Author: Indmedia

Gandhinagar: In a move aimed at cutting procedural delays in govt land allotment, the Gujarat govt on Tuesday enhanced the financial approval powers of district collectors and district development officers (DDOs).The state govt said the decision was expected to accelerate allotment of govt land for public infrastructure, industrial, social welfare and rural development projects while simplifying the process for applicants by reducing administrative hurdles.Officials said the revised delegation of powers was part of the state’s efforts to decentralise decision-making and improve ease of doing business. With higher financial limits, collectors and DDOs will be able to approve a larger number…

– Waterlogging at Patel Nagar in Gurgaon after rain.________________Picture by Sahil MalhotraThe downpour also disrupted school transport, with several school buses and vans caught in traffic jams- Waterlogging at Mahaveer chowk in Gurgaon after rain.________________Picture by Sahil Malhotra- Waterlogging at Sector 14 in Gurgaon after rain.________________Picture by Sahil Malhotra- Waterlogging at Sector 15 in Gurgaon after rain.________________Picture by Sahil Malhotra- Waterlogging at Sukhrali flyover in Gurgaon after rain.________________Picture by Sahil Malhotra- Waterlogging at Patel Nagar in Gurgaon after rain.________________Picture by Sahil MalhotraThe downpour also disrupted school transport, with several school buses and vans caught in traffic jams- Waterlogging at Mahaveer…

Guwahati: Two major projects will bolster Guwahati’s defences against urban flooding, with over Rs 4,400 crore earmarked for the initiatives, housing and urban affairs minister Kaushik Rai told the assembly on Tuesday.Responding to MLA Bikan Chandra Deka, Rai said the Centre approved the Rs 2,213-crore rejuvenation and bioremediation of Silsako Beel under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. The project aims to restore the wetland’s ecological health and water-retention capacity.Another Rs 2,200-crore Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Programme has been sanctioned under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund. GMDA is executing 11 projects to improve stormwater drainage, flood resilience and disaster preparedness.The…

Times News NetworkKanpur: Following a tip, a joint team of forest department Kanpur and STF Quarter Lucknow on Tuesday intercepted a man near Harbans Mohal railway crossing and seized around 171 Indian Rupad Turtles (Pangshura Tecta) from his possession.Pangshura Tecta is a protected animal under Indian Forest Animal Conservation Act and it has been kept in schedule 1 and their trade is punishable offence. The team arrested Zahid Ali, a resident of Bhatpura under Kamalganj police station in district Farrukhabad and sent him to jail.On the direction of additional chief judicial magistrates of Kanpur Nagar, all the seized turtles were…

Vehicles drive through a heavily waterlogged underpass near Mahamaya Flyover on Tuesday Noida: A moderate spell of rain on Tuesday afternoon threw traffic out of gear across Noida and Ghaziabad, with waterlogging slowing vehicles on several arterial roads and stranding schoolchildren on their way home.Noida recorded 56 mm of rainfall by 5.30 pm, with intense waterlogging reported near Mahamaya flyover, Chilla, and in sectors 37, 34 and 100. In Sector 19 and Barola, children were seen wading through knee-deep sewage-mixed water.A car stranded in the underpass near Mahamaya flyover between the furniture market and Sector 94 triggered tailbacks around 3…

Mahanand Rajya Sahakari Dudh Mahasangh Maryadit plant at Varvand Pune: Cooperative milk federation Mahanand Rajya Sahakari Dudh Mahasangh Maryadit (Mahanand) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it has temporarily shut operations at its milk processing facility in Varvand village to upgrade its smoke exhaust equipment.The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been appointed as Mahanand’s administrator for FY25 to FY29.Mahanand voluntarily suspended operations at its Varvand plant from July 15 and will keep the facility closed for two to three months while it installs an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) system to curb air pollution. The cooperative has undertaken to…

Margao: State govt has appointed a new district magistrate for Kushavati, withGurudas Desai taking over as the collector of the newly notified district. Desai will also hold additional charge as managing director of the Goa Human Resource Development Corporation (GHRDC).Desai, who was serving as additional collector-I, North, with additional charge of the GHRDC, will be the district’s second magistrate since its notification. South Goa collector Egna Cleetus was holding additional charge of Kushavati.Pravin Parab, currently additional collector-II, North, has been posted as additional collector-I, North, while Akshay Potekar, presently director (administration) in the office of the director general of police,…

Mohali: The Punjab mines and geology department has detected over 12.79 lakh cubic feet of suspected illegally excavated material at six sites in Mohali during a month-long crackdown against illegal mining.Officials said the unauthorised excavation may have caused substantial loss to the govt exchequer. The revenue department has been asked to demarcate the sites and identify landowners before recovery proceedings and further legal action are initiated.Executive engineer-cum-district mining officer Gurtej Singh Garcha said inspection teams led by SDO Pradeep Kumar and mining inspectors identified six illegal excavation sites at Kheri Jattan, Mukandpur, Haibatpur, Bijanpur, Rampur Sainian and Derabassi, where no…

Lucknow: Congress’s Uttar Pradesh in charge, Rajendra Pal Gautam, alleged that the state govt’s actions against Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University amounted to an assault on education, democratic values and the legacy of the freedom struggle.Gautam on Tuesday met the university’s vice chancellor, Prof Zahiruddin, and reiterated his party’s opposition to the proposed demolition of 38 buildings on the campus.Describing Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar as a freedom fighter, journalist and educationist who championed Hindu-Muslim unity, Gautam said the university represented his vision of education as a force for nation-building.He also alleged that the administration attempted to obstruct his visit by…

Patna: Ahead of July 30 polling for Bankipur assembly seat, RJD national working president Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Tuesday promised pension to all students and youths who were injured or jailed during the recent students’ protest over alleged NEET paper leak.Observers said the move is aimed at wooing the large youth community.Tejashwi made this promise just before starting a roadshow in support of Grand Alliance-backed RJD candidate Rekha Gupta for the assembly byelection. “Just as the govt provides pensions to ‘JP Senanis’, our govt will provide pensions as well as govt jobs to students who suffered injuries, faced FIRs, and…