Name: Election Commission announces poll dates for four states
Uploaded: 2024-03-16T18:37:34.000+05:30
Duration: T00M44S
Channel: Editorji News Desk
Description: The assembly elections for four states will take place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election. The results will be announced on June 4.

The Punjab Water Resources Department announces the closure of the Bist Doab Canal for 33 days from December 20, 2024, to January 21, 2025, to complete ongoing works.

Punjab to Close Bist Doab Canal for 33 Days

Punjab Government has decided to close the Bist Doab Canal from 20 December, 2024 to 21 January, 2025 (both days inclusive) for 33 days.

Punjab Water Resources Department has decided to close Bist Doab Canal for 33 days to complete the ongoing works.
Disclosing this, an official spokesperson of the department said that keeping in view the weather conditions and status of crops, the Punjab Government has decided to close the Bist Doab Canal from 20 December, 2024 to 21 January, 2025 (both days inclusive) for 33 days.&nbsp;
He further said that the state government has already issued notification in this regard under Rule 63 of Rules framed under the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873 (Act No.VIII of 1873).

General and Bye-elections to 5 Municipal Corporations and 41 Municipal Councils apart from some other ward-wise bye-elections will be conducted on 21st December, 2024. 

Punjab announces public holiday and special measures for December 21 elections

General and Bye-elections to 5 Municipal Corporations and 41 Municipal Councils apart from some other ward-wise bye-elections will be conducted on 21st  December, 2024. 

It is also informed that 21st December, 2024 (Saturday) has been declared as a "Dry Day" in the revenue jurisdiction of the Municipal Bodies which are going to the polls.

General and Bye-elections to 5 Municipal Corporations and 41 Municipal Councils apart from some other ward-wise bye-elections will be conducted on 21st &nbsp;December, 2024. In order to ensure due opportunity to voters to exercise their franchise in these local body elections, the following information is being shared with the general public.
Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the Punjab State Election Commission said that 21 December (Saturday) would be declared as a public holiday in all Punjab Government offices situated in the jurisdiction of the Municipal Bodies where elections are going to be held under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
He further informed that Special leave to government employees and other workers who are voters of these municipal bodies which are going to the polls but employed elsewhere would be allowed as per rules. &nbsp;In addition, he added that holiday would be declared in all the schools whose buildings are being used for election purposes.
It is for the information of the general public that 21st December, 2024 has been declared as a 'Close Day' within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Bodies which are going to the polls under the provisions of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, and the Factories Act, 1948 to enable workers of such shops, factories, and commercial establishments located in the revenue jurisdiction of the concerned Municipal Body to cast their vote.
It is also informed that 21st December, 2024 (Saturday) has been declared as a "Dry Day" in the revenue jurisdiction of the Municipal Bodies which are going to the polls.
Furthermore, he added that Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, Punjabi University Patiala, and Panjab University, Chandigarh have informed that they have postponed all those annual and semester exams which were scheduled to be held on 21st &nbsp;December, 2024 to some other date.
Students who were to appear in various exams on these dates may refer to the concerned University Website for details of the fresh dates.
The Commission has made all suitable measures for the conduct of the polls in a free and fair manner and encourages all voters whose names are entered in the electoral rolls to exercise their franchise.

Om Prakash Chautala, former Haryana chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal president, passed away at the age of 89 due to a cardiac arrest in Gurugram. 

Former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala passes away at 89

Om Prakash Chautala, former Haryana chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal president, passed away at the age of 89 due to a cardiac arrest in Gurugram.

Chautala, a five-time chief minister of Haryana and former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's son, suffered a cardiac arrest at his Gurugram home.

Indian National Lok Dal president and five-time Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala died here on Friday at the age of 89.
Chautala, who was former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's son, suffered a cardiac arrest at his house here and was immediately rushed to a hospital but could not be saved, a party spokesperson told PTI.
He breathed his last at around 12 noon in Medanta hospital, a senior police officer said.
Chautala, who came from a prominent political family in Haryana and was face of a prominent regional outfit, had been facing age-related health issues in the recent past.
He is survived by two sons and three daughters. His wife Sneh Lata had passed away over five years ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini were among a host of leaders who condoled the demise of Chautala.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
हरियाणा के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री ओम प्रकाश चौटाला जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। प्रदेश की राजनीति में वे वर्षों तक सक्रिय रहे और चौधरी देवीलाल जी के कार्यों को आगे बढ़ाने का निरंतर प्रयास किया। शोक की इस घड़ी में उनके परिजनों और समर्थकों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं। ॐ शांति। <a href="https://t.co/QXh74przOI">pic.twitter.com/QXh74przOI</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1870019052170609136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
Expressing grief, Modi said on X, "He (Chautala) was active in the state politics for many years and strove constantly to advance the work of Devi Lal."
Saini said the demise of the INLD supremo is extremely sad.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
इनेलो सुप्रीमो एवं हरियाणा के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री चौधरी ओमप्रकाश चौटाला जी का निधन अत्यंत दुःखद है। मेरी ओर से उन्हें विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि। उन्होंने प्रदेश और समाज की जीवनपर्यंत सेवा की।देश व हरियाणा प्रदेश की राजनीति के लिए यह अपूरणीय क्षति है। प्रभु श्री राम से प्रार्थना है कि&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/58JMF1hkDb">pic.twitter.com/58JMF1hkDb</a>
&mdash; Nayab Saini (@NayabSainiBJP) <a href="https://twitter.com/NayabSainiBJP/status/1870003922095710589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
"My humble tribute to him. He served the state and society throughout his life. This is an irreparable loss for the politics of the country and Haryana state,&rdquo; Saini said on X.
Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda recalled that when Chautala was the chief minister, he was the Leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly.
Chautala served the people of the state. There are many good memories with him, he said, adding that he was like his elder brother.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Hooda and Kumari Seja also condoled the death of Chautala.
Born on January 1, 1935, Om Prakash Chautala was the eldest of the five children of former deputy prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal.
Chautala left studies after primary education. In 2013, when Chautala was lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with the teacher recruitment scam, he passed the class 10 and then class 12 examination at the age of 82.
He was jailed in 2013 in connection with the teacher recruitment scam case and released in 2021.
Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala, and 53 others, including IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar, were convicted and sentenced in the case of illegal recruitment of 3,206 junior basic teachers in 2000.
The former Haryana chief minister's younger son Abhay Singh Chautala is a senior leader of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) while elder one Ajay Singh Chautala, a former MP, heads the Jannayak Janta Party, which was born after a vertical split in the party in December 2018 after a family feud.
Abhay's son Arjun is a Haryana MLA while Ajay Chautala's sons Dushyant and Digvijay are JJP leaders. Dushyant Chautala also served as Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister.
Chautala's party INLD had also remained an ally of BJP in the past. The INDL has been out of power since 2005 in Haryana.

Speaking at the Bihar Business Connect 2024 here, IT Secretary Abhay Kumar said that the incentives under the state’s IT Policy 2024 are the best compared to the policies of any other state.

Airtel, CtrlS, and Holoware Submit Major Investment Proposals in Bihar's IT Sector

Speaking at the Bihar Business Connect 2024 here, IT Secretary Abhay Kumar said that the incentives under the state&rsquo;s IT Policy 2024 are the best compared to the policies of any other state.

Bharti Airtel, data centre company CtrlS, and personal computer maker Holoware have submitted their proposals for investments in Bihar under the state&rsquo;s new IT Policy, 2024, senior government officials said on Thursday.
Speaking at the Bihar Business Connect 2024 here, IT Secretary Abhay Kumar said that the incentives under the state&rsquo;s IT Policy 2024 are the best compared to the policies of any other state.
He said the state has received a tremendous response from investors.
&ldquo;Airtel and Ctrls are in a very advanced stage. They have already taken stage 1 clearance. They are submitting financial proposals and very soon you will see their actual investment happening,&rdquo; Kumar said.
He said Chennai-based Holoware is also investing in the state for manufacturing IT hardware.
&ldquo;They (Holoware) are putting up their factory for laptop PCs. One of their proposals of Rs 30 crore is already cleared, and in time to come they are supposed to make an investment of Rs 300 crore,&rdquo; Kumar said.
He further said investment proposals from TCS, HCL and Tiger Analytics have already come last year.
&ldquo;If you have made an investment of Rs 100 crore, the amount of money you can get back from Bihar is around Rs 70 crore. It is humongous. There is no comparison with any other IT policy across states which can match us,&rdquo; Kumar said.
Bihar IT Policy has the provision for an incentive of 50 per cent of the lease rental expenses. The subsidy will be provided for five years with an annual increase in the monthly rental limit by Rs 2.5 per square foot every financial year.
&ldquo;Some of the states have better ecosystems than us but we are a starter and in time to come, we will become leaders. We are trying to create small IT cities,&rdquo; he said.
Bihar Special Secretary for IT Arvind Kumar Choudhary said that after the announcement of the policy, the state has received total investment proposals of over Rs 4,000 crore in the last 11 months.&nbsp;
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A revised list of boat fares is being prepared to maintain transparency and it will be prominently displayed at all ghats and parking areas, according to ADM Mela.

Maha Kumbh 2025: Prayagraj Mela administration hikes boat fare by 50 pc

A revised list of boat fares is being prepared to maintain transparency and it will be prominently displayed at all ghats and parking areas, according to ADM Mela.

Ahead of the Maha Kumbh in January, the Kumbh Mela Administration has approved an increase in the fares of boatmen by 50 per cent.
According to Additional District Magistrate Mahakumbh Vivek Chaturvedi, this decision comes after prolonged demands from the boatmen and a fruitful discussion between the Prayagraj District Boatmen Association and the Mela administration.
Welcoming the move, Pappu Lal Nishad, President of the Prayagraj District Boatmen Association said that boat fares had remained unchanged for years despite rising inflation.
He praised the administration&rsquo;s decision as a significant step in favour of the boatmen&rsquo;s welfare.
Following the fare hike for boats, strict measures will be implemented to ensure that devotees are not overcharged.
A revised list of boat fares is being prepared to maintain transparency and it will be prominently displayed at all ghats and parking areas, according to ADM Mela.
Meanwhile, the administration has also restricted the movement of vehicles for devotees&rsquo; safety. While motorboats remain prohibited, traditional boats can operate even on major bathing festival days.
Sub Divisional Magistrate Mahakumbh Abhinav Pathak stated that decisions regarding boat operations during festivals will be based on weather and crowd conditions.
&ldquo;Currently, 1,455 boats are in operation at Sangam, but this number is expected to exceed 4,000 during Mahakumbh as boats from neighbouring districts arrive.
All boats will undergo safety inspections before being issued licenses, and life jackets will be provided to boatmen. Additionally, every boatman will receive insurance coverage of ₹2 lakh,&rdquo; he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

"There is no reason for the collection of the user or toll fee to continue. We hold that the agreement (for toll collection) is invalid,” the bench said.

DND flyway to remain toll-free, says Supreme Court

"There is no reason for the collection of the user or toll fee to continue. We hold that the agreement (for toll collection) is invalid,&rdquo; the bench said.

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) flyway will be toll-free as it dismissed a plea by a private firm challenging the 2016 decision of the Allahabad High Court order asking it to stop collecting tolls from commuters.
The decision will benefit lakhs of people who commute daily on the flyway.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan held that awarding a contract to private firm Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd (NTBCL) to collect tolls from commuters plying on the DND flyway was unjust, unfair and arbitrary.
"There is no reason for the collection of the user or toll fee to continue. We hold that the agreement (for toll collection) is invalid,&rdquo; the bench said.
It pulled up the NOIDA authority for delegating toll collection to private firm NTBCL, which did not have any prior experience and said it had resulted in unjust enrichment.&nbsp;
The bench said NOIDA overstepped its authority by delegating the powers to NTBCL to collect or levy fees and it has led the general public to part with hundreds of crores of rupees.
The high court, in October 2016, had ruled that there would be no toll collected henceforth from those using the 9.2 km-long, eight-lane Delhi-Noida Direct flyway. The order was passed as the high court allowed a PIL by the Federation of Noida Residents' Welfare Association.
The PIL, filed in 2012, had challenged the "levy and collection of toll in the name of user fee by the Noida Toll Bridge Company".
In an over 100-page judgment, the high court had held, "the user fee which is being levied/realised is not supported by the legal provisions relied upon by the Concessionaire (Noida Toll Bridge Company), Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (promoter and developer of the project) and the Noida Authority."
It had said the "right to levy and collect user fee from the commuters as conferred upon the Concessionaire under the concession agreement suffers from excessive delegation and is contrary to the provisions of the UP Industrial Development Act".
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Chairman also held a meeting with Leader of the House J P Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge besides leaders of various opposition parties in a bid to end the impasse in the House.

Parliament Winter Session 2024: Rajya Sabha adjourns sine die

The Chairman also held a meeting with Leader of the House J P Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge besides leaders of various opposition parties in a bid to end the impasse in the House.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday after the House adopted a motion to nominate 12 members to the joint committee of Parliament on simultaneous polls.
When the House met this morning, it witnessed protests by opposition members and was adjourned amid the din.
The Chairman also held a meeting with Leader of the House J P Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge besides leaders of various opposition parties in a bid to end the impasse in the House.
When the House again met at 12 noon, the Chairman asked Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to move a motion for nominating members of the upper house to the joint committee of Parliament to examine the bills related to 'one nation, one election'.
The motion was adopted with a voice vote to nominate 12 members of the Rajya Sabha to the joint committee on simultaneous polls.
The Chairman then made his concluding remarks, saying this session's productivity stood at a mere 40.03 per cent with just 43 hours and 27 minutes of effective functioning.
"As Parliamentarians, we are drawing severe criticism from the people of India and rightfully so. These persistent disruptions are steadily eroding public trust in our democratic institutions," he noted.
"It is time to choose between meaningful debate and destructive disruptions," he said before adjourning the House sine die.&nbsp;
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Several Delhi schools, including those in Dwarka, received bomb-threat emails, prompting search operations by security teams. No suspicious items were found, and some schools shifted to online classes following the threats.

Several Delhi Schools Receive Bomb-Threat Emails

Police, the fire department, bomb detection teams, and the dog squad participated in the search operation, but nothing was found so far.

Several Delhi schools received bomb-threat emails on Friday, making it the sixth such incident in the last 11 days, officials said.
Security personnel conducted search operations at the schools, but nothing suspicious was found, an official said.
"We received a call regarding the bomb threat at 5:02 am from DPS, Dwarka, in Sector 23," the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said on Friday.
Police, the fire department, bomb detection teams, and the dog squad participated in the search operation, but nothing was found so far, another official said.
Around five schools in Dwarka, along with some in other districts, received similar emails, the official said.
At some places, students were asked not to come to school, while others switched to online classes after receiving the threat, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined a Christmas celebration at Union Minister George Kurian's residence in Delhi, engaging with the Christian community, participating in candle lighting, and enjoying festive performances.

PM Modi Attends Christmas Celebration in Delhi

Prime Minister was greeted by the Kurian family, who presented him with a bouquet of flowers. During the celebration, PM Modi participated in lighting candles and witnessed several performances.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a Christmas celebration at Union Minister George Kurian's residence in Delhi on Thursday, where he engaged with members of the Christian community.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Christmas celebration at the residence of Union Minister George Kurian, in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/VHIxEPEwxg">pic.twitter.com/VHIxEPEwxg</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1869769077574787131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Sharing images from the event on his official X handle, PM Modi wrote, "Attended the Christmas celebrations at the residence of Union Minister Shri George Kurian Ji. Also interacted with eminent members of the Christian community."
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Attended the Christmas celebrations at the residence of Union Minister Shri George Kurian Ji. Also interacted with eminent members of the Christian community.<a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgekurianBjp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeorgekurianBjp</a> <a href="https://t.co/VnUcfFdupX">pic.twitter.com/VnUcfFdupX</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1869776331707494614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
Upon arriving at the residence, the Prime Minister was greeted by the Kurian family, who presented him with a bouquet of flowers. During the celebration, PM Modi participated in lighting candles and witnessed several performances.
Christmas, observed worldwide on December 25, is a time for reflection, family gatherings, and the sharing of meals and gifts. It is both a religious and cultural occasion commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. People around the globe take part in church services, where communities come together to pray and sing. Many also visit loved ones or participate in local events, strengthening communal bonds.
In addition to family reunions and festive meals, the holiday is marked by the tradition of carol singing, sparkling Christmas lights, and beautifully decorated trees.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government announced a complete ban on the production, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region ahead of Christmas and New Year's Eve. The decision, aimed at addressing the worsening air quality, will remain in effect through the holiday season.

The tabulated data in the report also contained a column titled “reason” that specified the cause of the accidents in this period, against the aircraft type and date and accident.

Gen Rawat death: Parliament panel report says ‘human error’ caused December 8 chopper crash

The tabulated data in the report also contained a column titled &ldquo;reason&rdquo; that specified the cause of the accidents in this period, against the aircraft type and date and accident.

The country&rsquo;s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat died in a Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash on December 8, 2021, and a parliamentary panel report has said the reason behind the accident which occurred that day was &ldquo;human error&rdquo;.
Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and many other armed forces personnel had died after the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
The accident was widely reported in the media. In the report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the Standing Committee on Defence shared the data on the number of Indian Air Force aircraft crashes that took place during the 13th Defence Plan period.
The total number of crashes stood at 34, including nine IAF aircraft accidents that took place in 2021-22 and 11 in 2018-19.
The tabulated data in the report also contained a column titled &ldquo;reason&rdquo; that specified the cause of the accidents in this period, against the aircraft type and date and accident.
The data for the 33rd accident listed in the report mentioned the aircraft as &ldquo;Mi-17&rdquo;, date &ldquo;08.12.2021&rdquo; and the reason cited was &ldquo;HE(A)&rdquo; or &ldquo;human error (aircrew)&rdquo;.
The defence ministry informed the Committee that 34 inquiries have been conducted into these accidents during the period.
&ldquo;The ministry also informed that the recommendations by these Inquiry committees review the process, procedure, training, equipment, culture, operations, maintenance and administration holistically with intent to prevent recurrence of an accident,&rdquo; the report said.
The ministry further informed that &ldquo;all remedial measures stipulated by Chief of the Air Staff remarks are binding and actioned&rdquo;.
&ldquo;Most have been actioned while a few are under implementation,&rdquo; it added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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The assembly elections for four states will take place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election. The results will be announced on June 4.

Election Commission announces poll dates for four states 

The assembly elections for four states will take place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election. The results will be announced on June 4.

The Election Commission on 16th March announced the dates of assembly elections for four states that will take place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election.
Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will go to polls on April 19, and Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will go to polls on May 13. Andhra has 175 assembly seats and is governed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Odisha has 147 seats and is led by five-time Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Arunachal Pradesh has 41 seats and is currently governed by the BJP.
And Sikkim has 32 assembly seats and is governed by a BJP-led coalition.&nbsp;

Northern Railways launches special winter and New Year trains on the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge line, operating until February 2025. These trains will cater to the surge in tourism during the holiday season.

New Year & Winter Special Trains Launched on Shimla-Kalka Heritage Railway

Heavy bookings have been received for the Christmas season, with 25 to 30 per cent advance reservations for New Year.

Northern Railways on Friday commenced New Year and winter season special trains on the UNESCO world heritage Shimla-Kalka narrow gauge railway line, an official said.
The trains will operate until February 28, 2025 for tourist visiting Shimla during the holiday season, Station Superintendent Shimla Railway Station Sanjay Ghera.
He said that 81 passengers boarded the train on the very first day.
According to the schedule, train number 52443 (KLK-SML) will depart from Kalka at 8:05 am and will reach Shimla at 1:35 pm. Similarly, another train number 52444, will depart from Shimla at 4:50 pm and will reach Kalka at 9:45 pm.
These special holiday trains would not only be instrumental in promoting tourism but will also generate revenue for the railways, Ghera said and added that the train can accommodate about 156 passengers.
The trains will stop at Dharampur, Barog, Solan, Kandaghat and Summerhill railway stations. There are a total of seven coaches including three general coaches and two each of chair car and first class.
An official of Northern Railways, Ambala Division said the decision to run two holiday trains was prompted by the surge in tourist inflow to Shimla during Christmas and New Year.
Heavy bookings have been received for the Christmas season, with 25 to 30 per cent advance reservations for New Year, Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association President M K Seth said.
The Britishers laid the first rail link to connect Shimla in 1903. In 2009, the Kalka-Shimla rail track was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
There are 103 tunnels on the 96.6 kilometres long narrow gauge railway track, besides 800 bridges, 919 curves and 18 railway stations. Shimla-Kalka became the first narrow gauge track in the country to run Vistadome coach on December 11, 2018.

A chemical-laden truck collided with vehicles on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway, causing a devastating fire that left 11 dead and 37 injured. Over 30 vehicles were gutted, and Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma assured proper medical care for the victims.

Chemical Truck Collision Sparks Massive Fire on Jaipur-Ajmer Highway, 11 dead

A nearly 300-metre stretch of the highway was affected by the accident. Traffic movement was stopped, leading to a long queue of vehicles.

An LPG tanker collided with a truck on Friday, sparking a massive fireball that turned a stretch of the Jaipur-Ajmer highway into an inferno in which 11 people were killed and 37 vehicles engulfed in flames.
The state health minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said that nearly half of the injured were "very critical."
&nbsp;
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"A total of 11 people have died. Five were brought dead to SMS hospital. Five succumbed during treatment. One death was reported from Jaipuria hospital," Dr Deepak Maheshwari, Principal, SMS Medical College, said.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph, who was at the crash site, said an outlet nozzle of the LPG tanker was damaged in the collision, leading to a gas leak that caused the blaze.
The crash occurred around 5.30 am, when it was still dark, in front of a school, according to authorities.
"Vehicles behind the tanker were engulfed in flames. Other vehicles coming from the opposite directions also caught fire and the vehicles collided," Joseph said.
The gas leak spread the fire in a flash, leaving no scope for those in nearby vehicles to come out. People were seen rushing and taking off clothes engulfed in flames.
The injured were rushed to the SMS hospital in Jaipur in more than 25 ambulances.
Forty-three people were brought to the hospital, seven of whom are on ventilator support, Dr Maheshwawri said.
Officials at the spot indicated that the casualty count may go up.
The Rajasthan government announced an assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and his predecessor Ashok Gehlot expressed grief over the deaths.
In a post on X, Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Modi also spoke to CM Sharma to enquire about the incident and assured him of all possible support.
Earlier in the day, people reported witnessing flames from nearly a kilometre away as thick black smoke filled the sky and ambulances and fire brigade vehicles rushed towards the crash zone. A school van driver on his way to pick students recounted with horror the sight of a man engulfed in flames on the road.
The crash initially affected a nearly 300-metre stretch of the highway, leading to a long queue of vehicles. The traffic thickened with time and by afternoon choked the arterial road, leading to diversions.
Authorities were clearing the highway of the burnt vehicles to resume vehicular movement.
Thirty-seven vehicles, including several tailers, trucks and containers, two buses, as many pickups and bikes, one auto rickshaws and seven cars, were damaged in fire.
In the wake of the incident, Sharma along with Khimsar, rushed to SMS hospital.
Sharma also visited the accident site and spoke to police.
"I visited the hospital as soon as I got the incident. This is a very unfortunate incident. Instructions have been given to ensure proper treatment and other arrangements," he told reporters at the crash site.
Khimsar told reporters at the hospital that all doctors, resident doctors, and nursing staff had been called in to manage the situation and another ward opened to accommodate patients.
A 'green corridor' was set up from the accident site to the SMS hospital, he added.
An official said a private sleeper bus headed for Jaipur from Udaipur was behind the gas tanker when the accident occurred and efforts were underway to find the details of the passengers onboard.
A fire department official said, "A few fire tenders from Mansarover were rushed to the spot based on primary information, but later more were sent from other stations as well."
A team from the regional transport office also reached the spot to investigate the incident and Forensic Science Laboratory teams collected evidence.
Locals complained of itching in the eyes and breathing problems due to the smoke. Some said a few birds were found dead nearby.
A pipe factory along the highway suffered damages in the incident.
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa and Minister of State for Home Jawahwar Singh Bedham also reached the accident site, while state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and several BJP and Congress MLAs visited the hospital.
The school van driver told PTI that the flames were visible from a kilometre away and there was panic and chaos on the highway.
"As I got closer to the spot, I saw people running in haste and shouting for help. I saw a man engulfed in flames. It was a frightening scene. Fire brigades and ambulances were there but it was difficult for them to reach the spot initially," he said.
Jaipur Police has issued the helpline numbers 91-66-347-551, 87-64-688-431 and 73-00-363-636 for people to get in touch for inquiries or relevant information.
Dotasra told reporters at the site, "Many of the injured are critical. Such incidents should not happen and for this, governments should make arrangements."
He said the government should form a high-level committee and take concrete action so that such incidents are not repeated.

Parliament concluded its Winter Session on December 20, 2024, with tensions running high over political disputes, particularly regarding alleged insults to B.R. Ambedkar. Despite the disruptions, the session saw the introduction of landmark bills.

Parliament Adjourned Amid Controversy, With Key Bills Introduced

The Lok Sabha's productivity was nearly 58 per cent, according to its secretariat, a far cry from days when it hovered around 100 per cent and even beyond.

Parliament was adjourned sine die on Friday, capping off a tumultuous session that saw a robust debate on the country's constitutional journey and the introduction of two landmark bills on simultaneous elections before plunging to a new low of political animosity over alleged insult of B R Ambedkar.
As Parliament met on the last day of Winter Session, the overhang of mutual bitterness involving the ruling National Democratic Alliance and opposition parties following Thursday's spat persisted, forcing Speaker Om Birla in Lok Sabha to adjourn the House within three minutes without even the customary summing up of the Session's highlights.
It was only a little better in Rajya Sabha as opposition parties, which have been protesting against Home Minister Amit Shah's alleged insulting comments for Ambedkar, agreed to let Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar read out his valedictory remarks before adjourning the House sine die.
The Lok Sabha's productivity was nearly 58 per cent, according to its secretariat, a far cry from days when it hovered around 100 per cent and even beyond.
In his concluding remarks, Dhankhar called upon parties to rise above political differences and restore the sanctity of parliamentary discourse, striking a note of balance amid opposition's charge that he has often been partisan.
He said the House effectively functioned for just 43 hours and 27 minutes with a productivity of merely 40.03 percent during the Winter Session that began on November 25.
At a press conference, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju laid the blame on the door of opposition, especially the Congress, saying their continuous protest despite an earlier agreement to allow Parliament to run was the principal reason behind the low productivity.
He said all parties must reflect on what is a matter of great concern, adding that as the minister in-charge of parliamentary affairs he will continue to reach out to opposition leaders.
During the Session, five bills were introduced in Lok Sabha, which passed four of them. The Rajya Sabha passed three bills. A special session was also held in the 'Samvidhan Sadan' to commemorate the Constitution Day on November 26.
If Thursday's pushing and shoving involving MPs of rival parties, which left two BJP members hospitalised and led to a police case against Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, was the low point of the Session, a spirited discussion on the "Glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India" for two days in each House reflected the best of parliamentary debate.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sharp denunciation of the Congress, especially the Nehru-Gandhi family, for its "mutilation" of constitutional values was heard by opposition benches in the Lok Sabha without any serious disruption, and so was Home Minister Amit Shah's reply to the debate in Rajya Sabha.
However, opposition parties seized on a couple of sentences of Shah's reply to accuse him of insulting B R Ambedkar, the architect of India's Constitution, and launch protests inside and outside Parliament.
The BJP-led NDA MPs led counter protests, accusing the Congress of slighting Ambedkar and ignoring his legacy during its long decades in power.
As Modi led Shah's defence and counterattack on the Congress, both sides turned up political heat, which blew up in an ugly spat on Parliament's premises on Thursday. Both sides lodged police complaints against each other, and an FIR was registered against Gandhi, blamed by the BJP for injuries to two of its MPs.
Speaker Birla warned all parties against holding protests at the entrance, the site of the spat on Thursday, of Parliament.
Opposition parties have filed notices for breach of privilege against Shah in the two Houses, while the BJP did the same against Rahul Gandhi.
Rijiju told reporters that it is now up to the respective Chair in the two Houses to take a call on the matter.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said his party's performance in Parliament was "100 per cent" as it raised all relevant issues, including the charges in the US against the Adani group, but the government ran away from debate.
Incidentally, it was the government's readiness to hold a discussion on the Constitution which had broken the early deadlock in Parliament as the Congress stuck to its demand for a debate on the Adani row.
While the opposition INDIA bloc was a divided House with parties like the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress not agreeing with the primacy given to the Adani issue by the Congress, they rallied together over Shah's comments.
The highlight of the Session's legislative agenda was two landmark bills -- the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth) Amendment Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill -- to give effect to the mechanism of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and assemblies.
It was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 and was referred to a 39-member Joint Committee of Parliament on Thursday.
Singalling the deepening divide among different stakeholders in Parliament, opposition parties submitted a notice to move a motion of no-confidence against Dhankhar, but it was dismissed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who slammed it as an act of impropriety, being severely flawed and drawn in haste to mar the Chairperson's reputation.
At least 60 opposition members had signed the notice on December 10 for removal of Dhankhar from his post, alleging he was "biased" and they did not have trust in him.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday following protests by opposition and treasury benches over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar and Speaker Om Birla's directions against protests at Parliament gates. Protests continued even as a resoluti

Parliament Winter Session: Lok Sabha adjourns sine die

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday following protests by opposition and treasury benches over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar and Speaker Om Birla's directions against protests at Parliament gates. Protests continued even as a resolution for the 'one nation, one election' bill was introduced.

Slogans of 'Jai Bhim' reverberated in the House as the Speaker read out directions barring demonstrations and protests at the gates of Parliament.

The Winter session of the Lok Sabha, which saw a series of disruptions over issues ranging from Adani to billionaire George Soros' alleged links with the Congress leadership as well as Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks related to BR Ambedkar, saw a productivity of 57.87 per cent, official sources said.
The House met on November 25 and was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) on Friday amid protests by opposition and treasury benches over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar and directions by Speaker Om Birla to members against holding demonstrations at any gate of Parliament.
One of the key bills introduced during the session was related to holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The two bills were on Friday referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament for examination and wider consultations.
The House also saw a spirited debate on 75 years of adoption of the Constitution last week in which treasury benches and opposition launched a series of attacks on each other.

Punjab Agriculture Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian assures farmers that the state government will protect their interests regarding the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, expressing concerns about potential privatisation and monop

Punjab govt reaffirms commitment to safeguarding farmers' rights

Punjab Agriculture Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian assures farmers that the state government will protect their interests regarding the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, expressing concerns about potential privatisation and monopolistic practices.

Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian has assured farmer union leaders that the state government will not allow farmers' interests to be affected by the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.

Reaffirming the commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government to firmly stand with farmers of the state, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian has assured farmer union leaders that the state government will not allow farmers' interests to be affected by the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.
The Agriculture Minister was holding in-depth discussions with farmer unions&rsquo; leaders on the draft policy on &ldquo;National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing here at Punjab Bhawan, on Thursday.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The state government is concerned as this policy could have serious implications for the State and its farmers, so we want to analyse and consult on the each and every aspect of the draft policy shared by the GoI,&rdquo; said the Agriculture Minister, while adding that agriculture experts and other stakeholders will also be consulted soon to analyse it thoroughly so that not a single point is left unconsidered.
Gurmeet Singh Khudian, along with Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Mr. Anurag Verma, Chairman of Punjab State Farmers' &amp; Farm Workers' Commission Dr. Sukhpal Singh, Secretary Punjab Mandi Board Mr. Ramvir, appealed the farmers to send their suggestions and comments in this regard to the Agriculture department.
Farmer Unions&rsquo; leaders Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Dr. Darshan Pal, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Dr. Satnam Singh Ajnala and other leaders expressed deep concerns over potential privatisation, monopolistic practices in the disguise of the Policy. It could be an attempt to reintroduce the contentious provisions of the three farm laws, which were repealed by the Union Government following the farmers&rsquo; protests, they added.&nbsp;
They also urged the state government for further examination before sending a response to the Centre so that Punjab and its farmers interests could be fully secured.
The high-level meeting was also attended by Special Secretary Agriculture Harbir Singh, Director Agriculture Mr. Jaswant Singh, Director of Research at PAU, Ludhiana Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt and senior officials of Punjab Mandi Board and Agriculture department.

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