05062025_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

Jaipur, Thursday | June 5, 2025
RNI NUMBER: RAJENG/2019/77764
VOL 6 | ISSUE NO. 358 | PAGES 12 | `3.00
Rajasthan’s Own English Newspaper
firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
RAJENG/2019/77764
| `3.00
Rajasthan’s Own English Newspaper
WORLD
ENVIRONMENT
DAY
11 DIE IN RCB’S VICTORY PARADE
TRAGEDYMARS
CELEBRATIONS!
First India Bureau
Bengaluru
At least 11 people died,
and nearly 33 were in-
jured in a stampede out-
side M Chinnaswamy
Stadium in Bengaluru on
Wednesday, during an
event to felicitate the
Royal Challengers Ben-
galuru (RCB) team after
their maiden IPL title
win. The event, organ-
ised by the Karnataka
State CricketAssociation
(KSCA), drew an over-
whelming crowd. Even
though it was for people
with valid tickets and
passes, fans thronged the
premises to catch a
glimpse of their team’s
cricketing heroes. Ac-
cording to preliminary
information provided to
the government, a tempo-
rary slab placed over a
drain near the stadium
premises collapsed under
the weight of people
standing on it, said sourc-
es. The sudden collapse
caused panic and a stam-
pede ensued, resulting in
multiple fatalities and
injuries. After the trage-
dy, CM Siddaramaiah
said over 2-3 lakh people
came near Chinnaswamy
Stadium, no one expect-
ed this crowd. He added
that govt will provide `10
lakh compensation to kin
of deceased and also con-
firmed that Deputy Com-
missioner-level enquiry
was ordered into the inci-
dent. The KSCA also an-
nounced an ex-gratia of
`5 lakh for the families
of those who lost lives. P7
First India Bureau
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi chaired a crucial
meeting of the Union
Council of Ministers on
Wednesday, the first ma-
jor gathering after Op
Sindoor. The marathon
session of over 5 hours,
involved the participa-
tion of the Cabinet min-
isters, Ministers of State,
and senior bureaucrats,
including the Cabinet
Secretary, department
secretaries, and top offi-
cials from the PMO. The
ministers briefed in detail
on the objectives and out-
comes of Operation Sin-
door. The session also
had discussion over Modi
govt completing 11 years
in office and first anni-
versary of its third term.
 11 dead, 33 hurt
in stampede amid
IPL 2025 victory
event of the RCB
near Chinnaswamy
Stadium in B’luru
 The capacity of
stadium is 35,000
but 2-3 lakh people
turned up, says CM
Siddaramaiah on
the RCB tragedy
 Siddaramaiah
announces `10
lakh ex-gratia,
KSCA announces
`5 lakh ex-gratia
to kin of victims
SENSEX
80,998.25
260.74
BSE
24,620.20
77.70
NIFTY
remember the first
meeting I had with
PrimeMinisterNar-
endraModijiwasin
theyear2011.Itwasaverybrief
meeting, maybe just 30 sec-
onds, but it is etched forever in
my memory. I was already a fan
of Modi ji and the meeting fur-
ther cemented that bond. I have
still kept a photo of him stand-
ing with me. It was a marriage
event at Delhi’s Ashoka hotel.
He invited me to Ahmedabad
and I assured him I would pay a
visit. The next meeting was in
2013. It was a Sunday and an
MP, who was a friend of mine,
took an appointment for me
from Modi ji, who was then the
CM of Gujarat. The meeting
was to last 10-15 minutes but
eventually it ended after 45
minutes. He invited me to his
residence, and we sat there gos-
siping and discussing a lot of
things. Modi ji is an intent lis-
tener. He asked me about the
struggles and challenges I had
faced in my field and listened to
everything very attentively, try-
ing to understand the function-
ing of my profession. He gave
his inputs too, which inspired
and motivated me a lot. Modi ji
has this ability of taking along
everyone together. In the re-
cently concluded WAVE Sum-
mit in Mumbai, we saw cinema
representatives from the South,
from Maharashtra, from Ben-
gal, all participating and inter-
acting. Modi ji has vision and
planning, and he works along
those lines, which is why he is
a unifier and believes in inclu-
sivity. He exactly knows who is
doing what in his or her field
and gives him or her that kind
of importance. He is also a very
knowledgeable person, with a
deep interest in all spheres,
which is why he can speak and
giveinsightsonanytopichehas
to address. He has brought in a
lot of transformation in the film
industry, like reforming the
Censor Board, single-window
clearances etc., which is in line
with future needs. He thinks
ahead of his times, 5-10 years
beyond,sothattheschemesand
policies implemented today
hold relevance even a decade
later.Ihavevisitedseveralplac-
es in Gujarat and have myself
seen the transformation in the
way roads, railway, bridges, in-
dustrieshavebeenbuiltoverthe
years. It is not for nothing that it
is said, ‘Modi hai to mumkin
hai’. As long as Modi ji is
around, we feel secure, as if a
father figure is shading and
sheltering us. Modi ji interacts
and connects with people of all
communities from all walks of
life, be it religious leaders, stu-
dents, industrialists, influencers
or foreign leaders. That is one
reason he gets so endearing for
everyone.Modijihasanimpec-
cable sense of humour too,
which further makes it an inter-
esting time interacting with
him. I have represented India at
Cannes twice, once in 2019 and
then again in 2023 and both the
times I found that every mem-
ber of the film fraternity glob-
ally, from directors, producers,
financers to technicians, knows
Modi ji and appreciates his hard
work. The global stature of In-
dia has grown by leaps and
boundsduetoModijiandweas
Indians feel proud at this
achievement.
uring Narendra Modi’s
childhood, the Indo-Chi-
na war of 1962 took
place. This caught the at-
tention of the young boy, who be-
came very concerned and only one
thought occupied his mind, how to
help the brave hearts at the border.
With his small resources and limited
options, he corralled his friends into
drawing a map of India in the school
ground at Vadnagar, showcasing the
bravery of our soldiers. But his zeal
for the nation didn’t stop just here.
As his parents gave him some mon-
ey to buy firecrackers for Diwali,
young Narendra didn’t spend it.
Rather he formed a corpus fund and
shunning Diwali celebrations that
year, started collecting money from
all in his colony as a fund-raising
initiative for Indian Army. He said,
the country needs this money more
than we need to celebrate Diwali.
Thus, he collected a huge fund and
handed it over to the army. The
same spirit of camaraderie with the
army continues even today and thus
on every occasion that merits his at-
tention or requirement, Modi ji
stands with the army, mingles with
the jawans and becomes a part of
their weal and woe in warmth and
unity. As is said, childhood shows
the man, so is with Modi ji, whose
childhood propensities and procliv-
ities showed his untiring love and
concern for the country and her
brave soldiers.
You read PART 133
on MAY 29, 2025
‘MODI HAI TO MUMKIN HAI…’ UNTOLD STORIES OF PM MODI — PART 134
NARENDRAMODIJIISAMAN
OFKNOWLEDGEANDVISION
PM Modi showed concern for
jawans since his childhood
I
D
COMPILED AND EDITED BY
SHASHIKANT SHARMA
Madhur Bhandarkar
Film Director
 Vol 6  Issue No. 358  RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur. Published at 304, 3rd Floor,
City Mall, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001, Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504.  Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra  Managing Editor: Pawan Arora  Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
PERSPECT VE
04
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur
thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
PM Narendra Modi
N
Na
aM
Mo
o
VOICE OF
UNITY
The narrators highlight
PM Narendra Modi’s
attentive listening
skills and inspirational
nature of his feedback.
PM Modi possesses a
remarkable ability to
unify and lead people
collectively. Under his
leadership, India’s
global stature has
risen significantly,
instilling a sense
of pride among
its citizens. His
dedication to the
nation and deep
respect for its brave
soldiers reflect his
profound commitment
to the country
PERSPECTIVE P4
Modiengagesinmarathon
5-hourmeetwithministers
PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj S Chouhan, Gajendra
Singh Shekhawat, CR Paatil and others during Council of Ministers meeting in Delhi, on Wednesday.
Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar with RCB’s Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and
other team members during felicitation ceremony for team after winning IPL 2025, at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
A crowd of fans gather in large numbers during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team’s felicitation ceremony to catch a glimpse,
after the team’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 win, in front of the Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru, Karnataka on Wednesday.
First India Bureau
New Delhi
The Government of India
will conduct the next na-
tionwide population cen-
sus in 2027, and for the
first time, caste enumera-
tion will be included as
part of the exercise, ac-
cording to an official an-
nouncement released on
Wednesday. As per the
notification, the census
exercise will be conduct-
ed in two phases, and the
reference date for the
count will be March 1,
2027. However, for the
snow-bound and non-
synchronous areas, in-
cluding Ladakh, Jammu
and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, and Uttara-
khand, the census will be
conducted earlier, with a
reference date set for Oc-
tober 1, 2026.
First India Bureau
New Delhi
The Monsoon session of
the Parliament is sched-
uled to commence on
July 21 and session will
run tillAugust 12, Union
Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Kiren Rijiju an-
nounced on Wednesday.
Both the Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha will con-
vene after a gap of over
3 months. This was the
first Parliament session
of 2025.
The Opposition parties
had been pressing for a
special Parliament ses-
sion to discuss over Op-
eration Sindoor. Mean-
while, Kiren Rijiju em-
phasised govt’s commit-
ment to involving all
parties in the impeach-
ment motion against Jus-
tice Yashwant Varma.
Caste census
to begin from
March 1, 2027
Parl Monsoon
Session from
July 21-Aug 12
Raj’s Khichan & Menar
make it to Ramsar sites
Rashpal Singh
Jaipur
The Rajasthan State has
received the honour of
adding two more sites to
the Ramsar sites as Kh-
ichan in Phalodi and Me-
nar in Udaipur has been
added to the list. Union
CabinetMinisterforEnvi-
ronment, Forest & Cli-
mate Change Bhupender
Yadav announced this on
Wednesday night. With
two new sites, the total
tally has risen to 4 in Ra-
jasthan and 91 in the
country. Keoladeo Ghana
National Park and Samb-
harLakearealreadyinthe
list in Rajasthan. “Great
news! India’s strides in
environmental conserva-
tion are happening with
great vigour and are pow-
ered by public participa-
tion,” PM Narendra Modi
posted in response to an X
post by Yadav. P8
The mishap
in Bengaluru
is absolutely
heartrending. In this tragic
hour, my thoughts are with
all those who have lost their
loved ones. I pray that those
who are injured have a
speedy recovery: PM
@narendramodi
PMO India @PMOIndia
RCB MOURNS LOSS OF LIVES, SAYS EVENT
PROMPTLY AMENDED FOLLOWING STAMPEDE
“We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate
incidents that have come to light through media
reports regarding public gatherings all over
Bengaluru. The safety of everyone is of utmost impor-
tance to us. RCB mourns the tragic loss. Immediately
upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly
amended our programme, and followed, the guidance
and advice of the local administration,” said RCB.
ALL STATE GOVT PROGRAMMES CANCELLED
IN KARNATAKA TODAY, SAYS DK SHIVAKUMAR
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said all
state govt programmes scheduled for Thursday
have been cancelled, in light of the tragic stam-
pede near Chinnaswamy Stadium. “I gave directions to
close felicitation program within 10 minutes, and they
stopped it within one minute,” he said. He said authori-
ties never expected such an uncontrollable crowd.
‘VANDE GANGA’ CAMPAIGN FROM TODAY, TO CONTINUE TILL JUNE 20
CM Sharma to begin water conservation drive from Ramgarh Dam
Vinod Singh Chouhan
Jaipur
o address the
water shortage,
CM Bhajan Lal
Sharma has launched
ambitious ‘Vande Ganga’
Water Conservation Pub-
lic Campaign across the
state. Coinciding with
World Environment Day
and Ganga Dussehra to-
day, the campaign will
run until 20 June, with
various departments un-
dertaking extensive wa-
ter conservation. Minis-
ters have been assigned
roles across the 41 dis-
tricts to ensure successful
implementation.
The CM will kickstart
the campaign by planting
trees at Jamwaramgarh in
Jaipur and participate in
community labour at
Ramgarh Dam near
Mori. He will also per-
form Jalabhishek at
Jaleshwar Mahadev there
and later address a state-
level workshop at the Ra-
jasthan International
Centre (RIC) in Jaipur.
Thereafter, the CM
will proceed to Bundi to
take part in the ‘Vande
Ganga’ water worship,
Chunari Festival, and
Kalash Puja ceremonies
at Keshoraypatan where
he will inaugurate and lay
the foundation stones for
various development pro-
jects under the Water
Self-Reliance Campaign
2.1 for Bundi district.
Later in the evening, he
will reach Bharatpur for a
special worship at Ganga
Mandir and a lamp-light-
ing ceremony at Sujan
Ganga. Works worth
`345 crore will be inau-
gurated, foundation stone
will be laid, said Water
Resources Minister
Suresh Singh Rawat. P8
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma
T
Ministers have been
assigned roles across
the 41 districts to
ensure successful
implementation
MAJOR HAPPENINGS
JUNE 6: Activities such
as the Vande Ganga wa-
ter service, water testing
campaigns, desilting of
water conservation struc-
tures, and arrangements
for clean drinking water
for animals and birds will
be organised
JUNE 7: Seminars on
the campaign will be held
JUNE 9: Amrit Sarovar
inauguration. It aims to
conserve water, revive
community water bodies
JUNE 10-15: Launch
of various new projects
under the Prime
Minister’s Agricultural
Irrigation Project 2.0
JUNE 16-19: Water
conservation discussions
in the night meetings
JUNE 20: Campaign
will conclude with the
programmes honouring
donors and organisations
JUNE 8: Awareness
rallies and early morning
processions will take
place at ward level
in urban areas and
panchayats in rural areas
Menar in Udaipur, Rajasthan
Elon Musk’s father Errol
Musk waves after visiting
the Lord Ram temple in
Ayodhya, Wednesday. P6
IN BRIEF
India secures historic
mandate to lead IIAS
New Delhi: In a major ac-
complishment for the na-
tion, India won the presi-
dency of the Belgium-
based International Insti-
tute of Administrative Sci-
ences (IIAS) for 1st time.
Goa land scam: ED nabs
MGP’s Rohan Harmalkar
Panaji: The ED Panaji
zonal office arrested MGP
leader and businessman
Rohan Harmalkar, who is
alleged to be one key
masterminds in a multi-
crore land scam in Goa.
YouTuber remanded to
3-day police custody
Rupnagar: Punjab-based
YouTuber Jasbir Singh,
alleged to be in contact
with Jyoti Malhotra, ac-
cused of spying for Pak,
was arrested, remanded to
3 days of police custody.
Modi hails the new additions from Desert State

RAJASTHAN 02
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
Corridor
Corridor
News
ANJANA ISSUE: RAFEEK KHAN’S ABSENCE A
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN CONGRESS PARTY
A meeting took place with the Governor on the issue
raised by Udaylal Anjana. Leader of Opposition Ti-
karam Jully and PCC Chief Dotasra were present, but
Chief Whip Rafeek Khan and Deputy Leader Ramkesh
Meena were absent. According to insiders, despite be-
ing in Jaipur, Rafeek was not called. Meanwhile, Ram-
kesh Meena was summoned but was in Gangapur City.
MLAs Hakim Ali and Ghanshyam Mehar were present
during the meeting. Rafeek Khan’s absence this time
became a topic of discussion within Cong circles.
STATE CONGRESS IN-CHARGE SUKHJINDER
SINGH RANDHAWA’S FIRM MESSAGE!
State Congress in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa
refused to bring two leaders back into the party. He
said, “I was asked to get two people to join Congress,
but I clearly refused.” He added, “Both leaders had
shown indiscipline towards the party. If I had brought
them back, discipline would have been compromised.”
Though Randhawa did not name them, it is believed he
referred to Ameen Khan and Mewaram Jain. Prepara-
tions were made to welcome senior leaders in Barmer,
but Ameen and Mewaram were not given opportunity.
POOR EXAM RESULTS
TO COST TEACHERS
Changes have been
made in the actions to be
taken if exam results are
low. Now, if results fall
below the set parameters
once in five years, a warn-
ing will be issued. The
head of the institution may
receive a written warning
and could be transferred.
Action will be taken if
results remain low for two
consecutive years or for a
total of three years in five
years. Relevant teachers
will face action under Sec-
tion 17 CCA.
GST, VAT TARGETS
SLIP OUT OF REACH
Meeting VAT and GST
targets has become a
challenge for state of-
ficials. Commercial tax
officers are working hard
to meet the targets. The
state government has
set a revenue target of
Rs 94,380 crore for the
financial year 2025-26.
Of this, Rs 63,600 crore
is the GST target, and
Rs 30,780 crore is the
VAT revenue target.
However, after April, the
dept remained behind
target even in May.
RUstudentsinteract
freelywithNAACteam
Bharat Dixit
Jaipur
Ateam from NAAC (Na-
tional Assessment and
Accreditation Council)
visited the University of
Rajasthan in Jaipur on
Wednesday. Students
spoke candidly in front of
the NAAC team during
an interaction held in the
Senate Hall on Wednes-
day. Before the session
began, students were
asked to deposit their mo-
bile phones outside. In-
side the hall, the NAAC
team asked students
whether they had a role in
decision-making process-
es within the university.
In response, the students
mentioned being in-
volved in a few events.
When the team asked
about the nature of com-
munication between stu-
dents and the university
administration, students
replied that ordinary stu-
dents do not get direct
access to the higher au-
thorities of the university.
The team also inquired
about the facilities at the
girls’ hostels, to which
students said that the fa-
cilities were overall satis-
factory. However, they
did point out that hostel
accommodation was be-
ing allocated based on
caste divisions, and they
urged that admissions to
hostels should be based
purely on academic mer-
it. The NAAC team took
note of all these points
and conducted the inter-
action for about an hour.
Student leader Shubham
Rewar and other student
representatives were also
present during dialogue.
University of Rajast-
han has been waiting for
its NAAC grade for three
years. The NAAC ac-
creditation expired three
years ago, and due to this
delay, the university has
suffered losses worth
crores of rupees.
The university has been waiting for NAAC grading for 3 years
SIMs,staff,alcoholunder
scanner;newordersissued
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Orders have been issued
by Additional Commis-
sioner of Police, Law
and Order Dr Ramesh-
war Singh under Section
163 of the Bharatiya
Nagarik Suraksha San-
hita (BNSS). The orders
mandate the installation
of high-resolution CCTV
cameras at high-rise
buildings, coaching in-
stitutes, and other estab-
lishments. Recordings
must be preserved for a
minimum of 30 days and
be made available to po-
lice officers immediately
upon request.
In addition, instruc-
tions have been issued
for mandatory police
verification of domestic
helpers, drivers, tenants,
and other such individu-
als. Telecom operators
have been directed not to
issue telephone connec-
tions or mobile SIM
cards without valid iden-
tification documents. Or-
ders have also been giv-
en regarding the pur-
chase and sale of old
vehicles, making it com-
pulsory to maintain
proper records. Serving
alcohol in hotels and bars
after midnight will invite
action, and violation of
these orders may lead to
legal consequences un-
der Section 233 of the
BNSS.
First India Bureau
Dholpur
In a major crackdown on
illegal arms, the Anti-
Gangster Task Force
seized a cache of sophis-
ticated weapons in Rajas-
than’s Dholpur district.
The operation, led under
the supervision of ADG
Dinesh MN, resulted in
the recovery of an AK-47
rifleand34livecartridges.
Two individuals, Jiten-
dra alias Jeetu Chambal
and Tejpal Thakur, were
arrested during the ac-
tion. The operation was
executed with precision,
with Police Inspector Ra-
vindra Pratap playing a
key role in the successful
raid. Officials believe the
weapons were intended
for use in organized crim-
inal activities. The arrests
mark a significant step in
curbing the spread of il-
legal arms in the region.
CRIME
ROUNDUP
AGTF arrests 2, seizes
AK47, live ammunition
The accused in AGTF custody
on Wednesday. (Inset) The
team seized AK47 and 34
rounds of live ammunition.
CBIPROBESKAMLESH
PRAJAPATIENCOUNTER
The CBI has
become active
in the Kamlesh
Prajapat encounter case.
A team from the Central
Bureau of Investigation
has arrived in Barmer to
investigate the alleged
encounter. The encounter
took place during the ten-
ure of the previous govt.
Raising questions over
earlier closure report, the
CBI court had ordered
a fresh investigation to
be completed within two
months.
ARMEDROBBERSLOOT
JEWELLERYPARCEL
A private travels
bus stopped at
a hotel near the
Paladi M police station toll
point, where three armed
men looted a parcel filled
with jewellery at gunpoint
and fled the scene. When
an attempt was made to
chase them, the miscre-
ants opened fire in the air
to threaten those pursu-
ing. The victim, Jabbar
Singh, lodged a complaint.
The accused were already
on the bus following the
parcel from Jodhpur.
IPLBETTINGRACKET
BUSTED;`10LSEIZED
Three individuals
have been arrest-
ed in Jhunjhunu for
betting on an IPL match.
Police recovered Rs 10.40
lakh in cash from the ac-
cused, along with betting
records indicating transac-
tions worth nearly Rs 3 cr.
A large quantity betting
materials operation was
also seized by the police
team. The accused Anil,
Jitendra, and Intizar Ali
were arrested on the spot.
The betting racket was be-
ing run from a house.
FOUR HELD; DRUGS SEIZED IN SEPARATE RAIDS
FOUR HELD FOR DEMANDING RANSOM
A major operation was carried out by the Central
NCB team, resulting in the arrest of three accused
along with the seizure of 45.990 Kgs of cannabis in
the Veerawali Phanta area of Pratapgarh. Interrogation is
currently underway to gather information from the accused
regarding the illegal trade of narcotic substances. Mean-
while, in Bikaner, one person has been arrested with 25
grams of MD (Mephedrone).
Police carried out a major operation and arrested four
youths who had come to collect ransom. The ransom
was demanded in the names of Goldie Barad and
Arju Bishnoi. The extortion amount of 20 million rupees was
sought from a businessman. The youths were caught red-
handed while collecting a ransom of Rs 5 Lakh in a Fortuner
vehicle. Ransom was demanded from a businessman in Sri
Ganganagar.
Admnvisits‘parched’Sambhar
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Residents of Sambhar are
facing severe water
shortages, forcing many
to contemplate leaving
the area. In two wards,
entire neighbourhoods
have put up collective
posters indicating mass
migration. In several lo-
calities, taps remain dry
even during supply times.
Following protests and
warnings of mass migra-
tion due to the ongoing
crisis, local authorities
have finally taken notice.
The Sub-Divisional
Magistrate (SDM) of
Sambhar, the Tehsildar,
and the Assistant Execu-
tive Engineer (AEN)
from the Water Supply
Department visited the
areas most affected by
the drinking water short-
age.
They spoke directly
with residents and as-
sured them that the prob-
lem would be resolved
promptly.
The water crisis has
become so acute that
posters advertising
houses for sale have ap-
peared in two wards of
the town, as desperate
homeowners seek to re-
locate. The situation is
especially dire in the
higher-elevation neigh-
bourhoods, where water
supply has not reached
for some time.
With the community
deeply troubled by the
scarcity of clean drink-
ing water, local officials
face growing pressure to
find immediate and last-
ing solutions.
Three of a family
electrocuted
First India Bureau
Ajmer
An elderly woman was
electrocuted to death
along with her daughter
and son-in-law in an un-
der-construction house in
Kekri area of Ajmer dis-
trict on Wednesday.
The incident occurred
in the house of Prema
Devi when her daughter
Maya (45) and son-in-
law Kanwarpal (50)
were helping her in the
construction work, po-
lice said.
Forest ranger heldfor
demanding`10kbribe
First India Bureau
Jhunjhunu
In a major anti-corruption
action, the Anti-Corrup-
tion Bureau has arrested a
forest department ranger
red-handed while accept-
ing a bribe in Khetri town
of Jhunjhunu district. The
ranger, Mukesh Kumar
Meena, was allegedly de-
manding a monthly bribe
of Rs 10,000 for allowing
the illegal transportation
of timber.
The operation was ini-
tiated following a com-
plaint filed by a resident
of Buhana.
Ranger Meena arrived
at the court premises to
collect the bribe, where
he was caught in the act
by the ACB team already
present at the location. He
was apprehended while
accepting Rs 10,000 and
taken to Khetri police sta-
tion for questioning, fol-
lowing which he was for-
mally arrested.
BSF IG ML Garg
lauds Force’s role
in Op Sindoor
First India Bureau
Jaisalmer
Border Security Force’s
Jodhpur Frontier Inspec-
tor General ML Garg
conducted a high-level
annual inspection of the
Jaisalmer (North) sector
along the India-Pakistan
border, according to an
official statement issued
on Wednesday. On the
first day of his three-day
visit, Garg reviewed se-
curity arrangements at
forward posts of the 20th
Battalion and spent the
night at the border, it
said. IG Garg interacted
with troops, commend-
ing their unwavering
dedication under chal-
lenging conditions. He
emphasised the need for
constant vigilance and
readiness to counter any
suspicious activity along
the international border,
it said.
According to the state-
ment, IG Garg offered
prayers at the iconic
Tanot Mata Temple on
the second day of his
visit and addressed a
Sainik Sammelan (troop
conference). He lauded
BSF personnel for their
exemplary courage dur-
ing Operation Sindoor
and also sensitised them
about rising cyber fraud
tactics, urging caution
and awareness. The visit
concluded with a cere-
monial Guard of Honour
and a review of opera-
tional and administrative
readiness across the sec-
tor. On the occasion of
World Environment Day,
IG Garg will participate
in a tree plantation drive
at 20th Battalion campus.
asic infra-
structure is
vital for pro-
gress, but de-
velopment that compro-
misestheenvironment—
our very breath—can
never be considered true
progress. The Supreme
Court recently remarked,
“Cutting down a large
number of trees is worse
than killing a human be-
ing.”Thispowerfulstate-
ment underlines the irre-
placeablevalueofnature.
From the forests of
Dol ka Badh in Jaipur to
the Oran conservation
campaign in Jaisalmer,
and the indiscriminate
cutting of trees for solar
plants across the state,
especially the state tree,
Khejritree,thisisnotjust
cutting nature but sever-
ing our very soul. De-
stroying nature’s gifts in
thenameofdevelopment
is an extremely serious
matter that requires deep
reflection. Environmen-
talissuesthatimpactgen-
erations can never be
small matters.
Trees are blessings
granted over time that
provide shade to genera-
tions. Every possible ef-
fort must be made to pro-
tect these gifts, for they
areonlytrulyearnedafter
standing the test of time.
The government order
to cut down 2,500 trees
rightintheheartofJaipur
city is deeply worrying.
The echoes of struggle in
theDolofBadhforestare
an ominous sign of a se-
vere environmental cri-
sis. Excessive exploita-
tion of nature for devel-
opment and revenue
generation can lead to
environmental imbal-
ance. This, along with
pollution, adversely af-
fectsthelivelihoodofthe
common people and de-
teriorates the quality of
the environment. Pro-
gress cannot be synony-
mous only with concrete
roads, high bridges,
malls, and tall buildings.
While the state govern-
ment is running the
‘Hariyalo Rajasthan’
campaign inspired by the
‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’
initiative, it is simultane-
ously scripting a story of
destructionbysacrificing
greenery. The cutting of
trees in the Dol of Badh
forest is a glaring exam-
ple of this.
Studiesshowthatover
2.3 million hectares of
forest have been cut
down in the country in
the last 25 years. The
pace of tree felling is
matching the rapid ex-
pansion of development
projects and highway
networks. In the last five
years since 2020, nearly
5.7 million trees have
been cut for highway
construction, of which
more than 60,000 trees
were felled in Rajasthan.
Previously, dense forests
covered 13.5% of the
state’s land, which has
now shrunk to just 9%.
The central government
has allowed the installa-
tion of solar and pump-
storage power plants in
many districts of the
state, ignoring environ-
mental concerns. It is es-
timated that in the com-
ing years, millions of
trees will be cut over
about 5,000 hectares of
landundertheseprojects.
Two years ago, the
state government de-
clared an area in Baran
districtasaprotectedfor-
est area, yet it granted
permission to a private
company to cut more
than 100,000 trees to in-
stall a hydro power plant
there. This amounts to
environmental murder.
This area adjoins the na-
tional Kuno National
Parkandishometomany
wildlife species that will
be affected. Although
governments claim to
plant many more trees
thantheycutfordevelop-
ment projects, the reality
is that most saplings do
not survive. Environ-
mental balance, protec-
tion,andconservationare
oftendiscussedinplanta-
tion drives, research,
seminars, and events, but
in reality, from the policy
commissiontolocalbod-
ies, these remain mere
words on paper.
There should be a
completebanontreecut-
ting, and technologies
like ‘tree transplantation’
mustbemademandatory.
Let us make the earth
green and beautiful
through actual plantation
on the ground rather than
mere paperwork.
If we destroy nature, how
will humans breathe?
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SPECIAL
Govind Singh
Dotasra
The writer is President,
Rajasthan Pradesh
Congress Committee
B
Strict checks were in place ahead of NAAC team’s visit to the
University of Rajasthan. SUNIL SHARMA
A tree being felled at Dol Ka Badh. FILE

Jaipur: On the eve
of World Environ-
ment Day, a grand
‘Run for Environment’ was
held in Jaipur, flagged off
by MoS Forest, Environ-
ment, and Climate Change
Sanjay Sharma from Albert
Hall. Despite light rain,
over 1,200 participants—
including Jaipur Runners
Club, NCC, police, and
forest officials—enthusiasti-
cally joined the rally, which
passed through Gandhi
Circle and returned to
Albert Hall. Senior officials
including Principal Chief
Conservators of Forests
Arijit Banerjee, Pawan Ku-
mar Upadhyay, and Shikha
Mehra were present. The
run highlighted that envi-
ronmental protection needs
consistent public engage-
ment, not just ceremonial
observance. A state-level
photography competition on
plastic pollution also con-
cluded in Jaipur. Districts
including Balotara, Karauli,
Jhunjhunu, Deedwana, and
Jhalawar also organised
rallies and runs to promote
environmental awareness.
From school students to
district collectors, thousands
joined in. Events focused on
themes like water conser-
vation, anti-plastic aware-
ness, and pollution control,
reinforcing a united call for
environmental responsibility.
Nirmal Tiwari
RUN FOR ENVIRONMENT, RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS HELD ACROSS STATE
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IN BRIEF
RAJASTHAN 03
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
Guvurgesplantingtrees
thatgrowandgiveback
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SUMMIT-2025
Governor Haribhau Bagade and UDH Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra felicitated many persons who
contributed to environmental conservation. Padma Shri awardee Laxman Singh also seen.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Governor Haribhau
Bagade, speaking at the
Summit 2025 in Jaipur,
emphasised that environ-
mental problems are
man-made and can be re-
solved through collective
efforts. He urged planting
trees like banyan and pee-
pal, which release oxygen
even at night and offer
cooling shade, thus help-
ing maintain environ-
mental balance. Stressing
water conservation, he
advocated for retaining
rainwater where it falls to
replenish groundwater
create “water-abundant
villages”, citing success-
ful models from Maha-
rashtra.As Chancellor, he
has written to universi-
ties to utilise vacant
spaces for planting oxy-
gen-rich trees and en-
couraged public offices to
do the same.
UDH Minister Jhabar
Singh Kharra appealed to
youth to take the lead in
environmental protec-
tion, particularly in tree
planting and water con-
servation. Principal Sec-
retary Samit Sharma
highlighted Rajasthan’s
alarming groundwater
depletion and urged ur-
gent intervention.
Kirodi Meena’s decoy ops
continue on seed firms
First India Bureau
Sri Ganganagar
In a major crackdown,
Rajasthan Agriculture
Minister Dr Kirodi Lal
Meena raided multiple
seed units in Sri Gangana-
gar over two days, expos-
ing large-scale irregulari-
ties. On the second day,
inspectionsatAmulSeeds
on Suratgarh Road and
Sangam Seeds inAgrasen
Nagar revealed 1,482
substandard wheat seed
samples (500 quintals)
and 3,077 seeds (nearly
100 quintals), all without
proper labelling, violating
packaging norms.
This action followed
Day 1’s decoy operation
targeting 8 units including
Jayashankar, Bharat, Na-
tureland, and Shriram
Seeds. These firms were
allegedly treating cheap
farm produce with col-
ouring agents selling it
at tenfold prices. Shriram
Seeds was found with
drums of chemical-coated
substances and no stand-
ard packaging.
So far, 30 companies
have been inspected, 17
sealed, and FIRs filed
against 14. Dr Meena af-
firmed strong measures
ahead, vowing to protect
farmersfromexploitation.
Minister Khimsar to
inaugurate Bikaner
Heart Hosp today
First India Bureau
Bikaner
Bikaner is set to take a
major stride in private
healthcare with the inau-
guration of the Bikaner
Heart and Super Special-
ity Hospital on Thursday.
The facility will feature a
three Tesla MRI and ad-
vanced critical care ser-
vices. Medical and Health
Minister Gajendra Singh
Khimsar will inaugurate
the hospital. Prominent
guests and specialists will
attend, with floor man-
agement to be overseen
by Raja Mohammad.
18 new COVID cases; C-section
performed on positive patient
Vikas Sharma
Jaipur
reported 18 new COV-
ID-19 cases on Wednes-
day, with 12 from Jaipur,
3 from Chittorgarh, 2
from Udaipur, and 1
from Dungarpur. Four-
teen patients are cur-
rently hospitalised in
Jaipur, Jodhpur, and
Udaipur. So far this year,
155 cases and one death
have been recorded.
Amid this surge, a
31-year-old COVID-
positive woman suc-
cessfully delivered a
baby girl via C-section
at Mahila Chikitsalay in
Jaipur. Diagnosed on 4
June, the patient under-
went surgery due to
emergency obstetric in-
dications. Conducted in
a COVID-designated
OT, both mother and
newborn are stable and
under observation in
isolation, according to
hospital authorities.
Agri Min Dr Kirodi Lal Meena during a raid at seeds and fertilisers
company in Sri Ganganagar on Wednesday.
Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma, Arijit Banerjee, PK Upadhayay
and others flagging off the rally at Albert Hall in Jaipur.
Ranthambore: Action
was taken against tourist
vehicles for violating rules
in Ranthambore National
Park. A total of 16 tourist
vehicles were penalised,
including 11 jeeps and 5
canters. Eight jeep opera-
tors were fined Rs 2,100
each for a second offence
of rule violation, while
three jeep operators were
fined Rs 5,100 each for a
third offence. Meanwhile,
5 canter operators re-
ceived warnings for their
first violation. They were
cautioned that any future
breaches of rules could
lead to entry bans. The
fine orders were issued by
the Deputy Conservator of
Tourism, Pramod Dhakad.
16 tourist vehicles
penalised for flouting
rules in Ranthambore
Jaipur: After organising
the hugely successful
‘Rising Rajasthan Global
Investment Summit-
2024’, the Industries
Commerce Department is
now gearing up to organ-
ize the ‘Rising Rajasthan:
Partnership Conclave
2025’in Jaipur. A meeting
to deliberate on the prepa-
rations for the conclave,
scheduled on 11-12 De-
cember, 2025, was held
on wednesday at Udyog
Bhawan under the chair-
manship of Ajitabh Shar-
ma, Principal Secretary,
Industries Commerce.
Conclave will also show-
case the impact of the ac-
tivities of the various gov-
ernment departments.
Rajasthan to host
‘Partnership Conclave
2025’ in December

remember the first
meeting I had with
PrimeMinisterNar-
endraModijiwasin
theyear2011.Itwasaverybrief
meeting, maybe just 30 sec-
onds, but it is etched forever in
my memory. I was already a fan
of Modi ji and the meeting fur-
ther cemented that bond. I have
still kept a photo of him stand-
ing with me. It was a marriage
event at Delhi’s Ashoka hotel.
He invited me to Ahmedabad
and I assured him I would pay a
visit. The next meeting was in
2013. It was a Sunday and an
MP, who was a friend of mine,
took an appointment for me
from Modi ji, who was then the
CM of Gujarat. The meeting
was to last 10-15 minutes but
eventually it ended after 45
minutes. He invited me to his
residence, and we sat there gos-
siping and discussing a lot of
things. Modi ji is an intent lis-
tener. He asked me about the
struggles and challenges I had
faced in my field and listened to
everything very attentively, try-
ing to understand the function-
ing of my profession. He gave
his inputs too, which inspired
and motivated me a lot. Modi ji
has this ability of taking along
everyone together. In the re-
cently concluded WAVE Sum-
mit in Mumbai, we saw cinema
representatives from the South,
from Maharashtra, from Ben-
gal, all participating and inter-
acting. Modi ji has vision and
planning, and he works along
those lines, which is why he is
a unifier and believes in inclu-
sivity. He exactly knows who is
doing what in his or her field
and gives him or her that kind
of importance. He is also a very
knowledgeable person, with a
deep interest in all spheres,
which is why he can speak and
giveinsightsonanytopichehas
to address. He has brought in a
lot of transformation in the film
industry, like reforming the
Censor Board, single-window
clearances etc., which is in line
with future needs. He thinks
ahead of his times, 5-10 years
beyond,sothattheschemesand
policies implemented today
hold relevance even a decade
later.Ihavevisitedseveralplac-
es in Gujarat and have myself
seen the transformation in the
way roads, railway, bridges, in-
dustrieshavebeenbuiltoverthe
years. It is not for nothing that it
is said, ‘Modi hai to mumkin
hai’. As long as Modi ji is
around, we feel secure, as if a
father figure is shading and
sheltering us. Modi ji interacts
and connects with people of all
communities from all walks of
life, be it religious leaders, stu-
dents, industrialists, influencers
or foreign leaders. That is one
reason he gets so endearing for
everyone.Modijihasanimpec-
cable sense of humour too,
which further makes it an inter-
esting time interacting with
him. I have represented India at
Cannes twice, once in 2019 and
then again in 2023 and both the
times I found that every mem-
ber of the film fraternity glob-
ally, from directors, producers,
financers to technicians, knows
Modi ji and appreciates his hard
work. The global stature of In-
dia has grown by leaps and
boundsduetoModijiandweas
Indians feel proud at this
achievement.
uring Narendra Modi’s
childhood, the Indo-Chi-
na war of 1962 took
place. This caught the at-
tention of the young boy, who be-
came very concerned and only one
thought occupied his mind, how to
help the brave hearts at the border.
With his small resources and limited
options, he corralled his friends into
drawing a map of India in the school
ground at Vadnagar, showcasing the
bravery of our soldiers. But his zeal
for the nation didn’t stop just here.
As his parents gave him some mon-
ey to buy firecrackers for Diwali,
young Narendra didn’t spend it.
Rather he formed a corpus fund and
shunning Diwali celebrations that
year, started collecting money from
all in his colony as a fund-raising
initiative for Indian Army. He said,
the country needs this money more
than we need to celebrate Diwali.
Thus, he collected a huge fund and
handed it over to the army. The
same spirit of camaraderie with the
army continues even today and thus
on every occasion that merits his at-
tention or requirement, Modi ji
stands with the army, mingles with
the jawans and becomes a part of
their weal and woe in warmth and
unity. As is said, childhood shows
the man, so is with Modi ji, whose
childhood propensities and procliv-
ities showed his untiring love and
concern for the country and her
brave soldiers.
You read PART 133
on MAY 29, 2025
‘MODI HAI TO MUMKIN HAI…’ UNTOLD STORIES OF PM MODI — PART 134
NARENDRAMODIJIISAMAN
OFKNOWLEDGEANDVISION
PM Modi showed concern for
jawans since his childhood
I
D
COMPILED AND EDITED BY
SHASHIKANT SHARMA
Madhur Bhandarkar
Film Director
 Vol 6  Issue No. 358  RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur. Published at 304, 3rd Floor,
City Mall, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001, Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504.  Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra  Managing Editor: Pawan Arora  Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
PERSPECT VE 04
Jaipur, Thursday | June 5, 2025 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
PM Narendra Modi
N
Na
aM
Mo
o
VOICE OF
UNITY
The narrators highlight
PM Narendra Modi’s
attentive listening
skills and inspirational
nature of his feedback.
PM Modi possesses a
remarkable ability to
unify and lead people
collectively. Under his
leadership, India’s
global stature has
risen significantly,
instilling a sense
of pride among
its citizens. His
dedication to the
nation and deep
respect for its brave
soldiers reflect his
profound commitment
to the country

INDIA 05
Jaipur, Thursday | June 5, 2025 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
ANI
New Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Re-
kha Gupta met Union
Minister Nitin Gadkari at
the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways
on Wednesday to review
ongoing National High-
way projects in Delhi.
Delhi Lt Governor Vinai
Kumar Saxena, MPs, and
senior Delhi government
officials were present at
the meeting.
A day earlier, CM
Gupta launched the Air
Pollution Mitigation Plan
2025, announcing that
from November 1, 2025,
only BS-VI, CNG, or EV
commercial vehicles will
be allowed to enter Del-
hi. Emphasizing a vision
for a “Clean, Green, and
Healthy Delhi,” she said
the city must tackle air
pollution collectively.
As part of the plan, the
Delhi government is in-
troducing cloud seeding
for artificial rain, with an
MoU already signed
with IIT Kanpur for a pi-
lot project.
Gupta said that the city
would soon witness its
first artificial rainfall to
help combat pollution.
She also announced the
installation of Automatic
Number Plate Recogni-
tion (ANPR) cameras at
all entry points and petrol
stations across Delhi to
identify and stop end-of-
life vehicles contributing
to air pollution.
Mist sprayers will be
installed in pollution hot-
spots to control dust, and
anti-smog guns will be
mandatory on high-rise
commercial buildings
above 3,000 square me-
tres. More MoUs would
be signed to adopt pollu-
tion control technologies.
PTI
New Delhi
The Congress on
Wednesday slammed the
BJP for targeting Rahul
Gandhi over his “Naren-
dra-surren-
der” jibe, as-
serting it is
wrong to
equate PM
Modi with
India. Gandhi reposted
his 2020 tweet calling
Modi “Surender Modi,”
accusing him of compro-
mising national interests.
Congress leader Pawan
Khera said Modi has re-
peatedly surrendered un-
der foreign pressure, ref-
erencing DonaldTrump’s
claims about mediating a
ceasefire between India
and Pakistan. He mocked
the BJP’s hero narrative,
calling it “Narender Ka
Surrender,” and accused
Modi of silence on
Trump’s assertions.
Khera questioned the
terms of the ceasefire and
asked why terrorists like
Hafiz Saeed and Azhar
Masood remain un-
touched. He also accused
Modi of surrendering on
issues like black money,
unemployment. Khera
defended Gandhi’s re-
marks, stating criticism
of Modi isn’t criticism of
India, and said the coun-
try belongs to all, not one
leader. He alleged that
trolls run domestic poli-
cy, foreign affairs are
mishandled. Referring to
1971, Gandhi contrasted
Modi’s response with In-
dira Gandhi’s leadership.
UNDER PM MODI’S LEADERSHIP
11 years of India’s Environmental Transformation
Agencies
New Delhi
rime Minister
Narendra Modi
on Wednesday
spotlighted transforma-
tive reforms in India’s
renewable and hydrocar-
bon energy sectors over
the past 11 years. The
developments were de-
tailed in two articles by
Union Ministers Pralhad
Joshi (New Renewa-
ble Energy) and Hardeep
Singh Puri (Petroleum
Natural Gas). The PMO,
sharing Joshi’s article on
X, praised the “11 trans-
formative reforms” in
renewable energy, call-
ing on citizens to read
about them.
Joshi highlighted In-
dia’s rise as a global clean
energy leader, ranking
third in solar, fourth in
wind power, and fourth in
total renewable energy
capacity.With 232 GWof
capacity installed and an-
other 176 GW underway,
India is shaping the glob-
al energy transition. He
credited the progress to
bold reforms, timely de-
cisions, and PM Modi’s
long-term vision, recall-
ing how Modi pioneered
solar energy as Gujarat
CM before it gained glob-
al focus. Joshi contrasted
today’s achievements
with the 2014 crisis-era
power sector, referenc-
ing the 2012 grid fail-
ures that impacted over
80,000 MW.
PM Modi also shared
an article by Hardeep
Singh Puri, highlighting
structural transformation
in India’s energy sector,
driven by affordability,
green initiatives, and
self-reliance. Puri em-
phasized how India over-
came the “lost decade” to
become the world’s
fourth-largest economy
and fastest-growing ma-
jor economy. The energy
sector, he said, has
played a pivotal role in
this rise, especially dur-
ing Modi 3.0, uilding on
a decade of reforms.
India is now the third-
largest energy and oil
consumer, fourth-largest
refiner, and LNG import-
er. With energy demand
set to grow 2.5 times by
2047 and contributing
25% of global incremen-
tal demand, India’s strat-
egy is built around ener-
gy availability, afforda-
bility, and sustainability.
Emphasizing explora-
tion and production re-
forms and green energy
initiatives, Puri said In-
dia’s energy sector is no
longer burdened by un-
certainty but driven by
confidence, self-reli-
ance, and strategic fore-
sight under Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi’s de-
cisive leadership.
PM Narendra Modi FILE
P
Ozlaud’sstrategicpartnershipwithIndia
Agencies
New Delhi
Australia’s Deputy
Prime Minister Richard
Marles, who reached the
national capital on
Wednesday, reaffirmed
his nation’s backing for
India’s stand against
cross-border terrorism.
He met with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
to deliberate on the In-
dia-Australia Compre-
hensive Strategic Part-
nership and other press-
ing global matters.
Notably, the visit
aligns with the fifth an-
niversary of the Compre-
hensive Strategic Part-
nership between the two
nations, built on a mutual
commitment to security
and stability in the Indian
Ocean Region.
“Prime Minister Modi
congratulated Deputy
Prime Minister Marles
on the Australian Labor
Party’s landmark victory
in the recent Federal
elections,” an official
statement noted.
The leaders shared
ideas to deepen the Com-
prehensive Strategic
Partnership, which com-
memorates five years to-
day, it added.
They emphasized ex-
panding ties in key sec-
tors like defence industry
cooperation, critical min-
erals, new-age technolo-
gies, and supply chain
resilience.
Both also reaffirmed
that their mutual vision
for a secure, stable, and
prosperous Indo-Pacific
remains central to their
growing collaboration.
Prime Minister Modi
extended an invitation to
Australian Prime Minis-
ter Anthony Albanese to
attend the annual summit
scheduled in India later
this year.
“Pleased to meet Aus-
tralia’s Deputy Prime
Minister Richard Mar-
les. We had a meaningful
discussion on strength-
ening the India-Austral-
ia Comprehensive Stra-
tegic Partnership, mark-
ing its fifth year today.
Our joint vision for a
secure and stable Indo-
Pacific continues to
shape our cooperation,”
Australia’s Deputy
Prime Minister Richard
Marles shared on X.
PM Modi and Dy PM Richard Marles, share ideas to deepen bilateral partnership
Rajnath highlights stronger
Indo-Australia defence ties
Delhi to bring
ordinance
to curb
school fees
ANI
New Delhi
India and Australia reaf-
firmed their strong de-
fence partnership and
commitment to combat-
ing terrorism during a
high-level bilateral meet-
ing between Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh
and Australia’s Deputy
Prime Minister and De-
fence Minister Richard
Marles in New Delhi on
Wednesday.
During the meeting,
Rajnath Singh acknowl-
edged the growing strate-
gic ties between the two
nations and thankedAus-
tralia for its support fol-
lowing the recent terror-
ist attack in Pahalgam.
“It was heartening to
note the significant mile-
stones achieved in our
bilateral defence rela-
tions since our last meet-
ing. I hoped that in the
coming years we would
work with renewed mo-
mentum, effectively con-
tributing to the growth of
bilateral defence rela-
tions... Largely due to
your commitment and
leadership in strengthen-
ing India-Australia de
fence and security coop-
eration, in the past three
years, bilateral defence
cooperation has emerged
as an important pillar of
our comprehensive stra-
tegic partnership. I
looked forward to a pro-
ductive discussion today
and hoped it would lay a
firm ground for further
cementing the India and
Australia defence ties.
This meeting was hap-
pening at a time when
India was facing extreme
challenges at our western
border. We had taken
steps in response to the
barbaric incident in
Kashmir. We thanked
Australia for its support
on this issue. We would
be talking more about
this later in the meeting,”
Rajnath Singh said.
In response, Richard
Marles expressed Aus-
tralia’s solidarity with
India.
“The opportunity to
work closely with you
again over the next three
years was really exciting.
I had deeply appreciated
our relationship over the
last three years and the
progress that we had
made. I wanted to pass on
our Prime Minister’s
condolences to India for
all the lives lost in the Pa-
halgam terrorist attack”,
Marles said.
Agencies
New Delhi
Education Minister Ash-
ish Sood announced on
Wednesday that the Delhi
Government will intro-
duce an ordinance to en-
force the Delhi School
Education (Transparency
in Fixation and Regula-
tion of Fees) Bill, 2025,
aimed at curbing arbi-
trary fee hikes by private
schools. This declaration
coincided with the gov-
ernment completing 100
days under Chief Minis-
ter Rekha Gupta.The Bill
was initially planned for
presentation in the Delhi
Assembly during the
May 14-15 session but
was delayed. Sood stat-
ed, “We are bringing an
ordinance to turn the Bill
into law to stop exploita-
tion by schools, upsetting
those who have support-
ed the school mafia for
27 years.” He empha-
sized that while school
fees traditionally in-
creased annually, no pri-
vate school raised fees
during their 100-day ten-
ure. Sood also highlight-
ed ongoing parent pro-
tests against fee hikes at
Delhi Public School,
Dwarka, criticizing the
previous AAP govern-
ment for neglecting the
issue despite protests dat-
ing back to 2021, earlier.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
meets Delhi CM Rekha Gupta
Wrong to think ‘Modi is India
and India is Modi’: Congress
Lucknow meeting
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
being felicitated by Chairman of the Central
Finance Commission, Arvind Panagariya during
the 16th Finance Commission meeting, in
Lucknow on Wednesday.
CM YOGI’S BIRTHDAY: DOUBLE CELEBRATION
WITH RAM DARBAR PRANA PRATISHTHA
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrates
his 53rd birthday today, which coincides with
World Environment Day, making the occasion
uniquely significant. Adding to the importance of the
day, the consecration ceremony of deities, including
the Ram Darbar, is scheduled to take place at the
Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The combination of per-
sonal, spiritual, and environmental milestones makes
this year’s celebration particularly meaningful.
Expanding collaborations
PM Narendra Modi meeting Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in New Delhi on
Wednesday,
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on
Wednesday to review National Highway projects in Delhi.
In the meeting with Richard Marles, Rajnath Singh
acknowledged the growing India-Australia strategic ties.
PM MODI CONGRATULATES LEE JAE-MYUNG ON
BEING ELECTED SOUTH KOREA’S PRESIDENT
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Wednesday congratulated Lee Jae-myung on his
election as president of South Korea. He said on X,
“Congratulations to Mr Lee Jae-myung on being elected as
the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK). Look forward
to working together to further expand and strengthen the
India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership.” Liberal opposi-
tion candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected president early
Wednesday, a victory that would cap months of political tur-
moil triggered by the stunning but brief imposition of martial
law by the now-ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol.
Mist sprayers will be
installed in pollution
hotspots to control
dust; anti-smog guns
will be mandatory on
high-rise commercial
buildings
RAHUL’S COMMENTS DISRESPECT ARMED
FORCES, SAYS SUDHANSHU TRIVEDI
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi sharply
criticized Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on
Operation Sindoor and the “Narendra, sur-
render” comment, accusing him of insulting the Indian
Armed Forces and undermin-
ing national pride. Speaking
at the BJP headquarters in
New Delhi, Trivedi claimed
the Congress has a history of
surrenders, which Gandhi tries
to mask with baseless state-
ments. He recalled Gandhi’s
2021 comment questioning
why democratic nations re-
mained silent on India, calling
it surrender. Trivedi also cited
Gandhi’s 2011 admission that terrorism couldn’t be
fully controlled and the Congress stance after 26/11,
labeling these as capitulations to terror.
FI TOON
SHEKHAR

INDIA 06
ERROL MUSK PAYS OBEISANCE AT RAM TEMPLE
One of the best things I’ve ever done: Errol Musk
PTI
Ayodhya
rrol Musk, fa-
ther of tech bil-
lionaire Elon
Musk, visited the Ram
temple in Ayodhya on
Wednesday afternoon
and described the experi-
ence as “wonderful” and
one of the “best things”
he has ever done.
Errol also paid obei-
sance at the Hanuman-
garhi temple nearby. He
was initially scheduled to
visittheTajMahalinAgra
as well but the plan may
bedroppedduetoextreme
heat in the region.
“It’s wonderful, abso-
lutely wonderful (Ayod-
hya visit). It’s one of the
best things I’ve ever done.
“I’m so glad I came to
see it and can’t wait till
the temple gets complet-
ed, the big temple, it’s go-
ing to be something like a
wonder of the world,”
Errol told PTI Videos.
Separately, talking to
reporters after visiting
both temples, he said,
“My experience here in
India has been wonderful.
I’m here (in India) to be-
gin working with Servo-
tech and am looking for-
ward to spending a lot of
time in the country. The
temples are marvellous
and so are the people.”
Accompanied by his
daughter Alexandra
Musk, Errol arrived at
Ayodhya airport around
2.30 pm and left after 4
pm. He was wearing kur-
ta-pyjama during his
visit to the Ram temple.
Security was on high
alert in the temple town
during the visit.
“There is already a
three-layered high-level
security cover in place in
Ayodhya, which includes
round-the-clock deploy-
ment of high-tech anti-
drone systems capable of
detecting and neutralising
unauthorised aerial activ-
ity,” a police officer said.
He added that security
arrangements in and
around the temple area
include CCTV surveil-
lance, regular checking
of visitors and deploy-
ment of specially trained
personnel.
“However, no addition-
al security cover will be
extended officially for this
visit as the existing meas-
uresareadequate,”hesaid.
E
Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk sister Alexandra Musk being
welcomed at the airport upon his arrival in Ayodhya on Wednesday.
Have so much to speak
as a Tamil: Haasan amid
Kannada language row
Agencies
Chennai
Actor-politician Kamal
Haasan on Wednesday
said he has a lot to speak
as a Tamil but refrained
from making any imme-
diate comment on his
“Kannada was born out
of Tamil” remark that
triggered a massive con-
troversy last week.
“Beyond ‘Thug Life’,
I have so much to speak
as a Tamil. I will talk
later,” Haasan said at a
press conference on his
upcoming Tamil movie.
“I should thank the en-
tire state of Tamil Nadu
which stood behind me,”
he added.
Haasan’s remarks on
May 27 that ‘Kannada
was born out of Tamil’
sparked a massive uproar
in Karnataka, with the
Karnataka Film Chamber
of Commerce deciding
not to release his film till
he apologised.
Kamal Haasan
ADB clears
$800mn for
Pakistan, India
opposes move
Corruption
erodes judicial
trust: CJI Gavai
Agencies
New Delhi
Chief Justice of India BR
Gavai has cautioned that
cases of corruption and
misconduct within the ju-
diciary can severely un-
dermine public trust, pos-
ing a threat to the overall
credibility integrity of
the justice system. The
statementscameinlightof
recent allegations against
Allahabad HC’s Justice
Yashwant Varma, who is
under scrutiny after a sub-
stantial amount of cash
was recovered from his
official residence in Delhi.
“There may be criticisms
of collegium system, but
any solution must not
come at the cost of judicial
independence. Judges
must be free from external
control,” he added.
PTI
New Delhi
India had vehemently op-
posed ADB’s decision to
grant USD 800 million
loan to Pakistan saying
the fund could be mis-
used for increasing ex-
penditure on its military,
government sources said.
“India shared deep
concerns regarding the
potential misuse of ADB
resources, particularly in
light of Pakistan’s in-
creasing defence expend-
iture, its declining tax-to-
GDP ratio, and the lack
of demonstrable progress
on key macroeconomic
reforms,” they said.
Asian Development
Bank (ADB) on Tuesday
approved USD 800 mil-
lion programme to
strengthen fiscal sustain-
ability and improve pub-
lic financial management
in Pakistan.
Earlier in the day, the
Congress in a post on X
quipped that Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi met
ADB President Masato
Kanda on June 1 and
three days later ADB
clearedtheUSD800-mil-
lion loan to Pakistan.
Modi government’s in-
fluence did not work on
the IMF earlier and Paki-
stan got loan last month,
the post said, adding that
this happened even when
the conflict between In-
dia and Pakistan was go-
ing on.
9 killed as truck overturns
and falls on van in Jhabua
PTI
Jhabua (MP)
Nine persons, including
five minors, were killed
and two others injured
after a cement-laden
trailer truck overturned
and crushed a van in
Madhya Pradesh’s
Jhabua district in the wee
hours of Wednesday, po-
lice said.
Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi and Chief Min-
ister Mohan Yadav ex-
pressed grief over the
incident and announced
financial assistance for
the victims’ kin.
The accident took
place around 2.30 am un-
der Meghnagar tehsil
area when the victims
were returning in the van
from a wedding function,
officials said.
People gather at the accident site after a truck carrying cement
overturned on a van in Thandla, Jhabua district, Wednesday.
PM MODI MOURNS MISHAP, ANNOUNCES EX-GRATIA
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed
deep grief over the loss of lives due to an acci-
dent in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh. He also wished
speedy recovery for those injured in the accident. The
Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia from PMNRF of `2
lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000
for those injured. The Prime Minister’s Office posted on X;
“Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to an accident in
Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to those who have
lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-
gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next
of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs.
50,000: PM @narendramodi”
5dieatOdishahospitaldue
to'wronginjection',probeon
PTI
Koraput
Five critically ill patients
have died in a span of a
few hours at the Saheed
Laxman Nayak Medical
College and Hospital in
Odisha’s Koraput. The
deaths occurred on Tues-
day night, allegedly after
hospital staff allegedly
administered them the
wrong injection.
The patients who died
were from various parts
of south Odisha, includ-
ing Koraput, Borigum-
ma, Semiliguda, Malkan-
giri and Kalahandi. Re-
ports these patients were
admitted to the ICU and
surgical wards for post-
operative care and criti-
cal monitoring.
The police have begun
an investigation.
UNION HEALTH MINISTRY REVIEWS SITUATION
OF COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS
New Delhi: In view of the recent increase in
COVID-19 cases, a series of technical review
meetings were held on June 2 and 3 under the
chairpersonship of Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General
of Health Services (DGHS), with various representatives.
As of June 4, India reported 4,302 active COVID-19
cases, an increase of 864 cases in the past 24 hours.
Most cases are mild and managed under home care.
Since January 1, 2025, 44 deaths have been reported,
primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses.
States have been instructed to ensure the availability of
oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medi-
cines.The public is advised to practice hand hygiene,
cough etiquette, and avoid crowded places when unwell.
IMDWARNSOF
THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSSBENGAL
PTI
Kolkata
The IMD has forecast
thunderstorms with light
to moderate rainfall in
south Bengal districts and
heavy rain in the sub-
Himalayan districts till
Friday morning. The
warning follows the per-
sistence of an upper air
cyclonic circulation,
which was positioned
over east Bihar on June 3
and now lies over north
Bangladesh and adjoining
areas at 0.9 km above
mean sea level.
Under the influence of
this meteorological con-
dition, various districts
across South North
Bengal are expected to
experience thunderstorms
accompanied by light-
ning, gusty winds, and
heavy rainfall.
On June 4, thunder-
storms with lightning and
gusty winds reaching
speeds of 40-50 kmph are
likely to affect isolated
areas in Murshidabad,
Purba and Paschim Bard-
haman, Purba and Pas-
chim Medinipur, and
North and South 24 Par-
ganas. Other districts in
South Bengal may see
gusty winds of 30-40
kmph along with light to
moderate rain. In North
Bengal,districtsincluding
Uttar Dinajpur, Kalim-
pong, Darjeeling, Jalpaig-
uri, Coochbehar, and Ali-
purduar are expected to
witness thunderstorms
with lightning, gusty
winds of 40-50 kmph, and
heavy rainfall measuring
up to 7 cm on June 4. Due
to intense rainfall, land-
slides are likely in Dar-
jeeling, Kalimpong dist.
Forecast for June 5 indi-
cates thunderstorms with
lightning and gusty winds
ranging between 30-50
kmph may occur at one or
two places across Kolkata,
Howrah, Hooghly, Jhar-
gram, Purba and Paschim
Medinipur, North and
South 24 Parganas, Nadia,
Murshidabad, and Purba
Bardhaman.
HIGHLIGHTS
Union Minister for
Development of North
Eastern Region (DoN-
ER) and Communica-
tions, Jyotiraditya M.
Scindia has expressed
deep concern over
the worsening flood
and landslide situation
across several North-
eastern states due
to continuous heavy
rainfall.
1
A rescue operation to
evacuate 113 stranded
tourists from Lachen
in North Sikkim was
called off early on
Wednesday after bad
weather forced an MI-
17 helicopter carrying
National Disaster Re-
sponse Force (NDRF)
personnel to abort its
mission.
2
The flood situation in
Arunachal Pradesh
remained grim on
Wednesday with
incessant rain causing
fresh landslides and
inundation across the
state and affecting
over 3,000 people
in 23 districts,
officials said.
3
The Indian Air Force
airlifted 33 people,
including two US na-
tionals, from landslide-
hit Sikkim. Rescue
and relief operations
continue as authori-
ties work to restore
normalcy.
4
TRAIN SERVICES HIT IN PARTS OF SOUTHERN
ASSAM DUE TO HEAVY WATERLOGGING
Guwahati: Train services in parts of southern
Assam have been affected due to rising water
level at tracks and waterlogging at washing
pits, particularly in Silchar, a Northeast Frontier Railway
(NFR) spokesperson said on Wednesday. Heavy rainfall
and landslides have posed threat to the Badarpur-
Lumding hill section which connects Barak valley to the
rest of the country, though rail movement has not been
snapped with on-ground staff and technology being
deployed to ensure the tracks remain clear, another NFR
official said. In view of rising water level at railway tracks
and waterlogging at Silchar washing pits, train services
over certain sections of NFR have been affected, the
spokesperson said in a statement.
FLOOD HAVOC IN MANIPUR: 1 DEAD, 1.7 LAKH
PEOPLE AFFECTED, 80 RELIEF CAMPS SET UP
Imphal: Over 1.7 lakh people have been affected
by flood while a person has died as rains have
affected normal life in Manipur for a week. The
affected people have been sheltered at about 80 relief
centres, officials said on Wednesday. Govt sources said
about 36,000 houses were washed away by the flood and
about 102 landslides cut off roads and communications.
Many hospitals, including the main state referral hospital,
JNIMS, have been closed down. Residents in many areas
have complained about power outages and erratic internet
services in the state. Most shops are closed down as sup-
ply of food, medicines, essential items were affected due
to landslides. There is an acute shortage of drinking water
as all normal water distribution systems have stopped.
INDIA RECORDED OVER 3.2 CRORE DISASTER
DISPLACEMENTS IN A DECADE: IDMC
Floods triggered
displacements during
the same period
114.8 million
The disasters triggered
internal displacements
across 210 countries
264.8 million
India recorded
(54 lakh) displacements
last year due to floods,
storms and other
disasters, the highest
figure in 12 years.
5.4 million
In 2024 alone
internal displacements
were recorded, the
highest on record and
far above the decadal
average of 26.5 million
45.8 million
THE REPORT SAID THAT NEARLY 90 PER CENT OF
GLOBAL DISASTER DISPLACEMENTS WERE THE
RESULT OF FLOODS AND STORMS.
A woman wades through floodwater at a flood-
affected area, in Morigaon district, Assam, Wednesday.
IMDWARNSOF
THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSSBENGAL

NEWS 07
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
VANDE GANGA WATER CONSERVATION PUBLIC CAMPAIGN
Penalties for poor quality of work
Laxman Raghav
Bikaner
ctive bureau-
cracy, although
numerous chal-
lenges remain. Krishna
Kunal, the Officer-in-
Charge Secretary, and
Rajesh Yadav, the Princi-
pal Secretary of the Urban
Development and Hous-
ing (UDH) department,
were on a visit to Bikaner.
Officer-in-Charge Sec-
retary Krishna Kunal re-
viewed preparations for
the “Vande Ganga Water
Conservation Public
Campaign” and discussed
budget announcements
andtheimplementationof
the contact portal. Rajesh
Yadav, the Principal Sec-
retary of UDH, issued
strict directions regarding
poor quality of work, in-
structing penalties on the
concerned firms and de-
ductions in their bills.
He also emphasised in-
creasing the number of
beneficiaries under the
PM’s Urban Housing
Scheme and identifying
newfamiliesforinclusion.
Reviews were conducted
of RUIDP, AMRUT
schemes 1.0 and 2.0, as
well as PM Urban Hous-
ing Schemes 1.0 and 2.0.
On Tuesday, adminis-
trative activity in Bikaner
was brisk. Officer-in-
Charge Secretary Krishna
Kunal and UDH Principal
Secretary Rajesh Yadav
reviewed and inspected
various development
schemes during their visit.
The visit was considered
crucial in assessing the
progressandqualityofon-
going projects in the city.
Officer-in-Charge Secy of UDH
Krishna Kunal and Principal
Secretary UDH Rajesh Yadav
during a meting Bikaner.
A
AT UN
Bhutto‘Muslimsdemonised’
inIndiaclaimbackfiresatUN
First India Bureau
New York
Pakistan’s former foreign
minister Bilawal Bhutto
Zardari was called out
here by a journalist on his
comments about alleged
“demonisation” of Mus-
lims in India.
The former Pakistan
foreign minister, who is
leading a team of experts
to inform the world about
the recent conflict with
India, was briefing the
media about their per-
spective on Tuesday.
During the question-
answer session, Egyptian-
American journalist Ah-
mad Fathi, UN corre-
spondent of American
Television News, asked
Bilawal about his com-
mentsonIndia’streatment
of Muslims and reminded
him that it was an Indian
Muslim military officer
who was briefing the me-
dia during the conflict.
“Let me start with a
statement you made to-
day, saying that the recent
terroristattackinKashmir
is being used as a political
tool to demonise Muslims
in India. Sir, I have
watched the briefings on
both sides, and as far as I
recall, there were Muslim
Indian military officers
who were conducting the
briefing on the Indian
side,” Fathi said.
US journo slams Bhutto’s claim, says Muslim officers led India’s press conf
Totally shocking: BCCI reacts on stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad
Atragic incident unfold-
ed at Bengaluru’s Chin-
naswamy Stadium on
Wednesday when many
people died and injured
in a stampede during
Royal Challengers Ben-
galuru’s IPL title cele-
brations.
The celebration was
meant to mark the team’s
first IPL championship
after an 18-year wait, fol-
lowing their victory over
Punjab Kings in
Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
The situation turned
chaotic as thousands of
fans gathered outside the
stadium to catch a
glimpse of the Rajat
Patidar-led team. Police
forces struggled to main-
tain control of the
crowds, eventually re-
sorting to mild force to
manage the situation.
The incident prompted
an immediate response
from BCCI secretary
Devajit Saikia, who ac-
knowledged serious se-
curity lapses in the or-
ganisation of the victory
celebration.
“This incident of
deaths due to stampede is
totally shocking for us.
We at BCCI extend our
heartfelt condolences to
the families of the de-
ceased. We also pray for
the speedy recovery of all
those who have been in-
jured. When one organ-
ises a victory celebra-
tions of this magnitude,
proper precautions, safe-
ty and security measures
need to be taken.
There has been some
lapses in some corner
somewhere. Due dili-
gence should have been
done so that an incident
like this could have been
avoided,” Saikia told
news agency PTI.
The BCCI secretary also
expressed concern about
the ongoing celebrations,
hoping to prevent any
further incidents.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar with
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and other team members
during a felicitation ceremony, in Bengaluru, Wednesday.. PTI
Members of the all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in Washington D.C. for
meetings with US officials, lawmakers and policy experts as part of the diplomatic outreach. PTI
FILE
First India Bureau
Jaipur
A significant update has
emerged concerning the
second phase of the Jaipur
Metro. Discussions are
currently underway re-
garding the appointment
of a General Consultant
(GC)fortheproject.Jaipur
Metro officials are active-
ly evaluating various op-
tions for this appointment.
Deliberations are ongo-
ing on whether to issue a
tender for the appoint-
ment or to directly engage
the Delhi Metro Rail Cor-
poration (DMRC) as the
GC. Notably, for the first
phase of the metro,
DMRC had been directly
appointed as the General
Consultant without the is-
suance of a tender.
At the time, DMRC
held a clear edge in terms
of expertise in such pro-
jects. However, in recent
years, several other com-
panies—such as Systra,
RITES, AECOM India,
Technica Y Proyectos
and others have gained
considerable experience
by working in joint ven-
tures on metro projects.
These companies have
served as GC in metro
projects across cities like
Surat, Ahmedabad, Ben-
galuru, Chennai, Kanpur,
Agra,MumbaiandThane.
ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE WAIT: VIRAT KOHLI PENS
EMOTIONAL NOTE AFTER MAIDEN IPL TITLE WIN
RCB’S IPL STATS
MOREONOUTREACH
Ahmedabad: After 18 seasons of unwavering com-
mitment and countless moments of heartbreak, Royal
Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally laid their hands
on the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy, defeating
Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a thrilling final. Virat Kohli
who has been with RCB since the inception of the league in
2008, shared a heartfelt post on his official Instagram, ex-
pressing what the victory meant to him, the team, and millions
of fans who stood by the franchise through every high and
low. “This team made the dream possible, a season I’ll never
ever forget,” Kohli wrote. “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the ride
over the last 2.5 months. This one is for the fans of RCB who
never ever left our side in the worst of times,” he added. In his
emotional post, Kohli dedicated the win to the years of strug-
gle and resilience the team has shown, and the sacrifices
made by the players over the years. “This one is for all the
years of heartbreaks and disappointment. This is for every
inch of effort left on the field playing for this team,” he said.
z RCB’s Virat Kohli scored
657 runs at 54.75
z Kohli hit the most fifties
(8) in the IPL 2025
z RCB won 9 matches in
the league stage, finishing
on 19 points
z RCB then won Qualifier
1 and the final to end with
11 victories
z RCB also posted the
least defeats this season (4)
z It took 18 long seasons
for Virat Kohli to lay hands
on the coveted IPL trophy
z Kohli is the highest run-
scorer against PBKS
z All-party delega-
tion led by Shrikant
Shinde hails success in
conveying India's mes-
sage of zero tolerance
against terrorism
z Belgium: BJP MP
Ravi Shankar Prasad-
led all-party delega-
tion pays floral tribute
to Mahatma Gan-
dhis in Brussels
z Egypt: All-party del-
egation holds interac-
tive session, highlights
India's stance against
terrorism
z India-Central
Asia Dialogue set to
enhance anti-terror
partnerships across
region In Brussels,
Indian delegation
conveys unified mes-
sage of zero tolerance
against terrorism
z Sanjay Jha-led del-
egation reaches new
Delhi after conclud-
ing India’s outreach
against terrorisms
COUNTRIESENTHUSIASTICABOUTPARTNERING
WITHINDIA,SAYSALL-PARTYDELEGATIONMEMBER
Investing in India is increasingly viewed as an invest-
ment in democracy, responsible civilian leadership,
and global progress, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who is
part of an all-party delegation visiting the US, has said. Surya
highlighted the enthusiastic response from the four countries
visited by the multiple-party parliamentary delegation led by
Shashi Tharoor. Every single country was enthusiastic about
what they can offer to India and what India can offer to them,
he said, underlining that after addressing the agenda of
Operation Sindoor, the delegation engaged in conversations
focusing on potential partnerships in multiple sectors.
Meghwal offers floral tribute at
Babasaheb’s statue in London
First India Bureau
London
Union Law Minister Ar-
jun Meghwal during his
visit to London went to
the ‘Shiksha Bhumi’ —
the educational site asso-
ciated with Dr. BR
Ambedkar and paid flo-
ral tribute at the statue of
Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Accompanying him
were Chief Justice of In-
dia (CJI), Justice Bhush-
an Ramkrishna Gavai,
and Supreme Court Judge
Justice Vikram Nath.
On an initiative of
Modi, this historic
‘Ambedkar Memorial
House’has been included
among the five sacred pil-
grimage sites, known as
‘Panch Teerth’.
Meghwal said that this
moment, dedicated to the
values of the Constitu-
tion, social justice, and
harmony, had become
truly historic.
This visit is considered
as an important step in
honouring Babasaheb’s
life, ideas, and struggles
on the international stage.
AppointmentofGeneral
ConsultantforMetro’s
secondphaseintalks
Gehlot takes a
dig at BJP on
Kanhaiya Lal
murder case
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Former Rajasthan CM
Ashok Gehlot comment-
ed on the Kanhaiya Lal
murder case, saying that
the BJP heavily politi-
cised the incident and
turned it into the main is-
sue during the Rajasthan
elections. He said that the
case is being handled by
the NIA, yet even after 3
years, no punishment has
been delivered in what he
described as a “clear-cut”
case. He said that the vic-
tim’s family has ex-
pressed concern that the
case is not being tried in a
fast-track manner.
Meanwhile, for the first
time, Ashok Gehlot visit-
ed a mall. Gehlot arrived
at a mall in Jaipur on
Wednesday. He went to
the mall in Vaishali Nagar
to watch a film. He also
engaged in discussions
with Congress leaders.
Gehlot said, “This is the
first time I have come to a
mall like this.” Until now,
Gehlot had never been as-
sociatedwithmallculture.
Punjab Guv Gulab Chand Kataria visits
Jodhpur, Pali; receives Guard of Honour
First India Bureau
Jodhpur
Punjab Governor Gulab
Chand Kataria was on a
short visit to Jodhpur,
where he paid tribute to
the late Jain ascetic,
Sadhvi Gyan Lata, at the
Jain Sthanak located in
Nehru Park. Upon his
arrival at the Jodhpur
Circuit House, Kataria
was given a Guard of
Honour before proceed-
ing to Nehru Park.
At the Jain Sthanak,
the Governor offered flo-
ral tributes and observed
a moment of silence in
memory of Sadhvi Gyan
Lata. Following the visit,
he headed to Shastri Na-
gar. From there, he trav-
elled via CHB to the air-
port to depart for Punjab.
Earlier, while en route
from Jodhpur to Udaipur,
Kataria made a brief stop
in Pali, where he was
warmly welcomed by
party workers.
A courtesy meeting
was held at the Panihari
Hotel, where local lead-
ers and party members
greeted him.
Family court grants divorce
for no physical contact in Jpr
ACS Alok remembered at
workplace at Vidyut Bhawan
First India Bureau
Jaipur
A family court in Jaipur
has granted a divorce de-
cree on the grounds of
physical and mental cru-
elty, recognising the re-
fusal to engage in marital
relations over an extend-
ed period as valid justifi-
cation. The court held the
wife (respondent) guilty
of desertion and cruelty
after she failed to estab-
lish a physical relation-
ship with her husband
from 2003 to 2018.
The couple had been
married on 3 November
2003. Judge Pawan Ku-
mar Garg of Family Court
passed the divorce de-
cree, dissolving the mar-
riageonmultiplegrounds,
including repeated base-
less allegations, threats of
suicide, and frequent
quarrels by the wife. The
court stated that abusive
and insulting accusations
amount to mental cruelty.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
A condolence meeting
was held at Vidyut Bha-
wan in memory of ACS
(Energy) Alok. Minister
of State for Energy Hi-
ralal Nagar, Jaipur Dis-
com CMD Arti Dogra,
Rajasthan Urja Vikas
IT Services Ltd MD Om
Prakash Kasera, RVPNL
MD Nathmal Didel, and
RVUNL CMD Deven-
dra Shringi were pre-
sent, along with several
engineers and staff from
the energy department’s
accounts and technical
branches. Officials paid
floral tribute and re-
called moments spent
with ACS Alok.
Police nabs
20 for taking
inmates to
hotels in Jpr
Satyanarayan Sharma
Jaipur
In the case involving
the transfer of prison-
ers from Jaipur Cen-
tral Jail to SMS Hos-
pital under the pretext
of medical treatment
and then from the
hospital to hotels, po-
lice have so far ar-
rested20people.Sev-
eral others are still
under police radar.
This entire opera-
tion involved prison-
ers paying money to
be referred from jail
to SMS Hospital un-
der the excuse of
treatment, only to be
taken from there to
other places. Five
police personnel,
multiple inmates,
and their accomplic-
es have been arrested
in the case. A doctor
from Jaipur Central
Jail is also under po-
lice scrutiny.
Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal and Chief Justice of India,
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai in London on Wednesday.
Collector Namrata
Vrishni,
Superintendent of
Police Kavendra
Singh Sagar, IAS
officers Mayank
Manish and Aparna
Gupta, along with
Sohan Lal and other
officials, were present
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand
Kataria at Jain Sthanak, Nehru
Park, Jodhpur on Wednesday.
Jaipur Discom CMD Arti Dogra
and other officials pay tribute
to ACS Alok at Vidyut Bhawan.

JORWAL REASSIGNED TO TOURISM, RTDC
DESPITE DIFFERENT CURRENT ROLE
The DoP has assigned two significant additional
charges to 2011-batch IAS officer Anupama Jor-
wal: Managing Director of RTDC Director of
Tourism. Presently, Anupra holds the position of Project
Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SAMSA). Both the
additional charges, however, are completely different
from her current post. Furthermore, the offices for these
positions, Shiksha Sankul Parytan Bhawan, are lo-
cated approximately 8 km apart. Experts are puzzled as
to why Anupra Jorwal has been entrusted with these two
new addl charges. Some speculate that her six-month
tenure as Managing Director of RTDC, from February
to September 2024, might be the reason, as it provided
her with some exposure to the workings of the Parytan
Bhawan. After the retirement of VP Singh, the charge of
Director Tourism was with Ravi Jain, Secretary, Tourism
and Chairman, RTDC, since March 2025. However,
this charge has now been taken away from him and
reassigned to Anupama Jorwal, leaving many wondering
about the reasoning behind this unexpected change.
Sudhansh Pant, Chief Secretary, Arijit Banerjee, Head of Forest
Force, Sharda Pratap Singh, Member Secretary, RSPCB will also
attend the state-level World Environment Day programme at RIC today
08
Gratitude brings
joy and perspective.
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CMD Editor-in-Chief
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Postal Reg No. JPC/006/2025-27
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2025 THEME: BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION
CMTOLAUNCHPLANTATION,
E-WASTEDRIVESTODAY
`13.5 cr to be allocated to 54 ULBs
for water sprinklers and mechanical
sweepers to combat urban air pollution
2
1
Rachna Singh
Jaipur
2025 will be observed to-
day with the Republic of
Korea as the global host.
LedbytheUnitedNations
Environment Programme
(UNEP).This year’s cam-
paign urges global action
againstplasticpollutionto
protect our planet.
Rajasthan’s State-Level
Programme for World
Environment Day 2025
will be organised at the
RIC, Jaipur. CM Bhajan
Lal Sharma will be the
Chief Guest, and MoS
Environment Forest,
Sanjay Sharma, will
chair the event. The event
will also be attended by
Sudhansh Pant, CS,Arijit
Banerjee, Head of Forest
Force, and Sharda Pratap
Singh, Member Secre-
tary, RSPCB. Aparna
Arora,ACS, Dept of For-
est, Environment Cli-
mate Change, and Chair-
person, RSPCB, unveiled
the schedule, saying,
“The programme will fo-
cus on key environmen-
tal topics such as plastic
waste, e-waste, circular
economy, emission trad-
ing, and climate change
adaptation planning.” In
line with WED 2025 and
to make the state plastic-
free, 50 PET crushers
installed statewide; 8
centres opened in Jaipur
with Shree Cement and
UltraTech.
AN OFFICER-IN-CHARGE FOR VITAL TASKS
Now, Abhay Kumar tasked with ambitious Vande Ganga water conservation drive
Rajendra Chhabra
Jaipur
he govern-
ment’s ambi-
tious ‘Vande
Ganga Jal Sanrakshan
Abhiyan’ is going to be-
gin across the state on
Thursday. This 15-day
campaign will feature a
series of programs fo-
cused on environmental
conservation and rainwa-
ter harvesting in all dis-
tricts. To ensure its suc-
cessful and impactful
execution, the govern-
ment has given its re-
sponsibility to senior IAS
officer and Additional
Chief Secretary Abhay
Kumar. The task is both
significant and crucial
and Abhay Kumar has
been working tirelessly
in preparation for this im-
portant campaign.
This is not the first
time the government has
placed its trust in Abhay
Kumar for such a signifi-
cant responsibility. Ear-
lier also, Abhay Kumar
has been entrusted with
the leadership of several
ambitious state-level pro-
grams and events nearly
half a dozen times by the
Bhajan Lal government.
He was given the charge
of prominent national
level initiatives like ‘Har
Ghar Tiranga’ and ‘Ek
Ped Maa Ke Naam’ held
in August last year.
In December 2024,
Abhay Kumar played a
pivotal role in the suc-
cessful execution of the
challenging launch event
for the Eastern Rajasthan
Canal Project (ERCP),
which was graced by
Modi in Jaipur. Follow-
ing this, Abhay Kumar
was entrusted with the
responsibility of oversee-
ing several key programs
and events marking the
government’s one-year
anniversary.
In March this year,Ab-
hay Kumar was given the
task of planning and ex-
ecuting the state-wide
programs for the Ra-
jasthan Diwas celebra-
tions, which spanned an
entire week. He meticu-
lously crafted the blue-
print for these celebra-
tions and ensured their
successful implementa-
tion. Over the course of
seven days, Abhay Ku-
mar oversaw a diverse
range of events organised
by various departments
across different division-
al headquarters.
Abhay Kumar, who
holds the second-highest
position for all practical
purposes after Chief Sec-
retary, is a quiet yet highly
result-oriented officer.
Withextensiveexperience
in government affairs, he
stands out not only for his
dedication and work ethic
but also for his exception-
alskillsandefficiency.He
indeed has an undisputed
track record.
It is also noteworthy
that on two occasions dur-
ing the foreign trips of
Chief Secretary Sudhansh
Pant, Abhay Kumar was
in the role of acting Chief
Secretary. With three
years remaining in his
tenure, Abhay Kumar
continues to be a trusted
officer of Chief Minister
Bhajan Lal Sharma. Giv-
en his track record and
dedication, it is entirely
possible that when the
time comes, he may be
entrusted with even great-
er responsibilities.
T
ACS Abhay Kumar
JOIN GREEN DRIVES
WITH FULL SPIRIT,
SAYS CM SHARMA
On the eve of
World Environ-
ment Day and
Ganga Dashahara, CM
Bhajan Lal Sharma
urged Rajasthanis to
join the ‘Vande Ganga’
Water Conservation
and ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke
Naam’ campaigns
starting June 5. He
highlighted traditional
water conservation
methods, emphasiz-
ing the need to protect
natural resources.
Quoting Rahim’s cou-
plet, he stressed water
awareness. Citizens are
called to clean water
bodies, avoid wastage,
and help plant 10 crore
saplings this monsoon.
Supporting this, RCDF’s
‘Saras Water and Envi-
ronment Conservation
Campaign’ will run June
5–20 with Tulsi plant
distribution and cleanli-
ness drives.
SQUATTERSREMOVED
FROMRAMGARHDAM
Before the
launch of the
‘Vande Ganga
Campaign,’ the JDA re-
moved encroachments
from Ramgarh Dam’s
flow area at Acharol,
where debris had been
dumped over three
bighas. Chief Minister
Bhajan Lal Sharma will
inaugurate the cam-
paign from Ramgarh
Dam today, marking its
official launch.
Kuldeep Vyas, State Editor for Bihar and Jharkhand at Dainik Bhaskar paid a courtesy visit to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios in New Delhi. During
the meeting, they exchanged views on journalism and global cooperation.
Courtesy Meeting
Jaipur to lead Rajasthan’s
tourism revolution: Diya
Nirmal Tiwari
Jaipur
Jaipur is set to lead Ra-
jasthan’s tourism revolu-
tion under the dynamic
leadership of Deputy
Chief Minister and Tour-
ism Minister Diya Ku-
mari. In a key review
meeting at Tourism Bha-
wan, she stressed the im-
portance of completing
all tourism projects on
time and with quality, in-
cluding budgeted initia-
tivesandcentralschemes.
Diya Kumari called for
developing tourist sites,
museums, and monu-
ments that rival global
standards, inspired by
PM Modi’s vision. Major
announcements included
Rajasthan’s first War
Museum in Jhunjhunu
and transforming Jaipur’s
Albert Hall into a smart
museum featuring AR
and VR technology.
The state will also dig-
itize its museums and
forts with a `25 crore
budget. A `300 crore de-
velopment plan for Push-
kar aims to boost reli-
gious tourism with tem-
ple corridors, ghats resto-
ration, and digital guides.
Focus on tribal tourism,
heritage conservation—
including stepwell resto-
ration, Jal Mahal renova-
tions, and Amer’s light
and sound show—was
reinforced.
Dy CM Diya Kumari chairs a key Tourism review meet focusing
on Rajasthan’s tourism, heritage, and infrastructure at the
‘Paryatan Bhawan’ in Jaipur on Wednesday. Tourism Secretary
Ravi Jain and senior officials were present.
J’JHUNU TO GET RAJ’S
FIRST WAR MUSEUM
Rajasthan’s first
War Museum will
be established in
Jhunjhunu, led by ‘VAMA’.
Dy CM Diya Kumari directs
it to showcase the state’s
military legacy with digital
exhibits. The project aims to
honour valor, boost tourism,
highlight Jhunjhunu’s
cultural historical impor-
tance. The museum will
honour Raj’s warrior spirit.
LS Speaker Om Birla with Portuguese MPs, Portuguese citizens
including Duarte Pacheco, and the vibrant Indian diaspora at a
dinner hosted by the Indian Embassy in Lisbon.
Speaker Dialogue
With Khichan Menar, Raj has 4 Ramsar Sites
Rashpal Singh
Jaipur
With the addition of Kh-
ichan in Phalodi and Me-
nar in Udaipur to Ramsar
wetland sites, the Ra-
jasthan state has got total
4 sites. Keoladeo Ghana
National Park in Bharat-
pur with an area of 2873
hectares was added to the
list in October 1981
while Sambhar Lake in
Jaipur with an area of
24000 hectares was add-
ed to the list in March
1990. With two new
sites, the total tally has
risen to 4 in Rajasthan
and 91 in the country.
“Tally 91! On the eve
of #EnvironmentDay, In-
dia has two new entrants
to the list of Wetlands of
International Importance.
The latest to join the list
of Ramsar sites in India
are Khichan in Phalodi
and Menar in Udaipur.
This addition takes our
tally to 91. The achieve-
ment is yet another testa-
ment to the fact that PM
Shri @narendramodi ji’s
focus on environmental
conservation is success-
fully helping India build
a greener tomorrow.
Congratulations, India,
especially the people of
Rajasthan!,” Union Cab-
inet Minister for Envi-
ronment, Forest Cli-
mate Change
Bhupender Yadav post-
ed on the social media on
Wednesday night.
Pt Upadhyay’s ideas
are timeless: Devnani
Ravi Sharma
Udaipur
Atwo-day Diamond Jubi-
lee event began at Bhupal
Nobles University,
Udaipur, commemorating
60 years of Pandit Deen-
dayal Upadhyay’s philos-
ophy.OrganizedbyPandit
DeendayalUpadhyaySm-
ritiSamarohSamitiJaipur,
Bhupal Nobles Institute,
and Rajasthan Vidyapeeth
University, the inaugural
session saw Speaker Vas-
udev Devnani stress
Upadhyay’s vision rooted
in Antyodaya. Speakers
underlined his relevance
inpolitics,journalism,and
literature.
Assembly Speaker Vasudev
Devnani in Udaipur event.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma to launch ‘Vande Ganga’ Jal Sanrakshan drive
with ‘shramdaan’ at Ramgarh Dam today. GHANSHYAM KAROL
GREEN INITIATIVES TO MARK THE DAY
l PLANTATION: The event
will be inaugurated by the
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma,
who will plant a tree to mark
the occasion. He will be
joined in the plantation drive
by Sanjay Sharma, Minister
of Environment Forest,
and Sudhansh Pant, Chief
Secretary.
l E-WASTE DRIVE: The
E-waste collection drive
will be launched with the
flag-off of collection vehicles
by CM. This drive will be
carried out across seven
divisional headquarters
and Industrial Area from
5th June to 10th July, 2025
to promote responsible e-
waste disposal.
l EXHIBITION: An exhibition
will also be inaugurated on
this day. It will feature models
and pictorial displays covering
a wide range of environmen-
tal themes such as: Recycling
of plastics, alternatives to
single-use plastics, treatment
of industrial and domestic
wastewater, water conserva-
tion and recycling etc.
l CETP, SANGANER: The
Common Effluent Treatment
Plant (CETP) in Sanganer,
which plays a crucial role
in tackling water pollution
caused by textile industries,
has been renovated and
upgraded. The CM will for-
mally dedicate the upgraded
CETP to the State.
l INAUGURATION OF
6 STPS IN GOVT HOS-
PITALS: To address the
treatment of infectious
wastewater from hospitals,
six Sewage Treatment
Plants (STPs) have been
installed in various gov-
ernment hospitals across
Rajasthan. These STPs
will be inaugurated during
the event:
l Sawai Man Singh
Hospital, Jaipur
l SRG Hospital, Jhalawar
l Umaid Hospital, Jodhpur
l Kamla Nehru Hospital,
Jodhpur
l Mathura Das Mathur
Hospital (MDM), Jodhpur
l Janana Hospital, Ajmer

JAIPUR, THURSDAY | JUNE 5, 2025
Glamour | Fashion | Bollywood | Hollywood | Lifestyle
DIVINE SPLENDOUR!
ndia’s cultural capital Rajasthan
is set to welcome a landmark of
spiritual and architectural magnificence
with the construction of Gupt Vrindavan
Dham in Jaipur. P12
09
firstindia.co.in
firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
I
ulia Emma-
nuel, born on
July 27, 2003,
in Asansol, has
gracefully nav-
igated the dynamic world of
fashion, leaving an indelible
mark. As the 2nd Runner-Up
of Miss Kolkata 2024 and
IGlam 2024, and a proud Top
10 Finalist of Miss Universe
West Bengal 2025, Julia has
proven that dreams are meant
to be chased with resilience
and authenticity.
“My journey hasn’t been
easy, but it’s shaped the wom-
an I am today,” she shared.
Raised by a mother whose
love and bravery inspired her
every step, Julia transformed
life’s challenges into stepping
stones. “There was a time
when I questioned my very
existence. That moment
taught me that only I have the
power to make or break my-
self,” she reflected.
Julia’s foray into modelling
began unexpectedly at 16,
when a photographer friend
invited her for a shoot. In-
stantly captivated by the crea-
tivity and confidence the in-
dustry demanded, she em-
braced modeling not merely
as a profession, but as a plat-
form for storytelling and au-
thenticity. Inspired by her
mentor, Susmita Sen, Julia
became a beacon for diversity
and inclusion, determined to
challenge outdated beauty
standards.
Her heritage has been a
guiding force. “I grew up sur-
rounded by rich colors and
textures. I try to bring a piece
of my heritage into every
opportunity,” she said.
While early rejections
and criticisms tested her
spirit, she perse-
vered, learning to
advocate for
herself and
a l i g n
w i t h
brands
that valued authenticity.
Beyond the glitz, Julia pri-
oritizes her well-being. She
balances the fast-paced de-
mands of modeling with
mindfulness, healthy hab-
its, and a grounded out-
look. “Success in
modelling isn’t just
about looks; it’s
about resilience,
work ethic, and
staying true to
who you are,”
she empha-
sised. For Ju-
lia, the jour-
ney is about
impact and
representa-
tion. “Hear-
ing from people
who feel in-
spired be-
cause they see some-
one like them in this
industry, that’s what
modeling means to
me,” she said.
Today, Julia Em-
manuel stands as a
symbol of India’s
evolving presence
in global fashion, a
fusion of tradition
and modernity that
continues to break
barriers and inspire
new narratives.
JULIA EMMANUEL: REDEFINING REPRESENTATION IN STYLE
POWEROF
PRESENCE
This feature in chronicles the journey of Julia Emmanuel, who
has risen from humble beginnings in Asansol to the national
modeling stage. Through her story, City First shines a light
on inclusivity, resilience and the power of representation.
Mitali
Dusad
mitalidusad@firstindia.co.in
J
MUKESH
KIRADOO

Environment Day
firstindia.co.in
10-11
Plastic…Plastic…Plastic…
AREWESERIOUS?
lastic, an integral part of life
has reached from mightiest
to the minutest creation. The
impact is visible and direct
but not limited to the imme-
diate one. Globally efforts are being made
to reduce and restrict usage of plastic but
instead of quantity reduction it is growing
disproportionately. It appears like a malig-
nant growth which grows faster with an
attempt to fix it at the site. Also, efforts
towards corrections to the plastic induced
problem have not made significant impact.
Instead of yielding positive outcomes in
terms of reduced use, it is being used in
several new forms. Current thrust is lim-
ited to direct usage of plastic, but indirect
usage has been growing in this materialis-
tic world. In the indirect form, Commu-
nity does not understand how plastic is
being used to worsen the environment.
Every day, knowingly or unknowingly, a
new form of plastic emerges to the usage
stream and keeps growing. If investigated
analytically, plastic in any form entered at
a small scale but within no time got ha-
bituated. Basic problem lies within dual
standards of life. On individual use, it is
not considered as a problem being small in
quantity or mindset of no option available.
But, if used by someone else, it harms the
environment. Unfortunately, blame always
goes to the government policies. In casual
conversation also, it is expected from the
government to ban all kinds of plastic. The
most desired, responsible consumerism
has not been practiced. Population at large
either do not bother about the adverse im-
pact of plastic or consider jobs done accus-
ing policies and material.
It has been a priority subject for Gov-
ernments, International agencies, NGOs
and all stakeholders but none has ever
dared to get PLASTIC AUDIT of their
establishments done.
India faces a significant plastic pollution
problem, generating 9.3 million tonnes of
plastic waste annually, which accounts for
about one-fifth of global plastic emissions.
While India's per capita plastic waste gen-
eration is relatively low (around 0.12 kilo-
grams per day), the overall volume gener-
ated is substantial.As per estimates, India
stands at 127th position in global tally of
per capita consumption but stands as the
largest contributor to plastic waste.
India with a population of more than 1.4
billion generates approximately 26,000
tonnes of plastic waste – every day. This is
the equivalent of approximately 26,000
small cars! Plastic waste generation has
quadrupled in India over the past five
years.
Plastics bring many benefits for human-
ity – in healthcare, in clean energy technol-
ogy and much more. Plastic is a useful,
durable material that has a role to play in
societies and economies, including as we
transition to a greener, safer world. The
problem is that the way we produce, use
and discard many plastics – particu-
larly single-use and short-lived prod-
ucts used for convenience, not neces-
sity – has swamped the world in pol-
lution.
For India, the problem is not the
Plastic but Management of Waste gen-
erated out of it. Contrary to the age-old
system of being traded separately
through the KABADI System, as a valued
material, it has become part of mixed
waste. Crux of the plastic problem lies in
being stored, collected and disposed of in
the most unscientific manner. Awareness
has risen to over 80% post inception of
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014 but due
to lack of appropriate collection system
fissures appear in the entire value chain.
Currently, a large fraction of plastic
waste in India goes to landfill or leaks into
the environment. A significant portion of
plastic waste in India is uncollected, with
40% being dumped in landfills. India rec-
ognises the scale and complexity of the
plastic waste problem. It also understands
how this plastic waste connects to global
ocean plastic pollution and global warm-
ing concerns.
Vulnerability of plastic waste does not
end at disposal but continues further. Open
burning of waste and in particular of plas-
tic waste is a matter of great concern but
mostly ignored. As per estimates, India
burns approximately 5.8 million
tons of plastic waste annually.
This practice worsens air
pollution and releases
harmful pollutants
like dioxins and
furans. The burn-
ing also contributes to the
release of toxic substances into the
environment, impacting human and envi-
ronmental health.
Plastic waste, when not properly man-
aged, often ends up in oceans. If not burnt,
recycled or processed Plastic waste clogs
waterways, leading to flooding in urban
areas. An estimated 11 million tonnes of
plastics leak into aquatic ecosystems each
year. Marine pollution is a significant con-
cern, with an estimated 0.6 million tonnes
of plastic entering India's oceans annually.
Plastic debris affects marine life, including
sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mam-
mals. There it adds to marine pollution,
taking a heavy toll on marine life and eco-
systems.Additionally, the production, dis-
posal, and degradation of plastic releases
greenhouse gases, contributing to global
warming.
This year, World Environment Day is
being observed globally with its theme of
Ending global plastic pollution. As a solu-
tion, it is an urgent need to follow strate-
gies to support a circular economy. It re-
quires participation of all stakeholders in
a responsible manner.
SEVEN STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT A
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The roadmap lays out seven strategies,
developed in consultation with industry,
government and community:
CIRCULAR DESIGN AND
PRODUCTION
Designing products and
processes in a way
that minimises
waste and makes
it easier to reuse or recycle materials. This
supports a sustainable cycle of production
and consumption.
INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE
Allocating resources towards building and
enhancing facilities that support effective
waste management. This includes recy-
cling centres, collection systems, and ad-
vanced sorting technologies.
IMPROVED RECYCLING CAPABILITY
Enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness
of recycling processes. This ensures that a
greater proportion of plastic waste can be
recovered, processed, and turned into us-
able materials.
CONSISTENT COMPLIANCE
Waste management practices that are en-
vironmentally responsible and sustaina-
ble. Industries, businesses and individu-
als must adhere to these environmental
regulations and standards.
COMMERCIAL VIABILITY OF
TECHNOLOGIES
Developing and implementing tech-
nologies for waste management and
recycling that are not only environmen-
tally effective but also economically fea-
sible. This will encourage widespread
adoption.
UPTAKE OF SECONDARY MATERIALS
Encouraging the use of materials that have
been recycled and repurposed and making
this option financially viable.This will sup-
port the market for recycled products.
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
Adopting consumption habits that are en-
vironmentally friendly, such as choosing
products with less packaging orthose made
from recycled materials.This could reduce
the overall demand for new plastics.
Plastic Pollution is not excluded by colour,
creed or country; hence, every individual
needs to act towards the end of Plastic Pol-
lution. Be Responsible, Think Rationally
and Refuse, Rethink before using plastic
and in particular Single Use Plastic.
Dr Vivek S Agrawal
The writer is specialist
on Urban Health and Environment
P
PLASTIC BOTTLE WASTE RETURNS LEGALLY!
India had banned the import of plastic waste in 2019 to pro-
mote the management of locally generated plastic waste. It
was also to reduce packaging pollution in line with 'Swachh
India' and 'Swasth India' campaigns. Later, in March 2022
an amendment to replace the term 'prohibited' with
'restricted' in the import policy of polyethylene tere-
phthalate (PET or single-use plastics) flakes/PET waste
was introduced. It means the ban on import of plastic
waste has been partially lifted. The reason being cited
for the decision is the shortage of waste generated
in India. In 2021, seven Indian companies sought the
government's permission to import 93,000 tonnes of
plastic bottles waste from countries such as the USA,
Canada and Germany. Polyethylene Terephthalate(-
PET) is the most common thermoplastic polymer
resin of the polyester family . It is used in containers
and plastics for liquids and foods. PET is 100% recy-
clable, and hence preferred by manufacturers. But
the top three plastic polluters in the world, accord-
ing to the Break Free From Plastic brand audit, are
the largest users of PET viz. The Coca-Cola Company,
PepsiCo, and Nestlé. These companies consistently
rank among the top plastic polluters, with Coca-Cola
being the top polluter in the 2023 audit. The lobby of
PET is so strong to get its products like small packaged
water bottles excluded from the list of Single Use Plas-
tic, though its abuse is the most common.
ity – in healthcare, in clean energy technol-
ogy and much more. Plastic is a useful,
durable material that has a role to play in
societies and economies, including as we
transition to a greener, safer world. The
problem is that the way we produce, use
and discard many plastics – particu-
larly single-use and short-lived prod-
erated out of it. Contrary to the age-old
system of being traded separately
through the KABADI System, as a valued
material, it has become part of mixed
waste. Crux of the plastic problem lies in
being stored, collected and disposed of in
the most unscientific manner. Awareness
has risen to over 80% post inception of
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014 but due systems.Additionally, the production, dis-
recovered, processed, and turned into us-
able materials.
CONSISTENT COMPLIANCE
Waste management practices that are en-
vironmentally responsible and sustaina-
ble. Industries, businesses and individu-
als must adhere to these environmental
Developing and implementing tech-
nologies for waste management and
recycling that are not only environmen-
tally effective but also economically fea-
sible. This will encourage widespread
adoption.
UPTAKE OF SECONDARY MATERIALS
Encouraging the use of materials that have
been recycled and repurposed and making
It has been a priority subject for Gov-
ernments, International agencies, NGOs
and all stakeholders but none has ever
dared to get PLASTIC AUDIT of their
establishments done.
India faces a significant plastic pollution
problem, generating 9.3 million tonnes of
plastic waste annually, which accounts for
about one-fifth of global plastic emissions.
tons of plastic waste annually.
This practice worsens air
pollution and releases
harmful pollutants
like dioxins and
furans. The burn-
ing also contributes to the
release of toxic substances into the
environment, impacting human and envi-
PRODUCTION
Designing products and
processes in a way
that minimises
waste and makes
PLASTIC BOTTLE WASTE RETURNS LEGALLY!
India had banned the import of plastic waste in 2019 to pro-
mote the management of locally generated plastic waste. It
was also to reduce packaging pollution in line with 'Swachh
India' and 'Swasth India' campaigns. Later, in March 2022
an amendment to replace the term 'prohibited' with
'restricted' in the import policy of polyethylene tere-
phthalate (PET or single-use plastics) flakes/PET waste
was introduced. It means the ban on import of plastic
waste has been partially lifted. The reason being cited
for the decision is the shortage of waste generated
in India. In 2021, seven Indian companies sought the
government's permission to import 93,000 tonnes of
plastic bottles waste from countries such as the USA,
Canada and Germany. Polyethylene Terephthalate(-
PET) is the most common thermoplastic polymer
resin of the polyester family . It is used in containers
and plastics for liquids and foods. PET is 100% recy-
clable, and hence preferred by manufacturers. But
the top three plastic polluters in the world, accord-
ing to the Break Free From Plastic brand audit, are
the largest users of PET viz. The Coca-Cola Company,
PepsiCo, and Nestlé. These companies consistently
ith the theme of 'Land Res-
toration, Desertification
and Drought Resilience',
2025 highlights the urgent need for
environmental revival—and Rajasthan
is emerging as a leading example. Be-
ing the largest arid state in India, Ra-
jasthan has long faced severe chal-
lenges like water scarcity, land degra-
dation, and rising temperatures. Yet, it
is writing a new story of ecological
revival and sustainability, with Jaipur
at its forefront.
While Jaipur is renowned globally
for its historic forts and palaces, the
city is now gaining recognition for its
proactive environmental initiatives.
On this World Environment Day,
Jaipur not only became the first city in
the world to operate three leopard sa-
faris, but also marked another mile-
stone—being the only city globally
where six wildlife safaris are opera-
tional, including one each for tiger,
lion, elephant, and three for leopards.
This is a significant step, not just for
conservation but for tourism, employ-
ment, and public awareness.
JAIPUR’S GREEN REVOLUTION: A
CONFLUENCE OF WILDLIFE,
ECOLOGY, AND HERITAGE
Commonly known as the Pink City,
Jaipur is now echoing with the roars
and rustles of wildlife. With the inau-
guration of the Beed Papad Leopard
Safari, the city now hosts three func-
tioning leopard safaris—Jhalana,
Amer, and Beed Papad. Additionally,
Jaipur has developed dedicated tiger,
lion, and elephant safaris modelled on
Ranthambhore’s ecosystem.
According to Deputy Conservator
of Forests Vijay Pal Singh, 21 leopards
have been sighted in the Bed Papad
forest zone. The region also houses
species like sambhar, nilgai, porcu-
pine, desert fox, wild boar, jackal, and
over50speciesofbirds.The22-square-
kilometre area offers a magical blend
of ancient heritage, dense forest, and
rich biodiversity.
TANGIBLE STEPS TO CURB
CARBON EMISSIONS
The Jaipur Municipal Corporation and
the Rajasthan government have
launched multiple green initiatives to
reduce carbon emissions: The number
of electric buses and e-rickshaws has
significantly increased, with 400 e-
buses now operational in 2025 (up
from 100 in 2023). Solar-powered
lighting systems have been installed at
government offices and public spaces.
Metro expansion and cycling tracks
are being prioritized to encourage
green transport. Due to these efforts,
the city has recorded a 12% reduction
in carbon emissions compared to 2022.
REVIVING GROUNDWATER:
RAINWATER HARVESTING AND
RESTORATION
Tackling groundwater depletion has
become a major priority. Under
schemes like Rajasthan Jal Jeevan
Mission, Catch the Rain, and Jal Shak-
ti Abhiyan, major initiatives include
the installation of over 300 rainwater
harvesting units across the city.
MANDATORY ROOFTOP WATER
HARVESTING IN SCHOOLS,
TEMPLES, AND PUBLIC
BUILDINGS
Restoration of historical water bodies
like Man Sagar Lake and Ramgarh
Lake. As a result, groundwater levels
in Jaipur have risen by an average of
0.6 meters over the past two years.
BAN ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC:
CAMPAIGNS AND COMPLIANCE
Rajasthan implemented a strict ban on
single-use plastic in 2022. In Jaipur:
Weekly Plastic-Free Market Days
are organised by the Municipal Corpo-
ration. Schools and colleges actively
run awareness campaigns on plastic
pollution. Cloth and jute bags are dis-
tributed as sustainable alternatives in
markets. This has led to visible im-
provement in waste management and
plastic reduction.
EMERGING WETLANDS AND
RETURN OF MIGRATORY BIRDS
Under the New Wetlands Policy 2024,
20 new wetlands have been identified
in Rajasthan, six of which are in the
process of being declared Ramsar sites.
Areas like Chaksu, Ramgarh, Bharat-
pur, Kishangarh Bas, and Kota are be-
coming important wetland zones.
These wetlands now attract thousands
of migratory birds, including Siberian
cranes, flamingos, painted storks, and
others, enriching the local biodiversity.
HERITAGE MONUMENTS
GOING GREEN
Jaipur’s iconic heritage sites are be-
coming more sustainable: Green zones
have been developed around Amer
Fort, Nahargarh Fort, and Hawa Ma-
hal. Under the Green Monument Ini-
tiative, solar lighting systems are be-
ing installed at historic sites.
Tourists are encouraged to avoid
plastic and are offered reusable alter-
natives. This reflects a conscious shift
toward eco-sensitive heritage tourism.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: THE
HEART OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MOVEMENT
Besides governmental efforts, public
involvement is playing a critical role:
Environmental NGOs and youth
groups conduct plog runs, clean-up
drives, and plantation programs.
School students are being trained as
“Environment Warriors.”
Social media is being used effec-
tively to spread awareness about pro-
tecting water, forests, and land.
JAIPUR: A LIVING SYMBOL OF
ECOLOGY, WILDLIFE AND
HERITAGE
Jaipur has transformed into a unique
example of how a city can balance de-
velopment with ecological sensitivity.
Its six safaris—three leopard, one ti-
ger, one lion, and one elephant—make
it a leader in eco-tourism and wildlife
education. From the historical hunting
grounds of Mayla Bagh to the restored
green corridors of Jhalana and Amer,
the city now offers tourists and resi-
dents an immersive experience in na-
ture, history, and wildlife, all at once.
CONCLUSION: TOWARD A
GREENER AND RESILIENT
RAJASTHAN
On World Environment Day 2025,
Jaipur and Rajasthan have shown that
environmental protection is not just a
government duty but a collective
movement. The efforts being made re-
flect the state’s commitment to a sus-
tainable and inclusive future. By
weaving together the threads of 'herit-
age, wildlife, and greenery', Jaipur has
not just restored its past glory but also
planted the seeds of a greener, more
resilient tomorrow.
What Stops Us From Caring for the
ENVIRONMENT?
Rajasthan’s Triveni Of Heritage,
Wildlife And Vegetation
he purpose of all develop-
ment should be to support
and sustain life. Develop-
ment is imperative, but a
short-sighted approach to it is a disas-
ter. Development that does not honour
life in all its forms is not development
at all. Only when compassion and care
for Nature become part of the vision
for development, can progress be
well-rounded and inclusive.
Historically, nature has always
been adored in many ancient cultures.
Nature was never seen as separate
from us. The rivers, the mountains, the
trees, the wind, the sun and the moon
were revered out of a deep sense of
connection. When reverence is lost,
exploitation begins.
In reality, it is man's greed that has
caused the greatest harm on the planet.
Greed renders a man insensitive to the
environment. When one is influenced
by greed to make short-term gains,
caring for and preserving the ecology
takes a back seat. A mind consumed
by greed loses its connection with the
Earth, with life itself.
To overcome greed, insensitivity,
and excessive consumerism that are at
the root of widespread environmental
degradation, we have to look within.
There can be no sustainable develop-
ment in a society full of stress and
violence. A mind full of stress, ten-
sion, and prejudice cannot care for the
environment. But a heart soaked in
peace and contentment naturally turns
outward with care. Inner silence is not
disengagement. It awakens a deeper,
more meaningful engagement with
life around us.
We must rekindle this reverence
today. When you see a river as sacred,
you cannot pollute it. When you see a
tree as sacred, you cannot destroy it.
What you treat as sacred, you protect
with your life. You do not destroy
what you consider sacred. When
something is sacred to you, you hold
it close with a lot of awareness and
care.
This lack of awareness has led to
rampant deforestation for the sake of
short-sighted development. But trees
are not just part of the environment.
They are our extended lungs. To harm
them is to suffocate ourselves. That is
why we encourage people everywhere
to plant more trees. Our volunteers
have already planted over 100 million
trees worldwide. For every tree that is
cut down anywhere, we must plant
five more in its place.
There is a lot to learn about sustain-
able coexistence from nature itself. In
a forest, there is no waste. Everything
is recycled, reused, reborn. Even
among predators and prey, there is a
balance. Look at the earthworm.
Earthworms are a perfect example of
how nature digests waste and recycles
it to give us something to sustain life.
Similarly, we as a civilized society
need to find methods to recycle the
waste. For this, we need to go back to
our roots. If you look at ancient Vedic
farming techniques, that we call natu-
ral farming today, it reuses all types of
waste in the field to convert it into
manure and other farming inputs. For
example, it uses practices like mulch-
ing where you recycle the hay instead
of burning it. This saves money for the
farmer, gives better yield and is good
for the environment.
Our life span is barely 80-90 years.
We need to observe how much we ex-
ploit the earth during this time and
how much we do to preserve it. We
need to ask ourselves whether we only
want to exploit and drain the planet or
whether we want to contribute to-
wards its preservation.
SRI SRI RAVI
SHANKAR
The writer is an Indian
yoga guru, a spiritual leader,
founder of The Art of Living
T
Nirmal Tiwari
Associate Editor,
First India News
The earth, sky, air, and fire —
Together shape this wondrous sphere.
And with pure water’s healing flow,
They make all life healthy and clear.
Clouds rain down to quench the land,
Soothing the earth’s deep thirst.
Each grain that grows from fertile soil,
Feeds life with blessings burst.
Mother Earth, the trees' true home,
Thrives when watered with care.
Those who fell her forest children,
Must one day face despair.
Trees are like her loving sons,
They ease the breath we take.
But those who pollute the air and land,
Will rue the path they make.
The environment is nature’s jewel,
A treasure to protect each day.
By keeping the earth clean and pure,
We keep sickness far away.
Gardens green and blossoms fresh,
Spread fragrance in the air.
Those who live with cleanliness,
Live a life healthy and fair.
GOPAL KRISHNA VYAS
MAJOR GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
 Under the Green Rajasthan Cam-
paign, over 70 million trees have
been planted across the state, with
a 70% survival rate.
 Through the State Action Plan on
Climate Change (SAPCC)*, sectors
like water, agriculture, forests, and
energy are being made climate-re-
silient.
 Green Building Codes are being
implemented for sustainable urban
development.
 Rajasthan continues to lead in solar
power generation, aiming for 30 GW
capacity by the end of 2025.
Live a life healthy and fair.
GOPAL KRISHNA VYAS
W

City Buzz
12
firstindia.co.in
RAJASTHAN TO GET SPIRITUAL CULTURAL MARVEL WITH 'GUPT VRINDAVAN DHAM'
Chant.Connect.Celebrate
ndia’s cultural
capital Ra-
jasthan is set
to welcome a
landmark of
spiritual and architectural
magnificence with the con-
struction of Gupt Vrinda-
van Dham in Jaipur. Devel-
oped by the Hare Krishna
Movement, this 17-storey
spiritual and cultural centre
is being built on a 6-acre site
at Hare Krishna Marg, Jagat-
pura, and will be Rajasthan’s
largest spiritual hub.
A standout feature is its
65-ft high entrance façade,
adorned with 108 intricate
peacock motifs, symboliz-
ing divine beauty. The com-
plex will also feature Go-
vind Kund, a 6,500 sq ft
temple pond, offering seren-
ity and spiritual immersion.
The architecture blends her-
itage with sustainability,
with sacred trees like neem,
kadamba, and sandalwood
enriching the landscape.
Rooted in scriptures like
Narsimha Purana, Bhaga-
vatam, Skanda Purana, Va-
mana Purana Vishnu Dar-
motta.The temple’s vision is
to uplift the body, mind, and
soul. It aims to spread spir-
itual knowledge, run chari-
table feeding programs like
Annadan and Gaushala, and
promote cultural heritage.
Devotees will begin their
spiritual journey by chant-
ing the Hare Krishna Maha-
mantra 108 times at the Ha-
rinam Jap Mandap. Inside,
the temple will house the
grand deities of Krishna-
Balram, Radha-Shyamsund-
ar, and Gaura-Nitai, accom-
modating up to 4,000 devo-
tees at a time.
Key features include a
Krishna Leela Expo, a Gita
Exhibition, and various de-
votional spaces. The grand
inauguration is scheduled
for 2027, marking a new era
of spiritual revival in Jaipur.
Tripti
Mahawar
cityfirst@firstindia.co.in
I
DIVINE EXPERIENCE
Set to become Rajasthan’s
largest cultural and spiritual
centre, Gupt Vrindavan
Dham is capturing hearts
even before its grand
opening. With a Garbhagri-
ha built using sacred bricks
inscribed with ‘Shree Ram’,
the site embodies spiritual
devotion. A unique spiritual
selfie point, titled “I Lost
My Heart in Gupt Vrindavan
Dham”, is fast becoming a
favourite among Jaipur-
ites. This iconic Dham aims
to strengthen cultural
values and spark spiritu-
al consciousness across
generations. A landmark
destination is rising!
ndia’s cultural
capital Ra-
jasthan is set
to welcome a
van Dham in Jaipur. Devel-
oped by the Hare Krishna
Movement, this 17-storey
spiritual and cultural centre
is being built on a 6-acre site
Narsimha Purana, Bhaga-
vatam, Skanda Purana, Va-
mana Purana Vishnu Dar-
motta.The temple’s vision is
to uplift the body, mind, and
COURTESY MEETING!
ENVIRONMENT DAY!
GREEN INNOVATION
RALLY FOR NATURE
GREEN FUTURE VISION MOU SIGNED BY PREMIER INSTITUTES
THEATRE AND EXPRESSION
Dr Kumar Ganesh, a famous
numerologist astrologer
paid a courtesy visit to
former Chief Minister
and BJP National Vice-
President Vasundhara Raje
on Wednesday. During the
meeting, they engaged
in a comprehensive and
meaningful exchange of
views, reflecting mutual
respect and a shared interest
in contemporary issues. The
discussion encompassed
various significant topics
as the visit underscored
the increasing relevance
of numerology in socio-
political discourse. The
meaningful meeting lasted
for about 45 minutes.
On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Anuvrat Vishva Bharati
Society has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign urging
citizens to switch off air conditioners (ACs) from 2:00 to 4:00 pm to promote
energy conservation and environmental sensitivity today. Led by National
President Pratap Singh Dugar, the initiative emphasises small yet impactful
actions to ensure climate balance. Thousands of Anuvrat members across
India will also conduct awareness rallies, distribute eco-friendly bags and
plants, and organize seminars and cultural events.
On World Environment Day, Manipal University Jaipur’s LEAF Lab, led by
Prof Dinesh Bhalothia, marked a major milestone in green innovation by
advancing several technologies to TRL 8 and 9, ready for industrial use.
Focused on fuel cells, hydrogen production, and CO2 conversion, these
breakthroughs support India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and global
SDGs. Backed by President Prof NN Sharma’s vision, the lab exemplifies
impactful, scalable clean energy research, reinforcing India’s leadership in
sustainable innovation and climate action.
To mark Environment Day, Vigyan Bharti Rajasthan organised a Cyclothon
and marathon in Mansarovar on Wednesday. Hundreds of students from
various institutions participated, beginning their rally from Parishkar
College and covering key city routes. Participants were welcomed at
multiple stops and took a pledge for cleanliness. Mayor Dr Somya
Gurjar, former Vice Chancellors, doctors, and social workers attended. Dr
Meghendra Sharma, Secretary of Vigyan Bharati, announced a national
seminar in Jagatpura with the Governor as chief guest.
Marking World Environment Day 2025, the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) Rajasthan organised the 8th edition of the 7R Conclave-themed
“Future Cities – Sustainable, Resilient and Thriving” on Wednesday. The
event featured insights from industry leaders and environmental experts,
highlighting the urgency of individual and collective action in sustainability.
CII-IGBC Awards were presented to green-rated companies. Key speakers,
including Sharda Pratap Singh (RSPCB), Arun Misra (Vedanta) and Sanjay
Agarwal (AU Bank) called for modern, eco-conscious development. Technical
sessions explored water, waste, and circularity. The conclave reinforced CII’s
commitment to greener urban futures.
A special session for parents and children was held at Lalit Kala Academy as
part of the 18th “Kilkari” Children–Teens Theatre Workshop, recently organised
by the Department of Art Culture, Rajasthan Lalit Kala Academy, Rajasthan
Sangeet Natak Academy Jodhpur and Curio Children’s Theatre, Jaipur.
Engaging in activities like dodgeball and the blind journey helped strengthen
emotional bonds. A heartfelt drawing exhibition by the children left parents
emotional. Vinay Sharma, fondly known as “Paperman,” was awarded Atitrag
competition winners. The session was led by Abhishek Jhankal, Gagan Mishra,
Mahmood Ali and the Curio team. MUKESH KIRADOO
In a historic move, Central Sanskrit University and IIT Hyderabad signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to preserve Sanskrit and integrate India’s ancient knowledge
systems with modern science and technology. The agreement includes joint research, academic
exchange, technical training, and Sanskrit-based curriculum development. Key dignitaries present
included Prof BS Murty (Director, IIT Hyderabad), Prof Mohan Raghavan, and Prof Srinivasa
Varakhedi (Vice Chancellor, Central Sanskrit University). A 21-day Summer School Program was also
launched, focusing on life skills, leadership, coding, and scientific communication.
Anand International College of Engineering, Jaipur,
hosted a heartfelt farewell event, “Hasta-LA-Vista”,
organised by Batch 2022–26 for the outgoing Batch
2021–25 on Wednesday. The celebration featured
a warm welcome, vibrant cultural performances,
and emotional speeches. Vice Chairperson Monika
Mittal Agarwal inspired students with her words,
while Principal Prof Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma and
Vice Principal Prof Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma extended
best wishes. Awards were conferred on achievers,
and mementoes were presented to all outgoing
students as tokens of remembrance.
BATCH
SENDOFF
RETIREMENT
CLAY TO SCREEN! BIRD FEEDER DRIVE
Durgaprasad Meghvanshi, a Revenue Officer, recently
got retired after years of dedicated service. A heartfelt
retirement party was organised at his residence in Seva,
in his honour. The event celebrated his professional
journey and contributions to the department. Guests
shared memories and praised his commitment to
public service. Meghvanshi expressed gratitude for the
support throughout his career, marking an emotional
end to his tenure in Tantoti. Attended by staff members,
colleagues, and family with heartfelt wishes.
A stop motion animation workshop, organised by Rajasthan
Lalit Kala Academy and Attunes Creations, was recently
inaugurated. Academy Secretary Dr Rajnish Harsh noted
participants’ enthusiasm on day one. Trainers Abhilasha
Bhartiya and Swapnil Tank led sessions on clay modelling
and animation, with support from associate animators
Jahnavi Taneja and Aayushi Kasera. Participants created
clay characters and short animations. The workshop,
highlighting art’s role in life, runs from June 2 to 16 at the
Academy premises. MUKESH KIRADOO
Shri Khandelwal Vaishya Samiti Brahmapuri Jaipur
recently organised a bird feeder distribution program at
Radha Govind Park, Amer Road. Krishnavtar Bajrangan
and Girishkant Khandelwal shared that, like every year,
bird feeders were distributed and installed on trees
across Parkota city. Members also pledged to maintain a
regular water supply for the birds. The event saw active
participation from Ramkishore, Amar Verma, Subhash
Sharma, Dinesh Gupta, Ramesh, Ramswaroop Tambi and
others, reaffirming their commitment to bird welfare.
A mesmerizing future night view of Gupt Vrindavan Dham,
illuminating Rajasthan’s spiritual landmark
Grand Interior
Well-equipped kitchen facility dedicated for
Annadan and charitable community feeding
Beautiful idol of Lord Krishna Goddess Radha
A view of the construction site of Gupt Vrindavan Dham

05062025_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

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