The Maha Kumbh, a massive religious gathering in Prayagraj, India, is preparing for the culmination of its events with the Mahashivratri 'snan' (sacred bath) on Wednesday. Authorities have declared the entire mela area a 'no vehicle zone' and are urging devotees to take a dip at the ghat nearest to them to avoid crowding at the Sangam. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is monitoring the arrangements and has issued an advisory for devotees, outlining specific ghats for different arrival routes. The Maha Kumbh has seen a record number of pilgrims, exceeding 64 crore. Security arrangements are robust with over 37,000 police personnel and 14,000 home guards deployed. The fair has also been hailed for its cleanliness and safety measures. The event is expected to conclude with the Mahashivratri puja.
Kejriwal alleged that the inflated water bills started arriving after he went to jail and urged people not to pay those bills.
"I underwent a coronavirus test after developing symptoms and the report has come positive. I am getting hospitalised on the advice of doctors. I request all who have come in my contact in the past days to isolate themselves and get tested," Shekhwat tweeted in Hindi.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday due to noisy protests by the opposition, who demanded answers regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Mahakumbh. Opposition members protested after PM Modi's statement and demanded the inclusion of stampede deaths in the statement. The House proceedings were initially adjourned until 1 pm, and when the House resumed, opposition members continued their protests, forcing the Chair to adjourn the proceedings for the day.
Stepping up their protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, anti-nuclear activists have now decided to go in for 'jal satyagraha' throughout the Tamil Nadu coast on September 22.
The Indian government has stated that the water in the Ganga river at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj was fit for bathing during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh, citing a new report from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The report, however, contradicts an earlier CPCB report that found high faecal coliform levels at several locations in Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh. The government also highlighted measures taken to ensure water quality during the event, including the installation of sewage treatment plants and the use of advanced oxidation techniques to treat wastewater.
Modi insisted that the Jharkhand government had worked day and night to end corruption over the last five years.
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
The society needs to consider cleaning the Ganga river as its responsibility and not see it as just the government's job, Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Wednesday.
The SIT will be headed by Crime Investigation Department's (CID) Deputy Inspector General Basavraj Teli, said an order issued by the state Home department.
A heated political battle erupted Tuesday over Arvind Kejriwal's claim of the Haryana government 'poisoning' the Yamuna water, with the Bharatiya Janata Party saying he cannot be forgiven for his 'dangerous statement', while the Aam Aadmi Party chief asserted he won't let the people of Delhi die due to the dirty, poisonous water.
Five juveniles were arrested by Delhi Police on Thursday for two murders in east Delhi. CCTV footage from both crime scenes showed the same five suspects, leading to a 13-hour manhunt. The juveniles, who were in a drunken state, first murdered a man in Ghazipur and then attacked a passerby in New Ashok Nagar. Police apprehended the suspects after reviewing CCTV footage and tracking their movements through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
The cultural richness that began from a narrow bank of the Yamuna has continued for over 7 centuries. And you literally go underground for as little at Rs 50 to see it!
Residents of several villages in Maharashtra Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan's home district Satara are on a 'jal satyagraha', demanding rehabilitation of those affected by Wang-Marathwadi dam project.
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the Election Commission notice over his claim the Haryana government was 'mixing poison' in Yamuna, and said raw water received from the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state in the recent past has been 'highly contaminated and extremely poisonous' for human health.
Can the newly-minted Jal Shakti ministry bring water to some 19 crore Indian households that have never had taps or heard the sound of flowing water, wonders Vinayak Chatterjee.
Kejriwal described the BJP's election manifesto as "dangerous for the country".
A Ganesh Nadar visited Jaipur recently and came back impressed with the city's jewel --the Jal Mahal.
Jammu and Kashmir is facing a severe water crisis this year due to a massive rainfall deficit. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern about the situation and called for a proactive approach towards water management and conservation. The state has witnessed an 80% deficit in rainfall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer. Several water bodies are flowing below the zero level mark, and some springs in south Kashmir have dried up completely. The water level in Jhelum and other major streams is alarmingly low.
Priyanka Chopra plays second fiddle to Prakash Jha in this tedious cop drama, says Sukanya Verma.
The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended six officials of civic agencies for gross negligence following road cave-ins and waterlogging at several sections of the newly-built Ram Path in Ayodhya.
Beat the heat with this perfect summer thirst quencher.
Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal went to the Election Commission's office in New Delhi on Friday and furnished his reply to the poll body over its notice to him on his 'poison mixed' in Yamuna water remark.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday vehemently defended Home Minister Amit Shah against the Congress' accusation that he insulted B.R. Ambedkar in a Rajya Sabha speech. Modi asserted that Shah had actually exposed the Congress' "dark history of insulting" the architect of the Indian Constitution. The prime minister went on to detail a litany of actions by the Congress party that he claimed demonstrated their disrespect for Ambedkar, including denying him a Bharat Ratna and preventing his portrait from being displayed in Parliament's Central Hall. He also criticized the Congress for failing to address the plight of marginalized communities during their time in power. Modi highlighted the efforts of his government in implementing Ambedkar's vision and honoring his legacy.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Mahakumbh Nagar on Monday and described the Maha Kumbh as a unique symbol of the Sanatan culture's philosophy, which is rooted in harmony.
President Droupadi Murmu addressed both Houses of Parliament, highlighting the government's achievements in various sectors, including economic growth, social welfare, and infrastructure development. She emphasized the government's efforts to lift the economy out of "policy paralysis" and create a more inclusive society. Murmu also acknowledged the challenges posed by digital fraud and cybercrime and stressed the need for a social infrastructure revolution. The President's speech is considered a policy statement, outlining the government's vision and roadmap for the future.
Barely a couple of hours after police evicted protesters from a 'Jal Satyagraha' on Wednesday, about 50 persons from villages near Khardana entered the Narmada river demanding reduction of the Indira Sagar dam height and immediate resolution of other issues.
The EC asked him to provide factual evidence with specific and pointed response to type, quantity, nature and manner of poisoning of Yamuna.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, a major Hindu pilgrimage, commenced in Prayagraj, India on Monday, with over 40 lakh people taking the first holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the event, which runs until February 26, will elevate India's ancient cultural and religious traditions to global prominence.
A two-member team of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) met Rohingya Muslims at a slum in Jammu amid a heated debate whether the illegally settled immigrants be provided water and electricity.
About 10 premises in the national capital are being covered as part of the raids.
The Delhi Jal Board has deployed patrol teams for the main water distribution network that carries raw water to the water treatment plants and then from them to the main underground reservoirs in different parts of the city, Atishi said in the letter.
'... that it once again shies away from renewing its commitment to strategic divestment,' points out A K Bhattacharya.
She said that the borewell surrounding was completely locked when the rescue teams arrived and added that the police are looking into the matter.
Even when there is a law or a government rehabilitation policy, there is no guarantee it would be implemented. The 50 men and women standing in chin-deep water in the fish-infested Narmada, near the Omkareshwar dam project, would vouch for this.
Finance ministers of states demanded an increase in allocation under 50-year interest-free loan scheme, while fiscally stressed states like Punjab and Kerala pitched for a special package and borrowing flexibility, sources said on Friday. In a pre-budget meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, states have also urged for higher borrowing limits to support fiscal activities, besides additional funds for Jal Jeevan Mission.
Inaugurating the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav, the Prime Minister exuded confidence that villages will play a key role in pushing forward the dream of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday levelled fresh allegations of corruption against the Aam Aadmi Party, saying a former Delhi Jal Board chief engineer had 'transferred' Rs 2 crore of bribe money to his colleagues in the department and the ruling party in Delhi as election funds.
'People are suffering, we are seeing visuals on every news channel. What measures have you taken to control water wastage if water scarcity is a recurring problem in summers'
"All the water related works will be merged under one ministry," Shekhawat said after taking the charge.
