bhubaneswar l monday l march 08, 2021 l `7.00 l PAGES 30 l late CITY EDITION IPL dates out: MI vs RCB opener on April 9, final on may 30 Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata to host matches. First match in Chepauk, final at Motera The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will host the first match all matches in neutral venues to be held behind closed doors Though the tournament will take place in India, none of the teams will get to play at their home ground as only six venues are to be used. To reduce travel, the IPL has introduced a caravan format with two cities paired together. Chennai & Mumbai legs will happen from April 9 to 25. Delhi & Ahmedabad from April 26 to May 8. Bengaluru & Kolkata from May 9 to May 23 ■ ■ The tournament which will run for 52 days will witness 11 doubleheaders. The afternoon matches will begin at 3.30 PM, while the evening match will start at 7.30 PM Crowds won’t be allowed in any of the venue as the IPL wants to maintain a strict bio-bubble | P11 five No of IPL titles for Mumbai Indians. The most for any team CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ WARANGAL ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Modi, mamata snipe at each other to deflect charges Both trade allegations on running syndicates, misleading electorate P r a n a b M o n d a l @ Kolkata Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a broadside against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the state elections for grooming nephew Abhishek Banerjee as her successor, saying, “Bengal’s people had elected you a decade ago as their Didi. But you remained an aunt of your nephew all the time.” Poking her for a recent scooter ride in protest against the hike in fuel prices and tying it to her decision to contest from Nandigram, he said he should not be blamed if the two-wheeler meets with an accident in the constituency of East Midnapore district. Addressing a massive rally in Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground Modi accused Mamata of treating everyone against her as an enemy. “You are not only Bengal’s daughter, you are also India’s daughter. A few days ago, you rode a scooter and the people of the country prayed you ride safely. Had you fallen off, the state where the scooter was manufactured would have become your enemy You veered . the direction of your scooter towards Nandigram from Bhowanipore. I am a well-wisher of Bengal development Modi set a 25-year goal for powering Bengal to the pinnacle of the development index after the state votes BJP to power, by the time India celebrates its Independence centenary in 2047 everyone. If your scooter meets with a mishap there, then what can I do?’’ he figuratively said. While Modi reiterated the charge of Trinamool goons running corrupt syndicates, Mamata attacked him and Union home minister Amit Shah, saying it is they who are part of a syndicate. “Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are the only syndicate in India. Fuel prices increased, Covid happened but the PM was nowhere to be found,’’ she said after a protest march in Siliguri against the steep hike in LPG refill price. She also alleged that Modi was peddling lies to mislead the electorate. Yesteryear actor Mithun Chakraborty joined the BJP and shared the dais with Modi. He likened himself to a deadly snake: “Don’t mistake me for a harmless snake, I am a cobra, I can kill people with a bite.” Mithun Chakraborty seeks blessing from Prime Minister Narendra Modi after joining the BJP, at a rally in Kolkata on Sunday | PTI BJP terms Naveen govt weak, resolves to fight for its ouster E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar The BJP on Sunday lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik government claiming that the deteriorating law and order situation, lack of development and prolonged border disputes with neighbouring states are signs of a weak government. Passing three separate resolutions at the state executive committee meeting chaired by State president Samir Mohanty here, the party said the disturbing trend of self immolation attempts by some people near Assembly and Lok Seva Bhawan to highlight their plight pointed to the fact that people have lost faith in governance and its commitment to provide security and justice to them. “This is for the first time in the history of Odisha that the Sachivalay Marg and the roads connecting to Assembly were sealed during the current session out of fear of recurrence of similar incidents. The self immolation attempts though condemnable are outcome of a failed system,” the resolution said. Accusing the State Police of increasingly becoming a tool in the hand of the ruling BJD, the saffron party said the rising crime in the State especial- BJP leaders attending Odisha state executive meeting in Bhubaneswar | irfana ly increasing sexual offences against women and minor girls demonstrates that rot has set in the police administration. The policing system in the State has come a full circle what it was before 2000 when the Congress was in power. The BJD is committing the same mistake of the Congress by turning all police stations into party outlets. Instead of providing relief, police are victimising innocent people under the influence of the local BJD leaders, the party observed. In a separate resolution on inter-state border disputes, the BJP come down heavily on the government for miserably failing to safeguard the borders of Odisha. Stating that the border areas in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh give a contrast picture, the BJP said development on the Andhra side is clearly visible while the conditions of people living within Odisha territory are pa- thetic due to lack of basic facilities. Expressing deep concern over the entry of Andhra government into Odisha territory, the BJP demanded immediate attention to the development need of the border villages. Launching a scathing attack on BJD government for planning the development agenda of the State on political angle, the BJP in a separate resolution said the only aim of the regional party is to consolidate its position by diverting Central assistance into programmes where the party people will be benefited the most. The other objective of the government is to claim credit of the Centrally sponsored programmes by appropriating the schemes to reap political mileage. The BJP resolved to take its fight against the corrupt and anti-development BJD government to a logical conclusion. Infection after vaccination! Activist now wants to Under Centre’s glare, Odisha Rourkela doctor Covid -ve, withdraw case against govt moves to improve testing has high antibody levels Ramesh Jarkiholi E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e istered an FIR yet, have continued their efforts to trace the woman seen in the A day after six ministers in the alleged sex-tape. A senior poBS Yediyurappa Cabinet got a lice officer said they will contemporary injunction from a sult legal experts and also sumcity court, restraining the me- mon Kallahalli, if required, dia from telecasting or publish- before deciding on the future ing any news or showing de- course of action. famatory footage and pictures, In the petition, Kallahalli has social activist Dinesh Kallahal- stated he is withdrawing the li, who had filed a complaint complaint in the interest of the against BJP leader Ramesh survivor and society. He exJarkiholi, has now written to pressed displeasure over the the police stating that he wants photos and videos of the survito withdraw it. vor going viral on social media The activist’s complaint, ac- and people defaming her. “I had cusing Jarkiholi of sexual har- requested in the complaint only assment, had eventually led to to investigate whether there the latter’s resignation from was sexual harassment. I had the council of ministers. Kalla- done this based on the informahalli said he was distancing tion provided by a family memhimself from the case on ‘mor- ber of the survivor. However, al grounds’ as former Chief the issue boomeranged against Minister HD Kumaraswamy me and the survivor, as many had alleged that `5 crore had doubted my intention and made changed hands in the case. derogatory and baseless stateAn advocate, representing ments. Instead of supporting Kallahalli, turned up at Cub- me and helping the survivor bon Park police station on Sun- get justice, many targeted me day afternoon and submitted and questioned my intega petition to the police on rity. This is nothing but behalf of the activist. The ‘shooting the messenpolice, who received the ger”, he stated in the petition, reportedly told petition. the advocate that they Speaking to TNIE, Kacannot stop the inllahalli said he still stands vestig ation at by his complaint and this stage. The there was no pressure p o l i c e, wh o on them or threat to Ramesh Jarkiholi P7 have not regwithdraw it. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bengaluru Israeli tech can recharge EV battery in 5 mins From zero to full charge in just five minutes - an Israeli start-up has developed technology it says could eliminate the “range anxiety” associated with electric cars | P14 WITH THIS ISSUE THE ESSENTIAL CAMPUS DIGEST YOUR LIFE COACH 30 PAGES, INCLUDING 16 OF edex (TABLOID) @ Bhubaneswar With the Centre taking a stern view of the drop in testing and low share of RT-PCR tests in Odisha, the State government seems to be finally moving to action. The State Health and Family Welfare department has asked the districts to increase RTPCR tests, considered a gold standard for detection of Covid-19 cases. The inclusion of Odisha in the list of eight states that were asked by the Centre on Saturday to return to the basics - test, track and treat - had raised eyebrows as the State government has been reporting a consistent decline in number of cases. But the Centre has rightly flagged Odisha government’s over-de- express read Chinese FM calls for ‘enabling conditions’ New Delhi: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said that India and China must create conditions to enable settlement of the boundary dispute while saying Beijing’s views of the ‘rights and wrong’ of last year were clear | P9 Forest dept seeks people’s help Bhubaneswar: As forests across Odisha face a wildfire crisis, the State government has intensified community awareness programme in forest fringe villages to prevent fire incidents | P4 pendance on rapid antigen tests as well as laxity in conducting optimum tests. A closer analysis revealed that the State has been reporting a gradual increase in test positivity rate (TPR) while the number of tests have substantially dropped. The TPR between February 15 and 21 was 0.3 per cent (pc) which went up to 0.5 pc the next week. The State has conducted 4,28,413 tests in the last three weeks with more than 80 pc through antigen kits. This despite, repeated instructions by the Centre to restrict the use of rapid tests to only 30 to 40 pc of the total tests. “When the State has more than 60 laboratories where RT-PCR tests can be done and there is no excess load of samples, it is surprising to see the State’s love for RATs,” health experts said, raising doubts over the actual number CONTINUED ON: P7 of tests. When the State has more than 60 laboratories where RT-PCR tests can be done and there is no excess load of samples, it is surprising to see the State’s love for RATs Health experts E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar Two days after a 71-year-old contractual doctor of Rourkela Government Hospital tested positive for Covid-19 despite completing the entore two-dose vaccination schedule, the State gover nment on Sunday clarified that the report was erroneous. The repeat RT-PCR test conducted on Dr S Suleiman by the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) was found negative. Tests also confirmed he has very high level of antibodies. Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said the re-test of the original sample conducted by the RMRC also was found to be negative. This implies the positive result at Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela may have been due to contamination of sample. The antibody level shows the vaccine worked as expected, he said. On March 3, Dr Suleiman had developed a bad cough after taking the second dose of Covishield three weeks ago. He had taken the first shot on January 16. He went for a rapid antigen test which came out positive. An RT-PCR test conducted the next day also had confirmed his Covid-19 positive status. He was immediately put in home isolation but the Health department had decided to further crosscheck the infection status by taking fresh samples for testing at RMRC.