Regional

Chennai, Oct 10 (IANS) Even as the Meteorological Department has predicted the arrival of the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu by the last week of October, cyclonic depressions have led to heavy rains in many parts of the state.

In the districts of Erode, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Salem and Tiruvannamalai where Kuruvai paddy cultivation is done, incessant rains have taken a toll on the harvesting of paddy and storing of the harvested crop. With the incessant and continuous rains, many paddy fields are inundated leading to the harvesting machines not being operated due to the water stagnation in the fields.

Another issue that is creating heartburn for the farmers is the Direct Procurement Centres not buying the paddy citing the increase in moisture content. The DPCs have told farmers that the moisture content has overshot the stipulated 17 per cent and that the paddy has to be dried and then sold. With incessant rains, this will not happen and paddy in large volumes is bound to be lost.

R. Sukumaran, a Kuruvai paddy farmer in Thanjavur, told IANS that already the farmers in many parts of the taluk were not able to sell the paddy as DPCs were not taking the crop citing that the moisture content is above the stipulated percentage.

"With the heavy rains since Saturday till now, the possibility of these harvested crops being bought by the DPCs is becoming a mirage."

A group of farmers has also sought support from the Central government to relax the moisture content to 20 per cent so that the DPCs could buy the crop.

However, a group of farmers who have just sowed the Samba cultivation welcomed the rains as the fields were non-irrigated and the heavy rains have given them hope that the cultivation would take off.

Erode, Namakkal, and Salem districts witnessed heavy rains since Saturday. However, no untoward incidents have been reported from these districts.

The average rainfall in Namakkal district was 63.16 mm while that of Erode district was 54.60 mm and that of Salem 29.51 mm.

The copious rains have led to almost all the reservoirs in the state getting ample water before the northeast monsoon.

--IANS
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Kochi, Oct 10 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered that no further summons be issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to former state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and two officials of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for two months.

The court passed this order on petitions filed by Isaac and the KIIFB.

"Although the enquiry by the ED is not liable to be interdicted, there is no justification for petitioners to be repeatedly summoned by the officers of the ED," it said.

The plea moved by the KIIFB challenged the repeated issuance of summons by the ED to KIIFB officers, including CEO K.M. Abraham, in connection with alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) when it issued 'Masala Bonds'.

The petition by Isaac challenged the summons issued by the ED seeking his personal documents as well as those of his family members in connection with the same probe.

Pointing out that the ED hasn't mentioned what contravention of FEMA it is probing in the summonses, the petitioners contended that the probe is nothing but a fishing expedition.

Further they argued that the request for personal documents of the officers and their family members at this preliminary stage of investigation, is a violation of their right to privacy.

The KIIFB, in particular, argued that the probe is adversely affecting its ability to raise funds which are necessary for infrastructure projects in the state.

The ED said that the investigation is at a preliminary stage and that the issuance of summons is perfectly legitimate as per the FEMA Act.

It was also stated that the probe was initiated on the basis of complaints regarding FEMA violations in the issuance of masala bonds by the KIIFB.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Oct 10 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal-S (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday came down heavily on the Central government, saying the ruling BJP is "conspiring to make Bharat a Hindistan by imposing Hindi language".

Kumaraswamy has slammed that the report submitted by the Parliamentary Committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to President Droupadi Murmu. Reacting to the report -- which recommends making Hindi a compulsory medium of instruction -- the JD-S leader said "it will ensure destruction of federalism in the country".

"The Union government is enacting a fake drama to control the whole of India through a hidden agenda. After reading the recommendations, I was shocked," he said.

"With the mindset of a dictator, it is being conspired to make India Hindistan by trampling Kannada and regional languages. The recommendations of the report have potential to break the federal structure into pieces," the former Chief Minister said.

"Amit Shah has an agenda of destroying federal structure through his policy of one nation, one language and one religion. India will not agree to the dominance of one language. This might lead to the breaking of the country," he added.

He said the "Central government should take back the report and uphold the objectives of the constitution".

"The people who speak non-Hindi languages are more in numbers in this nation. Knowing this fact well, the BJP is imposing Hindi. This is a conspiracy," he said, adding: "The Union government has come forward to finish off regional languages like Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia and others.

"All states, especially southern states must protest this and get united to fight. BJP in Karnataka only talks Kannada at the outset, but it is imposing Hindi language in the state. BJP can't be trusted with protection of regional languages," he stated.

"If Hindi is imposed on India just because BJP has got a majority, India is going to suffer in the name of language. Bharat does not stand for Hindu and Hindi. It belongs to all," Kumaraswamy added.

--IANS
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Kolkata, Oct 10 (IANS) A vacation court here on Monday extended, to October 19, the judicial custody of the University of North Bengal's former Vice Chancellor and the West Bengal School Service Commission's (WBSSC) former Chairman, Subiresh Bhattacharya in connection with the multi-crore teachers' recruitment scam.

The court also allowed CBI sleuths to go to the correctional home and question Bhattacharya in the matter.

On Monday, the CBI counsel told the court that from the investigation and report of CBI, it is clear that the marks secured by many candidates were changed at the WBSSC server following the instructions of Bhattacharya and on the basis of that first recommendation letters were given and then appointment letters were issued to ineligible candidates.

Describing Bhattacharya as an "active partner" in the entire irregularity, the CBI counsel argued that if granted bail, he might try to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses.

On the other hand, Bhattacharya's counsel moved his bail plea on medical grounds, stating that his client is suffering from high blood pressure and high blood sugar. Counsel also argued that his client had a limited role in the recruitment process and hence cannot be deemed to be involved in the related irregularities.

"My client's digital signature was used without his knowledge. He is also ready to cooperate by all means in the investigation process and his bail prayer might be approved under any condition," he argued.

After hearing both sides the court rejected the bail application and extended his judicial custody.

The CI sleuths arrested Bhattacharya on September 19. He was the WBSSC Chairman between 2014 and 2018, with Partha Chatterjee as the then state Education Minister, when the teachers' recruitment scam purportedly took place. On August 24, CBI sleuths conducted raid and search operations at the residences of Bhattacharya at Siliguri as well as in Kolkata. At that point of time, Bhattacharya said that although there might have been some technical mistakes in the appointment process during his tenure as the WBSSC Chairman, there had been no corruption in the process.

--IANS
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Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) The Election Commission on Monday allotted new names and symbol to the two factions of the erstwhile Shiv Sena, which split into Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group and ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray group.

Accordingly, the Thackeray group has been given the name of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and it has been allotted a new symbol of a flaming torch.

Similarly, the breakaway Shinde group has allotted the identity of "Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena" and it has been ordered to submit new options for a symbol by 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The developments came two days after the ECI froze the name of Shiv Sena and its iconic bow-and-arrow symbol ahead of the upcoming by-elections to the Andheri East constituency.

Shiv Sena-UBT Deputy Leader Sushma Andheri has welcomed the EC's decision and said nobody needs an introduction to Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena now led by Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray.

South Mumbai MP of the Sena-UBT Arvind Sawant also hailed the move and said Uddhav Thackeray is "the face of the party", and accused the Shinde faction of "stealing everything, the party, is symbol, the Thackeray family name, etc.", but now the EC decision has cleared the air.

Other Shiv Sena-UBT leaders like Kishore Tiwari, Kishori Pednekar also gave a warm reception to the party's new credentials and a brand new symbol.

The ECI rejected the symbols - trident and mace - demanded by the two factions on grounds that they had religious connotations.

Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said that these are stop-gap arrangements till the assembly elections and the Shinde group will get the original name and symbol later.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, Oct 10 (IANS) Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) on Monday announced that it will invest Rs 700 crore to set up a new animal vaccine manufacturing facility in Genome Valley, Hyderabad.

The company said the facility would help meet the vaccine security of the nation against economically important diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and other emerging diseases. The facility will create total employment for around 750 people.

IIL, a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), is already one of the largest manufacturers of FMD vaccine in the world and is the leading supplier of FMD vaccine to the government's National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP).

It is investing in a new greenfield project for the establishment of a Veterinary Vaccine Facility for manufacturing of FMD and other animal vaccines. The facility is intended to be a state-of-art fully integrated biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) for Drug Substance (DS) production and respective fill-finish.

IIL's intended new facility, in Genome Valley Phase 3, will add another 300 million doses/annum of FMD vaccine to its capacity. The existing facility in Gachibowli already has a capacity of 300 million doses. Production is scheduled to commence in the third year.

Dr K. Anand Kumar, MD, IIL, and other members of the Executive Leadership team of IIL including Senior Vice Presidents Mukul Gaur and NSN Bhargav met Telangana's Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao today and briefed him on the company's plans.

Rama Rao stated that Hyderabad is already regarded as the vaccine capital of the world and this expansion further advances its contribution in terms of global health, not just for humans but also for animals.

"IIL is on an aggressive growth path and this third vaccine facility in Hyderabad will ensure self-sufficiency for our nation in the field of vaccines and thereby saving the exchequer and farmers several thousands of crores," said Anand Kumar.

IIL is a one health company and the market leader in veterinary and human biologicals in India. It manufactures over 150 products.

Genome Valley is India's first organised cluster for Life Sciences R&D and Clean Manufacturing activities, with world-class infrastructure facilities in the form of Industrial/Knowledge Parks, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), multi-tenanted dry and wet laboratories and incubation facilities.

It is home to more than 200 companies with a scientific workforce of about 15,000 professionals including presence of the marquee global names like Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Ferring Pharma, Chemo, DuPont, Ashland, United States Pharmacopeia, Lonza amongst many others including other vaccines manufacturers like Bharat Biotech, Biological E, etc.

--IANS
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Bhubaneswar, Oct 10 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to attend a roadshow of investors in Hyderabad on October 17, officials said here on Monday.

"To woo investors & present investment opportunities in #Odisha, CM @Naveen_Odisha will hold one-on-one meetings with business tycoons at the Odisha Investors' Meet in Hyderabad on Oct 17," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a tweet.

According to officials, the Chief Minister is likely to hold one-to-one meetings with several industrial captains including the Hyderabad-based investors in the daytime while a mega roadshow for the investors will be organised in the evening.

During the meeting, the focus will be given to attract more investors in IT, pharma, health care and textile sectors towards Odisha, they said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had participated in investors' meetings at Dubai, New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Notably, the Odisha government is going to organise the third edition of Make-in-Odisha conclave from November 30 to December 4, 2022 to showcase the diverse business-friendly ecosystem of Odisha to potential investors who could invest in the state.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Kerala government on a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate seeking transfer of the trial in the gold smuggling case from the state to Karnataka.

The ED has alleged that "free and fair trial" of the case is not possible in Kerala due to the close nexus between the accused and top officials and functionaries in the Kerala government.

A bench headed by Chief Justice U.U. Lalit and Justice S. Ravindra Bhat scheduled the matter for further hearing next week and allowed the application filed by the Kerala government seeking impleadment in the ED's petition and issued notice to the state government.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, referred to the averments made by Kerala government in its impleading application that the statements of accused Swapna Suresh regarding the involvement of those holding high political offices created riots in the state. He alleged that these statements are enough to conclude that free and fair trial is impossible in Kerala.

Mehta submitted that Kerala Police lodged an FIR against ED alleging fabrication of evidence, which was quashed by the Kerala High Court, and also cited allegations made by accused Swapna Suresh and other accused regarding pressure exerted by the state police.

After hearing the matter, the top court allowed the Kerala government to file its reply by the end of this week and said it will dispose of the matter on the next hearing.

The Kerala government, in its impleadment application, said: "It is submitted that if the transfer is allowed on the allegations now raised, it will have an adverse effect on the governance of the state. The State of Kerala is, therefore a proper and necessary party to this transfer petition. In so far as the transfer will have a bearing on the proposed 340 Cr PC enquiry before the special court, the state and its officers were necessary parties to the transfer petition."

The state government contended that nothing has been placed on record nor was it possible to allege that the whole of the state of Kerala cannot ensure a free, fair, and impartial trial.

"The Enforcement Directorate has not substantiated with evidence that the investigation carried on by them for more than one and half years has been hindered. There has not been a single incident in which Investigating Officers of the Enforcement Directorate were prevented from discharging their duties. They have been freely summoning witnesses and examining them. These include public servants holding important positions," added the state government, opposing ED's plea to transfer the case to Karnataka.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Oct 10 (IANS) As the crisis within the Shiv Sena deepens between the two rival factions, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has issued a virtual 'gag order' banning his partymen from talking about the political upheavals in any manner to the media.

Raj Thackeray is the nephew of Shiv Sena founder the late Balasaheb Thackeray -- and estranged cousin of ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray -- and had quit the party in 2005 to launch the MNS in 2006.

He issued an appeal to all his party leaders and workers "not to speak to the media on the issues (in Shiv Sena) or make posts on the social media".

"None of my MNS soldiers should talk or write on any media or social media about the ongoing political developments. I will present the party's position on all this in due course," Raj said.

Raj is a bitter political opponent of Uddhav though he enjoys excellent relations with the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Bharatiya Janata Party's Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders.

In a setback to Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the upcoming Andheri East assembly by-election, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday froze his party's name (Shiv Sena) and symbol (bow-and-arrow).

Simultaneously, the factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde Group, were asked to submit three alternative names and symbols, which they have done, even as both parties are battling it out in the courts while the EC decision is awaited.

The Thackeray side has given a 'Trishul', 'Rising Sun' and 'Flaming Torch' and names 'Shiv Sena - Prabodhan Thackeray', 'Shiv Sena - Balasaheb P. Thackeray' and 'Shiv Sena - Uddhav B. Thackeray'.

The Shinde side -- which is not contesting the by-polls - is understood to have given symbols like 'Trident', 'Rising Sun' (akin to the Thackeray Group) and 'Mace' (against the Thackeray Group's 'Flaming Torch'), weaving in combinations of the late Bal Thackeray in its three name options for his faction.

--IANS
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Chitradurga (Karnataka), Oct 10 (IANS) Karnataka local court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of rape accused Lingayat seer Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru till October 21.

The seer was produced before the Second Additional District and Sessions' Court and judge B.K. Komala extended his judicial custody rejecting his pleas for granting bail.

The accused seer was arrested on September 1 on charges of raping two minor girls staying at the Murugha mutt hostel.

The High Court had recently approved getting signatures on cheques from the accused seer. It had also directed the counsel of the accused seer to make arrangements of transfer of the power of attorney of giving power of signatures to another person and submit a petition to the local court in this regard.

The accused seer is refusing to step down even now and the followers and community leaders have conducted a meeting to discuss appointment of a new seer to protect the honour and historical heritage of the Murugha mutt.

Murugha mutt is the richest religious mutt in terms of properties and it has 3,000 branches all over the country. It also runs more than 150 reputed education institutions. The mutt also plays an important role in state politics.

--IANS
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