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HDFC Group commits 150cr
to PM-CARES Fund. Cricketer-
DAY
LOCKDOWN 9
World Bank OKs
$1bn emergency
funds for India
T he World Bank on Thurs-
day approved $1-bn emer-
gency financing for India to
tackle the coronavirus out-
break. The World Bank's first
set of aid projects, amoun-
ting to $1.9 bn, will assist 25
countries, and new opera-
tions are moving forward in
over 40 nations using the fast-
track process.
JEE (Advanced)
postponed too
T he Joint Entrance Exam-
ination (Advanced), the
final exam for entry into IITs
which was scheduled for May
17, has been postponed. IIT-
Delhi said the new date will
be announced after National
Testing Agency reschedules
JEE (M), which was also put
off due to the lockdown forc-
ed by the Covid-19 spread.
HC stays Kerala
liquor sale move
T he Kerala HC has stayed
the state’s decision to ar-
range sale of liquor for peo-
ple with medically certified
‘alcohol withdrawal syndro-
me’ during the lockdown, af-
ter agruments that no doctor
could prescribe liquor as a
cure for alcohol withdrawal
as it was against the basic te-
nets of medicine. P 5
AGENT RANA
O wing to the extraordinary
circumstances created
by the Covid-19 pandemic,
we are forced to suspend
publication of Agent Rana in
the daily newspaper. Rana,
Husna, and all your other
favourite characters will be
back soon
Haryana bans
chewing gum
T o prevent the transmis-
sion of coronavirus thr-
ough spitting, Haryana has
banned the sale of chewing
gum till June 30 and asked
authorities to effectively im-
plement the prohibition on
gutka and pan masala. The
UP government has also ba-
nned the manufacture and
sale of pan masala.
Refused burial,
Muslim cremated
A Muslim man who died
of Covid-19 was crema-
ted after a Muslim cemetery
in Malad denied him a buri-
al spot for fear of spreading
coronavirus. The man’s son
has reportedly said that the
BMC and police cooperated
with the family, but the ka-
brastan authorities did not
allow the burial. P 3
OTHER TOP STORIES
Daniel Pearl killer
escapes noose,
may be free soon
A Pakistan court has ove-
rturned the death sent-
ence of Omar Saeed Sheikh,
the British-born terrorist co-
nvicted of the 2002 kidnapp-
ing and killing of US journa-
list Daniel Pearl. Sheikh, one
of the ultras freed by India in
exchange for the 155 hostages
on the IA plane hijacked to
Kandahar in 1999, has been
given a 7-year term. He has
spent 18 years in jail, and may
be released soon. P 7
Delhi HC: Minor
can donate liver
A minor can donate an or-
gan or tissue in a rare si-
tuation unless there is a risk
to her life, the Delhi HC has
said. On a plea by a 17-year-
old who wished to donate pa-
rt of her liver to her father, it
has set up a board to assess
any risk to her life if she un-
dergoes the procedure.
WATCH OUT FOR TODAY’S
QUESTIONS ON E6<:(
Times Interact | P 4
MUMBAI | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 | PAGES 14
P R IC E ` 7 . 0 0 A LO NG WITH M U M BA I M I R R OR OR T H E EC ON O M I C T I M E S OR M A H A R A S H T R A TIM ES * INDIA’S LARGEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER
Padma Shri awardee & former US becomes the first country to Just a few hours after emerging from a
‘Hazuri Raagi’ at Golden record more than 1,000 coronavirus 2-day period of isolation Wednesday night,
turned-politician Gautam Temple, Nirmal Singh Khalsa, deaths in a day. WHO says 1 million Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu returns
Gambhir to contribute dies in Punjab. Jazz pianist confirmed cases across the world to self-isolation on Thursday for another 6
2 years’ salary to fund Ellis Marsalis Jr dies in US and death toll climbs to 50,000 days after his health minister tests positive
India’s fresh cases soar by 544, PM: Common, staggered
65% of them linked to Tablighi lockdown exit plan needed Indicates To CMs
Cases In Delhi & OVER 13K ATTENDED DELHI MEET, SAY ANDHRA COPS Curbs May Stay
Southern States ➤people In Danger Zones
Photo: Piyal Bhattacharjee
Andhra police say as many as 13,702
from across the country attended
Rise Sharply the Delhi meet in mid-March
➤ A team is looking for TJ’s leader
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: Indicating that
TIMES NEWS NETWORK Maulana Saad Kandhalwi, who released there is a need for a coordina-
two audio messages on Thursday. Police ted approach to lifting of
New Delhi: The Tablighi Ja- suspect the maulana is infected and is restrictions after the natio-
maat (TJ) nightmare continu- in self-quarantine. Cops are tracking nal lockdown ends on April
ed to unfold across the count- him manually since he has no mobile 14 to ensure that the gains of
ry for the third consecutive
day on Thursday when at le-
phones. Teams have been sent to
Muzaffarnagar, which is his native place
social distancing and isola-
tion in the fight against Co-
PM Narendra Modi holds a meeting with chief ministers on Thursday
via video-conferencing to discuss the coronavirus crisis
ast 347 delegates at the religio-
us congregation at Nizamud-
➤ Police had informed markaz members
about preventive orders that were put Fire personnel sanitise an area near Nizamuddin mosque
vid-19 are not lost, Prime Mi-
nister Narendra Modi on
‘Religious leaders PM’s video message
din in Delhi last month tested
positive for Covid-19, accoun-
ting for 65% of the new 544
in place on March 21, two days before
lockdown. They were asked to send back foreign
found holed up in mosques, searches under way
Of them, 57 had attended the Delhi event
Thursday asked chief mini-
sters to consider a common
must show the way’ to nation at 9am
guests they had housed in their building, says FIR ➤ 23 members arrested in MP districts of exit strategy.
confirmed nationwide cases
(at the time of going to press).
The countrywide corona-
➤ 292 foreigners who arrived in UP to attend TJ Dewas and Agar-Malwa and quarantined
“It is important to formul-
ate a common exit strategy to
ensure staggered re-emergen-
I n the backdrop of a spike
in the number of cases aft-
er the Tablighi gathering,
P MNarendra Modi will sh-
are a video message with
the nation on Friday morni-
MHA CANCELS TOURIST VISAS OF 960 TJ FOREIGN VISITORS FOR MISSIONARY
ce of the population once lock- PM Modi urged religious lea- ng. “At 9 am tomorrow, I shall
FULL COVERAGE: P 2-12 ACTIVITIES, THEY MAY HAVE TO PAY $500 PENALTY BEFORE DEPORTATION, P 5
down ends,” Modi said, asking ders to lead the way and also share a small video message
virus count, which had cros- state chief ministers to brai- advised CMs to hold meetin- with my fellow Indians,” Mo-
sed the 2,000 mark barely a
day earlier, zoomed past 2,500
with Delhi (141), Maharashtra
2 more deaths in city, surgeon tests nstorm and send suggestions.
His comments could indicate
the Centre may seek to keep
gs. “I urge you to hold meeti-
ngs with influential citizens
and leaders of different sec-
di tweeted on Thursday. So-
urces said the Prime Minis-
ter may urge people to ensu-
(88) and Tamil Nadu (75) ad-
ding big numbers. +ve in Dharavi; 88 new cases in Maha hotspots or risk zones for the
disease under restrictions. It
ts, religions at state level to
urge them to impress upon
re adherence of the lockdo-
wn restrictions and follow
At least eight more Co-
vid-19 deaths were reported TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Anil Shinde can point to a stock-taking at
the end of the lockdown as Mo-
their followers to abide by
the lockdown,” he said. P 3
social distancing until the
coronavirus fear is over. TNN
by states, pushing the natio-
nal toll to 70. However, the he-
alth ministry has confirmed
Mumbai: The city remained
the state’s epicentre for the out-
di said the global situation re-
mained far from satisfactory weeks, testing, tracing, iso- the necessity of maintaining
and he cautioned about a pos- lation and quarantine sho- supply of essential medical
only 2,069 cases and 54 deaths break on Thursday, recording sible second wave of the virus uld remain the areas of foc- products, availability of raw
in the country. two more deaths, both men in spread in some countries. us. Home minister Amit Sh- materials for manufacture of
Delhi led the tally on their 60s, taking the state’s toll Asserting that the com- ah, health minister Harsh medicines and medical equ-
Thursday with 129 of the total to 22. The BMC continued to mon goal for the country was Vardhan and defence minist- ipment.
141 confirmed cases being lin- follow a stringent containment to ensure minimum loss of er Rajnath Singh were with
ked to the Tablighi meet. Abo- policy, restricting movement life, Modi said in the next few the PM. Modi highlighted  Tap into Ayush pool, P 6
ut 50km away, at the Jhajjar in various neighbourhoods
campus of AIIMS, another 52 and sending more housing so-
New testing strategy? Rapid
Jamaat members tested posi- cieties into quarantine.
tive. In four southern states of Dharavi was a bed of surve-
A family celebrates Ram Navami at home in Thane on Thursday
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pra-
desh, Telangana and Karna-
illance activity as two fresh ca-
ses were detected, including a sparking fears of a spread in Pune and a suspected death in
taka, 143 Tablighi delegates or
their contacts tested positive.
 Andhra tally at 143, P 6
surgeon from Wockhardt Ho-
spital and a BMC sweeper. On
Wednesday, a 58-year-old gar-
ment unit owner had died here,
infection. Several buildings in
the area have now locked them-
selves in to keep out visitors.
Two more deaths, one in
Nalasopara, were among the
four reported in Maharashtra.
With 88 fresh cases,the state
now has recorded 423 cases. P 2
antibody tests in hotspots
Sushmi Dey & WHAT THE RESULTS TELL
Malathy Iyer TNN WHAT’S THE PLAN?
➤ Unlike RT-PCR test, which
➤ Symptomatic population in
Min: Post-lockdown, int’l flights to State hikes New Delhi/Mumbai: The
Centre is likely to expand its
testing strategy for Covid-19
Covid-19 hotspots may be
tested using rapid antibody test
looks for the virus itself, this test
looks for antibodies produced
by the body to fight the virus
VAT on fuels by ➤ Positive test results to be
India on country-to-country basis “The current lockdown on
`1 a litre, cites
to allow use of rapid antibody
tests in symptomatic cases in
“hotspot” areas though these
results will need to be confir-
confirmed by RT-PCR using
throat/nasal swab
➤ Test result positive after
7-10 days of infection
➤ Result remains positive for
TIMES NEWS NETWORK ➤ Those testing negative to
18 AI flights to take budget move several weeks after infection
New Delhi: India will allow pe-
both domestic & international
passenger flights is till April 15.
med by an RT-PCR test using
throat or nasal swab to detect
be quarantined at home
➤ Positive result indicates
foreigners home RAPID ANTIBODY TEST: exposure to SARS-CoV-2
ople abroad to fly in on a cou-
ntry-to-country basis, dependi-
A ir India has inked contra-
A decision to restart the flights
after this period remains to be
Somit.Sen@timesgroup.com the presence of genetic mate-
rial of the coronavirus. Me- ➤ Can be done on blood/ ➤ Negative result does not rule
out Covid-19 infection
ng on the coronavirus situa-
tion in the places they are flyi-
ng in from, once passengers fli-
cts with Germany, Fran-
ce, Ireland and Canada to ope-
rate 18 charter flights to fly ba-
taken. If required, we will have
to assess the situation on a ca-
se-by-case basis,” tweeted avia-
T he state government
has hiked VAT on petrol
and diesel by a rupee, taking
anwhile, state health mini-
ster Rajesh Tope said that
Maharashtra had sought
serum/plasma samples
➤ Test result within 30 mins ➤ Not a confirmatory test
ghts resume. Unless the 21-day ck their nationals. While the tion minister H S Puri. the price of petrol from Rs permission from the Cent-
lockdown is extended, schedu-
le commercial air travel is sla-
Germans and French will be
flown to Frankfurt and Paris,
Airlines, in their internal
communications, have told th-
75.30 to Rs 76.31 and diesel
rate up from Rs 65.21 to Rs
re to carry out both the di-
agnostic test and scree-
gent in the wake of migrant
workers reaching homes in
Govt app to help
ted to resume on April 14-15.
“Even before international
the others will be taken to Lo-
ndon’s Heathrow airport fr-
eir staff that chances of dome-
stic operations resuming first
66.21in Mumbai.
The price in Thane and
ning test simultaneously
to get a correct picture of
certain areas that have been
tagged as high-risk zones.
track infection
flights were suspended on Ma-
rch 22, there were restrictions
om where the respective cou-
ntries will make further trav-
are higher than international
services, which could be a mo-
Navi Mumbai for petrol has
been hiked from Rs 75.39 to
the virus’s spread in the
state. He added that the fi-
Though a final decision
on this is expected by Friday T he government launched
a new tracking app ‘Aar-
on people coming to India (si-
milar to those adopted by many
el arrangements. P 6 re gradual affair.
Before the suspension of
Rs 76.40 while diesel has go-
ne up from Rs 65.30 to Rs
ve-minute blood tests wo-
uld cost a few hundred ru-
morning, the ICMR issued an
interim advisory on Thurs-
ogya Setu’ on Thursday to he-
lp people track Covid-19 infec-
other countries) depending on
the corona situation there. On-
which countries are safe eno-
ugh to allow people to fly in
international flights, there we-
re restrictions on people from
66.30.
Petrol pump owners sa-
pees. (See P 3)
The rapid tests will be
day on the use of the rapid an-
tibody test, also known as se-
tions more accurately and ef-
fectively. The mobile applica-
ce the lockdown is lifted, the he-
alth ministry will decide
from there to India,” aviation
secretary P S Kharola said.
hotspots like Italy, Iran, the UK
and China.
id that the prices of both fu-
els were constant over the
last ten days of the lock-
conducted on symptomatic
cases and even those testing
negative in antibody tests
rology test. “The empowered
group has taken a decision
that testing needs to be ex-
tion is available on Google
Play Store and iOs App Store.
It will help track the infection
down, and attributed the will be home quarantined, of- panded. ICMR is working out by using the mobile's GPS sy-
Insurers question high costs of sudden fluctuation to the
state budget in which it was
already mentioned that the
ficial sources said. The effort
is to contain hotspots that can
become centres of transmis-
the modalities and a final de-
cision will be taken by tomor-
row,” an official said.
stem and bluetooth and pro-
vide information that will
help in determining if you
Covid treatment in pvt hosps government will increase
VAT. The VAT on petrol and
diesel is already high in Ma-
sion of the disease, a task that
has become even more ur-  61 hotpsots, P 6
have been near a Covid-19 in-
fected person or not. P 5
Rajesh Chandramouli Rs 6.5 lakh are trickling in. A Sources said the General harashtra, with Mumbai
& Rachel Chitra TNN
Chennai/Bengaluru: When
clamour is already building
up for ‘package rates’ to add-
ress concerns of inflated bills.
Insurance Council is seeking
government intervention to de-
fine a treatment protocol, along
commanding the highest
price of petrol across all ci-
ties/metros in the country.
Blocking newspaper delivery
Sanjay Nagral, a surgeon, “While hospitals are doing with package rates, on the lines Besides, the state collects as
tweeted that a Covid-19 pati-
ent was billed Rs 12 lakh for
treatment in a private hospi-
a commendable job, we also
see some cases of enhanced
 Govt extends motor, health
of what insurers pay for routi-
ne medical claims. “With no
surgical intervention the pro-
much as 26% VAT on petrol
and 24% on diesel in Mum-
bai, Thane and Navi Mum-
a legal offence: Top lawyers
tal, it raised eyebrows among
insurers and agents. After all,
cover validity till April 21, P 10
tocol should be the same, un-
less there are other medical
bai, as against the rest of
Maharashtra where it is
Dhananjay.Mahapatra
@timesgroup.com In this world of social media, where gossip
how much insurance would
the virus require?
With private hospitals
stay, abuse of antibiotics and
bundling of procedures,” said
Dr S Prakash, MD of Star He-
complications. One cannot
pass off usage of 300 gloves or
one PPE suit for one patient in a
25% on petrol & 21% on die-
sel. This is over and above
the central excise duty, cess
New Delhi: The country’s top
lawyers have expressed conc-
and propaganda are elevated to the status
of gospel, the printed word on a responsible
now offering coronavirus tre- alth. Star Health has settled 41 day,” an industry source said. and dealer commission. ern over the continued disru- newspaper is clearly an essential service,
atment, health insurance cla- claims till date, the highest be- ption in the distribution of ne- particularly in these war-like conditions
ims ranging from Rs 90,000 to ing Rs 6.5 lakh. ‘Regulate costs’, P 11  ‘Regulate hours’, P 4 wspapers even when they ha- —Harish Salve
ve been categorized an essent-
ial service and said that obstr- ...The fundamental right There is no restriction on
In battle against corona, doctors turn ucting delivery not only im-
pedes the availability of relia-
ble information at a time of
unprecedented public heath
of a resident to receive a
hard copy of the
newspaper,
distribution of newspapers.
It is included in
essential services.
to low-cost, innovative ventilators emergency but also constitut-
es an offence under the Essen-
tial Services Maintenance
the pleasure of
flipping through
it with a hot cup
of tea...
So, no one
should hinder
distribution
of newspapers
Durgesh Nandan Jha &
Chaitanya Deshpande TNN IISc offers 11 serve eight patients at a time.
The health ministry said
Act (ESMA).
Renowned lawyer Harish —Abhishek —Solicitor general
New Delhi: With India worri-
tech solutions on March 30 it has placed an
order for 1,000 ventilators fr-
Salve, who has served as soli-
citor general and who repre-
Manu Singhvi Tushar Mehta
➤ Once an item is covered under ESMA, as is the case for
ed about a shortage of ventil-
ators in case Covid-19 cases ri-
se exponentially, some inno-
T he Indian Institute of Sci-
ence, Bengaluru, has offe-
red 11 technologies that can
om AgVa Healthcare. “Suppli-
es are expected to begin by the
April second week,” it said.
sented India at International
Court of Justice to save Kul-
bhushan Yadav from immi-
newspapers during the lockdown period, those who
disrupt distribution of an essential service can be arrested
vative doctors have come to aid India’s fight against Cov- “The inactivated virus is nent execution in Pakistan, without warrant and face imprisonment up to 1 year
the rescue. Dr Deepak Agraw- id-19, including drones that trapped at the expiratory end expressed serious concern
al, professor of neurosurgery can spray disinfectants, a con- by a positive charge system, over difficulties and impedi- without creating a sense of pa- uld be seen as a sage warning
at AIIMS, and Diwakar Vai- tact-tracing app, split-use ven- protecting the environment,” ments being faced by newsp- nic or despair, is essential for to those trying to disrupt deli-
sh, a robotics scientist who tilators and mobile diagnostic Dr Agrawal, who has named apers in distribution. survival,” Salve told TOI. very of newspapers to homes
had previously developed the testing labs, reports Cheth- his device AgVa COVID, said. “In this world of social me- “Newspapers are clearly during the lockdown. Solicit-
world’s cheapest ventilator an Kumar. Another project The firm had received or- dia, where gossip and propa- an essential commodity, parti- or general Tushar Mehta, sa-
‘AgVa’, told TOI that they ha- A small ventilator developed by aims to develop a UV-based di- ders for over 50,000 ventilato- ganda are elevated to the stat- cularly in these warlike condi- id, “There is no restriction in
ve improved upon capabiliti- an AIIMS doctor and a robotics sinfecting device that can be rs globally which it had to ca- us of the gospel, the printed tions where we are fighting an distribution of newspapers. It
es of this ventilator by incor- scientist for Covid-19 patients deployed in hospitals. P 5 ncel due to the ban on export word on a responsible newspa- invisible enemy of whom we is included in the essential ser-
porating a patent pending ne- of ventilators a few days ba- per is clearly an essential ser- know so little, and where in- vices. So, no one should hinder
gative on generator which in- pital, doctors have developed or at the same time. Though ck, sources said. vice. In these difficult times, formation and intelligence is distribution of newspapers.”
activates the virus. a tool with which eight patie- ventilator splitters aren’t news in articles by responsib- the only weapon available to
At Nagpur’s New Era hos- nts can be put on one ventilat- new, is is said to be the first to Govt places order, P 6 le journalists, which informs mankind,” he said in what co-  ‘Circulation essential’, P 6
 TIMES CITY STATE TALLY Aurangabad Buldhana Yavatmal Nagpur 16
As of 10pm, Thursday 3 5 1 4
Gondia 1
Jalgaon 1
Nashik 1
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020
Thane 45 1
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 100
Maharashtra CASES BY AGE GROUP (yrs) SEX-WISE
Most of Maharashtra’s Covid-19 patients come in the 21- DISTRIBUTION*
DAILY PROGRESS OF COVID-19 CASES 50 years age range. The three age groups in this range OF CASES Ahmednagar 17
27 are almost equally represented in the case data set
Source: Maharashtra Public Cases analysed as of 10am, April 2. Male (200) Mumbai Pune 61 1
Health Department’s Report Total cases in state as of 23 22 Age Osmanabad 1
of Covid-19 Cases 10pm, Thursday | 423
20
17
Total cases 31-40
51-60 62% 235 Patient from
15 15 11-20 71-80 17 deaths 1
41
Gujarat in Mum
11 11 11 10 10
12
26 67 9 Female (122) Satara 3
3 Ratnagiri 1
3 4
0
4 5
1 2 2 3 5
2 8 63 68 37 81-90 38% Sangli 25
CASES 423
1-10 1 Kolhapur 2
Mar 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Apr 1 Apr 2 21-30 41-50 61-70 *Available for 322 cases Sindhudurg DEATHS 20
4

As coronavirus enters its densely City records 56% of cases

packed lanes, Dharavi holds breath in state, more med staff hit
Surgeon, Sweeper
Test Positive Day
After 1st Death
Bhavika Jain & Richa Pinto
Mumbai: Tension was palpab-
le in Dharavi, one of the most
densely populated areas in Mu-
Pics: S L Shanth Kumar, Sanjay Hadkar, Uma Kadam, KK Choudhary, Anil Shinde, Swapnil Shejwal, Bhavika Jain
Maha Leads With 423 Cases But 42 Patients Recover
Dharavi Area
TRICKY BATTLEFIELD
650
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: The state reported
acres
two new Covid-19 deaths in
Mumbai, one in Pune and one
suspected death in Vasai on
TNN Thursday, taking Maharash-
tra’s toll to 22. Also, with 88
new patients, Maharashtra br-
eached the 400 mark to record
Population 423 cases, galloping ahead of

mbai, as a 35-year-old surgeon
who stays on the area’s main ro-
ad, tested positive for Covid-19
on Thursday, a day after Dh-
aravi’s first patient died within
hours of being identified as one.
Earlier, a sweeper who used
to work there also came positi-
ve on Thursday, while a 46-year-
old Dharavi resident is under
the scanner and his swab sam-
ples have been sent for testing.
The area where the surge-
on with Wockhardt hospital
stays will be sealed as officials
track his high-risk contacts
and his travel history. “The pa-
tient himself had called and
informed that owing to ex-
posure of a few patients, he
might have contracted the
infection,” said a civic offici-
al. He was found Covid-19 po-
sitive by a suburban lab.
The 52-year-old sweeper, ad-
mitted at SevenHills hospital in
Andheri, worked in Dharavi
but lived at Jijamata Nagar in
Worli, an area with several Co-
vid-19 cases. He did not have
any travel history and civic offi-
cials are yet to ascertain how he
contracted the virus.
Patient 1, a 56-year-old
who died at Sion hospital on
10
most other states. The one go-
od news was that 42 patients
have recovered and gone home
lakh since March 9.
Mumbai has emerged as Kurar Village slum that has been declared a containment area
the state’s epicentre, reporting
Density 235 or 56% of the state’s total whether he died of Covid-19. Af-
9 test postive in
2.8L
cases. Maharashtra’s daily re- ter his death, Om Nagar area in
port said 54 of the 88 cases were
from Mumbai, 11 from Pune,
Navi Mumbai Vasai where he lived was sealed.
He was admitted to the hospital
persons per sq km nine each from Mumbai Met- for cardiac ailment on March 29.
ropolitan Region and Ahmed-
nagar, two from Aurangabad,
N ine persons from Vashi,
Nerul, Koparkhairane
tested positive for Covid-19
In Mumbai, Dharavi was a
bed of surveillance activity as
Is It Just a Slum? Why The Anxiety? and one each from Satara, late on Thursday night. The two new cases were detected on
‘Asia’s largest slum,’ that’s what Because of the density of Osmanabad and Buldhana. Navi Mumbai civic body’s head Thursday, including a surgeon
most people think about Dharavi. population. The novel coronavirus State authorities, though, of health department from Wockhardt Hospital and a
But it is not all slums, there are is highly contagious, and in clarified the 54 cases in Mum- confirmed this, taking the tally BMC sweeper. The 35-year-old
housing societies, tenements, bai included 40 previously de- to 22 in the region. TNN doctor was being taken to S L
areas like Dharavi, the spread,
and a warren of shanties that tected in private laboratories Raheja Hospital at the time of
once it starts, can be
house people as well that were sent for reconfirm- The Pune victim was a 50-year- going to press. Incidentally, At
exponential, putting immense ation. The state announced fo- old from Raviwar Peth who least two nurses tested positive
as thriving small- pressure on the meagre
Households scale workshops ur deaths on Thursday, all in succumbed to associated acute at Wockhard Hospital and the-
healthcare capacity the city. TOI had reported two respiratory distress syndrome re were three deaths.
1L dealing with
of these on Wednesday. at state-run Sassoon General At Ambedkar Hospital in
tenements pottery, leather, The local case was reported
in a housing society, and the Among the latest victims hospital. The woman was ad- Kandivli, at least 40 staffers we-
recycling, etc
authorities are trying their was a 61-year-old blood cancer mitted for breathlessness on re quarantined after a dialysis
utmost to not let the virus spread patient who was admitted to Wednesday and tested positive patient succumbed. The hospi-
Slums
Nair Hospital on March 31. Of- on Thursday, making her the tal did not say if medical servi-
80,000 Buildings to the slums
ficials said he died on Wednes- second casualty from Pune. ces would be suspended.
units 20,000 units If it does, it may become very day afternoon. The second vic- A 68-year-old man who tes- Health minister Rajesh To-
Go Corona! (Top) The 90ft arterial road that runs the length of difficult to contain, like the tightly tim from the city was also in ted positive on March 31 passed pe said 30 government hospi-
Dharavi is empty, and (above) the barricaded road leading to packed Worli Koliwada, where 15 his 60s. Officials said he was a away at a private hospital in Na- tals outside Mumbai would tre-
the housing society of the first patient who died on Wednesday cases have been reported 63-year-old man who passed lasopara on Thursday. But aut- at coronavirus patients. The to-
away at Kasturba Hospital. horities have not confirmed tal bed strength will be 2,305.

Dombivli wedding proving 45 high-risk

Wednesday, too, had no tra-
vel history and owned a gar-
ment unit in Dharavi itself.
The administration is try-
ing to ascertain whether he
had any links to the Tablighi
Jamaat congregation in Del-
hi that is proving be a coro-
navirus super cluster. Civic
officials said they have found
four people in the area who had
participated in the Tablighi
congregation and are trying to
ascertain if the deceased was
in touch with them. The four
have been kept in isolation in a
lodge in Sion and will be tested.
A lack of information is
hampering proper contact tra-
cing. “We are getting contra-
dictory answers from his fami-
ly: one person said he visited
the local mosque, the other per-
son said he did not. They are
not revealing whether he had
visited Delhi or anywhere el-
se,” said a senior official.
Patient 1stayed in a large
housing complex on Jasmi-
ne Mill road, off the arterial
90 feet road of Dharavi, and
was undergoing treatment for
fever since March 23. He was
BMC praises Borivli man for
contacts from
infection cluster, cases now 7 slums shifted isolating before symptoms
Pradeep Gupta into lodge Richa.Pinto@timesgroup.com turned, he chose to live alone
and his family would visit the
lated himself.
Abhishek Ghosalkar, for-
Kalyan: A wedding in Dombivli, which had a Mumbai: As social distan- Mumbai: Parts of Borivli’s building only to keep food mer Shiv Sena corporator
long guest list, is turning out to be a source of a cing is impossible in over- IC Colony were marked as a outside his flat door. Due to from the area, said prima fa-
coronavirus surge, with three more persons crowded slums, where famili- containment zone on Thurs- the precautionary measures cie there is no need to panic as
who attended it testing positive on Thursday. es live in cramped spaces, the day after a 42-year-old resi- he took during his self-quara- the patient was well quaranti-
In all, seven persons who attended it have so BMC has started shifting the dent who had returned from ntine, we have no high or low ned. But, as a precautionary
far tested positive, including a ‘super sprea- family members, neighbours the UAE last month tested po- risk contacts to trace. Prelim- measure, the administration
der’ who violated home quarantine rules to and close contacts of Covid-19 sitive for Covid-19. inary findings show he did decided to take police’s help
make an appearance and infected the others. patients from slum pockets Civic authorities were all not meet anyone during the to restrict entry and exit near
The three fresh cases were among five new into lodges or newly const- pr aise for the man for strictly period,” said a civic official. the man’s building. “This is
Covid-19 cases that surfaced on Thursday in ructed vacant buildings for following the home quaranti- He had no symptoms after also because the area has ma-
the twin townships of Kalyan-Dombivli, ta- the mandatory 14-day home ne procedure, right from the his arrival, But earlier this ny others who had travelled
king the tallywithin the Kalyan-Dombivli Mu- quarantine. On Thursday, 45 time he landed in Mumbai, week, he developed a cold and abroad and are under home
nicipal Corporation limits to 19. A barricaded road in Dombivli (East) slum-dwellers from H-East even though he did not show cough and got tested, and rec- quarantine. People in the lo-
The wedding of March 19 was attended by ward, which covers Bandra, any symptoms for days. eived the results on Thursday. cality, too, have been very re-
over 1,000 people, including politicians. Amo- ur have recovered and and 15 are in hospital. Khar and Santacruz east, we- According to civic staff, Once it was confirmed he was sponsible and as it is a resi-
ng the invitees was a 25-year-old youth, who Police have registered three FIRs linked to re shifted into a lodge. the patient asked his wife and Covid-19 positive, he was shif- dential area, social distanc-
had returned from Turkey and attended it by the wedding. With cases related to it rising, A senior civic official sa- four-year-old son to shift to ted to a suburban hospital. ing is also maintained proper-
violating home quarantine instruction. He the health department and police has prepa- id, “We have identified high- his mother’s residence in the It is the first case in the lo- ly. Though there is a lockdo-
tested positive later. A woman and her son, al- red a list of over 100 guests who directly or in- risk contacts of Covid-19 pati- same locality even before he cality and authorities said wn in place, the BMC has tak-
so wedding invitees, were soon afterwards fo- directly came in contact with those who tested ents in other slum pockets reached home on March 19. the virus’s spread was pre- en police assistance to ensure
und infected. So was a friend of the youth. positive. They are checking up with them to and will shift them into lod- “From the moment he re- vented as the patient had iso- it is strictly implemented.”
Of the five new Covid-19 patients here, four see if anybody is displaying symptoms. Earli- ges or vacant buildings so-

Containment zones now

admitted to Sion hospital on
March 29 and tested positive on
April 1. Now, there is a demand
from Sion hospital staffers to
test them, said dean Dr Pra-
mod Ingale. The patient, initi-
ally admitted to the dedicated
fever ward, passed away as the
hospital was preparing to send
him to a Covid-19 facility. “We
have kept some staff under qu-
arantine and their swabs have
been sent for testing. A repeat
test will be done after four days
before they are allowed to go
home,” said Ingale.
The BMC has sealed the
patient’s housing society,
are from Dombivli (East), which was sealed er, they had checked with 40 other guests. on.” On Tuesday, municipal
two days ago after the area recorded several ca- The fourth infected person from Dombivli commissioner Praveen Par-
ses, and one from Kalyan. In all, 8 of 19 patients (E) on Thursday doesn’t have a travel history deshi had issued a circular
in the KDMC area are from Dombivli (E), four or any apparent contact with travellers. Offi- authorising all assistant mu-
from Dombivli (W) and seven from Kalyan. Fo- cials are carrying out contact tracing. nicipal commissioners to re-
lies. We have created a What-
sApp group, where residents
can place their orders, and the
have been collected from per-
sons in direct contact with the
deceased, like his wife, two
are not allowing anyone to
leave or enter their complex-
es. However, slums dotting
quisition empty residential
buildings, lodges, hotels,
clubs, exhibition centres, col-
leges, hotels, marriage halls,
under CCTV surveillance
supplies are delivered at their sons and four daughters, the both sides of the road that le- gymkhanas and banquet
doorstep,” said Dashrath Ne- building watchman, and the ads to the housing society halls with immediate effect to
Richa.Pinto@timesgroup.com
ALL 212 ZONES NOW ONLINE
velkar, treasurer of the society. doctor whose clinic in the buil- continue to live like normal. house people who had been in Mumbai: To put in place
The society members had in- ding he went to initially. Assi- The tension in the area thic- contact with a Covid-19 pati- stricter restrictions in the bit.ly/345OhGS
formed the BMC that the pati- stant municipal commissioner kened as the sweeper, who used ent and are asymptomatic. city’s 212 Covid-19 contain- Web address of
ent’s body should not be bro- of G North ward Kiran Dighav- to clean a part of Dharavi clos- Pardeshi has also instruc- ment zones, the BMC has de- BMC’s GIS map of
ught to the building. He was in- kar said: “Besides the high- er to the Mahim tracks, was co- ted his men to conduct medi- cided to monitor the areas Covid-19-affected
terred in a burial ground in risk contacts, we have listed all nfirmed positive on Thursday. cal camps in slum pockets to through its network of CCTV
areas
Dharavi on Thursday. senior citizens and those with He had reported to work as usu- identify those with Covid-19 cameras. The feed will be ac-

which has eight wings com-
prising of 338 flats and 97
shops. About 2,500 residents
live in it. “All the entry and exit
points of all the wings have be-
en sealed. No one is allowed to
go out, even for essential supp-
Interestingly, the flat occu-
pied by the patient’s family on
rent belongs to the family of a
person who was killed during
the 26/11 attacks at the Taj Ma-
hal hotel.
Civic officials said 15 swabs
respiratory ailments in the
area and are monitoring them.
We are yet to ascertain if the de-
ceased had any travel history.”
The neighbouring housi-
ng societies have voluntarily
imposed restrictions and
al on Monday but said he’s fee-
ling unwell. His supervisors
suspected the worst and admit-
ted him at SevenHills hospital,
where his swab sample was ta-
ken. All 23 who worked alongsi-
de him have been quarantined.
symptoms like cough, cold
and fever. “Health depart-
ment officials are working
out the logistics and will soon
start medical camps in slums
with police protection,” said
an official. —Vijay V Singh
212
cessible at the civic disaster
control room at the BMC’s Number of
headquaters at Fort. The net- containment zones
work’s feed comes from 5,000
as of Thursday
cameras across the city.
evening
Due to the Covid-19 out-
break, CCTV monitoring will Where Covid-19 patients
be focused on 212 contain- come from and their high-

Sealed Worli worries essentials may run dry

Richa.Pinto@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: With Worli Koliwa-
da and its adjoining areas cor-
doned off for yet another day,
the supply of essential items,
like milk and LPG cylinder,
was affected on Thursday. Ta-
king cognisance of the pro-
blems faced by the residents,
local MLA Aaditya Thacke-
ray late on Wednesday twee-
ted that the authorities are
setting up a system to deliver
essentials to people’s homes.
While civic officials said
that they are working on re-
suming all essential services
as soon as possible, local resi-
dents fear that the few shops
pen after they run out of
stock as no vehicles are allo-
wed to enter the area,” said
Nitesh Patil of the Worli Koli-
wada Nakhwa Matsya Vyav-
say Sahakari Society.
In a series of tweets on
Wednesday night, Thackeray
said Worli Koliwada saw 15
Covid-19 cases in the last 72
hours, due to which the area
was sealed off and movement
restricted. While Koliwada
has 10 positive cases, the adjo-
ining areas of Janta Colony
Medical workers in protective gear arrive at Worli Police Colony on and Adarsh Nagar have 3 and
Thursday to transport a suspected coronavirus patient to hospital 2 cases, respectively. Also, a
60-year-old died of Covid-19
that remain open will soon crowding the few shops that on Monday.
run out of stock. “People are are open. But what will hap- On Thursday, the local
ward office @mybmcwardGS
tweeted that 160 high- and
low-risk contacts of the 15 pa-
tients from Worli Koliwada
have been shifted into the qu-
arantine facility at M A Podar
Hospital. They will be provi-
ded with “care and other es-
sentials”, Thackeray twee-
ted. He added that as most
shops are shut, the authoriti-
es are setting a home delivery
system, including for gas cy-
linders, so that people don’t
have to stand in queues.
“Milk had been delivered yes-
terday to most homes. Today
too milk was delivered. Medi-
cal shops open,” Thackeray
tweeted.
ment zones where coronavi-
rus patients were traced and
put in hospital, and where the
high- and low-risk contacts of
the patients continue to live,
though in 14-day-long quaran-
tine periods.
A BMC official said a con-
tainment zone can be a large
area and though the civic au-
thorities, with police help,
have placed barricades, there
could be occasional crowd
movements. “We want to
avoid such an eventuality.
Therefore, our disaster con-
trol room would monitor
these 212 containment zones.
If we find people out in the
streets, the local police and
the ward office would be
alerted to take action,” said
the official. “Stepping out of
home is allowed only for
or low-risk contacts live
Zones are mapped
ward-wise
Red dots |
Clicking on
them
leads
to respective zones’
boundaries, with address
of specific buildings and
areas
availing of essential services,
but even then social distanc-
ing norms apply.”
BMC has formed a ‘corona
war room’ in its disaster con-
trol unit for case data collec-
tion, mapping by area and
monitoring on-ground man-
agement. Two IAS officers
PURPOSE
To dissuade residents
of Covid-19 zones from
stepping out, except
to avail of essential
services
have been deputed to the BMC
in light of the crisis, of whom
one, former Mumbai Metro
chief Ashwini Bhide, is in
charge of the ‘war room’. Citi-
zens can call on the BMC help-
line 1916 (tollfree) for queries
regarding the virus and test-
ing facilities.
 THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH 3
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE World HOW MAHA, INDIA COMPARE WITH WORLD WEEKLY PROGRESSION OF CASES
Cases as of end of stated week.
They don’t represent totals as of Thursday
India New cases Total Cases 1,00,000 1,03,321
State 335 Cases* Maharashtra’s share of the % Fatality rate India USA France Italy Japan 92,472 82,351
*Number of cases
country’s Covid-19 cases 72,736 80,000 Iran Spain China
dropped from 22% on Tuesday 404 Maharashtra 72,248
analysed as of 10am, April 2.
to 17% just a day later, as per the 60,000
Total cases in state as of
state government’s latest coronavirus
15
Thursday evening: 40,000 35,408 37,145
423 analysis report released on Thursday 8,23,626 1,867 INDIA
morning. The disease continues to
Source: Maharashtra Public claim more victims in the state 335 20,000
10,000
1,112 1,693
Health Department’s report as a proportion of cases than 0
of Covid-19 cases on average in the country 4.9% 2.4% 3.9% Week 1th 2th 3th 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Maha to offer 5-min test for PM accepts CM’s idea of asking faith
a few hundred rupees: Min leaders not to hold large gatherings
Sujit.Mahamulkar placed on religious gathe- share of the PM Garib Kalyan about 3,000 shelters, where
@timesgroup.com rings. The CM had issued si- Bank fund, which will be rele- 3.25 lakh migrant workers

‘Diagnostic ‘PVT COMPANIES CAN ALSO SCREEN PATIENTS’

Test To Be Held
At Same Time’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: Maharashtra’s pub-
lic health minister Rajesh To-
pe said on Thursday that the fi-
ve-minute blood tests, which
the state plans to allow to scre-
en persons for Covid-19, would
cost a few hundred rupees.
Tope said that the state had
Health minister Rajesh Tope
said private companies too
would be allowed to conduct
the rapid tests in the state
The rapid test kit will
contain an alcohol swab to
clean the finger to be pricked. promised it at a tenth of this price
It will also contain a lancet for
the finger-prick
A cartridge provided will show
results from the blood sample
within 5-10 minutes.
The price of the kit is likely to be
between `2,000 and 3000 initially,
though the state government has
The Covid-19 screening test kit is
an IgG & IgM-based antibody tool
tenth of this price.
Tope also said that the state
has 30 government hospitals
with 2,305 beds that have been
dedicated for Covid-19 cases.
The hospitals will follow the
treatment protocol decided by
the Centre and the state. “The
state government has issued
an ordinance that every dedi-
cated hospital must follow the
protocol of the treatment,” the
minister said.
Experts said the rapid scre-
ening test could provide data
that would help the authoriti-
es decide on public health me-
Mumbai: PM Modi in Thurs-
day accepted state chief mi-
nister Uddhav Thackeray’s
suggestion that religious lea-
ders of all faiths in every sta-
te in the country should be as-
ked to refrain from organi-
sing any congregations, mee-
tings or celebrations.
During a video conference
call addressed by Modi and at-
tended by chief ministers
and ministers concerned of
all the states, Thackeray sug-
gested that restrictions be
milar directions to all district
collectors in Maharashtra on
Wednesday.
The PM accepted Thacke-
ray’s suggestion and asked all
chief ministers to speak to re-
ligious leaders from their re-
spective states and ask them
to tell community members
about the need for social dis-
tancing and avoiding large
gatherings, the CMO said in a
statement.
Thackeray also said PM
Modi had sanctioned Rs 11,000
crore for all states towards a
ased immediately.
When Thackeray asked
Modi about relaxing the lock-
down after April 14, Modi cla-
rified there is a slim chance of
lifting the lockdown a hund-
red per cent. All states should
plan in such a way that no
crowds come out on the stre-
ets, and the lockdown should
be reversed in a phase-wise
and area-wise manner inste-
ad of being completely rever-
sed in a day.
Thackeray informed Mo-
di that the state has set up
are camped, and the state has
provided them food and drin-
king water and facilitated
services of health experts
and doctors to ensure health-
care facilities are available to
them.
Modi also suggested sta-
tes must abstain from anno-
uncing populist relief mea-
sures. Apart from the CM and
health minister Rajesh Tope,
the VC meeting was attended
by home minister Anil Desh-
mukh and minister for envi-
ronment Aaditya Thackeray.

Trustees of 2 religious bodies in Mumbra

sought permission from the asures such as continuing the
Centre to carry out both the di- lockdown or relaxing it.
agnostic test and screening The rapid screening tests
test simultaneously in order are different from the Covid-19

booked for sheltering Tablighi members

to get a correct picture of the
virus’s spread in the state.
These rapid tests will not diag-
nose Covid-19 but show whet-
her the person has already had
an exposure or carries antibo-
dies to the highly contagious
virus.
The minister said, “Altho-
ugh the state machinery has a
capacity of conducting 5,000
diagnostic tests a day, we app-
roached the Centre for permis-
sion for the rapid test met-
hod.” He said a screening test
could also let a person know
whether he is infected or not
(the results can be cross-
checked with the swab test if
necessary).
Tope made the announce-
ment after a video conference
that PM Narendra Modi had
with various chief ministers
and health ministers. “Not on-
ly government but private
companies can also conduct
the rapid test. The govern-
ment may consider authori-
sing four-five reputed private
companies, recognised and
approved by the Indian Coun-
cil of Medical Research
(ICMR), to conduct the rapid
tests after a proper agreement
is signed,” he added.
At present, these kits will
be imported. One of the many
companies bringing this test
to India is a Bangalore based
start-up Bione, which will
start offering home-kits early
next week. “For individuals,
this test will help them find
out if they have already been
affected. For the government,
it will help decide whom to qu-
arantine and whom not to. Pe-
ople can be sent back to work-
places if they already have an-
tibodies to the virus,” said Bio-
ne CEO Surendra Chikara.
He said most of the rapid
tests have been developed in
the US and European markets.
“We will initially import these
kits and make about 25,000 av-
ailable every week, but we
plan to start production wit-
hin four months,” he added.
The price of the kit is likely
to be between Rs 2,000 and 3000
initially, though the state go-
vernment has promised it at a
diagnostic tests which find the
virus in a patient’s swab sam-
ple. Rapid tests are serology
tests that look for antibodies to
a virus that typically develop
seven to eight days after expo-
sure. In some US cities, these
rapid tests are being used to
determine who can return to
work.
Tope later said all measu-
res are being taken by the state
to combat COVID-19. He said
PM Modi had asked the state to
concentrate on tracing, track-
ing, testing and treating. Modi
also asked the state to use va-
rious methods such as drones,
GPS system and updated tech-
nology to track movements of
people who have been asked to
quarantine themselves at ho-
me but have not been follo-
wing directions.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai/Thane/Pune/Nag- THERE’S NO LOCKDOWN IN MUMBAI?
pur: Mumbra police on Thurs-
day booked trustees of a local
madrassa and those of a local
religious school for sheltering
foreign nationals who had at-
tended the Tablighi Jamaat me-
et in Delhi in March and not in-
forming authorities about their
presence.
Twenty-one foreign natio-
nals, 8 from Malaysia and 13
from Bangladesh, apart from
two Indians from Assam, who
were at the Jamaat meet were fo-
und staying in two places in
Mumbra. Four trustees of the
Tanvir Ul Ulum Madarsa have
been booked for sheltering the

BMC struggles to control Vegetable 13 Bangladeshis and two Indi-

ans between March 10 and
March 31 without informing FREEWHEELERS: Police stop and question citizens roaming around on Thursday despite the lockdown
supply to city authorities or seeking permis-
sion. Four trustees of Al Nadiul on February 5, but the nod was rent parts of the state. Nashik, the administration has

crowds at new mkt sites too from Nashik

Falah school have been booked
for sheltering the 8 Malaysians
along with the two Indians.
revoked on March 6 in the back-
drop of coronavirus outbreak.
On January 22, Abdul Ahmed
Rajesh Tope, health mini-
ster, said over 1,400 from Maha-
rashtra had attended the meet.
so far quarantined 157, besides
10 close contacts. The Nagpur ci-
vic body has quarantined104 pe-

VijayV.Singh@timesgroup.com 60% down The offences have been re-

gistered under sections of the
Azmi of Shamim Education
and Welfare Society, Vasai, had
He said, “We have traced nearly
1,300 participants and are offe-
ople reportedly linked to the me-
et in government rest houses.

Mumbai: The BMC has beg-

‘VENDORS, BUYERS NOT COOPERATING’
un to shift some of its 69 who-
lesale, retail and main roadsi-
de vegetable markets to open
grounds in an effort to provi-
de more space for social dis-
tancing to vendors as well as
buyers. The civic authority,
though, is struggling to imp-
lement the initiative due to
“non-cooperation” from ve-
getable vendors and buyers
and the ensuing confusion.
On Thursday morning,
for instance, a crowd gathe-
red at a ground at Gorai Road
where BMC has shifted the
Borivli market. Similarly,
around 300 tempos converged
at the four sites to which the
Dadar market has been dis-
persed: Bandra-Kurla Comp-
lex, Dahisar, Mulund and So-
Tushar Pawar, Satyajit Joshi &
Foreigners Act, the Epidemic
Act, the National Disaster Ma-
written to SP, Palghar, seeking
permission for the congrega-
ring counselling to them thro-
ugh NGOs, NSS students and
Authorities in Mumbai are
using lodges for the quarantine.
Abhijeet Patil TNN nagement Act and the IPC. The tion. “Nearly 50,000 people were home guards in order to qua- They shifted 16 to a lodge in Kur-
21 foreign nationals have tested to attend,” Deshmukh said. rantine them an d do tests.” la. Officials stated some partici-
Nashik/Kolhapur: If you negative for Covid-19, said San- As many as 373 Tablighis Two foreigners and four of pants who returned over two
are seeing fewer vegetables deep Malvi, PRO of Thane Mu- from Mumbai had attended last their close contacts tested posi- weeks ago had completed the 14-
and fruits in the city’s mar- nicipal Corporation. month’s event in Delhi, the tive in Ahmednagar on Thurs- day “incubation” period. Civic
kets, it is because traders and Home minister Anil Desh- Centre has said. The BMC, with day. They have been moved to officials are checking if anyone
farmers from Nashik and wes- mukh said due to alertness of help of police, traced and qua- Booth Hospital where two other has symptoms and collecting
tern Maharashtra are struggl- Maharashtra police, a Delhi- rantined 157 people who had at- foreigners, also participants in samples for tests. Officials in
ing to get labourers to work on like incident was averted in the tended the meet. They are try- the meet, who had tested positi- Bhiwandi said 25 people who at-
the fields and transport farm state. An organisation belong- ing to trace 62 more in different ve earlier, have been quaranti- tended the meet are “under ob-
produce to the state capital. ing to Tablighi Jamaat had as- parts of the city. The authorities ned. In addition, two from Pim- servation” in isolation wards of
Nashik has a lion’s share of ked for permission to hold a me- said out of 373 from Mumbai, pri Chinchwad tested positive. Tata Amantra. Police said 15
the vegetable market in Mum- et on March14-15 in Vasai and lo- 132 are out of the state; many are Of 233 participants from Pune, men from Mira-Bhayander had
Borivli market was shifted to Gorai ground but it was as crowded on Thursday bai and sends across more th- cal police had given permission still in Delhi, and 22 are in diffe- Kolhapur, Ahmednagar and participated in the Delhi meet.
an 500 tonne of greens daily.
WHY BMC DECIDED TO SHIFT MARKETS? A day before
Complaints of overcrowding the Borivli
market was shifted
Nashik also supplies vegetab-
les to cities in Gujarat daily.
Officials said the vegetab- Woman, infant test Kandivli hosp
WHERE HAVE MARKETS SHIFTED?
to the Gorai ground, les are sent to Mumbai from
quarantines HAPPAIMES
Large open grounds
HOW WILL THIS HELP?
It will allow for social distancing
there was a rumour
that vegetables would
be cheaper there. So,
Nashik on 150 vehicles. Ever
since the lockdown, the supp-
ly has reduced substantially.
negative at Kasturba 63 of its staff o
I

maiya Ground in Sion. As po-
lice did not allow tempos in
the Dadar market area, which
was closed two days ago, all
rushed to the alternative sites
and ended up crowding these.
Sion, especially, saw a large
number of people turn up.
The BMC has likewise shi-
fted Kurla market to a ground
that too has been seeing huge
footfalls despite warnings
and markings for social di-
stancing. Last Friday, the ci-
vic body also shifted half its
Byculla market to a nearby
ground.
Civic officials said they
are facing difficulties in disc-
MARKET NEW SITE ON OPEN GROUND
Borivli West Gorai Road
BKC, Dahisar, Mulund,
Dadar
Somaiya Ground in Sion
Kurla In vicinity
In vicinity (partially shifted)
Byculla
ining social distancing. Desp-
ite that, if the crowd fails to do
so, we have no option but to
shut the market and shift it to
a ground for a bigger space.”
Local ward officials invol-
ved in the process have sug-
gested alternative locations
many people rushed
in and it got crowded.
I have suggested that
BMC split the market
in three or four grounds
in the vicinity for better
crowd management
Sunil Rane | BORIVLI MLA
the BMC shifted the Borivli
roadside market, there were
no markings on the ground
and only one gate was open,
said a local resident. “The
BMC just shifted the market
to the ground without mar-
king circles. It has posted po-
Only about 40-60 vehicles lea-
ve for Mumbai with 150-200 to-
nne of vegetables. This amo-
unts to a 60% drop in supply.
Arun Kale, secretary of
Nashik APMC, confirmed ve-
getable supply to Mumbai has
been affected. “Covid-19 has
badly hit vegetable supply to
Mumbai. Vehicles are not allo-
wed in most parts of the city.”
Traders said drivers and
labourers are worried about
travelling to Mumbai, which
has reported several Covid-19
cases. There are also concerns
about transport vehicles reac-
hing Mumbai, considering all
the permissions required and
Mumbai: A woman and her
seven-day-old child tested ne-
gative for coronavirus on
Thursday, two days after initi-
al reports from a private labo-
ratory came positive. The fa-
mily is at Kasturba Hospital,
where they were shifted from
a Chembur maternity home
on Wednesday. The baby was
detected with coronavirus
when three days old, making
him the youngest to test posi-
tive for Covid-19 in the city.
The father said fresh tests
were done at Kasturba on
Wednesday morning. “The
doctor said both tested negati-
ve. The news brought us great
first report was negative. His
Kasturba report is awaited.
“Since I was negative and
my son was positive, I could
not meet him,” said the 32-ye-
ar-old, who said the nursing
home treated them “unpro-
fessionally”. The receptionist
at the nursing home, which is
now shut, also tested positive.
Her samples may be retested.
A civic official said there
are technical reasons why the
findings could vary. “The
shedding of virus is intermit-
tent. It’s possible the swab was
taken when the individual
was in the incubation period.
Either way we carry out repe-
Knowledge is Safety!
Mumbai: Bharat Ratna Dr Ba-
basaheb Ambedkar hospital Read the paper to enhance
(Kandivli) quarantined 63 your awareness and safety
members of its medical staff af- during these times.
ter they handled a Covid-19 case Healthcare vouchers
recently. The 53-year-old pati- to be won daily.
ent died on March 30. Convert points to
The medical staff, including 5X TIMESPOINTS
doctors, nurses and ward boys, for assured rewards.
have been quarantined in the Weekly Points Bonanza!
hospital after they were expo- Weekly draws for 12000
sed to a patient who reported
TIMESPOINTS,every Sunday.
positive for Covid-19, said medi- T&Cs apply Part ic pation window: 7 to 11AU
cal superintendent Dr Pramod
1 1
Nagarkar on Thursday. As a re-
sult, the over 400-bedded muni-
cipal hospital has come to a
standstill, sources said. 1

iplining crowds. The BMC de-
cided to shut and shift mar-
kets after complaints of over-
crowding. Assistant munici-
pal commissioner Prashant
Gaikawad said, “We have ap-
pointed an officer for each
market to keep a vigil. We ha-
ve marked circles for mainta-
and crowd management. A lo-
cal political representative
said the BMC should select
areas where there are three to
four open grounds so that
vendors get divided for better
crowd management.
At Gen Arunkumar Vai-
dya ground in Gorai where
licemen to manage the crow-
ds. It is difficult for cops to ha-
ndle the crowds and people
walk close to one another. Th-
is negates the purpose of shif-
ting a market to a ground.
When there are two gates,
why not designate one for ent-
ry and the other for exit?”
returning to Nashik. Also,
with restricted hours of vege-
table sale, they are unsure ab-
out the produce getting sold.
Farmers are counting the-
ir losses. Usually, three and
half months from February
are the peak period for vege-
table crop.
relief. But why did the fin-
dings of the private laborato-
ry not co-relate with that of
Kasturba, and were we erro-
neously given a positive re-
port? My wife, who had under-
gone a C-section, had to endu-
re a lot as her report came po-
sitive,” said the father, whose
at tests at Kasturba and only
when both come negative a
patient is discharged,” the of-
ficial said. Another expert sa-
id findings depend on how
well the sample was collected,
how many days into the ail-
ment was it taken or kind of
kits used. TNN
“We had no option but to iso-
late staff. Their swabs have be-
en sent to state-run JJ Hospital
and the reports are awaited,”
Dr Nagarkar said. Ambedkar
hospital admitted 50 cases of su- Onswer 2:o Im874596M
spected coronavirus, and re-
Stay Safe TIpI
ports are expected by the wee-
Wash hand s soap 1
kend. —Ambarish Mishra
water for at least 20 seconds.

Refused burial by Malad kabrastan, ‘Muslims can celebrate

L_
Shab-e-Barat at home’
Muslim Covid-19 victim cremated Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar urged Mus-
lims to celebrate Shab-e-Barat, on April 8, at ho-
24x7 MENTAL HEALTH HELPLINE
24.7 Mobile nos

Mumbai: A Muslim who died of Co-
vid-19 was cremated after a Muslim
cemetery at Malad (W) denied buri-
al, fearing spread of coronavirus.
But some Muslim commentators sa-
id the community should not be so
rigid as to protest so vehemently if
the situation worsens and gravey-
ards are not able to cope if deaths by
Covid-19 rise.
After the Malwani man died at a
Jogeshwari hospital on Tuesday, his
body was taken to the kabrastan at
Charkop for burial. In a telephone
conversation with a family friend,
his son is heard saying BMC and po-
lice co-operated but the kabrastan
did not allow the burial as it would
take months for the body, wrapped
in plastic, to decompose. As the aut-
horities could not have suspended
the burial endlessly, the body was
cremated. His family has been qua-
rantined.
Senior Urdu commentator Ha-
san Kamal said, “The situation in
Iran and Italy shows communities
are unable to handle bodies for for-
mal funeral. We should be mentally
prepared that God forbid we too will
have to allow our dead to be crema-
ted.” Local MLA and guardian mini-
ster Aslam Shaikh said, “BMC’s cir-
cular says victims’ last rites should
be at a crematorium/burial ground me, while Mumbai’s guardian minister, Aslam 9334915046
24x7 Toll Free no.
nearest to the hospital they die at. Shaikh, told the police commissioner to take 9334915047
The family should have approached strong action against those who violate the lock- 1800-34-51849 9334915048
kabrastan trustees.” Noor Bads- down following coronavirus.
9334915049
hah, trustee of the kabrastan, said, Pawar also urged followers of B R Ambedkar
9334915050
“Few days back, we allowed burial to postpone his birth anniversary celebrations
of a Covid-19 victim. The family sho- on April 14. Shaikh said police should not be leni- Tele 9334915051
uld have approached us if guards ent with those who violate the lockdown on the 933491 5052
0651-2451115
did not allow the ambulance in.” holy night of fortune and forgiveness. Shab-e-Ba- 9334915053
“The kabrastan’s behaviour is rat is 15 days ahead of the holy month of Ramzan, 0651-2451116 9334915054
unacceptable. BMC’s circular and and many Muslims light crackers and visit Sufi .
0651-2451119 9334915056
WHO guidelines allow burial. We shrines and mosques at night.
are hurt,” said activist Adil Khatri. “If needed, we will declare curfew that night. 9334915057
Senior cleric Maulana Mahmood Youths should not ride bikes and create a nuisan- 9334915058
Daryabadi said, “We are shocked. Of ce,” said Shaikh. We know that times are difficult! 9334915060
what use are Muslim politicians?” “If they want to pray for the dead, they should If you are feeling stressed, panicky, sad, anxious or depressed...
9334915062
—Mohammed Wajihuddin do so staying at home,” said a senior cleric. TNN
9334915063
PLEASE REACH OUT TO US!!!
 4 TIMES CITY | VIRUS WATCH
Pe
rsonal
THANKSGIVING
0 Holy St Jude ! Apostle and
M a r t y r . great in v i r t u e and
rich in miracles, near kinsman
of Jesus C h r i s t . f a i t h f u l
intercessor for all who invoke
thee, special patron in time of
need : to thee I have recourse
from the depth of my heart, and
humbly beg thee. to whom God
hath given such great power, to
come to my assistance: help me
now in my urgent need and
grant my earnest p e t i t i o n . I
will never forget thy graces and
the favors thou dost obtain for
me and I will do my utmost to
spread devotion to thee. Amen.
MahaRERA extends
project completion &
registration deadlines
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Real Esta-
te Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA)
allowed the extension of completion
dates for projects whose dates expired
on or after March 15. It also extended
the registration period for such pro-
jects by three months.
In an order uploaded on its website,
MahaRERA said the 21-day lockdown
has severely affected registered pro-
jects. “The supply chains for construc-
tion material have been disrupted and
labour may have migrated back to the-
ir home state. Due to these circumstan-
ces real estate projects across Maha-
rashtra will take sometime to restart
work,” it said.
MahaRERA further said that all
statutory compliances that were due
in March/April/May were extended to
June 30. TNN
SAD DEMISE
I I SF
PRAMILLA LEWIS
27/04/1949 - 01/04/2020
How can we describe you in
a word, a sentence or two?
How can we stop smiling
when we think of the times
shared with you?
The most important person
in our lives has now gone;
And she left quietly, with the
same grace she lived with,
without grandeur, pomp or
song.
She meant a lot to many
people, each has their
own story to tell;
But we were blessed to be
her children to know her
the best, not just well.
To be loved by her was life's
greatest blessing,
To be raised by her was a
miracle too;
And we can write books but
never fully describe our
mother toyou.
Grace, intellect and kindness
is what flowed out from her
so easily.
And though we will no
longer see her, in our
hearts she will always be.
We hope you had the
privilege to know her,
because she is all we aspire
to be.
So that when she
looks down from heaven
she can smile and say,
"That 's my g irl!
That's my boy! Aren 't they
just like me?"
(Poem penned by our fries
Mignonne Fernandes)
t +
*
You were our world.
Love you forever.
Your children, Rosanne
and Newton.
Loving wife of
Late Dr. Norman Lewis
Beloved Daughter of
Late Clara & Late Roldao
Fernandes
Sister of
Dr. Aurobindo/Melba
, & Franklin/J ustina
eeHOHOUR CuUIi
$R AVERyY., ,h VOW
The silent joy of remembering a loved one.
The moments you shared together.
Little moments that make life beautiful.
Share them . With Friends. Relatives . Neighbours.
Colleagues.With all those whose lives the departed
Soul has touched.
Because while life goes on,
when you share memories . they stay on forever.
Let 's plan o Remembrance . Call us on 9867505472
T H E TI ME S
G RO U P
Cremate victims
of Covid-19:
Church to priests
Clara.Lewis@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: The Archdiocese of Bombay
has asked its priests to follow the directi-
ves of the municipal commissioner and
cremate Covid-19 victims rather than bury
them. “In a video message to priests, Car-
dinal Oswald Gracias suggested in view of
the extraordinary circumstances they wo-
uld respect the call of the municipal com-
missioner and cremate any novel corona-
virus victims,” Father Nigel Barrett, spo-
kesperson for the Archdiocese of Bombay,
informed TOI.
Early this week, municipal commissio-
ner Praveen Pardeshi had issued a directi-
ve under the Epidemic Act, 1897, stating all
victims of Covid-19 would be cremated
and, if a family insisted on a burial, then it
would have to be done outside the city.
The circular was, however, immediate-
ly withdrawn after Minority Affairs mini-
ster Nawab Malik objected to it. An amen-
ded circular issued a few hours later said
burial would be allowed if the burial gro-
unds were large enough so as not to create
the possibility of the virus spreading in
the neighbouring areas.
Father Barrett said in view of the
amended circular, a family would be gran-
ted a burial if they insisted as long as they
followed WHO guidelines.
Meanwhile, former Congress minister
Naseem Khan, in a letter to the CM, said
there was anger in the Muslim community
over a Covid-19 victim not being allowed
burial at Malwani on Wednesday. He said
the government must earmark a portion
in all kabrastans across the state for vic-
tims of the pandemic.
'
Docs may lose
TMNM.. ewrrM1 tr
licence over
PRAYER MEETING shut clinics
Navi Mumbai: The Navi
Mumbai Municipal Corpora-
tion (NMMC) will issue show-
cause notices to private doc-
tors, who have either shut nur-
sing homes and clinics or refu-
se to attend to general patients
in view of the corona scare.
The administration is sen-
ding out individual notices
threatening to cancel their li-
7AI\ cences in case of non-compli-
Panna ben
ance. The decision came after
complaints from residents,
With deep who were being inconvenien-
regret we wish ced. NMMC sources said pri-
to inform the vate hospitals not letting regu-
demise of our lar patients in can face the mu-
beloved Mother sic. It was said that action wo-
Shrimati uld be taken if such hospitals
Panna ben violate civic orders, said
Bharat bhai NMMC chief Annasaheb Mi-
Broker on wed sal. —BB Nayak
1/04/20 loss
mourned by
Manisha
Jay gandhi
Madhvi
Naval Dockyard
designs low-cost
Bhavik Archana
Mohanish , temp sensor
Dhriti , Mumbai: The Naval Dockyard
Dev, Raj has designed and developed its
own hand-held IR-based tempe-
rature sensor to screen a large
number of personnel at its ent-
ry gates, thus reducing the load
on the security sentries at the
lo gate. With in-house resources,
the device was manufactured at
x under Rs 1,000 (which is frac-
tion of the cost of the tempera-
ture guns in the market).
TO PLACE The 285-year-old dockyard
has an average influx of around
AN 20,000 personnel into its premi-
ses every day, said a defence spo-
ANNOUNCEMENT kesperson. Checking the body
IN THIS
temperature via non-contact
means allows screening for pos-
sible cases of Covid-19. The spo-
SECTION kesperson told TOI, “Once it is
patented, it will be manufactu-
CALL:
red in a huge quantity for sale at
low prices.” — V Narayan
9867505472
Shops to close by
5pm in Kharghar,
Kalamboli: Cops
Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai
police on Thursday announced
that shops selling essentials
will be closed after 5pm every
day in Kharghar and Kalambo-
li nodes, after the number of po-
awl"
sitive cases increased in these
areas. The police claims that
*at the move has been necessitated
as citizens are not abiding by
lockdown rules and frequently
step out of their homes in the
evening under the pretext of
buying vegetables, milk or me-
dicine. — George Mendonca
Body found on
footpath, cops
say not corona
Mumbai: A beggar’s body
was found on a footpath in
the jurisdiction of Azad Mai-
dan police station on Thurs-
day morning. The body of a
male aged around 50 was sent
for a post-mortem.
After the body was found
in the morning, police called
pesticide staff and told them
to spray the body. It was not a
case of coronavirus death,
said zonal DCP Sangramsinh
Nishandaar. TNN
Social distancing a luxury, essential
staff face daily risk in packed buses
Somit Sen, Sujit Mahamulkar
& Sumitra Deb Roy TNN
Mumbai: Several para medical staff and
other government officials had gathered
outside KEM Hospital on Thursday after-
noon to take the BEST bus back home.
Within seconds of the bus arriving, there
was a rush to get in, making crowd man-
agement and social distancing look redun-
dant.
Sources said similar crowds are wit-
nessed on buses in the morning hours
when essential staff is ferried to the city
from as far as Palghar, Ambernath and
Panvel. Almost daily, scores of passengers
travel standing and close to each other
though the latest rule prohibits “standees”
in any public transport bus.
On Thursday, the BEST operated 1,171
buses for essential staff across the city
with the help of 3,700 drivers and conduc-
tors.
The pressure on the public transport
undertaking has further increased from
Thursday with two additional responsibil-
ities entrusted to it. BEST buses have been
asked to handle transportation and supply
of food/ration to the 191 containment
zones earmarked across Mumbai. The
buses will be used to carry a large number
of food packets as well for distribution.
Pvt hospitals sweeten Covid-19 duty with
online movies, special meals, cash sops
Malathy.lyer@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Hospitals are using
incentives from cash bonuses to
free stays and Netflix connec-
tions to ‘pamper’ medical staff
involved in Covid-19 duty that
ranges from five to 14 days.
Doctors, nurses and allied
medical staff face the highest
risk of Covid-19 infection due to
their proximity to positive pa-
tients. In Italy and China, thou-
sands of medical staff were af-
fected and the toll ran into hun-
dreds. In Mumbai so far, six doc-
tors and nine nurses and helpers
have tested positive.
“It is not as much an incen-
tive, but a thank you for opting
for the duty,” said an adminis-
trator of a private hospital that
has been designated as a Covid-
care centre. “There is a lot of
planning that goes into manag-
ing shifts, food, transport and
stay,” said an official from a
south Mumbai hospital.
Jaslok Hospital on Pedder
Road has got a BEST bus to ferry
its staff, while S L Raheja in Ma-
Bizman feeds needy patients’ kin who live on streets
Sujit.Mahamulkar
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Among those hit by
the lockdown are hundreds of
people whose relatives are ai-
ling or suffering from chronic
illnesses. Deprived of basic ne-
cessities, facilities and hygienic
conditions, these people, most
of who hail from marginalised
sections of society, are forced to
#LOCKDOWN
HEROES
stay on the pavements or under
bridges outside hospitals. The-
se helpless people now rely sole-
ly on the food that is provided by
a few social workers.
Mohmmed Azam Sheikh is
one such Good Samaritan who
has been working tirelessly sin-
ce March 22. Sheikh has been
‘Plan to regulate hours
for fuel pump workers’
From P 1
M
eanwhile, pump owners
told TOI on Thursday that
the petrol pumps in Mum-
bai are open for both private and
government vehicles.
However, they said that there
are strict guidelines that are rest-
ricting citizens from coming out of
their homes unless it is for essenti-
als or an emergency.
“They should take a call before
arriving at the pump as the police
are checking everywhere,” a
British-era bridge on E-way
to be razed during lockdown
Navi Mumbai: With a lockdown
in force, the state’s road agency,
MSRDC, has scheduled razing of
the British-era Amrutanjan brid-
ge near Lonavala on Mumbai-Pu-
ne Expressway from April 4 to 14.
The pillars of the bridge were a
bottleneck below, causing traffic
snarls. It has also been a death trap
for motorists, especially heavy ve-
hicle drivers due to the steep incli-
ne. The demolition will pave the
way to widen the highway, said Dr
Digambar Pradhan, superinten-
dent of police (highways), Thane.
KEM Hospital staffers rush to board a BEST bus on Thursday
Secondly, the buses are being deployed
as special transport for a section of doctors
and nurses treating Covid-19 patients. “It
has been decided that this medical staff
should not go back home and, therefore,
they have been provided temporary ac-
him offers them an extended
stay in the hospital’s single
rooms converted into tempora-
ry pads with TV that boasts of
Amazon Prime and Netflix
channels among others. Food is
either sourced from classy res-
taurants or pumped up with
chicken and fruits.
A lot of care has also gone in-
to ensuring that staff members
working in normal wards don’t
A lot of care has also gone into ensuring that staff members work-
ing in normal wards don’t come in contact with the Covid team.
While Fortis, Mulund, has a special entrance and a special lift to
ensure the Covid ward is separate, at S L Raheja Hospital, a lift
operates only between the 9th and 12th floors
come in contact with the Covid
team. “We have a special en-
trance and a special lift to en-
sure the Covid ward stays sepa-
rate,” said Dr S Narayani from
Fortis Hospital, Mulund.
In S L Raheja Hospital, for in-
stance, the hospital’s general
work is carried out in the first
eight floors. While all the single
Mohmmed Azam Sheikh (in white shirt) distributes food near Tata Memorial
going around, offering food and
drinking water to these stran-
ded people in Mumbai.
Sheikh provides 700 packets
of vegetable pulao and 1,500 wa-
ter bottles free and also distri-
butes them every day to needy
pump owner said.
President of the Petrol Dea-
lers’ Association, M Venkat Rao,
said, “We are contemplating regu-
lating the working hours. We do
not want to refuse or deny suppli-
es, so whoever comes to the pump
during the regulated timings will
be given fuel.”
“Petrol pumps need relief on
the work hours. The workers are
also not willing to come and work
at their respective petrol pumps as
they fear of getting infected with
Covid-19,” he added.
Assistant police inspector S
Pujari said that the Raigad collec-
tor has approved the demolition.
The demolition, planned two
years ago, could not be done due to
heavy traffic movement. Now,
amid the lockdown, traffic is very
sparse and so MSRDC decided to
demolish the bridge. “As essential
service vehicles ply on the E-way,
we have diverted such vehicles
along the old Mumbai-Pune high-
way,” said Pujari. This diversion
of traffic will take place from
April 4 to 14. —George Mendonca
commodation. Our buses ferry them to
and from the hospital,” a top BEST official
told TOI.
BMC’s additional municipal commis-
sioner Suresh Kakani said he has instruct-
ed medical colleges to create their own
rooms on the ninth floor have
been given to the medical staff to
stay, the Covid ward is on the
12th floor. “Our 10th and 11th
floors are under renovation, so
we have a lift that operates only
between the 9th and 12th floors,”
said hospital CEO Dr Hiren Am-
begoankar.
A few floors on the Jaslok
Hospital’s hostel located adja-
cent to the main building have
been given to resident doctors,
nurses and housekeeping staff
working on the 10th floor Covid
ward. “They work for five days
and stay home for two days,”
said a hospital spokesperson.
All the medical staff who opted
for Covid duty will be given a
cash bonus and BEST has given
the hospital a special bus to
relatives waiting outside Tata
Memorial and KEM hospitals
in Parel and St George Hospital
at CSMT.
A resident of the Fort area in
south Mumbai, Sheikh, who is a
businessman, says he was in-
NMMC must
rope in pvt
hosps: Docs
Navi Mumbai: While Navi
Mumbai Municipal Corpora-
tion (NMMC) on Thursday
asked DY Patil Hospital in Ne-
rul to admit patients current-
ly admitted to NMMC Hospi-
tal in Vashi as the latter gears
up to treat Covid-19 patients,
doctors of private hospitals
said that NMMC should rope
in big private hospitals in Na-
vi Mumbai to treat Covid-19
patients like the BMC has.
Sources claimed that pri-
vate hospitals had contacted
NMMC’s administration to
set up dedicated facilities to
treat Covid-19 patients, but
NMMC officials were circum-
spect. A senior official of a
group of private hospitals
said that private hospitals
wanted to chip in. “But
NMMC officials were initially
reluctant... All patients were
rushed to Kasturba in Mum-
bai,” said the senior official.
“On the other hand, BMC was
very fast to get private partici-
pation to treat patients...”
However, an official from
NMMC clarified that the civic
body cannot unilaterally rope
in the private sector, but needs
the government’s go-ahead
for the same. TNN
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020
travel charts which can then be shared
with the BEST.
“It is a Herculean task for our drivers
and conductors who have been multi-task-
ing -- even ferrying a few foreign nationals
to the airport for a special flight some days
back,” said an official. However, he point-
ed out it is difficult for the red buses to
match the load handled by the Railways to
ferry those from far-flung suburbs to the
city. He cited the example of a bus with ze-
ro standees at Dombivli on Thursday
morning, but the driver encountered pas-
sengers en route at Diva naka and Kalva
naka flashing ID cards and urging him to
take them as they were on ‘emergency du-
ty’. “Some of them are policemen with
whom our drivers cannot argue. The bus
ultimately ends up with a lot of standees,”
the official said.
A nurse from one of the civic-run hos-
pitals said she is a diabetic and, hence, wor-
ried about travelling in a crowded bus.
“Not only could I get infected, but I might
also pass on the infection to my family,”
she said.
At KEM hospital, TOI took a picture of
the crowd boarding the bus on Thursday.
When a BEST official at the spot was asked
about the crowd, he replied, “Despite re-
peatedly pointing out, they don’t care to
maintain social distancing.”
146 CISF
guards to be
transport them.
quarantined
Navi Mumbai: After five
Around 23 private hospitals
across the city offer isolation
CISF guards working at Mum-
bai airport and accommodat-
and quarantine facility at gov- ed at Kalamboli camp tested
ernment-fixed prices of Rs 4,000 positive for Covid-19 on Thurs-
room charges daily. Cost of PPEs day, samples of around 146
and equipment and medicine is
separate. The BMC has set up a
others at the camp have been
sent to Kasturba hospital for
Whatsapp group with all hospi- testing. Late on Thursday, all
tal administrators and senior of- 146 were to be shifted to a quar-
ficials, including the municipal antine centre at a hospital fa-
commissioner Pravin Pardeshi. cility at Kamothe.
This helps quick decision on A revenue department
stay of suspected patients. source said a civic team will
Do nurses and staffers get shift the guards in groups of
panic attacks when on Covid du- 20 to the hospital, where there
ty? A hospital official said it is a are 150 beds. “Test reports of
“yo-yo” situation. “Some days, the 146 will be received on Fri-
they fear exposure, but at other day evening. Those who test
times they are chilling with each positive will be shifted to Kas-
other,” he said. turba for treatment, while
Dr Narayani said healthcare those testing negative will be
in countries such as China and kept under observation at the
South Korea evolved after the quarantine centre for 14
SARS and MERS viruses. days,” he said.
“Even our health officials Panvel City municipal cor-
should insist that hospitals are poration said 130 CISF guards
planned keeping the future in have undergone tests. The
mind, with separate wings, en- camp has been sealed and all
trances and air-flow systems,’’ guards home quarantined.
she said. —George Mendonca
spired to take up social welfare Trust, sought help of former
activities from his professor at
St Xavier’s College who died of
Shiv Sena corporator Ganesh
Sanap of Colaba who provided
blood cancer last year. him with an ambulance to ferry
“I could not sit idle in the and distribute food and water.
comfort of my home while Along with Sheikh, the local
hundreds of needy people were Sena unit additionally provi-
leading a miserable life by the ded 700 food packets to be distri-
roadside. I felt it was my social buted among the relatives of the
responsibility and time to give patients.
back to society from which I ear- Apart from supplying food,
ned my profits. I expect others Sheikh also provides packets of
to do the same in whatever way foodgrain packets in slum pock-
possible,” Sheikh told TOI.
Sheikh esaid that he would
ets of Golibar locality in Santa-
cruz, Malvani in Malad and Jo-
continue distributing food and
water to as many patients and
geshwari to needy families.
Each of these packets consists
their relatives as possible till
the lockdown ends. He started
of 10kg of rice, 5kg of wheat flo-
ur, 2kg of oil, 1kg of moong dal,
distributing the food packets 1kg of tur dal and 2kg of sugar.
and water bottles from March Sheikh has sought official
22, soon after the lockdown was permission from the office of
announced by the state and la- the deputy commissioner of po-
ter continued by the Centre at lice (zone I) before initiating
the national level. this endeavour. He said he is
Sheikh, who is associated thankful to DCP Sangramshinh
with Bai Aishabai Charitable Nishandar for his cooperation.
TIMES
Cat ult your career
COCHIN SHIPYARD LIMITED
(A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ENTERPRISE)
No.P&A/Mise/2020 31 March 2020
CORRIGENDUM
FOR THE INFORMATION OF ALL APPLICANTS
Refer Vacancy notification No. P&A/2(271)/2020 Vol I dtd 28
February 2020 for the posts of Assistant Engineer (Electronics /
Information Technology) in CSL.
Owing to the COVID- 19 pandemic and current situation prevailing
in the country , it has been decided to extend the last date of
submission of Application Online for the posts as per the
notificationsreferred above to 15 April 2020.
For details, please visit website www.cochinshipyard.com.
Sd/-
CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER (HR & TRAINING)
Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy
Corrigendum (Time Extension)
The Last date for recei pt of application form for
appointment to the post of
Dire ctor (Technical)
in
IREL(India) Limited
.
is hereby extended to 01 05.2020 upto17 00 hrs. .
Other terms and conditions of the Notification
no. 3/5(1)2019-PSU remains unaltered.
For details log in to website
http://www.dae.gov.in
 TIMES NATION THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020

ANGELA MERKEL, PM MODI DISCUSS COVID SITUATION, THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR AN INDIA-SPECIFIC STRATEGY
SAY THEY WILL EXPLORE AVENUES OF COOPERATION TO COMBAT CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, SAYS RAHUL GANDHI

VIRAL ALERTS
Shoes from China
land Odisha man in
home quarantine
T he administration of Odisha’s
Koraput district on Thursday
put a resident under 14-day home
quarantine after he received a
pair of shoes from China, the
once-epicentre of the
Blood Disorder
coronavirus, reports
Satyanarayan Pattnaik. “We
have seized the shoes and
medically examined the receiver.
Lockdown creates acute Centre revokes visas, will
shortage at blood banks deport Tablighi members
Critically Ill, of blood donation camps were
cancelled, the Kerala State
AIDS control Society has issu-
ed a fresh circular allowing blo-
od donation at blood banks.
Patients Hit In most cities, including
Delhi and Hyderabad, blood
TIMES NEWS NETWORK banks are rationing the supply
even to thalassemia patients
Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: The home mini-
stry on Thursday blacklisted
and cancelled the ‘tourist’ vi-
sas of 960 foreign Tablighi Ja-
maat members for having vio-
lated their visa conditions by
engaging in “missionary” ac-
tivities here. It also asked the

As he had touched the shoes, he
has been asked to quarantine
himself at homefor 14 days,”
district collector Madhusudan
Mishra said. The shoes could be
destroyed as they might have
been contaminated, he added.
Oath-taking of new
RS members only
after lockdown ends
R ajya Sabha Chairman M
Venkaiah Naidu said on
Thursday that the 37
newly-elected members of Rajya
Sabha will be administered their
oath only after the lockdown is
lifted. While the EC has deferred
elections to 55 vacancies in RS, 37
members have already been
elected unopposed. Until they are
administered their oath, the
members are not entitled to sit,
participate or vote in the House or
in a committee. Neither the Rajya
Sabha nor any of its committees
are likely to meet till the
lockdown period is over. TNN
B
lood banks in most states
are facing acute shorta-
ges as donations have dri-
ed up during the lockdown. De-
spite reduced demand for blood
due to elective surgeries being
kept on hold and road acci-
dents coming down, the banks
are struggling to cope.
Though general demand
for blood and blood products
may have reduced, blood banks
still have to cater to the critical-
ly ill, blood disorder patients,
cancer patients needing plate-
let infusion, women needing
blood transfusion after child
birth and trauma patients.
After many state govern-
ments clamped down on blood
Hizb releases
tape on social
distancing
SAFETY MEASURES: Firefighters spray disinfectant over a building
in a locality near Nizamuddin mosque on Thursday in New Delhi
donation camps to avoid large
gatherings, some have allowed
smaller camps to be set up to de-
al with the acute shortage.
“Under the prevailing lock-
down, no blood donation
camps are being organized and
people are scared to step out,”
said a state blood transfusion
council official in Pune.
But the council has reached
out to various organisations
to organise donations in
small batches.
Govt app to track if
you have been near
The situation is especially
dire in central India and Vi-
darbha, home to several com-
munities in which blood disor-
ders like thalassemia and sick-
le cell disease are common.
In Mumbai, the shortage
has eased after health minister
Rajesh Tope and the state FDA
gave permission for special
‘mini’ camps that observe soci-
al distancing norms and provi-
de sanitisers and masks.
In Kerala, after thousands
Kerala HC stays
and insisting patients bring vo-
lunteers with the required blo-
od group as they are unable to
allow replacement donation.
Often, donors struggle to reach
the blood banks with no public
transport and police restric-
ting travel. Over half the tha-
lassemia patients are being
turned away in Hyderabad.
PGI Chandigarh’s blood
bank department planned ahe-
ad by managing donations
with a staggered number of vo-
lunteers. “We send our buses
for 10-15 people to the houses of
known donors and we had ta-
ken prior approval for this,” sa-
id Dr Rati Ram, head of trans-
fusion medicine in PGIMER.
move to allow
sale of liquor
to alcoholics
states and UTs where these fo-
reigners are present to take ne-
cessary legal action under the
Foreigners Act, which sources
said was likely to involve their
deportation after payment of a
$500 financial penalty, as well
as under the Disaster Manage-
ment Act.
The blacklisting order aga-
inst the foreign Tablighi Ja-
maat visitors will debar them
from entering India for at least
two years. Announcing the ac-
tion on Twitter, home mini-
ster Amit Shah stated: “Home
ministry has blacklisted 960
foreigners found involved in
Tablighi activities on a tourist
visa and also cancelled their
Indian visas.”
“The home ministry has
also directed the state DGPs
and the Delhi Police commis-
sioner to take necessary legal
action against the 960 foreig-
ners for violation of provi-
sions of the Foreigners Act,
1946 and Disaster Manage-
ment Act, 2005,” he added.
BRAVEHEART DOCS BACK AT INDORE LOCALITY: Shaking off the
trauma of Wednesday’s attack, women doctors led a Covid-19 team
back to the same Indore locality on Thursday where they were pelted
with stones a day earlier, albeit accompanied by administrative
officers and cops. This time, however, they were showered with
apologies. People trickled out of homes, profusely apologising to
Dr Tripti and her team for the attack by a ‘group of misled youngsters’
Shivraj: This Attack on staff
isn’t a tweet, involved in
it’s a warning contact tracing
TIMES NEWS NETWORK TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bhopal/Indore: “Human Vellore: A group of residents
rights are only for humans,” attacked two women angan-
chief minister Shivraj Singh wadi workers who visited
Chouhan warned on Thurs- Basherabad area in Vaniyam-
day, in scathing condemna-
tion of the attack on health
workers in Indore the pre-
badi town to trace contacts of
eight people who attended the
Tablighi Jamaat gathering.
vious day while trying to The eight are in an isolation
screen Covid-19 suspects.
“The attackers won’t be
spared. This is not a tweet.
It’s strong warning,” the CM
ward in Vaniyambadi govern-
ment hospital.
A police officer said the
eight were hospitalised after

UN flagship meet
Rohan.Dua@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Hizbul Mujahideen

on climate change
off till next year
T he Covid-19 spread has forced
the UN body to postpone its
flagship annual climate change
chief commander Riyaz Naikoo
has released an audio clip dis-
hing out advice on how to protect
against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tips include practising soci-
al distancing, trusting doctors
and maintaining hygiene. J&K
police officers said they were
a Covid +ve person
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: In its effort
to spread awareness among
citizens on the novel coro-
navirus outbreak in India,
the government launched a
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The app, Aarogya Setu, is
Kochi:The Kerala HC on Thurs-
day stayed the state govern-
available in 11languages
on Google Play Store for
ment’s decision to make ar-
rangements for sale of liquor to
Android phones and App
Store for iPhones
people with medically certified
alcohol withdrawal syndrome
during the ongoing lockdown.
As per financial penalties
laid down under the Foreig-
ners Act, rules for various visa
violations, indulging in Tab-
lighi activities while on a tou-
rist visa, attracts a $500 penal-
ty. Sources added that 960 fore-
igners linked to Tablighi Ja-
maat activities in India could
be deported to their countries.
said. Seven suspects have be-
en arrested and police are lo-
oking for at least three
others. They were sprayed
seven others who attended the
event tested positive for Co-
vid-19 in Tirupattur district.
While results of the eight are
with disinfecant at Chhatri-
pura police station after the-
awaited, 30 special teams were
formed to trace their contacts.
ir arrest.“The government Residents of Basherabad,
will not spare anarchic ele- however, mistook the survey
ments,” Chouhan said in a
video statement.
for NPR and manhandled two
women anganwadi workers.

conference which was scheduled surprised at this sudden depar- new tracking app ‘Aarogya The app can then calculate The division bench of Jus-

Make people aware of penalties

to be held at Glasgow in UK in ture from the outfit’s usual call Setu’ on Thursday to help the risk of infection based tice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar
November. This crucial meet will for jihad against security forces. people track Covid-19 infec- on sophisticated parame- and Justice Shaji P Chaly issued
now be held in 2021— the first year In the clip released on Wed- tions more accurately ters if any of these contacts the order in response to the
of the operationalisation of Paris nesday, Naikoo is heard telling and effectively. has tested positive. petitions filed by Congress

for violating lockdown: MHA

Agreement. Though the postpo-
nement is welcomed by experts,
they insist that postponing COP26
does not mean postponing clim-
ate action which is a non-nego-
tiable global priority. Other UN
climate meet, to be held in June in
Bonn, were also postponed. TNN
UN rights chief
‘distressed’ by
plight of migrants
Kashmiris: “Isolate your family
as much as possible, maintain
cleanliness. If you maintain so-
cial distance, you will remain sa-
fe. Listen to doctors and follow
what they say.” Naikoo also app-
reciated the role of health wor-
kers and told people not to hide
their travel history or symptoms
from them. He also asked people
to avoid congregations. The ad-
vice comes amid the row over
Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi’s
Nizamuddin, which has now be-
en linked to at least 400 positive
The mobile application,
developed by the National
Informatics Centre under
the ministry of electronics
and information technolo-
gy, is available on Google
Play Store on Android
smartphones and App
Store for iPhones. The app
is available in 11languages.
It will help track the cor-
onavirus infection by using
the smartphone’s GPS sys-
tem and bluetooth and pro-
vide information that will
“It will enable people to
assess themselves the risk
for their catching the Coro-
na Virus infection. It will
calculate this based on
their interaction with oth-
ers, using cutting edge blue-
tooth technology, algo-
rithms and artificial intelli-
gence,” an official said.
The app will also help
the government take neces-
sary timely steps for assess-
ing risk of spread of infec-
tion, and ensuring isolation
MP TN Prathapan and the
Kerala Government Medical
Officers’ Association. The hear-
ing was conducted through vid-
eoconferencing. TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The medical officers’ associ-
ation had argued that no doctor New Delhi: The home secre-
could prescribe liquor as a cure tary on Thursday requested
states to widely circulate in-
formation on penal provisions
Docs prescribe bitter in the Disaster Management
pill for tipplers Act as well as the Indian Penal
Code (IPC) for violation of
A t least three people, who
reached the excise office in
lockdown guidelines and as-
ked law enforcement agencies

U N Human Rights chief

Michelle Bachelet said on
Thursday she was “distressed“
by the plight of millions of
migrants affected by the
lockdown in India. She welcomed
measures to address the
situation but noted that pervasive
challenges remain, said the office
of the UN human rights high
commissioner. “The lockdown in
India represents a logistical and
cases in India.
This is the second audio Nai-
koo has released in the last two
weeks. In another audio on
March13 — the first after abroga-
tion of Article 370 in August —
he had said his outfit would con-
tinue to target paramilitary for-
ces and Army personnel.
Full report on www.toi.in
help in determining if you
have been near a Covid-19
infected person or not.
Once installed in a
smartphone through an
easy and user-friendly
process, the app detects oth-
er devices with AarogyaSe-
tu installed that come in the
proximity of that phone.
where required.
The government said
the app’s design ensures
privacy-first. The personal
data collected by the app is
encrypted using state-of-
the-art technology and
stays secure on the phone
till it is needed for facilitat-
ing medical intervention.
Ernakulam on Wednesday with
doctors’ prescriptions to avail the
special alcohol pass, had to go
home disappointed after realising
that the prescriptions read “the
patient should completely abs-
tain from alcohol. Do not serve
him liquor”, reports Anantha
Narayanan K. The ‘patients’
were instead directed to medical
stores to take prescribed medi-
cines, mostly anti-depressants.
to take suitable action under
these provisions.
The latest communication
from home secretary Ajay
Bhalla to chief secretaries ca-
me a day after he asked states/ A policeman questions foreigners out on a road in Bengaluru
Union Territories to imple-
ment lockdown measures is- Bhalla, in his letter, remin- untry will faithfully comply
sued by the MHA in exercise of ded chief secretaries of the with directives, advisories
powers under the Disaster SC’s observation that it and orders issued by the
Management Act, 2005, “in let- “trusts and expects that all sta- Union of India... in the inter-
ter and spirit, without allo- te governments, public autho- est of public safety”.

Editors Guild objects to govt’s

implementation challenge given Excise officers said most people wing any exception”. rities and citizens of this co- Full report on www.toi.in
the population and its density and rush to their offices even before
we all hope the spread of the virus reading the prescriptions, with
can be checked,” she said. TNN the hope of getting a pass issued

Govt mulls insurance Youth on way

Cops thrash Nalanda claim of media spreading panic by the department that would get
them three litres of liquor.
home ends life,
SI, civic worker for
violating lockdown
TIMES NEWS NETWORK the statement said. It also as-
serted that blaming the me-
for alcohol withdrawal syn-
drome because it was against
the basic tenets of medicine.
cover for truck drivers blames cops
New Delhi: The Editors Gu- dia would only “undermine Their counsel said any doctor Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com tions will be taken soon, Vijayawada: A youth who

A trainee sub-inspector
attached with Ashthawan
police station in Nalanda was
thrashed by his colleagues for
allegedly violating the lockdown
order. Sources said a patrol party
spotted the SI in civil dress and
beat him up for “loitering”. In
another incident, Mithilesh
Kumar, driver of a garbage
collection van, was beaten up
despite being in his uniform. He
was collecting garbage when a
commotion broke out nearby
when a cop chased and thrashed
him, said eyewitnesses. TNN
ild of India on Thursday took
exception to the Union go-
vernment blaming the media
in the SC for spreading panic
among migrant workers lea-
ding to their mass exodus in
the wake of the 21-day count-
rywide lockdown.
Saying it was “deeply per-
turbed” by the submission,
the Guild, in a statement, said
it had led the SC to observe
that while it didn’t want to in-
hibit the debate on the pande-
mic in any way, the media sho-
uld refer to and publish the of-
Army personnel prepare to
airlift a pregnant woman
stranded at Dawar on Thursday
ficial version of the develop-
ments pertaining to the
pandemic. “The Guild would
state in all humility that it
holds the court in the highest
respect, but finds this advice
gratuitous and unnecessary,”
the current work being done
by it under trying circums-
tances”. “Such charges can
also obstruct in the process of
dissemination of news du-
ring an unprecedented crisis
facing the country. No demo-
cracy anywhere in the world
is fighting the pandemic by
gagging its media.”
The Guild also termed as
“overreaction and act of inti-
midation” the Centre’s deci-
sion to lodge an FIR against
the editor-in-chief of the
news website ‘TheWire’.
doing so would be liable for legal
and disciplinary action.
State attorney KV Sohan
claimed that allowing consump-
tion of liquor in moderate quan-
tities was an established medi-
cal practice while treating with-
drawal symptoms.
Terming the state govern-
ment’s move a recipe for disas-
ter, the court said there was no
medical literature supporting
the theory that withdrawal
symptoms could be cured by pre-
scribing liquor consumption in
moderate quantities.
New Delhi: The Centre is
likely to announce a series of
measures, including insur-
ance cover for truck drivers
and their helpers, providing
food at nominal price at pet-
rol pumps and giving e-pas-
ses that drivers can show to
reach their destination.
An empowered group of
secretaries has made these
recommendations to the gov-
ernment to ensure seamless
movement of trucks. A deci-
sion on these recommenda-
sources said. TOI has learnt
that the consumer affairs
ministry has agreed to pay
the premium amount for in-
surance cover to the driver
and an accompanying staff
as they are engaged in essen-
tial supply of items.
“Though food packets
are being made available to
drivers at toll plazas, there
were complaints that
drivers were struggling to
get food as all roadside dha-
bas and other eateries are
shut,” said a source.
rode about 300 km on his mo-
torcycle in a bid to reach home
due to the lockdown commit-
ted suicide midway after po-
lice in Guntur district seized
his vehicle and arrested him.
He hanged himself from a tree
after his release from the po-
lice lock-up on Wednesday.
The youth recorded a vid-
eo message and shared it with
his friends and relatives be-
fore committing suicide. He
alleged police brutality and
held the Bapatla police re-
sponsible for his death. TNN

IISc to give tech-push In fitness of things: Alter diet, work out at home
AMMOFROUPRODUCr

Discover something new.

All day. Every day.
to India’s corona fight Anam.Ajmal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: There has been a

iStock
opt for an hour of yoga daily. “We
don’t have to exercise at a stretch.
It can be done in two rounds, mor-
listic expectations.
“We know people search for
fitness videos and then try to re-
wkh

Chethan.Kumar
@timesgroup.com
Bengaluru: From drones that
can spray disinfectants to con-
tact-tracing app and from split-
use ventilators to mobile diag-
nostic testing labs, Indian In-
stitute of Science has offered 11
technologies that can aid In-
dia’s fight against Covid-19.
Abhishek Barman and his
team from General Aeronaut-
ics, a startup incubated by the
Society for Innovation and De-
velopment at IISc, is helping
the civic authorities ‘employ’
drones to disinfect hard-to-re-
ach areas.
Another team led by Aksh-
ay Naik has developed 3D-
printed valves for split-use
ventilators that can serve mul-
tiple patients. The first one has
already been delivered to Ma-
nipal Hospital and tested.
Tarun Rambha and Yogesh
Simmhan’s ‘GoCoronaGo’
contact tracing app and net-
work analytics will identify
people who may have crossed
paths with Covid-19 positive
subjects by using Bluetooth
and GPS. At present, the
app’s version has been de-
ployed at IISc campus for facul-
ty and staff.
Rajesh Sundaresan is
leading a project that aims to
model the epidemic spread
taking Indian urban condi-
tions into account. Among oth-
er projects are one to enable an
‘oil droplet system’ as part of
the ongoing IISc ventilator de-
velopment effort.
drastic change in Shweta’s life in
the past few days. The 31- year-old
used to start her day with an
hour of exercise, but that chang-
ed a week ago after the gym in her
area shut down amid the corona-
virus scare.
“Since I am a programmer,
the only time I indulge in physical
activity is in the gym. Moving on-
line was the only option availab-
le,” said the IT professional who
started an online yoga class to en-
sure her physical health doesn’t
get compromised.
The lockdown has made many
rethink about how to remain acti-
ve, with meditation, breathing ex-
ercises, online training modules
and altered diets. TOI spoke to se-
veral experts to understand the
importance of physical exercise
when confined to homes.
COPING WITH LOCKDOWN: While
several gyms and yoga trainers offer
online classes, unverified tutorials
have also become a viable option
“It’s important to maintain a
routine movement of the body,
otherwise it may affect our immu-
nity. The lockdown is important,
but if we neglect our physical he-
alth, we may become susceptible
to other diseases,” said Surakshit,
a yoga trainer, adding people can
ning and evening,” he said.
Experts also pointed out the
importance of making exercise
a group activity. “Since everyone
is at home, it will make sense
for families to undertake exer-ci-
se together,” said Francis, a fit-
ness trainer.
It’s important not to take risks
in this environment, he stressed.
“Light cardio exercises, inclu-
ding squats and pull-ups, are the
easiest way to remain healthy,”
he said.
While several gyms and yoga
trainers have started offering on-
line classes, unverified tutorials
on YouTube, Instagram and other
social media platforms have also
become a viable option for some.
While experts say they may not
necessarily cause harm, they
also warn against setting unrea-
TIMES PR
plicate them. My only advice is to
not get overambitious. Remem- P /ME
ber that the person performing
TIMESPRIMECOM
those exercises have trained for
years,” said Ankit, another fit-
ness trainer. Benefits Include
Dietitian Ishi Khosla pointed
out that it was important to figure 6 months
s
out a balanced diet. “Since our bo- worth 3599
dies are at rest, it’s important to
remember that our diets can’t be 12 months
o f f 0
the same. We need to cut down on worth 3999
the number of meals and maybe
thSoo
limit them to just two,” she said. TOI I w
Khosla added that the lock-
down has also caused mental 3 months
"y
stress, which leads to heightened FITPASS ' I worth 31279
cravings. “When our movements
get curtailed, our appetite falls p lus exclusive offers to let you
but cravings increase. We sho- save up to 760 ,000 in a yea r
uldn’t give in. Include immunity-
boosting food like aloe vera, tulsi,
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 6 TIMES NATION | Lockdown-Day 9
SEEKING SAFETY OFFSHORE AMID CORONA SCARE
75,000 fishermen 30 scientists find a
stay on at sea home in the deep
Meghdoot.Sharon
@timesgroup.com
Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s
fishermen probably are the
most shielded against the
Covid-19 pandemic that has
spread across the country.
Leaders of the fishing
community decided that
the safest option for fisher-
men is to stay in their traw-
lers anchored a few kilo-
metres off the coast. So, af-
ter the lockdown was an-
nounced, about 75,000
fishermen are staying put
in about 15,000 fishing traw-
lers connected to Okha,
Jakhau, Porbandar and
Umargam various other
ports. The boats have been
anchored between one
and four kiometres of
the coastline.
The fishermen call up
the boat owners on the coast,
who send essentials like wa-
ter, groceries and other
items to them. “Keeping the
fishermen on land would
have multiplied issues.
Leaders of the fishermen
community got together and
decided that the fishermen
would be safer in the sea. In
Tap into Ayush pool for docs, says PM
 From P 1
I
t is necessary to ensure
availability of separate,
dedicated hospital facili-
ties for Covid-19 patients. To
increase the availability of
doctors, states should tap into
the resource pool of Ayush
doctors, organise online train-
ing and utilise paramedical
staff, NCC and NSS volun-
teers,” Modi suggested.
He urged CMs to set up cri-
sis management groups at dis-
trict level and appoint surveil-
lance officers. He said data
must be taken from accredited
labs for testing — this will en-
sure congruence in data of dis-
trict, state and Centre and
called for a staggered release
of funds to beneficiaries un-
der the PM Garib Kalyan Yoja-
na to avoid crowding at banks.
Though the government
has given some relaxation
from lockdown to harvest
crops, the PM said it was nec-
essary to monitor and main-
tain social distancing as much
as possible. He asked the states
to think of other platforms for
procuring grains apart from
APMC, and explore the possi-
bility of creating pooling plat-
forms for rural areas, like that
in ride-sharing apps, which
can be used for this purpose.
Chief ministers appreciat-
ed the PM’s decision for a lock-
down which has helped check
the spread of the virus in
the country. They mentioned
their efforts of maintaining
social distancing, tracking
suspect cases, identifying
and quarantining suspect
cases arising from the Niza-
Cops wary of
snooping on
25,000 under
quarantine
Rajshekhar.Jha
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:Delhi government’s
move to hand over close to 25,000
mobile numbers of people un-
der quarantine to the city police
for surveillance has raised pri-
vacy concerns.
The government on Tuesday
handed over 11,084 phone num-
bers of people who have foreign
travel history and those who had
come in contact with Covid-19
positive cases. Another 14,345
numbers were given on Wednes-
day. The surveillance is meant to
check whether these people are
adhering to quarantine norms.
While warning against a
possible misuse of such a massi-
ve list, police sources said a veri-
fication of the numbers should
be conducted and the monitored
data should be in the hands of a
high-ranking official.
Many commercial entities
including those from the health-
care and insurance sectors have
been accused of trying to get the-
ir hands on such data, which ap-
parently hold a high value.
Police sources said unless a
particular case required deep
surveillance, the numbers were
not to be put on “interception”
— under which the target’s pho-
ne conversations are taped. This
also requires the approval of the
police brass and home ministry.
Police are going to obtain things
like call history and locations.
Full report on www.toi.in
Leaders of the fishing
community decided
that the safest option
for fishermen is to
stay in their trawlers
anchored a few
kilometres off the
coast. So, after the
lockdown was
announced, about
75,000 fishermen are
staying put in about
15,000 fishing
trawlers connected
to Okha, Jakhau,
Porbandar and
Umargam various
other ports
fact, those who are now in
the sea are much safer than
people on land,” said Veljib-
hai Masani, president, Ak-
hil Bharatiya Fishermen
Association.
“Basic necessities like
water, groceries and other
requirements which will
last for a fortnight are sent
by the boat owners to the
fishermen through boats,”
he added.
Medics inside an isolation ward in Amritsar on Thursday
Covid has attacked faith and belief: Modi
I n an indirect reference to the Tablighi Jamaat-centred outbreak
where organisers refused to heed instructions to decongest the
Islamic sect's premises in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area, resulting in
hundreds of infected people, PM Narendra Modi said the disease
had attacked faiths and was a threat to our way of life, underlining
that Covid-19 was a threat to all.
In his interaction with CMs on Thursday, PM asked them to
reach out to community leaders and welfare organisations, and
adopt community approach in the battle against the pandemic.
“Covid-19 has attacked our faith and belief and is threatening our
way of life. Therefore, we have to fight to save our faiths and
beliefs. For that we should reach out to community leaders and
social welfare organisations at state, district, town, block and
even thana levels to build up a united front against the pandemic,”
he said. TNN
muddin markaz, containing
community transmission,
boosting medical infrastruc-
ture and strengthening the
medical workforce.
Shah talked about the need
to implement lockdown more
strictly in some states and the
importance of effective imple-
18 AI flights to take foreigners back
Saurabh.Sinha
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:Air India will oper-
ate 18 charter flights to fly back
German, French, Irish and
Canadian nationals during the
lockdown. While the Germans
and French will be flown to
Frankfurt and Paris, the other
two nationalities will be taken
to London Heathrow from wh-
ere Canada and Ireland will
make further arrangements.
“AI has signed contracts
with four countries to operate
18 evacuation flights from In-
dia to fly their citizens out —
Germany (10 flights), Canada
(6), France (1) and Ireland (1),”
Air India chairman Rajiv Ban-
sal said. These flights started
on Wednesday with Germans
flying back to Frankfurt.
Bansal added that AI has
got China’s nod to operate car-
go flights to ferry medical
equipment from there to India.
“We have got approval to oper-
ate Delhi-Shanghai-Delhi on
Saturday and Sunday (April 4
and 5). We are awaiting their
clearance to operate cargo-on-
ly flights to Shanghai next
Monday to Thursday (April 6,
7, 8 and 9). Delhi-Hong Kong-
Delhi cargo flights have also
been approved by China. These
flights will bring medical
equipment,” said Bansal.
From March 26 to Wednes-
day, India had seen 85 flights —
62 by Air India Group, 15 by the
IAF and 8 by private airlines —
within the country to ferry 76
tonnes of medical equipment
and other items essential to
fight the corona pandemic.
“On Thursday, an aircraft oper-
U.Tejonmayam
@timesgroup.com
Chennai: Nearly 100 crew
members, including 30 scien-
tists, who have been on scien-
tific missions on board ocean
research vessels have decided
to stay put till the 21-day lock-
down in the country ends.
They are on board four ships
belonging to the Chennai-
based National Institute of
Ocean Technology (NIOT)
which set sail more than three
weeks ago to map the seabed,
study samples and deploy tsu-
nami warning systems on the
east and west coasts.
NIOT director M A Atma-
nand said scientists on Sagar
Nidhi, Sagar Manjusha, Sa-
gar Anveshika and Sagar Ta-
ra have been collecting differ-
ent kinds of data. “Staying
there is safer than coming to
land. We have instructed all
our four ships to return
around April 14,” he said. One
of the ships has two scientists
from the US, who would con-
tinue with their research as
they cannot fly back to their
country due to the suspension
of flights.
Sagar Nidhi was expected
to arrive in the Goa coast on
mentation of the guidelines
issued by the Centre. The
health secretary explained
the rise in number of cases in
India, spread of cases from Ni-
zamuddin and preparations
to tackle medical cases
arising out of further spread
of the virus.
The AI crew operating relief flights to Frankfurt complained that the
passengers left their seats to sit along the aisle (in pic), wore no
masks and constantly buzzed them for liquor, among other things
AI’s crew member on
NY flight tests +ve
A n Air India cabin crew
member who last operated
a New York-Mumbai schedule
flight on March 20 has tested
positive for coronavirus. The
Mumbai-based cabin crew
member was first admitted to
the city’s Kasturba Hospital and
then the airline got her shifted to
a private hospital. "The airline is
taking all care and paying for all
the expenses. The management
has been extremely supportive"
said a source. TNN
ated from Hindon IAF base
(near Delhi) to Leh carrying
vegetables,” aviation joint sec-
retary Usha Padhee said.
The DGCA on Wednesday
allowed passenger configura-
tion aircraft to operate all-car-
go flights. Now the number of
Tuesday, and the other three
ships were to return on Thurs-
day. Sagar Nidhi, carrying 25
scientists, had deployed the
tsunami system in the Ara-
bian Sea. D Rajasekhar, head,
vessel management cell,
NIOT, said Sagar Nidhi will re-
turn to Goa on April1and leave
after taking rations. “The oth-
er ships are stocked with sup-
plies till mid-April. Even if
they are to come to land, the
crew members will have to go
into quarantine for 15 days. So,
it’s better to be there. We are re-
ceiving lot of scientific data
now,” he said.
S agar Manjusha and the
recently commissioned Sagar
Anveshika are carrying out
scientific measurements and
collecting data in the Bay of
Bengal as part of various pro-
jects. The onboard instru-
ments have been mapping the
seabed besides gathering and
testing water samples.
Sagar Tara, another new
ship, is carrying out bathy-
metric surveys (mapping un-
derwater features) for setting
up desalination plants in the
Lakshadweep Islands. We sup-
plied three of our ships with
rations and water in the outer
anchorage of ports.” he said.
Shah slams Sonia for ‘chaos’
remark, calls it ‘dirty politics’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: Home minister
Amit Shah and BJP president
J P Nadda on Thursday sla-
mmed Congress chief Sonia
Gandhi for her remarks about
the government’s handling of
the Covid-19 crisis, ac-
cusing the opposition
leader of playing “dirty
politics” and calling her
comments “insensitive”
and “uncalled for”.
“Under PM Modi’s
leadership, India’s efforts to
fight coronavirus are being
lauded domestically and global-
ly. Over 130 crore Indians are
united to defeat Covid-19. Yet,
Congress is playing dirty poli-
tics. High time they think of na-
Those who die in epidemic are
martyrs: AIMIM chief Owaisi
New Delhi: Terming those
who die due to an epidemic
as “martyrs” AIMIM chief
Asaduddin Owaisi
on Thursday said the
last rites of such peo-
ple must be performed
immediately.
“Those who die as
a result of epidemic
are martyrs. Burial of martyrs
does not require kafan
(shroud) or ghusl (cleansing).
One must immediately offer ja-
nazah and carry out the burial
with a few people,” he tweeted.
Airlines deny refunds,
passengers cry foul
G rounded for three weeks
and bracing for severe
financial turbulence ahead,
most airlines are in such a tight
spot that they are unable to give
cash refunds even for cancelled
flights. At best, airlines are con-
verting the equivalent of fares
paid by passengers into pre-paid
vouchers. Twitter handles of air-
lines are full of messages from
passengers demanding full refu-
nds against flights cancelled sin-
ce the third week of March. TNN
these flights will accordingly
increase. “Airlines will be al-
lowed to operate cargo flights
where they will carry our es-
sential medical equipment free
and their cargo on commercial
terms,” said aviation minister
HS Puri.
Non-Muslims
too on C’garh’s
list of Jamaat
quarantine
Cherrupreet.Kaur
@timesgroup.com
Raipur: Chhattisgarh police on
Wednesday identified 101 people
who had attended Tablighi Ja-
maat in Nizamuddin Markaz in
Delhi and quarantined 32 and
home isolated 69.
Sources said there were
some non-Muslims in the list of
159 given by the Centre. There is
no non-Muslim among the 101
tracked down so far, said police.
One of the non-Muslims named
among the 159 told TOI that he
was picked up by police and tak-
en to a quarantine facility with-
out even being told why. “I have
been quarantined at a govern-
ment-run isolation centre since
March 31. I returned from Delhi
by Gondwana Express train on
March 18. A team of officials
forcefully took me away from
home on Tuesday afternoon. I
was simply told that my name
had been found on some list. The
list has names of people found
around Nizamuddin Markaz. I
was at railway station and not at
the jamaat,” the student said.
A Chhattisgarh official said
the contact numbers have been
derived from mobile network da-
ta of the Nizamuddin Markaz ar-
ea, which is barely 100 metres
from the railway station.
tional interest and stop mislead-
ing people,” Shah tweeted in re-
sponse to Sonia Gandhi’s criti-
cism of the government.
At the CWC meet, Sonia Ga-
ndhi charged the Centre with
“unplanned” implementation
of the 21-day countrywide lock-
down which she said
had caused “chaos and
pain” to millions of mi-
grant workers.
“While the whole na-
tion is fighting against
Covid-19 under the lead-
ership of PM Modi, the remarks
of Sonia Gandhi are insensitive
and uncalled for,” Nadda said.
He added Modi has waged
war against Covid-19 taking
all CMs together as part of
“Team India”.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul
Muslimeen chief ’s tweet has
come amid a coronavirus out-
break in the country.
The health ministry
had also issued guide-
lines regarding last rites
of people who died due to
coronavirus.
The total number of
coronavirus cases in India
climbed to 1,965 on Thursday
after 131 people tested positive
in the last 12 hours, said the
ministry of health and family
welfare. AGENCIES
Air India crew
complain about
passengers on
relief flight
Manju.V@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Passengers leaving
their seats to sit along the aisle,
passengers without mask, so-
me roaming aimlessly throug-
hout the cabin, passengers
constantly buzzing crew for li-
quor, hot beverages. These are
some of the experiences faced
by Air India flight attendants
who operated relief flights
from Mumbai and Delhi to
Frankfurt in the past two days.
Following complaints from
its crew, Air India on Thursday
responded thatv since these
flights are “ferrying only scree-
ned healthy passengers, there
is hardly any chance of infec-
tion” . This drew flak.
Air India crew has appealed
that the foreign embassies that
arrange for these relief flights
should brief their citizens abo-
ut precautions to be followed to
limit possible contagion.
“Passengers should be edu-
cated about ways they could
contract the infection onboard
and ways they could spread it to
others. When evacuation flig-
hts were operated to Wuhan,
pre-packed food and a bottle of
water was kept on each seat be-
fore passengers boarded.They
were told there would be no ser-
vice on board the flight. The
protocol should be followed,’’
said a senior crew member.
At 143, Andhra tally goes
up three-fold in 2 days
 From P 1
W
hile 74 of the total 75
cases in TN were TJ
delegates or their con-
tacts, 26 of the 27 positive cases
in Telangana were linked to
the Nizamuddin congregation.
In Karnataka, 11of the 14 cases
were Tablighi delegates or
their contacts. In Andhra, all 32
cases had a Tablighi link.
Similarly, all the confirmed
cases that were reported by
Madhya Pradesh and the
north-eastern states of Assam,
Manipur and Arunachal on
Thursday were linked to the
Tablighi meet. Madhya Pra-
desh reported five fresh cases,
Assam three and Manipur and
Arunachal one each.
In Rajasthan, three of the 13
positive cases were linked to
the congregation while in UP,
Tablighi delegates accounted
for at least two of the total 10
cases. In Maharashtra, which
had the highest number of Co-
vid-19 cases on Thursday after
Delhi, eight of the 88 positive
cases were linked to TJ.
The Covid-19 tally in Delhi
as well as TN, AP and Telanga-
‘Circulation of newspaper essential
part of information dissemination’
 From P 1
S
enior advocate Maninder
Singh, who has been addi-
tional solicitor general,
said circulation of newspaper
is an inseparable and essential
part of dissemination of infor-
mation and is protected by both
Article 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of
the Constitution guaranteeing
right to free speech and profes-
sion, respectively. "The only
method to achieve dissemina-
tion of ideas and information
is by circulation of newspaper.
One does not publish a newspa-
per to keep it in godowns,”
he said.
A M Singhvi, one of In-
dia’s celebrated constitutional
experts, said, “The fundamen-
tal right of a resident to receive
a hard copy of the print news-
paper, the pleasure of flipping
through it with a hot cup of tea,
the advertising revenue be-
hind these pages which right-
fully funds not only free speech
but the latter’s foot soldiers,
namely print journalists,
weighs heavily on one scale.”
While acknowledging the
dilemma faced by RWAs in in-
stituting “reasonable restric-
tions to entry, arising from un-
derstandable apprehensions
during these difficult times,”
Singhvi said, “On balance,
10 high-risk zones, 61
hotspots identified
 From P 1
H
e added that even those
with “milder sym-
toms” in identified
hotspots will be tested under
the new protocol.
ICMR chief epidemiolo-
gist Dr RR Gangakhedkar sa-
id at the regular government
briefing on Thursday that
the testing protocol is being
reviewed in the light of some
new tests and a decision will
be taken by Friday morning.
The health ministry’s
surveillance department
along with state govern-
ments have identified 61hots-
AI may roster pilots
during quarantine
Manju.V@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Air India may
now roster pilots, who are
under the fourteen-day ho-
me quarantine for having
operated a flight to a Covid-
affected country, for flights
even during their quaran-
tine. The conditions are
they should have no symp-
toms and no one on the
flight they operated should
have tested positive. There
is no regard to the possibi-
lity that these pilots could
be asymptomatic carriers.
An internal email in
this regards was sent re-
cently by AI executive di-
rector (operations) to gene-
ral manager, legal and
crew management system,
which referred to a DGCA
March 23 circular, which
does not call for mandatory
14-day quarantine for crew
travelling abroad.
“It would be stressful,
na has multiplied in the last
three days because of the Ta-
blighi link. At 143, Andhra’s to-
tal tally has registered a three-
fold increase in positive cases
in the last two days. State nodal
officer Dr A Srikanth said
health authorities had carried
out tests on 758 Delhi returnees
and 91 of them tested positive.
This translates to nearly 16% of
the Markaz participants from
AP testing positive. “We have
details of all the participants
from Andhra Pradesh. Offi-
cials in districts have been
with proper hygiene and safe-
guards by printers and suppli-
ers, I would lean clearly and he-
avily in favour of facilitating
distribution of newspapers.”
Rakesh Dwivedi, another
top constitutional lawyer, said,
“I need newspapers more than
biscuits in the morning. People
of my age feel better with a
hard copy of the newspaper.
Since print and electronic
media has been included in es-
sential services, the newspa-
pers should be allowed to be dis-
tributed freely.”
‘IT’S A RIGHT’
While declaring the 21-day
lockdown, the Union govern-
ment included print and elec-
tronic media, including news-
papers, among essential ser-
vices that ought not to be hin-
dered. The decision was meant
to ensure uninterrupted distri-
bution of newspapers among
the general public by extend-
ing protection under ESMA,
1981, under which obstruction
of the provision of essential
services is treated as a punisha-
ble offence. Once an item is cov-
ered under ESMA, as is the
case for newspapers during the
lockdown period, any hin-
drance to its distribution
would fall foul of Sections 5 and
pots with large number of ca-
ses and 10 high-risk zones
with fewer cases but higher
density of people. Sources sa-
id the rollout of the new tes-
ting norms will depend on
availability of testing kits
which are expected to be av-
ailable shortly. “ICMR has or-
dered around a million sero-
logy testing kits from China
and South Korea. They will
arrive any time but whether
that is going to be enough is a
question. The final decision
depends on who do we want
to test given the limited avai-
lability of testing kits,” anot-
her senior official said.
SCARED TO FLY
especially for commanders
over the age of 50, to fly
with a pilot who has a qua-
rantine stamp on his or her
hand,” said a commander.
Another said that if he
steps out to operate a flight
while under quarantine,
he risks getting arrested.
“The housing society won’t
take kindly to it and my fa-
mily would face consequ-
ences,” he added. AI spoke-
sperson said, “We may be
requisitioning services of
some crew members who
have not tested positive nor
shown any symptoms.”
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020
tracking the details of the re-
maining,” said Srikanth.
In Assam, health minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma said 503
delegates from the state had at-
tended the religious congrega-
tion in Nizamuddin.
Across the country, around
50 medical professionals – who
may not be involved in Covid-19
management – have also been
found positive for the virus,
prompting medical associ-
ations to demand more protec-
tive equipment.
Full report on www.toi.in
6 of ESMA, 1981. These two sec-
tions make it abundantly clear
that those who disrupt distri-
bution of an essential service
could be arrested without war-
rant and face imprisonment up
to one year.
What Salve and Singh
said in the context of news-
paper circulation has been
the consistent stand of the
Supreme Court in its rulings
since1950. In ‘Ramesh Thapar
vs state of Madras’ [1950 SCR
594], which pertained to ban on
entry and circulation of a jour-
nal in the state of Madras, the
SC had said, “There can be no
doubt that freedom of
speech and expression in-
cluded freedom of propaga-
tion of ideas, and that free-
dom is ensured by the free-
dom of circulation. Liberty
of circulation is as essential to
that freedom as the liberty of
publication. Indeed, without
circulation, the publication
would be of little value.”
In1958 in the Express News-
papers case, the SC had ruled,
“Freedom of speech and ex-
pression includes freedom of
propagation of ideas, which
freedom is ensured by the free-
dom of circulation …The lib-
erty of the press is an essen-
tial part of right to freedom
of speech and expression....”
Govt places
order for 30k
ventilators
 From P 1
I
t is now channelising its re-
sources to meet the needs of
central and different state
governments.
The government has also
placed an order for 30,000 venti-
lators from Bharat Electronics
Limited which is going to collab-
orate with domestic manufac-
turers in this endeavour. “Indian
auto manufacturers are also
preparing to manufacture venti-
lators,” the government said.
The Ministry of External Af-
fairs is also approaching suppli-
ers in China for sourcing 10,000
ventilators from them.
Ventilators are required for
Covid-19 patients, as they tend to
develop acute respiratory dis-
ease syndrome (ARDS). Less
than 20 covid-19 patients are on
ventilator support at this mo-
ment, according to the health
ministry. As against this, over
14,000 ventilators have been
identified in various hospitals
across the country for treatment
of Covid-19 patients, the minis-
try says. However, experts say
the need for ventilators may rise
exponentially. “Two days ago,
we made this ‘splitter’ with the
use of computerized 3-D print-
ing mechanism. Now, in case of
emergency like mass casualty,
we can ventilate eight patients
with one ventilator.”
Dr Sancheti stated that Sa-
mir and Siddharth Bhusari of
Saras Life Solution Company in
Butibori provided valuable tech-
nical support for this invention.
Pulmonologist Dr Sameer
Arbat has designed a safety box
for performing difficult bron-
choscopy procedures in suspect-
ed or confirmed Covid-19 pa-
tients. “Covid-19 spreads
through coughing and sneezing,
so it is very risky to perform
bronchoscopy procedures in
suspected or confirmed Covid-19
patients. The aerosols generated
by a patient during such proce-
dures can infect the doctor as,”
said Dr Arbat.

REESE WITHERSPOON LAUNCHES CHAT SHOW TO GIVE
ADVICE TO AMERICANS IN HOME-QUARANTINE
Global Toll 50,000+, Nearly A Million Infected
US Sees 1,000+ Deaths
In 24 Hours, 10M Seek
Jobless Aid In 2 Weeks
Chidanand.Rajghatta
@timesgroup.com
Washington: More than 1,000
Americans died of coronavi-
rus infection and related is-
sues in the past 24 hours — the
first time the toll has crossed
the four-figure mark on a sin-
gle day — as the US death
count from the pandemic
crossed the 5,000 mark on
Thursday. With this, the US
has become the first country
in the world to record that
many deaths from coronavi-
rus in one day. The grim record
for deaths in one day was earli-
er held by Italy with 969, which
it registered on March 27.
The Johns Hopkins Coro-
navirus Resource Center
Nearly 9,00,000
lose jobs in Spain
S pain has shed close to
9,00,000 jobs, more than
half of them temporary, since
it went into lockdown in
mid-March to fight the
coronavirus outbreak, social
security data showed on
Thursday. Spain has banned
all but essential outings
since March 14. The data
showed 8,98,822 people have
now lost their jobs, including
around 550,000 temporary
workers. The tourism and
construction sectors are the
hardest hit. REUTERS
stated a total of 1,040 people
died by 10.25pm EST on April 1.
The day also brought the grim
news that nearly 10 million
Americans have filed unem-
ployment claims in the past
two weeks (6.6 million in the
last week in addition to 3.3 mil-
lion the previous week), con-
firming that the pandemic is
also killing the economy.
The unemployment num-
TRACKING OUTBREAK
Countries Infected
United States 2,26,374
Italy 1,15,244
Spain 1,10,238
China 82,432
Germany 81,728
France
57,807
Iran 50,468
United Kingdom 34,165
Switzerland 18,475
Turkey 15,679
Af to swap
100 Taliban
militants for
20 soldiers
Kabul: Afghanistan began
on Thursday the process of
releasing from jail 100 Tali-
ban militants in a prisoner
swap for 20 of its security for-
ces, a security official and a
Taliban representative said.
It is the first step towards
freeing 6,000 prisoners held
by the Afghan government
and the insurgent group,
among confidence-building
measures. “It was decided in
that 100 Taliban should be re-
leased in exchange for 20
members of Afghan securi-
ty forces today,” said an offi-
cial in the office of President
Ghani. “The technical issu-
es require some time,” said
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Tali-
ban spokesman. “I think
the release of 100 Taliban
fighters and 20 Afghan se-
curity force members will
happen either tomorrow or
the day after.” REUTERS
bers are expected to tick up fur-
ther in the coming weeks con-
sidering that nearly 80% of the
country is now in some form of
lockdown and many newly un-
employed have not been to ac-
cess offices, websites, and
phone numbers to file claims.
The new figures present
the clearest evidence yet that
the longest jobs boom in US
history has ended. Just before
the virus struck, unemploy-
ment in the US at 3.6% was at a
60-year low and striving to re-
ach the May 1953 record low of
2.5%. Instead, economists are
warning that it could be head-
ing past 25% peak it reached
during the Great Depression
and reach a new record of
32%. Many sectors such as air-
lines, live entertainment and
sports, and hospitality are not
expected to recover for a long
time given the strictures on
mass gatherings.
Meanwhile, President
Trump and several state lead-
ers continue to wrangle over
critical supplies even as the
Covid-19 causing pathogen is
showing itself to be stealthy
and versatile, with seeming
ability to hide asymptomati-
cally in many young people
while claiming the lives of ol-
der people with pre-existing
conditions. While figures re-
leased by WHO on Thursday
showed that 96% of all fatali-
ties in Europe were 60 or older,
in US, the CDC said the fatali-
ty rate for patients with under-
lying conditions is 6% — and
nearly 40% of Americans who
contract it have chronic dis-
eases, heart and lung ail-
ments, cancer, Alzheimer’s
etc. The breakdown in New
York City shows people aged
18 to 44 account for over 40% of
the city’s confirmed Covid-19
cases, although mortality
rates are lower.
Full report on www.toi.in
Death
181
5,607 countries/
13,915 regions hit
10,096
9,81,221+
3,322 infected globally
1,074
50,230+
4,514 have died
3,160
2,926 2,08,630+
have recovered
536
Source: Johns Hopkins
356 University
OTHER TOP STORIES
Daniel Pearl murder:
Pak court overturns
death penalty of convict
Omer Farooq Khan TNN
Islamabad: A court in Pakis-
tan on Thursday overturned the
death sentence of Ahmed Omar
Saeed Sheikh, the British-born
terrorist who had been convic-
ted of the 2002 kidnapping and
killing of American journalist
Daniel Pearl and, before that,
spent time in an Indian jail till
he was bartered for the hostages
of the 1999 Kandahar hijacking.
The Sindh high court con-
verted Sheikh’s death penalty
into a seven-year jail term and
acquitted his three accompli-
ces — Fahad Naseem, Salman
Saqib and Sheikh Adil — who
had been sentenced to life im-
prisonment by a trial court.
Sheikh is expected to be fre-
ed soon given time already ser-
ved. “He has already spent 18 ye-
ars in jail. His release orders
will be issued soon and he will
be out in a few days,” Khwaja
TIMES GLOBAL
A WINDOW INTO PANDEMIC: A medical worker at the Gare d’Austerlitz railway station looks through the
window of a medicalised high-speed train that took patients infected with Covid-19 from hospitals in Paris to
hospitals in Brittany. France on Wednesday became the fourth country to register over 4,000 coronavirus deaths
Cracking The Covid Code
Some patients show
signs of brain stroke,
seizure & confusion
Roni Caryn Rabin
N
eurologists around
the world say a subset
of patients with Co-
vid-19 are developing im-
pairments of the brain.
Some patients exhibit al-
tered mental status, or en-
cephalopathy, a catchall term
for brain disease or dysfunc-
tion that can have many un-
derlying causes. These neuro-
logical syndromes join other
symptoms, such as dimin-
ished sense of smell and taste
as well as heart ailments.
On Tuesday, doctors in
Detroit reported a case in-
volving a female airline
worker in her 50s with Co-
vid-19. She was confused,
and complained of a head-
ache. Brain scans showed
abnormal swelling and in-
flammation in several re-
gions, with smaller areas
where some cells had died.
In March, a 74-year-old
was brought to a hospital in
Florida with high fever. He
later lost the ability to
speak. Doctors suspected he
had Covid-19 and he was fi-
nally tested positive. These
domestic reports follow simi-
lar observations by doctors
in Italy and other parts of the
China’s Shenzhen bans eating cats, dogs
Shenzhen: The Chinese city
of Shenzhen has banned the
eating of dogs and cats as part
of a wider clampdown on the
wildlife trade since the emer-
gence of the new coronavirus.
Scientists suspect the coro-
navirus passed to humans
from animals. Some of the ear-
liest infections were found in
people who had exposure to a
wildlife market in Wuhan, whe-
re bats, snakes, civets and other
animals were sold. Authorities
in the city said the ban on ea-
ting dogs and cats would come
Daniel Pearl, who was the south
Asia bureau chief of Wall Street
Journal, went missing in 2002 from
Karachi. Pearl was investigating
militants in Pakistan after the 9/11
attacks in the United States
Naveed Ahmed, Sheikh’s coun-
sel, told TOI. In 2002, an anti-ter-
rorism court in Sindh had han-
ded the death sentence to She-
ikh, a close associate of Jaish-e-
Muhammad founder Maulana
Masood Azhar, in the abduction
and murder of Pearl. A senior
Pakistani government law offi-
cer said the state would appeal
against the Sindh HC’s verdict.
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020
Getty Images/iStockphoto
ATYPICAL SYMPTOMS
Paris hospitals
turn to 3D printing
to cover shortfalls
W ith the virus outbreak
predicted to peak in Fra-
nce in the coming days, hospi-
tals in Paris are racing to make
up for urgent shortages of eq-
uipment to protect staff and
patients by printing them in 3D.
On Wednesday, the “3D Covid”
project was launched by the
Paris hospital authority AP-HP,
which said it would now be po-
ssible to “produce large qua-
ntities of medical devices”. AFP
world, of Covid-19 patients
having strokes, seizures, en-
cephalitislike symptoms and
blood clots. NYT NEWS SERVICE
into force on May 1.
“Dogs and cats as pets have
established a much closer re-
lationship with humans, and
banning the consumption of
dogs and cats and other pets is
a common practice in develo-
ped countries and in Hong
Kong and Taiwan,” the city go-
vernment said. “This ban also
responds to the demand and
spirit of human civilisation.”
China’s top legislature said
in February it was banning the
trade and consumption of wild
animals. Provincial and city go-
Trump claims
Iran planning
‘sneak attack’
on US troops
Washington: US President
Donald Trump said on Wed-
nesday that Iran or its pro-
xies planned a sneak attack
on US targets in Iraq and
warned they would pay a
“very heavy price” but gave
no details.
“Upon information and
belief, Iran or its proxies
are planning a sneak attack
on US troops and/or assets
in Iraq. If this happens,
Iran will pay a very heavy
price, indeed!” Trump said
in a post on Twitter.
Iran responded
Thursday saying it “only
on
acts in self-defence”. “Un-
like the US — which surrep-
titiously lies, cheats & assas-
sinates — Iran only acts in
self-defence,” foreign mini-
ster Mohammad Javad Zarif
tweeted. “Don’t be misled by
usual warmongers, AGA-
IN,” he wrote. AGENCIES
QUENTIN TARANTINO SAYS HE IS PLANNING TO WRITE
A NOVEL ON ‘ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD’
AFP
Surveys for
early detection
of hotspots to
mobilise aid
Jerusalem: Teams of epi-
demiologists and computer
scientists on three conti-
nents have started mass po-
pulation surveys to try to get
ahead of the coronavirus
and ensure that scarce diag-
nostic tests and even scarcer
ventilators are sent where
they can do the most good.
More than 2 million peo-
ple in Britain and 150,000 Is-
raelis have already comple-
ted questionnaires. Ana-
lysts of the data — including
symptoms of Covid-19, test
results and demographics —
say they have been able to
identify incipient outbreaks
days before authorities have.
Three groups in the US —
led by Massachusetts Gene-
ral Hospital, the Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology
and Weill Cornell Medicine
in New York — are now vy-
ing to attract enough survey
participants nationwide to
detect impending hot spots.
This week, Israel’s lar-
gest health maintenance or-
ganisation, Clalit, sent text
messages to its 4.5 million
subscribers pleading with
them to participate. In UK,
the results are helping pin-
point where ventilators and
mobile ICUs should be posi-
tioned, according to Tim
Spector, a professor. NYT
vernments across the country
have been moving to enforce the
ruling but Shenzhen has been
the most explicit about exten-
ding that ban to dogs and cats.
Liu Jianping, an official
with the Shenzhen Center for
Disease Prevention and Cont-
rol, said that the poultry, lives-
tock and seafood available to pe-
ople were sufficient. “There is
no evidencethat wildlife is mo-
re nutritious than poultry and
livestock,” Liu was quoted as sa-
ying by the state-owned media
Shenzhen Daily. REUTERS
Pakistan toll from
virus rises to 33
T he death toll from Covid-19
rose to 33 as the number of
infected people in the country
climbed to 2,386 in Pakistan on
Thursday. So far, 107 patients
across the country have recov-
ered from the disease and disch-
arged from hospitals. According
to the health ministry, 922 Cov-
id-19 patients are in Punjab, 761in
Sindh, 276 in Khyber Pakhtunkh-
wa, 187 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 169 in
Balochistan, 62 in Islamabad, and
nine in Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir. Omer Farooq Khan TNN
Stay off work for a
month, says Putin
P resident Vladimir Putin on
Thursday ordered most
Russians to stay off work until
the end of the month as part of a
partial economic shutdown to
curb the spread of the
coronavirus. Speaking in a
televised address to the nation
on Thursday, Putin said he was
extending the non-working
policy he ordered earlier for this
week to remain in force
throughout April. He empha-
sised that all employees should
continue earning their regular
salaries during the period. AP
As unknown carriers loom,
nations scramble for masks
C
onfirmed coronavirus
cases approached one
million around the world
on Thursday as Europe reeled
from the pandemic and the
United States reported record
numbers of people out of work.
Since emerging in China in
December, Covid-19 has infect-
ed more than 9,81,000 people —
including at least 5,40,000 in Eu-
rope — and claimed more than
50,000 lives, according to a tally
by Johns Hopkins.
Spain reported its record
one-day number of deaths, 950,
bringing its overall toll to about
10,000, despite signs that the in-
fection rate is slowing. Italy re-
corded 760 more deaths, for a to-
tal of 13,900, the worst of any
country, but new infections con-
tinued to level off. More than
10,000 medical personnel in Ita-
ly have been infected and 69 doc-
tors have died, authorities said.
Meanwhile, the global race
to protect people against being
infected by unwitting coronavi-
rus carriers intensified on
Thursday, pitting governments
against each other as they buy
protective gear and prompting
new questions about who
should wear masks, get temper-
ature checks or even be permit-
ted to go outside.
In the China’s Wuhan, a
green symbol on residents’
smartphones dictates their
movements. Green is the
“health code” that says a user
is symptom-free. It’s required
US opening doors to EllisJazzMarsalis
legend
Indian medical grads dies of Covid-19
under virus pressure E
Chidanand.Rajghatta
@timesgroup.com
Washington: New York and
New Jersey have taken the lead
in temporarily drafting fore-
ign medical graduates —
hundreds of Indians among
them — in addition to enlisting
retirees and medical school
students, to joint the battle aga-
inst the coronavirus epidemic.
Governors of the two states
have signed executive orders
this week waiving licencing re-
quirements or granting tem-
porary licences to foreign-
born and foreign-licenced phy-
sicians in the US for training,
in an effort to relieve pressure
on the current overstretched
work force and in anticipation
of a huge spike in Covid-19 ca-
ses over the next few weeks.
The changes could see mo-
re than 1,000 Indian physici-
ans and medical graduates
who are currently in the US
on J-1 and H-1B visas join the
battle, particularly if other
American states follow suit
and Washington endorses the
move. Every year, roughly
4,000 foreign physicians — a
third of them are from India
— come to the US on J-1 visas
for residencies at teaching
hospitals, mostly with the in-
Indian diaspora
in Britain seek
ethnic data on
Covid-19 cases
Naomi Canton
London: The Indian diaspora
in Britain is worried that Co-
vid-19 cases amongst PIOs co-
uld be disproportionately high
as anecdotal evidence of cases
and deaths keeps emerging,
one of the most recent cases be-
ing that of Labour MP Virend-
ra Sharma. The UK’s National
Health Service (NHS) does not
reveal ethnicities in its coro-
navirus figures, but PIO lea-
ders here are desperate to
know whether hereditary di-
seases common to Indians, li-
festyle choices or diet are ma-
king the community more
prone to catching the virus.
“Underlying health condi-
tions such as diabetes and hy-
pertension are a lot more com-
mon amongst Indians and so if
they get coronavirus they are
likely to be a lot sicker,” said
Dr Ramesh Mehta, president
of the British Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin.
Full report on www.toi.in
SUCCESS IS NEVER FINAL,
FAILURE IS NEVER FATAL.
IT’S COURAGE THAT COUNTS
— JOHN WOODEN
LINES OF DEFENCE: New employees maintain social distancing as
they watch a video message from Japan’s defence minister Taro Kono
to board a subway, check into a
hotel or enter the city of 11 mil-
lion. Serious travel restric-
tions still exist for those who
have yellow or red symbols.
In Italy, guards with ther-
mometre guns decide who can
enter supermarkets. In Los
Angeles, the mayor has rec-
ommended that the city’s 4 mil-
lion people wear masks. Th-
ey’re mandatory for all in Is-
rael, as well as customers of
stores in Austria and phar-
macies in Pakistan.
A top official in France
complained that American of-
ficials swooped in at a Chinese
airport to spirit away a plane-
load of masks that France had
ordered. “On the tarmac, the
Americans arrive, take out
cash and pay three or four ti-
mes more for our orders, so we
really have to fight,” Dr Jean
Jr
tent to immigrate.
But because of tight rest-
rictions, only a few hundred
are able to do so despite going
through an expensive three-
step US medical licencing ex-
am to get accepted into a resi-
dency. The Conrad 30 pro-
gramme, the main route to fo-
reign doctors’ immigration,
offers waivers to only 30 phy-
sicians in each US state who
agree to practice where the
government has designated a
health care worker shortage,
mostly in rural areas.
Full report on www.toi.in
AROUND THE WORLD
THE TIMELY MACHINE: He doesn’t wear a mask, but he is helping
save lives just the same. Meet Tommy, the robot nurse. Tommy is one
of six new robots helping doctors and nurses care for coronavirus
patients at a hospital in Varese, Italy. More than 10,000 Italian health
workers have contracted the virus and 69 doctors have died
Berlin mayor’s
plan to inoculate
himself backfires
A vaccine against Covid-19
is still months away. But
Berlin district mayor Stephan
von Dassel went too far to
protect himself when he tried
to ‘immunise’ himself by
contracting the disease from
his sick partner. The 53-year-
old soon regretted his decision.
He had thought he would be “a
bit sick for three days and then
AFP
Rottner, president of the Gr-
and Est regional council, said.
Latest research shows
anywhere between 25% to
50% of people who get it are
asymptomatic but they can
pass it on to others who may
be lethally affected, particu-
larly if they are in the older
age group and have pre-exist-
ing medical conditions In
Greece, authorities placed
an entire refugee camp of
2,400 people under quaran-
tine on Thursday after discov-
ering that a third of the 63
contacts of just one infected
woman tested positive — and
none had showed symptoms.
In response to the study, the
US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention changed how it
defined the risks of infection,
saying essentially that anyone
may be a carrier. AGENCIES
llis Marsalis Jr, the jazz
pianist and teacher, died
on Wednesday after bat-
tling pneumonia brought on by
the coronavirus,
leaving behind a
deep legacy. He
was 85. Four of
the jazz patri-
arch’s six sons
are musicians including Wyn-
ton, a trumpeter, is America’s
most prominent jazz spokes-
man as artistic director of jazz
at New York’s Lincoln Center.
Branford, a saxophonist, led
“The Tonight Show” band. AP
Iran speaker,
Israel’s health
minister test +ve
Tehran: Iran’s parliament
speaker has contracted Co-
vid-19, the country’s highest-
ranking government figure yet
to get sick, while in Israel, sever-
al officials entered quarantine
when the health minister tested
positive on Thursday.Iran’s par-
liament announced Ali Larija-
ni’s illness on its website. Mean-
while in Israel, which reported
over 6,800 cases and 31deaths on
Thursday, was rattled by the di-
agnosis of Yaakov Litzman who
has had frequent contact with
PM Benjamin Netanyahu. AP
Reuters
I’ll be immune,” but he was sick
for longer and the experience
“was worse than I imagined”.
Panama separates men
and women in strict curbs
Authorities in Panama an-
nounced new restrictions to
tackle Covid-19 dependent on
gender. Under the rules that
will be in place till April 15, men
and women will be allowed to
leave their homes on alternate
days. Women will be allowed
out on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday. Everyone is re-
quired to stay home on Sunday.
8 COMFORTING THE AFFLICTED AFFLICTING THE COMFORTABLE
THE TIMES OF INDIA
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020

A thought for today

Providing healthcare is like building a house.
The task requires experts, expensive equipment and
materials, and a huge amount of coordination
The World After Covid-19
Unless we are alert, the pandemic could become the last nail in individualism’s coffin
ATUL GAWANDE
Rohini Nilekani and overworked; the consumer is but a

A Common Purpose For centuries, individua-

lism or the notion that
every human individual
packet of data, and his free will can be
bent by artificial intelligence. These same
technologies also further enabled the sur-
veillance state, shrinking the individual’s
PM Modi videoconferences with CMs. Political class has intrinsic value has rights and privacies at an alarming pace.
underlined ideas about Even an individual’s vote, his most
must evolve united response to dire corona threat societal organisation, precious gift in an electoral democracy,
the economy and justice. Recently, has become an object of manipulation.

P
rime Minister Narendra Modi videoconferenced with chief however, the primacy of the individual’s
ministers yesterday to discuss ways to tackle the Covid-19 inalienable rights and freedoms has
come under immense pressure.
outbreak. The key elements of the interaction, which was
Individualism in the West originated
placed in public domain by the government, was Modi’s emphasis from the Enlightenment. It believes in the
on the need for coordinated action during the lockdown and a moral worth of the individual and that
subsequent common but staggered exit. They are important in both his/ her interests should take precedence
flattening the epidemic curve during the lockdown and preventing over the state or the social group. This
another wave after it is diluted. The PM also said that the next few birthed laissez faire capitalism, in which
the individual is a free market agent.
weeks should focus on testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine.
Western style individualism has had
The engagement is a welcome move. It is states which are in the its greatest run since World War 2. Even
frontline of the battle against the novel coronavirus, as they are in with large parts of Europe behind the
charge of healthcare as well as last mile delivery of welfare measures. Iron Curtain, and even with China in
In addition, some states are charged with the responsibility of finding pre-market mode, the sheer hegemony
shelter and food for migrant workers of the US ensured a bull run for the
frontiersman idea of individualism –
and making sure they stay there
with the rugged, proud individual at its
during the lockdown. In keeping centre, spinning progress from the
with these responsibilities, states unbroken thread of his free will.
emphasised the importance of Another form of individualism was
mobilising financial and healthcare also at play in those same years, based on
resources to bolster the fightback. the belief system of Mahatma Gandhi
and his mentors. Their individualism
In the context of resource mobilisa-
had spiritual roots. Gandhi recognised
tion and overall coordination, the that Western style individualism could
Centre holds most of the levers. It end up as mere materialism. He saw the
should not hesitate to use them. individual as an autonomous moral
The last financial year was a agent, not just someone with the means to
challenging one for the economy. fulfil personal desires. The individual’s
inviolable human rights are placed at the
GST collection increased 4%. But the silver lining is that GST
heart of societal progress. The focus is on
collections on just domestic economic activity rose 8%, which is a the personhood of the last, most vulnerable
higher rate than that by which the economy is forecast to grow. It human being, in whose name state and
suggests that the collection mechanism did well. However, the society would practise their dharma.
lockdown and the proposal to stagger its release will shrink The first idea of individualism
revenues at a time when they are most needed. The Centre, which propelled furious innovation for
three centuries. The entrepreneur, the
has far more powers in raising resources through many means,
creative artist, the public intellectual
should now do the heavy lifting. One way is to temporarily pick up generated a global marketplace for
the full tab for key welfare schemes where costs are shared. ideas, products and services. Arguably,
On the medical front, the Centre is again better placed to play a this generated more material prosperity
coordinating role. As tracing and containment are key elements in for more people than ever before.
flattening the curve, the Centre has to play an overarching role. The second idea has driven the
largest state and societal intervention
Modi has asked states to come back with ideas for the exit strategy.
of welfare and patronage to various
It is a positive step as governments at all levels have to be on the vulnerable groups of individuals. It has
same page as the exit will be staggered. There is a trade-off between
the economic costs and speed of the exit. A united political class
should lead the way and minimise disruption and costs.
‘It is needs versus profit right now ... We need
Find A Balance to preserve cash flow to fulfil needs’
Treating Covid-19 should not lead to Among the sectors worst affected by
the exclusion of other diseases the prevailing lockdown to combat the
Covid-19 is the hospitality industry.
Anurag Katriar, a restaurateur and
been a grand experiment, though not
fully realised, to leave each individual
with social safety nets, while preserving
his dignity and risk taking capacity.
However, over the past decade or more,
individualism and the primacy of the
individual have been seriously threatened.
There are three key reasons for this.
The first is terrorism combined with
economic collapse. When 9/11happened,
it changed things overnight, giving the
biggest shock treatment to individual
agency. People in the US, the absolute
stronghold of individualism and
libertarianism, had to give up many
cherished freedoms and privacies in
exchange for the promise of public
safety. Then came the financial melt-
down of 2008. In its wake, we entered a
post-globalisation world, which coincided
with the rise of authoritarian regimes
that consolidated state power.
In many countries romantic
patriotism, where an individual’s love
for the country could be expressed as
honest criticism, shifted to a harder
nationalism of ‘my country, right or
wrong’. Dissent was discouraged, and
about taking care of people right now.
Government needs to step in. People
working at entry level or earning
Rs 18,000 or less need support. These
In many countries romantic
patriotism, where an
individual’s love for the
country could be expressed
as honest criticism, shifted to
a harder nationalism of ‘my
country, right or wrong’
this nudged the independent individual
further off the political stage.
The second reason is the rise of the
internet giants with their massive social
platforms. At first, these appeared to bul-
wark the primacy of the free individual.
The anytime, anywhere, anything con-
sumer was king. The labourer employee
was now a self-employed entrepreneur;
and the citizen was now a netizen,
expressing his opinion around the world.
Unfortunately, individual choice
turned out to be an illusion; a shimmering
mirage. This was the beginning of what is
now feared as surveillance capitalism,
where the gig worker remains underpaid
extension of licences for a quarter
without fee. And most important,
restoring input tax credit to industry.
Government can give moratorium on
Third, the world has become even
more interdependent. Climate change
and air pollution know no borders, and
antibiotics resistance respects no
boundaries. Bacteria from Africa can
make people in America sick. The
burning of Indonesian forests can keep
Asia gasping for breath.
Now, the Covid-19 pandemic might
well be the last nail in the coffin of indivi-
dualism, unless we are alert. It has quickly
led us to surrender personal privileges
and submit to the diktat of the state or the
decisions of the proximate group – the
apartment complex, the village and the
city. We have rightly been willing to give
up our individual freedoms, because we
sense the danger from exercising this free-
dom willfully. Frontiersman ideas of
individualism stand exposed as we realise
just how much our actions impact others.
But we must beware against losing
the positive aspects of individualism. We
must ensure that the individual identity
is not subsumed by a coercive group
unaccountable to larger structures or to
the rule of law. It is one thing to obey a
government order. It is quite another to
succumb to resurrected irrational fears,
especially of ‘the other’. We are already
witnessing the rise of vigilantism, and
even mob rule. Fearful villagers ban all
outsiders; doctors are prevented from
returning to their urban homes; the
policeman wields a lathi with impunity.
Such reactions to this pandemic
could bring about the end of positive
individualism for the foreseeable future.
Samaaj must act quickly and creatively
to recover the balance between individual
agency and the collective good. No man
is an island, but let’s not undermine
the intrinsic value of every individual
human being. It is the foundation for all
good societies.
The writer is a philanthropist and
chairperson, Arghyam
suggest we employ 7.3-7.5 million
people. Even 20% cut would mean over a
million jobs lost. This doesn’t look like
it’s going away in a week. If government

W
ith the number of Covid-19 cases in the country crossing
president of National Restaurant people need to be taken care of. In such bank loan payments so cash flow can can come up with things like salaries
2,000 on Wednesday, the next seven days will be crucial. Association of India (NRAI), which challenging times, it is not about intent. be used to make payments to marginal through ESIC [Employees’ State
There is a race against time to identify infection represents the interests of over five lakh It is about lack of funds. We are looking suppliers and workforce. Insurance Corporation], that will be a
clusters, carry out stringent contact tracing, and implement units, speaks to Amin Ali about how the at a very serious situation post March 31. We need to use money in a way that big help. It will take a lot of time for
tight quarantine measures. It is understandable therefore that government can help the sector cope: ■ What kind of help do you expect country stays alive. Taxes can wa- the industry to come up. We are a
authorities are concentrating healthcare resources to tackle the the government to provide? it at this time. We need to defer discretionary expense. We are
■ With restaurants across the The government should immediately everything. Government needs to the first to fall and last to get up.
pandemic. However, as a consequence, some patients requiring
country being shut, what is your announce a couple of bring a clause that we must use ■ While people are looking at
non-Covid-19 treatment are being locked out. With most OPDs and immediate assessment of the things. Defer statutory money [first] for suppliers and industry leaders to step up and
operation theatres shut, many with critical illnesses such as business impact? payments such as workers. A landlord not getting rent for set an example, restaurant industry
cancer, HIV and renal failure are being denied treatment or are There is complete lockdown and we GST, advance tax, two months may not die, but a worker is not seen to be doing enough and
unable to access life saving medicines. understand and assert that half measures duties and VAT at not getting salary of Rs 15,000 may not expects government to bail it out.
True, one has to be careful about Covid-19 won’t have an impact. Completely state levels. This is have milk to drink. It is needs versus We suffer from an image issue.
shutting down everything is the only time for licence profit right now. We need to purely Restaurants are only seen as an upmarket,
infections at hospitals. But a cancer patient
way to prevent the present situation renewals and maybe look at needs now. We need to somehow debauched drinking space reeking of
can’t postpone treatment for fear of getting the from turning into a catastrophe. It is government can preserve cash flow to fulfil needs. prosperity. No one realises we have the
coronavirus. Similarly, HIV patients not being difficult to assess a rupee value impact announce Second, in case of loss of business, highest failure rate. 81% restaurants do
able to access their medicine will see their but just to give a perspective based on settlements need to happen fast. not last 30 months. This sector was
immune systems being compromised, leading various reports, organised restaurant Authorities sitting with money suffering anyway. It is a tough industry
to co-morbidity. Denial of treatment to non- industry does business worth Rs 1.75 lakh need to bring it out fast. Compa- to work in. Anyone can go on to the RoC
crore per annum. If we are looking at nies have a wage bill every [Registrar of Companies] website and
Covid-19 cases could see a sharp rise in
three months shut down, we are looking month. These wage bills sup- check what we go through.
non-coronavirus deaths. Also alarming are at a loss of Rs 40-50 thousand crore. port families. If I do not take a I am not seeking alms. Government
reports that several states have curtailed ■ How do you plan to tackle the salary, my kitchen will conti- is a stakeholder in the ecosystem. They
outreach services for immunisation and ante-natal check-ups. A present situation? nue for few months. But we regulate us. I am seeking help for a sector
large number of children have already missed their immunisation Ours is a business where income has employ lakhs of people and that employs the highest number of
for March and this jeopardises their overall health – particularly stopped but expenses have not. What we they will not be able to sur- marginal Indians. We are a sector that
have suggested to all our member vive. Cash flow is the need provides jobs to Indians that many specia-
if they are newborn. Similarly, depriving expecting mothers of
restaurants is to maintain the status of the hour and govern- lised sectors such as banking or IT won’t.
ante-natal care could see an increase in maternal mortality. quo till March 31. My advice has been ment needs to ensure that. Criticism of restaurant industry is not
Therefore, slowing down other health services as resources are not to lay off anyone. In case we must ■ What will be the fair. We are only airing our concerns
diverted to Covid-19 will lead to serious non-coronavirus public reduce the operation cost by 50%, impact on jobs due to and await directions from government
health complications down the road. India’s healthcare coverage rather than sacking people it is best to this lockdown? as after March 31 many restaurateurs
is still below par and patients often have to travel hundreds of cut the salaries by 50%. We are talking Various reports will be compelled to shut shop.
kilometres to get treatment. One understands postponing elective
surgery or routine check-ups in the midst of the pandemic. But dilbert Sacredspace
authorities must ensure that services for emergency cases or the
critically ill are not interrupted. Trusting Tree
A tree says: My strength is trust.

Let’s come clean I know nothing about my fathers;

I know nothing about the
thousand children that every year
To help make India garbage-free, we need spring out of me. I live out the
to put a rupee value on rubbish secret of my seed to the very end...
I trust that my labour is holy.
Jug Suraiya Out of this trust I live.
It was like a Christmas greeting card come to life. All around Herman Hesse
me was a white blanket of snow. Snow was everywhere, on the
branches of pine trees, on the roofs of huts and cottages.
I was at Sela, in Arunachal, which is 13,680 feet above
sea level, and was covered with snow in the middle of March.
Visitors threw snowballs at each other in cheerful play.
It was a festive scene. Except for one thing. The pristine whiteness of the
Take This Quiz And See How You Fare
hillsides was marred by an ugly rash of strewn garbage. Discarded plastic Kiran Bedi Are you in control or in panic? Are expressing gratitude for what you have first protect our own physical space
water bottles, tin cans of soft drinks, foil wrappers of snacks and pan masala. you scaring people? Are you off-loading or are you waiting to settle scores? Are before we protect others. We are

H
The litter left behind by people was made even more offensive in contrast with umanity is taking a Common your stress on others? Are you securing you a source of joy and help in the surrounded by ‘an invisible enemy’ with
the natural beauty of the surroundings, like a disfiguring scar on a lovely face. Re-entrance Test (CET) with the things for your basic needs or hoarding? home or are you a pain? Do you share power to invade even our tiny ‘space’ at
From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, our beautiful country is littered with entire country in a lockdown. Are you being helpful or inaccessible? household chores? any time, whoever we may be. With
throwaway plastic and other litter. And the saddest part of it is that it is often the The coronavirus pandemic is Are you sleeping well? Are you looking at Professional domain: Are you in neither vaccines nor cures, we need to
most scenic of spots, which attract the most sightseers, that are the worst affected. testing us as persons – personally and the time on your hands now as a rare command and control of your own take all precautions possible to avoid
Why can’t we stop literally rubbishing India? We professionally. Personal test refers to opportunity or are you wasting it, responsibility or are you looking for an infection; hence the need to conform with
can. By educating people not to litter. But that’s a management of our thoughts, body and sulking? Are you willing to learn opportunity to pass the buck to some- recommended guidelines on prevention.
jugularvein long-term process. In the meantime, there are a couple of spirit. Professional test relates to something new or you think it is one else and absolve yourself of We need to also take care of our
things we can do. dilemmas we face at work in any sector, too late? all responsibility? Are you mental health, keeping ourselves
In an extension of Swachh Bharat, municipal bodies should recruit whether government, private or self- Are you bonding with staying well informed so that constructively occupied, staying calm,
unemployed, or underemployed, youth – of which there are all too many – to go employed. How we react or respond to family and friends? Are even by a minor intervention, perhaps with the help of spiritual
on a garbage hunt, collecting litter and depositing it at a central collection the pandemic stems from who we were, you comfortable in your things may get better? practices like meditation. Good reading
point and being paid for their labour at a fixed rate of so much per kilo of before the pandemic struck. own company? Are you Are you audio or net- and good listening.
rubbish they bring in. The money for this could come from the discretionary No one imagined that we would need watching what you eat and connected to colleagues or It’s both an external and internal
fund which all MPs have, and which is often underutilised. to practise physical distancing – being drink? Do you have a are you unavailable? Are you challenge. The world will never be the
Another measure would be for all bottled water and beverage makers to make termed ‘social’ distancing – and live in fitness routine? Are you finding fault or working out same once we emerge from the current
their containers deposit-returnable. If a bottle of water currently sells for Rs 10, fear of the person next to us. Someone doing what you always wanted to do or corrective measures? Are you apprecia- crisis. We need to reset our priorities
the price could be raised to Rs 15 with the proviso that Rs 5 will be given back on the you may have hugged, shook hands are you waiting impatiently for the tive when something goes right? Are and lifestyles. As is being pointed out,
return of the empty bottle. Even if the buyer of the bottle chucks it away, someone with, shared a meal with or even prayed lockdown to end? Are you choosing your you looking out for areas of strengthe- ‘Planet Earth is closed for repairs.’
else will pick it up and return it to make an easy five bucks. Let’s clean up our act. with, is now to be avoided in proximity. news sources for information or are you ning the system once normalcy returns? The same is true for us human
jug.suraiya@timesgroup.com Personal domain: Try to answer bingeing on doomsday predictions, We live in extraordinary times of beings as well. (The writer is Lt Governor
blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/jugglebundhi honestly, the following questions: sensationalism and rumours? Are you unforeseen dimensions, where we have to of Puducherry)
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 TIMES TRENDS 9

Could we see a second Covid-19 wave? Did China hide

reality of outbreak
All eyes are on China as it begins to reopen its economy and its borders after evidently fending off the novel coronavirus. But many experts
doubt whether that’s a good idea as a second wave of Covid-19 might be on the way. Scientists still know too little about the virus to back
governments as they seek a return to normalcy even as the pandemic persists. A vaccine is more than a year away and worrying signs have
from the world?
T
he US intelligence community, in a classified
emerged that even those who have recovered from the virus may not be fully immune to it. Which way does it go from here, asks Anjishnu Das report, has concluded that China has misled the
world on the extent of the coronavirus outbreak
In the short-term: Will April in the country. The officials, speaking to Bloomberg on
the condition of anonymity, said China is under-report-
bring a second wave? ing the number of cases and deaths.
Though the officials did not reveal details of the
Several Asian nations — including China and South secret report, which was sent to the White House last
Korea — were successful in containing the virus but week, they concluded that China’s public data on the
are growing increasingly worried that a second wave outbreak was fake, corroborating suspicions raised by
could emerge as restrictions on travel and movement several other experts. US president Donald Trump has
are slowly lifted. echoed these suspicions in a briefing this week, say-
As the post-lockdown arrivals trickle into these ing China’s numbers appear to be on the “light side”,
countries, there are fears many are returning with though he did not mention an intelligence report.
infections picked up elsewhere. Last week, an official According to public data, China has reported just over
said 90% of China’s “imported” cases were Chinese 82,000 confirmed cases and 3,000 deaths. Its data suggests
passport holders and 40% were students returning the outbreak in the country peaked in February.
from abroad. Singapore and Taiwan, too, are observing Doubts have been raised both outside and within the
the same trend. country. Data made available by China shows that the
outbreak began in Hubei province late last year, with the
If unchecked, these imported cases could lead to
first case being officially confirmed on December 31. But
a fresh round of local transmission. Asymptomatic
reports from whistleblowers, like Chinese physician Dr
cases also pose a major concern. They could Li Wenliang who died from Covid-19, suggested that the
exacerbate a second wave if countries resume An information board at the Shanghai international first cases appeared as early as November. Chinese au-
activity too soon. A second wave could hit by the end airport showing mostly cancelled flights thorities punished Wenliang from spreading “rumours”
of April, if at all, says Ben Cowling at the University and suppressed these reports, only to later exonerate him.
of Hong Kong. China has repeatedly revised its methodology for count-
be just beginning to take hold or identifying ing cases. Under its official guideline, it does not count
Tackling a potential second In the long-term: A global RELAPSE Many countries are reporting
too many cases thanks to faulty testing kits. those who have retested positive after being discharged as
relapses — people recovering from Covid-19
wave: Checks without break second wave only to test positive again. A patient in
new cases and does not include asymptomatic cases. There
have also been reports that China is suppressing its case
Delhi tested positive, recovered, then tested
SEASONAL INFECTION Some experts
Imported cases are a nearer term say the virus could become a seasonal
CHINA China has barred entry to foreigners, negative but later died. Data from quarantine
concern as far as a possible second facilities in Wuhan show 5%-10% of infection, like the common flu. Respiratory
except diplomats, and all returning citizens are viruses tend to cause more infections in
required to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Airlines wave goes. Several other factors could “recovered” patients tested positive again.
winter than in summer — lower temperatures
are only allowed to fly to and from one country every contribute to a global second wave: Experts say getting re-infected so soon
and lower humidity help the virus spread. But
week. Police in Beijing conducted a citywide check after recovering is very unlikely. But there
MUTATION An evolving coronavirus could with the novel coronavirus, it is still unknown
on all foreign residents and punitive action has been could be a number of reasons behind a
lead to a second wave. Researchers are yet relapse, including a weak immune system if it will become a seasonal disease.
ordered for foreigners violating quarantines. to learn how quickly or how much the novel Early evidence shows that the new
Meanwhile, that may still be susceptible even after
coronavirus can mutate. It’s likely that a symptoms subside. coronavirus is not necessarily dependent
Wuhan remains in mutation enabled the coronavirus’ animal-to- on the weather — South American countries
lockdown until April Inaccuracy in testing could be a factor too,
human jump in the first place. showing up no virus where an infection may and Australia in the southern hemisphere are
8. Provinces are Multiple strains of the coronavirus could experiencing considerable outbreaks despite
assigning QR codes have major implications for researchers it being summer.
(pictured left) to developing vaccines — the same vaccine may
residents to track not work on a mutated version of the virus. FATIGUE Almost a majority of the world
their health status Early research shows the novel coronavirus is under some type of lockdown. But there China is beginning to emerge from a nationwide lockdown
and travel history, is not mutating too much — there appear to are worries that many may not have the
and give them permission to travel and enter public number by refusing to test those who might be infected, in
be at least two prevalent strains. A second patience to sustain a lockdown for extended
spaces. Chinese experts have, however, downplayed what was described by a local volunteer as “political treat-
wave with a mutated coronavirus could be periods and that some may not trust their ment, not medical treatment.” Reports of thousands of
warnings of a second wave. milder, says Catherine Freije, a virologist at governments enough to support extended urns outside funeral homes in Hubei province, too, have
Harvard University. A virus that causes severe lockdowns. But lockdowns are a frontline led many to question the accuracy of China’s data.
TAIWAN Taiwan has closed its borders to
illness is more likely to die out faster because weapon to slow down the spread of the virus Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of China’s state-run Global
foreigners. All returning citizens, and foreigners “a host who’s feeling ill cannot spread it as while long-term solutions are devised and not Times, said on social media that Western politicians
who arrived before the order was implemented, are well”, meaning it’s often beneficial for a virus practising some sort of social distancing is and news outlets raising doubts surrounding China’s
required to quarantine for 14 days. to “tread gently with the host”. likely a risk. data is an attempt to deflect attention from their do-
mestic situation. He said the falsifying data would be
In some cases, the immune system, months or years, which is why we get term immunity — up to a year. But the nearly impossible for a crisis of this scale.
How effective which produces antibodies to combat colds so frequently. It is yet unclear how question of lifelong immunity remains The Trump administration stands to benefit on the
harmful germs, remembers a pathogen long antibodies remain effective against unanswered for now. In research hailed political front by shifting the blame to China with the
is the immune for life. But against some, like the four Covid-19 and if they are strong enough to as a breakthrough, scientists in Australia US now emerging as the new epicentre of the outbreak.
system against previously known common cold-causing prevent re-infection. identified the specific immune cells that The US has reported more than 200,000 confirmed
cases, the most in the world. US officials said China’s
coronaviruses, the body is unable to Early studies show that exposure to the responded to the virus. This could be
Covid-19? remain immune for longer than a few new coronavirus grants at least short- crucial in the development of a vaccine. misleading data led other countries to be lax in their
Source: Nature, Johns Hopkins, Smithsonian Magazine, WHO, media reports
response to the outbreak.
Source: Media reports

How lockdowns are making Earth less noisy

As Human Activity Drops So Does Seismic Noise, Improving Detection Of Earthquakes: Experts
Getty Images

F
rom a drop in air pollution rus lockdown was introduced. sensitivity of detectors to at the same regularity.
to reductions in green- Thomas Lecocq, who led natural waves. Lecocq added: The fall in sound might
house gas emissions, the the study, tweeted: “The cur- “There’s a big chance indeed likewise benefit seismolo-
global coronavirus pandemic rent mean noise level is 33% it could lead to better mea- gists who utilise normally oc-
has had some surprising ef- lower than before the #Stay- surements”. curring history resonances,
fects on the environment. HomeBelgium measures.” A If the self quarantine ex- such as those from crashing
Now, a new study has re- noise reduction of this mag- tends longer, scientists say sea waves, to probe Planet’s
vealed that the outbreak has nitude is usually just season- they’ll continue to notice new crust. Because volcanic task
actually changed the way the ed briefly around Christmas. ways their instruments and and transforming water ta-
Earth physically moves. Meanwhile, researchers at readings are changing. bles influence just how fast
Researchers from the Roy- the California Institute of Just as all-natural occa- these natural waves travel,
al Observatory of Belgium Technology has observed sim- sions such as earthquakes cre- researchers can study these
have reported a drop in seis- ilar findings in Los Angeles. ate Planet’s crust to relocate, occasions by checking how

The super rich are

mic noise — the hum of vi- Celeste Labedz, who so do resonances caused by much time it takes a wave to
brations in the Earth’s crust. worked on the study, tweeted moving lorries and commer- reach a provided detector. A
The team believes that a graph of activity, writing: cial machinery. As well as al- fall in human-induced sound
this could be the result of “Here’s daily mode noise though the effects from private might increase the level of

buying out hotels

lockdowns across major ci-
ties, leading to transport net-
works and human activities
being shut down.
SOUND OF SILENCE
ers used a seismometer to ana-
lyse the movement of the
power from a station in Los resources could be small, with sensitivity of detectors to
Angeles over the past month; each other they create history natural waves at similar fre-
vealed that seismic noise in the drop is seriously wild.” noise, which reduces seismol- quencies, claims Lecocq,
Brussels has fallen by about The researchers hope this ogists’ capability to spot vari- whose team strategies to

to self-isolate
In the study, the research- Earth. Their analysis re- one-third since the coronavi- fall in noise could boost the ous other signals taking place start testing this. AGENCIES

WORDDOCTOR
New test detects cancer MAKING LOCKDOWNS BEAR-ABLE Getty Images/iStockphoto

Anecdata before symptoms show

AP

S
ome wealthy people
have started renting ho-
tel rooms, inn lodgings,
You are a junior official tasked with and resort suits, as they flee
briefing the press about the economy.

A
new blood test has successfully detect- major cities to less densely
There’s no research data to share, ed more than 50 types of cancer, often populated areas, CNN Trav-
so you cite anecdotes about hotel before symptoms show. More than 99% el reports. But the even more
bookings and flights. You are playing of positive results were accurate in a “land- affluent are taking it a step
with ‘anecdata’ mark” study using samples from over 1,200 further and reserving entire
people, published in the leading journal, An- properties for themselves.
nals of Oncology. It is the first such test able to Blantyre Country Resort,
identify so many types of cancer – including a luxury country house hotel
SHORT CUTS lung, bowel, ovarian and pancreatic – and di- in the Berkshires that typi- THE GREAT CLASS DIVIDE
agnose in which tissue the cancer originated, cally opens in May, is making
Phone apps have secrets for hackers which it did with 93% accuracy.
Scientists are hopeful it could eventually
itself available now to those
seeking to reserve the entire
we’re implementing for
April. We have seen so many

A large number of cell phone applications contain hardcoded

secrets allowing others to access private data, according
to a study. According to the study, apps on mobile phones may
help to diagnose tumours sooner, particularly
hard-to-detect cancers and those for which no
property for a small group or
a single family. The cost of a
of the seasonal summer
homes in the area become a
screening is available. “This blood test seems to buyout? $38,000 a day. respite for folks who live in
have hidden or harmful behaviours about which end users have all the features needed to be used on a pop- “Even though we are in highly populated urban ar-
know little to nothing. Among 150,000 apps evaluated, 12,706 ulation scale, as a multi-cancer screening test,” the midst of our annual win- eas since the virus hit,” the
contained something the scientists called “backdoor secrets” said one of the lead researchers, Professor Ge- ter closure, we received sev- hotel’s managing director,
— hidden behaviours within the app that accept certain types off Oxnard, of Harvard Medical School’s Dana- Across the world, people are placing teddy bears in their windows to distract children eral calls from many of our Justin Grimes, said.
of content to trigger behaviours unknown to regular users. Farber Cancer Institute. THE INDEPENDENT locked down. Kids play a game of spotting the stuffed toy. New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern loyal guests asking if we It’s a perfect display of
has also joined in, putting two bears in the window of her family house in Wellington would consider reopening the stark class divide in the
for a buyout,” general man- nation — many people can’t

Feed the soul: In chaotic times, gardening becomes therapy

Getty Images
Charleston: As spring’s ar-
rival in the Northern Hemi-
sphere coincides with gov-
ernment stay-at-home or-
ders, the itch to get outside
has turned backyard gardens
into a getaway for the mind.
Gardeners who already
know that working with soil is
a way to connect with nature
say it helps take away their
worries temporarily. “I love to
see things grow,” Lindsay Wal-
drop said. “It’s incredibly ther-
GETAWAY FOR THE MIND apeutic.” Now more than ever.
Waldrop, a resident of Cali-
fornia, has an anxiety disor-
der. Exercise is supposed to
help, but her new job as a col-
lege biology professor had pre-
vented her from getting into a
routine. Her grandfather, who
introduced her to gardening,
died about a year ago. Add the
global coronavirus pandemic
to all that, and it’s easy to see
where her focus is these days.
“I just like to sit and dig
holes in the quiet with my own
thoughts,” she said. “Outside,
it takes my mind off. It gives
something for my hands to do.
It gives you a separate problem
to think about than whatever
else is going on. It gets you off
of social media.”
Waldrop and her husband
moved last summer from New
Mexico, where she didn’t have
much luck gardening in a
scorching climate. At her new
home New Mexico, she got rid
of the lawn, installed an irriga-
tion system, and recently
planted dozens of tomatoes,
eggplant, peppers and other
vegetables. Families, too, are
discovering that gardening
gives cooped-up kids some-
thing to do and brings variety
to what has suddenly become a
lot of time spent together.
Annika Ruiz isn’t a fan of
Florida heat and mosquitoes.
But going outdoors lately has
been a lifeline. “It feels good to
eat something that you grew
yourself. It also helps my kids
eat more fruits and veggies
since they find it cool to eat
what they have grown,” Ruiz
said. “You’re feeling the sun
and the breeze and don’t have
to worry about anything in the
moment,” Ruizsaid. In Britain
and Germany, there’s a premi-
um on allotments — parcels of
land rented for growing food
crops. “We’ll be able to see oth-
er people too,” said Heidi Scha-
letzky, who have been cultivat-
ing a plot in the “Free Coun-
try” community garden in Ber-
lin. “As long as they stay on
their side of the fence.” AP
ager Stephen Benson said.
“There is a desire more than
ever to want to be transport-
ed away from it all with fam-
ily and loved ones, and re-
serving our gilded-age man-
sion is a way to do this.”
Cape Arundel Inn in Ken-
nebunkport, Maine, is simi-
larly up for rent. A weekly
rate of $19,500 will get you
the entire 14-bedroom hotel,
complete with ocean views,
weekly housekeeping, and
all meals. To ensure the safe-
ty of staff, all check-ins are
now virtual, and meals can
be prepared before hand.
“This is a new offering
even afford to leave their
homes (or stop working), let
alone flee the state and buy
out an entire hotel.
Wealthy people leaving
their homes and disregarding
self-isolation measures have
been deemed “super spread-
ers,” as they often come from
coronavirus hotspots and bri-
ng the virus to the smaller su-
burban areas they go to. Once
arriving in these small areas,
the newly-arrived part-time
residents invariably disrupt
local life. As a result, there
have been reports of food
shortages in towns across the
nation. BUSINESSINSIDER.IN

Covid-19 Squeezes
Debt Deals In Jan-Mar
The volume of syndicated and club loans obtained
by companies in Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan) dropped
by nearly a third year-on-year till the last week of
Q1 of calendar 2020 from the year-ago period. This
was primarily due to the wide-ranging impact of
coronavirus on businesses, says a report
Source: Debtwire (TD: Till date, *Ex-Japan)
Cos’ Loans Face Covid-19 Effect, E-Comm Cos Struggle With Ops, But FinMin Gives Non-Life Policy Sop, RIL Eyes More Capital
Realty, airlines, auto dealers
set to be worst hit by virus
FMCG, Pharma, Fertilizer, Food Cos To See Low Impact: Study
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: Real estate, airlines,
auto dealers, gems & jewellery
and steel are the sectors that
are expected to be the worst hit
and have the least resilience in
the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
While telecom, fertilizer,
FMCG, pharmaceuticals and
food industry will see a low im-
pact and have higher resilien-
ce according to a report by ra-
tings agency Crisil.
Meanwhile, ratings agen-
cy Moody’s revised the outlook
on India’s banking system to
negative along with 12 others
in the Asia-Pacific region, ci-
ting coronavirus related dis-
ruption. “A sharp decline in
economic activity and a rise in
unemployment will lead to a
deterioration of household
and corporate finances, which
in turn will result in increases
in delinquencies,” Moody’s sa-
id. Moody’s affiliate ICRA said
RIL to raise
`25,000 crore
in tranches
through NCDs
Reeba.Zachariah
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: Billionaire Mukesh
Ambani-controlled Reliance
Industries (RIL) plans to raise
Rs 25,000 crore through non-
convertible debentures
(NCDs). The amount will be ra-
ised in tranches and on a priva-
te placement basis, the compa-
ny informed the stock exchang-
es. RIL, which operates the
world’s largest refinery comp-
lex in Jamnagar, Gujarat,
didn’t share specifics of the Rs
25,000-crore NCD issue and its
utilisation purpose.
RIL’s fund-raising move co-
mes amid the coronavirus out-
break that has impacted stock
valuations and delayed plans of
a share-sale in its telecom, retail
and refining businesses. The
last time RIL tapped the NCD ro-
ute was in March 2019. At that ti-
me, it had raised Rs 7,000 crore
from institutional investors.
MOVE COMES
AMID COVID-19
From a high of just above
the Rs 10-lakh-crore mark in
mid-January this year, RIL has
lost 32% of its market value to
Rs 6.5 lakh crore now.
Its shares were hit by the bro-
ader stock market rout triggered
by the pandemic, which has
shaved off BSE’s market capita-
listion by almost the same
magnitude as RIL’s to Rs 109 lakh
crore from Rs 160 lakh crore.
Accordingly, the net worth of
Ambani’s shareholding in RIL
too saw a sharp drop to about Rs
3.4 lakh crore from Rs 50 lakh
crore on January 17, the day it
was at the 2020 peak.
Last week, Ambani and his
family bought RIL shares
worth Rs 9,000 crore from the
open market, increasing their
stake in the energy-to-educa-
tion enterprise. RIL’s refining,
petrochemicals and consumer
businesses have been impacted
by the Covid-19 outbreak that
has halted travel, restricted tra-
de activities and forced lock-
downs in several countries.
Aurobindo drops plan to buy Sandoz US
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Hyderabad: Over a year and a
half year after Hyderabad-ba-
sed pharma major Aurobindo
Pharma announced its block-
buster $900-million deal to ac-
quire Sandoz’s US generic oral
solids and dermatology busi-
nesses, the company on Thurs-
day said the deal has been mu-
tually called off due to delays
in getting approvals from the
US Federal Trade Commis-
sion (USFTC).
“Aurobindo today announ-
ced the mutual agreement
with Sandoz to terminate the
agreement to buy the Sandoz
US generic oral solids and der-
matology businesses from
Sandoz. This decision was ta-
ken as approval from the US
Federal Trade Commission
for the transaction was not ob-
tained within anticipated ti-
TIMES BUSINESS
250
100
WEAK BALANCE SHEETS A PAINPOINT
Impact of pandemic
would be determined by the
intensity and duration
of lockdown
Duration of
epidemic and the
fiscal & monetary
steps that would
be taken in response
also have a role to play,
says Crisil
that asset quality stress for
lenders is likely to reflect with
a lag of 1-2 quarters after the
removal of the moratorium.
“It is a black swan event and
puts us in a situation which
cannot be modelled,” said Gur-
preet Chhatwal, president of
Crisil Ratings. The agency had
recently cut its growth forecast
to 3.5% and now believes that
March factory activity grows
at slowest pace in 4 mths
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: Factory activity
in the country grew at its
slowest pace in four months
as the impact of the coronavi-
rus pandemic weighed on
sentiment, clouding the busi-
ness confidence outlook, a
survey showed on Thursday.
The IHS Market India Ma-
nufacturing PMI in March
was at 51.8, below the 54.5
mark recorded in February
and the reading signalled the
slowest improvement in busi-
ness conditions since Novem-
ber 2019. The 50-point mark se-
parates expansion from cont-
raction. The survey is compi-
led from responses to
questionnaires sent to pur-
chasing managers in a panel
of around 400 manufacturers.
“The Indian manufactu-
ring sector remained relative-
ly sheltered from the negative
impact of the global coronavi-
rus outbreak in March. Howe-
ver, there were pockets of dis-
ruption and a clear onset of fe-
ar among firms,” said Eliot
Govt extends motor, health
cover validity till April 21
Rachel.Chitra@timesgroup.com
Bengaluru: The government
has amended the insurance law
to provide relief to vehicle ow-
ners and health policyholders
who cannot renew their covers
due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
In a gazette notification, the
finance ministry relaxed Sec-
tion 64VB of the Insurance Act,
1938, which bars insurers from
providing cover until receipt of
premium. The notification al-
lows motor third-party and he-
alth insurance policies that ex-
pire during the lockdown (lap-
sed/expired over March 25-
April 15, 2020) but are renewed
up to April 21, 2020 to be treated
as continuous covers.
In motor insurance, the con-
tinuity benefit is only for third-
party cover and does not extend
WHAT $900M DEAL WOULD’VE BOUGHT
Wholly owned subsidiary
Aurobindo Pharma USA
would have acquired 3
manufacturing facilities
of Sandoz US
These were
dermatological product
units in Hicksville &
Melville in New York,
melines,” Aurobindo Pharma
said in a regulatory filing to
the bourses on Thursday.
Market observers termed
the scrapping of the deal as a
big blow for the global ambi-
tions of Aurobindo Pharma. It
had an eye on emerging as the
second-largest generics player
in the US market by prescrip-
tions with this deal, which was
touted as the largest overseas
172
1Q17 2Q17 3Q17 4Q17
According to the agency,
the sectors to be hit most
are weak performers
because of the
discretionary nature of
goods and services and
weak balance sheets
On the flip side,
telecom, fertilizer, FMCG,
pharma & food biz will see
a low impact
there are downside risks to
even this number.
Around 4% of debt rated by
Crisil is in sectors that are the le-
ast resilient category, mentio-
ned earlier, and these are likely
to see an adverse impact on cre-
dit quality. Of the 35 sectors that
a Crisil study has looked at, 27
will face medium to a high level
of disruption in the short erm.
LOSING MOMENTUM
60
Manufacturing Activity
(As depicted by PMI)
55
51.7
50
50-point mark
separates expansion
from contraction
45
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
2019
Kerr, economist at IHS Markit.
“New orders and output
both grew at softer rates, but
those readings were relative-
ly tame compared to those se-
en at goods producers in Eu-
rope and other parts of Asia.
The most prominent signs of
trouble came from the new ex-
port orders and future activi-
ty indices, which respectively
to ‘own-damage’ of the personal
accident cover that is bundled
into the policy. “Most private car
policies provide comprehensi-
ve cover, which, if not renewed
before expiry, will require in-
spection of the vehicle. Also, a
break in the policy cover may le-
ad to a higher premium and loss
of ‘No claim bonus’ (NCB) in
SOME RELIEF
certain scenarios. Customers
who have only third-party insu-
rance policies can postpone re-
newal, but others should renew
in time to avoid trouble in the fu-
ture,” said PolicyBazaar.com
head (motor insurance) Sajja
Praveen Chowdary.
“One must look into the
spirit of the order. Even in a
comprehensive policy, the
third-party component is co-
and an oral solids facility in
North Carolina
It would have also got
a 100% stake in Eon
Labs, a fully-owned
subsidiary of Sandoz
As part of the deal,
Aurobindo was to also
acquire 750 Sandoz employees
acquisition by an Indian phar-
ma company.
Aurobindo had in Septem-
ber 2018 announced the inking
of a definitive agreement to ac-
quire the Novartis division in
the US in an upfront all-cash
deal that it said was expected
to close in 2019.
The product portfolio Au-
robindo was to acquire from
Sandoz included products in
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020
255
Number of loan deals in APAC
1Q18 2Q18 3Q18
“Nevertheless, there are a
sizeable number of sectors,
which we believe are display-
ing a high degree of resilience
and are expected to bounce
back over the next six to nine
months. Nearly 44% of debt is
residing in sectors that are ex-
pected to be in the higher resi-
lience category. These include
pharma, fertilizer, oil refineri-
es, power & gas distribution,
and transmission,” said Soma-
sekhar Vemuri, senior direc-
tor at Crisil Ratings.
On the lending side, home
loans are seen to be the most re-
silient in the current environ-
ment. “The majority of the
borrowers are salaried and we
are not yet seeing any job cuts
to any material manner. The
gold loan segment in the
near term is likely to be impac-
ted in terms of collections
coming to a standstill, but we
expect it will recover quickly,”
said Vemuri.
55.3
51.8
Source: IHS Markit
2020
indicated tumbling of global
demand and softening of do-
mestic confidence. Should
the trajectory of injections
continue in the same vein, the
Indian manufacturing sector
can expect a much sharper
negative impact in the co-
ming months, similar to the
scale seen in other countri-
es,” Kerr said.
vered until April 21, 2020,” said
an Irdai source. The nation is
under a 21-day lockdown up to
April 14 and citizens are not ex-
pected to use their private ve-
hicles during this period. “If
your policy has expired in this
period, then you will get a con-
tinuation of coverage and con-
tinuity of benefits — such as
coverage of pre-existing con-
ditions from the old policy in
case of health or a no-claim bo-
nus in case of motor,” said
another Irdai official.
The ministry has also said
motor and health policyholders
will be given time till April 21,
2020 to make the premium pay-
ment for continued coverage. It
further said this is being done to
ensure the safety of citizens and
avoid any inconvenience du-
ring the period of lockdown.
dermatology, CNS, alimentary
tract/metabolic, women’s he-
alth, anti-infectives and syste-
mic hormones, among others.
The buyout would have ad-
ded 300 products, including
projects in development as
well as commercial and manu-
facturing capabilities in the
US that would have comple-
mented and expanded Auro-
bindo’s portfolio and pipeline.
The Aurobindo brass had said
then that the acquisition wo-
uld lead to strong synergies
and was in line with the com-
pany’s strategy to strengthen
and grow its global business.
“It’s a big setback for Auro-
bindo’s growth at a time when
the company is also facing seve-
ral regulatory challenges in the
US. When the Sandoz deal was
announced, it was mentioned
as a positive for growth,” said an
industry expert.
4Q18 1Q19 2Q19
E-tail cos see
order spikes
with fewer
delivery execs
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bengaluru/New Delhi: Onli-
ne grocers Bigbasket and Gro-
fers, besides top e-tailers like
Flipkart and Amazon India, are
beefing up operations for delive-
ry of essentials as they struggle
to fulfil increasing consumer de-
mand due to lack of delivery per-
sonnel. These platforms are ope-
rating at about half their origi-
nal capacity as they struggle
with the availability of curfew
passes in a few cities.
At the same time, orders on
platforms like Bigbasket and
Grofers have increased 3-4 ti-
mes compared to normal days.
For instance, Grofers saw
36,000 orders per minute when
it opened up 10,000 slots in
Mumbai on Thursday, leading
to many orders not going thro-
ugh. “But we are getting back to
60% capacity this week and are
hopeful of being 100% in anot-
her week,” said Grofers CEO
Albinder Dhindsa.
INCREASING
BACKLOG
For Flipkart, the situation
is improving in many cities. In
Mumbai, there is 60% atten-
dance. In Delhi region the com-
pany’s warehouse in nearby
Ballabgarh has been sealed as
it is near a hotspot.
Flipkart is also looking to
use Ninjacart, a startup that so-
urces fruits and vegetables
from farmers and in which the
Bengaluru-based retailer has a
stake, to get more goods. Addi-
tionally, it is looking at whole-
salers and public distribution
systems. Bigbasket CEO Hari
Menon said most of its supply
chain issues with local authori-
ties were ironed out, but labour
shortage still remains an issue.
A person aware of the go-
ings-on said Amazon India was
facing similar issues on man-
power availability.
COVID -19
HAS SHOWN US
THAT
iv r
It seems fake news on social media is
spreading faster than the virus itself. And
answers are harder than ever to come by.
Now we aren 't medical experts , but we know
how to get to the truth . By thoroughly
researching and verifying every word before
it ' s actually printed . So in these uncertain
times , might we ask you to wait. Wait before
you share something you have no way of
confirming. Wait until the truth in print
makes its way to your doorstep.
PRINT IS PROOF.
1nixe d by Ind ia '? boding neinp afurr
THE TIMES OF INDIA Dainik dhaskar Moth tanti mes
7-T
r"a fell
104
3Q19 4Q19 1Q20’TD
E-tailers refund
buyers, sellers
have to wait
Online Merchants Jittery As
Cash Flows, Sales Dry Up
Digbijay Mishra &
John Sarkar TNN
Bengaluru/New Delhi: Tho-
usands of merchants whose
non-essential item orders were
cancelled on Amazon India and
Flipkart have to wait longer to
get their payments cleared. The
development comes even as the-
se e-tailers start initiating re-
funds to thousands of custo-
mers who had to scrap their or-
ders of non-essentials made be-
fore the lockdown, two people
aware of the matter said.
The wait for merchants on
Amazon India will be till the
items get ordered again. On
Flipkart, payments that were
supposed to be made on April 1
will come a week later. Some
consumers have already star-
ted getting refunds, but others
still have to wait. Like Delhi-
based Manish Kumar, who had
ordered an air-conditioner on
one of the online marketplaces
before the lockdown kicked in.
He cancelled his order when he
realised that the shipment will
not be delivered. But the amo-
unt that he paid was not been
refunded and, what’s worse, he
could not contact anybody at
customer service.
Amazon said it has tempo-
rarily paused return pickups
and has also deferred move-
ments of already picked-up
items, because of which a few
customers may see a delayed
refund. Amazon India is sen-
ding non-essential products,
which were shipped already or
were out for delivery, back to its
own warehouses or sellers’ ful-
filment centres.
“For cancelled orders with
non-essential items, refunds
are currently being initiated.
-no Perim
I aveacrae
Given the guidance of the go-
vernment and the volume of
orders we could not deliver,
there may be slightly longer ti-
melines than usual,” an Ama-
zon India spokesperson said.
GROWING WORRY
E-sellers for
both Flipkart
and Amazon say
payments were
getting delayed by at
least a week, or even more in
some cases
Merchants said they have
been informally informed
that sale of non-essentials
on Amazon may not begin
immediately after April 14
“In the current unpreceden-
ted crisis, we are taking the app-
ropriate right calls for our custo-
mers, keeping in mind the pre-
sent situation and advisory
from the government,” a Flip-
kart spokesperson said. The
company added there were no
delays in settling payments
with sellers. This comes at a ti-
me when merchants are worri-
ed over their cash flows as no
new sales are happening either.
“There are payment delays
across marketplaces like Ama-
zon, Flipkart. In such situa-
tions, sellers are facing credit
risks. There needs to be a safe-
guard in place. Government
should not expect sellers to pay
salaries during lockdown,” sa-
id a spokesperson of AIOVA, a
group of online vendors.
Amazon India said it has
waived several fulfilment
and storage fees for sellers
whose non-essential orders
had to be cancelled.
,.
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Tn>.FauaomwThin Mmhall r1mr
BusinessLine
APAC* loan
amount
59 (in $bn)
41
1Q19TD 1Q20TD
Oil soars 47%
on Trump’s
Saudi-Russia
output claim
New York:Oil prices soared on
Thursday after US President
Donald Trump said he expects
Russia and Saudi Arabia to an-
nounce a major oil
production cut,
and Saudi state
media said the
kingdom was cal-
ling an emergency
meeting of oil producers to de-
al with the market turmoil.
Trump said he had spoken
to Saudi Crown Prince Mo-
hammed bin Salman, and ex-
pects Saudi Arabia and Russia
to cut oil output by about 10 mil-
lion barrels, as the two countri-
es signaled willingness to ma-
ke a deal. That set off a swift ral-
ly in oil markets, with Brent fu-
tures jumping $6.28, or 25%, to
$31.02 a barrel, while US West
Texas Intermediate (WTI) cru-
de rose $5.65, or 28%, to $25.96.
Earlier in the session, Brent
soared as much as 47%, its hig-
hest gain ever. WTI, meanwhi-
le, jumped as much as 35%,
‘WILL REDUCE
PRODUCTION’
which was it second-highest
ever following an intraday gain
of 36% on March 19.
Oil markets have been un-
der pressure ever since early
March, when Saudi Arabia and
Russia were unable to come to
terms on a deal to curb produc-
tion, and the Saudis responded
by boosting output to more
than 12 million bpd and ship-
ping out cargoes worldwide at
discounted prices. Since then,
the worsening of the coronavi-
rus pandemic has severely cut
fuel demand, pushing US crude
as low as about $20 per barrel.
With fuel demand expected
to fall by 20% to 30% in the co-
ming months, pressure was bu-
ilding on the oil producers to
come to a deal, and Trump ex-
pressed growing frustration
about the price of oil. REUTERS
VIJAVAANI
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' midday
THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020
HDFC group
commits
`150cr to
fight virus
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: The HDFC group on
Thursday committed Rs 150
crore to the PM CARES Fund to
support the government in its
measures to tackle the Covid-19
crisis. The HDFC
group, in addition
to the parent mort-
gage company, in-
cludes HDFC
Bank and HDFC’s
life and non-life in-
surance subsidiaries and the
asset management company.
“The HDFC group’s sup-
port to the PM CARES Fund is
to commend the exemplary ef-
forts of the central and state
governments, armed & para-
military forces, local police,
healthcare professionals and
sanitation workers across the
country,” said HDFC chair-
man Deepak Parekh.
In the financial sector, the
Indiabulls group had announ-
ced a Rs 21-crore contribution
to the PM’s fund. Among public
sector entities, LIC donated Rs
105 crore to the fund. The Gene-
ral Insurance Corporation too
set aside Rs 22.7 crore from its
social responsibility budget for
the PM’s fund.
Smaller entities also made
their contributions. Distressed
assets company ARCIL contri-
buted Rs 1.5 crore, while AU
Small Finance Bank said that it
was distributing Rs 5 crore to
the fight Covid-19. Among fore-
ign lenders, Standard Charte-
red Bank said that it is contri-
buting Rs 5 crore towards ra-
tion, meals and essentials for
those effected by the crisis.
Telco body COAI
dials FM for relief
New Delhi: Industry body
COAI has written to FM Nir-
mala Sitharaman seeking ur-
gent relief measures, inclu-
ding lowering of levies with
immediate effect, for the tele-
com operators on account of
the “adverse impact” of Co-
vid-19. The industry associa-
tion said that despite the out-
break and spread of the coro-
navirus pandemic across the
country, operators are playing
a “critical role” in addressing
the challenges. AGENCIES
Get ready , because this call for entry has created an opportunity
for you to become the Al pha of advertising , media and marketing.
reg istratio n
F or
20th March ,
ne
Deadli
Follow us on+
lu
T& C appH
95% of 3 bks’ services
from any branch: PNB
‘EMI Moratorium In Place From April 1’
Mayur.Shetty
@timesgroup.com
Mumbai: A three-way mer-
ger has resulted in Punjab
National Bank (PNB) emer-
ging as the second-largest
lender in the country. In an
interview to TOI, the bank’s
MD & CEO CH S S Mallikar-
juna Rao explains how he is
implementing a merger
amid a lockdown and what it
means for customers and
employees. Excerpts:
What will be the changes
in rules for employees of
the merging banks?
From the public face per-
spective, nothing has chang-
ed. From the employee’s per-
spective, nothing has chang-
ed as far as the delivery of
services is concerned. So far
as the employee benefits are
concerned, we have adopted
the best among the three
banks. This is on residual be-
nefits, which vary from bank
to bank. The overall wage be-
nefits are the same under the
IBA agreement.
Two banks will lose their
board-level management.
How will they work?
The government has already
Sachin Bansal infuses
`2,928cr in banking co
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bengaluru: Flipkart co-fo-
under Sachin Bansal is lea-
ding an infusion of over Rs
3,000 crore in his tech-
nology-led financial
services startup Navi
Technologies, accor-
ding to ministry of cor-
porate affairs filings
sourced from Tofler.
Along with Bansal, who
has invested Rs 2,928 crore,
others including former
HDFC Bank DMD Paresh
Sukthankar and bankers
from JP Morgan, Standard
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TIMES BUSINESS | Lockdown-Day 9
appointed one executive di-
rector from each of the mer-
ging banks on the board of
PNB. Also, the outgoing MDs
of both the banks have been
appointed as officer on speci-
al duty in PNB. The GMs of
We have sent an SMS to all borrowers, saying that three
months’ loan instalments are deferred. But if
the customer is comfortable with cash flows, they
should pay……..On IFSC and MICR codes, we have
taken a dispensation from the RBI to continue until
March 2021. There will not be any interruption or
delay in cheque delivery or cheque payments
CH S S Mallikarjuna Rao | MD & CEO, PNB
the three banks will report to
the PNB top management
and its executive directors.
What will change for the
customer?
Our objective is that the cus-
tomer should not have any
difference in enjoying the
products and services,
which they have been doing
in three banks. In the pro-
cess of harmonisation of
products, there are some
that will have a sunset. In
other words, no more custo-
mers will be on-boarded to
these products. But custo-
mers will have the advantage
of newer products with addi-
Chartered and Bank of Shar-
jah have also invested.
TOI had reported on Ja-
nuary 21 that Bansal will
transfer bulk of the proceeds
from the sale of his
stake in Flipkart.
While Bansal has in-
vested Rs 253 crore in
cash, Rs 1,636 crore
has been done by
transfer of debt pa-
pers of multiple companies
while remaining comes thro-
ugh the transfer of his stake
in microfinance firm Chaita-
nya Rural Intermediation
Development Services, who-
f o
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lindia. com
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TimesResponse
of Print
e (RTC)
uNG DONS
INDIA
tional features. For the cus-
tomers of all banks, from day
one itself, there will be inter-
operability in the branches
for specified services, which
should cover 95% of a custo-
mer’s requirements.
The merger has come at a
time when RBI has allowed
banks to provide a morato-
rium to borrowers. How
are you rolling this out?
Incidentally, we happened to
have a board meeting on
March 27, when the RBI an-
nounced these measures. So,
we managed to take an app-
roval from the board the
same evening. It is imple-
mented in the amalgamated
entities from April 1. We have
sent an SMS to all borrowers,
saying that three months’
instalments are deferred.
But if the customer is com-
fortable with cash flows,
they should pay.
se subsidiary Chaitanya In-
dia Fin Credit has applied for
banking license.
The 38-year-old IIT-Del-
hi graduate, who had star-
ted Flipkart in 2007, is also
adding more heft to his ven-
ture by adding former RBI
director and top ICICI Bank
executive Nachiket Mor,
who was till recently head of
Bill & Melinda Gates Foun-
dation in India, as a board
member. Bansal has also ac-
quired DHFL Insurance
and Essel Mutual Fund to
develop plays in insurance
and asset management.
THERE 'S
A BIGGER
TREAT
WAITING
F O R YOU.
©ResponseSolutions
i
J USO 17,000 - For Foreign flag vessels
11
Indians make
up 68% of
‘Cover rates are capacity
Earning
has
2.7L H-1B regulated, why gone, say
applications
Lubna.Kably@timesgroup.com not med care?’ micro lenders TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: A bulk of H-1B cap  From P 1 pal Group Hospitals. “As for Mumbai: Microfinance insti-
registrations, received by the the use of a ventilator—that tutions are better placed to bo-
A
US Citizenship and Immigra- nother chief of a non-li- would be for very few pati- unce back once the situation
tion Services (USCIS), were fe company pointed out ents. We don’t have a suffici- normalises on the back of reli-
for potential beneficiaries that health insurance ently large database in the ef measures ta-
(workers) from India. Of the rates are regulated but he- case of Covid-19 to say anyt- ken by the go-
2.75 lakh registrations recei- althcare rates are not. He said hing concrete,” he added. vernment and the
ved from sponsoring employ- that after years of dealing The pandemic claims are ca- RBI, according to
ers for workers they wish to with hospitals, insurers have tegorised under three catego- MicroFinance In-
depute or hire in the US, near- negotiated rates for some pro- ries—mild, moderate and se- stitutions Net-
ly 67.7% or 1.86 lakh were for cedures with hospitals that vere—depending on infec- work (MFIN), an
those from India. Sponsoring are part of their network. “In tion levels. While the mild ca- association of micro lenders.
employers also filed registra- case it (the claim) is from a ses have seen hospitalisation MFIN CEO Harsh Shri-
tions for 36,300 (13.2%) Chine- non-networked hospital, then of 5.5 days, the moderate last 7 vastava said the current situ-
days and the severe at least 11
se workers. during the time of reimbur- ation is in some ways better
These registrations were days with a minimum two- than demonetisation for bor-
for the 2021filing season (for the COVID-19 day stay in ICU. rowers of microfinance insti-
fiscal year ended September 30, ICICI Lombard has also tutions (MFIs) in rural areas
2021). A USCIS release states
INSURANCE started to get Covid-19 claims. as they have been allowed to
that roughly 46% of all regi- sement, we might partially “The average size of the claim defer repayments and given
strations (or 1.26 lakh) were for reject the claim if we feel the is Rs 5-6 lakh,” said Sanjay cash and foodgrain under the
prospective beneficiaries with hospital was artificially infla- Datta, chief of underwriting, Garib Kalyan scheme.
advanced degrees from US edu- ting its rates,” he said. claims and reinsurance. With
cational institutions. Hospitals say the appro- the government already cap- EFFECT OF
ping rates for the virus testing
While Indians constitute
the bulk of new H-1B hires, it’s
ach to Covid-19 patients in
terms of treatment is not dif- at Rs 4,500, insurers are see-
LOCKDOWN
the multinationals rather ferent. “The drugs and treat- king intervention to set pack- “In demonetisation, the
than Indian-headquartered ment are similar to what we age rates. “It is early days. We earning capacity remained
companies that are dominant use in the case of other respi- will move towards standardi- but all the cash was gone. This
employers. TOI had in its edi- ratory ailments. So the lar- zation as we go forward. We time, the earning capacity has
tion of March 28 reported that gest item being billed might will take up the matter with gone because of the lockdown.
USCIS has completed the lot- be room rent and personal the government through the But there is a moratorium on
tery process and that sponso- protective equipment (PPE) General Insurance Council (a repayments. The challenge for
ring employers would be in- used by the hospital staff at- grouping of nearly 50 general everyone is to build the ear-
formed by month end. tending on the patient,” said and health insurers),” an offi- ning capability when the lock-
From April 1, USCIS has Manish Rai, head of Mani- cial at a medical insurer said. down is lifted,” he said.
begun to accept H-1B cap visa According to Shrivastava,
PM relief: Payouts
applications. This window for once the lockdown is lifted, the
filing (for the fiscal year ended economic activity in rural are-
September 30, 2021) will be as will be back on track as peo-
open for 90 days. ple get on with their lives. He
Oyo chief to forgo
will be staggered said that the demand for micro-
finance enterprises was expec-
ted to continue because most of
this year’s salary TIMES NEWS NETWORK Dhan Yojana. Earlier, ban-
kers had said they would be
them provide basic services
like kirana stores. “One way to
look at it is that if the impact of
New Delhi: Oyo Hotels and Ho-
mes on Thursday said its foun-
Mumbai: Banks are taking
measures to ensure an or-
taking the help of business
correspondents or bank mit-
reverse migration lasts for a
while, the demand for basic ne-
der and group CEO Ritesh
Agarwal will forego
derly distribution of Rs 500
to women holding basic
ras to help disburse the bene-
fits. Lenders had also requisi-
cessities in rural areas will also
be there,” he said.
his salary for the rest bank accounts under a cen- tioned additional cash for ru- Since March 2018, about 2.1
of the year and its ex- tral government scheme an- ral branches and ATMs to fa- crore unique borrowers have
ecutive leadership nounced in the wake of the cilitate the disbursement. been added. As on December 31,
team will take volun- Covid-19 pandemic. To pre- 2019, the industry served 5.6
tary pay cuts as the vent overcrowding, withdra- BANKS LOOK TO crore unique borrowers thro-
hospitality industry reels under wals will be allowed over five AVOID CROWD ugh 10.1crore loan accounts. As
the Covid-19 pandemic. This wo- working days sequentially The Indian Banks Asso- of December end, micro-len-
uld come into effect from April, based on the last digit of the ciation said the remittance ders were managing 19 lakh lo-
Oyo said in a statement. account number. was being done in a stagge- an accounts with an aggregate
The company’s entire executi- This is first of the 3 red manner to ensure social loan portfolio of Rs 3,733 crore
ve leadership team has taken a vo- monthly installments of the distancing. Those having ac- and an average loan outstan-
luntary pay cut starting at 25%, PM Garib Kalyan relief pack- count number with last digit ding per account of Rs 20,132.
with many opting for an additio- age, where a monthly sum of 0 or 1 will be allowed to with- This represents a year-on-year
nal uncapped amount, and some Rs 500 is being given to wo- draw on April 3, those with 2 growth of 36% in the portfolio
going up to 50%, it said. AGENCIES men beneficiaries of Jan or 3 on April 4 and so on. and 26% in loan accounts.
SURAT MUNICIPAL ' Ib
CORPORATION NOTICE INVITING TENDER (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING)
Vector Borne Disease Control Department Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) invites sealed bids through e- tende ring moce under single stage, two-
envelope system through consultant from eligible b dders for following:
e-Tender (Online) invitation Notice No: Tender Sale of Bid Document Submission of offer
Brief Description of Work
DCHH / VBDCD / TNO:5 / 20 1 9-2020 No. From To (till 1430 Nn. IST)
Errata,Addenda And Corrigendum EP 15901 Supply of Actuated / Manual Ball Valves 03.04.2020 23.04.2020 24.04.2020
and Globe Valves
Tender are invited for Vector Borne Disease Control Department Supply, Installation , Testing, Commissioning,
works online on htt ps://smc.nprocure.com Operation and Comprehensive
EC 15660 Maintenance of 1200 SCMH Motor Driven 03.04.2020 24.04.2020 27.04.2020
Government approved contractors with following schedule.
Compressor Package
I Name of the Department Vector Borne Disease Supply, Installation , Testing, Commisson ng
Control Department and Comprehensive Maintenance of
EC 15931 10.04.2020 01.05.2020 04.05 2020
Integrated Compressor Package of
No. Works 01 various capacity i.e. 2001250/400 SCMH
No. of Tenders 01 For detailed tender document, please visit www.iglonline.rwt or ITI Limited's e-tender portal at
hops:llpetroleum.eunhvizarde.com. All subsequent changes w.r.t above tender will be posted only
2 Total Estimated Cost of Tender Rs. 5.50 Crore on the above mentioned websites. Downlo ad IGL Connect App through Android Google Playstore
The details tender notice will be made available on website andAppleiStore
www.suratmunicipal.gov.in
No. P.R.O./01/2020-21 Dy. Comn*slon er (H8d-I)
Date : 01/04/2020 Surat Munici pal Corporation VISVESVARAYA JALA NIGAMA LIMITED
(A Government of Karnataka Enterprise)
®Y Office of the Executive Engineer, Visvesvaraya
Jala Nigam Limited , Upper Bhadra Project D v s i o n
No.9 , Sira - 572137 Ph: 08135-276101
Email: Id-ubpee09@gmai.com
No. EE/VJNL/UBP/Div-9/Sira/Tank filling/Corri/2019-20/707
Date: 01.04.2020
.. 4 -
Advertisement No. 41/2020 Date : 01.04.2020
C ORRIGENDLIM -3 (Through e-Procurement only)
NOTIFICATION (RESULT DECLARATION), Reference : This Office Tender notification No. EENJNL/UBP
Result of Interview held for the Post of Ordinary Grade Medical D-9/Sira/Tank/tender-noti/ 11 /2019-20 Dt : 19-02-2020
Officer under Provincial Medical and Health Services Cadre Addendum-1 ,2, 3 & 4 and Following corrections are made in
(PMHS) of Uttarakhand advertised vide advertisement no. the Calendar of Events of tender notification are published in
37/2019 was declared on 30 March, 2020. As per the directions e-portal.
of Uttarakhand Government and keeping in view the emergency (1) As appeared in the tender notification Dated:
/unavoidable circumstances for prevention and spread of 19-02 -2020 Calendar of Events SI. No. (D) The last dare
COVID-19 infection the result of the 276 candidates is also for submission of completed tender documents (Cover- 1 &
declared on the basis of above merit list for regular selection. The cover-2) through e-portal. Date : 30.03. 2020 To be read as
list of selected candidates is available on the Board's website Date : 20-04-2020 (E) Date & time of opening of Technica
www.ukmssb .org. Secretary, Bid (Cover -I) by Executive Engineer, V.J.N.L , UBP, Division
Uttarakhand Medical Service Selection Board. Dehradun No.9 , Sira , Date : 01.04 .2020 after 4.30 pm To be read as
Date : 22.04.2020 after 4.30 pm
Sd/- Executive Engineer,VJNL ,UBP, Division No.9 Sira
PMPUHM SHIPPING CORPOPATICINLIMITED
692, Anna Salal, IV Floor, Nandanarn,Chennal - 600 035, India
Telephone No: 044-24330505 / 807 Fax: 91-44-24344593 ,
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NOTICE INVITING TENDER FOR LONG TIME CHARTERING OF ONE Registration Number: 33813
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Sealed tenders are invited from the owners /disponent owners of Indian / PSPCL invites tender under three part bid system for supply of electrical
Foreign flag vessels or throug h their authorized brokers for long term energy from interstatelntrastate sources viz, Generators , Traders having
valid Inter State Trading License issued by CERC for interstate trading of
time chartering of one Self- trimming Supramax geared Bulk carrier for
energy, intrastate trading license issued by PSERC for intrastate trading of
coastal transportation of thermal coal , on account of TANGEDCO are as
energy, State Electricity Boards , State Electricity Utilities , States, IPPs &
follows: CPPs as per table given below:
One Self Trimmine Supramax geared vessel with the lay days from Period Timings Quantum In Minimum bid Delivery
20.04 .2020 to 15.05. 2020. I MW quantum MW Point
TENDER NO. H/OP/ LTSGED/116/002/19-20 10th June 2020 to 00:00 to upto 20 Punjab
30th September 2020 24:00 1500 Periphery
Period - 6 months + 3 months
Tender box to be closed at - on 22.04.2020 at 15:00 hours
Last date & time of Submission of bid - 20.04.2020 up to 13:00 Hrs
Tender box to be opened at - on 22.04.2020 at 15:30 hours
Bidding will be done as per the revised guidelines for short term procurement
EMD - Rs .10 Lakhs - For Indian flag vessels of power notified by the Ministry of Power vide resolution dated 30.03.2016 ,
through e-bidding portal (DEEP) only. The link for the e-Bidding portal is
www.mstcecommerce.com and is also available on the website of Ministry of
Cost of tender document - Rs.5 ,000/- each (Indian Flag)
Power (www.powermin.nic.in) and PFC Consultancy Limited (www.pfcindia.
USD 100 each (Foreign Flag) com). Bidders are requested to familiarize with the applicable guidelines noti-
Separate Tender document for long term time chartering are fied by the Ministry of Power on 30.03.2016 carefuly before submitt ing the
offer.
available in our website from 31.03.2020 & the same may be downloaded
Note:- It is informed that in case tender process is not completed due to any
from our website : www.tamilshio.com / www.tntenders .gov .in at free of
reason , no corrigendum will be published in newspaper- Details regarding
cost. corrigendum may be seen on www .mstcecommerce.com and official web-
For more details visit our website www.tamilshi o.com . / site of PSPCL i.e. www .pspd.in
www .tntenders.eov.in C114/2020 Dy, CEIPR
DIPR 1589 eNDER /2020 GENERAL MANAGER (OPS) DPR/Pb.: 704-C PSPCL, Patiala
 TIMES SPORT THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020

SHOOTER APURVI CHANDELA CONTRIBUTES AMERICAN TENNIS PRODIGY COCO GAUFF

RS 5 LAKH IN FIGHT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS SAYS SHE WILL MISS PLAYING WIMBLEDON

GALLERY

England Board could

lose over £300 million
The England and Wales Cricket Board
(ECB) stands to lose over £300 million if no
cricket is played in the upcoming season
in the wake of the pandemic, its chief
executive Tom Harrison has said. In anoth-
er development, England’s centrally
contracted players appear to have said no
to the ECB’s offer of taking a 20% pay cut
as part of board’s plans to combat the
financial challenges arising out of the
pandemic, reported ESPNcricinfo. The ECB
on Tuesday announced a 61 million sup-
port package to tackle the ongoing crisis.
In a letter of Professional Cricketers’
Association chief Tony Irish, Harrison
expressed his concerns on the long-term
impact of the pandemic.
Sport can uplift world: Morgan
England’s limited-overs captain Eoin
Morgan says giving fans
the chance to watch live
cricket on television, even
if the matches took place
without spectators, would
help boost morale during
the coronavirus pandem-
ic. “If medical experts advised us it was
OK to play behind closed doors and it was
on TV, I think that would be a huge step
forward for the game,” the World Cup
winning captain told reporters in a confer-
ence call on Thursday.
Umpiring fraternity raises funds
With cricket matches suspended in the
city owing to the lockdown to prevent the
spread of coronavirus, a lot of local um-
pires and scorers, who are solely depend-
ent on it, are facing financial problems.
However, thanks to a group of umpires, led
by former Mumbai Cricket Association
(MCA) managing committee member and
ex-BCCI umpire Ganesh Iyer, they are
finding a ray of hope. The group of um-
pires have created a fund specifically for
the umpires and scorers whose livelihood
is dependent on local matches. “We,
umpires have formed a group ‘Lending a
Hand’ to help umpires and scorers whose
livelihood depends on cricket,” Iyer said.
Sridhar donates Rs 4 lakh
India’s fielding coach R Sridhar has now
joined the battle against the coronavirus
outbreak as he contributed Rs 4 lakh to
the Covid-19 relief funds. While Sridhar
contributed Rs 2 lakh to the PM-CARES
Fund, he contributed another Rs 1.5 lakh to
the Telangana Chief Minister’s Relief Fund
and Rs 50,000 to Secunderabad Canton-
ment Board. Sridhar posted on Twitter: “As
a proud Indian citizen, I’m Duty-bound and
honoured to contribute Rs 200,000/- to
@PMCares, Rs 150,000/- to @TelanganaC-
MO & Rs 50,000/- to Sec Cantt Board.
#COVID19outbreak #PMCaresFunds
#PMCARES @narendramodi @PMOIndia
@KTRTRS @BCCI @WHO #letsgetourcoun-
trybackontrack”.
NRAI under pressure to cance l WC
Pressure is building up on the National
Rifle Association of India (NRAI) to call off
the upcoming shooting World Cup in New
Delhi after the cancellation of the Munich
edition owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Delhi World Cup, originally scheduled
to be held from March 15-26, was post-
poned barely four days before the start of
the event. It was then decided to hold the
tournament in two parts — Rifle and Pistol
competitions from May 5-12, while Shot-
gun competitions from June 2-9.
Biles says mental strain will take toll
Reigning world and Olympic all-around
gymnastics champion
Simone Biles says
coping with the mental
strain of waiting another
year for the Tokyo Olym-
pics will take a heavy toll
by 2021. Biles, who turned
23 last month, told the Today show on US
Olympic telecaster NBC that she expects
coaches will have her in top condition, but
getting her mind in top shape in July a
year later than planned will be difficult.
“Physically I have no doubt that my coach-
es will get me back in shape,” Biles said.
“But mentally going another year, I think
that’s what’s going to take a toll on me
and all of us, most of the athletes.”
McLaren to put staff on furlough
McLaren became the first Formula One
team to furlough staff because of the
coronavirus, with drivers Lando Norris and
Carlos Sainz joining senior management in
taking a pay cut. The sportscar maker said
in a statement the temporary three-month
wage reduction was part of wider cost-
cutting measures due to the impact of the
pandemic on its business.
THE XI THAT NEVER Dine and length:
Nadeem feeds 150
PLAYED AGAIN 2 families in Jhariya
Gautam Gambhir (97) and MS
Dhoni (91*) is the only instance of
two batsmen scoring 90s in the
same innings in a World Cup final. Sam.Chakraborty should be everyone’s safety
@timesgroup.com and health. Whether it is to-
Members Of 2011 Kolkata: For the better part
of his 16-year-old career, Shah-
day or tomorrow, IPL will be
back but right now it’s human
lives which are at stake. For
THIS ONE FOR YOU: The
WC Win Go Down Indian team take a lap
of honour hoisting
baz Nadeem has diligently
shouldered the responsibility
me there is no other option
other than working out at
Memory Lane Sachin Tendulkar after
the World Cup win
of leading the Jharkhand
bowling attack in domestic
cricket with a lot of success.
home. Any player would love
to be on the field but one has
to accept the situation,” said
New Delhi: For the reticent Gautam Currently confined to his Nadeem.
Gambhir, India’s 2011 World Cup triumph home, at Jhariya, Dhanbad, “The gym sessions are
was a journey of 20-odd people, not one owing to the country-wide helping me. Whenever the sea-
freeze-frame moment that social media lockdown, the left-arm spin- son starts, be it the IPL or any
makes it look every year on this very day. ner is showing similar dili- other form of the game, I’m
Harbhajan Singh can’t fathom why gence in helping those in need. good enough to hit the ground
those 11 players never played as a team in He has decided to look after running,” he remarked.
a single international game after that. 350 families in the area, donat-
Ashish Nehra is not a man with too many ing rice, cereals, vegetables
regrets as he missed the final with a finger and sugar.
fracture but April 2 is a day which better “Till now we’ve been able
half Rushma ensures that he “better not to distribute these things
forget”. among 150 families, there are
They were heroes in one of the most 200 more to go,” said Nadeem.
glorious chapters in Indian cricket and The 30 year-old, who made
his Test debut last year
FLASHBACK against the visiting South Af-
ricans at JSCA International
they all cherish that even though lives and Cricket Stadium in Ranchi,
careers have gone in different directions said that his family has been
in the past nine years. busy packing the things.
And what about him? Well, Mahendra Things end but Even if I forget the Zak’s performance “I believe in providing di-
Singh Dhoni was a recluse then and re- memories last final, I can’t forget against England. We rect aid, so from the morning
mains a recluse now, unbelievably guard- forever. Remembering the April 2. It’s my marriage would have lost that match we’re mainly busy preparing
ed, even as the speculation on his future rush, excitement, thrill of it anniversary today. So you had he not bowled and got a packets so that we can help as
has come to a halt with people, for a all, of the fantastic think my wife would let me tie for us. Yuvi’s tournament many people as possible,” Na-
change, discussing implications of the deem explained.
moments leading to us forget the date? We and that knock vs Australia.
Covid-19 pandemic. lifting the World Cup. completed 11 years of Sachin in the semis. Gautam With uncertainly looming
Sachin Tendulkar, since then, has re- large over the Indian Premier
Unforgettable. Thankful to marriage today and nine and Mahi in the finals. Look
tired but is no less revered by one and all League (IPL), the Sunrisers
have been a part of this years of World Cup. 11 plus around, you will find
who can still watch the 46-year-old pad up Hyderabad spinner is sweat-
even if it’s for five minutes in a charity
iconic moment.” 9 is 20 and we are in 2020.” significant contributions.” ing out it out in the gym at
—Yuvraj Singh —Ashish Nehra —Harbhajan Singh
game. The man who carried him on his home, trying to remain fit for
shoulders, Virat Kohli, has taken Ten- the season once it gets under- Shahbaz Nadeem has shown
dulkar’s place as world cricket’s premier way. his generous side during the
batsman with a game that brings thou- dividual, went viral on the day. Harbhajan agrees with Gambhir that “Right now the priority Covid-19 crisis
sands into the stadium.
Zaheer Khan has settled into a nice
post-retirement life with some franchise
Nehra, whose life in Goa these days,
is far removed from social media remem-
bers the funny side of April 2.
it was a team effort.
“Zak’s performance against England.
We would have lost that match had he not
277/4 LEWIS OF ‘DLS METHOD’
“Even if I forget the World Cup final, bowled and got a tie for us. Yuvi’s tourna- India’s total is the
coaching as well as donning the role of
an analyst while S Sreesanth, after all the I can’t forget April 2. It’s my marriage an- ment and that knock against Australia. highest in a FAME PASSES AWAY AT 78
successful chase
taint, shame and horror of match-fixing,
may be just hoping to don the Kerala jer-
sey one last time.
niversary today. So you think my wife
would let me forget the date? We com-
pleted 11 years of marriage today and
Sachin in the semi-finals.
“Gautam and Mahi in the finals. You
look around and you will find significant
in a final. The only
other 200-plus
T ony Lewis, one of the men behind the
Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method used in
weather-affected limited overs cricket
“Dhoni hits a six, India lift the World nine years of World Cup. So 11 plus 9 is 20 contributions,” Harbhajan recollected. total in a matches, has died aged 78, the England and
Cup after 28 years. The party begins in and we are in 2020,” he starts laughing. That was the only day, he says, he got successful chase Wales Cricket Board announced on Wednesday. “It is
Mumbai,” is among the most famous lines On a serious note, he remembers his emotional on the field of play. in finals is 245-3 with much sadness that the ECB has learned of the passing of Tony
spoken on air by current India coach Ravi performance against Pakistan. “I don’t think I have ever shed tears on by Sri Lanka Lewis MBE, aged 78,” said a statement. “Tony, alongside fellow
Shastri, whose commentary otherwise “I got injured but it was a great match. the ground. The day was such. But then against Australia mathematician Frank Duckworth, devised the Duckworth-Lewis
was littered with cliches. Obviously, you feel bad if you can’t play when I think back, one thing strikes me. in Lahore in 1996. method which was introduced in 1997 and adopted officially by the
But does that one moment define In- the final but April 2 is the best day of my “You can check the scoreboard but Another unique ICC (International Cricket Council) in 1999. “Renamed the
dia’s entire campaign in the World Cup? life, our lives. We didn’t sleep that night. those XI players never played another fact in the 2011 Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method in 2014, the mathematical formula
Not at least for Gambhir, whose 97 in the “I think, in my room, there was Bhajji, match together in India colours. Never final was continues to be used in rain reduced limited overs cricket games
final was priceless as he weathered the Zak, Munna (Munaf) and friends from again and I don’t know why? I don’t have Jayawardene’s across the globe.”
initial storm after Sehwag and Ten- ICC like Dheeraj (Delhi Capitals CEO an answer,” he said. 103 was the first A career academic, Lewis received an MBE (Member of the
dulkar’s early dismissals. Dheeraj Malhotra who was an ICC official “Very soon, the preparation for 2015 ton in a losing Order of the British Empire) for his services to cricket and
“High time media learns that,” Gamb- at that time). I ordered 40 omelettes for started but that team couldn’t be kept cause in a final. mathematics in 2010. The formula came about in response to the
hir told PTI after his tweet on how the breakfast after we had a ball the whole together for two years. We never played —Stats: Rajesh Kumar extraordinary climax of a rain-interrupted 1992 World Cup semi-final
World Cup was won by a team not an in- night,” Nehra remembers. together again,” he recalled. PTI in Sydney. AFP
AIFF to wait For Captain Kohli, Test Belgian league Carlsen on front foot,
and watch rules leader starts online tourney
Marcus.Mergulhao
@timesgroup.com
cricket represents life Getty Images
as winner Prasad.RS@timesgroup.com The winner
Panaji: Nobody really knows will get richer
New Delhi: India captain Virat Paris: The Belgian football
for how long everyone will Chennai: The sporting ac- by $70,000.
Kohli on Thursday said he became league has recommended that
have to remain indoors. For tivities across the world may The tourna-
a better person by playing Test the current season be declared
now, at least officially, it’s till have come to a standstill due ment will be
cricket, calling the format a repre- finished early due to the coro-
April 14 and the All India Foot- to the Covid-19 outbreak, but broadcast live
sentation of life where one doesn’t navirus pandemic with the pre-
ball Federation (AIFF) will chess continues to make its on
have the option of quitting when sent table accepted as final, it
wait till then to take the next moves. Despite major chess chess24.com. So far, Grand-
the going gets tough. said on Thursday, becoming the
call on I-League and all other events getting postponed, masters Ding Liren, Maxime
Speaking to former England first European league to take
football activities. the players have kept them- Vachier-Lagrave, Ian Ne-
batsman and IPL teammate Kevin Virat Kohli says in Tests, you don’t such a measure.
Just like the rest of the selves busy thanks to online pomniachtchi and Alireza
Pietersen during an instagram live, have the option of not competing The decision is set to be for-
world, football activities in In- tournaments. The coming Firouzja have confirmed
Kohli touched upon his passion for mally validated at a General
dia have come to a standstill their participation.
Test cricket, the worst phase of his room, get up and come the next day. Assembly on April 15, meaning
for more than a fortnight now
“You have to follow the routine that Club Brugge would be de- CHESS “This is taking online
due to the coronavirus pan- chess to a new level. We are
demic. The last match in the I- TORCHBEARER whether you like it or not. It’s like
life where you don’t have the option
clared champions as they cur-
rently sit 15 points clear of Gent
weeks will see the world’s showing that the game can be
League was played more than best chess players in action played seriously online and
career, how he turned into a vegan of not competing. Test cricket has at the top of the table. in the inaugural Magnus it can be meaningful,” the 29-
a fortnight ago and questions
and how much he is filled with grat- made me a better person,” said the In a statement, the league Carlsen Invitational to be year-old told TOI ahead of
are now being asked if a ball
itude for being able to live a com- world’s premier batsman, who has 27 said it was “very unlikely” to held from April 18 to May 3. the launch. Alongside the
will be kicked again in the
fortable life during a global crisis hundreds and 7240 runs in 86 games. be able to hold matches in front The online event, official- main event, there are plans
league. For now, even the AIFF
doesn’t have an answer.
like Covid-19. Pietersen, a superb Test bats- of crowds before June 30 and ly launched on Thursday, to have supplementary en-
“At this point of time, ev- Asked which is his favourite for- man himself, lauded Kohli for that it had “unanimously de- will have the current world gagements where online
erything is postponed till mat, the Indian skipper emphatically trashing the idea of four-day Tests cided that it was not desirable... champion take on seven chess fans will get an oppor-
April 14. Once the situation is replied: “Test cricket, Test cricket, which the ICC has floated to pull to continue the competition” prominent players in a tunity to play the top compet-
reviewed by the government Test cricket, Test cricket and Test in more crowds. “I was called for a after that date. Matches behind round-robin rapid format. itors and the world cham-
and other agencies, we will ac- cricket. I have said it five times.” debate and I told them that if Virat closed doors were “theoreti- The total prize money of pion himself. He believes
cordingly take a decision. We “Because it is the representation Kohli doesn’t want four-day Tests, cally possible”, but the league $250,000 is the largest for any that FIDE too should consid-
are aware of the fact that even of life. Whether you get runs or not, it’s not happening,” the former said it preferred not to put more online tournament till date. er the online route now.
after April 14, we may have a you have to clap when others are England captain said as Kohli had pressure on health services and
problem (in conducting batting. You have to go back to your a hearty laugh. PTI police in the circumstances. AFP
matches) but to say anything
at this moment, will be prema- Olympic chiefs brace for extra costs
ture,” AIFF general secretary
Kushal Das told TOI. Mohun
Football will be different Serie A ban extended Paris: Olympic chiefs said fects every aspect of the or-

Lakers, Nets players in the clear

The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers
have completed 14-day home isolations
without any players showing symptoms of
coronavirus, the NBA clubs said on
Wednesday. The clubs intend to continue
to follow safety guidelines set by health
and government officials regarding social
distance and sheltering in place. Nets
general manager Sean Marks said the four
Nets players who had tested positive for
the virus, reportedly including superstar
forward Kevin Durant, now show no symp-
toms of of COVID-19.
Important to stay fit & positive: Gopi
National badminton coach Pullela
Gopichand has said that
it is important for people
to act sensibly and stay
home amid the 21-day
lockdown period which is
currently in place as the
country grapples with the
coronavirus outbreak. “I think it’s impor-
tant to stay happy, stay fit and stay posi-
ive. These are tough times,” he said.
Bagan are already champions
of the I-League with four
rounds still left to be played.
Prannoy sounds
warning bell
New Delhi: The emotional
and financial impact of the
Covid-19 pandemic is weigh-
ing on Indian shuttler HS
Prannoy’s mind and he be-
lieves that the already “bleak”
scenario would only get worse
if things don’t take a turn for
the better in one and a half
month’s time.
“There might be so many
who would be anxious to go
out there and play, probably 80
per cent of them, and it is not
only about sportspersons,
each and every individual
might have mental issues-
...but we don’t have a choice
right now,” Prannoy said. PTI
after this, says Infantino
Rome: Football will be
totally different when it
eventually
resumes af-
ter the cor-
o n av i r u s
o u t b re a k ,
the head
of global
soccer body Fifa Gianni
Infantino said Thursday.
“Football will come
back, and when it does,
we’ll celebrate coming
out of a nightmare to-
gether,” he told the Ital-
ian news agency ANSA
in an interview.
“There is one lesson,
however, that both you
and me must have under-
stood: the football that
will come after the virus
will be totally different...
(more) inclusive, more
social and more sup-
portive, connected to the
individual countries and
at the same time more
global, less arrogant and
more welcoming.”
‘Unhealthy spending
in football will end’
The coronavirus pan-
demic will stop the “un-
healthy” inflation of
player wages and trans-
fer fees in football, Bay-
ern Munich chairman
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
wrote in an editorial.
“For a long time we
have seen unhealthy
amounts of money paid
in wages and transfer
fees. The coronavirus
will at least put an end to
this idea of ‘always more,
everything more expen-
sive and quicker than be-
fore’.” AGENCIES
Milan: Italy’s Prime
Minister Giuseppe Conte
has banned Serie A clubs
from going on to team
training until at least
April 13 due to the coro-
navirus pandemic.
There were reports
that Napoli and Lazio
were planning to return to
training.
Irritated Ajax want
league called off
Ajax Amsterdam technical
director Marc Overmars on
Wednesday expressed
astonishment at plans to
try to complete the Dutch
league season.
“Why would it be about
money and not people’s
well-being at this time? I
had hoped that the KNVB
would take an independent
decision,” he said.
Spanish league wants
mini-camp, testing
The Spanish league is
putting together a de-
tailed plan to get teams
ready for when the league
restarts, recommending
a mini-preseason and a
large number of tests for
players, their close rela-
tives and club employees.
Atletico cut players’
wages by 70 per cent
Atletico Madrid have
temporarily cut players’ and
coaches’ wages by 70%, but
guaranteed a full salary for
their other employees, the
Spanish club said on
Thursday. The move follows
that of La Liga rivals
Barcelona, whose players
agreed to an extra pay cut in
addition to a club-imposed
70% reduction.
on Thursday they were brac-
ing themselves for the extra
ganisation — the Olympic
Athletes’ Village, hotels,
costs incurred by reschedul- ticketing, venues and trans-
ing the Tokyo Games by a port being among the major
year to 2021. headaches.
The historic decision to
postpone the summer Olym-
“What is being recog-
nised is that there will be ad-
pics by 12 months was taken
this week amid the ongoing
ditional costs on one side for
the Tokyo organising com-
coronavirus pandemic. It mittee and there will be addi-
was the first peacetime post- tional costs for the IOC and
ponement of the Games. Olympic family,” Christophe
According to the latest Dubi, the Olympic Games ex-
budget, the Games were due ecutive director, said in a
to cost $12.6 billion, shared conference call. “We are
between the organising com- looking into those with great
mittee, the government of detail. It is tens of thousands
Japan and Tokyo city. of lines of budget that need
The postponement af- to be reviewed.” AFP
REGD. NO. TN/Chief PMG/398/2002
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Published for the proprietors of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., by R. Krishnamurthy, at The Times of India Building, Dr. D.N.
Road, Mumbai-400 001, Tel. No (022) 6635 3535. Fax: (022) 2273 1144 and printed by him at (1) The Times of India Subur-
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news under PRB Act © All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of Publisher is pro-
hibited.
 BOMBAY TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA
FRIDAY APRIL 3, 2020 I ADVERTORIAL, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
LEISURE / BOMBAY TIMES 13

Indoor games with #CORONASUTRA

a twist keep people The best of internet creativity in the lockdown era

WE DIDN’T TELL YOU THIS!

busy amid quarantine

ith the increase in the for a walk to refresh the mind, many

W number of coronavirus
cases, and countries
going under lockdown, people
have turned to innovative, quirky
and some even seemingly silly
games to keep themselves (and the
around the globe are confined Twitterati) entertained.
to their homes. Some had been Need some inspiration to keep
self-quarantining even before the yourself busy while you stay
lockdown was announced and as a indoors? Here are some creative
result, creativity is in overdrive. At games taking over the internet:
a time when we can’t even step out — TNN
@gordonmicknee
THE QUARANTINE
OLYMPICS
While the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics have been
postponed due to the
coronavirus
pandemic, people
are hosting their
own (indoor)
Olympics. List
out some indoor
games, such as
chess or monopoly,
and draw up a
scoreboard.
Spice up the
competition
with a prize for
the winner!
TIC TAC TOE WITH THE PETS
Tic Tac Toe may bring back school time memories of
using notebooks for the game, but amid the lockdown,
pet owners are giving the game a new twist by playing it
with their pets. One can only imagine the communication
issues between the players.
ENGINEERING | MANAGEMENT | MEDIA | LAW
SUDOKU CHALLENGE
HOW TO PLAY
Fill in the grid
so that every
horizontal row,
every vertical
column and
every 3x3 box
contains the
digits 1-9,
without
repeating the
numbers in the
same row,
column or
box.You can’t
change the
digits already
given in the
grid. Every
puzzle has
Level: Medium one solution.
A TWIST TO
POKER
Instead of using cash,
people have been
bringing their hoarded
essentials like toilet
paper and sanitiser
to the table. How the
priorities have changed!
@iqraanabi
PEARLS OF WISDOM
covidiot [noun]
1. A stupid person who stubbornly 2. A stupid person who hoards
ignores ‘social distancing’ protocol, groceries, needlessly spreading
thus helping to further spread COVID-19 fears and depriving
COVID-19. others of vital supplies.
‘Are you seriously going go visit ‘See that guy with the 200 toilet
grandma? Dude, don’t be such paper rolls?
a covidiot.’ What a covidiot.’
THE NEW-AGE BINGO
While in some condominiums people are turning to
community bingo — people coming to their balconies to THE LAST WORD
play the game — some are turning to ‘quarantine bingo’,
which instead of numbers, uses humourous situations
that include lockdown-related activities (or lack of them) Lockdown Day 9: There are 168 ‘Tunaks’
like ‘did absolutely nothing’ and ‘haven’t showered in five
days’. Who knew being lazy could make you a winner? and 84 ‘Tuns’ in the song Tunak Tunak Tun
TIMES HITORI LOOP THE LOOP THE DAILY CROSSWORD
How to play Rules
1. A number ■ Connect adjacent dots with vertical or horizontal
may appear lines, creating a single loop (Fig A).
just once in ■ Crossovers or branches are not allowed
each row or (As shown by dotted lines in Fig B).
column. ■ Numbers in the puzzle indicate the number of
lines that should surround it, while empty cells may (Fig A) Not allowed
Eliminate (Fig B)
repeat be surrounded by
numbers by any number of
darkening lines.
cells. (see ■ You can’t draw
example) lines around
2. Darkened zeroes.
cells must ■ Each puzzle has
never be just one unique
adjacent in solution.
a row or How to begin:
column. Example (Fig A) -
3. Unmarked Begin with the zero
cells must create 5. Any cell Level: Easy next to 3. Since no
a single ‘sandwiched’ lines can be drawn
continuous area, between around zero, mark
undivided by neighbours of crosses around it,
darkened cells. the same value as shown. Now
4. Every time can be circled. there is a cross in
you darken a (e.g. 6 4 6 ) one space around
cell, you can 6. A “triple” is a 3. So we know the three lines of 3 can only be drawn in the remaining three
automatically special case of spaces. Next, these lines can only be extended in one direction each. Continue,
circle its vertical sandwich. Circle using the same logic.
and horizontal the centre cells,
Hints: Keep eliminating possibilities by marking crosses in spaces
neighbours, which and darken the
between dots where a line isn’t possible, i.e., if you have already
means they cannot ends.
completed required lines or where a line extension may create a
be eliminated. (e.g. 6 6 6 )
branch or cause a deadend (Fig B)

HEALTH CAPSULE JUMBLE

GARFIELD
HI AND LOIS

likely sense a return of normalcy in

your life.
VIRGO August 22 - September 21

Finolex
You might be uncomfortable as your
moods change so fast that you cannot
figure out how you feel. It is rather
FORTUNE
ANIMAL CRACKERS

Anupam V K a p p difficult for you to focus on your

immediate responsibilities. Be realistic
and let others know, as clearly as
F, apo c m , t , ma at anupamvkapil@gmail.com
ARCHIE

, .me. e.n 9822042295.

possible, what you can and cannot do.
LIBRA September 22 - October 22
BIRTHDAY TODAY
You may have to put off fun for a little
while so that you can fulfill the promis-
Y ou need to be more methodical while working.
Avoid cutting corners. es you made to yourself and others.
These are not idle fantasies, more like
Tip: Your lucky colours are violet, mauve and
dove-grey. Your lucky gems are amethyst, diamond, practical planning. Your day will go
moonstone and pearl. smoother if you are able to recognise
You share your birthday with: Vikrant Massey
the potential instead of criticising the
performance of others.
ARIES March 20 - April 18 You are quite ready SCORPIO October 23 - November 20 You might
to apply your concentrated mind to a task, but feel that your expression is blocked today. But
PEANUTS

something odd may happen. Put your energy your positive attitude will allow you to accom-
NANCY

towards getting things in order. There may be plish more than you can imagine. You may still
an abundance of paperwork to wade through. be feeling overly emotional,but it does little good
Focus and finish any task set before you now, to try to hold back the flow of your feelings.Don’t
so that you don’t have to work too much later. jump in unless it truly feels right.
TAURUS April 19 - May 19 You may be SAGITTARIUS November 21-December 20
concerned about something that you have kept Be determined to get a fresh start.You may be
to yourself till now. You may be trying to deter- thinking about postponing a trip due to respon-
mine what would be the best time to share it sibilities you cannot avoid. You must use your
SPELLATHON SOLUTIONS TO GAMES/PUZZLES with someone else. Don’t let your annoyance common sense and analyse the situation.
get in the way. You may feel irritated and be Colleagues will appreciate your direct honesty
Today’s Ratings: 03-average TIMES SUDOKU TIMES HITORI LOOP THE LOOP unable to express clearly. more than a promise that can’t be kept. Look
THE BETTER HALF

MINDBENDER
In this teaser, you have been given a 9-letter
word. Your job is to break up this word into 9
separate letters and place them on the dashes to
spell a 7-letter word, a 5-letter word, and a
3-letter word. You can use each letter only once.
04-good 05-outstanding
U invisible you become. Your friends will tell you the equation when interacting with others. You
G R
F H
T temporarily keep your emotions to yourself.
A CANCER June 21 - July 21 Use the first part to be alone so that you can work out your
How many words of four or more let-
ters can you make from the letters
shown in today’s puzzle? In making a
IMPASSIVE word, a letter can be used as many
_E_T_G_ times as it appears in the puzzle. Each
word must contain the central letter.
_R_S_
_P_
There should be at least one seven let-
ter word. Plurals, foreign words and
proper names are not allowed. British
English Dictionary is used as reference.
GEMINI May 20 - June 20 You cannot get in for chances to slow things down.
the final word on a variety of topics today. The CAPRICORN December 21 - January 19 You
more you try to make yourself heard, the more might try to leave your personal needs out of
something you don’t want to hear.You could feel need to overcome your own resistance and
as if they are against you. An emotional inter- expose your vulnerability,even if you don’t want
action with a loved one could bring up deep- others to see your weakness. It may be quite a
rooted feelings of failure. It is a smart idea to challenge to keep up with your busy schedule.
AQUARIUS January 20 - February 18You want
of the day to explore the inner world of your dilemma, but responsibilities prevent you from
JUMBLE imagination before sharing your feelings with retreating. Your life is already in high gear, so
someone special in the evening. It may be this turns the volume up even louder.Be patient;
POLITICAL PARTY
Answer: If lawmakers worked together, they could celebrate with a — difficult for you to express your feelings today your fun-loving spirit will return shortly. It’s
Jumbles: GUILT PLAZA CHOPPY TROPIC because you are not sure whether others are unlikely that you need any advice.
really listening to you. PISCES February 19 - March 19 You can still
LEO July 22 - August 21 Don’t try to resolve be free in your mind by applying your rational
the inconsistencies of your emotions. It may be skills and spiritual training. You are wired to a
SPELLATHON WHATZIT? MINDBENDER
FRAUGHT, graft, haft, raft, turf 1. Vestige, 2. Prism, 3. Spa time to forgive and forget so that you can deal power source that is keeping you strong, even
with your issues. Take small but methodical if you don’t express it all the time.You may have
On a wing and a prayer
steps to get yourself back on track. You will to put a significant amount of effort into a plan.
SEAN PENN FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 I
ADVERTORIAL, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY LEIGHTON
TO RUN PROMOTIONAL FEATURE I MUMBAI
MEESTER,
CORONAVIRUS ADAM
TESTING BRODY
CENTRE IN EXPECTING
LOS ANGELES SECOND
CHILD
Follow us on: twitter.com/BombayTimes facebook.com/BombayTimes instagram.com/BombayTimes

Cyberbullies are taking Is Prateik’s marriage in trouble? While the couple, Prateik and Sanya

advantage of their right

Sanya, is not commenting, their Sagar
and
friends say that it’s “too sensitive” Prateik
Babbar
an issue to talk about
Onkar.Kulkarni@timesgroup.com

to freedom of speech: I n these times of quarantine, while a divorced

Bollywood couple (Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne
Khan) is making headlines for moving back in
together so that they can stay close to their children,
rumours of another B-Town couple, Prateik Babbar

Devoleena Bhattacharjee
and Sanya Sagar’s marriage hitting choppy waters
has taken everyone by surprise.
Raj Babbar and Smita Patil’s son, Prateik had got
engaged to his theatre actor girlfriend in 2018 and the two
tied the knot in January 2019. Since then, the duo had
never shied away from showcasing their romance, often
through passionate pictures and videos on social media.
However, speculations started doing the rounds recently,
when they unfollowed each other on social media and
Prateik also deleted some of their honeymoon pictures.
The actress has filed When BT reached out to close friends of the couple,
a complaint against a most of them remained silent and said that it was “too
sensitive” an issue to talk about. One of them said,
fan of Bigg Boss “Even if there was something or not (between the
two), I would not like to comment on it.” Another
Devoleena contestant Shehnaaz Gill, source close to the couple said, “How can people jump
HOW CAN PEOPLE JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS ABOUT
Bhattacharjee to conclusions about a couple’s relationship status
who posted an obscene depending on whether they are following each other A COUPLE’S RELATIONSHIP STATUS DEPENDING ON
on social media or not?” We reached out to the couple
audio clip targeting her and their families, but they did not respond to the WHETHER THEY ARE FOLLOWING EACH OTHER ON
on social media rumour of the break-up doing the rounds. SOCIAL MEDIA OR NOT? — A source close to the couple

Pic: Rakesh Sidana

Tanvi.Trivedi@timesgroup.com
Ali Fazal Renuka.Vyavahare@timesgroup.com
yberbullying is rampant these days,

C and more often than not, celebs find

themselves at its receiving end.
Television actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee,
I wore it
and (inset)
sporting a
Batman
mask I
t’s a known fact that actor Ali Fazal is a
massive superhero and Harry Potter fan.
A few years ago, he even attended the
who was last seen in Bigg Boss 13, is the latest
Filmfare Awards event donning a Harry

to lighten
victim of cyberbullies and she is determined
Potter robe. A couple of days go, the actor
to take a stand against the issue. She has
stepped out of his Bandra home wearing a
lodged a complaint at the Cyber Crime Cell
Batman mask, to deliver essential food sup-
against a person, who posted a filthy audio clip
plies to the needy in his vicinity.
targeting her and her mother on social
The superhero mask amused not only

people’s
media. According to Devoleena, the
those who saw him, but also many on social
offender is a fan of Shehnaaz Gill, her
media. Some even went ahead and pointed
fellow contestant on Bigg Boss 13.
out that the timing is interesting, given the
It all started a couple of days ago, when
various theories (unproven) about novel
Devoleena went live on Twitter and comment-
coronavirus originating from bats.

mood: Ali on
ed that there was zilch chemistry between
Sidharth Shukla and Shehnaaz in the recent-
ly-released single, Bhula Dunga. Soon,
SidNaz’s fans started trolling her, and one of EVERY TIME I STEP
Shehnaaz Gill them posted the obscene audio clip. Devoleena OUT FOR GROCERY

and Sidharth
Shukla in a still
from the music
video Bhula
Dunga
I FELT THAT THERE WAS NO
CHEMISTRY IN THE SONG, AND I
COMMENTED JUST AS A VIEWER.
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ANYONE
— Devoleena Bhattacharjee
Batman mask
told BT, “I usually ignore trolls, but this person
has crossed all limits. Cyberbullies are taking
SHOPPING, I SEE SCARED,
advantage of their right to freedom of speech. GLOOMY FACES. SO, I JUST
So, I lodged a complaint on Tuesday and also
sent a mail to the authorities concerned,
WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE
requesting them to take action the following SMILE AND THAT MASK
day. We are close to finding out who the offend-
er is; it is not easy to track the person, if it is
DID THE TRICK — Ali Fazal
someone living abroad. My action is a warn-
Talking to BT, Ali explained, “There was
ing to all cyberbullies, who stoop low to sup-
no particular agenda behind me wearing
port their favourite celebs.”
the mask. I am a huge Batman fan, but this
So, has she contacted Shehnaaz regarding
is perhaps the wrong time to say that! There
this? “I have sent the clip to Shehnaaz’s broth-
are all sorts of theories doing the rounds
er Shehbaz Badesha, but he hasn’t responded
concerning the coronavirus, and we don’t
yet,” the actress replied. When asked why she
know anything for sure, yet. I just wore it to
commented on SidNaz’s lack of chemistry,
lighten people’s mood a bit. Every time I
Devoleena said, “I have felt that way from day
step out for grocery shopping, I see scared,
one. Shehnaaz has always been vocal about
her feelings, but Sidharth has made it clear
gloomy faces. Everyone’s feeling so low
these days. So, I just wanted to make people
that she is just a friend. There was no chem-
smile and that mask did the trick. They
istry in the song, and I commented just as a
viewer. I have nothing against anyone.” We
looked at me amused and smiled. For me, it
tried contacting both Shehnaaz and Shehbaz,
was also a change from everyone wearing
the same type of masks.”
but they remained unavailable for comment.

Comedian Eddie Large and Stuck in Goa, Nafisa Ali BUZZSTOP

ANGELINA JOLIE TO CREATE
Sodhi gets help from
singer Adam Schlesinger state administration DIGITAL CONTENT ON
COVID-19 FOR KIDS
succumb to coronavirus
ANGELINA JOLIE has partnered
with a British network to create
digital content about the COVID-
Rachana.Dubey@timesgroup.com walk back with so much material. Door-to-door 19 pandemic for young audi-

enior actress Nafisa Ali

Eddie
Large
ddie Large, 78, best known for being
E one half of the comedy duo Little
and Large, has died after contract-
ing coronavirus, his son has said. He con-
tracted the infection in the hospital while
being treated for heart failure. His son,
Ryan McGinnis, broke the news in a
Facebook post, explaining that his father
caught COVID-19 while in hospital.
The comedian, whose real name was
Edward Hugh McGinnis, was known for
his partnership with Syd Little, which
spanned five decades. Fellow comic Matt
Lucas, took to social media to pay a tribute.
He wrote, “Eddie Large (along with his
supersonic friend Syd) was really lovely
and kind and encouraging to me when I
Adam
Schlesinger
was a nipper on Shooting Stars. So sad to
hear of his passing.”
Meanwhile, after battling with COVID-
19 for days at the hospital, singer Adam
Schlesinger passed away at 52 on
Wednesday, following complications
related to the virus. Actor Tom Hanks
took to Twitter to condole the death of
the Fountains of the Wayne band mem-
ber and confirmed it on social media.
“There would be no Playtone without
Adam Schlesinger, without his That
Thing You Do! He was a One-der. Lost
him to COVID-19. Terribly sad today.
Hanx (sic),” tweeted Hanks, who himself
was diagnosed with coronavirus.
—Agencies
#CoronaCrisis
deliveries will, in fact, bring fewer people in
S Sodhi, stuck in her Goa
residence with a deplet-
ing stock of medicines and food
Nafisa Ali
Sodhi
supplies because of the lock-
down, got some relief on
Thursday when the local admin-
istration swung into action to
help her out, after reading her
social media post.
“A group of about 15 govern-
ment officials visited me. I
expressed my concerns and told
them that they need to sell the
basics door to door, using ven-
dors. I also made it clear that I
was speaking on behalf of the
local community, more than for
myself. I requested the police to
be kinder and humane towards
those who are stepping out to buy
essential supplies and medicines.
They also asked me about my
medicines and said they would
try and get them for me,” she told
us. Nafisa is a cancer survivor
and the medicines her husband
had couriered her have been
stuck in Delhi because of the
lockdown.
Earlier in the day, she told us,
“It has been two days since the
shops have begun to open here (near Morjim in
North Goa), but they’re not nearby and we’ve
been asked to walk and not take vehicles. It
takes hours in the queues and shops don’t have
volunteers to deliver the stuff to people’s
homes. It’s been quite difficult for people to
ences. “Children have not been
out of school on this scale since
the Second World War. This is
something that throughout their
lifetimes, they will remember...
We want to help kids to have ac-
cess to trusted content and tools
that will be useful to them during
the pandemic: including helping
them to seek out fact-based and
reliable news, question the infor-
mation they receive, and learn
from each other’s experiences,”
the actress said. — Agencies
K-POP STAR JAEJOONG
SLAMMED FOR
CORONAVIRUS PRANK KIM JAE-JOONG I.E. JAEJOONG, of
the K-pop group JYJ, pranked his
followers on April 1, by saying he
had been diagnosed with coron-
avirus. “Sorry to those who could
have been infected because of me,”
he wrote in the now-deleted post on
Instagram. He later admitted the
news wasn’t true, and responded to
criticism by writing, “I don’t think of
contact with each other.”
this as an April Fool’s joke. My family
A few days ago, the actress had posted a
and my friends are getting sick and
tweet, marking the Prime Minister about her
dying. It’s never just someone else’s
niece who had tested COVID-19 positive after
problem. I will accept all punishment
returning from Switzerland. Thankfully, she
has recovered, Nafisa confirmed. I receive from this post. I hope all of
you are healthy.” — Agencies