End lockdown, scientists advise
Even as the world is frantically seeking a cure for or a vaccine to curtail the spread of COVID-19, senior health experts in India feel that in a thickly populated country like ours, needs an individualised approach. This means ending the lockdown so that herd immunity can be developed. This immunity is an indirect protection from infectious diseases, which has worked well during pandemics like measles, H1N1, etc, where some people were affected while others became immune to it. Sweden has successfully adopted this method for COVID.
Dr Wiqar Shaikh, senior allergy and asthma specialist, said, "This will be the only solution to tackle COVID-19. Interestingly, even in India, many who have tested positive for the virus were asymptomatic, which might be an indication of herd immunity developing. However, we have to be wary of these asymptomatic carriers as they can spread the virus to others with co-morbidities who are at a much higher risk of developing symptoms."
"A stringent lockdown in the country will not allow herd immunity to develop in India, and the fear is being touted by other COVID-affected countries like China, Europe, USA and even WHO has warned about a second wave of COVID-19 outbreak soon. If herd immunity is not developed in India, the second wave will spell disaster," Dr Shaikh said.
In Sweden, till date, there have been more than 22,000 COVID-19 affected patients out of a 10 million population and more than 2,600 deaths. However, the country has no stringent lockdown and their COVID-19 graph is showing a downturn.
Experts say
Shaikh added, "This virus is here to stay and our only solution is to develop herd immunity. Moreover herd immunity is more likely to work in our country because 90 per cent of our population is under 60 and herd immunity works best in a younger population."
Dr Ketan Vagholkar, professor and head of the department Surgery, DY Patil Medical College, said, "Traditional herd immunity refers to the proportion of people with immunity in a given population. The term herd effect is reduction of infection in the unimmunised segment as a result of immunising a proportion of the population. In the context of COVID-19, we are expecting a herd effect. The only option now is to achieve herd effect, which has shown good results in the past."
He added, "There are three ways this can take be achieved: a) Allowing a large part of the population to get infected. However, this will lead to extremely high mortality. b) Vaccination, which is not available at present. c) Take advantage of the lockdown to prevent rapid community spread. However, a gradual easing of the lockdown for the young working population will increase the infectivity of the virus in this group thereby leading to protective immunity."
He said, "It is the young who are responsible for the spread and need to be protected by herd immunity. Only then can herd effect be achieved," he said.
Dr Vagholkar added, "Testing of the swabs is important to achieve herd immunity. Individuals who are positive but asymptomatic must be clustered together, and those with symptoms must report to a designated hospital immediately. This will reduce community spread as well as COVID mortality."
About the assessment of herd immunity, Dr Vaghalokar explained that one needs to evaluate antibodies. Unfortunately, in COVID patients there is no consistent level of antibodies that can confer protection against future re-infection. This makes the concept of herd immunity and herd effect a little complicated and risky. However, the time has come to weigh the importance of life v/s livelihood, and with no treatments available, the concept of herd immunity should be seriously taken up, especially during lockdown.
Dr Vagholkar said the priority in easing the lockdown should be guided by medical experts to prevent a COVID surge. The government has achieved excellent control over community spread and kept the situation under control. Therefore, the advantage gained should be utilised for effective control of the spread during the lifting of lockdown.
Dr Om Shrivastava, a senior infectious disease expert, said, "It is too early to say anything. We will need to test more people. For every 10 people we test, at least six should have antibodies of a certain level to confirm herd immunity. We may have to eventually opt for herd immunity as a recourse."
How herd immunity works
Dr Wiqar Shaikh said in the absence of a vaccine, there had been in the past certain percentages of the population, who were exposed to a given infection, which resulted in 'herd immunity' for the entire population. For instance such an exercise was adopted in the influenza outbreak in 1918. Researchers at the time found that if nearly 33-44per cent of the actual population was exposed to the influenza virus, the remaining 67 to 56 per cent developed 'herd immunity'. This means the influenza virus could affect only a certain percentage of the population and not everyone. Similar percentages were during the outbreak of measles in the US in 1930, where nearly 90 per cent of the population was affected. The entire population developed herd immunity after that, Dr Shaikh said.
What the government needs to do
Dr Wiqar Shaikh said that in order to achieve herd immunity the Centre and states should end the lockdown in a staggered manner immediately. The lockdown should be stringent only in containment zones like Dharavi, Govandi, Mankhurd, etc, as people here are carriers. The rest of the population should be allowed to continue with their daily routine. But, theatres, malls banquets halls, religious places, swimming pools, gyms, restaurants and bars should be shut, and elderly people and small children stopped from venturing out until we have solid signs of herd immunity developing. And, because Maharashtra and Mumbai conduct the highest number of tests in the country, and also have the highest number of COVID positive patients they will have the best chance of developing herd immunity.
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In other districts, tokens to be issued to buy booze
Even as tipplers lined up outside liquor stores across the state on Tuesday, there were hectic parleys both in the corridors of Mantralaya and the BMC.
While for the state government, the main concern was how to raise revenue during the lockdown while ensuring that the infection rate does not explode, the civic body's sole concern was to keep the city's climbing COVID-19 count under check.
As reports flooded in about overcrowding outside liquor stores, the BMC commissioner made up his mind and issued an order late on Tuesday evening, directing all non-essential shops and establishments to shut with immediate effect.
The state agreed that this was the right decision for the hotspot of Mumbai, and decided to keep liquor stores open in the rest of the state. It is even contemplating a cess on liquor like in Delhi state, top sources in the political and bureaucratic machinery told mid-day.
Delhi imposed a Coronavirus cess on liquor sales at state-run shops from Tuesday. The cess is 70 per cent of the maximum retail price of all categories of liquor sold through standalone shops. The Maharashtra government's cess is expected to be less than that of Delhi, as the state's taxes on alcoholic beverages are already the highest in the country.
A retailer from Sion said a New Delhi-like cess is not advisable. "Even with the cess or surcharge, liquor in Delhi will still be cheaper than in Maharashtra. The taxation is so heavy that spurious liquor is made here or cheaper stuff is smuggled from neighbouring states," he said.
The high that didn't last
As per official data, the state has been consuming an average of 87 crore litres of alcohol (country liquor, Indian made foreign liquor, beer and wine) every year. The government earned R15,428 crore last year through liquor production and sale. The state has lost at least R3,000 crore in revenue in the current financial year.
Figures obtained by mid-day showed that the state sold 16.10 lakh litres and earned R62.55 crore on Monday and Tuesday. The figures are from 17 districts that sold liquor on the two days (including Mumbai city and suburbs). Nine other districts had disallowed sales, and two couldn't open stores.
"The excise department earns maximum revenue from production units. Liquor sale in the state touched R11-12 crore on Monday. A cess is a matter of policy for the government," said excise commissioner Kantilal Umap.
Some officials are of the opinion that the government could earn additional revenue through Value Added Tax (VAT) and GST if restaurants and permits room that serve food and alcohol were also allowed to open in the coming days. Owners of permit rooms and restaurants have sought permission to dispose of their stock in retail to get some liquidity and add to the revenue. But at least in Mumbai, the BMC order has put paid to these hopes.
Earlier in the day...
Before the BMC commissioner's order, the State Excise Department released a new set of guidelines for all liquor shops, which includes a form that customers will have to fill in with their personal details and take a token.
This order – an attempt to streamline crowds and enforce social distancing – apply to other districts, where liquor shops will continue to operate.
The forms to be filled by people include name, mobile number, details of the brand and the number of bottles the person wishes to buy.
The excise department said not more than 50 tokens can be issued per hour. With wine shops in the state allowed to be open from 10 am to 6 pm, assuming there will be 50 customers per hour, a wine shop can service a maximum of 400 customers per day. If more customers come, they will be issued tokens for the next day.
Wine shops that do not have printers to print the forms can put their stamp on a plain paper which has the details of the customer and mention the token number.
Inputs by Vishal Singh
3k
Amount (in crores) of revenue from liquor sales lost by the state
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No clarity yet on pending college exams or MHT-CET
While the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) provided respite to students by announcing the dates for JEE-Main and NEET on Tuesday, the Maharashtra government has not yet declared any date for Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) or the pending college exams, thereby making the students anxious.
Higher education minister Uday Samant did conduct a meeting on Tuesday with officials and Vice-Chancellors of all state universities to take decision based on University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines declared earlier. However, after the meeting, it was declared that final decision would be announced soon with an assurance that no student will face any academic loss.
Moreover, the state government's higher education department has decided to start counselling centres for students, parents at all districts to answer their queries regarding pending examinations, project submissions, viva and other aspects related to evaluation and assessment process.
"Every small district will have one, while bigger ones will have two such counselling centres to help the students and parents who are currently worried about their examination. These centres will have people who will resolve all their exam-related queries," announced Samant.
Special provisions for timely board results
To speed up the process of evaluating class X and XII exams, the state government will now allow teachers to travel for transporting answer sheets. Education department wrote a letter to all civic bodies, saying that teachers will have to carry the state board letter certifying their duty and I-Card to travel amid lockdown. The aim is to ensure that both results are declared before June 10 adhering to Supreme Court guidelines.
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Dialysis centres can't force patients to get tested, says civic body
The state's count of COVID-19 cases crossed 15,500 on Tuesday and 635 of the cases were reported in Mumbai. Addressing issues faced by dialysis patients who are not getting access to healthcare, the civic body directed dialysis centres in the city to not refuse patients or insist on COVID-19 tests.
While existing norms dictate that only symptomatic patients can be tested, the regulations exclude pregnant women, dialysis patients, those seeking IVF or having a scheduled surgery since many private hospitals have made it mandatory for all patients to get themselves tested. Civic officials said that directives have been issued to all dialysis centres not to insist on COVID-19 testing for patients who require dialysis.
"They can advise COVID-19 testing for suspected symptomatic patients or to those who are close contacts of COVID-19 patients. They should follow all precautions while giving the service. The dialysis should not be delayed for want of test results," said an official.
The civic body has also issued notices to all private nursing homes, hospitals and medical practitioners to reopen and provide medical help while adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines. Apart from private doctors, migrant labourers will now also be able to get their medical certificate from municipal dispensaries and peripheral hospitals.
The count of cases in Dharavi continued to rise with 33 new cases, taking the total to 665. Nine cases were reported from 90 Feet Road and five from Indiranagar. Civic officials said more than 83,500 people have been screened, of which 2,380 were placed in quarantine centres. Nine other cases were reported from Mahim and two from Dadar. In L ward (includes areas like Kurla), the total count crossed 600 and on Tuesday, 26 new cases were reported. Civic officials said that the cases were largely from dense slum pockets in areas like LBS Road and Narayan Nagar.
State health officials said there were 984 new cases in the state and the tally now stands at 15,525 cases. There were 34 deaths reported in Maharashtra, of which 26 were recorded in Mumbai, six in Pune and one each in Aurangabad and Kolhapur.
Mumbai now has 9,945 cases and 387 deaths while the state's death toll stands at 617. Civic officials said that out of the 26 deaths reported on Tuesday, six of them occurred between May 1 and 2 and 22 of the patients were suffering from other ailments. Two of the patients who died were below the age of 40 years while 13 patients were in the age group of 40-60 years.
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Coronavirus outbreak: Navi Mumbai registers biggest daily spike in cases
The number of COVID-19 cases has witnessed a sharp rise in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) area. On Tuesday, the corporation area recorded 47 cases – the biggest single-day spike in numbers so far.
Of the 47 new cases found on Tuesday, 22 patients are either essential workers or belong to a family of one. What is more worrisome is that a total of 207 new cases have been discovered in the last seven days, taking the total toll to 395 in NMMC along with seven deaths.
Navi Mumbai municipal officials said the two major contributors responsible for the explosion of Coronavirus cases are — firstly the employees working in essential services who travel to Mumbai daily and secondly, the APMC vendors and merchants.
"There are some APMC vendors and merchants who reside in Mumbai. We had asked them to arrange accommodation in Navi Mumbai so they don't contract the virus. However, despite our several announcements, they haven't followed our orders. So, if this trend continues we will take stern actions against them," an NMMC official said.
Moreover, the doubling rate of the cases in Navi Mumbai has drastically come down from 11 days to six days.
To curb the infection, NMMC has already set a time limit for buying vegetables and groceries of 9 am to 5 pm. Also, considering the rising numbers, NMMC has refused permission to open liquor shops under its jurisdiction.
47
No. of new cases recorded in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday
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Railway yard master makes terminal home for 1 month
A Mulund railway yard master, who retired from his 35-year-old job recently, was so busy in the last working month of his career, that he ended up staying at the rail terminus for a month, to handle despatching essential commodity trains, giving priority to supplies for citizens over his family.
Vilas V Pagare, 60, who retired on April 30, joined the railways around 1984 and had been posted at Central Railway in various designations. His earlier posting was at Vasind station. He retired as Chief Yard Master at Mulund Container Terminal. "The lockdown has been the most challenging time of my career. It was supposed to be my retirement month, but as the lockdown came into effect, more and more trains with essentials needed to be despatched. I decided to stay at the Mulund Container Terminal from March 23 the day the lockdown of the railways was announced, to April 22 to handle the growing number of freight trains and loading and unloading at the terminal," a proud Pagare told mid-day.
His family comprises two grown up sons and his wife. "The railways have given me everything and this was the least I could give back not just to the railways, but to society," he said, of prioritising work over family. During this time, he handled 40 trains, their deformation, loading and unloading and re-formation.
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'We just want to go home'
Thousands of migrant daily wagers working in the power looms of Thane district, thronged the State Transport Bus depot at Bhiwandi on Tuesday, after learning that they would have to register with the police there in order to board trains headed for their hometowns. But in their focus and desperation to finally head home, they threw caution to the wind and did not follow social distancing.
Mid-day witnessed the chaotic scene and spoke to the workers desperate to go back to their home towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The migrants stood in a long winding queue at the bus depot. Pics/Hanif Patel
The ST bus depot was packed with the workers who started thronging the ST Bus depot at 3 am and it was crowded by 7 am. "We were told that forms are being filled up at the ST Bus Depot. So we came to get registered," said Jiaullah Ansari, a native of Bihar.
'No social distancing'
"We are starving and have no work after the lockdown, as all the power looms are shut. The owners of power looms have switched off their cellphones and some have blocked our numbers. Jab khane ko ek dana nahi ho na sahab, to social distancing aur Coronavirus sab fake lagta hai (When there's nothing to eat, Sir, social distancing and Coronavirus seem fake)," said Nasirullah Ansari, a native of Patna.
Some of the power loom workers tried to shield themselves from the sun
The police were seen trying to coax the migrant workers to maintain social distancing. Around 9:30 am a team attached to Nizampura police station and traffic police headed by Senior Inspector Rajendra Mayne of Bhiwandi Traffic dispersed the crowd.
The workers complained that no authority explained to them the registration process. "We have been standing since 3 am and its 10 am now but no one has told us when the registration will be done," said Ram Narayan Thakur, a native of Bihar.
The cops said the workers will have to give their name, mobile number, Aadhaar card copy and they will get an SMS alert or a call by the Talathi office to tell them the date of their journey.
'What about us?'
mid-day also met workers who are from Nepal. "Since I am from Nepal, I don't have an Aadhaar card. How will I travel to my native place? No one has the answer to my question," said Indradev, another worker.
His friend Ram Narayan Pal, also a native of Nepal said, I don't know if I will be able to see my family members."
The police, however, said the situation was in control. "We are facing challenges but everything is under control." said Rajkumar Shinde, DCP Bhiwandi.
"In Bhiwandi we have one of the largest populations of migrant workers, whose livelihood is dependent on power looms. Since they are shut the workers have been finding it very difficult to survive and now as some trains are moving to their native places, they are coming out in large numbers to leave the city as early possible," said another police officer.
3,000
No. of power loom workers who gathered at the ST bus depot
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Section 144 imposed in Mumbai for 11 hours every day
With more than 9,000 COVID-19 positive cases registered in the city, starting May 5 the Mumbai police imposed Section 144 from 8 pm to 7 am. By this order, people won't be allowed to venture out of their homes between the decided timeframe except for medical emergencies and other essential services. However, the lockdown guidelines will remain the same for the rest of the day, as residents will be able to come out for purchasing essentials.
Even though the lockdown has been extended till May 17, the number of containment zones in the city continues to be on the rise. Cops have been noticing violations in terms of people coming out for non-essential work and crowding at various places. In a bid to curb this, the city police have imposed the prohibitory order and those violating it will be punished under the Indian Penal Code.
Crowd seen outside a liquor shop in Mumbai. Pic: Syed Sameer Abedi
The order states, "All movement of one or more persons for non-essential activities, except for medical reasons, is prohibited from 8 pm to 7 am. Speaking to mid-day, Pranaya Ashok, DCP (PRO and Operation), said, "The implementation of this new order is crucial in terms of Mumbai's well being. The motto is to reduce crowding on road for as much as 11 hours. Hope Mumbaikars follow this for their own benefit."
Who's exempted
- Emergency services
- Establishments: hospitals, pharma related companies, laboratories, telephone and internet services, electricity, petroleum, oil and energy related IT and IT-enabled services, data centre services, ports, home delivery of food, online delivery platforms, drinking water supply and maintenance, godowns and warehouses of above sectors, trucks/tempos carrying goods, vehicles carrying people working for supplying essential services, print and electronic media
- Government and semi-government agencies and their staff
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When there is nothing to eat, social distancing seems fake
The Centre and state governments' relief plan for migrants involving transportation home seems to have failed to convince migrants who are continuing to set out with their kids and meagre belongings for their hometowns in the scorching heat. Daily wagers are facing all kinds of hardships ranging from lack of food and footwear, to carrying heavy loads over hundreds of kilometres.
Between Bhiwandi and Vasai was where mid-day met these workers, some of who are taking the assistance of Google Maps for shortest routes, on Tuesday morning.
Migrants spend all night walking and the sweltering days under the shade of trees lining the highways on their way to their hometowns. Pics/Hanif Patel
A group of migrants, who used to work at a brick kiln in Vasai, began their journey in the wee hours of Monday, claiming that they were not approached by any government authority for transport back home, nor are they allowed to get tested for COVID-19.
"All the doctors are scared to touch us. They think we might be COVID-19 positive. Also, we were told that we will have to pay for the train journey to Prayagraj. How can we pay the government if we don't have a single penny in our pocket?" said Rajkumar, who worked in a brick kiln in Gorai pada, Vasai with his family members.
The distance between Mumbai and Prayagraj is 1,387 kilometres.
No work here
"We all were patiently waiting for the lockdown to end on May 3, but it was extended again. People have been saying that Coronavirus cases are increasing rapidly in Mumbai and Vasai-Virar area. I am worried about the well-being of my family. What will we do if we continue to stay in Vasai? There is no work," said Rajkumar, who has been walking on foot with his family members including women and toddlers who are barefoot.
They only have a few packets of biscuits and a water jar and are depending completely on help from Good Samaritans en route.
"We will starve here, and we will starve in our village too. Better that we die in our village," said Rajkumar.
Kids ask for food
"Children ask for food. Also, they can't walk for long distances. We have to carry them and our belongings," said Ashok, who has been leading his family and other migrant workers using Google Maps for the shortest possible route to Prayagraj.
And if the network becomes poor, Ashok said, "I will ask local people to suggest the best route."
A 10-year-old boy from a different family walking to Prayagraj was seen carrying a pressure cooker on his head. Lalman, the boy's relative, said, "The government has not done anything for us. Doctors pe helicopter se phool barasaye jaa rahe hain, aur hum logon ko khana bhi naseeb me nahin hai."
Another family, which was working as construction labourers in Vasai, told mid-day that they had been living in makeshift tents in an open field. "The rainy season is about to come. How and where will we take shelter during monsoon? Our tents will be inundated. So, it is wise to reach our village in Jalna district before the rainy season starts," said Gajanand.
Migrant worker Ramlal twisted his foot while walking. "It has been paining a lot but there is no other option than to walk home. We labourers mean nothing to the government. Otherwise, we too would have been showered with flower petals from a helicopter. We are paying for being poor," said Ramlal, who walks for a few metres and then stops to rest his foot.
1,387
Distance in km between Vasai and Prayagraj in UP
1,387km
Distance between Vasai and Prayagraj
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Mumbai: 'No fire fighting system in Atlas building where fire broke out'
A fire broke out in an apartment on the sixth floor of the Atlas building on Napean Sea Road on Tuesday morning. While the occupants managed to rush down to safety, two women on the upper floors got stuck and were rescued by the fire brigade personnel.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade said the fire was reported at 4.41 am and they reached the site at 4.55 am with three fire engines, four jumbo tankers and one turntable ladder. However, they faced hurdles as the road leading to the building was packed because of parking.
"The team reached on time, but there several vehicles were parked on the road, blocking fire fighting vehicles' way to the building," said local corporator Jyotsna Mehta.
The firemen then went to the opposite building and were able to douse the flames after almost four hours. Deputy Fire Officer A J Mishra also pointed out that the parking was one of the major hurdle in the operation. "There was a strong wind too," he said. "We got a water connection and started operation from the opposite building to stop the vertical spread of the fire. So the major casualty averted," he said, adding that the fire was brought under control around 8.40 am.
A fireman said, "The residents left all the doors of the flat open. So it was difficult to search the origin of the fire. Besides, there wasn't a fire fighting system inside the building that is more than 30 years old."
The cause of the fire is not known.
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Migrants continue to walk as Maharashtra government drags its feet
Zyada se zyada kya hoga? Mar hi jaunga na chalte chalte? (What's the worse that could happen? I'll die, right?) These disturbing words of a physically challenged migrant walking home to UP from Thane sum up the mood of hundreds like him trudging home. With no clarity from the government, the migrants continue to risk their lives on highways.
Hundreds of the migrant workers continue to walk to Uttar Pradesh and even Nagpur. As it is difficult to walk in the scorching heat, most rest during the day and walk at nights on highways. They poured their hearts out to mid-day.
A majority of the migrants work as labourers on at under-construction sites in MMR. They said they were leaving Mumbai as they had no access to food and essential items at their workplaces. At least 1,000 men, women and children were seen walking along the Mumbai-Agra highway between the Thane-Kalyan junctions.
Most of the migrants will walk over 1,600 km to UP. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav
'Procedure not explained'
Some people expressed anger against the state and Central governments, alleging they were not taking the plight of migrants seriously, and this was happening because the authorities on the local level weren't cooperative. They alleged that local authorities were not explaining relevant procedures. Many have filled forms, taken medical certificates and got these and other papers stamped by the police to board the transport provided but say they are not being clearly told what is next.
Kisan Pawar who is heading back to his village near Nagpur with his wife, daughter and son, said they barely have any money left. "Staying in Thane with no job or money will be more burdening. So we started on the 800-km-long journey on foot," said Pawar. At night they rested at Kalyan phata for few hours. Most migrants have been resting or sleeping on the side of the highway.
Rajesh Pawar, 28, a resident of Gondia district in Maharashtra worked as a labourer at a construction site in Thane. Since work stopped and he has no money left, he and his wife have started walking with their two-year-old daughter. An emotional Rajesh said, "I pray that such difficult times don't befall anyone. No one really cares about the poor and that's why we have no other option but to walk. We don't even have money to buy tickets and food. We hope to reach our village because the safety of my daughter is very important."
'I would have died anyway'
A man with a deformed foot who did not wish to be named, will be walking over 1,600 km to reach his village in UP. "Aise bhi mar jaate kyon ki khaane ke liye kuch nahi hai. Us se behtar hai jahan tak chal saku wahan tak jaun, is umeed se ke ghar pohochunga. Jyada se jyada kya hoga? Mar hi jaunga na chalte chalte? (I would have died anyway because I wasn't getting any food. It's better that I walk as far as I can in the hope that I will reach home. What's the worst that could happen? I'll die, right?)," he said.
Suhel Ahmed and Irshad Khan who worked at a construction site in Thane, had approached local authorities to know about the procedure to go back home. But they claimed they weren't given clarity about when they would be allowed to go back, so they left for Uttar Pradesh on foot.
'No co-ordination'
Irshad Khan told mid-day, "We waited in Thane all this time because the government had told us it would make arrangements at the right time for migrants to go home. But there seems to be lack of coordination between the Centre and state. For the past two days, we ran from pillar to post getting medical certificates and filling forms but there was no clarity on what next. We have a few hundred rupees and before that too gets over, we want to reach home. God knows when we will reach."
The chairperson of an NGO says the government must instill confidence in migrants. Jalpesh Mehta, chairperson, Empower Foundation, said, "Walking on the highway for kilometres is a risky affair and may also see migrants die due to hunger or exertion and not because of COVID-19. We have worked with government authorities and police in Maharashtra and Gujarat to provide food to the migrants and the support on the ground from authorities has been excellent. The living conditions of the migrants and support from their employers is indeed very poor, but the need of the hour is instillation of confidence in the migrants by the government on the ground that they will be taken care of and there are planned exits — trains and buses to help them reach back home safely."
1,000
No. of people seen walking along Mumbai-Agra highway
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'Travelling to Mumbai will be prohibited from May 8'
Just a day after the Navi Mumbai police said that they might have to force employers to accommodate those going to Mumbai for work in the city, the Kalyan-Dombivali and Ulhasnagar civic bodies said that travelling to Mumbai would be prohibited from May 8 till further notice. Both corporations have started gathering information about employees who go to the city for work and will share it with the Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC).
With Mumbai becoming the epicentre of the COVID-19 infection, the civic bodies have observed that most positive cases are of people who travel to Mumbai for work, which includes police officers, BMC workers, bank and hospital employees, and their close contacts. The municipal commissioners had raised the issue with the chief minister during a video conference. Civic chief Pravin Pardeshi had assured that the process of accommodating BMC employees in nearby hotels would be initiated and other companies would also be told to do the same.
On Tuesday, the Kalyan-Dombivli and Ulhasnagar municipal corporations released a circular saying that May 8 was the deadline for employers to make arrangements in Mumbai, so that they don't have to travel every day. Both the corporations have issued email ids through which they are collecting details of employees.
Vijay Suryavanshi, KDMC commissioner, said, "This trend is worrisome. During our assessment we found that more than 50 per cent cases in the corporation area are due to such travellers. We understand that they travel to provide essential services in the city but rise in positive cases needs to stop. Till now we have received details of 100 employees. The data will be handed over to the BMC so that they can arrange for accommodation." He said that as far as employees of banks and private companies were concerned, the BMC had clarified that the respective firms would have to arrange for accommodation.
Send in the details
. For Ulhasnagar residents (govt employees) - covid19.umc.gov@gmail.com
. For KDMC residents (govt employees) - kdmc.covid19.gov@gmail.com
. For private company employees - kdmc.covid19.pvt@gmail.com
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Ola resumes service in 12 cities across the state amid lockdown
Ola Cabs began operations in 12 cities across Maharashtra, which are in green and orange zones from Monday. "Ola has resumed operations in over 100 cities across the country, adhering to the government guidelines. With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) easing restrictions in select zones across the country, Ola will ensure safety during all rides," a note from the company said.
Anand Subramanian, Ola spokesperson and head of communications said, "As we reopen our platform to millions of citizens and driver-partners whose livelihoods are dependent on this, the safety of both continues to be the priority. The fight against COVID-19 is a collective effort and will be possible with both our driver-partners and customers doing their bit to ensure that everyone has access to safe and high-quality mobility."
List of 12 cities in Maharashtra
Alibaug, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, Latur, Kolhapur, Nanded, Sangli, Wardha, Amravati, Chandrapur, Gondia, Jalna.
100
Total no. of cities Ola resumed their services across India
Five-step safety
For driver-partners:
1. No travel in red zones: Vehicles will not operate to and from red or containment zones.
2. Selfie-authentication of drivers: All driver-partners are required to wear masks and need to authenticate this before the start of every ride by sharing a selfie through their partner app.
3. Equipped with hygiene kits: Driver-partners will be provided with masks, sanitisers and disinfectants.
4. Cars to be cleaned regularly: Common surfaces like handles, seats to be cleaned before every ride.
5. Flexible cancellations: Drivers and customers may cancel a ride if the other is not wearing a mask.
For riders:
1. Mandatory masks: Customers must wear masks and sanitise before and after the ride.
2. Non-AC rides: To avoid re-circulation of air, the AC will be switched off and windows will be kept open.
3. Two passengers per car: Only two passengers will be allowed in the cab and they will be urged to sit by the windows.
4. Load and unload luggage themselves: To maintain social distancing, customers are urged to load and unload luggage themselves.
5. Cashless payments: Customers are encouraged to make cashless payments to avoid contact.
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Coronavirus outbreak: Containment zones cross 2,000 mark in Mumbai
With the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in the city, the total number of containment zones have crossed the 2,000 mark. Of these, 1,235 are in congested areas.
The Central and the state governments have ordered restarting some activities in the red zones across the country. As on May 4, the number of sealed areas in the city reached 2,083. Sixty per cent of the Containment Zones (CZ) are in congested areas like chawls and slum. Around 600 containment zones are in densely populated areas and require 24-hour police surveillance.
"While the exact number of people living in these containment areas cannot be calculated, around 400 to 500 people live in every CZ," said a senior civic officer, adding that CZs restrict the spread of COVID.
Till April 23, the number of CZs were 983 with 231 zones released after 14 days. The number of CZs increased two-fold in the past 11 days.
Shifting to CCCs
The BMC has now begun to shift mild-symptomatic and asymptomatic patients to Corona Care Centres II (CCC). The civic body has started these centres across the city with a total capacity of 17,651 beds. As of now, 1778 positive patients are taking treatment in these centres. The NSCI club in Worli with a capacity of 500 people, has 279 positive persons. Byculla which comes under the E-ward has 210 positive persons in CCC II. F-North (Wadala) has 210, G-North (Dharavi, Dadar) has 207, H-East (Bandra) has 124, K-West (Jogeshwari, Andheri West) has 194 and L-Ward (Kurla, Chembur) has 118 patients in the facility.
In institutional quarantine, the civic body managed to increase the capacity of CCCI to 20,462 beds. There are 7,771 high-risk contacts of positive patients staying in these centres.
There are around 10 lakh people living in containment zones in the city right now.
10 lakh
No. of people in containment zones in the city
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Why everyone loves a dead celebrity
All celebrity deaths aren't the same. Some are more equal than others. A chosen few are fine career moves; many more, simply indelible stamps to seal fading public memories. Even while so much of journalism involves telling readers that dear Ramesh is dead, when nobody knew dear Ramesh was alive.
Who's a celebrity, anyway? A neighbour we never had, in the form of an acquaintance we all do. We know them through their work (in varied fields), and therefore their passing on offers us a moment to collectively acknowledge/grieve the idea of death itself: "Oho he died is it? Sad." In the same way that we casually respond to vague, distant relatives passing away.
Ideally, I'd continue to believe the person is alive. It's not like I would've met them often, if at all, in any case. And they live on through our knowledge of their contributions. But that's an entry-level celebrity.
The expert level consists of what's called stardom, that mainly emanates from popular culture, involving entertainers and artistes, whose works and general personae draw us closer and closer, almost akin to owning them in a way that we do immediate family. Or more so school/college friends, since stars that appear closest are ones saved as childhood memories first.
There's also that sexual rite of passage that we attribute, in particular, to hot movie/rock-stars of our teens — a phenomenon that acceptably continues well into old age. No wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend ever felt jealous about their significant other, openly, obsessively lusting/thirsting for a famous actor/musician in general chit-chat. It's passed off as 'celebrity pass' (try going like that about your neighbour!). Maybe it's a necessary valve for sexual expression in a society that can be deeply prudish on such matters otherwise.
Where do these stars come to us from? Mainly, the screen. The fame which has been the monopoly of films and television (including live sports) — at least since the '70s and '80s, and up until user-generated social-media, spawning self-styled and home-made influencers.
Can't speak for the latter, but a deeply-felt obituary, more so mass-hysteria surrounding deaths of these stars from another sky, would please the recipients no end. It's the ultimate validation that artistes seek from the same humans who, through their art, they often pretend to hate!
And it is this final prize that masses feel naturally compelled to collectively award to an individual they feel deserves it, after all — not for something they did yesterday, day-before or even recently. They could be 'has-beens'. Which is, equally, to suggest that they 'have been'. The community outpouring is to acknowledge just that, for others to aspire for it as well.
The tragedy with such warm tributes is that they are delivered posthumously, having altogether lost value for the actual/ideal addressee. Sportspeople probably get the worst end of this stick. They peak before most careers formally begin. And from that point onwards, it's professional-fame only going downhill towards complete ignominy, until their death resurrects them into public imagination, while they aren't around to experience any of this lovely, concluding chapter of their own life!
This mass appreciation, of course, takes on a whole new meaning in the context of mainstream stars of Indian cinema. They're not just actors, who by my definition are professionals paid to exhibit temporary conditions of 'controlled insanity' — behaving like strange people, in stranger circumstances — and repeatedly returning to who they are.
But in doing so as lead actors, they become the all-purpose face of everything that we have loved about a film — its script/story and songs, choreography and musical compositions, genre and direction, cinematography, production design and editing… Not just the whole point, but the entire space a picture occupies in our collective nostalgia.
Every other artiste — musician, writer, painter — pretty much gains credit only for their own work. That's not true for a desi mainstream actor, on whose rockstar face has traditionally rested the full weight of India's popular culture. It's a huge burden to carry. Which explains the release that follows.
The image sometimes even dictates their whole life, while some spend a fair portion protecting it. No wonder, say a Suchitra Sen never stepped out of home at old age. Raj Kapoor, having learnt of his massive appeal in China only much later, chose never to visit, assuming he might disappoint fans who remembered him as the young man from Awaara or Shri 420.
Likewise, actor Amrish Puri, 72, told no one (in the public domain) that he was suffering from a rare form of blood cancer. I know this because he told me he was fine, killing off rumours to the contrary. His sudden death messed with nobody's memory of Mogambo.
The unparalleled public grief surrounding deaths of the new-age Irrfan, 53, and the old-world Rishi Kapoor, 67, in quick succession, while they had been ailing for a couple of years, has little do with any of what I've mentioned above.
It's do with a kite cut off, mid-flight — a great film stopped short of its crucial climax. Rishi Kapoor 2.0, as both actor and media presence, seemed dramatically more relevant than Rishi Kapoor 1.0. Irrfan was at the cusp of Hollywood royalty! Hurts more — especially once you imagine either as virtual family.
Mayank Shekhar attempts to make sense of mass culture. He tweets @mayankw14 Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper
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The govt needs to get itself in a clarity zone
Phase three of the COVID lockdown, which began on Monday, has made it clear that the government needs to be clear in its head before laying down rules and regulations.
First, there was massive confusion among citizens on the first two days about easing of restrictions two days ago, with local officials not being on the same page as Mantralaya top brass. There was confusion even among BMC's own ward officers over the rule about allowing five shops to stay open in one street. Excise officials had no clarity about opening shops, resulting in huge queues, with social distancing going for a toss. Late on Tuesday night, the civic body suddenly announced that all shops selling non-essentials, including liquor stores, will be closed from Wednesday. This is exactly where planning should have been done.
Respective ward authorities should have sat down with local shop-owners beforehand with a gameplan on how they could handle the long queues which were sure to form.
Also, there are private office ownerAlso, there are private office owners who may be working alone or may have a very small staff strength, wondering whether to go to work. People are wondering whether two or three people are allowed in private vehicles. There are so many questions that need clear, lucid answers.
When there are so many grey areas, rumours start to churn and then social media adds fuel to the mix, resulting in what we would like to call combustible confusion. Short tempers, bewildered people, different rules are all part of this mix, likely to erupt at any time. This also is counterproductive to the good work the government is doing.
Let us have more lucid communication in all aspects, using announcements and signboards to avoid panic emanating from the perplexed and perturbed. Green zones, red zones and orange zones in place, what we need most now is a clarity zone.
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Armed cops arrive to capture tiger on the loose. What happens next is hilarious!
Spotting a tiger during a walk is not an encounter you would wish to experience. With stories of wild animals being spotted in unusual places during the lockdown, seeing a tiger on the loose is the last thing you want and which might lead to chaos! This is exactly what happened when few people in countryside Kent in England called the police for help saying that they had spotted a tiger in the neighbourhood.
Armed policemen and a helicopter arrived at the scene to locate the tiger but to their surprise, they found that it was just a sculpture that looked like a real tiger!
Picture/Martha Simpson-Twitter
The incident was narrated by Twitter user Martha Simpson. She said that the tiger sculpture that armed cops with a helicopter came to hunt for, was made by her grandmother. She also shared the pictures of the incident in which the police officers were investigating the sculpture.
My Granny is a sculptress. Today 10 armed police and a helicopter were called to her house after walkers reported a tiger in the woods. This is the tiger. pic.twitter.com/Kn21npZPiS
— Martha (@marthasimpson__) May 2, 2020
Simpson was quoted by the Guardian as saying that her 85-year-old grandmother Juliet built the sculpture using chicken wires and resin 20 years ago. She said that her son called her on her phone to tell her about the armed police coming at her doorstep with their helicopters. "Ten of them! By then I could see the helicopter above, and I thought, goodness me. So then I walked up the road and saw the police Land Rover. I went up and said: 'Do you want to be introduced to this tiger?'" she was quoted by the Guardian.
Simpson went on to say that tiger’s sculpture never bothered anyone before this incident apart from dogs, adding that the police left after looking into the matter and establishing that the sculpture did not pose any risk to the public.
But the sculpture that created a buzz attracted some attention from netizens.
Congratulations to sculptor granny. ð¹ Whether granny wants to still sell the work or still keep it as landmark. Legendary!
— Imcha Imchen (@im_chat_sung) May 3, 2020
It's the tiger that came to tea! He's gorgeous!
— Hazel Preller (@pierkisser) May 3, 2020
Did it put smile on the police's face? Hope so.
— kharis (shig_ð¦ÂÂÂÂ) (@kharis_kun8) May 3, 2020
Tiger Queen as a sequel to Tiger King?
— Mitch Cohen (@MitchCohen12) May 3, 2020
A person, who has visited the spot calls it a 'great scuplture' and said that he visits the spot regularly for walks with his dogs.
Hilarious. Walk here with the dogs regularly. My kids love the swing very kindly left there. Great sculpture! pic.twitter.com/F3sHeTpYYk
— Phil (@PhilipRJSmith) May 3, 2020
What do you think about the post?
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Coronavirus Outbreak: This Grim Reaper spreads message of social distancing, wins internet
With the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak prompting governments to impose lockdowns in different parts of the world, officials have been coming up with creative ways to spread awareness and make people stay at home. From cops dressed as Yamraj, the god of death, to some cops wearing helmets with spikes that resemble that of the virus, the internet has seen it all.
Now, a lawyer dressed as the omen of death, ‘Grim Reaper’ has taken it upon himself to make sure people of Florida maintain social distance. Daniel Uhlfelder has been dressing up as the Grim Reaper and taking strolls of the Florida beach, that has been opened to public to ensure people maintain the advised distance from each other, that has also make netizens sit up and take notice of him.
Wearing a black ragged robe, a mask and carrying a long-handled scythe, Uhlfelder has posted photos of himself advising people not only to maintain social distance but also stay at home till the situation improves.
Stay home Florida pic.twitter.com/MV4fyAXvwu
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) May 1, 2020
Busy day pic.twitter.com/uBmjaHmp2r
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) May 1, 2020
Uhlfelder also announced on his Twitter account that he will be touring the beaches of Florida from May 1 to spread awareness about importance of social distancing, wearing the garb of the Grim Reaper. He has also sharing his experiences, especially his frequent run-ins with the police, while on tour.
Someone called the cops on my Grim Reaper tour pic.twitter.com/wTP1pPymm2
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) May 4, 2020
His pictures donning the scary garb has garnered more than 13,000 likes on Twitter. The Twitterati has been showering him with praises and support in the comments.
— Adrian Steelðµð»ð (@montana_steel) May 3, 2020
My family and I fully support you while we continue staying at home.
— Kenneth Sikora (@KennethSikora) May 1, 2020
— Laura Apollo (@lauraapollo) May 1, 2020
What do you think about the posts?
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Mumbai: Level 2 fire breaks out in residential building at Napean Sea Road, two women rescued
A fire was reported on the sixth floor of Atlas building in Napean Sea Road, on Tuesday morning. While no casualties were reported, two women were rescued from the building, a fire official said.
The fire was reported in the 11-storey residential building at 4:41 am on Tuesday and the fire brigade arrived at the scene at 4:55 am. As the intensity of the fire increased it was reported as a Level 2 fire. It gutted its two bedrooms, electric wiring and installations, wooden beds, bedding, furniture, and clothing, the official said.
The fire was brought under control within four hours, at 8.40 am, with the help of eight fire engines. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the official added.
(with PTI inputs)
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Coronavirus Outbreak: 12 cops from JJ Marg Police Station test positive
Days after nine constables from the Wadala police station tested positive for COVID-19, another 12 policemen of the JJ Marg Police Station have been found to be infected of the virus. As many as 48 cops, who came in contact with these 12 policemen, have been quarantined. Even a DCP of Mumbai Police has also been found tested positive for the pandemic.
The 12 infected cops include six police officers and six constables. According to the information received from the police, the infected policemen were deployed at checkpoints in the area within their jurisdiction. They have been admitted for treatment in hospitals near their homes. The treatment of these policemen is also being monitored by senior officers.
According to information from sources, the DCP who was tested positive for COVID-19 did not show any symptoms of the virus. He is currently undergoing treatment. The area the DCP is in charge of has containment zones that have been declared as red zones.
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Lockdown 3.0: Mumbai Police's coronavirus twist to Ludo leaves netizens in splits
On day 1 of the extended lockdown till May 17, Mumbai Police on Monday took to Twitter to share the importance of staying home amid the COVID-19 crisis. Giving a novel twist to one of the popular games during coronavirus lockdown, Mumbai Police latest meme inspired by Ludo struck a chord with netizens.
At times, it’s better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against Coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/v7KEmyjQic
— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 4, 2020
While sharing the Ludo-inspired meme, Mumbai Police said, "At times, it's better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against novel coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona." The latest post by Mumbai Police urged people to stay home and not to try their luck by venturing out amid the coronavirus crisis.
Salute To Our Corona Warriors ðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂ
— Aaryen Tiwari (@AaryenTiwari) May 4, 2020
A Huge Respect ðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂ#IndiaSalutesCoronaWarriors
In the post, one can see tokens of all the four players inside the house with the COVID-19 virus occupying the place on the path of the Ludo board. While sharing the coronavirus twist Ludo game post with their followers, Mumbai Police sent a strong message showing how staying at home can be the only safe bet the COVID-19 epidemic.
Best example for current situation
— Pooja Chauhan (@PoojaCh39757719) May 4, 2020
Mumbai Police also put a hard hitting caption on the picture which read, "The safest place to be is IN #TakingOnCorona." Since being shared online, the post has garnered over 600 likes and about 5,000 re-tweets. Even Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra retweeted the post with heart emoticons of various colours. Besides Parineeti, hundreds of users lauded Mumbai Police's unique take on creating awareness on the importance of being home amid lockdown.
— Parth (@PresidentPique) May 4, 2020
One user commented, "Best example for current situation," while another user said, "So creative my god!." A third user wrote, "Kudos to ur creative team!!!." Lauding the Mumbai Police a fourth user said, "We will prefer to staying at home only."
Here's how netizens reacted to Mumbai Police's twist to Ludo game:
Thank you very much to all the police system. No matter how big the crisis is from now on, only the police system will stand before us as God.
— Sandip Jondhale (@SandipJondhale6) May 4, 2020
So creative my god!!ðÂÂÂðÂÂÂðÂÂÂ
— Sonam Upadhyay (@Sonam22Upa) May 4, 2020
At times, it’s better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against Coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/v7KEmyjQic
— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 4, 2020
At times, it’s better to not try your luck. Staying at home is your best bet against Coronavirus. #GameOfLife #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/v7KEmyjQic
— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 4, 2020
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Lockdown 3.0: Prohibitory orders in Mumbai to continue till May 17, says top cop
Prohibitory orders which ban assembly of four or more people under Section 144 of the CrPC have been extended in Mumbai until May 17 because of the extension of the lockdown, said Pranaya Ashok, DCP Mumbai Police.
Mumbai has been declared as a red zone due to high number of coronavirus cases.
Read the circular
The order read, "We have extended section 144 of CrPC which restricts any public gathering."
All movement of people for all non-essential activities, except for medical reasons is prohibited between 8 pm to 7 am.
It has also been further decided that the social distancing norms (minimum of 6 feet of distance) shall be followed at all times.
The order came into force in the area under the control of the Commissioner of Police with effect from 12:01 am on May 4th and will end at 12 am on May 18th, unless withdrawn earlier.
Violators will be prosecuted under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, he added.
(with inputs from PTI)
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As cases rise, BMC starts building hospital capacity
The city recorded a whopping 510 new COVID-19 positive cases on Monday and another 19 deaths over the past 24 hours. According to civic officials, 10 of the patients who died had co-morbidities and of them, nine were senior citizens.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started enhancing the capacity of major hospitals set up for treatment of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms including Nair, SevenHills and St George Hospitals. Civic officials said that they would be increased in capacity from the current 3,000 beds to 4,750 beds over the next couple of days. As part of the initiative of identifying senior citizens who are at risk of contracting the virus, the civic body has identified 691 senior citizens between April 27 and May 3. All of them have low oxygen saturation problems. They were referred to civic-run and private hospitals in their respective wards for comprehensive treatment.
The number of cases in Dharavi crossed 600 on Monday after 42 new cases were reported in the area. Seven of those cases were from the Matunga labour camp. Four other cases were reported in Dadar and three new cases were reported in Mahim.
Meanwhile, G North ward, which includes areas like Worli and Lower Parel, crossed 800 cases with 60 new cases reported on Monday. Sharad Ughade, assistant municipal commissioner of G North ward, said that the cases were mainly from the BDD chawl and VP Nagar. He added that 30 patients were discharged after full recovery and apart from having the highest number of cases in the city, G North also had the highest number of discharged patients. Meanwhile, a Sena corporator, who holds a position in BMC also tested positive. Civic sources said that she has been admitted to Global Hospital in Parel. State health department officials said that a total of 771 patients tested positive today and 35 deaths were reported in Maharashtra on Monday. The 19 deaths from Mumbai include a resident of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, seven deaths were reported in Pune, five in Akola, one each in Solapur, Aurangabad, Thane and Nanded.
Civic body to give jobs to kin of deceased
In view of four BMC workers succumbing to the COVID-19 infection the civic body announced that jobs would be given to their kin. However, they will be assigned based on vacancies of posts like worker, porter, peon and clerk, and also the candidates' educational qualifications.
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No new jobs, promotions, extra expenses for state government
In view of the financial hit the state is likely to take owing to the pandemic, the state government has taken several austerity measures.
New schemes, construction, purchases by the state have been barred while new jobs will not be created. Employees will not be transferred and promoted this financial year.
A resolution issued by the chief secretary on Monday said that the current schemes will have to run on 33 per cent grant instead of 100 per cent. Health, medical education, relief and rehabilitation, food and civil supplies departments will get priority in state funding.
'Review schemes'
The departments have been asked to review current schemes and work on them with a limited budget.
However, there will be no cut in essential spendings like salaries and pension payments.
Pending bills to be paid
Buying gizmos, furniture and hiring offices have not been allowed. The expenses on event management have been curtailed. The pending bills will be paid using whatever the finances are available.
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Navi Mumbai may 'force Mumbai employers' to provide staff lodging
With the rising number of COVID-19 positive patients in Navi Mumbai, the Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner last week asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accommodate its employees in the city. The Navi Mumbai police commissioner on Monday, however, added to it by saying that if the cases continued to rise in the satellite city due to residents travelling to Mumbai for work, the administration will have to "force employers to accommodate their employees" in the city.
The Corona patient tally in Navi Mumbai jumped massively last week with more than 180 new cases reported in just seven days. The doubling rate of patients slid from 11 days to just six days within a week. This became a major cause of concern for NMMC and the police. According to the NMMC, of the last 180 cases, 90 per cent are related to employees working in essential services and travelling from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai every day.
In a Facebook message on Sunday evening, NMMC Commissioner Annasaheb Misal said, "We have raised this issue in a video conference with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and also conveyed the same to BMC Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi. The BMC has agreed and will be asking hospitals and BEST to convey it to their employees."
The matter, however, escalated on Monday when Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar took to Twitter. "All people in essential services are requested to desist from commuting daily to Mumbai and back. Only visit if your job is crucial. Ask your employer to make arrangements nearby. Otherwise, you are exposing your family to COVID-19. One person infected 14 of his family members," he tweeted, adding that if the trend continued, "we have to force the employer to make arrangements at the workplace."
Around 4,000 to 5,000 bankers travel every day from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai with the banks rotating 33 per cent of their staff every day and exposing all employees to the public in a week’s time. "The same goes for doctors and the police. We request all the authorities concerned to look into it," Kumar said.
He also spoke of the infection spreading in Vashi’s APMC market. "Many vendors and merchants travel to Navi Mumbai from nearby towns and villages. We are making a list of such people and will ask them to stay in Navi Mumbai so that there won’t be any further spread."
‘Taking utmost care’
A senior officer of Mumbai Police commented on the tweet saying the police were endangering their lives for more than 12 hours a day. "We are taking utmost care regarding our personnel but if they carry the infection, it will be an unfortunate but inevitable thing. One should not get too picky while saving their jurisdiction,"
he said.
4.5k
No. of bankers who travel daily to city
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Mumbai family stranded in Sri Lanka amid lockdown says, 'No one has checked on us'
When Simon Lewis and his family — wife Irene, daughter Melissa and son-in-law Stephen Alexander — got ready for a five-day holiday to Sri Lanka, it was to be a short break from work routine.
Simon, a Dahisar native, said, "On March 11, we called the Sri Lankan Embassy in Colombo, because we did have some qualms about the Coronavirus, but the official reassured us that all was well in Sri Lanka, flights were operational, and we could certainly fly."
On March 14, the family flew to Sri Lanka. Simon said, "We had return tickets on Air India on March 20. A day before we got a message saying that the flight was cancelled and rescheduled to March 21. Then, that flight got cancelled without explanation or apology!"
The Lewis' then booked flights on Sri Lankan Airlines for March 26 which got cancelled too, because of the lockdown. They have not got refunds. They have now been in Sri Lanka for more than 40 days without a clue about when they will return.
Simon, 62, is a Marketing Director with a pharma and aerosol company. He said the family is now, "living in a house on rent in Negombo," a small beach town close to the Bandaranaike International Airport. "We are going about our daily life with severe difficulties. We do not have any contacts over here. Our expenses have skyrocketed. Bank transfers are also a problem. As a businessman, it is humiliating to beg the bank to transfer funds. I need to pay salaries to my staff and process my pending payments so that I do not incur penalties."
Multifold challenges
Simon's wife Irene, 61, said they are also "finding it difficult to source Ayurvedic medicine for psoriasis." Stress and a food allergy have aggravated her condition. Her daughter Melissa added, "We are stranded here for 45 days and have registered with the Indian Embassy but no one has checked on us even once." The media professional is concerned about being laid off from work. Sri Lanka has been in lockdown too, so it is difficult for them to access their daily provisions.
Stephen Alexander, freelance TV/film director, said, "I have lost out on a lot of projects due to the lockdown. Being stranded here is aggravating an already very difficult situation. Missed deadlines mean no income. There is no respite from the Embassy or the government." A weak internet connection adds to their work woes.
The Lewis family added that Pakistan nationals have returned home on rescue flights, Indonesians have gone home too, but Indians are stranded.
No response
There are a number of seafarers from Tamil Nadu who are also suffering here. "We read that those in the Gulf were brought back to India. Why not us? We who pay our
taxes to the government," they questioned.
An official from the High Commission of India in Colombo stated, "We have no information with reference to rescue flights. Since we have no inputs, I cannot give you any information," he finished.
45
No. of days the family has been stranded in Sri Lanka
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Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier
In graphic company
No one likes wearing a mask and the faces on the wall make the displeasure clear, but it's safety first for this man at Thakur Village, Kandivli, on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde
Music makes a difference
Singer Chinmayi Sripaada, known not just for her work but also for causes close to her heart, is at it again. On social media, she is offering to sing a personalised song or a birthday wish in return for a donation for a Coronavirus-related charity. "I have a collated list of families who need support," she told this diarist. She has taken as many as 1,277 requests so far for over 500 beneficiary families in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and Karnataka. "I have been singing on requests and birthday wishes for a long time without monetising it. I thought, why not change it into a donation drive?" she reasoned.
How art matters today
Gayatri and Vikas Oberoi with sons Vihaan (in green tee) and Yuvaan (in red)
Real estate developer Vikas and Gayatri Oberoi's son, Vihaan, 13, is an aspiring artist, studying at the Oberoi International School. His passion led him to pursue acrylic painting and drawing. The self-taught youngster's tools vary from painting knives to cooking pan lids. He particularly enjoys working on multiple canvases making diptychs and triptychs as he loves the disconnection and continuity of such form of paintings. Vihaan shares, "Knowing the situation we are in, and learning about the hardships people are facing under lockdown, I have used my time at home to compile my work for an online exhibition (https://colorwaysbyvihaan.org). I was always keen on holding a show; it's fulfilling to know that it will help people in need." Proceeds will be collected by the Oberoi Foundation and donated to NGO Teach for India's COVID-19 Relief and Learning Fund. "I hope my art brings as much positivity to people, as creating it did for me," adds Vihaan. His parents have always been encouraging: "We are thrilled that he can contribute to a cause when it is most needed. We will continue to guide his creative mind and generosity, and are thankful for the appreciation he has received."
Vihaan painting
Taking the stage for 10 years
City-based theatre production company Tpot has turned 10. Formed in 2010 by actor, writer and director Trishla Patel and her husband Vishal Capoor, they have been sharing interesting tidbits and behind-the-scene moments about some of their iconic productions including Aaj Rang Hai, Char Small, Zinga Zinga Roses and In Search of an Author. Patel told this diarist that she didn't foresee herself hitting this milestone. "I thought I'd do one play. I didn't even have a name for the company; it came about over a drunken night with my husband at a Chinese restaurant. I feel like my writing and plays have grown more mature over time" she added.
Pawse and post
Spending time with the doggo on your daily commute never failed to make your day better. So, while you cannot do that as often now, here's an opportunity to relive those happy moments. The Welfare of Stray Dogs (WSD) India has started an Instagram campaign where all you need to do is post a picture with a streetie taken pre-lockdown, tag WSD and five other people and use the hashtags #LockdownSpiritsUp, #wsd and #wsdindia. About the importance of this project, Abodh Aras, CEO of WSD, told this diarist, "During these times of uncertainty, the initiative focusses on how the street dogs and cats bring about positivity and cheer. Just looking at these photos brings a smile to our faces. And it nudges us take care of them too."
Soirée with Shabana Azmi
Last week, Manjul Publishing House started a live event, titled Dastaan-e-Sheron Shayaari on Instagram which ends today. And the weekend saw journalist and poet Atika Farooqui in conversation with Shabana Azmi. Here, viewers got to listen to Azmi's views on life during the lockdown, her accident and growing up in Janki Kutir, Juhu. She spoke about the independent film Waterborne that she was part of 15 years ago, which was to be released on Google's video store only, and mentioned how people expressed their hesitance of the online medium to her. But Azmi had said then, "Yeh humara future hai aur is future ke liye hum ko abhi se preparation karna padega."
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Now, Maharashtra students stuck in Delhi call for help
After Kota, now hundreds from Maharashtra are stuck in Delhi and want to return home. They include students and candidates preparing for civil services examination. So far, around 1,500 of them have sought help.
Several of them took to Twitter to share their woes, prompting the student leaders in Maharashtra to extend assistance. Recently, the state government brought back around 2,000 students from Kota after they raised concerns about food availability, as many were staying in PG accommodation. Just like Kota students, those in Delhi are also dependent on instant food items, like Maggi, to survive.
Most of the 1,500 residents wanting to leave Delhi are candidates aspiring to be civil servants. One of them is Rajesh Bonawate, who is spearheading the students and his fellow candidates' efforts to return home. "Political leaders have made arrangement at Karol Bagh for people to collect food daily, but it is not convenient to go there during the lockdown. So, many of us are now dependent on instant food items that we buy from nearby shops. But how long can we sustain like this?" asked Bonawate. A professor from Pune, he is preparing for Union Public Service Commission in Delhi.
Bonawate believes the number of people wanting to return home would increase in a couple of days as the news about Maharashtra making efforts to bring back its residents has just started to spread.
"Many of us can pay for tickets to go home, but there are others who cannot as their parents have lost jobs. Some of their parents are farmers who have suffered major losses," he added.
Ashish Thakre, another student from Amravati, said, "We hope Maharashtra government takes swift action to help us."
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BMC braces for surge in cases, to recruit 3,000 medical staffers
The civic body is bracing for the Centre's projection of a high number of COVID-19 cases in the coming days and to ensure full preparedness, it has beefed up work on new facilities to treat patients and has started recruiting additional medical staff to run these centres.
Senior BMC officials said that a major recruitment drive is underway to hire over 3,000 doctors, nurses and ward boys on a contractual basis. BMC is planning to rope in medical staff from the city and the green zones across the state. A senior civic official said a circular has been sent out to deans of medical colleges and ward officials for the recruitment.
Civic officials said they are preparing for around 70,000 COVID-19 cases over the next two weeks. "We will hire doctors who are part of the Indian Medical Association as well as interns, post graduate students from private medical colleges for the COVID Care Centres (CCC). Since the centres are meant for asymptomatic patients, there is no need for specialised medical equipment and can be run by a basic medical staff," the senior BMC official said. He added that the doctors, nurses and ward boys will be hired for a period of three months.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, however, said there will be some restrictions for doctors. We will only allow specialists who aged below 55 years as a precautionary measure, he said, adding, "The new recruits will work in three shifts."
The BMC is setting up CCCs for asymptomatic patients in various schools and colleges. Besides, city's largest centre, with a capacity of 1,000 beds, is coming up at the MMRDA grounds at BKC. "The work is underway and we are trying to complete it by next week. The centre will have beds and oxygen supply, but no ventilators," said an MMRDA official, adding that Jupiter Hospital in Thane is helping with designing the centre.
It will also have a laboratory that will be the primary testing centre for complete blood count and haematology. The MMRDA official said they will bear the cost of construction while the BMC will provide the staff and other support to run the facility.
The decision on who will run the facility is yet to be taken, said a civic official, adding, "The state government may ask a medical college to handle it."
3
Total no. of months the doctors, nurses and ward boys will be hired for
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CR, WR turn lockdown to their advantage, fix old, dangerous bridges
Finally, city's old and dangerous road overbridges got the much-needed attention, thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown. Central Railway and Western Railway turned the restriction on public's movement to its advantage by fixing the bridges along their respective lines.
While CR completed work on Byculla road bridge, National Highway bridge at Kasara and the busy road overbridge at Kopar, WR fixed a bridge crossing the lines at Dharavi and the one in Andheri is near-completion.
26 days to fix Byulla bridge
The old Byculla road overbridge was patched up with 70 bracket fixtures over the past 26 days at a cost of R13.811 lakh; the complete project was worth R1.13 crore. "Without lockdown, it would have taken more than two months to finish the work," a senior official pointed out.
CR fixed the bridge near Umbermali station with the help of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the last four days of April
"On Western Railway, work on strengthening the important Dharavi bridge girders was completed during the lockdown. In addition, one span of Andheri pipeline bridge was strengthened," WR's chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar said.
CR takes NHAI help
Another important work on CR was to patch up the road overbridge near Umbermali in Kasara, which had been declared dangerous in the IIT-Bombay survey. The bridge was fixed in the last four days of April, taking advantage of the lockdown and with assistance from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
The bridge near Umbermali station of Mumbai suburban railway was taken up for repairs following the joint recommendation of the IIT-B and the railways. CR sought the NHAI's assistance since the bridge passes under the Mumbai-Agra National Highway near Shirol village, over the rail lines between Umbermali and Kasara stations. The work involved repair of the slab upgrade, removing and relaying concrete, dismantling of about two metres of parapet wall and recasting it firmly.
Work sans disruption
An official involved in the upgrade said the work was completed in just a few days and involved no train cancellations. "We called 15 labourers from the NHAI and seven from the railways, and all the problems raised in the IIT survey were resolved," he added.
Additionally, the dismantling and upgrade work of road overbridge at Kopar has also been taken up in co-ordination with Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Had there been no lockdown, the work would have required a block leading to disruption in services of numerous local and outstation trains.
"Initially, it was decided to use diamond cutters that would have required 45 days with two hours of daily blocks at night. Now, during the lockdown, it's being done with concrete breaker, in day time. Work started on April 17," an official said. "The lockdown has given us an opportunity to renew and pump energy into the old infrastructure," CR's chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said.
In 2019, CR and WR had identified weak and corrosive bridges along the lines with the help of IIT-B teams. The joint safety audit has being conducted of all the 445 road overbridges and foot overbridges in Mumbai in order to ensure commuters' safety.
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Clearances delay rolling of trains carrying migrants
Trains that are scheduled to take migrants to their native places have been lined up at various railway stations across the state but a delay in receiving clearances from other states have started to affect the entire process.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior railway official said, "On Monday, two trains had been lined up. One was to travel from Akola to Lucknow, while the other from Bhiwandi to Jaipur, but the problem is that they are confirmed at the last moment." While the Akola-Lucknow train left at 6 pm on Monday with 1,200 passengers, the Bhiwandi-Jaipur one will leave late in the night.
The official further said, "The train from Vasai that left early Sunday morning was originally scheduled to leave at 12.30 pm the previous day. Due to delayed permissions and procedure, the train finally left at 4 am on Sunday."
While so far six trains have left from the Central Railway section, 16 have left from the Western Railway segment. Senior officials said that the arrival of a large number of migrants at the same time is leading to problems in receiving states. This is because on arrival, state government officials receive them and make arrangements of their stay at isolation centres before sending them to their respective districts, and at many places these arrangements take a lot of time. Also, if two trains arrive at the same time, it becomes difficult for the receiving state to manage, hence delaying the entire process.
The journey so far...
From MMR region
Bhiwandi-Gorakhpur train 1,104 migrants
Vasai-Gorakhpur train 1,200 migrants
Bhiwandi-Jaipur Lined up tonight
Other trains
Nashik-Bhopal train 314 migrants
Nashik-Lucknow train 847 migrants
Nagpur-Lucknow train 977 migrants
Akola-Jaipur train 1,200 migrants
Besides this, 15 other trains have left from the WR segment with 1,200 migrants each.
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Coronavirus outbreak: Mulund sees spike in cases, goes from 71 to 123 in 24 hours
Mulund's T ward saw the biggest spike in COVID-19 positive cases since March 2020 on Monday. There were 52 cases reported in 24 hours taking the number to 123. The number of containment zones has reached 33.
But, a major cause for concern is that the cases reported are from the slum pockets of Mulund West.
Mulund had comparatively kept the infection down till date.
There were 71 patients reported in Mulund till date, of which 52 are under treatment. There were 28 containment zones declared till now, of which 18 are active.
Authorities are on alert as Indira Nagar (19 cases), Ramgadh (15 cases) have slums. Rigorous testing and screening camps have been held in these areas.
"We had conducted camps to trace more patients, we have now received positive reports of 52 people in one day," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner (T ward) Kishor Gandhi.
According to T ward data, Amar Nagar found three new cases, Indira Nagar, 31 more cases and Ramgadh, 8 new cases in the last 24 hours. "The rising number in slum pockets is definitely worrisome, as they have narrow lanes and common toilets," said a health official on condition anonymity.
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Coronavirus outbreak: Eight 'high-risk' patients from Govandi test positive
Eight residents of Panchsheel chawl in Govandi — who were classified as high-risk patients after they came in contact with a deceased 55-year-old woman, whose death was posthumously ruled as due to COVID-19 tested positive on Sunday evening.
These high-risk patients had been kept at a quarantine facility in Mahul over the weekend and after their results came, they were shifted to an isloation centre in Shivaji Nagar. "The reports came in yesterday (Sunday) at 6 pm while we were still in Mahul," one of the eight people who have tested positive said.
"All of us were classified as high-risk patients. We will have to stay here for the next 14 days. This place is much better than the quarantine facility in Mahul. There we would only get vada pav to eat and the place had water issues. The doctors here asked us what our symptoms, but not many of us have a fever. We have been allotted rooms here and two people can stay in one room," the patient added.
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Coronavirus outbreak: BMC tells positive patient in Dharavi to isolate at home
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been readying quarantine centres and acquiring hospitals for COVID-19 patients, but it seems it hasn't quite decided whom to let in. The 32-year-old wife of a COVID-19 positive patient from Dharavi has been running from pillar to post to get him to a hospital. The 35-year-old who requires dialysis, tested positive on May 1 but BMC officials allegedly advised her to quarantine him at home, as he is asymptomatic.
When she pointed out that they stay in a 180 sq ft house with senior citizen parents, they allegedly did not pay much heed. While the BMC maintains that asymptomatic patients are not hospitalised, the patient has become a potential threat not just to his family but to the whole SRA building with 91 flats, where they stay.
Neighbours and relatives of a COVID-19 positive person admitted to Sion Hospital being stamped. Pic/Suresh Karkera
"I repeatedly called the COVID-19 Helpline. They asked my husband's age and his other illnesses. But when they came to know he is asymptomatic, they told me to quarantine him at home. I told them we live in a 180 sq feet home with senior citizen parents, but they didn't pay attention," said the wife of the patient.
The patient needs to get dialysis done every three days from last year. "I don't know why they are doing this. Last week a patient was found in our building, and he also required dialysis. They took him to a hospital, but are refusing to take me. I am worried about my father and mother, who are senior citizens. In a house like this, how can we maintain physical distance?" the patient said.
"Home quarantine is not possible for him. The authorities should look into this matter and provide assistance. The family is also financially weak. The father of the patient, a former Indian Navy personnel, runs the house. Now they have approached the Mumbai police for help," said a family friend of the patient.
"Asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patients are not required to be admitted in a hospital. I don't have the details of this patient, but I will ask officials to inquire and we can also arrange for dialysis for him at JJ Hospital," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner G/North Ward Kiran Dighavkar. A BMC official said if the patient's conditions worsens, he will be admitted.
180
The area (in sq feet) of the house the man stays in with his wife and aged parents
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Lockdown holds up housing society's repairs once more
The Shiv Sneh Co-operative Housing Society in Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, has been dealt another blow as the much-needed building repair work has come to a halt twice in past few months. The repairs initially came to a halt last September, when the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC) found itself in trouble. The society had R85 lakh in its Sion branch, which they haven't received yet. In March, when the society once again started the repair work using funds from their other bank account, it had to be stopped due to the lockdown over the COVID-19 spread as Pratiksha Nagar is in the red zone. Now with the work pending, the residents are worried about their fate this monsoon.
Kashinath Rokade, secretary of the society said, "We have been told that pre-monsoon work can be started, but are awaiting for the lockdown to be called off after May 17, and the contractor has assured us he will get the waterproofing done within two to three weeks, with some interior work. The painting of exterior building can be done post monsoon."
The 166 (flat and commercial shop) owners attached to the four wings (A,B,C,D) of the building were all set to abide by the structural consultants audit report and promptly floated bids calling in for tenders, which took almost four to five months of hard work starting February 2019. Finally they zeroed in on the contractor, M/s Viswakarma Civil Constructions, Kalwa, Thane and selected them to carry out repairs, civil work including waterproofing and painting work for a total consideration of approximately R52 lakh, as per their tender, explained society chairman Mahesh Adate.
Rokade showing the state of the repairs in October 2019
Repairs were on
Adate added, "The building was to undergo repairs for the first time since it was handed over to the society by MHADA in 2008 and since then office bearers were collecting repair funds under monthly maintenance of approximately R1,800 from members. A huge corpus of nearly R85 lakh, in the form of Fixed Deposits and other savings, were in the society's name with the PMC, Sion branch."
The society had even issued work order to M/s Viswakarma paying an advance of R5 lakh, as against the contract signed. Since August 15, the scaffoldings were put across the building structures, and work of removing old plaster was in process. As per the contract the entire work was to be completed within four months time period.
Adate added, "Most of the occupants in the building (nearly 80 percent) are working class people which include senior citizens, who have been residing her for over a decade."
According to Adate, MHADA had issued a lottery for this MIG (Middle Income Group) way back in 2005 for a consideration of R10 lakh - R11 lakh including stamp duty and registration, where each flat is around 450 sq feet carpet and commercial outlets allotted admeasuring 150-160 sq feet (Carpet). In 2008, MHADA handed over the building to the society and since then the society has been collecting funds for repairs.
PMC scam shocking
Adate said, "We were taken by surprise, when we learnt about the abrupt directives from RBI putting restrictions on PMC bank. We had to arrange for funds, as the contractor had already sent a letter seeking clearance of additional fund for carrying out the work, and we were left in the lurch."
When asked why the society does not have any other bank account, besides the one with PMC bank and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank, the society office bearers said, "We have always been told that under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, housing societies should mandatorily have accounts only with co-operative banks, hence we abided by the rules. Also our society accountant had no problem banking with PMC, everything was going on smoothly, till last week."
When informed that society accounts can be opened in nationalised banks too, they said, "We are ready to open a new account with a nationalised bank, provided PMC transfers all our society funds there."
When asked how they will finish the remaining payment, Adate added, "We will have to start taking contributions from members. Also we have not got any response to the legal notice issued to PMC Bank on behalf of our society. We may contemplate taking the matter to the consumer court against PMC Bank."
He said that nearly 25 societies in Pratiksha Nagar have deposited money with PMC bank and the whole figure may be in crores of rupees.
Expert speak
Senior property lawyer Vinod Sampat said, "The Reserve Bank of India has been forced to take drastic action against PMC bank, this will result in a financial cut to be taken by each of the societies who had deposited their funds. As far as legal action by the affected cooperative society against PMC bank goes, I am afraid that the provisions of the banking regulation act will supersede it and the financial losses, being caused to it (the society)."
"The need of the day is that harsh laws be framed, whereby doing a wrongful act is made as a deterrent to persons who fail to perform their duty with criminal intent. Punishment should be awarded by courts in a short span of time in such financial frauds, so that a strong message is sent out. The law should not remain a paper tiger," he added.
Rs 85 lakh
What the society's account in PMC Bank holds
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Lockdown 3.0 in Mumbai: Confusion on streets, local officials mum
Monday was a confusing mess with the BMC not issuing clear orders on the reopening of shops and liquor stores. Many ward officers did not allow any shops to open until orders came from the municipal commissioner and clarification on what shops can remain open on one street.
Wine shops in Dahisar were not allowed to reopen. "We haven't received any circular, guidelines from the headquarters. Until that happens, we can't allow non-essential or wine shops to open," said Sandhya Nandedkar, assistant commissioner of R North ward. In Dadar-Worli area, wine shops were closed. "There isn't any order from the BMC. The shops can't open without proper permissions," said Prakash Patankar, ex-corporator from Dadar.
A crowd outside a wine shop in Walkeshwar on Monday. Pic/Bipin Kokate
"The state's order said that not more than five shops can open on one road. How can we select the shops? Shop-owners who want to resume business should apply to us," said a senior BMC officer. But the BMC has not issued a circular regarding such applications. Even BMC officers were confused over action on wine shops, some of which were open throughout the day, without the corporation's order.
Shopkeepers exasperated
A Worli shop-owner said, "Whose orders are to be followed? There is a lot of confusion, we are already in a mess and what the government is doing is harassment."
"The new MHA notification is a good start to get the economy moving. Mumbai has rules apart from the state notification — of only opening five non-essential stores per lane. There is a requirement to get further clearances from local authorities," said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India.
People wait to buy liquor outside a shop in Mulund. Pic/Rajesh Gupta
Municipal chief Praveen Pardeshi was not available for comment.
Early birds get nothing
Wine shops across the city saw people queuing up right from 6 am on Monday, expecting to quickly procure the available stock. Amid confusion over the reopening, police eventually dispersed everyone. Queues were seen in Lalbaug, Parel, Kalachowkie, Matunga, Sion and Mahim.
On Monday morning, Sachin Jadhav, standing outside Circle wine shop in Matunga, said, "I have been without alcohol for 45 days. I am ready to consume it." Another shopper, Rajesh Pandit, said, "The shop has been closed for a month and a half. There is a fear that it will run out of stock very soon. Which is why I got up early in the morning."
People queue up to buy liquor in Vile Parle East. Pic/Rane Ashish
Quiet Bandra
In Bandra, most groceries and pharmacies operated as per usual. A couple of shops selling electronic items kept shutters half open. No stationery or hardware shops were open. An optician on Hill Road was among the few shops open to regular customers. Owner Piyush Chheda said he opened shop even though there isn't much clarity on rules. "Customers have been calling regarding their orders. It is an essential item. I opened the shop at 10:30 am and will close at 2:30 pm," said Chheda.
A garment store, Fascination, was open near Khar Pali Road. Owner Shiv Dang said, "We opened the shop at noon and will be open till 7 pm. We called only half the staffers who live nearby." Dang did not receive any communication from BMC.
H West ward officials said they haven't received orders from the BMC. "We are hoping to get directions from senior officials by the end of the day about which five shops may remain open. We will inform shop-owners accordingly," said an official.
While most wine shops were shut, Silver Coin Wines on Ambedkar Road opened and saw a crowd of at least 100, some of them without a mask.
Chaotic Mulund wine shops
In Mulund, shops opened in the morning but shut down around noon, with only pharmacies allowed to remain open. "We have been open all this while and our business remains unaffected. Though supply is limited to important medicines," said a pharmacist.
A liquor shop at Ambedkar Road, Bandra on Monday morning
Wine shops were the main attraction with complete chaos, long queues, no social distancing. Shops at Mulund check naka, LBS Road, Veena Nagar had long queues and crowds.
Grocers followed the usual specified timings. Milind Gala from Mulund East said, "Though all kinds of shops have been allowed to remain open, supply is limited." The limited timings also saw more crowds.
A few stationery vendors said there had been no orders from local civic officials or police on reopening. "There is too much confusion and we will end up losing our licence. Hence, we decided to remain closed," said Jayeshbhai from Mulund west.
Why open wine shops?
Mulund resident Keshav Madhukar said, "Though the easing of the lockdown is welcome, there seems to be confusion among heads of departments in implementing orders. There is no clarity on how things will work."
Another resident Gaurav Kumar said, "At the check naka in Mulund, there were crowds at liquor shops. Is this supposed to be a lockdown in a red zone?"
Another citizen Risshita Gada said, "Was it so important to open wine shops? How will social distancing be followed?"
Later in the day, BMC's T Ward tweeted clarifying that except for essential commodity shops, no other shops were allowed to open.
Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha said, "I have put up details of which shops will remain open and which won't. I have also met around 140 housing society secretaries via video conferencing to discuss the way forward. If you need to step out, make a proper plan. List things up and fetch all of it in one go."
Borivli residents saddened
Residents of Borivli were rather disappointed as absolutely no wine shops were open. Among the non-essential shops allowed to open, only two- and four-wheeler mechanics, sweets and farsan shops and small stationary outlets which had photocopy machines were allowed to open. A few hardware and electronic repair shops were open, while groceries and pharmacies functioned as usual.
Residents also queued up outside wine shops early morning. "People started queuing up from 8.30-9 am. The crowd soon left as shops did not open. But people kept checking in throughout the day," said Jitesh Jain, who runs a grocery shop in I C Colony, where two to three wine shops are located nearby. "Looking at what has happened at other wine shops, it is good that the ones here were closed," said a customer, Harish Ganega who was in the queue at Jain's shop.
Other non-essential shop-owners remained confused. Dheeraj Purohit, owner of Purohit sweets and farsan shop outside Borivli station, said, "We opened today and will most likely shut by lunch time. We wanted to see how it works, whether social distancing is possible. There is similar confusion among several shop-owners which is why many are closed."
Mira Road groceries reopen
Grocery shops opened after 13 days in Mira Road and saw long queues. The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had imposed a complete lockdown from April 20 to May 2. Only milk booths and pharmacies were allowed to remain open for a few hours.
Other than groceries and bakeries, no other shops were allowed to open. Milk booths were open till 11 am and pharmacies till 9 pm.
MBMC allowed grocery and bakery shops to remain open from 9 am to 3 pm. Vegetable vendors are still not allowed on roads or in open spaces and MBMC has permitted only home delivery. "We bought enough groceries last month, but some items like tea powder, groundnuts are finished. How can we ask for home deliveries for such a small order?" said a customer in a queue at Shiv Shakti shop. Another woman said that while groceries were giving home delivery, shops selling various flours, spices and coconuts were closed.
Andheri comes alive
Andheri seemed lively and bustling since morning. Although not all wine shops were open, the ones that were, like Pinky Wines in Oshiwara, had serpentine queues stretching more than 200 metres. People even waited throughout the afternoon when the shop was closed for lunch. General stores had longer queues than usual.
There was a visible increase in the number of vehicles plying between Andheri and Juhu. Lokhandwala Market had numerous cars double parked on the road. Four bungalows too, was packed and bustling till around noon, but slowed down after cops began patrolling.
13
No. of days after which groceries opened in Mira Road
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Coronavirus outbreak: Liquor tap sputters to life, queues flow long
Call it red-tape or over-sensitivity about allowing non-essential shops to remain open in Mumbai amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but government agencies, especially the BMC, were apprehensive through most of Monday about allowing liquor shops to resume business even as thousands lined up for their favourite tipple since early morning.
The state government issued orders on Sunday that standalone retail liquor shops could do business in red, orange and green zones excluding containment areas between 10 am and 6 pm from Monday.
Following the state order, the State Excise Department's Mumbai city and suburban superintendents and district collectors came up with joint notifications a few hours before the 6 pm deadline and a little after 3.30 pm, some liquor shops opened, with some of them allowing only one bottle per customer.
A man with his liquor stock in Sion on Monday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
However, the BMC hadn't made any announcement till 5 pm. Some of its assistance commissioners tweeted early morning that non-essentials shops (including liquor shops) should not be opened without the BMC nod.
Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi did not respond to text messages. When told about the chaos, Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta assured to look into the matter. A senior BMC official said in the two video-conferences that Pardeshi held with state government bureaucrats, liquor shops were not discussed.
Meantime, Principal Secretary Bhushan Gagrani, in-charge of media relations for state government's COVID-19 mitigation, said in a press conference online that local authorities like municipal commissioners and district collectors are authorised to overrule the state's common guidelines under the powers vested in them by the Epidemic Diseases Act. But he said local authorities were told to issue separate orders elucidating the reasons behind stalling the state guideline. Nagpur and Aurangabad Collectors have specifically told state bosses that they won't allow liquor shops to reopen. Whereas, other collectors, who thought of allowing the measure, were prompt in circulating orders to retailers and other stakeholders.
A senior excise department official told mid-day that Greater Mumbai's case was different. "Here at least four agencies are involved in decision-making. We followed the state's orders and issued our own notifications that would also go to licensed retailers. BMC and city police are the other two agencies which have been working jointly in COVID-19 mitigation and they know the fight and its nuances for taking any further decisions," the officer said.
By late afternoon, some Excise Department officials had reached BMC headquarters to hand over the department's order and also seek information on containment areas. "It's a tricky situation that needs to be tackled in a foolproof process. Such decisions don't happen very quickly. The other side is that the shop operators might have their own difficulties like deputing healthy staff (50 per cent of the total strength) on counters. Shops might not have inventory and require new stock from wholesalers," he said, adding the business was likely to resume smoothly in a day or two, provided that the BMC gives a green signal.
6PM
Time by which liquor shops must shut
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Domestic abuse amid lockdown must be dealt with
People living with domestic abuse will be able to access safe spaces at a pharmaceutical chain in the United Kingdom.
Those needing help can ask staff at the counter to use the consultation room, where they will be able to contact services for help and abuse, a UK report said, adding that it was a desperate situation.
This is an extraordinarily difficult time and isolation does give more power to the abuser.
The Jerusalem Post has a special report stating that at least four persons have been murdered and an four more have committed suicide because of domestic violence.
In India, the National Commission for Women (NCW) reported that it received 315 domestic violence complaints in April alone, amid the lockdown.
This is a record high, one that we can certainly not be proud of and in this pandemic, it is increased as abuser and victim are in lockdown together with all escape avenues cut off.
Let us become more robust in our tackling of domestic violence now, and even post this phase, whenever that may be. First, we must identify domestic violence for what it is.
This means recognising verbal violence too — just because there are no physical scars, it does not mean there is no violence.
Then, remove the stigma from this kind of violence. Men can be victims too, they should not be shamed or disbelieved if they do complain.
Give the victims a lifeline and escape route, call out the abuser and make punishments harsh in accordance with the crime.
We often see domestic violence being brushed-off as a small, internal family matter. It is not. It can be deceptive because it happens behind closed doors and can be deadly.
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Do you have BP? Funny, so do I
Two middle-aged men were sitting at a bench in Shivaji Park, six feet apart.
"Do you have any underlying conditions?" asked the first one.
The second one thought for a while before answering. "I'm generally fit. I work out daily and I eat paleo. But I have blood pressure. Is that an underlying condition?"
"I have blood pressure too!" said the first. "Hot damn. Blood pressure is an underlying condition." The two moved apart from each other another foot.
I'd have told them to be grateful they had any blood pressure at all. Only dead people have no blood pressure. In 2005, at age 53, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, or hypertension, as many are as they age and their blood vessels get less flexible. Since then, I have been on one cocktail of blood pressure pills or another.
A quick Hypertension 101 here for those who don't have a clue. The heart moves blood through your body by a pumping action that consists of a squeeze and a relax. Each squeeze pushes up the pressure (called the systole) that the blood exerts within the blood vessels, while each relax lowers it (called the diastole). It's like squeezing a tennis ball: think of the maximum pressure you exert as the systole, and the pressure when you release the squeeze as the diastole.
Blood pressure is always represented as two numbers — like 149/83 — indicating the systole and the diastole, and representing the number of millimetres the level of mercury rises to in a machine called a sphygmomanometer. I was told that anything under 120/80 was healthy and optimal.
Being naturally subversive and resistant to authority, I wanted to know who had decided that 120 and 80 were 'normal'. In 2017, the new normal had been declared to be 130/80, down from 140/90. Pharmaceutical companies know that each time the definition of normal blood pressure is lowered, they get millions of new customers, people who had been 'healthy' till then but were instantly redefined as having 'blood pressure' under the new normal — and will require their medication. The 2017 change apparently brought in over 50 million new customers into the blood pressure pills market. It's a billion-dollar industry.
The 2020 normal is 120/80.
Nine of the 11 co-authors of the 2003 blood pressure guidelines had ties to pharmaceutical companies in the form of shares, consulting fees or research funding. One member declared ties to 21 pharmaceuticals. Newer panels are required to disclose conflicts of interest with drug manufacturers who would gain from lowered definitions of normal BP. It seems they stay on the panels nonetheless, having honestly declared their corporate allegiances.
So now you're at a clinic, getting your blood pressure taken. The doctor or nurse may chat with you meanwhile, asking about your family and the next vacation.
There are two reasons why this reading will always be wrong. It is now known that the very sight of a man in a white coat or a nurse walking purposefully towards you creates an immediate spike in your blood pressure. It's called white coat hypertension and is a classic example of the measurer changing the measurement by his very presence.
Other things change the reading too.
Putting the cuff over clothing, rather than a bare arm can add 10-40 mm of mercury (Hg) to a measurement.
Needing to pee can add 10-15 mm Hg.
Having a conversation: an additional 10-15 mm Hg
Dangle your feet or leave your back unsupported — another 5-10 mm Hg.
Even the short walk to the curtained room where they measure your vital statistics will boost your pressure.
There's more — if you'd come at noon, your pressure would have been higher. It starts dropping from late afternoon — unless you go to a rock concert in the evening.
Why am I telling you all this? Because it's very easy for your pressure to show as higher than normal, especially in a medical setting. This makes it easy for the doctor to look grim and shake his head and start you off on some hypertension pill or the other for the rest of your life.
I used to be on Pfizer's Norvasc. In 2003 alone, that drug notched up sales of over $5 billion and was the world's best-selling blood pressure drug. Someone even suggested that children over three should be started on preventive BP medication.
The next time you have your BP read, insist that it be done the right way —
1 Sit still and relax for five minutes.
2 Do not speak to anyone.
3 Calm your mind, don't think of office or home problems.
4 Take two readings, a minute apart.
5 Make sure the nurse records the second reading.
6 Send me a letter of thanks.
Here, viewed from there. C Y Gopinath, in Bangkok, throws unique light and shadows on Mumbai, the city that raised him. You can reach him at cygopi@gmail.com
Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper
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Coronavirus Lockdown: Air quality in Mumbai in 'poor' category as AQI level drops to 133
Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in the city, on Monday, Mumbai's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood in the poor category as the AQI dropped to 133, as per AQI India. The poor category of air quality in Mumbai is an indicator that such air quality can provide difficulty in breathing.
Air Quality Index (AQI) across different parts of Mumbai
According to AQI India, an AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is moderate, 101-200 poor, 201-300 unhealthy, 301-400 severe and 401-500 is marked as hazardous. While Mumbai's overall air quality was poor, several parts of the city including Bandra (31 AQI), Worli (42 AQI), Powai (24 AQI), Kurla (44 AQI) reported good air quality. Sion, on the other hand reported AQI of 1094 which as per the AQI parameter is hazardous.
A snapshot of Air Quality Index (AQI) across different cities in India
In other cities of the country such as Delhi (83 AQI), Ahmedabad (90 AQI), Bengaluru (101 AQI) reported moderate air quality which is acceptable for healty adults but may pose a threat to senstive individuals as per the parameter reading.
Data sourced from aqi.in
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Ratan Tata calls out fake news, quote attributed to him; urges people to verify news sources
Eminent industrialist Ratan Tata, on Sunday took to Instagram to call out a fake news article and a quote which was attributed to him. Taking to the gram, the 82-year-old business veteran shared a picture of a news clipping that read, "Ratan Tata's message: 2020 is the year of survival, don’t worry about profit and loss."
A screengrab of Ratan Tata's Instagram story
While sharing a story on Instagram, Ratan Tata wrote, "The following article has not been written or said by me. He also shared a picture of the article with 'Fake News' written on the newspaper cutting. Urging people to always verify news sources, Ratan Tata said, "I will endeavour to call out fake news whenever I can."
Talking about the fake article which has a quote attributed to him, Ratan Tata stated, "My picture alongside a quote does not guarantee me having said it, a problem that many people face." The business magnate also called out the fake news and shared it with his 8.5 million followers on Twitter.
I’m afraid this too, has not been said by me. I will endeavour to call out fake news whenever I can, but would encourage you to always verify news sources. My picture alongside a quote does not guarantee me having said it, a problem that many people face. pic.twitter.com/pk0S75FxPA
— Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) May 3, 2020
Since being shared online, Ratan Tata's tweet has garnered over one lakh likes and about 25,000 re-tweets and counting. This isn't the first time that the senior statesman has taken on fake news circulating under his name. Earlier, Mr. Tata had shared another fake article attributed to him and which spoke about the impact of coronavirus on the economy.
In the spirit of solidarity pic.twitter.com/1Svx5JZ0Vb
— Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) April 5, 2020
While sharing that the article was fake, the industrialist stated that if he has to say something, he would say it on his official social media channels. Debunking the false article, Mr. Tata urged people to stay safe and take care of themselves amid the coronavirus crisis.
Nearly a month ago, Ratan Tata shared a beautiful picture of India's COVID-19 warriors. While sharing the picture with his followers, Mr. Tata urged people across the country to unite in the battle against the global pandemic.
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COVID-19: First bus with migrant workers leaves for Rajasthan amid lockdown
Due to the lockdown, migrant workers who were stranded in Mumbai are being sent back to their villages. Today, the Mumbai Police sent 25 migrant workers from the city to Rajasthan. This is the first bus to transport migrant workers from Mumbai to their village.
According to Mumbai Police, the 25 people are from Jalore district in Rajasthan. All of these individuals were residing in South Mumbai and are migrant workers. The workers had requested the Mumbai Police that they be sent to their village, due to which, the Police has issued a permit to go to Rajasthan. The fare of the bus will be paid by the workers themselves which is nearly Rs 6,000 per person.
The people travelling in this bus are from Jalore district. They all formed their own groups and sent an application to the police, after which they were given a permit.
Dharmendra Singh is from Jalore district of Rajasthan and was working at a cloth merchant's in South Mumbai but the work stopped due to the lockdown. Singh had applied to the MRA Marg police station after which the police arranged for a bus for him to go back to his village. Dharmendra Singh said that he was stuck in Mumbai due to the lockdown and is thankful to Mumbai Police.
Hansraj Chaudhary, who is from Jalore district, said, "I used to work at a stationery shop in Bora Bazar and the work stopped after the lockdown. There was no source of earning and it was causing problems."
DCP Zone 1 Sangram Singh Nishandar told mid-day, "These people applied to go to their village after which we gave them a permit. They got their own medical assistance and now they are going back to their village."
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Aurangabad MP slams Maharashtra government for allowing liquor shops to open
Soon after Maharashtra government directive allowing standalone liquor shops to open in COVID-19 red zones (except the containment areas), AIMIM Lok Sabha MP Imtiaz Jaleel has said if liquor shops are opened in Aurangabad, he would force their closure, adding that it is not a time to sell alcohol and create problems for women.
"Government decides to open liquor shops even in red zone! If shops in Aurangabad open we will break lockdown restrictions and forcibly close these shops. Will make many women come out on the streets. This is not time to sell liquor and create problems for mothers and sisters," the Aurangabad lawmaker tweeted in a series of tweet.
Lambasting the Maharashtra government, he further asked what is the hurry to sell liquor in this difficult time. He further stated if this is the case then why not allow selling everything, why this "privilege only to liquor shops".
The state government had on Sunday issued a list of activities that will be allowed in different zones of the State during the lockdown."The state government has decided to allow standalone shops including liquor shops to open in red zone also except the containment zones. Though there is no restriction in the number of essential shops that can be opened, only five non-essential shops can be opened in each lane," the government order stated.
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Lockdown Diaries: Smriti Irani nailing the gibberish challenge is on point; seen it yet?
Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani is undoubtedly one of the coolest politicians. From sharing throwbacks pictures to family pictures and much more, Smriti always manages to tickle the funny bone and keep her followers entertained.
Although being locked at home like others due to the coronavirus epidemic, Smriti Irani recently took to Instagram new trend, the gibberish challenge. For many who don't know, the gibberish challenge on the gram is a much-in-fad filter where users have to guess the word or a phrase.
A screengarb of Smriti's first gibberish challenge
Upon taking the challenge, a random phrase or a word appears on the screen with a set time limit. Once the timer is over, the right answer pops up on the screen. The 44-year-old minister took part in the gibberish challenge twice and guess what? Smriti absolutely nailed it. Smriti also shared videos of the same as her Instagram stories.
A screengrab of Smriti's second gibberish challenge which lefet her shocked and surprised
While Smriti nailed the first one right, in the second gibberish challenge which came with a twist had its own set of challenges. Though she guessed the right answer 'Hugh Jackman', the answer for some reason appeared as 'Ryan Reynolds', which left the minister quite upset and her expressions said it all.
View this post on InstagramWeaving new possibilities ðÂÂÂÂÂÂ#supportweavers #makeinindia #handcraftedinindia
Before taking part in the gibberish challenge, Smriti shared two pictures where she was seen donning handcrafted face masks made by weavers. Urging people to supports weavers and products made in India, Smriti captioned the picture: Weaving new possibilities!
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What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School
Shivam Misra from Khar, founder and managing partner of Walnut & Co, a strategy and market access consulting firm in Singapore, flew from Budapest to Kathmandu, for business meetings in early March, but due to COVID-19, he found himself locked in Kathmandu.
"When I landed, Nepal had around six novel COVID-19 cases. I had no clue that Nepal or India may move towards a lockdown," said Misra, adding, "Some reports citing official figures say there are approximately 12,000 Indians stranded in Nepal. There are a huge number of labourers stuck here, being looked after by the Indian Embassy." He has been living at the Marriott in Kathmandu with nine other guests.
He said, "The Indian officials at the embassy have been stupendous. They have put forward my case to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). They have always been accessible on email or phone. I do feel a twinge when I think of family back home, but one has to be patient. Gaurav Aggarwal, in charge of this property, has been wonderful too, inviting me to his home, which helps dispel the homesickness a little." The entrepreneur's days in Kathmandu are full of, "reading, writing and exercise. I walk through the hotel property. I am a photographer; portraiture and fashion being my forte." Misra said, "The downtime taught me that we are in a mindless race. This may teach us to value what is true. My lens will now capture human stories differently."
When not behind a business desk, Misra will be thinking of "conscious capitalism. This is not socialism, for without capitalism the economy cannot grow. I will, though, recalibrate a more fair distribution of wages and a more equitable distribution of wealth."
Biz whiz Narayan Murthy spoke about how he changed his philosophy from socialism supporter to 'compassionate capitalist' after an unsavoury incident abroad. Misra's changing mindset too proves that we may come out of this pandemic altered in our hearts and minds.
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All's well that ends well
In giving Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray a new lease of life in the CM's office by way of asking the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold legislative council polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has kept the battle between the state government and governor raging. A timely request made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped the CM survive a chair scare, and his party has profusely thanked the Centre for facilitating the legislative council's biennial elections. However, the Sena and its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners have been forced to accept that the Raj Bhavan holds the ultimate right to reject the Cabinet's recommendation, that the CM be made a legislator under the governor's quota, in the circumstances he (the governor) found fit for refusal. The BJP has also averted a situation wherein it could have been blamed by the people for playing 'brutal' politics by collapsing the government in the time of a grave health crisis.
A game fixed?
The events that finally led to the CM's relief seemed to be orchestrated delicately. Actually, the Sena offered it on a platter to the BJP which created a pressure cooker-like situation, in which the rival teams ended up doing the unexpected. The verdict in this game is varied. For some, the Sena has won. For some, the BJP is the victor because it hurt Sena's pride. But people in the know say the game was fixed at the last moment to appear like a tie, and insist that the next rounds of the game will be rather interesting. The Raj Bhavan should be elated because it was converted into an execution hub with its control strings being manoeuvred in New Delhi, which also honoured Bhagat Singh Koshyari's consistent say. The state BJP leaders who are alleged to be hand-in-glove with the Raj Bhavan may also have a reason to feel somewhat contented because they were able to get even with the Sena, if not successful in completely decimating a friend-turned-foe.
With its West Bengal and Delhi counterparts already in the news, Maharashtra's Raj Bhavan shot into the limelight after a decade, since it installed the BJP's 'sunrise' government late last year. The government fell in three days because the coalition didn't have the numbers, and the Supreme Court acted very swiftly to direct the conduct of proceedings that went against the BJP's plan. And then Uddhav became the first from the Thackeray family, to govern the state directly from the CMO, and his son Aaditya also achieved yet another first for the family, when he got elected as an MLA. A period of six months since then has set many precedents like formation of an axis of three parties that are ideologically so different.
All seats available in the council of ministers were filled, though it perhaps isn't the first in the state's political history, but it surely was an aberration because it hadn't happened in the recent past.
However, most of the precedents were set in the past one month. The CM, unlike some of his predecessors, chose to not contest Council polls that were held after he assumed the office, or asked a party MLA to vacate a seat for him by facilitating a by-election for him. The unexpected novel Coronavirus pandemic compounded the CM's political difficulties when the biennial elections were deferred in the wake of the health scare. If pandemic-related eventualities are considered, then, ifs and buts shouldn't really hold ground to blame the CM for making wrong decisions. Left with no option, the Cabinet twice recommended twice Thackeray for the governor's quota, but the governor refused citing a similar denial in December. So far, a governor's nominee hadn't become a CM. And here, the BJP seemed to have trapped the Sena tiger.
But Thackeray, maybe prompted by his friends in the BJP, relied on an all-effective hotline to PM Modi. Writing on the CM's prospects of making to the legislature in the previous column, I had said that a lot would depend on how much Thackeray has been able to covertly repair the fracture that upset the Sena-BJP applecart six months ago. We will have to see how the BJP-Sena relationship shapes up in the future.
More precedents set
Few other precedents we set after the PM-CM talks. The political veterans haven't recalled any occasion when the Raj Bhavan recommended to the ECI, the holding of Assembly or Council elections. They haven't dug out a trace of political parties asking the governor to make such a recommendation to the ECI. This time, not only the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, but the CM also petitioned the governor in this regard. If that was not enough, the Maharashtra Chief Secretary voluntarily assured the ECI that the state machinery was well-equipped to hold the polls for which the candidates and 288 MLAs should be travelling to Mumbai, to file nominations and vote in the lockdown or lockdown-like situation.
All this happened in just one day. To top it all, the ECI convened an emergency meeting next morning with its chief participating from abroad. Within hours, the elections were scheduled. It is anybody's guess why events took such dramatic turns overnight.
So, can we say all is well that ends well? Well, we may say so when we're fighting a deadly pandemic which has its epicentre in Maharashtra, especially Mumbai, which is the country's powerhouse. It seems the political foes who share ideology have put aside the differences in bad times. Henceforth, we would like the CM and PM to talk frequently to ensure public good. Politics can wait.
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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Homoeopathy, ayurveda not alternatives to good sense, say scientists
Amid the panic around COVID-19, alternative medicine is being desperately promoted as a treatment, especially to boost immunity. At such a juncture, scientists from the country have issued a public statement on such cures and immunity boosters with a scientific explanation that there is no evidence suggesting successful use of any of these treatments in COVID-19. They have cautioned that these are not alternatives to other precautions that need to be taken such as social distancing, washing hands, etc.
The statement reads, "As of now, no scientific studies show that any substance boosts the immune system specifically against COVID-19, be it modern medicines like hydroxychloroquine or homoeopathic solutions like Arsenicum Album D30 or ayurvedic preparations. These so-called remedies and/or immunity boosters may give people a false sense of security. Some people may wrongly assume that they won't be affected by COVID-19 anymore, leading to risky behaviours such as not using a masks, not washing hands, or not following physical distancing protocols. Such unintentional violation of guidelines may have disastrous results."
While there are several social media posts, there have been instances when even people from government have backed such practices. For example AYUSH ministry supporting homoeopathic and ayurvedic products as defence against COVID-19 and the TN government issuing a circular about the efficacy of a herbal powder. Explaining the need for such a statement, Aniket Sule, scientist at Tata Institute of fundamental Research, said, "There are lots of social media forwards suggesting unproven treatments to fight COVID-19. We want to caution people that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that they work against COVID-19."
The statement concludes, "Colloquially, many people use the word "immunity" when they actually just mean "good health". While a healthy diet and exercise improves a person's general health (and the capacity of their immune system), this cannot make him/her immune to COVID-19. The most severe cases of COVID-19 are made worse by an overreaction of the immune system. So trying to boost general immunity or trying to interfere with its regulation using untested methods, may be risky. Claims such as benefits of drinking cow urine, exposing people to UV light or injecting with disinfectants, are not supported by scientific evidence, and are harmful to the human body. Similarly, while some supplements such as garlic may be harmless, others such as zinc or Datura seeds, if taken in excess, are toxic."
Busting hoaxes
'The Hoaxbusters' — a group from the Indian Scientists' response to COVID-19 has issued new set of slides answering several questions around COVID-19 at https://indscicov.in/
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Plasma therapy: To use or not to use...
While trials on plasma therapy for COVID-19 continue, they have sparked debate among medical professionals. While one set of experts feels that plasma therapy can work wonders with a supportive line of treatment, the other set opines that it is too premature to make such claims without thorough clinical evidence.
Interestingly, the first set of experts is now further puzzled as to whom they should administer plasma therapy. That's because of the high risk involved as COVID-19 patients may still have existing ailments that may not respond well to plasma therapy.
The concern was raised after the recent death of a 52-year-old man who was given plasma therapy at a Mumbai hospital. The man had co-morbidities and was on ventilator support.
Dr Anoop Kumar, consultant and chief of Critical Care Medicine at BM Hospital, Calicut
Premature to consider it
Dr Asha Kishore, medical director, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, said, "While there have been a few reports of convalescent plasma therapy being effective in treating COVID patients, unless there is a clinical study it is premature to consider it as an accepted form of treatment. It should be considered experimental therapy and should be monitored and regulated by the health ministry. Even data from China is too limited to confirm successful experiment of plasma therapy."
"Our transfusion medicine department has applied for participation in a clinical trial of convalescent plasma for the treatment for COVID-19 called by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The ICMR's sponsored trial will be conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma in patients with moderate COVID-19 infection. We are awaiting approval," said Dr Asha.
Against immunology principle
Dr Wiqar Shaikh, senior allergy and asthma specialist, who had treated the 52-year-old Byculla resident who was treated at home and recovered from COVID-19, said, "Plasma therapy means giving antibodies from a COVID cured patient to one still suffering from it. This is not within the principle of immunology. When a person has a viral infection, the first reaction of the body's immune system is to form IgM (Immuno Globulin M) antibodies and IgG (Immuno Globulin G). However, these are not the important defences against a virus. When the virus enters a body, it does so by mistake and cannot survive within the body and hence enters a cell to survive." Dr Shaikh added, "The COVID virus is an RNA virus, which cannot replicate on its own, it requires the cell apparatus to multiply. Whenever the immune system identifies a virus containing cell, two types of cells are activated. Both are T-lymphocytes, the first category is the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte and the second is the Natural Killer (NK) T-lymphocyte, both of which destroy the virus containing cell using bodily chemicals called 'perforins' and 'granzymes'. This cytotoxic and NK cells develop a memory for the virus within the body, and when the person gets infected with the same virus again, the memory cytotoxic and NK cells launch an immediate attack and kill the virus. Therefore, antibodies (plasma therapy), has a very poor role in defence against COVID and hence is of no use, claims Dr Shaikh.
Dr Asha Kishore, medical director, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram
"There are no double-blind placebo-controlled trials anywhere in the world of plasma therapy actually helping in recovery of serious COVID patients. Moreover, such clinical research is a welcome move, but it takes months or years of painstaking research," said Dr Shaikh.
In favour of plasma therapy
Dr Anoop Kumar, consultant and chief of Critical Care Medicine at BM Hospital, Calicut, said, "The Kerala government was concerned about the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and called for a meeting of well-known health professionals in Kerala on March 20. At the meeting it was agreed to make use of plasma therapy, as we have come across case studies of successful results in China, South Korea, and other countries. However, it is yet to be published in the international journal."
"Plasma therapy has been effective in various virus outbreaks in the past, such as Nipah virus in 2018, H1N1 in 2008 and even the 1918 flu outbreak," said Dr Anoop, adding, "We intend to collect plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19. For instance, a 55-year-old recovered patient can donate around 800ml of plasma from the blood, and this can save four lives with a mere 200 ml of plasma."
However, donor protocol mandates that the donor should not have any fever, or foreign travel history or respiratory infection, and should have remained in self-isolation for 14 days post discharge and the swab collected after self-quarantine period should be negative.
200
Quantity in ml of plasma required for treatment
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'He had finished J&K tenure, then lockdown happened'
Major Anuj Sood, 31, one of the five officers killed in an encounter with terrorists at a village in Rajwar forests of North Kashmir, had already completed his operational tenure in the Valley and was about to get a new posting when the lockdown happened. As a result, Sood, who lived in Pune with his wife Aakriti, had to continue his tenure in Kashmir.
Speaking to mid-day over phone from Dharamshala, Aakriti, daughter of a retired Marine Commando from Indian Navy, Commander Kashmira Singh, said, “He was posted in J&K and the last time I saw him was on November 30, 2019.” Aakriti, who worked as an HR professional in a French company in Pune, resigned in March and left for Dharamshala with her father on March 17, as Major Sood was supposed to get a new posting.
However, due to the lockdown he had to continue with his tenure in the Valley. Aakriti and Major Sood became friends and got married on September 29, 2017.
“A few days after the marriage, Major Sood left to join duty in J&K,” said Commander (retd) Singh. Major Sood's father is a retired Army officer and lives in Chandigarh where his mortal remains will be taken on Monday to conduct his final rites. He is survived by his parents and two sisters, Shruti, who is settled in Australia and Harshita, who is a captain in the Indian Army.
Speaking to mid-day, his father, brigadier (retd) Chanderkant Sood, said he received the news of his death around 8.30 am on Sunday. “He had come on leave in November to attend a family wedding and then returned to join work in December. Though his tenure in the Valley was already over, it got extended due to the lockdown. But we were in constant touch with each other over phone and WhatsApp. Three days ago we spoke over the phone,” he added. Due to his father's transferable job, Major Sood studied in the Army public schools in Delhi, Luckow, Jaunpur, etc. “He always wanted to serve the nation as a defence officer and also wished to study in the same school where I completed my education. He joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in July 2008. He completed his NDA training in May 2011 and the training for Indian Military Academy on June 9, 2012,” added Brigadier (retd) Sood.
“My younger daughter Harshita is also in the Indian Army and posted in Rajouri. She is a national level shooter and at present she is undergoing a training in Mau,” he said. The parents and wife of Major Sood are in touch with the defence personnel in J&K for regular updates about the ongoing operation there.
30
Day in November 2019 that Major Sood last met his wife
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Quite a complex symphonic orchestra
Disclaimer: Before I proceed to share this sonic timeline of an average day in my surroundings, I wish to state a few things to the folk who read this column: That these jottings have been recorded from a week's findings; that I live along the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and so all mentions of unusual fauna activity should be treated with calm."
7 am: It's a pleasant way to drift out of bed to the sounds of sparrows, mynas, coppersmith barbets and even the cacophony of crows. Strains from MS Subbulaxmi's voice and tunes of Rabindra Sangeet add a melodious lilt to these waking up hours.
9 pm: Sounds from the idiot box emerge. Opening credits, ad breaks; this is interspersed by the frenetic clanging of bartans in the kitchen and the odd head-spinning wail of a child. By now, the mobile phone-addicted species also surfaces, making WFH calls in full volume. Yes, we know you work for some Jap investment bank and they are suckers for deadlines; well, so are Indian companies. Cool off, dude.
10 am: More TV noise, of the epic kinds. It seems like deja vu from the 1980s when DD was our sole screen saviour. The morning ensemble of avian artistes departs; making way for the next lot. Some feathered folk, like the crows and mynas, and a few squirrels are permanent occupants of the badam tree and the palms that are prime locations for their activities. By now, maali kaka has surfaced and so the garden hose is also in full flow.
11 am to 12 noon: The churning of mixer-grinders, pressure cooker whistles going into a tizzy and whatnot take over. There's some chit-chat with fussy kids by the box-grilled 'balconies'. Cicadas take over our central garden with their sonnet-like symphony. In sync with the sound of the hose, it's quite a summery jugalbandi.
12.30 pm: "Ushaaaaaa! Jaldi neeche aa jao; van tees minute mein aane waala hai" With that one ear-shattering battle cry by a hustler-type aunty, she's managed to bring down half the population from their homes as they begin to scramble for a 'circle' [it's assumed a whole new meaning since geometry class] in the endless queue that worms through the inner square of the society. All of this is, of course, to wait for that harbinger of joy – the veggie-fruit truck.
Till 3 pm: "Tumne toh dye lagaya hai, Shalu? Godrej ka hai ki mehndiwala colour?"; "Suna…woh Colony wala Singh uncle off ho gaya; Kwo-vid tha ya heart fail?"; "Butter se he chalana padega; ghee-vee bandh. Good faar health?" With such gems floating around, the birdcalls take a backseat. Nilkamal chairs are arranged for 'sinior log' in the queue, and chai for all as they wait for their turn to reach Everest. A mini jam session ensues for the socially-depraved inmates.
4 pm (approximately; on another day): Meena aunty has managed to arrange for a farsan dealer to set up temporary shop inside the society; it's a mini stampede, as packets of all kinds of snacks, from pani puri, khakra and chaklis to chivda sell like hot cakes. Hottest selling item? Khari biscuits.
6 pm: It's surprisingly quiet. Wait. Our resident stray doggies — Romeo, Juliet and son, Cocoa — start barking wildly. The Bandar Lok is back. Yes, the simians do their version of The Swing Thing in the green, wooded environs; the cable wires and pipes attached to each wing also offer easy access from to the next, having a blast each time they spot a loose clothesline to tug at something. "Dekho mummy, monkey khel raha hai," and similar such squeals make for evening entertainment.
7 pm onwards: Some of the tween-teen brigade sneaks out of their homes to coax their pals for a game of cards or other board games. There's relief in their loud laughter, of meeting up to giggle over a meme on their phone or a heady new track that's topping charts. They revel in the momentary bliss until one of their parents calls them back home.
8 pm onwards: The telly sounds get louder — by now news channels vie for high-decibel bragging rights over the Balaji soap reruns and Hindi masala flicks. The show will go on, and the sounds rarely cease.
Now showing: The new normal.
mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
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