CMC to plant 1.5 lakh saplings in July first week in Odisha
As per the decision taken by the civic body in a meeting recently, it will procure around one lakh saplings from the Forest department and the remaining 50,000 comprising different varieties of fruit-bearing trees including mango, guava, banyan and amla, will be given by the Horticulture department.
CMC mayor Subhas Singh said the corporation will also involve school and college students, puja committees and different non-government organisations (NGOs) in the plantation drive. 'Apart from parks, school and college premises, and open spaces in the city, the plantation drive will this year also be undertaken on three acre land at Mahanadi's Bhuasuni Patha. The saplings, after being planted will be taken care of by the Forest department for around three years. Tree guards will also be deployed to take care of the plants. We have also planned to conduct awareness programmes to sensitise residents on environmental pollution and global warming,' Singh added.
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The Hindu
16 hours ago
- The Hindu
Amid years of hardship, Kolanjimadam tribal settlement awaits construction of a bridge
Over 60 families residing in the Kolanjimadam tribal settlement, which is part of Modhiramalai region in Kadayal town panchayat in Kanniyakumari district, have been facing hardships for years due to absence of proper roads and a connecting bridge, forcing the people to cross a river on foot to access essential services. Kolanjimadam, located around 15 km from Pechiparai, is home to the Kaani tribal community. The people are dependent on cultivation of pepper, pineapple, rubber and other crops for their livelihood. They carry the products to nearby towns such as Kulasekaram and Kaliyal to sell them. The settlement also has children going to school and elderly women engaged in fishing in a nearby waterbody. However, for all the essential activities, they must cross Kumabaiaaru River flowing through the hamlet, on foot. When the river is in spate, their daily routine comes to a standstill until the flow subsides. Mani, 75, who is mourning the loss of his son-in-law, says: 'My son-in-law was unwell for a week. While my grandson was carrying him to the hospital, he died on the way. If there had been a road or at least a bridge his life could have been saved.' The hamlet has many school-going students and their education is affected due to absence of the bridge. 'When the flow of water increases, they are forced to miss school, even during important exams.' Dinesh, a youth from the settlement, says: 'Our people carry heavy load on their heads to move from one side to the other. A bridge would ease their burden, especially when transporting essential items such as ration supplies and goods for selling.' However, when an amount of ₹2.16 crore was sanctioned under the Special Area Development Project (SADP) two years ago for construction of a road and two bridges in the hamlet, differences between the forest department and villagers delayed the project. Soundara Raj, Village Forest Committee President, says a preliminary proposal was made for two bridges and roads in the region and three-fourth funds were sanctioned. 'But those proposals were made without getting a no-objection certificate from the Forest Department. When the department reviewed the project, their survey showed that many trees would need to be cut. So, they approved only construction of a steel bridge, which is still pending.' Some people in the region insist on both road and bridges, even a steel bridge with a minimum load capacity, sufficient for an auto rickshaw and an ambulance to pass. An official from the Forest Department, Kanniyakumari, says: 'We approved a steel bridge with limited carrying capacity about a year ago. But constructing a road and two concrete bridges is not feasible, as it would require cutting down more than 80 trees.' The remaining funds could be used for other development works in the tribal settlement, the offiicial adds. Highlighting the issue of wild elephant intrusion in the area, the official further says the construction of a road would make the pathway easier for them, leading to other serious consequences. An official from the town panchayat department feels that the delay in the construction of a steel bridge is due to certain changes in the initial project. 'As per the recommendations made by the Forest Department, the construction of the steel bridge will commence shortly.'
News18
20 hours ago
- News18
NCC cadets to undertake fresh expedition soon, peaks shortlisted: DG
New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) A newly constituted NCC expedition team consisting of 20 cadets, is set to embark on a mountaineering adventure post monsoon when they will attempt to scale a peak in northern India, the Corps' director general said. Two peaks have been shortlisted by the NCC — Mt Yunam (6,111 m) in Himachal Pradesh and Mt Shalang Dhura (5,678 m) in Uttarakhand. 'One of the two peaks will be selected based on weather conditions. The team has equal number of male and females cadets, and the planned mission is in line with promoting a spirit of adventure among the youth," DG of NCC, Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh told PTI. Both are basic or beginners' peak, he said. The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world, was raised in 1948. Earlier in May this year, an expedition team of the NCC summited Mt Everest — the world's highest peak. 'We are now looking for the next expedition. We are still to decide on a peak, but it will be either Mt Yunam located in Lahaul in Himachal Pradesh or Mt Shalang Dhura, located in Uttarakhand," Singh said. An NCC team has earlier scaled Mt Yunam but, it will be the 'first attempt" by cadets to summit Mt Shalang Dhura, he added. This will be a post-monsoon expedition, so depending on rainfall and other weather conditions, it is likely to begin around either end-September or October, he added. The NCC DG said the Corps has already put together a team for this upcoming expedition. Around fifteen days ago, nearly 150 cadets had come to Delhi after being shortlisted by their respective directorates, and from that pool, the 20 cadets were finalised, he said. The NCC has 17 directorates spread across the country, with a total sanctioned strength of 20 lakh. It has two divisions — Junior Division and Senior Division. After they join, in the first year of Senior Division, the caders are made to train at various training academies as part of different courses, and mountaineering is also part of their training. After selection for a mountaineering expedition, they get trained for 7-10 days in Uttarkashi generally, but due to natural disaster there recently, 'we are trying to do this at another place in Uttarakhand", the DG said. Lieutenant General Singh expressed pride that 2,000 NCC cadets along with 500 My Bharat volunteers were part of the team that sat in front of the Red Fort ramparts here during the 79th Independence Day celebrations, in a formation of the 'Naya Bharat' logo. The NCC DG also attended the celebrations at Red Fort on August 15, where the defining spirit was the success of Operation Sindoor — India's decisive four-day military action in May in the wake of Pahalgam attack. '75,000 NCC cadets participated in civil defence and other related activities across the country, during the four-day period when Operation Sindoor was underway," he said. The cadets helped in traffic management and crowd control. As also in hosting blood donation camps, thus contributing to nation-building which they are trained for, the DG said, adding, that they also took part in mock drills that took place around that period. On the upcoming expedition, Lt Gen Singh said, besides the 20 cadets (average age 20-21 years), at least three officers and 10-15 support staff will be part of the team. He said every year, two expeditions are planned, one pre-monsoon and another post-monsoon. For putting together an NCC expedition team for scaling Mt Everest (8,848 m), 'we take 1.5-2 years", the DG added. Mt Everest was first conquered by New Zealand's Edmund Hillary and his sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in 1953, and has ever since fascinated climbers and mountaineers to scale the famed peak in the mighty Himalayas. NCC cadets in the past, have successfully climbed other peaks too, including Mt Kang Yatse II (6,250 m) and Mt Abi Gamin (7,335 m). PTI KND OZ OZ (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 17, 2025, 16:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
‘Mountain came down': Kishtwar survivors dig through rubble, search for loved ones
Kishtwar: Search and rescue operation underway at Chisoti village after a flash flood triggered by cloudburst, in Kishtwar. (PTI Photo) CHASOTI: A two-storey wooden home crumbled in seconds. Boulders roared down the hillside, mud and water swallowed fields at Chasoti village in J&K's Kishtwar district. 'It was as if mountain itself was coming down,' said 26-year-old arts student Piyra Singh, who fled into maize fields as his house collapsed behind him. By the time silence returned, his uncle and cousin were dead, two visiting pilgrims missing, and his family in shock. 'My brother kept touching me, asking, 'are you alive?'' Singh said. Chasoti is now rubble. Flash floods following a cloudburst killed Thursday at least 60 people, injured 160, and left up to 70 unaccounted for. Chief secretary Atul Dullo said 72 missing reports had been filed. MLA Sunil Sharma warned numbers could be higher. Rescue workers pulled out four more bodies Saturday. Everywhere, grief hangs heavy. Pawan Kumar, a bulldozer driver from Rajouri, has been searching since Aug 14 for 14 relatives who came for the Mata Machail pilgrimage. 'Many bodies have been pulled out,' he said, breaking down when one stretcher finally carried his mother's remains. At a community kitchen, Jaffar Hussain of Doda described watching 30 people vanish in a matter of seconds. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo 'When I looked again, there was none,' he said. Such accounts fuel fears that actual missing numbers could cross official estimates. On Saturday morning, CM Omar Abdullah arrived to placate restless families demanding answers. 'They have been waiting for two days. They want to know if their family members will come out alive or not,' he said, promising relentless search efforts. He pegged missing figures between 70 and 80. 'It will fluctuate a little, but I do not think the number will reach 500 or 1,000 as some are claiming,' he said. Rescue teams of SDRF and NDRF are digging through boulders with excavators while revenue officers note names of missing. Relatives wait at the edge, weeping. Politicians shuttle in and out. Union minister Jitendra Singh visited the injured at GMC Jammu. He said PM Narendra Modi is 'personally monitoring' relief. Sixty-seven patients were admitted, 15 discharged Saturday, leaving 52 under treatment. Singh announced an MP help-desk to provide food, medicines, and transport. 'This was a natural calamity no one was prepared for,' he said. For survivors like Piyra Singh, life is upended. 'Our homes are gone, our employment is gone, my uncle and cousin are dead,' he said. 'I thought I will continue studying. But now I am burdened with responsibilities. I don't know if we will live in this village now.' (inputs from Sanjay Khajuria in Jammu)
