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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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 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😊😊😊👏👏👏👏
A Huge Respect 🙏🙏🙏😊😊👏👏#IndiaSalutesCoronaWarriors

— Aaryen Tiwari (@AaryenTiwari) May 4, 2020

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.

pic.twitter.com/6yEFDqcHRi

— 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!!🍁😍🙏

— 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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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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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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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.

pic.twitter.com/YFkuhCqVZI

— Adrian Steel🕵🏻ðŸÂŒ (@montana_steel) May 3, 2020

My family and I fully support you while we continue staying at home.

— Kenneth Sikora (@KennethSikora) May 1, 2020

pic.twitter.com/5gzfQDYJEP

— Laura Apollo (@lauraapollo) May 1, 2020

What do you think about the posts?

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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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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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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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Tesla CEO Elon Musk and singer-girlfriend Grimes have become parents to a baby boy. Musk announced the birth of the child on his Twitter account on Monday. And on Tuesday, he broke the internet by posting the pictures of his son on Twitter, abiding to his followers’ requests.  

Musk has been dating the Canadian singer, whose real name is Claire Boucher since 2018 and the couple announced the pregnancy on January 8 this year on Instagram. As this is Grimes’ first child, Musk, who heads Tesla and SpaceX, already has five sons and has been divorced thrice—twice from the same woman.

After a follower asked him for picture of the child, he posted a picture on Twitter where he is holding the newborn in his arms

pic.twitter.com/lm30U60OtO

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 5, 2020

When a fan asked him to send another photo of the child, he obliged and sent an edited picture saying, "Never too young for some ink haha."

pic.twitter.com/chk0Scuixp

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 5, 2020

When he was asked about the name he has in mind for his sixth child, Musk gave a cryptic response.

X Æ A-12 Musk

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 5, 2020

Explaining the name, Grimes, tweeted that the 'X' stands for "the unknown variable," 'AE' is the musician's 'elven spelling of Ai (love &/or artificial intelligence),' 'A-12' is, as gathered, a reference to the Lockheed A-12, or, in Grimes' words, the 'precursor to [the] SR-17 (our favourite aircraft). No weapons, no defences, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent."

•X, the unknown variable ⚔️
•Æ, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence)
•A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent 🤍
+
(A=Archangel, my favorite song)
(⚔️🐁 metal rat)

— ꧁ ༒ Gℜiꪔ⃕es ༒꧂ 🍓🐉🎀 小仙女 (@Grimezsz) May 6, 2020

After announcing the pregnancy in January, Grimes had posted a photo of her flaunting her baby bump in which she called herself a ‘Chubby fairy’ in the caption.

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A fire broke out at Vishnu Mahal, a residential building near Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday morning. This the second fire incident on consecutive days in south Mumbai.

The flames started in one of the apartments on the second floor of the building at D road, Marine Drive. There was a fire extinguisher in the building which helped to douse it before it spread. No one reported injured. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Yesterday there was a fire incident at 10-storey Atlas building on Napean sea road. It took four hours for the fire brigade to control the fire due to strong winds and initial hurdles of parking cars.

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The nationwide lockdown imposed by the government due to the coronavirus outbreak has improved the air quality of some cities in the country. Days after a picture of the Dhauladhar Range in Himachal Pradesh being visible from Jalandhar in Punjab created a buzz, another similar picture has been doing rounds on the internet recently.

Residents of Singhwahini village in Sitamarhi district woke up to a stunning view of the Himalayan Range from their houses. The picture that went viral was posted by Twitter user Ritu Jaiswal, the Mukhya of Singhwahini Gram Panchayat who claimed that the picture was of Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world in Nepal, which was visible from the village.

In the caption, Jaiswal said that she saw Mount Everest from the rooftop of her home in the village for the first time, even though the other ranges in Nepal are usually visible in clear weather.

She tweeted in Hindi, saying that Mount Everest is visible from the roofs of the houses in Singhwahini village in Sitamarhi district, adding that nature was balancing itself, and she attributed the improvement in air quality due to the lockdown.

Ritu Jaiswal's post

हम सà¥Â€à¤¤à¤¾à¤®à¤¢à¤¼à¥Â€ à¤Âœà¤¿à¤²à¥Â‡ à¤Â•à¥Â‡ à¤Â…पनà¥Â‡ à¤Â—ाà¤Âà¤µ #सिà¤Â‚हवाहिनà¥Â€ मà¥Â‡à¤Â‚ à¤Â…पनà¥Â‡ à¤Â›à¤¤ सà¥Â‡ #MtEverest दà¥Â‡à¤Â– सà¤Â•à¤¤à¥Â‡ हà¥Âˆà¤Â‚ à¤Â†à¤Âœà¥¤ पà¥Âà¤°à¤Â•à¥Âƒà¤¤à¤¿ à¤Â–à¥Âà¤¦ à¤Â•à¥Â‹ सà¤Â‚तà¥Âà¤²à¤¿à¤¤ à¤Â•à¤° रहà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆà¥¤ नà¥Â‡à¤ªà¤¾à¤² à¤Â•à¥Â‡ नà¤Âœà¤¼à¤¦à¥Â€à¤Â• वालà¥Â‡ पहाड़ तà¥Â‹ बारिश à¤Â•à¥Â‡ बाद साफ मà¥ÂŒà¤¸à¤® मà¥Â‡à¤Â‚ à¤Â•à¤­à¥Â€ à¤Â•à¤­à¥Â€ दिà¤Â– à¤Âœà¤¾à¤¤à¥Â‡ थà¥Â‡à¥¤ à¤Â…सल हिमालय à¤Â•à¥Â‡ दरà¥Âà¤¶à¤¨ à¤Â…पनà¥Â‡ à¤Â—ाà¤Âà¤µ सà¥Â‡ à¤Â†à¤Âœ पहलà¥Â€ बार हà¥Âà¤Âà¥¤#NatureisBalancing@KashishBihar pic.twitter.com/Ss3UHAzxWN

— Ritu Jaiswal (@activistritu) May 4, 2020

When Jaiswal was questioned by a user about how she could be certain that the peak seen in the picture was of Mount Everest, she said that her husband could see the peak from the village when he was a child back in the 1980’s. She went on to explain that highest snowy peak of the Himalayas can only be seen and Everest is in the north east of our village and this pic is of the north east (sic)," she said in the comment.

Becasue definitely when we can see snowy peak of the Himalayas, the highest ones can only be scene and everest is in the north east of our village and this pic is of north east. And my husband in their childhood used to see everest in 80s. So we are sure that its the same.

— Ritu Jaiswal (@activistritu) May 5, 2020

The post, shared on May 4, garnered more than 4,500 likes and was retweeted 947 times. The picture was also shared by forest officer Parveen Kaswan who wrote that Mount Everest was seen from Bihar after decades.

When people of Singhwahini village, Bihar saw Everest from their own houses. They say this happened after decades. Courtesy @activistritu. pic.twitter.com/X0SQtZe22T

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) May 5, 2020

Here’s how the Twitterati reacted on the picture:

I am just waiting for the day when I will be able to see Himalayas from Mumbai😜

— Hemant Jain🇮🇳 (@hemant6479) May 5, 2020

If we really belonged to the planet and the way we lived was natural to this planet then our locking ourselves up shld have upset the balance not repaired it. However superficial or temporary the effect.

— Anku Pande Chibb (@ankupande) May 5, 2020

Guess they must have experienced change in temperature also .☺ï¸Â

— Thakur ji (@Thethakurji) May 5, 2020

Wow... !
What a view sir.. 😊🙌

— Sravani (@sravani950570) May 5, 2020

What do you think about the picture?

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Maharashtra BJP leader and former CM of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, on Wednesday paid a visit to Saint George, GT and Nair Hospitals where he met frontline workers including hospital deans, superintendents, doctors, nurses, and policemen who have been leading India's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis interacts with doctors and medical staff of Saint George Hospital, GT Hospital and Nair Hospital in Mumbai

Via. @dharmendrajore @Dev_Fadnavis @BJP4India @BJP4Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/rvdvNrLJNw

— Mid Day (@mid_day) May 6, 2020

The 49-year-old BJP leader not only interacted with the frontline workers but also complemented them for their exemplary service for the nation during coronavirus epidemic.

Devendra Fadnavis interacts with hospital staff while maintaining social distance

At Saint George Hospital, situated in Fort, Devendra Fadnavis met superintendent Dr. Khobragade, Dr. Gaiakwad, while at GT hospital he spoke to Dr. Shingare and Dr. Deshpande and at Nair hospital he interacted with Dean Dr Joshi.

The former chief minister visited the Mumbai hospitals to thank the medical workers for leading by example in the fight against COVID-19@Dev_Fadnavis @BJP4India @BJP4Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/ZzcIvElMCU

— Mid Day (@mid_day) May 6, 2020

While visiting these hospitals and interacting with the doctors, Fadnavis not only thanked the corona warriors but also reviewed the coronavirus situation in the state and especially in Mumbai.

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A fire has broke out in a godown of a chemical factory in Bhiwandi Rahnal village in Thane district on Wednesday afternoon. A team of six fire engines have reached the spot and are trying to douse the fire.

Maharashtra: Fire breaks out at a chemical godown in Bhiwandi Rahnal village in Thane district. More than six fire tenders have been pressed into action to put off the fire. pic.twitter.com/eFlMRLlQVG

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

While the reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained, no loss of life or property has been reported so far. More details are awaited.

This is the second fire incident to reported in a single day. Earlier in the day, a fire broke out at Vishnu Mahal, a residential building near Wankhede Stadium. The flames started in one of the apartments on the second floor of the building at D road, Marine Drive.

There was a fire extinguisher in the building which helped to douse it before it spread. No casualty was reported in the fire.

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The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Wednesday put on hold its controversial decision to deny entry to local residents employed for
essential services in Mumbai, which has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, after a furore.

Apart from KDMC, the municipal corporation of Ulhasnagar and municipal councils of Ambernath and Badlapur-- all in neighbouring Thane district--had announced similar decisions on Tuesday.

However, only KDMC has stayed the decision, which was supposed to come into force from May 8 and remain effective till May 17, during the period of the extended lockdown. The announcement to suspend the decision was made on Wednesday by KDMC commissioner Vijay Suryavandhi.

Issuing an order, the KDMC commissioner had on Tuesday appealed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other establishments to arrange for the stay of their employees who travel from KDMC to Mumbai.

"Many COVID-19 cases found in Kalyan-Dombivli and Ulhasnagar municipal corporations traced the source of their infection under the BMC limits. "Unless we stop people from moving between these cities and Mumbai, we cannot control further spread of COVID-19," said officials from both the municipal corporations.

Ambernath and Badlapur municipal councils have given options to their residents who travel daily to Mumbai to either stay in the metropolis from May 8 till May 17, or to avoid going to work and stay at their homes. Meanwhile, several nurses and employees of the state
government and the BMC have expressed their concerns over the decision of the KDMC and Ulhasnagar.

"What will happen to daily chores if I stay here in Mumbai for more than a week. My son is not even three-year-old, who will look after him?" said a nurse from state-run Nair Hospital who travels from Dombivli via bus.

"It is not an issue of one or two days. Everyone is scared of coronavirus infection. We feel safe when we go home and spend time with our family members. We can not simply stay
in Mumbai. I am not even sure about what kind of facilities we will be provided if we choose to stay in Mumbai," said a BMC staffer.

However, several health officials attached with these municipal corporations and councils have said that more than 50 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the metropolitan areas were
traced to Mumbai. "Some people returned from Mumbai have infected local residents, which has further stressed our already fragile health infrastructure," they said.

Congress leader and Mumbai city guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said the issue would be discussed at the state government level.

"This is the time to applaud the coronavirus warriors. The people who travel from KDMC, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Ambernath to Mumbai are nurses, BMC employees and other officials who are required to work in this crisis. We should be respecting their efforts.

"There are some places identified in Mumbai where temporary arrangements for accommodation can be arranged for people working in hospitals and other essential services. The state government will discuss the issue and decide further," he said.

However, Shiv Sena leader and Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde said that no such decision will be taken without consulting the authorities concerned. Earlier in the day, Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vijay Singhal suggested that similar decision--to
ban entry of local residents working in Mumbai--can be taken.

Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde expressed the need for a proper staying facility for the people who travel to Mumbai to avoid further spread of coronavirus infection. "Such arrangement can be made in Mumbai city," he said. Millions of working-class people commute daily to Mumbai in local trains and other transport for work from Thane, Navi Mumbai, Virar, KDMC, Ulhasnagar, Ambernath, and Badlapur.

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The city's record for the highest number of COVID-19 cases reported in a single day increased to 769 on Wednesday as the total count reached 12,716. Bracing for more cases in the coming days, the civic body is planning to set up additional COVID-19 care centres in various open spaces across the city.

Civic officials said that the new COVID-19 centres will come up at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Nehru Science Centre, MMRDA grounds in BKC, Mahim Nature Park and NESCO ground in Goregaon. Once the work is complete, civic officials said that the current capacity of 14,000 beds will increase to 34,000 beds. For critical patients, the capacity will be increased from 3,000 beds to 4,750 beds in hospitals like Nair, KEM and SevenHills. Additionally, ICU beds will be set up at the centre in NSCI.

The G South ward (comprising Worli) with 903 cases and G North (comprising Dharavi) with 888 cases, continued to have the highest concentration of positive cases. While three deaths were reported from the G South ward, one was reported from Dharavi where a 64-year-old male resident of Naik Nagar died on Wednesday. Civic officials from G North ward said that 68 new cases were reported in Dharavi, eight in Dadar and 11 in Mahim. Civic officials in G South ward said 25 new cases were reported on Wednesday.

State health officials reported 1,233 new cases in Maharashtra and the total count of COVID-19 cases now stands at 16,758. There were 34 COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesday of which 26 were in Mumbai which included one patient who was a resident of Uttar Pradesh, three in Pune, three in Akola and one each in Jalgaon and Solapur.

While 18 of the deaths involved patients who were senior citizens, 13 of them fell in the age group of 40-59 years and 27 of the patients were suffering from other ailments. Till date, Maharashtra has had 651 deaths due to COVID-19 and till date, 3,094 COVID patients have been discharged after a full recovery. Currently, more than 2 lakh people are under home quarantine while 13,107 people are kept at quarantine facilities.

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Thousands of migrants working in the power looms at Bhiwandi set out on foot for their villages hundreds of kilometres away earlier this week. While these migrants face an enormously difficult journey with almost zero resources, those who have stayed back are also on the brink of starvation.

The Maharashtra government has been assuring of help for migrant workers should they stay back amid the COVID-19-caused lockdown. Though the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) is offering food packets, the power loom workers say the quality of the food is inferior.

"The municipality has been giving khichdi for 15 days and the ingredients are rice and turmeric powder. Sometimes they mix vegetables in it. But the food quality is absolutely inferior, it cannot be eaten by any human being. Being a labourer does not mean that we will eat toxic food. The food smells and makes us nauseous," said Manzar Alam, a native of Bihar.

"It is the month of Ramzan and most of us are fasting. But after eating bad quality food, some of us vomited and had to break the fast," said Alam, adding that power loom owners are not helping either and that many are breaking their fast only with water.

"The power loom owner does not respond to our calls. He either switches off his mobile phone or blocks our number," said Mohammad Sahid, a native of Ambedkar Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh.

Raw ration only for state residents
Another power loom worker, Jalaluddin Ansari said workers get food once a day. "We have not been given raw ration by the state government. In this crisis, we have to wait in long queues for langar distributed by social workers," said Ansari.

There are seven lakh registered power looms in Bhiwandi

"There was a queue of nearly 200 workers on Monday. By the time my turn came, food was over. So, I rushed to another langar half-a-kilometre away and stood in another queue. But here too, the food finished," said Ansari, who did not eat anything on Monday.

"On Tuesday, I got food but it was not very little. This is the reality of many workers who did not dare to walk home. The state government is providing raw ration to only those who are from Maharashtra. We are not given any ration," said Ansari, whose co-workers Abdul Ali and Mohammad Younus echoed his views.

Workers say they are being given khichdi - the ingredients of which are usually rice and turmeric — in the food packet for the past 15 days

A few workers from Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh tried to go home in a truck recently. "A truck driver agreed to transport us to our native place. He took R2,500 from each worker. We started our journey a few days ago, but police at Karjat stopped the vehicle and caned the driver badly. We were forced to return to hell with no food," said Ali.

Nearly 3,000 workers rushed to the State Transport bus depot in Bhiwandi on Tuesday. mid-day spoke to a few of them and asked if they had any idea about when they would return to Bhiwandi to resume work: "Humlogo ke paas aur kya hai kamane ke liye?" said Yashpal, a native of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh.

"It is a pandemic and the whole world is reeling under a financial crisis. We don't know what will happen to us as I have heard that big companies are downsising. We are not sure if the owners of power looms will downsize too," said Sahil.

A ray of light
There is confusion among workers regarding how and where they can get registered to travel home in trains. However, a power loom owner Parvez Alam Ansari has been helping his employees.

"I have told my workers not to panic. I have been providing them with ration, vegetables, etc. and they have been preparing meals for themselves. The power loom is shut but these workers are our assets. I cannot afford to keep them stranded amid a crisis," Ansari said.

Civic body's help mismanaged
"There are seven lakh registered power looms employing around three to four lakh migrant labourers. As per our estimate, more than one lakh people want to leave the city as they don't have work and are not getting food. We are doing our best to provide food but it's been more than a month now and the assistance provided by the local corporation is mismanaged. Now our priority is to help those who want to go to their home states, such as Uttar Pradesh, which is not cooperating with Maharashtra," said local MLA Rais Shaikh.

'We resolved all complaints'
According to Pravin Ashtikar, the chief of BNCMC, initially, there were a lot of complaints regarding food quality and its supply, but all have been resolved. "We are not denying that complaints were received from people but I must tell you that we listen to them and now things have improved in the past week. There have been no complaints about the food as far as quality and supply are concerned. There are several NGOs working with us and we are supplying 80,000 food packets daily. The migrants who want to leave just want to go home because the lockdown has been extended. Most of the migrants have been taken care of by us and their employers," said Ashtikar.

Ashtikar added that so far there are 20 cases of Coronavirus in Bhiwandi city, of which two have recovered and 290 are in institutional quarantine. "We started preparing for COVID-19 in the second week of march — we procured equipment for disinfecting and started sanitising the area much in advance. As you see the result, all positive cases in Bhiwandi have come from other areas. We have successfully stopped community transmission despite a high population. Currently, Bhiwandi has a population of over 8 lakh. We started door-to-door screening last week, targeting the most vulnerable people, and 75 per cent of the survey is complete. So far, 1,011 people are found to be vulnerable as they are suffering from other ailments and we are taking care of them," Ashtikar added.

80K
Food packets Bhiwandi civic body claims it is providing

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Trains ferrying migrant workers have been on the move with about 14 of them having left from the Central Railway section and 62 from the Western Railway section across different divisions. However, there continues to be limitations in the number of trains leaving from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as it is a red zone.

So far, eight trains have left from the MMR region with a couple of more planned in the coming days. A Bhivandi Road-Gorakhpur one was the first train to leave the MMR region on May 2 with 1,104 migrants.

The same day another train left from Vasai Road for Gorakhpur with 1,200 migrants. After this, two trains left for Jaipur — one from Bhivandi and another from Dahanu — on May 4, two from Kalyan to Darbhanga and Kalyan to Guntkul on May 5 and another two — Panvel to Rewa and Bhivandi to Patna in the wee hours of May 6.

The first train to arrive in the state was from Rayanapadu in Vijaywada

First train to arrive in Maha
Meanwhile, the first train to arrive in Maharashtra was from Rayanapadu in Vijaywada. It reached Chandrapur with 1,212 migrants around 9.10 am on May 6. The passengers were provided with food and water by the state government and later taken for health check-ups by the district collector before being sent to their homes.

One of the group leaders, who was onboard the train, said the migrants from Maharashtra had gone to Rayanapadu for red chilli plucking and transport was organised by the Krishna district administration. "They were taken to the station in 48 buses with 25 passengers each. The passengers included senior citizens, women and children too," he told mid-day over phone. Western Railway chief PRO, Ravinder Bhakar said the railways would run these trains as long as there was demand from other state governments.

14
No. of trains that have left from the CR section

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Six new cases of Corona were found in the Panvel Municipal Corporation jurisdiction on Wednesday taking the count to 113 under the PMC. Among the new cases are two APMC staffers, a police officer, a kidney patient, a homemaker and a BEST employee.

The PMC, which falls under the Raigad district, was initially declared an orange zone, as was the entire Raigad district but within 24 hours, the collector put PMC areas in the red zone.

Ramesh Lengarekar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, PMC, informed mid-day that PMC was a part of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Dombivli, etc, and considering the entire MMR is in the red zone, PMC, too, falls under the said category. "While the government has the power to decide the zones (red, orange, green), the collector has been empowered to list a zone from orange to red or green to orange."

12L population in PMC
So far, two deaths have been reported from the PMC region, which has a population of 12 lakh. The number of positive cases in Raigad district, excluding PMC, is lesser and is, therefore, in the orange zone.

Areas under the PMC — Panvel, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Kharghar, Ulve and Taloja — will follow the national lockdown period till May 17 with prohibitory orders under Section 144 (no assembly of more than five people) in force.

"As per the central government directives, we are making an attempt to keep some additional shops (five) other than medical and general stores open. A decision on this will be taken soon," a senior PMC official said.

Infection from Mumbai
The BEST staffer who tested positive is attached to the Govandi bus depot, and the police sub-inspector is attached to a police station in the Central Mumbai region.

The kidney patient was undergoing his dialysis treatment in a private hospital in Sanpada while the two APMC staffers are residents of Kamothe and Kharghar.

Mangal Kamble, founder president of Swachh Kharghar Foundation, said, "People working in Mumbai have been travelling daily between Mumbai and the PMC area, and have caught the infection in the city."

Cases spike in APMC market
"Also, our concern is that most of the vegetables, fruits, and grains are being transported all over the MMR region from the APMC market, which is already seeing an increase in the number of positive cases. A thorough screening of every vehicle entering and exiting APMC should be done and at every entry point within the PMC area. This needs to be done to curtail any community outbreak of the virus," Kamble added.

Over 100 COVID-19 cases in APMC
Dr Satish Choudhari, nodal officer for COVID at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar said, "At present, we have around 24 positive cases in the quarantine centre here. All those people who have a cold, cough, fever for more than three to five days are sent to the Gram Vikas Bhavan for quarantine and are referred to sub-district hospital Panvel or to MGM hospital in Kamothe if they need further treatment."

Twelve new cases have been detected in the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market taking the tally there to over 100.

The market, however, continues to function as per the guidelines of the committee appointed for monitoring the situation.

113
Total no. of COVID cases in PMC area

2
No. of novel Coronavirus deaths in PMC area

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Over a 100 goons led by the deputy sarpanch of Kalamb village in Vasai attacked the house of a vegetable vendor who had been helping migrant workers fill forms online and register with the state government to go back to their villages, on Tuesday night.

Vasai police have registered a case against 12 people, including the deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested one person.

The goons, armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, first started throwing stones at the bungalow of Brijesh Chauhan in Nirmal village, Vasai West. The house's glass windows were shattered and Chauhan's wife, Reema, got injured by little shards of glass.

The incident happened after Chauhan registered a Non-Cognisable (NC) complaint against one of the accused a day before the attack.

"My husband has been helping migrant workers fill forms online. On May 4 at 8:30 pm, two migrant workers came to my house to get themselves registered online. My husband told them to collect the details of at least 10 people and then one or two can come to submit the details as it also maintains social distancing," said Reema.

"But the duo got angry and told my husband that they belong to Kalamb village and their work should be done on priority. They screamed at us and then left, only to return 15 minutes later with Darshan Gharat and 20 other people from Kalamb village. They shouted and abused everyone in our family, including women. My senior citizen father-in-law was also manhandled," she added. "After abusing us, the mob returned to Kalamb village. Around 10 minutes later, they came with deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, who too abused us. Somehow we managed to send them away," Reema said.

Brijesh then registered an NC against the group. "On May 5 at 9 pm, Anand and goons riding triple seat on motorcycles, armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks, etc. came shouting and started pelting stones at my house. I got injured. Neighbours came to our rescue and police also came on the spot just 10 minutes after we called them," she added.

Deputy sarpanch flees
An officer from Vasai police said, "We have registered a case against 12 people and other unidentified people and arrested one person. In all, 12 people, including deputy sarpanch Anand are wanted. We are trying to trace him."

Deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat

Anand, who is planning to seek anticipatory bail, told mid-day that Brijesh had assaulted a student residing in Kalamb village. "I had gone to resolve the matter but they have registered a case against me. An officer from Vasai police asked me to surrender but I am innocent," said Anand, who is out on bail in a rape and kidnapping case registered against him at Vasai police station last year.

May 5
Day the incident occurred

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In a latest controversy, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had decided to file a police complaint against doctors who prescribe COVID-19 tests to patients without conducting physical examinations. The officials of L ward had also come up with a complaint format that was supposed to be sent to police stations. However, when doctors slammed the move, the civic body withdrew it on Wednesday.

According to the complaint letter issued by L ward, a doctor found to have referred a patient for the COVID-19 test without a physical examination would face an FIR under Section 188 of the IPC (disobeying orders of a public servant) and the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897. Confirming that such a decision was taken by the civic administration, a senior civic official said, "The COVID-19 task force decided that doctors have to examine the patient physically before prescribing any test. Ward officials will file the complaint with the respective police station if the regulations are not followed and the police will investigate the matter further."

However, when contacted, an L ward official said that the decision was taken after a doctor based in New Delhi referred a patient for testing in Mumbai and the complaint form was being used as a scare tactic. "We weren't planning on taking action against doctors. We just wanted to discourage the medical fraternity from referring patients without examining them. The complaint form was shared on some chat groups," added the official.

Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president of the Indian Medical Association in Maharashtra said that it is an unjustifiable move since doctors don't have access to PPE kits and they cannot examine a suspected patient without adequate protection. "We are only working with masks and gloves. It is very risky to physically examine a patient and doctors are not able to buy PPE kits either since it's not available, which is why in some cases doctors are consulting patients over phone. However, the BMC cannot take action against doctors and this will be challenged in the court of law," said Dr Bhondwe.

He added that even making physical examination mandatory doesn't make sense unless the civic body provides PPE kits to all doctors. "More and more doctors are testing positive every day. If a doctor examines a patient without PPE and if the patient tests positive, then the doctor will be placed in quarantine," he said. Dr Bhondwe added that instead of testing only the symptomatic patients, the government should make arrangements to test everyone. "Health is a constitutional right and everyone should be able to undergo tests," he added. Dr Bhondwe also pointed out that till date none of the circulars issued by the ICMR have mentioned that physical examination is mandatory. He further said that L ward officials later assured him that no FIR would be filed against doctors.

When contacted, Dr Gautam Bhansali, consulting physician with Bombay Hospital, said that taking action wasn't the correct approach in such stressful times. "Such decisions are demeaning to doctors who are working so hard. Referring a patient is not a crime and doesn't warrant a punishment. At best, circulars can be issued to create awareness among doctors," he said.

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A slice of the verdant Nehru Science Centre in Worli has been taken over by the civic authorities for what Centre director Dr S Khened thinks must be for "an isolation centre, or for quarantine."

Khened said, "I do not know exactly for which. We got official communication a couple of days earlier that a portion of the centre's space will be acquired. The front portion of the Centre, just as you enter the main gate, has been taken. We usually use that space to hold Science exhibitions. We have also held a vintage car exhibition two years ago in that venue, so it is a massive space."

Centre officials said preparations are in full swing, with beds and mattresses and even mobile toilets being brought in. The Science Centre officials have tried to talk to those in charge at the site for details but without too much success.

They reasoned, "it is evident that the officials are extremely stressed and we are in fact, prepared for the worst. Authorities are working extremely hard to get this ready," they stated.

Khened said that the environs of the Centre are very green and will need to be maintained. "We need to have some skeletal staff inside to maintain the green patches, the trees, the many plants that we have. They need water and regular upkeep," he said adding that it was important that the Coronavirus facility is completely sealed off from the other parts of the sprawling complex.

The Centre also has skeletal staff quarters on the premises where currently eight senior officers are living with their families, "so it is vital that those who are going to be shifted into the facilities for Coronavirus, be confined to that space. I am sure this has been thought out and will be done," said Khened.

Physical space
The Science centre has moved its activities online, like most other institutions, with two virtual lectures scheduled on their YouTube channel on May 9 and May 11 respectively. The former will be a talk by Dr Vasant Shinde on Rakhigarhi Excavation and the latter is Dr Anil Kakodkar, on 'dealing with energy needs in the context of climate crisis'. Yet, said Dr Khened, "We will open again as a physical space when the government gives the green light. Children, the main visitors at the Centre, may have some apprehension about visiting since this will be used as a Coronavirus facility.

There is a great deal of wariness as the Centre is just next to the Jijamata Nagar slum area, which is a COVID hotspot. "However, with all the trepidation, we too understand that this is for the greater good, and everybody has to do their part in this fight," the director said.

Line up
The Worli area, with an unenviable record number of Coronavirus cases in Mumbai, is also being taken over as quarantine/isolation areas rapidly. Just around the corner from the Science Centre, the Nehru Centre, which is next to the Nehru Planetarium has also been acquired for Corona purposes.

S P Verma, Jt Director of Nehru Centre, said, "The two exhibition halls on the ground floor have been acquired, not the Nehru Planetarium. I think beds and other amenities will be moved in shortly, I do not know when exactly. We had been told to hand over possession of the spaces and have done so," he finished.

The Nehru Centre joins neighbour, NSCI club's The Dome and Mahalaxmi racecourse as an entire line of Haji Ali institutions, whose space has been acquired for Corona combat.

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At a time when the nation needs its frontline workers, Railway doctors remain inconspicuous by their absence. Considering this, the railway board has now issued a circular stating that "unauthorised absence" was hurting the system and creating a serious imbalance, hence fresh recruitments were necessary.

The circular, (a copy of which is with mid-day) signed by executive director/health, railway board, Dr Vijay Kumar, states, "A large number of doctors are on unauthorised leave. This is causing a serious imbalance in the strength of doctors in many zones. In view of this, it has been decided that vacancies of doctors who are on unauthorised absence will be filled up." It further mentioned that as and when the doctors, who are currently absent, report back to duty, they would be directed to report to the Director General/Railway Health Services (DG/RHS) for their further posting.h

The circular said necessary disciplinary action should be completed early and on priority. The Indian Railway Health Services (IRHS) is a cadre of doctors recruited through the Union Public Service Commission medical exam.

The key responsibilities of the doctors include attending to rail accident victims, pre-employment medical examination of staff, periodical medical tests of serving staff, conducting medical boards and other medical certification of serving employees and much more.

While the director-general (health) was not available for comment, a senior official said, "Recruitments are being carried out to get doctors and medical staff on board to fight the COVID-19 battle as the railways have been actively functioning even in these times. It has become the key provider of essential services, keeping the supply chain alive. Hence, the more number of medical workers come on board, the better it is."

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'Goodfather' is one of the biggest Hollywood cult classic of all times. The dialogues in the film are so popular that even Mumbai Police, being themselves, played around with words and used it in their latest post on Instagram, to share the importance of wearing masks.

In the post, the police department shared a meme with a still from the film and played around with its famous line, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse' to 'I'm gonna offer him a mask he can't refuse.' In the captions, the police wrote, "Your enemy 'corona' always gets strong on 'the mask' you leave behind," with a striking hashtag #GodfathersOfSafety.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mumbai Police (@mumbaipolice) onMay 5, 2020 at 9:05pm PDT

The post, shared on Wednesday garnered 16,459 likes so far. One of the users who double tapped on the post was Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who seemed impressed by the creativity of the police department, just like the users who commenting on the post.

A user said, "Suddenly i can't remember what the original line was. Mumbai Police tum bohot acha kaam karta hai." Another user said, "Mumbai Police are now best police in the world... In making memes too!" One more user said, "These guys keep getting better day by day!!"

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An under-trial inmate and two staff at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai have tested positive for Coronavirus. The inmate has been admitted for treatment at JJ Hospital. The jail administration, looking at the seriousness of the matter, got 150 people, including staff and inmates tested, of which results are awaited.

According to information received from prison sources on May 2, the inmate, who was accused of murder, collapsed in the jail after which he was admitted to JJ Hospital, Meanwhile, he underwent the Coronavirus test and he was found positive on May 4 as per his reports. The jail administration then got into action and tested 150 people in the jail for the virus, and their reports are awaited.

An official of Arthur Road Jail told mid-day, "We had taken measures to prevent coronavirus. After one of the inmates and two jail staff tested positive, we got 150 people in Arthur Jail tested. The report is yet to come."

Two jail staff who tested positive have been kept under quarantine. They were earlier sent out for fieldwork. According to the jail sources, if an employee has been sent outside the jail after lockdown, he would not be given in-prison duty again and would be sent on quarantine for 14 days.

The jail has been closed down because of the coronavirus outbreak, due to which no new inmates are being accepted in the jail. At such a time, only essentials services workers are allowed inside the jail.

As the number of cases in the state is on a surge, the prison department planned some important measures. As the inmates in the prison were prone to get infected, some of the prisoners were temporarily sent out on bail. Also, five prisons in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, and Pune have been closed down due to the pandemic.

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Encouraging everyone around him to stay indoors, Mayur Jadhav himself has been visiting various containment zones in Lokhandwala and Oshiwara wearing a PPE suit for three to four hours daily. A frontline worker, Jadhav does the risky job of collecting bio-medical waste from residential buildings and COVID-19 quarantines.

Amid the Coronavirus-caused lockdown, people are asked to put household waste in black bags and bio-medical waste — gloves, masks and items touched by COVID-19 patients, staffers at a quarantine facility — in yellow bags.

Like Jadhav, conservancy workers dealing with bio-medical waste are trained for the task. Jadhav, 30, resides at Durgadevi Chawl, Vakola and after weeks of practice, he is comfortable with the job. "Initially, I was worried as I had heard many were getting sick. But once we get the hang of it, we do the work without problems. Every day, we put sanitiser and spray disinfectant on the yellow bag and wait for five minutes before loading it on the vehicle meant only for yellow bags," he said. In K West ward, there are over 650 COVID-19 cases and over 300 containment zones.

'Made wife understand'

Rishikesh Dhotre, 43, is among the workers residing far from his workplace and spends over 10 hours outdoors. He leaves his Nalasopara residence 4:45 am for Worli and returns home around 3:30 pm. "I was nervous as we were visiting places everyone was asked to avoid. My wife would fight and ask why I am the one to go. But gradually, I understood the precautions we have to take and explained them to my wife. She is worried but understands the importance of the job," Dhotre said.

While Dhotre is glad to have access to fresh PPE kits every day, he also has to contend with how hot it gets during the three-hour collection.

Worried about family

Conservancy workers constantly worry about their family members, especially senior citizens at a higher risk of infection. Sarthak Chandramani, 29, works in G North ward comprising Dharavi. He takes extra precautions once he reaches home as he has a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and 63-year-old father.

"I don't touch my phone after wearing the PPE and I call my family before I reach home. They have strict instructions to leave the house and keep a bucket of hot water and soap near the door. They are only allowed to enter after I have soaked my clothes in the bucket and gone for a bath," he said.

Chandramani often picks up medical waste falling out of the garbage bags with his hands. "People often overstuff garbage bags and then they can't be tied. Waste falls out from overflowing bags and we have to disinfect it, put back in the bag and disinfect the bag again," he said. Chandramani lives in BDD chawl, another high-risk area.

After the recent death of a civic official on food-distribution duty in Dharavi due to COVID-19, the BMC is screening all staffers. Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, G North ward, said, "We have around 900 labourers collecting waste and there are 200 containment zones in this ward. We conduct screening once a week and check for fever with infrared thermometers. We have also counselled staffers to immediately report symptoms," he said.

Where is biomedical waste taken?

Medical waste is taken to a biomedical facility managed by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board at Deonar. Amar Supate, principal scientific officer with MPCB said that since March 29, the facility has processed 11 tonnes of COVID-19 waste from Containment Zones and other biomedical waste.
"The yellow bags are directly put into the incinerator. Other kinds of plastic waste, glass vials, injections or syringes and scalpels are sterilised with sodium hypochlorite and then shredded for recycling," Supate said.

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With the cases of coronavirus continuing to surge in Mumbai, the Mumbai Police has been pulling all stops to ensure the safety of the people. The police department has been active not just in the public space but on social media with their public interest messages urging people to respect the lockdown and follow the precautions put in place by the government.

In their latest post on Twitter, the Mumbai Police has posted a series of posters used some of the famous musical bands’ names such as Backstreet Boys, Linkin Park, Oasis and U2 to make sure people follow the lockdown rules.  The police department urged their followers through slogan coined with puns asking people not to visit Linkin Park,  reminding ‘U2’ stay home and that your home is your ‘Oasis’.

The Mumbai Police said in the caption, “Stay indoors, for we are on the streets, playing your favourite safety tunes with our 'Band-o-bast'.

Stay indoors, for we are on the streets, playing your favourite safety tunes with our 'Band-o-bast'. #LockdownPerformance #TakingOnCorona pic.twitter.com/ejPW0Ofbfw

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 7, 2020

The post shared on Thursday morning has garnered more than 1,900 likes and was retweeted 333 times. Users commenting on the post lauded the the police department’s creativity on their social media posts.

You guys have a great taste in music!

— Rudresh Solanki (@rudresh97) May 7, 2020

Huge respect to the person/group of people managing this account and showing his/their creativity even in this tough situation!!
Kudos to the team guys.
More recognition to you all.@MumbaiPolice @OfficeofUT

— Rishabh 🇮🇳 (@Rishabh4593) May 7, 2020

You always amaze with something 😍 new.. it's a pride to b a Mumbaikar and to be safe with Mumbai police 🙏

— roshan bangera (@roshbangera32) May 7, 2020

Creativity level genius 🔥

— Karen P (@Head_in_d_cloud) May 7, 2020

What do you think about this post?

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With the cases of Coronavirus continue to surge in the city, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) has decided to suspend its operations from May 11 to 17.

The market committee has decided to shut all five markets, that include onion-potato markets, spices, fruits, vegetables and grains. The decision was made as cases among the market participants have been rising in spite of strict guidelines put in place to maintain social distance.

Navi Mumbai mayor Jaywant Sutar had urged the Maharashtra government to shut the APMC Market in a bid to stop the movement of people as many of the customers come from Mumbai to the travel to buy their stock of groceries.

The APMC Market in Vashi is the largest supplier of fruits, vegetables, grains and spices to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday refuted speculation about the Army being called in in Mumbai which has become a major coronavirus hotspot.

In a live webcast, he said additional manpower may be sought from the Union government if needed so that the state police force gets some respite.

CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray addressing the State https://t.co/ZZ65xsR3Oy

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 8, 2020

Asking people not to believe rumours, the chief minister said the government might ask for additional manpowerfrom the Centre, if needed, to enable the police personnel to take rest in a phased manner. "This doesn't mean that Mumbai will be handed over to the Army. Police personnel are tired after working round-the- clock, some have fallen sick and a few of them have succumbed to the virus. They need rest," Thackeray said.

He also admitted that while the spread of the virus has been contained, the state has not succeeded in breaking the chain of infection yet. Whether the lockdown will be extended or not after May 17 will depend on how far people maintain discipline and follow rules, he said.

"We have to come out of the lockdown one day or the other. We can't be living permanently like this. But to come out of this sooner, you need to follow rules and maintain discipline of social distancing and use face mask," Thackeray said

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To tackle the spread of Infection, Panvel Municipal Corporation has taken a big decision. Contributing more than 40% cases in the tally of Covid-19 cases, Corporation has decided to declare entire Kamothe node as containment zone from Friday night. No travelling outside Kamothe will be allowed for common citizens, also residents will be allowed to step out only for buying essential things. Only employees working in essential services will be allowed to enter or exit the area.

Panvel Corporation area till now has reported 138 Corona cases till now. Out of these cases, 54 are from Kamothe node. To tackle the spread, Corporation was thinking of taking some strict action, finally it has decided to declare entire Kamothe node as containment zone.

The node is spread over 2.76 Square kilometer, having population of 1.13 lakh rupees. "Kamothe is contributing more cases than rest of the area, so we needed to take some strict action. As per standard practice, we were sealing a building as containment zone where positive case gets detected, but now we have decided to declared entire node as containment zone" told Ganesh Deshmukh, Municipal Commissioner of Panvel Corporation.

No travelling of persons will be allowed inside Kamothe from Friday night, only essential services employee including Medical practitioners, Government and Corporation employees, security personnel will be allowed after providing ID cards.

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The ongoing lockdown imposed by the government due to the Coronavirus outbreak in the country has taken a toll on the public lives of the people. With social distancing being the new norm, people have come up with innovative techniques to ensure the supply of essential goods is not affected. Just like this milkman who came up with a creative idea to deliver milk, which netizens are terming as ‘jugaad.’

In a photo of the person posted by IAS officer Nitin Sangwan, the customer is seen standing a few feet away from the milkman carrying four cans of milk behind his motorbike. A pipe is fixed on the back of the bike, with a funnel attached to it. As the milkman pours milk into the funnel, the customer holds a bowl on the other end of the pipe to collect the milk coming out of it.

Sangwan captions on the photo shared with his post, “Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe,” adding how others can help maintain social distancing by staying at home and wearing mask.

Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe.

Let's do basic minimum things of staying at home, wearing mask and keeping social distance even if we cannot go an extra mile like this innovative milkman. pic.twitter.com/RrjYVtdaKW

— Nitin Sangwan, IAS (@nitinsangwan) May 7, 2020

The photo of this innovative technique that ensures zero contact was shared on Thursday and has garnered 704 likes. It was also retweeted 105 times. Users commenting on the photo praised the idea and posted about how this ‘jugaad’ can help in maintaining social distance.

Creativity....This is called desi jugaaad.

— mahesh chemte (@mchemteMT) May 7, 2020

Super plan & i really appreciet the milk man ideas... dear indians plz keep distance, stay home

— Suryaprakash (@suryapr65773817) May 9, 2020

Kudos...innovative & creative to think of others and himself too, stay safe.

— Vimileswari Naidu (@VimileswariN) May 7, 2020

Now is the time for every Indian citizen to place safety before anything other priority so that we can break the Covid19 chain. Well done my dear milkman🙏

— SURESH SUBRAMANIAN (@SURESHSpallipur) May 8, 2020

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At a time when the Coronavirus outbreak has thrown people all over the world into despair, jazz legend Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a wonderful world’ bring a sense of hope and positivity. The song’s message of having a happier and better tomorrow couldn’t be any more relevant at such a time, which is why a rendition of the song that has gone viral on YouTube has won hearts online.

The video shared by the India chapter of the International Advertising Association features four melodious singers, Prabhakar Mundukur, Shalini Gupta, Subhash Kamat, and Rajeev Raja, who are a part of the Marketing and communications field.

The video opens with a message flashed on the screen that reads, “A musical message of optimism from the four members of the Marcom industry,” after which the singers present their soothing rendition of the famous song accompanied by the piano and the flute.

Shared on Tuesday, the video has garnered 4,885 views on YouTube with tons of comments praising the rendition and how the song made them feel refreshed.

A user said, “It’s people like you who make India a splendid part of this wonderful world.” Another user said, “Wow.. what a masterpiece !! Feel so refreshing.” One more user said, “Thank you, it is indeed a wonderful world and thank you for your part in making sure we hear it in your amazing voices. Beautiful!!"

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When Elon Musk revealed his newborn son’s name, X Æ A-12, he took the internet by storm. Even as the Tesla and Space X explained the meaning of the name, the buzz around it refuses to die down. Mumbai Police, taking a cue from Musk, posted a hilarious cryptic lockdown mandate.

The police department took to Twitter and asked their followers to solve this cyptic lockdown mandate that was written with characters Æ, b, 8 and a home emoji.

*Æ b 8 🏠

Crack this #lockdown mandate.#AMaskDecode

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 8, 2020

The post that was shared on Friday was quick to catch people’s attention and many tried to decipher the tweet. From answers ranging from ‘Aye, ghar baith’ to ‘All be at home’, the Twitterati realized that the Mumbai Police was asking people to stay at home. Some people also lauded the creativity of the police as they cashed on a trending topic and posting as a public service message.

Aye, Be At Home?

— Easha (@Esssaaa12) May 8, 2020

Ae baith ghar

— Arfat Qureshi (@arfatqureshi327) May 8, 2020

All be at home

— Richie Rich (@picachuppp) May 8, 2020

We should be at home...

— Rachit James (@james_rachit) May 9, 2020

😂..very creative,( Elon Musk )..👍🏻

— Sylvestre Almeida (@Sylvestre_n_twt) May 8, 2020

Wow! Thanks for letting me know the pronounciation of first word 😂

— Sushmush♉ (@sushmasarraf) May 8, 2020

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Dear Diana,
I find myself in an unusual predicament. My best friend and I have fallen for the same girl. We met her at a birthday party of a common friend. He introduced us to her. We both got along well with her and kept in touch. But somewhere down the line, I got serious about her. My pal then started behaving odd with me. He said he was in love with her and had already expressed his feelings for her. All this has led to a dent in our friendship of over 10 years. Now we are both wooing her and we are waiting to know who she will finally choose. Each one of us has asked the girl who she likes. But she says she needs time to make up her mind. What do I do? I can't see myself away from her. I am hoping that she chooses me. At the same time, I am puzzled that even though she knows we both have the hots for her, she is playing along with both of us. Is she serious about us?
— Vishesh

Dear Vishesh
You can live on hope and love, but chances are this girl is going to dump you both. She is well aware that you two are interested in her, so she is playing along. She is enjoying the attention she is getting from you two guys. At the end, the girl will go with someone else. Her answer that she needs time to think is a clear giveaway. This woman is not interested in either of you. Get the hint and get going with your life. It is strange that even though she is well aware of the affections of both you guys, she is playing along. You cannot trust this woman. You need to tell your pal also not to be blinded in love and see the real picture.

Dear Diana,
I have been with this girl for over a year. Things are going fine between us, but I now feel she is not someone I would like to spend the rest of my life with. This could be because I am attracted to someone else. Three months ago, I met this girl at a party who was introduced through a common friend. I have been hanging out with her as well. I feel she is the one for me. She is of a cheerful disposition and always smiling unlike my girlfriend who always finds faults in everything I do. I have been growing fond of this new girl on my scene. The problem is I do not know how to tell my girlfriend I am not interested in her. I want to move on, but at the same time do not want to upset her. At the same time, with each passing day, I am growing more and more fond of this new girl. How do I solve this dilemma? I want to be with the new girl, but do not want to hurt my girlfriend.
— Raman

Dear Raman,
If you want to move on, you need to tell her clearly. You are not taking a stand as you do not want to offend her. You feel she will be upset. If you do not care for her, why are you so concerned about her? Also, if you care for her still, then why are you dumping her? So, first make up your mind and then act accordingly. You will have to choose between the two girls. The faster you make the decision, the better for you and for her. You feel this new girl is more your kind within such a short duration. So you also need to sit down and ponder before you take a decision.

Dear Diana,
I've been in a relationship with a girl in my neighbourhood for the past few years. We hang out together and we are considered to be a couple. We have been together since our school days. Recently, I met another girl who has moved to our housing complex. I feel attracted to her even though I do not know her. She is extremely pretty. I keep fantasising about her. I do not understand why I have developed feelings for this other girl who I do not know. Some of my neighbours have befriended her and say that she is a sweet, caring girl. I want to strike a friendship with her, but at the same time do not want to hurt my girlfriend. What is worse is that we stay in the same neighbourhood so — sooner or later — my girlfriend is going to find out.
— Neeraj

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Neeraj,
You don't even know this new girl in the neighbourhood, but have fallen head over heels for her. As she is attractive, you might be infatuated by her. At the same time, you do not know if there is someone on her scene. You seem to be getting carried away by her looks. When you speak to her, you will have a different viewpoint of her. Your girlfriend will throw a fit when she finds out that you have developed feelings for someone else. Don't let this other woman ruin what you have with your girlfriend of so many years. Also, your mind is muddled. Sit down and think in what direction you are heading. First, get to know this new girl and then decide whether she is the girl of your dreams.

Dear Diana,
I have been with this girl for over three years now. Things are going fine, except the fact that her sister influences her a lot. She is older to my girlfriend and ever since their mother passed away when they were young, her elder sister has been a mother figure to her. I detest her sister as she keeps telling her stuff about me. According to my girlfriend, she is cautioning her, but I feel this is interference. Last week, she told her that she had seen me with a girl on the seafront. This was wrong information as I was out with some relatives who had come down from Ranchi and were keen to visit the beach. Whatever her sister tells her, she blindly believes. How do I tell her not to believe every word she tells her? My girlfriend is 24, but can't think for herself.
— Jason

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Jason,
Your girlfriend considers her elder sister as a mother figure. As her mom passed away when she was young, her sister has taken care of her. At the same time, now that she is 24, it is time she had a mind of her own. Her sister is being extra protective of her and that is understandable. If you are serious about her and are planning a future together, you need to sit down and talk to both of them. Tell them exactly how you feel. It is better to be honest and forthright. Perhaps your girl is not even realising how she is allowing herself to be influenced by her elder sister. She feels this is the done thing. At the same time, do not antagonise the sister or things might work against you and ruin your love life.

Dear Diana,
My friend and I have the hots for the same girl. I did not know earlier that he was also interested in her. He would keep showering her with praises, but I used to think it was because she was my girl. My pal is now proving to be an obstacle in my love life. He has been telling common friends that he introduced me to her and that I stole her from him. This is a lie as he barely knew her when he introduced her to me. In fact, he used to tell me that she was not his type of girl. The problem is that I don't know how to tell him. The girl is aware that he likes her, but she tells me that she cares for me. I don't even like the idea of him talking to her now. At the same time, my girl refuses to stop talking to him. I have told her to stop communicating with him, but she is in no mood to listen.
— Mohit

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Mohit,
First of all your girl is loving the attention you are showering on him as well as your buddy. Why is she encouraging him if she is not interested in him? She is to blame for your state of affairs. You could not muster enough courage to tell him that you liked the girl, so he went ahead showering his affections on her. So you can't blame your buddy. If the girl is interested in you, she would not be extra friendly with this guy too. You need to talk things out with your girl and tell her how you feel. If she does not make amends, then you need to do a rethink. Your girl will then have to choose between you and your friend. If she does not, it is time to get over this girl.

Dear Diana,
I had lied to my mother that I was going overnight with my pals to Lonavla. The fact was that I was spending time with my girlfriend at a common pal's house whose flat is vacant. The next day while unpacking my bag, my mother found my girlfriend's T-shirt in the bag. She wondered how a female pair of clothing was among my clothes. It was a girlie T-shirt and not one of those unisex T-shirts which I could pass off as one of my friends. I then cooked up a story saying that one of my pal's girlfriends had tagged along. But she still wondered how it reached my bag. The fact was that my girlfriend was carrying a lot of stuff and while packing, it slipped in with a large bath towel. I had just stuffed my towel in the bag and did not realise that her top went in with it. I told my mom to discard it, but she has washed it and kept it in my cupboard. I am embarrassed and do not know what to say. My mother has not broached the subject again. What should I do? I feel guilty. Should I tell her the truth?
— Nayan

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Nayan,
First, learn to handle your own stuff — you are making your mom do things for you still! Instead of stuffing your bag with bundles of clothes, if you had neatly folded the clothes and kept it, this problem would not have arisen. Also, when you were back home, you dumped your bag and made your mother do the unpacking. It is time you learn to do your own stuff. You seem to have your mother doing all your work. If you had unpacked your bag and separated the clothes that needed to be washed, you would have found your girlfriend's top rolled in the towel. So you alone are to blame for the predicament that you find yourself in. If you are riddled with guilt, tell your mom the truth who by now already knows what you are trying to hide.

Dear Diana,
My girlfriend has been behaving strange lately. There is a 12-year age difference between us. At times, I feel she is childish. She sometimes tells me I'm the one for her, but then she ignores me and, at times, I am like a father-figure to her. In front of my pals, she behaves like a kid and they have started making fun of me. Things were not like this earlier. I liked her as she was mature and far beyond her age of 23. I am 35 and my family is putting pressure on me to wed. But looking at her recent weird acts, I am having second thoughts about marriage. She tells me that she does not mind marrying me for now. I find it strange. Does this mean that when she finds someone else, she will dump me? Her pals tell her I am too old and that she should be with someone in her age group. Things are getting more weird as now she is telling me that we should take a break in our relationship. I don't know what she will do next. Am I better off without her?
— Neel

Dear Neel,
It could be that she doesn't like you and does not want to say it clearly. She is going on this weird trip thinking that you will go your way. You can't be in a relationship with a girl who is all muddled up. Initially, you say, things were fine despite the age difference. This means either she has been influenced by her pals or there is someone else on the scene. Taking a break means that you two might not get back together. Sit down with her and tell her honestly what you feel about the situation. If she continues with her weird act, you need to take a decision. Then you are better off without this woman who keeps changing her stance.

Dear Diana,
I have been with this girl for almost a year. Things are going fine between us except that she does not get along with my sister. She just did not gel with her from day one. I thought things would improve over time, but things are going downhill between them. She is my elder sister and has been a mother figure to me ever since our mother passed away when we were young. How do I make her resolve her differences with my sister? I hold my sister in high regards, so it is important that she gives us our blessings. We plan to get married next year. I have been trying to make them sit down and resolve their differences, but it is proving to be tough for me. Last week, I took them to a mall, but they ended up fighting with each other. I think it is an ego issue between them.
– Yuvi

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Yuvi,
You are caught between these two women and it is difficult to please one as then you are offending the other. You say it is an ego issue, so you need to settle their differences with great tact. Listen to what each of them has to say individually and then resolve their differences. At the same time, these two women need to realise that both of them are important to you. There is no question of offending any one of them. You three need to sit down with an open mind and deliberate on what are the issues that are causing heartburn. You say the two women just did not click from day one. In such a scenario, it is then important to live and let live. If the two are constantly going to be at loggerheads, a reconciliation will be impossible. In such a scenario, you will need to give them space while you be the common factor.

Style

<< Mantra: Always meet a trend half way.

Sonam Kapoor Pic/instagram

<< Pairing one holographic piece with another classic separate strikes the perfect balance without going overboard into categorical tacky.

<< For workwear, it's best to use this trend in accessories. A classic structured iridescent bag or clutch keeps things work-friendly yet on trend.

Wenda Nylon Rhea Kapoor, Pic/AFP

<< For a lunch date, pair a girly pleated metallic skirt with a classic white shirt and tie the shirt at the waist to give it more character.

<< For a night out, use this trend on boots. Pair a slip dress with statement metallic or crystal-studded boots.

Gucci Pic/Getty images

<< For those wary of too much metallic or just wanting to dress down, layer a metallic tank or tee with a chambray shirt and your fave pair of blue denims. Add a neaker of your choice.

- Tips from celebrity stylist
Devki Bhatt

Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone

"We're still friends" is a common line one has heard several exes say. But how comfortably does a post-break-up relationship translate to working in the same office, where situations can lead to high-tension scenarios?

Actors and exes Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone surely seem to have cracked the code, as the duo has worked on two films post calling it quits, the 2013 hit Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Tamasha (2015). The actors will also walk the ramp for a charity fashion show for designer Manish Malhotra later this month. How did they get to this point?

"The biggest challenge in dealing with exes [or with anyone really] is that we don't leave the past in the past and allow it to affect our present and future. We start seeing people through a lens of our opinions and interpretations. When working with exes, it is important to have a heightened commitment to be mindful and be in the moment and not create conflicts with the ex - the source of which is very likely to be our past-based filters," says life coach Milind Jadhav.

Jadhav feels, that a simple, yet powerful, way of dealing with your ex is to set your work priorities and do just what works for you. But do men and women react to a situation such as this in different ways? "Men tend to be patronising and vindictive. Women, on the other hand, can either withdraw or go hostile," says Dr Harish Shetty, psychiatrist, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital. Dr Shetty feels that there's no perfect closure to any relationship - something from the past always lingers. There's nothing like neutral emotions. And the most untoward moments are when you are alone for a long time at your workplace.

"Working with exes is a difficult situation to deal with. All offices have cultural activities, which involve dancing and drinking, and it is uncomfortable and risky to be together in such situations. Sometimes, these involve bringing along your current partners. Then there are birthday parties of colleagues and meeting common friends, or work-related travel. Work brings back past memories when you are doing similar tasks. Excessive withdrawal or excessive involvement can happen at a workspace without the person consciously doing it," says Dr Shetty. "Navigating uncomfortable conversations is purely a matter of how one 'listens' to one's ex. The best way is to do so without judgement, as if you do not know that person, as opposed to 'I know who s/he really is," sums up Jadhav.

Famous exes who work together
>> Actors Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco of The Big Bang Theory, have dated in the past. Cuoco went on to marry (and divorce) someone else. The two still remain friends and a popular on-screen couple.
>> Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the founders of the couture giant Dolce & Gabbana, broke up in 2005 and continue to run the label together. "Everything is exactly the same. But no sex!" said Gabbana in an interview about their work relationship.

Case in point
"A couple broke up in college and ended up working for the same company. Everything was fine till they went for an office picnic where they had to dance. She called me up for advice and decided to refuse to dance. When they returned, he sent her a WhatsApp message for 'old times' sake'. She was tempted, but kept away. From then on, she knew exactly what to do. The key is to manage the initial trepidation. If you cross that phase, the resolve becomes stronger. You can also take the help of your current partner if they are supportive," says Dr Shetty.

Dos and don'ts
>> Your focus should only be your work.
>> Work in groups.
>> Don't move to your past. No personal chats, keep your conversations strictly related to work. Keep away from sharing nostalgic memories.
>> Socialise along with office groups to create a buffer between you.
>> Don't share old photographs.
>> Don't discuss your present life.
>> Don't wish on occasions beyond what is essential.
>> Don't praise the other's attire, looks and any attribute not related to work.
>> Avoid inviting each other to any other place, even for a casual conversation.
>> Don't attend a post-work coffee or drink alone. Don't stay on longer than the work demands.
>> Don't make any personal comments. If one person does, make it clear that you wish to stick to work-related talk.
>> Don't use your intimate details to make loose comments.

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"Go for vertical broad stripes instead of horizontal for a vacation wardrobe," suggests Lodha, like in this bowling shirt by AMI. A broad striped shirt, subdued with a solid-coloured jacket, can also work as a safe yet edgy work outfit.

Luxury labels and high street brands have embraced resort collars to help you keep your cool. We like this Louis Vuitton floral shirt paired with the un-skippable baggy pants folded at the hem.

It's been a while since pastels made their way into men's wardrobes, in dainty and rugged versions (with weathered fabrics). A pastel palette can be great for summer when choosing shades for colour blocking, and can also work in constraint with prints, like you see here in this Kenzo piece.

Illustrations/Uday Mohite

Baggy trousers have been a staple across brands, as has athleisure wear. Merge formal wear with a sporty element either through a simple stripe running on the side of your shirt or like this merger of a hoodie and a shirt by Hermes.

Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand has joined WWF (World Wide Fund) India as its ambassador for environment education programme. WWF India is celebrating its 50 years of conservation in India and it is delighted to see Anand lend his support to conservation and protection of the environment. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, governments, development organisations, corporates and individuals around the world are doing their bit to prevent the spread of the disease.

Talking about his association with WWF India, Anand, said, "Our children deserve a better, greener and more sustainable world than the one we are living in today and it is our responsibility as parents and elders to show them the way. "I am very excited and happy to join WWF India and work together with them to enthuse more and more children and youth about the need to protect our natural world. I look forward to an enriching and progressive association with WWF India."

WWF India's environment education programme is as old as the organisation itself, starting way back in 1976 with the Nature Clubs of India (NCI) initiative. Currently the environment education programme undertakes five large initiatives that reach out to school children, youth and citizens across the country and aim to create a generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers and environmentally conscious individuals.

The environment education programme currently reaches out to over 5,00,000 children across 2000 schools in the country.

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The US Anti-Doping Agency has come up with a novel random testing program to cope with the unique circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. With the United States, like much of the world, under lockdown as authorities try to slow the spread of the virus, USADA has launched a program in which athletes collect blood and urine samples from themselves at home, while being monitored remotely on Zoom or FaceTime by testing personnel.

The test kits were sent to athletes, who must produce samples when they receive an unannounced call from a doping control officer. The officer watches the blood sample being taken, but urine samples are provided in private. The samples are sealed under the eye of the doping control officer and sent to an accredited lab for testing. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart told the New York Times that plenty of top US Olympic hopes were eager to sign up for the pilot project.

Freestyle swimming great Katie Ledecky and athletes Noah Lyles and Allyson Felix were among those who volunteered. "We've been talking about this and laying the foundation for several months," Tygart told the newspaper.

"COVID put that on fast forward and allowed us to roll it out." Ledecky said she "felt very comfortable" administering her first self test this week at her home in California. USADA has built safeguards into the system to limit opportunities for cheating. Although athletes are not observed during collection of urine, they show the monitoring officer the bathroom that will be used, they are timed and the temperature of the sample is recorded to lessen the chances of sample tampering or sample substitution.

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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed a second victory in the Formula One Esports Virtual Grand Prix championship on Sunday, marking his Shanghai win by cooking pasta. Leclerc started on pole and finished ahead of Red Bull's Alex Albon and Guanyu Zhou, who races in Formula 2.

"I'm actually enjoying very much playing, and streaming. And I enjoy it even more when I win," tweeted 22-year-old Leclerc who also has two wins in the real F1 world championship. "But the post-race celebrations are somehow feeling a bit different. "Switching off the computer and go cook white pasta is a bit less glamour than spraying champagne on the podium."

The Formula One world championship has yet to get underway this season due to the spread of the coronavirus. Nine of the scheduled 22 races have either been cancelled or postponed.

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The financial independence of professional sportspersons has never been more important than during this Coronavirus-caused lockdown period. And given their limited sources of income due to no sporting activity, it's unfair if these athletes are refused their due.

Maharashtra's long distance-running trio of Jyoti Gawate, Srinu Bugatha and Kalidas Hirave emerged champions at the Dailyworld Marathon in Chandigarh on March 31 last year but are yet to receive their monetary rewards.

Women's full marathon winner Gawate (who clocked 2:50:02) and men's full marathon champion Bugatha (2:25:55) were both entitled to cash awards of R2 lakh each, while half marathon winner Hirave's (1:06:02) prize money was R1,25,000. Among the three, only Bugatha has received a part payment so far.

"I have been calling the organisers several times since last year for my prize money. I have spoken to different people each time. Initially, a person called HS Gujral gave me assurances. Then, one Ravi Sharma spoke to me, followed by some PC Kushwaha and now the last person I spoke to a few days ago is one Manish Tiwary. But my money has still not come. An amount of Rs 2 lakh is huge for an athlete like me who is jobless. I have won over 15 marathons till date and each time, I have received my prize money within 45 days," Gawate, 33, who lives in Parbhani, told mid-day on Tuesday.

Army Sports Institute (Pune) athlete Bugatha, who is currently at home in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh due to the lockdown, said the organisers are not even answering his calls. "Of the R2 lakh, I received only R50,000 and that too just a month back after a lot of follow ups. Now, they're not even responding to my phone calls. I requested them many times, pleading that it's my hard-earned prize money but to no avail," said Bugatha, 27, claiming that the Ethiopian and Kenyan runners received their prize cheques immediately.

The trio are now contemplating legal action. "We have only been getting false assurances from the organisers that they will deposit our money soon. We have made dozens of calls to them. Now, Srinu, Jyoti and myself are thinking of sending them a legal notice," said Hirave, 27, from his home in Wai, Satara. Dailyworld's Editor-in-chief Tiwary told mid-day that the cash awards will be handed over soon. "This event was done in association with the Punjab government. We have received a part payment from them and are awaiting the balance which has caused this delay. Still, out of 90 winners in all categories, we have paid 87 athletes. We will check our records and pay the others immediately. These athletes are our stars and it's our responsibility to take care of them," said Tiwary.

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Bianca Belair, WWE's NXT superstar, has now made it to the main roster on WWE Raw and is bringing the house down. Bianca Belair has performed for two matches on WWE Raw in the past 2 weeks and seems to be making her way to the top in the women's division. In an interview, she discusses how she was discovered, why she calls herself the 'EST', creating her own ring gear and more.

How did Mark Henry first discover you? And what is the most useful piece of advice he’s given you from your tryout and beyond?
“After my track career I wanted to find something I could still be competitive in, so I was doing Crossfit and I really stood out…all the other girls were just wearing regular shorts and t-shirts and I was coming out in tutu’s and big bows and just really standing out. At a lot of Crossfit competitions I was getting on the mic and, without even knowing it, cutting promos. Mark Henry came across a video of me at a Crossfit event on the internet and he contacted me and asked me if I’d ever thought of being in the WWE… He got me in the door but he made it very clear from the very beginning that “this is all going to be on you”… It gave me a lot of confidence and it really pushed me. Ever since then he has always been someone I can go to for advice”

You famously declared yourself the ‘EST of NXT’, and now the ‘EST of WWE’. Can you explain to people who don’t know, what that means?
“The ‘EST of WWE’ means that I am a hybrid athlete. I’m not just good in one area, I’m not just good at one thing, I’m not just strong, I’m not just someone who can go in there and do flips and be a showcase athlete. I’m someone who can do it all. I’m not just average in different areas, I’m the best in every single area. I’m the strongEST, the fastEST, the quickEST, the roughEST, the greatEST, the smartEST, I’m the bEST. All those end in EST. I just see myself as being the absolute best in every single area that you can think of.”

You’re a Superstar with a host of skills, one of which is making your own gear. Has that always been a passion for you? Which ring gear have you designed that means the most to you, and why?
“I have been pretty creative and pretty hands on my whole life. I get it from my dad who is always doing something, always making something. My mum is the same way. They are super creative and I just grew up in that environment. I used to sew when I was younger, my mum had this little Christmas cookie jar that had everything in it but cookies. At first I started sewing pillow cases together, I didn’t even know what I was doing, but it carried over into High School and I used to sew and make my own outfits… It carried over into WWE because I do everything the best and I do everything myself, it’s a huge part of my character. Probably my favourite gear is my Black History Month gear that I wore at NXT TakeOver: Portland. Black History Month is really important to me because I really feel that Black history is American history is World history, and I’m very passionate about that. So that’s probably my favourite gear that I’ve made and it has the most sentimental value to me.”

Do you see your position as a WWE Superstar carrying a responsibility to set an example for young girls and women around the world?
“The further along I get in my career the more I see that I do have a responsibility and I take that very seriously. Especially with women and young girls we are often taught to shrink ourselves, and that is a big part of my character is to never shrink yourself to soothe anyone’s insecurities, you never dim your light for anyone. You go out there and you shine bright, it’s even in my theme song: “watch me shine now”. It’s something that I really want to stress to young girls, especially within the community that I come from… Go out there and show them who you are and don’t hold back. I hold that responsibility very close to my heart and it’s not just for young girls or for women, it’s for everyone. You have to be your biggest supporter, you have to be your biggest cheerleader.”

What are Bianca Belair’s future WWE ambitions?
“The cliché answer is to be RAW Women’s Champion, or if I’m on SmackDown to be SmackDown Women’s Champion, or to eventually be NXT Women’s Champion. Of course, I want to be the Champion on all three brands at some particular time but, honestly, I just want to go out there and leave an impact no matter where I’m at. I feel like I did that with NXT, I left an impact. When people think back to this era in WWE history I want to be one of the names that pops up as one of the key players regardless of if I’ve won one match or one hundred matches. I want to leave a legacy, I want to leave an impact.”

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