Page 557 - Disaster Accident

Telangana to send 500 tonnes rice to Kerala

Responding to a request from Kerala, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked officials to send 500 tonnes of rice to the flood-hit state.

FinMin exempts relief goods for Kerala from customs duty/IGST

The central government is exempting basic customs duty and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) for the goods imported or supplied for flood relief operations in Kerala, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said today. A notification to this effect is likely to be issued tomorrow, according to sources. "India stands with Kerala in this hour of need. Central Government is exempting basic customs duty and IGST for the consignments of aid and relief materials being despatched or imported from abroad for the affected people," Goyal said in a tweet. The notification will be later placed in the next meeting of the GST Council, sources said. The tax exemptions will be valid till December 31, 2018. Kerala has been hit hard by devastating rains and floods leading to loss of lives and damage to property. Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to the Union Finance Minister requesting for a general exemption of Customs duty and IGST for consignments being despatched or imported .

Andhra to provide nearly Rs 50 cr aid to Kerala

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that the State government has extended an assistance of nearly Rs 50 crore through all means, including financial help, to the flood-ravaged Kerala.Addressing the media at the Secretariat, Chief Minister Naidu said, "I spoke to Kerala Chief Minister yesterday and today, and he said there is need of rice and money. Andhra Pradesh extended assistance of nearly Rs 50 crore through all means including financial help, donations in cash and kind. I have announced Rs 10 crores, sent 12 boats, NDRF (National Disaster Rescue Force) and SDRF (State Disaster Rescue Force) teams. We will send 2000 metric tonnes rice.""All MPs, MLAs, and MLCs of our party will donate one-month basic salary. MPs will contribute through MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme). The IAS, IPS, IFS officers association and Andhra secretariat employees association and NGOs associations and several other organisations came forward to donate

Centre exempts custom duty, IGST for Kerala relief material

The Central Government is exempting basic custom duty (BCD) and Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) on goods for aid and relief material being imported or dispatched to Kerala, informed Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday.Goyal took to Twitter to announce the same, writing, "India stands with Kerala in this hour of need. Central Government is exempting basic customs duty and IGST for the consignments of aid and relief materials being dispatched or imported from abroad for the affected people."Ministry of Finance's Department of Revenue issued an exemption notification to goods imported for relief and rehabilitation of people affected by floods.The exemptions would be applicable to the said imported goods being sent to the Central Government, the Government of Kerala, or as the case may be, the relief agencies of both the governments. The exemption will also extend to relief agencies duly approved by the Central Government or the Government of Kerala for the purpose.To get ...

Kerala Floods: Japanese PM, FM extend condolences

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, along with the Foreign Affairs Minister Taro Kono, on Monday, extended their condolences over the devastating floods that have ravaged Kerala and parts of Karnataka."We would like to inform you that in the wake of the flooding and damages caused by widespread heavy rain which has hit southern states of India, including Kerala, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr.Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, sent messages respectively to H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, and H.E. Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister, which extend condolences to the affected people and wishes for rapid recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas and convey Japan's readiness to provide any assistance," read a statement from the Embassy of Japan.Meanwhile, the Japanese ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu also issued a statement, saying, "I am deeply saddened by the news of tragic loss of many innocent lives and thousands of people ...

Kerala floods: Centre exempts relief goods from IGST, customs duty till Dec

The tax exemptions will be valid till December 31, 2018

Madras HC notice to Centre on plea challenging food safety rules

The Madras High Court issued today notice to the Union government on a petition from a farmer challenging the latest food safety rules which makes certification mandatory to sell organic produce. The Erode-based farmer, Selvam Ramaswamy, sought from the court to declare the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulation 2017 as unconstitutional and ultra vires of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. According to the petitioner, under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), certification of the organic farming process, which commences from the seeding stage, is mandatory only for those who export their produce and in all other cases it is only voluntary under the Act. The Central government had, on January 2, notified the regulation which states that even individual farmers who sell their produce in the domestic market must also obtain the certification which, the petitioner said, was a tedious process and financially unviable for small farmers. Claiming that a ..

One million in Kerala camps, aid pouring in: Vijayan

Over one million people are now sheltered in 3,274 relief camps in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, even as rains that have battered the state for a week finally abated.

Kolkata Keralities raise funds, relief

Keralities living here are trying to raise funds and other relief materials to help people in flood-hit Kerala, a member of a city-based Malayali association said on Monday.

Odisha urges Kerala govt to ensure help to 337 Odias

Odisha urged the Kerala government today to provide help to 337 Odias stranded at different flood-ravaged places of the southern state, officials said. The Odisha Labour Department rushed two officials to Kerala during the day to ensure the safety of Odia labourers, they said. Meanwhile, a special train carrying people from Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh left Kochuveli (Thiruvananthapuram) station today and is expected to reach Bhubaneswar on August 22, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department of the Odisha government wrote to the Kerala relief commissioner to provide assistance to the 337 Odias there, the officials said. "It is requested to kindly make necessary arrangements for providing support in terms of food, drinking water and other necessities to these people," said Shyamal Kumar Das, an officer of the department. The letter was sent after the state government received calls for help from the flood-affected people, they .

Maldives donates $50,000 for flood-hit Kerala

Expressing sympathies to the government and people of India over the death and destruction in Kerala floods, the Maldives has announced a donation of $50,000 as a "token contribution in solidarity", the Maldives Embassy here said on Monday.

Situation in rain-hit Kodagu under control: CM

Rescue and relief operations in rain-ravaged Karnataka's Kodagu were intensified today, as the situation in the district bordering Kerala came "under control" after leaving a huge trail of destruction which has claimed at least 12 lives and rendered hundreds homeless. The administration cancelled hotel bookings made by tourists in the scenic hilly district nestled on the hills of the Western Ghats till the end of this month as it tottered under torrential rains that caused floods and landslides. The administration has cancelled hotel bookings made by tourists in the scenic hilly district till the end of this month. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the situation was "under control" and assured the people battered by floods and landslips of a "new life" with fair rehabilitation. As the rains subsided since this afternoon, government machinery was now focusing on relief and rehabilitation work a almost all those who were stranded have been rescued, he said. The

'Maximum airfares for Kerala flights within limits specified by DGCA'

The maximum airfares for direct flights to Kerala and nearby airports have remained within the limits specified by aviation regulator DGCA, according to the civil aviation ministry. Providing an update on the relief measures initiated to help flood-ravaged Kerala, the ministry today said the DGCA has permitted three helicopter services providers to carry out aerial dropping of flood relief material, following request from the Kerala government. The entities are Pawan Hans Helicopters, Ghodawat and Devengere. Commercial flight services commenced from Kochi naval air station today with Alliance Air operating four flights as the main aerodrome in Kochi is shut till August 26. Besides, no-frills airline IndiGo will start operations from the naval base from tomorrow. A senior official at the civil aviation ministry said that Jet Airways is also planning to start operations from the naval base. "Monitoring of airfare carried out on Aug 20, 2018 has revealed that maximum fares on various ...

East Bengal's Kerala recruits rue flood crisis at home

Goalkeeper K Mirshad is playing for East Bengal in the ongoing Calcutta Football League, but his mind is on the ravaging floods in his home state Kerala where his sister had to leave home.

Ex-serviceman booked for spreading false info on relief work

An ex-serviceman has been booked for allegedly spreading false information on flood relief work carried out by the government jointly with defence personnel. Unni Nair, working at a firm which takes in retired army personnel, has been booked for spreading false information on the ongoing relief work, police said. The man posted a video message in the social media, which went viral, soon after which the Army tweeted "Imposter wearing Army combat uniform in video spreading disinformation about rescue & relief efforts. Every effort by all & #IndianArmy aimed to overcome this terrifying human tragedy". Meanwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned of stringent action against those spreading fake information at a time when Kerala was striving together as one to overcome the "catastrophic" floodswith "monumental strength". "Some people are trying to malign this great effort with misinformation in the form of fake messages on social media. Police have been instructed

Rains abate, flood waters recede as relief pours into Kerala (Roundup)

With the rains that battered Kerala for a week finally abating on Monday, water levels dropped in the swollen rivers even as the number of people who have taken shelter in relief camps crossed the one million mark.

Diageo donates Rs 1 crore to flood-hit Kerala

Leading liquor major Diageo India donated Rs 1 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, the company said on Monday.

Ministers, BJP MLAs in Hry to donate month's salary for Kerala

All ministers of the Haryana government and BJP MLAs in the state have decided to donate their one month's salary for the flood victims of Kerala, according official statement issued here today. Chairpersons of all boards and corporations have also decided to donate their one month's salary for the cause, it said. Besides, the MPs and MLAs of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the main opposition party in Haryana, have also decided to donate their month's salary for the Kerala flood victims, party leader Abhay Singh Chautala said. The death toll in Kerala has mounted to 216. Even as rains abated and rescue operations were in the final stages, the flood-hit state was faced with the gigantic task of rehabilitating lakhs of people rendered homeless and preventing outbreak of diseases. Over 7.24 lakh displaced people have been sheltered in 5,645 relief camps dotting the state.

Kerala floods: Maldives stands in solidarity with India

The Government of Maldives on Monday extended help to India by donating USD 50,000 for the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit southern state of Kerala."At this time of national distress, the Government of Maldives conveys profound sympathies to the Government and the people of India, in particular to those directly affected by the tragedy, as well as commiserations to the members of the bereaved families," read the statement issued by the Government of Maldives.A many as 357 people lost their lives in India's Kerala state so far. Kerala has been hit by the worst flooding in a century. The deluge has also caused a loss to the tune of Rs 19,512 crore to the southern state.

Venkaiah Naidu urges MPs 'to contribute generously' to Kerala

The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu and Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sumitra Mahajan on Monday issued a joint statement appealing to the Members of parliament (MPs) to contribute to the flood-ravaged Kerala."We appeal to all the Members of Parliament to contribute generously from their MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds for the relief and rehabilitation works in the affected areas of Kerala, as permissible under the MPLADS guidelines and also to consider donating their one month's salary for this noble and humanitarian cause," read the statement.The statement further stated that the government has declared the calamity of a "severe nature".Earlier in the day, Naidu called a review meeting to take stock of the Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh, and decided to donate a month's salary for relief measures.Kerala has been going through the worst flood in its history in 140 years, claiming at least 357 lives. In