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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
CRPF's 87th Foundation Day Celebrated With Pride And Patriotism
Nagpur: The 87th Foundation Day of the (CRPF) was celebrated with great zeal nationwide, commemorating the force's rich legacy since its inception in 1939 in Neemuch. Recognised as a pillar of India's internal security, the CRPF has played a pivotal role in anti-Naxal, anti-terror operations, disaster relief, and VIP security. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Marking the occasion, the 37th Battalion CRPF organised a grand celebration featuring a "Fit India" cycle rally, a tree plantation drive, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Shaheed Smarak, paying tribute to fallen heroes. Commandant Dao Injirkan Kindo led the event, joined by senior officers including Sujeet Kumar, Chandramor Anil, and Raju Wagh. The ceremony concluded with the distribution of sweets, reinforcing camaraderie and patriotic spirit. The event underlined CRPF's enduring values of courage, discipline, and unwavering service to the nation.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat Housing Board residents protest delays, demand action on stalled redevelopment of housing societies
Residents of the Gujarat Housing Board (GHB) colonies and representatives from the Housing Apartment Redevelopment Federation submitted a letter to the Ahmedabad Collector Sujeet Kumar on Wednesday, protesting against the alleged delay in the redevelopment of housing societies and expressing sharp discontent over individuals and groups allegedly obstructing the process. In their memorandum, the residents demanded immediate action from the state government in coordination with the GHB and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. They urged strict enforcement of the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, particularly against illegal encroachments and unauthorised constructions by non-compliant members. The letter also criticised the lack of coordinated action among government departments, blaming inter-departmental buck-passing for a 'slowdown'. The residents also highlighted how each society has been forced to approach the High Court at its own cost, only to face 'indefinite delays and repeated adjournments'. They said they have faith in the judiciary, but called for swift intervention to clear the backlog of redevelopment cases. The letter named multiple affected societies in West Ahmedabad — Surya Apartment Part-2 (Naranpura), Abhishek Apartment, Amar Suramya, Shastri Nagar,Shanti Ravi, and Unnati, as well as Shraddhadip, Nirmal Apartment, Gokul Sundarvan, Shrinagar Shri Ganesh, Shivalay, Vishram Park, Utsav Hariom Nagar and Kiran Park of Wadaj, — which have been abandoned for four years now. Vaishali Apartment and Parishram Nagar in East Ahmedabad were also mentioned as being caught in prolonged litigation. The residents described their plight — homelessness, rising rents, displacement, and lack of support from public representatives. Many senior citizens and women have been compelled to protest on the streets, clinging to the dream of owning a home under the government's 75% consent policy, they said, adding that some elderly people have even passed away without witnessing the reconstruction of their homes. Despite repeated representations to the Chief Minister, GHB Commissioner, and local elected officials, the residents alleged to have not received any positive cooperation or concrete action. Their letter appealed for fast-tracking long-pending redevelopment cases in the High Court, strict enforcement of demolition and redevelopment laws and reduction of the notice period under Clause 60-A and a time-bound action plan to protect the interests of 75% consenting residents. Talking to The Indian Express, Sandeep Trivedi, Founder of the Housing Apartment Redevelopment Federation and Chairman of Rameshwaram Apartments, said the state's redevelopment policy has been in place since 2016, but 'due to objections raised by a handful of members from various societies, the entire process has been repeatedly stalled, particularly since 2022″. He added that during their meeting with the Collector, officials assured them that the administration would share their feedback with the government for any necessary policy revisions. If no resolution is found, the residents will launch peaceful protests, including hunger strikes and indefinite fasts, with full support from the Housing Apartment Redevelopment Federation, stated their letter. GHB Commissioner Sandeep B Vasava told this paper that notices have already been issued to non-compliant society members, and eviction orders were also passed. 'However, these individuals exercised their right to appeal under the provisions available to them. Even after losing those appeals, they have now challenged the matter in the High Court. It is currently sub-judice,' he said. Vasava added that the board received a formal representation from residents, and it will be forwarded to the state government with appropriate recommendations for further action.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
CBSE schools offering AI rises to over 4,500 in Class 9: Education ministry data
New Delhi: The number of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)-affiliated schools offering artificial intelligence (AI) as a subject to students in Classes 9 and 11 has seen a sharp rise, with Class 9 registrations surging by 1,833% — from 235 schools in 2019–20 to 4,543 in 2024–25 — and Class 11 by 1,080%, from 80 in 2020–21 to 944 in 2024–25, according to data shared by the union ministry of education in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The national board introduced AI as an optional elective skill subject in Class 9 from the academic session 2019–2020 and in Class 11 from 2020–21. (Representative image) Responding to questions raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Sujeet Kumar, union minister of state (MoS) in the ministry of education Jayant Chaudhary said that the board had signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Intel (Integrated Electronics) and IBM (International Business Machines) to promote an emerging technology-based curriculum in schools. 'The curriculum and the content for the AI course was prepared by the board with support of experts from Intel, IBM and other higher educational institutions,' Chaudhary said. The national board introduced AI as an optional elective skill subject in Class 9 from the academic session 2019–2020 and in Class 11 from 2020–21. The data shows that the number of students opting for the subject has seen a continuous rise. While Class 9 students opting for AI jumped by 2,900%, from 15,645 in 2019–20 to 4,69,454 in 2024–25, Class 11 student enrolment increased by 1,556%, from 2,048 in 2020–21 to 33,933 in 2024–25. School principals and technology experts said that the inclusion of AI in the school curriculum has become essential, and demand is growing due to its relevance in the present times and a changing mindset towards AI. 'With AI set to change how students will learn and teachers will teach in the future, we have trained our teachers in smart tutoring platforms to ensure our students are future-ready for digital classrooms. We believe that each student is different and hence our teachers are being trained to create customised study plans for weaker students and thus bring them at par with the others — by taking AI's help in tracking their performance,' Swati Yadav, principal of Bliss International Public School in Meerut, said. Principal of Modern Public School in Delhi's Shalimar Bagh, Alka Kapur, said, 'Their (students') interests are less about gadgets and more about exploring how technology works, affects life, and can be used responsibly to effect positive change. This reflects a change in mindset guided by curiosity with purpose.' Raising concerns about students becoming dependent on AI, principal of Shiv Nadar School in Gurugram, Sameer Arora, said, 'By using analogies, stories, and discussion, not just software, we help students understand not just how AI works, but what it means. Aligned with National Education Policy (NEP)'s vision for future-ready learning, our goal must be to teach students about AI, not lead them into dependence on it. However, before integrating AI in the school curriculum, schools must ask: Is it enriching student thinking? Does it free teachers for deeper engagement? Is it building capability or replacing it?' Co-founder of curriculum design organisation Nature Nurture Akshal Agrawal said, 'Over the past year or two, there has been a visible rise in students opting for AI electives. This is not just because of the buzz, it is because the subject feels real and relevant. Many students are genuinely curious to learn how the tech they use every day actually works. At the same time, there is growing awareness among parents and educators about the need to equip children with skills that go beyond academics.' The growing demand for AI elective subjects also reflects a change in mindset among educators and parents, said Anurag Gupta, CEO and co-founder of AI coding and robotics lab setup company STEMROBO Technologies Pvt. Ltd. 'They see the value in preparing children not just to use technology but to innovate with it. This momentum will only grow as schools continue to invest in 21st-century learning environments,' Gupta added. Minister Chaudhary said that from 2020 to 2024, CBSE has organised seven events, including two national skill expos, three ideathons, and two Future Tech Olympiads. 'A total of 35,000 students, including children who were part of the AI curriculum, have participated in CBSE events,' he said.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre notifies draft rules to clear obstacles near airports
The central government issued draft rules on Wednesday to regulate and remove physical obstructions around airports, six days after the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad, the deadliest in three decades, as authorities separately spoke of plans to survey structures near the city's airport for potential safety violations. The Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees etc.) Rules, 2025, were notified on June 18 under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and are open for public feedback for 21 days. The rules aim to replace the three-decade-old Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 1994. Under the proposed framework, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will have expanded authority to take action against any structure violating height restrictions around airports. 'Any building or tree that violates notified height restrictions around airports may face demolition or height reduction orders from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),' the draft rules state. The regulations establish a detailed enforcement mechanism where airport authorities must notify owners of potential violations and conduct physical verification. Property owners will be required to submit structural details within 60 days, with a possible 60-day extension if granted. 'If the DGCA determines, after providing an opportunity for a hearing, that a building or tree violates safety norms, an order can be issued for its demolition, trimming, or reduction in height,' the draft states. In cases of non-compliance, district collectors will be authorised to enforce demolition procedures, treating violations as unauthorised construction under local law. 'On receiving the report from the officer-in-charge of the aerodrome, the district collector shall carry out forthwith the demolition of the building or the cutting of the tree or reduction in height of the building... in the same manner and by the same procedure as is followed in case of demolition of any unauthorized construction in his district,' the rules specify. The draft rules come as authorities prepare to conduct a comprehensive survey around Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport following last week's crash. According to PTI, Ahmedabad district collector Sujeet Kumar told reporters that 'a survey of areas surrounding the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here will be conducted by the officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Civil Aviation department.' 'Once the survey gets over, subsequent necessary work will be initiated,' Kumar said. The collector cited the new draft rules as providing the framework for potential action against structures posing threats to aircraft safety. Some analysts cautioned that while many airports around the country have buildings nearby that violate height norms, following through with an actual demolition will be hard. 'While it's easy to make rules, it will be next to impossible to implement them,' given the scale of non-conforming structures, said Mark Martin, founder and CEO at Martin Consulting, an aviation advisory firm, Bloomberg reported. An official at the Delhi airport said a survey will be initiated to identify obstructions in the Capital by both the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the directorate general of civil aviation. 'The Air Traffic Control (ATC) directly reports to the AAI and so it will share information on possible obstructions. Both AAI and DGCA will also do their own surveys,' said the official, pointing to a similar exercise done in 2018 when 369 obstructions were identified, including trees, poles and buildings. 'Subsequently, AAI also took action against these obstructions,' the airport official added. Compensation provisions are limited under the proposed new framework. 'Compensation may be available but only for compliant or pre-existing structures. New constructions violating notified height restrictions will not be eligible,' the rules specify. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a medical hostel complex in Meghaninagar area moments after take-off on June 12, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard and 29 others on the ground. The aircraft departed Ahmedabad airport at 1:39 PM on June 12, with the pilot issuing a Mayday distress call shortly after take-off before the plane crashed into the medical complex located outside the airport compound.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
AI 171 crash: Survey of Ahmedabad airport surrounding areas to be conducted, says district collector
Ahmedabad: A survey of the surrounding areas of the Ahmedabad airport will be conducted in the wake of last week's Air India Flight 171 crash that claimed 270 lives, a top district official said on Thursday. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 persons on board crashed into a medical hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area moments after it took off from the city airport in the afternoon of June 12. The ghastly air crash and subsequent fire killed 241 of the passengers and crew members, and others on the ground. "As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)'s guidelines, a survey of areas surrounding the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here will be conducted by the officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Civil Aviation department," Ahmedabad district collector Sujeet Kumar told reporters. "Once the survey gets over, subsequent necessary work will be initiated," he said. The civil aviation ministry has released a draft of the Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025, to tighten controls on structures that pose a threat to aircraft safety near airports. In the last week's tragedy, the aircraft departed from the Ahmedabad airport at 1.39pm and its pilot issued a 'Mayday' distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after take-off to the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad. Moments later, the plane smashed into the BJ Medical College campus located outside the airport compound. All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the ill-fated plane, and others on the ground were killed. PTI
