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The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway.

The ITBP mountaineers are currently positioned at the Nanda Devi base camp, their movement is hampered due to bad weather.

A joint operation was conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), ITBP and other local agencies on June 14.

Pithoragarh District Information Officer had earlier said, "On June 15, an additional team of ITBP will be leaving Nanda Devi East. Additional equipment and necessary material will be made available to them at the Nanda Devi East base camp."

Four porters plus pieces of equipment will be sent to the team as soon as the weather condition improves.

The bad weather not only hampered the movement of the mountaineering team but also of the IAF choppers today.

The attempt to rescue the trapped mountaineers from Nanda Devi East has been named Operation Daredevil.

Standing at a height of 7,816 metres, Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and 23rd highest overall. 
&nbsp;

The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway.

The acclimatisation process of 20 Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) mountaineers, who have been sent to retrieve the bodies of eight mountaineers, including an Indian, who went missing while they were on an expedition to a Nanda Devi East peak on May 26, is underway. The ITBP mountaineers are currently positioned at the Nanda Devi base camp, their movement is hampered due to bad weather. A joint operation was conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF), ITBP and other local agencies on June 14. Pithoragarh District Information Officer had earlier said, "On June 15, an additional team of ITBP will be leaving Nanda Devi East. Additional equipment and necessary material will be made available to them at the Nanda Devi East base camp." Four porters plus pieces of equipment will be sent to the team as soon as the weather condition improves. The bad weather not only hampered the movement of the mountaineering team but also of the IAF choppers today. The attempt to rescue the trapped mountaineers from Nanda Devi East has been named Operation Daredevil. Standing at a height of 7,816 metres, Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and 23rd highest overall.

Uttarakhand: Bad weather hampers operation to retrieve bodies of missing mountaineers

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops will undertake a first-of-its-kind daring rescue operation to retrieve the mortal remains of at least eight mountaineers suspected to have been killed in an avalanche near an unscaled peak adjoining Nanda Devi East in Uttarakhand, a senior official said Tuesday.

The Pithoragarh district administration has sought the services of the mountain-warfare trained troops of ITBP to undertake the mission under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act of 2005.

"A team comprising the best ITBP mountaineers has been formed. This is a high-risk mission as the only way to retrieve the bodies is through a heliborne operation. This is possibly the first time that bodies will be retrieved from a height of about 20,000 feet from a mountain peak in India," ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey told PTI here.

He said the ITBP climbers will be lowered down from the helicopter to fetch the bodies and the operation is expected to be launched on Wednesday on board an Indian Air Force helicopter.

It will be very difficult to launch a trekking rescue mission at this height and as it is, will take a very long time, Pandey said.

The spokesperson added that the ITBP headquarters is in constant touch with its 14th battalion based in Pithoragarh and adjoining units to undertake the operation.&nbsp;

All the required gadgets and equipment have been provided to the special rescue team and the district administration is being informed about it, he said.&nbsp;

Eight mountaineers, including from the US, the UK and Australia, were reported missing after they left Munsiyari on May 13 to scale the peak, but did not return to the base camp on the scheduled date of May 25.&nbsp;

The team was led by British mountaineer Martin Moran to the 7,434-metre peak.

It was a twelve-member group and four of them were rescued on Sunday.

IAF choppers spotted five bodies on Monday during their second day of aerial search.

The missing mountaineers comprised seven from the UK, the US and Australia, and a liaison officer from Delhi's Indian Mountaineering Foundation.

They have been identified as team leader Martin Moran, members John McLaren, Richard Payne, Rupert Havel (from the UK); Anthony Sudekum and Rachel Bimmel (from the US); Ruth Macrain (from Australia); and liaison officer Chetan Pandey.

The route to the peak begins from Munsiyari, about 132 km from the district headquarters.&nbsp;

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops will undertake a first-of-its-kind daring rescue operation to retrieve the mortal remains of at least eight mountaineers suspected to have been killed in an avalanche near an unscaled peak adjoining Nanda Devi East in Uttarakhand, a senior official said Tuesday.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops will undertake a first-of-its-kind daring rescue operation to retrieve the mortal remains of at least eight mountaineers suspected to have been killed in an avalanche near an unscaled peak adjoining Nanda Devi East in Uttarakhand, a senior official said Tuesday. The Pithoragarh district administration has sought the services of the mountain-warfare trained troops of ITBP to undertake the mission under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act of 2005. "A team comprising the best ITBP mountaineers has been formed. This is a high-risk mission as the only way to retrieve the bodies is through a heliborne operation. This is possibly the first time that bodies will be retrieved from a height of about 20,000 feet from a mountain peak in India," ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey told PTI here. He said the ITBP climbers will be lowered down from the helicopter to fetch the bodies and the operation is expected to be launched on Wednesday on board an Indian Air Force helicopter. It will be very difficult to launch a trekking rescue mission at this height and as it is, will take a very long time, Pandey said. The spokesperson added that the ITBP headquarters is in constant touch with its 14th battalion based in Pithoragarh and adjoining units to undertake the operation. All the required gadgets and equipment have been provided to the special rescue team and the district administration is being informed about it, he said. Eight mountaineers, including from the US, the UK and Australia, were reported missing after they left Munsiyari on May 13 to scale the peak, but did not return to the base camp on the scheduled date of May 25. The team was led by British mountaineer Martin Moran to the 7,434-metre peak. It was a twelve-member group and four of them were rescued on Sunday. IAF choppers spotted five bodies on Monday during their second day of aerial search. The missing mountaineers comprised seven from the UK, the US and Australia, and a liaison officer from Delhi's Indian Mountaineering Foundation. They have been identified as team leader Martin Moran, members John McLaren, Richard Payne, Rupert Havel (from the UK); Anthony Sudekum and Rachel Bimmel (from the US); Ruth Macrain (from Australia); and liaison officer Chetan Pandey. The route to the peak begins from Munsiyari, about 132 km from the district headquarters.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police to retrieve bodies of Uttarakhand climbers in heliborne operation

Indian Air Force helicopters Monday spotted the bodies of five of the eight <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/two-more-indian-mountaineers-die-another-missing-in-nepal-219404">mountaineers</a> who went missing on way to the Nanda Devi East peak in Uttarakhand.

The eight-member team consisting of climbers from the UK, US and Australia went missing en route to the Nanda Devi East peak.

Bodies of five mountaineers were sighted near an unscaled peak adjoining the Nanda Devi East peak during an air search by Air Force helicopters on Monday, Pithoragarh District Magistrate VK Jogdande said.

Apparently, the mountaineers were killed in an avalanche while ascending an unscaled peak near the Nanda Devi East peak after they failed to scale the latter, he said.

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Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAF</a> crew spotted five bodies in the Himalayas during a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SearchAndRescue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SearchAndRescue</a> operation for missing mountaineers. A team of eight climbers had gone missing near the Nanda Devi peak over a week ago.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1135577154412994560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The bodies were sighted after an air search was conducted over the peak on the basis of clues provided by four climbers from UK rescued during a sortie undertaken on Sunday.

"We are sending a report to the Centre. The rescue operation will be conducted after we get instructions," the District Magistrate said.

"We have an expert team from State Disaster Response Force, besides experts from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. In addition to these teams we have stationed our search teams at Laspa and Bugdiyar camps close to the Nanda Devi base camp in Munsiyari," said the official.

Sub Divisional Magistrate of Munsiyari KN Goswami said, "It is now ITBP and SDRF and Air Force teams that will conduct the search operation with help of expert mountaineers and local villagers."

Led by well-known British mountaineer Martin Moran, the team went missing recently on way to the 7434-metre-high Nanda Devi East peak in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district.

A liaison officer of Indian Mountaineering Foundation in New Delhi was also part of the team.

They had left Munsiyari on May 13 to scale the peak but did not return to the base camp on the appointed date of May 25.

The members of the team were Martin Moran, John McLaren, Richard Payne, Rupert Havel (all from UK), Ruth Macrain (Australia), Anthony Sudecam (US), Rachel Bimmel (US) and liaison officer Chetan Pandey, the District Magistrate said.

British mountaineer Martin Moran had scaled the peak twice in the past, he said.

The route to the peak begins from Munsiyari about 132 km from the district headquarters.

Indian Air Force helicopters Monday spotted the bodies of five of the eight mountaineers who went missing on way to the Nanda Devi East peak in Uttarakhand. The eight-member team consisting of climbers from the UK, US and Australia went missing en route to the Nanda Devi East peak.

Indian Air Force helicopters Monday spotted the bodies of five of the eight mountaineers who went missing on way to the Nanda Devi East peak in Uttarakhand. The eight-member team consisting of climbers from the UK, US and Australia went missing en route to the Nanda Devi East peak. Bodies of five mountaineers were sighted near an unscaled peak adjoining the Nanda Devi East peak during an air search by Air Force helicopters on Monday, Pithoragarh District Magistrate VK Jogdande said. Apparently, the mountaineers were killed in an avalanche while ascending an unscaled peak near the Nanda Devi East peak after they failed to scale the latter, he said. Today, #IAF crew spotted five bodies in the Himalayas during a #SearchAndRescue operation for missing mountaineers. A team of eight climbers had gone missing near the Nanda Devi peak over a week ago. — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 3, 2019 × The bodies were sighted after an air search was conducted over the peak on the basis of clues provided by four climbers from UK rescued during a sortie undertaken on Sunday. "We are sending a report to the Centre. The rescue operation will be conducted after we get instructions," the District Magistrate said. "We have an expert team from State Disaster Response Force, besides experts from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. In addition to these teams we have stationed our search teams at Laspa and Bugdiyar camps close to the Nanda Devi base camp in Munsiyari," said the official. Sub Divisional Magistrate of Munsiyari KN Goswami said, "It is now ITBP and SDRF and Air Force teams that will conduct the search operation with help of expert mountaineers and local villagers." Led by well-known British mountaineer Martin Moran, the team went missing recently on way to the 7434-metre-high Nanda Devi East peak in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district. A liaison officer of Indian Mountaineering Foundation in New Delhi was also part of the team. They had left Munsiyari on May 13 to scale the peak but did not return to the base camp on the appointed date of May 25. The members of the team were Martin Moran, John McLaren, Richard Payne, Rupert Havel (all from UK), Ruth Macrain (Australia), Anthony Sudecam (US), Rachel Bimmel (US) and liaison officer Chetan Pandey, the District Magistrate said. British mountaineer Martin Moran had scaled the peak twice in the past, he said. The route to the peak begins from Munsiyari about 132 km from the district headquarters.

Bodies of 5 of 8 mountaineers, who went missing in Nanda Devi, spotted

The BJP is leading in four out of five seats of Uttarakhand while the Congress was leading in one, according to early Election Commission trends Thursday.

Sitting MP from Tehri Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah is leading by 2000 votes over her nearest rival and Pradesh Congress president Pritam Singh.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-election-results-2019-live-updates-220687">Tap for live updates here.</a>

Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta is leading by around 8000 votes over his nearest rival Pradeep Tamta in Almora.

Watch:&nbsp;BJP+ leading in first trends with 59 seats over Congress+ with 21 initially

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BJP's Tirath Singh Rawat is leading by over 3000 votes over his nearest Congress rival and son of sitting BJP MP from the seat B C Khanduri's son Manish Khanduri.

Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt is leading by nearly 3000 votes over AICC general secretary and former CM Harish Rawat in Nainital.

However, sitting BJP MP from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is trailing behind his nearest rival from the Congress Ambrish Kumar by nearly 3000 votes.

Polling was held in Uttarakhand in the first phase on April 11.

The BJP is leading in four out of five seats of Uttarakhand while the Congress was leading in one, according to early Election Commission trends Thursday. Sitting MP from Tehri Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah is leading by 2000 votes over her nearest rival and Pradesh Congress president Pritam Singh.

The BJP is leading in four out of five seats of Uttarakhand while the Congress was leading in one, according to early Election Commission trends Thursday. Sitting MP from Tehri Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah is leading by 2000 votes over her nearest rival and Pradesh Congress president Pritam Singh. Tap for live updates here. Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta is leading by around 8000 votes over his nearest rival Pradeep Tamta in Almora. Watch: BJP+ leading in first trends with 59 seats over Congress+ with 21 initially BJP's Tirath Singh Rawat is leading by over 3000 votes over his nearest Congress rival and son of sitting BJP MP from the seat B C Khanduri's son Manish Khanduri. Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt is leading by nearly 3000 votes over AICC general secretary and former CM Harish Rawat in Nainital. However, sitting BJP MP from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is trailing behind his nearest rival from the Congress Ambrish Kumar by nearly 3000 votes. Polling was held in Uttarakhand in the first phase on April 11.

Lok Sabha election results 2019: BJP leading in four out of five seats in Uttarakhand as counting underway

Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of late former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand CM ND Tiwari, was brought dead to Delhi's Max Saket hospital on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported quoting DCP South Delhi Vijay Kumar.&nbsp;

"We received an emergency call from the residence of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari at 04:41 pm this afternoon. An ambulance brought him to Max Hospital, Saket, where he was declared 'brought dead` at the hospital emergency. As per the established procedure, we have informed the authorities. We express condolences at the passing away of Mr Tiwari," Max Hospital said in a statement.&nbsp;

"His death is natural, I have no suspicion but I will reveal later what circumstances led to his death," Rohit's mother Ujjala Tiwari told reporters.&nbsp;

Rohit used to reside in his Delhi's Defence Colony home, from where he was reportedly brought to the hospital on Tuesday.&nbsp;

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DCP South Delhi Vijay Kumar: Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of late former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand CM N D Tiwari, has been brought dead to Max Saket hospital.Further details are awaited. <a href="https://t.co/PedZ53NECz">pic.twitter.com/PedZ53NECz</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1118140545916915712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Rohit Shekhar Tiwari was the biological son of ND Tiwari and Ujjwala Sharma, who Tiwari married in 2014.&nbsp;

He fought a court case to prove himself as the son of late Congress leader ND Tiwari. The veteran politician had accepted Rohit as his son in 2016 after a long legal battle which had even reached the Supreme Court before reconciliation.

In January 2017, Rohit Shekhar had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

(With inputs from agencies)

Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of late former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand CM ND Tiwari, was brought dead to Delhi's Max Saket hospital on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported quoting DCP South Delhi Vijay Kumar.

Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of late former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand CM ND Tiwari, was brought dead to Delhi's Max Saket hospital on Tuesday, news agency ANI reported quoting DCP South Delhi Vijay Kumar. "We received an emergency call from the residence of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari at 04:41 pm this afternoon. An ambulance brought him to Max Hospital, Saket, where he was declared 'brought dead` at the hospital emergency. As per the established procedure, we have informed the authorities. We express condolences at the passing away of Mr Tiwari," Max Hospital said in a statement. "His death is natural, I have no suspicion but I will reveal later what circumstances led to his death," Rohit's mother Ujjala Tiwari told reporters. Rohit used to reside in his Delhi's Defence Colony home, from where he was reportedly brought to the hospital on Tuesday. DCP South Delhi Vijay Kumar: Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of late former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand CM N D Tiwari, has been brought dead to Max Saket hospital.Further details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/PedZ53NECz — ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2019 × Rohit Shekhar Tiwari was the biological son of ND Tiwari and Ujjwala Sharma, who Tiwari married in 2014. He fought a court case to prove himself as the son of late Congress leader ND Tiwari. The veteran politician had accepted Rohit as his son in 2016 after a long legal battle which had even reached the Supreme Court before reconciliation. In January 2017, Rohit Shekhar had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (With inputs from agencies)

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tiwari's son, Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, passes away

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on another one of his campaign blitzkriegs today. He is currently speaking in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, after which he will take in two more states — Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir — on Thursday itself.&nbsp;

"Five years ago, when I sought your blessings, you gave me a lot of love," Modi said in Meerut.&nbsp;

"I had said that I will return the blessings and the love with interest, and I had also said that I will give account of the work that I have done," he added.&nbsp;

Modi then said that he would give his "hisab", but added that he would also ask others for theirs.&nbsp;

"Apna hisab doonga, saath saath doosra ka hisab bhi lunga. Ye dono kaam saath saath chalne waale hain. Tabhi to hoga hisab barabar (I will give my account, but will also ask others for theirs. Both will be done together. Only then will accounts be settled)," he said.&nbsp;

"Aur aap to jaante hain main chowkidaar hu. Aur chowkidaar kabhi nainsaafi nahi karta hai (You know that I am Chowkidar. And Chowkidar will never do injustice)," he said&nbsp;

"Hisab hoga, sabka hoga, aur baari baari se hoga (The accounts will be settled, one by one)," he added.&nbsp;

Modi also made mention of Mission Shakti, in which India shot down a satellite in space on Wednesday.&nbsp;

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PM Narendra Modi at a public rally in Meerut: Zameen ho, aasmaan ho, ya fir antriksh, surgical strike ka saahas aapke isi chowkidaar ki sarkaar ne dikhaya pic.twitter.com/W2TK0Q7OvG
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 28, 2019</blockquote>
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"Whether on the ground, the sky, or space, only Chowkidar has the courage to conduct a surgical strike," he said.&nbsp;

Modi will next speak in Rudrapur.&nbsp;

India will go to the polls on April 11 next month. Voting will be carried out over seven phases and will continue up to May 19.&nbsp;

The results will be out on May 23.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on another one of his campaign blitzkriegs today. He is currently speaking in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, after which he will take in two more states — Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir — on Thursday itself.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on another one of his campaign blitzkriegs today. He is currently speaking in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, after which he will take in two more states — Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir — on Thursday itself. "Five years ago, when I sought your blessings, you gave me a lot of love," Modi said in Meerut. "I had said that I will return the blessings and the love with interest, and I had also said that I will give account of the work that I have done," he added. Modi then said that he would give his "hisab", but added that he would also ask others for theirs. "Apna hisab doonga, saath saath doosra ka hisab bhi lunga. Ye dono kaam saath saath chalne waale hain. Tabhi to hoga hisab barabar (I will give my account, but will also ask others for theirs. Both will be done together. Only then will accounts be settled)," he said. "Aur aap to jaante hain main chowkidaar hu. Aur chowkidaar kabhi nainsaafi nahi karta hai (You know that I am Chowkidar. And Chowkidar will never do injustice)," he said "Hisab hoga, sabka hoga, aur baari baari se hoga (The accounts will be settled, one by one)," he added. Modi also made mention of Mission Shakti, in which India shot down a satellite in space on Wednesday. PM Narendra Modi at a public rally in Meerut: Zameen ho, aasmaan ho, ya fir antriksh, surgical strike ka saahas aapke isi chowkidaar ki sarkaar ne dikhaya pic.twitter.com/W2TK0Q7OvG — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 28, 2019 × "Whether on the ground, the sky, or space, only Chowkidar has the courage to conduct a surgical strike," he said. Modi will next speak in Rudrapur. India will go to the polls on April 11 next month. Voting will be carried out over seven phases and will continue up to May 19. The results will be out on May 23.

Will give account of last 5 years, but will also ask others for theirs: PM Modi

Thirty-four people died in two adjoining districts allegedly after drinking spurious liquor at a village in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, officials said Friday. 
At least 40 others needed medical treatment.

Most of the victims had consumed the liquor Thursday evening at the `tehravin', the 13th day of mourning after a relative's death in Balupur village, they said.

Sixteen of the victims died in that village, close to Roorkee, according to the Uttarakhand police.

Eighteen more deaths took place in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, which adjoins Uttarakhand, as people who had attended the ritual returned home, district magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said.

But at least one man also brought some liquor pouches from Balupur and might have sold them in Saharanpur, officials said.

The Uttarakhand police too said that apart from the 16 deaths in their state, more people died in neighbouring Saharanpur. But they had confirmation of only nine deaths in the UP district from the liquor they consumed in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand government has suspended 17 administration and police personnel and ordered a magisterial probe. In Uttar Pradesh, 10 policemen have been suspended.

Saharanpur DM Alok Pandey said the victims from Nangal and adjoining villages in his district had gone to Balupur to take part in the ceremony on Thursday.

They were served liquor there in the evening.

The victims started taking ill during the night, officials from both Uttarakhand and UP said.

Many of the Saharanpur victims could not be admitted to hospital because the area was lashed by rain and hailstorms, Pandey said.

In the morning, they were brought to the district medical hospital for treatment.

The deaths in the villages in Haridwar and Uttarakhand districts took place over the day on Friday, even as the authorities warned people not to consume any liquor they might be carrying from Balupur.

Saharanpur authorities Friday night said 42 people were still being treated, but none of them was in a serious condition.

At least two others were being treated in Haridwar district, officials said. 
Pandey said a man identified as Pintu had brought 30 pouches of hooch from Balupur village, and may have sold them to others.

It is not immediately clear if some of the victims are among his customers. 
One of pouches has been found and sent for forensic examination.

The official said the post-mortem examination has been conducted on 11 of the 18 Saharanpur victims.

In an unrelated case, eight people have died over the week in eastern UP's Kushinagar district after drinking hooch, officials said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered departmental action against district excise officers of Kushinagar and Saharanpur, the state government said. He also announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs two lakh each to the relatives of those killed.

In Uttarakhand, 13 excise department personnel have been placed under suspension in connection with the hooch tragedy, Haridwar District Magistrate Deepak Rawat said.

Four Uttarakhand police personnel, including the Jhabrera station house officer, have been placed under suspension.

Both states announced drives to curb the sale spurious liquor. 
&nbsp;

Thirty-four people died in two adjoining districts allegedly after drinking spurious liquor at a village in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, officials said Friday. At least 40 others needed medical treatment.

Thirty-four people died in two adjoining districts allegedly after drinking spurious liquor at a village in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, officials said Friday. At least 40 others needed medical treatment. Most of the victims had consumed the liquor Thursday evening at the `tehravin', the 13th day of mourning after a relative's death in Balupur village, they said. Sixteen of the victims died in that village, close to Roorkee, according to the Uttarakhand police. Eighteen more deaths took place in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, which adjoins Uttarakhand, as people who had attended the ritual returned home, district magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said. But at least one man also brought some liquor pouches from Balupur and might have sold them in Saharanpur, officials said. The Uttarakhand police too said that apart from the 16 deaths in their state, more people died in neighbouring Saharanpur. But they had confirmation of only nine deaths in the UP district from the liquor they consumed in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand government has suspended 17 administration and police personnel and ordered a magisterial probe. In Uttar Pradesh, 10 policemen have been suspended. Saharanpur DM Alok Pandey said the victims from Nangal and adjoining villages in his district had gone to Balupur to take part in the ceremony on Thursday. They were served liquor there in the evening. The victims started taking ill during the night, officials from both Uttarakhand and UP said. Many of the Saharanpur victims could not be admitted to hospital because the area was lashed by rain and hailstorms, Pandey said. In the morning, they were brought to the district medical hospital for treatment. The deaths in the villages in Haridwar and Uttarakhand districts took place over the day on Friday, even as the authorities warned people not to consume any liquor they might be carrying from Balupur. Saharanpur authorities Friday night said 42 people were still being treated, but none of them was in a serious condition. At least two others were being treated in Haridwar district, officials said. Pandey said a man identified as Pintu had brought 30 pouches of hooch from Balupur village, and may have sold them to others. It is not immediately clear if some of the victims are among his customers. One of pouches has been found and sent for forensic examination. The official said the post-mortem examination has been conducted on 11 of the 18 Saharanpur victims. In an unrelated case, eight people have died over the week in eastern UP's Kushinagar district after drinking hooch, officials said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered departmental action against district excise officers of Kushinagar and Saharanpur, the state government said. He also announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs two lakh each to the relatives of those killed. In Uttarakhand, 13 excise department personnel have been placed under suspension in connection with the hooch tragedy, Haridwar District Magistrate Deepak Rawat said. Four Uttarakhand police personnel, including the Jhabrera station house officer, have been placed under suspension. Both states announced drives to curb the sale spurious liquor.

Uttarakhand: 34 die after drinking Hooch in Haridwar village

Sara Ali Khan, whose debut film 'Kedarnath' has been banned in Uttarakhand, is "disheartened" by the move and says the idea behind the film is "not to divide but unite people". 
 
The film, set against the backdrop of the natural tragedy in the temple town of Kedarnath, is a love story of a Hindu girl (Sara) and a Muslim porter (Sushant Singh Raput). Those seeking ban on the film have accused it of hurting Hindu sentiments and promoting love jihad. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kedarnath-review-sara-ali-khan-sushant-singh-rajput-are-impressive-in-this-visually-stunning-film-182004">Read 'Kedarnath' review here.&nbsp;</a> 
 
"The dream was that I could pass on this story to some people. We shot the film in Uttarakhand, we stayed there for 40 days, I have best memories of my career there. It is very disheartening to not give back to them because they have given me so much. And that is the only real regret," Sara told PTI. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/kedarnath-a-love-story-that-dares-to-leap-over-religious-boundaries-182216">Also see: Kedarnath, Bombay, Gadar</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/kedarnath-a-love-story-that-dares-to-leap-over-religious-boundaries-182216">:Ek</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/kedarnath-a-love-story-that-dares-to-leap-over-religious-boundaries-182216"> Prem Katha: Bollywood's tryst with inter-faith love stories</a> 
 
The young actor was unable to understand the reason <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/sushant-saras-film-kedarnath-banned-from-screening-in-nainital-udham-singh-nagar-districts-182139">for the ban on the film</a> and said she has a different view on "caste and religion". 
 
"I don't consider ethnicity, religion, caste as markers and consider them as divisive. I don't think the film does either. The film is not about dividing you, it rather calls for coming together. I don't know how people are feeling hurt. I don't think they have seen the film." 
 
Sara, however, said she respects the concerns and as an actor all she can do is give her 100 per cent to the film.&nbsp; 
 
"I have to respect that thought process as well. As an actor none of this in my hands. The only thing that is in my hands is to perform the given role, which I have done to my best. There is an element of regret that I can't share it (the film) with people who have shared their lives with me," she said. 
 
The film, directed by Abhishek Kapoor, released on December 7. It made Rs 7.25 crore on day one. Sara's work in the film has been appreciated and the 23-year-old said she has read almost all the reviews and is happy that people have been kind to her."You can't distinguish me from 'Kedarnath'. But if people say 'Kedarnath' is waahiyad (pathetic) I would not be happy as it is my first film." 
 
Growing up with actor parents, Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan, Sara witnessed success and failure from close quarters, which helped her learn that both need to be taken with a pinch of salt.&nbsp; 
 
"Every Friday is going to be different and this Friday has been very good for me, I deserve to celebrate that. I deserve to smile and be happy. I also need to understand that the next Friday might be different. 
 
"I have to stay grounded and be real and continue doing my best. The reviews, opinions, comments will keep coming and going, I have to do my best." Sara's next release is 'Simmba' opposite Ranveer Singh. The film, directed by Rohit Shetty, will hit the theatres on December 28.&nbsp;

Sara Ali Khan, whose debut film 'Kedarnath' has been banned in Uttarakhand, is "disheartened" by the move and says the idea behind the film is "not to divide but unite people".

Sara Ali Khan, whose debut film 'Kedarnath' has been banned in Uttarakhand, is "disheartened" by the move and says the idea behind the film is "not to divide but unite people". The film, set against the backdrop of the natural tragedy in the temple town of Kedarnath, is a love story of a Hindu girl (Sara) and a Muslim porter (Sushant Singh Raput). Those seeking ban on the film have accused it of hurting Hindu sentiments and promoting love jihad. Read 'Kedarnath' review here. "The dream was that I could pass on this story to some people. We shot the film in Uttarakhand, we stayed there for 40 days, I have best memories of my career there. It is very disheartening to not give back to them because they have given me so much. And that is the only real regret," Sara told PTI. Also see: Kedarnath, Bombay, Gadar:Ek Prem Katha: Bollywood's tryst with inter-faith love stories The young actor was unable to understand the reason for the ban on the film and said she has a different view on "caste and religion". "I don't consider ethnicity, religion, caste as markers and consider them as divisive. I don't think the film does either. The film is not about dividing you, it rather calls for coming together. I don't know how people are feeling hurt. I don't think they have seen the film." Sara, however, said she respects the concerns and as an actor all she can do is give her 100 per cent to the film. "I have to respect that thought process as well. As an actor none of this in my hands. The only thing that is in my hands is to perform the given role, which I have done to my best. There is an element of regret that I can't share it (the film) with people who have shared their lives with me," she said. The film, directed by Abhishek Kapoor, released on December 7. It made Rs 7.25 crore on day one. Sara's work in the film has been appreciated and the 23-year-old said she has read almost all the reviews and is happy that people have been kind to her."You can't distinguish me from 'Kedarnath'. But if people say 'Kedarnath' is waahiyad (pathetic) I would not be happy as it is my first film." Growing up with actor parents, Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan, Sara witnessed success and failure from close quarters, which helped her learn that both need to be taken with a pinch of salt. "Every Friday is going to be different and this Friday has been very good for me, I deserve to celebrate that. I deserve to smile and be happy. I also need to understand that the next Friday might be different. "I have to stay grounded and be real and continue doing my best. The reviews, opinions, comments will keep coming and going, I have to do my best." Sara's next release is 'Simmba' opposite Ranveer Singh. The film, directed by Rohit Shetty, will hit the theatres on December 28.

Sara Ali Khan on ban on 'Kedarnath' in Uttarakhand: Film is not about dividing you, it calls for coming together

Two people lost their lives while 14 sustained injuries after a bus fell into a gorge near Damta on Uttarkashi-Yamunotri Highway, earlier today, reported news agency ANI.

The bus was reportedly carrying around 20 passengers.&nbsp;

Rescue operation underway, the report added.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: 2 dead &amp; 14 injured after a bus carrying more than 20 passengers fell in a gorge near Damta on Uttarkashi-Yamunotri Highway, earlier today. Rescue operation underway. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Uttarakhand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Uttarakhand</a> <a href="https://t.co/wXqIO5UY3H">pic.twitter.com/wXqIO5UY3H</a>
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&nbsp;

Two people lost their lives while 14 sustained injuries after a bus fell into a gorge near Damta on Uttarkashi-Yamunotri Highway, earlier today, reported news agency ANI.

Two people lost their lives while 14 sustained injuries after a bus fell into a gorge near Damta on Uttarkashi-Yamunotri Highway, earlier today, reported news agency ANI. The bus was reportedly carrying around 20 passengers. Rescue operation underway, the report added. #UPDATE: 2 dead & 14 injured after a bus carrying more than 20 passengers fell in a gorge near Damta on Uttarkashi-Yamunotri Highway, earlier today. Rescue operation underway. #Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/wXqIO5UY3H — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2018 ×

Uttarakhand: 2 dead, 14 injured after bus falls into gorge

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale was felt in Darchula in far-west Nepal, and the surrounding districts on Sunday afternoon, creating panic among the residents.&nbsp;

The epicentre of the earthquake was Khela in the Indian state of Uttarakhand that occurred at 12.52 pm, the Seismological Department of Nepal said.

Khela is some 16 kilometres South from Khalanga, the headquarters of Darchula district.

The locals were scared and ran out of their houses to open grounds as the quake struck, according to officials.&nbsp;

However, there have been no reports of any loss of lives or properties due to the quake.

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale was felt in Darchula in far-west Nepal, and the surrounding districts on Sunday afternoon, creating panic among the residents.

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale was felt in Darchula in far-west Nepal, and the surrounding districts on Sunday afternoon, creating panic among the residents. The epicentre of the earthquake was Khela in the Indian state of Uttarakhand that occurred at 12.52 pm, the Seismological Department of Nepal said. Khela is some 16 kilometres South from Khalanga, the headquarters of Darchula district. The locals were scared and ran out of their houses to open grounds as the quake struck, according to officials. However, there have been no reports of any loss of lives or properties due to the quake.

Nepal hit by moderate 5.1 earthquake creating panic among residents

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Uttarakhand Investors Summit-2018 on Sunday.

After the inauguration, PM Modi also addressed the gathering in which he talked about the tax system of the country and said that "We have improved the tax system in the country. We are trying to make the tax system more swift and transparent."

"Doing business has become easier due to Insolvency &amp; Bankruptcy Code. The banking system has also got strengthened," he also added.

He further said that Uttarakhand is on the path of growth and has the potential to be an energy surplus state.

"Potential, policy and performance, these are the sources of progress", He said.

Along with Modi, Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was also at the summit who said that for the past three months,&nbsp;the state is preparing for the summit.

Explain that the Uttarakhand government had been engaged in the preparations for the Investors Summit for the last 3 months.

The two-day event will conclude on Monday and Home Minister Rajnath Singh will address it on the second day.&nbsp;

Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, KJ Alphons and CR Chaudhary are also expected to participate in the sessions on different subjects.

Uttarakhand so far has generated over 70 thousand crore investment proposals during the run-up to the event; Trivendra Singh Rawat informed media. 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Uttarakhand Investors Summit-2018 on Sunday. After the inauguration, PM Modi also addressed the gathering in which he talked about the tax system of the country and said that "We have improved the tax system in the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Uttarakhand Investors Summit-2018 on Sunday. After the inauguration, PM Modi also addressed the gathering in which he talked about the tax system of the country and said that "We have improved the tax system in the country. We are trying to make the tax system more swift and transparent." "Doing business has become easier due to Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. The banking system has also got strengthened," he also added. He further said that Uttarakhand is on the path of growth and has the potential to be an energy surplus state. "Potential, policy and performance, these are the sources of progress", He said. Along with Modi, Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was also at the summit who said that for the past three months, the state is preparing for the summit. Explain that the Uttarakhand government had been engaged in the preparations for the Investors Summit for the last 3 months. The two-day event will conclude on Monday and Home Minister Rajnath Singh will address it on the second day. Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, KJ Alphons and CR Chaudhary are also expected to participate in the sessions on different subjects. Uttarakhand so far has generated over 70 thousand crore investment proposals during the run-up to the event; Trivendra Singh Rawat informed media.

We have improved the tax system in the country: PM Modi at Uttarakhand Investors' Summit

An earthquake measuring 4.0-magnitude on the Richter scale hit Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi on Thursday morning at 6:12 AM.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the earthquake originated at a depth of 10 km and had the latitude of 30.8 North and Longitude of 78.2 East.

Further details are currently awaited.

This comes after the Meteorological Centre, Dehradun had issued warnings of thunderstorm and rain in the state from June 13-17 on Wednesday.

Few places of the state are likely to experience light to moderate rain and thunderstorm on Thursday, while many places are likely to experience the same from June 15-17.

Earlier this month, the Badrinath National Highway was closed at two places due to minor landslides, followed by heavy rains in parts of Uttarakhand.

The earthquake originated at a depth of 10 km and had the latitude of 30.8 North and Longitude of 78.2 East

An earthquake measuring 4.0-magnitude on the Richter scale hit Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi on Thursday morning at 6:12 AM. According to the India Meteorological Department, the earthquake originated at a depth of 10 km and had the latitude of 30.8 North and Longitude of 78.2 East. Further details are currently awaited. This comes after the Meteorological Centre, Dehradun had issued warnings of thunderstorm and rain in the state from June 13-17 on Wednesday. Few places of the state are likely to experience light to moderate rain and thunderstorm on Thursday, while many places are likely to experience the same from June 15-17. Earlier this month, the Badrinath National Highway was closed at two places due to minor landslides, followed by heavy rains in parts of Uttarakhand.

4.0-earthquake hits Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi

Dealing a body blow to the ruling BJP, opposition parties on Thursday emerged victorious in 9 out of 10 Assembly seats even as the BJP asserted that the PM -- which it described as 'P' for performance and&nbsp; 'M' for Mehnat (hard work) -- would decide the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Figures for the 10 assembly bypolls came as a big setback for the ruling party which could win just one (in Uttarakhand). The Congress bagged three (in Meghalaya, Karnataka and Punjab) and others got six -- JMM two in Jharkhand CPI (M), SP, RJD and Trinamool one each in Kerala, UP, Bihar and West Bengal, respectively.

The Congress also won one assembly seat in Maharashtra without contest after all other parties withdrew their candidates.

The party, which retained RR Nagar assembly in Karnataka and another in Meghalaya, termed the bypoll results as the people's mandate against four years of the Modi rule and the beginning of the end of the BJP empire.

"The writing on the wall is clear. The BJP's exit and success of the Congress and its allies are guaranteed," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told reporters.

The BJP and its allies failed to retain Noorpur in UP and Shahkot in Punjab, while Congress, CPI (M), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Trinamool retained their respective seats.

The BJP retained Tharali in Uttarakhand, but lost Noorpur in UP. SP's Naeemul Hasan trounced BJP's Avni Singh in Noorpur.

In Bihar, RJD won minority-dominated Jokihat by defeating BJP ally JD(U) by a huge margin.&nbsp;

A buoyed Tejashwi Yadav of RJD said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who dumped the RJD and Congress last year to join hands with the BJP to form a new coalition government in the state, should resign if he has some conscience left.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulating all the winners said valuable lessions to be learnt from the victories and defeats for all the parties.

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Congratulations to all the winners in the by polls, across India. Valuable lessons to be learnt from the victories & defeats for all parties. I want to thank all the workers & leaders of the Congress party for their hard work & dedication in these elections. God bless you all.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1002206574918688768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said one has to take two steps backward before a big leap and the BJP is "going to take a massive leap."

BJP's Subramanian Swamy, however, had a word of caution for the party and said the "this huge setback in by polls is due to Hubris".

"But the trend is easily reversible if party stops rewarding sycophancy and has more participatory decision-making ethos amongst those leaders whom the public find credible. BJP has the infrastructure to bounce back but needs a new ethos," he said.

AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the results reflect the anger against the Modi government.

Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav called the results "a defeat of divisive politics" and congratulated all opposition parties for the results.&nbsp;

RLD's Jayant Chaudhary said the opposition unity will continue and the results showed that "Jinnah hara, Ganna jeeta" -- referring to the recent controversy over the Pakistan founder's portrait and the problems being faced by sugarcane farmers.

CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechuri said BJP's loss at its "laboratory of communal and hate politics", Kairana, clearly showed that people did not accept the ruling party's politics but warned that the loss could push the RSS-BJP to spread communal tensions to consolidate the "Hindutva vote bank".

In Punjab, Congress' Hardev Singh Ladi wrested Shahkot from the Shiromani Akali Dal.&nbsp;

Trinamool's Dulal Das won Maheshtala bypoll in West Bengal, defeating BJP's Sujit Kumar Ghosh. The Left came third.

In Kerala, Left's Saji Cheriyan won Chengannur bypoll. The Congress came second and the BJP third.

JMM retained Silli and Gomia seats in Jharkhand. In Gomia, JMM's Babita Devi defeated AJSU nominee Lambodar Mahto, while BJP came third. In Silli, JMM's Seema Mahto defeated AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto.&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

The Congress also won one assembly seat in Maharashtra without contest after all other parties withdrew their candidates.

Dealing a body blow to the ruling BJP, opposition parties on Thursday emerged victorious in 9 out of 10 Assembly seats even as the BJP asserted that the PM -- which it described as 'P' for performance and 'M' for Mehnat (hard work) -- would decide the Lok Sabha polls next year. Figures for the 10 assembly bypolls came as a big setback for the ruling party which could win just one (in Uttarakhand). The Congress bagged three (in Meghalaya, Karnataka and Punjab) and others got six -- JMM two in Jharkhand CPI (M), SP, RJD and Trinamool one each in Kerala, UP, Bihar and West Bengal, respectively. The Congress also won one assembly seat in Maharashtra without contest after all other parties withdrew their candidates. The party, which retained RR Nagar assembly in Karnataka and another in Meghalaya, termed the bypoll results as the people's mandate against four years of the Modi rule and the beginning of the end of the BJP empire. "The writing on the wall is clear. The BJP's exit and success of the Congress and its allies are guaranteed," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told reporters. The BJP and its allies failed to retain Noorpur in UP and Shahkot in Punjab, while Congress, CPI (M), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Trinamool retained their respective seats. The BJP retained Tharali in Uttarakhand, but lost Noorpur in UP. SP's Naeemul Hasan trounced BJP's Avni Singh in Noorpur. In Bihar, RJD won minority-dominated Jokihat by defeating BJP ally JD(U) by a huge margin. A buoyed Tejashwi Yadav of RJD said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who dumped the RJD and Congress last year to join hands with the BJP to form a new coalition government in the state, should resign if he has some conscience left. Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulating all the winners said valuable lessions to be learnt from the victories and defeats for all the parties. Congratulations to all the winners in the by polls, across India. Valuable lessons to be learnt from the victories & defeats for all parties. I want to thank all the workers & leaders of the Congress party for their hard work & dedication in these elections. God bless you all. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 31, 2018 × Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said one has to take two steps backward before a big leap and the BJP is "going to take a massive leap." BJP's Subramanian Swamy, however, had a word of caution for the party and said the "this huge setback in by polls is due to Hubris". "But the trend is easily reversible if party stops rewarding sycophancy and has more participatory decision-making ethos amongst those leaders whom the public find credible. BJP has the infrastructure to bounce back but needs a new ethos," he said. AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the results reflect the anger against the Modi government. Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav called the results "a defeat of divisive politics" and congratulated all opposition parties for the results. RLD's Jayant Chaudhary said the opposition unity will continue and the results showed that "Jinnah hara, Ganna jeeta" -- referring to the recent controversy over the Pakistan founder's portrait and the problems being faced by sugarcane farmers. CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechuri said BJP's loss at its "laboratory of communal and hate politics", Kairana, clearly showed that people did not accept the ruling party's politics but warned that the loss could push the RSS-BJP to spread communal tensions to consolidate the "Hindutva vote bank". In Punjab, Congress' Hardev Singh Ladi wrested Shahkot from the Shiromani Akali Dal. Trinamool's Dulal Das won Maheshtala bypoll in West Bengal, defeating BJP's Sujit Kumar Ghosh. The Left came third. In Kerala, Left's Saji Cheriyan won Chengannur bypoll. The Congress came second and the BJP third. JMM retained Silli and Gomia seats in Jharkhand. In Gomia, JMM's Babita Devi defeated AJSU nominee Lambodar Mahto, while BJP came third. In Silli, JMM's Seema Mahto defeated AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto. (With PTI inputs)

Assembly bypoll results: Opposition scoops 9 leaving one seat to BJP

Thunderstorms and lightning on May 2-3 killed at least 134 people and injured more than 400 in five states, including the hardest-hit Uttar Pradesh, the Home Ministry said on Tuesday.

The highest 80 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh and nearly 100 others were injured in the state. A majority of the deaths and injuries were reported from the Agra region, a home ministry spokesperson said, giving the latest figures.

Altogether 35 people were killed and another 209 were injured in Rajasthan. Eleven people were killed in Telangana, six were killed in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab.

Nearly 100 people were also injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Following thunderstorms, power supply was cut off in many areas as squall uprooted trees and snapped electricity cables.

At least 20,000 electric poles were uprooted and 2,500 electric transformers were damaged during the two days.

More than 1,800 houses were damaged and 800 cattles were also killed, the spokesperson said.

Thunderstorms and lightning on May 2-3 killed at least 134 people and injured more than 400 in five states, including the hardest-hit Uttar Pradesh, the Home Ministry said on Tuesday

Thunderstorms and lightning on May 2-3 killed at least 134 people and injured more than 400 in five states, including the hardest-hit Uttar Pradesh, the Home Ministry said on Tuesday. The highest 80 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh and nearly 100 others were injured in the state. A majority of the deaths and injuries were reported from the Agra region, a home ministry spokesperson said, giving the latest figures. Altogether 35 people were killed and another 209 were injured in Rajasthan. Eleven people were killed in Telangana, six were killed in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab. Nearly 100 people were also injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab. Following thunderstorms, power supply was cut off in many areas as squall uprooted trees and snapped electricity cables. At least 20,000 electric poles were uprooted and 2,500 electric transformers were damaged during the two days. More than 1,800 houses were damaged and 800 cattles were also killed, the spokesperson said.

Thunderstorms on May 2 & 3 claimed 134 lives

Thunderstorms accompanied by squall, hail and heavy rains are likely to occur in at least 13 states and two Union Territories across the country tomorrow, the Home Ministry said.

Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh while thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely tomorrow at isolated places in Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Heavy rains are likely tomorrow at isolated places over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, a Home Ministry official said today quoting an Indian Meteorological Department advisory.

Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh.

Dust storm and thunderstorm are also likely at isolated places in West Rajasthan, a PTI reported quoting the official.

At least 124 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured in five states due to dust storms, thunderstorms and lightning last week.&nbsp

Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh.

Thunderstorms accompanied by squall, hail and heavy rains are likely to occur in at least 13 states and two Union Territories across the country tomorrow, the Home Ministry said. Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh while thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely tomorrow at isolated places in Uttarakhand and Punjab. Heavy rains are likely tomorrow at isolated places over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, a Home Ministry official said today quoting an Indian Meteorological Department advisory. Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh. Dust storm and thunderstorm are also likely at isolated places in West Rajasthan, a PTI reported quoting the official. At least 124 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured in five states due to dust storms, thunderstorms and lightning last week.

Thunderstorms, rains likely in 13 states, 2 Union Territories tomorrow

A fresh warning about thunderstorm and squall hitting West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on Friday has been issued, the home ministry said, and noted that 124 people were killed while more than 300 injured in five states due to thunderstorm and lightning in the last two days.

The maximum casualty was reported in Uttar Pradesh where 73 people were killed, while 91 others were injured.

Most of the deaths and injuries in the state took place in Agra region, a home ministry spokesperson said.

In Rajasthan, altogether 35 people were killed and 206 injured, while eight people were killed in Telangana, six in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab. Nearly 100 people were injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Following the thunderstorms, power supply was cut off in many areas as squall uprooted trees and snapped electricity cables. At least 12,000 electric poles were uprooted and 2,500 transformers damaged in the affected states in the last two days.

The home ministry spokesperson said a fresh warning has been issued about possible thunderstorms accompanied with squall which may hit four states --- West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh -- today.

The thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura.

Isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Odisha, northwest Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, interior Tamil Nadu and Kerala are very likely to experience thunderstorm along with gusty winds.

Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while dust storm and thunderstorm very likely at isolated places over Rajasthan.

The home ministry has also issued an advisory for tomorrow saying thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sub, Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

The thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely to occur at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and gangetic West Bengal.&nbsp;

Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. Dust storms are very likely at isolated places in Rajasthan, an official said.&nbsp;

The maximum casualty was reported in Uttar Pradesh where 73 people were killed, while 91 others were injured

A fresh warning about thunderstorm and squall hitting West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on Friday has been issued, the home ministry said, and noted that 124 people were killed while more than 300 injured in five states due to thunderstorm and lightning in the last two days. The maximum casualty was reported in Uttar Pradesh where 73 people were killed, while 91 others were injured. Most of the deaths and injuries in the state took place in Agra region, a home ministry spokesperson said. In Rajasthan, altogether 35 people were killed and 206 injured, while eight people were killed in Telangana, six in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab. Nearly 100 people were injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab. Following the thunderstorms, power supply was cut off in many areas as squall uprooted trees and snapped electricity cables. At least 12,000 electric poles were uprooted and 2,500 transformers damaged in the affected states in the last two days. The home ministry spokesperson said a fresh warning has been issued about possible thunderstorms accompanied with squall which may hit four states --- West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh -- today. The thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura. Isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Odisha, northwest Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, interior Tamil Nadu and Kerala are very likely to experience thunderstorm along with gusty winds. Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while dust storm and thunderstorm very likely at isolated places over Rajasthan. The home ministry has also issued an advisory for tomorrow saying thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sub, Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. The thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds are very likely to occur at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and gangetic West Bengal. Heavy rains are very likely at isolated places in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. Dust storms are very likely at isolated places in Rajasthan, an official said.

Government issues fresh thunderstorm, squall warning for 4 states

A severe dust storm followed by thunder showers hit parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan overnight, killing nearly 100 people and leaving a trail of destruction.

Houses collapsed and trees and poles were uprooted in the storm that also led to power outages.

In Uttar Pradesh, the high-intensity dust storm left 64 people dead and 47 injured.

In Rajasthan, 33 were killed, taking the combined death toll to 97. About 100 people were injured in the state, officials said.

In UP, Agra district was the worst hit, accounting for 36 deaths and injuries to 35 others, officials said.

Besides Agra, the other affected UP districts were Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao.

In Rajasthan, Dholpur district was the worst affected with 17 killed.

Two of those killed in Dholpur were from Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

"A few people are undergoing primary treatment while others were discharged. One critical patient from Dholpur was referred to Jaipur," Hemant Kumar Gera, Secretary, Disaster Management and Relief, said.

A detailed report of the disaster is awaited even as relief and rescue teams have been pressed into service to clear debris and restore power supply, Rajasthan he said.

Gera said contigency funds have been released to the respective district administration. He said Rs 4 lakh will be given to family members of deceased, Rs 2 lakh to persons sustaining 60 per cent injuries and Rs 60,000 to people with 40 to 50 per cent injuries.

Expressing sorrow at the loss of lives due to dust storms in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today directed officials to coordinate with states to ensure speedy relief and rehabilitation of those affected.

"Saddened by the loss of lives due to dust storms in various parts of India. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting Modi.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed grief over the calamity and said authorities concerned in the districts have been directed to ensure all possible help to victims.

"Condolence for families who lost their loved ones," she said on Twitter.

Taking note of the havoc caused by the dust storm in UP, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officers concerned to personally monitor relief operations and provide all necessary medical facilities to the affected.

He also said that no laxity will be tolerated in providing succour to the needy.&nbsp

The dust storm followed by thunder showers left a trail of destruction. Houses collapsed and trees and poles fell over

A severe dust storm followed by thunder showers hit parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan overnight, killing nearly 100 people and leaving a trail of destruction. Houses collapsed and trees and poles were uprooted in the storm that also led to power outages. In Uttar Pradesh, the high-intensity dust storm left 64 people dead and 47 injured. In Rajasthan, 33 were killed, taking the combined death toll to 97. About 100 people were injured in the state, officials said. In UP, Agra district was the worst hit, accounting for 36 deaths and injuries to 35 others, officials said. Besides Agra, the other affected UP districts were Bijnor, Bareli, Saharanpur, Pilibhit, Firozabad, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar, Rae Bareli and Unnao. In Rajasthan, Dholpur district was the worst affected with 17 killed. Two of those killed in Dholpur were from Agra in Uttar Pradesh. "A few people are undergoing primary treatment while others were discharged. One critical patient from Dholpur was referred to Jaipur," Hemant Kumar Gera, Secretary, Disaster Management and Relief, said. A detailed report of the disaster is awaited even as relief and rescue teams have been pressed into service to clear debris and restore power supply, Rajasthan he said. Gera said contigency funds have been released to the respective district administration. He said Rs 4 lakh will be given to family members of deceased, Rs 2 lakh to persons sustaining 60 per cent injuries and Rs 60,000 to people with 40 to 50 per cent injuries. Expressing sorrow at the loss of lives due to dust storms in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today directed officials to coordinate with states to ensure speedy relief and rehabilitation of those affected. "Saddened by the loss of lives due to dust storms in various parts of India. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting Modi. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed grief over the calamity and said authorities concerned in the districts have been directed to ensure all possible help to victims. "Condolence for families who lost their loved ones," she said on Twitter. Taking note of the havoc caused by the dust storm in UP, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officers concerned to personally monitor relief operations and provide all necessary medical facilities to the affected. He also said that no laxity will be tolerated in providing succour to the needy.

Dust storm kills close to 100 in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan

Former Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav today said the government was “interfering” in the judiciary after it returned to the Supreme Court collegium the recommendation to elevate Justice K M Joseph to the top court.

“It is a very serious matter and I will request the apex court judges to come forward and ensure that the people’s faith in the judiciary remains intact. “This (the issue of Justice Joseph’s elevation to the Supreme Court) shows that the government is interfering in the (matters of the) judiciary and all constitutional institutions in a big way,” the veteran leader told reporters here.

Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice Joseph had, in 2016, quashed the imposition of President’s Rule in the state and brought back the Congress government led by Harish Rawat. The Congress had, however, lost the Uttarakhand Assembly election in 2017.

Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice Joseph had, in 2016, quashed the imposition of President's Rule in the state and brought back the Congress government led by Harish Rawat.

Former Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav today said the government was “interfering” in the judiciary after it returned to the Supreme Court collegium the recommendation to elevate Justice K M Joseph to the top court. “It is a very serious matter and I will request the apex court judges to come forward and ensure that the people’s faith in the judiciary remains intact. “This (the issue of Justice Joseph’s elevation to the Supreme Court) shows that the government is interfering in the (matters of the) judiciary and all constitutional institutions in a big way,” the veteran leader told reporters here. Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice Joseph had, in 2016, quashed the imposition of President’s Rule in the state and brought back the Congress government led by Harish Rawat. The Congress had, however, lost the Uttarakhand Assembly election in 2017.

Govt interfering in judiciary, says Sharad Yadav

The hills of Uttarakhand are hit frequently by mild earthquakes -- as many as 51 since January 1, 2015 -- which are often dismissed as "usual occurrences". But are these tremors indicative of a big earthquake in future? 
"Yes," says the head of state's Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC).

"Frequent mild earthquakes in the hills of Uttarakhand should not be dismissed as common occurrences but treated as pointers to a major earthquake which is long overdue in the central seismic gap of the Himalayan front spanning Himachal Pradesh, Nepal and Uttarakhand," said DMMC Executive Director Piyush Rautela.

The DMMC is an autonomous body working under the Uttarakhand government for protection of people and environment against any kind of disaster. Its tasks among other include running training programme for people and communities for disaster mitigation.

Rautela said the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand was hit by a catastrophic earthquake way back in 1803, and 200 years on there is a lot of "un-released energy in the Himalayan region".

"This pent-up energy accumulated over more than 200 years has led to an apprehension among scientists that it could find an outlet in the form of a big earthquake in the Himalayan region, of which Uttarakhand is a part, in the near future," he said.

Another factor which has led to the apprehension is that the 700-km long seismic gap on the Himalayan front, which spans Uttarakhand, neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Nepal, has not been ruptured in any major earthquake in the last 200-500 years, he said.

"Hence, it is only a matter of time before this pent-up, cumulative energy releases in the form of a major shake-up," Rautela said.

Asked as to what scientists mean by a major earthquake, he said the earthquakes measuring more than eight on the Richter Scale are categorised as such.

According to data available on the Uttarakhand MeT department's website, there have been as many as 51 mild earthquakes in different parts of the state, especially the hill districts of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Almora, and Rudraprayag, since January 1, 2015.

On an average mild intensity, earthquakes occur in the hills twice a month with the latest hitting Pithoragarh on April 1 this year. The magnitude of the quake was 3.5 and it was not felt by many.

The Pithoragarh earthquake was preceded by another of 2.9 magnitudes in Uttarkashi on February 28, which had already been hit by another with a magnitude of 3.2 on February 12.

Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts were hit by an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter Scale on December 28 last year, followed by a 2.9-magnitude earthquake in Chamoli just two days later.

"The mild earthquakes which hit the hills of Uttarakhand almost every month and are often dismissed as usual occurrences should better be treated as warning bells so that we could equip ourselves better to deal with a bigger disaster," the DMMC ED said.

"These earthquakes often measuring about 2.5-4.5 on the Richter Scale are reminder from the nature that we live in an area vulnerable to earthquakes and cannot afford to lower our guard."&nbsp

When asked what would be the extent of damage if an earthquake of 8+ magnitude hits the state, Rautela said it was difficult to quantify. "But definitely the damage will be more in the thickly populated urban areas where there has been rapid and unplanned growth of population and infrastructure."

The devastating earthquake of April-May 2015 in Nepal, which left nearly 9,000 dead, amply highlighted the seismic threat in the region as also the vulnerability of the building stock there, he said.

"Hence, it is important to assess the vulnerability of built environment before undertaking any seismic-risk reduction exercise."

Rautela emphasised the importance of effective planning, preparedness and mitigation, underlining the "constraints in earthquake prediction".

He said the assessment of seismic vulnerability is a necessary precondition for realistic planning and effective mitigation. Citing a DMMC study conducted some time back to assess the seismic vulnerability of

Nainital and Mussoorie, he said out of a total of 6,206 buildings surveyed in popular tourist cities, 14 per cent in Nainital and 18 per cent in Mussoorie show high probability of Category-5 damage (very significant damage) in the event of a seismic activity reaching intensity VII (earthquake measuring 7 on Ritcher Scale).

Most of these buildings were reportedly constructed before 1951, he said.

On infrastructure, the DMMC ED said, hospitals constitute the most critical facility required in the aftermath of any disaster and therefore it is important to assess the seismic performance of the buildings housing these facilities.

Disruption of hospital services has the potential of magnifying the trauma and misery of the affected population manifold, he added. Safety of school buildings is also critical, he said. "The collapse of school buildings would disrupt relief work as they are often used as shelters, makeshift dispensaries and stores for relief supplies in the aftermath of any disaster."

Tourism being the main economic activity in several cities of Uttarakhand, safety of hotel buildings must also be ensured. Seismic vulnerability assessment of such buildings is therefore highly recommended, according to the officer.

In November last year, scientists had gathered for a two-day national workshop here. They were unanimous in their view about the high possibility of a devastating earthquake in Uttarakhand and asked the state government to work towards building tremor-resilient infrastructure.

Professor ML Sharma from IIT-Roorkee recommended expansion of the earthquake early warning system network which has already been deployed in Uttarakhand.

Scientists also spoke about the extra care that needs to be taken in designing the structures on hill slopes and the implications of wrong design or construction practices.&nbsp

The hills of Uttarakhand are hit frequently by mild earthquakes -- as many as 51 since January 1, 2015 -- which are often dismissed as 'usual occurrences'

The hills of Uttarakhand are hit frequently by mild earthquakes -- as many as 51 since January 1, 2015 -- which are often dismissed as "usual occurrences". But are these tremors indicative of a big earthquake in future? "Yes," says the head of state's Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC). "Frequent mild earthquakes in the hills of Uttarakhand should not be dismissed as common occurrences but treated as pointers to a major earthquake which is long overdue in the central seismic gap of the Himalayan front spanning Himachal Pradesh, Nepal and Uttarakhand," said DMMC Executive Director Piyush Rautela. The DMMC is an autonomous body working under the Uttarakhand government for protection of people and environment against any kind of disaster. Its tasks among other include running training programme for people and communities for disaster mitigation. Rautela said the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand was hit by a catastrophic earthquake way back in 1803, and 200 years on there is a lot of "un-released energy in the Himalayan region". "This pent-up energy accumulated over more than 200 years has led to an apprehension among scientists that it could find an outlet in the form of a big earthquake in the Himalayan region, of which Uttarakhand is a part, in the near future," he said. Another factor which has led to the apprehension is that the 700-km long seismic gap on the Himalayan front, which spans Uttarakhand, neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Nepal, has not been ruptured in any major earthquake in the last 200-500 years, he said. "Hence, it is only a matter of time before this pent-up, cumulative energy releases in the form of a major shake-up," Rautela said. Asked as to what scientists mean by a major earthquake, he said the earthquakes measuring more than eight on the Richter Scale are categorised as such. According to data available on the Uttarakhand MeT department's website, there have been as many as 51 mild earthquakes in different parts of the state, especially the hill districts of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Almora, and Rudraprayag, since January 1, 2015. On an average mild intensity, earthquakes occur in the hills twice a month with the latest hitting Pithoragarh on April 1 this year. The magnitude of the quake was 3.5 and it was not felt by many. The Pithoragarh earthquake was preceded by another of 2.9 magnitudes in Uttarkashi on February 28, which had already been hit by another with a magnitude of 3.2 on February 12. Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts were hit by an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter Scale on December 28 last year, followed by a 2.9-magnitude earthquake in Chamoli just two days later. "The mild earthquakes which hit the hills of Uttarakhand almost every month and are often dismissed as usual occurrences should better be treated as warning bells so that we could equip ourselves better to deal with a bigger disaster," the DMMC ED said. "These earthquakes often measuring about 2.5-4.5 on the Richter Scale are reminder from the nature that we live in an area vulnerable to earthquakes and cannot afford to lower our guard." When asked what would be the extent of damage if an earthquake of 8+ magnitude hits the state, Rautela said it was difficult to quantify. "But definitely the damage will be more in the thickly populated urban areas where there has been rapid and unplanned growth of population and infrastructure." The devastating earthquake of April-May 2015 in Nepal, which left nearly 9,000 dead, amply highlighted the seismic threat in the region as also the vulnerability of the building stock there, he said. "Hence, it is important to assess the vulnerability of built environment before undertaking any seismic-risk reduction exercise." Rautela emphasised the importance of effective planning, preparedness and mitigation, underlining the "constraints in earthquake prediction". He said the assessment of seismic vulnerability is a necessary precondition for realistic planning and effective mitigation. Citing a DMMC study conducted some time back to assess the seismic vulnerability of Nainital and Mussoorie, he said out of a total of 6,206 buildings surveyed in popular tourist cities, 14 per cent in Nainital and 18 per cent in Mussoorie show high probability of Category-5 damage (very significant damage) in the event of a seismic activity reaching intensity VII (earthquake measuring 7 on Ritcher Scale). Most of these buildings were reportedly constructed before 1951, he said. On infrastructure, the DMMC ED said, hospitals constitute the most critical facility required in the aftermath of any disaster and therefore it is important to assess the seismic performance of the buildings housing these facilities. Disruption of hospital services has the potential of magnifying the trauma and misery of the affected population manifold, he added. Safety of school buildings is also critical, he said. "The collapse of school buildings would disrupt relief work as they are often used as shelters, makeshift dispensaries and stores for relief supplies in the aftermath of any disaster." Tourism being the main economic activity in several cities of Uttarakhand, safety of hotel buildings must also be ensured. Seismic vulnerability assessment of such buildings is therefore highly recommended, according to the officer. In November last year, scientists had gathered for a two-day national workshop here. They were unanimous in their view about the high possibility of a devastating earthquake in Uttarakhand and asked the state government to work towards building tremor-resilient infrastructure. Professor ML Sharma from IIT-Roorkee recommended expansion of the earthquake early warning system network which has already been deployed in Uttarakhand. Scientists also spoke about the extra care that needs to be taken in designing the structures on hill slopes and the implications of wrong design or construction practices.

Uttarakhand: Is a big earthquake coming? 'Yes', says top disaster official

Two men were killed and three others seriously injured as the car they were travelling in fell into a 300-feet deep gorge after being hit by the debris of a landslide.The condition of the three injured, who have been rushed to a Srinagar-based hospital, is said to be critical.&nbsp

The landslide has occurred at the NH 58 highway in the state which is located in Devprayag. Initial reports have hinted that rescue operations underway. In the debris, many are feared trapped.&nbsp

The injured people have been taken to a hospital in Srinagar which is nearby. The condition of those injured is said to be critical. As per the police, following a landslide, a car was hit by debris after which the driver lost control the control over his vehicle. The vehicle soon fell into the gorge.

As per the early reports, a landslide has occurred in the state of Uttarakhand. In this incident, as many as two people are reported dead and as many as three people are feared injured.

Two men were killed and three others seriously injured as the car they were travelling in fell into a 300-feet deep gorge after being hit by the debris of a landslide.The condition of the three injured, who have been rushed to a Srinagar-based hospital, is said to be critical. The landslide has occurred at the NH 58 highway in the state which is located in Devprayag. Initial reports have hinted that rescue operations underway. In the debris, many are feared trapped. The injured people have been taken to a hospital in Srinagar which is nearby. The condition of those injured is said to be critical. As per the police, following a landslide, a car was hit by debris after which the driver lost control the control over his vehicle. The vehicle soon fell into the gorge.

Two killed, 3 injured as car falls into a gorge at NH 58 in Devprayag

A helicopter of the People’s Liberation Army of China hovered over four different locations along the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand yesterday, triggering concern in India’s security establishment about the PLA’s fourth incursion into Indian airspace within a month.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is reportedly probing the incident.

Official sources said the chopper, which returned to the Chinese side after some time, could have carried out aerial photography of Indian ground troops during what was possibly a reconnaissance mission.&nbsp;

On March 10, three Chinese military helicopters had entered Barahoti.&nbsp;

The choppers flew 4 kilometres into Indian airspace and hovered there for nearly five minutes.

Chinese helicopters had earlier infiltrated Indian airspace in Ladakh.

A People’s Liberation Army of China helicopter hovered over four different locations along the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand yesterday in what could have been a reconnaissance mission

A helicopter of the People’s Liberation Army of China hovered over four different locations along the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand yesterday, triggering concern in India’s security establishment about the PLA’s fourth incursion into Indian airspace within a month. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is reportedly probing the incident. Official sources said the chopper, which returned to the Chinese side after some time, could have carried out aerial photography of Indian ground troops during what was possibly a reconnaissance mission. On March 10, three Chinese military helicopters had entered Barahoti. The choppers flew 4 kilometres into Indian airspace and hovered there for nearly five minutes. Chinese helicopters had earlier infiltrated Indian airspace in Ladakh.

China intrudes Indian airspace four times in 1 month

The Trivendra Singh Rawat-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttarakhand presented a Rs 45,585 crore budget for the financial year 2018-19 on Thursday.

Presented by Finance Minister Prakash Pant the budget allocated Rs 1,500 crore to develop Uttarakhand as an organic herbal state and has also made major allocations for encouraging start-ups, achieving cent percent literacy, opening a trauma centre in each district, and establishing an international parliamentary study, research, and training centre.

A sum of Rs 86 crore has been allocated for construction of Metro Rail, among other things. The state government has also prioritized the tourism sector through various schemes including promotion of home stays. Revenue receipts are pegged at Rs 35,660 crore.

This was the second budget of the BJP government which was voted to power in 2017. In its first budget, the government had presented a Rs 39,957.20 crore budget.&nbsp;

 
Here are the top 10 highlights of Uttarakhand Budget 2018:

1. The Rawat government said that in all government schemes, Direct Benefit Transfer will be incorporated by 2020. Apart from this, they plan to construct 5,000 homestays, also they will invest in nearly 1 lakh youth for making them skilled.

2. The Rawat government will focus on creating more job opportunities for citizens, and for that, they will create 200 start-ups. &nbsp;

3. Health was also taken care during the announcement of Uttarakhand Budget 2018, as the Rawat government there plans to build the trauma centre, blood bank, and ICU in all 13 districts of the state. &nbsp;

4. For below poverty line people, the Rawat government will launch proper LPG connection, electricity facility and insurance to them.&nbsp;

5. To make Uttarakhand an attractive investing spot, the Rawat government has decided an arrangement of investment summit, for which they will allocate Rs 25 crore.

6. For irrigation department, the Rawat government has allotted Rs 40 crore for making dams.

7. To provide loan to farmers under &quot;Uttarakhand Deendayal Farmer Welfare Scheme&quot;, the Rawat government has allotted a total Rs 30 crore.&nbsp;

8. For working women, &quot;Rashtriya Krech Yojana&quot; has been launched, along with the Budget of Rs 3.70 crore.&nbsp;

9. For hygienic drinking water, Rs 40 crore has allocated by the Rawat government in the Budget 2018.

10. Allocation of Rs 10 crore was made for making of warehouses for Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) storage.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(With inputs from Zee News)

A sum of Rs 86 crore has been allocated for construction of Metro Rail, among other things

The Trivendra Singh Rawat-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttarakhand presented a Rs 45,585 crore budget for the financial year 2018-19 on Thursday. Presented by Finance Minister Prakash Pant the budget allocated Rs 1,500 crore to develop Uttarakhand as an organic herbal state and has also made major allocations for encouraging start-ups, achieving cent percent literacy, opening a trauma centre in each district, and establishing an international parliamentary study, research, and training centre. A sum of Rs 86 crore has been allocated for construction of Metro Rail, among other things. The state government has also prioritized the tourism sector through various schemes including promotion of home stays. Revenue receipts are pegged at Rs 35,660 crore. This was the second budget of the BJP government which was voted to power in 2017. In its first budget, the government had presented a Rs 39,957.20 crore budget. Here are the top 10 highlights of Uttarakhand Budget 2018: 1. The Rawat government said that in all government schemes, Direct Benefit Transfer will be incorporated by 2020. Apart from this, they plan to construct 5,000 homestays, also they will invest in nearly 1 lakh youth for making them skilled. 2. The Rawat government will focus on creating more job opportunities for citizens, and for that, they will create 200 start-ups. 3. Health was also taken care during the announcement of Uttarakhand Budget 2018, as the Rawat government there plans to build the trauma centre, blood bank, and ICU in all 13 districts of the state. 4. For below poverty line people, the Rawat government will launch proper LPG connection, electricity facility and insurance to them. 5. To make Uttarakhand an attractive investing spot, the Rawat government has decided an arrangement of investment summit, for which they will allocate Rs 25 crore. 6. For irrigation department, the Rawat government has allotted Rs 40 crore for making dams. 7. To provide loan to farmers under "Uttarakhand Deendayal Farmer Welfare Scheme", the Rawat government has allotted a total Rs 30 crore. 8. For working women, "Rashtriya Krech Yojana" has been launched, along with the Budget of Rs 3.70 crore. 9. For hygienic drinking water, Rs 40 crore has allocated by the Rawat government in the Budget 2018. 10. Allocation of Rs 10 crore was made for making of warehouses for Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) storage. (With inputs from Zee News)

Rawat govt allocates Rs 1,500 crore to develop Uttarakhand as organic state in Rs 45,585 crore budget

Earthquake tremors were in felt in Uttarakhand&#39;s Rudraprayag earlier today.

The earthquake measured 4.7 on the Richter scale with an epicentre in Chamoli, the second largest district in Uttarakhand.&nbsp;

According to the MeT office Director, Vikram Singh,&nbsp;the earthquake had a depth of 33 km which eliminates any possibility of damage to life and property.

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Earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale struck Uttarakhand&#39;s Rudraprayag area; Epicentre of the earthquake was in Chamoli
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946354503049031680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Tremors were felt for around 12 seconds in various parts of the state along with Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale had hit Uttarakhand earlier this month with an epicentre in Rudraprayag.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The earthquake measured 4.7 on the Richter scale

Earthquake tremors were in felt in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag earlier today. The earthquake measured 4.7 on the Richter scale with an epicentre in Chamoli, the second largest district in Uttarakhand. According to the MeT office Director, Vikram Singh, the earthquake had a depth of 33 km which eliminates any possibility of damage to life and property. Earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale struck Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag area; Epicentre of the earthquake was in Chamoli — ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2017 × Tremors were felt for around 12 seconds in various parts of the state along with Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale had hit Uttarakhand earlier this month with an epicentre in Rudraprayag. (With inputs from agencies)

Earthquake jolts Uttarakhand, tremors felt in Rudraprayag

A resident in&nbsp;Uttarakhand&#39;s Haldwani has opened the &quot;Bank of Happiness&quot;.

In this unique bank, one can donate old and new clothes for the underprivileged.

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&#39;Bank of Happiness&#39; opened in Uttarakhand&#39;s Haldwani by a resident Praveen Bhatt. Here people can donate old/new clothes for the poor. <a href="https://t.co/jmWiwaLWQK">pic.twitter.com/jmWiwaLWQK</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/944037481216798720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The bank has been receiving a lot of support as it opened in winters when&nbsp;people living on the streets need&nbsp;clothes to keep themselves warm.

According to Praveen Bhatt, the person behind the &quot;happiness bank&quot;, it aims to make labourers and other underprivileged people live comfortably.

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Aim behind setting up this bank was to ensure our poor brethren including labourers live comfortably. Have got great support from people, getting donations from Dehradun and even Delhi: Praveen Bhatt,Convener <a href="https://t.co/c7ZVSpdjbH">pic.twitter.com/c7ZVSpdjbH</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/944038288968491008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

In this unique bank, one can donate old and new clothes for the underprivileged who can't afford to buy

A resident in Uttarakhand's Haldwani has opened the "Bank of Happiness". In this unique bank, one can donate old and new clothes for the underprivileged. 'Bank of Happiness' opened in Uttarakhand's Haldwani by a resident Praveen Bhatt. Here people can donate old/new clothes for the poor. pic.twitter.com/jmWiwaLWQK — ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017 × The bank has been receiving a lot of support as it opened in winters when people living on the streets need clothes to keep themselves warm. According to Praveen Bhatt, the person behind the "happiness bank", it aims to make labourers and other underprivileged people live comfortably. Aim behind setting up this bank was to ensure our poor brethren including labourers live comfortably. Have got great support from people, getting donations from Dehradun and even Delhi: Praveen Bhatt,Convener pic.twitter.com/c7ZVSpdjbH — ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017 ×

'Bank of Happiness' opens in Uttarakhand

Last week, a coworker and I spent several days in Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community, a small caste native to the Kumaon region. Nestled deep in the foothills of the Himalayas and accessible only via a two-hour trek, Digoli seems to have sprouted organically from the steep mountainside, with narrow, winding stone paths connecting each house and terraced rice fields stretching into the distance.

Renowned for their skills as spinners and weavers, the Bora people have long been known in the area for their prodigious skills in the cultivation and weaving of hemp.

I had travelled to this remote corner of the world to conduct interviews for an exhibit my organisation, Avani, is preparing for the Google Arts and Culture Institute. The exhibit was intended to be centred on traditional hemp weaving, with a focus on the ways in which the legal boundaries around the crop&rsquo;s cultivation have hampered local traditions.

Going in, I thought I knew what the story would be: A small, marginalised community had taken pride in their traditional craft, and felt angry and disempowered when the government robbed them of their ability to practice it. I imagined impassioned interviews with villagers, in which they would describe the deep emotional and cultural value of hemp cultivation and mourn the loss of their traditional heritage and skills. The exhibit, as I envisioned it, would be a fiery polemic against blanket policy prescriptions, and a celebration of the beauty of traditional crafts.

Of course, India always seems to have a way of upending my expectations. For the most part, the community members I met in Digoli weren&rsquo;t mourning the loss of their craft or yearning for a return to their traditional roots. True, some of the village elders expressed anger towards the government for its restrictive hemp laws, telling me that the ban on hemp cultivation in the mid-1980s was misguided. But most, particularly in the younger generations, met the entire subject with a shrug.

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Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community (Others)
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&ldquo;Hemp is old&rdquo;, Govinda, one Bora community member, told me matter-of-factly, &ldquo;People don&rsquo;t want to do it anymore. It takes too much time.&rdquo; Indeed, cultivating and weaving hemp is an extremely labour-intensive process. Many elderly women in the village who had woven hemp as young girls were missing their front teeth, as they spent so many hours pulling the fibres with their teeth to prepare them for weaving. Most of the pride village elders derived from their hemp cultivation seemed to centre less on its cultural value, and more on the sheer difficulty of producing it.

Given this, it seems entirely understandable that members of the younger generation would be reluctant to revive the craft. Even though hemp cultivation was legalised by the Uttarakhand government in 2015, few in the community believed that the traditions would be revived. Yet as I continued to hear the stories of the Bora community, I began wondering, &ldquo;Is that such a bad thing?&rdquo; Yes, hemp cultivation had largely disappeared in Digoli. But elders also told me that the girls today were getting married at 22 or 23, rather than at 14 or 15.

Women who had previously been unable to leave home without being accompanied by a male relative were now working independently and attending school. What I imagined seeing in Digoli was a community mourning the loss of its heritage and traditions. What I got instead was a community that was rapidly changing, modernising, and altogether disinclined to look back.

In the West, we have a tendency to fetishise and romanticise the &ldquo;traditional&rdquo; crafts of developing communities. As I continue to work with Avani, this feels increasingly problematic. After all, I don&rsquo;t particularly mourn the loss of traditional handicrafts in the U.S., and I would never wish to take up handicrafts as a profession (although to be fair, I am hopeless with crafts). So why should we impose these values upon developing communities, at the expense of encouraging them to pursue careers in other, less labour-intensive fields?

This is not to say that traditional cultures aren&rsquo;t valuable. Working with Avani&rsquo;s weavers, I am awestruck by the beauty and skill of this traditional craft. Yet after my time in Digoli, I am convinced that we must strike a careful balance between celebrating traditional cultures, while also respecting the desires of some community members to move on. There is beauty in preservation, to be sure. But there is equal beauty, sometimes, in letting go.

This <a href="http://aif.org/holding-on-letting-go-notes-from-the-field/" rel="nofollow">article</a> was originally published on 20/11/2017 on <a href="http://aif.org/" rel="nofollow">American India Foundation</a>

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

The spinners and weavers of Bora community from a village Digoli, Uttarakhand are experiencing rapid change, modernisation and are altogether reluctant to look back.

Last week, a coworker and I spent several days in Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community, a small caste native to the Kumaon region. Nestled deep in the foothills of the Himalayas and accessible only via a two-hour trek, Digoli seems to have sprouted organically from the steep mountainside, with narrow, winding stone paths connecting each house and terraced rice fields stretching into the distance. Renowned for their skills as spinners and weavers, the Bora people have long been known in the area for their prodigious skills in the cultivation and weaving of hemp. I had travelled to this remote corner of the world to conduct interviews for an exhibit my organisation, Avani, is preparing for the Google Arts and Culture Institute. The exhibit was intended to be centred on traditional hemp weaving, with a focus on the ways in which the legal boundaries around the crop’s cultivation have hampered local traditions. Going in, I thought I knew what the story would be: A small, marginalised community had taken pride in their traditional craft, and felt angry and disempowered when the government robbed them of their ability to practice it. I imagined impassioned interviews with villagers, in which they would describe the deep emotional and cultural value of hemp cultivation and mourn the loss of their traditional heritage and skills. The exhibit, as I envisioned it, would be a fiery polemic against blanket policy prescriptions, and a celebration of the beauty of traditional crafts. Of course, India always seems to have a way of upending my expectations. For the most part, the community members I met in Digoli weren’t mourning the loss of their craft or yearning for a return to their traditional roots. True, some of the village elders expressed anger towards the government for its restrictive hemp laws, telling me that the ban on hemp cultivation in the mid-1980s was misguided. But most, particularly in the younger generations, met the entire subject with a shrug. Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community (Others) × “Hemp is old”, Govinda, one Bora community member, told me matter-of-factly, “People don’t want to do it anymore. It takes too much time.” Indeed, cultivating and weaving hemp is an extremely labour-intensive process. Many elderly women in the village who had woven hemp as young girls were missing their front teeth, as they spent so many hours pulling the fibres with their teeth to prepare them for weaving. Most of the pride village elders derived from their hemp cultivation seemed to centre less on its cultural value, and more on the sheer difficulty of producing it. Given this, it seems entirely understandable that members of the younger generation would be reluctant to revive the craft. Even though hemp cultivation was legalised by the Uttarakhand government in 2015, few in the community believed that the traditions would be revived. Yet as I continued to hear the stories of the Bora community, I began wondering, “Is that such a bad thing?” Yes, hemp cultivation had largely disappeared in Digoli. But elders also told me that the girls today were getting married at 22 or 23, rather than at 14 or 15. Women who had previously been unable to leave home without being accompanied by a male relative were now working independently and attending school. What I imagined seeing in Digoli was a community mourning the loss of its heritage and traditions. What I got instead was a community that was rapidly changing, modernising, and altogether disinclined to look back. In the West, we have a tendency to fetishise and romanticise the “traditional” crafts of developing communities. As I continue to work with Avani, this feels increasingly problematic. After all, I don’t particularly mourn the loss of traditional handicrafts in the U.S., and I would never wish to take up handicrafts as a profession (although to be fair, I am hopeless with crafts). So why should we impose these values upon developing communities, at the expense of encouraging them to pursue careers in other, less labour-intensive fields? This is not to say that traditional cultures aren’t valuable. Working with Avani’s weavers, I am awestruck by the beauty and skill of this traditional craft. Yet after my time in Digoli, I am convinced that we must strike a careful balance between celebrating traditional cultures, while also respecting the desires of some community members to move on. There is beauty in preservation, to be sure. But there is equal beauty, sometimes, in letting go. This article was originally published on 20/11/2017 on American India Foundation (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Is celebrating traditional culture always good?

Crushed stones are piled in front of nearly every house along the main narrow lane of Gothi hamlet, along with several sacks. Women of all ages, schoolgirls too, sit on top of these coarse heaps, crushing the stones one by one with hammers and clamps. Men play carrom and cards outside the houses in the lane, after having quarried the stones from the mountains and river beds.

Gothi, a hamlet of Kalika panchayat village, is on the way from the Jauljibi market area to Dharchula town in eastern Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. Two rivers &ndash; the Kali and Gori &ndash; meet at Jauljibi, and there is the constant sound of water. Nepal is a few metres away, with narrow foot bridges connecting the two countries. &nbsp;The bridges are as shaky as the lives of the people living on either side of them.

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Heaps of stones used to build houses and roads lie outside almost every house in Gothi hamlet (Others)
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Fulmati Hunar, 32, the cook at the government school in the village, says, &ldquo;It is difficult to get a job here. During the summer, we go back to our upper-Himalayan homes.&rdquo; These are in the villages of Go and Baun in Darma valley in the upper Himalayas, close to the India-China border.

Here, at altitudes of 2,500 metres, many families collect yarsagumba for about 45 days, from mid-May. Yarsagumba is a rare and valuable fungus with medicinal properties, though only a portion of its high-value international trade emanating from this region is legal. The people also collect kitchen herbs for sale in various parts of the Kumaon region. &ldquo;We earn by selling those herbs,&rdquo; Fulmati says. &ldquo;However, that is not enough to run a home. So, we crush and sell these stones.&rdquo; 
Local middlemen buy the crushed stones and sell them to contractors who are building roads or houses. It is almost a year-round activity, that has increased after the 2013 flood. In June that year, most of Uttarakhand received unprecedented rainfall. Water from the overflowing Kali river washed away many houses and roads in Gothi, Naya Basti, Kalika and Balwakot in Dharchula block. &nbsp;The stones are used to rebuild these houses and roads &ndash; as well as make new ones.

Each sack of crushed stones fetches Rs. 45, Fulmati says. In a day, she can fill two sacks. &ldquo;Some women sell three sacks a day. It takes a lot of time, because there are household chores to be done as well,&quot; she says, busy making an egg curry at the school.

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Batuli Devi, 65, breaks stones with only a hammer and clamp, without any protective gear; sometimes tiny pieces of stone get in her eyes or she injures her fingers (Others)
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In one of the alleys of Gothi, two women are placing pieces of stone on bigger ones, holding them down with clamps, and hammering them. The stones shatter. Their hands, feet and faces are grey with the dust. They don&rsquo;t wear any protective gloves or masks. &ldquo;Sometimes, tiny pieces of stone get in our eyes and we rush to the hospital [in Dharchula, six kilometres away]. Sometimes our fingers are injured. But that is all,&rdquo; says 65-year-old Batuli Devi. It is afternoon, and she has collected a sack full of stones. She says she will work until the daylight fades.

Crushing stones has become a full-time livelihood activity for the women of Gothi not only because of the increased demand for the stones, but also because of the falling demand for their traditional handwoven products. Most of the women here are from the Bhotiya tribe, known for their excellent weaving skills. They can weave anything, from mats to blankets, sweaters to socks, all from wool fetched from herds of sheep in the region. Weaving is what the Bhotiya women most enjoy. This was how they used to earn a living. Their craft commanded respect. But that was in another time, recalls Batuli Devi.

Now the wooden looms &ndash; many were washed away or damaged in the flood and had to be remade &ndash; are gathering dust in the corners of many homes. Some of the looms that survived the flood are a hundred years old, handed down as precious gifts from mothers to daughters and daughters-in-law. The weaving skills too have been passed down the generations. &ldquo;If nothing else, a Bhotiya girl will know how to weave and make wine [from wheat],&rdquo; says Kismati Devi, 52.

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Synthetic rugs have edged out handwoven ones, but weavers like Arti Bona (left) and Kushma Kutiyal (right) still make them occasionally (Others)
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Fulmati says they used to make chutkhas, thick blankets made of pure wool, and sell them at the annual Jauljibi mela in November. The blanket is heavy, ideal for the cold climate of Kumaon. &ldquo;Our fathers and brothers would go to Almora and Pithoragarh town to sell the chutkhas. &ldquo;Each is priced between 3,500 and 6,000 rupees, depending on the purity of the wool. But it takes hard labour and a lot of time to make,&rdquo; says Fulmati&#39;s mother, Suppu Devi. &ldquo;About 15&ndash;20 days to make a chutkha if one spins all day long. Sometimes it can take three months to complete one piece.&rdquo;

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Suppu Devi with the yarn she uses to make a chutkha, a thick blanket which can last up to a hundred years (Others)
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But this handmade blanket does not sell much anymore. &ldquo;Nobody wants to pay more than Rs. 2,000 when you can get blankets and quilts much cheaper,&rdquo; says Suppu Devi, as she unwraps the yarn for my camera. A chutkha survives many generations, at least a hundred years.

The women have also traditionally made thulma (another type of blanket), pattu (a coarse woollen rug), pankhi (a woollen wrapper), dann (carpet) and asan (prayer mat). The elegant embellishments on the mats and carpets are similar to Tibetan motifs &ndash; with bright geometric patterns, auspicious symbols and flowers.

But now the looms are only used occasionally to make the rugs and mats. &nbsp;A pair of asan &ndash; long, narrow and intricate &ndash; can be sold for Rs. 20,000; bigger carpets can cost more. But the buyers are few. Low-cost synthetic blankets, rugs and wrappers from the India-China border trade and from the plains, including Punjab, have replaced these traditional woollen products in Kumaoni homes. The women now make chutkhas only for their families or for pujas and festivals within the Bhotiya community.

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Left: Rugs like these, handwoven by Bhotiya women, can take six months to make. Right: Fulmati Hunar shows a chutkha woven by her (Others)
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&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t like coming out on the road and breaking stones, but we don&rsquo;t know how else to make money,&rdquo; says Shanti Devi, who is crushing stone not far from where Batuli Devi is working, focussing on them with her clamp and hammer. A few sacks stand against each other nearby, with two men filling more.

These heaps of crushed stones are everywhere in Dharchula and Munsyari blocks of Pithoragarh district. So are the women and girls crushing them, amid this wide open landscape, with a mountain reaching up to touch the sky. The physical space is vast, but the skills and livelihoods of the people living here are now severely constrained.

This <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/from-creating-carpets-to-crushing-stones" rel="nofollow" target="blank">article</a> was originally published on 31/10/2017 on the <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">People&#39;s Archive of Rural India</a>

Women of the Bhotiya community in Uttarakhand?s Gothi hamlet earn an income by breaking quarried stones ? and recall a time when their weaving skills brought them respect as well as financial returns

Crushed stones are piled in front of nearly every house along the main narrow lane of Gothi hamlet, along with several sacks. Women of all ages, schoolgirls too, sit on top of these coarse heaps, crushing the stones one by one with hammers and clamps. Men play carrom and cards outside the houses in the lane, after having quarried the stones from the mountains and river beds. Gothi, a hamlet of Kalika panchayat village, is on the way from the Jauljibi market area to Dharchula town in eastern Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. Two rivers – the Kali and Gori – meet at Jauljibi, and there is the constant sound of water. Nepal is a few metres away, with narrow foot bridges connecting the two countries. The bridges are as shaky as the lives of the people living on either side of them. Heaps of stones used to build houses and roads lie outside almost every house in Gothi hamlet (Others) × Fulmati Hunar, 32, the cook at the government school in the village, says, “It is difficult to get a job here. During the summer, we go back to our upper-Himalayan homes.” These are in the villages of Go and Baun in Darma valley in the upper Himalayas, close to the India-China border. Here, at altitudes of 2,500 metres, many families collect yarsagumba for about 45 days, from mid-May. Yarsagumba is a rare and valuable fungus with medicinal properties, though only a portion of its high-value international trade emanating from this region is legal. The people also collect kitchen herbs for sale in various parts of the Kumaon region. “We earn by selling those herbs,” Fulmati says. “However, that is not enough to run a home. So, we crush and sell these stones.” Local middlemen buy the crushed stones and sell them to contractors who are building roads or houses. It is almost a year-round activity, that has increased after the 2013 flood. In June that year, most of Uttarakhand received unprecedented rainfall. Water from the overflowing Kali river washed away many houses and roads in Gothi, Naya Basti, Kalika and Balwakot in Dharchula block. The stones are used to rebuild these houses and roads – as well as make new ones. Each sack of crushed stones fetches Rs. 45, Fulmati says. In a day, she can fill two sacks. “Some women sell three sacks a day. It takes a lot of time, because there are household chores to be done as well," she says, busy making an egg curry at the school. Batuli Devi, 65, breaks stones with only a hammer and clamp, without any protective gear; sometimes tiny pieces of stone get in her eyes or she injures her fingers (Others) × In one of the alleys of Gothi, two women are placing pieces of stone on bigger ones, holding them down with clamps, and hammering them. The stones shatter. Their hands, feet and faces are grey with the dust. They don’t wear any protective gloves or masks. “Sometimes, tiny pieces of stone get in our eyes and we rush to the hospital [in Dharchula, six kilometres away]. Sometimes our fingers are injured. But that is all,” says 65-year-old Batuli Devi. It is afternoon, and she has collected a sack full of stones. She says she will work until the daylight fades. Crushing stones has become a full-time livelihood activity for the women of Gothi not only because of the increased demand for the stones, but also because of the falling demand for their traditional handwoven products. Most of the women here are from the Bhotiya tribe, known for their excellent weaving skills. They can weave anything, from mats to blankets, sweaters to socks, all from wool fetched from herds of sheep in the region. Weaving is what the Bhotiya women most enjoy. This was how they used to earn a living. Their craft commanded respect. But that was in another time, recalls Batuli Devi. Now the wooden looms – many were washed away or damaged in the flood and had to be remade – are gathering dust in the corners of many homes. Some of the looms that survived the flood are a hundred years old, handed down as precious gifts from mothers to daughters and daughters-in-law. The weaving skills too have been passed down the generations. “If nothing else, a Bhotiya girl will know how to weave and make wine [from wheat],” says Kismati Devi, 52. Synthetic rugs have edged out handwoven ones, but weavers like Arti Bona (left) and Kushma Kutiyal (right) still make them occasionally (Others) × Fulmati says they used to make chutkhas, thick blankets made of pure wool, and sell them at the annual Jauljibi mela in November. The blanket is heavy, ideal for the cold climate of Kumaon. “Our fathers and brothers would go to Almora and Pithoragarh town to sell the chutkhas. “Each is priced between 3,500 and 6,000 rupees, depending on the purity of the wool. But it takes hard labour and a lot of time to make,” says Fulmati's mother, Suppu Devi. “About 15–20 days to make a chutkha if one spins all day long. Sometimes it can take three months to complete one piece.” Suppu Devi with the yarn she uses to make a chutkha, a thick blanket which can last up to a hundred years (Others) × But this handmade blanket does not sell much anymore. “Nobody wants to pay more than Rs. 2,000 when you can get blankets and quilts much cheaper,” says Suppu Devi, as she unwraps the yarn for my camera. A chutkha survives many generations, at least a hundred years. The women have also traditionally made thulma (another type of blanket), pattu (a coarse woollen rug), pankhi (a woollen wrapper), dann (carpet) and asan (prayer mat). The elegant embellishments on the mats and carpets are similar to Tibetan motifs – with bright geometric patterns, auspicious symbols and flowers. But now the looms are only used occasionally to make the rugs and mats. A pair of asan – long, narrow and intricate – can be sold for Rs. 20,000; bigger carpets can cost more. But the buyers are few. Low-cost synthetic blankets, rugs and wrappers from the India-China border trade and from the plains, including Punjab, have replaced these traditional woollen products in Kumaoni homes. The women now make chutkhas only for their families or for pujas and festivals within the Bhotiya community. Left: Rugs like these, handwoven by Bhotiya women, can take six months to make. Right: Fulmati Hunar shows a chutkha woven by her (Others) × “We don’t like coming out on the road and breaking stones, but we don’t know how else to make money,” says Shanti Devi, who is crushing stone not far from where Batuli Devi is working, focussing on them with her clamp and hammer. A few sacks stand against each other nearby, with two men filling more. These heaps of crushed stones are everywhere in Dharchula and Munsyari blocks of Pithoragarh district. So are the women and girls crushing them, amid this wide open landscape, with a mountain reaching up to touch the sky. The physical space is vast, but the skills and livelihoods of the people living here are now severely constrained. This article was originally published on 31/10/2017 on the People's Archive of Rural India

From creating carpets to crushing stones

The government is looking into a proposal for 50 temperature-controlled posts along the India-China border for ITBP jawans who guard the Himalayan heights in sub-zero temperatures, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Greater Noida on Tuesday.

Addressing personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, established on this day 56 years ago to guard India&#39;s borders with China, the home minister announced a slew of other measures to boost the capabilities of the force.

These include the construction of 25 border roads in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

There are 176 border posts along the India-China border, from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh.

According to Singh, the government is considering using technology to maintain a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius in the proposed new posts. These will be located in high-altitude areas where ITBP jawans have to bear the brunt of snow blizzards and sub-zero temperatures.

&quot;We are committed to enhancing your operational and infrastructure capabilities. Recently, we got a proposal to build 50 new border posts for the force and we are working on it,&quot; the home minister said.

The setting up of more posts is aimed at ensuring that they are not abandoned during extreme snow and cold.

The government is also considering special lightweight winter clothing for troops deployed above 9,000 feet and an enhanced fleet of snow scooters to patrol the high-altitude areas of the 3,488-km Sino-Indian frontier.

The force guards the border in altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,700 feet in the Western, Middle and Eastern sectors of the Indo-China Border.

Singh said he is not satisfied with housing and infrastructure facilities and is &quot;seriously&quot; working to improve these areas. The minister also said 35 old border posts in very high- altitude areas are being upgraded as &quot;composite&quot; units.

&quot;We are working to enhance road, mobile and satellite connectivity in the border areas for the ITBP,&quot; he said.

The minister asked ITBP troops to ensure and build good relations with border dwellers as they are &quot;strategic assets&quot; of the country and important stakeholders in keeping the borders safe.

Singh lauded the ITBP for introducing Mandarin during basic training of its troops. This was done so they can converse with the Chinese Army during face-offs.

He also asked ITBP officers to take the responsibility of at least one family of those killed in the line of duty.

The ministry is working to help jawans who have suffered 50 percent disability during operations through the Bharat Ke Veer benevolent fund, he said.

ITBP Director General (DG) R K Pachnanda said the force has been nominated as the &quot;nodal agency&quot; for obtaining and channelising satellite communication for all border-guarding forces in the country.

He said the home ministry has also approved the ITBP&#39;s proposal to hire helicopters for high-altitude border posts.

The paramilitary is also enhancing its intelligence set-up, Pachnanda added.

The government is looking into a proposal for 50 temperature-controlled posts along the India-China border for ITBP jawans who guard the Himalayan heights in sub-zero temperatures, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.

The government is looking into a proposal for 50 temperature-controlled posts along the India-China border for ITBP jawans who guard the Himalayan heights in sub-zero temperatures, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Greater Noida on Tuesday. Addressing personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, established on this day 56 years ago to guard India's borders with China, the home minister announced a slew of other measures to boost the capabilities of the force. These include the construction of 25 border roads in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. There are 176 border posts along the India-China border, from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh. According to Singh, the government is considering using technology to maintain a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius in the proposed new posts. These will be located in high-altitude areas where ITBP jawans have to bear the brunt of snow blizzards and sub-zero temperatures. "We are committed to enhancing your operational and infrastructure capabilities. Recently, we got a proposal to build 50 new border posts for the force and we are working on it," the home minister said. The setting up of more posts is aimed at ensuring that they are not abandoned during extreme snow and cold. The government is also considering special lightweight winter clothing for troops deployed above 9,000 feet and an enhanced fleet of snow scooters to patrol the high-altitude areas of the 3,488-km Sino-Indian frontier. The force guards the border in altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,700 feet in the Western, Middle and Eastern sectors of the Indo-China Border. Singh said he is not satisfied with housing and infrastructure facilities and is "seriously" working to improve these areas. The minister also said 35 old border posts in very high- altitude areas are being upgraded as "composite" units. "We are working to enhance road, mobile and satellite connectivity in the border areas for the ITBP," he said. The minister asked ITBP troops to ensure and build good relations with border dwellers as they are "strategic assets" of the country and important stakeholders in keeping the borders safe. Singh lauded the ITBP for introducing Mandarin during basic training of its troops. This was done so they can converse with the Chinese Army during face-offs. He also asked ITBP officers to take the responsibility of at least one family of those killed in the line of duty. The ministry is working to help jawans who have suffered 50 percent disability during operations through the Bharat Ke Veer benevolent fund, he said. ITBP Director General (DG) R K Pachnanda said the force has been nominated as the "nodal agency" for obtaining and channelising satellite communication for all border-guarding forces in the country. He said the home ministry has also approved the ITBP's proposal to hire helicopters for high-altitude border posts. The paramilitary is also enhancing its intelligence set-up, Pachnanda added.

Govt considering temperature-controlled posts for ITBP: Rajnath Singh

In the middle of the India-China standoff over Doklam, Chinese shoes packed in boxes with the tricolour on them have created an uproar in Almora, Uttarakhand.&nbsp;

The shopkeeper -- Bishan Bora -- who found the shoes informed the police, and filed a case against the shoe supplier in Rudrapur. &nbsp;

ANI reported Almora Senior Superintendent of Police P Renuka Devi as saying putting shoes in boxes with the national flag on them was an insult to the tricolour.&nbsp;

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ANI reported Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Sadanand Date as saying the police questioned the owner of Tammana Traders -- the shoe supplier -- in Rudrapur who said he had bought the shoes from a distributor in Delhi and that he did not know their place of origin.&nbsp;

&quot;We would be questioning the dealer in New Delhi to ascertain the origin of these shoes&quot;, ANI reported the SSP as saying.&nbsp;

ANI reported Bharatiya Janata Party district president of Almora Lalit Latwal as claiming that the administration swung into action after he intervened.&nbsp;

&quot;As soon I received information about the consignment, I immediately requested administration to forfeit the boxes and act against those who are involved in insulting Indian flag. It looks like a bigger conspiracy. The party workers will keep an eye on the case until those culprits are not arrested,&quot; Latwal said.&nbsp; 
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A case was filed against the shoe supplier in Rudrapur

In the middle of the India-China standoff over Doklam, Chinese shoes packed in boxes with the tricolour on them have created an uproar in Almora, Uttarakhand. The shopkeeper -- Bishan Bora -- who found the shoes informed the police, and filed a case against the shoe supplier in Rudrapur. ANI reported Almora Senior Superintendent of Police P Renuka Devi as saying putting shoes in boxes with the national flag on them was an insult to the tricolour. Almora Senior Superintendent of Police P Renuka Devi said putting shoes in boxes with the national flag on them was an insult to the tricolour × ANI reported Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Sadanand Date as saying the police questioned the owner of Tammana Traders -- the shoe supplier -- in Rudrapur who said he had bought the shoes from a distributor in Delhi and that he did not know their place of origin. "We would be questioning the dealer in New Delhi to ascertain the origin of these shoes", ANI reported the SSP as saying. ANI reported Bharatiya Janata Party district president of Almora Lalit Latwal as claiming that the administration swung into action after he intervened. "As soon I received information about the consignment, I immediately requested administration to forfeit the boxes and act against those who are involved in insulting Indian flag. It looks like a bigger conspiracy. The party workers will keep an eye on the case until those culprits are not arrested," Latwal said.

Chinese shoes in tricolour boxes create uproar in Almora, Uttarakhand

WION WEB DESK&nbsp;

An alert policeman helped prevent an accident that could have left hundreds of pilgrims injured in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand that experienced a massive landslide in Vishnuprayag on Friday. &nbsp;

The constable, posted along a mountain road, leading to the popular Hindu shrine, Badrinath, &quot;spotted small rocks rolling down the Hathi Parvat&quot;, an area extremely prone to landslides. &nbsp;&nbsp;

He informed his seniors at the district headquarters in Chamoli who immediately deployed extra personnel to keep a watch over the area. Two hours after the policeman raised alarm a big chunk of the hilltop collapsed at 2 pm.&nbsp;

&ldquo;At first, we helped people pass the stretch. But soon, more rocks started to fall and we immediately stopped movement,&rdquo; said Tripti Bhatt, the superintendent of police, Chamoli, an Indian media outlet reported. &nbsp;

For now, the Indian authorities have halted the annual pilgrimage to four holy Himalayan shrines of Hinduism - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri &ndash; for now. &nbsp;

More than 10,000 were believed to have died in the 2013 flash floods and the resultant landslides that swept through the Kedarnath Valley after a cloud burst. Officially, however, the number was fixed at 5,000 as many bodies were lost in the deluge. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&ldquo;While about 11,000 pilgrims have been stationed at Badrinath shrine area that has the capacity to accommodate 80,000 pilgrims, nearly 1200 were taken to safe places at Govindghat area and 450 pilgrims. Those coming back were stopped at Pandukeshwar,&rdquo; Bhatt told an Indian daily. &nbsp;

State chief minister Trivendra S Rawat said the affected road would be reopened by Saturday. Disaster relief force personnel, police and the Border Roads Organisation have all been pressed into service, he said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;...There were no unfortunate incidents, 1,800 tourists (against reported 15K) were affected &amp; arrangements were made for them (sic),&rdquo; Rawat posted on Twitter. &nbsp;

(WION)

The constable, posted along a mountain road, leading to the popular Hindu shrine, Badrinath, 'spotted small rocks rolling down the Hathi Parvat', an area extremely prone to landslides

WION WEB DESK An alert policeman helped prevent an accident that could have left hundreds of pilgrims injured in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand that experienced a massive landslide in Vishnuprayag on Friday. The constable, posted along a mountain road, leading to the popular Hindu shrine, Badrinath, "spotted small rocks rolling down the Hathi Parvat", an area extremely prone to landslides. He informed his seniors at the district headquarters in Chamoli who immediately deployed extra personnel to keep a watch over the area. Two hours after the policeman raised alarm a big chunk of the hilltop collapsed at 2 pm. “At first, we helped people pass the stretch. But soon, more rocks started to fall and we immediately stopped movement,” said Tripti Bhatt, the superintendent of police, Chamoli, an Indian media outlet reported. For now, the Indian authorities have halted the annual pilgrimage to four holy Himalayan shrines of Hinduism - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri – for now. More than 10,000 were believed to have died in the 2013 flash floods and the resultant landslides that swept through the Kedarnath Valley after a cloud burst. Officially, however, the number was fixed at 5,000 as many bodies were lost in the deluge. “While about 11,000 pilgrims have been stationed at Badrinath shrine area that has the capacity to accommodate 80,000 pilgrims, nearly 1200 were taken to safe places at Govindghat area and 450 pilgrims. Those coming back were stopped at Pandukeshwar,” Bhatt told an Indian daily. State chief minister Trivendra S Rawat said the affected road would be reopened by Saturday. Disaster relief force personnel, police and the Border Roads Organisation have all been pressed into service, he said. “...There were no unfortunate incidents, 1,800 tourists (against reported 15K) were affected & arrangements were made for them (sic),” Rawat posted on Twitter. (WION)

Uttarakhand: Policeman warns about landslide, prevents tragedy

Bharatiya Janata Party&#39;s Trivendra Singh Rawat has sworn in as the chief minister of Uttarakhand today (Saturday, March 18)

Rawat becomes the hill state&#39;s ninth chief minister following his party&#39;s sweep at the recently-concluded elections.

The BJP amassed 57 seats in the 70-member Uttarakhand state elections, with Congress coming a distant second with 11 seats.

Congress&#39; Harish Rawat-led government was at the helm of Uttarakhand before Singh took oath at 3 pm (Indian Standard Time) in Dehradun, the state&#39;s capital city.

The former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, who succeeded Harish Rawat on Friday, promised to alleviate poverty in the state.

Rawat also vowed to administer a corruption-free government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who belongs to the BJP, was present at the searing-in ceremony. Modi sent a congratulatory tweet to Rawat, and added: &quot;Am sure they will work hard &amp; fulfil people&#39;s aspirations.&quot;

Incidentally, the Rawat administration will have four cabinet ministers -- Harak Singh Rawat, Satpal Maharaj, Subhodh Oniyal and Yashpal Arya --&nbsp;who were previously affiliated with the Congress.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from ANI)

Rawat vowed to have a corruption-free government at the oath-taking ceremony in Dehradun

Bharatiya Janata Party's Trivendra Singh Rawat has sworn in as the chief minister of Uttarakhand today (Saturday, March 18) Rawat becomes the hill state's ninth chief minister following his party's sweep at the recently-concluded elections. The BJP amassed 57 seats in the 70-member Uttarakhand state elections, with Congress coming a distant second with 11 seats. Congress' Harish Rawat-led government was at the helm of Uttarakhand before Singh took oath at 3 pm (Indian Standard Time) in Dehradun, the state's capital city. The former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, who succeeded Harish Rawat on Friday, promised to alleviate poverty in the state. Rawat also vowed to administer a corruption-free government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who belongs to the BJP, was present at the searing-in ceremony. Modi sent a congratulatory tweet to Rawat, and added: "Am sure they will work hard & fulfil people's aspirations." Incidentally, the Rawat administration will have four cabinet ministers -- Harak Singh Rawat, Satpal Maharaj, Subhodh Oniyal and Yashpal Arya -- who were previously affiliated with the Congress. (WION with inputs from ANI)

Trivendra Singh Rawat formally becomes Uttarakhand chief minister

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