Guwahati, July 4 (IANS) The flood situation in the northeastern state of Assam has further deteriorated as eight fresh deaths were reported, taking the toll to 46, an official said on Wednesday, adding over 15 lakh people have been affected so far.

An Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) official said that on Wednesday, two persons died in Sonitpur district and one each died in Dibrugarh, Darrang, Golaghat, Biswanath, Tinsukia and Morigaon districts.

According to ASDMA officials, the flood also inundated over 39,451 hectares of crop areas in 2,800 villages.

Over 11.20 lakh domestic animals were also badly affected in the current flood.

The Brahmaputra, Barak, and all their tributaries are flowing above the danger level in many places. The flood damaged 74 roads, 14 embankments, and 6 bridges.

The state government has opened 515 relief camps where around 26,000 people took shelter, while 359 more relief distribution centres are also functioning in different districts.

Many national and state disaster response forces teams have also been deployed for rescue and relief operations.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the flood scenario in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on Tuesday.

The park authorities issued traffic diversions to ensure the safety of animals. The movement of heavy commercial vehicles through the park has been restricted.

Sarma also visited the flood-affected Golaghat district.

He said that several battalions of NDRF and SDRF were working to deal with the situation.

“We have taken help from the Indian Air force wherever required. We have decided to carry out a damage assessment and provide relief to the flood affected people by August 15,” the Chief Minister said.

He said: “To carry out this exercise, ministers will fan out in different districts and camp for three days. I will go to Barak Valley for a couple of days. In September-October, we will be able to allocate funds for the damaged infrastructure and get the same repaired by March next year.”

–IANS

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Ramanagar, (Karnataka), July 4 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar on Wednesday dismissed allegations of any wrong-doings in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allocation as he asserted that there have been no scams during the Congress government’s tenure in the state.

Talking to reporters after a ‘Government at your doorstep’ programme in the taluk, he said: “All the scams that the state witnessed have taken place during the BJP tenure. We will respond to all the allegations during the (Assembly) session.”

The BJP is demanding resignation of CM Siddaramaiah alleging his role in the alleged MUDA scam.

Reacting to Union Minister and JD-S leader H.D. Kumaraswamy’s ‘Jana Samparka’ programmes in Mandya district, Shivakumar said: “Let him do it. It is good for the people if leaders do programmes like this, even if it is a copy of someone else.”

To a query on the announcement of candidates for bypolls, he said: “Let the election dates be announced. Then the candidates will come and file nominations.”

Asked about BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda’s allegation that Shivakumar was behind his arrest, the Deputy CM said: “It is a good thing if he is remembering me.”

Gowda had alleged that Shivakumar had lured him to defame former PM Dave Gowda’s family in sex video case and he was arrested when he refused to do so.

Shivakumar also said that Channapatna town will become Bengaluru under his leadership.

“We are all from Bengaluru district. We were in Bengaluru and we are in Bengaluru. We don’t have to lose the name, wait for a couple of days. You may check the textbooks on all our origins. Hosakote, Devanahalli, Magadi, Kanakapura, all surrounding cities of state capital, all belong to Bengaluru.”

On Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s promise that he would make Ramanagara and Channapatna twin cities, he said: “He was the Chief Minister twice, why did he not fulfil his promises. I will keep my word.”

–IANS

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Bhubaneswar, July 4 (IANS) Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Aditya Madhi passed away on Wednesday following a prolonged illness. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over the tragic and untimely death of Madhi.

“Madhi as an MLA had made significant contributions towards the development of Malkangiri. He also played a major role in strengthening the party in Malkangiri district. Madhi will always remain in the memories of the people of Malkangiri as a popular leader,” said CM Majhi in his condolence message.

Madhi, 50, represented the Malkangiri Assembly constituency in the Odisha Assembly from 2019 to 2024.

The BJP leader had earlier faced defeat two times in 2009 and 2014 Assembly polls.

The party had denied a ticket to Madhi in the elections to the state assembly this time.

He was reportedly suffering from some kidney-related ailment and also underwent a kidney transplant two years ago.

Madhi breathed his last on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at the AIIMS, Bhubaneswar here.

–IANS

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Jaipur, July 3 (IANS) Rajasthan Police have arrested three main accused in paper leak cases, including a woman government teacher, who were absconding for the past many months.

Those arrested include Om Prakash Dhaka and Sunil Beniwal, who were nabbed from Hyderabad, and Shami Bishnoi, a government teacher.

A police team from Jodhpur arrested Dhaka and Beniwal from Hyderabad and brought them to Jaipur on Wednesday. All three accused have been handed over to the Special Operations Group of the Rajasthan Police.

Dhaka was carrying a reward of Rs 75,000, while Shami Bishnoi and Sunil Beniwal were carrying rewards of Rs 70,000 and Rs 25,000, respectively.

Jodhpur IG Vikas Kumar said that Dhaka and Beniwal were hiding in a flat in Hyderabad from where they were caught, while Bishnoi was nabbed from the Barsana village in Bharatpur district.

The officer also said that the police were chasing the three accused persons for the last two months.

After they received input about two of the accused hiding at a flat in Hyderabad, police personnel disguised as LPG cylinder delivery boy reached there. As soon as they opened the door, the duo was arrested.

Similarly, Bishnoi was spotted at a few temples in Barsana, from where the police arrested her and brought her to Jaipur.

While Dhaka is one of the main accused in cases of paper leak by a gang led by Jagdish Vishnoi, Shami Bishnoi arranged dummy candidates. She also appeared as dummy candidate herself in many exams.

Beniwal also appeared as a dummy candidate and arranged for the same.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the state’s economy is now worth half-a-trillion dollar, and it is growing “very fast”.

Speaking in the state council, Fadnavis said: “Maharashtra consistently ranked number one in attracting investments during 2014-19 and has again regained the number one position during the MahaYuti rule.”

His statement assumes significance as the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led state government has set an ambitious target to become a $1 trillion economy by 2028.

Devendra Fadnavis said that the state has been leading in various fields, especially when the state government has been implementing schemes for the common people in various sectors such as industry, employment, agriculture, youth, and the underprivileged.

Fadnavis denied the Opposition’s claim that the diamond industry has moved to Surat from Mumbai, which is the diamond manufacturing and export hub.

“There is a difference in the functioning of Surat Diamond Bourse and Bharat Diamond Bourse in Mumbai. Surat is a manufacturing hub, while Mumbai is a manufacturing and export hub. Not a single industry has moved to Surat from the hub of Mumbai. India’s gems and jewellery exports, worth $38 billion, come from Mumbai alone, which is 75 per cent of the total exports. Almost 97 per cent of the total exports of polished diamonds take place from Mumbai,” he said.

Fadnavis said that the government has given revised administrative approvals to 121 irrigation projects, saying that the excess water flowing will be put to use through the river linking project.

He said that the development of the Rs 76,000 crore Vadhavan port recently cleared by the Union Cabinet will boost economic growth.

–IANS

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