AGENCIES

Aurangabad, August 22: QuashingFIRs against three dozen TablighiJamaat followers, the Bombay HighCourt has said that there is a possi-bility that those who were present inthe organisation’s Delhi headquarterswere chosen to be made scapegoats.The court slammed the media propa-ganda to blame them for the Covid-19spread.

“It can be said that due to the ac-tion taken, a fear was created in theminds of those Muslims. There is asmell of malice to take action againstthese foreigners and other Muslimsfor their alleged activities,” the courtsaid in a ruling Friday.

Bombay High Court (AurangabadBench) Justice TV Nalawade and JusticeMG Sewlikar quashed the FirstInformation Reports registered againstsix Indians and 29 foreigners who werepresent at the Jamaat congregation in

Delhi in March.“There was virtually a persecution

of these foreigners. A political gov-ernment tries to find the scapegoats...and circumstances show that there isa probability that these foreigners werechosen to be made the scapegoats,”the court ruled.

Making strong observations, thecourt said that there was a “big prop-aganda in the print and electronicmedia against these foreigners and at-tempts were made to paint a picture thatthese foreigners were responsible forthe spread of coronavirus in India.”

“The propaganda against the so-called religious activity was unwar-ranted as records and submissionsproved that it had been going on for over50 years,” said Justice Nalawade andJustice Sewlikar.

However, these circumstances and

the latest figures of the spread of theinfection in India show that “such ac-tion against the present petitionersshould not have been taken.”

It said that records show that theCentre took action against mainlyMuslims who attended the NizamuddinMarkaz of the Tablighi Jamaat, butnot against persons or foreigners be-longing to other religions.

“This action indirectly gave a warn-ing to the Indian Muslims that actionin any form and for anything can betaken against them. It was indicated thateven for keeping contact with theMuslims of other countries, actionwill be taken against them,” the courtadded.

Rejecting the plea by governmentcounsel MM Nerlikar to stay the judg-ment to enable a legal challenge to thesame, the court said that the foreign-ers cannot immediately leave Indiaand there is a “long procedure to grantpermission to them and send them totheir countries.”

Actor Manushi Chhillar celebrates an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi with plantseeds embedded in her idol

ECO-CONSCIOUS MANUSHI

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Navalny, a Russian opposition figure who fellill after poisoning, arrived in Germanyfrom Siberia

NAVALNY IN GERMANY

INTERNATIONAL | P10

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 142 | www.orissapost.com

LEISURE | P2

Odisha sanctions `116.09 cr under Socio-Economic Transformation and Upliftmentfor ‘Swabhiman Anchal’ DOWNTOWN | P3

`116CR FOR SWABHIMAN

12 PAGES + SUNDAY POST | `4.00

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IRREGULAR by MANJUL

Not a single word of hate... I spoke onlyabout human values, brotherhood, andsocial harmony in my election speech

WEATHERBHUB

32.1° 33.2°CTK

24.0°MAX

MINTE

MP

Humidity 95% 91%Rainfall Nil 3mm

Forecast

Generallycloudy sky

25.8°

SHORT TAKES

Bhadrak MP isCOVID-19 +ve Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal MPfrom Bhadrak Lok Sabhaconstituency, Manjulata Mandalhas tested positive for Covid-19.She said that her healthcondition was stable and shewas under home quarantine.“After developing symptoms ofCovid-19, I got the test done andthe report came positive. Myhealth is stable and I’m underhome quarantine,” tweeted theMP. She requested all the peoplewho had come in contact withher recently to isolatethemselves and get tested. P5

BHUBANESWAR | SUNDAY, AUGUST 23 | 2020

Expectant mother crossed river on boat

New Delhi: A major terror strikewas averted with the arrest of asuspected operative of the ISIS,armed with two pressure cookerIEDS, from central Delhi’s RidgeRoad area following a briefexchange of fire, Delhi Policeofficials said Saturday.Mustakeem Khan, alias AbuYusuf, a resident of a village inUP’s Balarampur district, whowas under watch for over a year,planned to carry out a “lonewolf” strike at a high footfall areain the national capital, said PSKushwah, DCP (Special Cell).

ISIS operativeheld in Delhi MASKED UP

Children wear masks of Lord Ganesh on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi festival, at an orphanage in Birpur of North24 Parganas in West Bengal, Saturday PTI PHOTO

Tablighis made ‘scapegoats’It is high time authoritiesconcerned repented this

action against the foreigners…, observes the

Bombay High Court

MARK COURT’S WORDSn A FEAR WAS CREATED IN THE

MINDS OF THOSE MUSLIMS

n THE CENTRE TOOK ACTIONMAINLY AGAINST MUSLIMSWHO ATTENDED THENIZAMUDDIN MARKAZ OF THETABLIGHI JAMAAT

n IT WAS INDICATED THAT EVENFOR KEEPING CONTACT WITHTHE MUSLIMS OF OTHERCOUNTRIES, ACTION WILL BETAKEN AGAINST THEM (INDIANMUSLIMS)

AGENCIES

Geneva, August 22: TedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World HealthOrganization (WHO), said that theongoing global coronavirus pan-demic could be over within twoyears. Addressing a virtual pressbriefing from Geneva Friday, theWHO chief said that the Spanish fluof 1918 had also taken two years toovercome, but current advances intechnology could enable the worldto halt the Covid-19 pandemic “ina shorter time,” the BBC reported.

“Of course with more ‘connective-ness’, the virus has a better chanceof spreading,” he said.

“But at the same time, we havealso the technology to stop it, and

the knowledge to stop it,” he said,stressing the importance of “na-tional unity, global solidarity.”

During the briefing, Tedros alsoresponded to a question about cor-

ruption linked to personal protec-tive equipment (PPE), which he de-scribed as “criminal.”

“Any type of corruption is un-acceptable,” he said.

“However, corruption relatedto PPE... for me it’s actually mur-der. Because if health workerswork without PPE, we’re riskingtheir lives. And that also risks thelives of the people they serve,” theBBC quoted the Director-Generalas saying.

Tedros also said that the pan-demic has given new impetus tothe need to accelerate efforts to re-spond to climate change, Xinhuanews agency quoted him.

“Throughout history, outbreaksand pandemics have changedeconomies and societies, this one willbe no different.”

Noting that the global health cri-sis “has given us a glimpse of ourworld as it could be: cleaner skiesand rivers... Building back bet-

ter means building back greener.”In May, WHO published its

Manifesto for a Healthy Recoveryfrom Covid-19, with six policy pre-scriptions for a healthy and greenrecovery – protecting nature, in-vesting in water and sanitation,promoting healthy food systems,transitioning to renewable energy,building liveable cities, and stoppingsubsidies on fossil fuels.

Since then, over 40 million healthprofessionals from 90 countries

have sent a letter to G20 leaders,calling for a healthy recovery fromthe pandemic.

The WHO chief reiterated that“Covid-19 is a once-in-a-centuryhealth crisis. But it also gives us aonce-in-a-century opportunity toshape the world our children will in-herit – the world we want.”

As of Saturday, the overall num-ber of global coronavirus casesstood at 22,864,873, while the fatal-ities rose to 797,787.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22:Observing an exponential increasein Covid cases here, BhubaneswarMunicipal Corporation (BMC),Saturday, stated that the city has nowentered ‘critical’ phase. It projectedthat the state capital will have 5,000active cases by mid-September.

Addressing a press conferencehere, BMC Commissioner, PremChandra Chaudhary said that theyare workingout on two sce-narios; thefirst: activecases are ex-pected to in-crease to 3,429by August end. According to the sec-ond scenario there could be 5,000cases by September 15.

“Positivity rate under the BMCjurisdiction has risen to 10 pc withmore than 300 cases being observeddaily. COVID in Bhubaneswar hasattained its peak and coming onemonth will be critical. The rise incases is mainly due to increased test-ing and commercial activities re-suming,” Chaudhary highlighted.

Detailing about the prepared-ness against the upcoming surge,the Commissioner stated thatthe BMC has done a backhand cal-culation of the available COVIDfacilities. He further informedthat the city is “in a comfortableposition” as far as availability

of beds is concerned. Comparing Bhubaneswar with

other cities on basis of sero-sur-veillance results, Chaudhary men-tioned that the city still remains the“best protected capital cities.”“While antibody development in thesurvey in other cities has beenfound close to 29 pc, it remainsonly 1.24 pc here,” he said.

However, describing the com-ing period as challenging, theCommissioner requested denizensto strictly follow the COVID guide-lines of social distancing and wear-ing masks. “Ahead of GaneshChaturthi, mass violations wereobserved. Thus, I advise people topersonally adhere to COVID normsfor their own safety,” he concluded.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: Manyparts of the state will receiveheavy rainfall for three days underthe influence of a low pressurelikely to form over the north-westBay of Bengal around August 24.

One or two places in the dis-tricts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur,Kendrapara, Balasore,Bhadrak,Jajpur, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj,Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Kandhamaland Boudh will witness rainSunday. However, very heavy rain-fall will occur in between August24 and 26, said director ofBhubaneswar MeteorologicalCentre, HR Biswas here Saturday.

Predicting heavy rain for threedays, the Met Centre has issued or-ange warning (be prepared) for sev-eral districts across the state. Some

places of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur,Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur,Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Angul,Deogarh, Sundargarh, Kalahandi,Kandhamal and Mayurbhanj dis-trict may experience heavy rainAugust 24.

Similarly, orange warning hasbeen issued for the districts ofBalasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur,Kendrapara, Cuttack,Jag atsinghpur, Keonjhar,Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Deogarh,Angul, Sambalpur and Sundargarhas heavy to very heavy rain islikely to occur in these placesAugust 25. Some places of Puri,Khurda, Sonepur, Bolangir,Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh,Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput,Jharsuguda and Bargarh may wit-ness heavy rain on this day, the MetCentre added.

Besides, heavy rainfall is verylikely to occur at few places in thedistricts of Jharsuguda,Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh,Bargarh, Bolangir, Sonepur,Kalahandi, Nabarangpur,Keonjhar,Nuapada, Boudh, Angul,Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Bhadrak,Malkangiri , Koraput andKandhamal August 26.

AGENCIES

New Delhi, August 22:State-run oil marketing com-panies increased the priceof petrol for the third con-secutive day Saturday. Withthis it was the sixth timethat the fuel price was raisedin seven days.

Petrol prices were raisedby 16 paise in Delhi to ̀ 81.35a litre; in Mumbai, it standsat ̀ 88.02 a litre. Diesel prices,however, continued to re-main steady for 23 days ina row, just like it was forpetrol prices in July.

Petrol prices were kepton hold since June 29, whilediesel prices were revised ir-regularly throughout theperiod. Petrol prices were re-vised August 16 after a long

pause. Since, then there hasbeen a consistent increasein petrol rates.

Since August 16, petrolprices have been raised bya margin of 92 paise perlitre. Diesel prices have re-mained stable since the Delhigovernment announced 13.25per cent reduction in theVAT July 30, which hadcaused the price to fall.

Covid pandemic may ‘vanish’ faster than Spanish-flu

The Spanish flu of 1918 had also taken two years to overcome

Orange warning issuedfor several districts

across the state

It will rain catsand dogs fromtomorrow: Met

POST NEWS NETWORK

Udala, August 22: An expectantmother, Sukanti Hembram ofBalama village under Udala blockin Mayurbhanj district had to crossa river in spate on a boat in orderto reach a nearby hospital Friday.

Seeing her in pain, Sukanti’sfamily members called an ambu-lance (Janani Express) to take herto the hospital. However, the am-bulance had to wait on the other sideof river Sanja – a tributary of riverBalama that flows down from

Similipal area in the district. According to reports, Sukanti

was first carried on a bicycle for upto two kilometres on road.Subsequently, she was taken to the

waiting ambulance on the otherside of the river. Later, the expec-tant mother was admitted intoUdala community health centre.

“Despite running from pillar topost, the administration shows nointerest in building a bridge and apucca road,” said Sukanti’s hus-band Thakura Hembram.

On being contacted, Udala sub-Collector Bhagaban Behera said, “Iwill write to the district adminis-tration. Steps will be taken in thisregard after getting a nod from thedepartmental higher-ups.”

n The woman was first carried on abicycle for up to 2 km on road

n The ambulance couldn’t reachher as river Balama was flooded

CITY MAY SEE 5K CASES BY SEPT 15

While antibodydevelopment across other

cities has been found close to 29pc on average, it remains only1.24 pc herePREM CHANDRA CHAUDHARY |COMMISSIONER, BMC

BMC targets to keep 40 to 50 pccases in home isolation by Aug-end

Under the civic body jurisdiction,4,151 beds at different COVIDhosps, CCHs and DCHs ready

38 pc beds occupied by BMCpatients, 21 pc beds by non-BMCpatients

41 pc of the beds unoccupied

Puri: Amid a raging controversyover the alleged sale of BagalaDharmashala land in the HolyCity here, the districtadministration Saturday claimedthat it had not sold the shelterhouse land to anyone. It said ithas only rehabilitated a fewevicted Srimandir servitors andother individuals at theDharmashala land for thesmooth implementation of theheritage corridor project aroundthe 12th century shrine. P4

Bagala land notsold ‘to anyone’

Any type of corruption is unacceptable.However, corruption related to PPE…for me it’sactually murder because if health workers workwithout PPE, we’re risking their lives. And thatalso risks the lives of the people they serve

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS | DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WHO

Petrol prices hiked six times in a week

IN BHUBANESWAR (AUG 22)PETROL DIESEL

`81.96 `80.09 (+0.17) (unchanged)

Mumbai: Actor Ranveer Singhis in a classic black mood,

going by his new social mediapost.

The actor has posted a newpicture on Instagram, where

he exudes vintage style in a clas-sic black

suit accessorised by a crisp whiteshirt, neatly groomed beard, andgelled hair. He strikes an intensepose, looking out the window.

He captioned the picture witha yin and yang emoji.

Ranveer’s fans could not stopgushing over the image.

A user wrote: “Bahut hard.”“U look dashing,” said

another.A fan tagged him as a “hand-

some boy”.A netizen questioned: “Why

you so bomb?”Ranveer is awaiting the re-

lease of his much-hyped next,Kabir Khan’s ‘83, which nar-rates the story of India's first-ever cricket World Cup victoryin 1983. In the film, he essays therole of Kapil Dev, who cap-tained an underdog team to

World Cup glory.

P2 MEGAN TO PERFORM HERFIRST VIRTUAL CONCERT

leisure Singer-rapper Megan Thee Stallion will beperforming her first paid livestream concertAugust 29. The event is produced by Live Nationand choreographer/dancer JaQuel Knight isattached as creative director. Live Nationshared the details of the event on Instagram.

Actress Amanda Seyfried says dogs make greatcharacters on screen. “It’s their wide-eyedinnocence, their playfulness, and their curiosity.They just want to love you and live in the presentand we could all learn that,” Seyfried said whiletalking about why dogs make for great characters.

SUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

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AQUARIUSIt is not everyday thatwork is rewarding. So, ifyour boss praises you,feel good about it. Youmay even begin something new. A jointventure? Go ahead, says Ganesha. Youare exceptionally talented.

PISCESA day wherein you will bebusy socialising in thecompany of your near anddear ones, or childhoodbuddies. Refurbishing and refurnishing yourhome is also likely to be on the agenda. Youmay find yourself visiting a holy place aswell, says Ganesha.

SAGITTARIUSA mixed bag of fortunesin store today, saysGanesha. At work,expect the unexpectedand overlook the expected. Don't youworry if you stumble there, says Ganesha, for the evening promises to be ecstatic and a fitting finale to a rather muddled day.

LIBRAThere are indicationsthat today, you maywant to take a breakfrom your humdrumroutine in order to recharge your batteries.It is an essential change that we all needfrom time to time, says Ganesha. Financesmay improve sometime later in the day.

SCORPIOFamily members wouldwant to talk about impor-tant matters with youtoday, says Ganesha.Time at work will be comfortable. Take spe-cial care of new assignments though. Youare likely to bear expenses on account oftours and services today, predicts Ganesha.

LEOThe tiny voice inside usalways tells us a lot ofthings. If only we weremore in sync with our-selves, we could avoid so many trou-bles, says a retrospective Ganesha.Well, today it seems you are going tohave no qualms in listening to yourinner voice as you strive for excellencein all your efforts.

VIRGOYou don't need to beone of the Mafia torealise the importanceof family, saysGanesha. Your better half will try spic-ing up the relationship in the after-noon sometime. So keep fuelling thefires of love – a wildfire isn't alwaysbad now, is it?

GEMINIYou may meet with stiffresistance in all yourefforts. You should not letit bother you; just keep moving forward.This will help you maintain a good rapportwith your bosses. You are likely to tastesuccess in your interim objectives.

CANCERA very hectic day foryou! Today, you mayhave too much work todo, and taking even acoffee break may not remain an option.You will be forthright in dealing withissues and nothing will escape yoursharp observation.

ARIESToday, you may justwant to delve deep intoyourself. You realise theimportance of polishing the mirror ofyour soul and Ganesha approves.Spontaneity is important too, and spend-ing time with children is an excellentway to keep in touch with it.

FORTUNE FORECAST

TAURUSYou are likely to remainunconquerable and unas-sailable throughout theday. Caution: Stay focussed and avoidfrittering away your time and energy.You may face stress at work or in someongoing project.

CAPRICORNDon't be surprised if youare suddenly showeredwith attention at work.Ganesha says it's yourlucky day today, for you will leave noroom for complacency and rewardsfor this may come by way of specialtreatment from your colleagues andeven your boss.

BREVITY

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS CROSSWORD SUDOKU

SOLUTIONS

SUD

OKU

CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW

postTo solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to E.

DOGS MAKE GREATCHARACTER: AMANDA

Mumbai: Actress and formerbeauty queen Manushi Chhillaris celebrating Ganesh Chaturthiat home for the first time con-secrating an eco-friendly idolof the elephant god.

“My parents always wantedme to experience different cul-tures and celebrate them. I’mfrom Haryana but Mumbai ismy home too. I was fascinatedby the Ganpati celebrations inthe city when I first expe-rienced it,” she said.

Enamoured byGanesh puja,Manushi decidedto bring Ganpatihome.

Manushi be-lieves in an eco-friendly celebra-tion. “The GanpatiI’m keeping at homeis an eco-friendlyone. It has seeds em-bedded in the idol soI’m going to do the

Visarjan at home in a claytree pot. I’m looking for-ward to nurture the seedswell so that life sproutsout of it,” she said.

"We are definitely inthe middle of a hugeecological crisis. It ishigh time we ac-knowledge it," sheadded.

The actress isgearing up for herHindi film debutopposite AkshayKumar in the up-coming moviePrithviraj.

Manushi believes ineco-friendly festivity

Fans gush overRanveer’s classic look

San Francisco:Netflix has apologisedfor the material itused to promote thecontroversial Frenchfilm, Cuties after thou-sands of peoplesigned a petition de-manding the removalof the movie from thestreaming platform.

Directed byMaimouna Doucoure,the movie is about an11-year-old who hopes to join a dancecrew.

The petition at Change.org which hasnow amassed over 225,000 signaturesalleges that the movie is ‘disgusting’as it ‘sexualizes’ an 11-year-old for the‘viewing pleasure of paedophiles’.

The petition is accompanied by ascreenshot of the original plot sum-mary of the movie which introducedthe central character as Amy, ‘who

becomes fascinated with a twerkingdance crew’ and starts to ex-

plore her femininity.

The movie was originally titledMignonnes.

“We’re deeply sorry for the inap-propriate artwork that we used forMignonnes/Cuties,” Netflix said in astatement this week, adding, “We’'venow updated the pictures and de-scription.” In a recent interview withCineuropa, the director of the filmrevealed that Cuties is partlybased on her own experi-ences of growing up.

Netflix apologises after thousands

sign petition to remove Cuties

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar: Olivia Bhadra,a seven-year-old Odia girl study-ing in Charles Darwin PrimarySchool, Norwich in the UK hasnot only made her parents andschool proud, but also the peo-ple back home at Baripada , theirbirth place in Odisha , with herpoem Eggy’s Description be-coming part of an anthologyPoetry Monsters.

Published by YoungWriters, a copy of thebook will also be sent tothe British Library,London for reference.The publishers havealso made a smallvideo on Olivia andhow her poem was short-listed among thousands of en-tries that came from across theUK for this prestigious publi-cation.

The little girl, who will be inher third year (Y3) thisSeptember at CharlesDarwin Primary School,has also hobbies likedrawing, crafting andswimming. But writing isher passion. Somuch so, thatshe couldmanage tocomplete thelines ofEggy’sDescription

during her school hours. Her parents Deepak Bhadra,

an IT professional in an IndianMNC and

NaimishaBhadra whoworks for a UK company are na-tives of Baripada. They are cur-rently in UK on international

assignments and live inNorwich.

Olivia has alsowritten a number

of short storiessuch as Dex’s wrong

choice, The fire and thewater spirit, Whistle less,

The legendary pencil,The rainbow birds’dream and Stuck in-side bubble.

Odia girl’s poem to be part of British Library

Olivia’s composition ‘Eggy’s Description’ has featured in an anthology ‘Poetry Monsters’,

released by UK publishing house Young Writers

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SUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWARWAR AGAINST VIRUS

Buses parked alongsidethe Link Road in Cuttackduring the weekendshutdown over Covid-19pandemic, Saturday

INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD

World 2,32,36,072 1,58,00,928 8,05,300

India 29,75,701 22,22,577 55,794

Odisha 75,537 52,277 399

COVID-19 TRACKER

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: Forest andEnvironment department has decided toexecute projects worth `602 crore underMGNREGA during financial year 2020-21.The MGNREGA Convergence Committeehas approved the projects. Last year, the de-partment had spent ̀ 70 crore in forestry proj-ects under the job guarantee scheme.

Forest and Environment Minister BikramKeshari Arukha said plantations & nurs-eries, soil moisture conservation work, dig-ging of trench around forest, timber, forestroad and other works are normally car-ried out by the department utilising MGN-REGA funds. The forest road repair worksare being taken up for the first time underMGNREGA. Funds to the tune of ̀ 65 crorehas been utilised and 35 lakh man-dayshave been created till August 15 this fiscalyear against the previous year's ̀ 86 crore.

Generation of more number of man-days under MGNREGA would cater to thelarge number of migrant labourers.

New equipment for safe train journey POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: In abid to ensure accident-free jour-ney for passengers, ECoR has startedusing two modern equipment –token-less block instrument withdouble lock safety feature and datavoice logger.

The main purpose of the firstinstrument is to avoid collision andarrival of two trains on one trackand interference from any unau-thorised persons in the system.

This instrument is being providedwith double locking feature to en-sure correct, authorised openingto attend in case of requirementin block. This lock’s key is oper-ated by two departments – Operatingdepartment and Signal & Telecom(S&T) department.

The voice logger instrumentworks like a black box in airlines,records the conversation betweensection controller and station mas-ter which plays a vital role in caseof derailment or accident.

Nod for ̀ 602-croreforest projects

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: TheCommissionerate Police has launcheda manhunt to nab a brother duo whohas been on the run after duping a per-son of over ̀ 1 crore by selling a mort-gaged plot here. The victim, SudhirRanjan Nayak, a resident of MarketBuilding area, has lodged a complaintwith Sahid Nagar police in this regard.

As per the complaint, the accusedbrothers persuaded Nayak to pur-chase a plot at Laxmisagar recordedin the name of one of the accused.Nayak agreed to buy the said plotand paid `15 lakh in advance to theduo following an agreement at the of-fice of Sub-Registrar May 6, 2013.

Subsequently, he purchased theland paying the remaining `90,65,

000 as per the deal struck February24, 2015. However, Nayak received ashock few months later when hecame across the mention of the plotin an advertisement for auction issuedby the Punjab National Bank (PNB)April14, 2016.

Later, he found that the said plothad been mortgaged by the duo fora loan declared as NPA (NonPerforming Asset) by PNB. The out-standing amount pending againstthe plot was ̀ 10.76 crore. Later, Nayakpurchased the land participating inthe auction meeting June 18, 2016. Theduo first agreed to pay back theamount taken from Nayak but laterstarted avoiding him. Recently, Nayakfound that both the siblings havefled away without returning his`1.05 crore.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: Thestate government has sanctioned`116.09 crore during three yearsu n der S o c i o -E c onomicTransformation and Upliftment(SETU) scheme for the develop-ment of ‘Swabhiman Anchal’(erstwhile cut-off region) ofMalkangiri district.

According to official sources,`49.23 crore was sanctioned infinancial year 2018-19, while ̀ 3.77crore was released during FY2019-20 and `63.09 crore in thecurrent financial year.

The government has allotted`18 .78 c ro re t o S C and STDevelopment department for con-struction of an integrated edu-cation complex in the area and`8.66 crore to School and MassEducation department for de-velopment of educational infra-structure during the three years.

Similarly, ̀ 5 crore provided toMalkangiri Collector for promo-tion of livelihood in ‘SwabhimanAnchal’. The government hasalso allocated ̀ 10 crore for liveli-hood support to self-help groups(SHGs) and `1.23 crore to pro-vide additional cost of `1.5 lakhfor construction of 82 Anganwadicentres.

For strengthening the power in-frastructure in the undevelopedarea, the government has re-

leased `15.88 crore during thethree years whereas `8.04 crorewas provided for procurementand release of fingerlings inBalimela Reservoir for provid-ing livelihood support to 2,000fishermen families. Likewise,about ̀ 20 crore was sanctioned toRural Development departmentfor construction of 21 roads andfive bridges, the source said.

The government has sanctioned`9.39 crore for construction of169 intra-village cement-concrete(CC) roads in nine gram pan-chayats (GPs) of the backward re-gion in the southern district.Similarly, ̀ 1.79 crore was allotted

to provide additional ̀ 20,000 perunit for construction of housesunder rural housing schemes.

Besides, ̀ 12 crore was releasedto Works department for con-struction of roads and bridgesin the area.

Beneficiaries of the cut-offarea are getting `1.50 lakh forconstruction of pucca houses,sources said. In the first phase, thegovernment has identified 895people in the area to be coveredunder the rural housing schemes.

The government is also mullingto provide incentives to teach-ers, healthcare workers andAnganwadi workers posted in

the region because many are re-luctant to work in the Maoist-prone area, they said.

Meanwhile, DevelopmentCommissioner Suresh ChandraMohapatra has asked variousline departments to submit the de-tailed financial and physicalprogress made in the projectssanctioned under SETU scheme.

In July 2018, Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik had inauguratedGurupriya Setu over Janbai Riverand announced ̀ 100 crore for de-velopment of the area on theother side of the bridge, whichwas cut of f for around fivedecades.

City man duped of `1.05Cr `116Cr pumped in for Swabhiman AnchalDC SEEKS PROGRESS REPORTS ON PROJECTS SANCTIONED UNDER SETU SCHEME

BRIDGING REGIONALDISPARITY

Rs 49.23 crore was sanctioned in FY2018-19, while `3.77 crore was released

during FY 2019-20 and `63.09 crore incurrent fiscal year

For strengtheningthe power

infrastructure in theundeveloped area,

the government hasreleased `15.88

crore during thethree years

About `20 crorewas sanctionedto RuralDevelopmentdept for construction of 21 roads and 5bridges

Govt is mulling to provide incentivesto teachers, healthcare workers and

Anganwadi workers posted in the region File photo of CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurating Gurupriya Setu in 2018

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: Theambitious Baliyatra RiverfrontImprovement (BARFI) project ofthe state government to beautifyand add more amenities to theMahanadi riverfront may run intorough weathers in the light of re-cent order of National GreenTribunal (NGT).

The NGT in a latest order hasasked the Joint InspectionCommittee, formed after the ear-lier order of the NGT, to visit theareas close to new SCB MedicalCollege campus and Baliyatraground and examine the en-croachment on the land in con-travention of norms.

BARFI project maycome under NGT lens

downtownSUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWARP4

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Cuttack, August 22: A full-benchof Orissa High Court decided tonormalize the functioning of lowercourts in the state while abiding byCovid-19 restrictions, a report said.

However, the functioning of theOrissa High Court will remain re-stricted till September 19 whichwas earlier set at August 21. The de-cision has been taken in view ofthe sharp rise in Covid positivecases in the state, the report said.

All lower courts will start func-tioning from now on as per theirusual timings of 10 am till 4pm.Earlier, the high court had restrictedthe functioning of the lower courtsdue to the pandemic.

The bench has asked lower courtsto direct lawyers and their clientsto file their arguments in writingwhich will help in reducing thetimings of hearings. The argumentsin writing can be filed in cases re-lating to undertrial prisoners, oldcases, various applications, do-mestic quarrels and marriage dis-putes. The list for hearing of casesand the next date of hearing ofcases will have to be regularly pub-lished on the websites of districtcourts.

The hearing of all old and new

cases in the high court will be donethrough virtual mode or video con-ferencing till Septembers 19, thebench in its order said. The highcourt register has been asked toprepare a list of cases to be heardin the vir tual mode in the high court.

Similarly, the lawyers and clientshave been asked to inform thedeputy registrar (judicial) aboutthe new cases filed in the high court.All new cases can be filed throughe-filing, e-mail or drop box methodswhile lawyers and their clientscould participate in the hearingfrom home through video confer-encing methods. Similarly, the af-fidavits will be received through e-filing, e-mail or through drop boxsystems.

All the lower courts and tribunalswill function as per their regular tim-ings. The court work will remainnormal while stress will be given onhearing through the virtual mode.The lower courts and tribunals willonly opt for physical hearing incase hearing through virtual modeis not possible.

Lower courts and tribunals inareas where there is no Covid re-strictions can conduct physicalhearing of cases. However, all hasto abide by the social distancingnorms and other restrictions andregulations in force for the Covid-19 pandemic.

The lower courts can hear casesof undertrial prisoners, civil cases,record the statement of witnessesand old cases. The lower courts

will not pass any adverse orders, ifthe lawyers, petitioners, defendantsand witnesses fail to appear in hear-ing due to some reasons.

The bench has asked not to pro-duce the accused in court in casethere is no urgency. However, the ac-cused has to be produced beforethe magistrate in the court. Thecourt work will remain restrictedin areas where lockdown or shut-down has been announced.

The court work in those areaswill also remain restricted if lock-down or shutdown is announcedthere in coming days. Such courtswill only take urgent matters forhearing. The district judge has toinform the high court from timeto time about the prevailing situa-tion in their area, the bench added.

Lower courts to function normally: HC

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Bhubaneswar, August 22: In adeparture from the past, GaneshChaturthi festival was celebratedwithout the usual pomp and fanfareacross Odisha Saturday because ofthe COVID-19 pandemic.

People observed the Ganesh pujaonly at home as the administra-tion denied permission for hold-ing community puja in pandals inpublic places to contain the spreadof the disease.

This apart, a week-end shutdownSaturday and Sunday is also inforce in districts like Ganjam,Khurda, Gajapati and Cuttack withrestrictions on the movement ofpeople. Hundreds of pandals areerected every year to celebrate theGanesh puja with much fanfare inthe twin cities of Cuttack andBhubaneswar.

No organisation, club or group isallowed to celebrate the puja inpublic places, Bhubaneswar DeputyCommissioner of PoliceUmashankar Dash said. CuttackCollector Bhawani Shankar Chayanisaid that the festival is not being cel-ebrated in public places as theCOVID-19 situation is yet to im-prove in the district.

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal,Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,Union minister DharmendraPradhan and a host of dignitarieshave greeted people on the occasion.

Wishing all happiness and pros-perity, the Chief Minister in a mes-sage expressed hope that the coro-navirus crisis will soon witheraway with the blessings of LordGanesh. "Hon'ble Governor wisheseveryone a very happy#GaneshChaturthi and prays forthe blessings of the Lord to ease peo-

ple's troubles & pain due to COVID-19 pandemic & to bestow goodhealth, wealth, peace and pros-perity upon all.

#GanpatiBappaMorya," said theofficial Twitter handle of Lal. In amessage, Union Petroleum andSteel Minister Dhar mendraPradhan wished peace, happiness

and prosperity for all."Greetings on the auspicious

festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Maythe blessings of Bhagwan ShriGanesh always be upon us. Maythere be joy and prosperity allover," Union Minister of State forMSME Pratap Sarangi tweeted.

The business of idol makers was

affected as no community puja wasallowed because of the COVID-19pandemic and many people choseto hold the puja at home withoutidols. "We had to make fewer idolsthis time compared to previousyears and sell them at a very lowprice," said an idol maker in Bhubaneswar.

Ganesh Chaturthi a low-key affair amid pandemic

Children worshipping at Shastri Nagar in Bhubaneswar

HC functioning will remain restricted till September 19 instead of August 21 as declared earlier

The bench has asked lower courtsto direct lawyers and their clientsto file their arguments in writingwhich will help in reducing thetimings of hearings. The arguments in writing can be filedin cases relating to undertrialprisoners, old cases, various applications, domesticquarrels and marriage disputes

Lawyers and clients have beenasked to inform the deputy registrar (judicial) about thenew cases filed in the highcourt. All new cases can be filedthrough e-filing, e-mail or dropbox methods while lawyers andtheir clients could participate inthe hearing from home throughvideo conferencing methods

BY ORDER

Lower courts and tribunals in areas where there are no Covid restrictions can conduct physical hearing of cases. However, all hasto abide by the social distancing norms and other restrictions and regulations in force for the Covid-19 pandemic

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: Afterthe Supreme Court rejected a pleafor postponement of the NationalEligibility cum Entrance Test(NEET) and the Joint EntranceExamination (JEE) due to coron-avirus outbreak, several studentsand educationists shared theirviews about the situation. Somesuggested that the decision willimpact students who are in fear ofbeing affected by Covid19 whilesome suggested that delayed ex-amination will hamper the futureof students.

Madushmita Biswal, a studentfrom the city, said the situation isnot feasible for examinations. Thegovernment should organise examsonline like BPUT and DelhiUniversity. Basudev Bhatt, an ed-ucationist, said due to the growingnumber of Covid-19 cases, manystudents and aspirants found itunsafe to take part in NEET 2020and JEE 2020 examinations whichare to be held September 13, 2020and September 1, 2020 respectively,a month which is expected to wit-ness a spike in corona cases. He saidthe SOP can’t assure 100 percentsafety. Around 15 lakh students

will be taking part in this examacross the country, and their par-ents will also be accompanyingthem to exam centers which willput them in danger.

Meanwhile, educationistGhasiram Panda said it’s defi-nitely not safe to sit for exams butat the same time more delay willmake students more confusedabout their future. Many of themare putting in efforts and preparefor exams in. Being successful isa turning point for their career.Hence they need to give this ex-amination.

Bijaya Kumar Sahoo, another ed-ucationist, said life has to go on de-spite the virus outbreak and wecan’t put the careers of studentsin jeopardy by interfering in thedecision of the National TestingAgency to hold these exams inSeptember. The court has rightlysaid that ultimately life has to goon and the career of students can-not be put in peril for long andfull academic year cannot bewasted. The National TestingAgency has prepared SOPs andhas doubled the number of centresin all districts. The role of the dis-trict administration is very crucialat this juncture, he said.

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Bhubaneswar, August 22: Cyberfraudsters duped a governmentemployee of more than Rs 1 lakhon the pretext of providing lotterymoney. The victim, Giri Raj Derji,42, has been staying at the staffquarters of Institute of Mineralsand Materials Technology (IMMT),a reputed central government-owned scientific institute, here atAcharya Vihar area underSahidnagar police limits.

As per sources, the victim usedto buy Ayurvedic medicines regu-larly online from one website, ‘ex-treme pleasure shopping’, for herailing sister who was sufferingfrom arthritis from 2015 to 2018.On 29 July, he received a messageon his mobile phone in the nameof the shopping website. The mes-sage informed Giri Raj that he has

won a lottery prize of Rs 8.5 lakhsorganised by the company.

The cyber crooks also informedhim about winning the lotteryand the process to fetch the prizemoney. Subsequently, they askedhim to deposit different amountsof money on the pretext of reg-istration fees, late fine, transfercharges, TDS charges. Accordingly,Giri Raj deposited Rs 1, 63,300through eight different install-ments in the account given by themiscreants.

Later, the accused again askedhim to deposit another 18 per centGST charges to get TATA NexonCar or cash Rs 8.5 lakh under thelottery scheme. However, GiriRaj, smelling a rat, lodged a com-plaint with Sahid Nagar police.Police have started investigationsinto the matter after registeringa case based on the complaint.

Babus, netas eyeing Dharmasala land: Patra

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Bhubaneswar, August 22: TheBharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s)national spokesperson, SambitPatra, Saturday attacked the stategovernment over its alleged moveto sell Bagala Dharmasala land inPuri to private hoteliers.

He alleged that many govern-ment officials and MPs/MLAs hadeyed the segregated plots of theland to get commercial benefits.He also lambasted the governmentfor selling the donated land in con-

travention of established laws.“I have been told by the people

of Puri that different governmentofficials and MPs, MLAs are tryingto grab the plots from the heritagebuilding which was meant to servethe poor. This is a huge conspiracy,”Patra told reporters.

He said the Dharmasala wasbuilt in 1905 and was donated.“There are established laws whichprevent sale of Dharmasala re-ceived from donations. It has ahistoric significance and was usedby the people in Puri at very low

cost while they came for the dar-shan of the Trinity. It is a matterof shame for the government thatthey decided to sell it,” he said,

Patra told newsmen that thegovernment recently framed lawsto give compensations to peoplewho would lose land and proper-ties in the beautification processof Puri. “I want to know how thegovernment can act differentlyagainst different people and in-stitutions,” he said.

“The first thing is that you can-

not sell the dharmasala as it wasa donated property. What law themunicipality used to transfer it tothe revenue department andparceled the land into 26 piecesand changed the nature of theland,” he said. The BJP leader saidunder the PRASAD scheme theUnion government had been help-ing Puri city. “The Centre had al-located Rs 20 crore to the city outof which Rs 3 core has been used.Why work under the scheme re-ceived a setback and the land was

put into plotting? How the gov-ernment becomes a property dealerover night by,” he asked.

The BJD, however, attacked Patra.Puri MP Pinaki Misra said, “Noquestion of sale of land of BagalaDharamsala which is a govern-ment revenue land-15 per cent of thevacant land given as per land forland policy to our sevayat familieswho have given up their ancestralland for beautification of Jagannathtemple surroundings. This is astandard government policy.”

PURI: Amid a raging controversyover the alleged sale of BagalaDharmashala land in the HolyCity here, the district adminis-tration Saturday claimed that ithad not sold the shelter houseland to anyone.

In a press statement, the ad-ministration claimed that it hasonly rehabilitated a few evictedSrimandir servitors and other in-dividuals at the dharmashala landfor the smooth implementationof the heritage corridor projectaround the 12th century shrine.The state government has ap-proved a rehabilitation policy for

the evicted locals. “Bagala Dharmashala has 2

acre and 738 decimal land in Puri.A few evicted servitors and othershave been rehabilitated on 12 percent of the land of the shelterhouse,” said the press statement.

The administration said manySrimandir servitors and localshave donated their ancestral landto facilitate the heritage corridorproject. It claimed that the landedproperties of Bagala Dharmashalawere earlier under the ownershipof Lodging House Fund Committeebut the properties were broughtunder the control of the revenue

department recently. “Bagala Dharmashala had the

capacity to provide shelter facil-ity to only 200 devotees. The stategovernment is constructing a pil-grim centre at the dharmashalato provide shelter to at least 2,000devotees from poor financial back-ground,” said the administration.

The administration furtherclaimed that the state governmentwill make arrangements for ac-commodation of additional 8,000devotees in Puri. “The state gov-ernment has planned to provideshelter facility to around 10,000 poordevotees in the Holy City,” it added.

BAGALA LAND HAS NOT BEEN SOLD TO ANYONE: ADMIN

PNN/AGENCIES

Bhubaneswar, August 22:Odisha's COVID-19 tally rose to75,537 Saturday with 2,819 freshcases, while nine more fatalitiespushed the death toll to 399, ahealth department official said.

Three deaths were reportedfrom Cuttack, two fromSundargarh and one each fromBolangir, Ganjam, Malkangiri andRayagada districts, he said.

“Regret to inform the demiseof nine COVID positive patientswhile under treatment in hospi-tals,” the Health and FamilyWelfare department said onTwitter.

The fresh coronavirus caseswere reported from 29 of the 30 dis-tricts of Odisha, including thehighest number of 443 infectionsfrom Khurda followed by Cuttack(257), Mayurbhanj (219) andGanjam (192). Likewise, Balasorereported 105, Bargarh 136, Angul23, Bhadrak 77, Bolangir 56, Boudhsix, Dhenkanal 100, Gajapati 62,Jagatsinghpur 48, Jajpur 120,Jharsuguda 63, Kalahandi 55,Kandhamal 44, Kendrapara 62,Keonjhar seven, Koraput 81,Malkangiri 83, Nabarangpur 43,Nayagarh 64, Nuapada one, Puri109, Rayagada 147, Sambalpur 145,Sonepur 14 and Sundargarh 57.

A total of 1,691 cases wererecorded in quarantine centresand the remaining were detectedpositive during contact tracing.Odisha now has 22,808 activeCOVID-19 cases, while 52,277

patients have so far recoveredfrom the disease.

The state Friday conducted61,379 tests, taking the total num-ber of such clinical examinationto 12,33,805, the official added.

COVID-19 TALLY 75,537

Caseload touches 7,015 in CapitalBHUBANESWAR: As many as295 new COVID-19 cases were de-tected under the BhubaneswarMunicipal Corporation (BMC)limits in last 24 hours, BMC said Saturday.

While 153 of them were re-ported from quarantine centres,the remainder are local contactones. Meanwhile, 158 persons whoearlier tested positive for the dis-ease recovered during the sametimeframe. “Contact tracing isstill continuing. Primary con-

tacts & nearby houses are beingquarantined, sanitised and will beunder active surveillance,” BMCsaid. It added that all positivecases have been shifted to dedi-cated COVID hospitals.

According to a notification is-sued by the civic body, as ofSaturday, 7,015 persons have testedpositive for COVID-19 inBhubaneswar out of which 4,219have recovered. While there are2,754 active cases, 33 persons suc-cumbed to the disease.

Exam delay to hitstudents’ career

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Bhubaneswar,August 22: OdishaLokayukta has released its annualreport for 2019. As per the report,as many as 1,132 complaints in con-nection with irregularities in var-ious government authorities werelodged at the Lokayukta between

March and December 2019. Thecases include some high profileones involving several top bu-reaucrats like Bishnupada Sethiin Rs 9 lakh medical bill from thefunds of Odisha State CooperativeBank, former Sundargarh CollectorRashmita Panda in Rs 70 lakh of-ficial residence renovation scam.

Lokayukta releases annual reportCyber crooks dupe govtemployee of `1.63 lakh

Fire personnel sanistising an apartment at Jharpada canal road in Bhubaneswar

HIT BY PANDEMIC Hundreds of pandals are erected every year tocelebrate the Ganesh puja with much fanfare in

the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswarwhich were missing this year

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik, Union minister Dharmendra

Pradhan and a host of dignitaries have greetedpeople on the occasion

The business of idol makers was severely affectedas no community puja was allowed to held at

public places because of the Covid-19 pandemic PHOTO: BIKASH NAYAK

stateSUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWARP5

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Bhawanipatna/Bolangir, August 22:As Covid pandemic has been spread-ing all over the state, the adminis-tration kept imposing restrictionsamid shutdowns and lockdowns.Amid such gloomy scenes, Nuakhai,a major agrarian festival of westernOdisha, beginning Sunday will ap-parently see muted celebrations.

On the eve of Naukhai, people wor-ship their household deities as a markof gratitude for bumper crops, goodrain and favourable weather. Thisyear Nuakhai will be observed August23 with certain protocol in place.

As per the age-old tradition, duringNuakhai, the eldest member of the fam-ily worships the household deity andoffers rice and other harvest. All thefamily members sit and eat togetherduring the celebration. People from allover, especially migrant workers, re-turn to their homes to celebrate thefestival. Due to the restrictions thisyear, a traditional social gatheringorganised by local people to greeteach other stands cancelled. Followingthe social distancing guidelines, peo-ple are being encouraged to celebrateat home without holding communityPuja. A gathering of more than fivepeople is prohibited.

However, in western Odisha, cer-tain district administrations have with-drawn the weekend shutdown to enable

people to celebrate Nuakhai. Althoughthe number of cases is rising in theseregions, locals hailed the decision of thedistrict officials. Folklore researcherShyam Sundar Dhar said social or-

ganisations in towns hold ‘NuakhaiBhetghat’ in the evening of the festivalto uphold ancient traditions. In contrast,various events are held in villages re-ligiously to mark the day. Nonetheless,

all the rituals, both in towns and villages,will be dropped this time as publicgatherings are prohibited.

‘Nuakhai’ is a mass festival linkedto harvest. What Onam is to Keralaand Bihu to Assam, ‘Nuakhai’ is toWestern Odisha. The festival is cele-brated the next day after GaneshChaturthi i.e. Shukla Paksha,Panchami Tithi of lunar fortnightof Bhadraba month.

Lacklustre Nuakhai fest amid Covid curbs

Shutdown to be eased in Steel CityRourkela: Shutdown restrictions will be eased Sunday in areas coming underRourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) for ‘Nuakhai’ festival. In this regard, thestate government issued a notification. The notification (dated 21/8/2020) read,“The weekend shutdown imposed in the jurisdiction of Rourkela MunicipalityCorporation is hereby relaxed on August 23, 2020 (Sunday) to allow citizens toobserve the said festival on their premises without causing any congregation atany place in accordance with the lockdown orders issued vide Order No No4582/R&DM (DM) dated 31.07.2020 and maintaining all safety protocols, such associal distancing, wearing masks, proper sanitization.” At the same time, RourkelaMunicipal Corporation said in a tweet that the relaxation is only for residentialcelebration of the festival. Hence, shops to remain closed Sunday. Notably, in viewof the increasing COVID-19 cases, the weekend shutdown in Rourkela Municipalityarea has been imposed till August 31.

On eve of Nuakhai, a woman is selling puja requirements at a market in Bargarh

POST NEWS NETWORK

Keonjhar, August 22: Even as thecentral government has envisionedhousing for all by 2022, large-scaleirregularities have come to the forein Pradhanmantri Awas Yojana(PMAY) in Juanga-dominated areasof Keonjhar. Corruption has re-portedly defeated the purpose ofthe scheme for the poor tribals, a re-port said.

Reports said, Juanga tribals livein hilly and remote Kharab villagein Pithagola panchayat. Many poorfamilies were included in the PMAYscheme, but surprisingly theirhouses have remained incomplete.In certain cases, construction ofhouses has stopped at plinth level.

The housing funds of tribalshave allegedly been misappropri-ated. Amid allegations of irregu-larities, a state-level delegation ofthe BJP visited the village and tookstock of the irregularities. Thetribals were found to be living in mis-erable condition in shanties.

The delegation comprisingSatyabrata Panda, Ranjit Thakurand Sonali Sahu talked to tribalfamilies about the status of theirhouses and complaints thereof.

After taking stock of the groundsituation, Sonali Sahu said,”Lakhsof rupees have been bungled in thename of housing to the tribal.”

Maheswar Sahu, vice presidentof the Rashtriya Krushak Morcha,demanded an investigation intothe alleged scam. “This is a big

scam. The tribals have been duped.No houses were built, but theirfunds were misappropriated” helamented.

The tribals expressed their dis-pleasure before the delegation overtheir incomplete houses.

Local leader Radhakant Mohantsaid the houses of the Juanga trib-als were left incomplete, but sur-prisingly the bills of the incom-plete houses were cleared by theauthorities concerned.

“The role of the people’s repre-sentatives and officials at the pan-

chayat and the block levels is sus-picious”, he added. The leaders de-manded a Crime Branch investi-gation into the housing scheme forthe poor tribals so that those in-volved in the scam will be caught.

Social activists observed thatmisappropriation of housing fundshas deprived many poor tribal ben-eficiaries of their housing rights.This is how gullible tribals are ex-ploited in remote pockets, theypointed out, saying there is a needfor an investigation and actionagainst the guilty.

Irregularities mar PMAY forJuanga tribals in Keonjhar

Juanga tribals live in hilly andremote Kharab village in

Pithagola panchayat. Manypoor families were included inthe PMAY scheme, butsurprisingly their houses haveremained incomplete

Maheswar Sahu, vice president ofthe Rashtriya Krushak Morcha,

demanded an investigation into thealleged scam. “This is a big scam. Thetribals have been duped. No houseswere built, but their funds weremisappropriated” he lamented

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhadrak/Baliapal, August 22:Amid incessant rains, major riverslike Baitarani, Salandi, Kochila,Reba, and Kapali saw floods. Manyareas under Chandibali ,Dhamnagar and Tihidi blocks wereflooded.Subarnarekha also flowed close todanger mark in Baliapal area inBalassore Saturday afternoon whilepeople in low-lying areas were pan-icked over possible flood situation.

Reports from Bhadrak said, areaslike Aradi, Nandapur, Sundarpur,Olaga under Chandbali block;Palasahi, Rabapur underDhamnag ar block andShyamsundarpur under Tihidiblock were flooded.

Due to flood in river Baitarani,villages like Muan, Santara,Shitalpur, Batola, Singipur,Sanapanki and several other vil-lages under Aradi panchayat werecut off from the rest of the world.

Thousands of hectares of farm-land are under floodwater at Pahana,Bhuinpur, Koilakha, Palatpur,Bankamuhan, Bodak,Sathibankuda, Sundar pur,Khatuapatana, Paradia,Champasahi, Sundar pur,Dohorapatana.

Locals said floodwaters fail to

drain out to sea as sea water re-mains stormy due to amabasya.

A stretch of NH-20 in Olaga pan-chayat got submerged under flood-waters, disrupting traffic.

Farmers were worried over thefact that paddy saplings they hadraised for transplantation will startrotting if the water-logging con-tinues.

The water levels of Salandi andGenguti river in Bhadrak alsoswelled. Thousands of hectares offarmlands are under water whilecommunication on many roads wasaffected. Rainwater on Dhamnagar-Phalpur road flows 4 feet above theground.

Reports said, thousands ofhectares of far mland under

Bhadrak, Bhandaripokhari, Tihidiand Chandbali block were inun-dated, leaving the farmers worried.

People of ChhatabarRamchandrapur panchayat underBhadaripokhari block have beenfacing a lot of difficulties as someroads are submerged under rain-water. Heavy rains created a fis-sure on the Genguti embankmentat Rameswar under Dhamnagarblock. Locals fear possible col-lapse of the embankment in caseof flood situation in the area.

Collector Gyanaranjan Das andother officials visited some areasof Dhamnagar. In case of floodinBhandaripokhari and Dhamnagar,the PD and the sub-collector havebeen given special tasks.

Many areas reel under flood in Bhadrak

PATANA: Following low pres-sure-induced incessant rain thatbattered Keonjhar district forpast few days, rainwater wasseen flowing four feet aboveKanajhari bridge Saturdaymorning.

According to reports, theKanajhari river is in spate atBhimapada on Patana-Kendeiposi road and connec-tivity from Patana to Keonjhar,Turumunga, Kendeiposi andBaunsuli areas has completelysnapped. Vehicular movementhas been halted on both sides ofthe river bridge. Hundreds ofvehicles were reportedlystranded here.

One sluice gate was openedafter heavy rainfall at the uppercatchment of Kanajhari damand water level went up. About100 cusecs of rainwater is beingreleased from the dam everysecond, official sources informed.

Keeping in mind safety of lo-cals, a joint team of Patana po-lice and fire brigade has been de-ployed near Kanajhari dam.

Road connectivitysnaps in Keonjhar

POST NEWS NETWORK

Chhatrapur, August 22: GanjamCollector Vijay Amruta KulangeSaturday held discussions withmedical officers of the districtthrough videoconferencing and re-viewed the COVID-19 situation here.

In the second such conference,Kulange laid emphasis on howpatients should be provided withtreatment facilities at commu-nity health centres and primaryhealth centres.

The Collector also took stock ofthe situation in all COVID care hos-pitals, COVID care centres andCOVID care homes. He inquiredabout the present treatment pro-cedures and other facilities beingprovided at the centres.

The Collector sought suggestionsfrom doctors on how the health fa-cilities could be improved. Among

other topics, referral of patientsand plasma donations also featuredin the discussions.

The first video conference be-tween the Collector and doctorshad taken place three days ago andalmost same subjects had been dis-cussed.

Notably, Ganjam reported 192

COVID-19 fresh cases Saturday, tak-ing the tally to 16,078. Of them,13,963 have recovered from the dis-ease and 1,936 patients are under-going treatment. The district alsoregistered one death Saturday fol-lowing which the toll went up to 171.There have so far been eight non-COVID deaths in the district.

DM stresses health facilities at CHCs, PHCs

BHADRAK: Bhadrak Lok Sabha MPManjulata Mandal, her husbandand ex-MLA of DhamnagarMuktikanta Mandal and threeothers of her family have testedCOVID-19 positive Saturday. BothManjulata and her husbandinformed about this on theirpersonal Tweeter handlesSaturday morning. Her securityguard Jitendra Samal and house

cook Bapi Nath were alsoinfected. In her tweet, Manjulataappealed local residents andparty workers to get themselvesCOVID-19-tested, who have comein contact with her in the recentpast. As she found somesymptoms of coronavirusinfection, she got herself testedand was detected positive. Shealso added that her health

condition is now stable and out ofdanger. Even as swabs of eight ofher family members were sent forCOVID-19 testing, Manjulata’s son,daughter and another securitypersonnel have tested negative,the report revealed. It is knownthat all the infected people havebeen kept in home isolation atMP’s personal residence nearBhadrak bypass road.

Bhadrak MP, 4 of her kin test Covid positivePOST NEWS NETWORK

Berhampur, August 22: In a shock-ing incident, a woman attempted sui-cide after killing her 19-month-olddaughter at Bhiwanipur underSadar police limits in Ganjam dis-trict.

The accused was identified asSabitri, wife of Kulamani Goudaof Mahanti Sahi of Bhiwanipur.Police seized the body for postmortem and detained Sabitri for in-terrogation.

According to police, Kulamanimarried Sabitri, a resident ofBelapada under Rambha policelimits two and a half years ago.Few days later, Sabitri wantedKulamani to stay away from thefamily. Kulamani, who ekes outhis living as a mason, would ig-nore her demand. After the birthof his daughter, though he managedto persuade her to stay with thefamily but they used to have fre-quent quarrels.

During the lockdown restric-

tions, he did not get enough work.Despite being broke, Sabitri pres-sured her husband to take ahouse on rent.

Friday morning, Sabitri and herdaughter were at the house.Kulamani and others returnedhome at noon only to find Sabitrisobbing with her daughter lyingclose to her, motionless. She con-fessed to having strangled her todeath. Then she attempted to endher life by slitting her vain. A casewas registered against her.

Woman kills 19-month-old baby, attempts suicide

POST NEWS NETWORK

Berhampur, August 22:Two youths in Ganjam dis-trict have reportedly fallenprey to online job fraud-sters amid the Covid pan-demic.

Reports said, both thejob aspirants lost Rs 2 lakhto the fraudsters who hadpromised them jobs atAirport Authority of India(AAI). One of the com-plainants, GupteswarPradhan informed that hereceived a phone call froma person, who identifiedhimself as AAI managerand informed about somejob vacancies.

Later, Pradhan report-edly transferred Rs 1.23 lakhas demanded by the callerwho informed that themoney was meant for sup-

ply of essential articles in-cluding laptops, uniformand other items.

Apart from Pradhan,Sudhakar Khuntia in thedistrict has also fallen preyto the online job scam.

A har ried Khuntia,said,“I had made paymentsto the tune of Rs 73,000 ininstallments. After visitingBhubaneswar, I found it tobe a fraud,” Both the youthshave lodged a complaintbefore Berhampur SPPinak Mishra who hastransferred the case to cyberpolice station.

The SP said that a casehas been registered whilepeople need to be carefulwhile doing financialtransactions online anddo not share vital infor-mation like bank accountsand OTP.

Youths duped of `2L on job promise

An area in Aradi inundated

MESS IN RURAL HOUSING

WORDSWORTH

power post P6

T he Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has deputed five teams toinvestigate the death of an actor who killed himself. I do not know whythe CBI is investigating it nor do I understand why there is such

great public interest in this issue. I have been told that this is because of somepolitical reason linked to the election in Bihar. If there is, I am not able tounderstand what it is. Bihar is the oldest political entity in India going backto the time of Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya.

Are Biharis so naïve as to vote based on this sort of material? Perhaps theyare and I will be disappointed to know that this is the case. Bihar is one ofthe poorest parts of the world. They have been governed by two parties thathave been in charge for a decade. Will the voter determine whether or notto vote for them based on a Bollywood event? If so, it is amazing. Two otherreasons have been put forward as possible reasons for the pushing of thisstory. First that it is targeted at the son of the Maharashtra Chief Minister.Second that it is aimed in some fashion at theMuslim actors of Bollywood. That seems tome to be more reasonable given our times.This government is hostile to Muslims andwill use any lie to attack them including thisone.

But to return to the question of voter in-terest, it was written this week by my friendShekhar Gupta that the Prime Minister wouldreturn to power in 2024 unless he inflicteddamage on himself. Gupta’s argument so far asI have understood it is that the damage in-flicted on the voter is not relevant because thevoter doesn’t care about such things as the col-lapse in the economy, the record unemploy-ment, the occupation of our land by Chinaand the inability of this government to containthe Covid epidemic.

Gupta did not explain in detail how he hadcome to this conclusion but he said that a sur-vey that had a previously good track recordshowed that Modi was at the peak of his pop-ularity. Again, I do not know if this is the casebut it would be quite interesting if this were tobe so. Our GDP has been declining since January 2018 for nine successive quar-ters, based on Modi’s own data. Unemployment has been the highest that ithas ever been recorded in India, again according to the government’s owndata. It is unclear who believes Modi when he says that there has been no Chineseintrusion, I hope it is not the Prime Minister himself because that would bea sign of delusion.

We are currently engaged with the Chinese in trying to get them to with-draw from our land and our generals have had half a dozen meetings withthem already. Presumably these meetings are being held because what Modisays (or believes) is untrue. There is no reason to negotiate with them if theyare not on our property.

On Covid the data is clear. We are number three in the world in terms ofthe number of cases, we are number one in terms of the number of dailycases and we will likely end up with the most infected people in the world.

This is not the record of a government and a Prime Minister who is pop-ular. In another nation this would signal disaster politically. Is it the case thatfor all or most Indian voters, their political affiliation is unrelated to theiractual life? Could it be that we vote as we do a Facebook like or Twitter for-ward? Is our political action through voting and support of a party basednot on its performance but on its image? Surely this is not true and even ifit is true for many, it cannot be true for all. Certainly it is not true for me.

But how many people think normally in this way? If there were many, thenwe would not have the circus that we do on an actor’s death at a time whichis the worst that I can remember, and I am not a young man. I cannot remembera time in my life when we had such economic strife, such levels of unem-ployment, a national epidemic and the enemy inside our house and such lit-tle interest in these and a focus on Bollywood and temples and such things.

Is this who we really are as citizens, individuals and voters? I shouldhope note. I do not think that our young generation of this time certainlyor the next will be so unconcerned about their politics. The question iswhether the current generations of our time do not care about the nation’ssecurity, their health, their employment and their future and whether theyare more interested in Bollywood. I do not have the answer to this but it isan answer that we will know for certain fairly soon.

T he Loya Jirga assembled inKabul two weeks ago gavethe go-ahead for the release

of the last of the 400 Taliban pris-oners. After the recent release of80 prisoners, a temporary halt on therelease of the remaining 320 is in ef-fect, as a few more countries (Franceand Australia) shared the appre-hensions of the Afghan govern-ment and public, that the prisonersin question had conducted violentattacks on Afghans and foreigners.

The release was part of a peaceagreement signed between theTaliban and the US February 29 toclear the last hurdle for the begin-ning of intra-Afghan talks. A quickannouncement of US withdrawalof another 4,000 troops, post LoyaJirga’s decision, indicated US ful-filment of its obligations as per thedeal. The US may commend itsSpecial Envoy for Afghanistan,Zalmay Khalilzad, the architect ofthe deal, but the fact is that theTaliban controls more territory inAfghanistan now than at the timewhen the US entered the war, andterror groups like al Qaeda, IS,Haqqani Network co-exist withTaliban. The peace deal does notguarantee success of intra-Afghandialogue; hence all stakeholders

have to wait and see its progress withhope, as well as apprehension.

India, having made significant in-vestments in Afghanistan, will al-ways hope for an Afghan elected,Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peaceand reconciliation process and apopular democratic governmentin Afghanistan. However, the Talibancontinues to be a force to reckonwith. The US-led invasion ousted theTaliban post September 11, 2001 at-tacks. After losing 2,400 US soldiers,tens of thousands of Afghan troops,Taliban fighters and Afghan civil-ians and spending more than $1trillion, a war fatigue of 19 years forpeace of another country, is enoughreason to pull out. Besides, there wasTrump's election promise to endthe war. The Taliban’s assurance ofnot allowing the use of Afghan soilfor terrorism seems too good to betrue; hence the US defense chiefindicated that it will not hesitate tonullify the deal if the Taliban failedto hold its promises.

The Afghan government had nochoice but to go along with the dealdue to lack of any leverage, as theTaliban refused to talk to them andthe election results were not con-vincing enough to put them in thedriver’s seat. The Taliban and

Pakistan's promise to renouncesupport to al-Qaeda and fightingISIS is unrealistic, because ISKP,AQIS and Haqqani network are al-ready active, with no visible dis-turbance from the Taliban and con-tinued support from Pakistan. TheTaliban will continue to use vio-lence as leverage for a better bar-gaining position even in intra-Afghan talks. The recent attack byISKP on the Afghan prison housingTaliban prisoners, the earlier at-tack on a Gurdwara, and the newPakistani leader from Haqqani net-work joining ISKP, indicates closelinkages of all terror groups, in-cluding Pakistan-based ones. TheTaliban will not sit quiet unless itgains power. Even if its leaders putup a facade of giving reasonable gov-ernance if brought into the powerstructure, its cadres are unlikely tosettle down without Sharia.

The Chinese are keen to extendthe BRI to Afghanistan to get an al-ternate axis to warm water in Gulfshould the CPEC face problems,besides exploiting mineral wealthof Afghanistan. Iran is economicallyweak and needs Chinese support.The China-Iran strategic partner-ship fructifying the $400 billiondeal may be an impediment for

Indian entry routes intoAfghanistan through Chabaharand further connectivity toInter national Nor th SouthTransportation Corridor, althoughIran has not given any signals of dis-ruption of these projects.

India has to be watchful of theIran-Pakistan-China axis develop-ing in the neighbourhood ofAfghanistan, with tentacles in theform of terror groups inside it.Since 2001, India has undertakenprojects worth $3 billion inAfghanistan. Besides engaging withall stakeholders, including Taliban,a watch on anti-India nexus of ter-ror groups is in India’s interest.

India needs to exercise somesmart diplomacy to convince the USthat Indian engagement with Iranis as much essential to prevent lossof strategic space of Afghanistanto China, as much as token presenceof US troops there. It remains to beseen whether this deal will work, orthe US pull back will leave behinda stronger Taliban, growing IS, suf-fering population of Afghanistanand new challenges for India.

The writer is a MajorGeneral (retd) and

strategic analyst. IANS

Afghan peace process affecting India

CHINA ALONEI

n his most recent New Year’sspeech, Chinese President XiJinping declared that 2020would be ‘a milestone.’ Xi was

right, but not in the way he ex-pected. Far from having “friendsin every corner of the world,” ashe boasted in his speech, China hasseverely damaged its internationalreputation, alienated its partners,and left itself with only one reallever of power: brute force.Whether the prospect of isolationthwarts Xi’s imperialist ambi-tions, however, remains to be seen.

Historians will most likely view2020 as a watershed year. Thanksto COVID-19, many countrieslearned hard lessons about China-dependent supply chains, and in-ternational attitudes towardChina’s communist regime shifted.

The tide began to turn when itwas revealed that the CommunistParty of China hid crucial infor-mation from the world aboutCOVID-19, which was first detectedin Wuhan – a finding confirmed bya recent US intelligence report.Making matters worse, Xi at-tempted to capitalise on the pan-demic, first by hoarding medicalproducts – a market China domi-nates – and then by stepping up ag-gressive expansionism, particu-larly in the Indo-Pacific region.This is driving rapid change inthe region’s geostrategic land-scape, with other powers prepar-ing to counter China.

For starters, Japan now seemsset to begin cooperating with theFive Eyes – the world’s oldest in-telligence-gathering and -sharingalliance, comprising Australia,Canada, New Zealand, the UnitedKingdom, and the United States.A new ‘Six Eyes’ alliance wouldserve as a crucial pillar of Indo-Pacific security.

Moreover, the so-called Quad –comprising Australia, India, Japan,and the US – seems poised to deepenits strategic collaboration. Thisrepresents a notable shift for India,in particular, which has spentyears attempting to appease China.

As US National Security AdviserRobert O'Brien recently noted,“the Chinese have been very ag-gressive with India” lately. Sincelate April, the People’s LiberationArmy has occupied several areas

in the northern Indian region ofLadakh, turning up the heat on along-simmering border conflict.This has left Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi with little choicebut to change course.

Modi is considering invitingAustralia to participate in the an-nual Malabar naval exercise withJapanese, American, and Indianforces later this year. Australiawithdrew from the exercise in2008 when it involved only the USand India. Although Japan’s par-ticipation was regularised in 2015,India had hesitated to bringAustralia back into the fold, for fearof provoking China. Not anymore.With Australia again involved inMalabar, the Quad grouping willhave a formal, practical platformfor naval drills.

Already, cooperation amongQuad members is gaining somestrategic heft. In June, Australiaand India signed the MutualLogistics Support Arrangement toincrease military interoperabil-ity through bilateral defense ac-tivities. India has a similar pactwith the US and is set to sign onewith Japan shortly.

Japan, for its part, recentlyadded Australia, India, and theUK as defense intelligence sharingpartners by tweaking its 2014 statesecrets law, which previously in-cluded exchanges only with the

US. This will strengthen Japanesesecurity cooperation under 2016 leg-islation that redefined Japan’s US-imposed pacifist post-war consti-tution in such a way that Japanmay now come to the aid of alliesunder attack.

Thus, the Indo-Pacific’s democ-racies are forging closer strate-gic bonds in response to China’sincreasing aggression. The next log-ical step would be for these coun-tries to play a more concerted, co-ordinated role in advancing broaderregional security. The problem isthat American, Australian, Indian,and Japanese security interestsare not entirely congruent.

For India and Japan, the secu-rity threat China poses is muchmore acute and immediate, asshown by China’s aggressionagainst India and its increasinglyfrequent incursions into Japanesewaters. Moreover, India is the onlyQuad member that maintains aland-based defense posture, andit faces the very real prospect of aserious conflict with China on itsHimalayan border.

The US, by contrast, has neverconsidered a land war againstChina. Its primary objective is tocounter China’s geopolitical, ide-ological, and economic challengesto America’s global preeminence.America’s pursuit of this objec-tive will be President Donald

Trump’s most-consequential for-eign-policy legacy.

Australia, meanwhile, must en-gage in a delicate balancing act.While it wants to safeguard itsvalues and regional stability, itremains economically dependenton China, which accounts for one-third of its exports. So, even asAustralia has pursued closer tieswith the Quad, it has spurned UScalls to join naval patrols in theSouth China Sea. As its foreignminister, Marise Payne, recentlydeclared, Australia has ‘no in-tention of injuring’ its relationshipwith China.

If China continues pursuingan expansionist strategy, however,such hedging will no longer bejustifiable. Japanese DefenseMinister Taro Kono recently de-clared that the ‘consensus in theinternational community’ is thatChina must be ‘made to pay a highprice’ for its muscular revisionismin the South and East China seas,the Himalayas, and Hong Kong. Heis right – the emphasis is on ‘high.’

As long as the costs of expan-sionism remain manageable, Xiwill stay the course, seeking toexploit electoral politics and po-larisation in major democracies.The Indo-Pacific’s major demo-cratic powers must not let thathappen, which means ensuringthat the costs for China do not re-main manageable for long.

Machiavelli famously wrotethat, “It is better to be feared thanloved.” Xi is not feared so much ashated. But that will mean littleunless the Indo-Pacific’s majordemocracies get their act together,devise ways to stem Chinese ex-pansionism, reconcile their se-curity strategies, and contributeto building a rules-based regionalorder. Their vision must be clar-ified and translated into a well-defined policy approach, backedwith real strategic weight.Otherwise, Xi will continue to usebrute force to destabilise the Indo-Pacific further, possibly even start-ing a war.

The writer is Professor ofStrategic Studies at New

Delhi-based Centre for PolicyResearch and Fellow at the

Robert Bosch Academy inBerlin. @PROJECT SYNDICATE

LOL

FOCUS

SPECTRUM

As long as the costs of expansionism remainmanageable, Xi will stay the course, seeking toexploit electoral politics and polarisation inmajor democracies. The Indo-Pacific’s majordemocratic powers must not let that happen,which means ensuring that the costs for Chinado not remain manageable for long

Not a popular govt’s record

Lost far from a home

Apolice car pulls up in front ofgrandma Bessie’s house, and

grandpa Morris gets out. The polite policeman explained thatthis elderly gentleman said that hewas lost in the park...and couldn’t findhis way home.

“Oy Morris,”said grandma,

“You’ve been going tothat park for over 30 years!

So how could you get lost?” Leaning close to grandma, so that thepoliceman couldn’t hear, Morriswhispered, “I wasn’t lost.....I was justtoo tired to walk home.”

SUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

Care not for time and success.Act out thy part, whether it beto fail or to prosper.

SRI AUROBINDO

SOUTH ASIA

HISTORIANSWILL MOST

LIKELY VIEW2020 AS A

WATERSHEDYEAR. THANKS

TO COVID-19,MANY

COUNTRIESLEARNED HARD

LESSONS ABOUTCHINA-

DEPENDENTSUPPLY

CHAINS, AND INTERNATIONAL

ATTITUDESTOWARDCHINA’S

COMMUNISTREGIME SHIFTED

Brahma Chellaney

WISDOM CORNERMost people do not really want freedom, because freedom involvesresponsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.

SIGMUND FREUD

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. Truenobility lies in being superior to your former self. ERNEST HEMINGWAY

The history of science shows that theories are perishable. Withevery new truth that is revealed we get a better understanding ofNature and our conceptions and views are modified. NIKOLA TESLA

GEOSTRATEGY

Readers of Orissa POSTare most welcome to contribute letters(200 words), articles andcolumns (between 750-1250words). Contributors arerequested to send theircontact numbers and fullpostal address/email ID. They may alsosend in their valuable comments, opinionand suggestions, preferably by email, to: edit@orissapost.com

B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate,Bhubaneswar-751010

LettersTO THE EDITOR

INDIA HAS TO BEWATCHFUL OF THE

IRAN-PAKISTAN-CHINA AXIS

DEVELOPING IN THE

NEIGHBOURHOODOF AFGHANISTAN,WITH TENTACLES

IN THE FORM OFTERROR GROUPS

INSIDE IT

S.B. Asthana

Battle lines drawn

Sir,The much-awaited battle lines are drawn with the announcement of Joe Bidenas the Presidential nominee of the Democrats for the November elections.Biden poses a great challenge to Trump as the former’s candidature is well sup-ported by Barrack Obama and Bill Clinton who are held in high esteem by Americansfor their contribution to the country’s causes in times of need. Adding toTrump’s woes is Kamala Harris who has been fielded as Biden’s deputy. Harris,an Afro-American, too represents South Asian interests as her mother hails froma South Indian state. However, these factors are crucial as far as the US electionsare concerned. One, the American voters have a history of re-electing the in-cumbent President for the second time. Two, going by the recent Sino-Indian flare-up at the border and the Trump administration’s overt support to India, the Indian-origin electorate in the US may prefer to go with the Republicans. This apart,India has been at one with Trump in matters of the spread of coronavirusfrom the Chinese soil. The point that goes in favour of Biden is that he was in-strumental in the safe passage of the historic Indo-US nuclear deal duringObama’s tenure. Joe may play this card for the Indians and those supporting Indiain South Asia. That said, only the results will decide the fate of Trump who hasseen troubled times in his tenure, be it his fight against the pandemic or his tack-ling of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. Sanjib Das, CUTTACK

Focus on farming

Sir, Covid-19 is a great set back to the whole world. InIndia, lakhs of migrant labourers have returned to theirhome states with a bitter experience in their workingplace. Now is the appropriate time for the states to en-courage organic farming. It’s a fact that every year productionof Ravi crops, like potato, onion, vegetables, and oil seedsis decreasing. This may be due to lack of storage facilitiesand irrigation. This low production leads to soaring of pricesof the essential commodities to a level which is beyond thereach of the common man. Our governments (both stateand central) should launch massive publicity by goingvillage to village and motivate farmers by giving supportto their agricultural needs. On the other hand, the gov-ernments should minimise free food grains supply as it hasserious negative impacts. Indirectly, such schemes persuadethe huge man-power to sit idle. Now, the time has come foraction. Adequate stress on agriculture may boost the ruraleconomy and reduce the flow of population from rural tourban areas. Ramdas Ray, BHUBANESWAR

cmyk

cmyk

Thaumaturgy

Of all the words in English that refer to the making of magic, this isperhaps the most resonant. It doesn’t have the negative associations of

words such as sorcery or necromancy because it referred originally to theproduction of wonders for positive ends rather than any intent to causesomeone harm. The origin is the Greek word thaumatourgos, miracleworking (from thauma, marvel, plus ergos, work). Though it’s not thatcommon a word, it seems to have generated a surprisingly large set ofderivatives since it first appeared in English in 1727. There are severalwords for a practitioner of thaumaturgy, including thaumaturge andthaumaturgist; another is thaumaturgus, which has been given to anumber of Christian saints and others who are said to have performedwonders. The verb is thaumaturgise. The thaumatrope was a Victorian toy,a card with two different pictures on its back and front that magicallycombined into one when the card was rapidly spun. And aficionados ofTerry Pratchett’sDiscworld novels will know that the wizards of UnseenUniversity invented a device with which to measure the intensity of amagic field — what would you call that but a thaumometer?

Aakar PatelIs it the case that

for all or mostIndian voters, theirpolitical affiliation

is unrelated to theiractual life?

cmyk

cmyk

JAMMU &KASHMIRSUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

P7GUJARAT

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Srinagar, August 22: Making clearthere can be ‘nothing about us with-out us’ in Jammu and Kashmir, sixmainstream political parties termedabrogation of special status of theerstwhile state as a ‘spitefully short-sighted’ and ‘grossly unconstitu-tional’ move and pledged a com-bined effort for restoration of thepre-August 5 position of last year.

A resolution termed GupkarDeclaration-II was circulated inmedia. It was signed by NationalConference president FarooqAbdullah, PDP chief MehboobaMufti, J-K Congress chief GA Mir,Peoples’ Conference leader SajjadLone, state CPM leader MY Tarigamiand Jammu and Kashmir AwamiNational Conference senior vice-president Muzaffar Shah.

This is the first combined state-ment issued by the political par-ties after more than a year.

Acknowledging the difficulties inbringing out a resolution of all par-ties, it said the signatories to theGupkar Declation-I, signed August4, 2019, "have barely managed toestablish basic level of communi-cation with each other" in the faceof a series of prohibitive and puni-tive curbs imposed by the govern-ment, aimed at impeding all socialand political interactions. The lim-ited confabulations held within theconstraints imposed have resultedin this unanimous resolution, it

said. “We all reiterate that we arebound, wholly, by the contents of theGupkar Declaration and will un-waveringly adhere to it. We arecommitted to strive for the restora-tion of Articles 370 and 35A, theConstitution of J-K and the restora-tion of the state and any divisionof the state is unacceptable to us.We unanimously reiterate thatthere can be ‘nothing about us with-out us’,” Gupkar Resolution-II said.

The national and regional polit-ical parties termed the changesmade in the state in August last

year as "unfortunate" which haveunrecognisably changed the rela-tionship between Jammu andKashmir and New Delhi.

“In a spitefully shortsighted andunconstitutional move, Articles 370and 35A were abrogated and thestate was bifurcated and relegatedto the status of two Union Territoriesand its Constitution tried to be madeunenforceable,” it said. It said themeasures undertaken last year were"grossly unconstitutional" and in re-ality measures of disempowermentand a challenge to the basic identity

of the people of J-K. "The meas-ures attempt to redefine who weare. These changes were accompa-nied by repressive measures meantto silence people and coerce them intosubmission, and continue unabated,"it said. "We all reiterate our com-mitment to collectively fight to restorethe special status of J-K as guaran-teed under the Constitution and thecommitments made from time totime," the resolution said, addingthese were the testing times andtimes of pain for the peace loving peo-ple of Jammu and Kashmir.

GUPKAR DECLARATION-II

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, August 22: Five mem-bers of the Islamic State of Jammu& Kashmir (ISJK), who had plannedto attack an Army camp in Kashmirvalley, were arrested by the policefrom Bandipora district Saturday.

Official sources said that actingon a specific input, the Bandiporadistrict police arrested five terrorassociates of the ISJK or Wilayah-al-Hind, the regional branch of thepan-Islamist terror group, ISIS.

Four of them are from differentplaces in Bandipora and one isfrom Srinagar, sources said.Incriminating material includingmatrix sheets, ISJK flags and am-munition was recovered from theirpossession.

On preliminary inquiry, policesources said, it was found thatthese five members of the ISJKcarried out a recee of an armycamp as they planned to attack it.The module was also providingsupport to the terror group in thevalley and motivating and radi-calising youth to join their terrorranks.

Sources said the group was man-ufacturing flags of the ISJK inChittibandy Aragam and furthersupplying them to their associatesin Srinagar.

The police has filed a case underUnlawful Activities PreventionAct at police Station Aragam andare further investigating the case.

A small number of youth inKashmir began supporting ISISwhen the terror group assumed

prominence in 2014 with its use ofsocial media to run their propa-ganda videos of barbaric execu-tions. Masked youth were frequentlyseen waving pro-Caliphate ISISflags in downtown Srinagar.

By 2017, black ISIS shrouds beganreplacing Pakistani green flagswhich had been used as cerementsto wrap slain terrorists in theirfunerals in Kashmir. Last year, anISJK terrorist was killed by Hizbul

Mujahideen following which theISJK had declared that Pakistan-backed terror groups in Kashmirwere traitors to the cause of Islamicjihad. ISIS, in an official an-nouncement last year, acknowl-edged that it has set up its Indiabrancha "Wilayah-al-Hinda" afterits operative Ishfaq Ahmad Sofiwas killed in an encounter withsecurity forces in Shopian in southKashmir.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Gandhinagar, August 22: A PILhas been filed in Gujarat HighCourt, seeking direction to thestate government not to suppressthe ‘real cause’ of death of lions inSasan Gir, the only abode of Asiaticlions in the world.

The petitioner also has raisedquestions about the procurementof the Canine Distemper Virus(CDV) vaccine to treat the big catsagainst the virus.

In his PIL, Varjang GalabhaiKaramta, a resident of MaliyaHatina in Junagadh, raised theissue of deaths of lions in recenttimes and asked why is the stateForest Department not disclosingthe real cause, and ‘instead givingfalse information that the lionsdied due to infighting’.

The PIL has asked the high courtto direct the state government to de-clare data of each and every lion on

the official portal or website of theForest Department, and reveal theexact cause of death of every lionin the recent times as well as in thepast.

The petitioner has also sought aproper investigation of lions' deathsin the past.

Questioning the procurementof CDV vaccine from the US, the PILsaid that the Chief Conservator ofForests, DT Vasavda had statedthat there was no disease or virusinfection in lions, and if "this wastrue, then why did the state gov-ernment procure more than 1,100vaccine doses".

The PIL has also raised ques-tions about the administration ofthe vaccine. "Sasan Gir does nothave adequate number of veterinarydoctors and in their absence, for-est guards and trackers are ad-ministering these vaccines to thebig cats which could be very risky,"it said.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Ahmedabad, August 22: TheGujarat government Saturdaybrought more areas in Vadodara cityunder the purview of the DisturbedAreas Act.

The Act bans sale of propertyby a member of one religious com-munity to that of another com-munity without the district col-lector’s approval.

The Act has been now imposedin areas under the jurisdiction ofHarni police station in Vadodara city,an official release said.

Also, more areas from jurisdic-tion of Karelibaug, Bapod andVarasiya police stations were also

brought under the Act.It was already in force -- after

being extended for another fiveyears in September 2019 -- in someareas under these police stations.

The imposition of the Act innewer localities followed a repre-sentation by local BJP MLAManishaben Vakil. The releasequoted the Minister of State forHome Pradipsinh Jadeja as sayingthat it will ensure that a propertyis not misappropriated through ha-rassment or intimidation.

The Gujarat Prohibition ofTransfer of Immovable Propertyand Provision for Protection ofTenants from Eviction fromPremises in Disturbed Areas Act,

1991 was amended in 2019 to stop peo-ple from acquiring properties indisturbed areas through illegalmeans.

As per the amended Act, viola-tors have to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakhor two per cent of the value of prop-erty, whichever is higher, and faceimprisonment of three to five years.

It is already in force in severalcommunally sensitive areas ofAhmedabad, Vadodara, Surat,Bharuch and other towns in Gujarat.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Ahmedabad, August 22: Gujarathas received over 90 per cent ofthe average annual rainfall so far,more than half of it in Augustalone, officials said Saturday.

Water stock in the dams in thestate has reached nearly 62 percent of the gross storage capacity.Against 821 mm of average annualrainfall, the state till Friday had re-ceived 754.12 mm or 90.75 per centrains, the State EmergencyOperation Centre (SEOC) said.

It received 403.22 mm rainfall inAugust alone, it said.

Kutch has so far received 159.12per cent of average annual rainfall,followed by Saurashtra at 121.60 percent, south Gujarat at 83.40 per cent,east central Gujarat at 69.58 per centand north Gujarat at 67.87 per cent.

Devbhumi Dwarka in Saurashtrahas received 255.18 per cent rain-

fall, the highest in the state, whileDahod in east-central Gujarat hasreceived the lowest 44.29 per centrain, it said.

At least 66 out of 206 dams, in-cluding 52 in Saurashtra, havereached their full capacity, the statewater resource department said.

Dams in the state have reached61.87 per cent of their gross storagecapacity, the department said.

Sardar Sarovar dam, the largestin the state, is 57.10 per cent full.Friday, monsoon remained vigor-ous over Saurashtra-Kutch regionand active across the state, withValsad in south Gujarat receivingvery heavy showers, said theAhmedabad centre of the IndiaMeteorological Department (IMD).

Heavy rainfall was reported onSaturday in Devbhumi Dwarkadistrict of Saurashtra as well as inMehsana, Aravalli and Panchmahaldistricts.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, August 22: In a bid toramp up infrastructure in theHimalayan region, the governmenthas finalised bids to construct theZoji La tunnel in the JammuKashmir and Ladakh region.

National Highways and IndustrialDevelopment Corporation (NHIDCL)opened the bids Friday as the gov-ernment finally called for the tendersto complete the long-pending roadtunnel, which will have to be con-structed under critical conditions.

The bid for the project whichwill be constructed in two sectionsof about 33 kilometre has been wonby the Megha Engineering andInfrastructure Limited (MEIL). Thefirst section will involve the con-struction of a 18.50-kilometre road.The second section a horseshoe of14.15 km Zoji La tunnel as a two-laneroad of 9.5 meter width and 7.57meter height.

The road from Srinagar to Leh inLadakh is not suitable for vehicu-lar traffic throughout the year. TheSrinagar-Ladakh highway is com-pletely closed for six months, es-pecially during the winter season.So much so, that even the militaryvehicles are unable to move underthese conditions.

“The project, in which MEIL has

become L-1, will be constructedfrom the Z-Morh tunnel to Zoji Latunnel between Sonmarg-Kargilon national highway-1 in the Zoji Laarea. This project is the most com-plex one. The construction of thistunnel will come up facing un-precedented difficulties,” said thecompany that won the bid, in astatement.

The tunnel has to be built at 700meters below the surface. The proj-ect is also in the most complex hillterrain and snowstorms are a reg-ular feature. As there is dense snowfor at least eight months in a year,the execution will not be easy, ac-

cepts MEIL.What makes it even more chal-

lenging is the river flowing adjacentto the proposed project site. Theseconditions are going to create severeproblems with water and ice pour-ing during the construction.

The Border Roads Organisation(BRO) has decided to improve theroad travel facilities to all com-muters between Kashmir andLadakh. As part of this plan, ahighway tunnel will also be con-structed from Srinagar to Baltal,which will improve the AmaranthYatra of the pilgrims. Baltal basecamp near Kargil is used for

Amarnath yatra.Besides, two snow galleries will

come up -- 300 meters and 150 me-ters each. India is making everyeffort to ramp up its Himalayanroad infra. The total length of theseworks is 18.475 kilometres.

In Part-2, the construction will in-clude a 0.16 km long cut and covertunnel along with the above detailsregarding the tunnel. Even, venti-lation cavern, three shafts will alsobe constructed. Two other shaftscalled the Longitudinal VentilationSystem will then come up, includ-ing a special transport ventilationsystem.

IS module busted in Kashmir

COMBINED EFFORT• The leaders of J&K’s 6 mainstream parties had

met on the eve of August 5, 2019 at the Gupkarresidence of Farooq Abdullah and a statement,also known as ‘Gupkar Declaration’, had askedpeople to maintain calm and peace and urged theCentre not to alter the constitutional status ofthe erstwhile state

• However, the very next day the governmentmoved a resolution in Parliament and announcedabrogation of Article 370, a provision giving edgein residency and jobs to local people, and alsobifurcated it into two union territories -- Ladakh,and Jammu and Kashmir

• The parties termed the abrogation of specialstatus of the erstwhile state as a ‘spitefullyshortsighted’ and ‘grossly unconstitutional’ moveand pledged a combined effort for restoration ofthe pre-August 5 position of last year

Nothing about us without us, say J&K parties GLOBAL TERROR IN VALLEY

A small number of youth inKashmir began supportingISIS when the terror group

assumed prominence in2014 with its use of social

media to run theirpropaganda videos of

barbaric executions

LAST YEAR, AN ISJK TERRORIST WAS KILLED BY HIZBUL MUJAHIDEENFOLLOWING WHICH THE ISJK HAD DECLARED THAT PAKISTAN-BACKED

TERROR GROUPS IN KASHMIR WERE TRAITORS TO THE CAUSE OFISLAMIC JIHAD

By 2017, black ISISshrouds beganreplacing Pakistanigreen flags which hadbeen used ascerements to wrapslain terrorists in theirfunerals in Kashmir

Masked youthwere

frequentlyseen waving

pro-CaliphateISIS flags indowntownSrinagar

Disturbed Areas Act extendedto more localities in Vadodara

Zoji La, a tunnel of strategic significance COMPLEX PROJECTThe tunnel has to be built at 700

meters below the surface

The project is also in the mostcomplex hill terrain and snowstorms

are a regular feature

As there is dense snow for at leasteight months in a year, the execution

will not be easy

What makes it even more challengingis the river flowing adjacent to the

proposed project site

HC moved to know ‘realreason’ for lion deaths

SWOLLEN RIVER

Locals look on at the swollen Chenab river, a day after authorities opened Salal Dam reservoir gates following heavyrains, in Jammu, Saturday. PTI PHOTO

90 pc of annual rainfallalready recorded in Guj

COMMUNALLY SENSITIVE

The Act bans sale of property bya member of one religious

community to that of anothercommunity without the district

collector’s approval

It is already in force in severalcommunally sensitive areas ofAhmedabad, Vadodara, Surat,Bharuch and other towns in

Gujarat

The Gujarat Prohibition ofTransfer of Immovable Propertyand Provision for Protection of

Tenants from Eviction fromPremises in Disturbed Areas Act,

1991 was amended in 2019 tostop people from acquiring

properties in disturbed areasthrough illegal means

P8

nationalSUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

May theblessings ofLord Ganesha

be upon the peopleof Goa so that theobstacles of theCOVID-19 epidemicand its negative effects areconquered by the people

BHAGAT SINGH KOSHYARI | GOA GOVERNOR

of theday uote

How can thispowerlessgovernment

protect the interestsof the ordinarypeople? ...If theycannot, what is thepoint of such a government inpower? Or did the BJP want suchriots during the BBMP elections?

HD KUMARASWAMY |FORMER K’TAKA CHIEF MINISTER

...I have strongdoubts thatmy phone

calls are beingtapped. So I requestyou to get itinvestigatedappropriately and take necessaryaction

DK SHIVAKUMAR | K’TAKA CONGRESS CHIEF

Contempt powerbeing used as a

sledgehammer. Why arecourts helpless wheninstitutions that need toprotect the constitutionand the laws show “opencontempt” for both?KAPIL SIBAL | CONGRESS LEADER

A 50-kg tumour, which was half thebodyweight of the patient, has beenremoved from her ovary at a Delhihospital, with the doctors claiming it tobe the largest of its kind to be operatedin the world

50-KG OVARIAN TUMOUR, HALF THEBODYWEIGHT OF PATIENT, REMOVED

Four held for ‘franchise fraud’ Noida (UP): With the arrest offour men, Noida PoliceSaturday said they havebusted a “franchise racket”run by them to dupe aroundRs 30 crore from over threedozen people from multiplestates. The police alsorecovered properties wortharound Rs 10 crore, including3.300 kg gold, Rs 13,54,550cash and a Mercedes car,from the accused persons, asenior officer said. During aprobe it emerged that it wasnot only one company butthere were also four-fivemore such firms floated bythese men for the samepurpose.

IAF officer endslife in JammuJammu: A warrant officer inthe Indian Air Force (IAF)allegedly committed suicideby shooting himself with hisservice pistol inside a camphere, officials said Saturday.Warrant Officer Inder PalSingh, 53, a resident of UttarPradesh, allegedly shothimself at Air Force StationKalu Chak on the outskirts ofJammu on Friday, they said.The officials said Singh'scolleagues rushed him to anearby hospital, wheredoctors declared him dead.The motive behind his takingsuch an extreme step wasnot known immediately, theofficials said, adding thatpolice have started inquestproceedings and furtherinvestigation is underway.

Mukherjee still indeep comaNew Delhi: Former PresidentPranab Mukherjee continuesto remain in a deep coma buthis vital parameters arestable, the hospital saidSaturday morning. Doctorssaid attending to the 84-year-old said he is being treatedfor respiratory infection andcontinues to be on ventilatorysupport. Mukherjee wasadmitted to the Army’sResearch and ReferralHospital in Delhi CantonmentAugust 10 and was operatedfor removal of a clot in thebrain the same day.

Shibu Soren, wifetest COVID +veRanchi: Former JharkhandChief Minister and JMMpresident Shibu Soren and hiswife Roopi, along with sevenothers in their household, havetested positive for COVID-19,official sources said. All ofthem are undergoing homequarantine, they said. Samplesof 29 people in Soren’shousehold were collected forexamin-ation, of which sevenwere found to have contractedthe disease.

SHORT TAKES

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AGENCIES

New Delhi, August 22: Indiarecorded 69,878 new coronaviruscases in a single day Saturday tak-ing the total tally to 30,05,281, theMinistry of Health and FamilyWelfare said.

In the last 24 hours, 945 people losttheir lives due to COVID-19 infec-tion taking the toll to 55,794, theministry said.

The total active cases from acrossthe country stands at 6,97,330. The totalnumber of people discharged fromhospitals and quarantine centres sofar is 22,22,577. In the last 24 hours,63,631 people recovered. The recov-ery rate stands at 74.69 per cent.

The government stated that3,44,91,073 cumulative total sam-ples have been tested up to August21, and 10,23,836 samples were testedFriday.

Andhra Pradesh, one of theworst hit states, has recorded 87,803active cases so far. A total 2,44,045people have recovered from thedeadly virus in the state so far. Inthe last 24 hours, 8,827 people re-covered from the infection of the

virus. The state has recorded 3,092deaths so far and in the last 24hours 91 people succumbed to theinfection

In Karnataka, the total activecases are 83,082. So far 1,76,942 peo-ple have recovered from the infec-tion, of whom 6,561 left hospitals andquarantine centres in the last 24hours, when 93 people succumbedto the disease taking the toll to 4,522so far in the state.

The state of Maharashtra has

1,64,879 active cases. A total 4,70,873people recovered from the virusinfection and in the last 24 hours,as 11,749 people left hospital afterrecovering. A total 21,698 peoplehave lost their lives as 339 died inthe last 24 hours.

The national capital has 11,426 ac-tive Covid-19 cases. So far, 1,42,908people have recovered, of which1,082 in the last 24 hours. The cap-ital has reported 4,270 deaths sofar as 13 died in past one day.

COVID-19 cases cross 3 million in IndiaRecovery ratereaches 74.69%New Delhi: A record 63,631patients have recuperated fromCOVID-19 in a day pushing therecovery rate to 74.69 per cent,while the case fatality rate hasdropped to 1.87 per cent, theUnion Health Ministry saidSaturday. “Record-highrecoveries have ensured thatthe actual caseload of thecountry, which is the activecases, has reduced andcurrently comprises only 23.43per cent of the total cases,” theministry said. “With a highernumber of COVID-19 patientsrecovering and beingdischarged from hospitals andhome isolation, the recoveryrate has reached 74.69 per cent.This has also led to decliningCOVID-19 case fatality rate,which stands at a new low of1.87 per cent as on date,” theministry said.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Mumbai, August 22: Amid thecoronavirus pandemic and re-strictions on public movement, the10-day Ganesh festival started inMumbai and other par ts ofMaharashtra Saturday, althoughthe usual pomp and glory was miss-ing this year.

The Maharashtra governmenthas issued guidelines regardingGaneshotsav celebrations, sayingthat processions should not be takenout before installing and immers-ing the idols of the deity.

It also said that the heights ofLord Ganesh idols installed by sar-vajanik (community) mandals andat household- level should be limitedto four feet and two feet, respec-

tively, this year.As a result, the number of peo-

ple coming out in the market tobuy Ganpati idols for installation intheir houses, housing societies andsarvajanik pandals, was limited.The usual spirit and fervour of thefestival was relatively low this year.

Due to the subdued celebrations,small businesses of that thrive dur-ing the festival, like flower vendors,sweet shops, outlets selling decora-tion items, imitation jewellery andtransporters took a hit. The pan-demic also affected several others,including artistes and transporters.

However, in some popular mar-ket places like Dadar in centralMumbai, people still came out inlarge numbers to purchase materialrequired for decoration, puja ritu-

als in the last couple of days.Lalbaugcha Raja, Mumbai’s best-

known sarvajanik Ganeshotsav

mandal, cancelled the festival thisyear in view of the pandemic, whileWadala's GSB Sewa Samiti, con-

sidered one of the richest mandalsin the metropolis, postponed thecelebration to ‘Magh ShudhChaturthi’ in February next year.

The usual pandal decorations inthe city are missing this year andcultural events have been replacedby public awareness programmesand health camps by the mandals.

Mumbai and the neighbouringareas have been witnessing heavyrains since the last few days. Thedownpour continued on Saturdaymorning, but people stepped outto bring home the idols of the deityamid chants ‘Ganpati bappa moraya’.In some areas firecrackers werealso burst to welcome the Lord.

Chief Minister UddhavThackeray also welcomed LordGanesh at his official residence

‘Varsha’. Some celebrities and po-litical leaders also installed theidols at their places.

The installation of the deity wasdone as per the rituals in the morn-ing. Meanwhile, security has beenbeefed up in the city for the festival.Apart from the local police, a companyof Rapid Action Force (RAF), threecompanies of State Reserve PoliceForce (SRPF), local arms and riotcontrol police have been deployed.

Quick response teams, bomb dis-posal squads and anti- terrorismcells have also been put on alert toprevent untoward incidents andpolice will monitor the happeningsin the city with the help of 5,000CCTV cameras and also use dronesfor aerial surveillance, a police of-ficial said.

Ganesh fest begins on low-key note as COVID-19 dampens spiritDUE TO THE SUBDUED CELEBRATIONS, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT THRIVE DURING THE FESTIVAL TOOK A HIT

Waterlogged bridge on Adi Ganga, owing to high tide in Ganga river, at Kalighat area in Kolkata, Saturday PTI PHOTO

WATERLOGGED BRIDGE

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, August 22:The Centrehas constituted the NationalCouncil for Transgender Personsto formulate policies, programmes,legislation and projects regard-ing members of the community forachieving equality and full par-ticipation by them.

The council was established bythe Centre in exercise of the pow-ers conferred by the TransgenderPersons (Protection of Rights)Act, 2019, according to a gazette no-tification issued late Friday night.

According to the Act, the func-tions of the council include ad-vising the Centre on the formu-lation of policies, programmes,legislation and projects with re-spect to transgender persons;monitoring and evaluating theimpact of policies and pro-grammes designed for achievingequality and full participation oftransgender persons.

National Council forTransgender Personsset up by Centre

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Hyderabad, August 22: In a sen-sational case, a 25-year-old womanhas lodged a complaint with theHyderabad police, alleging thatshe was sexually assaulted by 143people since 2010.

The woman, a native ofNalgonda district residing inHyderabad, lodged the complaintat the Punjagutta police station.

She named people with a polit-ical background, student leaders,people from films, media and otherwalks of life as the accused. Thoseaccused also include a few women.

In addition to 139 people namedin the complaint, she alleged thatfour others whom she does not re-member also raped her.

The sensational complaint forcedthe police to register a 42-pageFirst Information Report (FIR)August 20. The FIR has the names

of the accused on 41 pages.The police have sent the woman

for medical examination and coun-selling. A police officer said theywould verify the complaint andthen decide on the future courseof action. The woman, residingin the Somajiguda area inHyderabad, stated in her com-plaint that three months after hermarriage in 2009 her husband, in-laws and other relatives startedharassing and assaulting her.

She claimed that they sexually

harassed and physically assaultedher for nine months. A divorcetook place in December 2010 andafter that she went to her mother’shouse and joined a college for fur-ther studies. She alleged that theaccused sexually exploited hermultiple times. She said theyabused her in the name of caste,filmed her while sexually assaultingher and threatened to upload thevideos and pictures on social media.

The police registered a caseunder various sections of the IndianPenal Code (IPC) for rape, insult-ing the modesty of a woman, assaultor use of criminal force and sexualharassment. The police have alsoinvoked the Scheduled Caste andScheduled Tribe (Prevention ofAtrocities) Act, 1989.

“We will investigate the com-plaint and then decide the nextcourse of action,” said police sub-inspector D. Nagraju.

Woman alleges rape by 143 people

SC extends deadlinetill Sept 30 for verdictPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, August 22: TheSupreme Court has extended by amonth the deadline for completionof trial in the 1992 Babri Masjid dem-olition case involving 32 accused,including BJP veterans LK Advani,MM Joshi and Uma Bharti, andsaid that judgement should be de-livered by September 30.

The top court, which had ear-lier fixed August 31 as the dead-line for completion of proceedingsincluding pronouncement of theverdict, took note of the reportfiled by special judge SK Yadav inthe high-profile case.

A bench of justices RF Nariman,Navin Sinha and Indira Banerjeesaid, “Having read the report ofSurendra Kumar Yadav, learnedSpecial Judge, and consideringthat the proceedings are at the fagend, we grant one month's time,i.e., till September 30, 2020, to com-plete the proceedings includingthe delivery of judgment”.

The order was passed August 19

and was uploaded on the apex courtwebsite recently. On May 8, the topcourt had extended by three monthsthe time for completion of trial inthe case and said that judgementshould be delivered by August 31.

The special CBI court at Lucknowhas completed the recording ofstatements of the 32 accused underSection 313 of CrPC in the case.

The mosque in Ayodhya was de-molished December 6, 1992, by 'karsevaks' who claimed that an an-cient Ram temple stood at the samesite. For mer Deputy PrimeMinister LK Advani and BJP vet-eran MM Joshi, who were amongthose leading the Ram temple move-ment at that time, had deposed be-fore the court through video con-ferencing.

BABRI DEMOLITION CASE

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Kohima, August 22:The NagalandBaptist Church Council (NBCC) haswarned the church leaders inNagaland against a cult called theChurch of Almighty God from China.The NBCC said this is a dangerouscult as they are actively spreadingfalse Gospel and false teachings.

NBCC general sec-retary Zelhou Keyhoin a letter to all exec-utive secretaries anddirectors of Baptistassociations under it,said: “I am writing this with agrave concern concerning a cult,called the Church of AlmightyGod from China, reportedly mak-ing inroads into our land. TheChurch of Almighty God or EasternLightning cult is a well organisedgroup, aggressively moving for-ward with publications and cre-ating many Facebook pages andcolourful artwork that appearsbiblical and enticing.”

The two-page August 19 letter,with the subject "Warning againstcult" said that the cult teaches thatLord Jesus has come back to earthas a woman, named Yang Xiangbin,also called Lightning Deng, andthe New Testament has been re-placed by their new bible, called“The Word Appears in the Flesh”.

“They teach that God is speak-ing through this woman,and they refer to God'sspeaking through thiswoman, as utterances,and these utterances arewritten in their books,

as revelations from God, and theyare being published and promotedthrough books, videos, computergenerated movies and artwork andmany other forms of media.”

Keyho in his letter, availablewith IANS, wrote: “Jesus said in HisWord that He would return to earth,not as the almighty who speaksthrough a woman from China, butas He was, is and ever shall be. Letus beware of this dangerous cult.”

Nagaland BCC warns againstChinese cult ‘Church of Almighty’

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, August 22: In view ofthe reports of restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement ofpeople and goods, the CentreSaturday directed all states to fol-low the Unlock 3.0 guidelines andallow such movement without anyseparate permission or permit.

A letter by Union Home SecretaryAjay Bhalla to all Chief Secretariesdraws their attention to “para 5 ofUnlock 3.0 guidelines”, which statesthat there will be no restrictions oninter-state and intra-state move-ment of persons and goods.

Citing the para, the letter men-tions that no separate permission,approval and e-permit will be re-quired for such movement of per-sons and goods for cross-borderland trade under treaties withneighbouring countries.

The Home Secretary’s letternotes that there are reports that

local-level restrictions on move-ment were being imposed by var-ious districts and states.

The letter says such restrictionswere creating problems in inter-state movement of goods and serv-ices and impacting supply chainsresulting in disruption of economicactivity and employment.

“Such restrictions amount to vi-olation of guidelines issued by theMinistry of Home Affairs (MHA)under provisions of DisasterManagement Act, 2005. No re-strictions be imposed and it shouldbe ensured that MHA guidelines arefollowed,” says the letter.

The Centre on July 29 issuedUnlock 3.0 guidelines – the thirdphase of lifting of coronavirus-re-lated restrictions across the coun-try, giving relief to inter-state andintra-state movement of peopleand goods. In the guidelines ap-plied till August 31, the govern-ment scrapped night curfew and al-lowed yoga institutes to reopen.

In the new guidelines, the gov-ernment said metro rail operationsand large gatherings, however, stillremain banned. Schools, colleges andeducational institutions will re-main shut till the end of August.

The Centre Saturday directed allstates to follow the Unlock 3.0 guide-

lines and allow such movement withoutany separate permission or permit

Aletter by Union Home Secretary AjayBhalla to all Chief Secretaries states

that there will be no restrictions oninter-state and intra-state movement ofpersons and goods

Don’t restrict inter-state movement: Centre to states

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nationalSUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

The statement ofAYUSH Ministry

secretary Vaidya RajeshKotecha that non-Hindi speakingparticipants could leave during aministry’s training sessionspeaks volumes about the Hindidomination being imposedKANIMOZHI | DMK MP

Keeping its commitment ofexponentially increasing dailyCOVID-19 tests, India has “crosseda significant milestone” of testingmore than 10 lakh samples in a day

INDIA CONDUCTS OVER 1 MNCOVID-19 TESTS IN A DAY

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The case(SushantSingh’s death)

was becomingmessy...I praise thewisdom of the topcourt for ordering aCBI inquiry into the matter

SHATRUGHAN SINHA | ACTOR

of theday uote

It(privatisationof airports)

violates the pledgemade in 2003 thatany proposalconcerning airportprivatisation would be made only inconsultation with the stategovernment and must be revoked

MK STALIN | DMK CHIEF

We will notshare waterfrom the

Sharda-Yamuna Linkcanal projectbecause Punjab willburn if the state isforced to share water with Haryana

AMARINDER SINGH | PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER

Threat to blow upRafale air baseChandigarh: A letter to blowup the Indian Air Forcestation in Ambala, Haryana,where the first batch of fiveRafale aircraft are stationed,was received by authorities,police said Saturday. Theletter was received on Fridayafter which the authoritieslodged a complaint with thenearby police station, apolice official said. As aprecaution and to ensuresafety security has beenbeefed up at the Ambalastation, he added. “The letterappears to be a hoax and thehandiwork of some mischief-mongers,” a senior policeofficial told IANS.

Six-year-old diesin leopard attack Guwahati: A six-year-old boydied after being attacked bya leopard in Maligaon area inAssam’s Guwahati Friday.According to reports, aleopard attacked the minorboy Friday afternoon while hewas playing with his friendsnear his house. As soon asthe leopard attacked the boy,locals raised an alarm but thechild was dragged by thebeast into the jungle area.Later, locals and familymembers recovered the childin critical condition andrushed the boy to a nearbyprivate hospital.

Inter-state armsracket bustedNew Delhi: The Delhi Policebusted an inter-state armstrafficking racket Thursdayand arrested a suspect forillegally supplying arms andammunitions in Delhi-NationalCapital Region (NCR) andwestern Uttar Pradesh. Theaccused, identified as AbdulSalaam, is a resident ofMeerut in Uttar Pradesh.Abdul Salaam was arrestedaround 8:30 pm Thursday nearRing Road in Delhi. Police saidthat 20 semi-automatic pistolsalong with 40 magazines and50 live cartridges wererecovered from the possessionof the accused.

1 terrorist killedin encounterSrinagar: One terrorist waskilled in an encounter withthe security forces in NorthKashmir’s Baramulla districtSaturday, police said. “Oneunidentified terrorist killed inthe encounter at Kreeri.Operation is going on,” thepolice added. The encountererupted after a joint team ofthe police and the Armycordoned off the Saloosa areafollowing information aboutthe presence of terrorists. Asthe security forces zeroed inon the spot, they came undera heavy volume of fire thattriggered the encounter.

SHORT TAKES

ARESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, August 22: India hascancelled a tender for making 44semi-high speed “Vande Bharat”trains, the Railway Ministry saidFriday night. It said a fresh tenderwill be floated within a week andgive preference to the Centre’s MakeIn India programme.

The move to cancel the tender is abig setback for China as a Chinese jointventure, CRRC Pioneer Electric (India)Pvt Ltd, was the only foreign bidderamong the six contenders to supply44 sets of semi-high speed train.

“Tender for manufacturing of44 semi high speed train sets (VandeBharat) has been cancelled. Freshtender will be floated within a weekas per Revised Public Procurement(Preference to Make in India) order,”the Railway Ministry tweeted.

Tender for manufacturing of 44semi high speed train sets (VandeBharat) has been cancelled.

Fresh tender will be floated within

a week as per Revised PublicProcurement (Preference to Makein India) order.

The joint venture was formedbetween China-based CRRC YongjiElectric Company Ltd andGurugram-based Pioneer Fil-MedPvt Ltd in 2015.

The railways is keen to ensurethat a domestic firm takes the ten-der and once it was felt that theChinese joint venture was a fron-trunner for the project, it wasscrapped, this news agency re-ported quoting unnamed sources.

The Indian Railways’ IntegralCoach Factory in Chennai hadfloated the tender July 10.

The other five bidders wereBharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, BharatIndustries, Sangrur, ElectrowavesElectronics Pvt Ltd, Medha ServoDrives Pvt Ltd, and PowerneticsEquipment India Pvt Ltd, accord-ing to the Railway Ministry.

India has tightened trade tieswith China after border tensions es-calated to a violent face-off in east-ern Ladakh in June. India lost 20 sol-diers, while Chinese casualtieswere over 40, according to reports.

India has responded in a multi-dimensional way, from using diplo-matic pressure with friendly na-tions to banning imports of Chineseproducts such as solar power equip-ment. The economic backlash ex-tended to blocking 59 Chinese appsincluding TikTok, which had amassive user base in India.

The railways has alreadyscrapped a tender for thermal cam-eras meant for COVID-19 surveil-lance after Indian firms allegedthat the tender specificationsfavoured a Chinese company. TheDedicated Freight CorridorCorporation of India Ltd too can-celled a Rs470-crore contract witha Chinese firm days after the bor-der clash in mid-June.

Prime Minister Narendra Modiflagged off the Vande Bharat trainon the Delhi-Varanasi routeFebruary 15 last year. The secondtrain service between Delhi andShri Mata Vaishnodevi Katra wasflagged off by Home Minister AmitShah October 3 last year.

RLYS SCRAP TENDER FOR 44 VANDE BHARAT TRAINS A joint venture between China-based CRRC Yongji Electric Company Ltd and

Gurugram-based Pioneer Fil-Med Pvt Ltd was a frontrunner for the project

The move to cancel the tenderis a big setback for China as aChinese joint venture, CRRCPioneer Electric (India) Pvt Ltd,was the only foreign bidderamong the six contenders

Fresh tender will be floatedwithin a week as per RevisedPublic Procurement(Preference to Make in India)order: Railways

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Chandigarh/New Delhi, August22:The BSF shot dead five Pakistanintruders along the India-PakistanInternational Border in Punjab'sTarn Taran district early Saturday,the force said.

This is the highest number ofintruders killed in a single incidentalong the over 3,300 km-long borderwith Pakistan in morethan a decade time pe-riod, officials said.Punjab shares a 553-km-long frontier withPakistan, apart fromJammu, Rajasthan andGujarat, who togetherconstitute the remain-ing part of theInternational Border.

A BSF spokesperson said troopsrecovered nine packets contain-ing over 9 kg of heroin, along withan AK-47 rifle, two magazines and27 rounds, four 9 mm Berretta pis-tols with seven magazines and 109live rounds, two mobile phonesand `610 in Pakistani currency.

The spokesperson said after sus-picious activity was noticed near theborder fence, the force personnel“cordoned the area and challengedthe intruders to stop and surrender”.

“The Pakistani armed intrud-ers did not pay any heed to thechallenge and opened fire on theBSF troops,” the official said.

“Hence, to stop their furthermisadventure and in self-defence,the BSF troops retaliated with firedue to which the five Pakistaniarmed intruders succumbed tobullet injuries,” he said.

A senior BSF official said theexchange of fire beganaround 4.45 am nearthe Dal border postwhich is close toBhikhiwind town ofthe district and isguarded by the 103rdbattalion of the BorderSecurity Force underthe Ferozepur sector.

BSF troops, officialssaid, first noticed suspicious ac-tivity at the border around mid-night and launched a “focused”surveillance and set up multiple am-bushes after which the “contactwas established” early morning,just behind the IB fence.

The intruders were seen carry-ing rifles and were taking the aidof ‘sarkanda’ or tall grass to sneakinto India, they said. A photo col-lage released by the BSF showed twobodies piled on each other.

BSF kills 5 intrudersalong India-Pak IB

This is the highestnumber of intruders

killed in a singleincident along theover 3,300 km-long

border withPakistan in more

than a decade

Clouds gather in the sky over Raisina Hills in New Delhi, Saturday PTI PHOTO

OVERCAST SKY PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Jalpaiguri, August 22: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-rapedmultiple times, killed and the bodydumped in a septic tank of a housein West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district,police said Saturday.

Three persons have been ar-rested in connection with the in-cident, and when produced beforethe court Friday, they were re-manded to eight days of policecustody.

The girl , a resident ofShyanashikata in Rajganj, wentmissing August 10, following whichher family lodged a police com-plaint, officials said.

Police Thursday arrested threepersons, and during interroga-tion, they confessed to have rapedand killed the girl August 15, of-ficials said, adding that the bodywas then dumped in the septictank.

The body was taken out from theseptic tank of a house in PradhanPara later that night, police said.

Local TMC MLA KhageswarRoy has met the girl’s family anddemanded death penalty for the ac-cused.

Police said they are investigat-ing the matter and yet to ascertainwhat led to the incident.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Chandig arh, August 22:Haryana Inspector General ofPolice Hemant Kalson, who isno stranger to controversies, wasarrested by the police Saturdayfor allegedly assaulting twowomen after trespassing intotheir houses in Panchkula dis-trict, officials said.

In April 2019 he had faced sus-pension for allegedly firing into theair with a constable's semi-auto-matic gun outside the CircuitHouse at Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu,while in September 2018 he was as-saulted by passers-by in a case ofroad rage.

In the latest episode, Kalsonhas been booked for two incidentsin Pinjore town, some 30 km fromhere, both reported Friday.

In the first incident, a womanalleged that Kalson forcibly en-tered her house and beat up herdaughter.

In the second incident, a man ina complaint said Kalson allegedlyabused his wife and assaulted him,besides threatening to shoot him.

According to the first infor-mation report, he was allegedly inan inebriated state at the time ofboth incidents.

Kalson, 55, is currently postedas IGP, Home Guards.

In the 2018 incident, Kalson wasbehind the wheel, accompaniedby a friend. They were travellingfrom Pinjore to Panchkula, whena SUV overtook the vehicle at ahigh speed. He allegedly chased thatvehicle and forced the driver tostop the vehicle.

Haryana IG heldfor assaultingwomen

Girl gangraped,killed, bodydumped

Forced to travel 50 km for online classes, studentsdemand Internet Hit by a pandemic and then a natural disaster, the children from remote

villages in Maharashtra had to deal with Internet disruptions since early June

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, August 22: Around 200children were forced to travel 50kilometers everyday to reach anarea with Internet connection toattend online classes from their re-mote coastal villages in Maharashtraafter they were hit first COVID-19lockdown and then cyclone Nisarga.

Hit by a pandemic and then anatural disaster, the children fromremote villages in Maharashtrahad to deal with Internet disruptionssince early June when connectivityalong the coastal area of Ratnagiridistrict became scratchy.

But when even after a month thesituation did not improve, one of thestudents finally reached out to thetop child rights body NCPCR forhelp. The National Commission forProtection Child Rights, in turn,ensured that the connectivity is re-stored in the fastest possible man-ner by reaching out to cellular com-

panies and the district magistrateof the area, NCPCR ChairmanPriyank Kanoongo said.

In his letter to the district mag-istrate of the area, Kanoongostressed that the authorities mustensure that the issue gets resolvedat the earliest.

“The commission has taken cog-nizance of a complaint received re-garding poor and disrupted net-work connectivity along coastalarea of Ratnagiri District ,

Maharashtra, particularly in thearea of PIN Code 415714, which wasdeadly hit by cyclone Nisarg June3, 2020 and since then, the residentsof area do not have mobile and dataconnectivity,” Kanoongo said inthe letter to the district magistrateJuly 25.

“As a result, around 200 studentsare facing difficulties in online ed-ucational activities due to coronalockdown. Besides, the studentsare taking pain to travel about 50 kms

a day to access data connectivity fortheir online education activities,”he said. He sought the immediateintervention from the Ratnagiridistrict magistrate on the matter.

“I hereby draw the kind attentionof DM, Ratnagiri to immediately in-tervene in the matter, make liai-son and issue suitable directions tothe concerned cellular serviceprovider to get the Internet con-nectivity restored at the earliest sothat no child becomes victim ofundue pressure or stress concern-ing their education,” Kanoongowrote in the letter.

Speaking to news agency PressTrust of India, Kanoongo said theNCPCR continuously followed upwith the authorities and finally theInternet connection in the area wasrestored by one of the cellular net-works while the rest of them as-sured that they will resolve theissue at the earliest.

“We intervened and wrote to the

district magistrate and cellularcompanies and we dealt with it asa policy intervention in whichNCPCR has to play a role in help-ing children. As a result, actionwas taken on a priority basis andinternet connectivity of the villagewas restored,” he said.

He further stressed that it is veryimportant to ensure barrier-freeInternet facility for the children inthese times.

“It is very important that if chil-dren are dependent upon theInternet for their education then itneeds to be ensured that they get bar-rier-free Internet facility,” he said.

The nationwide lockdown in-duced by COVID-19 in Marchprompted schools and colleges tomove to the virtual world for teach-ing and learning activities. But aweak internet penetration hasturned e-education into a distantdream for many children in therural areas.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, August 22: PublisherBloomsbury India said on Saturdayit was withdrawing the publicationof its book "Delhi Riots 2020: TheUntold Story" planned forSeptember "in view of very re-cent events including a virtualpre-publication launch organisedwithout our knowledge by the au-thors, with participation by par-ties of whom the publishers wouldnot have approved."

"Bloomsbury India stronglysupports freedom of speech but alsohas a deep sense of responsibilitytowards society," the publishersaid in a statement.

"Bloomsbury India had plannedto release "Delhi Riots 2020: TheUntold Story" in September, a bookpurportedly giving a factual re-port on the riots in Delhi inFebruary 2020, based on investi-gations and interviews conductedby the authors.

"However, in view of very re-cent events including a virtual pre-publication launch organised with-out our knowledge by the authors,with participation by parties ofwhom the Publishers would nothave approved, we have decided towithdraw publication of the book.Bloomsbury India strongly sup-ports freedom of speech but also hasa deep sense of responsibility to-wards society," the statement said.

A storm had been brewing sincelate Friday after a purported in-vitation on social media, with theBloomsbury logo at its bottomleft, stated that BJP general sec-retary Bhupendra Yadav wouldlaunch the book with party leaderKapil Mishra, besides authorsMonica Arora, Sonali Chitalkarand Prerna Malhotra, as also film-maker Vivek Agnihotri, amongothers, attending the virtual event.

In response to this, Bloomsburyissued a statement Friday eveningdenying it was involved in thelaunch, saying: "Bloomsbury Indiais publishing the book ‘Delhi Riots2020: The Untold Story’ by advocateMonica Arora, Sonali Chitalkar,Prerna Malhotra in September2020. We are not organising anylaunch event for the book andthere are no events being plannedyet,” the statement said.

Bloomsburywithdrawsbook on Delhiriots 2020

P10SUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

internationalThere is no legitimatereason to delay the

intra-Afghan negotiations thathave been postponed overdifferences on the release ofcontroversial Taliban prisonersby the Kabul governmentZALMAY KHALILZAD | AFGHAN-AMERICAN DIPLOMAT

TikTok is reportedly preparing tolegally challenge by early next weekthe first executive order signed byUS President Donald Trump toprohibit its China-based ownerByteDance to do any business in theUS, the media reported

TIKTOK MULLS ACTION

cmyk

cmyk

Any countrysponsoringterrorism

should not beallowed to paintitself as a victim ofterror

T S TIRUMURTI | PERMANENT

REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIA TO THE UN

of theday uote

The country isreturning tonormal

following the impactof the novelcoronaviruspandemic

JAIR BOLSONARO | BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT

The US hasviolated boththe JCPOA and

Resolution 2231 bywithdrawing from it,unilaterallyreimposingsanctions on Iran, and evenpunishing those complying with theresolution

MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF |IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER

Nepal to resumeint’l flights Kathmandu: The Nepalgovernment has decided toresume international flightsfrom September 1 after nearlysix months, a Cabinet Ministersaid. Nepal had suspendedinternational flights on March22 in an effort to prevent thespread of the novelcoronavirus, reports Xinhuanews agency. The country hadearlier planned to resume theservices from August 17, but itwas extended till August 31amid the resurgence ofcoronavirus cases.

WWII memorywall defaced Paris: Vandals have scrawledgraffiti denying theHolocaust on a wall in thevillage that was the site ofthe France's biggestmassacre of civilians by theNazis during World War II.France's justice ministervowed on Saturday thatthose responsible would bebrought to justice. Officials inOradour-Sur-Glane, nearLimoges in central France,threw up a tarp to cover thegraffiti discovered Friday onthe wall at the entrance tothe Center for Remembrance.The word “Lie” was scrawledon the wall, along with othergraffiti, according to theregional paper Le Populairedu Centre. The inscription“Martyr Village” was crossedout. “Shame on those whodid this,” Justice Minister EricDupond-Moretti tweeted.

South Korea mullsnationwide curbsSeoul: South Korea isconsidering nationalrestrictions to cope with aresurgence of coronavirusinfections that has seen ninestraight days of triple-digitincreases in newly confirmedcases. The 332 new casesreported Saturday was thesecond consecutive daysurpassing 300. At a briefing,Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government isconsidering expanding to thewhole country shutdownmeasures that have beenimplemented in the greaterSeoul region, which is wherethe resurgence began.

US buildingsclosed in PortlandPortland: At least two federalbuildings in Portland havebeen closed and the FBI isinvestigating after a carbomb threat was made, theofficials said Friday. Thethreat, which was receivedThursday, warned of theintention to use a car bombto target federal property inPortland, according to twolaw enforcement officials. Anumber of federal offices inthe area have been closedbecause of the threat, theofficials said.

SHORT TAKES

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Washington, August 22: A SiliconValley-based Indian-American cou-ple has released a musical cam-paign video targeting Indian-Americans in the battlegroundstates and urging them to vote forDemocratic presidential nomineeJoe Biden and his Indian-originrunning mate Senator KamalaHarris.

On the last day of the four-dayDemocratic National ConventionThursday, Biden, 77, formally ac-cepted the presidential nominationof the Democratic Party. Harris,55, scripted history in US politics asshe became the first Indian-American and Black woman to get

a major party's vice-presidentialnomination on the third day of thevirtual Democratic NationalConvention on Wednesday.

"Living in Silicon Valley, we areat heart innovators; we have ap-plied that creativity to rapidly growthe outreach to key South Asianvoter groups in support of VicePresident Biden. It is extremelyimportant that we all come togetheras a community to fight for what isright," Vinita Bhutoria said after therelease of the video on Friday.

Vinita, along with her tech en-trepreneur husband Ajay JianBhutoria, starts the video saying,"America Ka Neta Kaisa Ho: JoBiden Jaisa Ho." The political cou-ple, who had earlier hosted Jill

Biden at their house early this yearfor fundraising, is currently work-ing on three unique video adverts

in support of the Biden-Harris cam-paign. The first of the series was re-leased Friday.

"Indo-Americans are the crucialmargin of victory in Michigan,Pennsylvania, North Carolina,Florida, Wisconsin, and Nevada,"said Ajay.

Running into 143 seconds, in thebackdrop of music, Indian-Americans in various languages, in-cluding Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, andBengali, are appealing to their com-munity members in the battle-ground States to vote and supportBiden and his running mate Harrisin the November presidential elec-tions.

"As an absolutely essential swingvote, it is essential that Indo-Americanpolitical representation increases. Wehave made immense leaps forward,but we will continue working hard

to further push the envelope of whatis possible," Ajay said.

The video highlights the cultureof Indo-Americans in the USA con-necting to mainstream politics andhighlights the engagement of allages of Indo-American community,said Raj, a young Indian-Americanstudent from Claremont McKennaCollege in California. "It showshope for the future for the IndoAmerican community. The videoshows the ocean of political ac-tivism and new waves by IndianAmericans. The video connectspeople from different parts of Indialiving in the USA and speaking inmultiple languages, all united inthe fight to elect Joe Biden andKamala Harris," Raj said.

Indian-American couple releases campaign video for Biden, HarrisHOPE FOR THE FUTURE

SECURITY THREAT

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Islamabad, August 22: China hascome out in full suppor t ofPakistan’s position and stance onthe Jammu and Kashmir issuealong with its extended sustenanceon Islamabad "independently" choos-ing a development path based on its"national conditions" in the con-text of external security parame-ters.

A joint statement issued afterthe talks between Pakistan ForeignMinister Shah Mahmood Qureshiand China's State Councilor andForeign Minister Wang Yi duringQureshi's two-day visit to Beijingsaid: "The Chinese side reiteratedthat Pakistan and China are ironbrothers and Pakistan remainsChina's staunchest partner in theregion and that China firmly sup-ports Pakistan in safeguarding itsterritorial integrity, sovereigntyand independence, and independ-ently choosing a development pathbased on its national conditions,striving for a better external secu-rity environment and playing amore constructive role in interna-tional and regional affairs."

The Kashmir issue was alsobrought into consideration and dis-cussion during the meeting. Qureshibriefed the Chinese side on the sit-

uation in what it calls 'IndianIllegally Occupied Jammu andKashmir (IIOJK)'.

China has seconded Pakistan'sstance on Kashmir, declaring the dis-pute left over from the history be-tween India and Pakistan, urgingthat the dispute should be resolvedpeacefully and properly throughthe UN charter, relevant SecurityCouncil resolutions and bilateralagreements. "China opposed anyunilateral actions that complicatethe situation," maintained theChinese side.

It should be noted that it wasChina, which had requested aclosed door discussion on theJammu and Kashmir issue, sec-onding Islamabad's request on the

same at the UN Security Council.Other than the Kashmir issue,

China's support to Pakistan fortaking independent decision, in linewith its national interests, is sig-nalling alarm to the Arab world,which has been pushing Islamabadto distance itself from China andsee its progress in its ties withthe US and its allies.

The joint statement has reiter-ated that there would be no com-promise on the Belt and RoadInitiative (BRI), highlighting thatit would continue to pursue thecompletion of the China PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC), brush-ing aside any pressure Islamabadfaces from some external globalpowers.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Berlin, August 22: Russian dis-sident Alexei Navalny, who is in acoma after a suspected poisoning,arrived in Berlin on a special flightSaturday for treatment by spe-cialists at the German capital'smain hospital.

A representative of the NGOthat arranged the flight confirmedthat the plane had landed and thatNavalny was in stable condition.“Navalny is inBerlin,” Jaka Bizilj,of the German or-ganization CinemaFor Peace, said.

“He survived theflight and he's sta-ble.” He said all otherinformation on the44-year-old's healthwould have to come from his fam-ily and the German doctors nowlooking after him. After touchingdown shortly before 9 a.m. at a spe-cial area of the capital's Tegel air-port used for government and mil-itary flights, Navalny was taken byambulance to the downtown cam-pus of Berlin's Charite hospital.

Navalny, a politician and cor-ruption investigator who is one ofRussian President Vladimir Putin'sfiercest critics, was admitted to anintensive care unit in the Siberiancity of Omsk Thursday. His sup-porters believe that tea he drank waslaced with poison — and that the

Kremlin is behind both his illnessand the delay in transferring himto a top German hospital.

When German specialists ar-rived aboard a plane equipped withadvanced medical equipment Fridaymorning at his family's behest,Navalny's physicians in Omsk ini-tially said he was too unstable tomove. Navalny's supporters de-nounced that as a ploy by author-ities to stall until any poison inhis system would no longer be

traceable. TheOmsk medicalteam relentedonly after a char-ity that had or-g anized themedevac planerevealed that theGerman doctorsexamined the

politician and said he was fit to betransported.

Deputy chief doctor of the Omskhospital Anatoly Kalinichenkothen told reporters that Navalny'scondition had stabilized and thatphysicians “didn't mind” trans-ferring the politician, given thathis relatives were willing “to takeon the risks.”

The Kremlin denied that resist-ance to the transfer was political,with spokesman Dmitry Peskovsaying that it was purely a medicaldecision. However, the reversalcame as international pressure onRussia's leadership mounted.

When German specialists arrived aboard a planeequipped with advanced medical equipment Friday

morning at his family's behest, Navalny's physicians inOmsk initially said he was too unstable to move

Navalny stable afterlanding in Germany

Maintenance workers work on the Jialing River railway bridge in Beibei district, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.The inspection and maintenance of the bridge was strengthened during flood season to ensure the safe operation ofthe railway UNI PHOTO

SAFETY FIRST

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington, August 22:Delivering a “much-needed mo-ment of pure joy,” the NationalZoo's giant panda Mei Xiang gavebirth to a wiggling cub Friday ata time of global pandemic and so-cial unrest.

An experienced mom, “MeiXiang picked the cub up immedi-ately and began cradling and car-ing for it,” the zoo said in a state-ment. “The panda team heard thecub vocalize.” Panda lovers aroundthe world were able to see thebirth on the zoo's Panda Cam.Zookeepers also were using thecamera to keep an eye on mom

and baby. “Giant pandas are an in-ternational symbol of endangeredwildlife and hope, and with thebirth of this precious cub we arethrilled to offer the world a much-needed moment of pure joy,” saidSteve Monfort, John and AdrienneMars Director of the Smithsonian'sNational Zoo and ConservationBiology Institute.

Monfort said Mei Xiang's age —

22 — made her chances of givingbirth to a cub slim. “However, wewanted to give her one more op-portunity to contribute to herspecies' survival,” he said. She isthe oldest giant panda to suc-cessfully give birth in the UnitedStates. The oldest in the worldgave birth in China at age 23.

Mei Xiang has three survivingoffspring, Tai Shan, Bao Bao andBei Bei, that were transported toChina at age 4 under an agree-ment with the Chinese govern-ment. The zoo has reopened tovisitors on a limited basis, but thePanda House is closed. Mei Xianggave birth in a small den, whereshe created a nest out of branches.

WASHINGTON ZOO WELCOMES NEW BABYPURE JOY

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Minsk, August 22: Authorities inBelarus have blocked an array ofnews media websites reportingon the country shaken by twoweeks of protests against au-thoritarian President AlexanderLukashenko.

The Belarusian Association ofJournalists said Saturday thatmore than 20 sites had beenblocked, including those of US-funded Radio Liberty and Belsat,a Polish-funded satellite TV chan-nel focusing on Belarus.

Friday, the state publishinghouse stopped printing top inde-pendent newspapers theNarodnaya Volya andKomsomolskaya Pravda, citingequipment malfunction. Protestsunprecedented in Belarus for theirsize and duration broke out afterthe August 9 presidential electionin which official results handedLukashenko a sixth term in of-fice.

Protesters allege the resultswere manipulated and are call-ing for Lukashenko to resign.Police responded harshly in thefirst days of the protests, arrest-ing some 7,000 people, beatingmany of them. But the protestshave widened their scope, withstrikes called at some of the coun-try's main factories.

In an enormous show of defi-ance, an estimated 200,000 pro-testers rallied last Sunday in thecapital, Minsk.

Lukashenko's main electionchallenger, SviatlanaTsikhanouskaya, called for an-other march this Sunday. “We arecloser than ever to our dream,” shesaid in a video message fromLithuania, where she took refugeafter the election.

BELARUS BLOCKSNEWS WEBSITES

China backs Pakistan on choosing ‘independent’ pathIT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IT WAS CHINA, WHICH HAD REQUESTED A CLOSED

DOOR DISCUSSION ON THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR ISSUE, SECONDINGISLAMABAD'S REQUEST ON THE SAME AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL

UK PM FORCED TO CUT SHORT HOLIDAYPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

London, August 22: UK PrimeMinister Boris Johnson has beenforced to cut short his holidaywith fiancée Carrie Symonds andtheir baby son Wilfred and dogDilyn after the location of their cot-tage in the Scottish Highlandswas leaked, triggering securityconcerns, according to a mediareport.

Johnson, 56, had taken time offfor a so-called “staycation” withinthe UK during the peak summerholiday month of August whenministers often take a few weeksoff from work.

The UK prime minister hadchosen a remote cottage in Scotlandbut after photographs of the lo-cation emerged, he was forced tocut short the break and fly back toDowning Street on Thursdayevening, ‘The Daily Telegraph' re-ports. A source close to the familytold the newspaper their discoveryhad caused safety concerns andmade it impossible for them tostay until the weekend as planned.

Unlike former British PrimeMinisters, including DavidCameron and Theresa May, whohad allowed the press to take im-ages of their summer holidays,Johnson had tried to keep his tripstrictly private.

But pictures emerged recently,showing him out and about andalso a bell tent pitched in a fieldnext to the holiday home.According to reports, the tentwas packed away after thelandowner accused Johnson ofcamping without permission.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Islamabad, August 22: Seeking towriggle out of the FATF's grey list,Pakistan has imposed tough fi-nancial sanctions on 88 banned ter-ror groups and their leaders, in-cluding Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azharand Dawood Ibrahim, by orderingthe seizure of all of their propertiesand freezing of bank accounts, amedia report said Saturday.

The Paris-based Financial ActionTask Force (FATF) put Pakistanon the grey list in June 2018 andasked Islamabad to implement aplan of action by the end of 2019,but the deadline was extended laterdue to COVID-19 pandemic.

The government issued two no-tifications August 18 announcingsanctions on key figures of terroroutfits such as 26/11 Mumbai attackmastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa(JuD) chief Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar,and underworld don Ibrahim.

Ibrahim, who heads a vast andmultifaceted illegal business, hasemerged as India's most wantedterrorist after the 1993 Mumbaibombings. The Pakistan govern-ment has proscribed 88 leaders andmembers of terrorist groups, incompliance with the new list is-sued by the United Nations SecurityCouncil (UNSC) recently, Pakistanidaily The News reported.

The notifications announcedsanctions on key figures of terroroutfits such as the Jamaat-ud-Dawa(JuD), JeM, Taliban, Daesh, HaqqaniGroup, al-Qaeda, and others. Thegovernment ordered the seizureof all movable and immovable prop-

erties of these outfits and indi-viduals, and freezing of their bankaccounts, the report said.

These terrorists have been barredfrom transferring money throughfinancial institutions, purchasingof arms and travelling abroad, it said.The notifications ratified a com-plete ban on all leaders and mem-bers of defunct Tehreek-e-TalibanPakistan (TTP) hiding in thePakistan-Afghanistan border areas.

The paper reported that Saeed,Azhar, Mullah Fazlullah (aliasMullah Radio), Zakiur RehmanLakhvi, Muhammad YahyaMujahid, Abdul Hakeem Murad,wanted by Interpol, Noor WaliMehsud, Fazal Raheem Shah ofUzbekistan Liberation Movement,Taliban leaders Jalaluddin Haqqani,Khalil Ahmad Haqqani, YahyaHaqqani, and Ibrahim and his as-sociates were on the list.

The notifications said that lead-ership of the defunct TTP, andother organisations have beenbanned. Though various sanctionswere in place against almost all ofthose listed by the UNSC, the gov-ernment through the new notifi-cations consolidated and docu-mented the previously announcedmeasures, the report said.

Pak puts more curbson Azhar, Dawood

Masood Azhar

P11

businessSUNDAY | AUGUST 23 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR

COVID has acceleratedthe pace of digital

transformation that was neverseen before. Today our educationsystem is not fully equipped toteach the next generation withfuture-ready tech skills to thrivein the industrySANDIP PATEL | MD, IBM INDIA/SOUTH ASIA

ICICI Lombard General Insurance hasannounced signing a definitive agreement toacquire Bharti Enterprises-promoted Bharti AXAGeneral Insurance in all stock transaction. Theproposed Rs 4,600-crore deal will propel ICICILombard to become the third largest playeramong non-life insurers

ICICI LOMBARD TO ACQUIRE BHARTI AXA

cmyk

cmyk

Whileexpandingglobally this

year, the companyresponded to thepandemic byimplementinginitiatives to drive an integratedfocus from all our centres insupport of our clients

SANDEEP SAHAI | CEO, CLEARWATER

ANALYTICS

of theday uote

We have takena big stepforward

towards serving thesaving needs ofsenior citizens andgeneral public alikewith the launch of our firm’s FixedDeposits. We are happy that wecontinue to offer better interestrates to the senior citizens as wellas the regular investors even inthese tough times

YS CHAKRAVARTI | MD & CEO, SHRIRAM

CITY UNION FINANCE

It is good tosee thatcoders are

utilising their timeto develop newskills. This willeventually helpthem stand out from the rest of thecrowd who don't possess the talentcritical for the new normal. It is alsointeresting to see that they aremore focused on getting apermanent job to strengthen theirposition in future

NARAYAN MAHADEVAN | FOUNDER,BRIDGELABZ

OIL registers`249 cr lossNew Delhi: Oil India Ltd, thenation’s second largest stateoil and gas producer, loggedsecond quarterly loss in itshistory in April-June aftercrude oil prices slumped tolower than cost ofproduction. OIL had a netloss of `248.61 crore in firstquarter of 2020-21 fiscal ascompared to a net profit of`624.80 crore in the sameperiod of the previousfinancial year. "This is thesecond quarterly loss in OILhistory. We had a quarterlyloss in 2018-19 fiscal," OILDirector-Finance HarishMadhav said Saturday.

‘Steel demand tocontract in FY21’Mumbai: India's steeldemand is expected tocontract in FY21, FitchRatings has said. However,the ratings agency said thatvolumes should continue toimprove over the next fewquarters, led by ruralconsumption andgovernment spending oninfrastructure, and lead tobetter margins due tooperating leverage. "Higherprices supported by the pricerebound in China should alsodrive margins in 2QFY21 andbeyond. Indian prices havestarted to tick up since late-July, with a lag," said astatement by Fitch Ratings.

UK govt debthits $2.6 tnLondon: The UK governmentdebt has increased above 2trillion pounds ($2.6 trillion)for the first time amid heavyspending to support theeconomy amid thecoronavirus pandemic, theOffice for National Statistics(ONS) has revealed. Spendingon measures such as thefurlough scheme means thedebt figure now equals thevalue of everything the UKproduces in a year.

Balmer Lawrieto shut one unitKolkata: Diversified PSUBalmer Lawrie and CompanyLimited will be closing downits industrial packaging unitin Kolkata, which was makinglosses for years because oflow demand, from September1, a top company official said Saturday.

SHORT TAKES

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Mumbai, August 22: Optimismover the development of COVID-19 vaccine along with broad-basedgrowth trends is expected to in-duce volatility in the rupee's valueduring the short term.

The US Fed's FOMC minutes,US-China trade talks, and expec-tations on Q1 GDP rate will be theother key factors steering the rupee.

Last week, the rupee strength-ened to ̀ 74.85 against a greenback.

"Expect next week range at ̀ 74.60to `75.10 with some appreciationbias," said Sajal Gupta, Head, Forexand Rates, Edelweiss Securities.

"FY21 Q1 GDP numbers are ex-pected to show contraction between15-20% and any positive surprisecould help the market sentiments."

According to Anindya Banerjee,DVP, Currency and Rates, KotakSecurities: "Dollar is going to berange-bound due to lack of

triggers.""The RBI intervention below

`74.80 and exporter selling above`75.30 may keep it between ̀ 74.50 and

`75.50per dollar for the medium term."

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)is known to enter the markets viaintermediaries to either sell or buyUS dollars to keep the rupee in a

stable orbit."This week the movement in

USD/INR spot has mainly beendollar driven and the spottraded in a very tight range.Going ahead, insights intohow the US economy is re-covering from the coron-avirus pandemic, optimismover vaccine, along withuncertainty regarding the

US-China trade talks willkee p playing out on the

USD/INR pair," said RahulGupta, Head of Research-

Currency, Emkay GlobalFinancial Services.

"We expect ̀ 74.50 to continue act-ing as crucial support while ̀ 75.20will act as a strong resistance. Onlyconsistent trading above ̀ 75.20 willopen the doors for `75.50 zone."

Thisweek the

movement in USD/INRspot has mainly been dollar

driven and the spot traded in avery tight range. Going ahead,

insights into how the US economyis recovering from the pandemicalong with uncertainty regarding

US’ trade talks with China willkeep playing out on the

USD/INR pairRAHUL GUPTA I HEAD OF

RESEARCH-CURRENCY,EMKAY GLOBAL FINANCIAL SERVICES

Global cues to make rupee volatile: Experts

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, August 22: The globalpublic cloud services market grew26% (y-o-y) in 2019 with revenues to-taling $233.4 billion, according to anew International Data Corporation(IDC) report.

The Public Cloud services in-clude Infrastructure as a Service(IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS)and Software as a Service (SaaS).

The combined revenue of topfive public cloud service providers(Amazon Web Services, Microsoft,Salesforce, Google and Oracle) cap-tured more than one third of theworldwide total market, growing

35% y-o-y."Cloud is expanding far beyond

niche e-commerce and online ad-sponsored searches. It underpinsall the digital activities that indi-viduals and enterprises dependupon as we navigate and move be-yond the pandemic," said RickVillars, group vice president,Worldwide Research at IDC.

"Enterprises talked about cloudjourneys of up to 10 years. Nowthey are looking to complete theshift in less than half that time."

The public cloud services markethas more than doubled since 2016.

During this same period, thecombined spending on IaaS and

PaaS has nearly tripled.This highlights the increasing

reliance on cloud infrastructure

and platforms for application de-ployment for enterprise IT inter-nal applications as well as SaaS

and digital application delivery.According to Deepak Mohan,

Re s e a rch D d i re c t o r, C l o u dInfrastructure Services, cost op-timisation and business resiliencehave emerged as top drivers of ITinvestment decisions and IaaS offerings are designed to enableboth.

"The COVID-19 disruption hasaccelerated cloud adoption withboth traditional enterprise IT or-ganigations and digital serviceproviders increasing use of IaaSfor their technology platforms," he said.

SaaS applications remain thelargest segment of public cloud

spending with revenues of morethan $122 billion in 2019.

"Although growth has slowedsomewhat in recent years, the cur-rent crisis serves as an accelera-tor for SaaS adoption across pri-mary and functional markets toaddress the exponential growth ofremote workers," said Frank DellaRosa, research director, SaaS andCloud Software.

The IDC expects spending onIaaS and PaaS to continue grow-ing at a higher rate than the over-all cloud market over the next sev-eral years as resilience, flexibility,and agility guide IT platform decisions.

Worldwide spend on public cloud hit $233 bn in 2019EXPANDING BEYOND NICHE

The combined revenue of top fivepublic cloud service providers

that includes AWS, Microsoft andGoogle captured more than one-thirdof the worldwide total market, grow-ing 35% y-o-y

THE PUBLIC CLOUD SERVICES MARKET HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2016

SaaS applications remain thelargest segment of public cloud

spending with revenues of more than$122 billion in 2019

The IDC expects spending on IaaSand PaaS to continue growing at a

higher rate than the overall cloudmarket

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22:With anaim to expand the gas pipeline net-work across the country, the centralgovernment is developing around1,550 km pipeline network forOdisha, under the Pradhan MantriUrja Ganga project, to boost gas-based economy.

Three projects viz., Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-DhamraPipeline (JHBDPL), Srikakulam-Angul Pipeline and Dhamra-HaldiaPipeline are being developed. Theseprojects are being implementedby state-owned company GasAuthority of India Limited (GAIL).The whole project is worth (esti-mated) `7,750 crore.

According to Odisha GAIL CGMDinabandhu Soren, under 2,500 kmJHBDPL project, the pipeline net-work will cover around 800 km forOdisha which is an investment ofaround `4,000 crore. This 800 kmpipeline project is being imple-mented through two projects:Bokaro –Angul Pipeline andDhamra-Angul Pipeline.

“The Bokaro–Angul section willhave a total length of 667 km, ofwhich 367 km will be in Odishaand 300 km in Jharkhand. It willcover five districts in Odisha namely

Angul, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda,Sambalpur and Debagarh, and sixdistricts in Jharkhand Bokaro,Ramgarh, Ranchi, Khunti, Gumlaand Simdega,” Soren said.

Petroleum and Natural GasRegulatory Board (PNGRB) awardedthe geographical areas for devel-opment of City Gas Distribution net-works in these 11 districts to differententities and the Bokaro–Angul sec-tion will be catering the supply ofnatural gas to these areas.

According to GAIL authorities,the JHBDPL project will be com-pleted in Odisha by February 2021.

The Srikakulam-Angul Pipeline

project will have a length of around500 km and it will supply gas towestern parts of Odisha. The au-thorities said that about ̀ 2,500 croreis being invested to execute thepipeline network expansion. The au-thorities also stated that gas will besupplied to small and medium in-dustries and other companies. Theyalso said that the project will becompleted soon.

On the other hand, Dhamra-HaldiaPipeline project will be of 250 km andit will supply gas to the coastal re-gion of Odisha. It is expected thataround ̀ 1,250 crore is being investedfor the completion of this project.

Centre to develop `7,750 crgas pipeline project in state

JHBDPL, Srikakulam-Angul Pipeline and Dhamra-Haldia Pipeline projects are under construction that will boost gas-based economy

REUTERS

New Delhi, August 22: MiddleEastern oil accounted for 71.5% ofIndia’s oil imports in July, its high-est share in 26 months, while im-ports from Africa fell to 5%, thelowest in at least 14 years, shows thedata from trade sources.

Analysts said lower fuel demandand paltry refining margins haddriven a preference for MiddleEastern sour grades over sweetAfrican barrels.

India, the world’s third-biggestoil consumer, imports more than80% of its oil needs.

“Since April Indian refiners aretrying to save every single pennyon crude purchases as refiningmargins are paltry and fuel de-mand has crashed. They are forcedto cut refiners runs,” said Ehsan UlHaq, an analyst with Refinitiv.

Indian refiners mostly tap spotmarkets for low sulphur or sweetgrades and buy sour grades underterm deals with Middle Easternproducers.

“Imports from Middle East helpin saving freight cost. Refinersopted to lift committed volumesunder contracts with MiddleEastern producers rather than tap-ing costly brent-linked African oilthat takes more than 20 days toreach India,” Haq added.

India’s oil imports plunged totheir lowest in over 9 years in July,

falling to around 3 million barrelsper day as low fuel demand en-couraged refiners to shut units formaintenance.

Imports from Opec countriesdropped to their lowest in at least14 years at 67.15% in July, datashowed.

Rising imports from the UnitedStates also dented Africa’s share inIndian imports. The sources de-clined to be identified as they arenot authorised to speak to themedia.

India imported no oil fromVenezuela for the second monthin a row in July, the data showed.

During the month Iraq retainedits top oil supplier status to Indiafollowed by Saudi Arabia and UnitedArab Emirates.

The United States emerged asthe fourth biggest supplier followedby Kuwait, Colombia and Qatar.Nigeria, which was the fifth largestsupplier to India in June, droppedto eight position.

OIL IMPORTS

India’s Middle Eastshare hits 2-yr high

PNB posts `308 crof net profit inApril-June quarterAGENCIES

New Delhi, August 22: PunjabNational Bank (PNB), India’s sec-ond-largest public sector bank an-nounced its financial result forthe quarter ended June 30, 2020. Thebank recorded a net profit of ̀ 308crore. Global Business of the bankreached `17,96,612 Crore.

The bank’s operating profitgrew by 2.5% on a YOY basis to`5,280 crore in Q1 FY’21. CRARas on June 30, 2020, improved to12.63%. Gross NPA ratio is at14.11% as on June 20 as against15.49% in June 19.

Net NPA ratio reduced to 5.39%as on June 20 down from 5.51% ason March 20 and 6.97% as on June19. Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR)improved to 80.75% as on June 20from 70.37% as on June 19. InternetBanking users crossed 233 lakh.UPI transactions increased by76% YOY to 19.16 crore.

POS installed increased YOYby 17.78% to 88,204. Bharat/BHIMQR Code installed increased YOYby 139% to 1,73,958.

The bank has rolled out a ver-ticalised organisation structureto improve operational efficiencyand provide steady growth mo-mentum. Business and controlfunctions have been segregatedto have a focused approach forbusiness development and im-prove customer service.

Amazon consumerbiz CEO to stepdown next yearAGENCIES

San Francisco, August 22: JeffWilke, the CEO of Amazon’s world-wide consumer division, is set toretire early next year after servingthe company for over two decades.

Dave Clark, Amazon's SeniorVice President of Retail Operations,will succeed Wilke, Amazon saidin a statement on Friday.

In a memo to employees,Amazon Founder and CEO JeffBezos called Wilke his "tutor".

Wilke, who joined the companyin 1999, is often credited with shap-ing the logistics system that the e-commerce giant has today.

"When you see us taking care ofcustomers, you can thank Jeff forit," Bezos said in the memo, an-nouncing Wilke's departure fromthe company.

"Jeff's legacy and impact willlive on long after he departs. He issimply one of those people with-out whom Amazon would be com-pletely unrecognisable," theAmazon CEO said.

In a message to Amazon teamsaround the world, Wilke said that"it's just time" for him "to taketime to explore personal intereststhat have taken a back seat forover two decades."

24 proposals worth `8,594 cr ofstressed NBFCs, HFCs sanctionedPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, August 22: The finance ministry on Saturday said24 proposals worth `8,594 crore ofstressed NBFCs and HFCs havebeen sanctioned under the specialliquidity scheme announced aspart of the `20.97 lakh crore'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' package.

The scheme, which was launchedon July 1, permits both primaryand secondary market purchases ofdebt and seeks to address the short-term liquidity issues of non-bank-ing financial companies (NBFCs)and housing finance companies(HFCs).

Sharing implementation statusupdate of the ̀ 30,000 crore SpecialLiquidity Scheme (SLS), Finance

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in atweet said that 24 proposals with atotal sanctioned amount of `8,594 crore have been cleared as onAugust 21, while 17 more applica-tions seeking financing of up to`3,684.5 crore are under process.

"The amount disbursed stood at`3,279 crore as on 21.08.2020.Compared to 07.08.2020, there is anincrease of `2,195 crore in theamount sanctioned & an increaseof `2,279 crore in the amount dis-bursed," she tweeted.

NBFCs and HFCs came understress following a series of defaultsby IL&FS group firms in September2018. NBFCs including microfi-

nance institutions registered underthe RBI Act, 1934 (excluding thoseregistered as Core InvestmentCompanies) and any HFC regis-tered with the National HousingBank under the National HousingBank Act, 1987, which is complyingwith certain specified conditions,are eligible to raise funding fromthis facility.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has provided funds for the schemeby subscribing to government-guar-anteed special securities issued bya trust set up by SBI Capital MarketsLtd (SBICAP).

The scheme is being implementedby SLS Trust, the SPV set up bySBICAP. The special liquidityscheme is open for three months formaking subscriptions by the Trust.

SPECIAL LIQUIDITY SCHEME

JEFF WILKE

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Printed and published by Tathagata Satpathy on behalf of Navajat Printers and Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at Navajat Printers, B-15 Industrial Estate, Rasulgarh, Bhubaneswar -751010, Odisha;Phone:7894447142(Marketing). Editor: Tathagata Satpathy, RNI No. ORIENG/2011/371591

Inter fall on own sword as Lukaku own goal helps Spanish Leagueside scrape past Italian club 3-2 for a record sixth Europa League title

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cologne (Germany), August 22:The longest Europa League seasoncame down to a defender’s spec-tacular shot and a striker tryingto keep it out.

Instead of blocking Diego Carlos’overhead kick — which was goingwide — Romelu Lukaku deflectedit into his own net. That handedSevilla a 3-2 win in the final Fridayand a record sixth Europa Leaguetitle.

And it gave Lukaku the distinc-tion of scoring for both teams. TheBelgium striker had given Inter aperfect start with an early goal afterwinning his first duel with Carlos,who could easily have been sentoff in the process.

The Brazilian defender was thelast defender when he fouled Lukakuon a counterattack in the thirdminute but was only given a yellowcard.

Lukaku scored the spot-kick, butSevilla fought their way back intothe game with two headers fromLuuk de Jong, setting the stage forCarlos to hit his game-winning kickin the 74th.

The loss extended Inter’s waitfor a first European trophy since JoseMourinho led the Italian club tothe Champions League title in 2010.Sevilla have won the Europa Leaguein four of the last seven seasons.

Thegame

star ted atbreakneck pace despite being

the 54th game of 2019-20 for bothteams in a season extended becauseof the coronavirus pandemic.

A f t e r j u s t t h re e m i nu t e sLukaku surged away with theball when a Sevilla attackingthrow-in was cleared, and Carlospushed him down as he preparedto shoot. Goalkeeper YassineBounou had played a key part inSevilla’s run to the final but coulddo nothing to stop Lukaku’s pow-erful penalty kick into the bottom-left corner.

The lead lasted just seven minutesbefore De Jong levelled the scorewith a diving header off a crossfrom right-back Jesus Navas.

De Jong was rewarded with astart after scoring the winning goalas a substitute against ManchesterUnited in the semifinals. The Dutchstriker gave Sevilla a 2-1 lead inthe 33rd with a header at the far postat a free-kick, but three minuteslater Inter scored in nearly identi-cal fashion, Diego Godin heading infrom almost the same position offMarcelo Brozovic’s free-kick.

Lukaku could have put Interback in front in the 65th when heburst in behind Sevilla’s defensebut Bounou charged out to block hislow shot.

After Sevilla reclaimed the lead,Jules Kounde stopped Inter lev-eling once again when hecleared substitute AlexisSanchez’s shot off the line inthe 82nd.

Sevilla coach JulenLopetegui said he was de-lighted to win a trophy withSevilla in his first job sincespending barely threemonths in charge of RealMadrid in 2018. He hadlost his job as Spaincoach on the eve ofthe World Cup over hisdecision to take over Real.

It was a very emotionalgame but in the second

half we controlled the game abit better we dug in. He(Diego Carlos) gave away thepenalty then he scored thatwonderful overhead kick JULEN LOPETEGUI

‘Conte, are you leaving? Inter lose, Antonio splits’ wasthe headline on the front of Gazetta dello Sport, with

an image of the former Chelsea and Juventus bosslooking dejected. Corriere dello Sport went for a

similar line with regards to Conte’s Inter future, withthe headline: ‘Conte splits’, while Tuttosport wrote:

‘No, not like this!’ on their front page.

Contrasting media reactions in Spain, ItalySpanish newspapers have lauded Sevilla after Julen Lopetegui’s side landed their sixth

Europa League triumph while Italian papers have cast doubt on Antonio Conte’s futureat Inter Milan. Spanish newspapers have hailed the efforts of Sevilla and Lopetegui, who

lifted his first piece of major silverware as a coach following the triumph in GermanyAS splashed the headline: ‘Sevilla League’ across theirfront page Saturday morning, a nod to the club’sdominance in the European competition that they havenow won six times. Marca opted for the headline: ‘6!’while listing the club’s victories in Eindhoven in 2006,Glasgow in 2007, Turin in 2014, Varsovia in 2015,Basilea in 2016 and Cologne Friday night.

BLOCKBUSTER FINALEPSG set sight on making history as they face mighty Bayern Munich

hurdle in quest of their ‘holy grail’ – the Champions League title

AGENCIES

Lisbon, August 22: A fresh sliceof history beckons here for one ofthese giants as they face off in clubfootball’s most prestigious match,but their past history at this stageof the competition could barely bemore different.

Bayern have been here and doneit all before – only Real Madrid cantop their tally of 11 European Cupand Champions League finals, whileonly Madrid, AC Milan andLiverpool have got their hands onthe trophy more often.

It has not been all triumph andglory for the Bavarian juggernauts,though, and they have lost as manyfinals as they have won in this com-petition, Juventus being the onlyteam to have been beaten moreoften at this stage.

PSG know all about despair inEurope’s premier club competi-tion; their recent history has beenlittered by high-profile failures andit remains impossible to considertheir Champions League past with-out thoughts immediately goingback to their Neymar-inspired 6-1defeat to Barcelona in 2016-17.

Now with Neymar in their ranksand beginning to show the deci-sive influence PSG have been hop-ing for since his world-record move,the Ligue 1 giants have the chanceto finally banish those memories andthe hurt of seven successive seasonsin which they failed to make it pastthe quarterfinals.

The owners have made no se-cret of the fact that the ChampionsLeague is the holy grail for them and,after years of underachievement inthe competition, it could be writtenin the stars for them to pull offtheir crowning glory in the club’s50th anniversary year.

Success at home is almost a givennow for Le Parisiens, who havewon 24 of the last 28 domestic tro-phies available to them, but vic-tory Sunday would see them finallyjoin the top table of Europe’s elite.

While that is the biggest andtastiest carrot for the owners, intime PSG’s possible achievement ofcompleting a clean sweep oftrophies this season may beviewed as even more his-toric, having alreadywrapped up the Ligue 1,Coupe de France, Coupede la Ligue and Tropheedes Champions titles thisseason.

No French club has ever com-pleted the treble before either asPSG look to become only the ninthteam to achieve that feat, but theyare facing a Bayern side similarlyfamiliar with a domestic monop-oly on titles and with far more ex-perience in Europe.

Indeed, Bayern won a treble oftheir own just seven years ago whenthey picked up their fifth ChampionsLeague crown, and victory onSunday would see them joinBarcelona as the only clubs to do soon two separate occasions.

The German outfit have beensimply scintillating en route to thefinal, plundering an incredi-ble 42 goals during a perfect10 wins from 10 games inthe competition.

An 8-2 obliteration ofBarcelona in the quar-

terfinals was un-doubtedly the mostmemorable of thosewins. Rarely, ifever, has therebeen a moreemphaticroute to thefinal, with

Bayern already boasting the bestgoals-per-game ratio in CL historyand needing three more goals toequal Barcelona’s all-time recordof 45 in a CL campaign – recordedover 16 games in 1999-00.

With such a record, it is easy toforget that Bayern had been insome trouble earlier in the cam-paign, leading to Niko Kovac beingsacked and replaced by Hansi Flick,who has since steered them back onto the right path.

It is not only Bayern’s Europeanrecord which is formidable; Germanchampions for an eighth year in arow, they come into this match hav-ing won 27 of their last 28 outingsacross all competitions includingeach of the last 19.

Yet there is not quite an aura ofinvincibility about the team despitethe results suggesting otherwise,and PSG will have taken belief fromLyon’s performance in the semifi-nals despite their fellow Ligue 1side being on the end of a 3-0 defeat.

Sunday represents a tantalisingopportunity to make them-

selves the team to beat,though, and if they are fi-nally able to lift their mostcoveted prize aloft thenthere could be no doubting

that they are worthychampions.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAINPSG 3-0 Real MadridGalatasaray 0-1 PSGClub Brugge 0-5 PSGPSG 1-0 Club BruggeReal Madrid 2-2 PSGPSG 5-0 Galatasaray

Dortmund 2-1 PSGPSG 2-0 Dortmund

PSG 2-1 AtalantaPSG 3-0 RB Leipzig

BAYERN MUNICHBayern 3-0BelgradeTottenham 2-7 Bayern Olympiacos 2-3 Bayern Bayern 2-0 OlympiacosRS Belgrade 0-6 Bayern Bayern 3-1 Tottenham Chelsea 0-3 Bayern Bayern 4-1 ChelseaBayern 8-2 BarcelonaBayern 3-0 Lyon

T hese two sides have met on eight previous occasions, with allof those coming in the group stages of the Champions League.

It is PSG who boast the superior record in those meetings, winningfive compared to three victories for Bayern

Only two of those past meetings have come since 2000, with thetwo sides trading victories in the 2017-18 group stages – PSG

winning 3-0 in Paris and Bayern winning 3-1 in Munich

ROAD TO THE FINAL

Group stageGroup stageGroup stageGroup stageGroup stageGroup stage

Last 16 Last 16

QuarterfinalSemifinal

HEAD

TO

HEAD

BAYERNVS

PSG

Time12:30 am

TelecastSony Tenchannels

TONIGHT’S MATCH

NEYMAR

ROBERTLEWANDOWSKI

LUUK DE JONG

India to host England ‘in Feb. 2021’: Ganguly

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, August 22: BCCI pres-ident Sourav Ganguly has con-firmed to its affiliated units thatIndia will be hosting England fora full series in February next yearafter playing an away rubber inAustralia.

The Board supremo also in-formed the state units that the 2021IPL will be played in April, withinfive months of the upcoming edi-tion, which concludes November 10.

This is Ganguly’s second com-munication to the states in lasttwo months as he seeks to keepthe members posted about India’scommitments in the Future ToursProgramme (FTP).

He said that India is ready tohost the T20 World Cup next yearand the ODI World Cup in 2023.

“The BCCI and the Indian cricketteam will continue to fulfil its FTPcommitments. The senior Indianmen’s team will travel to Australiafor its series starting in Decemberthis year, and will come back tothe country for a series againstEngland starting February nextyear. This will be followed by IPL2021 in April,” Ganguly said in anemail to all the affiliated units.

“The BCCI continues to be thehost for the ICC T20 World Cup2021 and the 50-over ICC CricketWorld Cup in 2023.”

The former India captain alsosaid that the tours of the Indianwomen’s team are ‘under discussion’but did not elaborate on that.

He has assured all state associ-ations that domestic cricket willstart as and when the situation issafe amid the COVID-19 pandemic,but did not specify a date for the sea-son’s kick-off.

Normally domestic season startsin August but the pandemic haswreaked havoc with the calenderand Ganguly’s letter to state asso-ciations made it clear that theBoard is yet to lock in a date.

The domestic season is now ex-pected to begin with the SyedMushtaq Ali T20 tournament, ten-tatively from the third week ofNovember.

CLAMOUR FOR BHARAT RATNA TO DHYAN CHAND GROWS

‘1st target semis, then medals at Games’

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, August 22: India’sfirst target should be to reach thesemifinals of the Tokyo Olympics.Then India can aspire to win amedal,” said former India playersAshok Kumar and Gurbux Singh.

They were speaking in a paneldiscussion organised by ‘Signature24 Productions’ in association withOrissa POST. The discussion wastaking place on the first anniver-

sary of the first-ever digital cam-paign launched demanding ‘BharatRatna’ for the iconic Dhyan Chand.

The event hosted by popular actorBabushaan also saw HarbinderSingh and Yuvraj Walmiki takingpart. Incidentally Harbinder andGurbux were members of the Indianteam that won gold at the TokyoOlympics. Ashok on the other handwas a part of the team that wonthe World Cup under Ajitpal Singh.

Walmiki had not much to offer on

Dhyan Chand. However, he said thatduring his tenure of eight years inthe German Hockey League, peoplealways referred to him as the ‘manfrom Dhyan Chand’s country’. It justshows how much the Dhyan ChandSir was revered,” said Walmiki.

Gurbux called Dhyan Chand ‘thebest-ever player India has ever pro-duced’ while Harbinder said ‘hewas an icon in true sense’. Ashokon the other hand pointed out hisdad never wanted him to play hockey.“Maybe that is because of the fi-nancial hardships he faced duringhis playing days,” said Ashok.

“I learnt by watching his skills,never got any formal coaching fromhim. Till the time, I won the WorldCup gold medal, he never saw anyof my other medals including theOlympic bronze,” he added.

Discussions also turned towardsthe Tokyo Olympics. Ashok wasquick to point out that Indian

coaches should stop speaking aboutpodium finishes. “In the last 40years we have not reached semifi-nals once. So let’s first make that tar-get,” Ashok asserted. A point towhich Gurbux agreed.

It should be stated here that Indiawon their last hockey Olympic goldat Moscow in 1980. However manynations had boycotted the eventdue to their differences with Russia.

Harbinder on the other hand saidthat India’s medal at the TokyoOlympics has suddenly suffereddue to the postponement of theGames to 2021.

“India were in good form. Theywere beating top teams regularly. Hadthe Olympics not been postponed dueto the pandemic, we were certainlymedal contenders. Now the mo-mentum has gone. I am doubtfulabout how India will fare next year,”Harbinder said.

Buttler-Crawleystand frustrateshapless Pakistan

Actor Babushaan talks to former India player Ashok Kumar during a digitalcampaign demanding Bharat Ratna for Ashok Kumar

I learnt by watching his(Dhyan Chand) skills,

never got any formalcoaching from him. Till thetime, I won the World Cupgold medal, he never sawany of my other medalsincluding the Olympic bronzeASHOK KUMAR

India were in good form.They were beating top

teams regularly. Had theOlympics not been postponeddue to the pandemic, we werecertainly medal contenders.Now the momentum has gone.I am doubtful about how Indiawill fare next yearHARBINDER SINGH

AGENCIES

Southampton, August 22: ZakCrawley (267, 393b, 34x4, 1x6) andJos Buttler (140 batting, 290b, 12x4,2x6) frustrated Pakistan with a359-run partnership for the fifthwicket as England reached 490/5at tea on day two of the third andfinal Test here, Saturday.

The visitorsbanked onpart-timerAsad Shafiqafter all theirregularbowlers failedto make anyimpact on theduo, and for-tunately the

move worked. Crawley, who wastrying the get some quick runs, wasstumped while going for an ex-pensive shot.

Resuming the at 332/4, bothCrawley and Buttler hardly gaveany chance which Pakistan couldgrab for good. Brief showers tookthe teams off twice during themorning session, resulting inlunch being taken an hour laterthan scheduled.

Brief scores (at tea): England490/5 (Zak Crawley 267, Jos Buttler140 batting) vs Pakistan. Matchto continue.

ZakCrawley