First India-Ahmedabad Edition-23 April 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

28°C - 41°C

ALERT AHMEDABAD l THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 147

WORLD

1,81,422 26,04,718 681 DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

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DEATHS

INDIA

21,370

CONFIRMED CASES

103

GUJARAT

2,407

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

GLOBAL STATE OF AFFAIRS COUNTRY TOTAL CASES

TOTAL NEW DEATHS DEATHS

829,013 SPAIN 208,389 ITALY 187,327 GERMANY 149,401 UK 133,495 TURKEY 98,674 IRAN 85,996 CHINA 82,788 RUSSIA 57,999 BRAZIL 43,592 BELGIUM 41,889

46,147 21,717 25,085 5,165 18,100 2,376 5,391 4,632 513 2,769 6,262

USA

+829 +435 +437 +79 +763 +117 +94 +3 +57 +28 +264

WWW.WORLDOMETERS.INFO

LAST UPDATED: APRIL 22, 2020, 11:00 PM

LOCKDOWN IS THE KEY! A couple maintaining strict social distancing in a house at Tripolia Bazaar area of Jaipur’s Walled City on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India stood at over 20,000, including 15,474 active cases and 640 deaths on Wednesday. Despite the large number of cases being added in the last few days, the spread of the disease in India has slowed down considerably in comparison to other countries as a result of the lockdown, say experts. In eight days cases rose from 10,000 to 20,000 and this slow pace was primarily due to people following lockdown and social distancing rules..

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

ZERO TOLERANCE: GOVT SHIELD

FOR CORONA WARRIORS!

PM: Ordinance manifests our commitment to protect healthcare workers; Attack now a cognisable and nonbailable offence inviting jail upto 7 years & fine upto `7 L New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, manifests his government’s commitment to protecting healthcare workers braving COVID-19 on the frontline.

“The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, manifests our commitment to protect each and every healthcare worker, who is bravely battling COVID-19 on the frontline. It will ensure the safety of our professionals. There can be no compromise on their safety!,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

The Central government on Wednesday brought an ordinance to end the violence against health workers, making it a cognizable, non-bailable offence with the imprisonment of up to seven years for those found guilty.

“We have brought an

—PHOTO BY SUMAN SARKAR A health worker in Jaipur on way to conduct corona survey.

MODI TO HOLD VC WITH CMS ON APRIL 27

CoronaWar: Modi emerges No1 globally New Delhi: As the world reels under the menace of Coronavirus, India has emerged as ‘bright spot’ in the fight against Covid-19.

Modi has topped the approval ratings carried out to find out the public opinion on which world leader is handling the coronavirus pandemic well. As of April 14, PM Modi’s net approval rating is 68, up from 62 at the beginning of the year, according to Morning Consult Political Intelligence. The survey was based on an average of 447 daily interviews

per US leader conducted between January 1-April 14, 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seen a rise in popularity amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted. Turn on P6

J&K’s Amarnath Yatra U-Turn

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir government has withdrawn a press release that said the Amarnath Yatra has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic that has brought the country to a standstill.

A press note released earlier on Wednesday said the pilgrimage scheduled from June 23 to August 3 was cancelled by the Amarnath shrine board during a video conference meeting. The decision on the annual pilgrimage would be taken soon after a review of the coronavirus situation Turn on P6

FB buys 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms ordinance under which any attack on health workers will be a cognizable, non-bailable offence.

In the case of grievous injuries, the accused can be sentenced from 6

months to 7 years. They can be penalised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh,” Union Minister Prakash Javadekar briefed media after the meeting of the Cabinet.

Turn on P6

New Delhi: Facebook on Wednesday announced an investment of USD 5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) to buy a 9.99 per cent stake in Jio Platforms -- a deal that will help RIL cut debt and use WhatsApp to create an Indian e-commerce giant that could rival Amazon and Walmart.

The largest foreign di-

rect investment (FDI) in the technology sector in India will give the US social-networking firm a broader foothold in its biggest global market.

“Today we are announcing a USD 5.7 billion, or Rs 43,574 crore, investment in Jio Platforms, part of Reliance Industries Ltd, making Turn on P6

Sensex rallies 743 pts Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex rallied 743 points, buoyed by robust gains in index heavyweight Reliance Industries as it struck a Rs43,574-crore deal with FB, amid positive cues from global markets.

IN GUJARAT DISTRICT

TOTAL CASES

AHMEDABAD 1501 VADODARA 208 SURAT 415 BHAVNAGAR 32 RAJKOT 41 GANDHINAGAR 17 PATAN 15 BHARUCH 24 ANAND 30 PANCHMANHAL 11 CHOTA UDAIPUR 11 KUTCH 6 MAHESANA 7 PORBANDAR 3 GIR SOMNATH 3 DAHOD 4 BANASKANTHA 16 JAMNAGAR 1 MORBI 1 SABARKANTHA 3 BOTAD 9 KHEDA 3 ARAVALLI 17 NARMADA 12 MAHISAGAR 12 TAPI 1 VALSAD 3 NAVSARI 1 TOTAL

2407

SAMPLES TESTED NEGATIVE CASES

TOTAL NEW DEATH DEATH

62 10 12 5 0 2 1 2 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 103

10 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13

39,421 37,014

UNDER EXAMINATION

0

CORONA IN GUJARAT With 128 and 68 new cases, respectively, Ahmedabad and Surat account for 196, or 85%, of the state’s total of 229 new COVID-19 cases. The state’s death toll has touched 103, with 13 new fatalities being reported in the past 24 horus.

For more, see P3

Does Gujarat’s slowing rate of infection simply reflect smaller samples?

Sources say health dept ordered fewer samples be collected to ease burden on laboratories Gargi Raval Gandhinagar: Up until a few days ago, the state had been reporting about 300 new cases of COVID-19 a day. For the past two to three days, this figure has fallen to well under 250. While this may seem like a cause for celebration, highly placed sources in

the health department say that the decline actually reflects the reduced number of samples being collected for testing.

In addition, there is a discrepancy between the data shared with the media and displayed on the official website.

On a day when Chief Minister Vijay Rupani instructed district col-

16 ARRESTED FOR STONE-PELTING Ahmedabad: Sixteen persons, including three women, were arrested on Wednesday after a mob pelted stones at the police in Ahmedabad’s Sardarnagar area. According to reports, police were patrolling the area to effectively implement the lockdown, when they learnt that a crowd had gathered at a temple. When they tried to disperse the crowd, some people started pelting stones at the police team. An inspector and two jawans suffered injuries. The situation is under control.

A member of a medical team in Ahmedabad seals a sample from a person suspected of being infected.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

lectors to conduct aggressive surveillance and testing of suspected cases of COVID-19 during a cabinet meet-

ing, an official from the health department in Gandhinagar told First India, “After numbers spiked April

16-19, an order was issued not to collect more samples.”

The health department official, who asked not to be named for fear of professional blowback, went on to say, “The state has collected more samples than the existing capacity of laboratories. Sample collection has been decreased in the last five days.”

This comes at a time when Principal Secretary for Health Jayanti Ravi announced that, Turn on P6

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SHOUT OUT TO ALL AT FOREFRONT AGAINST CORONA: PM ON EARTH DAY

O

n the occasion of World Earth Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people to work towards a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous planet.

PM Modi also gave a shoutout to all those working at the forefront to defeat COVID-19. “On International Day of Mother Earth, we all express gratitude to our planet for the abundance of care & compassion. Let us pledge to work towards a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous planet. A shout out to all those working at the forefront to defeat COVID-19,” PM Modi said in a tweet Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, calling for a sustainable lifestyle and tweeted, “Today all of them take this resolution for Earth Day and adopt a sustainable lifestyle to achieve the goal of sustainable development.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi tweeted, “On Earth Day 2020 let us all pledge to take care of Mother Earth like she nourishes our lives. The planet begins to heal when we are mindful of our actions, save energy, plant trees and use natural resources judiciously.” —ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi. —FILE PHOTO

Namaz and puja to be carried out at Fight against COVID-19 is a team home, no relaxation for Ramzan: DGP effort: SMC commissioner Pani First India News

namaz during Ramzan at home, meaning there will be no relaxation in lockdown norms for Muslims during the holy month of Ramzan.

He advised that mass meals at festival celebrations also be avoided.

State police have registered four more cases against attendees of the Tablighi-E-Jamaat congregation. One case is

Gandhinagar: Gujarat’s DGP Shivanand Jha has appealed to the people, and their religious leaders to conduct prayers at home.

“Any sort of gathering puts people at risk. So, whether it is Parshuram Jayanti or Ramzan, people are advised to perform prayers at home and avoid gathering at religious places for their own benefit. Religious heads are also requested to appeal to followers to conduct prayers at,” DGP Jha said.

He said that, considering the spread of Sars-CoV-2, it is advisable to do puja on Parshuram Jayanti and DGP Shivanand Jha

LIQUOR SEIZED FROM TRUCK WITH “ESSENTIAL SERVICE” STICKER

The state police has seized a truck carrying Indianmade foreign liquor (IMFL) worth Rs 16 lakh on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Express Highway on Tuesday. According to the its sticker, the vehicle was permitted to carry vegetables by the Punjab Collectorate during lockdown. In a separate case, cops also seized another vehicle carrying Rs 11 lakh worth of IMFL. This one had permission from the District Collectorate in Madhya Pradesh. filed in Botad, where a person had travelled from Aurangabad to Botad in a fruit truck after lockdown was imposed. Twelve persons from Surendranagar were quarantined in Anand district, of them two persons had fled away to Surendranagar, they were arrested and a case

was registered against them. One more Jamati has returned from Maharastra’s Bhusaval to Gandhinagar. He too has been arrested and a criminal case lodged against him, added Jha. Along with Tablighi -EJamaat, state police have also filed 15 criminal complaints against SuraE-Jamaat attendees.

First India News Surat: In face of a serious health crisis, the Surat municipal commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani has stood tall and armed with health teams across the city, has ensured that citizens do not suffer the onslaught of the deadly virus and receive proper medical assistance.

Pani has been working tirelessly to combat the COVID-19 pandemic along with almost 20,000 people in Surat. If the health teams discover a potential patient, they work to unearth all details in his/her history to decide the next step.

All teams are monitored directly by the munici-

SMC commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani overseeing relief efforts in Surat.

pal commissioner.

Talking about the work being done to contain the pandemic, Pani said, “We are still working on the tracking, testing and treating method. Over 20,000 people are working around-the-clock to ensure that the situation does not worsen. It has

been a team effort.”

He added, “We are in constant touch with the state government for further guidance and have now started administering the COVID-19 tests available at SMC Medical College.

We seek to break the chain of infection and get all the positive cases

on record. Them, we can move forward and provide treatment to those who tested positive. People should also come forward to get tested if they voluntarily.”

After reviewing the work that needed to be done on the COVID-19 pandemic, the commissioner ordered his team to develop an application to track the virus.

With the continued use of technological devices, gathering data and understanding the pattern of the virus has become possible. On constant duty, Pani usually works for 18 hours daily which includes 12 meetings, accessing the health situation, among other duties.

With 3-tier facilities in place, CM directs for action plans for May `85 crore given to 8.47 lakh NFSA beneficiaries in Amreli, Banaskantha, Kutch, Mehsana, Morbi, Patan and Surendranagar since Monday First India News Gandhinagar: In his fourth cabinet meeting conducted via video conference since lockdown began, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani instructed district collectors to prepare micro plans and action plans to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout next month, Informa-

tion and Broadcasting (I&B) Secretary and Secretary to the Chief Minister Ashwani Kumar announced.

He said that the state government has set up three-tier medical facilities for citizens: civil hospitals, dedicated hospitals at district headquarters and dedicated facilities in four major cities.

There are 6,264 beds

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama addressing Wednesday’s cabinet meeting through a video conference.

available for COVID-19 patients in the dedicated hospitals, Kumar informed. He clarified that three approved private hospitals will continue to charge

market rates for treatment and that there will be no government support for those taking treatment there.

The Chief Minister has already assigned

senior IAS officers to supervise and monitor handling of measures to control the spread of Sars-CoV-2 in districts where COVID-19 cases are in

double digits. These senior officers will also guide district administration in handling the situation.

Meanwhile, as of Wednesday, 2.4 lakh workers are back at their jobs with 34,000 with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the state. The process of approving applications to resume operations in factories is ongoing and will continue, Kumar added.

The state government’s financial aid programme to cardholders under the Na-

tional Food Safety Act (NFSA), began on Monday. Under this, on Wednesday, 8.47 lakh NFSA households received a total of Rs85 crore through online transfer. These beneficiaries are from Amreli, Banaskantha, Kutch, Mehsana, Morbi, Patan and Surendranagar districts. Over the past three days, the state has transferred Rs230 crore into the accounts of 23 lakh beneficiaries under its many schemes.

Market yards have also been allowed to function, albeit with

conditions, for the benefit of farmers. Till Tuesday evening, 120 market yards had started trading commodities. Of the total commodity inflow of 2.31 lakh quintal, wheat accounts for 1.35 lakh quintal, castor, for 60,000 quintal and mustard, for 11,655 quintal.

On farmer’s request, the state has also relaxed lockdown norms for trading tobacco leaves in market yards.

On Tuesday, around 31,000 quintal tobacco leaves were traded in three market yards.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

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03

All risk and no reward for AMTS drivers?

Drivers and conductors have been risking their lives to discharge their duties and more, but are neither tested nor provided PPE kits —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

First India News Ahmedabad: Around 5,200 drivers and conductors of the Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Services (AMTS) have been deployed to ferry suspect COVID-19 patients, quarantined people to medical check-ups and medical staff, to and from their destinations.

But, little attention has been paid to their protection by local authorities, who have not issued Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to protect them from Sars-CoV-2 infection.

“When 30% of the city has been classified as either a red zone or a buffer zone, these people are serving selflessly. But, they are provided with 50 ml sanitizers and no other protection,” said Mukesh Patel, leader of Gujarat Mazdoor Sabha (GMS).

He added, “So far none of the drivers or conductors have been asked to undergo tests.

As far as sanitizing the buses is concerned, it is not being done with ma-

BRTS used for SVP staffers Ahmedabad: The government has announced that medical staff on COVID-19 duty will be put up at hotels while they are off-duty.

However, First India has found that staff of the city-run Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hospital is also being hosted at a hotel in the Bopal area, despite SVP not being a dedicated COVID-19 hospital. Further, BRTS vehicles are being used to ferry them to and from work on a daily basis.

“On average we carry 300-400 staff every day,” said a driver of one of at least seven BRTS buses parked outside the AMC-run Hospital.

A bus driver is seen without any protective gear in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND  

chines, but manually with a handy pump.

They are exposed and the authorities are taking the whole situation very lightly.”

“In the last week of

March, GMS had submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra demanding that the civic body provide PPE kits and other protec-

AMC on the hunt for 4K-bed CCC

Commissioner suspends 16 jawans in Surat

First India News

First India News

Ahmedabad: After the Samaras Hostel was declared a 1,200-bed COVID Care Centre (CCC) by the state government, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has commenced looking for another space for a 4000-bed CCC in the western part of the city.

According to the sources, the care centre will be established at the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in Thaltej and Gota areas of the city. There are several empty housing units which can be converted into care centres for patients, where medical staff from VS Hospital will care for patients.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) commissioner Vijay Nehra on Wednesday announced the appointment of a senior officer from Gandhinagar, who will oversee the CCC at Samaras Hostel. The local civic body also announced its decision to set up another CCC at the Haj House in Kalupur area near the

Surat: City police commissioner on Tuesday suspended 16 TRB jawans for 15 days on charges of negligence on duty. With strict adherence to the lockdown all the more important now, the commissioner was on a surprise patrol when he caught the jawans resting at their checkpoints at Majura Gate and Udhana Gate. Compelled to take action against the jawans, he suspended them from duty for 15 days.

Commissioner Vijay Nehra

Ahmedabad railway station.

As per protocol, COVID-19 cases detected through tests are first sent to SVP or Civil Hospital, where doctors assess the condition of patients. Until now, around 80% of all COVID-19 patients suffer from a mild infection with many of them asymptomatic. Such patients are not kept in hospitals but are sent to CCCs where a limited number of doctors and an ambulance attend to their needs. If some moderately infected or asymptomatic patient shows any sign of complication, he/she is immediately transferred to SVP or Civil Hospital for intensive care.

tive gear including face masks and sanitizers to all bus drivers and conductors on duty. But, no action has been taken in this regard,” alleged Ambrish Patel, Secretary of GMS. According to RL Pandey, Deputy Transport Manager, AMC, bus drivers do not need PPE kits since they “do not have interaction with positive patients”.

He also said, “We sanitize the buses, also provide drivers with face masks, gloves and even sanitizers.”

A’bad district launches mobile testing van to track COVID-19 First India News Ahmedabad: Keeping with the essence of lockdown, the district panchayat launched a mobile testing van to ease the collection of samples from 11 talukas, villages and outer areas of the city on Wednesday. Up until now, suspect patients were supposed to go to Sola Civil Hospital to get tested.

“This mobile testing van is the first of its kind in Gujarat and has the capacity to collect 50 samples in an hour. We have collected 50 samples from Bopal area.

The main objective here is to reduce the commute of suspect patients,” claims district development officer Arun Mahesh.

After the samples are collected, the bulk of them will be sent for testing to BJ Medical College. “We will send vehi-

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE

A woman is tested for COVID-19.

This van is the first of its kind in Gujarat and can collect 50 samples in an hour. The main objective is to reduce the commute of suspect patients.

—Arun Mahesh, District Development Officer

cles to all taluka headquarters and villages.

According to the health and district team strategy, the taluka health team will bring in all Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Influenza-Like Illness suspect cases for testing at the mobile vehicle,” he said.

The mobile testing

Cong MLA likely to be arrested under DMA First India News

Amid the lockdown, an unknown artist has left their mark on trees in the form of painted animals in Ahmedabad’s Shaibaug area.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

van will have two health workers on duty and has been deputed to cover all suspect cases in the next 10 days.

“It can cover the district in a short time, at least places where suspect cases have been identified after three rounds of mass surveillance,” said Mahesh.

Mehsana: A criminal complaint has been lodged against Congress MLA from Siddhpur Chandanji Thakor for assaulting Traffic Regulating Brigade (TRB) Jawan in Mehsana district’s Becharji town. This is the first case where sections of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) are being invoked against the accused, who is likely to be arrested soon.

TRB jawan Rawal Jitendra in his complaint with the Becharaji town

police station has alleged that he saw a four wheeler with registration plate number GJ24-AF-8011 approaching the check point, while on duty at Kamal circle on Wednesday. “Since the lockdown is imposed across the entire nation lockdown, I stopped the vehicle and questioned the driver.

That is when MLA Chandanji Thakor got angry and abused me.”

DGP Shivanand Jha has stated that an FIR would be lodged against the MLA, whose defence is that the TRB jawan had abused him first.

Death toll crosses 100, state now has 2,407 cases First India News Ahmedabad: With 128 and 68 new cases, respectively, Ahmedabad and Surat have reported their largest spurts in new COVID-19 numbers in the past 24 hours. The two cities account for 196, or 85%, of the state’s total of 229 new cases. With 13 new fatalities, the state’s

—PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

death toll has touched 103. Ten of these occurred in Ahmedabad.

Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi attributed the surge in numbers to aggressive sample testing in the hotspot areas in major cities. Health teams in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara had carried out micro surveillance to pick up patients.

Area residents held a silent protest outside Ahmedabad’s Fern Hotel a day after it was converted into a COVID-19 care centre.

After majors cities, more cases are now being reported from districts in the tribal belt, such as Mahisagar and Chhota Udepur and Aravalli. There were nine fresh cases in Mahisagar, five in Aravalli and four in Chhota Udepur.

Worryingly, 77 medical, paramedical and health workers from

across the state have been infected by the Sars-CoV-2 virus.

M e a n w h i l e , Ahmedabad’s second positive patient, who was discharged late last month after recovering from COVID-19, Sumiti Singh on Wednesday donated plasma in the ongoing plasma therapy study at Ahmedabad’s SVP hospital.

SILVER LINING

Lockdown ‘detox’ makes air more breathable & water less polluted Ahmedabad: If there’s silver lining to dark cloud that is the SarsCoV-2 outbreak, it’s that lockdown is serving as the ultimate detox for the environment. Birds are back in the city, air and water pollution have fallen significantly, and solid waste discharge is down by 50%.

As recently as February, the city’s air regis-

tered pollution of 300400 PM10--about three to four times the permissible levels for “Satisfactory” air under the National Air Quality Index.

PM10 describes inhalable particles with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller. Today, with industries shut and most vehicles off the road, PM10 in the city’s air is at 60.

—PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI

First India News

The Sabarmati (left) looks cleaner than it has in ages, the landfill at Pirana has not been catching fire as often, and blue skies are back.

City-based environmentalist Mahesh Pandya says that the almost global lockdown has turned cities into more liveable spaces.

“In just 29 days, daily domestic solid waste collection has dropped from 4,000 metric tonnes (MT) to 2000 MT, meaning that people have learned how to reduce wastage. Even bird species that had left the cities have start-

ed to return,” he said.

Another environmentalist, Tushar Pancholi says this is a good sign for a healthy society. “Water quality has improved in the rivers since there is almost zero water pollution.

The virus has achieved what no law or government has been able to.”

The challenge, they say, will be to maintain these levels once lockdown is lifted.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

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IN-DEPTH

MUCH-NEEDED LAW TO SAVE DOCTORS

COVID-19 AND FORCE MAJEURE – NEED FOR EFFECTIVE CONTRACT DRAFTING DHRUV GUPTA The writer is a practising advocate in the Supreme Court of India

C

all them uncivilised, miscreants, inhuman or even worse but the manner in which incidents of ill-treatment and humiliation of doctors, nurses, and other health workers continued unabated was worrisome. These sad occurrences were not confined to any one state. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and many other states have witnessed these dastardly attacks on teams visiting different localities to look for COVID-19 patients.

Doctors have been attacked and told to vacate their flats for attending COVID-19 patients. Those undergoing treatment in hospitals have spat on and abused nurses on duty.

The violent reaction in some places can be attributed to paranoia over COVID-19. Stress could also be a factor. At other places, the attempt has been to avoid testing because of misinformation about the tests to see if one is positive. However, under no circumstances can violence against medical personnel be justified.

The most condemnable case was reported from Chennai where Dr Simon Hercules, a prominent neurosurgeon was denied burial space after he died due to the corona virus-related infection. His family and friends, who took the body to a burial ground, were attacked with sticks and rods. The mob clearly lacked basic humanity. In the other serious incident which happened in Moradabad, two doctors suffered serious injuries after a mob pelted them with stones. The doctors were on COVID-19 duty.

Seeing no end to the unruly behaviour by people who looked at doctors and other health workers as the new untouchables, the Indian Medical Association decided to observe Black Day on Wednesday. Promptly, the government decided to decisively intervene in the matter as any protest by doctors at this stage would have adversely affected the country’s fight against the pandemic. The states have the freedom to invoke various sections of the Indian Penal Code and some even did by treating attacks on health workers at par with an attempt to murder, against the hoodlums. In the Moradabad case UP decided to invoke the National Security Act besides imposing community fine. Something more was needed to reassure the doctors and nurses etc. that they won’t be left at the mercy of goons in these challenging times.

Showing “zero tolerance” towards harassment of, and violence against, the frontline warriors the Union cabinet passed an ordinance to amend the 123-year-old Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to incorporate harsh punishment for those assaulting the medical fraternity. The penalty now includes heavy fines and also imprisonment of a maximum seven years in serious cases. The offence will be non-bailable.

Will this law act as a deterrent? Harsher law and fast trials have not had a significant impact on potential rapists. A police party came under attack in Aligarh’s Bhojpura area on Wednesday even after a dozen persons were arrested under the NSA in UP. Only an effective implementation of the new law will raise the spirits of doctors.

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When an extraordinary event such as the COVID-19, pandemic does occur, the party invoking the clause must lead some positive evidence to show how the performance of its obligation has been rendered impossible on account of the pandemic

he entire world is grappling with an unprecedented crisis, posed by the pandemic, whereby supply chains have been disrupted, thereby threatening to delay, interrupt or even cancel the performance of promises under subsisting contracts. As a result, parties are seeking either to terminate existing agreements or put off their performance till such time normalcy is restored. This unprecedented problem has highlighted the importance of effective agreement drafting.

Parties to contracts are taking recourse to the existence or otherwise, of a Force Majeure clause, to wriggle out of or to compel performance of obligations, as the case may be.

The French term Force Majeure means ‘a superior force’. It is a principle devised to account for events that are beyond the control of parties such as Acts of God, natural calamities, etc.

The clause takes within its fold events that are beyond the control of contracting parties, and therefore, protects them from consequences of non-performance of their obligations on account of intervening unforeseeable circumstances. However, while the general meaning attributed to Force Majeure has been natural events such as floods, earthquakes etc., the term has hardly been used to connote an epidemic, let alone a pandemic.

Therefore, the question that begs consideration then is whether the Covid-19 pandemic can be included in the umbrella term, “Force Majeure”?

The question presupposes that the contract under consideration here does not explicitly specify either the term epidemic or pandemic, in its Force Majeure clause, as otherwise, an explicit mention will not leave any room for doubt about its inclusion.

In the realm of contract law, parties deal with their limitations of foresight, by

including in the Force Majeure clauses, umbrella terms such as, “extraordinary events” or “circumstances beyond the reasonable control”, and their variants, to mitigate the possibility of any event escaping the express coverage under the terms of the agreement.

In such cases, when an extraordinary event such as the Covid-19, pandemic does occur, the party invoking the clause must lead some positive evidence to show how the performance of its obligation has been rendered impossible on account of the pandemic. For instance, where the shipment of raw material from overseas has been cancelled due to the prevalence of pandemic, and as a consequence, the manufacture of the final product has been rendered impossible, the manufacturer can invoke the Force Majeure clause, supported by proof of cancellation of shipment of the consignment.

Where, however, a party fails to establish a direct link between the pandemic and the implication on the performance of its obligations, the other party can choose to insist upon fulfillment of promises and threaten termination of the contract. This month, the Bombay High Court refused to grant a Force Majeure exemption to importers of steel, from encashment of

THE OPERATION OF A FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE WILL VARY ON A CASE-TO-CASE BASIS, DEPENDING UPON THE SPECIFICS USED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE CLAUSE

their letters of credit, by holding that the fact that the importers would not be able to perform their obligations cannot be held against the exporter. Moreover, the lockdown cannot come to the rescue of such an importer.

The next question that beckons consideration is what happens when a contract is missing the Force Majeure clause altogether? The answer to that question depends upon the statutory provisions contained in Sections 32 and 56 of the Indian Contact Act, 1872. While Section 32 performance of contract is contingent upon the happening or otherwise of an event, Section 56 deals with

Coronavirus pandemic threatens the world’s wildlife

T

here have not been many bright spots in the coronavirus pandemic, but one has been the apparent return of nature as the frantic pace of modern life has slowed. We’ve seen fish-eating birds return to the clear waters of Venice, wild boar roaming the streets of Bergamo, and of course the feral mountain goats of Llandudno.

In Britain, wildlife seems set for a bountiful spring and sum mer. Fewer cars on the road means less roadkill, and many birds and voles will be spared as owners decide to keep their cats indoors. In towns and cities, wildflowers will surely flourish as councils realise that mowing their parks and verges is somewhat less than essential.

Nature, it seems, is making a comeback.

04

Unfortunately, this is but a partial picture, and one that is limited to the minority world of industrialised nations. Most of the world’s biodiversity is found in the low-income countries and emerging economies of the Global South, and in such places the economic impacts of the pandemic are likely to be devastating for the natural world.

The difference lies in how people respond to the economic shock of losing their livelihood. Social safety nets are a widespread feature of many industrialised economies, keeping the poor and vulnerable from destitution, and the importance of the welfare state has never been more obvious than during the pandemic. In the UK, for example, the government’s furlough scheme guarantees that people unable to work will receive 80% of

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS AN EVEN GREATER THREAT TO LIVELIHOODS THAN CLIMATE CHANGE, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM

their income. But citizens of many low-income countries simply don’t have such back-up from their governments, leaving them incredibly vulnerable. For many, the forest and the ocean will provide their safety net.

Exploiting natural resources is often the only option for the destitute. Wild animals, fish and forest trees are rarely owned by anyone, and they are found in rural areas where policing is difficult. What’s more,

there are often few technical barriers to exploiting them – you don’t need a degree to be able to wield an axe.

I saw this first hand in a decade spent living in Madagascar, which is rich in lemurs and other unique creatures, but is also one of the world’s poorest nations.

My research has shown that when Malagasy people lose their source of income due to climate change-induced natural disasters, they often turn to natural resources to

make ends meet. Farmers suffering from drought may head to the forest to produce charcoal, or to practice “slash-and-burn” agriculture. Others head to the coast to fish, but lacking the necessary skills and equipment, they rely on destructive techniques like poison fishing. The impacts can be devastating for biodiversity.

Of course the coronavirus pandemic is an even greater threat to livelihoods than climate change, at least

in the short term. Following the last financial crisis, in 2008, unemployed workers in Cameroon turned to poaching and deforestation in a desperate attempt to maintain their income, and a similar story will now be unfolding worldwide.

In India, millions of migrant workers have lost their jobs in cities and returned to their family villages, a mass movement of people not seen since partition in 1947. A similar thing is happening in Madagascar too, as it is throughout Africa and probably much of the tropics. Nobody knows what impacts this unprecedented rural exodus will have, but it is clear that many more people will be finding themselves poorer, hungrier, and much closer to exploitable wildlife than they were a few weeks ago.

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situations where the performance of obligations is rendered impossible, thereby, rendering the contract void. The Supreme Court has explained the law in Energy Watchdog v.

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, by observing that an event leading to frustration, which is relatable to an express or implied clause in a contract, is governed by Section 32 of the Act, and where it is rendered impossible de hors such contractual terms, the same shall be governed by Section 56 of the Act. Therefore, to summarize the above position of the law, the operation of a Force Majeure clause will vary on a case-to-case basis, depending upon the specifics used in the language of the clause. Where the language of the clause covers specific events, resort to those may be perfectly valid. However, where a clause takes resort to umbrella terms to account for every unforeseeable act, positive evidence, establishing the link between the Force Majeure and the impossibility of performance of obligation, will have to be lead. In cases where a Force Majeure clause is missing altogether, resort may be had to express provisions of the Indian Contract Act, as noted above.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

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TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Approval for promulgation of Ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act,1897 making such acts of violence as cognizable & non-bailable offences and to provide compensation for injury to healthcare personnel or for causing damage or loss to the property, will act as a deterrent.

Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal Govt. led by PM @NarendraModi ji approves `15,000 Cr for ‘’India COVID-19 Emergency Response & Health System Preparedness Package” Enhancing emergency response through better medical facilities, the package will bolster safety & well being of citizens.

Spiritual SPEAK

There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it. —Buddha

Vol 1 Issue No. 147 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad.

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

INDIA AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

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Ensure healthcare workers are safe: MHA tells states State Govts have been asked to appoint nodal officers, Union Home Secy Ajay Bhalla said New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday asked all states and union territories to provide adequate security to doctors and frontline health workers who are facing attacks from unruly people.

In a letter to chief secretaries of all states and union territories, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also flagged a few heinous instances of unruly behaviour by people where the families and relatives of medical professionals, suspected to have died due to COVID-19 infection, were prevented from performing the last rites of the deceased.

“In such cases, adequate security should be provided; and, stringent action should be taken against such offenders who obstruct

‘Pak will export COVID-19 patients to infect people in Kashmir’

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police chief on Wednesday expressed concern over reports of Pakistan planning to send in coronavirus positive persons to infect people in the Union Territory with the deadly virus.

“What we have heard is that till now, Pakistan used to export terrorists, now they will export coronavirus positive persons to infect people in Kashmir. It is a matter of concern,” Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said.

According to Union Health Ministry data, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 380 cases of COVID-19 including deaths deaths so far.

With 1383 more cases and 50 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, India’s total number of COVID-19 cases stands at 19,984, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. —ANI

Rajpath wears a deserted look as it has been barricaded during the second phase of lockdown.

the performance of last rites of medical professionals or frontline healthcare workers, who, unfortunately, succumb to the infection from COVID-19 while discharging their services, or otherwise,”

Aviation ministry HQ to be sealed after staffer tests positive New Delhi: Ministry of Civil Aviation (B) wing at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan here has been sealed and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has been asked to sanitise the premises after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, ministry sources said on Wednesday.

An employee of the ministry, who had attended office on April 15 has tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. The ministry has asked the patient’s colleagues who came in contact with him to go into self-isolation as a precaution. “An employee of the ministry who had attended office on 15 April 2020 has

be available 24x7 to redress any safety issue on the functioning of medical professionals.

States &UTs should also take immediate action in case any incident of violence takes place, he said. —ANI

— Ajay Bhalla

Union Home Secretary

‘Be cautious while covering COVID-19: I&B Ministry to media New Delhi: In the wake of a large number of media persons contracting Covid-19, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory to print and electronic media on Wednesday, calling on journalists covering coronavirusrelated incidents to take precautions.

The advisory also asked the management of media houses to take necessary care of their field as well as office staff.

“It has come to the notice of the Ministry that a large number of media persons have recently contracted Covid-19 while covering the happenings in certain parts of the country,” it said.

In view of the fact that media persons, including reporters, cameramen, photographers, etc. are covering incidents relating to Covid-19 in various parts of the country involving travel, amongst

others, to containment zones, hotspots and other Covid-affected areas, it is advised that all such media persons may take due health and related precautions while performing their duties, the advisory said.

“Management of media houses is requested to take necessary care of their field staff as well as office staff,” it said.

The advisory comes a day after the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi decided to arrange Cov-

id-19 tests for media persons. Some journalists from a Tamil news TV channel in Chennai tested positive for the infection in a fresh incident involving scribes.

Also, during a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on April 16 and 17 for Covid-19 testing of scribes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected swab samples of 171 media persons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen. —ANI

Cabinet approves Rs 15,000 crore to combat Corona

STANDING GUARD...

THE DIRECTIVE

tested positive for COVID19 on 21st April. All necessary protocols are being stringently followed on the Premises.

All colleagues who came in contact are being asked to go into selfisolation as a precaution,” the ministry tweeted. —ANI

Slogans written on the road for people to stay safe in Varanasi.

A policeman stands in front of a graffiti depicting a portrait of sadhu during a nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic in Prayagraj.

—PHOTO BY ANI

New Delhi: Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved Rs 15,000 crore for ‘India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package’.

The funds sanctioned will be utilised in three phases and for immediate COVID-19 Emergency Response, Rs 7,774 crore has been provisioned and rest for medium-term support (1-4 years) to be provided under mission mode approach.

Briefing media, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the key objectives of the package include mounting emergency response to slow & limit COVID-19

in India through development of diagnostics & Corona-dedicated treatment facilities, centralised procurement of essential medical equipment & drugs required for treatment of infected patients, strengthen and build resilient national and state health systems to support prevention and preparedness for future disease outbreaks. —ANI

Vast medical network of corona warriors set up 2 Chinese manufacturers under ICMR New Delhi: In a bid to create capacity building among the frontline warriors involved in the management of COVID-19 outbreak, the central government has built integrated platforms to train healthcare professionals and nonmedicos through various modes of e-learning modules. While the state governments are

300 TONS OF ESSENTIAL MEDICAL CARGO LIFTED SO FAR: PURI New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has informed that the Air India has lifted close to 300 tonnes of essential medical cargo from China, as of Wednesday. “Air India has lifted about 300 tons of essential medical cargo so far this month through the China-India aerobridge,” Puri tweeted. He

the letter said.

Bhalla said the state governments and union territory administrations are also requested to appoint nodal officers at state or union territory level and at district level, who would

In such cases, adequate security should be provided; and, stringent action should be taken against such offenders who obstruct the performance of last rites of medical professionals or frontline healthcare workers, who, unfortunately, succumb to the infection from COVID-19 while discharging their services, or otherwise.

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added in his tweet: “It is planned that @airindiain along with @flyspicejet & @BlueDart_will airlift another 220 tons of this critical cargo in the next three days.” Under the Ministry’s Lifeline Udan, flights are being operated to transport essential medical cargo to different parts of the country, amid lockdown.

The treatment mock-drill held by IMA & district admn in Kochi.

conducting online training of workforce occupied in tackling coronavirus, the Union

Health Ministry has operationalised iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training)

RLYS MINISTRY OFFERS TO SUPPLY 2.6 LAKH MEALS DAILY New Delhi: With the nationwide lockdown extended to May 3, Ministry of Railways has offered to supply 2.6 lakh meals daily from various railway kitchens wherever the district administration is willing and able to pick up cooked meals and distribute among the needy. This has been communicated to district authorities all over the country. details of zone wise kitchen in-charges have also been communicated to the States.

These meals will be available at just cost basis at Rs 15 per meal.

courses on the DIKSHA platform on COVID-19 outbreak and another one is webinars.

On iGOT, courses have been launched for doctors, nurses, paramedics, hygiene workers, technicians, ANMs, state government officers, civil defence officials, various police organisations, NCC and other volunteers at this stage. —ANI

scanner for providing faulty Testing Kits New Delhi: Two Chinese manufactures of rapid antibody test, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech Co., Ltd. and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics Inc are now the subject of investigations by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as the much-touted, rap-

AYUSH MINISTRY CALLS FOR RESEARCH TO TREAT CORONA New Delhi: The government’s search for a way to tackle the highly infectious COVID-19 went into the field of alternative medicine as the Ministry of AYUSH asked practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Naturopathy to look for a cure for the global pandemic. Nearly 20,000 people have

contracted coronavirus in the country, of whom 640 people died and more than 3,800 people recovered. So far, there is no cure for COVID-19.

The notification from the ministry came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged AYUSH practitioners to take part in the battle against coronavirus.

id testing antibody kits of these two companies delivered results with wide variations and low accuracy rates. During the daily health briefing held in New Delhi, which gives updates on India’s effort against COVID pandemic, ICMR an-

nounced that states had been advised to immediately pause tests using the rapid antibody kits for a period of 2 days, till ICMR completed its validation of these kits. Both these companies combined exported close to 7 Lakh kits to India. —ANI

CABINET FIXES SUBSIDY RATES FOR POTASSIC FERTILIZERS New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for fixation of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic and Potassic Fertilizers for the year 2020-21, said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday. The approved rates for NBS are - 18.789 for N, 14.888 for P, 10.116 for K and 2.374 for S. CCEA has also approved the inclusion of a complex fertilizer namely Ammonium Phosphate (NP 14:28:0:0) under the NBS scheme.

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Send us ideas to uplift MSME: RaGa New Delhi: Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi invited suggestions from the public on the economic stimulus required to uplift the micro, small & medium businesses (MSME) sector which is hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis. #COVID19 has devastated our micro, small & medium businesses (MSME). The Congress party needs your help.

Send us suggestions & ideas for what a MSME economic stimulus package should cover on: http://voiceofmsme.in or our social media platforms. #HelpSaveSmallBusinesses,” he tweeted. Congress

#COVID19 has devastated our micro, small & medium businesses (MSME).

The Congress party needs your help.

Send us suggestions & ideas for what a MSME economic stimulus package should cover on: http://voiceofmsme.in or our social media platforms. #HelpSaveSmallBusinesses.

party has constituted a panel, headed by former PM Manmohan Singh, which will pre-

VVIP CHOPPER SCAM

said on Monday. The committee also looks to come up with a scheme to resolve the issue of

stranded migrant due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Apart from party president Sonia Gandhi, the 11-member group comprises former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, general secretary in-charge (Org) KC Venugopal, former union ministers P Chidambaram, Manish Tewari & Jairam Ramesh.

Technology & data cell chairman Praveen Chakravarty, spokespersons Gaurav Vallabh & Supriya Shrinate, & social media department head Rohan Gupta. —ANI

pare a detailed plan for revival of MSME along with measures to ensure procurement of

wheat, mustard and gram and submit it to the government in a day or two, the party had

Wadhawans be taken into custody: Govt

Bill Gates lauds Modi govt’s efforts to deal with Corona

Satara: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the state police has written to both CBI and ED intimating them that Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan along with their family members will be released from quarantine and the agencies could come and take necessary action against them. Wadhwan brothers, accused in multi-crore DHFL scam & Yes Bank scam will remain in the state police’s custody until the agencies take over, said the minister. —ANI

New Delhi: Philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in dealing with COVID-19 pandemic by adopting several measures including lockdown and increasing health expenditure to strengthen the health system response.

“We commend your leadership and proactive measures you and your government have taken to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infection rate in India, such as adopting a na-

New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed the bail plea of Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper scam accused, on the ground that his petition “did not fall in the criteria for grant of relief.” A two-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and also comprising Justice B R Gavai dismissed the bail application of Christian Michel. Michel, in his bail application, stated

that he is aged 59 yrs, has a history of bad health which will make him easy prey to any Corona outbreak in the Tihar jail in Delhi & thus,he be released on bail. —ANI

RSS chief Bhagwat to address online on Sunday

NAROTTAM MISHRA GETS HOME AND HEALTH PORTFOLIOS IN MP CABINET Aniruddh Tiwari

New Delhi: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will deliver an online address on Sunday on the current situation in wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the Sangh said on Wednesday.

According to senior functionaries, this is for the first time in its history that such an address of its head is being held through a virtual platform. Bhagwat will address on “Current Situation and Our Role’’ on April 26 at 5 pm.—PTI

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has assigned the departmental responsibilities to his five ministers on Wednesday . He had given the responsibility of two divisions to five ministers on Tuesday. But the sources believe that these departments have been allotted to avoid any procedural confusion regarding the visit or instructions of the ministers. Under this, a senior BJP leader and Chouhan’s confidant, Narottam Mishra has been given the responsibility of Home, Health and Family Welfare, an important assignment

No decision yet to resume flights: Min

New Delhi: Amid nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday that no decision has been taken so far regarding the resumption of flight operations.

“No decision has been taken yet on the resumption of flight operations. An announcement will be

made on time as to when it will resume,” Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said after the meeting of the Union Cabinet.

Javadekar further informed that health briefings will now be reduced to four days a week, while press releases and Cabinet briefing will be done on alternate days. —ANI

tional lockdown, expanding focused testing to identify hot spots for isolation, quarantining, and care, & significantly increasing health expenditures to strengthen the health system response and promote R&D and digital innova-

First India News

in view of the COVID-19 situation in Madhya Pradesh.

Tulsi Silavat has been

The buses deployed by MP Govt to bring back students of the region stranded in Kota, departed from Gwalior on Wednesday.

boarded the buses, while practicing social distancing and

CVC APPOINTMENT ORDER LIKELY THIS WEEK?

PM Modi led govt is in action mode to clear all long time pending cases. After the appointment of new Secretary to the President, order regarding the appointment of new CVC and VC are likely to be issued this week. Sanjay Kothari had been selected new CVC about two months ago and former CMD of Andhra Bank, Suresh Patel as a Vigilance Commissioner by the panel headed by PM Narendra Modi.

BSF LIKELY TO GET NEW CHIEF THIS MONTH END

BSF is likely to get new Head by the end of this month. It is said that 3-5 IPS officers of 1984 to 1986 batches are in the race. The Force is without a regular Chief since March 9, 2020.

WILL RAJIV KUMAR BE PART-TIME ED OF UBI?

Whispers are in that the Central Govt may soon call for a list of former finance secretaries for selecting the next Part-time Non- Executive Director of Union Bank of India. In this connection, name of outgoing Secretary Finance, Rajiv Kumar is in circulation.

The posting of Ashish Srivastava, Chief Engineer (TP), Northern Railways, has been approved for deputation to DFCCIL as General Manager (Civil), for a period of three years.

NHRC DG PRABHAT SINGH GRANTED APEX SCALE

tion,” Gates wrote. He added: “I’m glad your government is fully utilising its exceptional digital capabilities and has launched Aarogya Setu digital app for coronavirus tracking & to connect people to health services.” —ANI

3,000 stranded in Kota, reach home in MP Bhopal: The buses of the state have returned from Kota with more than 3,000 students of Madhya Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh government had sent 151 buses to bring 3,000 students stranded in Kota.

These buses departed from Gwalior on Wednesday.

The students then

POWER Gallery

ASHISH SRIVASTAVA BEING SENT ON DEPUTATION TO DFCCIL —FILE PHOTO

SC rejects bail application of Christian Michel

CONTRADICTION

06

were sent to the state.

Deputy Transport Commissioner, Gun-

gan Sevatkar said that more than 3,000 students from Rajasthan were in Madhya Pradesh. This list of students was prepared from all the districts of Madhya Pradesh before reaching Kota.

The government had created a team of Active Officers to send students to their respective homes in various districts of Madhya Pradesh safely.

assigned the responsibility of Water Resources. Whereas, Govind Singh Rajput has been

appoinnted the minister for Food and Supplies.

Meena Singh is Minister for Primitive Caste Wel-

fare and Kamal Patel would handle the responsibilities of Agriculture Department.

tion. On April 20, the state collected 3,912 samples, on April 21, it was 3,339, and on April 22, 2,516.

Further, while the website says that 33,316 samples have so far been tested for SarsCov-2, the official press release claims that 38,059 samples have been tested.

(USD 65.95 billion).

Facebook will be issued fresh equity shares and will get a board position on Jio Platforms.

Mukesh Ambani’s twin children, Isha and Akash, are also part of the board. .

in its leadership in an extraordinary situation due (to) a pandemic..” Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has the second-highest net approval over that period, though it fell slightly from 39 in January.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morris’s net approval has seen a surge to 26 (from negative 26 on January 1).

Among all ten countries surveyed, Japan’s Abe has the lowest rating (at negative 33) and the worst decline in net approval, having fallen from negative 18 at the start of 2020, the data showed.

Other leaders who have seen their popular-

Prabhat Singh, Director General (Investigation), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has been granted Apex Scale. He is a 1985 batch IPS officer of AGMUT cadre.

KS SREENIVAS RAJU GOES ON INTER CADRE DEPUTATION TO TELANGANA

KS Sreenivas Raju is joining Telangana cadre for a period of three years on inter cadre deputation.

He is a 2001 batch IAS officer of AP cadre.

DR BRAHMNEET KAUR GOES ON INTER CADRE DEPUTATION TO PUNJAB

Dr Brahmneet Kaur is joining Punjab cadre for a period of three years. She is a 2012 batch IAS officer of Tripura cadre.

DEPUTATION OF ASHWINI KUMAR MISHRA EXTENDED

The deputation tenure of Ashwini Kumar Mishra working as Joint Secretary at Director level in UPSC has been extended upto June 21, 2020. He is a 2000 batch IOFS officer.

DEPUTATION OF RAM SAJIWAN SINGH EXTENDED

The deputation tenure of Ram Sajiwan Singh working as Director in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been extended upto March 31, 2021.

MAJOR EMPANELMENT AT SECRETARY LEVEL FROM GUJARAT

As many as six IAS officers of 1988 batch and one of 1987 batch, who have been empanelled as Secretary in Government of India, are from Gujarat.

They are Rameshwar Prasad Gupta (1987), Arvind Kumar Sharma, Anita Karwal, S Aparna, Bidyut Bihari Swain and Mukesh Puri.

VIMLA SINGH KAPOOR APPOINTED ADDL JUDGE OF CHHATTISGARH HC

Vimla Singh Kapoor has been appointed as an Addl Judge of Chhattisgarh HC for one year, with effect from June 18, 2020.

FROM PG 1 Does Gujarat’s... while the state is at number five in terms of sample testing per million (PM) population with 593.66, Ahmedabad has overtaken frontrunner Delhi (1299.96 PM) with a testing ratio of 2,650 PM. On Wednesday morning, she said, “We conduct tests in line with our laboratories capacities. We test 2,000 sample from general suspected citizens and the remaining capacity is reserved for patients since they need to be tested at frequent intervals.”

However, a quick look at the data shows that the state has actually slowed sample collec-

FB buys...

Facebook its largest minority shareholder,” the company said in a statement.

Reliance Industries (RIL) in a separate statement said the investment by Facebook values Jio Platforms at Rs 4.62 lakh crore premoney enterprise value

CoronaWar: Modi...

The report also showed that PM Modi’s popularity rose to the highest among all global leaders. FM Sitharaman tweeted, “Public opinion based approval ratings of world leaders shown in the charts. @PMOIndia leads #IndiaFightsCorona from the front. Consistent high approval ratings for @narendramodi.

Nation has confidence

ity dip during this stretch include US President Donald Trump and Brazil’s Prime Minister Jair Bolsanaro. — Agencies

J&K’s Amarnath... the board said later.

“Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic situation being dynamic, an appropriate decision can be taken on organising the (Amarnath) Yatra on reviewing the situation in the coming future,” a fresh statement said.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted after the first press note was withdrawn. “Once again proving the point that

these days nothing to do with J&K actually gets decided in J&K,” he said. —PTI

Zero tolerance...

“Such crime will now be cognisable and nonbailable. An investigation will be done within 30 days. Accused can be sentenced from three months to five years, and penalised from Rs 50,000 up to Rs 2 lakh,” said Javadekar.

Moreover, if the damage is done to vehicles or clinics of healthcare workers, then a compensation amounting to twice the market value of the damaged property will be taken from the accused, said Javadekar. —ANI

TALKING POINT AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

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RECENT HEADLINES HAVE SUGGESTED COVID-19 CAN SPREAD UP TO FOUR METRES, DRAWING INTO QUESTION THE CURRENT ADVICE TO MAINTAIN 1.5 METRES BETWEEN PEOPLE TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS

CAN CORONAVIRUS SPREAD UP TO 4 METRES?

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? he study adds to the eviTbe detected dence SARS-CoV-2 can on surfaces.

But the finding that the virus could spread four metres is less convincing. Even if we disregard the study’s limitations, evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in the air isn’t evidence it’s infectious in that form.

The review assessed horizontal distance travelled by droplets from ten experimental and modelling studies. It found evidence droplets could travel beyond two metres, even up to eight metres using physical science experiments.

Of the ten studies, five were conducted using human subjects. These stud-

ies looked at the dynamics of droplet transmission but were not specifically related to SARS-CoV2-containing droplets.

So we need more research to better understand transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital settings.

Health-care settings should adopt measures to prevent airborne transmission, such as using N95 respirators and gowns, if conducting any aerosol generating procedures.

But in the community, we’d encourage everyone to continue to practise the recommended physical distancing measures of staying 1.5 metres away from others.

WHAT DID THEY FIND? hey detected SARSThospital CoV-2 widely on surfaces and fre-

quently touched hospital equipment. The ICU had a greater amount of virus than the general ward.

Most swabs, including computer mice and doorknobs, were positive for the virus. The highest virus concentrations were found on the floor, likely from virus-containing droplets falling to the ground. People then tracked the virus to the hospital pharmacy, presumably on the soles of their shoes.

The study looked at possible transmission through aerosol particles in the ICU by taking samples from three sites.

Two sites were along the

R

ecent headlines have suggested COVID-19 can spread up to four metres, drawing into question the current advice to maintain 1.5 metres between people to prevent the spread of the virus.

The news was based on a study conducted in Wuhan, China, and published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Meanwhile, a review published last week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases has concluded respiratory droplets, which may carry the virus, can travel up to eight metres.

So what can we make of these findings? And should we really be standing much further apart than we’ve been told?

he researchers conTments ducted their experiin an intensive

care unit (ICU) and general ward, both of which were looking after patients with COVID-19.

WHAT THE STUDY DID Over 12 days, the researchers collected swab samples four hours after the morning clean from floors, bins, air outlets,

computer mice, bed rails, personal protective equipment and patient masks.

To determine whether

direction of the airflow, about one metre away from patients’ beds. One site was further away, approximately four metres from a patient’s bed and against the airflow.

Virus was detected in 35.7% (5/14) of samples taken near air outlets, and 44.4% (8/18) of samples in a patient’s cubicle. At the site located against the airflow – four metres away from the patient’s bed – virus was detected in 12.5% (1/8) of samples.

Although virus was detected in air samples from the general ward, the numbers of positive samples were fewer. Studies have shown people with less severe disease shed less of the virus, so this may be why.

aerosolised particles containing SARS-CoV-2 were present in the air, the researchers also took samples upstream and downstream of the air flow in both wards.

FIRST, HOW DOES CORONAVIRUS SPREAD? oronavirus spreads C through droplets when a person with COVID-19

HOW SHOULD WE INTERPRET THE RESULTS? e should consider the W results from this study with caution. The study tests

for the presence of the virus on surfaces and in the air, but doesn’t indicate if the virus was living and infectious.

The authors didn’t describe the nature of medical procedures undertaken in these wards, particularly if any might be likely to generate aerosols.

The virus sample detected four metres away was described as a “weak positive”.

Both “intense positive” and “weak positive” samples were grouped together as positive samples in the results without defining what a “positive sample” was or explaining the distinction

coughs, sneezes or talks.

This means it can spread during close contact between an infected and uninfected person, when it’s inhaled, or enters the body via the eyes, mouth or nose.

Infection can also occur when an uninfected person touches a surface contaminated with these droplets, and then touches their face.

Some respiratory pathogens can also transmit through the air, when tiny particles, or aerosols, hang around.

Aerosols can be generated through coughing

and sneezing, and sometimes from breathing and talking. We know some infectious diseases like measles can be transmitted this way. But we need more research to understand to what degree this could be true for COVID-19.

Aerosols containing viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are more likely to be generated through hospital procedures such as intubation and manual ventilation.

This may go some way to explaining the results of the four metres study, which took place in a hospital. Let’s take a look at the research.

between the two outcomes.

The study had a small sample size and importantly, researchers didn’t use any statistical tests to determine the significance of their findings. So the results have limited utility in the real world.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATON

DESIGN: ABHISHEK GUPTA

Time does not change anything, we change. We learn to let go or hold on, we decide to stay or move on.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

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Fear of FIR stops industrial units to resume production No clause of registering FIR in new guidelines, clarifies government to quell worry First India News A h m e d a b a d / Va dodara: Despite approval from the govt to resume operations the industrial unit owners are hesitating in starting the production across some industrial areas in the state.

As per new guidelines for the modified lockdown from 20 April the industrial units were supposed to take permission and resume operations but a confusion is deterring the production to start.

About 250 firms in the Sanand Industrial Area (SIA) near Ahmedabad have received the nod for starting operations but barely 10 have done so since Monday. Ceramic manufacturing units in Morbi are yet to begin production. According to industry associations, there is a fear among factory

Dignity kitchen turns hearth for 10K migrants First India News Ahmedabad: In a unique initiative, an NGO Janvikas supported by Institute of Social Studies and Transformation (IST), in close coordination with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone 5, Ravi Teja decided to provide 10000 migrant workers food twice a day.

The decision to come up with Dignity Community Kitchens, called “Atma Samman: Apni Rasoi, Apna Khana”, was taken, says an NGO source, after it was found that migrants from “flung states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal” were unable to go back because of the decision to extend of the lockdown, and were facing a major resource crunch. Zone 5 consists of Gomtipur, Rakhiyal and Saraspur in old city area where a large number of Covid-19 cases have been identified.

The state government has taken no decision to file an FIR against factory owners if a case is reported. In fact, detailed guidelines have been issued by the state government for maintaining hygiene and social distancing, by introducing standard operating procedures at the units.

—MK Das, Principal Secretary, Industries and Mines department, Gujarat

owners that an FIR will be filed against them if a positive case of Covid-19 is reported at their units. Morbi Ceramic Association (MCA) and (SIA) had recently made

representations to the district collector and other state government authorities regarding their concern.

The government of Gujarat, however,

clarified that no such clause of filing FIRS against factory owners has been included while permitting industrial units to resume operations.

“Only if there is a case of deliberate negligence reported or found, where a coronavirus positive case surfaces in an industrial unit, will appropriate action be taken,” said MK Das, principal secretary, industries and mines department, the Government of Gujarat.

Concerned over stringent norms and the fear of FIRs, Nandesari Industries Association (NIA) in Vadodara district on April 20 informed the local administration about its intention to not run the units. However, it revoked the decision after a clarification from the local authorities.

Nilesh Jetpariya, the president of MCA, said “A few other issues remain and once the confusion is cleared, we will resume operations.”

08

Reddy announces `2K to stranded 6K fishermen First India News Amravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a one-time financial assistance of Rs 2000 to over 6000 fishermen stranded in the coastal areas of Gujarat due to ongoing lockdown. CM took this decision after reviewing the state’s preparedness at large for combating Covid-19 infection amid rising number of cases.

“The Chief Minister has directed the authorities to ensure that onetime financial assistance of Rs 2,000 is given to each of the fishermen stuck in Gujarat,” an official statement said. He also said that Andhra Pradesh is ready to provide support to the Gujarat administration in improving facilities being provided to the stranded fishermen.

Earlier AP CM Reddy had called Gujarat CM Rupani on 21

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

April seeking measures at the earliest to support 6,000 fishermen from Andhra Pradesh.

AP CM Reddy has been receiving SOS messages from the stranded fishermen of Andhra Pradesh to bail them out of the precarious situation they were in. AP fishermen, in routine, come to coastal areas of Gujarat for fishing and return with the catch. Most of them have fraternity connections in the state as well but the ongoing lockdown restrictions have put the, otherwise courageous fishermen, at

the mercy of their destiny. The stranded fishermen, after trying their local connections, finally communicated their plight to their family and friends in AP who in turn got in touch with their local representatives.

Their plight finally reached to the young CM Reddy who took it up with his counterpart Rupani on phone. Gujarat CM responded positively and assured Reddy of the well being of the stranded fishermen.

The problems should be bearable by now.

Hyena visits outskirts of city, preys upon cow Crackdown on couple: Booked for defying lockdown First India News

Vadodara: The forest department had received a call from Jalaramnagar close to the L&T circle in the city, stating that a cow had been preyed upon by a wild animal. On investigating, the forest department found that the wild animal was a hyena.

“Based on the paw

marks we could identify that it was a hyena. No one had spot-

Collector reverses order on weddings First India News Bhuj: Kutch district administration has cancelled the permissions given earlier to wedding functions in the district during lock down period.

In its earlier order, it had announced its decision to permit wedding functions provided not more than 20 persons would assemble in such functions and social distancing norms would be followed. However in its

latest order issued today, the district collector has reversed the earlier order and asked for cancellation of permits to wedding functions given earlier. It is being assumed that the orders have been reversed, part from pressure from Gandhinagar, on the request of local police. Police want to be spared from deploying personnel at wedding receptions to ensure that guidelines are followed strictly.

ted it as such. We are suspecting that it had come from the

ravines and disappeared close to the Vishwamitri river again,” Forest Officer Nidhi Dave said.

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing humans to stay indoors, sightings of wild animals venturing into the urban spaces are being reported from various cities.

This is a first such incident of a Hyena being seen close to city

area in the last 10 years.

The forest officials said that there have been hyena sightings but in the rural areas.

This is the first time that a hyena has come so close to the city area, probably because of the absence of any human activities happening around.

No census for hyenas in and around Vadodara exists.

NO RESPITE

A policeman on duty in Dahod in Central Gujarat pays no heed to the scorching sun even as the temperature soared to 41 degree Celsius on Wednesday.

First India News Ahmedabad: Lockdown loneliness was multiplied for a couple in love to such a magnitude that it forced them to violate the lockdown. A Jodhpur based man (30) and his girlfriend (40) could not meet for about a month due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown so they decided to defy the lockdown.

The incident took place on Tuesday morning when the man an online namkeen products trader, and his girlfriend, a resident of Vastrapur, were talking to each other in a car

under a mango tree on the AES ground near the TV tower in Bodakdev. A Vastrapur police team was patrolling the area at around 9.30 am when they saw the car and approached it.

They found the man and the woman inside and asked them what they were doing there, states the FIR filed by Vastrapur police.

The couple told the cops that they had come out to give milk to stray dogs but police did not consider this reason valid and booked them for violation of the notification. They were released on a bail from the police station.

SPACE OF ONE’S OWN

No hic-hic but hurrah, lockdown keeps out Guj boozers from Raj First India News Ratanpur: Lockdown due to Covid-19 has brought peace & serenity to Ratanpur village located at the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. During normal times the village , home to 70 odd families, to troubled by liquor seekers from dry state Gujarat who swarm daily and allegedly harass women molesting and

clicking pictures without permission.

“It’s been peaceful — we haven’t been harassed by drunken outsiders. It’s a big relief,” said Panu Dama, a resident of the village. The lockdown has led to the closure of all local bars, and restricts all inter-state travel except for essential services making the residents of Ratanpur breathe easy with calm.“The riverbed is dry now, but during the

The Aravallis provide a grand backdrop to signage for local bars at Ratanpur village in Rajasthan.

monsoon, the men would sometimes swim in it naked,” added Chiman Dama, who lives behind one of the bars.

Gujarat has been under prohibition since before its formation in 1960, a decision meant to honour the wishes of its son of the soil, Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch opponent of liquor consumption.

However, residents looking for a drink

have been known to beat the ban by travelling to Gujarat’s borders with states where no such restrictions exist.

This demand has spawned a string of liquor shops and bars on Gujarat’s borders, but it is a trend with few supporters in places like Ratanpur, which lies on National Highway 8 in the lap of the Aravallis.

The village is located is situated approximately

125 km from the Gujarat capital Gandhinagar. It is a small farming village, where, according to the 2011 census, almost all residents belong to the Scheduled Tribes. Despite Ratanpur being a liquor hub, sarpanch Babulal Ahari Gapunjrawada said, less than 10 per cent of the village’s 350-odd residents drank alcohol, and none benefited financially from the bars.

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09

HILARIOUS

‘BEAUTY MODE’

AHMEDABAD, THURSDAY APRIL 23, 2020

A

myra Dastur has a hilarious Tik-Tok video for fans and followers. In the clip, Amyra starts off in pyjamas and transparent face mask, mouthing dialogues in a man’s voice.

“What the hell is beauty mode?” she says in a gruff voice. Then, the actress enacts clicking on the beauty mode and instantly morphs into her gorgeous self, in a beautiful white crochet top and minimal make-up.

“Oh damn! okay!” she says in a pleasant surprised tone.

Recently, she treated her fans with a question-answer session amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. Amyra was then asked if she believed in live-in relationships. She said: Right now with the divorce rates being

so high, I definitely believe that couples should live together for 1 year minimum before getting married.

Amyra made her Bollywood debut in 2013’s ‘Issaq’, alongside Prateik Babbar.

She was later seen in films like ‘Kaalakaandi’, ‘Rajma Chawal’, ‘Made In China’, and ‘Prassthanam’ among other films.

—IANS

Amyra Dastur; (inset) Stills from the video

‘NATMASTAK HOON MAI’

A Meme shared by Mumbai Police

That smile with horns...

A lia Bhatt features in Mumbai Police force’s latest effort in their ongoing campaign exhorting people to stay indoors, in these times of COVID-19 pandemic.

On their official page, Mumbai Police have shared a meme featuring a smiling Alia in her ‘Gully Boy’ look. “That face when he says he is going out for a walk during lockdown,” reads the meme.

Mumbai Police tweeted the meme with this caption: “Abort mission. We repeat Abort Mission! #StayHome #StaySafe.”

This is not the first time Alia features in a tweet by Mumbai Police. Recently, they had created a message using the names of her popular films while urging people to stay at home. “Mumbaikars, we hope you all are ‘Raazi’ with this advice of Ms @aliaa08 to not venture out in any ‘Gully’ unnecessarily and take care of ‘Dear Zindagi’ for all!” they had tweeted.

Lately, Mumbai Police have been posting quirky tweets featuring Bollywood stars, their films and popular on-screen characters, while advising people to stay at home dur-

Alia Bhatt

ing the lockdown. Other stars that have featured in Mumbai Police’s quirky tweets include Ajay Devgn, Shahid Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan and Arjun Kapoor.

—IANS

Amitabh Bachchan

mitabh Bachchan has paid tribute to the care givers and first responders, whom he referred to as the ‘social warriors’.

Big B took to Twitter, where he shared an image of Lord Ganesha made out of the words ‘Nurse’, ‘Doctor’, ‘Safai karmchari’ and ‘Police’.

“The front line workers.. the doctors and nurses.. the Social Warriors..

Natmastak hoon mai,” he captioned the image.

Recently, the Bollywood veteran blogged about meeting boxing legend

Muhammad Ali, recalling how bigwig filmmaker Prakash Mehra almost cast the two icons in a film.

Big B went down memory lane and blogged: “Its been a groggy night .. had been watching the Greatest Mohammad Ali in his numerous victories .. and Tyson .. and it just would not leave the attention .. became past 4 am .. and then suddenly thought of the meeting itself with the MAN.” On the work front, Big B will next be seen in a few films soon.

—IANS

Stills from the video

NEW BAKER IN B-TOWN!

T

Poster of the series

KHILADI ‘LARA’ L

ara Dutta is excited to play a police officer for the first time in the comedy-action web series ‘Hundred’, and says her character is trying hard to survive in a man’s world.

In the series, Lara will be seen as ACP Saumya Shukla. “The show is a fun and entertaining story of a dysfunctional jodi and the chaos that ensues in their lives. The makers have carefully scripted the show to bring alive action and humour in a very entertaining way,” Lara said. “One of the many reasons I chose to do the show

is because I have never played a cop on screen and my character is trying hard to survive in a man’s world. She has very interesting dynamics with the people in her life and the more complex a situation, the more she thrives. She is nothing like me in real life,” she added.

The Hotstar Specials show chronicles the misadventures of two contrasting women, set in the backdrop of Mumbai, its chawls and crime gangs.

Being described as a masala entertainer, the show also stars Rinku Rajguru. It is codirected by Ruchi Narain, Ashutosh Shah and Taher Shabbir. The series will launch on April 25.

—IANS

Janhvi Kapoor

he nationwide lockdown has resulted in many Bollywood celebrities bringing out their inner chefs.

From Deepika Padukone to Katrina Kaif, actors are busy trying their hands at new dishes and the latest to join the bandwagon is Janhvi Kapoor.

The actress baked a carrot cake and asked her sister Khushi to tell her how it was. The latter, after some hesitation, takes a bite and says ‘It is good’. However, when Janhvi asks her to take another bite, Khushi refuses and says ‘I don’t like it’.

Earlier, Janhvi had shared a long note on Instagram, describing how the lockdown has made her appreciate the little things in life.

—Agency

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AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

L

ove and Other Drugs” stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Jamie Randall, a pharmaceutical salesman who sells love, Zoloft, Viagra and other products with equal sincerity. He’s a charmer, determined to sell his way out of Ohio and into the big Chicago market, and if that involves flirting with the receptionists in doctors’ offices, it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it.

The movie takes place at that point in the 1990s when Viagra was tumescing in the marketplace, and Jamie is riding the success of his employer, Pfizer. He infiltrates hospitals, befriends doctors, pushes drugs and sabotages the best efforts of his aggressive rival Trey Hannigan (Gabriel Macht), whose product Prozac is outselling Zoloft.

Whether these products, or any of their products, works very well is not a concern of the salesmen. They sell.

James is egged on by his supervisor Bruce Winston (Oliver Platt), and it seems quite possible he’ll make it to Chicago when his life makes an unexpected course correction. He’s buddies with Dr. Stan Knight (Hank Azaria), who introduces him as his intern and allows him to observe as he palpitates the breast of his lovely patient Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway). Strictly speaking, doctors aren’t supposed to do that. Maggie discovers the fraud, and in the course of an argument with Jamie about it they both grow so passionate that, well, they rip off each other’s clothes and fall upon a bed in a confusion of sheets and moans.

Maggie and Jamie discover that they really, really like each other. She has something she wants to tell him. She is in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. This introduces an unexpected note into what seemed to be a screwball comedy. Hathaway brings such tenderness and so-

10

Bruce and Trey. The movie’s most effective single scene occurs at a meeting of people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. The husband of a victim describes to Jamie in stark, realistic detail the possible course of the disease and how it may affect the woman he loves. After this scene, the movie has definitively introduced a note that makes the rest seem trivial.

The director is Edward Zwick, a considerable filmmaker. He’s essentially working with a screenplay (by Charles Randolph, Marshall Herskovitz and himself) that doesn’t work. Given that problem, you have to observe that he is a capable filmmaker even in bad weather. He obtains a warm, lovable performance from Anne Hathaway and dimensions from Gyllenhaal that grow from com-

lemnity to her role that she moves the film away from comedy and toward “Love Story,” and from then on, we never quite know where we’re headed.

The emotional tug-of-war in-

tensifies because of the presence of Jamie’s brother Josh (Josh Gad), who seems to have been imported directly from an odd buddy movie. Josh is helpless in the area of appropriate behavior,

FA CE OF TH ED AY

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

seems to have selected his wardrobe in high school for the rest of his life, has made millions of dollars in the markets and has a disastrous personal life. That would be permissible in another kind of movie. Not in this one, where matters grow serious between the two lovers — so serious, indeed, that they begin to discuss how their love will prevail

edy to the serious. The scene with the husband of the Parkinson’s survivor has a simple grandeur.

As a filmmaker by nature, Zwick gives that scene its full weight, no matter that it’s not a good fit in his movie. That counts for something.

Source: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/love-and-otherdrugs-2010

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

You will aim to tone your body today but do not over exert as excess of everything is bad. You have lot of money but a little guidance is needed as to where and when to spend. On the personal front, you will travel to different places with your partner.

No matter how touch the situations appears to be right now, with patience and focus your will easily find your way out. You will get many innovative ideas today, share them with the right person and you will soon get successful. Someone talkative will keep you entertained.

Those of you who don’t get defeated, will soon rise as victorious in your individual endeavours. You will love all the attention that you will get today specially from opposite sex person. You will go on a journey and the results will be fruitful. All your tensions will disappear today.

You will easily manage to raise finances for the project in which you have invested your many years for it to get worked out. You will get good news from a family youngsters and he/she will make you proud. You may utilise your ancestral property for commercial purpose.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

You can really benefit from the meditation classes so without any delay indulge yourself in some or the other spiritual activity. You may be expecting a child and this baby will change your fate for good. Realise your dreams and work towards it thats the only way of life.

To remain fit the most important factor is your diet so mind the food that you eat and half of your problems will be already solved. Your relatives might need your help. You are fully satisfied with your career and you give lot of attention to always keep moving forward.

You have enough money to help anyone you want to.

Your family members are really helpful when it comes to fulfilling your dream. Your seniors at work really trust you so always make sure to deliver nothing but the best. Putting your money in property would be the right decision.

You will get the expected price for your property today. You have managed to create a stability in life in both emotional and financial matters and this really helps you to live life fully. You must always live in a nuclear family for your peace and happiness.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You are deep person from inside and sometime you don’t express your pain and happiness, specially when you need to. Today is the best day to invest in stocks, do your calculations and study in advance. You are earnings big time from renting your properties.

You are sincere by heart.

You love to get close to nature thats why some rejuvenating trips are must for you in every few months. You will spend the day today in paying the bills and clearing everything else up. On professional front, your performance will take everyone by surprise, positively.

You love your family and you really tae good care of everyone. Focus on your work and never poke your nose in other people’s matter as negativities only slows one down. You have positive effect on people so keep it up as not everyone is capable of doing that.

Good returns are expected today from business. You have a balanced approach when it comes to work and family. Your better half will spend some good money in making your house beautiful and you will not be disappointed. Some positive changed are going to take place in your life.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

SAPNA SINGH, Model

through the difficult road ahead.

The movie gives full weight and attention to the subject of Parkinson’s and doesn’t trivialize it or make jokes (how could it?).

But the more weight the story of Maggie and Jamie takes on, the more distracting is the screenplay’s need to intercut updates on the pharmaceutical wars. Nor do we continue to care much about

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

ADDRESSING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES!

S

inger Beyonce Knowles highlighted the deadly impact of coronavirus pandemic on African American communities during her stint in ‘One World: Together at Home’ virtual concert, saying the virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in the US. Beyonce made a surprise appearance during the concert, and advocated for the communities most vulnerable to the deadly virus.

She also expressed her gratitude for the medical professionals and essential workers. “Tonight we celebrate true heroes, those who are making the ultimate sacrifice to keep us all safe, fed and healthy,” she shared, adding: “To the doctors, the nurses and other health care workers

who are away from their families taking care of ours we continue to pray for your safety. To those in the food industry, delivery workers, mail carriers and sanitation employees who are working so that we can be safe in our homes, we thank you for your self-less service.”

The 38-year-old singer then highlighted the plight of African-American community, saying: “Black Americans belong to these parts of the workforce that don’t have the luxury of working from home.

And African-American communities at large have been severely affected. Those with preexisting conditions are at higher risk.”

“This virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in America,” she added.

—IANS

11

CLEAR boundaries!

E

Beyonce

Revealing the party trick

va Mendes says she won’t post photographs of her daughters until they are old enough to give her consent. The actress, 46, explained why she doesn’t share photographs of Ryan Gosling or their daughters Amada Lee, and Esmeralda Amada. “I have always had a clear boundary when it comes to my man and my kids,” she wrote on Instagram, responding to a comment from a fan. “I’ll talk about them of course, with limits, but I won’t post pictures of our daily life,” she added. The actress went on to share that it doesn’t feel right to make decisions for her children. “Since my children are still so little and don’t understand what posting their image really means, I don’t have their consent,” Mendes said, adding: “And I won’t post their image until they’re old enough to give me consent.” When it comes to posting pictures of Gosling, there is one exception to her rule.

“As far as Ryan, I’ll only post flashbacks of things that are already ‘out there’ (like pics from movies we did or stuff like that),” she shared last month, while responding to a fan.

—IANS

A

ctress Keira Knightley has opened up about her party trick. Knightley, who is currently adhering to self-quarantine guidelines as the world combats COVID-19, revealed it while taking part in World Health Day’s Hope from Home live stream. Introducing herself on the event’s social media livestream, she told viewers: “Hello, I’m Keira Knightley and I am here for Hope from Home on World Health Day. “I made a little sign, and I was trying to think of something entertaining to do and I couldn’t think of anything so I’m going to play my teeth, which is my one and only party trick.” The British star proceeded to tap out the melody to ‘Yesterday’, a 1965 hit for The Beatles.

Finishing her party trick, she added: “Thank you all for watching. Thank you to all the frontline workers and medical teams who are working so hard right now. If you want to donate, that would be great.” She had previously shown off the skill while appearing on a show in 2019.

—IANS

GAGA

CHEERS FOR SRK

P Keira Knightley

Lady Gaga

op icon Lady Gaga was seen cheering for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan during ‘One World: Together at Home’, which celebrated healthcare workers fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. A video of GaGa rooting for Shah Rukh is doing the round, which seems to be have taken from the ‘Shallow’ hitmaker’s social media account. In the clip, Shah Rukh is seen talking about the pandemic while GaGa is heard hooting. Several Shah Rukh fan clubs have shared the video on social media.

GaGa’s COVID-19 relief concert ‘One World: Together at Home’ has raised almost $128 million in the US. —Agency

POST-PREGNANCY GLIMPSES!

A

Jenna Dewan

ctress Jenna Dewan, who has just given birth to her second child, a baby boy with fiance Steve Kazee was seen dancing passionately to pop singer Justin Bieber’s ‘Intentions’ in a TikTok video.

Accepting actress Sara Foster’s challenge on the video-making application, Dewan shared the clip with a caption that read, “Okay okay okay... I’m here @ tiktok!” Dressed in pink loungewear and with her medium-length hair let down, she even offered glimpses at her post-pregnan-

cy tummy as she shook-a-leg to the beat.

On seeing how well she danced, Foster praised Dewan: “I need to understand how a body can move like this, especially a body that had a baby 4 weeks ago. I will delete myself doing this dance, burn all traces of it and never dance again. You are perfection.”

Actress Kate Hudson wrote: “Wait...what?!

U had a baby five seconds ago! Amazing.”

Odette Yustman said: “Ummmm..... you are a superhuman!!!!” Fellow actress Emmanuelle Chriqui simply commented: “YES!!!!

She is back!” This was not the first time the ‘Flirty Dancing’ host showed off her dancing skills on social media.

—IANS Eva Mendes

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MY BEST FRIEND!

I AM NEVER ALONE BECAUSE I READ CITY FIRST JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

M

ore than ever when we are in ‘LOCKDOWN’, it is a golden time to ‘OPEN’ our minds through reading and delving into books.

Through books, we can travel not only this world but also of centuries ago and even decades

ahead. Books can help us to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, expand our horizons while stimulating our minds and creativity.

Take this time to read stories to your children and introduce them to new authors.

It is a time to celebrate the importance of reading, foster children’s growth as readers, and promote a lifelong love

of literature and integration into the world of work.

Through reading and the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April, we can open ourselves to others despite the distance, and we can travel thanks to the imagination. All lovers of books have a favourite one which has changed their life and they still love to read it, picking it up regularly to lose themselves in the words. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

LOCKED IN?

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

CITY FIRST

I Rajasthan: To help prevent the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in India, the director of Oliria Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., Vardhman Jain Tijaria, Arihant Jain Tijaria and Shreyans Jain Tijaria have come forward to take the initiative and handed over 2000 masks to the soldiers in the Pink City.

Rajasthan: With the efforts of Deputy Whip Mahendra Chaudhary, Navan assembly constituency is working towards providing better medical facilities to the people. In view of this, the state government has promoted the Navan community health centre to a 50-bed hospital.

Moreover, 7 doctors have been appointed in the health centres of Maharajpura, Champapura and Bhatipura.

Ahmedabad: To battle against the deadly COVID-19, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) provided medical van to the locals at Gulbai Tekra, Ahmedabad.

Rajasthan: On the occasion of World Earth Day, observed on April 22, students of Seedling International Academy decided to showcase their love and commitment through their little initiatives at home amidst the lockdown. From craft activities to planting trees to making bottle planters to creating bird feeders, every little task spoke of a renewed commitment to the Earth.

t’s almost a month now since we are locked in our houses due to the nationwide lockdown announced to counter the deadly COVID 19; however, this lockdown has not been able to dampen the spirit of Radio City’s RJ Ved, who hosts the breakfast show in the pink city from 7:00 am -11:00 am. He continues to entertain the city and citizens whilst working from home. This has been the case for all the RJ’s across Radio City’s 39 stations, thanks to RJ Ved the technology.

Radio City and RJ Ved in Jaipur have left no stone unturned in ensuring that listeners stay enthralled with music and entertainment, by various unique programming initiatives, one of them being ‘Concert from home’. With Radio City’s ‘Concert from home’, Radio City has roped in many prominent Bollywood singers to perform a concert from their home for entertaining listeners, thereby giving them a unique experience during the lockdown.

Rajasthan special of the same is being scheduled on Radio City India’s Facebook page, on 20th April at 5 PM, where Top 5 Rajasthani contemporary artist will come live with RJ Ved cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

CORONA WARRIORS! Rajasthan: Emerald Garden Club has come forward to fight against coronavirus amid the lockdown. The members of the club are providing food to more than 200 people per day, under the leadership of Club’s President RP Mathur, along with the support of Bhankrota Police Thana.

Rajasthan: Ronak Sihag and Manan Sharma, students of St. Xavier’s School, started an organisation ‘Anuyayan’ for social welfare for around seven months ago. Under the name of their organisation, the 15-yearold children along with their friends are providing 310 food packets daily to the needy in the city amid the lockdown.

Rajasthan: Amidst the global pandemic, where the number of patients is growing constantly, Raghukul Trust under the aegis of ‘Raghukul For Frontliners’ collected 370 bedsheets for Jaipuria Hospital, with the support of Mahavir International and Lawyer Anuradha Yadav. Chairperson Sadhana Garg shared that the aim is to collect 1000 bedsheets, to necessitate every patient with a fresh pair. Raghukul Trust is also looking to sponsor N96 masks as they are urgently needed by the medical personnel in the Hospital.

AHMEDABAD | THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020

There are so many books I have loved, but the one that struck a chord with me is ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee. While the book is set in a different time altogether, racism and discrimination continue to be a part of our current reality. Its values continue to resonate in our society even today.

—AHELI RAYCHAUDHURI

My favourite book till date has been ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ by Dr Spencer Johnson. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want in life. It could a job, health, money or relationship. The core message of the book is that things change constantly...

It teaches us how to Anticipate, Monitor, Adapt and Enjoy the Change.

—RITU KEDIA

My all-time favourite book is ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ by Arthur Conan Doyle. The intricate plots that are woven in each story leave the reader flabbergasted no matter how many times they read it. Also, the description of the minute observations and scientific facts behind them always teach me something new every time I read the book.

—RONIL PATEL

One of my all-time favourite is ‘Vital Voices: The Power of Women Leading Change Around the World’ written by Alyse Nelson. It talks about five elements: mission, community, connection, action and “paying it forward”.

This book really changed my thinking process, my actions and my attitude towards everything in life.

—APRA KUCHHAL

My all time favourite book is ‘The Alchemist’ by the Spanish writer Paulo Coelho. I am a dreamer by nature and the whole theme of this book resonates with my beliefs. Dreams are messages of God and we need to believe in them. The most potent message of this book is, “And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” —MEERA KATARIA

I absolutely loved the book ‘Palace of Illusions’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni because no one ever wrote about Draupadi’s take on the same.

Draupadi’s character was strong, intriguing and oh so refreshing. The portrayal of her friendship with Krishna and her secret love for Karan tugged at my heart strings.

—KOMAL AHUJA

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Going from Roots to Wings! down she has decided to go ahead and release this folk medley on Youtube and post three days of this release the song will be available on Facebook too. Rajnigandha was supposed to KAVITA CHAUHAN perform in Jaipur for Rajasthan Dicityfirst@firstindia.co.in vas this year but due to the Pandemic the event was called off. Talking ajanigandha Shekhawat, a about the medley Rajanigandha said popular singer from Ra- that she invited girls to perform on jasthan who gave a modern traditional ghoomar song and mail charm to the Rajasthani folk her the videos. Women from different music with her beautiful voice and parts of Rajasthan along with women also adding the zing to them by sing- from Madhya Pradesh and United ing Rajasthani folk mashup along Kingdom sent her videos performing with English song is back with her on ghoomar which have been comnew medley. The new folk medley re- plied in this medley. About the new release, Rajanigandha said, “8 of the leased on Wednesday on most popular folk songs have been YouTube. woven together in a 10 min video “A dream does not bethat goes seamlessly from one hit come reality through to the next without breaking the magic; it takes sweat, dance beat for the convenience of determination and those who like to dance uninterhard work”. In a telrupted, especially in big fat Inephonic conversadian weddings Or when they tion with City are at home with nothing to First, Rajanido during the lockdown.” gandha spoke Rajnigandha has perto us about her formed for Bollywood films journey. She and was also part of the started the consong ‘Badri ki Dulhaniversation with ya’. But what actually got the excitement in her into the limelight her voice while was the mashup of the talking about song ‘Cheap Thrills’ her new release. with Rajasthani She said amidst Folk and then this lockthere was no looking back.

Rajanigandha Shekhawat

R

A TEAM EFFORT! A CITY FIRST AHMEDABAD

n Ahmedabadbased organization ‘Green Environment Team’ has come to the aid of locals in the city by providing meals and doing sanitization work in various areas. The team has delivered more than 30,000 bottles of sanitizers, over 30,000 masks and 15,000 bottles of floor cleaners. As part of a cleaning drive,

the team also completely sanitized Narol, Vatva police stations along with many housing societies near Vatva village. The team distrib-

utes meals to 10,000 people daily under the management Arjun Sisodiya, Mukesh Agrawal and Pratik Joshi. cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com