VIRUS ARRIVES IN YOUR CITY - SPLessons

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DC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

High drama followed,whenCongress MP A. RevanthReddy and former MPKonda VishweshwarReddy tried to hold a pressconference in front of a pri-vate farmhouse allegedlyowned by a prominent TRSleader, in Janvada villageunder Cyberabad policelimits on Monday.

Both the Congress lead-ers took mediapersons tothe farmhouse and held a

press conference at anopen place adjacent to it.As soon as both leadersreached the place, theNarsingi police askedthem to vacate the place.At this juncture, lots ofjostling followed betweenthe police and theCongress leaders, alongwith their followers, whenMr Vishweshwar Reddysustained minor injuriesto his leg.

Mr Revanth Reddyalleged that a prominentTRS leader had construct-

ed a mansion in the land,which falls under the GO

MS number 111, which pro-hibits permanent construc-tions within 10 km radiusof the Himayatsagar andOsmansagar lakes.

The Congress MP fromMalkajgiri alleged that thisTRS leader and ministerhad constructed a three-storeyed mansion, spreadover one lakh square feet,under survey numbers of301, 302, 312, 313 inJanvada.

The Congress leader saidthat this leader built themansion over 25 acres of

land, registered in thename of some of his friendsand family members.

Mr Revanth Reddy saidthat the Firangi canalreaches Gandipet from theChinna Samudram Cheru-vu, which is adjacent to themansion. Mr Reddy fur-ther alleged that this TRSleader had threatenedManipal Reddy, and someother land owners, andforcibly took their lands.

■ Page 55: RRevanth, KKondaarrest ccomes dduring aa ppresser

Revanth held at TRS leader’s farmhouseCongress leaders were exposing illegal construction at JanvadaILLEGAL | HOUSE

Nirbhaya rapists’hanging put off

New Delhi: A Delhi courton Monday deferred till

the hanging of four con-victs in the Nirbhaya

gang rape and murdercase pending disposal of

a convict’s mercy plea.The convicts were to be

hanged on Tuesday.However, after the apexcourt rejected his cura-tive plea, Pawan Gupta

filed a mercy petitionbefore the President.

■ Full rreport oon PPage 88

Modi will quit all social media

New Delhi: Prime MinisterNarendra Modi on Monday

said that he was thinking ofexiting social media and

would take a decision onSunday. “This Sunday,

thinking of giving up mysocial media accounts on

Facebook, Twitter,Instagram & YouTube. Will

keep you all posted,” MrModi tweeted from his offi-

cial handle. Sources saidthe decision was prompted

by hate messages.

GE’s Jack Welchpasses away

Boston: Jack Welch, whotransformed General

Electric Co. into a highlyprofitable multinationalconglomerate and par-

layed his legendary busi-ness acumen into a

retirement career as acorporate leadership

guru, has died. He was84. His death was con-

firmed on Monday by GE.The cause of death was

renal failure, his wifeSuzy said. — AP

VIRUS ARRIVES IN YOUR CITYSec’bad man came from Dubai, took bus from Bengaluru, exposed 80 others directlyBALU PPULIPAKA || DCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

Telangana on Mondayrecorded its first case ofcoronavirus, with ayoung male, employed ina software company con-firmed as being infectedby it. The 24-year-old manis currently in an ICU ofthe isolation ward at theGandhi General Hospital(GGH), where his condi-tion, according to healthminister Etala Rajendar,was stable.

The state’s first Covid-19patient is a resident ofMahendra Hills in Secun-derabad and lives with anextended joint family, MrRajender said. Accordingto the minister, the manflew from Dubai toBengaluru and then cameto Hyderabad by bus.

The news was firstannounced by the Unionministry of health aboutthe positive Covid-19 casein Hyderabad. Confirm-ing this, Mr Rajendar tolda press conference in thecity on Tuesday that “the-re was no cause for alarmbecause of the case”.

“The state governmentis on top of the issue andhas taken every possibleprecaution. We are takingmore steps to prevent thespread of this disease. Allthose known to have comein contact with the patientare being monitored fortheir health and steps arebeing taken to test themtoo. There are enoughfacilities in hospitals todeal with more cases, ifneed be,” he said.

The health minister saidChief Minister K. Chandr-ashekar Rao has reviewedthe development andinstructed all depart-ments related to health,transport, education andothers that deal with mat-ters involving large gath-erings of people to takestrict measures to controlthe disease. He said theChief Minister hasassured that funds wouldnot be a problem in fight-ing the virus.

After repeated proddingfrom reporters, MrRajendar said, “We have atotal of 80 people who arebeing ‘tracked’ as thosewho were in close contactwith the patient. Theseinclude members of hisfamily, 20 staffers fromApollo Hospital inSecunderabad, where hewas admitted for fourdays before being referredto the Gandhi Hospital,and 27 people who trav-elled with him in a busfrom Bengaluru toHyderabad.”

The Covid-19 ‘patientzero’ for Telangana,according to the healthminister, caught the dis-ease during his trip toDubai in the middle ofFebruary.

The man went to Dubaion February 15 and stayedthere for “four or fivedays” meeting with hiscolleagues, includingsome from his company’sHong Kong office.

“Telangana had no caseof the virus that was local-ly transmitted. This manacquired it in Dubai from

where he flew toBengaluru. He stayedthere for two days andcame to Hyderabad in abus on February 21,”Rajender said.

On arrival at Bengalurufrom Dubai on February20, the man was apparent-ly asymptomatic for fivedays and spent the nexttwo days visiting his com-pany’s office inBengaluru.

“On February 22, hetravelled to Hyderabad ina bus and was at home forfive days. He visitedApollo Hospital as an out-patient for a check-up,because he had developeda fever and other symp-toms. Following couplemore visits as an out-patient, he was admittedin Apollo. He was therefor two days — February27 and 28 — before beingreferred to the GandhiHospital on Sunday,” MrRajender added.

DC CCORRESPONDENTNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

Three cases of coron-avirus were reported inthe country — one each inDelhi, Telangana andRajasthan.

“The person from Delhihas a travel history fromItaly. Further details ofhis travels are being asce-rtained,” said health min-ister Harsh Vardhan.

The Air India crew whohad flown the Vienna-Delhi flight on February25 on which the Delhipatient was the passengerhave been asked to stay inisolation at their homesfor 14 days, officials said.

Later in the day, theRajasthan governmentannounced that an Italiantourist, who was admittedin a Jaipur hospital, wastested positive for Covid-19.

The 69-year-old man hasbeen placed under isola-tion at the government-run Sawai Man SinghHospital in Jaipur. Theman is part of the group of20 tourists, who are nowin Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

Aviation regulatorDGCA, meanwhile,“decided to expand theuniversal screening of allpassengers arriving inflights from Italy and Iran(also) besides the flightsfrom China, Hong Kong,Japan, South Korea, Thai-land, Singapore, Nepal,Indonesia, Vietnam andMalaysia.”

With previously report-ed three coronaviruscases from Kerala, whowere discharged from hos-pitals after recovery, thetotal number of casesdetected in India so farhas risen to six.

The Union health minis-ter also advised people totake precautions and incase of any symptoms ofcoronavirus report to thenearest public healthfacility. “People may posetheir queries at the healthministry’s 24x7 controlroom at 011-23978046 oremail at [email protected],” the healthminister added.

One each in Delhi,Jaipur test positiveDGCA expands screening topassengers from Iran, Italy


Twelve people werechased on Sunday night byofficials of the districtmedical and health depart-ment, of whom four hadreturned from Italy, onefrom Thailand, two fromthe Middle East and fiveothers from Singapore,who were contacted andchecked for symptoms.

According to sources,there was a group of fourpeople, who had to leavefor Tirupati in AndhraPradesh for darshan butwere asked to stay at homefor 14 days.

A senior health officialon condition of anonymityexplained, “This familygroup of four are close to a

powerful political familyin the state, and they hadto be told to not go. Thiswas quite a task, as orderscame from senior officialsfrom the state. Their trav-el history was to destina-

tions where the coron-avirus cases are very high.It was a risky proposi-tion.”

These members werecontacted on Sunday nightand asked about their

symptoms. They had nosymptoms and replied thatthey were all fine. Theyhad been cleared at the air-port level screening too.But officials insisted thatthey have to self-isolateand stay at home for next14 days.

The epidemiology wingof the government has gotofficials, who will callthem night and day, andinsist that they do notmove out of their homes.

A senior official said,“since people are aware ofthe impact of coronavirus,we have so far not facedany resistance. There iscooperation from people.We have told them to getin touch with us if theydevelop cough and cold inthe next few days.”

KANIZA GGARARI || DCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The Gandhi Hospital doc-tors fear that the firstCovid-19 case will affecttheir out-patient depart-ment and opine that com-mon people are not goingto opt for treatment in thehospital. Murmurs in dif-ferent medial departmentsbegan soon after they sawthe Union health ministryrelease on Twitter.

Senior, junior, residentand post-graduate doctorsstarted calling each otherto check whether the posi-tive Covid19 case wasindeed at Gandhi Hospital.

There were angry mur-

murs of protests andhushed voices of angerthat the ‘isolation ward’must not be in GandhiHospital as it was a gener-al hospital. With 1,050-bedstrength, there are a largenumber of patients in thehospital, some said. Thehospital gets more than1,000 outpatients everyday along with their fami-ly and relatives.

The case led to debateamongst Gandhi doctorsthat in such cases, ‘isola-tion wards’ must be incampuses like the ChestHospital at Erragadda orat TB hospital atVikarabad.

The doctors worried that

since Gandhi Hospital wasin the heart of Secundera-bad. As this virus hadbecome widespread quick-ly across China, it wouldnot be ideal to have an iso-lation ward where somany people frequent.

A senior doctor said,“The isolation ward oneight floor will not beattended by many. Onlythose who are on duty willgo there. There is alreadya lot of panic. We have sur-gical masks for hospitalstaff. Is it safe? Many coro-navirus cases come as sus-pects but are confirmedlater. Till then, they are intouch. What is their safe-ty?”

Gandhi doctors wantisolation ward shifted

ADITYA CCHUNDURU || DCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The coronavirus epidemicis having a disastrouseffect on local electronicsindustry. From whole-salers and retailers tohobbyists, no one hasbeen spared. But the realtrouble is being faced bythe engineering studentcommunity.

In a few weeks, whenfourth-year engineeringstudents start working ontheir final-year projects,they will have troublesourcing various compo-nents they need to makethem work.

Multiple electronics

importers and retailerssaid that the supply ofcomponents has all butdried up. Consignmentshave gotten smaller andmore expensive. Somesaid components are reta-iling at anywhere betwe-en 10 and 30 per cent high-er rates than usual. Someniche components arealtogether unavailable.

Most colleges expect pro-ject submissions, alongwith detailed reports, sta-rting April. Importantly,since the topics are decid-ed much ahead, there islittle scope for change.

■ Page 55: PPrices oof electronic ggizmos rrising

China lockdownhits tech students

DC CCORRESPONDENTMUMBAI, MARCH 2

Equity markets tumbledin a knee jerk reaction inthe last half an hour oftrade after two new coro-navirus cases werereported in Delhi andTelangana.

After the news break,the Sensex ended 153points down at 38,144 aspanic selling gripped themarket. The Sensex hadgained 785.88 points tillthen after a gap up open-ing across the Asian mar-kets. Nifty-50 closed at11,132.75 down 69 points.

Tracking domesticindices, the rupee weak-ened sharply against theUS dollar and closed 55paise lower at 72.73,which is the lowest levelsince November 13, 2018.

Gold, however, gained`391 per 10 gm in Delhi to`42,616 while the interna-tional rates revisited$1,600 levels.

■ More rreports oon ppage 114

SENSEX GIVES UPGAINS, RUPEE AT15-MONTH LOW

12 people were told to stay at home

Financially-distressed techiekills wife, 2 kids and himselfGEETA VVALABOJU || DDCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

Reportedly distressed overhis poor financial position, a36-year-old techie workingat IBM poisoned his wifeand two children before con-suming poison himself athis house in LB Nagar. Thedeceased were identified asKotra Pradeep (36), his wifeSwati (28), son KalyanKrishna (six) and JayaKrishna (18 months).

The deaths were discover-

ed on Monday, two days aft-er they occurred. The inci-dent was reported from Has-thinapuram in LB Nagar.

According to the LB Nagarpolice, Mr Pradeep, whohailed from Devarakonda inNalgonda district, wasworking as a software engi-neer with IBM and living inhis own house.

On Monday morning,Satish, deceased Swati’syounger brother, visitedtheir home after he failed tocontact either his sister or

brother-in-law on phone. Heknocked on the door formore than two hours. Whenhe did not get any response,he grew suspicious andinformed the police, whobroke open the door andfound all four family mem-bers dead.

A dairy containing a sui-cide note and pesticide bot-tles were recovered from thehouse.

■ Page 44: BBodies ffounddecomposed aat hhome

A woman staffer near an intensive care unit dedicated to coronavirus patients at Gandhi General Hospital inHyderabad on Monday. — S. SURENDER REDDY

Vol. 83 No. 62 Established 1938 | 32 PAGES | `6.00deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews, twitter.com/deccanchronicle, google.com/+deccanchronicle

TABLOIDSPORTS|15‘Be more disciplined’

Kohli & Co. trip on grassas India go up in smoke

Buttigieg exits race,Biden back in contention

WORLD|12

SYMPTOMS● Fever, cough, shortness of breath andbreathing difficulties.

PREVENTION● Wash your hands regularly● Cover mouth and nose when you arecoughing and sneezing● Thoroughly cook meat and eggs.● Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illnesssuch as coughing and sneezing.

● ● Mr Revanth Reddyalleged that a promi-nent TRS leader hadconstructed a mansionin the land, which fallsunder the GO MS number 111, which prohibits permanentconstructions within 10 km radius of theHimayatsagar andOsmansagar lakes.

THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIAHYDERABAD I TUESDAY I 3 MARCH 2020


Panic has gripped the citywith the first case ofCovid-19 being announced.People shared the detailson social media and manyof them asked those whohave cough and cold toself-isolate and not go outof their homes.

Those who have beencoughing in hospitals arealso being told to covertheir mouth and not coughall around. The presenceof the virus in the statehas left the people wor-ried. Already handker-chiefs are being used asmasks. Even hand sanitiz-ers have gone off theshelves as people are car-rying it with them to washtheir hands.

The preventive tips werehighly searched on inter-net and there wererequests from friends, rel-atives and family mem-bers from other states tobe safe. A senior doctorfrom a private hospitalexplained, “Covid-19 wasto come to India and it wasonly a matter of time.There will be 100 othercases out there but theyare still not confirmed.The death rate is only twoper cent. Senior citizensand pregnant women haveto take be extra careful.Those who suffer from dia-betes and hypertension,transplant patients andany other co-morbid con-ditions have to be carefulas there are complicationsin such cases.”

Those frequenting hospi-tals apart from the med-ical staff like relatives ofpatients, employees ofnon-government organisa-tions, insurance and otheradministration staff ofvarious other departmentshave to also exercise careas they are going intozones from where infec-tion can spread.

The maximum fear isnow about ‘suspectedcases’ who are asympto-matic and are travellingwithout knowing that theycarry the virus and havethe capability to transmitit. This is the biggest chal-lenge and it can be tackledby ensuring good immuni-ty, proper hand hygieneand cough manners.

First Covid-19 case creates panicFear is now about ‘suspected cases’ and those travelling without knowing that they carry the virus

CITY pg 2DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

SHORT TAKESCHARMME’S POSTS

TAKES SOCIALMEDIA BY STORM


A leading movie heroine ofTelugu cinema CharmmeKaur released a video on socialmedia as soon as the news ofthe positive case of coronavirus in Telangana came in onMonday afternoon. The videoshows the star in a jubilantmood at hearing this news andcongratulating everyone.

Not surprisingly, netizens'comments on this curiouslyinsensitive behaviour calledher irresponsible, inhumanand insensitive. Some evenquestioned whether this is astunt to gain some publicattention.

Padmini Nagupalli, execu-tive committee member,Telugu Film Chamber ofCommerce, said, “How couldshe be so insensitive at thispoint of time when the wholeworld is in fear of a pandemic?We know that the cinema playsa major role in our society, andshe as a known personalitycould have done some aware-ness video on this. It is so sad-dening to see that video.”

Sandhya, a social activist,called it “cynical on her part,when we all know how danger-ous this virus is, and in coun-tries like India which has nosophisticated mechanisms tocontrol it.” After a few hoursthe video was taken off by themovie star as the rage of neti-zens grew. Feeling the heat shetweeted: “I have read all urcomments n I apologize for thevideo posted.. it was an act ofimmaturity for a very sensi-tive topic, n hence shall becareful in my further reactionsas it was of least knowledge tome the rounds itcreated..(sic)”.

HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ONCOVID-19 TODAY

Prepared to curb virus: Minister

Price of masks shoots upas virus fear grips city

Health officials,docs in a tizzy KANIZA GGARARI || DDC HYDERABAD, MARCH 2

Declaration of one con-firmed case of coronavirus Covid 19 by centralhealth ministry via apress release has led to‘bruised ego’ for healthdepartment and doctors ofthe state unable to come toterms with the announce-ment.

Caught unawares, doc-tors of Gandhi Hospitalwere upset and senior doc-tors left to meet healthminister Etala Rajendra tobrief him. They werealerted by the social mediarelease of the announce-ment. Virology depart-ment has certified labora-tory by the central govern-ment for carry out thetests and its senior staffwas extremely angrysnubbing junior doctorson inquiry about the case.

The patient’s throatswabs were tested in thehospital and it was posi-

tive. Another sample wasalso sent to NationalVirology Institute in Pune.The central governmentreceived the informationof a confirmed case fromNIV and declared thesame. But the laboratoryin Gandhi Hospital wasyet to get the confirmationfrom Pune.

The tests sample reportsfrom NVI are sent onlinefor immediate action tothe hospital.

The confirmed case wasnot declared by the doc-tors as they had to followthe protocol of alertingthe state health ministerEtala Rajendra. In theafternoon, the health min-ister was also caught offguard as he had no idea ofa positive case. There wasa medical review meetinggoing on in Koti and theminister was a part of it.The declaration sent allsenior doctors and healthofficials in a fire fightingspree.

ADITYA CCHUNDURU || DDCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

While the corona virusmay have officiallyarrived in Hyderabad onlyon Monday, the fear andparanoia have been herefor many weeks. This fearhas caused the price offace masks to skyrocket -by nearly 500 per cent insome cases.

Several surgical suppliesretailers and wholesalerstold Deccan Chronicle thatmany manufacturers arechoosing to sell the maskson their own, at highprices. Some even saidthey simply stopped stock-ing them. Customers fromall walks of life are report-edly visiting shops desper-ate to buy even one mask.

Srinivas Rao who worksin a shop in Kukatpallysaid the price of three-plymasks, considered themost effective, has sky-rocketed. “We would buythem at wholesale at `3

per piece. Now even if weare willing to pay `18 perpiece, we are unable tobuy them,” he said.

Mr Rao complained thatmiddlemen/brokers aremaking merry due to theprevailing conditions."Since there is worldwidedemand for masks, most ofthe masks are beingexported. At least 35 coun-tries are getting masksfrom Hyderabad, leavingvery few for retailers. Themiddlemen who are facili-tating these transactionsare minting money," hesaid.

Also, many retailers saidthe market is flooded with

inferior masks. One retail-er from Hyderguda said,"People are so afraid thatthey are willing to buy anymask they find. A badmask is as good as not hav-ing one."

Such is the frenzy thatthree retailers who werecalled by this reporter toinquire about the situa-tion, got so excited at hear-ing the word "mask" thatthey asked whether thisreporter had any to sell tothem.

A retailer from SreeNidhi Surgicals inChandanagar said that afew months ago, she wouldbuy three-ply masks at`120 per packet. “Now, wehave refused to sell them.Wholesalers are asking`1,800 per packet!Considering the marginswe can possibly make, itjust isn't practical sellingthem,” she said. She addedthat one customer recent-ly came in asking for threelakh masks.


The State Government isfully geared up for con-tainment of COVID19 dis-ease in the state, HealthMinister Etala Rajendersaid, after the first case ofthe disease in the statewas confirmed here in thecity on Monday.

‘We already have 40 bedseach in isolation wards inGandhi, Fever and Chesthospitals in the city. Ourofficials have also contact-ed the Indian Army with arequest to use a 100-bedfacility the Army has inArtillery Centre here inthe city. There are enoughnumber of pulmonolo-gists, and other doctorsand there is no shortage of

masks, medicines orequipment such as respi-rators,” the minister said.

Rajender appealed topeople to practice goodhygiene and wash theirhands frequently. “Weappeal to people with anyfever accompanied by coldor cough to immediatelyget themselves checked bya doctor. Anyone with acold, or a cough, shouldnot sneeze or cough in theopen but cover theirmouth with a handker-chief,” he said.

The minister urged forcalm and said that therewas no need for any panicas every possible step wasbeing taken to contain thedisease and not allow it tospread.


The State Governmenthas called for a multi-department meeting onTuesday to discuss thesteps that are in placeand those that may beneeded to control anypossible spread ofCovid-19 disease inTelangana followingconfirmation of the firstcoronavirus case in thecity.

Top officials fromhealth, education, trans-port, police, revenue,municipal administra-tion & urban develop-ment, I&PR, panchayatraj & rural developmentand tourism depart-ments have been sum-moned for the meetingthat is to commence atMCR HRD Institutearound 10 am. It willdeliberate on combatingCovid-19 and the state’spreparedness.

Health Minister EtalaRajender told reporterson Monday that the gov-ernment will look atsteps to be taken withrespect to locations likeschools, as well as publicplaces where large num-ber of people gather,after the State’s firstCovid-19 case wasreported in the city.

SUNITA GOESFOR VIRUSCHECK-UP DC CCORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, MARCH 2

Ms Sunita Krishnan ofPrajwala, the anti-traf-ficking organisation,reported herself at theGandhi Hospital at 9.40am on Monday as she hada mild cough and wasrunning a temperatureafter her visit toBangkok. She wasscreened at the airportand she also filled a self-declaration form.

But she felt uneasy asshe had gone to a countryaffected by Covid-19 andfelt that she must getevaluated.

Ms Krishnan said, “Ilooked up at the ministryof health Twitteraccount and got a toll-freenumber. They connectedme with Dr Sri Harshawho asked me to report tothe Gandhi Hospital. Theurgency with which thestaff must respond ismissing. It took quite awhile for a doctor to comeand assess my conditionand take me to the isola-tion ward.” There are dif-ferent rooms in the isola-tion ward and each ofthem is occupied. She isin a room by herself.

The tests were carriedout only at 1.30 pm. Thestaff came in full protec-tion gear. “They all looklike they have come fromMars. There is no infor-mation dispensed here.Doctors and paramedicalstaff who come to exam-ine stand very far and noone utters a word. It isreal isolation. Peopleonly stare at each othernot knowing who haswhat,” she said.

Doctors at the entrance of an isolation ward where a Covid-19 patient is undergoing treatment at the GandhiHospital in Hyderabad on Monday. — AP

NO MECHANISMTO CHECK

VISITORS TO CITYDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

A clueless state government onTuesday admitted that therewas no mechanism in place tocheck passengers arriving inthe city, or other parts of theState via buses or trains afterflying into India from Covid-19-affected countries.

Following a 24-year-old citytechie testing positive for thedisease and his travel historyfrom Dubai to Bengaluru by aflight and subsequent arrivalin Hyderabad in a private trav-els bus, health minister EtelaRajendar was asked at a pressconference on Tuesday aboutmeasures to identify such indi-viduals or keep a track ofthem upon their arrival.

“We follow Union govern-ment guidelines. We are check-ing passengers arriving at theinternational airport fromabout 10 countries as per GoIguidelines,” he said.

Mr Rajendar did not respondto repeated questions onwhether any steps will betaken to check buses andtrains arriving from otherparts of the country eitherinto the city or other parts ofTelangana carrying passen-gers who may have flown in toother parts of the countryfrom Covide-19-affected coun-tries.

Charmme Kaur.

●● SEVERAL SSURGICALsupplies retailers andwholesalers said thatmany manufacturersare choosing to sell themasks on their own, athigh prices.

Health minister Etala Rajender addresses a press conference on Coronavirus at the DMHO office in Kotion Monday. — P. SURENDRA


Intermediate studentsshould be in the exam hallat 8.45 pm, 15 minutes aheadof the commencement ofthe exams on March 4.Students will not be allowedeven a minute later than 9am, the Board ofIntermediate Education(BIE) said.

Students were asked towork out on the travel timeto the centres and startearly from home. The Boardhas created an app to helpthe students locate theexam centre. The app can bedownloaded from theGoogle Play Store.

Talks were held with the

Telangana State RoadTransport Corporation toprovide additional shuttleservices in the city and

rural areas during the timeof examinations.

Candidates will not beallowed to carry mobiles,

printed or written material,pagers, calculators or anyelectronic gadget into theexamination hall. Officialson duty will also not beallowed to carry mobilephones into the hall. If stu-dents are made to sit on thefloor in the examinationhall, the officer concernedwould be suspended, a BIEofficial said.

Police and revenue offi-cials were requested toclose photocopy centresnear the exam centresbetween 9 am to 12 noon.

Students can downloadthe hall tickets from thewebsite tsbie.cgg.gov.inwithout having the necessi-ty of securing the princi-pal’s signature.

9.5 lakh students set to take Inter exams from tomorrow Inter Board creates app to help students locate exam centre; Candidates won’t be allowed to carry cellphonesSTAY | COOL

Telangana Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy (right)at a meeting ahead of the Intermediate examinations, atNampally on Monday. — S. SURENDER REDDY

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THE RESULTS ARE ERROR-FREEDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The Intermediate Board hasretained only the Centre forGood Governance (CGG) forthe evaluation of the resultsthis year, following theerrors of last year when afirm called Globarena Techwas initially given the job.

This year, two technolo-gies are being used to crossverify the results to makesure that they are error free,the BIE officials said at ameet conducted by the edu-cation minister, Sabitha

Indra Reddy. Till last year,only the intelligent charac-ter recognition (ICR) sys-tem was in use.

This year, the officials willalso use optical mark recog-nition (OMR) readers. CGGofficials said they wereusing these technologiessimultaneously so that theresults can be cross-checked. In case of any mis-match, the results would beprocessed again. Last year,some students were markedabsent and fail (AF) andabsent and pass (AP) whichcreated confusion.


The Board of IntermediateEducation (BIE) haslaunched a helpline num-ber on Monday which willbe handled by six experi-enced psychologists to actas counsellors.

Students feeling stressedor scared to face the examscan talk to the counsellorson the phone number7337225803. Earlier, the BIEappointed counsellors inabout 2,500 colleges where

the student strength ismore than 100. The boardhas also appointed studentcounsellors after trainingthem to talk to their peers.Teachers have also beentrained to counsel students.The BIE wants to prevent arepeat of last year when 21students committed sui-cides after the results werereleased.

Students can lodge com-plaints on the websitebi-grs.telangana.gov.in. A con-trol room has been createdat the BIE head office.

STUDENTS CAN SEEK COUNSELLORSADVICE AT HELPLINE NUMBER

HOW TOPREVENT ● Cover your nosewhen you sneezeand use a tissuepaper when youcough and it mustimmediately bethrown into dustbins.● If you havepersistent cough andcold, self-isolate as itwill help.● Do not go out anddo not stress yourbody.● lf there is fever,consult a doctorimmediately.● If you have come intouch with anyonewho has come fromCovid-19-affectedcountries,immediately informthe governmenthealth authoritiesand get yourselfassessed.● Self-isolation of 14days isrecommended forthose who havecome in touch withthose coming fromCovid-19-affectedcountries.● Clean and disinfectthe surface of table,chair, glass andother objects in thehouse with cleaningor disinfection spray.● Do not indulge inmass gatherings andbe careful inmarkets, bus,railway and metrostations.

WE appeal topeople with

any feveraccompanied bycold or cough toimmediately getthemselveschecked by adoctor.

ETALA RAJENDER,Health Minister


Part of the TelanganaState Government’sefforts to contain anypossible spread ofCOVID19 disease, causedby the novelCoronavirus, of which acase was detected in thecity on Monday, contin-ue to depend on the hopethat the rising tempera-tures will help in stop-ping the disease in itstracks.

Repeating his asser-tion from the past thatthe increasing tempera-tures on account of sum-mer would halt thespread of Coronavirusin Telangana, stateHealth Minister EtalaRajender told a pressconference on Mondaythat the rising tempera-tures and the low humid-ity in the state will helpcontain the spread of the deadly virus.

RISE IN MERCURYCAN PREVENTVIRUS SPREAD


Municipal administra-tion and urban develop-ment minister K.T. RamaRao made a surpriseinspection of the ongoingworks at the DurgamCheruvu cable-stayedbridge.

While carrying out theinspection, the ministerinstructed officials andcontract agencies toensure that there arepedestrian ways andlighting systems toensure complete safetyfor users of the bridge. Heenquired about the vari-ous stages of the ongoingworks.

L&T engineersinformed Rama Rao thatthe cable-stayed bridge isin the final phase of com-pletion.

The minister empha-sised that officials mustcomplete construction ofthe bridge on time, if nec-essary by increasingmanpower and deployingadditional equipment.

Mr Rama Rao alsowalked along the JubileeHills road number 45 to

Inorbit mall as part of hissurprise visit.

He inspected construc-tion works on the flyovercoming up on road num-ber 45 and instructed that

it be completed on timefor convenience ofpeople.

The minister toldTRANSCO officials thatthey expedite shifting of

power lines, so that workspending on the flyovercould be completed.

The officials assured theminister that the powerlines will be shifted with-

in two weeks. The minister said com-

pletion of all these workswill help ease traffic con-gestion in the IT corridor.


IN BRIEFAYUB KHAN ISIN-CHARGE VC

OF MANUUDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

Academic and mathematicsprofessor Ayub Khan has beenappointed as in-charge vicechancellor of Maulana AzadNational Urdu University(MANUU) as per the directionsby the Ministry of HumanResource Development(MHRD). He has been appoint-ed as officiating vice chancel-lor under the Statute 2 (7) ofManuu Act, 1996. Prof. Khanwas appointed as pro vicechancellor of Manuu onMarch 27, 2019. Earlier, he wasserving as mathematics pro-fessor at Jamia Millia Islamia,New Delhi. He was associatedalso with Delhi University.

HC flags civic officials’power to raze buildings‘Draconian’ provision being vested with authoritiesVUJJINI VAMSHIDHARA II DDCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The Telangana High Co-urt observed that theamended Telangana Mun-icipalities Act, 2019, whichallows demolition of ille-gal constructions withoutgiving notice to the own-ers, was a “draconianpower” vested with muni-cipal authorities.

A division bench com-prising Chief JusticeRaghavendra Singh Chau-han and Justice A. Abhi-shek Reddy was hearing apublic interest litigation(PIL) filed by advocateMohan Chandra Parth-asarathy which chal-lenged Section 178 (2) ofthe Telangana Municip-alities Act, 2019.

The petitioner submittedthat the principles of nat-ural justice should be fol-lowed, and apprehendedthat the law may be mis-used.

Reminding the govern-

ment of the Constitut-ional necessity that a per-son must be heard beforetaking any action againsthim or her, the bench saidthat the powers granted inthe law fell foul of therights guaranteed to a citi-zen under theConstitution i.e., the prin-ciples of natural justice.”

Chief Justice Chauhansaid, “Even a hardcoredacoit cannot be hangedwithout a trial... Where isthe fairness? The aspect ofprinciples of natural jus-tice have been totally oust-ed by the Telangana stategovernment.”

Putting up firm stand,

Advocate-General B.S.Prasad reminded thecourt of its rebuke theother day, when it camedown heavily on GHMCofficials and other munici-pal authorities for notdealing firmly with thoseresorting to illegal con-structions.

The Advocate-Generalsaid, “When the State hascome up with a strong law,with an intent to keep theviolators of law at bay,now the court is askingthe State to follow princi-ples of natural justice.”He also submitted that theBombay Municipal Act had similar provi-sions.

Reacting immediately,the Chief Justice said,“We are aware of the factthat there are a lot of ille-gal constructions. At thesame time, we are alsoequally aware of the arbi-trary powers vested withthe municipal authorities.Therefore, the questionwould be, do we place cer-

tain limitations on theexercise of powers.”

He said that the amend-ed law spoke about settingup the Municipal BuildingTribunal to deal withissues of deviations fromthe rules and violations.

The High Court had beentold several times that thetribunal would be consti-tuted soon but it had notbeen done so far, the ChiefJustice said.

The High Court alsopointed out that the statewas making constitution-al and statutory bodiesunfunctional by notappointing the posts.

The Advocate-Generalinformed the bench thatthe rules have not yet beenframed about the proce-dure to be followed up toact on deviations andassured the court that hewill advice the state gov-ernment to frame rulesadhering to the observa-tions of the court.

The hearing wasadjourned to March 11.

Municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao meets officials during his surprise visit to check the progressof the Durgam Cheruvu cable-stayed bridge work on Monday.

KTR inspects cable bridge works

DECCANCHRONICLE

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

We have itfor you

● ● THE PPETITIONER sub-mitted that the principlesof natural justice shouldbe followed, and appre-hended that the law maybe misused.

● ● HE SSAID a person mustbe heard before takingany action

HC DISPOSES PILAGAINST SBI’SNPR NOTICE

Plagiarists troubleUrdu AcademyATHER MMOIN || DDCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

A syndicate of plagiaristsis skimming off lakhs ofrupees every year fromthe Urdu Academy’s sch-eme of financial aid forpublishing Urdu books.

Every year the UrduAcademy provides finan-cial aid for publishingbooks in the Urdu lan-guage. Under the partialmonitory aid scheme, theAcademy provides agrant of `15,000 for booksof 96-176 pages and`18,000 for books of morethan 177 pages.

The Academy has allo-cated `25 lakh for thisscheme. The purpose ofthe scheme is to encour-age writers and authorsof Urdu who are finan-cially unable to publishtheir work. The Academyreleases the aid in twoinstalments, on submis-sion of the draft of theselected book and on sub-mission of the printedbook. An ExpertCommittee selects thebooks deserving of finan-cial aid.

It provides financial aidnot only to authors, but

also for compiling andediting the literary worksof others.

There are complaintsthat people are copyingthe contents of rare andold books, compiling it inbook format and submit-ting the script claiming itis their own work.

Some of them have sub-mitted the same draft forconsecutive years bychanging the title page.

These content thievesdo not hesitate to submitthe contents of PhD andMPhil theses by scholarsin universities on suchfamous writers as MirzaGhalib, MunshiPremchand and SadatHassan Manto, which areavailable on the internet.

In the past, some haveeven compiled the arti-cles of various writersthat were published innewspapers.

Social activist AhmedArshad Hussain says thatthe basic difficulty is thatno tool has been devel-oped so far to check pla-giarism in Urdu.

He suggested strength-ening the terms and con-ditions of the grants tocheck such practices.

DC CORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The Telangana HighCourt on Monday dis-posed the Public InterestLitigation (PIL), whichchallenged issuance of apublic notice by StateBank of India (SBI) to itscustomers asking themto produce the letterissued by National Pop-ulation Register (NPR)as part of KYC docu-ments

The division bench,headed by Chief JusticeRaghavendra Singh Cha-uhan, was dealing withthe PIL filed by MrKhaja Aijazuddin, advo-cate from the city. Itsought directions fromthe High Court to setaside that conditionasked by the bank.

When the Court cameto know that the SBInotice did not mandatesubmission of NPR doc-ument and denotes thatany one of the stipulateddocuments be submit-ted, the Chief Justicetold the petitioner toignore it and therewould be no loss ifignored.

POWER | SHUTDOWNVasanthipuri Sub-Station

10 am to 11.30 amIndiranagar, Lalapet Kaman,Ganesh Temple, Isuka Bavi.

Gymkhana Sub-Station11 am to 11.30 am

Balamrai, Balamrai Kaman,Viman Nagar, Paigah Colony,Margadarshi Colony, Shoppe-rs Lane, Happy Enclave, P&TColony.

IT PLATFORM TOMONITOR SCHEMES

IN REAL-TIMEDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The National Institute of Ru-ral Development and Pancha-yat Raj (NIRDPR) in Hydera-bad announced that it hasdeveloped an IT platform forreal-time monitoring of nati-onwide programmes related tothe Deen Dayal UpadhyayGrameen Kaushalya Yojana(DDU-GKY). Named the Kau-shal Bharat, it is an enterpriseresource planning (ERP) plat-form.

The platform will be used tocapture data on projects underthe DDU-GKY and collate it.The ministry of rural develop-ment will reportedly conductinspections at its training cen-tres using Kaushal Bharatfrom April.

NIRDPR director-generalsaid the platform would alsohave a mobile application forinspection of training centresand placement verification.States also don’t have to payanything to use this platform.

●● THE PPLATFORM will beused to capture data onprojects under the DDU-GKY and collate it.


IN BRIEF

SHE ‘TEAM RUN’AT CHARMINAR

ON MARCH 6DC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

In view of the InternationalWomen’s Day, the HyderabadShe Team is organising thefifth edition of the She TeamRun at Charminar on March 6.

In a curtain-raiser event heldat Hyderabad police headquar-ters here, Hyderabad policecommissioner Anjani Kumarsaid that the She Team is com-mitted to ensuring the safetyof women in the city and aspart of the awareness cam-paign, a run at Charminar isbeing organised on March 6,which is the fifth edition of theShe Team Run, which will beheld in view of theInternational Women's Day onMarch 8.

The run named as ‘Run forWomen Safety’ will start at 6am. The run will be of 2 kmand 5 km. The students areinvited for the run.

Later, the Commissionerlaunched the T-Shirts andMedals and the poster for therun.

Man held for tryingto loot city ATM

Hyderabad: A 30-year-oldman, who had broken an

ATM at Dundigal, was caughtred-handed by police duringthe earlier hours of Monday.

According to police, assis-tant sub-inspector K. Y.

Venugopal and home guardBrahmam were on patrolling

duty at Suraram when theynoticed a man entering the

Axis Bank ATM at around3.20 am on Monday. Theygot suspicious when even

after 15 minutes he did notcome out of the ATM. Thetwo policemen then wentcloser to the ATM only to

find the money-dispensingmachine broken. Seeing thepolicemen, the man tried to

run away. But the police duochased and caught him. Theaccused has been identifiedas M. Ramesh, 30, a resident

of Dundigal area. The 30-year-old man had managed

to break the ATM machinebut could not lay his hands

on the cash. Ramesh hasbeen arrested and produced before a

court.


Fourteen children who wereforced to work as labourers atbangle-making units in thecity were rescued and twoBihar natives who traffickedin children were apprehendedby the Hyderabad Task Forcepolice on Monday.

The Task Force sleuths andthe Chatrinaka police raidedtwo bangle making units locat-ed at Patel Nagar andRaghavendra Colony onMonday.

They found 14 children fromBihar, all aged below 14, work-ing at the units under haz-ardous conditions.

Task Force AdditionalDeputy Commissioner ofPolice G. Chakravarthy saidthe bangle units are owned byTarun Chowdary, 30, ofGhatkatari village in Biharand Suntush Mangi, 27, ofHorma village in Bihar.

Mangi and Chowdary migrat-ed to the city a few years agoand have been running thisbusiness.

About two months ago, theywent to their native place andconvinced parents of poorchildren to let them take thechildren to work in Hyderabadfor `5,000 per month.

The children were sent to ahome while the accused per-sons have been arrested, saidthe Additional DeputyCommissioner of Police.

Bahrain man held for rapeIllegally confined 25-yr-old victim, raping her multiple times: PoliceDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

A 60-year-old Bahrainnational was arrested onMonday for raping a 25-year-old woman from thecity and also brandingher with cigarettes whenshe tried to resist. Thepolice also arrested asalesman who shelteredthe Bahraini, while a cou-ple who are charged withtrafficking in women arestill at large.

According to the police,on October 21, EbrahimShukralla MohamedBairam, 60, a retirednurse from Bahrain cameto the city and checked-inat a hotel in Nampally.Ebrahim contacted Saber,a resident of NabeelColony to arrange awoman for marriage.

About a week ago, hemoved to Barkas and tookshelter in the house ofSalam Bin SayedBafanna, who works as a

salesman. Saber and hiswife Sameena, who wereacquainted with the fami-ly of the 25-year-old vic-tim and her elder sisterNafisa (name changed),contacted them andasked them to visit hishouse, as he had a clientwho wanted to buy theirhouse.

The police said that onFebruary 25, Nafisa andher sister went to Saber'shouse where he intro-duced them to Ebrahim,

who put forth a proposalto marry one of the sib-lings, but they rejectedhis proposal. The sameday, Saber’s wifeSameena called Nafisa’syounger sister and askedher to visit. She then tookher to Ebrahim.

When her sister had notreturned even late atnight, a worried Nafisacontacted Saber, but hedenied knowing thewhereabouts of the vic-tim.

“On Sunday, Nafisaheard that her sister wasillegally confined in ahouse in Barkas. Whenshe went there, Ebrahimwas present. Learningthat her sister was ille-gally confined byEbrahim, who had rapedher multiple times, andalso branded her on thefoot with a cigarettewhen she resisted him,Nafisa lodged a com-plaint on Sunday night,”the police said.

Family says it never thoughttechie had financial issuesClose ones felt he would never take the extreme stepDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

On Monday morning,when K. Satish visitedthe house of his sisterKotra Swati and brother-in-law Pradeep, heexpected to talk to herfor some time. However,they did not open thedoor when he knocked.

He waited for sometime and tried again.There was no response.He tried for two hoursand finally called thepolice. They broke openthe door, only to see allthe four family membersdead.

On hearing the news,the families of Pradeepand Swati went intoshock and said theycould not believe theyfaced any problem thatforced them to take theextreme step.

Pradeep’s father K.Yadaiah said he hadnever mentioned anyfamily issues. He saidPradeep had borrowed`45 lakh to invest inbusiness because he wasnot satisfied with work-ing elsewhere and want-ed to start his own unit.

Mr Yadaiah saidPradeep owned hishouse. He had convertedhis personal loan to ahome loan and borrowed`22 lakh which he hadinvested as a safetymeasure.

“If he had said any-thing about his strug-gles about financial mat-ters, the family woulddefinitely have helpedhim. We never thoughtof this,” the familymember added.

Pradeep’s neighbourRamesh said, “His fami-ly was well off andwould have helped him.We never saw the spous-es fighting, in fact theyare a most adorable cou-ple.” Every day the chil-dren used to play out-side. We last saw themon Saturday afternoon, he said.

The family in happier times. — DC

From page 1

Mr Pradeep’s body wasfound on a mat on theground, in front of hismother’s framed photo-graph. The bodies ofSwati and Jaya Krishnawere found lying on thebed, while baby KalyanKrishna’ body was onthe ground on anothermat. The bodies weresent to the OsmaniaGeneral Hospital mortu-ary for autopsy.

The police said thatPradeep was strugglingwith debt and goingthrough financial crisis.He said in the note thathe had made somewrong choices inattempting to cleardebts accrued when con-structing a house and in

starting his company.Police said that as per

Pradeep’s note he didnot want his childrenand wife to become aburden on his father,who lives in Nalgonda.So, he took the extremestep of poisoning thetrio before taking hisown life.

Police teams recoveredragi porridge and potatocurry, which they sus-pect were laced withpesticides.

Early investigationsrevealed that neigh-bours had seen the fami-ly alive on Saturdayafternoon, after KalyanKrishna returned fromschool. He was still inhis school uniform anda target board was onthe bed, indicating that

the children had beenplaying.

“A friend of Pradeep’shad called him at noon,but the latter’s voiceseemed tense. But he didnot reveal anything tohis friend,” said V.Ashok Reddy, inspector,LB Nagar police.

He said that Swathiand two children werekilled on Saturday after-noon on, while Pradeepkilled himself later thesame day. The bodieswere in a decomposedcondition and the doctoropined that the Pradeepkilled himself hoursafter his family.

Pradeep has beencharged with the mur-der of his family, and acase of suspicious deathhas been registered.

Decomposed bodiesfound at residence


A man committed suicideby jumping off a flyover atLB Nagar Ring Road inHyderabad at midnight onSunday, March 1.

The deceased has beenidentified as NarenderGoud from Ranga Reddydistrict, who worked as acar driver in Hyderabad.

He was taken to OrangeHospital and his familyinformed. The incident took

place at 02. 30amAccording to his father

Polagoni Malliagh, his sonhad taken the extreme stepafter being frustrated byfamily problems and finan-cial hardship.

According to InspectorAshok Reddy, Narender wasmarried to Parvathamma,and they had a four-year-oldchild. They migrated toHyderabad to earn a betterliving and lived at Sagarcomplex, BN Reddy Nagar,LB Nagar.

On Sunday, NarenderGoud drive to the flyover

bridge on his Splendor bike(No. AP11/5283), parked,and jumped from the bridgeonto Nagole Road. Therewas a suicide note in hisshirt pocket which said thathe has no patience to dealwith the financial issuesand he was totally vexedwith his life.

Narender was declareddead at 5 am and the bodyshifted to Osmania Hospitalfor autopsy. A case has beenregistered by the police.

Man jumps from flyover, diesDeceased from Ranga Reddy, worked as driverFINANCIAL | STRESS


Upset over failing inthree subjects in theIntermediate examina-tions, a 19-year-old boycommitted suicide byhanging at his house inSaidabad on Sundaynight. He had applied forthe exams beginning onMarch 4 and was prepar-ing of them, his parentssaid.

According to Saidabadpolice, the victim, T.Bharath, was a residentof Poosala Basthi. Hewas studyingIntermediate at SriChaitanya College in DDColony of Amberpet.During the board exami-nations in 2019, Bharathcould not clear three sub-jects.

For over a week, hisbehaviour has been dif-ferent at home, as he

looked depressed and didnot talk much with hisfamily members and wasnot moving freely withthem, said the police.

On Sunday night, hisparents, went out of thehouse for a walk afterhaving dinner. Sometimelater, Kavitha returnedhome and found her sonhanging from the railingof the metal steps in thehouse, said a police officer.

Teen ends life afterfailing in examinations

NRI CELL OFPOLICE SEIZESSIX PASSPORTS DC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

The NRI Cell that dealswith cases of dowryharassment and domes-tic violence by NRI hus-bands, has ensured theseizure of passports ofsix persons and hadnon-bailable warrantsissued against 32.

So far, 574 cases wereregistered against NRIhusbands including 73at the Women SafetyWing that functionsunder the NRI Cell. Theother 417 cases wereregistered in the 17women police stationsacross the state.

The women police sta-tion at HyderabadCentral Crime Stationhas received 137 cases,the highest in the state,followed bySaroornagar police sta-tion in Rachakondawith 78 cases, and theNRI Cell with 73 cases.

South Zone Women PSreceived 65 complaints,Begumpet 34,Gachibowli eight, twowomen police stationsat Warangal 42,Karimnagar women PS21, Adilabad Women PS11, Khammam andNalgonda PS seveneach.

DC CCORRESPONDENT,WARANGAL, MARCH 2

A photojournalist, B.Sunil Reddy, was hackedto death by unidentifiedpersons in Mulugu dis-trict on Monday night.

Sunil had accompaniedDevender, who had lentmoney to the owner of abakery. They both met thepolice regarding the issuein the evening and latermet the bakery owner tonegotiate the repayment.It was said the accusedtook Sunil into theirhouse and later killedhim.

PHOTOJOURNALISTHACKED TO DEATHIN MULUGU DIST.

DC CCORRESPONDENTKARIMNAGAR, MARCH 2

Twenty-two days after 19-year-old college studentMuttu Radhika was foundkilled in her own home inKarimnagar, the policearrested her father M.Komuraiah for the murder.

Police said Komuraiahtold them that he had spenta huge amount of money totreat Radhika as she wassuffering from polio. A sur-gery was also performedlast year. She had recoveredand joined a college.However, she fell ill again.Unable to pay for her treat-ment again, Komuraiah

decided to kill Radhika, thepolice said.

Police commissioner V.B.Kamalasan Reddy said thepolice hunch that Radhikawas murdered by someoneknown to her came truewith Komuraiah’s arrest,Mr Reddy said.

Radhika’s body was foundin her house in Karimnagarwith her throat was slit onFebruary 10. Her parentsinformed their neighbourswho called the police.Komuraiah initially told thepolice that they found thebody when they returnedhome from work andclaimed that she was mur-dered during a robbery.

Father held forkilling daughter

UTHAVANA

Shri GULAB CHANDJIS/o Ami Chandji Deen Dayal

left for his heavenly abode on the29th of Feb. 2020. Uthavana todayat Haryana Bhawan, Paradisebetween 12 noon-1 pm.

Savitri Devi (Wife)Satish Chand (Son)

Anita, Sunita & Sangeeta (Daughters)State Photo Service

Ph: 040-27843831(S/1920/D01949)

● He was taken toOrange Hospital whilehis family wasinformed. The inci-dent took place at 2. 30 am● He took the stepafter being frustratedby family issues andfinancial hardship.

TASK FORCERESCUES CHILD

LABOURERS

Umasankar

POLITICS pg 5DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

IN BRIEFSTUDENTS

TEAR, BURNCAA COPIES


Students of Nizamia TibbiCollege on Monday tore andburnt the copies of CAA dur-ing their ongoing protestagainst the CAA, NPR andNRC. The students have beenprotesting after classes since56 days, demanding the revok-ing of amendments carriedout in the Citizenship Act.Students claimed that theCentre did not carry amend-ments with a good intention.The CAA is just a step towardsa Hindu rashtra, they alleged.

Mr Zubair Alam a Unani stu-dent, said, “we have beenprotesting against this annihi-lating and destroying law.” Heclaimed that due to the NPRand the NRC not only Muslimsbut also the people belongingto Dalit communities, nomadictribes and migrating poorwould affected, as they providecitizenship only to people ofselected communities whoadmit that they were illegallystaying in the country and hadentered from Pakistan,Bangladesh and Afghanistan.“In case are they granted citi-zenship, they will lose thefruits of reservation and otherprivileges and liberties asgranted to Indians,” he said.

PRICES OFELECTRONIC

GIZMOS RISINGFrom Page 1

Kaiser of Roland Electronicsin Koti said, “Final-year stu-dents are generally supposedto begin work months ago. Butmost of them wake up only inlate January or February.They will find that prices ofmany components haveincreased. And the situationwill only get worse in comingdays.”

Multiple engineering stu-dents that Deccan Chroniclespoke to admitted that theywere yet to get started on theirproject work.

Mounika, an electronics andcommunications student froma college located inIbrahimpatnam, said, “mygroup (of three) had decidedthe project topic in Decemberbut we haven’t begun work yet.But a few of my classmatestold me some parts are notavailable in the market.”

Another student, Phanindra,from a college in Kompally,said that his team had boughtsome parts, but at a consider-able premium.

Kaizer explained the supply-side constraint saying that hiscompany works with suppliersin Chinese cities of Shenzhen,Guangzhou and Ningbo. “Theyare trying hard to secure moresupply for us, but the authori-ties there are very strict. Evenwhen they send a consign-ment, it has to be routed fromother Asian countries, whichis causing further delay,” hesaid.

Essential equipment such asRaspberry Pi boards, a creditcard-sized computer used bymany student developers, isseeing a steep price rise.Retailers said that two autho-rised sellers of the boards haveincreased costs by at least 15per cent. These boards areused by students of almost allbranches.

Pawan from MS Componentshad a similar story to narrate.He said he was finding it hardto source supplies. “If weorder for 1,000 pieces of a com-ponent, we are only getting500. We are paying 10 to 15 percent more for them. Hence, weare increasing the retail pricesproportionately,” he said.

However, there are someretailers who find themselvesin a better position.

Aditya Agarwal fromAgarwal Electronics said thathis shop was luckily stockedup in December. “Currently,we are still selling at normalprices. But if the situationdoesn’t improve in two weeks,which seems unlikely, we willface problems,” he said.


The BJP took strongobjection to the word“genocide” used by MIMchief Asaduddin Owaisiin connection with theDelhi riots.

“Owaisi is provokingand misleading inno-cent Muslims to achievehis selfish agenda,”MLC and GreaterHyderabad unit presi-dent N. RamachanderRao said on Monday.

Taking a dig at MrOwaisi, who askedMuslims not to showany papers to whoevervisits their house forcollecting data, he saidthat they wanted toenjoy all benefits byshowing papers forration and getting treat-ment in hospitals.Muslims are being mis-led in order to derivepolitical mileage, healleged.

Criticising Mr Owaisifor his comments on theRAF flag march nearCharminar, the BJPleader said that the exer-cise was only a confi-dence-building measure.

“His comment showsthat he wanted to createdifferences between peo-ple of Charminar andHiTec City as he hadwondered why therewas no flag march atSecunderabad station orHitec City,” he said.

S.N.C.N. AACHARYULU IIDCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

As the date for issuing ofnotification for RajyaSabha elections approa-ches, Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao isbeing pressured by hisparty leaders and closeassociates for a RajyaSabha seat.

The election notifica-tion will be issued onMarch 6, the same daythe Assembly Budget ses-sion will start.

According to TRS cir-cles, Mr Rao is mostunder pressure fromindustrialists close tohim such as Mr Diva-konda Damodar Rao,chairman and managingdirector of NamasteTelangana, the Telugudaily newspaper, and Mr

Jupally Rameswara Rao,founder chairman of MyHome Group ofIndustries.

Elections, if necessary,will be held to two RajyaSabha seats. The TRS isexpected to win both ofthem unopposed, givenits strength in theAssembly.

Sources close to the CMsay he is working outcaste combinations tofinalise the names for thetwo seats. The casteequations being consid-ered by him are: Reddyand Backward Caste(BC); Velama and BC;Reddy and ScheduledCaste (SC) and; Velamaand SC.The TRS has fiveRajya Sabha members —three from the BackwardCaste (Mr BandaPrakash, Mr B. LingaiahYadav and Mr D.

Srinivas), a Velama (MrJ. Santosh Kumar) and aBrahmin (Capt. K.Lakshmikantha Rao).

As there are alreadythree RS members fromthe community, a BC can-didate may not be chosenthis time. Dr K. KesavaRao, TRS Rajya Sabhamember who is going toretire in April 2020, isalso from the BC commu-nity. If the ChiefMinister wants to give aRajya Sabha ticket to theBCs, Dr Kesava Rao willbe re-nominated.

Regarding the Velamacommunity, Mr SantoshKumar is from the com-munity and is a relativeof the CM. Damodar Rao,Rameswara Rao and MsK. Kavitha, the otherprobable, are allVelamas.

From the Reddy com-

munity, former MPPonguleti SrinivasaReddy is the front-run-ner. If his name iscleared whether the CMwill consider another for-ward caste member forthe second seat is a mat-ter of speculation in theTRS.

There is no ScheduledCaste community mem-ber in the Rajya Sabhafrom the TRS, and MrRao may prefer one seatfor the forward caste andone for a member of theSC community. TRS lead-ers say they won’t be sur-prised if one RajyaSabha seat is given to aReddy community mem-ber and the other fromthe Velama group.Representation to the SCcommunity will be givenin the LegislativeCouncil, they said.

KCR works out casteformula for RS seatsCM under pressure to nominate major industrialists

IT WAS NOTGENOCIDE:BJP CITY CHIEF

From Page 1

Mr Revanth Reddy saidthat despite repeatedorders from the HighCourt and the SupremeCourt over the demoli-tion of illegal construc-tions in the areas thatfall under GO MS 111,none of the officials had

dared to touch the man-sion owned by thisyoung TRS leader.

While the Congressleaders were mediaper-sons, police reached thelocation and asked themto leave. They asked thepolice what their objec-tion was when they wereholding a press meet at a

private place.The police replied that

there was a securityproblem given whosemansion it was. the lead-ers asked the police whothey were providingsecurity to. After argu-ments, the police tookaway both leaders andtheir followers.

Police officials turn up to arrest Congress MP A. Revanth Reddy when he wasbriefing the media on an alleged land grab by a prominent political personalityin the state, in Janvada village about 60 km from Hyderabad on Monday.


Ruling party MLA BalkaSuman reprimandedCongress MP A. RevanthReddy for making base-less allegations againsta prominent leader.

Addressing the mediaat Telangana Bhavan onMonday, Mr Suman saidthat in the copy given tothe media by MrRevanth Reddy, it isclearly mentioned thatthe eight acres of land inShankarpalli have noth-ing to do with the farmhouse of the leader.

Mr Suman said thatthe leader had clearlymentioned the landdetails in his electionaffidavits and had said itwas not a secret.

The MLA pointed outthat the land owned bythe leader’s wife and thefarm house were eightkilometres apart. MrRevanth Reddy was try-ing to fool everyone and

trying to divert atten-tion away from the issueof his Gopanpally landscam, he alleged.

Mr Suman demanded

that Mr Reddy shouldexplain to the people hisfraudulent land dealingsbefore making thesefalse statements.

Help out farmers, says CongDC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

All India CongressCommittee secretarySampath Kumar allegedthat farmers in Telanganastate are struggling hard tosell their farm produce asChief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao hascompletely neglected theagriculture sector.

He demanded that thestate government procure

all the red gram producedby the state’s farmers with-out fixing a ceiling priceand provide a minimumsupport price.

Speaking about tomatofarmers, he said, “Tomatofarmers are left in the lurchwith the abrupt fall in theprice. The TRS governmenthas failed to provide seedson a subsidy basis or pur-chase farm produce at aminimum support price.”

The state government has

cancelled the subsidy onagricultural implements,which had been provided byprevious Congress govern-ments, as the ChiefMinister thinks that onlytractors are agriculturalimplements, he added.

Mr Kumar also alleged:“As they will get commis-sions, the TRS governmentis concentrating only on thedistribution of tractors.”

He said that expecting aresponse from Minister K.T.

Rama Rao at least onTwitter, "I raised a fewissues, for which I did notget any reply so far."

Pointing to the recentchicken and egg fair organ-ised by the poultry industryin Hyderabad, Mr Kumarsaid: “KTR responded toMP G. Ranjith Reddy, andminister Etala Rajendar’sappeal to save the poultryindustry, then why is he notresponding on farmersissues?”


TPCC president N.Uttam Kumar Reddy andsenior leader ShabbirAli condemned the pre-ventive arrests ofCongress MP A. Revan-th Reddy and former MPKonda VishweshwarReddy by the Cyberabadpolice on Monday.

The Congress leadersquestioned the police forstopping the MP fromaddressing the media on

an alleged illegal con-struction. If the TRSleaders were committedto public service, theyshould investigate theissue and give a clarifi-cation before the media.

They demanded thatthe government investi-gate the construction ofa farmhouse by a promi-nent leader at Janvada,which is under GO No111, meant to protect theenvirons aroundHimayatsagar andsmansagar.

Uttam criticisesRevanth’s arrest

TRS says no illegalityin leader’s farmhouse

Party flags plight of red gram, tomato growersPRICE| PROBLEMS

Revanth, Konda arrest comesduring a media conference

AP pg 6DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

SHORT TAKESHC QUASHES

QUOTAS IN PRELECTIONS

DC CCORRESPONDENTVIJAYAWADA. MARCH 2

The Andhra Pradesh HighCourt on Monday ruled thatreservations in elections to thePanchayat Raj institutionsshould not exceed 50 per cent.It set aside the Y.S. JaganMohan Reddy government’searlier order fixing reser-vations at 59.85 per cent.

The judgment delivered by adivision bench headed byChief Justice J.K. Maheshwaricleared decks for panchayat rajpolls in the state though it putthe government in a tight spot.

While the state would lose`3,000 cr if elections were notheld before March 31, theentire administration is busywith the house sites pro-gramme for weaker sectionsand public examinations toSSC and intermediate stu-dents. The legislators wouldalso be busy with the Budgetsession scheduled to com-mence later this month.

Sources told The DeccanChronicle that the governmentmight initiate the poll processand approach the Centre witha request to release the 14thFinance Commission funds.The officials were said to havekept ready the reservation for-mula with 50 per cent and con-veyed their readiness to holdelections. “We are actively con-sidering a proposal to holdelections to mandal and zillaparishad immediately andgram panchayats at a laterdate,” sources said adding thata final decision would be takenafter holding discussions inthe cabinet on Wednesday.

Municipal administrationMinister Botsa Satyanarayanatold mediapersons that thegovernment would honour theverdict and take steps to com-plete election process within amonth.

No new welfare plansfor AP in next fiscal

Isro readies launch of hi-tech earth focus satelliteDC CCORRESPONDENTVIJAYAWADA, MARCH 2

The Indian Space ResearchOrganisation (Isro) is gear-ing up to launch theGeosynchronous SatelliteLaunch Vehicle (Gslv-F10)with Geo Imaging Satellite(Gisat-1) from the SecondLaunch Pad of SatishDhawan Space Centre(SDSC) SHAR inSriharikota.

The launch is tentativelyscheduled at 5.43 pm onMarch 5, subject to weather

conditions. Weighing about2,268 kg, Gisat-1 is the firststate-of-the-art agile earthobservation satellite whichwill be placed in a geosyn-chronous transfer orbit bythe Gslv rocket.

Subsequently, the satellitewill reach its final geosta-tionary orbit about 36,000km above the earth usingits on board propulsion system.A four-metre diame-ter Ogive shaped pay-load fairing is being flown for the first time inthis flight, which is the

14th of the Gslv.Operating from geosta-

tionary orbit, Gisat-1 willfacilitate near real timeobservation of the Indiansub-continent, under cloudfree condition, at frequentintervals.

Registrations for witness-ing launch of the miss-ion from Launch ViewGallery in SHAR inSriharikota have com-menced. Further detailscan be accessed from-https://www.shar.gov.in/VSCREGISTRATION/

Govt’s focus will only be on sustaining on-going schemesDC CCORRESPONDENTVIJAYAWADA, MARCH 2

Chief Minister Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy isunlikely to announce anynew welfare initiatives inthe next fiscal even as heis determined to aggres-sively pursue monetisa-tion of government landsfor augmenting AndhraPradesh’s revenues.

The Chief Minister,according to sources, hasbeen convinced by hisfinance managers torestrain from piling addi-tional burden on welfare,whose cost has almosttouched ` 45,000 crore inthe current financialyear. Focus will now beonly on sustaining theon-going schemes.

The finance depart-ment is giving finaltouches to the state’s2020–2021 budget, whichwill be introduced in theassembly in the next fewdays. Sources say theChief Minister has givenhis nod to bring down theoutlay to less than `2lakh crore as against cur-rent year’s outlay of`2.25 lakh crore.

“For decades, succes-sive governments havekept on increasing thebudget fearing criticismfrom Opposition thatspending is being com-promised,” a senior offi-cial pointed out. But theChief Minister has, how-ever, decided to be realis-tic this time. Income andexpenditure trends avail-able so far indicate thatonly about 60–65 per cent

of the estimated revenuewill be realised. This willautomatically have a bea-ring on the 2020–21 budg-et outlay.

The estimated revenuein the first ever budget ofthe Yuvajana SramikaRythu Congress Party(YSRCP) government for2019–2020 was `1.78 lakhcrore. Of this, `85,000crore have been realisedtill end of January due to

cut in devolution offunds and grants fromthe centre, besides a fallin the state’s own rev-enues.

Sources said the gov-ernment is expectingthat financial stress inthe next fiscal will easeout. The present govern-ment has cleared half thearrears of ` 40,000 crorepassed on to it by the pre-vious TD government.

“In addition, we lostabout `15,000 crore due tocertain self- goals, whichwould not be repeatednext year,” a senior offi-cial said, referring todevelopments like non-availability of sand for months together,which badly hit construc-tion activity that resultedin a cascading effect on Andhra Pradesh’seconomy.

DC CCORRESPONDENTVIJAYAWADA, MARCH 2

The state governmentwill aggressively pursuemonetisation of govern-ment lands, both vacantas well as with buildings,which have been identi-fied in all major citiesand towns.

Chief Minister Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy hasheld a detailed discus-sion on putting govern-ment lands to effectiveuse with NationalBuilding ConstructionCompany chairman andmanaging director P.K.Gupta, who called on theCM here on Tuesday.

In the first phase, gov-ernment lands in primeareas of major cities willbe monetised throughNBCC, which will create

and sell commercialspace. If an area hashuge potential, the gov-ernment will relocate itsexisting offices and takeup commercial develop-ment on such areas,sources indicated.

AP had taken up the“Mission Build AndhraPradesh” initiative withNBCC in November lastyear. Following up on theproject, it took up theelaborate exercise ofidentifying vacant gov-ernment lands, smallparcel sites with dilapi-dated government build-ings, and lands with gov-ernment office buildingsin good condition.

“We have identifiedpotential lands. We willhave better clarity oncethe house sites’ pro-gramme of the state gov-

ernment is over, becauseof some of the landsmight be used for thatscheme,” a revenue offi-cial told DeccanChronicle. “We have alsoproposed to take upimmediate constructionon few sites, whosepotential is very high,”he stated.

The state government ishoping to increase itsrevenues by promotingconstruction activity ona large scale. Apart fromthe Mission BuildAndhra Pradesh initia-tive, the housing depart-ment is hoping construc-tion activity will witnessa fillip, thereby increas-ing tax revenues fromlarge-scale constructionof houses on sites allotted to weaker sec-tions.

Jagan to monetise govtlands in prime locations GSLV-F10 launch vehicle is seen moving towards the launch pad from the Vehicle

Assembly Building at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shar, Sriharikota. — DC

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NRIs seek non-availability certificateMunicipal officials say there has been rise in number of people coming to register birthsMADDY DDEEKSHITH || DDCHYDERABAD, MARCH 2

Fearing the NationalRegister of Citizens (NRC)and National PopulationRegister (NPR), people arethronging to the city toregister their births.

The Greater HyderabadMunicipal Corporation ina span of six weeks has issued 120 non-avail-ability certificates, whichis a primary process prior to the registration ofbirth of those born out-side India and childrenborn at home.

Municipal officials saythere has been a hugeincrease in the numberssince two days, and 200says 150 above applica-tions have been issued.

On average 200 non avail-ability certificates areissued annually but in twomonths alone 120 havebeen issued.

According to section 20of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, there is a spec-ial provision for registra-tion of births and deat-hs of citizens who are born or have died out-

side the country. In the case of any child

of Indian parentage bornoutside India, in respect of whom information hasnot been received as pro-vided under theCitizenship Act, 1955 (57 of1955), the parents of thechild when they return toIndia with a view to set-tling down here, may atany time within 60 daysfrom the date of thearrival of the child inIndia, get the birth of thechild registered under pro-visions of this Act.

Similarly, if the child

was born in India and theprovisions of section 13can apply to the birth ofsuch child after the expiryof the period of the afore-said 60 days.

Section 13 says, any birth of which informa-tion is given to the regis-trar after the expiry ofthe period specified, theycould be registered on payment of such late fee.

The municipal corpora-tion would issue the non-availability certificate tothe applicants and theywould be asked to visit the District Collectorate,

where a person of the rankof Revenue DivisionalOfficer (RDO) will conducta survey.

After conducting the sur-vey, if the revenue officialis satisfied, the applicationwill be redirected to thecivic body for the issuanceof a birth certificate forchildren who are born out-side India.

Authorities also claimthat a birth certificate iss-ued by the Indian Emb-assy in any country is val-id across the globe.

Such birth certificateissued by the embassy

should be produced within60 days of the arrival forgetting registration.

Since many people areignorant of this provision,they been thronging thecivic body and paying bro-kers in the GreaterHyderabad MunicipalCorporation (GHMC) andRevenue department.

The middleman collectsa whopping `15,000 foreach birth certificate.Officials stressed that thedue process has to be fol-lowed for children whowere delivered at home inthe city.

IN BRIEF

Selection of Haj assistants

Hyderabad: Telangana StateHaj Committee Chairman

Mohd. Masiullah Khan has in-formed that the interviews of

Khadimul Hujjaj will be heldon March 4 between 10 amand 5 pm at Haj House, Na-

mpally, Hyderabad. In thisprogramme, TSHC chairman,two members of Central Haj

Committee and TSHC execu-tive officer B. Shafiullah willbe present. The draw of lotswill be held on March 5 at 3

pm in the presence of themedia. A total of 207 appli-cations have been received

for Khadimul Hujjaj categoryof which 184 applicants are

eligible for the interview.

● ● ON AAN average, 200non-availability certifi-cates are issued annually,but in the last two monthsalone, about 120 havebeen issued.

● ● THE MMUNICIPAL CCORP-PORATION would issuethe non-availability certificate to the applicants, who wouldthen be asked to visit theDistrict Collectorate,where a RevenueDivisional Officer (RDO)will conduct a survey.

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NATION pg 8DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

SHORT TAKES6 OFFICERS IN

J&K UNDER CBISCANNER

DC CCORRESPONDENTNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

A day after arresting two for-mer district magistrates ofKupwara—Rajiv Ranjan andItrit Hussain Rafiqui—as partof its investigation into twocases related to an alleged gun-licensing racket in Jammu andKashmir, the CBI is contem-plating registering multipleFIRs to probe the racket.

Sources in the agency said,“Role of at least six more pub-lic servants, posted in J&K, isnow under the scanner of theagency. The agency sleuthshave collected fresh evidencesagainst six more public ser-vants and fresh FIRs may beregistered very soon.” The CBIon Sunday arrested RajivRanjan and Itrit HussainRafiqui (both public servants)in connection with the case.

I-T RAIDS ATCHHATTISGARH

CMO OFFICERRABINDRA NNATHCHOUDHURY II DDCBHOPAL, MARCH 2

Income-Tax (I-T) sleuths whohad earlier sealed the house ofSoumya Chourasia, deputysecretary in ChhattisgarhChief Minister’s Office (CMO)when they were unable to findher last week, conducted raidsat her residence in Bhilai,nearly 30 km from Raipur, inChhattisgarh, on Monday aftershe surfaced.

The officer visited her resi-dence along with a team ofelectronic media and tried tocontact the I-T officers tobreak the seals of her house,official sources said onMonday. The sleuths laterentered her house and con-ducted the raid which wasgoing on till latest reportscame in.

In another development,Chhattisgarh Chief MinisterBhupesh Baghel on Mondaywrote to Prime MinisterNarendra Modi taking strongexception to the manner inwhich the tax officers conduct-ed raids at different places inthe state without taking theofficials of the state govern-ment into confidence.

TEEN KIDNAPSNEPHEW TOSKIP EXAM

RABINDRA NNATHCHOUDHURY II DDCBHOPAL, MARCH. 2

A Class XII student in aMadhya Pradesh village hitupon a wild idea, to abduct hisminor nephew, to skip theboard examination that com-menced on Monday.

The 17 year old boy, a resi-dent of Tudila under Jaurapolice station in Morea districtin the Chambal region, kid-napped his three year oldnephew late on Sunday nightand held him in captive in afarm in his locality, police saidon Monday. A letter recoveredfrom the house from where thekid was abducted however ledto the plot unravelling.

“The letter said the accusedshould not be allowed toappear for the board examina-tion. We suspected the hand ofthe student and interrogatedhim. He spilled the beans say-ing that he took the step to skipthe examination”, Morena dis-trict superintendent of policeAsit Yadav said. The victimalong with his family hadcome to the village to attend afunction.

VARSITY SEEKS ‘NO DRUG’ USE

AFFIDAVITDC CCORRESPONDENTTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM,MARCH 2

A circular issued by CalicutUniversity asking students tofile an affidavit stating cate-gorically that they will not usedrugs or consume liquorbefore seeking admission innext academic year, has trig-gered a major controversy.

Not only the students buttheir parents should also sub-mit an affidavit that theirwards will not use drugs andconsume alcohol in campus.The decision to ask for affi-davit was taken as per the rec-ommendation of the meetingof university’s anti drug abusecommittee meeting onFebruary 3.

The affidavit will broadlysay, “I will not involve in activ-ities like consumption ofdrugs or its trade or supply . Incase if I indulge in such activ-ities I will be liable to face act-ion without any prior notice.”

Last minute revision

Students revise their lessons in the last minute outside an examination centre before appearing for the Class XII board examinations inChennai on Monday. — PTI

Same SC bench tohear Art 370 plea

J&K: Omar detaineddue to past conductDC CORRESPONDENTNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

Describing former J&KChief Minister OmarAbdullah as a “very vocalcritic” of the abrogation ofcontentious Article 370 ofthe Constitution, the J&Kadministration on Mondaytold the Supreme Court thathe has been detained con-sidering his “past conductand possibility of such con-duct being repeated onrelease” which may “preju-dice the public order.”

The J&K administrationsaid this to a top courtbench headed by JusticeArun Mishra, which ishearing a plea by SaraAbdullah Pilot challengingthe detention of her brotherand former J&K ChiefMinister under PSA.

Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary,District Magistrate, Srin-agar, had filed the reply onbehalf of J&K administra-tion. Justifying the deten-tion of Omar Abdullah, theJ&K administration hassaid that there was ample“material and grounds”considering his “past con-duct and the possibility ofsuch conduct being repeat-ed on release and there byprejudicing public order inthe UT of J&K.”

The J&K administrationtold the top court that for-mer chief minister has notmade any representationagainst his detention beforethe Advisory Board.

Sara Abdullah had movedthe habeas corpus petitionand has challenged theinvoking of PSA againstOmar.

PARMOD KKUMAR || DDCNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

A five-judge Constitutionbench of the Supreme Courtwill hear a batch of peti-tions challenging the abro-gation of Article 370 of theConstitution and the bifur-cation of Jammu andKashmir into two UnionTerritories even as thecourt declined the plea torefer the matter to a largerseven-judge bench.

A five-judge constitutionbench headed by JusticeN.V. Ramana declined torefer the matter to a larger7-judge bench noting thatthere was no conflict in theposition taken by earliertwo benches of the strengthof five-judges each on theinterpretation of Article 370of the Constitution — nowabrogated.

Veteran journalist PremShankar Jha, NGO People’sUnion of Civil Liberties(PUCL), Jammu andKashmir High Court BarAssociation had urged thecourt that the matter be

referred to 7-judge bench astwo benches, each with astrength of five-judges, tooka divergent view on Article370.

The two cases in whichArticle 370 was touched arePrem Nath Kaul versusJammu and Kashmir in1959 and Sampat Prakashversus Jammu andKashmir in 1970.

While the 1959 case relatedto the J&K Big LandedEstate (Abolition) Act, themain contention on whichthe law was challenged wasthat the Yuvaraj did nothave the Constitutional aut-hority to promulgate thesaid Act.

The 1970 case also knownas Sampat Prakash case wasrooted in preventive deten-tion — the detention of thepetitioner under the J&KPreventive Detention Ac.

Besides Justice Ramana,the bench also comprisingJustice Sanjay Kishan Kaul,Justice R. Subhash Reddy,Justice B.R. Gavai andJustice Surya Kant rejectedthe plea.

HC stays Nirbhaya hangingsSays no convict must meet his creator with grievance ‘against courts’New Delhi, March 2:The hanging of the fourconvicts in the 2012Nirbhaya gang-rape andmurder case scheduledfor Tuesday was deferredfor the third time in sixweeks by a court in yetanother twist in the casemarked by apparentdelaying tactics by thecondemned prisoners.

Postponing the execu-tion till further orders,Additional SessionsJudge Dharmender Ranaon Monday said the hang-ing cannot be carried outpending disposal ofPawan Gupta’s mercyplea before the President,observing any con-demned convict must notmeet his “creator” withgrievance against courtsfor not acting fairly onthe opportunity toexhaust legal remedies.

Earlier, in the day,Pawan(25) moved aclemency plea beforePresident Ram NathKovind, shortly after hiscurative petition was dis-

missed by the SupremeCourt.

The curative plea forcommuting the death sen-tence was heard inchamber by a five-judgebench. It is the last legalremedy available for aconvict to get anyreprieve.

The hanging of the fourmen--Mukesh KumarSingh (32), Vinay KumarSharma (26), AkshayKumar Singh (31) and

Pawan, who are lodged inTihar jail, was fixed forMarch 3 in Tihar jail.

Barring Pawan, theother three had in theprevious weeks movedcurative petitions andmercy pleas which wereall dismissed.

The court in its ordersobserved that the fourconvicts cannot be han-ged since a mercy plea ofone or the other convictwas pending. — PTI

Nirbhaya rape and murder case victim’s mother at thePatiala House Court, in New Delhi on Monday. —PTI

SC rejects organdonation pleaNew Delhi, March 2:The Supreme Court onMonday dismissed thepetition filed by a formerhigh court judge seekinga direction to Tihar jailauthorities here to givean option to four deathrow convicts in theNirbhaya gang rape andmurder case to offer theirbodies for medicalresearch and donate theirorgans.

“By way of PIL youcan’t seek such direction.If they (convicts) want todo it they can expresssuch things by them-selves or through theirfamily members,” said abench comprisingJustices R Banumathiand A S Bopanna.

When the counsel for

petitioner — Justice(Retd) Michael FSaldanna, former judge ofthe Bombay High Court— continued with thesubmission, the benchsaid the petition by a for-mer judge was “miscon-ceived”.

“To execute a person isthe saddest part for thefamily. You (petitioner)want their body to cutinto pieces,” the benchsaid, adding that “havesome human approach.”“Organ donation has tobe voluntary,” it furthersaid.

The petitioner hadasked the apex court toconsider the “desirabilityof making it as a condi-tion precedent in the caseof all executions.” — PTI

CAG report states that 25 INSAS rifles missing

Pinarayi rejects CBI probe

Diggy: BJP bid totopple Nath govtRABINDRA NNATHCHOUDHURY || DDCBHOPAL, MARCH 2

Congress veteranDigvijay Singh onMonday claimed thatthe BJP was plotting totopple Kamal Nath gov-ernment. The formerChief Minister allegedthat the BJP was offer-ing `25 cr to `35 cr eachto Congress MLAs inMadhya Pradesh toswitch sides and pulldown the stateCongress government,which enjoyed wafer-thin majority in thehouse.

“Shivraj SinghChouhan (former chiefminister and BJP nati-onal vice-president)and Narottam Mishra(former minister) arewooing Congress MLAsto split the CLP in MP,”he told reporters.

“Each Congress MLAis being offered `25 crto `35 cr by BJP. But,they (BJP) shouldremember that MP isnot Karnataka andCongress MLAs in MPare not for sale,” hesaid while referring tothe split in CongressLegislature Party(CLP) in Karnatakaleading to fall ofKumaraswamy govern-ment recently.

Chouhan, however,rubbished Singh’sclaim, describing it as‘outrageous.’ “He(Singh) is adept inspreading canards. Heoften gives such outra-geous statements toremain in news. Hemay be making suchbaseless allegations toprove his relevancebefore the ChiefMinister,” Chouhansaid.

GILVESTER AASSARY || DDCTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM,MARCH 2

Kerala Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan onMonday rejected theCongress-led Oppositiondemand for a CBI probeinto rifles and live car-tridges going missingfrom armed police battal-ion. Vijayan said his gov-ernment had taken theissue seriously andordered the probe. Apolice official has beenarrested in connectionwith the allegations anda departmental inquiryhas been ordered against11 police personnel.

While replying to ques-tions by Oppositionmembers during ques-tion hour on the openingday of the 27-day session,the Chief Ministerslammed the UDF forraising “baseless char-ges.” Earlier, the proceed-ings began with theOpposition memberscoming to the Householding banners andplacards to demand aprobe by the centralinvestigating agency intoportions of the CAGreport, which highlight-ed the rifles going miss-ing, being leaked beforebeing tabled in theHouse.

The Chief Ministersaid that the CrimeBranch was conducting acomprehensive inquiryinto the allegations ofthe weapons going miss-ing, and the Oppositionshould wait for the out-come of probe.

Vijayan said of the 660INSAS rifles in posses-sion of armed police bat-talion, 647 were physicalcounted by the crimebranch team under thesupervision of seniorpolice officers recently.During verification, itwas found that 13 rifleswere issued to the armedpolice battalion which isstationed in Manipur for

training. Vijayan accused the

previous UDF govern-ment of trying to “coverup” the complaint ofmissing cartridges whenthe issue first came tolight in 2015. On the alle-gations that some of theportions of CAG reportgetting leaked, the ChiefMinister said the mattershould be examined as itwas not a good practice.

The CAG had disclosedin its report on February12 that 25 INSAS riflesand 12,061 live cartridgeswere missing fromSpecial Armed PoliceBattalion stationed inThiruvananthapuram.

RIFLES | SCAM

Vienna-Delhi AI crew toldto quarantine themselvesNew Delhi, March 2:After the Union HealthMinistry announced onMonday that a Delhi resi-dent has tested positivefor novel coronavirus, theAir India crew who hadflown the Vienna-Delhiflight on February 25 onwhich he was the passen-ger have been asked tostay in isolation at theirhomes for 14 days, offi-cials said.

“The crew members ofFebruary 25 Vienna-Delhiflight will remain in isola-tion for 14 days at theirrespective homes. If, dur-ing this period, they showany symptoms related tonovel coronavirus infec-tion, they have to immedi-ately contact doctors,” theofficials told.

Meanwhile, Maharas-htra health departmenton Monday said of the 137travellers quarantined inthe state for possible coro-

navirus infection, 132have tested negative so far,while more than 64,000passengers have beenscreened at the airporthere for the deadlypathogen.

Acting on the Centre’sguidelines, state officialshave screened 64,098 pas-sengers at the Mumbaiinternational airportsince January 18, daysafter the coronavirus(COVID- 19) outbreak wasreported from the Chinesecity of Wuhan inDecember-end, the healthdepartment said in astatement.

According to the depart-ment, of the 137 peoplequarantined until now,only seven are under

observation at isolationfacilities — four in Pune,two in Mumbai and one atNashik.

Meanwhile, the Aviationregulator DGCA said onMonday that allpassengers coming fromItaly and Iran wouldundergo thermalscreening for novel coron-avirus.

Passengers from 10countries — China, HongKong, Japan, South Korea,Thailand, Singapore, Nep-al, Indonesia, Vietnamand Malaysia — are alre-ady being screened atIndian airports.

The DGCA stated in acircular on Monday, “Inorder to prevent thespread of COVID-19disease in India, it hasbeen decided to expandthe universal screeningof all passengers arrivingin flights from Italy andIran.” — PTI

● ● DGCA SSAYS that allpassengers coming fromItaly, Iran will undergothermal screening

NATION pg 9DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

SHORT TAKESMAMATA: DELHIRIOTS PLANNED

GENOCIDERAJIB CCHOWDHURI II DDCKOLKATA, MARCH 2

Breaking her silence, WestBengal Chief Minister Mam-ata Banerjee on Mondaydescribed the Delhi riots as a“planned state-sponsored gen-ocide” orchestrated in the“Gujarat model.” She slammedthe BJP for not apologising forthe carnage while launchingattack on the saffron partywhich was missing during theriots in the Capital, days of hermeeting with Union homeminister Amit Shah last week.

Launching her party’s newcampaign ‘Banglar GorboMamata’ (Mamata is Bengal’sPride) a day after the ‘Aar NoiAnnay’ campaign of the BJPwas launched, the Trinamulsupremo announced a schemeto provided shelter to thosewho became homeless in theriots. She said, “I think theway people were massacred inDelhi for the last few days is aplanned genocide because itwas state-sponsored. The Delhipolice comes under theCentre.”

She told the Trinamul work-ers, “Besides the CRPF, theCISF was also there. But allremained inactive. Later itwas painted in communalcolours. We condemn it. Whyhasn’t the BJP apologised forthe riots till date? They oftencome here to declare shame-lessly to capture Bengal. TheBJP has been trying to repli-cate the Gujarat model of riotsacross the country includingBengal.”

INDIA SAYS NRCHAS NO EFFECT

ON BANGLASDC CORRESPONDENTNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

Seeking to allay concerns andfears in Bangladesh ahead ofPrime Minister NarendraModi’s visit there on March 17,New Delhi on Monday assuredDhaka that the NationalRegister of Citizens (NRC)process in Assam will have “noimplications for the govern-ment and people ofBangladesh”.

The assurance was furnishedby Indian Foreign SecretaryHarsh Vardhan Shringla whotravelled to Dhaka on Mondayand delivered an address at theBangladesh Institute forInternational Studies (BISS).

The assurance made it clearthat India will not expectBangladesh to take back thosein Assam who are not found tobe Indian citizens after theNRC process in Assam.

However, there was no directreference in the speech of theforeign secretary to the contro-versy over the CitizenshipAmendment Act (CAA) lawpassed last year by India thathas also caused massive con-cern in Bangladesh. The CAAlaw names three countriesincluding Bang-ladesh butIndian diplomats have beenassuring Dhaka in order toprevent any misunderstand-ings between the two countrieswho enjoy the best of ties.

THREE BJP MEN HELD FOR ‘GOLI

MAARO’ SLOGANDC CCORRESPONDENTKOLKATA, MARCH 2

Three BJP workers werearrested by the Kolkata Policelate on Sunday night register-ing an FIR against them forshouting the controversial“goli maaro” slogan atEsplanade en route to the rallyaddressed by Union home min-ister Amit Shah at ShaheedMinar Ground in support ofthe Citizenship AmendmentAct (CAA). Two of them wereremanded in two days in policecustody by a city court later.

The arrests have left the BJPfuming. The three accusedwere Pankaj Prasad, DhrubaBasu and Surendra KumarTewary. A senior police officersaid, “This illegal act of shout-ing the provocative slogan‘Desh ke gaddaron ko, golimaaro saalo ko (shoot the trai-tors)’ is a cognisable offence.”

One Indrajit Kumar Mal, 29,a resident of JawaharlalNehru Road, lodged a com-plaint with the New Marketpolice that covers Esplanade.

The accused trio werebooked under Sections 153A(promoting enmity betweendifferent groups on grounds ofreligion), 505 (statements con-ducing to public mischief),506(ii) (criminal intimidation)and 34 (common intention) ofthe IPC. On Monday when theywere produced at theBankshall court, nearly 30lawyers of the BJP legal cellfought for their bail. The judgesent Pankaj and Surendra tothe police custody till March 4.

Delhi violence rocks ParliamentBJP, Congress MPs push, shove each other in Lok Sabha seeking Amit Shah’s arrestDC CCORRESPONDENTSNEW DELHI, MARCH 3

There was uproar in bothHouses of Parliament onMonday over the Delhiriots, with the Lok Sabhawitnessing unprecedentedscenes when members ofthe treasury and Oppos-ition benches almost cameto blows while the latterwas protesting in the wellof the House.

The go-ahead for theprotests by the Congresswas given by party chiefSonia Gandhi at a meetingin the morning where shesaid that MPs shoulddemand nothing less thanthe resignation of Unionhome minister Amit Shah.

The House wasadjourned till 2 pm overthe death of sitting JD (U)member BaidyanathPrasad Mahto, the MPfrom Valmikinagar inBihar.

When the Lok Sabhareassembled at 2 pm, theOpposition, led by theCongress, began protest-ing and shouting slogansseeking the resignation ofMr Shah. The membersbelonging to the Congress,DMK and Trinamul werecarrying placards saying“Save Democracy”, “Homeminister resign” and “Nomore hate”.

Mrs Sonia Gandhi andformer party presidentRahul Gandhi were pres-ent in the House as weresenior leaders of otherparties like SamajwadiParty’s Mulayam SinghYadav.

The Speaker after dis-missing all the adjourn-ment motions of theOpposition leaders triedrunning the House nor-mally with Finance minis-ter Nirmala Sitharamanintroducing the Direct TaxVivaad Se Vishwas Billand health ministerHarshvardhan introduc-ing the MedicalTermination of Pregnancy(Amendment) Bill andMineral Laws AmendmentBill.

When West ChamparanBJP MP Sanjay Jaiswalwas speaking on thefinance Bill, Congress MPsHibi Eden and GauravGogoi went towards himand tried to block him oncamera with a bannerdemanding the resigna-tion of the home minister.Mr Jaiswal then made acomment on Mrs SoniaGandhi and Mr RahulGandhi and very soon allhell broke lose as the twoMPs moved menacinglytowards him and rulingparty MPs rushed towardsthem to separate them andboth sides almost came toblows.

Following this, thereseemed to be a free for allas MPs from bothOpposition and rulingsides pushed and shovedin the well. The Speakerthem adjourned the Housetill 3 pm.

The drama continuedeven after the House wasadjourned as MPs tradedbarbs and many like BJPMPs Ramesh Bidhuri andAshwini Chaubey andCongress’ Mr Eden andothers continued to argue.

Even as this was goingon, another battlefrontopened with CongressKerala MP Ramya Haridasclaiming that BJP MPJaskaur Meena had “phys-ically assaulted” her dur-ing that time. Ms Haridaslater wrote a complaint tothe Lok Sabha Speaker tothis effect. The BJP MPdenied and has since thenfiled a counter complaint.

Lok Sabha Speaker OmBirla said he was pained tosee the situation in theHouse. “This is the templeof democracy. There are

certain rules and tradi-tion. You should not cometo the Well. As you areresponsible representa-tives of people here, it isyour collective responsi-bility to maintain peaceand tranquility". Afterthis, he adjourned theHouse till Tuesday.

Speaking to reporterslater, Congress leader inthe Lok Sabha AdhirRanjan Chowdhury saidthat the party demandedthat the violence in Delhishould be discussed in theLok Sabha as it was a veryimportant issue and theworld was talking about it.

“The government shouldput forward its views on it.We were trying to makethis request, but the gov-ernment did not allow usto do so and kept makingone excuse after another,"he said. The Rajya Sabhatoo had to be adjourned forthe day after Oppositionparties members rem-ained adamant with theirdemand for Mr Shah’s res-ignation and kept shout-ing slogans against theModi government.

As the Upper Houseassembled in the morning,chairman M. VenkaiahNaidu disallowed the dis-cussion on Delhi riots asdemanded by theOpposition, saying theissue was important butthe priority should be torestore normalcy.

Trinamul Congress leaders protest against Delhi violence at Parliament by blindfolding themselves and keeping afinger on their lips pointing to the government’s attitude towards the riots on Monday. — D. KAMRAJ

OVER 1,300 HELDIN CONNECTIONWITH DELHI RIOTSNew Delhi, March 2:Nearly 1,300 people havebeen arrested or detainedso far in connection withlast week’s communal vio-lence in northeast Delhi.

Authorities maintainedthat the situationremained calm in the areawith no fresh violence forpast five days.

Police has been conduct-ing flag marches and hold-ing meetings with localsin areas which witnesseda deadly communal vio-lence over the ameded cit-izenshiip law last week.

“The Delhi Police hasregistered 369 FIRs andarrested or detained 1,284persons in connectionwith the northeast Delhiviolence,” an official said.

The police, however, didnot reveal any informa-tion about those held,sparking demand by polit-ical parties and activiststhat they make publicdetails of these people asper law.

— PTI

COCA-COLA HEADFLAGS RIOTSIMPACT ON BIZMumbai, March 2: Daysafter communal clashes inNew Delhi, beveragesmajor Coca-Cola Globalchairman James Quinceyon Monday flagged theimpact of the riots onbusinesses, hoping Indiaresolves its issues in a“democratic” manner.

Quincey underlined thatit is India’s democraticcredentials that make hisfirm look at the country asa market with long-termpotential.

The comments came inresponse to a question onthe impact of riots on thebeverages segment. “Ifthere are disruptions inthe functioning of a socie-ty, there will be somedegree of problems for allbusinesses. India is avibrant democracy and itneeds to work out what isgoing on. It is hoped thatthings get worked out inan appropriate democrat-ic manner,” Quincey toldreporters. — PTI

CJI says SC ‘not equipped’to deal with riots or stop it

Riot-tainted Kapilgets 24x7 security

Shops set ablaze inShillong violenceShillong, March 2: A 28-year-old man was stabbedwith a broken glass bottlein the Mawprem areahere, as sporadic inci-dents of violence werereported from acrossMeghalaya in the after-math of clashes betweentribal and non-tribalgroups that has left threepeople dead, police saidon Monday.

Four shops rented tonon-tribal businessmenwere set on fire inPhotkroh town in SouthWest Khasi Hills Districtin the early hours, theysaid. Police said nobody

was injured in the inci-dent. “A 28-year-old manwas stabbed with a bro-ken bottle by an unknownmiscreant on Sundayevening, while he waswalking in the LowerMawprem area. He suf-fered shoulder injuriesand is under treatment atthe Civil Hospital,” assis-tant inspector general ofPolice (AIGP) GabrielIangrai said. There werealso reports of stone pelt-ing on vehicles plyingalong the national high-way near Puriang villagein East Khasi HillsDistrict. — PTI

SHASHI BBHUSHAN || DDCNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

BJP leader Kapil Mishra,accused of instigatingriots in northeast Delhi,has been provided 24x7security.

After assessing threatperception to his life, thesaffron party leader hasbeen provided with “Y”category security — whichentitles him to have sixsecurity personnel round-the-clock to guard him inand outside the city.

It is reliably learnt thatMr Mishra had beenadvised to carry along withhim security personnel forhis personal safety after hewas attacked while protest-ing outside Chief MinisterArvind Kejriwal’s resi-dence way back in 2017,when he himself was anAam Aadmi Party MLA.

“At that time, he had out-rightly refused to acceptthe security cover. But justa few days ago, he himselfmade a request that he beprovided security as hewas fearing threat to hislife,” a senior police officer,requesting anonymity, told

this newspaper. Mishra, who joined BJP

last year, tweeted onSunday (March 1) morningthat he was receiving thr-eats to his life on phone,WhatsApp and email, bothfrom India and abroad. Healso tweeted that he doesnot fear the hate campaignlaunched against him.

He has been providedwith two Personal SecurityOfficers (PSOs), who willremain with him round-the-clock. Besides this,there are four more securi-ty personnel to ensure hissafety. “As per the securityprotocols, one of the PSO’swill be armed with anautomatic rifle, while theothers will be carryingpistols with them,” said asource.

As per the home min-istry’s guidelines, securitycover is divided into fourcategories — Z-plus (high-est level), Z, Y and X.

On February 23, Mishraled a gathering in supportof CAA at Maujpur Chowkin the Jafarabad area, afterwhich violence eruptedbetween pro and anti-citi-zenship law groups.

PARMOD KKUMAR || DDCNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

Chief Justice of IndiaSharad A. Bobde onMonday said that the courtwas not equipped to han-dle the public “pressure”expecting them to step-inand deal with the situationarising from the commu-nal riots in Delhi and pre-vent them from recurring.

Stating that courts candeal with a situation afterit happens, Chief JusticeBobde, heading a benchcomprising Justice B.R.Gavai and Justice SuryaKant said, “Courts comeon to the scene after thething is done and courtshave not been able to pre-vent such thing.”

The oral observations bythe Chief Justice Bobde

came in the course of amentioning by seniorcounsel Colin Gonsalves,appearing for a group ofvictims of the recent riotsin Delhi, seeking anurgent hearing of theirplea.

CJI Bobde said, “We arenot saying people shoulddie. That kind of pressurewe are not equipped to

handle. We cannot stopthings from happening.We cannot give preventivereliefs. We feel a kind ofpressure on us... We canonly deal with the situa-tion after it occurs, thekind of pressure on us, wecan’t handle that... it’s likeCourt is responsible.”

Pointing to the limita-tions of the court, CJI saidthat they were readingmedia reports and areaware of the kind of com-ments being made.

Expressing his “disap-pointment” over Delhi HCadjourning the hearing ona petition relating to Delhiviolence by six weeks,Gonsalves pointed out thatearlier the HC adjourned amatter seeking inquiryinto Jamia violence by sev-eral weeks.

Sikhs draw up ownsecurity strategiesVIKRAM SSHARMA II DDCHYDERABAD MARCH 2

On Sunday night, whenrumours flew thick andfast across northeast Delhiabout fresh trouble,Sardar Khushpal Singh, a27-year-old resident ofHarinagar, suggested tothe Sikh community mem-bers to take cover in near-by gurudwaras for safety.“We will all be together inthe gurudwara which willkeep us safe,” he said evenas the sound of sirensfrom passing police patrolvehicles filled the air.

But the elders in the com-munity — who had seenworse earlier — had aword of caution. Duringthe 1984 riots, taking shel-ter in gurudwaras whathad proved costly for hun-dreds of Sikhs. Back then,they were told by police-men to leave the gurud-waras and return home,“assuring” them all waswell. When they startedleaving the place of wor-ship, they came under bru-tal attack by blood-thirstymobs. To this day, manySikhs allege that policedeliberately asked them toleave the gurudwaras.

As tensions continue tosimmer in parts of north-east Delhi, the Sikh com-munity members neitherdepended on the Delhipolice nor did they leaveanything to chance — justin case they were to comeunder attack from anymob. The community drewup with their own strate-gies and precautionarymeasures to ensure safetyof thousands of peoplewho live in areas close toBhajanpura, the epicentreof last week’s riots whichleft 47 dead and over 300injured. Only, this time,their strategies were

chalked out keeping inmind the 1984 pogrom inwhich 3,000 Sikhs died inDelhi alone.

“Wherever our commu-nity members were livingin societies, we had entryand exit points closed. Thenext challenge was whatwould we do if we cameunder attack by the mobs.Every night, we assembledin our societies with ourkirpans (daggers), sticksand other objects and wereprepared to thwart anyattempt to target us,” MrKhushpal Singh, who runsa manufacturing unit inDelhi, told DeccanChronicle over telephone.Going by the way thingswere spiralling out of con-trol, they feared the com-munity could be targetedto incite passions.

His relative in Hyde-rabad, Sardar RoshanSingh, has been calling upKhushpal’s familyrequesting them to cometo Hyderabad but herefused saying there wasnothing to worry and theywould be safe as they are“fully prepared”.

“When it was suggestedthat all Sikhs can takeshelter in gurudwaras ifthey feel unsafe in theirhouses, the elders recalledthe 1984 riots and said itwould be a grave mistake.The Delhi police cannot betrusted and therefore, weshould stay back in ourhomes, but make arrange-ments for securing theSikhs,” said ManinderpalSingh, who runs an auto-mobile business in Delhi.

3,000 distress callsfollowing rumoursNew Delhi, March 2:Delhi police got over 3,000distress calls on Sundayfrom people panicked overriot-related rumours likeviolence, arson and stonepelting across the nationalcapital, officials said.

Around one-fifth of thesecalls on the emergency 100and 112 numbers camefrom Shaheen Bagh in

South East Delhi and near-by areas in South Delhi,they said on Monday.

Panic gripped residentsacross the capital onSunday evening followingfalse rumours of violencebut the police denied anyincident and appealed forcalm, days after riots innortheast Delhi claimed atleast 47 lives. — PTI

BSF compensation

BSF inspector-general D.K. Upadhyay gives a cheque of`10 Lakh to BSF jawan Mohammad Anees, whose housewas burnt down during clashes in Delhi on Monday.—PTI

MANOJ AANAND || DDCGUWAHATI, MARCH 2

Assam finance ministerHimanta Biswa Sarmahere on Monday ruled outthe possibility of intro-ducing Inner Line Permit(ILP), which is currentlyenforced in several north-eastern states to regulatethe entry of non-nativesand protect the identitiesof indigenous people, inAssam.

Mr Sarma said, “Therewill be no ILP. How canAssam have the ILP sys-tem...it can’t. In fact thereis no proposal to govern-

ment for ILP in Assam.”Pointing out that enforc-

ing ILP in the state willonly bring negative devel-opment Mr Sarma said,“How will work continuein Guwahati? Assam’sunemployment figure willshoot up by three folds ifpeople cannot come to teagardens, Oil India Lim-ited, ONGC...if investorsand traders cannot comehere. Assam is the gate-way to northeast. How canthere be ILP here.”

Mr Sarma further saidthat even the MHA panelon providing constitution-al, legislative and admin-

istrative safeguards toAssamese identity, whichrecently submitted its rec-ommendation to ChiefMinister Sarbananda Son-owal, has not made anystraight reference to ILP.

“In my interaction withsome members of the

panel at a personal level, Iwas told that the commit-tee has made no direct ref-erence to ILP for thestate,” Mr Sarma added.

The system of travelrestrictions, a British law,Bengal Eastern FrontierRegulation (BEFR) of1873, was still prevalent inseveral areas of the statefor 147 years until it waswithdrawn by a Presi-den-tial order in December2019. At present the sys-tem is in force inArunachal Pradesh,Nagaland and Mizoram.Recently the system wasextended to Manipur. The

clarification of the minis-ter came in the wake ofmedia reports indicatingthat a high power commit-tee formed by ministry ofhome affairs to give rec-ommendation on imple-menting the clause 6 ofthe Assam Accord has pro-posed introduction of ILPin Assam also.

However, a member ofthe committee and senioradvocate Nilay Dutta said,“I have noted with con-cern that completely mis-informed and speculativediscussions are going onon the recommendationsof the Committee.”

Inner line permit ruled out in AssamMinister says plan will only lead to more unemploymentNORTHEAST | ENTRY

We are not saying peo-ple should die. We can-

not stop things from hap-pening. We cannot give pre-ventive reliefs... We can onlydeal with the situation after itoccurs, the kind of pressureon us, we can’t handle that...it’s like Court is responsible.

— S.A. BOBDEChief Justice of India

● ● THE CCOMMUNITY nei-ther depended on the Delhipolice nor did they leaveanything to chance - just incase they were to comeunder attack from mobs.

● ● THE CCLARIFICATIONcame in the wake ofreports that a high-powercommittee formed byMHA to give recommen-dation on implementingthe clause 6 of the AssamAccord proposed intro-duction of ILP in Assam

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched the campaign for the2021 elections to the West Bengal Assembly with Union home min-ister Amit Shah on Sunday asserting that his party will come topower with two-thirds majority in the state. Mr Shah’s confidence

must have its base in the slogans raised ahead of the rally he addressed inKolkata where his partymen imported the infamous, criminal war cry ofDelhi: goli maro saalon ko (shoot those traitors). It’s not long ago that thenation witnessed the impact of the incendiary slogan, introduced by theparty’s leader in the national capital, Kapil Mishra, directed against thepeople assembled at Shaheen Bagh on a peaceful protest against theCitizenship (Amendment) Act. Mr Mishra’s voice was not that of a loner:Union minister for state for finance Anurag Thakur and Uttar Pradeshchief minister Yogi Adityanath also made use of the same language withimpunity. And what was the result? More than 40 people have lost theirlives and hundreds injured in the riots that lasted three days. Thousandshave been rendered homeless while institutions including schools willtake time to return to its normal ways of functioning. The government hasnot yet offered a cohesive answer as to why it was not able to anticipate orcontain the violence.

It’s quite depressing that the ruling party at the Centre, which got a deci-sive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections held hardly a year ago, has chosento rely on the slogan that brought the national capital into chaos to anotherstate. It has steadily refused to act against such leaders who went on givingprovocative speeches; it has chosen to repeat the strategy in a crucial bor-der state to romp home at the hustings instead. Prime Minister NarendraModi never misses an opportunity to preach to the nation his pet theme:Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. He insists on taking everyone along. Even MrShah had publicly admitted provocative and divisive slogans may havehurt the party’s chances to win the Delhi election. While the sermons go oneway, the party and its karyakartas have no qualms in taking an extremelydivisive path for a possible go at power in the state which is yet to toe thesaffron line.

West Bengal also reflects what is rotten with the Opposition ranks. Chiefminister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have been in theforefront of the protests against the CAA but she sounded evasive whenasked if the Union home minister ought to resign over the Delhi riotswhich were obviously linked to the protests. That Ms Banerjee does notwant to be seen on the same page as the rest of the Opposition on such acrucial issue offers little solace to the people who want them to mount ajoint movement to force the ruling party to see reason and change course.Between the ruling and Opposition parties, there is little to hope for thenation, if West Bengal is an example.

3 MARCH 2020

Grass is for cows.” Indian batsmen would happily endorse the homi-ly as they have such a phobia towards a tinge of green on a cricketpitch. The Kiwis may be flightless birds but they tend to take off in

their home atmosphere. And they repaid in kind Indian cricket’s propen-sity to squeeze out home advantage in Test cricket by preparing thosenasty “Bunsen Burners” of pitches that let the ball spin like a dervishfrom day one. True to form, Indian batsmen were at sea in seaming con-ditions that call for grit more than bravado and intelligent application ofstrokes more than blind belief in talent.

No wonder then that Team India, still the top-ranked Test side and run-away leader in the world Test championship, were made to bite the duston the green pitches of New Zealand. Their collective batting performancewas so far below par that they were shot out for under 200 in three inningsand the only time they passed 200, they were competitive to the extent ofgrabbing a slender first innings lead. That is when the Kiwi quicks hitback with intense spells that exposed an ancient Indian weakness againstfast bowling. As batsmen oscillated between periods of stubborn defenceand flashes of wild strokes, the fast bowlers hastened their doom.

Captain Virat Kohli seemed chastened enough after the series defeat toaccept they had been outplayed. After the first Test, he had been boorishin assailing the media in his belief that poor performance in one Test wasjust an aberration. His own poor form that saw him average under 10 runsan innings did not help the cause. Even less so his tendency to believe thathe was never LBW and so wasted reviews. India is still a favourite to fig-ure in the Test championship final in the 2021 summer at Lord’s. The onlyprayer would be that the pitch should not be too green and the ball shouldnot swing and seam too much.

Grass undoes Indian batsmen

BJP now brings hate& division to Bengal

c m y k c m y k

In his seminal work, The End ofIndia, which was published ayear before his death,Khushwant Singh recalled the

carnage of Partition with thesewords: “I thought the nation wascoming to an end.” Decades later,Khushwant was forced to watch thesame kind of carnage unfold, bydesign, in Narendra Modi’s Gujaratduring the 2002 pogrom againstMuslims. Like a latter-day Cassandra,he warned that “with a triumphantModi as their mentor, they will repeatthe Gujarat experiment all over India,unless we stop them.” And as withCassandra, no one listened, and so,years later, we see the Gujarat modelrepeated in Delhi itself.

And why not, given that it has andalways does work so very well?Take the demolition of the BabriMasjid and the ensuing riots,which catapulted the BJP into thelimelight and, perhaps more impor-tantly, forced the political “main-stream” to fight on the BJP’s ideo-logical turf … a battle they couldnever hope to win. And then come

the Gujarat riots, which cementedModi as a warrior for Hindusupremacy, a mythical king rebornwho would avenge centuries ofhumiliation and save the Hindusfrom extermination in their ownland. To an outside observer, thatbelief seems ludicrous. How can theoverwhelming majority, one thatcontrols all levers of state power, bethreatened by a largely powerlessand under-represented minority?

But it is this snake oil, poisonousto the very touch, that sells andsells well. The credit goes to theRSS, which has worked diligentlyand with great patience, sowingthe seeds of a toxic Hindutva thathas now grown into a festering for-est, its roots choking all other lifeand its canopies blotting out thesun itself. It is under this shadethat a slow-motion genocide flow-ers. Hate, fear and murder are goodfor the vote bank, it seems.

And, as in Gujarat, it is aided andabetted by the very police force thatshould be preventing it. In countlessvideos we see the police escorting

mobs of Hindutva extremists whoproudly boast of the police’s sup-port. In another we see uniformedpolice officers smashing CCTV cam-eras to allow the mobs full rein with-out fear of identification.

In another video we see severalyoung men, all Muslim, badly beat-en and bloody, lying on the groundas triumphant policemen standover them forcing them to sing theIndian national anthem. “Do youstill want azadi?” asks one of thepolicemen as he strikes his victim.“No,” the helpless man replies. Theother, a man called Faizan, whowas too badly injured to respond tohis torturer’s jibes, later died in alocal hospital. Speaking to NDTV,his mother said, “He and the otherswere beaten up badly. He was beat-en with iron rods. His legs werebroken. His entire body had turnedblack because of the beatings.”

The judiciary, what we wouldassume to be the last line of defencehere, is busy either ignoring orindemnifying Modi’s actions andthose who defy that trend are pun-

ished. Take Justice S. Muralidhar,who heard petitions on the Delhi vio-lence and slammed the Delhi police.He was transferred on the same daythat a bench headed by himexpressed “anguish” over the Delhipolice not registering FIRs againstincendiary hate speeches by threeBJP leaders. This then, is what com-plete state capture looks like whenthe state is fascist to its core.

But how is all this possible in anage where the media is watchingand camera phones areomnipresent? Well, first one makesthe media itself an ally, and themajority of India’s electronicmedia are now staffed by the harle-quins of hate, the jesters of geno-cide who have ranted, raved andlied their way into creating thegrounds for the pogrom we saw inDelhi, and which we will seerepeated, however sporadically,across India. Forget Amit Shah andKapil Mishra, it is on TahirHussain that the media focus on,because how dare anyone resist amob out to lynch them and theirs?

On social media, which too is dom-inated by Sanghi supporters, victimsare blamed, genocide is cheered andfake news proliferates making itseem as if those being slaughteredare responsible for their fate. Muchof this propaganda is then picked upand amplified by the mainstreammedia in an effort that would makeRadio Rwanda proud.

Here then is the Gujarat modelfor the modern era, and it is repli-cated time and again simplybecause … it works. Many Muslimfamilies, their homes and liveli-hoods burned to ashes, are leavingthe neighbourhoods in which theyhave lived for decades. The mes-sage has been received and it isthat we can do whatever we want,whenever we want, even with theworld watching. And for everyheart-warming story of coexis-tence, there are dozens more ofhate and carnage. “The avalanchehas started, and it is too late nowfor the pebbles to vote.”

By arrangement with Dawn

Murder, he wrote

Viewing the Afghanprism with new eyes

Shortly after theFebruary 29 US-Taliban agree-ment wassigned in Doha

(Qatar), aimed at ending18 years of Americanoccupation and return-ing peace to Afghanistanafter 40 years of fightingthat had commencedwith troops of the for-mer Soviet Union enter-ing the country inDecember 1979,President DonaldTrump made an extraor-dinary observation inWashington.

The US leader said, “Ifbad things happen, wewill return toAfghanistan.” This can-not be viewed with anyseriousness, and theTaliban know it. In thepast eight years,America has made nosecret of its keenness toexit the Afghan quag-mire and last week’sagreement has comeafter more than a year ofgruelling negotiationwith the Taliban, facili-tated by Pakistan. It wasalso President Trump’smanifesto to endAmerica’s foreign wars,and Afghanistan hasbeen the longest run-ning of them all — a mil-itary stalemate that hascost $2 trillion and thou-sands of lives on allsides.

Not to put too fine apoint on it, imperiumhas been forced toretreat. The Talibanhave messaged theirboys: “American empirehas been defeated”. Thisis an important reasonwhy India must plan toplay its second inningsin Afghanistan with acu-men, this time not aidedby the weather.

Favourable conditionshad prevailed in India’sfirst outing on accountof the US presence.Increasingly, in the pasttwo decades, India —unlike other indepen-dent-minded key neigh-bours of Afghanistanlike Russia, Iran andChina, or cynically

behaved Pakistan — hassailed closer and closerto the American wind.

This has not goneunnoticed in Kabul, andhas chagrined many,including some of NewDelhi’s best friends asthe Taliban spread theirinfluence through bat-tlefield successes. Thedistinctly beneficialeffects of the protracted(but progressively stale)US presence slowlybegan to be discreditedand discounted at thestreet level. The politi-cians could hardlyremain unaffected.

India’s strong connectwith the broad contoursof US policy inAfghanistan — althoughtactically, when needed,India did back Russian,Iranian and sometimeseven Chinese positions— can disadvantageNew Delhi once Americais seen to be less of a fac-tor after the February 29agreement. Neverthe-less, and this may seemparadoxical, there couldstill exist leeway forIndia’s close ties withthe US to be leveragedwith the various Afghanparties, including theTaliban, provided USeconomic aid and politi-cal support does notcease or drasticallydiminish after the UStroops’ eventual with-drawal.

A further proviso isthat the Taliban them-selves change and showan inclination to acceptthe vastly changed land-scape of their country,where a veritable trans-formation has occurredin the socio-politicalsphere (thanks toAmerica’s presence)since the militants wereousted from power in2001, although monu-mental challengesremain.

The Taliban’s accep-tance of India may great-ly depend on this hap-pening. It cannot beoverlooked that India isstill valued by commonAfghans for its extensive

developmental work inall provinces ofAfghanistan and for itsdemocracy (no otherneighbour ofAfghanistan is a democ-racy), although ques-tions have lately beenraised about some ofNew Delhi’s recentdomestic policy actionsand orientation.

While in the past twodecades this country hasdeveloped an enviableequation with all sec-tions of society and poli-tics in Afghanistan, withthe Taliban it has noequity. It can developsome if the Taliban arepersuaded that Indiastands with the Afghanpeople through thickand thin and India willstand by a genuinelysovereign Afghanistan.This of course cannotmaterialise if theTaliban do not modifytheir understanding ofPakistan, whose princi-pal aim is to plot India’souster from Kabul.

For the most part, theTaliban has been viewedin India as a dangerousterrorist group which isin cahoots withPakistan. In policy cir-cles, however, some con-cern has been expressedthat this is too formulaica stance. After all, in itsdomestic sphere, Indiahas considerable exper-tise in negotiating withnearly every ideologicalvariety of rebel. This les-son could have been putto use in dealing withAfghanistan’s insur-gents too, but the oppor-tunity was not explored.It may now be time to doso with energy andimagination if Indiadoes not wish to finditself stranded in Kabulafter the diminution ofUS power.

Under the US-Talibanaccord, some 5,000Taliban prisoners are tobe released by theAmericans shortly, and

an intra-Afghan dia-logue is to commence inNorway. The Talibanmay be expected to havethe upper hand in thesetalks with the otherpolitical groups (includ-ing the government inKabul, whose represen-tatives may only beentertained in their per-sonal capacity and notas official representa-tives).

It is entirely conceiv-able that several of thegroups that haveenjoyed power inAfghanistan in recentyears, and have opposedthe Taliban, may seek todo separate deals withthe them, knowing thegroup’s military capabil-ities, in order to remainin the game as an inter-im government — a dis-tinct probability — issought to be formed inKabul, wholly delegit-imising the recent con-troversial electionwhich revalidatedPresident Ashraf Ghani.

For the Americans,this will be par for thecourse, although theyhad supported the elec-tion. Their only concernis that anti-US interna-tional jihadist outfitsshould not again be per-mitted to gain a footholdin Afghanistan by theTaliban. This seems,really speaking, more aface-saving device topress for in negotiationsrather than a demand insubstance since suchoutfits have practicallyceased to exist.

With all concerned(including Russia,China and Iran) viewingthe Afghan prism withnew eyes and welcomingrecent events as apossible harbinger ofpeace, India can also berealistic. Since 2001, ithas, on a point ofprinciple, backed thegovernment of the dayin Kabul, eschewingvalue judgments. Evenwith the Talibanemerging as leadplayers, this pointremains effective sincethe Taliban, in achanged Afghanistan,may be expected to shedsome of their rigidities.Continued US aid toAfghanistan and Indiakeeping firm with itsdevelopmental agendaeven under the Talibancan help moderate theformer insurgents.

With all concerned(including Russia,China and Iran)viewing the Afghanprism with neweyes and welcoming recentevents as a possibleharbinger of peace,India can also be realistic

Subhani

ZarrarKhuhro

EDIT pg 10DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

Anand K. Sahay

Far & Near

DECCAN CHRONICLE

ADITYA SINHA T. VENKATESWARLUEditor Printer & Publisher

DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at:

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LETTERSRELIGION FOCUSViolence driven by reli-gious intolerance and big-otry has divided communi-ties causing unrest. It hurtsour reputation globally,damaging our secular val-ues and weakens our unity— something that hasbeen our biggest strength.Debating over religiousdominance, nationalityand other unnecessaryissues will not only be use-less and immoral but willalso distract us fromfocusing on economicdevelopment and othernational issues that weneed to deal with.

Rudra KrishnaHyderabad

TRUMP’S AGENDAThe US signing an agreement withthe Taliban to pull out US armedforces from Afghanistan will be abig blunder. It will indirectlyencourage Taliban groups to riseand spread terrorism inAfghanistan and Kashmir. Howcould the US sign an agreementwith a terrorist group? It looks likeHowdy Modi and Namaste Trumpevents were only to catch theIndian vote bank in the US forDonald Trump.

T. Kailash DityaHyderabad

CRICKET SHAMEOne month ago, Team India was ontop of the world with a 5-0 T20cricket series win against NewZealand in New Zealand. Then thedownfall started with ODIs andcontinued in the Test series. InODIs the bowlers let the team downand in Tests the batsmen. Also,poor shot selection by batsmen costthe team dearly. Congrats to theKiwis for bouncing back after theloss in the T20 series.

S. Nageswara RaoHyderabad

Nationalisation nopanacea: PM

NEW DELHI, March 2.Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

today reaffirmed theGovernment’s determination toachieve socialism throughdemocracy and economicgrowth with social justice.

In anhour-longreply tothe five-day debate

in the Rajya Sabha on thePresident’s address toParliament, Mrs. Gandhideclared that her Governmentwould follow the directions ofthe people” who have begun toact.” She categorically deniedthe charged that she toppled theGovernment in Uttar Pradesh.

50 YEARS AGO IN

TECHNOMICS pg 11DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

IN BRIEF

Samsung startsbuilding R&D centre

Hanoi, March 2: SamsungElectronics has started build-

ing a $220 million researchand development centre inVietnam, the South Koreantech giant's local unit said

on Monday. Construction ofthe centre in Hanoi will be

completed by the end of2022, Samsung Vietnam said

in a statement, adding thatthe centre will employ

between 2,200 and 3,000people. Samsung is the

largest single foreigninvestor in Vietnam, with

investments totalling $17 bil-lion, it said. The centre is the

largest of its kind inSoutheast Asia and willenhance the company's

research capability in suchareas as artificial intelli-

gence, internet of things, bigdata and 5G, it said. The

Vietnamese government ear-lier on Monday announced

the commencement of build-ing of the R&D centre.

— Reuters

Washington D.C, March 2:Amazon.com said late on

Sunday that two employeesin Milan, Italy, have contract-

ed Covid-19 and are underquarantine. “We're support-ing the affected employeeswho were in Milan and are

now in quarantine,” companyspokesman Dan Perlet said.The world's biggest online

retailer said it was unawareof any U.S. employees who

had contracted the virus. OnFriday, Amazon told employ-

ees to stop non-essentialtravel, within the United

States and beyond. The com-pany also confirmed on

Sunday it is moving somerecruiting interviews to

video rather than in person.The United States on

Saturday hiked its traveladvisory and urged U.S. citi-

zens not to travel to theVeneto and Lombardy

regions of Italy. — Reuters

Helsinki, March 2:Nokia Chief ExecutiveRajeev Suri will step downin September and bereplaced by PekkaLundmark, who used towork for the Finnish com-pany and is the currentCEO of energy groupFortum, Nokia said onMonday.

Suri has been in the rolefor six years and was pre-viously head of NokiaSiemens Networks.

The Finnish companyhas been struggling toregain investors' confi-dence after issuing a sur-prise profit warning inOctober that slashed off athird of its value and forc-ing the company to admitsome delays in its 5Gdevelopment.

Nokia faces intense com-petition from Sweden'sEricsson and China'sHuawei in the race todeliver 5G telecoms net-works to operators aroundthe world.

Lundmark, head ofFortum since 2015, heldmultiple executive posi-tions at Nokia between1990 and 2000, includingvice president of strategyand business developmentat Nokia Networks.

Lundmark led Fortum toembark on a bold attemptto gain control of itsGerman rival Uniper,resulting in a powerdealock between the com-panies that has yet to beresolved.

Before his time atFortum, Lundmark ledFinnish cranemakerKonecranes for 10 yearsuntil 2015.

"He has a record of lead-

ership and shareholdervalue creation at largebusiness-to-business com-panies; deep experience intelecommunications net-works, industrial digitiza-tion, and key marketssuch as the United Statesand China; NokiaChairman Risto Siilasmaasaid in a statement.

The chairman also cited

his focus "on strategicclarity, operational excel-lence and strong financialperformance."

Nokia's October surpriseprofit warning forced it tohalt dividend payouts.

"We view the change ofCEO positively due to thefact that in its current sit-uation Nokia needs agreater redirection which

embarks from changingthe management," saidanalyst Mikael Rautanenof Inderes.

"At the same time, thenews strengthens our ear-lier assessment that thecompany has more thanjust temporary problems,"he added.

Nokia shares were liftedlast week after Bloomberg

News reported that theFinnish telecom networkequipment maker wasconsidering asset salesand mergers.

However, a source closeto the company toldReuters there was no truthto the report. The Finland-based mobile handsetmaker declined to com-ment. — Reuters

2 in Amazon downwith Covid-19

New Delhi, March2: The cen-tral government on Mondaypermitted airlines operatingin India to provide in-flight

Wi-Fi services to passengers,according to an official noti-

fication. “The Pilot-in-Command may permit theaccess of Internet services

by passengers on board anaircraft in flight, through Wi-

Fi on board, when laptop,smartphone, tablet, smart-

watch, e-reader or a point ofsale device is used in flight

mode or airplane mode,” thenotification stated. While

taking the delivery of its firstBoeing 787-9 aircraft at

Everett on last Friday,Vistara CEO Leslie Thng had

told reporters that it wouldbe the first plane in India to

provide in-flight Wi-Fi services.

— PTI

Soon, free WiFi inflights in India

FB REMOVESNETANYAHUPOLL VIDEO

Jerusalem, March 2:Facebook has removed a

video by Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu for

claiming that he was veryclose to victory, in violationof election laws that forbid

the publication of data,according to a media reporton Monday. Israelis voted on

Monday in parliamentaryelections. Netanyahu

claimed on Sunday that hisruling Likud party's internal

polling showed he was astone's throw away from a

Knesset majority that wouldallow the formation of a

right-wing government. "Ourdata from three hours ago

shows we are at 59.7 seats,"he told supporters, referringto his bloc of right-wing and

religious parties. We arevery close to victory, the

prime minister claimed.Discussing polling data is

forbidden as per Israeli elec-tion laws during the seventy

hours preceding polls.Facebook said that they hadreceived a complaint askingthat they remove campaign

material that violated thelocal law, and therefore

removed it, Ha'aretz Onlinereported. — PTI

Lundmark new Nokia CEOSuri, who headed the group for 6 yrs to step down in September 2020

DAWN OF A NEW ERA AT NOKIA

Washington, March 2:Artificial intelligence (AI)may help improve the effi-ciency and precision insleep medicine, resultingin more patient-centredcare and better outcomes,according to researchers.

The data collected dur-ing polysomnography —the most comprehensivetype of sleep study — iswell-positioned forenhanced analysisthrough AI and machine-assisted learning, accord-ing to a statement fromthe American Academy ofSleep Medicine.

“When we typicallythink of AI in sleep medi-cine, the obvious use caseis for the scoring of sleepand associated events,”said lead author and com-mittee Chair CathyGoldstein.

“This would streamlinethe processes of sleep lab-oratories and free up sleeptechnologist time fordirect patient care,” saidGoldstein, an associateprofessor at theUniversity of Michigan inthe US.

Because of the vastamounts of data collectedby sleep centres, AI andmachine learning couldadvance sleep care, result-ing in more accurate diag-noses, according to thestatement published in theJournal of Clinical SleepMedicine.

AI could also boost pre-diction of disease andtreatment prognosis, char-acterisation of diseasesubtypes, precision insleep scoring, and optimi-sation and personalisationof sleep treatments, the

statement said.Goldstein noted that AI

could be used to automatesleep scoring while identi-fying additional insightsfrom sleep data.

“AI could allow us toderive more meaningfulinformation from sleepstudies, given that ourcurrent summary metrics,for example, the apnea-hypopnea index, are notpredictive of the healthand quality of life out-comes that are importantto patients,” she said.

“AI might help us under-stand mechanisms under-lying obstructive sleepapnea, so we can select theright treatment for theright patient at the righttime, as opposed to one-size-fits-all or trial anderror approaches,” G-old-stein said.

The researchers notedthat important considera-tions for the integration ofAI into the sleep medicinepractice include trans-parency and disclosure,testing on novel data, andlaboratory integration.

The statement recom-mends that manufactur-ers disclose the intendedpopulation and goal ofany programme used inthe evaluation ofpatients.

They should also testprogrammes intended forclinical use on independ-ent data, and aid sleepcentres in evaluation ofAI-based software per-formance, theresearchers said.“They hold great prom-ise for medicine in gener-al,”she explained.

— PTI

Researchers claim AI, ML could advance sleep care

AI may help treat sleep disordersFUTURE | READY

AT&T launchesonline TV servicesNew York, March 2:American multinationalconglomerate AT&T islaunching a new internet-delivered TV serviceMonday as it struggleswith a shrinking DirecTVsatellite business.

The new service, AT&TTV, will have most of thesame channels offered onDirecTV, but it will comeover the internet ratherthan a satellite dish.AT&T has been testingthe service in 13 marketsand is now making itavailable to anyone.

AT&T will send sub-scribers an Androidstreaming-TV box to usethe service. The freedevice will also comewith Netflix and otherstreaming apps, the wayComcast's X1 cable boxdoes.

The company is tryingto adapt to the shift tostreaming video, as sub-scribers to traditionalcable and satellite TVservices fall.

In May, it's launchingHBO Max, a-monthstreaming service thatwill marry HBO showswith original programsand TV shows and moviesfrom WarnerMedia.

AT&T also has an onlinepackage that started as acheaper service withfewer channels than a tra-ditional bundle, but it isshedding customers afterprice increases.

AT&T is now trying todownplay that service infavor of the new AT&TTV.

Customers don't need tobe AT&T internet or wire-less customers to sign up,although there are dis-

counted packages avail-able. And the company ispromoting the service bysaying it won't countagainst AT&T data caps.

— AP

AMAZON SET TOFIGHT $277MEUROPEANUNION ORDERBrussels, March 2:Amazon will onThursday seek to over-turn an EU order torepay about 250 millioneuros in back taxes toLuxembourg at Europe'ssecond-highest court.

The EuropeanCommission said in its2017 ruling that the taxdeal, which covered theperiod from May 2006 toJune 2014, meant almostthree-quarters ofAmazon's business wentuntaxed.

The EU competitionwatchdog said theGrand Duchy allowedthe U.S. online retailer toshift a significant por-tion of its profits from asubsidiary to a holdingcompany without pay-ing tax, giving the com-pany an unfair advan-tage.

At issue was the royal-ty paid by the subsidiaryAmazon EU on certainintellectual propertyrights to AmazonEurope HoldingTechnologies, a compa-ny which the EuropeanUnion said had noemployees, no officesand no business activi-ties.

Amazon said in its fil-ing to the General Courtthat the EU had notproven its case, which itclaims is riddled withlegal and factual errors.The hearing inLuxembourg, of case T-318/18, will run toFriday. The companysaid the EU ruling alsobreached principles oflegal certainty, becauseit relied on a flawed ref-erence framework.

It accused EUenforcers of discrimina-tion by using 2017 OECDguidelines for a tax dealagreed withLuxembourg in 2003. Inaddition, Amazon saidthe EU has no case as the10-year limitation periodhas expired.

Apple, Fiat ChryslerAutomobiles , Starbucksand scores of othermultinationals have alsobeen caught in the EUcrackdown in recentyears over their taxdeals with countries inthe bloc. — Reuters

WHAT IS VIDEOSTREAMINGSERVICE?

A video streamingservice is an ondemand online enter-tainment source for TVshows, movies andother streamingmedia.

These services pro-vide an alternative tocable and satellite TV.Use of streaming serv-ices often requiresfees, either per view orsubscription. Theavailability, contentand price of servicesmay vary from oneregion to another.

Some services fea-ture wide hardwaresupport for numerousdevices such as smartTVs, streaming mediareceivers, computers,tablets and smart-phones.

Pekka Lundmark is currently Presidentand CEO of Fortum, a leading energy com-pany based in Finland.

As per media reports, he consistentlydelivered robust total shareholder returnsand positioned Fortum to be a strong play-er in the transforming global energy sector.

Previously, Lundmark served asPresident and CEO of Konecranes, a globalmaterial-handling technology firm.

Interestingly, from 1990-2000, he heldmultiple executive positions at Nokia,including Vice President of Strategy andBusiness Development.

2014: Nokia appoints Rajeev Suri, the CEO of itsmobile networks division, as the group’s new chiefexecutive following the completion of the Microsoftdeal.

2015: Nokia sells its mapping and location serv-ice HERE to a consortium of German automakers.

2016: Nokia agrees to buy Franco-American rivalAlcatel-Lucent - a deal intended to help it competewith Sweden’s Ericsson (ERICb.ST) and China’sHuawei [HWT.UL] in the networks market.

2017: Nokia launches the world’s fastest net-work chips, breaking into the Juniper (JNPR.N) andCisco (CSCO.O) dominated core router market andgiving a boost to its network business.

Washington, March 2:The 'Monday effect' — thatletdown of returning towork after a weekend —along with other factorsmay lead to longer timesbetween ordering andshipping, and more errorsin order fulfilment,according to a study.

Researchers, includingthose from LehighUniversity in the UnitedStates, found that processinterruptions that occurwhen operations are shutdown over the weekend,along with human factorslike the “Monday blues”,hurt supply chain per-formance on Mondays.

The study, published inthe journal InformationSystems Research, is thefirst to look at the impactof the “Monday Effect” onsupply chains, thesequence of processesthat move a product orservice from creation tocustomer.

The researchers used adataset of more than800,000 transactionrecords gathered during a12-month period from theUS General ServicesAdministration to look atvariations in operationsperformance by days ofthe week.

They also analysedorder and fulfilment datafrom one of the largestsupermarket chains inChina.

The team, includingresearchers from theUniversity of Marylandand University ofCalifornia, San Diego in

the US, found the"Monday Effect" wasprevalent and significant.

For example, timebetween receipt of a pur-chase order and shippingis 9.68 per cent longer onMondays than other week-days, on average, saidOliver Yao, a professor atLehigh University.

Mondays, it turns out,are subject to bothprocess- and human-related impacts, said

Yao.The researchers noted

that weekends create bot-tlenecks at distributioncentres that are tackled onMondays as orders areprocessed, picked, stagedand shipped to customers.

Humans completing pro-cessing activities areimpacted by adjusting toreturning to work, moreprone to errors and lessefficient, they said.

Most supply chain man-agers are unaware of thisimpact, but they can takesteps to counteract the"Monday Effect", Yao said.

The most effective wayto reduce the Monday per-formance gap, theresearchers explained, isintegrating technologysolutions, such as auto-mated order processingsystems.

Yao found using elec-tronic markets canimprove Monday perform-ance by as much as 90 percent.

For example, technologyreduces the Monday per-formance gap by 94 percent in order-to-shippingtime, 71 per cent in com-plete orders fulfilled, and80 per cent in the portionof shipments that haveincorrect numbers ofproducts, he said.

— PTI

MONDAYMORNINGBLUES

Researchers, includ-ing those from LehighUniversity in the UnitedStates, found “Mondayblues” hurts supplychain performance onMondays.

The study, publishedin the journalInformation SystemsResearch, is the first tolook at the impact ofthe “Monday Effect”

The researchersused a dataset of morethan 800,000 transac-tion records gatheredduring a 12-monthperiod from the USGeneral ServicesAdministration to lookat variations in opera-tions performance bydays of the week.

Stories on Facebook,Facebook-ownedInstagram and WhatsApplast for 24 hours at a time.

According to Pete Davis,senior director for productmanagement at LinkedIn,stories offer a lightweight,fun way to share anupdate without it havingto be perfect or attached to your profileforever.

Stories were first introduced by Snapchat in2013 and became an instant success. So muchso that Facebook was interested to Snapchat.

Professional net-working site

LinkedIn is testingthe "stories"fea-

ture.

While Snapchat,Facebook,

Instagram andWhatsApp (where

it is called 'sta-tus') already

have the storyfeature.

The latest innovation is being seenas an attempt by LinkedIn to reachout to a younger audience, whichuses the feature on other apps.

Instagram was the first social media app totake a cue from Snapchat and introduce the

stories feature in August 2016. It later alsointroduced the live video feature too.

LINKEDIN GOING SNAPCHATTY

The sequencing of the Storiesformat

is great forsharing keymomentsfrom workevents, thefull-screennarrativestyle makesit easy toshare tipsand tricksthat help uswork smarter, and the way Storiesopens up new messaging threadsmakes it easier for someone to say,“and by the way… I noticed you knowLinda, could you introduce me?

PETE DAVIS, LinkedIn official

Stories clicked instantlywith Instagram, with the idealeading to its direct competi-tor Snapchat losing out onseveral users in next 2 years.

In early 2017, Facebook aswell as another app owned byit, WhatsApp, launched thefeature. WhatsApp decided toname it ‘status’.

Nevertheless, Facebook andits other apps were initiallypanned for copying a success-ful feature from a direct rival.

‘Monday effect’ may beimpacting your deliveries

WORLD pg 12DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

IN BRIEF

Nigeria ‘bandit’attack kills 50

Kano (Nigeria): At least 50people were killed in attacks

by armed ‘bandits’ on vil-lages in Nigeria’s northern

Kaduna state on Sunday,local officials said. “So far

50 bodies have been recov-ered but the figure is not

conclusive and is very likelyto rise as rescue efforts are

still under way,” Zayyad Ibra-him, a lawmaker in the Nige-rian parliament, said on Mo-

nday. Local counsellor Dayy-abu Kerawa said the attackswere in retaliation for villag-ers allegedly assisting localmilitary operations against

the so-called bandits.

Laden doctor onhunger strike

Islamabad: The Pakistanidoctor who helped the CIA

track and kill Osama binLaden has launched a hungerstrike from his prison cell, his

lawyer and family said onMonday. Shakeel Afridi has

been languishing behind barsfor years since his fake vacci-nation programme helped US

agents track and kill the AlQaeda leader in 2011. “It is to

protest the injustices andinhumane attitudes being

committed against him andhis family,” his brother Jamil

Afridi said. His attorneyQamar Nadeem also con-firmed the hunger strike.

Afridi was jailed for 33 yearsin May 2012 after he was

convicted of having ties tomilitants, a charge he has

always denied. His sentencewas later reduced by

10 years. Some US lawmakershave branded the case

as revenge for his help in the search for the Al

Qaeda chief.

7 Rohingyas shotdead in B’deshCox’s Bazar: Bangladeshi

elite police on Monday shotdead seven suspected Rohi-

ngya gangsters involved indrug and people smuggling,

a spokesman for the forcesaid. Tensions are rising in

south-east Bangladesh twoand a half years after hun-

dreds of thousands of Rohin-gya refugees fled a military

offensive in Myanmar. Thelatest gunfight came after a

recent spike in human smug-gling as gangs lure refugees

onto rickety fishing boats foroften dangerous sea jour-

neys to Malaysia. The RapidAction Battalion (RAB) said

it was involved in a three-hour shootout with members

of a bandit group led bynotorious Rohingya gang

leader known as Zokir. “Sofar we have recovered sevenbodies with bullet wounds,”

RAB spokesman AbdullahSheikh Sadi said. He addedthat it was unclear if Zokir

was among the dead.

N. KOREA FIRES 2PROJECTILESINTO THE SEA

Seoul, March 2: North Koreafired what appeared to be twoshort-range ballistic missileson Monday, the South’s mili-tary said, weeks afterPyongyang threatened todemonstrate a “new strategicweapon” and its deadline forWashington to offer sanctionsrelief expired.

The launch was the nuclear-armed North’s first for morethan three months and came asnuclear negotiations with theUnited States remain at astandstill. The two deviceswere fired eastwards over thesea from the Wonsan area onthe east coast and flew 240 kilo-metres (150 miles) at a maxi-mum altitude of 35 kilometres,the South’s Joint Chiefs ofStaff said.

They were “believed to beshort-range ballistic missiles,”a JCS official said. SouthKorea’s security ministersexpressed “strong concern”that the North was “carryingout actions giving rise to mili-tary tensions,” the presidentialBlue House said.

Japan’s defence ministry saidthere was no indication of any-thing coming down in itswaters or exclusive economiczone, but added: “Recentrepeated launches of ballisticand other missiles by NorthKorea are a serious issue.”

The launch came as Pyongy-ang battles to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak and days after theone-year anniversary of thecollapsed Hanoi summit betw-een leader Kim Jong Un andUS President Donald Trump.Negotiations have since beendeadlocked over sanctions reli-ef and what the North wouldbe willing to give up in return,despite a high-profile June me-eting in the Demilitarized Zonethat divides the peninsula.

End to truce: Taliban to target Afghan forces

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg participates in the Edmund Pettus Bridge crossing reenactment marking the 55th anniversary ofSelmas Bloody Sunday in Alabama. He announced his campaign’s end in a speech at the Century Center in Indiana. — AFP

Buttigieg exits Prez campaign

Israelis vote in third general polls

PAK TO REQUESTUK FOR SHARIF’SDEPORTATION

MANILA MALL SECURITY GUARDSURRENDERS, FREES HOSTAGESManila, March 2: Asacked security guardwho shot one person andtook about 30 othershostage at a Manila shop-ping mall on Monday sur-rendered to authorities,ending a day-long stand-off that terrified shop-pers and drew a massivepolice response.

The guard walked out ofthe V-Mall, where he wasallowed to speak briefly tothe press before heavilyarmed officers tackledand arrested him.

He complained about be-

ing mistreated by his em-ployers. Hostages were al-so led out of the building,but police did not say wh-ether any of them had be-en hurt nor the exact nu-mber caught up in theviolence.

The drama started whenthe suspect shot a securi-ty guard, who was rushedto hospital in stable cond-ition, said Francis Zamo-ra, mayor of the San JuanCity. Zamora told repor-ters the hostage-takerwas upset after losing hisjob. — AFP

Lahore, March 2:Pakistan will requestthe British governmentto deport Nawaz Sharif,a senior official saidwhile alleging that the“absconding” formerprime minister wasplaying a “fixed match”regarding his illnesswhile in London.

Casting doubts on theillness of the 70-year-oldthree-time former primeminister, Special Assist-ant to the Prime Minis-ter on Information Fird-ous Ashiq Awan saidSharif has neitherundergone any heartsurgery nor was headmitted to hospital forany emergency duringthe last three months.

Sharif left for Londonin November last yearfor treatment after theLahore High Court allo-wed him to go abroad onmedical grounds for fourweeks. — PTI

Jerusalem, March 2:Israelis started voting onMonday in an unprece-dented third parliamen-tary elections in less thana year to break the dead-lock on government for-mation, with the country’slongest serving PrimeMinister Benjamin Netan-yahu fighting for his polit-ical survival amid indict-ments on graft charges.

Neither Netanyahu, whoheads the right-wingLikud party, nor his mainchallenger, Benny Gantz— leader of the Blue andWhite alliance — wereable to put together major-ity coalitions followingthe last two elections.

The final opinion pollssuggested the latest roundis too close to call. Some10,631 polling stationsopened today morning at 7am Israel time to enableabout 6,45 million eligiblevoters to cast their ballots.There will also be 14 spe-cial polling stations forIsraelis quarantined dueto possible exposure toCovid-19. Exit polls will bereleased immediately

after 10 pm, with finalresults expected onTuesday morning.

Israel’s highly dividedpolity threw two inconclu-sive elections result inApril 9 and September 17polls with nobody manag-ing to muster support of61 Knesset members. Ifthe results of the third ro-und of polls are aligned w-ith current predictions,the stalemate is likely tolinger which complicatesthe pitch for the Israeliprime minister who willgo on trial in just two we-eks after Monday’s vote.

Netanyahu, 70, standstrial over a series of cor-ruption allegations, which

he has denied. He claimedon Sunday that his party’sinternal polling showedthat he was a hair’sbreadth away from aKnesset (Israeli Parlia-ment) majority that wouldallow the formation of aright-wing government,an announcement that ledto charges of breakingelection laws against him.

Attorney Shachar BenMeir filed a petition agai-nst Netanyahu with theCentral Elections Comm-ittee on Sunday accusingthe Netanyahu of brea-king election laws that for-bid the publication of poll-ing data in the three daysbefore an election. — PTI

Migrants rush,army deployedKastanies (Greece),March 2: Thousands ofmigrants were trying tofind a way acrossTurkey’s western borderwith Greece Monday, withonly dozens managing topass through either bor-der fences or fordingrivers, after Turkeyopened its side of thefrontier to migrants andrefugees to leave thecountry for Europe.

Turkey declared its bor-ders open to pressure theEuropean Union intohelping it handle the fall-out from the war in neigh-bouring Syria. Thousa-nds of Turkish troops aresupporting the last rebelforces holed up there inthe northwestern provin-ce of Idlib against theonslaught of Russian-backed Syrian govern-ment forces.

The offensive into thelast Syrian rebel areashas driven almost onemillion civilians to fleetoward the sealed borderwith Turkey, threateningthat country which hostsalready 3.5 million Syrianrefugees with a new anddramatic influx of dis-placed people. Thousandsof migrants have massedat the Turkish-Greek bor-der since the border open-ing, and hundreds morecrossed from the Turkishcoast to nearby Greek isl-ands in dinghies over theweekend.

Greek authorities saidthat in the 24 hours from 6am local time Sunday,they thwarted 9,877 atte-mpts to cross the north-eastern land border,either through the riveror through the borderfence. Authorities arrest-ed 68 people and chargedthem with illegal entry

into the country. TheroseNgonda, a 40-year-old wo-man from Cameroon, ma-de it into Greece by wad-ing across the Evros riverthat runs along the twocountries’ border. Speaki-ng in the morning, her fe-et still wet from the rivercrossing, she said she hadbeen told migrants had 72hours from Friday toleave the country. She goton one of dozens of busesand mini buses that havebeen ferrying people fromIstanbul to the border,among about 2,000 people,including families withyoung children andSyrians. — AP

Gay candidate’s withdrawal to shake up race, boost challenger BidenWashington, March 2:Pete Buttigieg, the openlygay US presidential candi-date, on Sunday ended hiscampaign to be theDemocratic nominee —giving a major boost to fel-low centrist Joe Biden.

The 38-year-old Buttigi-eg’s surprise decision wasset to shake up the racethis week when 14 statesvote on “Super Tuesday.”It is expected to furtherboost the fortunes of Bid-en after the former vice pr-esident scored a resound-ing victory in South Carol-ina’s primary on Saturdayin the contest to see whofaces President DonaldTrump in November.

Biden has emerged asthe chief moderate challe-nger to frontrunner Ber-nie Sanders, the firebrandleftist who has taken therace by storm and is look-ing to score big wins on

Tuesday in states such ascrown jewel California.

Buttigieg, a military vet-eran and former mayor ofSouth Bend, Indiana,

addressed supporters inhis home town. “The truthis that the path has nar-rowed to a close — for ourcandidacy, if not for our

cause,” he said. Buttigiegdid not mention Sandersby name in his speech, buthe has publicly stated hebelieves the 78-year-old

senator’s “inflexible” poli-tical approach would failin a match-up against Trump. “We need a broad-based agenda that cantruly deliver for theAmerican people, not onethat gets lost in ideology,”he said.

Buttigieg however stopp-ed short of endorsing Biden or any other candi-date. He emerged as amajor player by narrowlywinning the Iowa caucus-es, earning widespread attention for his unflus-tered and professionalapproach in an often bitter Democratic nomina-tion battle. But his thirdplace finish in Nevada anda worse showing in SouthCarolina confirmed hehad struggled to build abroad coalition, includingsupport from black voters— a key Democratic demo-graphic. — AFP

Migrants receive food distributed by NGOs near thePazarkule border gate in Edirne, at the Turkish-Greekborder on Monday. — AP

CHILD DIES ASMIGRANT SHIPSINKS IN LESBOSIle De Lesbos (Greece),Mar 2: A young boy diedwhen a makeshift boatpacked with dozens ofmigrants capsized off thecoast of Lesbos, theGreek port police said, asthe number of peopleattempting to cross intoEurope from Turkeysurges.

Two children werefound “unconscious”after the vessel over-turned at around 08:30 amlocal time (0630 GMT) inthe Aegean Sea. One ofthem could not berevived, while the otherwas taken to hospital, aspokeswoman said.

A further “46 people aresafe” following the acci-dent, the official said. Nodetails were given on thenationality or age of thechild. — AFP

Presently, abortion allowed in cases of rape or if mother’s health is at risk

Argentina abortion: Prez proposes legalisationBuenos Aires, March 2:Argentina’s PresidentAlberto Fernández hassaid he will send a bill tolegalise abortion toCongress within the next10 days.

Mr Fernández, who wassworn in as president in December, has previ-ously described abortionas “a matter of publichealth.”

In Argentina, abortion is

allowed only in cases ofrape, or if the mother’shealth is in danger. It islargely prohibited acrossLatin America, except inrestricted cases. If the billis passed, Argentina willbecome the largest coun-try in the region tolegalise abortion.

“Abortion happens, it’s a fact,” the president saidin his first annual addressto Congress. “A state

should protect citizens ingeneral and women in particular. And in the 21st Century, every societyneeds to respect the individual choice of itsmembers to decide freelyabout their bodies,” hesaid.

Mr Fernández also prom-ised to introduce a pro-gramme to improve sexeducation. A previousattempt to change the law

in Argentina, where thepopulation is overwhelm-ingly Roman Catholic,failed.

In 2018, a bill to legaliseabortion within the first 14weeks of pregnancy wasnarrowly approved byCongress, but was laterrejected by the country’sSenate. Unlike last time,however, the country’spresident is behind thebill.

The debate surroundingabortion in Argentina was reignited in Februarylast year, when an 11-year-old rape victim gave birth by C-section. Thegirl, who had been rapedby her grandmother’s 65-year-old partner, hadrequested an abortion butthe procedure was repeat-edly delayed over ques-tions about the identity ofher guardian.

Cuba, Uruguay andGuyana are currently theonly Latin Americancountries to permit abor-tion in the first weeks ofpregnancy.

While some other coun-tries allow abortion in thecase of rape or risk to themother’s life, it is com-pletely banned in ElSalvador, Honduras,Nicaragua and Haiti.

— Agencies

PUBLIC | HEALTH

Nawaz Sharif

SUPER TUESDAY States of Alabama, Arkansas, California,Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts,Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma,Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, andVirginia will all hold their presidential pri-maries on that date.

1,357 of the 3,979 pledged del-egates to be awarded tothe candidates in theDemocratic primarieswill be allotted on SuperTuesday.

1,617 total dele-gates could beawarded tothe candi-dates.

The US territory ofAmerican Samoa willhave its caucus that day;as a territory it will notparticipate in the gener-al election in November.

The DemocratsAbroad primary, forDemocrats living outsideof the United States, willalso begin voting onMarch 3, and concludeon March 10.

The two most populous states in the country, California and Texas,allot 415 and 228 delegates, respectively, on Super Tuesday.

● ● NEITHER NNETANYAHUnor his main challenger,Benny Gantz were able toput together majoritycoalitions following thelast two elections

Kabul, March 2: TheTaliban said on Mondaythey were resuming offen-sive operations against Af-ghan security forces, end-ing the partial truce thatpreceded the signing of adeal between the insur-gents and Washington.

The declaration comesonly a day after PresidentAshraf Ghani said hewould continue the partialtruce at least until talksbetween Afghan officialsand the Taliban kick-off,

supposedly on March 10. Itran for one week ahead ofthe signing of the historicaccord in Doha and contin-ued over the weekend.“The reduction in violen-ce... has ended now and our operations will contin-ue as normal,” Taliban sp-okesman Zabihullah Muj-ahid told AFP. “As per the(US-Taliban) agreement,our mujahideen will notattack foreign forces butour operations will cont-inue against the Kabul

administration forces.” Fawad Aman, deputy

spokesman for the defenceministry said, “We havenot had any reports of anybig attacks in the countryyet.” Since the deal sign-ing on Saturday, theTaliban have been publiclycelebrating their “victory”over the US. Under theterms of the deal, foreignforces will quit Afghani-stan within 14 months,subject to Taliban securityguarantees and a pledge by

the insurgents to holdtalks with the Kabul gov-ernment. The dramaticfall in attacks due to lastweek’s partial truceoffered Afghans a rareopportunity to go abouttheir daily lives withoutfear of violence.

Ghani warned the insur-gents Monday that he wasnot committed to a keyclause in the Doha dealinvolving the release ofthousands of Taliban pris-oners. — AFP

3 killed, 11 hurt as bomb goes offKhost, March 2: A bomb-ing at a football matchkilled three people andinjured 11 others onMonday in eastern Afgha-nistan, a police officialtold AFP, as the Talibanannounced an end to a par-tial truce in the country.

“A motorcycle riggedwith a bomb exploded dur-ing a football match,” said

Sayed Ahmad Babazai,police chief of easternKhost province, givingdetails of the toll.

Abdul Fatah Wakman,president of the Khost Fo-otball Federation said thethree killed were brothers.No group immediately cla-imed responsibility for theattack. The limited trucebetween the Taliban, US

and Afghan forces preced-ed the signing of a landm-ark deal on Saturday.

But on Monday the Talib-an said they would resumeattacks against Afghan fo-rces, a day after PresidentAshraf Ghani committedto continuing the truce tilltalks between Kabul andthe Taliban kick off, likelyon March 10. — AFP

Boston, March 2: Expe-riencing daytime sleepi-ness may be associatedwith the risk of many di-seases, including diabet-es, cancer and high blo-od pressure in older peo-ple, according to a study.

The condition calledhypersomnolence is def-ined as excessive dayti-me sleepiness even afterseven or more hours ofsleep It can be debilitat-ing for some, affectinghow they perform atwork and in other activi-ties. “Paying attention tosleepiness in older adu-lts could help doctorspredict and prevent futu-re medical conditions,”said author Maurice M.Ohayon of Stanford Uni-versity, US. — PTI

WORLD pg 13DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

IN BRIEF

Indonesia hasfirst infection

Jakarta: Indonesia on Mond-ay reported its first confir-

med case of Covid-19, afterhealth officials hit back at

questions over its apparentlack of infected patients. A

64-year-old woman and herdaughter, 31, tested positive

at a Jakarta hospital, saidhealth minister Terawan

Agus Putranto. “This morni-ng I received the test results

and they were positive,” hetold reporters in the capital.

“Both are in good conditi-on...they don’t have serious

breathing difficulties.” Offici-als said that the pair may

have been in close contactwith a Japanese national

who has since tested positi-ve after returning to Mala-

ysia. Last month, Indonesiacriticised a US study that

questioned why the South-east Asian archipelago of

over 260 million, with stronglinks to China, had not

recorded a case of the virus.

Singapore casesincrease to 106

Singapore: Singapore’s Heal-th Ministry confirmed four

more Covid-19 cases on Sun-day, including a Japanese na-

tional and two maids fromMyanmar and the Philippines.Three of the latest cases are

from a cluster at Wizlearn Te-chnologies in the Science

Park hub within the residen-tial and industrial region on

the west coast. The other is a54-year-old Japanese who

was in Singapore on a workpass, reported the ChannelNews Asia. Among the newcases is a 25-year-old maidfrom Myanmar, who was in

the Indonesian island of Bat-am, from February 21-23. An-other is a 41-year-old Filipinowoman, also on a work passhere but does not have any

travel history to China.

Chilean writerSepulveda falls ill

Lisbon: Chilean writer LuisSepulveda, who lives in nort-

hern Spain, has contractedthe new Covid-19, according

to the health authorities inPortugal where the best-sell-

ing author recently visited.The 70-year-old author start-ed showing symptoms of thevirus on February 25 after he

had returned to his home inSpain’s Asturias region froma literary festival in neighbo-uring Portugal. The regionalAsturias government annou-nced on Saturday that it had

detected the first Covid-19case in the region, without

identifying him. “The patientis stable. His wife, a 66-year-old woman is also displaying

the symptoms and is beingtested,” and both have beenadmitted to hospital, it add-

ed. The Portuguese authoriti-es called on all those who

had been in contact with Se-pulveda during last month’sCorrentes d’Escritas literary

festival in Porto to make the-mselves known. So far Portu-gal hasn’t registered a singleconfirmed case of the Covid-

19 outbreak while Spain hashad 73 cases. Sepulveda was

exiled from Chile in 1975 bec-ause of his political activities.

Architect, who preaches mindful development, hopes to save BangkokBATTLING | FLOODS

Bangkok, March 2: Ban-gkok’s future hangs in thebalance. Rising sea levels,unchecked development,groundwater extraction,and rapid urban populati-on growth has left millionsvulnerable to natural disa-sters — scientists warnthe city itself may not sur-vive the century.

New analysis by the Nes-tpick 2050 Climate ChangeCity Index says the Thaicapital could be hardesthit by global warming.And while it is not alonefacing such a threat — Ve-nice, New Orleans, and Ja-karta are predicted to beunderwater by 2100 — itdoes have a secret weaponin its battle to negate theimpact of a hotter planet:Renowned architect Kotc-hakorn Voraakhom who

preaches mindful develop-ment over mindless const-ruction. “We are talkinglife and death in this situa-tion,” says the 39-year-oldwho is hoping to bring Ba-ngkok back from the bri-nk, as scientists warn ext-reme weather — floodingand droughts — could rav-age the city, leaving asmuch as 40 percent subme-rged in the next decade.

Kotchakorn says: “I don’twant to face it with fear. Atthis moment we have a ch-ance to make change... Wehave to do it right now toshow the coming generati-ons that this is possible. Itis not about sitting andwaiting and doing thesame thing.” No one canaccuse the Harvard gradu-ate of resting on her laur-els: She made her name sh-

owing how the effects ofclimate change can be mit-igated by ensuring the iss-ue is at the heart of city pl-anning. She and her firmLandprocess created theinternationally acclaimedChulalongkorn University

Centenary Park, an 11-acre (4 hectares) space incentral Bangkok, whichtilts downward at a three-degree angle, allowing rai-nwater to flow through theflanking grass and wetlan-ds. Water that’s not absor-

bed by the plants runsdown to a pond at the baseof the park, where it canbe stored and filtered foruse during dry spells or re-leased gradually. In casesof severe flooding, thepark can hold up to a mill-ion gallons of water.

Kotchakorn rails againstBangkok’s unchecked dev-elopment — over 10 mil-lion live in the metropolispacked with skyscrapers,factories, malls and hotels— warning that an “addic-tion to growth” is jeopar-dising its ability to thrive.

“We think about howwe’re going to have moregrowth in our annual dev-elopment... What if we shi-ft the orientation from gro-wth to really consider ouractions on the environme-nt, listen to the land

more,” she says. “It doesn’t mean I am

against development but Iwant it to be very meanin-gful, very mindful, and atthe right pace — so wedon’t actually kill ourfuture.” Today her ideashave been embraced athome, and abroad — shegave an acclaimed TEDtalk in 2018, and last yearTIME Magazine includedher in its “100 Next” list ofglobal rising stars.

But convincing clients,authorities, and otherbusinesses to see the bigenvironmental picture hasnot been easy in a mega-city obsessed with eco-nomic targets and expan-sion. Driving change as awoman in a patriarchalsociety has been an addi-tional challenge. — AFP

Houston, March 2: GrowingCovid-19 cases in many count-ries, including in the US wheretwo persons have died from thedisease, has prompted theorganisers to cancel one of theworld’s most prestigious annu-al energy conferences to beheld here.

The 39th CERAWeek energyconference, which brings toge-ther oil ministers and indust-ry executives, was set to beheld in Houston from March 9to 13, with delegates from over80 countries expected to atte-nd. “In light of growing conce-rns around Covid-19, we’vemade the difficult decision tocancel CERAWeek 2020 andCWAgora,” CERAWeek said atweet. The organisers said onSunday they spent several we-eks focusing on the health andsafety of conference attendeesand speakers, established amedical partnership with Hou-ston Methodist Hospital andcreated an extensive protocol.

However, IHS Markit, the Lo-ndon-based information andinsights company and the org-aniser of the conference, dete-rmined that the Covid-19 wasmoving quickly around theworld. “We have made thisdecision reluctantly and afterdeep consideration. We recog-nise the dedication and impor-tance of the CERAWeek com-munity. We thank you for yourengagement and your commit-ment to CERAWeek,” IHSMarkit said in a statement.

ENERGY MEETSHELVED OVER

CONTAGION

Bangkok’s unchecked development (L) and Thai archi-tect Kotchakorn Voraakhom — AFP

Thai secret weapon in climate change battleBLAME DISEASESFOR DAYTIMESLEEPINESS

2nd person succumbs to Covid-19 in USResearchers say contagion may have been circulating for weeks undetected in greater Seattle areaSeattle, March 2: Healthofficials in Washington st-ate said Sunday night thata second person had diedfrom the Covid-19.

Researchers said the vi-rus may have been circu-lating for weeks undetect-ed in the greater Seattlearea. In a statement, Publ-ic Health-Seattle & KingCounty said a man in his70s died Saturday. On Fri-day, health officials said aman in his 50s died of Co-vid-19. Both had underly-ing health conditions, andboth were being treated ata hospital in Kirkland, Wa-shington, east of Seattle.

Washington state nowhas 12 confirmed cases. St-ate and local authoritiesstepped up testing for theillness as the number ofnew cases grew nationwi-de, with new infections an-nounced in California, Illi-nois, Rhode Island, NewYork and Washington sta-te. Authorities in the Sea-ttle area said two more pe-ople had been diagnosedwith the COVID-19 virus,both men in their 60s whowere in critical condition,and two health care work-ers in California were alsodiagnosed. A man in his50s died in Washington onSaturday, and health offici-als said 50 more people in anursing facility in Kirkla-nd, Washington, are sickand being tested.

On Sunday night, the Int-ernational Association ofFire Fighters said 25 mem-bers who responded to cal-ls for help at the nursingfacility are being quaranti-ned. The first US case wasa Washington state manwho had visited China,where the virus first emer-ged, but several recent ca-ses in the US have had noknown connection to trav-ellers. In California, twohealth care workers in theSan Francisco Bay areawho cared for an earlierCovid-19 patient were diag-nosed with the virus onSunday, the Alameda andSolano counties said in ajoint statement.

The health care workersare both employed at Nor-thBay VacaValley Hospitalin Vacaville, California,and had exposure to a pati-ent treated there before be-ing transferred to UC Dav-is Medical Center in Sacra-mento, the statement said.

That patient was the firstperson in the US discover-ed to have contracted theCovid-19 with no knownoverseas travel. AlamedaCounty declared a state ofemergency on Sunday foll-owing the news. Elsewhe-re, authorities announcedSunday a third case in Illi-nois and Rhode Island andNew York’s first cases asworried Americans swar-med stores to stock up onbasic goods such as bottledwater, canned foods and to-ilet paper.

The hospitalised patientin Rhode Island is a manin his 40s who had travel-led to Italy in February.New York confirmed Sund-ay that a woman in herlate 30s contracted the vir-us while travelling in Iran.The patient is not in serio-us condition. She has resp-iratory symptoms and hasbeen in a controlled situat-ion since arriving in NewYork, according to a state-ment from the governor’soffice. As the fallout conti-nued, Vice President MikePence and Health and Hu-man Services SecretaryAlex Azar sought to reass-ure the American publicthat the federal governme-nt is working to make surestate and local authoritiesare able to test. — AP

Two people walk away from the Pyramid, the main entrance to the Louvre museum, located in central Paris on Monday. The Louvre was closedfor a second day running after staff refused to work due to Covid-19 fears. — AFP

Sect leader repentsfor spreading virus Seoul, March 2: Theleader of a secretive SouthKorean sect linked to morethan half the country’s4,000-plus Covid-19 casesapologised Monday for thespread of the disease.

Shincheonji head LeeMan-hee’s plea for forgive-ness came after Seoul cityauthorities filed a murdercomplaint against him forfailing to cooperate in con-taining the epidemic. Sou-th Korea’s case numbers— the largest total anywh-ere outside China — areexpected to rise further asauthorities carry out chec-ks on more than 266,000people associated with theShincheonji Church of Je-sus, which is often conde-mned as a cult.

“I would like to offer mysincere apology to the peo-ple,” said Lee, his voice br-eaking. “Although it wasnot intentional, many peo-ple have been infected,”the 88-year-old said, twicegetting to his knees to bowbefore reporters in Gapye-ong, his head to the floor.“I seek the forgiveness ofthe people.” “I am very th-ankful to the governmentfor its efforts,” he added. “Ialso seek the forgivenessof the government.”

Lee is revered by his fol-

lowers as the “PromisedPastor” who has taken onthe mantle of Jesus Christand will take 144,000 peop-le with him to heaven onthe Day of Judgement, wh-ich he will usher in withinhis own lifetime.

A 61-year-old female me-mber developed a fever onFebruary 10 but attendedat least four church servic-es in Daegu — the centreof the outbreak — beforebeing diagnosed.

— AFP

Chinese gets death for stabbing 2at outbreak control checkpoint Beijing, March 2: A Chi-nese court has sentenced aman to death for fatallystabbing two officials at acheckpoint set up to contr-ol the spread of the newCovid-19 outbreak. Thevirus has infected over80,000 people and killednearly 3,000 in mainlandChina — prompting a widenetwork of temperaturechecks, travel restrictions,residential checks and clo-sures nationwide.

Many villages and com-munities have also imple-mented their own blockad-es and tough measures tokeep people out, fearfulthat travellers could infecttheir communities. On Su-nday a court handed downa death sentence to a 23-year-old man after he stab-bed two officials at one lo-cal village checkpoint.The incident happened onFebruary 6 when Ma Jian-guo was driving a minivanthrough a checkpoint atLuo Meng village in Hong-he, southwestern Yunnanprovince, where he was st-opped. After Ma refused tocooperate with officials,his passenger began tryi-

ng to remove the roadblo-ck, the court said, and thelocal official started filmi-ng Ma and the other manon his mobile phone. A fu-rious Ma stabbed the offic-ial — a local poverty allev-iation cadre — in the chestand abdomen with a knife

and then attacked anotherofficial who came to the vi-ctim’s aid. The two diedfrom their wounds. The co-urt said that though Ma“voluntarily surrenderedand truthfully confessed”,the killings were “extrem-ely vicious”. — AFP

FOREIGNER WITHSIGNS IN EGYPTQUARANTINEDCairo, March 2: Egypton Monday reported itssecond case of novel Cov-id-19, more than two wee-ks after announcing thefirst confirmed infectionin Africa. The foreigner isshowing “minor sympto-ms” and has been quaran-tined, the ministry andthe World Health Organis-ation said in a joint state-ment. Other people whohad contact with the pati-ent are undergoing medi-cal tests, it added.

Egypt announced its fir-st confirmed case of novelCovid-19 on February 14.The patient, a Chinese na-tional, was released lastweek after recovering, thestatement said. Cairo hasbeen cooperating with Fr-ench and Canadian autho-rities after they both ann-ounced seven confirmedcases from travellers com-ing from Egypt.

With the number of cas-es rising in the Gulf, Qat-ar imposed a temporaryban on visitors comingfrom Egypt via transit po-ints on Sunday citing thespread of Covid-19. Kuwa-it stopped short of a flightrestriction but added ext-ra screening measures fortravellers boarding theirflights from Egypt. Egyp-tian Health Minister HalaZayed travelled to Chinaon Sunday amid mounti-ng criticisms and satiric-al posts on social media ofher ministry’s handlingof the outbreak.

At a press conference atCairo airport, she praisedBeijing’s efforts to conta-in the spread of the virus.The global death toll fromthe epidemic surpassed3,000 on Monday afterdozens more were killedin China and cases soaredaround the world. — AFP

MAN RETURNSFROM ITALY, TESTS+VE IN MOSCOWMoscow, March 2: Russ-ian authorities on Mondayconfirmed the first case ofCovid-19 in Moscow, say-ing the patient had recent-ly returned from Italy. Theanti-coronavirus taskforce said in a statementquoted by Russian newsagencies that the “youngman” had fallen ill onFebruary 21 while onvacation to Italy. The man,who resides outside Mosc-ow, returned to Russia onFebruary 23, and startedshowing signs of a respi-ratory viral infection, itsaid. He sought medicalhelp and was hospitalisedon February 27.

Testing confirmed theinfection on Monday andhis symptoms were not se-vere. Russia has so far ma-naged to avoid a large nu-mber of infections and in-troduced travel and visarestrictions. It repatriatedand quarantined a numb-er of passengers from theDiamond Princess cruiseship in Japan. — AFP

China toll at 2,912after 42 fatalitiesBeijing, March 2: Chinahas reported 42 new fatali-ties from the novel Covid-19 outbreak, taking thedeath toll in the country to2,912, Chinese health offi-cials said on Monday, asthe rapid spread of theepidemic wreaks havocglobally causing over 3,000deaths. The deadly virushas spread to more than 70countries and infectedmore than 88,000 people.China’s National HealthCommission said onSunday it received reportsof 202 new cases. — PTI

A paramedic checks the temperature of an officialbefore a meeting with Thailand Prime Minister PrayutChan-O-Cha at the Government House, Bangkok. — AFP

Iran council member closeto Khamenei succumbsTehran, March 2: Irani-an state radio says a mem-ber of a council that advis-es Supreme Leader Ayatol-lah Ali Khamenei has diedafter after falling ill fromthe new Covid-19. The rep-ort Monday said Expedie-ncy Council member Moh-ammad Mirmohammadihad died. He was 71. Thecouncil advises Khamen-ei, as well as settles dispu-tes between the supremeleader and parliament. Hisdeath comes as other topofficials have contractedthe virus in Iran.

WHO sends first medics,supplies to TehranDubai, March 2: The Wo-rld Health Organisationon Monday sent its first pl-aneload of aid to Iran tohelp fight Covid-19, dis-patching six medics withtonnes of medical equip-ment and test kits aboarda UAE military aircraft.

As supplies worth morethan $300,000 were loadedonto the plane in Dubai,Robert Blanchard of theWHO warned that globalsupplies were runninglow. “What we see now is

that demand has greatlyexceeded our available sto-cks... and we are struggli-ng to get access to moresupplies.” — AFP

● ● IRAN SSAYS there are66 dead amid 1,501 con-firmed cases of the newCovid-19 in the IslamicRepublic. That's accord-ing to Iran HealthMinistry spokesman AliReza Azizi, who gave thefigure at a news confer-ence Monday in Tehran.

● ● The epidemic haskilled 3,000 globally.

● ● Virus has hit over 70countries and infectedmore than 88,000

● ● 32,652 patients stillbeing treated and 44,462patients discharged

● ● By Sunday, 98 confir-med cases with twodeaths in Hong Kong, 10confirmed cases inMacao SAR, and 40 inTaiwan with one death.

● ● SOUTH KKOREA report-ed nearly 500 new Covid-19 cases Monday, send-ing the largest nationaltotal in the world outsideChina past 4,000.

● ● FOUR MMORE peoplehad died, the KoreaCenters for DiseaseControl and Preventionsaid, taking the deathtoll to 22.

● ● OF TTHE 476 new casesannounced Monday —taking the total to 4,212— more than 90 percentwere in Daegu and theneighbouring province ofNorth Gyeongsang.

■ Supply chains shifting to India as part of strategy change

Manufacturing may getleg-up from China woes

SANGEETHA GGCHENNAI, MARCH 2

In an indication of theeconomic slowdown inthe country, the unem-ployment rate rose to7.78 per cent inFebruary, up from 7.16per cent in January,according to datareleased by the Centrefor Monitoring IndianEconomy (CMIE).

In rural areas, theunemployment rateincreased to 7.37 percent in February from5.97 per cent in the pre-vious month, while inurban areas, it fell to8.65 per cent from 9.70per cent.

India's economy hasexpanded at its slowestpace in more than sixyears in the last threemonths of 2019. Thecoronavirus furtherthreatens to slow theeconomy, raising con-cerns over growingunemployment rate.

However, governmentis still holding on to atwo-fiscal old data onu n e m p l o y m e n t .Answering questions inParliament on Monday,the government saidthe estimated unem-ployment rate on usualstatus (principal status+ subsidiary status)basis for persons of age15 years and above was6.1 per cent in 2017-18,based on the NationalStatistical Office’sannual Periodic LabourForce Survey (PLFS).

The government saidthat it has constitutedan inter-ministerialcommittee to draft thenational employmentpolicy.

Unemploymentrate rises to

7.78% in Feb.

Boston, March 2: JackWelch, who transformedGeneral Electric Co.into a highly profitablemultinational conglom-erate and parlayed hislegendary business acu-men into a retirementcareer as a corporateleadership guru, hasdied. He was 84.

His death was con-firmed on Monday byGE. The cause of deathwas renal failure, hiswife Suzy told The NewYork Times. Welchbecame one of thenation’s most well-known and highlyregarded corporate lead-ers during his twodecades as GE’s chair-man and chief execu-tive, from 1981 to 2001.

He personified the so-called “cult of the CEO”during the late-1990sboom, when GE’s soar-ing stock price made itthe most valuable com-pany in the world. Achemical engineer bytraining, Welch trans-formed the companyfrom a maker of appli-ances and light bulbsinto an industrial andfinancial services pow-erhouse.

During his tenure,GE’s revenue grew near-ly fivefold, and thefirm’s market capitalisa-tion increased 30-fold.Welch’s results-drivenmanagement approachand hands-on style werecredited with helpingGE turn a financial cor-ner, although some ofthe success came at theexpense of thousands ofemployees who losttheir jobs in Welch'srelentless efforts to cutcosts and rid GE ofunprofitable businesses.In 1999, Fortune maga-zine named Welch as its“Manager of the Cen-tury.” For his first book,Jack: Straight From theGut, Welch received a$7.1 million advance.Though it released onSeptember 11, 2001morning, it became abest-seller. — AP

GE’s JackWelch

no more

CHANDRASHEKAR GGBENGALURU, MARCH 2

Considering the need toachieve zero emission inBengaluru, the com-merce department isaiming at setting upelectric vehicle (EV)cluster with incuba-tion spaces for start-ups.

Speaking to thisnewspaper, GauravGupta, principal sec-retary, Department ofIndustries and Commerce,said the incubation spacesat the proposed EV clusterat Harohalli at theOutskirts of the city will

have ample logistics andinfrastructure for startupsfor research-oriented activ-ities.

This cluster is being setup in consultationwith the industryand is already atthe advanced stageof identifyingwhich of the com-ponents can bereared at the clus-

ter. This enables thebig companies to

associate with smallercompanies and createemployment opportuni-ties, too.

“Perhaps, Karnataka has50 per cent of electric vehi-

cles in India and it is theEV capital of the country.Battery technology isevolving and the incuba-tion facilities help theindustry to come out withbetter and cheaper solu-tions. Tackling range anxi-ety is the primary motive,”said Mr Gupta.

In this regard, the stategovernment has written tothe Union Ministry ofPower to strengthen thecharging infrastructureand to tackle the problems.The commerce and indus-try department has soughtfor subsidy from both theUnion and state govern-ments.

EV cluster on the anvilCHANDRASHEKAR GGBENGALURU, MARCH 2

To take nano technology tonew heights, a nano parkwould be established onthe lines of IT-BT park,said Dr C.N. AshwathNarayan, deputy chiefminister and IT-BT, sci-ence and technology min-ister.

Participating at theBengaluru India Nano2020 Mr Narayan said thatthe government is alsomulling over coming outwith a new science andtechnology policy.

“The nano park proposalis being chalked out with

Prof C. N. R. Rao, nationalresearch professor andchairman of Karnataka'sVision Group ofNanotechnology. We expectresearch centres to beestablished in Bengaluruto promote the ecosystemfor Nano technology and tostrengthen the industry,"said Mr. Narayan.

Prof Rao will help thegovernment in formulat-ing the policy and identify-ing priority areas to buildcore competencies and fos-ter research in thisadvanced discipline, so asto address present andfuture development needs.

The government’s focus

is also to make Bengaluruand Karnataka as a leaderof nanotechnology withcollaboration and co-oper-ation of premier institutesin Bengaluru, such asIndian Institute ofScience, Centre for Nanoand Soft Matter Sciences,Jawaharlal Nehru Centrefor Advanced ScientificResearch, NCBS and oth-ers.

Chief Minister B. S.Yediyurappa said the pro-posed park would be in col-laboration with the Uniongovernment. Establish-ment of common instru-mentation facilities willalso be considered, he said.

Karnataka plans Nano Park

quickBITES

INDICATORS %Sensex 38,144.02 -0.40Nifty 50 11,132.80 -0.62S&P 500* 2,975.93 0.73Dollar (`) 72.17 0.79Pound Sterling (`) 93.18 -0.19Euro (`) 81.09 1.44Gold (10gm)* (`) 42,616▲391 0.91Brent crude ($/bbl)* 50.42 0.75IN 10-Yr bond yield 6.346 -0.025US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 1.065 -0.061

* As of 9:30 pm IST

Non-subsidisedLPG price cutby `53 lessState-owned oil firms cut therates of non-subsidised cookinggas by Rs 53, wiping away athird of the record Rs 144.50per cylinder price hike effectedlast month. A 14.2-kg LPG cylin-der now costs Rs 805.50against Rs 858.50 previously.The Centre’s subsidy payoutwill fall by Rs 50 per cylinder toRs 240. Jet fuel (ATF) priceshas been slashed by a steep 10per cent, or by Rs 6,590.62 perkilolitre, to Rs 56,859.01 per kl.

Vivaad SeVishwas schemeBill moved

Moving the Direct Tax VivaadSe Vishwas Bill, 2020 in the LokSabha, finance minister NirmalaSitharaman said the direct taxdispute resolution scheme,announced in the Budget, “willgive settlement option to allthose with disputed tax.” Asmany as 4.83 lakh direct taxcases worth Rs 9.32 lakh croreare locked up in appellateforums such as Commissioner(Appeals), ITAT, High Courts,SC and recovery tribunals.

RBI receives`1.71 lakh crorein third LTROThe Reserve Bank of India saidit has received Rs 1.71 lakh crorein the third long-term repooperation (LTRO) conductedfor an amount of Rs 25,000crore. The central bankreceived 66 bids in the three-year tenor LTRO, which hasreversal date on March 1, 2023."The total bids that werereceived amounted to Rs1,71,965 crore, implying a bid tocover ratio of 6.9," the RBI saidin a release.

PowerMin flagsconcerns overNTPC stake saleThe power ministry has raisedconcerns over the proposedstrategic divestment of govern-ment equity in NTPC, PFC andPowerGrid, which may bringdown its stake to below 51 percent. A final call on the propos-al is yet be taken as the min-istry has conveyed its reserva-tions to the finance ministry."There are issues. There will besome advantages and there willbe some disadvantages," powersecretary S. N. Sahai said.

pg 14TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020 | HYDERABAD

FALAKNAAZ SSYEDMUMBAI, MARCH 2

The rupee weakenedsharply against the US dol-lar on Monday, trackingdomestic indices that fellafter two fresh cases ofcoronavirus were con-firmed in India. The cur-rency closed 55 paise lowerat 72.73 against the dollar,the lowest level sinceNovember 13, 2018. This isthe third consecutive dayof decline in the rupee, los-ing 1.6 per cent of its value.

Experts warned that anyescalation in capital flightfrom emerging marketscould spook the rupeeamid weakening macroeconomic indicators. Thedomestic core inflation hasbeen sticky and if inflationsurprises further on the

upside, the real rate differ-ential between the US andIndia could narrow, result-ing in capital flight.

Other emerging marketsare in the initial stage ofbecoming the victim of acontagion effect, lastoccurred in 2018.

Foreign InstitutionalInvestors (FIIs) have sold

Indian stocks worth Rs13,011 crore last week whileon Monday they soldstocks worth Rs 1,355 crore.

“The spread between off-shore and onshore forwardpoints is between 10-12paise indicating massiveunwinding of offshorecarry positions,” saidAbhishek Goenka, founderand chief executive officerat IFA Global, a forex con-sulting firm.

“Going ahead, as per sea-sonality pattern, the rupeeideally should appreciateagainst the USD as corpo-rates would be receivingremittances ahead ofFY19-20 closure ofaccounts. In the last 10years, the rupee has appre-ciated seven times againstthe dollar in March,”added Goenka.

SANGEETHA GGCHENNAI, MARCH 2

Recession fears emanatingfrom the spread of coron-avirus epidemic saw goldspurt on Monday after hav-ing crashed last week. Inthe Indian market, itgained Rs 1,000 per 10 gmwhile the internationalrates revisited $1,600 levelsafter a major correctionlast week.

In the Multi CommodityExchange (MCX), goldfutures were trading high-

er by Rs 1,000 from the lev-els on Friday. It touched Rs42,350 per 10 gm from Rs41,300 on Friday. Goldprices had fallen on Fridayfrom the recent highs of Rs43,750 on February 24.

In the international mar-ket, gold had moved downfrom its recent high of$1,692 per ounce onFebruary 24 to a low of$1,564 on Friday. Mondaysaw bounce back to $1,612.

“The spread of coron-avirus across more num-ber of countries has been

driving gold prices. Twocases were reported inIndia as well. Prices havebeen moving up earlier.However, last week hedgefunds had gone for heavyprofit-booking to balancethe losses in the equitymarkets. This led to the fallin gold prices,” said JateenTrivedi, senior researchanalyst, commodities andcurrencies, LKP Securi-ties. “Prices are likely tomove in a broad range of$1550 and $1650 this week,”added Trivedi.

Rupee sheds 55 paise, hits15-month low over Covid-19

Profit-booking over, gold surges again

Bengaluru, March 2:Drugmaker Sun Pharma-ceutical Industries Ltdreported a shortage of itsgeneric version of hyper-tension drug pindolol onMonday, due to a lack ofpharmaceutical ingredi-ents while stressing theshortfall does not stemfrom China.

Indian companies are themain suppliers of genericdrugs to the world and pro-cure almost 70 per cent ofthe active pharmaceuticalingredients (APIs) fortheir medicines fromChina.

The coronavirus out-break has disrupted inter-national businessesdependent on Chinese sup-plies and industry expertsexpect Indian genericdrugmakers to face supplyshortages from China ifepidemic drags on.

“At the moment, wehaven’t seen any majordisruption in API suppliesdue to the coronavirus out-break in China,” SunPharma reiterated onMonday, without givingdetails on the reasons forthe shortfall in pindololingredients. “We have suf-ficient inventory of APIand raw materials for theshort term,” it added.

Last week, the US Foodnd Drug Administrationannounced the first coron-avirus-related drug short-age in the United Statesbut declined to name thedrug in question, leavingindustry players debatingwhich medicines were atrisk.

Sun Pharma reiteratedthat there had been someimpact on supplies for afew APIs, but again gaveno details. —Reuters

RAVI RRANJAN PPRASADMUMBAI, MARCH 2

The stock market tumbledin a knee-jerk reaction inthe last half an hour oftrade as two new coron-avirus cases were reportedin Delhi and Telangana.

The infected person fromDelhi has a travel historyfrom Italy, while the onefrom Telangana has a trav-el history from Dubai,according to the Unionhealth ministry. Reportsalso said an Italian touristtravelling in Rajasthanwas a suspected case.

After the news break, theSensex fell 1,297 pointsfrom the intra- day high of39,083.17 to a low of37,785.99, as panic sellinggripped the market. TheSensex had gained 785.88points till then after a gap-up opening, on cues fromthe Asian markets, but hadto, in the end, settle 153points, or 0.40 per cent,down at 38,144.

The Nifty-50 closed at11,132.75, down 0.62 percent, or 69 points, as itcame down 397.75 pointsfrom the intra-day high of11,433 points.

“Global markets hadrebounded on hopes that

global central banks willtake actions to stabilizefinancial markets hit byworries of the impact ofcoronavirus on globaleconomy. However, withnew cases of coronavirusgetting confirmed in India,market sentiments gotseverely dampened andgave up all the gains,” saidSiddhartha Khemka, head—retail research, MotilalOswal Financial Services.

All the sectoral indicesexcept the IT index fellwhile the broader marketfall was even sharper withNifty Midcap 100 and NiftySmall-cap 100 down 0.7 percent and 1.2 per centrespectively.

NSE’s Volatility indexIndia VIX soared 8.47 percent to 25.20 indicatinghigher near term volatilityin the market, over fearthat the consequences ofcoronavirus, which hasnow spread to 68 countries,on global economic growthis beyond assessment.

Sun Pharma flagsBP drug shortage

Market gains wiped out

SIMON KKENNEDY && LUCY MMEAKINMARCH 2

Global central banks prom-ised to act as needed to sta-bilise markets rattled bythe coronavirus as theOECD warned the worldeconomy faces its “greatestdanger” since the financialcrisis over a decade ago.

In an emergency state-ment, Governor HaruhikoKuroda said the Bank ofJapan will “strive to pro-vide ample liquidity andensure stability in finan-cial markets.” The Bank ofEngland followed by sayingit’s working with UK andinternational authoritiesto “ensure all necessarysteps are taken to protect

financial and monetarystability.”

Already on Friday,Federal Reserve Chairman

Jerome Powell opened thedoor to cutting interestrates to contain what hecalled the “evolving risks”to economic growth fromthe virus. The Paris-basedOECD now expects theweakest global growth thisyear since the 2009 reces-sion, and said a “long last-ing” epidemic would risk aworldwide recession.

The prospect of centralbanks’ action halted theworst rout in stocks sincethat crisis. But the selloffresumed on Monday, withUS futures falling andTreasuries rallying.

Money markets now seethe Fed lowering its mainrate by 50 basis points thismonth, and give a 70 percent chance the European

Central Bank will pare itsby 10 basis points.

Economists at GoldmanSachs Group Inc predictedthe Fed will ultimatelyslash by 100 basis points inthe first half of the year.The BOE will cut by 50basis points and the ECBby 10 basis points, it said.

There is even speculationthat the Fed will movebefore its policy makersgather on March 17-18, andsome economists see thepotential for internationalpolicy makers to coordi-nate cuts for the first timesince 2008. Investorsincreasingly bet the cen-tral banks of Australia,Canada and Malaysia willease at meetings this week.

—Bloomberg

CENTRAL BANKS PROMISE STABILITY

ASHWIN JJ PPUNNENMUMBAI, MARCH 1

India is emerging as thetop destination for compa-nies shifting or diversify-ing their supply chains toescape US tariffs on China-made goods and disrup-tions from the coronavirusoutbreak.

A UBS study concludesthat India could be a majorbeneficiary of China Plus-One strategy of globalcompanies.

The US CFO Survey ofUBS Evidence Lab findsthat 76 per cent of therespondents have eithershifted their supply chainor are planning to shift inresponse to protectionistpolicies emanating fromthe US-China trade war.

Trade data also confirmsan increase in exports oftariff-imposed products tothe US from India.

UBS said it analysedearnings transcript of 44global companies to spotnuances in language thatsignal a potential reloca-tion of manufacturing toIndia. “There are incre-mental references of Indiaand trade war,” the UBSreport said, while it isexpecting India’s export topick up and drive India Incearnings.

“It is too early to call

whether India will havemajor success, but the nextthree years should be bet-ter than the past fiveyears,” it added.

In Asia, India is amongthe most sought after desti-nation for moving productsout of China, while datasuggest that Indian exportto the US market has seen asignificant increase post

the imposition of US tariffson China, experts said.

Since China is gettingexpensive, people are shift-ing to a China Plus-Onestrategy, experts said.

Many Indian firms inelectronic, chemical anddurable sectors are seeinga surge in sourcingenquires from global firms.

Several durable compa-

nies like AmberEnterprises, Dixon Tech, V-Guard and Havells Indiaare trying to cash in on theChina Plus-One strategy ofglobal companies.

China Plus-one strategyis about still using theresources allocated inChina, but adding lowerwages to the mix.

“We are optimistic thatexports can have a hugepotential market going for-ward on a long-term basissince the world is movingtowards the China Plus-One strategy. We havealready started talks withvarious original equip-ment manufacturers forexport opportunities,” saidAmber Enterprises, a con-tract manufacturer of air-conditioners, in its earn-ings call with analysts.

Momentum is buildingup with top global firmslike Apple, Intel, Samsung,Lenovo-Motorola andPanasonic revealing plansto set up facilities in India.

The Centre has set a tar-get of Rs 26 lakh crore ($400bn) turnover by 2025 fordomestic manufacturing inelectronic system designand manufacturing. Thevalue of electric equip-ment being made domesti-cally has risen to Rs 4.58lakh crore in FY 19 from Rs1.90 lakh crore in FY 15.

March 2: Money marketsare pricing in a half-pointcut in US central bankinterest rates this monthand have baked in about apercentage point ofreductions by the end ofJuly. Bets on easing by theFederal Reserve surgedon Monday, while thethree-month Londoninterbank offered rate—akey benchmark for tril-lions of dollars in finan-cial products—plunged by

the most since 2008. Themoves came after central-bank policy makersaround the world indicat-ed that they will act asneeded to stabilize finan-cial markets.

Three-month dollarLibor rate fell by 20.9basis points on Monday to1.25375 per cent, the low-est since June 2017. Thedrop was larger than onany day since Dec. 2008.

—Bloomberg

Rate cut bets spur steep Libor fall

New York, March 2: Oilprices rose over 2 percent on Monday, revers-ing an early fall to multi-year lows as hopes of adeeper cut in output byOpec and stimulus fromcentral banks countered worries about damage todemand from the coron-avirus outbreak.

Brent crude futuresrose $1.16, or 2.3 per cent,to $50.83 a barrel by 11:10a.m. EST (1610 GMT).The session low of $48.40was its lowest since July2017. —Reuters

Oil up over 2%

Jack Welch

FC BBUREAUNEW DELHI, MARCH 2

The country’s manufac-turing sector activityslowed in February from anear eight-year high inJanuary. The NikkeiManufacturing Purchas-ing Managers’ Index, com-piled by IHS Markit,declined to 54.5 last monthfrom 55.3 in January.“This is the 31st consecu-tive month that the manu-facturing PMI hasremained above the 50-point mark,” IHS Markitsaid on Monday.In the PMIparlance, a print above 50means expansion.

The strong manufactur-

ing sector expansion seenin India at the start of theyear was maintained inFebruary, with rates ofgrowth for factory orders,exports and output hold-ing close to January’shighs, IHS Markit said.

Factory activitystays strong

Gaurav Gupta

India Mfg PMI

Source: Nikkei, IHS Market/ KBK Graphics48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56

FebJanDecNovOctSepAugJulyJuneMayAprmarFeb

2020 55.3

52.751.2

50.651.4

51.452.5

52.152.7

51.852.6

54.3

54.5

2019

Printed & Published by T Venkateswarlu on behalf of DeccanChronicle Holdings Limited, Printed at

Deccan Chronicle Press at DeccanChronicle Holdings Ltd. #563/9/D&9/E,Behind Andhra Bank Pet Basheerbagh,

Kompally, Ranga Reddy Dist. Editor:T.Venkatram RReddy, RNI Reg

No.APENG/2008/24282. © All rightsreserved. Reproduction in whole or in partwithout written permission of The Editor,

Financial Chronicle ® is prohibited.

Christchurch, March2: India captain ViratKohli on Monday gotannoyed after being

asked about his animatedcelebrations over KaneWilliamson’s dismissalon day two of the secondTest before clarifying thatmatch referee RanjanMadugalle had no issueswith what happened.

However, whenWilliamson was askedabout the incident, NewZealand captain down-played the incident, say-ing it was “typical ofVirat, who plays the gamewith lot of passion”.

Following India’s sevenwicket loss here onMonday, one of the localjournalists sought Kohli’sreaction on allegedlyswearing at Williamsonand that did not go downwell with the away teamcaptain. India lost theseries 0-2.

“What do you think? Iam asking you theanswer,” the irritationwas writ large on Indianskipper’s face as he cameup with a sharp retort.“You need to find out ananswer and come up witha better question. Youcan’t come here with halfquestions and half detailsof what happened. Also ifyou want to create contro-versy, this is not the rightplace. I spoke with thematch referee(Madugalle) and he hadno issues with what hap-pened,” said Kohli.

It was on day two whenWilliamson was dis-missed by JaspritBumrah and Kohli wasanimated as ever in hiscelebrations. Kohli alsogestured the crowd tokeep quiet. WhenWilliamson was askedabout it, he simplylaughed it off. — PTI

Kohli loses cool atmedia interaction

Christchurch, March 2:A disappointed ViratKohli on Monday admit-ted that his side was“completely outplayed”by New Zealand in thetwo-Test series and theycan’t live in denial about“not being brave enough”to counter adverse condi-tions.

The Indian batting wasin complete shambles inthe two-Test series andthe skipper said that witha packed schedule, theteam management willhave to find solutionsdespite time constraints.

“Obviously quite disap-pointed with how weplayed in this series. I feellike we were completelyoutplayed in this series,”the Indian captain washonest and forthright inhis assessment followingthe seven-wicket loss inthe second Test here.

“We obviously didn’tplay the kind of cricketwe do as a team. Thething to take away fromhere is to not shy awayfrom things that havegone wrong and insteadaddress them straight up,and not be in denial,” hesaid.

Asked to point out whatexactly went wrong,Kohli felt the outlooktowards a series inadverse conditions was“not ideal”.

“I think the outlook asfar as I am concerned,and as far as I saw thingshappening, was not idealfor us in this series. Wewere not positiveenough,” he said. — PTI

Christchurch, March 2:A star-studded India wasoutplayed by seven wick-ets inside three days inthe second Test againstNew Zealand here withthe home team making amockery of the visitors’world no.1 status to com-plete a memorable seriessweep.

New Zealand prevailedby seven wickets, chasingdown a modest target of132 in just 36 overs, afterIndia’s second inningsfolded for 124 in less thanan hour on the third day.India, perched at the topof the World TestChampionships right now,were humiliated 0-2, foundwanting yet again whenup against high-qualityseamers overseas.

“We accept it upfrontand if we have to winaway from home, we haveto do that. No excuses, justlearning moving forward.In Tests, we weren’t ableto play the cricket wewanted to,” India skipperVirat Kohli said after thematch.

Tom Latham (52 off 74balls) and Tom Blundell(55 off 113 balls) had agood batting session asMohammed Shami didn’tbowl post lunch due to aball-impact injury whilebatting. A solid 120 pointstook New Zealand’s tallyto 180 even as India stayedon top with 360 pointscourtesy their series winsagainst the lowly WestIndies, depleted SouthAfrica and a below-parBangladesh.

The feel good factor of a5-0 T20 series victoryseemed like ancient histo-ry as a dream start turnedinto a virtual nightmarefor Kohli’s bunch that hasalways taken immensepride in performing wellin overseas conditions.However, a look at India’soverseas performanceindicates that wheneverthe ball swings and seams,reputations end up in tat-ters.

It happened in Englandin 2014 and 2018 and nowNew Zealand have

exposed them one moretime. The main culpritwas the batsmen, andKohli had no qualms inadmitting it. “The bats-men didn’t do enough forthe bowlers to try andattack. The bowling wasgood, I thought even inWellington we bowledwell. Sometimes if youbowl well and things don’thappen, you have to take itin your stride,” Kohlisaid.

More than the margin,the manner of surrenderwill come back to hauntthe current Indian team,which leaves this part ofthe world with a lot ofunanswered questions.It’s not only about tech-nique of some top playersagainst the moving deliv-eries but also about theirmindset when put underthe pump. There wereonly four half-centuriesacross four innings in thisseries with techniques of

some of the players likeAjinkya Rahane, MayankAgarwal against seamand swing leaving a lot tobe desired. Kohli’s 38runs in four innings wasone of the biggest set-backs for the visitors inthe series. Prithvi Shaw isa work in progress when itcomes to his decision-making on deliveries onthe fourth stump. Theshort ball, which theKiwis used liberally to getrid of him. — PTI

CRICKET pg 15DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

SHORT TAKES


Hyderabad pays homage to thebest cricket captain India neverhad and cultivated stylist M. L.

Jaisimha on his 81st birthanniversary on Tuesday. Jai, as

he was fondly known as incricket circles, passed away on

July 6, 1999.Even two decades after his

demise, fascination for Jaisimhalives on. “Romantic in me

chooses M. L. Jaisimha overSachin Tendulkar,” declared

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella ata conclave.

VVS Laxman’s tweet read,“Biography of M. L. Jaisimha,

hero to Satya Nadella, SunilGavaskar and me, now on

Amazon,” when My Way — thebiography of M.L. Jaisimha,

(Amazon, Rs 199) went online. Itis among cricket’s top 30 best-

sellers of all time.After his 1959 Lord’s debut,

Jaisimha became the first crick-eter to bat on all five days of aTest against Richie Benaud-led

Australia at Calcutta. Jai packeda panache all his own, be it as

Test player, South Zone captain,Indian team manager, national

selector, TV commentator orwhen promoting the CharminarChallenge series, the corporate

world’s pioneering effort incricket sponsorship.

Jaisimha was made HonoraryLife Member of the MaryleboneCricket Club (MCC, England) in

1978.Secunderabad’s most loved

sporting son grew up in the lapof luxury at Marredpally’s

Lakshmi Vihar, a 10-bedroommansion (later to become SBI’s

Staff Training College) with afleet of eight cars adorning its

driveway. Post retirementJaisimha became President ofthe prestigious Secunderabad

Club.His father M. G. Lakshminarsu,

a relative of MokshagundamVishweshwaraya, built the

Begumpet Airport, theTungabhadra Dam and commis-

sioned a 5000 KW thermalpower plant on the shores of

Hussainsagar.

Tribute to Jai onbirth anniversary

Mumbai: The BCCI’s CricketAdvisory Committee (CAC) willfinally get down to the work ofpicking two national selectors

at its first meeting here onTuesday. The three-member

CAC, which is supposed to pickthe selectors as per the BCCI

constitution, has not had muchto do since its appointment on

January 31.The committee comprising

former India cricketers MadanLal, R. P. Singh and Sulakshana

Naik will be shortlisting thecandidates for personal inter-

views.Lal, who had earlier said that

44 applications have beenreceived for two positions, con-

firmed on Monday that he willbe travelling to Mumbai for the

meeting.“Yes, I will be going for the

meeting but I don’t know thedetails yet,” he said.

However, a BCCI source con-firmed that the meeting is

scheduled to shortlist the can-didates.

The CAC is looking forreplacements of outgoingselection panel chief MSK

Prasad and fellow panel mem-ber Gagan Khoda. — PTI

Kohli & Co. trip on grass, Kiwis sweep series

Selectors to beshortlisted today

SCORECARDIndia (1st innings): 242 New Zealand (1st innings): 235 India (2nd innings): Prithvi Shaw c Latham bSouthee 14, Mayank Agarwal lbw b Boult 3,Cheteshwar Pujara b Boult 24, Virat Kohli lbw b deGrandhomme 14, Ajinkya Rahane b Wagner 9,Umesh Yadav b Boult 1, Hanuma Vihari c Watling bSouthee 9, Rishabh Pant c Watling b Boult 4,Ravindra Jadeja (not out) 16, Mohammed Shami cTom Blundell b Southee 5, Jasprit Bumrah (run out)4. Extras (b-9, lb-122) 21. Total 124 in 46 overs.FoW: 1-8, 2-26, 3-51, 4-72, 5-84, 6-89, 7-97, 8-97, 9-108. Bowling: Southee 11-2-36-3, Boult 14-4-28-4,Jamieson 8-4-18-0, De Grandhomme 5-3-31-0,Wagner 8-1-18-1. New Zealand (2nd Innings): Tom Lathamc Pant bUmesh 52, Tom Blundell b Bumrah 55, KaneWilliamson c Rahane b Bumrah 5, Ross Taylor (notout) 5, Henry Nicholls (not out) 5. Extras (b-1, lb-8,nb-1) 9. Total 132/3 in 36 overs.FoW: 1-103, 2-112, 3-121. Bowling: Bumrah 13-2-39-2, Yadav 14-3-45-1, Shami3-1-11-0, Jadeja 5-0-24-0, Kohli 1-0-4-0.

New Delhi, March 2:Former India cricketers,including Bishan SinghBedi, VVS Laxman andSanjay Manjrekar, onMonday questioned theVirat Kohli-led side’s tac-tics after it was humbled 0-2 in the Test series in NewZealand.

“How does one explaincomplete Kiwi dominanceover No 1 Test team? I amstruggling to press theright button. Could some-one please help without

being abusive or atro-ciously unkind to anyindividual?,” Bedi tweet-ed.

“Meanwhile, let’s praiseNZ for cool and calculatedcommitment and stayingcalm/humble,” he added.Laxman felt India werenot disciplined enough inthe series.

“Many congratulationsto the @BLACKCAPS onbeating India and winningthe Test series comprehen-sively. India couldn't show

the discipline required tostick it out and will bedeeply disappointed,”Laxman tweeted.

Former India openerAakash Chopra saidKohli’s team did not evencompete in the series,unlike the tours ofEngland and South Africain 2018.

“India under Kohli com-peted in most Tests over-seas....but this series wasdifferent. India only par-ticipated. Batting and the

inability to dismiss NZ'slower-order let Indiadown,” said Chopra.

Batting and the inabilityto dismiss the tail quicklyhurt India the most. In a Qand A session on Twitter,former batsmanManjrekar had a word ofadvice for the nationalteam. “Trying too hard toget the tail out? Best tostick with normal plansthat you have for top order.Tail Enders now are not soeasy to dismiss with a

bouncer followed by aYorker,” he said.

India played just onewarm-up game before theTest series but Manjrekarsaid away tours are not allabout planning. “It’s notjust about planning. It’sabout making the bestwith what you have.Indian conditions throwup certain kind of playerswith certain instincts andstyles. Go to NZ you haveto reinvent yourself,” hesaid. — PTI

Up in smoke

WE CAN’T LIVEIN DENIAL, SAYSINDIA SKIPPER

India lacked discipline: Former players

Series/Venue Opponents Result AVG

2002-03 in NZ NZ 0-2 (2) 13.37

1969-70 in India NZ 1-1 (3) 16.61

2019-20 in NZ NZ 0-2 (2) 18.05

1952 in England England 0-3 (4) 18.70

1932 in England England 0-1 (1) 18.80

New Zealand pose with the trophy after winning the Test series 2-0.

INDIAN BATSMEN’S WORST SERIES

Series M Runs AVG H.S

Australia in India in 2016-17 3 46 9.20 15

India in NZ in 2019-20 2 38 9.50 19

India in England in 2014 5 134 13.40 39

India in Bangladesh in 2015 1 14 14.00 14

India in West Indies in 2011 3 76 15.20 30

STATS: S. PERVEZ QAISER

KOHLI’S DISAPPOINTING TEST SERIES

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson. — AP

Rajkot, March 2: Mediumpacer Chintan Gaja grabbeda fifer to lead Gujarat’s fight-back after they conceded a52-run first-innings leadagainst Saurashtra on thethird day of their RanjiTrophy semi-final here onMonday.

Gaja (5/15) reducedSaurashtra to 66 for 5 intheir second essay at the endof the day three as the hoststook an overall lead of 118 atthe SCA Stadium inKhandheri. The 25-year-oldAhmedabad-born Gajabowled in the right areasand was handsomelyrewarded for his efforts. Hisscalps included HarvikDesai (0), Kishan Parmar (0),

Avi Barot (1), VishwarajJadeja (6) and first-inningscenturion Sheldon Jackson(0) to reduced Saurashtra to15 for 5.

Bengal take firm control At Kolkata, hosts Bengaltightened their grip byreducing Karnataka to 98 forthree after setting them astiff 352-run target on day

three of the contest.Bengal could manage just

161 but the massive 190-runfirst innings lead meant thatKarnataka now have amountain to climb. AnustupMajumdar, who staged afourth rescue-act this seasonwith an unbeaten 149 in thefirst innings, hit a combative41. — PTI

Pacer Gaja leads Gujarat’s fightback

Karnataka’s Abhimanyu Mithun appeals for a wicket againstBengal during their Ranji semifinal. — PTI

Melbourne, March 2:Defending championsAustralia advanced to theICC Women’s T20 WorldCup semifinals afterknocking out NewZealand with a four-runwin in their must-winfinal Group A match hereon Monday.

Beth Mooney’s brillianthalf-century proved thedifference as four-timechampions Australia halt-ed New Zealand in a chaseof 155 four runs short.Mooney hit 60 off 50 ballsin the must-win match.

Leg-spinner GeorgiaWareham’s three for 17

sent the top-order into col-lapse and ensured a semi-final berth for the hosts,who will face either SouthAfrica or England inSydney.

Brief scores: Australia 155/5in 20 overs (Beth Mooney60, Anna Peterson 2/31) btNew Zealand 151/7 in 20overs (Georgia Wareham3/17, Megan Schutt 3/28).

Reigning champions Australiain semifinals, New Zealand out

Megan Schutt of Australia celebrates a wicket. — ICC

RANJI BRIEF SCORES■ Bengal 312 and 161 in 54.4 overs (Sudip Chatterjee 45,Anustup Majumdar 41, Shahbaz Ahmed 31; AbhimanyuMithun 4/23, Krishnappa Gowtham 3/15) vs Karnataka122 and 98/3 in 38 overs (Devdutt Paddikkal 50 batting).

■ Saurashtra 304 and 66/5 (Chetan Sakariya 32 batting,Chintan Gaja 5/15) vs Gujarat 252 (Rujul Bhatt 71, ChintanGaja 61; Jaydev Unadkat 3/86).

M. LL. JJaisimha

GAMES pg 16DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2020

SHORT

New Delhi: Young Indian shut-tlers Tasnim Mir and Mansi

Singh won a bronze medal eachin the girls’ singles event at the

Yonex Dutch JuniorInternational 2020 in Haarlem,

Netherlands. It was the firsttime India won two bronze

medals in girls’ singles at thisBWF Junior International Grand

Prix tournament.Mir put up a gritty show againstthe third seed So Yul Lee but it

was not enough as theKorean pulled off a

19-21, 10-22 win in 36minutes in the semifi-nals on Sunday. The

11th seeded Mir,gold medallist at the

Dubai InternationalSeries last year, has had a sen-sational run at this tournamentand showed exceptional fight-

ing spirit against higher-rankedplayers, a release from the

Badminton Association of Indiasaid. — PTI

DC CORRESPONDENTVIJAYAWADA, MARCH 2

Vennam Jyothi Surekha,Vijayawada based international

archer and Arjuna Awardee,created two national records in

the selection trials at Sonepatin Haryana to make the Indian

team for the Archery WorldCup to be held from May 10 to

17 in Antalya, Turkey.Surekha secured 12/12 pointsto be ranked No.1. She scored

709/720 to break her ownnational record of 707/720.

Surekha’s 709 is also thesame as the Asian record. She

broke another record in thedouble fifty round by scoring1411/1440 (4×36) surpassing

her earlier mark of 1405/1440.The world record stands at

1412.

Surekha shatterstwo Natl records

Hyderabad Bullsbeaten by Kings

Jr shuttlers bagDutch bronzes

London, March 2: PepGuardiola hailed hisManchester City side’sdesire to leave a lastinglegacy after lifting a third

straight League Cup bybeating Aston Villa

2-1 at Wembleyon Sunday

thanks togoals fromS e r g i oA g u e r o

and Rodrigo.City have now won eight

of the last nine trophieson offer in English foot-ball under Guardiola,who has now won 29 tro-phies in his managerialcareer.

“(Since) we won thefirst title here againstArsenal in the LeagueCup we played 11 compe-

titions and won eight. Isa lot,” said Guardiola.

“For this club it isnot just about one

title it is aboutshowing everygame we playcounts and we

want to win.“ E v e r y b o d y

knows we have theresponsibility to fight, totry to win the titles. Eightout of 11 is somethingremarkable.”

After City sped into a 2-0 lead inside 30 minutes,Mbwana Samatta pulled agoal back for Villa, buttheir wait for the club’sfirst silverware since 1996goes on. “I’m disappoint-ed. Everyone wrote us off,but there was a lot ofbelief in that dressingroom,” said Villa bossDean Smith.

“Unfortunately youhave a mountain to climbagainst a team like ManCity when you go 2-0behind.”

Guardiola made eightchanges from the sidethat won 2-1 at RealMadrid in the ChampionsLeague on Wednesdaywith Kevin de Bruyneamong those left on thebench.

However, it mattered lit-tle as City had the luxuryof recalling Aguero,Raheem Sterling andDavid Silva to the start-ing XI, and the gulf inclass showed.

Guardiola’s raft ofchanges also handed arare start to Phil Fodenand the 19-year-old morethan justified his selec-tion with a man-of-the-match performance.

— AFP

Madrid, March 2: RealMadrid won the Clasicoand might have savedtheir season as theyended their slump in thebest way possible onSunday by beatingBarcelona 2-0 and return-ing to the top of La Liga.

Vinicius Junior’sdeflected finish and astoppage-time goal fromMariano Diaz decided afrenzied contest at theSantiago Bernabeu,where Madrid found newlife after a ChampionsLeague defeat byManchester City had leftthem on the brink of cri-sis. “It’s been a toughweek,” said Real Madridmanager ZinedineZidane. “We talked abouthow we had an opportuni-ty this weekend and wetook it.”

Victory put them onepoint clear at the top ofthe table and shifts focusback to Quique Setien’sBarcelona, who were out-fought and, at times, out-played. “The reality is welost a lot of confidencewith the ball,” saidSetien. “We entered a

nervous spell and that’swhen the goal came.”

Lionel Messi’s raspingshot was saved by Realgoalkeeper ThibautCourtois in the first halfbut it was the Argentine’sopposing captain, SergioRamos, who was thrash-ing his arms in celebra-tion after the final whis-tle.

His reaction was anindication of the impor-tance of this victory, notonly for the effect it hason the standings but onthe dynamic of the titlerace, which had seemedto be switching firmly infavour of Barca.

OPPORTUNITY MISSED

Cristiano Ronaldo, now ofJuventus, was watchingfrom an executive boxand Madrid could havedone with him during aperiod in which they hadwon only one of their lastfive games.

Zidane said onSaturday thismatch would notdecide who liftedthe trophy in Maybut a Barca win and

a five-point gap mightwell have been difficult toclose. Yet from the startBarcelona seemed keenerto kill

the game than win it,playing for time in thehope of keeping the con-test tight, when theymight have been betteroff attacking their oppo-nents’ fragility.

“The Madrid we facedin the first half wasone of the worstMadrids I have facedat the Bernabeu,”

said Gerard Pique. “I don’t say it asa criticism, wealso have ourproblems, but

we’ve missed an opportu-nity.”

There was more tensionthan creativity in theearly stages as FedeValverde crashed intoArthur Melo before fel-low Spain full-backs DaniCarvajal and Jordi Albawere both booked after adisagreement.

Madrid had the better ofthe play and regularlybroke at speed throughVinicius down the left butconstantly they failed tomake the final pass, withIsco once left with hishead in his hands afterMarcelo opted not to pullthe ball back.

SLOW BAARCA

Barcelona’s passing wasslow and their lack ofurgency obvious. At one

point Messi bent to tiehis bootlaces and

re-spotted theball before tak-ing a corner.

— AFP

RealMadrid’s

Mariano Diaz (bot-tom) celebrates with

teammates after scoringagainst Barcelona in their

La Liga match atSantiago Bernabeu in

Madrid on Sunday.— AP

THE RESULTSReal Madrid 2 (Vinicius 71, Mariano90+2) Barcelona 0

Espanyol 1 (Savic 24-og) Atletico Madrid 1(Niguez 47)

Sevilla 3 (En-Nesyri 13, 90+3,Ocampos 45+1)Osasuna 2 (Aridane 64,Torres 74-pen)

THE RESULTAston Villa 1 (Samatta 41)Manchester City 2 (Aguero 20, Rodri 30)

Madrid outplay sloppy Barca to snap theirunbeaten run and regain top spot in La Liga

League Cup highfor Guardiola’s men

Manchester City captain David Silva lifts the trophy ashis teammates celebrate their win after the EnglishLeague Cup final against Aston Villa on Sunday. — AFP


Karimnagar Kings defeatedHyderabad Bulls 60-22 in their

Telangana Premier KabaddiLeague Season III match at the

Kotla Vijay Bhasker ReddyIndoor Stadium here on

Tuesday.The winner lead 33-8 at half-

time.Munish Kumar of Karimnagar

was adjudged best raider of thematch for his 15 points while

Shiva Kumar, also ofKarimnagar, was named best

defender for saving six points.In another match, Mancherial

Tigers beat Gadwal Gladiators42-31 after leading 22-15 at

half-time.Nitin Panwar of Mancherialwas the best raider of the

match with 14 points while histeammate Subham was

adjudged the best defender.Nalgonda Eagles also won.

They beat Warangal Warriors52-35, riding on Mallikarjun’s 23

points and good defending bySai Ram. The Eagles were 26-14

ahead at half-time.


Sanathnagar Playgroundunder GHMC added yet anotherfeather in their cap by winning

their first ever All IndiaBasketball Championship held

at Nanded, Maharashtra.In both the semifinal and final

of the K. Shanker Rao ChauhanMemorial Tournament,

Sanathnagar prevailed by onepoint. In the summit clash, they

rode on good performancesfrom Shiva Kumar (23) andBasanth Kumar (15) to beat

Mumbai Police 58-57. Earlier inthe semifinal, powered by P. V.

Nikhil Sai (23) and M.Prudhvishwar (25) they defeat-

ed Mumbai 76-75.

Sanathnagar winbasketball title

TAKES

Reality check

Amman (Jordan),March 2: World silver-medallist Amit Panghal(52kg) has been given thetop billing in the men’scompetition while theiconic M.C. Mary Kom(51kg) seeded second inthe women’s event of theAsian OlympicQualifiers for boxingstarting here onTuesday.

Eight men and fivewomen from India willbe aiming to secureTokyo Olympics berthsat the continental eventbeing conducted by theInternational OlympicCommittee’s BoxingTask Force.

While Panghal is thelone Indian man to beseeded, two-time worldb r o n z e - m e d a l l i s tLovlina Borgohain(69kg) and Pooja Rani(75kg) have been seededsecond and fourthrespectively in thewomen’s competition.

The Indian teamarrived in Jordan onFriday last week after atraining stint in Assisi,Italy, a country battlingthe novel coronavirusoutbreak which hasclaimed over 3,000 livesacross the world sincebeing discovered inWuhan, China.

“Everything is finehere. The team is in highspirits and we are look-ing forward to a strongperformance,” Indianboxing’s HighPerformance Director

Santiago Nieva said.“We have worked on

some areas to ensurethat our opponents donot stand a chance,” heasserted.

The tournament has 63quota places on offer anda boxer will be assuredfor a Tokyo ticket onreaching the semifinalsstage.

In some weight cate-gories, depending on thesize of the draw, therecould be box-offsbetween losing quarter-

finalists to decide theOlympic berths.

The Indian hopes willbe spearheaded byPanghal and Mary Kom,both proven and consis-tent performers on thebig stage.

Panghal became thefirst Indian male boxerto claim a world silvermedal in September lastyear, while Mary Komcollected a record-shat-tering eighth worldmedal a month later inthe same year. — PTI

New Delhi, March 2: TheAzlan Shah Cup hockeytournament on Mondaybecame the latest sportingevent to be affected by thenovel coronavirus out-break, pushed from April toSeptember in the wake ofthe deadly disease which isspreading across the world.

The tournament, whichwas scheduled to be held inIpoh, Malaysia from April11 to 18, will now be heldfrom September 24 toOctober 3, the organiserssaid in a statement. India, aregular at the event, wasnot supposed to participatethis year.

“...It is in the best interestof the players, officials andall parties involved that the29th edition of of theSultan Azlan Shah CupMen’s Hockey Tournament2020 to be postponed,”Orgainsing Committechairman Dato’ Haji AbdRahim Bin Md said in astatement.

“The outbreak of COVID-19 which is spreading rap-idly in Korea and Japan.The health and well-beingof the teams, especiallyAustralia, Canada andJapan should be taken intoconsideration as not tojeopardise their prepara-tion for the TokyoOlympics,” he added.

The OrganisingCommittee apologised forthe inconvenience but saidthe decision was takenkeeping in mind the cur-rent crisis across the world.

TWO ASIAN SQUASHEVENTS DELAYED

Two squash events — theAsian TeamChampionships inMalaysia and the AsianJunior IndividualChampionships in China —have been postponed due tocoronavirus outbreak.

The Asian TeamChampionships was sched-uled to be held in KualaLumpur from March 25 to29, while the Asian JuniorIndividual Championshipwas to be staged inQuingdao, China from June29 to July 3.

The decision was taken atthe Annual General

Meeting of the AsianSquash Federation .

The ASF said that freshdates for both the eventswill be announced later.

ASIAN RACE WALKMEET CALLED OFF

The Asian 20km Race WalkChampionships in Japanscheduled for March 15,where 13 Indians were totake part, has been can-celled due to the novel coro-navirus outbreak.

Tokyo Olympics-boundBhawana Jat was to leadthe Indian challenge in theevent earlier scheduled tobe held in Nomi city.

— Agencies

Amit gets top billing, Mary second

New Delhi, March 2:The one-year doping banon former Asian silver-medallist boxer SumitSangwan was on Mondaylifted after he proved thathis intake of a bannedsubstance was uninten-tional in a hearing con-ducted by the NationalAnti-Doping Agency here.

“Sumit has been clearedand his ban lifted as hehas convinced the NADApanel that the diuretic hetested positive for was acase of unintentionalintake,” a BoxingFederation of India offi-cial said.

Sangwan was bannedfor a year in December2019 after testing positivefor Acetazolamide, listedas a diuretic and maskingagent under World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2019Prohibited List.

“I am relieved, a hugeweight is off my shoul-ders. I knew I wasn’t inthe wrong. I am glad Icould prove myself,” anemotional Sangwan said.

The suspension, howev-er, cost Sangwan dearly asthe 2012 Olympian missedout on appearing for tri-als for this year’s TokyoOlympics. — PTI

SANGWAN’S1-YR DOPING BAN LIFTED

Azlan Shah Cup hockey postponed due to virus

Bangkok, March 2: Thailand’s MotoGP was post-poned over the new coronavirus on Monday as motor-cycling’s premier championship took its second hit intwo days from the deadly outbreak.

A day after the season-opening Qatar MotoGP wasaxed, Thailand organisers postponed the March 20-22race in Buriram without setting a new date.

“I don’t say it’s cancelled, I just say it is postponeduntil time allows us to do (the event),” AnutinCharnvirakul, chairman of the Thailand MotoGPorganising committee, said.

“It’s because of the coronavirus,” added Anutin, whois also Thailand’s deputy prime minister and healthminister.

“We need to postpone it today until further notice.”The move means both of the season’s first two raceshave been shelved. The next race on the schedule is inAustin, Texas on April 5. — AFP

AFTER QATAR, THAILANDMOTOGP ALSO CANCELLED

ASIAN OLYMPIC | BOXING QUALIFIERS

● Vinicius Junior’sdeflected finish anda stoppage-timegoal from MarianoDiaz decided afrenzied contest atthe SantiagoBernabeu, whereMadrid found newlife after aChampions Leaguedefeat byManchester Cityhad left them onthe brink of crisis.

AmitPanghal

Regd. No. H/SD/509/2018-20Printed and Published by T.

Venkateswarlu on behalf of DeccanChronicle Holdings Limited. Printedat Deccan Chronicle Press situatedat Plot No. 9 Alwal Village, VallabhNagar Taluk, Medchal Malkajgiri

Dist. Telangana and Published at 36,S.D. Road, Secunderabad-3.

RNI Registration No. 3081/1957.Editor: Aditya Sinha

Vennam JJyothi SSurekha

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