First India-Jaipur Edition-01 May 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

25°C - 39°C

ALERT JAIPUR l FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 324

INDIA

WORLD

2,31,247 32,71,295 1,151 34,780 DEATHS

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DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

58

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN

DEATHS

2,584

CONFIRMED CASES

4 SEPTEMBER 1952 — 30 APRIL 2020

A debonair

ROMANTIC! R

ishi Kapoor had the longest run in Bollywood as a romantic lead from the 1970s to the late 1990s. And at a time, when Bollywood actors were playing angry young men or tragic heroes, Rishi’s youthful vivacity and on-screen chemistry with his heroines enthralled the audience!

Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood’s ‘forever youthful’ heartthrob, after fighting a long battle with cancer, passed away in Mumbai on Thursday

IN RAJASTHAN DISTRICT

TOTAL CASES

AJMER 150 ALWAR 9 BANSWARA 66 BARAN 1 BARMER 2 BHARATPUR 111 BHILWARA 37 BIKANER 37 CHITTORGARH 19 CHURU 14 DAUSA 21 DHOLPUR 12 DUNGARPUR 6 HANUMANGARH 11 JAIPUR 907 JAISALMER 35 JHALAWAR 40 JHUNJHUNU 42 JODHPUR 510 KARAULI 3 KOTA 197 NAGAUR 118 PALI 12 PRATAPGARH 2 RAJSAMAND 1 SWAI MADHOPUR 8 SIKAR 6 TONK 134 UDAIPUR 8 OTHER DIST. 2 2521 TOTAL OTHER (Italy) 2 EVACUEES 61 GRAND TOTAL 2584

NEW TOTAL CASES DEATH

+4 +2 +2 +1 — — — — +3 — — +1 — — +29 — — — +97 — +5 — — — — — — +2 — — +146 — — +146

— 1 — — — 2 2 1 1 — — — — — 32 — — — 7 — 6 1 — — — — 2 1 — 2(UP) 58 — — 58

at the age of 67. Mesmerising audience with his performances over the years, the actor never minced words when it came to speaking on various issues. He displayed a similar candour and honesty when talking and writing about his life.

“There is an image of me from the 1970s or 80s as a romantic star, a jersey-clad, tune-humming, cocky Casanova, with a guitar in one hand and a girl in another,” Kapoor wrote in his biography!

The Kapoor family issued a statement on Thursday, “Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukaemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last.” Rishi was admitted to Turn P6, More on City First

President of India @rashtrapatibhvn Rishi Kapoor’s untimely demise is shocking. An evergreen personality with an always smiling face, he was so full of life that it’s difficult to believe that he is no more. A huge loss for the entertainment industry.

Let us pray for his soul. Condolences to his family and friends.

Narendra Modi @narendramodi Multifaceted, endearing and lively... this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress.

Anguished by his demise.

Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti.

Amit Shah @AmitShah Pained to know about the passing away of legendary actor Rishi Kapoor ji. He was an institution in himself.

Rishi ji’s demise is an irreparable loss for Indian cinema. He will always be remembered for his exceptional acting skills. Condolences to his family & followers. Om Shanti.

Attracting moolah PM’s priority!

MODI DISCUSSES STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT MORE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS WHILE RAHUL GANDHI & RAGHURAM RAJAN TALK IMPACT OF PANDEMIC ON ECONOMY New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a “comprehensive” meeting to discuss strategies to attract more foreign investments into India as well as promote local investments to boost the economy against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An official statement said various strategies to bring investments into India on a fasttrack mode and to promote Indian domestic sectors were discussed in the meeting.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, besides others, attended the meeting.

Detailed discussions were also held on guiding states to evolve their strategies and to be more proactive in attracting investments, the statement said.

Reform initiatives undertaken by the vari-

ous ministries should continue unabated and action should be taken in a time bound manner to remove any obstacles which impede promotion of investment and industrial growth, the statement said citing the discussions.

The meeting also discussed that a scheme should be developed to promote more “plug and play” infrastructure in the existing industrial lands, plots or estates in the country and provide necessary financing support.

During the meeting, Modi directed that action should be taken for a more proactive approach to “handhold” the investors, to look into their problems and help them in getting all the necessary central and state clearances in a time-bound manner.

Later in a tweet, Modi said the meeting discussed ways Turn on P6

PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during comprehensive meeting to discuss strategies on boosting investment in India on Thursday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

NO SEPARATE PASSES NEEDED FOR TRUCKS: MHA New Delhi: To ensure uninterrupted supply of goods, MHA Thursday made it clear that no separate passes were required for inter-state movement of trucks during the ongoing Covid-19 induced lockdown. It said a valid licence of truck driver was required for ferrying goods between states. P5

Lockdown exit: ‘Journo’ Rahul grills Rajan!

New Delhi: India should be “cleverer” in lifting the lockdown and should open up its economy in a “measured way” soon to save jobs, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said on Thursday, underlining that Rs 65,000 crore should be spent to support the poor amid the crisis.

In a first of its kind dialogue broadcast on Con-

Rahul Gandhi and Raghuram Rajan.

gress’ social media handles this morning, Rajan,

who was in the US, deliberated on the economic

impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Interaction through video conference lasted for about 30 minutes. “We have to be cleverer about opening up...We need to open up in a measured way but as fast as possible so that people start having jobs,” he said.

Full report P5

‘War’ duration uncertain, prepare short & long term plans: CM l GEHLOT INSTRUCTS OFFICIALS TO ENSURE SAFE RETURN OF MIGRANTS, QUARANTINE FOR NEEDY l STOP INFECTION, BRING ECONOMY BACK, HE DIRECTED l 7K INDUSTRIES STARTED IN RAJ Naresh Sharma Jaipur: As Rajasthan stands with arms extended to welcome back its migrants, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has instructed the officials to make all possible efforts to

bring these people safely. Moreover, Gehlot has also asked the district collectors and administrative officials to ensure that apprpriate quarantine facilities are developed if need arises. Notably, the Chief Minister

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot during video conferencing with collectors on Thursday where Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma, DB Gupta and Rajeeva Swarup were also present.

also apprised the officials that state government is coordinating

with Indian Railways to start train services into Rajasthan.

On Thursday, Gehlot discussed various issues brought about by the re-

Ashok Gehlot @ ashokgehlot51 The series of conversations started by #RahulGandhi ji wd global & Indian thought leaders is a wonderful initiative, more so during the time of prsnt challenges. First in series wd former RBI gov,Dr #RaghuramRajan on dealing wd #COVID19 & a new vision for India is very insightful.

turn of migrants while holding a video conference with the core group,

nodal officers and district collectors at the Chief Minister’s residence. He said that keeping in mind the number of laborers, their destination and the possibility of getting permission for the operation of special trains, the District Collectors should prepare a route plan with the officials of the Railways, so that workers and migrants can reach their homes without any hassle. Also, there should be proper screening and quarantine at all places.

“To fight a challenge like Corona, we need to strengthen the health infrastructure in every district of the state. There are efforts of the state government to make facilities available from examination to treatment in every district. This will prepare us to face any situation even in future. Both long-term and short-term plans should be worked out to win this war, as no one could Turn on P6

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JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

02

BEAUTY IN THE TIMES OF QUARANTINE

—PHOTO BY SUNIL SHARMA

Skyline of deserted Badi Chaupar area in Jaipur renders beautiful views with different cloud formations at 7.30 PM on Thursday amid the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

PM pushes for reduction in imports in defence sector New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India should reduce dependence on imports and take forward the “Make in India” initiative to build its domestic capabilities for designing, developing and manufacturing state-of-theart defence equipment.

He made the remarks while chairing a meeting to deliberate the potential reforms to ensure a robust and self-reliant defence industry in India that caters to short and long

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

term needs of the armed forces. In the meeting, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nir-

Lockdown crushed economy by destroying employment: Pilot First India News Jaipur: CM Ashok Gehlot recently earned praise from PM Modi for his outstanding measures in the corona war and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot has brought another accolade to the state by outperforming rivals in executing MGNRE-

GA. Rajasthan has been declared the 2nd-best state to provide maximum work under MGNREGA. Pilot said that lockdown has crushed the economy by destroying employment. He was elated that Rajasthan could provide MGNREGA jobs to 11 lakh persons in rural areas.

mala Sitaraman and others, Modi also discussed initiatives to give a boost to the economy in the backdrop of COVID-19, an official statement said. The

discussions involved reforming of functioning of the ordnance factories, streamlining procurement procedures, focused resource allocation and encouraging research and development.

Attracting investment in critical defence technologies and promotion of exports also came up in the meeting.

Modi laid emphasis on positioning India among the top countries of the world in defence and aerospace sectors. —PTI

Gurugram-Delhi border to be sealed from May 1 New Delhi: Gurugram District administration has issued notification for enforcing stricter measures through curbs on cross-movement across all borders of the district from 10 am on May 1, 2020.

Gururam Dist Magistrate Amit Khatri has said that movement of only those vehicles who will be on essential services duty is allowed after the border is sealed. Also, those having curfew passes issued by govt are also allowed to move. Gurugram has so far reported 54 positive cases, of which 38 have been discharged.

—Agencies

Governor Mishra extends greetings on Labour Day First India News Jaipur: Governor Kalraj Mishra congratulated on the occasion of Labour Day and said that labourers lay the foundation of the country’s new construction and development. The Governor wished for the happiness of all the workers and called upon them to participate in the all-round development of the country and the state with their tireless hard work and dedication.

Governor Mishra said that we need to be patient during the co-

Pay cuts @ RIL, Mukesh to forgo salary Mumbai: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani has decided to forego his salary as a cost-cutting measure till COVID-19 impact abates.

RIL today reported its financial performance for the year ended March 31 2020. Its annual EBITDA -- earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation -crossed Rs 100,000 crore for the first time, reads

a statement issued by the RIL on Thursday.

Commenting on the results, Mukesh Ambani said: “Today I am pleased to announce that despite the daunting challenges arising from the fallout of the global pandemic, our company has once again delivered a resilient performance for FY 2019-20.”

RIL achieved consolidated revenue of Rs 659,205 cr, an increase of 5.4 per cent.

“As India and the

world grapple with the biggest challenge faced by our generation, I am heartened by the robust response of Reliance to extraordinary circumstances created by the pandemic,” the statement quoted Ambani as saying.

“Indeed, c o nve r t i n g the corona crisis into a new opportunity, Reliance

will innovatively step up its plans to create much greater societal and shareholder value.

I am confident that our India and Reliance will emerge stronger in post-COVID-19 world. Corona Haarega, India Jeetega,” he added.

—ANI

Mukesh Ambani

Governor Kalraj Mishra

rona pandemic by wearing masks and following social distancing.

Guv Mishra has also stressed on the use of latest techniques in the field of education in present circumstances.

He was addressing a VC

of the Task Force constituted for Higher Education. He emphasized on optimal use of existing resources by the educational institutions to provide a quality education through innovative means.

8 core industries’ output contracts 6.5 pc in March New Delhi: The output of eight core infrastructure industries shrank by 6.5 per cent in March due to fall in production of crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The eight core sectors had expanded by 5.8% in March 2019.

Production of crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and elec-

tricity contracted by 5.5 %, 15.2 per cent, 0.5 per cent, 11.9 per cent, 13 per cent, 24.7 per cent and 7.2 per cent respectively in the month under review, official data showed.

Growth rate of coal production declined to 4.1% in March from 9.1% in March 2019.

During the April-March 2019-20 period, core industries recorded 0.6 per cent growth against 4.4% in 2018-19.

—ANI

Excise Preventive Force? Nay, Enormous Plodding Force!

Rajendra Chhabra Jaipur: The word ‘Force’ implies a group of men who would be organized to accomplish a special task.

Look around the world and if you come across the word Force, it immediately gives us the idea that this ‘group’ would accomplish the desired task. Hence the word Special Forces or Police Force comes into mind. Now let us give you an interesting fact. Rajasthan boasts of a similar ‘force’ that prides in being called out the most incorrigible and non-existent force, even in its own field!

Well, we are talking about none other than the state excise department’s Excise Preven-

tive Force (EPF), that is known to be synonymous with lethargy and ‘deep pockets’. Even under lockdown, the liquor mafia is smuggling consignments into Rajasthan and the newspapers are filled with news of such consignments being busted or illegal hooch manufacturing busted by the Rajasthan police. But even heard of the EPF taking action?

On the other hand, the Rajasthan Police, which has its hands full under the ongoing lockdown of maintaining law and order and carrying out curfew restrictions and not to mention security to medical personnel, the Police is still functioning effectively, while EPF appears to be ‘lockeddown’.

Handful of people know that EPF has

been constituted in Rajasthan to act against liquor related crimes.

The Police however nabs the liquor smugglers in its routine line of duty. Nearly eighty percent of the arrests made in liquor smuggling during the past month have been Rajasthan police’s doing and truth be told, the EPF have actually gone useless. Neither does anyone have control over it, nor does anyone question it and thus its officers are going berserk.

This ‘special police force’ has a strength of 2500 personnel with its own excise officer at seven divisional headquarters, under whom there are 10 deputy Superintendents who are taken on deputation from the Police department. All

—Pic for representational purpose only

thirty three districts have assistant excise officers and there are 168 EPF police stations with each having a strength of 15-20 personnel. The police stations have been provided vehicles while there is a flying squad in each dist.

Although the EPF has been working in the department since its beginning, but in 2005 it was reorganized and new ‘troops’ were recruited. The force’s command was handed to an

IG level officer called on deputation to the EPF. Its first few Chiefs were IGs Kapil Garg, Rajeev Dasot, Sunil Mathur and Rahul Prakash and during those times, the EPF was quiet powerful and effective resulting in stern action against illegal liquor business in state.

But the other side of the coin was that EPF’s IPS Chief and IAS Excise Commissioner came at loggerheads as differences rose be-

tween them as to whose direction was to be followed. This tussle was ended when Ajitabh Sharma was made the excise commissioner as he got the government release an order and instead of an IPS officer, the EPF’s command came in direct control of the Excise Commissioner.

As a result, by the time Ajitabh Sharma, OP Yadav and Dinesh Kumar were excise commissioners, the force worked properly.

But when Finance secretary Praveen Gupta was given the charge of Excise secretary for a period of 8 months, the EPF started falling down the doldrums. Moreover, when in the current govt Somnath Mishra was given the responsibility of Excise Commissioner,

he never truely understood the force and as a result didn’t have a grasp over it in the 8 months of his being on the post. But an even more abysmal situation has occurred with current excise commissioner Bishnu Charan Malik and to top it, the Commissioner happily left the command of the EPF! The reason : Malik himself does not sit in the dept’s HQ at Udaipur. Another important aspect of this entire story is that presently commissioner Malik’s hands are already tied up in 24/7 mode because of his day to day management of liquor shops in an ongoing difficult Corona pandemic.

The additional charge of EPF these days is with dept’s additional commissioner Pragya Kewalramani,

who is neither experienced enough nor is she capable enough to make the 2500 personnel strong EPF work under her.

As a result, the EPF has been without any direction and there are some corruption complaints also. One example of the sad state of affairs in EPF: its incharge in Jaipur is DySP Subhash Godara and along with him EPF’s excise officer Gopal Dixit is working. While the EPF has five police stations in Jaipur, yet there have not been any arrests by the EPF in the past one month and on the contrary the Jaipur police have been busting smugglers from every nook and cranny of the city! EPF does seem to be under lockdown, pun intended!

RAJASTHAN JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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in

BRIEF z Jaipur: Sanjay

z Jaipur: After a

traffic policeman posted at Sanganeri Gate tested positive on Wednesday, Addl Commissioner of Traffic Rahul Prakash on Thursday visited Sanganer Gate, MI Road, Government Hostel and Chandpole to give masks and sanitizers to the policemen on duty.

z Nagaur: A case

has been filed against 700-800 labourers of Ambuja Cement in Mundwa of Nagaur, who threw stones at the police during the protest. Bhawanda SHO and many other cops were injured.

z Jaipur: After a

coronavirus case was reported from the area, DCP East Rahul Jain has imposed a curfew in Himmat Nagar colony near the Gopalpura flyover in Bajaj Nagar police station area.

z Dausa: A patient

z Jaipur: State

Convenor of Sangharsh Samiti Nursing Recruitment 2018 Manoj Dubbi has demanded to consider the joining of all the UTB from April 29. In this regard, nurses of SMS Medical College also protested by boycotting their work.

z Baran: Due to not

being present on the job in Baran Headquarters, 15 employees of the Electricity Corporation posted in different circles of the district have been suspended.

z Bikaner: 5,58,705

Rajasthani residents are waiting to get back home, while 2,28,000 are stuck in Rajasthan and want to go to their states.

z Jaipur: Coopera-

tive Minister Udai Lal Anjana has given Rs. 2 crore in the COVID-19 Relief Fund from his MLA Fund.

The amount has been provided for the people of Nimbahera.

First India News

So far 893 patients have recovered and 618 have been discharged First India News Jaipur: Three corona deaths were reported in last 24 hours taking the total to 58 along with 146 new corona positive cases. Two of the deaths were reported from SMS hospital while one was from Chittorgarh. 29 new cases came from Jaipur, 97 from Jodhpur, 4 from Ajmer, 5 from Kota, 3 from Chittorgarh, 2 each from Alwar, Banswara & Tonk, Dholpur & Baran reported one case each.

The state total for corona positives stands at 2584. State has tested 103704 samples so far out of which 96325 have reported negative while reports for 4705 samples is awaited. New positive cases that reported in Jaipur were attributed to Ramganj with 4 cases, Eidgaah 1, Shashtri Nagar 5, Adarsh Nagar & MD Road 3, Sadbhavna Nagar 4, and one case

Transfer of a single parent doctor stayed

DGP Bhupendra Yadav taking stock of arrangements in Bharatpur on Thursday.

should understand the gravity of this problem and must follow government’s guideline.

Yadav asked policemen to be courteous towards ordinary citizens. He told them to use words instead of using force with people.

DIG Lakshman Gaur and SP Haider Ali Zaidi were present in the meeting.

SEEKING BLESSINGS

First India News

Nirbhaya squad take a break from patrolling in front of Hawa Mahal in Jaipur on Thursday.

each from Sitapura, Gandhi Vihar, Bapu Bazar, Luniyavas,Shyam Nagar,Murlipura, Banipark and Malviya Nagar. One positive patient was from other state.

Jaipur has reported 32 corona deaths.

Jaipur has 907 cases followed by Jodhpur 510, Kota 197, Ajmer 150, Tonk 134, Nagaur 118, Bharatpur 111,

Banswara 66, Jhunjhunu 42, Jhalawar 40, Bikaner & Bhilwara 37 each, Jaisalmer 35, Dausa 21, Chittorgarh 19, Churu 14, Pali & Dholpur 12 each, Hanumangarh 11, Alwar 9, Sawai Madhopur & Udaipur 8 each, Dungarpur & Sikar 6 each, Karauli 3, Barmer & Pratapgarh with 2 cases each and Baran &

Rajsamand one case each. Apart from these 2 Italians, two from other states and 61 Indians evacuated from Iran also tested positive. 29 out of 33 districts officially corona infected now.

So far 893 cases have turned negative after being diagnosed positive. 618 patients have been discharged.

Jaipur: HC has stayed transfer of a homeopathy doctor who was posted in Sanganer homeopathy hospital.

Justice Ashok Kumar Gaur gave the order on petition filed by Dr Kalpana Verma. Her lawyer Devesh Sharma said that the petitioner was a widow and single mother who was dependent on child care.

However, she was transferred to Sikar.

The state government sought time to file reply.

Mahant Kailash Sharma performing abhishekh at Moti Dungri Ganesh temple with 51 kg milk on occasion of Pushya Nakshatra. Due to lockdown, public was not allowed to visit.

Poonia pens requests Once a corona hotspot, Tonk to Raghu and Kalla sees 70 patients as negative

HC hears PIL on new rule for patho students

Aishwarya Pradhan

First India News

First India News

Jaipur: BJP State President Dr Satish Poonia wrote to Medical and Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma, requesting the government to seek the cooperation of AYUSH doctors to tackle corona.

Poonia has also written a letter to the PHED Minister BD Kalla, demanding to make arrangements to provide adequate drinking water in the summer.

Tonk: The city of Tonk, which had become a corona hotspot, is witnessing recovery. So far, out of 134 coronavirus infected patients, the report of 70 patients have recovered. 35 patients have also been discharged after testing negative twice. If the third report also comes negative, all 70 patients will be discharged.

Tonk had 134 cases till Thursday, and was

Satish Poonia

He said that it is responsibility of state to ensure that residents of Rajasthan trapped in other states reach their homes safely.

Baran reports first corona positive case, district admn on high alert First India News Baran: Baran reported its first corona positive case. Chabda tehsildar did a surprise check on Madhya Pradesh border. Tehsildar Dilip Singh went on to check Gugor, Godiyamehar and Bamla areas and instructed the personnel to strictly follow govt orders and to immediately alert higher ups in administration and medical department, if anybody from

Traffic police ensure curfew near Ajmeri gate in Jaipur.

included in red zone, but now it is ready to move out of that list.

District Collector KK Sharma said that it is a

First India News

Cops struggling to ensure social distancing norms during distribution of ration near Agra road in Jaipur. —PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO

the red zone crossed the border. He also made a surprise check on teacher’s attendance register at Gugor border and the MNRE-

GA operator was found absent. He also visited Gugor quarantine centre and instructed the mess chef to prepare food hygienically.

Jaipur: Covid-19 outbreak has presented a challenge for the doctors in attending non corona patients. CM Gehlot had appealed the private sector doctors to continue treating other ailments.

Renowned Senior Cardiac Surgeon Dr Ajit Bana has recommended change in existing pattern to deal with non corona ailments. He ad-

Students, jobless youth urge for govt’s help

against the room rent during the lockdown has emerged as one of the top trending topics

relief for the city. Now, samples will be taken from other areas as well so that the exact situation can be detected.

Jaipur: HC issued notices to Principal Secretary (Health), Chairman, PG Counselling Board and Deputy Secretary (Health) to reply within two weeks regarding the new conditions imposed for pathology students.

Justice Indrajeet Singh issued notices on the petition by Dr Vidushi Saharan and Kavita Meena. On behalf of the petitioners advocate

on the micro blogging site.

We are unemployed and helpless. In this

lockdown period, everyone has a loss, so do we. We want the rent for the lockdown period to be waived-off and want the government to get their room rent and coaching classes fee waived-off, tweeted Sumit Maharshi.

Another user Sunny Joshi wrote, We are not living in room. Why should we pay the rent for the room? Do something for unemployed students.

While some of the

Tanveer Ahmed told court that the applicants had completed 8 years of service, have served as Medical officer, and are chief demonstrator, currently. He requested relaxation in the newly imposed condition that states that they would have to serve as demonstrator for three years in same department, which would debar his clients from admission to PG in non Clinical Pathology jeopardizing their careers.

Private hosps need separate OPDs for corona & non corona patients: Dr Bana

#NOROOMRENT

Jaipur: Facing a slew of hardships for over a month now amid the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, unemployed youths and students in Rajasthan have initiated a campaign on social media, urging the government to have their room rents waived.

Fearing joblessness, financial crisis, the youths have launched the campaign #NoRoomRent on Twitter.

And their campaign

Bharatpur: DGP Bhupendra Yadav visited Bharatpur on Thursday to boost morale of policemen who are in the forefront against coronavirus. He held a meeting with senior officials about arrangements for protection from coronavirus.

He said everyone

—PHOTO BY NAIM KHAN

from Mahwa Suresh Mahawar, who was quarantined in Jaipur and tested negative for coronavirus twice, died on April 28.

Use words not force:DGP

—PHOTO BY SUMAN SARKAR

Circle police station SI, posted at Chandpole blockade point, was tested positive.

DCP Rajiv Pachar informed that 7 police personnel have been quarantined.

3 DEAD, 97 OF RAJ’S 146 NEW CASES FROM JODH

03

students have demanding waiver on room rents and coaching fees, many jobless youths have sought the government to fill pending vacancies, including those for lecturers, Ayurveda doctors, clerks, pharmacists and police in the state jobs.

Considering it to be a major issue arising in the state, some leaders and social activists too have joined the movement.

—PTI

27 people were sent to quarantine from Khazane Waalon Ka Raasta in Jaipur on Thursday.

—PHOTO BY SUNIL SHARMA

vised having separate OPDs for corona and non-corona patients in

private hospitals.

He emphasized on the need of patients with

heart or other ailments.

He said surgery at such times was a very critical issue. Only regular monitoring, record of pre condition and latest diagnosis could help the non-corona patients with regular treatment.

Due to SMS hospital mainly catering to Covid -19 challenge and too much load on govt health machinery private hospitals need to step up for treatment of routine ailments.

Raje continues interacting with officials, gives feedback to Nadda First India News Jaipur: Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is regularly having telephone communication with officials in various areas of the state. She also gives feedback to BJP National President JP Nadda and National General Secretary BL Santosh through video conferencing.

On Thursday, Raje spoke to former minister Chandra Kripalani over the phone regard-

Vasundhara Raje

ing the corona positive patients in Nimbahera and took complete feedback from him. So far, 20 positive cases have been reported in Nim-

bahera. A patient has also died in Udaipur, on which Raje has expressed grief.

Raje took corona feedback by communicating with the BJP officials and public representatives of Baran.

She took full information on the corona infected case. Raje called upon the officials, including district president of Baran.

She also interacted with district president and BJP officials of Barmer.

PERSPECTIVE JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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IN-DEPTH

A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE TO BE PULLED OFF

CORONA CRISIS - WHERE ARE THE HEART ATTACKS?

India shows approximately 40% decline in number of patient with heart attack

A

fter hundreds trudged thousands of miles to reach their homes with many falling before they could make it, the Central government has finally woken up to a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. With lakhs of migrant workers, students, tourists and pilgrims stranded far away from their homes without food and little or no money, stories of their plight were told and retold several times to draw the attention of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA). It is only now that the mandarins have asked states to put in place a logistic mechanism to bring back individuals of their respective hometowns by buses.

In a fresh set of guidelines the MHA said, “All states to designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. Stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students will be allowed to move with conditions during the lockdown.” This prompted Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot to tweet, “After much effort by state government, migrants of Rajasthan will soon be returning home from other states.

These people suffered a lot during lockdown…”

A team of 19 IAS and IPS officers has been chosen to co-ordinate with other states and facilitate the return of those stranded. Other states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar also began the process of setting up their respective nodal authorities. Maharashtra, which has about 35 lakh migrants from Bihar and 8-10 lakh from Uttar Pradesh alone, has also set up a panel to work out the nitty-gritty with other states. The Uddhav Thackeray government is treading cautiously as a rumour nearly caused a stampede among migrant workers and a national uproar. Delhi, where chaotic scenes at Anand Vihar bus station after the sudden announcement of lockdown, was also fine tuning the modalities for the return of those stranded.

Ferrying close to one crore individuals by buses with standard operating procedure in place will be quite a Herculean, rather an impossible, task. With the onus of bringing back the stranded migrant workers and other individuals being on the state of their origin, not every state may be equipped for the task. Social distancing norm will make their job more onerous as it will allow fewer passengers on a 60-seater bus. Will the Centre allow trains, nobody knows yet.

Even a bigger problem will crop up once this jobless migrant force returns to their respective states. A sudden influx of 30-40 lakh people would require substantial, if not equal, number of jobs. How do states create those many jobs when economic activity in the country is at a standstill? Uttar Pradesh government has promised to create five lakh jobs, Rajasthan and other states have increased working hours but these may not be enough. For that reason experts are for easing lockdown but the government’s mind will be known only on May 2 or May 3.

DR AJEET BANA The writer is a doctor at Eternal Hospital, Jaipur

M

Covid-19 pandemic has created a warlike situation killing and affecting so many people across the globe directly or indirectly. A Heart specialist in America has revealed that a 50% or more drop in the number of people receiving emergency treatment of heart attack

r. Sushil Kumar, a young man had a chest pain at home while watching TV. He did not go to hospital emergency because he was too afraid of going to hospital, he believed that he would be suspectable to catching Covid-19. After a few days, his pain overrode his fear and he came to the hospital where doctors found out that his one major artery was totally blocked and they opened that artery immediately but Mr. Kumar was left with a weakened heart due the initial delay.

This Covid-19 pandemic has created a warlike situation killing and affecting so many people across the globe directly or indirectly.

A Heart specialist in America has revealed that a 50% or more drop in the number of people receiving emergency treatment of heart attack.

New York emergency department’s most recent figures of cardiac attack occurring at home are striking. They noticed 1990 cardiac arrest calls from March 30 - April 05, 2020 which was four times higher than same time period last year. Out of those 1429 could not be revived which showed eight times increase over 2019. It is possible that some of these patients may have died due to Covid-19 effect, but some of them may die from blockage in heart vessels. At the moment, it is nearly impossible to know who is not showing up in emergency rooms, and why.

Doctors of Lombardy region, Italy found that approximately 70% down in emergency heart attack cases and according to them if symptoms are not too bad patients don’t call the ambulance because they are afraid to go into hospital.

Cardiologist from Spain have noticed drop of 40% in heart attack patients. They speculated that people are terrified at home so they are not showing

up in the emergency departments, which are totally occupied with Covid-19 patients.

Researchers in Austria estimated that in March 2020, 110 citizens died from untreated heart attack, compared with 86 who died of Covid-19.

Cardiac emergency department in Hong Kong noticed that there was significant increase in delay in reaching the hospital after first symptom of heart attack. In 2019 symptom onset to the first medical contact was 82 minutes and it has increase to 318 minutes since late January 2020. It suggests that patients of heart attacks are initially reluctant to go to hospital.

India is also not different from rest of the world, the trend in India shows approximately 40% decline in number of patient with heart attack and 70% decline in patients with unstable angina reporting to emergency services. At Eternal Hospital, Jaipur, we treated 45 heart attack patients in the month of January, in February there were 32 and in March 12. In April it has come down to just 8.

Some physicians speculate that this reduction in number of heart patients being recorded in hospitals could be due to the fact that people are eating healthy, exercising more and under less stress and of course

AT ETERNAL HOSPITAL, JAIPUR, WE TREATED 45 HEART ATTACK PATIENTS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, IN FEBRUARY THERE WERE 32 AND IN MARCH 12. IN APRIL IT HAS COME DOWN TO JUST 8

less pollution. However other experts have noticed that people are eating more in this lockdown, doing less exercise and they are in hidden stress and on the other hand studies have failed to find any immediate effect on short-term life style changes on heart attack rates.

Most experts believe that virus has overwhelmed emergency services and has also been a constant part of

Disinfect your mobile phones daily T

here are billions of mobile phones in use around the globe. They are present on every single continent, in every single country and in every single city.

We reviewed the research on how mobile phones carry infectious pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, and we believe they are likely to be “Trojan horses” that contribute to community transmission in epidemics and pandemics.

This transfer of pathogens on mobile phones poses a serious health concern.

The risk is that infectious pathogens may be spreading via phones within the community, in workplaces including medical and foodhandling settings, and in public transport, cruise ships and aeroplanes.

Currently mobile phones

04

are largely neglected from a biosecurity perspective, but they are likely to assist the spread of viruses such as influenza and SARSCoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS We reviewed all the studies we could find in peer-reviewed journals that analysed microbes found on mobile phones. Our conclusions are published in the Journal of Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease.

There were 56 studies that met our criteria, conducted in 24 countries around the world between 2005 and 2019.

Most of the studies looked at bacteria found on phones, and several also looked at fungi. Overall, the studies found an average of 68% of mobile phones were contam-

inated. This number is likely to be lower than the real value, as most of the studies aimed to identify only bacteria and, in many cases, only specific types of bacteria.

The studies were all completed before the advent of SARS-CoV-2, so none of them could test for it. Testing for viruses is laborious, and we could find only one study that did test for them (specifically for RNA viruses, a group that includes SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses).

Some studies compared the phones of healthcare workers and those of the general public. They found no significant differences between levels of contamination.

HEALTH AND BIOSECURITY Contaminated mobile phones pose a real biosecu-

rity risk, allowing pathogens to cross borders easily.

Viruses can live on surfaces from hours to days to weeks. If a person is infected with SARS-CoV-2, it is very likely their mobile phone will be contaminated. The virus may then spread from the phone to further individuals by direct or indirect contact.

Mobile phones and other

touchscreen systems – such as at airport check-in counters and in-flight entertainment screens – may have contributed to the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the globe.

PHONES ARE OFTEN CONTAMINATED Phones are almost ideal carriers of disease. We speak into them regularly, deposit-

ing microbes via droplets.

We often have them with us while we eat, leading to the deposit of nutrients that help microbes thrive. Many people use them in bathrooms and on the toilet, leading to faecal contamination via the plume effect.

And although phones are exposed to microbes, most of us carry them almost everywhere: at home, at work, while shopping, on holidays. They often provide a temperature-controlled environment that helps pathogens survive, as they are carried in pockets or handbags and are rarely switched off.

On top of this, we rarely clean or disinfect them.

Our (unpublished) data suggests almost three-quarters of people have never cleaned their phone at all..

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.THECONVERSATION.COM

dinner table conversations and the news resulting in people thinking about the fear of the corona virus.

They believe that patients are not reporting their symptoms and don’t want to go to the hospital in fear of catching corona virus. This fear is leading people with life threatening emergencies like heart attack to stay home when ordinarily they would have rushed to the emergency room and this delay can lead to serious consequences and even death.

In this difficult and uncertain time we, cardiac specialist should reach out to the community and assure them that rapid response to heart attack symptoms still matters and the hospital are prepared to keep people safe and treat them rapidly.

Cardiologists can also suggest to their patients to seek video consultations, which various doctors and hospitals are providing if their cardiac symptoms worsen.

It’s very much true that staying home is the best and safe approach in this pandemic situation, but medical emergencies like chest pain or any other symptoms of heart attack should be taken seriously and treated as before by reaching hospital at the earliest.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Delighted to interact with my young friends from @nitrourkela through ‘MyOrg360’, a video conferencing tool developed by them. Built with basic resources, this app can be a great indigenous tool of digital communication, especially during the #COVID19 time.

Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal PM @NarendraModi ji’s vision for development and welfare of farmers amid COVID-19 pandemic is being realised.Minister @NSTomar ji has taken a great initiative by launching the ‘Kisan Rath’ App to aid farmers in transporting their produce.

Spiritual SPEAK

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps, and whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues. —Bhagavad Gita

Vol 1 Issue No. 324 RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur.

Published at 304, 3rd Floor, City Mall, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001, Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504. Editor: Jagdeesh Chandra, responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

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05

‘COVID recovery rate improves to 25.19%’ Health officials say the ongoing nationwide lockdown since March 25, has prevented an explosive surge of infections tions that would have crippled the country’s health care system.

“Our analysis finds that the rate of growth in positive cases and fatalities has been consistently lower - linear but non-exponential,” said Amitabh Kant, chief executive of the government think tank Niti Aayog.

PM Narendra Modi is expected decide soon whether to extend the shutdown beyond May 3. Government sources say restrictions will

continue in the worsthit districts while they may be eased in areas where there are no cases. The big cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad - which are also India’s economic growth engines - top the list of cases and there are no signs of the pandemic abating there, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said. Still, the scale of outbreak is dwarfed by the US or large western European countries. —Agencies

New Delhi: India’s coronavirus recovery rate , the share of people, who have been discharged from hospital after treatment, has risen to 25.13%, a significant improvement over 13% reported 14 days ago, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. The doubling rate of COVID-19 cases has also improved to 11 days from 3.4 days before the nationwide lockdown, they said.

A total of 8,324 patients have recovered,

officials said. In last 24 hours, 1,718 new cases of COVID-19 reported, taking total number of cases to 33,050 including 1,074 deaths, they added.

The current fatality rate is 3.2 per cent for COVID-19 in India with 65 per cent of those dead males and 35 per cent females, the Health Ministry said.

Health officials say the ongoing nationwide lockdown since March 25 has prevented an explosive surge of infec-

WEST BENGAL government studies 1.52L cr economic rehabilitation plan

Pb cop, whose hand severed in attack, discharged

Ensure steady movement of trucks, says MHA to States

Kolkata: The West Bengal government is considering a Rs 1.52 lakh crore economic rehabilitation plan to tackle the situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“The economic rehabilitation plan is to be rolled out for six months and involves Rs 1.52 lakh crore,” she said, here on Thursday.

The plan has been formulated by the task force on economy, set up by the Chief Minister in view of the business and industry taking a big hit due to the lockdown enforced to contain the disease,

Chandigarh: Punjab Police S-I Harjeet Singh, whose hand was chopped off in a brutal attack by a group of ‘Nihangs’ in Patiala over a fortnight ago, was discharged from PGIMER following a successful surgery reattaching the severed limb. Before being discharged from the PGIMER, Punjab Police chief Dinkar Gupta handed over to Singh his son Arshpreet’s appointment letter as a constable in the force. The 50-year-old Singh, who was an assistant Sub-Inspector of police at the time of the brutal incident, has been promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector. —PTI

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry clarified that no separate passes are required for inter-state movement of trucks, those carrying goods or returning after delivery, during the nationwide coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown and a valid licence of the driver is enough.

Asking States and Union Territories to ensure uninterrupted movement of trucks, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said there have been reports that at inter-state borders in different parts of the country, movement of trucks is not allowed freely and local authori-

A healthcare worker collects swab sample for COVID-19 test from swab collection booth in Srinagar.

Shun petty politicking: Dhankhar to Didi Kolkata: Expressing pain over West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’’s remark that the opposition parties were behaving like ‘’vultures waiting for the dead,’’ Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, here on Thursday, asked her to shun ‘’petty politicking’’.

“Appeal all parties to be in sync in combating Covid-19.

Pained @MamataOfficial opposition bewhich has claimed 1,081 lives in the country, including 22 in

having like ‘’vultures waiting for the dead’’. We are in ‘roof falling’ situation & must shun petty politicking,” Dhankhar tweeted.

He also accused the Banerjee government West Bengal. The task force is headed by the Finance Secretary. The

Bombay HC notice to Maharashtra govt on plea seeking CBI probe Mumbai: Bombay HC issued notices to Maharashtra government and CBI on a petition seeking a CBI probe, a fast track court trial and compensation in the Palghar mob lynching incident. A singlejudge bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan issued the notices and sought a reply from the respondents on the petition within a period of two weeks.

The petition, filed by SC lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava, sought directions to transfer the investigation in the incident from CID-Crime to the Central Bureau of Investigation or alternatively constitute a special investigation team (SIT) monitored by the court to prove the incident. The petition also sought direc-

PALGHAR MOB LYNCHING

tions to conduct the trial in the case by a fast track court in an expeditious and timebound manner, and a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of the driver who was killed in the incident.

The plea said that there are serious allegations of commission and omission on the part of the local police personnel themselves

Might resume partial services by mid May 2020: Air India New Delhi: The national carrier Air India (AI) has asked its pilots and cabin crew details to prepare to resume operations post lockdown, probably by mid-May this year. An internal mail, which was sent to operation staff, seeks crew availability and details for transport security passes for domestic and international operations. “Dear All concerned, There is a probability to commence 25 per cent to 30

per cent operations post-lockdown in midMay 2020. You are requested to ensure the following: Total No. of Cockpit / Cabin Crew residing outside municipal limits of the bases,” the communication read. —ANI

in the brutal crime and added that it is in the interest of justice to get the investigation of the case done by any independent agency. “Directions in the nature of Mandamus to the State of Maharashtra to initiate stringent disciplinary action as well as penal action under Indian Penal Code (IPC) by way of registration of FIR, against the concerned policemen, whose acts and omissions led to the aforesaid brutal lynching,” the plea said.

“The brutal lynching of the old aged spiritual leaders has sent a wrong message to the society at large and thus it is in the interest of justice to direct for speedy and expeditious trial of the instant case,” it said. — ANI

of ‘muzzling’’ the media. “Concerned @ MamataOfficial warning to media ‘’behave properly’’ have noticed, felt muzzling and control of media by varied means. Why put media in fear?

“There should not be anything to hide.

Independent media is spine, essential element of democracy.

Why stress this asset,” the Governor tweeted. —Agencies plan is being examined by the state government. —Agencies

IN THE COURTYARD

HC junks plea for assessment to deploy Army in Mumbai Mumbai: Bombay HC has said the gathering of hundreds of migrants near Bandra station earlier this month was a one-off incident, and refused to pass urgent orders in a plea seeking deployment of adequate security personnel in the city.

Justice B P Colabawalla made the observation on April 27 while hearing a petition filed by one Shankar Pai and two others, who claimed to be residents of suburban Bandra, Khar and Mahim and said they were directly aggrieved by the

April 14 incident.

The petitioners said such gatherings would increase the chance of the spread of COVID-19.

The plea sought a direction to the Maharashtra government to make an assessment if military could be deployed in such vulnerable spots. Justice Colabawalla said, One incident does not make out an urgency.

These are extraordinary times and the government and civic authorities are doing their best to keep things under control.” —PTI

THE UPDATE

Supreme Court should pass appropriate orders and or directions to the BCI to help these lawyers. The petitioner cited that there is an Advocates Act 1961, and Section 5 of the Act re-

quired that if they need any help, a direction can be passed for them.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice NV Ramana, refused to pass any order to the BCI af-

district authorities and field agencies are informed of the instructions so that there is no ambiguity at the ground level, and movement of through traffic of trucks and goods carriers, including empty trucks is allowed without any hindrance,” MHA order said. —PTI

Not expert on treatment of corona patients, doctors best judge: SC New Delhi: The SC declined to entertain a plea, challenging the treatment of COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and antibiotic azithromycin (AZM), saying that the apex court “is not an expert on the issue”.

A bench headed by Justice NV Ramana and comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and BR Gavai, taking up the matter through vc, asked the petitioner an NGO, PBT, to make a representation before the for its consideration. Ohio-based Indian-origin doctor and PBT President Kunal Saha contended before the bench that he has not challenged the line of treatment for COVID-19, instead the use of HCQ and AZM combination has side effects,

Plea seeking directions to BCI dismissed Mumbai: The SC dismissed the petition seeking appropriate directions to the Bar Council of India (BCI) to assist and help lawyers facing difficulties, especially financial help, during the lockdown imposed due to Coronavirus.

Pawan Prakash Pathak, the lawyer who filed the petition contended that those lawyers practising independently have been left with no source of income, therefore the

ties insist upon separate passes.

Bhalla asked states to allow movement of all trucks and other goods carrier vehicles with two drivers and one helper subject to the drivers carrying valid driving licences. “Accordingly, all states and UTs shall ensure that

ter hearing a petition filed by lawyer Pathak.

Justice Ramana said that some state bar councils have already taken up the cause. Justice Kaul, one of the judges in the three-judge bench, asked how can this be part of a direction under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution.

“It is for bar council to take a call. Please approach bar council,” Justice Kaul said. “The whole country is suffering, and advocates are a part of it,” he added.—ANI

and these proving fatal on the people.

The bench noted that there is no medicine for the viral infection and doctors are trying different ways, and if a treatment is being followed or not, it has to be decided by the doctor.

“If particular type of treatment has to be given, it is for doctors’’ to decide”, said the bench.

When, Saha contend-

ed warning has been issued regarding the side effects by an American heart institute, which should be taken into consideration, Justice Ramana said, “Can a court say use this type of treatment?

Are we experts?”

The bench asked Saha to take this petition as a representation before ICMR, which can examine the suggestions made. The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Centre, to provide petition to ICMR. The PIL contended that use of HCQ and AZM was recommended for most serious COVID-19 patients by Health Ministry, which was primarily based on anecdotal evidence and not as a specific therapy. —Agencies

Delhi Supreme Court refuses to stay Central Vista project New Delhi: The SC refused to stay the Central government’s project for the redevelopment of the Central Vista in the national capital.

A bench of the apex court, headed by CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde, refused to stay the Central vista project after hearing a petition filed

by Rajeev Suri challenging the decision to notify a change in land use regarding the redevelopment plan. “During this COVID-19 crisis,

nobody is going to do anything. There is no urgency,” the bench said while refusing to stay the project. SG Tushar Mehta, told the apex court that the Parliament is being constructed and asked why is there a problem? —ANI

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‘Too much centralisation of power’ South Indian states are doing a better job because they are more decentralised, the Gandhi scion said New Delhi: In a veiled attack on the Central government over the handling of COVID-19 situation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that there is too much centralisation of power and conversations are stopping.

“Don’t you think there is a crisis of centralisation? There is too much centralisation of power taking place and the conversations are stopping. Conversations would help a lot of these problems that you are talking

about. But it is breaking for some reason,” Rahul said in his interaction with former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan via video conference. Responding to this, Rajan said that decentralisation is important both for bringing more local information to work but also about giving empowerment to the people. “What you see across the world is a great sense of disempowerment. Decisions are being made else-

Don’t you think there is a crisis of centralisation? There is too much centralisation of power taking place and the conversations are stopping. Conversations would help a lot of these problems that you are talking about. But it is breaking for some reason.

—Rahul Gandhi, Cong Leader

where, but not by me,” he said.

“I have a vote but that elects somebody in a far-off place. My local

panchayat, State government has less power.

They don’t feel they can have a voice in anything. So they become

prey to a different set of forces,” he added.

When the economist asked Rahul about Panchayati Raj, the former Congress chief said: “It’s had a huge effect, but I’m sorry to say it is in retreat. So, lot of the forward movement that had taken place on Panchayati Raj, we are sort of moving back to this bureaucratic, DMbureaucrat based structure.”

Rahul said that the South Indian states are doing a better job because they are more

decentralised.

The Congress leader said that there is a new model out, which is the authoritarian model and questioning the liberal model.

He said that India has a high level of unemployment and that is now going to be massive.

Rajan said that pandemics like COVID-19 rarely have positive effects for any country but there are ways countries like India can take advantage of the situation. —ANI

` 65,000 Cr needed to feed India’s poor: Raghuram Rajan to RaGa Minister of Heavy industries Prakash Javadekar during the vc.

Javadekar seek expert suggestions on rebooting auto industry New Delhi: Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise Prakash Javadekar held a meeting with the auto industry leaders where they suggested ways to restart the industry after the COVID-19 lockdown gets over.

“All the auto industry captains were present in a meeting via video conferencing.

The auto sector is a mass employer & con-

Wasnik is Cong Gen Secy, incharge of MP New Delhi: Congress leader Mukul Wasnik was appointed as the party’s General Secretary, in charge of Madhya Pradesh following the resignation of Dipak Babaria from the post. A press release from the All India Congress Committee states, “Congress President has accepted the resignation of Dipak Babaria from the post of General Secretary, in charge of MP on account of his ill health.” —ANI

tributes maximum GST amongst all sectors. This industry has a significant contribution to the GDP of the country. Last year, the industry suffered because of a planned migration from BS-IV to BS-VI compliant vehicles.

This was one change which made the customers postpone their purchases,” Javadekar told media the meeting. —ANI

New Delhi: Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan in a video talk with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, streamed by the party, said that an amount of Rs 65,000 Crore is required to turn the situation around and feed the poor amist the Coronavirus crisis.

“Rs 65,000 crore is needed to feed the poor and India can afford it as the GDP is Rs 200 lakh crore,” adding that “Social harmony is a public good and we cannot afford to have our houses divided at the time when challenges are big”.

He said that there should be efforts to give money to the poor

‘TRICOLOUR ON ROOFS ON MAY 1’ Chandigarh: Accusing the Centre of discriminating against non-BJPruled States in extending support in the fight against COVID-19, Congress has urged people in Punjab to raise Tricolor from the rooftops of their homes on May 1 as a mark of protest. The idea was mooted by State Congress president Sunil Jakhar at a vc with party MLAs.

through DBT, MGNREGA, old age pension and also supporting through PDS.There are ways country can take advantage but I think there will be no positive im-

pact of this situation as there may be rethinking in global economy.”

“There will be strategic change but these types of pandemic have rarely any positive ef-

Govt might announce stimulus package New Delhi: The stimulus package for the industry hit by a lockdown of more than a month when economic activity has ground to a halt is expected to be announced soon. The package has been in the works for a while and top government officials have indicated that rather than one big package, the government is rolling out packages specifically targeted at important constituencies.

Acuite Ratings estimates that the government should opt for a stimulus package of `11.2 lakh crore ($150 billion), the economic

loss that is already set to be recorded for the current lockdown period and that will tantamount to 4.8 per cent of FY20 GDP. Acuite Ratings has estimated that it may not be feasible for all states to share the debt burden

of the stimulus given their respective fiscal position. Therefore, a few relatively stronger states with lower fiscal deficit levels may volunteer to take up around `3 lakh crore of additional borrowings.

“We suggest a group

ping the spread of infection.” CM also emphasised that officials should facilitate the issuance of passes during the lockdown. “People are already suffering due to the lockdown and the problem of passes can cause further tension in them. There should be proper system for issuing passes and passes for the permitted categories should be issued without hassle,” he said.

During the VC, Chief Secretary DB Gupta said that in the talks with the Central Government, there have been positive indica-

tions on the operation of special trains for Rajasthan. “People who have symptoms of cold, cough and cold (ILI) should be kept in quarantine centers. Also, keep people who are healthy in home quarantine,” he asked the officials. ACS Home Rajeeva Swarup gave a presentation and emphasised to ensure to keep all the workers coming from outside in quarantine for 14 days.

“A large number of workers working in local industries are moving out of the state. In such a situation, there is no shortage of work-

ers in industrial units, for this, data of workers returning from outside should be prepared through employment centers so that it can be possible to employ workers in industrial units according to their qualifications and needs,” he said.

ACS Industries Subodh Agrawal informed about the steps being taken by the state government for the movement of workers. He said that production has started in more than 7 thousand industries in the state since April 20 and about one lakh 30 thousand work-

THE PLAN

of six states i.e. Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana and Telangana where the current fiscal position is relatively better vis-à-vis other states with an average state fiscal deficit of 2.4 %, it added.

Given the extraordinary nature of the global economic and health crisis sparked by Covid-19, Acuite Ratings said there is adequate justification to raise debt or finance the deficit directly from RBI at this juncture albeit within specified limits.

There will be a growth in balance sheet of RBI by 47%. —Agencies

ers are getting employment through them.

A debonair...

Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday morning after complaining that he was not feeling well.

Attracting moolah... to boost investment, both international and domestic. “Issues relating to India’s reform trajectory were also discussed so that growth can be accelerated,” Modi said.

“It was discussed that a scheme should be developed to promote

SHARAD KUMAR TO CONTINUE AS VC IN CVC?

Acting Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar will continue as VC till attaining the age of 65.

He is 1979 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre.

EX ANDHRA BANK CHIEF SURESH N PATEL ASSUMES CHARGE AS VIGILANCE COMMISSIONER

Former Andhra Bank MD & CEO Suresh N Patel has assumed charge as Vigilance Commissioner on Wednesday.

KS SREENIVASA RAJU RELIEVED TO JOIN TELANGANA CADRE

K S Sreenivasa Raju has been relieved to join the Telangana cadre on inter cadre deputation. He is a 2001 batch IAS officer of AP cadre.

MOHANTY TO JOIN NSC

Satyajit Mohanty, ADG, System, will join National Security Council (NSC) Secretariat as JS for six months. He is a 1999 batch IRS-C&CE officer.

AMIT KHARE TAKES OVER AS SECRETARY I & B

The PMO has reposed faith in Amit Khare to handle the sensitive and most difficult Ministry as Secretary I& B along with HRD. This is for the second time that 1985 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre has taken over as Secretary I&B.

Ravi Kant will be taking over the charge as Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence on May 1, 2020. He is a 1984 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre.

SANJEEV RANJAN TO TAKE OVER AS SECRETARY, SHIPPING ON MAY 1

Rajan spoke as an independent economist, cynicism is natural in an era where Akshay Kumar interviews Modi @Pawankhera fects in general,” said Rajan in first of the video series started by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi with the hashtag “Rahul Shows The Way.”—ANI

NIA arrests one more in ex-DSP Davinder’s case Srinagar: In a major development in the tainted DySP Davinder S i n g h case, the NIA said that it has arrested an alleged ter rorist Tariq Ahmed Mir for providing logistic support to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

An NIA official related to the probe told, “We have arrested Mir for his alleged role in providing logistic support to terrorists in Kashmir for long. —Agencies

FROM PG 1 ‘War’ duration... say how long we have to fight Corona,” Gehlot instructed the officials.

Terming that imposing lockdown is easy but removing it is “a very difficult task”, Gehlot said, “In such a situation, it is very important for us to streamline economic activities along with the lockdown. If all activities remain closed for a long time, an economic crisis may arise and fighting Corona will become more difficult. Officials should make such efforts that economic activities can be brought back on track by stop-

POWER Gallery

A LOW PROFILE POST - RAVI KANT TO JOIN ON MAY 1

A SCATHING ATTACK New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Gopal Krishna Agarwal termed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s conversation with former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan as “futile”. Agarwal said that Gandhi should have asked pointed questions to Rajan. “Rahul should have asked Mr Rajan who was RBI Governor when loans were disbursed to Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijaya Mallya during Congress regime.’

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more plug and play infrastructure in the existing industrial lands/ plots/estates in the country and provide necessary financing support,” PMO statement said. The meeting

by PM Modi, which was attended by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, home minister Amit Shah, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur, discussed various strategies to bring investments into India in a fast-track mode and to promote Indian domestic sectors. —Agencies

Sanjeev Ranjan will be taking over the charge as Secretary, Ministry of Shipping on May 1, 2020.

He is a 1985 batch IAS officer of Tripura cadre.

Has the Minister agreed on his name ?

PAWAN KUMAR AGARWAL NOW TO JOIN AS SPECIAL SECRETARY, LOGISTICS ON MAY 1. ANY REASON?

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, who was Secretary Consumer Affairs, will now be taking over the charge as Special Secretary (Logistics), Department of Commerce on May 1, 2020. He is a 1985 batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre.

Has this change something to do with PM’s Garib Kalyan Yojana ?

CHOICE OF PMO-TARUN KAPOOR TO JOIN AS SECRETARY, PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS ON MAY 1

Tarun Kapoor will be taking over the charge as Secretary of the high profile Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on May 1, 2020. He is a 1987 batch IAS officer of HP cadre. In fact name of Tarun Bajaj was in circulation but finally the name of Tarun Kapoor was approved. Mainly he is the choice of the PMO. ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA TO JOIN AS SECRETARY, MSME ON MAY 1

Arvind Kumar Sharma ho remained with PM Narendra Modi for almost 20 years will be taking over the charge as Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises on May 1, 2020.

He is a 1988 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.

People may say anything about his posting from the PMO to MSME one thing is certain PM has sent him with a Special task in making India.

FIVE AMBASSADORS APPOINTED

On April 29, 2020, the PMO cleared the first list of appointment of five diplomats. Accordingly-TS Tirumurti, presently Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations at New York.he is an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1985 batch. Namrata S Kumar, presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Slovenia.She is an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1997 batch.

Jaideep Mazumdar, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Philippines, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Austria.He is an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1989 batch. Deepak Mittal, presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar.He is an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1998 batch. Piyush Srivastava, presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain. He is an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1998 batch.

RAKESH MAKHIJA RE-APPOINTED INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR OF AXIS BANK

AXIS Bank has re-appointed Rakesh Makhija as an Independent Director of the Bank for his second term from October 27, 2020 up to October 26, 2023.

TALKING POINT JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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CHARLES DARWIN POPULARIZED THE CONCEPT OF SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AS A MECHANISM UNDERLYING THE NATURAL SELECTION THAT DRIVES THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE

C

harles Darwin p o p u l a rized the concept of survival of the fittest as a mechanism underlying the natural selection that drives the evolution of life. Organisms with genes better suited to the environment are selected for survival and pass them to the next generation.

Thus, when a new infection that the world has never seen before erupts, the process of natural selection starts all over again.

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, who is the “fittest”?

This is a challenging question. But as immunology researchers at the University of South Carolina, we can say one thing is clear: With no effective treatment options, survival against the coronavirus infection depends completely on the patient’s immune response.

We have been working on how the immune response is a double-edged sword – on one hand helping the host to fight infections, while on the other hand causing significant damage in the form of autoimmune diseases.

WHAT DOES ‘SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST’ MEAN?

THE TWO PHASES OF THE LUNG INJURY RESULTING FROM INFLAMMATION

IMMUNE RESPONSE

T

he immune response is like a car. To reach a destination safely, you need both an accelerator (phase 1) and a brake (phase 2) that are functioning well. Failure in either can have significant consequences.

An effective immune response against an infectious agent rests in the delicate balance of two phases of action.

When an infectious agent attacks, the body begins phase 1, which promotes inflammation – a state in which a variety of immune cells gather at the site of infection to destroy the pathogen.

This is followed by phase 2, during which immune cells called regulatory T cells suppress inflammation so that the infected tissues can completely heal. A deficiency in the first

phase can allow uncontrolled growth of the infectious agent, such as a virus or bacteria. A defect in the second phase can trigger massive inflammation, tissue damage and death.

The coronavirus infects cells by attaching to a receptor called the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is present in many tissues throughout the body, including the respiratory tract and cardiovascular system.

This infection triggers a phase 1 immune response, in which the antibody-producing Bcells pump out neutralizing antibodies that can bind to the virus and prevent it from attaching to ACE2. This inhibits the virus from infecting more cells.

During phase 1, the immune cells also produce cytokines, a group

of proteins that recruit other immune cells as well as fight infection.

Also joining the fight are killer T cells that destroy the virus-infected cells, preventing the virus from replicating.

If the immune system is compromised and works poorly during phase 1, the virus can replicate rapidly.

People with compromised immune systems include the elderly, organ transplant recipients, patients with autoimmune diseases, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and individuals who are born with immunodeficiency diseases.

Many of these individuals may not produce enough antibodies or killer T cells to counter the virus, which allows the virus to multiply unchecked and cause a severe infection.

I

ncreased replication of SARS-CoV-2 triggers additional complications in the lungs and other organs.

Normally, there is a wide range of microorganisms, both harmful and benign, that live in harmony in the lungs. However, as the coronavirus spreads, it is likely that the infection and the inflammation that ensues will disrupt this balance, allowing harmful bacteria present in the lungs to dominate. This leads to development of pneumonia, in which the lungs’ air sacs, called alveoli, get filled with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe.

This triggers additional inflammation in the lungs, leading to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), which is seen in a third of COVID-19 patients.

The immune system, unable to control viral infection and other emerging pathogens in the lungs, mounts an even stronger inflammatory response by releasing more cytokines, a condition known as “cytokine storm.”

At this stage, it is also likely that the phase 2 immune response aimed at suppressing inflammation fails and can’t control the cytokine storm. Such cytokine storms can trigger friendly fire – destructive, corrosive chemicals meant to destroy infected cells that are released by the body’s immune cells which can lead to severe damage to the lungs and other organs.

Also, because ACE2 is present throughout the body, the killer T cells from phase 1 can destroy virus-infected cells across multiple organs, causing more widespread destruction. Thus, patients that produce excessive cytokines and T cells can die from injury not only to the lungs but also to other organs such as the heart and kidneys.

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM’S BALANCING ACT

T

he above scenario raises several questions regarding prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Because the majority of people recover from coronavirus infection, it is likely that a vaccine that triggers neutralizing antibodies and T cells to block the virus from getting into the cells and replicate is likely to be successful. The key to an effective vaccine is that it doesn’t trigger excessive inflammation.

Additionally, in patients who transition to a more severe form such as ARDS and cytokine storm, which is often lethal, there is an urgent need for novel anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs can broadly suppress the cytokine storm without

causing excessive suppression of immune response, thereby enabling the patients to clear the coronavirus without damage to the lung and other tissues.

There may be only a narrow window of opportunity during which these immunosuppressive agents can be effectively used. Such agents should not be started at an early stage of infection when the patient needs the im-

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

mune system to fight the infection, but it cannot be delayed too long after ARDS development, when the massive inflammation is uncontrollable. This window of anti-inflammatory treatment can be determined by monitoring the antibody and cytokine levels in patients.

With COVID-19, then, the “fittest” are individuals who mount a normal phase 1 and phase 2 immune response. This means a strong immune response in phase 1 to clear the primary coronavirus infection and inhibit its spread in the lungs. Then this should be followed by an optimum phase 2 response to prevent excessive inflammation in the form of “cytokine storm.”

CONCEPT: DIVYA HEMNANI

DESIGN: CP SHARMA

A new month, a new start. Best wishes for all humanity... may the month of May bring good health to all. Peace with you.

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

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2ND FRONT JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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Corona ‘Positive’ : Seven districts in Rajasthan corona free Bikaner, Churu and Pratapgarh are now corona free: Dr Sharma Vikas Sharma Jaipur: Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma has claimed that coronavirus contagion is reducing and situation is under control in the state. Citing health department’s report, the minister said that in three districts, the positive cases have dropped to zero and four districts never had any case, therefore, seven districts are now completely corona free.

Chief Minister

Ashok Gehlot and Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma have been working relentlessly to to meet the challenge, be it arranging resources or delivery of health facilities to the people.

Both of them regularly hold meetings and monitor the efforts and management. On the basis of regular tracking of cases, the health minister said that there are only seven districts where corona

Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma

cases have crossed three figures. The health department has special focus on

these districts.

He said that Bikaner, Churu and Pratapgarh districts are now coro-

na free. Bikaner had 36 patients, Churu 12 and Pratapgarh had two.

Now there is not a sin-

gle person affected from corona while not a single case was reported in four districts. He said that seven districts Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Tonk, Bharatpur, Ajmer and Nagaur have more than 100 cases. A separate action plan has been prepared for these district and hopefully, the situation will be better in these districts as well, he said.

According to Dr Sharma, sporadic cases have been reported in 19 districts. They too are turning negative after receiving treatment.

He informed that 827 corona positives pa-

tients have turned negative and 600 of them have already been discharged.

More than 1000 people are admitted in hospital wards of which only 12 are in ICU and just 2 are on ventilator. Dr Sharma also claimed that the state can now conduct 9,100 tests per day. In fact, it will touch 10,000 tests per day mark within next couple of days.

Also, the state has become third in the country to conclude more than one lakh tests.

He said that there was shortage of RNA extraction kit and

PCR kit. “If we receive these kits regularly from the Centre, there won’t be any pendency of samples and we would get real number of corona infected. We would be able to get rid of this pandemic if we do more tests,” he said.

Meanwhile, more zayreens are being sent to their home states from Ajmer. According to sources, 2729 zayreens left on Wednesday through buses.

They said that zayreens of eight states have been given the relief.

They are sent by private buses.

Locked-down political appointments Maha MLC Polls: EC meet today after Guv’s request start amid coronavirus lockdown!

Yogesh Sharma Jaipur: Even as lockdown continues and coronavirus continue to play a havoc, speculations are rife about political appointments. In last two days, nearly a dozen people have been appointed in committees and commissions related to social welfare and Devsthan.

According to reliable sources, the Congress high command has given approval for appointments in Rajasthan. In the first phase, appointments would be made on con-

stitutional and key political posts in which people align to ideology of Congress party will be given preference. First, members would be appointed to minority commission, women’s commission, SC/ST commission, labour commission, consumer forum, commission for specially abled, OBC commission, farmers commission and sanitation commission followed by chairpersons. It is learnt that after the list of suggestions, finalised by CM Ashok Gehlot and AICC general Secretary and Ra-

RR’s fundraiser for corona relief in Raj New Delhi: Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals have launched a fundraiser on social networking site Facebook for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The franchise has set up a dedicated fundraiser page on Facebook where donors can contribute towards Gram Chetna Kendra, an NGO that works in Rajasthan with a focus on children and women projects.

The funds received via this initiative will focus on extending help to women and de-

pendent families from under privile ged households in the state of Rajasthan by providing over 200,000 nutritious meals. Royals have already contributed funds to supply 100,000 meals to underprivileged women in Rajasthan.

Speaking about the initiative, Royals Executive Chairman Ranjit Barthakur said, “Rajasthan is our home state and during these distressing times we would like to extend our full support to our extended family there.” —PTI

jasthan incharge Avinash Pande, which was also okayed by veteran leader Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi gave her go-ahead to the appointments.

On Wednesday, the government made appointments to state child rights protection commission, senior citizen pilgrimage committee and child protection commission. Former chief minister Shiv Charan Mathur’s daughter Vandana Mathur has been appointed member in child rights inspection commission whereas in child pro-

tection commission Shiv Bhagwan Naga, Vandana Dubey and Nusrat Naqvi have found the place.

MLA Inder Raj Gurjar, former MLA Ramesh Pandya, senior congress leader Virendra Poonia and Randhir Singh have been appointed members in senior citizen pilgrimage state level committee. Notably, a few months ago, party high command had issued order asking the party and government for political appointments to all district and state level boards and commissions to be

made by March 31.

However, due to corona crisis and lockdown, they were postponed.

MLA Inder Raj Gurjar, former MLA Ramesh Pandya, senior congress leader Virendra Poonia and Randhir Singh have been appointed members in senior citizen pilgrimage state level committee. Moreover, late on Thursday night, the Devsthan Department appointed four members to the Diggi Kalyan temple while two members were appointed to the Nathdwara Temple Board as well.

Mumbai: After Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s request to hold MLC polls in Maharashtra, the Election Commission of India (EC) has called for a meeting to discuss the same at 9:30 am on Friday. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is reportedly scheduled to join the meeting over video conference from the US. The Maharashtra MLC polls have been under controversy over the governor’s delay in nominating CM Uddhav Thackeray to the state council.

Days afer the Maharashtra cabinet recommended to him proposing Chief Minister Ud-

No pay cuts in Apr for state govt staff Dr Rituraj Sharma Jaipur: State government employees can heave a sigh of relief as there will no deduction in salary for the month of April. The finance department has asked treasury offices to release salaries of officers and other employees without any deduction.

Last month, the government had decided one day salary deduction for CM, cabinet ministers and minster of states. Since a portion of monthly salary was deducted from officers and employees of Rajasthan sub-

CS BRIEFS MIGRANT SITUATION TO GAUBA

Bhagat Singh Koshyari

Sunil Arora

dhav Thackeray’s appointment to the Legislative Council, Governor BS Koshyari on Thursday requested the ECI to declare polls for nine vacant seats of the Upper House of the state Legislature.

A statement from Raj Bhavan said that Koshyari requested the

ECI to declare elections to the nine vacant seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council “at the earliest”. The governor made the request to the poll watchdog to fill the nine seats that have been lying vacant since April 24, with a view to end the current uncertainty in the State. —PTI

State govt shuffles two IAS, five RAS late on Thursday night First India News

DB Gupta

ordinate service last month, there were apprehensions about yet another cut in April month’s salary.

The finance department has asked treasuries to release pay without any deduction to everyone from IAS officers to class IV em-

ployees. Employees union and their leaders expressed gratitude to CM on the decision.

Meanwhile, CS DB Gupta has warned of strict action following reports of tussle between different district administrations. CS also hinted that after May 3,

there will be relaxation in lockdown and bringing industrial development back on track. During the meeting, the issue of landlords was discussed some of whom have been facing problem following state government’s directive of not taking rent.

Jaipur: Late on Thursday night, the state government shuffled two IAS and five RAS officials. Kailash Chand Meena, serving as special secretary in Rural Development has been appointed as Divisional Commissioner, Kota division while Anshdeep, who has been serving as director social justice and empowerement, is now the new Pali district collector.

Among the RAS, Narendra Jain serving as ADM Bhilwara city has been posted as ADM in Bundi, Ravi Vijay serving as ACEO, Zila Parishad Bharatpur has been shifted to SDM Mahua in Dausa district, Vinod Meena serving as SDM Nadbai has been shifted to SDM Kaman, SDM Phagi Dharmraj Gurjar has been shifted as SDM Ramsar in Barmer district and Surendra Prasad as SDM Chittorgarh.

‘Ghar Waapasi’: A moral victory for Ashok Gehlot!

Kartikey Dev Singh Jaipur: The ‘Ghar Waapasi’ programme might be an activity of BJP’s ‘paternal’ wing - RSS, but it seems that the saffron party has failed to take cue from the programme; this time to bring relief to citizens stuck in lockdown away from their homes. However, what the BJP probably did not envisage, a single leader from an otherwise politically non-volatile state of Rajasthan took into

consideration and raised the issue at highest level of politi.

In the coming days, lakhs of labourers and migrant Rajasthanis will be coming back to their home state from across the nation. More than seven lakh people have registered themselves with the Rajasthan Government for their return and this massive exercise has been made possible after the Central Government gave a green sig-

nal to a mega-effort of this leader, who has literally shown the way on how to combat Corona. The aforementioned point endorsed by PM Narendra Modi. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been relentlessly pursuing this one cause with the centre since the announcement of lockdown.

It was Gehlot, who first blew the begul about the health, safety and other concerns re-

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot

—FILE PHOTO

volving around stranded migrants. Even though he is the leader of a little over 7 crore individuals from Rajasthan, his concerns were always for all those Indians who were out of their home state. And it was thus that in his first video conference with PM Narendra Modi, he raised the issue of migrants stranded across the nation. It was perhaps the fact that PM Modi was mighty impressed with Gehlot’s

approach to this gargantuan challenge, rallying his troops like a true ‘General (something that NaMo perhaps likes), or simply Gehlot’s handling of Corona without any outside help when the state’s coffers are parched or the countless reminder letters and several VCs, that the Central Government finally gave its assent to the suggestion made by three time Rajasthan Chief Minister.

While victory over Corona seems a bit far as of now, but one cannot deny that this development has certainly been a moral victory of a man who was not dealt the best suitable ‘hand’, yet made his ‘weak cards’ his greatest strength and has remained on top of adversity till now.

Morality needs a befitting acknowledgement. Therefore, a tip of the hat for making possible, what was an uphill battle in Corona Times.

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JAIPUR, FRIDAY MAY 1, 2020

... with Neetu Kapoor

Rishi’s wife Neetu Kapoor shared the post that read, “Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8.45 am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukaemia.

The doctors and medical staff said he kept them entertained to the last.

He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him.

He was grateful for the love of his fans that poured in from the world over. In his passing, they would all understand that he would like to be remembered with a smile and not with tears.

In this hour of personal loss, we also recognise the world is going through a very difficult and troubled time. There are numerous restrictions around movement and gathering in public. We would like to request all his fans and well-wishers and friends of the family to please respect the laws that are in force.

He would not have it any other way.”

... with Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar posted a picture of Rishi and wrote, “Kuch samay pehle Rishi ji ne mujhe unki aur meri ye tasveer bheji thi. wo sab din,sab baatein yaad aarahi hain. Main shabdheen hogayi hun.”

... with Riddhima Kapoor Sahni

Riddhima Kapoor Sahni posted “Papa I love you I will always love you - RIP my strongest warrior I will miss you everyday I will miss your FaceTime calls everyday! I wish I could be there to say goodbye to you! Until we meet again papa I love you - your Mushk forever.”

EK DEEWANA THA Rishi Kapoor

City First pays a tribute to Rishi Kapoor, who left for his heavenly abode on Thursday morning. From his movies, songs, to his eclectic presence in the past few years on the social media, Chintu will be missed for everything

O

ne of the finest actors of the country, Rishi Kapoor passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 67. Known for his great contribution to the Indian cinema, the veteran actor died after a twoyear-long battle with cancer.

The actor was admitted at the H N Reliance hospital, where he took his last breath. The news was confirmed by his brother Randhir Kapoor. “He is no more. He has passed away,” he told one of the news wires. Not only his family, or the entertainment industry, but the whole nation is griefstricken by this sad news.

Born on 4 September 1952, the star was born in one of the most prestigious families, the Kapoor family. Being the second son of the ace actorfilm director Raj Kapoor and grandson of actor Prithviraj Kapoor, Rishi had acting skills in his blood. The actor has a large Punjabi family with most members including, son Ranbir Kapoor, wife Neetu Kapoor, his brothers, Randhir Kapoor, paternal uncles, Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor working in the film industry.

He landed his firstever role in his father Raj Kapoor’s movie Shree 420 at the age of 3 and first actual role in 1970, again in one of his father’s blockbuster flicks, Mera Naam Joker. While all these were under the shadow of his father, Rishi was cast as the main lead opposite Dimple Kapadia in Bobby in the year 1973 which was a blockbuster.

The extended Kapoor family

While most of us know him as the star, who delivered several chartbuster movies, the truth is he gave around 40 flop films out of 51 films in which he was the solo lead hero. He also battled depression due to the flops. The list of his hit

flicks includes his debut film Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Chandni, Heena etc.

Chintu Ji made even the supporting roles look like the main character. There are many super hit films that couldn’t have been turned out to be a great success as it is without his powerful supporting character. He switched from playing the lead character to supporting somewhere around the 2000s. He was reunited onscreen with his wife Neetu Kapoor in the film Do Dooni Chaar in 2010. He was also seen playing some powerful negative roles. His role as Rauf Lala in Agneepath remains a classic. 102 Not Out, a comedy-drama film directed

by Umesh Shukla, turned out to be his last film.

The chocolate boy of the Indian cinema was con-

Rishi Kapoor with Neetu, Ranbir, Riddhima and Samara

ferred with several awards during his long Bollywood career. One of the biggest achievements of his career was receiving the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

Rishi Kapor tied the knot with actress Neetu Singh in 1980 by throwing a grand wedding at the prestigious Bombay Presidency Golf Club in Chembur on January 22. The couple, have two children Riddhima Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor. This duo was a celebrated Bollywood couple considering that the love and passion of Rishi and Neetu was as good on screen as was off it.

They both worked together in around 15 films, including Kabhi Kabhie,

Amar Akbar Anthony, Doosra Aadmi, and many other projects. The veteran actor and Neetu Singh’s love story dates back to 1974 when they were cast opposite each other for the first time in Puttanna Kanagal’s Zehreela Insaan.

Rishi and Neetu did not have a fairy tale marriage and worked hard at it, He agreed once in an interview that he used to be Male Chauvinist and was rather over fond of his drinks. Rishi and his son Ranbir also share a turbulent but loving relationship. The bond between them only improved after the veteran fell sick and was diagnosed with cancer. Sources reveal that Rishi called Ranbir to his bedside on Wednesday night during his last conscious moments.

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CITY FIRST

P

TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR THE almost a year.

Amitabh Bachchan was the first to announce the demise of the 67-year-old with whom he worked in blockbusters like ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ and ‘Coolie’. He said, “He’s GONE .. !

Rishi Kapoor .. gone .. just passed away .. I am destroyed !”

Salman Khan took to Twitter and shared a tweet praying for the family of the late star. He tweeted, “Rest in peace chintu sirrr, kaha suna maaf , strength , peace n light to family n friends...”

Vicky Kaushal took to Instagram and shared that he feels shattered and heartbroken to hear about the demise of Kapoor, and wrote, “ Absolutely shattered and heartbroken to wake up to the news of the loss of Rishi Kapoor Ji, one of the liveliest persons amongst us.

The last time when I met him in NY, he was fighting the battle like a boss, with Neetu Ma’m by his side and a smile on his face.

This is utterly tragic and incomprehensible. My condolences to Ranbir, Neetu Ma’m and the entire family.

May his soul be resting in peace a n d

FA CE OF TH ED AY

rominent political leaders across party lines remembered veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who died on Thursday in Mumbai after a twoyear battle with leukaemia, as an “evergreen” and “multifaceted” personality. The death of the 67-year-old veteran actor comes a day after the sudden demise of versatile actor Irrfan Khan. Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan co-starred in 2013 film “D-Day”.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also paid homage to the veteran actor, recalling how he essayed many roles with aplomb and was popular for his romantic films.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said as an actor, Rishi Kapoor was able to create a special place in the hearts of the audience with “his inimitable style and performances”. Referring to the deaths of Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that she is saddened by the loss of two “iconic actors”.

Prakash Javdekar tweeted, “The sudden demise of actor Rishi Kapoor is shocking. He was not only a great actor but a good human being. Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans. Om Shanti.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said it was a “terrible week” for Indian cinema with the loss of Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Kapoor’s demise was an irreparable loss for Indian cinema.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also condoled Rishi Kapoor’s demise and the veteran actor was the torchbearer of an illustrious legacy whose contribution to the film industry is unparalleled.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said Rishi Kapoor’s film have been an “integral part” of his childhood.

The veteran actor returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for his cancer in the U S for

10

‘EVERGREEN CHOCOLATE BOY’ raising a toast to a life well lived with the Gods in heaven.”

Reminiscing the memories with his ‘Chintu uncle’, Varun Dhawan shared a picture from 2012 flick ‘Student Of The Year,’ that captured a moment in between Varun, Rishi and Siddharth Malhotra. Along with the picture, he wrote,” I was just in awe facing him in a scene. Sid and I would always discuss that we shouldn’t mess up our lines.

He was a professional and always loving rip Chintu uncle.”

Rishi’s ‘Student of the Year’ and ‘Kapoor and Sons’ co-star Siddharth Malhotra took to Instagram, expressing the pain of losing ‘the gem of an actor.’ The

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

picture shows Rishi and Siddharth engrossed in a conversation. Along with the picture, he wrote,” Indian cinema has lost a gem today. I’m just heartbroken. Rishi Ji’s warmth & zest for life will be remembered by all of us who have had the

privile g e to work with him. I will forever treasure our post-shoot chats. My prayers are with the Kapoor family in this tough time.”

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja shared a heart-touching throwback picture with her ‘Bewakoofiyan’ co-star pecking a kiss

on his cheek.

Along with the picture.

She wrote, “Rest in peace Chintu uncle.. All my love to you.

I’m so sorry we all couldn’t say bye properly.”

Raj Bansal from Jaipur, who was a very dear friend of Rishi Kapoor expressed, “Woke up to the most terrible news this morning. I am devastated by the sad news of my dearest friend & elder brother Rishi Kapoor s death. I still can not believe this.

I had met him in Mumbai after his return from New York & he was full of life. We spent over 4 hours together laughing & partying. He was very emotional & caring. My friendship with him goes to the mid-’80s. He will be missed a lot. Rest in peace mere dost, mere Bhai.”

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

You must avoid eating outside on frequently basis. You may find yourself in a very perplexed position when it comes to money, unable to decide whether to spend money on fun to have an image in your circle or to be an odd one out.

You are on with your fitness regime and you will surely get the results you desperately desire. Going abroad for settlement is on cards and you must start with your preparations. On domestic front, you will be quite in demand and lots of things will keep you busy.

You will be involved in a lot of outdoor activities. You will feel very refresh and energetic today. You worry without any reason so relax and enjoy what you have. You may get an unexpected career call that will change your life forever. Your spouse will pamper you in many ways today.

Those involved in export and import business will see a hike. You will complete all your pending task today and may devote extra time in office. You will managed to sustain a peaceful environment at home. You will be very busy today, as you can expect some guests today.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

You are great when it come to money management and you have a big heart for others. You will successfully complete the project, which kept you occupying for long.

Today is a very auspicious day for any kind of inauguration. You will be involved in lot of charity.

You are an outstanding home maker and you take care of your kids like no one can. You are very close to your parents and may visit them frequently going forward. On professional front, you will get the break that you have been expecting.

You may attend a social gathering.

You may feel financially secure but your ambitions have take away your sleep of the night, try and relax and sometime take it easy. Travel only if your health allows. You will soon meet a friend who can understand you and whose company will make you happy.

Pick your bags as you are soon moving abroad for the settlement. You are very jovial and kind hearted person. You are a very nice parent and always understand your kids but you must know when to stop pampering. You may bring a pet to your house.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Money is flowing into your life from all directions and your spouse is your lucky charm. You must not be a part of any controversies and you know someone close to you involved then guide them and show them a way out.

A new vehicles is on cards, may also come as a gift from parents.

You may feel challenged on work front but its an healthy competition which will help you realise your true potential. On domestic front, do not indulge in any kind of argument with your parents just for the sake of it, sometime you need to understand their concern.

Your new business is doing good but you need to have some patience when it comes to profit. Your child may need your serious counselling so show them you are there. You make take your family along on a work trip.

Its time to take your love life to next level.

On professional front, you have already proved your metal and your career is going great. Your friends may be helping but can also manipulate you sometimes so be careful. Those who matters will always understand you and those you don’t, you should not care.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

HARLEEN SETHI, Travel Enthusiast

JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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

JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

11

A TRIBUTE TO THE SUPERSTAR

Rishi Kapoor is no more. City First visits some of the many anecdotes and stories connected with this larger than life actor.

It is difficult to believe we will never see him on screen again. The actor was a part of the film ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’. It was almost completed, and only the last few days were left for the film to be completed.

THE RAJASTHAN CONNECT Rishi Kapoor studied briefly in Mayo College, Rajasthan, for 6 months and was in Colvin House. Ramesh Shah said, “He was a student of Mayo for six months in Colvin House. He visited Mayo twice. Once when I was the HM of Colvin House.

Took his friends to the dormitory in which he spent his stay in Mayo.

The second time he came to Dargah and visited Mayo when I was the vice-principal. Very jovial. During rest hour he used to act the scenes of his father’s movies.”

He added, “Sorry to hear about his sad demise. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

God bless his soul. The Mayo College Old Boys’ Society sends their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prays for the peace of the departed soul. He kept up with his school friendship with Jiggs Kalra and he had tweeted his condolence on the demise of Jiggs.

That is a footnote to history.”

AWARDS, HONOURS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 1970: Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards: Special Award, and National Film Award for Mera Naam Joker 1974: Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Bobby 2008: Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

2009: Honoured by the Russian Government for contribution to cinema 2010: Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Love Aaj Kal 2011: Zee Cine Awards: Best Lifetime Jodi along with Neetu Singh, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for Do Dooni Chaar

Mayo College, Ajmer, Rajasthan

CHAL MERE BHAI...

PREM GRANTH...

After Bollywood icons Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor passed away, a scene from their film D-Day has gone viral on social media. Rishi passed away on Thursday morning at age 67, after a two-year-long battle with cancer. Irrfan died a day earlier on Wednesday after a colon infection following his two-year-long battle with neuroendocrine tumour.

The book ‘Khullam Khulla’, an autobiography of Rishi Kapoor was co-authored with Meena Iyer. The book was released in New Delhi back in 2017, and while Rishi Kapoor was in the Pink City with wife Neetu Kapoor for the Jaipur Literature Festival 2017, he had an entire session dedicated to this book, where he revealed interesting facts about the happening in his life, and how he threw tantrums since the age of two.

PRABHU BHAKTI...

Rishi Kapoor visited Nathdwara temple near Udaipur in February 2017, and also attended the Ram Katha of Bal Murari Bapu on the request of CMD Miraj Group Madan Paliwal.

On the sudden demise of Rishi Kapoor, narrator Bal Murari Bapu has said that Kapoor family has served to the nation by contributing to their field. He expressed his condolences to Rishi’s family and prayed for his soul to rest in peace. Paliwal also expressed his condolences.

TOP TWEET...

Rishi Kapoor and Madan Paliwal

A prolific social media user, Kapoor asked Indians in his last tweet to fight Coronavirus together.

2013: The Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA), Best Actor in a Negative Role for Agneepath 2016: Screen Lifetime Achievement Award 2017: Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor for Kapoor & Sons, Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -Male for Kapoor & Sons, Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Kapoor & Sons Rishi Kapoor had a thing for ‘agarbatti’, and used to carry packs wherever he went. His favourite fragrance was Nag Champa.

The world lovingly calls him Chintu ji, and in 2009 he even starred in a film by that name. But he hated his nickname, and once took to Twitter to share his old picture and expressed his views on nicknames, saying “parents must never nickname a child”.

OM SHANTI OM...: Rishi Kapoor’s cremation was held at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Mumbai around 4 pm amid the nationwide lockdown. If things were normal, all of Mumbai would have turned up to bid farewell to Chintu, their favourite actor.

Only a few members of the Kapoor family and friends were allowed to attend the cremation. Neetu Kapoor, sister Rima Jain, Manoj Jain, Armaan Jain, Aadar Jain, Anisha Jain, Rajeev Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Dr Tarang, Ayan Mukerji, Jai Ram, Rohit Dhawan and Rahul Rawail were present as Ranbir led the hearse, as Alia followed in her car. Rishi’s daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni couldn’t attend the cremation as no flights or trains are running and Riddhima will be driving down to Mumbai from Delhi now.

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

CITY FIRST JAIPUR

D

uring the fight against the novel Coronavirus, Jayoti Vidyapeeth Women’s University, Jaipur, Centre of Planning Integration and Correlation Clinical (CPIC), and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Ayurveda and Homeopathy jointly made an effort to identify Ayurveda and Homoeopathy Medicine for corona clinical management with an integrative approach. Homeopathic system and modern system of medicine provide a solution to the Novel Corona Virus infection, which attacks a person’s upper respiratory system, showing serious illness or even death. Peoples are suffering from COVID-19 commonly develop signs and symptoms, consisting of mild respiratory symptoms and fever, approximately 5-6 days after infection. Homoeopathic sys-

CITY FIRST JAIPUR

A

good heart has stopped beating, a good soul has ascended! On the sudden demise of Jaipur-based actor Irrfan Khan, many Jaipurites have expressed their grief and shared their memories with him. City First brings you a glimpse of few:

JAIPUR | FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

12

Innovation x Integration tem and the modern system of medicine works based on symptoms of the patient, his individuality.

In today’s epidemic outburst circumstances, there is a need for modern science and homeopathy to come together to cure COVID19. There are many approaches to these two medical eras which can be used together to find out

the way for fighting against COVID-19.

The principal investigator for the proposed project Dr Pankaj Garg shared that the plan will be sent to a task force formed by the AYUSH Ministry for clinical trial and scientific validation of Ayurveda and traditional medicinal formulas through research institutions in tackling

COVID-19. The given project aims to determine the efficacy of Cinchona plant bark Kwatha (Decoction) as efficient as Hydrochloroquine. The integration is strongly recommended because both medicines are formed from the same resource and actions may be the same against coronavirus. In the methodology, a single-blind clinical trial

will be conducted on COVID–19 infected person at Quarantine centers, JVWU Jaipur and SMS Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur.

The treatment protocol followed up to getting the complete relief to the patient and then using appropriate statistical test analysis will be done to evaluate the efficacy of Ayurve-

A TRIBUTE

dic management. All the individuals are selected from patients in Jayoti Vidyapeeth Women’s University, Jaipur quarantine center, along with medical staff involved in the care of quarantined patients.

For systemic symptomatic treatment of COVID-19, herbal drug, Cinchona Bark Kwata has been generated for providing relief

in lung congestion and to reduce mucus accumulation in the lungs, etc will be evaluated in all groups.

The data obtained on the basis of subjective criteria of each patient will be collected and assessed to get the result of the study and evaluate the efficacy of both the drugs in the prognosis of such infections. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

FROM JAIPUR

VAIBHAV GEHLOT

JAIRANGAM

Brand Ambassador for JAIRANGAM 2016, Irrfan Khan was one of the most versatile, talented and great human being. He was so humble and had immense love for theatre that he stayed for five days during Jairangam 2016 and witnessed almost all the events at Jairangam. Remained as Chief Guest during Award Function also along with Paresh Rawal and Hon’ble Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore.

RCA President Vaibhav Gehlot gave his condolences to Irrfan’s family on social media. He shared a picture of him and wrote, “Sad to hear about passing away of multitalented actor #IrrfanKhan.

He made all of us proud with his achievements and will always be remembered for his contribution to the world of cinema. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

May his soul rest in peace.”

Gujarat: Ahmedabad police initiated a dialogue with local leaders in Kalupur on Thursday, for the effective implementation of the lockdown in containment areas of the city.

HAPPY B’DAY!

SANJEEV SRIVASTAVA

RAJU TAMHANKAR

Irrfan Khan played a lead role in the play ‘Trishnku’ directed by Hemachander Tamhankar of Tamhankar theatre academy in 1978.

Seen here with him and Raju Tamhankar are the other members of the ‘Trishanku’ including Anand Bhagwat, Ram Sahai Pareek, Mukesh Rajawat, Tejinder Bafna, Mohammad Gauri, Mohd. Riyaz Khan, Balmukund Acharya and Sabir among others, who were clicked by Dinesh Pradhan. The picture is being shared by Raju Tamhankar with City First.

KIRTI RATHORE

While sharing a picture of her with the legend Irrfan Khan, Designer Kirti Rathore said, “During our brief interaction, we spoke about the perks of being from Jaipur and about my theatre practice as well. In our discussion, he suggested me to be in touch with theatre in anyways.

He has liked my costumes and always praised my innovation in ‘Bandgalas’. The loss of such a versatile actor can never be filled.”

Senior journalist Sanjeev Srivastava, tweeted excerpts of a radio interview done in Jaipur in front of live audiences for BBC flagship show BBC Ek Mulaqat, with Irrfan Khan when Srivastava was the BBC India Head.

“Amongst the best of his generation. Sharing throwback moments of a BBC interview #IrrfanKhan in front of live audiences in our home town Jaipur where @irrfank talked about his life and stardom, fav food and being starstruck by Brad Pitt. “

Journalist Rajat Sharma (Top) and IAS Vaibhav Galriya celebrated their birthdays on April 30, Thursday. We wish them all the best!

Gujarat: A female police officer spends time with her child.

Women cops in the Devbhoomi Dwarka police force with toddlers at home have not given up on their duties. They have become a force to reckon with by becoming ‘Corona Warriors’.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTION

SUDHIR MATHUR Daksh Arora CITY FIRST AHMEDABAD

W

VARUN BANSAL

Varun Bansal said, “Deeply shocked and saddened by the irreplaceable loss of the finest actor and human Irrfan Sir. I feel lucky of being a part of ‘Jazbaa’ and ‘Madaari’ film movie I still remember those unforgettable eyes, smile and impactful voice.

Great actor and human being from Jaipur, Irrfan Khan, shall remain in our heart always.

hile most of the kids are missing having fun with friends, a ten-year-old Daksh Arora from Ahemdabad came up with an innovative solution. As we rightly say “Necessity is the mother of all inventions”, this young boy thought of getting in touch with not just his old friends but with making some new as well. He started the ‘Kiddy Party’ where many kids can join simultaneously and utilize this

period in playing games, showing talent, playing riddles, and asking quiz from each other. The content is designed under close observation and with the guidance from his mother Dr Balpreet Arora. This party is now the talk of the town and kids are loving it!

He has also started his own YouTube channel ‘Kidgurudaksharora’, where along with entertaining, he is sharing tips with his peers about how they can deal with the stress and cope with current lifestyle. cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com