Delhi L-G TS Sandhu leads students in plantation drive on Kamla Nehru Ridge

Jabalpur, April 30 (IANS) Four bodies have been recovered so far after a tourist cruise capsized at Bargi Dam in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district, while several passengers remain missing and rescue operations continue.​

Jabalpur Collector Raghavendra Singh, speaking to IANS, said the vessel sank following a sudden spell of extreme weather, leading to the tragedy.​

“The cruise had sunk, and after the incident, around 14–15 people were safely rescued. So far, four bodies have been recovered and sent for post-mortem examination,” he said.​

Singh informed that prompt rescue efforts helped save several lives, and teams are continuing to search for those still missing. He shared that multiple agencies were immediately pressed into service.​

“Teams of the State Disaster Response Force, local police, and other disaster management units are present at the site, and rescue operations are continuing without interruption,” he said.​

The Collector stressed that the administration is closely monitoring the situation and has deployed all necessary resources to trace the missing passengers at the earliest.​

Responding to an IANS query on weather conditions in the district, the Collector stated that although rain alerts had been issued, the storm’s severity was not anticipated.​

He further informed that rescue teams continue to conduct an intensive search operation in the dam area, scanning the waters and the surrounding area. The operation is being conducted on a war footing despite challenging conditions.​

“Weather conditions were adverse, and a rain alert had been issued; however, there was no anticipation that an incident of this magnitude could occur. This is being treated as an unforeseen event and is under investigation,” he said, indicating that all aspects, including safety protocols, will be examined.​

Meanwhile, a survivor speaking to IANS recounted the ordeal, saying, “We were all sitting properly when suddenly strong winds started blowing, and heavy waves began rising.”​

He added that people from the nearby village warned the cruise operator to move to the side as the weather had turned bad, but before anything could be done, water entered, and the cruise overturned.​

The incident occurred near Khamariya Island on Thursday evening when the cruise, carrying around 31 passengers, capsized after being hit by strong winds and high waves.​

Officials said about 15 people have been rescued so far, while several others remain unaccounted for.​

Preliminary reports suggest that powerful gusts destabilised the vessel, allowing water to enter and eventually causing it to overturn.​

Eyewitnesses said the weather deteriorated rapidly, leaving little time for preventive action.​

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, in a statement, said that rescue operations are continuing without interruption under the supervision of senior officials.​

“Today, the operation by the local administration and rescue forces continues unabated in Jabalpur regarding the tragic cruise accident at Bargi Dam caused by a severe storm,” he said.​

He added that through swift rescue operations, 15 citizens have been safely rescued, and efforts are underway to locate those who are missing as quickly as possible.​

“In this hour of crisis, the state government stands in full solidarity with the affected families with complete sensitivity, and every possible assistance is being ensured,” the Chief Minister said.​

–IANS

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Bengaluru, March 24 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition and senior BJP leader, R. Ashoka, on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the government in Karnataka, alleging a complete collapse of civic administration amid the ongoing garbage crisis in Bengaluru.

In a strongly worded statement, Ashoka said the situation reflects the “utter failure” of the state government, holding Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar directly responsible.

He alleged that basic governance has broken down under their leadership, pointing to delays in salary payments to sanitation workers and the filing of FIRs against contractors. “When sanitation workers go unpaid for months and contractors are threatened instead of being heard, chaos is inevitable,” he said.

Criticising the government’s flagship “guarantee” schemes, Ashoka remarked that the administration has failed to ensure even basic wage payments for those responsible for maintaining the city’s cleanliness.

He further alleged that residents of Bengaluru are bearing the brunt of what he termed as “Congress mismanagement,” citing garbage accumulation on streets, lack of policy clarity, and poor coordination between civic agencies such as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML).

According to Ashoka, instead of addressing the crisis, the government has been focussing on forming new committees and creating additional administrative posts. He questioned the leadership over the reasons for delayed payments to sanitation workers, alleged intimidation of contractors through police action, and the factors that led to the current garbage crisis.

It may be noted that disruption in waste management across the city led to suspension of garbage collection in at least 50 wards on Monday. The situation arose after auto tipper drivers and loaders went on a mass leave in protest against pending wages and new rules related to waste segregation.

The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has been insisting that waste must be segregated at source, a move opposed by contractors. They argue that the responsibility of segregating waste lies with the waste generators, not with those involved in its collection.

BSWML CEO, Karee Gowda, stated that the issue was limited to around 40–50 wards and that garbage collection in the rest of the city continued as usual. He also clarified that steps have been initiated to clear salary dues pending for the past four months.

Meanwhile, 35 FIRs have been registered under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against contractors who failed to carry out waste collection. The contractors’ association has expressed strong opposition to the new rules. BBMP Garbage Contractors’ Association President S.N. Balasubramanian reiterated that waste segregation is the responsibility of those who generate the waste.

–IANS

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Chennai, April 3 (IANS) Tight security arrangements have been put in place across Chennai ahead of the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to reach the city on Friday evening as part of a two-day campaign tour covering Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala.

Nearly 3,000 police personnel have been deployed at key locations across the city to ensure foolproof security during the Prime Minister’s visit. Surveillance has been intensified, and authorities have imposed restrictions on drone operations in sensitive zones, including Guindy and Meenambakkam.

Senior police officials are overseeing arrangements to manage traffic, crowd movement, and security at multiple venues linked to the visit.

According to official sources, the Prime Minister will arrive in Chennai by a special aircraft and shortly thereafter proceed by helicopter to Puducherry, where he will take part in a major roadshow in support of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates.

The roadshow is expected to cover prominent locations such as Ajanta Signal Junction, Anna Salai, and Anna Thidal, with large gatherings anticipated along the route. The event is aimed at energising party cadres and consolidating voter support in the union territory ahead of the Assembly elections.

Following his engagements in Puducherry, PM Modi will return to Chennai later in the evening. He is scheduled to stay overnight at a star hotel in Guindy, where he is expected to hold key strategy meetings with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

Sources indicate that these discussions will focus on reviewing campaign progress and finalising pending decisions, including the announcement of remaining BJP candidates in Tamil Nadu.

The meetings are seen as crucial in shaping the NDA’s electoral approach in the state during the final phase of campaigning.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister will travel to Kerala to continue his campaign, addressing public meetings and interacting with party workers as the NDA looks to expand its footprint in the region.

The visit is being closely watched in political circles, with party leaders hopeful that PM Modi’s presence will provide a significant boost to the NDA’s prospects in the southern states.

–IANS

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