WEDNESDAY 31 JULY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P9 SENSEX 81,455.4099.55 WEATHER GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY. LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN/THUNDERSHOWERS. HEAVY AT ISOLATED PLACES. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 35 AND 28 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 85 % TEMPERATURE INDIA BLOC DEMANDS RELEASE OF KEJRIWAL, STAGES PROTEST SC EX-JUDGE LOKUR TO HEAD PROBE PANEL AGAINST KCR BIDEN CALLS FOR U.S. TOP COURT REFORM TO 'RESTORE FAITH' P4 NIFTY 24,857.3021.20 P5 GOLD 68,950210 ` vs $ 83.72 Wayanad devastated by landslides,119 dead PM announces an ex gratia of ` 2L for kin of each deceased & `50K for the injured Min: 30.1 °C (+3) SUN SETS 19:13 hrs MOON SETS 16:08 hrs THUMBNAILS India's Manika Batra and France’s Prithika Pavade in action during their Women's single Round of 32 Table Tennis match in the ongoing Olympic Games 2024, in Paris on Tuesday.  ANI Proprietary rights granted to West Pak, 1965 refugees in J&K STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 30 JULY In a landmark step, the Administrative Council which met in Srinagar under chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday ended discrimination with the West Pakistan refugees by granting proprietary rights on State land in favour of such families. Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary, Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor were present in the meeting. This shall significantly empower thousands of families across Jammu region. It is pertinent to mention that post re-organization of year 2019, Domicile rights have been conferred by Government of India to the West Pakistan Displaced Persons. (P3) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 30 JULY M assive landslides wreaked havoc in Wayanad district of Kerala, leaving over 119 people, including children, dead, and several families missing. More than 100 people were undergoing treatment at various hospitals. Heart-wrenching scenes of persons looking for their loved ones among the injured and the dead were seen at hospitals in Meppadi and Kalpetta and other places in the district. As of 6 p.m, 119 deaths were confirmed and 116 people injured. The injured persons are admitted to various hospitals. Of the 119 bodies recovered, some bodies were found in the Chaliyar River, which flows into the neighbouring Malappuram district. Distressed by the landslides Wayanad was devastated by three in parts of Wayanad. My landslides that occurred at Meppadi, Mundakkai and Chooral Mala within a thoughts are with all those who span of 4 hours. have lost their loved ones and Rescue operations have been launched prayers with those injured... with the assistance of various agencies, Spoke to Kerala CM... assured including the National Disaster Response all possible help from the Force (NDRF) Centre. PM NARENDRA MODI The river carried 26 bodies, or rather parts of human bodies mutilated in the landslide, for around 25 km to Pothukallu near Nilambur in Malappuram district. Wayanad was devastated by three landslides that occurred at Meppadi, Mundakkai and Chooral Mala within a span of 4 hours. The first landslide occurred in Mundakkai town at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday during heavy rain, washing away houses and families. While rescue operations were going on, a second landslide struck near Chooralmala School at around 2 a.m. A third landslide occurred at around 4 a.m. Mundakkai, Chooralmala, Attamala, and Noolpuzha villages were the areas hit by the landslides. Mundakkai town was completely swept away. Swollen water bodies changed their course and flowed through inhabited areas, resulting in more destruction. Huge boulders rolled down the hills and hindered the path of rescue workers. Rescue operations have been launched with the assistance of various agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Besides NDRF, the state government has also deployed disaster response teams from the police and the fire force to carry out rescue and search operations. The Indian Army is carrying out rescue operations alongside the NDRF and other agencies. Rescue operations were facing obstacles as Mundakkai, where one of the major landslides occurred, has been cut off from the rest of the district after the only bridge to the area was swept away. According to reports, around 400 families are stranded in the region following the collapse of the bridge in Chooralmala town. This bridge was the only access to Attamala in Mundakkai and its collapse has severely hampered rescue operations. Mr Modi also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the landslides in parts of Wayanad. The injured would be given Rs 50,000. (Turn to Page 4) Two killed after Howrah-Mumbai Mail derails in Jharkhand NISHAT NIZAMI KOLKATA, 30 JULY Two persons were killed and eight were injured after 18 coaches of the 12810 HowrahCSMT Mumbai Mail was derailed near Barabamboo station in Chakradharpur Division in the wee hours today. The incident took place at around 3.43 a.m at Potobera village in Saraikela Kharsawan after the train hit the wagons of a goods train that had also derailed a few minutes before. The side collision occurred as some of the derailed coaches of the goods train in the Down line were lying on the tracks of the Up line. The accident is said to have occurred between two stations called mid-section in railway terminology. The incident claimed the lives of P. Bikash and Ajit Kumar Samal both hailing from Rourkela in Odisha. Both passengers are said to have been trapped inside the coaches in the mishap. Eight passengers People gather at the incident site after several coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express derailed between Rajkharswan West Outer and Barabamboo in Chakradharpur Division on Tuesday.  ANI were injured in the accident and shifted to Chakradharpur Railway Hospital and CHC Khutpani. However, the nature of their injuries was minor and none of them were critical, according to the South Eastern Railway authorities. As learnt from the zonal railway, all the eight injured in today’s incident were from West Bengal. Most of the injured were in the third and second AC coaches. In terms of damage, it was the engine and airconditioned coaches of the train that were mangled mostly in the side collision. Miraculously, the loco pilot of the train escaped the mishap unhurt, according to Railway sources. The Railway minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced payment of rupees 10 lakh enhanced ex-gratia to the victims to the next of kin of each deceased as a special case on humanitarian grounds. Those with grievous injuries will get a sum of rupees five lakhs and rupees one lakh to each of the persons who sustained simple injury. Notably, the 12810 Howrah-CSMT Mumbai Mail reaches its destination covering a long distance of around 1959 kilometres and passing through five states, namely West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra in a journey of about 32 hours and 22 minutes. Today, the train had just reached about 300 kilometers from Howrah when the pas- P12 SILVER 84,500500 Min. 53 % Max: 39.3 °C (+5) SUN RISES 05:43 hrs MOON RISES 02:17 hrs MEN’S BOXING: PANGAL ELIMINATED IN FIRST ROUND sengers felt a jerk in the coaches. Recounting the horror to the media, the train manager of 12810 Howrah-CSMT Mumbai Mail, Mohammad Rehan, said: “Suddenly the train shook and I was thrown from my feet. I learnt from the train driver that the train had derailed. I got down and saw that passengers were also deboarding. It was very dark and nothing could be seen.” He also informed that during the time of the accident, the train was moving at a speed of 120 kmph. As learnt from sources, the Railway has initiated a CRS inquiry on the matter. Questions as to what was the interval of the two derailment incidents, what was the time gap that the station master got after getting the information from the points, why the station master did not take steps to stop the 12810 HowrahCSMT Mumbai Mail and avert the incident, are to be investigated in the inquiry. BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 77.510.41 Toast of the nation: Manu first Indian to win two medals at same Olympics post-Independence S S RAMASWAMY Whenever I leave India for any competition, the only thing in my head is to give my best and to do everything possible to maintain my performance. The Olympics is a special stage, with so many people watching it.... PARIS, 30 JULY Shooting ace Manu Bhaker today became the toast of the country for the second time in three days by making Olympic history as the first Indian to win two medals in the same edition of the Games post-Independence. The 22-year-old Haryana-born sharpshooter clinched the 10m air pistol mixed team event’s bronze medal with fellow Haryanvi Sarabjot Singh, who is also 22 years old. The Indian pair outfoxed their South Korean rival pair of Oh Ye Jin and the left-handed Lee Wonho 16-10 in the bronze medal match. Jhajjar-born Manu has already pocketed the individual bronze in the same shooting event at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre outside Paris two days ago, which was also the first Olympic shooting medal won by an Indian woman. “The feeling is surreal. I had not hoped to win two medals in a single Olympics. Now I am looking forward to the next (third) one,” said Manu after completing her feat. She was referring to her chance of picking up a third medal in Paris, in the 25m air pistol event in which she is competing on 2 August MANU BHAKER Shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh pose for a photograph with the national flag on winning the Bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the Olympic Games 2024, in Paris on Tuesday.  ANI (qualification). The finals of that event are scheduled for the next day.“Whenever I leave India for any competition, the only thing in my head is to give my best and to do everything possible to maintain my performance. The Olympics is a special stage, with so many people watching it. With the Tokyo Olympics experience (behind me) I realise how special winning this is. So many people supported me. I can’t claim this medal just for myself. The entire country supported me,” Manu told reporters after her feat. Manu has thus gone into the country’s Olympic history as only the third athlete after Independence to clinch two medals and the only one to do so at the same Olympics. Wrestler Sushil Kumar had won a bronze medal in 2008 Beijing and converted it to silver four years later in London. Later shuttler P V Sindhu won silver in Rio in 2016, followed by a bronze in Tokyo in the last Games. She is bidding for her third medal here. Incidentally, Norman Pritchard, an Englishman born and living in India, had won two athletics silver medals in the 1900 Games, coincidentally held in this City of Light. Those silver medals are now credited to India by the International Olympic Committee. Coming back to Manu’s record breaking feat today, she and Sarabjot, from Ambala, pinched the bronze after the 13th shot after having taken a solid 14-6 lead after the tenth shot. FM replies to Budget debate, attacks Cong on caste census STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 30 JULY Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday replied to the Lok Sabha debate on the Union Budget 2024-25 and attacked the Congress on its Caste Census agenda, saying Congress Prime Ministers were strongly opposed to reservation and promotions on caste-basis. Responding to Congress leader and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s comments on the representation of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes among beneficiaries of development, she said India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru “disliked” any reservation in the Services, as it could “lower standards.” Later, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sat over Mandal Commission and Kaka Kelelkar reports on reservation for backward classes. Then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had in an interview expressed strong- Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks in the LS during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.  ANI ly against giving promotions on the basis of reservation, she said. Mrs Sitharaman said Mr Rahul Gandhi should tell what was the representation of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the Rajiv Gandhi Chairatable Trust. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha should have kept these facts in view before commenting on the Budget Halwa ceremony and how many from the backward castes took part in it, she said. The FM attacked the Trinamul Congress also for its criticism of the economy and said the share of Bengal in the industrial production of the country at the time of Independence was 24 per cent and it was just 3.5 per cent now. The Trinamul Congress members staged a walk-out in protest. West Bengal accounted for 6.7 per cent of the country’s capital formation in 2010 and it had come down to 2.9 per cent, she said. The Finance Minister she was ready to give a White Paper on the Bengal economy. The State of West Bengal today attracted just one per cent of India’s total FDI, she said. Mrs Sitharaman said Trinamul Congress leader Saugata Roy had made comments derogatory to women when he said the Finance Minister was not educated in Harvard or other foreign universities to come up with new ideas in the Budget. There are many women in high political positions in the country, she said, and did he mean that all of them are bereft of ideas, the Minister said. UP Assembly adopts stringent Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill Wealth creators driving force behind India’s growth story: PM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called India’s private sector a strong medium for creating a Viksit Bharat, saying that wealth creators are the main driving force of India’s growth story. “Our government has no lack of political will. For us, the aspirations of the country and its citizens are paramount,” the Prime Minister said while addressing the inaugural session of ‘Journey Towards Viksit Bharat: A Post Union Budget 2024-25 Conference’ organised by the Confederation of Indian LUCKNOW, 30 JULY Equipped with stringent punishment of up to life imprisonment, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday approved the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion (Amendment) Bill. In cases of ‘misguided’ marriage and religious conversion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC & ST), the accused will now be given life imprisonment. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious In case of misguided marriage or conversion of SC/ST, the Bill prescribes a life term Conversion (Amendment) Bill was approved on the second day of the legislature session. The state government had earlier passed the Prohibition of Religious Conversion Bill, 2021 in the Assembly. This Bill had a provision for punishment ranging from one to 10 years. Through the amendment, the previous Bill has been further strength- ened in terms of punishment and fines. According to the new provisions, if any minor, disabled or mentally challenged person, woman, or SC-ST individual is converted, the culprit will be punished with life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Similarly, mass religious conversion will also be punishable with life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Receiving funding from foreign or illegal institutions will be punishable with imprisonment of up to 14 years and a fine of Rs 10 lakh. NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 30 JULY Industry (CII) at Vigyan Bhawan here. He said India’s policies, commitment, determination, decisions and investments are becoming the basis of global progress. Pointing towards the growing interest in India among global investors, the prime minister spoke about his call in the recent meeting of the NITI Aayog to the state Chief Ministers for creating investorfriendly charters, bringing clarity in investment policies and creating a conducive atmosphere for investment. He emphasised that India’s contribution to global growth has reached 16 per cent despite significant global shocks like the pandemic, natural disasters and wars. Referring to the uncertainties of the current global scenario, Mr Modi highlighted the exception of India’s growth and stability. He said India’s foreign exchange reserve witnessed robust growth and India is showing high growth and low inflation in a low-growth and high-inflation global scenario. The PM also called India’s fiscal prudence during the pandemic, a role model for the world. “The nation is moving forward with the resolutions of Viksit Bharat,” PM Modi said, observing that 25 crore people have risen out of poverty in the last 10 years, and emphasised the government’s efforts to increase ease of living and boost quality of life. Referring to the discussions during the pandemic with the business community regarding apprehensions about growth, Mr Modi remembered the optimism that he expressed at the time and mentioned the rapid growth that the country is witnessing today. “Today we are discussing - Journey towards Viksit Bharat. This is not just the change of sentiment, this reflects a change in confidence," he said, reiterating India’s position as 5th largest economy in the world and rapid strides towards the 3rd place. Mr Modi compared the current Budget of Rs 48 lakh crore with the Rs 16 lakh crore Budget of 2013-14, an increase of three times.