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Navi Mumbai: Over 1 lakh citizens screened for covid-19 infection in a week’s time

Navi Mumbai gets 5 stars in Swachh Survey 2020 for the second time

by Staff Reporter May 21, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

Navi Mumbai: The city of Navi Mumbai was awarded a five-star garbage-free city rating in the Swachh Survey 2020. This is the second consecutive time that our city has done us proud by winning the title. However, Mumbai failed to take home any points at all.

The city managed to succeed even in the tough selection criteria that includes coverage of 100% households through door-to-door collection and proper transportation of solid waste. It also requires that sweepers clean 100% public and commercial areas at least once in the morning and once at night on a daily basis. It also requires the same process for residential areas with the additional provision of waste bins that have to be placed at all locations. The households and other premises should be charged for the services.

34 cities in Maharashtra, have been able to get three-star ratings while 41 have been able to take home one star each.

Navi Mumbai shares the ratings with 5 other cities for their waste management mechanism – Surat, Rajkot, Mysore, Indore and Ambikapur.

May 21, 2020 0 comments

APMC Market Opens but makes health screening compulsory

by Staff Reporter May 19, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

Navi Mumbai / Vashi / APMC: The APMC wholesale market in Vashi opened on Monday after being shut from May 11-17. The market was market as a corona hotspot and was closed for screening and sanitisation purpose.

The market opened but only with new rules in place. Hereon, visitors will first be checked at the entry points of each market by a medical team. They will be screened with thermal guns and pulse oxymeters to check body temperature and the level of oxygen.

Any visitor found to be having high body temperature or showing other symptoms will be denied entry into the market. Drivers of all transportation vehicles will also be screened separately.

May 19, 2020 0 comments

Culture Movies

Mrs. Serial Killer: The Labour Day Pain from Netflix

by VickyTM May 8, 2020

written by VickyTM

With a better script and direction Mrs. Serial Killer could’ve been a standalone winning addition to Netflix’s Indian collection but sadly, it had nothing to ‘drive’ viewers in

Movie Name: Mrs Serial Killer
Writer, Director, Producer: Directed by Shirish Kunder / Produced by Farah Khan
Cast: Jacqueline Fernandez, Manoj Bajpayee, Mohit Raina and Zayn Marie
Date of Release/Streaming: 1^st May, 2020
Streaming Platform; Netflix

Short Plot Summary of Mrs. Serial Killer

Mrs. Serial Killer is a 2020 Indian crime thriller film, written and directed by Shirish Kunder, and produced by his wife Farah Khan, as a Netflix original. The film stars Jacqueline Fernandez, Manoj Bajpayee, Mohit Raina and Zayn Marie (Aamir Khan’s niece), making her Bollywood acting debut.

The plot of Mrs. Serial Killer revolves around Sona (Jacqueline Fernandes) and her husband, Dr Mrityunjoy Mukherjee (Manoj Bajpayee), a gynecologist, and their otherwise happy life that runs amuck when Mrityunjoy gets arrested by Imran Shahid (Mohit Raina), Sona’s ex-boyfriend and a cop, for the murder of six unmarried pregnant women he supposedly kills while also removing their fetuses to be stored in jars. Sona, confident of her husband’s innocence, embarks on a journey to prove his innocence. In doing so, she tries replicating the murders on the suggestion of a sly lawyer, and also a friend of her husband, Dr. Rastogi (Darshan Jariwala), to prove that the serial killer is still out there. So, she abducts Anushka Tiwari (Zayn Marie) and what follows next is a series of funny mishaps that lead to the somewhat surprising climax of the movie.

So how does it pan out for Mrs. Serial Killer? (Spoilers – Avoid if you plan to watch the movie)

Well, to give you a quick run through the story, Sona succeeds in abducting a pregnant girl and then also producing a dead body of a pregnant girl to look like the girl she abducts and in doing so, freeing her husband. However, when all looks like going in Sona’s favour, it turns out that her husband is actually the serial killer! So now it is Soha, her ex-boyfriend, the abducted girl and her almost ex-boyfriend against the real serial killer! And who wins? Well, of course the good guys!

Mrs. Serial Killer: How the plot could have been better?

It would have better if Sona’s boyfriend would have been the one to frame her husband on purpose and then Sona would have tried desperately to save her husband as she had known for sure that her husband was innocent because to the surprise of all – Sona would have been the actual killer, who now just had to kill one more time and also frame someone else for the crime – her boyfriend, who had framed her husband for the crime!

That would still have been a better watch but you never know – no matter what the plot, we still needed a litlleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee help in the direction!

What’s different in Mrs. Serial Killer?

Well, this is the first time that Jacqueline Fernandes has not danced in a movie like a typical Bollywood actress (That is what they are here for, right? That is why they don’t get to act more. Come on guys, give them a break, and let them act more). So, in a way, Jacqueline has taken that leap of faith and though it hasn’t turned out well, for many reasons, there is always scope for improvisation – keep going Jacqueline!

Best acting in Mrs. Serial Killer:

Okay, now this is a little tricky because we don’t really know if the acting was bad or the actors were told to act that way. So, we are a little confused here, but let’s begin by saying that Manoj Bajpayee did all he could. Moving on, Mohit Rahina, aaaa…. He was the poor forlorn lover, bewildered cop, one with next to none important dialogues and… aaaa… ya he did his part. Zayn Marie – well she had to make her debut someday so why not in a movie that people will laugh about for some time? Well, she did her acrobatic, pregnant part…. Errr… we mean.. she played her part well!

Now, Jacqueline…. She looked good, she looked good and she looked good! Ya… done!

Best Dialogue/s in Mrs. Serial Killer:

In one of the scenes (the most important scenes, mind it) the ‘killer’, Sona (Jacqueline), says, “Torture tuney abhi dekha hi kahan hai,” warning off viewers… er… I mean, one of the characters in the movie! There is another when Sona’s husband yells something like, “Tum mujhe Joy Joy kyun bulati rehti ho, main koi ice-cream flavor hoon kya?”

Best Scene/s in Mrs. Serial Killer:

Now, there were many (to laugh about) but one of our favourites was when the character, Anushka, played by Zayn Marie frees herself in the absence of her abductor Sona and on her return, is shown playing Spiderman, comfortably hanging high above between two walls, in a corner of a room. And then, she jumps on Jacqueline saying, “Surprise M…..F….r,” trying to be funny or something! It reminded us of the scene from ‘The Conjuring’ where the spirit jumps on the girl scaring everyone, the girl, her sister and the viewers. Now we know how the scene would have been if these guys would have directed it.

Any adult scenes (like it matters, everyone watches them anyway):

There were none (they could’ve used some, to increase the chances of more people watching it for the sex scenes at least)

Expletives, bad language (foul mouthed actors), graphic content

Aaaa, nothing more than when Bajpai yells ‘whore’ and Zayne yells ‘Surprise M………er…’. That was all it had I guess if we don’t consider showing or talking about fetuses and dead girls graphic and obscene. Nothing much though! Kids watch more graphic content nowadays – gaming, remember!

Should you watch Mrs. Serial Killer?

Well, no matter how disastrous the movie, it is still not worthless. Now, you may totally ignore it based on reviews about how bad (like the one we just wrote too) it is but then, remember one thing – we have a list of movies from A grade stars who have been exposing us to movies that make Mrs. Serial Killer bearable – Housefull 1, 2, 3…. aaaa… we lost the count trying to keep ourselves insane… and what was that other movie with all those stars where one goes ‘eeaaa..eaaaa..oooo’ when he wants to say something? Oh, yessss… Golmal 1, 2, 3… how many do they even have?

Anyway, so you got the point, right? If you managed to watch those, you can still manage to watch this one. If nothing, then watch it for a change maybe! Now don’t tell us that you would not like to waste your time, energy and mental peace on such a movie because we know one thing for sure – You will end up watching a lot of garbage anyway or waste your time on TikTok! Instead watch this one!

Where to watch Mrs. Serial Killer

You can watch Mrs. Serial Killer, which is streaming on Netflix now.

Mrs. Serial Killer: Thing to look out for

Well, the ending scene of the movie shows the serial killer or the villain, Manoj Vajpaye, escaping along with his now obvious accomplices, the lawyer and his wife, hinting at a possible sequel to the movie. So, brace yourselves!

Stop Piracy, Watch Movies in Theatres and on Genuine Streaming Platforms – Unless, the movie looks like a waste of your money and time! 🙂

May 8, 2020 0 comments

Culture Movies

‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ comes to Disney+ in celebration of Star Wars Day

by Staff Reporter May 4, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

As millions of fans of Star Wars around the world celebrate Star Wars Day today, Disney+ has come up with a unique way of saying ‘May the Fourth’ or ‘May the 4^th’ by bringing the final chapter of the franchise – “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” on Disney Plus, today on May 4, two months earlier than they had planned to. That brings all the nine chapters of the saga in one place, calling for a celebration in itself.Disney Plus now has the complete saga of Star Wars that began it’s journey in 1977 with George Lucas’ exceptional film ‘Star Wars: A New Hope,’ followed by eight other record reaking movies. All the movies are now available with Disney+ under an extensive Star Wars collection.

Also available on Disney+ is ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ an independent yet amazing movie that succeeded in captivating fans despite the fact that it had no Jedis in it.

Apart from Star Wars movies, Disney+ has the newly released series ‘The Mandalorian,’ and ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars,’ to keep fans entertained and also that it’s last episode of the final season will be aired May 4, ending the series.

To give fans a sneak peek into the making of ‘The Mandlorian,’ Disney+ will also be launching a new documentary on it’ making today.

With all the chapters of Star Wars under one roof along with the series, Disney+ is leaving no stone unturned to enable fans around the world celebrate Star Wars Day, despite the lockdown. It needs to be mentioned that Disney+ has a unique way of saying #Maythe4th be with you!

We can already hear fans replying with #Maythe4th be with you too!

May 4, 2020 0 comments

Maharashtra to open liquor shops during lockdown 3.0 in the wake of monetary losses

by Staff Reporter May 3, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

As the country enters Covid-19 lockdown 3.0, the state government has decided to let liquor shops, including standalone shops to resume business on the condition that they will obey the lockdown rules

The government of Maharashtra has brought in some relaxations by allowing liquor shops in the state to open after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced some relaxations during the two-week Coronavirus lockdown extension that starts tomorrow, May 4, 2020. The permission extends to the red zones too barring a few exceptions.

The zones where the relaxation doesn’t apply?

The relaxation won’t apply on containment zones in areas in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Malegoan. The government has been very vocal about not allowing liquor shops or other shops to open in all areas that have high Coronavirus contamination.

What all establishments will be open?

Liquor, tobacco, paan shops and standalone shops selling non-essential items will be allowed to carry out business. Also, all standalone shops, neighbourhood shops and shops running businesses in residential complexes, whether selling essential or non-essential items, will be allowed to resume business.

What all establishments will continue to remain closed?

Irrespective of the zone, all malls and market complexes in the state shall continue to remain closed.

What other activities will begin?

As per the directives, construction activities in all red zone districts will be allowed on the condition that the construction workers live on site and do not travel for work.

Also read: 6 things you should not do even after the Coronavirus lockdown eases or ends

What rules apply on the shops opening from tomorrow?

All establishments can continue business provided they abide by the lockdown rules already in place. The MHA has made a special mention that sale of liquor, paan and tobacco will be allowed on the condition that people will maintain a distance of a minimum of six feet between one another and also not let more than 5 persons at any given time.

Well, there has been a surge of happy messages all over social media ever since the announcement and though it may bring in relief for both the government and alcohol consumers, it reamins to be seen how the government plans to ensure obedience of lockdown rules.

May 3, 2020 0 comments

News In Short

Work with 10% staff only: NMMC to TTC Units

by Staff Reporter April 28, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

Navi Mumbai / TTC: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has issued a general warning to sectors operating along the Thane-Belapur corridor to work with only 10% staff strength as directed by the government as a social distancing measure during the Coronavirus lockdown. Apparently, it has been found that some sectors like pharmaceuticals and banking IT sectors have been flouting the rules and calling in more staff to work.

Let it be known that the NMMC is stern on the policy and will make no acceptions.

April 28, 2020 0 comments

Navi Mumbai’s Muslim Youth ‘This Ramadan we’ll be offering Namaz at our homes’ (4)

Culture Featured Festivals & Traditions

‘This Ramadan we’ll be praying at home’: Navi Mumbai’s Muslim Youth

by VickyTM April 24, 2020

written by VickyTM

The Muslim youth of Navi Mumbai is all set to observe the month of Ramadan which begins on Saturdy, 25 April, under lockdown and pledge to abide by the rules laid down by the government, as the Quaran too mentions following of similar rules during such a crisis

The Muslim youth of Navi Mumbai pledges to observe Ramadan, while also abiding by the lockdown rules

Navi Mumbai: The Coronavirus has hit all aspects of human life in different ways, driving people into their homes in fear, struggling to continue their daily activities under lockdown measures. While work and social life have been hit hardest, festivals have not been spared either and their very essence, of coming together in celebration, has been annulled this year at least. Earlier it was Easter and Navratri that were celebrated at homes and now it is Ramadan or Ramzan, which will be observed from Saturday, 25 April, during the lockdown.

While the authority and even Muslim clerics around the country have been requesting Muslims to obey the rules, the Muslim youth of Navi Mumbai has already decided to spend the month of Ramadan within their homes, connecting with the Almighty in a more personal manner than before.

We spoke to a few young Muslims of Navi Mumbai and here is what they had to say.

“These are very trying times for the world and we have to put our faith in the almighty. This year Ramadan will be observed during the lockdown and I intend to abide by the rules without budging at all,” shares Hazib Nazir, a Business Administration student.

“I have a simple schedule for Ramadan – wake up for ‘Sehri’, offer ‘Fajr’ namaz, read Quran and then sleep till ‘Zuhr’ namaz (afternoon). After that I’ll read the Quran again and take some rest till ‘Asr’ and then again I’ll read the Quran. I intend to finish one parah of the Quran in a day and so complete all 30 parahs in a month,” he adds.

Talking about the most talked about part of the Ramadan celebration – Iftari, Hazib shares, “We will be keeping it simple and easy and I will be helping my mom prepare iftari everyday till ‘Magrib’ and after we are done with iftari, I’ll take some rest till ‘Isha’ and later the ‘Taravi’ which is offered in the Masjid. This Ramadan however, we will be offering our namaz at home and not congregate at the masjid as directed by the government and also our religious peers. We have to take precautions for the wellbeing of everyone and not just ourselves. ”

“This year Ramadan has a different meaning altogether for all the Muslims as we will be confined to our homes,” shares Adnan, a BBA student.

“I’ll be at home throughout the Ramadan month, following the lockdown rules and offering namaz at home rather than going to the masjid. I have also requested my parents and friends to do the same and not visit or invite relatives and take unnecessary risks,” he adds.

Talking about buying fruits and groceries for the iftari, Adnan shares, “We will be ordering fruits and groceries online rather than going out to buy them and I would be making sure to make others aware of the risks of going out to the markets and overcrowding them. As a responsible Indian citizen, I would try my level best to make my friends and relatives aware of the dangers of coronavirus and how the chain can be broken by simply maintaining social distancing. As a matter of fact we would be stocking up necessary things in advance to avoid going out later to buy anything. To connect with friends and relatives, we will make use of various video calling apps. ”

‘This Ramadan we’ll be praying at home’: Navi Mumbai’s Muslim Youth — **Mehwish Desai** – ***(Mehwish was very enthusiastic and wrote her intentions for Ramadan on chart paper!)***

“This Ramadan I’ve decided to stay home and make this quaranteen a beneficial time to upgrade my ‘Deen’ to maintain that ‘Deeb-Duniya’ ratio, shares Mehwish Desai, a Commerce student.

“I’ve decided to stay home and learn about the 30 paras of the Quran with translation for 30 days,” she adds.

Mehwish intends to keep it simple – stay home, pray, connect with the almighty and share the vibes with her family, all being together during this Ramadan.

“Ramadan tests the mind and the body, teaching people to control their urges and focus on the divine. This year, it is going to be very different not just for me but for all who observe the holy month,” shares Nausheen Palawkar, an Optometry student.

“Unlike every year when we devote time to the almighty, socialize with friend and relatives, we would be spending the entire month at home with the lockdown in progress.” she adds.

On asked whether being at home during the lockdown was a forced decision, she shares, “Not at all! It is for the good of everyone and we will be doing it willingly. We can’t even think of going out during the pandemic and risk the lives of many, including ours. As a matter of fact, I will be offering namaz and praying throughout the day at home with my family.”

When we asked if the lockdown changed the essence of Ramadan, she explained, “Ramadan is not just about fasting but about devoting our undivided attention to the almighty and also helping those in need. In the current scenario, the biggest help for people around us would be to stay home ourselves. Nothing about the Ramadan will change with the lockdown – the fasts will go as usual and the namaz will also be offered like always, even better, as we will be at home without any disturbance.”

On Ramadan delicacies and iftari, she said, “This Ramadan we will be sitting together as a family and breaking our fasts, something that couldn’t have been possible earlier due to our busy study and work schedules. This is one positive side of the lockdown – it has brought families together!”

Talking about prayers and what they would be praying most apart from being thankful for everything, she shared, “We believe that fasting prayers are heard before the rest and we will be praying for the Covid-19 crisis to end. I am sure millions of my Muslim brothers and sisters will be praying for the same this Ramadan.”

She concluded with “This year Ramadan will be a family affair when all will be fasting and praying to the almighty together. Though amid crisis, that is a wonderful thing in itself.”

We spoke with a lot more and though we could not put all their quotes together, they all resonated with the ones we did. They all had to say the same things proving their devotion to the Holy month of Ramadan and also a shared sense of responsibility towards the people!

What will change this Ramadan?
Congregating at the Masjids
Inviting friends and relatives over, or visiting them for iftari
Going out and overcrowding the markets for buying food stuff
What won’t change this Ramadan?
The fasting
The offering of Namaz
Iftaris with families
Helping others
Connecting with the Almighty

April 24, 2020 0 comments

Featured Health & Fitness Lifestyle

6 things you should not do even after the Coronavirus lockdown eases or ends

by VickyTM April 20, 2020

written by VickyTM

The Coronavirus crisis will ease down eventually but it will take a long time for people to fully be in control

The Coronavirus has changed the world we used to know, adversely affecting world economies and the lives of people in a whole lot of ways. Right now, there are people around the world who are battling directly or indirectly with Covid-19, some losing their lives and some inspiring others in different ways. There are people who are away from their families, serving on the front lines, fighting it out for people like us who simply have a few things to take care of, like staying home, washing hands, social distancing etc.

We take a look at the most important hings that have been helping the world fight the Coronavirus in the absence of a vaccine. The world should not stop doing those things even after the lockdown gets lifted.

No one knows the exact behaviour of Coronavirus and if it will simply fade away so soon

Well, the fact is that we are not sure about how the virus will behave in the long term, post social distancing and lockdown period and it may still lurk around at potential hot-spots and affect vulnerable people, leading to another spike of infections.

So while the lockdown will be lifted in well planned phases, taking calculated risks, it is up to the people to tread with caution and take responsibility to keep living the risk free lives they have been living during the lockdown days.

You should not do the following things even after the Coronavirus lockdown eases of ends

You should not stop the hand-wash routine

There is a reason why washing your hands is top priority during the Coronavirus crisis. Washing your hands is a must after touching surfaces, things or people as it cuts down the possibility of you getting infected or spreading the virus further to other surfaces or people. This habit should not end even after the lockdown relaxes or end as the ending of the lockdown wouldn’t mean the ending of the virus.

The habit of washing your hands thoroughly for as long as possible will ensure that even the smallest possibility of the coronavirus spreading is cut short.

Stick to the routine for as long as you have water and soap in your homes and offices.

Don’t stop sanitizing your hands for as long as possible

Even before the Coronavirus crisis people had been using hand sanitizers for good to kill germs and now in present times, they are of utmost importance. You must be pretty aware of the benefits of using it and so we won’t drag the topic further. It is as useful and important as washing your hands thoroughly. As a matter of fact, it is the best option in a situation when you can’t wash your hands.

You should not stop using hand sanitizers when moving out, travelling to work etc. you will be touching many things touched by people without knowing if it is infected or not.

Keep hand sanitizers with you and keep using them as a habit for a few more months at least.

Don’t stop using face masks for your own good

While the use of face masks has been debated a lot, the truth is that using them is good for a whole lot of reasons. During present times, it is necessary to use face masks to cut down every chance of getting infected by the Coronavirus or spreading an infection further.

Even if the lockdown lifts up, don’t stop using face masks for some time as they will protect you from a lot of things apart from the Coronavirus – like the pollution and other infections.

Don’t get back to your party animal lives and horde clubs and restaurants

Before you hit the bars and restaurants like parched animals after a drought, remember one thing, the Coronavirus is not going anywhere but will still be around hunting for vulnerable people. You will have to be disciplined when the lockdown eases or lifts up completely. The idea of social distancing is a much needed one not just in present times but also in the coming months.

Gatherings madly at pubs, bars and restaurants will only increases the chances of spreading whatever remains of the Coronavirus further.

If it is celebration you want, then celebrate it with your families or at the most a friend or two at places that are not crowded.

Don’t forget the social distancing exercise immediately after the lockdown eases as we are not sure if Coronavirus will be gone for real.

Please don’t forget that the world can’t go back to the old partying, hugging and kissing ways so soon and if anyone tells you it can, they are lying.

Don’t visit Coronavirus hot-spots and come in close contact with vulnerable or quarantined people

There are Coronavirus hot-spots and quarantined people around us, even close friends and families. The one thing that people will want to do is visit these places for work or other reasons or to simply meet friends and families. While that thought cannot be turned down, there has to be some precautions in place when doing so.

Remember, the virus will still be around some places and the once infected might still be vulnerable to new infections. You would not like to be the carrier of the virus to such places and people or get infected yourself from.

Don’t stop maintaining distance and taking precautions when visiting such places or meeting old people or children, for the good of everyone.

Don’t travel for the sake of others, if not yours

Travelers beware! The lifting of flying restrictions should not mean reorganizing your travel itinerary once again. Remember, the world suffers with the Coronavirus crisis owing to international travel and as a traveler, you bear responsibility to ensure that a new surge of travel doesn’t bring in another surge of global infections.

Remember, air travel, train travel or bus travel cannot ensure social distancing at all and hence it once again puts people in a tricky situation.

To be frank, people without extreme emergencies should not travel at all and for the sake of others “get rid of your wanderlust’ for now and get busy with exploring yourself.

Don’t travel and give the Coronavirus another opportunity to reach out to more places and people than it did the first time.

Other things you should not forget and continue as a general healthy habit:

Don’t cough or sneeze without covering you face
Don’t touch your face before sanitizing your hands

Remember, the Coronavirus is here to stay and it is only through responsible ways that we can get back to the normal world it once was.

April 20, 2020 1 comment

Featured Food

Street food items Navi Mumbai youngsters miss during the coronavirus lockdown

by Staff Reporter April 19, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

From Pani Puri, Vada Pav, Manchurian to Tandoori chicken, city youngsters share what they miss most during the Coronavius lockdown

Navi Mumbai residents miss doing a lot of things during the Coronavirus lockdown but most of all, they miss eating street food, outside. Somewhere within the walls of every household there is a foodie cursing the Chinese while also craving for lip-smacking Chinese Food or to put it in a better way – Indian Chinese Food! Young foodies, mostly students, are a harried lot at the moment and with the Coronavirus lockdown on a path of back to back extensions, they have already started missing ‘street food’ like anything.

We asked some youngsters (read extreme foodies) about the street food items they missed most and the replies were as expected. Read along!

“Food is my antidote to everything and I can literally ‘eat myself out’ of every trying situation. I miss eating out a lot during the lockdown, especially street food items that I cherished the most,” shares Anisa Kaka.

“I miss pani puri the most as I have grown up eating it and though we prepare it at home too, eating at the ‘pani puri stall’ is a different experience altogether. Another major missing is ‘manchurian pav’ that we used to eat regularly at a stall near my college. It was like a ‘sisterhood’ kind of thing for me and my friends and I miss eating it the too,” she adds.

Anisha Kaka – Student, Foodie & Baker

“I’m a ‘momo girl’ or rather a ‘momo’ as my best friend calls me, and in more ways than one, I am a die-hard fan of momos,” shares Saakshi Tiwari.

“I believe food affects the mind more than the stomach. Momos are very dear to me as they were the first things that I had eaten with my first salary. So you see, I have that mental attachment with momos and the stall near my house where I first ate them as an independent girl. I have been eating momos at the same stall since long and will continue eating once the lockdown get’s lifted,” she adds nostalgically.

Saakshi Tiwari – Student & Foodie

“I miss eating Sev Puri the most as it was my favourite street food item and a snack I could grab within seconds and satiate my hunger,” shares Vrushali Zimur.

“I never knew I would miss Sev Puri this bad. I tried making it at home too but could not get the taste I love. I think I will persuade the the pani puri vendor to reveal the recipe of the sev puri he makes. I can hardly wait for the lockdown to be lifted,” she adds.

Vrushali Zimur – Student & Foodie

“I miss nothing else but vada pav – it is the king of the Indian street food scene, is easily available, cheaply priced, tastier than the ‘burger’ and so full of nostalgia,” shares Anki Kothiyal, a vada pav worshiper (in his own words).

“Of all the places I used to eat vada pav at in Navi Mumbai, I miss the one near my workplace where they served it with a special chutney, ” he adds.

Ankit Kothiyal – KPO Executive & Foodie

“I miss my regular chakna – Tandoori Lollypop. Nothing has been able to get my mind of it till now,” shares Harpal Singh Naol, a chakhna guy (if you know what it means).

“There is nothing like eating hot tandoori lollypop with a can of beer along with a handful of close friends,” he adds.

Harpal Singh Naol – Tattoo Artist, Traveller, Foodie

“I have lately been having dreams about eating pani puri at my favourite joint. That explains how much I miss it,” shares Pari Gupta.

“Our gang of girls was once very hungry, kind of broke and on a hunt for cheap street food and we had come to this pani puri stall near our place. That taste and the satiating feeling it brought never left us and we had been eating at the stall almost every day. We will be eating it first thing after the lifting of the lockdown,” she adds.

Pari Gupta – Student, Aspiring Model & Foodie

April 19, 2020 0 comments

Education & Learning Featured Lifestyle

City schools take to remote learning to continue teaching during the Covid-19 lockdown

by Staff Reporter April 17, 2020

written by Staff Reporter

As uncertainty over the coronavirus lockdown period increases, many schools in Navi Mumbai are putting technology to the best possible use by conducting online lessons everyday

As schools remain closed in Navi Mumbai for an indefinite period owing to the coronavirus lockdown, some city schools, just like many others around the world, have come up with a plan to continue teaching their students with the help of technology and the gadgets children remain glued to nowadays – mobile phones! Yes! Schools have geared up and are conducting classes online, teaching students while they remain locked down within the four walls of their homes.

On Monday, 6 April, Ramsheth Thakur Public School, Kharghar, conducted their first ever remote learning session by conducting online classes for their 6th to 12th standard students. Students logged into the zoom app, which is now the official online education app for many schools around the world, at 9 am, to see their teachers giving live lessons online. The lessons and discussions carried on till 12 pm as the class concluded on a very exciting note.

“This is the first time that we conducted classes in such a manner. In fact many other schools will be doing it for the first time amid such a scenario,” says a teacher of Ramsheth Thakur Public School. “It was a good experience for all of us, as we were able to continue with the daily lessons from the comforts of our homes and without having to face the threat of being affected by the virus,” she adds.

Vishwajyot High School, Kharghar, another innovative school, commenced their online classes from Thursday, 9 April.

“Ours is an innovative school which is highly influenced by the Waldorf philosophy. We are open to adopting new tools that compliment education in every possible manner. Going online during the ongoing crisis was a unanimous decision made by the school panel, teachers and parents as we beleive that education and learning should continue,” shares Sanjna Rao, a teacher at Vishwajyot High School.

Talking about the need to introduce remote learning to the students, Rao explains, “The pandemic is a very disturbing crisis for all but that shouldn’t stop us from carrying out our daily lessons for children even if it simply means boosting their confidence and assuring them of better times ahead. Children have their own ways of assessing crisis and the pandemic is putting all kinds of crazy thoughts into their heads – even things like zombie apocalypse! So, conducting classes online is not merely for the academic purpose alone but also to provide mental support to one another. The simple activity of coming online every day, seeing other students online, carrying out regular studies, laughing about during spare moments between the lectures, talking to each other and having a little bit of fun does a lot to boost the morale of children.”

Students are all the more excited about the entire ‘remote learning’ or ‘online classes’ experience and they are enthusiastically discovering a whole new level of learning.

“We chat online with family and friends and watch videos or movies but never before have we ever been given live lessons by our teachers. It is such a different experience and means a lot to all of us as we stay home during the lockdown, not able to meet or talk to our classmates,” shares Hriday, Rao’s elder son, and an 8^th standard student at Ramsheth Thakur Public School. “It is good to see our classmates and have a good talk with them, knowing that we are all in this together, with our teachers teaching us from far away,” he adds.

Also read: 5 Things students should do during the lockdown for self-development

For many students it is all about the comfort and fun that online classes seems to have introduced them to.

“I never knew it could be so comfortable to learn online. We can wear anything, sit comfortably, walk around, stretch a bit and do a lot of things while the class is in progress. It is so much easy than sitting in the classroom,” shares Ansh, Rao’s younger son, and a 6th standard student in the same school as his brother. “The teachers too must be comfortable as they are at home and can sit comfortably while we watch the slides and listen to them. Schools should do this more often even after the lockdown,” he adds.

Let us add here some schools have made it compulsory for students to wear their school uniforms during the online sessions.

What is driving the entire ‘remote or online learning’ exercise?

Well, schools around the world are making use of a dynamic app called ‘Zoom’ that enables them interact and carry out learning sessions remotely. The app allows teachers, administrators, and students to successfully set up virtual classrooms, participate in online classes, and give new meaning to distance education.

“The app is wonderful and it has simplified the way we interact in a virtual environment,” Rao says.

The shortcomings of remote or online learning?

Well, everything connected to the web is subject to the availability and quality of internet connection. Having said that, there can be call breaks or hung-up screens from time to time.

“Though everyone is able to connect to the app, not everyone is able to access a strong internet connection. In fact, a majority of the students and even teachers, access the app with the help of mobile internet. So, they are subject to the daily limit of data and the speed. As a result, sometimes there are issues like call breaks or the screen getting hung-up for a few moments. Still, it goes on without interruption for the major part of the classes,” explains Rao.

Is remote or online learning the way forward?

A majority of schools have started online classes and are carrying them out successfully. However, there are some who are not able to do it owing to lack of technological knowledge and access. Experts believe that there can be many drawbacks to remote learning owing to the fact that many schools still lack the infrastructure, namely strong internet connectivity and lack of technical support. There is also an obvious dearth of quality and creative online study materials pertaining to individual schools. Then there’s the fact that not all homes are well equipped to access online learning platforms. The availability of standard gadgets like mobile phones, laptops etc. are limited to a very low number of families. It’s not that people don’t have phones or laptops but that not every child has access to a phone or a laptop. Moving forward, the bigger issue is not having a strong internet connection at home – not every house has a broadband connection!

Whatever the case, for now, remote learning is the only option that schools have if they wish to continue teaching their students amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

April 17, 2020 0 comments

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