WEDNESDAY 08 JANUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR SHAH LAUNCHES 'BHARATPOL' ‘UGC GRANTING GOVERNORS AUTHORITARIAN POWERS’ P4 SENSEX 78,199.11 p234.12 WEATHER Mainly clear sky. Mist in the morning. Maximum and Minimum Temperature most likely to be around 25˚C and 14˚C respectively. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 90% P5 NIFTY 23,707.90 p91.85 ` vs $ 85.46 P10 P12 SILVER 92,500 GOLD 79,500.00 Delhi Assembly polls in single phase on 5 Feb Max: 25.5˚C (+0.8) Min: 16.2˚C (+2.3) SUN RISES 06:18 hrs MOON RISES 11:26 hrs SUN SETS 17:07 hrs MOON SETS 16:30 hrs SANTU DAS NEW DELHI, 7 JANUARY T Full Moon on 14 January THUMBNAILS Probationer DySPs take part in the Passing Out Parade, at Police Academy in Udhampur on Tuesday. n ANI Maldives Defence Minister to visit India, hold talks with Rajnath Singh on military cooperation: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to hold a bilateral meeting with his Maldivian counterpart, Mohammed Ghassan Maumoon, during the latter’s three-day visit to India starting Wednesday, January 8th. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, the two ministers will engage in discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation. Key topics will include joint training, regular military exercises, defence projects, workshops, and seminars aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Maldives National Defence Forces, as well as the supply of defence equipment and stores. he Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced that voting for the 70-member Assembly in Delhi will be held on 5 February (Wednesday) and its outcome will be known on 8 February (Saturday), in what is expected to be a triangular contest among the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. With the announcement of the date of the poll, the model code of conduct (MCC) has now come into effect in the national capital.The term of the 70-member Delhi Assembly will end on 23 February. Addressing a press conference here, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, while announcing the schedule for the assembly polls in Delhi, said: “The assembly elections in Delhi will be held in a single phase on 5 February. The counting of votes will take place on 8 February.” The CEC said the notification for the polls will be issued on 10 January and the last date of filing nominations is on 17 January. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on 18 January. Kumar said the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 20 January. The date before which the election shall be completed is 10 February. Informing that there are 70 Assembly constituencies in Delhi, he said out of these, 12 Assembly constituencies are reserved for the Scheduled Castes. He said that a total of 1.55 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in Delhi. The firsttime voters are 2.08 lakh in number. He said the total number of polling stations is 13,033, spread across 2,697 locations in the national capital. While reiterating that the poll panel is committed to ensure free and fair elections, the CEC also called upon voters of Delhi to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise. He also informed the media that the Commission has issued instructions to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi to ensure that every polling station is equipped with assured minimum facilities (AMF) like drinking water, waiting shed, toilet with water facility, adequate arrangements for lighting, ramp of proper gradient for the PwD electors and a standard voting compartment, proper signage etc. He said the poll panel has directed CEO and District Election Officers (DEOs) to make efforts Flooded rat-hole coal mine claims 3 lives in Assam; 17 still trapped to set up a permanent ramp and permanent infrastructure at every polling station.The CEC also said the poll panel would take strict action against derogatory remarks on women and use of children during the poll campaign. The upcoming Delhi Assembly elections would see a triangular contest among the three major parties - AAP, BJP and Congress. Notably, the AAP and Congress, which are part of the INDIA bloc and had contested the last Lok Sabha elections together in Delhi, are contesting these elections solo. In the general elections, out of the seven parliamentary seats in Delhi, both these parties drew a blank with the BJP winning all seven seats. The ruling AAP has been critical of the Congress, and recently at a press conference, its senior leader Sanjay Singh accused the grand old party of helping the BJP and said it would ask other parties of INDIA bloc to remove it from the Opposition alliance, in what is being seen as a dent in alliance unity. The Congress, which has been accusing the AAP government of corruption, had earlier blamed the party for the dismal performance of the alliance in Delhi in the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2020 Assembly polls, the AAP won 62 Assembly seats and BJP eight constituencies, while in the 2015 polls, AAP bagged 67 seats and BJP won only three seats. The Congress drew a blank on both these occasions. GDP estimate for FY25 falls sharply to 6.4 pc from 8.2 pc in last fiscal STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE GUWAHATI, 7 JANUARY Rescue operations involving the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities are ongoing, with Navy divers on standby. Seventeen miners are trapped inside the mines. The missing individuals include miners from Assam, West Bengal, and Nepal, highlighting the diverse workforce in the region's mining sector. Among those trapped are Hussain Ali, Jakir Hussain, and Mustafa Sheikh from Assam, Krishna Pada Sarkar from West Bengal; and Ganga Bahadur Shreth from Nepal’s Udaypur district. Dima Hasao, a remote and hilly district in Assam, has long been a hub for coal mining despite the inherent risks associated with the practice. Assam police have registered an FIR under Umrangso PS Case No: 02/2025, citing Sections 3(5)/105 BNS and Section 21(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Umrangso mine incident. Preliminary findings suggest the mine may have been operating illegally. Police have arrested one individual, Punish Nunisa, in connection with the case. Rat-hole mining, where narrow tunnels are dug to extract coal, remains common in the region. These mines are notorious for their lack of safety protocols, with workers operating in hazardous conditions. Accidents, including collapses and flooding, have frequently resulted in fatalities over the years. The latest disaster has reignited debates over the regulation of coal mining in the state. Environmentalists and labour rights activists have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of safety measures, citing the recurring loss of life in unregulated mines. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 JANUARY India’s gross domestic product estimate for financial year 2024-25 is being maintained at 6.4 per cent, the Ministry of Statistics said on Tuesday. The ministry expected an uptick in agricultural and industrial activity along with resilient rural demand in the second half to keep India on a growth path towards achieving 6.4-6.8 per cent expansion by the end of the financial year. The GDP estimate is significantly lower than the 8.2 per cent GDP growth witnessed in the previous financial year 2023-24. “Real GDP or GDP at Constant Prices is estimated to attain a level of 184.88 lakh crore in the financial year 2024-25, against the Provisional Estimate of GDP for the year 2023-24 of 173.82 Centre approves site for Pranab Mukherjee’s memorial at New Delhi’s Rajghat area AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 7 JANUARY The Centre has sanctioned a dedicated site within the Rashtriya Smriti complex, located in the Rajghat precinct, to establish a memorial honouring former President Pranab Mukherjee. Pranab Mukherjee's daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee posted on X about her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Called on PM Narendra Modi ji to express thanks and gratitude from the core of my heart for his government's decision to create a memorial for Baba. It's more cherished considering that we didn't ask for it. Immensely touched by this unexpected but truly gracious gesture by PM," she said. "Baba used to say that State honours shouldn't be asked for, it should be offered. I'm so grateful that PM Modi did this to honour Baba's memory. It doesn't affect Baba where he is now- beyond applause or criticism. But for his daughter, words are not sufficient to express my joy," Ms Mukherjee added. Earlier, in December 2024, reacting to the issue of allocating space for a memorial for former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Author and daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, Sharmistha Mukherjee said that the issue must not be politicised. "There should be no politics on this issue because it has been our tradition that memorials are built for former Prime Ministers, PV Narasimha Rao was an exception and seeing the stellar contribution of Dr Manmohan Singh, I completely believe that there should be no controversy on his memorial and he should also be given Bharat Ratna," said Sharmistha Mukherjee. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS at the age of 92 due to age-related ailments. He was cremated with full state honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi's Kashmere Gate in the presence of his family, friends, colleagues and government dignitaries. Telangana HC vacates stay CM conducts aerial survey to bolster security ahead of Gangasagar Mela kickoff on arrest of KT Rama Rao in Formula E scam case RAJIB CHAKRABORTY GANGASAGAR, 7 JANUARY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HYDERABAD, 7 JANUARY Telangana High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) seeking to quash the FIR against him in connection with the Formula E race scam. The court found a prima facie case of wrongdoing and misappropriation of funds from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). The single bench, led by Justice K Lakshman, also rejected the oral plea from Mr Rao’s counsel for a 10-day stay on his arrest to allow time for filing an appeal. Following the judgment, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) initiated raids at the offices of Ace NextGen, BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 76.82 The model code of conduct (MCC) has now come into effect in the national capital Min. 59% TEMPERATURE At least three miners were feared killed while 17 others are still trapped in a flooded rat-hole mine in the 3 Kilo area of Umrangso in Assam's Dima Hasao district. The incident occurred on Monday when a sudden flood inundated the 300-feet-deep mine. The flood is believed to have been caused by damage to an underground water source during excavation. The deceased miners have been identified, and their bodies are visible from the surface. However, the rescue efforts have been fraught with challenges as waterlogging and hazardous conditions hinder the mission. FORMER STARS LAMENT SHAMI’S ABSENCE FROM BGT SATYA NADELLA ANNOUNCES $3 BILLION INVESTMENT IN INDIA a subsidiary of Greenko (sponsors of the Formula E race), and other associated entities, including Ace Urban Race and Ace Urban Developers. Premises linked to IAS officer Arvind Kumar and HMDA official BLN Reddy, also named as accused, were searched. The ACB case involves alleged irregularities amounting to Rs 54.88 crore in the Formula E race deal. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Secretary M Dana Kishore alleged that foreign remittances were made without prior approval from the state Cabinet or finance ministry, resulting in an additional tax burden of Rs 8.06 crore on the cashstrapped HMDA. Rao’s counsel argued that the case was politically motivated. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed the administration to coordinate with various Central agencies to ensure foolproof security for the Gangasagar Mela through aerial, maritime, and land surveillance. She emphasized the need for seamless coordination with the Indian Coast Guard and other departments to guarantee aerial and maritime surveillance of Gangasagar's waterways. On Tuesday, before leaving Gangasagar, the Chief Minister personally conducted an aerial survey in a helicopter to assess the situation. Before returning to Kolkata, she provided detailed instructions regarding the preparations, management, and security arrangements for the Gan- gasagar Mela. Central agencies have already alerted the state government about the activities of fundamentalist groups in Bangladesh and possible infiltration into West Bengal. To address these concerns, the Chief Minister herself conducted aerial surveillance. On Wednesday, after concluding a meeting at Nabanna, Miss Banerjee is expected to visit the temporary camps set up at Babughat and Outram Ghat in Kolkata for pilgrims heading to Gangasagar. She may also inaugurate a jetty at Outram Ghat. The Gangasagar Mela begins on Wednesday, attracting pilgrims not only from different parts of West Bengal but also from across the country. Miss Banerjee has instructed authorities to prevent any disorder or untoward incidents during the mela. Many pilgrims travel to Gangasagar via Babughat, Lot No. 8, and Kachuberia. On Tuesday, Miss Banerjee assigned specific responsibilities for managing these river ghats to various ministers and MLAs. She also spoke about the Kumbh Mela, criticising the central government for its lopsided approach. She stressed the importance of ensuring that no issues arise from the "other side" during the mela and directed the administration to stay in touch with local police, naval, air, and ground forces. On Monday, Miss Banerjee visited Gangasagar to review preparations. She visited Kapil Muni’s ashram and Bharat Sevashram Sangha. Before returning to Kolkata on Tuesday, she shared detailed information about security and other arrangements. Both Kolkata Police and Sundarban Police will oversee security. Miss Banerjee announced the delegation of responsibilities for four river ghats ~Debashis Kumar and Atin Ghosh for Babughat, Sujit Bose, Manas Bhunia, Manish Gupta, and Giasuddin Molla for Kachuberia, Firhad Hakim, Dilip Mondal, Monturam Pakhira, Nilima Mistri, Yogarangan Halder, and Bapi Halder for Lot No. 8, and Arup Biswas, Pulak Roy, Bankim Hazra, Snehasis Chakraborty, and Subhasis Chakraborty for the mela premises. Around 10–12 secretaries will also be involved. The Chief Minister stated that adequate transportation arrangements have been made, with over 2,000 buses, both government and private, ready to operate. As many as 100 launches, 32 vessels, and 9 barges will be deployed in the waterways, along with 12 jetties. Uninterrupted electricity supply will also be ensured in the Muriganga area. Miss Banerjee has stressed that no security lapses should occur during the Gangasagar Mela, particularly originating from the neighbouring country, Bangladesh. She highlighted that both the state administration and Central security agencies must work together to prevent any disturbances. lakh crore,” Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said in an official statement. The agriculture and allied sector has shown a significant improvement as the Real GVA growth is estimated at 3.8 per cent in FY25, a marked increase from the previous year's 1.4 per cent. The construction sector and the financial, real estate and professional services sector are also expected to experience strong growth with Real GVA projected to rise by 8.6 per cent. As per the MoSPI analysis, the financial, real estate and professional services sector is expected to grow by 7.3 per cent. Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) at Constant Prices, has witnessed a growth rate of 7.3 per cent during FY 2024-25 over the growth rate of 4.0 per cent in the previous Financial Year. Strong earthquake kills at least 126 people in western China near Mount Everest AGENCIES BEIJING, 7 JANUARY A strong earthquake shook a high-altitude region of western China and areas of Nepal on Tuesday, damaging hundreds of houses, littering streets with rubble and killing at least 126 people in Tibet. Many others were trapped as dozens of aftershocks shook the remote region. At least 188 people were injured in Tibet on the Chinese side of the border, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The tremors of the earthquake were also felt in several parts of India, including Bihar, Assam and West Bengal. More than 1,000 homes were damaged in the barren and sparsely populated region, state broadcaster CCTV reported. In video posted by the broadcaster, building debris littered streets and crushed cars. People in northeastern Nepal strongly felt the earthquake, but there were no initial reports of injuries or damage, according to the country’s National Emergency Operation Centre. The area around Mount Everest, about 75 kilometres southwest of the epicentre, was empty in the depth of winter when even some residents move away to escape the cold. The quake woke up residents in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu — about 230 kilometres from the epicentre — and sent them running into the streets. The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake measured magnitude 7.1 and was relatively shallow at a depth of about 10 kilometres. China’s Earthquake Networks Center recorded the magnitude as 6.8. Shallow earthquakes often cause more damage. (Details on Pg 9)