Patna: The death toll due to lightning in Bihar has risen to 80 in the last 3 days. The highest number of deaths (23) has been reported from Nalanta district. Deaths have also occurred in Bhojpur, Siwan, Gaya, Patna, Sheikhpura, Jehnabad, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Arwal, Nawada and Bhagalpur.
In the last 2 days alone, 66 people have died. This is the second time in 4 years that so many people have died in a single day. Before this, around 90 people died due to lightning in June 2020. In 2023 alone, 275 people died due to lightning in Bihar.
The Disaster Management Department said that 250 deaths have been recorded in Bihar due to natural disasters in the last 5 years. The government expresses its deepest condolences to the families of those who died due to lightning, Bihar Disaster Management Minister Vijay Kumar Mandal told reporters.
He appealed to the people to strictly follow the instructions of the Disaster Management Department during adverse weather conditions.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala should be on guard in the wake of the outbreak of Chikungunya in the French-occupied Reunion Islands, a territory bordering the eastern part of Africa, Health Minister Veena George said. The previous widespread Chikungunya outbreak occurred in 2006-2007. At that time, the disease started in the Reunion Islands and spread to Asian countries, including our country.
Although not as numerous, Chikungunya is now spreading in the Reunion Islands. About 15,000 people have been confirmed to be infected with the disease and many people, including newborns, have been admitted to hospitals. Following this, the World Health Organization convened a meeting of experts and assessed the situation. It is in this context that the Health Department has issued a warning.
Districts have been instructed to strengthen the state’s defenses. Chikungunya is spread by Aedes aegypti/albopictus mosquitoes. Therefore, it is essential to intensify mosquito control activities and take personal safety precautions. Pre-monsoon cleaning meetings were held under the leadership of the Chief Minister and the Health Minister. The Minister also requested that all local bodies carry out pre-monsoon cleaning properly.
In view of the Vishu and Easter festival seasons, additional train and bus services have been started. The Railways announced Mangaluru – Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru – Thiruvananthapuram Central special trains. They will depart from Mangalore in the evening on Saturdays and reach Thiruvananthapuram Central on Sunday morning, and will return from Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday evening and reach Mangalore on Monday morning.
SMVT Bengaluru – Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) special trains will depart at 10 pm on 11, 18, 25, May – 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and will arrive at Thiruvananthapuram North station at 2 pm the next day. The fare for this journey is Rs 450 for a sleeper and Rs 1,220 for an AC three-tier.
KSRTC services started from Wednesday (April 09). Considering the rush of passengers, up to 22 special additional services will be operated in addition to the existing services. Services are available from various units in Kerala to Bengaluru, Mysore and Chennai and vice versa.
KSRTC also informed that more services will be arranged depending on the rush of passengers. Tickets can be booked through the online website www.onlineksrtcswift.com and the mobile app ente ksrtc neo oprs. For more information, contact the following numbers: Thiruvananthapuram – 0471 2323886, Ernakulam – 0484 2372033, Kozhikode – 0495 2723796, Kannur – 0497 2707777.
Thiruvananthapuram: Aiming to attract tourists, the cabinet meeting approved the revised liquor policy, which includes changes such as allowing alcohol to be served at functions and conferences organized on the first day in hotels above three stars.
Dry day exemption is for hotels where weddings and international conferences are held. Liquor must be served only after obtaining special permission from the Excise Commissioner. The fee is half a lakh rupees. The bar cannot be opened on the day of obtaining special permission.
Liquor will also be allowed on special vessels in the tourism sector on dry days. Permission will be given to vessels including cruise boats. Houseboats will not be included in this category. Toddy can also be served in hotels up to three stars. Toddy must be purchased from shops in the range where the hotels are located.
Toddy will also be allowed to be distributed in restaurants attached to shops. Toddy shops that do not go to auction can be taken over and run by a group of workers. The 400-meter radius of shops will continue. Club-style bars in IT parks are also in the policy this time. The policy also states that the license fee for bars will continue to be 35 lakhs.
New Delhi: Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahavor Rana has been extradited to India by the US. Rana will be brought to India on Thursday. Jails have been set up in Delhi and Mumbai ahead of this. It is reported that Rana will be shifted to Tihar Jail.
Heavy security has been put in place in Delhi ahead of the transfer of terrorist Tahavor Rana to India. Rana, who will be brought to the NIA headquarters in Delhi, will be produced in court on Thursday after a medical examination. The NIA has already prepared the documents for custodial remand. The hearing will be held online due to security reasons.
A US court had rejected Rana’s urgent plea in February seeking a stay on the extradition to India. The country’s worst terror attack took place on November 26, 2008. 166 people were killed and over 300 injured in the attack.
As part of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Eravikulam National Park, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have jointly decided to conduct a census of Nilgiri tahrs (mountain goats) from April 24 to 27, 2025, according to Kerala Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran.
He stated that the forest departments of both states have begun preparations to carry out the census simultaneously across all regions where Nilgiri tahr habitats exist, both within and outside the protected forest areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G. Krishnan said the four-day census will be conducted across 89 census blocks in Kerala and 176 census blocks in Tamil Nadu. He added that measures have been taken to use camera traps and to scientifically collect pellet samples from selected blocks for studies on genetic variation.
The 89 census blocks for the tahr count have been identified across 20 forest divisions in Kerala, from Thiruvananthapuram to Wayanad, where the presence of Nilgiri tahrs has been noted. Around 1,300 census team members, including experienced forest officials and volunteers skilled in wildlife surveys, will participate in the exercise. The data collected will be analyzed using the scientific “bounded count” method to estimate the population in each block. Periyar Tiger Reserve Field Director P.P. Pramod has been appointed as the nodal officer for the 2025 Nilgiri tahr census.
Found only in a few regions globally—such as Arabia, the Himalayas, and the Western Ghats—the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat species facing the threat of extinction, is a significant asset to Munnar’s tourism sector. Eravikulam National Park, near Munnar, is home to the healthiest population of these tahrs, where an annual census is already conducted. Through precise counting, their numbers can be accurately determined, ensuring their safety and survival through improved conservation efforts. Eravikulam National Park and the Nilgiri tahrs remain a vital asset to Munnar’s tourism industry.
Thiruvananthapuram: The cyclonic circulation over the southern Bay of Bengal has intensified into a low pressure area. The low pressure area, which is moving northwestwards over the southwestern Bay of Bengal till April 8, will move northwards in the next 48 hours. Due to this, the Central Meteorological Department has stated that there is a possibility of heavy rain with thunderstorms in the state on Monday and Tuesday.
A yellow alert has been issued for Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts on Monday. A yellow alert has been issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts on Tuesday.
Heavy rain is defined as a situation where rainfall of 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm is received in 24 hours.
Strong winds gusting to 35 to 45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, are likely over the Andaman Sea, northern parts of southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining southwest-central Bay of Bengal. The Meteorological Department has also warned fishermen to be cautious as there is a possibility of bad weather.
New Delhi: Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended visas for citizens of 14 countries, including India. The suspension will continue until mid-June, when the Hajj season ends. According to this, it has been announced that no business, Umrah and family visas will be issued to citizens of these countries. Visas from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Jordan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Yemen and Morocco have been temporarily suspended.
The move is to prevent individuals from performing Hajj without proper registration. Currently, Umrah visa holders can enter Saudi Arabia until April 13. Reports say that foreigners who come on Umrah and visit visas often participate in Hajj illegally without proper registration.
This will increase the crowding and heat. 1200 pilgrims were killed in the Hajj from 2-24. Saudi Arabia allocates specific Hajj slots to each country. This allows it to control the number of pilgrims. The influx of people is caused by the arrival of some people illegally.
It is believed that the visa ban will also prevent some people who arrive on business and family visas from working illegally in Saudi Arabia.
Those who violate the order will be banned from entering the country for 5 years. At the same time, there will be no change in diplomatic visas and residency permits. This year’s Hajj is from June 4 to 9.
Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate is questioning Gokulam Gopalan again in the FEMA case. He is being summoned to the ED office in Kochi to record his statement.
The ED had earlier found that there was a violation of foreign exchange rules worth about Rs 600 crore through Gokulam chits.
Rs 1.5 crore was seized from Gokulam Gopalan’s central office in Chennai. The ED conducted raids at Gokulam Chits and Finance in Kodambakkam, Chennai, his house in Chennai, the corporate office in Kozhikode and Gokulam Mall. The proceedings lasted for about seven and a half hours.
New Delhi: The central government has increased excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 each. With this, the excise duty on petrol has increased to Rs 13 per liter and Rs 10 per liter on diesel.
The central government’s action comes in the wake of the global market facing a tariff announcement by US President Donald Trump.
The order to increase excise duty has been issued. However, it is not clear in the order whether this will lead to any change in retail sales. The increase in excise duty will come into effect from April 8.
