National News
ED searches at TRS MP’s residence

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted searches at the residence of TRS MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra in connection with alleged violation of the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
The ED officials conducted searches at the Rajya Sabha member’s house at Srinagar Colony in Hyderabad.
The searches are believed to be a continuation of raids conducted on Wednesday at the offices of granite barons and state minister Gangula Kamalakar’s house.
Popularly known as Gayatri Ravi, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP is the founder chairman of Gayatri Group, a leading granite industrialist and president of Telangana Granite Quarry Owners’ Association.
Joint teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Wednesday carried out simultaneous searches at multiple locations, including the residence of Civil Supplies and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar and offices of several granite companies in Karimnagar.
Kamalakar was away on a vacation in Dubai with his family, when the joint team raided his locked house.
The searches were reportedly in connection with a probe into alleged violation of FEMA.
The officials scoured through various documents and records relating to the export of granite blocks and other business transactions of the granite firms, including Swetha Granite reportedly belonging to the minister’s brother.
On learning about the searches, minister Kamalakar rushed back to Hyderabad late Wednesday night. He told reporters at the airport that they have been in the granite business for 32 years and they operate within the purview of the law and with transparency. “There has been no violation of any rules. I returned within 16 hours. We will fully cooperate with authorities,” he said.
The simultaneous raids come in the backdrop of complaints to the central agencies against some granite companies, including the firms engaged in export of rough granite blocks from quarries in Karimnagar district to China and a few other countries over alleged violation of FEMA norms.
It was alleged that eight granite agencies evaded crores of rupees of royalty by under-measuring the granite blocks exported to various foreign countries via Kakinada and Krishnapatnam sea ports in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, resulting in a huge loss of Rs. 124.94 crore to the public exchequer.
National News
People steal beer bottles after truck overturns in Andhra

People stole beer bottles after a truck carrying alcohol cases overturned in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district.
The incident occurred on the national highway between Anakapalli and Bayyavaram on Monday evening.
As the entire load of 200 cases of beer bottles fell on the ground, locals in the area scurried to steal them instead of helping the truck driver and cleaner, who escaped the accident with minor injuries.
A footage of the incident has gone viral on social media.
Similar incidents of people stealing liquor bottles after road accidents involving alcohol-carrying trucks have been reported in the state in the past.
disaster
Khagaria-Bhagalpur bridge collapse will affect water biodiversity in region

Collapse of Khagaria-Bhagalpur bridge over the Ganga river will have a long-lasting effect on the water biodiversity of the region, as per environmental experts.
Ashok Ghosh, the professor of Mahavir Cancer Institute and former chairman of Bihar state pollution control board told: “Such a big chunk of concrete structure falling into the Ganga will have a big environmental effect for a long time. It will deeply hurt the water biodiversity of the river in this region. The water-borne animals will be adversely affected by it.”
“Unlike silt, the concrete structures used in the making bridges are non biodegradable materials. Hence, there is no question of the concrete structures dissolving in water. The iron rods may turn into rust after coming in contact with water but it is a slow process which takes years. Also, the ongoing projects of cleaning the river will also suffer a big jolt due to the bridge collapse,” Ghosh said.
The concrete structures of such a massive amount change the flow of the river as well. It makes the river more shallow in the region which leads to flooding. Khagaria in particular is affected by floods in the monsoon sessions. The fresh structural disaster would create more trouble for people living in the region,” Ghosh said.
Bihar is located in the low lying area of Himalayan range. As a result, a large number of rivers like Kosi, Kamla Balan, Gandak, Parman, originate from Himalaya and its water cross various North Bihar districts to finally fall in Ganga river.
The biggest challenge of the state government is the silt carried by these rivers and its accumulation in the low-lying areas of North Bihar and in the Ganga river. It makes the rivers more shallow by disturbing the natural drains. It turned worse after the drainage system of various districts were developed in an unplanned manner. The water comes from the Himalayan range but does not return or exit to other sides due the ill drainage system.
National News
President Murmu Is 1st Indian To Be Conferred With Suriname’s Highest Civilian Award

President Droupadi Murmu has been conferred with Suriname’s highest civilian award by President Chandrikapersad Santokhi to honour the deep-rooted bilateral ties. Murmu arrived in Suriname on Sunday on a three-day state visit – her first since assuming office in July last year.
“An honour reflective of the deep-rooted India-Suriname ties! President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn conferred with the ‘Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star’, the highest civilian award of Suriname by President @CSantokhi,” the Ministry of External Affairs tweeted.
Presidemt Murmu’s statement
President Murmu said she was greatly honoured to receive Suriname’s highest distinction.
“This recognition holds tremendous significance, not only for me but also for the 1.4 billion people of India whom I represent,” she tweeted after receiving the award on Monday.
She dedicated the honour to the successive generations of the Indian-Surinamese community, who have played a stellar role in enriching the fraternal ties between our two countries.
PM Modi congratulates President Murmu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the President on receiving the award.
“Congratulations to Rashtrapati Ji on being conferred the highest civilian award of Suriname – Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star. This special gesture from the Government and the people of Suriname symbolises the enduring friendship between our countries,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
Despite her many official engagements, President Murmu spent some time with a group of children who came to greet her in Paramaribo. She offered them India-made chocolates.
President also visited ‘Marinetrap’ where she witnessed the simulation and welcoming of the arrival of the First Indians in Suriname. She also inaugurated the simulated village at Independence Square.
Murmu’s visit to Surinam coincides with 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname
On Monday, President Murmu met her Surinamese counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi and later led delegation-level talks between the two sides. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that she was happy to be in Suriname on her first State Visit as President of India when it is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname.
She said that deep historical and cultural ties provide the foundation for the India-Suriname multifaceted and modern partnership.
Bilateral trade between India and Suriname
The President noted that bilateral trade between the two countries is well below potential. She said that there is a need to work together to expand bilateral trade for mutual benefit. She expressed confidence that the agreements signed during the visit would help boost the trade and economic ties. She said that there is scope for further collaboration in sectors like pharmaceuticals, Ayurveda, agriculture and defence, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a press release.
The President said that India is committed to enhancing technical cooperation and contributing to the capacity-building and skill development of Suriname’s human resources as per the country’s requirements. The two countries also signed three MoUs to enhance bilateral cooperation.
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