per cent of cases are active cases,” he said.

Bhushan said that average recovery per day is 55,000 while weekly positivity rate has come down to 7.72 per cent.

“The average recovery per day is 55,000.

More than three crore people have been tested so far. The weekly positivity rate has come down from 10 per cent to 7.72 per cent. Keeping two yards distance, wearing mask and hand cleaning is necessary,” Bhushan said. —ANI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will pronounce judgment on Wednesday on actress Rhea Chakraborty’s petition for transfer of FIR filed against her alleging abetment of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death to Mumbai. Chakraborty, in her petition to the apex court, had sought the transfer of case from Patna to Mumbai jurisdiction.

The judgement will be given by a bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy at 11 am.

Accusing Rhea of abetting his son’s suicide, KK Singh, Rajput’s father, filed an FIR in Patna on June 25 against her, her parents, Showik, Rajput’s manager Samuel Miranda and Shruti Modi and unknown persons accusing them of cheating and abetting his son’s death. Singh has also alleged financial irregularities and siphoning off Rs 15 crore in his son’s bank account in one year to an unknown person’s account, who is not known to late actor.

ED records statement of Sushant’s father

Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput

Actress Rhea Chakraborty

Stand together to demand CBI probe, says Sushant’s sister Patna: Sushant Singh Rajput’s sister Shweta Singh Kirti urged the people to “stand together” to demand a CBI enquiry in the late actor’s death case in order to get justice. “We stand to-

gether as a nation for CBI Enquiry!

Demanding an unbiased investigation is our right and we expect nothing but the truth to come out,” she tweeted also tagging PM Modi.

‘Witnesses in Sushant Singh Rajput’s case might get killed’ Patna: Niraj Singh Babloo, BJP MLA and a relative of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, on Tuesdaysaid, “Witnesses are being threatened, and Mumbai Police is not even

providing protection to them. The way things are unfolding, the witnesses might get killed. We demand that witnesses should be given police protection,” he said. —ANI

New Delhi: The EDhas recorded the statement of KK Singh, father of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, in connection with a money laundering case probe linked to his son’s death, officials said.

They said K K Singh , was questioned and his statement was recorded by the central probe agency on Monday here.Singh, a resident of Patna, had last month filed a criminal FIR with Bihar Police against Rajput’s friend and actor Rhea Chakraborty, her family and few others alleging they abetted his son’s suicide. Rajput, was found hanging at his Bandra (Mumbai) home on June 14. Officials said Singh was asked about the information he has about Rajput’s income, investments, professional assignments and relationship with Rhea Chakraborty and others. —PTI

FROM PG 1 No new... was an act of immaturity, where without doing any proper homework on their own, the party over-trusted Pilot’s claim that he enjoys the support of at least 30 rebel Congress MLAs and this disgruntled lot may even cross the magic figure of 37. Now, with the failure of Pilot camp, the BJP leadership feels a bit disappointed and let down and not happy with the young leadership of Rajasthan BJP, mainly Satish Poonia and Rajendra Rathore. Only three days back, a major ‘dressing down’ was giv-

en to them by the top leadership. In this entire process, ‘Gajju Bana’ has also lost his ‘marks’. Therefore, now everyone in Jaipur has been asked to keep mum and not to do anything on this front, till some emergent situation arises. JP Nadda, Vasundhara Raje and Bhupendra Yadav are believed to have convinced the BJP high command that to continue to support Pilot move will be counter productive for the saffron party itself.

BJP and even the ‘reconciled’ Pilot camp believe that once the Gehlot government’s

cabinet reshuffle and political appointments are over, there will be almost two dozen disappointed MLAs who can be a part of a fresh Gehlot government toppling plan and in that situation Pilot camp MLAs may provide some sort of a ‘moral support’ to the principal opposition party.

But keeping in mind Gehlot’s over riding control and command on at least 102 MLAs, any fresh toppling plan looks a distant dream.

Shivraj gets...

The then Kamal Nathled government had

also announced to reserve 70 per cent of jobs in industrial units for locals. Reacting to the announcement made by the CM, Nath, who heads the state Congress unit, said, “students and youths of the state should not be cheated again as had happened during the earlier 15-year stints of the BJP”.

Rohit Sharma...

The names were decided after the National Sports Awards selection committee met on Tuesday for deciding the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and oth-

er national awards.

sports

IPL 2020...

Vivo and the BCCI suspended a Rs 440 crore per year deal for this season owing to the border stand-off between India and China. The IPL starts on September 19 in the UAE, moved out of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year.

There are certain questions about Chinese company Tencent’s investment in Dream11 but one of the BCCI insiders privy to the development said that it is less than 10 per

cent.

Dream11 is an Indian company founded by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth.

SC dismisses...

‘Centre for Public Interest Litigation’, seeking a direction that all the money collected under the PM CARES Fund for the COVID-19 pandemic should be transferred to the NDRF. PIL had also sought a direction to the government to prepare, notify and implement a national plan under the Disaster Management Act to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bench, also comprising justices RS Reddy and MR Shah, said that a plan prepared by the government under the Disaster Management Act was sufficient for COVID-19 also.

The Centre had on March 28 set up the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund with the primary objective to deal with any kind of emergency situation like the one currently posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The PM is the ex-officio chairman of the fund and the ministers

of defence, home and finance are its ex-officio trustees. During the hearing in the top court on July 27, the Centre had defended the PM CARES Fund saying it is a public trust meant to receive “voluntary contributions” to fight COVID-19 pandemic and the budgetary allocations for NDRF and SDRF are not “being touched”.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the PM CARES Fund is a “voluntary fund”, while funds to the NDRF and SDRF are made available through budgetary allocations.

TALKING POINT AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

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

07

AS COVID-19 QUARANTINES DRIVE UP PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE INCREASED THEIR SCREEN TIME, INCLUDING ONLINE SHOPPING, TO COPE. ONLINE SHOPPING DOESN’T POSE A PROBLEM WHEN USED AS AN OCCASIONAL TREAT

IS ONLINE SHOPPING

BECOMING A

PROBLEM?

internet — online shopping doesn’t pose a problem when used as an occasional treat.

For some people, however, these behaviours can turn into habits that are hard to break.

Here’s how to know when online shopping becomes a problem and what to do if it does.

HOW TO KNOW IF IT’S A PROBLEM A behaviour becomes an addiction when at least three criteria are met:  the behaviour is

clearly excessive given its context

 it causes significant distress or impairment for the person or important people in their lives  it persists despite not resulting in reward.

Shopping online for your weekly groceries would not usually be considered a behavioural addiction. Neither would making COVID-19 related online purchases of exercise equipment, office supplies, or masks.

However, online shopping might be considered addic-

tion-like if you find yourself doing the following:  spending a great deal

of time shopping

 buying a lot more than you need  finding it hard to stop shopping even though you rarely seem to enjoy the stuff you buy.

Relationship issues and financial hardship are other key clues your online shopping has become a problem.

Some people may experience online shopping problems without even spending a lot of money; just spending excessive amounts of time browsing products may be enough to warrant reflection and possibly intervention.

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY ABOUT ONLINE SHOPPING AND ADDICTION? For many people, shopping can be a social or leisurely activity. It can feel good, and desires to feel good (and not bad) can get wrapped up with the desire to buy and own material possessions.

In fact, research from my (Melissa Norberg) lab suggests compulsive shopping can be associated with a feeling of being unable to deal with distress.

Problematic shopping also may occur when people attempt to compensate for an unmet psychological need, such as a need to feel competent, in control, or connected to others.

People sometimes turn to comfort products when they feel unsupported by significant others. They may buy compulsively when they feel ambivalent or confused about their sense of self.

So it’s not surprising that during the pandemic, many people report turning to online shopping to cope with significant changes to their social, work and family lives.

Australia experienced a surge in online shopping in March and April and online spending now remains well above what it was a year ago.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU WANT TO CUT BACK If online shopping or browsing is interfering with your life, there are several strategies you can try.

The first is to determine what triggers your online shopping.

Are you trying to feel better about yourself or relieve negative emotions such as boredom, stress or anxiety? Are you experiencing poor sleep or unhealthy eating?

(If so, upsetting events might be more difficult to manage).

If you tend to react

impulsively to situations, practise identifying your urge to respond and then sitting with that discomfort so that you can choose a less impulsive and more productive or fulfilling response. Being able to tolerate negative emotions and respond flexibly to stressful situations is associated with healthier outcomes.

Chatting on the phone (or by text) with a friend, doing a peaceful activity (taking a bath, reading a

book), exercising, or practising a hobby can help you to feel supported, relaxed, and talented. These activities also can lessen anxiety and depression.

Once you determine what you can do instead of shopping, develop a daily schedule.

Having a schedule will help you feel more in control of your life and reduce the time available to shop online. Try to set goals and monitor your shopping behaviour.

YOU CAN ALSO TRY TO

 make shopping lists (and stick to them) when buying groceries and other essential items  set a timer to limit how long you browse  set constraints on how much you spend  if possible, use debit cards instead of credit cards so you can only spend money you have  steer clear of “buy now, pay later” services such as Afterpay  if you have multiple credit cards, consider closing them to limit your ability to spend money you don’t have.

And don’t forget to reward yourself (with something other than shopping) when you meet your goals.

Research has found these strategies can help people reduce their compulsive shopping.

If you have trouble reducing your shopping behaviour on your own, seek help from a professional. If you visit your GP, they can refer you to a specialist and provide you with a mental health care plan, which entitles you to Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group appointments with some mental health services in a year.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION CONCEPT: DIVYA HEMNANI DESIGN: CP SHARMA

A

s COVID-19 quarantines and lockdowns drive up psychological distress, many people have increased their screen time, including online shopping, to cope.

Like alcohol use — or overeating, watching TV or surfing the

Do not be hasty to confront people, confront your troubles promptly though.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

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

08

TOXIC POT CALLS Thousands of farmers in at least 12 villages in Vadodara and Bharuch districts are angry that they are being slapped notices to seal their wells, though the chemical industries are responsible for contamination of groundwater here Darshan Desai Vadodara: Tomtommed as the Golden Corridor of industrial growth, the Ahmedabad Vadodara-Vapi chemical and petrochemicals belt has also come to represent a gateway of toxic effluents. Water in wells, ponds or rivers in hundreds of villages along the corridor could neither be used for drinking nor for agriculture. It isn’t only the people here who are saying this, but also the national regulator, Central Pollution Control Board, has stated it time and again.

The latest known victims of industrial pollution are thousands of people in at

least 12 villages in Vadodara and Bharuch districts.

They are stunned as well as scared after the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) recently shot off letters to them seeking to seal their borewells that feed their fields and cattle. The reason: Their wells are contaminated with effluents.

They are stunned because they are being blamed for toxic effluents released by hundreds of industrial units in the region. The letters were sent on July 15 and July 27 to 7 villages of Vadodara district. And scared because people in at least 5 more villages may get

THE KETTLE BLACK

Water in many borewells in villages in Vadodara and Bharuch districts has been contaminated.

similar letters anytime.

Vadodara-based senior environmentalist Rohit Prajapati told First India that, “These 12 villages are only those which are on the official records receiving polluted water. I have travelled through many more villages where the people are scared that their wells may also be sealed.”

He said, “There could not be a bigger irony that though the villag-

There could not be a bigger irony that the villagers know that these wells are contaminated because of polluting industries, but still suffer since this water is the only option for them.

—Rohit Prajapati, Senior Environmentalist and member of SC-appointed Committee

ers know that these wells are contaminated, they keep quiet since this is the only option for them. Whatever little they can use from

it.” And Prajapati wonders that the source of this contamination, which is the “polluting industries pumping effluents into the ground

with impunity,” remains untouched by the authorities.

Enraged by the GPCB missives to the villagers, the Farmers Action Group (FAG), a Gujaratbased organisation, has dashed off angry letters to the GPCB chairman asking why such an action is not being initiated against industrial units.

The FAG asserted that if farmers’ borewells were to be sealed

More airports to be Covid-19 patient in home isolation privatised; decision fleeced of ` 4,900 in Bhavnagar today, says minister First India Bureau

First India Bureau New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation will place a proposal for “further” privatisation of airports before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. In the first round of privatisation under the Narendra Modi dispensation, the airports in L u c k n o w , Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati were cleared for operation, management and development through public-private partnership (PPP) model in February 2019.

Adani Enterprises had won the rights to

run these six airports.

Now, a decision on Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Raipur and Trichy is likely on Wednesday.

Puri said during a webinar on Tuesday, “We are going to the Cabinet tomorrow for further airport privatisation. We have got many more airports lined up , dozens of them, and the 100 new airports we will build between now and 2030.”

HISTORY OF POLLUTION

Bhavnagar: The State Government rule is clear that none of its agencies should charge any money from Covid-19 patients under treatment in the isolation of their home. Probably unaware of this, a patient in Bhavnagar paid Rs 4,900 to a stranger who even gave him a receipt for it.

Rohanbhai Vijaybhai Joshi, a resident of Sub-

A Corona patient was duped while in home quarantine in Bhavnagar.

hashnagar Bholanath Society, was kept in home isolation for 14 days last month after testing positive for the coronavirus.

A few days ago, a stranger came to Joshi’s home and recovered Rs 4,900 from him for treatment for 14 days. The person

also handed over a receipt of the Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation clearly stating the purpose. Joshi could not doubt his intentions on seeing this.

Alarmed by this, the authorities at the Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation are learnt to have initiated an inquiry into this. They suspect this to be an insider’s job since the receipt given to Joshi also bears its number, 2776.

CONSTABLE, WIFE COMMIT SUICIDE IN JAMNAGAR First India Bureau Jamnagar: A police constable and his wife allegedly committed suicide inside their residential quarters in Jamnagar city on Monday night.

Bharat Jadav, 27, a constable attached to

Panchkoshi ‘B’ Division police station in Jamnagar was found hanging by a dupatta tied to a ceiling fan in his police quarter.

His wife, Jagruti, was found lying dead on the floor, police said.

“Prima facie, this

is suicide. While Jadav was found hanging, his wife’s body also had injury marks on her neck and she too perhaps died similarly as another dupatta was found tied to the fan,” Jamnagar SP Sweta Shrimali said.

citing a Supreme Court order of May 7, 2004, the GPCB should simultaneously “consider sealing of all other borewells emitting chemically polluted water, including all those located within the industrial units.”

Prajapati told First India that the Supreme Court’s order was overarching and not to be “selectively used.” He and FAG point out that the apex court’s order

must be implemented “in letter and spirit, and not in piecemeal.”

The FAG has pointed out that the apex court’s order required that all alternatives are put in place. The Group said the GPCB should inform all borewell owners two months in advance “after making appropriate arrangements within six months for drinking water and water for irrigation”.

NCC to expand footprints in Gujarat

Gujarat NCC to expand three border units.

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it in his Independence Day address, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) announced on Tuesday that it would expand its 3 units in border areas of Gujarat and in Gandhinagar.

A total of 3,630 cadets -- 980 senior division and 2,650 junior division -will be enrolled in

the border talukas of Abdasa, Nakhatrana, Lakhpat and Bhuj in Kutch district, Santalpur taluka in Patan district and the Gandhinagar taluka where an Air Force station is located.

Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a proposal by the NCC for a major expansion in the border and coastal districts, an official release by the Press Information Bureau’s defence wing said.

GAME CHANGER!

3 Gujarat Govt hospitals adopt LiFi system instead of Wifi A’bad firm bets big on light fidelity (LiFi) for Covid-19 treatment, says it is better than WiFi-based system 

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Three government-run hospitals in Gujarat have adopted the latest LiFi (light fidelity) technology to treat Covid-19 patients and it has been found to be better than WiFi (wireless fidelity)based system.

Ahmedabad’s LiFi technology innovator

Nav Wireless Technologies has set up LiFibased communication facilities at Civil Hospital (Ahmedabad), Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education & Research (SMIMER) (Surat) and Gujarat Medical Education & Research Society (GMERS) Hospital, (Vadodara).

“Considering the in-

creasing cases of Covid-19, the hospitals need faster and safer communications to speed up the patients’ treatment and that’s why the isolation wards at 3 government hospitals in Gujarat have been equipped with the latest LiFi technology. We have set up LiFi-based units that are completely Made in India. LiFi- based Cen-

Ahmedabad based firm has developed LiFi (Light Fidelity) system for public hospitals.

tralised Patient Monitoring System without the internet at corona wards is helpful to safeguard doctors and the paramedical teams,” said Hardik Soni CoFounder & CTO, Nav Wireless Technologies.

“LiFi is a mobile wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit data. In India, Nav Wireless is the only registered player working on LiFi technology.

Also, we are the only

company in Asia in the LiFi sector to receive and execute commercial LiFi projects for the healthcare sector,” claims Pratik Parikh, Head-Global Business Development, Nav Wireless Technologies.

“GMERS has adopted LiFi technology advantages to protect and live tracking of patients’ data. Constant monitoring of the patient’s health condition in hospital is either manual or wireless fidelity (WiFi)-

based system,” Dr Vijay Shah, Executive Member of GMERS Hospital, Vadodara. He adds that the, “WiFi-based system becomes slow due to exponentially increased scalability. In this scenario, LiFi finds the places wherever WiFi is applicable to additional features of a high-speed data network. Apart from speed, LiFi is a more suitable in-hospital application for monitoring the patient’s conditions.”

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

09

AHMEDABAD, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19, 2020

LOOKING OUT FOR STYLE INSPIRATION WHICH WILL MAKE YOU LOOK CHIC YET MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE? THEN YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE! EVERYDAY CASUAL

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

O

versized T-shirts for women, commonly known as ‘Boyfriend TShirts’ can never go out of style.

Want to opt for a comfortable outfit for brunching with your homegirls? Style a boyfriend tee. Want to be comfortable while sleeping? Wear a boyfriend tee. Well you see, it’s all about comfort.

This term basically refers to women’s clothing modified from a men’s garment to create a looser fit than the usual women’s tailored styles. This t-shirt can be best styled with a pair of jeans in various other ways. Let’s see how you can style a boyfriend tee for a chic look!

GLAMOUR CHIC

To create the perfect balance in your super glamorous outfit, you can go for a boyfriend tee, pair it with jeans and go for bold lips and heels.

DRESS-TEE

As boyfriend tees are already oversized, you can opt for an even oversized boyfriend tee and wear it as a dress. To make it look more appealing, grab a shirt and wrap it around your waist, and add a pair of sneakers.

You’ll not only look sexy, but you’ll also be super relaxed in it. Don’t forget to pair it up with danglers and a high bun!

OFFICE LOOK

This might sound unusual, but boyfriend tees can be a part of the perfect combo for officewear. All you have to do is tuck it in the office pants or a pencil skirt, pair it with heels and that’s it; you’re good to go. To add more charm to it, opt for a statement necklace and the most appropriate lipstick.

A boyfriend tee is a perfect option when you don’t know what to wear.

Just pair it up with your most-loved jeans and opt for matching sneakers.

Oh, and don’t forget your sunglasses AND MASK before you step out in the scorching heat.

OVERSIZED EVERYTHING

If you plan to be extra comfortable, you can go boho. Opt for oversized jeans or shorts and pair it up with the most comfortable boyfriend tee. If you’re opting for this look, then being comfortable would be an understatement; you’re going to love it!

CHIC YET COMFY

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

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

10

BAADSHAH KI

ohabbat

City First presents its reader the magical love story of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan. The story will mesmerize you and bring you down to the magical moments of your love story!

POORVIKA AGRAWAL cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

L

ove stories aren’t always easy, but some love stories are meant to happen and so, there is very little that anyone can do to change what is destined to happen.

Some people believe in arranged marriages, while some people are there who win over someone they love, with their love. Bollywood bears testimony to so many dramatic love stories, those that one can never get enough of, but at the same time, there is so much that it also makes us all believe in. And when we talk about Bollywood love stories, the King of romance, Shah Rukh Khan is the one who comes to our mind. Despite the popularity, the couple was successful in keeping their relationship private.

Very few fans know that Shah Rukh fell for Gauri when Shah Rukh was 18 years old and Gauri was just 14 years old. When Shah Rukh got her number, he would have called her pretending to be a friend named ‘Shaheen’. Gauri soon fell for Shah Rukh’s wit, confidence and style, soon the two started going out The road from relationship to marriage wasn’t easy for them to settle down. They have faced hundreds of hurdle during their courtship. One fight even let

Gauri leave Delhi for Mumbai without letting him know. Shah Rukh followed her with just Rs 10,000 in his pocket to that city which eventually became his home. The couple was finally married on October 25, 1991. But here is a twist, they both got married, not just once but thrice, and in different style. Shah Rukh and Gauri first got married in court. Later, the two wedded following the Hindu tradition on 25 August 1991 followed by ‘Nikah’ on 26 August 1991.

After marriage, Khans move to Mumbai as a way to escape the feeling of loss left behind his mother’s death. Six years after the wedding, they welcomed their first son, Aryan, on 13 November 1997. Since then, the celebrity duo’s family has grown by two more. Shah Rukh and Gauri’s only daughter, Suhana, was born on May 22, 2000, while their youngest, Abram Khan came via surrogacy on May 27, 2013.

In all these years of the two being together, they have set out major goals and raised the bar for all things that people expect.

But well, now that they have been together for almost 29 long years, fans will love to get a little insight into how they have been doing during this time of the lockdown.

FA CE OF TH ED AY

Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

It is your turn to make big profits today and somewhere inside you will feel like celebrating.

Business plans will work out and things will move in the direction of your wish. You will introduce healthy food options in your day to day meal with a touch of innovation of recipes.

You need to adopt an adroit way to solve the problem. Financially you can expect to achieve stability if the present uncertain times are bothering you. Giving up on yourself is just not an option for you. Finally you will do something that you weren’t able to do.

Adventitious distortion of traditions is not what you plan to do so be careful as in how your actions are perceived. There is a chance that someone ask you for a favour, on professional front. You must think before saying yes for a long term commitment in a project.

Airworthy trips must only be taken for urgent or important matters otherwise please avoid. At home you will set some rules and will expect everyone to follow them.

Giving and taking tension for unimportant matters is such a waste of time and energy.

MAR 21 - APR 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Palmy days are back and you will enjoy everything that the time will enjoy.

Consider every option possible before really making up your mind for something. The key to happiness is to forgive and move forward because life is too short to fight and put an end to relationships.

Overindulgence in wrong food and beverages will come with a cost so please stay miles away and adopt healthy food habits. You will make a move in professional life that will decide your future in the company.

Making efforts and working very hard is all that you can do.

Ridiculing other people just for the sake of your own fun is a very mean thing to do, if not you than don’t let anyone do it too. Feeling burdened and bored of studies is possible today but thats just temporary. There are high chances that your lover may anyhow manage to meet you.

Opine to other only that your follow yourself as you can be put to test. You will be involved today in promotional activities concerning your business. You will make it big so be prepared if you see some jealous faces around. You will gift someone something really expensive.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Putrid food is all that you need to be careful about today and the best way to do so is to avoid eating outside than home. To are passionate about making money and having a bank balance. You love your reputation and you don’t let anything or anyone to spoil it. You are living a good life.

Dumbfounded by someone’s intelligence you may simply hire him/her and it will be your best decision of the day. Keeping an eye on someone notorious will be the right thing to do as far as your business is concerned Don’t take your boss’s order lightly.

Amorphous and leaderless organisations are destined to close down but your abilities will revive one such organisation and people will watch in amaze. You are often tempted by schemes that involves less risk even if the profit is not that high as well. Your family is all that you need right now.

Etiquettes are of utmost importance to you and you just can’t stand the company of people who lack it. Waiting space and giving space, you are good at both. You may be full of energy today but those around you may feel dull. Take full benefit of counselling session.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

AASHNA HEGDE, Content Creator

APR 21 - MAY 20

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

11

Season of LOVE

IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CITY FIRST, SINGER STEBIN BEN TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW SONG ‘BAARISH’

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

W

Stebin Ben

ho doesn’t love monsoons?

The year till now as a whole has been a bit frustrating, but the people did get a treat from Stebin Ben and Payal Dev after the release of their new song ‘Baarish’.

Released on 11 August, the song received so much love by the netizens that it crossed 20 million views in less than 5 days of its release. The song features ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’ cast Mohsin Khan and Shivangi Joshi. Talking about

the song, Stebin said, “I have always wanted to do a monsoon song, and finally got an opportunity when Payal Dev reached me for it. ‘Baarish’ is a very romantic song; if you love someone and couldn’t meet them during the lockdown, you’ll be able to relate to it very well.”

Stebin mentioned that his experience with the song has been great. “I’ve always wanted to work with Payal Dev as I really like the texture of her songs. I’m really glad about the fact that I received this opportunity as the song is loved by so many people out there. This has really helped me boost the self-confidence and it definitely feels great.”

Since the song revolves around the monsoon season, Stebin shared his favourite memory of the same. He mentioned, “Monsoon is always a

romantic weather and a special one too. Travelling to LonavalaLavasa from Mumbai has to be the best memory; every Mumbaikar can relate to me in this case. But looking at the current situation, that is something I really miss and wish everything becomes normal again so that we can go back to the same old life that we had.”

“This lockdown taught me a lot of things and also helped me focus more on my music and health. Considering the fact that you have to be an allrounder in the industry, it is extremely important to take care of yourself,” he added.

The singer started his journey as a playback singer in the Bollywood industry last year and has been loved by everyone ever since. A few more amazing songs are expected from Stebin in the coming months.

RAISING GLIMPSE OF FUNDS ‘UNFINISHED’

F

‘I am because he is’

A

s her father and legendary lyricist Gulzar turned 86 on Tuesday, filmmaker Meghna Gulzar expressed love for the senior poet with a short poem.

The ‘Raazi’ helmer took to Instagram to post a blurry monochrome picture of her father embracing her. She complimented the picture with a poem that speaks about her faith in him and also sums up the great bond shared by the father-daughter duo.

“I know I’m protected, Because his arms cradle me. I know I walk the right path, Because his little finger leads me.

He dabbles in cellu-

P

ormer Miss World and actor Manushi Chhillar has colriyanka Chopra Jonas previously conlaborated with a non-profit firmed that she had completed her memoir organisation for auctioning “Unfinished”. The actress has now given us her painting to raise funds for cora glimpse of the book and the fans cannot onavirus protection kits for the wait to buy a copy. The actress took to her social frontline workers. media accounts and shared a glimpse of the book Chhillar who is an avid painter with her fans. The picture, which seems like an unhas been roped in by SMILE founfinished covered of a book, features the name of the dation for an online art exhibition memoir, the author’s name, the publication house and - Artwork for Heartwork. The ena rough draft of where the logo would be placed. tire proceeds from the sale The Sky Is Pink star shared the picture of each of the artwork and expressed she felt “amazing” to see will go towards prothe book come to life on paper for the viding hygiene kits first time. A few days ago, Priyanka for the frontline tweeted about sending the manuworkers and their script of her memoir and shared families. a few thoughts on the book. “Un“While we have finished is finished! Just about been fortunate sent in the final manuscript! enough to take care Wheee! Cannot wait to share of ourselves by stayit with you all. Every word ing indoors, there are in my memoir comes from several heroes like our a place of introspection farmers, truck drivand reflection into my ers and many more life,” she tweeted on Auwho have been out, gust 11.

—Agency day and night, to deliver us joy in every form with not just their hard work, but heartwork,” the 23-year-old actor said.

“Through this artwork for heartwork initiative, I’m expressing my gratitude to all these heart-workers with the team Smile Foundation. They will be supporting these unsung heroes with hygiene kits,” she ...her pos t added.

Elaborating on the “special artwork” that she has created for the coronavirus war riors, the former Miss India urged people to take ssam Chief Minister care of the Sarbananda Sonowal ones who have on Tuesday thanked been taking care actor Akshay Kumar of the country by for his contribution of Rs 1 crore tofighting the virus on wards the Assam flood relief. The the frontline.

Chief Minister took to Twitter to extend “I have made a spegratitude towards the star for always cial artwork for the showing sympathy and support at the time unsung heroes and I of crisis. “Thank you @akshaykumar ji for your kind am donating the same. contribution of Rs 1 crore towards Assam flood relief.

Let’s take care of the You have always shown sympathy and support during ones who took care of periods of crisis,” Sonowal tweeted. everyone’s happiness “As a true friend of Assam, may God shower all with their heart-work,” blessings to you to carry your glory in the global she said.

—ANI arena,” his tweet further read.

—ANI Manushi Chhillar

Meghna and Gulzar

loid, So I know I can see. I know I can write, Because his ink flows in me. I know I can. Because he believes. I know I am, Because he is,” Meghna’s poem read.

Though she did not extend birthday greetings to the lyricist in the post, it was evident that she had shared the post to celebrate her bond with her father on the occasion of his 86th birthday.

—ANI

WEDDING LETTER

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

GREAT

Contribution

A

Akshay Kumar

W

hat came as a major surprise announcement, it was recently revealed that Doctor Stranger star Kang So-ra is getting hitched to her older non-celebrity boyfriend. A ceremony was planned on August 29 but due to the COVID-19 situation, a small, private gathering with only their direct families will involve. Furthermore, the 30-yearold actress shared a heartfelt handwritten note to her fans on her official fan cafe Bling Bling to announce her wed- Kang So-ra ding herself.

In her letter, So-ra confessed that she was nervous to reveal her good news while thanking her fans for all the love and gratitude they bestowed upon her during the 11 years since she debuted.

Moreover, talking about her wedding, the Revolutionary Love star gushed that she has found a good person who she wants to spend the rest of her life with and will strive to show a happy married life. So-ra also shared that she can’t wait to show more sides of herself as an actress in order to return the support.

—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

AHMEDABAD | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020

DURING THE DAY!

FLIGHT OF

RAJASTHAN: The second promo for Rajasthan Culture Heritage was shot by Ahuja’s Production in Traditional Heritage Haveli, Jaipur. The show Director, Devesh Ahuja shared that the Rajwada Collection, designed by Sudha and Sidhi Gupta was showcased through the shoot, where Seema Shroff and Heera Dabariya contributed as a make-up artist and videographer, respectively. The Director also stated that the registration of show sponsors and designers have begun on the official website of Ahuja’s Production.

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

DREAMS Shashi Bhati, model and air-hostess from Rajasthan expresses herself on being asked about her journey to achieve her dreams

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

D

reaming big is something we all do, but achieving them is something we have to work hard towards.

Shashi Bhati, a resident of Churu, Rajasthan who has been a tomboy all her life is now a successful model and air-hostess only because of her hard work and passion for what she had always dreamt about. Being from a conservative family, nothing came easy for her.

In an interview with City First, Shashi shared, “Being brought up in a conservative household, it wasn’t easy for me to put my dreams in front of them as I was always afraid they wouldn’t accept it. I had come to the Pink City for my further studies but my parents had different plans for me. They wanted me to get engaged.”

With no control in hand, Shashi had to accept the proposal of her getting married at the age of 20, but due to a few personal circumstances, the wedding was called off and Shashi was asked to

Shashi Bhati

leave the city. She then decided to settle down in Jaipur and earn her living by herself.

“It was definitely a very tough time for me. I wanted to get into aviation but didn’t have enough funds to take up classes. Being a tomboy, I didn’t know how to walk in heels, put on makeup and everything else that is required,” stated Shashi.

She added, “It took me about 6 months to learn everything from YouTube and when I thought I was ready, I went for the interview for which I eventually got rejected. But later

there was a new airline that was coming up and I think that was the turning point for me. I applied and got approved for the aviation industry. It’s been over 2 years and I’m loving my job.” Shashi does modeling side-by-side with renowned brands in the country and is definitely coming out with flying colours.

“It’s been 5 years since I’m away from my family and at the end of the day, my only aim is to make them happy and proud of the work I am doing,” mentioned Shashi.

Brigadier Dr Vijay Sagar Dheman and Puneet Issar

R

FOR ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHERS OUT THERE, GET A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED IN CITY FIRST. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAIL YOUR BEST SHOT TO CITYFIRST@ FIRSTINDIA.CO.IN WITH WHEN AND WHERE YOU CLICKED IT AND YOUR FULL NAME.

O

—PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI

AP HY DAY

HAPPY W

PHOTOG

RAJASTHAN: A talkshow was organised on ‘COVID-19 safety with New Technology’ by Jaipur based tech start-up Sensle Tech Solutions and R Square Events on Tuesday, where ‘Mahabharat’ serial fame Puneet Issar shared the new ideas about Corona protection from technology.

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

RAJASTHAN: The Student Union President of SN Medical College Jodhpur, Vinod Sharma met the State President of NSUI, Abhishek Chaudhary at the NSUI office on Sunday, to discuss fees waiver and internship stipend of the students, to which he responded positively and promised to discuss the issue with CM Ashok Gehlot to decide in favour of the students.

HAPPENINGS IN GUJARAT!

D RL

12

A couple enjoying the rainy weather at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad on Monday.

ALL THE BEST!

Economic empowerment

Children playing at the riverfront in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

CITY FIRST

F

ICCI FLO Jaipur launched ‘FMC The FLO Mentoring Cell’ along with FICCI FLO Kanpur chapter on Tuesday. The two FLO chapters pledged together for promoting empowerment.

Chairperson, Wandana Parnami introduced Mentorship to the members and said that “We are aiming for a self-reliant entrepreneurial ecosystem. This

is FICCI FLO’s National agenda, and I truly believe that the Mentorship cell will lead us to achieve our ultimate goal of changing lives and promoting economic empowerment.” During the

session, Chairperson, Aarti Gupta welcomed National Head for Mentorship FICCI FLO, Bindu Sastry and keynote speaker Gunjan Jain – an Author, Leadership & Mindfulness expert. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Commuters wading through Rain in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

A man was seen doing push-ups at the exercise area on Happy Street near Law Garden in Ahmedabad on Monday morning. With several public gardens still not open, Amdavadis seem to be slowly getting back to their normal routines and making the best of the current situation. Despite gymnasiums and yoga centres being allowed to resume operations, people have been staying away from them owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.