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Fresh curbs, lockdown will depend on oxygen demands: Maharashtra government

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Liquid-Medical-Oxygen

As Maharashtra grapples with a renewed surge in Covid-19 cases, the state government on Wednesday clarified that fresh curbs or lockdown-like measures would be considered only if the demands for liquid medical oxygen (LMO) crosses 700 tonnes daily.

The fresh spike has raised apprehensions of more restrictions, especially with major festivals like the 10-day Ganeshotsav and Navratri round the corner.

An official said that during the second wave which peaked in April-May 2021, the state LMO production of around 1,200 tonnes daily has now been significantly increased to around 1,700 tonnes.

Currently, the state is reporting a LMO demand of over 200 tonnes for Covid patients and 150 tonnes for other patients, but during the expected third wave, the LMO requirements could shoot up drastically.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is reviewing the daily LMO demand-supply on a regular basis with the ongoing hike in cases but has refrained from imposing new restrictions so far.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that as per a Central report, the state could report 6 million cases in the anticipated third wave and the government is making all preparations to tackle it.

“Currently we have a capacity of around 1,500 tonnes of LMO, and with the commissioning of 250 out of 450 PSA plants, we target a capacity of up to 2,000 tonnes daily. However, if the Centre’s estimates on the third wave prove true, then we shall need more oxygen,” Tope said.

However, he hinted that if the daily LMO demands shoot beyond 700 tonnes, the government could consider new curbs or lockdown style measures.

Tope’s cautionary came a day after the state Energy Minister, Dr Nitin Raut and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar warned that the third wave has already started in the state capital and second capital, Mumbai and Nagpur, respectively.

Thackeray, who is closely monitoring the Covid situation in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and other hotspots that were badly affected in the first and second waves, is expected to take the final call on tightening up measures, if necessary.

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Pahalgam We Will Revenge – But How?

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Kamar Ansari (Mumbai), April 25: The nation is still reeling from the shock of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Due to the widespread narrative that terrorism has been eradicated from Kashmir, over 2.5 million tourists flocked to the region—only for this tragic attack to take place. There is widespread anger among the public, demanding that every drop of blood and every tear shed in Kashmir be avenged, and that Pakistan be taught a lesson.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are suggesting that the Pahalgam incident should not be politicized. Their sudden concern about politicization seems to stem from the fact that this attack has exposed the hollowness of the government’s claims. Had this administration refrained from politicizing tragic events over the past ten years, they wouldn’t be in a position today to ask others not to do the same.

The Pahalgam attack was inhumane and despicable, and it must be avenged—but what does “revenge” really mean?

The real threat to the nation lies with those who believe that voting for the BJP and electing Modi as Prime Minister constitutes revenge, and that doing so will drive terrorists back into their hideouts. The true target for retribution should be Pakistan and the terrorists—not India’s Muslims. Will attacking mosques and madrasas or targeting Indian Muslims serve as justice for Pahalgam? Some people feel a strong urge to act this way. But the battle is against Pakistan, not against patriotic Indian Muslims who are citizens of this country.

After the Uri and Pulwama attacks, there were loud proclamations of revenge and punishment in Parliament and public gatherings. A “surgical strike” was carried out across the Line of Control in response to Uri, and we were told that Pakistan and the terrorists had been crippled and taught a lesson. Yet, the threat persists. Indira Gandhi truly taught Pakistan a lesson in 1971 by waging a direct war and splitting the country into two. Still, Pakistan did not learn.

So what is the Modi government planning to do now? The government needs to act—not indulge in propaganda. Even adhering to this one principle would be a significant step forward.

Prime Minister Modi has called a cabinet meeting and made some swift decisions. The Pakistani embassy in India has been shut down. All Pakistani nationals in India have been ordered to leave within 24 hours. Even the Wagah border has been temporarily closed. It’s being said that this marks the beginning of cutting diplomatic ties with Pakistan—but what about cricket? India and Pakistan play matches in Dubai, and large numbers of Indian fans attend. Jay Shah heads global cricket affairs and must clearly state that India will no longer play with Pakistan. Chanting “Pakistan Murdabad” in India while playing cricket with them abroad must come to an end.

Deeply affected by the Pahalgam attack, Modi canceled his visit to Saudi Arabia, and Rahul Gandhi is also cutting short his U.S. trip. After such an attack, convening an all-party meeting is standard procedure. But what will that achieve when the same government suppresses opposition voices and refuses to allow discussions on issues from Kashmir to Manipur in Parliament?

The Home Minister does not appear serious about national security. He has failed to protect the lives of citizens, and his resignation is now a common demand across party lines. If the government ignores this demand, then such meetings are just for show.

The abrogation of Article 370 was a welcome move, but what did we gain by stripping Jammu & Kashmir of full statehood? The government offers no answers. Meanwhile, it has slashed the defense budget and made deep cuts in military personnel. This is a dangerous game. Soldiers in Pulwama were denied aircraft for transport, and now in Pahalgam, the safety of thousands of tourists was left in limbo.

Now that the attack has happened and innocent people have died, the government is scrambling to respond. While the Pahalgam attack is inhumane, inciting Hindu-Muslim conflict in its aftermath is even more inhumane.

Local villagers in Pahalgam immediately began helping the injured and their families. A young local man, Syed Hussain Shah, tried to resist the terrorists. When he attempted to snatch a gun from them, he was shot. He pleaded with the attackers, saying, “These people are our guests—please don’t kill them.” In the end, he lost his life. Syed was not a Hindu, but the terrorists still killed him.

Despite tourists reporting that locals helped them during the crisis, the BJP’s IT cell is painting this incident with communal colors. The attack in Pahalgam was not just on tourists—it was an attack on all of us. The people of Kashmir have shown humanity and compassion, saying, “We are also wounded.” We must respect their sentiments.

Our fight is against Pakistan and terrorist organizations. Anyone trying to vilify Indian Muslims or Kashmiri locals in this fight clearly does not want to solve the nation’s problems—they simply want to politicize Pahalgam, just as they did with Pulwama.

The government must now think only in terms of national interest. Hindus and Muslims in this country are capable of deciding among themselves how to coexist.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Cyber ​​Department informs citizens about creation of fake Aadhaar, PAN card using AI, appeals to be careful while alerting citizens

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Cyber ​​Department has informed citizens about the creation of fake Aadhaar, PAN card and other government documents generated by AI. Maharashtra Cyber ​​Cell creates awareness among the public about the dangers and harms related to cyber security and cyber. Creation of fake documents through AI has also become common now. Artificial intelligence AI tools are also being misused to create fake government identity cards like Aadhaar and PAN card. AI provides opportunities for innovation but at the same time it also carries high risks. This is a serious concern. AI has the ability to create fake IDs and identity cards. These cards can also be used in bank, personal transactions and economic crimes. On the other hand, fake documents and cards can also be used to defraud banks, telecom companies and government companies. It can also be used to obtain loans and transactions with banks and for embezzlement. National Security These are also concerns for Maharashtra Cyber.

Maharashtra Cyber ​​has given some important tips and tricks to identify fake documents and cards. Similar fonts, especially typographical differences between Hindi and English text. Typographical differences in English text. Image discrepancies. Unnatural lighting or color discrepancies. AI-adjusted image can be made into a fake Aadhaar, while the original Aadhaar card has a QR code which can be verified in the system. Fake Aadhaar fails to do so. Fake Aadhaar cards can be easily identified due to incorrect procedures. Maharashtra Cyber ​​has appealed to citizens to be vigilant and report any suspicious incidents related to such fake ID cards to the National Cyber ​​Crime Complaint Portal at 1945. This service is available 24 hours a day.

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GreenLine flags off LNG truck fleet for Bekaert to drive sustainable logistics

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Mumbai, April 24: GreenLine Mobility Solutions Ltd., an Essar venture and India’s only green logistics operator of LNG and electric-powered heavy commercial trucks, has partnered with Bekaert, a global leader in tire reinforcement technology, to decarbonise road logistics and support India’s vision of a gas-based economy.

The partnership was flagged off with the deployment of GreenLine’s LNG-powered trucks at Bekaert’s Ranjangaon Plant, marking the beginning of a pilot phase that aims to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of Bekaert’s logistics operations.

Each GreenLine LNG truck is expected to reduce up to 24 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, contributing to Bekaert’s ambition of becoming carbon net-zero by 2050 and achieving 65 per cent of sales from sustainable solutions.

Commenting on the partnership, Anand Mimani, CEO, GreenLine Mobility Solutions Ltd, said, “Our partnership with Bekaert demonstrates the growing commitment of forward-thinking corporates to drive sustainability at scale. At GreenLine, we are proud to offer not just green trucks, but an integrated ecosystem — from LNG refuelling to real-time telematics — that empowers our partners to make meaningful progress on their net-zero goals.”

Dinesh Mukhedkar, Procurement Operations Lead — South Asia and Procurement Global Shared Service Centre Lead, Bekaert, added, “As part of our purpose ‘Establishing the new possible,’ and our ambition to lead in safe, smart, and sustainable solutions, decarbonising logistics is an essential step. This directly supports our commitment to ESG principles and long-term sustainability goals.”

GreenLine’s expanding fleet of LNG-powered trucks has already clocked more than 40 million km, avoiding over 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The company’s ongoing expansion includes plans to deploy over 10,000 LNG and EV trucks, supported by a nationwide network of 100 LNG refuelling stations, EV charging hubs, and battery swapping facilities — targeting a reduction of 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

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