Mumbai rains: All 900 on-board Mahalaxmi Express rescued

Agencies
July 27, 2019

Badlapur, Jul 27: Around 900 passengers, including railway staff, who were stranded on board Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express, which was marooned in floodwaters between Vagani and Badlapur stations, near 100 km from Mumbai, were rescued and taken to safety, after an 8-hour-long rescue operation mounted by various forces,

Children, women, nine of them pregnant, elders and disabled persons were rescued first and taken to a safer location nearby. Several boats were used for the rescue operation, while 37 doctors, including a gynaecologist, were deployed at the site.

The train was standed at the place from 3 am, passengers said.

Units of the National Disaster Relief Relife (NDRF), army and air force along with railway officials were deployed from early morning to rescue the passengers, who thanked the authorities for the help. 

As many as nine pregnant women were there and elderly people were rescued after rescuing them. Finally male passengers were evacuated, said NDRF chief S N Pradhan.

Several of them, including senior citizens, could be seen walking on the tracks where the waters had receded. The rescued passengers have left for Mumbai, officials said.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in New Delhi that his ministry got information about the stranded train at about 8.50 am while two teams of NDRF started the rescue operation at 9.40 am.

"We got the information at 8.50 am while 2 teams of NDRF along with 9 boats reached there at 9.40 am and started the rescue operation," said Rai.

"Home Ministry contacted Air Force officials, Railway officials & Maharashtra govt officials. We were in constant touch with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Home Minister himself monitored the operation," he added.

SN Pradhan, DG NDRF said, "Women and children were evacuated first including 9 pregnant women after that elderly person were evacuated and finally male passengers. The operation went on for around 8 hours, around 900 passengers have been safely evacuated."

Home Minister Amit Shah praised various forces for the rescue effort which was closely monitored by his ministry.

"Teams of NDRF, Navy, IAF, Railways and state administration have safely rescued all the 700 passengers stranded on Mahalaxmi Express near Mumbai. We were closely monitoring the entire operation. Kudos to the rescue teams for their exemplary effort", he said in a tweet.

Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer said that a special train with 19 coaches will leave from Kalyan to Kolhapur with the passengers of Mahalaxmi Express. 

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News Network
June 16,2020

New Delhi, Jun 16: With an increase of 10,667 cases and 380 deaths in the past 24 hours, the COVID-19 count in India has reached 3,43,091 on Tuesday, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

It is noteworthy that today's spike in cases is lower than the 11,502 registered in the country yesterday and has also stayed below the 11 thousand mark it had been crossing for the past two days in a row.

However, there is an increase in the number of deaths due to the infection from yesterday, with 380 deaths being reported from across the country, the toll due to COVID-19 has now reached 9,900.

The COVID-19 count includes 1,53,178 active cases, while 1,80,013 patients have been cured and discharged or migrated so far.

Maharashtra with 1,10,744 cases continues to be the worst-affected state in the country with 50,567 active cases while 56,049 patients have been cured and discharged in the state so far. The toll due to COVID-19 has crossed the four thousand mark and reached 4,128 in the state.
It is followed by Tamil Nadu with 46,504 and the national capital with 42,829 confirmed cases.

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Agencies
July 13,2020

New Delhi, Jul 13: Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday announced an investment of Rs 75,000 crore or approximately US$10 billion into India over the next five to seven years through 'Google for India Digistation Fund'.

This move is significant as it comes in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and as multinational companies across the world look at alternative investment destinations.

"Excited to announce Google for India Digitisation Fund. Through it, we will invest Rs 75,000 crore or approx US$10 Billon into India over the next 5-7 yrs. We'll do this through a mix of equity investments, partnerships and operational infrastructure in ecosystem investments," said Pichai.

Pichai along with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad virtually attended the sixth annual edition of Google for India.

"This is a reflection of our confidence in the future of India and its digital economy," said Pichai.
He added that the investments will focus on four areas important to India's digitisation.

Listing out the areas, Pichai elaborated, "First enabling affordable access and information to every Indian in their own language. Second, building new products and services that are deeply relevant to India's unique needs. Third, empowering businesses as they continue or embark on the digital transformation. Fourth, leveraging technology in AI for social good in areas like health, education and agriculture."

"When I was young, every piece of technology brought new opportunities to learn and grow but I always had to wait for it to arrive from some places. Today people in India no more have to wait for technology to come to you. A whole new generation of technologies is happening in India first," said Pichai.

Earlier today Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Pichai and discussed a range of subjects like a new work culture in coronavirus times, data security and cyber safety.

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News Network
February 13,2020

New Delhi, Feb 13: Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday, staking claim to form the government in the national capital, sources said, while hinting that the AAP might not invite senior leaders and chief ministers of other parties for the oath-taking ceremony.

The sources said it was the formal process by the AAP chief, who was elected as the legislature party leader earlier in the day, to stake claim for forming the new government.

Kejriwal, who returned to power in Delhi with a stunning poll victory on Tuesday, will take oath as chief minister for the third consecutive time on February 16.

While the oath-taking ceremony will be open to the public, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was considering not inviting leaders and chief ministers of other parties as it did not wish to be seen as a "confrontationist" against the BJP-led Centre, the sources said.

They, however, added that the party was yet to take a decision on it.

The AAP has planned mobilisation of people for the mega event and all the newly-elected MLAs of the party have been asked to ensure huge participation from their constituencies.

"I request the people of Delhi to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the chief minister at the Ramlila Maidan in large numbers," senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia told reporters, adding that the ceremony will start at 10 am.

The AAP won 62 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged the remaining eight seats. The Congress drew a blank for the second consecutive time in the Delhi polls.

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