Latest news with #Centre
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi plans joint action with Punjab, Haryana to curb farm fires
The Delhi government has decided to engage with the state governments of Punjab and Haryana for joint action to control paddy stubble burning. Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday said he would seek to jointly meet the chief ministers of both states to formulate an action plan and dissuade farmers from burning stubble. Both states have, in the past, objected to the Delhi government placing the blame on them for smog formation in Capital in the months of October and November when paddy fields are cleared for the next crop. The Centre has spent over ₹3,200 crore on subsidised machinery since 2018 to check the menace, but little change was seen on ground as farmers continued to set fields on fire. 'All the states including Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are making efforts to curb pollution, but they are working in silos. A joint plan that covers the larger geographic area would bring good results,' said Sirsa. In 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had proposed that ₹2,500 per acre should be given to farmers in the state to stop them from stubble burning. The Punjab government had sent the proposal to the commission for air quality management (CAQM), stating that Delhi and Punjab should give ₹500 each while the Centre should provide ₹1,500. The Centre had rejected the proposal, stating that cash incentives are already given to farmers under the crop residue management (CRM) plan. From 2018 to 2024, 1.49 lakh machines, costing ₹1,650 crore, were given to farmers in Punjab for in-situ management of paddy stubble. This year, a sum of ₹500 crore will be spent to provide 4,367 machines for in-situ management of paddy stubble and ₹300 crore for ex-situ management of stubble.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mock drills: India to conduct ‘Operation Shield' in these states; check all details
India will carry out major mock drills on May 31 in disticts of states adjoining the western border of the country as part of a countrywide emergency preparedness programme titled Operation Shield , according to an official statement. The states where drills will take place include Rajasthan, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir. In Punjab, the drill has been scheduled separately for June 3. The Punjab government wrote to the Centre requesting the alternate date, citing that its civil defence personnel were currently attending training sessions being conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Gujarat will also conduct the mock drills, according to media reports. The coordinated drills aim to assess how well prepared both the local administration and the civilian population are to respond in the event of emergencies such as air strikes or bombings. These will be full-scale simulation exercises designed to test the operation of control rooms, the effectiveness of air raid warning systems, and the capabilities of civil defence services. Areas of focus include the functioning of wardens, firefighting teams, rescue units, depot management, and evacuation plans. Live Events Sirens will be sounded during the drills and the entire emergency preparedness system will be observed closely. The Ministry of Home Affairs has given responsibility for overseeing the drills to the Directorate General of Fire Services and Home Guards. The goal is to address serious weaknesses in civil defence systems that were revealed during an earlier exercise held on May 7. This latest round of mock drills, under the name Operation Shield, will involve emergency simulations in the border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Chandigarh. The drills will include blackout protocols, air raid siren tests, and mock evacuations to test coordination and response time across agencies. Simulated scenarios will involve drone or missile strikes. Emergency medical teams, blood transport units, and communication hotlines between local administrations and the Indian Air Force will be activated. Civil defence volunteers from the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), and Bharat Scouts and Guides will also take part. The Civil Defence Department in Rajasthan has already started issuing instructions to all districts, with special focus on those that share a border with Pakistan. A mock drill and blackout exercise is planned across all 41 districts of Rajasthan, including border areas like Jaisalmer, to prepare for emergency responses in case of an airstrike or wartime scenario. Ahead of the drill, the Jaisalmer district administration completed all required arrangements, and Civil Defence teams held training sessions under the supervision of qualified officers. ANI, citing official sources, reported that the mock drill in Jaisalmer is set to begin at 5:00 PM. However, the exact location has not been disclosed for security reasons. As part of the preparations in Jaisalmer, six locations were selected for setting up airstrike warning sirens. A total of 72 Civil Defence personnel were deployed to operate the systems. These sirens will be used during the blackout phase to recreate the environment of an actual air attack. The drills will simulate air attack conditions and will be carried out at two to three locations in each district. In the evening, a blackout will be enforced as part of the drill, and residents have been encouraged to actively participate. In Haryana, a complete blackout will be carried out at all key and strategic points, with the exception of emergency and essential services. The Haryana government has scheduled a major civil defence exercise under Operation Shield for May 31, covering all 22 districts of the state. The aim is to improve the state's emergency readiness and response systems. The mock exercises in Haryana will take place on May 31 from 5 PM to 9 PM. Officials said the blackout will begin at 8 PM and continue until 8:15 PM. They also clarified that the exercises are routine drills and should not cause alarm among the public. Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana's Home Department, said on Friday: 'The exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis.' She said that there are currently about 32,000 Civil Defence Volunteers in the state, who will also take part in the exercise. These activities follow the earlier nationwide drill Operation Abhyas, also organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and held on May 7. That drill coincided with the launch of Operation Sindoor , a military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Operation Sindoor led to the destruction of nine high-value terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the elimination of more than 100 terrorists. Authorities have said that mock drills like these are important for strengthening the country's emergency response systems. What is Operation Shield and why is it being conducted now? Operation Shield is a full-scale emergency preparedness exercise involving airstrike and missile strike simulations across India's border states. It aims to test coordination among civilian and military agencies and plug gaps found in earlier drills. Which states are participating in the Operation Shield mock drills? The large-scale mock drills are being conducted in Rajasthan, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Punjab, and Chandigarh. Punjab will hold its drill on June 3 due to an ongoing NDRF training programme. What will residents experience during the blackout and siren drills? Citizens in the affected districts will hear air raid sirens and experience a planned blackout lasting up to 15 minutes. Mock evacuations and rescue missions will also be carried out as part of the simulations. How is Operation Shield linked to recent security operations? The May 31 drills follow Operation Abhyas and Operation Sindoor, launched earlier in May. Operation Sindoor was a retaliatory military strike destroying terror bases in Pakistan and PoK after the April 22 Pahalgam attack. (with inputs from agencies)
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
No country called Pak terrorist state: Cong
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a sharp attack on the Centre's foreign policy on Friday, saying its result was seen during and after 'Operation Sindoor.' "No country called Pakistan a terrorist state," Khera said. While speaking to ANI, the senior Congress leader said, "The result of our failed foreign policy was seen post-Pahalgam, during Operation Sindoor. No country called Pakistan a terrorist state; this is the result of your failed foreign policy. Then you launched Operation Sindoor, and no country gave a statement in your favour. Now, after Operation Sindoor, Kuwait has lifted visa restrictions on Pakistan. Iran, UAE, and Gulf countries are signing MoUs with Pakistan, and the most shocking thing is that yesterday, Russia signed an MoU with Pakistan to revive its very old steel mill, under which Pakistan will get $2.6 billion from Russia." He added, "This is the result of your failed foreign policy." Khera also refuted BJP leader Sambit Patra's criticism, defending Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and reiterating Congress's right to question the government.
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Just 300 special educators for 27,000 children with special needs in Delhi govt schools
NEW DELHI: Believe it or not! Just 300 special educators are catering to more than 27,000 children with special needs (CwSN) enrolled in Delhi government schools — a ratio of one teacher for every 90 students. The figures raise serious concerns about the quality of education offered to vulnerable children. In the amendment to the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the Supreme Court in 2023 had directed the Centre to notify the norms and standards of Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) for special and general schools. The amendment focused on appointing a special education teacher to teach children with special needs in schools. As per the amendment, schools were asked to appoint one special education teacher for every 10 children with disabilities studying in classes I-V and 15 children with disabilities studying in classes VI-VIII, which will help in their inclusion in the mainstream educational ecosystem. As per data shared by an education department official, over 400 posts are still vacant in the government schools for the special educators and that's why trained graduate teachers are roped in to take care of the special kids in the schools.
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
BJP MP Eatala accuses CM of double-speak on PM Modi, Centre
Hyderabad: Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender on Friday asked Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to answer whether the Congress party was not the reason for the Kashmir issue to simmer even after 75 years of independence. 'Didn't the Congress party fuel the dispute by granting Kashmir a degree of independence?' he questioned. Taking strong exception to CM Revanth Reddy's speech during the Jai Hind rally, he asked, 'If Indira Gandhi had taken control of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during the Indo-Pakistan war, would India be in this situation today?' The BJP MP said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the hero who abrogated Article 370 and made Kashmir an integral part of India. He charged that the Congress party and its leaders talk about national security like demons reciting Vedas. 'The words they speak meant for rhyme and political gains are damaging the self-confidence of our soldiers. Accusing CM Revanth of double speak, he said that the Chief Minister praises Modi in Delhi but abuses him in the streets. His ministers applaud the work of the Centre but the CM abuses the Centre. That exposes the true colours of CM Revanth Reddy, he added.
