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As expected, Parrikar rules the floor

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BACK IN OFFICE: Parrikar with the governor and his own ministers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But the smaller parties to have supported the BJP have extracted their pound of flesh in the form of plum cabinet posts 

By Sujit Bhar

Manohar Parrikar won the floor test with 22 MLAs paraded on March 16 and is now the legitimate chief minister of Goa. The Congress, for all practical purposes, sat dejected, having virtually given up hope.

This is the age of expecting the unexpected and then getting it. Parrikar headed a BJP jamboree to 13 seats in the recent assembly elections, while the Congress was the largest party on show with 17 in the 40-seat assembly.

It was natural and expected that the governor would call the Congress first to form government. It was also expected that it would be a cakewalk for the Congress to seek out four more MLAs to support them and take then to the magic figure of 21.

The unexpected happened, both times. Governor Mridula Sinha returned the call of Parrikar and BJP, while waiting for the Congress to show up, quickly installed the former defence minister as the chief minister. She seemingly was satisfied with the BJP’s claim to strength.

Technically the Congress was to blame. It failed to even present its case to governor. In the heated atmosphere of Goa, and with 131 years of rigorous political experience to fall back on, the Congress sat on its hands. The BJP did not. By nightfall on March 11 (the day election results were announced), it has sewn up alliances that would see them through any test.

It was not clear what the Congress was doing, but the rumour is that it was trying to settle internal disputes as to who would be the boss. Digvijay Singh, Congress’ boss-man responsible for Goa, was totally lost. Now he has to listen to a sarcastic jab from Parrikar, who commented after the floor test: “That’s what happens if you come to Goa for a holiday.”

CM ONCE MORE: Parrikar takes oath of office

CM ONCE MORE: Parrikar takes oath of office

The Congress had huffed and puffed its way to the Supreme Court on the issue of the governor calling Parrikar and neglecting Congress. The Supreme Court is on vacation, but considering the seriousness of the issue, Chief Justice JS Khehar quickly formed a three-judge bench and heard out Congress counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Singhvi had later said sarcastically: “Let Parrikar be a do-din ka Sultan if he wants to be.” Actually, the joke was on Singhvi and the Congress. The Supreme Court had openly rebuked the Congress, with Justice Khehar saying: “You saw them saying they have the majority. But you never said you have the majority nor have you mentioned in this petition. You have not brought the affidavits of these people who are with you. You failed to show that the people who are mentioned in their list are with you.” 
The court added: “If you had the numbers, you would have held a dharna at the Governor’s house.”

When Singhvi cried “It’s constitutionally and legally wrong,” Justice Gogoi gave him a lesson in realpolitik. : “Healthy constitutional practice should be followed, not the just the convention of calling the largest party.”

FLOOR TEST

The body language of the Congress on the morning of March 16 was one of despondency. They seemed to have given up trying. It was soon clear that the smaller parties to have supported the BJP—three independents, the Goa Forward Party (GFP, 3) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP, 3)—have extracted their pound of flesh in the form of plum cabinet posts.

The problem was that Parrikar is a local man, a former high-powered cabinet minister and close to Prime Minster Narendra Modi. What chance did the Congress—whose leader Rahul Gandhi himself is in the dock for huge losses—have against such an opponent?

The bigger problem for the Congress will be the new legislators who are frustrated and have said so. Will the flock stay with leaders who live in Delhi? Congress’ demand for the pro-tem speaker’s post also failed to cut ice.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Jammu & Kashmir: 5 soldiers killed after Army vehicle plunges into gorge in Poonch

“Today at around 17:40 hrs (5.40 pm), an Army vehicle of 11 Maratha Light Infantry, which was on its way from from Nilam headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post along the LoC, met with an accident near Ghora Post,” said officials.

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Five soldiers lost their lives and several others were injured when an Army vehicle veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge in the Balnoi area of Mendhar, Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday, according to officials.

The incident occurred as the vehicle, part of the 11 Madras Light Infantry (11 MLI), was traveling from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post. Reports indicate that the vehicle plunged approximately 350 feet into a steep gorge near its destination.

Upon learning of the accident, the Quick Reaction Team from 11 MLI rapidly mobilized to the scene to initiate rescue operations. The injured personnel received immediate medical attention, and efforts are currently underway to evacuate them for further treatment.

In a message on X, the White Knight Corps expressed their deep condolences for the tragic loss of five courageous soldiers, stating, “All ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers in a vehicle accident during operational duty in the #Poonch sector. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care.”

“Today at around 17:40 hrs (5.40 pm), an Army vehicle of 11 Maratha Light Infantry, which was on its way from from Nilam headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post along the LoC, met with an accident near Ghora Post,” said officials.

This incident follows a similar accident last month, where one Army personnel died and another was injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir. This crash, which occurred on November 4 near Badog village in Kalakote, resulted in Naik Badri Lal and Sepoy Jai Prakash suffering critical injuries; Lal ultimately succumbed to his injuries while in treatment.

On November 2, another tragedy struck when a vehicle skidded off a hilly road in Reasi district, claiming the lives of a woman and her 10-month-old son, while three others sustained serious injuries.

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Over 350 Himachal Pradesh roads shut amid snowfall, 4 dead

Meanwhile, post-monsoon rainfall from October 1 to December 24 has shown a deficit of 92% of the normal level of 70.4 mm.

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In Himachal Pradesh, a significant snowfall in the past 24 hours has resulted in four fatalities and the shutdown of approximately 700 electric transformers along with over 350 roads, including three national highways. This has left around 500 vehicles stranded, among which are more than 300 buses.

The snowfall, which began yesterday, has been recorded in various districts such as Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, as well as the higher elevations of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba, and Sirmaur.

On a positive note, the situation has attracted a large number of tourists heading to Shimla and nearby areas in hopes of enjoying a white Christmas. According to MK Seth, president of the Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders’ Association, hotel occupancy in the historic town has exceeded 70%, 30% higher than usual.

Tragically, four individuals lost their lives in accidents over the last day, with several others injured due to vehicles skidding in hazardous conditions. Key national highways connecting Attari to Leh, Sanj to Aut in Kullu, and Khab Sangam in Kinnaur to Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti are currently blocked.

Among the affected areas, Shimla has the highest number of closed roads, totaling 89, followed by Kinnaur with 44 and Mandi with 25. The State Emergency Operation Centre reported that 683 transformers are inactive, leaving some regions without electricity.

Authorities have urged tourists to follow the advice of district officials and police, heed local guidance, and avoid driving on snowy roads. Khadrala experienced the highest snowfall, receiving 24 cm, followed by Sangla with 16.5 cm, and Shillaro at 15.3 cm. Other areas such as Chopal and Jubbal recorded 15 cm each, while Kalpa received 13.7 cm, Nichar 10 cm, Shimla 7 cm, Pooh 6 cm, and Jot 5 cm.

Manali and Dalhousie suburbs also saw snowfall since Monday, with light rain experienced in parts of the mid and lower hills. An intense cold wave is affecting the lower hills of Mandi, while cold conditions are noted in Una and Chamba.

The Meteorological Office reported dense, moderate, and shallow fog in Bilaspur, Sundernagar, and Mandi. An ‘orange’ warning has been issued for severe cold in Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, and Mandi, and a ‘yellow’ warning for dense fog in areas around the Bhakra dam reservoir and Balh Valley in Mandi until Thursday.

The coldest recorded temperature was in Kukumseri, Lahaul and Spiti, at minus 6.9 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, post-monsoon rainfall from October 1 to December 24 has shown a deficit of 92% of the normal level of 70.4 mm.

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Delhi Pollution: GRAP 4 revoked in capital, NCR as air quality improves

The GRAP 4 measures were implemented in Delhi after the air quality index (AQI) hit alarming levels on 16th December 2024

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Delhi Pollution: GRAP 4 revoked in capital, NCR as air quality improves

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) today revoked Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Nonetheless, measures under stages 1, 2, and 3 will remain in force to manage pollution levels. The GRAP 4 measures have been in effect in the entire NCR since December 16 after deterioration in air quality. 

This move follows after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 401 at 8 AM. The AQI on Monday fell into the severe category, measuring 403 at 7 am. Reportedly, AQI in several areas of the national capital was also recorded as ‘severe.’

Reports said, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI at 439, 456 at Ashok Vihar, 473 at Bawana, 406 at CRRI Mathura Road and 430 at Narela. Notably, an AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and 401-500 is severe.

The GRAP 4 measures were implemented in Delhi after the air quality index (AQI) hit alarming levels on 16th December 2024. The Air Quality Index breached the 350 mark during the day, prompting the GRAP Sub-Committee to implement Stage-III measures. On the same day, by 10 PM, the AQI soared to 401, surpassing the severe plus category threshold. According to the Supreme Court instructions, Stage-IV measures were immediately introduced to tackle the crisis.

The apex court had earlier mandated precautionary measures, requiring Stage-III actions for AQI above 350 and Stage-IV for AQI exceeding 400. These directions were reiterated on 5th, 12th, and 19th December 2024, underlining the urgency to address Delhi’s air pollution.

As Delhi continues to battle hazardous air quality, the intensified measures under GRAP Stages I, II, and III will focus on curbing pollution sources and improving monitoring. Furthermore, residents are urged to remain cautious and adhere to guidelines issued by the authorities to mitigate the impact of air pollution on health and daily life.

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