The Week Ahead: Indian Super League begins on Friday; Delhi imposes measures to curb air pollution

This week, India host New Zealand in a three-match T20 and a two-match Test series; in Delhi, government offices, except those handling emergency and important public matters, will have to work from home as part of the ‘emergency measures’ to curb pollution

Mumbai It was heartbreak for Black Caps on Sunday night in the UAE, the second time in three ICC finals in the last two years. After the devastating loss in the 2019 ODI World Cup final, New Zealand had comprehensively beaten India earlier this year in the World Test Championship final. Yesterday’s final should have sealed Kane Williamson as one of the modern-day captaincy greats. His knock in Sunday’s final did reinforce his status as an all-format great, but his team lost.

Morning haze and smog envelops the skyline in New Delhi on Friday. (AP)

But redemption may not be far away. This week, India host New Zealand in a three-match T20 and a two-match Test series. The T20Is are scheduled on November 17 (Wednesday), 19 (Friday) and 21 (Sunday).

Meanwhile, Pakistan – which lost in the T20 World Cup semi-final after winning all their group matches – begin their tour of Bangladesh with the first T20 on November 19, Friday.

Football, too, will see some action this week when the Indian Super League (ISL) begins on Friday, November 19 with ATK Mohun Bagan facing Kerala Blasters in Goa. Following a break for the World Cup qualifiers, the English Premier League returns on November 20 (Saturday) with Chelsea facing Leicester and Liverpool playing Arsenal among other matches. In La Liga, Barcelona face Espanyol, the Catalan club’s first match with Xavi in charge; in Serie A, Lazio face Juventus.

With the entire country focused on the air apocalypse in Delhi, “emergency” measures announced by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to curb air pollution will kick in from Monday. Between November 14 and 20, all schools, colleges, coaching institutes, skill development and training institutes and libraries will remain shut so as to limit the exposure of children to the city’s hazardous air. Virtual classes, however, will continue.

Besides, there are a few other activities prohibited till November 17. All construction activities have been prohibited till Wednesday. Delhi government offices, except those handling emergency and important public matters, including Covid-19 management, will have to work from home. Private offices too have been requested to shift to the WFH mode till Wednesday to keep vehicular movement on the roads to the barest minimum.

The other thing that’s worrying us is inflation. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for October will be released on November 15. Year-on-year growth in WPI or WPI inflation was in double digits for the sixth consecutive month in September although it has been declining every month after May. It was 10.74% in April, 13.11% in May and 10.66% in September. Much of this decline is due to a sharp decline in wholesale prices of the food group (includes both unprocessed food like cereals or vegetables and manufactured food like butter or biscuit), which has a weightage of 24.4% in WPI. Food group WPI inflation was 7.52% in April, 8.25% in May, but only 1.14% in September. WPI inflation of manufactured products other than food , which has a weightage of 55%, was 11.1% in both August and September compared to 10.5% in May and June and 11.2% in July.

On Covid, the subject expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation is likely to meet this week to review clinical data of molnupiravir, hailed as the magic oral pill for the treatment of COVID-19 in adults in India. Earlier this year, Sun Pharma signed a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Merck to manufacture and supply molnupiravir in India and to over 100 low and middle-income countries

States will also see some activity this week. Rajasthan is likely to witness the long pending cabinet reshuffle this week. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had visited Delhi last week and AICC leaders including party chief Sonia Gandhi, general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Ajay Maken finalised the changes to be made in the cabinet and who all could be appointed in various commissions and boards in the state.

In West Bengal, schools (Grades 9-12) will reopen on November 16. The state government has decided to hold classes in a staggered manner. Following Punjab’s example, West Bengal Legislative Assembly will discuss the Centre’s decision to extend the jurisdiction of the BSF and may pass a resolution against the decision. The opposition is likely to oppose the resolution.

Chhattisgarh chief minster Bhupesh Baghel will visit Uttar Pradesh to meet with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi regarding upcoming state assembly polls. In Kerala, a family court will hear former SFI leader Anupama S Chandran’s plea to get back her child given up for adoption on November 18. Sabarimala hill temple will be opened for annual pilgrimage season from November 16. Twenty-five thousand pilgrims will be allowed in a day, officials said.

BJP national president JP Nadda will visit Uttarakhand on November 15 and 16. He will hold public rallies in Kumaon and will also review election preparedness with state party leaders and workers. In Goa, political campaigning likely to intensify as political parties and individual candidates jostle to create space for themselves. There is expected to be significant movement as individuals switch alliances, take sides ahead of the polls.