Cyclone Nivar
3 dead, over 10,000 shifted to relief shelters in Andhra
As many as three people died and over 10,000 people were shifted to relief shelters in the Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh after cyclone Nivar caused widespread devastation in the state and neighboring areas.
Speaking at a cabinet briefing here, Andhra Pradesh Minister Kurasala Kannababu informed that about 283 centimeters of rainfall has been recorded in the districts, devastating 30,000 hectares of agricultural crops and 1,300 hectares of horticultural crops. “Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has ordered for Rs 500 to be given to all the affected people in relief shelters. The Chief Minister also said that a complete remuneration of crop losses by December 15, which will be paid to the people by the 31st,” Kannababu said.
Regarding the Polavaram project, Kannababu further said that the height of the project would not be reduced and it would be constructed according to the original designs.
“The cabinet has unanimously condemned the propaganda that the height of the Polavaram project will be reduced. The Chief Minister has clarified that the height of the project will not be decreased even a single centimeter and the project will be constructed according to the original designs. The CM suggested the ministers in the state to counter the malicious propaganda against the government in this regard,” the minister said.
The cabinet also decided to clear Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, and approved the increase of DAs by 3.144 per cent, to be paid from January 2021. The government has also decided to clear the salaries and pensions stalled in March and April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in December and January successively.
Ahmed Patel
Congress says interest of Congress was his only interest
The Congress Working Committee on Friday paid rich tributes to party leader Ahmed Patel, saying his signal contribution was his unique capacity to reconcile competing aspirations and forge unity and comradeship among the leaders and members of the party.
In a resolution, CWC expressed its profound shock and grief at the untimely demise of Ahmed Patel and said he was a pillar of strength to the two coalition governments led by the Congress from 2004 to 2014. “Ahmedbhai had no personal ambition. The interest of the Congress was his only interest and the advancement of the Congress’ agenda was his only agenda. He was deeply religious but secular to the core. Ahmedbhai’s simplicity, austerity, accessibility and generosity were legendary,” the CWC said.
Patel, who was treasurer of Congress, breathed his last in the wee hours of Wednesday after fighting COVID-19 related complications for over a month.
The CWC said Patel was an integral part of the organization for nearly four decades, contributing in manifold ways as Youth Congress worker, Gujarat PCC President, AICC member, CWC member, Political Secretary to the Congress President and Treasurer.
“In each of the responsibilities that he assumed, he brought to bear a great sense of dedication, commitment and purpose, always keeping the interests of the Party paramount,” the CWC said.
Delhi Govt
Infrastructure ready for entire city population
The Delhi Government has the infrastructure and capacity to inoculate the entire population of Delhi as soon as the COVID-19 vaccination is out, claimed Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday.
“In Delhi, three times testing is being done as compared to the rest of the country. We have the infrastructure and capacity to innoculate the entire population of Delhi as soon as the vaccination is out,” said Jain in a daily press briefing. “Do not worry about the storage of the vaccine. There has been a decline in the positive ratio in Delhi after November 7. The new cases have not crossed the 7,000-mark for one week, it is also a positive indication,” he added.
Jain had on Thursday said the COVID-19 positivity rate in the national capital has come down to 8.5 per cent in the last three weeks.
On the question of reopening of schools, he said: “As of now, we have no intension to open the schools. Till the time we will be sure of the situation (COVID-19), we won’t open the schools.”
Delhi has reported 38,734 active COVID-19 cases, 5,03,717 recoveries and 8,811 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
BJP
Party gives responsibility to six leaders
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday gave responsibilities to six leaders in different states.BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda approved the appointments of the six leaders for their new roles in various states. Ravindra Raju has been given the charge of State general secretary (organization) for Haryana, Ratnakar has been appointed as State Associate General Secretary in Bihar, Bhawani Singh and Karmveer Singh were given the charge of Associate State General Secretary in Uttar Pradesh.
Abhay Kumar Giri has been given the charge of State general secretary (organization) for Manipur and Nagaland and Pradyuman has been appointed as Organizer at Central office in New Delhi.
Kangana Ranaut
Mumbai Mayor to meet BMC legal team
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Friday said that she will hold a meeting with the legal team of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to assess the Bombay High Court’s order in Kangana Ranaut case.
“What we did was according to municipal rules. I haven’t seen the court order, will go through it,” Pednekar told reporters here. Earlier today, the Bombay High Court had set aside the BMC notices dated September 7 and 9 issued to Kangana Ranaut for the demolition of parts of her property in Mumbai and directed that a valuer be appointed to ascertain the damages caused due to the demolition.
Holding the demolition was with malafide intent, the High Court held that it will pass an order on compensation to Kangana Ranaut after the valuer submits a report in the matter.
After the Bombay High Court passed the order, Ranaut tweeted, “When individual stands against the government and wins, it’s not the victory of the individual but it’s the victory of the democracy. Thank you everyone who gave me courage and thanks to those who laughed at my broken dreams. Its only because you play a villain so I can be a HERO.”
The BMC had earlier started demolishing parts of her office, which is situated in Mumbai’s Pali Hills, for what it claimed were unauthorized alterations. The demolition was later stayed by the Bombay High Court, which was hearing a plea filed by Ranautthrough her lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui.
The demolition had come at a time when Ranaut was engaged in a bitter war of words with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut after her remarks that she feels unsafe in Mumbai and has no trust in the Mumbai Police after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Nankana Sahib
Sikh ‘jatha’ leaves for Pakistan
A Sikh Jatha from India was set to leave for Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s 551st birth anniversary.Guru Nanak Jayanti is on November 30. “We’ll pray to Guru Maharaj to end this #COVID19 pandemic so that we can also visit Kartarpur Sahib freely,” said Laxman Singh, a jatha (pilgrim) member.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on November 19 had made the announcement regarding the Sikh jatha’s visit to Nankana Sahib from November 27 to December 1.”A Sikh jatha from India will visit Nankana Sahib from November 27 to December 1 on the occasion of 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji,” MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said.
Amid the threat posed by the virus, Pakistan has asked pilgrims to adhere to the coronavirus guidelines of their country. A COVID-19 negative report has been made mandatory for every visitor to gain entry to Pakistan.
(with ANI reports)
