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Telangana Assembly passes resolution for Bharat Ratna to Manmohan Singh

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Hyderabad, Dec 30: The Telangana Assembly on Monday unanimously resolved to recommend Bharat Ratna for former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who passed away recently.

A resolution moved by Chief Minister A. Revant Reddy was unanimously adopted by the Assembly to confer India’s highest civilian honour on Dr. Manmohan Singh.

The special session of the Assembly paid tributes to the former Prime Minister, expressing condolences over his demise and acknowledging his invaluable contributions to the nation’s progress and the formation of the state of Telangana.

The Assembly approved a proposal to install a statue of Dr. Manmohan Singh in Hyderabad to commemorate him as a great leader who fulfilled the 60-year aspirations of the Telangana people.

The Assembly expressed deep condolences to Dr. Manmohan Singh’s family, recognizing him as an internationally acclaimed economist who served the country in various capacities, including Chief Economic Advisor, RBI Governor, Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission, Finance Minister, and Prime Minister. It noted that his tenure as Finance Minister (1991–1996) marked a turning point in India’s economic history, with key reforms in liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation.

As Prime Minister (2004–2014), he initiated transformative social programs such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Information Act, the National Rural Health Mission, and the Aadhaar program. He introduced significant amendments to the Land Acquisition Act in 2013 to protect displaced individuals and revised the Forest Rights Act in 2006 to support tribal communities.

The Assembly also took note of the fact that Dr. Manmohan Singh was instrumental in the creation of Telangana state. During his tenure as Prime Minister, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014 was passed in Parliament, fulfilling a decades-long aspiration of the people.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that Telangana owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Manmohan Singh for his pivotal role in the state’s formation.

He highlighted the late former Prime Minister’s vision and leadership in elevating India’s global stature, emphasising the importance of honoring him as a guiding figure for future generations.

Members cutting across party lines paid rich tributes to Manmohan Singh and recalled his close association with Telangana.

Main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) fully supported the demand for conferring Bharat Ratna on Manmohan Singh. BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao said they believe that the late leader deserves the highest honour.

The Chief Minister also suggested that a statue of the late Prime Minister be installed in the Financial District in Hyderabad to honour his memory and in recognition of the close association he had with Telangana.

The Chief Minister said installing the statue at a prominent place will enable people to pay tributes to the late leader on his birth and death anniversaries and take inspiration from him.

Terming Manmohan Singh’s demise a great loss for the country, Revanth Reddy said his services to the country can never be forgotten.

Revanth Reddy recalled that it was at Mahabubnagar that, as the Prime Minister, he had launched Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for 100 days of assured employment in a year.

KTR recalled that when the son of Telangana P.V. Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, he brought Manmohan Singh into the government through lateral entry. Manmohan Singh, who had served in the Reserve Bank of India, was made the finance minister.

Terming the late leader a great economist, the BRS leader said in his very first Budget speech in 1991, Manmohan Singh had stated that the entire world would hear about India.

The BRS leader said Manmohan Singh was another name for simple living-high thinking.

Stating that loyalty and commitment are rare in today’s politics, KTR said Manmohan Singh was a great leader who remained loyal to Congress, which had given him an opportunity.

Ministers, members of Congress and members of BRS, BJP, AIMIM and CPI also paid tributes to Manmohan Singh.

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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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