Will Go To Supreme Court To Get Delhi's Share Of Water From Haryana: Atishi

The Delhi government will approach the Supreme Court over Haryana not releasing the capital's share of water, which has led to a crisis, Water Minister Atishi said today.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said Delhi is staring at an "emergency" and announced many measures to tackle the crisis, including banning the use of drinking water for washing cars and at construction sites.

The government held an emergency meeting over the water crisis that the city is facing amid a heatwave.

"We are going to the Supreme Court so that the court tells Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, from where Delhi's water comes, that Delhiites should get their rightful share of water. Apart from this, many emergency measures are being taken by the Delhi government," Atishi said.

She said a central water tanker control room is being set up in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and will be monitored by an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.

"There will be a central command and control centre. Any Delhi resident who wants a water tanker should dial 1916. From 1916, the request will go to our water tanker war room and from there, tankers will be provided to places where there is a shortage of water supply," the minister added.

She said from June 5, an ADM-level officer and an SDM-level officer will be stationed in each of the 11 water zones of the national capital.

"Why June 5? Because all the ADMs and SDMs are busy with election duty. These officers will form a quick response team. Wherever there are water-shortage hotspots, these ADMs, SDMs and their tehsildars will be fully available to deliver tankers and solve the problem," Atishi explained.

She added that a special team of the DJB's electrical department is being formed and it will work round the clock to ensure that no borewell is damaged or dysfunctional.

"We had announced on Wednesday itself that we are forming 200 enforcement teams of the DJB, which will check the wastage of water. A senior IAS officer is being appointed to head these teams. He will monitor these 200 teams and the challans issued by them," the minister said.

Further elaborating on the measures, she said there will be a complete ban on the use of potable water at construction sites, whether it comes from tankers, pipelines or borewells.

"If any construction site is found using potable water, it will be sealed by the MCD," she said.

Atishi said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) reinforcement teams will start visiting construction sites from Friday morning.

"There are many car-repair and car-wash centres that use potable water supplied by the DJB via the drinking water pipeline. The use of drinking water to wash cars and at car-repair centres is being completely banned.

"From Friday, DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee) teams will be on the ground to inspect car wash and car service centres. If any such centre is found using drinking water, it will be sealed immediately," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.

Delhi is "going through an emergency situation", she said while attributing it to the heatwave in the national capital and Haryana not releasing water from the Yamuna River.

"We appeal to Delhiites to cooperate with the government. Use as little water as possible, do not waste water. Only when all Delhiites come together, we will be able to face this crisis," Atishi said.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the health and water departments will play the most important role during this heatwave.

"But the health department's secretary and the CEO of the DJB have gone on leave without informing their ministers and without taking permission from them.

"We do not even know the reason why they have taken leave. The people of Delhi should be our priority. The chief secretary told Thursday's meeting that he has given leave to both of them. The chief secretary is giving leave to the head of such an important department on his own without informing the minister. This is surprising and unfortunate," he said.

Bharadwaj said they will tell the apex court that if there is any possibility of getting water from the neighbouring states, the states should provide water to Delhi for a few days.

"If we get at least 50 MGD (million gallons per day) water in the Wazirabad pond, it will provide some relief," he said.

The capital is facing a water shortage due to unprecedented summer heat, with temperatures hovering around the 50-degree Celsius mark in parts of the city.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Sharad Pawar Leader Tears BR Ambedkar's Poster, Later Apologises

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jitendra Awhad apologised today for tearing posters denouncing the Manusmriti that also had a picture of Dr BR Ambedkar.

The rival Nationalist Congress Party headed by Ajit Pawar targeted him over the incident and demanded that he be arrested, while the BJPsaid it would stage protests in Maharashtra over the issue.

Mr Awhad, a former state minister, was taking part in a protest at Mahad in Raigad district against the state government's alleged plans to introduce some verses from the Manusmriti in the school curriculum.

The ancient text supported the caste system and denigrated women, he said earlier, asking people to oppose the decision.

But a new controversy erupted when videos of the protest showed him tearing up a stack of posters that also had Dr Ambedkar's picture on them.

NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil demanded that Mr Awhad be arrested for insulting Dr Ambedkar.

Mr Awhad was responsible for "spoiling the social environment in the country and state by performing the stunt of burning the Manusmriti in Mahad," Mr Patil alleged, seeking to know what action NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar would take against his party's leader.

State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said his party would stage protests against the former minister on Thursday.

In a video statement later, Mr Awhad said party workers brought posters denouncing the Manusmriti which had Dr Ambedkar's photograph. "I tore them without realizing this. I apologise publicly," he said.

Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar said two days ago that verses from the Manusmriti were not part of the curriculum in the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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3 Die Of Food Poisoning After Attending Engagement Ceremony In Rajasthan

Three persons lost their lives due to food poisoning in Rajasthan's Udaipur district on Tuesday after attending an engagement ceremony in Kotda tehsil while around 22 others are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Kotda police station in-charge Ashok Kumar Singh said, "An engagement ceremony was scheduled here on Monday night. There were around 100 guests, many of whom fell ill soon after they returned home."

Three persons, including Babu (50) from the girl's side, and Masru (40) and Amiya Devi (35) from the boy's side, died due to food poisoning. Twenty-two others are being treated at the hospital, Singh said.

The Chief Medical and Health Officer in Udaipur, Shankar Bamniya, said that food samples have been collected by the food safety officer which have been sent for testing.

Necessary action will be taken after getting the reports, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Delhi Hospital Fire: Cops To Check Call Records, Question Owner's Wife

The Delhi Police will check call records and messages of the two accused arrested in connection with a fire at a neonatal facility here and question the hospital owner's wife, officials said on Tuesday.

They said investigators have already seized the mobile phones of the accused -- Dr Naveen Kichi, the owner of Baby Care New Born Hospital in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar, and Dr Akash, who was on duty at the time of the incident.

A senior police officer privy to the investigation said Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) officials under whose jurisdiction the hospital came will also be questioned.

Police are also investigating the source of the fire, who was the first to notice it and the time taken by firefighters to reach the spot after receiving information about the incident, said the officer who did not wish to be named.

"We have also written to the health department regarding guidelines for running neonatal hospitals," he said.

"As part of the investigation, we have seized the mobile phones of the accused to check their call records and the messages exchanged between them. We will also check if any message was deleted," he said.

If needed, mobile phones of other staff members will also be checked, he added.

Police have summoned Dr Khichi's wife Jagriti, a dentist and co-owner of the neonatal hospital, according to the officials.

Police have asked the hospital owners to submit degrees and certificates of the doctors, nurses and paramedic staff employed at the facility.

The officials said there was a half an hour delay in informing the authorities about the fire. At least five PCR calls were made between 11.29 pm to 11.32 pm to report the fire.

During the investigation, it was found that the fire broke out at 11 pm on Saturday but distress calls to fire and police departments were made only at 11.30 pm, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary.

"We are focusing on why the call was not made half an hour earlier when the fire started," he said.

Kichi, 45, owns three more hospitals in Punjabi Bagh, Faridabad, and Gurugram, the DCP said.

"Police teams will also visit these hospitals for a detailed investigation," he said.

According to police sources, a list of more than 15 questions has been prepared for the hospital staff and teams will visit Kichi's other three hospitals to check doctors' credentials and if these facilities are following fire norms.

"During the investigation, we also found that some other children's hospitals used to refer newborns to this hospital on a high commission basis. A probe has been launched into this as well," a source said.

According to the source, someone from the hospital was found to have tipped off the Punjabi Bagh, Faridabad and Gurugram facilities to check their oxygen cylinders and get rid of extra ones.

Several safety lapses were found at the five-bed neonatal centre in Vivek Vihar. A total of 27 oxygen cylinders were found inside and outside the hospital building and five of them exploded during the deadly blaze.

"We will check the records of these hospitals to find out how many infants were undergoing treatment there at the time of the fire incident in Delhi. Two doctors and six nurses will be questioned on Tuesday and other staff will be questioned on Wednesday," said an official part of the probe.

The DGHS officer who had issued a licence to the Baby Care New Born Child Hospital, which expired on March 31, will also be questioned, police said.

"We have written a letter to DGHS, MCD and fire department as there are a few things that we want to know for our investigation," said a senior police officer of the eastern range.

A Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) source confirmed that the agency has received a letter from the Delhi Police.

"We have received a letter from the Delhi Police enquiring about the building plan authorisation and licence of the hospital," the source said.

After the fire tragedy, which claimed the lives of six newborns and left five injured, the Delhi government has directed all state-run and private health facilities to conduct fire audits.

On Monday, a city court allowed a Delhi Police plea seeking three-day custodial interrogation of Kichi and Akash.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Manipur Schools To Remain Shut For 3 Days Due To Heavy Rains

All schools in Manipur will remain closed for three days from May 29 due to the bad weather conditions and widespread destruction caused to many households and installations due to incessant rain in the aftermath of cyclone Remal, an official notification said on Tuesday.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that measures have been taken to regulate the rising water level of rivers caused by the heavy rainfall.

"In view of the widespread destruction and inconveniences caused to many households and installations across the state due to incessant rain and floods that followed and in anticipation of the same in the following days...all schools of the state...will stay closed on May 29, May 30 and May 31," an order issued by the Directorate of Education (S) said.

During this period, all activities at schools, including the admission process should not be taken up, it said.

Meanwhile, in the wake of rivers in the state swelling up due to incessant rainfall, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that one gate of the Ethai Barrage was opened to regulate the rising water level of rivers caused by incessant heavy rainfall.

"We are closely monitoring the situation, and any further openings will be done in consultation with the Water Resources Department (WRD) and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC)," Mr Singh posted on X.

Ithai barrage serves a pivotal role in regulating the region's water dynamics and serves as the primary outlet for draining water out of the Manipur Valley.

Rivers in the state are intricately linked and fall into Loktak Lake from where it is drained out by the Manipur river where the Ithai Barrage is located.

"Our official teams are working tirelessly around the clock to manage this situation effectively and ensure the safety of the people," Singh added.

Incessant rain caused the Sekmai river to overflow in the Imphal West district and inundated several houses. A few pucca structures were also washed away by the overflowing water, officials said.

Downpours also flooded several areas of Churachandpur district headquarters and Ukhrul, Bishnupur and Kakching districts as well.

Several vehicles along Imphal- Ukhrul road were left stranded after mudslides were reported at two places. The Ukhrul district headquarters ground was also submerged.

In Tamenglong district, heavy rain and gusty wind uprooted several trees and damaged power lines.

Several relief camps in the Imphal Valley where displaced people from the ethnic violence were staying were also inundated due to heavy downpours.

Displaced people staying at Ideal Girls College at Akampat in Imphal East district and Sunusiphai Upper Primary School in Bishnupur district faced inconveniences after all the rooms occupied by them were flooded.

Offices of the Deputy Commissioners of Imphal East, Bishnupur and Kangpokpi further issued separate public advisories asking people to remain alert, to take precautions and to postpone agricultural activities till the weather condition improves.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Shashi Tharoor's Request To PM After Payal Kapadia's Big Win At Cannes

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he hailed director Payal Kapadia for winning the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival, asking if India is proud of her, shouldn't his government immediately withdraw the "cases" against her and fellow FTII students.

Last week, Ms Kapadia became the first Indian woman filmmaker to win the Grand Prix award, the second highest honour at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, for her Malayalam-Hindi feature film "All We Imagine As Light". Following the win, PM Modi had said the country is proud of her.

Back in 2015, Ms Kapadia was one of the protesting students who went on strike to oppose actor-politician Gajendra Chauhan's appointment as the chairperson of the Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

In a post on X, Mr Tharoor said, "Modi ji, if India is proud of her, should your government not immediately #WithdrawTheCases against her and fellow FTII students protesting against your government's arbitrary appointment of an unqualified Chairman?"

Modi ji, if India is proud of her, should your government not immediately #WithdrawTheCases against her and fellow FTII students protesting against your government's arbitrary appointment of an unqualified Chairman? https://t.co/BmZNifLLj9 pic.twitter.com/psZMwSADnn

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 28, 2024

Mr Tharoor's remarks came in response to PM Modi's post on X on May 26 in which he wrote, "India is proud of Payal Kapadia for her historic feat of winning the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her work 'All We Imagine as Light'. An alumnus of FTII, her remarkable talent continues to shine on the global stage, giving a glimpse of the rich creativity in India. This prestigious accolade not only honours her exceptional skills but also inspires a new generation of Indian filmmakers."

According to protesting students in 2015, Mr Chauhan did not match the vision and stature of past chairmen of the FTII governing council, and his appointment appeared "politically coloured".

During the 139-day strike, the students had also allegedly gheraoed and confined the then FTII director Prashant Pathrabe in his office over some academic issues. This had led to the police entering the campus and arresting some of the protesters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Two Dead As Car Overturns En Route To Kota Coaching Center

A car carrying seven members of an extended family from Madhya Pradesh overturned after crashing killing two persons and injuring five, police said.

The family were heading to Kota for the admission of two persons -- also in the car -- in a coaching institute when around 11.30 am, the accident happened near Anta town on the national highway, Circle Inspector at Baran Sadar Police Station Chuttan Lal said.

One person has sustained critical injuries is under treatment at Baran district hospital while others in the car suffered minor injuries and were discharged after primary medical care, Anta circle DSP Sheoram said.

Kesrilal Dhakad (55) and Jagdish Dhakad (43), both cousins and residents of Fatehgarh in MP, died in the accident, police said.

The car reportedly went out of control in an attempt to save a motorbike rider on the wrong side on the highway and rammed into divider and overturned, the CO said.

Police said the two bodies were handed over to family members after post-mortem. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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