Page 850 - Disaster Accident
Maintain status quo on proposed closure of 38 night shelters: HC to DUSIB
The Delhi High Court today directed the urban shelter improvement board here to maintain status quo with regard to 38 night shelters in the national capital which it was proposing to shut down. The direction by a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar came on a plea by a social worker challenging the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board's (DUSIB) March 13 order for closure of the night shelters. The court also issued notice to the DUSIB and asked it to file a status report in response to the application by Sunil Kumar Aledia who has claimed that according to the occupancy report of the shelters in question, they are well occupied by homeless people. The bench directed the board to maintain status quo regarding the shelters till the next date of hearing on April 2. The application was filed by Aledia in his main PIL seeking directions to the DUSIB to immediately construct permanent shelters, instead of temporary ones, in areas such as Nizamuddin, Kashmere
6 killed in pedestrian bridge collapse in Miami
At least six people were killed in the incident of pedestrian bridge collapse at Florida International University in Miami.At least eight cars were crushed under the bridge and at least nine people were transported to hospitals for treatment, CNN quoted authorities as saying.The pedestrian bridge, which was recently installed on March 10, collapsed down during the busy rush hours at Miami on Thursday.A team of fire trucks, police, and other emergency vehicles were deployed at the location.Reportedly, a certain portion of the bridge was still under construction.
Nepal plane crash survivor says don't drink, sleep on flight
A Nepali travel agent who survived a plane crash earlier this week said passengers should not drink alcohol during flights and refrain from sleeping during landing and takeoff. Dayaram Tamrakar said today from his hospital bed that he was able to get up from his seat, break down the emergency door and help other passengers because he was alert. "I was able to grab on to my seat during the crash, quickly release seat belts, spring up from the seat and have the sense to force open the emergency door because I was alert," Tamrakar said adding he was able to help other passengers before he heard there was fire and decided to jump off the plane. He thinks that it was the quick thinking of him and other fellow passengers to swiftly break down the emergency exit that helped save so many lives. Twenty-two people survived the crash Monday that killed 49. "When someone said there was fire it was time to get off the plane. I jumped and looked back and saw the tail part was already on fire," he ..
Rabi crops in 4.82 lac ha hit by unreasonal rains in Feb
Winter or rabi crops over 4.82 lakh hectare area were damaged in six states, including Maharashtra, due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm last month, Parliament was informed today. "States have conducted assessment/survey on this calamity. As per the recent report of the states, area affected due to hailstorm/unseasonal rains is 4,82,745 hectare," Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. As per the data, maximum area affected was in Maharastra at 2,92,233 hectare, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 1,08,199 hectare, Madhya Pradesh at 49,993 hectare, Chattisgarh at 22,589 hectare, Telangana at 9,478 hectare and Karnataka at 252.50 hectare. Wheat, pulses, oilseeds and horticultural crops were affected, he added.
Multilateral air exercise concludes
A five-day multi-national exercise organised by the Indian Airforce with the aim of sharing procedures and capabilities of air forces to improve disaster response concluded today. Besides hosts India, the air forces of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UAE took part in the exercise titled 'Samvedna', which began on March 12. The Multi Lateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise was organised by the Southern Air Command of IAF here. It showcased the disaster preparedness of Indian Air Force's Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) and its flying capabilities at the Air Force station here, a defence release said here. In his address, Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Air Command said the Air Force was invariably the first to respond during various disasters that hit the region in the recent times. Samvedna was the first Multilateral Air Exercise to practice and discuss issues relating to such eventualities, he ...
Nine dead in Burundi landslide
Nine workers at a construction site outside Burundi's capital Bujumbura were killed in a landslide today, police said. Heavy seasonal rains caused the hillside next to the Gasenyi river, east of the city, to collapse burying the workers who were building a channel to redirect the river's floodwaters. Police said in a statement that nine bodies had so far been found, while rescue efforts continue.
11 non-operational auctioned coal mines to start production from June
As many as 11 coal blocks, which were non-operational at the time of auction, are likely to start production from June this year, Parliament was informed today. Among the 17 producing coal mines that were auctioned, 12 have started operations, according to Coal Minister Piyush Goyal. The government had auctioned 31 mines, including 17 schedule II (producing) and 14 schedule III (non-producing) through E-platform. "Schedule III auctioned coal mines are scheduled to be operational from June 2018 onwards as they were not operational at the time of the allocation," Coal Minister Piyush Goyal informed Rajya Sabha in a written reply today. He said out of the 14 mines under Schedule III agreements for development and production were cancelled with two mines in connection with a court order while in the case of one the pact was terminated for violating terms and condition of the tender. "Out of the 17 auctioned schedule II coal mines, mining operations have commenced/mine opening permission ..
Quell passengers' anxiety over aircraft engines:Bombay HC to DGCA
The Bombay High Court today directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that "passenger safety was not compromised with," in light of the engine troubles being faced by some aircraft belonging to private airlines Indigo and Go Air. A bench of Justices Naresh Patil and GS Kulkarni also directed DGCA to test the airworthinessof all Prat and Whitney engines used for A320 neo planes including those which had not been flagged by expert air safety bodies. The bench directed the DGCA to file, within a week, an affidavit on all steps taken to quell the anxiety of passengers over the aircraft engines. The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by a city resident, Harish Agarwal, seeking appropriate directions to the civil aviation authorities over recent reports that certain 'Pratt & Whitney (PW) engines' which power A320 neo planes were more susceptible to engine failures. In February this year, a European Air Safety Authority issued an airworthiness .
Microplastics contamination in bottled water not alarming: FSSAI
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday said the findings of a US-based NGO about microplastics contamination in bottled water in India were not alarming as there was no known health hazards due to it.
Multi-hazard early warning system for disaster management in Odisha
The Odisha government will develop an integrated multi-hazard early warning system for better disaster management which will improve the quality, prediction ability and response capacity of the Odisha Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) in dealing with natural disasters, an official said on Friday.
Tarapur fire: Inquiry ordered by Palghar district collector
An inquiry was ordered today into a massive fire that engulfed some chemical companies in the Boisar MIDC industrial cluster here on March 8, officials said. Four people were killed and several others were injured in the fire. A release issued here said that Palghar Collector Prashant Narnavre today ordered the district's Sub-Divisional Officer to carry out a detailed inquiry and submit a report in 15 days. It also asked the Labour department, the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and Health department to submit the reports of inquiries they had conducted in connection with the fire. The release said that an explosion in chemical solvents in one of the firms at 11:45pm on March 8 led to the fire in which surrounding units were also destroyed.
Auction of mines for coal sale to bring higher investment: Goyal
The government decision to auction coal mines for sale of dry-fuel in return will bring higher investment, create jobs and bring efficiency in the sector, Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said today. "Auction of coal mines for sale of coal is expected to bring efficiency into the coal sector due to increased competition and deployment of best possible technology into the sector," Coal Minister Goyal told Rajya Sabha in a written reply today. The minister said it will bring higher investment which in turn will "create direct and indirect employment in coal bearing areas specially in mining sector and will have an impact on economic development of these regions." Enabling provisions have been made in the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 for allocation of mines by way of auction and allotment for sale of coal. The government last month approved the methodology for auction for coal mines/blocks for sale of coal under the provisions of the Coal Mines (Speical Provisions) Act, 2015 and ..
Seven US troops killed in Iraq helicopter crash: US official
Seven US troops were killed when the helicopter carrying them crashed in western Iraq, a US defense official said today. "There were seven people aboard, they are all believed to be dead," the official said, adding they were US service members. "It was a routine troop transport operation going from Iraq to Syria, nothing out of the ordinary.
Odisha to have integrated multi-hazard early warning system
The Odisha government has decided to engage the "integrated multi-hazard early warning system" to strengthen the prediction and response capability of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), official sources said today. Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, OSDMA managing director Bishnupada Sethi and others held a meeting during the day to discuss the issue. Officials of the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) presented technical and methodological aspects of the system at the meeting. The RIMES, an intergovernmental body registered under the United Nations, is owned and managed by 45 collaborating countries in the Asia Pacific and Africa Region. India is the chairman of the body. The meeting discussed about the potential areas of collaboration between the OSDMA and the RIMES. Analysis of huge data likely to be generated from automatic weather stations being installed at gram panchayat levels, validation of the forecast, early ...
Man dies, six of family injured in Delhi fire
A man was burnt to death while six members of his family suffered burn injuries when a major fire broke out on Friday in east Delhi, police said.
Egypt and Russia set April dates for resumption of flights
Egypt and Russia have set dates in April for the resumption of flights between the two countries, suspended by Moscow after Islamic State militants downed a Russian plane over Sinai in 2015, killing all 224 people onboard. Aeroflot said earlier this week its flights would resume on April 11. Safwat Musallam, the EgyptAir chairman, said in a statement today that Egyptian flights to Russia will start on April 12, a day later. He added that all the airlines involved have completed the necessary preparations for the resumption of flights. The Russian Aviation Agency confirmed it issued a permit for EgyptAir to operate the Cairo-Moscow route. The flights were initially expected to resume in February but the move was delayed. The Sinai bombing dealt a huge blow to Egypt's tourism industry.
Six dead in Florida university footbridge collapse
At least six persons have been killed after a footbridge collapsed near Florida International University in Miami, crushing eight vehicles and leaving rescue workers racing to free victims from chunks of concrete and snapped metal.
Rajasthan: 4 charred to death in truck accident
Four people were today charred to death in a fire that engulfed two trucks after a massive head-on collision in Rajasthan's Bikaner district, the police said. The accident took pace on the Bikaner-Suratgarh national highway. According to SHO (Mahajan) Vijendra Kumar, due to severe collision both the trucks caught fire and four people were burnt alive. The two deceased were identified as Indraj and Pragat Singh, the officer said, adding that the other two could not be identified. Kumar said both the vehicles were removed from the highway to resume the traffic, which remained disrupted for over an hour.
Amnesty says Shell, Eni negligent on Nigeria oil spills
ABUJA (Reuters) - Amnesty International on Friday accused international oil majors Shell and Eni of negligence when addressing spills in Nigeria.
Blast in a WB firecracker factory, 1 dead
A blast at a firecracker factory in Magrahat, South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal on Friday has reportedly left one dead and several injured.Fire trucks were rushed to the spot to douse the incessant flames, while the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.The police have started investigating the cause of the blast.