India News
Heat wave sweeps Indian subcontinent, 11 hottest places in the world in India, 4 in Pakistan
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A severe heatwave continued to sweep India’s northern plains and its western neighbour with the two together accounting for the 15 hottest places in the world today (Monday, June 3), 11 of them in India, according to weather monitoring website El Dorado.
The heat wave conditions are likely to continue for two days, according to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
| Maximum Temperature Last 24h – 06/03/2019 at 11:00 UTC | |||
| No. | Location | Station ID | Amount |
| 1 | Jacobabad (Pakistan) | 41715 | 50°C |
| 2 | Churu (India) | 42170 | 49.8°C |
| 3 | Ganganagar (India) | 42123 | 48.6°C |
| 4 | Pad Idan (Pakistan) | 41746 | 48.5°C |
| 5 | Sibi (Pakistan) | 41697 | 48.3°C |
| 6 | Phalodi (India) | 42237 | 48.2°C |
| 7 | Bikaner (India) | 42165 | 48.1°C |
| 8 | Rohri (Pakistan) | 41725 | 48°C |
| 9 | Jaisalmer (India) | 42328 | 47.8°C |
| 10 | Nowgong (India) | 42467 | 47.7°C |
| 11 | Narnaul (India) | 42177 | 47.6°C |
| 12 | Kota Aerodrome (India) | 42452 | 47.5°C |
| 13 | Barmer (India) | 42435 | 47.2°C |
| 14 | Sawai Madhopur (India) | 42453 | 47.2°C |
| 15 | Jhansi (India) | 42463 | 47.1°C |
| Script courtesy of Michael Holden of Relay Weather. Data courtesy of Ogimet | |||
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The hottest was Jacobabad in Pakistan at 50C, just below the 50.8C recorded at Churu in Rajasthan on June 1. Temperature in Churu continued to hover around that range and was recorded at 49.8C.
Churu has issued a heat wave advisory and government hospitals have prepared emergency wards with extra air conditioners, coolers and medicines, said Ramratan Sonkariya, additional district magistrate for Churu, News18 reported.
Water is also being poured on the roads of Churu, known as the gateway to the Thar desert, to keep the temperature down and prevent them from melting, Sonkariya added.
A farmer from Sikar district in Rajasthan died on Sunday due to heatstroke, state government officials said.
At least 17 people had reportedly died over the past three weeks due to the heatwave in Telangana. A state official said it would confirm the number of deaths only after the causes had been ascertained.
Heat wave warnings were issued on Monday for some places in western Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Severe heatwave conditions continued unabated in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. In Andhra Pradesh, Nellore, Guntur and Prakasam districts recorded maximum temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. Adilabad district was the hottest in Telangana with a day temperature of 45.3 degrees Celsius. The IMD has issued heatwave warning at isolated pockets of the state for June 5 and 6.
Vaigai river which flows through the town of Theni, Andipetti, Madurai in Tamil Nadu has dried due to the intense heatwave in the region.
The IMD said heatwave conditions are likely to continue over the Northwest, Central and adjoining Peninsular India, today and tomorrow.
Relief from monsoon is set to be delayed by about a week and is expected to arrive in Delhi by July 6 instead of the normal date of June 29.
The three-month pre-monsoon season, which ended on May 31, was the second driest in the last 65 years, India’s only private forecaster, Skymet, said, with a national average of 99mm of rain against the normal average of 131.5 mm for the season.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
India News
President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Women’s Reservation Bill
The new law provides 33% reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The Women’s Reservation Bill became law in India after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent, days after the historic vote in the Parliament. The new law provides 33% reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. However, the law will be imposed after the new census and delimitation.
The Women’s Reservation Bill which is officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in both the houses during the special session of the Parliament. The historic bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on September 20, with 454 MPs voting in its favour and 2 voting against it. In the Rajya Sabha, the bill was passed unanimously on September 21 with 214 MPs voting in favour of the bill.
Issuing a gazette notification, the Government of India stated that the Bill has become an Act after the approval granted by the President. The notification read that the act will come into force on such date as the central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
While supporting the historic bill in the Parliament, the Opposition condemned the government for not bringing the quota for women into immediate effect. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Parliament during the bill’s discussion that it could only come into effect after 2029 due to the pending census and delimitation.
A day after the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that with the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, the nation usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India. He added that this is not merely legislation but a tribute to the countless women who have made the nation. He exclaimed that India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions.
India News
CM Arvind Kejriwal announces Delhi winter action plan to curb pollution
Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government will also deploy 530 water sprinklers in an attempt to prevent dust pollution
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday affirmed that pollution levels dropped in the national capital owing to various government initiatives as he announced the winter action plan to curb pollution.
Addressing a press conference, CM Arvind Kejriwal stated that the number of days witnessing severe pollution levels declined in the past eight years due to several initiatives of the government, like the introduction of electric buses and the EV Policy, among others.
Announcing the winter action plan in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal stated that the Pusa bio decomposer that prevents stubble burning will be sprayed on 5,000 hectares of farmland this year against 4,400 hectares the previous year. As far as reports are concerned, the Pusa bio decomposer, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) is a microbial solution that can turn paddy straw into manure in 15-20 days.
In addition, Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government will also deploy 530 water sprinklers in an attempt to prevent dust pollution and 385 teams, who will be entrusted to check vehicles pollution certificates and prevent the plying of overage cars.
According to reports, in 2018, the Supreme Court banned diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years, respectively, in Delhi. The top court had added that the vehicles plying in violation of the order would be impounded. Further, a 2014 order of the National Green Tribunal bars vehicles older than 15 years to be parked in public places.
Arvind Kejriwal also reiterated that burning garbage in the open is banned in Delhi. He mentioned that 611 teams will supervise the implementation of the same. He also urged people to download the Green Delhi mobile application on their devices and report any pollution-causing activity to the government.
Speaking about stubble burning, the Delhi Chief Minister noted that in Punjab, they formed a government last year and the data from the last year showed that the steps taken in 6-7 months led to a 30% reduction in stubble burning.
India News
Karnataka Bandh: Pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj detained by Town Hall Police during protest
Five pro-Kannada activists were also detained after they entered the airport premises with a Karnataka flag to stage a protest.
Pro-Kannada and farmers organisations have called for a statewide bandh in Karnataka to protest against the release of Cauvery water to its neighbouring state, Tamil Nadu. During the protest, Town Hall police detained pro-Kanada activist Vatal Nagraj. Reportedly, five pro-Kannada activists were also taken into custody as they entered the Bengaluru International Airport to stage a protest.
According to reports, nearly 44 flights were cancelled at the Bengaluru International Airport on Friday owing to the statewide bandh. The airport authorities asserted that the flights were cancelled due to operational reasons and that the passengers were informed about the same in time. However, sources concerned to the matter said cancellations happened due to the effect of the Karnataka bandh since many passengers had cancelled their tickets.
Meanwhile, five pro-Kannada activists were also detained after they entered the airport premises with a Karnataka flag to stage a protest. According to an India Today report, the five detainees had booked flight tickets in order to gain entry to the airport premises.
On the other hand, normal life was affected, especially in the southern part of the state, with pro-Kannada and farmers’ organisations calling for ‘Karnataka Bandh’. Kannada Okkuta which includes factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) and various farmers’ bodies that have given a call for the statewide dawn-to-dusk shutdown. The opposition BJP and JD(S) have extended their support to the bandh, together with hotels, auto rickshaws and hail riders associations in Karnataka.
A member from a pro-Kannada organisation in Bengaluru told PTI that they have come over here to protest against the Cauvery water issue. He added that Cauvery water sharing is a very old issue and that they should solve the problem at earliest. He further noted that all the parties of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka should sit and sort out this matter.
