Author: Indmedia

Chandigarh: The Punjab govt on Tuesday filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana high court‘s Aug 3 judgment directing it to clear pending dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief of approximately Rs 14,191 crore to state employees within a fortnight.The SLP points out that the arrears are close to three months of the state’s entire annual salary and pension expenditure, which stands at approximately Rs 58,064.05 crore according to the revised estimates for FY 2025-26. The state submitted that compliance with such a direction within 14 days is not merely financially difficult but…

ED conducts multi-state raids in fraud NHAI toll plaza collection-linked money laundering case LUCKNOW: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Lucknow Zonal Office, on Wednesday began search operations at 14 premises under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its investigation into alleged fraudulent toll collection at various toll plazas operated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).The searches are being conducted at multiple locations across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu, Madhya Pradesh, the National Capital Region (NCR) and Kolkata.The ED investigation stems from FIR No. 17 dated January 22, 2025, followed by ECIR…

Patna: Agriculture was the driving force behind ancient India’s economy, society and state formation, speakers said at a lecture organised by the Bihar state archives directorate on Tuesday.The programme, held under the Prof Ram Sharan Sharma Memorial Lecture Series, focused on “A Historical Analysis of the Agricultural System in Ancient India”.Keynote speaker Ratna Amrit, principal of AN College, Patliputra University, traced the evolution of agriculture, highlighting the role of land, irrigation, farmers and the state. She said agricultural surplus from the Gangetic plains helped fuel the political and economic rise of Magadha.Director of Archives Mohammad Faisal Abdullah and former history…

Nagpur: Police have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the Sheikh Sharif–Baba Tiger gang for allegedly plotting to eliminate their arch-rival Mohd Akram alias Bhuru in a staged accident on Wardha Road on Aug 11.According to police, the plot was to kill Bhuru by making it look like a road mishap. He was hit hard by a vehicle allegedly driven by Baba Tiger, with close aide JD beside him, and was flung several metres before landing in hospital with serious injuries. He remains on ventilator.Sonegaon police first registered an accident case, but later upgraded it to…

Ranchi: In a move aimed at bringing greater oversight and uniformity to allied healthcare education, the newly constituted Jharkhand State Allied and Healthcare Council on Tuesday decided to establish a regulatory framework for allied health courses, conduct examinations for transition-batch students and develop a dedicated digital portal for affiliations, examinations and registrations.The decisions were taken at the council’s first meeting chaired by additional chief secretary (health, medical education and family welfare) Ajay Kumar Singh. Among those present were director-in-chief of health services Dr Siddharth Sanyal, council chairperson Dr Manisha Kiran, Rims acting director Dr D K Sinha and other council…

Boat services are currently suspended on the Ganga river in Varanasi due to rising water levels that have exceeded safety limits VARANASI: Boat services on the Ganga have been suspended in Varanasi after the river crossed its warning level, with the district administration increasing surveillance in flood-hit areas, officials said on Wednesday.The Central Water Commission recorded the Ganga’s water level at70.29 metres, slightly above the warning mark of 70.26 metres. The danger level is 71.26 metres, while the highest flood level is 73.90 metres.With the water continuing to rise, authorities have advised residents and devotees to stay away from the…

Kolkata: The West Bengal Samagra Shiksha Mission organized a three-day workshop to prepare a roadmap for the development of Children with Special Needs (CWSN) and to foster an inclusive educational environment. Additionally, the State School Education Department sent a requisition to the School Service Commission to fill vacant positions for special educators.Dipak Barman, the school education minister, said, “Our approach and mindset toward these students must change to provide them with a better atmosphere and truly inclusive education. They are an integral part of our society and do not require sympathy, but equal opportunity.”Additional chief secretary of the school education…

Michael Jackson’s sprawling Neverland Ranch in California benefited for years from a state agricultural land-preservation programme that reduced its property-tax burden, but the arrangement came under scrutiny after county officials discovered extensive development on parts of the estate. The roughly 2,700-acre ranch in Santa Barbara County included Jackson’s home, an amusement park, zoo and other entertainment facilities, while much of the property was also used for cattle grazing. In 2003, county officials said Jackson had failed to obtain required permits or comply with zoning rules for a number of developments built over the previous decade. The dispute eventually led to…

Four parking charge notices were issued by APCOA between 28 June and 13 August. David said he had receipts to show they had paid for parking permits on each of the dates the fines had been issued.”We’ve gone through the most difficult year of our lives – nothing to what Kate’s gone through – but to have this on top is just like a straw that breaks the camel’s back,” he said.”I spent the other day writing a complaint to APCOA when I should have been at my daughter’s bedside.”In a joint statement, the NHS Humber Health Partnership and APCOA…

Eucalyptus cladocalyx ‘nana’. Image Credit: ERA Nurseries Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity, hoping that thirsty, deep-rooted vegetation could help control the groundwater processes behind the problem. A long-running experiment in south-western Australia later showed that the effects of such plantations were more complicated than simply planting trees and waiting for the land to recover. Researchers established a mixed eucalyptus plantation above a saline seep in 1976 and monitored how the trees affected groundwater levels and salt movement for 15 years. The study found clear signs that the plantation used more water than nearby crops and pasture,…