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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Controlled blasts by pvt co trigger panic in Bahraich
Lucknow: Controlled explosions by a private company in agricultural fields for a seismic survey triggered panic in parts of Mahsi tehsil in Bahraich on Saturday. The blasts were allegedly carried out without informing the local administration, police, or elected representatives. The operation, linked to Mission Anveshan, a govt of India project to identify hydrocarbon potential in onshore sedimentary basins, was being carried out by Hyderabad-based Alpha Geo India Ltd. The firm is tasked with conducting 2D seismic surveys across seven basins under the directive of ministry of petroleum. However, villagers panicked when they saw cables being laid and blast preparations underway. BJP MLA from Mahsi, Sureshwar Singh, rushed to the site and confronted officials. "This is a serious breach of protocol. Explosives were being used just two days before the Chief Minister's scheduled visit to the district, without a word to the DM, SP, or even gram pradhans. I've spoken to home secretary Sanjay Prasad and urged that the CM's visit be deferred until a thorough inquiry is completed," he said. Bahraich ADM Gaurav Ranjan confirmed that the local administration was not informed. An engineer of the company claimed they obtained permission from the district collector in Feb. ASP, Bahraich, DP Tiwari said a probe was being conducted.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Create visible changes to boost tourism in 2 months'
Varanasi: Secretary of the ministry of tourism, govt of India, V Vidyavathi, has given two months time to the officials to create visible changes in Varanasi offering a unique tourism experience. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The secretary held a meeting at the Commissioner's auditorium on Friday to discuss the ways to develop Varanasi as a world-class tourist destination and promote local economic growth while preserving the city's cultural, religious, and historical importance. She said that the initial changes should focus on 16 to 20 key locations, including major temples, connectivity points, ghats, and Sarnath and stressed that the changes should be sustainable and long-term. The meeting discussed infrastructure development, including beautification and cleaning of ghats, improved roads, electricity, and water supply, and transportation facilities. The secretary said that spiritual tourism can be promoted by developing major temples and other religious sites of the city while promoting local trades and crafts including Banarasi sarees and wooden toys can boost tourism. She also stressed on training and improved facilities for local artists, craftsmen, and guides. She also mentioned the need to promote cultural events, fairs, and festivals to showcase the city's rich cultural heritage. Involving local people in tourism-related businesses can strengthen the local economy. Promoting Varanasi through online platforms can attract more tourists, she said. The secretary directed the development authority and municipal corporation to run continuous campaigns for beautification by removing hoardings, flexes, and organising mesh of cable wires spread across the city. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Instructions were also given to install signage to provide information to tourists and promoting the city through online platforms. Principal secretary of tourism Mukesh Kumar Meshram issued directives for promotion of yoga centres, wellness centres, naturopathy, and Ayurveda in Kashi, assuring financial assistance from the govt. He suggested connecting tourists visiting Kashi with eco-tourism sites in the neighbouring district of Chandauli, tourist spots in the Vindhya region, the Maa Vindhyavasini Temple, Chunar Fort which is one of India's oldest forts, and ancient fossil parks in Sonbhadra district to enhance their stay duration in Kashi. Earlier, divisional commissioner S Rajalingam presented key information regarding the meeting, discussing all possible efforts to develop Kashi as a global tourist destination. District magistrate Satyendra Kumar suggested recording the ancient significance of the ghats in digital audio files to provide complete information to tourists during boat rides and emphasised standardising food outlets to maintain hygiene. He also proposed creating cultural evenings. The meeting was attended by municipal commissioner Akshat Verma,CDO Himanshu Nagpal, station director Arpit Gupta, DFO Varanasi Swati Singh, CEO Kashi Vishwanath Temple Vishwabhushan Mishra, secretary development authority Ved Prakash Mishra, and officials from the Public Works, Smart City, Culture, Archaeology, and Tourism departments at both the Central and the state levels.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Time of India
Cops trace 990 lost cellphones using CEIR portal in five months
Lucknow: The Lucknow police has recovered 990 lost or stolen mobile phones between Jan and mid-May, out of around 1,100 complaints registered. The recovery rate stands at an 90%, showcasing how digital platforms like the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) have revolutionised mobile theft tracking across India. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This translates to an average of nearly 7-8 phones being returned to their owners every day. The credit for this largely goes to the CEIR portal of the department of telecommunications (DoT) under the govt of India, which empowers police to trace and block mobile devices using their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI ) numbers. "Before CEIR, tracing lost phones across telecom circles was complex and time-consuming. Now, we can immediately block a device once the IMEI is entered in the portal. It is a powerful deterrent for mobile thieves and a great support system for citizens. The moment we block an IMEI via CEIR, the device becomes useless on any Indian telecom network. That alone has drastically reduced the market value of stolen devices," said DCP East Zone, Shashank Singh. Shubham Yadav, a 27-year-old software engineer from Indiranagar, lost his phone in Jan. "I filled out the complaint on the CEIR portal," he said. Three weeks later, the phone was traced to a shop in Sitapur, where someone tried to use a new SIM. "I got a call from the cybercell that my phone was found and was being returned. All my work contacts and data were on that device," Shubham said. In another case, college student Prerna Singh had her phone snatched while waiting for an auto in Mahanagar. "I reported the snatching to the local police and submitted the FIR copy on the CEIR site the same evening," she said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Within 10 days, the phone was tracked when it connected to a network in Unnao, and a suspect was identified through tower dump data and IMEI tracing. "They not only recovered my phone but also arrested the person who had a record of similar offences," Prerna said. Former IPS officer and cyber expert, Triveni Singh said that the CEIR platform allows users to block a lost or stolen mobile by entering their IMEI number, uploading a copy of their police complaint or FIR, and verifying their identity. "The phone is blacklisted across all telecom operators in India. If the device is found or switched on anywhere, law enforcement is alerted. Police can then initiate recovery by tracking the device's activity via cell tower triangulation and location pings," he said. "It's like an Aadhaar for phones. Every device has a digital fingerprint. Once blocked, it is useless to thieves but priceless to us," said a senior cybercell officer. The police have urged citizens to note down their IMEI numbers (printed on the device box or dial *#06# on the phone) and act fast when a device is lost. "It's no longer about chasing after criminals blindly. With data and digital footprints, we can now outsmart them," said ACP Mahanagar, Neha Tripathi.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
North Bihar to get 68 new power substations
1 2 3 Patna: Amid rising power demand, industrial growth, agricultural development and increasing requirements of domestic consumers in the northern parts of the state, North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL) has approved construction of 68 new power substations . Out of the 68 new power substations, 30 have been approved under the govt of India's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), while the remaining 38 under the state plan. Officials said these substations will not only help balance load and reduce tripping incidents but will also ensure robust electricity supply to remote rural areas, agricultural units, commercial establishments and industrial consumers. The project will lead to qualitative improvement in the region's power landscape and drive economic development forward, they per the information shared by the IPRD, the land allocation for all 68 substations has been completed by the respective district administrations. Operation Sindoor IC-814 hijacking mastermind Abdul Rauf Azhar killed in Op Sindoor Pahalgam attack: India flays Pak for opposing TRF mention in UN statement Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, NBPDCL managing director, instructed all superintending and executive engineers to complete land demarcation processes without delay and immediately commence construction work, a press statement issued on Thursday NBPDCL said it is fully committed to providing every consumer in North Bihar with quality, uninterrupted and reliable electricity. During financial year 2024-25, the NBPDCL provided over 7.5 lakh new electricity connections . Among these, the number of commercial consumers increased by 1.25 lakh, while nearly 9,000 new industrial connections were special priority to the agricultural sector, NBPDCL released around 77,000 new connections during FY 2024-25. It said under Mukhyamantri Krishi Vidyut Sambandh Yojana, several landmark initiatives have been taken for farmers, including free electricity connections for agriculture, subsidies of up to 92% on electricity tariffs and construction of dedicated feeders.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Moving to AI is the only way to protect handloom weavers: Expert Sadhana Bose
VIJAYAWADA: Renowned textile consultant and senior BJP leader Sadhana Bose has observed that emerging technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will transform the lives of handloom workers in the country. She said that usage of AI at source on handloom product will help the consumer differentiate cloth made on handloom and power loom. Addressing a national seminar on protection of artisan rights, Sadhana Bose said that the govt of India has initiated the handloom mark for handloom cloth but it is being largely misused to deceive the consumers. 'AI tagging at source of handloom products is going to be the next big thing to prevent the misuse and malpractices by the mill owners to lure the consumers. We must create awareness among the handloom weaver about usage of the emerging technologies,' said Sadhana. She said that weaving is one of the oldest crafts in history, dating back to the neolithic age. 'Way before it became a textile craft, the technique was used to weave plant fibre, twigs, leaves for home building, basketry and other utility items. The earliest example of saree weaving using the handloom goes back to the Indus Valley Civilization (2000 – 1800 BCE), where women wore unstitched cloth around their body. The term 'saree', derives from the Sanskrit word, 'satika', meaning a 'piece of cloth,' said Sadhana. She explained that India's handloom heritage encompassing centuries old traditional craftsmanship, is a tapestry of history and cultural diversity, with each region showcasing its own unique styles and techniques. She said that India has over 136 unique weaves, ranging from the famous Kinkahb and Tanchoi of Benaras, to the intricate Bengal Jamdani, Baluchari and Muslin, the Kunbi from Goa to the Pochampally Ikat, the royal Paithani, Himroo and sophisticated Karvat Kathi of Maharashtra to the fine Maheswari 's and Chanderis of Madhya Pradesh to name only a few. Although, the the handloom sector has been a significant source of employment, particularly in rural India, it has been facing significant challenges for the last couple of decades, specially from the power loom sector. While power loom is much less labour intensive and production is higher, handloom is worker intensive with low production. For instance, a true Paithani saree can take anywhere between 15 days to a few months to produce on handloom, depending on the complexity of design, whereas 5-8 such sarees can be produced on power loom in a day, said Sadhana Bose. This is helping power loom gain customers in price sensitive markets as retail store owners can get higher margin. 'This is happening in Varanasi, where mill made Benarasi sarees from Surat are being sold as handloom sarees,' she said. She said that most handloom weavers earn below minimum wages (67 % are earning less than minimum wages), hence they are not able to sustain their livelihood, leading to migration to cities to work as labour. Approximately 76% artisans do not have access to banking facilities, therefore they cannot avail of loan. She explained that Centre has taken several initiatives, policy measures and programmes to help weavers. 'RMS (RawMaterial Supply)& NHDP (National Handloom Development Programme), IHB (India Handloom Brand), TUFS (Technology upgradation Fund Scheme)&Samarth, which is the skill development fund scheme are a few of them,' said Sadhana Bose, who is a member weavers cell, Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party
