PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM GUWAHATI & DIBRUGARH

RN-1127/57 TECH/GH – 103/2018-2020, VOL. 82, NO. 87 GUWAHATI, TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

82 years of service to the nation

www.assamtribune.com ePaper app for The Assam Tribune Pages 12 Price: 6.00GET IT ONGoogle Play

p3 p7 p11Plane with medical supplieslands in Nagaland

Counter superstition oncoronavirus: PM

Tokyo Olympics rescheduledfor July 23-August 8 in 2021

Wait, let me first sanitize thecurrency notes!

JOCOSERIOUS

Prince Charlesrecovers from

COVID-19

LONDON, March 30: Brit-

ain’s Prince Charles came out

of self-isolation on Monday,

seven days after it was con-

firmed that he had tested

positive for coronavirus, a

royal spokesperson said.

The 71-year-old heir to the

British throne had been self-

isolating on the Queen’s Bal-

moral estate in Scotland after

he had been tested by the Na-

tional Health Service (NHS)

in Aberdeenshire last week.

SEE PAGE 2

NEW DELHI, March 30:

Reiterating that COVID-19 is

still in the local transmission

stage in India, the Health Min-

istry on Monday said it took

12 days for cases of infection

to rise from 100 to 1,000 and

that the rate of increase has

been slower than some of the

developed countries.

Addressing the daily press

briefing on COVID-19, Joint

Secretary in the Ministry of

Health Lav Agarwal said 92

new cases and four deaths

due to coronavirus have

No community transmissionyet in India: Centre

been reported in India since

Sunday, taking total cases to

1,071 and the number of

deaths to 29.

“It took 12 days for cases to

rise from 100 to 1,000 in our

country, whereas seven other

developed nations having less-

er population than us have seen

multiple increase,” he said.

Agarwal attributed the

slow pace of rise in cases in

India to people’s participation

in following social distancing

and the preemptive actions

taken by the Centre along

with state governments.

SEE PAGE 2

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30:

The Assam council of minis-

ters today decided to launch a

series of schemes for the ben-

efit of 72 lakh families in view

of the coronavirus outbreak.

The meeting presided over

by Chief Minister Sarbananda

Sonowal decided that from

April 1, 58 lakh families will get

free rice under the National

Food Security (NFS) Scheme.

The scheme will also cov-

er poor families who do not

Farmers, tea pluckersto resume activity

have NFS cards and they will

be given Rs 1000 each.

The people of BTAD, Dima

Hasao and Karbi Anglong Au-

tonomous Council will also be

benefited from the scheme.

The trucks carrying essen-

tials will be allowed to enter

the State from April 1.

In view of possibility of

floods, construction and re-

pair of embankments will

start from April 1. Tea gar-

dens will also be allowed

plucking of green leaves from

April 1 but they will have to

follow the guidelines issued

by the deputy commission-

ers and health department.

Similarly, rice mills, biscuit

factories, etc., will also be al-

lowed to be open subject to

permission of the Deputy

Commissioners.

Deputy commissioners

will fix the timings of keep-

ing grocery shops open from

April 1. From the same date

farmers will also be allowed

to carry on with their work

by following the guidelines of

the health department.

NEW DELHI, March30: The government onMonday said that therewas no immediate plan toextend the 21-day lock-down amid fears that shut-down of businesses acrossthe country to counter thespread of coronavirus maytrigger severe economicand social distress.

The clarification by Cabi-

net Secretary Rajiv Gauba

came after hundreds of thou-

No plan to extend21-day lockdown: Govt

sands of migrant labourers

undertook long journeys

from major urban centres on

foot to their homes in the last

five days, reflecting their

struggle for survival due to

job losses following the na-

tionwide lockdown.

The Central government

has already directed states to

make arrangements for shel-

ter and food for the migrant

workers.

In a tweet, the government’s

Press Information Bureau said:

“There are rumours & media

reports, claiming that the Gov-

ernment will extend the

#Lockdown21 when it ex-

pires. The Cabinet Secretary

has denied these reports, and

stated that they are baseless.”

A Group of Minister

(GoM) headed by Defence

Minister Rajnath Singh on

Sunday carried out a compre-

hensive review of the situa-

tion arising out of the lock-

down, including movement of

the migrant labourers.

There has been fears that the

lockdown may spark severe

economic and social distress.

VentilatorsNEW DELHI, March 30:

The government hasasked automobilemanufacturers to use theirfacilities to produceventilators to boost thecountry’s capacity of suchmachines in view of risingCOVID-19 cases. TheDRDO will beginmanufacturing 20,000 N-95 masks per day withinthe next week. – PTI

FacebookWASHINGTON, March

30: Facebook today said itwas donating USD 100million to support newsorganisations globallyhurting from thecoronavirus pandemic,citing the need for reliableinformation about thecrisis. – AFP

Oil pricesNEW DELHI, March 30:

International oil prices onMonday plunged to a 17-year low but retail petroland diesel prices in Indiaremained on freeze as oilcompanies continued toset off gains against theexcise duty hiked by thegovernment. – PTI

HRD advisoryNEW DELHI, March

30: The HRD Ministry onMonday directed theNational Testing Agencyto postpone the last dateof acceptance ofapplications for multipleexams conducted by it,including UGC NET andJNU entrance test, amidthe coronaviruspandemic. – PTI

COCOCOCOCOVID-19VID-19VID-19VID-19VID-19 sta sta sta sta statustustustustusin in in in in INDIAINDIAINDIAINDIAINDIA

lllll Confirmed 1071cases

lllll Cured/ 100Discharged

lllll Death 29

Figures include

foreign nationals

As on 30/03/2020 at 10.30 am

Source: Ministry of Health& Family Welfare

Maintain DISTANCE

Save SOCIETY SEE PAGE 2

Rice mills, biscuit factories to open on April 1

Monkeys being fed in Guwahati on Monday. – UB Photos

For pick up of

ClassifiedAdvertisements

from your doorstep ...

Ph: 97060-43680

or 70860-44611

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 20202 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

INHOUSE BUSINESS

PROJECT OPPORTUNITY

WORKING ON SYSTEMS IN

OFFLINE PROCESS FOR

HOUSEWIFE, BUSINESS-

MAN, STUDENTS, RETIRED

PEOPLE & ETC. 9803490999,

6901274755.

SV/P/AC006723/20

Job Vacancy in Canada Dubai

Europe Hiring for

Administration Engineer, Front

Office, Accountant, Store

Keeper, Cashier, Sales,

Hospitality, Logistic, Driver,

Helper, Packager, Guard, Welder

www.sahyogglobal.co.in. Ph:

8011495748, 7432980389.

SV/RL001062/6

Direct X, XII, D.El.Ed, B.Ed.,

M.Ed., LLB, MSW, Degree,

Masters admission is going on.

NIDL 8133043407.

Edu/P/UP003719/15

Admission Open: Diploma in

Montessori Teachers Training at

ABC, GS Road, 9435438536,

8638481752.

Edu/P/SC000429/8

Mathematics Point provides

Home/Group Tuition for Physics,

Chemistry, Mathematics Class (I-

XII). Ph: 88110-91708.

Tuition/P/AC006882/15

Home Tuition for Mathematics

(Basic/Standard) poor result?

More than 95%? Guaranteed. Ph.

7896296671.

Tuition/P/SP005045/8

Online class, Physics, Maths (XI,

XII), JEE, NEET. From

anywhere. Contact:

9401538617.

Tuition/.../1

Improve 50% Maths, Science

score in next Exam? Class IV-

XII. Call: 9706185539

# Mathspro.

Tuition/P/AC006848/1

FOR GENTS AND BOYS

PARTY WEAR, SUITS,

SHERWANIES, KURTA

PAIJAMA AT SANSKARR,

2ND FLOOR SHOPPER’S

POINT, FANCY BAZAR,

GUWAHATI-1.

Garments/P/SP004829/10

CD/Edu/BL001638/12

JOIN PERFECT TRAINER

FOR BEST IELTS, SPOKEN

ENGLISH & PERSONALITY

DEVELOPMENT TRAINING

# 8486040099.

SE/P/SC000406/30

HEAVY DISCOUNT ....

HURRY: SPOKEN ENGLISH

& PERSONALITY

DEVELOPMENT (2)

COMPUTER EDUCATION

(3) MONTESSORI

TEACHERS TRAINING (4)

FASHION DESIGNING (5)

BEAUTICIAN (6) JOURNA-

LISM & MASS COMMU-

NICATION. *MORPH*, PH:

9864016078- GANESHGURI,

SILPUKHURI- 9954212210.

SE/P/SC000454/8

CD/M&S/RL001074/1

Approx. 750 sq.ft. 2 BHK and

1240/1340 sq.ft. 3 BHK flat for

sale at Jalukbari, Ghy-14. Cont

No. 98540-61109, 86380-

74508.

H&F/BL001684/9

Buy/Sale/Condition/Problem etc.

North East Property

Consultancy: 9101639541.

L&P/P/NP002158/12

2500 to 98,000 sq. ft Industrial

Shed/Warehouse, Godown at

Khanapara, Beltola, Lokhra,

Amingaon, Changsari, Mirza.

9435403986.

Godown/P/AC006815/1

Website Designing starting at

Rs. 5000/-, Digital Marketing

(Google SEO, Facebook,

Instagram) starting at Rs. 8000/-.

Contact: 70023-90792.

Website/P/SP004979/8

Adhunik Packers & Movers, An

ISO:9001:2008, Household

goods, Cars. All India, 0361-

2510232, 94017-85901,

98641-95237, Email:

ramesh.agarwal2010@yahoo.com

P&M/BL001648/11

Trump says peak US death rate likely in 2 weeksExtends ‘social distancing’ until Apr 30

WASHINGTON, March

30: Some one lakh people in

the US may die from the

coronavirus pandemic and the

peak death rate was likely to

hit the country in two weeks,

President Donald Trump has

warned, citing his health ex-

perts as he extended the “so-

cial distancing” guidelines un-

til April 30.

His statement came as the

death toll in New York state,

America’s epicentre of COVID-

19, crossed the 1,000 mark, with

Governor Andrew Cuomo

warning that thousands of people

may die before the crisis ends.

The total number of con-

firmed coronavirus cases in the

US stood at 143,025 and 2,509

people have died in the coun-

try, according to data from

Johns Hopkins University. As-

suring his countrymen that he

expects the US to be on its

way to recovery by June 1,

Trump told reporters at a tele-

vised White House news con-

ference that he had to extend

the social distancing measures

till April 30, based on the ad-

vice from his two top public

health advisers and members

of the White House Task Force

on Coronavirus: Dr Deborah

Bix and Dr Anthony Fauci.

“They demonstrate that

the mitigation measures we

are putting in place may sig-

nificantly reduce the number

of new infections and ulti-

mately the number of fatali-

ties,” he said.

“I want the American

people to know that your self-

less inspiring and valiant efforts

are saving countless lives. You

are making a difference. The

modeling estimates that the

peak and death rate is likely to

hit in two weeks,” Trump said

during his second Rose Gar-

den press conference on the

coronavirus outbreak.

Trump predicted his deci-

sion would save hundreds of

thousands of lives, in an appar-

ent moving of the political

goalposts to account for the fast

worsening US pandemic.

“2.2 million people would

have died if we didn’t do

what we are doing,” the

President said. “If we can

hold that number down ... to

100,000, it’s a horrible num-

ber, maybe even less... we

all, all together have done a

very good job,” Trump said.

The new April 30 date

marks yet another reversal of

position on the pandemic by the

President, who last week made

it clear he did not pick the Eas-

ter date, April 12, based on data

but because it was a “beautiful

timeline.” – PTI

Iran deaths reach2,757; infections

cross 40,000TEHRAN, March 30:

Iran’s official coronavirus

death toll reached 2,757 on

Monday and the number of

infections crossed 40,000, as

President Hassan Rouhani’s

political opponents slammed

his response to the outbreak.

The Islamic republic is one

of the countries worst hit by

the virus, which originated in

China. Iran has been scram-

bling to contain COVID-19’s

spread since it reported its

first cases on February 19.

After weeks of refraining

from imposing lockdown or

quarantine measures, Tehran

decided on Wednesday to ban

all intercity travel until at

least April 8, but some in the

establishment have argued it

is too little, too late.

Health Ministry spokes-

man Kianoush Jahanpour said

at a daily news briefing that

117 more people had died

from the virus over the past

24 hours and 3,186 new cas-

es had been confirmed.

According to Jahanpour,

13,911 of those hospitalised

because of the virus have re-

covered, while 3,511 are in a

critical condition.

There is no official lock-

down in Iran’s cities although

the government has repeat-

edly urged Iranians to stay

home to contain the spread

of the virus.

“Coronavirus could have

been more quickly contained,

if the Health Ministry’s ex-

pert opinion regarding imple-

menting social distancing and

social limitations was consid-

ered sooner,” Iran’s judiciary

chief Ebrahim Raisi was quot-

ed by ISNA news agency as

saying. Raisi, an ultra-con-

servative who ran against

Rouhani in the 2017 presi-

dential election, added that

“time is of the essence” and

that people started “cooper-

ating” only after authorities

appeared serious. – AFP

Coronavirus couldhave been morequickly contained,if the healthministry’s expertopinion regardingimplementingsocial distancingand sociallimitations wasconsidered sooner

– Ebrahim Raisi

“

Wuhan’s virus ground-zeromarket hides in plain sight

WUHAN (China), March

30: In the Chinese city of

Wuhan, the wet market that

spawned the pandemic which

has brought the world to its

knees now slumbers quietly

behind a tidy-looking blue-

and-white partition.

But there are ample clues

that something toxic once

lurked inside the Huanan Sea-

food Market – police tape,

chest-high red barriers, and

staff in head-to-toe white haz-

mat suits lugging equipment.

Chinese disease control

officials have previously iden-

tified wild animals sold in the

market as the source of the

coronavirus pandemic that

has taken more than 33,000

lives worldwide so far and

rocked the global economy.

A price list issued by one

merchant at the sprawling

emporium, which circulated

on China’s internet in January,

contained a smorgasbord of

exotic wildlife including civets,

rats, snakes, giant salamanders

and even live wolf pups.

Markets such as this are the

final stop in what conservation-

ists say is a brutal trade in wild

animals that is fuelled in large

part by Chinese consumption.

It caters to an enduring

demand for wild animals as

exotic menu items or for use

in traditional medicines

whose efficacy is not con-

firmed by science.

The Wuhan market was

sealed and disinfected begin-

ning in January after the out-

break began to spread.

Now only disinfecting crews

go in and out. Long red ban-

ners stretch across the tempo-

rary blue wall, exhorting pas-

sersby to do their part in the

fight against the virus. – AFP

No resting placefor coronavirus

dead in IraqBAGHDAD, March 30: For Saad Malik, losing his father to

the novel coronavirus was only the beginning of his night-

mare. For over a week, cemeteries across Iraq refused to

allow the elderly man’s burial.

Fearing the respiratory illness could somehow spread from

the corpses to nearby population centres, Iraqi religious au-

thorities, tribes and townspeople have sent the bodies of

COVID-19 victims back to hospital morgues, where they are

piling up.

“We couldn’t hold a funeral for him and haven’t been able to

bury his body, even though it’s been more than a week since

he died,” Malik told AFP, his voice laced with bitterness.

Armed men claiming to be tribal leaders threatened Malik,

his family and his friends, saying they would set fire to his car

if they tried to bury the body in their area.

“Can you imagine that across this huge country Iraq, there

aren’t a few square metres to bury a small number of bod-

ies?” In Islam, a person must be buried as soon as possible

after death, usually within 24 hours. Cremation is strictly

prohibited.

Iraq has confirmed more than 500 COVID-19 cases and 42

deaths from the respiratory disease, but the real numbers are

likely much higher as few of the country’s 40 million people

have been tested. – AFP

Chinese disease control

officials have previously

identified wild animals sold in

the market as the source of

the coronavirus pandemic

Moscow begins lockdown, as Russiaregions prepare for confinement

MOSCOW, March 30:

Moscow on Monday im-

posed a lockdown in a bid to

slow the spread of the coro-

navirus as Russian Prime

Minister Mikhail Mishustin

asked regional authorities to

make similar preparations.

The enforcement of the

tough new rules, which were

suddenly announced by Mos-

cow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin

late on Sunday, coincide with

the beginning of a “non-

working” week declared by

President Vladimir Putin last

week.

Europe’s largest city an-

nounced the strict new isola-

tion measures after many

Muscovites refused to heed

official recommendations and

self-isolate at the weekend

and instead went to parks for

barbecues.

On Monday, the streets of

Moscow were deserted fol-

lowing the closure of all non-

essential shops, including

restaurants and cafes, but

traffic was still seen on the

roads in the city centre.

“I ask regional heads to

work on the introduction of

quarantines similar to the one

introduced in Moscow,”

Mishustin said at a govern-

ment meeting. – AFP

The streets of Moscow weredeserted following the closureof all non-essential shops,including restaurants and cafes,but traffic was still seen on theroads in the city centre

Israeli PM entersquarantine

JERUSALEM, March 30:

Israeli Prime Minister Ben-

jamin Netanyahu’s office said

on Monday that he will enter

quarantine after an aide on

Knesset affairs tested posi-

tive for coronavirus.

Neyanyahu’s office said the

step was a precaution and is

being taken even before the

epidemiological investigation

has been concluded, Haaretz

newspaper reported.

Israel is under total lock-

down with people not al-

lowed to even walk beyond

100 metres from their

homes and have been gener-

ally advised to go out only to

stock up food. So far, 4,347

Israelis have tested positive

for the coronavirus, with the

vast majority of cases mild

and 134 recoveries. Sixteen

patients have died and 95 are

in serious condition. One Is-

raeli tourist died in Italy, the

paper said. – PTI

Indian expat in Dubai emergesas unsung hero amid lockdown

DUBAI, March 30: An Indian ex-

pat in Dubai has emerged as one of

the unsung heroes in the time of coro-

navirus lockdown in the Gulf nation

as everyday he hits the road on his

bike to do food deliveries to ensure

that people don’t step out of their

houses during the closure.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE),

of which Dubai is a member, has re-

ported 570 cases of coronavirus and

three deaths. The UAE has extended

the nationwide lockdown till April 5.

Home deliveries of food items have

been exempted from the purview of

the lockdown.

Murali Shambantham, a delivery

man working in Dubai for the past 15

years, said he never thought that he

would have to face such unprecedent-

ed times.

However, the 42-year-old, who con-

tinued with his regular job amid the lock-

down, said he is grateful that he is being

able to support a family of four back in

Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur town, the Kha-

leej Times reported on Monday.

“Someone needs to do this job and

is an essential item. How can you de-

prive someone of food? If we don’t

step up, how will people who do not

have running kitchens in their homes

eat?” he asked.

Shambantham, however, is aware

of the risk of exposure from people

who are seemingly asymptomatic.

Masks and gloves are his weapons

against the deadly viral infection as

he hits the road on his two-wheeler

to do food deliveries for a Dubai-based

Indian restaurant.

“I know it can be contracted

through cough droplets or by touch-

ing infected surfaces. Therefore, I

make sure to wear gloves and mask

to protect myself, apart from regu-

larly sanitising hands even after I park

my bike. I also maintain a certain phys-

ical distance and lean forward to hando-

ver the parcel,” Shambantham said.

He said food delivery men cannot

constantly keep feeling threatened.

They need to be committed to their

professions. – PTI

‘Tsunami of nCoV patients’ inUK hospitals soon

LONDON, March 30: The

UK’s government-run hos-

pitals are about to be flooded

with a “tsunami” of really

sick COVID-19 patients, an

Indian-origin doctor here has

said, sounding alarm that

mistakes at the highest lev-

els will result in a disaster.

Dr Guddi Singh, a paedi-

atrician who has been draft-

ed in to help adult patients

of COVID-19, said there is

huge anxiety in the Nation-

al Health Service (NHS),

over coronavirus and the

use of Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE), BBC re-

ported.

She said that the NHS, the

UK’s publicly-funded health-

care system, is about to be

flooded with COVID-19 pa-

tients.

The government says it is

increasing the capacity for

extra patients and placing

orders for PPE.

Singh said that mistakes at

the highest levels will result

in a disaster in the UK, the

report said.

“The NHS is about to be

flooded with a tsunami of re-

ally sick COVID-19 patients

that we do not have the ca-

pacity to deal with and there

is a huge amount of confusion

around the use and availabil-

ity of PPE,” she said.

“Hospitals in London are

overwhelmed, there is still

a serious shortage of PPE.

We have just been told to

close our eyes when any pa-

tient coughs. We feel com-

pletely helpless,” she quot-

ed some of her colleagues

as saying.

There is a massive lack

of clarity in guidance from

the high levels in NHS, she

added.

The UK’s health officials

have said that life may not

return to normal for six

months or longer as the

death toll reached more than

1,200. There are more than

17,089 confirmed cases in

the country.

Prime Minister Boris

Johnson, who is self-isolating

after testing positive for coro-

navirus, has written to eve-

ry UK household to ask peo-

ple to stay at home and fol-

low the social distancing

rules to fight the pandemic,

warning them things will get

worse before they get bet-

ter.

There have been at least

715,204 cases, including

33,568 fatalities in 183 coun-

tries and territories. – PTI

INTERNATIONAL

Prince Charles ...(Contd from page 1)

“Clarence House has confirmed today (Monday) that, hav-

ing consulted with his doctor, The Prince of Wales is now out

of self-isolation,” his spokesperson said.

His Clarence House royal office said the Prince was in “good

health” and was following the government’s restrictions as

he carries on working from home.

His wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, had tested negative

for the deadly virus at the same time, but the 72-year-old had

also been self-isolating separately in Balmoral. The royal cou-

ple were tested last Monday after they had flown out to Scot-

land in a jet and have remained there since then.

“It is not possible to ascertain from whom the Prince caught

the virus owing to the high number of engagements he car-

ried out in his public role during recent weeks,” Clarence

House had said at the time.

Prince Charles, who made international headlines as he

switched to the non-contact namaste as a form of greeting

just as the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic,

spent seven days of quarantine at his Birkhall home on the

royal Balmoral estate. – PTI

No community ...(Contd from page 1)

Underlining the importance of social distancing, he said even

one person’s carelessness can lead to the spread of this pan-

demic. He, however, said instead of panic, there is a need for

creating awareness about COVID-19.

“Technically, COVID-19 is still in the local transmission

stage in the country as there has been no community trans-

mission as of now,” he said, adding, “If there will be a commu-

nity transmission we will want to covey it to the community

through you (media) to increase the level of alertness and

management for COVID-19 at the field level.”

Speaking at the same press conference, Raman R Ganga-

khedkar, Head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases

at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said 38,442

tests have been conducted till now, out of which 3,501 were

done on Sunday.

He said 47 private laboratories have been given approval

for conducting COVID-19 tests and in the last three days,

1,334 tests have been done in private labs, he said. – PTI

No plan to ...(Contd from page 1)

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress

leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the sudden lockdown has

created immense “panic” and “confusion”. He called for steps

other than a total lockdown announced by some developed

nations to tackle the deadly disease.

Gandhi said the number of poor people in India who are

dependent on a daily income is too large to unilaterally

shut down all economic activities in the wake of the pan-

demic. – PTI

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 3

˜±Úª ¸ˆ¬…Ó¬±1 ¸øgé¬Ì.../ˆ¬øª¯∏…» øfl¡∑ Œfl¡øÓ¬˚˛± ’ôL¬Ûø1¬ı fl¡í1íÚ± ’±Ó¬—fl¡∑

3 ¤øõ∂˘ ¸—‡…±1 ø¬ıÀ˙¯∏ ’±fl¡¯∏«ÌÊ√±øÓ¬1 Œ¸ª±Ó¬ ά◊Â√ø·«Ó¬ 65 ¬ıÂ√1...

¬Û ø1 ˚˛± ˘ 1 ¸ fl¡ À˘± À1 ¬ı± À¬ı¤ ◊̋√√ ̧ —‡…±Ó¬ ’±ÀÂ√ñ

fl¡í1íÚ±fl¡ ∆˘ ˘í¬ı ˘·± ’±1n∏ ˘í¬ı ¬Û1± ¸±ªÒ±ÚÓ¬± ¸•ÛÀfl«¡ ά±–Ò√˜«fl¡±ôL fl≈¡yfl¡±11 ø√˝√√±º¬ı…±˚˛±˜, õ∂̱˚˛±˜ ’±1n∏ ¶§±¶ö… ά◊¬ÛÀ˚±·œ ‡±√… øfl¡˚˛ ’øÓ¬Àfl¡Ê√1n∏1œñ ˜˝√√±À√ª ŒÎ¬fl¡±1 ¬ı…±‡…±º‰¬±›“ÀÓ¬ ‰¬±›“ÀÓ¬ ˜±S øÓ¬øÚȬ± ˜±˝√√/ ñ90 ø√ÚÀÓ¬ ‰¬œÚ1 ά◊˝√√±Úõ∂À√˙1 fl¡í1íÚ± ˆ¬±˝◊√√1±ÀÂ√ ¸˜¢∂ ¬Û‘øÔªœ ’±&ø1 Œ¬Û˘±À˘º ˝◊√√˚˛±1’ôL Œfl¡øÓ¬˚˛± ¬Ûø1¬ı∑ ø¬ıÀ˙¯∏:¸fl¡À˘ øfl¡ fl¡˚˛∑fl¡í1íÚ±À1 ˚≈“øÊ√¬ı ¬Û1± õ∂±fl‘¡øÓ¬fl¡ Ê√œªÚ ‰¬˚«±/2019 ‰¬Ú1 ø¬ı:±Ú1 õ∂·øÓ¬ ’±øÂ√˘ øfl¡ øfl¡∑fl¡í1íÚ±fl¡ ∆˘ ’±ø˜ ¬Û±˘Ú fl¡ø1¬ı ¬Û1± √±ø˚˛Q øfl¡ øfl¡∑1±Ê√Ò±Úœ Œ˜˝◊√√˘, SêœÎ¬ˇ±—·Ú ’±1n∏ Œ√˙-ø¬ıÀ√˙º˘·ÀÓ¬ñ ¬Ûø1Àª˙ ¸—1é¬Ì ’±1n∏ ’±˜±1 √±˚˛¬ıXÓ¬±˚ é≈¬^õ∂fl‘¡øÓ¬1 ’øˆ¬˙±¬Û fl¡í1íÚ±˚ Œfl¡±øˆ¬Î¬-191 õ∂øÓ¬À¯∏Òfl¡Î¬◊æ√±ªÚ1 õ∂døÓ¬ ’±1n∏ ̧ y±ªÚ±˚ ’gø¬ıù´±¸ ’±1n∏ ά◊1±¬ı±Ó¬ø1˚fl¡í1íÚ± ̂ ¬± ◊̋√√1±Â√ ̧ •Ûfl«¡Ó¬ ’¸˜1 1± ◊̋√√Ê√1 ̧ À‰¬Ó¬ÚÓ¬± ̧ •Ûfl«¡Ó¬˚≈ªõ∂Ê√ij1 õ∂øÓ¬øÚøÒ1 ˜Ó¬˚ ŒÙ¬—Â≈√˝◊√√˚ ø¬ı:±Ú-’Ô«ÚœøÓ¬˚˜ø˝√√˘± ø¬ıù´˚ ˜ÀÚ±1?Ú˚ ˜≈fl¡ø˘ ‰¬í1± ’±ø√Àfl¡ Òø1 ’¸—‡…ø¬ı¯∏˚˛ ’±1n∏ ø˙Ó¬±Úººø˘ø‡ÀÂ√ñ ˝√√±˝◊√√√1 UÀÂ√˝◊√√Ú, ˜√Ú ˙˜«±, ά– ˝√√ø1‰¬1Ì √±¸, ˆ¬±¶®1Ù≈¬fl¡Ú, ø¬ıÊ√˚˛fl‘¡¯û Œ√ª ˙˜«±, Œ1Ê√±Î¬◊˘ fl¡ø1˜, Ê√œ˜øÌ Œ‰¬ÃÒ≈1œ,øõ∂˚˛—fl≈¡ Ú±1±˚˛Ì ¬ı1n∏ª±, 1±Ê√fl¡˜˘ ‰¬±—fl¡±fl¡Ó¬œ, ø¬ıõ≠ª Œfl¡Ãø˙fl¡fl¡±˙…¬Û, Œ˝√√˜ôL ŒÎ¬fl¡±, ø˝√√˜±—q 1̃Ê√Ú ˆ”¬¤û±√, ’øÚÓ¬± Œ·±¶§±˜œ,’1n∏ÌÀ˘±‰¬Ú √±¸, ά±– õ∂¬ıœ1 fl≈¡˜±1 ¬ı1√Õ˘, ŒÊ√…±øÓ¬˜«˚˛œ ˙˜«±,’±˘Ó¬±¬Û UÀÂ√˝◊√√Ú ’±˝√√À˜√ ’±ø√Àfl¡ Òø1 ’¸—‡…Ê√ÀÚº

Janasanyog/D/12087/19

NATIONAL

NEW DELHI, March 30: Organisations

involved in social welfare can play a big

role in countering superstitions and mis-

information about coronavirus, Prime Min-

ister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

In the name of belief, people have been

seen gathering in places flouting social

distancing norms. Hence there is a need

for educating them about the importance

of social distancing to check the spread of

the deadly virus, he also said.

Addressing organisations involved in

social work via video conferencing here,

Modi said they can play a huge role in

arranging basic necessities for the poor

and can also dedicate their medical facili-

Counter misinformation, superstitionon coronavirus: PM to social workers

ties and volunteers to serve patients and

the needy.

The nation is facing an “unprecedent-

ed crisis” and “needs the service of these

organisations and their resources like

never before”, the Prime Minister was

quoted as saying in a statement issued by

the PMO.

Highlighting that the nation needs both

short-term measures and a long-term vi-

sion to overcome the challenge posed by

the outbreak of the viral infection, Modi

observed that “these organisations have

three distinct specialities: humane ap-

proach, massive reach and connect with

people and a service mindset”.

“This is why they are trusted implicit-

ly,” he said.

Recalling that Mahatma Gandhi used

to say that serving the poor and the down-

trodden is the best way to serve the na-

tion, the Prime Minister praised the ded-

ication and commitment of the partici-

pating organisation towards serving hu-

manity, the statement said.

The organisations also talked about the

work being done by them currently to

meet the challenge through awareness

campaigns by digital means, distribution

of essentials, food packets, sanitisers,

medicines and provision of medical help

to those in need. – PTI

NEW DELHI, March 30:Stating that the course ofCOVID-19 tends to be moresevere in the case of the eld-erly population, resulting inhigher mortality, the UnionHealth Ministry has issued ahealth advisory, listing some‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ for reducingthe transmission of the virusamong the aged section.

The advisory said globally,COVID-19 has impacted sev-eral lives and is steadily in-creasing its reach.

While the Indian govern-ment has taken stringent ac-tions to contain the spread ofCOVID-19, including a nation-wide lockdown, it is also criti-cal for each one of us to followthe protocols and take neces-sary measures and precautionsto break the chain of transmis-sion of the disease, it added.

“Elderly people are at a high-er risk of COVID-19 infection

Police cordonoff area in

NizamuddinNEW DELHI, March 30:

The Delhi Police on Mondaycordoned off a major area inNizamuddin where severalpeople showed symptoms ofcoronavirus after taking partin a religious gathering a fewdays ago, an official said.

The gathering of around200 people was organised with-out permission from authori-ties. After we learnt that suchan event was organised, weserved notice to them for vio-lating prohibitory orders ow-ing to lockdown to contain thespread of coronavirus, a policeofficial said. “Several peoplehave been taken to hospital af-ter they showed symptoms ofcoronavirus and are being test-ed,” he said.

The Delhi govt had bannedreligious, social and politicalgatherings as well as protestscomprising more than 50 peo-ple till March 31 in view of thecoronavirus outbreak. – PTI

COVID-19: Health Ministryissues advisory for aged people

due to their decreased immu-nity and body reserves, as wellas multiple associated comor-bidities like diabetes, hyper-tension, chronic kidney dis-ease and chronic obstructivepulmonary disease.

“Also, course of disease tendsto be more severe in case ofelderlies, resulting in highermortality,” the advisory stated.

The ministry advised theelderly people to wash theirhands and face at regular in-tervals with soap, stay athome, avoid meeting visitorsat home and if such a meetingis essential, maintain a distanceof at least one metre.

It asked them to ensureproper nutrition throughhome-cooked, fresh, hot meals,hydrate frequently and takefresh juices to boost immunity.

The ‘dos’ also include exer-cising, taking the daily pre-scribed medicines regularly,

postponing elective surgeries(if any) like cataract surgeryor total knee replacement andcleaning frequently-touchedsurfaces with a disinfectant.

“If you develop fever, coughand/or breathing difficulty, im-mediately contact nearesthealthcare facility and followthe medical advice rendered,”the advisory said.

It also listed some ‘don’ts’,including not coughing orsneezing into bare hands orwithout covering the face andnot going near people suffer-ing from fever and cough.

It advised them against self-medicating and going to hospi-tal for routine checkups or fol-low-ups. “As far as possible,make tele-consultation withyour healthcare provider. Don’tgo to crowded places like parks,markets and religious places anddon’t go out unless it is abso-lutely essential,” it said. – PTI

Jamiat offers itspremises forquarantine

centresNEW DELHI, March 30:

Prominent Muslim body Jami-

at Ulema-e-Hind on Monday

offered premises under its

control in various parts of the

country to be used as isolation

and quarantine centres amid

the coronavirus outbreak.

Jamiat general secretary

Maulana Mahmood Madani, in

a letter to Prime Minister

Narendra Modi, offered his or-

ganisation’s premises for isola-

tion and quarantine centers that

would be able to accommodate

approximately 10,000 people.

“On behalf of Jamiat Ulema-e-

Hind, its more than 12 million

members, and the countrywide

State and district level net-

work, allow me to express our

appreciation and gratitude for

your commitment and effort to

overcome COVID-19,” Mada-

ni said in the letter.

“We have activated all our

state and district units to offer

relief to the people in need

through thousands of locally

organised disaster manage-

ment and relief committees of

civilian volunteers,” he said.

“It has come to our knowl-

edge that the emerging cir-

cumstances might require

quarantining of a large number

of people to contain the spread

of coronavirus because of mi-

gration of large numbers from

cities to villages,” Madani said.

“We would like to offer the

premises under control of our

network in various parts of the

country. On a rough estimate

we can voluntarily accommo-

date up to 10,000 people,” he

said. – PTI

Akshya Patra serves over 1 lakhmeals since lockdown began

NEW DELHI, March 30:

With 55 kitchens spread across

the country, Akshaya Patra has

served around 1.17 lakh free

meals to the needy since the

nationwide lockdown due to

the COVID-19 pandemic be-

gan from March 24 midnight,

an official said on Monday.

The Bengaluru-based NGO

will be providing meals till the

duration of the 21-day lock-

down and even beyond that if

needed, Bharat Das, regional

president of the voluntary or-

ganisation said.

“Around 1.17 lakh free meals

have been provided to the

needy in different cities across

the countr since the lockdown

came into force,” he said.

Highlighting the foundation’s

efforts especially in Delhi-NCR,

Das said two kitchens opera-

tional in Badli and Mohan Co-

operative areas are feeding

food to 10,000 to 15,000 peo-

ple daily. “We are distributing

raw materials and ingredients

like rice, dal, masala, etc., that

can provide for a person’s needs

for 21 days of lockdown peri-

od,” Das said.

As many as 3,000 ration

boxes, carrying essential food

items, have also been distrib-

uted to poor people in various

cities he said.

Non-profit Akshaya Patra is

the world’s largest midday

meal programme, serving

food every school day to over

1.8 million children from

19,039 schools across 12 States

and 2 Union Territories. – PTI

Govt seeks feedbackfrom IAS officers

NEW DELHI, March 30: The Central government has asked

over 600 IAS officers to give feedback on a questionnaire relat-

ed to its preparedness against coronavirus pandemic, officials

said on Monday.

The officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of five

batches (2014-2018), who served as Assistant Secretaries at

Central government departments soon after completion of their

training, have been asked to give response to the question-

naire, they said. “They have been asked to reply to 23 ques-

tions in the questionnaire and share their response,” a senior

official said, requesting anonymity.

A comprehensive report based on the participants’ respons-

es will be shared with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), he

said. Over 400 IAS officers have already shared their response

to the questionnaire, the officer said. The exercise to seek the

response from the officers began on March 25. – PTI

IIT-Hyderabad calls for adoptingalternatives to ventilators

HYDERABAD, March 30: The Indian

Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad

on Monday suggested the Centre to con-

sider adopting ‘bag valve mask’ as an al-

ternative to meet any surge in demand

for ventilators, both in India and abroad,

to treat COVID-19 patients.

This suggestion was made by the insti-

tute director Prof BS Murty.

While the conventional ventilators are

expensive, hard to produce, and not port-

able, Prof Murty and Prof V Eswaran,

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering, IIT-Hyderabad, highlighted

that ‘bag valve masks’ are small devices.

They said the devices are used to deliver

breathing support in emergency situations.

Besides, the equipment is inexpensive, easy

to produce, and portable and have every

quality that is required in this crisis, a press

release from the institute said.

The two experts proposed that the

Central government, through the Depart-

ment of Science and Technology/Defence

Research and Development Organisation

or some other nodal organisation, consti-

tute a taskforce which would carry out

the tasks needed to start the production

of these low-cost ventilators, within a

maximum time-frame of two months.

The production rate thereafter would

need to be of several lakh units per week,

so the preparation has to be done at a

war-footing, under the direct scrutiny of

the highest levels of government, they

said in the release.

Of the 15 per cent of COVID-19 affect-

ed patients who may need hospitalisation,

around one-third (5 per cent) would like-

ly develop respiratory difficulties for

which ventilators for assisted breathing

would become necessary.

The professors said while bag valve

masks are currently hand-powered and

therefore not suitable for continuous use

as a ventilator, it would be easy to design

a similar device powered by an electrical

source, which could be a car battery, apart

from the conventional power supply.

It could be made portable, and there-

fore adopted in villages and other areas

without power supply and be inexpen-

sive enough to manufacture in bulk.

Elaborating on the advantages of this sys-

tem, the two professors said, “Our estimate

of the cost is that it can be manufactured for

less than Rs 5,000 or one-hundredth the cost

of a conventional machine. The cost is so low

that it can be considered a single-use device

that will be given over to single patient, and

never used again.” – PTI

PM appreciates Omar’scall for social distancingNEW DELHI, March 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on

Monday condoled the death of Omar Abdullah’s uncle and ap-

preciated the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister’s call

to supporters to respect guidelines and not gather at either his

residence or the graveyard.

“Prayers from home will give peace to his uncle’s soul,” Ab-

dullah tweeted on Twitter on Sunday night while announcing the

death of Dr Mohammed Ali Mattoo in Srinagar following a brief

illness. The Prime Minister offered his condolences and said, “In

this hour of grief, your call to avoid any large gathering is appre-

ciable and will strengthen India’s fight against COVID-19.”

Replying to the Prime Minister, Abdullah said, “My family

joins me in thanking you very much for your message of condo-

lence jenab. Your prayers for the departed soul are much ap-

preciated.”

On Sunday night, Omar went on Twitter to say his uncle had

passed away after a brief illness. “At this difficult time the fam-

ily appeals to everyone to respect the guidelines to not gather

either at his residence or the graveyard,” he twitted. – PTI

NEW DELHI, March 30:

The Centre has asked automo-

bile manufacturers to use their

facilities to make ventilators to

boost the country’s capacity of

such machines in view of a

spike in COVID-19 cases in the

country. It also said that the

Defence Research and Devel-

opment Organisation (DRDO)

will begin manufacturing

20,000 N-95 masks per day

from the next week.

According to the health

ministry, over 14,000 existing

ventilators are earmarked for

COVID-19 patients in various

hospitals in the country, while

Automobile makers askedto make ventilators

there are 11.95 lakh N-95

masks in stock. An additional

5 lakh masks were distributed

during the last two days and

1.40 lakh will be distributed on

Monday, it said.

The ministry said 3.34 lakh

personal protection equip-

ment coveralls are available

with hospitals in the country

and another 3 lakh donated

coveralls will be received from

abroad by April 4.

“Automobile manufacturers

have been asked to manufac-

ture ventilators and they are

working towards this end,” the

health ministry said. – PTI

ALIGARH, March 30: The

Deoband-based Darul Uloom

on Monday offered to hand over

one of its buildings to the Uttar

Pradesh government to turn it

into an isolation ward for coro-

navirus-infected patients.

The offer was made by Vice

Chancellor Mufti Abdul Qasim

Nomani of the theological school

in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief

Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Durul Uloom’s Moht-

mim (vice chancellor) has

written to Chief Minister Adi-

tyanath offering a three-sto-

reyed hostel building, ‘Darul

Quran’, for housing COVID-

19 patients, Durul Uloom’s

Darul Uloom offers itsbuilding as isolation ward

spokespersons Ashraf Usma-

ni told PTI.

The head of the Deoband

school, in his letter to the Chief

Minister said, the hostel build-

ing of the school is located ad-

jacent to the main highway and

if the government finds it ap-

propriate, the school would

like to offer its services for

helping the country in the fight

against the COVID-19 pan-

demic, the spokesman said.

The building can accommo-

date up to 100 people, he said.

“We are ready to offer the

hostel as quarantine facility for

as long as the government

wants it,” he added. – PTI

4 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

MESSAGE FOR TODAY

After all it really is that all of humanity is under

threat during a pandemic.

– MARGARET CHAN

Dark cloudsAt the moment dark clouds are casting their shadows on

humanity. The scourge called Covid-19 is running ram-

pant over Planet Earth, infecting and killing people and

coercing much of the global population to cower within their

domiciles in an attempt to ward off community contagion.

One hundred and ninety nine countries and territories, as

also the passengers and crew of two cruise ships, The

Diamond Princess and MS Zaandam, have been affected

by the novel corona virus. Latest figures show around 8

lakh cases of infection across the world, with fatalities quickly

approaching the 35,000 mark! Not surprisingly, given the

belated nature of her response, the US leads the list of

countries with recorded infections, though as far as fatali-

ties are concerned, Italy (around 11,000) and Spain (around

7,000) are at the top. Of equal concern for mankind has

been the threat of global economic collapse and recession

which could kill even more people than the tiny virus might

ultimately do. Given the sheer size of the country and her

population, the fact that India has only now crossed the

thousand mark in infection and has 29 recorded deaths, is

startling. However, many experts believe that these fig-

ures are deceptive and that there might be thousands of

unrecorded cases. The likelihood of such a scenario being

valid is great, especially because only a minuscule seg-

ment of the vast population has actually been tested.

As for Northeast India, the deadly virus has not yet sunk

its fangs onto this region. Yet, laudably, the administrations

in the States here are not showing complacency and fol-

lowing the ‘being prepared is half way to winning the bat-

tle’ philosophy. Dedicated facilities for treatment of Covid-

19 patients, as also spaces for quarantine, are being creat-

ed and made ready. A number of other steps, such as pro-

tecting our borders from unrecorded intrusion by infected

people, are being taken. However, the stark reality is that

no matter how prepared we might be, our system cannot

handle the kind of pressure that other places such as New

York are confronting. We simply do not have the person-

nel and equipment to tackle severe and widespread conta-

gion, which implies that we have to rely heavily on the

lockdown now being imposed throughout the nation. Our

salvation lies in our success in breaking the infection chain

and slowing down the rate of contagion so that we are able

to cope with the scourge and save lives with the limited

resources we have. This is the message which needs to

be reiterated so that the public in general become accus-

tomed to maintaining social distance and making it an as-

pect of their life for the time being. Each of us owe it to

society to behave responsibly even as we wait for the dark

clouds to pass and the sky become clear once again.

Shocking incidentsIncidents involving discrimination and violence against

northeasterners, especially students, in Delhi and other

metros have been a long-standing disturbing reality. Now,

even as the country is engaged in a collective resistance

against the deadly Covid-19, it is shocking that people

from India’s Northeast are again being subjected to racial

abuse in the metros. There have been a number of in-

stances of students staying at the metros denied entry

into shopping malls, physically abused, and trolled in so-

cial media. Many northeasterners are being taunted as

Chinese for their Mongoloid features and abuses hurled

upon them. These are clearly instances of racism at its

worst, and coming at this hour of crisis that, the trauma

endured by the victims is beyond any words. The matter

calls for prompt action by the police and the Chief Minis-

ters of the respective States must intervene in the mat-

ter personally. This is because we had seen in the recent

past how even the police was found disinclined to pursue

such cases and ensure safety to the northeasterners.

A noticeable rise in cases of hate crimes involving as-

sault and abuse of northeasterners has been discernible

for the past one decade or so but despite widespread

resentment and protests, the menace has not eased. Some

interventions have followed, especially after the death of

two students of the region in Delhi and Bangalore in 2012

but – as the growing number of racial assault on north-

easterners would testify to – the interventions have fall-

en short of making the desired impact. One reason could

be that discrimination against the NE students had in the

past manifested itself not just in acts of violence against

them but also in the matter of pursuance of the cases by

an insensitive government machinery. Instances are

there in which the police was reluctant even to register

cases for such offences. Regrettably, the discrimination

against students of the Northeast has been noticeable

even in educational institutions – something that had

prompted the then Union Human Resource Development

Minister Kabil Sibal in Parliament to urge the institutions

to provide an inclusive and harmonious platform for stu-

dents across the country. The MP Bezbaruah Commit-

tee, too, had come up with a number of recommendations

for curbing the scourge but many of those still await im-

plementation. While effective policing is a must to punish

the wrongdoers and also to act as a deterrent to some

extent, it is equally important to do away with the deep-

rooted societal prejudices ingrained in the mindsets of so-

called mainstream India which tends to profile the people

of the Northeast with racial insinuations. Such narrow-mind-

edness and intolerance is largely attributable to the wide-

spread ignorance, misconceptions, and even an unwilling-

ness to acquaint oneself with the basic facets of the region

and its inhabitants. The metropolitan media and social or-

ganizations as also the student community in general can

play a key role in shattering the myths about the Northeast

and project it in proper light.

y late mother Karuna

Sarma belonged to

Betiyoni, a village

about six km north of

Golaghat town. She had hardly

spent 16 or 17 years in her native

village when she got married. But

she had carried with her numer-

ous stories from that area. Those

included the presence of Ameri-

can soldiers who had camped near-

by during the Second World War,

of one of Assam’s earliest public

Bihu celebrations, of villagers of-

ten encountering Royal Bengal ti-

gers in their backyards, and of

course of kala-azar, an epidemic

that had wiped out numerous fam-

ilies in and around Golaghat.

Oh, what a coincidence! Even as I

was trying to dig some details about

Assam’s kala-azar epidemic in the

previous century, I found a Facebook

post last Friday by well-known ar-

chaeologist Hemendra Nath Dutta

which caught my attention. His post

was about his late father Narayan

Chandra Dutta, who had played a

crucial role when kala-azar had hit

Golaghat in the early 1940s. Dutta

also posted an article written by Dr

Dimbeswar Duarah, a first-batch

MBBS from Assam Medical Col-

lege, Dibrugarh, who recounted hav-

ing seen, as a schoolboy, many home-

steads abandoned in and around Gola-

ghat after the families were wiped

out by kala-azar.

Kala-azar has no resemblance or

connection whatsoever with the

coronavirus pandemic that has cur-

rently gripped the world. But then,

it will not be out of place to recall

how much havoc kala-azar had

caused in Assam about a century-

and-a-half ago. A number of books

M

Look at the death figures in the

province from 1881 to 1885 as

mentioned in the Sanitary

Report of Assam for the year of

1885. While altogether

5,72,656 deaths were reported

in Assam during 1881-85,

‘fevers’ – mainly kala-azar and

malaria – alone accounted for

as many as 3,09,274 deaths.

Lettersto the

EDITOR

Sanitizers in ATMs a must

Sir, – In the wake of the life-threatening coronavirus outbreak,it is now absolutely essential thatall the ATMs in the country areprovided with hand sanitizers asthey are the hotspots of possiblevirus transmission. The onus is onthe RBI to ensure that the banksdo the needful at the earliest.Yours etc., KABITA NATH,

Sorbhog.

Positive sideSir, – It may be totally insipid or

ridiculous for many people while

you see such a headline as the

positive side of a pandemic. The

entire world is reeling under the

Covid-19 impact. India became

standstill and will continue to be

so up to April 14 next. The

cumulative cost of this bandh has

been staggering. But at the same

time, my point is something

different. The entire world is now

almost pollution free. The

problem which couldn’t be solved

and remains a Herculean task

even after taking various stringent

and documents give vivid descrip-

tions of the kind of impact kala-azar

had on Assam. The Gazetteer of

Bengal and Northeast India, au-

thored by Edward Gait, BC Allen,

HF Howard and CGH Allen, had said

that while the “very deadly form of

malarial fever known as kala-azar”

had badly affected the Assam Valley,

“in one district, in which this dis-

ease broke out in an aggravated form,

the decrease of population between

1891 and 1901 amounted to no less

than 25&”.

The earliest reference

to kala-azar in colonial In-

dia dates back to 1824-25

in Jessore (in present-day

Bangladesh). A similar

disease that broke out in

Burdwan (in present-day

West Bengal) in 1854-75

was referred to as ‘Burd-

wan fever’. The first epi-

demic outbreak of kala-

azar however was in the

Garo Hills from 1875 to

1883, which had reported-

ly got it from the adjoin-

ing Rangpur district (of

present-day Bangladesh)

where it had left many

dead in 1871-76. So intense was the

outbreak that Dr JJ Clarke, the then

Sanitary Commissioner of Assam,

in a report in 1888 said that kala-

azar “is so inimical to life that large

tracts of hill country are being de-

populated in consequence”.

Surfing through the internet, I hit

upon an article called ‘A Report on

Kala-azar in Assam’ written by PC

Sengupta, then officer in-charge of

the Kala-azar Research Department

in the School of Tropical Medicine,

Kolkata. Carried in the Indian Med-

ical Gazette in June 1951, it gives a

detailed description of how kala-azar

had affected Assam in the last two

decades of the 19th century. “Kala-

azar affected Goalpara between 1882

and 87, extended southwards to

Kamrup and to some villages on the

north bank of the river Brahmaputra

and then reached Gauhati in 1888.

There was a road connecting Gauha-

ti to Mangaldai subdivision in Dar-

rang district and kala-azar appeared

in this area during the next year. The

spread of kala-azar eastwards along

the north bank of the river was slow

because of the lack of good roads.

But the neighbouring district of

Nowgong that was in direct commu-

nication with Gauhati (Kamrup dis-

trict) by the Assam Trunk Road was

badly affected by kala-azar during

1892-98. There was an outbreak of

kala-azar in Golaghat subdivision in

1899 and the extension of the dis-

ease to other parts of Sibsagar dis-

trict took place during the first two

decades of the present (20th) centu-

ry,” he wrote.

According to Sengupta, the ‘first

epidemic wave of kala-azar’ had dis-

astrous consequences on the de-

mography of Assam. In the Garo

Hills, large numbers of villages

were left abandoned as the people

either died or had fled. In Goalpara

(those days it covered five present-

day districts of western Assam), the

kala-azar deaths ranged between

9,000 to 13,000 per year; in Kam-

rup it was between 5,000 and 7,000

per year during those six to seven

years. In Nagaon district, about one-

third of the population perished be-

tween 1882 and 1898, he wrote.

Assam however had a history of

diseases for a long time, be it chol-

era, small pox, malaria or kala-azar.

Historians often refer to the fact that

the Brahmaputra Valley

had lost about two-thirds

of its population in the

18th and 19th centuries

due to the combined im-

pact of epidemics, floods

and earthquakes, and

three successive inva-

sions by the Burmese.

Look at the death figures

in the province from 1881

to 1885 as mentioned in

the Sanitary Report of

Assam for the year of

1885. While altogether

5,72,656 deaths were re-

ported in Assam during

1881-85, ‘fevers’ – main-

ly kala-azar and malaria

– alone accounted for as many as

3,09,274 deaths. This was 54% of

the total deaths that also included

deaths caused due to injuries, and

‘all other causes’. In two police cir-

cles of Salpara and Rongjuli, which

together had a population of a little

over 48,000 in 1881, there were

15,200 deaths during 1882-86

against about only 5,700 births. Such

was the scenario that kala-azar not

only came to be known in the scien-

tific world as ‘Assam fever’, but also

became synonymous with Assam,

as had become her tea.

Kala-azar had occupied consid-

erable space in the Census report

of 1891 too. It said that the mortal-

ity caused by kala-azar particularly

in Goalpara, Kamrup and Nagaon

was so terrible that thickly peopled

and prosperous villages were left

deserted and uncultivated. Whole

villages disappeared, and large are-

as of land were thrown out of culti-

vation. Today’s Orang National Park

in fact used to be a cluster of pros-

perous villages until kala-azar ar-

rived in the late 19th century, leav-

ing them depopulated or abandoned,

or both, leading to natural emer-

gence of a forest. Ponds, earthen de-

marcations of household boundaries,

and earthen homestead plinths are

still visible in many portions of the

National Park even today.

In Darrang, there was not a sin-

gle family which had not lost some

of its members to kala-azar in 1892-

93. Reports say, populous settle-

ments in Kamrup, Darrang, Goal-

para and particularly in Nagaon be-

came practically abandoned. In Bel-

tola mauza, which is now a posh area

of Guwahati, the population was re-

duced by about 10%.

Ronald Ross, who had won the

Nobel Prize in 1902 for his work on

pioneering malaria research, also had

an opportunity to study kala-azar. An

officer of the Indian Medical Service,

Ross in fact was sent to Assam as

head of a one-man Kala-azar Com-

mission in 1898. But then, though he

also worked in a lab set up in the

Labac tea estate near Silchar, he hard-

ly met with any success, and instead

thought the kala-azar parasite was

transmitted by a mosquito; later re-

search confirmed that the culprit was

the sand-fly. An exasperated Ross,

who was already a well-known name

in the field of malaria research, in fact

thus remarked before quitting As-

sam: “Columbus, having sighted

America, was ordered off to discov-

er the North Pole.”

(sgkashyap@gmail.com)

Wuhan and the corona storys the 21-day lockdown

in India is under way, the

news reports from worl-

d over and also from

within India are getting more and

more worrisome and distressing.

On the whole 199 countries are

under the spell of the coronavirus

that till date has no antidote or a

preventive while the doctors and

scientists all over the world are

putting in their best to combat the

virus with almost without anything

as preventive or combative medi-

cine. The number of affected across

the world till date is more than

7,27,000 as of today. A total of

34,610 lives are lost that include

doctors, nurses and Hollywood ac-

tors, sportsmen and even a prin-

cess from Spanish royal family. The

British Prime Minister Boris John-

son, Prince Charles, heir apparent

to the British throne and the Cana-

dian Prime minister Justin Trudeau

and his wife Sophie Gregoire Tru-

deau are among the ones who have

tested positive.

In India the virus has yet to en-

ter the Stage 3 of infection; the

number of those hooked by the vi-

rus has crossed the 1000 mark and

29 have succumbed to the outbreak

n Bhaskar Phukan

till date. The number of cured pa-

tients in India stood at 85 who were

discharged from the hospitals. The

first case of corona infection and

death was reported from Kerala

and Maharashtra with Kerala lead-

ing the tally of infection.

One must thank the ceaseless

efforts on the part of the doctors

and nurses who have succeeded in

bringing a great number of the in-

fected to a normal state of being

but the opinions about a possible

relapse are also doing the rounds.

Some bioscientists are of the view

that the corona outbreak is going

to be a regular affair during the

winters till a deterrent is available.

These reports cast aspersion as to

the possibility of the disappearance

of the virus even in distant future.

In China, it appears that nearly 14%

of the patients who recovered have

relapsed.

Wuhan, the capital of Hubei prov-

ince in central China, an industrial

hub with its vast industrial base and

a huge number of industrial work-

ers, has been identified as the epi-

centre of the virus. The city, a most

populous one in China, is said to be

3,500 years old and its legacy dates

back to the Shang dynasty’s rule. A

convenient thoroughfare with ma-

jor transportation facilities with

dozens of railways, roads and ex-

pressways passing through the city,

Wuhan connects with most of the

important cities of China.

The coronavirus outbreak start-

ed on the first day of December

2019 through a 55-year-old man.

The symptoms shown initially

were somewhat akin to the lung

dysfunction called bronchitis cou-

pled with pneumonia. In the begin-

ning it was referred to as ‘unknown’

pneumonia. The person was later

declared to be the first casualty of

the Covid-19. The Wuhan city, true

to its reputation of a major trans-

portation hub, was quick in trans-

porting the disease to other parts

of the country as well.

In early and mid-January 2020,

the virus spread to other provinc-

es. It received a boost during the

Chinese Lunar New Year celebra-

tions that started on January 25.

With the period of travel known as

Chunyan during which the Chinese

travel within and outside the coun-

try en masse, the spread of the vi-

rus received another boost and

very soon the coronavirus turned

into an epidemic. By March it ac-

quired an uncontrollable magnitude

and with the spread of the epidem-

ic to countries like Italy, Spain, the

USA and the countries of the Mid-

dle-east and India, to mention a few,

the World Health Organization on

March 11 declared the coronavi-

rus-related disease as a pandemic.

The journey of the virus from

China to Italy makes an interesting

reading. Wuhan and Italy share a

distinct relationship. Most of the

industrial workers engaged in the

textile garment industry located in

North Italy hail from Wuhan and

its suburbs and Wuhan is aerially

connected to Italy through direct

flights for the benefit of the Chi-

nese workers. The one lakh-odd

Chinese industrial workers hailing

from Wuhan city and suburbs are

well treated and well respected by

the Italian mill owners to the ex-

tent that to express social accept-

ance and preference, the Chinese

are felicitated with a regular pro-

gramme called ‘Hug a Chinese’.

Many of the Chinese workers who

returned from home after the new

year celebrations carried with them

the deadly virus. This story how-

ever opens just one vista of the

transmission narrative of the virus.

Delay in lockdown, casual attention

by the population of the countries

under attack and the lifestyle of the

people of the most-affected coun-

tries, namely, China, Italy, the USA

and Spain, are separate narratives.

In the present day world, the

delay of the Chinese Government

in disclosing and declaring about the

outbreak of the Covid-19 is depre-

cated the most. And the number of

deaths officially declared is not

something that the world finds easy

to believe. Many suspect the

number to be much higher than the

official 3,248. President Donald

Trump tends to hold the Chinese

Government responsible for the

most devastating virus attack ever

worldwide for keeping the truth of

the outbreak of the pandemic un-

der the carpet and letting the peo-

ple roam around the globe. Even

North Korean premier Kim Jong-

un has nothing better than strong

words for the Chinese President

Xi Jinping and his government.

The virus was late in entering

India but the present stage of trans-

mission is the most dangerous one.

The end of the 21-day lockdown

only will give a clearer picture of

the volume of transmission and fu-

ture impact, and the government

action plan. It is for the people to

fully understand the gravity of the

situation, respect the lockdown

measures and adhere to it in the

right earnest.

A

measures by the government and

authorities concerned, a virus is

now sufficient enough to do that.

The air quality index in Delhi,

known as one of the most polluted

cities of the world, stood in the

satisfactory category with an

overall AQI of 72 (as reported on

March 26).

Today the birds are flying high

with a cheerful mind across the

blue sky. The trees and animals

breathe well. The rivers and

various other water bodies are no

longer the cesspool of industries

around. The busiest and most

luxurious cities like Milan, Tokyo,

Rome, New York became

standstill since they introduced

coronavirus lockdown. No doubt

the negative impact on all the

sectors, especially the laymen, is

quite significant. As a developing

country, India will also have a

debilitating impact on the

economy from the virus. But we

have no other choice to disrupt

the untamed rise of this phantom

called Covid-19. Therefore, we all

should stay at home and break the

chain of the virus. Yours etc.,

RITUMONI DUTTA, Jorhat.

Salute themSir, – The Covid-19 is an

infectious disease caused by a

deadly coronavirus. Millions of

people have been infected with

the Covid-19 virus worldwide.

More than 34000 thousand people

died in different countries. Many

of countries are now under total

lockdown. People are staying at

home. Amid this, a great salute to

all the medical staff, volunteers,

media persons and all those who

are dedicatedly doing their duties

in this time of a global emergency.

Yours etc., JAYANTA DAS,

Rangiya.

Meaning of lockdownSir, – The Covid-19, which is

caused by the virus SARS CoV-2,

perhaps doesn’t need any introduc-

tion regarding the virulence and

contagiousness of this sub-

microscopic agent, and the fatality

that it can bring to society in no

time. People are witnessing the

deadly spell of the virus in the TV

channels and in the newspapers. In

India, the 21-day lockdown has been

imposed on the people to break the

chain of transmission, and to bring

down the possible catastrophe that

it may cause in near future. But,

unfortunately, the people remain

very ignorant and are casually

comprehending the meaning of the

lockdown. The gathering of people

in the markets for the last two days

blatantly violated the norms of the

lockdown. Social distancing of one

metre has now become a joke!

People were seen in the markets

shoulder to shoulder, which

portends a great danger to society.

Once the disease enters the stage

of community spread, an unprece-

dented rise of infected cases will

happen, and the healthcare system,

which has now geared up for the

service of the people, will turn

helpless. The 21-day indoor stay is

for the greater good of our own

people and isn’t a Herculean task,

but the televised scenes of the

careless attitude of the people is

very frustrating. We, as healthcare

workers, appeal to the people to

stick to discipline in the truest

sense, and also urge the Govern-

ment to take stern actions against

the violators of this lockdown.

Yours etc., Dr DHRUBAJYOTI

BORA, Jorhat.

Appreciable standSir, – Through the columns of

your esteemed newspaper, this isto appraise the confidence ofassurance and action from thePrime Minister of our country atthis crucial hour to guide as wellas create awareness among thepopulation of a country like India.The Government has seemed toact gallant amidst the perilouspandemic of Covid-19, caused bya virus still novel to the medicalscience. Here in Assam, it’sreally satisfactory to witness theState Government machinery ledby the Chief Minister and theHealth Minister being up close tothe public. Yours etc.,DIPTARKA GOHAIN,Jyotinagar, Golaghat.

CorrigendumIn the ‘Healthwise’ column pub-

lished in The Assam Tribune, ‘Sun-

day Reading’ supplement on March

29, the name of Prof (Dr) PM Deka

was inadvertently left out. The er-

ror is regretted.

Articles (within 1000-1100 words) and

Letters to the Editor for publication in

the editorial page may be sent to the

email ID: editor@assamtribune.com.

Samudra Gupta Kashyap

Revisiting Assam’s kala-azar days

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 5CITY

WEATHER

GUWAHATILOCAL FORECAST:

Mainly clear sky to partlycloudy sky . Maximumand minimumtemperatures are mostlikely to be 36°C & 20°Crespectively on Tuesday.

TEMPERATURE:Max 35.8°CMin 18.4°C

CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, March 30: Due

to continuous demands from the

city residents, the Guwahati

Municipal Corporation (GMC)

has decided to cover the bylanes

of the city under its sanitisation

programme which has been un-

der way since March 24.

In a notification issued here

today, GMC said, “During this

period, the Corporation has re-

ceived huge demand from pub-

lic for sanitising their areas.

GMC will try to meet up the

request and cover maximum

possible area within its jurisdic-

tion.”

A source in the GMC said

that due to the limited manpow-

er and machinery it is difficult

to cover all the areas at one go.

“Earlier, there was no plan to

cover bylanes of the city. After

receiving the requests, it has

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30: The

Kamrup (Metro) district admin-

istration will provide free ration

and other food items for seven

days to wage labourers, rick-

shaw pullers, cart pullers,

workers, stranded travellers,

etc., in the city. In a statement,

Deputy Commissioner Biswa-

jit Pegu said the distribution

drive will start from Tuesday

where officials concerned will

drop the food items at the door-

steps of these people.

In this connection, the DC

has asked the circle officers of

Guwahati and Dispur revenue

circles to collect the database

of such persons in their re-

spective areas. In this initia-

tive, the district administra-

tion will also engage members

of local NGOs. The DC also

directed the district food and

civil supply department to ar-

range adequate quantities of

GMC yields to publicdemands, to cover bylanes

Essential foodstuff being transported in a horse cart during the novel coronavirus-inducednationwide lockdown, in Guwahati on Monday. – UB Photos

Sanitisation drive in citybeen decided to cover them in

a phased manner. However,

GMC is giving more impor-

tance to the arterial roads of the

city,” the source added.

GMC, in collaboration with

the State Fire and Emergency

Services, started the second

phase of sanitisation on Mon-

day after completed its first

phase on Sunday. The second

phase aims to cover maximum

areas of the city including main

roads, shops, public parks, bins,

public toilets, markets, super-

markets, hospitals and schools

among other places.

Hatigaon road, Hengrabari

road, MLA hostel area, Deba-

daru Path, VIP road, Beltola

Bazar road and Sijubari Dargah

road upto Notboma were cov-

ered today. The sanitising

teams also covered several

market places and premises

during the drive.

Cattle roaming freely on the Chandmari flyover during the nationwide lockdown, in Guwahation Monday. Photo: – Samarendra Sarma

Week-long free rationfor poor from today

food items for the purpose.

On the other hand, sale of

vegetables at designated plac-

es in the city still remains un-

certain. Earlier, the State gov-

ernment had announced that

the district administration

would provide vegetables

through mobile vans at 66 des-

ignated places across Guwaha-

ti. But due to some technical

reasons the district adminis-

tration has deferred the plan.

“Without proper planning

to maintain social distancing

it is not possible to implement

the scheme. Especially in Gu-

wahati, it is very difficult to

maintain it. So we are trying

to formulate a plan,” a senior

official of the district admin-

istration said.

The district administration

has also started its online fa-

cility to issue e-passes for es-

sential services. The facility

is available on the website

www.kamrupmetro.assam.gov.in.

MAMATA MISHRA

GUWAHATI, March 30: Apex child

rights body of Assam ASCPCR has

asked all the child care institutions

(CCIs) of the State to not refuse to ac-

cept the children being sent to their

homes by the Child Welfare Commit-

tee, Juvenile Justice Board, police and

Childline, after apprehension among

some of the CCIs to accept new cases

of children in need of care and protec-

tion, in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Assam State Commission for

Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR)

has, however, passed instructions at var-

ious levels to ensure strict implemen-

tation of the health protocols and screen-

ing of the rescued children, street chil-

dren, children of migrant workers and

any other vulnerable sections, to elimi-

nate any fear of spread of infection

through the newly admitted children.

It needs mention here that the res-

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30:

City-based real estate develop-

ers Royal Group, which also

runs Royal Global University

and Royal Global School, do-

nated Rs 1 crore to the Chief

Minister’s Relief Fund to fight

Covid-19.

A part of the donation will

also go to PM CARES Fund,

one part to Assam Arogya Ni-

dhi and one part to be spent di-

rectly on food, ration, etc., to the

COVID-19: Child care bodies asked to accept kids in needcuing agencies had a tough time reha-

bilitating two new cases of homeless

children in Kamrup (Metro) during the

lockdown period, when a number of

children’s homes refused to accept

them fearing spread of the disease.

One of the two minor girls rescued

by the Childline later got shelter in a

city-based orphanage, whereas the

other was sent to Swadhar home – a

shelter meant for destitute women.

“Rescued children are a reality and

they need more care and protection,

specially during the unprecedented

situations like the one we are facing

today. We can’t deny care and protec-

tion to them. At the same time, we

also need to adhere to all precaution-

ary measures. We have instructed the

child care institutions to move

through the Health department, be-

fore producing them to the child wel-

fare committees (CWC),” ASCPCR

chairperson Sunita Changkakoti told

The Assam Tribune.

Considering the health concerns,

instructions for mandatory screen-

ings have been given along with the

provisions for keeping suspected or

symptomatic children for three to

seven days in hospitals with separate

facilities for boys and girls, before

sending them to children homes.

“An unforeseen situation arising

out of the outbreak of COVID-19 has

posed new challenges for the agen-

cies engaged in protection of children.

Like in other cases, here too, we need

to put up a joint fight so that no seg-

ment is left out. Otherwise the en-

tire purpose of lockdown would be de-

feated,” she added.

Member secretary, State Child Pro-

tection Society, has been asked to in-

struct all CCIs in this regard, along with

specific instruction on screening of chil-

dren already staying in the CCIs to check

and stop the spread of COVID-19.

The commission has also written to

all the Deputy Commissioners and Su-

perintendents of Police to ensure im-

plementation of NCPCR advisory on

Covid-19 for care and protection of

children moving with migrant families,

children living on the streets and CCIs.

Besides, it has also apprised the State

Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krish-

na for necessary arrangement of sup-

ply of food items, hand wash, sanitis-

ers and masks for children and their

families living on streets, children liv-

ing in child care homes and those of

other vulnerable sections, even if they

are living with their parents.

As instructed by the Ministry of

Women and Child Development and

the NCPCR guidelines, the Commis-

sion has also asked the police and dis-

trict authorities to extend full admin-

istrative support and protection to the

rescue teams like Childline during the

lockdown period.

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30: In view of

the inadequate number of coronavi-

rus testing facilities in the State and

the North East and the meagre

number of detected COVID-19 cases

in the region, a body of retired IAS

officers has suggested that the gov-

ernment authorities collect informa-

tion from cremation and burial

grounds about the symptoms and se-

quences before death.

“The very few number of COVID-

19 positive cases in the region may

have to do with the inadequate

number of screenings. Hundreds of

bodies are being cremated or buried

in the State every day and one has

reasonable ground to suspect that

Retired IAS officers’ body suggests infocollection from cremation, burial grounds

The very few number of COVID-19 positive cases in the regionmay have to do with the inadequate number of screenings.

Hundreds of bodies are being cremated or buried in the Stateevery day... some of the deaths could be linked to corona, says

ex-Chief Information Commissioner

some of the deaths could be linked to

corona. In the State, only 30 per cent

corona testing capacity is being uti-

lised. Underprivileged and vulnera-

ble sections may be succumbing to

COVID-19 without access to testing

facilities and without treatment. Even

hospitals will not have such data,

which needs to be gathered from bur-

ial grounds,” HS Das, former Chief

Information Commissioner of the

State said.

“Some indicative, if not confirma-

tory, information can be obtained from

a sample survey of all dead bodies at a

few cremation grounds located in high-

density population and other vulnera-

ble areas by using a pointed question-

naire. Hospital data can then be cross-

checked with this alternative data. It

will cost very little in terms of money

and manpower,” he added.

According to the association, if the

statistics show an abnormal spike in

the number of deaths following coro-

na-type symptoms and sequences,

the data can be used as an indicator.

“Such an exercise needs to be done

because the uneducated and poor

might lack access to testing facili-

ties,” it said, adding that such a pro-

cedure was being followed in some

countries.

The association said corona-rele-

vant information like name, address,

phone number, age, proximate cause

of death, any corona-like symptoms

prior to death, place of residence,

place of death - hospital or residence,

whether the deceased received any

medical treatment, recent travel his-

tory of the diseased or of family mem-

bers, occupation, and so forth, should

be collected.

Donations continue to pour inneedy people affected due to

lockdown, a press release said.

Enajoree-86, an organisation

of former students of Cotton

College Higher Secondary

1986-88 batch, contributed Rs

1 lakh to Assam Arogya Nidhi.

Bura Jame Masjid Commit-

tee, Ambari, donated Rs 1 lakh

to Assam Arogya Nidhi.

Noonmati Bihu Sanmilan

also donated Rs 25,000 to As-

sam Arogya Nidhi.

The officers and employees

of the Assam Higher Second-

ary Education Council (AH-

SEC) also contributed their one

day’s salary amounting to Rs

2,00,000 to the Aarogya Nidhi,

said Manoranjan Kakati, secre-

tary, AHSEC.

The All India Punjab Nation-

al Bank Officers’ Association,

NE Circle, also donated an

amount of Rs 5,35,000 to the

Arogya Nidhi.

KK Handiqui State Open

University also donated Rs 5

lakh to the government for

fighting the outbreak.

Childline rescues5 kids in 7 days

CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, March 30: Childline Guwahati, which pro-

vides support for child protection and child rights with its

24-hour helpline, has rescued five children in the last seven

days from various parts of the city.

According to the coordinator of Childline Guwahati Nir-

mal Deka, the rescued children include two 12-year-old boys,

two 12-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl.

“We had intervened altogether seven child-related cases

in the last seven days. All of them were shifted to a shelter

home. They all came to the city before announcement of the

lockdown,” Deka said.

“The children, three girls and two boys, are from Karim-

ganj, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Chirang and Barpeta. We could con-

tact only a family member of the 12-year-boy from Sivasa-

gar. Moreover, Childline received calls related to Covid-19

and precautions and measures taken for it,” he added.

The Childline team has been working collectively with

the district administration, police and the Health department,

among others, to tackle child-related cases. “We urge the

people to use the Childline toll-free helpline (1098) in case

they come across any child-related cases,” he further said.

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30:

State Bank of India Officers

Association (North Eastern

Circle) today urged the gov-

ernment to ensure safety of all

bankers at the time of the

coronavirus pandemic.

“We bankers have been ren-

dering our services for the pub-

lic at large jeopardizing our

lives. We have been trying eve-

ry possible action to ensure that

the basic banking needs of the

countrymen and the govern-

ment do not come to an abrupt

halt. However, in spite of

putting our all efforts, we have

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30: Leader of the Op-

position in the Assam Legislative Assembly

Debabrata Saikia has urged Prime Minister

Narendra Modi to help evacuate people of As-

sam who are stranded in some neighbouring

states on account of the ongoing nationwide

lockdown.

Saikia has written to the Prime Minister in

this regard and sought help from the Central

government. “With a view to stopping the

spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in India you

called for a three-week nationwide lockdown

starting from the late evening of March 24. It

goes without saying that each and every mem-

ber of the Congress party is with you in this

endeavour to thwart the threat posed by the

pandemic,” stated Saikia.

He added that as the lockdown commenced

with immediate effect, crores of citizens

across the country were unable to prepare

properly for it. “This is especially true of the

economically challenged sections of our soci-

Govt urged to ensure safety of bankersbeen facing several constraints

in the course of our daily activ-

ities, like sufficient number of

hand sanitisers, masks, gloves,

etc., are not available in the

market and as such we have to

face the customers and handle

the bank notes without enough

protection. We have explored

all the possible avenues from

our end to get the mentioned

safety equipment but all our

efforts proved to be futile,” it

said in a statement.

The Association added, “Un-

der the given circumstances, we

understand that facing numer-

ous customers and handling

cash, which could be a major

carrier of germs, is a very risky

proposition. Here, we state in

clear terms that all the bankers

have risen to this occasion and

have been serving the custom-

ers flawlessly treating it as a

national call, but at the same

time no one can deny that the

bankers are in serious jeopardy

owing to the non-availability of

the safety equipment.”

It said the bank officers and

employees had to face the

wrath of the police deployed in

the streets. “Perhaps the police

personnel were not properly

counselled by the administra-

tion that our job comes under

the Essential Services Mainte-

nance Act and any restriction

in our movement will act as a

hindrance in rendering our

services. We wholeheartedly

appeal to the government and

the administration to initiate

the corrective measures in this

regard so that the necessary

safety equipment are made

available to us at the earliest,

so that we can work without

endangering ourselves to the

risks associated with the out-

break of the deadly COVID-19

virus. Further, we put forward

our request to make sure that

the bankers are not harassed

anywhere by the police while

commuting,” it added.

Cong urges PM to evacuate Assampeople stranded in other states

ety. Although petty vendors and daily wage

earners have been adversely affected, the

worst hit appear to be migrant labourers who

work on a contractual basis in states other

than their home state,” said Saikia.

He said that numerous such labourers have

not only been rendered unemployed, but are

also left stranded thousands of miles away

from their homes.

He added, “I would, therefore, like to request

you kindly to mobilise Army vehicles to trans-

port these stranded and cash-strapped people

to their respective homes. In case healthcare

imperatives pertaining to the lockdown pre-

clude their transportation at this stage, then I

request you kindly to issue instructions to en-

sure that all the stranded people are housed in

vacant schools and colleges till such time as

the lockdown ends, with adequate provision of

food, water, medicines, sanitisers, etc. In this

context, the Army may use the trains also un-

der supervision and arrange quarantine facili-

ties before letting these people go and join their

relatives in villages.”

OBITUARY

MunindraKumar BoraGUWAHATI, March 30:

Munindra

K u m a r

Bora, 79, a

resident of

Nizarapar,

b r e a t h e d

his last at

4.30 am to-

day due to a cardiac arrest.

He leaves behind his wife

Monika Bora, daughters

Manikarnika Bora and Prab-

alika Borah and granddaugh-

ter Mahika K.

Nurses pickedfor COVID-19training asked

to go backfrom GMCH

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30: As

part of the preparation to fight

the COVID-19 pandemic, the

State government is organis-

ing special training for doc-

tors, nurses and other health

workers in different parts of

the State. Amid such a situa-

tion, about 30 BSc nurses

were made to wait since Mon-

day morning on the campus of

the Gauhati Medical College

and Hospital (GMCH).

A guardian of one of the

nurses alleged that the group

from Nalbari reached the

GMCH campus for a special

training on the corona pandem-

ic as per direction of the de-

partment. But throughout the

day, no official met with them.

By evening some officials di-

rected them to return to Nal-

bari as they could not arrange

lodging facilities for the group.

Reacting to the allegation,

GMCH Superintendent Dr Ra-

men Talukdar said, “It is war

time for us. We are all work-

ing to prevent the pandemic at

any cost in the State. So as a

health worker, every one of us

has to endure some trouble. By

bringing the allegation, the

person proved that she has no

intention to serve the nation

in a crisis situation.”

RamakrishnaMission Ashrama

aid to poorGUWAHATI, March 30:

Ramakrishna Mission Ashra-

ma, Guwahati, a branch cen-

tre of the Ramakrishna Math

and Ramakrishna Mission,

Belur Math, Howrah, has

come out to help the poor who

have been hit by the lockdown

in force to fight the coronavi-

rus pandemic, said a press re-

lease today.

Accordingly, during the last

two days the Ashrama distrib-

uted rice, dal, potato, salt, face

masks, hand sanitisers, etc.,

among more than 100 families

at Birubari and Lalganesh.

The Ashrama said its phil-

anthropic activity would con-

tinue in the days to come and

appealed to its devotees, well-

wishers and members of the

general public to make finan-

cial donations for the purpose.

The Ashrama has appealed

to donors to contact it on

Email: is guwahati@rkmm.org

and WhatsApp number +91

8258967031. It has also given

its bank account number –

10119237965 State Bank of

India, Vinobanagar Branch and

IFSC code – SBIN0009150 –

for anyone willing to help.

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 30: To

reach out to the grassroots to

counter the growing COVID-19

threat, the All India Radio Gu-

wahati is conducting daily pro-

gramme ‘Pratirodh’ involving

sharing of information and in-

teraction with the audience.

“The programme has re-

ceived positive response from

the listeners who we try to ed-

ucate and keep informed about

the various facets of the global

pandemic and the do’s and

don’ts for preventing a major

outbreak. We cross-check infor-

AIR running prog on COVID-19mation, play audio message and

try to reply queries through an

expert, connect officials and

ministers over phone, and pro-

vide one-line info – mostly on

the State,” Manas Pratim Sar-

ma, News Editor, said.

He said the recent interac-

tive sessions included commu-

nicating with the Air India staff

involved in the Wuhan rescue.

“On Saturday we talked to the

State Handloom & Textiles

Minister, who announced

measures for our weavers.”

AIR now being available on

the digital platform, it has man-

aged to reach larger audiences

across the globe. “With wider

penetration, we have reached

out to new segments of audi-

ences,” Sarma said.

AIR Guwahati will also

broadcast a novel radio learn-

ing programme of Sarva Shik-

sha Abhijan-Assam from April

6. “The aim of the programme

is to help students to be in touch

with learning activities during

the lockdown period,” he said.

AIR Guwahati is also doing

a regular live phone-in pro-

gramme ‘Dristipat’ focused on

COVID-19. Here, the listeners

are able to interact with senior

officials, health experts, etc.

6 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

STATE

No. DME/78/2020/4765

NOTICEAs we prepare to confront the outbreak of COVID-19

pandemic, the employees of the Medical College & Hospitalsare in the forefront of all services to be given in view of theglobal health crisis. In this regard, the Medical College &Hospitals are being notified as the major health institutions fortreatment of COVID-19 patients.

In our endeavor to extend efficient & effective all-roundpatient-care services in view of the emergent crisis, it isimperative that all personnel, including Doctors/facultymembers, Nurses, Gr-III and Gr-IV staff of the Medical Collegeand Hospitals are present in their respective institutions/headquarters. Only the personnel who are on Maternity Leaveand leave on account of serious illness are exempted.

Sd/- Director of Medical Education, AssamSixmile, Khanapara, Guwahati-22

No.DME/78/2020/4777

NOTICEThe Doctors who have passed Post Graduate courses

from the Medical Colleges of Assam within the period of year2015 to 2019 under the ‘Post-Graduate Bond Conditions’ andhave not joined in any State Government or Central Governmentservices after the completion of P.G courses, are herebydirected to report to office of the National Health Mission, AssamHead Quarters (COVID-19 control Room), G.S. Road,Guwahati, immediately.

Sd/- Director of Medical Education, AssamSixmile, Khanapara, Guwahati-22Janasanyog/D/12079/19

NEWS IN BRIEF

Barpeta medical college lab getsICMR recognition

BARPETA, March 30: The laboratory of Fakharuddin AliAhmed Medical College in Barpeta has been recognisedby the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Theaccreditation will felicitate the laboratory to test COVID-19. This is the fifth such laboratory in the State.

15 inmates released: As many as 15 inmates of theBarpeta district jail were released on Monday as part ofthe process of decongesting of jails in the State to preventthe onslaught of COVID-19. According to official sources,the convicts were convicted in minor offence cases andhave been released on personal bail. – Correspondent

Salary donationJORHAT, March 30: The teaching and non-teaching staff

of the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) across theState donated one-day’s salary to the Assam Arogya Nidhi(AAN) of the State government as a contribution to thefight against the novel coronavirus pandemic. An AAUprofessor on behalf of the university authorities informedthis newspaper that an amount of Rs 52.5 lakh was trans-ferred to the bank account of the AAN on Monday. Theprofessor further stated that during the lockdown periodfaculty members of nine colleges across Assam of the AAUwere taking classes online of various courses of the uni-versity. The professor further said that the AAU authori-ties as per the instruction of the Jorhat district adminis-tration has kept ready three hostels at the institute’sJorhat campus at Borbheta to be used by the Health De-partment if needed, for housing COVID-19 patients or forkeeping suspected COVID-19 cases in quarantine. Mean-while, the teaching and non-teaching staff of the AssamWomen’s University at Rowriah in Jorhat decided to do-nate their one day’s salary to the Assam Arogya Nidhi ofthe State government as a contribution to fight againstthe pandemic, a press release by the media cell of AWUstated. According to release, the teachers of the universi-ty were continuing teaching to the students of differentprogrammes of AWU through online classes. – Staff Corre-spondent

5 held for smuggling liquorDIGBOI, March 30: As many as five persons were ar-

rested by Pengaree police late Sunday evening at Brah-majan for carrying out inter-State illegal liquor smugglingactivities. A section of notorious people along the Assam-Arunachal border areas covering Bordumsa, Pengaree andKakopather have been taking undue advantages of thenationwide lockdown and carrying out illegal activities.The accused have been identified as Bipen Moran of Ka-kopather, Krishna Neog and Utpal Sharma of Tinsukia,Harisankar Paul and his son Abhijit Paul of Bordumsa inArunachal Pradesh. According to police, they used anambulance attached to Tinsukia Civil Hospital to carry outthis heinous act. “We recovered three cases of Arunachal-manufactured liquor from the ambulance and arrested theaccused,” said Srikumar Neog, officer in-charge of Penga-ree. “Based on interrogation, two businessmen (father-son duo) were arrested on Monday from Bordumsa inChanglang district for selling the consignment to Assam-based smugglers,” Neog said. Serious lapses on the partof the Arunachal police check-gate in Bordumsa also raisedseveral questions, particularly when the border gates havealready been declared sealed by Arunachal Pradesh’s ChiefMinister Pema Khandu. – Correspondent

Vegetablevendors charging

high ratesat Gauripur

CORRESPONDENT

GAURIPUR, March 30:

Taking advantage of the lock-

down, a section of vegetable

vendors are seen selling veg-

etables at a very high price

in different places of Gau-

ripur town without facing any

restrictions from the depart-

ment concerned. No one

seems to be interested in

controlling the prices and, as

a result, the consumers have

had to surrender before the

vendors.

Cabbage is being sold at Rs

30 per kg, ridge gourd at Rs

80, egg plant Rs 25, papaya

Rs 50, bottle gourd Rs 40 per

piece (small size), bitter

gourd Rs 60, Rs 10 for two

bananas, cucumber at Rs 40

per kg, pumpkin (small) Rs

60, drumstick Rs 100 etc.

During the period of lock-

down, the administration has

allowed customers to pur-

chase their essential materi-

als during the scheduled time

and customers are in a hurry

to buy their essential mate-

rials including vegetables.

Taking the advantage, the

vendors are charging high

prices as there are a very few

vendors of vegetables in the

market. The presence of the

vendors is very limited and

some are selling vegetables

house- to-house and they are

charging high rates at their

own will.

Assamstudents shinein Zee TV quiz

OUR BUREAU

DIBRUGARH, March 30:

Two students of the Assam

Valley School, Balipara –

Aarav Jain and Vasumann

Lohia – became runners up

in a quiz show on the Zee TV,

a Hindi language channel.

This Hindi entertainment

channel conducted a pro-

gramme called ‘Mind Wars’,

where the participants were

school students from various

parts of the country. The two

other teams in the final round

were teams from Delhi and

Jharkhand. Aarav has his

home here in the city at Man-

cotta Road, while his team

mate Vasumann is a resident

of Guwahati.

Drive againstillicit liquorCORRESPONDENT

BISWANATH CHARIA-

LI, March 30: The Biswanath

police carried out a drive

against illicit liquor at Habid-

oloni, Behuwagaon under

Sootea PS in Biswanath dis-

trict. Excise department staff

also joined with the 100-

member police team led by

DSP (HQ), CI of Jamuguri

and O/C of Sootea PS while

the Quick Response Team

was led by Armed Branch In-

spector, Biswanath.

Circle Officer, Naduar

Revenue Circle also partici-

pated in the Operation. Dur-

ing the drive, more than 4500

kgs of fermented rice,

around 300 litres of illicit liq-

uor, 25 distilling apparatus

sets were destroyed.

Free ration distribution:

In the present COVID-19

scene, the business establish-

ments of Biswanath Chariali

and Gohpur namely, Sundar-

am Mahadeo and SM Market-

ing distributed around 300

packets of ration free of cost

to daily wages labourers and

very poor people who do not

have any means to buy ra-

tion. The rations were distrib-

uted through the Biswanath

district and Gohpur subdivi-

sional administrations.

PostponedGUWAHATI, March 30:

The 400th birth anniversary

celebrations of Guru Teg Ba-

hadur scheduled for March

31 to April 18 at the historic

Mataji Gurudwara at Chapar-

mukh, Nagaon has been in-

definitely postponed due to

the COVID-19 outbreak, a

press release said. – Staff

Reporter

DhubriGurudwara gives40 rooms for massquarantine facility

CORRESPONDENT

DHUBRI, March 30: Dhu-

bri Gurudwara Sri Teg Ba-

hadur Sahib has offered 40

rooms inside its premises to

the administration to be used

as mass quarantine facility, for

the suspected novel corona-

virus affected persons.

The Sikh Pratinidhi Board,

Eastern Zone (SPBEZ),

which maintains the Gurud-

wara, has also offered to pro-

vide three time meals from

their ‘Langar’ to the quaran-

tined persons in these

rooms.

The administration in-

formed that already 8 per-

sons from Bihar and UP have

been quarantined in this fa-

cility, who are being offered

food regularly by the SPBEZ

from their Langar. It was also

informed that they have giv-

en a complete building for this

mass quarantine facility,

which is a fully separate build-

ing from the main Gurud-

wara. “A guard has been kept

in this building and the meals

are being provided to this

guard, who is distributing it

among the quarantined per-

sons,” said an official.

Sardar Gurbindar Singh,

Manager of the Dhubri Gu-

rudwara, said, “We have

handed over the keys of that

building to the district admin-

istration for quarantine facil-

ity.” He also said that the

doors of the historic Gurud-

wara is now closed for pil-

grimage.

Ban onimpromptu

corona reliefOUR BUREAU

DIBRUGARH, March 30:

The district administration

here has put a spanner in the

efforts of NGOs, student bod-

ies and others move to pro-

vide relief to quarantined

households by banning such

adventures throughout Di-

brugarh district. The official

line is that the ban is to avoid

unnecessary crowding and to

maintain social distancing.

However, organisations may

seek permission to launch

activities. AASU and a few

other groups have recently

taken up voluntary relief dis-

tribution works in several

parts of the State, including

Dibrugarh district. AASU

members were going from

home to home, distributing

food and other material.

Meanwhile, people contin-

ue to get beaten up by police

in several parts of the dis-

trict, the reason being that

they are violating lockdown

orders. Many two wheelers

have been seized by the po-

lice from such violators.

Warning toblack

marketeersCORRESPONDENT

NALBARI, March 30 : In

order to prevent price hike

and artificial scarcity of es-

sential commodities, Depu-

ty Commissioner Bharat

Bhusan Dev Choudhury to-

day entrusted magistrates to

take stock of the availability

by visiting grocery shops at

Nalbari town.

It may be mentioned here

that the wholesalers at Nalbari

town have been hiking the pric-

es of grocery items taking the

advantage of nationwide lock-

down.

The Deputy Commission-

er today held a meeting of the

officials of Food and Civil Sup-

plies and Circle Officers after

receiving complaints of very

high price hikes of essential

commodities. The Deputy

Commissioner called upon the

officials of Food and Civil Sup-

plies department to strictly

monitor the prices. While talk-

ing to this correspondent,

Deputy Commissioner Dev

Choudhury said that stern ac-

tion will be taken if the whole-

salers or retailers make artifi-

cial scarcity of essential com-

modities in the district.

Vegetables, essentials sold throughvans, home delivery in Jorhat

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, March 30: Sale of

vegetables on vans along with

home delivery of essential

commodities was launched in

Jorhat district on Sunday

Additional Deputy Com-

missioner Bipul Das, who

looks after the Food, Civil

Supplies and Consumer Af-

fairs department, told The

Assam Tribune that as part

of efforts by the government

to ease difficulties of the peo-

ple due to the lockdown, the

administration started sale of

vegetables through vans lo-

cality-wise.

Das said vendors author-

ised by the district adminis-

tration went to different lo-

calities on Sunday morning

and sold vegetables.

The Additional Deputy

Commissioner said that the

response of people has been

by and large satisfactory as

they maintained gaps unlike

the heavy rush and over-

crowding witnessed in mar-

kets on earlier days.

He, however, said that in

some areas, there were long

queues and civil defence vol-

unteers were deployed to en-

force social distancing. Das

said the arrangement will con-

tinue on a daily basis during

the lockdown and urged peo-

ple not to go for panic-buying.

The Additional Deputy

Commissioner said a process

was on to make the same ar-

rangements in villages and all

Revenue Circle officers

were working in this regard.

He said the administration

was also taking steps to make

vegetables available in Amar

Dukans (government-noti-

fied shops that sell essential

commodities at reasonable

prices) in rural areas.

Das said home delivery of

grocery items too started in

Jorhat town on Sunday. Au-

thorised grocery shops and

shopping malls made deliv-

ery at doorsteps on orders

received over phone by en-

gaging delivery persons who

were granted passes after un-

dergoing screening tests for

novel coronavirus. The au-

thorised shops were grant-

ed permission to run the

service within a 4-km radius

from the location of the es-

tablishment.

Das said that to prevent

rush of retailers at the whole-

sale grocery market, the ad-

ministration has directed the

retailers to place orders over

phone. Delivery of grocery

items to retailers will be

done through vehicles grant-

ed passes by the administra-

tion, he stated.

Plea to people: Mean-

while, Additional Deputy

Commissioner Damodar

Barman, who looks after the

District Disaster Manage-

ment Authority, has urged

people to cooperate in en-

forcing the lockdown. Bar-

man said the administration

was making all efforts to pro-

vide essentials and vegeta-

bles at doorsteps locality-

wise on vans and there was

no reason to worry as the ar-

rangement will continue

during the lockdown.

Complete lockdown in Karbi AnglongCORRESPONDENT

DIPHU, March 30: Mar-

kets, offices and other com-

mercial establishments were

mostly closed across East

Karbi Anglong and West Kar-

bi Anglong districts on Mon-

day, the day six of the 21-day-

long national lockdown to

contain the spread of corona-

virus in the country.

However, the decision of

the authority to allow sale of

fish and meat proved wrong

as hundreds of people hov-

ered over the marketplace

making travesty of social dis-

tancing, not to mention un-

ruly youths, who made it a

point to demonstrate bike

stunts in the otherwise de-

serted streets of market ar-

eas and residential colonies.

In Baithalangso, police ar-

rested a youth for violating

the rules of lockdown on

Thursday. However, people

were seen rushing to the gro-

cery shops to buy their es-

sentials. As shopkeepers

struggled with large crowds,

the district administration

asked customers to maintain

at least one metre of distance

with each other, use sanitiz-

ers and masks while stand-

ing in the queues.

Through an order, the dis-

trict administration has asked

the grocery shop owners to

avoid gatherings and use

minimum staff. The district

administration has also fixed

opening hours for grocery

shops from 8 am to 4 pm and

has ordered the grocery

stores to sell vegetables,

eggs, fruits etc., from the

same sale point. Meanwhile,

the administration is ponder-

ing about the possibility of

providing food at the door-

steps of quarantined people.

On the other hand, the

West Karbi Anglong district

administration fixed the open-

ing hours of grocery shops

from 10 am to 3 pm.

Police and district admin-

istration, Diphu Municipal

Board (DMB) and Greater

Diphu Bazaar Committee

carried out spraying of disin-

fectants in Diphu market af-

ter a thorough wash with

hose pipe of local fire-ten-

ders. A team of fire-fighters

sprayed disinfectants on

buildings and roads.

DMB chairman Rah Kro

said, “Today the DMB and

Greater Diphu Bazaar Com-

mittee have jointly carried out

the spraying of disinfectants

in Diphu market. The areas

which are not covered today

will be covered the next day.”

In Baithalangso, a youth

named Basa Hanse (23) was

arrested for violating the lock-

down under Section 188 of

IPC. A case no. 30/2020 was

registered at Baithalangso

police station in this regard.

In West Karbi Anglong, a

quarantine camp is being set

up at Kuthepi. Police have re-

stricted the entry of outsid-

ers in all entry points of in-

ter-district and inter-State

borders. The police have

stepped up vigil at Forest

Gate Bazaar of Kheroni in

West Karbi Anglong district

bordering Hojai district.

Meanwhile, a few house-

holds with medical emergen-

cies have been facing difficul-

ties. An elderly man was

seen carrying his wife to a

pharmacy located a few kilo-

metres away from Kheroni

Chariali on a bicycle.

CM in Bongaigaon to assess preparednessCORRESPONDENT

BONGAIGAON, March

30: Chief Minister Sarbanan-

da Sonowal on Monday visit-

ed Bongaigaon to assess the

preparedness of the admin-

istration and the Health De-

partment on the preventive

measures taken against the

spread of novel coronavirus

in the district.

The Chief Minister first

reached Bongaigaon Civil

Hospital at Majgaon and in-

spected all the arrangements

made for suspected COVID-

19 patients. He also interact-

ed with members of the med-

ical teams in the hospital.

From there, he came to the

Deputy Commissioner’s of-

fice here and chaired a meet-

ing with officials of the Health

Department and the admin-

istration. In the meeting,

Sonowal announced the re-

lease of Rs 200 valued gift

coupons for the poor. Admin-

istration will sell these cou-

pons and with the money, es-

sential items will be provid-

ed to babies, mothers and

families of poor families, a

press release issued by the

district administration stated.

Chief minister, in his brief-

ing, thanked the media and

medical teams for their serv-

ice during the lockdown peri-

od. He termed the incidents

of violation of lockdown at

some places as unfortunate and

made an appeal to all to follow

the lockdown rules and main-

tain social distance to check the

spread of the dreaded virus.

For the normal supply of

essential items and medi-

cines, all the Deputy Commis-

sioners were instructed to

make necessary arrange-

ments, Chief Minister said.

Claiming that his government

took all possible steps to bring

back people of the State from

other States, he appealed to

the people not to believe in

rumours circulated by some

in the social media.

Civic officials distributing vegetables, in Lakhimpur on Monday. – UB Photos

Home delivery of LPG cylinders during the nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, at Tezpur on Monday. –UB Photos

Awareness drive on COVID-19TEZPUR, March 30: The 12th Assam Rifles stationed at

Charduar in Sonitpur district organised COVID- 19 aware-ness programmes at Chardwar, Tarajuli, Bihuguri andTezpur town on Monday simultaneously. During the aware-ness programme, people were informed about the symp-toms of COVID-19, which is a highly contagious diseaseand explained how the virus spreads. The programmealso aimed to provide impetus to the instructions issuedby the State and Central governments to combat the threatof coronavirus. The civilians through public announcementsystem were informed not to panic and instead follow theinstructions of lockdown. – Correspondent

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 7NORTH EAST

The Super Hercules plane carrying medical equipment at the Dimapur Airport, on Monday. – Photos: Bhadra Gogoi.

CORRESPONDENT

DIMAPUR, March 30: A C-130 Super Hercules plane ofthe IAF with emergencymedical equipment, personnelprotective equipment, handsanitisers etc. landed inDimapur today to help com-bat COVID-19 in Nagaland.

This is the second consign-ment, which also includesequipment for disaster man-agement and emergency re-quirements for all the districts

Plane with medical supplies tofight COVID-19 lands in Nagaland

of the state, to have reachedthe state in preparation tocombat the endemic.

“C-130 Super Hercules air-craft landed at Dimapur withthe second consignment ofemergency equip. & alsoequipment for disaster mngt.through the support of@IAF_MCC,” Nagaland ChiefMinister Neiphiu Rio tweeted.

Rio said the state govern-ment would ensure that itreaches every district inNagaland on time. He said the

state had received medicalequipment consisting of triplelayer masks, personnel pro-tective equipment, BD univer-sal viral transport and swabsticks and additional medicalequipment.

He added that 33 ventilatorsare also expected within thisweek.

The state health and familywelfare department said thereare 173 isolation beds availablefor any possible COVID-19cases in the state in addition to

175 isolation beds in identifiedCOVID-19 hospitals. Thenumber of quarantine facilitieshas been increased to 1,043 inthe state.

The department also said allthe 22 samples which weresent for testing till Sundaytested negative forcoronavirus. Nagaland sendsswab samples of suspectedpatients either to Dibrugarh inAssam or Imphal in Manipursince the state has no testinglaboratory.

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, March 30: Shillong MP Vin-cent Pala released Rs 1 crore from his MP Lo-cal Area DevelopmentScheme for urgent procure-ment of ventilators, masks andother medical equipment re-quired by health officials.

The amount was released tothe East Khasi Hills district ad-ministration with the recom-mendation that any item thatthe Director of Health Serv-ices feels necessary for pro-curement could be donethrough the released fund.

Pala in his letter said that therequired items may be pro-cured within 45 days after proper scrutiny. TheMP said that he may be kept informed on thework implementation.

On the other hand, the State Governmenthas informed that it is coordinating with farm-ers in the rural areas to get their produce tothe market through an initiative called

Pala releases funds formedical equipment

“1917iTEAMS.”The team has been working closely with the

deputy commissioners of different districts ofthe State to ensure that vegetables and fruits

are made available to the pub-lic.

Farm produce from Laitjemand Mawkriah from East KhasiHills were procured and dis-tributed across different locali-ties of Shillong under the su-pervision of Rangbah Shnongs.

The team has been sellingthese vegetables and fruits indifferent localities of the Statein vehicles. However, therehas been a spike in the cost ofthese items.

The “1917iTEAMS” is aninitiative of the Government of Meghalaya thatis working in the current crisis situation byprocuring farm produce from the farmers andmaking it available in different parts of the State.

Meanwhile, the Education Department hasnotified today that educational institutions wouldremain closed till April 15.

Vincent Pala

CORRESPONDENT

IMPHAL, March 30: TheManipur government is plan-ning to set up a new 200-bedquarantine facility within thenext 10-15 days at LangthabalPhumlou Loukol in Manipur’sImphal West District as partof immediate measures takenup to tackle Covid-19 in thestate, official sources said.

Chief Minister N BirenSingh along with MLAs LSusindro (Khurai) and ThSatyabrata (Yaiskul) today in-spected the proposed site un-der Imphal West District,thesource said.The new centre isto be set up in addition to theexisting temporary centres

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh along with MLAs and officials inspecting the proposed site for construction ofquarantine facility on the outskirts of Imphal, on Monday.

Manipur Govt to set upquarantine facility soon

being opened in different dis-tricts of the State.

The new quarantine centrewill be constructed in an areameasuring around one pari,

which is equivalent to one hec-tare of land. Half of the landwould be donated by the landowner of the area while an-other half would be acquiredby the state government asper the existing system.

The whole idea of the initia-tive is to develop a permanenthealthcare centre by the stategovernment in order to addressthe public demand in case of anyemergency or outbreak of epi-demic or natural calamities.

The Chief Minister also in-structed Chief Secretary Dr J

Suresh Babu and DGPManipur LM Khaute alongwith other officials of the stateto complete construction ofthe centre within 10 to 15days. He also instructed theDC Imphal West to begin sur-vey of the land immediately.

Principal Secretary(Health) V Vumlunmang,Manipur Police Housing Cor-poration Ltd. Managing Direc-tor C Doungel, Health Serv-ices Director Dr K Rajo,JNIMS Director Dr Th Bhimoand other high-ranking offi-cials of the state government,besides the local womenfolkwere also present during theinspection.

It may be mentioned that

different quarantine centreshave already been opened inalmost all the districts of theState to accommodate thosewho have returned from af-fected states and countries.

CM’s Relief fund: In themeantime, donations to therecently opened Chief Minis-ter’s COVID-19 Relief Fundare coming from different sec-tions of the society.

Many individuals and organi-sations have contributed a to-tal of Rs 10,26,500 to the fund.

Chief Minister N BirenSingh thanked all those indi-viduals and organisations whohave generously donated tothe Chief Minister’s COVID-19 Relief Fund till date.

CORRESPONDENT

DIMAPUR, March 30: The Opposi-tion Naga People’s Front (NPF) todaysaid it was appalled by the decision ofthe People’s Democratic Alliance(PDA) government in the state to de-duct a day’s salary of the employees ofcertain departments, especially thepolice personnel, towards the ChiefMinister’s Relief Fund to combat thecoronavirus.

In a release, the party said it is of thestrong view that police personnelshould come within the parameter offrontline workers who are fightingagainst the dreaded global pandemic.

Calling the setting up of the ChiefMinister’s Relief Fund a laudable ini-tiative, the NPF said this will providean avenue to the people from all walksof life to contribute towards the wel-fare of the society. The party, however,said the donations should be voluntaryand nobody should be coerced into con-

NPF questions salary deduction for CM’s Relief Fundtributing to the fund, which is tanta-mount to extortion.

The party fully acknowledged andappreciated the selfless efforts beingrendered by the healthcare commu-nity and the police personnel towardspreventing the outbreak of the diseasein the state. However, it expressedconcern over the preparedness of thestate government to tackle the virusand questioned the theory of salarydeduction from the public servants.

The NPF said even though the en-tire state is under total lockdown, theassignments and duties of the policepersonnel have in no way lessened andtherefore their welfare has to be takeninto consideration. The party said spe-cial incentives to the sanitation work-ers, doctors and nurses and any otherindividuals or agencies who are en-gaged in combating the dreaded pan-demic in the state should be given bythe government rather than deduct-ing their salaries.

The party also expressed concernover the reported shortage of someessential commodities, including rice,in many districts of the State.

It is in fact disheartening to note thatthe PDA government is asking thecommon people to deposit threemonths’ money in advance to get theirshare of PDS rice, the NPF said.

“This kind of policy and approach onthe part of the PDA government isvery shallow and unthinkable,” theparty said.

It suggested that the state governmentuse the Rs 17 crore which it had re-cently withdrawn from the Village De-velopment Board matching grant on es-sential commodities and later on reim-burse from the relief fund on COVID-19 from the central government.

The party urged the government toensure supply of essential commodi-ties to the common people, besidesurging the government to utilise vari-ous government revenue, including

those from Goods and Services Taxwhich amounts to crores of rupees, atthis critical juncture instead of beggingfrom the poor public and showing help-lessness on the pretext of paucity offund.

The NPF said though the govern-ment keeps claiming that the state isfully prepared to tackle COVID-19, theground reality is that everything is in ashamble sans the required facilities.

It said the government is expectedto be more transparent in tacklingCovid-19 as the lives of the citizens ofNagaland cannot be put at risk due toits negligence.

The Dimapur Naga Students’ Un-ion also questioned as to how couldthe Food and Civil Supplies Depart-ment ever think of asking the priorityhousehold agents to deposit threemonths’ money in advance at this cru-cial period of time when the poor peo-ple are going through a gruelling pe-riod.

Maharajganj Bazar in Agartala witnessed an acute shortfallof fish supply following the nationwide lockdown, onMonday.– Photo: Agartala Correspondent.

CORRESPONDENT

TURA, March 30: The Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP) has appealed to the NPP-ledEC of the Garo Hills Autonomous Dis-trict Council (GHADC) for the release ofpending salaries of the employees of theCouncil in view of the current lockdown.

As per the party, the NPP-led EC hadsought a loan from the NITI Aayog for anamount of Rs 24 crores to clear at least 6months pending salaries of the GHADC

Plea to release salaries of GHADC staffemployees.

The demand from the BJP comes inthe backdrop of the nationwide lockdownagainst Covid–19 and the condition of theemployees who have been without sala-ries for over 24 months now.

“The nationwide lockdown has broughtnormal life to a standstill and no majorwork has been taken up by the GHADCat the moment. It would be a positivegesture on the part of NPP and BJP toclear atleast 6 months’ salary to the em-

ployees,” said party spokespersonBernard Marak.

As per the BJP, recently a major amounthad been transferred to the GHADC ac-count by the BJP government, but theNPP-led EC despite assurances to theemployees, did not discuss the salary mat-ter with the BJP MDCs. The BJP has 8members in the 30-member House.

“BJP does not want any employee toface hardship,” added Marak in a pressrelease.

CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR, March 30: ArunachalPradesh Assembly Speaker PasangDorjee Sona today attended a reviewmeeting on COVID-19 preparedness inhis home district Shi-Yomi with the DC,SP, district medical officer and otherstakeholders at Mechuka, the headquar-ters of the newly-created district.

Sona rushed to Shi-Yomi district onSunday to oversee the post COVID-19situation amid reports of food scarcity inMonigong and Pidi circles in the wake of

Arunachal Speaker reviews COVID-19 scenethe 21-day nationwide lockdown imposedto contain the spread of the deadlycoronavirus pandemic.

The Speaker said that the district ad-ministration, police and health departmentsare doing their best with all the availableresources in the district. He informed thathe had suggested them that there shouldbe no delay or negligence due to financialcrunch as funding is not a problem as ofnow. He assured the district administra-tion of all possible help and told them toapproach him for any assistance.

Sona, however, expressed concern

over reports that a section of the publicwas not supportive towards the adminis-tration in some places of the district.

“What I got to know is the public needto cooperate with the administration,police and health workers,” said Sona,adding that whatever they are doing isfor everyone’s safety.

He fervently appealed to the people ofthe district to follow the government’sadvisories/instructions as the only key topreventing the COVID-19 pandemic isawareness, maintaining social distancingand personal hygiene.

CORRESPONDENT

AIZAWL, March 30: TheMizoram government wouldprovide food and shelter to mi-grant workers who are strandedin the state due to the nation-wide lockdown, a state HomeDepartment official said today.

The move was taken in pur-suance to the Centre’s direc-tive to provide food and shel-ter to the migrant workersduring the 21-day lockdown,he also said.

The official further said thatthe Union Home Ministry au-thorised respective states touse Disaster Response Fund(DRF) for providing reliefmeasures to migrant workersduring the nationwidelockdown in view of thecoronavirus pandemic.

According to the official, alldistrict-level task forces wereinstructed to monitor relief

Mizoram to provide food,shelter to migrant workers

measures for migrant work-ers, industrial workers andother workers of unorganisedsector in their respective ar-eas. Expenses for relief meas-ures would be borne from thestate exchequer which wouldbe later recovered from theState Disaster Response Fund(SDRF), he also said.

“Respective district-leveltask forces on COVID-19 willprovide food and shelter tomigrant workers, industrialand unorganised sector work-ers,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources saidthat thousands of migrantworkers, contractors and un-organised sector workersmostly from Assam arestranded in Mizoram due tothe lockdown. Police said thatthe actual figure is yet to bedetermined as compilation isunder process.

As per the latest information,about 940 migrant workershave reported to the state gov-ernment. Of these, 697 peopleare based in Kolasib districtbordering Assam, 136 peoplein Aizawl district, 47 inSerchhip district and 30 each inHnahthial and Mamit districts.

Earlier, the Union HomeMinistry had written to stategovernments requesting themto immediately set up reliefcamps for migrant workers.

Forecast for NE: Weather is

most likely to remain dry over

Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,

Meghalaya, Nagaland,

Manipur, Mizoram and

Tripura.

Warning: Nil

Temperatures:

Max (°C) Min (°C)

Dibrugarh 31.3 20.0

Tezpur 35.2 21.4

Silchar 35.4 18.5

Dhubri 32.9 20.8

Jorhat 33.0 18.0

N Lakhimpur 34.1 20.0

Shillong 26.2 18.1

Cherrapunjee 24.7 14.4

Aizawl 28.1 NA

Kohima NA 13.2

Pasighat 29.6 19.9

Itanagar 33.6 19.0

Imphal 30.8 16.7

Agartala 35.9 20.1

WEATHER

NORTHEAST

8 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020STATENEWS IN BRIEF

19 inmates freed in GolaghatDERGAON, March 30: As many as 19 inmates were freed

on personal recognised bond from the Golaghat jail on Sun-day. As per directions of the Supreme Court, the Under TrialReview Committee of Golaghat granted bail to the inmates,including a woman. A meeting chaired by District LegalService Authority secretary SK Sarmah and attended bydistrict magistrate Bibhash Chandra Modi, chief judicial mag-istrate Kiranlal Baishnab, additional district magistrateKhanindra Das, DLSA member secretary N Koiri and jailsuperintendent MN Sarmah granted bail to those under trialfor punishment less than seven years, as part of prepared-ness for a possible COVID-19 outbreak. – Correspondent

Midday meals distributedGOSSAIGAON, March 30: Midday meals were distribut-

ed to students of lower and upper primary and high schoollevels on Monday. Students of classes 6, 7 and 8 of Bhag-neswari Deka Memorial ME School, Shastri VidyapeethME School and Gossaigaon HS School were each given theirshare of 5 kg rice and 2 kg dal. – ANN Service

Disinfection drive in MangaldaiMANGALDAI, March 30: Amid the lockdown over a pos-

sible COVID-19 outbreak, the Mangaldai Municipal Boardhas been carrying out disinfection drives continuously. OnSunday, municipal staff and fire and emergency servicespersonnel sprayed disinfectants in public places. The longprogramme was monitored by Manik Shil Sarma, chairman ofthe civic body. An official said that each day, nearly 100 litresof disinfectants were being sprayed. – Correspondent

45 inmates released in NalbariNALBARI, March 30: The Nalbari district jail on Sunday

released 45 undertrials of Nalbari, Kamrup Rural and Baksadistricts, in view of the situation in case of a coronavirusoutbreak. The inmates included 10 from Nalbari district, 20from Baksa district and 15 from Rangia. The jail authoritiesdropped the inmates at their homes due to the lockdown.The jail has now 369 prisoners, of which 63 have beenconvicted, against the facilities available to keep 155 pris-oners. – Correspondent

223 home-quarantinedTIHU, March 30: A total of 223 people have been home

quarantined for 14 days after they came from Kerala, Chennai,Odisha, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, etc. Four surveillance teams,led by Samir Choudhury, circle officer of Chamata, are visitingvillages like Pub Kalakuchi, Pahlongpara, Janigog, Kakaya,Belsor, Solmara, Jagara, Phulguri, Kaithakuchi, Barnaddi andPakowa and checking on the people. Dr Moinul Houque, healthofficer of Chamata subdivision, said the government healthinitiatives were going on smoothly. – ANN Service

Patowary visits hospitalNALBARI, March 30: Industries and Commerce Minister

Chandra Mohan Patowary on Sunday visited the Swahid Muku-nda Kakati Civil Hospital and directed the superintendentto vacate it and turn it into a COVID-19 hospital. He directedthe immediate shifting of the patients to private hospitals.The Minister said 200 additional beds will be provided invarious hospitals of the district on Monday, and added thatthe district has facilities to accommodate 5,000 people inquarantine. He held a meeting with district administrationofficials and was informed that the district has enough fooditems for the next 20 days. The meeting was attended byMLAs Ashok Sarma and Narayan Deka and Deputy Commis-sioner Bharat Bhusan Dev Choudhury. – Correspondent

MLA assures helpBAIHATA CHARIALI, March 30: Kamalpur MLA Satya-

brat Kalita visited the Mahatma Gandhi Model Hospital andtook stock of measures in case of a COVID-19 outbreak.SDM&HO Dr Dimbeswar Sarma said 66 villages were underthe hospital’s jurisdiction, and a number of pilgrims and stu-dents studying in Kerala, Bengaluru, Delhi and other placeshave come back home and health workers were monitoringthe situation. He said hand-stamping was done on 217 per-sons and they have been advised home quarantine. Labour-ers, truck drivers and helpers have also been advised to stayin isolation. The MLA assured that he will take steps toprovide the equipment required by the hospital. He alsovisited Bihdia BPHC, Puthimari MPHC and Guiya SD, andsaid rice, pulses, potato, etc., will be provided to the poorpeople free of cost through fair price shops. – ANN Service

A disinfection drive being carried out in Hailakandi town onSunday. – Photo: Satananda Bhattacharjee

CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA, March 30: At a

time when the country is fighting to

control the spread of COVID-19 by

observing a lockdown, the Tinsukia

district administration issued an or-

der on March 26 allowing the Per-

sonal Product Factory (PPF) of Hin-

dustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) to oper-

ate the factory, which led to strong

resentment among the workers and

the public. Following strong public

criticism, the district administration

had to cancel the permission.

According to information, the

manager of the factory urged the

district administration through a

letter on March 26 to allow them to

operate the factory. Accordingly, the

Additional District Magistrate is-

sued an order on the same day, al-

lowing them to undertake only

emergency services and manufac-

turing of essential commodities in

two shifts – from 6 am to 2 pm, and

2 pm to 10 pm – subject to the con-

dition that the employees required

for the essential services must be

carried by company vehicles.

The order also stated that the

staff engaged in the manufacturing

unit must maintain social distance

and due hygiene norms.

After receiving permission, the

factory management started calling

the workers over phone to start the

factory from Friday morning. But,

majority of the workers were re-

luctant to go for duty. The manage-

ment on Friday held a discussion

with the two unions of workers af-

filiated to CITU and INTUC, but

failed to convince the workers.

Talking to the media, the union

leaders said they informed the man-

agement that the workers would not

come for duty during the lockdown.

“If any worker is willing to attend

duty, we have no objection. But, the

management should not force them

to work,” they added.

The public and several organisa-

tions expressed strong resentment

over the decision of the company as

well as the district administration.

Many said that the government or-

der mentioned only the manufac-

ture of essential commodities. But

this factory manufacturers only

items like toothpaste, shampoo, hair

conditioner and fairness cream,

which by no means are essential

commodities.

A few organisations lodged a

complaint with the Tinsukia Depu-

ty Commissioner, and finally, the

administration by a new order dat-

ed March 28 cancelled the permis-

sion order on Saturday with im-

mediate effect.

Home quarantine violator

booked: Though the government

in clear terms had announced that

people who had stamps on their

hands should be home quarantined,

and any violation of this rule would

invite strict action under the Disas-

ter Management Act, but some peo-

ple having such stamps on their hands

have been moving around in several

parts of Tinsukia district.

A few such cases have come to light

in Tinsukia and Doomdooma. In one

such case, the Tinsukia district admin-

istration has taken suo motu cogni-

zance against one Rakesh Agarwal, a

pharmacist and owner of Aran Medi-

cos. An FIR has been filed against

Agarwal at the Tinsukia PS, with or-

ders to shut down the pharmacy until

further orders.

Agarwal had recently visited Ra-

jasthan and returned on March 22.

Though he was stamped for home

quarantine, he went to the pharma-

cy on March 24. Police registered a

case under Section 188 and 271 of

the Indian Penal Code.

It has also been alleged that in

some places, youths engaged in jobs

in various states of India had re-

turned home recently and concealed

themselves indoors without any

medical check-up. Though a few such

cases have been reported in differ-

ent police stations, some cases are

yet to be attended to.

Some people were also found loi-

tering on the roads defying the lock-

down in various places including

Tinsukia, Doomdooma, Digboi,

Margherita, Kakopothar, Talap,

Dholla and Sadiya. Police and para-

military forces had to use baton to

send back such violators home.

The Tinsukia district administra-

tion has designated some vegeta-

ble hawkers to carry out doorstep

delivery of vegetables in the 10

wards of Doomdooma Municipal

Board area from 7 am to 3 pm on

alternate days.

The administration made this

provision only for residents under

the Doomdooma Municipal Board.

A large number of people living in

rural areas on the outskirts of the

town like Beesakopie, Rupbon

Rupai Siding, etc., who are com-

pletely dependent on the Doom-

dooma town market have urged the

administration to make similar ar-

rangements for them.

Tinsukia dist admin cancels permission to operate HUL factory

Order givenafter publicresentmentfollowinglockdown

Workers of the Teok Municipal Board and fire service personnel disinfecting a market area at Teok on Sunday.– Photo: Medinee Kamal Borah

Veterinary feedsupply badly hit

by lockdownAJIT PATOWARY

GUWAHATI, March 30:

All is reportedly not well in

the state’s veterinary sector

following the lockdown due

to the coronavirus outbreak.

Those engaged in the live-

stock business in remote ar-

eas of the state are facing a

lot of hardship, as the animal

feed supply chain has been

badly affected.

According to information,

though the state government

has permitted movement of

concentrated feed produced in

firms located outside the

state, the law enforcement

agencies are not aware of the

fact that animal feed supply is

also an emergency service.

This has stood in the way of

continued supply of animal

feed to private livestock farms

located in remote areas.

Moreover, official sources

said that though the Veteri-

nary Department is required

to provide emergency serv-

ices in times of need, its serv-

ices are yet to be declared

essential like medical serv-

ices. This was why, when a

crisis arises, the stakehold-

ers, along with service pro-

viders in this sector, face all

sorts of problems.

Every month, the state

needs 28,000 Metric Tonnes

(MTs) of feed for its 80 lakh

of broiler chicken replace-

ments, 1,155 MTs of feed for

3.5 lakh of commercial lay-

ers, 35,690 MTs of feed for

3.95 lakh of exotic and cross-

bred cattle and 31,500 MTs

of feed for 7 lakh commer-

cially reared pigs. Thus, the

total animal feed required by

the state in a month stands at

96,345 MTs.

The Assam Livestock and

Poultry Corporation (ALP-

CO) feed plant at Sonapur has

a 3-4 MT Per Hour (MTPH)

capacity palate feed unit and

a 1.5 MTPH capacity mesh

feed unit. It is under opera-

tion with full capacity and is

supplying to the Veterinary

Department’s farms and pri-

vate entrepreneurs. Its

monthly average production

is about 1,200 MTs.

In all, there are 16 feed

plants operating in the state

with a total production capac-

ity of 120 Tonnes Per Hour

(TPH), and they are produc-

ing 45,000 MTs of animal feed

per month. The rest of the

state’s feed requirement is

imported from other states.

Godrej Agrovet is the ma-

jor animal feed producer in

the country. It holds the high-

est share in the country’s

animal feed production. The

other major brands include

Maha Feeds, Unnat, Anmol,

Sona Gold, Shiv Shakti Am-

rit, Kamdhenu, and Japfa,

among others.

Sonitpur admin taking stepsto combat COVID-19 threat

CORRESPONDENT

TEZPUR, March 30: The Sonitpur

district administration is taking all nec-

essary steps to ensure that it is well

equipped to face the challenges and

threat posed by the growing pandemic

of COVID-19. With active support of the

people, the Health department, other

line departments and NGOs, it has been

working round the clock to prevent the

spread of the virus locally empowering

the citizens with the right information

and taking of precautions as per the ad-

visories being issued by Ministry of

Health & Family Welfare. Meanwhile,

assembly of five or more persons in

public places without the permission of

the district administration has been

banned under Section 144 of the CrPC.

On the preparedness regarding the

burning issue, the Superintendent of

Tezpur Medical College and Hospital,

Dr Madhab Chandra Rajbongshi said that

under the guidance of the Ministry of

Health & Family Welfare and Assam

Government, every possible measure

has been taken to fight COVID-19 in

the district.

“A total of 5848 people coming back

to their homes in the undivided Sonit-

pur district (Sonitpur 3207 + Biswa-

nath 2641) from other States and abroad

are in home quarantine and their regu-

lar medical supervision is being carried

out,” he said. Doctors, paramedical per-

sonnel, nurses and ASHA workers with

the full support of the media, police and

different NGOs are involved in the anti-

coronavirus fight with total dedication,

sources said.

However, it is alleged that despite

repeated requests from the govern-

ment, district administration, media and

the police administration, in some inte-

rior areas like Panchmile near here,

Bandarmari, Khelmati, Bahbari and

Gorokhia Pukhuri area under Bandar-

mari, Phulaguri and Bahbari panchayats

in the district, some unscrupulous and

politically-motivated people are alleg-

edly provoking the ignorant people to

disobey the lockdown creating an awk-

ward situation. Appealing to the district

administration to check these areas

properly, the village headman of Bandar-

mari area Tribeni Boro mentioned that

some youths coming back from Kerala,

Maharashtra and Goa to their native plac-

es are roaming openly. “It is very unfor-

tunate that even some educated people

are seen violating the lockdown, by or-

ganising community works like fishing,

gambling and feasts in the area," he said.

A socially vocal physician Dr Rupam

Das, a noted paediatrician in Tezpur urg-

ing all to maintain hygiene and obey the

lockdown said that alongwith him, the

private doctors will dedicate their serv-

ices for the lives of the people as and

when called for.

The district administration has also di-

rected that no person shall come out of

his/her home except for procurement of

groceries, medicines and other essential

services or for any emergency medical

treatment. The movement of all private

and public passenger vehicles (including

two wheelers) has been restricted. The

district administration has also fixed the

timings of operation of all shops/ estab-

lishments dealing in grocery items. All

wholesale shops will function between 8

am to 4 pm, while retail shops will remain

open between 9 am and 6 pm. Selling of

dairy/ milk products will remain open be-

tween 6 am to 9 am in the morning and

between 3 pm and 5 pm in the evenings.

The shopkeepers are also to ensure social

distancing norms among customers.

Bimala Deka: atribute

Our mother, Bimala Deka She passed away suddenly

on March 21 last leaving her family and well-wishers in a

state of shock.

Born on April 23, 1955 at Dimou, Rangia, she got mar-

ried at a very young age and thereafter moved to Guwa-

hati where she spent the rest

of her life. Despite her noble

background and limited re-

sources, she took life as a chal-

lenge and with sheer hard

work and dedication made a

name for herself in the medi-

cine industry. With sheer grit,

determination and persever-

ance she managed to raise her

own business establishment

and can rightly be regarded as

one of the pioneer woman en-

trepreneurs.

An amiable, friendly and social lady she was stern on

one hand and extremely loving on the other. A doting

mother and an extremely loving grandmother she loved

socialising and travelling. She leaves behind her husband,

Bhaben Deka, two daughters, a son besides a host of grand-

children and relatives. Today, on her adyasraddha, we pray

for her eternal peace.

– Rimi Saloi Deka

Leopard attacks manSTAFF CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, March 30: A leopard strayed into a village under

Pulibor PS on the outskirts of Jorhat on Monday morning and

injured a person, creating panic among the villagers. Police

received information that a leopard entered a house in Da-

Gayangaon and attacked a person. Policemen immediately

went to the village and found that Nitu Dutta was injured in

the waist when the big cat attacked him when he went out to

fetch water from a tubewell. Police made arrangements to

take the injured person to hospital.

The leopard later moved to an adjoining house and went

inside the space between the tin roof and the ceiling. As news

spread, people came in large numbers to the spot. Police sent

back the crowd, asking them to follow the lockdown direc-

tive. A Forest Department team arrived at the spot and in-

formed the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conserva-

tion at Borjuri near the Kaziranga National Park. A team from

the CWRC with veterinary doctors arrived at the site and

tranquilized the leopard.

OBITUARY

Rupam GoswamiGUWAHATI, March 30:

Rupam Gos-

wami (Son-

moni), eldest

son of Late

Jogen Gos-

wami and

Preety Goswami of Silpukhu-

ri here passed away on

March 29 last at his daugh-

ter’s residence in Pune after

a brief illness. He was 74.

Educated and trained

mostly at Delhi, he was a re-

tired employee of RRL

Jorhat. A man of strict disci-

pline, Sonmonida was social-

ly very active and loved to

be among his friends and rel-

atives.

He leaves behind his

wife, a son, a daughter,

grandchildren and a young-

er brother.

Heroin seized fromambulance

CORRESPONDENT

NORTH LAKHIMPUR,

March 30: Police recovered

heroin hidden inside an am-

bulance amidst the threat of

COVID-19 pandemic.

The incident took place at

Narayanpur on Sunday night

when DSP-HQ Runa Neog

along with Narayanpur PS

Officer-in-Charge James V

Simte intercepted the ambu-

lance (AS-07-AC-8374),

which was carrying a patient

from Nagaon to Bihpuria in

Lakhimpur. A search led to

the seizure of 35 grams of

heroin, two plastic soap cas-

es, three plastic tobacco con-

tainers and 57 small finger-

sized containers. Police arrest-

ed four persons, including Ji-

abur Rahman (40) from Kam-

pur, Nagaon, Arup Borah of

Bihpuria, Jamiruddin (35)

from Bihpuria and Niranjan

Konwar (30) of Bandardewa.

Two phones were also seized.

Police also seized 263 SP-

SPHEN tablets (Tramadol

Hydrochloride, Acetami-

nophen) and 6 Nitrazepam tab-

lets from two persons – Rajiv

Saikia (24) of Parbatipur and

Leonard Pegu of Parbatipur –

from Budhbaria Bazaar, Par-

batipur in Banderdewa.

CORRESPONDENT

BISWANATH CHARIALI, March 30:

In view of the present scenario of lock-

down called by the Government of India

due to outbreak of COVID-19 in the coun-

try, the Deputy Commissioner of Biswa-

nath has decided to accord permission for

selling of vegetables and fruits through

home delivery by the selected vendors at

price rate fixed by the district adminis-

tration from 7 am to 4 pm daily.

The vendors will collect vegetables

and fruits from the specified farmers and

distributors fixed by the district author-

ity under the direct supervision and

monitoring of the officials of the Depart-

ment of Agriculture, Biswanath.

The fair price shop owners will also

collect the vegetables and fruits directly

from the vendors and sell it following

Sale of vegetables atdoorsteps in Biswanath dist

government norms. The district admin-

istration has also permitted a number of

bakeries and confectioneries to sell their

bakery items through home delivery on

fixed rates.

Meanwhile, disinfectant spraying, pay-

ment of wages, distribution of groceries

etc., are being carried out smoothly at

various tea estates in Biswanath district

maintaining social distance and other ade-

quate precautionary measures under the

constant monitoring and supervision of

the district administration.

The respective Officers-in-Charge of

police stations and the District Transport

Officer (DTO), Biswanath have been au-

thorised to issue Essential Service Pass-

es in order to facilitate the movement of

persons and vehicles from Exempted Cat-

egories during lockdown in consultation

with the executive magistrates.

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 9BUSINESS & ECONOMY

MankindPharma pledge

NEW DELHI, March 30:Mankind Pharma todaysaid it is donating Rs 51crore to CM relief funds ofvarious States in order tohelp them fight thecoronavirus pandemic.With growing number ofCOVID-19 cases in India,the company joins thefight by donating Rs 51crore to CM relief funds tomanage this disaster,Mankind Pharma said in astatement. The fundswould be utilised forprocuring ventilators,personal protectiveequipment (PPE) andmedicines for the Statesreporting maximumnumber of positive cases,it added. – PTI

TRAI call totelcos

NEW DELHI, March 30:Sector regulator TRAI hasasked telecom operatorsto extend the validityperiod of pre-paid usersto ensure that subscrib-ers get uninterruptedservices during the 21-day nationwide lockdown.Telecom RegulatoryAuthority of India (TRAI)has also sought details ofthe steps being taken toensure availability ofuninterrupted telecomservices to suchcustomers on a “prioritybasis”. – PTI

Shopkeeperpolicy

NEW DELHI, March 30:BharatPe has partneredwith ICICI Lombard to rollout ‘COVID-19 ProtectionInsurance’ for shopkeep-ers. According to thepolicy, on diagnosis ofCOVID-19, the policy-holder will be paid 100 percent of the sum insured,irrespective of thehospitalisation expenses.BharatPe’s endeavour is‘first of its kind’ product forretailers. The ICICILombard health cover isreasonably priced. Thepremium starts at Rs 199and provides Rs 25,000sum insured and othervalue-added benefits. It willcover all in the age groupof 18-65 years. – PTI

Maruti Suzukiservice

NEW DELHI, March 30:Maruti Suzuki India (MSI)today said it has extendedwarranty and servicetimelines of customervehicles in the wake of thecoronavirus pandemic.“For customer vehicles,whose free service,warranty and extendedwarranty are scheduled toend in the period fromMarch 15, 2020 to April30, 2020 are now beingextended up to June 30,2020,” MSI said in astatement. – PTI

CAPSULE

AJIT PATOWARY

GUWAHATI, March 30: The tea in-

dustry here is hopeful of deriving some

support for its workers from the Rs 1.7-

lakh crore package announced by Un-

ion Finance Minister Nirmala Sithara-

man on Thursday for the poor, needy

and downtrodden people. The package

announced by the Union Finance Minis-

ter came within 36 hours of the lockdown

declared by the Union Government to

break the chain of coronavirus spread and

the tea industry has hailed it as a highly

appreciable move.

However, there is a problem concern-

Tea industry hopes to benefit from Centre’s stimulus packageing the benefits of Provident Fund (PF),

which demand a joint effort by the gov-

ernments and the tea industry to work

out a solution beneficial for the workers of

the ailing tea industry.

The tea garden workers of the State

can avail the benefits from the PM Garib

Kalyan Yojana, PM Jan-Dhan Yojana

(PMJDY) and the PM Ujjwala Yojana.

While under the PM Garib Kalyan Yoja-

na (PMGKY), each of the tea garden

workers is already getting 5 kg of rice

under the National Food Security Act

(NFSA), now each of them would be able

to get an additional 5 kg of rice free for

the next three months, said Bidyananda

Barkakoty, adviser to the North Eastern

Tea Association (NETA).

Each of the tea garden workers’ fami-

lies would also get 1 kg of dal free for the

next three months. Moreover, the wom-

en account holders of the PMJDY would

get an ex gratia of Rs 500 per month for

the next three months, he said.

Under the PM Ujjwala Yojana, gas cylin-

ders would be provided free of cost for the

next three months to the beneficiaries.

The tea industry is, however, ponder-

ing over as to how it could ensure the

benefits from the package announced by

the Union Finance Minister for the organ-

ised sectors, to its workers.

The Union Finance Minister’s an-

nouncement for the organised sectors in-

clude a proposal to pay 24 per cent of the

monthly wages to the Provident Fund (PF)

accounts of those workers and employees

who earn below Rs 15,000 per month in

the businesses having less than 100 work-

ers, for the next three months.

The announcement also states that the

Employees’ Provident Fund regulations

would be amended to include pandemic as

the reason to allow a non-refundable ad-

vance of 75 per cent of the amount or three

months of the wages, whichever is lower,

from the employees’ accounts.

The tea industry is analysing how these

benefits can be derived by the tea garden

workers and management. Because, all tea

gardens employ more than 100 workers

and in Assam, tea gardens contribute to

the PF (at the rate of 12 per cent employ-

ers’ contribution plus 12 per cent employ-

ees’ contribution) through the Assam Tea

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation

(ATEPFO), and not through the Employ-

ees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO),

like the other industries.

However, the tea industry is hopeful

that both the Union as well as the State

governments would find out a solution to

the above problem within a short time,

Barkakoty said.

NEW DELHI, March 30: Industry

bodies have appealed to the government

seeking extension of the current finan-

cial year, ending March 31, by at least

three months till June-end, citing the

present economic situation amid the

coronavirus pandemic.

Representatives from industry cham-

bers including CII, FICCI and Assocham

met officials of the Ministry of Corpo-

rate Affairs here last week and apprised

the government of the issues being faced

by them, and gave various suggestions.

“In the current scenario, any financial

statement prepared for April 2019 to

March 2020 will not give true and fair

view as it does not represent one com-

plete business cycle of the entity. Hence,

it is imperative to increase the given pe-

riod to disclose the correct picture of

business performances of a company,” the

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

told the ministry in its submission.

MUMBAI, March 30: Credit information

company TransUnion CIBIL today assured

borrowers that data reporting will be aligned

to RBI’s moratorium announcement and

there will not be any dent to credit histories

as a result of it.

The move came after the RBI announce-

ment of a 3-month moratorium for servicing

all the term loans as a measure to contain the

economic fallout due to the lockdown to con-

tain coronavirus spread.

“We would work closely with our member

banks and credit institutions to define the data

reporting framework basis (after) the an-

nouncements made by the RBI Governor, so

that during the moratorium period there is

no adverse impact on the credit histories and

CIBIL score of borrowers,” the company said

Coronavirus pandemic

Industry bodies seek extensionof financial year till June 30

It further argued that the current eco-

nomic situation in India and the world over

has resulted in impaired valuations of all as-

sets like commodities, financial assets, etc.

CII also called for allowing companies to

pass circular resolutions for restricted mat-

ters without the requirement of conduct-

ing a board meeting for approving such

matters for a period up to June 30, 2020.

“With the current backdrop of corona-

virus, the entire economy is getting stag-

nated for at least a couple of quarters

which are kind of missing quarters for

corporates. Further, to view the annual-

ised financial statement of any corporate

entity, one has to appropriately factor in

the impact of current quarter,” it said.

As follow-up of the meeting, Assocham

has submitted a representation to the Min-

istry of Corporate Affairs stating that ex-

tension by 3/6 months for finalisation of an-

nual accounts would be needed to reflect the

true and fair statement about businesses.

“This once-in-century kind of an event

like virus attack would hopefully recede

in the next few weeks or months. It would

be only after normalcy returns in the econ-

omy that the companies would be able to

resume their regular operations. Return

to normalcy is required for any fair state-

ment of accounts,” Assocham Secretary

General Deepak Sood said.

The chamber’s letter to Minister of Fi-

nance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sith-

araman and the MCA Secretary Injeti Srin-

ivas recommended that forbearances be

given under the Companies Act, 2013.

“AGM for all companies should be al-

lowed to be held within six months of 30th

June, 2020, or 30th September 2020, i.e.,

latest by 31st December, 2020 or 31st

March 2021 respectively, and on case-to-

case basis. Subsequent relaxation is also

desirable in terms of extension of time for

filing income tax returns for companies,”

Assocham said. – PTI

NEW DELHI, March 30:

Punjab National Bank (PNB)

has unveiled a new logo as it

merges United Bank of India

and OBC with it, with effect

from April 1.

The new logo will bear dis-

tinct signages of all the three

public sector lenders.

With this, PNB is set to

become the second largest

lender in the country.

“#PunjabNationalBank is

here with #Oriental-

BankofCommerce & #Unit-

edBankofIndia in an all-new

avatar. Be a part of the #To-

getherForTheBetter jour-

ney with us and experience a

smoother and smarter way

of banking,” PNB said in a

tweet today.

PSB merger

PNB unveils new logo

Assuaging concerns re-

garding the merged entity,

PNB also said there is no rea-

son to worry as the three

banks are coming together

to be better, bigger and

stronger.

“Together we are bigger,

stronger & faster. People &

banking will now be closer

than ever before. You will

have products fine-tuned to

your needs,” it said in anoth-

er tweet.

PNB also appealed to its

customers to stay indoors

due to the coronavirus out-

break and access its services

through net banking and PN-

BONE app.

“Now, pay your tax, get

interest certificates, track

your investments and more

with just one app. Have you

downloaded #PNBONE app

yet? #BankFromHomeAnd-

StaySafe #COVID-19,” the

lender said.

Ten state-owned banks are

to be merged into four big-

ger and stronger banks with

effect from April 1. – PTI

Data reporting to be in line withRBI order: TransUnion CIBIL

Moratorium guidelinesin a statement.

The RBI announcement came as a relief to

the borrowers and affirmed commitment to

provide a comprehensive picture of each per-

son so they can be reliably and safely repre-

sented in the marketplace.

The company, the biggest among three play-

ers in the CIC (credit information companies)

market, said it is also working with members

to ensure more frequent and near-real-time

data reporting during these unprecedented

times.

“Reporting and monitoring daily nuances

of consumer behaviour trends will yield deep

insights for the industry to adjust policy and

lending. This will ensure support to consum-

ers and enable the lending bodies to transact

with confidence,” it said. – PTI

NEW DELHI, March 30:

Healthcare major Apollo

Hospitals today said it has

launched ‘Project Stay I’ with

500 rooms in select hotels

across the country in the first

phase with light medical su-

pervision for quarantine.

This effort is aimed at cre-

ating isolation and quarantine

facilities and reducing the

burden on hospitals provid-

ing acute care.

In partnership with HUL,

SBI,OYO, etc., Apollo Hospi-

tals plans to scale up this capac-

ity to up to 5,000 rooms where

patients can stay in isolation.

MUMBAI, March 30: In-

dustrialist Harsh Mariwala

today said he is spearhead-

ing a Rs 2.5-crore effort to

find solutions to limit the

impact of the coronavirus

pandemic.

Mariwala, along with two

non-profits, has set up the

corpus to find solutions for

fighting the spread of the vi-

rus within the next one

month.

Marico Innovation Founda-

tion (MIF) has invited med-

tech entrepreneurs, corpo-

rates and innovators to solve

the med-tech challenges

faced in the wake of ongoing

COVID-19 crisis with a prize

of Rs 2.5 crore, FMCG firm

Marico said in a statement

earlier in the day.

“We will look for solutions

that can be scaled up fast to

cover a large section of pop-

ulation, are affordable and can

be quickly implemented giv-

en that we are already in the

middle of things,” Mariwala

told PTI.

The solutions can be in

manufacturing ventilators,

personal protective equip-

ment, masks, etc., he added.

“Marico Innovation Foun-

dation is inviting med-tech

entrepreneurs, corporates

and innovators – in fact, any

person – who can provide

innovative solutions for two

Healthcare providers

New IndiaAssurance to offer

Rs 50-lakhinsurance coverage

NEW DELHI, March 30:

State-owned New India As-

surance has been entrusted

to provide insurance cover of

Rs 50 lakh to about 22 lakh

healthcare providers, who

are on the front-line of the

battle against coronavirus.

This was part of the Rs 1.70-

lakh Pradhan Mantri Garib

Kalyan package announced by

Finance Minister Nirmala Sith-

araman last Thursday.

“As announced by Finance

Minister Smt @nsitharaman

on March 26, @NewIndAs-

surance has issued detailed

guidelines for providing in-

surance cover of Rs 50 lakh

per person for 22.12 lakh

healthcare providers across

the country,” a tweet by the

Finance Ministry said today.

Doctors, nurses, paramed-

ics, sanitation workers and a

few others working in hospi-

tals under Central and State

governments will be covered

under the scheme. – PTI

MUMBAI, March 30: The Reserve Bank

today proposed to change the convenors of

State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) in

view of the merger of 10 public sector banks

into 4 with effect from April 1.

With the mega merger, 6 public sector

banks will cease to exist from April 1, neces-

sitating changes in the convenorship.

The convenorship of merged banks will be

transferred to anchor banks.

The government on March 4 notified the

amalgamation scheme as part of its consoli-

dation plan to create bigger and stronger

banks in the public sector.

As per the scheme, Oriental Bank of

Commerce and United Bank of India will

be merged into Punjab National Bank

(PNB); Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank;

Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank; and And-

Eye on scaling up capacity to 5,000 rooms

Apollo Hospitals launches projectwith 500 isolation rooms

‘Project Stay I’ (Stay Isolat-

ed) is a part of its ‘Project Ka-

vach’ announced last week by

Apollo Hospitals Group Chair-

man Prathap C Reddy to fight

the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Apollo along with our part-

ners commits to add up to

5,000 rooms where patients

can stay in isolation. These

will be 5,000 telemedicine,

medically supervised beds so

that those who are in isola-

tion stay in isolation and don’t

spread the infection to oth-

ers,” Apollo Hospitals Group

Joint MD Sangita Reddy said.

Isolation is not possible in

many Indian homes where 5-

7 people stay in the same

room and where they share

a bathroom, she said.

“So we realised for those

who can’t afford, there was

need to find capacity to cover

the cost, and HUL, SBI and

Deutsche Bank have come for-

ward and said for those who

cannot afford it they will cover

the cost of care,” she added.

“Apollo Hospitals is not charg-

ing for the the telemedicine

network or our medical super-

vision. Only the medicines will

be charged at actual costs and

the MRPs,” Reddy said. – PTI

Rs 25-cr contributiontowards PM-CARES

Fund announced

Patanjali to setup quarantine

centres inGuwahati, 4other places

NEW DELHI, March 30:

Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved

today announced a contribution

of Rs 25 crore and setting up

of five quarantine centres with

a total capacity of 1,500 beds

across the country to fight the

coronavirus pandemic.

The camps would be set

up in Haridwar (Uttara-

khand), Sadhupul (Himachal

Pradesh), Modinagar (UP),

Kolkata (West Bengal) and

Guwahati (Assam).

Besides, the employees of

Patanjali Ayurved, Patanjali

Dairy and Ruchi Soya (the

company acquired recently)

and other group companies

would also donate one-day

salary in the Prime Minis-

ter’s Citizen Assistance and

Relief in Emergency Situa-

tion Fund (PM-CARES

Fund), according to a state-

ment by the company.

“Yogi Ramdev has an-

nounced contribution of Rs

25 crore in the Prime Minis-

ter’s relief fund,” said the

statement.

It also said that Rs 1.50

crore from salary of staff of

Patanjali Ayurved, Patanjali

Dairy and Ruchi Soya will be

contributed to the fund.

It would also work in re-

search for finding solution to

the pandemic, it said. – PTI

RBI changes SLBC convenorshra Bank and Corporation Bank into Union

Bank of India.

Following the merger, PNB will become

the SLBC convenor of Delhi. Currently, the

responsibility rests with Oriental Bank of

Commerce, RBI said in a notification.

For Tripura and West Bengal too, conven-

orship will be transferred to PNB from Unit-

ed Bank of India, it said.

The new SLBC convenor for Andhra

Pradesh will be Union Bank of India as And-

hra Bank is being amalgamated with the

Mumbai-based lender.

Even for Karnataka, Syndicate Bank will

transfer the responsibility to Canara Bank

which is going to acquire the former.

Similarly, district lead bankers would also be

revamped. As many as 111 districts will see

new lead bankers beginning next fiscal. – PTI

Finding healthcare solutionagainst COVID-19

Marico announcesRs 2.5-cr prize

of the most dire needs today

in the country, namely low-

cost ventilators/respiratory

solutions and personal pro-

tective equipment.

“I, too, am making a

pledge in my personal capac-

ity, making the total grant

value to Rs 2.50 crore,” Mari-

wala said.

The window for the chal-

lenge is open for 30 days

starting March 29, 2020.

A team of evaluators has

been formed which will be

looking at the proposals and

choosing the ones to get the

grant.

Start-ups and entities that

are “launch-ready” will be

shortlisted by jury members

chaired by RA Mashelkar.

MIF will be supporting them

over the immediate and long-

er term.

“COVID-19 pandemic has

created an unprecedented

global crisis. We must create

and deploy breakthrough

technologies on a war foot-

ing and on a huge scale. We

at Marico Innovation Foun-

dation have fuelled purpose-

ful innovations in all walks of

life in India for close to two

decades now. But this pan-

demic requires specific solu-

tions here and now,” said

MIF Governing Council

Chairperson Raghunath

Mashelkar. – PTI

SEBI tells CRAs not to considerlockdown-linked loan repayment

delays as defaultNEW DELHI, March 30: Markets regulator SEBI today

asked credit rating agencies (CRAs) not to consider as default

any delay in payment of interest or principal loan amount

arisen solely due to the nationwide lockdown conditions.

The move follows a three-month moratorium on payment

permitted by the Reserve Bank of India to mitigate the bur-

den of debt servicing due to disruptions caused by the corona-

virus pandemic and to ensure continuity of viable businesses.

In a circular, the Securities and Exchange Board of India

(SEBI) said a differentiation in treatment of default, on a case-

to-case basis, needs to be made as to whether such default

occurred solely due to the lockdown or loan moratorium.

“Based on its assessment, if the credit rating agency is of

the view that the delay in payment of interest or principal has

arisen solely due to the lockdown conditions creating tempo-

rary operational challenges in servicing debt, including due to

procedural delays in approval of moratorium on loans by the

lending institutions, CRA may not consider the same as a

default event,” SEBI said. – PTI

10 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

07:45 Pratham Xongbad

14:00 Biyolir Headline

16:00 Abelir Khabar

16:30 Superfast Prime Time100

17:00 City18

18:00 Prime Time18

19:00 Dintur Shironam

20:00 Porjyobekhyon

21:30 Aparadh Nama

22:00 North East Scan

22:30 Noixo Xironam

08:30 Devotional Music

08:45 Swachh Bharat Batori

08.50 Batori

15:00 Vigyan Prasar

15:30 Classical Music

16:00 Abelir Batori

16:05 Akholor Juti

16:30 Chiphung

17:00 Nimishote Batori

17:02 DD Kisan TV Serial in Hindi

17:30 Krishi Darshan

18:00 Dharabahik

18:30 Batori

18:45 NE News

12:00 Teleshopping

13:00 Johnny Bravo

14:30 Haddi Mera Buddy

16:00 Dexter's Laboratory

17:30 Teleshopping

19:00 Lamput

19:30 Ben 10

20:00 Oggy And The ...

23:30 The Tom & Jerry Show

12:00 Chhota Bheem

12:30 Grizzy And The ...

13:30 Chhota Bheem

14:30 Grizzy And The ...

15:30 Chhota Bheem

16:00 Chhota Bheem Chatpat

16:30 Grizzy And The ...

17:30 Chhota Bheem

18:30 Chhota Bheem - Dholak-

pur to Kathmandu

20:00 Chhota Bheem

21:00 Grizzy And The ...

22:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated

23:00 M.A.D.

23:30 Teleshopping

LOCKHORNS

THE PHANTOM ® By Lee Falk

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE

BLONDIE

Know your DAYBy JACQUELINE BIGAR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Tuesday, March 31, 2020:

This year, you boost your earnings in a way that also expands some other

area of your life. You receive a bonus or unexpected insurance or royalty

check, and that person finally repays the money they owe you. If you are

working at something you love, you benefit the most. If single, your romantic

options burgeon. If attached, your love life is infused with excitement and

harmony. TAURUS is extra stubborn.

The Stars Show the Kind of Day You’ll Have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-

Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

HHH You’re building foundations for your creativity. It’s best to work

behind the scenes and avoid conflicts and confrontations. A change in

the home, an adjustment, is needed now. Clear up a situation that has lingered

too long. Tonight: Hold a family meeting.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)HHHH It’s a good day to express yourself through writing. Take what

you know and share it with others. As you go about your everyday life

look to the big picture. Expect an invitation to a social event. Tonight: Get

together with new and old friends.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

HHHHH You get a fresh start today. Be independent and avoid

negative people. You’re feeling a sense of abundance, and you expand

your horizons with a new purchase or new money arrives. You’re in a fortunate

position. Tonight: Start something new with your partner.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)HHHHH You’re at the top of your cycle with more energy released for

your career. Surround yourself with creative and adventurous people.

Trust your hunches and don’t be afraid to turn in a new direction. You’ve moving

forward. Tonight: Ask out a new friend.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

HHHH You gain insight into a matter from the past. Emotionally you

are feeling exceptionally well. You have deep access to your dreams.

Psychic experiences may come your way. Give yourself time to rest in between

working. Tonight: Go to bed early.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)HHHH You benefit as a result of social contacts, and friends play an

important role in your day. You are warm and receptive to what others

say, especially those involved in a group. Your charm and wit are appreciated.

Tonight: Surround yourself with creative people.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

HHHH Professional concerns take priority. You gain favor from the

bosses or the public. It’s a good day for sales and dealing with people.

You’re more responsive to the needs of others, especially co-workers. Tonight:

Write some serious career emails.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)HHHH Visualize the future and set your goals. An old cycle is ending

and a new one is about to begin. Look beyond the immediate. Search

for a new approach and perspective. Spiritual values surface, and your priori-

ties become super clear. Tonight: Take the night off.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

HHHH You take a renewed interest in matters of life and death, and

what comes afterward. You investigate and dig deep. While you may

read an interesting book on the subject, much of what you conclude comes

through your intuition. Tonight: Listen to a fascinating podcast.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)HHHHH New opportunities come your way related to a business

partnership. Your ideas are ripe. It’s a good time to start a new project

with another. A Taurus woman plays a prominent role. You might even want to

sign a contract. Tonight: Go out and celebrate.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

HHH You might be interested in changing your diet and taking on a

new exercise regimen. Stock up on herbs and vegetables. You are

ready to stretch out those muscles and joints in new ways and learn to breathe

deeply. Tonight: Make a tasty nutritious meal.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)HHH Be yourself, and be emotionally honest. In love there is greater

depth to a relationship. Your feelings tend to overpower your intellect

today. You are in touch with your creativity. You are also more nurturing toward

children. Tonight: Special time with family.

H H H

Thought for the dayYour struggles develop your strengths. When you go through

hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.– ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Hope is only the ___ __ ___. – Henri-

Frédéric Amiel (4,2,4)

Words: Obese, spoil, vilify, vivify.Answer: Hope is only the love of life.

– Henri-Frédéric Amiel

Given below are four jumbled words. Solvethe jumbles to make proper words and movethem to the respective squares below. Selectthe letters in the shaded squares and jumblethem to get the answer for the given quip.

JUMBLED WORDSHEALTH CAPSULES®

by Bron Smith

Health Capsules is not intendedto be of a diagnostic nature.

CROSSWORD - 6857

Across: 1 Buddha, 5 Cry, 8 Asea, 9 Enol, 10 Nomads, 11 Jewel-

lery, 13 Lyre, 15 Gay, 16 Relax, 17 Cadge, 20 Bel, 22 Nee, 23 Sudsy,

24 Fauna, 26 Men, 27 Adam, 28 Affluence, 31 Adieus, 32 Ilks, 33

Loki, 34 His, 35 Etudes.

Down: 1 Bundle, 2 Demurred, 3 Hadj, 4 Assegai, 5 Cagey, 6 Yell,

7 Courage, 12 Wax, 14 Eels, 18 Anna, 19 Deadhead, 20 Buffalo, 21

Pancake, 24 Fen, 25 Amuses, 26 Meals, 29 Lash, 30 Edit.

SOLUTION

12:00 Deadly Game

13:00 Wild Families

14:00 World's Deadliest

15:00 Survival Of The Fittest

16:00 Dangerous Encounters

17:00 Wild Families

18:00 Wild Hunters

19:00 India's Lost Worlds

20:00 Survival Of The Fittest

21:00 Africa's Deadliest

22:00 Wild Amazon

23:00 Dangerous Encounters

12:00 Investigates: Lost Treas-

ures Of The Maya

13:00 Adventure: Primal ...

14:00 Adventure: Snakes in ...

15:00 Science: Street Genius

16:00 Adventure: Primal ...

17:00 Investigates: Airport Se-

curity Madrid

18:00 Science: Brain Games

18:30 Science: Science of ...

19:00 Science: Street Genius

19:30 Science: Science of ...

20:00 Wildlife: Animals Gone ...

20:30 Wildlife: Animal Fight Club

21:00 Adventure: Primal ...

22:00 Adventure: Running Wild

With Bear Grylls

23:00 Investigates: Banged up

Abroad

07:00 Breakfast Live08:00 Live at 809:00 Good morning Assam10:00 Assamese news11:30 Kotha Barta (R)12:00 Mid Day Live13:00 Assamese Telefilm14:30 Afternoon Prime17:30 Guwahati Bisesh18:00 Guwahati Live18:30 Breaking @ 6:3019:00 Assamesse Prime Time20:00 Discussion Show21:00 Super Prime Time22:00 Live at 1022:30 Noixo Guwahati

23:00 Noixo Batori

1700 Xopun1730 Barala Kai1830 Xopunor Aasutia Rang2000 Jonaki Kareng2030 Xopun2100 Oi Khapla2130 Bah Amarawati Bah2200 Borola Kai

13:00 Vivo IPL HLs

13:30 Vivo IPL – Themed

14:00 ICC Cricket WC

21:30 Best of ICC CWC

22:00 Vivo IPL HLs

23:00 Best of ICC CWC

23:00 Hero ISL HLs

13:00 Hero ISL HLs

13:30 Vivo IPL Heroes

14:00 Vivo IPL HLs

14:30 Vivo IPL – Themed

15:00 ICC Cricket WC

22:30 Best of ICC CWC

23:00 Vivo IPL HLs

13:30 Impact Wrestling

15:30 Beyond the Boundaries

16:00 Best of Ashes

16:30 Great Centuries

17:00 Impact One Night Only

18:00 The Olympics on the Record

18:30 India’s Finest

19:00 Impact One Night Only

20:00 Nail-Biting Finishes

21:00 India’s Finest

21:30 Memorable Masterstrokes

22:00 Colour Me Blue

22:30 Masters of Oz

23:00 Great Centuries

23:30 Impact One Night Only

13:00 UEL HLs14:00 WWE Smack Down15:00 March of Champions15:30 NBA HLs16:00 Formula E Street Racers16:30 Mobil 1 the Grid17:00 UCL HLs18:00 UEL HLs19:00 March of Champions19:30 Best of Serie A20:00 March of Champions20:30 Best of UCL HLs21:00 WWE Smack Down

11:10 Zaalim

13:45 Kahin Pyaar Na Ho

Jaaye

16:55 Champion

19:55 Sangharsh Aur Vijay

22:45 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

11:30 Terminator 3: Rise of theMachines

13:50 League of Gods16:10 Bad Boys II18:50 Resident evil: Afterlife20:50 The Hobbit: The

Desolation of Smaug

11:00 Journey to the Center of

the Earth

12:40 Transformers: Age of

Extinction

15:30 Godzilla: King of the

Monsters

18:00 San Andreas

20:00 The Dark Knight

22:40 No Strings Attached

10:40 Hotel for Dogs

12:50 Crazy Rich Asians

14:25 Green Lantern

16:00 Cradle 2 the Grave

18:00 Cats & Dogs

19:25 After the Sunset

21:00 Catwoman

22:30 The Peacemaker

13:00 Cars 215:00 Kingsman: The Secret

Service17:10 The Lion King18:45 IP Man 220:45 Primeval22:30 The Hills Have Eyes 2

STAR MOVIES

22:30 The Hills Have Eyes 2

12:15 Deewane Huye Paagal

15:00 Beta

17:40 Commando 2

19:45 Hitler

22:15 Loafer the Hero

11:40 Holiday: A Soldier is

never off duty

14:40 Laadla

17:50 Businessman 2

20:55 Bruce Lee – The Fighter

23:40 Sardaar Gabbar Singh

12:00 Best Of Crime Patrol

19:00 Mere Sai - Shraddha Aur ..

19:30 Vighnaharta Ganesh

20:00 Isharon Isharon Mein

20:30 Patiala Babes

21:00 Beyhadh 2

21:30 Tara From Satara

22:00 Mere Dad Ki Dulhan

22:30 Crime Patrol Satark

23:30 Best Of Crime Patrol

12:00 Guddan Tumse Na ...

12:30 Kumkum Bhagya

13:00 Kundali Bhagya

13:30 Tujhse Hai Raabta

14:00 Guddan Tumse Na ...

14:30 Dil Ye Ziddi Hai

15:00 Choti Bahu

16:00 Pavitra Rishta

17:00 Kumkum Bhagya

17:30 Kundali Bhagya

18:00 Guddan Tumse Na ...

18:30 Tujhse Hai Raabta

19:00 Yeh Teri Galiyaan

19:30 Dil Ye Ziddi Hai

20:00 Guddan Tumse Na ...

20:30 Tujhse Hai Raabta

21:00 Kumkum Bhagya

21:30 Kundali Bhagya

22:00 Ishq Subhan Allah

22:30 Manmohini

23:00 Guddan Tumse Na ...

23:30 Kumkum Bhagya

12:30 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai

13:00 Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka!

13:30 Kasautii Zindagii Kay

14:00 Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum

14:30 Dadi Amma.. Dadi Amma ...

15:00 Diya Aur Baati Hum

16:00 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya

17:00 Sasural Genda Phool

18:00 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai

18:30 Sanjivani

19:00 Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala

19:30 Dadi Amma.. Dadi ...

20:00 Kasautii Zindagii Kay

20:30 Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka!

21:00 Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum

21:30 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai

22:00 Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke

22:30 Yeh Hai Chahatein

SOLUTION TO TRIBUNE CROSSWORD – 6857

11:40 Sketch

14:00 Baghban

18:10 Tadakha

20:55 Jersey

11:30 Hulchul14:50 Raid17:30 Coolie No. 119:55 Dumdaar Khiladi22:40 Khatta Meetha

Across

1 Indian

religious

leader (6)

5 Sob or weep

(3)

8 On the briny

(4)

9 Organic

compound (4)

10 Wandering

tribes (6)

11 Bracelets,

earrings, etc

(9)

13 Ancient

Greek

instrument (4)

15 Merry and

bright (3)

16 Loosen up

(5)

17 Beg (5)

20 Ten decibels?

(3)

22 Born in

France? (3)

23 Lathery (5)

24 Flora’s partner

(5)

26 Adult males (3)

27 First man (4)

28 Wealth (9)

31 Goodbyes (6)

32 Kinds, types

or sorts (4)

33 Norse god of

mischief (4)

34 Belonging to

him (3)

35 Musical

studies (6)

Down

1 Package (6)

2 Took exception

or raised

objection (8)

3 Trip to Mecca

(4)

4 African spear

(7)

5 Secretive (5)

6 Bellow (4)

7 Bravery (7)

12 Cerumen (3)

14 Snake-like

fishes (4)

18 Dancer

Pavlova (4)

19 Dullard (8)

20 Large wild

oxen (7)

21 Flapjack (7)

24 Marsh (3)

25 Entertains (6)

26 Repasts (5)

29 Whip (4)

30 Prepare for

press (4)

12:00 Forged In Fire

12:30 Pawn Stars

13:30 Storage Wars

14:00 Food Tech

15:00 OMG! Yeh Mera India

16:00 Forged In Fire

17:00 Storage Wars

17:30 Shipping Wars

18:00 Modern Marvels

19:00 Car Jackers

19:30 Pawn Stars

20:00 OMG! Yeh Mera India

21:00 Forged In Fire

22:00 Pawn Stars

22:30 Storage Wars

23:00 Forged In Fire

12:30 Jewels Of The Natural ...

13:00 Animal Planet Exclusives

13:30 Living With Maneaters

15:00 Fierce Fighters

16:00 The Beauty Of Snakes

17:00 Wild Africa: Rivers Of Life

18:00 Into The Wild India

19:00 Animal Planet Exclusives

20:00 Fierce Fighters

21:00 The Lion Kingdom

21:30 Jewels Of The Natural ...

22:00 Wildest Survival

23:00 Expedition Mungo

12:00 Happu Ki Ultan Paltan

13:30 Santoshi Maa Sunaye...

14:00 Ek Mahanayak Dr. B. R.

14:30 Gudiya Hamari Sabhi ...

15:00 Laal Ishq

19:00 Santoshi Maa Sunaye...

19:30 Happu Ki Ultan Paltan

20:00 Gudiya Hamari Sabhi ...

20:30 Ek Mahanayak Dr. B. R.

21:00 Santoshi Maa Sunaye...

21:30 Kahat Hanuman Jai ...

22:00 Happu Ki Ultan Paltan

22:30 Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hain!

12:30 Naati Pinky Ki Lambi ...13:00 Choti Sarrdaarni13:30 Vidya14:00 Bigg Boss - Weekend ...16:00 Choti Sarrdaarni

16:30 Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love17:00 Naagin Bhagya Ka ...18:00 Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love18:30 Shubharamabh19:00 Vidya19:30 Choti Sarrdaarni20:00 Shakti Astitva Ke ...20:30 Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush21:00 Shubharamabh21:30 Naati Pinky Ki Lambi ...

STAR GOLD

19:55 Dumdaar Khiladi

Secretsof IPL

A new book on

the T20

revolution looks

into the failure

of teams like

RCB, and

success of CSK

Why is Royal Challengers Bangalore

one of the worst-performing teams in

the Indian Premier League (IPL),

despite having a batsman like AB de Villiers

and being captained by Virat Kohli? On the

other hand, why is Chennai Super Kings

(CSK) one of the best-performing teams,

despite boasting fewer superstars and an

ageing MS Dhoni as skipper?

The secret could lie in the teams’

captaincy styles. But more importantly, it

lies in the way T20 teams plan, strategise

and build themselves around a core group,

which CSK has done.

In this edition of Cricket 2.0: Inside the

T20 Revolution, Tim Wigmore and Freddie

Wilde take the reader on a whirlwind tour

of the cricket format that has taken the

world by storm.

From its inception when T20 was

accepted by a narrow vote of the Maryle-

bone Cricket Club, to its current global

popularity, from its original superstar Chris

Gayle to newcomers like Rashid Khan and

Sandeep Lamichhane, T20 has become a

phenomenon that has resurrected the game

of cricket.

From the sunny beaches of Trinidad and

Tobago, which gave the world a West Indian

team feared by its contemporaries, to the

HBO

20:00 The Dark Knight

WB

22:30 The Peacemaker

23:00 Best of Serie A23:30 Best of UCL HLs

13:00 Dana White Tuesday Night..15:30 UFC Ultimate Knockouts16:00 Unforgettable Moments16:30 Best of UCL17:00 March of the Champions17:30 NBA HLs18:30 March of the Champion19:00 UFC 20020:00 Serie A Golazo20:30 Olympic on the Record21:00 Best of UCL21:30 March of the Champions22:00 UFC 20023:00 Best of UCL

raucous stadiums of the IPL – today, one of

the world’s most valuable sport tourna-

ments, from India’s original rejection of T20

to ultimately embracing it, signalling a shift

in world cricket, Wigmore and Wilde break

down how T20 has changed the game

entirely, and why it may be the future of

cricket.

Wigmore is a journalist for the Daily

Telegraph, ESPNcricinfo, New York Times

and The Economist, specialising in cricket,

sports analytics and the business of sport. He

is also a weekly columnist for ‘i’ newspaper

(published in London by DAILY MAIL and

General Trust). He is also a former winner of

the CMJ Young Cricket Journalist of the Year,

and runner-up for the Ian Woodbridge Young

Sports Writer of the Year award. His first

book, Second XI: Cricket in its Outposts, was

named one of Guardian’s sports books of the

year for 2015.

Wilde works as an analyst and is on the

editorial team at the cricket data analytics

company CricViz, which provides services

to broadcasters, professional teams and

players. He is also a freelance journalist,

specialising in T20 cricket. He has written

for Cricket Monthly, All Out Cricket,

Cricbuzz, Wisden India and others.

(Source: IANS)

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

SPORTSTHE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 11

LONDON, March 30: Eng-land captain Harry Kane saidthe Premier League seasonshould be cancelled if it cannotbe completed by the end of Junebecause of the coronavirus pan-demic.

The English top-flight is cur-rently suspended until at leastApril 30 due to the COVID-19outbreak, with a likely furtherdelay to be announced soon.

There is no clear idea aboutwhen or if football will be ableto resume, but Euro 2020 hasbeen cancelled, which opens awindow to bring domestic sea-sons to a conclusion in the sum-mer.

But Tottenham striker Kanedoes not want Premier Leaguechiefs to let the current cam-paign go past June or even thestart of what would be the 2020-21 season in August, as has

TOKYO, March 30: The Tokyo Olym-pics will open next year in the same timeslot scheduled for this year’s games.

Tokyo organisers said on Monday theopening ceremony will take place on July23, 2021 almost exactly one year after thegames were due to start this year.

Last week, the IOC and Japanese organ-isers postponed the Olympics until 2021because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This year’s games were scheduled toopen on July 24 and close on August 9.But the near exact one-year delay willsee the rescheduled closing ceremony onAugust 8.

There had been talk of switching the Olym-pics to spring, a move that would coincide withthe blooming of Japan’s famous cherry blos-soms. But it would also clash with Europeansoccer and North American sports leagues.

After holding out for weeks, local organ-isers and the IOC last week postponed theTokyo Games under pressure from athletes,national Olympic bodies and sports federa-tions. It’s the first postponement in Olym-pic history, though there were several can-cellations during wartime.

Both Tokyo organising committee pres-ident Yoshiro Mori and CEO Toshiro Mutohave said the cost of rescheduling will bemassive. Local reports estimate billions ofdollars with most of the expenses borne byJapanese taxpayers.

Muto promised transparency in calculat-ing the costs, and testing times decidinghow they are divided up.

Since it (the Olympics) were scheduledfor this summer, all the venues had given

KOLKATA, March 30: In-dian football icon BhaichungBhutia on Monday offeredshelter to migrant workers ofSikkim to tackle the ongoingcrisis arising out of the 21-daynationwide lockdown in thewake of the COVID-19 pan-demic.

Migrant workers of unor-ganised sectors, desperate toreturn home, have been bad-ly hit after the lockdown wasimposed from midnight onTuesday.

“The people who are affect-ed the most during the lock-down are migrant workers.There was a huge cue in Sik-kim border yesterday. I’ve gota new unfinished building inGangtok (Lumsey, Tadong). Itshould accommodate about100 people,” Bhutia told PTI.

Mary Komdonates one

month’s salaryNEW DELHI, March 30:

Six-time world championboxer MC Mary Kom onMonday said she will donateher one month’s salary as Ra-jya Sabha MP, amounting toRs 1 lakh, to the Prime Min-ister’s Relief Fund to combatthe COVID-19 pandemic inthe country.

“In view of the COVID-19pandemic, I wish to donate myone month’s salary to the PM’sNational Relief Fund. So,please debit an amount of Rs1,00,000 from my account,”Mary Kom said in a letter tothe bank where her salary ac-count is maintained.

The Manipuri, who is also aCommonwealth and AsianGames champion, became aRajya Sabha MP in 2016.

She recently qualified for hersecond Olympic Games, whichwas postponed to 2021 due tothe deadly outbreak. – PTI

Originating from Japan,

‘su do ku’ is a mind game

and a puzzle that can be

solved with proper

reasoning and logic. Fill

the grid with digits in such

a manner that every row,

every column and every

3 x 3 box accommodates

the digits 1 to 9 without

repeating any.

Solution of last problem

SU DO KU

SHANGHAI, March 30: Os-car and Hulk jetted in just in timebut fellow Brazilian Paulinho re-portedly heads a long list of for-eign stars locked out of China asthe country attempts to stopimported coronavirus cases.

There are no suggestions thatformer Barcelona midfielderPaulinho has the deadly disease,but China closed its borders atthe weekend to returning for-eigners, even those with workand residence permits.

Former West Ham Unitedstriker Marko Arnautovic is alsoamong the more than 30 over-seas players and coaches stillabroad, reports say, dealing an-other blow to hopes that theChinese Super League (CSL)season could begin any timesoon. Arnautovic’s ShanghaiSIPG had more luck with Os-car, Hulk and new signing Ricar-do Lopes, hastily chartering asmall aircraft to fly them backfrom Brazil.

They landed in Shanghai onFriday night along with theirfamilies, according to local me-dia, having departed Sao Pauloand making a brief stop in Maltato refuel.

IOA promisessupport

NEW DELHI, March 30:The Indian Olympic Associa-tion (IOA) on Monday prom-ised “support and contribu-tion” towards the country’sbattle to contain the deadlyCOVID-19 pandemic, sayingits member national federa-tions and state affiliates willalso step in to aid the cause.

In a statement posted on thebody’s Twitter handle, IOASecretary General RajeevMehta said, “We are deeplygrateful to all the front-lineworkers who are risking theirlives to fight this pandemic.”

In another tweet, the IOAsaid the cycling federation andthe Indian Golf Union have al-ready promised monetarycontributions to fight the out-break.

“The #Cycling fraternity iscommitted to the need of thenation in fighting the severityof COVID-19 crisis. @Official-CFI Chairman Mr OnkarSingh pledged a support of 1Lac Rupees on behalf of CFIfor this noble cause,” the IOAtweeted. – PTI

Pakistani squashgreat AzamKhan dies

KARACHI, March 30: Pa-

kistani squash legend Azam

Khan has died of coronavirusin London, his family said.

Azam, who won the British

Open title successively be-tween 1959 and 1961, had test-

ed positive for COVID-19 last

week and died at London’sEaling Hospital on Saturday.

He was 95.

Younger brother of the leg-endary Hashim Khan, Azam is

widely regarded as one of the

best squash players in theworld. He left playing due to

an Achilles tendon injury and

the tragic death of his 14-year-old son in 1962.

Even though he recovered

from his injury two years lat-er, Azam said he could not get

over the death of his son.

Born at Nawakille, a smallvillage outside Peshawar,

which is known for producingsquash world champions like

brothers Jahangir and Jansher

Khan.Azam had settled in the UK

in 1956. – PTI

NEW DELHI, March 30:The postponement of TokyoOlympics has come as a ray ofhope for injury-ravaged Indiangymnast Dipa Karmakar, whois preparing for another shotat qualification after a nigglingknee problem hampered herearlier bid to make the cut.

Karmakar, who finishedfourth at the 2016 Rio Olym-pics, has been struggling withinjuries ever since she under-went a surgery to treat an An-terior Cruciate ligament(ACL) injury in 2017. ACL isa key ligament that stabilisesthe knee joints.

Her comeback in 2018 wasshort-lived as the knee trou-bled her again at the ArtisticGymnastics World Cup inBaku last year. She was forcedto withdraw from the DohaWorld Cup as well and failed torecover in time for the World

ITTF suspendsall events till

June 30NEW DELHI, March 30:

The International Table Ten-

nis Federation (ITTF) has sus-pended all planned events till

June 30 and froze the world

rankings due to the upheavalcaused by the dreaded COV-

ID-19 pandemic.

The ITTF Executive Com-mittee met on Sunday to dis-

cuss the effects of the coronavi-

rus outbreak on the internation-al table tennis events schedule.

“Due to the continued un-

certainty caused by COVID-19 pandemic and postpone-

ment of Tokyo 2020 Olympic

and Paralympic Games, theITTF Executive Committee

reached the following deci-

sions: Suspension of all cur-rently planned ITTF events

and activities that involve in-

ternational travel until 30 June2020,” ITTF said in a state-

ment. – PTI

Scrap season if it can’t be finishedby end of June, says Kane

been suggested in some quar-ters.

“I know the Premier Leaguewill do everything they can tofinish the season, and that they

are looking at every optionpossible,” Kane said in an In-stagram Live conversation withformer Liverpool star JamieRedknapp.

“I think, for me, we do needto try to finish the season. Butthere needs to be a point whereenough is enough.

“Playing into July or August

and pushing next season back Idon’t see too much benefit inthat. But obviously I don’t knowtoo much about behind thescenes and financially.

“Probably the limit for meis the end of June. If the sea-son is not completed by theend of June we need to lookat the options and just look

forward to next season.” Pre-mier League matches couldpotentially be staged behindclosed doors in a bid to com-plete this campaign once the

Playing into July orAugust and pushingnext season back I don’tsee too much benefit inthat. But obviously Idon’t know too muchabout behind the scenesand financially.

– Harry Kane

“

current lockdown in Britainis over.

Kane does not think draggingout the season will help anyonethough, especially if it delays thenext term.

“The further this season ispushed on, it would have such abig knock-on effect for nextseason, with the Euros in 2021,and even World Cup 2022. Butthat’s just my opinion,” he said.

“Football is secondary at themoment. I know there stillhave to be plans in place, andI’m sure everyone is trying todo that.

“All that is out of my handsthough, there’s nothing I cando personally, so from my pointof view we’ve just got to waitand see what happens. Hope-fully this clears up as soon aspossible, and we can try to getback to normal.” – AFP

up hosting any other events during this time,so how do we approach that? Muto asked.

“In addition, there will need to be guar-antees when we book the new dates, andthere is a possibility this will incur rent pay-ments. So there will be costs incurred andwe will need to consider them one by one.I think that will be the tougher process.”Katsuhiro Miyamoto, an emeritus profes-sor of sports economics at Kansai Univer-sity, puts the costs as high as $4 billion. Thatwould cover the price of maintaining stadi-ums, refitting them, paying rentals, penal-ties and other expenses.

Japan is officially spending $12.6 billion toorganise the Olympics. However, an auditbureau of the Japanese government says thecosts are twice that much. All of the spend-ing is public money except $5.6 billion froma privately funded operating budget.

The Switzerland-based International Ol-ympic Committee is contributing $1.3 bil-lion, according to organising committeedocuments. The IOC’s contribution goesinto the operating budget.

Bach has repeatedly called the TokyoOlympics the best prepared in history. How-ever, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso alsotermed them cursed. Aso competed inshooting in the 1976 Olympics, and was bornin 1940.

The Olympics planned for 1940 in Tokyowere cancelled because of World War II.

The run-up to the Olympics also saw IOCmember Tsunekazu Takeda, who also head-ed the Japanese Olympic Committee,forced to resign last year amid a briberyscandal. – AP

Tokyo Olympics rescheduledfor July 23-August 8 in 2021

Tokyo Games postponement rekindles Dipa’s Olympic hopes

I willgivemy bestto return to form andhopefully I can do well andqualify. But having said that,what is important right nowis that we defeat thiscoronavirus, that is thepriority.

– Dipa Karmakar

“

Artistic Gymnastics Champi-onship in October, 2019.

“There were eight WorldCups but now there are onlytwo left, which were sup-posed to happen in March butgot postponed to June due tocoronavirus outbreak,” Kar-makar told PTI in an interview.

“Given the situation theyperhaps will happen next year.So it gives me more time torecover and prepare for thetwo events,” she added.

The COVID-19 pandemic,which has killed thousands andinfected lakhs worldwide,forced the postponement ofthe Tokyo Games last week.Karmakar hoped the extratime to get back to form willcome in handy for her.

“I will give my best to re-turn to form and hopefully Ican do well and qualify. Buthaving said that, what is im-

portant right now is that wedefeat this coronavirus, that isthe priority,” said the 26-year-old, the first Indian fe-male gymnast to compete inthe Olympics.

Karmakar’s long-timecoach Bishweshwar Nandialso said this postponementhas renewed Karmakar’shopes.

“She is fit now. Shehas completely re-covered from the in-jury but in gymnas-tics, you have to slow-ly start the process oftraining and Dipa hadstarted her basic prac-tice late last monthwhen this coronavi-rus outbreak hap-pened,” the Dronach-arya awardee said.

“She will be backto her best in 3-4

months and since there arestill two events left, we cantake another shot at the Ol-ympics. See, in gymnastics,injuries happen a lot but I’mhopeful that she will take it asa challenge.

“She will need two silver orone gold and a silver in the twotournaments. We will not leaveany stone unturned and I hope

she will be able to perform.”Karmakar, who won a gold

at the 2018 Artistic Gymnas-tics World Challenge Cup inTurkey, supported the post-ponement of the Olympics andurged people to stay home tofight the coronavirus out-break.

“I appeal to the peopleto stay home and main-

tain hygiene, wash hands regu-larly. It is extremely importantto follow the lockdown proper-ly, so that we can win this fight,”said Karmakar, who was con-ferred the Rajiv Gandhi KhelRatna award in 2016. – PTI

Bhutia offers shelter tomigrant workers

“I’ve offered any migrantworker who does not have anyhouse to stay there. We willalso provide them some basicration. I’m also working withthe local authorities to see howit can be done. We can supportand work together.”

Bhutia further said he’s intouch with the local adminis-tration to arrange for medicalservices.

“Not a single case of coronapositive as of now. So that they(migrant workers) are safefrom corona. Doctors can alsocheck. We are trying to re-quest the government. At leastthey will be safe from the coro-navirus in the house when theborders have been shut andlocked. They are badly hit theydon’t have anywhere to go.”

Bhutia also posted this on his

official Facebook page with aphone number of his club Unit-ed Sikkim’s senior managerArjun Rai. – PTI

Paulinho locked out of China

The trio will now spend 14days in isolation as required bythe Chinese government for allarriving foreigners, whichshould also prevent any poten-tial spread of coronavirus to therest of the SIPG squad.

But Brazilian internationalPaulinho, 31, and compatriotAnderson Talisca failed to makeit back to CSL championsGuangzhou Evergrande, theGuangzhou Daily said.

Shanghai Shenhua’s Colom-bian international Gio Morenois another stranded at home af-ter many international airroutes were suspended be-

cause of the virus outbreak.Marouane Fellaini, Shan-

dong Luneng’s former Man-chester United midfielder, isthe only known coronaviruscase in the CSL, having recent-ly returned to China.

It is unclear when China willlift its restrictions on the entryof foreigners, having announcedthe “temporary” measure onThursday. It also slashed thenumber of international flightsserving the country.

Fabio Cannavaro, the ItalianWorld Cup-winning captain andEvergrande coach, is in Chinaand posted pictures of himselfriding his bike at the weekendhaving completed a period ofquarantine.

The CSL season was sup-posed to begin on February 22but was indefinitely postponedafter the coronavirus emergedin the central Chinese city ofWuhan in December.

It has since developed into apandemic, killing or infectinghundreds of thousands of peo-ple across the world, althoughthe number of locally transmit-ted cases in China has suppos-edly dwindled. – AFP

MELBOURNE, March 30:Spin great Shane Warne onMonday picked his fierce ri-val Sachin Tendulkar as thebatsman to bat in any condi-tions and called his formerskipper Steve Waugh a matchsaver rather than a match-winner.

One of the greatest spinnersto have played the game, Warnewas engaged in an Instagramlive session with his fans.

When the discussion turnedto the best batsman in his time,the 50-year-old Warne said, “IfI have to choose any batsmanto bat in any conditions, it is areal toss-up between Ten-dulkar and Lara, but I wouldjust choose Tendulkar.”

“If we have to chase 400runs on the last day, I woulddefinitely pick Lara,” added theleg-spinner who ended his il-lustrious career with over 700Test wickets.

“There were these twoguys, then there was daylightand after that, the rest of thebatsmen came.”

Tendulkar played a worldrecord 200 Tests andamassed 15,921 runs with anaverage 53.78 while in 463ODIs, he tallied 18,426 runsat 44.83.

While Lara played 131 Testsand scored 11,953 runs withan average of 52.88. In 299ODIs he accumulated 10,405runs. – PTI

KARACHI, March 30: Paki-stan batsman Umar Akmal hasdecided against challenging theshow cause notice issued to himby the Pakistan Cricket Boardin which the governing body ac-cused him of breaching theAnti-Corruption Code.

A source close to the bats-man said he had submitted hisreply to the show cause noticeissued to him earlier this monthand he had not challenged thecharges against him.

“Umar has not challengedthe charges and admitted thathe made a mistake in not fol-lowing the adopted procedurein such cases,” the source said.

The PCB Anti-Corruption

officials had charged Umar within two separate cases of notreporting an approach made tohim to spot fix matches in thePakistan Super League 5.

Umar, who was provisional-ly suspended on February 20and barred from playing in thePakistan Super League for hisfranchise Quetta Gladiators,has been charged for breach-ing Article 2.4.4 of PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code.

“The code pertains to failingto disclose to the PCB Vigilanceand Security Department(without unnecessary delay) fulldetails of any approaches or in-vitation received by the Partic-ipant to engage in Corrupt Con-

duct under the Anti-CorruptionCode.”

The Pakistan board had giv-en Umar until March 31 to re-spond.

According to the Anti-Cor-ruption Code Article 6.2, therange of permissible period ofineligibility for those chargedand found guilty for a violationof Article 2.4.4 is a minimum ofsix months and a maximum ofa lifetime.

Umar, 29, has had a cheq-uered career since making hisdebut in August, 2009 and hassince just managed to play 16Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20 in-ternationals despite making acentury on Test debut. – PTI

Umar Akmal not to challengePCB’s show cause notice

Tendulkar is my batsman tobat in any conditions: Warne

12 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2020

Printed and published by Ganesh Ch. Das on behalf of Assam Tribune Pvt. Ltd. at the Tribune Press, Tribune Buildings, P.O.- Assam Tribune, M.R.D. Road, Chandmari, Guwahati-781003. Tel. 0361-2660102 (EPABX), 0361-2661360, 0361-2668807 (News Desk), FAX 0361-2666396. E-mail: advt@assamtribune.com; news@assamtribune.com; atribunenews@gmail.com. Editor: Prafulla Govinda Baruah

Janasanyog/D

F/3

393/1

9