EXPERIMENTERÉ

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines today, for opening up of more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones. In Unlock 3, which will come into effect from August 1, 2020, the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further. The new guidelines, issued today, are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments.  Salient features of the new guidelines Restrictions on movement of individuals during night (Night curfew) have been removed. Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to open from August 5, 2020. In this regard, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COVID-19. Independence Day functions will be allowed with social distancing and by following other health protocols, e.g., wearing of masks etc. In this regard in...

Travel and tourism is one thing that was the biggest hit in the Covid 19 pandemic in year 2020, which they say was supposedly a 'boom' year for the shipping industry. My personal experience in Fiji, and coming home was something. I can tell you, how difficult it can become, if you Outside your home country. Coming home and restricted, largely. Coming back to cruise ships. I used to see the Pacific Explorer tucked at the Port of Suva.  Even if the tourism business is under  pressure ahead of the crucial summer season in the northern hemisphere (Europe and America). Th risk of catching coronavirus, social distancing rules at sea is as good as a log and adds pressure. The ships across the world are merely marooned by a shore or a harbour. Mostly appear ghostly (can imagine though). Thousands of people got laid off in a swipe. Carnival - 32,000 waiting for repratriation, Royal Carribbean - 26000, out of 77,000 (rest assured remaining shall go home sooner)....

last dispatch

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT Investing in India's digital future Sundar Pichai CEO of Google and Alphabet Editor’s note: Today at Google for India, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a $10 billion Google for India Digitization Fund to help accelerate India’s digital economy. Below is an edited transcript of his remarks. Google for India is always a really special time, and I only wish I could be there in person. One of the challenges of this moment is that we can’t visit the people we love, or the places we call home. During this time, the ability to be online has been a lifeline to so many of us: whether you’re a small business trying to stay afloat…a parent looking for updates on how to keep your family healthy … or a student trying to keep up with your studies. Being helpful in these moments is at the core of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.  A new generation of Indian innovation This mission is d...

Day 7  Oh finally I get to get out (little free) today. Shall be visiting my old hood, Greater Kailash/ Alaknanda area. It's much greener there and familiar too.  Albeit, to be cautious, as the world has changed from the last time I visited Delhi. It's the seventh day, and hopefully have not contracted Covid19, corona virus. Would be clear by the 14 th day. Hence. Not taking any chances.  Am hungrier and eating the missed food. Simple stuff in this hotel Hari Priorko by the boys. The standard vegetarian meal mostly comprising of dal (lentil), rice, roti, subzi, and the breakfast would be porridge, macaroni, poori, alu ki sabzi like that.  In my head, it was immunity all the while... Also believe that immunity is going to be a big keyword in years to come.. Shall now wait for the government officials to come, do a fever test, they shall give me a certificate of the 7 day quarantine.

Day 6  Today I left the Fiji shores. Been almost a week. Spent time in connecting and learning about the new life that awaits outside. Frankly, I am not worried about employment, atleast at this point in time.  Just collecting my thoughts and the next plan of action, but, at my own pace. This hotel at Paharganj was able to keep me safe (atleast for now). Planning to go to a greener, open space, to #breathe 

A normal sordid day, waiting for the seventh day to arrive. Never felt chained and locked inside a room. Tried to catch the sun in the evening.  Thats for first time, saw the sky of Delhi.

Day 4 - Quarantined  Did I tell you why it took approximately 11 hours for me to reach the airport gate? Note - the officials did the best they could do in these (ab)normal circumstance. Forms and forms - write down forms especially if you are coming from top Covid19 infected nations such as USA, Brazil, China, Russia, China and Iran.  Batches  - there will be batches (of 30) as per alphabetics.  Home states  - Segregation of passengers as per home states I:E Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, UP, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu etc.  Self Quarantine or Paid Quarantine - Now either you have booked the hotel or you have not. In either of the case the Delhi Police and Govt officials now take over and punch in details of each passport holder. By the way your passports are taken by the officials. Wait Karo -   you are now waiting at the large hall (scene looked more like a govt hospital, all queing up to enter respective wards)....

Day three  It was raining in Delhi and typically Delhiites get very happy whenever it rains.  Myself in this room since Saturday from the time landed at IG airport. Amidst concerns, one mind was tempting to go out and see the sky, smell the rains, oh no the other mind says, oh it's virus in the air... The Quarantined meal (vegetarian), which arrives three times a day is my only social activity, every time the door is knocked by Abhishek.  Yes, chai. Am savoring the tea given by the boys and even tip them occasionally. Well, the first phase of quarantining should end this week. Have some unfinished business in the capital of India Delhi before I head towards the former capital , Calcutta. 

Like If you had to choose, Which side you’d take? Like or Love Think hard = about the difference what’s better? Like or Love? Like is like a comfortable journey, Whereas love is a crowd... Like is a liberalist (liberalism) Whereas love is an extremist. Ek like ki keemat tum Kya Jano... (Do you know the value of a 'like'?) HATE IS REALLY A STRONG EMOTION. ISN’T it? Why hate is always the opposite of love? Either you love or you hate... Yes, you have an option Swipe right for like, In the end, It’s okay to be merely 'liked', Than not to be loved at all. PD

My last picApic incin Fiji outside the Nadi airport Day 2  Early this morning learnt from friends that Fiji has one covid case (border). Apparently the same flight of Garuda Indonesia which took off from Delhi. One man even died on flight resulting to a 24 hour delay. Such is life. God bless Fiji. Social distancing, was just a concept. Utter chaos inside and outside the plane. Folks shouting for seats, one guy held up the plane for forty minutes at Port Moresby (PNG). Just refused to sit in economy class and parrotted 200 times that how he paid $2700 for business class (yeah no mask)... Now tucked in a Paharganj hotel and under house arrest , literally. It's a little unprecedented, however such are times.