India

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) India and Thailand's warm bilateral relations are heading for an upgrade with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the South Asian nation.

PM Modi's two-day visit to Thailand from Thursday onward offers a chance to enhance India's economic and commercial relations with the South Asian country.

PM Modi will also be enhancing India's deep civilizational linkages, maritime connectivity, and cross-cultural exchanges with member countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping during his visit to Bangkok to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.

During the visit, a Maritime Transport Agreement with the BIMSTEC countries will be signed at the summit in Bangkok.

Established in June 1997, the BIMSTEC regional grouping forms a unique link between South and South-East Asia, with five members from South Asia -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka -- and two from South-East Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.

Besides BIMSTEC, cooperation between India and Thailand exists in various other multilateral forums like ASEAN, East Asia Summit, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, and Indian Ocean Rim Association. Thailand is the third largest economy in ASEAN and India's fourth largest trading partner in the region after Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia in the region.

Reaffirming the age-old cultural and religious ties, India recently sent the holy relics of Lord Buddha to Thailand.

India’s 'Look East' policy (since 1993) and Thailand's 'Look West' policy (since 1996) have metamorphosed into India's 'Act East' and Thailand's 'Act West' policies and are strongly contributing to the consolidation of bilateral relations, including economic and commercial linkages. India’s partnership with Thailand also has a strong regional dimension in the context of India's engagement with ASEAN and membership of groupings such as BIMSTEC, Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD).

The defence cooperation between the two countries is also growing steadily and forms an important aspect of the multifaceted relationship.

--IANS

svn/dpb

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to support the Centre’s Waqf (Amendment) Bill, advocating for the amendment of certain provisions they consider unfair. This appeal has sparked varied reactions from political leaders across the spectrum.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP, Virendra Singh, while addressing the issue, noted, “Everyone has their own thoughts and approaches. When the Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced recently, there were objections after reading it. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was then formed, but its report has still not been presented in Parliament. Once the Waqf Amendment Bill is passed by the Cabinet, we will read it and discuss whether it is right or wrong. If it is wrong, we will oppose it in Parliament.”

Meanwhile, CPI MP, P. Santhosh Kumar, responded sharply to the Catholic Bishops' intervention, saying, “Whether they want to do politics or not doesn't matter to us. We have our political views, and we will follow them. KCBC must be a non-political body, I don’t know much about it, but the point is, don't mix religion and politics.”

In contrast, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Haris Beeran highlighted the longstanding relationship between his party and the Catholic Bishops.

“The IUML has a strong relationship with the Catholic Bishops' Council. Whatever their concerns are, our top leadership is engaging with them, and we are hopeful that we will be able to resolve the differences and reach an amicable solution,” Beeran said, emphasising the importance of dialogue in resolving the issue.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Jebi Mather, also acknowledged the views of the Bishops, stating, “We respect everyone's views, including the Catholic Bishops' Council. If they have concerns on this matter, we will discuss and convince them about the real issue. We respect what the KCBC says, but we will address the matter and sort it out.”

The KCBC has expressed its support for amendments to the Central Waqf Act, asserting that certain provisions were inconsistent with India’s secular and democratic values.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India’s statement urges political parties to adopt a constructive approach to the matter, emphasising that the Bill should align with the Constitution.

As the government pushes to bring the Waqf (Amendment) Bill before Parliament in the ongoing Budget Session, the debate over the Bill continues to intensify with diverse political reactions.

--IANS

rs/rad

Jaipur, April 1 (IANS) The death toll in the catastrophic nitrogen gas leak from a tanker parked in the warehouse of an acid factory in Rajasthan's Beawar city has increased to three.

Over 60 individuals have been affected, with two in critical condition, prompting authorities to evacuate the area.

The incident occurred on Monday at Sunil Trading Company in the Baria area of Beawar police station. Many houses near the factory were evacuated due to the spread of the toxic gas.

Among the deceased are Sunil Singhal (47), the factory owner who succumbed while attempting to control the gas leak. He was referred to the Ajmer JLN Hospital but died during treatment.

Two deceased who passed away on Tuesday morning are Narendra Solanki (40) and Dayaram (40).

Two victims, Babulal (54) and Laxmi Devi (62), remain critical and are undergoing treatment at JLN Hospital.

According to reports, nitrogen gas leaked from a tanker in the warehouse and swiftly spread to nearby residential areas.

People inside their homes suffered suffocation and eye irritation as the gas started spreading around.

Firefighter Navlesh Kumar reported that colleagues Arjun Singh, Jitendra Kumar, and Vicky Rathore experienced chest tightness, coughing, and vomiting due to gas exposure.

Localite Nandeshwar detected the gas leak around 6 p.m. on Monday. By 7 p.m., the smell intensified, prompting him to alert the police.

Meanwhile, Mahendra Singhal, a neighbour, evacuated his family after experiencing breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and nausea.

Upon receiving the alert, police, administration, and fire brigade teams arrived and controlled the gas leakage by 11 p.m.

District Collector Mahendra Khadgawat has ordered the factory to be sealed. Beawar SDM Divyansh Singh confirmed an ongoing investigation by the Municipal Council, Revenue, and Police Departments. An FIR has been registered against the acid factory for endangering public safety.

Meanwhile, tanker driver Babulal said the leakage began while emptying a nitric acid tanker from Gujarat. Efforts to contain it failed, leading to widespread gas exposure, Babulal said.

Further, to control the situation, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kasana and his team coordinated emergency efforts.

District Collector Khadgawat and Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh ensured special medical arrangements for the victims.

Authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the accident and to prevent future occurrences, said officials.

--IANS

arc/svn

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) The Centre on Tuesday issued a notification on the transfer of Delhi High Court judge Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma to the Calcutta High Court on the recommendation made by the Supreme Court Collegium.

"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Shri Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Judge, Delhi High Court, to be a Judge of the Calcutta High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Calcutta High Court," said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Last week, the apex court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, approved the proposal for the transfer of Justice Sharma to the Calcutta High Court.

"The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 27th March 2025 has recommended transfer of Mr Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court at Calcutta,” said a statement uploaded on the website of the top court.

Thereafter, three advocates’ associations of the Calcutta HC had submitted a joint memorandum to the CJI Khanna, objecting to the proposal of the transfer of Justice Sharma.

"While we are conscious of regular transfers in the usual course of administration of justice, we have reasons to believe that this transfer does not fall in that category. We also have reasons to believe that this transfer is due to certain allegations that came to light touching the propriety and manner of functioning of the Learned Judge,” read the joint memorandum signed by the Secretaries of the Calcutta High Court Bar Association, the Calcutta High Court Bar Library Club and the Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta.

In the joint memorandum, the Secretaries of the three associations have argued that they were aware of serious complaints against the said Judge of the Delhi High Court since October 2024, which the office of the CJI had also been apprised of.

The memorandum added that such short tenures prior to retirement did not and could not have any significant impact on the discharge of judicial functions and did not better the administration of justice. "Past bitter experience of having transferred Judges mentioned as above and their performance, do not install confidence, rather acts adverse to the interest of the institution. Instead, we beseech your Lordship to kindly transfer back some of our Judges who are now working in various other High Courts," the joint memorandum read.

--IANS

pds/vd

Gandhinagar, April 1 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit Gujarat on Sunday, to participate in a series of significant events, with the highlight being the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) plant in Kalol, near Gandhinagar.

The IFFCO plant, which has played a crucial role in India's agricultural sector, will mark five decades of operations with a grand event attended by key dignitaries, cooperative leaders, and farmers.

The Kalol unit of IFFCO is one of India's pioneering fertiliser plants, contributing extensively to the nation's agricultural growth. Since its establishment in 1975, it has played a vital role in providing high-quality fertilisers to farmers across the country. The golden jubilee celebrations will include a tribute to the cooperative movement, highlighting IFFCO's journey in supporting Indian farmers and ensuring food security.

As part of the celebrations, Union Minister Shah will interact with IFFCO officials, cooperative representatives, and farmers to discuss the future of agriculture and the role of cooperatives in enhancing farm productivity.

A key highlight of his visit will be the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Seed Research Center at the IFFCO Kalol facility. This centre aims to develop high-yield and climate-resilient seeds to help farmers increase their productivity and adopt modern farming practices. It will focus on advanced agricultural research, innovation in seed technology, and sustainable farming techniques.

Cooperation Minister Shah's visit to Gujarat holds political and economic significance as it comes at a time when the government is emphasising self-reliance in agriculture through initiatives like cooperative-based farming and technological advancements.

The newly inaugurated research centre aligns with the government's vision of improving agricultural sustainability and reducing dependency on imported seeds.

The event will also be attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani, and top officials from the cooperative and agricultural sectors.

Farmers from various parts of Gujarat are expected to participate in the celebration, making it a key platform for dialogue on the future of cooperative farming in India.

Union Home Minister Shah has made several visits to Gujarat this year, engaging in a variety of religious, social, and developmental activities across the state.

On March 8 and 9, he embarked on a two-day tour encompassing Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Ahmedabad, and Gandhinagar.

His itinerary included prayers at the Somnath Temple, participation in the restoration of sugar mills in Talala and Kodinar, and the inauguration of projects at Brahmanand Vidyadham in Junagadh.

Additionally, he unveiled a Rs 150 commemorative coin honouring Jainacharya Buddhisagar Surishwar Maharaj's birth anniversary and attended the Swarnim Shatabdi Mahotsav of Ahmedabad District Bank.

In January, he visited Gujarat twice within a short span. On January 13, he participated in Makar Sankranti festivities, flying kites and engaging with the local community.

On January 16, he traveled to Vadnagar in Mehsana district to inaugurate several projects, including the Vadnagar Archaeological Experiential Museum, which showcases the town's 2,500-year history, a sports complex, and other local initiatives.

He also addressed a gathering at Science College and visited the Hatkeshwar Temple. Later in January, Home Minister Shah inaugurated a newly built cancer hospital and a sanatorium in Surat on January 23.

He also launched the 'Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair' at Gujarat University Ground in Ahmedabad and inaugurated two underpasses in the city's Sabarmati and New Ranip areas. Additionally, he laid the foundation stone for drainage and water conservation projects in Ranip and addressed the public at Sardar Chowk.

--IANS

janvi/svn

Deesa, April 1 (IANS) At least seven workers were killed and several injured in an explosion at a firecracker factory and godown on Dhunwa Road in the Deesa town of Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Tuesday.

The blast was suspected to have been triggered by a boiler explosion early morning.

The blast triggered a massive fire, causing widespread panic in the area as emergency personnel battled to control the blaze and search for survivors trapped under the debris.

Eyewitnesses reported multiple explosions, with the intensity of the blast leading to the collapse of the factory’s roof, trapping several workers inside.

Firefighters from Deesa Municipality, along with 108 emergency services, rushed to the site as flames engulfed the factory, making rescue operations increasingly difficult.

According to preliminary reports, a loud explosion was heard, leading to the immediate collapse of the structure, burying several workers. The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital.

"Six individuals are currently undergoing treatment, with three suffering severe burns exceeding 40 per cent," said Deesa Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Neha Panchal.

She added that authorities are still assessing the extent of the casualties.

The explosion occurred at Deepak Traders, a factory engaged in the production of firecrackers.

Initial reports suggest that an uncontrolled blast in highly flammable materials led to the devastating fire. The factory is owned by Khubchand Sindhi, who allegedly sourced raw explosives for manufacturing fireworks.

Officials are now investigating whether the factory possessed the required licenses for handling and storing hazardous materials. Authorities have raised concerns over the safety measures at the facility and whether it was operating under proper regulations.

As rescue teams work to control the fire and retrieve those trapped, local authorities, including the Deputy Mamlatdar and Chief Officer, have reached the site to oversee relief efforts.

Police have cordoned off the area, and forensic experts are examining the cause of the explosion.

So far, officials have not confirmed the exact number of workers present at the time of the explosion, nor how many have successfully escaped.

--IANS

janvi/dpb

Chennai, April 1 (IANS) Merchants, business owners, taxi drivers, and hotel and restaurant operators in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district have declared their support for a district-wide bandh on April 2, protesting the newly-implemented e-pass system that restricts the number of tourist vehicles allowed into the hills.

The protest has been called by the Nilgiris District Traders Association in response to a Madras High Court order that came into effect on April 1 and will remain in force until June 30.

The ruling limits the number of tourist vehicles permitted into the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal to 6,000 on weekdays and 8,000 on weekends.

While vehicles for medical and other emergencies, government buses, goods transport, and district-registered vehicles are exempt, the rest will require e-passes for entry.

The High Court also emphasised giving priority to vehicles using sustainable and non-polluting fuels during the e-pass allocation process.

According to Dindigul Collector S. Saravanan, the Chief Secretary recently chaired a meeting to finalise the implementation process.

He noted that last year, around 15 per cent of the issued e-passes were cancelled, depriving genuine tourists of the opportunity to visit the hill stations.

To address this, the administration plans to maintain a buffer of e-passes to account for possible cancellations.

Additional measures include close monitoring of bulk bookings and e-pass checks at the foothills to prevent traffic congestion, particularly at high-traffic areas such as Silver Cascade.

While some glitches are expected in the first 15 days, officials assured that these will be quickly resolved.

However, confusion remains over the composition of the 6,000–8,000 permitted vehicles. The district administration has not yet clarified how many passes will be allocated to private buses, mini-buses, vans, cars, or two-wheelers.

The High Court has also directed the Nilgiris administration to arrange parking areas at the foothills where private vehicles can be left, with Electric Vehicles ferrying tourists to popular spots.

However, it is still unclear whether these parking facilities are ready for operation. Hotel and Restaurant association leader Francis KM said that while hotels will remain open due to existing bookings, the association will support the bandh in principle.

He also raised concerns about the inclusion of local residents’ vehicles in the tourist vehicle count.

“Many families in the Nilgiris own cars registered in other districts. If these are also counted as tourist vehicles, it will reduce the number of e-passes available to actual visitors,” Francis said.

He added that the District Collector has promised to convey these concerns to the state government.

Meanwhile, similar discontent is brewing in Kodaikanal, where stakeholders argue that the vehicle cap — 4,000 on weekdays and 6,000 on weekends — may not be realistic.

Critics point out that while the cap appears to be based on the number of registered hotels, cottages, and homestays, which is around 7,000, there are numerous unlicensed accommodations that were not factored in.

As April 2 approaches, the hills are bracing for a tense standoff between local stakeholders and authorities over the implications of the new e-pass regime.

--IANS

aal/rad

Kolkata, April 1 (IANS) Almost 15 hours since the massive blast took place at an illegal firecracker factory at Patharpratima in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, one of the two absconding owners was arrested by the investigating team of state police.

The arrested individual was identified as Chandrakanta Banik. However, his brother, Tushar Banik who is the joint owner of the house, continues to be absconding. The investigating officials are trying to track him through the interrogation of his arrested brother.

The arrested individual will be presented at a district court later in the day and the public prosecutor will seek his police custody for further interrogation in the matter.

Meanwhile, the state secretariat has sought a detailed report from the district magistrate of South 24 Parganas on how the blast took place and other related information on the matter.

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, described this seeking of report as a farcical exercise and claimed that ultimately nothing concrete will transpire from such actions since the illegal firearms factories through the state are running because of the direct indulgence of the ruling Trinamool Congress and police administration.

Meanwhile, tension continues to brew at Patharpratima on Tuesday afternoon as the local people are agitated over the role of the local police in the matter. The people have complained that their repeated complaints at the police station about the factory being run illegally at Banik house were completely ignored by the police.

The local people have also expressed doubts on whether the blast was from illegal firecrackers or crude bombs, considering the intensity of the blast, following which the entire house was completely gutted.

Till now, the police have yet to make it clear whether the firecracker factory was running with a proper license or was operating illegally. So far there has been no statement from the office of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the administrative actions in the matter, including the quantum of compensation to be paid to the family members of the victim.

The West Bengal unit of BJP has already demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the matter, echoing the apprehension of the local people that, in reality, crude bombs were manufactured at the said factory.

--IANS

src/dpb

Kolkata, April 1 (IANS) The internal disciplinary committee of Trinamool Congress’ legislative party in the West Bengal Assembly has finally shortlisted 30 party MLAs, including a member of the state cabinet for being absent on March 20, the last day of the second phase of the budget session, ignoring the party whip.

The absent MLAs had not even given prior intimation about their absence to the office of the Speaker, Biman Bandopadhyay.

These legislators, including the state minister, will have to personally appear in front of the disciplinary committee this month and justify why internal disciplinary action will not be initiated against them for ignoring the party whip.

The name of Manoj Tiwari, the cricketer-turned-politician and the current West Bengal Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs department, also figures in the list of those who will have to justify the reason behind their absence during House proceedings and ignoring party whip, said a member of the disciplinary committee who refused to be named.

Tiwari joined Trinamool Congress in 2021 before the state Assembly elections that year and was elected as a party legislator from the Shibpur Assembly constituency in the Kolkata-adjacent Howrah district. After the new state cabinet was announced, his name figured in the list.

Initially, it was decided that the meeting of the internal disciplinary committee would be conducted on March 29. However, the meeting on that date was cancelled because of the preoccupations of the MLAs including the members of the disciplinary committee because of the Eid festival.

The committee is chaired by the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay. The other members of the committee include the West Bengal Minister of State for Finance (independent charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya, the state Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, state Power Minister Arup Biswas and the chief whip of Trinamool Congress’s legislative party in state Assembly, Nirmal Ghosh.

Trinamool Congress had issued a whip, making the presence of all party legislators mandatory on the last two days of the second phase of the budget session on March 19 and March 20.

Although the presence on the part of the legislators was almost 100 per cent on March 19, several legislators, including the minister, skipped attendance on March 20.

--IANS

src/dpb

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) India's raw silk production is estimated at 34,042 metric tonnes in the April-January period of 2024-25, which is a close to 10,000 tonnes increase over the corresponding figure of 24,299 metric tonnes in the same period of 2014-15, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

The raw silk production in the country has increased due to interventions of Central schemes such as Catalytic Development Programme, North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry, Silk Samagra and Silk Samagra-2, Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.

He also said that the projected employment generation estimated in the silk sector as per raw silk production till January-2025 is 80.90 lakh person, with direct employment of 71.2 lakh person and indirect employment of 9.7 lakh person.

The establishment and functioning of 109 Automatic Reeling Machines in the country have increased the production of international grade (3A and 4A) quality silk in the country, the minister added.

He further stated that the government, through the Central Silk Board, has been implementing the Silk Samagra-2 scheme with an outlay of Rs 4,679.85 crore for the overall development of the sericulture industry in the country from the year 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to states towards implementation of various beneficiary oriented field level critical interventions, which includes raising of kisan nurseries, silkworm rearing packages (includes assistance for plantation, irrigation, rearing house, rearing equipment and prophylactic measures), establishment of chawki rearing centres in pre-cocoon sector, support and infrastructure oriented interventions for silkworm seed sector, silk reeling, spinning, weaving, processing components meant for post cocoon sector, the minister said.

He further stated that so far, the central assistance of Rs 1,075.58 crore has been provided to states to cover around 78,000 beneficiaries under the Silk Samagra-2 scheme towards implementation of beneficiary-oriented components covering both pre and post cocoon activities/machineries for the growth and sustainability of sericulture sector.

Additionally, through research & development activities, the production and productivity of silk have been improved to achieve the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the silk sector.

Based on the proposals received from the states, central assistance of Rs 72.50 crore to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 40.66 crore to Telangana has been provided towards implementation of beneficiary-oriented components under Silk Samagra-2, during the last three years, including the current year, he added.

--IANS

sps/vd