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Will not touch Ram Setu, to explore alternate route for Sethusamudram Canal project: Centre to SC

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7 years ago

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Will not touch Ram Setu, to explore alternate route for Sethusamudram Canal project: Centre to SC

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that, in the “interest of the nation”, it will explore alternate routes for Sethusamudram Ship Channel project so that Ram Setu, the 50-km-long the chain of limestone shoals between India and Sri Lanka which holds religious significance for Hindus, is not touched.

In an affidavit filed as a response to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s plea, the government said: “The Government of India intends to explore an alternative to the earlier alignment of Sethusamudram Ship Channel project without affecting or damaging the Adam’s bridge/Ram Sethu in the interest of the nation.”

The government said cutting a route through the Ram Sethu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, would be a cause of “socio-economic disadvantage”.

This is part of a one-page affidavit filed by the Shipping Ministry almost four years after the Supreme Court asked the government to ‘come clean’ on the choice of the project’s route and whether it would damage the Ram Sethu.

Under the Sethusamudram project, a 83-km-long deep water channel would have been created linking Mannar with Palk Strait by extensive dredging and removal of the limestone shoals which constitute the Setu.

Swamy had filed a PIL against the Centre’s Sethusamudram Canal project and had sought that the Centre be directed to ‘not touch’ the mythological Ram Setu bridge.

The Union Ministry of Shipping requested the bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, to dispose of Swamy’s plea by taking note of the stand taken by the ministry in the affidavit.

The Supreme Court, in November last year, had granted time to the centre to spell out whether it has taken a stand to cut through Ram Setu for the Sethusamudram project.

The Ram Setu or Adam’s Bridge is a continuous stretch of limestone shoals that runs from Pamban Island near Rameshwaram in South India to Mannar Island off the northern coast of Sri Lanka. These marine structures, between the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, have been at the centre of controversy especially since the Sethusamudram shipping canal project.

According to Hindu mythology, the Ram Sethu was built by Lord Ram with help from an army of monkeys, to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, described in the epic Ramayana.

In November, during proceedings in the petition filed by Swamy, the Supreme Court had asked the centre to clarify whether it wants to remove the Ram Setu, connecting the Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu with Mannar Island in Sri Lanka, or protect it. Swamy had later told the media that he would “get the Namo [Narendra Modi] government” to tell the court that it would not touch the Ram Setu and instead give the structure a national heritage status, reported India Legal.

According to Hindu mythology and the epic Ramayana, Ram Setu is the bridge that was built by an army of monkeys (the vanara sena) to help Lord Rama and his warriors cross over to Lanka to rescue Sita from the demon king Ravana.

In 2005, during the first term of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA regime, a massive controversy had broken out when the government proposed the Setusamudram shipping canal project, said the India Legal report. The project required dredging in the region that the Ram Setu passes through. Predictably, several right-wing Hindu groups, the RSS and its progeny the BJP, had come out in protest against the proposed canal project, arguing that the Congress-led government wanted to destroy an ancient bridge that was built under instruction of Lord Rama and was thus dear to the country’s majority Hindu population.

The project was challenged before the Supreme Court in 2005. In 2007, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) filed an affidavit before the top court asserting that Lord Ram was a mythical character and that the Ramayana had no historical basis, thereby implying that claims that the Ram Setu was built on instructions of the Hindu God were unsubstantiated and had no basis in history. The ASI affidavit had triggered an outrage among the Hindu right, something that the BJP relentlessly used to attack the then Congress-led ruling coalition and also disrupt parliamentary proceedings.

Under pressure from the BJP-led Opposition, the UPA government was later forced to withdraw the affidavit filed by the ASI.

Recently the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, which has representatives from key NDA constituents, discussed the future of the Setusamudram project. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, discussed various aspects related to the project which envisages dredging a channel across the Palk Strait to provide a shorter navigational route from the east and west coasts of India instead of circumventing Sri Lanka.

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SBI PO recruitment 2024: 600 probationary officer posts announced

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3 mins ago

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December 26, 2024

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SBI revises ATM charges, to levy cash transaction fee

The State Bank of India (SBI) has released its official notification for the recruitment of Probationary Officers (PO) for 2024. The recruitment drive aims to fill 600 vacancies, including 586 regular positions and 14 backlog positions. Interested candidates can apply online through the official website, sbi.co.in, starting December 27, 2024.

This recruitment drive aims to fill 600 Probationary Officer (PO) positions, offering a great opportunity for aspirants looking to build a career in banking with one of India’s most prestigious financial institutions. The SBI PO posts will be filled through a rigorous three-phase selection process, including preliminary exams, main exams, and a final interview.

Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria, including a graduation degree and age requirements, to apply for the posts. The application process will be conducted online, with important dates for registration, examination, and document submission clearly outlined. Interested candidates are encouraged to check the official SBI website for detailed instructions and begin preparing for the upcoming selection rounds.

Key Dates

  • Application Start Date: December 27, 2024
  • Application Deadline: January 16, 2024
  • Preliminary Exam Call Letters Available: 3rd or 4th week of February 2025
  • Phase-I Preliminary Examination: March 8 and 15, 2025

Eligibility Criteria

  • Educational Qualification: A graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university or equivalent. Final-year students can apply provisionally, provided they present proof of graduation by April 30, 2025.
  • Age Limit: Applicants must be between 21 and 30 years old as of April 1, 2024 (born between April 2, 1994, and April 1, 2003, inclusive).

Selection Process

The selection process involves three phases:

  1. Phase I: Preliminary Examination
    • An online objective test carrying 100 marks.
  2. Phase II: Main Examination
    • Conducted online, it includes an objective test for 200 marks and a descriptive test for 50 marks.
  3. Phase III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercise, and Personal Interview
    • A psychometric test will profile candidates’ personalities. Shortlisted candidates will participate in group exercises and interviews.

Application Fee

  • Rs. 750/- for Unreserved, EWS, and OBC candidates.
  • No fee for SC, ST, and PwBD candidates.

How to Apply?

Candidates must visit the official website, register, and complete the application process by the deadline. The call letters for the preliminary examination will be available in February 2025.

This recruitment provides an excellent opportunity for aspiring candidates to join one of India’s premier banking institutions. Applicants are advised to carefully review the eligibility and selection criteria before applying.

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Instagram influencer and RJ Simran Singh found dead in Gurugram

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18 mins ago

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December 26, 2024

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Simran Singh, popular Instagram influencer and radio jockey, found dead in Gurugram apartment

Simran Singh, a well-known freelance radio jockey and social media influencer from Jammu and Kashmir, was found dead in her apartment in Gurugram’s Sector 47. Authorities suspect suicide as the cause of death.

The 25-year-old, known by her fans as RJ Simran, had a significant following on Instagram, amassing nearly seven lakh followers. Her last post, shared on December 13, featured a reel captioned, “Just a girl with endless giggles and her gown, taking over the beach.”

Simran, often referred to as “Jammu Ki Dhadkan” (Heartbeat of Jammu), was a beloved personality in her hometown and beyond. Her vibrant presence and engaging content had endeared her to fans across the country.

According to police reports, Simran’s friend, who was staying with her, alerted authorities. Following standard procedures, her body has been handed over to her family.

The news of her untimely death has left her fans and followers in shock. Many have taken to social media to express their grief and pay tribute to the young influencer.

Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances leading to her death.

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2 killed as masked men open fire outside gym in Haryana’s Yamunanagar

The police officials said that the motive for the killings is still unclear. The deceased, both in their mid-30s, have not been identified publicly yet.

Published

33 mins ago

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December 26, 2024

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2 killed as masked men open fire outside gym in Haryana’s Yamunanagar

In a tragic incident, two men were killed, and another was injured when unidentified armed miscreants opened indiscriminate fire on them in Haryana’s Yamunanagar on Thursday.

The incident was captured on CCTV and surfaced on social media, showing three victims exiting a gym and approaching their vehicle when 4-5 masked assailants arrived on motorcycles and fired multiple rounds at them. The attack occurred in Yamunanagar’s Lakha Singh Khedi.

Reportedly, while two of the men succumbed to their injuries, the third remains in critical condition and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. The assailants fled the scene after the attack, and an investigation has been initiated.

The police officials said that the motive for the killings is still unclear. The deceased, both in their mid-30s, have not been identified publicly yet.

Previously, on late Sunday night, three people, including a woman, were shot dead by unidentified assailants in the parking lot of a hotel in Haryana’s Panchkula, police said.

Reportedly, the victims were identified as Vicky and Vipin, both residents of Delhi, and Nia from Hisar. The police confirmed that the trio was killed by unknown attackers in the hotel’s parking area.

In another separate incident on December 8, a businessman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly killing his friend in Fatehabad on Saturday evening, police reported. The accused were identified as Palvinder alias Pampa, fatally shot Manoj Bansal, a 45-year-old originally from Jharkhand, at his shop. Manoj Bansal had been living with his family in Fatehabad for several years.

As per a complaint filed by the deceased’s nephew, Sandeep Kumar, another friend, Nishant Singla, informed him about the incident. Sandeep Kumar said that in the CCTV footage, it is clear that Palvinder took out his pistol and fired at his maternal uncle while sitting next to him on the bed. He said that three other people sitting there were shocked as Palvinder opened fire at his maternal uncle, adding that they had no enmity with him.

Furthermore, Fatehabad SHO Prahlad Rai confirmed that the accused had been arrested, and a murder case was registered. He added that they will determine the motive behind the killing during interrogation.

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