Latest news with #OperationSindoorPak
Time of India
11-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kaziranga jeep driver turns caregiver for over 6000 rescued wild animals
1 2 Guwahati: Since embarking on his journey in 2005, Manoj Gogoi 's name has become synonymous with wildlife conservation in Assam. Through nearly two decades of tireless efforts, he has dedicated his life rescuing and protecting the region's diverse wildlife — from venomous snakes to majestic animals — ensuring their survival. Born in Bochagaon, falling within the Kaziranga National Park at Assam's Golaghat district, his passion for conservation was ignited early on by the region's rich biodiversity. Until 2013, Gogoi worked as a jeep driver and tourist guide. However, his life took a transformative turn after meeting Kedar Gore, director of the Corbett Foundation, whose guidance and encouragement inspired him to devote himself entirely to wildlife conservation. Operation Sindoor Pak drones enter Indian airspace, explosions heard just hours after truce deal Sirens, explosions in border districts after Pak breaks deal: What we know so far 'What happened to ceasefire?' J&K CM after explosions heard across Srinagar Spanning approximately 430 square kilometers, the park stretches across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, which lies to its north. However, it becomes highly vulnerable during the monsoon season, frequently suffering from floods, something he found deeply disheartening as animals are often displaced from their natural habitats, which in turn worsens the situation. "During floods in Kaziranga, animals often get displaced, and get separated from the others in the chaos. In their search for safety, they sometimes come into conflict with people, posing a threat to both parties. In order to avert that, I continue my work," said Gogoi. With more than 6,000 rescues to his name, Gogoi, who has dedicated sleepless nights, not only saves animals and reptiles but also provides them shelter and food. He creates a safe haven for their recovery. What began as a challenging and uncertain effort, sustained only by patience and determination, gradually evolving into a structured and effective rescue mission over the has also been instrumental in raising awareness about human-wildlife conflict and actively collaborates with people from his community, who serve as informants and first responders during animal rescues. . "Conservation is not a one-man job," he said, adding,"The support of the local community is crucial. Many of them alert me whenever they spot a distressed animal, and some even help in the rescue efforts themselves. When people understand the value of wildlife, they become protectors instead of threats. "
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Eyeing Transparency, Police To Get 1.5k Bodycams
New Delhi: Delhi Police is procuring body-worn cameras, which it hopes will boost accountability, therefore foster trust with the citizens. The step will also modernise and increase transparency in policing . In the first phase, around 1,500 cameras are being procured, sources national capital's police force contemplated using body-worn cameras for years, but the idea always ran into troubled waters. Pilot projects were carried out in 2016, 2019 and 2022, but they didn't prove successful for various reasons, including lack of maintenance and infrastructure likely learnt lessons, this time, the police brass intends to have supporting infrastructure to make the project a success. Operation Sindoor Pak drones enter Indian airspace, explosions heard just hours after truce deal Sirens, explosions in border districts after Pak breaks deal: What we know so far 'What happened to ceasefire?' J&K CM after explosions heard across Srinagar The move was initialled in Jan, said an officer. The cameras, small and discreet, will be clipped on the uniforms of police personnel and will capture every interaction, incident and decision made in the line of duty. "This digital eye will provide an unbiased account of events, helping to resolve disputes and complaints and ensure justice is served," said a senior reported last July that after the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , body-worn cameras might hold the key to scripting a successful police story. BNS makes filming of crime scenes or search and seizures the public, the move means reassurance and protection. The presence of body-worn cameras will deter potential offenders while also providing valuable evidence in cases of misconduct or abuse. Crime victims will get added evidence because the camera footage can be used to build stronger cases and secure police, the benefits are multifaceted. "The cameras will serve as a training tool, allowing for real-time feedback and improvement. They will also help to protect officers from false accusations by providing a clear record of events," explained an officer. "Moreover, the cameras will enable the police to review their procedures and protocols, identifying areas for improvement and optimising their response to emergencies."Initially, the plan is to equip traffic cops with these cameras, police sources said. Subsequently, beat officers and investigating officers will be asked to wear these while on duty. According to police, these body-worn video cameras have the potential to simplify procedures specified under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure last year. Currently, the cops use their mobile phones for recording videos."The traffic police will particularly benefit from body-worn cameras since they will be able to document traffic violations and incidents with clarity. With video and audio evidence, enforcement actions will become more effective and disputes over fines or penalties will be minimised," an officer cameras will even act as independent witnesses, providing crucial evidence during arrests and at crime scenes, sources said. There have been studies in forces that use such cameras and they rated them effective. There were statistically significant reductions in citizen complaints against police and use-of-force reports for officers who wore cameras compared with those who did personnel in western countries do not turn on the body-worn cameras for routine patrols but activate them for specific incidents. When a recording is under way, a flashing red light on the camera becomes visible and officers inform people that they are being recorded. The cameras are used while gathering evidence during the investigation of crimes or suspected crimes or to promote transparency during police actions. It also comes in handy after an encounter for writing reports or verification of are situations when police officers abroad almost certainly activate their cameras. "Body-worn cameras are mandatory when making an arrest, searching a property, land or vehicle, conducting a stop-and-search, or responding to a critical incident," said an officer.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
NMC to survey and eliminate illegal garbage dumps
1 2 Nagpur: In a bid to make Nagpur a garbage-free city , the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has initiated a comprehensive survey of unauthorised garbage dumping sites — commonly referred to as black spots or Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs). The civic body aims to permanently eliminate these unregulated dumping sites, which have become persistent sources of waste NMC's solid waste management department has directed assistant commissioners of all zones to conduct a joint survey with the health department, sanitation inspectors, and representatives of garbage collection agencies. The move follows recent inspections by additional municipal commissioner (Urban) Vasumana teams have been tasked with mapping the exact locations of black spots and identifying the underlying causes, such as nearby hawkers, food vendors, juice stalls, and vegetable sellers, who may be dumping garbage in open have been instructed to hold direct meetings with these vendors to ensure they are integrated into the formal waste collection part of the action plan, each zone must propose specific measures, such as installing dedicated bins or deploying additional collection services, to prevent further unauthorised dumping. Operation Sindoor Pak drones enter Indian airspace, explosions heard just hours after truce deal Sirens, explosions in border districts after Pak breaks deal: What we know so far 'What happened to ceasefire?' J&K CM after explosions heard across Srinagar Detailed implementation plans must be submitted to the additional commissioner's office by May 14. A review meeting to assess these plans is scheduled for May initiative aims to streamline waste management and enhance cleanliness, especially in the run-up to the monsoon season, when hygiene concerns typically intensify.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Prayagraj Municipal Corporation to tax schools, colleges for commercial activities
Prayagraj: In light of the increasing commercial activities in schools and college premises in Sangam city, the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to take a significant step towards curbing this trend and enhancing municipal revenue. The PMC observed that several educational institutions across the city and its newly added areas were engaging in commercial activities such as hosting weddings, operating coaching centres, and renting spaces for various functions. These practices, though profitable for the institutions, often generate annual incomes in lakhs of rupees but do not contribute proportionally to the corporation's revenue due to the educational institutions' exemption from address this, the PMC initiated a city-wide survey to identify schools, colleges, and social organisations involved in such commercial undertakings. The objective is to prepare list of properties being used for non-educational, income-generating purposes. Once the survey is completed, the PMC plans to impose a commercial tax on these institutions. Furthermore, the properties identified will be reclassified as ' mixed-use properties ', which will allow the corporation to assess them differently for house tax initiative is driven by the realisation that despite the availability of municipal resources being extended to these institutions, the corporation receives minimal financial return. Operation Sindoor Pak drones enter Indian airspace, explosions heard just hours after truce deal Sirens, explosions in border districts after Pak breaks deal: What we know so far 'What happened to ceasefire?' J&K CM after explosions heard across Srinagar Regional officers from the corporation have been tasked with site inspections in areas such as Colonelganj, Georgetown, Katra, Civil Lines, Rajapur, and Bairhana. Notices will be issued to institutions found guilty of violating zoning and tax to sources, there are approximately 1,200 to 1,500 such institutions in the city involved in profitable commercial ventures. A similar situation prevails in peripheral localities like Phaphamau, Teliyarganj, Malak Harhar, Rasulabad, and many others. These activities include not only educational coaching but also the rental of premises for marriage ceremonies and other large-scale social PMC is taking a holistic approach by involving cleaning staff in the survey process, as these employees often have first-hand knowledge of which premises are being rented out for events. Their reports are already aiding the survey process."Once the zone-wise survey is completed, the findings will be presented to the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner. The decision to officially impose commercial and house taxes on these institutions will be taken based on their directives," said Chief Tax Assessment Officer of PMC, PK Dwivedi. This step by the PMC marks a significant shift in policy to ensure that institutions benefitting commercially from their premises contribute fairly to the city's revenue, he added.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
2-hr rain triggers power cuts, waterlogging in Guwahati
1 2 Guwahati: Guwahati and its neighbouring areas experienced a spell of intense rainfall on Saturday evening, which lasted for about two hours, plunging several localities into darkness due to power cuts and paralysing traffic as uprooted trees and waterlogged roads brought the city to a rain, which grew heavier around 7pm accompanied by strong winds gusting upto around 65kmph, led to power outages across several parts of the city, including Chandmari, Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Geeta Nagar and Rukminigaon, among official from the IMD said the rainfall and thunderstorms were a result of a cyclonic circulation over north Bangladesh and adjoining areas, with moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal adding to the severity. The weather station at Amingaon recorded the highest rainfall at 41mm, followed by North Guwahati College weather station with 26.5mm — both in north Guwahati. Rupnagar and Down Town University weather stations recorded 23.5 mm and 21mm of rainfall, respectively. According to IMD, the rainfall has occurred between 5.30pm and 8.30pm on Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) deployed teams to identify faults and restore power. Dibyajyoti Bhuyan, deputy manager at APDCL, said power outages had impacted multiple parts of the city due to snapped lines from fallen trees, and possible collapse of some electricity poles, although ground teams were still assessing the situation. Operation Sindoor Pak drones enter Indian airspace, explosions heard just hours after truce deal Sirens, explosions in border districts after Pak breaks deal: What we know so far 'What happened to ceasefire?' J&K CM after explosions heard across Srinagar He added that restoration may take time as repair teams are contending with waterlogging and fallen Talukdar, project officer at District Disaster Management Authority, Kamrup (Metro), said while the situation caused traffic snarls, no casualties were along Guwahati Shillong Road, Chandmari, Hatigaon, and Geetanagar led to heavy traffic disruptions during peak evening hours. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo In Ganeshguri, traffic halted for hours after a uni-pole in flood-prone areas like Rukminigaon, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar and Rajgarh reported water entering homes and shops, expressing dissatisfaction with the administration's preparedness. Ambikagiri Nagar, increasingly affected by waterlogging, also saw rising water levels in lanes and low-lying houses. "The rain has caught us off guard, and we are suffering because of it. Earlier our area never had a problem with waterlogging, but the old drainage system, clogged with plastic and silt, have failed to cope with the sudden downpour," said Vikas Jha, a resident of Ambikagiri Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) is working to manage the waterlogging by deploying pumps in vulnerable areas. Nabajyoti Bordoloi, GMC chief engineer, said they are fully prepared to tackle waterlogging issues, with two additional pumps on standby in each of the 12 divisions for urgent response.
