FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms VOL. 14 NO. 23 | BHOPAL | SUNDAY | JULY 7, 2024 | Pages 16 ` 4 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.com Sports Shooter Jitu Rai retires from Army P.15 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE A major irregularity has cropped up in the funds being collected for the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Annual accounts of the Board have not been prepared since 2013; so the CAG has raised objection to the Board’s functioning. The CAG has advised the government to review the Board’s working. The CAG has written to the government several times drawing its attention to the Board’s working, but the situ- fp Briefs DHARAMSALA Dalai Lama turns 89 Tibetan spiritual leader The Dalai Lama turned 89 on Saturday and in his birthday message said he is physically fit and is determined to continue his service to Lord Buddha's teachings. The Dalai Lama is in the US where he is recovering from a knee-replacement surgery. NEW DELHI Budget on July 23 The first full budget of the BJP-led NDA government in its third successive term will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23. The government on Saturday announced the dates of the budget session of Parliament which will start on July 22 and conclude on August 12. SURAT 15 hurt in bldg collapse Several people are feared trapped after a six-storey building collapsed in Surat's Sachin Pali village. Fifteen have suffered injuries, officials said. The police and fire department officials have rushed to the spot and are carrying out a rescue operation at the site. Past cases There have been several rip-offs in the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. The workers of Bhopal Municipal Corporation, who are alive, had been shown dead, and the funds meant for them had been appropriated. There were reports that the funds set aside for the wedding of labourers’ children had been siphoned off. ation did not change, the report said. In its report, CAG said that because there the annual accounts had not been prepared, it would not be possible to comment on its correctness. The Board gave information without certified annual accounts which said that it had been given Rs 2, 026 crore in 2018-19, which was increased to Rs 2, 388 in 2022-23. According to reports, 1% of the amount meant for construction work is deposited as cess. The government department gives the money to the Board to spend it on the health, security and welfare of workers. As the accounts were not submitted, it is not known whether it was not prepared or it was not presented to the Accountant General or the funds were not spent on welfare of workers. Secretary to the Board Ratnakar Jha said he had no information about it. Our Staff Reporter Light to moderate flash flood risk: Met office Place Baroda Highest rainfall in 24 hours 334.0mm Sheopurkalan 193.0mm Pohari puri and neighbouring parts are likely to have intense weather activity.. Due to heavy rains in Shivpuri, Bhadaiya kund waterfall is attracting tourists, but many areas like Shankar Colony, Rambag Colony, Mahvir Nagar, Old city of Shivpuri, Pohari Chowraha etc faced water-logging Monsoon activities have intensified in Madhya Pradesh 137.0mm Shivpuri 131.0 mm Bamori 121.0mm Malthon 111.0mm Narver 105.0mm Bina 102.0mm with two active rain systems causing widespread precipitation across the state. 4Continued on | P6 NEET-UG ’24 counselling Brain-eating deferred till further notice amoeba ANI ‘Hold exam again’ NEW DELHI The counselling process for the National Eligibility-cumEntrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024 has been deferred till further notice, official sources said. The development comes after the Supreme Court refused to delay the NEET UG counselling scheduled to start on July 6. The Central government has told the Supreme Court that, in the absence of any proof of a large-scale breach of confidentiality in the NEETUG 2024 examination, it would not be rational to scrap the entire examination. The Congress demanded Saturday that the medical entrance exam NEET-UG be conducted again and all "paper leak scams" thoroughly investigated under the Supreme Court's supervision. The Centre has filed an affidavit on a batch of petitions pending before the apex court seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held. SC will hear the cases on July 8. infection in Kerala PTI KOZHIKODE Another case of amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters, has been reported from Kerala. A 14-year-old boy, a resident of Payyoli in this north Kerala district, is afflicted with the disease and is being treated This is the fourth case of the rare brain infection reported in the state since May and all the patients are children, three of whom have already died. offgrid Mt Everest cleanup to take years Agencies KATHMANDU The highest camp on the world's tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest's peak. The Nepal governmentfunded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, Member of Nepal govt-funded team clears frozen garbage on Mount Everest four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year's climbing season. Ang Babu Sherpa, who led the team of Sherpas, said there could be as much as 40-50 tons (88,000-110,000 pounds) of garbage still at South Col, the last camp before climbers make their attempt on the summit. "The garbage left there was mostly old tents, some food packaging and gas cartridges, oxygen bottles, tent packs, and ropes used for MUMBAI E-paper Weekend trending now veganism P.11 BHOPAL\GWALIOR Waterlogging in Sheopur NASHIK Nation ‘Our victory over BJP in Ayodhya defeated Ram... P.7 Heavy rains in Gwalior-Chambal, water-logging in many places Gwalior as well as Chambal divisions recorded extremely heavy rainfall in last 24 hours leading to water-logging in various pockets. The region is likely to continue. The meteorological department has predicted heavy rainfall for next three days-- July 7, 8, and 9. Light to moderate flash flood risk is over South Sheopurkalan, Shivpuri, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna in next 24 hours associated with heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to meteorological department officials. Extremely heavy rain was reported in Sheopur Kalan (Baroda - 334 mm), very heavy rain in Guna (Bamori - 121 mm), Shivpuri (Pohri - 137 mm); and heavy rain was reported in Ashoknagar, Gwalior, Sagar and Chhatarpur districts in last 24 hours. Gwalior, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shiv- BHOPAL For Biden, age no bar in re-election Irregularities found in funds for labourers Nitendra Sharma PUNE WORLD CAG REPORT: Advises government to examine the functioning of Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board BHOPAL UJJAIN PRESS climbing and tying up tents," he said, adding that the garbage is in layers and frozen at the 8,000-meter (26,400foot) altitude where the South Col camp is located. Since the peak was first conquered in 1953, thousands of climbers have scaled it and many have left behind more than just their footprints. In recent years, a government requirement that climbers bring back their garbage or lose their deposits. Pezeshkian is new Iran prez AP DUBAI Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran's runoff presidential election Saturday, besting hard-liner Saeed Jalili by promising to reach out to the West and ease enforcement on the country's mandatory headscarf law after years of sanctions and protests squeezing the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian promised no radical changes to Iran's Shiite theocracy in his campaign and long has held Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the final arbiter of all matters of state in the country. 4Continued on | P6 Greening the state with mother in mind 5.50 crore saplings to be planted in Madhya Pradesh Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said under “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,” campaign, target has been taken to plant 5.50 crores saplings in Madhya Pradesh. In Bhopal and Jabalpur, 12 lakh each saplings will be planted. In Indore, 51 lakh saplings will be planted. He was speaking after participating in the campaign at Jamboree Ground here on Saturday. Taking the cue from PM’s clarion call, state government has also decided to undertake the campaign to plant sap- CM plants sapling in his mother’s memory lings. The CM planted ‘Amla’ sapling in memory of mother late Leela Bai Yadav. He also inspected the pictures and drawings made by students to highlight the importance of environment. He praised stu- dents of NCC, NSA for taking part in the event. Mayor Malti Rai said that Bhopal Municipal Corporation has taken the pledge to plant 1.20 lakh saplings. 4Continued on | P6 Zorawar to help army take on China ANI HAJIRA (GUJARAT) In a major boost to Indian forces deployed opposite China in Ladakh, premier defence research agency Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and private sector firm Larsen and Toubro (L&T) are at advanced stage of trials of the indigenous Light Tank Zorawar. DRDO chief Dr Samir V Kamat today reviewed the progress made in the project at the Larsen and Toubro plant at Hajira in Gujarat. Developed in a record time of two years for high altitude areas of Ladakh, the tank is testimony to Indian progress in indigenous manufacturing. The DRDO and L&T have integrated USVs in loitering munitions in the tank learning lessons from the Russia and Ukraine conflict. The light tank Zorawar with 25 tonnes in weight and it is the first time, a fresh tank has been designed and made ready for trials in such a short time. 59 of these tanks will be provided to the Army initially and it will be a front runner for the major programme of 295 more of these armoured vehicles. The Indian Air Force can supply two tanks at a time in the C-17 class transport aircraft as the tank is light and can be run at high speeds in mountain valleys. 4Continued on | P6