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Heavy rain triggers landslides amid floods in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Northeast

Heavy monsoon rainfall continued to batter several states, causing landslides, floods, road closures and multiple deaths as rescue and relief operations intensified across affected regions.

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Heavy monsoon rainfall continued to affect large parts of India on Friday, triggering landslides in the Himalayan states, flooding rivers in the Northeast and causing rain-related deaths in multiple regions. Authorities intensified rescue and relief operations as highways remained blocked, roads were damaged and thousands of people were moved to safer locations.

While several northern and northeastern states continued to receive heavy rainfall, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan witnessed relatively dry weather after days of persistent showers.

Himachal Pradesh faces widespread disruption

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall affected several districts in Himachal Pradesh, damaging roads, bridges and public infrastructure while disrupting daily life. Many educational institutions remained closed as a precaution.

A 70-year-old man died in Kullu district after falling boulders struck him on the Buanda-Chwai road. In Solan district, two people were injured when a boulder hit their vehicle in the Arki area.

Authorities said 27 link roads in Shimla district remained closed, causing inconvenience to commuters. Rockfall incidents were reported at multiple locations along the Kalka-Shimla National Highway.

Officials also expressed concern over a potential landslide threat near the Sangla bridge in Kinnaur district. Any significant damage to the bridge could disconnect Sangla Valley from the rest of the district.

According to the Meteorological Department, Sirmaur and Solan districts recorded the highest rainfall since Thursday evening.

Landslides block key roads in Uttarakhand

Heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours triggered landslides across Uttarakhand, resulting in the death of a teenager, injuries to several people and the closure of schools in affected areas.

Officials said 118 roads across the state, including the Yamunotri National Highway, were blocked due to landslides. A nearly 100-metre stretch of the Yamunotri Highway near Syanachatti in Uttarkashi district was damaged, with restoration work underway.

The Gangotri National Highway also experienced repeated disruptions because of falling rocks and boulders. Continuous rainfall caused the Ganga, Yamuna and several tributaries to swell, prompting authorities to remain on high alert following forecasts of more heavy rainfall.

Floods affect Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast

Flash floods inundated parts of the Ari area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, damaging houses and leaving several residents stranded. Police personnel rescued at least 25 people from flooded areas.

In Mizoram, more than 80 families in Lunglei district were shifted to safer locations after the Khawthlangtuipui River overflowed following days of continuous rain. Authorities also reported landslides and rockfalls at more than 29 locations across the state.

A massive landslide blocked National Highway 54 near Bualte village, leaving several tourists stranded for four days and cutting off Lawngtlai and Siaha districts from the rest of Mizoram. The Aizawl-Thenzawl-Lunglei highway also remained blocked because of major rockfalls.

Tripura continued to battle flood conditions, with over 4,000 houses damaged and nearly 11,000 people taking shelter in relief camps. Officials said no fatalities had been reported in the state.

Uttar Pradesh records heavy rainfall and fatalities

Heavy rainfall continued across many parts of Uttar Pradesh, leading to multiple rain-related deaths.

A 28-year-old man died after reportedly falling into a rainwater-filled roadside drain in Noida. In Muzaffarnagar, a 60-year-old woman was killed after her mud house collapsed, while her husband sustained injuries. In Balrampur, a 21-year-old farmer lost his life after being struck by lightning.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the active southwest monsoon over Uttar Pradesh has been strengthened by an upper-air cyclonic circulation over central parts of the state and a well-marked low-pressure area over northwest Madhya Pradesh.

Mawana in Meerut district recorded the state’s highest rainfall at 315 mm during the 24-hour period ending Friday morning, followed by Jansath in Muzaffarnagar with 270.1 mm.

The IMD has issued an orange alert for Uttar Pradesh, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall until July 11.

Delhi and Rajasthan likely to see a break from heavy rain

After two consecutive days of rainfall, Delhi experienced clearer skies on Friday. Weather experts indicated that rainfall activity is expected to remain subdued until around July 15 as the monsoon trough has shifted towards the Himalayan foothills.

The weather office also forecast weaker monsoon activity over Rajasthan, with mostly dry conditions expected across much of the state for about a week and only isolated areas likely to receive light rainfall.

West Bengal, Arunachal and Assam remain on alert

Heavy rain continued across parts of West Bengal, causing waterlogging and traffic congestion in Kolkata. Cooch Behar recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 143 mm during the previous 24 hours, while Dum Dum received 96 mm.

In Arunachal Pradesh, fresh floods and landslides damaged houses, roads and agricultural land in West Kameng, Upper Subansiri and Tirap districts. The flood-related death toll in the state rose to seven after the body of a missing woman was recovered in Papum Pare district.

Authorities in Assam advised residents to remain cautious as the IMD forecast widespread rainfall across the state, including Guwahati, over the coming days. The weather agency warned that heavy rainfall could lead to waterlogging, flash floods, slow traffic movement and localised landslides.

The IMD also forecast widespread rainfall across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura until July 16, while rainfall activity is expected to remain subdued over central and southern Peninsular India during the next week.

Meanwhile, light rainfall was reported in parts of Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. In Kerala, recovery operations at the Wayanad landslide site continued, with one more body recovered, taking the death toll to seven.

India News

Mother Dairy raises milk prices by Rs 2-4 per litre from November 12

Mother Dairy has increased milk prices by Rs 2-4 per litre from November 12. Full cream milk will now cost Rs 76 per litre, while toned milk will be priced at Rs 62.

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Mother Dairy has increased the prices of its liquid milk variants by Rs 2 to Rs 4 per litre, with the revised rates coming into effect from Thursday, November 12. The price revision will affect consumers in the Delhi-NCR market, where the dairy company is a major milk supplier.

The increase comes amid rising input costs, particularly higher procurement prices paid to farmers. According to sources, the company has decided to pass on part of the additional cost to consumers.

A spokesperson for Mother Dairy declined to comment on the latest price revision.

Check new Mother Dairy milk prices

The revised rates cover several liquid milk variants sold in the NCR market. Full cream milk has seen the highest increase of Rs 4 per litre.

Here are the revised prices:

Milk variantOld priceNew price
Toned milk (bulk vended)Rs 58Rs 60
Full cream milk (pouched)Rs 72Rs 76
Toned milk (pouched)Rs 60Rs 62
Double toned milkRs 54Rs 56
Cow milkRs 62Rs 65

The new prices will be applicable from November 12.

Why Mother Dairy has increased milk prices

The latest revision follows an increase in the procurement prices of milk from farmers. Sources said the higher procurement costs have prompted Mother Dairy to partly transfer the additional input expenses to consumers.

The company passes on around 75-80 per cent of its milk sales realisation to farmers.

Mother Dairy had last increased milk prices on May 14, 2026. Before that, its previous price revision took place in April 2025.

Mother Dairy’s daily milk sales

Mother Dairy sells approximately 35 lakh litres of milk every day in the Delhi-NCR market through its own outlets, general trade channels and e-commerce platforms.

Its overall daily milk sales exceed 50 lakh litres.

The company recorded a 17 per cent increase in turnover to Rs 20,300 crore in the last financial year. The growth was supported by improved demand for its milk products and cooking oils.

About Mother Dairy

Commissioned in 1974, Mother Dairy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

The company sells milk and milk products under the Mother Dairy brand. It markets edible oils under the Dhara brand, while fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables, snacks, pulps and concentrates are sold under the Safal brand.

Mother Dairy operates nine milk processing plants and four horticulture processing plants. Its edible oil operations are supported by 16 associated plants.

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India News

Air pollution as big a health emergency as COVID, says former WHO chief Soumya Swaminathan

Former WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said air pollution should be treated with the same urgency as COVID, highlighting its effects on children, pregnancy and multiple organs.

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Air pollution should be treated as a major public health emergency requiring an urgent and coordinated response, former World Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said.

In an exclusive interview, Dr Swaminathan compared the scale of the air pollution health crisis with COVID and said its effects can extend across the body, including the brain, lungs and cardiovascular system. She also highlighted links between pollution exposure and conditions such as asthma and diabetes.

Why air pollution needs a COVID-like response

Dr Swaminathan said COVID triggered an immediate public response because it was sudden, visible and associated with an unknown virus. Air pollution, by contrast, is often less visible and its effects accumulate over time.

She said people may become accustomed to pollution because it is not always visible, particularly outside the winter months. But she stressed that prolonged exposure can still cause serious health damage.

She called for the issue to receive an “equal, urgent, coordinated and scientific” response, similar to the approach taken during the COVID crisis.

PM2.5 poses risks from pregnancy to childhood

Dr Swaminathan also highlighted concerns about exposure to fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, among pregnant women and children.

According to her, these tiny particles can enter the lungs and bloodstream and may also reach the placenta. She pointed to higher rates of premature births and low birth weight among babies born in areas where mothers are exposed to high levels of air pollution.

She also said children are particularly vulnerable because their brains and other organs are developing rapidly. Children breathe faster than adults, and those growing up in heavily polluted areas can have smaller lungs, she said.

Why AQI may not tell the full health story

Dr Swaminathan suggested moving beyond the conventional Air Quality Index (AQI) towards an Air Quality Health Index (AHQI).

The proposal would place greater emphasis on how individual pollutants affect different groups of people. She noted that the dominant pollutant can vary from one city to another, while its health impact may also differ for groups such as pregnant women and children.

The current AQI uses eight major pollutants as parameters: PM10, PM2.5, ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and ammonia. The overall AQI is determined by the highest pollutant sub-index.

Swaminathan does not favour shutting schools

On protecting children from polluted air, Dr Swaminathan said she was not in favour of simply closing schools.

She argued that children from poorer families may continue breathing polluted air at home, while also losing access to education, social interaction and midday meals.

Instead, she suggested making school environments cleaner. Her proposals included installing air purifiers in classrooms, providing pick-and-drop bus facilities and encouraging older children to wear masks when outdoors.

Five measures suggested to tackle pollution

Dr Swaminathan outlined five key measures for addressing the pollution crisis:

  1. Launch a national clean air programme, which she suggested could be called the “Swachh Vaayu Abhiyan”.
  2. Prepare a costed, long-term plan with sustained investment and study lessons from countries such as China.
  3. Establish empowered leadership and accountability for tackling air pollution.
  4. Create a panel of experts to develop a science-based, multi-sectoral and multi-year plan.
  5. Put health at the centre of air pollution policy.

She also supported treating the right to clean air as a basic public health entitlement, linking it to the constitutional right to life.

Dr Swaminathan’s central argument was that air pollution should no longer be treated as a slow-moving or routine environmental problem, but as a serious health crisis requiring sustained action.

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India News

Terrorists open fire at CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam, search operation underway

Terrorists opened fire on CRPF personnel at a naka in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The attackers fled and a search operation was launched.

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jammu and kashmir encounter

Unidentified assailants opened fire on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday afternoon, according to the CRPF.

The incident took place at a security naka in the Kulgam area. The attackers, who were reportedly travelling on a motorcycle, fled after opening fire on the security personnel.

According to the CRPF statement, the firing occurred at around 2:15 pm. The injured personnel were shifted to a hospital in Anantnag district for treatment.

Search operation launched for attackers

Following the firing, security forces launched a cordon and search operation to locate the attackers.

The assailants have not been identified so far, and further details about the incident are awaited.

What happened in Kulgam

The CRPF personnel were deployed at a naka when the unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at them. After the attack, the assailants fled from the spot.

The CRPF said the injured personnel were taken to a hospital in Anantnag for medical treatment. A search operation was subsequently launched to track down those responsible for the attack.

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