DHARMAPURI l sunday l august 11, 2024 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l city EDITION Jaishankar meets Maldives Prez, says relations take top priority External Affairs Minister met Mohammed Muizzu on Saturday, affirmed New Delhi’s commitment for development of the region water projects handed to Island nation india to help introduce UPI interface The foreign minister handed over water and sanitation projects in 28 islands of Maldives, which are commissioned under the Indian line of credit. “I thank the Government of India ... for always supporting the Maldives. Our enduring partnership continues to strengthen, bringing our nations closer through cooperation in security, development,” Muizzu tweeted ■ The water project has brought safe drinking water to 32 islands and has directly impacted the lives of 28,000 Maldivians, Jaishankar said. The sanitation project has introduced sewerage system in 17 islands, he added. All buildings come with solar rooptops | P7 ■ India signed an MoU with Maldives to bring the UPI interface to the island 1,000 Maldivian civil servants to receive training from India 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 Eco-sensitive Full support area tag: States to rehab: Modi propose to omit private lands 50 of 135 TN villages suggested by Kasturirangan allegedly left out S V K R I S H N A C H A I TA N YA @ Chennai The final draft notification issued by the Union environment ministry on July 31 on declaration of ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats shows that some of the states, including Tamil Nadu, have proposed to include more reserve forest areas in the ESA than ‘highly vulnerable’ non-forest private land holdings as suggested by the Kasturirangan report. The plan by the state governments to leave private lands — where extensive human settlements have come up over the years — off the hook may lead to change in land-use pattern in the already fragmented hilly regions in the future and may trigger more Wayanad-like disasters, some experts said. Incidentally the July 31 notification came just , a day after the deadly Kerala landslides that left more than 400 people dead. Six states —Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra — covered under the notification have been dilly-dallying over the declaration of ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats for the past 13 years. A High-Level Working Group (HLWG) led by K Kasturirangan, which submitted its report to the Union environment ministry in April 2013, has recommended notification of 6,914 sq km area of Tamil Nadu in Western Ghats, including 135 villages of the state, as ecologically sensitive areas. But, according to sources, the state may have left out 50 villages with substantial human settlements from being designated as ESA and instead included reserve forests in the ESA category to comply with the land mandate. The suspected error, intentional or unintentional, was made in 2013 as seen in the first draft notification dated November 13, 2013, issued by the ministry and continues to reflect in all the six draft notifications issued till date. P5 Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with a child affected by the landslide, at a hospital in Wayanad | PTI P o o ja N air @ Kalpetta I would like to assure the survivors and victims that they are not alone in this time of distress. The nation, the Centre, the state, everyone, is with them... Funds will not be a constraint for rehabilitation — Narendra Modi A detailed assessment of the damage is underway and the initial assessment is that the loss incurred was to the tune of thousands of crores. The state would submit to the Centre a memorandum — Pinarayi Vijayan CHARCOAL FUMES 2 tourists die in bid to cook meat in closed room E x pr e ss N e w s S e rvic e @ Dindigul Two youth died of suspected suffocation caused due to burning of charcoal inside a closed room in a hotel in Kodaikanal on Saturday morning. The deceased, identified as K Anand Babu (26) and M Jayakannan (29), residents of Tiruchy had used the charcoal , to cook chicken in the room, sources said. The two were part of a four-member group of tourists who came to the hill station from Tiruchy two days ago. They were staying in two separate rooms in a hotel at China Pallam in Kodaikanal. Police said the group cooked chicken at the hotel room using charcoal on Friday night and left the embers burning to get some warmth as it was raining heavily outside. “Later the fumes from the charcoal spread all over the room, asphyxiating the duo to death,” they said. P5 Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the landslide-ravaged areas of Wayanad on Saturday and promised all support in the relief and rehabilitation efforts. Stating that the Centre will stand with the state government in the rebuilding, the prime minister said funds will not be a constraint for the rehabilitation of survivors of the devastating landslides that swallowed Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages. Modi, who undertook an aerial survey of the disasterstricken areas, later visited the landslide spots at Chooralmala and Mundakkai. He walked through some of the affected areas for a closer look at the devastation. He also met survivors at a hospital and a relief camp, lending an ear to their concerns. As per official records, the July 30 landslides have claimed 226 lives so far, with more than 130 missing. “The country and the government are with the survi- vors. We wish to let the affected people know that they are not alone,” he said after the review meeting at the collectorate conference hall in Kalpetta. Modi said he has sought a detailed memorandum from the state government on the extent of damage and loss. “The Central government will act favourably once we get the memorandum,” he said. The PM assured that both the state and the Centre will join hands for the rehabilitation package. Central ministers and officials have already had a round of talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state officials. Later in the day, Pinarayi said the state government has requested the PM for financial help for rehabilitation. A note has been handed over to the PM, he added. The prime minister said he was in contact with the state government ever since the tragedy occurred and that all the arms of the Central government were mobilised in the rescue and relief operations. express read CBI books fresh case against Pon Manickavel Heavy to very heavy rain forecast for 4 districts CAS call on Phogat put off by a day Chennai: CBI has registered a fresh case against retired IG and former Idol wing CID chief, AG Pon Manickavel, for allegedly falsely implicating former DSP Kader Batcha in a criminal case | P4 Chennai: The IMD has issued heavy to very heavy rainfall alert in isolated places over ghat areas of Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Namakkal, Perambalur and Tiruchy districts on Sunday | P4 Paris: The ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport will take another day before deciding on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification from the 50 kg Olympic Games final 2 soldiers killed in encounter in poll-bound J&K f aya z w ani @ Srinagar Two soldiers were killed while three other jawans and two civilians were injured in an encounter with militants in the forest area of Kokernag in pollbound Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday The militants . are said to be involved in the recent attacks on the Army in Doda, A police official said acting on specific inputs about the presence of militants, a joint contingent of the Army, police and CRPF laid siege around the Ahlan Gagarmandu forest area in Kokernag on Saturday afternoon. Kashmir Tigers, which is said to be an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammad, claimed its fighters are involved in the ongoing encounter. It is believed that two to three militants are trapped in the Army siege. The gunfight is taking place in a high altitude area with thick under growth, large boulders and nallahs. The terrain poses a serious challenge to the jawans, a defence spokesman said. Somanathan appointed new cabinet secy The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his candidature for two years from August 30 | P7 Bangladesh CJ forced to resign are rudderless literally Prof ,” Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, a On a day when Chief Justice political commentator in of Bangladesh Obaidul Has- B a n g l a d e s h , t o l d t h i s san’s forced resignanewspaper. tion dominated the On Saturday Chief , news cycle, rampant Justice Obaidul Haslawlessness, protests san along with five seeking the return of appellate judges were exiled former prime forced to quit by stuminister Sheikh Hasidents as there was apna, Hindu minorities prehension that they demanding their could call a meeting Obaidul Hassan right to safety and coto declare the interim existence, and Chigovernment unconnese snooping were stitutional. High other issues that re- Our chief justice Court Judge Syed Required interim leader faat Ahmed is likely resigned a few Muhammad Yunus’ minutes back. His to replace Hassan. immediate attention. resignation letter Similarly, the vicehas already ATMs have also run chancellor of Dhaka dry and businesses reached the law University was asked ministry are yet to take off in to step down. the riot-torn nation. Meanwhile, Hindus — Prof Asif Nazrul, “The way things from all 64 districts law adviser of the are at present in interim govt got together at ShahBangladesh where bag seeking protection three major powers are at for themselves and their places play there is nothing but cha- of worship. At the border vil, os. China has deployed three lage of Sitalkuchi, thousands ships in the Indian Ocean of Hindus urged the BSF to let near the Bay of Bengal. We them cross over to India. P9 Y e shi S e l i @ New Delhi WITH THIS ISSUE Children of Rage PLUS 12 PAGES Credible deterrent Govt green light for desi nuclear-powered submarine expected this year Indian Navy’s at present has 16 conventional submarines, most of which are over 20 years old The nuclear edge Jan 1988 Indian Navy acquired INS Chakra, its first nuclear submarine from the Soviet Union on lease INS Arihant First indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, was launched on July 26, 2009 INS Arihant’s nuclear reactor activated in August 2013 INS Arihant inducted in the Indian Navy in 2016 +350 130 China has India’s more than fleet 350 warships strength submarines Project approval for first nuclear-powered submarine expected this year M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi A government green light to enhance the attack capability of the Indian Navy is due this year through the manufacture nuclear powered submarines. It is expected to serve as a deterrent for the Chinese Navy’s increasing foray into the Indian Ocean Region. This ambitious project is going to be indigenous. “The submarine will be more than 90% indigenous,” sources said. “By the end of the year, I think we should get the goahead for indigenous construction, as policy makers at every level have shown their inclina- trials of its Fujian aircraft cartion towards the project,” one rier weighing a whopping of the sources said. “The Chi- 80,000 metric tons. The PLA alnese are unbelievably fast. We ready has two active carriers can take them lightly at our — the 66,000-ton Shandong and own peril,” they added. the 60,000-ton Liaoning. Since 2008, the Chi“If any Chinese airnese Navy has been rapcraft car rier comes Sunday close by, our nuclear idly deploying various Special submarine will serve as assets, including attack submarines, in the Ina deterrent because it dian Ocean region on ancan stay under water for ti-piracy duty. Prolonged close to a month.” deployments help gain familiThere are two types of nuarity and confidence. Addition- clear submarines, SSN and ally, Chinese survey vessels SSBN. SS stands for submersihave been continuously operat- ble ship; SSN is a nuclear-powing in the region. ered submarine; and SSBN is a In May China completed sea nuclear-powered ballistic mis, sile submarine. India already has SSBNs. They made the country’s nuclear no-first use policy operational. SSNs have multiple mission utility like anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, besides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. SSBNs offer assured second strike in the event of a nuclear attack. India’s foray in the nuclear submarine domain began with the induction of INS Arihant. It is suitable for the policy of no-first use of nuclear weapons with maintenance of minimum credible deterrence, as part of the nuclear triad.
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