Browsing: India

Panaji: To reduce dependence on flower imports from other states, the zonal agriculture office (ZAO) in Sattari is set to distribute one lakh hybrid marigold saplings from Aug 20 under the state sector scheme.The initiative aims to increase the area under marigold cultivation in Valpoi from 5 hectares to 7 hectares this year.“We are optimistic that the expansion programme will reduce Goa’s dependence on marigold flowers sourced from outside the state. This year, nearly 90% of local festive flower requirements in Sattari could be met through locally grown marigolds, with complete self-sufficiency expected within the next two years if farmer…

Times News NetworkHaryana energy minister Anil VijChandigarh: Haryana energy minister Anil Vij on Friday said talks with electricity department employees’ unions over their proposed three-day strike from August 11 to 13 are continuing and expressed confidence that the govt would persuade them to call off the agitation.Vij said union representatives recently held detailed discussions with him and senior departmental officials and raised three key concerns: the proposed parallel power distribution licences, smart meters and the proposed Agri DISCOM.On the proposed parallel distribution licence, Vij said the matter is before the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), an autonomous statutory body that…

Lucknow: Emphasising how law and order improved under BJP govt since 2017, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that when Samajwadi Party was in office, rioters used to be felicitated in the CM’s house. Now, he said, if someone threatens to riot, he would say: “Come, I will teach you how riots are done.”Giving two examples to the audience at an event in Ambedkar Nagar to show them what the situation was like under SP, the CM said: “In Sambhal, an SP goonda tried to create riots but now govt has brought him down to his knees and rubbed…

Patna: Four Bihar districts — Nawada, Nalanda, Patna and Sheikhpura — have figured among the country’s cybercrime hotspots for illegal withdrawals from ATMs and bank accounts, prompting the state govt to intensify awareness of the national cyber helpline number 1930.The issue was reviewed at a meeting chaired by chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit and DGP Vinay Kumar on Friday. Officials said 6,251 mule bank accounts had been verified, legal action taken against 70 and 507 people arrested. Orders have also been issued to restore Rs 224 lakh to cyber fraud victims in 5,642 cases.The state has disposed of 98% of complaints…

Locked house has become an informal garbage dumping spot along a road in Sector 11, Malviya NagarJMC sanitation worker unloads waste at a garbage blackspot in Sector 11, Malviya Nagar.Stray cows feed on roadside waste at a garbage blackspot in Sector 11, Malviya Nagar, as residents continue to complain of persistent dumping.Locked house has become an informal garbage dumping spot along a road in Sector 11, Malviya NagarJMC sanitation worker unloads waste at a garbage blackspot in Sector 11, Malviya Nagar.Stray cows feed on roadside waste at a garbage blackspot in Sector 11, Malviya Nagar, as residents continue to complain…

Nagpur: Even 10 days after the July 28 deluge, the loudest demand from flood-hit residents, traders and institutions is not for compensation but for immediate removal of the muck, silt and sewage left behind inside their premises.While civic workers have cleared roads in most affected localities, those living and working in flooded areas say they have largely been left to restore their own homes, shops and institutions at considerable expense.At Somalwar Nikalas School, a filthy layer settled on top of the ground floor. Principal Damodar Thombre said, “Next day, since it was holiday for students, we spent hours removing the…

Dhanbad: A three-day police meet and forensic science training programme concluded in Dhanbad with a focus on strengthening scientific investigation and training police personnel in modern forensic techniques.The programme aimed to improve officers’ skills in collecting, preserving and presenting evidence in criminal cases, ensuring greater professionalism and stronger investigation standards.Participants underwent practical training in crime scene management, lifting and packing forensic evidence for dispatch to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), fingerprint examination, oral presentation of investigation procedures and scene-of-crime photography. Experts stressed that proper handling and preservation of evidence are crucial for securing successful prosecution and delivering justice.Competitions were also organised…

Varanasi: Banaras Hindu University Vice-Xhancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi on Friday interacted with a delegation of teachers from Uttarakhand currently on an academic visit to the university.The 40-member delegation, comprising teachers from various govt colleges across Uttarakhand, is visiting BHU under the Chief Minister’s Higher Education Quality Enhancement and Knowledge Enrichment Programme, organised by the Higher Education Department, Govt of Uttarakhand.During the interaction, the teachers shared their experiences and said the visit had enriched their understanding of BHU’s academic, research and administrative ecosystem. Prof Chaturvedi said that, just as educational tours are important for students, teachers should also get opportunities…

Kolkata: Several developers in Kolkata have started calling back labourers to construction sites after Thursday’s meetings with the chief minister and urban development minister and were assured of 190-odd stalled projects getting a go-ahead to resume work within next week. There are also indications that around 150 other projects, also stalled for six weeks, will receive the permission to resume constructions in 10 days or so.After the abrupt suspension of construction work at high-rise projects across Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas and Howrah, several thousand labourers—most of them daily wage earners—had returned home. Some of them had thereafter moved…

Srinagar, August 8 : Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq has paid rich tributes to Sultan-ul-Aarifeen Hazrat Sheikh Hamzah Makhdoom Kashmiri (RA), one of Kashmir’s most revered saints and spiritual reformers, recalling his immense contribution to the religious and spiritual life of Kashmir.Mirwaiz said Hazrat Makhdoom Sahib (RA) devoted his life to guiding people towards Allah and promoting piety, compassion, humility, good character and service to humanity.He said his teachings emphasised not only spiritual development but also the building of a just, compassionate and morally upright society, with care for the weak and needy.Mirwaiz said the enduring reverence for Hazrat…