First India-Ahmedabad Edition-3rd January 2022

Cases increasing but new variant not as dangerous: CM
NO TIME TO PANIC
First India Bureau
Gandhinagar: At a
gathering with the
Bharatiya Janata Par-
ty (BJP) medical cell
on Sunday, Chief Min-
ister Bhupendra Patel
was apprised of the
COVID-19 situation in
the state. Speaking to
the doctors, he admit-
ted, “I am not the
right person to lec-
ture you on coronavi-
rus, but from what I
have understood from
the state health team
is that the Omicron
variant is not as dan-
gerous as the Delta
variant.”
He emphasized on
the importance of tak-
ing enough precau-
tions, and assured the
team that the state gov-
ernment was focused
on testing and vaccina-
tion. “This will help
control the spread of
COVID-19 in the state,”
said the CM.
Speaking at the
event, Health Minis-
ter Rushikesh Patel
admitted, “There is a
shortage of profes-
sional doctors in the
state, and yet, the gov-
ernment is handling
the crisis (surge in
cases) successfully.
The state is imple-
menting COVID-19
guidelines strictly
and that can stop the
spread of coronavi-
rus. Health infrastruc-
ture has also been set
up and kept on stand-
by to tackle any surge
in cases. Even medi-
cine stock is ready to
be dispensed.”
Meanwhile, on the
government’s plan to
improve education
among youths, state
Education Minister
Jitu Vaghani took to
his Twitter handle
and wrote, “The state
government is plan-
ning to make educa-
tion more market
friendly and produce
skilled youths and so
it has decided to intro-
duce seven new cours-
es for the secondary
and higher secondary
from the academic
year 2022-23.”
He added, “The op-
tional subjects to be
introduced are organ-
ic agriculture, appar-
el, home furnishing,
automotive, beauty &
wellness, electronics,
hardware, retail, tour-
ism & hospitality.
They will be intro-
duced in 223 schools
and the idea behind it
is to train students on
the school-level to in-
crease employment
probability.”
HEALTH MINISTER RUSHIKESH
PATEL ASSURES, “STATE READY
TO HANDLE ANY CRISIS”
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel addressing BJP medical cell members on Sunday.
‘EARLIER, CRIMINALS PLAYED GAMES IN UP,
NOW, YOGI GOVT PLAYS ‘JAIL JAIL’ WITH THEM’
Laying foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University, PM Modi said that
every year, more than 1,000 girls, boys will graduate from the world’s finest varsity
AHMEDABAD l MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/79050 l Vol 3 l Issue No. 40
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The last year ended on a dramatic note for Indian aviation with a passenger air-
craft taking off without air traffic control (ATC) clearance. This incident happened
when a SpiceJet flight took off from Rajkot for Delhi without the mandatory nod
on the penultimate day of 2021 — December 30. The directorate general of civil
aviation (DGCA) is probing this serious lapse.
The technical committee appointed by Supreme Court to investigate use of
Pegasus spyware to snoop on phones of politicians, activists and journalists,
has sought information from people who suspect their phones were targeted.
In a public notice, the committee has asked such people to contact them by
January 7. The committee has also said that it is ready to examine the phones.
FLIGHT TAKES
OFF WITHOUT
ATC’S NOD,
PROBE INITIATED
‘GIVE US DETAILS,’
PANEL ASKS THOSE
WHO THINK OF BEING
PEGASUS TARGETS
23 new Omicron cases in Odisha;
Bengal announces fresh curbs
Bhubaneswar: Like in
other parts of the coun-
try, Omicron cases wit-
nessed a steep spike in
Odisha after 23 new
cases were reported on
Sunday, taking the Cov-
id mutant infection tal-
ly to 37 in the State.
As per the State
Health Department, all
the samples were sent
for genome sequencing
at the Institute Of Life
Sciences (ILS), Bhu-
baneswar.
Health Services Di-
rector, Bijay Mohapatra
said that of the 23 new
Omicron cases, 19 are
male and 4 female in the
age group of 8 to 83
years.
Aditi Nagar
Meerut: Hitting out at
the previous govern-
ment in Uttar Pradesh,
Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi on Sunday
said earlier criminals
and the mafia used to
play their games, but
now the Yogi Adity-
anath government is
playing “jail-jail” with
them.
Addressing a public
meeting after laying the
foundation stone for
the Major Dhyan Chand
Sports University in
Meerut, the Prime Min-
ister Modi said, “Dur-
ing the previous gov-
ernment, criminals
used to play their
games, the mafia used
to play its games. Ear-
lier, there were tourna-
ments of illegal
grabbing (of land).
People making bad re-
marks (‘phabtiyaan’)
on daughters used to
roam openly
.”
People living in
Meerut and adjoining
areas can never forget
how houses used to be
set ablaze, and the ear-
lier government used to
indulge in games of
criminals and the ma-
fia, he said.
The result of these
games played by earlier
governments was that
people were forced to
leave their ancestral
homes and there was
“exodus”, the Prime
Minister Narendra
Modi added.
“Now, the govern-
ment of Yogi (Adity-
anath) ji is playing ‘jail-
jail’ with such crimi-
nals. Five years ago, the
daughters of Meerut
used to fear leaving
their homes after even-
ing. Today, the daugh-
ters of Meerut are
bringing laurels to the
entire country,” PM
Modi further added.
Pak soldier
killed on LOC;
take back body,
says Army
Srinagar: The Indian
Army on Sunday asked
its Pakistani counter-
part to take back the
body of a Pak infiltra-
tor killed yesterday
while trying to cross the
Line of Control (LoC) in
the Keran sector of
J&K’s Kupwara.
A senior army officer
had said the man - iden-
tified as Mohammad
Shabir Malik - may have
been a member of the
Pakistan Army’s Bor-
der Action Team, or
BAT. A hotline commu-
nication has been made
to the Pakistan Army
from our side, asking
them to take back body
.
Economically weaker
section quota rules will
change next year: Govt
New Delhi: Existing
criteria to identify EWS
(Economically Weaker
Section) reservation
beneficiaries for admis-
sion to medical courses
across the country will
be retained for this aca-
demic year, the govern-
ment told the Supreme
Court in an affidavit
filed on Friday, details
of which emerged on
Sunday morning.
The government said
changing norms at this
time - when admissions
and allocation of col-
leges for NEET (Nation-
al Eligibility cum En-
trance Test) students
are ongoing - will lead
to complications. gov-
ernment said.
The government had
earlier argued that the
Rs 8 lakh annual in-
come criteria was con-
sistent with Articles 14,
15, 16 of Constitution.
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES CLOSED
IN WEST BENGAL FROM TODAY
JAN 5: PM MODI TO HOLD PUBLIC
RALLY IN PUNJAB’S FIROZPUR
PM MODI TO VISIT MANIPUR,
TRIPURA ON JANUARY 4
PM GETS WARM WELCOME FROM LOCALS IN MEERUT
NEW
CRITERIA
PM MODI PAYS
TRIBUTES TO
SHAHEEDS IN
MEERUT CITY
Kolkata: In view of the Omicron situation, West Ben-
gal has imposed a series of fresh coronavirus disease
(Covid-19)-related restrictions from January 3 (Monday),
under which all schools and colleges in the state will once
again shut their gates. Moreover, restrictive measures
have also been imposed on shopping malls, market com-
plexes, restaurants, and bars, wherein they will now allow
only 50 per cent of their total capacity. The restrictive
measures, on part of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool
Congress government in West Bengal, were announced
on Sunday by the state’s chief secretary, HK Dwivedi.
Firozpur: Ahead of Punjab the Assembly elections,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public
rally in Firozpur district on January 5. This will be the
first rally of PM Modi in Punjab after the repeal of three
farm laws. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to in-
augurate a satellite center of the Postgraduate Institute
of Medical Education and Research (PGIMR) in Pun-
jab’s Firozpur. He is also likely to address a rally after
the event. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi
is also likely to attend the event at PGIMR. The political
rally by PM is significance as he will be joined by ex-
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh. Former Punjab
CM Captain Amarinder Singh and SAD (Sanyukt) leader
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa will also take part in the rally.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit
Manipur and Tripura on January 4. According to a state-
ment issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday,
the Prime Minister will inaugurate 13 Projects worth
around Rs 1,850 crores and lay the foundation stone of
9 projects worth around Rs 2,950 crore in Manipur. He
will also inaugurate the new Integrated Terminal Build-
ing at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport and will also launch
two key development initiatives in Tripura. Prime Minis-
ter will also dedicate 2,387 mobile towers to the people
of Manipur. He will lay the foundation stone of ‘State of
the Art Cancer Hospital’ in Imphal. Further, to boost the
Covid related infrastructure in the State, Prime Minister
will inaugurate ‘200 Bedded Covid Hospital at Kiyamgei.
Meerut: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday received a warm welcome from the peo-
ple in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut where he will lay the foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand
Sports University. A huge crowd, chanting ‘Modi- Modi’, was seen along the side of the
road. PM Modi accepting the greetings of the locals also waived back to the crowd while
sitting inside his car. Earlier in the day, PM Modi offered prayers at the Augurnath Temple.
The revised EWS
criteria retains the
contentious Rs 8 lakh
annual income ceiling
but excludes families
with agricultural land
of five acres or more,
irrespective of income.
CORONA CATASTROPHE
INDIA
27,553
new cases
284
new fatalities
GUJARAT
968
new cases
01
new fatality
MESSI
TESTS
POSITIVE
 Seven-time Ballon
d’Or winner Lionel
Messi is among four
players in the Paris
Saint-Germain squad
to have tested positive
for the coronavirus
ahead of the team’s
French Cup game on
Monday night
 PSG coach Mauri-
cio Pochettino is un-
certain when Messi
will be able to return
to France, or whether
he can recover in
time to play away to
Lyon in the league
next Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wave to their
supporters during the foundation stone laying ceremony of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University.
Meerut: Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi
paid floral tribute at
Shahid Smarak in Ut-
tar Pradesh’s Meerut
on Sunday. He was
accompanied by Uttar
Pradesh’s Governor
Anandiben Patel and
Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath. PM Modi ar-
rived in the city today to
lay the foundation stone
of Major Dhyan Chand
Sports University. As per
an official statement is-
sued by Prime Minister’s
Office, the university
will be established at
Salawa and Kaili villages
of Sardhana town in
Meerut at an estimated
expenditure of about
Rs 700 crore. —ANI

NEWS
AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022
02
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First India Bureau
Gandhinagar: With
Gujarat being a dry
state due to prohibi-
tion, celebrating New
Year’s Eve with liquor
parties was not some-
thing people are at lib-
erty to do. When it
comes to bureaucrats
and politicians, those
who do not partake in
alcohol do not have any
problems. But, those
who indulge in it with-
out any permit face all
kinds of problems.
There is a belief
among the officers that
bootleggers adulterate
their liquor stock dur-
ing the year-end festivi-
ties because of in-
creased demand. Sup-
ply of this Indian Made
Foreign Liquor (IMFL)
can cause health issues.
Sources from the
power corridors told
First India, few politi-
cians and bureaucrats
have a habit of drink-
ing regularly and some
of them have common
suppliers. They appar-
ently instructed their
suppliers not to supply
them with alcohol for
10-15 days, as they knew
that recent stock was
probably adulterated. A
politician was even
heard asking them to
cease supplying alcohol
for 10 days despite no
adulteration.
A few officers receive
their liquor supply
from lower ranking of-
ficers. First India learnt
from its sources that
when police teams con-
duct raids and seize liq-
uor, junior officers is-
sue specific instruc-
tionsaboutafewbrands
that their seniors like to
partake in. In fact, a re-
tired IPS officer is
known to drink only
green label liquor, so
whenever a green label
isseized,someof itfinds
its way to the officer.
The same rule ap-
plies to scotch, whisky
and white rum of se-
lected brands, and they
are supplied in some
quantities to politi-
cians and/or high-
ranking officials.
WHYPOLITICIANS,OFFICERSHADADRYNEWYEAR’SEVE
NO LIQUOR
They knew high demand would mean
watered down booze and so chose to
forego the ‘party’ altogether instead
First India Bureau
Mahisagar: Balasinor
lawmaker Ajit Chau-
han has accused the lo-
cal police of shielding
the lumber mafia, and
even providing protec-
tion to goons while they
transport the illegal
wood and stones from
nearby pockets.
Chauhan further said
that the nexus between
goons and local officials
has made Balasinor a
smuggling hub. “I was
taken aback when I saw
more than 70 tractors
loaded with timber ille-
gally chopped from the
forest area being smug-
gled out with a police
escort. I shot a video
also. When I inquired
further, I learnt that the
localpolicearecomplicit
inthescam,”MLAChau-
han told First India.
He further explained:
“Late Saturday night, I
was my way back to
home, when I found a
queue of tractors with
wood and a police car.
There was one officer
who was in charge, he
caught several vehicles
recently. So to do away
with the official check,
now the police protect
the mafia,” he alleged,
adding that the police
vehicle escorted the
trucks from Dev Chokdi
to Balasinor.
“The cops who were
with the tractors were
from Mahisagar and
came from Lunavada.
When I inquired, I
learnt that this is their
routine. Balasinor has
also replaced Lunavada
and Virpur as a hub of
illegal quarrying. The
tragedy is that under
the nose of the police,
wood, sand, and other
precious minerals are
being mined illegally,”
he asserted.
He said his com-
plaints to the local ad-
ministration went un-
heard, and that he plans
to raise the question in
the upcoming budget
session. District collec-
tor Mahisagar Manish
Kumar could not be
reached for comment
despiteseveralattempts.
SOUND OF MUSIC
Session 01 of Day 02
of the ongoing Saptak
Music Festival in
Ahmedabad saw a vocal
performance by Biraj
Amar, accompanied
by Hemant Joshi on
tabla, Shishir Bhatt
on harmonium, and
Allarakha Kalawant
on sarangi. The next
session saw Ustad
Moinuddin Khan
and Momin Khan
performing on the
sarangi with Akram
Khan on tabla. Shubha
Mudgal headlined
the evening with a
vocal performance,
accompanied by Anish
Pradhan on tabla, and
Sudhir Nayak on the
harmonium, on Sunday.
—PHOTOS BY
HANIF SINDHI
‘Cops escort consignments of
illegal lumber, stone for mafia’
BALASINOR MLA AJIT CHAUHAN MAKES SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS
MLA Ajit Chauhan. —FILE PHOTOS
First India Bureau
Bhavnagar: Some peo-
ple are hiding their real
identities and changing
names as part of a con-
spiracy to lure girls
from other communi-
ties and police will take
strict action against the
perpetrators involved,
said Minister of State
for Home Harsh Sang-
havi on Sunday
.
He was speaking dur-
ing his visit to Bhavna-
gar district’s Palitana
town, where police are
investigating a case of a
man eloping with a girl
of adifferentcommunity
.
Bhavnagar crime
branch has arrested Za-
kir Saiyed (Palitana)
Gulab Pathan (Bhavna-
gar), Aftad Shaikh (Ko-
dinar- Gir Somnath)
Mohammad Sahil
Quadri (Kodinar) for
their alleged role in cre-
ating fake documents
for a nikah and produc-
ing it before a Delhi
court. Zakir had eloped
with a Hindu girl in No-
vember 2021 and pro-
curedafakenikahnama
with the help of a local
advocate. They pro-
duced it before the
court to get their mar-
riage registered. The
court allowed the cou-
ple to live together as
both were adults.
A crime branch of-
ficer suspected the au-
thenticity of the ni-
kahnama and a team
was sent to Delhi for
verification. The Madi-
na Masjid Maulana Mo-
hammad Samim refut-
ed the claim of issuing
any document. The ac-
cused were produced
before Bhavnagar court
on December 30 and the
court granted police re-
mand custody till Janu-
ary 10.
The minister asked
parents to take care of
their daughters so that
they do not fall prey to
such acts.
“Loving is not wrong.
But those who hide
their identities, use du-
plicate documents to
trap innocent girls will
not be spared, not just
in Palitana but any-
where in the state. I am
warning all those who
are hatching such con-
spiracies that police
will take strict action,”
Sanghavi told media
persons.
Incidentally, the BJP
government in the state
had, in 2021, passed an
amendment to the Guja-
rat Freedom of Religion
Act to provide for a pris-
on sentence of up to 10
years for fraudulent or
forcible conversion by
marriage. The state
government had said
the amendment sought
to curtail an emerging
trend in which women
are lured to marriage
for the purpose of reli-
gious conversion.
The Gujarat High
Court had, in its inter-
im order, prohibited its
application to inter-
faith marriages.
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad: A few
days after a clash oc-
curred between groups
of Akhil Bharatiya Vid-
yarthiParishad(ABVP)
and National Students’
Union of India (NSUI)
on GLS University cam-
pus, Vadgam MLA
Jignesh Mevani visited
a city police station de-
manding action. NSUI
alleged that a student
who had joined the stu-
dent organization was
ragged by ABVP mem-
bers who had asked him
to don a scarf and chant
‘Jai Shri Ram’.
After no action was
taken by the police in
this regard despite an
application, Mevani
went to the police ac-
companied by NSUI
members and other stu-
dents. Meanwhile, slo-
gans on BJP govern-
ment and police being
anti-Dalit were chanted
outside the station.
Addressing media
persons after his visit,
Mevani said, “We went
to meet the DCP along
with the victim’s family
.
Ragging outside the col-
lege premises is evident
on the video captured
by other students. Ra-
cial slurs were also
hurled at the Dalit stu-
dent. But when the stu-
dent came to lodge a
complaint with the po-
lice, the Navrangpura
police station lodged a
false complaint against
him instead.”
He further stated,
“Even now, the DCP has
asked the college to in-
vestigate, compile a re-
port and take action. At
the behest of ‘Shri Ka-
malam’ (BJP state head-
quarters) and home
minister, the police do
not lodge complaints.”
If it is not lodged, we
will go to the police
commissioner’s resi-
dence or office tomor-
row at 11 am to make a
surprise presentation,
he warned.
Mevani approaches
police over ragging by
ABVP at GLS Uni
Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani.
—FILE
PHOTO
‘LOVEJIHAD’WILLBEDEALTWITH
SEVERELY UNDER LAW: MoS HOME
Sanghavi
was in
Bhavnagar
on Sunday,
where a
Muslim
man has
been
arrested
after
eloping
with a
Hindu girl
NO RIOTS
SINCE I
BECAME
MLA: MEHTA
While addressing
a gathering on
Sunday, Dabhoi
BJP MLA Shailesh
Mehta claimed
that prior to his
election as a MLA,
hooliganism was
at its peak. “On an
average seven to
fourteen riots were
taking place every
year. But, since I
have become MLA,
riots have become
history.”

GUJARAT
03
‘TO RID ROADS OF STRAY CATTLE,
LET MALDHARIS BUY FARM LAND’
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad: As mu-
nicipal corporations
across the state are un-
der pressure to keep the
streets free from stray
cattle and help curb ac-
cidents, the Maldhari
(involved in animal hus-
bandry) community be-
lieveslong-termsolution
can be allocation of al-
ternative land to them.
Community leader
Tejabhai Desai asserted
that the answer is not in
capture, GPS tagging of
cattle or penalizing own-
ers. “The solution to the
problem is allowing
shepherds to take their
cattlegrazingonagricul-
turallandorgivingthem
alternative land if their
normal places are en-
croached on or villages
merged with cities.
Desai, who has been
working for issues faced
by Maldharis for a dec-
ade, said, “Firstly
, I be-
lieve the government
should bring changes in
the revenue laws and
permitMaldharis—who
are not farmers but, de-
pend only on animal
husbandry—topurchase
agricultural land to ease
fodder issue.”
He added, “The sec-
ond major problem is
rapid industrialization
alongwithurbanization.
Due to this, gauchar
(pasture) land is tight
and although the state
claims that alternate
land is provided, that is
not the case.”
Withcitiesexpanding,
several villages are
merged with them with
no planning for food re-
quirements of domestic
animals. As per the
state’sowngaucharland
policy
,everyvillagewith
100 cattle has to have 40
acresof gaucharland.In
Ahmedabad Municipal
Corporation, 28 villages
have been merged and
but no alternative land
hasbeenallotted,alleged
Congress leader Nagjib-
hai Desai.
Alternative space not allotted when gauchar land is repurposed, despite policy
First India Bureau
Vadodara: The Mahisa-
gar is frothing again, as
are city-based environ-
mental activists who are
pointing the finger at
industries in the region
as well as the Gujarat
PollutionControlBoard.
RohitPrajapati,of the
Paryavaran Suraksha
Samiti, warns that, un-
lesscheckedandtreated,
theeffluentsflowinginto
the river will cause ma-
jor health hazards in the
cityandinthe40villages
in the 35km stretch that
the river traverses be-
tween Dabka and the
Arabian Sea, where it
drains into the Gulf of
Khambhat.
“The problem has
persisted for the past
four years,” Prajapati
said, sharing a video of
a foamy river near Dab-
ka on Sunday, adding,
“Effluents from Va-
dodara’s industries pol-
lution are dumped in
the Mahisagar near Sa-
rod, and Ahmedabad’s
pollution enters the Sa-
barmati. Both these riv-
ers drain into the Gulf
of Khambhat, which is
now so polluted that the
river water is not mix-
ing with the sea.”
Officially
, effluents
with a chemical oxygen
demand (COD), which
indicates organic pollut-
antload,greaterthan250
mg per litre should not
be released into rivers.
“Most parts of the riv-
ers where effluent is
dumpedhaveCODlevels
in the range of 700-1,000
mg per litre. While dis-
solved oxygen (DO),
which indicates the
health of a river, in per-
ennial rivers like Mahis-
gar should be 6-8 mg per
litre, it is actually below
2.9 mg per litre,” said.
“The foamy froth has
reached Dabka and will
expand further if not
checked. A committee
was formed to look into
the issue, but even the
GPCB is not doing any-
thing about it,” he said.
Grave concerns raised over pollution in Mahisagar river
TOXIC WASTE
Effluents are released into the river, causing massive environmental issues.
V’dara environmentalist says the
effluents discharged from
industries have resulted in a foamy
water surface up to Dabka
Cattle on the streets is a common problem in Gujarat’s cities. —FILE PHOTO
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. —FILE PHOTO
OFFICIAL FIGURES
Reply to elected
reps: New AMC
chief to officers
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad: The
city’s new municipal
c o m m i s s i o n e r,
Lochan Sehra, has di-
rected his subordi-
nates to reply to the
elected representa-
tives as and when re-
quired. In a notice is-
sued on Saturday
, he
stated that all officers
must respond and
communicate when
elected representa-
tives contact them.
Several complaints
were made against
theformercivicchief,
Vijay Nehra, for not
respondingtotheque-
ries of councillors,
the mayor and even
the standing commit-
teechairman.Similar
complaints were also
lodged against Seh-
ra’s predecessor,
Mukesh Kumar, for
blockingthenumbers
of severalcouncillors.
Sehra asserted
that the elected rep-
resentatives of
Ahmedabad corpora-
tion jurisdiction, be
it a parliamentarian
or a councillor, must
be given a proper and
timely response.
But not everyone
is convinced.
“During Nehra’s
time, we complained
to the chief minister.
Then he was replaced
by Kumar, who was
also arrogant and be-
haved likewise. He
mostlyjustifiedignor-
ing elected represent-
atives in the name of
the chief minister or
Prime Minister Nar-
endra Modi,” a coun-
cillor from the west-
ern part of the city
said. It is good that
the new civic chief
has issued a written
order, he further
said, adding, “Now,
time will tell wheth-
er he will follow his
own instructions.”
FAMILY
FUN
SUNDAY
Amdavadi families
were seen milling
about the Sabarmati
River Front, where
boating has been
restarted after a long
break due to the
ongoing pandemic,
on Sunday.
—PHOTO BY
HANIF SINDHI
Surat daredevil duo arrested
for bike stunts during curfew
Active tally crosses 4K-mark as Guj
adds another 968 COVID-19 cases
First India Bureau
Surat:TwoSuratyouths
have been arrested for
violating traffic rules
and the night curfew
currently in place in
Gujarat’s major cities,
after a video showing
them doing stunts on a
motorcycle gained trac-
tion on social media,
Minister of State for
Home Harsh Sanghavi
tweeted on Sunday
.
At least two video
clips have been doing
the rounds, in which
Bharat Praveenbhai
Gadhvi is seen stoical-
ly riding a Bullet En-
field bike, while Nick
Odera casually sits on
his shoulders—ciga-
rette in one hand and
what appears to be a
pistol in the other. The
video is obviously shot
by a third person, on
another vehicle, at
night, during the lock-
down in place as a
measure to curb the
spread of COVID-19.
“The ‘pistol’ seen in
thevideowasacigarette
lighter. We are extra
vigilantinsuchcrimes,”
Sanghavi tweeted.
The cops led by Am-
roli police station con-
stable Kirit Thackeray
started an investigation
into the incident after
they were sent the video
clips. They learnt that
the joyride in question
was captured on video
around 2 am on Decem-
ber 14 on the Amroli-
Sayan Road, and up-
loaded online on De-
cember 26.
The Gadhvi and Ode-
ra have been arrested
under the relevant sec-
tions of the Epidemic
Diseases Act and the
Motor Vehicles Act, of-
ficials said.
First India Bureau
Gandhinagar: Gujarat
on Sunday reported 968
fresh COVID-19 cases,
taking the tally of infec-
tions to 8,33,769, the
state health department
said.
With one fatality in
the Valsad district, the
COVID-19 death toll
rose to 10,120.
A total of 141 patients
were discharged during
the day
. The number of
recoveries in Gujarat
now stands at 8,18,896, it
said.
The number of active
cases crossed the 4,000-
mark and reached 4,753
in the state, the depart-
ment said.
On Saturday, Gujarat
had reported 1,069 cas-
es, the highest in the
last seven months.
Ahmedabad city re-
ported 396 fresh cases.
On Sunday,
Ahmedabad district
saw 404 cases, Surat
223, Vadodara 69 and
Rajkot 60, the depart-
ment said.
No new case of the
Omicron variant was
reported in Gujarat on
Sunday. The Omicron
tally so far stood at 136,
the health department
said.
Ahmedabad has so
far reported the highest
number of 50 Omicron
cases, Vadodara 23, Su-
rat 16 and Anand 13.
Gujarat has so far ad-
ministered 8.96 crore
COVID-19 vaccination
doses, with 1.01 lakh
people inoculated on
Sunday.
Bharat Gadhvi riding with Nick Odera on his shoulders.
The video was shot on the Amroli-Sayan
Road around 2 am on December 14, and
uploaded online on December 26.
COVID-19 UPDATE
404 MAX
CASES IN
A’BAD
ACTIVE CASES
8,18,896
TOTALRECOVERED
141 MORE
IN A DAY
8,33,769
TOTAL CASES
968 CASES
IN A DAY
10,120
TOTAL DEATHS
4,753
01 DEATH
IN A DAY
OMICRON CASES: 136 NEW: 0
School authorities gear up to open premises to those in
15-18 age group, who will begin to get jabs on Monday.
—PHOTO
BY
HANIF
SINDHI

PERSPECTIVE
04
lVol3lIssueNo.40
l RNINO.GUJENG/2019/79050.
Printed and published by Anita
Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Ex-
press Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar
Printing Planet Survey No.148P,
Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. San-
and, Dist. Ahmedabad. Publishedat
D/3023rdFloorPlotNo.35Titanium
Square,SchemeNo.2,ThaltejTaluka,
Ghatlodiya,Ahmedabad.
Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra.
Editor: Haresh Jhala
responsible for selection of news
under the PRB Act
Piyush Goyal
@PiyushGoyal
We have to remember one more thing
related to the world of sports. The
global market for sports services and
goods is worth millions of crores.
Sports goods are exported to more
than 100 countries from Meerut itself.
Vocal is not only for Meerut local,
but also making local global: PM@
NarendraModi Ji.
Anurag Thakur
@ianuragthakur
Prime Minister @narendramodiji
keeps his promises! From spending
hours motivating our sportspersons to
interacting with them on their return
from the Olympics - he truly has been
the sportspersons PM.
SPIRITUAL SPEAK
For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly
realms. —Bible
IN-DEPTH
ON ENVIRONMENT
CHILE SHOWS THE
WAY, TO REWRITE
CONSTITUTION
s climate change con-
tinuestothreatenour
survival, countries
party to the confer-
ence on climate
change keep protecting their
own political and national inter-
ests rather than taking substan-
tial steps to stop behaving as en-
vironment marauders. Of all the
countries it is Chile which has
decided to take a decisive step
towards protection of the envi-
ronment by asking Chileans to
rewrite the country’s 1980 consti-
tution written under the regime
of Augusto Pinochet to tackle a
“climate and ecological emer-
gency”. A committee of 155 Chil-
eans will look at issues like na-
ture having rights, how to regu-
late mines and if local communi-
ties should have a say in mining.
The interesting point before
the committee is whether nature
has rights. The Uttarakhand
High Court had in 2017 ordered
India’s lifeline, the Ganga and
Yamuna to be treated as living
entities. The order was later
stayed by the Supreme Court but
the time has come for us to give
nature some special rights.
TOP TWEETS
A
ear 2022 has start-
ed on a positive
note with Goods
and Services Tax
(GST) collections
recording a 13 percent in-
crease in December over the
corresponding period in 2020.
The gross revenue collections
remained above `1 lakh crore
for the sixth month in a row
amid signs that the economy
was on the path of recovery
.
Though a healthy indica-
tor, GST collections do not
give the complete picture.
Former chief economic ad-
viser Arvind Subramanian
pointed to other parameters
to strike a note of caution.
The former CEA has said that
the economy was emerging
out of last year’s blues so let’s
not raise a toast just yet.
“The GDP is barely back at
the pre-pandemic level and
IIP (Index of Industrial Pro-
duction) is still below pre-
pandemic level…It is far too
early to celebrate the num-
bers. They are still fairly
weak compared to the pre-
pandemic level,” he is re-
ported to have said.
Subramanian, who differs
from the government’s view
on economic growth, re-
opened the debate on GDP
growth between 2013-14 and
2018-19 which, he said, was 4
percent and not 7 percent
and called for its factual re-
assessment.
No one in the government
will be interested in giving
the previous GDP numbers a
second look as they can’t be
expected to revise the num-
ber downward.
Another aspect which the
Congress has taken up is the
high unemployment rate
which stood at 7.9 percent of
which urban youth com-
prised 9.3 percent and rural
7.2 percent. Improvement in
these numbers will reflect
only when there is buoyancy
in the key sectors of the
economy
.
GST COLLECTIONS KEEP
REVIVAL HOPES HIGH
Though a healthy
indicator, GST
collections do not give the
complete picture. Former
chief economic adviser
Arvind Subramanian
pointed to other
parameters to strike a
note of caution
Y
Importance of Value
ave you noticed that the word
“value” has become such a
buzzword of the 21st century!
Anytime you go on Google,
you witness some marketing
maven, company, blog post or
an industry guru, whipping
out this word and emphasiz-
ing how important it is to
“create value.”
We are indeed overusing
the word and it’s confusing
people, especially the young
generation. They use “Value”
in their banter with such
ubiquity that it hardly has
any meaning left.
In my 20+ years of experi-
ence, I have seen many Lead-
ers and marketing/sales pro-
fessionals attend hyped webi-
nars or a conference to only
realize that they have NO
clue of what it is, why they
are supposed to offer it, and
how to measure it!
I often see baffled, foiled,
inept people scratching their
heads and saying; “Hey,
where do I find VALUE?” As
if it is a treasure hunt! Let’s
start making more effort in
talking about what it is and
how to provide it.
In my opinion, VALUE as a
word doesn’t mean anything.
It is a placeholder, a catch-
phrase for something that is
dynamic, contextual and re-
quires an acknowledgment
from others. So when we
bring up this word in our con-
versations, we’re not offering
much insight. VALUE for one
person is different for anoth-
er and changes from a prod-
uct to a service to an idea and
an offer.
Please understand, VAL-
UE isn’t a thing; it’s an
AGREEMENT.
Identifying value starts
with looking outward. It be-
gins with a comprehensive
understanding of the other
person, group, or company
you’re looking to collaborate
with. Creating VALUE re-
quires empathy and has a
deep connotation with con-
sidering other person’s goals
and objectives. Being able to
solve, minimize and eradi-
cate the pain points of your
team and your customer is
critical to defining your VAL-
UE. Mostly the choice is be-
tween whether you can posi-
tion yourself as an asset or as
a tool in someone’s efforts to
improve their world.
Creating value is easy
when it is intrinsic. For ex-
ample, materialistic acquisi-
tions such as money, gold,
stocks, etc. have an intrinsic
value and therefore it’s easi-
er for the market to put a
price on it. However, in the
world of sales, it is not so
easy…Puzzling questions
like, What is the value of 60
minutes of someone’s time?
How do you measure the val-
ue of content writers? Why
should we pay a certain
amount to some trainers
when there are others avail-
able for much less? Deter-
mining the value of these
things makes the task even
more difficult.
In simple terms, value is
being seen as worth some-
thing; time, money, commit-
ment, support, etc. When you
expect to achieve something
in return, you’re headed in
the right direction. The more
someone will give you for
what you are offering, the
more VALUE you are provid-
ing, but it can only be estab-
lished by your power of con-
viction.
VALUES are significant in
our lives because they help
us grow and develop. They
create a road map for the fu-
ture we want to experience.
Through hundreds of deci-
sions that we make every day
,
we direct ourselves towards
a specific purpose.
Let me share a high-level
overview of the four kinds of
values that we all imbibe:
INDIVIDUAL VALUES
They are reflected in how you
show up in your life and the
principles you live by! Out-
lining the importance of
what you consider important
for your self-interest and dis-
play enthusiasm, creativity,
and humility
.
RELATIONSHIP VALUES
These are reflected in how
you relate to other people in
your life! Be it friends, family
,
or colleagues in your organi-
zation, they include open-
ness, trust, generosity, and
caring.
ORGANISATIONAL
VALUES
These are reflected in how
the organisation operates in
the world. They include fi-
nancial growth, strategic al-
liances, human resources
and social capital.
SOCIETAL VALUES
Societal values include fu-
ture generations, environ-
mental awareness, ecology,
sustainability, and how you
relate to your socio–econom-
ic status.
When the above values are
shared, they build a strong
backbone that provides im-
mense opportunities to inter-
nal as well as external stake-
holders. The true WIN is ac-
tually in knowing more about
what it is and how to create it
rather than negotiating un-
der false pretexts.
Let’s glide into the holiday
season with a profound un-
derstanding and considera-
tion. Thank you for reading
this and hope it provided
VALUE on your time.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY
THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL
H
DR DIVYA JAITLY
The writer is a TEDx Speaker, Integrated
Communication Specialist, Leadership Mentor,
Public Speaking Coach, Image Consultant
Renowned TV Anchor in India.
In my opinion, VALUE as a
word doesn’t mean anything.
It is a placeholder, a
catchphrase for something
that is dynamic, contextual
and requires an
acknowledgment from others.
So when we bring up this
word in our conversations,
we’re not offering much
insight. VALUE for one
person is different for
another and changes from a
product to a service to an
idea and an offer.
We are indeed
overusing the word
and it’s confusing
people, especially the
young generation. They
use “Value” in their
banter with such ubiquity
that it hardly has any
meaning left

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New Delhi: A Delhi-
based journalist has
filed a complaint with
the cyber cell of south-
eastdistrictpolice,alleg-
ing that unidentified
persons uploaded doc-
tored photos of her on a
webpage alongside ob-
jectionable comments
“aimedatinsultingMus-
limwomen”.Thiscomes
six months after police
inDelhiandNoidaregis-
tered cases in connec-
tion with photos of Mus-
lim women being up-
loaded on a Github app.
No arrests have been
madeinconnectionwith
that complaint.
DCP (south-east dis-
trict) Esha Pandey con-
firmed they have re-
ceived a complaint. “We
are looking into it and
appropriate legal action
will be taken,” she said.
Sources in the cyber
cell claimed they had
identifiedsomeaccounts
in connection with the
objectional posts, which
were deactivated follow-
ingthepolicecomplaint.
Police are trying to get
further details.
The complainant
states, “I was shocked to
find out this morning
that a website… had a
doctored picture of me
inanimproper,unaccep-
table and clearly lewd
context. I am often the
target of online trolls
and this seems to be the
next step in such harass-
ment. This needs imme-
diate action as the same
is clearly designed to
harass me and other
similarly situated inde-
pendent women and
journalists.”
She further wrote:
“The term bulli-bai it-
self seems disrespectful
and the content of this
website is clearly aimed
at insulting Muslim
women as the derogato-
ry term buli is used ex-
clusively for Muslim
women and the entire
website seems to have
been designed with the
intent of insulting Mus-
lim women. The term
bulli of the day further
objectifies and dehu-
manises women.” —PTI
INDIA
05
SCRIBE FILES FIR ALLEGING HER
DOCTORED PICTURE UPLOADED
Several women posted screenshots of their photos with ‘lewd context’ being used on the webpage
‘Channi blaming Guv over delay
in regularisation of employees’
Amritsar: Attacking
Punjab Chief Minister
Charanjit Singh Chan-
ni, the Shiromani Akali
Dal (SAD) on Sunday
alleged that the Chief
Minister was trying to
put the blame on Gover-
nor Banwarilal Purohit
for delaying the imple-
mentation of the law to
regularise contractual
employees.
“Channi’s lies have
been caught. People
have come to know that
he is a ‘dramebaaz CM’.
He is now trying to put
the blame on the Guv to
safeguard himself from
public ire. But he’ll not
be able to escape them”,
alleged SAD leader
Prem Singh Chanduma-
jra on Sunday
.
Oxfam laments
loss of licence
New Delhi: Oxfam In-
dia on Saturday said the
govt’s decision to refuse
renewal of its FCRA li-
cence - needed to receive
funding from abroad -
will severely affect the
organisation’s ongoing
social work in 16 states.
“
As per the list released
by the MHA on Jan 1,
2022, Oxfam India’s
FCRA registration re-
newal request has been
denied... which means
thatOxfamIndiawillnot
be able to receive foreign
funds for any of its work
in India (effective imme-
diately),” the group said.
5-member SIT to probe Haridwar
Dharma Sansad hate speech
New Delhi: A five-
member special investi-
gating team (SIT) will
probe the extremely
provocative hate
speeches delivered at
the Dharma Sansad in
Haridwar, Uttara-
khand, in mid-Decem-
ber.
The SIT will be head-
ed by an officer of the
superintendent of po-
lice level and legal ac-
tion will be taken
against those found
guilty, said the Garhwal
deputy inspector gen-
eral, Karan Singh
Nagnyal, on Sunday
.
On Saturday, offi-
cials said two more
names — Yati Narasim-
hanand, Sindhu Sagar
— were added to an FIR
lodged in connection
with the Haridwar
event where speeches
inciting violence
against Muslims were
allegedly delivered.
New Delhi: After fury
over Muslim women be-
ing ‘auctioned’ by right-
wing extremists - for
the second time in less
than a year - IT Minis-
ter Ashwini Vaishnaw
tweeted a terse two lines
late Saturday to say the
GitHub user behind the
‘Bulli Bai’ app had been
blocked and “further
action” was being coor-
dinated. The brief mes-
sage was in response to
a plea by Shiv Sena MP
Priyanka Chaturvedi,
who yesterday tagged
Mr Vaishnaw asking
him to act against
“rampant misogyny and
communal targeting
of women”. “GitHub
(the Microsoft-owned
software-sharing plat-
form used to build and
run the ‘Bulli Bai’ app)
confirmed blocking
the user this morning
itself. CERT (Computer
Emergency Response
Team, an office within
the Ministry of Electron-
ics and Information
Technology, or MEITY)
and police authori-
ties are coordinating
further action. GitHub
confirmed blocking
the user this morning
itself. CERT and Police
authorities are coordi-
nating further action,”
Vaishnaw tweeted.
AMuslim group has approached the SC seek-
ing action against hate speeches against the
community, saying state authorities had failed to
act despite complaints. The plea by Jamiat Ula-
ma-i-Hind, through its president Maulana Syed
Mahmood Asad Madani, said “such speeches go
beyond the limits of a permitted critical denial of
another’s beliefs, and are certainly likely to incite
religious intolerance…”.
“BULLI BAI CREATOR BLOCKED”: MIN;
SENA MP SAYS MORE ACTION NEEDED
MUSLIM ORGANISATION MOVES
SUPREME COURT OVER HATE SPEECH
NAVJOT SIDHU
BATS FOR SELF
CDS CHOPPER CRASH
Probe report in January,
CIFT error likely cause
New Delhi: The probe
into last month’s heli-
copter crash in Tamil
Nadu that killed the
country’s first Chief
of Defence Staff, Gen-
eral Bipin Rawat, and
13 others is close to be-
ing complete and the
final report is expected
to be submitted to the
Air Force Chief in Jan-
uary, Defence sources
told.
There is no official
word from the Air
Force on the probe’s
findings so far. Sources
suggested that the like-
ly cause is not human
or technical error but
what is known as Con-
trolled Flight into Ter-
rain (CIFT), when the
pilot unintentionally
hits a surface.
CIFT means the heli-
copter was airworthy
and the pilot was not at
fault, sources said. In
this case, reduced vis-
ibility because of bad
weather in the Coonoor
area, where the crash
occurred, could be one
of the causes, they
said. CIFT is one of the
main causes of air-
craft crashes globally.
Air Force officials
said the final report
will shed light on the
details of the accident.
The tri-services
court of inquiry is
headed by Air Marshal
Manvendra Singh, who
is the country’s top
helicopter pilot in the
armed forces.
New Delhi: The Air
Force’s inquiry into
the chopper crash that
killed CDS General Bipin
Rawat, his wife and 11
armed forces personnel
is almost complete and
will be submitted soon,
sources. Neither the Air
Force nor the govt has
made any statement
yet on the probe or its
report, but sources indi-
cate that reduced visibil-
ity due to bad weather
may have contributed
to the crash. There has
also been no statement
or explanation so far on
whether pilot-error was
the underlying cause of
the accident or whether
rules for operating
within clouds in hilly
areas were disregarded.
Sources also said the
inquiry ruled out any
possibility of technical
errors or mechanical
defects.
BAD WEATHER LIKELY FACTOR IN GEN
RAWAT’S CHOPPER CRASH: SOURCES
BSF on alert at border areas
ahead of Modi’s visit to Tripura
Agartala: Security has
been tightened at the
India-Bangladesh bor-
der ahead of Prime
Minister Narendra
Modi’s visit to Tripura
on January 4, con-
firmed the Border Secu-
rity Force (BSF) on Sat-
urday
.
While speaking to
media, BSF Comman-
dant Ratnesh Kumar,
120 Battalions, said that
whenever there is VVIP
movement near border
areas, alertness is usu-
ally increased to ensure
there is no untoward
incident. “We have also
increased patrolling
along the border,” he
added.It should be not-
ed that PM Modi is slat-
ed to visit the north-
eastern state on Janu-
ary 4 and inaugurate a
new terminal building
atMaharajaBirBikram
Airport in Agartala.
P’’itching himself as a
chief ministerial can-
didate, Punjab Congress
president Navjot Singh
Sidhu Saturday said the
people of the state are
looking for a leader who
will show them hope and
give a concrete road map.
“I believe that the ‘Punjab
Model’ is the answer to
it,” Sidhu said. He has
been claiming that he had
developed a ‘Punjab Model’
which is cure-all for the
state’s financial problems.
New Delhi: NCP lead-
er state cabinet min-
ister Nawab Malik on
Sunday criticised the
NCB for appealing
against the bail of his
son-In-law, Sameer
Khan, who was earlier
arrested in a drug case.
“The main accused
in the drug case is
Karan Sajnani. How-
ever, they have gone to
the HC to cancel the
bail of Sameer Khan,
just because he is my
son-in-law. They are
trying to scare me.
But I’ll not get scared
and will keep expos-
ing the wrongdoings,”
Malik said.
Malik releases two audio clips
with ‘proof’ of NCB wrongdoings
MALIK MAKES
NEW ALLEGATIONS
Maharashtra Minister
and NCP leader
Nawab Malik on Sunday
alleged that some
influential BJP leaders
from Maha are lobbying
for NCB zonal director
Sameer Wankhede at
the level of Union Home
Ministry for the further
extension of his tenure,
which came to end on
December 31 last year.
Image for representational purpose only.
Prem Singh Chandumajra
Rakesh Ranjan
New Delhi: The Su-
preme Court will sing
Auld Lang Syne for
eight judges this year
including the Chief Jus-
tice of India NV Rama-
na even before 2022 runs
its course. And yet, it’s
not clear how the Su-
preme Court Collegium
and the government
plan to fill the vacancies
to arise during the
course of 2022.
While CJI Ramana is
scheduled to step down
on August 27, 2022, his
likely successor in
terms of seniority Jus-
tice UU Lalit may have
just a little over two
months before he too re-
tires on November 8. If
the next senior judge DY
Chandrachud is ap-
pointed the Chief Jus-
tice of India after Jus-
tice Lalit, he will have a
good two-year term till
November 10, 2024.
According to the re-
tirement schedule, Jus-
tice Lalit will be the last
one to retire and his de-
parturewill bepreceded
by seven judges includ-
ing the CJI.
The first on the list of
retirement is Justice R
Subhash Reddy who
will step down tomor-
row i.e. 04.01.2022.
Justice Vineet Saran
will follow him as he
will retire on May 10
whereas Justice L
Nageshwar Rao will re-
tire on June 7. Justice
AM Khanwilkar will re-
tire on July 29 to be fol-
lowed by Justice Indira
Banerjee on September
23 and Justice Hemant
Gupta on October 16.
It may be underlined
that out of 34, the total
sanctioned posts of
judges, one post is al-
ready vacant.
It is stressed that to
maintain the dignity
and efficiency of the Su-
preme Court, it’s vital
that the scheduled va-
cancies are filled as
soon as they arise.
About 70,000 cases are
said to have been pend-
ing in the SC. This is
despite the fact that a
record 1.5 lakh cases
were heard via video
conferencing in 2021 af-
ter the virtual hearing
started post-March 2020.
Already, the dignity
of the judicial system
has suffered a huge
blow because of the
backlog of cases run-
ning into crores.
About 37% vacancies
of judgesinHighCourts
and over 20% in district
courts has considerably
slowed down the admin-
istered justice system
that is seen to be already
mired down by too
many deficiencies.
It is reported that
about 56 lakh cases are
pending in High Courts.
The rising pendency of
cases has touched the 5.7
croresmarkwithdistrict
courtsaccountingforthe
bulk of these cases. The
latter can’t be entirely
pinned down for the de-
laysasoutof 24,247sanc-
tionedposts,thesecourts
have 4,928 posts vacant.
Will retirement of eight SC judges in 2022 see smooth succession?
IN THE COURT
FACTFILE

z 56 lakh cases are
pending in High Courts.

z 5.7 crore is pendency
of cases with district
courts accounting for
most cases

z Out of 24,247 sanc-
tioned posts, dist courts
have 4,928 posts vacant
The‘passive-politician’
RahulGandhireturns!
Mahesh Sharma
New Delhi: Mamta Ba-
nerjee made scathing
remarks about Rahul
Gandhi during her
Mumbai tour and re-
marked as to what poli-
tics can be done with a
leader who stays abroad
all the time. Thereafter
Congress leaders be-
came extremely furious
while several leaders
stressed on how much
time Rahul is now de-
voting in domestic poli-
tics. But Rahul has gone
abroad again, and at a
crucial juncture too,
since elections of five
statescanbeannounced
anytime. At this time
BJP leaders are holding
rallies after rallies. PM
Narendra Modi and Un-
ion Home Minister
Amit Shah have thrown
themselves into the poll
campaign. Even leaders
of regional parties are
engaged but the Gandhi
scion chose to go on a
foreign tour.
He had returned from
a long foreign tour just
before the winter ses-
sion of Parliament.
Now by going abroad
again, he has made peo-
ple realize his serious-
ness. These days, prepa-
rations are on for elec-
tions and the third wave
of Corona is about to
come, therefore, how
can a serious and sensi-
tive politician go on a
foreign tour at such a
time?
The Prime Minister
has cancelled his visit
to the UAE, which was
scheduled for January
6, to mark 50 years of
India-UAE ties but Ra-
hul has gone abroad for
a holiday. There is cur-
rently a fifth wave of
corona in Europe and
international flights
are being stopped in
view of the third wave
in India. What if there
is a complete lockdown?
Will Rahul Gandhi be
taken out of a ship and
brought to India under
Vande Bharat Mission?
The number of ques-
tions raised by the BJP
leaders on his move will
be further picked up by
the leaders of the oppo-
sition parties.
Rahul Gandhi
Supreme Court of India
Nawab Malik

We have put
up a strong
fight against
Covid earlier and
this learning must
be used to re-focus on
efforts against the
Omicron variant.
We must focus on
planning with re-
gard to the 15-18 age
group vaccination
and precautionary
doses for eligible
beneficiaries.
—Mansukh Mandaviya,
Union Health Minister
INDIA
06
New Delhi: Congress
leader Rahul Gandhi on
Sunday called upon
people to raise their
voice against insult of
women and communal
hatred and said it was
time to speak up against
the menace.
His comments on
Twitter came amid out-
rage by netizens and
women rights groups
over the dodgy ‘Bulli
Bai’ app that has listed
Muslim women for
“auction”. Hundreds of
Muslim women, with
photographs, were list-
ed for “auction” on the
app. It has happened for
the second time in less
than a year. The app ap-
peared to be a clone of
Sulli Deals which trig-
gered a row last year.
“The insult of wom-
en and communal ha-
tred will stop only when
we stand against it in
one voice. The year has
changed, the situation
should also change. It is
time to speak up,” Gan-
dhi tweeted using the
hashtag ‘no fear’.
After photographs of
at least 100 influential
Muslim women were
uploaded for auction on
the app sparking wide-
spread outrage, IT Min-
ister Ashwini
Vaishnaw said GitHub,
the hosting platform,
has confirmed block-
ing user and that CERT
police are coordinat-
ing further action. The
minister did not elabo-
rate on the action be-
ing taken. —ANI
‘Time to speak up against insult of women’ Probe panel urges citizens
to share info on incident
Katra: Divisional Com-
missioner Jammu Ra-
ghav Langer, probing
Mata Vaishno Devi
stampede incident that
claimed the lives of 12
pilgrims on Saturday,
has issued a public no-
tice stating that those
desiring to submit any
evidence or facts may
appear before the en-
quiry committee either
online or in-person by
January 5. J-K govt or-
dered a high-level probe
headed by Principal
Secretary (Home). —ANI
CRUCIAL READ
PARL PANEL TO CHECK
MARRIAGE AGE BILL
HAS ONE WOMAN
MEMBER OUT OF 31!
NADDA TO VISIT WB
ON JANUARY 9 TO
STRENGTHEN PARTY:
SOUMITRA KHAN
WOMEN CONSTABLES
TO CHECK ON WOMEN
SMUGGLERS AT INDO-
BANGLA BORDER NOW
OBC QUOTA STIR:
BHIM ARMY CHIEF,
OTHERS DETAINED IN
MP CAPITAL
New Delhi: Parl panel
assigned to examine
landmark bill which
seeks to raise legal age
of marriage for women
to 21 has only 1 woman
MP out of 31 members.
Prohibition of Child
Marriage Bill, which will
have wider influence
over society especially
females, was introduced
in LS during winter ses-
sion and referred to Parl
Standing Committee on
Edu, Women, Children,
Youth and Sports.
New Delhi: Days after
WB BJP underwent
major organizational
changes, party MP Sou-
mitra Khan on Sunday
informed that party
national president JP
Nadda will visit state on
January 9 to strengthen
and guide state party
leaders. Alleging that
WB CM Mamata
Banerjee is destroying
democracy in state,
Khan asserted that BJP
will make WB ‘Sonar
Bangla’ again.
New Delhi: In order
to enhance patrolling
on India-Bangladesh
border, female consta-
bles have been deployed
to frisk women who
cross over border are
suspected to be involved
in smuggling illegal
substances into India,
informed BSF official.
“This is starting point
of India-B’desh border.
There is a village on that
side of border which
partly belongs to India,”
said BSF Constable.
Bhopal: Bhim Army
chief Chandrashekhar
Azad a dozen other
people were detained on
Sunday ahead of their
plans to gherao (en-
circle) MP CM Shivraj
Chouhan’s residence to
seek 27% reservation
for OBC, police said.
Azad was detained at
airport along with 12 to
13 people, though exact
number of detainees
will be known by late
evening, police commis-
sioner Makarand said.
ARMY CHOPPER MAKES EMERGENCY
LANDING IN JIND DUE TO TECH FAULT
New Delhi: An Army helicopter, on Sunday,
had made an emergency landing in Haryana’s
Jind due to a technical
fault. The chopper was
on its way from Punjab’s
Bathinda to Delhi. The
emergency landing was
made due to a techni-
cal glitch which is being repaired and it will be
flown back to Bhatinda. According to Indian
Army Officials, an Indian Army ALH Dhruv was
on its way from Bathinda to Delhi, made an
emergency landing in a village in Jind. “The
chopper has now been repaired and it has flown
back to Bathinda. The chopper landed back in
Bathinda at 5:30 pm,” the official said. —ANI
BENGAL NEWS UPDATE
On TMC anniv, Didi vows to
strengthen federal structure
Kolkata: WB CM
Mamata Banerjee,
while congratulated
TMC workers on the
party’s foundation day,
todayvowedtostrength-
en the federal structure
of the country. This
could be aimed at bring-
ing together various
regional parties for a
united fight against the
BJP in 2024 under her
stewardship. “I extend
my best wishes to our
workers, supporters
and members of the
Maa-Mati-Manush fam-
ily
. Our journey began
on January 1, 1998,
and since then we have
been committed in our
efforts towards serving
people,” she tweeted.
“As we step into yet an-
other year, ...let us work
towards strengthening
the federal struc-
ture of this na-
tion,” she wrote
on microblog-
ging site. —ANI
RAHUL GANDHI SLAMS CENTRE
POLL PROMISE FOR GOAN YOUTH
Panaji: The alliance of TMC and MGP on Sunday
announced ‘Yuva Shakti Card’, its second major
promise ahead of the assembly elections. The
scheme targeting Goan youth aged between 18 and
45 provides credit of Rs 20 lakh at 4 per cent inter-
est with the government as the guarantor. Announc-
ing the scheme on Sunday, Goa TMC leader Kiran
Kandolkar said that youth made up for nearly half of
the state’s population. “The population between age
group of 18 to 45 in Goa is 7.5 lakh. A lot of
times they cannot pursue higher edu be-
cause fin condition of their parents is
not very good. In this scheme govt
will be the guarantor,” he said.
TRIPURA GOVT CANCELS ABHISHEK’S PROGRAMME
Agartala: Tripura govt
on Sunday cancelled LS
MP and TMC National
Gen Secy Abhishek
Banerjee’s program
at Baramura eco-park,
stating that no prior
permission was taken.
In a letter from police,
Teliamura to DG secu-
rity WB, Tripura govt in-
formed, “On 02.01,2022
Lam Phiyoknai Trust
have already taken
permission from SDFO,
Teliarnura to organ-
ize a programme in
front of Haithai Kotor
Cafeteria where Minister
of Tripura Mebar K
Jamatia will attend in
the said programme
and even there is no
prior permission from
appropriate authority to
organize a programme
at Baramura Ecological
Park by Banarjee, LS
MP on 02.01.2022.”
JUDGEMENTAL
VIEW TAKEN ON
SUVENDU: GUV
GNF denounces
extension
of AFSPA
Kohima: An organisa-
tion that works for the
rights of the Naga peo-
ple globally has de-
nounced extension of
the Armed Forces (Spe-
cial Powers) Act (AFS-
PA) in Nagaland, days
after the death of 14
civilians by security
forces.
The demand for with-
drawing the AFSPA was
raised by several quar-
ters following the kill-
ing of 14 civilians by
army para-commandos
in Oting area of Mon
district of the Noirth-
eastern state in a
botched up operation
and its aftermath on De-
cember 4 and 5.
The leaders of state
governments in region,
including Nagaland,
Meghalaya Manipur
have appealed for the
removal of AFSPA. The
people and civil society
of the region have long
wanted AFSPA re-
pealed, Global Naga Fo-
rum (GNF) said in an
open letter to PM Nar-
endra Modi. —ANI
Kolkata: WB Governor
Jagdeep Dhankhar on
Sunday asked state govt
to inform him on whose
order a “judgemental
view” was taken on
communication by LoP
Suvendu Adhikari over
selection of state’s Lok-
ayukta. Adhikari was not
present in the meeting of
committee on Dec 27.
Governor West Ben-
gal Jagdeep Dhankhar
@jdhankhar1
As the communication
of Leader of Opposi-
tion @SuvenduWB, a
member of committee
for appointment #Lok-
ayukta, was apparently
determined without ref-
erence to the Commit-
tee, Governor has raised
issues for response @
MamataOfficial
Union Health Minister brought attention of States,UTs to fact that collectively they have only
used just over 17% of available approved funds under Emergency Covid-19 Response Package
New Delhi: Union
Health Minister Man-
sukh Mandaviya on
Sunday interacted
with State Health Min-
isters, Principal Secre-
taries, Additional
Chief Secretaries of
States/UTs and re-
viewed the public
health preparedness to
Covid-19 and national
Covid-19 vaccination,
informed the MoHFW.
The meeting was
held in view of the ris-
ing cases of the Omi-
cron variant and the
recent decisions to roll
out vaccination for the
age group 15-18 years
and precautionary
dose for identified vul-
nerable categories.
The Union Health
Minister noted at the
very outset that glob-
ally, countries are ex-
periencing 3-4 times
the surge in Covid-19
cases in comparison to
their earlier peaks.
The Omicron variant
being highly transmis-
sible, a high surge in
the case can over-
whelm the medical
system. —ANI
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

z Media reports claiming India
missed Covid-19 vaccination targets
‘misleading’: Union Health Ministry

z Haryana implements new norms,
applicable till Jan 12

z Delhi collects Rs 99 lakh for
Covid violations on Jan 1

z 85 school children test Covid-19
positive in Nainital

z Glenn McGrath tests positive

z Over 3.5 lakh kids in 15-18 age
group register on CoWin

z Mata Vaishno Devi University
closed after 13 students test positive

z Over 19.81 cr vaccine doses avail-
able with States, UTs, says Centre

z Assam reports 150 new cases

z Odisha reports 23 Omicron cases

z Pakistan confirms 594 new cases

z Russia registers 18,233 new cases

z New Zealand detects 2 new cases

z India’s vaccination programme one
of world’s most successful, says Govt
Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya reviews Public Health Preparedness to Covid-19 and
National Vaccination Progress with the States and the Union Territories in New Delhi on Sunday.
MANDAVIYA REVIEWS PUBLIC HEALTH
PREPAREDNESS WITH STATES,UTs
SONIA GANDHI SPEAKS TO BAGHEL,
TAKES STOCK OF COVID IN C’GARH
New Delhi: Congress
interim president Sonia
Gandhi on Sunday
spoke to Chhattisgarh
CM Bhupesh Baghel to
take stock of Covid-19
and Omicron situation in
state, said sources. The
2 Congress leaders held
a detailed discussion
over the possibility of
a 3rd wave of Covid-19
and its variant Omicron.
CM assured the Con-
gress interim chief that
Chhattisgarh is fully
prepared to deal with
any such eventuality.
Srinagar: Lieuten-
ant Governor of JK,
Manoj Sinha on Sun-
day chaired a high-lev-
el meeting with Covid
Task Force, DCs, and
SPs to review Covid-19
status, vaccination
for 15-18 age group
and preparedness of
health infrastructure
across the UT. As per
an official statement,
in view of new variant
Omicron and rise in
cases across country,
administration has
been asked to ensure
the functioning of
oxygen plants, avail-
ability of requisite
medicines, audit of
ICU and Oxygen sup-
ported beds across all
UT’s hospitals. “DCs
and Health officials to
ensure infrastructure
beginning from the
Panchayat Level are
strengthened and
optimally utilized,”
statement read.
Abu Dhabi: UAE has
announced a travel ban
on citizens unvacci-
nated with COVID-19
vaccines from January
10 with a requirement
to obtain the booster
dose for the fully vac-
cinated. The country’s
National Emergency
Crisis and Disaster
Management Author-
ity said in a tweet on
Saturday. However,
authority has said it
would not be applicable
for those medically ex-
empted from taking the
vaccine, humanitarian
and treatment cases.
J-K LG CHAIRS HIGH-LEVEL
MEETING ON COVID SITUATION
UAE: Travel ban from Jan 10 on
citizens unjabbed with Covid vax
SURGE: VIRTUAL
HEARINGS IN SC
FROM JAN 3
New Delhi: Amid rise in
Omicron cases in national
capital, the SC of India
has decided to shift to the
virtual system of hearing
starting January 3 till 2
weeks. A circular issued
by top court said physi-
cal hearings before the
court stands suspended
for two weeks and shall
be through virtual mode
only. New Delhi on Sun-
day reported 3,194 fresh
coronavirus cases.
JK Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chairs a high-level
meeting with the Covid Task Force, DCs and SPs to review
Covid-19 status in Srinagar on Sunday.
Rahul Gandhi
Devotees stand in a queue on way
to Mata Vaishno Devi in Reasi.
VAISHNO DEVI STAMPEDE
Mamata Banerjee

BIZ BUZZ
07
ATF price hiked by 2.75%,
LPG cut by `102.5
New Del-
hi: Halt-
ing a
declin-
i n g
trend of
last month, jet fuel or
ATF price has been
hiked by 2.75 per cent
on firming in-
ternational
o i l
p r i c e s ,
while cooking
gas LPG rate has seen
the first decline since
October. Aviation tur-
bine fuel (ATF) price
has been hiked by
`2,039.63 per kilolitre,
or 2.75 per cent, to
`76,062.04 per kl in the
national capital, ac-
cording to a price noti-
fication of state-owned
fuel retailers.
The increase in rates
comes on back of two
rounds of price cuts
seen in December that
reflected a drop in in-
ternational oil prices
during the second half
of November and mid-
December.
Thereafter, interna-
tional rates have
firmed up, leading to
the hike in ATF price.
ATF price had
peaked to `80,835.04 per
kl in mid-November be-
fore it was cut on De-
cember 1 and 15 by a
total of `6,812.25 per kl
or 8.4 per cent.
Jet fuel prices are re-
vised on 1st and 16th of
every month based on
average price of inter-
national benchmark in
the preceding fort-
night.
Unlike ATF, commer-
cial LPG rates are re-
vised on 1st of every
month after taking the
average price in the
preceding month.
The price of a 19-kg
LPG cylinder, which is
used in commercial es-
tablishments like ho-
tels and restaurants,
has been accordingly
cut by `102.5.
This is the first re-
duction since October
6. Rates had gone up
from `1,734 per 19-kg
cylinder to `2,101 on
December 1.
However the price of
LPG used in domestic
kitchens remains un-
changed at `899.50 per
14.2-kg cylinder. This
rate has not changed
since October 6, prior
to which it had gone up
by almost `100 since
July 2021.
Petrol and diesel
prices too have not
changed for almost two
months now. Petrol
costs `95.41 a litre in
Delhi and diesel comes
for `86.67 per litre.
While the rates are to
be revised on a daily
basis based on a 15-day
rolling average of the
benchmark interna-
tional fuel, prices have
not changed since No-
vember 4, 2021 when
the Union government
had cut excise duty on
the two fuels. —PTI
ATF price had peaked to `80,835.04 per
kl in mid-November before it was cut on
December 1 and 15 by a total of
`6,812.25 per kl or
8.4 per cent.
The price of LPG used
in domestic kitchens
remains unchanged at
` 899.50/14.2-kg
cylinder
Railways earned over
`500 cr from Tatkal
New Delhi: The Rail-
ways earned `403
crore from tatkal tick-
et charges, an addi-
tional `119 crore from
premium tatkal tick-
ets, and `511 crore
from dynamic fares
during 2020-21, even
as much of its opera-
tions remained sus-
pended through most
of the year due to the
Covid pandemic, re-
vealed an RTI reply.
Passengers in
these three categories
are usually last min-
ute travellers who
avail these services
mostly for emergency
travel by paying pre-
mium charges.
In a reply to a RTI
filed by Madhya
Pradesh-based Chan-
dra Shekhar Gaur, the
Railways said that it
earned `240 crore
from dynamic fares,
`353 crore from tatkal
tickets and `89 crore
from premium tatkal
charges in the finan-
cial year 2021-22 till
September.
In the 2019-20 finan-
cial year, when there
were no restrictions
in train operations,
the national trans-
porter earned `1,313
crore from dynamic
fares, `1,669 from tat-
kal tickets and `603
crore from premium
tatkal tickets. Tatkal
ticket charges have
been fixed as a per-
centage of fare. —PTI
Housing sales up 71% in 2021 in top 7 cities
New Delhi: Housing
sales across top seven
cities rose 71 per cent
year-on-year in 2021 to
2,36,530 units, but de-
mand fell short of pre-
Covid levels by 10 per
cent, according to Ana-
rock. Housing sales
stood at 1,38,350 units
in 2020 and 2,61,358
units in the 2019 calen-
dar year.
M u m b a i -
based Ana-
rock at-
tribut-
ed the
rise in
housing sales to very
low interest rates on
home loans, pent-up de-
mand, surge in aspira-
tion for home owner-
ship, cut in stamp duty
by a few states includ-
ing Maharashtra and
discounts offered
by builders.
T h e
fourth quar-
ter contribut-
ed nearly 39
per cent to overall sales
during the last year, on
festive demand and
other positive factors.
According to the An-
arock annual data,
housing sales in Mum-
bai Metropolitan Re-
gion (MMR) rose 72 per
cent to 76,400 units in
2021 from 44,320 units
in the previous year.
Sales in Hyderabad
jumped nearly three-
folds to 25,410 units last
year from 8,560 units
during 2020.
Delhi-NCR wit-
nessed 73 per cent rise
in sales to 40,050 units
in 2021 from 23,210
units in 2020.
Housing sales in
Pune increased by 53
per cent to 35,980 units
in 2021 from 23,460
units in 2020.
Bengaluru saw 33
per cent increase in
sales to 33,080 units in
2021 from 24,910 units
in the previous year.
Housing sales in
Chennai were up 86 per
cent to 12,530 units in
2021 from 6,740 units in
2020.
In Kolkata, sales in-
creased to 13,080 units
in 2021 from 7,150 units
in 2020.
“Extrapolating on
the performance in
2021, 2022 will see very
satisfactory growth as
long as the coronavirus
pandemic remains in
check in India,” Ana-
rock Chairman Anuj
Puri said.
He hoped sales to
reach pre-COVID level
in 2022 and noted that
demand would further
consolidate towards
trusted developers.
—PTI
Omicron fear, PMI
data may move
market this week
Indian streaming industry
expected to grow $13-15
billion over next decade
New Delhi: The Indi-
an OTT streaming in-
dustry is expected to
grow to $13-15 billion
over the next decade at
a CAGR of 22-25%, ac-
cording to a joint re-
port on media and en-
tertainment.
The OTT (over-the-
top) industry is con-
stantly growing and is
one of the most com-
petitive amongst
emerging markets
with over 40 players
representing all types
of content providers,
said the report from
industry body CII and
Boston Consulting
Group (BCG).
This has been led by
“strong tailwinds”
from basic enablers be-
ing in place for digital
video streaming such
as affordable high-
speed mobile internet,
doubling of internet
users in the last six
years, increased adop-
tion of digital pay-
ments.
Moreover, it has
been also helped by In-
dia specific price
points offered by glob-
al players here such as
Netflix, Prime Video,
Disney+ offering plans
in India at 70-90%
cheaper than the US.
Besides, the OTT
sector is also witness-
ing a rise in invest-
ments
in Indian original con-
tent. This has led to
growth in hours of
original content avail-
able to users.
“Strong content also
helping capture eye-
balls outside India,”
the report said, adding
Indian OTT can cater
to international de-
mand by targeting the
Indian diaspora and
markets that have lan-
guage similarities.
There has been a re-
markable surge over
SVOD (subscription
video on demand) con-
tent over the last few
years and is expected
to overtake AVOD (ad-
vertising-based video
on demand), it added.
The major players in
the Indian OTT indus-
try include - Netflix,
Amazon Prime Video,
SonyLIV
, Alt Balaji,
Zee5 , Eros Now and
Disney Hotstar
Plus.
—PTI
New Delhi: Macroeco-
nomic data announce-
ment, Omicron situa-
tion and global trends
will be the major driv-
ing factors for the eq-
uity market in the first
week of the new year
2022, according to ana-
lysts.
In what turned out
to be a historic year,
the Indian stock indi-
ces went past multiple
milestones and the
30-share Sensex made
an annual gain of
10,502.49 points or
21.99 per cent in 2021.
Religare Broking
Vice-President (Re-
search) Ajit Mishra
said, “This week
marks the beginning
of a new month and
participants will be
closely eyeing some
crucial high-frequen-
cy data like monthly
auto sales, India Man-
ufacturing PMI and
India Services PMI.
Besides, updates on
the COVID-19 situa-
tion and performance
of global markets will
also be critical.”
He said that though
the markets have been
witnessing recovery
for the past two weeks,
it is too early to say
that “we’re out of the
woods”. —PTI
CAUTIOUS
GROWING FAST
23 cos line up IPOs worth
`44K crore in March quarter
New Delhi: The IPO
rush is far from over
and the primary market
will see frenetic activity
in the March 2020 quar-
ter with nearly two doz-
en companies are look-
ing to collectively raise
nearly `44,000 crore
through initial share-
sales, merchant bank-
ers said. Of the total
fundraising, a large
chunk will be garnered
by technology-driven
companies.
This comes after 63
companies mopped up a
record `1.2 lakh crore in
2021 through initial
public offerings (IPOs)
even as the pandemic
gloom shadowed the
broader economy
.
The firms that are ex-
pected to raise funds
through their IPOs dur-
ing the March quarter
include hotel aggrega-
tor OYO (`8,430 crore)
and supply chain com-
pany Delhivery (`7,460
crore), the merchant
bankers said.
In addition, Adani
Wilmar (`4,500 crore),
Emcure Pharmaceuti-
cals (`4,000 crore), Ved-
ant Fashions (`2,500
crore), Paradeep Phos-
phates (`2,200 core), Me-
danta (`2,000 crore) and
Ixigo (`1,800 crore) are
expected to float their
initial share-sales, they
added. Also, Skanray
Technologies, Healthi-
um Medtech, and Sa-
hajanand Medical Tech-
nologies are likely to
come out with their
IPOs during the period
under review, the mer-
chant bankers said.—PTI

You can always choose to change
but at the beginning of a year it is
easier - do it!
—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO Editor-in-Chief, First India
08
2NDFRONT
INT’L EDUCATION CONFERENCE TO
FOCUS ON NEP-2020
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad: A two-
day international con-
ference of academic in-
stitutions will be organ-
ized here on January 5-6
in the run-up to the 10th
Vibrant Gujarat Global
Summit, with a focus on
the implementation of
the National Education
Policy, 2020.
The conference will
aim to “effectively clar-
ify the way to strength-
en the relationship of
industries, academia
and students by explain-
ing the roadmap for Na-
tional Education Policy
,
2020 (NEP-2020),” Edu-
cation Minister Jitu Va-
ghani said.
Speaking to reporters
at Science City, where
the conference will be
organized, Vaghani said
around 120 panel speak-
ers, including 40 from
abroad, will share their
experiences across 21
different sessions.
Gujarat is all set to
adopt NEP-2020, and
leading experts and del-
egates from the educa-
tion sector, research in-
stitutes, professionals,
and educationists will
throw light on its role in
primary, secondary,
higher and technical
education, he said, add-
ing that academic insti-
tutions of international
repute will provide a
platform to realise the
vision of the new policy
.
“Australia, Canada,
Norway
, UK and France
willjoinaspartnercoun-
tries for the internation-
al conference. The Brit-
ish Council, the Austral-
ia India Business Ex-
change, Institute of In-
ternational Education
and others have joined
as international partici-
pants,” Vaghani said.
“Central organiza-
tions like the NITI Aay-
og, Skill India, National
Skill Development Cor-
poration, University
Grants Commission,
All India Council for
Technical Education,
National Council of
Educational Research
and Training, and Na-
tional Board of Accred-
itation have joined as
well,” he added.
He said the confer-
ence will also focus on
skill development and
entrepreneurship, and
discuss the impact of
COVID-19 on school edu-
cation, challenges, and
how to overcome them.
There will be a session
on Indian knowledge
systems as well as a
unique session on San-
skrit, he said.
“The conference will
build a strong link be-
tween national and in-
ternational educational
institutions, and the in-
terdisciplinary discus-
sions to be held there
will include the ex-
change of knowledge
among participants on
approaches, methods
and tools for the imple-
mentation of NEP-
2020,” said a release on
the event.
Panellists in differ-
ent sessions will hold
discussions on “holistic
education” and “inter-
nationalization of edu-
cation,” and technical
sessions will be held on
research and innova-
tion, skill development,
employment, etc., it
added.
Vice-Chancellors of
universities from India
and abroad will share
their experiences on
skill development and
entrepreneurship, and
discussions will be held
on the country’s road-
map to achieve global
ranking as well as re-
search and innovation,
it added.
The conference will look at the impact of COVID-19 on school education, challenges, and how to
overcome them. —FILE PHOTO
3 killed, 28 including 3
from Guj, hurt as bus
falls into river in MP
First India Bureau
Alirajpur: Three
passengers were
killed and 28 oth-
ers—including three
persons from Guja-
rat—were injured
after a bus fell into a
river in Madhya
Pradesh’s Alirajpur
district on Sunday
morning, police said.
The deceased in-
cluded a one-year-old
child, they said.
The accident took
place at around 6 am
near Chandpur vil-
lage, about 15km
from the district
headquarters, when
the bus was on its
way to Alirajpur
from Chhota Udepur,
Superintendent of
Police (SP) Manoj
Kumar Singh said.
It seems the bus
driver dozed off fol-
lowingwhichthevehi-
cle fell into the Melk-
hodra river, he said.
The child and two
other persons, identi-
fied as Kailash Meda
(48)andMeerabai(46),
diedonthespot,while
28 others were in-
jured,theofficialsaid.
District Collector
Manoj Pushp, who
visited the spot along
with the SP, said doc-
tors were directed to
provide adequate
medical support to
the injured people.
First India Bureau
Surat: A man identi-
fied as Uvesh has been
arrested by the
Ahmedabad unit of the
GST Intelligence wing
in its ongoing investi-
gation into cryptocur-
rency being used in
hawala transactions
across Surat and the
rest of the state.
An informal method
of transferring money
without any physical
money actually mov-
ing, hawala is used as
an alternative remit-
tance channel that ex-
ists outside of tradi-
tional banking systems.
Money launderers have
taken to using crypto-
currency, which is not
taxed, in hawala trans-
actions, officials said.
Uvesh was first de-
tained as part of the in-
vestigation currently in
place at Ranitanav,
Chowk and Adajan
Patiya and, during in-
terrogation admitted to
using cryptocurrency
to bypass taxes. He has
also given the authori-
ties the names of sev-
eral associates who are
now under the scanner.
Uvesh has now been ar-
rested.
Notably, The income-
tax department recent-
ly recovered Rs2,000
crore in black money
while investigating a
cryptocurrency case.
The ED had earlier
traced hawala transac-
tions worth Rs5,000
crore to Surat.
A private bus tumbled from the bridge into the river, which
was 15 feet deep, in Alirajpur on Sunday morning. Three
passengers including a one-year-old infant died.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin
are not taxed, making
them appealing to money
launderers. —FILE PHOTO
Haresh Jhala
Gandhinagar: On De-
cember 20, 2021, the
World Economic Fo-
rum postponed its Da-
vos summit slated to be
held between January,
2022 and mid-year ow-
ing to the rapid trans-
mission of the Omi-
cron variant across the
world. However, the
Vibrant Global Gujarat
Summit (VGGS) will be
held on schedule from
January 10-12, state
Health Minister Rushi-
kesh Patel had in-
formed three days ago,
despite surge in COV-
ID-19 cases.
Justifying the deci-
sion to go ahead with
VGGS, the minister ar-
gued, “For a state’s eco-
nomic growth, invest-
ment is a must. And to
attract it, such summits
play a vital role.”
Taking his statement
into consideration,
First India explored the
history of Gujarat’s do-
mestic and internation-
al trade as well as for-
eign investment. De-
spite no business sum-
mits held in the state
earlier, Gujarat has
been on the interna-
tional trade map and
the destination of for-
eign investment. Centu-
ries before the nation
attained independence
and the state of Gujarat
was formed, art, crafts
and skills were appreci-
ated by the world. Dur-
ing the Indus Valley
civilization, it was con-
nected through the Lo-
thal port, Mandvi port
in the 16th century
Mandvi port and Chor-
yarsi port from Surat.
Kutch crafts (country
vessels) attracted inter-
national contracts, Sur-
ti zari craft was export-
ed to Persian Gulf
countries.
Coming to the 19th
and 20th centuries, cou-
pled with the artistic
skills and aptitude for
business of Gujaratis,
the state’s coastal belt
helped it flourish and
establish the textile sec-
tor in Ahmedabad as
well as the pharmaceu-
tical sector in Central
and South Gujarat.
Formed in 1960, Guja-
rat saw the establish-
ment of the Gujarat In-
dustrial Development
Corporation under the
Act passed in 1962. The
first Foreign Direct In-
vestment (FDI) in the
state came from Swit-
zerland’s ABB company
,
when it set up a produc-
tion facility in Maneja-
Vadodara in 1963. The
second major foreign
investment came in
1976 in Vatva-
Ahmedabad, when Ger-
many’s Bosch Rexroth
set up a hydraulic
valves manufacturing
unit.
Slowly, the GIDC es-
tates were founded un-
der the state’s second
Chief Minister Late
Balvantrai Mehta. First
one was set up in Vapi
in 1967, and the second
large industrial estate
was established in An-
kleshwar (1978).
The state’s pharma-
ceutical sector grew be-
tween 1962 and 1985. In
1967, Ramanbhai Patel
installed Cadmach com-
pany that manufac-
tured pharmaceutical
machinery, which fur-
ther boosted the indus-
try’s growth.
Commenting on the
effectiveness of the Vi-
brant Gujarat Summit,
economist Hemant
Shah says, “A myth has
been created in the last
two decades about Vi-
brant Gujarat bringing
in foreign investment
that has boosted eco-
nomic growth. Howev-
er, the fact is that the
state’s annual growth
rate has maintained an
average of 8.5% for the
last 20 years.”
He adds, “In 1960-70,
the state’s annual
growth rate was 4.4%,
and 10% from 1970-80.
Between 1980 and 2000,
the annual rate has
been 14% on average.”
Are biz summits imperative for foreign investment?



HISTORY OF INT’L TRADE IN GUJ
Despite surging COVID-19 cases, the VGGS will go ahead as planned.
GEARING
UP
It might not look like
much right now, but this
section of the Sabarmati
Riverfront is set to
become a lively vivacious
space in less than two
weeks, when it hosts the
annual kite-flying festival
in Ahmedabad.
—PHOTO BY
HANIF SINDHI
Youth nabbed for crypto-hawala transactions
THE PRE-
VGGS EVENT
WILL SEE 120
PANEL
SPEAKERS
SHARE THEIR
EXPERIENCES
ON JAN 5-6
Delhi-bound flight took off without a green signal from Rajkot ATC. —FILE PHOTO
Pilotsland-boundafterplane
takesoffsansclearance
First India Bureau
Rajkot: It might be a
while before some
SpiceJet pilots can
spread their wings
again. Pilots have been
put off-roster after a
Delhi-boundflighttook
off from Rajkot last
week without the man-
datorytake-off permis-
sion from Air Traffic
Control (ATC) Rajkot.
India’s aviation
watchdog, the Direc-
tor-General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA),
launched a probe into
the incident against
SpiceJet pilots.
“The incident hap-
pened on December 30,
2021, pilots had not tak-
en mandatory take-off
permission from ATC
Rajkot. A detailed re-
port has been sent to
Airports Authority of
Indiaheadquartersand
the DGCA,” the Rajkot
Airport Director said.
As per the flight
schedule, SG-3703 was
on time for taking off
for Delhi. However, the
pilot took off without
the mandatory permis-
sion from the ATC.
As per Standard Op-
erating Procedures, all
aircrafthavetoreceive
permission before tak-
ing off so as to ensure
that the runway is se-
cure and that there are
no other aircraft arriv-
ing for an emergency
.
“Rajkot ATC asked
thepilotshowtheyflew
without take-off per-
mission...The pilot in
response apologized
and said that there had
been a mistake. This
conversationtookplace
when the plane took
off,” a senior official of
the Airport Authority
of India said.
Following the inci-
dent, the pilots of the
airline company were
put on “off-duty” till
the investigation is
completed. “Pilots
have been off-rostered
pending an inquiry,”
SpiceJet said.
—FILE
PHOTO

09
www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia
facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia
Stride of strength
Stride of strength
courage
courage
TARUNA THAPA, 22 IS A WOMAN OF MULTIPLE PASSIONS WHO
HAILS FROM CHANDIGARH. THAPA PARTICIPATED IN FIRST
MISS INDIA HELD IN GOA ON OCTOBER 30, 2021 CHARMED
THE AUDIENCES WITH HER TALENTS AND KNACK FOR FASHION!
assion and will
are two igniting
powers that are
required in any
field of profes-
sion, especially
showbiz. The
world of modelling,
though filled with glitz
and glamour is also a
tough industry to make a
mark in. But, Taruna
Thapa, an ace teen
model hailing from
Chandigarh has
made her mark,
early on.
Taruna, a
nurse by profes-
sion, finalist of
First Miss India
Teen 2021 got
candid with City
First about her
journey as a
model and her
plans for the fu-
ture in the mod-
elling industry.
Talking about
her journey,
Taruna said, “At
the time of my
2nd year in Bsc
nursing there
was a pageant
named, “Miss North India
Princess 2018’. My sister
and mother got me regis-
tered for the show and for-
tunately I was among the
top 12 contestants. From
that day I started model-
ling, and it gave me the
sense of contentment, hap-
piness and the realisation
that one should only make
a career in the field which
makes them happy from
the inside.”
Discussing her inspira-
tion and motivation man-
tra, she said, “My mother
is a true warrior. She has
raised me into a strong
woman and I can’t be
more grateful to her. I
also believe that one
should live in the pre-
sent as life is so un-
predictable. Do what
your heart says. One
shouldn’t fear life
and unfold every
chapter as a chal-
lenge.”
Being a part of a
massive beauty
pageant like First
Miss India Teen
2021, Taruna
shared her ex-
perience. She
said, “My fami-
ly is my biggest
support and their
faith in me and my
passion made me
confident enough to
be a part of this huge
pageant. First
India made
full efforts to
provide us with the best
mentors, accomodation,
facilities, stage, prizes.
The journey went like a
dream, all of the partici-
pants took back something
precious home, be it priz-
es, confidence, friends, or
strength.”
UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR
cityfirst@firstindia.co.in
P
AHMEDABAD, MONDAY
JANUARY 3, 2022

10
ETC
F
A
C
E
O
F
T
H
E
D
A
Y
KUHOO, Model
ARIES
MAR 21 - APR 20
Some of you
are going to
experience
emotional
fulfillment on
romantic front.
Yoga would help
in raising energy
levels. Place
emphasis on domestic affairs to enhance
the domestic tranquility and harmony.
Associating yourself with humanitarian
group on social front would benefit you.
LIBRA
SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22
You will have an
awesome day.
Continue to put
in efforts at work
and you will
see promising
opportunities.
Matrimonial
match for siblings
will bring happiness for entire family. You
will get a good price for your property.
You may receive invaluable guidance
from a spiritual leader.
TAURUS
APR 21 - MAY 20
Seek the opinion
of your family
before finalizing
an important
property deal.
An impromptu
invitation to a
function from
an unexpected
friend is likely to be received. Your bold
initiatives on romantic front bring back
passion, love and spark in romantic
relationship.
SCORPIO
OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22
Health tips from
an expert will
enable you to
get closer to
your fitness
goals. Chances
of being misled
by competitors
in business are
high, so remain alert. Your generous
behavior would enable to enjoy some
lovely moments with family. Friendship
may turn into romance.
GEMINI
MAY 21 - JUNE 21
Your hard work
and dedication
are likely to
be noticed
by seniors,
paving way for
promotion or
increment. Family
will be supportive
of career aspirations. A promising day
overall as you stay in limelight without
any efforts. Harsh words may create a rift
in your romantic relationship; be careful.
SAGITTARIUS
NOV 23 - DEC 22
Investment in
antiques and
jewellery would
bring handsome
financial gains.
On professional
front, recognition
for good work
would motivate
you to work harder. Efforts made to
improve personality will bring desired
results. Those awaiting an affirmation on
romantic front may get lucky today.
CANCER
JUNE 22 - JULY 23
Those suffering
from chronic
ailments may
find remarkable
improvement in
their health with
home remedies.
Today you will
enjoy the trust
of senior management. Minor domestic
disputes may snowball into a major row,
so give attention to the family. Rewards
and recognition will come your way.
CAPRICORN
DEC 23 - JAN 20
You succeed
in completing
an important
project well
before deadline.
Disagreements
on the family
front are
foreseen. Be
careful about the legal apprehensions
in the property you are planning to buy.
Your intuition will save you from a tricky
spot today.
LEO
JULY 24 - AUGUST 23
You will succeed
in resolving mis-
understanding
with family
members,
normalizing ties.
Seek proper
valuation of the
property you are
planning to buy. You will remain much
in demand on social front. You need to
stand by romantic partner during testing
times to make the relationship stronger.
AQUARIUS
JAN 21 - FEB 19
A sound
financial health
of businessmen
would enable to
give monetary
benefits to
employees. Your
sole dependency
on friends may
fail to bring any respite from loneliness
today. It is good day to confess your love
as stars appear favourable for positive
reply.
VIRGO
AUG 24 - SEP 23
Paying special
attention to plan
your career would
give immense joy
and happiness.
You are likely
to get clearance
or approval for
your construction
plans. You find things moving in the
way you want them. Gifting something
to your beloved is likely to make the day
memorable.
PISCES
FEB20 - MARCH 20
Implementation
of new ideas
and projects
would add to
your prestige on
the professional
front. A sound
monetary
position would
enable you to keep pace with changing
times. Avoid raising controversial issues
at home to maintain harmony. It is a
wonderful day to build new connections.
YOUR
DAY
Horoscope by
Saurabbh Sachdeva
The Gingerbread Girl
tephen King is the
author of more than
60 books- ALL of
them worldwide
bestsellers!! Many
of his works are the
basis of major mo-
tion pictures. ‘It’ is the high-
est-grossing horror film of
all time. He is the recipient of
the 2020 Audio Publishers As-
sociation Lifetime Achieve-
ment Award, the 2018 PEN
America Literally Service
Award, the 2014 National
Medal of Arts, and the 2003
National Book Foundation
Medal for Distinguished Con-
tribution to American Let-
ters. He lives in Bangor,
Maine, with his wife Tabitha,
also a novelist.
‘The Gingerbread Girl’
originally appeared in Es-
quire magazine. It was later
included in King’s 2008 col-
lection of stories- ‘Just After
Sunset’. It is a story of abuse,
psychosis, and loneliness. In
King’s own words, “....even
the fastest runners have to
stand and fight”. The story
focuses on Emily, a woman
devastated by the ‘crib death’
of her two-month-old child.
She seeks solace in running.
She runs..... runs. Fighting
her emotional pain - she
pushes her physical self to
its limits- vomiting, sweat-
ing, running. When her hus-
band Henry treats it as a psy-
chological disorder, she runs
away from him to Florida
Gulf, to her father’s summer
home. It’s a conch shack in
the loneliest stretch of Ver-
million Key
.
Em keeps up her run-
ning- barefoot on the beach,
sneakers on the road- in total
isolation. Her life becomes
simple. Eat plain meals and
run. The only person she vis-
its is Deke Hollis, an old
friend of her father, who
runs the drawbridge on the
island. One day he tells her
that Jim Pickering, a man
who owns an estate on the
island, is back. He warns Em
about Pickering being a
womanizer- as he is seen
with a new ‘niece’ on every
one of his frequent visits.
One day, Em is jogging
past Pickering’s estate when
she sees the body of a girl
half falling out from the
trunk of a Mercedes car. As
she goes to get a closer look,
she is attacked, abducted,
dragged inside the house and
tied to a chair by the psycho-
path Pickering. From here
begins the gut-wrenching
terror so typical of Stephen
King. “He keeps the narra-
tion tight as a steel cable...
not letting the tension drop at
all”. The strong sense of fore-
boding permeates every
move that Em desperately
tries in her bid to escape. Re-
alizing that Deke Hollis will
come looking for her, Picker-
ing locks her in and goes to
first finish him off. Em gets
time to break the chair she is
tied to and rip off the duct
tapes. She manages to free
herself, attack and temporar-
ily knockout Pickering,
break the glass of his room’s
window and jump out from
the first floor, reminiscing
her childhood experiences.
She runs. “She hears him
behind her and realizes, in a
rather odd coincidence- that
she has been ‘training’ for
this moment”. Emily’s
months of running now help
her survive. Exhausted, hurt,
bleeding, she keeps running
on the beach, chased by him-
armed with large garden
scissors. A gardener from
one of the estates comes out
of curiosity to check on her-
but he is Spanish and cannot
understand her panic cries
for help. Pickering convinces
him of it being a marital is-
sue. When he senses doubt in
the gardener’s eyes, he at-
tacks and kills him. She does
outsmart him, but he has got
that crazy strength psycho-
paths to get when they are in
a murderous rage. Finding
no escape route, she runs
into the ocean. Pickering fol-
lows. But, he begins to floun-
der, pushing, bucking, and
convulsively thrashing.
“Truth lit up in her head like
fireworks on a dark night. He
couldn’t swim. Pickering
couldn’t swim. What kind of
a man with water phobia
would own a house on the
Gulf? He’d have to be crazy”.
She manages to escape
and sits on the shoreline to
watch Pickering drown. “She
wanted him to die in terror
and not quickly
. For Nicole...
and all the other ‘nieces’
there might have been before
her... Was she too a niece?
The last niece! The one who
had run as fast as she could.
The one who had survived.”
Finally, with her long or-
deal over, Em “stands and
shouts at the birds flying
about” and prepares to final-
ly ‘walk’ back home. Safe at
last.
‘The Gingerbread Girl’ is
intriguing, fast-paced, and to
the point. Stephen King’s no-
vella has all of his trademark
tension, violence, and cathar-
sis, with a spackling of mi-
sogyny
. It has an unexpected
twist at the end. The protago-
nist is most admirable, vul-
nerable yet so clear-headed
with a strong will to survive.
She keeps you glued to the
very end.
DEEPAK
deepaklifemusings@gmail.com
DEEPAK’S CORNER
S
months of running now help

ETC
11
SAREE THROUGH
SAREE THROUGH
BOLLYWOOD AGES!
BOLLYWOOD AGES!
s we all know, Saree is the most
ethnic and exquisite clothing
women can don on. Many west-
ern outfits may come and go, but
a saree is so much more than a
costume, it’s a feeling. It is syn-
onymous with Indian fashion
because women everywhere in India
drape it differently
. Some people choose
to wear it traditionally
, while others pre-
fer to wear it fashionably
. Post Independ-
ence, Bollywood films emerged in India,
bringing the impact of the gorgeous star-
lets who graced the big screen. Nutan,
Madhubala, Nargis, and Mumtaz were
all dressed in various saree styles, and
for the first time in history
, Indian wom-
en had the opportunity to choose their
fashion. By the mid-1990s and early
2000s, Indian women had come into their
element. It was the age of supermodels,
Miss Universe, and Miss World winners,
and these macots were taking the saree
to the world. The subtly risqué chiffon
saree gave way to the sexy organza
saree paired with OTT blouses.
Around the 20s, Indian fashion de-
signers used their ingenuity to cre-
ate pre-draped versions of the saree
that we can wear as quickly as any
western garments preferred by
modern Indian women. Pleats be-
came optional as sarees were
without them as half and half
versions that had contrasting
pallus and skirts. The saree be-
came a canvas for fusion wear
like Lehenga-Sarees and Saree-
Gowns to appease the
discer ning
connoisseurs
of Indian
fashion.
HARSHIKA KASLIWAL
cityfirstdel@gmail.com
A
“6 YARDS OF
PURE GRACE.”

12
CITY BUZZ
he dazzling ‘Spark collec-
tion’ by designer Rosy
Ahluwalia was launched
in New Delhi recently.
The show was opened by
actress Dr Elakshi Gupta
and the show stopper was
Munmun Dhameja. The man
behind this show was Ronit
Agarwal, founder of IDS.
With panache and style,
models graced the ramp in
extravagant couture. Thigh-high
slits, metallic accents, plunging
necklines, deep hues and over-
the-top sleeves charmed the at-
tendees. Flowy gowns with gor-
geous hemlines and aesthetic sil-
houettes were the highlight of the
collection.
The official handle of the Police Families Welfare Society
shared glimpses of the blanket distribution on the occasion of
new year. As the temperatures dropped in the national capital,
PFWS President Anu Asthana distributed 200 blankets to the
needy in collaboration with S.S.Akhtar.
Senior journalist Sanjeev Srivastav announced the results
of DBM 2021 online at his residence in Jaipur on Sunday
evening and also congratulated the entire team for the
successful execution of the event. Finance Minister of
Rajasthan Assembly Children’s Session Anushka Rathore
as she bagged the first position while Home Minister Pratik
Sharma, Agriculture Minister Jitesh Kumar Dudi, opposition
MLA Devyanshi Choudhary secured the 2nd, 3rd and 4th
positions respectively.
POORVI SINGHAL
cityfirst@firstindia.co.in
T
Everything
SPARKLE!
SPREADING WARMTH!
DBM RESULTS OUT!
ART FAIR!
CITY FIRST
ith the chic style
statements in eth-
nic wear such as
suits and stun-
ning sarees, you
can do up your desi looks.
Statement pieces such as the
exquisite dupattas are more
than enough to help you steal
all the attention. You can get
that stunning red ethnic suit
that you have been eyeing,
gorgeous designer-inspired
gotta Patti dupatta that never
fails to make an impression in
various fabrics. Weaverstory
focuses on reviving the de-
signs from museums and tra-
ditional forms feature a col-
lection of timeless dupattas
available in countless designs
and hues. You can provide a
stylish spin to your old salwar
suits and lehengas by getting
hold of a stunning range of
dupattas.
HANDWOVEN
CHANDHERI DUPATTA:
Weaverstory houses a collection of
Handwoven chandheri silk dupattas
which not only seem to be colourful
but also include intricate detailing that
makes them a class apart. They have
a variety of works that adorn these
dupattas like Rich Silver and Gold Zari,
Meena, Booti, Zangla, Floral Motif
and more. I can pick up pick one with
the handwoven embroidery, printed
patterns, zari borders, or other
styles.
SILK DUPATTA:
Silk dupattas are an absolute choice
of every girl because the rich silk
fabric can provide a chic lift to any
salwar suit. A Katan silk jangla
dupatta with the work on meenakari
zaal, cutwork Booti, Jamdani weave,
Kadhwa weave, and more from the
list of traditional weaves and works.
PATOLA AND IKAT:
Patola although referred to as the
Queen of sarees for its lush and
illustrious silk and complicated
geometrical patterns with the
utilization of rich flora and fauna
make an equally impressive mark
in Dupattas too. The Banarasi
Patola use the intricate meenakari
cutwork technique to weave the
sarees and dupattas whereas
in the Patolas from Gujarat the
technique used is completely
different. The Warp and Weft
are dyed within the pattern of
the saree then woven with great
mathematical precision. the
end product though with
similar motifs incorporates a
completely different look.
BANARASI
BANDHEJ:
The Dupatta is
handwoven in
Banaras then
the Bandhej is
completed in
Jam Nagar.
this can be
also referred
to as shikarpuri
bandhej.
WEAVERSTORY: ETHNIC
COLLECTION OF DUPATTAS
W
Expression of Nature Opaque,
a painting exhibition, was
introduced on Friday at the
L P Hatheesing Visual Art
Centre, Ahmedabad. The
exhibition was inaugurated
by Nayana Soparkar
and Shruti Chudgar. The
exhibition was open till
Sunday.
Vinod Patel addressing the gathering
Nayana Soparkar, Shruti Chudgar,
Bharti Savla and Mukesh
Vinod Patel with talented young artists
Pink Bandhani
Black dupatta
Blue Shikargaah
Designer Rosy Ahluwalia with divas showcasing her collection
Models flaunting the designer’s black and metallic collection
Models strike a pose in Rosy Ahluwalia gowns
Flowy gowns with ruffles stealing the show
Vermillion dress featuring a
train catches all eyes
One
shoulder
gown
with
metallic
belt
and
slit
catches
attention
Prateek Sharma
Anushka Rathore
Sanjeev
Srivastav
announcing
the results
of DBM,
2021 online
at his
residence on
Sunday

First India-Ahmedabad Edition-3rd January 2022

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First India-Ahmedabad Edition-3rd January 2022