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Drought looms large over more States

July 22, 2012

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New Delhi, July 22: Drought conditions loom over south Karnataka and central Maharashtra adding to concern at the severely deficient southwest monsoon in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

These States have been advised to go for early rabi (winter) plantation to make up for the shortfall in kharif sowing. Much will depend on the progress of the monsoon in the last week of July.

With an average 40 per cent deficiency in monsoon rain in the northwest so far, farmers in paddy-growing Punjab and Haryana are stressed due to the higher cost of cultivation. As water levels in the Pong and Bhakra dams are below normal, farmers in these States are using excessive power and diesel to draw groundwater to save kharif paddy.

Alarmed at the situation, the Centre on Saturday convened a meeting of the affected States, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. What triggered the move was the grim situation. Two-thirds of the kharif sowing period are already over.

Now only late varieties or short-duration crops or fodder can be sowed to save farmers in the affected States. What hits them most is that the credit/loan they take for normal sowing cannot be returned if they fail to sow. If they go for renewed sowing of contingency crops, they will have to seek a fresh loan.

Agriculture Secretary Ashish Bahuguna, who convened the meeting with the Principal Secretaries of the six States on a non-working day, said he reviewed the situation with the States that faced “contingency.” The situation is worst in Karnataka, where sowing of coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds has been hit. The monsoon has bypassed large tracts of the State where these crops are raised. Kharif sowing is short by 10 lakh hectares, mostly in coarse cereals and groundnut, in the State.

In the Pune-Sholapur-Sangli-Satara belt of Maharashtra, rainfall deficiency has severely hit the sowing of pulses and coarse cereals. About 8.5 lakh hectares remained unsown. These districts have been advised to go for early rabi sowing of guar, gram and maize to make up for the shortfall.

In Rajasthan, monsoon has been delayed in the western districts and jowar and bajra sowing on nearly 15 lakh hectares has been affected.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 1024 in the country, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

"The total number of COVID-19 positive cases rise to 1024 in India including 901 active cases, 96 cured/discharged/migrated people and 27 deaths," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19, which has left thousands dead around the world.

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News Network
June 7,2020

Bhopal, June 7: In a shocking incident of medical cruelty, an 80-year-old man was tied to a hospital bed in Madhya Pradesh after he allegedly failed to make payment of fees for his treatment. The incident took place at the City Hospital in Shajapur.  

The hospital, however, claimed that he was having convulsions and as a result had his hands and legs tied so that he could not hurt himself.

The man’s family members have accused the hospital authorities of resorting to the heinous act after they failed to pay a fee of Rs 11,000 for his treatment at the. 

“We had deposited a bill of Rs 5,000 at the time of admission but when the treatment took a few more days, we did not have the money to pay the bill,” his daughter told the channel.

The hospital, however, maintained that the man was shackled because he was suffering from an electrolyte imbalance. “He was having convulsions because of electrolyte imbalance,” an unidentified doctor said. “We tied him so that he could not hurt himself.” 
The doctor claimed the hospital had waived off the man’s bill on “humanitarian grounds”.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took cognizance of the matter and promised strict action against the hospital authorities. 

The Shajapur administration has also ordered an inquiry and has sent a police team to the hospital for investigation, the district collector told media persons.

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Agencies
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has won from New Delhi assembly seat. He polled 46,758 votes, which is 61.1 per cent of total votes polled in the high profile constituency.

Kejriwal defeated Sunil Kumar Yadav of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who polled 25,061 votes, which is 32.75 per cent of total votes polled. Congress candidate Romesh Sabhawarl could get only 3,220 votes.

So far, the AAP has won 55 seats and is leading on seven seats. The BJP has won seven seats and is leading on two. The Congress is nowhere in the reckoning.

As per the details on the website of Election Commission of India at 8.27 pm on Tuesday, the AAP has secured 53.60 per cent votes, BJP 38.49 per cent, BSP 0.71 per cent, CPI 0.02 per cent, CPI-M 0.01 per cent, Congress 4.27 per cent, JDU 0.90 per cent, LJP 0.35 per cent, NCP 0.02 per cent, and NOTA 0.46 per cent.

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