First India-Ahmedabad Edition-19 June 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

27°C - 37°C

ALERT AHMEDABAD l FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

4,53,484 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 5,751 DEATHS 1,20,504 CASES

85,13,514 CONFIRMED CASES

TAMIL NADU 625 DEATHS 52,334 CASES

RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 204

INDIA

12,539 3,78,171 DEATHS

DELHI 1,904 DEATHS 47,102 CASES

WITH 184 VOTES INDIA SECURES UNSC SEAT New York: India on secured a comfortable victory in the United Nations Security Council elections to join the powerful 15-nation body as a non-permanent member for the 2021-22 term.

With 184 votes out of the total 192 polled, India which won the UN nonpermanent seat for the eighth time has emerged as the single-endorsed candidate from the Asian Pacific regional group, amid the larger push for the country to

be made a permanent member of the five-nation apex grouping, currently comprising the US, UK, Russia, China, and France.

The elections for President of the 75th session of the General Assembly, five non-permanent members of the Security Council as well as members of the Economic and Social Council were held under special voting arrangements put in place at the UN headquarters

CONFIRMED CASES

India casting its ballot for the United Nations Security Council elections to join the powerful 15-nation body as a non-permanent member for the 2021-22 term.

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GUJARAT

1,592 DEATHS

RAJASTHAN 330 DEATHS 13,857 CASES

25,658

CONFIRMED CASES

UTTAR PRADESH 488 DEATHS 15,785 CASES

l THE NON-PERMANENT SEAT ENSURES THAT

INDIA’S VOICE IS HEARD AT THE HIGH TABLE

l WILL ALSO WORK TO IMPROVE & DEPOLITICISE

SYSTEM OF SANCTIONING TERRORISTS

due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he is “deeply grateful” for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India’s membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The Prime Minister said that India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity.

“Deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India’s membership of the @ UN Security Council.

India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday expressed gratitude to the member countries for supporting Turn on P6

Narendra Modi @narendramodi Deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India’s membership of the @UN Security Council. India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity.

Amit Shah @AmitShah Gratitude to the member nations for unanimously supporting India’s membership to UN Security Council.

Under the strong and visionary leadership of PM @NarendraModi, India will uphold its mantra of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and will work towards peace & prosperity of the world.

NO INDIAN

TROOPS MISSING: MEA

M

inistry of External Affairs on Thursday clarified that no Indian Army personnel were missing in action following Monday’s night’s violent showdown with Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan valley, said MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava while replying to questions.

Meanwhile, The third round of military talks between India and China in the Galwan Valley made headway Thursday, with both sides agreeing on certain issues thus breaking the deadlock ever since Monday’s violent clashes. Major General Abhijit Bapat, GOC, 3 Infantry Division, Turn on P6

The Galwan Valley, located in eastern Ladakh, is a strategic area and is close to the vital road link to Daulat Beg Oldie, the world’s highest landing ground next to the LAC. This serves as an important aerial supply line and has been under Indian control.

Explained! Why no bullet was fired at Galwan Indian troops on border duty carry arms: Jaishankar to RaGa New Delhi: All Indian troops guarding the border with China carry arms, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday, replying to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s poser that why Army personnel in Galwan Valley were sent “unarmed to martyrdom”.

The minister said armies of the two sides do not use firearms as per provisions of two bilateral agreements sealed in 1996 and 2005.

“Let us get the facts straight. All troops on border duty always carry arms, especially when leaving post. Those at Galwan on 15 June did so.

Long-standing practice Turn on P6

Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi How dare China kill our UNARMED soldiers? Why were our soldiers sent UNARMED to martyrdom?

RaGa won’t celebrate his B’Day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi won’t celebrate his 50th birthday today. No celebratory activities will take place in view of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the martyrdom of our brave soldiers. “Instead we should strengthen our efforts to provide support and relief to all those who are suffering,” a press note released by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal read.

P5

Rlys end contract with Chinese firm Indian Railways on Thursday terminated the contract it had granted to a Chinese firm for the signalling and telecommunication work on the 447-km Kanpur-Deen Dayal Upadhyay stretch. “The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India has decided to terminate Chinese signalling firm contract,” said Railways sources.

Status of A’bad Rath Yatra IT IS SHOWTIME FOR unclear after SC order on Puri RS POLLS FOR 18 SEATS

4 SEATS IN GUJARAT First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The stage is set for election to 18 Rajya Sabha seats on June 19. The 18 seats are spread across seven states—four each in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, three each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two in Jharkhand and one each in Manipur and Meghalaya. The polling will begin at 9 am and conclude at 4 pm. The counting of the votes will be done on the same day at 5 pm.

The election for the Upper House of the Parliament is crucial as the outcome would impact the upcoming monsoon session, helping the ruling Bharatiya Janata

As state considers its options, PIL filed in HC to stay the procession even as temple remains hopeful First India Bureau

Party (BJP) push its legislative agendas. Of the 18 seats, four are from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, two from Jharkhand, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and one each from Manipur and Meghalaya.

Among the six seats, four are from Karnataka, one each from Arunachal and Mizoram. Four MPs from Karnataka will retire on June 25. More on p2 —Agencies

Ahmedabad: With the Supreme Court staying India’s largest chariot festival at Odisha’s Puri, the status of the Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad--slated to be held June 23--is now under question. Priests at the Ahmedabad temple are waiting with crossed fingers that the state government will allow the 143rd edition of the event to be held, albeit on a much smaller scale. On the other hand, a public-interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Gujarat High Court pleading for a stay on the procession in

A tailor puts the final touches on clothing meant for Lord Jagannath in Ahmedabad.

—FILE PHOTO

Ahmedabad.

On Wednesday, Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja had made it clear that the state government had not yet decided whether to permit Jagannath Yatra, whose route passes through 24 con-

tainment zones.

It is to be noted that, while staying the Jagannath Yatra in Puri, the Supreme Court observed: “If we grant permission for the Yatra, Lord Jagannath will not forgive us.”

Turn on P6

NEWS AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

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RAJYA SABHA ELECTION

02

FOUR TO GO TO HOUSE,

HOWZAT FOR ONE

TODAY’S RS POLLS ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE NOMINEES BUT PERHAPS MORE SO FOR THEIR PARTIES

BJP CANDIDATES 1. ABHAY BHARDWAJ First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Friday will bring a litmus test--not just for the five candidates competing for the four vacant seats in the upper house of Parliament--but also of the leaders of the state’s two major political parties. And winning is imperative.

For the Bharatiya Janata Party, sending all three of its nominees to the Rajya Sabha will send a clear message of competence to party leaders in New Delhi.

For the Congress-plagued as it has been with a high attrition rate in the recent past--a loss of even one seat will confirm speculation of internal division. However, a victory for both Shaktisinh Go-

hil and Bharatsinh Solanki will be a slap in the face for the ruling party, since the Congress only has 65 MLAs in the Assembly.

On instructions from the high command, the BJP has fielded three candidates: Abhay Bhardwaj, a Brahmin, Ramilaben Bara, a tribal representative, and Narhari Amin, from the Patidar community. Against that Congress party has fielded Shaktisinh Gohil from the Rajput community and Bharatsinh Solanki, a member of the OBC (Other Backward Classes). Brahmins and Patidars are traditional been BJP voters, while OBCs and Rajputs traditionally vote for the Congress.

With votes set to be

2. NARHARI AMIN

3. RAMILA BARA

TOTAL SEATS 182, PRESENT MLAs 172 BJP 103

Cong 65

NCP 01

BTP 02 IND 01

 Two seats are vacant.  Recently 8 Cong MLAs resigned from the party.

counted in the evening, both parties will await the result with bated breath.

A win for the BJP’s third candidate will build confidence in the minds of Congress fence-sitters. However, a loss will throw a spanner in the ruling party’s

plan to attract more Congress fence-sitters.

In the past, turncoats like Balvantsinh Rajput have tasted defeat at the hands of Congress leader Ahmed Patel. Similarly, two other defectors--Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala-also lost by-elections.

That Thakor, a selfstyled OBC leader and leader of the Thakor Sena, lost from a constituency dominated by OBC voters. He could not save his close confidants either.As with Rajput and Thakor in the past, the political careers of Narhari Amin, Shaktisinh Gohil and even Bharatsinh Solanki are at stake.

A loss for Amin will indicate factions within the BJP, one of which did not wish for him to reach the Rajya Sabha and carve a niche for himself in the party’s upper echelons. This result is likely if this faction engages in and encourages crossvoting. It will be a strong message to party leaders.

Should Bharatinh

CONG CANDIDATES 1. SHAKTISINH GOHIL 2. BHARATSINH SOLANKI Solanki lose, Amit Chavda’s competence will likely be called into question both as state unit president and as a politician. Not only would he have failed to hold his MLAs together as chief, he would have also failed to rustle up enough votes for his cousin. This, in turn, would raise questions about his abilities to have party candidates elected to the Assembly or the Lok Sabha.

If Shaktisinh Gohil loses even after having enough numbers for a win, it will be taken as a loud and clear message for the party high command that it should select candidates with grassroots connections and the ability to play all tricks and strategies, within and across the party.

NCP MLA attends BJP meeting, makes his stand clear First Indian Bureau

NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja (in blue) and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (in cream) at the BJP legislative meeting.

Gandhinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislative meeting was attended by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Kutiyana constituency Kandhal Jadeja on Thursday evening.

Ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, BJP state leaders convened to provide the mandate

to each MLA, and guide them on how and whom to vote for.

The meeting started at Umiya Campus in Gandhinagar, in the presence of two observers Bhupendra Yadav and Ashish Shelar.

The party’s three candidates Abhay Bhardwaj, Ramilaben Bara and Narhari Amin too were present along with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and State

Unit President Jitu Vaghani.

While the meeting was underway, Jamnagar North’s BJP MLA and Minister of State for Foods and Civil Supplies Dharmendrasinh Jadeja walked into campus with NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja.

Last week, NCP State Unit President Jayant Patel had issued Kandhal Jadeja a whip to

vote for the Congress candidate. But, Kandhal’s presence in the BJP meeting clearly indicates his inclination to vote for the BJP candidates as he had stated in March.

Party state leaders in the meeting gave a clear mandate to each MLA, who will vote to whom. Each MLA has to mark their first, second and third reference in the ballot paper

issued to them.

The BJP’s total voting strength stands at 103 MLAs, with the NCP MLA’s vote the tally has touched 104, but is still short of one vote. If the two MLAs of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) come out in support of the BJP candidates, the party will register a resounding win.

Cong MLAs run mock voting drill

Cong MLA Tushar Chaudhary with other party members.

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Fearful of horse-trading and last-minute goof-ups, the MLAs of the Congress party have been secured inside a private hotel in the city by senior leaders, a day ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls on Friday. The MLAs were banned from exiting the hotel premises two of them went out for a walk on Wednesday night.

“Since Wednesday, all MLAs have been out of contact, with no access to their mobile phones. Even their drivers have not been allowed inside the hotel. However, the two candidates in fray of the Rajya Sabha election - Shaktisinh Gohil & Bharatsinh Solanki have been using their mobiles, also Arjun Modhwadia and two or three other MLAs from Ahmedabad,” said a

source.

Marathon meetings and a mock poll were conducted at the hotel on Thursday. “A video meeting was also held by senior leader Ahmed Patel. During the mock polls, two MLAs made mistakes while voting, so now the candidates fear that a few MLAs could make mistakes on DDay,” added the source.

Earlier, it had been decided that the first preference vote would be given to Gohil and the second preference to Solanki. Now, after the mistakes made during the mock poll, there are chances that the lawmakers may intentionally change their voting preference. Meanwhile, independent MLA from Vadnagar Jignesh Mevani joined the meeting on Thursday and declared his support for the Congress.

PM Modi’s coal goal: Curb imports, be atmanirbhar in energy New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the auction of 41 coal mines for commercial mining and reiterated his call for India to become self-reliant in energy by reducing imports.

Despite having the world's fourth-largest coal reserves and being the second-largest producer, the country is the second-largest importer.

"India will turn this COVID-19 crisis into an

opportunity. The country will reduce its dependence on imports. To make India self-reliant in the energy sector, a major step is being taken today," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing at the launch of auctioning 41 coal mines for commercial mining.

"We are not just launching the auction for commercial coal mining but bringing the coal sector out of decades of lockdown," he

said addressing the gathering by video conferencing.

The rollout of commercial coal mining is

expected to boost private sector participation which will, in turn, lead to higher production and en-

This move will provide direct employment to about 70,000 people and indirect employment to 2.1 lakh people part of the series of announcements made by the Centre under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. It is

hance competition.

"Allowing private sector in commercial coal mining is unlocking resources of a nation with

the world's fourth-largest reserves," the Prime Minister said. "It has been decided to open up the coal and mining sector for competition, capital, participation and technology," he added.

The Prime Minister said reforms related to coal sector will prove to be big in making tribal belts as well as eastern and central India into pillars of development.

Commercial coal block auction is a win-win for industry users. New re-

sources will open up, states will get more revenue and new employment opportunities will be generated, he said.

A two-stage electronic auction process is being adopted for allocation of the coal mines, according to an official statement. Upon attainment of peak rated capacity of production of 225 million tonnes, these mines will contribute about 15 per cent of the country's projected total coal production in 2025-26. —ANI

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

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03

Health, medical care fundamental rights, but not absolute: State to HC First India Bureau Ahmedabad: In response to the state high court’s queries on various issues surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, the state government accepted before the court on Thursday that health, medical care and aid to protect health were a fundamental right.

But, it also stated that those were not an absolute right and may be subject to reason-

able restrictions.

The queries were issued by a division bench comprising Justice RM Chhaya and Justice Ilesh Vora.

In its reply to the high court query whether pathology tests were a fundamental right of citizens or not, the state said, “Just like the fundamental rights conferred on all citizens under Article 19 of the Constitution, this fundamental right listed under Article 21 is also not an absolute right

FURTHER...

—FILE PHOTO

Gujarat High Court.

and is subject to reasonable restriction.”

The government also stated that it could “nev-

(ICMR) guidelines or is contrary to it. At the same the state is empowered to impose reasona-

er evolve a policy, whether or not it is based on the Indian Council of Medical Research

A’bad has 59.3% of 6,239 active cases in the state

State total now 25,658 cases and 1,592 deaths, with 510 cases, 31 deaths reported in 24 hrs Gandhinagar: In addition to leading in positive cases and deaths, Ahmedabad now also has the lion’s share of active cases in the state.

With 3,701 of the total 6,239, the district accounts for 59.3 of all active cases in Gujarat as on Thursday: 3,672 in the city and 129 in rural areas.

Of the city’s total active cases, 788 were from the North zone, 753 from the West zone, 620 from the East and the rest from other zones.

As many as 1,226 patients have died within the city limit areas, while rural areas reported 44 deaths.

According to a state government press statement, 61 patients are on ventilators. The state government has tested 5,073 samples—is 728 less than Wednesday—

—PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

First India Bureau

IN PROTEST

Staff held a protest at the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

in the past 24 hours, the statement also said.

Technical staff of government-run pathology laboratories at the six medical colleges staged a protest on Thursday. They allege that their jobs have not been confirmed despite working on contract for seven to eight years, and demanded that the state hire them in keeping with the govern-

ment pay scale permanently. Agitating staffers said they were discharging their duties but had staged the protest to draw the attention of the state’s health department.

Surat has reported 77 cases: 63 from the city and 14 from rural areas. Katargam continues to be a hotspot with 16 new cases, Varachha zone-B had

14, and Rander zone, 11, with the rest coming in from other zones.

Meanwhile in Vadodara, 91 of the 562 patients under treatment are on oxygen while 52 are on ventilators. Although the Vadodara Municipal Corporation statement says two deaths occurred today, the State health bulletin is silent on the issue.

In Bharuch, Jambusar is becoming a new hotspot, with nine more cases being reported in a single day.

With this, Bharuch district’s total tally is now 114, according to the district administration. Meanwhile, in Rajkot, the corporation health team has shut down the Gokul hospital after its staff tested positive.

ble restrictions, as it deems fit, in tandem with larger public interest. It is desirable to fol-

low a central policy such as the ICMR guidelines for issues like COVID-19 sample testing.”

The state also clarified that there was no shortage of specialists, doctors, technicians, physiotherapists, nurses and ward boys in COVID-19 hospitals. It also pleaded the high court to trust the action report submitted by the government and not get influenced by media reports. With news doing the rounds that patients were dying at Civil Hos-

pital due to insufficient care, doctors and nursing staff were not being provided enough protection gear, the state refuted media reports and requested the court to have faith in its report.

The state also informed the court that 2,077 beds have been reserved at 59 private hospitals 2077 for COVID-19 patients.

Over 3,292 patients referred by state authorities are already being treated at these private hospitals.

Angadia doyen Jayanti Ambalal goes bankrupt First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Angadias—the unofficial network of banking and courier services—have been the backbone of various trade and industries, especially the diamond industry. With a dozen-odd branches scattered across the nation, the Jayanti Ambalal Angadia Pethi, one of the most reputed firms in the country, has claimed bankruptcy and shut down all its branches in the past two days.

Sources from the angadia industry told First India, that the said firm had been active in courier services for more than five decades.

It held a high position in the diamond sector with an office at the Opera House in Mumbai, where the nation’s biggest diamond exporters operate from. The Jayanti Ambalal Angadia Pethi had the biggest market share of all diamond couriers, with its owners earning the

Representational photo of a cash transaction.

Sources say that, until recently, the firm’s annual turnover was more than `1,000 cr trust of diamond traders and exporters over the years. Sources said that, until recently, the angadia firm—which had branches in Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Botad— had an annual turnover was more than Rs1,000 crore.

The firm had even expanded its operations into the field of real estate and invested heavily in land and

property. A few of these investments either got stuck or turned into bad investments. This led to a financial crisis and the firm was unable to make payments to the tune of a few hundred crore, which forced it into closure.

Sources say that the firm was a brilliant example for many in the profession on how to win the trust of clients.

The sector will miss its one-time leader. At the same time, many other players in the industry are now looking to grab the business market share of Jayanti Ambalal Angadia Pethi.

Mayor in soup for misusing AMC office Free NFSA rations in June: Rupani First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Mayor Bijal Patel is in hot water again, after she used an office of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to address a meeting of the BJP’s women wing of Kheda district on Thursday.

Not only did she use civic body resources for a political meeting but, in doing so, she has also gone against a directive from top party leaders cancelling all virtual meetings. Party presi-

Ahmedabad Mayor Bijal Patel.

dent JP Nadda has announced two days of mourning for BJP workers and supporters after 20 soldiers were martyred on the Indo-China

—FILE PHOTO

border.

This is just the most recent instance where Patel finds herself in trouble. Earlier this month, she inaugurated

an event marking World Environment Day at the micro-containment area of Naranpura and refused to address any topic except mangoes when she inaugurated the Mango Festival in Ahmedabad.

AMC’s leader of the opposition, Dinesh Sharma accused the BJP of always being busy addressing the public but never being interested in bringing solutions.

The mayor’s office claims that the video is from Wednesday.

First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s government on Thursday decided to distribute free rations to cardholders under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for the third consecutive month.

Some 68.80 lakh cardholders will benefit in June.

In the first 18 days of the month, the state government has distributed rations that have benefited 23.19 lakh per-

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

sons. In April and May, 68.80 lakh families benefited from the government’s free ration distribution programme, in which a total of 3.91

—FILE PHOTO

lakh metric tonnes of food, worth Rs981 crore, was distributed at the 17,000 fair price shops across the state. The government will con-

tinue to give wheat, rice, sugar, dal and salt to ration cardholders until June 25.

Over and above this, in the last two months the state government has also distributed free rations to APL 1 cardholders, benefiting 3 crore people.

The government has also covered Antyodaya and BPL cardholders in its free ration programme, and the state had even released Rs1,000 financial aid to senior citizens and needy persons.

GLOBAL RECOGNITION

Hat-trick! Rajkot named national winner in WWF contest, again Other Indian cities among the finalists were Kochi and Nagpur 

Masuma Bharmal Jariwala Rajkot: Scoring a hattrick, the city of Rajkot has been selected as the national winner of the ‘One Planet City Challenge’ organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the country for the year 2019-20.

This is the third time in a row that the city

has emerged as the national winner, with two previous wins in 2017 and 2018. The selection was finalized from participants of 255 cities from 53 countries.

A letter written by WWF to Rajkot Municipal Commissioner Udit Agarwal read, “Rajkot is implementing an ambitious energy efficiency project and is taking

important action to mitigate water scarcity risks including measures to reuse and recycle waste water. It is further tackling storm water flooding risks by restoring nature based drainage solutions with important filtration and health co-benefits.

The city performed moderately well on all indicators related to the vision and did especially well on impact indicators.”

The WWF also appre-

ciated Rajkot’s mitigation action focused on its highest emitting sectors most notably in building sectors and its target per capita emission reductions. The organization stated that, “the city scored well on political commitment indicators as well.”

Three cities were in the running for the top prize this year namely Rajkot, Nagpur and Kochi. The WWF’s OPCC is a friendly competition

to mobilize cities to deliver on the Paris Agreement and aims to support and celebrate 100 cities with action plans for keeping the global average temperature rise below 1.5 °C. OPCC is the largest and longest running competition of its kind.

More than 400 cities on five continents have participated with at least one goal to reduce carbon emissions and increase climate resiliency.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

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YOU CAN’T BOYCOTT THE DRAGON BY RHETORIC

IN-DEPTH

CALL TO BOYCOTT CHINESE GOODS GETS THRILLER

ANIL KUMAR JAIN

T

he anger over China’s pre-meditated and barbaric attack on Indian troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan valley a day ago is refusing to subside. Twenty Indian soldiers were martyred in the attack. As tough questions are hurled at the government, clear-cut answers are not forthcoming. The mood of the nation is for revenge. Acquisition of Sukhoi-30 and MiG-29s, along with making Brahmos - the long-distance cruise missile - ready for deployment is sending right signals to the people. But it doesn’t seem that our new acquisitions and battle preparedness have sent a chill down China’s spine. The outcome after over six-hour long talks between top commanders of the two armies is not yet known but word from China remains unfriendly and unyielding.

Away from Ladakh, the country looks united in its call to boycott Chinese goods. The tender for the design and construction of the DelhiMeerut stretch of a tunnel for Rapid Rail Transport System won by the Chinese company Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company has been put on hold. The Centre said that the bid was yet to be finalised. The government also said that the tender guidelines “do not permit discrimination based on country or company”. The Chinese firm was the lowest bidder for the 5.6 km stretch.

In the telecom sector, the telecom ministry is learned to have redrafted the tender for BSNL’s 4G network up-gradation to keep Chinese companies out of the process.

Other telcos may also be asked to cut down their dependence on Chinese components.

After the attack by the PLA, the company likely to be hit hard is Huawei. The Chinese telecom giant was allowed to participate in 5G spectrum auction in India despite several countries having voiced security concerns against Huawei.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), a body of six crore traders across the country, has announced an ambitious plan to boycott 3000 Chinese products which it feels can be manufactured in India. This would require substituting $13 billion worth of imports from China by December 2021, a tall order given the present state of the Indian economy. To get an idea, imports from China in 2018-19 totalled $70 billion.

A bigger challenge lies in the pharma sector which is heavily dependent on active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from the hostile neighbour. In February this year, Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers told the Lok Sabha that two-thirds of the total import of bulk drugs or drug intermediaries is from China. Further, 90 percent of APIs for making antibiotics are imported from China.

It is not that India was blind to this over-dependence. Ajit Doval, the NSA had warned in 2014 that this could be a national security threat. After the Covid-19 outbreak, India did put in place to reduce this dependence.

For national pride boycott, Chinese goods need to be supported, including by TV channels who have Chinese telecoms as sponsors.

President of Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce & IIM Bangalore alumnus

I

“

Mobile phones or electronics are not the only segments where we consume Chinese products in large volumes.

The bulk drug in many medicines are from China.

The electricity generation plants are now mostly Chinese.

A big chunk of dairy machinery is from China. All the major consumer products of famous Indian brands are actually imported in ready-to-sell packaging from China

have deleted all Chinese Apps.

Have you?” This seems to have caught up on social media.

Fired by the clarion call given by our Hon PM to be Atmanirbhar, everyone is keen to contribute emotionally, howsoever symbolic it may be, to the cause. We Indians are highly emotional people.

Sometimes it gets better of us by eclipsing the harsh realities around. Is it really so simple to wish away Chinese products?

Let us begin with mobile phones - the most visible and indispensable part of our lives. Almost 95% of them are made in China. The rest are assembled in India with parts imported from China.

The Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote elaborately on why iPhones are made in China.

It’s not merely the availability of low-cost skilled labour as the popular perception goes. It’s about an abundant source of extraordinary craftsmen, like skilled workers and the robust network of millions of MSMEs built by tech savvy owners. The quantity of talent and skill available in China cannot be matched by any other country, including the US. He very aptly sums up by stressing on vocational training at the school-level, which the other countries still miss.

Mobile phones or electronics are not the only segments where we consume Chinese products in large volumes. The bulk drug in many medicines are from China. The electricity generation plants are now mostly Chinese. A big chunk of dairy machinery is from China. All the major consumer products of famous Indian brands are actually imported in ready-to-sell packaging from China. Furniture, air-conditioners, and the list just goes on -- you name it.

The first thing we need to realize is that this Chinese dominance was not built overnight. They first imported highly sophisticated technologies in partnership with

global giants and absorbed it in their system. They perfected the art of reverse engineering and of late added Research and Design to further improvise. They have been adding their global scale manufacturing capacities on the back of a strong network of clusters of MSMEs spread across various industries’ verticals and across the provinces of PRC. Most significantly, all this has happened with the government concomitantly investing in world class infrastructure at a furious pace. What one sees today are the results – rather a paradigm shift- of 25 years of coordinated work catapulting from one success to another. That’s why even if the entire world’s sentiments may be anti-China, they are the least bothered.

Cut to the Indian scene.

Chetan Bhagat wrote an article recently in a leading English daily calling for a change in the mindset, as he enumerated three key reasons for lukewarm economic growth in India: z Voters don’t care about the

economy.

z Goverment (of all parties) are

anti-business

z Indian industrialists lack in-

novation.

Add to that an antiquated educational system that churns

Democracy is a game of participation. If one does not actively engage in it, one lets others decide it by default. When the consequences stare in your face, one would have no reason or even the right to complain

out graduates who can’t talk comprehensively about their own subject for even one hour!

These issues just about sum up the ills the society needs to tackle before even thinking about boycotting Chinese products.

Democracy is a game of participation. If one does not actively engage in it, one lets others decide it by default.

When the consequences stare in your face, one would have no reason or even the right to complain. Most educated classes live in their comfort zones. They often avoid anything, which seems uncertain or uncomfortable to

Will COVID-19 help us end food waste?

T

oday, the world faces one of its most challenging crises of the 21st century. A tiny yet powerful virus has been able to shed light on a number of questions we all knew but might not have truly comprehended. First, we are incredibly interconnected, from Wuhan to Milan to New York. Second, we are less immune to global crises than we would like to acknowledge, as the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic has shown. Third, scarcity is real, as anyone who has been to a grocery store looking for toilet paper at the start of the outbreak would agree. The new norm has been closedness rather than openness: Everything from gyms to public spaces to borders

04

has been closed, and quarantine is the word on everyone’s lips.

The last thing anyone wants is for the situation to become chaotic. The current state of affairs has led to a great deal of communal fear and anxiety. When that happens, we tend to expect the worst, and rather than sit and wait, it is an instinct to get ready for the fight.

Stocking up is an understandable reaction in times of uncertainty and fear like these, and stockpiling of dry and canned foods is even encouraged as preparation for a crisis. But how can we assure we have enough food at home while also being mindful of reducing food waste? And how do we counter the COVID-19 emergency without losing sight of other creeping crises like environmental degradation and climate change?

HOW WAS IT BEFORE? Let’s start by understanding that the food waste problem is not exclusive to the current times. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, if food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In Sweden in particular, 1.3 million tons of food are wasted, half of which researchers classify as unnecessary waste. Just to give a clear

idea, we are talking about 65 kilograms of unnecessary waste for each person living in Sweden each year.

Sounds like a lot, right?

Most of it is due to household waste, although some food is also spilled in the logistics chain before it even gets to our plates. But all of this was before the COVID-19 crisis.

Food waste reduction is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set to be reached before

2030 and is considered to be a strong tool for the bold goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement. According to Project Drawdown, an initiative that lists the most effective interventions to reduce CO2 emissions, reducing food waste is the most important measure to stop global warming at 2° Celcius. The whole of society needs to act to make this goal achievable. Associate Professor Helen Williams, from Karlstad University, thinks that “This is a task for collaborative action between governments, food companies, retailers and consumers.”

However, there are very few initiatives focused on reducing food waste in households, where the need for good solutions is more critical as almost 50% of food waste occurs at

home. As a matter of fact, household food waste is greater than that of restaurant and industrial kitchens combined.

WHAT HAS CHANGED DUE TO THE CRISIS? In the current situation, measuring the impacts of the crisis on food waste is quite a challenge. Food stores have, however, witnessed a clear change in consumption behavior with stocking up on food and a shift from sales from restaurants to food stores.

In March, ICA, the biggest food supplier in Sweden, reported an increase in consumption, with numbers as high as 11% compared to the same time last year. Similar numbers are also seen among other Swedish supermarkets.

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.FAIROBSERVER.COM

their set lifestyles that may upset their applecart. They are aloof or often unconcerned about the social realities around them. The long term virtues like hard work, skill development, innovation, risk management and the likes so much needed to build a robust work culture remain unattended. No wonder, due to lack of entrepreneurial zeal, the growth of the economy is slowing down, and the frustration amongst the educated unemployed is rising.

So what we really do need is for more sensible people to start speaking up. Leverage their knowledge with the power of social media and build a consensus amongst the youth. Feed their natural hunger for growth and drive their ambition. The businesses must not solely look up to the government for doles and preferential cuts. Instead they must demand less red tape and speedy approvals and minimum multiplicity of controls.

It’s only when the educated class starts taking up entrepreneurship as a vocation of choice and not of compulsion, will you get to a point where India is less dependent on China. Only then it would be redundant to trend “Boycott Chinese Products.”

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp A well-oiled LPG supply chain has enabled an efficient mechanism to provide economic support to the vulnerable sections in these uncertain times. Secure and continuous supply of LPG at doorsteps has strengthened India’s fight against #Covid19.

Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal Rapid Response Mobile Lab: Take a look at India’s 1st mobile Infectious Disease Diagnostic Lab made with support of Government of India. Dedicated to the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, unique lab can travel large distances & diagnose infectious diseases.

Spiritual SPEAK

All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?. —Buddha

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05

NHAI revamp in the ‘Who sent unarmed Indian offing, says Gadkari GALWAN VALLEY FACE-OFF

soldiers to martyrdom?’

20 Indian Army jawans, including a Col rank officer, had lost their lives in violent face-off in Galwan valley New Delhi: Speaking on the violent face-off between Indian Army and Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, questioned why Indian security personnel were “sent “unarmed to martyrdom” in Ladakh and asked who is responsible for sending them towards danger.

“China has committed a big crime by killing unarmed Indian soldiers. I want to ask who sent these bravehearts towards danger without arms and why.

Who is responsible for this,” he asked in a video message.

“How dare China kill our unarmed soldiers?

Why were our soldiers sent unarmed to martyrdom,” he said.At least 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel rank officer, had lost their lives in the violent face-off in the Galwan valley area of Ladakh on June 15.

The violent face-off happened in Galwan valley as a result of an attempt by Chinese troops to “unilaterally change” the status quo during deescalation in eastern Ladakh & the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on June 16. —ANI

‘Service Week’ by Maha Cong to mark RaGa’s 50th birthday Mumbai:The Maharashtra Youth Congress has announced a ‘Service Week’ from Friday to mark senior party leader Rahul Gandhi’s 50th birthday on June 19, a party leader said.The ‘Seva Saptah’ will see officebearers and workers carrying out various welfare activities to ease the lives of the poor and migrants hit by the

Coronavirus pandemic, said Maharashtra Youth Congress (MYC) President Satyajeet Tambe.The highlight would be distribution of ‘Nyay kits’ to thousands of people in the unorganized sector like labourers in the construction and farm sectors, containing foodgrains, masks, sanitisers, medication, etc.

GIVE STRONG MESSAGE TO CHINA: PRIYANKA New Delhi: “Our 20 soldiers have been killed.

Centre should give a strong message, but govt has adopted the strategy of kneeling by handing over contract of Delhi-Meerut Semi-High Speed Rail Corridor to a Chinese company. All Indian companies are also capable of building this corridor,” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.

Broader front takes shape on China Washington DC: The tussle that started between China & the US two years back, has taken the shape of a broader showdown with the advanced democracies including Australia and UK weighing in on contest against Beijing’s pursuit of technological dominance, discriminatory trade practices, and domestic repression.

The UK is now rethinking on China’s Huawei Technologies Co. from its 5G telecommunications network after saying it could participate. Japan too has offered a concession to companies to

reshore supply chains from China. The European Union has just levied tariffs against Chinese-subsidized companies based outside China. Foreign ministers of G7 issued a statement on Hong Kong security law, which underscored ‘grave concerns’ regarding Beijing’s decision to impose a national security law on the semi-autonomous region.

“China’s decision is not in conformity with Hong Kong Basic Law & its international commitments under the principles of legally binding, UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration,” foreign ministers of G7 said. —ANI

BJP defers all political events

OPPOSITION’S BEHAVIOUR IS UNFORTUNATE: RAM MADHAV

New Delhi: BJP has decided to defer its political events, for the next two days to pay homage to the Indian Army bravehearts who lost their lives in face-off with China in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on Monday. “The supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers while guarding our motherland in Galwan valley will always be remembered. I pay homage to the martyrs,” BJP national president JP Nadda tweeted. “BJP has decided to postpone all its political programmes including virtual rallies for next 2 days,” his tweet read. —ANI

New Delhi: BJP Gen Secretary Ram Madhav said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ‘s comments help inimical countries & these countries don’t have to do anything & can just use opposition statements against India. “Opposition’s behaviour is very unfortunate. When the entire nation should stand with the Army & Govt, it’s unfortunate that main opposition party issues statements that benefit India’s enemies. They use Rahul Gandhi’s statement to form their argument.”

New Delhi: he government is taking steps to revamp the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and largescale reforms are needed further, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

NHAI has been mandated the task to develop, maintain, and manage National Highways, the arterial roads of the country, for inter-state movement of passengers and goods.

The total length of National Highways at present is abut 150,000 km, about 2 per cent of the length of all the roads, but they carry about 40 per cent of the total traffic.

“We are taking steps

India’s first mobile testing lab launched

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan launched India’s first mobile lab for COVID19 testing in New Delhi on Thursday.

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan launched India’s first mobile laboratory for COVID-19 testing in rural and inaccessible areas of India.

“To ensure testing fa-

HC dismisses Vishal Yadav’s parole plea

SC stays this year’s Puri Rath Yatra

New Delhi: The Delhi cilities in the prison HC dismissed the pa- where he is lodged.

Justice V Kameshrole application filed by Vishal Yadav, who is war Rao dismissed the parole appliserving a life cation after term for killDelhi goving business ernment & executive the mother Nitish Kataof the dera in the c e a s e d , year 2002.

NITISH KATARA Neelam KaYadav had ops o u g h t MURDER CASE tara, posed the emerg ency parole for a period of parole plea during the eight weeks on the arguments. Vishal Yaground that he could dav & his cousin Vikas get infected by corona- Yadav are serving life virus or tuberculosis terms for killing busidue to overcrowding ness executive Nitish and poor sanitation fa- Katara in 2002. —ANI

New Delhi: The Lord Jagannath rath yatra and activities connected to it will not be allowed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Court said. “Lord Jagannath will not forgive us if we allowed the rath yatra,” CJI SA Bobde said while hearing a petition seeking to defer the rath yatra in Odisha’s Puri which is scheduled to start on June 23.

“Such gatherings can’t take place at the time of the pandemic,” the Supreme Court

ronment.

The court said it cannot allow the rath yatra this year “in the interest of public health and safety of citizens”.

A non-profit, Odisha Vikas Parishad, in its petition said the annual rath yatra in the coastal

for revamp of NHAI.... major reforms are needed in the Authority,” the Road Transport and

COVID-19

IN THE COURTYARD

said, referring to the advice by health professionals to maintain social distancing as the highly infectious coronavirus can spread via respiratory droplets and surface contact.

The risk increases manifold in a crowded envi-

MINISTER SPEAK

Highways Minister said addressing a webinar organised by industry body Assocham.

The minister said the need of the hour is to devise bankable projects suitable for the market with acute precision and accuracy citing how NHAI devised Rs 5,000 crore highway monetisation projects under TOT (toll-operator-transfer) mode which could only be bid by foreign players.

“It took six months to convince them (Authority) to come out with small Rs 500 crore packages for asset monetisation under TOT as Rs 5,000 crore package could only be bid by foreign players,” Gadkari said. —PTI

district in Odisha will draw some 10 lakh people and the religious event goes on for 10-12 days.

The rath yatra amid the COVID-19 pandemic “will be an invitation to infect lakhs of devotees”, the petition said, adding the Odisha government has also not allowed religious places to open before June 30.

“This is a serious matter,” the Chief Justice said. “Even if there are only 10,000 people (in the event), it is also a serious thing,” the Chief Justice said. —Agencies

cilities in far-flung areas, such innovations have been developed in the interior, inaccessible parts of the country,” said Union Health Minister. “It can perform 25 RT-PCR tests per day,” he said. —ANI

‘Over 1.65L tests done in last 24 hrs’ New Delhi: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed that 1,65,412 tests of coronavirus were conducted by various laboratories across the country in the last 24 hours.

This is the highest number of tests conducted by the laboratories in a single day. As of now, a total of 953 laboratories across India have been given the approval to conduct the test. This includes 699 government laboratories and 254 private laboratories. —ANI

Plea on moving ICJ against China dismissed New Delhi: The SC rejected a petition for directions to the Centre to drag China to International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking compensation to the tune of USD 600 billion for spreading coronavirus.

A bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde rejected the plea filed by a Madurai resident KK Ramesh.

As coronavirus emerged from China’s Wuhan city, there have been speculations that the deadly coronavirus might have been produced by the country in attempts to develop biological weapons of mega destruction. This comes as lockdown, induced to prevent the spread of coronavirus for over two months now, has severely affected India’s economy. —ANI

REVIVING HERITAGE

Pradhan seeks ASI restoration for 500-yr-old submerged temple Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pardhan has sought the intervention of the Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel in directing the Archaeological Survey of India for restoring and relocating the 500-year-old Lord Gopinath Temple that re-emerged in the middle of Mahanadi River near Baideswar in Padmavati village in Nayagarh district recently.

In a letter to the Culture and Tourism Minister, Pradhan said, “A 500-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Gopinath, a form of Lord Vishnu has re-emerged out of the Mahanadi River in Nayagarh district. I understand that the nonprofit organization Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has examined the temple and deemed it to be of major historic significance and in a good state of preservation.”

—PHOTO BY ANI

Vaishali

A 500-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Gopinath, a form of Lord Vishnu has re-emerged out of the Mahanadi River in Nayagarh district. I understand that the non-profit organization Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has examined the temple and deemed it to be of major historic significance and in a good state of preservation.

—Dharmendra Pradhan

An ancient temple resurfaces in Mahanadi in Nayagarh.

The 55 to 60 feet submerged temple dates back to the late 15th or

early 16th century, considering its construction style and materi-

Union Minister

als used for the construction. It is theorised that the temple

was submerged in 1933 following floods in the region, added Union

Minister Pradhan.

Therefore, keeping in mind the intangible historical, cultural, and religious significance of the temple to the people of Odisha, Pradhan urged the personal intervention of Culture and Tourism Minister in directing officials of the ASI for undertaking restoration of Gopinath temple to a suitable site.

It may be noted that a survey team of INTACH had located the temple in Mahanadi waters a

few days back. The national heritage watchdog had launched a oneof-its-kind project on Documentation of the Heritage of the Mahanadi Valley under the supervision of historian Anil Dhir and the discovery of Gopinath Temple is also a part of the project.

The top of Gopinath Dev Temple was reportedly last seen some 11 years ago and it has reappeared due to reduction in the water-level of Mahanadi River.

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HEAVY RAIN LASHES MUMBAI

Ram temple ‘aarti’ to be The city hasn’t witnessed a heavy and continuous rain spell since its onset was declared on June 14 streamed live on social media

Cars and bikes are seen on a road at Marine Drive during rain in Mumbai on Thursday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Mumbai: Heavy rain, accompanied by wind, lashed the city and its adjoining areas including Thane on Thursday.

The weatherman has forecast showers to continue all through the weekend.The Met department predicted that parts of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Mumbai will get heavy rains till the weekend.

KS Hosalikar, deputy director general at IMD Mumbai, said that extended range forecast by IMD for next 4 weeks for rainfall

K S Hosalikar @Hosalikar_KS

Sea waves strike at Marine Drive during rain in Mumbai onThursday.

anomaly indicates positive departures over Maharashtra from

Manipur: Congress stakes claim to form government Imphal : The Congress on Thursday staked claim to form the government in Manipur and wrote to the Governor calling for a floor test to prove their majority in the state Assembly.

This came a day after three BJP MLAs resigned and joined Congress while four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs, an independent MLA and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA also withdrew support to Chief Minister N Biren Singh government. Manipur Congress Legislative Party leader (CLP) Okram Ibobi Singh has written to the Governor, requesting to call a special Assembly session to adopt a resolution on ‘no-confidence mo-

tion’ against N Biren Singh’s government and to invite the newly formed SPF to form the government under his leadership.

In the letter, Okram Ibobi Singh stated that the strength of the Congress in Manipur Assembly is 20 as seven of its MLAs are barred from entering the House by Manipur High Court.

“The present ministry is now supported by only 23 MLAs, 18 from BJP, four from NPF and one from LJSP. On the other hand, SPF has a total of 20 INC MLAs, four NPP MLAs, one MLA of TMC and one independent MLA, totalling 26 members out of an effective total House strength of 49 members,” it said.

—ANI

Extended range forecast by IMD forecast

by IMD on 18th June for next 4 weeks for rainfall anomaly, indicating positive departures over Maharashtra from next week onwards

monsoon onset marks the beginning of the four-month, June to September, monsoon season over India, which brings over 70% of country’s annual rainfall.. If at least 60% of the 14 designated meteorological stations in Kerala & Lakshadweep report at least 2.5 mm of rain for two consecutive days after May 10, along with a few other conditions relating to wind and temperature, the onset of monsoon is said to have taken place. —Agencies

New Delhi: The daily Aarti at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya will now be live streamed for devotees on social media every day. The arrangements are being made by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for live telecast of the ‘aarti’ on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

According to Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of the temple, the ‘Mangala aarti’ that is held in the morning will be streamed live, followed by ‘Shringar aarti’, then the ‘Bal bhog and aarti’ and then the ‘Sandhya aarti’ in the evening and the last ‘Shayan aarti’.

“The ‘Shringar’ process in which the temple is decorated will also be streamed live, he said. The temple trust is also preparing to launch its official website, while its Facebook page has already been launched.Trust member Anil Mishra said that the trust will release all the official details about the temple construction through the website.

The office of the trust has just started functioning. —Agencies

next week onwards.

The IMD has called this a “soft onset” of

monsoon, one without heavy rain over the region. The southwest

Awantipora: Terrorist entered nearby mosque to hide

Govt mapped skill sets of migrant workers: FM

Awantipora: The terrorist eliminated in an encounter at Meej in Pampore area of Awantipora, had entered the mosque to take refuge, said the Indian Army.

The joint operation was in progress. J&K Police DGP Dilbag Singh said that a terrorist was eliminated in exchange of gunfire with security forces and police at Meej in Pampore area of Awantipora.

“Last night Awantipur Police launched an operation at village Meez, along with army & security forces. Target house is adjoining a big mosque. After an initial exchange of fire & a grenade throw, while cordon was being laid, the terrorists seemed to have shifted to mosque. Exchange of fire resumed as the terrorists shifted to adjoining shed. One militant killed so far,” Singh said. —ANI

New Delhi: Ahead of the launch of ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ scheme, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Central and state governments have meticulously mapped the skill sets of the migrant workers who have returned in large numbers to the 116 districts in six states.

“Workers from all over the country wanted to go back to villages a little while after the lockdown began. The Central and state governments made some arrangements and they have gone back. We have looked at the districts to which they have largely returned,” Sitharaman said at a press conference here.

“We have found that migrant workers returned in large numbers to 116 districts, spread over six states - Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar

Within 125 days, for 116 districts, nearly 25 schemes of the government will be brought together under Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, we will reach saturation levels for each of those schemes within those 125 days.

—Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister

Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan. The Central and state governments have meticulously mapped the skill sets of the migrant workers

who have returned in large numbers to the 116 districts in 6 states,” she said. PM Modi will launch this scheme on June 20 through video conference. —ANI

06

POWER Gallery CBIC WILL BE RUN BY CHAIRMAN ONLY?

This is the state of affairs in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). Out of the total four, two members have already retired this year in March and May respectively. Among the remaining two, one Ashok Kumar Pandey is scheduled to superannuate in July and in August, Sandip Mohan Bhatnagar will also retire. Thus, finally Chairman. M Ajit Kumar will be the solitary head in the CBIC to run this vast country.

POSTING OF 1987 BATCH IPS OFFICERS TO START SOON

Posting of empanelled 1987 batch IPS officers to the rank of DG in the Government of India will start after a couple of months.

10 CCIT LEVEL OFFICERS GET NEW POSTINGS

A total of 10 CCIT level officers were posted as Principal CCIT. Accordingly, Himalini Kashyap posted as PCCIT, Nagpur, Saseekala Nair posted as Principal CCIT, Kerala, BP Singh posted as Principal CCIT (Exemptions), Delhi , Anu J Singh posted as Principal CCIT, Delhi, Shefali Shah posted as Principal CCIT (International Taxation), Delhi, Chitta Ranjan Pati posted as Principal CCIT, UP (East), Amit Jain posted as Principal CCITMumbai, Anuja Sarangi posted as Principal DG Income Tax (Vigilance), New Delhi Manik Lal Karmakar posted as Principal CCIT, Tamil Nadu & PuducherryPritam Singh posted as Principal CCIT, Gujarat.

4 PCCITS ASSIGNED NEW POSTINGS

A total of four PCCIT level officers have been assigned new postings. Accordingly, PS Puniha posted as Principal CCIT (NEAC), Delhi P Sridhar posted as Principal CCIT, Karnataka & Goa , Sunita Puri posted as Principal CCIT, NWR and Ajai Das Mehrotra posted as Principal CCIT, UP West & Uttarakhand.

THREE 1987 BATCH IPS OFFICERS ARE IN GOI

Out of the total 15 empanelled to the rank of GoI in the Government of India, three 1987 batch IPS officers are currently posted in the GoI. They are Sudhir Saxena, Arun Sinha and Sanjay Chandra. Naturally they will get preference in the postings in the CPOs. EIGHT IRS-CUSTOMS OFFICERS GET POSTING AFTER RETURNING FROM DEPUTATION

As many as eight IRS-Customs officers have been given posting to the grade of Commissioner of Customs after returning from deputation.

Accordingly, Rimjhim Prasad has been posted to Delhi North CGST & CX, while Manish Mani Tiwari was appointed to Mumbai CUS Export and Diniesh K Chakravarthy gets posting to Tuticorin CUS. Similarly, Pai Giridhar Gopalkrishna has been posted to Thiruvananthapuram CGST & CX; T V Rai to Mundra CUS, Ahmedabad; Yoshodhan Arvind Wanage to Patna-I CGST & CX; Mahesh Kumar Rustagi to Ranchi Appeals CGST & CX and Satyajir Singh was posted to Kolkata, Appeals CGST & CX Kolkata.

SUCHITRA SHARMA RETURNS TO PARENT CADRE

Suchitra Sharma, CVO, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), Delhi, has been given premature repatriation to her parent cadre in order to avail the benefit of promotion. She is a 1987 batch IRS-C&CE officer.

MP MAY LOSE SEAT IN SC ?

There are indications that this time MP may miss the bus in the vacancy of SC Judges.

TWO OUT OF THREE FROM ODISHA EMPANELLED AS DG IN GOI

Two IPS officers of 1987 batch, out of total three, eligible from Odisha cadre, have been empanelled for DG and equivalent posts in Govt of India.

FROM PG 1 Status of...

However, priest Dilip Dasji at Ahmedabad’s Jagannath temple continues to remain hopeful.

“Nothing has stopped the procession in 142 years. This year will be the Yatra’s 143rd year. So, we are getting ready, but we will abide by the state government’s decision. Let us see what God wishes,” he said.

Jadeja has said the state will go through the Supreme Court order before coming to a final decision.

At the same time, a citizen Hitesh Chavda

has moved a PIL through advocate Aum Kotwal pleading for the high court to stay the Yatra.

The petitioner’s submission is that the Central Government has banned any religious congregation and that the state does not have the authority to grant permission for religious congregations under the Disaster Management Act or the Epidemic Diseases Act. He has also submitted that the petition should be given a priority hearing.

Meanwhile, the management of the ISKCON temple in

Vadodara has decided to call off its Rath Yatra for the first time in 39 years, without waiting for the state government’s decision.

No Indian... led the Indian team at the talks with his Chinese counterpart at Patrolling Point-14 in the Galwan Valley. A fourth round of talks is scheduled there Friday.

The talks, however, have not yet led to further disengagement or de-escalation at various faceoff locations on the Ladakh border.

Taking a strong exception to China claiming sovereignty over the Galwan Valley, India had said that Bejing’s “exaggerated and untenable claims” are contrary to the understanding reached on the issue between the two sides. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said India wants peace

but “will give a befitting reply” if provoked.

With 184...

India to become the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2021-22 and said India will work towards peace and prosperity of the world.

“Gratitude to the member nations for unanimously supporting India’s membership to UN Security Council.

Under the strong and visionary leadership of PM @NarendraModi, India will uphold its mantra of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and will work towards peace & prosperity of the world,” Shah tweeted.

India’s two-year term will begin on January 1, 2021. This is the eighth time that India will sit at the UN high-table, which comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent

members.

India, one of the founding members of the world body has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Council for 7 times during the years- 19501951, 1967-1968, 19721973, 1977-1978, 19841985, 1991-1992 and most recently in 2011-2012.

The UNSC comprises 15 members including 10 non-permanent and 5 permanent members.

The 193-member UNSC holds elections every year to elect five non-permanent members for a two-year term at the UN.

Apart from this, there are five permanent members of the Council-China, France, Russia, UK and the US. —ANI

Explained! Why... (as per 1996 & 2005 agreements) not to use firearms during faceoffs,” Jaishankar tweeted.

Earlier, Gandhi questioned why Indian soldiers were sent “unarmed to martyrdom” in Ladakh and who is responsible for sending them towards danger.

He also asked how China dared to kill the Indian soldiers.

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07

Retail won’t

SNAP BACK

It’s wrong to expect a “snap-back” at shopping centres, food courts, cinemas and other places where people used to gather to spend money. We’ve identified three reasons why spending in physical stores on goods like clothes is likely to remain much lower than it was for a long time

Time to form new habits

Fear, much of it age-based First, even when governments relax restrictions, lots of people will still be worried and will go out less. Unless there are zero cases for several weeks in a state or city, many people will remain reluctant to go out.

This is why we have previously argued that there is a big dividend in eliminating COVID-19 in the style of New Zealand, the Northern Territory, and South Australia, rather than bumping along with “suppression” – and several new locally-acquired cases a day – as Victoria is still doing.

This reluctance to go out and spend, irrespective of government restrictions, could be seen in Australia before government restrictions were imposed, as shown on the “Consumers and mobility” tab of the Grattan Econ Tracker.

The effects of fear shouldn’t be underestimated.

Spending in Sweden has fallen almost as much as in Denmark, even when Denmark was in lockdown and Sweden had minimal restrictions. Swedes are afraid to go out, particularly if they are old.

Spending by people aged 70+ has fallen further in Sweden than in Denmark, and 60-69 year-olds have cut their spending by about the same amount in both countries.

This isn’t surprising. COVID-19 is much more deadly for older people.

Age-based fear is a challenge for retailers because older households now spend significantly more than younger households. 25 years ago it was the other way around.

Second, we are likely to keep spending on different things, and using different channels, even after restrictions are lifted.

Habits tend to form when behaviour changes consistently. They strengthen over time, and are particularly sticky once behaviour has been consistent for a period of months – and we’ve been living with lockdown for that long in Australia.

Once formed, the new habits can persist unless there is another shock.

Australians have become used to doing more of their purchasing online. They have become used to spending more on living comfortably at home, and less on clothes for the office and to go out.

After the shutdown, people are likely to continue to work from home more often.

The habits of shopping remotely, and spending more on home furnishings and less on clothes, are likely to continue, and they would be likely to continue even if COVID-19 vanished tomorrow.

Global recession

Third, irrespective of COVID-19 regulations and behaviours, we are heading into an “oldfashioned”, globally synchronised, deep recession.

For the moment, JobKeeper, the temporarily-boosted JobSeeker payment, and a recent bounceback, have resulted in spending on credit and debit cards a bit more than this time last year.

But unemployment jumped to 7.1% on Thursday. That official rate understates how bad things are.

In May an extra 227,700 Australians lost their jobs (on top of 607,400 in April).

But only 85,000 of them were counted as unemployed.

When and if the bulk of those people look for work, the unemployment rate will climb further.

After JobKeeper ends in September (or is phased out as a result of the government’s review) many of the three million people on it will also become counted as unemployed.

Australians who have lost their jobs are likely to spend less than they did before.

After each of the previous two recessions it took years for employment to recover.

Spending need not recover after COVID These three factors – fear, new habits, and recession – are present in countries and regions that seem to be well clear of coronavirus.

Much of China has been free of most government restrictions for months. Manufacturing and infrastructure spending has largely returned to pre-COVID levels.

But consumer activity is still below pre-COVID levels, and it is inching up only slowly.

Australia might well see an “opening party” on the day each particular COVID-19 restriction is lifted.

But after that, the best guess is that consumer spending will remain very subdued and refocused for a long time.

For those in the hardest-hit sectors and regions – particularly arts and recreation, hospitality, and clothing – the pain will continue long after the restrictions are lifted.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

CONCEPT: DIVYA HEMNANI

DESIGN: SITARAM SHARMA

If you are grateful, express it.

Say it in words or actions but don’t leave it unsaid. Gratitude is a form of prayer.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

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BJP leader heckles Morari Bapu over Krishna remarks First India Bureau Dwarka: Popular religious preacher Morari Bapu, who draws lakhs during his Ram Katha, for the first time on Thursday suffered humiliation at the hands of recently disqualified BJP legislator Pabubha Manek, who was incensed over his recent remarks about Lord Krishna.

A different preacher, who stays clear from the other politicallycorrect Godmen in the country, Morari Bapu is known to have hosted famous Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali and bitter critic of the Narendra Modi Government journalist Ravish Kumar, among many others, at his ashram in Mahuva taluka in Saurashtra.

While the Thursday’s incident took place in front of the media and was captured by TV cameras,

Recently disqualified BJP MLA Pabubha Manek allegedly charged at the popular religious leader

Morari Bapu

Manek claimed later that he had no intention to attack the spiritual leader.

In a video that went viral, an angry Manek was seen rushing towards Bapu, who was addressing the media at the Circuit House after visiting the Dwarkadheesh temple here.

Jamnagar MP Poonam Madam, who was

Six diamond units closed in Surat

HUMILIATING BAPU?

Pabubhai Manek

sitting next to Bapu, and another person intervened quickly and took Manek away before he could get near the preacher. The former MLA later claimed that his body language was misunderstood.

“I just wanted to ask Bapu why he uttered such words and from where he learned such things. Before I could

get close to him, his supporters took me away, thinking that I had come there to attack Bapu,” Pabubhai Manek said.

Recently, the Gujarat High Court set aside Manek’s election from Dwarka for submitting a faulty nomination form and put his vote for Friday’s Rajya Sabha elections

into jeopardy.

Morari Bapu was in Dwarka to mollify Lord Krishna devotees, particularly members of the Ahir community, which was apparently angry over his recent statement that Lord Krishna “failed to establish Dharma’’ in his own city of Dwarka.

Later he tendered an apology.

SOMNATH SOIL FOR AYODHYA

China car firm faces heat from CM’s hometown Masuma Bharmal Jariwala Rajkot: Nationwide protests and boycott calls against China and Chinese products seem to be implemented in concrete form in Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s hometown Rajkot.

A government staffer, who had booked a car in 2019, cancelled it on Thursday after learning that the manufacturer is a subsidiary of a Chinese company.

Mayurdhvajsinh Zala, a pharmacist at Rajkot district Panchayat, had booked MG Hector car with a Rajkot-based automobile showroom on July 19, 2019, through a deposit of Rs 51,000 through cheque. Zala cancelled it on knowing that MG Hector India is a subsidiary of a Chinese company.

Speaking to First

GU puts off exams, but not GTU

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

Surat: With Katargam zone with a concentration of diamond polishing units reporting 348 corona positive cases after June 1, the Surat Municipal Corporation has shut down at least six diamond firms and their administrative sections for violation of social distancing norms. At least 217 cases came from the diamond industry.

This is after Surat Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani asked the diamond processing units and their marketing units to ensure the norms were followed.

Accordingly, the administrative office of Om Star Diamond located in Nandu Doshi Ni Wadi has been ordered closed and one employee quarantined.

Similarly, the offices of Nivam Diamond in

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat University has postponed the exams that were scheduled to start from July 2 and July 13. The decision has been taken considering increasing cases of Covid-19 and safety of students. Medical and para-medical exams will be held as per the schedule.

The Gujarat Technological University (GTU), however, has decided to conduct annual examinations for 1.2 lakh final year students of all faculties of its over 486 affiliated colleges from July 2.

The students are free to opt either for online or offline examinations, the registration for which will commence from June 19. This is one of the first universities to take such an initiative of conducting both online and offline exams.a

Krishna Diamond Building have been shut and five people quarantined.

The entire Vaishali Gem’s polishing unit has also been closed and as many as 35 people quarantined, while a section of Shreeji Gems located in Nandu Doshi ni Wadi was also shut down and 35 people quarantined. Action was also taken against Drishti Gems and Jamunesh Diamond in Nandsitaram Complex. A penalty of Rs.14000 was also recovered.

Soil and water of various religious places are being collected to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya. Accordingly, soil from Somnath mandir campus and water from sangam place were handed over to VHP’s Somnath district president Nareshbhai Paryani on Thursday.

Two dead, 8 injured in road mishap in Chhota Udepur First India Bureau Chhota Udepur: Two people were killed and eight others of the same family injured after a speeding Bolero car rammed into the compact truck they were travelling in, on Thursday.

Police said Daksha

Bhil and Raksha Bhil sustained severe head injuries and succumbed during treatment. Three others are also said to be critically injured. The others with minor injuries were discharged after first-aid. The incident happened on the Narmada main canal close to Motada village

in Chhotaudepur. The victims are natives of Tilakwada in Narmada district and were going to Naswadi for some family gathering. Police said locals removed the victims from the vehicle and rushed them to the hospital while the driver of the Bolero managed to flee.

08

People staged protests against Chinese products in Rajkot.

India, Zala said, “I recently received a call from the company saying that the car is ready to be delivered, but looking at what China has done with India I informed them I would cancel the order. They asked a reason in writing for a refund, which I gave.”

Zala’s letter to the automobile company reads,” I do not wish to buy this car anymore for the reason MG Hector India is a subsidiary of Chinese SIAC (Shanghai Auto-

motive Industry Corporation) Motor Corporation Ltd. It shall be noted that SIAC Motor is a Chinese state owned company and thus I do not want to do any business or use any product belonging directly or indirectly to the Chinese state and Chinese communist party.” Meanwhile, Rajkot Karni Sena staged a protest against Chinese products and boycott Chinese applications from mobile phones.

Locusts from Pak arrive in North Guj

First India Bureau Palanpur (Banaskantha) : Swarms of locusts flying in from Pakistan were spotted in parts of North Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, an official said on Thursday.

According to State Agriculture Officer Pramod Patel, small clusters of the insects arrived in at least four villages of Suigam tehsil in the district, close to the border with Pakistan.

“Locusts in small groups invaded some parts of Suigam, and we sprayed pesticides to control them. They af-

fected a 12 -hectare area.

They have been brought under control now,” he said.

Pramod Patel added that, “They came from the Pakistan border, and some were diverted from Rapar and Bhachau talukas (tehsils) of the neighbouring Kutch district.”

Late last year, swarms of locusts coming from Pakistan ravaged crops over 25,000 hectares in the North Gujarat districts of Banaskantha, Patan, and Mehsana as well as the desert district of Kutch.

WARRIOR OF SORTS

FEEDING TUBE CASE: CANCER SURVIVOR FIGHTS LEGAL BATTLE An oral cancer patient’s basic feeding tube got stuck at Customs office at Mumbai airport 

First India Bureau Mumbai/Vadodara: Fighting a tiring battle with cancer, a patient from Vadodara had to undergo an uncanny struggle with the Mumbai Customs authorities until the Bombay High Court directed

the latter to hand him over within 24 hours impounded boxes of formula feeding tubes imported from the US. This direction by a bench of Justices Shahrukh Kathawalla and Nitin Borkar, via video conference, came on a petition by Vadodara’s

Samir Patel. He was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2016 and his intake of food and nutrients is only possible through a feeding tube.

The formula feed is required to be imported from the US since it is not available in India and neither are its alternatives.

Patel’s petition said he imported four boxes of Osmolite Nutrition-Food for Tube Feeding Patient from US through courier

agency DHL Express (India) but the assistant commissioner of customs, Air Cargo Complex at the Sahar Airport, refused to provide inward clearance to the courier agency and withheld the packets.

The judges summoned additional solicitor general Anil Singh who found out the details and said the Commissioner, Air Cargo Commissionerate, shall process the

documents subject to DHL filing a bill of entry and Patel filing an undertaking that the consignment will be used only for personal consumption.

The judges directed DHL to file a bill of entry and Patel’s lawyers to submit the undertaking. The Customs Commissioner would then process the parcel and give a compliance certificate to the court on June 22.

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09

AHMEDABAD, FRIDAY JUNE 19, 2020

BINDING THE

BODY

In the fashion world, where many trends come and go; City First digs into a few classic styles, that you can keep in your closet for a lifetime

KARISHMA GWALANI karishma.gwalani@firstindia.co.in

A

bodycon dress is an article of clothing that is designed to literally hug your body.

These

dresses are crafted from stretchy materials that are meant to be tight-fitting, conforming to the shape of your body. The name ‘bodycon’ refers to ‘body confidence’ because these dresses were designed to show off a woman’s figure. A properly constructed bodycon dress pulls you in and smooths you out while

also being comfortable to wear for long periods.

The bodycon dress was a gift to the fashion world from the 1990s when designer Herve Leger introduced them to fashionistas everywhere. Whether you want to wear one for a night out on the town, during a shopping spree with friends, or on a hot first date, Turn to P12

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AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

10

TOGETHER WE CAN! EDUCATION FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED BY JAGRITI IN THE TIMES OF COVID-19

JK JAJOO

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

J

the heart of biggest slum areas, we have also been able to adopt 15 Government and Private schools in the urban slums of Jaipur and Ajmer.

Our work has a holistic approach that includes – Advocacy and Counselling to out of the School Students.

Reconstruction and Repair of School Buildings, Installing Water Stations and Toilet Blocks Separate for Boys, Girls and Staff, setting up of Computer labs, Science lab and Audio-Visual Room and providing for all other requirements for running a Model School. All this has been possible through a team of dedicated volunteers on regular basis

FA CE OF TH ED AY

agriti, a social organization dedicated to the upliftment for the underprivileged section of the society has been working relentlessly since its inception, 24 April 2001.

It has had an unprecedented ‘Journey’, from day one being at the helm of major events since ‘Gujarat Earthquake’ in the year 2001 where it was the Second Aid to reach with truckloads of relief material after the Swiss Aid. Though it has been an uphill task trying to strike at the very roots of our ailing system of not being able to take care of the poorest of poor in our society, ‘TEAM JAGRITI’ has been successful in being able to give some semblance of dignity to these poor and downtrodden people. The key to this has been possible through ‘Education’.

We embarked on the journey of educating the underprivileged but very soon in our endeavour we realized that the first step towards their upliftment was to educate the masses and this would be possible only through the education of their children, as they would soon take over as our ambassadors in the coming years.

We started by going to the slums early morning, when the complete family is there, enrolling parents and motivating children to come to school, was very difficult as these small children were also bread earner for them.

Since then there has been no looking back. Besides running our own schools in

(Jagriti has approximately 1868 registered volunteers).

WHEN COVID-19 STRUCK:

All the schools were ordered to be shut down completely without any time to plan a gradual closure in a phased manner. Jagriti- an organisation which is completely committed to the holistic development of slum children (3800+) spread across the city of Jaipur was also one of the affected Institution.

At Jagriti, the first thought that came to my mind was that ‘No Way we would leave our slum children unattended during these uncertain times’.

No one had a clue how

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

long this lockdown would continue. Just the thought that if left unattended Students will definitely fall back on their old ways of unhealthy living, wasting away their life as scavengers and beggars, it was a nightmare not acceptable at all under any given circumstances.

During the total lockdown one peculiar problem was food – getting even the raw food was impossible – we took due permissions from the Government Authorities and distribute the dry ration food to the families of our 600 students with the help of BVG Foundation, which would last for 1

and to learn how to swim against the tide with their heads held high.

The only way of getting in touch with them was via internet through mobile phones.

Knowing that it would not be easy we did not lose hope, we started contacting the students/families, our teachers started calling their students and soon we had a good network connecting students, teachers and family, and the first step of communication was established.

The next obvious step was to keep them in touch with their studies. So we planned Online Classes for our students from class IV to class

XII. Counselling, guiding parents, students and encouraging teachers to play a very important role in being the connecting factor. The Online Whatsapp Video classes are held daily from 10.30 am to 1.00pm.

We can proudly say that we have been almost hundred per cent successful with the help of our very dedicated staff in our mission ‘EDUCATION’.

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world will be different because I was important in a life of a child.”

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Today is going to be a great day. Your personality will smell like a good fragrance. Today you are expected to get great fame. The mind will be happy with the completion of any important work in the family.

Marriage of unmarried people will be discussed at home with family.

Today you will think about any change in life. Avoid eating too much oily or fried foods. Parental cooperation will be obtained in the work. Your relationship with the child will be better. There will be happiness in married life. Life partner will understand your words.

Today is going to be your day. Today a colleague will have to take your help to complete the office work.

Today, your financial situation will be better. You will play some responsibilities at home, you will be successful. A friend can ask you for help and support in emergency.

Today is going to be a mixed day. There will be some lethargy at the beginning of the day It will be good to avoid laziness. You should avoid any kind of stubborn attitude today, otherwise you may get in trouble. In case of money, you may need your spouse’s help.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Today is going to be a good day, there are chances of getting profit in business.

Today is the best day for newly married people. It will be full of love. which will further strengthen your relationship. Students of this zodiac will have to make their own way today. It will be a happy day.

Today is going to bring golden moments in life.

You will remain strong today financially.

Relationship will strengthen with mutual trust in married life. Today you will talk to an old friend on the social networking website. Today is going to be a good day for workers.

Today is going to be a good day. Today you will be able to complete the office work on time. If you want to start a new business online, then it will be beneficial to take advice from the people. Students will be interested in studying. Today will be a great and happy day for lovers.

When talking with your spouse today, take care of your language. This will increase the sweetness in the relationship. Today, you will make up your mind to buy some household items. Your positive behavior will make the parents happy. Students will get better exam results today.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Today you will spend more time in creative work. Your routine will change. Don’t take any big decision today without thinking. Today will be a good day for the students. Today, the money lent will be returned. If your business is related to grocery then today there will be a profit on your investment.

Today your stars are going to be good. Suddenly there are chances of getting benefits. You will discuss it with a friend to increase the business. Sweetness will remain in married life. Today you will give a gift to your spouse. People involved in the field of modeling will get an offer.

Today is going to be a great day for people with Aquarius zodiac sign. Also, you are likely to get a promotion.

Today you will get a chance to work on a new project through which you will also get to learn something new.

Women of this zodiac need to pay attention to their healthy life.

Today you will feel energetic. An eagerness to know new things will come in the mind. Brothers and sisters will help you completely. Your responsibilities regarding the life partner will increase. Today you will get some new responsibilities at workplace. Lovers will get surprises.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

POOJA SHARMA, Model

month. Similarly, Dry Ration Food Packets were given to about 1300 needy and underprivileged families at Ajmer & Beawer by the Maheshwari Foundation.

THE THINK TANK of Jagriti Education Committee seriously contemplated about the course of action to be taken under these devastating conditions. It did take a while to decide how to go about it, so that we could rope in not only the students but their families as well.

Within 10 days of closing of the Schools, we were back to planning strategies to keep our children safe in these troubling times, to help them face challenges

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

11

‘Social media is the FAKEST’ A

s Bollywood actor, Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely death stirred a debate over mental health, his close friend and actor Kriti Sanon on Wednesday slammed social media stating it to be the “most toxic place.”

“It’s strange that the otherwise trolling, gossiping world suddenly wakes up to your niceness and positive side once you are gone..Social media is the FAKEST, most toxic place,” she tweeted. Sanon who was among the celebrities who attended Rajput’s funeral was being trolled all over the social media for not posting condolence message on social media despite being a close friend of the actor.

“If you haven’t posted RIP or said something publicly, you are considered not to be grieving, when in reality, those are the people grieving for REAL. It seems Social Media is the new ‘Real’

world.. and the Real-world has become ‘Fake’,” the ‘Heropanti’ actor further wrote.

In the next series of her post, Kriti went on to talk about the stereotypes in the society that condition men to hide their sufferings and not cry.

“We need to stop phrases like “ladke nahi rote”, “aise nahi rote”, “don’t cry, be strong” .. Crying is not a sign of weakness.. so cry your heart out, scream if you need to, know everything that you are feeling, its ok to not be ok, but talk it out with the one you feel might understand,” she wrote.

“Take your time to heal.. Hold onto your family and people who genuinely love you and care about you.. Never let them go.. they are your strength and will be by your side no matter what.. so LET them be around.. no one is strong enough to battle life alone,” her note further read.

—ANI

Kriti Sanon

Poster of the series

‘DEPRESSION IS

LIKE ANY OTHER ILLNESS’

Cardi B

D

Piercing game-on

C

ardi B has become more daring during the quarantine period. A few days ago, she hit back at a user who posted her home address online and made it viral. Then, Cardi B flaunted her bikini body on Instagram after a few fans accused her of photoshopping her images. She embraced her curves and shared a video on social media. And now the American rapper has recently got multiple piercings done on her body. As Cardi B sat down to get herself pierced, she screamed with pain but the end result was worth all the pain. ..her post The 27-year-old already had one piercing on her neckline and she got two more added down in a straight line. Cardi B also got a piercing underneath her bottom lip. “This b**ch hurt. I forgot how it felt,” Cardi B wrote. Her husband stood by her side to extend his support while Cardi B got herself pierced. A few days ago, she also gave her peacock hip tattoo a new makeover and posted a before and after collage of the same on social media. “ —Agency

Much-awaited!

O

nline video streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on Thursday shared the first look poster of Abhishek Bachchan’s debut web series ‘Breathe Into The Shadows.’ The poster features the ‘Banty Aur Babli’ actor as seated on a chair in a dark room with a slight tint of light entering from a shaft. Bachchan is seen holding a piece of paper which had a person’s picture and ‘missing’ written over it. ‘A father’s love can save a life...or take one,’ read the text on the poster. Bachchan also shared the first look poster on his social media and wrote, “Come back Siya. #BreatheIntoTheShadows.”

Created and produced by Abundantia Entertainment, the web series has actors including Amit Sadh, Nithya Menen, and Saiyami Kher in significant roles.

—ANI

And it begins!

K

risten Stewarts who has delivered multiple hit movies will now be playing the role of Diana, Princess of Wales in an upcoming project.

The movie has been titled ‘Spencer’ and will be Kristen Stewarts directed by Pablo Narrain. The biopic will be set against the backdrop of the 90s era and it will focus on the particular weekend in which Diana had decided that her marriage with Prince Charles was not working out.

The production of this much-speculated movie will go on floors in early 2021. Pablo, in an interview, has called Kristen one of the greatest actors who can be many things at a time including the one with a mysterious, fragile, and also strong personality.

He reveals that the combination made him think of the ‘Twilight’. —Agency

The First Look

eepika Padukone, who has always been vocal about her own experience of dealing with depression, on Thursday, emphasised that depression is just like any other illness.

Repeating her message on mental illness, Padukone said depression too is an illness just like diabetes and cancer. “Repeat after me: Depression is an illness like any other illness such as cancer and diabetes,” Padukone wrote on Twitter.

Padukone had started with the series of mental health quotes after the sudden demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who committed suicide by hanging himself at his Bandra residence in Mumbai.

The ‘Tamasha’ actress started voicing her opinion on the importance of mental health through her foundation ‘The Live Love Laugh Foundation’ (TLLLF) in June 2015. Through the platform, the actor keeps launching nationwide awareness as well as destigmatisation campaigns.

Meanwhile, scores of comments followed on her post on mental health, where netizens shared their take on issue. —ANI

T

he fans are eagerly waiting for MCU’s phase 4 multi-starrer movie featuring Salma, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Kit Harington, Richard Madden and Ma Dong-Seok. The film will mark a new beginning for the universe and add new superheroes to the scene. The film went on floors earlier this year and was being shot in London when the production of the movie was put on hold due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.

In her latest Instagram post, Salma shared an image of her new hairstyle and revealed that she dyed the roots of her hair to prepare for reshoots. “In anticipation for reshoots, I finally had to do my roots,” she wrote in the caption. While it is not yet clear which movie she was talking about, the Marvel film is the most likely answer, considering the creators had already started shooting a few action scenes before COVID 19 shut down. The film is scheduled to hit the theatres on February 12, 2021.

—Agency

Salma Hayek

...her post

Deepika Padukone

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

FROM PG 1

BINDING THE BODY...

these dresses are a one-size-fits-all solution for your fashionista needs. There are no rules when it comes to wearing a bodycon; however, there are a few tips to follow when picking out the right bodycon for your sized figure. First off, remember to always buy a bodycon that helps show off your best body feature.

Minimise… Just Minimise: Let the dress be the showstopper and keep the accessories minimal to avoid looking OTT. A few key pieces like a watch, dangling earrings and a clutch are enough to keep the look tasteful.

Prints: Printed fabrics can help hide curves. Just make sure the prints aren’t too large or look you might look heavier.

Don’t Forget Shapewear: Ladies, shapewear is a blessing and there’s no shame in getting a little help to make you look and feel better.

Choose a Darker Color: With a dark dress, you can look vertical and elongated, and it will have a slimming effect. Black is good but other dark colours work well too like purple or Navy.

Wear the right shoes: A bodycon dress screams glam, don’t kill the vibe with flats.

Heels will help amp up the look, while also elongating your frame and helping your silhouette appear slimmer. Last but not the least, don’t be shy, because confidence is the new sexy!

AHMEDABAD | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020

12

ZINDAGI

GULZAR HAI

Anupam Kher

CITY FIRST, RAJASTHAN

A

beautiful talk session, ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’

by FICCI Flo with Anupam Kher was witnessed by the members of FLO Jaipur Chapter. The session was organised and moderated by Chairperson Wandana Parnami.

The conversation with Anupam Kher was a mix of comedy, music and learning. Kher, an eternal optimist finds happiness in small things and

During the session

with what one has. Professional success and personal success according to him is different. For an actor playing different characters are difficult unless n until you feel that character from

COURTESY MEET!

Jagdeesh Chandra gifted a First India poster to Diya Kumari, which has PM Narendra Modi being lovingly blessed by his mother; who turned 100 years on May 25.

within. He said, “An event fails not a person.”

Failure should be celebrated as it is multidimensional and progressing. Meditation is to look inside you. He felt believes that a good even-

ing spent with friends is better than a party full of noises.

The most important thing in this pandemic situation is to talk to people. “Great conversations are great holidays. In this lockdown I have learnt to be patient and that I’m not restless. A piece of advice for the young generation is to spend more time with their parents and listen to their stories. Guts and attitude of a person defines himself. Three important things a person should have is ummeed, asha, dayabhav.” cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

HEALTH RUN!

GUJARAT: Nitesh Modi and his group ‘Running Feet’ ran the 45 kms Half Comrades Marathon, where more than 70 Surat Runners ran in this event in different Categories like 10kms, 21kms and 45kms.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! It was the wedding anniversary of Ishanee and Sachin Sharma (SP, Umaria, Madhya Pradesh) on Thursday. They spent the day at a resort amidst natural beauty in the forest area near Umaira with Ishanee’s parents, Hemant Sharma, News Director, TV9 News Network and Veena Sharma, along with Ishanee’s brother Parth.

Ishanee and Sachin Sharma

Ishanee and Sachin cutting the cake watched lovingly by Veena and Hemant Sharma

WHAT’S HAPPENING! RAJASTHAN: As a part of the ongoing ‘Online Learning – Children’s Summer Festival’, an online learning session on ‘Tabla Vadan’ was conducted by tabla maestro, Dr Ankit Pareek from Jaipur on Thursday.

The guided session taught the nuances of ‘Tabla’ with special focus on rhythm, beat and composition.

RAJASTHAN: A successful operation of an 87-year-old elderly bowel cancer took place at Geetanjali Cancer Center. During the Corona pandemic, the treatment of patients at the Cancer Center of Gitanjali Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Udaipur is being done regularly, keeping in mind all the medical and administrative standards of the corona.

RAJASTHAN: SS Jain Subodh PG College distributed 300 masks and gloves for the protection of police on Thursday. Prof.

KB Sharma with Dr Richa Singha and Dr Farah Diba handed over the masks and gloves to DCP Rahul Prakash in his office.