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NAMSAI, OCT 3: A meeting of the District Road Safety Committee (DRSC) with the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIPC), IIT Delhi, was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall here on Saturday to discuss road safety issues and measures in Namsai district. The meeting was chaired by Namsai Additional Deputy Commissioner. Namsai Superintendent of Police and Public Works Department (PWD) Highway officials made presentations highlighting key road safety issues and concerns in the district. Members of the DRSC also shared their suggestions and observations on improving road safety. Representatives of TRIPC, IIT Delhi, made a presentation on road safety and provided technical inputs and perspectives for strengthening road safety measures in the district. The meeting facilitated an exchange of views among district authorities, DRSC members, PWD Highway officials and TRIPC representatives, with a focus on strengthening road safety initiatives in Namsai.  

NEW DELHI, OCT 1: The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to expedite efforts to achieve saturation of drinking water coverage in eligible tribal villages and habitations under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA), according to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) held its second follow-up review and convergence meeting on Wednesday to assess progress on the commitments made by states and UTs to ensure drinking water coverage in all eligible PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA villages. The meeting was chaired by DDWS Secretary Ashok K K Meena and attended by senior officials of the National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), Ministry of Tribal Affairs, state rural water supply and public health engineering departments, tribal welfare departments and other stakeholders. A dedicated provision of Rs 5,000 crore under JJM 2.0 has been earmarked to address drinking water gaps in PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA villages, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The review focused on harmonising data between tribal welfare departments and Jal Jeevan Mission databases, identifying uncovered villages and habitations, preparing technically sound proposals and jointly validating and certifying coverage. Meena stressed that regular reviews of PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA villages should be conducted through District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) meetings chaired by deputy commissioners or district magistrates. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has undertaken a state-wise SurveySetu exercise, including household-level verification of functional household tap connection status. States have been advised to present the SurveySetu findings jointly before the DWSM through representatives of water supply departments, tribal welfare departments and the survey agency. The Centre has also asked states to identify left-out habitations based on SurveySetu findings and jointly prepare proposals supported by duly authenticated DPR checklists. NJJM’s technical division stressed the need for realistic population projections, adherence to prescribed service levels, adequate provisions for source sustainability and water security, and reasonable per-Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) costs backed by technical justification. Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary and Managing Director, NJJM, said joint ownership at the state level was also reiterated during the meeting. State rural water supply and PHE and tribal welfare departments will jointly prepare and present proposals before a joint committee co-chaired by the secretaries of DDWS and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, he said. At the district level, the DWSM chaired by the deputy commissioner or district magistrate will serve as the key platform for validation and decision-making, with participation of the survey agency and concerned departments, Soan said. During the meeting, state-wise progress and observations on proposals already received were reviewed. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Kerala and Manipur were advised to address observations relating to LGD code validation, DPR documentation, service levels and per-FHTC costs, while Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Assam were asked to act on observations already communicated by DDWS. Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh indicated that they will submit proposals covering identified PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA villages during October. The states and UTs will establish a common validated database by harmonising PM-JANMAN, DA-JGUA, SurveySetu and JJM-IMIS records, the ministry said. The exercise aims to ensure that every eligible tribal village and habitation gets reliable and sustainable drinking water services through data harmonisation, district-level validation, joint planning, timely submission of proposals and certification of saturation. (Source: PTI)    

NEW DELHI, SEP 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that Census is a national responsibility, urging citizens to self-enumerate online to ensure accurate data for planning the nation’s future. In his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat, he noted that so far more than 2.6 crore people have entered their details on the Census portal via mobile phones, completing the self-enumeration. “Census is a national responsibility for all of us. It is important for the nation as accurate information about you and your family helps create a precise picture of the country’s future,” he said. The prime minister said the online self-registration facility is highly convenient, allowing citizens to easily enter information for themselves and their families directly from their mobile phones. Along with Hindi, this facility is available in 16 regional languages, he said. “A grand picture of the nation is currently emerging. This picture includes you, your family and even your neighbours. I am referring to India’s Census. The first phase of this exercise is nearly complete across all states and union territories,” he said. Modi said data of over 32 crore families has already been recorded and work is currently underway also in the remote, snow-clad regions of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. “To do this, you need to visit the Census online portal. The portal is se.census.gov.in log in using your mobile number, enter your location, fill in the details regarding your family and submit the information,” he said. The prime minister said the entire process takes about 15 to 20 minutes and for that no document is required to upload. “After submitting the information, you will receive a special ID. You can share this ID with the Census enumerator when they visit your home. After the information you provided is verified, it will become part of the Census record,” he said. In his radio broadcast, the prime minister also spoke about protecting the environment and animals. Modi said when people protect the environment, they do not merely save plants or animals; they strengthen that entire ecosystem. He said some initiatives taking place in various parts of the country are beautifully highlighting this sentiment. Referring to the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, he said there was a time when elephants used to inhabit this area, but as human interference on forest land increased, the elephants moved away. He said three years ago, this land was cleared of encroachment, and the results have been remarkable – the elephants have returned here again. “Herds of elephants are once again being spotted in areas where they had not been active for years,” he said. Modi said another wonderful initiative has taken place in Assam itself – this effort is to save a tiny creature, the Pygmy Hog. “Once, its very existence was under threat; at that time, a conservation programme was launched with just six Pygmy Hogs, and they were reintroduced into the wild. Grasslands were also curated for their living. Today, thanks to this program, the Pygmy Hog population has risen to over 190,” he said. The prime minister said the relationship of humans with nature is not limited merely to its preservation as often, when people care for nature, it becomes a source of sustenance for own lives. He said in Sundarbans of West Bengal, some women are setting an inspiring example of this very bond and some women from Jharkhali are creating mangrove forests. “Most of them are women who lost their husbands to tiger attacks. After losing their husbands, they found a means of livelihood within the Sundarbans itself,” he said. The prime minister said the mangroves they have planted are now serving as a natural protective shield for their villages, while also providing them with an income. “Friends, let us conserve the environment, respect the balance of nature, and safeguard its diversity. Every such effort of ours is a responsibility we owe to future generations,” he said. Referring to his announcement from Red Fort about a talent hunt campaign for sports, Modi said in Punjab, hockey player Rajinder Singh is doing commendable work. He said Singh is one such individual who carries the title ‘Senior’ as part of his name and was part of a team that won the gold medal in hockey at the 1980 Olympics. “Now, he is pursuing his passion through the Round Glass Hockey Academy. Thanks to his efforts, new hockey astro-turfs are being laid in villages. Rajinder ji has a very clear focus: identifying children in villages that lack access to excellent coaching facilities. “Through such initiatives, many players are securing spots at India’s junior and senior levels,” he said lauding Singh’s efforts. The prime minister also noted that September is dedicated to the fight against malnutrition and during the month, individuals and organisations from various sectors come together for this noble cause. “Several commendable initiatives have been launched this year to combat malnutrition,” he said and referred to initiatives taken for the cause in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Mizoram. Modi said such efforts are truly praiseworthy and he is proud of everyone associated with Anganwadi centres. “These Anganwadi centres are now digitally connected via the ‘Poshan Tracker,’ with approximately nine crore beneficiaries registered on the platform. “This has enabled better care for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. We must continue this fight against malnutrition with the same spirit; we have to make our society completely free from malnutrition,” he said. (Source: PTI)  

NEW DELHI, SEP 26: The Environment Ministry’s expert panel has given key approval to a hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh that could cause diversion of more than 2,700 hectares (ha) of forest land and cutting of over 1.35 lakh trees, resulting in a severe impact on the region’s ecosystem. The project’s site inspection report says the effect can be “minimised” by planting trees in an area double the forest land being diverted for construction purposes. However, afforestation has been proposed on degraded forest land in Madhya Pradesh — around 1,700 kilometres away from the proposed project site. Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, when forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes, an equivalent patch of non-forest land must be identified in the same region for afforestation. If such land is unavailable, a replacement site can be found elsewhere. Also, in case non-forest land cannot be identified, afforestation can take place on degraded forest land twice the extent of the area proposed to be diverted. Due to the unavailability of non-forest land in Arunachal Pradesh, 5,4660 ha of degraded forest land in 18 districts of Madhya Pradesh has been identified for compensatory afforestation, according to the project’s environment impact assessment (EIA) report, prepared in June this year. The proposed project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited was recommended for the grant of environment clearance (EC) by the ministry’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) during its meeting held on August 31. The EAC observed that the proposed tree felling may have implications for forest structure, habitat continuity, biodiversity, wildlife movement, and associated ecosystems, according to the minutes of the meeting. The site inspection report also notes that the proposed project site hosts several schedule-1 species (endangered or high-priority animals) such as Himalayan black bear, Himalayan serow, clouded leopard, and Asiatic wild dog. The project, which is 10.6 kilometres away from Nidak Danyi Wildlife Sanctuary, could impact the migration of these animals, the report adds. The EAC has given its recommendation to the project based on several conditions. This includes getting stage-I (in-principle) approval for forest land diversion from the ministry’s forest advisory committee (FAC). The stage-I clearance stipulates conditions, including compensatory afforestation, which must be fulfilled before stage-II — formal diversion approval. (Source: PTI)  

NEW DELHI, SEP 25: The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in specified areas of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for another six months from October 1, according to Gazette notifications published on Friday. The AFSPA, which gives special powers to the Armed Forces, will remain in effect in these areas for six months from October 1, unless withdrawn earlier, the notification said. In Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the “disturbed area” declaration across the state, excluding areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five districts. The excluded areas are those under the jurisdictions of Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West District; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district and Kakching police station in Kakching district. In Nagaland, the AFSPA has been extended in nine districts: Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri. They have been declared “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the Act, the notification said. The notification also covers areas under 21 police stations in five other districts in Nagaland: Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto. In Arunachal Pradesh, the AFSPA has been extended in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts. The order also covers areas under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district bordering Assam. The notification said the decisions followed a “further review of the law and order situation” in the three states. The orders cite Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which empowers the Central government to declare specified areas as “disturbed areas.” (Source: PTI)