India News
Meghalaya MP Agatha Sangma writes to PM Modi against palm oil cultivation plan in Northeast
Tura Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Agatha Sangma, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the Centre’s push for mega oil palm cultivation in Meghalaya.

Tura Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Agatha Sangma, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the Centre’s push for mega oil palm cultivation in Meghalaya.
In her letter to PM Modi, the parliamentarian from Meghalaya requested the Central government to have a wider consultation with all stakeholders before moving forward with the decision to implement the NMEO-OP (National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm) programme in the Northeast.
She also wrote that the planned oil palm farming will jeopardise the biodiversity hotspots in the Northeast by destroying its original forest belonging to local tribes and creating serious ethnic strife.
The letter followed the reports that the ruling National People’s Party, especially Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, supports the oil palm project despite grave environmental concerns.
The Union Cabinet cleared a plan under the aegis of NMEO-OP (National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm) and allocated Rs 11,040 Cr.
This is being done to reduce the import of edible oil and downsize the import bill, which is well appreciated, she said in her letter to PM Modi.
The concern is generated when one peeks into the finer details of the program, the plantation areas so selected is the North Eastern Region and the Andaman Islands both of which are biodiversity hotspots and ecologically fragile. Palm plantation in all certainty will denude vast swathes of land of its forest cover. Loss of habitat for the endangered wildlife will have devastating impact.
Palm tree is not an endemic species of plant of the North East Region and large scale adoption of a foreign species of plant which is water intensive harvest will definitely create irreparable ecological imbalance and distort the ground water table.
The other concern is of socio-cultural issue, North East India though sparsely populated than rest of India is dotted with many ethnic tribes with their own cultural heritage and practices, ownership of land is a centrality of any tribal society which is also connected to the identity, in many cases it is the community ownership. Wide spread Plantation for commercial gain in all possibility will detach the tribesman of his prized possession of land and wreak havoc on the social fabric.
Agatha is an environmentalist with a Masters’ degree in Environment from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom.
In other India News, The Uttar Pradesh BJP shared video from its official twitter handle accusing the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for backing Talibani mindset
India News
Bus carrying injured passengers from Odisha train accident collides with van in Bengal town

A bus loaded with injured passengers from the Balasore train accident had to face another unfortunate accident in Medinipur, Bengal on Saturday, June 3. These passengers had sustained injuries in the triple-train crash that occurred in Odisha’s Balasore on June 2, adding to the already tragic series of events.
The bus carrying injured passengers to various districts in Bengal to provide victims with essential medical care, collided head-on with a pick-up van, leading to traffic disruptions on the National Highway in Medinipur. The collision resulted in a momentary halt as emergency responders swiftly sprung into action.
Fortunately, preliminary reports indicate that the injuries sustained by several passengers were minor in nature. The local authorities, displaying commendable efficiency, wasted no time in launching rescue operations. They coordinated the immediate transportation of the injured to different healthcare facilities across West Bengal, making sure they receive all required treatments.
The passengers who had gotten away with injuries from the earlier train accident in Balasore must have been shaken at the second incident within 24 hours. The Friday collision involved three trains: the Coromandel Express ( Kolkata-Chennai), the Yeswanthpur-Howrah Superfast Express, and a goods train. The result left a devastating toll, with at least 280 reported deaths and over 900 injuries.
Unfortunately, the collision involving the bus carrying the injured passengers and the pick-up van has further complicated the ongoing rescue efforts. However, the authorities are working tirelessly to provide the necessary assistance and care to the victims, as well as to assess the overall situation and mitigate further risks.
As the nation mourns, during these difficult times, the authorities prioritize the safety and well-being of those affected, extending their support to the victims and their families.
India News
PM Modi visits Odisha train accident site, promises tough punishment for people responsible for collision
The Prime Minister met the injured passengers and assured them all the help and asked the Cabinet Secretary to provide special care so that the bereaved families are not put to inconvenience.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the site of the train accident in Odisha’s Balasore where almost 300 died and some 700 injured. Speaking to the media, he said those guilty of the lapse that led to the accident will be punished.
PM Modi said he shared the anguish of those who have lost their near and dear. He assured the people that all possible help will be provided to the accident-hit families. He said the government will not forgive the culprits and dole out the strictest punishment to them. The Railways are working hard to restore the track, he added.
The Prime Minister met the injured passengers and assured them all the help and asked the Cabinet Secretary to provide special care so that the bereaved families are not put to inconvenience, and those who are affected should keep getting assistance from the government.
He also took stock of the relief and restoration operation on Saturday. PM Modi reached the site with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan with other senior officials. He interacted with the disaster relief team and other railways officials as well.
Apart from the announcement by Vaishnaw of Central assistance, PM Modi announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund on Friday. On the day of incident, he spoke to Vaishnaw on phone and took stock of the situation. PM Modi had been scheduled to flag off Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express but after the Odisha accident happened, he had the event postponed.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge visited the site to provide all possible relief. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a former Railway Minister herself, also visited the site in Balasore. In Vaishnaw’s presence, she said the incident could have been avoided if the Railways had installed the anti-collision system. She announced a separate Rs 5 lakh compensation for families of those who died in the crash and Rs 1 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 50,000 for victims with minor injuries. She also said that West Bengal officers and doctors are on the ground for the relief work.
India News
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw trolled over missing Kavach after Odisha train accident
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav said a high-level probe panel has been set up to look into what happened exactly before the two passenger trains on different lines derailed and collided. There is another question arising on the Coromandel Express’ wrong track.

The Odisha train accident has claimed over 280 lives leaving hundreds injured. The Railways have become targets for trolls given the number of deaths in Odisha.
The trolls have been very specific in getting after Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw since he had posted a video on the Kavach anti-collision system n which he explained in detail how the system would work to prevent collisions. Social media users asked the minister why was Kavach not installed on the stretch which saw the horrific accident. Some even demanded Vaishnaw resign. Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma confirmed there was no Kavach deployed on the incident route. The Kavach just might have saved so many lives.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said a high-level probe panel has been set up to look into what happened exactly before the two passenger trains on different lines derailed and collided. There are other theories for the accident with some saying the Coromandel Express was on the wrong track.
The Indian Railways had announced to implement Kavach protection system over 2000 km during 2022-23. Around 34,000 km network was planned to be brought under Kavach. With Vaishnaw’s video explaining Kavach getting viral, Trinamool Congress s leader Saket Gokhale said only 2% of the total Railway routes have been brought under Kavach.
Gokhale claimed it was mere repackaging of the anti-collision device proposed by Mamata Banerjee when she was railway minister. In 2011-12, Indian Railways under Banerjee had developed the Train Collision Avoidance System system. The Narendra Modi government typically renamed the system to Kavach only to take credit, Gokhale said.
There was no progress on deploying this crucial rail safety technology until 2019 when three companies were approved for manufacturing and installing Kavach on railway tracks, the Trinamool leader said.
On Twitter, a journalist said similar accidents have happened in the past but the then Railway Ministers like Nitish Kumar and Lal Bahadur Shastri have taken moral responsibility and resigned from the position.
The accident has drawn condolences and outrage from India and abroad. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted that he was deeply saddened by the loss of hundreds of lives in the accident. Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said he was broken at seeing the images from the train accident and extended his condolences to the people who lost their close ones, he said Canadians are with the people of India in this difficult time. The European Commission and Turkey have also expressed their condolences at the loss of lives in the tragedy.
-
India News22 hours ago
Odisha train collision: 288 dead, 900 injured in biggest rail accident in recent memory
-
India News12 hours ago
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says high-level committee to probe Odisha train crash
-
India News9 hours ago
Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia gets permission to meet his wife, arrives home in custody
-
India News4 hours ago
Peak Bengaluru! Internet stunned as landlord invests $10,000 in tenant’s start-up
-
Cricket news3 hours ago
Asia Cup wrangle pits Sri Lanka Cricket Board against Pakistan Cricket Board
-
India News6 hours ago
With post-victory schemes, Karnataka takes DBT route like TN, Telangana, AP
-
India News3 hours ago
Odisha train accident: 48 trains cancelled, 39 diverted; Railway Ministry helpline numbers here
-
India News2 hours ago
Bus carrying injured passengers from Odisha train accident collides with van in Bengal town