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AES deaths in Bihar: Supreme Court to hear plea for urgent action on Monday

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AES deaths in Bihar: Supreme Court to hear plea for urgent action on Monday

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As the number of children dying of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar crossed 120, the Supreme Court today (Wednesday, June 19) agreed to hear on Monday a plea seeking direction to the Centre to urgently constitute a team of medical experts to address the health crisis.

A vacation bench of justices Deepak Gupta and Surya Kant agreed to hear the plea next Monday after the petitioner’s counsel sought an urgent listing of the matter.

The outbreak of AES in Bihar has killed 130 children, reported NDTV. In Muzaffarpur’s Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, 93 children have died. Another 19 died at the city’s Kejriwal Maternity Hospital.

The National Human Rights Commission, said media reports, has sent notices to the Union Health Ministry and Bihar government, who have four weeks to respond.

The petition filed by advocates Manohar Pratap and Sanpreet Singh Ajmani in Supreme Court seek a direction to the Centre and the State of Bihar to arrange for 500 Intensive Care Units (ICU) along with the requisite number of medical professionals to deal with the outbreak, arrangement of 100 mobile ICUs and to set up a medical board to be sent to Muzaffarpur, the epicentre of the crisis.

The petitioner also sought that all necessary medical equipment be provided by the Centre for the effective treatment of the children.

The petitioners claim that the State of Bihar has failed to take steps to prevent the spread of Encephalitis and thus the Court’s intervention in the situation becomes imperative.

They say there is a “complete failure of state machinery” in dealing with the situation and the continuing act of negligence of the part of the State of Bihar is leading to the violation of Right to Life guaranteed under the Constitution of India.

“Despite death of more than 100 children, state govt. has shown no prompt steps to prevent the spread of the said disease in adjoining districts. The present act of the negligence by the Respondents who are state within the framework of India Constitution has resulted in death of hundreds of young innocent lives. This continuing act of negligence on the part of state is consistently violating the fundamental right to life guaranteed under the Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the petition says.

The petitioners have also cited media reports to say that the medical professionals are unable to control the deaths in Muzaffarpur on account of lack of facilities and trained professionals.

The petitioners have also prayed for a direction to the State of Bihar to notify an extraordinary government order directing all private medical institutes in the area of Muzaffarpur to provide free medical treatment to the affected patients.

The petition also seeks the constitution of a fact-finding committee to look into the role of negligent persons involved.

Prayer has also been made to disburse compensation to the tune of Rs. 10 lakh to the families of those persons who lost their lives due to State’s negligence.

In Bihar, amid mounting criticism and protests, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited Muzzaffarpur yesterday for the first time since the outbreak began. He was met with cries of “Wapas jao (go back)” at the Sri Krishna Medical College.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, a doctor, who visited on Sunday, said “everyone is taking responsibility” and the government is “delivering the best it can”.

Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey and Muzaffarpur MP Ajay Nishad came under attack for shocking responses to the outbreak. Pandey drew widespread criticism for inquiring about an India-Pakistan cricket match at a press conference held by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. Nishad drew flak for claiming the state government made just a “few tiny mistakes” in tackling the outbreak.

State Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar told reporters in Patna that the CM was satisfied with medical facilities at SKMCH. Nitish also ordered 24-hour availability of doctors to deal with emergency situation, the chief secretary added.

Hospitals, struggling to deal with the situation, are admitting four children to a bed. There are not enough doctors or equipment to handle the outbreak.

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, a viral infection, is a bunch of diseases that include hypoglycemia, dyselectrolytemia, chicken pox, Japanese Encephalitis positive and AES unknown. AES outbreaks are routine in areas in and around Muzaffarpur during summer, and mostly affects children below 15 years of age.

It can be brought about by any number of virus, bacteria or even fungi – the actual reason has been elusive so far.

AES affects the central nervous system. It starts with high fever, then hampers neurological functions causing mental disorientation, seizure, confusion, delirium, coma. This year has been one of the worst outbreaks of the disease in Bihar. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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P Chidambaram avoids commenting on Trump’s dead economy remark echoed by Rahul Gandhi

Chidambaram stays silent on Trump’s ‘dead economy’ remark echoed by Rahul Gandhi as Congress critiques Union Budget 2026.

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February 2, 2026

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P Chidambaram

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented her ninth consecutive union budget, stopping just short of Morarji Desai’s record of ten.

Congress MP P Chidambaram, however, avoided commenting on the ‘India is a dead economy’ statement made by former US President Donald Trump last July, which was later echoed by Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the budget, Chidambaram said he could not respond as he lacked the full context of Trump’s original remarks.

The comment by Trump followed India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which the US had criticized as indirectly funding military action in Ukraine. Trump imposed a 25 per cent penalty tariff on Indian imports and added: “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”

Rahul Gandhi later supported the statement, saying, “He is right, everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and Finance Minister. I am glad President Trump stated a fact…”

The remark sparked a political debate, with BJP leaders criticizing Gandhi, while some Congress members, including Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla, called the statement “completely wrong.”

Ahead of the budget, Gandhi had highlighted the impact of US tariffs on small textile businesses, noting on X: “50 per cent US tariffs are badly hurting textile exporters. Job losses, shutdowns… are reality of our ‘dead economy’.”

The debate gained traction following the budget announcement, which did not offer immediate relief to middle-class taxpayers and saw markets react sharply, with the Sensex closing 1,500 points lower on Sunday.

Chidambaram, as usual, led Congress’ critique of the budget, pointing to a decrease in capital expenditure as a percentage of GDP from 3.2 per cent in FY25 to 3.1 per cent, despite the proposal of Rs 12.2 lakh crore for capex. He added, “Revenue receipts short by Rs 78,086 crore… total expenditure short by Rs 1,00,503 crore… revenue expenditure short by Rs 75,168 crore… capex was cut by Rs 1,44,376 crore… not a word was said to explain this…”

Rahul Gandhi echoed the criticism, highlighting issues such as unemployment, farmers’ distress, declining household savings, and low investment. “A budget that refuses course correction and is blind to India’s real crises,” he said on X.

Responding to the criticism, Finance Minister Sitharaman said, “With due respects, I don’t know what course correction he is referring to. The economy and its fundamentals are strong.”

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Earthquake of 4.6 magnitude hits Andaman and Nicobar Islands

A 4.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Nicobar Islands at 10 km depth, highlighting the region’s seismic activity and potential risks from shallow tremors.

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51 mins ago

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February 2, 2026

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earthquake-tremors

An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck the Andaman and Nicobar Islands early Monday at around 3:30 am, the National Center of Seismology (NCS) reported.

According to the NCS, the tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km. The earthquake’s epicenter was located at a latitude of 9.03° North and a longitude of 92.78° East, placing it in the Nicobar Islands region.

In a post on X, the NCS confirmed the details: “EQ of M: 4.6, On: 02/02/2026 03:31:12 IST, Lat: 9.03 N, Long: 92.78 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Nicobar Islands.”

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall under Seismic Zone V, according to India’s seismic zoning map (1893-1984), making them one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. Historically, the islands have experienced several major earthquakes, including the devastating tremor on December 26, 2004, which caused significant land displacement and triggered tsunami waves, resulting in heavy loss of life and property.

Experts note that shallow earthquakes, like the one recorded on Monday, can be more hazardous than deeper ones. Seismic waves from shallow quakes travel a shorter distance to the surface, causing stronger ground shaking and posing higher risks to structures and human safety.

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Parliament Budget Session 2026 set to begin with Lok Sabha debate on President’s address

The Parliament Budget Session 2026 is set to begin with the Lok Sabha scheduled to debate President Droupadi Murmu’s address for 18 hours.

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February 2, 2026

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Parliament

The Parliament Budget Session 2026 is set to begin on Monday, with the Lok Sabha scheduled to take up discussions on President Droupadi Murmu’s address, a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in the House.

The Lok Sabha is scheduled to meet at 11:00 am for a busy day of proceedings. A total of 18 hours has been allocated for the debate on the President’s address, which lays out the government’s policy priorities and broad agenda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to reply to the discussion on February 4, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to respond on February 11.

As per the session calendar, the Budget Session will comprise 30 sittings spread over 65 days and is scheduled to conclude on April 2. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9. During the recess period, Standing Committees are expected to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.

In addition to legislative business, Budget documents tabled in Parliament are set to provide a detailed break-up of government revenues and expenditure, outlining how funds are raised and allocated.

The opening of the Budget Session also comes amid discussions on the government’s economic approach, including measures announced in the Union Budget aimed at supporting key sectors and addressing global trade challenges.

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