Indian Newspapers In English-First India-Rajasthan-22 April 2020 edition

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

21°C - 32°C

ALERT JAIPUR l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

1,74,726 25,30,095 645 DEATHS

GLOBAL STATE OF AFFAIRS COUNTRY TOTAL CASES

TOTAL NEW DEATHS DEATHS

803,575 SPAIN 204,178 ITALY 183,957 GERMANY 148,007 UK 129,044 TURKEY 95,591 IRAN 84,802 CHINA 82,758 RUSSIA 52,763

43,663 21,282 24,648 4,939 17,337 2,259 5,297 4,632 456

USA

+1149 +430 +534 +77 +828 +119 +88 +5 +51

WWW.WORLDOMETERS.INFO

LAST UPDATED: APRIL 21, 2020, 11:00 PM

IN RAJASTHAN DISTRICT

TOTAL CASES

NEW TOTAL CASES DEATH

AJMER 59 ALWAR 7 BANSWARA 61 BARMER 1 BHARATPUR 102 BHILWARA 33 BIKANER 37 CHURU 14 DAUSA 20 DHOLPUR 1 DUNGARPUR 5 HANUMANGARH 8 JAIPUR 657 JAISALMER 34 JHALAWAR 20 JHUNJHUNU 40 JODHPUR 276 KARAULI 3 KOTA 108 NAGAUR 71 PALI 2 PRATAPGARH 2 SWAI MADHOPUR 7 SIKAR 2 TONK 98 UDAIPUR 4 OTHER DIST. 0

+35 — — — — +5 — — +7 — — +5 +72 +2 — +1 +16 — +2 +10 — — +2 — +2 — — +159 — — +159

1672 2 61 GRAND TOTAL 1735

TOTAL OTHER (Italy) EVACUEES

SAMPLE RECEIVED Including 958 Evacuees sample SAMPLE NEGATIVE

RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 315

WORLD

COVID-19 UPDATE

— 1 — — — 2 1 — — — — — 14 — — — 2 — 3 1 — — — — 1 — 1(UP) 26 — — 26

61,492

54,100

UNDER EXAMINATION

5,657

CORONA IN RAJASTHAN Tuesday saw a death in Ramganj taking the corona toll in the state to 26. In last 24 hours 159 new positive cases surfaced across the state. Jaipur reported 72 cases followed by 35 positives in Ajmer. Bhilwara too reported 5 positives after a long gap.

P3

CONFIRMED CASES

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DEATHS

INDIA

20,080

26

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN

DEATHS

1,735

CONFIRMED CASES

Gehlot leads & shows the way Raj says kits provide only 5.4% accurate results; ICMR promptly advices states to stop using it for 2 days Vikas Sharma

 CM Ashok Gehlot blew the bugle, on the Rapid Test Kits imported from China after state experienced incorrect results for a large number of samples  After Rajasthan complained about the kit, ICMR conducted an inquiry with three more states and then decided to stop it’s use

Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s timely advice has averted a major catastrophe in the country that is seated on the cusp of a steep fall towards ‘Corona-Day’.

Gehlot blew the bugle, on the Rapid Test Kits imported from China after Rajasthan experienced invalid and incorrect results for a large number of samples. Simultaneously the Rajasthan health department, on Tuesday, stopped using rapid test kits for coronavirus and hours later the ICMR advised other

states to not use the rapid test kits for two days.

Even the Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) has withdrawn the consignment of defective COVID-19 testing kits from

some of the state-run laboratories in West Bengal, a senior official of the medical body said on Tuesday.

In its daily press briefing, ICMR’s Dr RR Gangakhedkar said, “Too much

variations were being reported in results of rapid test kits. In next two days, kits will be tested and validated in the field by our teams. States will be advised not to use these kits for two days. ICMR will give advisory on its use in two days.”

Rajasthan’s Health Minister Raghu Sharma said on Tuesday that the kits were giving mere five per cent correct or valid results and a report has been forwarded to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in this regard. Doctors at Jaipur’s SMS Hospital Turn on P6

US MONITORS REPORTS OF KIM’S ILLNESS

WORLD EARTH DAY

Washington: North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, is in grave danger following a surgery this month, according to a US intelligence official with direct knowledge.

Kim recently missed celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on April 15, which raised speculation about his well-being. P5

COUNT 20,080, RECOVERY RATE 17.48 PC

World Earth Day is celebrated across the world on April 22, to spread awareness about Earth’s well being. It is a day to thank the Mother Earth for giving environmental protection to mankind. While Coronavirus pandemic continues to remind us that our human health is deeply connected to the health of our environment, it also gives us the opportunity to think of creative ways to come together at home to celebrate our—Planet Earth!

—PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO

Politics over Corona: Mamata & MP Cabinet: 2 Scindia men among 5 get berth Centre again at loggerheads Anirudh Tiwari

Kolkata: The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was blocked by West Bengal government from carrying out their duty of assessing Covid-19 risk zones in the state, said IMCT leader Apurva Chandra.

The Union Home Ministry-constituted IMCTs are crucial bodies, which visit coronavirus hotspots for assessment, issue directions to combat the spread of the lethal virus in those areas and submit report to the central government.

“We came here yesterday morning and since then we have been asking the state government to provide us logistic support and now it has been more

than one day and we have only visited Nabanna and NICED. These are the only two places we have visited,” Chandra told ANI. The IMCTs comprise of officers from various departments, including the NDMA, public health specialists from the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs. The teams have been fanned out to various states to contain the spread of Covid-19 but are faced with roadblocks in West Bengal. Turn on P6

Bhopal: Narottam Mishra, Kamal Patel, Meena Singh, Tulsi Silawat and Govind Singh Rajput on Tuesday took oath as ministers in Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s cabinet.

Silawat, a Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalist, was health minister in Kamal Nath government, and was among the first lot of MLAs to rebel against

him. While Rajput was the revenue minister under Kamal Nath. In the course of the rebellion, he alleged that Nath had only taken care of his region, Chhindwara, and spent hundreds of crores on it.

This is the state’s first Cabinet expansion almost a month after Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

New Delhi: Number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India reached 20,080 on Tuesday, with Maharashtra being worst-hit state, even as government said the recovery percentage for the infection stood at 17.48 per cent. Out of the total number of cases, 15,122 are active cases, while 3,260 patients have been cured/discharged.

DELHI-NOIDA BORDER SEALED New Delhi: Gautam Buddh Nagar district magistrate said on Tuesday the NoidaDelhi border will be completely closed as a preventive measure to fight the coronavirus pandemic, while taking to Twitter. Among those allowed to travel are officials engaged in COVID-19 works.

VC WITH INTER-MINISTERIAL TEAM

CM demands unified purchase of kits, special package from Centre States have exhausted their resources: Gehlot Kartikey Dev Singh Jaipur: Sustaining a minor setback in the War on Corona, as the rapid test kits proved to be nought, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reiterated the state government’s demand from the Centre to deal with the pandemic.

A visiting five-member team of the Central government held a video-conference with the Chief Minister on Tuesday over the coronavirus situation in the state wherein Gehlot apprised them about the prevailing conditions.

A five-member team of the Central govern-

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot during video-conference with Central Team on Tuesday.

ment has arrived here for 4-5 days to help the state. The chief minister held a video-conference with the officers and raised the state’s issue before them.

“I had requested Prime Minister Modi about the same. The results of rapid test kits brought from China recently are unsatisfactory which is a cause of concern for us. A research team from SMS Medical College and Rajasthan

health Sciences University is investigating the kits. We will take a decision based on the report submitted by the team and guidelines from the ICMR,” Gehlot told the visiting team, and suggested that equipment like test kits, ventilators and other should be centrally purchased and provided to the state governments so that the kits and equipments that pass ICMR guidelines are available to states.

The Chief Minister also raised the issue of financial package to states informing that states have exhausted all of their resources.

“The situation in states is not good since targeted revenue has not been collected due to lockdown and thus the centre should announce a package for states. Although RBI has increased its ways and means advance by sixty percent, Turn on P6

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JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

02

COMING TO A ‘STANDSTILL’...

—PHOTO BY SUMAN SARKAR

A view of an entirely deserted Panch Batti, MI Road during the second phase of the nationwide modified lockdown imposed in the state to curb the further spread of the dreadful coronavirus in Jaipur on Tuesday.

Bureaucrats committed to a healthy nation: PM Modi

P

resident Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, lauded civil servants on the occasion of Civil Services Day. Kovind said that civil services have played a key role in implementing policies and programs for public welfare. “On Civil Services Day, greetings to all civil servants, past and present, and their families. Our civil services have played a key role in implementing policies and programs for public welfare,” the President tweeted.

“In the present times too, the steel frame of our country, the civil service, has shown its

BJP doing dirty politics through rumours: Joshi Jaipur: BJP leaders have accused the state government of making a quarantine centre in Chaugan Stadium. Responding to it, Chief Whip Dr Mahesh Joshi said that BJP leaders are doing dirty politics by spreading rumours about making a quarantine centre in the stadium. “I think they do not have any work, that is why, they are causing problems in the works of the government,” Joshi said adding that Chaugan Stadium has been converted into a temporary shelter home for beggars.

These people would be shifted elsewhere after some time. Moreover, opposing the move to make quarantine centres is not right because there is a need for treatment of positive patients and quarantine the ones, coming in contact with them.

AMIT SHAH GREETS OFFICERS

ome Minister H Amit Shah greeted bureaucrats

PM Narendra Modi & President Ram Nath Kovind.

strength and resolve in handling COVID-19 situation, with sensitivity and professionalism.

Confident that our civil services will continue to serve in the best traditions of public service,” the President said in another tweet.

PM Modi also appreciated the efforts of civil servants in combating COVID-19.

“Today, on Civil Services Day, I convey greetings to all Civil Servants & their families. I appreciate their efforts in ensuring India successfully defeats COVID-19. They are working round the clock, assisting those in need & ensuring everyone is healthy,” he tweeted. The PM also shared his speech from Civil Services Day in 2018. —ANI

on Civil Services Day. “I extend my warm greetings to all Civil Servants on Civil Servant Day. They have played a pioneering role in India’s progress. Today at these challenging times their dedication and efforts to defeat COVID-19 are truly appreciable,” tweeted. —ANI

OFF THE RECORD

IS DOP REALLY CONFUSED?

Department of Personnel (DOP) Tputhehasa pendulum a oscillation cycle, which can to shame. DOP, almost

daily, releases orders transferring RAS officers to assist District Collectors.

But then every order is further followed by cancellation orders of the select few, so transfer orders first and then cancellation orders has become a routine, making the entire process, a mockery. There is one particular order, which is really fetching the DOP,a big bad name. First the order was released, then cancelled and then again released, making the process more like a shadow activity.

A total 307 applicants of LDC (Grade-II) had passed the Secretariat Service Examination – 2018. Just before the lockdown, the DOP released an order asking all the successful candidates to join within 15 days.

But on the same date, another order was released, which said that since lockdown has been announced, so the joining will take place after the lockdown is lifted, which was quite understandable. Then something

transpired behind the scenes and DOP all of a sudden, released another order on April 1 asking all 307 candidates to join within next 7 days. The candidates duly complied and joined by April 7 and were formally inducted into secretarial services of the state govt. All of them became entitled to be paid in the pay bracket of Rs 14,600. On April 17, another order surfaced stating that all these employees will be imparted online training. Now, the million dollar question is what was the dire need of asking the successful candidates to join by April 7 when it was already decided that they would be inducted after the lockdown is lifted? Everybody fails to understand as to what prompted unnecessarily loading the state exchequer with salaries of 307 employees? This ‘Tughlaqi Act’ by the DOP has put the state govt in a strange situation by opening a Pandora’s box. Now, thousands of successful candidates of RPSC and Sub- Ordinate Services Selection Board have also started demanding an online joining on the lines of Secretariat Services.

Pilot takes stock of 5-member Central team inspects Walled City Discom extends date of corona situation in state depositing bills to Apr 27 First India News

First India News Jaipur: On Tuesday, PCC Chief and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot took information about the situation after the implementation of the modified lockdown in the state.

PCC organisation General Secretary Mahesh Sharma provided Pilot the feedback on hotspot areas, told about the problems faced in the control room and relief works being done by PCC.

During the day, Pilot also sent a proposal to amend the MLA fund and spend a huge chunk on medical infrastructure.

At present, Rs 2.25 crore is proposed in MLA Fund, out of which Rs 1 crore would be spent on the medical sector after the approval by the CM. Pilot also prepared a roadmap of the works being done under the rural infrastructure development fund across the state.

in

BRIEF

z Ajmer: The spiritual chief

of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah, Ajmer, Diwan Sayyed Zainul Abideen Ali Khan has appealed to all the followers of Islam to perform the religious rituals at home during the month of Ramzan starting from April 24-25. He also asked all Muslims to avoid collective ritualistic roza iftaar during the Ramzan.

z Jaipur: The elections of the

Rajasthan Kabaddi Association, which were scheduled to be held on May 3, have been postponed due to the lockdown. The decision was taken after the approval from the State Sports Council. The notice of elections was issued on April 10 as the lockdown was to end on April 14 then.

Jaipur: The Central team visiting various states, to supervise the arrangements regarding coronavirus in the corona hotspot cities reached Jaipur on Tuesday. The team visited the Walled City area and curfewed places of the city, including Ramganj and Manak Chowk, and took stock of the work being done by the police administration. Police Commissioner Anand Srivastava and other officials were also present

z Jodhpur: In Dayasagar

village of Phalodi in Jodhpur, about two dozen people got into a house carrying sticks, hockey, iron rods etc. and misbehaved with the women, including elderly and pregnant women, along with beating them. The accused fled from the spot after attacking the victims. After the incident, the injured were admitted to Phalodi hospital.

z Jaipur: The Secretariat em-

ployees took a sigh of relief when the corona report of the son of SO came out negative.

Some symptoms of corona were seen in SO’s son, after which he was tested.

z Jaisalmer: Minority Af-

fairs Minister Saleh Moham-

First India News

Jaipur Police Commissioner Anand Srivastava, Collector Jogaram and other officials giving details about corona situation in Walled City to the visiting Central Team on Tuesday. —PHOTO BY SUNIL SHARMA

with the team. The team also met CS DB Gupta and discussed

mad has appealed to city Qazi, Imam, Sadar, Secretary Madarsa and Waqf committees to follow the order of social distancing given by the government and comply with Section 144 during the holy month of Ramzan. z Kota: After the death of an

old woman, who was under isolation, her body was taken on a bike, as none of the villagers came forward to offer their shoulder. Also, the ambulance was not available.

z Jaipur: West Bengal Gov-

ernor Jagdeep Dhankar has accused CM Mamta Banerjee of not sharing any data related to coronavirus with the Raj Bhavan, which is against the Constitution. Dhankar

the situation for more than half an hour. They also took feedback on

also shared the letter written to Mamta on his twitter handle. Dhankar has said that the CM’s conduct is undemocratic, which is weakening the fight against COVID-19.

There was black marketing in the distribution of ration due to the lapse of officials. z Jaipur: The Rajasthan

Sikh Samaj has opened its community building Khalsa Heritage in Adarsh Nagar for the corona warriors of SMS Medical College.

President of the organisation Ajaypal Singh handed over the key of Khalsa Heritage to SMS Medical College Principal Dr Sudhir Bhandari on Tuesday. The building has 21 rooms with modern amenities.

corona situation in entire state, including Ramganj.

Jaipur: Jaipur Discom has provided some relief to the people by extending the last date to deposit the electricity bills to April 27.

Managing Director of Discom, AK Gupta informed that those who had to deposit their respective electricity bills before April 27, can now deposit their bill

by April 27 without any late fee.

Gupta also said that now people can also

send their meter reading to pay exact bills as the readings are not being taken by the staff of th electricity department due to the nationwide lockdown imposed in the entire state in wake of the deadly corona outbreak. Moreover, both the mobile app & the website can be used for obtaining a duplicate bill, downloading the bill, for sending meterreading and also depositing the bill. Meter reading info can be given on phone.

NBF Convener, Singh thanks CM Gehlot for his support to media First India News New Delhi: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) has requested I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar for an appointment for a vc to apprise him of the issues before the media industry amidst the lockdown. NBF President Arnab Goswami will lead the contingent.

NBF Convener Mahipal Singh thanked CM, Ashok Gehlot & DIPR Commissioner, Mahendra Soni for insurance

Mahendra Soni with Mahipal Singh.

cover and pension for senior journos. and requested for continuous

support to media fraternity in these testing times of COVID-19.

RAJASTHAN JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

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64-YR-OLD FROM RAMGANJ DIES, 159 NEW CASES FOUND IN STATE First India News

Jaipur: Tuesday witnessed death of one 64 year old Ramganj resident patient taking the corona death toll in the state to 26.

In last 24 hours 159 new corona positive cases surfaced across the state. Jaipur reported 72 cases followed by 35 positives in Ajmer, Jodhpur had 16 cases, Nagaur 10, Dausa 7, Hanumangarh 5, Jaisalmer, Kota, Sawai Madhopur & Tonk reported 2 cases each while Jhunjhunu reported one case.

Bhilwara. To the surprise of many, reported 5 positive cases after a long gap. So far 61492 samples have been tested in the state of which 54100 have reported negative while 5657 reports are awaited.

As of Tuesday night the state has total of 1735 corona positive

Father held for allegedly raping daughter First India News Udaipur: In Hiranmagari police station area of Udaipur on Tuesday amid lockdown a father, accused of raping his minor daughter, has been arrested. The minor daughter had lodged a report at the police station in which she accused her father of sexually abusing her for many years. Police sent her to hospital for medical examination and later arrested the accused father. Police registered a case under POCSO Act and started investigating. District Superintendent of Police Kailash Vishnoi informed that the police will present the invoice against the accused in the court. The accused is now being held under the Police custody where he is being interrogated.

cases. Jaipur has 657 cases, Jodhpur 276 cases, Kota 108 cases, Kota, Bharatpur 102 cases, Tonk 98 cases, Nagaur 71 cases, Banswara 61 cases, Ajmer 59 cases,

Jhunjhunu 40 cases, Bikaner 37 cases, Jaisalmer 34 cases, Bhilwara 33 cases, Dausa & Jhalawar 20 cases each, Churu 14 cases, Hanumangarh 8 cases, Alwar &

Sawai Madhopur 7 cases, Dungarpur 5 cases,, Udaipur 4 cases, Karauli 3 cases, Pali, Pratapgarh & Sikar 2 cases each and Barmer & Dholpur one case each.

Apart from these 2 Italians reported positive along with 61 Indians evacuated from Iran. So far 26 out of 33 districts have officially reported corona positive cases.

5 new cases break corona free streak

First India News Jaipur: After diagnosing few new coronavirus positive patients in Jaipur, the Commissionerate on Tuesday imposed a curfew near all the patients’ houses in five police station areas of the state capital.

In Kardhani, curfew has been imposed in Shivpuri Colony located at Nadi ka Phatak.

On the similar lines, other curfew areas are Shanti Nagar Colony of Hasanpura and Kailash Marg of Bani Park in Sadar police station area. A curfew is also imposed from Plot A-99 to A-45 near Rajputana School at 80 Feet Road in Mahesh Nagar, Juveda Colony in Manpur Sarwa of the Brahmapuri area and Madina Colony in Kho Nagoriyan police station area.

All movement of the residents in these areas will be stopped.

Police filing cases against those violating the lockdown at Vidhyadhar Nagar.

—PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO

First India News Bhilwara: After a gap 11 days, 5 new corona positive cases were reported in Bhilwara on Tuesday, which has increased the total number of cases to 32. All the patients are admitted to the isolation ward and samples of their family members are also taken.

At the same time, the history of new patients is also being checked.

The father of one of the patients is a storekeeper in the hospital, due to which samples of

the people working in the store have also been taken. MGH Hospital Superintendent Dr Arun Gaur said that a couple from Jawahar Nagar and one person each from RC Vyas Colony and Vijay Singh Pathik Nagar were tested positive.

The couple are vegetable sellers, the 23-yearold patient of Pathik Nagar works in a pharmaceutical company.

The girl from RC Vyas Colony returned from Delhi to stay with her father five days ago.

Kashmiris quarantined in Head constable, home guard test positive Jaisalmer fly back home First India News

Kota: A head constable and a home guard have been tested positive in Kota. Both have been admitted in isolation centre of New Medical College. With this total corona positive cases in Kota have reached 108

First India News Jaisalmer: 180 Kashmiris including 53 students returned home from Jaisalmer on Tuesday. They were sent by a special plane of the Air Force.

These people had been brought from Iran to the Army wellness centre in Jaisalmer. and were quarantined.

However, all of them have turned negative now and also completed their quarantine period, therefore, they were sent back home.

“Army took good care of us,” they said

The quarantined Kashmiris boarding the plane to go home.

with a smile while leaving the wellness centre for the airport.

Earlier, Jammu & Kashmir administration had refused to accept them. However, after continuous push by the Army, the union

home ministry has accepted the demand to send them home.

According to local administration, these people were quite keen to go home but they have been waiting for permission.

DGP visits Jodh to survey ‘Shift Corona from situation, praises his force patients Jaipuria hosp’ First India News

month in the lockdown and police jawans have Jaipur: DGP Bhupen- performed their duty dra Yadav reached sincerely and will conJodhpur and met police tinue to do so in future.”

He assured that if officials in the the lockdown is commissionerate extended the poto take feedback lice force was and discuss lockready to face any down and curfew challenge. He resituation. jected suggestions He appeared DGP Bhupendra of using para milsatisfied from the Yadav itary forces. arrangements He also lauded huthough he said that there was always scope manitarian services for improvement. He performed by the posaid “It’s been almost a lice force.

MP: 150 buses leave Gwalior to get back 3,000 students from Kota Gwalior: Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday sent 150 buses from Gwalior to Kota to bring back students stranded due to the lockdown, a senior official said. Gwalior Divisional Commissioner MB Ojha said the 150 buses that left were sanitised, and the drivers and helpers were given personal protection equipment (PPE) kits.

“They will bring back 3,000 MP students stranded in Kota. There will be police personnel

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

Trucks transporting goods at Sikar Delhi Express way amidst the lockdown imposed across the country .

Jaipur: Curfew imposed in five areas

03

The buses being sanitised in Gwalior.

in each bus, and each bus will be allowed to carry only 20 students.

Once the students arrive, they will undergo medical check-up,” he added.

The distance between Gwalior and Kota, among the country’s premier hubs for engineering entrance coaching, is around 340 kilometres.

—PTI

Kalicharan Saraf

First India News Jaipur: Malviya Nagar MLA Kalicharan Saraf has once again written to CM Gehlot to shift all corona positive patients from Jaipuria hospital to some other hospital. He cited that due to fear of lodged corona patients people have stopped going to the outdoor facility at the hospital which is virtually zero now from nearly 3000 patients per day.

Saraf alleged that due to the fear patients were going to private hospitals thus incurring heavy health expenses.

Saraf pointed out that since Janana hospital was also treating corona patients, Jaipuria hospital was the nearest & safest facility for expecting mothers.

including three deaths.

The 55-year-old head constable was posted in Makbara police station, which is one of the two hot spots in Kota.

Entire staff of Makbara police station has been quarantined and Devesh Bhardwaj has been appointed as the

SHO there.

The 42-year-old homeguard from Mokhapada area got infected by his wife who was tested positive earlier. Health department has collected samples from Sanjay Nagar and Anantpura.

Meanwhile, maha-

curfew has been imposed in areas falling under five police stations of Makbara, Kaithunipol, Anantpura, Rampura Kotwali and Bhimganj Mandi.

Block development officer of Kanwas Rajesh Daga fined 15 people for not wearing masks.

PERSPECTIVE JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

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MARKET – THE CHANGING TRENDS

IN-DEPTH

FAULTY RAPID TESTING KITS QUEER THE PITCH

EVEN AMIDST THE STILLNESS CAUSED BY THE CORONAVIRUS MENANCE, THE MARKET CHANGES ITS TRENDS BUT NEVER STOPS

A

fter several complaints about the Chinese rapid testing kits (RT-PCR), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has called for a halt to the use of these kits for two days due to the huge variation in the results reported by some of the states. Considered the gold standard for COVID-19 tests, the ICMR said it “found a lot of variation is there in the accuracy of test results of positive samples, in some places it is 6 percent while others it is 71 percent”. These results, the ICMR said, can’t be ignored. It announced sending eight teams of experts to validate these results and requested all states not to use these kits for the next two days.

The ICMR will raise the issue of inaccurate results with the manufacturer if the variance persists.

The ICMR had ordered for 500,000 of these antibody rapid testing kits for use in high containment zones. The kits failed quality tests in China, the main supplier, which held back the consignment. The Chinese kits were earlier found sub-standard or defective by Spain and Turkey. According to a BBC report, Spain’s government said that “nearly 60,000 could not accurately determine if the patient had a virus”.

Similar complaints of faulty results against Chinese kits were received from Turkey.

In India West Bengal was the first to raise the red flag with the state’s health department blaming the ICMR for sending large quantities of defective testing kits. This forced officials to go in for multiple COVID-19 tests. With only 245 active cases Mamata Banerjee, who is also the health minister, was accused of not doing enough tests but the government claimed that it was doing 400 tests daily.

The holding back of tests for two days has given a breather to the Trinamool Congress government which has accused the Centre of using the pandemic to play politics. With gloves off, the state government stopped the inter-ministerial Central team from visiting some of West Bengal’s districts where lockdown rules were being violated. The state claimed that five of the six states where Central teams have been sent are ruled by the opposition parties.

Besides West Bengal, Rajasthan is the other state where the Central team has been sent to assess the situation in Jaipur. It is also one of the states to have pointed out the rapid test vaccine’s inaccurate results. The state’s health minister Raghu Sharma said that against the expected 90 percent accuracy, the tests were only 5.4 percent accurate.

With 80 percent of the cases being asymptomatic, there is growing concern over the accuracy of the number of positive cases in the country. The present figures would suggest that the prevalence of the disease is low. How will two days’ pause in rapid testing impact the fight against the microscopic enemy has to be watched.

GARIMA ARORA The writer is a fourth-year law student from OP Jindal Global University

T

In the contemporary world, consumerism remains to be the driving force for the market to keep itself alive at all times. Even after coronavirus ends and the movement of goods and people is back to normal, there will probably a huge change in the way consumerism works today

he world is facing the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus which has taken the globe in its tight grip, causing an irreparable harm. The world might not ever get back to what we know it as. The global economy is sinking, isolation is the new norm, the existence of the entire human race is under threat. Individuals as well as corporates are financially insecure and uncertain about their income levels and growth.

The events that have unfolded have undoubtedly hit the basic playground of the economy with a bang- THE MARKET but the market never stops.

It has its highs and lows, but it does not come to a halt. The economy may be at a slower pace but even after the world comes out of this horrific phase, the market will still be on. However, what may be different about the markets is the change in priority to certain sectors and the trend of sale, purchase and investment.

In the contemporary world, consumerism remains to be the driving force for the market to keep itself alive at all times.

Even after coronavirus ends and the movement of goods and people is back to normal, there will probably a huge change in the way consumerism works today. The society will incline towards materialistic goods and services. The uncertain spread of the coronavirus has sure delivered the message of ‘carpe diem’ or ‘seize the day’ as it has made people realize that the past was imperfect and the future is uncertain, hence what is important is to live in the present to its fullest.

People will increase investment in goods that promise them a more comfortable and luxurious lifestyle. A growth in the sale of products such as washing machines, dish wash-

ers, big screen TVs and even services like high-speed internet connections, travel and tourism is expected to happen in the near safer future.

The pandemic has also made people aware of the importance of having a good immune system and a healthy lifestyle. More and more people are seen to be adopting to healthier and hygienic practices. Industries which provide sanitation/ disinfectant goods and services have seen an increase in demand. This extended period of malady has inculcated higher sanitation practices around the world thus ensuring a continued rise in demand for these industries.

The frightening number of deaths across the world caused by coronavirus will probably lead to an increase in the number of people availing health and life insurances. It will be a tool for people to be better prepared for any such future epidemics that may happen, as health and life insurances will help them to afford medical expenses and to pay out death benefits respectively.

The trend in investing money will certainly change after the pandemic is over.

The recent times have shown

The trend in investing money will certainly change after the pandemic is over. The recent times have shown an undreamedof fluctuation in the stock markets

an undreamed-of fluctuation in the stock markets. This has led to a large number of people losing a lot of money and hope in the stocks. The episode of demonetization had changed the trend of storing cash, as now people continue to live under an uncertain atmosphere with respect to the currency.

Consequently, it promoted people to invest in stocks along with commodities such as gold and silver. The prices of gold and silver have also been fluctuating due to the instability in

How on earth did oil prices plunge below zero?

I

t’s hard to believe that the price of any commodity, let alone oil, can dip into negative territory.

But that’s just what’s happened to oil prices. Covid-19 has prompted lockdowns, shuttered factories and stopped people from travelling. The global economy is contracting.

The pandemic has also reduced global demand for oil by about 29 million barrels a day from about 100 million a year ago.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, better known as OPEC, and other producers agreed to cut production by 9.7 million barrels a day, far less than the decrease in demand, leaving a huge surplus of oil on the market and no buyers.

Storage capacity on land

04

has filled up quickly. Many oil-importing countries have stored large quantities of oil, taking advantage of cheap prices that may not last. Some oil producers, hoping to maintain their market share, have taken to storing their excess oil at sea, leasing tankers at high costs. Some are believed to be paying in excess of US $100,000 per day for each tanker.

PRICES WILL GO BACK UP So how have Alberta oil prices and even future prices for West Texas Intermediate slipped into negative territory? It starts with the futures’ contracts for West Texas Intermediate – oil to be delivered in a few months at today’s price. It lost $6 a barrel on Monday, fetching $11.66, but ended the day at -$37 as holders of future contracts tried to

The longer the Covid-19 pandemic lasts, the greater the damage oil producers will endure dump their contracts before oil is actually delivered with nowhere to store it.

But Alberta oil, primarily derived from oilsands and referred to as Western Select, typically sells at $10 to $15 below the price of West Texas Intermediate, because it has to be extracted from deep rocky terrain. That makes it harder to refine, and it also has to be transported thousands of kilometres to American refineries.

And so Alberta oil prices have become negative in the

sense that the benchmark price is now lower than the cost of production, transport and storage.

COLLATERAL DAMAGE Alberta oil is now the collateral damage of the oil war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, with Covid-19 launching an additional attack. Either of these two factors could have disrupted Alberta’s oil production. But the Saudi-Russia hostilities combined with the global

pandemic have proven to be catastrophic for Canada, and could have a similar outcome for the United States energy industry.

Russia and Saudi Arabia depend heavily on their oil revenues to sustain their economies. Of course, Saudi Arabia’s economy is less diversified than the Russian economy, but both share a similar distortion, where oil revenues represent a very high share of their gross domestic products –50% in Sadi Arabia, 38.9% in Rus-

sia; budgets – Saudi Arabia at 87% and Russia at 68%; and exports – Saudi Arabia at 90% and Russia at 59%.

It’s difficult to believe that either country can do with such low prices.

WHAT SAUDIS NEED Saudi Arabia, which remains the lowest-cost oil producer in the world, can make money when the price per barrel exceeds $20, and Russia can at a price of $40.

But making a profit when prices are higher than cost is not sufficient.

Saudi Arabia needs an $80-per-barrel price to balance its budget, realise its plans to diversify its economy and sustain a heavily subsidised economy. In the balance is the stability of both the Russian and Saudi Arabian political systems and current regimes.

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.THECONVERSATION.COM

the market which has left people with little or no other choice than investing in real estate. Since real estate remains to be intangible, the investment trend is likely to flow towards it. This sector will definitely see an increase in investment in the coming days.

Another change in the market will be in its very form of existence. A layman thinks of a market to be a street full of shops, each offering different products.

The lockdown has inevitably resulted into shutting of such spaces. This has in turn increased the cliental for ecommerce businesses. People have gained faith in their services and opt to stay at home and order online. More people will be selling and purchasing goods and services online. It is safe to say that the future of ecommerce is certainly bright.

Only time will tell how these trends in the market and the flow of investment will actually shift once the world triumphs over the deadly coronavirus. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that the Indian market will be at advantage and continue to grow.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Held a meeting with representatives of Odisha Sponge Iron Association. Discussed several aspects related to the industry, including raw material security, liquidity, operating with social distancing post lockdown.

Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal On #CivilServicesDay, I salute all civil servants who are serving the nation with diligence, hard work and efficacy. I specially laud them for rising to the occasion with utmost dedication & promptness in our fight against coronavirus.

Spiritual SPEAK

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD! —Psalm 31:24

Vol 1 Issue No. 315 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

INDIA JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

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ENSURE ADEQUATE AVAILABILITY OF BLOOD IN BLOOD BANKS: HEALTH MIN

05

TMC terms central teams’ Bengal visit as ‘Adventure Tourism’

blood in blood banks will be monitored via an online portal, 'eRakt Kosh.'

A 24x7 control room for blood services has been started in Delhi and their phone num-

bers are 011-23359379, 9319982104 and 9319982105. Any individual who needs blood or wants to donate can call on these numbers," Agarwal said.

—ANI

New Delhi: The Centre is on "adventurous tourism", said TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Tuesday, attacking the Government's decision to send two ICMTs to visit and monitor some districts of West Bengal without informing the state government.

"If you wanted adventurous tourism without informing the state government, calling up Chief Minister three hours after you have arrived and the Chief Secretary half an hour before, then that is not the spirit of federalism," O'Brien in a video conference.

"What were the parameters by which the states have been selected (selection of states to send a central team

115 families at Rashtrapati Bhavan asked to self isolate

Corona positive police officer dies in Indore

50 lakh compensation if any Odisha healthcare staff dies

Maruti Suzuki aids in COVID-19 relief

New Delhi: Family members of at least 115 houses on the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises have been asked to isolate themselves as a preventive measure after a relative of an employee, working in the housekeeping department, was detected with the COVID-19 disease.

Spread over 330 acres from the famous Raisina Hill till South Avenue, the Rashtrapati Bhawan houses nearly 1,000 families who are engaged in various duties which include maintenance of the majestic palace with 340 rooms, a central lawn, Ashok Hall and Durbar Hall.

The detection of the COVID-19 case from the premises of the President’s Estate prompted

Indore: A police officer infected with Covid-19 has died in Sri Aurobindo Hospital on Tuesday, officials said. He was undergoing treatment here for last 12 days. The police officer named Yashwant Pal was posted in Ujjain as station in-charge.

Indore’s chief health and medical officer Praveen Jadia said, “Yashwant Pal’s report of sample had come positive for corona. He was being treated in this hospital but even after continued medical treatment his condition deteriorated and we could not save him”.

Just two days ago, a police station in-charge of Juni, D Chandravanshi had also died due to coronavirus. —Agencies

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced that Rs 50 lakh will be given to all healthcare personnel who lose their lives in the fight against COVID-19.

The Chief Minister, in a video message, underlined the importance of the healthcare staff or “Covid Warriors” on the frontline of the fight against the deadly virus.

“The state government in convergence with Govt of India initiative will ensure that Rs. 50 lakh is given for all health personnel (private and public) and members of all other support services who lose their precious lives in the fight against

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki has undertaken some more measures to fight against COVID-19.

It is directly supporting employees and communities around its Haryana manufacturing facilities for difficulties they might be facing due to the lockdown.

The company’s inhouse canteens have been preparing hygienic meals daily for lunch and dinner. These food packets are being distributed to the temporary workmen and students in villages.

With over 5,400 cooked meals being prepared every day, the company has managed to deliver more than 1,20,000 such food packets within the last three weeks.

—Agencies

Real-time status of availability of blood will be monitored via an online portal New Delhi: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has written to all the states and directed them to ensure adequate availability of blood in blood banks, the government said on Tuesday.

At a press briefing, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, "Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has written to all the states and has asked them to ensure adequate availability of blood in blood banks. Services especially blood disorder such as thalassemia and haemophilia, which requires regular

27 staff of TV channel test positive

Chennai: Twentyseven employees of a Tamil television channel have been asked to get admitted to hospital after they tested positive for coronavirus, according to a senior channel official.

“Twenty-seven employees, both editorial and noneditorial staff, tested positive for Covid-19,” a senior official said.

After a journalist from the channel tested Covid-19 positive recently, corona tests were conducted on 96 employees. Test results for several journalists are awaited. Officials are counselling the family members of the those who have been asked to get admitted. —Agencies

blood transfusion, will be continued in all the hospitals."

He said that a 24*7 control room for blood services has been started in Delhi. "Real-time status of availability of

‘NO EMPLOYEE WITH COVID-19’

Rashtrapati Bhawan to issue a statement in which it was clarified that “no employee of the President’s secretariat has tested positive and the secretariat along with local administration is taking all the preventive measures required under the govt guidelines.”

A patient from central Delhi, who was neither an employee of President’s secretariat nor a resident of the President’s Estate, died on April 13, 2020. —Agencies

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has written to all the states and has asked them to ensure adequate availability of blood in blood banks.

Services especially blood disorder such as thalassemia and haemophilia, which requires regular blood transfusion, will be continued in all the hospitals.

—Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

COVID-19,” said CM Patnaik.

“The State will treat them as Martyrs and provide State funeral with State Honors,” he added. He also said that a detailed scheme of awards will be instituted recognizing their unparalleled sacrifice.

These awards will be given on national days.

“The families of all government personnel

will continue to receive full salary till the date of retirement. I appeal to everyone that as a community we should be very grateful for this bold and selfless service being rendered by our doctors, health professionals and other support services. Please remember, that any act against them is an act against the State,” said Patnaik.

—ANI

Derek O’Brien

there)? What are the criteria for selecting these states? We want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," he said.

"Anybody who wants to come to Bengal to help the people and to further improve whatever we have already done is welcome. But it has to be done through a process. If you don't follow it, you make things difficult for yourself," he added.

—ANI

India heaven for Muslims, their US OFFICIAL SAYS KIM JONG UN IN rights are secured: MA Naqvi GRAVE DANGER AFTER SURGERY New Delhi: Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said that India is heaven for minorities and Muslims and asserted that their social, religious and economic rights are secured in the country.

“India is heaven for minorities and Muslims. Their social, religious and economic rights are secured in India than any other

country. If someone is saying this out of a prejudiced mindset then they must look at the ground reality of this country and accept it...

Secularism and harmo-

ny is not political fashion but a passion,” Naqvi said at a press con.

“We are doing our work. Modi ji talks about the interest and well being of 130 crore people of India. Those who can’t see this, it is their problem. All sections including minorities are happy. Those who are trying to vitiate the atmosphere cannot be friends of Indian Muslims,” he said. —ANI

Washington DC: North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, is in grave danger following a surgery this month, according to a US intelligence official with direct knowledge. Kim recently missed the celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on April 15, which raised speculation about his well-being.

He had been seen four days before that at

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un

a govt meeting, according to intelligence reports cited by CNN. The National Securi-

TO COMBAT CORONA CRISIS

Avoid confrontation with centre: WB Guv 

According to the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, 392 +ve cases have been reported from WB out of which 12 have died and 73 have been cured

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday requested CM Mamata Banerjee to cooperate with the centre to combat the corona crisis and avoid confrontation.

“My appeal to all: Support government @ MamataOfficial to contain and combat corona curse. My request to CM Mamata Banerjee to synergetically cooperate with the Central Team @PMOIndia to

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar

wean away the miseries of people. Cooperation and not confronta-

tion between Centre and State must,” Dhankhar tweeted.

According to the data published by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 392 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported from WB out of which 12 have died and 73 have been cured. A total of 18,601 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 590 deaths. 3,252 people, who were COVID-19 positive, have recovered, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

—ANI

ty Council and Office of the Director of National Intelligence have however declined to

comment on the matter.

CNN has also reached out to the CIA and the State Department for comment and sought comment from the South Koreans. Kim’s absences from official state media often spark speculation and rumors about his health. North Korea has no free press and is often a black hole when it comes to the country’s leadership.

—Agencies

Covid-19: LS Secretariat housekeeper tests +ve New Delhi: A senior housekeeper working with the Lok Sabha Secretariat has tested Covid-19 positive and been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital, here on Tuesday.

A resident of Kalibari area in central Delhi, the 58-year-old employee was admitted to a special ward in the hospital at 10.30 a.m. after his report was found positive on Monday, K.P. Balyan, Deputy Director (Welfare), Lok Sabha Secre-

tariat, said.

Balyan said the infected employee had not attended the office for the last 35 days. “He had stopped coming four-five days before the lockdown was imposed,” Balyan said.

—Agencies

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BOOK COPS FOR MURDER: UMA BHARTI BJP VP Bharti urged Maha CM to register a case of murder against the cops who failed to save 3 men New Delhi: BJP vice president Uma Bharti on Tuesday urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to register a case of murder against the policemen who failed to save three men, including two seers, from being lynched by a mob in Palghar district.

In a letter to Thackeray, the former Union minister termed the lynching of seers as a great sin and said she was observing a oneday fast on Tuesday to repent the incident.

She said all those found guilty of the crime should be punished.

“I request that you (Thackeray) punish the murderers, including all the police personnel, otherwise you will also be a partner to this sin,” Bharti said in the letter.

She said the “helpless sadhus were holding hands of policemen and pleading for protection”. “But instead of saving the seers, the po-

Babita hails corona warriors

Babita Phogat

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Babita Phogat on Tuesday visited Najafgarh police station and hailed the women police personnel for their contribution in the fight against the deadly coronavirus.

Phogat praised the efforts of the women police personnel who after their duties engage in making masks.

She visited the manufacturing room where the women police were busy making masks.

When the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist enquired about the community kitchen which the police team organises for those in need, the policemen set up the temporary kitchen and cooked food. Phogat also helped in the cooking.

—Agencies

BJP has no locus standi on Palghar lynching: Shergill New Delhi: Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill on Tuesday hit out at the BJP over the Palghar lynching incident and said that it had no right to question the coalition govt in Maharashtra over it as its own party member was an accused in incident.

“Congress condemns the horrific lynching incident of Palghar.

BJP has no locus standi as BJP member, a political leader is himself an accused in the Palghar case. Maha govt will ensure the strictest punishment,” Shergill said.

The Congress leader went on to further slam BJP and alleged that several of its members had previously been seen with those accused in such incidents. “BJP has no locus standi because on one hand, Maha govt has ensured

Congress condemns the horrific lynching incident of Palghar.

BJP has no locus standi as BJP member, a political leader is himself an accused in the case.

ED hopeful of getting custody of Mallya soon

Sensex tanks 1,011 points to end at 30,636

Sanitisers for rich from poor’s rice share: Rahul

New Delhi: A day after the UK High Court in London rejected embattled businessman Vijay Mallya’s appeal against extradition, the ED on Tuesday said that it was hopeful of getting the custody of the former Kingfisher Airlines chairman once he is extradited to India.

A senior ED official linked to the probe said, “Mallya’s appeal was rejected by the UK High court yesterday and now he has the option to appeal to the Supreme

Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex on Tuesday sank over 1,011 points on heavy losses in banking, IT and auto counters as historic oil plunge brought more unease into markets already reeling from coronavirus crisis.

After hitting a low of 30,378.26, the 30-share index ended 1,011.29 points or 3.20 per cent lower at 30,636.71.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty plummeted 280.40 points, or 3.03 per cent, to 8,981.45.

—PTI

New Delhi: Reacting to reports that the Centre has decided to use additional rice in stock to make ethanol, which could be used for making sanitisers, Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that the poor were dying of hunger and the government wanted to make sanitisers for the rich.

Rahul Gandhi said in his tweet, “When will the poor of Hindustan wake up, you are dying of hunger and from your share of rice they

STORY OF HELPLESS SADHU I request that you punish the murderers, including all the police personnel, otherwise you will also be a partner to this sin. Instead of saving the seers, the policemen handed them over to the crowd and saved themselves. The policemen are also accused of killing, she said in the letter. licemen handed them over to the crowd and saved themselves. The policemen are also accused of killing. A case should be registered against them under IPC sec 302. If they wanted, they could have saved the seers by firing in the air,” she said.

Bharti said she will

Uma Bharti

visit the incident site after the lockdown is lifted.

“I am observing fast at my residence in Bhopal today for atonement, and I have appealed to the sadhu samaj to observe a daylong fast while staying at their places,” the BJP leader said.

—Agencies

Vijay Mallya

Court there.”

The official said that the system in the UK is a bit different, as Mallya needs to reach the top court there via the High Court again, citing the reason why he needs to move the SC. —Agencies

PAWAR CONDEMNS LYNCHING INCIDENT

—Jaiveer Shergill, Congress leader

110 arrests, on other hand, BJP ministers, Jayant Sinha had garlanded a lynching accused while Mahesh Sharma had wrapped the Dadri accused in the Tiranga. —Agencies

Mumbai: Nationalist congress party chief Sharad Pawar has condemned the recent incident of mob lynching in Mahara’s Palghar in which 3 people were beaten to death on suspicion of being thieves.

“Whatever happened in Palghar should not have happened, it is unfortunate and condemnable. Police acted quickly on them and arrested over 100 people involved in the incident on the same night,” he said.

President Champat Rai said in a statement, “I don’’t think there will

be any religious leader wor entity in the world who would want any ac-

PCR based tests had to be conducted for confirmation if anyone tested positive in the rapid test.

Meanwhile, the faulty kits in Kolkata were replaced by those provided by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV), officials said.

The West Bengal government alleged that the COVID-19 testing kits supplied by the NICED, the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) nodal agency in the state, a fortnight ago were “apparently defective” as they showed inconclusive results leading to repeated confirmatory tests and delay in diagnosis.

The ICMR-NICED authorities said it could be possible because the kits have not been standardised and it is considering the matter “very seriously”.

These materials (kits) had the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration, but it was learnt that these kits show error results when kept above 20 degrees Celsius. We are investigating the matter, the official said.

Rapid testing kits take roughly 15 minutes to deliver results, compared to the currently used RT-PCR tests, which are conducted in laboratories and take around 6 hours.

Since last month, after the ICMR issued tenders for the procurement of 5 lakh antibody test kits, scores of companies -- domestic and international – are queuing up to provide rapid testing kits to India. The slow pace of the current testing system and inadequate number of laboratories have kept the rate of testing very slow in the country.

Aggressive testing and subsequent quarantine is the only way to gain the upper hand over the virus, the World Health Organisation has said.

The ICMR has recommended that every resident in coronavirus hot-

POWER Gallery M K GUPTA LIKELY TO GET AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE OF CHAIRMAN, PESB?

M K Gupta, Member, PESB, is expected to be entrusted with an additional charge of Chairman, Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB). He is a 1979 batch retired IRSE officer.

WHY DID E L S N BALA PRASAD MISS THE BUS ?

Trusted IAS officer of the President Ram Nath Kovind, E L S N Bala Prasad missed the bus of his posting as Secretary and K D Tripathi was brought in as new Secretary .In fact, Bala Prasad was Principal Secretary to the President Ram Nath Kovind when he was Governor of Bihar. 1986 batch Bihar cadre IAS officer was recently empanelled as Secretary and it was almost certain that he would succeed Sanjay Kothari as Secretary to the President. What is the mystery ?

B R SHARMA RE-APPOINTED SSC CHAIRMAN

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has re-appointed Brij Raj Sharma as Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, New Delhi for a period of two years. He is an IAS officer of J&K cadre of 1984 batch.

NO EMPANELMENT AT SECRETARY LEVEL FROM EIGHT CADRES

No IAS officer of 1988 batch from eight Cadres has been empanelled for Secretary and Secretary equivalent posts in Government of India. However, no IAS officer of 1988 batch was from two States: Chhattisgarh and Orissa to claim for the empanelment. Names of six Cadres are missing in the list include: AGMUT, Bihar, Manipur, Sikkim, Telangana and Tripura.

SUDHANSHU PANDEY ONLY OFFICER OF 1987 BATCH EMPANELLED AS SECRETARY

Sudhanshu Pandey is the only officer of 1987 batch IAS officers, whose name has been included in the empanelled list which was released on April 13 this year. His name was not figured in the last empanelled list which was released on October 9, 2019. He is a J&K cadre IAS officer.

ICD TENURE OF MRS M SUDHA DEVI ENDING SOON

Rahul Gandhi

are going to make sanitisers for the rich.”

The Congress has been demanding free ration till Sept 20 and Sonia Gandhi has also written to the Prime Minister on this. —ANI

No temple activity till lockdown is lifted: VHP Ayodhya: Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided not to hold any meeting or event related to the Ram temple in Ayodhya till the lockdown is lifted.

The proposed ‘’Bhumi Pujan’’ of the temple that was tentatively scheduled for April 30 has also been indefinitely postponed.

Ram temple trust General Secretary and VHP International Vice

06

tivity at the cost of the lives of devotees. We are not in favour of organizing any event in Ayodhya till the lockdown is lifted.”

The VHP leader said that the trust will not flout the lockdown rule.

“There is no way forward but to wait and watch,” he said, adding that the trust will not act irresponsibly like the Tablighi Jamaat in fulfilling its religious goals at the cost of

country and lives of scores of people.

VHP sources said the trust will decide another date and time for starting the Ram temple construction by convening a meeting in Ayodhya after the lockdown ends.

The work of stone carving at the workshop at Karsewakpuram has already been stopped until the lockdown is lifted and normalcy returns. —Agencies

spots, or areas with a large number of cases, will be tested with a fast-track kit. India has procured around 5 lakh rapid test kits, most of which are from China.

—With Agency Inputs

said that the team had made it clear that they would be moving around with state government liaison officials only, yet they were blocked by the state authorities.

“It would have provided support to the state government for the Covid purpose and also have a look at the situation prevailing in the area. Since the time, I landed seeking support from the state government to visit the areas. We also met him (the Chief Secretary) last evening at Nabanna, we were assured that we will again have a meeting and we will be going out for being tak-

A three-year inter cadre deputation tenure of Mrs M Sudha Devi from Himachal Pradesh to Tamil Nadu is coming to an end in June this year. She is a 2003 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre.

INTER CADRE DEPUTATION OF R SUDHAN TO TAMIL NADU ENDING SOON

A three-year inter cadre deputation tenure of R Sudhan, from Manipur to Tamil Nadu, is coming to an end in June this year. He is a 2006 batch IAS officer.

TWO IAS OFFICERS SHIFTED IN MP

Mahesh Chandra Chaudhary has been appointed as Commissioner, Jabalpur division while Ravindra Kumar Mishra is Secretary, Secretariat in Madhya Pradesh.

Three IPS officers get new postings in MP Upon return from central deputation, A Sai Manohar has been appointed as IG, Vigilance, PHQ with additional charge of CID, while Amit Singh, SP Jabalpur, was shifted to Bhopal as Assistant IG, PHQ, Bhopal and Siddharth Bahuguna will now be SP, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. Top Prev Next Click here for Your AP HIGH COURT TO GET THREE JUDGES

Boppudi Krishna Mohan, K Suresh Reddy and K Lalitha Kumar have been recommended as Judges of Andhra Pradesh High Court.

FROM PG 1 Gehlot leads... informed the state government that the rapid testing kits were mostly giving negative results even when conducted on COVID-19 patients who were already tested positive in laboratory tests.

“All the tests were conducted as per ICMR guidelines and there was no compromise. If the ICMR also suggests discontinuing the rapid testing, the kits could be returned,” the minister said.

Rajasthan was the first state to start rapid testing on Friday to detect coronavirus carriers in its hotspot areas.

However, it was not a confirmatory test and

Politics over...

“IMCT teams have gone to other states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, there they are getting the full support of state governments.

They were given the same notice as West Bengal but they have faced no problems since yesterday,” Chandra added.

Chandra, who is also Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence,

en around. But today we were informed that there are some issues and we will not be going out,” he said.

The IMCT and Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha later on Tuesday met at the Border Security Force headquarters but that also seemed to make a little headway.

CM demands... but it should be made interest free. Furthermore, the state governments should be provided moratorium of three months on the instalments of remaining loan while also increasing the loan taking limit of states from three to five percent,” Gehlot

suggested. The Chief Minister also demanded that the Centre release more wheat to the state in view of the increasing demand for ration by people amid the lockdown. The Food Corporation of India reserves, he noted, are full of wheat stocks.

Moreover, the Chief Minister raised the issues of migrant labourers, aid for reviving business and ensuring social security of people, among others. “I hope the team will include all the points and suggestions put forward and the Central Government will release relief package for states,” Gehlot said.

TALKING POINT JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

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07

WHO has started using the phrase ‘physical distancing’ instead of ‘social distancing’ as a way to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus from people to people, a move widely welcomed by experts as a step in the ‘right direction’

D

uring the World Health Organization’s (WHO) press briefing last Friday (March 20), the phrase “social distancing” was used sparsely, but for good reason. To better highlight the need to physically separate yourself from others, but still remain socially connected, the WHO is now advocating the phrase “physical distancing.”

“We’re changing to say physical distance and that’s on purpose because we want people to still remain connected,” Dr Maria Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist said in the press briefing. “So find ways to do that, find ways through the Internet and through different social media to remain connected because your mental health going through this is just as important as your physical health.”

Maintaining a physical distance between yourself and others plays a crucial part in helping to prevent the spread of the virus; as the coronavirus is spread from person to person when someone with the virus coughs or sneezes.

Advice differs from country to country on what the “safe distance” to practice is. In Australia, the government is recommending people stay 1.5 meters away from each other; in the UK, Public Health England recommends that you should stay at least 2 meters away from others; the WHO recommends that you keep at least 1 meter between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing; and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention simply says that you should put distance between yourself and other people.

Despite these slight discrepancies, the overwhelming general idea is to not get close. In fact, our knowledge of influenza is partly helping to draw these estimates. As the flu virus is also spread via droplets, studies that map how far these infectious droplets travel can help to inform physical distancing advice, until similar research is done for the coronavirus.

Whilst the WHO stressed

IS ‘PHYSICAL DISTANCING’ BETTER THAN

‘SOCIAL DISTANCING’?

at Stanford University, explained in a Q and A. “We should think of this time as “physical distancing” to emphasize that we can remain socially connected even while being apart. In fact, I encourage all of us to practice ‘distant socializing.’”

Social distancing comes from epidemiology and it means that people should stay far enough away from each other to limit the spread of the virus from one person to another. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes social distancing as staying away from mass gatherings and keeping a distance of six feet (or two meters) away from other

that keeping the physical distance from people is absolutely essential, “it doesn’t mean that socially we have to disconnect from our loved ones, from our family,” Dr Kerkhove said.

“Technology right now has advanced so greatly that we can keep connected in many ways without actually physically being in the same room or physically being in the same space with people.”

The WHO’s recommendation to use the phrase physical distancing instead of social distancing has been echoed by others. “‘Social distancing’ was the wrong term to begin with,” Jamil Zaki, Associate Professor of Psychology

WORKING TOGETHER, STAYING APART

HUMANS ARE SOCIAL BEINGS

I

n 2010, Julianne HoltLunstad, a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University published research showing that people with weaker social ties had a 50% increased likelihood of dying early than those with stronger ones. Being disconnected, she showed, posed danger comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and was more predictive of early death than the effects of air pollution or physical inactivity.

“Humans need others

people. It is critically important public health guidance and should be followed. But social distancing implies not socializing; physical distance means not being physically close.

Proponents of the term “physical distancing” fully support staying home in this time in general, and cocooning—i.e. staying isolated even from those in your home, if possible— when potentially infected or exposed. But since we are in this for the long term, they’d like more intentional language to make it clearer what we need to do: stay apart, but stay connected.

We need to work together to stay apart, to be in constant contact to understand

MILLIONS OF LITTLE BOATS

P

to survive,” she told me in 2018. “Regardless of one’s sex, country or culture of origin, or age or economic background, social connection is crucial to human development, health, and survival.”

This is precisely why this pandemic is so challenging. We exist in a moment that calls for a different social contract, one that connects us more to one another.

And yet COVID-19 tells us to socially distance ourselves, to self-quarantine, to self-isolate.

aul Nurse is chief executive of the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research institute in London. Speaking recently to the BBC’s Radio4 program about repurposing the lab to carry out COVID-19 tests, and rolling out ways to make sure other research institutes could join, he invoked a lesson of World War II: “A metaphor here is Dunkirk—we are a lot of little boats, and the little boats can be ef-

I

f a new concept of capitalism is hammered out, it will be a more collective one, one that honors our need to be in something together and not have life be an endless, zero-sum game.

In pockets, that’s happening. In the US, socialized medicine was taboo only years ago. Today it is conversation taking place among mainstream presidential candidates. Towns like Frome in England have

spent more than half a decade rebuilding communities and health care, tapping into people’s desire to help and be helped, and reaping the benefits of a healthier, more connected population. When the UK health secretary asked for volunteers to help fight COVID-19, 400,000 Brits immediately signed up. These efforts are all predicated on working together, not being apart.

So why are we calling the thing we need to do most of the thing that goes against our most essential human nature?

Thomas Perls, a professor of medicine at Boston University, argues we probably ought to change the language of social-distancing—but not yet. “We are absolutely in the throes of this right now and the last thing we can do is begin confusing people,” he says.

the fast-changing dynamics of civic life, but also to support each other in illness, and as we die, something so many people have gone through alone in Italy and Spain. It was originally for the more vulnerable that we were asked to stay inside; now it is for the fate of our health systems. These are both collective actions.

“This pandemic response effort requires full community investment,” Northwestern’s Russell says. “To achieve that, we need active solidarity, not passive compliance.”

Those with knowledge of the power of language to sway behavior are advising governments and choosing their language carefully.

fective.”

He continued, “The government has put some big boats, destroyers in place. That’s a bit more cumbersome to get working and we wish them all the luck to do that, but we little boats can contribute as well.”

It was an apt analogy, and it demonstrated just how powerful language can be to give people an image of what is being asked of us in this moment—to work together but stay apart.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATON AND QUARTZ DESIGN: ABHISHEK GUPTA

Earth is not called Mother just like that, she nurtures us, gives us life. It is our responsibility to take care of her, Mother Earth.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

POSTAL REG NO. JPC/010/2019-21

JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

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War on corona important, party manifesto secondary: Gehlot Yogesh Sharma Jaipur: Worried about the health and safety of migrant Rajasthanis, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said that the migrant labourers are facing a major challenge since they are stuck and want to return home, and almost similar is the situation of migrant citizens and students. “I had spoken to Home Minister Amit Shah as well but have not received a reply from him on this issue,”

Gehlot said while addressing a VC with media personnel.

Interestingly, for the sensitive CM, the party’s manifesto comes after people’s welfare as he said, “Our first fight is with Corona and it is of utmost important. Completing the manifesto is secondary.” CM Gehlot did not only raise issue of Rajasthanis stranded away from their home state, but also made various announcements as a relief amid ongoing

`200 CR RAISED IN CM COVID-19 FUND

—FILE PHOTO

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot

Raj ceases use of rapid test kits over inaccuracy We have written to ICMR informing about the issue and asking what to do. We are waiting for their response, says Health Minister Raghu Sharma Vikas Sharma Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Tuesday stopped using the China-made rapid testing kits for coronavirus after they delivered inaccurate results.

Health Minister Raghu Sharma said the kits gave only 5.4 per cent accurate results against the expectation of 90 per cent accuracy and therefore the kits were of no benefit, adding that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been informed about the issue. “We have written to ICMR asking what to do. We are waiting for their response.

The rapid test results were negative even on patients who tested positive in lab tests,” the minister said.

A committee comprising heads of medicine and microbiology departments at the SMS government hospital here was set up by the government to examine the accuracy of the kits and it found that only 5.4 per cent test results were accurate.

“As per the advice of the committee, we have stopped testing from the rapid testing kits,” the minister said. “If

—FILE PHOTO

Health Minister Raghu Sharma

NEW BEDS TO BOOST HEALTH INFRA

the ICMR’s response comes in our favour, the kits could be re-

turned,” he said.

ACS health Rohit Kumar Singh said the

kits are China made.

The state government got 30,000 kits through ICMR for free while 10,000 kits were purchased at a cost of Rs. 540 plus tax per kit.

At present, testing is being done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits. Out of 168 tests carried out using the rapid kit, 90% of results have come out negative, whereas some of these patients have tested positive in the PCR test.

Meanwhile, Talking about the migrant issue, Dr Sharma informed that such people are undergoing mental depression and the Chief Minister is serious about resolving the problem.

lockdown. CM reiterated his appeal to centre made on Monday to increase wheat supply through FCI while also informing that Rajasthan government will start recruitment of

GNM and starting mobile OPD vans in districts. Addressing a question on Rapid Test Kits, Gehlot said, “it is extremely unfortunate that these kits are defective.”

Meanwhile, the three

time CM also said that PM Modi should take benefit of the experience of states and provide financial aid to them, since every state has a different situation. “We have spoken with interministerial team on all aspects and given suggestions. Once lockdown ends, we will initiated our Shudh ke liye yudh scheme. Those engaged in black marketing will be dealt with severely and I urge private hospitals to come forward and carry out their responsibilities,” he said.

Patel asks Amit Shah Modi dials Jain to to send team to Guj ask his well-being New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Tuesday questioned the government on the criteria adopted for sending central teams to states over lockdown violations and asked Home Minister Amit Shah if he would send a team to Gujarat too in view of rising cases of such breaches there.

He said the central government should not adopt a selective approach in this regard and that such teams be sent to all states, including BJP-ruled states.

“Given that rising cases and lockdown violations were criteria for sending Central teams to states, I request Amitbhai to deploy similar teams to Gujarat,” he said on Twitter. Gujarat is the home state of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shah.

—FILE PHOTO

Ahmed Patel

PM Modi with Dharmesh Jain during his visit to Ajmer in 2020.

“This exercise shouldn’t be limited to selective states, all affected states must benefit from constructive inputs of Central Government,” he said.

After Home Ministry decided to send interministerial central teams to states like West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, some state governments raised strong objections to the move.

West Bengal termed the action as one which was not in the spirit of federalism. —PTI

Aishwary Pradhan Jaipur: Former chairman of Ajmer urban improvement trust and member of BJP’s national council, Dharmesh Jain received a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

The PM spoke to him for three minutes before speaking to his wife Sharda Devi as well.

PM Modi asked Jain about situation in Ajmer division regarding corona pandemic and lockdown.

Jain’s wife told the PM that whatever decisions he has taken, they have been in national interests.

Jain got into surprised when PM reminded him about driving him in his car to Pushkar in 2000.

Modi was then national general secretary of the party. Later, when he came to Ajmer after becoming Gujarat CM, he had called Jain again.

Even during the last assembly election, Jain had got chance to speak to the PM at Kayad where he stayed.

‘Collaboration can help India win’ First India News New Delhi: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla has called for coordination and cooperation among states regarding migrant workers and students who are stuck in other than their home states.

The Lok Sabha speaker suggested setting up control rooms in state assemblies. Birla spoke to presiding officers of state assemblies

Om Birla

through video conferencing from Parliament House on Tuesday.

Birla told them that four committees of presiding officers have done well to submit

their reports on interruptions in house proceedings, the autonomy of state legislators, 10th schedule of the constitution and information technology and related issues. The Lok Sabha speaker asked state legislators to increase use of digital technology in routine work along with legislative and financial works so that social distancing can be maintained effectively and strictly.

He also praised efforts by central and state governments to deal with corona pandemic. All the governments have been alert and taking the necessary steps. He said that collaboration and better disaster management can help India reduce the impact of the pandemic. He also praised people of the country saying that their cooperation has been crucial in tackling this problem.

WELL ‘OILED’ STATE REVENUE SET FOR DRIEST SPELL! ‘General’ Gehlot faces biggest financial challenge as oil revenue may dip by 50% Sangeeta Sharma Jodhpur: Although the entire focus of Rajasthan’s administration and its citizens is on fighting and fending off Corona, therein lies a bigger challenge, which not many have envisioned till now. The challenge would be a major foe in front of Chief Minister Ashok gehlot, who also holds the charge of finance minister, and his deputy ACS (Finance) Niran-

jan Arya, of dealing with the drying up of the final hope of relief to the state exchequer, ie revenue from oil.

The state government, which is dealing with the threat of coronavirus, was solely dependent on the royalty of oil from the BarmerSanchore basin during the tough times of lockdown. Due to the slowdown in the international market, crude oil prices saw the biggest slump at the beginning of the current

week and as a result the state treasury will also be immensely affected. Due to the fall in oil prices, the royalty that Rajasthan receives from the Bar-

mer Basin may reduce by about 50 per cent in the coming days. The nationwide lockdown had already impacted the oil production and now, the slump in price,

which is a double blow, will affect the royalty of the Rajasthan government directly.

Barmer-Sanchore basin produces about 25 per cent of the oil in the country due to which the Rajasthan government was entitled to fetch highest royalty.

Production started in this field in August 2009 and by 2013, the production had increased to about 1.75 million barrels per day.

At that time, the prices of crude oil in the international market had also reached 163 US Dollars per barrel due to

which the Rajasthan government started receiving a royalty of Rupees 20 crore per day. In the financial year 20132014, the government had received revenue of Rs 5,95,311 crore from this field but later with the fall in crude oil prices in the market, the royalty decreased to Rs 3,88,332 crore in 2018-19.

In November 2018, the government was getting Rs 343 crore royalty which decreased to Rs 239 crore in 2019. In November last year, the government got only Rs 2,318 crore against the tar-

get of Rs 4,300 crore.

For the past year, crude oil prices were tumbling between $40 to $45 per barrel and the Rajasthan government was getting a royalty of around Rs 10 crore daily. In the last few days, the prices have touched $20 to $25 per barrel.

In the futures market, these prices have gone to minus but oil prices are expected to improve in the next two to three months.

Anil Agarwal, chairman of Vedanta Group, has tweeted on the steep fall in crude

oil, he expected the prices to improve in the next two months.

Due to the lockdown, the Gujarat refinery reduced the oil consumption from the Barmer basin by ten per cent.

Due to this, the Barmer Basin is producing 1 lakh 52 thousand barrels of oil per day. With the improvement in oil prices, the revenue of the government will increase again but in the corona crisis, all the revenue streams are closed and due to the reduction in oil royalty, the government is likely to receive a big shock.

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IN MY GENES Jeans is daily/outside wear which is with you, hugging your bottom even in this lockdown era. City First takes a quick look at this ‘everyday’ favourite garment!

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

J

eans, we wouldn’t know what to do without them.

Each one of us have a specific brand, cut and style we swear by and do not budge from. They are a staple part of our wardrobe like potatoes is of the diet.

Jeans, one of the first truly American garments remains a booming business — the average American owns not one, but seven pairs of blue jeans and approximately 450 million pairs of jeans are sold in the United States per year, it remains primarily leisure and style wear, the steep prices notwithstanding.

Jeans, the garment as such celebrates its birthday on 20 May, and the year was 1873. This was the day that Levi Strauss and a tailor

Did you know that the most expensive pair of blue jeans is sold for $250,000? Did you know that the longest pair of blue jeans is sixty-eight meters long? named Jacob Davis received the patent for their process of reinforcing pants with rivets. The partial credit of making jeans as a sexy and stylish part of the wardrobe rather than ‘rough workwear’ can be attributed to John Wayne and the Western genre of movies.

By mid-century, American soldiers had taken their blue jeans to war, which had people in other

countries coveting the style, while civilians at home had begun wearing them for leisure activities.

Marilyn Monroe helped lead the way for women to don blue jeans with her starring role in the 1952 movie ‘Clash by Night’.

Today, jeans are one of the major essentials, and with the new stretch fit coming in, they are super comfortable for all sizes.

With an unimaginable range of styles, ‘washes’ designs in the market it is definitely a ‘jean lovers’’ paradise moment.

Just find a pair that fits you, makes you feel good and team it up with confidence, and the world is yours to conquer.

09

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10

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them A

Them,” which dips into the dark side fairly regularly, is at its best when it serves as a more exotic version of all those cute puppy and kitten antics that fill your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts? Instead of dogs sporting holiday attire or cats falling off kitchen counters, you can go “aww” when a naughty Niffler, a mole-duck-billed platypus hybrid, goes on a crime spree while greedily stuffing gobs of shiny objects such as coins and gems into its belly pouch. Or when a majestic giant Thunderbird, destined to live in the wilds of Arizona, spreads its eagle-like wings. Maybe

FA CE OF TH ED AY

h, distractions. Be it with junk food or Netflix binges, many are craving safe havens away from post-election fallout these days.

But what we really need are the right distractions, ones that lift spirits, engage minds, delight eyes and don’t pander to our baser instincts, including those alarming posts that dribble down social media feeds, stirring up unease about the future.

Perhaps a fable embellished with fantasy trappings that’s spun off from the Harry Potter universe.

One that touches upon such issues as the inherent danger of outing a magical community to an intolerant public while No-Majs, the Americanized term for Muggles, are equally distrusted by wizards and witches. Some young people are forced to suppress their very natures by those who inflict physical and psychological harm upon them. Not to mention that a strange deadly force has been somehow unleashed, leaving mass destruction and fear in its wake.

OK, that doesn’t sound like that much fun, does it?

But what if I tell you that J.K. Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find

a teeny leafy twig-like critter known as a Bowtruckle, reminiscent of a shrunken Groot from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” is more your style. There’s also an amorous Erumpent, a big-butt cross between a hippo and an elephant, who causes a ruckus at a zoo. That this expansive menagerie and more are able to fit into the best piece of enchanted traveling luggage in a movie since Mary Poppins’ bottomless carpet bag is a welcome bonus.

Besides, who better to conjure an entertaining yet relevant remedy for our nation’s unsettled state of mind but Rowling? It was

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

her unfettered fertile imagination that afforded

ised film adventures, directed with more whimsical panache than usual by “Harry Potter” stalwart David Yates. Rowling’s debut as a screenwriter is inspired by a same-named, catalog-style textbook that is supposed to be the work of a “magizoologist” and Hogwarts alum named Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne in eccentric shyguy mode). Prediction: I expect this endearingly clumsy oddball guardian of endangered magical creatures might just become a spokes symbol for animal rescue groups, even if he keeps on having to recapture them

rives this ambitious first entry in a quintet of prom-

after they escape from his suitcase.

The action is rooted in a make-believe New York City during the Roaring Twenties, a period of prosperity and hedonistic pursuits but also repression and intolerance that took such forms as Prohibition and the rise of the KKK. If that sounds like a lot of ground to cover, it is. There are plot points that rush by without being fully explained and characters who will hopefully become more fleshed out in later installments. As is all too common in blockbusters lately, violence primarily takes the form of destruction of urban landscapes. If you’ve seen one major metropolitan thoroughfare gutted like a fish and spilling forth with chunks of asphalt rubble, you have seen them all.

But the actual period recreation and production design of a Jazz Age Big Apple is quite the accomplishment. I especially enjoyed the foray into a hidden wizard-friendly speakeasy with a sassy elfin blues singer where Newt attempts to strike a bargain with the establishment’s owner, a shady goblin named Gnarlack played via motion-capture by well-cast Ron Perlman.

Source: https://www.rogerebert.com/ reviews/fantastic-beasts-and-whereto-find-them-2016

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

You have the whole right to choose your own career and field and let no one force you otherwise. Some angel investor will come in your life to take the burden off your shoulders and when that will happen, everything will be just fine. Don’t disappoint those who believe in you.

Don’t take too many responsibilities at once just to impress your boss rather concentrate on quality work. Someone elderly will bestow lots of blessings upon you.

On the work front, you are about to buy a land to start some new business.

You must practice concentration enhancing exercises. You will be able to get yourself and other out of any problem today as your cards show that you are the saviour of the day. On professional front, You will work very hard to meet the deadlines.

You are very conscious about where you spend your money. Think twice before investing your time in some business. You will manage to excel in the task assigned to you by your professors. You will help someone today from falling in some trap.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

You are ready for the competition and you will excel. You are very good at convincing people and this will prove to be your asset in long run. You are very passionate about your career and you will do whatever it takes to make a mark for yourself and then sky is the limit for you.

You are a good influencer so use it for the right cause. You will do whatever it take to help someone in need even if that person is a total stranger. Your life is easy in terms of facilities and you always wish that those around you shall also prosper.

You don’t believe in wasting money and you save wherever and whenever possible for you.

Your effects in the direction of your endeavours will pay for you and you will get the success that you desire very soon. Right opportunity will strike at the right time.

On the work front, your working schedule will keep you on your toes but you need to take care of your health too. On the personal front, you will spend a lot of time with your parents today trying to make them understand your point of view towards some situation.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will spend some quality time with your family. On the work front, you are very passionate about your hobby and you may find it hard to understand whether you should pursue it or not as a full time career. On the personal front, you may buy a joint property with someone close.

Your love life is on natural pace. You are trying very hard to balance your personal and work life and so far you are doing a good job. You can expect some gains from parents.

You may socialise more often in future to develop professional contact for the future sake.

You are good at sports and you get lots of encouragement from those who loves you. Take one step at a time while claiming the success ladder and don’t get impatient.

On the personal front, your parents will be always there for you to guide you in life.

On the work front, you will earn a good commission today in some deal. On the professional front, you will be ultra efficient at work today and you will definitely get the promotion.

On the personal front, keep having a balance diet so that you keep getting strength to exert.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

JAISHREE CHHANGANI, Model

moviegoers comfort and joy in the aftermath of 9/11 with “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the first of eight big-screen installments based on her megaselling book series about the exploits of a boy wizard. Yes, there was a monstrous, near-unbeatable evil afoot throughout the franchise. But there was also abundant goodness, profound wisdom and selfless decency to be discovered amongst the wand-waving denizens of Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Now, 15 years later—and not a moment too soon—ar-

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

Back in the

11

GAME! ... her Instagram post

The ‘Anarkali’

MOMENT!

S

onam Kapoor Ahuja on Tuesday had an ‘Anarkali’ moment yet again.

The 34-year-old actor took to Instagram to share a stunning dramatic capture of herself from an earlier photoshoot.

In the stunning photo, the ‘Delhi-6’ actor is seen in a red velvet lehenga, draped with a sheer yellow dupatta.

Connecting the caption with an old Bollywood classic song, the actor wrote: “Pyaar kiya to darna kya” followed by a heart emoticon. Besides her ensemble, the actor’s expressions too oozed el-

egance as she posed just like Madhubala did in the iconic song. For Halloween last year, the actor had dressed up as Anarkali in chains while her husband Anand Ahuja was seen as Salim.

Earlier, the ‘Neerja’ actor took a trip down the memory lane and shared photos from her wedding function.

Giving all her fans the perfect ‘Veere Di Wedding’ frame, the actor also posted a picture of her girl gang from her wedding functions. —ANI

Still from the video

A

nushka Sharma has shared a short teaser of her upcoming web project. The project is said to be a cop-based crime drama and although produced by her banner, Clean Slate Films, Anushka will not act in the show. The series is created by ‘NH10’ writer Sudip Sharma, and is said to be an investigative thriller that also acts as a scathing commentary of modern-day Indian society and poli-

tics. The short clip the actress posted on Instagram gives an intense glimpse of the narrative.

“The countdown has begun. To change the laws of the land, worms have crept in, who will spread terror and shed blood. They will turn the world into a living hell,” said the narrator in the clip.

The video hints that the project will be gory.

At the end of the clip, out of the blooded screen appears a silhouette with a sharp blunt

weapon -- suggesting that he will be the person behind the bloodshed.

“Sab badlega, samay, log aur lok (Everything is about to change time, people and era),” Anushka wrote along with the video.

She shared details about the new series, tagging screenplay writer Sudip Sharma and actors Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi and Gul Panag and Bengali actress Swastika Mukherjee among others.

—IANS

Anushka Sharma

EMBRACING

AGEING D

Drew Barrymore

rew Barrymore, who became a star as a child artiste in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 global sci-fi hit ‘E.T. The ExtraTerrestrial’, is 45 now. Barrymore who has courted success as an actress, producer, director, and model over the decades, says she is less worried about her appearance these days, after having children and turning 40.

The actress has daughters Olive, seven, and Frankie, five, with former husband Will Kopelman. “Now I’m a mom and in my midforties, I have the hair I like drama-free and more natural. It takes 30 minutes to do my base of greys. I only barely cover them, so that the follicles can still grab the light as it grows out. (Yes, your greys can double as highlights with the right tint!),” Drew said.

She also shared that she was never afraid to take risks with fashion.

The actress said: “I have always experimented with style over my life too. I wasn’t ever the classic girl. I remember at my 10th birthday party putting eyeshadow up to my temples.” —IANS

RESCHEDULING

CONCERTS S

Sonam K Ahuja

inger Taylor Swift is pushing all her scheduled shows of this year to 2021. “I’m so sad I won’t be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision,” Taylor said on Instagram Stories, addressing her fans. “Please, please stay healthy and safe. I’ll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now, what’s important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us.” This summer, she was scheduled to perform at select arenas as part of her Lover Fest.

Meanwhile, Taylor has been practicing social distancing during the coronavirus

pandemic. “During this time I know that a lot of my friends and I have been doing a sort of weekly family FaceTime, which is always hilarious,” Taylor said on a show. “I think it’s really important that we all stay connected because, you know, isolation doesn’t have to be an all encompassing thing. We may be all isolated physically but we can still keep in touch with people, we can still play games with our friends and families on our phone that is one of the great things about modern technology.” “So I hope you guys are doing a lot of self care in terms of staying connected to the people that remind you of home, even if the situation is strange and really confusing at this moment,” she added.

—IANS Taylor Swift

Reese Witherspoon

Battled with postpartum depression

A

ctress Reese Witherspoon has opened up on her difficult battle with postpartum depression. She says that she has had very different experiences after each birth.

During a recent interview, she opened up about her battles with mental health over the years, admitting she first had therapy at the age of 16.

Witherspoon said: “I definitely had anxiety. My anxiety manifests as depression so I would get really depressed.”

Talking about different experience after each child, she said: “One kid I had kind of mild postpartum, and one kid I had severe postpartum where I had to take pretty heavy medication because I just wasn’t thinking straight at all, and then I had one kid where I had no postpartum at all.”

—IANS

CITY BUZZ

GOLDEN

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On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day today, 22 April, City First wishes for quick healing of the planet!

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

I

n order to signify the support for environmental protection, Earth Day is celebrated today, 22 April every year. With the existence of over a billion people with every passing year, this day is marked to record the human behaviour, and also the policies that apply to the people Globally.

Looking at the present situation of COVID-19 and the lockdown that has been taken into action worldwide,

the Earth is finally breathing and taking its own time to heal itself. The nature that was going from bad to worse is now growing back beautifully, the animals across the planet are free to roam around fearlessly, the ozone layer which was destroyed because of the pollution is being formed again, and the air in the environment of the over-crowded cities is as fresh as the one in the outskirts of the cities.

City First got in touch with a few people from Jaipur and Ahmedabad, about their views on this special day.

—Inputs by Tanvi Sharma

YEAR FOR

EARTH

JAIPUR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

When the corona times stop there will be tremendous pressure for economic growth and hence on the environment. We must not let the healing reversed. These lockdown times have shown us that we can consume less and survive. That should become our motto- consume less, conserve more. And let the earth, and therefore us, heal permanently!

—RASHMI DICKINSON

Oceans are breathing with cleaner shores, While humans are trapped indoors.

Suddenly life has become quieter, more serene and cleaner air is leading to a brief respite in our city.

We are all delving deep into the recesses of our soul, trying to figure out and gauge a newer tomorrow! There is a definite calm and destressing of planet Earth, nature is healing, we are the virus!

—RINA

ART IN THE TIME

BHANDARI

A

s many as 478 students, amateurs and professional artists from 22 states of India, and nations such as UK, Canada, France, Ukraine, US, Monte Negro, Iran, Egypt and Israel participated in an International Online Art competition on the theme of COVID-19, organized by sculptor Krishna

HAPPY B’DAY!

IAS Bhawani Singh Detha (Top) and IPS Saurabh Srivastava celebrated their birthdays on 21 April, Tuesday.

We wish them all the best!

—VIVEK SINGH PAL

As the wildlife returns to its habitat, Nature sure knows the art.

While less is more, thoughts are pure Lesson learned, wisdom earned!

We never cared but Mother’s love is to be shared..

Thank you, Mother, While you recover, I rediscover!

—VINNIE KAKKAR

Amid the COVID-19 crisis going on around the world, I urge people to ‘Go Vegan’. A lot of things will change in the world after the pandemic, which includes food habits. All major epidemics including Ebola, Swine Flu, Spanish flu, and the ongoing novel coronavirus, have been linked to the consumption of animals. Maintaining a vegan lifestyle will help prevent violence against animals, and facilitate the reversal of climate change on the environment.

—ALOK THAKUR

WHAT’S HAPPENING! Rajasthan: Artist Ram Kumar Bhadani from Bikaner is making the proper use of lockdown and his artistic skills to create awareness among the people about the deadly COVID-19 with his artwork. Recently, while depicting the current scenario of the country on a wall, he portrayed the Doctors, Police officials and Cleaning staff as the three pillars of Ashoka and made an appeal to people to stay at home.

OF CORONA

CITY FIRST AHMEDABAD

With regard to climate action, the foremost need of the hour is population control. It shall then give way to improved sustainable development, and perhaps tackle the problem of deterioration of the climate from the past century. We need to get our act together and strive to make amends and move ahead with the aim to salvage the situation before it is rendered irreversible.

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Rajasthan: Jain Social Group (JSG) Northern Region and JSG Jaipur Gold organised an online concert on Facebook on Tuesday. The music show was based on patriotic songs dedicated to our corona fighters which include medical staff, cleaning staff, police officials, basic needs providers, etc. During the show, renowned local artists Dr. Gaurav Jain and Deepshikha Jain presented a melody of patriotic songs like Ae mere watan ke logon, Har karam apna karenge, Kar chale hum fida and many more. The programme got an overwhelming response on social media.

Padiya and painter Umesh Kyada, under the aegis of Gir Valley Artist Village, Akolvadi earlier this month.

The participants expressed their creativity through paintings, drawings, cartoons, posters, digital art, rangoli and sculpture. The art was judged by selected artists from around the world, and 279 artists were given e-certificates. cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com

SILENT BIRTHDAY!

Rajasthan: Yogesh and Nimisha Mishra, organisers of Miss Rajasthan and Mrs Rajasthan, celebrated their 14th Anniversary on April 21, Tuesday.

We wish them all the best!

Rajasthan: The members of Sukhmani Seva Society from the Gurudwara, Nehru Nagar have started ‘Sukhmani Sahib’ Path on Whatsapp and through conference call from 15 April. Owing to the lockdown this year, the women devotees cannot go to the Gurudwaras for a 40 days Path on ‘Shaheedi Diwas’ of Guru Arjan Dev so they decided to do the Path on group calls virtually.

Rajasthan: Rajendra Rathore’s birthday was on 21 April. Looking to the pandemic situation he did not celebrate it as such, but spent it simply at Churu, his constituency, where he gave grains to birds and fodder to cows on this day. He also distributed ration to the needy.

B

ritain’s Queen Elizabeth who turned 94 on Tuesday, decided not to publicly mark the occasion in any special way, including the artillery salute she traditionally gets on her birthday. It will be the first time in her 68-year reign, the gun salute in London’s Hyde Park and Tower will be silent.

Ahmedabad: Janitorial staff in protective gear ensure the wards and hallways of Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital remain sterile.

Ahmedabad: A couple plays with their infant by the side of the road outside Bima Nagar in Ahmedabad’s Satellite area, where they live.