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The Observer An IIJNM publication
As Shillong prioritises vaccination of 40-44 age group, those above 18 wait for their jabs | P 2
Vol 20, Issue 19
@theweeklyobserver Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in
Thursday, May 11, 2021
First Oxygen Express has arrived in Bengaluru from Tatanagar to provide Covid-19 relief | P 4
In Kolkata, Covid Bannerghatta zoo now patients’ caregivers earns zero revenue face misbehaviour Zoo Authority sends SOS to govt on animals’ food
By Padmini Dhruvaraj
Several members of residential complexes are panic-stricken if someone from the complex tests positive | Courtesy: KPN
Infected people do not receive emotional support By Upasana Banerjee Kolkata: Caregivers, especially family members of Covid-19 patients who are under home isolation, are facing harassment and misbehaviour from their neighbours and other members of their residential complexes. Fear and stigma have led to such misbehaviour with caregivers in localities in Kolkata. Rano Bose, a resident of Jadhavpur, south Kolkata, who was looking after her Covid positive husband, informed The Observer: “Fortunately, I wasn’t tested positive for Covid-19. Therefore, I had to go out to get essential items. But whenever I used to step out, some of my neighbours used to misbehave with me. They almost made us an outcast.” People who are infected with the virus are also often at the receiving end. They do not get hospital beds, oxygen and medical equipment when those are needed most. They do not even recieve the mental and emotional supportfrom the people required to fight Covid-19 pandemic. Ujjal Banerjee, who recently recovered from Covid-19, said: “It broke us down when we saw other residents, with whom we had a good rapport earlier, did not come out of their apartments in
fear of the infection spreading. We took precautions. Why would we want to spread the infection?” In most parts of the city, whenever someone turns positive, municipal authorities just call to check on them. Unlike last year, they have not been bringing them food and other essential stuff, forcing Covid-negative family members to step out, earning their neighbours’ ire. Manju Ghosh, whose father was Covid-positive, said: “I asked for help from a rickshaw- puller in my neighbourhood to bring me something from the market, so that I did not have to go out. But my neighbours threatened to throw him out of work.” Such harassment has led many people to call the police, but their pleas for help are ignored. While some have been advised to visit police stations to file written complaints, others have been asked to stay home safely. The officer-in-charge of the Survey Park police station, B. Roy Chowdhury, informed , “We don’t look after such issues. If a Covid19 case arises in any locality, we simply send them to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.” Authorities allegedly pass the buck. An official from the Covid control room of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation said: “If any home isolated patient and her/his caregiver is facing harassment, then it's a judicial matter and thethe police should take action.” Many members of residential Continued on page 3
Bengaluru: In the wake of the extended Covid-19 lockdown, the Bannerghatta Biological Park is suffering severe financial crisis. Dr Umashankar HP, a senior veterinarian at the Bannerghatta zoo and media spokesperson, said: “Currently, there is no revenue. We need Rs 2 crore every month to run zoo operations that include staff salaries, and maintenance of animals and the zoo.” Ticket sales are a major revenue-earner. From March to May, the zoo gets most footfalls, but for a second consecutive year, it has remained shut during these months. The only non-government employees at the park are the animal keepers and security guard. “We can’t lay off either. Both are equally necessary for the park,” said Umashankar. The Karnataka government does not provide any special assistance as funds to the zoo as it is self-sustaining. It maintained the self-sustaining tag during the last lockdown by ramping up its adoption programme.
Amidst financial crisis, Bannerghatta zoo authorities face difficulties in maintainance of zoo and the animals. | Courtesy: Padmini Dhruvaraj The Zoo Authority of Karnataka has approached the state government for financial assistance to help meet the animals’ dietary requirements. BP Ravi, member secretary of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka, said: “We need close to Rs 6 crore to maintain the zoos at Mysuru, Bannerghatta, Shivamogga, Hampi, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Gadag, Davanagere and Chi-
tradurga. We have requested the government to provide assistance and help us with funds....” Corporate social responsibility funds cannot be provided to zoos, Ravi further added. Alongside its regular adoption process, the zoo recently introduced a one-day adoption programme where anyone can feed animal for a day. So far this year, Continued on page 4
News briefs 10-day lockdown in Telangana from May 12
and descent of a women’s empowerment renaissance in Kerala.
The Telangana government on Tuesday announced that a 10-day lockdown would be imposed in the state starting May 12. All activities will be allowed from 6am to 10am. The decision was taken to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Militants, kids among 24 dead in Gaza raid
Veteran communist K R. Gouri no more Firebrand Communist K.R. Gouri passed away at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning due to age-related ailments. She has to her credit several firsts in her career trajectory that reflect both the ascent
Israel unleashed new airstrikes on Gaza early Tuesday, hitting the high-rise home of a Hamas field commander and two border tunnels dug by militants, as Hamas and other armed groups fired dozens of rockets toward Israel.
India’s Covid-19 figures ‘worrying’ WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said that the coronavirus variant first identi-
fied in India last year is being classified as a variant of global concern, with some preliminary studies showing that it spreads more easily. In an interview with ANI, Swaminathan said the projections of 1 million deaths by August projected by the Institute for Health Metrics. and Evaluation are based on models. and available data, which are not predictions and can be changed.
Hindu temple in UAE ships oxygen to India As India’s government scrambles for oxygen and other emergency aid, Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates ships hundreds of oxygen cylinders.
NATION
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The Observer Tuesday, May 11, 2021
In Shillong, 18+ people wait for shots Some of those eligible doubt efficacy of vax
By Queeneerich K. Shillong: Prioritising vaccination for the age group 40-44 has left people above 18 with fewer Covid-19 vaccines. Asha Khongshei, a nurse at Meghalaya’s Rynjah primary health centre, informed The Observer: “We have had 18+ citizens who came to enquire about the vaccine. They are mostly the ones who have finished registering themselves online for the Covid vaccine, but we have had to send them away as the PHC is only vaccinating people above 45.” They are waiting for the deputy commissioner’s approval to vaccinate people above 18. “We get about 200 people who come to take the vaccine. Currently, we are not facing any drastic shortage.” The PHC faced the challenge of convincing people that the vaccine is safe. It has set up vaccination sites in residential areas. As initially planned by the state health department, citizens above 18 years of age cannot go to any health centre for vaccination; they are only allowed to get vaccinated in their residential areas to decrease the pressure on the
The first person from Meghalaya to receive the Covid vaccine in NEIGHRIMS hospital.The identity of the person has not been disclosed as ordered by the National Health Mission | Courtesy: Lambok Thangkhiew Public health care centres. Iakmen Umwi, a lower division assistant at the Rynjah PHC, said: “People above 18 who are essential commodities shopkeepers are vaccinated as they are vulnerable to the virus.” Sampath Kumar, principal secretary, health and family welfare department, said: “In Meghalaya, vaccination for the 18 to 44 age-
group will not begin on May 1 . The date will be announced in the due course.” The third phase of the immunization campaign, which began on May 1, will entail 30 lakh doses of vaccines, according to state health minister Alexander Laloo Hek. “We have written to the Centre demanding Rs 120 crore in financial assistance to
finish the inoculation campaign for people aged 18 to 44 years and effectively handle the raging second wave of Covid-19.” Although many want to get vaccinated, a few doubt the efficiency of the vaccine. Jhansi D. Marak, a 23-year-old student, said: “I am sceptical of taking the Covid vaccine. Hence, I have not registered for it. Also,
Horticulture sector gets Rs 2,250 cr from ministry, but challenges remain Govt believes it will help in raising farmers’ income By Upasana Banerjee Kolkata: The agriculture ministry on Monday allocated Rs 2,250 crore to the horticulture sector, which has the potential to increase farmers’ income. After the ministry’s autonomous National Horticulture Board (NHB) cleared a record 1,278 pending subsidy applications for the integrated development of hi-tech commercial horticulture, the ministry allocated the money to further promote the holistic growth of the horticulture sector under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a centrally sponsored scheme. The scheme came into effect in 2014-2015 to expand the sector by producing fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew and cocoa. The allocation to the horticulture sector has gone up this year. Dr Jagpal Singh, an expert from the Foundation for Agricultural Resources Management and
Horticulture sector will open up new avenues to achieve the sustainable development goals | Courtesy: KPN Environmental Remediation, said: “Farmers will benefit from this scheme only if they are provided with adequate and correct raw materials for farming. It is also important that they are given the selling market with the absence of any middleman.” The horticulture sector has seen surplus production in the country. During 2019-20, the country recorded its highest ever horticulture production of 320.77 million tonnes from an area of 25.66 million hectares. As per the
first advance estimates for 202021, the horticulture production is 326.58 million tonnes from an area of 27.17 million hectares. The MIDH has augmented best practices among horticulturists which have given good returns in form of productivity and quality. However, the ministry also mentioned that the sector is still facing a lot of challenges in terms of high post-harvest losses and gaps in post-harvest management and supply chain infrastructure. Therefore, some innovative initia-
tives like planting material production, cluster development programmes, financial uplift through the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund, and formation and promotion of Farmers’ Produce Organizations have been adopted. The agriculture ministry believes that this will primarily make India self-sufficient in horticulture and help in achieving sustainable development goals of zero hunger, good health and well-being, and gender equality. upasana.b@iijnm.org
because the government has not given any clarity on when we can get vaccinated, I have not felt the importance of registering as yet. Given the economic state of the government, it seems reasonable to wait for the vaccine. From what have I heard, we are short of vaccines. Older people have not been given the second dose. I guess we will have to maintain protocols and be patient as cases are rising faster than last year.” Students who are planning to study abroad are in a hurry to get vaccinated as some international institutions have made vaccination mandatory to attend classes. Meghalaya’s Covid-19 response team has been addressing queries regarding vaccination of the 18+ age group on Twitter. They are mostly asked questions about registration for vaccination. One common query is whether registration done in the first week of May is still valid or not. The team announced on Twitter on May 6 that vaccination for people in the 18 to 44 age group would begin in the days ahead. But only until vaccines are fully stocked is a mass rollout feasible. The vaccine will be given free of charge by the state government at all government vaccination centres for this age group. The government has requested people to register and patiently await for their turn to come. queeneerich.k@iijnm.org
News Quiz 1. In which English county is Stonehenge? 2. The Curse of The Were-Rabbit is the 2005 instalment in which film series? 3. Featured in Fight Club, who performed the track Where is My Mind? 4. What nationality was physicist Henrik Lorentz? 5. What nationality was rock band Rush? 6. The Gorilla is native to which continent? 7. The 2001 film Enemy at the Gates is set during which conflict? 8. How many edges does a square based pyramid have? 9. In Boxing, who beat Trevor Berbick to become heavyweight champion of the world in 1986? 10.Which of the following is thought to be the Shakespeare's first play? Answers on page 4
Words of the day Shrive: To free from guilt Paen: a song of thanksgiving Frugal: Sparing in use of resources Archipelago: a group of islands or similar things Deep-six: to get rid of or discard Sprightly: marked by lightness of spirit Succumb: to yield to a superior force Conciliatory: intended to make someone less angry Abjure: to renounce, avoid or reject something Fustian: Pretentious writing or speech
COVID IMPACT
The Observer Tuessday, May 11, 2021
2nd Covid-19 wave ruins plans of Chandigarh cricket fraternity Assn, players hope for an early return to normalcy By Abhishek Saini Chandigarh: A delay in player selection trials of the Union Territory Cricket Association, Chandigarh, for the 2021-22 season due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is causing problems for cricketers and the UTCA administration. “Due to the situation our country faces, cricket has taken a back seat. We cannot hold trials during a pandemic,” Manjit Singh, the head of operations, UTCA, informed The Observer. Owing to the uncertainty, the association has not been able to finalize a time for the selection trials. “We always have a clear time period marked for everything, but now we will have to be flexible and hope the pandemic subsides soon,” Singh added. Players registered with the association have also been affected. Amrit Lubana, who scored two double centuries in the C.K. Nayudu Trophy 2019-20, said: “It is obviously better to get physical practice, without which we have a chance of getting out of touch; but, stuck at home, we somehow manage to keep ourselves in shape. I do fitness drills on my rooftop and watch old videos to analyse my performance.”
UTCA has extended the deadline for registration | Courtesy: KPN Arslan Khan, a player who represents UTCA’s U-23 team, said: “All players have to go through trials. We are unsure when they take will place and when we will return to practice. The players faced a similar situation last year as well. In such a case, our mentality and a positive mindset become important.” UTCA, which usually starts physical trials in the month of June, has extended the deadline for registrations. UTCA president Sanjay Tandon informed The Observer: “The last date for applying on our website has been set as June 15. After that, we will have to wait for approval from BCCI. Only then can we hold trials. Till then, we want to be done with all the paperwork and documentation.”
Tandon added that the association had to forfeit selection trials last year as well. “The last set of trials were held in September 2019. Now, just when we were planning for the next season, we have had to stop again,” he added. Following the rise in Covid-19 cases in the Union territory, the Disaster Management Authority of Chandigarh released guidelines which restricted sports activities and complexes to open. “All sports activities and stadiums in Chandigarh were ordered to be closed from April 19. This will continue until at least May 18. We do not see the cricket complex, or any other sports facility, functioning in the near future,” said thr authority chairman Manoj Kumar Parida. The closure of the UTCA sta-
dium due to the second wave of Covid-19 has also impacted its coaching and tournament schedules. “We have had to stop training as per the BCCI guidelines. The players that we have with us are getting online coaching with respect to fitness drills and dietary plans only. With no physical coaching, their game is bound to get affected,” said Sukhwinder Singh Bawa, cricket coach, UTCA. UTCA had acquired BCCI affiliation in 2019, following which it was eligible to organize BCCI-certified tournaments and leagues. “The BCCI had cleared our domestic tournament format. We had divided the city of Chandigarh into six parts, and had a team for each one. We had planned on having men’s and women’s tournaments at the U19, U-21 and senior levels. These were set to start by April, but the second wave has ruined all our plans,” the UTCA president said. In 2020, apart from the trials being cancelled, Chandigarh’s U19 and U-21 men’s teams had to return from tournaments that had to be shelved due the outbreak of Covid-19. Now, the players and administration of UTCA hope for the second wave to subside soon, so that they can continue their cricketing activities physically in sports complexes and not face a situation similar to that in 2020. abhishek.s@iijnm.org
3 Residential complexes set up ‘Covid task forces’ Continued from page 1 omplexes are panicstricken if someone from the complex tests positive. Some residential associations have set up “Covid task forces” consisting of doctors and other residents. They have been training security staff. As soon as a resident tests positive, the association advises him/her to selfisolate. If the condition of a patient becomes serious, they try to arrange beds and oxygen. Dr D Kanor, member of the Ambuja Housing Society, shared: “People have become aware of the situation. But still if anyone gets infected on a particular floor, the entire building panics and starts enquiring about what precautions to take.” “There are some persons who still behave in a very irresponsible manner by hiding the news of the infection. This can be very dangerous for other members of the society,” he added. Many housing complexes claim they have set up Covid panels to help the family members of the affected but the caregivers often do not comply with the proper Covid-19 protocol. Maids are not allowed in the complex during this time to break any chain of transmission. Unlike some selected complexes, most of them simply ignore their neighbours who are exposed to Covid-19. upasana.b@iijnm.org
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90 lakh vaccine doses UEFA e-Euro final round in July ready for states, UTs By Abhishek Saini
T
By Queeneerich K.
T
he government of India has given over 18 crore vaccine doses to the states and Union territories at no cost. More than 90 lakh doses are now available for distribution to the states and Union territories, according to a press release posted by the Press Information Bureau. Venny Shangpliang, a student, told The Observer: “With the arrival of the vaccine, we are hoping to get vaccinated soon, even though we are not a priority as for now. But I will register soon for the vaccine.” Since they have not reconciled the vaccine they have provided to the armed forces, states with a negative balance have reported a greater intake (including wastage) than the doses supplied. Emku Dkhar, a citizen of Shillong, said: “I will not register for the vaccine as the state government has not given the date for 18+ people to get vaccinated, however my concern is the price for the vaccination as we are told that the vaccination is available free of cost by the government.
States recieved 18 crore doses of Covid vaccine | Courtesy: KPN Wastage is contributing to the cost of the vaccine.” Up to May 11, 2021, Meghalaya’s total vaccine usage, including wastage, is 3,74,173. Dr Kabita Sangma Choudhary of NEMCARE hospital said: “At the initial stage of the vaccination campaign, Guwahati had witnessed a large amount of vaccine wastage because the people were sceptical of the vaccine. But now people are rushing to remote government health centres as there are still some vaccines available there. Private hospitals in Assam are eagerly waiting for the supply of covid vaccine.” queeneerich.k@iijnm.org
he final round of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) e-Euro 2021 will be held on July 9 and 10 in London, Europe’s football confederation announced on its website on Tuesday. The tournament, in which all 55 UEFA members are participating, is being organized across three stages: Qualifying Round, Playoff Round and Finals. In the qualifying round, the 55 teams were divided into 10 groups of five or six each. The winner of each group qualified directly to the final round, while the runners up went to the playoffs. Six out of the ten teams in the playoffs will qualify for the final round. All matches will be played on Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2021. Speaking to uefa.com, Erman Gokdemir, who is representing Turkey in the e-tournament, said: “I think this tournament is the biggest and most important tournament in the history of PES. The e-Euro gives us the pride and happiness to represent our country.” The 10 countrie have already booked a place into the final round. The list includes Croatia,
All 55 UEFA members are taking part | Courtesy: uefa.com France, Greece, Israel, Montenegro, Po-land, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain. The Playoff round of the e-tournament is still under way. A total prize money of €1,00,000 will be divided among all the finalists. Moreover, Competitions like eEuro have gained popularity across the footballing world, with some of the biggest football clubs launching their own eSports teams. Ashwin Iyer, an employee with Gaming Monk, an eSports gaming platform based in Delhi, said: “Fifa and PES, apart from PlayStation and Xbox, cater to low-end devices and hence are popular. Gaming companies
have realized that they can capitalize on this popularity by incentivizing the game through competitions and tournaments. We have seen a rise in these tournaments recently.” With the popularity of eSports growing by the day, football fans hope to see more tournaments like eEuro. Such tournaments have also struck a chord with football fans. “eSports have proven their ability to capture fan bases. Today, for football clubs struggling financially, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, eSports can be a welcome source of revenue,” said Parth Chawla, an avid football fan. abhishek.s@iijnm.org
CITY
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The Observer Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Oxygen Express reaches B’luru, giving big relief to hospitals Signal-free route was created from Tatanagar By Padmini Dhruvaraj Bengaluru: The first Oxygen Express to Bengaluru from Tatanagar transporting liquid medical oxygen in six cryogenic containers reached Whitefield at 9.35 am on Tuesday. Each cryogenic container carried 20 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, making that 120 tonnes in total. A signal-free corridor was created by the Indian Railway for the Oxygen Express to travel without any stoppage. Venkatesh, a Bengalurean who works at Bangalore Robot, took to Twitter and said: “Welcome #OxygenExpress. Hope the #BlrO2Thirst will be quenched to some extent #O2 Thirst.” According to The Hindu, to facilitate the movement of tankers, the South Western Railway had
Quiz answers 1.Wiltshire 2.Wallace and Gromit 3.The pixies 4.Dutch 5.Canadian rock Band 6.Africa 7.WW2 8.Eight 9.Mike Tyson 10.Henry VI, Part II
Across the nation Magic Beans GK for Kids - Level 1 Date: 11-29 May Place: Mumbai Storytelling with ActivitiesHobbyStation Date: 12-26 May Place: Mumbai 48th National German Shepherd Dog Show & Trial 2021 Date: 13-16 May Place: Geospatial Delhi Limited, Vikash Bhawan II, 3rd Level, ‘C’ Wing, Civil Lines, New Delhi. Tehri Music Festival Date: 14–15 May Place: Tehri Dam, New Tehri, Uttarakhand. The Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) Date:15–21 May Place: Kamani Auditorium, 1, Copernicus Marg, Opposite Doordarshan Bhawan, Mandi House New Delhi, Delhi
Weather Maximum temperature: 32 degrees Celsius Minimum temperature: 22 degrees Celsius Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 63% Wind: 8 km/h Forecast: Scattered thunderstorms
The development comes after several hospitals in Bengaluru faced a severe oxygen crunch and sent out SOS messages in the first week of May | Courtesy: South Western Railways built a ramp in Whitefield. If required, officials will use the Doddaballapur facility also for transportation. During the first week of May, Karnataka chief secretary P. Ravi Kumar had written to the Railway Board to help the state in transporting oxygen. The development comes after several hospitals in Bengaluru faced a severe oxygen crunch and
sent out SOS messages in the first week of May. While many patients were asked to move out, a few were denied admission to hospitals.Two deaths were reported at Arka Hospital in Yelahanka due to oxygen shortage. Ramu, a nurse at Sagar Apollo Hospital, informed The Observer: “Consumption of oxygen has gone up by four to five times compared to pre-pandemic times.”
Deputy chief minister Ashwath Narayan told NDTV: “Many hospitals have not created capacity for the storage of oxygen. Storage tanks have not been built properly and they are dependent on cylinders. And the cylinders they have are not sufficient to cater to their requirements. So many are running short of cylinders. And they have been admitting people beyond their capacity.” According to the All-India Industrial Gases Manufacturers, the demand for liquid medical oxygen in the country is around 8,500 tonnes per day, and the total production around 9,000 tonnes. Despite producing more oxygen than the demand, India is short of oxygen because of a shortage of cryogenic tankers that are designed to carry the gas.On Monday, Karnataka reported 39,305 cases and 596 deaths due to Covid-19. The arrival of liquid medical oxygen comes as a ray of hope for corona fighters. padmini.d@iijnm.org
‘Random animal testing is not necessary without symptoms’ Continued from Page 1 ne-fifty three of the 2,388 animals have been adopted. Corporates like Toyota Motors, Jindal Steel and Kumar Organics Product Ltd have adopted some animals as a goodwill measure. Addressing a press conference in Mysuru on May 8, Zoo Authority chairman L.R. Mahadevaswamy said: “There are nine zoos in the state. Of them, Mysuru (zoo) and the Bannerghatta Biological Park have a fixed deposit of Rs 30 crore in banks.” The interest earned from these deposits is being spent on maintenance of the seven other zoos. After eight Asiatic lions at the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad tested positive for Covid-19, the Bannerghatta zoo has ramped up sanitation and vaccinated all its animal keepers. Umashankar said: “After the outbreak of the avian influenza, we have started to wash raw chicken with hot water and pass it through ultraviolet rays before feeding it to the animals. Now we have provided masks and gloves to animal keepers. Frequent sanitation is continuing despite the absence of crowds. Safety is our top priority. However, random animal testing is not necessary without symptoms. The four newborn cat cubs and the lions are kept under watch. They are all healthy, with good immunity. We have continued to provide all the essential nutrients and medicines.”
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Citizens’ voice Where is the PM amid Covid crisis? Amid the Covid-19 crisis, PM Modi is missing. There are no grand 8pm tv addresses, no public appearances. This crisis is probably the toughest test of the govt. and it seems to be failing it. Jaskiran Singh
Govt has failed the living and the dead The number of cities that are running out of crematoriums is rising. The failure of governance has now reached a point of disappointment to not only the living, but also the dead. Tunir Biswas
Will Central Vista be a super spreader? Amid the rising Covid cases, citizens struggle to get hospital beds and oxygen cylinders. The central govt is going ahead with the construction of Central Vista. This poses a threat to the labourers of contracting the virus. Amna Karimi
Mumbai’s TV industry in exile Owing to the uncertainty of rising cases and lockdown, the TV industry in Mumbai has set up shop outside the city to keep the reels rolling. The situation created by the 2nd wave has started showing its effects on the entertainment industry. Relocation may seem to be costly. Abhishek Saini
al-Aqsa attack shows Arabs are ignored The recent attacks on al-Aqsa seem to be another testament of how ignored the Arab world is. The situation deserves the same sort of treatment, and maybe more, than that of the Notre Dame fire. Aayushi Parekh
Welcome defiance by German churches In a surprising move by religious institutions, churches in Germany offered their blessings to same-sex couples as a protest against the Vatican. Steps like this seem to be the only way forward to an equal society. Anusha Ramesh
Team Observer After eight Asiatic lions in Hyderabad tested positive for Covid-19, the zoo has ramped up sanitation and vaccination. | Padmini Dhruvaraj Asked about the beef ban, Umashankar said, “Even during the first lockdown, we weren’t able to get beef. So we fed the animals chicken, and their lipid profile was normal. So that’s not an
issue now.” Experts say captive animals require extra care and cannot be left in wild. Zoo officials hope for a speedy return to normalcy. padmini.d@iijnm.org
Editor: Dhruv Raghav Copy Editors: Dhruv Raghav, Abhisek Dutta, Mahitha Owk, Nidhi Kajaria Reporters: Padmini Dhruvaraj, Upasana Banerjee, Queeneerich Kharmawlong, Abhishek Saini Page Editors: Nishita M. Agath, Mahitha Owk, Abhisek Dutta, Ashutosh Acharya