cmyk
THE ASIAN AGE NATION| 4
Baghel dumps CM post
sharing theory, says he
will lead in C’garh polls
www.asianage.com RNI No. 57290/94, Regd No: DL-SW-05/4189/15-17
WINDOWS
Corinne Foxx arrives at the
premiere of Spider-Man: No
Way Home at the Regency
Village Theatre in Los Angeles
on Monday. — AP
Delhi finds 4 more
Omicron cases, rules
out wide outbreak
New Delhi: Delhi health min-
ister Satyendar Jain on
Tuesday said four more
cases of the new Covid-19
variant, Omicron, have been
detected in Delhi and all
have a travel history to for-
eign countries. The Omicron
variant of the coronavirus
has not spread in the com-
munity so far and the situa-
tion is under control, he
added. “So far, six people
have been found Omicron
positive in the capital. One
of them has been dis-
charged,” he said.
■ More on Page 3
Bill to extend tenure of
CBI, ED chiefs passed
New Delhi: Parliament on
Tuesday passed two bills to
extend the tenure of the
chiefs of the CBI and the ED
to a maximum of five years
from the earlier two years,
with Rajya Sabha approving
them by voice vote. Lok
Sabha had on December 9
cleared the two bills.
■ More on Page 3
Kovind begins 3-day
Bangladesh visit today
New Delhi: President Ram
Nath Kovind will begin a
three-day State Visit to
Bangladesh from today to
attend the 50th Victory Day
celebrations of that country
where he will be the “guest
of honour”. During the
Presidential visit, President
Kovind will also attend a
Parade on December 16.
■ More on Page 4
COUNTERPOINT
WEATHER
Max: 22OC
Min: 9OC
RH: 49%
Rain: 10%
Forecast: Sunny
ASTROGUIDE
Plava: Dakshinayana
Tithi: Margashira Shuddha
Dwadasi till 2.02 am
(Thursday)
Star: Bharani whole day
Varjyam: 3.25 pm to 5.13 pm
Durmuhurtam: 11.49 pm to
12.33 am (Thursday)
Rahukalam: 12 pm to 1.30
pm
SUNSET TODAY 5.26 PM
SUNRISE TOMORROW 7.06 AM
MOONRISE TOMORROW 3.28 PM
MOONSET TODAY 3.32 AM
■ PM holds conclave with CMs; does ‘night inspection’ of Varanasi
11 BJP CMs and 3 dy CMs will offer
prayers at Ayodhya temple today
AGE CORRESPONDENT
with agency inputs
NEW DELHI/VARANASI,
DEC. 14
Eleven chief ministers of
BJP-ruled states, who
attended a conclave on
“good governance” with
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Tuesday in the
PM’s parliamentary con-
stituency Varanasi, will
offer prayers at the
makeshift temple at the Ram
Janmabhoomi and
Hanumangarhi site in
Ayodhya on Wednesday.
The protocol officials of the
11 chief ministers and three
deputy chief ministers
reached Ayodhya on
Tuesday. Some of the chief
ministers will also be accom-
panied by their family mem-
bers. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi had inaugu-
rated the first phase of the
Kashi Vishwanath Dham
Project on Monday.
SIT says Lakhimpur killings were ‘pre-planned
conspiracy’, seeks ‘attempt to murder’ charges
Lakhimpur Kheri, Dec.
14: The Special
Investigation Team (SIT)
probing the Lakhimpur
Kheri violence, which
claimed eight lives, has
urged the chief judicial
magistrate to replace less-
er charges in the case like
causing death by negli-
gence with attempt to
murder, saying that it was
a “pre-planned conspiracy
causing death”.The SIT
urged the CJM to replace
IPC sections 279 (rash dri-
ving/riding), 338 (causing
grievous injuries by negli-
gence) and 304A (causing
death by a rash and negli-
gent act) with IPC section
307 (attempt to murder)
Hypersonic cruise Sonia meets Pawar, Farooq, others in bid
missiles vital for
India, says Rajnath
to plan joint Opp. strategy in Parliament
PAWAN BALI
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
Amid global concern
over China recently test-
ing a nuclear-capable
hypersonic missile,
defence minister Rajnath
Singh said on Tuesday
that India must immedi-
ately move towards
developing hypersonic
cruise missiles to main-
tain minimum credible
deterrence against its
enemies.
Mr Singh pointed out
that ballistic missile
defence systems are get-
ting more and more
robust with the passage
of time. “In order to
maintain a minimum
credible deterrence, we
have to immediately
think about hypersonic
Newly-wed Bollywood actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif pose with mediapersons
for photographs outside Mumbai airport on Tuesday on their return to the city from
their wedding in Rajasthan.— PTI
NEW DELHI WEDNESDAY 15 DECEMBER 2021
BJP president J.P. Nadda with MP chief minister Shivraj
Singh Chauhan, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and
other dignitaries pose for photographs near the statue
of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay after paying him obei-
sance in Varanasi on Tuesday.
The chief ministers were
expected to arrive in
Lucknow from Varanasi on
Tuesday evening and after a
night’s stay in the Uttar
Pradesh capital, will reach
Ayodhya by 11 am on
Wednesday, a senior district
official said.
The chief ministers of
among others in the case
related to the October 3
violence, in which four
farmers were among
those killed.
The SIT retained IPC
sections 302 (murder), 147
(rioting), 148 (rioting,
armed with a deadly
weapon), 149 (every mem-
ber of unlawful assembly
guilty of offence commit-
ted in prosecution of com-
mon object) and 120B
(criminal conspiracy).
It also recommended
promulgation of IPC 326
(voluntarily causing
injuries by dangerous
weapons), 34 (acts by sev-
eral persons with com-
mon intentions) and sec-
cruise missile develop-
ment. It will be a revolu-
tionary step in our
defence sector and we all
have to put our efforts
into it,” he at a ceremony
while handing over five
Defence Research and
D e v e l o p m e n t
Organisation (DRDO)
developed products to the
armed forces and other
security agencies.
The defence minister
said countries that have
done defence innovation
are the ones who have
bested their enemies and
left a mark on history.
“We should, therefore,
strengthen ourselves and
be ready to deal with any
kind of situation,”
he said. The defence min-
ister said it should be
■ Turn to Page 4
SPORT| 8
Former captain Virat Kohli
may give South Africa ODI
series a miss, says report
— PTI
Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Arunachal
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Assam, Nagaland, Manipur,
Tripura, Gujarat, Haryana
and Goa, and two deputy
chief ministers from Bihar
and one from Arunachal
Pradesh will be visiting the
holy city, the official said.
tions 3/25/30 of the Arms
Act in warrants of the 13
accused.
The accused have been
arrested in connection
with FIR number 219
which pertains to the
death of the four farmers
and a local journalist in
Tikunia.
Senior Prosecution
Officer (SPO) SP Yadav on
Tuesday told PTI, “Chief
Investigator of the SIT
Vidyaram Diwakar, prob-
ing Tikunia violence,
moved an application in
the court of CJM Chinta
Ram stating the probe and
evidence gathered so far
established that the vio-
lence leading to the death
■ Opp. marches to Vijay Chowk ■ Govt ‘crushing people’s voice’: Rahul
AGE CORRESPONDENT
with agency inputs
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
The Opposition leaders on
Tuesday held a march from
Parliament House to Vijay
Chowk to press for their
demand to revoke the sus-
pension of 12 Rajya Sabha
MPs belonging to the
Opposition. The leaders
have been vocal in their
demand for revocation of
the suspension but the
treasury benches are
demanding an apology
from the suspended mem-
bers.
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi joined the other
Opposition leaders in their
protest on Tuesday.
Congress president Sonia
Gandhi, meanwhile, met a
group of senior Opposition
leaders on Tuesday and
held consultations with
them to evolve a joint strat-
■ Report on Page 9
Official sources indicated
that the chief ministers of
Sikkim, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Karnataka and
Puducherry may also visit
Ayodhya.
After the CMs’ conclave,
Mr Modi posted a picture
with the chief ministers on
Twitter, saying: “Just con-
cluded an extensive meeting
in Kashi with @BJP4India
Chief Ministers and Deputy
Chief Ministers.”
Prime Minister Modi, who
inaugurated the Kashi
Vishwanath Dham Project
and then attended the Ganga
aarti late evening on
Monday, ventured out on
the streets of Varanasi in the
early hours of Tuesday
along with Uttar Pradesh
chief minister Yogi
Adityanath. Both visited the
just-inaugurated Kashi
Vishwanath Dham and the
Banaras railway station.
The Banaras railway station
■ Turn to Page 4
of five people and injuries
to several others was not
an act of negligence or
carelessness.”
“The chief investigator
stated in his application
that the act was a pre-
planned conspiracy, caus-
ing death, owing to which
the earlier IPC sections in
the FIR namely sections 279,
338 and 304A were dropped
and IPC sections 307, 326, 34
and sections 3/25/30 of the
Arms Act were added,” Mr
Yadav said.
He said the chief investi-
gating officer urged the
court to rectify the war-
rants of the 13 accused
who are in judicial cus-
tody. — PTI
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition mem-
bers during a protest march demanding revocation of
the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs at Vijay Chowk
near Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday.
egy in Parliament, sources
said. NCP supremo Sharad
Pawar, J&K National
Conference patron Farooq
Abdullah, Shiv Sena leader
Sanjay Raut and DMK
leader T.R. Baalu were
among the leaders who met
SII works on anti-Omicron booster,
says jabs for kids ready in 6 months
SANJAY KAW
with agency inputs
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
The Serum Institute of
India (SII) is working
towards developing a
Covid-19 vaccine booster
shot that will be effective
against coronavirus vari-
ants including Omicron,
Pune-based pharma giant
CEO Adar Poonawalla said
Tuesday. He also said SII
has reached the trial phase
of a coronavirus vaccine
for children above three
years and that it should be
ready within the next six
months.
Mr Poonawalla’s state-
ment comes as about 50
TABLOID| 9
Kareena Kapoor ‘partied’
with other stars despite
cough and Covid infection
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi
Adityanath, on a “night inspection” of key development projects on the streets of
Varanasi in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
As food prices
going up, WPI
inflation up to
14.23% in Nov
FC BUREAU
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
With a sharp rise in the
price of day-to-day
items -- mainly food,
mineral oils, basic met-
als, crude petroleum
and natural gas –
India’s wholesale
prices (WPI) inflation
surged to a 12-year high
of 14.23 per cent in
November. The prices
of vegetables, eggs and
meat also hardened in
the same month, gov-
ernment data showed
Tuesday. WPI inflation
stayed in double digits
for eight consecutive
months from April this
year, mainly due to
skyrocketing prices for
food items. WPI
Inflation in October
this year was 12.54 per
cent, while in
November 2020 it was
at only 2.29 per cent.
■ More on Page 7
— PTI
Mrs Gandhi at her 10
Janpath residence. The
sources said more such
meetings would be held in
the next few days in a bid to
bring all the Opposition
forces together.
The sources added that
Pfizer: Pill works
against Omicron
Washington: Pfizer said
Tuesday that clinical tri-
als confirmed its anti-
Covid pill reduced hospi-
talizations and deaths
among at-risk people by
almost 90 percent when
it was taken in the first
few days after symptoms
appear. The results are
based on trials of more
than 2,200 people.
cases of Omicron have
already been detected in
several states. India is yet
to start vaccinating chil-
Vol. 28 No. 298 | 16
SC allows MoD to
widen 3 highways
near Char Dham
PARMOD KUMAR
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
Citing security concerns
at the India-China border
and incidents in the
“recent past”, the
Supreme Court on
Tuesday allowed the
defence ministry to widen
and double-lane the
national highways con-
necting Rishikesh to
Gangotri, Rishikesh to
Mana as well as Tanakpur
to Pithoragarh, which are
part of the 899-km Char
Dham project in
Uttarakhand.
Letting the defence min-
istry double-lane the three
strategic highways,
Justice D.Y.
Chandrachud, heading a
bench which also includ-
ed Justices Surya Kant
and Vikram Nath, said it
was “impermissible” for
the court to “interrogate
Mrs Gandhi had invited
Maharashtra CM Uddhav
Thackeray and DMK chief
and Tamil Nadu CM M.K.
Stalin. Both had deputed
their leaders – Mr Raut and
Mr Baalu respectively.
Earlier,
reporters, Mr
addressing
Rahul
Gandhi said the suspen-
sion of 12 MPs was akin to
the “crushing of the voice
of the people of India”. He
said the government was
not allowing the
Opposition to raise issues
or ask questions in
Parliament, reducing it to
just being a “museum”. He
added: “This (suspension
of 12 MPs) is a symbol of
the crushing of the voice of
the people of India. Their
voices have been crushed.
They have done nothing
wrong. We are not allowed
to discuss important issues
in Parliament.” Taking on
■ Turn to Page 4
dren below 18, who form 40
per cent of the country’s
population.
Five Covid-19 vaccines
have already been granted
permission to conduct clin-
ical trials in children and
adolescents by the Central
Drugs Standard Control
Organisation (CDSCO).
These vaccines are Cadila
Healthcare’s ZyCoV-D,
Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin,
Serum Institute’s Covovax,
Biological E’s RBD, and
the Johnson & Johnson
and Ad 26COV.2S vaccine.
As far as the country’s
adult population is con-
cerned, over 55 per cent
people have received both
■ Turn to Page 4
cmyk
PAGES | `5.00
— PTI
the policy choice of the
establishment, which is
entrusted by law with the
defence of the nation”.
The court, in its exercise
of judicial review, the
judgment pronounced on
Tuesday said, “cannot
second-guess the infra-
structural needs of the
armed forces”.
The court said this,
rejecting the argument by
the petitioner “Citizens
for Green Doon” question-
ing the policy decisions of
the government. In 2018,
the MoRTH had revised
its circular paving way
for the widening of the
ecologically sensitive
Char Dham region.
Having permitted the
defence ministry to go
ahead with the widening
of the strategic roads, the
court set up an oversight
committee headed by a
■ Turn to Page 4
MAHARASHTRA
Jolt to MVA
as BJP wins
4 of 6 seats in
Council polls
BHAGWAN PARAB
MUMBAI, DEC. 14
In a big setback to the
ruling Maha Vikas
Aghadi (MVA) alliance
in Maharashtra, the BJP
has made a big headway
in the Legislative
Council elections by win-
ning four of the six seats.
The saffron party caused
an upset by winning the
Akola-Buldhana-
Washim seat, which was
with the Shiv Sena for
the past 18 years. The
elections were fought by
the Shiv Sena and
Congress with each
other’s as well as the
NCP’s support.
Out of six seats, the
results of four seats were
decided earlier without
voting. Elections were
held for the Nagpur and
Akola seats, which were
won comfortably by the
BJP. The result is seen as
a jolt for the ruling MVA
alliance, which lost these
seats despite being in
power.
The Akola-Buldhana-
Washim seat’s result was
a shock for the Shiv Sena
as its three-time MLC
Gopikishan Bajoria was
defeated by the BJP’s
Vasant Khandelwal by a
margin of 109 votes. Of
the total 808 votes, Mr
Khandelwal bagged 443
votes while Mr Bajoria
secured 334.
The Nagpur result was
also a huge embarrass-
ment for the Congress for
the fiasco over changing
its candidate at the last
moment. In the end, the
BJP’s Chandreshekhar
Bawankule secured 362
votes, winning the seat
comfortably.
■ More on Page 3
 CITY
THE ASIAN AGE | WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
pg 2

SHORT TAKES
Jamia Millia
ranked A++ in
NAAC review
New Delhi: Jamia Millia
Islamia has been ranked A++
in the National Assessment
and Accreditation Council
(NAAC) review, according to
a statement from the univer-
sity on Tuesday.The grading
provided by the council is
crucial for funds and grants
allotted to a varsity by the
UGC. Jamia Millia Islamia
got a cumulative grade
point average (CGPA) of
3.61. The CGPA for A++
accreditation is between
3.51 to 4. Jamia Millia
Islamia had been ranked A
in the first cycle of NAAC
review in 2015. According to
information obtained
through an RTI application,
the university had spent
over `26 lakh for arranging a
■ Jain: Omicron has not spread in the community & situation is under control
Delhi reports 4 more cases
of Omicron, tally rises to 6
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
Delhi health minister
Satyendar Jain, on
Tuesday, said four more
cases of the new Covid-19
variant, Omicron, have
been detected in Delhi
and all have a travel his-
tory to foreign countries.
The Omicron variant of
the coronavirus has not
spread in the community
so far and the situation is
under control, he added.
“So far, six people have
been found Omicron posi-
tive in the national capi-
tal. One of them has been
◗ DELHI HEALTH minister
Satyendar Jain said that
the government is fully
prepared to tackle the
spread of any variant of
coronavirus.
discharged. All of them
had travelled to foreign
countries and were trans-
ferred to the Lok Nayak
Jai Prakash Narayan
(LNJP) hospital from the
Indira Gandhi
International airport,”
added Mr Jain.
The condition of the
remaining five Omicron-
positive patients is stable,
he said.
So far, 74 travellers have
been sent from the air-
port to the hospital,
where a special ward has
been set up for isolating
and treating suspected
cases of Omicron.
Thirty-six of them have
been discharged and 38
are admitted to the hospi-
tal.
Mr Jain said the govern-
ment is fully prepared to
tackle the spread of any
variant of coronavirus.
Delhi’s first patient of
the Omicron variant, a
37-year-old man from
Ranchi, was discharged
on Monday after he tested
negative for Covid-19
twice, officials said.
He had travelled from
Tanzania to Doha and
from there to Delhi on a
Qatar Airways flight on
December 2. He stayed in
Johannesburg in South
Africa for a week and had
mild symptoms.
The latest cases of the
Omicron variant have
taken the country’s tally
to 45.
Meanwhile, the city’s
first Omicron patient has
been discharged from
Lok Nayak Jai Prakash
Narayan hospital, offi- Police detains a member of Indian Youth Congress during a protest against the
cials said. Central government over inflation across the country in New Delhi on Tuesday. — PTI

Nursery admissions
“regal treatment” for the
council team which came for
an inspection in 2015.
— PTI

DIAL introduces
e-boarding facility
at Delhi Airport
New Delhi: In line with the
government of India’s
Digital India campaign, the
GMR-led Delhi
International Airport
Limited (DIAL) has rolled
out an e-boarding facility
to enable faster and seam-
less processing of the
departing passengers
across all flights. DIAL has
introduced e-boarding
gates across all three ter-
minals of Delhi Airport for
the passengers flying out
of the city. E-gates are
empowered by touchless
technologies. Passengers
who have verified their
boarding passes by scan-
ning at the e-gates can
simply walk past the e-
boarding gates for security
checks and then board a
flight without having to
show their documents
again. The touchless proce-
dure not only minimises
touching of facility sur-
faces and people interac-
tion under coronavirus, but
also shortens the boarding
time. This cutting-edge
technology has reduced 50
per cent of the transaction
time, resulting in lower
queues and has also
improved the security
aspect where boarding
card details are verified
with the airline back office.
process begin today
Application window to close on January 7
New Delhi, Dec. 14: The
process of nursery
admissions in nearly
1,800 private schools
across the national capi-
tal will begin from
Wednesday, and the
application window is
scheduled to close on
January 7.The
Directorate of
Education (DoE) had
last month notified the
admission schedule.
The admission to
entry-level classes for
the previous academic
session began in
February this year after
a delay due to the Covid
pandemic. However,
this year, the schedule is
in line with previous
years.
As per the notified
schedule, the first list of
selected children will be
put up on February 4,
followed by a second list
on February 21 and a
subsequent list for
admission, if any, on
March 15. The entire
admission process will
conclude on March 31.
“No deviation from
the above schedule shall
be permitted. Each
school shall display the
aforesaid admission
schedule on its notice
◗ THE FIRST list of “Schools shall develop
selected children will be and adopt criteria for
put up on February 4, admission which shall
followed by a second be fair, reasonable, well
defined, equitable, non-
list on February 21 and discriminatory, unam-
a subsequent list for biguous and transpar-
admission, if any, on ent. No school shall
March 15. The entire adopt a criterion abol-
admission process will ished by the department
conclude on March 31 including charging a
capitation fees or dona-
board and website. tions. Pre-schools or
Further, each school montessori schools run
shall ensure that appli- by registered societies
cation forms for admis- or Trusts as branches of
sion are made available recognised unaided
to all applicants till the schools will have to fol-
last date of submission. low single admission
A non-refundable process for their pre-
amount of only `25 can school and main school
be charged as admis- considering them as one
sion registration fee. institution,” the official
The purchase of said.
prospectus of the school A monitoring cell is
by the parents shall be being constituted in
optional,” a senior DoE each district under the
official said. chairmanship of the
Schools were asked to deputy director con-
notify their number of cerned, who shall
seats and the admission ensure that each private
criteria by Tuesday. school uploads the crite-
The DoE has directed ria and their points on
that the number of the online module and
seats at the entry levels further, ensure that the
shall not be less than school shall not adopt
the highest number of those criteria which
seats in entry-level were abolished by the
classes during the last department and upheld
three years — 2019-20, by the Delhi High
2020-21 and 2021-22. Court. — PTI

Farmers’ protests: Road traffic Connaught Place

17th costliest
at Singhu border to open soon office market in
AGE CORRESPONDENT ◗ AT THE Ghazipur bor- visit the sites vacated
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14 der too, traffic may be by the protesters.
“Preliminary observa-
world, says JLL
Two days after the
allowed on the barricad- tions did not show any New Delhi, Dec. 14: New Delhi’s
farmers suspended ed expressway portion big damage to the car- Connaught Place ranks improved
their year-long agita- of the Delhi-Meerut riageways. We may to 17th in the most expensive office
tion, Delhi’s Singhu Expressway in the next allow traffic on the bar- market in the world from 25th posi-
border is likely to see couple of days. Since ricaded lanes in the tion in 2020, with anannual aver-
traffic movement in a the farmers are yet to next couple of days age occupancy cost of $109 square
“regulated” manner in vacate the NH-9 lanes, after the site inspec- feet, according to property consult-
the next 2-3 days. NHAI it will take some more tion. The NH-9 lanes ant JLL.
may take two weeks to days for NHAI to restore will take more time to In its premium office rent track-
fully restore vehicular become functional,” the er (PORT) report, the consultant
movement after carry- the impacted carriage- official said. said that New York-Midtown and
ing out some repair ways. On Monday, the cops Hong Kong-Central shared the title
works. began removing the as the world’s most expensive
At the Ghazipur bor- border. That will enable cemented barricades office market. These cities com-
der too, traffic may be us to resume traffic and the spikes ham- mand $261 per square feet annual
allowed on the barri- movement in the next 2- mered into the road at occupancy costs.
caded expressway por- 3 days. However, we Singhu to deter incom- Beijing-Finance Street, London-
tion of the Delhi- may have to regulate ing vehicles during the West End, and Silicon Valley are in
Meerut Expressway in traffic to avoid prob- protest. A crane was the top five of the global list.
the next couple of days. lems,” said an NHAI employed to remove the The Asia Pacific region accounts
Since the farmers are official. huge cement barri- for 6 of the top 10 most expensive
yet to vacate the NH-9 “The highway por- cades positioned across office markets globally.
lanes, it will take some tions that require the roads. The length of “The heart of the National
more days for NHAI to major repair will be the road, around 100 Capital - Connaught Place is home
restore the impacted ready in 10-15 days,” he metres of the border, to premium buildings and remains
carriageways. added. looked not only dam- the most expensive office market
“We will carry out Another official aged but also littered in the country. Connaught Place in
minor repairs and supervising the Delhi- with garbage. Some Delhi has climbed up the rankings
maintenance quickly so Meerut Expressway sweepers had been from 25th position last year to 17th
that traffic can be project said that on employed to clean the this year with an average occupan-
allowed at the Singhu Tuesday a team would area. cy cost of $109 square feet per year
which is higher than San
Francisco,” JLL India said in a

Delhi’s max temperature settles statement.

The report compares occupancy
costs for premium office buildings
across the world’s leading real

at 22.7ºC, air quality ‘very poor’ estate markets.

This seventh edition includes 127
office markets and submarkets in
AGE CORRESPONDENT its lowest temperature at 367, which falls in the 112 cities.
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14 of the season so far at ‘very poor’ category, Occupancy costs can be simply
6.4 degrees Celsius, deteriorating from understood as the cost of the net
Tuesday’s cold morning weather officials said. Monday when it was leasable area (actual rentable
gave way to a sunny The sky will be partly 331. area) and include all costs for an
afternoon in Delhi with cloudy on Wednesday The AQI of neigh- occupier including the rent (effec-
the maximum tempera- and there will be shal- bouring areas of tive rent payable after considering
ture settling at 22.7 low fog in the morning. Faridabad (359), rent-free period, tenant improve-
degrees Celsius, a notch The maximum and Ghaziabad (324), ment allowances), service charges
below normal. The min- minimum tempera- Gurugram (306) and (maintenance, etc.) and govern-
imum temperature was tures are likely to settle Noida (332) were also ment taxes payable on the rent.
recorded at 7.5 degrees around 23 degrees recorded in the ‘very According to the report,
Celsius, a notch below Celsius and seven poor’ category. The AQI Mumbai's BKC (Bandra-Kurla-
the season’s average, the degrees Celsius respec- of Greater Noida stood Complex) with an annual occupan-
weather department tively, they said. at 284 (poor category). cy cost of $102 per square feet is
said. On Tuesday, the An AQI between zero the second most expensive Indian
The city’s Palam humidity levels oscillat- and 50 is considered city office market. It has slipped
observatory recorded a ed between 97 per cent ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satis- one position down to 23rd from last
low of 10.5 degrees and 47 per cent, the factory’, 101 and 200 year. The central business district
Celsius and a high of 22 weather office added. ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 (CBD) of Mumbai stands at 63rd
degrees Celsius. The 24-hour average ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very position with an annual occupan-
On Sunday, the nation- air quality index (AQI) poor’, and 401 and 500 cy cost of $58 per square feet.
al capital had recorded in the city at 4 pm stood ‘severe’. — PTI
 NATION
THE ASIAN AGE | WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
pg 3

SHORT
Rahul set to visit
TAKES
Amethi on Dec. 18
Amethi: Former Congress
president Rahul Gandhi will
be visiting Amethi on
December 18 along with
party general secretary and
his sister Priyanka Gandhi
Vadra.Rahul Gandhi will
arrive at the Lucknow airport
on December 18 morning
and will reach Amethi by
road, Congress Amethi dis-
trict spokesperson Arvind
Chaturvedi said. Further
details of his visit will be
known later, Mr Chaturvedi
said. Mr Gandhi will be visit-
ing Amethi for the second
time after losing the 2019
Lok Sabha election by 55,120
votes to BJP’s Smriti Irani.
Rahul Gandhi had represent-
ed Amethi for 15 years. He
had sent relief material for
the locals here during the
coronavirus pandemic,
according to the party. The
fromer Congress chief’s visit
Priyanka seeks MoS Ajay Mishra sacking
Cong general secretary accuses PM Modi of having ‘anti-farmer mindset’
New Delhi, Dec. 14: With
the SIT on the Lakhimpur
Kheri incident terming it
a “pre-planned conspira-
cy”, Congress leader
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
on Tuesday accused Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
of having an “anti-farmer
mindset” and demanded
that he initiate an inquiry
into the role of minister of
state for home Ajay
Mishra Teni in the matter
and sack him immediately.
Her attack on the PM
comes after the Special
Investigation Team (SIT)
probing the Lakhimpur
Kheri violence, in which
eight persons were killed
in October, recommended
prosecution of all the
accused, including the son
of Union MoS for home
Farmers being welcomed in Amritsar on Tuesday as
they return from Delhi protest sites.
Mishra, under attempt to
murder charge, among
others. The SIT has
termed the October 3 inci-
dent a “pre-planned con-
— PTI
spiracy causing death”.
“Due to the court’s
rebuke and because of
‘satyagraha’, now even the
police is saying that the
son of the minister of
state for home had con-
spired and crushed the
farmers,” Ms Vadra said
in a tweet in Hindi.
She demanded that there
should be an inquiry into
the role of the minister of
state for home in the “con-
spiracy”.
“But @narendramodi ji,
due to anti-farmer mind-
set, you have not even
removed him from his
post,” the Congress gener-
al secretary said.
In a statement, she said
that when the SIT has stat-
ed that the Lakhimpur
‘farmer massacre” was a
pre-planned act then why
are PM Modi and home
minister Amit Shah “pro-
tecting” the minister of
state for home. — PTI
Govt should stop shielding
minister, says farmer body
New Delhi, Dec. 14: The
Samyukt Kisan Morcha
said on Tuesday that the
Modi government should
stop shielding Union min-
ister Ajay Mishra Teni,
whose son was arrested in
connection with the
October 3 Lakhimpur
Kheri violence, and dis-
miss him from the post.
The SIT probing the
Lakhimpur Kheri violence
case in which eight people
died has urged the chief
judicial magistrate to
replace lesser charges in
the case like causing death
by negligence with attempt
to murder, saying that it
was a “pre-planned con-
spiracy causing death”.
Responding to the SIT
investigation, the umbrel-
la body of farmers’ unions
said the finding has reaf-
firmed its stand that the
incident was a “pre-
planned massacre”.
“Meanwhile, the chief
mastermind of the inci-
dent, Ajay Mishra Teni,
continues to roam free and
hold his position in the
Union government. In the
light of the latest findings,
the SKM demands that the
Modi government stop
shielding this ‘conspirator
of the Kisan Massacre in
Lakhimpur Kheri’,” SKM
said. — PTI
Suspension
of MPs: Opp.
marches to
Vijay Chowk
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
Opposition leaders on
Tuesday held a march
from Parliament to Vijay
Chowk to press for their
demand to revoke the
suspension of 12 Rajya
Sabha MPs belonging to
the Opposition camp.
The Opposition leaders
have been vocal in their
demand for the revoca-
tion of the suspension
but the treasury benches
are demanding an apolo-
gy from the suspended
members. Congress lea-
der Rahul Gandhi also
joined the Opposition on
Tuesday in protesting
the suspension of the 12
Rajya Sabha MPs at the

Highlight role
Gandhi statue in

RS approves bills
assumes importance in view Parliament House com-
of the Uttar Pradesh plex.

of 15 women
Assembly election due early Addressing reporters,
next year. — PTI Mr Gandhi said the sus-

‘Insult to anthem’:
Plaint against Didi
on CBI, ED amid in Constituent
pension of 12 MPs is
akin to the crushing of
the voice of the people of

Assembly: MP India. He said the gov-

Mumbai: A practicing advo-

cate and member of the BJP
has filed a complaint at a
local magistrate court in
Mumbai seeking directions
to Cuffe Parade police sta-
tion to register an FIR
against West Bengal chief
minister Mamta Banerjee
accusing her of insulting and
disrespecting the national
anthem on December 1 dur-
ing a programme in Mumbai.
Advocate Vivekanand Gupta
has filed an application
before a metropolitan mag-
istrate seeking action
against Ms Banerjee under
relevant provisions of The
Prevention of Insults to
National Honour Act. Accor-
ding to the complainant, at
the end of a public function
at Cuffe Parade which was
convened by lyricist Javed
Akhtar, the West Bengal
chief minister started singing
the national anthem while
sitting on her chair.
walkout by Opp.
New Delhi, Dec. 14:
Parliament on Tuesday
passed two bills to extend
the tenure of the chiefs of
the CBI and the ED to a
maximum of five years
from the earlier two
years, with Rajya Sabha
approving them by voice
vote amid a walkout by
the Opposition.
The Lok Sabha had on
December 9 cleared the
two bills which were
brought to replace ordi-
nances issued last month
in this regard.
Minister of state for per-
sonnel Jitendra Singh
moved “The Delhi Special
Police Establishment
(Amendment) Bill, 2021”
for consideration in the
Rajya Sabha to extend the
maximum duration of
the CBI director’s tenure
to five years on Tuesday.
◗ EARLIER, MOS of
parliamentary affairs V.
Muraleedharan proposed
for a joint debate on bills
but it was opposed by
several members
following which RS dy
chairman Harivansh
Narayan Singh decided
to take them separately
debate on bills but it was
opposed by several mem-
bers following which
Rajya
chairman
Sabha deputy
Harivansh
Narayan Singh decided to
take them separately.
While moving the bill on
the CBI chief ’s tenure
extension, Singh said the
government is working to
check corruption and to
ensure and
transparency.
enhance
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
Asking the government
to highlight the contribu-
tion of 15 women mem-
bers included in the
Constituent Assembly,
Rajya Sabha member
Rakesh Sinha on
Tuesday said efforts
should be made to high-
light their immense con-
tribution in the freedom
movement, social refo-
rms and international
politics. Noting how the
Universal Rights Decla-
ration of the United
Nations was changed on
the request of Hansa
Mehta from “all men are
equal” to “all human bei-
ngs are equal”, Mr Sinha
said when the country is
ernment is not allowing
the Opposition to raise
issues or ask questions
in Parliament, reducing
it to just being a ‘muse-
um’. He added, “This
(suspension of 12 MPs)
is a symbol of the crush-
ing of the voice of the
people of India. Their
voices have been
crushed. They have done
nothing wrong. We are
not allowed to discuss
important issues in
Parliament.”
Members of Opposition parties stage a protest march at Parliament House premises
Don’t run your
in New Delhi on Tuesday demanding revocation of the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha
MPs. — PTI
offices from LS:
Birla to mantris
Omicron threat: Cong, TMC New Delhi,
Dec. 14: Spe-
aker Om Birla

In recent years, he said,

RSS leader goes
Most of the Opposition
parties, however, soon
the nation is faced with
the triple menace of cor-
celebrating 75th year of
Indian Independence,
contribution of these
women should be high-
lighted even at the global
platform. Chairman M.
urge booster doses for adults
AGE CORRESPONDENT
with agency inputs
precautions. We have to be
prepared to fight the new
Covid — Kareena Kapoor
and Amrita Arora, which
expressed his
displeasure
on Tuesday at
ministers interacting
with members over vari-
ous issues inside the Lok

missing in U’khand
Dehradun: An RSS leader
from Nagpur, Sukumar
Satyanarayan Kare, who had
left Delhi for Dehradun on
December 8 has been miss-
ing for nearly a week. Mr
Kare, who serves the RSS as
an organisational secretary,
started from Delhi for
Dehradun by the Shatabdi
Express train on December 8
but did not reach Dehradun,
the government railway
police, Dehradun, which has
registered a case in connec-
tion with his disappearance,
walked out over the issue
of the suspension of their
12 members.
Immediately after the
passage of the bill by a
voice vote, Mr Singh
tabled the Central
Vigilance Commission
(Amendment) Bill, 2021 to
extend the tenure of ED
director to up to five years
from two years which was
also passed by voice vote.
Earlier, minister of
state of parliamentary
affairs V. Muraleedharan
proposed for a joint
ruption, black money and
international crime that
is linked to drug traffick-
ing, terrorism and crimi-
nal offences, and all these
are a threat to the securi-
ty and financial structure
of the country.
The methodology of
crime has changed and is
highly sophisticated and
structured which makes
crime investigation a far
more difficult task, he
said, stressing that the
bill will help maintain the
pace of probe. — PTI
Venkaiah Naidu also
asked the government
that the suggestion by
the BJP MP should be
considered.
While raising the issue
during the Zero Hour,
Mr Sinha said while
names of some of these
women like Malti Chow-
dhury and Vijaylakshmi
Pandit are known, con-
tribution of others like
Durgabai Deshmukh,
Ammu Swaminathan
and Poornima Banerjee
not that well known.
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
On a day when the
Opposition spent a large
part of its time protesting
against the suspension of
12 members of Parlia-
ment, they also took time
out to discuss the Covid-19
situation in the country in
the wake of slowly rising
cases of Omicron variant.
Expressing concerns
over the new evolving sit-
uation, members of the
Congress and Trinamul
Congress on Tuesday
urged the government to
initiate booster doses of
variant. The government
should think about vacci-
nating children and ado-
lescents. It needs to be on
priority list,” said
Congress leader in the
Lok Sabha Mr Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury while
raising the matter in the
Zero Hour.
He was supported by
Trinamul’s Sougata Ray
who said, “Omicron has
entered India and the
number of affected people
has reached 40. We all are
scared that a third wave
will happen, if it happens,
we should not be caught
is a matter of concern for
all of us. Because of some
difference of opinion
among the expert commit-
tee, India has not started
booster doses. I demand a
third dose should start
immediately and young
people between 12-18, who
have not received Covid
vaccine so far, should also
get it.” He cited the exam-
ple of the UK which has
declared an Omicron
emergency and has start-
ed giving booster doses.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha
on Tuesday took up dis-
cussion on the second sup-
Sabha and asked them
not to run their offices
from the House. Union
minister Giriraj Singh
was seen interacting
with a member, who had
come to his seat to dis-
cuss some issue after the
Question Hour was over.
Intervening, Mr Birla
said, “Honourable mem-
bers, ministers should
not hold their offices
from here. Ministers
should ask the members
to meet them in office.”
He asked the members
to maintain the decorum
of the House.

Uproar in C’garh Assembly

said on Tuesday. Devprayag vaccine for the adult pop- unaware.… Because of plementary demand for Members of various
was his last location where ulation and start immu- the problem of genome grants for 2021-22, which political parties often go
he is understood to have nising adolescents and sequencing, it is not easy includes `62,000 crore for to the seats of different
spent a few days. children. to find whether a particu- equity infusion in Air ministers to raise cer-

over Centre’s PMAY move

CCTV footage from Haridwar “The government needs lar patient is infused with India Assets, along with tain issues related to
junction shows that instead to be vigilant about the Omicron. Yesterday, two allocations for fertiliser their ministries even
of coming directly to new Covid-19 variant well-known film artists and food subsidies, and when the House proceed-
Dehradun, the leader Omicron and take more have been infected with funds for MGNREGA. ings are on. — PTI
deboarded the train at
Haridwar and caught a bus
for Devprayag. — PTI
11 BJP MLAs suspended; Opp. blames state for development ■ Provide ration, voter ID, Aadhaar to sex workers: Top court
RABINDRA NATH ◗ STATE PANCHAYAT Centre owed around
CHOUDHURY minister T.S. Singh Deo `20,000 crore to the state

VIJAYAN: NEED OF
RAIPUR, DEC. 14

The issue relating to the

HOUR IS TO OUST withdrawal of allotments
of houses under Pradhan
said he had sought time
from the Centre to pay its
share. But, the state’s
from various sources.
Mr Deo said he had
sought time from the Rights guaranteed to all, says SC
pleadings not to withdraw
allotments had gone
Centre to pay its share.
But, the state govern- New Delhi, Dec. 14: 29 last year, it had asked not implemented till now,” Control Organisation and

BJP FROM POWER

AGE CORRESPONDENT
THIRUVANANTHAPPURAM,
DEC.14
Kerala chief min-
ister Pinarayi
Vijayan on
Tuesday accused
the RSS of mak-
ing attempts to
install a presiden-
tial system in the country.
The chief minister while
addressing a CPM gathering
in Ernakulam, alleged that
the BJP government at the
Centre was preparing the
ground for a change in sys-
tem by scuttling the inter-
Mantri Awas Yojana
(PMAY) to the state by the
Centre on Tuesday rocked
the Chhattisgarh Assem-
bly with the Opposition
BJP blaming the Bhupesh
Baghel government for the
development.
The Centre has with-
drawn the allotments of
the house for the poor
under the scheme to
Chhattisgarh since the
state government has
failed to provide its share
of funds under the
scheme.
The Centre and the
states have contributed 60
per cent and 40 per cent
unheeded by the Centre.
respectively under the
scheme.
BJP legislator and for-
mer minister Ajey
Chandrakar sought to
know from the state gov-
ernment as to why it did
not borrow to pay its
share under the scheme.
The state has lost
around two lakh houses
under the scheme in the
current financial year fol-
lowing the move by the
Centre.
State panchayat minis-
ter T.S. Singh Deo said the
ment’s pleadings not to
withdraw allotments had
gone unheeded by the
Centre.
Heated exchanges
between the ruling and
Opposition bench mem-
bers were witnessed in the
House on the issue.
Later, the Opposition
members trooped to the
well, prompting Speaker
of the Assembly Charan
Das Mahant to suspend 11
BJP MLAs, including for-
mer chief minister
Raman Singh.
Later, the Speaker
adjourned the House till
Wednesday.
Observing that fundamen-
tal rights are guaranteed
to every citizen irrespec-
tive of vocation, the
Supreme Court on
Tuesday directed the
Centre, all the states and
union territories to com-
mence the process of issu-
ing voter, Aadhaar and
ration cards to sex work-
ers and keep providing
dry ration to them.
The apex court, hearing
a plea that has raised the
problems faced by sex
workers due to the Covid-
19 pandemic, has been
passing orders for their
welfare and on September
the Centre and others to
provide dry ration to them
without insisting on their
identity proof. A bench
comprising Justices L. Na-
geswara Rao, B.R. Gavai
and B.V. Nagarathna rued
that the directions of the
apex court on providing
ration cards to the sex
workers were passed in
2011 but they are yet to be
implemented.
“The state governments
and UTs were directed to
issue ration cards and
identity cards to sex work-
ers almost a decade back
and there is no reason as
to why such directions are
the bench said.
“The fundamental rights
are guaranteed to every
citizen of the country irre-
spective of his/her voca-
tion. There is a bounden
duty on the government to
provide basic amenities to
the citizens of the country.
The Centre, state govern-
ments and other authori-
ties are directed to com-
mence the process of
issuance of ration cards,
voter ID cards and
Aadhaar cards immediate-
ly,” the bench ordered.
The bench directed that
authorities can take assis-
tance National AIDS
state AIDS control soci-
eties who, in turn, will
prepare a list of sex work-
ers after verifying the
information provided to
them by the community-
based organisations.
“The status report relat-
ed to issuance of ration
cards, voter ID cards and
Aadhaar cards to the sex
workers be filed in a peri-
od of four weeks and in
the meanwhile, state gov-
ernments and UTs are
directed to continue distri-
bution of dry ration to sex
workers without insisting
on ration cards,” it said.
— PTI

BJP wins 4 of 6 Maha Legislative Council seats

ests of the states. Decisions
are being imposed from
above in violation of federal
principles. Mr Vijayan said
the need of the hour is to
throw the BJP out of power.
“The CPM stand is to work
for the formation of a secu-
lar government at the
Centre. This is the task
which has been bestowed on
the party in the current
political situation,” he said.
The chief minister, however,
ruled out the possibility of
Congress leading such a
political formation at the
national level. “The Congress
cannot become an alterna-
tive to the BJP. People have
lost faith in the Congress,”
he said. Mr Vijayan said the
BJP government was selling
public sector undertakings
on the one hand and derail-
ing the development proj-
ects of the states.
BHAGWAN PARAB
MUMBAI, DEC. 14
In a big setback to the rul-
ing MVA alliance in
Maharashtra, the BJP has
made a big headway in
the state Vidhan Parishad
(Legislative Council) elec-
tions by winning four of
the six seats. The saffron
party caused an upset by
winning the Akola-
Buldhana-Washim seat,
which was with the Shiv
Sena for the last 18 years.
The elections were fought
by Shiv Sena and Cong-
ress with each other’s as
well as NCP’s support.
Out of six seats, results
of four seats were decided
earlier without polls.
Elections were held for
Nagpur and Akola seats,
which were won comfort-
ably by the BJP. The
result is seen as a jolt for
the ruling MVA alliance,
which lost these seats
despite being in power.
The Akola-Buldhana-
Washim seat gave a
shocking result for the
Shiv Sena as its three-
time MLC Gopikishan
Bajoria was defeated by
Vasant Khandelwal of the
BJP by the margin of 109
votes. Of the total 808
votes, Mr Khandelwal
bagged 443 votes while Mr
Bajoria secured 334.
Mr Bajoria was elected
◗ The Akola-Buldhana-
Washim seat gave a
shocking result for the
Sena as its three-time
MLC Gopikishan Bajoria
was defeated by Vasant
Khandelwal of the BJP by
the margin of 109 votes
in 2004, 2010 and 2016 from
the Akola seat, which was
considered as a strong-
hold of the Shiv Sena. In
2016, he was elected to the
Vidhan Parishad for the
third consecutive time
with a record margin of
274 votes, securing 513 of
the total 791 votes.
The Nagpur result was
also a huge embarrass-
ment for the Congress for
the fiasco in changing its
candidate at the last
moment. The party had
earlier fielded BJP corpo-
rator Ravindra Bhoyar,
who expressed his inabil-
ity to contest on the eve of
polling. However, Mr Bho-
yar later contested the
poll and got only one vote.
The Congress later sup-
ported Mr Deshmukh,
who received only 186
votes. BJP’s Chandreshe-
khar Bawankule secured
362 votes winning the seat
comfortably.
The highlight of the
Nagpur and Akola coun-
cil elections was the sup-
posed defection of MVA
votes to the BJP.
Shiv Sena MP Arvind
Sawant said that more
than the defeat, the split
in MVA votes was dis-
turbing. “Had we lost the
election even after getting
all the votes of MVA con-
stituents, it would not
have hurt so much. We
were betrayed by our own
people,” he said.
Reacting to BJP’s victo-
ry, Opposition leader
Devendra Fadnavis said
the BJP has busted the
myth that the three par-
ties (Shiv Sena, NCP and
Congress) in the MVA can
win every election in the
state by contesting
together.
 NATION
THE ASIAN AGE | WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
pg 4

SHORT
Assam tea sells for
TAKES
record `99,999/ kg
Guwahati: A specialty tea
from Assam’s Dibrugarh dis-
trict was on Tuesday auc-
tioned for `99,999 per kg,
the “highest price” ever
fetched in any tea auction in
the country, an official said.
The Manohari Tea Estate sold
1 kg of its “Manohari Gold”
variety to Sourabh Tea
Traders, Gauhati Tea Auction
Centre secretary Priyanuz
Dutta said. “This is the high-
est auction price fetched in
tea selling and buying in the
country so far,” Mr Dutta
said. “We manufacture the
tea based on high demand
from discerning consumers
and connoisseurs for this
type of premium quality spe-
cialty tea,” proprietor of
Manohari Tea Estate, Rajan
Lohia, said. The bright yellow
liquor has a soothing after-
taste, and is known for sever-
al health benefits, he added.
Manohari Gold Tea had sold
for `50,000 per kg at the
auction in July 2019. — PTI
Minor gangraped
by father’s friends
Jabalpur: An 11-year-old girl
was allegedly gangraped by
two friends of her father in
Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur
district, a police official said
on Tuesday. The incident
took place on December 7
and came to light on
December 11 following which
the two accused were arrest-
ed, he said. The Class 7 stu-
dent was allegedly raped in
the backyard of her house
by two of her father’s
friends, aged 25 and 26
years, additional superinten-
dent of police Sanjay
Agrawal said. Her father, a
labourer, was out of home
when the incident occurred.
A woman from the neigh-
bourhood informed police
about it on December 11. The
police subsequently contact-
ed the girl’s family and reg-
istered a case. The police
Baghel dumps CM post sharing theory Kovind to attend
C’garh CM says he will lead Congress to victory in 2023 Assembly elections
RABINDRA NATH
CHOUDHURY
RAIPUR, DEC. 14
With his “rival” T.S. Singh
Deo, his ministerial col-
league, listening,
Chhattisgarh chief minis-
ter Bhupesh Baghel said,
“I will lead Congress to
power in the state again in
the 2023 Assembly polls”.
In a clear indication that
there was no threat to his
position, Mr Baghel said,
“I will visit every block in
each division in the state
to ensure victory of all the
sitting Congress MLAs. I
will ensure that Congress
performs even better than
the 2018 Assembly polls in
Waze denies
collecting
money for
Deshmukh
SHAHAB ANSARI
MUMBAI, DEC. 14
Dismissed assistant
inspector of Mumbai
police Sachin Waze on
Tuesday told the single-
member inquiry com-
mission that he neither
paid any money to for-
mer Maharashtra home
minister Anil
Deshmukh nor to any of
his staff. The commis-
sion was recording his
statement in the allega-
tions levelled against Mr
Deshmukh by former
Mumbai police commis-
sioner Param Bir Singh
that Mr Deshmukh had
asked Waze to collect
money illegally from
owners of bars, hotels
and
Mumbai.
restaurants
the 2023 state elections to
retain power
Chhattisgarh.”
Mr Baghel was address-
in
ing the Congress Legisl-
ature Party (CLP) meeting
in Raipur late on Monday
evening. “I will fight the
elections on your behalf,”
he told his party MLAs
while sending a clear mes-
sage to the party that there
would be no change of
leadership in the state.
Mr Deo was sitting by his
side when Mr Baghel was
addressing the CLP.
Mr Baghel’s assertion
comes amid lobbying by
Mr Deo with the central
Congress leadership to
“honour” the purported
Jacqueline, Nora got luxury
cars, gifts from Sukesh: ED
New Delhi, Dec. 14: Actors
Jacqueline Fernandez
and Nora Fatehi received
luxury cars, phones and
other expensive gifts from
conman Sukesh
Chandrashekhar and his
wife and actor Leena
Maria Paul, the
Enforcement Directorate
(ED) told a Delhi court in
its charge sheet filed in a
`200 crore money launder-
ing case here.
Fernandez and Fatehi
were recently questioned
by the ED in the probe
related to a case filed by
former Ranbaxy promoter
Shivinder Singh's wife
Aditi Singh who claimed
that Chandrasekhar
conned her of `200 crore
pretending to be a govern-
ment official.
Chandrasekhar alleged-
ly said that he could
Bhupesh Baghel
assurance given to him on
sharing of chief minis-
ter’s post between him and
Mr Baghel for half-term
each when the Congress
formed the government in
Chhattisgarh in 2018.
Jacqueline Nora
Fernandez Fatehi
◗ CHANDRASHEKAR
GIFTED a BMW car to
Fatehi and later gave her
`75 lakh, besides other
expensive gifts.
◗ JACQUELINE IS learnt to
have confessed to receiv-
ing a $1.5 lakh dollar loan
and gifts that included a
horse worth `52 lakh and
a Persian cat worth `9
lakh, multi stone earrings
and an Hermes bracelet
◗ BAGHEL’S ASSERTION
comes amid lobbying by
T.S. Singh Deo with the
central Congress leader-
ship to ‘honour’ the pur-
ported assurance given to
him on sharing of CM’s
post between him and Mr
Baghel for half-term each
when the Congress
formed the government in
Chhattisgarh in 2018
Mr Deo has repeatedly
been saying that he has
put forth his views before
the central leadership of
the party on the issue and
is waiting for it to take a
call on it.
She further said that
Chandrashekar had
arranged private jet trips
and her hotel stay on dif-
ferent occasions.
The agency further
claimed that
Chandrashekar gifted a
BMW car to Fatehi in
December 2020 and later
gave her `75 lakh, besides
other expensive gifts.
The court took cogni-
sance of a charge sheet
against Chandrashekhar,
Paul and six others earlier
this month.
The Delhi police’s eco-
nomic offences wing had
earlier registered an FIR
against Chandrasekhar
for allegedly duping the
spouses of former pro-
moters of Ranbaxy,
Shivinder Singh, and
Malvinder Singh, of `200
crore.
Significantly, AICC gen-
eral secretary P.L. Punia
had earlier clarified that
there was no such agree-
ment.
Mr Baghel has also
recently said his govern-
ment was going to com-
plete three years in office
on December 17 which
clearly demonstrated that
the issue of sharing of
chief minister’s post no
longer existed.
Meanwhile, the
Chhattisgarh government
on Tuesday organised
“Run For CG Pride”
marathon, ahead of com-
pletion of three years in
office by the Bhupesh
Baghel government.
Odisha plans
spl school in
disputed area
AKSHAYA KUMAR
SAHOO
BHUBANESWAR, DEC. 14
In an apparent move to
expedite development
activities in the disputed
Kotia cluster of villages
on the Odisha-Andhra
Pradesh border, the
Odisha government has
decided to set up an
Odisha Adarsha
Vidyalaya in the area.
As per reports, CBSE
pattern school will come
up at Ganjeipadar village
under Pottangi block in
Koraput district to pro-
vide quality education to
the children of the vil-
lages nearby Kotia.
Initially, the school will
function in the buildings
that have been built for
the development of SC,
ST people in
Bangla Victory
Day celebrations
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
President Ram Nath
Kovind will begin a three-
day state visit to
Bangladesh from
Wednesday during which
he will hold talks with his
counterpart and attend
the golden jubilee cele-
brations of Bangladesh’s Ram Nath Kovind
1971 independence from
Pakistan. which three million peo-
Elaborating on the close ple had been killed.
ties with Bangladesh at The foreign secretary
an MEA special briefing described India—
on Tuesday, foreign secre- Bangladesh bilateral rela-
tary Harsh Vardhan tionship as an “extraordi-
Shringla said India had so nary one”, saying that
far supplied well over two
crore Covid vaccines to
ties were at “a high
point”, adding that it was
Bangladesh,
commercial
including
contracts,
a “golden chapter” in the
relationship between the
grants and through the
international Covax vac-
two neighbouring coun-
tries.
President Kovind’s visit
cine initiative. He added
that Bangladesh is a “cen-
tral pillar” to India’s
will be at the invitation of
his Bangladesh counter-
neighbourhood policy.
During the Presidential
part Abdul Hamid.
The visit being the
visit, President Kovind President’s first trip
will also attend a parade abroad since the Covid
on December 16 — the outbreak signifies the
50th anniversary of the importance both coun-
day the Pakistani forces tries attach to it, Mr
surrendered to the Indian Shringla said.
Army in 1971 — besides The foreign secretary
also attending a banquet said President Kovind
the previous evening on will be the only foreign
December 15. A 122-mem- dignitary who will be
ber tri-services contin- there as the guest of hon-
gent from the Indian our at the Victory Day cel-
Armed Forces will march ebrations.
at the parade along with President Kovind will
Bangladeshi forces. Mr visit the National
Martyrs’ Memorial on
Shringla pointed out that
the Pakistani Army had Wednesday morning and
carried out a genocide pay homage to those who
back then in 1971 (in erst- died in the Bangladesh
while East Pakistan and War of Independence of
now Bangladesh) in 1971, Mr Shringla said.

Retired Justice K.U.

said that when contacted,
the girl’s family members
said she had been looking
lost since some days. — PTI
Quad moving very
effectively: EAM
New Delhi: The Quad is a
very contemporary arrange-
ment having an open-mind-
in
Chandiwal commission
is recording the state-
ment of Waze in connec-
tion with its investiga-
tion into the corruption
allegations levelled
against Mr Deshmukh.
Waze in his statement
on Tuesday categorical-
ly denied collecting
money from bars and
hotels across the city.
ensure Shivinder’s bail.
The chargesheet, filed
before additional session
judge Praveen Singh,
claimed that the state-
ments of Fernandez were
recorded on August 30 and
October 20, in which she
stated that she received
gifts like three designer
bags from Gucci and
■ Konyak civil society outfits declare ‘strict non-cooperation’
Chanel, two Gucci gym
wear outfits, a pair of
Louis Vuitton shoes, two
pairs of diamond earrings
and a bracelet of multi-
coloured stones and two
Hermes bracelets.
She also received a car,
Mini Cooper, which she
returned, the ED claimed.
The ED filed its com-
plaint based on a police
FIR.
Ganjeipadar. However,
the school will be shifted
as soon as a permanent
Gen. Rawat kin allege
According to court
sources, the charge sheet
consists of around 7,000
building for the Special
Adarsha Vidyalaya is
built in the area.
damage to his assets
pages, including several Sources said the school RABINDRA NATH I was attending the funer-
annexures. will be built to divert CHOUDHURY al rites of the CDS and his
All the accused are
presently in judicial cus-
children in the area
from pursuing educa-
BHOPAL, DEC. 14 wife, who was also killed
in the incident, in Delhi
tody. — PTI tion in Telugu language. Kin of India's first Chief
of Defence Staff (CDS)
on December ten, warn-
ing me of police action if I
Gen. Bipin Rawat, killed interfered in the road con-
along with 12 others in an struction work. It hurt me
IAF chopper crash near because the timing of the

Naga tribes intensify anti-Army protest

ed and creative approach
that has helped it in moving
“very effectively” in address-
ing various problems, exter-
nal affairs minister S.
Jaishankar said. Talking
about the importance of
critical technologies and
India’s journey in acquiring
them in the backdrop of the
Indo-US nuclear deal around
15 years back, he said
though Washington discov-
ered a certain value in ties
with New Delhi, there were
others who were “dogmatic”
in their views of the world
and found it hard to do this.
He spoke about India’s tech-
nology-driven transition and
particularly highlighted the
way it handled the chal-
lenges following the Covid-
19 pandemic. — PTI
During his cross-exam-
ination on Tuesday
when Mr Deshmukh’s
lawyer Girish Kulkarni
asked him if there was
any occasion when he
had to make any pay-
ment to Mr Deshmukh,
he replied in negative.
He said, “I don’t remem-
ber” when asked about
paying any money to
any of the staff, even to
arrested person Kundan
Shinde the then PA to
Mr Deshmukh when he
was the home minister.
In the past Waze had
allegedly stated before
the ED that he had hand-
ed over the money col-
lected from bars to Mr
Deshmukh’s personal
assistant Kundan Shinde.
MANOJ ANAND
GUWAHATI, DEC. 14
After seven days of
mourning, the Konyak
civil society organisations
(CSOs), the apex body of
the Konyak Naga tribes
has decided to intensify
their “non-cooperation”
with armed forces in their
heartland that is Mon dis-
trict of Nagaland where 14
innocent civilians were
killed on Saturday last.
It is significant that on
December 7, the Konyak
civil society organisations
had asked all units of the
27 Assam Rifles to vacate
Mon district.
In the fresh restrictions
issued by the CSOs, com-
prising Konyak Union,
Konyak Students’ Union
and Konyak Nyupuh
Sheko Khung, has listed
out a number of non-coop-
eration regulations, that
includes total restriction of
Indian military force con-
voy and patrolling until
justice is delivered to those
killed, no military recruit-
ment rallies within Mon
district, and non-accept-
ance of developmental
packages from the forces.
The CSOs has also direct-
ed customary landowners
to immediately denounce
past land agreements for
setting up military base
camps (operating points) in
areas within the jurisdic-
tion of Naginimora, Tizit,
Lampong Sheanghah,
Wakching Town, Mon
Town, Longshen Town,
Sheanghah Wamsa,
Longwa, Chenmoho,
Chenloishu, Wangti, Aboi,
Angjangyang, Tobu and
Monyakshu.
In a joint statement
issued at the end of seven
days’ mourning, the CSOs
also asked those villages
councils/students/soci-
eties who have received
compensation packages to
immediately denounce
any forms of assured
packages from the forces.
The CSOs also demanded
that the state should make
the Tiru police station
operational within five
days as the tragic incident
that unfolded in Tiru val-
ley was due to the non-
functioning of the pro-
posed police station.
It directed Oting Village
Council to renounce the
“commendable certifi-
cates” given by the
Government of India in
1958 for helping the govern-
ment in maintaining peace.
Coonoor in Tamil Nadu
district on December 8,
on Tuesday alleged that
properties in his land
were damaged by the
local administration in
Shahdol district in
Madhya Pradesh 'unlaw-
fully', leading the state
government to order a
probe into it.
Yashvardhan Singh,
brother-in-law of the CDS,
in a Facebook post alleged
that the local administra-
tion had damaged the
plantation and tomb of his
ancestor built in his land
in Sohagpur in Shahdol
district for construction of
national highway without
completing the process of
acquisition.
“I got a phone call when
call was not proper,” Mr
Singh told this newspaper
from Delhi.
Mr Singh said he was
ready to part his land for
the cause of the public
like road construction.
State home minister
Narottam Mishra said a
probe was ordered into
the matter.
Shahdol district collec-
tor Vandana Vaidya how-
ever clarified that land
measuring 1.015 hectares
has been acquired from
Mr Singh’s family in 2015
and a compensation of
`2,14,77,088 was released
in 2016. Notification for
the acquisition of addi-
tional land measuring
0.056 hectares was made
on December 2 this year.

Hypersonic cruise missiles SC allows MoD to widen 3 highways

vital for India, says Rajnath
■ Continued from Page 1
ensured that India was a
leader when it comes to
defence technologies. “We
have to obtain those technolo-
gies too that are with just a
few countries right now,” said
Mr Singh.
China had recently tested a
nuclear-capable hypersonic
missile which circled the
globe before moving towards
its target. This could give
China a space-based global
strike capability and reduce
the amount of target warning
time prior to a strike.
Hypersonic weapons fly at
speeds of at least Mach 5 (five
times the speed of sound) but
are more manoeuvrable than
Service report in October
said India had collaborated
with Russia on the develop-
ment of BrahMos-II, a Mach 7
hypersonic cruise missile.
“Although BrahMos-II was
initially intended to be fielded
in 2017, news reports indicate
that the programme faces sig-
nificant delays and is now
scheduled to achieve initial
operational capability
between 2025 and 2028,” said
the report. It said India is also
developing an indigenous,
dual-capable hypersonic
cruise missile as part of its
Hypersonic Technology
Demonstrator Vehicle pro-
gramme and successfully test-
ed a Mach 6 “Scramjet” in
has increased in the battle-
field is amazing and unprece-
dented, he noted. Therefore,
defence technologies with
India must catch up with the
future, he added.
The products handed over
to the armed forces and the
home ministry by the defence
minister include an anti-
drone system, modular
bridge, smart anti-airfield
weapon, and the lightweight
firefighting suit. The counter
drone systems, developed by
DRDO, is for detection, deter-
rence and destruction of
incoming drones. Mr Singh
also handed over a Smart
Anti-Airfield Weapon
(SAAW), an air-launched,
■ Continued from Page 1
former Supreme Court
judge, Justice A.K. Sikri,
to ensure the implementa-
tion of the recommenda-
tions of the High Powered
Committee by the min-
istry of road transport
and highways and the
ministry of defence vis-à-
vis three strategic high-
ways.
Saying the defence min-
istry was entitled to decide
on the operational
requirements of the
armed forces, including
the infrastructural sup-
port needed for facilitat-
ing the movement of
troops, equipment and
machines, the court said
the MoD has consistently
flagged the issue of the
security and the opera-
tional needs of the armed
forces for double-laned
highways to meet border
security concerns.
Brushing aside the
reliance of the petitioner
“Citizens for Green Doon”
on a statement by then
Army Chief, late Chief of
Defence Staff Gen. Bipin
Rawat, on the adequacy of
infrastructure for troop
movement, Justice
Chandrachud, speaking
for the bench, said: “We do
not find it necessary to
place reliance on a state-
ment made to the media,
given the consistent stand
of the MoD during the
deliberations of the HPC
and before this court. The
security concerns as
assessed by the MoD may
change over time. The
recent past has thrown up
serious challenges to
national security. The
armed forces cannot be
held down to a statement
made during a media
interaction in 2019 as if it
were a decree writ in
stone.”
The oversight committee
headed by Justice Sikri
having a representative
each from the National
E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Engineering Research
Institute (NEERI) and the
Forest Research Institute,
Dehradun, will directly
report to the top court and
submit a report every four
months.
On the mandate of the
committee, the court said:
“The objective of this
oversight committee is not
to undertake an environ-
mental analysis of the
project afresh but to assess
the implementation of the
recommendations already
provided by the HPC.”
Directing the Centre to
issue a formal notification
on the setting up of the
Justice Sikri oversight
committee within two
weeks, the court asked the
MoRTH and MoD to place
before the committee,
within four weeks, “the
steps taken by them to
adhere to the HPC’s rec-
ommendations, along with
a projected timeline for
complying with the
remaining recommenda-
tions”.
It further directed that
both the MoRTH and the
MoD will place before the
committee a monthly
report on the actions
taken in pursuance to the
implementation of the
HPC recommendations.
Asking the committee to
submit to the top court,
every four months, the
progress report on the
implementation of HPC
recommendations, the
court said that in “case of
any issues with the imple-
mentation of the recom-
mendations”, Justice
Sikri shall be at liberty to
approach the court.
The Supreme Court
also directed the MoRTH,
MoD, the Uttarakhand
government and the dis-
trict magistrate of the
concerned districts to pro-
vide logistical support to
the committee.

11 BJP CMs... SII works on anti-Omicron booster

ballistic missiles. These
could challenge detection and
defences due to their speed
and low altitude of flight. A
US Congressional Research
June 2019 and September 2020.
Mr Singh said that today, in
the battlefield, there is a new
warrior called “technology”.
The way technology’s role
long-range, stand-off, air-to-
surface Smart Bomb, to the
Chief of the Air Staff, Air
Chief Marshal V.R.
Chaudhari. ■ Continued from Page 1 ■ Continued from Page 1 out clinical trials. SII had sought Poonawalla said: “On the back of
was earlier known as Covid-19 vaccine doses and 87 per approval to administer the booster enough data, it is safe to say that
Manduadih, and was renamed cent have got only first dose. The dose of its Covishield vaccine on booster vaccines are a proven

Sonia meets Pawar, Farooq, others early this year.

■ Continued from Page 1
the government, Mr Gandhi
said: “Bills after bills are
being passed in Parliament in
the din. This is not the way to
run Parliament and democra-
cy. The PM doesn’t come to
the House. We are not allowed
to raise any issue of national
importance. It is the unfortu-
nate murder of democracy.”
He further added that the
members were not suspended
by the Prime Minister or the
Rajya Sabha, they were sus-
pended by the powers that
wanted to steal the income of
farmers.
In response to the
Opposition’s march, parlia-
mentary affairs minister
Pralhad Joshi responded:
“The government is in talks
with them (the suspended
MPs) on an individual level
for withdrawal of their sus-
pension. I have made it clear
that they should at least
express regret.”
The minister added: “I call
upon the Congress leaders
and others to express
remorse and regret and come
to the House. The govern-
ment is ready for discussion
on any matter.” However, the
Congress and other
Opposition parties have made
it clear there is no question of
any apology by the MPs who
have been suspended from
the Rajya Sabha.
In a tweet posted at around 1
am, the PM said that he had
inspected “key development
works” in the temple town.
A little past midnight, chants of
“Har Har Mahadev” and “Modi,
Modi” rent the air as the PM, sur-
rounded by his SPG security per-
sonnel, took a walk on the streets
of Varanasi near Godowlia
Chowk, which had been decked
up to welcome him.
He also shared pictures of his
late-night visit to Kashi
Vishwanath Dham, which he
dedicated to the people just a few
hours before that.
National Technical Advisory
Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)
and the National Expert Group
on Vaccine Administration for
Covid-19 (NEGVAC) are current-
ly deliberating and considering
scientific evidence related to the
administration of booster doses
as well as vaccination of benefi-
ciaries aged less than 18 years.
The Centre recently told the
Delhi high court it is considering
evidence on the need and justifica-
tion for booster doses. The Subject
Expert Committee (SEC), which is
reviewing SII’s application for the
booster dose, recently said booster
doses can’t be recommended with-
the basis of an adequate stock of
the jabs and the rising demand for
booster shots.
The current vaccine production
capacity of SII’s Covishield is
around 250-275 million doses per
month, while it is about 50-60 mil-
lion doses per month for Bharat
Biotech’s Covaxin. Both compa-
nies are said to have achieved
close to 90 per cent of their pres-
ent production capacity.
Speaking at the CII Partnership
Summit 2021, organised in associ-
ation with the Department for
Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry
of Commerce and Industry, Mr
strategy to get antibodies up to a
great extent.”
On vaccinations for children,
Mr Poonawalla said: “We haven’t
seen a lot of severe disease in
children. Fortunately, panic is
not there for children. However,
we will be launching a vaccine in
six months for children, hopeful-
ly down to the age of three.”
Mr Poonawalla noted two com-
panies in India are licensed and
their vaccines will be available
soon. “I think yes, you should take
and get your children vaccinated.
There is no harm, these vaccines
have been proven to be safe and
efficacious and all of that.”
 EDIT
THE ASIAN AGE | WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
pg 5

Subhani

15 DECEMBER 2021

Respect bank depositors,

don’t ignore their interest
R
are are instances when a country, society or any government gives a slice
of citizens the credit due to it for its role in nation building and its seem-
ingly passive but life support function in the economic strength of the
country or shows concerns for its interests. This group of citizens is rarely
spoken for, or invoked, either in public discourse or policymaking.
Yet, with 21.13 lakh plus savings accounts, this group, bank depositors who save
money from their incomes and trust our formal banking sector players with their
life savings, are who make India a savings nation. Of these, 14.68 lakh accounts are
with 12 public sector banks (PSUBs) and remaining over 3.35 lakh accounts are
with 21 private sector banks.
This net national savings deposit base of over `154 lakh crore (as on March 31,
2021), of which more than two-thirds of deposits or `107.77 lakh crores are with
PSUBs, while private sector banks hold `46.23 lakh crores, or close to one-third of
all saving deposited money, is a base for a plethora of crucial economic activities.
Without this money, businesses would not be able to source loans for starting or
catalysing their businesses, leading to the choking of most private investments.
Without our depositors’ money, private individuals
The Modi would not be able to secure funds for a posse of pur-
LETTERS
government’s chases
Amid IAF tragedy, a look
— homes, vehicles, holidays, et al. — which
would crush domestic demand for products and ser-
decision to vices, including crucial sectors of industry. The rest
increase the of India predominantly banks with rural and coop- THANK YOU, RAHUL
depositor’s erative banks.
Without this base, banks would not be able to fuel
account insurance retail,

back at air safety failures

holiday, hotel, shopping and miscellaneous No kudos is enough for
and depositor’s surplus loans through credit cards and other micro Rahul Gandhi for drawing
safety net from credit instruments that keep the demand and eco-
`1 lakh to `5 lakh nomic growth prospects of India high. the contrast between
is welcome ing Political decisions of loan waivers and social lend- Hinduism and Hindutva in
for crucial sectors, like farmers and farming or nell Douglas (three-engine)
funding projects of nation building, often undertak-
Air accidents are DC-10, crashed and burnt such a brilliant way. While
categorised under
en have all come on the back of the sociocultural and economic prudence of the
people who save today for tomorrow, and trust banks. Abhijit two heads:
on approach to Tripoli
(Libya), killing 74 of 199
Hindutva means demoli-
tion of a mosque to erect a
In return, we have been anything but fair to them. Banks, and their senior
employees, often focus too much on those who borrow, and default, while the
Bhattacharyya avoidable, imply- people on board. It was
heavy fog with “zero” hori- Ram temple, cold-blooded
ing ‘not inevitable’
boards of the banks, most of them being listed on the stock markets, have a primal
or ‘preventable’;
zontal visibility of 150 ft (50 murder of innocents in the
focus on shareholders, even as the unions focus completely on the employees. metre). The inquiry report
Quite simply, bank depositors have never had a spokesperson, or a leader, who and unavoidable, attributed it to pilot error, name of the gomata and
voiced concern for them. Until now. The Narendra Modi government’s decision to due to an who was subsequently con- burning Graham Staines

T
increase the depositor’s account insurance and depositor’s safety net from `1 lakh he year 2021 has
to `5 lakh is welcome. been “annus hor-
It does increase the confidence of those who save money. Thrift is a rapidly ribilis” (Latin for
dying virtue. By respecting the bank depositor on a par with other citizen collec- “a horrible ye-
tives engaged in nation building, we will be setting a great example for our next ar”). With the
generation. death of India’s senior-
In a global order when economic shocks often come from stock markets and most serving general in the
evanescent market caps, the national deposit base will be one of the biggest nation- December 8 helicopter
al safety cushions. Let us salute those who save money and put them in our banks. crash, the mandatory court
of inquiry has begun its
job. So, without passing
comment or being judg-
J&K: Terror fallout of bad policy? mental, let’s examine some
cases of flight safety fail-
ures around the world and
T
he attack on Monday on the outskirts of Srinagar on a police bus ferrying in India. What it takes to be
jawans of J&K Armed Police back after duty hours suggests that terrorist a professional flier and
groups continue to be emboldened enough to be able to operate with relative what catastrophic end a
ease even after the bringing of J&K under direct Central rule in August 2019 with pilot in command of an air-
the ending of the former state’s autonomy. craft/rotorcraft could get
The incident occurred on the road that leads to south Kashmir and on to Jammu. into.
Three days earlier, two policemen had been killed by terrorists in Bandipore in The fundamental rules of
north Kashmir. In recent months, militants have kept the security forces extreme- flying are, however, uni-
ly busy in Srinagar in central Kashmir and the areas around the capital city. versal. The operating cap-
The government said in Parliament on Tuesday that 206 incidents of terrorism tain is the indisputable
had taken place until December 5 this year. This is a picture not dissimilar to 244 boss of his or her craft,
incidents in 2020, suggesting that the security profile of the Valley has not been from take-off (door close) to
particularly reassuring since the overturning of J&K’s autonomy. Terrorism fol- touchdown (door open). No
lowed J&K’s constitutionally autonomous status, it had been officially claimed. passenger, no matter how
Two policemen died shortly after the Monday attack at the Army’s base hospital, highly placed, can or
not far from the Pantha Chowk area where the incident took place. One more is should dictate or give
reported to have died on Tuesday. Some others are said to be in a critical state. The instructions to the captain
attackers got away, though the police say one of the three was injured in retaliato- on any matter pertaining
ry fire. to a flight, military or civil.
It is noteworthy that the attack on the police bus at Zewan near Pantha Chowk The Aircraft Act of all
occurred not far from Lethpora in Pulwama district where the CRPF bus was nations, including India’s,
attacked, killing 40 of our security forces, an incident which led to the Indian Air recognises this in no uncer-
Force attacking inside Pakistani territory, inviting an air retaliation. This broad tain terms.
area is a security hub with CRPF, JKAP and ITBP structures. From India’s early years
It is clear that the security measures and protocols in place have not proved to be comes to mind the real
adequate. The LG administration under the Union home ministry cuts ribbons story of junior Flt. Lt. S.K.
and comes up with propaganda on development but there is not much to see on the Majumdar (later Air
ground. Meanwhile, the security situation has deteriorated, keeping in view the Commodore), the pioneer,
recent targeted killings of the minority community. legend and doyen of the
Indian Air Force heli-
copter wing (which started
with the US-origin Sikor-
sky-55). Flt. Lt. Majumdar
was “captain” of a VVIP
helicopter flight who had
the “audacity” to “disobey”
his top boss, then defence
minister V.K. Krishna
Menon, for the sake of
flight safety, to set a high
standard of professional-
ism in the nascent IAF heli-
copter wing.
THE ASIAN AGE Menon, who was
Jawaharlal Nehru’s blue-
KAUSHIK MITTER K. SUDHAKAR eyed boy, was not used to
Editor Printer & Publisher
“no” for an answer from
THE ASIAN AGE office is located at: anyone, let alone a junior
New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru National Youth Centre, 219 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi-110002. Phone: pilot who turned down his
(011) 23211124. request to give a lift to two
Published and Printed on behalf of and for of his friends. Majumdar
◗ Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited, Jawaharlal Nehru National Youth Centre, 219 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg,
politely refused to violate
New Delhi 110 002 at BFL Infotech Ltd., C-9, Sector-III, Noida -201301.
◗ London: Quickmarsh Ltd, 8th Floor, Block 2, Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, London, SE1 7NQ. the “maximum take-off
RNI Registration number: 57290/94 weight” of the helicopter,
that was already full, as it
would have been a serious
flight safety issue. Maj-
umdar told the minister
that as the pilot-in-com-
mand he couldn’t endanger
the life of his superior and
his entourage. A furious
Menon shouted at “cap-
tain” Majumdar: “Is it
okay if I fill my pen with
ink”, thereby questioning
why the “small additional
load” mattered. Majumdar
coolly replied: “Only if it’s
half-full, Sir”. Menon huf-
fed, but backed own. The
VIP flight took off and
touched down safely. The
IAF helicopter unit’s pro-
fessionalism was laid down
by its first chief instructor
and commanding officer in
1954. Majumdar ended
with over 4,400 accident-
free flying hours on 24 typ-
es of fighters, transports,
trainers and helicopters.
Let’s examine some glob-
al civil aviation flight safe-
ty failures, where the para-
meters of flying are com-
mon. Air accidents are cat-
egorised under two heads:
avoidable, implying “not
inevitable” or “pre-
ventable”; and unavoid-
able, due to an irresistible
physical cause that cannot
be prevented by human
skill or reasonable fore-
sight. Examples include
accidents resulting from
lightning or storms, perils
of the sea, severe air turbu-
lence, earthquake and
inundations. To appreciate
the gravity, a few inquiry
reports on mishaps will
suffice.
When Indian Airlines IC-
605 Bombay-Bangalore
Airbus-320 crashed on
February 14, 1990, short of
its runway, killing 92 of 130
on board, it was an avoid-
able accident due to human
error. The captain was ear-
lier advised to be “positive-
ly monitored” in “flight
management and guidance
system” (FMGS) and mis-
handling of aircraft power
controls.
Earlier, on October 8,
1989 (IAF Day), there was
an avoidable accident. In a
solo flying display, a wing
commander flying the lat-
irresistible
physical cause...
est Mirage 2000 fatally
crashed on the tarmac of
the Palam technical area
while doing the “Down
Charlie” manoeuvre as he
couldn’t retrieve the “out-
of-control” fighter which
was too near the earth’s
gravitational reach to pull
out. This writer, who was
physically present, help-
lessly watched the horror,
happening only 300 ft from
the “box” where top IAF
brass were sitting.
In contrast, when Korean
Air KL-007 Boeing-747
Anchorage-Seoul flight
was shot down by Soviet
Sukhoi-15 air-to-air mis-
siles on September 1, 1983,
and plunged into the Sea of
Japan, killing all 269 on
board, it was an avoidable
accident as the Soviet mili-
tary committed an unpar-
donable crime of downing
an unarmed civilian flight.
Again, when the Air
India-182 Boeing-747
Montreal-London flight fell
from 31,000 ft into the
Atlantic Ocean, east of
Cork, Ireland, on June 23,
1985, killing all 329, it was
an unavoidable accident
for the AI captain due to a
bomb blast in the fuselage,
caused by the gross negli-
gence of the Canadian
authorities.
Another classical avoid-
able accident in India was
on August 16, 1991. Indian
Airlines IC-257 Calcutta-
Imphal-Dimapur Boeing-
737 crashed, during
descent, into Thangjing
Hill, 37 km short of Imphal
airfield, killing all 69 on
board. Despite fair weath-
er, the crash was due to the
captain’s inability to
adhere to the ATC’s com-
mand and guidance on
position, location, height
and speed. The captain’s
indiscipline and indiscre-
tion led to the fatal result.
How many Indians are
aware of a fatal crash-sur-
viving captain being jail-
ed? It happened on July 27,
1989. Flight 803 of a South
Korean airliner, a McDon-
victed of negligence for at-
tempting to land without
analysing meteorological
inputs/data. The captain
got a two-year jail sentence.
At present, there exists a
bewildering variety of
flight safety failure cases
which can be cited like case
laws before the higher judi-
ciary. One can only hope,
indeed be supremely confi-
dent, that the tri-services
court of inquiry will show
exemplary professional-
ism, keeping pace with the
best traditions set by their
brilliant predecessors. All
1.3 billion people of this
country will be glued to the
future outcome of the find-
ings, comments and recom-
mendations of the tri-ser-
vice professionals.
It is pertinent here to note
some outrageous com-
ments and reactions that
have come from the head-
quarters of the Communist
Party of China (CPC),
which appears to be deriv-
ing sadistic pleasure over
the death of India’s highest-
ranking military officer. At
a time when governments
and armed forces around
the world, including, sig-
nificantly, the government
and top military officers of
Pakistan, have condoled
the deaths of Gen. Bipin
Rawat, his wife and the
others on board the ill-fated
IAF helicopter on
December 8, and paid
heartfelt tribute, all the
CPC could say was that the
deaths of the Indians were
the result of “non-profes-
sional” work! One only
wonders at the arrogance
of ignorance, malice, and
meanness. We can be confi-
dent, however, the same
“non-professional” Indians
will soon show the CPC’s
wretched commentators
the stuff they are made of.
The writer is a life mem-
ber of the Aeronautical
Society of India, the
Institute for Defence
Studies and Analyses and
the United Services
Institute. He is also a mem-
ber of the International
Institute for Strategic
Studies, London.
and his two angelic chil-
dren to death, Hinduism
never misuses the name of
the epic hero for electoral
gain. And yet, there are
two questions. Why was
Mr Gandhi not the first to
address Hindu identity
before it was bastardised
by Hindutvavadis? Also,
who can say that with free-
dom of worship assured to
all India does not belong
to Hindutvavadis?
Kajal Chatterjee
Kolkata
GOA GONE FROM BJP
THE LOVE OF FISH and football
unites the people of Goa and West
Bengal. Therefore, Mamata
Banerjee and the TMC may be able
to reap a better harvest than else-
where. Recent happenings in neigh-
bouring Karnataka is bound to deter
the Christian voter from voting for
the BJP. It is impossible for the BJP
to win elections in Goa fair and
square. What happens after the elec-
tions is a completely different mat-
ter. There are just too many parties
fighting for the 40 Assembly seats,
making it that much more suscepti-
ble to instability after elections.
Anthony Henriques
Mumbai
WELL DONE, HARNAAZ
HARNAAZ SANDHU has made all
Indians proud by crowning herself
with glory at the Miss Universe
2021 pageant at Eilat in Israel. The
Punjabi beauty pipped 79 contes-
tants from various countries to the
winning post, including runner-up
Miss Paraguay Nadia and second
runner-up Miss South Africa
Lalela Mswane. Only two other
Indians, Sushmita Sen and Lara
Dutta have bagged the Miss
Universe title earlier. The title
comes back to India after 21 years
and has put the country on the
beauty map yet again. Way to go!
N.J. Ravi Chander
Bengaluru
Every Monday the best letter of
the week wins `500. Email:
asianage.letters@gmail.com.

O
n Republic Day in January 1972, Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi drove in an open
jeep to the saluting base at Rajpath to
receive the President. “A vast sea of peo-
ple had gathered to offer their salutations to their
Praveen victorious PM, and the earth reverberated with
the crowd’s roar. It was an image of a woman who
Davar had stood alone, single-minded in defiance. She
had faced and emerged victorious against
Pakistan, had challenged the US President and his
wily aide Henry Kissinger, kept them guessing,
called their bluff and outmanoeuvred them.”
This was recorded by a biographer of Indira
Gandhi almost two decades after she led the
in 1971 — Maj. Hoshiar Singh, Flying Officer
Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, 2/Lt Arun Khetarpal and
L/Nk Albert Ekka. Of these, barring the last one,
all were won in the western theatre.
Like Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora, GOC-in-C Eastern
Command, before whom the Pakistan Army sur-
rendered, Lt. Gen, K.P. Candeth was GOC-in-C
Western Command. At that time there was no
Northern Command, and Lt. Gen. Candeth’s area
of responsibility was the huge canvas stretching
from Jammu and Kashmir through Punjab till
northern Rajasthan. Further south, the Rajasthan
border, along Jaisalmer and Barmer till the Rann
of Kutch in Gujarat, was the responsibility of
none of these commanders got the opportunity
that Lt. Gen. Sagat Singh got in the east to show
his true mettle.
Many armoured regiments, infantry battalions
and other units covered themselves with glory in
the bloodiest battles that took place both under the
Western and Southern Commands. To mention
only a few, in the battle of Chhamb, 9 Horse
destroyed 34 enemy tanks on the Manawar Tawi
river; in the battle of Basantar, 2/Lt Arun
Khetarpal, 20, of Poona Horse, posthumously won
the PVC with his commanding officer, Lt. Col.
Hanut Singh, winning the MVC for the regiment’s
major contribution towards destroying 46 enemy
effect. While the number of sorties flown by the
IAF was more than double of 1965 in the western
sector alone, the Navy acquitted itself with
aplomb in a daring attack on Karachi harbour.
Though it lost INS Khukri to enemy fire, it had
already sunk PNS Ghazi, a submarine, which
cleared the way for aircraft-carrier INS Vikrant
and other warships to operate unhindered in the
Bay of Bengal. N.S. Sekhon posthumously won the
only PVC for the Air Force in a dogfight, above the
Srinagar skies, between his single Gnat and six
PAF Sabres, of which he shot down two before
being fatally hit.
After the Pakistan Army surrendered in Dhaka

In 1971 War, nation to its most glorious military victory ever.

No war can be won without an inspiring political
leadership, an outstanding military leadership
GOC-in-C Southern Command, Lt. Gen. G.G.
Bewoor. An offensive in the Punjab plains and for-
ays into Rajasthan by the Pakistan Army were
tanks in Shakargarh sector. Maj. Hoshiar Singh of
3 Grenadiers was the second recipient of PVC in
this area.
on December 16, Gen. Yahya Khan told Pakistanis
in a broadcast that the war would go on. But
Indira Gandhi had no intention of doing so. The

the battles on and the valour and courage of officers and men
who physically fight the enemy in the land, sea or
air. While the iconic role of Field Marshal Sam
Manekshaw is well known, the names of his fellow
envisaged. But due to its commitments on the east-
ern front, the Indian government decided that a
strategy of offense-defence would be the most
pragmatic posture.
In the same sector, Brig. A.S. Vaidya (later Army
Chief) of 16 Armoured Brigade, who as CO 9 Horse
was recipient of an MVC in 1965, won his second
MVC for his gallant action against a Pakistani
mission of liberating Bangladesh had been accom-
plished and continuing the war in the west meant
more casualties, destruction and suffering.
On December 17, she told Parliament that the

western front service chiefs, Adm. S.M. Nanda and Air Chief
Marshal P.C. Lal, are hardly remembered.
Similarly, while the decisive win in the war for
While the Western Command had 11 infantry
divisions and one armoured division over its vast
stretch, the Southern Command had only two
armoured brigade. In the battle of Longewala, in
which the IAF played a decisive role, Maj. Kuldip
Singh Chandpuri, the company commander, was
Indian armed forces had been instructed to cease
fire from 8 pm that evening. This was the highest
act of statesmanship. To those who suspected that

were decisive
Bangladesh’s liberation is rightly hailed every
year, the celebrations primarily focus on the war
in the east, and the tougher battles on the western
front are generally not revisited. It takes a popular
film like Border to remind people of one of the
many actions that took place in the west.
Four Param Vir Chakras (PVCs) were awarded
infantry divisions, an artillery brigade and less
than two regiments of armour. The corps com-
manders under the Western Command were Lt.
Gens Sartaj Singh, K.K. Singh and N.C. Rawlley.
All of them, especially Sartaj Singh, acquitted
themselves well within the limits of Manekshaw’s
“holding strategy”. It was because of this that
awarded the MVC for holding his post against
enemy armour despite being heavily outnum-
bered and outweaponed.
Though air power was effectively used in 1965,
the1971 war was the first real tri-services war in
which both the AIF and Navy complemented the
Army’s efforts in both sectors to devastating
India had taken the decision to unilaterally
declare a ceasefire under foreign pressure, Sam
Manekshaw replied: “I can’t believe that any
country can put pressure on Indira Gandhi.”
The writer is a former Army officer and is edi-
tor of The Secular Saviour
 WORLD
THE ASIAN AGE | WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
SHORT
WINDOWS AT
TAKES
GERMAN MOSQUE
DAMAGED
Berlin, Dec. 14: Several win-
dows at a mosque in the east-
ern German city of Leipzig
were broken after dozens of
people set off fireworks, set fire
to garbage cans and threw bot-
tles at cars, police said Tuesday.
It wasn't clear whether the
mosque was targeted deliber-
ately.
The windows were broken on
Monday evening, police told
news agency DPA. Before that,
the group of about 80 people
had marched nearby and thr-
own paint and stones at a police
patrol car. Police estimated the
total value of the damage
caused during the incident at
30,000 euros (nearly $34,000).
The mosque is run by the the
Turkish-Islamic Union for
Religious Affairs.
BIDEN TO TOUR
TORNADO-HIT
KENTUCKY TODAY
Washington, Dec. 14: President
Joe Biden said Monday that he
will travel to Kentucky on
Wednesday to view damage
from last week's devastating
tornadoes that killed at dozens
of people and displaced thou-
sands more.
Biden announced the upcom-
ing trip following a briefing
with homeland security and
disaster response officials in
the Oval Office to discuss what
more the federal government
can do to support those affected
by the natural disaster.
The White House said he wo-
uld visit Fort Campbell, Kentu-
cky, for a briefing on the resp-
onse operations, and then to
hard-hit Mayfield and Dawson
Springs to survey the damage.
Biden said he was developing
the itinerary in consultation
with local officials to ensure
that his presence doesn’t distr-
act from the ongoing emerge-
ncy response.
White House press secretary
Jen Psaki said Monday that
Biden is not expected to give a
speech when he visits
Kentucky, but will rather be
focused on meeting with local
officials.
RUSSIA VETOES
CLIMATE CHANGE
RESOLUTION
New York, Dec. 14: Russia has
vetoed a first-of-its-kind UN
Security Council resolution ca-
sting climate change as a threat
to international peace and sec-
urity, a vote that sank a years-
long effort to make global war-
ming a more central conside-
ration for the UN’s most power-
ful body.
Spearheaded by Ireland and
Niger, the proposal on Monday
called for “incorporating infor-
mation on the security implica-
tions of climate change” into
the council’s strategies for
managing conflicts and into
peacekeeping operations and
political missions, at least
sometimes.
The measure also asked the
UN secretary-general to make
climate-related security risks
“a central component” of con-
flict prevention efforts and to
report on how to address those
risks in specific hotspots.
“It’s long overdue” that the
UN’s foremost security-related
body take up the issue, Irish
Ambassador Geraldine Byrne
Nason said. Haiti The council
has occasionally discussed the
security implications of cli-
mate change since 2007.
NEPALI CONGRESS
TO VOTE TO ELECT
PARTY PREZ
Kathmandu, Dec. 14: The dele-
gates of Nepal’s largest demo-
cratic party, the Nepali Congre-
ss, are set to vote for a second
time on Tuesday to elect the
party president after none of
the five candidates, including
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur
Deuba, could secure more than
50 per cent of the total votes
cast. Out of a total 4,743 eligible
voters, 4,679 valid votes were
cast and 76 ballots were decla-
red invalid in the election held
on Monday.
Voters will now choose betw-
een prime minister and incum-
bent President of Nepali Cong-
ress Deuba and Shekhar Koir-
ala, who secured 2,258 and 1,702
votes, respectively, according to
the Central Election Committ-
ee. Deuba secured the first posi-
tion in the party’ election, but
could not win the presidential
election as the votes he secured
were less than 50 per cent of
the total votes cast during the
14th general convention of the
party. Similarly, Prakash Man
Singh secured 371 votes and
Bimalendra Nidhi secured 250
votes, respectively. The fifth
candidate Kalyan Gurung
obtained 22 votes.
People disembark from a train at Waterloo railway station, London, on Tuesday.
China detects second
Omicron variant case
67-year-old +ve after more than 2 weeks of quarantine
Beijing, Dec. 14: China has
detected its second case of
the Omicron variant in a
67-year-old man who test-
ed positive after more
than two weeks of quaran-
tine, official media report-
ed Tuesday.
State broadcaster CCTV
said the man returned
from overseas on Nov. 27
and underwent two weeks
of isolation, during which
he repeatedly tested nega-
tive for the virus. On
Saturday, he flew to the
southern city of Guangzh-
ou where he maintains a
residence and began anot-
her week of self-quaran-
tining at home. A day later
he underwent a routine
test and early on Monday,
the district health depart-
ment informed authori-
ties he had tested positive
for the virus, the station
reported.
Further investigation at
the city and provincial
level determined he was
infected with Omicron, it
said. On Monday, authori-
ties announced the first
Haiti gasoline truck explosion kills dozens
Port-Au-Prince, Dec. 14: A
truck carrying gasoline
exploded in northern Hai-
ti, killing more than 50
people and injuring doze-
ns of others, officials said
Tuesday. The blast occur-
red late Monday in the city
of Cap-Haitien, Prime Mi-
nister Ariel Henry said,
adding that he was devas-
tated.
“Three days of national
2022 SENATE
RACE: DUTERTE
WITHDRAWS
Manila, Dec. 14: Philip-
pine President Rodrigo
Duterte on Tuesday wit-
hdrew his candidacy for
the 2022 Senate race, the
government elections
monitor said, a month
after he made a last-mi-
nute entry into the con-
test.
Duterte, 76, is constitu-
tionally barred from
seeking re-election, and
his decision to run for
the Senate had been seen
as a way of staying in
politics while facing an
international probe into
his deadly drug war.
“The President has fil-
ed his withdrawal from
the Senatorial electio-
ns,” James Jimenez, spo-
kesman for the Commis-
sion on Elections office,
said on Twitter.
Duterte decided to wit-
hdraw from the May el-
ections to “better focus”
on the government’s
pandemic response and
ensure “orderly and pea-
ceful elections”, his spo-
kesman Karlo Nograles
said. “After over four
decades in public serv-
ice, the President plans
to retire from govern-
ment to spend more time
with his family when his
term ends in June 2022,”
Nograles added, without
specifying if Duterte
was quitting politics
altogether. — AFP
S. KOREA MARKS
DEADLIEST DAY
OF PANDEMIC
Seoul, Dec. 14: South
Korea on Tuesday mark-
ed its deadliest day of the
pandemic as an unrelent-
ing, Delta-driven spread
stretched thin hospitals
and left people dying
while waiting for beds.
The Korea Disease
Control and Prevention
Agency said on Tuesday
that 94 Coronavirus
patients died in the past
24 hours while a record
906 were in serious or
critical condition. The
5,567 new infections were
the highest yet. — AP
case of Omicron in a per-
son who arrived on a flight
from Europe earlier this
month and tested positive
on Thursday while in
quarantine.
Poland’s Health Minis-
mourning will be decreed
throughout the territory,
in memory of the victims
of this tragedy that the
entire Haitian nation is
grieving,” he tweeted.
Henry said his adminis-
tration was deploying field
hospitals to the area to
help those affected. Doze-
ns of bodies lay on the st-
reet hours after the explo-
sion as a small crowd st-
UK, India natural partners: Boris
London, Dec. 14: British
Prime Minister Boris Joh-
nson on Tuesday descr-
ibed the UK and India as
“natural partners” who
are working together on
many “fantastic projects”
from partnership on 5G
and telecom to startups
that will transform peo-
ple’s lives and promote the
principles of freedom,
openness and peace.
In his special address to
the 2021 Global Technolo-
gy Summit via video link,
Johnson said that over the
NATURE’S | WRATH
7.3 magnitude quake hits Indonesia, no deaths
Maumere, Dec. 14: A 7.3-
magnitude earthquake str-
uck eastern Indonesia on
Tuesday, the US Geological
Survey said, causing panic
but no deaths or major
damage were reported.
The epicentre was in the
Flores Sea, north of East
Nusa Tenggara province,
where the quake sparked
terror after hitting in the
late morning (0320 GMT).
“I was in the field. People
ran in panic. I am still...
scared,” said Nuraini, a re-
sident of Adonara island
in the East Flores regency.
No significant damage or
fatalities were immediate-
NEEDLE-FREE
AIR-POWERED
VAX TRIAL IN UK
London, Dec. 14: Scien-
tists at the University of
Cambridge on Tuesday
began a clinical trial of a
needle-free air-powered
vaccine, which is expect-
ed to help combat future
variants of Covid-19.
Developed by Professor
Jonathan Heeney at the
University of Cambridge
and spin-out company
DIOSynVax, it is dubbed a
next generation Coronav-
irus vaccine administer-
ed through a blast of air
that delivers the dose into
the skin. — PTI
try said Tuesday the trav-
eller was a Polish teenager
who flew from Warsaw to
China. Ministry spokesm-
an Wojciech Andrusiewicz
said the teenager, who tra-
velled with her mother,
ood around them. No fur-
ther details were immedi-
ately available.
Police didn’t immediate-
ly return calls requesting
information. Patrick Alm-
onor, deputy mayor of
Cap-Haitien, said that at
least 53 deaths and more
than 100 injured have been
reported following the
explosion that burned
around 20 homes near the
coming decade, India and
the UK will continue to de-
epen their bonds on tech-
nology and other areas as
they have set out in the
2030 India-UK roadmap.
The 2030 Roadmap for
stronger UK-India strate-
gic ties was signed by Jo-
hnson and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi during a
virtual summit in May
this year.
“With our shared culture
of innovation and our
entrepreneurial spirit, the
UK and India are natural
Streets were clogged as vehicles attempted to leave for safe locations
ly reported, but Indonesi-
an authorities urged cauti-
on with more than a dozen
smaller aftershocks dete-
cted. One person was
injured in Manggarai,
East Nusa Tenggara, and a
school building was dam-
aged on Selayar island,
national disaster agency
spokesman Abdul Muhari
said in a statement.
The impact of the quake
was still being assessed,
he added. The intensity of
the shaking sparked panic
in many areas, with videos
from some towns and vil-
lages shared on social
media showing people
— AP
COVID PILL HOLDS
PROMISE AGAINST
OMICRON: PFIZER
Washington, Dec. 14:
Pfizer said Tuesday that
its experimental pill to
treat Covid-19 appears
effective against the Omi-
cron variant.
The company also said
full results of its 2,250-
person study confirmed
the pill’s promising early
results against the virus:
The drug reduced com-
bined hospitalisations
and deaths by about 89
per cent among high-risk
adults when taken short-
ly after initial Covid-19
symptoms. — AP
was hospitalised in isolati-
on. She shows no sympto-
ms of illness. She is in iso-
lation in the northern port
city of Tianjin, according
to Chinese health authori-
ties. — AP
site. He said he expects the
number of deaths to keep
rising because people who
died in their homes have
not yet been counted.
“It’s horrible what hap-
pened,” he said. “We lost
so many lives.” Almonor
said a local hospital is in
dire need of more nurses,
doctors and basic medical
supplies to help those inju-
red. “We are overwhelm-
partners. We’re working
together on many fantas-
tic projects, from the UK-
India partnership on 5G
and telecom to the UK
startups who are working
with India giants,” the
prime minister said.
“Working side-by-side,
we will not only make
breakthroughs that will
transform people’s lives,
but we’ll help shape a new
technology based on the
principles of freedom, op-
enness and peace,” Johns-
on said in his special
running outside, some
holding small children.
Streets were seen
clogged with traffic as
vehicles attempted to leave
for safe locations.
The USGS placed the epi-
centre at a depth of 18.5
kilometres (11 miles),
around 100 kilometres
north of the Flores island
town of Maumere, home
to more than 80,000 people,
where the quake disrupted
Coronavirus inoculations.
“People were receiving
vaccines when the quake
hit. They ran in panic,”
said Maumere resident
Yulius Tara. — AFP
5,567
new cases in S.
Korea on Tuesday.
VACCINE PASSPORTS
COVID-19 CERTIFICAT-
ION or ‘vaccine passp-
orts’ led to increased
immunisation 20 days
before and 40 days af-
ter introduction in cou-
ntries with lower-than-
average vaccination
coverage, according to
a modelling study pub-
lished in The Lancet
Public Health journal.
MASKS BACK IN CALIF
California is
bringing
back a rule
requiring
people to
wear masks indoors, a
move aimed at
containing a new type
of the Coronavirus as
people gather with
family and friends
during the holidays.
G.O. SUSPENDED
A Kenyan
court on
Tuesday
suspended
a governm-
ent order to prevent
those who are not va-
ccinated from acces-
sing services and en-
tering public places.
OZ TO EASE CURBS
Australia will push
ahead with plans to
ease Covid restrictions
before Christmas, offi-
cials said Tuesday,
even as new cases in
the country's most
populous state reached
a 10-week high.
The measures tak-
ing effect today are
proportionate and
responsible, and
will buy us
time in the
face of this
new variant.
Boris Johnson
UK PM
ed,” a person identified as
Dr. Calhil Turenne told Le
Nouvelliste newspaper.
Dave Larose, a civil engi-
neer who works in Cap-Ha-
itien, said that he was dr-
iving when he saw ambul-
ances and a crowd of peop-
le gathered along a road
around 1 a.m. He said he
observed how some people
were using buckets to sco-
op up gasoline. — AP
address to the 6th annual
Global Technology Summ-
it. The summit was co-ho-
sted by the non-governm-
ental organisation Carne-
gie India along with the
Ministry of External Affa-
irs on the theme of Global
Meets Local.
“We know that a huge
advantage awaits us with
Artificial Intelligence and
quantum computing and
with technology poised to
help us find answers to
some of humanity’s bigg-
est challenges. — PTI
People sit in a temporary shelter after an earthquake in
Adonara, Indonesia, on Tuesday.
“There were more than
200 people... and the (vacci-
nation) event stopped
US envoy: India
situated in tough
neighbourhood
Washington, Dec. 14:
Observing that India is
situated in a “tough
neighbourhood”, US
President Joe Biden’s
nominee for next envoy to
New Delhi on Tuesday
told lawmakers that he
will double-down on
America’s efforts to
strengthen India’s capaci-
ty to “secure its borders,
defend its sovereignty
and deter aggression”.
Eric Michael Garcetti,
50, is currently serving as
the Mayor of Los Angeles
and is a personal confi-
dant of Biden. During his
confirmation hearing for
US Ambassador to India,
Garcetti said, "India is sit-
uated in a tough neigh-
bourhood. If confirmed, I
intend to double-down on
our efforts to strengthen
India’s capacity to secure
its borders, defend its sov-
ereignty and deter
aggression.”
Garcetti said he will
make the efforts “through
information sharing,
counterterrorism coordi-
nation, joint freedom of
navigation patrols and
military exercises (which
I have participated in as a
naval officer alongside
my Indian counterparts),
and sales of our best
defence technologies in
order to realise the full
potential of our major
defence partnership”.
‘Alternatives’ if
Iran N-talks fail
Jakarta, Dec. 14: The
United States is prepar-
ing “alternatives” in case
efforts to revive a deal to
curb Iran’s nuclear ambi-
tions collapse, Secretary
of State Antony Blinken
said Tuesday, as expecta-
tions grow that talks will
fail.
“We continue in this
hour, on this day, to pur-
sue diplomacy because it
remains at this moment
the best option, but we are
actively engaging with
allies and partners on
alternatives,” he said dur-
ing a visit to Indonesia.
Negotiations restarted
on Thursday last week to
try to revive the 2015 deal
between Iran and world
powers, which the United
States withdrew from
under Donald Trump in
US asks China to
stop aggression
Jakarta, Dec. 14: US
Secretary of State Antony
Blinken on Tuesday
urged China to cease
“aggressive actions” in
the Asia-Pacific, speaking
during a visit to the
region, as Washington
seeks to bolster alliances
against Beijing.
President Joe Biden’s
administration is trying
to reset relations and
reassert its influence in
Asia after the turbulence
and unpredictability of
the Donald Trump era.
Blinken's comments
came in Indonesia, the
first leg of a Southeast
Asian tour, the latest visit
to the region by a senior
US official in recent
months.
In a speech outlining the
US approach to what it
— AP
because of the quake.”
Thousands in Maumere
sought safety on higher
pg 6
He said if confirmed, he
will work closely with
India to support a simi-
larly bold approach to
promoting green energy
through the International
Solar Alliance (ISA) and
through the Agenda 2030
Climate and Clean
Energy Partnership.
“The bedrock of our
partnership are the
human ties that connect
our nations, embodied by
the four million strong
Indian-American diaspo-
ra that strengthens our
nation and the nearly two
hundred thousand Indian
students and tens of thou-
sands of Indian profes-
sionals who contribute to
our economy,” Garcetti
said. “In addition, respect
for human rights and
strong democratic insti-
tutions are key elements
of our strategic partner-
ship and values enshri-
ned in our constitutions,
and if confirmed, I will
engage closely and regu-
larly with the Indian gov-
ernment on these issues,”
he said.
The Los Angeles Mayor
said in 1992, the year he
graduated from college
after studying Hindi and
Indian cultural and reli-
gious history, US-India
ties languished in the
shadow of Cold War era
mistrust.
— PTI
2018. Iran claims it only
wants to develop a civil-
ian capability but
Western powers say its
stockpile of enriched ura-
nium goes well beyond
that, and could be used to
develop a nuclear
weapon.
US President Joe Biden
has said he is ready to
return to the agreement
and Iranian officials
maintain they are serious
about committing to the
talks. But Tehran has
been accused of backslid-
ing on progress made ear-
lier this year and playing
for time.
Blinken’s remarks came
after Biden recently said
the United States was
preparing “additional
measures” against Iran.
— AFP
terms the Indo-Pacific,
Blinken said Washington
would work with allies
and partners to “defend
the rules-based order”
and that countries should
have the right to “choose
their own path”.
“That’s why there is so
much concern — from
Northeast Asia to
Southeast Asia and from
the Mekong River to the
Pacific Islands — about
Beijing’s aggressive
actions.
“Claiming open seas as
their own. Distorting
open markets through
subsidies to its state-run
companies. Denying the
exports or revoking deals
for countries whose poli-
cies it does not agree
with.”
— AFP
ground, fearing a tsunami.
“We will stay here...
because we are afraid of
aftershocks,” said Husri
Tamrin. The Pacific Tsun-
ami Warning Center said
the quake no longer posed
a threat of tsunamis after
earlier warning that such
waves were possible with-
in a 1,000-kilometre radius
of the epicentre.
Indonesian authorities
also lifted their tsunami
warning. “I was checking
my phone when the quake
hit. I felt it for 30 seconds.
It was strong,” said Alwan,
a resident of Buton in Sou-
theast Sulawesi. — AFP
 WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
pg 7

„Company to distribute sportswear in India, Asean

quick Aditya Birla Fashion
LEENA NAIR
QUITS UNILEVER;
Netflix slashes
streaming prices
BITES buys Reebok rights
JOINS CHANEL
AS GLOBAL CEO Mumbai, Dec. 14: Netflix
slashed on Tuesday the
prices of its streaming
services in India, for the
INDICATORS % SANGEETHA G active, athletic and health
first time since launch-
ing five years ago in the
Sensex 58117.09 -0.29 CHENNAI, DEC. 14 focussed, their consump- country, as it moves to
Nifty 50 17324.90 -0.25 tion of apparel and acces- better compete with
Aditya Birla Fashion and sories is expected to fierce rivals Disney and
S&P 500* 4,623.76 -0.97 Retail Ltd has received increasingly change in line Amazon.
Dollar (`) 75.51 -0.05 exclusive rights to distrib- with these trends, provid- The streaming giant
Pound Sterling (`) 99.75 0.16 ute and sell Reebok prod- ing an opportunity to build Leena Nair cut prices by 60 per cent,
ucts through wholesale, e- iconic brands of global to Rs 199 a month, for its
Euro (`) 85.60 -0.52 commerce and Reebok repute. Reebok is one of New Delhi, Dec. 14: basic plan that lets users
Gold (10gm)* (`) 47,280▼68 0.14 branded retail stores in the leading brands in the Leena Nair, the first watch content on a sin-
Brent crude ($/bbl)* 73.64 -1.01
India and Asean countries.
Authentic Brands Group
NIKE BUYS VIRTUAL SNEAKER FIRM sporting goods industry
globally and has built a
female and youngest-
ever chief human
gle device, it said in a
blogpost.
allows users to simulta-
neously watch content
IN 10-Yr bond yield 6.356 -0.22 (ABG), a global brand New York, Dec. 14: Why virtual assets that are very strong presence in the resources officer (CHRO) The price of its mobile- on multiple devices from
US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 1.45 0.03 development, marketing buy the latest pair of authenticated using the Indian market over the last of Anglo-Dutch FMCG only plan will drop a the same account, and
and entertainment compa- sneakers, when you can same blockchain technol- two decades," said Ashish major Unilever has quarter to Rs 149, with offers a cheaper annual
* As of 8:30 PM IST ny and ABFRL have signed buy the latest pair of vir- ogy as cryptocurrencies. Dikshit, managing direc- stepped down to join overall prices of various payment plan.
a long-term licensing tual ones instead? "This acquisition is tor, ABFRL. French luxury group plans falling 18 per cent Disney + Hotstar offers
agreement, which grants Nike joined the wave of another step that acceler- ABFRL has a portfolio of Chanel as its global chief to 60 per cent. an annual premium plan

Fed set to speed

ABFRL exclusive rights to
distribute and sell Reebok
up withdrawal
products.
Reebok brand has been
with Adidas since 2006. In
brands buying into
excitement over virtual
goods on Monday as the
sportswear giant announ-
ced it has bought RTFKT,
ates Nike's digital trans-
formation and allows us
to serve athletes and cre-
ators at the intersection
of sport, creativity, gam-
leading brands such as executive. She was a The new prices were with access to all its con-
Louis Philippe, Van member of the Unilever the "real 'Money Heist'", tent in 4K at Rs 1,499.
Heusen, Allen Solly and Disney + Hotstar made
Leadership Executive Netflix said in its
Peter England established (ULE), which is responsi- announcement, using up a little less than 40 per
for over 25 years. ble for delivering the name of one of its cent of the total sub-

of economic aid August Adidas had entered

Under chair Jerome Powell, the
Federal Reserve is poised this
week to execute a sharp turn
toward tighter interest-rate poli-
cies with inflation accelerating
and unemployment falling faster
than expected. On Wednesday,
the Fed will likely announce that
it will reduce its monthly bond
purchases at twice the rate that
Powell had outlined just six
weeks ago. Those bond pur-
into a definitive agreement
to sell Reebok to ABG for
2.1 billion euros ($2.37 bil-
lion.). The transfer of own-
ership of the Reebok brand
from Adidas to ABG is
expected to close in the
January-March quarter of
2022.
This deal marks ABFRL's
foray into India's fast-grow-
ing sports and active-wear
segment. Over the last few
a company that makes
digital sneakers.
RTFKT—pronounced
artifact—sells digital
items in the form of non-
fungible tokens (NFTs),
years, this segment has
been growing rapidly on
the heels of rising income
levels, increased health
consciousness and the
adoption of active
ing and culture," said
Nike CEO John Donahoe.
In May, an NFT of a
Gucci handbag sold on-
line for more than the real
version’s price. —AFP
lifestyles by young Indians.
This segment is expected
to grow to $13 billlion by
FY24 at an annual growth
rate of 14 per cent.
"As Indians get more
Pantaloons is a large value
fashion retail
ABFRL has a network of
brand.
3,264 stores across about
26,840 multi-brand outlets
with 7,094 points of sale in
department stores across
India. ABFRL is also the
exclusive retailer for
Forever 21, American
Eagle Outfitters and Ralph
Lauren clothes in India.
ABFRL shares surged 6.5
per cent on the BSE.
Unilever's business and
financial performance.
"Leena Nair, CHRO, has
decided to leave the com-
pany in January 2022 to
pursue a new career
opportunity as global
chief executive officer,
Chanel Ltd," Unilever
said in a statement.
According to the
reports, Nair, in her new
position with Chanel,
will be based in London.
"I would like to thank
Leena for her outstand-
popular television
shows, but without giv-
ing any rationale for
them.
For years, Netflix
priced its products far
above competitors in
India such as Disney and
Amazon, citing the much
higher income of house-
holds that spoke English
and watched entertain-
ment in the language.
The Netflix move
reflects its effort to tar-
get expansion beyond
scriber base of 116 mil-
lion of Disney+, the com-
pany said in an earnings
call this year. Netflix and
Amazon do not reveal
their figures by country,
however.
In 2018, Netflix said
India could deliver its
next 100 million sub-
scribers.
At the time, chief exec-
utive Reed Hastings had
told Reuters in an inter-
view that the company
had no plans to lower its

IEA sees ‘more comfortable’ year for oil in 2022

chases are intended to lower
longer-term rates. ing contribution over the the biggest cities, said an prices in India, adding,
last three decades. Leena entertainment industry "We don't have a pricing
has been a pioneer analyst who sought issue."
throughout her career at anonymity. Netflix has previously
Natco Pharma to Paris, Dec. 14: The omi-
cron coronavirus variant
the IEA wrote in its latest
monthly report.
temporarily slow, but not
upend, the recovery in oil
vaccination campaigns."
The IEA, which unites
Unilever, but no more so
than in her role as
"To capture this mar-
ket, it needs to bring
said 2021 will be its
biggest year in India,

acquire US-based will slow the recovery in

global demand for oil but
The emergence of omi-
cron at the end of
demand," the IEA wrote.
It said "new containment
oil-consuming countries
and advises governments
CHRO...,” Unilever CEO
Alan Jope said.
down" costs, added the
analyst, based in the
with the release of more
than 40 new titles,

Dash Pharma
the market will be "more
comfortable" in 2022, the
International Energy
Agency said on Tuesday.
The oil market "appears
to stand on a better footing
than it has for some time,"
November "sparked a
steep sell-off in oil, but
initial pessimism has now
given way to a more meas-
ured response," it said.
"The surge in new Covid-
19 cases is expected to
measures put in place to
halt the spread of the
virus are likely to have a
more muted impact on the
economy versus previous
Covid waves, not least
because of widespread
on energy policy, said it
had revised downwards
its forecast for global oil
demand by an average
100,000 barrels per day for
this year and next year
due to travel bars. —AFP
Nair, an alumnus of financial capital of among them films fea-
XLRI Jamshedpur, had Mumbai, as the firm turing top Bollywood
joined HUL, Unilever's competes with big rivals. actors, stand-up comedy
Indian subsidiary in 1992 Amazon Prime Video shows and original
and worked for 30 years. charges Rs 179 a month series.
—PTI but, unlike Netflix, it —Reuters

Over `51K cr unclaimed

Natco Pharma Ltd proposes to
enter into an agreement to
acquire Dash Pharmaceuticals
LLC, a front-end pharmaceuti-
cal sales, marketing and distri-
bution firm based in New
Jersey, USA. The acquisition
provides Natco with a front-
end to engage with its cus-
tomers directly in the USA, the
largest pharmaceutical market
in the world. Natco did not dis-
close the financial details of
the acquisition.
Exports rise 27%
money lies with FIs
SANGEETHA G
CHENNAI, DEC. 14
Financial institutions
hold Rs 51,571 crore as
unclaimed amount of cus-
tomers as of December
2020. The institutions
include commercial
banks, urban co-operative
banks, insurance compa-
nies and mutual funds.
As per RBI data, as on
December 31, 2020, the
total number of accounts
which have not been oper-
ated for 10 years in sched-
Rs 22,043 crore and the
total amount of un-
claimed deposits in non-
life insurance companies
was Rs 1,241 crore.
According to the
Securities and Exchange
Board of India, the
amount lying unclaimed
with mutual funds was Rs
1,590.67 crore. This com-
prises Rs 671 crore
towards unclaimed rede-
mption and Rs 918 crore
towards unclaimed divi-
dend.
The RBI had formed a
WPI INFLATION
SPIKES TO 14.2%
IN NOVEMBER
FC BUREAU
NEW DELHI, DEC. 14
With a sharp spike in the
prices of food materials,
mineral oils, basic metals
and crude petroleum, the
country's wholesale price
inflation surged to a 12-
year high of 14.23 per cent.
Besides, the prices of veg-
etables, eggs and meat
hardened too in the same
month, the government
data showed on Tuesday.
The Wholesale Price
Index-based inflation has
remained in double digits
EPFO invested `2,500 crore in
Reliance Capital’s bonds: Govt
New Delhi, Dec. 14: The
Employees Provident Fund
Organisation (EPFO) had
asked the government to
initiate insolvency and
bankruptcy proceedings
against Reliance Capital as
it has invested Rs 2,500
crore in the company's
bond programmes, the
finance ministry said in
Parliament on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Labour
and Employment has
apprised that the EPFO
has invested Rs 2,500 crore
in Reliance Capital Ltd
(RCL), for which RCL has
Bhagwat
Karad
the Rajya Sabha.
He was replying to a
query by RJD MP Manoj
Kumar Jha whether it was
a fact that Reliance Capital
had defaulted on payment
of principal and interest
obligations on bonds held
as of November 30, 2021,
Karad said.
The labour ministry has
informed that as the matu-
rity date of these invest-
ment has not become due
till date, there is no
default on principal as on
date, he said.
"The matter for initiation
of action under the provi-
sions of the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code, 2016
(IBC), against Reliance
Capital Ltd was taken up
by EPFO," Karad added.
Citing action taken by the
RBI, the minister informed
ADB LOWERS
INDIA’S FY22 GDP
GROWTH TO 9.7%
SANGEETHA G
CHENNAI, DEC. 14
The Asian Development
Bank has revised India’s
GDP growth forecast for
FY22 downwards to 9.7 per
cent from 10 per cent pro-
jected in September 2021
as the manufacturing sec-
tor is expected to grow
more slowly than antici-
pated. However, the bank
has retained the GDP
growth forecast for FY23 at
7.5 per cent.
India had witnessed a
strong 20.1 per cent growth

to $30.04 bn in uled commercial banks

was 8.13 crore and the
Depositor Education and
Awareness Fund (DEAF)
for eight consecutive
months beginning April
defaulted in payment of
interest from October
by EPFO.
The total interest default
the house that the apex
bank superseded the board
rebound in Q1 of FY22.
This was followed by

November
Merchandise exports rose 27.16
per cent to $30.04 billion in
November on the back of good
performance by sectors like
petroleum products, engineer-
ing goods and electronic items.
The exports stood at $23.62
billion a year ago. Imports rose
56.58 per cent to $52.94 billion
against $33.81 billion a year
ago. Gold imports rose nearly
40 per cent to $4.22 billion.
Trade deficit stood at $22.91
billion versus $10.19 billion.
amount of deposits in
such accounts was Rs
24,356 crore, finance min-
ister Nirmala Sitha-
raman informed the
Rajya Sabha.
Similarly, the number of
accounts not operated for
more than 10 years and
the amount in such
accounts with urban co-
operative banks was 77
lakh and Rs 2,341 crore,
respectively, till the end of
2020.
As per the Insurance
Regulatory and Develop-
ment Authority of India,
the total amount of
unclaimed deposits in life
insurance companies was
Scheme in 2014. Banks
calculate the cumulative
balances in all accounts
which are inoperative for
10 years or more or any
amount remaining un-
claimed for 10 years or
more, along with interest
accrued, and transfer the
money to the DEAF.
The DEAF is utilised for
promotion of depositors’
interests and similar pur-
poses. In case of demand
from a customer whose
deposit had been trans-
ferred to the DEAF, banks
are required to repay the
customer, along with
interestand lodge a claim
for refund from the DEAF.
this year, mainly due to
skyrocketing prices for
food items. The WPI
Inflation in October this
year was at 12.54 per cent,
while in November 2020 it
was at 2.29 per cent only.
"The food index more
than doubled to 6.70 per
cent as compared to 3.06
per cent in the previous
month, while manufac-
tured product prices rose
11.92 per cent, against
12.04 per cent in the prior
month. Besides, the rise in
prices of fuel and power
basket was higher at 39.81
per cent in November,”
the Commerce and
Industry Ministry said in
2019, minister of state for
finance Bhagwat Karad
said in a written reply to
LIC launches Dhan Rekha insurance plan
Mumbai, Dec. 14: Life
Insurance Corporation of
India (LIC) introduced a
non-linked, non-participat-
ing, individual savings life
insurance plan. The state-
owned insurer added that
there are special premium
rates for female lives and
the plan is allowed to the
third gender.
The plan, Dhan Rekha,
on the non-convertible
debentures (NCDs)
(secured) is Rs 534.64 crore
the basic sum assured as
survival benefit at regular
intervals starting from the
end of the premium-pay-
ing term, provided the pol-
icy is in force, LIC said.
On maturity, the policy-
holder will receive full sum
assured without the deduc-
tion of the money back
amount received along
with accrued guaranteed
of directors of the compa-
ny on November 29, 2011.
—PTI
For single premium
death, the sum assured is
125 per cent of the basic
sum assured plus guaran-
teed additions. The mini-
mum sum assured under
this plan is Rs 2 lakh and
there is no upper limit.
The minimum age at
entry ranges from 90 days
to eight years and the max-
imum age, from 35 years to
growth moderation in Q2
to 8.4 per cent, marginally
below expectations as a
chip shortage hindered the
production and sale of
automobiles and many
electronic goods.
GDP growth neverthe-
less remained strong, driv-
en by growth in private
consumption at 8.6 per
cent and in investment at
17.2 per cent. On the sup-
ply side, growth was broad
based driven by strong
expansion in services, par-
ticularly public adminis-
tration and defence and in
mining. Agriculture
remained resilient at 4.5
per cent growth, the devel-

Honda starts a statement. provides a percentage of additions, it added. 55 years, LIC said. —PTI opment bank said.

engine production
at Gujarat plant
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter
India said it has invested Rs 135
crore at its fourth factory at
Vithalapur in Ahmedabad dis-
trict, Gujarat, to produce 250cc
and above range of two-wheel-
er engines for the international
markets such as Thailand, US,
Canada, Europe, Japan,
Australia, and the Gulf nations.
The plant, which has started
production, will make a total of
50,000 engine units in the first
year of operation.
Printed & Published by
K. Sudhakar on behalf of
Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited.
Printed at BFL Infotech Ltd, C-9 Sector
3, Noida-201301. Published at 219, N D
Tiwari Bhawan, Deen Dayal Upadhyay
Marg, New Delhi-110002.
Editor: Kaushik Mitter, RNI
Registration number 30074/09,
Air surcharge Re 1. © All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or
in part without written permission of
The Editor,
Financial Chronicle ® is prohibited.
Starbucks probes 5,400 China GREEN | MOVES Space explorer to use carbon as rocket fuel
stores over expired food row Musk’s next act: Remove CO2 from air
Dec. 14: Coffee giant
Starbucks Corp. has
ordered a full inspection
of every branch in China
after undercover
reporters discovered staff
in two of its outlets using
expired ingredients.
The coffee chain vowed a
zero-tolerance policy on
food safety after the state-
backed Beijing News
reported that two outlets
in the city of Wuxi violat-
ed standards. In footage
released on Monday, staff
were seen removing an
expiration date sticker
from a bottle of chocolate
sauce and replacing it
with a new one printed
with a later date. In anoth-
er store, out-of-date pas-
tries and cacao nibs were
found for sale.
"We deeply apologise
and will actively improve
the practices. We'll closely
cooperate with the investi-
gation and request contin-
uous monitoring from the
public and media,"
Starbucks China said on
its Weibo account on
Monday night.
The company acknowl-
edged that employees had
violated the country's
operating regulations and
vowed to launch a full
inspection of food safety
standards across all 5,400
outlets in mainland
China.
The topic quickly went
viral on Weibo, racking up
270 million views as of
Tuesday morning, spark-
ing anger among many
customers. "Please pro-
vide coffee with the quali-
ty worth the 30-40 yuan
($4.70-$6.30) price tag," one
comment read.
Foreign brands often
come in for criticism and
boycott efforts in China,
where consumer nation-
alism is on the rise
encouraged by President
Xi Jinping's government.
Earlier this month,
Canada Goose Holdings
Inc saw its stock drop 14
per cent over three days
after being criticised by
state media for giving a
refund to a disgruntled
customer. In a more seri-
ous instance, Swedish
fashion chain H&M's rev-
enue there plun-ged after
being blocked on e-com-
merce platforms over its
stance of not using cot-
ton sourced from
Xinjiang.
—Bloomberg
BRUCE EINHORN
DEC. 14
Billionaire Elon Musk is pushing
ahead with an attempt to utilise
emissions contributing to climate
change, tweeting that his rocket
company will launch a programme
to remove carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere and use it to power
spacecraft.
The chairman and CEO of Space
Exploration Technologies Corp,
Musk announced the project on
December 13, shortly after being
named Person of the Year by Time
magazine.
"SpaceX is starting a programme
to take CO2 out of atmosphere &
turn it into rocket fuel," he tweeted.
Using carbon dioxide to power
space travel "will also be important
for Mars," he added in a subsequent
missive.
SpaceX, which has become a go-to
provider of launch services for cus-
Elon Musk
tomers such as NASA, is develop-
ing rockets for deep-space travel
that could send humans to Mars.
Musk told an interviewer last year
that he was confident a crewed mis-
sion to the red planet could take
place in 2026.
Musk, the world's richest man
thanks to the popularity of his elec-
tric-vehicle maker, Tesla Inc, said
in January he would donate $100
million toward a prize for the best
carbon-capture technology.
The new initiative to make rocket
fuel would rely on a type of tech-
nology, direct air capture (DAC),
still in its early stages of develop-
ment. The world's largest DAC
plant, a facility in Iceland, began
operation in September and will
take 4,000 tonnes annually from the
air, about double the world's previ-
ous DAC capacity.
Musk has used his Twitter
account before for statements that
appear on first glance to be impul-
sive or trolling. He announced via a
tweet last week that he was consid-
ering giving up his jobs and
"becoming an influencer full-time."
Last month, he taunted Senator
Bernie Sanders, 80, after the
Vermont socialist reiterated his
call for the wealthy to pay more in
taxes.
"I keep forgetting that you're
alive," the billionaire tweeted at the
chairman of the Senate Budget
Committee. —Bloomberg
 GAMES
THE ASIAN AGE | WEDNESDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2021 | NEW DELHI
SHORT
Bharat smashes
TAKES
2nd straight ton
Mumbai: Captain Srikar Bharat’s
second successive hundred
powered Andhra to an 81-run
win over Gujarat in their Elite
Group ‘A’ match of the Vijay
Hazare Trophy here on Tuesday.
Riding on Bharat’s blazing 156
off 138 balls, barely two days
after his 161-run knock against
Himachal Pradesh, a struggling
Andhra managed to post 253
for nine after batting first.
Bharat smashed seven sixes and
16 fours during his knock.
In reply, Gujarat were all out for
172 in 41.3 overs with left-arm
spinner Manish Golamaru pick-
ing 4/30.
In another Group ‘A’ match,
skipper Faiz Fazal struck an
unbeaten hundred as Vidarbha
comfortably beat Jammu and
Kashmir by five wickets.
Brief Scores: Andhra 253/9 in
50 overs (Srikar Bharat 156 —
138b, 16x4, 7x6) beat Gujarat
172 in 41.3 overs (Umang Kumar
55, Manish Golamaru 4/30).
— PTI
AICF announces
Chess League
New Delhi: Taking a leaf out of
sports like cricket and bad-
minton, the All India Chess
Federation on Tuesday
announced that the sport will
have its very own franchise-
based league to be held next
year in June.
The Indian Chess League will be
a six-team event and will fea-
ture two Super GMs, two Indian
GMs, two Women GMs, one
Indian Junior Boy and one
Indian Junior Girl in each fran-
chise, the AICF said.
The first of its kind franchise
model event will take place
over two weeks in the double
round-robin format in one or
two Indian cities. The top two
teams will clash in the finals.
“Our dream is coming true,” Dr
Sanjay Kapoor, president of
AICF said, adding, “The Indian
Chess League is going to
change the face of chess in the
country. It will help us attain
our goal of becoming World
No. 1 in the near future.”
AICF secretary Bharat Singh
Chauhan explained that each
team will consist of eight play-
ers. “The idea is to not only
draw the best players from
around the world but also to
provide India’s players a formi-
dable platform to sharpen their
skills,” he said. — PTI
Maharashtra, UP
in sight of Last 8
Pune: Hosts Maharashtra, Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh kept them-
selves in line for quarterfinal
berths after logging wins in
their respective matches in the
11th Hockey India Senior Men
National Championship here on
Tuesday.
Maharashtra downed
Chhattisgarh Hockey 9-2 and
Bihar defeated Mizoram 4-0 to
share top position in Pool ‘H’.
Both teams with six points each
will clash on Thursday to
decide who would advances to
the quarterfinals.
Maharashtra hold the aces
ahead of this clash with a bet-
ter goal average of +25 as
against +6 of Bihar.
The home side was led by a
three-goal effort by Taleb Shah
(4th, 30th, 55th), Pratap Shinde
(34th, 42nd) and Mohd
Nizamuddin (47th, 50th) in a
match they dominated but
allowed Chhattisgarh to breach
their defence.
For Maharashtra, Venkatesh
Kenche (11th) and Tikkaram
Thakulla (15th) added a goal
each to the tally. — PTI
Sailors are set to
train overseas
New Delhi: The Sports
Ministry’s recently-reconstituted
Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has
approved proposals from four
Indian sailors to train and com-
pete overseas in the run-up to
next year’s Asian Games in
Hangzhou, China.
The proposals from the four
Olympians will cost more than
`2.75 crore, according to a
statement issued by the min-
istry on Tuesday.
The 49er sailors Varun Thakkar
and KC Ganapathy (`1.34
crore), Laser Radial specialist
Nethra Kumanan (`90.58 lakh)
and Laser Standard ace Vishnu
Saravanan (`51.08 lakh) will use
the sanctioned money towards
travel, boarding and lodging,
coach entry fee, coach boat
charter and coach salary until
the Asian Games. — PTI
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Marg, New Delhi 110 002. and Printed by
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per copy.
Sindhu sprints off the blocks
Lakshya, Srikanth, Chirag-Satwik too advance at shuttle Worlds
Huelva (Spain), Dec. 14:
Defending champion P. V.
Sindhu breezed past
Slovakia’s Martina
Repiska 21-7, 21-9 to make
a resounding start in the
BWF World Champion-
ship here on Tuesday.
The fast-rising Lakshya
Sen prevailed over 15th
seeded Japanese Kenta
Nishimoto 22-20, 15-21, 21-
18 to progress to the pre-
quarterfinals along with
Kidambi Srikanth, who
rallied to defeat Chinese
Li Shi Feng 15-21, 21-18, 21-
17. The 12th seeded
Indian’s match lasted one
hour and nine minutes.
In the men’s doubles,
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
and Chirag Shetty beat
Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-
Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan
27-25, 21-17 in 43 minutes.
World number seven
Sindhu took just 24 min-
utes to beat the unseeded
at opponent court number
3 of Palacio de los
Deportes Carolina Marn
Stadium here.
Seeded sixth in the tour-
nament which she won in
2019 — when it was last
held — the two-time
Olympic-medallist began
on a rousing note and
raced to a 4-1 lead with her
fine play.
Repiska tried to make a
comeback with two points,
but the fancied Indian did
not let her go past her,
leading 11-4 at the mid-
break.
She continued her domi-
nance and kept accumu-
lating points to widen the
lead, eventually pocketing
South Korea’s Hwang Taeil (in red) dodges past Indian players during their Asian Championship Trophy hockey
match in Dhaka on Tuesday. The match ended 2-2.
Misfiring Indians held to a draw
Dhaka, Dec. 14: Defending
champions and Olympic
bronze-medallists India
were held to a 2-2 draw by
a fighting Korea in their
opening match of the
Hero Asian Champions
Trophy men’s hockey
tournament
Tuesday.
here on
Playing their first tour-
nament after the historic
Tokyo Olympics cam-
paign, India started
brightly and scored in the
fourth minute through
Lalit Upadhyay before
Roma rattle Spezia to
climb up Italian table
Rome, Dec. 14: Roma put
an end to their worrying
recent run of form in the
Italian football league by
beating struggling
Spezia 2-0 on Monday
and gaining ground in
the race for European
football.
Goals from corners in
each half from Chris
Smalling and Roger
Ibanez put Jose
Mourinho’s side back on
track following defeat at
Bologna and a home
hammering at the hands
of champions Inter
Milan last weekend.
Roma are up to sixth on
28 points, two points
behind Fiorentina who
hold the Europa League
qualification spot and
level with Juventus, in
seventh after drawing at
Venezia on Saturday.
However they are some
way from their true
objective of Champions
P. V. Sindhu prepares to serve to Martina Repiska of Slovakia during their women’s second round match at the
BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain, on Tuesday. Sindhu won 21-7, 21-9.
the first game in only 10
minutes.
The script remained the
same in the second game
as well, with Sindhu main-
taining her firm grip over
the proceedings to race to
a 6-0 lead in just two min-
utes.
At midpoint, Sindhu was
leading 11-1 and she com-
pleted the formality with a
dominant performance.
vice-captain Harman-
preet Singh converted a
penalty corner in the 18th
minute to double their
lead.
Trailing 0-2, Korea
fought back after the
change of ends and
scored through Jonghyun
Jang in the 41st minute
and Sunghyun Kim in the
46th minute to stun the
favourites and draw level.
Korea grew in confi-
dence as the match pro-
gressed and pressed the
Indian defence hard.
THE RESULT
Roma 2 ner with a header of his
(Chris Smalling 6,
Roger Ibanez 56)
Spezia 0 Abraham was also
League football as they
sit eight points behind
fourth-placed Napoli,
and missing some key
players failed to convince
at the Stadio Olimpico in
Rome.
A 11th defeat for Spezia
leaves Thiago Motta’s
team just two points and
one place above the rele-
gation zone, despite a
spirited display which
probably deserved at
least a goal.
Smalling put Roma
ahead with his first
league goal of the season
in the sixth minute
when, completely
unmarked at a corner, he
Sen was made to toil
hard for his victory by the
Japanese as he took one
hour and 22 minutes to
emerge winner.
However, the mixed dou-
bles pairing of Saurabh
Sharma and Anoushka
Parikh suffered a straight
game defeat to Malaysians
Tan Kian Meng and Lai
Pei Jing, going down 21-8
21-18. — PTI
The Manpreet Singh-led
side also had numerous
chances, including penal-
ty corners, but failed to
utilise the opportunities
as the match ended in a
stalemate.
Jaehyeon Kim in front
of the Korea goal was the
difference between the
two sides as he produced
numerous brilliant saves
to help his side steal a
valuable point from the
game.
India will next play
hosts Bangladesh on
casually met country-
man Tammy Abraham’s
headed effort from a cor-
own that Ivan Provedel
had no chance of saving.
involved when the hosts
were unlucky to not dou-
ble their lead in the 25th
minute, the England
international cleverly
flicking a pass to Matias
Vina who then watched
his goal-bound effort well
tipped away by Provedel.
And after Rui Patricio
stopped Arkadiusz Reca
from drawing the away
side level Abraham was
denied his fifth league
goal of the season by the
bar in first-half stoppage
time. The former Chelsea
striker met Henrikh
Mkhitaryan’s fizzing
cross with his chest and
hit the woodwork for the
seventh time this season.
— AFP
THE RESULTS
■ Women’s singles second round: P. V. Sindhu (India) bt
Martina Repiska (Slovakia) 21-7, 21-9.
■ Men’s singles second round: Lakshya Sen (India) bt
Kenta Nishimoto (Japan) 22-20, 15-21, 21-18; Kidambi
Srikanth (India) bt Li Shi Feng (China) 15-21, 21-18, 21-17.
■ Men’s doubles second round: Satwiksairaj
Rankireddy/ Chirag Shetty (India) bt Lee Jhe-Huei/
Yang Po-Hsuan (Chinese Taipei) 27-25, 21-17.
— AFP
Wednesday. It did not take
long for India to surge
ahead through Lalit, who
elegantly controlled the
ball just outside the circle
and dodged past three
Korean defenders to slot it
into the net past Kim.
While the Indians
played their natural game
of attacking hockey from
the onset, the Koreans
preferred to sit back and
defend deep and rely
mostly on counter-
attacks.
— PTI
Roma’s Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez celebrates after
scoring a goal during their Italian league match against
Spezia at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.
— AP
CURRY CLOSE
TO ALL-TIME
NBA RECORD
Los Angeles, Dec. 14: Two-
time league MVP Stephen
Curry is just two three-
point baskets away from
breaking Ray Allen’s all-
time NBA record after his
Golden State Warriors
rallied late to edge the
Indiana Pacers 102-100 on
Monday.
Curry came into the
game needing seven
three-pointers but could
manage only five, leaving
him one short of tying
Allen’s record of 2,973.
“I’m enjoying the
moment, knocking on the
doorstep. It’s pretty surre-
al,” Curry said after scor-
ing 26 points with six
rebounds and six assists.
In 35 minutes of playing
time, he shot five of 15
from beyond the arc in
front of a crowd of 17,018
at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
arena in Indianapolis that
were eager to see him
break the record.
Curry and the Warriors
got off to a slow start,
trailed for most of the
game and were 55-47
behind at the half.
The 33-year-old Curry
didn’t hit his first three-
pointer until the second
quarter and committed
four of his seven
turnovers in the first half
as he was smothered by
the
defence.
Pacers’ stifling
“I wasn’t going to let
him do it on our court,”
said Indiana’s Malcolm
Brogdon. — AFP
— AFP
Kohli could skip
ODIs in S Africa
New Delhi, Dec. 14: India
Test captain Virat Kohli
has not put in any formal
request for a break from
the ODI leg of the upcom-
ing South Africa tour, a top
BCCI official has asserted.
Kohli will be leading
India in a three-Test series
starting December 26 in
Centurion and the series
ends on January 15 in Cape
Town with the third and
final Test. The three-match
ODI series will kick off on
January 19.
After vice-captain Rohit
Sharma was ruled out due
to the recurrence of a left
hamstring injury, reports
have emerged that Kohli
will take a break to spend
some time with his young
family.
“As of now, Kohli hasn’t
sent any formal request to
skip the ODIs to either
BCCI president Sourav
Ganguly or secretary Jay
Shah. If something is
decided at a later date or
God forbid, he sustains an
injury, then it’s a different
matter,” a senior BCCI offi-
cial privy to developments
said on conditions of
anonymity.
“As things stand today, he
is playing the three ODIs
on January 19, 21, 23,” he
added.
The official also said that
all the players’ families are
also travelling to South
Africa aboard the same
charter flight due to the
bio-bubble restrictions.
“The skipper is travelling
with his family. But yes, if
he feels bubble fatigue
after the Test series and
wants to take a break, he
would definitely inform
the chairman of selectors
and secretary (Shah), who
England paceman Ben Stokes bowls during a training ses-
sion at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday ahead of the second
Ashes Test starting on Thursday.
English have pink
challenge ahead
Adelaid, Dec. 14: England
head into the day-night sec-
ond Ashes Test in Adelaide
on Thursday under pres-
sure and facing an omi-
nous task against an
Australian team who have
won all of their eight pink-
ball matches.
The tourists’ capitulation
by nine wickets in the
opening Test in Brisbane
exposed their batting and
fielding frailties, exacer-
bated by rain-hit prepara-
tions and lack of match
practice.
It wasn’t helped by poor
decision-making — at the Gabba.
notably captain Joe Root
choosing to bat after win-
ning the toss on a juicy
Gabba pitch and the widely
criticised omission of pace
veterans Jimmy Anderson
and Stuart Broad.
Root knows his team
must find a way to
improve, and fast, to stand
a chance at a ground where
Australia have hosted five
of their eight Test wins
under lights.
“We have got to be better
in the field and with the
bat,” he said.
“We’re game-hardened
now, we’re in the series,”
Root added.
Seamers Broad and
Anderson are tipped to
return given the extra
movement found with a
pg 8
● After vice-captain
Rohit Sharma was
ruled out due to the
recurrence of a left
hamstring injury,
reports have
emerged that Kohli
will take a break to
spend some time
with his young
family.
is the convenor of the
selection committee,” the
source added.
One reason for the cur-
rent speculation could be
that once India are back
home, they will again be
inside an extended bubble
for three weeks with Sri
Lanka coming in for Tests
and T20 Internationals.
There were some reports
that Kohli might take a
break because of his
daughter Vamika’s first
birthday (January 11).
Kohli will be playing his
100th Test match on that
day. The ODI series starts
on January 19.
Kohli has been a advocate
of workload management
in bubble life, which he
thinks isn’t sustainable for
long periods of time as it
can take a toll on one’s
mental health.
In the past year, he has
been on a paternity break
during the 2020-21
Australia series, and dur-
ing the three T20
Internationals against
New Zealand at home.
And now, it remains to be
seen if Kohli takes a break
in South Africa or more
likely skips the T20 series
against Sri Lanka at home.
— PTI
— AFP
pink ball, something coach
Chris Silverwood hinted at
this week. “Jimmy will be
fit and ready to go for the
second Test, as will
Stuart,” he told British
media, adding, “We have
talent and we still have two
of the best (bowlers) up
our sleeve as well.”
That would likely mean
one of Ollie Robinson,
Mark Wood or Chris
Woakes missing out, and
England must also decide
what to do with spinner
Jack Leach, who was ham-
mered for 1-102 off 13 overs
There are also concerns
over Ben Stokes, who failed
to fire in his first competi-
tive match in six months
after a break to deal with a
finger injury and mental
health issues.
Root insisted England’s
star all-rounder would
bounce back and warned
Australia: “You write Ben
Stokes off at your own
peril.”
Silverwood said the team
was looking ahead, rather
than dwelling on defeat.
“Obviously they were hurt-
ing, but there is belief they
can win this series,” he
said, despite England los-
ing three of the four day-
night Tests they have
played so far.
— AFP