New Delhi, Sept 10: A medium-intensity earthquake hit Haryana's Jhajjar district and its tremors were also felt in the national capital for the second time in less than 24 hours, the National Centre for Seismology said.
The quake occurred at 6.28 am at a depth of 10 km and had a magnitude of 3.7, it said.
It occurred in Jhajjar district and the tremors were also felt in the national capital, the NCS added.
Kozhikode: An Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board overshot the Kozhikode tabletop runway on landing there today. The Boeing 737 “fell off” the runway into the valley, broke into two causing death and devastation.
According to reports, around 20 people were dead including two pilots.
An Air India spokesperson said: “Air India Express flight IX 1344 operated by Boeing 737 aircraft from Dubai to Calicut overshot the runway at Kozhikode at 7.41 pm Friday. No fire reported at the time of landing. There are 174 passengers, 10 infants, two pilots and five cabin crew on board. Rescue operations are on and passengers are being taken to hospital for medical care. We will soon share the update in this regard.”
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing this accident. “Prima facie, the aircraft landed beyond the touchdown point and fell into a valley. It has broken into two. We suspect some casualties. More information is awaited,” said a senior DGCA official.
Taking to twitter, defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote: “Devastating news from Kozhikode, Kerala. I am deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to an accident carrying several passengers on Air India flight. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Foreign minister S Jaishankar tweeted: “Deeply distressed to hear about the Air India Express tragedy at Kozhikode. Prayers are with the bereaved families and those injured. We are ascertaining further details.”
While, senior BJP leader from Kerala K J Alphons tweeted: “Second tragedy of the day in Kerala: Air India Express skids off the run way at Kozhikode, front portion splits , pilot dies and lots of passengers injured . All passengers evacuated. Very lucky the aircraft didn’t catch fire.”
More details are awaited.
Watch video | Air India flight from Dubai skids off runway in Kerala, splits into two pic.twitter.com/qgGxEEG2e3
— coastaldigest.com (@coastaldigest) August 7, 2020
New Delhi, April 6: On the 40th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to party workers to reaffirm the importance of social distancing, help those in need amid lockdown and enable India to overcome COVID-19.
"Greetings to all fellow BJP Karyakartas on the Sthapana Diwas of the party. Tributes to all those who have toiled hard to build the party for decades, due to which BJP has got the opportunity to serve crores of Indians across our nation's length and breadth. #BJPat40," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
"Whenever BJP has got the opportunity to serve, the party has focused on good governance and empowering the poor. In line with the party's ethos, our Karyakartas have worked hard to bring a positive difference in the lives of many and done great social service.
We mark our party's 40th anniversary when India is battling COVID-19. I appeal to BJP Karyakartas to follow the set of guidelines from our party president JP Nadda Ji, help those in need and reaffirm the importance of social distancing. Let's make India COVID-19 free," he added.
Earlier, in a message, party President JP Nadda had asked BJP workers to hoist new party flag at all offices and at every karyakarta's house. "Maintain social distancing while hoisting," the BJP President stated.
"All BJP Karyakartas to give up one meal on our Foundation Day as a way to show solidarity with people facing hardships during the lockdown.
Provide food packets to 5+1 needy under #FeedtheNeedy program. In the next one week, put a system in place where we can provide two homemade face covers to each person at our booth. We should circulate videos of preparation and distribution of such face covers with #WearFaceCoverStaySafe," Nadda stated.
He also asked BJP Kartyakartas to encourage 40 others to donate Rs 100 each to PM-CARES Fund.
New Delhi, Mar 22: The exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR) and the first phase of the Census 2021, scheduled to begin from April 1, are likely to be deferred for an indefinite period due to Coronavirus pandemic, officials said.
A formal order on this effect is expected within a day or two.
Discussions are going on at the highest level of the government and in all probability, the NPR and house listing phase of the Census work will be deferred till the threat of the Coronavirus is over, a home ministry official said.
The exercise to update NPR and the housing listing phase of the Census is scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30.
Last week, the home ministry had said the preparation for the Census 2021 and updation of the NPR were at its peak and they will begin from April 1.
The ministry said this after a conference of the Directors of the Census Operations on status of preparatory work around Census 2021 and NPR updation.
There has been opposition from several state governments to the NPR and some of the assemblies even adopted resolutions expressing reservations on the exercise.
The states which have been opposing the NPR include Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Bihar.
However, most of them also said they will cooperate with the house listing phase of the Census.
The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country.
The database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars, they said.
The notification for the house listing census and NPR exercise came recently amid furore over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The home ministry officials said most of the states have notified provisions related to the NPR.
The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local (village/sub-town), subdistrict, district, state and national levels under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
The data for NPR was last collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of the Census 2011. Updating of this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey.
While updating the register in 2015, the government has asked details like Aadhaar and their mobile number.
This time, the information related to their driving licence and voter ID card may also be gathered, the officials said, adding that PAN card details will not be collected as part of this exercise.
Though information regarding the place of birth of parents will be sought, it is up to the residents whether to respond the question as it is voluntary.
For the purposes of the NPR, a 'resident' is defined as a person who has lived in a local area for the past six months or more, or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months.
The law compulsorily seeks to register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card.
The demographic details of every individual are required for every usual resident: name, relationship to head of household, father's name, mother's name, spouse's name (if married), sex, date of birth, marital status, place of birth, nationality (as declared), present address of usual residence, duration of stay at present address, permanent residential address, occupation, educational qualification.
The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 3,941.35 crore for the NPR exercise.
Comments
Add new comment