Mumbai:&nbsp;A 15-year-old boy drowned in the Vihar lake in Powai area here while swimming, police said on Tuesday.The boy, identified as Gautam Panchal, had gone for a swim at the lake with his friends on Monday afternoon, an official said.Prima facie, Panchal drowned as he failed to gauge the depth of the water in the lake, he said.He was fished out of the water by local people and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead before admission.An Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered.—PTI

A 15-year-old boy drowned in the Vihar lake in Powai area here while swimming, police said on Tuesday.

Teenage boy drowns in Mumbai lake

Beijing: China is constructing a second bridge in an area held by it around the strategically key Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh and it could help the Chinese military to quickly mobilise its troops in the region, according to satellite imagery and people familiar with the development on Wednesday. The bridge is being built amid the lingering standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries at several friction points in eastern Ladakh for over two years.There is no official reaction or comment by the Indian defence establishment on the new construction. China has been focusing on strengthening its military infrastructure after Indian troops captured several strategic peaks on the southern bank of the Pangong lake in August 2020 after the Chinese PLA attempted to intimidate them in the area. India too has been constructing bridges, roads and tunnels in the border regions as part of overall efforts to enhance military preparedness. It is learnt that China has recently completed the construction of the first bridge in the area. The people cited above said the new bridge is being built in an area that is over 20 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Damien Symon, a geospatial intelligence researcher, who keeps track of Chinese activities along the LAC, posted satellite images of the new construction on Twitter. Symon, who uses the handle @detresfa_ said a 'larger bridge' is being developed parallel to the first one, adding the likely aim of the construction is to 'support larger/heavier movement' (of the military) over the lake. The satellite image posted by Symon noted that the bridge is being built from both sides simultaneously. The bridge is likely to cut the distance significantly from the depth area of Rudok to the region around the LAC in Pangong Tso. The eastern Ladakh faceoff began on May 4-5 in 2020. India has been insisting on the restoration of the status quo ante prior to the standoff.India and China have held 15 rounds of military talks so far to resolve the eastern Ladakh row. As a result of the talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquillity along the LAC were key for the overall development of the bilateral ties. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control in the sensitive sector.—PTI

China is constructing a second bridge in an area held by it around the strategically key Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh and it could help the Chinese military to quickly mobilise its troops in the region, according to satellite imagery and people familiar with the development on Wednesday. 

Satellite shows China building new bridge in Pangong area

Ladakh: India on Friday voiced strong opposition to China building a second bridge across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh, and said it is in an area that has been under 'illegal occupation' of that country for around 60 years. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has never accepted such illegal occupation of its territory, nor has it accepted the 'unjustified' Chinese claim or such construction activities. Satellite imagery suggested that China is constructing the second bridge in the strategically key region right next to the first one, amid a lingering border row in eastern Ladakh. "We have seen reports of a bridge being constructed by China on Pangong Lake alongside its earlier bridge. Both these bridges are in areas that have continued to be under the illegal occupation of China since the 1960s," Bagchi said. "We have never accepted such illegal occupation of our territory, nor have we accepted the unjustified Chinese claim or such construction activities," he added. Bagchi was responding to media queries on the matter. "We have made it clear on several occasions that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India and we expect other countries to respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Bagchi said the government has stepped up the development of border infrastructure, especially since 2014, including the construction of roads and bridges in order to ensure that the nation's security interests are fully protected."The government remains committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along the border areas to not only meet India's strategic and security requirements but also facilitate the economic development of these areas," he said. "And of course, the government keeps a constant watch on all developments that have a bearing on India's security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Bagchi added. In January, when reports of China building the first bridge across the Pangong Tso emerged, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is located in an area that is under illegal occupation of China for 60 years. According to experts, China completed the construction of the first bridge across Pangong Tso in April. The eastern Ladakh faceoff began on May 4-5 in 2020. India has been insisting on the restoration of status quo ante prior to the standoff. India and China have held 15 rounds of military talks so far to resolve the eastern Ladakh row. As a result of the talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and the south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquillity along the LAC were key to overall development of bilateral ties. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.—PTI

India on Friday voiced strong opposition to China building a second bridge across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh, and said it is in an area that has been under 'illegal occupation' of that country for around 60 years.

China building bridge in area occupied by it since 1960: MEA

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a report on a plea alleging unregulated extraction of water from the Mussoorie Lake by private hotels in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said unregulated withdrawal of water from the lake can certainly affect the natural water cycle and environmental functions performed by it. ''We have considered the matter. Unregulated withdrawal of water from the lake can certainly affect natural water cycle and environmental functions performed by the Lake – recharge of ground water aquifer habitat to aquatic and semi aquatic plants and animals, quality of water,'' the bench also comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Arun Kumar Tyagi, said.''Thus, it appears to be necessary to ascertain factual position and remedial action taken by the statutory regulators,'' it said.The tribunal constituted a committee comprising officials of Central Pollution Control Board, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, Dehradun District Magistrate and State Wetland Authority.The factual and action taken report may be filed with the tribunal within two months by e-mail, it said. The matter is listed for next hearing on July 25.The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Kartik Sharma against unregulated withdrawal of water from Mussoorie Lake by Hotel Jaypee Residency in Mussoorie and others. —PTI

 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a report on a plea alleging unregulated extraction of water from the Mussoorie Lake by private hotels in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

NGT Seeks Report On Unregulated Extraction Of Water From Mussoorie Lake

Harish bathla Chandigarh (The Hawk): With an aim to further enhance and promote tourism to put Punjab on the Global map, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government is all set to develop Ranjit Sagar Lake in Pathankot as an International Standard Tourism Destination.&nbsp;Taking a step towards making Punjab as a tourist attraction spot, the Punjab Government, on Friday, has organized an Investor Summit in New Delhi to extend an invitation to the Private sector to invest in the Tourism and other sectors in the State.While special focus was laid on the development of Ranjit Sagar Lake as an International Tourist Destination, various other projects having the potential to be developed as Tourist spots were also showcased during the Summit.&nbsp;Other projects include Darbar Hall and Gol Kothi in Kapurthala, Sangrur Kothi in Sangrur, Amritsar &amp; Mohali Convention Centres, Shahpur Kandi Fort etc.&nbsp;Surrounded by lush greenery and hills, this critically juxtaposed site spans across 74.76 acres along Ranjit Sagar Lake has a great tourism potential as it is located enroute to Dalhousie, and is in vicinity to Dharamshala, Palampur, Chamba and Vaishno Devi, Katra, all very famous tourist destinations.&nbsp;Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari, while presiding over the function said that the Ranjit Sagar Lake in Pathankot will be developed as state-of-the-art tourist destination on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode for which the State Government has already obtained Environment Clearance and Stage-1 Forest Clearance to develop.He said that with Punjab having a rich and diverse natural landscape, it is envisaged to unlock this potential for the citizens and assist them in appreciating and conserving natural resources. "This shall not only preserve &amp; conserve the natural heritage but also trigger other ancillary development &amp; employment generation for the local community," he added.The Chief Secretary said that the Punjab Government under the visionary leadership of CM Bhagwant Mann intends to develop a strong economic base with a special initiative on promoting sustainable tourism.&nbsp;"Punjab Chief Minister recently reviewed the projects and directed to identify and initiate various tourism projects across the State. In furtherance of this initiative, the Government has organized this Investor Summit," he said.While extending an invitation to investors to invest in Punjab, Anirudh Tewari, also briefed them about the 'Ease of Doing Business' policy adopted by the state which provides hassle-free Single Window Clearance to the investors besides giving them Investment incentives.&nbsp;Renowned organisations in the Tourism sector including ITC Hospitality, Taj, Mahindra Holidays, Marriot, Hyaat, Park, CGH Earth and many other players participated in the event.&nbsp;Addressing the extinguished representatives of tourism sector, Principal Secretary Tourism and Cultural Affairs Tejveer Singh said that the vision of the state government to develop ecological sensitive tourist destinations by actively supporting ‘Responsible Tourism’ in the State. The majestic beauty of the Ranjit Sagar Lake has an immense potential for tourism and eco-resort, adventure &amp; water sports and other activities would be the attraction for the tourists, he added.Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism (GoI) Rakesh Kumar Verma, Principal Secretary Housing &amp; Urban Development Mr. Ajoy Kumar Sinha, Managing Director, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) Mr. Mohammad Tayyab, Additional Managing Director PIDB Mr. Yashanjit Singh, Additional CEO Invest Punjab Mr. Uma Shankar Gupta and Advisor Tourism Department Punjab Mr. Shivdular Singh Dhillon were among the prominents who were present on the occasion.

 With an aim to further enhance and promote tourism to put Punjab on the Global map, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government is all set to develop Ranjit Sagar Lake in Pathankot as an International Standard Tourism Destination. 

Ranjit Sagar Lake in Pathankot to be developed as World Class Tourist Destination: CS 

Bageshwar: Authorities have discovered a lake that has formed near Kuwari village in Uttarakhand"s Bageshwar district due to frequent landslides.The lake has been formed after debris from landslides fell into the Pindar river near the village, officials said.Kapkot Sub-divisional magistrate Paritosh Verma said the flow of the river has been slightly affected due to the debris of the landslides but there there was no danger.He said since the 2013 disaster at Kuwari village, landslides have been taking place due to which water has accumulated in a small area beside the river."The debris of the landslide has been falling in the river, but it is not as if the entire river has stopped. The debris has slightly obstructed the flow of the river and water has collected in some areas," Verma said.He said there was no danger to the village due to the lake as it is situated very high up. However, due to frequent landslides, the process of moving people from the village has started, he said.He informed that 70-75 families of Kuwari village have been identified and they will be moved in a phased manner.&nbsp;&nbsp;—PTI&nbsp;

Authorities have discovered a lake that has formed near Kuwari village in Uttarakhand"s Bageshwar district due to frequent landslides.

Lake Formed Due To Frequent Landslides Near Village In U'Khand's Bageshwar District

Hyderabad: A 38-year-old woman killed herself by jumping into Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city on Wednesday.According to police, Sailaja (38) jumped into the lake from Tank Bund early in the morning. She was reportedly under depression due to ill health and the death of her husband.In another incident, a man jumped to death from a flyover at Narsingi here, late on Tuesday night, police said.The incident occurred under the limits of Narsingi Police Station of Cyberabad Police Commissionerate.Identified as Bhimappa (30), the man jumped from the flyover near the Outer Ring Road (ORR)and died on the spot.Hailing from Narayanpet district of Telangana, he was staying in Narsingi. The reasons for the suicide were not known.The body was shifted to Osmania Hospital for autopsy. Police registered a case and took up investigation.—IANS

 A 38-year-old woman killed herself by jumping into Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city on Wednesday.

 Woman jumps into Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad, dies

New Delhi: The mass production of chip-maker Intels next big flagship processor Meteor Lake is expected to be delayed until 2024, a report has said.According to Trend Force research, Intel plans to outsource the tGPU chipset in Meteor Lake to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for manufacture."Mass production of this product was initially planned for 2H22 but was later postponed to 1H23 due to product design and process verification issues," the report mentioned.Recently, the product's mass production schedule has been postponed again to the end of 2023 for some reason, "completely cancelling 3nm production capacity originally booked in 2023 with only a marginal amount of wafer input remaining for engineering verification".Intel&nbsp;said earlier this year that Meteor Lake would be "powering on" this summer before shipping in 2023.This incident has "greatly affected TSMC's production expansion plan, resulting in Apple being the one company among the first wave of 3nm process clients from 2H22 to the start 2023 with products including M series chips and A17 Bionic", the report mentioned.In view of this, TSMC has decided to slow the progress of its production expansion.In addition to formally notifying equipment suppliers of the company's intention to adjust 2023 equipment orders, due to the high cost of 3nm expansion, TrendForce expects that this move will also affect some parts of TSMC's 2023 CapEx planning.Apple's new 2024 iPhone is expected to fully adopt 3nm processors."If&nbsp;Intel&nbsp;4 fails to mass-produce as scheduled, Intel may outsource its computing tiles to TSMC, strongly driving growth in 2024," it added.Intel suffered a 25 per cent decline in consumer chip sales in the second quarter, along with revenue of $15.3 billion, down 22 per cent year over year (YoY).Its profits nosedived as it lost half a billion dollars in the April-June period -- a 109 per cent decline in profit from $5.1 billion it saw in Q2 last year.—IANS

The mass production of chip-maker Intels next big flagship processor Meteor Lake is expected to be delayed until 2024, a report has said.  According to TrendForce research, Intel plans to outsource the tGPU chipset in Meteor Lake to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for manufacture.

 Intel Meteor Lake chip delayed to 2024, TSMC slows 3nm expansion: Report

The mass production of chip-maker Intels next big flagship processor Meteor Lake is expected to be delayed until 2024, a report has said.

According to TrendForce research, Intel plans to outsource the tGPU chipset in Meteor Lake to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for manufacture.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the first state in the country with regards to the construction of 8,462 Amrit Sarovars (lakes).
This is a part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious Mission Amrit Sarovar, aimed at conserving water for the future.
Madhya Pradesh is ranked second, Jammu and Kashmir third, Rajasthan fourth and Tamil Nadu fifth in the mission implementation, according to a state government statement.
Within Uttar Pradesh, Lakhimpur Kheri has secured the first position by constructing 256 Amrit Sarovars, while Gorakhpur and Pratapgarh have got second and third positions, with 244 and 231 lakes, respectively.
Director of rural development department G S Priyadarshi said that on the instructions of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, 15,497 Amrit Sarovars were identified in different village panchayats of which 8,462 have already been developed, which is almost twice the total number of Amrit Sarovars developed collectively in Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
Uttar Pradesh is the only state in the country where the development work of Amrit Sarovars, is going on a war footing. In all 1.20 lakh Amrit Sarovars will be developed in the state, which is the maximum in the country.
In Lakhimpur Kheri, work on 256 Amrit Sarovars out of 315 has been completed whereas construction of 25 is underway.
Similarly, the construction of 244 out of 312 Amrit Sarovars has been completed in Gorakhpur while work is going on 18.
Moreover, the construction of 231 lakes out of 282 has been completed in Pratapgarh and work is underway on the rest. Priyadarshi said that in the first phase of the mission, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, a target was set to develop 75 Amrit Sarovars in 75 districts of the state, which was completed ahead of schedule.
The Yogi Government also seeks to develop at least two Amrit Sarovars in 58 gram panchayats (approximately 1.20 lakh) in the second phase.
The government has developed 7,500 Amrit Sarovars under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. —IANS

Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the first state in the country with regards to the construction of 8,462 Amrit Sarovars (lakes).

UP Tops In Construction Of Amrit Sarovars

New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal-led government is working continuously to make Delhi the 'City of Lakes' by developing 250 reservoirs and 23 lakes are being developed across the national capital.
A budget of Rs 376 crore was approved by the Delhi government for 159 water bodies, while a budget of Rs 77 crore was passed for the construction of two big lakes. This project, started by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in 2017-18, is likely to be finished by 2024.
The foundation stone of the Delhi government's project to revive and develop lakes and reservoirs was laid in 2017. Under this, the DJB was entrusted with the task of reviving and developing about 250 reservoirs and 23 lakes in different parts of the city. The DJB started work on the project in 2018.
Under the project, work is being done in two categories - firstly, on the lakes which have dried up and are in bad condition, and secondly, construction of artificial lakes at seven different locations in the national capital.
Apart from this, the government is also working to revive small water bodies.
The objective of this entire project is to create various reservoirs to prevent urban flooding, to raise the groundwater level, and to resolve the issue of blocked drains.
The initiative will also help in tackling the problem of water scarcity in Delhi.
The Delhi government is rejuvenating these lakes using a sustainable model. Local flora is being planted around the lakes. Along with this, beautification work is being also carried out around these water bodies.
DJB Consultant and Engineer Ankit Srivastava told IANS that the project is the brainchild of Chief Minister Kejriwal. Under this, the priority was to increase the ground water level and to keep its own water reserves ready. Later it was also decided to beautify the surroundings of these water bodies.
He said that about 1,000 MGD of water is supplied in Delhi, out of which 900 MGD comes from other states, while about 100 MGD of water is drawn by the Delhi government itself. After the completion of the project, Delhi will become self-sufficient to a large extent.
According to the DJB, in the first phase of the project, 50 water bodies have been identified, where the waste water used to go. They are now being revived. Apart from this, lakes have been dug at seven places, in which water is being released from sewage treatment plants (STPs).
Piezometers are also being installed in lakes to measure the ground water level.
According to the DJB, in the lakes that were excavated in the first phase, there was an increase of 1.5 to 1.75 metres in the ground water level. After which the lakes are being deepened and better results will be seen in the coming time.
The first water body work under the project was started as a pilot in Rajokri.
Srivastava told IANS that usually the work of water bodies gets completed in 6-7 months, but there are many places where there are encroachments and thus people create obstacles, and due to this, some projects are getting delayed.
According to Srivastava, the water related work in 50 water bodies has been completed. Now, the beautification and tourism related works are being done there.
He said that the work has been completed in Pappan Kalan and Nilothi. While in Dwarka, 90 per cent work has been done, 50 per cent work is completed in Iradtnagar, Shahdara, and Roshanara, 70-80 per cent in Rohini, 95 per cent in Timarpur and 70 per cent work has been completed in Sanauth so far.&nbsp;
—IANS

The Arvind Kejriwal-led government is working continuously to make Delhi the 'City of Lakes' by developing 250 reservoirs and 23 lakes are being developed across the national capital.

 Delhi's City of Lakes goal becoming a reality, revived water bodies to augment DJB supplies

Chennai (The Hawk): After water was discharged from Red Hills lake, the Tiruvallur district administration issued a red alert for 11 villages.
As the catchment area continued to experience heavy rainfall, 500 cusecs of water were released.
After the meteorological service predicted additional rain in the upcoming days, district collector Alby George stated in a statement that 500 cusecs of water were discharged from Red Hill Lake.
Residents of low-lying areas, such as Thandal, Naravarikuppam, Kazhani, Grandline, Vadakarai, Puzhal, Vadperumbukkam, Mathur, Vasapur, Manali, and Sadayankuppam, according to the Collector.
It should be mentioned that the lake at Chembarambakam released 569 cusecs of extra water. The Poondi and Cholavaram reservoirs are being monitored by the state authorities as a result of the catchment areas being pounded by severe rains.
(Inputs from Agencies)

After water was discharged from Red Hills lake, the Tiruvallur district administration issued a red alert for 11 villages.

11 villages in the Tiruvallur district of TN are on red alert

Chennai: The state revenue department said that as many as 121 multipurpose cyclone shelters and 5,093 relief centres have been readied.It may be noted that Chembarambakkam lake discharged 912 cusecs of water on Saturday and Red Hills reservoir discharged 677 cusecs of water. The administration has advised people living in low-lying areas to move to safer locations.17 monitoring officers have been appointed for Chennai and 43 monitoring officers for other districts to manage any problems due to the heavy rains.Heavy rains are expected on Sunday as the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is likely to move west, north-westwards, and bring heavy rainfall on Sunday in the Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is also expected to receive heavy rains.The revenue department has also directed the Greater Chennai Corporation and other district administrations to improve flood preparedness to face the next heavy spell of rain in the next three days.National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have already sounded the warning to be on alert to face any eventuality during the next spell of rain.&nbsp;—IANS

The state revenue department said that as many as 121 multipurpose cyclone shelters and 5,093 relief centres have been readied.

 Heavy rains: TN govt directs dwellers at river banks to be cautious

Nainital: The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday banned all construction activities in the dry area around the Sukhatal lake, a rain-fed water body that recharges the Naini lake.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice R C Khulbe imposed the ban while hearing suo motu a PIL against the beautification and rejuvenation work going on around Sukhatal.
The State Environment Impact Authority and the State Wetland Management Authority have also been made parties and notices have been issued to them in this regard. During the hearing, amicus curiae (friend of the court) Kartikeya Hari Gupta told the court citing hydrological studies that the Sukhatal lake recharges the Naini lake up to 40 and 50 per cent.
However, concrete is being laid at the base of the lake, which is a threat to both the lakes, Gupta said. The state government did not conduct any environmental survey before starting the beautification of the area, he said.
IIT-Roorkee did conduct a study but the institute does not have the expertise to determine the environmental impact of the constructions around the lake, Gupta said.
Nainital resident G P Sah and others had written a letter to the chief justice of the high court, saying the ongoing beautification of the lake will lead to a closure of its natural water source.
Sukhatal recharges the Naini lake and construction activities are being carried out around the water body in an unscientific manner, they had contended.
The court has fixed December 20 for the next hearing in the case. —PTI&nbsp;

The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday banned all construction activities in the dry area around the Sukhatal lake, a rain-fed water body that recharges the Naini lake.

Uttarakhand HC Halts Construction Activities Around Sukhatal Lake

Bareilly: Known to be the witness of the conversation between Yaksha and Yudhishthir in Mahabharata, the water of Lilaur lake in Bareilley's Aonla tehsil is getting poisonous for migrant birds.
It has been witnessed that for the last so many years the migrant birds have largely stopped coming to Lilaur Lake. When research was conducted by the Zoology department of Bareilly College regarding the fall in the arrival of migrant birds, several disturbing revelations came to light. Presence of heavy metals in the lake water was found to be the main reason behind the fall in the number of migratory birds. As per experts, the presence of heavy metals above the prescribed limit in water is hazardous to the flora and fauna of a particular area.
Migrant birds are coming here in fewer numbers also because of a lack of facilities for hatching and food. The historic lake also faces an existential crisis due to a lack of water.
Professor of Zoology, Rajendra Singh, conducted a study on five other lakes of the state and found that the presence of lead, cobalt, mercury, manganese, molybdenum, and cadmium is killing birds. —ANI

Known to be the witness of the conversation between Yaksha and Yudhishthir in Mahabharata, the water of Lilaur lake in Bareilley's Aonla tehsil is getting poisonous for migrant birds.

Water Of Lilaur Lake Getting Poisonous, Migrant Bird Numbers Fall

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Pollution Control Board (PCB), Uttarakhand, and other government representatives were recently given a month by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to respond to allegations of illegal tree-cutting in the forest area next to Nainital.
The catchment region of the Naini lake is likewise in risk of being lost because it receives its replenishment from nearby forest areas.
The applicant had claimed that a few of the trees belonged to an endangered species, according to the order.
The Joint Committee was established by the NGT on September 1 with instructions to deliver a factual and action-based report within two months.
In accordance with the directive, Dr. Rajendra Singh, Assistant Section Officer (ASO) for Uttarakhand PCB, sent the Joint Committee's report on October 31.
We believe it is appropriate to receive a response from the State of Uttarakhand through the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest, Principal Secretary, Urban Development, Divisional Commissioner, Kummaon, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF), Commissioner, Nainital Municipality, and Uttarakhand PCB, who are pleaded as respondents No. 1 t.
The NGT further nominated Senior Advocate Akash Vashishtha as amicus curiae to help this Tribunal in its reasonable and fair adjudication of the issues in question due to the serious nature and severity of the environmental infractions implicated.
Now, the issue will be decided on February 3, 2023.
(Inputs from Agencies)

The Pollution Control Board (PCB), Uttarakhand, and other government representatives were recently given a month by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to respond to allegations of illegal tree-cutting in the forest area next to Nainital.

NGT seeks a response from Uttarakhand PCB about unlawful tree felling in Nainital

Chennai (The Hawk): To determine the places where water flows and to boost the storage capacity of the state's 42,000 lakes, the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department has started a survey.
The state's Water Resources Department (WRD) and local organisations have been instructed by the government to inspect and survey all of the lakes and submit a report as soon as possible.
Notably, the state Water Resources Department maintains 14,318 of the state's 42,000 lakes, and 2,700 of those have reached their capacity.
To satisfy the population's increasing demand for drinking water, a senior official of the state Water Resources Department told IANS that it was crucial to improve the storage capacity of these lakes.
The Water Resources Department is receiving full support from the state department of revenue in order to locate encroachments around lakes and water bodies. To assist the revenue department and to disseminate information about the encroachments, steering committees have been established at the state, district, and divisional levels.
You may remember that numerous farmers' organisations have already petitioned the Tamil Nadu government to properly maintain the state's lakes and waterways so that they are stocked with water.
R. Rajendran, the Tiruchi-based head of a farmers association, said to IANS: "The state has enough lakes and water bodies, and we need carefully preserve these lakes so that we can obtain a steady supply of water. For lakes and other bodies of water to maintain their storage capacity, desilting must be done routinely and at least twice every two years."
Due to the state's significant rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon, practically all water bodies have enough water, and some have already reached their maximum storage levels. The study and evaluation of all 42,000 lakes in the state would result in a surplus of water for the state, but encroachments and poor management have made many of these water bodies unable to store the appropriate amount of water.
(Inputs from Agencies)

To determine the places where water flows and to boost the storage capacity of the state's 42,000 lakes, the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department has started a survey.

In order to boost storage capacity, the TN is now surveying 42,000 lakes

New Delhi / Nainital: When the world is being impacted heavily due to climate change, the least one can do is take care of the surroundings and not destroy nature.
But even the hills and lakes are not being spared now. Among overpopulation, pollution, ocean acidification, deforestation, ozone depletion, etc, illegal construction is also damaging the environment. Talking about the popular hill station Nainital, due to illegal construction the water level of Naini lake has gone down and the recharge of groundwater is being affected.
Surrounded by panoramic hills, Nainital lake is a favourite spot for tourists. It is one of the most visited lakes in India. There is now illegal construction in the catchment area of the lake, beyond carrying capacity. Commercial construction is taking place disregarding environmental concerns. Recently, even landslides have happened.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had sought a report from the Uttarakhand State Pollution Control Board, District Magistrate, Nainital, and Secretary, Urban Development after a plea was filed in 2019.
It was noted that similar issues are pending before the Uttarkhand High Court already.
The public interest litigation was filed keeping in mind the encroachments and illegal construction in the submerged area of Sukhatal Lake, as well as encroachments and illegal construction elsewhere in Nainital.
The court had said that construction around Sukhatal Lake is not permissible under the law and that all unauthorised construction activities in progress shall stop with immediate effect.
The court had said: "Any unauthorised construction which is already there, the Lake Development Authority is given instructions to give notices to the occupants of these unauthorized premises so that such structures be removed in accordance with the law." According to an order dated July 28, the matter has been taken up by the Uttarakhand High Court. In view of the recently filed petition by Friends, an environmental organisation and activist Sushil Raghav, the NGT said: "The authorities are bound to comply with the directions of the High Court on the subject and in case of violations, the aggrieved party can take remedies in accordance with the law."
The NGT recently granted a month's time to the Pollution Control Board (PCB), Uttarakhand along with other government officials to submit a response on unauthorised cutting of trees in the forest area adjacent to Nainital city.
Since the Naini lake gets recharged by forest areas around it, its catchment area is also in danger of loss.
According to the order, the applicant had submitted that some of the trees belonged to the endangered species.
On September 1, the NGT had constituted a Joint Committee and directed it to submit a factual and action-taken report within two months.
Pursuant to the direction, Uttarakhand PCB's Assistant Section Officer Dr Rajendra Singh had sent a report of the Joint Committee on October 31.
"In view of the averments in the application and observations in the report of the Joint Committee, we consider it appropriate to have the response of the State of Uttarakhand through the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest, Principal Secretary, Urban Development, Divisional Commissioner, Kumaon, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF), Commissioner, Nainital Municipality and Uttarakhand PCB who stand impleaded as respondents No. 1 to 7," the order stated. Looking at the significant nature and impact of the environmental violations involved, the NGT also appointed Senior Advocate Akash Vashishtha as amicus curiae to assist this Tribunal in a just and fair adjudication of the questions involved. The matter will now be considered on February 3, 2023. —IANS

When the world is being impacted heavily due to climate change, the least one can do is take care of the surroundings and not destroy nature.

Spike In Illegal Building Activities Causes Naini Lake's Water Level To Plummet

Gilgit Baltistan (PoK): Two lake outbursts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Diamer's Tangir Valley have resulted in the complete destruction of four homes and around 40 homes partially damaged, reported Dawn.
According to locals, an avalanche suddenly fell in the Gichhar and Labar lakes on Saturday morning, causing the outburst.
The high discharge of water from the lakes caused flooding in nullahs, resulting in a disaster downstream.
However, no loss of life was reported, as per the officials, reported Dawn.
Under the supervision of Diamer Deputy Commissioner Fayyaz Ahmed, the district administration delivered relief items including food, water, coats, blankets, tents and other essential goods to the affected people. Almost all areas in GB have seen intense cold weather throughout the past week with continuous snowfall and below 0°C temperatures. According to the Met Department, the temperature in Astore was -6°C and -5°C in Skardu on Saturday.
Meanwhile, as climate change affects the ecosystem, the threat of lake outbursts in GB has heightened in the recent past as glaciers in the region were melting faster than before, reported Dawn.
Glaciers in the Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges have melted rapidly, creating thousands of glacial lakes in the country's northern areas. In May 2021, a lake outburst from the Shisper Glacier swept away Hunza's iconic Hassanabad bridge on the Karakoram Highway.
The construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam in Pakistan, the largest roller compact concrete dam in the world on the river Indus has alarmed the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, once again raising the issue of environmental degradation, according to a report by the International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).
The report says that Pakistan's big dam model has come under the scanner in view of the recent floods in the country. "The country needs to look for alternative models which could be both economically viable as well environmentally safe and do not cause as much displacement and destitution."
The dam is located in a highly seismic zone and thus is a source of great concern for the citizens as they will have to face the consequences of its construction while its benefits will go to the people living in Punjab and Sindh, the report said.
Though Islamabad has been pushing for the dam's development, the recent floods in Pakistan have created a need to review the project and to construct it in a more scientific way that minimizes its adverse effects like loss of livelihood. —ANI

 Two lake outbursts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Diamer's Tangir Valley have resulted in the complete destruction of four homes and around 40 homes partially damaged, reported Dawn.

PoK: 4 Homes Destroyed, 40 Partially Damaged In Lake Outburst In Daimer

New Delhi News: India's legendary spin bowler Anil Kumble has recalled his historic all-10 wicket haul against Pakistan, saying that it was one of those special moments when all the players came and lifted him and that's when he realised the magnitude of what had happened.

Kumble sprung his magic against Pakistan on February 7, 1999, in the Delhi Test to become only the second bowler after England's Jim Laker (1956) in the history of the game to take all 10 wickets in a single Test innings.

"We had to win the Test match against Pakistan, we had lost the first Test match. At lunchtime, Pakistan were cruising at 100 for no loss. So it was all up to the spinners, the bowlers to do the job. Things started to happen, and everything was unfolding right in front of my eyes. So it was one of those special moments, and all the players came and lifted me. That's when I realised the magnitude of what had happened," said Kumble in the latest episode of CRED's The Long Game.

"Four days later, there was a Test championship, and we played Pakistan again, and I struggled to get one wicket. That's the beauty of the game. The takeaway for me was, you're on top one day, and then you have to start again from the start. Cricket is like life itself. You just have to stick to that process and be on it all the time," he added.

Kumble has been an indomitable Indian cricketer whose legacy as a lethal leg-spinner and relentless fighter precedes him.

In 2002, the leg-spinner while playing against West Indies in Antigua, was hit on his chin and injured during batting. But he emerged from the pavilion with his face bandaged ready to bowl. Kumble bowled 14 overs and dismissed West Indies great Brian Lara while bowling with a broken jaw.

"I went in because of the second new ball and I got hit. I continued to bat so I was there to protect a batter. The only thing that I was asked, or I was instructed by the doctors was to sort of keep it in place. So that's why I had that bandage. In the previous series that we played, we had lost and that was still ranking in my mind. And here, having posted almost 600 runs, or maybe more, I was obviously robbed of an opportunity to go out there and bowl," the legendary spinner said.

"I always believed that my shoulder was fine to bowl, and I should go in and bowl. So my shoulder was absolutely perfect. When I look back, I don't even think this is a heroic act or act of courage. No, I mean, the job for me was to bowl and win matches for India, irrespective of what hurdles or hindrances that one may have. It's never about complaining, just go out there and then commit to it, things will work out," he added.

Unlike other classical leg-spinners, Kumble was an unconventional bowler as he used to bowl fast.

"This is a photograph of me as a 14-year-old after winning a trophy for the national high school that I played for. I was an unconventional spinner, unorthodox because I used to bowl fast. When I played, I think there were a lot of suggestions saying, 'I don't think you can win outside of India,' because I was not the classical leg spinner," the former India captain said.

"So, yes, I had the challenge of proving everyone wrong, because whenever I picked wickets, it was not just the skill that I had, but it was sort of attributed to the pitch or the conditions. I kept at it, and I was determined to prove myself. As a sportsman or as a cricketer, as a bowler, one needs to adjust, and then you do evolve," he added. IANS

It was one of those special moments, all players came and lifted me: Kumble recalls his historic 10-wicket haul

New Delhi: Travelling is an experience - it's about the journey as much as it is about the destination. Packing your bags may be prompted by the destination, but the journey itself may excite you. What if we told you that you could travel locally and reach China and London by road from India?


Here is a list of possible international road excursions

<h2>Malaysia</h2>

Skyscrapers and riverside homes coexist in Malaysia, which effectively expresses the region's cultural spirit. In addition to that, they serve some of the greatest meals in the area, which is a wonderful treat after travelling such a long distance. However, you could have to pass through Tibet, which will cause issues with autonomous vehicle movement. To arrive in Kuala Lumpur, you will have to travel across two other countries - Myanmar and Thailand, for which valid travel documents are required.

<h2>Thailand</h2>

Even while it may be less expensive to fly, the recently opened motorway linking the two countries is nonetheless quite thrilling. Since Thailand has magnificent beaches, an unusual culture, and options for all types of travellers, it is well known as one of the easiest destinations to have a good time. The road to Bangkok, goes across the northeastern states of India and crosses Myanmar to arrive in Thailand. Many who have undertaken this roadtrip, suggest the following journey: head from Delhi to Imphal, cross Moreh, Kale, Bagan, Inle Lake, Yangon, Maesot, and arrive in Bangkok from Tak.

<h2>Nepal</h2>

At the end of your trek into Nepal, you'll find forests, some fairly nice alcohol, and some of the highest peaks in the world. Along the journey, you'll see some great sights, but if border patrols annoy you too much, just take the bus! A drive from New Delhi to Kathmandu will take you across two states in India through New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and you enter Nepal through Sunauli Border and which will take approximately 2 days.

<h2>Bhutan</h2>

Bhutan's rich legacy, culture, and peculiarly lively atmosphere will persuade you to go there even if being the happiest nation in Asia isn't enough of a cause. This little nation in the Himalayas is remote (in all senses of the term), but doable. The route to Thimpu from New Delhi will take you across the states of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, from Guwahati, you will be able to move to the Bhutanese village Phuntsholing and then head to Thimpu and reach Bhutan in 3 days.

<h2>Sri Lanka</h2>

Take a drive to verdant Sri Lanka and take in the beaches, woods, and culture that have helped to shape the country into what it is today. Since locations are close to one another, you may squeeze in a lot of varied things in a short amount of time! A journey from New Delhi to Colombo will take you across the length of India, crossing 6 states - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, you can take the Nagappattinam ferry to Colombo.

<h2>China</h2>

Although it would take a very long time and effort, it is technically conceivable to drive to China. The independent travel pass is difficult to obtain and takes a long time to be authorised. But if you do, please let us know! For arriving in China from New Delhi, one may take a route through Nepal via the Kodari-Zhangmu border and reach your destination in approximately 40 hours of journey.

<h2>Bangladesh</h2>

From some regions of India, you can practically see the border with Bangladesh. It has a rich history, magnificent waterways, and amiable citizens. To reach Dhaka, you will have to travel from New Delhi, across Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, and cross the border at Sonamasjid Sulka checkpoint or Petrapole-Benapole border to arrive in Bangladesh. Once you enter Bangladesh, it will take an approximately 8-hour drive to arrive in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. IANS

International road trips you can plan from India

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