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KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR

TANDEN APPOINTED TAMIL NADU GOVT INDIA, ‘THE BIG

TUTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE
WHITE HOUSE INVITES GLOBAL BULLY IN THE
SENIOR ADVISER TENDERS FOR VACCINE GLOBAL GAME’
P10 P4 P6 P12

WEATHER
15-day near-total lockdown in Bengal
Mainly clear sky. The maximum and
minimum temperatures would be around
Offices, industries, transport services to be shut, including Metro; Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations postponed
41 and 24 degrees Celsius respectively.
RAINFALL: Nil
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, 15 MAY
istered 20,846 fresh Covid
cases, its highest daily count
RELOCK 2.0 States extend banks will function between
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. though
Covid protective supplies,
health and hygiene, oxy-
�� Retail shops selling and wine shops and
since the pandemic began, lockdowns ATMs will remain opera- gen and oxygen cylinders

T
RELATIVE HUMIDITY he West Bengal gov- along with 136 fatalities. essential items can stay beauty parlours will tional. Movement of private have been exempted.
Max: 74% Min: 24%
ernment today “We are taking some open from 7 a.m to 10 a.m remain closed As West Bengal joined the vehicles, taxis, buses, metro “All types of gatherings
TEMPERATURE announced a near- strict measures to contain � All government and �� Sweetshops will states that have imposed rail, suburban trains will also ~ religious, political and cul-
Max: 39.3°C (-1) Min: 23°C (-2) complete lockdown the pandemic and to ensure private offices, shop- remain open from 10 a complete lockdown to be disallowed during the 15- tural ~ will be strictly pro-
SUN RISES SUN SETS in the state from Sunday till the health of the people, ping complexes, malls, a.m. to 5 p.m. while jew- contain the Covid pan- day period. hibited,” said Mr Ban-
05:30 hrs 19:06 hrs 30 May to contain the spread starting 6 a.m. tomorrow till bars, sports complexes, ellery and saree shops can demic, many of them However, vehicles going dopadhyay.
MOON RISES MOON SETS of Covid in Bengal, with all 6 p.m. on 30 May. We are pubs stay open from 12 p.m. have extended the restric- to and from hospitals, nurs- “No more than 50 peo-
09:37 hrs 23:11 hrs offices, industries and the forced to impose these to 3 p.m tions as the national tally ing homes, diagnostic cen- ple will be allowed at wed-
transport sector, includ- restrictions. There is now �E-commerce and of active cases sees a mar- tres, clinics, vaccination ding functions and a gath-
ing Metro services, to be an unprecedented situation home delivery ginal decline. centres, airports, terminal ering of a maximum of 20
shut. in the state where the scarci- services will The Chhattisgarh gov- points, media houses and people at funerals,” he
THUMBNAILS Only emergency services ty of oxygen and other be allowed ernment has extended movement relating to essen- said. Parks, zoos, sanctu-
and home delivery will be medicines is increasing. the lockdown till 31 May. tial or exempted goods and aries shall remain closed
allowed, while retail shops To control the patient load Bihar too has extend- services will be allowed. except for maintenance
selling essential items can in hospitals, we are impos- Workers atop long distance buses on their way home in Howrah ed the lockdown, which “Essential services like services.
on Saturday. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL
stay open from 7 a.m to 10 ing strict conditions on the was to end on 15 May, till milk, water, medicine, elec- “Wearing of masks,
a.m. movement of transport and We are forced to impose these restrictions. There is 25 May, while Maharash- tricity, fire, law and order maintenance of physical
now an unprecedented situation in the state where
The measures were other sectors for two weeks,” the scarcity of oxygen and other ALAPAN BANDYOPADHYAY tra has already announced and media will not come distancing and hygiene
imposed even as the state said state chief secretary Ala- medicines is increasing WEST BENGAL CHIEF SECRETARY the continuation of lock- under the purview of the protocols must be followed
registered 19,511 fresh Covid pan Bandyopadhyay at a down-like restrictions till restrictions,” Mr Bandy- at all times. District admin-
cases and 144 deaths today, Press meet in Nabanna. 5 a.m. except emergency complexes, pubs and wine June. PTI opadhyay added. istration, police commis-
bringing the total case The state government services.The Madhyamik shops and beauty parlours E-commerce and home sionerates and local author-
count to 11,14,313 and did not officially call the and Higher Secondary will remain closed, Mr be allowed to function from delivery services will be ities shall ensure strict
death toll to 13,137. There restrictions a lockdown, examinations that are Bandyopadhyay said. 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. while jew- allowed, he added. compliance of the direc-
are 1,31,948 active cases. but nearly all services, scheduled to be held in Retail shops and bazaars ellery and saree shops can While industries will tives. Any violation of the
Kolkata recorded 3,951 including the education June have been postponed relating to vegetables, fruits, stay open from 12 to 3 p.m. be closed, tea gardens will restriction measures will be
A ball of fire erupts from a building in Gaza City
housing various international media, including
cases and 30 deaths while sector, and private and and the new dates would groceries, milk, bread, meat Pharmacies and optical be allowed to function but liable to be proceeded
The Associated Press, after an Israeli airstrike North 24 Parganas record- public offices, will be closed. be notified soon. and eggs will be allowed to stores can remain open as only at 50 per cent strength against as per the provisions
on Saturday AGENCIES (P11) ed 4,279 fresh cases and 35 Movement of people and All government and pri- remain open between 7 per their regular working and jute mills with 30 per of Disaster Management
deaths in the last 24 hours. vehicles will be strictly pro- vate offices, shopping com- a.m. to 10 a.m.Interesting- hours. Similarly, petrol cent strength. Industries Act, 2005 and under IPC,”
On Friday, the state reg- hibited between 9 p.m. to plexes, malls, bars, sports ly, sweetmeat vendors will pumps will stay open and relating to medical supplies, Mr Bandopadhyay said.
China successfully lands its rover on Mars:
China on Saturday successfully landed a
spacecraft on Mars after surviving “nine min-
utes of terror”, becoming the second country
in history to have a rover on the red planet.
Overall Covid situation stabilising: Govt Focus on local containment: PM
The rover, Zhurong, successfully landed at the SNS & PTI Pradesh, Gujarat and The country recorded STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE out, including through pro-
pre-selected area in Utopia Planitia on Mars, in NEW DELHI, 15 MAY Chhattisgarh, which are 3,26,098 new Covid-19 NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
A distribution plan vision of Oxygen Concen-
China's latest achievement in space goals. (P11) still recording a high num- cases, while took the tally for ensuring oxy- trators. Necessary training
The overall Covid-19 sit- ber of novel coronavirus to 2,43,72,907, while 3,890 Prime Minister Narendra gen supply in rural areas should be provided to health
uation in the country is sta- cases, are also reporting new fatalities pushed the Modi on Saturday chaired a should be worked out. workers in the operation of
Mamata's brother succumbs to Covid: West bilising though it is a a decline in active cases. death toll to 2,66,207, 2,43,72,907 high-level meeting to review Necessary training
should be provided to
such equipment, and power
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's mixed picture across the Twenty-four states have according to Union Health the Covid and vaccination supply should be ensured for
country in terms of the a Covid-19 positivity rate Ministry data updated on situation in the country. health workers smooth operation of such
36,73,802
younger brother Ashim Banerjee died on Satur-
day morning while undergoing treatment for trend of daily new cases of more than 15 per cent Saturday. Mr Modi stressed on the PM NARENDRA MODI devices,” the PM said.
Covid-19 at a hospital in Kolkata, his family said. in various states, accord- while Delhi, Chhattisgarh, “It is evident that we need for localised contain- Taking serious note of
He was 62. He had tested positive for coron- ing to NITI Aayog mem- Daman and Diu, Haryana can see a certain amount ment strategies in states resources in rural areas to reports about ventilators
avirus nearly a month ago and was admitted
since then. He was one of the six brothers of
ber V K Paul.
Top health officials
and Madhya Pradesh have
reported a major drop in
of stabilisation of the sec-
ond wave of the pandem- 3,26,098 where positivity rate in dis-
tricts is high. He called for
focus on door to door test-
ing and surveillance.
lying unutilized in storage in
some states, the PM direct-
the chief minister. said 10 states account for case positivity, it said. ic. Some states have shown further scaling up of RT PCR Mr Modi called for ed that an immediate audit
85 per cent of the total The national capital, a clear pattern, in some and Rapid Tests, especially empowering ASHA and of installation and operation

Cairn looks to seize Air India assets: UK's Cairn

coronavirus cases in the
country. While 11 states
which is under lockdown,
recorded 6,430 new Covid-
states there are concerns and
in some others, there is a
3,53,299 in areas with high test pos-
itivity rates.
Anganwadi workers with all
necessary tools and circu-
of ventilators provided by the
Central government should
Energy Plc has brought a lawsuit in a US court have over one lakh active 19 cases and 337 fatalities trend towards an increase. He said states should be lation guidelines in easy be carried out. PM directed

2,66,207
that potentially can lead to seizing of Air India's Covid-19 cases, 17 have less on Saturday while the It is a mixed picture. But over- encouraged to report their language along with illus- officials to work closely with
overseas assets such as airplanes to recover than 50,000 cases while positivity rate dipped to all, the situation is stabilis- numbers transparently with- trations for home isolation states to ramp up the speed
$1.72 billion from the Indian government eight have active cases 11.32 per cent. This is the ing and we hope we will work out any pressure of high and treatment in rural areas. of vaccination. The officials
which an international arbitration tribunal between 50,000 and one second consecutive day towards ensuring rapid UNION HEALTH MINISTRY numbers showing adverse- “A distribution plan for told Mr Modi that testing had
FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M.
had awarded after overturning levy of lakh. The health ministry when Delhi has recorded decline of this pandemic,” SATURDAY 15 MAY 2021 ly on their efforts. He sought ensuring oxygen supply in gone up to around 1.3 crore
retrospective taxes. (P8) said Maharashtra, Uttar less than 10,000 cases. Paul said. (See P 5) augmentation of healthcare rural areas should be worked tests per week now.

Tauktaeintensifying, moving towards Guj RETURN JOURNEY Delhi Police

crackdown
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi reviewed the pre-
on Modi-critics
paredness of states, central The posters reading ‘Mod-
Cyclonic storm Tauktae had ministries and agencies con- iji humare bachon ki vac-
intensified and was heading cerned to deal with the situ- cine videsh kyu bhej diya
towards the coast of Gujarat ation arising out of cyclone (PM why did you send
and the Union Territory of Rough sea weather condi- Tauktae and asked them to take vaccines of our children to
tions due to formation of
Daman and Diu and Dadra Cyclone Tauktae in the every possible measure to foreign countries?)’ were
Arabian Sea, in Thiruvanan- put up in several parts
and Nagar Haveli, the India thapuram on Saturday ensure that people are safe-
Meteorological Department ly evacuated. of the city
said on Saturday evening. PM Modi reviewed the He also called for ensuring
The storm is very likely to preparedness of states, maintenance of all essential NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
intensify further into a “very central ministries and services such as power, health
severe cyclonic storm” by late agencies and asked and drinking,telecommuni- Delhi Police has filed 25 FIRs
Saturday night, the IMD said, them to take every cations and their immediate and arrested as many people
adding it was very likely to possible measure to restoration in the event of for allegedly pasting posters crit-
move north-northwestwards ensure that people are damages caused to them. ical of Prime Minister Naren-
and cross Gujarat coast safely evacuated The National Disaster dra Modi over the Centre's vac-
between Porbandar and Naliya Response Force has increased cination drive against Covid-
around May 18 afternoon. alert levels for Kerala. Red Both the Centre and states from 53 to 100 the number of 19, police officials said today.
Heavy rain battered Ker- alerts have been sounded in have been gearing up to deal teams earmarked to undertake The posters ~ reading“Mod-
ala under the influence of nine central and northern with the cyclone that has relief and rescue measures in iji humare bachon ki vaccine
Tauktae on Saturday and the Kerala districts for extreme- been building up over the the aftermath of the cyclone. Migrant workers line up outside Secunderabad railway station to travel back to their native videsh kyu bhej diya (PM,
IMD upgraded its rainfall ly heavy rainfall. Arabian Sea for days now. Details on Page 5 states, during Covid-induced lockdown in Hyderabad on Saturday. � IANS why did you send vaccines of
our children to foreign coun-
tries?)” ~ were pasted at vari-

‘Prevention of fungal infections key in Covid treatment’ ‘Jabs less effective against ous places across the nation-
al capital. On Thursday, police
received information about the

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA orbit of eye, or brain, which lic. Now a large number of
B1.617.2 transmission’ posters following which sen-
ior officers of the districts
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY It has been seen that secondary infec- can even cause vision loss. It cases are being reported due PRESS TRUST OF INDIA how much more transmissi- were alerted.
tions ~ whether fungal or bacterial ~ can also spread to the lung,” to Covid treatment,” he said, LONDON, 15 MAY ble the variant detected in Based on further com-
Training in rural areas, good are causing more mortality. This disease, Guleria said. He also said recommending close moni- India is. But he reiterated plaints, 25 FIRs were registered
infection control practices mucormycosis, can affect the face, that the misuse of steroids is toring of blood sugar levels to The vaccines being admin- that there is no evidence so under sections 188 (disobe-
in hospitals and prevention infecting nose, orbit of eye, or brain, a major cause behind the prevent the infection. istered to protect against far of increased severity of ill- dience to order duly promul-
of fungal infections are the which can even cause vision loss. It spread of this infection. At AIIMS, he said 23 cases Covid-19 are almost certainly ness or that the particular gated by public servant) of the
three areas of focus of the gov- can also spread to the lung “Chances of fungal infec- of such infection were report- less effective against pre- mutation of the coronavirus Indian Penal Code and other
ernment in its treatment of RANDEEP GULERIA - AIIMS DIRECTOR tion increase in the patients ed among Covid patients. venting the transmission of evades the vaccine. relevant sections, including sec-
those infected with coron- who are diabetic, Covid pos- Out of them, 20 are still Covid the B1.617.2 variant first iden- The vaccines may be less tion 3 of the Prevention of
avirus, AIIMS director Randeep April 30 to May 13 for nation- He also warned against itive and are taking steroids. positive while the rest are tified in India, a leading UK effective against mild dis- Defacement of Property Act,
Guleria said Saturday. al institutes of excellence at the increase in the number of To prevent it, we should stop negative. He said that many scientist who advises the ease but we don’t think they’re across various districts of the
Amidst reports of the coro- regional levels where we held fungal infections that are the misuse of steroids,” he said. states reported more than country’s vaccination pro- less effective against severe Delhi Police, officials said.
navirus pandemic spreading webinars on home isolation, being reported from across the According to Guleria, 500 cases of mucormycosis. gramme said on Saturday. disease. But in combination A senior police officer said,
to rural areas, he said that medication for home isolation, country and said that it is of mucormycosis spores are Niti Ayog member VK Paul Professor Anthony Harn- with being less effective “More FIRs are likely to be reg-
Covid management should ICU management, testing, paramount importance that found in soil, air and even in too raised concerns over den, from the University of against mild disease, they’re istered if further complaints
reach out to all parts of the diabetes management... hospitals follow protocols of food, but they are of low vir- mucormycosis and appealed Oxford who is the deputy almost certainly less effective are received in this regard. As
country. “These regional centres infection control practices. ulence and usually don't to people to control their dia- chair of the Joint Committee against transmission, Prof. of now, investigation is under-
“It should now reach out have to themselves do more “It has been seen that sec- cause infection. betes. “Control your diabetes. on Vaccination and Immu- Harnden told the BBC. way to ascertain on whose
to all parts, especially the webinars in their areas and ondary infections ~whether “Even before Covid, this dis- Even when you have Covid, nisation (JCVI), said it was His comments follow UK behalf these posters were
rural areas. The Ministry of train doctors, so that even in fungal or bacterial ~ are caus- ease could be seen mostly in please ensure you don’t for- important to approach the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s being put up at various places
Health and AIIMS started a rural areas Covid management ing more mortality. This dis- diabetic patients, transplant get to have your medicines. easing of lockdown in Eng- statement on Friday, when he across the city and accordingly
programme for Covid man- is ideal and of international ease, mucormycosis, can and cancer patients, but it was Another aspect of this is to use land with utmost caution as said on the unknowns relat- further action will be taken.”
agement in rural areas from standards,” Guleria said. affect the face, infecting nose, rare among the general pub- steroids judiciously,” he said. it remains unclear exactly ed to the B1.617.2 variant. SNS & PTI (See P2)
02
I have requested the Superintendent to reach out to me for any
emergency needs in the hospital that I can help with
RAJU BISTA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, DARJEELING
NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021 AFTER VISITING THE KALIMPONG DISTRICT HOSPITAL TO TAKE STOCK OF THE COVID SITUATION

Kejriwal announces O2
Delhi district courts' vacation advanced: In view of the “alarming rise” in
COVID-19 infections and the toll it has taken on the health and lives of judi-
cial officers and staff of subordinate judiciary, the Delhi High Court has pre-
poned the vacation of district courts. The high court has decided that the
district courts, except that of metropolitan magistrates, in Delhi will remain
closed for summer vacation from May 17 to June 3, both days included,

concentrator bank
according to an office order issued by Registrar General Manoj Jain. PTI

JOBS & CLASSIFIEDS QUEST

The bank will have 200 oxygen concentrators in each of Delhi's 11 districts for Covid patients under home
isolation and for those recuperating after discharge from hospitals, says CM
SNS & PTI
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
oxygen content in the air that
is breathed by a person.
Kejriwal said the oxygen level
vided after they give their rec-
ommendation, Kejriwal said.
The oxygen concentrators
ELECTRIC AL &
often drops in Covid patients and will be delivered at the doorstep
MACHINERY BAZAR
D
elhi chief minister they can be saved from further of patients in Delhi
Arvind Kejriwal today deterioration if oxygen is given in collaboration with OLA
announced the launch to them immediately. Foundation and Give India, the
of an oxygen concen- “If patients under home iso- CM said, thanking the two organ-
trator bank (OCB) in the city for lation require oxygen, our team isations. The CM hoped that
Covid patients requiring oxygen will ensure the oxygen con- the Covid cases and positivity rate
support under home isolation centrator reaches them within will gradually decline in Delhi.
or those patients recuperating two hours. A technician will The number of Covid cases
after discharge from hospitals. also accompany the team to in the past 24 hours has further
The CM said that despite explain to the family members declined to around 6,500 with
declining coronavirus cases and how to use the the device,” the the positivity rate slipping to 11
positivity rate in the national cap- CM said. per cent. The number of fresh
ital, there would be no laxity in The Delhi government's doc- cases were around 8,500 and the
the fight against the virus. tors will stay in touch with all positivity rate was 12 per cent
Each district in Delhi will those who are given oxygen on Friday, he said. “However, there
have a stock of 200 concentra- “The oxygen bank will have ernment may call 1031 and avail concentrators. If the need aris- is no laxity in our work. Yester-
tors that will be rushed to the 200 oxygen concentrators in of the oxygen concentrator facil- es to send them to a hospital, it day, we prepared 500 addition-
doorsteps of the patients requir- each of the 11 districts for Covid ity, he said. will be taken care of, he said. al ICU beds, and 500 similar beds
ing oxygen within two hours, patients under home isola- Delhi health minister Satyen- The oxygen concentrators were prepared four days ago,” he
Kejriwal said at an online brief- tion and for patients who have dar Jain said the Covid patients will be returned after the patients added. Kejriwal lauded the doc-
ing. returned home after recovery under home isolation or those do not need it. The devises will tors and engineers for making
Those requiring oxygen con- from hospital but require oxy- discharged from the hospital be sanitised, and given to other 1,000 ICU beds ready in Delhi
centrators can call on the helpline gen support as recommended can avail the facility of the first patients in need, he added. in the last 15 days, saying they
number ~ 1031 ~ and it will be by the doctors,” said the CM. oxygen concentrator bank in A team of Delhi government have set an example before the
provided free of cost after it is The Covid patients who are Delhi, after it is prescribed by the doctors will first ensure whether world.
recommended by the doctors, not enrolled under home isola- doctors. Oxygen concentrators a person needs an oxygen con- KOLKATA Tel: 0177-2815000
he said. tion protocol of the Delhi gov- are portable devices that enrich centrator or not. It will be pro- Statesman House, Email:
4, Chowringhee Square [email protected]
Kolkata-700 001 [email protected]
Tel: (033) 22127070-76,
HYDERABAD
Delhi has written to Dr Reddy's Lockdown key factor behind dip (033) 41071700
Fax: (033) 2212-6181 / 7107-1780
Email: [email protected]
The Statesman Limited, 2nd Floor, UNI
Building,

for 67L Sputnik V doses: CM in Delhi's Covid cases: Experts

[email protected]
[email protected]
A.C. Guards, Hyderabad-500004,
Ph.: 040-2339 1739
DELHI Email:
PTI the vaccine are presently priced Statesman House, [email protected]
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY at a maximum retail price of PTI uation where we are now, when recent oxygen supply shortage 148, Barakhamba Road, [email protected]
New Delhi-110 001 BANGALORE
Rs 948, with 5 per cent GST per NEW DELHI, 15 MAY daily cases from 28,000 have issue at various hospitals adding
Tel: (011) 2331 5911 No. 68, First Floor, Gold Tower,
Amid vaccine shortage faced dose, amounting to Rs 995.4 per come down to about 8,500. How- to the woes.
Ishan House (2nd floor) 50 Residency Road, Bangalore-560025.
by Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind dose. Delhi on Friday recorded 8,506 ever, it is still a huge figure, and On Thursday, the city had Tel.; 080-22229129, 080-22234813
A-90, Sector II, NOIDA,
Kejriwal on Saturday said his Only three vaccines have COVID-19 cases, the daily count there should be no room for com- recorded 10,489 cases and 308 UP 201 301 Email:
government has written to Dr been approved to be sold in dipping to below the 10,000-mark placency, on any front,” Medical deaths. Last year, the highest daily Tel: (0120) 4171421 [email protected]
Reddy's Laboratories for sup- India -- Covaxin, Coveshield again after a month, with med- Director of Rajiv Gandhi Super cases was 8,593 reported on [email protected]
Email:
ply of around 67 lakh doses of and Sputnik V. Sputnik V has ical experts believing the lock- Speciality Hospital (RGSSH), B November 11. This year, the [email protected] MUMBAI
Russian COVID-19 vaccine been approved to be import- down to be the main factor L Sherwal, told PTI. lockdown here was first imposed [email protected] 5, Kasturi Buildings, Jamshedji Tata
Sputnik V. ed from Russia by Dr Reddy's, behind the dip amid the second RGSSH is a Delhi govern- on April 19, amid a steep rise in BHUBANESWAR Road, Mumbai-400 020
Dr Reddy's Laboratories but is yet to be widely avail- wave of the pandemic. ment-run 650-bed facility, and COVID-19 cases, and has been Plot 3A, Zone B, Sector A, Mancheswar Tel: (022) 2202 1045,
launched Sputnik V -- the first able in the country. Talking to The national capital had reg- about 500 beds are earmarked extended thrice so far. On May Industrial Estate, Bhubaneswar-751 Email:
010. [email protected]
foreign-made vaccine being reporters on Saturday, Kejri- istered 7,897 coronavirus cases for treating COVID patients, 9, it was extended by another week [email protected]
Tel: (0674) 2588060/61/62/ 2586371,
used in the country -- on Fri- wal said that experience of on April 10 with 39 deaths, as per and 350 are currently occupied, by Chief Minister Kejriwal, till May Telefax: 0674-2588061 [email protected]
day. Kejriwal's announcement many countries shows that official data. most of them being ICU patients, 17 morning. Email: CHENNAI
came after Deputy Chief Min- coronavirus infection can be The fatality count stood at 289 he said. In his briefing on Friday, [email protected]
ister Manish Sisodia had reduced through mass vacci- on Friday, with experts cau- Asked about the number of Kejriwal said, “In these times of [email protected] Fagun Mansion (4th floor), 26, Ethiraj
Road, Chennai-600 008, Tel: (044)
claimed earlier this week that nation. He expressed hope tioning that even over 8,500 daily fatalities at the facility despair, I wish to bring some good SILIGURI 28278037, 28224800
Covaxin manufacturer Bharat that the vaccination pro- daily cases was “still a huge fig- located in east Delhi, Sherwal said, news for everyone. About 8,500 13A, Dabgram Industrial Growth Email:
Biotech had refused to provide gramme in the country will pick ure” and “severity of cases were about 10-12 patients per day, out new corona cases have been Centre, [email protected]
additional doses to the nation- up pace with the increased still the same as before”. of the 350 beds occupied as of registered in Delhi in the last 24 P.O. Satellite Township, [email protected]
al capital. “We have asked for availability of jabs. Sputnik V Chief Minister Arvind Kejri- now, which would soon be hours. The infection rate has come Siliguri-734015 LUCKNOW
67 lakh doses each of Cov- uses two different vectors for wal had said the city's COVID- expanded to full capacity. down to 12 per cent today... It was Tel: 2568615, 2568063 and 2568787. Fax: 2/2, Butler Palace (Near Jopling Road),
ishield and Covaxin and have the two shots in a course of vac- 19 cases count in the last 24 hours, “While daily cases have come 36 per cent on April 22”. (0353) 2568296, Lucknow-226 001,
written to Dr Reddy's who are cination. Its efficacy was deter- just over 8,500, was much lower down, the severity of infection Dr Richa Sareen, consultant, Email: Ph.: (0522) 2206705
dealers of Sputnik in India for mined to be 91.6 per cent than the figures reported on is still the same, and new patients pulmonology at Fortis hospital [email protected] Email:
[email protected]
nearly the same quantity,” according to a published arti- April 20, when it had crossed the are being brought to our hospi- here, echoed Sherwal and said City Office: 3rd Floor, Rina Bhawan,
[email protected]
Kejriwal told reporters. cle in the medical journal 28,000-mark. tal in the same condition as the prime factor behind, a rel- Opp. HDFC Bank, Panitanki More,
Sevoke Rd., Siliguri-734015. RANCHI
The response from Dr Lancet. Earlier this week, Siso- Doctors at leading govern- before. Many of them are brought atively improved situation, is
Ph.: 0353-2524077 11/C, Road#1, Ashoknagar, Ranchi - 834
Reddy's is awaited, the chief dia had announced that the ment and private hospitals in dead or die shortly after being that a lockdown was imposed. 002
minister said. Delhi government would float Delhi said there is a relative fall brought to emergency. So, we She argued that had the lock- SHIMLA Fax: (0651) 2247054
“We have asked them (Dr a global tender for procuring in the number of cases and “still must understand the gravity of down been imposed a week ear- Cabin No. 305, P. C. Chambers Email:
Reddy's) how many doses and coronavirus vaccines. Siso- a long way to go” before the daily the situation,” he added. lier in April, the situation would- Near Jodha Niwas [email protected]
by what time they can provide. dia had also alleged that the count falls below the 2,000- Delhi had been reeling under n't have become this worse, but The Mall Shimla-171001, H.P. [email protected]
No response has come from BJP-ruled Centre was forcing mark, as it was a few months ear- a brutal second wave of the then it's a difficult decision by
their side as yet,” Kejriwal said. the states to compete and lier. pandemic that is sweeping the any government. AIR-SURCHARGE; Kathmandu - Rs. 2, Eastern Region - Re. 1
The company had on Fri- fight in the international mar- “Lockdown, I would say is the country, claiming a massive “Besides lockdown, another All other stations in India - Re. 1
day said the imported doses of ket for vaccines. biggest factor in arriving at a sit- number of lives daily, with the factor is that a large number of

Delhi Police files 25 FIRs over

posters questioning PM Modi
on Covid vaccination, arrests 25
SNS & PTI The posters ~ reading
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
“Modiji humare bachon
Delhi Police has filed 25 FIRs and ki vaccine videsh kyu
arrested as many people for bhej diya (PM, why did
allegedly pasting posters critical you send vaccines of our
of Prime Minister Narendra children to foreign coun-
Modi over the Centre's vaccination
drive against Covid-19, police offi-
tries?)” ~ were pasted at
cials said today. various places across the
The posters ~ reading “Mod- national capital.
iji humare bachon ki vaccine
videsh kyu bhej diya (PM, why Three FIRs were registered in
did you send vaccines of our chil- West Delhi and five people were
dren to foreign countries?)” ~ were arrested, while another three
pasted at various places across FIRs were registered in Outer Delhi
the national capital. and three more people were
On Thursday, police received nabbed from there. In Northwest
information about the posters Delhi, four FIRs were registered
following which senior officers after which two were arrested,
of the districts were alerted. police said. They said two FIRs
Based on further complaints, were registered in Central Delhi
25 FIRs were registered under sec- and four people were arrested,
tions 188 (disobedience to order while two FIRs were registered
duly promulgated by public ser- in Rohini and another two FIRs
vant) of the Indian Penal Code in South Delhi were also regis-
and other relevant sections, tered.The police said one FIR was
including section 3 of the Pre- filed in East Delhi's Kalyanpuri
vention of Defacement of Prop- and four people were nabbed,
erty Act, across various districts while another FIR was regis-
of the Delhi Police, officials said. tered inNewFriends Colonypolice
A senior police officer said, station of the Southeast district,
“More FIRs are likely to be reg- police said. Police officials said
istered if further complaints are one FIR was lodged in Dwarka
received in this regard. As of from where two people were
now, investigation is underway arrested while another FIR was
to ascertain on whose behalf these registered in North Delhi and one
posters were being put up at var- person was arrested from there.
ious places across the city and The person claimed that he
accordingly further action will be had been given Rs 500 to paste
taken.” Elaborating further about these posters, police said. One
the FIRs and arrests, the police more FIR was registered in South-
said three FIRs were registered west Delhi and two people were
in Northeast Delhi and two peo- held. Another case was registered
ple were arrested from there. in Shahadra, police added.
 03
All types of gatherings ~ religious, political and cultural ~ will be
strictly prohibited. We have seen that these gatherings increase the
spread of Covid CHIEF SECRETARY ALAPAN BANDYOPADHYAY
ANNOUNCING THE IMPOSITION OF A 14-DAY LOCKDOWN IN BENGAL NEW DELHI, SUNDAY 16 MAY 2021

Capt tears into Yogi over his Farmers to observe 26 May as 'black day'
marking 6 mths of protest at Delhi borders
'inflammatory' Malerkotla bid PTI
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
Ghazipur borders around the
national capital.
Rajewal appealed to peo-
ing farmer organisations from
all over India and it shall be
observed throughout these
Hitting back at his UP counterpart for attacking his govt's move to declare Malerkotla a new district, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an ple to support the call for states,” the SKM said in a
umbrella body of over 40 observing black day' on May statement.Days after the
Punjab CM condemns it as 'an attempt to incite communal hatred in the peaceful state' farmer unions, on Saturday 26.“We appeal to people of the alleged sexual assault of a
announced that it will observe country and also Punjab to woman activist at Tikri bor-
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE The whole world knows of isation that was responsible May 26 as "black day', mark- hang black flags at their house, der protest site, who later
CHANDIGARH, 15 MAY the communally divisive poli- for starting cow vigilantism, ing six months of their protest shops, trucks and other vehi- died due to COVID-19 at a pri-
cies of the BJP, and particularly which led to lynching of Mus- at Delhi's borders against the cles. We will also burn effigies vate hospital in Haryana, the

A
day after Uttar the Yogi Adityanath govern- lims in his own state," the Pun- Centre's three farm laws. of (PM) Narendra Modi as a SKM said that it will soon
Pradesh Chief Min- ment in UP, the Punjab CM jab CM further pointed out. In a virtual press confer- form of protest,” he added. announce names of its “Mahi-
ister Yogi Adityanath alleged.Pointing to the spate It was obvious that the ence, farmer leader Balbir He said that the govern- la Sraksha Samitis”.
hit out at the Punjab of changes in names of vari- tweet of the UP government Singh Rajewal appealed to ment has not heard the farm- “Within two days, SKM
government over the creation ous UP cities, including Mughal head on Malerkotla was noth- people to raise black flags at ers' demand to repeal the will announce names of its
of the new district of Malerkot- Sarai's name changed to Pan- ing but a provocative gesture their houses, vehicles and three agri laws and “with Mahila Suraksha Samitis at all
la in the state, Punjab Chief dit Deen Dayal Upadhyay aimed at creating conflict shops on May 26 to protest increasing prices of fertilisers, border protest sites which
Minister Captain Amarinder Nagar, Allahabad to Prayagraj, among the communities liv- against the contentious farm diesel and petrol, the farming will look into measures to
Singh on Saturday slammed and Faizabad to Ayodhya, ing in perfect harmony in legislations. business is not possible”. ensure safety and security of
his UP counterpart for mak- Capt Amarinder described it Punjab, Capt Amarinder “On May 26, we will com- SKM appealed to mass women participating in the
ing "an attempt to incite com- as "an attempt by the Yogi gov- charged. plete six months of this protest organisations, trade unions, movement,” it said.
munal hatred in the peaceful better shape than those in UP known to every Punjabi? And ernment to rewrite history, He termed it a "conspira- and it also happens to mark traders' and transporters' Hundreds of farmers have
state as part of the Bharatiya under the divisive and destruc- what does he understand of which the peace-loving peo- cy" on the part of the BJP to seven years since PM Modi organisations to hold black flag been camping at Delhi's bor-
Janata Party’s divisive policies". tive BJP government, which has the Indian Constitution, which ple of India will never con- "spread disharmony" in Pun- formed the government. We demonstrations' in support of ders since November 2020
In a tweet on Friday, been actively promoting com- is being brazenly trampled done". jab ahead of the Assembly will observe it as black day,” the farmers' demands. demanding that the Farmers'
Adityanath had termed Capt munal discord in the state every day by his own govern- Citing media reports, he elections, which are just Rajewal said. The farmers' outfit has Produce Trade and Com-
Amarinder’s announcement for the past over four years". ment in UP?”. recalled that UP was the first months away. A large number of farmers also decided to launch “Mis- merce (Promotion and Facil-
to declare Malerkotla, a Pun- Contrasting the communal Ridiculing his UP coun- state in the country to approve Yogi Adityanath should reached Delhi's borders on sion UP and Uttarakhand” as itation) Act, 2020, Farmers'
jab township and Assembly harmony in Punjab with the terpart's comment, the Pun- "love jihad" laws, and Yogi focus his energies on saving November 26 after facing part of its demand to “repeal (Empowerment and Protec-
constituency with predomi- "divisiveness" being promoted jab CM said that given the Adiyanath’s "open hatred for his own state, where the Covid water cannons and police three black laws, enact legal tion) Agreement on Price
nant Muslim population, a new by the Yogi Adiyanath gov- Adityanath government and Taj Mahal (which he sees as situation is spiralling out of con- barriers as part of their “Delhi guarantee for MSP and pun- Assurance and Farm Services
district as "reflection of the divi- ernment in UP, the Punjab CM the BJP’s "track-record of a legacy of the Mughals) has trol, with bodies of the victims Chalo” march against the ish the BJP”. Act, 2020 and the Essential
sive policy of the Congress". said, “What does he (Yogi spreading communal hate, been the subject matter of crit- of the pandemic being found Centre's farm laws. This shall include rallying Commodities (Amendment)
Responding to this, Capt Adityanath) know of Punjab’s such a remark was utterly icism in international press". dumped in rivers, thus depriv- In the following months, of all farmers' forces from Act, 2020 be rolled back and
Amarinder asked Adityanath ethos or the history of ridiculous, apart from being "In fact, the UP CM is ing them of even the dignity thousands of farmers from across the country. The pro- a new law made to guarantee
to stay out of his state’s affairs, Malerkotla, whose relationship totally unwarranted and reportedly the founder of of a decent cremation or bur- across the country joined the gramme will be launched minimum support price for
which, he said, were in "much with Sikhism and its Gurus was uncalled for". Hindu Yuva Vahini, an organ- ial, Amarinder said. protest at Tikri, Singhu and with participation of all protest- crops.

Pb's first O2 Express on way to Bokaro

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH, 15 MAY
TENDER
HIMACHAL PRADESH
With the rolling out of Pun-
jab's first Oxygen Express PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
towards Bokaro earlier this NOTICE INVITING TENDER
morning, the state will soon
be in a position to lift its full Sealed item rate tender on Form No. 6&8 are invited by the Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, HPPWD, Mandi (H.P.) for the works at Sr. No. 1 to 7 from the approved and eligible electrical con-
80 metric tonne (MT) O2 tractors enlisted in appropriate class in HPPWD (Electrical) department, and for the work at Sr. No. 8 from the OEM of HVAC System/ Authorized agency of OEM / approved Firm for executing specialized job
quota, which is much need- by HPPWD Department (Electrical) and for the work at Sr. No. 9 from the OEM of Lift / Authorized agency of OEM, so as to reach in his office on or before 07.06.2021 up-to 10.30 A.M. and will be opened on the
ed to boost its stock of life-sav- same day at 11:00 A.M in the presence of intending contractors or their authorized representatives. The application for issuing of tender form will be received in his office against cash payment Rs. 350/-(Non-
ing medical ingredient. refundable) for each work on or before 05.06.2021 up to 01:00 P.M. and the tender forms can be had from his office on same day. The application for the purchase of the tender documents should be accompa-
nied with earnest money of each work separately in the shape of National Saving Certificate/FDR/ Call Deposit / Bank draft of any Schedule Bank / Post Office duly pledged in favour of the Executive Engineer,
Disclosing this on Satur- Electrical Division, HP.PWD, Mandi (H.P.). Conditional tenders and the tenders received without earnest money will be rejected. The receipt of application for issue of tender forms by post shall not be entertained
day, senior IAS officer super- / considered in any case. The tender forms shall be issued to registered Contractors or their authorized representatives. The copy of enlistment / renewal order and valid Electrical License shall be attached with
vising the Oxygen Control the application for purchase the tender document. The ambiguous / telegraphic / conditional / fax / E-mail or by post tenders shall also not be entertained / considered in any case. The tender shall be issued to
Room, Rahul Tiwari, said the requirements of the railways Tiwari said the state has those Contractors / Firms who are found eligible, suitable and competent. The decision of the Executive Engineer regarding suitability / eligibility / competency of Contractors/ Firms shall be final binding on the
department has overcome and we have roped in the been planning aggressively to Contractors / Firms applying for the issuing of the tender. The offer for the tenders shall be kept open for 120 days. The Executive Engineer reserves the right to reject the tender without assigning any reasons, if
there happens to be any holiday the same will b e opened on next working day.
the difficulty of tanker heights services of MARKFED, our foresee its need of oxygen in
and of agencies to carry the time tested organisation of coming days and the gov- Work No. 1:- C/o Four Rooms at Government High School at Sari, Tehsil - Dharmpur, District - Mandi HP (SH: Providing E.I therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 113087/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 2300/- only, Time
allowed: - Along with civil work
O2 supplies vital in state's fight punjab to fasten up and ernment has also been push-
against the deadly virus. streamline the O2 procure- ing the Central government Work No. 2:- C/o Four Rooms at Government High School at Cholangarh, Tehsil - Dharmpur, District - Mandi HP (SH: Providing E.I therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 113087/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 2300/- only,
Time allowed: - Along with civil work
“We have been able to ment process to ensure there to increase its quota of tankers
procure and put in use two ISO is no shortage of oxygen any- to lift all allotted oxygen in a Work No. 3:- C/o Ayurvedic Health Centre at Syoh, Tehsil - Dharmpur, District Mandi H.P (SH: Providing E.I therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 262605/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 5300/- only, Time allowed: - Along
with civil work
containers that fit in the where in the state,” he said. smooth and timely manner.
Work No. 4:- C/o Government High School at Hallan, Tehsil - Manali, District - Kullu HP (SH: Providing E.I and accessories therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 139873/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 2800/- only, Time
allowed: - Along with civil work

Khattar appeals to farmers to end Work No. 5:- C/o 2 Nos. Type-II Quarters of Medical Department at Sajao Piplu, Tehsil - Dharmpur, District - Mandi HP (SH: Providing E.I therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 146427/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 2950/-
only, Time allowed: - Along with civil work
Work No. 6:- C/o Four Rooms at Government High School at Rakhera, Tehsil - Dharmpur, District - Mandi HP (SH: Providing E.I therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 113087/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 2300/- only, Time

agitation in view of Covid wave allowed: - Along with civil work.

Work No. 7:- C/o 100 Bedded Hospital at Sandhol, Tehsil - Dharmpur, District - Mandi HP (SH: Laying of Conduit pipe therein) Estimated Cost: Rs. 156600/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 3150/- only, Time allowed:
- Along with civil work.
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE sary of Gita Manishi The CM said that the gov-
Work No. 8:- Repair and maintenance of HVAC System (Chiller Plant) of carrier make installed at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Govt. Medical College and Hospital at Nerchowk, ( SH: Servicing / Descaling of HVAC
CHANDIGARH, 15 MAY Gyananandji Maharaj, the ernment, social institutions, Plant System and minor repair in Chilling plant Estimated Cost: Rs. 356000/-only, Earnest money: Rs. 7150/- only, Time allowed: - Two Months
CM said there is bound to be scientists, doctors and peo-
Work No. 9:- Repair and maintenance of and servicing of 8 Passenger Lift Elevator installed at Judicial Court Complex Mandi District - Mandi HP w e f 01.07.2021 to 30.06.2024 Estimated Cost: Rs. 389292/-
Haryana Chief Minister divergence of opinion in an ple associated with yoga and only, Earnest money: Rs. 7800/- only, Time allowed: - Three Years
Manohar Lal Khattar on Sat- open society. spirituality are engaged at
urday appealed to farmers “But this is the time to their levels to combat the Executive Engineer,
agitating against the Centre's forget all differences and corona pandemic. Efforts to Electrical Division,
controversial farm laws to make a united effort in com- get rid of it through various 0775/2021-2022 HIM SUCHNA AVAM JAN SAMPARK HPPWD, Mandi (H.P.)
return back to their homes in bating Covid-19,” Khattar said systems of medicine are con-
view of the Covid-19 pan- adding corona is a very huge tinuing. But this pandemic has
demic wave and to strength- disaster and the country will also affected healthy peo- H.P.P.W.D.
en the efforts being made by have to fight against it togeth- ple.Khattar said in the first wave NOTICE INVITING TENDER
the government in contain- er. of Covid, where maximum
Sealed item rate tenders are hereby invited/re- invited on form No 6 & 8 by the Executive Engineer, HPPWD Division Barsar on behalf of Governor of H.P for the following
ing the spread of this deadly He said that the farmers' 3,000 cases came up daily
works from the approved and eligible contractors/firms enlisted in H.P.P.W.D. in the appropriate class so as to reach in this office on 05-06-2021 up to 10.30 A.M. and will be opened
virus.Addressing a virtual pro- organisations can do the agi- but this time around 16,000
on the same day at 11.00 A.M. in the presence of intending contractors or their authorized representative. The tender application will be received in this office on 02-06-2021 up to
gramme organised on the tation for their demands even cases were being reported on
4:00 P.M.and tender form can be had from this office against cash payment [Non Refundable] on 04-06-2021 from 11:00 A.M.to 4:00P.M. The offer of the tender shall be kept open
occasion of the birth anniver- after the situation gets normal. a daily basis in Haryana.
for 120 days.

Name of work No. 01:- Restoration of rain damage on Jalari Galore Salouni Bijhari Deotsidh road km. 0/0 to 30/0( Sh:- C/O wire crate R/wall at Rd. 16/435 to 16/455) Estimated
'Ambulance couple' helps Haryana declares Cost:- 2,34,386/- Earnest Money :- 4700/- Time :-Two Month Cost of form:-350/-

Covid victims in life and death black fungus a Name of work No. 02:- Restoration of rain damage on Nadaun Bangana road km. 0/0 to 17/0 ( Sh:- C/O U-Shape drain with wingwall at Rd. 11/765 to 11/865 )) Estimated Cost:-
1,95,106/- Earnest Money :- 4000/- Time :-One Month Cost of form:-350/-
notified disease Name of work No. 03:- C/O link road from Magnoti to Harizan Basti Soharli & Pandiri ( Sh:- ROFD in km. 0/0 to 0/500,C/O R/wall at Rd. 0/230 to 0/250,P/L 900mm dia RCC hume
PTI call from Mayur Vihar in east pipe culvert at Rd. 0/350 & P/L soling in km. 0/0 to 0/500) Under SCSP Head Estimated Cost:- 4,08,907/- Earnest Money :- 8200/- Time :-One Month Cost of form:-350/-
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY Delhi about a patient STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Name of work No. 04:- C/O link road H.B. Samtana Khurd to Nalahar to Janehan km. 0/0 to 2/0 ( Sh:- ROFD in km. 1/0 to 1/250, P/L 900mm dia RCC hume pipe culvert at Rd.
who had died in an autorick- CHANDIGARH, 15 MAY 1/180 & P/L soling in km. 1/0 to 1/250 in km. 1/0 to 1/250) Under SCSP Head Estimated Cost:- 2,29,791/- Earnest Money :- 4600 Time :-One Month Cost of form:-350/-
Profiles of humaneness in shaw on the way to hospital,
Name of work No. 05:- C/O link road to village Kardoh km. 0/0 to 2/0 ( Sh:- C/O R/wall at Rd. 1/415 to 1/426.70) Estimated Cost:- 4,97,996/- Earnest Money :- 10000/- Time :-Two
the time of Covid, Himanshu said Twinkle. Haryana health minister,
Month Cost of form:-350/-
and Twinkle Kalia spend their The Kalias, who live in Anil Vij, on Saturday said
days between helping the ill Pratap Nagar in north Delhi, black fungus has been Name of work No. 06:- C/O bridge on Kunah Khad to village Kasiri ( Sh:- Preparation of Hydraulic data for bridge work,soil inverstigation for bearing capacity for the C/O bridge
get a fighting chance at life and reached there quickly, got declared a notified disease in only)Estimated Cost:- 51,000/- Earnest Money :- 1100/- Time :-Two Month Cost of form:-350/-
ensuring dignity in death for the body verified by a doctor the state, making reporting Name of work No. 07:- C/O link road from RCC to Balh Uttap km. 0/0 to 0/800 ( Sh:- C/O hume pipe culvert alongwith wing wall at Km. 0/195 & P/L P/L soling in km. 0/0 to 0/250)
those who don't make it. and helped in the last rites. of such cases mandatory to Under OTMNP HeadEstimated Cost:- 2,08,951/- Earnest Money :- 4200/- Time :-Two Month Cost of form:-350/-
As the second COVID-19 “We got a call from Sandeep the authorities.Vij said now Name of work No. 08:- M/T on link road to village Lasmain km. 0/0 to 2/0 ( Sh:- P/L M/T in km. 1/0 to 1/500) Under OTMNP Head Estimated Cost:- 4,59,015/- Earnest Money :-
wave ravages large parts of Mitra whose wife Madhura had if cases of black fungus infec- 9200/- Time :-Two Month Cost of form:-350
India -- including the nation- collapsed in an autorickshaw tion, also known as mucormy-
al capital that has seen thou- while he was taking her to a cosis, are diagnosed, doc- TERMS AND CONDITIONS
sands scramble for oxygen, hospital. He was not getting tors will have to report to the
hospital beds and cremato- any help from his society or concerned chief medical No.1:- The Earnest Money in the shape of National saving certificates /Time deposit Accounts/ Saving Account/ FDRs in any of the post office/ Nationalized Bank in duly pledged in
rium spots -- the Kalias, Delhi's elsewhere. We reached there, officer (CMO). favour of the Executive Engineer Barsar must be accompanied with the application.
'ambulance couple', ferry the got a doctor to the spot and The health minister said The tender document shell be accepted in Two Covers.(Cover-1 shall contain EMD and Cover-2 shall contain EMD and Cover-2 shall contain application and other doc-
ill to hospital, fetch medi- performed her cremation at as black fungal disease has uments.
cines, arrange funerals and the Sarai Kale Khan crema- been notified in Haryana, No.2:- Conditional tenders and the tenders received without earnest money will out- rightly be rejected.
sometimes step in to per- torium,” Twinkle said. now if a patient of black fun-
form last rites too. The 39-year-old is a can- gus is diagnosed in any No.3:- The contractor shall accompany his enlistment/ renewal order, G.S.T. No.with latest clearance return and EPF No.with latest clearance return with his application for obtain-
Cloaked in PPE suits, face cer survivor and the couple government or private ing the tender documents.
shields and masks, the Kalias has two daughters, Japji (13) hospital of the state, it will have No.4:- Executive Engineer Reserves the right to reject the tender without assigning any reason.
go where even close relatives and Riddhi (7). But personal to be reported to the CMO of No.5:- The work will be completed by the contractor within the stipulated period
fear to tread, spending their commitments don't come in the local district so that
No.6:- Tender forms will not be issued to those contractors who are not registered under HPGST Act-1988 and GST & photo copy of individual PAN No. allotted to them attached with
days tending to people suf- the way of their zeal to help appropriate steps
their application at the time of applying for tender documents. Application will not be entertained without aforesaid documents.
fering from Covid or those who others in these days of India's can be taken to prevent the
have died of it and making sure most serious health crisis. disease.Vij said that for the No.7:- The contractor /firms are required to insert the rate of each item in words as well as in figures failing which Executive Engin eer reserves the right to accept / rejects any over-
their fleet of 12 ambulances At a time ambulances are treatment of the disease, all tender.
are road ready to tackle any in short supply and stories of senior doctors of PGIMS No.8:- The tender shall be issued to only those contractors/firms who are found eligible suitable and competent.
emergency. ambulance drivers and own- Rohtak will conduct video No.9:- The tender forms shall be issued to eligible contractor depending upon their past performance and work experience which shall be duly evaluated by the technical evaluation
“We don't put it in records ers fleecing those in need conferencing with all the committee.
but in the second wave of coro- make the rounds, the Kalias doctors who are treating
No. 10:- The Tender forms of soling ,wearing and tarring shall be issued only to those contractors who will produce proper documents of ownership of required machinery and com-
navirus we have been help- have publicised the free ser- corona in the state and will
pletion certificate of similar work issued by the concerned Executive Engineer also required & tender forms for Mastick Asphalt wearing course shall be issued only to those contrac-
ing almost 20-25 patients vices of their fleet. Himanshu's inform them about the treat-
tors who will produce ownership document/bills of equipments i.e. Tar Boiler, Mastic Cooker & Generator 62kv .
daily reach hospitals. We have mobile number has been ment of this disease.Since the
performed cremations of 80 pasted at various places across outbreak of Covid-19 pan- No. 11:- contractor /firm having necessary documents past adequate experience shall be preferred.
people who have died of the city. demic, 27 cases of black fun- No. 12:- Contractor who have failed to start /complete the work in hand with in reasonable time shall not be issued tender forms.
COVID-19 and helped over As a result, he said, distress gus have so far come to Post No.13:-One contractor should not have more than two major works in hand at a time.
1,000 people in arranging for calls come in from all over Graduate Institute of Medical
cremations,” Himanshu told Delhi and also from Ghaziabad Sciences (PGIMS) Rohtak No.14:-If 05-06-2021 happens to be holiday the tender shall be opened on next working day at 11.00 A.M.
PTI. and Noida. The word has and two private hospitals in
It's all free of course, the spread and some hospitals Gurugram. Of the infected, Executive Engineer,
42-year-old hastened to add. have also started reaching two have died and 12 are cur- Barsar Divn.HPPWD,
A few days ago, they got a out. rently under treatment. 0803/2021-2022 HIM SUCHNA AVAM JAN SAMPARK Barsar
04
We are facing this situation because, whether it was the govt, administration or pub-
lic, everyone dropped their guard after the first wave despite indications from doctors
RSS CHIEF MOHAN BHAGWAT
NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021 ON THE COVID SITUATION

THUMBNAILS TN govt invites global tenders Plea in SC: Set up O2

plants in all 738 dists
for 5 cr doses of Covid vaccine using PM-CARES Fund
The tenders submitted will be opened at noon on June 5 at the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY Govt: 10,953 O2
three manufacturing facilities
concentrators,
Goondas Act for hoarding Remdesivir: CM capable of producing vac-
cines in King’s Institute in
A PIL has been filed in the
Supreme Court seeking var- 13,169 O2
Chennai, Integrated Vaccine ious relief measures for the
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Complex by HLL Biotech in pandemic-ravaged country, cylinders
Coolies sitting idle due to CHENNAI, 15 MAY Chengalpattu and Pasteur including immediate pro- delivered to states
scarcity of train passen- Institute at Coonoor. curement of Covid vaccines
gers during the lockdown Hoarding of Remdesivir, a Wilson, in his letter, point- and installation of a liquid NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
at Nizamuddin railway sta- drug used in the treatment of ed out that all these centres medical oxygen (LMO) plant
tion, in the Capital on Sat- Covid patients, and selling oxy- have all the fecilities like the in each of the 738 districts using A total of 10,953 oxygen con-
urday.� SNS
gen cylinders at exorbitant machinery and the infra- donations received under the centrators, 13,169 oxygen
rates will attract police action structure required to manu- PM-CARES Fund. cylinders, 19 oxygen-gen-
Tiger found dead in MP: A under the stringent Goondas facture vaccines at large scale. The petitioner has made eration plants and 4.9 lakh
tiger was found dead in Act in Tamil Nadu, chief min- His letter comes at a time the Centre, the National Dis- remdesivir vials received as
the buffer zone of the ister M K Stalin said on Sat- when the country is facing a aster Management Authori- global aid were delivered or
Bandhavgarh reserve in urday. massive shortage of COVID- ty (NDMA), the Prime Min- dispatched to various states
Madhya Pradesh, which The CM's direction to the 19 vaccines and after the ister's Citizen Assistance and and Union Territories from
took the number of tiger An old woman smiles after police comes in the wake of Additional Solicitor General Relief in Emergency Situation April 27 to May 13, the Health
fatalities reported in the receiving first installment of arrest of a number of persons submitted to the Madras High (PM-CARES) Fund and all Ministry said on Saturday.
the Corona Relief fund from People wait to purchase Remdesivir outside Nehru Stadium in
state to three within a for allegedly selling Remde- Chennai on Saturday. Court that the facilities lack states as parties in the plea. The major consignments
the Tamil Nadu government,
week, an official said on at Nagercoil in Kanyakumari
sivir vials in the black mar- the technical inputs on how “Direct (PM-CARES FUND) received on May 13/14 from
Saturday.The decomposed district on Saturday. ket at inflated prices amid a “Similarly, complaints are and Leader of Opposition K to produce these vaccines. to first fund...for immediate the US, Italy, Canada, South
carcass of the tiger was surge in demand for the life- being received that at some Palaniswami on Saturday Slamming the Additional procurement (by importing Korea, Oman, the UK and
found near a drain in the saving oxygen. places oxygen cylinders are wrote to Prime Minister Solicitor General’s stand on the and/or otherwise) of (a) Covid Japan include 157 oxygen
buffer area on Friday. PTI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Stalin said that while the being sold at high rates. Narendra Modi seeking matter,Wilson pointed out that Vaccine; (b) oxygen concentrators, 900 oxygen
CHENNAI, 15 MAY public have accepted the Indulging in such acts increased allocation of oxy- there are two ways to make this plants/generators...and forth- cylinders and 338 ventila-
“bitter pill” of lockdown during a pandemic is a severe gen and Remdesivir drug. happen. with installation thereof in 738 tors/BiPAP/CPAP.

F
Ambulance attendant held: ollowing the despite the curbs affecting crime,” Stalin added. “I have In his letter, the former CM He said that one way would district government hospi- According to the min-
An ambulance attendant announcement of chief their livelihood and have directed to the police depart- said that the second wave of be to permit Serum Institute tals throughout the country,” istry, 68,810 vials of remde-
has been arrested for minister MK Stalin, extended cooperation to save ment to take stringent action coronavirus has affected a of India (SII, which has the the plea filed by lawyer Vipla- sivir and 1,000 units of
alleged sexual harassment the Tamil Nadu gov- lives, at the same time, some under the Goondas Act against large number of people all over Intellectual Property rights va Sharma said, adding that tocilizumab were also
of a 38-year-old Covid ernment on Saturday invited “anti-social elements” were those who hoard Remdesivir the state, which was showing for Covishield) and Bharat poor citizens should get oxy- received from these countries
woman patient, police said global tenders for five crore hoarding the drug and sell- and sell oxygen cylinders at an “increasing trend” day by Biotech (BB, which has the gen free of cost. on May 13/14. Cumulative-
on Saturday.The patient doses of Covid vaccines to be ing it in the black market, he inflated price,” the CM said. day with nearly 32,000 single- Intellectual Property rights The plea, which may come ly, 10,953 oxygen concen-
was harassed while she delivered within 90 days pro- said in a statement. AIADMK Joint Coordinator day cases. over Covaxin) to manufacture up for hearing next week, trators, 13,169 oxygen cylin-
was being taken in the gressively of the date of the pur- their vaccines in these facil- has also sought a direction to ders, 19 oxygen-generation
ambulance to a scanning chase order. ities on payment of appropriate the Centre and states to ensure plants, 6,835 ventilators or
centre at nearby Perinth- The last date for submis- ing facilities in Tamil Nadu. The stores. MK Stalin. This is in line with charges to use the facilities. that all private and charita- BiPAP and about 4.9 lakh
almanna on 27 April, sen- sion of tenders is June 5 at 11 Bharat Biotech, based in The tender norms said the many other states trying to pro- Another way, according ble hospitals also install plants remdesivir vials have been
ior police official said. PTI am. The tenders submitted will Hyderabad has recently wel- vaccine to be supplied should cure from the international to Wilson’s letter, would be to for producing medical oxygen. delivered or dispatched
be opened at noon on June 5 comed the decision to call for be produced under the con- market directly after the cen- waive off the patent restric- It has sought direction to through road and air from
at the Tamil Nadu Medical Ser- companies that are willing to trol of a recognised, well- tral government's advice. tions and issue compulsory states and union territories to April 27 to May 13, it said.
ULFA (I) declares ceasefire: vices Corporation Limited in manufacture Covaxin to up functioning National Con- The state government has licenses to the three organi- set up electric and other cre- “Effective immediate allo-
The banned United Libera- Chennai. They will be governed production. trol Authority for biologicals, said the 13 lakh vaccine vials sations owning the facilities matoriums in all cities and also cation, and streamlined deliv-
tion Front of Asom (Inde- by the provisions of Tamil The call comes at a time which performs all six criti- allocated to Tamil Nadu are to help them manufacture maintain and improve the ery to the recipient states and
pendent) on Saturday Nadu Transparency in Tenders when many states have not cal functions as defined by the insufficient for vaccinating the vaccines themselves. condition of existing electric union territories and insti-
announced a unilateral Act 1998 and the rules there been able to start the vacci- World Health Organisation all those between the age He pointed out that Sec- crematoriums. tutions is an ongoing exer-
ceasefire for three mon- under. nation drive for those aged (WHO). group of 18 and 45. As such, tion 92 of the Patents Act per- The plea said that mem- cise,” it said. PTI
ths due to the prevailing At the same time the DMK between 18 and 44 years due Tamil Nadu government on global tenders would be invit- mits the Union government bers of Parliament and Leg-
situation in the state. “We Rajya Sabha MP and senior to the non-availability of May 12 has decided to float ed for importing vaccines. to issue compulsory licenses islative Assemblies be direct- fication issued by the central
have taken a decision to advocate P Wilson wrote to the stock. This is the reason why short-term global tenders for Meanwhile, DMK Rajya to produce a drug in times of ed to spend their fund in a dis- government to the extent it
suspend all operations for Union Health Minister Harsh the state government decid- importing vaccines to vacci- Sabha MP and senior advo- a ‘national emergency’ and ciplined manner with full capped the exemption from
the next three months as Vardhan to take all the steps ed to float global tender. nate all those in the age group cate P Wilson pointed out in added that the pandemic transparency to serve their import duty granted to med-
the people are suffering necessary to make use of the The vaccine doses should of 18-45 at a high-level meet- the letter to central health- qualifies to be called a nation- constituencies. The petition ical equipment for a period
due to the pandemic”, three vaccine manufactur- be delivered at state vaccine ing chaired by chief minister minister that Tamil Nadu has al emergency. challenged the April 24 noti- of three months only.
ULFA(I) Commander-in-
Chief Paresh Barua said. PTI
FOR THE SAKE OF LIFE
Body of Kerala woman killed YSRCP MP claims
Lightning physical torture
strike may in Hamas attack brought home in custody
have killed 18 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
HYDERABAD, 15 MAY

wild jumbos THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, YSRCP rebel MP K Raghu Rama

in Assam 15 MAY Krishna Raju arrested by Andhra
Pradesh CID for sedition and
The mortal remains of spreading hate has submitted
GUWAHATI, 15 MAY Soumya Santhosh, who was to the High Court that he was
killed in a Palestinian rock- beaten in custody.
Assam witnessed a shocking et attack in Israel on May 11, Raju who is an MP of the rul-
incident where 18 wild Asi- was brought to the Cochin ing party was arrested from
atic elephants faced unusu- international airport on Sat- Hyderabad yesterday by AP
al death, which is now stat- urday evening by an Air India CID after he had sought the can-
ed that they died due to elec- flight Soumya's relatives had cellation of bail of chief min-
trocution by lightening. arrived at the airport to isterYS Jagan Mohan Reddy in
Though initial findings by a receive her body. Political the disproportionate asset
government appointed com- leaders including Idukki MP cases recently. Two regional
mittee indicates thunder- Dean Kuriakose, P T Thomas channels too have been booked
bolt as their cause of sudden MLA and senior BJP leader Mortal remains of Soumya Santhosh in Delhi on Saturday. for sedition along with him.
deaths, the final report com- A N Radhakrishnan were Earlier, a single bench judge
prising microbiological and present at the airport. of the AP High Court had dis-
toxicological tests is still The body was then taken Embassy @RonyYedidia also rockets. My heart is with her missed the bail plea of MP
awaited. to her native place Keerithod joined. I empathise with the family, including a 9-yr old from Narsapuram and asked
The unfortunate incident in Idukki district. pain and sufferings of the fam- boy, who will be supported him to approach the trial court.
took place on a hillock in Her funeral will be held at ily of Ms. Soumya.More by #Israel,” the Israeli diplo- He directed the state to
Nagaon-Karbi Anglong bor- the cemetery of Nithya Sahaya strength to them,” Muraleed- mat tweeted. present the accused before a
der locality on the night of 12 Matha Church, Keerithodu on haran said in a tweet. In a Soumya,30, hailing from magistrate in accordance to law
May spread sensations among Sunday afternoon, church tweet, Rony Yedidia Clein Idukki district, had been and complying with Covid pro-
the people as most of them sources said. said her family will be sup- working as a housemaid in tocols. Later, a petition was filed
maintain adoration to ele- Earlier, Union Minister V ported by Israel. Israel for the last seven years. challenging his arrest before a
phants as a symbol of Lord Muraleedharan received the “Together with She was killed on Tues- division bench.
Ganesh. The state government body at New Delhi airport . @MOS_MEA, I paid my day when the rocket fell on The court constituted med-
earlier ordered a high level “With a heavy heart, respects to Soumya San- her residence in the city of ical board to examine him and
probe into the incident to find received the mortal remains thosh as her mortal remains Ashkelon while she was talk- file a report and warned the gov-
the reason behind the entire of Ms Soumya Santhosh in arrived in India on her final ing to her husband Santhosh, ernment of consequences if the
herd’s shocking death. People waiting for Covid vaccination at Urban Primary Health Centre, Jungpura, in the Capital Delhi and paid my last journey home, after she was who is in Kerala, over video injuries were found to be fresh-
Following the direction on Saturday. SNS respects.CDA of Israel tragically killed by #Hamas call, her family has said. ly inflicted. SNS
of state chief minister Dr
Himanta Biswa Sarma, the
environment & forest minister
Parimal Suklabaidya visited Heavy rain continues to batter Kerala, leaves trail of destruction
the site on Friday. Since day
one, Suklabaidya maintains
that the pachyderms were
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 15
severe deep depression over Ara-
bian sea, was issued in Ernaku-
districts.Stepping into water
bodies and crossing rivers
ters of the Kallarkutty and
Malankara dams in Idukki and
TENDER
killed due to thunderbolts. MAY lam, Idukki,Thrissur, Palakkad, should be avoided during the Bhoothathankettu dam in
A team of senior forest offi- Malappuram, Kozhikode, times of heavy rains and winds,” Ernakulam were opened and
cials, wildlife specialists and Torrential rains accompanied Wayanad, Kannur and he said. that of the Maniyar in
veterinarians also arrived at by fierce winds and high tidal Kasaragod district, according The CM also cautioned peo- Pathanamthitta and Aruvikkara
the location on Bamuni hills waves wreaked havoc and to the IMD. ple to be vigilant against fierce here were raised as a precau-
inside Kundali proposed claimed two lives in Kerala, as High range and coastal belts winds in northern districts tionary measure following high
reserve forest under Kothiatali it lashed the state since last night in the central and northern dis- tonight under the impact of the inflow in the catchment area.
forest range, and started forcing the government to shift tricts, where houses and roads cyclone. Heavy rains and gusty winds,
investing the matter. The hundreds of families to relief were rampantly destroyed and On the CWC's flood warn- accompanied by extensive sea
enquiry committee led by camps,sources said on Satur- trees got uprooted widely, were ing, he said as it was not the rainy incursion, continued to cause
deputy conservator of forest, day. the worst affected in the rain season in the state, there was widespread destruction in the
KK Deori is supposed to com- The southernmost dis- fury. no danger of floods, as of coastal hamlets of Thiru-
plete the detailed investiga- trict,Thiruvananthapuram to Chief Minister Pinarayi now.However, directions have vananthapuram, Ernakulam,
tion by two weeks. Kasaragod in the northern tip, Vijayan said the impact of been issued to evacuate peo- Thrissur and Malappuram dis-
Assam’s well-known nature witnessed widespread uproot- cyclone Tauktae was expected ple from the flood-prone areas tricts. Valiyathura pier, one of
conservationist Soumyadeep ing of trees, water-logging and to last the next 24 hours in the when necessary, he said, adding the oldest sea bridges in the state
Datta commented that he disruption of power supply state.“Two days of torrential rains that as the big dams presently located here, developed a crack
was waiting for the post since last night. and strong winds have caused do not have large amounts of in the strong winds which hit
mortem reports but instant- The Central Water Com- widespread destruction across water, there was no need to be the shores since last night.
ly termed the thunderbolt as mission (CWC) issued flood the state. As per the IMD fig- panic over that. A portion of the over 200
the killer very very unlikely. warning to the state in the ures, Kerala received an aver- Meanwhile, to ensure the metre-long structure, which
Rather Datta, while talking to wake of rising water level in rivers age rainfall of 145.5 mm in the safety of people, night travel in offers a breathtaking view of the
this correspondent, appre- like Manimala and Achankovil. last two days alone,” he told high range Idukki district was sea, seemed tilted to a side in
hended that it might be a case As the India Meteorological reporters here. completely banned from 7.00 the morning, locals said.
of poisoning, which is usual Department (IMD) sounded 'red Kochi and Peerumedu sta- pm today by the district admin- Hundreds of houses were
developments in different alert', indicating the possibil- tions registered rainfall above istration.As the water level in damaged in coastal belts across
parts of the region. Director ity of extremely heavy rainfall 200 mm in the last 24 hours, he major rivers like Meenachil, the state as sea water seeped
of conservation group Nature’s above 204 mm in 24 hours, in said.Two deaths have been Achankovil and Manimala was in following high waves.The CM
Beckon also added that Assam 9 districts, the entire state was reported in the state in the last rising steadily, authorities cau- said at least 9 districts have been
gives shelter to over 6,000 Asi- put on high vigil. two days.“Two persons drowned tioned people living on its severely affected by the sea
atic elephants. SNS The 'red alert', in view of the in Ernakulam and Kozhikode banks to be vigilant.The shut- incursion.
 05
GOI's disastrous vaccine strategy will ensure a devastating third wave. It
can't be repeated enough ~ India needs a proper vaccine strategy
CONGRESS LEADER RAHUL GANDHI
TAGGING MEDIA REPORTS CLAIMING THAT OVER 2,000 BODIES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN 1140 KM AREA ALONG THE GANGA NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021

THUMBNAILS
NDRF doubles teams to STICKING TO RULES

100 with 4,700 rescuers

Cyclone Tauktae:NDRF teams to be deployed in Kerala, K’taka, TN, Guj, Goa, Maha
PRESS TRUS OF INDIA oration with state authorities
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY to ensure zero casualty and
minimum damage to life and

T
he National Disaster property”.
Response Force has
increased the number TN braces for cyclone: The
of teams from 53 to Tamil Nadu government on
100 to undertake relief and res- Saturday braced for the impact
cue measures in view of the of cyclone Tauktae, with chief
impending Cyclone Tauktae, minister M K Stalin directing
an official said on Saturday. officials to monitor level of
Each NDRF team has a water in dams and also ensure
strength of a total 47 person- people's safety.
nel and, hence, the total man- 'Tauktae', currently over
power identified for the task In the wake of cyclone Tauktae alert, two C-130 J aircraft of IAF east-central and adjoining
is 4,700 rescuers. airlifted three NDRF teams comprising of 126 personnel and SE Arabian Sea, is likely to
NDRF Director General S equipment from Bhubaneswar to Jamnagar. intensify into a severe cyclonic
N Pradhan tweeted that these storm in the next 12 hours,
People wait in their cars
teams were being mobilised equipped with satellite phones, tools, Pradhan said. according to the Met office.
during drive-through vac-
cination, in Gurugram, on
for deployment in the coastal other communication gadg- The spokesperson said Kanyakumari district hav-
Saturday. IANS regions of Kerala, Karnataka, ets, tree and pole cutters, they were “keeping a close ing its border with Kerala,
Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Goa and inflatable boats, basic med- watch over the developing Tirunelveli and some of the
Maharashtra. ical aid and other relief and situation and it is being mon- districts in the Western Ghats
On Friday, he had said 53 rescue tools. The spokesper- itored round-the-clock from region received rains today.
J&K Sacrilegious act case: teams were being committed son gave a breakup for the the control room located at There was inundation at
Four persons were arrest- for the cyclonic storm that was deployment of the pre-posi- its headquarter in Delhi”. several places in Kanyakumari
ed on Saturday in connec- developing in the Arabian tioned 30 out of 48 teams. As per the IMD, he said in and Tirunelveli districts. A nearly deserted heritage street near the golden Temple during Covid-induced weekend lock-
tion with a case related to sea. The deployment of the In Gujarat, they are being an update marked as issued down, in Amritsar on Saturday. IANS
a sacrilegious act' in Rajo- NDRF teams has been stationed at Gir Somnath, at 6 pm, the depression over Goa authorities gear up to
uri district of Jammu and increased following new inputs Amreli, Porbandar, Dwarka, east-central and adjoining tackle situation: The govern-
Kashmir, police said. Sever-
al police parties were dep-
uted to conduct raids on
by the India Meteorological
Department (IMD), Pradhan
said. Out of the 100 teams, an
Jamnagar, Rajkot, Kutch,
Morbi, Surat, Gandhinagar,Val-
sad, Bhavnagar, Navsari,
southeast Arabian sea has
moved north-northwest and
is very much likely to inten-
ment machinery in Goa has
put in place necessary meas-
ures to tackle the situation in
Gujarat govt denies Delhi logs
suspected locations and
finally all the four main
NDRF spokesperson said, 48
are being pre-deployed or
stationed on the ground in the
Bharuch and Junagarh dis-
tricts.
A total of nine teams are
sify into a severe cyclonic
storm -- 'Tauktae' -- during the
next three hours and very
view of the warning about
cyclone Tauktae, officials said
on Saturday.
hiding Covid deaths 6,430 cases,
337 deaths
accused were arrested,
police said, adding further six states, while 20 are on being deployed in Kerala, five severe cyclonic storm during As per the India Meteoro- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
legal formalities in the stand-by and kept on alert. in Tamil Nadu, four in Maha- the subsequent 12 hours. logical Department's (IMD) GANDHINAGAR, 15 MAY Cong leaders said the
matter are underway. PTI Thirty-two teams are being rashtra, three in Karnataka and “It is very likely to cross prediction, Konkan and Goa sum of the number of
kept as backup or reserve one in Goa, he said. Gujarat coast between Por- are expected to receive heavy The Gujarat Government the death certificates The number of people
and can be airlifted upon The members of these bandar and Naliya around to very heavy rainfall on May on Saturday sought to refute collected nearly tal- under home isolation
18+ jab begins in Ladakh: requirement from various teams have been vaccinated afternoon/evening of May 15 and 16 as the weather con- the charges that it has under- lies with the numbers in the city dipped to
The third phase of the bases of the central force in against coronavirus, have 18,” he said. The spokesper- dition is very likely to inten- reported the deaths due to 42,484 from yester-
vaccination drive, which the country, the spokesperson personal protection suits and son added that all efforts are sify into cyclonic storm Tauk- the Covid-19 pandemic dur- published and that
comes to 1,23,873 in day's 45,099 while the
covers people in the age said. Each NDRF team is are equipped with the required being made “in close collab- tae. ing the second wave this
group of 18 to 44 years, year. 2021 against 58,068 number of contain-
started in the UTof Ladakh The provocation for hold- last year. ment zones rose to
57,179 from 56,470 a
on Saturday, officials said.
The inoculation drive star- Six-time June-scheduled Bengal board Sacrilege cases: ing a press conference here
this morning was an expose tary (Home) Pankaj Kumar day before.
ted at six vaccine session
Cong MP exams for Class 10, 12 postponed Sukhbir Badal in a vernacular daily yester-
day that the death certificates
explained that death, its reg-
istration in government
sites, of which there are
asks Cong to issued by the government are records and issue of death cer- SNS
passes
two fixed sites each in Leh KOLKATA, 15 MAY
and Kargil townships. PTI
The West Bengal government
The Bengal education
department will hold
share evidence far higher than the deaths offi-
cially attributed to Covid-
tificate are three different
events with time lags between
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY

away at 100 on Saturday postponed the

state board examinations for
meetings with the aut- CHANDIGARH, 15 MAY 19 during the corresponding
period.
them. Thus, there would
always be a time gap between
Delhi today recorded 6,430
new Covid cases and 337
horities of the state
J&K extends curfew:Keep- AMRITSAR , 15 MAY Class 10 and 12, which were Shiromani Akali Dal chief Quoting Government death and issue of death cer- fatalities while the positivity
ing in view the Covid-19 scheduled in June, for an boards to decide on a Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sat- records, the vernacular daily tificates, he said. rate dipped to 11.32 per cent,
spike, the Jammu and Senior Congress leader and indefinite period, amid a rag- revised schedule for urday asked Congress lead- reported that 1.23 lakh death Due to the Covid-related according to the Delhi gov-
Kashmir administration on six-time MP from Amritsar ing second wave of Covid-19, both the exams. The ers to share the proof, if they certificates were issued in the lockdown last year, the Gov- ernment's latest health bul-
Saturday extended the Raghunandan Lal Bhatia an official said. Madhyamik exams we- have any, on the “planning state during 71 days from 1 ernment had relaxed the rule letin.
curfew by another 7 days passed away after a brief ill- The decision was taken re to begin on 1 June, and execution” of the alleged March to 10 May while only to register deaths within 21 The number of tests that
till 24 May. The decision ness, his family members soon after the government acts of the desecration of a 4,218 deaths have been attrib- days, he said adding that detected these cases was
was taken in a meeting said on Saturday. He was 100. announced a complete
Higher Secondary religious text in the state's uted to Covid-19 during the the extension is valid till 31 however relatively lesser ~ only
that was held by the Lt. Raghunandan Bhatia died lockdown from Sunday till May exams on 15 June Faridkot in 2015. same period. July this year. 56,811 tests.
Governor Manoj Sinha. SNS at a private hospital here on 30 to contain the spread of the Congress leaders and The report has also point- The delay in death regis- The number of active cases
Friday night and he is sur- disease in the state, the offi- and the Higher Secondary tests their secret allies claiming to ed out that only 58,000 death trations due to the relax- reportedly decreased to 66,295
vived by his son Ramesh Bha- cial said. for Class 12 will be difficult have concrete proof on who certificates were issued in ation granted for lockdown from yesterday's 71,794.
70-yr-old raped in UP: A 70- tia, daughter Saroj Munjal West Bengal chief secre- during the lockdown period, planned, sponsored and exe- Gujarat during the same 71 could also contribute to back- The number of people
year-old woman was alle- and younger brother J L tary Alapan Bandyopadhyay he said. The Madhyamik cuted the unforgivable sac- days last year. log of death certificates, said under home isolation in the
gedly raped by a 21-year- Bhatia, they said. said a revised schedule for the exams 2021 were set to begin rilege should publicly place Refuting the charges of Pankaj Kumar about the city dipped to 42,484 from yes-
old man in Uttar Pradesh's Punjab CM Amarinder state board examinations will on June 1 and Higher Sec- that evidence before the under-reporting of Covid- apparent high number quot- terday's 45,099 while the
Lalitpur district, police said Singh expressed grief over be announced later. ondary tests on June 15. Khalsa Panth, court, SIT and 19 casualties, Minister of ed in the news report. number of containment zones
on Saturday. The accused the death of Raghunandan “No secondary and high- The education department people in general, he said. State for Home Pradipsinh Moreover, annual increase rose to 57,179 from 56,470 a
has been arrested, they Bhatia.Punjab Congress er secondary examinations will will hold meetings with the He said it is “truly stun- Jadeja said that such reports in population would also be day before.
said. The woman was leader and MLA Raj Kumar be held in June,” he told authorities of the state Mad- ning, unbelievable and unfor- are ‘misleading’ and ‘baseless’ reflected in number of deaths Delhi's Covid caseload
allegedly raped when she Verka condoled the demise reporters at the state secre- hyamik and Higher Secondary givable if these leaders indeed as number of death certifi- and issue of death certificates, rose to 13,87,411 while its
was sleeping.She was of Raghunandan Bhatia, tariat, 'Nabanna'. boards to decide on a revised have been refusing to reveal cates issued is not the only the Additional Chief Secre- toll mounted to 21,244, the
alone at home at the time describing him as 'Bhishma Making arrangements for schedule for both the exams, the evidence they have indicator of deaths during a tary argued to prove that the health bulletin said. Nearly 13
of the incident. PTI Pitamah' of the Indian pol- holding the Madhyamik exam- Bandyopadhyay added. against anyone as they claim time frame. government is not under- lakh patients have recovered
itics. PTI inations for Class 10 students PTI day in and day out”. PTI Additional Chief Secre- reporting the Covid-19 deaths. from the infection so far.

Of Hill tea gardens and their names Floating body fear: Panic in Manikchak
MANAS R BANNERJEE Jeewan Prakash Gurung, opment in mind, a tea planta-
SILIGURI, 15 MAY in his book titled 'All in a cup
The Alubari Tea Garden was established as the tion was developed in the
of tea,' showcases 87 tea gar- first tea plantation in Darjeeling in 1840 under name of Happy Valley in1852,
As the state government planned dens, which were set up dur- the Kurseong and Darjeeling Tea Company. comprising 145.16 hectares,
to implement the Teesta Bar- ing the British rule, and talks Alubari means 'potato field,' indicating that between elevations of 3500
rage Project for better pro- about the different types of land potato fields must have been converted into a and 6500 feet.
duction of the Kharip crop that were converted into tea On the other hand, anoth-
and for the development of plantations in Darjeeling Hills,
tea garden. Significantly, the Britishers did not er tea plantation, Salimbong,
economy from the agriculture which is now famous the world face problems converting the land like the derived from the Lepcha word
sector in this region as well as over for producing good qual- Left government had to face problems setting Sulbung, which means the
southern north Bengal, a sec- ity tea. up Tata Motors at Singur, the so-called potato land of orange trees, was also
tion of the local people in this Mr Gurung also tries hard and paddy producing area, in Hooghly in West set up.
region, especially in areas in Jal- to provide an elaborate back- Some gardens were named
paiguri, Siliguri and even North ground of those land and such
Bengal. after natural places like the
Dinajpur, were forced to con- gardens. Teesta Valley, named after the
vert their agricultural fields The Alubari Tea Garden Rangmook and Cedres, Singbul- removing bamboos. "Malootar river that originates from Sikkim.
into small tea gardens and was established as the first tea li, Turzam and many others, means 'land of bamboos'. In Lepcha language, Tukhda
also start pineapple cultivation plantation in Darjeeling in which are popular among tea However, Oaks garden was set means mist/fog. Similarly,
as per the demand in the mar- 1840 under the Kurseong and drinkers. "In Lepcha language, up after removing oak trees in Poobong is a valley behind
ket as well as the climate and DarjeelingTea Company. Alubari Singbulli means the place Sonada Valley," Mr Gurung clouds in the Lepcha language, STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE tributed to the panic situa- Hiranandapur GP, however,
soil conditions. means 'potato field,' indicat- where tigers roar. This tea gar- says. In 1859, an area of medic- while Rohini tea plantation, on MALDA, 15 MAY tion," the source added. refused he had started making
Work on the Teesta Bar- ing that potato fields must den comprises 473.95 hectares inal plantation was converted the way to Darjeeling from According to the sources, a such public announcements.
rage Project is still going on slow- have been converted into a tea under tea between tea eleva- into Dooteriah, the tea garden Siliguri, was named after a Panic gripped Manikchak area local club and the Hirananda- "Some people may have done
ly, as the project has lost impor- garden. Significantly, the British- tions of 2100 and 4600 feet. of 444.92 hectares. According local word 'Rahanu', which following concerns that bod- pur gram panchayat have start- so in the name of the GP, but I
tance in many areas after locals ers did not face problems con- Peshok is a Lepcha word, which to Mr Gurung, the name comes means to stay as a stopping point ies, presumably that of Covid- ed making public announce- am not aware of it. The matter
changed their cultivation pat- verting the land like the Left gov- means dense forest," Mr Gurung from a medicinal plant called for travelers, Mr Gurung says. 19 victims, could wash down ments in loudspeakers, dis- will be looked into," he said.
tern in the region for better earn- ernment had to face problems says in the book. 'Dhaturah.' Yet another popular tea in the Ganga river to Malda dis- couraging people from using The worst affected are the
ings. However, the economic setting up Tata Motors at Sin- A very interesting infor- He adds that at a time when plantation, Jungpana, also has trict from Uttar Pradesh and the Ganga waters in any house- fishermen, who are selling
condition of the farmers is not gur, the so-called potato and mation that the author gives his the government is trying to keep a story behind it. The book 'All Bihar. People were also in a panic hold work like cooking, drink- their catch at far lower rates than
so good, though small tea paddy producing area, in readers is about a place in vultures alive by running cap- in a cup of tea' says: "The story mode over possibilities of the ing or even bathing, given the normal. The rohu fish of the
growers here contribute over Hooghly in West Bengal. Darjeeling Hills that used to pro- tive breeding centres in North goes that there was a British Ganga waters and the fish assumption that the waters Ganga there used to be sold at
50 percent of the total tea pro- The small garden near Dar- duce mangoes. "But in the Bengal, a tea plantation was set planter, who had a chowkidar there in the district being con- there might be infected due to the rate of Rs 500-700 per kg,
duction in the region, due to jeeling town comprising only 1850s, the area was converted up at Giddhapahar, locally called Junga Bahadur. The taminated with the coron- the floating bodies in the upper and the same has now gone
some technical reasons, includ- 22.58 hectares, in between ele- into a tea plantation, which was known as the "hill of the vul- planter was extremely fond of avirus. However, no such body catchment areas. down to Rs 150-200. The fish
ing some issues related to the vations of 5400 and 6500 feet, named Ambootia, which comes tures." Similarly, the hub of white hunting and Junga Bahadur was has been detected in the waters A campaign in this regard markets were also seen wear-
administration. produced two tons of organic from the local word 'Aam crested pheasant, locally known his constant companion. One in Manikchak, the area where has also gone viral on social ing a desolate look. The block
Similarly, organised as well tea annually, according to Mr Batay', which means 'mango as 'Kalej', a now endangered day, while hunting in the area, the Ganga enters the district, media, drawing the public's administration and the police,
as registered tea gardens (RTG) Gurung. Similarly, the British- tree'", he says. The Britishers species, was converted into they were attacked by a tiger. so far, officials have said. attention. "We are afraid to use on the other hand, have
are in the same boat, while ers converted many agriculture also converted bamboo bush- the Kallej Valley tea planta- Junga Bahadur immediately "Ongoing rumours have river water as infection might appealed to all to not spread
planters in both Darjeeling and forest land into 87 tea gar- es into tea plantations, accord- tion. jumped to the forefront and turned life difficult for fisher- have spread in the waters from any rumour. They have also
Hills and the Dooars have a long dens in Darjeeling, including ing to the author. He cites On the other hand, Gyaba- saved his master, but in doing men, who have been finding those bodies spotted floating warned of legal action against
list of ways to develop the pres- Ambootia, Badamtam, Happy records that show that ree was set up in the millet fields. so, was grievously injured. In it very hard to sell fish, as no in the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh anyone doing do.
ent industry, which was intro- Valley, Dooteriah, Jungpana, Badamtam meant 'bank of 'Gya' means millet and 'Baree' his dying moments he asked one is willing to buy them due and Bihar.We are also not will- "The directives we have
duced by the Britishers by con- Longview, Margaret's Hope, bamboos', and the tea plan- is field. Similarly, maize fields for water (pani) before suc- to the Covid fears," a source said. ing to eat fish caught in the river received from Nabanna do
verting agriculture, forest and Makaibari, Malootar, Nagri, tation was set up after remov- were converted into the cumbing to his injuries, and thus "Added to these, some posts for that can also bring con- not talk of the need to make such
other categories of land to tea Oaks, Orange Valley (Bloom- ing the bamboo bushes there. Makaibari Tea Estate in 1859, the name Jungpana (the place in social media forbidding tamination," Uday Mandal, a public announcements," Block
farming in Darjeeling Hills field), Peshok, Poobang, Ran- Like Badamtam, the Malootar Mr Gurung says. where Junga Bahadur was people to drink from or bathe local in Manikchak, said. Kajal Development Officer of
since 1840. garoon, Rohini, Rungli Rungliot, tea plantation was set up after Also, keeping tourism devel- given pani) came into being. in the river waters have also con- Mandal, the pradhan of tge Manikchak, Joy Ahmed, said.
06 NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021 Vol. CXXXXX 19 (S)

With which is incorporated

Stunted children A MEMBER
OF THE

The Englishman ~ Founded 1821

Malnutrition has an irreversible effect on health and human development. The first ASIAN VOICES
Daybreak in TN ‘Golden 1000 Days‘ of a child‘s life are a unique period of opportunity when the foundations Go back to your
A
of optimum health, growth, and neurodevelopment across the lifespan is established
fter a gap of three years when Tamil Nadu was country!
N
remote-controlled by the BJP government at utritional well-being is a low height for its age. It is diffe-

R
the Centre, Dravidian rule returned to the central for the achieve- rent from wasting. If stunting is ecently, a few racially biased
State on 7 May when MK Stalin, president of the ment of several nation- low height for a child’s weight, Americans reportedly yelled at
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, was sworn in as Chief al and international wasting is low weight for a child’s people of Asian origin, “Go back
Minister. He and his 33-member ministerial team, development goals (WHO 2016; height. Indeed, the average hei- to your country!” and “You don’t
in keeping with the Dravidian secular tradition, took NITI Aayog 2017). Improved nu- ght of a population’s children is belong here,” while violently attacking
their oath of office and secrecy under their “con- trition is instrumental in improv- increasingly recognised as an im- them. Some of the assailants were
science.” Within five hours of occupying Fort St ements in other social objectives portant measure of human deve- homeless and others lived in their cars.
as well as improved cognitive ab- lopment. This is because the dis- Presumably, some of them were angry
George, Stalin signed five files to implement five of
ility. While India has achieved tribution of height in a popula- because they had lost their jobs due to
the important promises made in the DMK’ election some success in income poverty tion is shaped by the health and the pandemic. Nonetheless, their igno-
manifesto, bringing much relief to the groaning reduction, the massive and un- well-being that children experi- rant and hateful acts cannot be
masses. Apart from offering Rs 4,000 each as Covid- remitting burden of malnutrition ence at young ages. Early life is excused. Beyond the physical violence,
19 relief to family cardholders and providing free is a challenging reality. The over- an important time; what hap- phrases like “Go back to your country!”
travel for women in city government buses, retail all reduction in malnutrition has pens to babies and children mat- or “You do not belong here!” cause last-
price of milk was reduced by Rs 3 a litre while rise in been very slow. The country ran- ters for their achievement, heal- ing damage. Both are an unbearable
price is the order of the day. The ruling AIADMK ked 94 among 107 nations in the th, and survival throughout their affront either to Asian Americans who
and its allies were entirely out of Chennai. The Tamil Global Hunger Index 2020. Ac- lives. became citizens by working hard
Nadu electorate has expressed in clear terms its cording to the report, 14 per cent A stunted child may have a through the immigration process, or to
of Indian’s population is malnou- poorer immune system, brain those born in the United States, which
unwillingness to give any room for non-Dravidian rished. However, in the words of functions and organ develop- is their homeland by birthright.
forces. The AIADMK believed, mistakenly perhaps, Amartya Sen: “In the avoidance ment. Performing below average The irony is that, strictly speaking,
that the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra of endemic undernourishment in these areas may also limit no one belongs in America originally,
Modi and the spread of Hindutva politics across the and hunger, India has done future productivity and threaten except for Native Americans. All other
nation will overcome Dravidian hegemony and worse than nearly every country the health of their children. Stun- Americans are immigrants or descen-
enable it to score a hat-trick. However, the BJP man- in the world.” ted children may never reach dants of immigrants. Hence, only
aged to re-enter the Tamil Nadu Assembly after an Among the nutritional out- growth retardation). Such adap- nutrition and early learning ser- their full cognitive potential, Native Americans are entitled to say,
absence of two decades, but it was by hitching a come measures, anthropometric tations affect fetal structure and vices at the village level. In 2018, which can lead to a lower IQ and “Go back to your country!” or “You
piggy-back ride on the AIADMK, its senior alliance measures (WHO’s method) are metabolism in ways that predis- the Government of India launch- impaired brain development. don’t belong here.” Still, however,
partner. considered to have an advantage pose the individual to later car- ed a flagship scheme, POSHAN This also affects socio-emotional Americans of European or African ori-
over others since body measure- diovascular and endocrine dis- (Prime Minister’s Overarching skills and overall health. A study gin would feel insulted if someone told
Instead of blaming the previous government for ments are sensitive to even eases. The correlation between Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) conducted by Dean Spears has them to go back to Europe or Africa.
the horrendous problems left behind, Stalin adopt- minor levels of malnutrition. LBW or early childhood stunting Abhiyaan, with an aim to direct also shown that taller children Asian Americans are no different.
ed a statesman-like approach by advising his cadre Anthropometric measures, wei- and cardiovascular and diabetes the country’s attention towards perform better on average on Those thoughtless Americans who
to get on with the work ahead with confidence. He ght-for-age (underweight), hei- may arise from the fact that malnutrition of children, preg- tests of cognitive achievement, utter, “Go back to your country!”
had vowed to make Tamil Nadu the best place to ght-for-age (stunted) and weig- nutritional deprivation in utero nant women and lactating moth- in part because of difference in should know that in many other coun-
live in India. “I do not treat myself as the Chief Min- ht-for-height (wasted) are used or in early childhood program- ers and to address it in a mis- early-life health and net nutri- tries, people who subscribe to anti-
ister, but as a frontline worker. Governance is not a to measure nutritional depriva- mes a newborn for a life of scar- sion-mode. tion. Indian children are unheal- Americanism, too, shout, “Americans,
bed of roses, but full of thorns,” he wrote in ‘Mura- tion among children. ‘Wasting’ is city. The problems arise when Despite several programmes thily short, on average. The aver- go home!” They should know that in
soli’, official organ of the DMK. Promising a clean an indicator of acute stage of the child’s system is later con- and schemes, India’s perform- age child in India is shorter than some countries Americans are refused
malnutrition as well as a predic- fronted by a world of plenty. Per- ance towards reducing child mal- children raised by upper-middle and unwelcomed. Whether tourists or
and transparent administration, he said the DMK tor of child mortality and mor- sons suffering from childhood nutrition has failed in the last class families; shorter than in temporary residents in a foreign coun-
assumed office at a time Covid-19 had opened its bidity. ‘Stunting’ in childhood in- malnutrition are more likely to half decade. One of the startling other developing countries and
fangs. He said Covid treatment expenses in private dicates chronic malnutrition. It be afflicted by diet-related dis- revelations of the recent National is much shorter than would be
hospitals would be paid by the government under has been a concern and is associ- eases (that were formerly thoug- Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 achievable with better health,
the State’s health insurance scheme. Steps are being ated with poorer educational and ht to be associated with increas- for the year 2019-20 released by nutrition, sanitation and mater- try, Americans often find themselves a
taken on a war footing to operationalise all defunct economic outcomes. Stunted ing affluence) such as diabetes, the Ministry of Health and Fami- nal well-being. symbol of what the White House
oxygen plants across Tamil Nadu to treat Covid-19 children suffer reduction in IQ by CVD and hypertension. ly Welfare shows that several It is a challenging reality in stands for. They may think that they
patients and to supply to other States. This is in as many as 15 points, significant- Malnutrition has an irrever- states in the country have either India. At the national level, a have nothing to do with Washington or
sharp contrast to the attitude of the outgoing Chief ly affecting schooling and edu- sible effect on health and human witnessed meagre improvements third of stunted children come do not support American foreign poli-
cation, and increasing risks of development. The first ‘Golden or sustained reversals on child from the richest families. Despite cies. In the eyes of foreigners, however,
Minister Edappadi Palaniswami who was reluctant
drop-out. It is well known that 1000 Days’ of a child’s life ~ the (under 5 years) malnutrition rapid economic growth, it is the difference does not exist. Likewise,
to reopen closed oxygen plants. Corona Relief Kits stunting promotes an intergen- time between conception and a parameters such as stunting, India’s shame that Indian chil- the frivolous Americans who roar, “Go
containing 13 grocery items will be distributed free erational propagation of malnu- child’s second birthday ~ are a wasting, underweight and mor- dren are on an average shorter back to your country!” do not differen-
of cost to 2.11 crore family cardholders from 3 June trition. Moreover, it contributes unique period of opportunity tality rate. Sixteen states record- not only than children of the tiate Chinese people from other Asians,
for which the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation to higher chances of maternal when the foundations of opti- ed an increase in underweight poorer and mortality stricken even though they are upset because of
has already floated tenders. International tenders and neonatal mortality by cre- mum health, grow- and severely wasted sub-Saharan African (SSA) coun- COVID-19 which they believe originat-
have been floated to procure Covid-19 vaccines to ating difficulties during labour th, and neurodevel- under-5 children tries, they are among the shortest ed from China. Suppose you do not like
hasten vaccination of people in the 18 to 45 age and delivery. A child is ‘under- opment across the among 22 states in the world. This astonishing a particular European country, you do
group. The sleepy Chennai Corporation was given a weight’ if s/he is in the bottom lifespan is establis- that were surveyed reality is the ‘Asian enigma’, not attack indiscriminately all Euro-
new commissioner, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, whose 5th percentile for weight com- hed. During the pe- during the first ph- one that can hardly be explained peans unless you are incredibly stupid.
pared to their height. It is not riod, under proper ase of the NFHS in terms of genetic differences. Of course, that does not mean you can
dynamism and expertise in disaster management is only classified compared to other nutrition, children’s report. Similarly, 13 In the words of Amartya Sen: attack people of Chinese origin either.
well known. The only fly in the ointment is the children of that age, but to their brains can form states and UTs of “This is India’s defective devel- When anti-American sentiment was
State’s finances. For the first time in the history of height as we clinically look for a 1000 neural conne- the 22 surveyed opment.” Poor sanitation has a rising in South Korea some time ago, a
Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK government was borrow- child to be proportionate. It is a ctions every seco-- registered a surge in direct impact on the high rate of few non-American Westerners wore a
ing money to meet compulsory expenses like pay- composite measure of both chro- nd. A three-year-o- the percentage of stunted children in India. Experts T-shirt saying, “I’m not an American.”
ment of interest and salaries. Reviving and restruc- nic (stunting) and acute (wast- ld’s brain is twice as stunted children have ascribed this puzzle to the Obviously, it was a mockery of the situ-
turing the State’s economy is a challenging task for ing) malnutrition. Usually, chil- active as that of an JAYDEV under five in com- consequences of widespread ation and perhaps a precaution, as
dren born prematurely are often adult and the con- JANA parison to NFHS–4 open defecation (OD). An analy- well. Yet, the phrase did not imply that
the new government.
underweight. nections the brain The writer is a retired (2015-16). Instead sis of as many as 140 demo- people should attack Americans. Today
Tutor extraordinaire Malnutrition occurs at all
stages. Malnutrition among wo-
makes are the bui-
lding blocks of the
IAS officer of getting the wast-
ing parameter
graphic and health surveys, con-
ducted by Dean Spears, revealed
in the US, Asian Americans are frus-
trated, denied any identity or national-

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men or adolescent girls and chil- future. The first down, states such that the height of Indian children ity, except for the one that is implicit
ahul Dravid, quite rightly, came to be widely dren is a cause of grave concern. 2000 days (from conception to as Telangana, Kerala, Bihar and corelates with their and their in the much-abused epithet, “Asian.”
spoken of in very effusive terms when India Malnourished women or adoles- age 5) are also a critical time for Assam as well as the UT of J&K neighbors’ access to toilets, and While browsing articles in the Los
won their second successive Test series in cent girls give birth to babies that physical, cognitive, social and have witnessed an increase. that OD accounts for much of Angeles Times about the LA Riots in
Australia earlier this year. For one reason or another, are born stunted and thin. In this emotional health. What happens States like Maharashtra and West the stunting in India. It is much 1992 lately, my daughter Min came
they had begun looking short on front-rank talent as way, undernutrition is handed in the first 2000 days of life has Bengal have remained stagnant. less common in sub-Saharan across an intriguing interview with a
the serialised contest unfolded when their sub- down from one generation to been shown to have an impact When it comes to the proportion Africa, China and Bangladesh. Chinese American who was living in
sidiary options, very heart-warmingly, started mak- another as a terrifying inherita- throughout life. of underweight children, big There is no simple solution LA at that time, and passed it unto me.
ing a splash. And it might not be exaggerating things nce. These children fail to experi- Given its intrinsic and ins- states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, for preventing stunting. Howev- The Chinese American said that it was
if it is said that, eventually, when it was time for the ence much catch-up growth in trumental relevance, the Union West Bengal, Telangana, Assam er, focusing on what is common- a hard time for Asian Americans and
subsequent years. They are likely and state governments in India and Kerala have seen an ly referred to as the first 1000 that he was afraid that the rioters might
triumph to be savoured, you would have been hard
to get sick, they enter school late, have launched important nutri- increase. days is a key opportunity to en- mistake him as a Korean American and
put to it to explain whom they owed it more to, the they do not learn well, and they tion-specific programmes start- What’s worse is the fact that sure the healthy development of do harm to him. Obviously, he did not
marquee names or the improbable neophytes who are less productive as adults. ing from the Balwadi Nutrition the reversal in the downward children. know that other Asians would say the
had compelled adulation by making themselves Moreover, stunting , along Programme (BNP) in 1970, the trend has happened in child Improving education among same thing regarding Chinese Ameri-
eminently useful when the going got rather too hot. with low birth weight (LBW), is a massive ICDS in the late 1970s stunting. As mentioned above, women, encouraging a diversi- cans three decades later.
It didn't take India too long to acknowledge Dravid's risk factor for adult chronic dis- and the Mid-day Meal Scheme stunting reflects chronic under- fied diet and providing easier Perhaps he did not mean it, and
contribution to the unprecedented overall achieve- ease. Increasing evidence points (MDMS) in 1995. Beneficiaries of nutrition. More than any other access to health care are some of yet, his remarks seemed to imply that
ment, given that he it was who had groomed quite a to the fetal and early childhood the ICDS programme are chil- factor, it is likely to have long- the ways in which India can the attacks on Korean Americans dur-
few of the new kids to their dramatically found stel- origins of adult chronic diseases. dren in the age group of 0-6, lasting adverse effects on the achieve nutrition security by ing the riots were all right, but those
lar status by tutoring India's U-19 boys and, of The famous Barker Hypothesis pregnant women and lactating cognitive and physical develop- 2030. As Sen says: “It is not easy on other Asian Americans were not.
posits that maternal dietary mothers. ment of a child. Sates like Telan- to think of any social problems Instead of expressing his fear of mis-
course, their A team. It also helps that Dravid hap- imbalances at critical periods of It is the largest outreach pro- gana, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharash- in the contemporary world that taken identity, therefore, the Chinese
pens to be the headmaster at the National Cricket development of the womb can gramme operational through tra, and West Bengal saw increas- deserves greater attention than American should have condemned the
Academy in Bengaluru. Few of us know indigenous trigger an adaptive redistribution Anganwadi Centres (AWC) that ed levels of child stunting. the foggy adversity of chronic rioters’ attack on “any” Asian Ameri-
talent better than the former national captain who of fetal resources (including serve as first outpost for health, Stunting is when a child has and widespread undernutrition.” cans.
has, since calling it quits as a player, been concen-
trating on nurturing young talent. So the country
can feel justifiably, even pleasurably expectant LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [email protected]
when he is mentioned as the coach of a second - SHAMEFUL
string limited-overs contingent required to visit Sri
Lanka while our first-choice boys are to be away in
England. It's a step up in Dravid's coaching career
A century of Ray’s light and sound article thus: “There is noth-
ing logical as to who will
live and who will die. And
SIR, I refer to the editorial
‘Attack on Learning’ pub-
lished today on the attack on
even if it isn't with India's la creme de la creme that SIR, A French national tool reinforcing the depths the appointment of Presi- cheon. The English trans- what could be more irra- a school in Afghanistan. It is
he will be on a mission which does not really lend residing in Paris would of camera movements. dent of India, he declined. lation of the film title tional in the scheme of clear that Muslim funda-
itself to being described as impossible. Truth to tell, instantly recall every film Honesty and an Towards the end of the “Seemabaddho” as “Com- things than the death of mentalism thinks its main
it's just as well that this is so because success, made by Satyajit Ray, imperishable support for 1960s, a young scholar, pany Limited” was given by David McCutcheon itself?” enemy is neither USA nor
should it come about, in the venture will surely be Ritwick Ghatak, and Mrinal people’s causes governed David McCutcheon, from McCutcheon. Suddenly Ray had a habit of the western world but edu-
attributed as much to his cerebral powers as the Sen. Political leaders, reli- his consciousness. He was Cambridge University, one day, McCutcheon watching an important film cation, especially for girls. It
performers' skills. Many cricket coaches carry on gious revivalists and never a greedy man. When came to Calcutta for a doc- passed away. Ray wrote a on widescreen every day. is surprising that our so
philosophers from the during the national Emer- toral thesis on Ray. full-page tribute to his Getting back home, Ray called liberal intellectuals did
simply by being, euphemistically speaking, self-
Indian subcontinent would gency (1975-77) the then There was instant young friend as as editorial would write down from not come out to condemn
effacing. The senior Indian team have their captain remain just passing curi- Indian Prime Minister, admiration and affection page special in The States- memory the shooting the attack strongly. Perhaps
at the top, with the coach too obliged to be loyal to ousities. Ray never had a Indira Gandhi, offered him between Ray and McCut- man. He concluded the script of the film, never they think any condemna-
him. Or, so it is said. Dravid might not be inclined to didactic approach. In his missing a single camera tion of Muslim fundamental-
follow in the footsteps of these predecessors of his. discourses and writings, he movement and cut. Barring ism will make them look
He has always known what he is doing. And any never explained that cine- the presence of Subrata communal.
team that he coaches will reflect his thinking and ma was the spectacle of Mitra (camera), Banshi I think all sane people
beliefs, thereby acquiring a distinctly different iden- perpetual motion, and the Chandra Gupta (set design- including Muslims should
tity of its own. Will he be cricket's closest approxi- methods of cinema com- er), Mriganka Sekhar Ray come forward and condemn
mation to a football coach who actually leads his prised mainly camera (illustrious film critic and a this heinous act. Unfortu-
movements, where the reputed short film-maker), nately there are still some
team? There's a point here, though. Anil Kumble camera was always mov- Ray’s Bishop Lefroy Road Muslims, who are not funda-
was not really very far from it and he stepped away ing. The objective of the apartment would be clut- mentalist in any sense, who
when, as he said, his relationship with captain Virat cinema, or the moving tered with cinema ignora- think education for women
Kohli had become untable. The cricket board looked camera, or both moving, mus and cinema illiterates. need not be a priority.
the other way. Dravid cannot have forgotten it. Well were the means of cinema. Yours, etc., Abhijit Yours, etc., Rajkumar
might he be wary when they, going forward, hand Ray recognised the genius Ghosh-Dastidar, Roychoudhury,
him the ladder to the top, for he knows taking it of Ghatak and admired (Media and film critic, Kolkata, 12 May.
away could with them be the work of an instant. Ghatak’s sharp cuts, as a Frontier), Kolkata, 14 May.
 NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021 07
PARTHA P. MAJUMDER
Why vaccination is vital NOW AND AGAIN

A A tryst at
fter I got my first dose of Cov-
ishield, I called Reena, a friend respect of the strength of response
for over 45 years. Reena retired and how long it lasts. The vaccines
from service some years ago
and now lives by herself. I asked Reena
whether she has taken a vaccine. “No.
against the coronavirus produce
more robust and more stable immu-
nity than the natural infection. There-
Woodstock
I haven’t and I won’t,” she said. “But why?” fore, even if a person has suffered SWAPAN K BANERJEE
I asked. Reena said that she knew of from Covid-19, (s)he must still take a

T
persons who received a vaccine and still vaccine. And, must take the complete he maiden Mussoorie Writers’ Fes-
came down with Covid-19. Also, Reena dose of the vaccine to enjoy the most tival was held in Woodstock, Mus-
said that she has no one to look after stable protection. As a matter of fact, soorie in April 2007. It lasted five days,
her if she suffered from the side effects a person who receives a vaccine after from 24 to 28 April. Writers from dif-
of the vaccine. Therefore, she would- recovering from natural infection ferent parts of the world came to attend, not
n’t take a vaccine and she refused to produces a much sturdier immune to mention a sizeable number of Indian writ-
listen to my arguments to convince her. response than one who only receives ers. I had by then met most of the writers
Reena is not the only one who is vaccination. However, a small num- hailing from that region and interviewed them.
refusing to take a vaccine. Vaccine ber of vaccinated persons still con- So, I was not exactly unknown. One of the
hesitancy is now considered as a tract infection. These are called main reasons for attending was to watch
major impediment to the control of “breakthrough infections,” implying Ruskin Bond getting the Poet Laureate of Lan-
the pandemic. The vaccines against that the infection has broken through dour Award.
the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus train our the wall of protection provided by the That day in the afternoon there was a
immune systems how to recognize vaccine. The causes of breakthrough poets’ meet at Woodstock where Ruskin
the virus and fight back before it can infections remain unclear; scientists Bond was to recite his poems. I got there
cause Covid-19. That’s how the vac- are engaged in identifying the causes. half an hour before the recitation was to
cines protect us. However, during this Presently many millions are start and was sitting on a bench by the hill-
process of preparing our body to pro- infected with the coronavirus. In the side when I saw to my great surprise
tect itself, the vaccines sometimes face of this huge load of infection, a Ruskin Bond turning a bend and coming
cause reactions lasting for a few days, vaccine against the coronavirus may towards me. At that point of time, there
such as fever or flu-like symptoms. not protect us as reliably as it should. was no one else around. He was dressed in
This is normal, even if annoying. We In other words, many vaccine recipi- an informal sky-coloured tee-shirt, and
also need to recognise that in order ents may get infected and transmit. carrying a few books. I got up from my
for our bodies to build immunity to But the available vaccines are known seat. He immediately motioned me to sit
protect ourselves against the coron- to protect us from severe Covid-19 comes cannot even be traced back to lion of them were to be rapidly vacci- even though public funds are being down and gently sat by my side.
avirus infection, several weeks must and death, if we are infected. As more the vaccination. In any case, agencies nated. But the strategy was not fol- used to generate these data. We must “How are you Mr. Banerjee?”, he asked
elapse after we have vaccinated. Dur- and more of us get ourselves vacci- such as the World Health Organisa- lowed. We became complacent as the not only identify new variants soon in his baritone.
ing this period we are vulnerable to nated, the number of infected persons tion sit up and call for a temporary number of new infections fell. On after these arise, but also rapidly assess “Sir, thank you very much”, I said. “I’ve
being infected. Further, no vaccine will reduce in the population. The halt to using the putatively dangerous March 7, when less than 1 per cent of their local spread. Such evidence can with me copies of a few articles on you I
provides 100 per cent protection. vaccine will then more strongly pro- vaccine while they evaluate evidence. our population was vaccinated, our be used to clamp local lockdowns to did in the last few months. Could I possibly
Therefore, even after vaccination tect us from acquiring the infection. This had happened for Covishield. Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh prevent the spread of the variant to a hand them over to you?”
some persons fall ill with Covid-19. We are also hearing about many The evidence exonerated the vaccine Vardhan, announced that “we are in wider area. Local public health mea- “That’s very kind of you. Will you be
This is also normal. Therefore to variants of the coronavirus – “double which has been put back into use. We the endgame" of the pandemic in sures can also be enhanced. This will attending the party tonight?”
Reena and others who buy her argu- mutant,” U.K. variant, South African have to be careful, but respect scien- India. We relaxed on providing vacci- require the State, scientists and public- “Yes Sir, I’m doing a report on the fes-
ment, I appeal that these normal con- variant, Indian variant, etc. Variants tific evidence. nations. Today, only about 3 per cent health officials to work in tandem. This tival, and I’ll be there with some other free-
sequences of vaccination must not arise as a consequence of the natural While I am emphasizing that no of our population is vaccinated. We is not being done. lancers.”
deter you from being fully vaccinated. evolutionary process. Questions have one should be hesitant to get fully hear wails from people wanting to be Country-wide lockdown is again “Would you mind if I take these copies
A virus cannot replicate, that is been raised about the ability of the vaccinated, there are millions who are vaccinated, but doses are unavailable. being recommended by many, which from you then?”
produce more copies of itself, unless currently available vaccines to pro- wanting to get a vaccine and are How sad! How unprepared we have will adversely impact the economy “Not at all, Sir. It’d be an honour to see
it enters the cell of another organism. tect us from these variant coron- unable. My neighbours had lined up been! and inflict tremendous pain on our you receiving the Poet Laureate Award.”
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus needs aviruses. Opinions differ. During this at 4 AM to get a vaccine dose, only to This coronavirus spreads rapidly. poor citizens. About 900 scientists, The banquet that evening thrown in
to enter cells of a human body to pandemic, it is hardly possible to return home around mid-day without Some of the variants that are arising including myself, had appealed to honour of Ruskin was a huge affair. Apart
replicate. The more it is able to repli- conduct scientifically-designed stud- being able to get a jab because of are spreading even faster. We are con- the Prime Minister on April 30 to from the presence of a galaxy of writers
cate, the greater is the chance that it ies to answer such questions. Adhoc inadequate availability. The sudden cerned about the B.1.617 variant that make relevant data accessible to all and publishers, there were a great many
will be able to infect another person. answers to these questions are being rise in demand in vaccine doses is was first found in India in December scientists, safeguarding confidential- admirers from nearby towns as well as
A vaccine disables, to a large but vari- obtained by observing individuals proportional to the huge surge in 2020. The rapidity of spread of this ity of data donors, and to scale up people like me from far-flung areas. There
able extent, the ability of a virus to who are reinfected after vaccination. infections. The volume of this surge variant, coupled with its ability to collection of relevant data pertaining also abounded delicacies, piping hot,
enter the body of a recipient. The pro- The differing opinions cannot justify may not have been anticipated. Warn- replicate more efficiently and cause to infected and vaccinated persons. catering to myriad taste buds both at the
tection afforded by a vaccine there- our hesitation to take the currently ing bells were, however, sounded from more lung lesions prompted the The intent was to analyze these data starter stage and later the sumptuous main
fore not only protects the recipient, available vaccines. Some level of pro- many corners but remained unheed- World Health Organisation to declare variously and to provide scientific course. I was frankly awed by the grandeur
but also protects others from infec- tection will be provided by the cur- ed. Election rallies, Kumbh Mela, B.1.617 as a “variant of concern.” This feedback to public health policy- and magnitude of the celebration that
tion. A sure way of lowering the rent vaccines against the variant, large wedding gatherings and, in spite variant lineage has now evolved into makers. The Principal Scientific Advi- revolved round the beloved writer.
spread of a virus is to shrink the pool even if the level of protection is insuf- of a notification from the Election three sub-lineages, of which one – sor to the Prime Minister issued a The party was well under way, when
of persons to infect. A vaccine does ficient. And, at this time any level of Commission to exercise restraint, B.1.617.2 – is causing greater concern. statement on May 4 – the tenor of Ruskin’s achievements were read out. The
this effectively. protection is better than no protec- even election victory jubilations were It is a super-rapid spreader. It is which appeared positive – and pro- hall instantly quieted down. Ruskin was
A friend, who had recovered tion at all. Therefore, there is no held. Participants of these large con- spreading rapidly in West Bengal. It vided directions on how to ultimate- sitting a few rows ahead of me. He was
from Covid-19 last year, called to ask room for second thoughts on getting gregations who came from far and has also traveled to many other parts ly access data collected with public grace personified. Ruskin is always the
whether he should take a vaccine. He fully vaccinated. Even if a small frac- wide to participate got infected and of the world, notably the U.K., and funds. Some of us have followed his centre of attention wherever he goes. But,
felt that since many are struggling to tion of our people refuses and carried the infections home. Politi- has infected many in those regions. directions. We are still waiting for a you have to actually see to believe how,
get a vaccine, perhaps he should save remains unvaccinated, this pandem- cians were more interested in getting In addition to vaccines, what useful response. Time is of the with great dignity, he maintains a certain
a complete dose of the vaccine for ic will be hard to control. I hope that their votes than in the lives. must we do to control the pandemic essence. Intent to help generate detachment, and he’s so much at ease with
others. I explained to him that the Reena is listening. The aggressive, but sensible, vac- in our country? We must identify vari- dynamic evidence-based strategies the outside world.
natural infection indeed confers Reena and other vaccine-hesitant cination strategy that was announced ants soon after they arise. This can must not remain intentions for long. Just after he was awarded the Laure-
some protection against infection by persons have also raised the issue of at the beginning of the year was wel- only be done by sequencing the We must not remain mute spectators ateship, a regional TV host took me to him
the same virus, but the immune blood clots after vaccination. It is true comed by everyone. High-risk groups genome of the virus and analyzing the to the horrors of death and suffering. for a formal introduction: “Hello Ruskin,
response to natural infection is a very small number of persons suffer in the population, such as frontline sequence data rapidly. Not enough here’s Swapan from Serampore wanting to
known to vary among infected indi- one or more adverse outcomes of vac- and healthcare workers, elderly citi- sequencing is being done. And the The writer is a National Science Chair, talk to you. You know him?” “Oh”, Ruskin
viduals. The variability is both in cination. Sometimes the adverse out- zens, etc. were identified and 300 mil- data are not being shared publicly, Government of India. said, “Banerjee is an old friend of mine!”
I gave him the articles and requested
for an appointment the very next day

Racists must not be tolerated you do not attack indiscriminately all

Europeans unless you are incredibly
stupid.
on other Asian Americans were not.
Instead of expressing his fear of mis-
taken identity, therefore, the Chinese
which he kindly granted. The party con-
tinued till late into the night….
Ruskin Bond turns 87 on 19 May.

KIM SEONG-KON Of course, that does not mean American should have condemned 100 YEARS AGO
you can attack people of Chinese ori- the rioters’ attack on “any” Asian

R
ecently, a few racially biased gin either. Americans. THE ANGLO-INDIAN ASSOCIATION
Americans reportedly yelled at When anti-American sentiment In America, only a handful of To The Editor Of The Statesman
people of Asian origin, “Go back was rising in South Korea some time psychologically insecure people have SIR, - Mr. Barton’s furious railings
to your country!” and “You ago, a few non-American Westerners attacked Asian Americans. On the against the Anglo-Indian and Domiciled
don’t belong here,” while violently wore a T-shirt saying, “I’m not an contrary, ordinary Americans, who European Association would be more
attacking them. Some of the assailants American.” Obviously, it was a mock- are ashamed of those disgraceful peo- effective if they possessed a greater sub-
were homeless and others lived in ery of the situation and perhaps a ple, become even nicer and kinder to stratum of fact, and betrayed less of the
their cars. Presumably, some of them precaution, as well. Yet, the phrase Asian Americans these days. Recently, personal. I am both to enter into any dis-
were angry because they had lost their did not imply that people should moreover, the US Senate has passed, cussion, but, having waited in vain for
jobs due to the pandemic. Nonethe- attack Americans. Today in the US, with overwhelming support, the Anti- those whose duty it is to defend the Asso-
less, their ignorant and hateful acts can- Asian Americans are frustrated, Asian American Hate Crime Bill. ciation from the attacks made against it
not be excused. denied any identity or nationality, When the House passes the bill and by Mr. Barton, may I as a humble life
Beyond the physical violence, except for the one that is implicit in President Biden signs it, Asian Amer- member who was present at the general
phrases like “Go back to your coun- the much-abused epithet, “Asian.” icans will be much safer from vio- meeting, be permitted to say that nothing
try!” or “You do not belong here!” While browsing articles in the lence because the US federal govern- was said at that meeting to justify Mr.
cause lasting damage. Both are an Los Angeles Times about the LA Riots ment will immediately investigate Barton’s attitude of hostility. No speaker
unbearable affront either to Asian in 1992 lately, my daughter Min came hate crimes and severely punish the cast any doubt upon the inherent, and
Americans who became citizens by across an intriguing interview with a racially biased criminals. traditional loyalty of the Anglo-Indian
working hard through the immigra- told them to go back to Europe or White House stands for. They may Chinese American who was living in In the past, perpetrators could community. All that was said, was by way
tion process, or to those born in the Africa. Asian Americans are no differ- think that they have nothing to do LA at that time, and passed it onto easily evade the hate crime charge by of warning lest any action taken by any
United States, which is their home- ent. with Washington or do not support me. The Chinese American said that denying it or asserting that they did considerable class might be construed by
land by birthright. Those thoughtless Americans American foreign policies. In the eyes it was a hard time for Asian Ameri- not utter any racial slurs while com- their enemies as help to non-coopera-
The irony is that, strictly speak- who utter, “Go back to your country!” of foreigners, however, the difference cans and he was afraid that the rioters mitting the crime. From now on, tors, and be considered to justify the
ing, no one belongs in America origi- should know that in many other does not exist. might mistake him as a Korean Amer- however, it will not be so easy to aspersions which are so often cast at the
nally, except for Native Americans. All countries, people who subscribe to Likewise, the frivolous Ameri- ican and do harm to him. Obviously, avoid a hate crime conviction. If con- community with even less justification
other Americans are immigrants or anti-Americanism, too, shout, “Amer- cans who roar, “Go back to your he did not know that other Asians victed, those who attack Asian Amer- than such action would supply.
descendants of immigrants. Hence, icans, go home!” They should know country!” do not differentiate Chinese would say the same thing regarding icans will have to do time in the State W.J. TRAISE.
only Native Americans are entitled to that in some countries Americans are people from other Asians, even Chinese Americans three decades penitentiary and then, after that, in Calcutta.
say, “Go back to your country!” or refused and unwelcome. Whether though they are upset because of later. Perhaps he did not mean it, and the Federal prison again because they
“You don’t belong here.” Still, howev- tourists or temporary residents in a Covid-19 which they believe originat- yet, his remarks seemed to imply that have violated the Federal law. LILLOOAH STRIKE & THE
er, Americans of European or African foreign country, Americans often find ed from China. Suppose you do not the attacks on Korean Americans dur- TRAVELLING PUBLIC
origin would feel insulted if someone themselves a symbol of what the like a particular European country, ing the riots were all right, but those The Korea Herald/ANN. To The Editor Of The Statesman
SIR, - For some weeks the workshop
CROSSWORD people of Lillooah, East Indian Railway,
NO 28914 have gone on strike over their economic
difficulties. The strike has not yet come
to an end, and what is the result? How
SOLUTION FOR 09 MAY ACROSS might be these sorts of DOWN that's injected heroin (5)
has it affected the travelling public?
idiots (7) 14 Breathing in is stimulating
1 Beers smug drunk sinks (9)
20 Soldiers in base recalled
1 One in party with foremost
to mind and spirit (9) Amongst other consequences the most
6 Singer right to break wind of Soviet Trotskyites? (9)
by saxophonist's head (5)
Missouri as “state of no
2 Time to tuck into
16 A pair of Republicans serious has been the absence of lighting
9 Fantastic carolling can be
interest” (7)
Indonesian island dish (5)
featuring in local story (9) of several carriages in several trains run-
21 A fortifying drink is what 17 Streets PM wanders to find
arresting (9)
might make Hoskins get up!
3 Fancy a beer a lot, having
lady of a seductive bent (9)
ning after nightfall, with all the attendant
10 Beat United with balls going
(9)
gone off the rails (9)
19 Soprano as well as a queen dangers and risks to passengers’ lives and
round the outside (5) 4 What plays a part in making
11 Is Hoskins close to blotto
23 Actor in Bond? (5)
one drop scones? Good and
with billions in offshore property. The travelling public have thus
after downing drop of gin
25 Tolerate a president
puzzling question! (7)
bank (7) a right to call for explanations from the
pinching bottom (5) 20 Food served up, then the
and Bud in Spain? (5)
26 Two soldiers carrying
5 A part cut off German
French bread at last is
East Indian Railway authorities. The pub-
12 Very hot man in boater mad
medical officer in a US city
blokes during first of
broken into (7) lic is not at all interested in the amount of
to go out (9) surgeries on film (7)
13 I make love outside
(9)
6 Man starting on perilous
21 Jerk from Sweden involved profit the company might forego in order
Congress to reproduce,
27 Dodging Nakamura's
journey in space after end
in unsolicited emails (5) to satisfy the strikes, but the public stands
opening, Carlsen is a wise 22 Liberal and earl taken in by
perhaps (7)
man (5)
of training! (5)
brief diet could be suckers
on its own rights when it demands the
15 This evening firm will
28 Puts right ginger locks
7 Good facts about natural
(5) immediate restoration of the full and sat-
restrict working! (7) disasters, perhaps (4,2,3)
18 On Shrove Tuesday, cooks
without any tinting
8 Fire very old Tory leader
24 Furry little fellows found in isfactory lighting arrangement of trains
essentially (9) Chinese wok, sizzling! (5) without a moment’s delay in order to
restore security to the travelling public.
NOTE: Figures in parentheses denote the number of letters in the words required. (By arrangement with The Independent, London)
JAHARLAL MUKERJI.
Uttarpara.
08
August 15 is a significant milestone for the nation, Simple Energy aims at
creating history with a world-class product made by an Indian company.
NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021 SUHAS RAJKUMAR, FOUNDER AND CEO, SIMPLE ENERGY
ON LAUNCH OF ITS FIRST FLAGSHIP E-SCOOTER

THUMBNAILS
Cairn looks to seize AI’s assets to Rules relaxed
for import of
oxygen cylinders
recover $1.72 billion from govt
Penna Cement IPO: Penna
Cement has filed prelimi-
nary papers with capital NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
markets regulator Sebi to
raise Rs 1,550 crore The government today eases
through an initial share- certain norms under Gas Cylin-
sale. The initial public
offer (IPO) comprises
It has brought a lawsuit in US court that potentially can lead to seizing of Air India’s overseas assets such as airplanes ders Rules, 2016 to fast-track
approvals for imported cylin-
fresh issue of equity PRESS TRUST OF INDIA award. countries to register the ordered to pay in lieu of the ders and pressure vessels for
shares worth Rs 1,300 NEW DELHI, 15 MAY The Bancec guidelines GOVT TO CONTEST THE MOVE December 2020 arbitration tri- 2011 seizing gold deposits storage and transportation of
deal with determining when bunal ruling that overturned held and developed by the medical oxygen amid rising

U
crore and an offer for sale � Sources in the govern- has challenged the arbi-
of up to Rs 250 crore by K's Cairn Energy a judgment against a foreign ment said India will take tration award in the appro- the Indian government's Rs firm. Covid cases.
the promoter, according Plc has brought a state is enforceable against its all necessary steps to priate court in The Hague 10,247-crore demand in back Indian assets across sev- The relaxations would be
to draft red herring lawsuit in the US agencies. defend against any such and it is confident that the taxes and ordered New Delhi eral jurisdictions have been valid for six months or till fur-
prospectus. Proceeds court that poten- Sources said the 14 May “ illegal enforcement award will be set aside. to return the value of shares identified that Cairn will be ther orders of the department
from fresh issue will be tially can lead to seizing of Air lawsuit seeks to make Air action”. it had sold, dividends seized seeking to seize to enforce the for promotion of industry and
used to pay debts of Rs India's overseas assets such India liable for discharge of � Sources said the gov- and tax refunds withheld to award, sources said. internal trade (DPIIT), an offi-
550 crore. Besides, Rs 105 as airplanes to recover $1.72 the arbitration award against � It will contest the move ernment has also engaged recover the tax demand. “Cairn is taking the nec- cial statement said.
crore will be utilised for billion from the Indian gov- the Indian government. on grounds that the gov- a counsel team which is Subsequent to the courts essary legal steps to protect The department said that
funding capital expendi- ernment which an interna- While Cairn said it is “tak- ernment ready to defend against any in the US and other places giv- shareholders' interest in the the certification of Petrole-
ture requirements for its tional arbitration tribunal ing necessary legal steps to pro- enforcement action. ing recognition to the arbi- absence of a resolution of um and Explosive Safety Orga-
KP Line II Project and Rs 80 had awarded after overturn- tect shareholders' interest in tration award, the firm has now the arbitral award,” a company nization (PESO) will not be
crore towards upgrading ing levy of retrospective taxes. the absence of a resolution to begun bringing lawsuits to spokesperson said com- mandatory before importing
its raw grinding and Cairn on 14 May filed a law- the arbitral award”, sources in pierce the corporate veil menting on the issue. “Cairn consignment of oxygen cylin-
cement mill in Talaricheru- suit in the US District Court the government said India between the Indian govern- remains open to continuing ders, and containers.
vu. PTI for the Southern District of will take all necessary steps ment and its owned compa- constructive dialogue with The certification of PESO
New York seeking declara- to defend against any such nies such as in oil and gas, ship- the Government of India to will be required before use of
tion of Air India as the "alter “illegal enforcement action”. ping, airline and banking sec- arrive at a satisfactory outcome the oxygen cylinders, which
Trident profit: Trident Ltd ego of Indian government" by India, they said, will con- tors, to seize their overseas to this long-running issue.” entails weight and hydro test-
on Saturday reported a virtue of control and as a test the move on grounds assets to recover the money The Scottish firm invest- ing, it added. “The Indian mis-
90.51 per cent jump in its state-owned company it is that the government has chal- awarded. ed in the oil and gas sector in sions should, however, ensure
consolidated net profit to “legally indistinct from the state lenged the arbitration award The lawsuit is similar to the India in 1994 and a decade that the oxygen cylinders
Rs 76.45 crore for the itself”, three sources with in the appropriate court in The that neither the government notice is received, the gov- one brought by Crystallex later it made a huge oil dis- should comply with India or
first quarter ended March direct knowledge of the devel- Hague and it is confident nor any PSU has received ernment/concerned organ- International Corp to attach covery in Rajasthan. In 2006, international standards before
2021. The company had opment said. that the award will be set any such notice, sources aware isation shall take all necessary property of Petroleos de it listed its Indian assets on shipment,” it said.
posted a net profit of Rs It was reported on 28 March aside. of the Cairn lawsuit said the steps to defend against “any Venezuela, S.A (PDVSA), the the BSE. Five years after that, In case of filled cylinders,
40.13 crore in the January- 2021 that Cairn will bring Sources said the govern- case has been brought only such illegal enforcement state-owned oil company of the government passed a the agency exporting to India
March period a year ago, lawsuits to pierce the corpo- ment has also engaged a on Friday and notices in due action”. Venezuela, in Delaware cou- retroactive tax law and billed would have to certify that the
Trident said in a BSE filing. rate veil to establish that cer- counsel team which is ready course will come to the con- Cairn had first moved ple of years back after the Latin Cairn Rs 10,247 crore plus oxygen filled in the cylinder is
Its revenue from opera- tain state-owned entities are to defend against any enforce- cerned authorities. courts in the US, UK, Cana- American country failed to pay interest and penalty for the of such purity and concen-
tions was up by 35.69 per India's alter ego under Bancec ment action. The government sources da, France, Singapore, the the firm $1.2 billion that an reorganisation tied to the tration that is fit for medical
cent to Rs 1,344.95 crore for enforcing the arbitration While they maintained said as and when any such Netherlands and three other arbitration tribunal had flotation. use. PTI
as against Rs 991.22 crore
of the corresponding
quarter last fiscal. PTI
Bata appoints Gunjan Zensar to buy US firm GST Council to meet on
Airtel's Covid support:
Bharti Airtel has rolled out
a range of Covid support
Shah as new CEO M3bi for $30.6 million 28 May after 7 months
initiatives for customers STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE opment, Ashwani Windlass, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA chair the 43rd GST Council
by leveraging its digital KOLKATA, 15 MAY chairman, Bata India Ltd, said: PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ments and alliances to deliv- NEW DELHI, 15 MAY meeting via video confer-
platform. With this, the “I am delighted to welcome NEW DELHI, 15 MAY er maximum business impact, encing at 11 AM in New Delhi
telco joins a growing list Footwear major Bata India Gunjan on board as Bata Zensar said in its statement. Amidst a growing chorus over on 28th May 2021. The meet-
of companies that have Limited has announced the India’s new CEO. Over the Zensar today said it will In particular, M3bi strong- the GST Council meeting not ing will be attended by MOS
introduced digital tools to appointment of Gunjan Shah past few years, we have been acquire US-based M3bi in a ly augments Zensar's thrust being convened for over seven Shri @ianuragthakur besides
help people amid the as its new chief executive offi- consistently delivering strong $30.6-million deal, a move that in the data engineering, ana- months, the Union finance Finance Ministers of States &
deadly second wave of cer who will be at the helm of growth in the highly compet- will help the Indian IT firm lytics and AI/ML and ministry today announced UTs and Senior officers from
the pandemic. Airtel has the company's India opera- itive footwear market. Backed augment its thrust in data advanced engineering serv- that the next meeting of the Union Government & States,”
integrated easily accessi- tions. He takes over from by decades of experience engineering, analytics, arti- 2021 or upon fulfilment of ices, it added. The acquisi- panel that decides on taxes on it said.
ble bouquet of Covid sup- Sandeep Kataria who has been working with powerhouse ficial intelligence/machine closing conditions, whichev- tion will also add marquee goods and services will be held Opposition party-ruled
port resources and related elevated as the global CEO of brands, Gunjan understands learning and advanced engi- er is earlier, it added. clients to Zensar's portfolio on 28 May. states have been complain-
information in the Airtel Bata Brands, according to a the Indian market’s com- neering services. Post-acquisition, M3bi in banking, financial servic- The Council, headed by ing about not holding the
Thanks app's Explore sec- company statement issued plexities and varied nuances. Zensar Technologies Ltd will continue to be managed es and insurance, and other Union finance minister and GST Council meeting in recent
tion, the company said. PTI here. Gunjan will be joining I’m confident that he will add will acquire the entire share by co-founders Anir Khan- verticals, allowing Zensar including representatives of weeks. West Bengal finance
Bata during June 2021 and will value and strengthen Bata’s capital of M3bi Pvt Ltd (M3bi dekar and Suresh Potluri. and M3bi to jointly drive an all states and Union Territo- minister Amit Mitra earlier this
be based out of Gurugram, the position in the Indian market.” India), and Zensar Tech- Revenue from operations expanded set of offerings to ries, was mandated to meet week wrote to Sitharaman
Forex reserves up: The statement added. Gunjan Shah, CEO-desig- nologies Inc will acquire the of M3bi, LLC was about these global firms. every quarter to deliberate on seeking urgent convening of
country's foreign Gunjan has an extensive nate, Bata India Ltd, said: “As entire share capital of M3bi $26.75 million for the calen- “We are reinforcing our issues at hand. the meeting to discuss the issue
exchange reserves experience of working across an iconic brand, Bata has LLC, a statement said. This dar year ended 31 December strategic growth charter with The GST Council last met of compensation shortfall to
increased by $1.444 billion varied sectors spanning con- become an integral part of the acquisition will be com- 2020. M3bi was founded in the acquisition of M3bi. Our on 5 October 2020 to finalise states and other pending
to $589.465 billion in the sumer durables, telecom and Indian fabric. I realise that I pletely funded by internal April 2010 and is headquar- acquisitions in recent years contours of borrowings by items.
week ended 7 May 2021, FMCG, the company said. In have big shoes to fill in and I’m accruals, it added. tered in Scottsdale, Arizona have enhanced our com- states to meet shortfall in tax “You are kindly aware that
RBI data showed. In the his previous role, Gunjan was thrilled about working with the Zensar, in a regulatory in the US. M3bi has 445 pro- petitiveness, bringing value revenues. The meeting got the GST Council was man-
previous week ended 30 the chief commercial officer talented & experienced Bata filing, said the transaction fessionals across the US and to our customers. The team extended and ended on 12 dated to meet once in every
April 2021, the reserves at Britannia Industries. He team. I look forward to build- entails an “aggregate upfront India. steered by Anir and Suresh October. quarter. Unfortunately, this
had risen by $3.913 billion spent the early stages of his ing on the legacy of my pred- payment of $21.60 million and The addition of M3bi rein- brings a combination of Union finance minister solemn mandate has been vio-
to $588.02 billion. The career working with brands ecessors in taking the Bata performance-based deferred forces Zensar's new strategy capabilities and strong client Nirmala Sitharaman will chair lated twice over, by not call-
reserves had touched a such as Asian Paints and brand to new heights along- payments over 36 months not which focuses on areas of relationships to our fold," the 43rd meeting of the GST ing a meeting of the Council
lifetime high of $590.185 Motorola before moving on to side creating long-term sus- exceeding $9 million”. market opportunities that Harsh Goenka, chairman of Council on 28 May, her office for two consecutive quarters
billion in the week ended Britannia in 2007. tainable value for all stake- The deal is expected to allow Zensar to concentrate RPG Enterprises and Zensar tweeted. ~ not even virtually,” Mitra
29 January 2021. PTI Commenting on the devel- holders in the company.” close on or before 31 August organisation resources, invest- Technologies, said. “Smt @nsitharaman will wrote.

ESIC extends date for filing of ESI NDMC organises a Webinar on IndianOil Leverages its Expertise and
AAI’s Ranchi Airport unites to fight Corona
contribution for the month of Mental and Physical Health for its Assets to help Combat Second Wave
Airports Authority of India`s
Airports are geared up to deal
April, 2021 teachers As a responsible corporate cit- more critical cause. Presently,
with the Corona pandem- The country is dealing tions, 1950 and allowed In view of the ongoing pan- pandemic which altered izen, IndianOil continues to go it is supplying 270 MetricTonnes
ic and is making its humble with a very challenging filing of ESI contribu- demic 2nd wave phase, New the way we all look at life.The beyond its business priorities to of LMO per day to the Hospi-
contribution to fight against situation due to second tion for the month of Delhi Municipal Council ( webinar was chaired by Shri leverage its expertise and assets tals in Delhi, Haryana and Pun-
the disaster and support wave of COVID-19 Pan- April, 2021 upto 15th NDMC ) organized a webi- D P Singh, Director (Educa- to help in the humanitarian jab. IndianOil is also converting
the country. In this pan- demic. Many establish- June, 2021 instead of 15th nar on emotional and phys- tion ) NDMC emphasized on efforts to combat the second wave 14 LNG tankers of 17 MT each
demic, Ranchi Airport is ments are temporarily May, 2021.The employ- ical wellbeing of its teaching how spirituality is important of the COVID 19 pandemic into medical grade oxygen car-
also facilitating the move- closed and workers are ers covered under ESI community. Key speakers to come out from this depress- sweeping the nation. In the riers to strengthen the medical
ment of medical equipment unable to work. In line Scheme can now file and of Dr.SumitDubey, Dy. Com- ing phase of our life.On the face of a massive surge in oxygen logistics in the country.
and materials such as oxy- with the relief measures pay ESI Contribution for mandent (Medical) ITBP, occasion, besides as many demand for medical oxygen, Indi- By mid-May, over 20 Road
gen tankers, oxygen con- ity without any delay.The mis- Air Force have been trans- being extended by Gov- the month of elaborated the various issues as 500 teachers from anOil has diverted the high- Tankers and 25 ISO Containers
centrators, Nozzle, COVID19 sion at BirsaMunda Airport, ported.The Indian Air Force ernment to business enti- April,2021upto 15th June, of COVID -19 symptoms, NDMC/Navyug Schools, purity oxygen used in its Mono of about 820 MT combined
vaccine, injections, test kits Ranchi to overcome the aircraft like C 17, C 130J, AN ties and workers, Employ- 2021 instead of 15th May, treatment, home isolation, Mrs.AnjumSiddiqui, Joint Ethylene Glycol (MEG) Unit to capacity will be pressed into
and medicines. It is also oxygen crisis for the coun- 32, IL 76 and other small air- ees' State Insurance Cor- 2021.This will provide an home remedies and vacci- Director ( Education ) and Dr. produce medical-grade liquid action by IndianOil. Moreover,
being ensured by the airport try started from April 24 craft have been helping in poration (ESIC) has extended window to 12.36 nation etc. Dr.Geetanjali Dinesh Madan, HOS, Navyug oxygen at the Panipat Refinery over the next six months, Indi-
management that the move- and till 08th May 2021, a total the transportation of essen- relaxed the provision as lakh Employers to pay the Kumar, Eminent Psycholo- School Lodhi Road as coor- & Petrochemical Complex. The anOil will be manufacturing
ment of the essential mate- of 139 oxygen tankers in tial material at regular inter- entered in Regulation 31 contribution under ESI gist explained the chrono- dinator attended the webi- throughput of the Unit has also ten Cryogenic road tankers at
rials is completed on prior- 100 airplanes of the Indian vals. of ESI (General) Regula- scheme. logical effects of COVID-19 nar been scaled down to serve the its Cryogenic Plant at Nasik.

PFC organises SAIL stands strong with the

Implementation of Large scale covid Statement of Shri CH. S.S AAI Airports facilitate the Mrs Harsharan Kaur
nation, supplying more than
Covid-19 vaccination vaccination drive by MallikarjunaRao, MD and CEO of rapid and safe delivery of Trehan is first woman
e-Governance with camp, 556 people NHPC and IREDA vaccines, oxygen and Engineer-In-Chief of
1100 tonnes Liquid Medical
Punjab National Bank on RBI Oxygen per day
49 Online Services in vaccinated Monetary Policy Announcement
essentials across the PSPCL
country
NDMC. dated 05.05.2021 Amid the second wave of COVID-
In the present difficult times of RBI has come out with 19 pandemic, Airports Author-
COVID-19 Pandemic, NDMC is a timely and proactive set ity of India country in collabo-
facilitating to its Citizen to avail the of announcements for all ration its subsidiary AAI Cargo
Civic Services through Online.It is stakeholders, including Logistics & Allied Services Com- Steel Authority of India, one of the
the endeavor of NDMC to facilitate individuals, small busi- pany Ltd (AAICLAS) is playing largest domestic steel producers, has
people through the use of technology. nesses, and MSMEs, to a key role in facilitating the Punjab State Power Corpo- been enhancing its capabilities to
The pace and growth of urbaniza- State-owned non-banking financial In line with call for large scale covid vac- mitigate the incipient rapid and safe delivery of large ration limited has set anoth- supply Liquid Medical Oxygen
tion in India pose enormous chal- firm, Power Finance Corporation cination by Hon'ble Prime Minister, challenges and support volumes of doses of vaccines, oxy- er inspirational precedent (LMO) in the country.The daily deliv-
lenges to urban governance. NDMC (PFC) organised Covid-19 vaccina- ShriNarendraModi and as per directions growth impulses at the gen containers and other med- by promoting Mrs Harsha- ery of LMO from its integrated
has taken several IT-based initia- tion camps for employees and of Shri R.K. Singh, Hon'ble Minister of ground level. Simulta- ical equipment needed for the ranKaurTrehan as Engineer- steel plants situated at Bhilai (Chhat-
tives through technology inter- dependent family members of PFC State (Independent Charge) (Power neously,measures have hospitals and towards the vac- In-Chief /Material Manage- tisgarh), Rourkela (Odisha), Bokaro
vention for strengthening of e- and PFCCL (between 18 to 44 years) and New & Renewable Energy) & Min- been announced for the cination campaigns across the ment recently. She becomes (Jharkhand), Durgapur and Burn-
Governance and m-Governance , employees of Ministry of Power ister of State (Skill Development and Entre- lending institutions as country.AAI Airports Cargo ter- the first woman technocrat pur (West Bengal) has been increased
during to improve efficiency and (MoP) and other CPSUs working preneurship), Government of India, well as the State gov- serving life and liveli- minals have become an impor- to attain the position of Engi- from a level of about 500 Metric
effectiveness in providing Civic under the administrative control of NHPC Limited is undertaking large ernments to ensure hood. Similarly, Special tant hub for the storage , pro- neer-In-Chief in PSPCL.An Tonnes (MT) in the 2nd week of April
Services to citizens in an equitable, the Ministry of Power.A total of 556 scale covid vaccination drives for ample liquidity & cred- Long term Repo Oper- cessing and transportation of vac- alumnus of Delhi College of to more than 1100 MT per day cur-
non-discretionary and transpar- individuals were inoculated during employees of Ministry of Power and var- it flow support. The On- ations for SFBs (SLTRO) cines and other essentials. Engineering, Mrs Harsha- rently. The company, standing
ent manner.Accordingly, NDMC the vaccination drive with an objec- ious CPSUs/ organizations under Min- tap liquidity of Rs 50,000 of Rs 10,000 Crore will Approximately 95 million dosages ranKaurTrehan joined PSPCL strong with the nation, has so far
has introduced 49 Online Services tive to cover all eligible employees istry of Power in Delhi / NCR region. A crore for covid related facilitate last-mile cred- of vaccines have been handled (erstwhile PSEB) in 1987 as supplied around 50,000 MT of
on the NDMC website to facilitate and their dependents for protection two-day vaccination drive was jointly health care sector along it delivery to MFIs till now while taking utmost AE and rose to the level of Engi- LMO. In the month of April, 2021,
the citizens.NDMC has also imple- against Covid-19. The vaccination organized by NHPC and IREDA at with the incentives for adversely impacted by precautions through AAI Airports. neer-In-Chief. During 34 SAIL has delivered more than 17500
mented the Single SignOn drive was organised on 6thand 10th IREDA from 7th to 8th May 2021 in asso- banks like priority sec- the current wave of the Along with AAICLAS, Standard years ongoing service, she MT LMO to 15 states across the coun-
(SSO)/Identity Access Manage- May, 2021 in association with Apol- ciation with Apollo Hospitals, New tor classification and pandemic. The Operating Procedures were made served on various important try including the states in which the
ment to improve the user experi- lo Hospital for the eligible individ- Delhi. A total of 318 employees (between higher interest on sur- announcement of the in consultation with The Indi- assignments including Trans- plants are located.Till date, 14 nos.
ence and enhance security to Cit- uals between the age group of 18- the age of 18 to 44) from MOP, MNRE, plus liquidity window second purchase of Gov- an Air Force (IAF) and Bureau mission design, Substation of "Oxygen Express" carrying more
izens/employees/pensioners and 44 years at PFC Office, New Delhi. CEA, NHPC, IREDA, PFC, NSPCL, will ease access to emer- ernment Securities of of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) design, Hydel design, Ther- than 950 MT LMO have been loaded
others (as and when required) The first dose of vaccination (Cov- NTPC, and NEEPCO received their first gency health services Rs 35000 Crore under for safe delivery of vaccines mal design, GGSSTP, Ropar, for various parts of the county from
accessing applications through the ishield) was administered to the recip- dosage of Covishield vaccine during the and reaffirms the imme- GSAP assures further through airports across the IPC, Commercial org. , MM SAIL plants at Bokaro, Rourkela and
internet and intranet. ients. 2-day drive. diate objective of pre- liquidity supply. country. Org. etc. Durgapur.
 NEW DELHI,16 MAY 2021 09
Daily Covid count hovers Dr Srinath Reddy to head
around 11,000 in Odisha Odisha advisory panel
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE vaccination and said all-out
BHUBANESWAR, 15 MAY efforts are being made to buy
Graph shows signs of flattening in western parts of state vaccines both from Indian
BHUBANESWAR, 15 MAY wave has been more aggres- while the active cases rose to detected by way of local con- lockdown was enforced in The Odisha government today manufacturers as well as out-
sive than the first, Mahapatra 1,06,471 with the latest spike tact and 174 were from quar- the State. formed an advisory commit- side the country. The global

O
disha today regis- said the peak during the first of virus infection. antine. Since the past eleven days, tee comprising of eminent sci- tender has been floated .
tered 11,805 fresh wave last year in the state Khordha district account- Sundargarh and Cuttack 10,077 cases are being report- entists and doctors to suggest He also said there are
Covid cases and 21 was 8000 cases per day while ed for a maximum of four continue to be the second ed in the State at a daily aver- measures of tackling any around 15,000 Covid patients
deaths even as offi- now it ranges between 10,000 deaths followed by Angul and third worst-hit districts with age.Currently, the Khordha future waves of COVID, uni- gesting a possible third wave are admitted in the govern-
cials saw signs of flattening to 12,000 cases per day. which saw three fatalities in 1,209 and 1,197 fresh cases district has 16,133 active cases, versal vaccination, and other which is likely to affect the chil- ment Covid hospitals in the
or even drop in the test pos- He said the government was the last 24 hours. Similarly, two detected in the last 24 hours. the highest in the State followed aspects like infection among dren, observed Mahapatra State. Of them 3,000 are in ICU
itivity rate in some of the doing its best to procure vac- deaths have been reported Malkangiri and Kandhamal by Sundargarh at 11,789. children. while informing of the con- and ventilator.
western Odisha districts. cines at the earliest and Odisha each from Kalahandi, Kendra- were the least affected districts Of the infected people in Chief Secretary Suresh stitution of the expert com- To keep a tab on ICU beds,
Chief Secretary Suresh has already floated a global ten- para, Puri, Rayagada and Sun- reporting 94 and 83 new infec- Odisha, 65 percent are men Chandra Mahapatra said the mittee. four teams have been formed.
Mahapatra spoke about the sit- der for 3.80 crore doses. The dargarh districts. tions respectively in the past while 35 percent are women. high-powered advisory com- The government will act The teams will visit hospitals
uation in western Odisha dis- online bid will be opened on Khordha district logged 24 hours. The state’s recovery rate cur- mittee will be headed by Dr according to the advice of and ascertain the use of ICU
tricts which were first affect- 28 May and orders will be the highest 1,414 new cases The state recorded 585 rently stands at 81.87% with Srinath Reddy and will include the committee. It will also beds and vacancies. There
ed by the spurt in neigh- placed, he added. with the bulk of them report- fewer positive cases at a drop 4,91,674 cured of the disease eminent doctors like Dr Devi initiate measures to strength- are allegations of ICU beds
bouring Chhattisgarh . The The state reported 10,000- ed from Bhubaneswar. of 4.72 percent in the last 24 so far. Shetty, Dr Ramakanta Panda. en the infrastructure required being occupied by patients
TPR has stagnated and come plus positive cases for the State capital recorded 1118 hours at 20.70 percent the Odisha currently has The Director of Medical for infected children, the nec- who do not require it and
down in some of the western fourth day in a row. new cases in the last 24 hours test positivity rate. 1,06,471 active cases, which Education and Training, Dr C essary manpower to deal with can be treated in general beds,
districts reflecting a flattening With 21 more COVID taking the number of active As many as 1, 10, 851 cases account for 17.73% of total pos- B K Mohanty will be the con- any such eventuality. said officials. At least 75 per
of the curve, he said. patients dying, the overall cases to 11,683. Of the new have been reported in the itive cases registered in the vener. The chief secretary went on cent of the ICU beds are occu-
Noting that the second death toll has jumped to 2,294 cases, as many as 944 were state since 5 May, when the state. There are reports sug- to iterate the importance of pied now .

Pradhan pleads for 19 more Doorstep Covid test & Paddy procurement begins
PSA plants in Odisha vaccination for elderly in Kalahandi district
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
BHUBANESWAR, 15 MAY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE the district.
BHUBANESWAR, 15 MAY BHAWANIPATNA, 15 MAY The forecast of monsoon
Union Minister Dharmendra showers by the second week of
Pradhan has sought the estab- The Bhubaneswar Munici- The Rabi paddy procurement June and the pre-monsoon
lishment of 19 more Pressure pal Corporation will launch started yesterday in Kalahan- showers has made the pro-
Swing Absorption (PSA) med- doorstep Covid testing and di district amidst the uncer- curement a race against time.
ical oxygen plants in 15 districts vaccination for the old and tainty of pandemic related While procurement needs to be
of Odisha. infirm who are unable to difficulties and weather con- expedited, Covid protocol like
In a letter to his ministerial In addition to this 19 more travel to health care facilities ditions with intermittent rains. social distancing at procurement
colleague Dr Harsh Vardhan, is needed to cover the districts to avail such facilities. availability of oxygen is also In the current season 30 lakh centres is another difficulty
Pradhansaid21PSAplants,seven in the state, he said while pro- Senior citizens interest- being beefed up, he added. quintals of paddy is to be pro- faced by the administration.
Odisha DGP , Mr Abhay visits naxal prone Malkangiri district to inter- each by DRDO, Petroleum min- viding a list of the districts as pro- ed in availing of such facili- The BMC is also ready to cured and in the first phase the The other problem faced
act with BSF and others . He appealed to Maoists infected with istry and the central government posedbytheOdishagovernment ties need to call 1929 and the ferry the old and challenged district targets to purchase 16, by farmers in areas irrigated
Covid to surrender and assured them free medical treatment. SNS
is to come up in Odisha. where these can be established. BMC will send a team people to the vaccination 23523 quintals of paddy. by the right canal of Indravati
informed newly appointed centre, he said. Sixty one millers have dam project is that the fields
COVID-19 virus sneaks into endangered PVTG tribal villages BMC Commissioner Sanjay
Singh. He said the 1929 call
Incidentally, the Berham-
pur civic body has also decid-
been tagged to lift the procured
paddy from the purchasing
are not dry as yet.
The water release contin-
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE worry. Still, there is no reason also stays in the list of prior- The 13 PVTG settlers in centre has been strength- ed to introduce doorstep test- centers.On day one yesterday, ued till 14 May and the fields
BHUBANESWAR, 15 MAY to panic. The infected tribal ities of administrations con- Odisha are Birhor, Bonda, Chuk- ened. The number of hospi- ing and vaccination for senior only 691 quintals of paddy of are not yet dry, though the crop
The deadly coronavirus has groups have been isolated cerned districts. tia Bhunjia, Didayi, Juang, Kharia, tal beds and increase in the citizens. 15 farmers were procured in is ready for harvest.
sneaked its way into the habi- from the rest of the commu- Advance Public Distribution Dongria Khond, Kutia Khond,
tation of tribal settlers infect-
ing at least 21 people from the
Particularly Vulnerable Trib-
nity. Though the number of
infected people is on a less-
er scale, the government agen-
System ration besides cash
assistance has been provided
to them to tide over the cur-
Lanjia Saora, Lodha, Mankidia,
Paudi Bhuyan and Saora.
Earlier identified as Prim-
BJP MLA alleges mismanagement at Covid Hospital
al Groups (PVTGs) in differ- cies are leaving no stone rent crisis. They are also being itive Tribal Groups (PTGs), STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE The accusations of the BJP Baripada constituency of the dis- Kumar Mishra left for a private
ent parts of Odisha . unturned to stop the spread provided free cooked food at they were later re-designated BARIPADA, 15 MAY MLA were firmly denied by trict said he was forced to make hospital as he was not satisfied
At least two persons from of virus from the PVTG settlers, the government's initiative. as Particularly Vulnerable Mayurbhanj district collector several calls to the concerned with the treatment . He had tele-
the Bonda tribes, one of the said a senior official. As they are unable to sell veg- Tribal Groups (PTGs) for the BJP MLA Prakash Soren alleged Vineet Bhardwaj. authorities as family members phoned his family members who
country's most primitive trib- The administration has etables and other forest produce, purpose of receiving special total mismanagement at the “I had visited the hospital on of patients had complained to in turn told media persons and
al groups, living in Malkangiri pressed into service the self help the administration is planning attention for their all-round Covid hospital at Bankisole Saturday and found sufficient him. the MLA about the functioning
district have contracted the groups and civil society mem- to procure the yield at minimum development. saying there is a shortage of oxy- oxygen and manpower in the The MLA alleged that patients of the hospital and non-avail-
virus infection while 19 more bers to sensitize the tribals. support price through self help Studies conducted during the gen, staff are afraid of going near hospital. Some of the patients had told him how the staff was ability of oxygen.
from other PVTGs have con- The weekly and bi-week- groups, they said. pandemic last year had shown patients and some of the patients who do not require oxygen as keeping a safe distance from The MLA alleged that anoth-
tracted the disease. ly of tribal settlers have been Odisha is home to a diverse that the tribals were least infect- had left to get themselves admit- per the saturation levels demand- them while even providing er patient Rajendra Prasad Saha
The PVTGs getting infect- shut. The inoculation of the group of 62 Scheduled Tribe ed due to less exposure and cer- ted to private hospitals or remain ed it , he added. medicines and food. (52) returned home and arranged
ed is definitely a cause of groups with COVID vaccine communities and 13 PVTGs. tain traditional habits . in home isolation. Praksh Soren BJP MLA from One of the patients Dillip for an oxygen cylinder .

Children of seasonal migrant labourers Chrome ore units seek reduction Three killed,
in floor price of ore two injured
bear the brunt of pandemic STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE the e-auctions of the state- per MT for 48-50 grade Chrome in a road
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
BHUBANESWAR, 15 MAY
is 2% higher than boys”, accord-
ing to a study.
“In the first pandemic,
children were left at home with
they were left with was to
take children along with
JAJPUR, 15 MAY owned company have had a
very poor response and Fer-
Ore during e-auction on 23
April, but the OMC had fixed
accident
The education of children the hope that school will them,” said Daniel. The downstream chrome ore rochrome industries in Odisha it at Rs.16,527/- per MT). STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
The second wave of COVID- of seasonal migrant labour- reopen and they will attend At worksites, children were processors of the state have are suffering,” said the presi- Various associations have BARIPADA, 15 MAY
19 pandemic has witnessed a ers was affected in both the classroom teaching. Howev- initiated into work to support asked for a reduction in the dent of KNIA, P L Kandoi . requested that OMC should do
disturbing trend of the vul- first and second wave of er, that has not been the case family income and they floor price of chrome ore at He said during e-auction reverse price level bidding so Three persons succumbed
nerability of children of migrant COVID-19, stated a study by in the second wave of the pan- became child labourers. Chil- auctions held by the Odisha held on 23 April , only 14,800 that in case the entire quan- and two others were critically
workers with reports of school Bhubaneswar-based civil soci- demic. Parents were uncer- dren of migrant labourers Mining Corporation (OMC) in MT of Chrome Ore out of tity of chrome ore is not sold injured in a road accident on
going kids accompanying their ety group, Aide et Action. tain whether schools would could not afford online class- view of the falling price of fer- 35,100 MT was sold due to very at the floor price through e- Friday on National Highway-
parents to different worksites. The voluntary agency had open. And they took all of their es and they had a locational rochrome. high floor price. Similarly, auction, the price should be 16 near Birla Tyres Ltd under
In the process, they lend interacted with 109 parents, children with them to work- disadvantage to continue The Kalinga Nagar Indus- the earlier e-auctions in Jan- reduced till the entire quan- Balasore Industrial Police
helping hands to parents to who had 213 children with places outside State”, observed studies. tries Association (KNIA), a uary, February and March tity is sold. Station limits .
augment the family’s income them at different worksites Umi Daniel, head of the migra- There is every possibility representative body of mineral has had very poor response, The KNIA said the lifting of The car in which they
during pandemic times and (mostly brick kilns) of Bihar, tion wing of Aide et Action. that migrant children par- processors and ferrochrome he stated. chrome ore from OMC has were traveling to
have turned child labourers Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telan- “The seasonal hostels ticularly girls may fall into producers have written to KNIA had earlier request- dropped sharply from 129,702 Bhubaneswar hit a truck.
The coronavirus wave has gana. Sixty of 109 parents which used to house the chil- exploitative labour practice Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ed OMC to reduce the Chrome MT in March to 8,730 MT in One of them died on the spot
a debilitating impact on chil- were from Odisha. dren of migrant labourers and physical abuse. requesting him to dispense with Ore floor price as per sugges- April. while two others succumbed
dren of seasonal labourers, both “The assessment found were not opened. Since According to the study, the ‘arbitrary formula’ by the tions of PWC. KNIA suggests that the on way to the hospital. The
in education and health spheres that 82% of migrant children migrant labourers had not 79% of the parents were forced OMC for calculating the floor The current floor price floor price be fixed at deceased were identified as
as there has been 67% increase attending schools during the earned enough money, they to bring their children with price of chrome ore. makes it unviable for indus- Rs.12,214/- per MT for 48-50 Pintu Acharya, Rabindra
in migration of school-going first wave of COVID-19 are out could not pay for leaving them to the worksites as “Due to extremely high tries to operate, said Kandoi. grade and another round of e- Sahoo, Santosh Panda while
children this year due to pan- of school in the second wave,” behind their children with their schools were closed due to and arbitrary floor price of He said the floor price auction conducted to sell the the injured were Abhisek Das
demic. The percentage of girls says the assessment. relatives. The only option COVID-19. chrome ore fixed by the OMC, ought to have been Rs.13,457/- unsold quantity of ore. and Bapun Mohanty.

LEISURE
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RED EYE/Bill Yates & Mel Casson SUDOKU

ACROSS DOWN
1 Irish writer (5) 1 Channel Island (6)
4 Diminutive of Richard (4) 2 Sailing vessel (5)
8 Mythical bird (3) 3 Strong black coffee (8)
9 Disseminate (9) 4 Deceased (4)
10 Plea (8) 5 Taught (7)
11 Conversation (4) 6 Competitors (11)
13 Come into conflict (5,6) 7 Warm up (4)
16 Animal hide (4) 12 Askew (8)
17 Spine (8)
20 Science (9)
14 Take over from (7)
15 Church room (6) DADDY DAZE/John Kovaleski
21 Strike (3) 16 Select (4)
22 Badger’s burrow (4) 18 Alternative (5)
23 Grimy (5) 19 Thin mud (4)
irections Make a 2 to
SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S CROSSWORD 7 letter word from the
letters in each row.
ACROSS 12 Dreary, DOWN 8 Lederhosen, Add points of each
13 Rescue, 11 Premiere, word, using scoring
1 Boo, 1 Balderdash, directions at right, 7-
3 Caressed 16 Sycamore, 2 Outline, 14 Convent, letter words get 50- Sudoku is a number-placing
18 Inch, 15 Brutal, point bonus. "Blanks"
(Bucharest), 3 Calf, used as any letter puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with
7 Little finger, 20 Neverthe 4 Reflex, 17 Credo, have no point value. several given numbers. The
less, 19 Bear. All Judd’s words are
9 Epic, 5 Sentinel, in The Official object is to place the numbers 1
10 Rekindle, 21 Yodeller, 6 Emend, Scrabble Players to 9 in the empty squares so
22 Tin. Dictionary(Merriam-
Webster) and OSW that no row, no column and no
Official Scrabble answer to 3x3 box contains the same
By arrangement with The Independent rabble and Scrabble Tiles are registered trademarks. All Words(Chambers).
number. The difficulty level
Figures in parentheses denote
rights in the game are owned in the U.S.A by Hasbro Inc., Judd’s solution previous
in Canada by Hasbro Canada Inc., and elsewhere by J.W. increases through the week.
the number of letters in the words required Spear & Sons Limited, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc.
tomorrow.
10-25-12
puzzle
10
China produces more emissions than all the rest of the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries put
together. US SPECIAL ENVOY ON CLIMATE CHANGE JOHN KERRY
NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021 ON REDUCTION IN CARBON EMISSIONS

WEATHER Let’s face it: Washington UK races to test,

vaccinate as virus
adjusts to new mask norms
CITY MAX MIN
SINGAPORE 29°C 25°C H
HONG KONG
TOKYO
LONDON
26°C
18°C
17°C
20°C
12°C
09°C
H
CL
S
variant threatens plans
DUBAI 30°C 25°C S
SAN FRANCISCO 13° C 04° C H CDC had said that fully vaccinated people can doff masks outdoors, in most indoor settings
NEW YORK 10° C 07° C S
MOSCOW 16° C 09°C H
S= sunny, CL= clear,
H=hazy, R= rainy... Masks off, people cheer reopening
THUMBNAILS of bars and restaurants in Poland
ASSOCIATED PRESS lier on Friday evening to cel- resses were rushing to fill
WARSAW, 15 MAY ebrate, gathering outside orders once again. Mean-
popular watering holes. Some while, the end of a require-
Poles pulled off their masks, brought their own beer to hold ment to wear masks out-
hugged their friends and them over until the they doors added to the the sense
ASSOCIATED PRESS Office of the Attending Physi- made toasts to their regained could buy drinks at mid- of liberation. Masks will still
WASHINGTON, 15 MAY cian, Dr. Brian Monahan. freedom as restaurants, bars night though some bars were be required in settings like
“The present mask require- and pubs reopened for the also seen serving up beers and public transport and stores. ASSOCIATED PRESS would help carry out “surge

J
ill Biden says finally going ment and other guidelines first time in seven months and cocktails early. Bar owners were also LONDON, 15 MAY testing” in Bolton and Black-
mask-free feels like “we’re remain unchanged until all the government dropped a Now they are opening happy, thanks to the prospect burn in northwest England,
moving forward.” A Members and Floor staff are requirement for people to and I feel so awesome. You of being able to finally start Britain deployed public health where pop-up vaccination
Republican senator says fully vaccinated,” House Speak- cover their faces outdoors. know, you feel like your free- earning money, and many said officials, supported by the sites were also being set up
going unmasked “certainly er Nancy Pelosi said in a The reopening, for now dom is back, said Gabriel they had been bombarded army, to distribute Covid-19 to speed the inoculation drive.
helps the flow of conversation.” memo to her Democratic col- limited now to the outdoor Nikilovski, a 38-year-old from with reservation requests tests door-to-door in two The government’s scien-
But the conversation on the leagues. “Returning the Capi- consumption of food and Sweden who was having beer leading up to the opening. northern England towns on tific advisory committee says
House floor on Friday tol to the welcoming and safe drinks, officially took place on at an outdoor table at the Today we feel as if it was Saturday in an effort to con- there is no evidence so far that
A Real Portugal Circus per-
former dressed as Spider-
approached sniping as law- venue that it has been requires Saturday. Yet many could not Pavilions, a popular courtyard New Year's Eve because we tain a fast-spreading variant the variant causes more severe
man performs for the first makers objected to being us to not only secure it phys- wait for midnight to strike and filled with pubs. are counting down to mid- that threatens plans to lift lock- disease or that existing vac-
time after closing for one required to keep masking up ically but to make it safe from were out on the streets of War- DJs were finally back at night,” said Kasia Szczepan- down restrictions next month. cines won’t work against it.
year due to the COVID-19 until all 435 of them get their the virus.” saw and other cities hours ear- work and waiters and wait- ska of a popular bar, CAVA. Cases of a strain first iden- More than two-thirds of British
pandemic lockdown in Covid-19 shots. Recent surveys suggest tified in India have more than adults have received a first dose
Brasilia in Brazil. AP Across Washington, the that about 1 in 4 House law- doubled in a week, defying a of a coronavirus vaccine, and
government is adjusting to new makers are not fully vaccinated. “So we all looked at each After the CDC guidance uring it out. sharp nationwide downward 37 per cent have had both
federal guidance easing up on Lawmakers can remove other ... we took all of our masks went out, Psaki said, staff The Pentagon announced trend in infections won by doses. The government is
University of California when masks should be worn. their masks while on the off,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capi- were immediately notified Friday that fully vaccinated months of restrictions and a shortening the gap between
drops SAT scores: The Uni- “So much for following the House floor to make speech- to, R-W.Va., told Fox News on by email that they could stop Defense Department per- rapid vaccination campaign. doses for people over 50 from
versity of California won't science,” Rep. Greg Murphy, R- es, but must mask up after they Friday. “It felt very freeing, and wearing masks, including in sonnel no longer need to Government scientific advis- 12 to eight weeks in a bid to
consider SAT and ACT N.C., a urologist, said after finish. They are, however, free we had a great discussion meetings with Biden. Similar wear masks indoors or out- ers say the variant is likely more give them more protection.
scores that are submitted complaining that he’d have to to resume “pre-pandemic after that. We all felt good guidance was issued to the doors at DOD facilities. transmissible than the UK’s The government’s Scien-
with admission and schol- put his mask back on after his activities” elsewhere in the about it, and it certainly helps White House Correspondents’ Updated guidance from dominant strain, though it’s tific Group for Emergencies
arship applications under a House floor speech despite House complex of office build- the flow of conversation.” Association, which dropped the Department of Health unclear by how much. says the Indian-identified
settlement of a student being fully vaccinated. ings and public spaces. It was a much different its mask requirement for jour- and Human Services said “If the virus is significantly variant, formally known as
lawsuit that was The Centers for Disease In the Senate, Republi- scene on Friday at the White nalists on the premises. “fully vaccinated federal more transmissible, we are B.1.617.2, could be up to 50
announced Friday. AP Control and Prevention said cans Susan Collins of Maine House. Reporters caught up Psaki said it may take a few employees, fully vaccinated likely to face some hard choic- per cent more transmissible
Thursday that fully vaccinat- and Joni Ernst of Iowa were with President Joe Biden as he days to put the new guidelines onsite contractors and fully es,” Prime Minister Boris than one first recorded in
ed people ~those who are two among senators who didn’t made an unannounced appear- in place across government vaccinated visitors to feder- Johnson said. “I have to level southeast England last year
Japan, US, France hold mili- weeks past their last required hesitate to remove their masks ance on the White House dri- and figure out whether it al buildings are no longer with you that this could be a that is now the UK’s dominant
tary drill: Dozens of Japan- dose of a Covid-19 vaccine~can as soon as they heard the veway to pose for photos with means additional staff ~many required to wear masks.” serious disruption to our strain. But they say there is
ese, American and French stop wearing masks outdoors news. They were seen enter- a departing staff member. of whom have been working Mask-wearing remained progress.” He said the next a high level of uncertainty
troops landed amid pour- in crowds and in most indoor ing the Senate chamber Thurs- Asked if he was enjoying his remotely~will be allowed onto in force at the Smithsonian’s stage of lockdown-easing about the exact figure.
ing rain from a CH-47 settings. Partially vaccinated day marveling at being mask- first workday without a mask, the White House campus. National Museum of African measures would take place Mark Walport, a member
transport helicopter onto or unvaccinated people should free and calling out, “Freedom!” Biden replied “yes” as he reen- “We’re eager to get back to American History and Culture as planned on Monday, but of the advisory group, said the
a grassy field at a training keep wearing masks, the guid- Senate leadership has not tered the West Wing. a version of normal, but we as it reopened. Jill Biden warned the variant might new variant had “intensi-
area in southern Japan, ance says. commented on the updated For the first time in about need a little bit of time to imple- stopped in to greet the staff delay plans to lift all restric- fied” the race between the
part of Saturday's joint But on Capitol Hill, law- mask guidance, which came a year, reporters went ment it and also to review addi- and said the relaxed mask tions, including social dis- virus and vaccines.
scenario of defending a makers have to keep wearing down as Biden and a group of barefaced as they questioned tional steps,” Psaki said. guidance feels as though “inch tancing and face-covering New infections have plum-
remote island from an masks on the House floor, Republican senators discussed White House press secretary Some government depart- by inch we’re moving rules, on 21 June. meted to an average of around
enemy invasion. AP according to a memo from the infrastructure in the Oval Office. Jen Psaki at the daily briefing. ments didn’t need any time fig- forward” against pandemic. Johnson said soldiers 2,000 a day.

US govt calls reports of migrant Indian-American Neera FAMILY REUNION

children in buses ‘unacceptable’ Tanden appointed White

Dallas convention center and
House senior adviser
other large venues. The Dal- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA bipartisan support from vot-
las facility opened in Febru- WASHINGTON, MAY 15 ers across the country, were
ary with plans to house up to developed and led by Neera
3,000 children. Indian-American policy expert at CAP over many years. The
Health and Human Ser- Neera Tanden has been administration's efforts will
vices had 20,397 unaccom- appointed as a senior advis- be magnified with Neera
panied children in its custody er to US President Joe Biden, Tanden on the team,” Podes-
as of Wednesday. two months after she withdrew ta added.
The government flew the her nomination as Director In March, she faced a
Honduran boy to Seattle to of the White House Office of tough time for the confir-
reunite with his mother and Management and Budget mation of her nomination Queen Margrethe of Denmark waves, with from left, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian,
uncle after NBC News inquired due to stiff opposition from as Director of the White House Princess Isabella, and Crown Princess Mary, back right, with at front Prince Vincent and
about his status. Republican senators. Office of Management and Princess Josephine, on arrival for Prince Christian's confirmation at Fredensborg Castle Church
ASSOCIATED PRESS well-being of the children is MVM Inc., a transportation Tanden has been entrust- Budget (OMB) over her past on Saturday. AP
WASHINGTON, 15 MAY our priority.” contractor for the govern- ed with two tasks launch a social media outbursts against
White House press secre- ment, said it has “safely and review of the US Digital Ser- several lawmakers, including
Dr. Amy Cohen, a psychiatrist
and executive director of the
advocacy group Every Last
tary Jen Psaki said “there’s no
excuse for this kind of treat-
ment.”
professionally” transported
migrant children and families
for more than six years.
vice, and plan contingencies
that could result from the
Supreme Court's considera-
those from her own Democ-
ratic Party. She became the
Biden administration's only
Massive replenishment begins
One, said a 15-year-old Hon-
duran boy she is working
The reports are “outra-
geous, they’re unacceptable
“Over the last seven weeks,
the number of children need-
tion of Republican lawsuits
seeking to strike down the
Cabinet nominee rebuffed
by the Senate. to ease US fuel shortages
with was held on a bus from and they do not meet our stan- ing escorts in this pandemic Affordable Care Act. Tanden previously served
Saturday to Wednesday, using dard for child care,” Psaki environment has increased to Tanden, 50, is currently the as a senior adviser for health AGENCIES a peak of 16,200 early on Fri- ven from his home in Wash-
the bus bathroom during that said. The Honduran boy’s more than 7,100, creating president and CEO of a pro- reforms at the US Department FLORIDA, 15 MAY day. The nationwide average ington to Bethesda to get
time and unable to move experience, first reported by challenging travel logistics gressive think-tank, Center for of Health and Human Services. for a gallon of regular unlead- gasoline, where the wait was
about freely or communi- NBC News, comes as Health and resulting in some extend- American Progress (CAP). She worked with Congress and Motorists in southeast US ed was $3.04, from $2.95 a week 15 minutes.
cate with family. The boy and Human Services massively ed wait times on their way to She expected to join the White stakeholders on particular states on Saturday continued ago, according to AAA. “We were originally going
encountered at least three expands its capacity to house reunification sites,” the com- House team on Monday. provisions of former President to hunt for fuel as a massive An effort that involved to drive out to the beach this
other children who were held migrant children until they can pany said in a statement. “Neera's intellect, tenac- Barack Obama’s signature replenishment effort took ships under emergency weekend but we don't know
as long in the parking lot of be placed with a sponsor in MVM said it experienced ity, and political savvy will be legislative achievement, the hold, helping ease shortages waivers moving fuel from if we will, because I can't
the Kay Bailey Hutchison the United States, usually some delays at a 24-hour an asset to the Biden admin- Affordable Care Act. from a cyberattack that cut U.S. Gulf Coast refiners to the make it there and back on one
Convention Center, said parents or close relatives, regional hub where buses istration,” CAP founder and Before that, Tanden was the supplies from Florida to New northeast and 18-wheel tanker tank of gas,” Swann said.
Cohen, who also has been in while their cases wind through meet to get children on their director John Podesta said. director of domestic policy for Jersey. trunks ferrying gasoline from The hacking group blamed
contact with another child who immigration court. It comes way to join family, which He said the White House the Obama-Biden presiden- The six-day Colonial Alabama to Virginia helped to for the attack, DarkSide, said
was confined earlier to a bus in response to the largest resulted in “a child staying at has made remarkable progress tial campaign, where she Pipeline shutdown was the stem the losses. it had hacked four other com-
for an extended period. influx of unaccompanied that site longer than our tar- combating numerous once- managed all domestic poli- most disruptive cyberattack In Washington, D.C., Den- panies including a Toshiba
It is unclear how many children on record. get wait time of four hours. in-a-generation challenges cy proposals. Tanden also on record. Widespread panic nis Li was stuck on Friday at subsidiary in Germany.
children were kept on buses The department, whose This is a violation of our pol- from vaccinating millions of served as policy director for buying continued days after a Sunoco gas station that was Colonial Pipeline has not
overnight. lodging is more suited to icy and we are conducting an Americans to delivering real Hillary Clinton's first presi- the pipeline network restart- out of fuel. He had tried to find determined how the initial
“This is completely unac- longer-term stays than Bor- internal review of this inci- economic relief from the dential campaign. Before the ed, leaving filling stations gas at four stations during the breach occurred, a spokes-
ceptable,” Becerra said. “We’re der Patrol holding facilities, dent.” coronavirus pandemic, and 2008 presidential campaign, across the U.S. Southeast out day, with no luck. “I'm run- woman said this week. The
quickly investigating this to has grown its capacity to The company said the from strengthening the Afford- Tanden served as legislative of gas. ning on empty to the point 5,500-mile pipeline carries
get to the bottom of what hap- about 20,000 beds from less child had access to an air-con- able Care Act to tackling cli- director in Clinton’s office, and More than 14,000 gas sta- where I don't want to drive 100 million gallons of gaso-
pened, and we’ll work to than 1,000 in mid-February. ditioned bus, food and snacks, mate change. deputy campaign manager tions surveyed by fuel track- anymore,” said Li, who is line, diesel and jet fuel per day
make sure this never happens It’s opened 14 emergency bottled water and personal “Many of these bold pol- and issues director for Clin- ing app GasBuddy were expe- from Annapolis, Maryland. from Texas refineries to East
again. The safety and intake centers, including at the protective equipment. icy solutions, which have ton's 2000 Senate campaign. riencing outages, down from Nicholas Swann had dri- Coast markets.

Vaccine passports: Why they are good for society

ASSOCIATED PRESS bars. The duty of easy rescue has minimal discomfort to the er greatly at minimal cost. Governments also have a duty Portugal to allow EU Tourists from Liechten-
LONDON, 15 MAY The UK government had to been used to make the case donors. This is currently the case to ensure good public health. and UK tourists stein, Norway, Iceland and
roll back plans to trial vaccine for public health measures, The duty of easy rescue is for Covid-19 vaccinations. For example, in the UK, the US Portugal will allow tourist Switzerland are also allowed.
As more and more people get passports after some of the including the use of health what is known as a minimal There is an extremely low risk and elsewhere, governments flights from European Union Visitors will have to show
vaccinated, some govern- venues involved experienced records and the donation of theory of moral obligation. To of serious side effects with the have made smoking illegal in countries with low infection proof of a negative test taken
ments are relying on vaccine significant backlash against the blood. As a society, we have a understand this theory, Covid-19 vaccines. enclosed places because of the rates and from the UK, but up to 72 hours before a flight
passports as a way of reopen- proposals. collective duty of easy rescue. philosopher Peter Singer So it is not just a safety for risk to public health due to pas- passengers must show a neg- and airlines will be fined
ing society. These passports are This is perhaps not sur- For example, if each per- famously described the fol- oneself and a kindness to oth- sive smoking. ative coronavirus test on between 500 euros ($607) and
essentially certificates that prising vaccine passport son in the population who was lowing thought experiment: ers, but a moral obligation to Studies have shown that arrival, the Interior Ministry 2,000 euros for each passen-
show the holder has been schemes are controversial, eligible could donate a few mil- If you are walking past a be vaccinated. smoke-free legislation has said on Saturday. ger who boards without pre-
immunised against Covid- with some arguing that they lilitres of blood easily (say shallow pond and see a child Equally, vaccination pass- been associated with reduced The announcement came senting proof of a negative test.
19, which restaurants, pubs, will reinforce inequalities. But some vial was created that drowning in it, you ought to ports are a minimal cost for heart attacks related to pas- a day after the Portuguese Portugal currently only
bars, sports venues and oth- there is an ethical case for using could be posted to each per- wade in and pull the child out. returning to normal daily life sive smoking. tourism authority gave the allows essential flights for pro-
ers can use to grant them some form of certification of son), and collectively this This will mean getting your and for reducing anxiety for The danger of being green light to UK tourists fessional, study, family reunion,
entry. Covid status, as long as it is would solve the blood supply clothes muddy, but this is those you come into contact enclosed with individuals with to enter the country from health or humanitarian reasons.
Israel currently operates a designed properly and as long shortage, then each person insignificant, while the death with on aeroplanes or in the- Covid-19 in close environ- Monday. In a statement, it Travellers from countries where
green pass system, which as everyone has access to ought to donate a few millil- of the child would be a tragedy. atres, restaurants or public sta- ments is similar in fact, said the ban will be lifted on 500 or more cases per 100,000
allows vaccinated people vaccines. itres of blood. The thought experiment diums. They are a small sac- Covid-19 presents a far greater European countries with less people have been reported
access to theatres, concert Let's look at the ethics of Doing so would literally be illustrates a situation in which rifice for a greater good. danger to life than passive than 500 cases of infections per over a 14-day period can only
halls, indoor restaurants and vaccination and certification. life-saving, at no cost and a person can benefit anoth- A duty to ensure health smoking. 100,000 people. enter Portugal.
 11
They attacked our capital, they fired rockets at our cities. They’re
paying and will continue to pay dearly for that. It’s not over yet.
ISRAEL PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
NEW DELHI, 16 MAY 2021
ON THE CONFLICT WITH HAMAS IN THE GAZA STRIP

THUMBNAILS
Israeli airstrike on Gaza camp kills 10
US diplomat Hady Amr arrived on Friday as part of Washington’s efforts to de-escalate the conflict, UN Security Council is set to meet today
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GAZA CITY, 15 MAY Israel strike Israeli military accused of
using media to trick Hamas
A
n Israeli air raid in destroys
Gaza City killed at
least 10 Palestinians,
building ASSOCIATED PRESS ing, ground incursions have
mostly children, early housing media JERUSALEM, 15 MAY resulted in widespread
Technicians applaud after a
Saturday in the deadliest sin-
gle strike since the battle with
offices Early Friday, just after mid-
destruction in Gaza and heavy
casualties on both sides.
successful landing of Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers GAZA CITY, 15 MAY night, the Israeli military put That set the stage for the
China's Mars mission at the
erupted earlier this week. out an ominous statement to late-night deception. Accord-
Beijing Aerospace Control
Center in Beijing on
Both sides pressed for an An Israeli airstrike the media: IDF air and ground ing to Heller, Israel began
Saturday. AP
advantage as cease-fire efforts destroyed a high-rise build- troops are currently attack- scrambling forces along the
gathered strength. ing in Gaza City that housed ing in the Gaza Strip. border in what appeared to
The latest outburst of vio- offices of The Associated The terse statement set off be final preparations for an
China cancels Everest lence began in Jerusalem and Press and other media frenzied speculation that invasion. Then came the
climbs: China has cancelled has spread across the region, outlets on Saturday, the lat- Israel had launched a ground announcement to the media,
attempts to climb Mount with Jewish-Arab clashes and est step by the military to invasion of Gaza ~ a much- issued simultaneously in
Everest from its side of rioting in mixed cities of Israel. silence reporting from the feared scenario that would Hebrew and Arabic on Twit-
the world's highest peak There were also widespread territory amid its battle with mark a bloody escalation of ter. There followed alerts in
because of fears of Palestinian protests on Friday (Left) A protester waves the Palestinian flag during clashes with the Israeli forces at the Hawara the militant group Hamas. this week's operation against major outlets that the inva-
importing Covid-19 cases in the occupied West Bank, checkpoint, south of the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday. (Right) An Israeli artillery unit fires The strike came near- Hamas militants. Some sion was under way.
from neighbouring Nepal, where Israeli forces shot and toward targets in the Gaza Strip, at the Israeli Gaza border on Saturday. AP ly an hour after the mili- reporters were even told out- The Israeli moves sent
state media reported. The killed 11 people. tary ordered people to right the incursion had begun. Hamas fighters rushing into
closure was confirmed in a The spiralling violence has women; in Israel, seven peo- front the strong people! Short- Gaza's infrastructure, evacuate the building, Hours later, the military defensive positions in an
notice Friday from China's raised fears of a new Palestinian ple have been killed, includ- ly afterward, Hamas said it fired already in widespread disre- which also housed Al- issued a clarification. There underground network of tun-
General Administration of intifada, or uprising at a time ing a six-year-old boy and a a salvo of rockets at southern pair because of an Israeli- Jazeera, other offices and were no troops inside Gaza. nels known as the Metro,
Sport, the official Xinhua when there have been no soldier. Israel in response to the Egyptian blockade imposed residential apartments. But by then, several major according to Heller and other
News Agency said. AP peace talks in years. Pales- Rocket fire from Gaza and airstrike. after Hamas seized power in The strike brought the news outlets had erroneously Israeli reports.
tinians were set to mark Nakba Israel’s bombardment of the A furious Israeli barrage 2007, showed signs of break- entire 12-story building reported the ground offensive Israel called in 160 war-
(Catastrophe) Day on Satur- blockaded Palestinian terri- early Friday killed a family of ing down further, com- down, collapsing with a was under way. planes and bombarded the
Taiwan battles pandemic: day, when they commemorate tory continued into early Sat- six in their house and sent pounding residents’ misery. gigantic cloud of dust. While the army attempt- tunnels for 40 minutes, the mil-
imposed new restrictions the estimated 7,00,000 peo- urday, when an airstrike on a thousands fleeing to UN-run The territory's sole power There was no immediate ed to play down the incident itary said. Heller said it was
in its capital city on Satur- ple who fled or were driven three-story house in a refugee shelters. The military said plant is at risk of running explanation for why it was as a misunderstanding, well- his understanding that scores
day as it battled its worst from their homes in what is camp in Gaza City killed eight the operation involved 160 out of fuel in the coming attacked. AP placed Israeli military com- of militants had been killed,
outbreak since the pan- now Israel during the 1948 war children and two women from warplanes dropping some 80 days. mentators said the media though he said it was impos-
demic began. Authorities surrounding its creation. That an extended family. tons of explosives over the The UN said Gazans are had been used as part of an sible to say.
raised the alert level for raised the possibility of even Mohammed Abu Hatab course of 40 minutes and already enduring daily power ans protested against the elaborate ruse to lure Hamas “What we saw tonight was
Taipei, the capital, and the more unrest. told reporters his wife and five succeeded in destroying a cuts of 8 to12 hours and at least Gaza campaign and Israeli militants into a deadly trap a very sophisticated operation
surrounding area of New US diplomat Hady Amr children had gone to celebrate vast tunnel network used by 2,30,000 have limited access actions in Jerusalem. Waving that may have killed dozens that had a media aspect to it”,
Taipei city. The level 3 arrived on Friday as part of the Eid al-Fitr holiday with Hamas. to tap water. The impoverished Palestinian flags, they trucked of fighters. “They didn’t lie”, Heller said.
alert, which remains in Washington’s efforts to de-esca- relatives. She and three of the Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, and densely populated terri- in tires that they set up in burn- said Or Heller, a veteran mil- Hamas has not commented
effect for two weeks, late the conflict, and the UN children, aged 6 to 14, were killed, a military spokesman, said the tory is home to 2 million ing barricades and hurled itary correspondent on Israel’s on the incident, and it was
requires people to wear a Security Council was set to while an 11-year-old is miss- military aims to minimize Palestinians, most of them stones at Israeli soldiers. At least Channel 13 TV. It was a impossible to confirm the
mask outdoors and limits meet Sunday. But Israel turned ing. Only his 5-month-old son collateral damage in striking the descendants of refugees 10 protesters were shot and manipulation. It was smart Israeli reports. Heller said vet-
indoor gatherings to five down an Egyptian proposal for Omar is known to have survived. military targets. But mea- from what is now Israel. killed by soldiers. An 11th and it was successful. eran Israeli correspondents,
people and outdoor gath- a one-year truce that Hamas Children’s toys and a sures it takes in other strikes, The conflict has reverber- Palestinian was killed when he Late on Thursday, after who have close ties to the
erings to 10 people. Health rulers had accepted, an Egypt- Monopoly board game could such as warning shots to get ated widely. Israeli cities with tried to stab a soldier at a mil- days of airstrikes, Israel military and in many cases have
authorities said that 180 ian official said Friday on be seen among the rubble, as civilians to leave, were not fea- mixed Arab and Jewish pop- itary position. announced it was calling up served themselves, knew that
new locally spread cases condition of anonymity to well as plates of uneaten food sible this time. ulations have seen nightly PM Benjamin Netanyahu thousands of reservists and there was no way Israel was
had been confirmed, the discuss the negotiations. from the holiday gathering. Israeli media said the mil- violence, with mobs from has vowed that Hamas will pay amassing troops along the bor- sending troops across enemy
majority in Taipei and New Since last Monday night, There was no warning,” said itary believed dozens of mil- each community fighting in a very heavy price for its rock- der ahead of a possible ground lines at this stage.
Taipei. AP Hamas has fired hundreds of Jamal Al-Naji, a neighbour itants were killed inside the tun- the streets and trashing each et attacks as Israel has massed invasion. Heller and other military
rockets into Israel, which has living in the same building. You nels. The Hamas and Islam- other’s property. troops at the frontier. US Pres- In another sign of escala- correspondents even put
pounded the Gaza Strip with filmed people eating and then ic Jihad militant groups have In the occupied West Bank, ident Joe Biden has expressed tion, Israeli tanks stationed out statements on Twitter
Iran minister cancels Vienna strikes. In Gaza, at least 126 you bombed them?” he said, confirmed 20 deaths in their on the outskirts of Ramallah, support for Israel while say- along the border opened fire assuring the jittery public that
visit: Iran's foreign minister people have been killed, addressing Israel. “Why are you ranks, but the military said the Nablus and other towns and ing he hopes to bring the vio- at targets inside Gaza. there was no ground opera-
has called off a planned including 31 children and 20 confronting us? Go and con- real number is far higher. cities, hundreds of Palestini- lence under control. In previous rounds of fight- tion.
visit to his Austrian coun-
terpart in Vienna. The deci-
sion came after Austria's
chancellery and foreign
ministry flew the Israeli
China completes historic Mars spacecraft landing Back-to-back tornadoes kill
flag as a signal of solidarity
in Israel's conflict with the
militant Hamas group. Aus-
trian daily Die Presse
AGENCIES
BEIJING, 15 MAY

An uncrewed Chinese space-

Tianwen-1 was one of three
that reached Mars in Febru-
ary, with US rover Persever-
ance successfully touching
12 in China; over 300 injured
reported on Saturday that craft successfully landed on down on Feb. 18 in a huge BEIJING, 15 MAY said at a news conference
Iranian minister Mohammad the surface of Mars on Sat- depression called Jezero Crater, Saturday that eight had died
Javad Zarif would meet urday, state news agency Xin- more than 2,000 km away Back-to-back tornadoes killed and 230 were injured.
Alexander Schallenberg on hua reported, making China from Utopia Planitia. 12 people in central and east- They said that 28 homes
Saturday. AP the second space-faring nation Hope - the third spacecraft ern China and left more than collapsed in Wuhan, anoth-
after the United States to land that arrived at Mars in Feb- 300 others injured, authori- er 130 were damaged and
on the Red Planet. ruary this year~is not designed ties said Saturday. put economic losses at 37
Iran’s hard-line The Tianwen-1 spacecraft to make a landing. Launched Eight people died in the million yuan ($5.7 million), the
judiciary chief landed on a site on a vast plain
known as Utopia Planitia, sisted of "nine minutes of signs of ancient life, includ-
by the United Arab Emirates,
it is currently orbiting above
inland city of Wuhan on Fri-
day night and four others in
Hubei Daily newspaper said.
Construction site sheds and
registers for "leaving a Chinese footprint terror" as the module decel- ing any sub-surface water Mars gathering data on its the town of Shengze, about 400 two cranes were also damaged,
Presidential run on Mars for the first time," Xin-
hua said.
erates and then slowly
descends.
and ice, using a ground-pen-
etrating radar.
weather and atmosphere.
The first successful land-
kilometers (250 miles) east in
Jiangsu province, local gov- 149 others had minor injuries.
while downed power lines
knocked out electricity, Xin-
Chinese President Xi Jin- The official landing time Tianwen-1, or “Questions ing ever was made by NASA’s ernments said. The first tor- Shengze is near Shanghai on hua said.
ping issued a message of con- was 2318 GMT (0718 Beijing to Heaven”, after a Chinese Viking 1 in July 1976 and then nado struck Shengze about 7 China’s east coast. Photos showed a swarm of
gratulations to all the people time), Xinhua said, citing the poem written two millennia by Viking 2 in September that p.m., damaging homes and Another tornado hitWuhan rescuers searching through
involved in the mission. China National Space Admin- ago, is China's first indepen- year. A Mars probe launched factories and knocking out at about 8:40 p.m. with winds building debris in Wuhan
"You were brave enough for istration. The rover took more dent mission to Mars. A probe by the former Soviet Union power, the official Xinhua of 86 kilometers (53 miles) per after midnight Friday and
the challenge, pursued excel- than 17 minutes to unfold its co-launched with Russia in landed in December 1971, News Agency reported. hour, destroying more than workers clearing metallic
lence and placed our coun- solar panels and antenna and 2011 failed to leave the Earth’s but communication was lost The Suzhou city govern- two dozen homes and trig- debris at a factory in Shengze
DUBAI, 15 MAY try in the advanced ranks of send signals to ground con- orbit. The five-tonne space- seconds after landing. ment, which oversees the gering a power outage affect- in the morning. Wuhan is the
planetary exploration," he trollers more than 320 million craft blasted off from the China is pursuing an ambi- town, said in a social media post ing 26,600 households, Xin- city where Covid-19 was first
The hard-line cleric in said. "Your outstanding kilometres away. southern Chinese island of tious space programme. It is that four people had died and hua said. Officials in Wuhan detected in late 2019.
charge of Iran’s judiciary achievement will forever be The rover, named Zhurong, Hainan in July last year, testing reusable spacecraft
who also took part in a etched in the memories of the will now survey the landing launched by the powerful and is also planning to estab-
panel involved in the mass
execution of thousands of
motherland and the people."
The craft left its parked orbit
site before departing from
its platform to conduct inspec-
Long 5 March rocket.After
more than six months in tran-
lish manned lunar research sta-
tion. In a commentary pub- UN chief: Foreign fighters in Saudis to host
prisoners in 1988 regis- at about 1700 GMT Friday tions. Named after a mythi- sit, Tianwen-1 reached the Red lished on Saturday, Xinhua said meeting of
tered on Saturday to run
for the country’s presi-
(0100 Beijing time Saturday).
The landing module sepa-
cal Chinese god of fire, Zhurong
has six scientific instruments
Planet in February where it had
been in orbit since.
China was “not looking to
compete for leadership in
Libya are violating cease-fire Muslim nations’
dency.
Ebrahim Raisi has been
rated from the orbiter three
hours later and entered the
including a high-resolution
topography camera.
If Zhurong is successfully
deployed, China would be
space” but was committed to
“unveiling the secrets of the
ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNITED NATIONS, 15 MAY
commander Khalifa Hifter
and his forces, backed by
foreign ministers
named as a possible suc- Martian atmosphere, the offi- It will study the planet's sur- the first country to orbit, land universe and contributing to Egypt and the United Arab DUBAI, 15 MAY
cessor to Iran’s 82-year-old cial China Space News said. face soil and atmosphere. and release a rover in its maid- humanity’s peaceful use of The UN chief said foreign Emirates, launched an offen-
Supreme Leader Ayatollah It said the landing process con- Zhurong will also look for en mission to Mars. space.” fighters and mercenaries sive to try and capture Tripoli. Saudi Arabia has called for
Ali Khamenei, leading some remain in Libya in violation His 14-month-long campaign foreign ministers of the
to suggest he wouldn’t run of last October’s cease-fire collapsed after Turkey stepped world’s largest body of Mus-
in the race. However, his reg-
istration shows he still has
interest in the office he
Myanmar army battles anti-coup agreement and called for
their withdrawal and an end
to violations of the UN arms
up its military support of the
UN-backed government with
hundreds of troops and thou-
lim nations to hold a meet-
ing on Sunday. The gather-
ing is to discuss Israeli acts
failed to obtain in 2017.
His close ties to
Khamenei and populari-
ty in part from his televised
rebels in northwest town embargo, saying these are crit-
ical elements for lasting peace
in the north African country
and the region.
sands of Syrian mercenaries.
An October cease-fire
agreement that included a
demand for all foreign fight-
of violence against Pales-
tinians and the Israeli police’s
use of force against protest-
ers at Al-Aqsa mosque in
anti-corruption campaign AGENCIES by phone. information and the Inter- Secretary-General Anto- ers and mercenaries leave Jerusalem.
could make him a favourite YANGON, 15 MAY There had been civilian net. Reuters cannot inde- nio Guterres said in a report Libya within 90 days led to a The kingdom will host
in an election in which casualties, he said, but could pendently verify arrests and to the UN Security Council deal on the transitional gov- the virtual summit, gather-
analysts already believe Myanmar’s army battled local not confirm the number. casualty numbers. obtained on Friday by The ernment and December elec- ing ministers of the 57-nation
that hard-liners enjoy an militia fighters in the north- Five civilians had been Junta spokesman Zaw Min Associated Press that the tions. Organization of Islamic Coop-
edge. A crush of journal- western town of Mindat on Sat- killed in Mindat in the past two Tun told a news conference that smooth transfer of power to The UN estimated in eration “to discuss the Israeli
ists followed Raisi through urday, residents said, to try to days, said Doctor Sasa, min- 63 people had been killed a new interim government, December that there were at aggression in the Palestinian
the Interior Ministry as he quell a rebellion that has ister of international cooper- recently in what he described which took power in March, least 20,000 foreign fighters territory,” particularly acts of
registered, the 60-year- sprung up to oppose the junta ation in a shadow National as various "terrorist attacks" brings renewed hope for the and mercenaries in Libya, violence in the vicinity of Al-
old cleric waving to staffers which seized power in the Unity Government set up to by the administration's oppo- reunification of the country including Syrians, Russians, Aqsa Mosque, the body said
as he passed. Southeast Asian country in rival the junta. nents, appealing to people to and its institutions and for a Sudanese and Chadians. But Saturday. The Saudi-head-
In a statement just February. Myanmar already had some inform on the attackers. lasting peace. But he said at an informal council meet- quartered OIC includes coun-
before his registration, The fighting in Mindat, three nieces were hit by shrap- two dozen ethnic armed Anti-junta protests were progress must continue on the ing in late April, speakers tries Iran, Turkey, Indonesia
Raisi promised to fight Chin state, underlines the nel. They are not even teens.” groups, who have waged war held in the main city of Myan- political, economic and secu- said there were more than and a range of Muslim major-
poverty and corruption, growing chaos in Myanmar as The junta imposed martial for decades against an army mar and many other towns on rity tracks to enable elec- 20,000, including 13,000 Syr- ity nations.
humiliation and discrim- the junta struggles to impose law in Mindat on Thursday and dominated by the Bamar Saturday. tions to go ahead on 24 ians and 11,000 Sudanese, The sanctity of Al-Aqsa
ination if he becomes Pres- its authority in the face of then stepped up attacks on majority. The Chinland Defence A poet who had criticised December. according to diplomats. mosque, one of Islam’s holi-
ident. He added his tenure daily protests, strikes and what it called "armed terror- Force was set up in response military rule had been soaked Libya has been wracked by Guterres said in the new est sites, is a sensitive and
in office would seek to sabotage attacks after over- ists". A spokesman did not to the coup. The agency was in gasoline and burned to chaos since a NATO-backed report that while the cease- emotive issue for Muslims
have a popular adminis- throwing elected leader Aung answer calls requesting com- unable to reach the group for death in the central town of uprising toppled longtime fire continues to hold, the U.N. around the world. The OIC
tration for a powerful Iran, San Suu Kyi. ment on the fighting on Sat- comment on Saturday. Monywa on Friday, residents dictator Moammar Gadhafi political mission in Libya was formed 51 years ago in
a dig at Iran’s current pres- “We are running for our urday. At least 788 people have said. SeinWin was the third poet in 2011, and split the oil- has received reports of for- response to a Jewish extrem-
ident, the relatively mod- lives,” one resident told Reuters Fighters of the Chinland been killed by the junta's to be killed in the town, a rich North African country tifications and defensive posi- ist arson attack on the Al-Aqsa
erate Hassan Rouhani. from Mindat, a hill town just Defence Force retreated as security forces in crackdowns stronghold of opposition to the between a UN-supported tions being set up in central Mosque in east Jerusalem.
Activists, however, hold over 100 km (60 miles) from military reinforcements on protests against its rule, junta.The army took power government in the capital, Libya on the key route The hilltop on which the
a far different view of Raisi the border with India. advanced with artillery bom- according to an advocacy alleging fraud in an election Tripoli, and rival authorities between the strategic city of mosque stands is also sacred
over his involvement in “There are around 20,000 bardments and helicopter group. won by Suu Kyi's party in based in the country's east, Sirte, the gateway to the to Jews, who revere it as the
the 1988 mass execution of people trapped in town, most attacks, a member of a local The military, which dis- November. Its claims of irreg- each backed by armed groups country's major oil fields Temple Mount because it was
prisoners at the end of of them are kids, old people,” administration set up by the putes that number, imposes ularities were rejected by the and foreign governments. and export terminals, and the site of the biblical tem-
Iran’s long war with Iraq. the resident added. “My friend's junta's opponents told Reuters tight restrictions on media, electoral commission. In April 2019, east-based Jufra. ples. AP
 TO EACH HIS OWN
NEW DELHI
16 MAY 2021 12
New Zealand batsman Devon Conway (in photo,
left) is sprinkling kitty litter, or granulated clay,
on practice wickets to simulate spin on the
rough, hoping this will help him cope with bowlers
like Ravichandran Ashwin during the World
Test Championship final against India
next month.

For more updates Posted at RMS, Delhi, Postal Reg. No. DL (ND)-11/6089/2018-19-20
www.thestatesman.com

THUMBNAILS
Lahiri misses cut: India's
Anirban Lahiri holed six
birdies, but it was not
Federer wants end to Kiwis depart for England
for WTC final vs India

Olympic uncertainty
enough to hang around for
weekend action as he INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE The squad: Kane
missed the cut by a shot at AUCKLAND, 15 MAY Williamson (captain), Tom
the AT&T Byron Nelson Blundell, Trent Boult, Tim
Championship in McKinney The New Zealand men's Southee, Doug Bracewell,
(US). cricket team departed for Devon Conway, Colin de
AGENCIES Nadal ends losing streak consecutive semifinal at the Foro England on Saturday night to Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy,
Match postponed: The FIH GENEVA, 15 MAY against Zverev Italico where he has lifted play a two-Test series, followed Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson,
Rafael Nadal ended a run of three the trophy five times, most by the ICC World Test Cham- Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell,

T
Hockey Pro League match-
es between Belgium and ennis great Roger Fed- straight losses to Alexander recently last September when pionship (WTC) final against Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel,
Argentina, scheduled on erer(inphoto)has called Zverev with a convincing 6-3, the tournament was moved to the Virat Kohli-captained Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell
May 22 and 23, was on Sat- on Olympics organis- 6-4 win over the German to reach later in the year because of the India. Santner, Ross Taylor, Neil
urday postponed due to ers to end the uncer- the Italian Open semifinals. coronavirus pandemic. While the Black Caps will Wagner, BJ Watling, and Will
travel restrictions imposed tainty around theTokyo Games, Zverev beat Nadal in straight Djokovic didn't have much play the first Test against the Young.
in the wake of a fresh with the 20-time Grand Slam sets at the same stage in Madrid time to rest before he faces hosts from June 2 in London,
surge in COVID-19 cases winner saying he was still in two a week ago and their latest home favorite Lorenzo Sonego the second Test will com- Holder to miss initial
worldwide. minds whether to compete. meeting was also one-sided. later Saturday for a spot in the mence in Birmingham on part of Windies camp
The Olympics are set to run from Nadal raced to 4-0 in the first final. June 10.
Selector's job: Former India 23 July to 8 August after being set and saved all eight break Sonego was backed by a The Kiwis will then take All-rounder Jason Holder,
batsman Surinder Amar- postponed in March last year points he faced in the second. loud crowd when he rallied on India in WTC final at who was part of the postponed
nath has applied for the over the coronavirus pandemic. “I played more solid than past seventh-ranked Andrey Southampton from June 18. Indian Premier League (IPL)
junior selector's position in But Japan, battling a surge Madrid. Conditions are differ- Rublev 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to reach his New Zealand Cricket with SunRisers Hyderabad,
the BCCI. The application of infections, has extended ent,” Nadal said, alluding to the first Masters semifinal. Their (NZC) posted pictures of the has been rested for the first
deadline for the five until the end of May a state of fact that the high-altitude of the match was washed out Friday. departing team on twitter part ofWest Indies' three-week
vacancies ended last emergency in its capital, Tokyo, Spanish capital allowed Zverev Fans were allowed to fill and instagram. high-performance camp that
month and the BCCI will and three areas. to dominate more with his 25% of capacity as part of the "London on Getting set. begins on Sunday in St Lucia.
soon get going with the "Honestly I don't know what serve. “Here are little bit more Italian government's reopen- After two Lincoln camps, World No. 1 Test all-round-
selection process. to think. I'm a bit between the normal conditions. I was able ing plan. our New Zealand-based play- er Holder will join at the end
two," Federer, who won a dou- to control a little bit more,” he Nine-time Rome champion ers heading to England! The of the month. He is being rest-
WFI cancels camp: The bles gold in the 2008 Beijing go. I don't know." risks of holding the Olympics said. Nadal, aiming for a record- Rafael Nadal was facing big-serv- squad will travel to Southamp- ed due to his workload across
planned camp for eight Games and a silver in singles A petition calling for the amid the pandemic should extending 10th Rome title, will ing American Reilly Opelka in ton on arrival in England to all formats of the game in
Olympic-bound Indian four years later in London, told cancellation of the resched- continue to be carefully dis- next face big-serving American the other semifinal. prepare for the first Test recent months and will arrive
wrestlers in Sonepat has Swiss television station Leman uled Games garnered 350,000 cussed. Federer, a father of Reilly Opelka, who reached his In the women's tourna- against @englandcricket start- in St. Lucia at the end of the
been cancelled due to hard Bleu on Friday. "I would love to signatures in nine days and was four, said he had taken the first Masters semifinals by edg- ment, French Open champion ing at the @homeofcricket month.
quarantine and they will play in the Olympics, win a medal submitted to organisers on Fri- Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vac- ing Argentine qualifier Federi- Iga Swiatek beat two-time Rome (Lord's) on the 2nd of June," The camp, which com-
instead train in multiple for Switzerland. It would make day, raising new questions cine. "I'm glad that I could do co Delbonis 7-5, 7-6 (2). champion Elina Svitolina 6-2, NZC said on instagram. prises 30 players, will include
European cities, with the me especially proud. But if it about whether the Olympics it, with all the travelling I do," 7-5 to set up a semifinal later The Blackcaps had made two 'best v best' inter-squad
national federation allow- doesn't happen because of the should go ahead. said Federer, who will play the Djokovic outlasts Tsitsipas against 17-year-old American Lincoln, on the South Island, matches as West Indies look
ing each of them a sparring situation, I would be the first to Rafa Nadal, who is tied with Geneva Open next week, his sec- to reach Rome semis Coco Gauff. as its final training base ahead to their final series in
partner of their choice. understand. Federer at 20 for the most ond tournament since return- Karolina Pliskova was play- before the journey. the ICC World Test Champi-
"I think what the athletes Grand Slam singles titles in ing in March after a year out due Top-ranked Novak Djokovic ing Petra Martic in the other This will be the last tour onship, against South Africa
Junior World C'ships: A need is a decision: is it going to men's tennis, and 23-times to knee problems. regained his cool after throw- semifinal. for New Zealan's wicket- in June. Test captain Kraigg
two-member Indian team, happen or is it not going to hap- Grand Slam winner Serena "EvenifI'mstayinginSwitzer- ing his racket off the court in a TheDjokovic-Tsitsipasmatch keeper-batsman, 35-year- Brathwaite and fast bowlers
including Youth Olympics pen? "At the moment, we have Williams this week said they were land, I think there are advan- grueling, rain-delayed 4-6, 7-5, began on Friday but was sus- old BJ Watling, who recent- Kemar Roach and Alzarri
gold medallist weightlifter the impression that it will hap- still unsure of competing in tages. Above all, I did it for oth- 7-5 quarterfinal victory over Ste- pended overnight with Tsitsi- ly announced that he was retir- Joseph will not be attending
Jeremy Lalrinnunga, will pen. We know it's a fluid situ- Tokyo. Japan's top-ranked ers because I don't want to give fanosTsitsipas at the Italian Open pas leading 2-1 in the second ing from competitive crick- as they are currently com-
leave on Tuesday to take ation. And you can also decide women's and men's tennis it to anyone else, even if I still on Saturday. set and up a break with play et. Watling represented New peting in English County
part in the World Junior as an athlete if you want to go. players - Naomi Osaka and Kei remain very careful. Djokovic fought back from having already been inter- Zealand in 73 Tests, 28 ODIs Championship and will return
Championship in Tashkent If you feel there's a lot of resist- Nishikori - also added their "We're very careful with the breaks of his serve in each of the rupted for 3 hours due to the and five T20Is. to the West Indies for Test
from May 23 to 31. ance, maybe it's better not to voice to the concerns, saying the family and with our friends." final two sets to reach his eighth intermittent rain. series if selected.

Footballers to practise in Qatar 'Krishnamurthy treated Games cricket's big triumvirate plays
ahead of qualifying matches shabbily by cricket board' DAWN/ANN fan. The draft, a 21-page doc- This restructuring of the ICC
KARACHI, 15 MAY ument in pure management- is done foremost for the three
AGENCIES India are out of the AGENCIES speak and filled with org- boards, and the real "stake-
NEW DELHI, 15 MAY
reckoning for a 2022 NEW DELHI, 15 MAY It was clear when Niranjan charts, reads like the sort of holders" (a word that is quite
Shah (in photo), the BCCI thing delusional MBAs with frankly abused in the paper)
The Indian football team will World Cup berth but Former Australian women's vice-president said that India no love for the game would like the fans are worth nada.
leave for Qatar on 19 May after are still in contention team captain Lisa Sthalekar couldn't give a flying toss write. The fact that the paper has
the Persian Gulf country, in a for a 2023 Asian Cup says the Board of Control about international cricket. The reasoning that the been leaked is worthy of debate
big relief, complied with the All- spot in the joint quali- for Cricket in India neither "Like in baseball, America is paper provides for its existence and conspiracy theorizing in
India Football Federation's fiers. The remaining checked on Veda Krishna- not worried whether any other is that the cricket boards have itself. The best case scenario
request to allow its players to murthy (in in photo) after the country is playing or not," he to be removed from the clutch- is that there are people with-
train there three matches -- twin tragedy in her family nor told James Astill, the writer of es of the International Crick- in the ICC who are concerned
ahead of the 2022World Cup against Qatar (3 June), communicated to the The Great Tamasha: Cricket, et Council (ICC) - it's a rea- by the apartheid-isation of
qualifiers next month. Qatar has Bangladesh (7 June) bereaved India cricketer its Corruption and the Turbulent soning based on everything cricket, and journalists who are
also agreed to waive a manda- and Afghanistan (15 decision not to consider her Rise of Modern India. It was but the facts. It follows that up willing to uncover such stories.
tory 10-day hard quarantine June) -- are crucial for for the forthcoming tour of clearer when it was announced with details on how it plans The worst case scenario is
once the team are there. The England. that every major ICC event to provide a better cricket Membership" - you can do so that this was deliberately leaked
players will have a preparato- Asian Cup qualification Earlier this month, the from 2015 to 2023 would be world - and the fact that this much when you are the one and a modified form of this
ry camp of nearly two weeks flamboyant middle-order held in England, Australia is "better" (at least in the creating the definition of mer- paper will be approved based
in a bio-secure bubble in Qatar Copa Libertadores India batter lost her elder sis- and India. And it is clearest now, short term) for only three itocracy. Add all this to the pro- on the reactions. What seems
before the first match on 3 June. ter Vatsala Shivakumar to after the ICC F&CA Com- countries, or rather three posal to cancel the ICC Test an inevitability is that we are
"We are planning to send the Players breathed in tear-gas dur- COVID-19, two weeks after mercial Rights Working Group boards, within the ICC makes Championship and the Future finally going to institutional-
team in the evening on 19 ing a Copa Libertadores group her mother succumbed to the Position Paper has been leaked. it clear who is behind it. It talks Tours Program, and you have ize the divide that exists with-
May.There will be no quarantine stage match in Colombia where dreaded virus. achieve the double of 1000 It is a confirmation of all the about "better" redistribution the complete picture. We can in the Full Member Nations and
and the players will be in a bio they were unwittingly caught On expected lines, she runs and 100 wickets in fears of cricket fans from of ICC revenues, by which it finally live in the world where create a three or four-tier body.
bubble," AIFF general secre- up in protests against the was not included in the Indi- women's ODIs, said the time within, and especially outside, means that the richest coun- the big three countries only The Pakistan Cricket Board has
tary Kushal Das said today. He country's government. an Test and ODI team for next had come for a player' asso- the three countries that run tries should get the most play each other, stopping only already expressed its appre-
said that the players would While Brazilian visitors month's tour of the United ciation for the Indian women's world cricket, and plan to do money, as they produce the for their domestic T20 leagues, hension "over the direction
assemble in New Delhi. Atltico Mineiro were winning Kingdom, but ICC Hall of team. so for the foreseeable future. most too. The rich get richer, while the plebs can fight each world cricket is taking" following
They will be tested for at Amrica de Cali 3-1, the Famer Sthalekar was not In another, unrelated The hullabaloo over it seems the poor get poorer; unfettered other for what little scraps these revelations. All of this,
Covid-19 before their depar- match was interrupted eight convinced with the BCCI's development, sacked as the a little odd considering how capitalism, always an anath- "trickle down". It's the way it's though, is presumptuous, from
ture. India are out of the reck- times, as sirens and explo- handling of the whole episode. women's cricket team coach, much of the control has been ema to sport, is what they are supposed to be I guess. the drafters that is. Over the past
oningfor a2022World Cup berth sions echoed outside Rome- "Whilst not selecting Veda WV Raman has alleged that ceded to the BCCI, CA and ECB planning to institutionalise. And it does all this while try- thirty years we've seen the
but are still in contention for lio Martinez Stadium in Bar- for the upcoming series may a "smear campaign" against over the past ten years, but it's But it's not just the money ing to maintain a level of rise of the "Asian Bloc" (and
a 2023 Asian Cup spot in the ranquilla late into Thursday. be justified from their point him has gained unwarrant- the formalization of it that ran- that should be with them, "goodness" and ticking off all the accompanying dread by
joint qualifiers. The remaining of view, what angers me the ed traction and urged BCCI kles. It's a bit like the justice the paper argues, but the the clichés. It is said that the tweed wearing old white men),
three matches -- against Qatar Torres hat trick most is that as a contracted president Sourav Ganguly system in Pakistan; everyone power too. One proposal in the proposal is about "ensuring that followed by India becoming too
(3 June), Bangladesh (7 June) player she has not received to stop it. In a mail that has is aware of how crooked and paper is for the establish- Test Cricket remains the pri- big and shedding the rest of the
and Afghanistan (15 June) -- are Ferran Torres scored a hat trick any communication from also been marked to Nation- power-friendly it is, but it is ment of an 'Executive Com- mary form of the game while members off that bloc. This all
crucial for Asian Cup qualifi- as newly crowned champi- BCCI, just to even check how al Cricket Academy head one thing to own it informal- mittee' within the ICC. This World Cup cricket remains seems purely logical in hind-
cation. Qatar was picked by the ons Manchester City won a she is coping," Sthalekar said Rahul Dravid, Raman wrote ly and another to legislate for ExCo would consist of one the key generator of finances sight that the country with
Asian Football Confederation record 12th straight away game in a note on her Twitter han- that it would be "extremely it such a way that your own- nominated member for a for the ICC and a number of two-third of cricket's market
in March as the centralised in the English Premier League, dle. She added, "A true asso- disconcerting" if his candi- ing of it is legal. one-year period from the members." It's almost as if the and finances was going to rule
venue to host the remaining 4-3 at Newcastle. The Spain ciation should deeply care dature was rejected owing to For those unaware, a draft remaining seven countries, and drafters got the memo on the roost eventually, but maybe
Group E matches owing to winger was part of another heav- about the players that play the reasons other than "my of this paper was uncovered three permanent members what to include to make it seem twenty years from now crick-
the coronavirus-related trav- ily rotated line-up named by game... not focus solely on just incompetence as a coach." by Osman Samiuddin and from India, Australia and Eng- like they actually care about et no longer is the most pop-
el and quarantine restrictions. Pep Guardiola that also includ- the game at any cost. So dis- Raman was not retained as Sharda Ugra last week. This land. Thus it would be the crick- and follow the game. The ular sport in India. Perhaps, a
Das on Wednesday said the ed third-choice goalkeeper appointed." head coach of the senior paper underlines a possible et equivalent of the UN Secu- paper talks about "improved plethora of T20 will saturate a
national team could not train Scott Carson, an on-loan 35- The all-rounder has rep- women's team by the Crick- vision for the future of inter- rity Council with three mem- governance and effective and market that will move towards
in the country right now given year-old who was making his resented India in 48 ODIs and et Advisory Committee, which national cricket administra- bers being more equal than efficient management" but other ventures - perhaps it'll
the Covid-19 surge. first start in the top flight in 10 76 Twenty20 Internationals. picked Ramesh Powar for tion, and it is a future that others. The paper defines all hardly about one facet: the word join the rest of Asia in being a
years last evening. Sthalekar, the first player to the job. should scare even the casual this as "Meritocracy not just "fans" is used once in 21 pages. football dominated country.

Of pawns on chessboard in the time of pandemic Bancroft calls a spade a spade

PULAKESH MUKHOPADHYAY commercialised sport and, of pier trumpeting the Summer nasty toss with the Indian Pre- show us how it can cock a LONDON, 15 MAY to be responsible and account-
course, jingoistic pride, will Games in Tokyo, and the dis- mier League coming to be snook at the coronavirus. able for my own actions and
turn right around with a whoop comfiture of Uefa, aiming at a shelved in the wake of assort- The whole of the world may Cameron Bancroft (in photo), part.

H
ow will the world, or and a holler, bellowing wel- European championship with ed positive Covid-19 tests in its be in the grip of a cold fright, one of the three central fig- "Yeah, obviously what I did
at least its best ath- bio-secure bubble. Consider- infections and death tolls can ures in the infamous ball-tam- benefits bowlers and the

SHORT POINT
letes, gather weeks ing the way its booty is divvied be seen to be soaring here, there pering scandal, says it is "self awareness around that, prob-
hence in Tokyo for up, it all adds up to a major glob- and virtually everywhere but explanatory" that apart from ably, is self-explanatory," he
the Olympics if Thomas Bach, al setback. The Twenty20World the archetypal high-up is Steven Smith, David Warner added.
chief of the International Cup could turn out to be anoth- undaunted. He loves his - well, and himself, Australian Asked again if his bowling
Olympic Committee, is kept coming messages? spectators but finding itself er. If India wasn't up to it with his organisation's, notionally bowlers were also aware of the colleagues had some knowl-
from fetching up there because Bach was unambiguous being shackled by Covid-19 the IPL, can it be counted on - stash in the bank. On the flip illegal tactics during the New- edge of what was happening,
of a Japanese coronavirus when saying, very recently, protocols in nations reluctant to get everything right with the side are most of the world's pro lands Test. he replied: "Uh yeah, look. I
emergency? Any reason to that the Games would surely to let their citizenry die like flies other show? players. Pawns on the chess- Bancroft was caught on think, yeah, I think it's pret-
think things related to the be held, come what might, in the pandemic, would appear Is the bio bubble secure board. If the bio bubble is camera using sandpaper on ty probably self-explanatory."
scourge will only look up and before word came through he to be manifestations of the enough? People doubt it and breached, they are the ones who the ball in the third Test The Australian bowling
up to ease the country's ill-con- wouldn't roll up in Tokyo, after same problem. a Plan B - a shift to West Asia - cop it. That happens to yet against South Africa in 2018, attack in the Newlands Test
cealed fears of an apocalypse all, given the way things were. With the lure of the lucre is said to be ready.Which would another coronavirus reality: a scandal that had rocked Aus- had comprised pacers Mitchell
to the point where most of its But if you observed how real- underpinning all organisa- seem to indicate that sport, irre- even the glamour girl, or boy, tralian and world cricket. the bowlers knew what he was Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh
people, now firmly opposed to ity left him frozen when he tional drives across the spec- spective of its name and area who wows the world is just a In an interview with 'The doing, Bancroft replied: "Yeah, Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh
being sacrificed on the altar of would perhaps have been hap- trum, cricket, too, has taken a of influence, is determined to plaything. Guardian', asked if some of look, all I wanted to do was and spinner Nathan Lyon.

Printed and published by VINOD KUMAR GUPTA for THE STATESMAN LTD, Statesman House, 148 Barakhamba Road, New Delhi ��Editor: RAVINDRA KUMAR ��Executive Editor: ARYA RUDRA ��Printed at Vibha Publication Pvt Ltd, D-160 B, Sector 7, NOIDA 201301 (UP). ��The Statesman Ltd. RNB REG. No. M-8905,RNI No. 59445, Vol No.26 Issue . 55