But when demonetisation hit in November 2016, and Arti deposited Rs 17.50 lakhs in cash across seven bank accounts, she became exactly the kind of person the Income Tax Department was looking for. What followed was nearly a decade of tax notices, hearings, appeals, and mounting anxiety — before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in Mumbai finally cleared her completely in an order dated April 15, 2026, pronounced by Judicial Member Shri Pawan Singh.

The story of how she got there is one of the most instructive demonetisation-era tax cases to emerge from Mumbai’s courts — and its ending carries an important message for every taxpayer who ever chose to come clean with the government.

The Deposit That Raised Red Flags

On the night of November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes would cease to be legal tender. Citizens were given a window to deposit their old notes into bank accounts. The Income Tax Department simultaneously received data feeds on every significant cash deposit made during this window, with instructions to scrutinise deposits that appeared disproportionate to the depositor’s declared income.

Arti deposited Rs 17.50 lakhs in cash across seven bank accounts during this period. Her declared income for Assessment Year 2017-18 was Rs 5.31 lakhs, of which Rs 4.25 lakhs was tuition income and the rest was interest and minor receipts. To a scrutinising officer, the arithmetic looked suspicious — a woman declaring Rs 5 lakh a year had somehow accumulated Rs 17.50 lakhs in cash.

Her case was selected for limited scrutiny. Notices were issued. The questions began.

Her Explanation: Years of Careful Saving

Arti’s answer to the department was simple and consistent across every round of proceedings. The cash had not appeared from nowhere. It came from two entirely legitimate sources:

• From financial year 2014-15 onwards, she had made cash withdrawals from three bank accounts — City Co-op Bank, Mangalore Co-op Bank, and Karnataka Bank. Total withdrawals from these three accounts exceeded Rs 20 lakhs over the period. She had accumulated this cash at home gradually, over years.
• Her tuition fees for 2017-18 amounting to Rs 4.25 lakhs, received in cash as is standard for private home tutors, formed part of what she deposited.

She also pointed out that three of her accounts were jointly held with her husband, who had himself deposited Rs 13.31 lakhs during the same demonetisation window — painting the picture of an older couple that had simply accumulated household savings in cash over many years, not one that was channelling unaccounted wealth through the banking system.

She furnished copies of her bank passbooks, her withdrawal records, and her return of income to support these submissions.

The Tax Officer Applies the Human Probability Test

The Assessing Officer was unconvinced. He invoked what Indian tax law calls the test of “human probabilities” — a doctrine established by the Supreme Court in landmark rulings including Sumati Dayal vs CIT and CIT vs Durga Prasad More — which asks not merely whether an explanation is theoretically possible, but whether it is consistent with how ordinary, prudent people actually behave.

His logic ran as follows:

• No prudent person, he argued, would withdraw Rs 17.50 lakhs in cash across 54 separate transactions over two years and simply store it at home — particularly someone who was simultaneously maintaining fixed deposits of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.40 lakhs in multiple banks and earning interest on them.
• If Arti genuinely had this cash, why keep it idle at home when she could have earned interest on it in the bank?
• In the previous assessment year 2016-17, her cash deposit was just Rs 25,000. The sudden appearance of Rs 17.50 lakhs in cash during demonetisation — and only during demonetisation — looked less like legitimate savings and more like an attempt to launder old currency notes.
• The 54 withdrawals over two years, he noted, were consistent with routine personal and household expenses — not with deliberately accumulating a large cash reserve.

He issued a final show cause notice asking why the entire Rs 17.50 lakh deposit should not be treated as unexplained cash credit. Arti replied twice, reiterating her position. The officer was unmoved.

He did give her two concessions. He allowed Rs 2.50 lakhs as per a CBDT notification dated November 15, 2016, which permitted everyone a standard cash deposit during demonetisation without question. He also allowed Rs 1 lakh as a reasonable estimate of cash a senior citizen might hold at home. The remaining Rs 14 lakhs was added to her income as unexplained cash credit under Section 68 of the Income Tax Act and taxed at the punitive enhanced rate under Section 115BBE — a provision that imposes tax at approximately 60% on unexplained income. The tax demand on Rs 14 lakhs at this rate was crushing for a woman living on tuition fees.

The First Appeal: No Relief

Arti challenged the addition before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), or CIT(A), in Chennai. She reiterated her submissions about the bank withdrawals and tuition income.

The CIT(A) sided with the Assessing Officer. It noted that Arti had not furnished a cash flow statement tracking her cash position year by year, had not produced independent evidence of her tuition income in the form of receipts or fee registers, and had not shown how the cash balance had been carried forward year after year. The Rs 14 lakh addition was confirmed in its entirety.

Arti appealed to the ITAT.

The Trump Card Nobody Had Noticed

When the case came before the ITAT, Arti’s advocate Rahul Hakani did something that changed everything. He placed before the Tribunal a document that both the Assessing Officer and the CIT(A) had either overlooked or chosen to ignore — Form No. 4 issued under the Income Declaration Scheme, 2016 (IDS-2016).

Here is why this mattered enormously.

In 2016, ahead of demonetisation, the Government of India had launched a one-time amnesty scheme called the Income Declaration Scheme. It offered people with unaccounted income a chance to come clean — declare the income, pay tax, surcharge, and penalty on it, and receive immunity from further prosecution or scrutiny in respect of that declared income.

Arti had participated in this scheme. On September 30, 2016 — six weeks before demonetisation was announced — she had declared undisclosed cash income of Rs 10,57,163 covering Assessment Years 2010-11 to 2014-15. The income tax department had accepted her declaration, issued Form No. 4 with receipt number 418939980010318, and collected from her:

• Tax of Rs 3,17,149
• Surcharge of Rs 79,287
• Penalty of Rs 79,287
• Total paid to the government: Rs 4,75,723

This was not a trivial sum for a tuition teacher. She had voluntarily approached the government, disclosed her unaccounted savings, and paid nearly Rs 4.75 lakhs in tax and penalties to regularise her position. The government had accepted her declaration and her money.

And crucially — the declaration established that as of July 1, 2016, Arti legitimately had Rs 10.57 lakhs in cash in her possession. Not black money. Not unaccounted wealth. Disclosed, taxed, and acknowledged cash.

The timing was equally important. The IDS declaration was made on September 30, 2016 — before demonetisation. She could not have known demonetisation was coming when she made the disclosure. This was not a retrospective attempt to cover her tracks.

The Math That Made It All Add Up

With the IDS declaration on the table, Arti’s advocate walked the Tribunal through a clean calculation that left nothing unexplained:

• Total cash deposited during demonetisation: Rs 17,50,000
• Less standard CBDT allowance: Rs 2,50,000
• Balance requiring explanation: Rs 15,00,000
• Less cash available as of July 1, 2016 per IDS Form No. 4: Rs 10,57,163
• Balance remaining to explain: Rs 4,42,837
• Less tuition income savings for AY 2017-18 and minor savings: Rs 4,42,837
• Amount left unexplained: Nil

Every rupee was accounted for. The IDS-declared cash covered the bulk of it, and her tuition earnings took care of the rest. There was nothing left for the department to tax.

The Department’s Last Argument — and Why It Failed

The Revenue’s representative, Senior Departmental Representative Shri Rajesh Sakhardande, tried one last argument. He suggested that the IDS declaration “may have been created to show cash in hand” — implying it could have been filed with the ulterior motive of justifying future demonetisation deposits.

The ITAT rejected this reasoning. The IDS declaration had been filed on September 30, 2016 — before demonetisation was announced on November 8, 2016. Arti could not have anticipated demonetisation when she filed her declaration. Moreover, the government had accepted her declaration, issued a formal receipt, and collected nearly Rs 4.75 lakhs from her. It was not open to the department to now question a disclosure it had itself accepted and benefited from.

As the ITAT put it plainly: once the IDS declared by the assessee is accepted and taxed, the cash in hand cannot be doubted.

Two Additional Legal Points

Arti’s advocate also raised two important technical arguments before the ITAT, though the tribunal decided the case primarily on the IDS point:

• Section 68 may not apply to individuals without books of account. Section 68, which deals with unexplained cash credits, technically applies to entries in a taxpayer’s books of account. Arti, as an individual without formal books, may not have been liable under this provision at all — a point supported by a 1983 Bombay High Court ruling in CIT vs Bhaichand N. Gandhi.
• The enhanced tax rate under Section 115BBE cannot apply retrospectively. This provision, which imposes tax at approximately 60% on unexplained income, came into force only from December 15, 2016. Applying it to cash that pre-dated that provision would amount to retrospective taxation — which is impermissible in law. An ITAT Rajkot Bench ruling in ITO vs Mahendrakumar Bhagvandas (2025) was cited in support.

The Verdict: Complete Victory

The ITAT allowed Arti’s appeal in full. The entire Rs 14 lakh addition was deleted. The grounds of appeal were allowed.

The journey from the original tax addition to final vindication covered:

• An assessment order by the ITO, Lalbaug
• A first appeal before the CIT(A) in Chennai — dismissed
• A second appeal before the ITAT Mumbai — won completely

For a 62-year-old tuition teacher from Matunga, it was a hard, expensive, and exhausting road. But at the end of it, every rupee was accounted for, every penny was proven, and the government’s own paperwork had saved her.

The Lesson for Every Taxpayer

This case carries a message that goes far beyond Arti’s individual victory. It demonstrates that participating in government amnesty schemes is not merely an act of compliance — it can, years later, become the most important piece of evidence a taxpayer has in their favour.

It also stands as a warning about how demonetisation-era scrutiny affected ordinary, honest savers disproportionately. A retired tutor who had spent years accumulating modest cash savings found herself fighting a Rs 14 lakh tax addition at a punitive 60% rate — not because she had done anything wrong, but because the sheer size of her deposit relative to her declared income looked suspicious on paper.

The ITAT’s ruling restores the balance: the government cannot invite citizens to disclose their cash, collect tax on it, issue formal receipts acknowledging it — and then turn around and treat that same cash as black money when it surfaces during demonetisation.

Also Read: Lodha Developers Ordered to Pay Senior Citizens for Harassment & Mental Torture in Worli Project

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The Urban Development Department released a Government Resolution (GR) on Monday mandating sterilization, vaccination, tagging, designation of feeding zones, establishment of shelters, and creation of complaint helplines. The government has warned that failure to comply will be treated as contempt of court, and responsible officials will face personal accountability.

Supreme Court’s Concern Over Human–Dog Conflict

The Supreme Court, while hearing the case, observed that uncontrolled stray dog populations have resulted in frequent attacks, especially on children, posing serious threats to public safety. The Court emphasized the urgency of enforcing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 across all cities.

The bench noted that municipal bodies have not implemented sterilization and vaccination programs adequately, leading to an alarming rise in dog-bite cases.

Key Government Directives to Local Bodies

1. Sterilization, Vaccination & Tagging

Municipal corporations, councils, and Nagar Panchayats must catch stray dogs and carry out sterilization, anti-rabies vaccination and ear-tag identification on priority.

2. Creation of Stray Dog Shelters

Local bodies must set up properly equipped shelters or holding centres for stray dogs after capture.

3. Designated Feeding Zones Only

Authorities must allocate specific feeding areas for community dogs. Feeding in open, public spaces such as streets, buildings or parks will not be allowed; violators will face punitive action.

4. Dedicated Helpline for Complaints

A helpline number for complaints about stray dog threats or attacks must be published and responses must be ensured promptly.

5. Anti-Rabies Vaccine Stock Mandatory

All government and private hospitals under municipal bodies must maintain adequate stock of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) and Immunoglobulin.

6. Immediate Action in Sensitive Public Locations

Stray dogs found near schools, hospitals, bus depots, railway stations, sports complexes and similar areas must be immediately removed and shifted to shelters. They must not be released again at the same site.

7. State-Level Coordination Officer Appointed

The Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration, Navi Mumbai, has been designated as Nodal Officer to monitor implementation statewide.

Strict Enforcement & Legal Consequences

The GR warns that any non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s instructions will result in personal liability and departmental action under contempt of court provisions. Municipal bodies have been directed to file compliance reports regularly.

The government said the order aims to ensure public safety while maintaining humane treatment toward community animals under national rules.

Conclusion

The circular marks an aggressive policy shift to address the growing concern around stray dog attacks and public health risks. With mandatory sterilization, vaccination coverage, controlled feeding points and stronger enforcement, Maharashtra aims to strike a balance between citizen safety and animal welfare.

Also Read: MahaRERA Orders Full Refund with Interest to Homebuyer for Possession Delay

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Break-up of Coverage

• All Risk Insurance Policy (Gold, Silver & Jewels): ₹67.03 crore (up from ₹43.15 cr in 2024)
• Standard Fire & Special Peril Policy with Earthquake Risk (Furniture, Fixtures, Electronics, Grocery, QR Code Scanners etc.): ₹2 crore
• Public Liability (Pandals, Stadiums, Devotees): ₹30 crore
• Personal Accident Insurance (Volunteers, Archaks, Cooks, Workers, Security Staff): ₹375 crore (biggest component)
• Standard Fire & Special Peril Policy (Premises): ₹0.43 crore

Why Such High Insurance?

The GSB Seva Mandal is known for its opulence — the Ganpati idol is adorned with gold, silver, and precious ornaments worth several crores. With lakhs of devotees visiting every year, the Mandal takes no chances, ensuring protection against risks ranging from theft and fire to personal accidents and natural calamities.

Steady Rise in Insurance Cover

• 2023: ₹360.40 crore
• 2024: ₹400.58 crore
• 2025: ₹474.46 crore

This steady rise highlights not just the growing value of the mandal’s wealth and arrangements but also the increasing focus on safety and risk management.

Symbol of Mumbai’s Ganeshotsav Grandeur

GSB Seva Mandal has long held the title of Mumbai’s richest Ganpati mandal, and its massive insurance cover reflects the scale of devotion, donations, and security involved. With each passing year, the mandal continues to set new benchmarks in both grandeur and safety, making it a focal point of Mumbai’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

Also Read: India’s Richest Ganesh Mandal Insured for ₹400.58 Crore

The post GSB Seva Mandal Insures Ganpati for ₹474.46 Crore in 2025, Mumbai’s Richest Ganpati Mandal Sets New Record appeared first on Square Feat India.

Domestic investors followed a similar trend, with their share dropping to 30% in 2024 from 35% in the previous year. However, they too recorded a 36% growth in investment value.

A notable highlight was the rise of co-investments—joint funding by foreign and domestic investors—which surged to 16% of total investments in 2024, compared to a negligible share in 2023. Co-investments registered a remarkable 61-fold increase in value, as foreign investors leveraged the local expertise of domestic partners amid macroeconomic uncertainty.

Institutional investments in real estate reached USD 6.8 billion in 2024, marking a 61% year-on-year increase and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This resurgence comes after a four-year decline, driven largely by the industrial and warehousing sector, which benefited from robust e-commerce and quick-commerce demand.

Shifts in Asset Investment

The commercial real estate segment, which has traditionally dominated investments, accounted for 35% of total investments in 2024, down from 61% in 2023. The decline reflects a slowdown in the IT-ITeS sector, although growing demand for Global Capability Centers (GCCs) is expected to renew interest in office spaces.

Meanwhile, the residential sector attracted USD 2 billion in investments, representing 30% of the total and a 171% increase from 2023. Similarly, the industrial and warehousing sector grew by 203%, increasing its share from 15% in 2023 to 28% in 2024.

Yearly Investment Trends

Institutional investments rebounded in 2024 after consecutive declines since 2020. The yearly investment trend highlights the following:

Expert Outlook

Shrinivas Rao, FRICS, CEO of Vestian, noted, “Despite a slow start, institutional investments in 2024 exceeded pre-pandemic levels. However, 2025 could pose challenges due to geopolitical tensions, global economic slowdown, and elevated inflation. A potential repo rate cut by the RBI could stimulate real estate activity, attracting more investors.”

Return-to-office policies, government initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and a focus on affordable housing are expected to boost real estate demand and investor participation in the coming years.

Key Insights:

• Foreign Investors: 54% share, USD 3.7 billion investments.
• Co-Investments: 16% share, 61-fold increase in value.
• Sector Growth: Residential investments up by 171%; industrial and warehousing up by 203%.
• 2024 Total Investments: USD 6.8 billion, up 61% year-on-year.

Also Read: cross-border investment

The post Foreign Investors Dominate Institutional Investments in 2024, Co-Investments See a 61-Fold Surge appeared first on Square Feat India.

The Cyber Helpline, operational since its launch, has become a crucial resource for residents facing the rising threat of cybercrime. The prompt actions taken by the officials on October 5 not only saved a significant amount but also highlighted the team’s dedication to protecting the public from increasingly sophisticated scams.

Since the beginning of 2024, the helpline has made impressive strides in its efforts to combat cyber fraud. To date, it has successfully saved a total of ₹114 crores for victims, a testament to the proactive measures and swift responses of the Mumbai Police. The cumulative recovery showcases the effectiveness of their strategies, including public awareness campaigns and enhanced reporting mechanisms.

Authorities encourage citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious online activity to the helpline. The Mumbai Police continue to work tirelessly to educate the public on the various forms of cyber fraud and how to avoid falling victim. The success of the Cyber Helpline underscores the importance of community engagement and cooperation in the fight against cybercrime.

As cyber threats evolve, the Mumbai Police Cyber Helpline remains a vital ally in safeguarding citizens’ financial security and digital well-being, ensuring that help is just a call away.

Also Read: Mumbai Police Acquires 58 flats in Tardeo for its officers

The post Mumbai Police Cyber Helpline 1930 Saves ₹1,01,58,727 in 24 Hours, Total Recovery Reaches ₹114 Crore in 2024 appeared first on Square Feat India.

This is Mumbai’s richest Ganesha Mandal, where the mandal this year has opted for an insurance of ₹360.4 crore.

GSB Seva Mandal’s MahaGanapati is known as India’s Richest Lord Ganesha Idol at King’s Circle, Mumbai.

Also, popularly known as NAVSALA PAVNARA VISHWACHA RAJA by his devotees due to his countless miracles & infinite divine blessings on his devotees all over the world.

This year GSB Seva Mandal are celebrating its 69th Year of Lord MahaGanapati’s arrival on the VIRAT DARSHAN DAY (The first look unveiling event) on 17th September 2023 while GANESHOTSAV beginning from 19th September 2023 till 23rd September 2023.

At this Ganesha Mandal Pandal, rituals (Pooja’s / Archana’s / Seva’s / Annadaan) are performed round the clock according to our traditions.. On an average, around 60,000 Pooja’s / Seva’s are offered to Lord MahaGanapati by the Devotees / Sevedars at other pandal.

More than 20,000 people take the benefit of Annadaan Seva, basically the Prasad Bhojan served on Banana Leaf.

“We also take utmost care of the environmental balance, that our MahaGanapati’s idol is made up of a specific Clay (Shaadu Maati), Grass and Naturally Extracted Water Colors which clearly means our MahaGanapati’s idol is ECO-FRIENDLY. We embarked on a mission to eliminate the traditional paper receipts and to go Digital to eradicate the wastage of paper and usage of plastic as printed receipts are not considered ideal. We ensured to GO GREEN for ECO-FRIENDLY GANESHOTSAV,” said Amit D. Pai, Spokesperson & the Trustee of GSB Seva Mandal.

As the day is nearing for the Ganeshotsav celebrations, many other preparations are racing. One of the foremost preparation parts is the Insurance Cover.

“The MahaGanapati is decorated with 66+ kgs of Gold Ornaments, 295+ kgs of Silver and other precious items which are usually donated by the Devotees / Sevedars,” said Amit D. Pai, Spokesperson & the Trustee of GSB Seva Mandal.

Previous year – 2022, the mandal had taken an insurance cover of a record ₹316.40 Crores.

This year – 2023, they have taken up with an insurance cover of another record of whooping ₹360.40 Crores.

Total coverage is for ₹360.40 Crores & is by The New India Insurance Co. Ltd.

Break-up as follows:

1. ₹38.47 Crores: All Risk Insurance Policy covers for a variety of risks that includes Gold, Silver and Jewellery.
2. ₹2 Crore: Standard Fire and Special Peril Policy with Earthquake Risk covers items like Furniture, Fixtures & Fittings, Installations such as Computers, CCTV Cameras, QR scanners, Utensils, Grocery, Fruits & Vegetables.
3. ₹30 Crores: The Public liability which covers Pandals, Stadiums, Devotees etc. is secured.
4. ₹289.50 Crores: The Personal Accident Insurance cover for Volunteers, Archaks, Cooks, Gadis, Chappal Stall Workers, Valet Parking Persons, Security Guards, etc.
5. ₹43 Lacs: The Standard Fire & Special Peril Policy for the venue premises.

Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai is the biggest festival and Mumbaikars eagerly await it.

Also Read: MHADA to issue notice for redevelopment of LIC’s 68 Cessed Buildings in Mumbai

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By Varun Singh

Even during day more than 5 people aren’t allowed to gather. The state government on Sunday came out with specific restrictions to Break The Chain.

Starting Monday specific regulations will be placed in the city to tackle the growing numbers of Corona patients.

Section 144 shall be in force in the entire state from Monnday. Morning 7 to 8 pm there will be restrictions. Even during day more than 5 people together aren’t allowed.

There will be complete lockdown from Friday night till Monday morning, read a statement released from the office of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

From 8 pm in the night to 7 am next mornning, no one will be allowed to step out without any genuine reasons.

Those associated with the essential services and medical will be allowed to step out duirng this time.

Gardens, Chowpatty, Beaches and other public places shall remain shut between 8 pm to 7 am.

Kirana stores, medical stores, vegetable vendors and other essential service providers shall be allowed to operate.

All shops, malls, markets shall remain remain shut till April 30.

All private and public transport services shall remain operational. In rickshaw two commuters shall be allowed. Taxis shall run with 50% capacity, no standees allowed in buses.

All private offices shall follow Work From Home module, except for financial sectors like banks, stock market, insurance, pharma companies, mediclaim, telecommunication services.

Apart from this, basic service providing agencies like electricity offices, water supply department shall remain functional.

Government offices which arenn’t connected with any services to be provided for Corona related diseases, shall function with 50% capacity.

No visitors shall be allowed at government offices.

Places of entertainment shall be closed, this includes cinema halls, multiplexes, theatre, video parlours, clubs, swimming pools, sports complexes, halls, and water parks.

Religious places will be completely shut, only officials of such religious places will be allowed to perform the daily rituals.

Restaurants and Bars will be shut too, these restaruants shall be allowed to carry out take away and parcel system between 7 am to 8 pm.

E-commerce services shall be opertaional between 7 am to 8 pm. The delivery agent should be vaccinated or else he shall be fined Rs 1,000 and the shop or the organisation to which he belongs to will be fined Rs 10,000.

All hair cutting saloons, beauty parlours, spac shall remain closed.

Schools and Colleges shall remain shut, except for exams of class 10 and 12, even private coaching centres shall remain shut.

Manufacturing sector shall remain operational, but all protocols has to be followed.

Construction workers will have to reside at the construction site. No worker shall be removed from work only because he’s suffering fro COVID.

In any housing society where more than 5 patients are found shall be declared as mini conatinment zone and a board announcing the same shall be placed at the gate. Outsiders shall not be allowed in such socities.

Also Read: Hard To Believe So Many Faced A Difficulty To Pay Rent During Lockdown

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By Varun Singh

Local trains are the lifeline of Mumbai, since the end of March 2020, only a limited crowd was permitted to used the local trains.

The Coronavirus led Pandemic had forced a lockdown, which also meant that not all could travel in the local trains.

This meant, that people either work from home, or use alternative mediums to travel to their work place.

Currently members of essential services are allowed to take the local trains.

However, from February 1, local trains shall be permitted to all commuters, in the city of Mumbai.

There are some timings that one has to follow to use the trains if they do not belong to the essential services category.

The train services will be allowed from the start of services for the day to 7 am and then again from 12 noon to 4 pm and from 9 pm to closure of train services from the day.

The train services will be restricted to essential services staff only as is being permitted currently from 7 am to 12 noon and from 4 pm to 9 pm.

This means a lot for commuters who would normally spend 4 hours at stretch to reach their work place if they stayed in extended suburbs.

Apart from this, the state government has also directed that shops will be allowed to operate till 11 pm.

Restaurants will be allowed to operate till 1 am. But 30% limit for staff will continue to be in force and the establishments like shops and restaurants will be allowed to operate as per the SOPs issued for the daily operation of the same by various departments of the state government.

The state government has also requested the establishments to stagger their work schedule in a manner wherein the staff of the same will be able to avail the services of the local trains in timings allowed for them.

Also Read: Officegoers Spend 7 Hours A Day In Commute

The post Local Trains For All From Feb 1, Read When You Can Travel appeared first on Square Feat India.

By Varun Singh

Many parents feel its better to keep their kids at home than send them to school this year.

Even if it means that the kid has to lose a year, most parents do not have a problem with it.

The reason is COVID 19 and its spread. Most parents aren’t sure whether at schools their kids will be safe.

It is not just schools, the entire commute from home to school, and the return journey, everything has worried parents.

Taarika Khedekar, a PR Professional, has decided the she will not send her child to school till Diwali.

She says, “I would personally not send my kid to school as he is really small and does not understand the importance or use of masks. His online school has already begun which is going fine so far despite it being hectic for us parents as we need to juggle between work, housework, and school work. I may not send him until Diwali if the situation doesn’t improve drastically.”

Many parents say they won’t send their kids till the time a vaccine isn’t found for the disease.

Mangal Hanwate a single mom says, “My parents and I have taken a stand that we won’t send our children to school. We do not mind losing a year, for us the kids are important. We won’t send them till the vaccine is found and administered to my twin daughters.”

There are many parents like Hanwate who have decide to keep their children at home, let them study via online medium rather than sending them to schools.

Anita (name changed) is a grandmother of two and has asked her children to not send her grand children to school this year.

“Both my grandchildren – one in primary grade and one in ninth grade attend schools in Thane and King Circle. Looking at current increment in cases, I am not convinced to send them back to their campus after it opens, even though they loose out one year of their educational stint,” she said.

Like many parents even she is waiting for a vaccine to come and post that she shall take a call. She says, “There is absolutely no way that I will be sending my children to school until there is a proven vaccine for COVID-19. There is no way I would ever put my child in danger like that when it can most definitely be avoided. Both the school has best teachers’ and administrators, but they might struggle with keeping the school as clean and sanitized as it needed to be.”

According to a report, Maharashtra government wanted schools to start in June, wherever possible, with proper healthcare.

Post which, many parents decided that they won’t sent their wards to school this year, till there’s some solution to the Coronavirus.

Also Read: Maids ask, will employers show their COVID reports?

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Premature to call it a victory, but existing protocols emphatically state that the worst is over.

Going awry : The infection most likely happened between May18-22, on one of the weekly/ten-day trip to stock perishables. Can’t pinpoint the instance of contamination, but it’s surely the local market.

Friday evening, malaise sets in. Dismissed it as an effect of heat exposure, and hung it out through Saturday, already self-isolating.

Sunday saw a fever surge of 102.9°. A profound loss of smell and taste severe enough to blur differences between tea and hot water set in. With no local OPDs available, consulted through telemedicine and commenced a protocol course of antibiotics and antipyretics.

Monday was a trip to the municipal health centre. The facilities were pitifuly overwhelmed. Staff flustered, hapless, YET (a big yet) giving their best on war footing. 

Two days of follow-up failed to yield test results. Turned out that my swab was ‘invalidated on technical grounds’. Since I was top drained for a second trip, the health officials were kind enough to arrange a home collection of samples of family and self. Fever kept oscillating between 102° and 100° with sponging and antipyretics.

Two days later, I was told of my positive status telephonically, fortunately, the family was confirmed to be negative. Since the symptoms seemed to be in check, MCGM officials concurred that home quarantine was the safest bet. Hperverse, the fever breached 102.5° that very night, with a shallow breath. 

From 2:00 to 8:00 AM that intervening night, I scouted for possible hospitals with help from my office HR team. The last hope emerged in a neighbourhood hospital, discharging some cases later that day. After sharing reports (which did need another followup), I was given a timeslot to show up at the hospital. With no ambulance available, an emergency aggregator service with partitions and touch-free entry came in handy. 

At the hospital – In absence of a defined COVID19 treatment, symptomatic treatment was the strategy. Medicines as per ICMR/MCGM protocol were being administered. Antibiotics, antipyretics, antacids, cough medications, a balanced diet, monitoring blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), temperature were the main interventions. 

SPO2 below 95% is a red flag. I did touch 93% once and the medical team promptly took arterial blood sample to confirm it was a one-off machine reading error. 

By my sixth day under institutional care, my symptoms ceased to aggravate, and I was 12 days into symptom onset. New protocols deem asymptomatic patients on 12th day as non-replicating, non-contagious and I was eligible for discharge, with strict conditions of an extended quarantine and medication.

As I lie in bed, I rise only for bio breaks and clear my tracks and surfaces touched with disinfectant spray (Alcohol and Benzalkonium Chloride), and mask myself whenever a family member inevitably crosses path.

During this entire period, whether awake or asleep, lying prone (face down) is of utmost importance. Exertion and waking unnecessarily is very harmful. (I’m taking some time to document this, for it may help someone)

Keep your cool. At the slightest of doubt, go into self isolation assuming the worst-case scenario and watch your symptoms. If they get worse, promptly get tested and treated. My immunity is nothing to write home about. With an annual health event, my recovery from COVID is more than a reassuring possibility. If your immunity is any stronger, don’t give in to the fear of COVID. 

The patient on my next bed was a grandpa in his seventies, off from an ICU to a general bed. He would be on his way home by the time you read this. (Friday, June 5). Age alone is not a factor to worry about. Weigh your comorbidities and spring into action at the slightest of doubt. Well begun is half done.

For those on the brink of uncertainty

Keep your cool- Health facilities and frontliners are badly overwhelmed. Yet, they’re giving their best. A late result only means they’re facing far too many people like you, and noone is holding anything against you or hiding anything from you. Follow-up patiently, courteously, for you’re alone accountable for your well-being. Your contacts and access will only hold you in good stead upto a point, but it all boils down to luck beyond that.

The ground situation is indeed that busy. If someone’s going out of their way to help you, you’re best advised to keep your panic and tantrum reflexes in control. Panic, coercion, urges to tweet and creating a digital scene is definitely not going to help. (If you do have those energies, maybe rethink your and the system’s priorities for the more deserving). Save every ounce of physical and mental energy. Everyone’s giving their best. Rest assured. Don’t snowball everyone’s stress- which only fuels the infection.

For COVID suspects

1) Do invest into a pulse oximeter. The infrared sensor sits tight on your figure and measures your blood O2 level. For better results, amble back and forth in your room for 3 minutes before taking a reading.

2) Do your lungs a favour and lie prone, face down, for every conscious second. 

3) Have your proteins.

4) Some effect on your lungs is inevitable. Whether or not it’s reversible will be revealed in a followup. Medical science is optimistic of a near-total revival. 

5) Apparently, new protocols DO NOT mandate a second swab for general patients. If your symptoms are in check on the 12th day, you’re deemed non-contagious. Present PCR tests only identify genetic material of the virus in your blood, but can’t say if the virus is active, dormant, attenuated or dead. Pray that your symptoms do not return. 

Everybody else

Distancing and other precautions, however boring and overcautious they may appear, stand between safety and peril. Nothing in the outside world is worth a knock at heavens, your savings, your loved ones’ peace or everything that meant life to yoy. Not your vegetables, not your milk, not even essentials which can be home delivered. 

When all seemed to fail, there were angels who showed the way ahead. Mrs. Ashwini Bhide and her team- Mr. Kishore Gandhi and Dr. Angre, Dr. Sandeep Gore and team Fortis, Dr. Amar Walavalkar and Dr. Amod Limaye, my office colleagues and HR teams, my family- Amruta, Mom, Dad, Vinayataai, my godbrother Suyash, baba’s friend- Dr. Shrirang Deshpande, Mrs. Swati Sathe and her daughters- I’m bound by your help and immeasurable benevolence till my last breath and nothing can reciprocate that. That perpetual debt is my second lease of life.

Also Read: Relaxations like travel in MMR and others announced

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