logo
Shun drugs: Arunachal MLA to youths

Shun drugs: Arunachal MLA to youths

Time of Indiaa day ago
1
2
Itanagar: Pongchau-Wakka MLA Honchun Ngandam on Sunday asked youths to shun drugs which ruins lives.
Taking part in the Sampoornata Abhiyaan Samman Samaroh at Pongchau in Longding district, Ngandam asked the youths to make constructive contribution towards the society by living a meaningful life.
He exhorted all to make best use of the opportunities which are being provided through the interventions of the govt.
The MLA, on the occasion, felicitated Phohee Wangsa, state topper in CBSE Class XII, with a cash reward of Rs 50,000.He also inaugurated Akankasha Haat, which showcases the products of artisans.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Friendship Day wishes
,
messages
and
quotes
!
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jal Jeevan Mission In Chhattisgarh In Deep Waters As Taps Run Dry
Jal Jeevan Mission In Chhattisgarh In Deep Waters As Taps Run Dry

NDTV

timean hour ago

  • NDTV

Jal Jeevan Mission In Chhattisgarh In Deep Waters As Taps Run Dry

In Ruda village of Chhattisgarh's Durg district, a towering iron structure meant to bring clean drinking water now stands rusting under the sun. Built as part of the Centre's ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission, the skeletal frame of a water tank is complete, but the tank itself is missing. There is no water, no supply, just a hollow structure and a community still walking miles for a basic necessity. "Sometimes we climb it to see pigeons," a child from the village told NDTV. Executive Engineer Utkarsh Pandey, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Durg, told NDTV that Rs 65.38 lakh had been sanctioned under the Jal Jeevan Mission for Ruda. Of that, Rs 10.98 lakh was earmarked for the zinc-aluminium alloy tank of 35,000-litre capacity, raised on a 12-meter staging. After nearly three years, the tank hasn't been installed. "No payments have been made yet. The contractor will be paid only after 100 per cent households get functional tap water," Mr Pandey clarified. Villagers tell a different story. Pipes were laid, roads were built over them, and now they may have to be dug again just to redo a system that was never operational. "It's not a construction site anymore, it's a permanent symbol of neglect," said Bhuvanesh Sahu, a resident. Another villager Aishwarya Deshmukh added, "We tell delivery people, come to the tankless structure, they always find us." Almost 200 kilometres away in Narayanpur, a tank has been completed and taps have been installed under a Rs 1.19 crore project. But for over a year, not a single drop has flowed. Women still walk kilometres daily to handpumps, while the taps serve as hitching posts for cattle. "Forget Jal Jeevan Mission, it's more like 'Tap-Cow Mission' now," said a villager. In Rajnandgaon, only 170 of 610 villages have certified household water supply. Many tank projects never started, tenders were cancelled, and the district administration is issuing warnings to non-performing contractors. Collector Dr Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure confirmed, "Non-compliant contractors are being blacklisted, and their security amounts are being forfeited." In Mahuapara village of Korea district, a tank stands unfinished inside a school compound without barricades. "Children climb it like it's a fair," says Anganwadi worker Sonavati Rajwade, fearful of a possible accident. Taps near the local MLA's house too have no water. Even as the government claims 31 lakh families now have access to water, questions were raised in the Assembly. "Your double engine government is pulling in opposite directions," said former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, criticising the PHE department's pace. In response, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao blamed the previous Congress government "We found that 15 lakh tap connections were only 'entries', with no actual water. We are now correcting that." Jal Jeevan Mission aimed to provide tap water to 49.98 lakh families across 29,000 projects in Chhattisgarh by December 2023. As of January 2024, 15 lakh families had tap connections but no water. The deadline is now pushed to 2027. The scale of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Chhattisgarh is massive with a total sanctioned budget of Rs 26,465 crore aimed at transforming rural water supply. As of now, 4,986 contractors have been fined for irregularities ranging from delay in execution to poor-quality work. FIRs have been lodged against two contractor firms, indicating that some of these lapses were not just procedural but potentially criminal. In the administrative machinery too, only three officers have been suspended.

Can't deny rent for building taken over under DM Act, citing illegal construction: Kerala HC
Can't deny rent for building taken over under DM Act, citing illegal construction: Kerala HC

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Can't deny rent for building taken over under DM Act, citing illegal construction: Kerala HC

Kochi: High court has ruled that the state govt cannot deny rent/compensation for a building taken over and used under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, merely on the ground that the construction was unauthorised. The ruling was issued by a bench of Justice N Nagaresh while allowing a petition challenging the order of the Thiruvananthapuram district collector, who had denied rent for the takeover of a private medical college, along with all its existing human and material resources, during the Covid-19 pandemic for use as a treatment centre. The petitioners, SR Educational and Charitable Trust at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram, stated that in March 2020, the collector had directed them to hand over the hospital buildings and facilities to the district medical officer under the Disaster Management Act. Although the hospital was later returned to the petitioners in Nov 2021, following another order of the collector, no rent or compensation was paid. The petitioners claimed Rs 46 crore as rent/compensation, but the collector rejected the claim, holding that the petitioner was not entitled to any compensation as the building constructed for the medical college was unauthorised. Aggrieved by this, the petitioners approached HC. In the interim, the rent committee fixed the rent for the portion of the building used for Covid-19 response activities at Rs 1.06 crore, based on a direction from the bench. Meanwhile, the local panchayat authorities reported that the women's hostel building of the college was constructed in violation of coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms. Upon examining the facts, HC noted that Section 66 of the Disaster Management Act lays down the procedure for computing rent/compensation, and that rent cannot be denied solely on the ground of unauthorised construction. If there are statutory violations in the building's construction, the authorities are free to proceed in accordance with the law. However, once a building has been used by the govt, the authorities are legally bound to pay rent or compensation to the petitioner. Accordingly, HC directed the collector and district disaster management authority to take a fresh decision in the matter within three weeks.

CBSE begins preparing students for board exams
CBSE begins preparing students for board exams

Time of India

time4 hours ago

  • Time of India

CBSE begins preparing students for board exams

Advt Advt Schools have begun to orient students for next year's board exams on the basis of sample papers and marking schemes which has been recently released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for the academic session 2025–26. According to the official CBSE circular, there has been no change in the exam pattern or marking scheme from the previous academic year (2024–25).This year, the CBSE released the sample papers earlier than usual, providing students more time to familiarise themselves with the structure of the upcoming exams. Alongside the sample papers, the marking schemes were also made available on the board's official website: Shekhar, academic coordinator at Oxford Public School, said, "These resources aim not only to aid exam preparation but also to strengthen classroom learning and conceptual understanding. CBSE has encouraged schools to integrate the sample papers into regular teaching practices."According to the circular, the sample papers cover all subjects, with most provided in both English and Hindi (excluding language-specific papers). The board examinations for both classes will be conducted in Feb 2026, with general instructions, section-wise distribution, and maximum marks clearly defined in the sample documents."CBSE's sample papers guide students preparing for competitive exams. It fully incorporates NCERT content. Students should start early and understand these papers thoroughly to perform better in boards," said Jaya Chauhan, Principal of Delhi Public important change highlighted in CBSE's new approach is the decision to conduct Class X board examinations twice a year starting 2026. The main examination will be held in Feb–March, while a second attempt, termed the improvement exam, will be conducted in this, concerns emerged among students regarding possible changes in marking patterns, which the board has now addressed by maintaining consistency in the marking of Gurunanak Higher Secondary School, captain Sumit Kaur, said, "To begin with, teachers need to thoroughly understand the sample papers and adjust their teaching methods accordingly to help students practice efficiently. When students become familiar with the exam pattern early on, it becomes easier for them to grasp the concepts and perform well in the exams."Aarav Kumar, a class X student at Dani Public School, Khunti, said, "The early release of CBSE sample papers has really helped us understand the exam pattern and focus on important topics. It's like a roadmap that guides our preparation and boosts our confidence for the board exams."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store