ZIRO, SEP 20: An awareness programme on drug abuse and illicit trafficking was conducted at Lal Bahadur Shastri School, Hapoli, Ziro, on Sunday to sensitise students and teachers about the causes, harmful effects and consequences of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The programme was conducted by Inspector Amo Pansa, Officer-in-Charge of the Women Police Station, Ziro.
NEW DELHI, SEP 20: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday organised a special 45-minute interactive talkathon on the theme of “Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat”, bringing together experts, educators and students for an open conversation on substance abuse prevention, officials said. “At the core of this innovative initiative to engage directly with students through social media platforms like X, Instagram and YouTube, lies the idea, that for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat at 2047, it is pertinent to have a strong foundation in these children and young adults who will be the youth of tomorrow taking forward the mantle of Viksit Bharat and hence the importance of making healthy and responsible choices,” a senior official sad. CBSE invited questions on popular social media platforms from students on the subject using hashtags #NashaMuktYuva and #CBSETalkathon. The expert panel who answered the questions comprised of Dr Nand Kumar, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, New Delhi; Alka Awasthi, principal, Mayoor School, Noida and Anees C, Additional Director, Narcotics Control Bureau, New Delhi. “The questions raised included apprehensions about mental health, how to overcome peer pressure, vital steps for de-addiction etc. The panellists gave a patient hearing to the queries, as they came live on the social media platforms,” the official added. (PTI)
NEW DELHI, SEP 20: Payal Mehta, a senior journalist with CNN-News18, passed away in the early hours of Sunday in Mumbai. Mehta (46) was on a visit to Mumbai when she developed uneasiness early in the morning. She was rushed to a hospital, where she later passed away. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and other Union ministers condoled Mehta’s death. In a post on X, senior journalist Sheela Bhatt said, “On a visit to Mumbai, she developed uneasiness. Around 2 am she was taken to the hospital. Before any treatment could be administered, her pulse went silent”. Mehta was known as a hard-working journalist who covered the Parliament, the government and the BJP. (PTI)
ANINI, SEP 20: Urban Affairs, Land Management and Civil Aviation minister Balo Raja reviewed the ongoing urban development and land management works in Dibang Valley at a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall here on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Mopi Mihu, MLA-cum-Advisor to the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Geology and Mining, and Deputy Commissioner Yashwant Meena. Officials of the concerned departments presented the status of ongoing works, developmental initiatives and key issues relating to urban development and land management in the district. Raja reviewed the progress of various initiatives and interacted with officials on planned urban development, effective land management and improvement of civic infrastructure. He stressed the need for greater coordination among departments and timely execution of developmental works for the overall growth of the district. Mihu highlighted key developmental requirements of Dibang Valley and stressed sustained efforts to strengthen infrastructure and public amenities in the district. The meeting was attended by Urban Development Executive Engineer Alom Apang, In-charge District Land Records Settlement Officer Anmol Singh and other officers and officials of the concerned departments. (DIPR)
TAWANG, SEP 20: The Arunachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Tawang, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), has launched an awareness and training programme on Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risks for communities living downstream of high-risk glacial lakes in the Mago area under Thingbu Circle. The campaign commenced at Mago village, covering vulnerable downstream habitations, including Duri, as well as the Indian Army camp in the area. Residents were briefed on the location, altitude and distance of identified high-risk glacial lakes from their settlements and the potential threats posed by a sudden glacial lake outburst. Senior Consultant Dr Bhupen Mili explained the causes and mechanism of GLOFs, their possible impact on downstream settlements and the estimated time floodwaters could take to reach Duri village, the Army camp and other vulnerable locations following an outburst. Participants were sensitised on identifying safe evacuation routes and designated safe locations, following systematic evacuation procedures and preparing community-level evacuation plans to minimise risks to lives and property. Deputy Director, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Dorjee Khandu, informed the gathering that seven high-risk glacial lakes have been identified in the Mago area, of which six share a common downstream drainage system passing through several villages, including Duri. Khandu stressed the need for locally suitable and effective early-warning mechanisms to ensure that alerts reach residents in time. He also emphasised prompt dissemination of warnings to downstream settlements in the event of a GLOF, particularly as Duri would be among the first settlements likely to be affected by floodwaters. Referring to recent devastating flood incidents in the Himalayan region, Khandu urged residents of vulnerable areas to remain prepared and, wherever necessary, gradually shift towards safer locations. He said that while disasters of such magnitude cannot always be prevented, preparedness, effective early warning and timely evacuation can significantly reduce risks to lives and property. Tawang District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Gendan Tsomu urged villagers to participate sincerely in the training and make full use of the life-saving techniques imparted by the resource persons. She also appealed to participants to share the knowledge and skills gained with their families and the wider community to ensure that preparedness reaches every household. The SDRF team, led by Sangey Thinley, subsequently conducted hands-on training in first aid, basic search and rescue techniques and the use of rescue equipment. Demonstrations were followed by mock drills, giving participants practical experience in responding to emergency situations. The programme has so far covered residents of Mago, Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel stationed at Mago, people from the Thingbu Hydel area, and residents of New Maling and Tongsheng villages. The awareness and capacity-building drive will be extended to other vulnerable downstream settlements, including Phonda, Chaksam, Grenkhar and Dungshengmang, with the objective of strengthening community preparedness and coordinated response to potential GLOF emergencies. The initiative highlights the importance of community awareness, early warning, preparedness and coordinated response in safeguarding lives and property in Tawang’s vulnerable high-altitude areas. (DIPR)
TAWANG, SEP 20: A heritage trekking initiative, the ‘Salt Trek’, was organised in Tawang on Saturday to commemorate the resilience and legacy of Monpa ancestors who once traversed the rugged high-altitude mountains to trade for salt and other essential commodities from Tibet. The trek was flagged off by Tawang MLA Namgey Tsering from Griptsang Lake near Nagula and covered around 5.5 km before culminating at Chhu-shet Gyengo near Klemta Lake. More than 100 participants, including the MLA, Tawang Zilla Parishad Member Sonam Nordzin, Indian Army personnel, students, youths and trekking enthusiasts, took part in the heritage journey. Organised by the Monyul Heritage Tourism and Winter Sports Society in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Tawang, and Monpa Media Mates, with support from the Indian Army, the initiative formed part of the activities marking World Tourism Day. During the trek, resource persons Gaon Burah Bomba Bumteng Dorjee Tsering and Phurpa Gombu shared insights into the ancient trade route, pilgrimage sites and oral traditions associated with the region. Participants were encouraged to preserve traditional place names and document local folklore, stories and historical accounts before they are lost over time. Addressing the gathering, Namgey Tsering described the trek as an effort to reconnect the present generation with the history and hardships of their ancestors. He urged the younger generation to take pride in Monpa heritage and contribute to preserving its traditions, oral history and cultural identity. The MLA also highlighted the tourism potential of the ancient route and expressed hope that it could emerge as a destination for heritage and adventure tourism, attracting visitors interested in trekking, history, culture and Tawang’s natural landscape. Environmental responsibility was also emphasised during the programme, with participants urged to maintain the pristine condition of the high-altitude trail and follow the principle of “Leave No Waste Behind”. At the conclusion of the trek, successful participants were felicitated with traditional khadas. A display of traditional objects, including baskets, horse saddles, walking sticks, a traditional matchbox, silver coins and samples of white and rock salt, offered a glimpse into the material culture and everyday life of earlier generations. Participants were also encouraged to document Tawang’s culture, history, cuisine and heritage through reels, podcasts and other digital platforms. They were informed about opportunities such as the GEMS OF INDIA Contest of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to showcase the region’s stories at the national level. The Salt Trek served as a journey into the collective memory of Monyul, retracing a challenging route once traversed by generations of Monpa ancestors. The initiative underscored the importance of preserving the region’s ancestral trade routes, oral history, folklore and cultural traditions for future generations. (Source: Mon Darpan)
NEW DELHI, SEP 19: Domestic LPG consumers will be required to complete Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) to continue booking cooking gas refills at the regulated price with government subsidy from October 1, 2026, according to an official statement on Saturday. According to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, the decision is aimed at ensuring that subsidised LPG reaches eligible households while preventing diversion of domestic cylinders for commercial and industrial use. The government said linking LPG connections with Aadhaar-authenticated consumers would help eliminate duplicate and ineligible connections and improve the targeting of subsidies. However, consumers who have already completed biometric Aadhaar authentication will not be required to undergo the process again and can continue booking refills as usual. Those who have not completed authentication will be able to access subsidised refills only after the process is completed, it added. Consumers can complete BAA through multiple channels. Authentication can be carried out during LPG cylinder delivery using a mobile application operated by the delivery personnel at LPG distributor showrooms or through the mobile applications of oil marketing companies, the government said. Moreover, Indane customers can use IndianOil ONE, Bharatgas consumers can access HelloBPCL, while HP Gas users can complete the process through HP PAY. Consumers who do not wish to complete BAA will continue to receive LPG supplies, but only at the applicable market price without subsidy. Such consumers will need to register their preference through their oil marketing company’s digital platforms, including web portals, mobile applications, WhatsApp chatbots, IVRS systems or other available channels. They will be supplied 5-kg or 10-kg cylinders, subject to local availability. According to official data, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers had completed biometric Aadhaar authentication as of September 19 which represents almost 90 per cent of the consumer base. The government noted that oil marketing companies have been conducting a nationwide outreach campaign since October 2023, including SMS and WhatsApp messages, field visits by distributors and delivery staff, special enrolment camps, IVRS reminders and awareness campaigns across digital and traditional media. The government also noted that the implicit subsidy on a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder stood at around Rs 210 in September 2026. It added that directing subsidies only to genuine beneficiaries was essential for sustaining the programme amid mounting under-recoveries borne by public sector oil marketing companies. (Source: IANS)
NEW DELHI, SEP 20: The Congress on Sunday flagged the issue of large-scale deletions during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission, alleging that the SIR is actually a massive “Shah Instigated Removal” of voters and an “assault on the Constitution”. The opposition party said there is abundant evidence to prove that large-scale deletions across states are overwhelmingly those of voters belonging to the most economically and socially disadvantaged and deprived sections of the society. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Election Commission of India (ECI) began Phase-1 of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the electoral rolls in June 2025 in Bihar and subsequently Phase-2 was launched in November 2025 across nine states and three Union Territories (UTs). In Phase-1 and Phase-2, names of 7.8 crore voters were deleted, Ramesh said in a statement. The deletion rate as a proportion of the pre-SIR electoral roll works out to 13%, he said. Phase-3 commenced in 16 states and three UTs in mid-2026, he said. Ramesh pointed out that in this on-going phase-3, according to the data on 12 states and two UTs, names of 6.18 crore voters out of a total of 36.06 crore have been deleted. “The deletion rate works out to over 17% 2. An additional 5.43 crore voters have been issued notices demanding additional documentation to have their names retained on the electoral roll. The risk of deletion rate works to another 15%. This is an unusually high proportion that reflects structural flaws in the entire SIR process,” Ramesh said. After such a large round of deletion, how can there still be so many additional voters who need to “be verified”, he asked. “Thus, a staggering 32% (or about one in three) of voters have had their names deleted or face risk of deletion. The state-wise picture on this measure is as follows: Delhi (53.73%). Chandigarh (52.58%), Jharkhand (39.57%), Uttarakhand (35.71%), Meghalaya (35.36%), Maharashtra (33.88%), Telangana (48.90%), Karnataka (27.6%), Haryana (37.5%), Odisha (23.67%), Andhra Pradesh (21.17%) and Punjab (15.23%). 4. The list of voters facing risk of deletion in Karnataka, Telangana and Jharkhand was made publicly available so voters can check if they are on it “Delhi made this list available publicly only on September 19th 2026 and that too only in response to public pressure. Other BJP-ruled states as well as Punjab have not done so till now,” he said. There is abundant evidence to prove that large-scale deletions across states are overwhelmingly those of voters belonging to the most economically and socially disadvantaged and deprived sections of our society, Ramesh alleged. In most major states, more women than men have been deleted from the electoral roll during the SIR process, he claimed. With this SIR, the state has abdicated its responsibility and shifted the burden onto citizens to produce documents it may never have provided them, he said in his statement. A test that the overwhelming majority of citizens cannot pass is just a “machine for exclusion”, Ramesh said. “SIR is actually a massive Shah Instigated Removal of voters. It is an assault on our Constitution,” the Congress general secretary said in an apparent reference to Home Minister Amit Shah. Tagging his statement on X, Ramesh said, “SIR is actually a Shah Instigated Removal of voters on a massive scale. Here is a statement on this brazen assault on our Constitution itself.” Opposition parties had dubbed the SIR as a ploy to target electors not aligned to the BJP and its allies. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the revision, being held after 22 years, will cleanse the voters’ list of ineligible people, duplicate entries and include those eligible as per law to vote. (Source: PTI)
IMPHAL, SEP 20: Violent protests by a section of people from the Kuki community broke out in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district over the alleged detention of six villagers by security forces, officials said on Sunday. The protests continued from 10 pm on Saturday to around midnight in Motbung and other nearby areas, during which the agitators burnt tyres on the roads and pelted stones at government vehicles, they said. The agitators claimed that the six villagers from Kholen were detained by security forces without giving any reason. Kholen, located close to the Naga-dominated Chawangkining village in the district, had recently come under attack by armed miscreants. Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, who also dug portions of the National Highway-2 (Imphal to Dimapur) at Motbung by using heavy construction equipment to prevent movement of vehicles of security forces, the officials said. A few agitators suffered injuries during the demonstrations and have been admitted to a local hospital, they said. A senior official said the detained village volunteers were subsequently released by the security forces, following which the protests ended. The situation is under control now, he added. (Source: PTI)
Staff Reporter ITANAGAR, SEP 19: The All Arunachal Pradesh Unemployed Nurses’ Association (AAPUNA) has opposed the proposed 70:30 recruitment formula for Nursing Officers by the All Arunachal Pradesh Contractual Nursing Officers’ Association (AAPCNOA), calling for equal opportunity and merit-based recruitment through the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). It urged the authorities not to withhold the APPSC examination for Nursing Officers. Addressing the media at the Arunachal Press Club here on Saturday, AAPUNA general secretary Damter Gamlin said there was no justification for adopting a 70:30 seniority-based recruitment formula when 462 contractual nurses had already been regularised in 2025 without examination. Gamlin said the current examination was meant to fill the remaining 30 per cent vacancies on merit through the APPSC, but contractual nurses were seeking 70 per cent out of the remaining vacancies, which, she said, raised serious concerns. The association demanded that the remaining regular vacancies be filled through APPSC examination and that eligible contractual Nursing Officers also be allowed to compete in the same examination. AAPUNA also called for transparent implementation of the 2024 Recruitment Rules, which provide for recruitment of Nursing Officers through APPSC examination. It urged that any amendment or new recruitment rules should not dilute the examination-based recruitment process. The association further opposed preferential treatment in recruitment on the grounds of age, pregnancy, marriage, children or family responsibilities, stating that many unemployed nursing aspirants also have family responsibilities while preparing for competitive examinations. Regarding regularisation of contractual Nursing Officers, AAPUNA sought clarity on the basis for any further regularisation, particularly where contractual appointments were made with terms and conditions concerning future regularisation. The association also urged the authorities not to withhold the APPSC examination for Nursing Officers, stating that thousands of qualified and unemployed nursing graduates were waiting for an oportunity to compete for regular posts. AAPUNA questioned why regular competitive examinations for Nursing Officers had not been conducted despite the continuing requirement for nursing personnel, and why qualified nurses were being engaged on contractual appointments for prolonged periods instead of following a regular recruitment system. It also sought clarification on why the required recruitment examination syllabus had not yet been provided to APPSC, if applicable, and asked the government to spell out its long-term policy for recruitment of Nursing Officers. The association appealed to the Health Department, Chief Minister, APPSC and other concerned authorities to ensure a transparent, examination-based recruitment mechanism and equal opportunity for eligible candidate.