SAMBALPUR  THURSDAY  OCTOBER 03, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 12  CITY EDITION TWO EX-IAF PILOTS AMONG 3 DEAD IN HELICOPTER CRASH NEAR PUNE PRELIMINARY PROBE BLAMES IT ON FOG The chopper took off from a golf course near Pune and was headed to Juhu when it crashed around 7.40 am. Primary information pointed to fog as the cause of the accident. A detailed probe is underway, the police said. The Agusta 109 helicopter belonged to Delhi-based Heritage Aviation. At the time of the crash, it was on hire by the Nationalist Congress Party Two former Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots and an engineer were killed after a helicopter crashed and caught fire near Pune city on Wednesday IAF CHOPPER MAKES MAYDAY CALL IN BIHAR ■ ■ In a separate incident, an IAF helicopter made an emergency landing in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar after it developed a snag. The chopper was returning after air-dropping relief materials to flood-affected people The chopper landed in a waterlogged area near Darbhanga. All four on board were IAF personnel. Officials said they were safe 7.30 am WHEN THE CHOPPER CRASHED IN BAVDHAN AREA, ABOUT 25 KM FROM PUNE CITY CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Iran’s oil rigs, N-sites could face retaliatory Israel strike Biden advises against hitting nuclear sites; UN chief barred from entering Israel AGENCIES ISRAEL is reportedly gearing up to launch a blistering counter-attack to cripple Iran, which fired over 180 ballistic missiles on Tuesday in a major escalation of tensions in West Asia. According to reports in Israeli media, Iran’s strategic infrastructure, especially oil rigs, will be targeted. Also on the table are direct attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, news reports said citing Israeli officials. The development further complicates Israel’s multi-front war as the country is advancing its ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon while still mounting attacks in Gaza to keep Hamas militants down. On Wednesday, Israel said it lost eight soldiers in southern Lebanon during a ground offensive against Hezbollah. In Gaza, Israeli ground and air operations reportedly killed over 50 people. Besides, Israel’s foreign minister said he would bar UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres’s entry into his country because of bias. Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a crucial meeting with security chiefs at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, his office said. The meeting, held hours before the Rosh Hashanah holiday to mark the Jewish New Year, is learnt to have discussed and decided Israel’s response to Iran’s attack. Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett also called for a strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and energy fa- WATCH LIVE ACTION TODAY! VS 7:00 PM ONWARDS EXPRESS READ Two gangrape accused faced externment Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar police on Wednesday arrested three persons for the alleged gangrape of a 27-year-old woman in her apartment three days ago. Two of the accused, police said, had targeted the victim with the help of their third associate and made a failed attempt to enter the victim’s flat a day before. Of the three Bikash Naik and Jaga Singh have criminal antecedents and faced externment proceedings under section 110 of CrPC | P3 Shinde, Ajit meet Shah on seat deal Mumbai: In their meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar sought more seats for their parties in assembly elections, saying the LS poll results should be the basis for MahaYuti seatsharing formula. At the meeting on Tuesday night, Shinde insisted merit be the sole criteria while allocating seats to alliance partners and giving ticket to candidates | P8 People climb on the debris of an Iranian missile intercepted by Israel, near Arad, southern Israel | AP cilities. “We have the justification. We have the tools,” he wrote on X. US news site Axios reported that Israel has plans to take out Iran’s air Avoid all non-essential travel to Iran: MEA In the wake of the escalating tensions, India on Wednesday advised its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs also urged the Indian nationals presently residing in Iran to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran defence systems and also set off targeted assassinations. An attack on Iranian oil facilities could push back the country’s economy by years, while destroying the air defence systems would make it more vulnerable. Political assassinations, if carried out, might set the stage for a regime change in Iran. If Iran’s nuclear facilities are hit, experts fear it will push the conflict to a no-return point. On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden said he will not support an Israeli attack on sites related to Tehran’s nuclear programme. ‘The answer is no,” he said on Wednesday, when asked about his opinion. OVER-THE-COUNTER SALE BAN COMING ON MORNING-AFTER PILL monal contraceptives available OTC include the Combined Oral THE Central Drugs Standard Con- Contraceptive (containing estrotrol Organisation (CDSCO) is like- gen and progestin, it is taken daily to recommend a ban on the ly) and the Progestin Only Pill over-the-counter (OTC) sale of all (also taken daily). hormonal contraceptive drugs, inInterestingly, the six-member cluding oral emergency contra- expert sub-committee was formed ceptive pills (ECP). after the Tamil Nadu government An exper t sub-committee proposed a ban on the OTC sale of formed by CDSCO is all set to rec- hormonal contraceptives citing ommend that the Drugs and Cos- “its irrational usage” at the 62nd metic Rules of 1945 be suitably Drugs Consultative Committee amended to make them prescrip- meeting held in September 2023. tion-only drugs. This newspaper The sub-committee’s mandate was has learnt that the panel will soon to study the issue and make a recsubmit a report. ommendation on At present, unwhether such a PRESS der the National ban is needed. Dr Reproductive and CLUSIVE Pinkee Saxena, Child Health Proprofessor, Departg ramme, the ment of ObstetDrug Controller General of India rics and Gynaecolog y, Lady (DGCI) allows the sale of 0.75 mg Hardinge Medical College, is the tablets of Levonorgestrel without chair of the sub-committee. Its prescription as an emergency con- other members include M N Sridtraceptive. ECPs, better known as har, Joint Director of Drugs Conthe morning-after pill, were intro- trol cum Controlling Authority duced in India in 2002 and can pre- (in-charge), and a representative vent a pregnancy if taken within from the Indian Council of Medi72 hours of unprotected sex. cal Research (ICMR). Experts say the availability of A highly-placed source privy to the drug OTC help prevent un- the deliberations said the panel it wanted pregnancies and avert is overwhelmingly in favour of abortions. However, in Tamil making prescriptions from a phyNadu, and other parts of India, sician mandatory for the purchase ECPs are notoriously difficult to of contraceptives, including access at pharmacies. Other hor- ECPs. S I N D U J A J A N E @ Chennai `5 lakh cr investment in five years is my target: CM Majhi nations like Indonesia, Norway, Singapore, China, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, CHIEF Minister Mohan Charan Majhi the USA, Thailand, Vietnam, and the on Wednesday said Odisha has set a tar- UK. get to attract `5 lakh crore investment Nine foreign associations will take in the next five years and emerge as the part in the roadshow which will showfavourite destination of investors. case Odisha’s growing global presence, Before flying off to New Delhi for the vibrant industrial ecosystem and emergcurtain raiser event ahead of Utkarsh ing investment opportunities. Odisha - Make-in-Odisha Conclave 2025, The CM will have one-on-one interacthe CM said he is embarktion with ambassadors to ing on a mission to bring share Odisha’s vision for rapid industrial growth growth and international to the state. Utkarsh Odipartnerships. Majhi will sha conclave will take the also divulge the state’s state to new heights in inplans for infrastructure, dustrial development, he industrial development, said. and collaboration with inMajhi said several international companies vestors are already in during the roadshow. touch with the govern- CM Mohan Charan Majhi speaks to Industries minister ment and have evinced mediapersons before leaving for Sampad Chandra Swain interest to invest in the Delhi on Wednesday | EXPRESS said Delhi is ready for the state. “In the 100 days of curtain raiser event of our government, the state has received Utkarsh Odisha conclave. With the parinvestments worth `45,000 crore. I will ticipation of major countries and top interact with business leaders and in- business houses, Odisha is positioning vite them to the mega investment sum- itself as a key destination for business mit scheduled on January 28 and 29 next and innovation, he said. year,” he told mediapersons here. A delegation of government officials, The state government will host two including chief secretary Manoj Ahuja events at the national capital on Thurs- and principal secretary Hemant Sharday to woo investors to the Make-in-Od- ma is camping at the national capital. isha 4.0. The chief minister is slated to Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, address ambassadors and representa- Jual Oram and Ashwini Vaishnaw are tives from 34 countries, including major also slated to attend the roadshow. E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhubaneswar CYCLE OF LIFE Workers set up a Ferris wheel ahead of the festival season at Rasulgarh in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday | DEBADATTA MALLICK JOINING THE DOTS Rumble in Punjab as core team of CM disintegrates H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh PUNJAB Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s trusted core appears to be disintegrating. But the big question is the CM slowly losing his utility for the Aam Aadmi Party? Take Navneet Wadhwa, director of communications at the Chief Minister’s Office. He put in his papers after he was told that his contract will not be renewed. A few days ago, Onkar Singh, Officer on Special Duty to the CM, quit. Singh was considered close to Mann and was in-charge of his Dhuri constituency. His exit came as a surprise as he was also handling the political p ro g r a m m e s o f Mann’s spouse Dr Gurpreet Kaur. The axe is ex- ‘DELHI TAKES pected to fall on one CALL IN ALL more important of- MAJOR ficial, say sources. POLITICAL Besides, five new PARTIES’ faces were inducted A few days ago, into the Mann minTarsem Singh, father istry recently while of Khadoor Sahib MP four ministers were and pro-Khalistan dropped, two of leader Amritpal whom — Chetan Singh announced his Singh Jouramajra plan to float a and Anmol Gagan political party. He Mann — were consaid, “There is no sidered close to the regional party to CM. look after the When Mann reinterests of Punjab. cently fell down at All decisions of major the Chandig arh political parties are airport after detaken in Delhi. Hence, boarding from a the decision to form chartered plane, new party.” the Opposition Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) took another shot at his failure to stay sober during work hours. But the AAP leadership chose not to defend him. Mann was later admitted to Fortis Hopsital in Mohali where he was dignosed with leptospirosis. Among those who called on him at the hospital were Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Congress MLA Pargat Singh. In May, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had predicted an AAP split in the state, which could have been a shot in the dark. But clouds of uncertainty persist in the political landscape of Punjab though the Southwest monsoon has withdrawn. `5,600 crore worth drugs seized in Delhi U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi THE Special Cell of the Delhi Police busted an international drug cartel and seized contraband worth `5,620 crore in what is billed as the biggest haul in the national capital. While the kingpin of the cartel is said to be in Dubai, the police have arrested four local players — Tushar Goyal, Himanshu Kumar, Aurangzeb Siddiqui and Bharat Jain. Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the Intelligence Agency of the Central government received information that a cartel based in Delhi is smuggling cocaine from abroad. On October 1, the Special Cell received specific information about the arrival of a large consignment of drugs at a warehouse belonging to Goyal at Mahipalpur in Delhi. A Special Cell team raided the warehouse during which 560 kg of cocaine and 40 kg of hydroponic marijuana were seized. Tushar is the main receiver and distributor of the drugs, the police said. Kumar and Siddiqui are his associates. The accused told the police that the seized marijuana is from Phuket in Thailand while cocaine originated in South American and West Asian countries. Urbanisation growth rate at 2.3 pc, Odisha lags behind neighbours: Study HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @ Bhubaneswar ODISHA may have emerged as one of India’s rapidly developing states but urbanisation and pace of urbanisation in the state remained among the lowest and slowest in the country in the last one decade, a new study by SBI research wing has found. The study conducted as a precursor to the next census revealed that urbanisation growth rate in Odisha stagnated at a mere 2.3 per cent (pc) between 2011 and 2024, making it one of the slowest in the country . It is among the bottom six big states in terms of urban area growth. The pace of urbanisation in the state is below the national average of 4.2 pc and behind neighbouring states like Chhattisgarh (4.2 pc), West Bengal (5.3 pc), Andhra Pradesh (7.6 pc) and Telangana (9.4 pc). Other states lagging behind Odisha are Uttar Pradesh (1.9 pc), Rajasthan (1.9 pc), Assam (1.6 pc), Madhya Pradesh (1.5 pc) and Bihar (1.1 pc). The growth has been highest in Kerala at 29.7 pc during the period. Odisha is among the bottom three states in urban population, which stood only at 19 pc as compared to the national average of 35.4 pc. The two other states are Bihar (12.4 pc) and Assam (15.7 pc). Kerala is the most urbanised state with 77.4 pc urban population. The sluggish pace has raised questions about state’s ability to keep up with national trends and the needs of its growing population. Policymakers attribute it to a multitude of factors including limited economic diversification, infrastructure deficiencies, low investment in urban development and rural-urban migration barriers. Chairman of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI), Odisha DS Tripathy said economic growth notwithstanding, Odisha continues to face significant infrastructure challenges, including poor roads, drainage and sanitation, inadequate transport facilities and civic amenities. “The state has huge potential for urbanisation. But delay in approval of plans proposed by developers has been a concern all along. Surprisingly, many cities and towns, including Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Puri, Rourkala, Berhampur and Balasore are yet to have comprehensive development plan (CDP). Time bound approval must be emphasised,” he said. Administrators and policy makers pointed out that investment in urban infrastructure and services has not kept pace with the growing demands of the population. “This is why many cities struggle with basic amenities, leading to a lower quality of life and reduced urban appeal. Targeted interventions and a comprehensive approach to economic and infrastructure development can help growth of urbanisation,” said former chief secretary Sahadev Sahoo.