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'Helen' makes landfall in AP, 9 killed

November 23, 2013

HelenHyderabad, Nov 23: Nine people were killed and hundreds of villages and towns in six coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh were reeling under darkness as wind with speeds up to 100 kmph and heavy rain under the influence of cyclone “Helen” uprooted trees and power lines.

More than 16,200 people, mainly in Krishna district, were evacuated and shifted to 73 relief camps. Krishna District Collector Raghunandan Rao declared a holiday for all educational institution in coastal areas of the district.

In all, nine people, including Penimantra Tahasildar Satyanarayana, who was on duty, died in rain related incidents. Two labourers were killed in Lakshmipuram and Tallapalem in Krishna district, while six people died in Amalapuram mandal, East Godavari district.

As the cyclone made landfall near Machilipatnam on Friday around 2pm, heavy rain and winds lashed areas around Machilipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Narsapur, Amalapuram, Uppada, Kothapalli, K Gangavaram, Kakinada and Srikakulam.

According to C Partha-sarathy, commissioner, disaster management, restoration of power lines and roads has begun but the process is getting delayed due to incessant rain. He said, in West Godavari district alone, 48 such roads need to be cleared on a war footing. Six IAS officers have been deputed to oversee relief operations in all the affected districts.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation on Friday morning.

The chief minister spoke to collectors of East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts over phone and asked to them open relief camps wherever required and evacuate people to safety.

He wanted the district administrations to co-ordinate with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and other departments in the rescue and relief operations.

The NDRF has deployed ten teams. Three teams have been deployed in Machilipattnam, two in Narsapur, West Godavari district, and one each in Rajolu and Amalapuram in East Godavari, and Baptala in Guntur district, a senior NDRF official said.

Two reserve teams have been kept at the NDRF base in Guntur. Officials said the National Disaster Management Authority has reviewed the situation and preparations to tackle “Helen”.

Warnings have been issued to fishermen in the area to stay away from the sea until the cyclone settles down completely.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has dispatched its ship “Avantibai” to rescue 20 fishermen from East Godavari district trapped in the rough sea. A Chetak helicopter of the Navy is also being pressed into service for the rescue operation.

Request for chopper

“We have also requested for twin-engine helicopter launch,” the Navy informed the general administration department.

As per initial reports, paddy, which was ready for harvest, has been damaged in several blocks of Machilipatnam, Narsapuram, Amalapuram and Srikakulam, in addition to banana, coconut and several other crops.

Andhra Pradesh has nearly 1,000-km long coastline and the nine districts face cyclone threat every year, especially between September and November.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: Preparing for a long haul in the Eastern Ladakh sector in extreme winters, the Indian Army has an edge over the Chinese as it has deployed 35,000 troops there who have already done tenures in high altitude and cold conditions.

The Indian troops deployed there are mentally prepared for tackling the weather and terrain.
In contrast, the Chinese troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are not used to these conditions as they have been brought from mainland China and are not accustomed to high altitude extreme cold weather conditions.

"We are preparing to provide extreme cold weather portable cabins for around 35,000 troops that have been deployed in the Eastern Ladakh sector," government sources said.

"Our soldiers deployed there have already done a tenure or two in Siachen, Eastern Ladakh or Northeast and they are physically and mentally prepared for a longer deployment there," they said.

The Chinese soldiers deployed on the Indian front include mainly conscripts who join the PLA for a period of 2-3 years and then return to their normal lives, sources said.

Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a standoff situation all along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh from sub-sector north with both sides having deployed around 40,000 troops against each other over there.

The two sides have disengaged at three friction points including Patrolling Point 14, PP-15 and PP-17 and PP-17A.

At PP-17 and 17A, the Chinese have now maintained a small element of close to 50 troops and the remaining elements have gone back into their permanent locations.

The sources said the Army is also not much bothered about the Chinese build-up along the LAC as it has got more than two additional divisions from outside Ladakh sector.

India Army has more troops than what the Chinese have brought there, they said.

For the winter deployment, the Army already has a sizeable stock of clothes and habitat for troops as the Indian army deploys troops at the world's highest battlefield Siachen glacier and is prepared.

For additional requirements, the force is in the process of placing orders for additional tents and shelters from indigenous as well as foreign vendors.

The time for summer stocking is on and we are going to get the additional cabins and tents by that time, the sources.

Months of June, July, and August are considered to be the best time for stocking winter rations and ammunition. The snowfall is expected to start soon in the Eastern Ladakh area where the temperature is already low.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has given financial powers of Rs 500 crore per procurement to the defence forces to address any type of shortages of weapons, ammunition, and habitat.

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News Network
June 6,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 6: The Sabarimala Temple in Kerala is set to reopen from June 14 for devotees for monthly pooja and festival.

The temple will be open for the five-day monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Midhunom that begins on June 15. From June 19-28 is the Sabarimala festival

A virtual queue system has been put in place in which 200 people will be allowed to register within an hour, Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said.

To avoid crowding, only 50 devotees will be allowed to be present in front of the temple.

Before entering the premises, people will be scanned in Pampa and Sannidhanam. As a precautionary measure, people have been asked to wear mask and sanitation would be carried out at regular intervals.

Notably, no accommodation will be provided to the devotees in Sabarimala.

According to the Devasom Minister the administration has made two slots for the temple visit-- 4 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 11 pm.

Also, the vehicles will only be allowed till Pampa. People coming from other states are required to register at government COVID Jagrata pass registration portal. Moreover, Appam and Arvana will be provided only through online booking.

Also, the devotees coming from other states will have to upload Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) labs certificate as a proof that they have not been infected with the lethal infection.

Also for the Guruvayoor Temple, the district collector, police and temple administration will hold a meeting to decide on the re-opening of the Temple. Here too devotees have to get themselves registered online.

In a single day, 600 people would be allowed to offer prayers at this shrine. Each hour, 150 people will be allowed to enter the premises.

Also, the time slot will be provided to people. In one batch 50 people will be allowed for 15 minutes inside the premises

Not only that, but marriages can also again be solemnised with divine blessings at the Guruvayoor temple. The administration will allow only 60 marriages in a day.

Weddings were stopped at the temple, due to the COVID-19 lockdown that was in place since March 24.

A marriage group should not have more than 10 people, including the bride and the groom and it is mandatory for the group to abide by the social distancing norm.

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Agencies
July 23,2020

Ayodhya, Jul 23: All 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case should be invited to the "bhumi pujan" ceremony for the construction of the Ram temple here and honoured, a Hindutva outfit leader has said.

Hindu Dharma Sena president Santosh Dubey is one of the main accused in the case.

Dubey also insisted that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust must also invite all the four Shankaracharyas to the ceremony planned on August 5.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to attend the event.

"The office bearers of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra must ensure that along with all 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, the families of the kar sevaks who gave their lives in the Ram Temple movement must also be invited to the 'bhumi pujan' ceremony and must be honoured there," Dubey told PTI.

The top court verdict in favour of the Ram temple at the site would not have been possible had the Babri mosque not been demolished, he said.

"If the Trust does not invite the kar sevaks, it will a display of ego and arrogance. Without inviting the kar sevaks who have been accused in Babri mosque demolition and the families of the slain kar sevaks, the 'bhumi pujan' will remain incomplete," Dubey added.

A special CBI court in Lucknow is recording the statements of the 32 Babri demolition accused under section 313 of the CrPC, which enables them to plead their innocence, if they so want.

The court is conducting day-to-day hearings to complete the trial by August 31 as directed by the Supreme Court.

The mosque in Ayodhya was demolished on December 6, 1992 by 'kar sevaks' who claimed that an ancient Ram temple had stood on the same site. Former deputy prime minister L K Advani and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi were leading the Ram temple movement at that time.

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