Mere Pyare Prime Minister
U/A: Social drama
Dir: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Cast: Anjali Patil, Om Kanojiya
Ratings: 

What's the first thing you wonder about this film, given its title, and the fact that no head honcho of a democratic state in world history has ever had as many biopics - shorts, docs, features, web-series - simultaneously being made on him/her, even while they're still in office?

So, well, no, this isn't really a film on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Or it is, only by suggestion, since a boy writes a letter to the PM, which would be Modi (who else), but we don't see his lookalike on screen (unlike Uri, and many others in the pipeline).

Be that as it may, a film that focuses on the problem of urban, open defecation, the eradication of which should be on the agenda of every corporator/legislator, and of course the PM (current, or ones to follow), belongs to proper public service advertising/announcement (PSA) space, rather than propaganda of any kind.

Why are your suspicions slightly legit still? For it's hard to explain why the filmmakers would go ahead with this PSA script (unless they're genuinely struggling, or been forced into coming up with one), when every element here has been dished out plenty of times before, and there is no attempt to top any of it either.

Check out the trailer here:

And you could go right from trying to meet, or connect, with a head of state (I Am Kalam, My Name Is Khan), to detailing life among kids in a Mumbai slum (Salaam Bombay, Slumdog Millionaire), or in general, the Mumbai slum itself (Dharavi, Gully Boy), to addressing head-on how the poor in India (men, but women, in particular) have to bear the burden of shitting in the open, because there are no frickin' loos, which is what the rather entertainingly done, recent Akshay Kumar picture, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, was all about.

Even as a peek into the lives of Mumbai slum-dwellers, who constitute about half the metropolis, the Iranian Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds (2017) seemed a far more perceptive, original and thought-provoking take, than this local, thoroughly distant, predictably upper-class view of the lives of the downtrodden others, with every conceivable cliche that must dictate it - rape, domestic violence, drunken males, and Sheela Ki Jawani, Baby Doll type of Bollywood songs/entertainment as the only route towards momentary escape.

This is the sort of film that ideally aims to ride on its supposedly noble intentions alone, rather than engaging characters or story, the gist of which is that there's a little boy (a wonderfully cast Om Kanojiya), who does odd jobs selling newspapers, condoms, etc.

He shares a lovely bond with his single mother (Anjali Patil). He writes a letter to the PM hoping for a public toilet in his slum. That the right to shit in peace must involve a petition to the PM, no less, is tragic enough. That you don't feel for anyone in this film (let alone, the issue), with the camera hovering around a bunch of parallel songs/story-lines, aimed to extend a simple short film into a full-length feature, is perhaps worse.

Also Read: Watch video: The fun-filled making of Mere Pyare Prime Minister's title track

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A 26-year-old woman in labour was turned away from one hospital after another in Kalwa and was forced to deliver inside the autorickshaw that was ferrying them. The baby's father Janak Joshi, 25, then held the baby tight until the family reached Lakhmichand Fatichand Hospital in Thane, which finally admitted the woman and cut the umbilical cord.

Janak, a native of Nepal, works as watchman at Saurabh Towers in Thane's Kolbad Naka where he also lives with his wife and son in a small room allotted to him. His wife Geeta, 26, was due in April and Janak had been very worried about how to take her to hospital in the lockdown. He had then spoken to auto driver Mangesh Jadhav who lives in the same residential building, who agreed to ferry Geeta in case she went into labour. But the had no idea that Jadhav's rickshaw would be the place where the baby would finally be born.

Mangesh Jadhav who ferried Janak and Geeta Joshi from one hospital to another and in whose auto their baby was born

Janak said, "The civil hospital is just a kilometre away from where we live. So, we first went there to get Geeta admitted, but we were told that there are Covid-19 patients and so it would not be possible to admit her. From there we rushed to Shivaji Hospital in Kalwa where, too, we were denied admission and were told to take her to Lakhmichand Fatichand Hospital in Thane. We began our journey to Thane, but meanwhile, Geeta delivered the baby right on the Kopri Bridge inside the auto. Our son, too, was with us in the auto and was confused at first with not knowing what was happening. But, he was soon thrilled when he learnt he had a baby sister to play with."

Janak was overwhelmed and could not stop thanking Jadhav who took his family from one hospital to another and finally waited as Janak's wife delivered the baby in the rickshaw. "I held my daughter as she was delivered and held her tight until we reached the hospital in Thane where both were finally taken in and the umbilical cord was cut. Both are healthy now and we will be discharged soon," said Janak, adding that both mother and child are COVID-19-free.

"I was so tense about Geeta's delivery but Jadhav was so helpful in our time of need. We were also stopped at many checkposts which wasted a lot of our time."

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday claimed that around 75 per cent of the nursing homes in the city have restarted services, after its warning of cancelling their licences if they did not do so, on Saturday. The municipal commissioner has ordered the cancellation of licences of the remaining 25 per cent nursing homes. Action will also be taken against private clinics who continue to remain shut, under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

Warning issues
The associations of doctors, nursing homes have expressed fear to work during the COVID-19 pandemic without proper safety kits and strict guidelines. The BMC has several times offered to provide safety kits but most private clinics and nursing homes remain closed due to fear of transmission of COVID-19. On Saturday, the BMC warned nursing homes and clinics to restart immediately and refer patients who have symptoms of COVID-19 to its centres. On Monday, the BMC claimed that out of 1,416 nursing homes, 1,068 have restarted their service. "Out of 99 dialysis centres, 89 are working," said an officer with the health department of the BMC.

According to the press note issued by the civic corporation, the municipal commissioner has ordered the health department to start the process of cancelling licences of the 348 nursing homes which haven't started services yet.

Mayor in nurse's uniform

Mayor Kishori Pednekar visited Nair hospital to meet the nurses

Kishori Pednekar, mayor of Mumbai and a former nurse, donned on a nurse's uniform and visited the COVID-19-only Nair hospital on Monday morning. She was there to encourage nurses. The mayor will visit Sion hospital on Tuesday to communicate with nurses. Pednekar followed social distancing norms during her visit. "I was a nurse by profession and am aware of their challenges. I am getting many calls from nurses and their parents who expressed fear. This is a challenging time and we all should fight the pandemic," said Pednekar.

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Every day for over 10 days, a 39-year-old mechanic has been driving down to Mumbai from his house in Virar, to sanitise the vehicles of the police and the BMC. Vijay Kumar Babanna Rajappa runs a small garage opposite the Siddhivinayak temple at Prabhadevi. It has been closed since the lockdown, but Rajappa, who wanted to do something for our frontline warriors in the battle against COVID-19, has been helping them free of cost. So far he has sanitised over 150 vehicles.

Rajappa has sanitised all the vehicles of police stations at Shivaji Park, Mahim, Dadar, Virar and Arnala. He was given a letter of appreciation from many police stations for this. "We gave a letter of appreciation to Rajappa for helping the police department by sanitising our vehicles including mobile vans, cars, beat Marshal's bikes etc. It protects us from this virus while traveling from one place to another place," said Sunayana Nate, inspector of Dadar police station.

Virar corporator Maya Chaudhary said, "We took Rajappa's help to sanitise municipal emergency service vehicles, buses, police vehicles and auto rickshaws in Vasai-Virar. Rajappa is doing great work without charging for it. We have also asked him to sanitise vehicles used by doctors, nurses and ward officers."

'Keeping our police safe'
"Every day the police deal with many people including accused and have to take them to police stations or courts. Currently these may include COVID-19 positive people. The accused touch many areas inside the vehicle. So I decided to clean their vehicles and keep all our police personnel safe from the danger. I also clean the bikes of beat Marshals. If their vehicles are safe, they are safe," said Rajappa.

Rajappa even explained the process of cleaning the vehicles. At first he washes a vehicle with water from both inside and out. "Then I wash it with diesel and dry the entire vehicle. Then I use a litre of water mixed with sanitiser and apply it to the vehicle. It takes me an hour to completely clean a car. I use a sanitiser which is WHO and FDA-approved. It is only used on the metallic body of cars and bikes."

'Sanitisation helps'
He added, "If a person who is infected by COVID-19 travels in the car, there are chances it can spread to others who use the vehicle. The air-conditioning can also increase chances of spreading this virus, but if we sanitise the vehicle, there are no chances of the virus spreading." He claimed after a vehicle is sanitised, it is safe for about 15 days. He now wants to approach hospitals to sanitise ambulances.

Rajappa has been working as a mechanic since 1999. The usual charges for deep washing of vehicles are around R300-R500 each, but he has not been charging for the same.

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While the world is grappling with the impact of the horrific COVID-19, and the entire nation is under the lockdown, there are people who are finding it difficult to make both ends meet. Mumbai’s Dabbawalas, who ensure that a delicious, warm ,home cooked meal reach in time every single day at work, today are battling to have a meal in their own plates. Radio City, India’s leading radio network, has launched a fund raiser initiative, Dabbewale ka Dabba Bharo, and have been urging Mumbaikars to come forward and contribute towards the initiative.

Radio City in Mumbai, kick started this initiative on 22nd April, where all the RJ's across their shows have been sharing the current state of Dabbewale's, with around more than 5 thousand of them are finding it difficult to feed their families since the lockdown was announced. Radio City has been urging Mumbai city to come forward and contribute towards the initiative. There has been an overwhelming response from the citizens and uptill now, approx. 62 thousand rupees has already been collected

To garner a wider reach and raise more funds, Radio City has created a video (https://youtu.be/e1XCjt8FSBI) that has been promoted across Radio City’s social media handles. Radio City has always been at the forefront to help the city and its citizens through various initiatives like these and spread a wave of positivity.

If you wish to contribute Please click on the link: www.ketto.org/radiocity

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

After a stricter lockdown in place from April 19, Mira Road is seeing the number of COVID-19 patients on the lower side. The municipal commissioner of Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) says 'the curve is flattening'.

"Earlier the cases doubled within a week. But in the past nine days, the number of positive patients has increased by 40 per cent. The rate of doubling is slower than before and the curve is flattening. We need citizens' continuous support to flatten it further, " said Chandrakant Dange, municipal commissioner of MBMC. 

The doubling rate for Mumbai is around seven days. In Mira Road the number of patients started increasing in the first week of April.

On April 12 the positive numbers doubled to 51 in just four days and the next double numbers were reported on April 17. After the number of patients crossed the mark of 100, the MBMC imposed a complete lockdown from the midnight of April 19. Since then the MBMC has sent around 349 more samples for tests of which 43 have turned out positive. The rate of patients turning positive seems to be around 40 per cent from the findings of April 19 - 102 to around 10 days later on April 27 - 145.

Political parties and the civic administration recently held a meeting over relaxing lockdown norms. However, the administration hasn’t changed the lockdown pattern as yet. "The number of positive patients is on the lower side and many patients are recovering. We are strengthening the home delivery system," said a senior officer of the MBMC.

Locals face food issues
While the MBMC has allowed milk booths to operate from 7 am to 10 am, chemist shops up to 5 pm and grocery and vegetable home delivered, residents are facing difficulties getting these goods. "Only select vegetables are available and the rates are high. We are not getting diapers for my baby," said Jasbir Sanyal, a resident of Shanti Park.

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With more than a month since the lockdown began, a few students from outstation are still stuck in Mumbai University's (MU) hostels. A majority of them managed to head home, but there still are about 20-23 students in the Churchgate and Kalina hostels.

Though their mess provides them with meals, the students still pay for food and need other daily essential items. None of them have any money left and no assurance from home as many come from farmers' families who are already facing a loss due to lockdown.

So these students have requested the varsity to provide them financial aid. "Money is very important when you are staying away from home. Every day each student ends up paying a little over R120 for all three meals at the mess. The university has issued orders that the mess should not charge us, but we know that if we don't pay, the canteen service provider won't be able to buy items," a student at the Churchgate hostel said.

Another student from the Kalina hostel said, "The university has asked the food contractor to not charge but that is not practically possible until they have been provided with groceries etc. If the varsity provides us financial aid, we will be able to ensure our other needs such as soaps, toothpaste etc. are met."

Rohit Dhale from Chatrabharati, who has written a letter to the varsity over the issue, said, "Most of these students are from families which are not financially stable. The students are few and if the varsity decides to help them it won't be a huge amount." MU registrar Ajay Deshmukh said, "We have already ensured that the mess continues to function so that these students do not have a problem with food. We have asked the mess contractor to not make charges mandatory during such difficult times. We have received the letter and it will be discussed with the Vice-Chancellor to decide what can be done."

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With the tourism industry at a complete standstill across the country, a number of domestic animals associated with it have been severely impacted. In the Raigad district of Maharashtra, too, a number of these animals are a common sight, especially at the tourist spots like Matheran, Raigad fort and the beaches. Horses, donkeys, monkeys and stray dogs at all these places have been left without any food to eat. These places, usually frequented by hundreds of tourists every day, have seen barely any visitors over the last month and a half. The tourists would offer food to the animals who are now left to fend for themselves. Even the locals who have pets are finding it tough to manage without much income.

Given the grim situation, the district animal husbandry department along with a few do-gooders have now taken upon themselves to feed the animals and provide them ample drinking water.

Donkeys given dry grass at Raigad Fort

Dr Shubash Mhaske, district deputy commissioner, Animal Husbandry department, informed mid-day that the district, known for its farmhouses, hill stations, forts and beaches, has around 1,200 horses and ponies, of which nearly 460 are reared at Matheran hill station and the rest at the beaches around the districts. With the forest cover in Raigad district, monkeys too are found in large numbers here. "These are often fed by commuters en route to their destinations but that has stopped for over a month now," Mhaske said.

Dr Mandar Patel, Livestock Development Officer, Roha, therefore, visited the ghat areas on Roha-Nagothane road a couple of days ago with his team to feed some monkeys. Similarly, a team even visited Matheran to arrange food and water for the monkeys there.

Animal lovers step up in Pen
Hundreds of stray dogs and 40 cows are also being fed daily by a few animal lovers in and around Pen in Raigad.

"Cimaa Punmiya has come up with an innovative concept of Animal Food bank, where any animal lover can donate food. Kumar Deshpande provides a liquid diet for the strays. The Animal Husbandry department has arranged for medicines," Dr Mhaske said.

Donkeys of Raigadwadi starving
Another animal hit by the lockdown is the donkey. Around 90 donkeys reside around RaigadWadi, foothills of Raigad Fort. Dr Dattatray Sonawale, veterinary assistant commissioner of Animal Husbandry, Mahad Taluka, informed mid-day that the restoration work of Raigad Fort is on for the past couple of years and nearly 250 donkeys were being used to take up repairing material.

"Most of the donkeys had come from nearby areas and only 90 are still at the spot. They are owned by six-seven families who are still staying at the foothills of the fort," said Sonawale. These people along with their donkeys have been having a tough time sustaining due to the lockdown as "the donkeys are not allowed to roam around in the fields making it difficult for them to manage fodder or dry grass," the doctor added.

Prabhakar Sawant, a Raigadwadi resident, said that most of the donkeys are hired by contractors of restoration work.

After the district collector's directives, Sonawale and his team approached a few NGOs requesting them to provide dry grass, rice bran, wheat bran and medicines required for treating some injured donkeys. "Accordingly, potable water of 1,000 liters has been provided at the spot," he said, adding that the effort will continue to provide feed and dry grass to the donkeys till they are "in our jurisdiction and ration kits will be given to their owners."

'Everyone will be taken care of'
Nidhi Choudhari, district collector, told mid-day that the collector's office was doing everything to reach out to migrant workers and underprivileged people by providing ration kits and organising community kitchens with help from NGOs and corporates. "Directions have also been given to the Animal husbandry department to ensure that animals and strays are taken care of. Many animal lovers too have volunteered to help," Choudhari said.

1,200
Approx no. of horses/ponies in Raigad district

460
No. of horses/ponies at Matheran

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The nation has come to a standstill as people have been asked to stay at home and observe social distancing to curb the spread of the virus. Motivating people during this tough situation and encouraging them to continue staying indoors, Radio City, India’s leading radio network launches ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem. In addition to staying indoors, the foot tapping anthem urges citizens to come forward and support the nation by donating for the PM Cares Fund.

Radio’s City’s ‘Ghar Se Na Niklenge’ Anthem has been voiced by famous Bollywood singers like Divya Kumar, Benny Dayal, Asees Kaur, Meghna Mishra, and Nakash Aziz. The anthem is being aired across Radio City’s Hindi Speaking markets. Making the audience match steps with their groovy dance moves, the music video of the anthem features Radio City RJ’s along with artists like Sahil Khattar, Sushant Poojary, Paul Marshal, Rahul Shetty, Deepak Singh, Himanshu Parihar, Hiten Shah, Vaibhav G, Manan Sachdeva, Shashank Dogra, Aishwarya Radhakrishnan, Dhruv Dutt, Sonali Kar, Macedon D Mello, Sanam Johar, Abigail Pandey, Raveena Chaudhary, and Sneha Kapoor. The video will be amplified extensively across Radio City’s social media handles, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Sharing his thoughts on the anthem, Mr. Kartik Kalla, Chief Creative Officer, Radio City, said, "It’s been over a month and a half that we’ve been in lockdown and needless to say, it’s becoming increasingly tough to stay positive and motivated through it all. However, maintaining social distancing and staying at home is critical to flatten the curve. Radio City has always strived to utilise the power and reach of radio to connect with its audience and bring a positive change in the society. The ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem is yet another creative approach from the Radio City’s AudaCITY team to not only entertain our listeners but also create awareness of the importance of staying indoors. We also support our Honourable Prime Minister’s message and through this anthem are encouraging our listeners to donate for the PM cares Fund. I would like to thank all the artists who have come forward and supported us in this initiative."

Speaking about the initiative, Batameez Dil singer, Benny Dayal said, "Amidst such unprecedented times when the world is grappling to fight the Coronavirus pandemic, staying home is the only way to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. Music has the power to bring people together, uplift mood, and provide comfort. A huge shout out to the Radio City team for making me a part of the ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem and spread joy in others’ lives. I humbly request everyone to stay home and stay safe."

Sharing his thoughts on the anthem Actor, Indian Youtuber and Television host, Sahil Khattar said, "It is imperative for people to stay indoors to safeguard themselves and others as well. Radio City’s ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem has brought all of us together to cheer up the audience. We need to understand the gravity of the situation and stay united in making the purpose of this lockdown a success. Let’s stay at home and defeat this pandemic together."

Speaking about the Radio City’s ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem, the Shubharambh singer, Divya Kumar said, "I am elated to lend my voice to the ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem by Radio City. I think it is our collective responsibility as citizens to abide by the rules and stay indoors for our nation. I am certain that this anthem will make you groove to its tune and help spread some positive vibes amidst the tough times."

The second phase of the campaign will be spearheaded by Pepeta choreographer, Rajit Dev, who will launch #RadioCityNamasteChallenge, a digital campaign that will urge viewers and listeners of Radio City to come up with their version of the hook step of the anthem and share it on their social media handles, tagging Radio City.

Radio City’s ‘Ghar Se Na Niklenge’ Anthem, is a collaborative effort of Radio City team and established Bollywood singers, TV personalities, social media influencers, and industry choreographers, who have joined hands to bring a smile to people’s faces and help them understand the importance of not leaving their homes during the lockdown.

You can watch The Radio City’s ‘Ghar Se Na Niklenge’ Anthem here: 

About Radio City:

Radio City, a part of Music Broadcast Limited (MBL) is a subsidiary of Jagran Prakashan Ltd. Being the first FM radio broadcaster in India and with over 17 years of expertise in the radio industry, Radio City has consistently been the number one radio station in Bengaluru and Mumbai with 24.5% and 15.7% average listenership share respectively. (Source: RAM Data, TG: 12+ Period: Week 1, 2013 to Week 21, 2019). Radio City Delhi ranks #2 with 13.4% average listenership share (Source: RAM Data, TG: 12+ Period: Week 1, 2019 to Week 21, 2019).

Music Broadcast Limited currently has 39 stations across 12 states, comprising 62% of the country’s FM population. Radio City reaches out to over 69 million listeners in 34 cities covered by AZ Research 2019 (Source: AZ Research Report). The network provides terrestrial programming along with 18 other web-stations, through its digital interface, www.radiocity.in.

Radio City has spearheaded the evolution of FM radio by offering content that is unique, path-breaking and invokes city passion amongst listeners with its brand philosophy of "Rag Rag Mein Daude City". The network introduced humour and the concept of agony aunt on radio with Babber Sher and Love Guru respectively. It also initiated Radio City Freedom Awards, a platform to recognize independent music and provided a launch pad to budding singers with Radio City Super Singer, the first singing talent hunt on radio.

Radio City bagged 73 awards across national and international platforms like Golden Mikes, India Radio Forum, New York awards, ACEF awards etc. in 2018-2019. Radio City has consistently featured for the 7th time in ‘India’s Best Companies to Work For’ study conducted by Great Place to Work Institute. In 2019, Radio City ranked 6th in ‘Best Large Workplaces in Asia’, according to the GPTW survey. Radio City has also been recognized in ‘India’s Best Workplaces for Women – 2019’ and has ranked amongst the Top 75 organizations on the list.

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Amid the lockdown, a message went viral on social media stating that a vegetable vendor from the big BMC building market near Borivli station was COVID-19 positive. The message also asked residents to avoid buying vegetables from small roadside vendors since they bought their stock from the BMC market.

The message led to panic among Borivli residents, especially when many have been depending on small vegetable vendors due to travel limitations. Several residents were confused on Wednesday whether to buy vegetables at all and if yes, from which vendor. After the panic, the BMC too shut the market located near Borivli station which led to further anxiety among locals.

Avinash S, a local resident, said, "I received this message just a day after we had bought vegetables from a vendor near our residential building. It was certainly going to add to the panic and stress that we are living in currently. Due to the movement limitations, most of us depend on such small vegetable vendors near our houses."

mid-day found out that one vendor had indeed tested positive but he had not visited the market for a couple of weeks and had self-quarantined himself at home. The BMC decided to seal the market as a precautionary measure only to reopen it after disinfecting.

A vegetable vendor in I C Colony, Pratap Yadav, said, "After the market was closed, it added to more stress as people believed the news. Many customers started asking me if I had bought vegetables from that market."

'No need to panic'
Former corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar said that it was important to note that the vendor has been away from the market for many days. "There is no reason to panic
because BMC is disinfecting the complete market," he added.

The vendor is a resident of Borivli and got himself tested around ten days ago after his symptoms refused to subside. His report was out on Sunday after which he was admitted to a hospital.

Another former corporator Shiva Shetty said the number of patients in Borivli was increasing and residents were, "still casual about it, especially in the slum areas."
Local BMC ward officer Bhagyashree Kapase was unavailable for comment.

Apr 26
Day the vendor got his positive COVID-19 report

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As many as 160 personnel of the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) have been keeping your city clean in an effort to prevent the spread of the deadly novel Coronavirus. Thirty-two teams of the MFB have sanitised more than 3,000 places, including hospitals and containment zones, over the past month.

The MFB teams, following the instructions of the BMC's health department, have disinfected 3,063 spots using 2.47 lakh litres of sodium hypochlorite. They have been disinfecting hospitals and the areas, which have been sealed following a spurt in cases of COVID-19 infections, on alternate days. The fire department said they are using 17 quick response vehicles, nine mist blowing machines and six boom mist machines to sanitise the affected places.

The real challenge is to disinfect the gullies around the houses and narrow pathways in the slum where hardly one person can walk at a time, said an officer from the MFB. "The number of containment zones in the slum has increased, but the fire brigade team is working hard to sanitise all the areas in time, and effectively," the officer added.

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Despite strict instructions from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and the state government, most private clinics in the area continue to remain shut. While patients are finding it really difficult to get treatment for other ailments, physicians claim that non-availability of PPE kits and sanitisation of clinics were their biggest challenges.

Following several complaints, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar through his official twitter handle appealed to doctors on humanitarian grounds to remain open. The tweet says, "A humble and humanitarian request to all the doctors having private clinics to open up their clinics for non COVID-19 treatments... We are ready to extend all out support for the purpose."

Speaking about the problems doctors were facing, Dr Chetan Chhajed, orthopaedic surgeon, Navi Mumbai, said, "I run a private hospital in Kamothe, which is open but we face a threat to our lives because of the unavailability of PPE kits. They are not available. We have somehow arranged for some masks for our staff but the local authorities are not sanitising the clinic. We allow only patients with serious conditions to visit the clinic, the rest are given consultation online. Another problem is that no transport is available and not all patients have vehicles."

Dr. Pratik Phake runs a private clinic in old Panvel, which has been declared a containment zone. He gives appointments to his patients in advance and opens his clinic twice a week for three hours. Speaking to mid-day, he said, "The non- availability of PPE kits, thermal guns, housekeeping staff and medicines are challenges. Some shops are selling PPE kits and thermal guns at very high price, which needs to be looked into. Apart from this, sanitising the clinic is a major problem."
Meanwhile, Dr N Yewale, who runs a private clinic in Kamothe, said, "The society where our clinic is has locked its gate and we are not getting water supply, which is why I have shut the centre and have been speaking to patients over the phone. Maybe the society people are scared. Unavailability of PPE kits and sanitising of the clinic are other challenges."

Similar situation in city

The doctors in Mumbai are facing similar issues and despite warnings of legal action from the BMC, they haven't opened their clinics.

National vice-president, IMA headquarters, Dr Anil Pachnekar, who has his clinic in Dharavi, said, "Doctors in Mumbai have smaller clinics where it is difficult to follow social-distancing rules. The doctors are also scared due to the lack of PPE kits and N95 masks." "Different types of patients visit doctors' clinics and not all of them wear masks and use hand sanitizers. In such a situation, the clinic should be sanitised by the local municipal corporation," Dr Pachnekar added.

'Help the society'

When contacted, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner, Annasaheb Misal told mid-day, "This is my appeal to all doctors to help the society and keep their clinics open for the people in need. The PPE kits are available in the market and we will extend full support to them. We have not taken any action yet and don't force us to do so."

"Many clinics have resumed operations. The health department is checking nursing homes first. Today itself 15 nursing homes restarted their services," said Dr. Daksha Shah, executive health officer, BMC. Speaking about the health issues he has been facing, Kharghar resident, Abrar Chaudhary said, "I have a neurospine problem since almost a year and I get my primary treatment from Bombay Hospital. I have been consulting some local doctors in Navi Mumbai but due to the lockdown they are not available at their clinics. They do undertake online consultations but respond as per their wish. I have swelling all over and am unable to walk without a support. Doctors need to check me first before prescribing medicines."

Worli resident, Anurag Singh, said, "It has been very difficult to find a doctor in our locality. A couple of days ago I had fever but when I went to my personal physician's clinic, it was closed."

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The financial crisis caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to school fees becoming a major point of discussion. While many schools have introduced novel concepts to ease the burden, parents are also discussing ways with managements to avoid issues with salary to staff.

Despite the constant demand by parents to cancel fees or give concessions, this is not possible for all schools. Principal of Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School in Thane, Revathy Srinivasan said, "Schools cannot do away with fees, after all, salaries need to be paid to staff."

Some relax norms

Many schools have their own model of relaxation in fees. Meera Isaacs, principal of Cathedral and John Connon School, said, "If some parents are facing genuine issues, we consider them. We have also waived off fine on late payment of fees."

Similarly, at the Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, the late fee is waived. Despite a PTA-approved hike in fees to be implemented this year, the school has decided to continue with the old fee structure for three months. Principal Rekha Kapoor, said, "This decision was taken due to the current situation."

Jamnabai Narsee School has not spoken anything about fees as yet. "Generally parents pay fees in the month of April. But we have not collected fees as we are yet to take a decision. We are not going to push for them so fast," said principal Zeenat Bhojabhoy.

Bombay Scottish, Mahim has deferred the increase in fees for the forthcoming year. Dhirubhai Ambani International School has decided to waive off transport and canteen fees. At Pawar Public School, one month extension was provided to parents to pay the first instalment.

'Govt must intervene'

Former education minister Ashish Shelar has written a letter to Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad, asking her to issue an order to schools to rollback fee hikes. But parents feel that the issue should not be politicised.

President of Parents of Private Schools of Maharashtra (POPSOM), Milind Gangurde said, "Many parents are dependent on jobs. Some are facing huge salary cuts or loss of jobs due to the situation. It is time the government intervenes and takes a strong stand in favour of parents."

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Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray made it clear on Friday that lockdown relaxations would be considered only after assessing the situation over the next three days. He said the primary objective was to save the lives of people who are the real assets of the state and the country and their survival could only help us recover the losses in the future.

Speaking on Friday, which was the Maharashtra Day, Thackeray made an emotional appeal to people who are worried because of the lockdown-induced economic losses in terms of jobs and business activity. "We are brave people. Maharashtra doesn't lack anything in fighting against odds. It is true that our economy is stalled and difficulties have increased. But I say that the people are the real assets of the state and the country," he said adding that if the people who are like soldiers survived the health crisis, we should together be able to beat all odds.

"Relaxing lockdown in the red zone would not benefit the state. In fact, the red zone will have to follow restrictions more diligently. But we are trying to give some relief in the orange zone's unaffected clusters and in the green zone. This will be done in a phased manner," he said.

"Some people have questioned the need for a lockdown but I must say that it has definitely delayed the spread of the virus. It interrupted the circuit or chain. Imagine what would have happened had the lockdown not been enforced," he said.

The CM said stranded people would be sent home in an organised manner and advised against mass gatherings. "We are in talks with other states. We will coordinate the movement with home states of migrants and other stranded people here and there."

He said COVID-19 facilities in Mumbai were being increased on a war-footing. Domes and open grounds like MMRDA and Goregaon Exhibition Centre which share political history with the Shiv Sena have been prepared to house thousands of affected people. "In Mumbai alone, two lakh COVID-19 tests have been conducted," Thackeray said.

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Nine police constables of Wadala police station have been found to be tested positive for Coronavirus. These police constables were deployed at checkpoints in the area and have been delivering food to the poor in the slums for the past one and half months.

As much as seven areas in Wadala fall in the red zone which is home for a large number of migrant labourers. Thus, the Wadala police were providing food to the migrant laborers and the poor in there. Keeping this in mind, 29 policemen tested for Coronavirus on Monday, out of which nine police constables were found to be positive and were admitted to the hospital for treatment.

According to the information received from the police, none of the nine policemen showed any symptoms. As of Wednesday, a total of 98 policemen have been found to be infected with the virus.

A senior Mumbai Police officer told mid-day, "We are taking care of the health of every policeman. Our team is also going to the red zone, so as a precaution, we had tested the policemen on duty there."

"With nine policemen being tested positive, the entire Wadala police station has been sanitised. We are taking care of the policemen as well as their families,"  he added.

Port Zone DCP Rashmi Karandikar told mid-day, "All the policemen tested positive have been admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital and are undergoing treatment."

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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced that all citizens will be covered under the state government's health scheme, and Maharashtra will be the first state to provide free and cashless insurance protection to its people. Speaking to reporters after a Maharashtra Day event in Jalna on Friday, Tope said 85 per cent of the state's population was covered under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) at present and the cover will be extended to the remining 15 per cent.

A memorandum was signed to include government, semi- government employees and white ration card holders in the scheme in a bid to prevent private hospitals from overcharging patients, he said. "The government has signed a MoU with the General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA) for treatment of COVID-19 patients at private hospitals in Pune and Mumbai," he said.

Similarly, different packages will be designed for all diseases, to standardise treatment fees at all hospitals, the minister said. Earlier, 496 hospitals were covered in the scheme, but now over 1,000 hospitals will come under it, he said. As per the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Act, the state government has capped the fees of COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals, the minister said.

Hospitals that don't have tie-ups with the GIPSA will also have to standardise their treatment fees, he added.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Disclaimer: Before I proceed to share this sonic timeline of an average day in my surroundings, I wish to state a few things to the folk who read this column: That these jottings have been recorded from a week's findings; that I live along the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and so all mentions of unusual fauna activity should be treated with calm."

7 am: It's a pleasant way to drift out of bed to the sounds of sparrows, mynas, coppersmith barbets and even the cacophony of crows. Strains from MS Subbulaxmi's voice and tunes of Rabindra Sangeet add a melodious lilt to these waking up hours.

9 pm: Sounds from the idiot box emerge. Opening credits, ad breaks; this is interspersed by the frenetic clanging of bartans in the kitchen and the odd head-spinning wail of a child. By now, the mobile phone-addicted species also surfaces, making WFH calls in full volume. Yes, we know you work for some Jap investment bank and they are suckers for deadlines; well, so are Indian companies. Cool off, dude.

10 am: More TV noise, of the epic kinds. It seems like deja vu from the 1980s when DD was our sole screen saviour. The morning ensemble of avian artistes departs; making way for the next lot. Some feathered folk, like the crows and mynas, and a few squirrels are permanent occupants of the badam tree and the palms that are prime locations for their activities. By now, maali kaka has surfaced and so the garden hose is also in full flow.

11 am to 12 noon: The churning of mixer-grinders, pressure cooker whistles going into a tizzy and whatnot take over. There's some chit-chat with fussy kids by the box-grilled 'balconies'. Cicadas take over our central garden with their sonnet-like symphony. In sync with the sound of the hose, it's quite a summery jugalbandi.

12.30 pm: "Ushaaaaaa! Jaldi neeche aa jao; van tees minute mein aane waala hai" With that one ear-shattering battle cry by a hustler-type aunty, she's managed to bring down half the population from their homes as they begin to scramble for a 'circle' [it's assumed a whole new meaning since geometry class] in the endless queue that worms through the inner square of the society. All of this is, of course, to wait for that harbinger of joy – the veggie-fruit truck.

Till 3 pm: "Tumne toh dye lagaya hai, Shalu? Godrej ka hai ki mehndiwala colour?"; "Suna…woh Colony wala Singh uncle off ho gaya; Kwo-vid tha ya heart fail?"; "Butter se he chalana padega; ghee-vee bandh. Good faar health?" With such gems floating around, the birdcalls take a backseat. Nilkamal chairs are arranged for 'sinior log' in the queue, and chai for all as they wait for their turn to reach Everest. A mini jam session ensues for the socially-depraved inmates.

4 pm (approximately; on another day): Meena aunty has managed to arrange for a farsan dealer to set up temporary shop inside the society; it's a mini stampede, as packets of all kinds of snacks, from pani puri, khakra and chaklis to chivda sell like hot cakes. Hottest selling item? Khari biscuits.

6 pm: It's surprisingly quiet. Wait. Our resident stray doggies — Romeo, Juliet and son, Cocoa — start barking wildly. The Bandar Lok is back. Yes, the simians do their version of The Swing Thing in the green, wooded environs; the cable wires and pipes attached to each wing also offer easy access from to the next, having a blast each time they spot a loose clothesline to tug at something. "Dekho mummy, monkey khel raha hai," and similar such squeals make for evening entertainment.

7 pm onwards: Some of the tween-teen brigade sneaks out of their homes to coax their pals for a game of cards or other board games. There's relief in their loud laughter, of meeting up to giggle over a meme on their phone or a heady new track that's topping charts. They revel in the momentary bliss until one of their parents calls them back home.

8 pm onwards: The telly sounds get louder — by now news channels vie for high-decibel bragging rights over the Balaji soap reruns and Hindi masala flicks. The show will go on, and the sounds rarely cease.

Now showing: The new normal.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Major Anuj Sood, 31, one of the five officers killed in an encounter with terrorists at a village in Rajwar forests of North Kashmir, had already completed his operational tenure in the Valley and was about to get a new posting when the lockdown happened. As a result, Sood, who lived in Pune with his wife Aakriti, had to continue his tenure in Kashmir.

Speaking to mid-day over phone from Dharamshala, Aakriti, daughter of a retired Marine Commando from Indian Navy, Commander Kashmira Singh, said, “He was posted in J&K and the last time I saw him was on November 30, 2019.” Aakriti, who worked as an HR professional in a French company in Pune, resigned in March and left for Dharamshala with her father on March 17, as Major Sood was supposed to get a new posting.

However, due to the lockdown he had to continue with his tenure in the Valley. Aakriti and Major Sood became friends and got married on September 29, 2017.

“A few days after the marriage, Major Sood left to join duty in J&K,” said Commander (retd) Singh. Major Sood's father is a retired Army officer and lives in Chandigarh where his mortal remains will be taken on Monday to conduct his final rites. He is survived by his parents and two sisters, Shruti, who is settled in Australia and Harshita, who is a captain in the Indian Army.

Speaking to mid-day, his father, brigadier (retd) Chanderkant Sood, said he received the news of his death around 8.30 am on Sunday. “He had come on leave in November to attend a family wedding and then returned to join work in December. Though his tenure in the Valley was already over, it got extended due to the lockdown. But we were in constant touch with each other over phone and WhatsApp. Three days ago we spoke over the phone,” he added. Due to his father's transferable job, Major Sood studied in the Army public schools in Delhi, Luckow, Jaunpur, etc. “He always wanted to serve the nation as a defence officer and also wished to study in the same school where I completed my education. He joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in July 2008. He completed his NDA training in May 2011 and the training for Indian Military Academy on June 9, 2012,” added Brigadier (retd) Sood.

“My younger daughter Harshita is also in the Indian Army and posted in Rajouri. She is a national level shooter and at present she is undergoing a training in Mau,” he said. The parents and wife of Major Sood are in touch with the defence personnel in J&K for regular updates about the ongoing operation there.

30
Day in November 2019 that Major Sood last met his wife

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Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani is undoubtedly one of the coolest politicians. From sharing throwbacks pictures to family pictures and much more, Smriti always manages to tickle the funny bone and keep her followers entertained.

Although being locked at home like others due to the coronavirus epidemic, Smriti Irani recently took to Instagram new trend, the gibberish challenge. For many who don't know, the gibberish challenge on the gram is a much-in-fad filter where users have to guess the word or a phrase.

A screengarb of Smriti's first gibberish challenge

Upon taking the challenge, a random phrase or a word appears on the screen with a set time limit. Once the timer is over, the right answer pops up on the screen. The 44-year-old minister took part in the gibberish challenge twice and guess what? Smriti absolutely nailed it. Smriti also shared videos of the same as her Instagram stories.

A screengrab of Smriti's second gibberish challenge which lefet her shocked and surprised

While Smriti nailed the first one right, in the second gibberish challenge which came with a twist had its own set of challenges. Though she guessed the right answer 'Hugh Jackman', the answer for some reason appeared as 'Ryan Reynolds', which left the minister quite upset and her expressions said it all.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Weaving new possibilities 🙏#supportweavers #makeinindia #handcraftedinindia

A post shared by Smriti Irani (@smritiiraniofficial) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:11am PDT

Before taking part in the gibberish challenge, Smriti shared two pictures where she was seen donning handcrafted face masks made by weavers. Urging people to supports weavers and products made in India, Smriti captioned the picture: Weaving new possibilities!

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Unable to bear the separation from his live-in partner who was stuck in Sindhudurg for the entire period of the the lockdown till date, a Turbhe-based youth walked and hitch-hiked to the district and tried to bring her back with him. Their journey back was interrupted when they were stopped by the police and sent to a quarantine centre, as Thane district in which Turbhe comes, is a red zone.

As a result of the lovesick man's determination, 34 other people who interacted with him, including the girl's family, have also been quarantined.

The 24-year-old, a resident of Turbhe, works as a delivery boy. In March, his 24-year-old partner, a nurse in a private hospital, went to her home town in Kasal village in Sindhudurg district. But, after a few days, the Maharashtra government barred inter-district travel to try and curb the spread of COVID-19 resulting in her getting stuck there.

A file picture of a doctor at the quarantine centre at NSCI DOME, Worli. The man and his girlfriend are in quarantine at Lanja.

Journey for love
The youth who was missing her, became restless when April neared end and there were no signs of the lockdown being lifted. So he decided to travel to Sindhudurg, which is almost 500 km from Turbhe, to bring his girlfriend back home. Fortunately for him he didn't have too much work either. So he started on April 27 from Turbhe and asked vehicle drivers for a lift whenever he could.

"By walking and hitch-hiking, he managed to reach the village of Kasal on May 3. He stayed in a mandir for the night and then went to her house on May 4," said Assistant Police Inspector Sanjay Chaudhary from Lanja police station in Ratnagiri district.

The man convinced her family that the lockdown would be on for some time and he wanted to take her back with him to Turbhe. "The girl also told her family that she was consistently getting calls from the hospital to rejoin work. So on the morning of May 4, the couple began their journey towards Navi Mumbai," said another police officer.

Spotted by locals
The couple walked and hitch-hiked and managed to cross Ratnagiri district. But then their luck ran out when some alert locals spotted them and informed the police, "On May 5, they were spotted at a Shiv Bhojan centre having lunch. Some residents informed Lanja police. We rushed to the centre and took the couple with us," said the police officer.

"Without hesitation the boy revealed the reason behind the journey. We took him and the girl to a quarantine centre as he had come from a Red Zone, i.e. Thane district. He also came in contact with several people. They will be kept in isolation for 14 days then we will take a call on whether they should be released or sent to Sindhudurg," added API Choudhary.

34 quarantined
After the Lanja police informed the Sindhudurg police about the youth and his stay in the temple in Kasal village, 34 persons were quarantined as they had interacted with him. These include his girlfriend's family as well.

27
Day in April that the man began his journey

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City-based environmentalist Stalin D has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray requesting the Maharashtra State Forest Department and Thane Forest Circle to monitor Aarey Milk Colony against encroachers during the lockdown.

This comes after reports on the depleting green cover in Aarey as trees are being chopped down illegally to build hutments.

Speaking to mid-day, Stalin said the deforestation of Aarey continues unabated without the fear of law. "This is to highlight the ongoing destruction of the forests of Aarey Colony. You are well aware of the facts of the matter pertaining to the ecological importance of Aarey and it has been six long years since citizens and NGOs started fighting to protect this forest. Matters are pending in various courts pertaining to this issue, but there is nothing that stops the government from taking a positive stand to protect Aarey. There is a Supreme Court order which directs that no trees should be cut in Aarey, but this order is being violated on a daily basis," his letter states.

The activist has also alleged that taking advantage of the lockdown, antisocial elements and the slum mafia have seized the opportunity to plunder Aarey.

"We are losing at least 30 trees on a daily basis inside Aarey. Slum-dwellers are expanding encroachments, building illegal temples, clearing the vegetation regularly ever since the lockdown was imposed. We have time and again raised the alarm and intimated the facts to the authorities concerned. But, the Aarey police have not acted on any of the complaints and have instead chosen to beat up citizens who sent them proof of tree chopping and expanding encroachments in the area. The green cover in areas such as the VIP guest house area, the New Zealand hostel forest area, Unit number 13 is steadily depleting. Though the Aarey CEO had got some of the encroachments removed, more spring up in their place," the email states.

He has appealed to the government to issue directions to the Forest Department telling them to monitor the area until the current COVID-19 situation improves.

30
No. of trees cut down illegally in Aarey on a daily basis

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday night amended its previous order and allowed reopening of standalone electronics and hardware shops in the city during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent. "It has been observed that many essential and life- saving medical equipment, IT systems related to health systems and machines,vehicles are in a state of disrepair due to closing down of electronics and hardware shops.

"Hence, there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent," read the BMC's amended order signed by Pardeshi. Pardeshi directed all assistant commissioners of wards to permit one standalone electronic and hardware shop on each road to remain open during the lockdown. According to BMC officials, in view of the order some electronics and hardware shops could be opened from Thursday.

On Tuesday night, Pardeshi, in an order, had directed closure of all non-essential services, including liquor shops, in the city.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

A  Utah highway police officer who spotted a car swerving down the freeway thought the driver needed medical attention. But when he asked the driver to pull over, he was in for a surprise to find a five-year-old boy behind the wheels.

The boy was found by the officer sitting at the edge of the seat to reach the brake and accelerator pedals so that he could drive. The officer learnt that the boy had taken the car keys without his parents’ knowledge following an argument with his mother because she refused to buy him Lamborghini. So in the fit of rage, the boy set out with his family car to California to buy a Lamborghini with just USD 3 in his pocket.

Trooper Rick Morgan was quoted by the CBS News as saying that the boy initially did not respond to the lights but pulled over after hearing the siren. "I approached the vehicle and I was expecting to find somebody who needed an ambulance or paramedics," he said.

The Utah Highway Patrol posted the incident on their Twitter page with a photo of the boy seated in the driver’s seat. The tweet reads, “His story is that he left home after an argument with Mom, in which she told him she would not buy him a Lamborghini. He decided he'd take the car and go to California to buy one himself. He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet.”

His story is that he left home after an argument with Mom, in which she told him she would not buy him a Lamborghini. He decided he'd take the car and go to California to buy one himself. He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet.

— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) May 4, 2020

The post shared by the patrol department on micro-blogging site garnered more than 3,800 likes and was retweeted over 1,500 times. Users commenting on the post were amused by boy’s wish for a Lamborghini at such an age!

MOM, just buy the boy a Lambo!

— Ben Bushman (@DrBenB) May 4, 2020

How did he know to pull over???

— Jenn Nelson (@JennNel33) May 4, 2020

Right?? How did he know how to drive? Or how to get on the interstate? This is pretty impressive!

— Caysey Douglas (@CayDoug) May 5, 2020

I’m rooting for this little guy. You get that lambo!!

— Heathraawr! (@heathraawr) May 4, 2020

Officer. Have this kids parents contact me. He deserves a Lamborghini ride. pic.twitter.com/yqFDW0VEZi

— George Garib (@GaribGeorge) May 5, 2020

His poor parents! They must have had a nightmare worthy heart attack!

— Scripture Ponder (@TaylorL68881150) May 5, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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What started as an effort to get treatment for his diabetic father suspected to have contracted COVID-19 soon turned into a horror story for a 29-year-old who discovered bodies wrapped in plastic on beds in Sion hospital's emergency and COVID-19 ward, while his breathless father was made to share the bed with other patients. A video of the man's experience on April 20 went viral on social media and BJP leader Nitesh Rane tweeted it late on Wednesday.

The video shows bodies wrapped in black-coloured plastic kept on beds right next to patients and their relatives in what is supposed to be a ward in Sion hospital, which has set up a committee to probe the matter.

Screenshot of video taken by kin showing wrapped bodies

The Chembur resident had taken his 63-year-old father to Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital (commonly known as Sion hospital) after he complained of fever and weakness. "My father was having difficulty breathing. I did not want to take him to a government hospital but I had no choice except to go to Sion hospital," he said.

At 1.30 pm at Sion hospital, the man was asked to take his father to the emergency ward. "After an X-ray, the doctor said my father has pneumonia and they were almost certain that he had COVID-19. They cleared a bed and asked him to lie on it. Soon, another woman was told to lie next to him and a senior citizen was told to sit near his feet," the man said. His father was given an oxygen mask to help him breathe.

The video went viral on social media on Wednesday and was tweeted by BJP leader Nitesh Rane

Just when the man was certain he did not want to keep his father at the hospital, he noticed a bed behind a curtain. A closer look revealed a body covered in plastic on the bed. "I was horrified and my father started to panic. The doctors kept saying that they will admit him and shift him to another ward but nothing was happening. Then, a friend of mine arranged a bed at Seven Hills Hospital," he said.

The man was asked to go to ward no. 5 — supposed to be a COVID-19 ward — to sign discharge papers. "Patients' relatives were inside with them in the ward, which is not allowed. I saw at least three beds with bodies piled on them and patients being treated right next to them. We had always heard about how bad government hospitals are. But I never imagined this," he said.

The man took his father to Seven Hills in an ambulance at 6.45 pm, where he is currently being treated and was taken off ventilator support on Wednesday.

Rane has also complained to Maharashtra's Governor and said the hospital has admitted the video is authentic. "The enquiry is pointless since the hospital is aware of what it is doing. This enquiry is a farce. Hospital authorities say that relatives are not collecting bodies and they have no idea about proper disposal of COVID-19 affected bodies. The state has failed to deal with the situation and the Centre should step in," said Rane. He added that the issue is arising from the lack of proper guidelines on the disposal of bodies of COVID-19 patients.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya complained to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday. "Currently, bodies are being wrapped in plastic due to the shortage of bags for disposal. Relatives and not ready to take the bodies due to which they are kept in the ward. I have asked ICMR to address this issue," he said.

'Enquiry to verify'

Dr Pramod Ingle, acting dean of Sion hospital said, "From the look of the tiles and hallway, it seems like Sion hospital. However, an inquiry will have to verify. A local committee of Sion hospital officials has been set up on Thursday and they have been given 24 hours to submit a report," said Dr Ingle.

Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that the bodies were accumulating since relatives of patients were delaying in collecting them.

"Relatives are not taking bodies. However, if they give permission, the corporation will dispose of the bodies. But now, the bodies will be stored outside the wards," she said.

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A day after most Maharashtra ministers rued the flip-flop on COVID-19 policies, indecisiveness and lack of coordination between empowered bureaucrats, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray received suggestions, objections and full cooperation at an all-party meet on Thursday.

The common sentiment was that everything wasn't right and needed timely correction at medical, social, economic and agricultural fronts, among others.

Thackeray told the leaders that the lockdown has been effective so far. "If all cooperate, we should be able to control the pandemic," the CM said during the video-conference attended by ex-CM and Assembly opposition leader, Devendra Fadnavis, Council opposition leader Praveen Darekar, MNS president Raj Thackeray, Prakash Ambedkar (BVA), Jogendra Kavade (RPI), Rajendra Gavai (RPI), Vinay Kore (Jansurajya Party), Mahadev Jankar (Samaj Paksh), Ashok Dhawale (CPM), Imtiaz Jalil (AIMIM), Kapil Patil (JD), Jayant Patil (PWP), DCM Ajit Pawar, senior ministers Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat.

Senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal and other ministers had raised voices against the bureaucracy which enjoys unlimited powers under Disaster Management and Epidemic Diseases Acts. Bhujbal said that bureaucrats at the top and district-level were unwilling to accept sane advice from political leaders and ministers. The minister's strong views were endorsed by his cabinet colleagues and junior ministers during the online meeting on Wednesday. Similar concerns were expressed in the all-party meeting too.

'Healthcare gone for a toss'

Former chief minister Fadnavis demanded Thackeray's urgent attention towards the healthcare system. He said the situation in Mumbai is serious and needed special, focused efforts. He added that hospital management isn't good and cited the incident of bodies kept around patients in a Sion hospital ward. He demanded timely and quality treatment for non-COVID-19 patients and better food and facilities at quarantine centres.

"Patients should know of beds available and other information on a dashboard. More and more healthcare staff are getting infected," he said, adding that contact-tracing was stopped for no reason and asymptomatic people were not tested. "Hiding the number of patients and dead is serious. The political leadership should enforce much-needed coordination between various arms of the government," he said.

Fadnavis protested against the growing attacks on police, which he said is demoralising the force already under duress. "The police force is increasingly getting infected but isn't getting adequate treatment," he said.

Council opposition leader Darekar said that in many cases test reports came after patients died of COVID-19. "It is wrong if people die without getting treated. The quarantine centres don't have proper facilities," he said.

Give jobs to locals: Raj

Asking for a lockdown exit plan, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said it was the right time to give local skilled and unskilled workers jobs as migrants are leaving the state. He also asked to register migrants to ease their return, if any. "Also ensure that migrant workers are screened when they return home. I had told earlier that these people would leave us in difficult times. We should have strong control over the entry and exit of migrant workers. A human approach doesn't work every time," he said.

Raj added that he had never seen Mumbai in such a state. "Please ensure that additional forces like SRPF relieve police personnel who have been on duty for two months. The containment zones need more police presence," he said.

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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

What do you think about this post?

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A man has been arrested killing a senior citizen for scolding him and his partner after finding them in compromising position. The accused, identified as Karan Singh Yadav (30), was nabbed by cops from the Shanti Nagar Police in Bhiwandi from a quarantine facility in Parbhani whereas his partner is absconding.

The deceased, Krushna Joshi (72) owned a room in a chawl at Temghar pada. He had rented the room to Yadav’s partner, identified as Lata alias Jyoti Rathod (35). Yadav would often visit Rathod in her home. In April, when Joshi had gone to collect rent, he found the Yadav and Rathod in compromising position. Joshi then scolded the couple and warned Rathod to stop bringing her friends to the room.

According to the police, Rathod and Yadav, enraged by Joshi’s comments, decided to kill him. “On the night of April 11, the couple found Joshi alone at his house and hit him with a stone," said an officer, adding that the duo fled the city the same night.

On  April 12, when Joshi’s son, who stays closeby, tried to contact him, he didn’t respond.  He then rushed to Shanti Nagar Police station and filed a missing person report against his father. The police launched a search for Joshi and found that Rathod also went missing the same night. Senior Inspector Mamta D'Souza formed a team under the leadership of Assistant Police Inspector Amol More and Shailesh Mhatre and started the investigation.

The officer said that they found Rathod’s address in which it was mentioned that she is a native of Parbhani. We didn't have any other details such as her mobile number or the CCTV footage of the spot of the incident, so we decided to go to Parbhani to find her" told API Shailesh Mhatre. "When our team went to Parbhani, we visited the place mentioned in address but there was no one stay there of this name," he added.

The cops then decided to check quarantine centres in the district made for people coming from other districts. "We found a name similar to that of Rathod’s partner, Yadav. We then immediately interrogated him and he confessed to committing the crime, but Rathod is still absconding,” said API Mhatre.

During interrogation, Karan told the police that, he dumped Joshi’s body in a well near the chawl. The police team came back to the city and recovered Joshi’s body, which was found to be completely decomposed. An offence has been registered against Yadav and Rathod under IPC section 302 (murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and 34 (common intention of committing the crime).

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Dear Diana,
I met this doctor when I was hospitalised. She took care of me and gave me unconditional attention during my stay there. We exchanged our numbers and she promised to keep in touch. After getting discharged from the hospital, she regularly sent me good morning messages. In fact, the first time she came home, we indulged in some physical romance. However, she doesn't communicate much and is always mum when I tell her that I want to take the relationship ahead. I don't know what to do.
– Confused patient

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Confused patient,
It's obvious there is some chemistry between the two of you. However, seeing how she keeps ignoring you advances for a relationship, it only suggests that she isn't interested in one. Don't read too much into her text messages, it could be bulk message that she sends to everyone on her list. As for getting physical with you, well may be that all she wanted from the short relationship. If you are still curious and confused about what to do, then talk and express your desire to take the relationship forward. Tell her that you are serious about her. Chances are that you will never hear from her again or she may respond to your gesture and express her true feelings. This could either be positive or negative, so don't be too heart broken if she tells you that she is just not that into you. Take it in your stride, respect her decision and move on. May be the next time you can check out the patient next to you in stead of the doctor or nurse in charge. Statutory warning: There is no medication prescribed for broken hearts, so don't dwell much on it and look for someone who feels the same way about things the way you do.

Pooja Sudhir's search for a signature scent ended after graduation. She moved from deodorants to body mists and was finally looking to mature into a perfume user, when she found a scent with musky notes that she instantly liked. "The counter manager rushed to me, saying, 'But, ma'am, this is for men.' I think that's where it all started," she says about her fascination for unisex perfumes. Sudhir, an educator with DSB International School, now oscillates between the male fragrances put out by Body Shop, M&S and Titan Skinn.

Pic/Getty Images

A scent is considered unisex when it uses traditionally masculine notes like leather, smoke and wood, but is meant to be worn by both men and women. Historically, women's fragrances have carried floral or fruity notes. "I have often wondered why female perfumes are gentle and mellow, and almost always with a floral base," Sudhir, 32, says.
The gender stereotyping of scents she is alluding to could in fact, be a product of marketing and not so much about preference.

Educator Pooja Sudhir wonders why female scents are distinguished by floral notes only

The head of communications for Forest Essentials', an indigenous beauty brand with foundations in Ayurveda, says it has little to do with nature telling us what we should or shouldn't wear. "Fragrances are best chosen depending on mood, occasion, seasonality, and your personality rather than gender." Their best-selling body mists are proof. They tend to include oud, Kerala lime or vetiver. "For us, choosing the oud and green tea combination was less about gender and more about picking ingredients that are inherently Indian. That these fragrances have male and female appeal is an added advantage."

Gaurav and Jahnvi

Jahnvi Lakhota Nandan heads The Perfume Library, a four-year-old boutique label that operates from New Delhi and Paris. She speaks of the 30 gender-fluid scents that both, men and women have been seen to pick up. "For instance, the Aphtoori perfume combines notes of jasmine and cigar, and it is our fastest selling among women," she says. Nandan's friendship with designer Gaurav Gupta has propelled a collaboration that's now sealed in a bottle. Gupta launched AGAIN, his debut unisex scent last week, one with zero floral tones. "It [decision to launch a unisex scent] was a no brainer. I am gender-fluid by personality, and I don't see the world in slots. Gender divides are more to do with social conditioning."

The just-launched fragrance, AGAIN

Manan Gandhi, the head of Bombay Perfumery, a-young-but-talked-about fragrance house from the city, would agree. Musk is not only for men, he asserts. Chai Musk, one of his best performing perfumes, blends sandalwood, ginger, lemongrass and musk. Of the eight fragrances he currently offers, two are unisex. "Women are not particularly concerned about female-specific infusions. They look for natural ingredients, intensity and retention. They prefer a scent that lasts," Gandhi explains. Internationally, the unisex beauty concept raged in the 1990s when Calvin Klein launched CK One and Comme des Garçons introduced its eponymous fragrance. It was the big, disruptive idea from 27-years ago.

1020 is one of two unisex scents by Bombay Perfumery

In 2017, fashion continues to champion the genderless idea, whether in clothes or fragrance, and the user is more keen to find an intimate perfume story to participate in than be slotted in grooves. Tom Ford, Chanel, Kiehl's, L'Occitane and the homebred Kama are all part of the gender-neutral narrative in India.

Ahsan Hami doesn't quite get the debate over male and female in the world of scents. "It may be a talking point internationally, but in India, we have always patronised unisex scents. All attars are unisex, and India is one of its earliest manufacturers," he says of a tradition that dates back to the Mughal times. His store, A Hami Bros, on the chaotic Mohammad Ali Road, was established in 1939.

The shelves don't hold "for men" and "for women" labelled bottles. Vetiver, an earthy scent, is usually associated with masculine fragrances, but Hami says his experience has proven that its deep notes and instant cooling effects make it a favourite with his women customers, along with smoky oud. He says, "We don't need international trends telling us unisex perfumes are cool. We've known it for 500 years."

Style book

The sheer dresses and skirt trend is still going strong and if you wish to go a little edgy, try a sheer skirt or trousers over a bodysuit or shorts like Balmain

In a world of oversharing, you can show off the stylish contents of your bag with clear pieces like Chanel’s. Pair a formal trouser suit with the playful bag or plastic shoes

Dia Mirza in an Amit Aggarwal dress made using recycled plastic

Wear clear heels (by Prabal Gurung) or clear-strapped footwear that will help make your legs look longer

Be the fun person in your workroom by carrying a clear briefcase. pic courtesy/ instagram. com/helmut lang

MIU MIU does girly chic with this edgy winter plastic coat over a paillete dress

Deepika Padukone

We were first introduced to Suhani Parekh of Misho Designs last year, when we did a feature on the "cool gangs" that knew the best of where to eat, drink and soak in art, around the city. When we hung out with Parekh and her friends - curator Arshiya Lokhandwala and artistes Justin Ponmany and Prajakta Potnis - she seemed like someone to watch out for. One year later, we can't help, but be in awe of her steady rise.

Suhani Parekh flaunting one of her designs

If you are a social media buff, there is no way you have missed Misho Designs and all the people wearing it. Rihanna has worn it and so has Kim Kardashian. Back home, it's Deepika Padukone, Masaba Gupta and Aishwarya Rai. "I was a sculptor, so I hadn't ever thought of jewellery. I used to design some pieces for myself and then, as people saw me wearing them, they said, can you make us a pair. It's then that we just decided to sit down and make more," says Parekh, who studied to be a sculptor at Goldsmiths University in London.

It was winning a fashion magazine award for being a young designer of note that put Parekh firmly in the spotlight. "I think every young designer needs a platform that helps them put themselves out there. It was a turning point for me," the Shivaji Park resident tells us.

Misho's aesthetic, which Parekh has described as "wearable sculpture", is characterised by architectural forms and chic geometric shapes. She is inspired by Bauhaus ideology and Japanese minimalism, and names Misho after an ancient Japanese Bonsai technique, which means the process by which a seed turns into a Bonsai tree.

Parekh insists that being consistent, and staying true to one's design language has helped her brand. "I think you have to recognise where there is a gap in the market. We have lovely traditional jewellery, but how does one buy edgy pieces. I think Misho filled that void. And so, when we sent out the jewellery for fashion shoots or to a celebrity, who was on a promotion spree, they got chosen, and I am grateful for that."

It is through social media network, Instagram, that Parekh really connects with her audience. The designer, who has around 16k followers, says that it's about constantly innovating. "You can't keep doing the same thing, you need to keep pushing the envelope," she says. She also shares an important insight about the site. "Instagram likes people not products. There is a tricky balance between the two. So, what we at Misho do is, that we don't bombard people with the same kind of posts. We post around three to four times a week, and keep mixing it up. We are exposed to so many different kinds of images, and over-posting is a no-no." But, the most important lesson Parekh says is also about connecting and interacting with the audience. "I talk to people all the time, and respond to the comments. It's the best way to reach out directly."

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Kylie Jenner. Pic/Santa Banta 

As far as versatility goes, there aren't many clothing items that can contest with a good denim jacket. From cowboys in the early 20th century to urban commuters and Hollywood stars, the denim jacket makes for a durable yet a timelessly fashionable companion for everyone.

And as far as denims go, Levi's has forged a cult like image among consumers. Being the pioneer of the modern age copper-riveted jeans, the German immigrant-Levi Strauss founded company has been in the business since 1853. One of the most timeless of all denim jackets is the Levi's Trucker Jacket, which has been an indispensible wardrobe essential for stars and fashion-heads alike for years.

Just look at Emily Ratajkowski's casual airport appearance, or Lily Aldridge's recent denim jacket-styled look, as recorded by People, the jacket has been like an eternal go-to for the glam girls, fit for any occasion. 'This is Us' star, Milo Ventimiglia rocked his trucker jacket with a chambray shirt and navy pants, totaling in a neat look, proving that the denim jacket isn't restricted to be rocked by just the women of Hollywood.

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Tour de France organisers are working to find a new start date for cycling's biggest race after large public gatherings were banned until mid-July in the latest extension of the French coronavirus lockdown. Originally slated to start from Nice on June 27 and finish in Paris on July 19, there is no chance the event can go ahead as planned and organisers face a mammoth logistical task of rescheduling. So far, organisers ASO have remained silent, but several mayors of the French towns along the planned route say they have been consulted regarding the new dates.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address Monday that a strict lockdown in France would continue until at least May 11, as public gatherings were banned until mid-July. Tour general director Christian Prudhomme has said riders will need two months after the lockdown ends to prepare for the race. France's Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner said on Tuesday that ASO had to reschedule or cancel the Tour. "It is up to the organiser to analyse their ability to organise it and reschedule it," Castaner told French radio.

A start in late July or mid-August has been mooted, with some reports suggesting the race could even be delayed until September. The race's route is over 3,000km long, with roughly 500,000 fans lining the roads each day. "Social distancing on the roadside wouldn't be a problem, but in the start towns, at the finish line and in the VIP tents it certainly would," Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst told Flemish TV channel Sporza on Saturday. Suggestions the Tour could be held without supporters have been ruled out. "The Tour de France is 3000km of smiles," Prudhomme said regarding roadside gatherings.

"We won't run a Tour de France without the fans."

Between a rock and a hard place

Macron's announcement may have caught the organisers short. A late July start for the Tour could be considered too close to the ban on large public gatherings, while the riders would also need to be in peak condition. ASO also organises the Criterium du Dauphine eight-day race, and had been hoping to run that ride through the Alps in late June or early July, but the traditional Tour warm-up has been postponed.

A mid-August start would see the race finish in September, meaning a clash with the Vuelta a Espana. There are only 176 riders on a Tour, but the whole event involves around 4,500 people, with team staff, police and media all moving every day. Cancellation is the worst-case scenario. The "Grande Boucle", as the Tour is known in France, is the central economic pillar which supports the sports' 22 professional teams.

"It's as simple as this. If the Tour does not take place, teams could disappear, riders and staff alike would find themselves unemployed," said Marc Madiot, the chief of French team Groupama-FDJ. The riders are also keen to race, with 2018 winner Geraint Thomas saying he was desperate for the Tour to go ahead. "There are bigger and more important things to sort out first, but as soon as it's safe and ready to go, we (Ineos) would love it to happen," said the Welsh rider.

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Some athletes are donating money, some others are helping in providing essentials to the needy, but Asian Games gold-winning rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal took a more hands on approach while helping people amid the COVID-19 pandemic by sanitising his village in Nashik. The 29-year-old used a fertiliser sprayer to carry out the sanitisation drive in his village Talegaon Ruhi, which is part of Chandvad tehsil on Sunday last. He said it took around four hours to complete the task. "Me, my family and some friends decided to sanitise the village, which has a population of about 12,000," Bhokanal told PTI from over phone.

Nashik is not as aggressively affected by the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged Maharashtra. The region has just over 30 cases and a death toll of 2 in all with the Chandvad tehsil reportng just one case. Bhokanal's village is, however, completely unaffected by the deadly outbreak so far. Overall, the pandemic has claimed 339 lives in India where the number of positive cases has surged past the 10,000 mark. In Maharashtra, the total number of cases have gone past 2,000.

Bhokanal was on leave to visit the village when the nationwide lockdown, now extended till May 3, forced him to stay longer than he was supposed to. Making use of the time at hand, he carried out the sanitisation drive with his brother, uncle and a friend to help him out. "Sanitisation of any area is important to keep the virus at bay. For example, when a person visits a doctor's clinic, he might touch the pole or the walls inside that clinic. Therefore we thought sanitisation of the clinic was essential alogn with several other places," he explained.

Rower Dattu Bhokanal (right) at a sanitisation drive in his village in Nashik on Sunday. Pic/PTI

The acclaimed rower, who is a silver-medallist from the Asian Championships, said a spraying machine lying at his home for agricultural usage, came in handy. "We sanitised the places people frequent like the government clinic, veterinary clinic, gram panchayat office, its gates," informed the rower. Bhokanal said he and his family also sanitised medical shops, temples and the local vegetable market.

He said he would continue to carry out this drive twice a week. With the entire sporting calendar shredded due to the pandemic, rowing has also been affected. Bhokanal said working out at home has helped him in shape and be ready for when the action resumes.

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US actor-pop singer Jennifer Lopez is all set to marry her baseball star boyfriend Alex Rodriguez as soon as the Coronavirus-caused lockdown ends. The couple were to tie the knot this summer and had even made most bookings. However, the global lockdown forced them to push things forward. Now, they can't wait for things to return to normal to say 'I do'.

"It was all planned out and paid for. They obviously had to postpone it due to Coronavirus. But now JLo wants to marry A-Rod shortly after things go back to normal. She wants to marry him and celebrate their love in front of her family and close friends," a source told American magazine, US Weekly.

Recently, while talking about the lockdown and the impact of it on her marriage plans, she said that it had changed things and didn't know what was going to happen. "We're in a holding pattern like the rest of the world. It's something we'll have to wait and see in a few months, how this pans out," she had said.
The couple are currently at home in Los Angeles with twins Max and Emme, 12.

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His wife and one-year-old daughter are not living too far from the training centre where Indian hockey team forward SV Sunil is currently based but he is resisting the urge to make a dash for home given the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunil's wife Nisha and their one-year old daughter Shanvita are staying just 20km away from the SAI Centre in Bengaluru, where the Indian hockey team is training amid the nationwide lockdown to combat the virus. "Most of the players here in camp would have loved to be with their families, and even though my family doesn't stay very far from here. My wife and I decided that it was in the best interest of our family that we stay put where we are, and follow the guidelines strictly," said Sunil.

"I do miss my wife and daughter, but these are trying circumstances and we just have to take the positives out of it, and continue adjusting to it." Sunil also feels that the extended lockdown period is actually helping the side forge a stronger bond. "We were all expecting the lock-down period to be extended, and it is justified given the extent of the damage that the pandemic has been causing not just in India, but around the world," he said.

"We have been staying here at the SAI Centre Bengaluru for the past month and a half, and I think spending more time with our teammates and coaching staff has really brought the group together. "We have also been working on analyzing our performances from the past couple of seasons, and we have been doing a lot of self-analysis as well, which I'm sure will help us in improving a lot before we set foot on the pitch again," he added.

Reflecting on the current pandemic and the health hazards that it is posing to people around the world, Sunil said these are the times which test resolves. "I remember when I've had the two injuries before, one in 2010 and another in 2018, it was always really tough for me because I had missed the World Cups on both the occasions and that long journey back from injury was really depressing at times. "But when you compare that to the circumstances that so many people around the world are facing now, you realise how lucky you are to only have injured your left fibula or had a LCL Grade 3 tear, and not had a life-threatening experience.

Sunil, who turns 31 early next month, also spoke about his thoughts on the Olympic Games being postponed to 2021 "We have spent these four years building up to the Olympics, and working hard to peak at that time, but obviously now we all have to make adjustments, for which we are ready. "It has been a few days since I've made that run on the flanks and put a ball into the striking circle, so I really hope that things can go back to normal very quickly for everyone to do what they love doing, which includes me stepping foot on the pitch again soon," he said.

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Indian boxing's High Performance Director Santiago Nieva expects the national camp to resume at least partially next month and foresees no hiccups in fans rushing back to live sport in the age of social distancing as he feels people always "look for risks". The seasoned coach, who has been with the Indian team since 2017, is quite optimistic of things improving by the beginning of next month despite the rising COVID-19 cases as well as the number of deaths in the country. "I think the camp will restart next month. If not full strength, then at least the core group," he told PTI. The core group comprises the ones who have already qualified for the Olympics and those who are seen to be strong contenders to make the cut in future qualifiers.

Asked what gives him the belief that camps would be good to go if the national lockdown ends on May 3, the Swede said, "That's my hunch. Of course I can be wrong but I think we will be able to restart early next month." "Humans have the ability to adapt to different situations. And I think here, people are facing up to the reality quite well even though it is an unprecedented crisis." Talking of the crisis and its impact on sports, Nieva said things would never be the same again but asserted that people will not give up on live sports either. "In amateur boxing, we are used to fighting in empty halls, so no fan concerns for us," he joked. "But seriously speaking, yes, there will be more restrictions on movement of people, the security is going to be tighter, it won't be that easy to travel. But fans, they are going to rush back at the first opportunity," he predicted. "People don't care. I think they should be more careful but mostly they are not. They will come back easily because they have been confined at homes for too long.

"They like to be risky. You can see it even now. Look at Europe and US, people are just refusing to follow the lockdowns, they are flocking bars, restaurants despite strict measures. You think they will stop once all these restrictions are lifted?" Nieva is currently in Patiala's National Institute of Sports, busy delivering lectures in online classes for coaches by the Sports Authority of India. "The technology has to be better for these classes to have more impact but overall, I think it is the future as far as complementing live training is concerned. Obviously, it cannot replace live training," he said of his experience so far. "It can be a bit disconcerting when you are not able to see the 250 odd people who are listening to you but you get used to it," he added. Asked if boxers have been reaching out to him while being at their respective homes during this period, Nieva said, "Sometimes, not often. They call up to tell if they are struggling with the equipment but overall they have adapted well." "It's not an optimum situation and as I said earlier, we have to face up to the reality," he signed off brushing aside any concerns of his own when quizzed about the considerable time he has spent away from his family in Sweden.

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Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday with a touching Instagram post.

"My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you," she wrote, posting a picture of the couple. Five-time NBA champion Bryant and the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26. Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday's WNBA draft as honorary selections.

 

 

 

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My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary baby. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you. ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ðŸ¦Â‹ (@vanessabryant) onApr 18, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women's league "would have been a dream come true" for Gianna. After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to "an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women's and girls' basketball at all levels."

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US pop singer Jennifer Lopez, 50, and her baseball star partner Alex Rodriguez, 44, have begun planning for their wedding scheduled to take place soon after the Coronavirus-caused lockdown ends. Jennifer and Alex, who got engaged in March last year, had planned to tie the knot in mid-2020, but were forced to postpone it due to the pandemic. Now, Alex has revealed that they are in talks with their representatives to plan for the special day.

"We had a meeting on Zoom with our core [group of people], kind of just going over what the next 12 months look like and we have three or four different variations of how that can look," Alex said on US TV show Entertainment Tonight. According to the retired baseball star, the online meeting saw them discuss their wedding plans besides work projects and international tours scheduled for next year.

"It's such a fluid world. Usually when you underwrite a year, scheduling or financially, you never think it's going to just stop like this. So we're having to think on our feet and proactively," added Alex, who is in self-isolation at home with JLo and their kids, Natasha, 15, Ella 12 and twins Emme and Max, 12.

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With the world pretty much devoid of sports events because of the Coronavirus pandmeic, boxing resumed in Nicaragua with a televised eight-fight card in front of a live, though sparse audience in Managua.

Promoter Rosendo Álvarez, a former two-time world champion, had dismissed the threat of the virus. "Here we don't fear the Coronavirus, and there is no quarantine. The three deaths [reported so far by the Ministry of Health] came from outside and nobody within the country has been contaminated," Álvarez said before the event on Saturday night. But his offer of free tickets appeared to fill only about a tenth of the 8,000 seats in the Alexis Argoello gym. Officials did not announce attendance figures. Alvarez said he signed up the 16 local boxers for the card because they needed to work. "Nicaragua is a poor country and the boxers have to eat. They can't stay shut up in their house," he said.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring or nearby countries the regional Central American Integration System has reported roughly 13,000 cases and about 500 deaths. The Nicaraguan baseball and soccer leagues are still playing, and Saturday's local sports pages included stories on a triathlon and school wrestling tournaments.

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WWE former Diva and superstar Nikki Bella is quite an active sports star on Instagram. Nikki Bella is currently engaged to her Dancing With The Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev, who is a Russian professional dancer during season 25.

Nikki Bella went on to share a picture of her cosied up in bed watching some television along with Artem after she put on her make-up. Nikki also went on to say that she was trying her hardest to seduce Artem into giving her a foot massage. Take a look at the fun post below on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Did my makeup in time to take a nap and watch some TV with my A. Trying my hardest to seduce my way into getting a foot massage lol 🤰🏽💋

A post shared by Nikki Bella (@thenikkibella) onApr 26, 2020 at 2:03pm PDT

Nikki Bella began dating Artem following her break-up from WWE superstar John Cena. John Cena and Nikki Bella got engaged in April 2017 but called off their wedding a year later in April, just a month prior to tying the knot.

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev began dating in January 2019 and a year later, the couple announced they were engaged. On 29 January, Nikki Bella announced that she and her twin sister Brie Bella were expecting a child, respectively.

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Hockey India gave fans a sneak-peek into what the country's hockey stars are doing during lockdown. With the sporting calendar coming to a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, many top sportspersons have taken to social media to engage with their fans.

HI conducted a special Twitter Q&A, #AskTeamIndia, and went live on the social media platform with four players -- women's captain Rani Rampal, men's captain Manpreet Singh, goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh and defender Harmanpreet Singh.

"Twitter has always been a great service to engage with our fans, we are happy to have their support in #AskTeamIndia initiative which is fun, meaningful and also in some way I hope we are motivating fans to stay positive and active during these difficult times," said Sreejesh.

Sreejesh revealed during the interaction that he is a fan of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League because of his fondness for former Indian cricket captain M.S. Dhoni.

The women's hockey team also competed in a fitness challenge and as part of that they tweeted fitness videos to raise funds to help those whose lives have been adversely impacted by the pandemic. Hockey India tweeted pictures that showed how players are spending time indoors.

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The postponement to 2021 of the Olympic Games in Tokyo because of the coronavirus pandemic will cost the International Olympic Committee (IOC) "several hundred million dollars", its president Thomas Bach said on Wednesday. "We already know that we have to shoulder several hundred million US dollars of postponement costs," the German wrote in a letter to the Olympic movement, warning that, while the IOC would honour its financial obligations to Tokyo, it would probably have to make cuts. "We also need to look into and review all the services that we provide for these postponed Games," he said.

"The IOC will continue to be responsible for its share of the operational burden and its share of the costs for these postponed Games." The IOC, which has approximately $1 billion (926 million euros) in reserves, took the historic decision to postpone the Games, scheduled to open on July 24, until July 23 to August 8, 2021. If the coronavirus pandemic is not brought under control within a year, the Games cannot be postponed again and will be cancelled, the head of the organising committee (COJO) Yoshiro Mori warned on Tuesday.

A task force, which brings together the IOC and various partners, including COJO, "has established the priorities and management strategies to make these postponed Olympic Games feasible and successful", Bach said. These include creating "a safe environment with regard to health for all participants". "At this moment, nobody knows what the realities of the post-coronavirus world will look like," he said. "What is clear, however, is that probably none of us will be able to sustain every single initiative or event that we were planning before this crisis hit." He added that the IOC should also view the crisis as an opportunity.

"We can fairly assume that, in the post-coronavirus society, public health will play a much more important role. Sport and physical activity make a great contribution to health," he wrote. Bach also said the Olympic movement should consider its relationship with esports in light of social distancing.

"Whilst maintaining our principles by respecting the red line, with regard to the Olympic values, we encourage all our stakeholders even more urgently to 'consider how to govern electronic and virtual forms of their sport and explore opportunities with game publishers'," he said.

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American TV star and model Olivia Culpo celebrated a unique prom night during self-isolation with her National Football League (NFL) star boyfriend Christian McCaffrey, 23.

The couple partied with Olivia's sister Sophia and Christian's mother Lisa besides other family members. "Tonight is prom night with our quarantine crew," the Sports Illustrated model Olivia wrote on social media alongside pictures and a video of their celebration. "Lisa made all the boys do a "promposal" and now's she torturing all of us with chores," added Olivia, 27.

The outdoor party in a cocktail lounge area could also be a celebration of Christian's four-year $64 million (R484 crore) contract extension signed with NFL side Carolina Panthers in April.

The group ate, drank and also played with a unique bubble machine, blowing bubbles for everyone around.

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WWE former superstar and Diva Nikki Bella recently made a shocking revelation that she was raped twice during her teenage years in her new memoir - Incomparable - co-written with her twin sister Brie Bella.

Nikki Bella went on to share the gruesome details of her rape and how she felt ashamed of it at the time. Nikki Bella has since learned to let go of the horrifying incident as well as empower other women.

Nikki Bella stated that she was raped at age 15 by a fellow high school student who she then 'thought was a friend.' A year later at age 16, Nikki Bella was raped again after she was drugged by a college-going student.

In the book, Nikki Bella wrote, "There is the horrible offence in the moment, and then the shame and blame that follow and feel almost worse than the original pain. When something like this happens to you, you understand the blame-the-victim mentality, how easy it is to feel shame rather than anger, how easy it is to feel like you could have stopped it yourself."

Nikki Bella spoke with People magazine in an interview and said, "When that happened to me, I immediately just felt so ashamed and blamed myself, and that's what made me want to keep it such a secret. And keeping that a secret and blaming myself, I started to lose my confidence. I started to disrespect myself. And then the relationships I got into at a young age, I let other people disrespect me and felt like, that's okay, this is what I deserved."

Nikki Bella went on to admit, "I was like that for a really long time. I would go to therapy on and off. Looking at it now I'm like, 'Oh Nicole, I wish you just would've let go at a young age. So much would have changed for you.' And I think that's what made me really want to tell these stories finally."

Now, Nikki Bella aims to help other women who have faced similar situations by sharing the truth with all. She plans to help other younger women who look up to her, by suggesting that they do not hold on to it long.

Nikki Bella took to Instagram to announce the arrival of her memoir Incomparable and shared a video.

 

 

 

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Happy Pub Day Bella Army! Our memoir, Incomparable is officially out!! So happy, scared, nervous and excited! Putting info in our IG stories and twitter about our virtual book signing later today, early this morning we were already #51 on @amazon (Amazon is working on some of your delays! The team has been up early talking with them!) This has been a dream for Brie and I, and we hope you enjoy this book as much as we do. It’s not just a memoir, it’s an inspirational, motivational, and empowerment book. We want to help you all become the heroes of your own stories like we have become in our own. We all can be survivors! We hope this book helps you with what you are going through. ❤️ Love you all!! And thank you all SO MUCH for the constant love and support! We couldn’t do this without all of you!!!

A post shared by Nikki Bella (@thenikkibella) onMay 5, 2020 at 10:02am PDT

Nikki Bella and her twin sister Brie Bella both wrestled for WWE and retired in March 2019. The Bella twins are famous for the television show Total Divas and the spin-off which starred them - Total Bellas.

Nikki Bella was involved in a relationship with 16-time WWE champion John Cena since 2012. Nikki Bella and John Cena were engaged in 2017 but called off their wedding a year later. Nikki Bella is now engaged to her Dancing with the Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev. In January 2020, Nikki Bella and her sister Brie Bella announced that they were both expecting a child respectively.

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US pop star Jennifer Lopez, 50, and her baseball star partner Alex Rodriguez, 44, have decided to put off their late summer wedding plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was reported last week that the couple had held online meetings with vendors to prepare for a summer wedding, but now with the pandemic showing no sign of containment in the US, where the death toll has crossed 75,000, their plan is off.

"They have been struggling for weeks over this decision but with no return to normalcy in the near future, the couple felt postponing the wedding was the safest and smartest choice," a source told American entertainment network E! News. The couple have conveyed the news of the postponement to their guests. "Guests have recently been notified that the wedding will not be happening in late summer as anticipated," added the source.

Jennifer and Alex began dating in 2017 and got engaged in the Bahamas last March. Jennifer has twins Max and Emme, 12, from ex-husband Marc Anthony while Alex has daughters, Natasha, 15, and Ella, 12 with his ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis.

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Pistol ace Manu Bhaker has got a new electronic target installed at the makeshift shooting range at her home in Haryana in place of an archaic manual machine that was breaking down frequently and hampering her Olympics preparation. The old machine was causing her "immense irritation". Delighted by the reboot in her training, the teenaged star has got down to preparing with renewed vigour, sure in her mind that the Olympics will take place next year despite the uncertainty in the world of sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I have recently got the machine installed at my home and this will be surely more beneficial in my training," Bhaker told PTI from her home at Goria village. Her father set up the range after she showed exceptional skills in the precision sport. Bhaker thanked the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), the organisation that manages her, for promptly getting the machine -- an avant-garde target -- delivered at her home despite the nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I was facing a lot of issues with the old machine as it was manual. The thread would come off and often it would break down on and off. Now it's very different with the new machine," the 18-year-old Bhaker said. "Since I feel there is unlikely to be any outdoor action and competitions for another three-four months, I thought it will be useful to get this installed at this point in time."

A medallist at ISSF World Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, Bhaker was primed for success at sport's grandest and biggest stage in Tokyo which was to happen this year, but the unprecedented health crisis intervened and forced a postponement of the Games by a year. With the world still far away from bringing the situation under control, there are doubts if the Tokyo Games would be held even next year.

"Yes, the Indian shooters were in great form heading into the Games, but health is a bigger concern," Bhaker said. "I am very hopeful of the Olympics taking place next year and also confident of maintaining my game and hitting peak form there. This is a difficult time for the world but I have no negative thoughts and I am mentally prepared."

The target HS10 machine from Swiss company SIUS Ascor is designed for all air guns for distance ranging from 10 to 20 meters. Some of the salient features of the machine are its accuracy, integrated high-intensity LED target illumination, low operating costs (no paper rolls/rubber rolls) and it is also suitable for outdoor shooting.

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Baah Gajor Gahori

Growing up in a conservative home in Imphal, Keisham Kunjakishor Singh, who goes by the names Keisham or Bung, wasn't allowed to cook chicken and pork in his kitchen. "My parents never stopped us from eating it but we couldn't cook meat inside our home. So, I would bring the stove to our courtyard, and smoke pork outside. I also remember learning how to smoke fish at the age of 10. That is considered vegetarian in most Manipuri homes," says the 35-year-old Manipuri fashion designer based in Mumbai, who moonlights as a home chef. This Sunday, he will offer a taste of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare from the northeastern state, at the pop-up titled Manipuri Chakhum, presented by Authenticook.

Singju

Take a veggie walk
The meal features 10 dishes, including Singju, a popular street snack served at female-run stalls known as potphams. It's a salad made using cabbage, lotus root and fenugreek leaves, laced with several herbs. For the mains, you can seek comfort in Mangal Ooti, a dal featuring whole yellow peas cooked with bamboo shoot, brought in from his native town. "I travel to Imphal every month and return with seasonal herbs, black rice, bhut jolokia and spices like bay leaves, Chinese chives and ginger. We grow most of them in our backyard," says Keisham.

Chakhao Kheer

He'll use the pungent chive leaves in Maroi Bori Thongba, a curry with black gram and lentil dumplings, while the other spices will be used in Kangsoi, a popular Manipuri version of a stew made with fresh, seasonal vegetables like tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes. "I grew up on this stew, and sticky rice. I'll use my mother's recipe to make it," he adds.

The food will be served with sticky rice

Also on the vegetarian menu is Chamfoot, a simple, steamed vegetable salad. Keisham has prepared accompaniments like Soibum Iromba (fermented bamboo shoot chutney) and Kanglayen Iromba (dry mushroom chutney).

Know the difference
The non-vegetarian menu stars Baah Gajor Gahori Tender, where chunks of pork are cooked with bamboo shoot and bhut jolokia chilli. "The Manipuri style of cooking pork is vastly different from Naga pork, which usually is just boiled or steamed. We use several spices to cook the meats. I make my own spice mix with coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, and asafoetida."

KK Singh aka Keisham

Similarly, Yen Thongba, or chicken curry, is prepared by shallow frying the meat first and then boiling it in water to thicken it as gravy. The pop-up also features Nga Ataoba Thongba, comprising Rohu fish that is fried and curried in tomato. Keisham will also offer sticky rice that has been wrapped and cooked in lotus leaf. "It's the most traditional way of cooking it. The leaf infuses an aroma into the rice. For dessert, there's Chakhao Kheer cooked with black rice. It's something my father would cook for us in the afternoons when we were kids," reminisces Keisham.

On: August 27, 1 pm
At: Authenticook Underground Studio, Chembur
Log on to: authenticook.in
Cost: `1,050 (vegetarian); `1,250 (non-vegetarian)

Chef Saransh Goila and TV personality Mini Mathur at Silver Beach Cafe, Juhu. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

The glass walls overlooking a quiet street at Silver Beach Café are misty. Chef Saransh Goila is early and orders a plate of Eggs Benedict, Beetroot Cous Cous Salad and a glass each of orange and carrot juice, choices that TV host Mini Mathur is happy with when she walks in. "The last time we met we were both drunk," Mathur says animatedly. Both TV stars are currently hosting digital food shows. Goila has married his two loves — fitness and food — for his Facebook show Run to Eat (Singapore). Mathur has been cooking with Bollywood stars for her show The Mini Truck. One is a trained chef and the other a home cook, but when they speak, their love for rich traditional food takes over.

Sabhnani: How did an erstwhile vegetarian chef move to selling butter chicken?
Goila: In Delhi, my vegetarian family was tired of eating sweet paneer. So I smoked the gravy for them. That's how I came up with it. My friends in Mumbai loved it. We are actually Goels, my great-grandfather changed it to 'Goila'. When I was opening Goila Butter Chicken, my dad got calls asking him, 'Can't he just call it Saransh's Butter Chicken?' Once I graduated, I realised you cannot be a chef who is vegetarian.
Mathur: Mera butter chicken khaake dekho, hum bhi Dilliwalle hai! I am a Kayasth married to a Hyderabadi. Both the families are very proud of traditional recipes. I hate bastardised versions of food — if someone gave me Szechuan dosa, I'd spit on them! Every Diwali, I pickle six kilos of aloo or chana for achaar. I will make some for you and you can give me butter chicken instead.

Sabhnani: Your new shows are shot internationally, though…
Mathur: My next show, Mini Me, is about a bad**s mum travelling with her seven-year-old. We went to 15 cities across six countries in Europe in 25 days. It was originally shot for digital viewing, but a channel picked it up.
Goila: Run to Eat (Singapore) was originally supposed to be shot in India, but I didn't get support from the state tourism boards.

Sabhnani: You must have collected many stories while shooting.
Goila: Once, on an uphill trek in Himachal, we saw a tree full of apples. As soon as I plucked one, I slipped. I quickly grabbed a branch or I would have rolled down the hill. Things you do for apples and shots!
Mathur: Sunny Leone is such a cool woman. When she shot for my show, she said things like, 'Now let's grind.' I had to control my crew.

Sabhnani: Was the shift to digital platforms a natural progression?
Mathur: Digital is the future. The problem is figuring out how to monetise it.
Goila: Every time I enter a house party, there is a group of people watching something on their phones. My mom wants a Chromecast!
Mathur: People are waking up to the fact that watching TV at an appointed time is not necessary.

Eggs Benedict, Beetroot Cous Cous Salad and juices arrive
Goila: My plate looks beautiful! They have made an effort.
Mathur: Do you always shoot your food before you eat? The whole thing of 'let's tuck in yaar' is not happening any more.

Sabhnani: The impact of social media is huge...
Goila: People explore social media, and not colleges, for learning, which is fine. But one out of 100 people succeeds that way.
Mathur: I mostly find positivity on Instagram and YouTube. Twitter is a different universe.
Goila: Sometimes you have to choose to ignore it [trolls]. It's also driven by brands and PR.
Mathur: Today, you can backslap a star online and say, 'Hey, I don't like your moustache!'

Sabhnani: Do looks matter?
Goila: I am not the best-looking chef in the country. I generally believe in fitness (I used weigh 93kg). You can't judge a chef by his belly, though.
Mathur: If you are good-looking, it can't harm you.

Sabhnani: Dilliwallah's take on Mumbai's food?
Mathur: I love Maharashtra's coastal cuisine. Mumbai should give up on chaat; vada pav is your thing. The Mughlai scene is better in the north.
Goila: The international cuisine spread is better in Mumbai.
Mathur: Eat food at the place where it comes from. Don't go asking for vada pavs in Delhi.

Potato Chops

"Despite having lived in the city for years, not many people are even aware of the existence of this cuisine," begins Sajida Khan, founder of Culinary Craft studio, which will be the venue for a workshop on East Indian fare this weekend.

Mumbaikar Lloyd Rodrigues will conduct the session where he will teach participants how to make four East Indian dishes. The first is the Mutton Stew, which is a combination of vegetables like carrots, peas, onions and tomatoes, and mutton blended with mild spices.

The second item on the menu, shares Rodrigues, is the East Indian Potato Chops, a much-loved snack featuring crumb-coated potato mash stuffed with spiced minced meat.

"The third is a rice dish, which is colloquially referred to as Wedding Rice, since it is usually prepared as part of the East Indian wedding spread," informs Khan. The dish is akin to a pulao, and comes topped generously with fried onions and shavings of almonds and cashew nuts.

No meal is complete without dessert. And the sweet dish that participants will learn to make is a unique preparation called Letri.

Rice is a staple in the community's meals, and this dessert, too, makes use of colourful rice vermicelli mixed with generous amounts of coconut and jaggery.