23072020-TTB-01.qxd 7/22/2020 11:48 PM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | jammu | srinagar | vol.140 no.203 | 12 pages | ~4.50 | regd.no.chd/0006/2018-2020 established in 1881 US TOP, INDIA NO. 2 IN COVID TESTING: TRUMP WORLD /thetribunechd GOLD HITS ALL-TIME HIGH OF ~50,920 PER 10 GM BUSINESS BRING WHITE PAPER ON CHINA STRATEGY: RAO BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com thursday, july 23,2020 Be ready for any eventuality, IAF told Rajnath says strong message sent to adversary with rapid deployment of assets at LAC US-China ties dip further, Houston consulate to shut Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 22 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today alluded to the ongoing efforts for military de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) “to stand ready to handle any eventuality”. Addressing the Air Force Commanders’ Conference (AFCC) here, Singh praised the rapid deployment of IAF assets at forward locations in response to the prevailing situation in eastern Ladakh, saying “it has sent a strong message to the adversaries (China)”. On the IAF bolstering its operational capabilities over the past few months, the Defence Minister said the nation’s resolve to defending its sovereignty stood firm on the faith its people had in the capability of its armed forces. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said the IAF was well prepared to counter short-term Cop shot dead by militants in Kulgam SRINAGAR: Militants shot dead a policeman in the Qazigund area of Kulgam district in J&K around 9.30 pm. Abdul Rashid Dar succumbed while being taken to a hospital. Intelligence officials said Dar was associated with counter-insurgency in the past. — PTI HP CM in quarantine after official tests +ve SHIMLA:Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur said he was going into self-quarantine after a deputy secretary in his office tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. Later in the day, however, he and his family tested negative. INSIDE SC notice to MP CM on ministers’ appointment NEW DELHI: The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in MP has been issued a notice by the SC over the appointment of 28 ministers on June 2. The court took note of the objections by ex-Speaker. — PTI Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (L) in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI ❝ Evenly poised to counter any aggressive action by adversary. as well as strategic threats. “(We are) evenly poised to counter any aggressive action by the adversary,” said the IAF Chief. He emphasised the need to focus on the ability to handle situations at a short notice for ensuring a robust response. All commands were praised in ensuring deployment of force and the IAF Chief termed it ‘prompt and laudable’. Meanwhile, Singh acknowledged IAF’s role in adapting to changes in technology. Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, IAF CHIEF China act unacceptable: Pompeoonborderclash Washington, July 22 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today said the recent clashes “initiated” by the Chinese military against India in eastern Ladakh are the latest examples of the “unaccept- able behaviour” of ruling Chinese Communist Party. He praised India’s decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, which he said were “security risk” to the Indian people. — PTI Beijing/Washington, July 22 The US has told China to close its consulate in Houston, further deteriorating bilateral ties. A source said Beijing was considering shutting the US consulate in Wuhan in retaliation. Washington “abruptly demanded” closure of the Houston consulate on Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry said. The editor of an official media outlet said China had been given 72 hours to do so. The State Department said the move was made “to protect American intellectual property and American’s private information”. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repeated accusations about Chinese theft of US and European intellectual property. Local media later reported documents had been burned in a courtyard at the consulate. — Reuters Best time to invest in India is now,PMwoos US investors KV Prasad Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 22 Making a pitch for attracting investments in India, aspiring to be a major player in the global supply chain, and dovetailing it with the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight told the US business conglomerates now is the best time to invest in India. At a time when the government policy of self-reliance has created a buzz in world capitals of India being protectionist, PM Modi told the gathering in the US the campaign was about India’s contribution towards a prosperous and resilient world. It took a global pandemic to remind the world about the importance of domestically strong economic capacity and bring the focus back on to it. Delivering the keynote address at the India Ideas Summit, hosted by the USIndia Business Council, Modi said today there was THINK BIGGER TO END TRADE DISPUTES: EAM India and the US need to think ‘bigger’ while attempting to resolve the pending trade issues, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said. India and the US have been engaged in talks to iron out differences over tariff-related issues. PTI global optimism towards the country because it offered a perfect combination of openness, opportunities and options. Outlining the sectors offering opportunities for investment with handsome returns, including agriculture, civil aviation, defence, Govt working on ways to address Gehlot writes to PM over bid to post-recovery complications topple govt, names Shekhawat Aditi Tandon COVID-19CASES INDIA Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 22 The government is working on guidelines to address post-Covid medical complications being reported by an increasing number of people who suffered from moderateto-severe form of virus and have recovered. The joint monitoring group (JMG) in the Ministry of Health is looking at anecdotal evidence about Covid-cured patients returning to doctors with conditions including breathlessness, cardiac, lung and renal complications. Health Ministry OSD Rajesh Bhushan said, “Those who have recovered from Covid are facing various issues like breathlessness, heart problems, kidney complications and ophthalmological issues. The JMG is looking at these problems and working on an advisory RECOVERED 7,53,049 FRESH FATALITIES 648 TOTAL DEATHS 28,732 COUNT 11,92,915 TOTAL RECOVERED DEATHS WORLD 1,51,94,107 91,75,997 6,22,000 DELHI TOPS IN RECOVERIES ■ Nineteen states and UTs have a better recovery rate than national average ■ Delhi tops the list with 84.83% recoveries, followed by Ladakh (84.31%) . to address these.” Member Health, NITI Aayog, VK Paul said, “There are signs of residual disease in some patients who have recovered from Covid-19. The government is working to address this challenge.” Post-Covid cure guidance has become necessary in the wake of rising Covid recoveries in India that today saw 28,472 recoveries in a day, the highest since the disease outbreak. There were 37,724 new infections in 24 hours. The Health Ministry's morning update put the national caseload at 11,92,915 with states reporting additional cases late Wednesday and taking the national total past 12 lakh. Of the 11.9 lakh cases, 7,53,049 have recovered, taking the national cure rate to 63.13 per cent. Active cases as of today are 3,41,916. Nineteen states and UTs have a better recovery rate than the national average. Delhi tops the list with 84.83 per cent recoveries, followed by Ladakh at 84.31 per cent, Haryana 76.29 per cent, Chandigarh 68.97 per cent, Punjab 67.86 per cent and Himachal 64.72 per cent. Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 22 The Rajasthan political crisis deepened today with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging the role of the Centre in attempts to topple the state government, and the Assembly Speaker moving the apex court against the state High Court orders in the matter related to rebel MLAs, including Sachin Pilot. The Speaker has urged the top court to set aside the HC order deferring action on dissident lawmakers’ disqualification notices until Friday, contending that the order is “bad in law” and “a direct affront to the powers of the Speaker”. A three-judge Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra will hear the petition tomorrow at 11 am. In another development, the ED conducted raids on R’sthan Speaker moves SC against HC orders; ED raids Gehlot’s brother over fertiliser ‘scam’ Aman Sood Tribune News Service SanjayYadav 8-ROOM APARTMENT Patiala, July 22 The Covid-induced online classes have proved to be a blessing for hearing and speech impaired Abdul Razak, who has been reunited with his family after having been separated for more than nine years. Razak got separated from his family at a religious fair in Fatehgarh Sahib in 2011. A philan- thropist, Gurnam Singh, found the abandoned child who couldn’t communicate. Singh took Razak to his family at Bharionpur village in the district as he made futile attempts to trace his roots. Eight years ago, Razak was put in the Patiala School for the Deaf, from where he recently matriculated. Three months ago, Razak shifted to computers for daily classes. Col (retd) Karmin- Abdul Razak can’t hear or speak der Singh, a school functionary, said: “Exchanging notes on his Facebook profile Kashyap surprise pick as Himachal BJP president Tribune News Service CRPF men outside the farmhouse of Agrasen Gehlot in Jodhpur. PTI the Jodhpur premises of CM’s brother Agrasen Gehlot, who is promoter of a fertiliser firm allegedly linked to a money laundering case. After the ED searched the premises assisted by CRPF personnel, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, “We will not be scared by PM Modi’s raid raj.” Ashok Gehlot, meanwhile, in his letter to the PM said continued on back page Priyanka to move into Online classes help reunite boy with kin after 9 yrs Gurugrampenthouse Gurugram, July 22 Asked to vacate her government bungalow in Delhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is all set to shift to Gurugram by next week. She shall be shifting to a penthouse in DLF Aralias, Sector 42, Gurugram. A team of her Zplus security officials came to review the arrangements days after her belongings were moved here, creating a flutter in the posh residential society. She is likely to stay here for two months before moving back to Delhi. The initial inspection was carried out by the CRPF and then by her own personal team. Sources say the residential society has stepped up its security, especially near her wing. The police too have included the society in the sensitive area category. The society is one of the two poshest accommoda- energy, health, insurance, infrastructure and space, Modi said in each of these sectors the government effected major policy changes making it easy for investors to explore opportunities backed with the country’s rise in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business graph. The PM cited a recent report reflecting the spread of rural Internet greater than in urban areas to underscore the tremendous opportunity that awaited businesses in India. A country, already with half a billion users of Internet, was poised to add an equal number even as growth potential existed in frontier technologies of 5G, big data analytics, quantum computing, block chain and Internet of Things. India had everything needed to power the economic recovery and rise of India meant a rise in trade opportunities with a country that could be trusted. created during classes, Razak identified a friend. Through him, he was able to trace his family to Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh.” Today, Razak’s father Talib Ali, a tailor, reached Patiala and was reunited with his son. “I am grateful to Punjab, Gurnam Singh and the school for taking good care of my son and ensuring he followed his religious beliefs,” Talib Ali told The Tribune. Recalling the events of 2011, Ali said he was attending a fair at Sirhind when he lost his son in the melee. “I looked for him for a few days and even approached the police,” he said. Expressing his gratitude, Razak wrote: “I was 8 when I was rendered homeless. The efforts of Gurnam Singh, teachers and school enabled me to not only express myself through writings, but also trace my parents.” Shimla, July 22 Putting speculation to rest, BJP national president JP Nadda today appointed Suresh Kashyap, sitting MP from Shimla reserved constituency and two-time MLA from Pachhad in Sirmaur district, as the new Himachal Pradesh BJP chief. The post was lying vacant for the past around two months following the resignation of Dr Rajiv Bindal on May 27 after the name of his close associate figured in the personal protective equipment (PPE) purchase scam. His appointment sprang a surprise as the names of several senior leaders were doing the rounds. Among those in the fray were Vidhan Sabha Speaker Vipin Parmar, Rajya Sabha MP Indu Goswami, Mandi MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, Chief Minister’s Political Adviser Trilok Jamwal and Sundernagar MLA Rakesh Jamwal. “My focus will be on further strengthening the party, gearing it up to repeat its performance in the 2022 Assembly polls and bridge the divide between the upper and lower areas of the state,” Kashyap said. ■ Priyanka will shift to an 8-room penthouse in DLF Aralias ■ The double-floor house cover- ing 10,000 sq feet has a lift, double kitchen, terrace and adequate security set-up Quarantined in Hry dharamshala, docs told to arrange own food Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service tions in Gurugram, with DLF Magnolia being the other. It is mainly inhabited by politicians, CEOs and former bureaucrats. It has a three-tier security system and nobody can enter without the prior approval of residents and submission of ID cards. The Vadras shall be deploying their personal staff at the penthouse. Hisar, July 22 Disregarding government instructions to respect corona warriors, the district administration has asked healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, quarantined at a university guest house and a ‘dharamshala’ here to make own food arrangements. While discontinuing the facility, the administration claimed “disaster management funds could not be used to arrange meals for quarantined staff,” said sources. Civil Surgeon Dr Ratna Bharti, in a letter to the Principal Medical Officer today, stated that the Civil Hospital staff quarantined at Namdev Dharamshala and Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University guest house would now have ADMN STOPS FACILITY ❝ The food expenses can’t be met out of the disaster management fund. Till we work out an arrangement, the staff will have to bear the cost of meals. Dr Ratna Bharti, CIVIL SURGEON Medics are in quarantine at Namdev Dharamshala, Hisar. to bear food expenses. When contacted, Dr Bharti said they had received related directions from the district administration. “The food expenses can’t be met out of the disaster management fund. Till we work out an arrangement, the staff will have to bear the cost of meals,” she said. A worker lodged at the ‘dharamshala’ for the last over month and a continued on back page