THE HEADLINES:
- Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is moving close to Coastal parts of Tamilnadu; Red alert issued to five districts including Nagapattinam and Cuddalore and delta areas; 36 domestic flights and eleven international flights from Chennai airport cancelled tomorrow.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police being held in Chhattisgarh; Extensive deliberations on different aspects of India’s security system.
- Government convenes all-party meeting tomorrow ahead of Winter Session of Parliament beginning on Monday.
- Prime Minister Modi to share his thoughts in Mann Ki Baat programme on entire network of Akashvani at 11 AM tomorrow.
- Government and Asian Development Bank sign three loan agreements over 800 million US dollars for projects in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
- And, in Badminton, Kidambi Srikanth and duo of Gayatri Gopichand Phulela and Treesa Jolly storm into finals of Syed Modi International Tournament in Lucknow.
<><><>
The cyclonic Storm Ditwah over Southwest Bay of Bengal is moving close to Coastal parts of Tamilnadu. Presently it is located 90 km southeast of Vedaranyam at Nagapattinam district, 120 km south southeast of Karaikal, 220 Km near Puducherry and 330 km south of Chennai. Due to the presence of Cyclone Ditwah, Port signal with danger signal number five has been hoisted at Nagapattinam and Karaikal ports. Port Signal number four has been hoisted at Chennai, Cuddalore, Ennore, Kattupalli, Puducherry, Pamban and Thoothukudi harbours. Alerts have been issued over SMS by the State Disaster Management Authority to people living in low lying areas to immediately move to safer places. 36 domestic flights and eleven international flights from Chennai airport stands cancelled tomorrow.
“According to the weather department, the eye of the Storm will be centered over Southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 60 km, 50 km and 25 km from Tamilnadu Coastline by midnight today for the next 24 hours. Red alert has been given to five districts including Nagapattinam and Cuddalore and delta areas. The Chairman of Tamilnadu Electricity Board Radhakrishnan has said that five EB units in cyclone prone areas around Chennai will be working full time. A toll free number has also been announced to receive complaints on power shortage or any untoward incident with regard to electricity. Orange and yellow alerts have been given for the districts as a preventive measure even as the Cyclonic Storm Ditwah travels parallel to the Coast line resulting in high waves and sea surge with gusty winds. Joy Akashvani News, Chennai.”
Cyclone Ditwah continues to cause rough sea conditions and heavy rainfall along the Puducherry and Karaikal coasts. At Nallavadu fishing village in Puducherry, sea waves have been rising to over 10 feet, resulting in coastal erosion. As a precaution, fishermen have shifted and anchored more than 500 boats about 50 feet away from the shoreline. Fishermen are not venturing into the sea and are securing their nets and boats. At Sunnambu Kaadu in Nonankuppam, boats have been tied to trees along the shore to prevent damage. In Karaikal, continuous heavy rain, squally winds and rough sea conditions have been reported since last night. A 30-member NDRF team from Arakkonam has arrived for rescue operations.
<><><>
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued cyclonic storm warning for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. IMD has informed that cyclonic storm over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving North – Northwest and is expected near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and South Andhra Pradesh Coast by early Morning tomorrow. In this regard,IMD has advised residents to follow safety instructions and stay indoors during severe weather.
<><><>
Sri Lanka’s disaster emergency worsened on Friday as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah rose to 153, with 191 people still missing. The Disaster Management Centre said that more than 774,000 people across all 25 districts have been affected, while over 100,000 are sheltered in 798 relief centres.
Indian and Sri Lankan air and ground teams are operating jointly, with helicopters conducting rapid extractions and delivering urgent supplies to cut-off areas.
Crucially, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency to speed up relief, rescue and rehabilitation as teams continue operations amid damaged roads, landslides and power outages.
“Cyclone Ditwah’s impact has left emergency teams racing against time as unstable weather and dangerous terrain continue to challenge rescue efforts in Sri Lanka. Across several districts, rescue teams are working around the clock, navigating washed-out roads, damaged bridges and isolated communities. India has stepped up assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with two Indian Navy helicopters rescuing eight people who had trapped by rising floodwaters in Pannala. A total of four Indian helicopters, including two deployed from INS Vikrant, are conducting evacuations, supply drops and medical missions alongside Sri Lankan forces. Meanwhile, the authorities warn that communication outages and blocked access routes are slowing assessments, even as medical teams attempt to reach vulnerable groups. At this crucial juncture, Indian High Commission has been assisting stranded Indian passengers at the Bandaranaike Airport in Colombo providing them with food, water and other assistance as severe air disruptions continue. Ahmed Muyeen Farooqi , AKASHVANI NEWS, Colombo.”
<><><>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired the All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police being held in Chhattisgarh. In a social media post, Mr. Modi said the first day of the DGP-IGP Conference in Raipur witnessed extensive deliberations on different aspects of India’s security system. He said this is a great forum to share best practices and innovations in this field.
The three-day conference began yesterday at the Indian Institute of Management in Nawa Raipur. The Prime Minister is taking part in various sessions scheduled under the conference today and tomorrow.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the Union Minister of State for Home, Directors General of Police from various States and Union Territories, as well as heads of Central Police Organisations, are attending the conference.
This year, the theme of the conference is Viksit Bharat: Security Dimensions. The deliberations are focusing on developing next-level security frameworks to safeguard citizens against new-age challenges. Detailed discussions are also being held on key national security issues, including Left-Wing Extremism, counter-terrorism, disaster management, women’s safety, and the use of forensic science and artificial intelligence in policing. During the conference, the Prime Minister will also present the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
<><><>
The Government has convened an all-party meeting in New Delhi tomorrow ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament beginning from Monday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will meet the floor leaders of political parties of both the Houses of Parliament. During the meeting, the government will seek cooperation from all political parties to ensure the smooth functioning of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the session. Talking to media in New Delhi, Mr Rijiju said that during the all party meeting, the government will listen to the views of all the parties. The Winter Session of Parliament will begin from the 1st of of next month and will continue till the 19th of December. During the session, several important legislations are scheduled to be taken up for discussion and passage.
<><><>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share his thoughts with the people of the country and abroad in the Mann Ki Baat programme on Akashvani at 11 AM tomorrow. It will be the 128th episode of the monthly radio programme. The programme will be broadcast across the entire Akashvani and Doordarshan network, the AIR News website, and the Newsonair mobile app. It will also be live-streamed on the YouTube channels of AIR News, DD News, the PMO, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Akashvani will broadcast the programme in regional languages immediately after the Hindi broadcast.
<><><>
The Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed three loan agreements worth over 800 million US dollars for projects in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. They include loan agreement worth 500 million US dollars for the Maharashtra Power Distribution Enhancement Programme for Agricultural Solarization, over 190 million US dollars Indore Metro Rail Project and loan agreement of around 110 million US dollars for Gujarat Skills Development Programme. These agreements were signed yesterday by Deputy Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Saurabh Singh and Country Director, India Resident Mission,Mio Oka. In Maharashtra, ADB-supported programme aims to modernise rural power infrastructure, promote distributed renewable energy generation, and improve agricultural productivity. The agreement for Indore Metro Project will finance construction of 8.62 kilometer underground metro line with seven stations, connecting congested areas of Indore to the airport.
<><><>
The GST Bachat Utsav began on the 22nd of September as the Narendra Modi government slashed GST rates in many sectors, benefiting citizens across the country. Our correspondent brings a report on how the next generation GST reforms are benefiting Arunachal Pradesh :
“The next-generation GST reforms are directly empowering artisans, farmers, and small entrepreneurs of Arunachal Pradesh. Under the new tax structure, juices, jams, large size cardamom, processed ginger and kiwi along with the state’s indigenous Yak Churpi are now taxed at 5 percent. This is making local produce cheaper and supporting the state’s farmers. Similarly, handicraft goods and traditional textiles produced by local artisans such as Idu Mishmi Textiles, Handmade Carpets, plywood along with Bamboo and Cane Furniture or Crafts now attract 5 percent tax. The tax reduction on these products is increasing artisans’ profits and supporting the sustainability of these traditional crafts. These reforms aim to make products more affordable for customers and increase sales, improve livelihoods, and revitalize Arunachal Pradesh’s economy. With Arzoo and Aman, Bhanu Pratap Singh, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
<><><>
Indian shuttler Kidambi Shrikant and the duo of Gayatri Gopichand Phulela and Treesa Jolly stormed into the finals of the Syed Modi International Badminton Tournament in Lucknow today. In men’s singles, Kidambi Shrikant stormed into the finals, with a three-game win 21-15, 19-21, 21-13 against Mithun Manjunath in an all-Indian semifinal. He will face Jason Gunawan of Hongkong in the final tomorrow.
In women’s doubles, top seed duo of Gayatri and Treesa also advanced into the finals. Defending Champions Treesa Jolly and Gayatri defeated Malaysian duo of Ong Xin Yee and Carmen Ting 21-11, 21-15 in the semifinal. The Indian duo will face Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe in the summit clash tomorrow.
<><><>
Indian Blind Women’s Cricket Team, winner of the first-ever T20 World Cup, today called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. On the occasion, President Murmu was presented an autographed cricket bat by the team. The President also congratulated the team members on winning the Blind Women’s T20 World Cup and said that their success would inspire others to scale new heights in their lives and careers. She also signed a cricket ball presented by the team.
<><><>
The three-match IDFC First Bank ODI cricket series between India and South Africa begins tomorrow. The first match will be played at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium in Ranchi to begin from 1:30 PM. Indian team captain KL Rahul said in a press conference that playing in Ranchi has always been special, being the home town of former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He added that the city has a great cricket fan base. Further Rahul said the Indian team is constantly working to overcome every challenge and the recent losses in Test series.
<><><>
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
- Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is moving close to Coastal parts of Tamilnadu; Red alert issued to five districts including Nagapattinam and Cuddalore and delta areas; 36 domestic flights and eleven international flights from Chennai airport cancelled tomorrow.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police being held in Chhattisgarh; Extensive deliberations on different aspects of India’s security system.
- Government convenes all-party meeting tomorrow ahead of Winter Session of Parliament beginning on Monday.
- Prime Minister Modi to share his thoughts in Mann Ki Baat programme on entire network of Akashvani at 11 AM tomorrow.
- Government and Asian Development Bank sign three loan agreements over 800 million US dollars for projects in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
- And, in Badminton, Kidambi Srikanth and duo of Gayatri Gopichand Phulela and Treesa Jolly storm into finals of Syed Modi International Tournament in Lucknow.
<><><>