States & UTs News

Dehradun: Ganga, which traverses thousands of miles through distinctive terrains and geographies, is not just a sacred river but also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course.Thus, ensuring its sanctity and untainted fluidity is an unstated responsibility of all citizens.And, in order to achieve this objective, the government has been tirelessly working for the river's conservation to free it of all contamination and rejuvenation with its tributaries.In what could be termed an integrated effort to accomplish its mission, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has roped in nearly all stakeholders under its flagship programme 'Namami Gange'."We are now trying to take up a few activities, in which, one of them is natural farming on either side i.e. 10 kilometres alongside river Ganga. In Uttarakhand, we are focusing on that because we have already taken up lots of sewage treatment plants (STPs). We would like to have the non-point pollution sources like fertilizers from agriculture and other industries not flowing into the river. So, as a part of that, we want to encourage farmers to take up natural or organic farming, which means that we would like to discourage farmers from going for chemical fertilizers and go for natural fertilizers," said NMCG Director General, G Asok Kumar.To protect the Ganga from toxic insecticides and pesticides, the government had appealed to farmers of Uttarakhand to adopt an alternate farming method. And today, just in a few years, the dominant form of farming in the region is organic farming.These farmers in the Chamoli district of the state are being trained to produce bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides independently.One of the farmers in Chamoli, Mohan Singh told ANI, "In 2019-20, under the Namami Gange initiative, the Gram Sabha received 100 spray machines, 100 drums, and a plastic pit to work on organic fertilizing. Earlier we used to throw dung alongside rivers, but now we are getting pure organic fertilizer due to plastic pits."A number of such small yet significant initiatives like this have provided two-fold dividends to the farmers.The cost of production has come down to almost nil, the health of the soil has improved, the crop yields are satisfactory, and the prices that farmers get for organic crops are higher.And now, not only are the farmers creating and consuming organic produce but they have also been incentivized under the 'Organic Haat' initiative where they can sell it without any hindrance. It has significantly reduced the time and effort they would invest in selling their crops."Organic Haat can allow us to sell our products 30 per cent ahead of a market price. From here one can get daal, vegetables, spices, pulses and many other products belonging to different parts of Uttarakhand. We got to know about organic haat in 2015 and have been a part of this initiative since then," said an organic farmer.Another important component of Ganga rejuvenation is 'forestry interventions' to enhance the productivity and diversity of the forests in headwater areas and all along the river and its tributaries. A massive afforestation drive to preserve flora and the fauna--by and large protecting the Ganga basin ecosystem -- has been taken up along the banks of its Ganga stream.Apart from this the soil conservation and water harvesting projects too have revived the biodiversity of the region.Increasing the space of Biodiversity parks at the Ganga riverfront has also proved instrumental in preserving the health and ecosystem of River Ganga.The quality of the water of the river was already satisfactory in the Uttarakhand region but the combination of these efforts has further improved it. People say the current stream of Ganga is the purest they have seen in their lives.The government on the other side says the job is not done as yet as it has to restore the original nature of the sacred river, which can live up to the expectations of Uttarakhand's alternate identity 'Dev Bhoomi'.&nbsp;—ANI

Ganga, which traverses thousands of miles through distinctive terrains and geographies, is not just a sacred river but also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course.

Uttarakhand: Organic Farming, Afforestation Efforts By NMCG Improve Ganga Health

Uttarakhand

Dehradun / Noida: A Noida-based man, who came under fire for taking his dog, Husky, to the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand and was booked as well by the police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, said his pet 'Nawab' has travelled with him across the country and people were amazed watching it at the holy shrine.The incident came to the fore after a video showing the man with 'Nawab' on the outer premises of the temple and making it touch the statue of 'Nandi' went viral on social media platforms. An FIR has also been filed in the connection with the matter on the complaint of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee.Speaking to ANI, dog owner Rohit Tyagi said that four and half years old Nawab has visited many temples from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and the dog received love from the people at the Kedarnath Temple during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra. Sharing his experience visiting Kedarnath with his dog, Tyagi said Nawab was overwhelmed with love and blessing from people. "Nawab never experienced anything like this before in his journey.When asked why he took a dog to Kedarnath Temple, Tyagi said that Nawab is his "child" and families don't leave their children at home when they go on trips.After the video of Tyagi with his dog went viral, Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay took its cognizance. Later, the temple committee gave a complaint to the police station outpost in Kedarnath demanding legal action against the man so that such "unwanted" activities/incidents do not recur.According to the temple committee's media cell, the video has hurt "religious sentiments". —ANI

 A Noida-based man, who came under fire for taking his dog, Husky, to the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand and was booked as well by the police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, said his pet 'Nawab' has travelled with him across the country and people were amazed watching it at the holy shrine.

People Were Amazed Watching 'Nawab' There: Man Who Was Booked For Taking His Husky To Kedarnath

Dehradun (The Hawk): Under the aegis of SPIC MACAY, a Rudra Veena recital by the recipient of Sangeet Natak Academy Award Ustaad Bahauddin Dagar was held at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities today. He was accompanied by Sanjay Agle on Pakhawaj.During his performance, Ustaad Bahauddin Dagar mesmerized the audience with his soulful performance. In his performance, he played Rag Multani, Bhimpalasi, and Bahadur Todi. The performance was widely appreciated by all present and provided a rich flavor of the beautiful art and culture of the nation.Ustad Mohi Bahauddin Dagar was born into the illustrious Dagar family of Dhrupad musicians in 1970. He first began his foray into Indian Classical Music at the early age of seven, training on the Sitar under the expert tutelage of his mother, Smt. Pramila Dagar. A cross-platform performer, he has made regular appearances on television and radio networks. His music has been recorded by Music Today (India), Makars (France), Ragini Sutra (India), Sense World (London), and India Music Archives (USA). During his circuit, Ustaad Bahauddin Dagar also performed at Mussoorie International School and Tula's International School.

Under the aegis of SPIC MACAY, a Rudra Veena recital by the recipient of Sangeet Natak Academy Award Ustaad Bahauddin Dagar was held at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities today. He was accompanied by Sanjay Agle on Pakhawaj.

SPIC MACAY Presents Rudra Veena Recital By Bahauddin Dagar

Dehradun: Different parts of Uttarakhand received rainfall and strong winds. The early rain provided relief to the people by bringing the temperature down. India Meteorological Department has predicated thunderstorm with squall or hail for Dehradun on the same day. —ANI

Different parts of Uttarakhand received rainfall and strong winds.

Parts Of Uttarakhand Receive Rain, Hailstorm Likely In Dehradun

Khargone: &nbsp;A 16-year-old boy was missing after a vehicle which was part of a marriage party fell into the main canal of the Indira Sagar Dam in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Monday. Four occupants of the vehicle, a jeep, swam to safety, while a search was on for the missing boy, he said. The incident took place on Sunday night near Goradia village under the Baidia police station in the district when the four-wheeler carrying five persons fell into the 11-feet deep main canal of the dam, Khargone SP Dharamveer Singh Yadav said.A rescue team later found the jeep about 50 metres away from the accident spot and pulled it out of the canal, he said. District authorities have temporarily stopped release of water into the canal from the dam as part of rescue efforts to trace the boy, identified as Kishore Ram, he said. Barwah town's Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Anukool Jain and Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Vinod Dixit were supervising the rescue operation, the SP added.—PTI

 A 16-year-old boy was missing after a vehicle which was part of a marriage party fell into the main canal of the Indira Sagar Dam in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Monday.

MP: Marriage party vehicle falls into canal, boy missing

Madhya Pradesh

New Delhi: Some of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi-run schools are 'horror houses', the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) remarked after it conducted surprise inspection and found them without adequate security and sanitation facilities. In one of the school premises the DCW inspected on May 20 and 21, the panel claimed it found syringes, drugs, cigarette cases,&nbsp;gutka&nbsp;wrappers and even broken liquor bottles. The inspection came days after the panel initiated an inquiry into the condition of safety and security of students in schools after two girls allegedly faced sexual assault in an Municipal Corporation of Delhi-run school in Bhajanpura earlier this month. Bhai Mandeep Nagpal Nigam Vidhyalaya, Aruna Nagar (North), Nigam Pratibha Sah Shiksha Vidhyalaya, Kewal Park (North), Purvi Dilli Nagar Nigam Pratibha Vidhyalaya, Mustafabad (East) and Dakshini Dilli Nagar Nigam Prathmik Sah Bal Balika Vidhyalaya, Sanjay Colony, Bhati Mines (South) are the schools that were inspected. The DCW said its teams found the gates of all these four schools open and there were no security guards.After it found syringes, drugs and broken liquor bottles among other substances at the premises of the Kewal Park school, the panel said it has 'recommended filing an FIR in the matter urgently'.Most of the school buildings were severely damaged and unsafe for children, it said. 'Parts of the ceiling and walls have fallen several times in the school at Aruna Nagar and there have been several narrow escapes. In Bhati Mines, the children were forced to sit in a tin shade in scorching heat,' it said. The DCW observed that the schools did not have a single CCTV camera that was operational and that the toilets were 'extremely dirty'. 'Also, there were several toilet doors that were broken or could not be locked from inside, which raises serious concerns regarding the safety and privacy of children. In the school at Bhati Mines, the girl toilets were locked, and the boys and girls were forced to defecate in the open, as there was no water connection in the toilets,' it alleged. Further, the panel said the four schools were overcrowded and it was clear that the norms for teacher-pupil ratio were not being followed.'The DCW was informed that MCD is running summer classes for the children studying in its schools from 7.30 am to 11am. However, the mid-day meal is presently not being served in any of its schools,' it said. During the inspection, it was also found that proper benches were not available in schools. The DCW has issued a notice to MCD commissioner in this connection and sought a detailed action report by May 30. It panel has also sought details of the officials responsible for the 'dismal' condition of schools and has asked the MCD to take action against them.'These schools are horror houses where students and teachers are extremely unsafe. How can a school exist without a security guard and CCTV? In today's world, MCD is running schools where girls are forced to defecate in the open! So much so for the Total Sanitation Campaign! The situation is extremely alarming and urgent steps need to be taken to safeguard the future of the children,' DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.—PTI

Some of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi-run schools are 'horror houses', the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) remarked after it conducted surprise inspection and found them without adequate security and sanitation facilities.

Syringes, drugs found on premises of MCD-run schools

Delhi

Delhi: Eight people were injured as houses collapsed in different parts of Delhi following heavy rain and storm on Monday morning, officials said. The houses collapsed in the Jawalpuri, Gokalpuri, Shankar road and Moti Nagar areas of the city, officials of the fire department said.Delhiites woke up to thunderstorm and rains on Monday morning that brought a much-needed respite from the sweltering heat. Trees were uprooted in some parts of the capital and traffic snarls were reported on various stretches, including ITO, DND and near AIIMS. The weather department said this was the first moderate-intensity storm of this season. According to the fire department, three persons received minor injuries after a house collapsed in west Delhi's Jawalpuri. The trio are being treated at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital. A call about the collapse in Jawalpuri was received at 5.51 am and two fire tenders were rushed to the spot, they said. In a related development, another house collapse was reported in northeast Delhi's Gokalpuri following which two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. No one was injured in the incident, Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Services said. This was followed by another call about a house collpase in west Delhi's Moti Nagar area at around 6:36 am where two rescue vehicles were rushed to the spot, he said. "Three persons received injuries and were shifted to Acharya Bhikshu Hosptial," he added. A call about another house collapse was received at 6:28 am from Shankar road area in central Delhi and three tenders, including rescue vehicles, were sent to the spot. "Two persons got minor injuries and were shifted to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for treatment," Garg added. All those injured have sustained minor injuries and will be discharged soon, fire officials said.According to police, 62 PCR calls related to uprooted trees were received following the storm.Eight vehicles parked on the roadside were damaged after the trees were uprooted during the storm. None was injured and no casualties were reported, police said.The thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and rain led to a drastic fall in the surface temperature on Monday. Between 5.40 am and 7 am, the temperature plummeted by 11 notches from 29 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius.The minimum temperature at 8.30 am was recorded at 17.2 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, while 12mm of rainfall was recorded till 8.30 am.—PTI

Eight people were injured as houses collapsed in different parts of Delhi following heavy rain and storm on Monday morning, officials said.

Delhi: 8 injured as houses collapse in heavy rains

Mumbai: In the wake of monkeypox cases reported from some countries, the Mumbai civic body has kept a 28-bed ward ready at the Kasturba Hospital in&nbsp;Mumbai for the isolation of suspected patients, officials said on Monday. As on date, there has been no report of any suspected or confirmed case of Monkeypox in Mumbai, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) public health department said.In an advisory issued about the viral zoonotic disease, the BMC said airport authorities are screening passengers coming from the endemic and non-endemic countries showing outbreaks. "For the isolation of suspected cases, a separate ward (28 beds) has been prepared at the Kasturba Hospital and their samples will be sent for testing to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV)," the civic body's advisory said. All health facilities in Mumbai have been informed to notify and refer any suspected Monkeypox case to the Kasturba Hospital, it said.As per BMC's advisory, Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease which occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.'Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications,' it stated.It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks. Severe cases can occur and the case fatality rate may vary from 1-10 per cent, the BMC said.The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans as well as human-to- human.'The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), respiratory tract or the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth),' the advisory stated.The animal-to-human transmission may occur by a bite or scratch, bushmeat (of wild animals) preparations, direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, or indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated bedding, it said.The human-to-human transmission is thought to occur primarily through largerespiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact.Besides, it can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linens of an infected person, the BMC informed. Monkeypox has an incubation period usually of 7 to 14 days, but can range from 5-21 days and the person is usually not contagious during this period.'An infected person may transmit the disease from 1-2 days before appearance of the rash and remain contagious till all the scabs fall off,' the advisory said.—PTI

In the wake of monkeypox cases reported from some countries, the Mumbai civic body has kept a 28-bed ward ready at the Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai for the isolation of suspected patients, officials said on Monday.

Monkeypox threat: BMC readies isolation ward, issues advisory

Maharashtra

Mathura: A petitioner in the Shri Krishna Janmasthan-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute has sought permission from a local court to perform a Hindu ritual inside the mosque, claiming that the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was located there. The petitioner submitted an application in the court of the Civil Judge on Monday seeking permission for 'purification' of the sanctum sanctorum of the Keshav Dev temple, which he claimed was inside the mosque, his counsel said.'The petitioner, Dinesh Chandra Sharma, wants to revive the sanctity of sanctum sanctorum inside Shahi Masjid Idgah by purifying the divine place with holy water of Ganga and Yamuna,' Deepak Sharma, the counsel for petitioner said. Dinesh Chandra Sharma, the National Treasurer of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, on May 19 had submitted a similar application in the court of Civil Judge senior division Mathura, he said. Through the application, Sharma had sought the permission for performing 'abhishek' (anointment) of Laddu Gopal in the Katra Keshav Dev temple claiming it to be inside the mosque, he said. Both his applications are pending in the court here for disposal, the counsel said. According to him, his client has submitted these applications seeking early disposal of the suit. Sharma had filed a suit on February 26, 2021 in the court of Civil judge Senior division Mathura seeking shifting of Shahi Masjid Idgah constructed on a part of the 13.37 acre land of Katra Keshav Dev temple. Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf board, Intezamia committee Shahi Masjid Idgah, Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, and Srikrishna Janmabhumi trust, are the defendants in the lawsuit. Several suits have been filed so far in the matter with a common prayer of shifting of Shahi Masjid Idgah, which has been claimed to have been constructed in the temple premise. In a few of the suits, a plea has also been made for sending an advocate commissioner or an ASI team to ascertain the presence of signs of Hindu temples inside the mosque.—PTI

A petitioner in the Shri Krishna Janmasthan-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute has sought permission from a local court to perform a Hindu ritual inside the mosque, claiming that the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was located there.

Hindu petitioner seeks court nod to 'purify' Mathura's Shahi Idgah

Uttar Pradesh

Bengaluru:&nbsp;The Karnataka government is set to formulate and implement a Design Policy and will host "world's largest design festival" - 'Bengaluru Design Festival'- along with Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS 22), scheduled to be held in November, Minister for IT/BT and S&amp;T C N Ashwath Narayan said on Monday.During the meeting with the officials of the World Design Council (WDC), World Design Organisation (WDO), and UK Design Council in London, the Minister confirmed the state's interest to formulate and implement the design policy for Karnataka, a release from his office said. The policy will attribute inputs from the national design policy and seek inputs from WDC to come up with a framework and structure, he said. Narayan said the WDC has extended its support to implement state design policy and also to integrate the 'Design Thinking" as a part of the school and college curriculum in Karnataka. "The pilot project for the design thinking in school project can be done in selected government schools and based on the impact can scale up the project across the state. The IT department will take the lead to formulate and implement the design policy for the state," he added. According to the release, the Minister invited the officials to the state for further discussions and proceedings. Paula Graham Gazzard, Chair of Council, World Design Council claimed, "The proposed Design Policy, Design District and Design Education will put Karnataka in the global design circle and it will help to drive investments and jobs creation in the creative sector of the state.—PTI

The Karnataka government is set to formulate and implement a Design Policy and will host "world's largest design festival" - 'Bengaluru Design Festival'- along with Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS 22), scheduled to be held in November, Minister for IT/BT and S&T C N Ashwath Narayan said on Monday.

Karnataka set to formulate 'Design Policy'

Karnataka

Berhampur / Alipurduar:&nbsp;Sibani Das, a nursing officer of state-run MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Odisha's Berhampur, has been selected for the National Florence Nightingale Award 2021. Smita Kar, another nurse working in a Public Health Centre in remote Tasati tea garden in Falakata block of West Bengal's Alipurduar district, has also been selected for the highest nursing honour in the country instituted by the Indian Nursing Council (INC). Fifty-year-old Das has been selected in recognition of her dedication to the profession, particularly for her service during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital's superintendent Santosh Kumar Mishra said on Monday. Kar, on the other hand, was selected for spreading awareness among the tribal populace after duty hours. The prestigious award will be conferred on Das and Kar by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function, the date and time of which are yet to be decided. The respective health departments have been informed about Das's and Kar's selection for the award. "I am very happy for being selected for the highest nursing honour in the country. It will encourage others to serve people more," Das said. "I thank my co-workers and family for always being by my side. Without their support, this would not have been possible," Kar said. Das, who hails from Lochapada on the outskirts of Berhampur town, has around 25 years of experience as a nurse. She joined MKCG Medical College and Hospital as a nursing officer in 2007. Before that, she had worked in a private hospital in West Bengal from 1997 to 2007. She was deputed to Tata COVID Hospital at Sitalapalli near here during the pandemic in 2020. She served at COVID Hospital-11 in the medical college and hospital last year. "She had worked hard in both the COVID hospitals. She deserved the award. The medical college and hospital had recommended her name to the INC for the award, Mishra added.—PTI

Sibani Das, a nursing officer of state-run MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Odisha's Berhampur, has been selected for the National Florence Nightingale Award 2021.

Nightingale Award for Odisha, Bengal nurses

Odisha

Chandigarh: Haryana State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh on Monday announced to conduct polls to 46 municipal bodies in the state on June 19. Counting of votes will take place on June 22, Singh said here. Singh said the nomination process will commence from May 30 and the last date for filling of nominations will be June 4. The scrutiny of nominations will be done on June 6 while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature will be June 7. The polling will be held on June 19 from 7 am till 6 pm, he said. The state election commissioner said the polls to 46 municipal bodies--28 municipal committees and 18 municipal councils--will be held, according to an official release. Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal assured the state election commissioner that the administration will extend full support in conducting the elections in a transparent, fair, free and peaceful manner.—PTI

Haryana State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh on Monday announced to conduct polls to 46 municipal bodies in the state on June 19.

Polls to Haryana municipal bodies on June 19

Haryana

Hyderabad: After a Covid-induced gap of two years, class 10 examinations began across Telangana on Monday. More than 5 lakh students are appearing in the the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams at 2,861 centres.The state's education department made elaborate arrangements for conducting the exams in a smooth manner. For the last two years, SSC exams could not be conducted due to Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the exams were postponed after three papers were held as a nationwide lockdown was imposed. The exams were subsequently cancelled and all the students were declared passed. Last year, the exams had to be cancelled due to the second wave of the pandemic and all the students were promoted to the next class. Schools remained closed for most part of the academic year. Classes were mostly held online as parents were reluctant to send their children for physical classes.However, the authorities decided to conduct exams this year as it was felt that not doing so would affect the future of the students. However, the syllabus was truncated and the number of papers reduced from 11 to just six to take the exam pressure off of students. Candidates will be given a choice of answering only 50 per cent of the questions in the theory section while all objective-type questions have to be answered. The Board of Secondary School of Education also extended the exam time by 30 minutes. All the exams will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. Students were given a five-minute grace time to reach the centres.As the authorities had made it clear that candidates will not be allowed after 9.35 a.m., the students had reached the centres well before the time on Monday, when the exam for the first language was conducted. The exams are being held with Covid-19 guidelines. The candidates have been asked to wear a face mask while they will be allowed into the centres after checking their body temperature. In view of the summer season, authorities have made provision for drinking water and ORS packets at the exam centres. ANMs and Asha workers were also kept on stand-by by with required medicines. A total of 5,09,275 students from 11,401 schools have applied for the exams. They include 2,51,177 girls. A total 140 flying squads have been constituted across the state to check malpractices. CCTV cameras have also been installed at the centres. Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC were imposed around the exam centres. The authorities have also ordered closure of Xerox shops near the centres.—IANS

After a Covid-induced gap of two years, class 10 examinations began across Telangana on Monday. More than 5 lakh students are appearing in the the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams at 2,861 centres.

Class 10 exams begin in Telangana after 2-yr Covid gap

Telangana

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called an all party meeting to discuss caste-based census on May 27. "We have sent the proposal to all the parties for the meeting on May 27. However, some of the parties have not replied to the call of the state government so far. We are waiting for their response," Nitish Kumar said. "We want to discuss each and every issue related to caste-based census. The leaders of different political parties will give their suggestions which will be a great help," he said.Nitish Kumar's statement came 10 days after Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav met him over the issue. Earlier, Jitan Ram Manjhi claimed that he has received a call from the CMO office for the meeting on May 27. With this statement of Nitish Kumar, it is clear that caste-based census is likely to take place in Bihar soon and its expenses will be borne by the Bihar government.In Bihar, parties like the JD-U, the RJD, the Congress, the Left parties and the AIMIM are in favour of the caste census. The BJP, however, has raised objections. Sources said that the BJP is not likely to attend the all party meet called by the Chief Minister. Tarkishore Prasad, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar said: "The Chief Minister has told us about the date of meeting for the caste-based census. We are discussing this matter within the party (BJP). We will soon take a call on it." Caste-based census is a long-standing demand of political parties minus the BJP. An all-party delegation headed by Nitish Kumar had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi eight months ago but actual progress on it was not visible on the ground. In the last one month or so, the situation seems to have changed and Nitish Kumar is firm on his decision.—IANS

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called an all party meeting to discuss caste-based census on May 27.

Nitish calls all party meet on caste census on May 27

Bihar

Mumbai: New airline Akasa Air on Monday said it is on track to receive its first Boeing 737 Max plane by mid-June and launch commercial operations by July. The airline on Monday released the photographs of its first Max plane from the Boeing production facility in the USA's Portland as it gets ready for delivery."The airline recently reaffirmed its commitment of being on track to receive its first aircraft in India by mid-June and launch commercial operations in India by July 2022," its statement mentioned. It plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in the country, focusing on metro to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, it noted.The airline, which is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, received the no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in August 2021 to launch commercial flight operations. With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation giving the green light to Boeing 737 Max aircraft in late August last year, Akasa Air signed a deal with Boeing on November 26, 2021, to purchase 72 Max planes. Akasa Air on Monday said the Max aircraft will be powered by the highly fuel-efficient CFM LEAP B engine."Providing the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle airplane as well as high dispatch reliability and an enhanced passenger experience, the 737 Max is one of the strategic factors that will give Akasa Air a competitive edge in its dynamic home market," it mentioned. India's growing economy and expanding population will fuel strong demand for commercial flights, driving the need for an estimated 1,000 new airplanes in India over the next 20 years, the airline said.—PTI

New airline Akasa Air on Monday said it is on track to receive its first Boeing 737 Max plane by mid-June and launch commercial operations by July.

Akasa Air may launch commercial services by July

Varanasi: Hindu women plaintiffs who have filed a civil suit before the Varanasi court seeking declaration and asserting the right to darshan and worship Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi has referred to stand taken by the British government in a 1936 suit seeking it to be declared as Waqf property. In an affidavit filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, three of the five women devotees said that in 1936, one Deen Mohammed has filed a civil suit without impleading any member of the Hindu community but impleading only the secretary of state for India through the district magistrate, Benares, and Anjuman Intajamia Masajid, Benares, for granting declaration that the land bearing situated in the city measuring (1 bigha 9 biswa and 6 dhurs) together with enclosure all-around described in the plaint was Waqf in possession of that plaintiff (Mohammed). The affidavit has been filed in response to the plea of the committee of management Anjuman Intezamia Masjid which manages the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi seeking quashing of the recent survey of the mosque.&nbsp;The affidavit said that the 1936 suit said that Muslims had the right to say their prayers especially&nbsp;alvida&nbsp;prayers, and to exercise other religious and legal rights as the need and occasion arise. ”It is submitted that the Muslims had filed the above-mentioned suit only for declaration without seeking any consequential relief. This suit was filed even without impleading any person from the Hindu community. Therefore, the judgment passed in the suit is not binding upon any member of Hindu community but any document, map, evidence or statement of any witness can be referred to or relied upon by the members of Hindu community,” the affidavit said.It referred to a written statement filed in the civil suit on behalf of the secretary of state for India in council refuting the plaint allegations and it was stated that”the idols and the temple which stand there exist since long before the advent of the Mohammedan rule in India''.The affidavit said that in substance the Government of India (during British era) in the written statement filed in civil suit stated that ''the entire plot of land on which the mosque, ’pucca' courtyard stray grave, staircase in front of the gate, together with ‘pucca' enclosures all around and pipal tree stand belongs to government and has never been dedicated nor could have been dedicated to the mosque.”It further stated the written statement had said that ”the idols and the temple which stand there have existed since long before the advent of the Mohammedan rule in India. The other allegations made in the said paragraph are denied. It is submitted that the non-Muslims have been using the land for their religious purposes as a matter of right and have got a right of way over it. The allegation that they were permitted by persons in charge of the mosque is unfounded and baseless”.The affidavit further said it was stated in the statement that ”the land in question was ever stamped with the character of Waqf land. It was never dedicated to god, nor could it have been dedicated and god has no proprietary interest. The Mohammadans of that time or for the matter of that Aurangzeb himself was not the owner of the site in which the old temple of Vishwanath existed and which was demolished by Aurangzeb owing to the religious antipathy, hence it could not have been dedicated according to the true spirit of the Mohammadan faith.”It further said that the historians have confirmed that Islamic ruler Aurangzeb had issued an order on April 9, 1669, directing his administration to demolish the temple of Lord Adi Vishweshwar (Kashi Vishwanath temple) at Varanasi.&nbsp;”There is nothing on record to establish that the then ruler or any subsequent ruler has passed any order to create a Waqf over the land in question or for handing over the land to any Muslim or body of Muslims. The copy of&nbsp;firman/order issued by Aurangzeb is reported to be maintained by Asiatic Library, Kolkata”, the affidavit said.It said that the property in question does not belong to any Waqf and the property had already vested in deity Adi Vishweshwar lakhs of years before the start of the British Calendar year and is continuing to be the property of the deity.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;”No Waqf can be created on the land already vesting in a deity. In the historical books written during the Mughal regime and thereafter even Muslim historians have not claimed that Aurangzeb after demolishing the temple structure of Adi Vishweshwar had created any Waqf or thereafter any member of the Muslim community or Ruler was dedicated such property to Waqf,” it said.The affidavit added that a mosque can be constructed over the property dedicated by a&nbsp;waqif, who should be the owner of the property, and construction raised under the orders of any Muslim ruler or by any Muslim over the land of a temple cannot be construed as a mosque.&nbsp;The Hindu devotees in the 2021 civil suit said that their plea be decided first by the district judge to whom their case has been transferred on Friday last. ”The religious character of the property has to be determined first before deciding the application filed by the petitioner (mosque committee) herein under Order 7 Rule 11 for proper adjudication of the matter in issue,” it said, adding that the appeal of the mosque committee is not maintainable.—PTI

Hindu women plaintiffs who have filed a civil suit before the Varanasi court seeking declaration and asserting the right to darshan and worship Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi has referred to stand taken by the British government in a 1936 suit seeking it to be declared as Waqf property.

Hindu devotees cite British era stand in Gyanvapi dispute to buttress claim

Noida: &nbsp;A 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old daughter died while six other family members were injured when a roadways bus rammed into their car in Greater Noida on Monday morning, police officials said. Two of the injured are in a critical condition. "The woman and her daughter along with six more people were in a Maruti Eeco and travelling from Bulandshahr to Delhi. Around 6 am, their car was hit by a roadways bus on a road in Dadri area," a police spokesperson said. "Shrimati Singh and her daughter Neha died in the incident. Six others suffered injuries, two of them critical, and have been hospitalised. All of them are from the same family," the spokesperson said. According to the police, the crash took place due to "irresponsible and dangerous" driving by the bus driver. The bus has been impounded while the errant driver fled the spot, the police said. The bodies have been sent for postmortem and further legal proceedings are being carried out in the case, the police added.—PTI

A 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old daughter died while six other family members were injured when a roadways bus rammed into their car in Greater Noida on Monday morning, police officials said.

Woman, daughter killed in road crash in Greater Noida

Gurugram:&nbsp;The city faced prolonged power cuts and traffic jams as it was lashed with torrential rain and thunderstorm on Monday morning. Many commuters were stuck on roads and waterlogging led to traffic snarls. Several trees were uprooted during the storm. The worst affected stretches were Narsinghpur, Jharsa Crossing, Sector 29, Sector 38, Sector 50, Rajeev Chowk, Sheetla Mata Road, Civil Lines, Golf Course Extension Road, Vatika Chowk, Sector 52, and Daulatabad Flyover. At least 2,500 police personnel were deployed at major key points to manage traffic, said Ravinder Kumar Tomar, DCP (traffic).—PTI

The city faced prolonged power cuts and traffic jams as it was lashed with torrential rain and thunderstorm on Monday morning.

Heavy rain leads to traffic snarls in Gurugram

Punjab

Patiala: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dtnext.in/national/2022/05/20/navjot-singh-sidhu-lodged-in-patiala-jail-in-1988-road-rage-case" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(47, 129, 205); background-color: transparent;">lodged in jail</a>, has been taken to a Rajindra Hospital in Patiala for a medical check-up on Monday morning. He was lodged in Patiala central jail on May 20 after Supreme Court imposed one-year rigorous imprisonment on him in the 1988 road rage case.Sidhu was acquitted in connection with the culpable homicide charges but was convicted of the offence of voluntarily causing hurt.The court had slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 on Sidhu and also acquitted Sidhu's associate, Rupinder Singh Sandhu in the case.The Sessions Court Judge of Patiala on September 22, 1999, acquitted Sidhu and his associate, due to a lack of evidence in the case and giving the benefit of the doubt.It was then challenged by the victim's families before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had in 2006, convicted and sentenced Sidhu to three years imprisonment. Sidhu then filed an appeal before the apex court challenging this order. On December 27, 1988, Sidhu allegedly beat up Gurnam Singh on his head, leading to his death.—IANS

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been lodged in jail, has been taken to a Rajindra Hospital in Patiala for a medical check-up on Monday morning. He was lodged in Patiala central jail on May 20 after Supreme Court imposed one-year rigorous imprisonment on him in the 1988 road rage case.

Navjot Singh Sidhu taken to hospital for medical check-up

Chennai: The traditional 'Pattina Pravesam' of Dharmapuram Adheenam was conducted amid tight security in Tamil Nadu. The Pattina Pravesam was mired in controversy after the Tamil Nadu government banned it following protests from several organisations and later revoked the curb and allowed the Adheenam to conduct the ritual.Masilamani Desika Gnanasambadha Paramacharya Swamigal, the seer of Dharmapuram Adheenam, was carried by his disciples on a palanquin around the streets near the mutt and received with 'Poorna Kumbham' honour late on Sunday night. The 'Pattina Pravesam' is a culmination of the 11-day Vaigasi Peruvizha of the Dharmapuram Adheenam mutt's Gnanapureeswar temple on May .—IANS

The traditional 'Pattina Pravesam' of Dharmapuram Adheenam was conducted amid tight security in Tamil Nadu.