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Passengers may face inconvenience with ‘Rail Roko’ protest in Punjab

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Chandigarh, Dec 18: Protesting farmers, whose bid to enter Haryana in support of their long-pending demands was foiled thrice, will halt trains in Punjab on Wednesday to lodge their protest and press their demands for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops among other things.

A group of 100 farmers’ representatives who were going to New Delhi to press their demands were recently stopped by the Haryana Police by bursting teargas shells and water cannons and this latest bid to halt trains in Punjab to lodge their protest is bound to lead to more trouble even as passengers are expected to face inconvenience.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that activists of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha would block rail traffic from 12 noon to 3 P.M. on Wednesday.

He urged the protesting farmers to avoid isolated railway tracks and assemble at railway stations only in their respective villages, towns and cities for the ‘Rail Roko’ protest.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, along with Union Ministry of Home Affairs Director, Mayank Mishra, on Sunday met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death to press the Centre in support of the growers’ demands, enquired about his health and requested him to end his fast that entered the 23rd day.

This has been the first meeting between the Union government and a farmer leader since talks with farmers remained inconclusive in February.

The 70-year-old cancer patient Dallewal has been fasting at Khanauri, the border point between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of their demands that comprised loan waiver and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector.

After meeting the farmer leader, Yadav had told the media, “We came to enquire about the health of Dallewal.”

Without mincing words, he had said, “We have heard whatever his (Dallewal) demands are. There was no proposal of any kind (over the demands). I came here to hear him and also for implementation of the Supreme Court order.”

DGP Yadav had said, “We have appealed to Dallewal that the government has taken note of his situation, and the Punjab government has said that they will talk to Dallewal and his associates and provide them with medical assistance.”

Despite assurances by the government officials, fasting farmer Dallewal remained adamant on continuing with the fast unto death, farmer leaders said.

Doctors have advised immediate hospitalisation of Dallewal as due to the prolonged fast he turned weak.

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana this week said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should follow his Haryana counterpart and promptly resolve the issues of protesting farmers.

“Since the Haryana Chief Minister is providing MSP on all crops, the Punjab government should also follow the Haryana government’s policy in the interest of Punjab’s farmers,” the Agriculture Minister said in a statement on Monday.

On the farmers’ call to resume the Delhi march, the minister said Punjab and Haryana are the biggest producers of foodgrains for the central pool and farmers of both states were getting the benefit of MSP. He said the Punjab government should also ensure that all farmers of Punjab could sell their produce on MSP like they do in Haryana. The Punjab Chief Minister should play his role and come forward to talk to the farmers so that they can return to their homes.

The minister said the Supreme Court had already formed a committee of experts to resolve this issue but the farmer leaders did not attend the meeting with the committee appointed on this matter.

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241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

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New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

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Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

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Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

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Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

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Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

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