Accra, July 3: After receiving the ‘Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, the country’s national honour by Ghana President John Dramani Mahama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the honour to the “bright future of Indian youth, their aspirations, India’s rich cultural diversity and the historical ties between India and Ghana”.

The Prime Minister also thanked the people and the government of Ghana for conferring the country’s highest award to him.

Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi said: “”I thank the people and Government of Ghana for conferring ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’ upon me. This honour is dedicated to the bright future of our youth, their aspirations, our rich cultural diversity and the historical ties between India and Ghana. This honour is also a responsibility; to keep working towards stronger India-Ghana friendship. India will always stand with the people of Ghana and continue to contribute as a trusted friend and development partner.”

Prime Minister Modi received Ghana’s highest national honour in recognition of his “distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership”.

“Honoured to be conferred with ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’,” the Prime Minister said in an X post.

“A testament to the deep and long standing India-Ghana ties. President @JDMahama conferred upon PM @narendramodi ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, the national award of Ghana dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and the historic and deep rooted India-Ghana relations. He thanked the government and people of Ghana for this exceptional honour,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

“Fitting that PM @narendramodi has been conferred with Ghana’s national honour — the ‘Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’. It is a recognition of his steadfast efforts in strengthening the voice of the Global South. Also a testament to our cooperation and friendship with Ghana,” EAM Jaishankar wrote in a post on X.

Accepting the award on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, Prime Minister Modi dedicated the honour to the aspirations of the youth of India, its cultural traditions and diversity, and to the historical ties between Ghana and India, the MEA said in an official statement.

The Prime Minister thanked the people and government of Ghana for this special gesture.

Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to nurture the partnership, Prime Minister Modi said that the award further deepens the friendship between the two countries and places new responsibility on him to embrace and advance bilateral ties, the MEA statement noted.

The Prime Minister affirmed he was confident that his historic state visit to Ghana would impart a new momentum to India-Ghana ties.

Earlier, PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with President Mahama, after which India and Ghana elevated their ties to the level of a comprehensive partnership.

The Prime Minister is in Ghana on the first leg of his five-nation tour.

It is the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to Ghana in three decades.

Jammu, July 2: Another batch of Yatris left Jammu for the Valley as the annual Amarnath Yatra begins officially on Thursday, officials said.

Officials added that the second batch of 5,246 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on the Canal Road in Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys on Thursday.

“Of these, 1,993 Yatris are going to Baltal base camp while 3,253 are going to Pahalgam base camp,” officials said.

The 36-day long Amarnath Yatra begins on Thursday as the first batch of Yatris left Baltal base camp for the holy cave shrine in the morning.

Other Yatris of the first batch left Pahalgam for the cave shrine in the morning.

On their arrival in the Valley on Wednesday, locals belonging to civil society, trade and other sections of the society lined up with garlands and placards at the Navyug Tunnel in Qazigund town to welcome the Yatris.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday, flagged off the first batch of Yatris for this year’s Amarnath Yatra from Jammu.

Unprecedented security is being provided to this year’s Amarnath Yatra as this is taking place after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists.

Additional 180 companies of CAPFs have been deployed to augment the existing security set-up comprising the Army, security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Yatris have been advised to undertake the journey from Jammu to the Valley only as part of the escorted convoys and not to move separately towards the base camps on their own.

The Yatra officially started on Thursday and will conclude after 36 days on August 9, coinciding with the festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

Devotees approach the holy cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea level either from the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

Those using the Pahalgam route trek from Pahalgam to Chandanwati, Sheshnag and Panchtarni to reach the holy cave shrine taking four days to cover the 46-km long trek.

Those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after having ‘Darshan’ inside the cave shrine covering the 14-km long trek.

For security reasons, no helicopter services are available for the Yatris this year.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

Locals are an essential part of the Yatra as they facilitate the Yatra by providing ponies, palkis and even carry the infirm pilgrims on their back to reach the cave shrine.

Chennai, July 3: In a major step towards improving sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has floated a tender worth Rs 96 lakh to upgrade and renovate toilets, water supply, and drainage systems across its schools and urban primary health centres (UPHCs).

The initiative, part of the broader Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) campaign and the Integrated Urban Flood Management for the Chennai-Kosasthalaiyar Basin Project, aims to enhance the cleanliness and safety standards in public institutions, particularly those catering to children and vulnerable communities.

According to GCC officials, the project will cover 66 Corporation-run schools and seven UPHCs. The scope of work includes constructing 49 new toilets, repairing six existing toilets, installing 37 new urinals, undertaking plumbing and drainage work for drinking water systems, and setting up 108 new hand-washing stations.

Additionally, the civic body plans to introduce reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water units and hand-wash facilities in 17 UPHCs spread across the city limits.

Officials stated that these improvements are crucial to ensuring good hygiene, especially in densely populated urban areas prone to waterborne diseases.

“The goal is to create a hygienic and safe environment for students and patients alike. These facilities will not only improve sanitation but also contribute to better public health outcomes,” a senior GCC official said.

The tender stipulates that the contractor must follow the specifications and guidelines of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

The scope of services includes electrical, sanitary, and all related civil works. The GCC has set a deadline of 549 days from the date of commencement to complete all works.

The contractor is required to submit a detailed project execution plan — including procurement, excavation, concreting schedule, and quality control — within 10 days of signing the agreement. This plan will require formal approval before on-ground work begins.

The civic body hopes that the WASH upgrades will serve as a model for future infrastructure projects in government-run schools and health centres, enhancing Chennai’s preparedness against health crises and urban flooding events.

This initiative comes at a time when the city is focused on improving its resilience through better urban planning, especially in the wake of repeated monsoon challenges and increasing demand for quality public services.