Category Archives: National

Health, National

Heatwave singes 90 per cent of country; 19,000 heat stroke cases, 46 deaths recorded

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Scientists have attributed the long heatwave to a persisting anti-cyclone — a large mass of wind with a flow reverse to that in a cyclone — over central India and strong dry northwesterly winds that, one scientist said, made the temperatures rise “higher and higher”

G.S. Mudur, TT, New Delhi, 03.06.24 : Over 90 per cent of India’s land area experienced heatwave conditions that lasted six to 16 days during May, a month that weather scientists say was marked by one of the most widespread heatwaves ever documented.

A new map released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has shown that heatwaves gripped 27 of the country’s 36 meteorological subdivisions during May, sparing only the northeastern states and western coastal regions.
A nationwide disease and illness surveillance network maintained by the Union health ministry’s National Centre for Disease Control has recorded over 19,000 suspected heat stroke cases, including 46 confirmed heat stroke deaths, between May 1 and May 30.

Western Rajasthan, an arid region dominated by the Thar desert, had 16 days marked by heatwaves, defined by the IMD as days on which the maximum temperature exceeds 4.5°C from the long-term average for that region. The maximum temperature in Churu, a town known as a gateway to the Thar, had touched 50.5°C on Saturday, marking the highest maximum for this summer season.

“We’ve had slightly higher maximum temperatures in western Rajasthan in the past, but the geographic extent and the duration of the heatwave across the country this year distinguishes it from earlier years,” a weather scientist who requested anonymity said. “What we’re seeing is quite unprecedented.”

Eastern Rajasthan had 14 days of heatwaves, the second worst hit state measured in terms of the heatwave duration, followed by Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi with 12 days. Uttar Pradesh had 10 days of heatwave conditions, while Bengal had five days.

Scientists have attributed the long heatwave to a persisting anti-cyclone — a large mass of wind with a flow reverse to that in a cyclone — over central India and strong dry northwesterly winds that, one scientist said, made the temperatures rise “higher and higher”.

Earlier studies have suggested that the frequency and duration of heatwaves in India’s central and northwestern regions will rise significantly by four to seven extra heatwave days per decade.

“The heatwave we’ve seen over the past month is a taste of things to come in future years too,” said Suman Mor, professor of environmental sciences at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and co-author of a research review of heat wave trends in the country.

The review by Mor and her colleagues, published in the journal Heliyon earlier this year, had predicted that the likelihood of heatwaves “would increase dramatically in the near future for all districts” under intensified global warming.

The nationwide surveillance data from the NCDC has also recorded 605 confirmed cardiovascular deaths between May 1 and May 30. Experts say it is unclear yet what proportion of those deaths might have been triggered by exposure to extreme heat.

A multi-city study of heatwave mortality conducted by scientists at the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, had found that longer and more intense heat waves are linked to an increased mortality risk from all causes.
Crime, National, Politics

Delhi court sends Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till Jun 5

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 2, 2024 :  A court here on Sunday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till June 5 in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.


Duty judge Sanjeev Aggarwal passed the order after the chief minister was produced before the court through video conference after surrendering at Tihar jail upon the expiry of his interim bail granted by the Supreme Court for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.

The judge passed the order on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate, seeking extension of judicial custody by 14 days.

The application was moved by the ED on May 20 while Kejriwal was out on interim bail.

The court sent Kejriwal to judicial custody till June 5, noting that the judge concerned was scheduled to pass an order on his interim bail plea on health grounds on that day.
National, Politics

Cong, INDIA bloc trying to undermine electoral process, alleges BJP; urges EC to take action

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 2, 2024 :  The Congress and its INDIA bloc allies are trying to undermine the integrity of India’s electoral process, the BJP alleged on Sunday and urged the Election Commission to prevent any attempts of “violence and unrest” during the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls on June 4.

    A BJP delegation comprising Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal also urged the poll panel to take cognisance of the “systematic attempts” being made to undermine the electoral process and initiate stringent action against those responsible.
    The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission (EC) in this regard.
    “We had to call upon the Election Commission today in light of the repeated attempts by a section of political parties, like the Congress and their INDI alliance partners, and also by certain motivated civil society groups and NGOs who are trying their level best to undermine the integrity of India’s electoral process,” Goyal told reporters after meeting EC officials.
    Their efforts against India’s “very robust” electoral process are a direct attack on the country’s democratic institutions and pose a risk to public order and trust in the electoral system, he said.
    The BJP delegation urged the EC to ensure enhanced monitoring and security measures are put in place during the counting of votes to prevent “any attempts at violence or unrest”.
    Earlier in the day, a delegation of opposition INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress’ Abhishek Singhvi, met the EC and urged it to ensure that all the guidelines, including declaring the postal-ballot results before the outcome of the EVMs is announced, are followed on June 4.
    Union minister Goyal said, “I think the mandate given by the people of India both in 2014 and 2019 and the likely mandate of the 2024 general elections expected on June 4 has unnerved the opposition parties and certain non-governmental organisations, so-called civil society groups, who cannot accept a popular leader of the masses who has delivered for the well-being of 1.4 billion Indians.”
    Exit polls on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain power for a third straight term, with the BJP-led NDA expected to win a big majority in the Lok Sabha polls.
    Terming the exit polls “bogus”, the Congress on Sunday said they were a “deliberate attempt to justify rigging” of the elections and part of “psychological games” being played by Prime Minister Modi to lower the morale of the INDIA bloc workers. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi dubbed the exit polls as “Modi media poll”.
    Goyal said the BJP delegation urged the EC to ensure that every official engaged in the counting process is fully conversant with the “minutest details” of the exercise and engages diligently with all protocols of counting so that there can be no deviation whatsoever.
    The delegation also urged the poll panel “to ensure safety and security of the electoral process during the counting and announcement of results, including enhanced monitoring and security measures to prevent any attempts at violence or unrest”, he said.
    Goyal said the BJP delegation asked the EC to take cognisance of the “systematic attempts” being made to undermine the electoral process and take stringent action against those responsible.
    “We also urged the EC to issue a public statement affirming the integrity of the electoral process and warning against any attempts to disrupt the democratic process,” he added.
    Goyal lashed out at Gandhi for terming the exit polls “Modi media poll” and said the Congress leader has passed “very uncharitable comments about the media”.
    “I strongly condemn the effort to put pressure on the media, the effort to try and paint the media black and to undermine the work that the media is doing,” he told reporters.
    Those who are not able to accept Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and his government’s work in the last 10 years are continuously coming out with a toolkit to undermine India’s institutions, be it the Supreme Court, various regulatory bodies or the EC, he said.
    “The toolkit has now come out with a Delhi resolution of May 28, we don’t know who are the parties and the people behind this Delhi resolution, there are no signatories, no names but certain political parties tend to now support such an effort to undermine India’s democracy,” he charged.
    “This is a regular sinister attempt carried out by certain bodies in the guise of civil societies who are very often fronting for the opposition,” Goyal said adding, “The BJP and the NDA strongly condemn such efforts by the opposition parties and certain civil society groups.”
    The senior BJP leader said Indians are “extremely proud” that for 30 years now the country has had an unblemished track record in which elections are held in a free and fair manner.
    The world today looks up to India’s electoral system as one of the most robust, transparent and high-integrity election systems, he said.
    “We strongly condemn the Congress and the toolkit and their associates who are working against India’s interest and are damaging India’s credibility and India’s rich tradition of democracy across the world. We are proud of our electoral process,” Goyal said.
National, Politics

BJP returns to power in Arunachal Pradesh, secures 46 seats in 60-member assembly: EC

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 Votes were counted for 50 assembly segments for which elections were held in the northeastern state along with Lok Sabha polls on April 19, the rest 10 seats were won by the saffron party uncontested

PTI, Itanagar (Arunachal), 02.06.24 : The BJP on Sunday returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time in a row, as the party won 46 seats in the 60-member assembly and secured a majority, Election Commission officials said.

Votes were counted for 50 assembly segments for which elections were held in the northeastern state along with Lok Sabha polls on April 19. The rest 10 seats were won by the saffron party uncontested.

Of the 50 seats, the BJP secured 36 seats and Chief Minister Pema Khandu is one of the 10 candidates who won unopposed.

Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Thank you Arunachal Pradesh! The people of this wonderful state have given an unequivocal mandate to politics of development. My gratitude to them for reposing their faith in @BJP4Arunachal yet again. Our Party will keep working with even greater vigour for the state’s growth.” The PM also said, “I would like to appreciate the hardwork of the exceptional @BJP4Arunachal Karyakartas through the election campaign. It is commendable how they went across the state and connected with the people.” The saffron party had won 41 seats in 2019.


The National People’s Party (NPP) bagged five seats, while the People’s Party of Arunachal won two seats and the NCP secured three.

The Congress won one seat, and Independent candidates emerged victorious in three constituencies.
National, Politics

INDIA bloc leaders meet as count down to results begins; Kharge says grouping to get over 295 seats : TMC and PDP skip meeting

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 1, 2024 :  Leaders of several INDIA bloc parties met on Saturday to take stock of the opposition’s preparations leading up to the June 4 counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections, and claimed they will get more than 295 seats, enough for them to form the next government.

    Addressing the media after a two-and-a-half-hour confabulations here, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserted the INDIA bloc has arrived at the figure after feedback from people.

    Kharge said the leaders of the alliance met at his residence and dwelled upon a host of issues, including the precautions to be taken on the counting day on June 4. He said they have instructed their party workers to not leave the counting halls till all formalities are completed.

    He said the opposition parties have sought time from the Election Commission on Sunday to raise their concerns and urge the poll body to address them.

    The meeting began at Kharge’s residence this afternoon as voting in the last phase of the seven-phase general elections were underway for 57 seats. The counting for all the phases will be held on June 4.

    “The INDIA bloc will get more than 295 seats. We have arrived at this figure after speaking with all our leaders,” Kharge told reporters. “This is a survey of people. People have given this information to our leaders. The government surveys are there and their media friends also inflate figures and put it out. Therefore, we want to tell you about the reality,” the Congress president said.

    Targeting the BJP, he said, “They are trying to give a narrative through government exit polls and we want to tell the people the truth.”

    Senior leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), CPI, DMK, JMM, AAP, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) were present at the meeting.

    TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had already said they would not attend the meeting as polling was to take place in some Lok Sabha seats in the state. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti did not attend the meeting due to personal reasons.

    Opposition leaders who attended the meeting included Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Anil Desai, Sitaram Yechury, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, Champai Soren, Kalpana Soren, T R Baalu, Farooq Abdullah, D Raja, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Jitendra Awhad and Mukesh Sahani.

    Congress leaders Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present at the meeting.

    Kharge said the leaders of INDIA parties met informally to take stock of the preparations leading up to the counting day. He said they discussed and analysed the feedback received from different sources.

    The INDIA bloc parties have also given instructions to their workers about Form 17 C — which contains the break-up of number of votes polled — and not to get out of the counting hall until he or she gets the certificate of election, he said.

    “The fight is still not over, and the leaders and workers of all the parties are extremely alert. I thank each one of them for their esteemed presence.,” he said.

    “We have fought the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 with all our might and are confident of a positive outcome, as the people of India have supported us,” he said in a post on X.

     Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that after taking feedback from everywhere “we believe that the INDIA bloc will win more than 295 seats, while the BJP will get around 220 seats. The NDA, meanwhile, will get around 235 seats. The INDIA bloc is moving forward to form a strong government.”

    Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav said, “The INDIA bloc is going to form the government. He (PM) has gone to see the sea and he has his back towards the people, who are now against him”.

     “The results are in favour of the INDIA alliance and the big thing is that the BJP is losing,” he said.

    Jharkhand CM Champai Soren said, “We (INDIA bloc) will do very well in Jharkhand and win more than 10 seats. The INDIA bloc is winning 295 seats.”

    “The people are winning, and INDIA will win. We have been saying that we will get 295-plus seats,” said RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

    Asked about who would be their PM candidate, he said, “We will decide about the rest together after June 4”.

    CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechury said a common minimum programme will be chalked out once the numbers come and that will be the basis of the new government.

    Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc parties also announced they will participate in the exit poll debates on TV this evening after the grouping’s top leaders met and deliberated on the issue.

    The development came a day after the Congress said it has decided not to participate in any Lok Sabha exit poll debates on television channels. The party does not want to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP, it had said.

    “After considering factors for and against participating in the exit polls, it has been decided by consensus that all the INDIA (bloc) parties will participate in the exit poll debates on television this evening,” Congress’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said in a post on X.

    In another development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that Home Minister Amit Shah has been calling up district magistrates and collectors and indulging in “blatant and brazen” intimidation.

    “The outgoing home minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors. So far he has spoken to 150 of them. This is blatant and brazen intimidation, showing how desperate the BJP is,” he said in a post on X.

National, Politics

Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections: BJP wins 13 assembly seats, National People’s Party wins one

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The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was leading in three seats, while the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) was ahead in two

PTI, Itanagar, 02.06.24 : The ruling BJP won 13 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh while the National People’s Party (NPP) got one, officials said on Sunday.

The counting of votes for the 50 Assembly seats began at 6 am on Sunday.
The saffron party had already won 10 seats in the 60-member assembly unopposed. Elections to the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly were held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in the first phase on April 19.

Tesam Pongte of BJP won from Changlang North defeating his nearest rival Dihom Kitnya of NPP by a margin of 2,002 votes, while the party’s candidate Wangki Lowang won from Namsang seat defeating his nearest rival Ngonglin Boi of NCP by 56 votes.

Balo Raja of BJP won from Palin constituency defeating his nearest rival Mayu Taring of NPP by 5,040 votes.

Hayeng Mangfi of BJP won from Chayang-Tajo seat defeating his nearest rival Kompu Dolo of Congress by a margin of 6,685 votes. Mangfi retained the seat.

Chakat Aboh of BJP won from Khonsa West by defeating her nearest rival Yang Sen Matey of NCP by 804 votes. She retained the seat.

BJP’s Tsering Lhamu won from Lumla constituency defeating her nearest rival Jampa Thirnly Kunkhap of Congress by a margin of 1,531 votes. Lhamu retained the seat.

Puinnyo Apum of BJP won from Dambuk constituency defeating his nearest rival Raju Tayeng of People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) by a margin of 222 votes.

BJP candidate Rode Bui won Dumporijo seat defeating his opponent Tabe Doni of NPP by 1,591 votes. Bui retained the seat.

Ealing Tallang of BJP won from Seppa East seat defeating Tame Gyadi of Congress by 5,600 votes.

BJP’s Mahesh Chai won the Tezu-Sunpura seat defeating NPP candidate Karikho Kri by a margin of 2,805 votes.

Rotom Tebin of BJP won from Raga constituency defeating Ajay Murtem of NPP by 2,934 votes.

NPP candidate Pesi Jilen won from Liromoba defeating his opponent Nyamar Karbak of BJP by a margin of 1,698 votes.
National, Politics

Several exit polls predict big win for BJP-led NDA in LS elections

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‘Opportunistic INDI Alliance’ failed to strike chord with voters, says PM 

PTI, New Delhi, Jun 1, 2024 : Several exit polls on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will retain power for a third straight term, with the BJP-led NDA expected to win a big majority in the Lok Sabha polls. 

The ruling alliance in all likelihood will open its account in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and sweep Karnataka but may see a fall in its tally in states like Bihar, Rajasthan and Haryana, according to these pollsters. 
The Republic TV-P Marq poll claimed that the ruling alliance will win up to 359 seats and the opposition INDIA bloc will bag 154 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. 
The Republic TV- Matrize poll gave 353-368 seats to the NDA and 118-133 seats to the Opposition. 
The Jan Ki Baat poll gave 362-392 seats to the ruling NDA and 141-161 to the Opposition alliance. 
The India TV-CNX gave them 371-401 and 109-139 seats respectively, while the corresponding tally predicted by News Nation was 342-378 and 153-169. In the 2019 polls, the BJP won 303 seats, while the NDA tally was 353. 
The Congress had bagged 53 seats and its allies 38. The ‘INDIA’ bloc was formed by Opposition parties to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. 
After the seventh and last phase of voting ended on Saturday, Modi exuded confidence that people have voted in record numbers to re-elect the NDA government and said the “opportunistic INDI Alliance” failed to strike a chord with the voters who rejected their “regressive politics”. 
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters after a meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc that the alliance will win more than 295 seats. 
“We have arrived at this figure after speaking with all our leaders. This is a survey of people. People have given this information to our leaders. The government surveys are there and their media friends also inflate figures and put it out. 
Therefore, we want to tell you about the reality,” he said. BJP president J P Nadda, however, asserted that people have voted for a capable, powerful, developed and self-reliant India and to put aside appeasement, nepotism and corruption, exuding confidence that his party will win more than 370 Lok Sabha seats and the NDA over 400. 
The counting of votes will take place on June 4.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday exuded confidence that people have voted in record numbers to re-elect the NDA government and said the “opportunistic INDI Alliance” failed to strike a chord with the voters who rejected their “regressive politics”.
Modi said the people have seen his government’s track record and the manner in which its work has brought about a qualitative change in the lives of the poor, marginalised and downtrodden. “India has voted! 
A heartfelt thank you to all those who exercised their franchise. Their active participation is the cornerstone of our democracy. Their commitment and dedication ensures that the democratic spirit thrives in our nation. 
I would also like to specially appreciate India’s Nari Shakti and Yuva Shakti. Their strong presence at the polls is a very encouraging sign,” Modi said in a series of posts on X. 
The Prime Minister said he can say with confidence that the people of India have voted in record numbers to re-elect the NDA government 
A few other exit polls, including those from Axis My India and Today’s Chanakya, were yet to forecast the full results by 8.40 pm. 
The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
Crime, National, Politics

Prajwal Revanna arrested on his arrival, remanded to police custody till June 6

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Revanna on Friday was remanded to police custody till June 6, by a Court in Bengaluru over the obscene videos case
Prajwal being taken to a hospital for medical examination under tight security, in Bengaluru, on Friday,  

PTI, Bengaluru, May 31, 2024 :  Suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, facing sexual abuse allegations, was remanded to police custody on Friday, hours after he was arrested by a special team upon his return from Germany.

A special court in the city remanded him to police custody till June 6. Prajwal was arrested in the wee hours of Friday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), minutes after he landed here past midnight from Germany. He had left the country on April 27.

In a clear messaging early in the day, a team of women police personnel ‘welcomed’ Prajwal Revanna upon his arrival here, as they were deputed to execute a warrant and take him to the CID office for interrogation.

After evading summons and staying out of the country for a little over a month, the 33 year-old grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda landed here from Germany’s Munich, only to be arrested by the SIT minutes later and whisked away for questioning. He had issued a video statement earlier this week, stating he would appear before the SIT on Friday.

Prajwal was later produced before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K N Shivakumar, who heard the remand application and objection argument from Prajwal’s advocate. He later remanded Prajwal to police custody.

The NDA Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was arrested after completing the due process, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said.

Prajwal’s advocate said the former was extending full cooperation to the SIT probe and cautioned against any media trial in the case.

“Prajwal Revanna landed around 12.40-12:50 am from Germany’s Munich. As there was an arrest warrant against him, SIT accordingly arrested him and took him into custody,” Parameshwara said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “…naturally he should have cooperated to the arrest. His immigration papers were cleared and he was brought out (of airport). As he had a diplomatic passport, things happened easily. After completing all the due process, he was arrested,” he added.

Asked if the government will appeal to more victims to come forward following his arrest, Parameshwara said, “We have already said, those who have faced trouble from him to come forward and give complaints to SIT and police, and we will provide them all kind of protection. We will have to wait and see further developments.”

The SIT, sending out a message, deputed an all-woman police team to execute the warrant against Prajwal. Soon after he alighted from the plane from Munich, he was received by women in Khaki, SIT sources said.

During the procedure of executing the arrest warrant, he was flanked by the women police personnel who were led by two IPS officers, Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar. He was then taken in a jeep in which only women police were present. They took him to the CID office.

“It was a conscious call to send women officers to arrest Prajwal, sending home a message that the JD(S) leader exploited his seat and power as an MP with women. The same women have authority to arrest him through all legal proceedings,” a source in the SIT said.

There was also a symbolic message to the alleged victims that women officers were not afraid of anyone, the source added.

The MP was later taken for medical examination under tight security. Escorted by female police officials, he was taken to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital here.

The SIT is also contemplating a potency test on Prajwal. A potency test is done to ascertain if a rape accused is capable of committing sexual assault on victims.

Meanwhile, Prajwal’s advocate, met him earlier.

“I went to speak to him. He has told to the media that he has come forward to cooperate with the investigation. So he has requested that there be no media trial. Let there be no negative campaign unnecessarily,” advocate G Arun said.

“Prajwal said — I have come forward, the whole purpose of me coming to Bengaluru or before SIT is that I have to stand by my words. I have come forward. I will give the fullest cooperation — these are his words,” he added.

Prajwal had on May 29 filed an anticipatory bail plea at the Principal City and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives, which issued a notice to the SIT to file objections before posting the hearing for Friday.

In the first case registered against him at the Holenarasipura Town police station in Hassan on April 28, Prajwal is accused of sexually harassing a 47-year-old former maid. He is listed as accused number two, while his father and local MLA, H D Revanna, is the primary accused. Prajwal has been so far booked in three cases of sexual assault. There are also charges of rape against him.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has served a show-cause notice to Prajwal, asking him why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled as sought by the Karnataka government in view of allegations of sexual abuse against him.

Deve Gowda had recently issued a ‘stern warning’ to Prajwal, asking him to return to the country and face probe into the sexual abuse allegations, while asserting there will be no interference from him or other family members into the enquiry.

The JD(S) supremo had reiterated that his grandson should be given the harshest punishment under the law “if found guilty”.

    JD(S) has suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party following the allegations.
National, Politics

Modi performs ‘Surya Arghya’ at Vivekananda Rock Memorial

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PTI, Kanyakumari, May 31, 2024 :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the second day of his meditation on Friday, performed ‘Surya Arghya’ at the time of sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, here.


Modi carried out ‘Surya Arghya,’ a ritual associated with spiritual practice involving salutations to the Almighty, manifest in the form of sun and offered prayers with folded hands.

A short video clip, ‘Sunrise, Surya Arghya, Spirituality,’ posted by the BJP on its ‘X’ handle showed the PM pouring little water from a traditional, beaker-like small vessel into the sea as an offering (Arghya) and prayed using his prayer beads (Japa mala).

The BJP also posted photographs of the Prime Minister, clad in saffron shirt, shawl and dhoti, engrossed in meditation at the Dhyan Mandapam, where incense sticks, in front of him, could be spotted burning slowly. Modi also walked around the mandapam with his japa mala in his hands.


Photographs of Modi in meditating posture have been apparently clicked during different times and similar is the case of video clips.

In view of the PM’s stay, senior DMK leader and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan alleged that tourists are not allowed in that area which has seriously affected the local businesses and ‘we have pointed out that this is not good.’ Also, the vicinity has been declared out of bounds for ships and aircraft, he claimed during his interaction with journalists.

Tamil Nadu Congress president K Selvaperunthagai, in a post on ‘X’, taunted Modi over release of video clips and photographs by the BJP that show him meditating. “How many angles! how many videographers! Swami Vivekananda is silent,” the Congress leader said in his post.

Kanyakumari is famous for its sunrise and sunset and the memorial is located on a tiny islet near the shoreline. At the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the PM embarked on meditation on the evening of May 30 and he is scheduled to complete it on the evening of June 1.
National, Politics, West Bengal

Last phase of LS polls in 57 seats today, Prime Minister in fray

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Counting of votes to take place on June 4 
PTI, May 31, 2024 : Fifty-seven seats across seven states and the Union territory of Chandigarh will go to polls in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday that include Varanasi, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term.

Polling is scheduled in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three seats in Jharkhand besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies of Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh will also take place simultaneously.

Other prominent candidates among the total 904 contestants in fray are Union minister Anurag Thakur, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti and actor Kangana Ranaut.

Over 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women and 3,574 third gender electors are eligible to vote in this phase.

Saturday’s voting will mark the end to the marathon polling process that began on April 19 and has already covered 486 Lok Sabha seats in 28 states and Union territories. The assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also went to polls. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 4. In Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the counting for the assembly polls will be held on June 2.

According to Election Commission guidelines, television channels and news outlets will be able to run exit poll data and its results on June 1 after 6.30 pm.

The EC said polling parties have been dispatched along with machines and poll materials to their respective polling stations. At the 1.09 lakh polling stations, basic facilities including ample shade, drinking water, ramps, and toilets are being provided to ensure that polling takes place in a comfortable and secure environment, it said. The poll panel has also directed CEOs and state machineries to take adequate measures to manage the adverse impact of hot weather or rainfall wherever predicted.

The commission called upon voters to turn out in greater numbers and vote with responsibility and pride. The turnout in the first six phases was 66.14 per cent, 66.71, 65.68, 69.16, 62.2 and 63.36 per cent respectively.

The campaigning for the last phase which ended Thursday evening saw BJP leaders led by Modi accusing the Congress and the INDIA alliance of being corrupt, anti-Hindu and engaging in loot, appeasement and dynastic politics.

The Opposition parties have been claiming that the BJP is anti-farmer, anti-youth and will change and scrap the Constitution if they win the elections.

On Thursday evening, Modi headed to Kanyakumari where he is meditating till June 1 at the site associated with Swami Vivekananda. Modi had 206 public outreach programmes, including rallies and roadshows, since the Election Commission announced the Lok Sabha election schedule on March 16.

The parliamentary seats where polling will take place in Uttar Pradesh are Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC), spread across 11 districts.

Uttar Pradesh is a seeing a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the coalition of INDIA bloc members Samajwadi Party and Congress.

From Chandauli, Maharajganj and Mirzapur, Union ministers Mahendra Nath Pandey, Pankaj Chaudhary and Anupriya Patel respectively are contesting. Late Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Afzal Ansari is in the fray from Ghazipur and former prime minister Chandrashekhar’s son Neeraj Shekhar is contesting from Ballia.

In Varanasi, those contesting against Modi are Ajay Rai (Congress), Ather Jamal Lari (BSP), Kolisetty Shiva Kumar (Yuga Thulasi Party), Gagan Prakash Yadav, (Apna Dal, Kameravadi), and independents Dinesh Kumar Yadav and Sanjay Kumar Tiwari.

The polls in South Bengal, a traditional TMC stronghold, will test the party’s dominance amid an ‘old versus new’ power struggle, with the national spotlight on Sandeshkhali in Basirhat due to allegations of atrocities on women and land grabs.

The seventh phase will cover Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar, where the TMC secured victories in the 2019 elections.

TMC heavyweight Abhishek Banerjee, considered the party’s de facto number two, is contesting from Diamond Harbour. Banerjee’s performance in this seat, which the TMC touts as a ‘model constituency’, will be closely watched as the opposition attempts to paint it as a ‘laboratory of violence’. The two-time MP faces CPI (M)’s Pratikur Rahaman and BJP’s Abhijit Das in a three-way contest.

The minority-dominated Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, and specifically the Sandeshkhali segment, is a microcosm of the broader electoral battle as it garnered national attention due to allegations of atrocities on women and land grabs by local TMC leaders.

The BJP has capitalised on these issues by nominating Rekha Patra, a prominent local protestor, against TMC veteran Haji Nurul Islam. The CPI (M) has fielded former MLA Nirapada Sardar, making this a three-cornered contest.

In Punjab, prominent candidates in the fray are four-time MP Preneet Kaur, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, three-time MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Ravneet Singh Bittu.

The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal are contesting the polls on their own for the first time since 1996 while two INDIA bloc parties – the Congress and AAP – have fielded their own candidates.

The prestige of Ranaut and Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh Singh, the heir of the erstwhile Rampur royal family and son of six-time former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, is at stake in Mandi.

Stakes are also high for Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Thakur, who is seeking a fifth term from Hamirpur, and former Union minister Anand Sharma, who is the Congress candidate from the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency, while for Sukhu, the six assembly bypolls are for survival and stability of his 17-month-old government.

In Bihar, Union minister RK Singh is aiming at a hat-trick from Arrah, where his principal challenger is Sudama Prasad, a sitting MLA of the CPI(ML) Liberation.

In Patna Sahib, veteran BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad is aiming at a second consecutive Lok Sabha term. His principal challenger is Congress spokesman Anshul Avijit, son of former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and grandson of Jagjivan Ram.

In Pataliputra, Misa Bharti is trying her luck for the third time. BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav is aiming at a hat-trick.

Karakat is witnessing a multi-cornered fight which is being most talked about because of Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh, who is contesting as an Independent. Singh entered the fray after having earlier turned down a BJP ticket from Asansol in West Bengal. The move has led to his expulsion from the party.

Upendra Kushwaha, a former Union minister who heads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, had won the seat in 2014 but lost it five years later upon quitting NDA. He is hopeful of wresting the seat back following return to the BJP-led coalition. The CPI(ML), which has a strong presence in the area, has fielded Raja Ram Kushwaha, a former MLA and farmer leader. The pitch has been queered further with the AIMIM fielding Priyanka Chaudhary, a Zila Parishad member. 
National

3 killed, thousands affected by floods in Manipur

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(Photo Courtesy: Morung Express)

PTI, 30 May 2024 : Three persons were killed while thousands were affected by floods triggered by heavy rain in Manipur’s Imphal valley, officials said on Thursday.


A 34-year-old man was killed and three others were injured in a landslide caused by heavy rain at Thonglang road in Senapati district on Wednesday. An 83-year-old woman drowned in the overflowing Senapati river, officials said.

In Imphal a 75-year-old man died of electrocution on Wednesday when he came in contact with an electric pole during rain, they said.

The overflowing Imphal river inundated several areas, with water entering hundreds of houses in Imphal valley, as a result, people took shelter at nearby community halls, they said.

Flooding was reported from at least 86 areas in Imphal West district, including Khuman Lampak, Nagaram, Sagolband, Uripok, Keisamthong and Paona areas due to the overflowing Nambul river, they added.

“Due to incessant rainfall, the bank of Imphal river has been breached near Keirang, Khabam and Lairiyengbam Leikai areas in Imphal East district and water gushed into several areas, inundating hundreds of houses.


“Several areas in Heingang and Khurai assembly constituencies in Imphal East district have been badly affected, with floodwater at chest level in many parts,” an official said.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived in Imphal by a special Air Force flight around 10 pm on Wednesday to lead the rescue operations, officials said.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh said, “Due to breach in riverbank in several areas, many people and livestock have been affected. All authorities concerned, including state government officials, security and NDRF personnel and local volunteers, are working tirelessly to provide assistance to the affected people. Those stranded are being relocated to safe areas by boats.”


Meanwhile, the Irang Bailey bridge on NH 37, which connects Imphal and Silchar, collapsed in Taobam village in Noney district, disrupting road communication, officials said.

In a statement, the SP office of Imphal East district said, “In view of the incessant rains during the past few days, a number of places have been inundated. The police department along with other agencies are helping in the rescue of stranded people. It is hereby appealed to the public to not hamper rescue operations by coming out in large numbers and crowding the place.”
Crime, National, Politics

Delhi court issues notice to ED on CM Kejriwal’s pleas for bail in excise policy case

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PTI, New Delhi, May 30, 2024 :  A Delhi court on Thursday issued notice to the ED on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking regular bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who initially directed the central probe agency to file its response to Kejriwal’s plea by Saturday, later fixed the matter for June 7 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought more time to respond.

The judge, however, directed the ED to file its response by Saturday on Kejriwal’s another plea seeking interim bail for a week on medical grounds.

Kejriwal is currently out on interim bail, granted by the Supreme Court, in the case till June 1.

The Supreme Court registry on Wednesday refused urgent listing of Kejriwal’s plea seeking extension of his interim bail by seven days for undergoing certain medical tests, saying since he was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail, the plea was not maintainable.

The AAP leader had sought extension of his interim bail by seven days to undergo a host of medical tests, including a PET-CT scan, in view of “sudden and unexplained weight loss coupled with high ketone levels”, which are indicative of kidney, serious cardiac ailments and even cancer.

The chief minister, in his fresh plea filed before the apex court on May 26, said he wanted to surrender before the Tihar jail authorities on June 9 instead of June 2, the scheduled date for his return to prison.

The top court had on May 10 granted 21-day interim bail to the chief minister to enable him to campaign during the Lok Sabha polls.

    It had directed him to surrender on June 2, a day after the last phase of the seven-phase poll gets over.

    The matter relates to the alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.

National, Politics

Anticipating INDIA bloc victory, women rush to open India Post accounts to get Rs 8.5k per month

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PTI, 29 May 2024, Bengaluru : An otherwise silent General Post Office in Bengaluru is witnessing an unprecedented rush of women hurrying to open India Post Payment Bank accounts, anticipating a monthly deposit of Rs 8,500 into their accounts if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre.


The elections are still in the process but women, largely from the minority communities sporting burqas, stood in long queues to open the account.

Some of them believed that opening the IPPB account would ensure that they get Rs 8,500 per month.

A woman said she stood in the queue early in the morning itself. Another said everyone in her neighbourhood was saying that money would start coming from the day the account is opened, so she too came to open an account.

Most of the women the news agency spoke to were from Shivajinagar, Chamarajpet and surrounding places in the city. Talking to reporters, Chief Post Master of GPO Bengaluru H M Manjesh said people have been coming to the office to open IPPB accounts in the belief that the Department of Post would credit Rs 2,000 or Rs 8,500 into their accounts. 

“Actually it is a rumour. Somebody has spread this rumour. The department will not pay any amount to them. However, this account can be used for any type of online transaction or even Direct Benefit (Transfer) scheme,” Manjesh clarified. He said that the department has already informed the customers about this. 

“We have displayed some posters also. In spite of that, customers are requesting that we open IPPB accounts for them.” There was such a rush that more counters were opened outside the GPO building, under the open sky, he added.

“Earlier we used to open 50 to 60accounts in a counter. Now we have made separate arrangements. We have brought our postmen for this purpose and regularly we are opening around 500 to 600 accounts, sometimes even 1,000 accounts in a day,”Manjesh said. 

According to sources in the department, this rush has been witnessed for the past three days. It is learnt that some Congress MLAs spread the rumours, believing which the women made a beeline for the GPO. The MLAs said that the women will start getting money after June 4 “when the INDIA bloc will come to power”. 

The Congress has made a promise to launch the Mahalakshmi scheme under which Rs 8,500 will be directly credited into the account of women heads of families belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. It is similar to the Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme started by the Karnataka government in which Rs 2,000 is paid to women heads of BPL families.  
Health, National

Heatwave strikes Delhi, maximum temperature highest in 79 years

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PTI & Agencies, 29 May 2024 : Amid the intense heatwave in northern India, several cities on Wednesday witnessed temperatures well above 45 degrees Celcius. 


Delhi’s Mungeshpur on Wednesday logged a maximum of 52.9 degrees Celsius, the highest ever temperature recorded in the city, even as the India Meteorological Department said it is examining sensors and data of the area’s weather station for error.

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung Observatory on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in 79 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. It was 46.7 degrees Celsius on June 17, 1945.

Apart from the national capital, several places in Northern India are also reeling under the sweltering heat with temperatures hovering close to 50 degrees Celsius.

Here is a list of 10 other hottest places in India today:
Haryana’s Mahendragarh- 49.4 degrees Celsius
Delhi’s Najafgarh- 49.1 degrees Celsius
Haryana’s Rohtak- 48.8 degrees Celsius
Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj- 48.8 degrees Celsius
Punjab’s Bhatinda – 48.5 degrees Celsius
Uttar Pradesh’s Agra- 48 degrees Celsius
Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior- 48 degrees Celsius
Haryana’s Rohtak- 47.7 degrees Celsius
Rajasthan’s Alwar- 47.5 degrees Celsius
Uttarakhand’s Dehradun – 43.1 degrees Celsius

The national capital and large swathes of north India have been reeling under heat wave conditions for the past few days, with at least three weather stations here — Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh — recording nearly 50 degrees Celsius even on Tuesday.

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung observatory on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in 79 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. It was 46.7 degrees Celsius on June 17, 1945.

On the temperature at Mungeshpur, the IMD, however, said it is examining sensors and data of the weather station for the area. “The maximum temperature over Delhi-NCR varied from 45.2 degrees Celsius to 49.1 degrees Celsius in different parts of city. 

Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees Celsius as an outlier compared to other stations. It could be due to error in the sensor or the local factor. 

IMD is examining the data and sensors,” the department said in a statement.

In a post on X, Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju said, “It is not official yet. Temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius in Delhi is very unlikely. Our senior officials in IMD have been asked to verify the news report. The official position will be stated soon.” Other areas of the city also sizzled with maximum temperatures recorded at 49.1 degrees Celsius in Najafgarh, 49 degrees Celsius at Pusa and 48.4 degrees Celsius at Narela, according to the data.

The temperatures soared in the national capital as hot winds blew into the city from Rajasthan, according to officials.

In the evening, there was a sudden change in weather, with drizzle in some parts of the city. However, this could increase the humidity level, compounding the unease for people as forecast shows heat wave and hot weather condition not relenting in the coming days. Delhi’s relative humidity oscillated between 43 per cent and 30 per cent during the day, according to the IMD. The city has been witnessing a steady rise in temperatures in the final days of May.

For Thursday, the IMD predicted partly cloudy skies with heatwave conditions in a few places along with the possibility of thunderstorms and dust storms accompanied by very light rain and drizzling with gusty winds at speeds of 25 to 35 kmph.

Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena directed that a paid break from 12 noon to 3 pm be given to labourers, along with water and coconut milk at construction sites, as he flagged the “lack of sensitivity” on the part of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Hitting back, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the AAP government was making heatwave preparations even before the LG office became active and urged Mr Saxena to “give up negativity”.

Mr Saxena directed that the three-hour break for labourers has been implemented by the Delhi Development Authority since May 20 and will continue across all sites till temperatures come down below 40 degrees Celsius, according to a letter sent to Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar by the principal secretary to the Lt Governor.

The Delhi government announced that a fine of ₹ 2,000 will be imposed on water-wasting activities like washing vehicles with a hose and using domestic water supply for construction and commercial purposes amid unprecedented summer heat.

Water Minister Atishi has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to deploy 200 teams across the city to prevent wastage of water.

The extreme summer heat also pushed Delhi’s peak power demand to an all-time high of 8,302 MW on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

It is the first time in the history of the national capital that its power demand has crossed the 8,300-MW mark. Power distribution companies had estimated the power demand to peak at 8,200 MW this summer, the discom officials said.

The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches.

In a forecast released, the IMD has urged “extreme care for vulnerable people” due to the heatwave.

Explaining the reason behind the scorching heat in the outskirts of Delhi, Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, said: “In open areas with vacant land, there is increased radiation. Direct sunlight and lack of shade make these regions exceptionally hot.” Palawat added that when wind blows from the west, it affects these outlying areas first in Delhi contributing to rise in temperature.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the regional head of IMD, said the city’s outskirts are the first areas to be hit by hot winds from Rajasthan.

“Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds,” he said.

Open areas and barren land are contributing to higher temperatures due to increased radiation, said IMD’s Charan Singh. 
National, Politics, West Bengal

Mamata challenges Modi to prove his claim on providing funds to Bengal

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PTI, Kolkata, May 29, 2024 :  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of “spreading lies” about funds being provided to the state and challenged the PM to prove his claim.


Addressing a rally at Metiabruz in Diamond Harbour constituency, the Chief Minister said she was “ready to sacrifice her life” but wouldn’t allow divisive politics of the saffron camp such as the CAA, NRC and UCC in the state.

“Prime Minister while addressing rallies in Bengal is saying the Centre has sent funds for the state which the TMC has siphoned off. He is saying the Centre had sent funds but those were looted by us. The PM is lying. I challenge him to prove that the Centre has released funds for the state. This is a blatant lie,” she said.

Reacting to Banerjee’s remark, BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, “The Prime Minister has only tried to highlight the corruption during the TMC regime. It is a well-known fact that the TMC is neck-deep in corruption. The remarks by the Chief Minister reflect that she is rattled after being exposed.” Claiming that the BJP will pay for their arrogance in the polls, Banerjee said the PM’s recent remarks that the BJP’s best results will come from Bengal is “actually an admission that the party will face a rout in other parts of the country.” “So does that mean that the BJP will lose elections in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar? It seems the saffron party has conceded defeat even before the polls are over,” she said.

The CM alleged that the BJP has been spreading canards through misleading advertisements.

“As part of Modi Babu’s guarantee, they were publishing misleading advertisements in newspapers against us. We lodged multiple complaints but there was no action. Yesterday, the High Court also stated it is illegal. They don’t release MGNREGA funds but spend crores on conspiracies, to buy votes and spread propaganda,” she said.

Expressing skepticism about the BJP’s ambitious target of achieving 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, she said people will reject them.

“The entire country has understood that the BJP is a party full of thieves. It is the TMC which will show the way after the elections,” Banerjee said.

The TMC had walked out of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal in January but asserted that she would continue to be part of the opposition bloc at the national level.

Vowing not to allow the implementation of CAA and NRC in the state, she said, “If people do not want divisive CAA, NRC or UCC that will erase our diversity, they must vote against the BJP.” 
National, Sikkim

Bridge swept away, traffic hit in Sikkim

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 When a flash flood had occurred in the Teesta because of the outburst of the South Lhonak lake in October last year, the bridge over the river at Toong in the Mangan district of the mountain state was washed away.

TT, Siliguri, 29.05.24 : A temporary bridge over the Teesta in northern Sikkim was on Monday washed away by the river swollen by heavy rain, prompting the administration to realign routes for traffic in the area.

When a flash flood had occurred in the Teesta because of the outburst of the South Lhonak lake in October last year, the bridge over the river at Toong in the Mangan district of the mountain state was washed away.

After the natural disaster, local transporters took the initiative to build a temporary wooden bridge over the river to facilitate travel between Mangan, the district headquarters and Chungthang, which is at the junction of popular tourist hotspots of Lachen and Lachung.

“The wooden bridge has been damaged and cannot be repaired. So, vehicles will have to take the Sangkalang- Shipgyer route, instead of the Chungthang-Mangan road,” said a source in the administration.

A circular mentioning the diversion of the route was issued by the Mangan district collector on Tuesday.

“As the route is narrow, there will be one-way traffic between Chungthang and Sangkalang from morning till evening. The vehicles on emergency duty, however, will not face any restriction,” the source added.

Vehicles heading to Sangkalang (on the way to Mangan) from Chungthang will be allowed to move from 5am to 8.30am and again from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

On the other hand, vehicles heading towards Chungthang from Sangkalang will move along the route from 10am to 1pm and from 4pm to 6.30pm, said sources.

In Mangan, officials of the district administration held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss compensation for the land needed for a road connecting Mangan and Lachen via Toong. The road was extensively damaged in last year’s flash flood and the project will be undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) under the defence ministry.

Representatives of the BRO said those who had provided land for the project would get compensation while underscoring that they should extend cooperation for the project.
Health, National, Regional

North, central India sizzle under severe heatwave, nearly 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Delhi

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The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30

PTI, New Delhi, 29.05.24  : Large parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions on Tuesday with the mercury crossing 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Churu and Haryana’s Sirsa and settling nine notches above normal in Delhi.

At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more. Mungeshpur and Narela in Delhi clocked 49.9 degrees followed by Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
This was the highest maximum temperature recorded in the capital this season. However, Mungeshpur and Narela weather stations came up in 2022 and have records only for the last three years.

The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30.

It said that a fresh western disturbance was expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday which could bring isolated rainfall over the region on the weekend.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has attributed the heatwave conditions over northwest and central India to the absence of western disturbances during the latter half of May.

Western disturbances are extra-tropical weather systems formed over the Mediterranean Sea that move from the west to the east.

According to the IMD, 10 weather stations recorded the highest-ever maximum temperature and the highest for the month — Agra-Taj (48.6 degrees Celsius), Dehri in Bihar (47 degrees Celsius), Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh (49 degrees Celsius), Narnaul in Haryana (48.5 degrees Celsius), Ayanagar-Delhi (47.6 degrees Celsius), New Delhi-Ridge (47.5 degrees Celsius), Rewa in Madhya Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Rohtak in Haryana (48.1 degrees Celsius), and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh (47.2 degrees Celsius).

In some much-needed relief, south Rajasthan districts of Barmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi and Jalore recorded a drop in temperatures up to four notches on Tuesday due to moist wind incursion from the Arabian Sea, indicating the beginning of abatement of heatwave conditions over northwest India.

Numerical weather prediction models showed that this decreasing trend would further extend northwards, bringing gradual respite from heatwave conditions from May 30 onwards.

Also, the incursion of moist winds from the Bay of Bengal from Wednesday onwards is likely to result in a gradual fall in maximum temperatures over Uttar Pradesh from May 30, the IMD said.

“Today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over most parts of Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh,” it said.

It said that heatwave conditions also prevailed in many places over Vidarbha, in some pockets over Jammu and Kashmir and in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.

Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place in the country with a maximum temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa-AWS in Haryana (50.3 degrees Celsius), Mungeshpur and Narela (49.9 degrees Celsius), Najafgarh (49.8 degrees Celsius), Sirsa (49.5 degrees Celsius), Ganganagar in Rajasthan (49.4 degrees Celsius), Pilani and Phalodi in Rajasthan and Jhansi (49 degrees Celsius).

Warm night conditions in isolated pockets are very likely to prevail over Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi over the next few days, the weather office said.

The scorching heat prompted the Haryana government to advance summer vacations in all state-run and private schools to Tuesday.

The deadly heatwave is testing power grids and leading to water shortages in parts of the country.

According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India dropped to just 24 per cent of their live storage last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation.

The Maharashtra irrigation department said that the water stock in Jayakwadi dam in the drought-prone Marathwada region stood at a mere 5.19 per cent of its capacity on Monday after recording an evaporation loss of 1.15 MCM (million cubic metres) in a single day due to the heat.

The intense heat has already driven India’s power demand to 239.96 gigawatts, the highest so far this season, with air conditioners and coolers in homes and offices running at full capacity.

Experts anticipate that power demand could rise even further and surpass the all-time high of 243.27 GW recorded in September 2023.

Severe heatwaves have impacted a large number of people in parts of India for three consecutive years, affecting health, water availability, agriculture, power generation, and other sectors of the economy.