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PRATIK CHORGE/HT PHOTO
Here’s something
for you to do this
Sunday: Bird
R Sukumar
have been working largely from home for the past
I
two weeks. Every evening, at around 6pm, I head up
to the terrace, where I spend 15 minutes watching
the Rosy Starlings that are staging in Delhi ahead of
their north-western journey to Europe and Central
Asia. I haven’t seen any murmurations, but some of
the flocks are large. On Friday evening, I saw one
with a few hundred birds. And then I got back to
work.
Birding is one of the few outdoorsy things you
can still do during the lockdown — even in a Mum-
bai apartment with no balconies (one of my col-
leagues in Mumbai wrote a fascinating article on
how people are feeling the pinch of this now; over
the past two decades, developers in the city decided
LOCKDOWN that balconies were a luxury and decided people
ACTIVITY
Birding is one of the few
outdoorsy things you
would happily give them up for a small extra room).
Since the lockdown began, and people started
spending all their time at home, there’s been a huge
upsurge of interest in birding. And people are realis-
can still do during the
lockdown. Spending all ing that there are a lot of birds around. One of my
their time at home, friends, a recent convert, sends me photographs
people are realising that taken in his garden, asking for bird IDs. They are
there are a lot of birds common birds, but it is likely he is seeing them for
around. the first time. Just like I did around 14 years ago.
I started birding in 2006 when my son (then four
years old) picked up an interest in birding. And I
suddenly started seeing birds — they’d always been
there; I just hadn’t noticed them before. I still don’t
see all of them. On Sunday morning for instance, I
was helping my son out with a concept in differentia-
tion when he pointed out a Blyth’s Reed Warbler on
the moringa tree outside his window — it was on its
DELHI A way back to Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The
SWEET SPOT math session didn’t go very well.
Delhi has the second Delhi is an especially good place to bird —
highest number of bird although the best bird picture of the lockdown is
species in a city after from Mumbai (and was taken by HT’s own photog-
Nairobi (Kenya). The rapher, Pratik Chorge, in Navi Mumbai).
national capital, Guru- Delhi has the second highest number of bird spe-
gram and other parts in cies in a city after Nairobi (Kenya) where you can
Haryana and Rajasthan sometimes see Marabou Storks nesting on the top of
lie along the Central street lights. The closest relative of the Marabou in
Asian Indian flyway,
which is an important
India, the Greater Adjutant Stork is a common sight
in Guwahati’s urban landscape (especially where
migration route, largely
for water birds. there is garbage). Even in the heart of Delhi, near the
HT office, I’ve seen Indian grey hornbills, and, back
when my office was a corner room at the 16th floor,
a pair of Egyptian vultures that were nesting on the
terrace of an adjoining building. From that office, on
clear winter days, I’ve also seen the Delhi zoo’s resi-
dent population of great White Pelicans — they live
in an open-air aviary and do not leave because they
are well fed — soaring on thermals. Now, I’m
grounded in a first-floor office in the same building,
and the only birds I see (and hear, more often than I
see) are the rose-ringed parakeets in the solitary
tree outside the window.
Delhi is also a good place to bird because it, Guru-
BIRDS YOU gram, and parts of Haryana and Rajasthan lie along
the Central Asian Indian flyway, which is an impor-
CAN SPOT tant migration route, largely for water birds.
If you have a garden, So, what birds can you expect to see at home?
you can see most of the If you have a garden, you can see most of the gar-
garden birds — barbets den birds — barbets of two kinds, pigeons of two
of two kinds, pigeons
of two kinds, doves of
kinds, doves of two kinds too, the Rufous Tree-pie,
two kinds too, the the Indian Silver Bill, two species of bulbuls, the
Rufous Tree-pie, the Common Tailor Bird, the House Sparrow, three
Indian Silver Bill, two kinds of starlings, the Common Crow, the Indian
species of bulbuls, the Grey Hornbill, the Purple Sunbird, the Oriental
Common Tailor Bird, the Magpie Robin, the Shikra, babblers of two kinds
House Sparrow, three (maybe three), the Black Kite, and a few others.
kinds of starlings, the Even a few plants in a balcony are bound to
Common Crow, the
attract a few of these birds. If you are lucky and have
Indian Grey Hornbill,
the Purple Sunbird, the an old tree in or near your house, you may even be
Oriental Magpie Robin, able to see owlets, a Barn Owl, maybe even a Golden
the Shikra, babblers of Oriole.
two kinds (maybe And then, of course, you could look skywards.
three), the Black Kite, I’ve spotted ibises of two kinds and an Oriental
and a few others. Honey Buzzard flying over the house; the son has
spotted a Booted Eagle, an Egyptian Vulture, and a
flock of Common Cranes. In the winter months, we
see ducks, sometimes geese.
We are locked down. The birds are still free.
After 44 cases, Babu Jagjivan
Ram hospital a virus hot spot
HEALTH CARE WORKERS Authorities say they are yet to trace the source of any of the infections
Anonna Dutt
n anonna.dutt@htlive.com
NEWDELHI: The 100-bed Babu Jagji-
van Ram Memorial Hospital in
Jahangirpuri has now become a
Covid-19 hot spot, with at least 30
health care workers testing posi-
tive on Saturday for the disease in
the Delhi government-run hospi-
tal, highlighting the dangers
front line workers are exposed to,
in the fight against the contagious
coronavirus disease. In total, 44
health care workers from the
Jahangirpuri hospital have
tested positive.
The national capital has so far
reported 2,625 cases of Covid-19,
54 of whom have died, while 869
have recovered.
Across the city, 132 health care
workers have contracted Cov-
id-19. However, there have been
no reports of any deaths among
the 132 so far.
Initially, the infections in Babu
Jagjivan Ram were detected in
some staff working in the DOTS
(Directly Observed Treatment,
Short-Course) centre of the hospi-
tal, which TB patients visit to get
their medicines. The centre has
been closed and sanitised earlier
this week. “However, the cases
that turned positive on Friday
night were from across the hospi-
tal – including security staff and
health care workers from differ-
ent departments,” said a doctor
from the hospital.
As staff members quarantine,
a doctor from the hospital said,
“We have asked the government
for staff from other hospitals to
run the services.”
The hospital is in the middle of
a hot spot, with six of the seven
containment zones in north dis-
trict located in Jahangirpuri. The
authorities are yet to trace the
source of any of the infections.
“Many of the people working
at the hospital live near areas
57-year-old south
corporation man 1st
sanitation worker
to die of Covid-19
Baishali Adak
n baishali.adak@htlive.com
NEW DELHI: A 57-year-old sanita-
tion worker of South Delhi
Municipal Corporation (SDMC),
who had tested positive for Cov-
id-19 and was on ventilator sup-
port at AIIMS Trauma Centre,
succumbed on Saturday.
The man used to lift garbage in
Bhogal, Jangpura. At least three
other sanitation workers have
tested positive and are in various
hospitals across Delhi.
This is the first case of a
municipal sanitation worker
succumbing to the virus in the
city. On April 21, a female sanita-
tion worker — who worked with
the east Delhi municipality in
Jwala Nagar area of Shahdara —
had died of “acute respiratory
distress” at Lok Nayak Hospital.
She was tested and had later
reported negative for Covid-19.
Till Saturday, 2,625 Covid-19
positive cases had been detected
in Delhi with 54 deaths.
In Saturday’s case, relatives
claimed that the man — despite
his age — had been attending
duty daily till April 16 “for the
fear of salary deduction” and had
most likely contracted the dis-
ease “on the job.”
However, SDMC officials said
the man had showed up to work
only twice since the lockdown.
“We express deepest condo-
lence on the sad demise of one of
our safai sainiks. He was posted
in Daryaganj ward and admitted
at AIIMS on April 22 as a Cov-
id-19 positive case. However, he
was also suffering from liver-re-
lated issues and had been earlier
treated at Holy Family Hospital.
He attended duty only twice this
month, April 4 and April 11, of his
own free will. He was not posted
in any Covid hot spot or disinfec-
tion work,” a senior official said.
“South corporation has asked
all its sanitation workers who
are 55-year-old or above not to
come to work as per guidelines
and will extend all possible help
to the family,” the officer added.
However, the nephew of the
dead sanitation worker said, “He
was attending work daily. He
even had a curfew pass.”
Leader of Congress in SDMC
and Amar Colony councillor
Abhishek Dutt said, “We
demand CM Arvind Kejriwal
provide ₹1 crore to the family of
the man and one government job
at least.”
n People at a local market near south Delhi’s Sewa Nagar on Saturday.
from where cases are being
reported. Patients from Jahang-
irpuri also visit the hospital.
Now, with the government say-
ing that many are asymptomatic,
we do not know where the infec-
tion came from,” a doctor said.
One of the junior residents and
the chief medical officer of Babu
Jagjivan Ram hospital had
reported Covid-like symptoms a
week ago, but the hospital did not
get them tested, after which they
got themselves checked. When
their reports returned positive,
the other doctors from the hospi-
tal demanded they be tested, and
had to resort to a strike for a few
Man kills wife in red zone, is asked to
walk out of area so he can be arrested
Anvit Srivastava
n anvit.srivastava@htlive.com
NEWDELHI: In what a police officers
called “a case of many firsts,”a
35-year-old man was arrested on
Saturday morning from outside a
containment zone in Madipur,
near Punjabi Bagh, for allegedly
murdering his wife in their home
inside the zone.
The murder, the first such inci-
dent reported from inside a Cov-
id-19 containment zone in Delhi,
was reported when the suspect
called the police and confessed to
the murder.
The city has 92 such zones,
across areas such as Nizamud-
din, Chandni Mahal, Nabi Karim,
to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Police officers privy to the
investigation said that because
this was the first case of murder
within a containment zone , they
had to look at standard operating
procedures for such cases and act
accordingly.
“There were many firsts in this
case. Usually our officers imme-
diately visit the crime scene, but
DELHI GOVT PROGRAMME
31st police employee
Online math lessons positive for Covid-19
for class 9 students
HT Correspondent
n htreporters@hindustantimes.com
NEWDELHI: The Delhi government
on Saturday announced an
online mathematics learning pro-
gramme for nearly three lakh
class 9 students, one of the several
digital initiatives that the AAP
dispensation has launched to
help students continue their stud-
ies during the national lockdown
to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Delhi education Minister Man-
ish Sisodia announced the initia-
tive during a session of “parent-
ing in the time of Corona”.
“The lockdown has hampered
the studies of our students and so,
our education department has
been trying to introduce new
ways (like online classes) to
reduce this impact on the studies
of the students and help them
cope with the loss in academic
activities,” he said. Schools
across the city are have been shut
for more than a month.
To be run in collaboration with
a non-profit organisation, Khan
Academy, students would be sent
hours on Monday, after which
around 200 samples were col-
lected.
The hospital is yet to decide
how to prevent further infec-
tions. So far, a flu clinic had been
set up to screen patient with flu-
like symptoms who had interna-
tional travel history or history of
contact with positive cases. The
hospital receives around 2,000 in
its outpatient clinics a day.
This comes after several
health care workers from Lady
Hardinge Medical College’s pae-
diatric intensive care unit (ICU)
started testing positive for the
contagious disease last week. So
n A police officer walks out of the
containment zone. SOURCED
in this case, we called the suspect
and asked him to come outside
the zone. We waited for him. He
was then arrested and sent into
isolation,” a police officer said.
Police said that it took them
around eight hours to clear the
crime scene — the road that leads
to the house was first sanitised
and investigating officers then
waited for personal protective
equipment (PPE) kits to be deliv-
ered before carrying out a
detailed inspection of the room. A
forensics team was called to the
spot. Senior officers said even
though the woman hadn’t died of
links to mathematics lessons
designed by Khan Academy
though SMS from Monday. The
links will have videos of lessons
as well as activities for the stu-
dents based on the topics men-
tioned in the lessons.
Shailendra Sharma, senior
advisor to education minister,
said mathematics has always
been a major challenge for gov-
ernment school students. “Last
year, when we examined the class
10 board exam results we found
that while the overall pass per-
centage was 97%, only 71% stu-
dents had passed in mathematics.
The pass percentage was 57% in
mathematics in class 9. Keeping
that in mind we decided to collab-
orate with Khan Academy, which
will produce online study mate-
rial for our students.”
Sandeep Bapna, managing
director of Khan Academy India,
said it will be a 10-week-long pro-
gramme. “Starting Monday, the
parents will receive an SMS with
a link to that day’s micro lesson. It
will have two or three videos and
a couple of exercises,” he said.
SUN DAY HIN DUSTA N TIMES, N EW D E LHI
CORONAVIRUS: METRO
far, at least 13 health care work-
ers have tested positive from the
ward. Another doctor from the
ward meant to admit children
with Severe Acute Respiratory
Infections (Sari) has also tested
positive. Two children from the
ward — a 45-day-old and a
10-month-old — also tested posi-
tive for Covid-19.
The 45-day-old succumbed to
the infection last Saturday, mak-
ing him the youngest person in
the country to die of Covid-19.
A similar series of infection
was detected in health care work-
ers at the Delhi State Cancer
Institute towards the end of
Covid-19, her body was wrapped
in multiple layers. The hearse
used to take the body from the
house was also sanitised twice.
The police said the suspect,
Rahisul Azam, called the police at
3.56 am and reported that he had
attacked his wife after an argu-
ment in their house. The woman
supposedly died on the spot.
“A team from Punjabi Bagh
station rushed to the address
given by the man, but found the
house was in a containment zone.
In order to adhere to guidelines,
the sub-divisional magistrate,
district magistrate and civic
agencies concerned were
informed of the case. The Delhi
Jal Board was roped in to sanitise
the area,” said a senior officer.
The policemen then called up
Azam and asked him to walk out
of the containment zone and sur-
render. Before he was arrested,
his temperature was checked and
he was asked if he had symptoms.
“Azam has told us he sells foot-
wear in Jahangirpuri and had got
married three years ago. It was
the second marriage for both
Karn Pratap Singh
karn.singh@hindustantimes.com
n
NEW DELHI: A Delhi Police head
constable, who was posted at
outer Delhi’s Alipur, on Friday
tested positive for Covid-19, trig-
gering panic among his col-
leagues since he was not on duty
in any of the city’s 92 containment
or ‘red’ zones.
Until Friday evening, 31 Delhi
police personnel had tested posi-
tive for Covid-19. Police suspect
the head constable may have con-
tracted the infection from some-
one in Jahangirpuri, where he
lives.
Northwest Delhi has reported
several cases of Covid-19 and has
six red zones so far.
“There is a possibility that he
may have come in contact with an
infected person in Jahangirpuri
while travelling between his
home and workplace. It’s a mat-
ter of concern because many
police personnel live in or around
the containment zones in Delhi-
NCR. They commute daily from
such areas to reach their place of
duty,” said a senior police officer.
SANJEEV VERMA/HT PHOTO
March, with a 35-year-old resi-
dent doctor from the preventive
oncology department testing pos-
itive first. Twenty-six health care
workers have tested positive for
the infection so far in the hospital.
Four patients, one of their family
members, and the child of a nurse
from the hospital also tested posi-
tive for infection. The hospital
had to be shut for over two weeks
to ensure that the infection is not
passed on to immunocompro-
mised cancer patients.
The cancer hospital has
started its out-patient clinic and
will start running the chemother-
apy department soon.
Azam and his wife. While he had
three children from his first mar-
riage, the woman had six. During
an argument on Saturday, he hit
her with a stick on the head and
she fell unconscious. He said
when he checked, she was
already dead,” the officer said.
Deputy commissioner of police
(west) Deepak Purohit said disas-
ter management teams and Covid
helplines were also alerted.
“Azam has been arrested as per
guidelines issued in view of Cov-
id-19. All preventive and precau-
tionary steps are being taken
while investigating the case so as
to adhere to the containment zone
guidelines and at the same time to
conduct an efficient investiga-
tion,” Purohit said.
Until late Saturday evening,
investigating officers said they
were checking with authorities
about proceedings related to the
autopsy and disposal of the body.
Police said they are checking if
the body could be handed back to
the family, because the woman
was not Covid-19 positive but was
a resident of a containment zone.
Joint commissioner of police
(northern range) Manish Kumar
Aggarwal said that the head con-
stable was sent for testing on
Thursday as he showed symp-
toms of cough and fever. “The
policeman’s test result on Friday
confirmed that he had been
infected with the disease. His res-
idence is in Jahangirpuri but not
in any of the containment zones,”
said Aggarwal.
Eleven other policemen of Ali-
pur station, who came in contact
with the head constable in the last
few days, have been sent to self-
isolation. They will all be tested in
the next three-four days.
Deputy commissioner of police
(central) Sanjay Bhatia said the
constables were posted at Nabi
Karim and Jama Masjid police
stations respectively.
“The two constables are young
and had no symptoms. They have
been shifted to a quarantine facil-
ity where they will be in observa-
tion,” Bhatia said, adding that
screening of more than 200 police
personnel from the district has
already been done.
The central district is one the
worst-hit areas in the city.