Pioneer-Dehradun english-edition-2020-12-01

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Refusing to listen to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s
assertion that the farm laws are
in farmers’ favour, farmers on
Monday said they have come to
the national Capital for a “deci-
sive battle” and urged Modi to
listen to their “mann ki baat”.
More protesters coverged
near the borders of the nation-
al Capital as the protest
appeared to intensify, prompt-
ing the Delhi Police to enhance
security and place concrete
barriers at all entry points
from Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh. The protesting farm-
ers refused to budge from their
demands and stayed put at the
border, leading to traffic snarls
in parts of the national Capital
as the Delhi Police kept the
Singhu and Tikri borders
closed and heightened check-
ing at other places.
Addressing a Press confer-
ence at Singhu border, a rep-
resentative of protesting farm-
ers said they will continue
their agitation until their
demands are met.
“Our demands are non-
negotiable. We have come here
to fight a decisive battle,”
Jagmohan Singh, general sec-
retary Bhartiya Kisan Union
(Dakaunda), said and claimed
the ruling party will have to pay
a heavy price if it does not heed
to their concerns.
“We will remain at Delhi
borders and make our strategy
from here. We have come to
Delhi to ask the PM to listen to
‘mann ki baat’ of farmers, else
the Government and the ruling
party will have to pay a heavy
price...,” he said.
BKU Haryana president
Gurnam Singh Chaduni said
around 31 cases have so far
been registered against protes-
tors to “suppress” their agita-
tion, adding that farmers will
continue their stir until their
demands are met.
The Delhi Police has filed
an FIR in connection with the
violence that broke out during
the protest by farmers at Singhu
border on November 27. “The
case has been registered under
sections of rioting, unlawful
assembly, destruction of pub-
lic property, assaulting public
servants,” said the senior police
official.
Delhi Police
Commissioner SN Shrivastava
visited Singhu border to take
stock of the security arrange-
ments. “They (farmers) have
been given an offer and the
arrangements are better at the
Burari instead on the road. On
the road, there are issues for
commuting. Here, there is no
toilet or water, whereas the
arrangements in Burari are
better. The police have made
good arrangements and we are
ready for any situation,” he said.
Cemented barriers and
multi-layered barricades have
also been put up at Ghazipur
border near UP gate where
many farmers have been
protesting since Saturday.
Former AAP leader
Yogendra Yadav, who is also a
member of Akhil Bhartiya
Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti’s
national working group, alleged
that five lies are being spread
about the farmers’ agitation
including that only farmers
from Punjab were protesting.
Union Home Minister
Amit Shah had appealed to the
farmers to shift to the Burari
ground and had said the Centre
is ready to hold discussions
with them as soon as they move
to the designated place.
A meeting of over 30
farmer groups on Sunday
rejected Shah’s offer for talks
before the scheduled date of
December 3 and demanded an
unconditional dialogue.
Thousands of protesters
are to spend another night in
the cold at the Singhu and Tikri
border points.
Meanwhile, traffic woes
continue in Delhi amid farm-
ers’ protest. The closure of bor-
ders has also resulted in heavy
traffic on other alternate routes
between Delhi and
Haryana.
?=BQ =4F34;78
In the light of a new surge in
the coronavirus cases and the
Government keenly monitor-
ing availability of domestic
vaccines for its treatment at a
mass scale, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has called a vir-
tual meeting of floor leaders of
all parties on December 4 to
discuss Covid-19 situation in
the country.
The leaders will deliberate
the pandemic situation fol-
lowing unlocking stages in a
video conference meet on
Friday that will be chaired by
the Prime Minister.
Floor leaders of political
parties from both Houses of
Parliament have been called for
the meeting, according to
sources.
The Parliamentary Affairs
Ministry is coordinating the
meeting and has reached out to
floor leaders of all parties, they
said. This will be the second all-
party meeting called by the
Government to discuss the
Covid-19 situation since the
outbreak.
Senior Cabinet Ministers in
the Modi Government, includ-
ing Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh, Home Minister Amit
Shah, Health Minister Harsh
Vardhan, are expected to attend
the meeting.
Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Pralhad Joshi and
Minister of State Arjun Ram
Meghwal too will attend the
meeting.
The meeting is being held
at a time when it is being con-
templated to merge the Winter
Session of Parliament with the
Budget Session in wake of ris-
ing Covid-19 cases in the
national Capital.
Modi, in his monthly
“Maan ki Baat” on Sunday had
cautioned people against “care-
lessness” when the pandemic
was unabated and a vaccine still
not at hand. “Carelessness
could be fatal”, he
said.
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F34;78
The Arvind Kejriwal
Government on Monday
ordered all private laboratories
to reduce the price of RT-PCR
tests in the national Capital to
C800 from C2,400.
According to an order
issued by the health depart-
ment, private laboratories have
been asked to charge C800 for
testing “samples collected by
Government teams and col-
lected from collection sites by
private labs as requisitioned by
districts and hospitals”.
?=BQ =4F34;78
Expressing concern over
nations using terrorism as
a state policy, India on Monday
called for eradication of safe
havens, infrastructure and
financial networks terrorism.
Making this assertion, Vice
President M Venkaiah Naidu
said India condemns terrorism
in all its manifestations.
Addressing the 19th ses-
sion of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation
(SCO) virtually, his observa-
tions were in obvious reference
to Pakistan. It is also member
of the SCO. India is hosting the
summit for the first time since
joining the SCO in 2017.
Naidu said the most
important challenge facing the
region is terrorism and that
elimination of this threat will
help it realise its true potential
including in the economic
sphere.
Referring to cross-border
terrorism and urging the world
to combat this menace collec-
tively, he said in apparent
pointer to Pakistan, “We are
particularly concerned about
states that leverage terrorism as
an instrument of state policy.
The most important challenge
faced by us is terrorism, par-
ticularly cross-border terror-
ism.”
In another reference to
Pakistan, Naidu said it is unfor-
tunate that there were attempts
to deliberately bring bilateral
issues into the SCO and
described it as a blatant viola-
tion of principles and norms of
the charter of the
grouping.
In mid-September, India’s
National Security Adviser
(NSA) Ajit Doval walked out of
a virtual meeting of top secu-
rity officials of the SCO mem-
ber states after the Pakistani
representative projected a map
that inaccurately depicted
Kashmir. India had slammed
Pakistan for the “blatant disre-
gard” to the norms of the
meeting.
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Defending farm reform laws,
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Monday launched a
scathing attack on the
Opposition parties for mis-
leading the farmers saying
those who have a long history
of doing wrongs with the peo-
ple are now deliberately mis-
leading the farmers though
“our intention is pious like the
sacred water of the Ganga”.
Without naming any party
or referring to the ongoing agi-
tation of the farmers of Punjab,
he said unlike our predecessors
we believe in fulfilling our
promises.
Addressing a public meet-
ing at Khazuri on the outskirts
of Varanasi, his Parliamentary
constituency here, on Monday
after inaugurating six-lane
widening project of about 73-
km-long route between Raja
Talab and Handia on Varanasi-
Prayagraj route constructed
with a cost of C2,447 crore, he
said his Government has given
alternatives and options to
farmers through farm laws
whereas earlier they were not
allowed to make any deals out-
side the mandis (markets).
“It is a truth that through
our reforms we have not only
given strength to the farmers
but also taken steps for making
mandis more modern,” he
said.
The PM also criticised
those who are misleading the
farmers on the issues of MSP.
“On the MSP the
Opposition was misguiding
the farmers whereas his
Government has tried to give
strength to all the farmers
including small and marginal
ones so that they can not only
increase their crop produc-
tion but also income. We have
implemented the recommen-
dations of Swaminathan
Commission which has sug-
gested increasing earnings to
the farmers by one hand half
times their total cost of pro-
duction,” he said.
?=BQ =4F34;78
Thee National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) ally
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party
(RLP) has asked the Centre
to immediately withdraw the
farm laws otherwise he will
have to “reconsider party’s
support to the Centre”.
RLP convener and
Nagaur MP Hanuman
Beniwal tweeted, “RLP is a
partner of the NDA, but its
strength lies in youth and
farmers, and if prompt action
is not taken in this matter in
the interest of farmers, I will
have to reconsider on being
part of the NDA. At the same
time, all recommendations of
the Swaminathan
Commission should be
implemented.”
A094B7:D0AQ =4F34;78
Funds and support are pour-
ing in from the non-resi-
dent Indians (NRIs) for
protesting farmers from
Canada, Italy, the US, the UK,
Philippines and France.
An NRI from Canada
donated 50,000 Canadian dol-
lars (C25 lakh) while a United
Kingdom-based NRI donated
C10 lakh for providing langar
to protesting farmers. Three
NRIs residing in Manila have
sent C1 lakh to Bharatiya
Kisan Union (Ekta Dakaunda)
in support of the protest.
Besides getting funds from
NRIs, farmers have also got
support from prominent
celebrities belonging to
Punjab. English cricketer
Monty Panesar and Canada
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan
supported the farmers stir.
Panesar questioned what pro-
tections are available for the
farmer as a result of the new
farm Bills passed by
Parliament. In a tweet, the
cricketer asked, “What hap-
pens if the buyer says the con-
tract cannot be fulfilled
because the quality of crop is
not what was agreed”
Sajjan tweeted, “The
reports of peaceful protesters
being brutalised in India are
very troubling. Many of my
constituents have family there
and are worried about the safe-
ty of their loved ones. Healthy
democracies allow peaceful
protest. I urge those involved
to uphold this fundamental
right.”
Raja Dhaliwal of Canada’s
“World Financial Group” has
donated 50,000 Canadian dol-
lars (C25 lakh) for providing
langar to the farmers.
Dhaliwal, while releasing the
video message through video
conferencing, said it had been
decided to do this work ded-
icated to the doctrine of Guru
Nanak Sahib. He said he stood
by the farmers and would
also raise his voice for eco-
nomic, community and polit-
ical support.
NDP leader in Canada
Jagmeet Singh tweeted, “The
violence perpetrated by the
Indian govt against farmers
peacefully protesting is
appalling. I stand in solidari-
ty with the farmers from
Punjab and across India -
and, I call on the Indian govt
to engage in peaceful dia-
logue rather than
violence.”
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Around 25-30 crore people
are likely to get coron-
avirus vaccines by July-August
next year, the Government
said on Monday even as it
asked States/UTs to identify
healthcare workers, including
doctors, pharmacists as well as
MBBS and BDS interns, who
will carry out a Covid-19 inoc-
ulation drive once a vaccine is
available.
“In the first 3-4 months of
next year, there is a possibility
that we will be able to provide
vaccine to the people of the
country. By July-August, we
have a plan to provide vaccines
to around 25-30 crore people
and we are preparing accord-
ingly,” Dr Harsh Vardhan told
reporters at an event
here.
The Government has on its
agenda to give vaccination pri-
ority to doctors, healthcare
workers and people above 60-
year-old.
“I would like to request
everyone to remember and
follow Covid-19 appropriate
behaviour like wearing masks
and following social distancing.
These are important for health,”
said the Minister as he high-
lighted that India has one of the
highest recovery rates in the
whole world.
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New Delhi: The supply of
vegetables and fruits to the
city from other States has
been impacted and it has
been halved at Azadpur
Mandi, one of Delhi’s largest
wholesale market, owing to
the protest by farmers at the
Singhu and Tikri border
points of Delhi for the last
five days.
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Amid demonstrations
against the three agricul-
ture related Bills passed by the
Central Government, also the
fifth day of the farmer’s protest,
Delhi and Gurugram police
again on Monday tightened
and beefed up their security on
the Delhi-Gurugram border
on the National Highway-48.
The Delhi Police again
started checking suspicious
vehicles and also put up barri-
cades on the carriageway for
vehicles entering in Delhi. A
large number of security per-
sonnel, including those from
the central armed police forces,
were deployed on the Delhi-
Gurugram border.
This caused traffic move-
ment on the expressway a lit-
tle bit slow; however no jam sit-
uation was witnessed on the
national highway.
Also, a senior police official
of Delhi has also visited the
border area to take stock of the
preparations.
Apart from this, during
visit at the Delhi-Gurugram
border this IANS correspon-
dent noticed that around 7 to
8 trucks laden with mad was
also seen on the servicelane on
the carriageway also the Delhi
police have asked more barri-
cades which was also laden on
a tractor trolley on the Delhi-
Gurugram border.
A Delhipolice personnel
deployed at the border said,
“We have instructed our
seniors to keep vigil on sus-
pected vehicles and farmers
groups if they enter in the
national capital and keep
informing them about the sit-
uations”.
However theGurugram
police officers claimed that
none of the farmer groups
crossed orentered Delhi amid
the protests from this route.
“TheGurugram police are
already on high alert amid
farmers' protests. The strength
of the personnel has already
been at all the connecting bor-
ders of the district. Also, a rapid
action force along and extra
force have been reserved to face
any untoward situations on
the border locations,” said a
senior police official of the
Gurugram police.
Meanwhile The sources
also claimed that the Delhi
police have received some clues
about a number of farmers
from Rajasthan could be
entered in the national capital
though the National Highway
48. Following this both the
state’s police have issued an
alert to its forces.
There was no such impact
reported in Gurugram.
Security has been increased
sinceThursday and strict vigil
was being maintained in all
seven border areas,said the
official.
0B7:=8AF0=Q 670I80103
On the fifth day, farmers of
Uttar Pradesh and
Uttarakhand made temporar-
ily shelters at the Delhi UP Gate
and protested against the new
agriculture Bills.
The farmers’ union leader
Rakesh Tikait on Monday
warned that they are waiting till
December 3. “If demands are
not met till December 3, we
will march towards Delhi. Our
movement is peaceful and this
movement belongs to the farm-
ers of the whole country,” said
Tikait.
“We will demonstrate at
the Jantar Mantar after
December 3 if demands are not
met,” he added. Tikait also
alleged that in lieu of section
144 CrPC, section 288 has
been applied to the farmers.
This section was created in
1988 for the movement of
farmers led by Mahendra
Tikait. Now, Annadata has
woken up and is forced to fight
on the road in his Gandhian
way,” said Tikait.
Farmers have brought
paddy straw to their tractors at
UP Gate and are busy day and
night in making temporary
tents. There is also a system of
eating and drinking with them,
they are eating themselves and
also providing anchor food to
the security forces personnel.
On the other hand, tem-
porary toilets and drinking
water have been provided by
the Ghaziabad District
Administration and Municipal
Corporation for the conve-
nience of the farmers.
Special arrangements have
also been made by the
Municipal Corporation
Ghaziabad for cleaning the
dirt caused by farmers. On
behalf of the district adminis-
tration SP City II Gyanendra
Singh ADM City Shailendra
Singh and other officials
reached the spot and reviewed
the situation.
District Magistrate Dr. Ajay
Shankar Pande said that the sit-
uation is being closely moni-
tored and the administration is
in constant touch with the
farmer leaders so that the law
and order situation does not
deteriorate.
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F
34;78
The Economic Offences
Wing (EOW) of Delhi
Police arrested a 36-year-old
man from Kochi airport
while he was trying to flee to
Maldives for allegedly cheat-
ing homebuyers. The accused
has been identified as
Harendra Tomar, a resident of
Dwarka area.
According to Dr O P
Mishra, the Joint
Commissioner of Police,
EOW, various attractive
schemes were being floated
in the market by different
societies and builders in the
name of DDA’s Land Pooling
Policy demanding registra-
tion fee or initial payment
booking of property and
flats.
“However, DDA has not
issued any license or autho-
rized anyone to undertake
the process of development
in the sectors under land
pooling policy. As per inves-
tigation, it came out that the
name of land pooling policy
of DDA has been used to give
an impression and spread a
message in the masses that
the projects are duly autho-
rized by the competent
authority,” said the Joint
Commissioner of Police.
“In this way, the facts have
been misrepresented and the
material information with
regard to the DDA’s approval
pertaining to the proposed
projects has been suppressed
in order to induce the public
at large. This case belongs to
Society Revanta Multi state
CGHS Ltd in Delhi,” said the
Joint CP.
“During investigation, it
was revealed that an amount
of more than Rs 400 crores
was collected by the Revanta
Society from around 4000
gullible investors and only
21.95 acres land was pur-
chased in society through
registry and about 23.50
acres of land through GPA
ort agreement to sell for the
project in question. The cost
of the dedicated land is less
than half of the amount col-
lected from the investors in
the name of land Cost and
the remaining amount was
misappropriated and
siphoned off to various other
entities,” said the Joint
Commissioner of
Police.
“A police team was con-
stituted and the accused
Harender Tomar was
absconding for a longtime. He
sold his old residential
accommodation at
Roshanpura, Najafgarh and
went underground. The LOC
in respect of this accused was
already operative and he was
detained at Kochi Airport by
the Immigration Authorities
while trying to flee to
Maldives. Three accused per-
sons – Satender Maan (Ex-
President), Pradeep
Shehrawat (President) and
Subhash Chand (Secretary)
have already been arrested
earlier,” said the Joint
Commissioner of Police.
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F34;78
Delhi Environment Minister
Gopal Rai, who had test-
ed positive for Covid-19 last
week, has been discharged
from hospital.
Rai will be under home
isolation for the next few days
following doctors' advice; a
senior Government official
said.
On Sunday evening, the
Minister was discharged from
hospital after his medical con-
dition improved, he said.
On November 26, the envi-
ronment minister had tested
positive for coronavirus and
had been admitted to Max
Hospital, Saket.
Rai is the third minister in
the Arvind Kejriwal govern-
ment, who has tested positive
for COVID-19. Earlier, Deputy
Chief Minister Manish Sisodia
and Health Minister Satyendar
Jain had been infected with
coronavirus.
Rai, who is also the AAP's
Delhi convenor, had met party
workers around Diwali.
The minister had not
attended the all-party meeting
convened by Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the
COVID-19 situation in Delhi
on November 19 as he was not
feeling well.
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F34;78
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
national convener Arvind
Kejriwal on Monday said that
all the party MLAs, leaders vol-
unteers are assisting the farm-
ers sitting on protest on the
borders of Delhi-Haryana and
Delhi-UP.
The Chief Minister said
that he has directed the AAP
leaders and volunteers to pro-
vide the farmers with food,
water, medical facilities, toilets,
and ensure that all the require-
ments of the farmers are ful-
filled.
The farmers of our nation
are in distress and they are sit-
ting on the borders of Delhi-
Haryana and Delhi-UP and are
waiting for the central govern-
ment to address their con-
cerns for the last five-six days.
I hope that the Central gov-
ernment will soon talk to the
farmers and resolve their
issues, he said.
Kejriwal said, I want to
congratulate the people across
Delhi, across India, and across
the world on the occasion of
Guru Nanak Jayanti. The
biggest message of Guru Nanak
Ji has been only one - Manav-
Seva, which is to serve people
with all your heart, soul, and
body. Today, the farmers of our
nation are in distress, they are
sitting on the borders of Delhi-
Haryana and Delhi-UP, and are
waiting for the central govern-
ment to address their con-
cerns for the last five-six days.”
“How are our farmers sur-
viving sleeping at night under
severe cold conditions in the
national capital? They are going
through a lot of trouble. I hope
that the Central government
will soon talk to the farmers
and resolve their issues, he
said.
Farmers have assembled
near the borders in tractor-trol-
leys laden with rations and
essentials for the march. They
are protesting against the
Centre's three farm laws and
have expressed apprehension
that the laws would pave a way
for the dismantling of the min-
imum support price system,
leaving them at the mercy of
big corporates. 6dadSfPaP1P]V[PBPWXQX[[dX]PcTS^]6dad=P]PZ9PhP]cXX]=Tf3T[WX^]^]SPh AP]YP]3XaXk?X^]TTa
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=4F34;78
Senior Aam Aadmi Party
(AAP) leader and Delhi Jal
Board (DJB) vice-chairperson
Raghav Chadha on Monday
inspected the protest site at the
Singhu Border where lakhs of
farmers are protesting against
the farm laws passed by the
Central Government.
Chadha met the farmers
and distributed blankets to
protect them from winter. He
said the DJB is ensuring
enough availability of drink-
ing water for the protesting
farmers at the Singhu Border.
The DJB Vice- Chairman
also said that the Delhi gov-
ernment is providing ambu-
lances with blood pressure
checking and a first-aid facil-
ity, and oximeters will also be
available here. Chadha said
that the Delhi government has
installed portable toilets for
the protesting farmers and
ensuring food for all.
We have come here today
to review the arrangement of
drinking water for the farm-
ers. We have arranged for
portable toilets at the back,
and we have also deployed an
ambulance to arrange for
medicines, first-aid, blood
pressure checking facilities,
and other treatments, etc for
the farmers,” he said.
The Delhi Government
welcomes the farmers from
across the country. We will
strengthen the voices of the
farmersbystandingshoulderto
shoulder with them. The
Central Government should
notmakeitabattleoftheiregos
and listen to the
concerns of the farmers, he
added. The dialogue should
notbebasedonanyconditions,
adialogueisonlypossibleifthe
central government agrees to
talk to the farmers without any
conditions, he added.
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?=BQ 347A03D=
Former chief minister and
senior Congress leader
Harish Rawat stressed that the
BSNL should regularise 242
employees as ordered by the
Central Government Industrial
Tribunal. He said this after
administering juice to party
leader and his chief spokesman
Surendra Kumar who was
undertaking a fast in support of
the demand for implementa-
tion of the tribunal’s order.
Various trade union leaders
also supported Kumar in his
demonstration. Stressing that
the BSNL should regularise its
242 employees as ordered by
the tribunal, Rawat thanked
Kumar and trade union
leaders for consistently
raising issues of the work-
ing class.
Speaking on the occa-
sion, Kumar said that he
had sent copies of the tri-
bunal’s September 2019
order to the Prime
Minister, Union Telecom
minister and the state’s
chief minister along with
a letter regarding regu-
larisation of the 242 BSNL
employees. Stating that
the BSNL Uttarakhand
circle chief general man-
ager was not implement-
ing the tribunal’s order, he
has stated in the letter that dur-
ing the hearing, the tribunal
had found the BSNL involved
in unfair labour practice and
had directed it to regularise its
242 employees.
?=BQ 347A03D=
The BSNL Uttarakhand cir-
cle is organising Twitter
town hall for its customers in
the state on Wednesday. The
interaction will be held from 12
PM to 1 PM. In the event,
BSNL customers can directly
communicate with the chief
general manager of
Uttarakhand, Satish Chandra
Sharma through twitter. Those
wanting to contact the BSNL
CGM can tweet at
#TalkToCGMBSNLUKD.
According to officials, Sharma
will interact with customers via
live chat regarding their sug-
gestions and queries. Those
interested should check the
twitter handle @BSNL_UKD.
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Atotal of 455
persons test-
ed positive for
Covid-19 while
nine patients of
the disease died in
the state on
Monday. The day
also saw 352
patients recover-
ing from the dis-
ease. With a total
of 5,059 active
Covid-19 cases in
the state, the
recovery percent-
age on Monday
was 90.68.
According to information
provided by the health depart-
ment, the total cumulative pos-
itive Covid cases detected so far
in the state are 74,795. Out of
these, 67,827 patients have
recovered while 1,231 deaths
have been reported so far.
While 10,666 samples were
sent for testing on Monday, the
test results of 14,906 are still
awaited.
Of the positive cases
reported in the state on
Monday, the highest- 185 were
reported from Dehradun dis-
trict followed by 57 in Nainital.
Among the other districts, the
positive cases reported on
Monday included 24 in
Almora, 13 in Bageshwar, 17 in
Chamoli, 11 in Champawat, 23
in Haridwar, 19 in Pauri, 49 in
Pithoragarh, eight in
Rudraprayag, 14 in Tehri, 24 in
Udham Singh Nagar and 11 in
Uttarkashi district. When it
comes to the number of active
cases in the districts, Dehradun
has remained on top with 1,403
active cases followed by
Haridwar with 618 cases.
Among the other districts, the
number of active cases is 203 in
Almora, 131 in Bageshwar, 283
in Chamoli, 190 in
Champawat, 440 in Nainital,
550 in Pauri, 409 in
Pithoragarh, 93 in
Rudraprayag, 279 in Tehri, 309
in Udham Singh Nagar and 151
in Uttarkashi district. When it
comes to the number of con-
tainment zones in the state,
there are a total of nine con-
tainment zones in three dis-
tricts. These include seven
containment zones in
Dehradun district and one
each in Pauri and Tehri dis-
tricts.
Dehradun: In order to contain
the Covid-19 contagion in the
district, the Dehradun district
magistrate Ashish Kumar
Srivastava has directed all the
sub-divisional magistrates
(SDMs) to stay in contact with
the management of the com-
mercial establishments like
restaurant operators and shop-
keepers and ensure that gov-
ernment guidelines are being
followed by customers as well
as the employees working
there. Srivastava has also
instructed officials to strictly
register all the details of the
people from the other States
entering the district at various
checkpoints in Dehradun dis-
trict borders including their
thermal screening, sampling,
names, address, travel details
and contact
number.
It is pertinent to mention here
that due to various factors,
Dehradun has the highest
number of active Covid cases
among the State’s 13 districts.
As part of the measures aimed
at checking the spread of the
virus, the authorities have
resumed enforcement of the
weekly closure of markets in
which some relaxation had
been granted during the festive
period.
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Panchayati Raj was for-
malised in 1992 by the 73rd
amendment to the Indian
Constitution. This local self-
government in India is based
upon the traditional Panchayat
system. Panchayati Raj now
functions as a system of gov-
ernance in which Gram
Panchayats are the basic units
of local adminis-
tration. The sys-
tem has three lev-
els: Gram
Panchayat (village
level), Block
Panchayat and dis-
trict Panchayat.
T h e
Panchayats receive
funds from three
sources- local body
grants, as recom-
mended by the
Central Finance
Commission-funds
for implementation
of centrally spon-
sored schemes and
funds released by
the state govern-
ments on the recommenda-
tions of the State Finance
Commission. In addition to the
direct sources of revenue, the
district Panchayats have been
directed to raise funds from
their own sources, hence they
have to facilitate economic
activities to sustain.
Tehri/Koteshwar dams have
been constructed submerging
many revenue villages forever.
The revenue has been deplet-
ed. Water exists where villages
once flourished. Submergence
of civilisation has affected the
livelihood of people, who
depended upon the Bhagirathi
and Bhilangana rivers.
However, there is a ray of
hope. The local people could be
provided with employment
opportunities by encouraging
water transportation of men
and material and also intro-
duction of leisure and adven-
ture water sports.
In the history of Panchayati
Raj in India, on April 24, 1993,
the Constitutional (73rd
amendment) Act 1992 came
into force to provide constitu-
tional status to the Panchayati
Raj institutions. This amend-
ment contains provision for
devolution of powers and
responsibilities to the
Panchayats, both for the prepa-
ration of economic develop-
ment plans and social justice,
as well as for implementation
in relation to 29 subjects listed
in the eleventh schedule of the
constitution, and the ability to
levy and collect appropriate
taxes, duties, tolls and fees.
Uttarakhand Panchayati
Raj Act 2016, empowers the
Tehri district Panchayat (refer
public safety and facility sec-
tion) to regulate and grant
license to the boat owners.
Keeping in view the public safe-
ty in water transportation, it
also will provide designated
berthing facilities for the reg-
istered boats in order to ensure
safe water transportation facil-
ity to the public including car-
rying of goods.
Registration of passenger
boats utilised in water trans-
portation either by the gov-
ernment or private entities in
Tehri/Koteshwar dam lakes
will provide revenue to Tehri
district Panchayat. A marine
division may be established to
regulate water transportation
under the provision of The
Inland Vessel Act 1917 and The
Inland Waterways Authority of
India. At the same time, in
addition, promotion of the
leisure and adventure water
sports could be proposed in
Tehri/Koteshwar dam lakes,
under the regulation framed by
the National Institute of Water
Sports, Goa, Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India.
This would generate direct and
indirect employment for the
youth and society at large.
Fishing rights may be extend-
ed to the local public in the
tributaries of Bhagirathi and
Bhilangana rivers under poli-
cy of the Department of
Fisheries, Government of
Uttarakhand.
It may be noted that the
local public is the best suitable
promoter of inland water trans-
portation as well as leisure
and adventure water sports,
since they know the tribu-
taries of Bhagirathi and
Bhilangana rivers very well.
However, it is still a dream for
the public to think of generat-
ing employment opportunity
through district Panchayat in
spite of the verdict of High
Court of Uttarakhand granting
sole licensing rights for the
boats by Tehri district
Panchayat in its jurisdiction, in
a case filed by Gambhir Sigh
Negi versus the Government of
Uttarakhand.
(The writer is a marine con-
sultant based in Dehradun)
?=BQ 347A03D=
Ashok Kumar assumed
charge as the director gen-
eral of police following the
superannuation of Anil Kumar
Raturi on Monday. Addressing
the media after assuming
charge, Kumar said that he will
make all out efforts towards
making Uttarakhand police
victim oriented. Efforts will be
made to ensure a police which
is feared by the criminals while
making citizens feel safe.
Respecting the rights of the
common man, attempts will be
made to make the police smart
and tech savvy and to make the
functioning of the police more
transparent and citizen friend-
ly.
Speaking on the occasion
he said, “A good police system
is that which operates with the
cooperation of the citizens
while taking them along.
Making the Uttarakhand police
smart and enhancing its exper-
tise are among my priorities.
Our aim is to facilitate victim
oriented policing to ensure
that victims get justice without
delay. We will strive to make
the police such that it is feared
by the criminals and anti-
social elements while being
trusted by the citizens.”
The DGP further said that
cent per cent of public com-
plaints will be received in
police stations and their time-
ly redressal will be ensured. In
case the complaint is not
received, the police personnel
responsible will face action.
Stating that Uttarakhand police
has always been sensitive
towards women, children and
the aged, he said that efforts
will be made to make the
police more sensitive. Kumar
further said that police stations
will be made more conducive
for women so that they do not
hesitate to visit. Women sub
inspectors and constables will
be posted mandatorily in each
police station. Further, consis-
tent review will be undertaken
at the district and HQ level to
ascertain that women related
complaints are redressed with-
out delay. Stating that a large
number of students staying
away from their family become
soft targets for drug peddlers,
he stressed that the police cam-
paign against drug abuse will
continue. Apart from taking
stringent action against the
peddlers and their nexus, the
police will also work to convert
the negative energy among
drug abusing youths into pos-
itive energy. The DGP said that
cyber cells in the districts will
be strengthened to tackle cyber
crimes. Towards
achievement of
smart policing, the
public delivery sys-
tem will be further
strengthened and
the citizen portal
will also be
improved further.
Steps will also be
taken to effectively
tackle the land
mafia and act
against misuse of
the social media.
Action will also be
taken against police
personnel found
guilty of indiscipline, misbe-
having with the public, cor-
ruption and wrongful activities.
Further, a committee will be
formed in the HQ to redress
issues of the police and neces-
sary steps will be taken to
address their various issues, he
added.
?=BQ 347A03D=
Naresh Bansal took
oath as a member
of the Rajya Sabha on
Monday. The newly
elected MP took the
oath of office and secre-
cy at the oath taking
ceremony organised in
the main hall of the
upper house. The vice
president and Rajya
Sabha chairman, M
Venkaiah Naidu
administered the oath
to all the newly elected
members. Bansal took
his oath in Hindi.
Speaking later,
Bansal said that he will
discharge his duties with
honesty and dedication
while working in the
interests of the state. He
said that he will strive to
act as a bridge between
the Centre and the State.
His efforts will also be
aimed at ensuring that
the State receives as
much benefit of central
schemes as possible. The
chief minister Trivendra
Singh Rawat congratu-
lated Bansal on taking
the oath of office and
secrecy.
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?=BQ 347A03D=
While most of the locals
appreciated the admin-
istration's efforts to bring
alternatives like electric buses
to improve the public trans-
port system in Dehradun city,
they also emphasised how
crucial it is to maintain the
quality management of such
buses by the authorities in the
long run.
As per the information
provided by the Dehradun
Smart City Limited (DSCL),
30 electric buses are slated to
be introduced in Dehradun
under the Smart City project.
Out of these, 22 buses will
operate in the main city while
the remaining eight buses
with about 25 seats each will
operate from the airport to
the city. The 22 electric city
buses would have a frequen-
cy of 15 minutes on the city
routes while the eight buses
will operate at the frequency
of 30 minutes on the airport
to the city route. The officials
of DSCL are likely to conduct
the first trial of the electric
bus soon in Dehradun.
Moreover, the administration
is planning to operate an
electric bus in the city, espe-
cially for women and differ-
ently-abled and therefore,
only such people can partic-
ipate in the first trial.
Talking about such buses,
local resident Vishal Singh said
that many people would choose
public transport if the govern-
ment could make public trans-
port safe and comfortable. I like
to travel in public transport but
there is nothing enjoyable in
public transport options we
have here in the city. The unhy-
gienic condition and the loud
conductors making the city
buses overcrowded do not make
anybody a fan of their service.
It would be quite beneficial for
the environment as well as for
locals if such electric buses
become a success in Dehradun,
said Singh.
A differently-abled local
resident Rajat Bohra said that
the officials might introduce
the electric buses in the city
but it might be difficult for
them to maintain the standard
of the buses as the better
transport alternative in the
city among the locals. The
government bodies introduce
various plans and initiatives
but maintaining their quality
service becomes a challenge
for them. We already have
local transport system but I
don't think the government
pays any attention to what
their condition is and how a
local travels in them. Still, if
they can provide and maintain
better transport facilities with
these electric buses then peo-
ple like me will surely prefer
to travel in them,” said Bohra.
Meanwhile, some women
opined it is not necessary to
have a separate bus only for
women, while others said that
it would be better if the buses
would operate for women
during the late evening rather
than the whole day. I do not
think that women would need
a separate bus just for
them if the drivers would
stop overcrowding the bus
because most of the nui-
sance for women is creat-
ed in the overcrowded
buses. Unless the DSCL is
planning to overload the
buses with passengers too,
there is no need for a sep-
arate bus, said a
Dharmpur resident Ekta
Khansali. Another resi-
dent Kajal Rastogi said
that the authorities should
operate a separate bus for
senior citizens and differ-
ently-abled including those
accompanying them in
their journey. Healthy
women can travel alone
during the day if the buses
are not overcrowded. The
differently-abled people
and senior citizens should
be given preference.
However, the women
would benefit from the
buses which would operate
till late evening especially
for them, said Rastogi.
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Dehradun: Regarding the opera-
tion of the electric buses in
Dehradun, the president of
Dehradun Mahanagar City Bus
Seva Mahasangh, Vijay Vardhan
Dandriyal said that the operation
of such buses will not be a complete
success in the city as long as
Vikram operators continue to run
their vehicles illegally here. He
said that rather than waiting for
passengers at the stands, the
Vikram operators pick passengers
from anywhere on their designat-
ed routes. The passengers have also
become habituated to this routine
and rather than waiting for a bus or
three-wheeler vehicles at fixed
stops, they wait in between the
routes, said Dandriyal. He assert-
ed that it would be difficult to oper-
ate these buses unless the author-
ities stop such illegal operations in
the city.
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The Municipal Corporation
of Dehradun (MCD) will
soon begin the construction of
the smart toilets in Dehradun
city. In order to get a better
ranking of the city in Swachh
Survekshan 2021 and secure a
rank at least in the top 100
cities in this cleanliness survey,
the MCD is focusing on vari-
ous ways to improve the sani-
tation facilities in Dehradun.
The construction of the smart
toilets is one of these measures.
A few weeks ago, the corpora-
tion had floated the tenders for
the construction of the smart
toilets under the public private
partnership (PPP) mode and
since most of the procedure is
completed, the construction
work is likely to begin soon too.
This was informed by the chief
municipal health officer Dr
Kailash Joshi. At present, there
are a total of 45 public toilets
in the city that include 26
smart toilets too, said Joshi.
According to him, the corpo-
ration is presently planning to
construct about 12 to 15 more
smart toilets in the main mar-
ketplaces of the city where the
crowd of people generally
remains more throughout the
year. He said that the corpora-
tion will soon complete the
remaining procedure after
which the construction work of
the toilets will begin in the city
within the next few weeks.
Moreover, Joshi informed that
it generally takes about a
month to complete the con-
struction of smart toilets but
the municipal corporation will
try to get this construction
completed before the start of
next year.
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?=BQ 347A03D=
The president of State
Anganwadi Workers
Association, Rekha Negi stat-
ed that if the State government
does not clear the pending
allowances of the Anganwadi
workers in all the districts by
December 1, the association
would commence planning its
protest against the govern-
ment. According to Negi, she
does not have confirmed
reports yet on whether the
government has started to issue
the pending allowances in all
the districts. I have heard that
the government has probably
started issuing allowances to
the officials at district level for
Anganwadi workers but I will
get the final reports on Tuesday
as the allowances have not
reached the workers yet. If the
government wouldn't have ini-
tiated the issuance of pending
allowances of the last several
months, we will start the
protest against it within a few
days, added Negi.
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With markets buzzing with
activity and people
throwing caution to wind, the
Centre on Monday issued fresh
SOPs on preventive measures
in market places aiming to
check the spread of coron-
avirus in the country.
The Union Health
Ministry issued fresh do’s and
don’ts stating that the markets
in containment zones will
remain shut until further
orders. Civic enforcement
agencies will have the discre-
tion to open the market on
alternate days in case of surge
in infections or if people do not
follow anti-Covid norms.
“Market places in contain-
ment zones shall remain closed.
Only those outside contain-
ment zones will be allowed to
operate,” the notification from
the Centre stated.
According to the new
guidelines from the Centre,
markets outside containment
zones will be allowed to func-
tion. However, the Centre has
urged that those in vulnerable
categories (persons above 65
years of age, persons with
comorbidities, pregnant
women, and children below the
age of 10 years) stay at home
and only step out for essential
purposes.
The new guidelines comes
in the wake of the increasing
coronavirus cases touching to
94,31,691 with 38,772 new
infections
The Ministry also advised
shop employees under high-
risk categories to take extra
precautions and stay away from
any work involving direct con-
tact with the public.
The Health Ministry said it
will be contacting Market
Owners Associations for the
implementation of the adviso-
ry. The ministry also called for
the adherence of Covid-appro-
priate behaviour including
physical distancing, use of face
masks and routine sanitation.
According to the new
guidelines, market associations
will also have to form a sub-
committee to facilitate and
monitor the implementation of
Covid-appropriate behaviour.
The guidelines also said
that if self-regulation fails,
enforcement agencies may
impose measures such as the
opening of markets on alternate
days or even close markets in
case a large number of cases are
found linked to the area.
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India recorded a drop in its
daily coronavirus (Covid-
19) tally on Monday after
38,772 fresh cases registered in
the last 24 hours taking the
total caseload to 9,431,691
which include 446,952 active
cases and nearly 89 lakh recov-
eries.
A total of 45,333 new
Covid-19 recoveries were reg-
istered across the country,
leading to a net reduction of
6,561 cases from the active
caseload, the Union Health
Ministry said on Monday. The
total recoveries have surged to
88,47,600.
“The gap between Covid-
19 recoveries and active cases,
that is steadily increasing,
presently stands at 84,00,648 i.e
19.8 times the active cases,” the
Ministry said.
The contraction of India’s
active Covid-19 caseload to
4,46,952 comprises just 4.74
per cent of the total coron-
avirus infections reported so
far in the country.
“The difference in new
recoveries outnumbering new
cases of Covid-19 has also
improved the national recov-
ery rate to 93.81 per cent as on
date,” the Ministry said, adding
that India’s coronavirus case
fatality rate has further dipped
to 1.45 per cent.
India is one of the coun-
tries with the lowest deaths per
million population globally
(99.4 at present), the ministry
said. Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh have reported the
highest decline in active cases
in the past one month, while
Madhya Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and
Rajasthan are reporting a rise
in the active caseload, it added.
India has achieved a land-
mark milestone in its fight
against COVID-19, with total
tests having crossed the 14-
crore mark with 8,76,173 tests
being conducted in a day, the
Ministry said.
India has ramped up its
per day testing capacity to 15
lakh, it said. The ministry said
that 76.94 per cent of the new
recoveries were from Delhi,
Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, West Bengal,
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and
Karnataka.
With 6,325 persons recov-
ering from coronavirus infec-
tion, Delhi saw the highest
number of recoveries. Kerala
registered 5,861 daily recover-
ies while Maharashtra report-
ed 4,362 new recoveries, it said.
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In the wake of recent fire inci-
dents in hospitals, Union
Home Ministry on Monday
asked all States to ensure prop-
er fire safety in hospitals and
nursing homes, saying utmost
precautions must be taken at a
time when the country is fight-
ing the coronavirus pandemic.
Union Home Secretary
Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote a let-
ter to Chief Secretaries of all
states and Union territories to
strictly implement the fire safe-
ty norms. Last week, fire inci-
dents in two hospitals in
Gujarat killed 14 people.
The Home Secretary said
the occurrence of various fire
incidents in hospitals and nurs-
ing homes in recent past and
non-adherence of fire safety
measures by authorities in their
respective jurisdiction is a mat-
ter of concern. Bhalla said
recently six precious lives of
COVID-19 patients were lost in
a fire incident at an ICU ward
of a hospital in Rajkot and eight
people died in a hospital in
Ahmedabad.
“At such a crucial time,
when the country is fighting
against COVID- 19 pandemic,
utmost precaution needs to be
taken to avoid such incidents in
future,” he said in the letter,
seeking implementation of fire
safety norms in the States.
“I would urge you to ensure
compliance of above advisory
and direct all concerned to
immediately re-inspect, re-
check all hospitals and nursing
homes from the point of view
of fire protection and means of
escape to prevent recurrence of
such fire incidences in future,”
he added.
The Home Secretary said
the Directorate General (fire
services, civil defence and home
guards) in the Ministry of
Home Affairs has been issuing
necessary advisories at regular
intervals to the states and UTs
so that suitable directions may
be issued to ensure compliance
of fire safety guidelines and var-
ious codes and standards, and
to ensure that proper fire safe-
ty measures are in place in all
the buildings, including hospi-
tals and nursing homes.
Bhalla said in addition,
guidelines have also been
issued by the National Disaster
Management Authority for
hospital safety, laying down the
provisions to establish the
minimum requirements for a
reasonable degree of safety
from fire emergencies in hos-
pitals.
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The BJP on Monday target-
ed Delhi Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal for supporting
the protest of farmers on the
outskirts of Delhi and linked it
with ‘Khalistani and Maoist’
elements.
BJP leader Amit Malviya,
who has recently been appoint-
ed co-in-charge of West Bengal
, said that the Delhi govern-
ment has implemented the
new agricultural laws in the
capital, “but now that there is
a protest against this law, the
Arvind Kejriwal government is
looking for an opportunity to
burn down Delhi”.
Malviya, the head of the
information technology
department of the BJP, said
that the Kejriwal government
approved the new agricultur-
al laws on 23 November itself
and is also implementing this
law but is now backing the
protest on Delhi’s borders.
Malviya has used words
like ‘Khalistani’ and ‘Maoist’ in
his tweets while referring to
the protestors.
“Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi
government has already noti-
fied the new Farm Laws on
23Nov20 and had started
implementing them. But now
that the Khalistanis and
Maoists have stepped in to
oppose, he sees an opportu-
nity to burn down Delhi. It
was never about farmers. Just
politics”, tweeted the BJP
leader.
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Congress on Monday
launched a social media
campaign to muster support for
the farmers protesting against
the Centre’s new farm laws with
party leader Rahul Gandhi
saying, when farmers raise
their voice, it resonates across
the country. “The Modi
Government has persecuted
the farmer - first it brought
black laws and then used lath-
is against them, but it forgot
that when the farmer raises his
voice, it resonates throughout
the country. You also raise
your voice against the exploita-
tion of farmers and join the
#SpeakUpForFarmers cam-
paign,” Rahul Gandhi said in a
tweet in Hindi.
“The farmer of the country
has come to Delhi in the cold,
leaving his home and fields, to
voice his protest against the
black agriculture laws. In this
battle of truth and untruth,
with whom do you stand - the
‘Annadata’ (food-giving) farmer
or the PM’s capitalist friends,”
Rahul Gandhi said in another
tweet.
The former Congress chief
said wherever these farmers are
protesting, the people and
Congress workers should stand
in their support and provide
them food. “The question is
why is the farmer out on the
roads, travelling thousands of
kilometers and is stalling traf-
fic. PM Modi says the three
farm laws are in favour of the
farmer, but if these laws are in
the farmer’s favour, why is he
not happy and why is he
protesting,” asked the Congress
leader.
Congress general secretary
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also
joined the
#SpeakUpForFarmers cam-
paign and shared the same
video highlighting the plight of
the farmers.
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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
has appointed Utpal Kumar
Singh as the new Secretary
General of Lok Sabha. Singh is
currently working as Secretary
in the Lok Sabha Secretariat
and belongs to the 1986 IAS
batch of Uttarakhand cadre.
Singh was Chief Secretary
in Uttarakhand and also
worked in many Central
Government departments
including Ministry of
Agriculture, HRD and World
Bank. He has been appointed
as Secretary General on con-
tract basis for a year from
December 1. Singh, who hails
from Jharkhand, retired from
IAS in July this year. Secretary
Generals of both Houses have
the same rank of Cabinet
Secretary.
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The Indian Navy has inten-
sified its search and rescue
effort to trace naval pilot
Commander Nishant Singh.
His MIG-29K fighter jet had
crashed into the Arabian Sea
on Thursday last week.
However, the same day the res-
cue teams managed to rescue
the other pilot who along with
Singh managed to eject from
the jet before it went down.
Giving the update on
Monday, navy officials said
here intensive aerial, coastal
and surface search by the
Indian Navy ships and aircraft
was in progress to locate the
pilot. Underwater search by
divers and seabed mapping
using specialised equipment
in the vicinity of primary
wreckage of MiG-29K was on.
The search teams had
managed to locate the debris of
the ill-fated jet over the week-
end. It included landing gear,
turbo charger, fuel tank engine
and wing engine cowling.
In addition to nine war-
ships and 14 aircraft engaged in
the search efforts, the Navy’s
Fast Interceptor Craft is also
deployed to search waters along
the coast. Further, the Marine
and Coastal police are on the
lookout and nearby fishing vil-
lages have been sensitised.
The twin-seater MIG-29K
fighter jet crashed during rou-
tine sortie.
These aircraft operate from
the INS Vikramaditya aircraft
carrier.
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The Central Public Works
Department (CPWD) has
told the Rajya Secretariat that
the audio feed of Rajya Sabha
TV was disrupted briefly dur-
ing the passage of the farms
bills on September 20 due to
damages caused to micro-
phones at the chairman’s seat by
some MPs.
The CPWD, which also
posted the letter on its Twitter,
said that loss of audio in RSTV
feed is purely due to technical
reasons. The CPWD response
came amid allegations by
opposition parties that the
audio feed of Rajya Sabha TV
(RSTV), which exclusively
broadcasts proceedings from
the Upper House of
Parliament, was deliberately
muted to black out their point
of view.
The farm bills were passed
by the Rajya Sabha on
September 20 amid a bedlam
when Deputy Chairman
Harivansh was in the Chair. As
many as eight opposition
members were suspended
from the House for allegedly
throwing the rule book at the
presiding officer, heckling him
over their demand for a divi-
sion of vote and destroying the
microphones located at the
Chair.
In its letter, the CPWD
said, “It is informed that abrupt
interruption in the audio feed
of the Rajya Sabha proceedings
between 13.05 hours and 13.35
hours on September 20 during
consideration of two farmer’s
bills by Rajya Sabha was due to
damage to the chairman’s
microphones by the Hon’ble
MPs.” It said that as directed by
the Chair, no other micro-
phone was on at that very time
except that of the chairman.
“So when these mics were
broken, there was no audio
output from the system to
RSTV. It took nearly half an
hour to restore this after fol-
lowing necessary protocols,”
the CPWD said in the letter
written to the Rajya Sabha
Secretariat in response to a RTI
application. Underlining that
there was no technical issue
causing the interruption in
the audio feed, the CPWD said
assigning any other motive to
this is “mischievous”.
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The Covid-19 pandemic has
cast a shadow on the access
and delivery of healthcare ser-
vices in HIV across the region,
whether in low or high-income
countries, owing to travel
restrictions and a change in
high-risk behaviour as some of
the main reasons for the dis-
ruption in treatment.
A first cross-country sur-
vey in Asia Pacific region has
revealed that over 80 per cent
of surveyed prescribers report-
ed that there was a decrease in
the frequency or delay of vis-
its of people living with HIV
(PLHIV) while about 46 per
cent of at-risk population
reported a decrease in fre-
quency of taking HIV tests dur-
ing the virus outbreak.
However, providing a ray
of hope was the digital plat-
forms like telehealth, becoming
a mode of delivery for HIV
care during the pandemic.
The survey, “Impact of
Covid-19 on access and deliv-
ery of HIV care in Asia Pacific”,
was conducted online, from
October to mid-November
2020, in 10 countries/territories
in Asia Pacific (Hong Kong,
India, Japan, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, South
Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and
Vietnam) by Gilead Sciences, a
biotechnology company and
the AIDS Society of India.
At least 1,265 respondents,
comprising people living with
HIV, at-risk population and
HIV care prescribers, partici-
pated in the survey, including
96 from India. This region has
more than 5.8 million PLHIV
and in 2019, 300,000 were
newly infected and about
160,000 deaths were AIDS-
related, as per a report by
UNAIDS 2020.
In India, over 82 per cent
of prescribers reported a
decrease in the frequency or
delay of visits of PLHIV main-
ly due to fear of getting infect-
ed with Covi-19 (62 per cent)
and travel restrictions imposed
during the pandemic (46 per
cent), as HIV tests were most-
ly only accessible at point-of-
care.
About 80 per cent of HIV
care prescribers reported a
decline in preventive prescrip-
tions for at-risk population
while more than 1 in 3 amongst
the at-risk population report-
ed that they had either
decreased or stopped taking
HIV preventive medicine, said
the survey.
The study found out that
almost 47 per cent of PLHIV
and 37 per cent of those at-risk
reported that they are con-
cerned about getting anti-
retroviral medicines and pre-
ventive medication during the
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Digital platforms like tele-
health became a mode of
delivery for HIV care during
the Covid-19 pandemic.
Amongst HIV care prescribers,
almost 97 per cent use tele-
health to consult with patients
via telephone (85 per cent) or
video (50 per cent), or to pro-
vide refill prescriptions (67
per cent).
As the world observes
AIDS Day on December 1, Dr
I S Gilada, President, AIDS
Society of India, said, “ Despite
proactive efforts by the
Government to minimise the
impact of disruption in medical
services and delivery of ART,
PLHIV and at-risk popula-
tions suffered a severe blow.
Interruptions to access and
delivery of care can negatively
impact PLHIV and those at-
risk of HIV, putting them at a
higher risk of health compli-
cations.”
RYLG KDPSHUV ILJKW DJDLQVW +,9
?=BQ =4F34;78
Afirst of its kind online
International exhibition
deploying state of the art tech-
nologies like 3D scanning and
virtual space utilisation to
showcase a wealth of Buddhist
art and antiquities displayed in
various museums across Asia
was opened by Vice-President
Venkaiah Naidu during the
19th Meeting of the SCO
Council of Heads of
Government (SCO CHG) held
here on Monday.
The exhibition is devel-
oped and curated by New
Delhi-based National Museum
in collaboration with SCO
member countries and can be
accessed at https://nmvirtu-
al.in/ for worldwide viewing
from the comfort of the home.
“The international exhibi-
tion gives a glimpse of the artis-
tic wealth displayed in various
museums across Asia, and rep-
resents the artistic excellence
embedded within an eclectic
historical timeline spanning
across the development of dif-
ferent Schools of Buddhism,
innovative curation and nar-
ration methodology etc,” an
official from the Union Culture
Ministry said.
The participating institu-
tions are National Museum
(New Delhi), Indian Museum
(Kolkata), National Museum
of Kazakhstan, Dun Huang
Academy (China), National
Historical Museum of the
Kyrgyz Republic, Museums of
Pakistan, State Museum of
Oriental Art, Moscow
(Russia), National Museum
and National Museum of
Antiquities, Tajikistan and
renowned archaeological sites
of Uzbekistan.
The visitors can explore
the Indian Buddhist treasures
from the Gandharaand
Mathura Schools, Nalanda,
Amaravati, Sarnathetc. in a 3D
virtual format while the
Pakistan hall depicts the life of
Gautama Buddha and
Buddhist art through a col-
lection of impressive
Gandharaart objects from
Karachi, Lahore, Taxila,
Islamabad, SWAT and
Peshawar museums. These
include fasting Siddhartha and
footprint of Buddha from
Sikri, meditating Buddha from
SahriBahloi, miracle of
Sravasti from Gandhara etc.
Over 100 objects from
State Oriental Art Museum,
Moscow, depict the Buddhist
Buriyat Art of Russia through
icons, ritual objects, monastery
traditions etc.
?=BQ =4F34;78
Barely four days after the
very severe cyclonic storm
Nivar made a landfall over the
coast of Tamil Nadu and
Puducherry, a new low pressure
area has formed in southeast
Bay of Bengal, almost the same
region where the powerful
cyclone ‘Nivar’ had taken birth
last week.
According to the India
Meteorological Department
(IMD), the new low pressure
will cross the Sri Lanka coast on
December 2 and will bring
moderate to heavy and
extremely heavy rainfall over
Tamil Nadu, Puducherry,
Kerala and coastal Andhra
Pradesh over the next four
days. The IMD has issued a red-
colour coded warning for the
southern areas of Tamil Nadu,
Kerala in view of the brewing
storm and said that these areas
are expected to receive heavy to
very heavy rainfall.
This system is predicted to
move west-north-westwards
and reach extreme North Sri
Lankan and South Tamil Nadu
coasts, involving back-to-back
landfalls (Sri Lanka and South
Tamil Nadu) by Wednesday,
which would decide the
strength with which it may be
hit the South Tamil Nadu coast.
“Tamil Nadu is expected to
receive heavy rainfall between
December 1 and 4.South Kerala
is expected to receive extreme-
ly heavy rainfall on December
3 and heavy to very heavy
rainfall on December 1 and 4.
Lakshadeep is expected to
receive heavy rainfall on Dec 3
and 4,” it said
“It is very likely to intensi-
fy further into a deep depres-
sion during the next 24 hours.
It is also likely to intensify fur-
ther into a cyclonic storm. It is
very likely to move west-
northwestwards and cross the
Sri Lanka coast around the
evening of December 2,” the
IMD said.
The IMD said squally
weather with wind speed would
gradually increase becoming
55-65 kilometres per hour gust-
ing to 75 kmph over southeast
and adjoining southwest Bay of
Bengal from the night of
December 1and 70-80 kmph
gusting to 90 kmph over south-
west Bay of Bengal, along and
off Sri Lanka coast. Winds with
a speed of 45-55 kmph gusting
to 65 kmph are likely over the
Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar
and Tamil Nadu-Kerala coasts
from December 2 forenoon
for subsequent 24 hours, it
said.
Last week, “very severe
cyclonic storm” Nivar had hit
Tamil Nadu. While there were
no reports of loss of life, about
2.5 lakh people were housed in
cyclone shelters in the state as
part of safety measures.
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Aligarh: Polling parties have
left from Dhanipur mandi with
election equipment and mate-
rials to conduct voting that held
today. For voting, 7-7
zonal and super zonal magis-
trates have been appointed
along with 16 sectors and 91
observers.
Aligarh: A young man from
the Jeevangarh area of the
Kwarsi police station was going
to make a second marriage
without divorcing his first wife
on which his first wife caused
a ruckus during the marriage
ceremony. At this, he gave her
triple talaq at the spot. The
woman was shocked after hear-
ing this and has filed a case
against two brothers-in-law,
including her husband at the
Kwarsi police station.
Chandni daughter of
Inayat Ali resident of Railway
Loco Colony, Khurja Junction,
Bulandshahr said that she mar-
ried Tasleem Khan son of Salim
Khan resident of Jeevangarh
Gali-1. Since marriage, her
husband and his family start-
ed torturing her for dowry for
which a case was already reg-
istered on April 2, 2018, at
Khurja Nagar police station.
Aligarh: A premier institute of
learning and a central universi-
ty that has produced two Bharat
Ratnas: the Frontier Gandhi,
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and
Dr Zakir Husain now completes
100 years of existence. It was on
December 1, 1920, the
Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental
College was transformed into
Aligarh Muslim University
(AMU) through the official
gazette. Since its inception,
AMU has been making seminal
contributions to different
branches of knowledge and
many of its students and facul-
ty members have been award-
ed.
B0D60AB4=6D?C0Q :;:0C0
The Trinamool Congress has
strongly reacted to a com-
ment from BJP MP Soumtra
Khan who claimed that Bengal
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar
was closely watching the steady
alienation of MLAs from the
ruling outfit and could soon
call Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee for a floor test in the
Assembly.
Senior Trinamool leader
and MP Saugato Roy said the
BJP leaders were behaving like
naïve politicians who have no
idea of the Constitution.
“Some BJP leaders have no
idea of how the Constitution
works ... The TMC has a sup-
port of 218 MLAs in a House
of 294… so how can the
Governor be expected to make
such an unconstitutional move
by calling for a floor test…” Roy
said wondering “in the first
place even if the Governor
would like to do so how
Soumitra Khan got the infor-
mation of his likelihood of
doing so? The people are
watching all this and they will
take the decision when time
comes… Let them do it and
face the consequence.”
Senior Minister Partho
Chatterjee said that the TMC
had an overwhelming majori-
ty and even if the Governor
wanted a floor test there was no
constitutional way that he
could do it… “his hands are
tied by the diktats of constitu-
tion.”
Another TMC leader and
Minister JP Mullick said that by
making comments on behalf of
the Governor and on such a big
constitutional issue “naive MPs
like Soumitra Khan” were only
exposing the Governor’s office.
“It is for the Governor to take
an action on him and not the
Trinamool Congress
Government,” he said won-
dering why the Governor who
was known for making com-
ments on every issue had not
come out with a statement on
Khan’s comment.
Taking a jibe at the TMC
whose “organizational adhesive
is giving way,” Khan said soon
half of the TMC MLAs would
leave that party and join the
BJP. “At least 8 ministers are
ready to quit the TMC imme-
diately,” Khan, who is also the
state president of Bharatiya
Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM),
said.
‘The way the MLAs have
been dissenting
and leaving Trinamool, the
governor may all of a sudden
ask the CM to prove majority...
There is a possibility,” Khan
said.
Adhikari a formidable
leader for his mass connect
unlike most of his party col-
leagues has still not left the
TMC but is almost on his way
out sources close to him say. In
fact Adhikari on Monday took
out a huge apolitical
procession with flags bearing
Sanskrit language “OM” sym-
bols.
Adhikari apart there are
other MLAs like Mihir
Goswami who on Satuday
joined the BJP. MLAs from
Coochbehar, Diamond
Harbour and North 24
Parganaas too have unfurled
their rebel flags and are report-
edly in touch with the BJP lead-
ership.
Supporting Khan, Bengal
BJP president Dilip Ghosh said
“December will see many
things happening in the
TMC… the party will become
half-extinct and it will vanish
in thin air after the
elections.”
Saying that Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee lacked the
courage to expel Adhikari he
said “if she does so the party
will vanish here and now… so
she is buying time.
Meanwhile in a separate
development Ghosh on
Monday slapped a libel notice
on Chief Minister’s nephew
Abhishek Banerjee for calling
him a goonda.
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In a bid to reach out to the
people of the State ahead of
the 2021 Assembly elections
the Trinamool Congress
Government will launch a
“Duarey Duarey” (door-to-
door) campaign from
December 1 to January 30, dur-
ing when the Government
schemes like the “Swasthya
Saathi” or health insurance-for-
all scheme would be taken to all
the families.
Chief Secretary Alapan
Bandopadhyay on Monday said
that consequent to a decision
taken by Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee digital cards
for health insurance would be
reached to all the citizens of the
State through 20,000 camps
which would run from
December 1 to January 30.
Consequent to this scheme
the entire population of the
State will get Rs 5 lakh worth
health insurance facility in pri-
vate hospitals.
The Chief Minister had
announced the scheme a few
days ago saying Centre’s
“Ayushman Bharat” scheme
was being run in a 60:40 ratio
with the states implementing it,
while “Swasthya Sathi” was
totally funded by the Bengal
government.
“Earlier, we had decided to
enroll at least 7.5 crore people
under 'Swathya Sathi'. I am
announcing today that every
family in West Bengal, every
person, be it a child or an old
man or woman, irrespective of
their religious affinity will be
covered under this scheme,”
Banerjee said.
“The Centre gives only
60% for Ayushman Bharat.
Who will pay the rest 40 per
cent? If the common people
need to pay Rs 2.5 lakh for a Rs
5 lakh scheme, then why will
people opt for that. Our
Swastha Sathi scheme is 100
per cent funded by the state
government,” she said adding
she would welcome the central
scheme if they provided the
entire 100 percent cost.
C2aTPRcbbWPa_[hPUcTa19?bPhb6dePhRP[[3XSXU^aU[^^acTbc
Srinagar/Jammu: As many as 321
candidates are in the fray for the sec-
ond phase of the District
Development Council (DDC) polls
in Jammu and Kashmir for which the
voting will take place on Tuesday at
over 2,100 polling booths, State
Election Commissioner (SEC) K K
Sharma said here on Monday.
In the second phase of the polls
also, 43 constituencies are going to
polls in the union territory – 25 in
Kashmir and 18 in Jammu, the SEC
said.
Sharma said 321 candidates are
in the fray for the 43 DDC seats. Out
of those, 196 are in the Kashmir val-
ley and 125 in the Jammu region, he
said.
The SEC said simultaneously
with the DDC polls, the sarpanch
elections will be conducted in 83
constituencies and total 223 candi-
dates are contesting in the phase two.
Similarly, he said, panches
bypolls going to be held in 331 con-
stituencies and a total of 709 candi-
dates are in the fray.
He also said 58 sarpanchs (29
men and 29 women) and 804 panchs
(548 men and 256 women) have
been elected unopposed.
There are about 7.90 lakh voters
eligible for voting for the second
phase at 2,142 polling booths – 1,305
in Kashmir and 837 in Jammu, the
SEC said.
“Almost all booths in Kashmir
are sensitive from the security point
of view. Additional security has
been provided in the polling stations
in the valley,” he added.
He said all security arrangements
have been put in place and the areas
have been secured, while the polling
parties and election material has
already reached the polling booths.
“We are looking forward to
good polling numbers,” he said, and
appealed voters to come to the
booths wearing face masks.
Asked about the complaints that
candidates were not being provided
security or confined to secure
accommodations, Sharma said while
personal life of candidates was
important, for an election to be suc-
cessful, the candidates have to go out
to the constituency and campaign.
“I reviewed this again today.
Have we received any complaints?
Not many. I have received one or two
complaints and I have referred those
to IGP Kashmir. However, the big
leaders of political parties have not
made any complaints about a specific
candidate or a group of candidates
that they have not been permitted to
campaign,” he said.
However, he said, candidates are
told to inform police before going
somewhere so that the visit is
secured.
“Otherwise, wherever law and
order is not suitable, candidates
could come under risk. But, human
safety, personal life of candidates are
important and at the same time,
there is of custom in democracy
where the candidate goes to the con-
stituency, campaigns there, then
only can the election be called suc-
cessful. For that, the police is pro-
viding escort, but they have to stick
to a time-table,” he said.
“If any candidate wants exten-
sion in the hours, let them come to
us with it and we will enable the can-
didates,” he added.
On a question about those can-
didates who have won the polls
unopposed being confined to clus-
ter accommodations, Sharma said
the goal of the government was not
to keep anyone away from their
homes.
“If there is a security problem in
their areas for some days, it will be
taken care off immediately and they
will be able to go to their areas soon-
er,” he said.
When asked about the alleged
detention of PDP president
Mehbooba Mufti on Friday, the
SEC said the visit was not campaign-
related.
When it was reported, I sought
a report from IGP Kashmir. I dis-
cussed it and verified it. Mufti is an
ex-chief minister of J-K. Whenever
she moves out, she needs protection.
For all the ex-chief ministers, there
is SSG secures them and which has
a standing protocol which they have
to follow. PTI
$#TR_UZUReVdZ_WcRj;554a`]]d
Jammu: Hitting campaign trail in
Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district,
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh
on Monday urged the people to get
rid of ‘Abdullah-Mufti duo' who
have been “looting JK for the last
70 years” and deprived the region of
development and progress.
Addressing a meeting in Bhalla
village ahead of the second phase of
District Development Council
(DDC) polls, he alleged that former
CMs Farooq Abdullah and
Mehbooba Mufti have been aware
of the corruption of each other.
“But no leader from these par-
ties ever went to jail because there
has been an understanding between
the two to take turns for fillings their
coffers,” Chugh said.
He said these leaders deliber-
ately brought laws to favour some
people, while other sections of the
society like women and Gujjars
were deprived of any benefits.
Calling the people to vote for the
BJP in the coming elections, he said
it is time power should be taken
away from the Abdullah-Mufti gang
and given to the common man.
“The people should get rid of
Abdullah-Mufti duo who have been
looting Jammu and Kashmir for the
last 70 years and deprived the peo-
ple of development and progress,”
Chugh asserted.
The second phase of the DDC
polls will be held on Tuesday. PTI
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An eight-year-old girl was
thrown into a dry well
after being allegedly raped and
strangled to death by uniden-
tified men in Pratapgarh dis-
trict of Rajasthan, police said
on Monday.
Her body was recovered on
Saturday night, SHO of Choti
Sadri police station Ravindra
Pratap Singh said.
The accused abducted the
minor from her house on
Friday night while she was
sleeping with her mother. She
was allegedly raped and stran-
gled to death, the SHO said.
They later threw the girl's
body into a dry well, which is
300 meters away from her
home, he added.
Singh said a probe into the
matter is underway and near-
ly half a dozen people have
been rounded up for interro-
gation.
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Raipur: The State Government
under the leadership of Chief
Minister Bhupesh Baghel took a
historical decision today, to
employ the unemployed youth
of the State.
Concerning this, the E-cat-
egory registration system in the
Public Works Department of
the State Government is to be
initiated in all the construction
departments, bodies and boards
of the State Government.
Baghel affirmed that the
integrated “E” category regis-
tration system has been imple-
mentedinthestatebythePublic
WorksDepartment.Aprovision
has been made to employ the
local unemployed youth via the
“E” category registration system
in a single work through a lim-
ited tender at block level costing
up to Rs 20 lakhs.
The appointment of
Diploma Engineers in the pro-
jects undertaken worth Rs 20
lakh and graduate engineers to
be appointed in projects costing
up to one crore in construction
contracts have been made
mandatory by the Public Works
Department. A provision has
been made to pay 15 thousand
rupees per month to the diplo-
ma engineers and 25 thousand
per month to the graduate engi-
neer.
A large number of unem-
ployed engineers will be able to
avail employment with the
mandatoryappointmentofengi-
neers via the tender contracts.
The Chief Minister has fur-
therdirectedtheChiefSecretary
of the state that instructions
should be issued to follow the
above two decisions of the
Public Works Department in all
construction departments, bod-
ies, boards, boards etc. so that
more and more youth of the
state could avail its benefits.
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Even after quitting 'active'
politics a year ago former
student leader and JNU activist
Shehla Rashid on Monday
found herself in a spot after her
father, Abdul Rashid Shora
surfaced in Jammu claiming he
was facing death threats from
his daughter and a security
guard attached with her.
Abdul Rashid Shora also
accused her of indulging in
anti-national activities in the
company of few notorious peo-
ple. Referring to a series of
meetings which took place
between him and a kashmiri
businessmen Zahoor Wattali,
former MLA Engineer Abdul
Rasheed in 2017, Abdul Rashid
alleged his daughter was
offered a sum of Rs Three
crores by the same people to
join hands with them in the
active politics. Zahoor Wattali
was arrested by the National
Investigation Agency in the ter-
ror funding case in August
2017.
Feeling insecure due to
recent life threats, Abdul
Rashid Shora claimed he has
sought security protection
from the Director General of
Jammu and Kashmir police to
ensure his safety.
In a written complaint
addressed to the Director
General of Jammu and
Kashmir, Abdul Rashid Shora
also claimed that Shehla is
being supported by his elder
daughter Asma Rashid, his
wife Zubeida Shora and one of
the security guards, Sakib
Ahmad.
Abdul Rashid Shora also
went on to claim in his com-
plaint, “As a concerned father
when I strongly objected to my
daughters decision for joining
these notorious people as i felt
the money coming will be
used for unlawful activities
they threatened to kill me”.
“I have a strong belief that
there are anti-national activities
going on in my house , the
characters involved in this plan
are my daughters, my wife and
Shehla's security guard name-
ly Sakib Ahmad”, he added.
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Seeing the grandeur of Dev
Deepawali when lakhs of
diyas (earthen lamps) were
lighted at 84-odd ghats spread
in seven kilomtres long semi-
circle area here on the auspi-
cious occasion of Dev
Deepawali on Monday evening,
the emotionally charged Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
promised the people that the
country would prosper across
the world as despite all the hur-
dles and obstructions, river
Ganga flows continuously.
Wishing all the people for
the festival, he said that though
due to the coronavirus pan-
demic he could not visit his
parliamentary constituency for
long but there were rarely any
moments when he did not
think about the people that
how everyone can get food and
proper treatment.
After offering prayer at
Kashi Vishwanath temple,
Modi inspected the progress
being made in his ‘dream pro-
ject’ Kashi Vishwanath
Corridor.
Later, boarding on cruise
he reached Rajghat where he lit
the lamp to mark the inaugu-
ration of Dev Deepawali festi-
val.
It was for the first time,
when Modi took part in any
such big programme at this
ghat located in the north part
of the city because earlier, most
of the time he visited either at
Dashaswamedh or Assi ghat.
Highlighting the glorious
history of this city, Modi said
that Kashi always shows direc-
tion to the people and narrat-
ed the story how the festival of
Dev Deepawali was started by
Adi Shankaracarya at
Panchganga Ghat and later on,
after several centuries it was
revived by Rani Ahilyabai
Holkar, who also built the
Kashi Vishwanath temple but
in the course of time, its linked
with the river Ganga was bro-
ken.
“We’ve tried to link the
temple premises with the river,”
he said, adding that when we
had launched the project, many
had opposed it but despite all
constructions we’re moving
ahead with our plan as the con-
struction work of Ram temple
is going on in Ayodhya. “Now
Ayodhya-Prayagraj-Kashi areas
in the state are being developed
as a major tourist site,” he said,
adding that we’re working for
protesting the pride and her-
itage of the nation while many
others for just for their family
and the statues of their mem-
bers, indirectly attacking the
Congress.
Earlier, the PM launched
the Pawan Path website of the
Tourism department. Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath wel-
comed the PM and praised his
efforts for bringing back the
idol of Goddess Annapurna
which was stolen in 1913.
He also greeted the Sikhs
on the auspicious occasion of
Prakash Utsav of Guru Nanak
Dev.
This was the first time
when PM visited his parlia-
mentary constituency on this
auspicious occasion of Dev
Deepawali that is celebrated
almost a fortnight after Diwali.
Later, boarding on the cruise,
Modi had a glance of beauty of
Dev Deepawali and saw the
programmes being held at sev-
eral ghats.
He also watched Odissi
dance performance at Rajghat.
After this, Modi reached
Sarnath to watch the Light
Sound show inaugurated by
him recently.
0RGL DWWHQGV 'HY 'HHSDZDOL LQ 9DUDQDVL DGGUHVVHV QDWLRQ
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In a shocking development,
noted social worker and pub-
lic health expert Dr Sheetal
Amte-Karajgi, granddaughter
of Magsasay Award winner
Murlidhar D Amte alias Baba
Amte, committed suicide on
Monday monring, by alleged-
ly injecting herself with some
poisonous liquid, in Warora
taluka town in Chandrapur
district of eastern Maharashtra.
Dr. Sheetal was the CEO of
Maharogi Sewa Samiti and also
a member of the board of the
directors of the organisation
that focuses on helping people
disadvantaged by leprosy. She
used to run “Anandwan”, a
place housing Maharogi Sewa
Samiti (Leprosy Service
Society) that her grandfather
had founded at Warora in
Chandrapur district which had
converted into a smart village.
Dre Sheetal was declared
dead at Warora sub-district
hospital, where she had been
rushed to earlier in the morn-
ing after it was prima facie
learnt that she had administered
herself with a poisonous injec-
tion.
She was 40 and is survived
by her husband Gautam, six
years old son Sharvil Karajgi
and her parents Dr Vikas Amte
and Bharati Amte. Her famous
uncle Prakash Amte and
Mandakini Amte, both
Magsaysay laureates, are doc-
tors at Anandwan.
Given that the motive
behind Dr Sheetal’s suicide is
not known, the Chandrapur
district police have launched
investigations into her death.
The investigators are trying to
ascertain if she had left a suicide
note.
Significantly enough, Dr
Sheetal had posted a photo-
graph of an acrylic painting
named “War and Peace” done
by her on a 30 inches x 30 inch-
es canvas on her twitter handle
on Sunday. The painting carried
her name and date “Dr. Sheetal
Amte-Karajgi 29.11.2020”. The
investigators are examining the
abstract painting to see if it gives
any clue for the cause of her
decision to end her life. They
are looking into the reported
dispute within her family.
There were reports in the
local media in recent months
about the internal feud within
the Amte family. Dr Sheetal was
the epi-centre of the family
feud. Unconfirmed reports said
that Dr Sheetal had been under
considerable mental strain dur-
ing the recent months.
In a joint statement issued
on November 22, 2020, Dr
Sheetal's parernts Dr Vikax
Amte, Dr Bharati Amte, her
uncle Dr Prakash Baba Ambe
and aunt Dr Mandakini
Prakash Amte had clarified
that there had been no dispiute
within their family. “For three
generations, we have been liv-
ing together harmoniousluy .
Dr Sheetal Gautam Karajgi has
made greeat contribnution to
our organisation. But, now she
has admitted in social media
that she is under mental tension
and disappointment. Whatever
allegations that made against
ther trustees of Maharogi Sewa
Samiti and their style of fuicn-
tioning are baseless..We are
issuing clarification jointly to
remove misunderstanding, if
any, in the minds of the people,”
the four Amte family members
stated in their jolint statement.
After completing her med-
icine from the Government
Medical College in Nagpur in
2003, Dr Sheetal started work-
ing at Anandwan to contribute
to her famous grandfather's
vision. Her brother Kaustubh is
an accountant for Anandwan.
Among other things, Dr
Sheetal helped to secure the
financial assistance of the Tech
Mahindra Foundation to pro-
vide food for children in
Anandwan schools. She also led
the installation of Solar Power
panels at Anandwan, resulting
in Maharogi Sewa Samiti
receiving an award for
Innovative Energy Project of
the Year 2016 from the
Association of Energy
Engineers. She was planning to
incorporate more smart tech-
nology into the community in
future.
In 2016, Dr Sheetal was
named a Young Global Leader
by the World Economic Forum.
She was also nominated as a
United Nations Innovation
Ambassador and an advisor to
i4P (Innovations for Peace).
That she in an excellent
frame of mind could be evi-
denced from the fact that she
had retweeted some positive
posts and on November 24
posted ex-ray images of the legs
of a lady leprosy patient with a
message that read as follows:
“This is a lady who had leprosy.
She has no fingers. Her eyes
don't shut. She has raised many
kids. Though statistically not
significant for the world,
these are real people with very
complex issues we are dealing
with every day. They are fight-
ers”.
In another tweet posted on
November 19, Dr Sheetal had
opined that one should not feed
trolls. “The first rule of social
media sanity: don’t feed the
trolls. When someone courts
controversy and hurls insults,
responding runs the risk of
reinforcing the behavior. If
people are seeking attention,
sometimes silence is the mes-
sage that speaks loudest.
@AdamMGrant,” her message
read.
Jammu: Amid escalating ten-
sions, a Pakistani fighter jet
flew very close to the Line of
Control (LOC) in Poonch dis-
trict early Monday morning
prompting Indian troops to
maintain extra degree of alert-
nesstofoilanynefariousdesigns
of the Pakistan Army.
“The jet flew close to the
LoC in Poonch sector in viola-
tionofinternationalconventions
which does not allow fighter jets
to fly within a 10 km radius of
theborder,”adefencespokesper-
son said.
The spokesperson said that
a jet stream was clearly visible in
the sky close to the LoC in
Poonch.
After a gap of a few hours,
Pakistan army initiated an
'unprovoked' ceasefire violation
intheShahpursectorofPoonch.
Defence spokesman in Jammu
said,“Pakarmy initiatedunpro-
voked ceasefire ceasefire viola-
tion by resorting to use of small
arms and intense mortar
shellingintheforwardareas”.He
said the Indian army retaliated
strongly. PNS
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