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Campaign for Chhattisgarh elections ends, voters set to choose among jaded candidates

If all MLAs and few losers of the 2018 elections are re-elected, the Assembly will not look very different from what it has been over the last 20 years

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Priyanka Gandhi during election campaign

By Neeraj Mishra

Priyanka Gandhi closed the campaign in Chhattisgarh with a road show in Raipur with all four Congress candidates on show with her. Of these, only Ramsundar Das, the mahant of the state’s biggest and richest Math, is a new candidate, others are repeat candidates. Pankaj Sharma’s father Satyanarain Sharma opted to make way for his son.

This dearth of ideas and people is not limited to the Congress, which has given tickets to 49 of its 72 MLAs, the BJP has repeated 11 of its 13 MLAs. A farce is playing out in Chhattisgarh where 66 of the 90 current MLAs are seeking re-election, which is about 75% of the assembly strength. And if that was not enough, on the remaining seats, the BJP has put up 15 who had lost last time and the Congress has given tickets to 20 old faces who are either MPs, former MLAs and MPs or have been around in the electoral fray for more than two decades.

Where are the new ideas and energy going to come from? Both parties have concluded that since it’s more or less a bipolar system in the state, it is enough to make empty, enticing promises. It is estimated that if all the MLAs and few losers of the 2018 elections get re-elected, the Assembly will look much the same as it has in the past two decades. There are at least 40 MLAs who have been ministers under Raman Singh and Bhupesh Baghel, who are likely to get re-elected.

Consider the case of Rajim constituency. Amitesh Shukla is contesting his sixth election from the seat and is the only one to get Congress tickets since the state came into being. He has lost twice but that has not stopped Congress from fielding him from his “family seat”. His father Shyamacharan Shukla had contested eight times from the same seat and lost only once. Since the constituency came into being in 1957, the Congress has fielded a non-Shukla only twice and at a time when Shyamacharan was under suspension from the party.

An Association for Democratic Reforms report reveals that of the 66 re-contesting candidates, 60 have declared increase in wealth and assets over their 2018 submission. The average increase is in the region of Rs 1 crore. While the top five MLAs whose wealth has increased by more than Rs 10 crore, includes Bhupesh Baghel and his minister Shiv Deharia. Interestingly, the two ministers in Raman Cabinet who had lost in 2018 have shown a decrease in their wealth and assets.

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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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