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US Senate Committee passes resolution declaring Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India

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US Senate Committee passes resolution declaring Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India

The United States Congressional Senatorial Committee on Thursday passed a resolution recognizing Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

The resolution was passed by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, Tennessee’s Senator Bill Hagerty, and Texas’ Senator Jon Cornyn. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

The legislation reaffirms that the US recognizes the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It refused China’s claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are their territory, which is a part of the PRC’s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

“America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world—especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision,” said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

“Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India—not the People’s Republic of China—and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region—especially India and other Quad countries—and push back against the CCP’s broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific, according to an official statement.

“As tensions between India and China escalate over their shared border, the United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Senator Cornyn.
Cornyn said further this resolution would reaffirm that the US recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as “part of the Republic of India”.  

 (This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Focus on your own internal issues, no need to interfere in India’s affairs’: India reacts over EU Parliament adopting a so-called Urgency Resolution on Manipur

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‘Focus on your own internal issues, no need to interfere in India’s affairs’: India reacts over EU Parliament adopting a so-called Urgency Resolution on Manipur

On 13th July 2023, the Ministry of External Affairs said in its response to a media query regarding the discussions held in the European Parliament about recent developments in Manipur that the current situation in the northeastern state is an internal issue of India and interference of the European Parliament in the issue is unacceptable. Arindam Bagchi – the official spokesperson of the MEA shared the statement on Thursday 13th July 2023.

The MEA said, “We have seen that the European Parliament held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted a so-called Urgency Resolution. Such interference in India’s internal affairs is unacceptable and reflects a colonial mindset.”

The MEA statement further read, “Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. The European Parliament would be advised to utilize its time more productively on its internal issues.”

It is notable that the European Parliament held an urgent debate on the Manipur situation on 12th July 2023 in its current plenary session in Strasbourg. This discussion came just before Narendra Modi’s state visit to France on the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron as the Guest of Honour at the country’s Bastille Day Parade. The discussion was scheduled under ‘Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the Rule of Law’.

Pierre Larrouturou, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, took the lead in proposing the resolution titled ‘India, the situation in Manipur’.

A press statement from the Parliament on the passed resolution read, “Parliament strongly urges the Indian authorities to put in place all necessary measures to promptly halt the ethnic and religious violence and to protect all religious minorities. Parliament reiterates its call for human rights to be integrated into all areas of the EU-India partnership, including in trade.”

The statement added, “MEPs also advocate for the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue to be reinforced and encourage the EU and its member states to systematically and publicly raise human rights concerns, notably on freedom of expression, religion and the shrinking space for civil society, with the Indian side at the highest level.”

This is not the first time that some foreign entity has interfered or unnecessarily opined about the ongoing Manipur issue. Earlier, the USA ambassador to India Eric Garcetti pontificated on this issue on 6th July 2023. Eric Garcetti made sanctimonious remarks about the situation in the Indian state. While doing so, Eric Garcetti comfortably ignored how his own country has seen 332 gun attacks claiming thousands of lives in 2023 so far.

The Manipur Violence

Manipur has been burning amid conflict between the two ethnic groups, Meiteis and Kukis. Tensions flared up on May 3 following a ‘Tribal solidarity march’ which was organized against the Meitei community seeking ST status.

Meiteis account for the majority of the Manipur population whereas Nagas and Kukis account for about 40% of the population. About 130 people have been killed in the clash and several have been displaced after their houses were torched and razed.

A detailed analysis of the root causes and on-ground scenario can be read here.

PM Modi conferred with the ‘Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, the highest award in France

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PM Modi conferred with the ‘Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, the highest award in France

In a historic moment, French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (local time).

It is the highest French honor in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi becomes the first Indian PM to receive this honor.

PM Modi thanked French President Macron for the honor on behalf of the people of India. The award ceremony took place at the Elysee Palace where Macron hosted PM Modi for a private dinner.

“Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest award, on 13 July 2023, by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. Prime Minister thanked President Macron for this singular honor on behalf of the people of India,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in the statement.

Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet stated, “A warm gesture embodying the spirit of India-France partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron.”

In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has been received by select prominent leaders and eminent personalities from across the world. These include the former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles – the then Prince of Wales, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, among others.

This honour given by France is yet another one in a series of top international awards and honours bestowed by various countries on PM Modi.

These include Order of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023, Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019, Order of St. Andrew award by Russia in 2019, Order of Zayed Award by UAE in 2019, Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan by Afghanistan in 2016 and Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud by Saudia Arabia in 2016.

Earlier on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted PM  Narendra Modi for a private dinner at his official residence, Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (local time). PM Modi was received by French President Emmanuel Macron and French First Lady Brigitte Macron.

The Prime Minister, who arrived in Paris on Thursday on a two-day official visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport. He was welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at the airport.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Union govt to distribute free Doordarshan DTH connections in remote areas on Indo-China border, to improve radio and phone connectivity

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Union govt to distribute free Doordarshan DTH connections in remote areas on Indo-China border, to improve radio and phone connectivity

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur has announced that the Ministry will ensure the supply of free Doordarshan DTH connections in far-flung areas in villages at the Indo-China border. He has also said that better mobile connectivity to residents of these remote villages will be ensured soon and the Government is committed to ensure better all-round connectivity to these areas.

The minister said this during an interaction he had with the villagers at Karzok Village of Ladakh, around 211 kilometres from Leh.

It is notable that to achieve the goal of reaching out to the people living in far-flung and border areas, the government has proposed to distribute 1.5 lakh free DTH connections in villages in border areas through the platform of DD “FreeDish”.

Asserting that the Government is committed to the development of border villages, Minister Thakur assured the local villagers that their demands for better digital connectivity and road connectivity, enhancing tourism infrastructure, sports infrastructure and improved Jal Jeewan Mission will also be implemented on a priority basis.

As part of the Government’s vibrant village programme, the Union Minister embarked on a comprehensive three-day tour to Leh-Ladakh, during which he stayed in Karzok village, held meeting with UT and District officials to review Central/State Government Schemes and distribution of Sports equipment at Karzok. He also interacted with the ITBP jawans at Karzok platoon post located about 15,000 feet above sea level on Indo-China Border.

Aiming to assess the reach of various projects and schemes of the Government and also gain first hand understanding of the challenges faced by the residents in remote border village on Indo-China border, the Minister held close interaction with the local villagers and also administrative officials.

Accompanied by a team of officials and local representatives, union minister Anurag Thakur interacted with local villagers in Kharnak and Samad among others and listened to their concerns and aspirations. At Kharnak, he inaugurated the PMGSY road connecting the highway of Dadh Kharnak.

The Minister discussed issues related to solar power, drinking water, housing for 32 households, cycling track, artificial lake, and tourism subsidy. Besides, border security, development of roads, mobile towers, wildlife issues, inclusion in the Vibrant Village Program, settlement of nomads at one area.

During one of his interactions with locals, the Minister asserted that after the formation of UT a lot of development has taken place in Ladakh such as direct funding, 24-hour electricity, installation of solar plant, ultra-mega solar plant worth Rs 21000 crore, increased livelihood opportunity, and sanction of 375 mobile tower in Leh.

Further, the Minister added that every household in the remote area of Changthang region has been provided with water supply through Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

Thakur unveiled plans for future initiatives that would further enhance the development of Changthang and surrounding villages. These initiatives include upgrading infrastructure for better connectivity, and promoting eco-tourism to leverage the region’s natural beauty. He assured the villagers that the government would provide all necessary support and resources to implement these plans effectively.

The concerted effort of Modi Government would lead to increased tourism development in Changthang, Anurag Thakur added.

During his visit to Puga Residential School, Thakur interacted with the students and played volleyball exhibition match in high spirits. Further, District Youth Services and Sports Department distributed sports equipment and kits. The equipment was distributed in the school of Karzok as well.  Also, the Minister played table tennis in cell phone/mobile light.

At Chumur, he interacted with the Jawans and also spoke to the villagers about their issues primarily around road connectivity, telecom, JJM, among others. Executive Engineer PWD apprised the minister that a 7 km stretch is already proposed for the village and DPR is ready.

Additionally, while interacting with the jawans of the 37th ITBP Post, Anurag Thakur spoke about the reforms undertaken by the Government to provide all facilities for the forces posted at the border such as improved combat wear, armament, Make in India initiative and pensions, etc.

The visit to vibrant village Changthang signifies a significant step towards empowering rural communities, uplifting their living standards, and fostering sustainable development in the region. With dedicated efforts and a collaborative approach, the government aims to create vibrant and self-reliant villages that will contribute to the nation’s progress and prosperity.

Delhi High Court Bar Association opposes SC collegium’s recommendation to transfer judges, to abstain from work on Monday

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Delhi High Court Bar Association opposes SC collegium’s recommendation to transfer judges, to abstain from work on Monday

The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) on Thursday expressed its serious concern about the recommendation of the collegium of the Supreme Court of India in terms of which the proposal has been made to transfer Justice Gaurang Kanth, Judge in Delhi High Court to the Calcutta High Court.

Delhi High Court Bar Association unanimously resolves to request its members to abstain from work on Monday, i.e. July 17, 2023 as a token of protest as the said transfer is a rarest of rare case. “Members are requested to co-operate,” resoultion said.

DHCBA passed a resolution in this regard and strongly resents the said recommendation.

Needless to say that such transfer would adversely effect the dispensation of justice on account of consequent reduction of the existing strength of Judges, stated the DHCBA resolution.

It is a matter of regret that while no attention is being paid by all concerned regarding the process of filling up of the existing vacancies in the Delhi High Court, yet the transfer of sitting Judge is being made thereby further reducing the existing strength of Judges in Delhi High Court, resolution said.

Delhi High Court Bar Association requested the collegium of the Supreme Court to kindly revisit the aforesaid recommendation.

The copy of resolution is also sent to the Central Government thereby requesting them to not to act on the said recommendation and instead call upon the collegium to re-consider the aforesaid decision.

Advocate Amit Sahni, Lawyer and Activist said, “Justice Mukta Gupta and Justice Talwant Singh have recently retired. Justice Najmi Wajiri is retiring on July 14, 2023 and considering this, transfer of both Justice Gaurang Kanth to Kolkata High Court and Justice Siddharth Mridul to Manipur High Court as Chief Justice requires reconsideration.”

“The collegium of Supreme Court should have taken note of shortage of Judges in Delhi High Court and such decision should have been avoided for 6 months or till the appointment of new Judges in Delhi High Court,” said Advocate Amit Sahni.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Operations in two German airports disrupted after climate activists glued themselves to runways, several flights cancelled and diverted

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Operations in two German airports disrupted after climate activists glued themselves to runways, several flights cancelled and diverted

Several hours of flights were cancelled at two German airports on 13 July as a result of a protest by climate activists, who glued themselves to the runways and taxiways of the airports, demanding more aggressive government action to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The activists were linked to the German group “Last Generation”, causing major disruptions at Hamburg and Düsseldorf airports.

The group posted visuals of their action on Twitter.

According to reports, on the first day of the city’s school break, when 50,000 travellers and 330 flights were scheduled to depart from Hamburg airport, several members of “Last Generation” invaded the grounds of the airport at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) and glued themselves to the runways and taxiways. As a result, ten arrivals reportedly had to be diverted to other airports while 17 arrivals and 19 departures were cancelled.

An airport security fence was breached by nine climate activists, who then glued themselves to the tarmac, as stated by the group. A police operation at the scene had grounded planes since 6:10 am, explained a representative for the airport. They claimed, “For safety reasons, air traffic had to be temporarily suspended.”

At 9:25 am, demonstrators were still impaled on the airport’s tarmac in a few different locations, and the security fence stayed destroyed in four separate areas. “In Hamburg, the closure of the airport will certainly continue for some time. Until just now, the jackhammers were still rattling here,” a reporter mentioned.

It seems the authorities used jackhammers to remove the activists along with the glued part of the tarmac. This is because climate activists generally use superglue, which makes it difficult to remove them physically.

In the morning, the main security checkpoint and the check-in desks were temporarily shuttered, as people waited in the jam-packed terminals to find out when flights would resume. The check-in desks and security gates have both been now accessible.

Members of Last Generation also broke through a security fence at the Duesseldorf Airport and obstructed a taxiway, the path to the runway, by glueing themselves to the tarmac. This delayed several planes before operations were able to restart. Seven people had made it onto the runway in the morning.

The outfit announced that they had broken through a fence to gain access to the runways, preventing aircraft movement at the airport all morning. Photos posted by the group showed that the activists used bolt cutters to cut metal fences to gain access to the runways.

There were significant restrictions on flight operations, and there were numerous emergency personnel on the scene. The activist group shared a video of police vehicles and two protestors still clinging to the tarmac at around 10 am. They wrote, “The disruptions at Hamburg and Düsseldorf airports continue.”

Landings in Düsseldorf had to be redirected to Cologne Bonn airport because of the security operation. However, on the airport’s north runway, partial service was restored.

The activists demanded rapid action to reduce emissions in the transportation industry, including abolishing tax concessions for aviation paraffin. They also accused the German government of lacking a plan to address the climate catastrophe.

The seven activists in Düsseldorf were detached from the ground using solvents, and they along with their 3 helpers were detained. The activists will face charges of disturbing the peace, coercive behaviour and dangerous interference with aviation, according to the police.

Transport Minister Volker Wissing, who has recently opposed various initiatives to reduce emissions from air and road travel, emphasised, “The Last Generation isn’t protecting the climate, they’re engaged in criminal activity.”

The activists, according to him and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, both members of the Free Democratic Party, are dividing society by preventing people from flying for “well-earned holidays.”

“High time to look around the world”: Bombay High Court bats for lowering the age of consent for sex, says POCSO has criminalised consensual relationships

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“High time to look around the world”: Bombay High Court bats for lowering the age of consent for sex, says POCSO has criminalised consensual relationships

The Bombay High Court recently said that it was past time for our country and the Parliament to be aware of what was happening across the world after observing that various nations around the world have lowered the age of consent for minors to engage in consensual sexual relationships.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has led to an increase in criminal cases where the accused are punished even though the adolescent victims insist that they were in a consensual relationship, which has alarmed the court.

On July 10, Justice Bharati Dangre issued a ruling to that effect, noting that numerous nations have lowered the legal age of consent for minors to engage in consensual sexual encounters.

“Sexual autonomy encompasses both the right to engage in wanted sexual activity and the right to be protected from unwanted sexual aggression. Only when both aspects of adolescent’s rights are recognised, human sexual dignity can be considered to be fully respected,” the order said.

The court’s comments followed an appeal by a 25-year-old man contesting a special court’s judgement convicting him in February 2019 for raping a 17-year-old girl.

The couple insisted that their relationship was consensual. The girl testified before the special court that she had a Nikah with the accused guy since, in accordance with Muslim law, she was regarded as a major.

The evidence on file had unmistakably established a case for consensual intercourse, according to Justice Dangre, who revoked the conviction judgement and declared the man innocent.

The age of consent necessarily must be distinguished from the age of marriage as sexual acts do not happen only in the confines of marriage. The judicial system must take note of this important aspect, the high court said.

“The age of consent in India was 16 from 1940 till 2012, when the POCSO Act raised the age of consent to 18 years. Most countries have set their age of consent in the range of 14 to 16 years”, the court said.

Justice Dangre further noted that in Germany, Italy, Portugal and Hungary, children in the age group of 14 are considered capable of giving consent to sex. In London and Wales, the age of consent is 16 and in Japan, it is 13

“In India a girl under 18 is expected not to indulge herself into a sexual activity and if she does, being an active participant in the activity, her consent is immaterial and is not a consent in the eyes of law. As a result, even if a boy aged 20 indulges with a girl aged 17 years and 364 days, he would be found guilty of committing rape upon her despite the girl clearly admitting that she was equally involved in the act of sex. It is high time our country is also cognizant of happenings around the world,” Justice Dangre said in the judgment.

The court stated that although the POCSO Act was designed to combat child sexual exploitation, it has nonetheless created a grey area because it has unquestionably led to the criminalization of consensual adolescent and teenage relationships.

The court ruled that while all children had the right to be protected against sexual assault, that protection should also allow young people to push their boundaries, exercise their rights, and take necessary risks without putting them in danger.

It asserted that by requiring a large amount of time from the judges, police, and child protection system, the criminalization of romantic relationships had taken hold of the criminal justice system.

Pakistan: 9 soldiers killed in militant attack on military garrison Balochistan, five attackers and a civilian also killed

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Pakistan: 9 soldiers killed in militant attack on military garrison Balochistan, five attackers and a civilian also killed

On 12th July, 15 people, including nine soldiers, were killed in a militant attack on a garrison in southwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border. Earlier, it was reported that four soldiers were killed while five soldiers were admitted to the hospital in critical condition. They succumbed to death due to the injuries. A total of five militants were also killed in the attack.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the militants launched the attack in the early hours of Wednesday, following which four soldiers were martyred and five others were injured.

Reports suggest that a group of heavily armed militants attacked the garrison in the Zhob and Sui areas of southwestern Balochistan province. Dawn News quoted Deputy Commissioner Zhob Azeem Kkar saying that a civilian woman was also killed in the attack as she got caught in the crossfire. Another five civilians were injured in the attack.

Five militants in the group attacked the garrison in the Zhob districts located at the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The attack took place in the early hours of 12th July. Pakistan Military’s statement read, “Soldiers checked the initial attempt of terrorists to sneak into the facility on duty.” During the exchange of fire between the soldiers and the militants, the attackers was contained in a small area and got killed.

Dawn reported that Balochistan CM Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo condemned the attack on the Zhob garrison. Similarly, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also issued a statement condemning the attack. Despite claims of a crackdown on terror infrastructure fearing Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) greylisting, terror attacks have only seen an uptick in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Reportedly, a little-known militant group, Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The militant group issued a statement taking responsibility for the attack on Pakistan’s Army base in the Balochistan Northern area.

In its statement, TJP claimed that it would release pictures and videos of its fighters who took part in the attack.

Three soldiers were killed in Sui

In another attack, three soldiers and two militants were killed in the Baluchistan district of Sui near Pakistan’s main natural gas pipelines. Reports suggest that it was unclear who was behind the attack. Local officials said they had initiated an operation to arrest the militants who managed to flee the scene after the shootout.

Incidences of terror attacks in the recent past

Earlier this month, the police and Levies checkposts in the Dhana Sar area of Balochistan’s Sherani subdistrict were attacked by some terrorists. Around four security personnel were killed in the terror attack. A Pakistani think tank Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, released a report earlier this month. In its report, the think tank highlighted that terror and suicide attacks have increased alarmingly in Pakistan. In these attacks, around 389 people have lost their lives across the country. 

A report in Dawn, further added that in June, a police official was killed, and two more were injured in a suicide attack on a police van in Balochistan’s Turbat. Similarly, in another attack in June, two soldiers were killed when the security checkpost in the Kech district along the Pakistan-Iran border was under attack. In June, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry addressed a press conference. In the PC, he said that the security forces conducted 13,619 intelligence operations this year. In these operations, around 1,172 terrorists were killed or arrested. He said, “On a daily basis, over 77 operations are being carried out by armed forces, police, intelligence agencies, and other law enforcement agencies to rid of the menace of terrorism.” He also added that around 95 soldiers have been killed in these operations.

ISRO scientists visit Tirupati temple ahead of Chandrayaan-3 launch, upset self-styled “astrophysicists” of Twitter

OpIndia Staff
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ISRO scientists visit Tirupati temple ahead of Chandrayaan-3 launch, upset self-styled “astrophysicists” of Twitter

On 13th July 2023, ISRO scientists visited Venkatachalapathi Temple and Sri Chengalamma Temple in Tirupati ahead of the scheduled Chandrayaan-3 launch on 14th July 2023. The scientists performed puja rituals and prayed to the deity for the success of the moon mission of India.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath said while interacting with the media after the puja, “Chandrayaan-3 will start its journey tomorrow. We are hoping that everything goes right and it lands on the moon on August 23.”

Soon after the ISRO scientists visited the temples, ‘self-styled astrophysicists’ on Twitter became active and started sermonising the lessons of scientific temperament to the ace researchers in the country. Raju Parulekar tweeted, “Scientific temperament!”

Vivek Iyer posted, “Top scientists of the country indulging in the oldest, unscientific tradition.”

Comrade Arjun tweeted, “He who trusts god more than science is in the business of gambling, not space research.”

Sumant Banerji posted, “Terrible optics. Science & religion are separate domains.”

Putiin Shetty wrote, “Never heard Nasa scientists going to church before their space missions. Somebody’s probably recruiting Buffoons I knew it, did not have to look far away.”

Hartosh Singh Bal tweeted, “If you have to pray to get science to work, you are not a scientist, you are just someone who prays that science works.”

The less-known temple visiting tradition of ISRO scientists

IRS officer Dr Kiran Kumar Karlapu took to Twitter to provide lesser-known information about the tradition of visiting temples before a mission launch. He posted, “This has been a tradition for decades. A visit to the Tirumala Venkateswara temple along with prayers at the Chengalamma temple in Sullurpeta is a must for the ISRO scientists before any launch. Chengalamma is considered the Kshetrapalika (protector of the local lands) for Sriharikota.”

This is not the first time that ISRO scientists prayed in a temple for the success of a space mission. ISRO scientists have prayed in the temple before launching their missions even in the past.

Chandrayaan 3

ISRO is going to launch India’s 3rd lunar mission on 14th July 2023 at 2:35 pm from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. On Tuesday, 11th July 2023, ISRO successfully rehearsed for landing Chandrayaan-3 on the moon. The Chandrayaan-3 mission is the next phase of Chandrayaan-2, which will land on the lunar surface and conduct tests. It will have a propulsion module, a lander and a rover. The focus of Chandrayaan-3 is on landing safely on the lunar surface. New equipment has been created for the success of the mission. The algorithm has been improved. The focus has been on the reasons why the Chandrayaan-2 mission could not land on the lunar surface.

The mission will take off from the Sriharikota facility at 2:35 pm on 14th July 2023 and land on the moon on August 23 or 24 if everything goes according to plan. Earlier on Wednesday, an encapsulated assembly containing Chandrayaan-3 was attached with LVM3 at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. The successful completion of this mission will make India the fourth country in the world to make a soft landing on the moon after USA, Russia and China.

Delhi: Patients of Sushruta Trauma Centre shifted to LNJP Hospital due to Yamuna flood, water reaches Red Fort

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Patients of Sushruta Trauma Centre shifted to LNJP Hospital due to Yamuna flood, water reaches Red Fort

As the Yamuna River overflowed its banks following non-stop rains, water inundated the premises of a government-run trauma centre in north Delhi, leading authorities to evacuate approximately 40 patients to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital on Thursday 13th July 2023.

Among those being relocated from the Sushruta Trauma Centre, situated at Metcalf Road opposite Chandiram Akhada in north Delhi, were three intensive care unit (ICU) patients, according to a senior official.

Due to the flooding, the main gate of the trauma centre was submerged, resulting in the need for immediate action. “The main gate of the trauma centre has been flooded, causing water to enter its premises,” stated another official.

Doctors coordinated the transfer of approximately 40 patients, including three ICU cases, to LNJP Hospital, a Delhi government-run facility in central Delhi. The process began with one ICU patient being shifted by 2:30 PM, and the remaining patients were being transported in ambulances, confirmed a senior doctor.

Dr Suresh Kumar, MD, Lok Nayak Hospital, said that the patients were shifted from the trauma centre as a preventive measure because there is a risk of power disruptions due to flood, which will be dangerous for critical care patients. He added that the trauma centre has been kept open for emergency patients and doctors and other staff are still present there.

The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi rose to an alarming 208.48 meters on Thursday morning, resulting in the flooding of nearby streets, public infrastructure, and both government and private establishments.

This has caused immense hardships for the residents living in close proximity to the river.

In a distressing turn of events, the area around iconic Red Fort was also submerged by floodwaters around 3 PM on the same day, with drone footage capturing the incident going viral on the internet. The entire area behind the Red Fort has submerged in water overflow from Yamuna, with strong currents of water flowing on the Ring Road.

On 13th July, the Yamuna River in Delhi crossed the 208 mark and swelled to 208.46 metres at around 7 AM. The highest flood level of Yamuna was recorded on Wednesday at around 1 PM on 12th July at 208.08 metres. Forty-five years ago, Yamuna touched the 207.49 metres mark, and since then, it never reached such heights. The rising level of water in Yamuna has resulted in waterlogging in low-lying areas at the ITO and Kashmiri Gate.

The Sushruta Trauma Centre, initially established in 1998 as an annexe of LNJP Hospital, falls under the overall administrative and financial control of the medical superintendent of the hospital, as stated on the official website of the centre. Later, the trauma centre was declared an independent institution.

It is noteworthy that LNJP Hospital, where the patients are being relocated, is facing its own set of challenges. The condition of the Delhi government-administered hospital has raised concerns, particularly regarding its ability to accommodate and pay its existing staff, let alone the influx of additional patients from the trauma centre.

Technical staff members at LNJP Hospital have reported not receiving their salaries for the past seven months. The 47 staff members, responsible for managing operation theatres, ventilators in the COVID-19 ICU wards, and providing anaesthesia to surgical patients, claim that they have not been paid since January this year, as the hospital administration has failed to fulfil their financial obligations.

These technical staff members were initially deployed to support the ICU patients and assist at the COVID-19 centre established in Ramlila Maidan. However, despite their crucial services during the pandemic, the Delhi government has not recognized their contributions.

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