Page 845 - Disaster Accident
IAF's Hawk aircraft crashes in Odisha
A Hawk aircraft of Indian Air Force today crashed near the Odisha-Jharkhand border after taking off from Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal, official sources said. The trainee pilot flying the aircraft ejected safely, they said. The aircraft was on a routine training sortie. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the accident, said the sources. Hawk is an advanced trainer jet.
Exaggerated allegations left me defenceless: Mehul Choksi
Gitanjali Gems Chairman and Managing Director Mehul Choksi, who is a co-accused in multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam on Tuesday said that 'exaggerated allegations by multiple investigating agencies have left him completely defenceless and that he feared for his safety to return home.'"I further inform that requiring me to join the investigation, though leaving me helpless and information less, by various actions taken by multiple agencies is unfair. The manner in which the allegations have been exaggerated has left me completely defenceless," he said in a statement.Choksi further said he was unable to travel to India due to his persisting health condition."I am extremely held up in my business abroad and am working hard to resolves the issues it is facing due to the unnecessary closure of the business in India due to untenable allegations. Further, I am unable to travel to India due to my persisting health condition," Choksi said.Hitting out at media, he said it was blowing .
Indian Army plane crashes, pilots safe
An Indian Army plane has crashed in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district on Tuesday, police said.
20 dead as powerful storm hits Madagascar
A powerful tropical storm that lashed the island of Madagascar has left 20 people dead and affected 19,000 more, according to an official toll. The storm also closed several national highways that were flooded by the heavy rain, the country's disaster management office said late Monday. In a previous toll late Sunday it said 17 people had died and 15,000 had been affected. Storm Eliakim slammed into the northeastern Masoala peninsula on Friday before barrelling south down the coast. By Monday it had moved away from the Indian Ocean island and "presents no more danger". Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries, is frequently hit by cyclones and tropical storms. In January, cyclone Ava claimed 51 lives and in March last year at least 78 people perished in cyclone Enawo.
Tendulkar urges Gadkari to act against fake helmet makers
Cricket icon and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar has sought action against manufacturers of low-quality helmets, continuing his campaign for safe two-wheeler riding. In a letter to transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Tendulkar said given the high rate of accidents involving two-wheeler drivers, it is important that safety equipment for them is of highest quality. "I am writing to you to request your ministry to consider action against helmet manufacturers using low grade material and selling it with a fake ISI mark. As sportspersons, we understand the importance of using original high-quality safety equipment when we go to play on the field," Tendulkar stated in his letter. "The same original high-quality standards need to be maintained when it comes to helmets that will be used by two-wheeler riders in India," he added. An active campaigner of road safety, Tendulkar has been routinely seen urging people to use helmets, during traffic signal halts, in social media posts. Citing media ...
Rail-roko protest: Students stall rail services in Mumbai
Mumbai Railway traffic was affected on Tuesday after the students of the All India Act Apprentice Association staged a protest on the railway tracks between Matunga and Dadar station on the central line.Around 500 students staged a rail blockade demanding jobs in the railways sector.The Central Railway said rail traffic between Dadar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus was affected due to the protest.Due to some agitation between Matunga and Dadar, rail traffic affected between Matunga and CSMT...— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) March 20, 2018Train services between Kurla and Dadar station were suspended after the protests began at 7 am.
UP's Robertsganj railway station renamed Sonbhadra
The Robertsganj railway station in Uttar Pradesh has been renamed Sonbhadra, an official has said. The Union Home Ministry has given its approval for the renaming of the British-era railway station in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. Even though the railway station falls under the district, there is no place in the name of Sonbhadra. The Robertsganj station has been renamed Sonbhadra, the home ministry official said. This is the second time a railway station in Uttar Pradesh has been rechristened. The Mughalsarai railway station was renamed after RSS ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya in last August. The iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus in Mumbai also saw the word "Maharaj" added to its name early last year. The Robertsganj station, now renamed Sonbhadra, falls under the North-Central zone of the India Railways' Allahabad division. Among the prominent trains which touch the station are Tata Nagar-Jammu Tawi Express, Triveni Express, Jharkhand Swarna Jayanti Express, among
Venezuela arrests ex-oil refining boss for alleged graft -sources
PUNTO FIJO (Reuters) - Venezuela has arrested the former refining boss of state oil company PDVSA for alleged corruption, two sources in the northwestern coastal city of Punto Fijo with knowledge of the detention told Reuters on Monday.
Uber self-driving car involved in deadly Arizona accident
Uber said today it is cooperating with police following a deadly accident involving one of the ride-share company's self-driving cars in Arizona. The Uber vehicle was in autonomous mode, with an operator behind the wheel, when it hit a woman walking in the street in the city of Tempe, according to the San Francisco-based company. The victim was hospitalized and later died from her injuries. "Our hearts go out to the victim's family," an Uber spokesperson told AFP. "We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident.
'Vehicle registration grew 6.5 times in 11 years in Bihar'
Vehicle registration in Bihar grew 6.5 times in the past 11 years, which signifies the state's economic prosperity, Transport Minister Santosh Kumar Nirala today said in the Assembly. "There has been increase in the number of registration of vehicles in the past several years. This symbolises economic and social prosperity of the state. A total of 1,47,309 vehicles were registered in 2006-07 while the registration of vehicle has gone up to 9,50,120 by the end of February 2018. The state has witnessed an average 17.44 per cent growth in registration of vehicles," Nirala said. He was speaking during a debate on his department's budgetory allocation of Rs 122.69 crore for 2018-19 which was subsequently passed by the treasury benches amid walk out by RJD members while demanding the arrest of two union ministers -- Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Kumar Choubey -- for allegedly sparking communal tension. He said the transport department's revenue collection has gone up to Rs ...
India EU to share earth observation data from each other's satellite
India and the European Union today signed an agreement that will enable them to share earth observation data from each other's satellite. The pact was inked in Bengaluru by Philippe Brunet, Director for Space Policy, Copernicus and Defence, on behalf of the European Commission and by PG Diwakar, scientific secretary, said a statement by an EU delegation to India. The Copernicus programme provides a wide range of applications like climate change, land, ocean and atmosphere monitoring as well as support in forecasting, management and mitigation of natural disasters. Its full, free and open data policy has proven its merits by allowing the development of a thriving user base in Europe and beyond, it said. On the other hand, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed an ambitious and wide-ranging earth observation programme . "The European Commission and India's Department of Space (DoS), have decided to sign an arrangement with the aim to strengthen and stimulate ...
Uncontrolled development sans risk assessment increases risk of losses from disasters: NITI Aayog VC
Uncontrolled development without proper disaster risk assessment has increased the risk of losses from disasters, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said today. Inaugurating the first India-Japan workshop on disaster risk reduction here, Kumar underlining the impact of disaster on development and said climate change has further aggravated the risk. "Therefore, disaster risk management can no longer remain isolated from the overall strategy of sustainable development," he said. Kumar said the two ancient Asian civilisations of India and Japan, both of which have frequently witnessed the fury of natural catastrophes, are investing pro-actively on mainstreaming risk reduction into development. He said this workshop marks the beginning of formal implementation of the initiatives agreed under the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the two countries on Disaster Risk Reduction in September 2017.
Bodies of 23 Bangladeshi plane crash victims flown home
The bodies of the 23 Bangladeshis killed in a plane crash in Nepal were flown home on Monday as mourners prepared a massive funeral.
Andavan Ashramam's chief dead
Srimad Andavan Ashramam's Jeeyar (head) Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan, who was one of the main religious leaders for Vaishnavites, died at a private hospital in Chennai on Monday, said an official. He was 83.
Intelligent transport system can reduce mishaps on Yamuna E'way: IRF
Expressing concern over increasing road accidents on Yamuna Expressway, the International Road Federation (IRF) today recommended implementation of an intelligent transport system (ITS) on the expressway. "The driving condition on Mumbai-Pune expressway and Noida-Agra expressway are different than other roads. For safe driving, ITS along with strict enforcement of speed has to be implemented. A pre-warning about weather condition road and driving conditions should be provided to drivers in advance by the road concessionaire," the global body for road safety said in a statement. It said most of the road users are not aware about concrete construction of Yamuna Highway and added, for using such surface vehicle tyre condition has to be checked along with driving conditions including weather and visibility. IRF Chairman K K Kapila said, Various studies conducted by government and non-government agencies have shown that 'human error' mostly negligent driving is the main reason for ...
Thousands pay tribute to Bangladesh crash victims
Several thousand people filled a Dhaka stadium today for the funeral of the 23 Bangladeshi victims of a plane crash in Nepal last week. Ministers, military chiefs and top dignitaries joined crowds at the army stadium to pay respects after the bodies were flown from Nepal on a special Bangladesh Air Force flight. The country has been plunged into mourning since the crash of a US-Bangla Airways plane in Kathmandu on March 12, which killed 49 people in all. The Embraer plane carrying 71 people abruptly changed direction moments before it ploughed into a football field near the airport and burst into flames. Bangladesh and Nepal civil aviation authorities have launched a joint investigation, amid reports of confusion between the pilot and air traffic control over the runway approach. Police estimated at least 3,000 people attended Monday's service, including Transport Minister Obaidul Quader, who is deputy leader of the ruling Awami League party, and Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood ...
267 schools in Delhi running sans fire safety certificate: Sisodia
As many as 267 schools, including government and state-aided schools, do not have fire safety certificate in the national capital, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told the Delhi Assembly today. Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio, said that 162 city-run schools and 105 government-aided schools do not have fire safety certificates. The revelation poses a question about the safety of students studying in the government and government aided-schools in the city. In a written reply to a question asked by AAP MLA Pawan Sharma, Sisodia told the House that out of the 105 government-aided schools, 88 have applied for fire safety certificate. The deputy chief minister, however, said that all the 162 government schools have applied for the same. He said that the Directorate of Education (DoE) inspects the safety measures in schools from time-to-time. For the schools which have not got fire safety certificates, the education directorate had approved Rs 112.15 in 2013 to ensure that ...
Yamuna e-way accident: A village mourns its 'shining star'
Their "shining star" had slipped away to the skies above, a Gaigaon resident said today, echoing the grief of Dr Harshad Wankhede's family and others in the village as they prepared for the last rites of the AIIMS doctor killed in an accident near Mathura. That the young doctor was killed while on his way to celebrate his 30th birthday deepened the gloom in the small village of Gaigaon in Maharashtra's Akola district. The senior resident doctor at Delhi's premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences, who leaves behind his parents and a sister, was the pride of Gaigaon and its 5,000 people. Joining the Wankhede family in mourning the death of the young man, who born on March 17, 1988, were other villagers in Gaigaon. Wankhede began school at Gaigaon, about 250 km from here, and studied till Class 7 at the zila parishad school, said Vijay Mehre, a journalist from the village. It was from these humble beginnings that he rose to become a doctor at one of India's most renowned medical ..
Fire reduces 18 houses to ashes in Arunachal's Roing
A fire broke out at Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh yesterday evening, reducing 18 houses to ashes, police today said. However, there were no casualties in the incident. The incident occurred at Model Village in Roing, the district headquarters. The houses were under District Urban Development Agency (DUDA). The wind-aided fire spread quickly to the closely built houses and reduced all 18 of them to ashes before the fire fighters brought the flame under control after hours of efforts. The fire is suspected to have started from an unattended fireplace, the police said. Roing Fire Station in-charge Kasem Tayeng informed that strong winds made it difficult for the fire fighters to contain the blaze.
52 killed, 91 missing in Kerala after Cyclone Ockhi
At least 52 people were killed and 91 remain missing after Cyclone Ockhi struck Kerala's southern districts on November 30 last year, the state assembly was told on Monday.