05.01.21

Focus on digital infrastructure, road projects to boost development in Arunachal: CM Pema Khandu

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The Arunachal Pradesh government is focusing on strengthening digital and construction of roads during the current calendar year to improve connectivity and boost development in the northeastern state, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said. The authorities will emphasise on completion of two vital projects in 2022 Tali road in Kra Daadi district and Miao-Vijaynagar in Changlang, he said.

Tali and Vijaynagar are yet to be connected by roads. Under the digital connectivity programme, various core infrastructure projects, including National Optical Fibre Network, State Wide Area Network, Supervisory Development Centre and National Knowledge Network are in progress in the state,

STF seeks spl forensic unit for study of wildlife parts

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The special task force (STF) of the Crime Branch has urged the state Police to explore the feasibility of opening a special unit to conduct forensic examination of wildlife parts. At present, theSTFsends the seized or recovered wildlife parts to theWildlife Institute of India(WII) in Dehradun for forensic examination.

Though the STFs main mandate is to curb organised crimes and drug trafficking in the state, protection of endangered wildlife species and crackdown against wildlife smugglers has also remained its focus area.

Experts said there is a need to sensitise enforcement agencies in wildlife crime scene investigation and proper collection of evidence through regular training and workshops.

Tamil Nadu aim to help Foxconn fix things

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When reports about labour unrest trickled in fromi-phone makerFoxconns facility atSriperumbudurlate last month, the Nadugovernment moved in swiftly.
With a grand agenda to make Tamil Nadu a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the state could not afford to send any wrong signal to global investors even though the issue was only between the companys contractors and a section of the workers over the food served and living conditions.

For the record, Tamil Nadu has the largest number of employees in the organised sector across the country. The state always had good industrial relations that came in handy to market it as a destination for global investors.

The process is now on with the district collectors forming committees and officials inspecting the sites, certifying the hostels based on safety and hygiene and limiting the number of Women assigned per room.

Kerala: Maintenance alone to cost Rs 5,420 crore for first 10 years

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The maintenance cost of the proposedSilverLine semi high-speed railcorridor project for the first 10 years alone will run up to Rs 5,420 crore, indicating the huge liability it brings on the state.
According to the executive summary of its detailed project report (DPR), the project is estimated to cost Rs 63,940.67 crore, of which Rs 33,626.97 crore is expenditure excluding land cost. It says the maintenance cost will go up to Rs 694 crore/year after 10 years while salaries and benefits to employees are estimated at Rs 271 crore/year.

The project has led to a major showdown between the government and opposition, with both sides sticking to their stands and deciding to directly present their arguments to people. There were reports of opposition to the project even within theLDF.

MM Hills sanctuary all set to become a tiger reserve

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:MM Hills Wildlifesanctuary is inching closer to become a tiger reserve. Following necessary approval from both the Centre and (NTCA) in July, which was delayed due to the pandemic, now forest department sources claim the State Government may notify the wildlife sanctuary as a tiger reserve anytime soon.

As a formal notification from the state government is needed to get more funds for protection of tigers as well as for conservation, to avoid poaching and man animal conflict in the tiger reserve, the forest department is expecting the notification from the state government soon. The state board for wildlife has approved the proposal.

The sactuary is spread over 90,618.75 hectares with a core of 670.95 sq km and a buffer zone of 235.19 sq km. Becoming a tiger reserve will help the forest department get an additional Rs 25 crore to Rs 30 crore annually which can be used to mitigate man animal conflict, set up anti-poaching camps and install more camera traps.

After infrastructure boost, 2021 saw max organ donations in Telangana

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The last year saw a jump inorgan donations, surpassing all previous years since the launch of the Jeevandan cadaver transplantation programme in the state in 2013.

As compared to 75 donors in 2020, there was 162 donors in 2021, accounting for 616 organs donated. In fact, in the last two months of the year, maximum donations were made.

In 2013, when the Jeevandan cadaver transplantation programme was launched, there were 41 organ donations. Donations rose in 2018 to 160 and took a hit in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, after the first wave, improvement in ritical care set-up in government hospitals fuelled better opportunity for organ donations.

VMRDA gets ready for beach corridor project

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TheVisakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authorityis planning to go ahead with the enabling works of the Bheemili-Bhogapuram greenfield beach road corridor.

According to the VMRDA officials, the project will involve land acquisition to the tune of 346 acres in 9 villages lying adjacent to the proposed project. The land acquisition alone is expected to cost about 942 crore. The has accorded its approval for the land acquisition.

The proposed six-lane road spans about 20.2 kilometres in length, and passes through Kongavanipalem, Kancheru, Kancherupalem, Annavaram, Chippada, Mulakuddu, Kummaripalem, Bheemunipatnam villages on the beachfront.

The corridor will provide avenues for development of a wide variety of tourist attractions, logistic hubs, urban and social development projects, service industries, etc. along with the road project.

Navy inks pact with Goa tourism corp for aircraft museum at Merces

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The IndianNavyhas signed an agreement with the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) under which a decommissioned Soviet-era Ilyush 38 Sea Dragon (IL-38SD)aircraftwill be handed over for creation of amuseum. The long range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft will be placed near the Merces junction close to the under construction district court complex as an attraction for tourists and local residents.

According to sources, the GTDC could lay the foundation stone for the museum on January 4. The aircraft itself will be transported at a later stage after being partially dismantled.

The GTDC had expressed its interest to the INDIAN NAVY, for possession of such aircraft, and the latter subsequently agreed for the same, as a gift to Goa on the occasion of its 60th year of Liberation.

Maharashtra tops in cybercrime against minors; cases up 196%

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Maharashtrasaw a 196% rise in cyber offences against children from 2019 to 2020, making it displace UP nationally in this crime metric as the number one state. Worryingly, just one person was convicted in the country out of 116 arrested for cyberstalking children in 2020, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Maharashtra, with 207 cases of cybercrime against minors in 2020, is followed by UP (197), Karnataka (144), Kerala (126), Odisha (71), and Andhra Pradesh (52). Nationally, a 261% rise in cyber offences against children was registered in 2020.

According to the NCRB’s 2020 report, 50,035 cyber offences across all categories were registered in the country, up from 44,546 in 2019. A total of 18,420 persons were arrested and 18,189 charge-sheeted, but only 1,369 convicted. In Maharashtra, 1,735 were arrested and 1,238 charge-sheeted, while only two were convicted. In Mumbai, 450 people were arrested for cyber offences, though 223 were charge-sheeted and just two convicted.

In 2 years, 308 units penalised Rs40 cr for groundwater misuse

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After the intervention of the (NGT), the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has imposed a fine of around Rs 40 crore on 308 industrial units, including stone crushers and, for illegal groundwater extraction in the past two years.

In Charkhi Dadri, as many as 278 stone crushers have been fined Rs 31.67 crore but none has paid it so far. A stone crusher at Kheri Battar has been fined Rs 1.23 crore, while another in the same area has been penalised Rs 1.05 crore.

The compensation has been calculated as per a notification of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), dated September 28, 2020, which was brought in compliance with the directions given in the NGT order in Shailesh Singhs case on July 20, 2020.