CMYK THURSDAY www.thestatesman.com 20 JANUARY 2022 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR BLINKEN MISSION BRITAIN MUST SHED ITS ELITIST PAST P6 KOHLI INDIA'S HIGHEST RUN-GETTER IN ODIS NEW YORK AG: TRUMP’S COMPANY MISLED BANKS, TAX OFFICIALS P7 P10 P12 Mainly clear sky with Mist/ Fog in the morning.Temperature likely to be in the range of 23-13 degrees Celsius. Covid compensation: BJP forms alliance with Apna Dal, Nishad Party SC raps states on delay RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Court says state govts should not wait for Covid deceased’s next of kin to claim WEATHER Max.95% TEMPERATURE Max: 23.1 °C(-3) SUN RISES 06:18 hrs MOON RISES 18:29 hrs New moon on 01 Min. 50% DISAPPOINTING NUMBERS Min: 13.3 °C(-1) SUN SETS 17:15 hrs MOON SETS 07:21 hrs February The Kerala government has recorded over 40,000 Covid deaths and it has received over 23,000  THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY he Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Kerala governments, over the failure of, or delay in, payment of compensation to the families of those who died of Covid. The apex court told the state governments to reach out to the families who lost their family members to Covid, and also said the governments should not wait for them to file applications to claim compensation. A bench of Justices M R Shah and Sanjeev Khanna told the Kerala government counsel to send out its officers to those families, where it has recorded a Covid death. “It is very unfortunate that despite earlier direction to pay compensation... time and again directions are issued...Total callousness on part of Andhra Pradesh... appears T An Army band during the rehearsals for the Beating Retreat, at Raisina Hills on Wednesday.  ANI NIA announces Rs 10L reward on SFJ's Jaswinder Singh Multani: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) which recently lodged a case of unlawful activities prevention act against Germany-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) member Jaswinder Singh Multani, has now declared a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on him. Releasing two pictures of Jaswinder Singh, the NIA has urged the public to help them in the terror case against him. NIA sources have indicated that they are also probing his involvement in use of drones for smuggling activities across the border. India extends ban on int’l commercial flights till 28 Feb: India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, on Wednesday extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till 28 February, 2022. At present, India suffers from a third Covid wave which is said to be driven by the Omicron variant. Sania Mirza to bid adieu to the game after 2022 season MELBOURNE ,19 JANUARY India's first women's tennis superstar, Sania Mirza on Wednesday announced her retirement plans, confirming that the 2022 season will be her last. The Indian tennis player has won six Grand Slams and has reached the summit of the WTA doubles ranking. Mirza is also the first Indian to break into the top 30 in the WTA singles ranking. Mirza announced her retirement plans after her opening-round loss in women's doubles event at the ongoing Australian Open. The 35-year-old after her match said: "There's a few reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play'. I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I'm putting my 3-year-old son at risk by travelling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account. I think my body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older.” “Also for me to find that motivation everyday to come out. The energy is not the same anymore. There are more days than there used to be where I don't feel like doing that. I've always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process which I'm not sure I'm enjoying as much anymore.” claims AP, the court noted, had reported around 36,000 compensation applications after an earlier order, of which 31,000 were found to be correct but only 11,000 have been paid so far.  The court pointed to Gujarat, which has reported 10,174 deaths but around 91,000 claims. state is not at all serious in (complying) with orders of this court... no justification for not making payment," the court said. “Officers must go to them. We don't have to tell you... Deaths already registered. They must be paid. Let your officers go to districts... “The Kerala government has recorded over 40,000 Covid deaths and it has received over 23,000 claims so far. Expressing discontent at the delay in compensation by various states, Justice Shah said: “States believe people are at their mercy...” Justice Khanna said the gap between the Covid deaths recorded and the number of applications received, is a matter of serious concern. The bench noted that the number of applications seeking Covid compensation claims is less than registered death cases in many states, yet governments failed to take proactive steps. Cabinet approves ex-gratia for moratorium during Covid STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY The Union Cabinet on Wednesday has approved the payment of ex-gratia amount of Rs 973.74 crores~the last leg of payment pending of the interest given to the Lending Institutions during six month moratorium period during first wave of pandemic. Government has already disbursed Rs 5,500 crores to 1612 leading financial institutions benefitting more than 2.38 crore beneficiaries, who had taken loans from these financial institutions. The Scheme for grant of ex-gratia payment of difference between compound interest and simple interest for six months to borrowers in specified loan accounts from March 1, 2020 to 31 August 2020 was approved by the Cabinet in October, 2020. PG 8 Andhra Pradesh, the court noted, had reported around 36,000 compensation applications after an earlier order, of which 31,000 were found to be correct but only 11,000 have been paid so far. “Not making payment to eligible claimants (is) tantamount to disobedience of our earlier order, for which the Chief Secretary is liable... Let the Chief Secretary remain present virtually at 2 pm and show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated...” Justice Shah said. Pulling up Bihar over what the court felt were excessively low reported deaths, the top court said, “You don't even update data... According to you only 12,000 have died. We want real facts. In other states the numbers have increased after our previous order...” Justice Shah observed, adding, "Call your Chief Secretary... We are not ready to accept that only 12,000 died in Bihar." With regard to Bihar, the court noted out of 13,250 deaths recorded, 11,000 claims were recieved. The court pointed to Gujarat, which has reported 10,174 deaths but around 91,000 claims. Conversely, Kerala has reported over 51,000 deaths but only 27,000 applications, and Haryana told the court it had received 7,360 applications as against more than 10,000 deaths. The bench asked the Gujarat government to produce the documentation sample, stating the procedure followed while rejecting compensation claims. The top court said it will take the help of the State Legal Services Authority to reach victim families for disbursement of compensation. The top court will pass the order later in the day. Covishield, Covaxin cleared for market approval AGENCIES Youthful India showing the way: PM lauds 1st dose coverage of over 50% of teens NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY An expert panel of India’s central drug authority today recommended granting regular market approval to Covid vaccines Covishield and Covaxin, which are currently only authorised for emergency use in the country, subject to certain conditions, official sources said. Pharma companies Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech had submitted applications to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) seeking regular market authorisation for their respective vaccines. "The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) which reviewed SII and Bharat Biotech's application for the second time today has recommended granting regular market approval to Covishield and Covaxin subject to certain conditions," an offi- 3,76,18,271 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY 18,31,000 2,38,018 1,88,157 4,87,202 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. WEDNESDAY 19 JANUARY 2022 Bengal registered 11,447 fresh cases and 38 deaths cial source said. During last week's meeting, the SEC had sought more data and information from the two companies. Prakash Kumar Singh, Director Mulayam Singh’s daughter-in-law Aparna joins BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the vaccination of over 50 per cent of youngsters in the age group of 15-18 years with their first dose. Responding to a tweet by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the Prime Minister commented, “Young and youthful India showing the way!”“This is encouraging news. Let us keep the momentum. It is important to vaccinate and observe all Covid related protocols. Together, we will fight this (government and regulatory affairs) at SII, had submitted an application to the DCGI on October 25 on this matter. On that, the DCGI had sought more Students get their first dose of vaccine at Jaspal Kaur Public school, in the Capital on Wednesday.  SNS pandemic,” Modi said. Health minister Mandaviya earlier tweeted patting the children for coming forward to get them vaccinated. data and documents from the Pune-based company following which Singh recently submitted the firm's response with more data and information. Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J.P Nadda, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, with other alliance leaders of Uttar Pradesh at BJP headquarters. ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY The Bharatiya Janata Party, Apna Dal and the Nishad Party on Wednesday officially announced their alliance to contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls together. Addressing a joint press conference with the alliance partners, Apna Dal president Anupriya Patel and Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad, BJP chief JP Nadda said: "BJP, Apna Dal and Nishad Party will jointly contest Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in all the 403 seats.” “In the last two days, we had discussions with our NDA alliance partners and it has been decided to jointly contest all 403 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. We all came together in 2019 Lok Sabha elections and in the 2022 assembly polls also,” Nadda said. He further pointed out that the law and order situation has improved in the state in the last 5 years and the mafia raj has ended.Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel said the NDA government is committed for development and social justice for which the party is fighting. She listed the union government policy and initiatives for the backward classes. Patel also mentioned that the Narendra Modi government will also fulfil the long pending demand of a separate ministry for backward classes in future. Nishad Party's Sanjay Nishad said: "Together we won the 2019 general election and once again together we will win the 2022 assembly polls." Nishad said that the people are with NDA as BJP always does what it says. "Whatever time it takes, the BJP will do what it says. The BJP has removed Article 370 and started construction of Ram Temple. People are with the NDA and we will contest the 2022 polls," Nishad said. Before the press conference, a meeting between leaders of the three parties was held at the BJP headquarters. Shah took to Twitter to post a picture comprising Apna Dal chief Patel, Sanjay Nishad, Yogi Adityanath, JP Nadda and others, and said that the Love jihad: Gujarat HC seeks info on safe houses STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE AHMEDABAD, 19 JANUARY The Gujarat High Court has asked the state government to file its reply on whether the apex court’s order to set up safe houses for inter-faith couples facing opposition from families and community, have been complied with or not. Responding to a petition filed by an inter-faith couple from Vadodara, the Supreme Court had last year directed the Gujarat government to set up safe houses in every district for such people being hounded by their families and community members. Inter-faith marriages, often face Opposition not only from the community but also from their own families. The petition seeking protection in safe houses was filed in the Supreme Court last year by the inter-faith couple who had fled to Delhi due to harassment faced in Gujarat. The inter-faith couple had sought the apex court’s intervention to direct the Gujarat Government to provide protection to them in some safe house. The Vadodara police had said that it has no provision for safe houses for inter-faith couples. The matter was brought up in the High Court on Tuesday by a Delhi-based NGO Dhanak for Humanity which sought a directive to the state government for compliance of the apex court judgement. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY Aparna Bisht Yadav, daughter-in-law ~ ‘Choti Bahu’ - of Samajwadi Party heavyweight and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday joined the BJP here. Aparna Yadav was formally inducted into the party in the presence of BJP Uttar Pradesh unit head Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Mauaya, BJP national media in-charge Anil Baluni and media cohead Sanjay Mayukh and others. Speaking to the media after her formal entry into the party fold, Aparna thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adiyanath all the party leaders for taking her onboard.“I have been impressed with Prime Minister Modi’s nationalist spirit,” she said. “Rashtra Ki Aradhana karna niklee hon (I have set out on a worship of the nation),” she said. coalition will form the government in the state with a thumping majority. PM to host first Central Asia summit on 27 January STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be hosting the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Summit, with the participation of the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in a virtual format on 27 January. This will be the first engagement of its kind between India and the Central Asian countries at the level of leaders. Earlier, leaders of the five Central Asian countries were expected to be chief guests at the Republic Day parade on 26 January. However, India has given up the proposal in view of the Covid crisis in the country. Mining raid: `10 cr assets seized Mid-air collision of Indigo flights averted: from Punjab CM kin’s residence DGCA to probe, assures stringent action ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL NEW DELHI,19 JANUARY The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized more than Rs 10 crore cash, gold worth above 21 lakh and a Rolex watch worth Rs 12 lakh from the residential premises of land mafia Bhupinder Singh Honey, a relative of state chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and others in connection with an alleged illegal sand mining case. The Enforcement Directorate declares the recoveries after it concluded its two-day raid conducted at the business and residential premises of the accused persons and their associates in over a dozen places in Mohali, Ludhiana, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib Land mafia Bhupinder Singh Honey, a relative of Punjab CM, and others in connection with an alleged illegal sand mining case and Pathankot. The ED raids went on from 7.30 am till late night on Tuesday and it again started on early Wednesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The federal agency said it raided the premises of the accused persons and their associates including Kudratdeep Singh, the owner of Pinjore Royalty Company, and his partners and shareholders Kanwarmahip Singh, Manpreet Singh, Sunil Kumar Joshi, Jagveer Inder Singh. The raids were also conducted at the premises of Randeep Singh, the owner of Providers Overseas Consultants Pvt Ltd and its other Directors and shareholders including Bhupinder Singh and Sandeep Kumar.In the FIR, it was mentioned that a team comprising of officials of the Mining Department, Civil Administration and Police Department made a surprise check on March 7, 2018, on the basis of a complaint received at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Police Station regarding illegal sand mining. An ED team is also questioning Honey and recording his statement. Sources in the ED said the agency is probing whether the CM's name was used to do illegal mining. Vendatta, says Channi, P5 ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL NEW DELHI, 19 JANUARY The issue of Indigo's two domestic flights narrowly escaping mid-air collision will be investigated by the aviation watchdog Director General of Civil Aviation. The incident of a serious safety breach was reported to India's aviation regulator DGCA and a team under DGCA Director General Arun Kumar was constituted for a thorough investigation. “We are investigating and shall take the strictest action against those found delinquent," Kumar said. Indigo Airlines declined to comment on the incident. According to officials, a CMYK CLOSE SHAVE  A close shave of two Indigo flights from Bangalore to Kolkata and the other from Bhubaneswar shows negligence and miscommunications between radar operators and ATC officials, because two aircraft can't operate on the same air path  The report suggested that the two planes had an instant face-off in mid-air at an altitude of over 3,000 feet in the skies over Bengaluru. close shave of two Indigo flights from Bangalore to Kolkata and the other from Bhubaneswar shows negligence and miscommunications between radar operators and ATC officials, because two aircraft can't operate on the same air path. “On Jan 7, 2022, two IndiGo flights 6E 455 (Bengaluru - Kolkata) and 6E 246 (Ben- galuru - Bhubaneswar) were involved in breach of separation at Bangalore airport," DGCA official told ANI. “Both runways were in use, the official on shift decided for single Runway operations i.e. North Runway for arrival and departure, South Runway will be closed but it was not communicated to South tower controller. South tower controller gave departure to 6E 455 Kolkata bound aircraft and at the same time North tower controller gave departure to 6E 246 Bhubaneswar bound aircraft without coordination,”DGCA official further said. A prima facie report stated that "the incident occurred due to a lack of communication between radar controllers and ATC officers at the time of the incident," according to investigators. The Indigo flights of Airbus had hundreds of passengers on board. The report suggested that the two planes took off for their designated destinations and had an instant face-off in mid-air at an altitude of over 3000 feet in the skies over Bengaluru.