Connect with us
Thursday,26-June-2025
Breaking News

National News

PM to launch projects over Rs 2 lakh crore in Vizag today

Published

on

Visakhapatnam, Jan 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay foundations for projects worth over Rs 2 lakh crore here on Wednesday evening.

The Prime Minister, who will be arriving on his first visit to Andhra Pradesh after the TDP-led NDA formed the government in the state, will conduct a roadshow and address a public meeting, where he will virtually launch several major projects aimed at driving sustainable growth and infrastructure development, with a particular focus on North Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan will accompany the Prime Minister during the roadshow and for the public meeting.

After arrival at INS Dega at 4.15 p.m., the Prime Minister will conduct the roadshow from Siripuram Cross Roads to AU Engineering College, the venue of the public meeting.

Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, Union Minister of State Bhupati Raju Srinivasa Varma, few state ministers, BJP MP and state party president Purandeswari will share the dais with the Prime Minister.

This will be Narendra Modi’s second visit to Andhra Pradesh after assuming office as the Prime Minister for the third term.

In June last year, he had attended the swearing-in of Chandrababu Naidu and his ministers in Vijayawada.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Visakhapatnam on November 29 but the programme was postponed due to a cyclone alert.

The state government has made elaborate arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit.

The TDP and its allies Jana Sena and BJP are mobilising people from various parts of North Andhra for the roadshow and public meeting.

Authorities expect 80,000 people to take part in the roadshow, while nearly 2 lakh people are likely to attend the public meeting.

The roadshow will commence at 4:45 p.m. from the Venkatadri Vantillu restaurant area in Siripuram.

The public meeting will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. He will leave the venue at 6:50 p.m. and return to the air station around 7:15 p.m. to leave for Bhubaneswar.

PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for the South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) headquarters in Visakhapatnam. This will meet the long-pending demand of the state under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the NTPC Green Energy Limited’s (NGEL) Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka in Atchutapuram mandal of Anakapalle district.

To be developed under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, this mega project involves an investment of Rs 1.85 lakh crore and 20 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity to produce 1,500 tonnes per day of green hydrogen.

The project will also produce 7,500 tonnes of green hydrogen derivatives, including green methanol, green urea, and sustainable aviation fuel, primarily targeting export markets.

The Prime Minister will also launch a series of road and railway projects in Andhra Pradesh, collectively valued at Rs 19,500 crore.

He will also lay the foundation stone for a bulk drug park at Nakkapalli in Anakapalle district.

With an investment of Rs 1,438.89 crore, the park is strategically located near the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) and the Visakhapatnam- Kakinada Petrochemical and Investment Region, promising thousands of jobs and enhanced industrial activity in the region.

The foundation stone will also be for the Krishnapatnam Industrial Area (KRIS City) in Tirupati district under the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.

The project is expected to attract investments of Rs 10,500 crore and create nearly one lakh direct and indirect jobs.

National News

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

National News

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

National News

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Trending