May 11, 2020

Nagaland Post

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Vol XXX No. 154

DIMAPUR, MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020 Pages 8 ` 4.00

Absolutely love IPL, says Kohli

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Moon warns of COVID-19 second wave international, Page 6

Over 15500 stranded citizens Nagaland may lose Falcon capital-tag expected to return to Nagaland Chiuluan village along the Barak River in Tamenglong district. However, unfortunately ‘Manipur’ was killed by unknown persons at Kebuching area bordering Tamenglong and Noney district and Tamenglong also stopped sending signals.

However, five more raptors were tagged in November 2019 in Manipur- Chiulon in October 2019 and four others in November,2019 -Puching, Phalong, Irang and Barak.

Of the five, three are sending satellite signals.

What this development means, is that commitment and determination of the Manipur government to be on the international Amur Falcon map is no mean effort. This is happening as Pangti village is embroiled in a controversy of sorts with the state government and the raptor Longleng is on its last journey.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, chairman of Pangti Village Council (PVC) Chenithung, said conservation efforts began in 2013 and that by 2014 the villagers developed excellent bond with the birds and allowed them to roost without any disturbance. He said the

lands belonged to clans and individuals, who gave up farming in the roosting sites without seeking any compensation.

He said though the villagers did not receive anything in return, they protected the birds 24x7 during the roosting season.

When Amur Falcons began attracting the global attention, the tourism department initiated a road connectivity project to the roosting site measuring about 2 km in length under Swadesh Darshan.

Doyang lake area as an eco-tourism spot for birdwatchers across the world.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar had visited the site and assured to develop the area for tourists to have a rare sight of the raptors.

However, he said the project was taken to other side of the Doyang river and that the DPR was cleverly modified to “Water Sports Zone”.

Chenithung also claimed that the North Eastern Council (NEC) had sanctioned over Rs 21 crore for a road “from Wokha to Amur Falcon- roosting sites” (as mentioned in the work order).

India COVID-19 cases close to 63000

Schools warned against reopening by defying order

Correspondent

Kohima, May 10 (NPN): Amur Falcons brought international attention on Pangti village under Wokha district where the raptors roost for two months (OctoberNovember) on arrival from Russia and China enroute to South Africa. Ornithologists describe the yearly Pangti spectacle as “by far the largest and most spectacular roost of any species of Falcon ever seen anywhere in the world”. The Amur Falcon roosting at Pangti has earned Nagaland the moniker--the falcon capital of the world.

The fate of Amur Falcons in Nagaland changed from being hunted to protected largely due to efforts of conservationists, state wildlife department, NGOs and Pangti village since 2013. Pangti villagers who operated in the village area and around had done a U-turn from predators to protectors by giving time and efforts for conservation of Amur Falcons.

The golden moment arrived for Pangti village, when on November 2013, three birds, ‘Naga,’ ‘Wokha,’ and ‘Pangti’ were tagged

Over 13,000 pigs in Assam dead due to AFS GUWAHATI, MAY 10 (PTI): The outbreak of African swine fever (AFS) has claimed more than 13,000 pigs in the last few days in parts of Assam, affecting the livelihood of hundreds of people involved in the animal husbandry in the state, an official said.

The infection has spread rapidly as the deaths have been reported from nine districts in Assam, he said. A total of 13,013 pigs have died in the last few days due to the ASF, which was first detected in Assam in February this year, a spokesperson of the animal husbandry and veterinary department said.

“The infection has spread from six districts to three more, namely Majuli, Golaghat and Kamrup Metropolitan,” he said in a release. The outbreak of the disease was initially detected in Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Biswanath districts.

Earlier, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had directed officials of the veterinary and forest departments to work in coordination with the National Pig Research Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to save the animal from the disease.

This is it!

“In a way, I’m glad that the lockdown has given an opportunity to improve my baking skills.”

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Amur falcons at Pangti village in Wokha district. (File Photo: Subhamoy Bhattacharjee/Willdlife Trust of India)

with satellite transmissions.

However, as migratory birds generally have a lifespan of two to three years, by 2015 the transmissions stopped.

Then in November 2016, five Amur Falcons were tagged in NagalandHakhizhe, Intanki, Longleng, Eninum, and Phom.

‘Longleng’ was the only one that continues to transmit messages.

Longleng was reported to have been in China on May 7,2020 . Earlier the raptor had stopped sending signals. It was tagged from the Yaongyimchen Community Bio-Diversity Conservation at Longleng district. How-

ever after a chain of prayer, the bird miraculously began sending back satellite signals.

It has been flying trips from China, to India to South Africa. Ornithologists believe ‘Longleng’ is on its last migratory journey this year.

What happens after ‘Longleng’ also ends its journey could well also mean the end of the chapter for Nagaland as the capital of Amur Falcons.

Manipur government has been active in satellite tagging of Amur Falcons. In 2018 in Manipur, two birds‘Manipur’ and ‘Tamenglong’- were tagged with GPS satellite transmitters at

cations went up to 2,109. In 24 hours, the death toll rose by 128.

Latest figures show that there were 41,472 active coronavirus cases in the country while 19,357 have been cured/discharged.

The testing capacity for COVID-19 in the coun-

North Eastern states. Dimapur is expecting at least 7000 people followed by Mon district- 1600 and Kohima around 1400.

When contacted, senior officials informed Nagaland Post that the numbers, as listed out on May 10, may vary. However, they said it was a tentative projection of people expected to return to state.

Meanwhile, Sinha informed that the inter-district movement of stranded persons to their home districts between May 7 and 9 witnessed 7,409 people travelling back to their respective home districts from various locations of the State in 281 buses.

In a major reprieve to people who are still stuck at various places within Nagaland and could not avail the three-day window to

move to their home districts, the State government has decided to further extend the date for inter-district movement from May 11 to 13.

During the new window, preference would be given to those who had registered themselves up to May 8 at the facilitation centres.

Further, any stranded person wishing to travel in his or her own vehicle and cost will also be allowed during the new relaxation period after getting permission from the respective deputy commissioners.

On the other hand, altogether 193 calls were received on the dedicated Nagaland COVID-19 tollfree helpline number 1800345-0019 till 4 pm on Saturday. Out of these, 46 calls were related to telemedicine consultation, he added.

PM to hold meet with CMs to discuss exit plan

Ex-PM Manmohan admitted to AIIMS

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 0 (NPN): State principal secretary Home, Abhijit Sinha during his briefing on COVID-19 on Sunday informed that over 15500 stranded citizens of Nagaland in different parts of the country are expected to return to the state.

He said citizens stranded in various parts of the country have started applying through the returnees’ declaration form on the website iamstranded.nagaland.gov.in. More than 15,500 individuals had applied till 4 p.m. on Sunday and requested government arrangement for their transportation, Sinha stated.

As per a list that was circulated on Sunday, around 14300 stranded citizens are expected to arrive from at least 25 states and (Cont’d on p-5) around 1085 from other

try has been ramped up to around 95,000 tests per day, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said.

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 0 Drawing attention Over 40 lakh globally (NPN): to reports of a few schools Across the globe, over issuing notifications on re40 lakh people have tested suming classes in a phased positive for coronavirus manner, principal director since its emergence in China School Education, Shanalast December and nearly vas C has warned schools 2.8 lakh people have lost of strict disciplinary action their life, according to latest against violators as per prodata from Johns Hopkins visions of law.

University.

According to DIPR, Shanavas stated that such notification was in violation of the lockdown order issued by the government D I M A P U R , M AY 1 0 and would be prohibited. He (NPN): Out of the 862 also directed all parents and COVID-19 suspected sam- guardians not to send their ples sent for testing till date, children to schools until ofresults of 806 samples tested ficial orders for reopening of negative while results of 56 schools were issued by the samples were awaited, prin- competent authority.

Earlier, chief secretary cipal secretary Home, AbhiTemjen Toy had informed jit Sinha said on Sunday.

On Sunday 7565 per- that all educational institusons were screened and 100 tions in the State will conpersons were kept under tinue to remain shut till further notice. facility quarantine.

Nagaland COVID-19: Results of 56 awaited

NEW DELHI, MAY 10 (AGENCIES): The total number of coronavirus cases in India jumped to 62,939 after 3,277 COVID-19 infections were detected in past 24 hours, showed figures released by the Health Ministry. The death toll due to coronavirus-related compli-

Hundreds of stranded Nagas at Dimapur State Stadium on May 7, 2020. (NP File)

NEW DELHI, MAY 10 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have another video conference with state chief ministers at 3 pm on Monday.

The meeting will be the fifth since the lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus started on March 25.

Sources indicated that the discussion will be held on the easing of the lockdown, which is expected to end on May 17 and the areas where restrictions might be eased.

The Centre has already made it clear that the lifting of the lockdown will be phased and done slowly over a period but not in containment and hot spot zones.

The cessation of economic activities for over five weeks has hit businesses and state revenues badly. Most states have eased restrictions in areas that need most, including agriculture, construction activity and MN-

REGA works. Last week, most states also resumed the sale of liquor, a huge source of revenue.

With medical professionals indicating that eradicating coronavirus might be a long way off, the focus is now on resumption of normalcy without allowing the virus room to spread.

Earlier on Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a video conference with chief secretaries and Health secretaries of all the states and Union Territories.

Sources said a lot of states raised objections to the red, green and orange zone markings, saying with the way the number of cases are rising in districts with the return of migrants, most of the districts will come under red zone. Several states argued that this will make a return to normalcy difficult and wanted a calibrated way to lift the lockdown.

India’s first indigenous Elisa test kit for Covid-19 Railways to partially resume NEW DELHI, MAY 10 ( AG E N C I E S ) : I n d i a n Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune has successfully developed the first indigenous antibody detection kit for Covid-19 that will play a critical role in surveillance for coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday.

The test kit has the advantage of testing 90 samples together in a single run of 2.5 hours, so that healthcare professionals can proceed quickly with necessary next steps, Vardhan said.

This kit was validated at two sites in Mumbai and has high sensitivity and accuracy, Vardhan said.

The ELISA-based testing is easily possible even at district level, he said.

The test kit has the advantage of testing 90 samples together in a single run of 2.5 hours Developed in a month’s time, the testing kit would help to study the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the Indian population. It is cost-effective, sensitive, rapid, and a large number of samples can be tested at any level of clinical

setting, public health centers and hospitals.

The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology, Pune, technology has been transferred to Zydus Cadila for mass-scale production.

The Drug Controller

General has granted commercial production and marketing permission to Zydus, Vardhan said.

The ICMR recently has cancelled orders for about half a million Covid19 rapid antibody test kits from China after they were found to be giving out inaccurate results.

The testing technique is used to detect antibodies in the blood of people who may have had coronavirus infection.

There is an augmented demand of various types of diagnostic tests by countries all across the globe. Most of the diagnostic material for COVID-19 is imported into India from other countries.

Therefore, Indian scientists are tirelessly engaged in developing indigenous diagnostics for SARSCoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.

passenger trains from May 12

NEW DELHI, MAY 10 (AGENCIES): Indian Railways will gradually restart passenger train operations from May 12, initially with 15 pairs of trains, Railways said Sunday. All passenger trains will run with AC coaches only and with limited stoppages. The fare will be equivalent to the ticket fare that is charged for Rajdhani Train, the ministry said.

These trains will be run as special trains from New Delhi station connecting Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi. After the resumption of these 15 services, railways will start more special services on new routes, based on the avail-

able coaches after reserving 20,000 coaches for COVID19 care centres and adequate number of coaches being reserved to enable operation of up to 300 trains everyday as “Shramik Special” for stranded migrants.

Booking for reservation in these trains will start at 4 pm on May 11 and will be available only on IRCTC website. Ticket booking counters at railway stations will remain closed and no counter tickets (including platform tickets) will be issued, it said.

Only passengers with valid confirmed tickets will be allowed to enter railway stations. It will be mandatory for passengers to wear mask and undergo screening at departure and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the trains.

NEW DELH I , M AY 10: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was admitted to Delhi’s AIIMS (All In- Manmohan dia Institute of Medical Sciences) on Sunday night over chest problems. The veteran Congress leader was taken to the cardio-thoracic ward of the hospital at 8.45 p.m. and is under observation by doctors. Manmohan Singh underwent heart-bypass surgery at AIIMS in 2009, in which five grafts - channels to bypass blocked arteries - were implanted in a surgery that too over 10 hours.

Cement price revised

DIMAPUR, MAY 10 (NPN): In an order, deputy commissioner Dimapur Anoop Kinchi has notified the public about the revised rates of various cement brands with immediate effect and till further order. After examining and considering the inflationary effect of various commodities and market rate in neighbouring states and in pursuance to the meeting of the sub-committee on price monitoring and all stakeholders on May 2 and 4, DC said the price was revised. The retail price of Star cement and Dalmia will cost Rs. 470 per bag, Topcem Rs. 460, Amrit and Surya Gold Rs. 450 per bag inclusive of loading.

New in-charge for COVID-19 in Dimapur

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 0 (NPN): State government has assigned agriculture production commissioner, Y Kikheto Sema as the overall in-charge of Dimapur district for all COVID-19 related activities being carried out in the district with immediate effect, this was stated in a DIPR release.

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Decision to allow COVID +ve driver leave Assam draws flak

GUWAHATI, MAY 10 (PTI): Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said an ambulance driver who tested positive for COVID-19 was allowed to leave for Mumbai as he was asymptomatic, drawing flak from netizens on his social media accounts.

On Saturday night, Sarma said on Facebook and Twitter that three persons, including the ambulance driver who drove them to Jorhat district from Mumbai, tested positive and the driver was sent back to Mumbai.

“Alert ~ 3 people, incl an Ambulance Driver from Mumbai who drove the 2, test #COVID19 + in Jorhat.

Driver sent back to Mumbai.

2 are at JMCH since their arrival in Jorhat,” he tweeted.

This created a long stream of reactions by his followers on both the platforms, who said the step was “totally not justified” and asked why the driver was allowed to leave Assam as there is maximum possibility of him spreading the infection on his way back.

“Actually the driver left for Mumbai and we allowed him to go as he was asymptotic. Now on our request he has been stopped in Bihar for hospitalisation,” Sarma said, defending the decision.

Julin Boruah, one of his followers on Facebook, said, “I am worried about the respected driver of the ambulance... He became the pride warrior of #Covid19...

If he really send back then it’s totally not justified on our state Government.

“Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma Dangoria please look into the matter with immediate effect. Our state should try to cure the pride warrior.”

A u s e r, n a m e d Urmee_D, on Twitter expressed surprise and asked whether the ambulance carrying two women had valid documents and whether these were properly checked at Sagalia and Srirampur -- the entry points into Assam.

“The ambulance entered Assam with proper permission to bring back one blood cancer patient from Jorhat who happens to be son of one of the +patient.

We do not have Covid-19 testing facilities on our border,” Sarma replied.

Jojneswar Sharma tweeted to the minister, “This incident cautions us to check health status of driver if he is hired in red zone such as Mumbai before they are allowed to undertake such journey; even ambulance could carry virus; in this case driver should not have been

allowed to leave Jorhat till report was available.”

Sarma said, “Then we will end up detaining thousands of truck drivers coming from different states to Assam.”

Identifying himself as an orthopaedic surgeon, Ananta Saikia said, “Why was the driver sent back? He should have been treated here as he took all the risks to drive our brothers back home, please look into the matter sir, one or two cases don’t make any difference, we’re all prepared to face it.”

“Sir, Why the driver sent back to Mumbai?? We could have given utmost care, treatment at Jorhat. We request you to provide him all support, assistance. Tcr of urself too,” Madhurjya Protim Borah said to Sarma on Facebook.

One Twitter user said: “Please treat and take the best care of the driver here in Assam itself. He took all the risk and brought the ppl back to Assam. It is our moral responsibility to ensure best treatment are being provided to him.”

Another said, “It was so inhumane to send the driver back, he is mentally and physically unfit to travel all the way back to Mumbai in this state of health. Please take necessary measures for the driver.”

Tripura sees spike in cases days after CM declares COVID-free

AGARTALA, MAY 10 (PTI): Days after Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb declared Tripura COVID 19-free, the state witnessed an abrupt spike in coronavirus cases with over 130 people testing positive for the disease in just one week since May 2.

All the new cases are from two battalions of the BSF in Dhalai district.

The first two patients in the state -- a woman from Gomati district and a TSR jawan in north Tripura -- had recovered from the disease in April.

After taking into account the fresh cases, the state government declared Dhalai district as a red zone and marked five locations -- two battalion headquarters, a base camp at Gandacherra, a border outpost with Bangladesh at Kareena and Kamalpur town -- as containment zones.

Expressing concern, Additional Chief Secretary (health) SK Rakesh said, “The numbers have increased all of a sudden.

We are hoping that the virus will not spread further as it has been contained within the BSF battalion’s headquarters. However, we are ready to deal with any situation. Currently, the government is upgrading the facilities at GB Pant Hospital.”

‘Mizoram’s COVID free due to people’s discipline’ NEW DELHI, May 10 (Agencies): Mizoram’s corona-free status can be attributed to the discipline of its people and the combined efforts of the church, NGOs and administration, says Chief Minister Pu Zoramthanga.

While happy that his state has managed to contain the spread of COVID19, the chief minister told PTI he was worried about the economic slump due to the lockdown and the threat posed by “corona carriers” from neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar.

On Saturday, Mizoram became coronavirus-free with its lone COVID-19 patient being discharged from hospital, officials in the state capital Aizawl said.

The credit, Zoramthanga said, goes to the “discipline” of the people who allowed the state to execute all the provisions suggested by a special task force constituted for the sole purpose to curb the spread of the virus.

“Mizoram is a very disciplined state. With the help of the church, NGOs and administration, we have so far survived this crisis and are determined to continue to do so in the future,” he said in a phone interview from Aizawl.

However, the threat from “corona carriers” looms large over the northeastern state, which shares a 510-km border with Myan-

Pu Zoramthanga

mar and a 318-km border with Bangladesh, he said.

“This is a great threat for us as there are high chances of people from Myanmar and Bangladesh infiltrating into Mizoram due to the open borders.

We are taking all measures to stop it.” he said.

The 75-year-old former rebel leader, serving his third term as chief minister of the Christian majority state, said his government is extra careful and has deployed Mizoram Police personnel at all major checkpoints so there is no possibility of any infiltration.

While Bangladesh has reported 13,134 cases of coronavirus with 206 deaths, Myanmar has 177 cases.

Infiltration from both the countries into India is quite common.

Discussing the nationwide lockdown, in place since March 25 to curb the spread of the disease, Zoramthanga said it will

records 10COVID deaths ‘very less’ but 75% cases asymptomatic: Kejriwal Mizoram point drop in IMR NEW DELHI, MAY 10 (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said 75 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the city are asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms, and asserted that the number of serious patients and deaths caused by the infection is “less”.

“The number of serious patients is less. The number of COVID-19 -19 deaths is very less,” he said, a day after his government was attacked for “underreporting” the deaths.

On Saturday, Congress leader Ajay Maken sought more transparency from the Kejriwal government and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari urged the chief minister to “tell the truth”, saying people have a right to know about the severity of the outbreak.

Officials of the 10 hospitals treating COVID-19 patients have said the number of people dead due to the virus is higher than what the Delhi government’s bulletin reflects.

A confusion has pre-

vailed over the exact number of deaths as the data from four hospitals showed that 92 people succumbed to the infection against 68 reported by the government till Friday.

However, Kejriwal said on Sunday that 73 people have died due to the virus.

He said Delhi has reported 6,923 coronavirus cases, out of which 2,069 have recovered, while 91 patients are in ICU and 27 are on ventilator support.

It has been observed that 82 per cent of people dead were above the age of 50, Kejriwal said, requesting senior citizens to take precautionary measures against the infection.

“Out of 6,923 COVID19 patients, only 1,476 are admitted to hospitals,” he said, adding that the rest are getting treatment at their homes and COVID-19 care centres.

Addressing an online briefing, Kejriwal said those asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms need not to be admitted to hospitals and can be provided treatment

Arvind Kejriwal

at home.

“Our team makes inspection of their home to ascertain whether social isolation can be observed or not. Our teams are in regular touch with such people and if needed, family members of affected person can contact officials,” he said.

If there is no sufficient space at home to ensure social isolation, the government sends the patient to a COVID-19 care centre where he/she can stay for 14 days, he said.

He said the government has attached the Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital with twothree five-star hotels where frontline warriors, infected

by COVID-19, are being

treated.

“It pained me when I heard that the Opposition was criticising our move.

I want to ask you whether corona warriors should not be given better facility,” he said.

This is not the time to do politics but time to work together against the virus, the AAP chief said.

He said his government is requisitioning ambulances of private hospitals to meet the shortage. “It doesn’t mean that these private ambulances can not provide service to their attached hospitals. They will have to be pressed into government services when we require the same. I hope with this move, there would be no shortage,” he said.

Kejriwal also appealed to migrant workers to not leave Delhi.

“If anyone wants to leave, the government will make arrangements, but don’t leave on your own.

We have sent two trains to Madhya Pradesh and Bihar recently,” he said.

On Sunday, 150 mi-

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020

grants, who were sheltered at a Delhi government facility in Nehru Vihar amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown, were sent to their home state Punjab by bus.

Kejriwal said his government is in talks with Centre to arrange more trains for migrants.

“Migrant labourers are still on the road, trying to get to their homes. Their condition is very unfortunate since they are walking for days. They have not eaten for days They are carrying children on shoulder... This makes me feel all governments and all systems have failed,” he said.

It is very disappointing to see people walking without food or help, the chief minister said.

He urged the people of Delhi to stay wherever they are as the lockdown will be lifted soon.

“This lockdown is going to end soon, and everything will be back on track.

You will get employed again because everything will start running again. Please do not leave Delhi,” he said.

AIZAWL, MAY 10 (PTI): Mizoram has registered a 10-point drop in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in 2019-20 fiscal, making it to the second spot in the country after Nagaland.

State health minister R Lalthangliana said the IMR has dropped from 15 to 5 (per 1000 live births), citing the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin.

With 10-point drop in IMR in 2019-20, Mizoram is the best-performing state in the country, he said.

Over the past three years, the state has achieved a 27-point drop in IMR. The minister attributed the achievement to efforts of healthcare workers and support of people.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had on Saturday congratulated Mizoram and Lalthangliana on the achievement.

The state had recorded IMR at 21 in 2016-2017, with 405 infants dying before attaining the age of one.

adversely impact Mizoram since, like other northeastern states, it too depends on the Central government for funds to run its economy.

“Mizoram, like other states in the northeast, is a centrally funded state and gets 90 per cent of its funds from the Centre. If the country’s economy suffers, which is likely to be the case, the ripple effects will be felt more here and will stay for long,” he said.

“The real effects would be felt once the COVID-19 crisis is over. This cannot be ignored,” he added.

Fitch Ratings last month slashed India’s economic growth projections to 0.8 per cent in the current 2020-21 fiscal, saying an unparalleled global recession is underway due to disruptions caused by the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic and resultant lockdowns.

According to Zoramthanga, infrastructure projects in his state will be impacted the most.

Mizoram has the highest number of pending road infrastructure projects in the region.

Work on more than 50 big-ticket road projects launched by the Central government owned National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation to improve the state’s connectivity with Myanmar to boost India’s trade with south-east Asian nations

has been suspended due to the lockdown.

“Our road projects will get hampered the most.

But this seems something where nothing much can be done. We can only wait and watch,” Zoramthanga said.

The chief minister also said his government is in touch with the ministries of Railways and Civil Aviation to bring back over 5,500 Mizos stranded in several parts of the country due to the lockdown.

“We’ve brought back Mizos stranded in neighbouring states in the northeast.

But for the residents of the state who are stranded far away in other states, we are in touch with the Railways and Civil Aviation ministries to get the matter resolved,” he said.

Mizoram shares its zero COVID-19 cases status with four other states in the region -- Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

India has registered 62,939 cases and 2,109 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.

Mizoram Health Minister R Lalthangliana said on Saturday that the state’s lone COVID-19 patient, a pastor, was discharged after 45 days of intense treatment and four consecutive tests showed negative results.

NPP members quit over transportation of coal in M’laya Shillong, May 10: Former Meghalaya legislator Justine Dkhar along with seven senior members of the National People’s Party (NPP) on Saturday quit the ruling party over the government’s decision for allowing transportation of coal from Assam.

Those who quit the NPP headed by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma include three former members of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Messrs Thomas Nongtdu, Thomas Nongtdu and the Violet Lyngdoh, the sister of Shibun Lyngdoh, who was the former Meghalaya BJP State president.

In a letter to NPP Meghalaya State president Dr. Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi, the eight NPP members stated that the party was not well organised as such as there is no platform to listen to the public grievances .

“People are fighting hard against the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic whereas the party

which lead the government is inviting the virus through truck drivers and helpers by allowing them to come from outside the State (Red Zone Area) to East Jaintia Hills district,” they stated in their resignation letter.

“The party knows very well that East Jaintia Hills district the is having enough the raw materials for the requirements of cement plants under the district but government is adamant and blindfolded to the facts,” they concluded in the letter.

In fact, several pressure groups, traders’ associations, transporters’ association and traditional institutions has opposed the state government’s order to allow cement companies in East Jaintia Hills to transport coal from Assam after the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner F.M.Dopth granted permission for transportation of 30 trucks carrying coal per cement plant per day from Assam.

India on Sunday sent medical assistance to the Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles by the naval ship INS Kesari under Mission Sagar. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, MAY 10 (PTI): India has sent medical assistance to the Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles by a naval ship following separate requests from these countries for help in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Ministry of External Affairs said Indian naval ship Kesari is carrying medical teams, essential medicines and food items to the five countries in line with India’s “time-tested” role as the first responder to any crisis in the region.

“Responding to their

requests for assistance in dealing with the COVID19 pandemic, India has sent Indian Naval Ship Kesari to Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles, carrying on board two medical assistance teams, consignments of Covid related essential

medicines and essential food items,” the MEA said in a statement.

It said the medical assistance teams will be deployed in Mauritius and Comoros to help their governments deal with COVID-19. The team for Comoros will also help the country in tackling dengue fever.

“The ship will deliver consignments of COVID19 related essential medicines to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles and about 600 tonnes of food items to Maldives,” the MEA said.

In addition, a special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines is also being sent to Mauritius.

“The consignments meant for Madagascar and Comoros also includes Hydroxychloroquine tablets, which have already been sent earlier to Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles,” the MEA said.

The ship has been sent under India’s ‘Mission Sagar’ launched to help the friendly countries deal with the pandemic.

DC-413

India sends medical assistance to 5 friendly nations

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State

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020

Ferrying of stranded people, distribution of relief, etc

DIMAPUR: Following the announcement made by the Nagaland government to ferry stranded indigenous people and students within the state from May 7 to 9, Nagaland State Transport (NST) has been ferrying stranded people from across the state to their respective home in view of the nationwide lockdown imposed by the central government due to COVID-19 pandemic. Besides inter-district movement, stranded Meghalaya people from Mokokchung headed home. District administrations, NGOs and individual continue to extend relief items to stranded people and needy people across the state. Meanwhile, distribution of relief items also continue during lockdown.

Mokokchung District

KIPHIRE DISTRICT

DC Mokokchung and others seeing off the stranded DC & DTF chairperson Sarita Yadav addressing the people to Meghalaya on Sunday. (NP) Kiphire DTF meeting at DC’s conference hall. (DIPR)

First batch of stranded people leave for Meghalaya The De puty Commissioner sees off a batch of stranded migrants and students that left Mokokchung.

A total of 25 persons from Mokokchung left for Meghalaya on the morning of May 10 as the first batch of stranded people to go outside the state. Meanwhile the Mokokchung Town Baptist Church (MTBA) handed over food items to those passengers and the pastor of MTBA offered a prayer before the start of the journey. (Correspondent) DC Mokokchung distributes gift packs to women

Deputy Commissioner Mokokchung Limawapang Jamir distributed gift packs to some needy mothers and widows on the occasion of Mother’s Day on May 10. The Deputy Commissioner personally visited three homes of mothers and handed over the gifts. The programme was conducted under the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” scheme along with the district administration Mokokchung. Besides the three mothers, the programme benefitted around 250 women and widows who received the gifts that included personal hygiene and nutritional food items.

(Correspondent)

DTF Kiphire holds meeting District Task Force Kiphire (DTF) convened a meeting on May 9 at DC’s conference hall Kiphire and discussed various issues.

According to a DIPR report, DTF chairperson apprised the COVID-19 empowered group that may allow the movements of stranded people from the Northeast states in the near future.

Medical department highlighted requirements of more ministerial staffs to assist them, as more returnees are anticipated from Northeast states and

District administrations issue advisories & directives

other parts of the country.

In this regard, EAC HQ Chumbenthung Murr y have been entrusted to requisition staffs of other departments as per the requirements of the department.

Civil society’s representatives USLP and ESH in collaboration with YTC have been entrusted to provide detail consolidated lists of citizens stuck in the Northeast states who are desirous to return back.

Besides, they have been requested to tie up with VCs, VDBs and assess the facilities set up in quarantines in the villages under Kiphire district.

K. Badze, Meriema quarantine centres ready for accommodation

DC Mokokchung orders sealing of check gates The Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, Limawapang Jamir has issued order for complete sealing of the two inter-state check gates bordering Assam, namely Tsutapela and Watiyongpang. The order was necessitated in view of the reported COVID19 positive cases in Jorhat district, Assam. The order bars movements of all people and vehicles without any exceptions with immediate effect. The order further state that any person/group found violating the order will be liable to be punished under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

ADC Longleng issue revised directives The ADC & administrator Longleng Town Council (LTC), D. Robin has issued the following revised directives for strict compliance with immediate effect.

1. Shops/business establishments except those restricted by the government order will be allowed to open from 7 a.m. to 12 noon.

2. Vehicles plying in the town shall compulsorily maintain social distancing (two wheeler - 1 person only while four wheeler 3 person inclusive of the driver.

3. Shopkeepers/any people moving out from their home for any work will compulsorily use mouth mask.

4. Shopkeepers/ business establishments are to ensure that social distancing is strictly maintained.

5. Shopkeepers / business establishments will compulsorily provide hand sanitizer/keep provision for hand washing for both customers and employees.

It cautioned that necessary action will be initiated against the violators as per the relevant provisions of law.

nagalandpost.com Poll

DRDA Mon takes up IFAI in Mon villages

Q.: Is there possibility that arrival of stranded from outside can bring COVID-19?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

A B C

DC Mon informs on uploading of school assignments De puty Commissioner Mon, Thavaseelan K has informed that in view of the imposition of nationwide lockdown and closure of schools, the district administration Mon with due concern for the academic session of secondar y school students will be uploading videos with weekly assignments for the secondary students in its Youtube channel (Deputy Commissioner Mon) from May 4 onwards. It is recommended that the students submit the assignment report upon resumption of their academic session to their respective officials manning the control room at K. Badze Quarantine Centre at Rüsoma School.

Therefore, parents and students have been requested to make use of this opportunity.

DIMAPUR: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the state government has left no stone unturned in taking preventive and containment measures through different approaches, though so far no positive cases of coronavirus has been reported in Nagaland.

According to a DIPR report, to know the exact status of a person and to combat the menace of this dreaded disease from spreading before detection, the state government under the initiative of the EG has set up quarantine centres at BSUP buildings Meriema and K. Badze, Kohima village for accommodation of people coming from outside the state.

Hitherto, these buildings were unusable without repair and renovation and its surroundings were piled up with debris and remnants accumulated over the years.

However, with a concerted effort put in by a team of personnel from Housing, Medical, Municipal Affairs, PHE and Power had renovated the

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A

B

Yes. No. Can’t Say.

C

100% 0% 0%

Next poll

Q: Are people in favour of

lifting lockdown?

 Yes.  No.  Can’t say

WEATHER FORECAST May 11

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala Hazy sunshine and very warm 36 24 Aizawl

Hazy sunshine

32 18

Guwahati Very warm and hazy sunshine 36 22 Imphal

Hazy sunshine and very warm 34 15

Itanagar A t-storm around in the p.m.

33 20

Shillong

Partly sunny with a t-storm

24 14

Kohima

Hazy sunshine

26 16

Dimapur Hazy sun and very warm

35 21

Hazy sunshine

28 16

Mkg

Tuensang A thunderstorm in spots Wokha

Hazy sunshine

Zunheboto A thunderstorm in spots

K Y M C

20 13 28 20 25 15

Project Director DRDA Mon, Wennyei Konyak handing over seeds to KSU to be distributed to the farmers as an act of launching the IFAI at DRDA Mon on May 8.

DIMAPUR: District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) Mon with technical support of District Horticulture Office (DHO) Mon has decided to take up Intensive Farming Activity Initiative (IFAI) in the neighbouring villages around Mon Town along with students’ body led by the Konyak Students’ Union (KSU).

A press release from assistant project officer DRDA Mon, W. Moba

Konyak stated that the initiative was to blend traditional method of cultivation with modern farming techniques, focusing on how to make local cultivator into producer, earner and winner.

It stated that the main focus was to introduce highly nutritional local food items to the market, and also educate and introduce idea of marketing to villagers.

It further added that

In anticipation for the need for quarantine centre if and when stranded person came from the Red Zones across the country, the chairperson directed EAC (S) Chenithung Ovung to inform all the circle officers to submit the details of the quarantine facilities established villages.

The chairperson took the concurrence of the civil society organization and area representatives that stranded person would be allowed to enter the wards/ villages and the same would be communicated to all the village councils.

ADC HQ Nyempo appraised on the activities of the Kiphire Town Council with regard to strategic and commonly used places in the town with the help of the fire department.

Additional SP stressed that the fight against COVID19 is a collective effort and requested cooperation from the civil societies and general public.

The chairperson reiterated that social distancing should be ingrained in the norm in the mind of all public.

COVID-19 crisis made it more opportune to explore and invest in limitless agribusiness prospects of the district.

The initiative will be extended to other subdivisions in phases.

DRDA Mon would further be considering taking up with state government for organic certification of agri-products of Mon district, so that farmers get maximum benefits out of their hard labour.

buildings and removed all the waste materials.

The Empowered Group has provided logistics and basic amenities to the occupants and handed over to medical department for operation wherein, 545 and 254 beds each with toilet and bathroom attached have been kept ready at K. Badze and Meriema for quarantine purposes. In addition to that, 10 beds have also been set up at ATI, Kohima. As of now, 22 persons coming from outside the state have been observing the quarantine period at Meriema Quarantine Centre. It is also reported that the Empowered Group has been in touch with government guest houses and private hotels for more accommodation in the event of shortage.

The Empowered Group is headed by additional chief secretary & FC, Sentiyanger Imchen with subordinate officers from different departments. The group has been assigned to look after the welfare and well being of our people stranded outside the state.

ZUNHEBOTO DISTRICT

ESSU officials with Aghunato Area Union Dimapur (AAUD).

ESSU evacuate members from Dimapur M a s s eva c u a t i o n drive for distress students stranded at Dimapur was carried out by Eastern Sumi Students Union (ESSU).

A press release from

Eastern Sumi Students Union stated that a total of 132 students were transported from Dimapur to Aghunato, who underwent proper medical screening before leaving to Aghunato, following proper guidelines given

by Health and Family Welfare department of the state.

It added that short message was delivered

by Pastor Amento and later prayed for students’ before departing from Dimapur.

Dimapur DISTRICT St. Thomas Mission Society’s 3rd phase relief Teachers of MGM institutions, MGOS Church members, St. Thomas Mission society’s (HOME/SRC-6028)

distributed 3rd phase COVID-19 relief food kits on May 10 at the premises of MGOS Church, Midland and St. Francis Church of Assisi, Zeliangrong, Dhobinala.

TUENSANG DISTRICT

NDPP ShamatorChessore women wing NDPP 58th A/C Shamator women wing, led by president, Thsangla Lado along with district administration, waited the entire night for the night service bus coming from Dimapur at tri-junction NAP out post Shamator on May 10.

A press release from information assistantcum-convenor task force for COVID-19 Shamator media cell, L. Shahoto Yimchunger stated that the women wing warmly welcomed back the home

Members of NDPP Shamator-Chessore women wing with refreshment for returnees. comers from Dimapur and V.G. I&PR, SCERT and served them light refresh- chairman DPDB Tuenments initiated by advisor sang, Toshi Wongtung.

Thakurbari out of containment zone

DIMAPUR: After receiving the report from the Dimapur chief medical officer’s office of absence of any COVID-19 cases for the last 28 days, deputy commissioner Dimapur has informed that the Thakurbari area has been declared out of containment zone.

However, as notified in the national COVID-19 directives and standard operating procedure protocols, all are to ensure the practice of social distancing.

Violators will be liable as per provisions of the Disaster Management Act besides legal action, DC stated.

ZGC gets B Grade of NAAC

DIMAPUR: National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) peer team assessed Zunheboto Government College (ZGC) on March 16 and 17.

A press release from principal ZGC, Dr. K. Nishena Nekha stated the culmination of hard work of the last many years resulted in achieving Grade B. It is no mean achievement for the college given the so many difficult realities around the institute. It stated that a record mass participation towards the process of assessment and accreditation of the college was an example of exception.

Sense of ownership of the only institute of higher education in the district was amply exhibited by the Church, government employees, elected members from the district, advisory board, alumni, parents-teacher association, STH, GBs, student bodies, mothers’ association, ninisterial staff, teachers and the untiring labour of core team.

Government assigns

DIMAPUR: In the interest of public service, the Government of Nagaland has assigned Agriculture Production Commissioner, Y. Kikheto Sema as the over all in-charge of Dimapur district for all COVID-19 related activities being carried out in the district, with immediate effect.

K Y M C

4

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXx NO. 154 Dimapur, MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020

M

Extra load

ore organisations and in particular political parties have slammed the decision of the ruling PDA in Nagaland to impose additional COVID-19 cess of Rs.5 for a litre of diesel and Rs.6 for a litre of petrol including petroleum products. The COVID-19 cess became effective on midnight of April 28,2020. According to the stat finance department, the COVID-19 cess will continue to be in effect till the central government announces the lifting of the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been no let up from various business associations in expressing their total opposition to the COVID-19 cess and their unequivocal demand for its rollback. So far since the government announced the imposition of the COVID-19 cess, there has been no further reaction from the government.

The public perception of the COVID-19 cess requires further clarification and quite obviously the government has to spend sometime to explain what it is. Left to themselves, people in general feel that having to pay so much per litre of diesel and petrol is unjust and since they are all undergoing severe hardship during the lockdown, any extra burden on them is uncalled for and unwarranted. Nagaland’s revenues have fallen drastically due to the lockdown and now faces a huge challenge to tide over the burgeoning deficit projected to total around Rs.955.44 crore annually. As per the statement issued by the finance department, the state’s monthly requirement was Rs.374 crore but in April the state received only Rs.263 crore showing a deficit of Rs.111 crore. The state’s own resources have also drastically come down to Rs.21 crore from the projected estimate of Rs.98 crore (after lockdown) and indicating a shortfall of Rs.77 crore. The Covid-19 cess is expected to generate an additional Rs.55.58 crore annually. Between the justification for hiking up prices of petrol and diesel and the consequent negative impact; certainly the taste of the pudding is in the eating. The state’s finances are in dire straits presently not only due to COVID-19 but due to so many years of fiscal indiscipline. On paper, many projects have been undertaken but one problem with most of them is the fact that cost overruns have ensured overspending and inordinate delays. Thus delays and deficits due to lack of fiscal mismanagement have been the feature of budgets. The lockdown may have deprived the state of revenue to the tune of around Rs.77 annually but even in the best of times, the state had to contend with mounting deficits and stagnant revenue collections. It would be unfair to criticise the government for the COVID-19 cess solely because it seems right.

Every state is facing huge financial problems due to the unseen problem thrown by COVID-19 pandemic.

Even the centre, which received a huge windfall out of crash of crude oil in the international market , continued to add fresh taxes on petrol and diesel in the name of COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 cess was certainly not imposed solely with an intention of raising money and then spend it for vested interests.

The use of the money earned through COVID-19 cess should be done in a transparent and accountable manner and audited. Possibly revenue from the COVID-19 cess could be utilised for non-medical purposes during the pandemic. However, there has to be some estimate on how much is required for all medial and non-medical purposes. Only such an estimate could perhaps put a lid of current suspicions and scepticisms.

DailyDevotion Take the Initiative

…add to your faith virtue… —2 Peter 1:5 Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves— God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must “work out” our “own salvation” which God has worked in us (Philippians 2:12). Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning— to instruct yourself in the way you must go.

Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative— stop hesitating— take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being careless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you, saying, “I will write that letter,” or “I will pay that debt”; and then do it! Make it irrevocable.

We have to get into the habit of carefully listening to God about everything, forming the habit of finding out what He says and heeding it. If, when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we will know that the habit has been formed in us. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we have not yet been.

Quotes

“Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing.” ~ Seneca

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020

UN warns rise of modern-day slavery

States put brake on poor, Corona social crisis hits SDG

E

ven as some state governments like Karnataka suppresses the informal sector worker, the UN has raised the red flag of growing modern slavery, suppression of information and hitting sustainable development goals (SDG).

The UN special rapporteur on the Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Tomoya Obokata, says “the severe socio-economic effect of the Covid-19 is likely to increase the scourge of modern-day slavery, already impacting over 40 million people before the pandemic” Post-pandemic, the IMF says that 400 million are slipping globally into severe poverty.

The Karnataka government’s move to keep the nearly 3 lakh labourers in lockdown, as told by Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, under pressure from the builders and cancel relief trains from Bengaluru for them strangely enough is a reflection of the global problem. It symbolizes as if they are bonded labourers. The mindset in Maharashtra against the Bhaiyyas from UP and Bihar has been contemptuous though now in the face the crisis, Gujarat and Maharashtra are also applying brakes on their movement.

Not behind are chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab.

They have dialed UP CM Yogi Adityanath seeking to hold back the labourers in their states. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar reportedly got trains from Kerala cancelled.

Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa later announced Rs 1610 crore package for floriculturists, barbers, washermen, weavers, auto drivers and building workers announcing a one-time payment of Rs 2000 to 25000 “for restarting the economy”.

Adityanath clamped an ordinance shelving all labour laws for three years to help the industrialists.

It means no worker can complain even against nonpayment of dues.

Disdainfully the poor are rejecting the packages of the chief ministers and continue their arduous trek back. Have they lost trust in the system?

The stress on MGNREGA is also increasing. Its allocation was reduced to Rs 61,500 crore this year from Rs 71,000 crore in 2019.

The scenario is typically against the poor labourers. The restlessness is spreading in Nagpur, Surat, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ferozabad and Garh

Mukteshwar (UP), Barmer (Raj), Katni (MP) and other places. They are marching towards their homes in Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern UP, Odisha and West Bengal defying lockdown at times even clashing with the police.

Supreme Court judge, Justice Deepak Gupta, on May 7 says that the laws and legal system are geared in favour of the rich and powerful. It was the poorest Shivaji of the poor who suffered the most during a crisis like the COVID19 pandemic. It was the underprivileged who needed the attention of the Supreme Court now more than ever.

A humane and compassionate judiciary was the need of the hour. Judges could no longer afford to live in ivory towers, he says.

The reverse march of crores to Indian villages since March 25 testifies the abysmal conditions and insecurities they are having. India’s real estate, MSMEs, large industries or the smallest courier firms are being run by these distressed people, who moved to urban centres for some better conditions. According to the annual report of MSME ministry, 11 crore (110 million) are employed

in 6.3 crore MSMEs of an estimated 18 crore informal worker population. They did not have a day’s earning amid lockdown. They are among the marchers or now travelers by scarce “shramik expresss” trains to villages.

Also five crore retailers are in distress as their losses accumulate to Rs 7.5 lakh crore, according to Pravin Khandelwal, general secretary Sarkar of retailers body, CAIT. A goldsmith or a textile or garment seller selling vegetables is a common sight in many localities.

It needs freedom of the press to ensure that such distresses are known and not suppressed, says UN secretary general Antonio Gueterres. He in his world press freedom day message says, “It is critical to countering covid-19 pandemic misinformation”. As lockdown has prompted a spike in unemployment throughout most of the world, “many previously vulnerable workers have been pushed into precarious situations lacking any protection”.

The factors have increased vulnerability to exploitation, which may amount to enslavement, Obokata says. A glaring

example of the scenario has come from West Bengal.

About 15 labourers from seaside resort Digha left their workplace walking on the railway track to avoid the local police enforcing lockdown. They travelled 70 km to Birbhum, where they were picked up by the government rail police (GRP) to be dropped back from where they started. Similar stories have come from MP, where the labouteres reportedly awaited to be ferried back to its borders. As on Thursday night 500 workers were stopped at Gujarat-MP border. It is heart wrenching to find a few-day-old babies also in the crowd as state apparatuses are not allowing them to use any vehicle.

Some even pedaled down on bicycles from Sangli in Maharashtra to Odisha. The labourers who were not accommodated in trains from Hyderabad started walking back to Bihar, Jharkhand and UP in disgust told a TV reporter that they would not come back even if now job or food is offered to them. They say they want to go back to the emotional security of their home. The pandemic has affected billions of such informal workers, Obokata says. “And between financial shocks and inadequate

government, children face an even higher risk of exposure to the worst forms of child labour”. Who does not know how the builders are thriving in the national capital region on the toils of children and exploitation of women?

India has to treat the poor with care and concern.

They are self respecting people and are proud of whatever they do. Denying them rights or minimum starvation wages may cause deep fissures. It can become a social crisis. The problem needs to be solved with empathy. It is beyond comprehension why a health crisis be dealt like a law and order issue. Inaction by governments, the UN expert, Obokata, says would lead to sharp rise in the number of people being pushed into slavery because of corona crisis and is to hit sustainable development goals (SDG).

The Narendra Modi government is apparently initiating steps to help the people. The prolonged lockdown is thawing every activity. The system is crumbling.

The nation wants a functional state. Let us end LD and resume normal operations.

The nation can chart out the best path as free functioning resumes.

Post-mortem

Dealing with China in post-Covid times

T

Human-driven pollution affecting world’s cave systems

here is no doubt that tries. This has allowed China matic and trade relations with it.

China is where the coro- to claim a victory in combating More importantly, it has caused Republicans and Democrats navirus originated. There COVID-19 which it has. esearchers have found that differing in bacterial composition should be doubt and concerns, China has used that al- across the country to agree that human-driven pollution and ecological functions. however, about China’s actions leged victory to engage in what Chinese President Xi Jinping can even change the enviThe long-term impacts of at that time and since. Much has been labeled “donation is not a trustworthy source of ronment underground as surface these surface-derived bacterial can be learned by analyzing diplomacy” and an aggres- information, that the Chinese water flows through agricultural contaminants or their impact on what China did at the onset sive disinformation campaign. government is responsible for and urban areas, it collects bacte- groundwater sources is currently of the virus; what it did as The diplomacy entails sending spreading the virus, and that the rial contaminants before entering not well known, said lead author the coronavirus spread and medical aid and equipment and US should be tougher in future cave systems.

Madison Davis of USF’s Departbecame a pandemic; and how sometimes health experts to negotiations with China.

The research, published in ment of Cell Biology, MicrobiolThe bottom line is this.

China has interacted with the countries to help them combat the journal PLoS One, looked into ogy and Molecular Biology.

US as this evolved. Finally, it and try to control the corona- China has been less than truth- the Monte Conca cave system on The scientists found that the ful, manipulated messages, is worth considering what this virus. the island of Sicily which is a vast dry season microbial community could mean for future relations China has reached out to behaved autocratically, turned system of springs and pools, sit- was dominated by sulfur-oxidizing the pandemic into a geopolitibetween China and India. provide assistance around the ting below a nature preserve. bacteria because of their ability The sequence of events at globe with a particular emphasis cal football game of blame and The Monte Conca cave sys- to utilise oxygen from the cave shame; and, not been forththe onset of the virus reveals that on hard-hit countries in Europe tem might be presumed to be one and hydrogen sulfide from the China repressed communica- such as Italy and Spain. The goal coming about how the novel of the few places untouched by spring pool. tions on and investigation into of this is to position China as coronavirus started nor accepted human-driven pollution.

After a heavy rainfall, the it. The novel coronavirus began the global leader in responding any responsibility for its conseBut the study showed that sulfur-oxidizing community was in Wuhan, China, spread to to the coronavirus and to change quences. Those are some of the microbial communities in the displaced by surface-derived bacmajor lessons to be learned. humans, according to different the narrative from China being What do they suggest in pools of water in the Monte Conca teria that were primarily identified theories, either through contact the source of the pandemic to terms for India’s future relations cave show signs of being altered as human contaminants, including with animals or an accidental China being the ally and partner Escherichia coli and other fecal with China?

In my humble opin- by pollution from above. spill from a research labora- that has stepped up to enable The research by the Univer- bacteria. ion, they suggest be cautious, be tory. Individual Wuhan doctors nations to fight COVID-19. sity of South Florida microbiology The study demonstrates the very cautious. were aware of the coronavirus China has used its state The Modi administration and geoscience team found that impact of surface runoff on the as early as December 12 and and social media and various already knows that. But, China’s water flowing through the vast microbial community structure tried to speak out but hospitals Chinese officials have employed self-centered response to the cave system produced changes and function of endemic cave were told not to speak publicly twitter to tout their accomplish- coronavirus has magnified the in the microbial communities communities, the researchers about it by the Wuhan Health ments and contributions. Part type of autocratic nation it is between the wet and dry seasons, said.

Commission. of this public relations effort in- and its desire through its Belt with the microbial communities (IANS) China advised the World cludes celebrating the success of and Road Initiative to become Health Organization (WHO) China’s communistic approach the dominant superpower in about the outbreak of the virus to governance over that of the the world. on December 31, 2019. It did democracy approach employed It is a bit ironic that the 70th not confirm that until January by the US and India. anniversary of the bilateral ties 7 and did not provide genome And, it is in the head to between India and China took sequencing on the virus until head conflict with the United place on April 1 while India was January 12.

States that the disinformation in its own COVID-19 lockdown.

China refused to allow the campaign kicks into high gear. India and China exchanged WHO to send scientific observ- Part of that campaign is focused obligatory congratulatory mesers to the source of the outbreak. at other countries where China sages and said nice things to The WHO held a meeting in has circulated a conspiracy each other on that day.

Beijing on January 28 and on theory that the virus actually President Xi said India January 30 declared a public originated in a US bioweapons and China had reached a “new Sir, health emergency of interna- lab and was carried abroad by starting point” and Prime MinWhile I appreciate the idea of the even-odd arrangement for private tional concern (PHEIC). This the US Army. This preposter- ister Narendra Modi said he is and commercial vehicles during the ongoing lockdown, it has been one-month delay from the initial ous theory was published on a looking forward to taking the observed that there are way too less auto rickshaws on the road. Many notification to the WHO to its website in Montreal and several Closer Developmental Partner- who depend on the humble auto rickshaws to commute are now left PHEIC announcement gave the Chinese embassies tweeted that ship to “even greater heights in with no options but to walk long distances due to lack of auto rickshaws. virus time to spread worldwide story out. the years to come”. I believe Needless to say, those who will not use their vehicles have to depend without action or response.

It was recently disclosed both of those comments to be on the auto rickshaws. I therefore request the concerned authorities The Associated Press re- by those in the US intelligence accurate. to make sure that there are more auto rickshaws plying.

The new starting point ports that China’s National agencies that the Chinese also John T Lotha, Dimapur.

Health Commission had a tele- brought their disinformation for India will be a deeper unconference on January 14 saying campaign to American shores. derstanding of China and its that the situation was “severe They did this in mid-March as intent as a communist country. and complex” and had prepared the US citizens were just be- The “even greater heights” a 63-page document on response ginning to become concerned can be reached by using that Sir, I am writing this on behalf of myself and fellow citizens presprocedures. The Chinese public about the virus by sending out understanding to keep India was not informed, though, until tweet messages attributed to a fully functioning democracy ently stranded outside Nagaland. We are extremely worried with the January 20 and Wuhan was not the Department of Homeland and to leverage the China re- uncertainty of the present situation, and with the concerned authority locked down until January 23. Security that President Donald lationship to help solve the which seems to be deliberately delaying transport arrangements is The lockdown was com- Trump was going to lock down tremendous damage that was rubbing more salt on the wound. Frankly, I feel that the concerned plete and was strictly enforced the US to prevent looting and caused by having to lock down authority has no strategic plans in bringing back stranded citizens. the Indian economy because of Well, I am aware about the logistics and arrangements which are goby the Chinese government. It rioting. ing to be a challenge. Yet, there is a bigger challenge -The COVID-19 was in effect for a total of 76 This disinformation cam- COVID-19. phobia and the incompetency. I am ashamed about the fact that our (Frank F. Islam is an entredays and, if the numbers from paign has done an unusual thing. state is always one step behind the rest in making positive conclusions. preneur, civic and thought China can be believed, resulted It has caused those Republicans I hope that the authority will make necessary and timely arrangements leader based in Washington in the country having a relatively within the Beltway to speak out before the centre ceases inter-state movement.

D.C. The views expressed low number of cases and deaths openly against China’s behavEdwin R. Odyuo, Shillong. here are personal) compared to many other coun- iour and to question US’ diploReader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

R

Reader’s Post

Too less auto rickshaws on the road after lockdown relaxation

Stranded and dejected

national/state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020

PM must intervene to prevent starvation deaths,says Antony New Delhi, May 10 (PTI): Senior Congress leader and former Defence Minister A K Antony on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene immediately to prevent starvation deaths in the country in the wake of the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noting that the situation on the ground was “very difficult”, the Congress leader said it was high time the prime minister announced a relief package for the poor and a financial stimulus for the economy.

“The situation is very difficult. The prime minister must intervene immediately.

Otherwise, there would be deaths due to hunger and starvation,” Antony told PTI. He also urged the prime minister to take care of the problems of the migrant labourers, the poor and vulnerable sections of society and provide them with a relief package that includes food and cash.

He also demanded an economic stimulus package for reviving the country’s

economy and putting it back on rails.

“It is high time the prime minister should intervene and come out with a relief package for the poor people and an economic stimulus package for the industry,” he said.

Seeking early action on this front, the former defence minister felt the economic activity in the country was totally shut due to the lockdown and if timely steps are not taken it could be too late.

“Otherwise, there will be a total economic crisis in the country,” he felt.

Antony also wrote to the prime minister expressing concern over the serious situation in the country and saying that unless there is immediate government intervention, there would be many deaths because of hunger and starvation.

“These deaths would outnumber the casualties because of COVID-19. This is a tragedy that should be avoided at all costs,” he told the prime minister.

He also said that as

seen across the world, if unchecked, this virus could bring the entire healthcare system to its knees, and cause innumerable loss of lives. The Congress veteran said though he supported the lockdown earlier, the restrictions are creating economic woes that are being compounded on a daily basis.

“Therefore, this difficult period requires the government to provide a steady financial helping hand to our citizens,” he said.

He said Indians, most of them young are already in extreme financial as well as mental duress because of the deteriorating economic situation and the resultant closure of any fresh employment opportunities.

Income and wages of crores of our citizens including our farmers, daily wage workers and those in other informal sectors who together make up over 80 pc of India’s workforce, as well as our enterprises starting from the SMEs are seeing significant fall during these distress times, he said.

Nagaland may lose Falcon capital-tag (From p-1) However in the DPR, he said the project changed to “from Wokha headquarter to Amur Falcon roosting site (N Longidang)”.

Chenithung said a representation was submitted to the Wokha district administration demanding that the nomenclature “Amur falcon roosting site” should be removed, if the construction took place in other area.

Chenithung reiterated

that since the bird’s roosting site was diverted to other areas under the same name, he feared that the Centre or NEC would not grant any other project for Pangti area as they would assume that projects have already been sanctioned for the area even if not a single ever reached the village.

These issues have gone unresolved with the consequence that the roosting sites for the raptors will no

longer be guaranteed. He said the Pangti villagers have been compelled to resolve not to allow a single visitor to visit the roosting site since 2019 roosting season.

“It will be unfortunate if tourists are deprived from visiting the roosting site.

However, the villagers are helpless. A good road will also give better impression to the visitors about the village and Nagaland,” he stressed.

Lockdown: 366 cases in Maha for social media posts M u m b a i , M ay 1 0 (PTI): The cyber wing of the Maharashtra Police has registered 366 cases for allegedly spreading rumours, misinformation and fake news social media ever since the lockdown came into force, an official said on Sunday.

These cases have been registered till Saturday, the official said.

“The cases were recorded after some antisocial elements spread false news and rumours through their posts on social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter during the lockdown,” an official of the Maharashtra Cyber said.

The highest number of such cases were registered in Beed at 35, followed by 29 in Pune Rural, 26 in Jalgaon and 21 in Mumbai, official added. During the probe, the cyber department found that 155 cases were related to WhatsApp posts, 143 Facebook posts, 16 about TikTok videos, six about Twitter posts, four others about Instagram posts, among others.

572 Indians stranded abroad land in Mumbai; quarantined

Indian nationals, brought from Singapore by a special Air India flight under Vande Bharat Mission, check-out from the international airport in Mumbai, Sunday. (PTI)

Mumbai, May 10 (PTI): Nearly 572 Indians who were stranded abroad due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown landed at the Mumbai international airport early Sunday morning, a Maharashtra government official said.

Of these, passengers belonging to Mumbai were kept under mandatory institutional quarantine in hotels near the airport, while those hailing from other cities were taken to their respective places where they will be kept in isolation in hotels taken over there for the purpose, the official said.

Two flights, one from London and another from

of global nature, the armed forces with their inherent capabilities and capacities will cement India’s reputation as a net security provider in the region, taking security as a holistic concept,” Gen Naravane said.

India is learnt to have been worried over the extremely fragile and dynamic situation in Afghanistan after the US sealed a historic deal with the Taliban providing for withdrawal of American troops from the war-ravaged country.

The Army Chief further said that India needs to broaden its understanding of national security and must examine nontraditional threats like pandemics “de-novo” as they have the potential to inflict severe damage on the country. “We need to act and prepare ourselves accordingly.”

He said the “traditional threats” facing India remained “unabated” and the armed forces are fully geared up to deal with them.

Gen Naravane said that there has been no let up in Indian Army’s “posture” while guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China because of the coronavirus pandemic. The LAC is the de-facto border

28 states, UTs ban smokeless tobacco products, spitting

Migrant worker walking from Maha to MP gives birth

Public health experts have welcomed the move by the central government to ban the use of tobacco products and spitting in public places .

by the central government to ban the use of tobacco products and spitting in public places to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

“We applaud the government of India for taking the timely step of imposing a ban on the use of tobacco products and spitting in public places to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 virus,” said Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Association of India. “ To p r o t e c t t h e i r health and reduce risk of se-

vere COVID-19 symptoms, we urge all smokers and tobacco users to quit, especially at this critical time,” Mukhopadhyay said.

There is a growing evidence that smoking increases risk of contracting COVID-19, Prof Pratima Murthy, Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences said, adding smoking worsens lung function and reduces immunity.

“Smokers who develop COVID-19 infection have more complications

Singapore, landed here in the morning, he said.

“Some 572 passengers have arrived. They were first screened and then kept in isolation as per the Union government’s guidelines.

They will have to undergo the mandatory health checkup and remain quarantined at the accommodation provided by the state,” he said.

A flight from Manila (Philippines) carrying 241 passengers is expected to land here on Sunday night, he added.

The official said among the passengers who arrived on Sunday, maximum were from Mumbai while some belonged to other Maha-

rashtra cities like Pune, Dhule, Kolhapur, among others.

Passengers from other cities were sent there in transport facilities provided by the state, the official said.

“They will also be kept in local hotels taken over temporarily for the isolation purpose. Their health will be monitored. If anyone tests positive for COVID-19, he/ she will be shifted to a local hospital dedicated for such treatment, he said.

The Maharashtra government has already converted all civil hospitals in the districts into facilities for treatment of COVID-19.

Mild earthquake in Delhi-NCR; third in a month New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): Mild tremors were felt in parts of the National Capital Region on Sunday, measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale, being third earthquake in the last one month having its epicentre in the region, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said.

According to the NCS -- the nodal agency of the Union gover nment for monitoring of earthquake activity in the country -- the magnitude of the Sunday’s earthquake was recorded at 3.5 on the Richter scale.

“The earthquake was reported at 1.45 p.m. having its epicentre at 20 km north of New Delhi at 5 km depth,” the NCS said.

There were no immediate reports of any causality or loss of property.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying he is “praying for everyone’s safety”.

While the national capital is vulnerable to earthquakes, the region being the epicentre of a quake is rare.

However, in the last 30 days, the city has witnessed three earthquakes having epicentre in the region.

‘India needs whole-of-govt approach to confront uncertainties’

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI): The time has come for India to adopt a “wholeof-government approach” in decisively confronting the “strategic uncertainties” looming on its horizon as well as non-traditional threats like pandemics, Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane has said, strongly pitching for broadening the country’s national security doctrine.

Talking about complex geo-political power play in India’s neighbourhood, Gen Naravane said the Indian armed forces are determined to “cement” the country’s reputation as a net security provider in the region.

“There is an entire spectrum of strategic uncertainties that looms on the horizon and a wholeof-government approach is the need of the hour to deal with them,” the Army Chief told PTI. Though Gen Naravane did not elaborate, his comments came in the backdrop of Pakistan-supported Taliban’s aim for a role in power structure in Afghanistan and China’s persistent efforts to expand military ties with countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar Women cops celebrate Mother’s Day with a cake while discharging duty amid ongoing and the Maldives.

“In dealing with issues COVID-19 lockdown, at Hazratganj Crossing in Lucknow, Sunday. (PTI)

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) : Over 25 states and union territories, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Delhi, have banned the use of smokeless tobacco products and spitting in public places in view of COVID-19, official sources in the Union health ministry said.

The ministry had on April 1 asked all states to prohibit the use and spitting of smokeless tobacco in public places to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Chewing smokeless tobacco products, paan masala and areca nut (supari) increases the production of saliva followed by a very strong urge to spit.

Spitting in public places could enhance the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” the ministry had said in a letter to chief secretaries of all states and UTs. “22 states and six UTs have banned the use of smokeless tobacco products and spitting in public places during the COVID-19 epidemic,” an official source said.

Public health experts have welcomed the move

5

and greater risk of fatality.

Even if a person is not affected by coronavirus infection it is a good time to stop smoking. This improves immunity and can improve lung function within a few months,” Murthy said.

States like Assam, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh among others are also penalising violators for spitting tobacco in public places.

“The ministry of health and state health departments should promote quitting tobacco maximally through electronic and social media to take advantage of the situation in which tobacco users are away from their usual triggers to use tobacco- shop, co-workers, stress, etc. and being at home, majority have the social support needed to quit,” said Dr Rakesh Gupta, Consultant working for Tobacco Cessation.

“Hence, an opportunity exists to increase the quit rate for the country amid COVID-19 crisis,” he said.

Barwani (MP), May 10 (PTI): A 30-year-old woman traveling from Maharashtra to her native village in Satna in Madhya Pradesh on foot amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown delivered a child en route, said a police official in Barwani on Sunday.

The woman, identified as Shakuntala, and the infant, her fourth child, were doing fine, said Inspector VS Parihar of Sendhwa police station here. “The woman and her family as well as others were part of a group moving from Nashik in Maharashtra to Satna. She delivered the child in a village between Nashik and Dhule in Maharashtra. We found her when the group arrived in Bijasan check post and all of them were medically examined on Saturday,” he said. “She said her family had covered 210 kilometres on foot. Women in the group helped in the delivery that took place by the side of a road, she told us.

We have arranged for a bus to take the woman, her children, including the newborn, and her husband to their native village,” he added.

Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane between the two countries.

“Along the LAC, patrolling continues as before though we have put the ceremonial border personnel meetings on hold. There is also greater reliance on hotlines,” he said.

The Chief of Army Staff said the effort has been to adhere to the directives issued by both the governments following two informal summits between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“As far as our deployment along the border with China is concerned, the focus is on mutual understanding and respect for the sanctity of LAC and ensuring that no untoward incident takes place due to our differing perceptions of the LAC,” he said.

“Our focus has been to ensure all misunderstandings are mitigated amicably through discussions and existing mechanisms,” Gen Naravane said.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

Both sides have been asser ting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Gen Naravane said troops deployed along borders in remote and high altitude areas are at minimum risk of getting infected by the coronavirus as the areas are inaccessible to ordinary

people. He said only troops who are medically validated as being coronavirus-free are being allowed to replace the personnel deployed in key formations and frontiers.

“You have to keep in mind that in most of these places, due to the nature of deployment and living arrangements, social distancing is not feasible.

However, wherever possible, social distancing and hygiene measures are being strictly enforced,” he said. Gen Naravane said ensuring safety of his force from the pandemic is his foremost priority as the Army will be able to assist the country in dealing with the challenge if the troops are fighting fit.

“The need for maintaining social distancing and hygiene norms assumes significant importance in the forces because of the higher density of personnel living inside barracks and the increased attendant possibility of the virus spreading within the forces,” he said.

He said all the units and formations have been issued comprehensive instructions to maintain social distancing wherever feasible and adhere to highest hygiene standards.

Rlwys inept in handling migrant crisis, call Army, says Congress New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): After the tragic train accident in Aurangabad where 16 labourers were crushed to death while they were sleeping on the railway tracks and scores of migrants walking to their native places, the Congress has alleged that the railways has proved to be inept in handling the crisis and demanded multi-nodal agency to tackle it.

Amid political slugfest between the BJP and the Opposition on the issue of migrant workers, the Congress has ceased the opportunity to attack the government.

AICC Treasurer and close Sonia Gandhi aide Ahmed Patel demanded, “I request the government to constitute a multi-nodal agency under a senior Cabinet Minister to oversee relief and rescue of migrants.”

“If need be even support of Armed Forces must be sought to solve this humanitarian crisis. Clearly the Railway Ministry is unable to handle the problem,” he added. After Congress President Sonia Gandhi an-

nounced that the party will bear the cost of the tickets of the migrants, the politics between the BJP and the Congress has heated up with BJP alleging that the Congress is misleading the country. The Congress state units have also geared up for the relief of the migrants.

On Sunday, scores of people were sent to Bihar from Jharkhand. Congress state in-charge R.P.N. Singh said, “Transportation organised for stranded workers in Bokaro to return to their homes in Bihar and Kushinagar, at no cost to them. They’re on their way, wish them a safe and comfortable journey home.”

The politics on migrants took centrestage after the Congress raised the issue and started paying the cost of the tickets with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asking for the list from the UP government.

The politics on migrants also heated up after Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that while

the Centre plans to help more than two lakh migrants to return home, it is the West Bengal government that is “not supporting their cause and is not allowing trains carrying migrants to reach the state”.

“This is injustice to the migrant workers. This will create further hardships to them,” the letter of Shah had said. Shah’s accusation got a blunt reply from Trinamool Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, who said, “A Home Minister failing to discharge his duties during this crisis speaks after weeks of silence, only to mislead people with a bundle of lies.

Ironically, he is talking about the very people who have been literally left to their fate by his own government. Mr Amit Shah, prove your fake allegations or apologise.”

Congress also tried to fish in the troubled waters when Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, “Glad, finally Home Minister has decided to break his silence on the issue of migrants after 40+ days and after more than 55 labourers have died.

international

SEOUL, May 10 (Agencies): South Korea warned of a second wave of the new coronavirus on Sunday as infections rebounded to a one-month high, just as the authorities were starting to ease some pandemic restrictions.

“It’s not over until it’s over,” President Moon Jaein told the nation, saying a new cluster shows the virus can spread widely at any time, and warning of a second wave late this year.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 34 new infections, the highest since April 9, after a small outbreak emerged around a slew of nightclubs, prompting the authorities to temporary close all nightly entertainment facilities around the capital.

The death toll remained at 256.

Battling the first major coronavirus outbreak outside China, South Korea brought infections of the virus, and the disease COVID-19 that it causes, down drastically through

Moon Jae-in widespread testing, aggres- a transition from intensive sive contact tracing and social distancing to “distracking apps. The response tancing in daily life.” has helped Asia’s fourth“We must never lower largest economy come to our guard regarding epigrips with the pandemic demic prevention,” Moon without extensive the lock- said in a televised speech downs seen elsewhere. marking the third anniverThe daily tally of new sary of his inauguration. infections had hovered “We are in a prolonged war. around 10 or less in recent I ask everyone to comply weeks, with no or very few with safety precautions and domestic cases over the past rules until the situation is 10 days. over even after resuming The fresh outbreak daily lives.” comes just as the governHe said the KCDC ment was easing some so- will get greater power as cial distancing restrictions part of the long-term fight and moving to fully reopen and be renamed the Disease schools and businesses, in Control and Prevention

Malaysia extends COVID-19 restrictions Kuala Lumpur, May 10 (IANS): Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Sunday that the COVID-19 restrictions imposed in the country due to the pandemic has now been extended to June 9.

In a televised address, Muhyiddin said the decision was made to allow economic activity while keeping the pandemic in the country under control, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said the decision to ease some of the restrictions on most economic activities from May 4 under the “Conditional Movement Control Order” had been conducted in a smooth and orderly manner in the past week.

“Many among us have started to work. Until today an estimated 6.64 mil-

lion, or 43.6 per cent of the workforce, have returned to work. I expect this number to increase in the coming weeks,” he said.

Muhyiddin said the government’s measures, including the implementation of Movement Control Order since March 18, had achieved success with 94.4 per cent of district having been categorized as green zones, where no active cases have been recorded for two weeks.

However, he cautioned against celebrating too soon and warned about the risks after the easing of restrictions and the reopening of economy.

He called on businesses and citizens to follow the government’s standard of operations (SOP) as well as paying attention to personal

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hygiene.

“I appeal to everyone to abide by the SOP. It’s not difficult. Avoid crowded places, ensure social distancing, wear masks, sanitize and wash your hands, and go out only when necessary,” he said.

Malaysia first implemented the restrictions on March 18 before relaxing it from May 4.

But activities involving mass gatherings or those would increase the risks of infections are still not allowed.

Muhyiddin stressed that interstate travel was still banned, including returning to hometown to celebrate Eid later in the month, but couples who are working in separate states would be allowed to travel across state borders.

Administration to reflect its enhanced position, while the authorities beef up local expertise.

The resurgence is driven by an outbreak centred around a handful of Seoul nightclubs, which a man in his late 20s had visited before testing positive last week.

At least 24 out of the 26 new domestically transmitted infections were traced to that man, bringing the infections related to the case to 54, the KCDC said.

The KCDC said officials are tracking down about 1,900 people who have gone to the clubs, which could be increased to 7,000, asking anyone who was there last week to self-isolate for 14 days and be tested.

“This case is once again showing a rapid spread of the virus as well as high infectiousness,” said KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong.

“We’re in a battle against time to head off additional transmissions in the local communities.”

More than 60,000 confirmed virus cases in Africa Johannesburg, May 10 (AP): Africa has more than 60,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to a tally from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Africa CDC says that all but one of the continent’s 54 countries, tiny Lesotho, has confirmed cases of the virus. South Africa has the most with more than 9,400 registered.

The widespread shortage of testing capacity continues to be a challenge and means the true figures are likely to be much higher.

Some countries are easing lockdowns even as cases rise, arguing people have to make a living and feed their families despite the risks.

Washington, May 10 (IANS): More than four million confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported around the world, according to a data collated by Johns Hopkins University.

The global death toll has also risen to above 279,313, the BBC reported citing the data.

The US remains the worst-hit country, accounting for over a quarter of confirmed cases and a third of deaths.

Experts warn the true number of infections is likely to be far higher, with low testing rates in many countries skewing the data.

Daily death tolls are continuing to drop in some nations, including Spain, but there is concern that easing lockdown restrictions could lead to a “second wave” of infections.

In addition, governments are bracing for economic fallout as the pandemic hits global markets and supply chains.

Trump handling of virus chaotic: Obama WASHINGTON, May 10 (Agencies): Former President Barack Obama described President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as “chaotic” in a conference call with former members of his administration, a source said on Saturday.

Obama has largely kept out of the fray even as Trump has blamed him and his Democratic administration for a variety of problems related to having sufficient supplies to battle the pandemic that has killed more than 75,000 Americans.

But in his call on Friday with 3,000 members of the Obama Alumni Association, people who served in his administration, Obama urged his supporters to get behind Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who is trying to unseat Trump in the Nov. 3 election.

The contents of the call were first reported by Yahoo News. A source familiar with the call confirmed them to Reuters.

Obama said the election “is so important be-

Donald Trump and Barack Obama cause what we’re going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party.”

“What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life,” he said.

He said this is one reason why “the response to this global crisis has been so anemic and spotty.”

“It would have been

bad even with the best of governments. It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset — of ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘to heck with everybody else’ — when that mindset is operationalized in our government,” Obama said.

“That’s why, I, by the way, am going to be spending as much time as necessary and campaigning as hard as I can for Joe Biden,” he said.

Obama’s office declined to comment.

Iraq isn’t settling ground for US, Iran: PM Baghdad, May 10 (IANS): Iraq is not the settling ground for the US and Iran, newly appointed Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has said.

Al-Kadhimi made the remarks on Saturday after separately receiving the US and Iranian Ambassadors, during which he expressed his country’s keenness to cooperate with all countries.

During his meeting with US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller, alKadhimi underscored the need for bilateral cooperation in the economic and security fields, as well as for preparing for the strategic dialogue between the two countries, the Prime Minister’s media office said in a statement.

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Mustafa al-Kadhimi serted the need to maintain field and in containing security and stability in the COVID-19 spread, the the region, while reiter- statement added. ating that Iraq will not Al-Kadhimi held a be a ground for settling meeting with Iranian Amaccounts and launching bassador Iraj Masjedi, durattacks on any neighbour- ing which he confirmed ing or friendly country, the Iraq’s keenness to maintain statement said. the best relations with TehTueller confirmed the ran to serve the interests of US’ readiness to support the two neighbours, as well Iraq in all aspects, par- as regional security and staticularly in the economic bility, the media office said

in a separate statement.

“Al-Kadhimi stressed that Iraq will not be a passage or hotbed for terrorism against any country or a ground for settling accounts,” the statement said.

For his part, Masjedi expressed his country’s willingness to develop the bilateral ties in all aspects, it added.

Al-Kadhimi’s comments came amid the rising tensions between Iran and the US since the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq’s paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, in an American drone attack near Baghdad in January.

China reports 34 new coronavirus cases

A woman wearing a face mask sits next to a fruit stall at a residential area in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.

Beijing, May 10 (PTI): China has reported 14 new coronavirus cases including one from the first COVID-19 epicentre of Hubei province, taking the number of infections in the country to 82,901, while over 4,630 people have succumbed to the disease, health officials said on Sunday.

According to China’s National Health Commission (NHC), 12 cases were domestically transmitted, with 11 reported from Jilin Province and one in Hubei Province, the first COVID-19 epicentre which has remained free from coronavirus infections for the last 35 days.

A total of 14 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in the country on Saturday. Also on Saturday, 20 new asymptomatic cases were reported. As of Saturday, 794 asymptomatic cases, including 48 from overseas, were still under

medical observation, the NHC said.

Hubei province has 628 asymptomatic cases, the highest in the country.

Asymptomatic cases refer to people who are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others.

As of Saturday, Hubei had reported 68,129 confirmed COVID-19 cases in total, including 50,334 from its capital Wuhan where the first COVID-19 case was reported in December last year.

The death toll from the virus in the province stood at 4,512, including 3,869 in Wuhan, the staterun Xinhua news agency reported.

The overall death toll from coronavirus cases in China remained at 4,633 as new fatalities were reported,

while the total number of cases increased to 82,901, including 148 patients who were still undergoing treatment.

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NCDC to study COVID-19 infection among BSF

Agartala, May 10 (IANS): The experts from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) would study the huge coronavirus infection among the Border Security Force (BSF) troopers and their family members as the positive cases already climbed to 132, top officials said.

In all 121 BSF men of two battalions - 138th and 86th -- and 10 family members -- five children and five women - and a BSF civilian mess worker were infected by the virus in eight days in northern Tripura’s Dhalai district.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Sanjay Kumar Rakesh said that a high level team from NCDC would soon visit Tripura to study the high rate of coronavirus infection among the BSF jawans and their kins.

Responding to the state government’s requests, the NCDC experts would study the cause of COVID-19

infection among the central paramilitary force in Tripura,” Rakesh told IANS. He said that during a discussion (through video conferencing) with Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday, the issue was discussed and requests for additional COVID-19 testing laboratory in Tripura.

“Besides additional COVID-19 testing laboratory, we have sought additional ventilators and testing kits. The minister was very positive towards our needs and problems,” the Additional Chief Secretary said.

The Health Minister held several hours long discussion through video conference with the ministers and top officials of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim and reviewed the status of COVID-19 in the northeastern states along with the measures being taken for its containment and manage-

ment.

Top BSF officials including Tripura Frontier Inspector General (IG) Soloman Yash Kumar Minz and health officials are working closely to detect the primary infection source among the BSF personnel and their family members.

While talking to IANS, BSF’s Tripura Frontier Deputy Inspector General (DIG) C.L. Belwa said : “Senior officials in association with the health officials of Tripura are working round-the-clock to prevent further spread of the disease and to identify the primary and secondary sources of infection. We are yet to find out the primary sources of the infection of the dreaded virus.”

The BSF authorities are also making ready their own hospital at the Tripura frontier headquarters at Shalbagan near here to treat infected BSF personnel. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who holds the Health and Home portfolios, has di-

Wine shops to open in Meghalaya with strict social distancing rules Correspondent

SHILLONG, MAY 10: Wine shops will open for the next six days starting from Monday in Meghalaya but on condition that tipplers and wine shops owners should maintain strict hygiene besides observing the social distancing rules and wearing of masks.

Meghalaya Excise Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said that selected wine stores and bonded warehouses will open from May 11 to May 16 from 9 am to 4 pm hours to 4 pm.

He however said wine stores close to the international border, narrow roads and lanes compromising the interest of social distancing and in areas with high transmission risk will not open.

On May 8, the Meghalaya government hiked 25 per cent on the maximum retail price for liquor to generate additional ex-

Night curfew extended in East Khasi Hills

cise revenue to the tune of Rs 120-130 crore approximately to meet the unexpected financial burden and expenditures arising out of the COVID-19 situation in the State.

“The sale of liquor shall not exceed three litres of foreign liquor or wine and four litres of beer, per customer,” Bakshi said, adding that only one person per household is allowed to visit the wine store for purchase.

He said that owners of the liquor stores will utilize their own staff and personally be responsible to ensure social distancing of at least six feet is maintained between customers, no overcrowding takes place or assembly of five or more persons in the vicinity of the shop, respiratory etiquette and to strictly follow all directions and advisories issued by the health and family welfare department with reference to COVID-19 situation.

“Wine stores owners should mandatorily take appropriate measures to prevent people from crowding and breaking social distancing norm in their respective premises and failure to enforce these prescribed norms will warrant the closure of such wine store,” the Excise official said.

“If there is violation of these instructions and advisories and spitting in public places by any person, be it wine store owners or customers alike, they shall be liable to be prosecuted under Section 269 and 188 of IPC, Section 133 of CrPC and other relevant provisions of law,” Bakshi warned.

The Excise Commissioner directed district officers of excise department to enforce the prescribed norms with the support of police, concerned sub divisional officers (civil), block development officers and zonal team leaders in their respective districts

rected the Tripura Frontier IG to submit a report of an inquiry over the outbreak of novel coronavirus in 138th and 86th BSF Battalions, both headquarters are stationed in same complex in Ambassa (Dhalai district headquarters), 82 kms north of state capital Agartala.

Of northeast India’s 117 districts, only Dhalai district headquarters Ambassa was earlier declared as a Red Zone by the Union Health Ministry.

Of 132 active and positive cases, detected in the past eight consecutive days, included 121 BSF men of the two battalions (138th and 8th) and 10 family members -- five children and five women - and a BSF civilian mess worker.

Local media, border people and experts observed that the BSF’s closeness with the border people, infiltration across the border, dwellings of people just along both sides of the border could be the possible source

of the infection among the paramilitary troopers.

“Unlike western frontiers, the BSF men are always very close to the bordering Indians in the eastern frontiers. This closeness helped the force to make the border secure by force multiplier strategy,” former Tripura Frontier DIG Samir Kumar Mitra told IANS over phone from Kolkata.

“BSF authority must undertake a massive conscious campaign both among the BSF personnel and border people,” Mitra suggested.

Tripura surrounded by Bangladesh on almost four sides and shares 856 km border with the neighbouring country where the COVID19 outbreak turned into an alarming situation as the total number of confirmed corona positive cases crossed 13,800 and the death toll has increased to 220 with the virus spreading to 62 of the country’s 64 districts including the capital city Dhaka.

7

DoNER Minister comes to help of NE students facing leave-hostel notice in DU New Delhi, May 10 (PTI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday came to the help of 13 girl students from the Northeast studying in Delhi University, after they were asked to vacate their hostel, and he made it clear that they can continue to stay in their current accommodation “as long as they wish”.

The minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) intervened after the DU administration asked the students to vacate the North Eastern Students House for Woman by May 31.

The provost had asked the students to leave the hostel as soon as possible due to the expiry of mess contract by month-end. While the hostel has a capacity of about 100, currently 13 students are stuck there because of the lockdown.

“I have spoken to vicechancellor of the Delhi

K Y M C

University Prof Y C Tyagi regarding the students and resolved the issue. They can continue to stay comfortably in the hostel as long as they wish,” Singh said here.

The minister said no one should bother students and put them under any kind of harassment when a country-wide lockdown is going on.

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju thanked Singh for his timely intervention and help to the distraught students from the Northeast.

“Thank you @DrJitendraSingh ji. We are constantly monitoring and govt will intervene timely whenever such issues arise at different locations in India,” Rijiju tweeted.

Do not stigmatise returnees, appeals Manipur CM Correspondent

IMPHAL, May 10: “Do not discriminate returnees”, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh appealed people of the state, saying that they were not COVID-19 infected patients.

“They are not coming with the virus. The only thing we are concerned is that who know they may be exposed to the virus on their way back home as they have to pass through places hit by the pandemic,” he said.

Singh asserted that the returnees were citizens of the state and government cannot restrict them from returning to their homes.

At the same time, it was the bounden duty of the government to take care of the health of all it citizens, he added.

As registered on the state government website www.tengbang.in, a total of 46,081 people stranded at various places of the country applied for their return so far. Some of them, mostly stranded at various places in northeast states, have started returning the state in the last

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

few days. A meeting of the State Consultative Committee for COVID-19 convened under the chair of the chief minister N Biren Singh today discussed the arrival of stranded and distressed Manipuris from other parts of the country.

An official source said that the meeting further resolved to have every person arriving in the state by train will undergo compulsory quarantine for 14 days at government and community quarantine centres.

Besides two medical screening at Jiribam railway station on their arrival, the returnees will be screened at destination in their respective home districts.

Singh explained that Manipuris stranded at various places of the country due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown left

their respective places spread of the pandemic in mothers of the state for only after medically being the state. He shared his his their indomitable spirit on checked for the virus. warm greetings to all the Mother’s Day. Authorities of the respective states will not allow infected people leaving the state. Besides, all the returnees would be screened and tested for the virus before Dear Shruti (Keya), they are allowed to proceed Some years ago on this day, God decided for their respective homes, to send an angel to earth. The angel was the chief minister said. meant to touch lives and that happened!

All the returnees will Happy birthday my sweet angel! be under compulsory quarFrom, Papa, Maa, Dada, Mum, antine for 14 days as per Boropaa, Boromaa, Shejopaa, COVID-19 protocol. For Shejomaa, Kaka, Chotomaa, Bhumidi, Keyadi, this, the state government Moudi, Bordabhai, Dadabhai, Yash & Bids. has made all the necessary arrangement, the chief minister added.

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY The chief minister was talking to reporters on the sideline of his visit to the Ima Keithel (all-women run market) in Imphal which has remained close since March 22 last as part of government measures to check

25TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY of Lt. Mr. Akangyanger Aier

(11-05-1995 to 11-05-2020) The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Proverbs 10 : 7

A selfless Braveheart , who always believed in Service towards Humanity and inspired many to follow the path of virtuousness.

Correspondent

SHILLONG, MAY 10: Night curfew has been extended in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district with immediate effect for the next eight days starting from Monday, an official said on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner for East Khasi Hills district, Matsiewdor War Nongbri said the night curfew was extended from May 11 to May 16 from 7 p.m to 9 a.m the next day daily in view of the prevailing situation concerning COVID-19.

In her order, Nongbri prohibited inter-district and inter-state movement besides operation of major markets and shopping complexes in all commercial locations.

“Operations of all cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasium, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditorium, assembly halls and recreational places are also prohibited,” she said.

Nongbri said hotel and hospitality services other than those used as quarantine facilities and housing stranded persons and tourists are allowed to operate.

However, private and commercial establishments shall open in Shillong urban agglomeration for five days from May 12 to May 16 from 9 a.m to 4 p.m each day.

Jitendra Singh

LATE VITSUZONO KIELIENYÜ December 1934 – 11th May 2019

Everyday in our hearts we miss you Aching to hear your voice and laughter To know you rejoice in Heaven We weep and smile For the beautiful memories that remain.

K-886

Loving Husband and Family members.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Throughout our journey with you, we have considered ourselves fortunate to have been under the guidance of such a benevolent individual as a husband, father and grandfather. The legacy you have left behind continues to inspire us even to this day. You are deeply missed and will always be an integral part of our lives.

We thank God for His immeasurable guidance and blessings throughout these years.

Loving wife S.Alemla, Children, In-laws & grandchildren.

DP-2289 Born : 14/07/1967 – Died : 04/05/2020 Through this column, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who stood by us throughout the prolonged illness and demise of our beloved Late Z. Vikato Zhimomi on 4th May 2020.

We would like to convey our gratitude to : 1. Ino. K.T. Sukhalu Advisor (S.E.) 25. Ino. Ghovishe Kiba Class-1 Contractor 2. Er. Picto Shohe MLA. 26. Ino. Herato Sukhalu 3. Ino. Azheto Zhimomi MLA. 27. Inoli Zhekheli Zhimomi Advocate 4. Ino. Hoto Yeptho Rtd. Director.

28. Inoli Tokheli Kikon Chairperson 5. Er. Tokishe Kiba Addl. Director (IPR) Naharbari Council 6. Er. Vihokhe Achumi S.E. (Dept. of PWD) 29. Rev. Vitoshe Swu Sr. Pastor DSBC 7. Ino. Zheito Chophi Ex. Candidate 30. Ino. Akihito Zhimomi 8. Er. Vihoto Achumi E.E. (Dept. of PHED) 31. Ino. Aheto Chophi Brig. GPRN/NSCN 9. Er. Atoho Achumi E.E. ( Dept. of Power) 32. Ino. Gideon Zhimomi Home Secy. GPRN/ 10. Er. Hokato Zhimomi E.E. ( Dept. of PWD) NSCN 11. Ino. Phoishe Zhimomi BDO 33. Ino. Inaka Tsuqhu Chief Secy. GPRN/NSCN 34. Ino. Ghukiho Zhimomi Secy. GPRN/NSCN 12. Ino. Ino. Kughalu Zhimomi DAO 35. Ino. Mughaho Zhimomi Secy. NSCN-IM 13. Ino. Relo Aye ADCP 36. Sumi Akukuhou Pudumpukhuri 14. Ino. Kavito V. Zhimomi Joint Director 37. Sumi Akukuhou Diphupar-B (Dept. of Women Development) 38. Khughovi Akukuhou 15. Ino. Katoho K. Zhimomi Asst.

39. Ao Baptist Church Pudumpukhuri Commissioner Excise.

40. Pudumpukhuri Council 16. Ino. Hillto Z. Swu Dy. Director 41. Sumi Student Union Padumpukhuri (Dept. of Geo. & Mining) 42. Officers & Staff of Olive Christian 17. Er. Akavi Aye Asst. Engineer Hospital Dimapur (Dept. Geo. & Mining) 43. Doctors & Staff of Olive Christian 18. Ino. Khekaho Aye Sr. T.O. Hospital Dimapur 19. Ino. Hekavi Chishi F/Manager 44. Gorkha Samaj Pudumpukhuri (Dept. Of Ind. & Com.) 45. Scout & Guides of St. Mary’s Hr. Sec. 20. Ino. Vikheshe Yeptho D.O. (Khadi) School Pudumpukhuri 21. Er. Puloto Zhimomi S.D.O. (Dept. of PWD) 46. Ghukhuyi Union Kma/Dimapur.

22. Ino. Ahovi Zhimomi V.P. (NDPP) 47. V.D.B. Women Padumpukhuri 23. Ino. Aheto Yephto P.S 24. Ino. Shikaho Zhimomi Rtd. Manager NHHDC We deeply regret our inability to mention each and every one individually but it is our sincere wish and humble prayer that our Almighty God shower His blessing upon you abundantly.

Loving Wife, Children and relatives.

DP-2300

LATE TIAYANGER AO (Chuchuyimlang) 27.06.1954 – 03.05.2020 “God send us comfort in the form of friends, relatives and neighbors in our difficult times”

DP-2308

The family of the LATE TIAYANGER AO wishes to acknowledge the many expressions of sympathy and gestures of kindness shown to us following our sad loss.

We offer our heartfelt thanks to all of the family members, friends, neighbors and well-wishers who provided emotional and practical support and for all acts of kindness and sympathy in so many different ways for which we are truly grateful. And to the many others who helped with the service, flowers and donations.

Thank you to the medical staff, doctors, nurses who attended and treated my father with dignity.

To those who helped in any way, your contribution made our loss more bearable. As it would be impossible to thank everyone individually, please accept this acknowledgement as an expression of our deepest gratitude.

Words aren't enough but our prayers are with each individuals and families. God bless you all.

Loving wife, children, grand children & relatives DP-2299 K Y M C

8

sports

Absolutely love IPL, says Kohli

Virat Kohli

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): Team India and Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli believes that the camaraderie among the players in the Indian Premier League is what makes the tournament special for him.

“You do play all your tournaments, which is one team versus another, ICC tournaments come every now and then, but even in ICC tournaments, you don’t really interact with the other team players or you see the other teams so often every now and

then,” Kohli said on Star Sports’ Cricket Connected as quoted by IANS. “But in the IPL, you are just probably meeting another team every second or third day and that’s the beauty of the IPL, you are playing in a different atmosphere.”

Though the RCB have not attained much success under Kohli’s leadership, but that hasn’t deterred the 31-year-old as he revealed that he has been enjoying the time at the franchise because of players like Chris Gayle and AB de

Villiers. Kohli also said that the connection that the franchises are able to make with fans of their cities also makes the tournament special.

“I absolutely love that tournament and also for the camaraderie which you share with so many new players that you play with, so many players that you have known for a long time now, not from your own country, those who you don’t see often, and there is one reason why everyone loves the IPL too, there is a connect, of players and

Ligue 1 players called to go on strike Paris, May 10 (Agencies): Former PSG and Toulouse manager Antoine Kombouare has called on players to go on strike next season if Ligue 1 is not expanded to 22 clubs.

The French top division has abandoned the 2019-20 season following the coronavirus outbreak, with PSG declared champions and bottom two Amiens and Toulouse relegated.

This has drawn criticism across France with many feeling the league has acted rashly in calling a halt to the season so soon, and some clubs, including Amiens and Lyon, have threatened legal action.

Kombouare has gone a step further, and called for players to take direct action and refuse to play in 2020-21 unless Amiens and Toulouse are reprieved from relegation. “ T h e p l aye r s a n d coaches must agree to strike at the start of next season if that does not happen,” he told L’Equipe .

“There will be layoffs.

Even at the amateur level,

it will hurt. Having players end their careers in this way is terribly unfair, and I have always hated injustice. Amid this suffering and concern born of this crisis, we must unite. We are not united enough. It makes me angry.”

Occupying the two automatic Ligue 1 relegation slots when Ligue 1 was abandoned after most teams had played 28 matches, Toulouse were 14 points from safety having won just three games and lost 21 this season.

Amiens were in with a better shot at survival, just four points behind Nimes in 18th, however both have gone down and will be replaced by Lorient and Lens from Ligue 2 next season.

Kombouare’s most

recent management job in football was with Toulouse, and his son works at Amiens as an administrative director. Despite this, Kombouare says he would feel the same way if any other team had been relegated.

Amiens have already confirmed they will fight the decision to relegate them to the second tier of French football, and have started an online petition to get support from fans and show there is a desire to restart the 2019-20 Ligue 1 campaign.

A statement published

by Amiens said, “This decision is for our club, all our players, coaches, administrators, volunteers and supporters extremely fraught with consequences.”

“Pending the publication of the minutes of board of directors’ meeting, Amiens reserve the right to contest this decision, since sporting merit, in this particularly difficult period for all, should on the contrary have led the various decision-making bodies not to pronounce any relegation.”

fans and of viewers,” he said. Had the normal times prevailed, Kohli would have been leading the Bangalore-based team in the 13th edition of the cashrich tournament. The IPL 2020, which was scheduled to be played from March 29 was earlier postponed to April 15 before it was suspended till further notice due to the ongoing crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal had said that there was no plan made by the board about the rescheduling of the tournament.

“We haven’t planned anything as of now. We can’t think of IPL getting back yet. Players coming in from other countries, whether they’ll be willing to come here and be quarantined for two weeks and play IPL is not known,” Dhumal said as quoted by Australian daily Sydney Herald.

“How can we think of IPL? This is all media speculation. There is nothing as of now. Once things get clear, then only will we be able to go back to the drawing board and think about re-starting cricket,” he added.

Third Brighton player tests positive L o nd o n , M ay 1 0 (Agencies): A third firstteam player from Brighton & Hove Albion tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, the Premier League club’s chief executive Paul Barber has confirmed.

Two Brighton players had contracted the novel coronavirus in March and April and the latest positive result could cast doubts on the Premier League’s plans to resume the season that has been suspended due to the pandemic.

Clubs are due to meet on Monday to further discuss “Project Restart” which envisages a return to play in June once given the green light from government, with the remaining 92 matches held behind closed doors at neutral venues.

“It is a concern. Unfortunately we’ve had a third player test positive yesterday,” said Barber.

“So despite all of the measures that we’ve been taking over the past few weeks, where the players haven’t been involved in any significant training at all, we’ve still suffered another player testing positive for the virus.”

French Open could be held behind closed doors Paris, May 10 (IANS): The French Tennis Federation is considering holding the French Open behind closed doors, according to federation President Bernard Giudicelli. The moving of the Grand Slam to September had created controversy with a number of players voicing concerns over playing a clay court tournament in the middle of the hard court season.

Since the postponement was announced in March, Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War while doubts remain on whether the US Open will be held.

“Roland Garros is first and foremost a story of matches and players.

There is the tournament taking place in the stadium, and the tournament on TV screens.

“Millions of viewers around the world are waiting. Organising it behind closed doors would allow part of the business model - television rights to go ahead.”

While the new start date was originally supposed to be September 20, Guidicelli said that this could be pushed back to September 27.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020

Mayweather rules out comeback Las Vegas, May 10 (Agencies): Floyd Mayweather has ruled out a return to boxing - and rubbished claims he is broke.

Rumours the undefeated former boxing world champion could take on Adrian Broner were dismissed by the ‘Money’ - as he says he does not want to end up dead like his uncle Roger Mayweather, who passed away in March.

But Floyd did admit the chance to make £300million from half an hour fighting Irish former world UFC champion Conor McGregor in the Octagon could see his business acumen might kick in.

Mayweather is said to have made £644m from his boxing career.

He also took in a reported £221m from his first clash with McGregor in 2017. But he blew his fortune on bling and parties, it has been claimed.

A video emerged of him training hard in the ring sparking rumours of a comeback but in an interview with Fight Hype, he said of a return to boxing, “These are just rumours. I’m retired. I’m finished with boxing. I stay in shape.”

“I am not retired from business. Would I fight with McGregor? People make $370million. I make that in one night. I made over

Floyd Mayweather

$320m twice. It only took me 36 minutes or 28 minutes, something like that.”

“If this guy [Broner] wants to fight Floyd I say ‘you guys sell out little arenas and do some little baby moves, not bad, but I’m older and a lot wiser, meaning I don’t want to end up like my uncle Rog. A lot of fighters don’t know when to give up.”

“Even the fight with McGregor it was smart on my behalf and smart on his behalf. I can make more money than any other fighter. Even if we did it again it’s entertainment and it’s business. I’m not boxing - no boxing at all.”

“I’m done, I’m retired and I love my life. I enjoy being retired. If I see an opportunity and have a little fun and make $600million - why

not,” said Mayweather.

“If I was to come back why would I fight a fighter that only sells out little cities? If I am going to do something it’s got to be worth it. But there is no one else that makes me worth getting back in that ring.”

“People say Floyd ain’t got no money. I don’t monitor no one else’s pockets.

Am I comfortable? Do I make seven figures every month? Do I have smart investments? Absolutely. I am retired from the sport of boxing. I am enjoying life. I don’t want for nothing.”

The 43-year-old from Michigan won all 50 fights, lifting world titles at FIVE different weights, becoming known as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time in a glittering career.

Tendulkar lone Indian in Dilshan’s all-time ODI XI

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): Batting great Sachin Tendulkar was the only Indian who found a place in former Sri Lanka batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan’s ODI XI. Dilshan put together a team comprising of top cricketers he played with and against through the course of his international career.

Dilshan named former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya and Tendulkar as his opening pair.

Dilshan said that Tendulkar was ‘more stylish’ compared to Jayasuriya.

“He knew how to set up the game. He’s one of most experienced guys in the XI and has the most runs to his name in international cricket. I think it’s a good opening combination - one attacking batsman and the other who can be steady, though, of course, Sachin could also attack any time he wanted to. They were the two best openers in the world. And it’s a left-right combination,” said Dilshan.

West Indies great Brian Lara came in at No.3.

Dilshan said Lara was in his latter years when he was making his early foray into international cricket and the

Sachin Tendulkar

southpaw still played bowlers with ease.

At No.4 came Dilshan’s long time Sri Lanka teammate Mahela Jayawardene.

Describing him as a good leader and a good thinker, Dilshan said, “He scored a lot of runs in pressure situations in big games, like in

the 2007 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand - we lost early wickets and he batted with me and got a hundred. He also got a hundred in the 2011 World Cup final. I think he handled pressure really well, not just in batting.”

Dilshan picked former

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting as the captain of the team. “He won more World Cups than anyone else, so I choose him as my captain,” said the former right handed batsman.

“He had a very good temperament as captain. As a batsman, he could handle spin very well because of how he used his feet.”

At No.6 came former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis while his former team mate AB de Villiers came at No.7. De Villiers was also named as the wicket-keeper in Dilshan’s XI. The Sri Lankan then picked a bowling attack consisting of former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, West Indies fast bowling great Courtney Walsh and the legendary spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.

Dilshan said he was forced to keep Australia’s Glenn McGrath as 12th man because of Wasim and Walsh. According to Dilshan, Wasim got his pick because of his ability to swing the ball while Walsh could extract more bounce than McGrath and he ‘would complement Akram and Kallis with his pace’.

Wenger tips Mbappe to succeed Messi, Ronaldo Have to plan to make sports more

Kylian Mbappe

L o nd o n, M ay 1 0 (Agencies): Arsene We n g e r s a y s K y l i a n Mbappe is the leading contender to replace Lionel Messi and Cristiano

Ronaldo at the top of the game – but England’s new generation are hot on his heels.

With Messi now 32 and Ronaldo 35, football

fans are having to come to terms with the fact that the pair can’t play on forever, and, according to the former Arsenal boss, fans had never seen a player with

their gifts.

“We had never seen players like that, who can absolutely be creative in any tight situation,” Wenger told TalkSPORT. “These players are now getting towards the end [of their career] – Ronaldo, Messi – but it’s now about the next generation.”

“The next generation is maybe French. At the moment, the leading player could be Mbappe, of course Neymar, that we know, but England as well. England has a good chance now; they are doing very well at youth level. They have done well with Gareth Southgate at the World Cup. I was hoping that at the European Championship, they could be one of the contenders.”

With the likes of Trent Alexander-Ar nold and Marcus Rashford hitting top form for their clubs and a seemingly never-ending array of talents like Jadon Sancho, Callum HudsonOdoi, Phil Foden and Reece James working their

way into Southgate’s plans, the Three Lions seem well set for the years ahead.

Many had tipped them for success at this summer’s European Championships, and they could arguably benefit from the extra year’s development afforded them by the tournament’s postponement until 2021.

For now, Mbappe seems the most likely player to take the crown from Messi and Ronaldo. He finished sixth at last year’s Ballon d’Or awards, behind the usual pair and the Liverpool trio of Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

After playing an inspiring role in France’s 2018 World Cup victory, Mbappe has already scaled international heights which Messi and Ronaldo haven’t been able to reach.

Now, he has the unenviable challenge of carving out a similarly impressive club career – a challenge which fuels speculation linking him with a move to Ronaldo’s former home of Real Madrid.

interesting without fans: Rijiju

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said that planning will have to be done to ensure that sports remain sustainable without fans in the stadium in the near future. The coronavirus pandemic has put a freeze on the global sporting calendar with even the Tokyo Olympics being postponed to next year.

The ministr y had banned spectators in stadiums for any events, including cricket matches, in one of its earliest advisories on the pandemic before all sporting events were brought to a halt altogether.

“Not only sports, life has changed, we can’t live like before and we have to make sure to follow the new norms and sports also will come up in a new way,” said Rijiju on e-agenda Aaj Tak. “We will have to plan to make sports more interesting without fans. Stadi-

Kiren Rijiju

ums in future will not be filled with fans.”

Rijiju said that the ministry will be looking to help those sports that don’t get significant television coverage.

“IPL (Indian Premier League) is rich and gets revenue from television but there are others which need help. We will help those sports and federations. We have big aims and want India to be in the top-ten nations’ list in terms of winning medals.”

Rijiju had earlier said

that the ministry is planning a phase-wise re-opening of training camps for the athletes. “First of all we will identify those players and teams who have qualified for the Olympics.

Second, those who are going to play the Olympic qualification competitions, we will allow these athletes to practice,” he said.

“We won’t be able to open camps for those who are not in qualification reckoning soon. Maybe that will go beyond August or September.”

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