By Rizwan Arif
Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], March 2 (ANI): The Jharkhand government has started the compensation process for the state’s victims in the avalanche triggered by the bursting of a glacier in Uttrakhand’s Chamoli last month.
The families of the deceased will be given a sum of Rs 1 lakh under the Jharkhand Interstate Migrant Labourers Survey and Rehabilitation scheme, the state Labour Commissioner informed on Tuesday.
Labour Commissioner of Jharkhand A Muthukumar said, “We are giving compensation to fourteen families. The labour department has transferred the compensation amount to the Labour Superintendents of concerned districts. It will be given to aggrieved families in two or three days.”
The compensation scheme has various provisions fixing a certain amount for the injured and the dead labourers. “Their families would have received Rs 1.5 lakh each if they were registered, but they weren’t. Hence, according to the scheme, they will be getting Rs 1 lakh each,” the labour commissioner further added.
Fourteen Jharkhand residents went missing after the glacier burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Four bodies were identified after a few days. However, ten are still missing. The Uttarakhand administration has now declared the missing persons as dead.
Among the recovered bodies three labourers hailed from Lohardaga and one from Bokaro district of Jharkhand.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the incident has reached 72 as two more bodies and 30 parts of human bodies were recovered from the debris, according to the state government on Saturday.
A glacier burst in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand triggered massive flooding in the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers that damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project. (ANI)

Hisar (Haryana) [India], March 2 (ANI): Maharaja Agrasen Medical College Agroha (Hisar) will soon have a mega cancer hospital equipped with all modern facilities, announced Maharaja Agrasen Medical Education & Scientific Research Society.
“Mamta and Madhusudan Agrawal Foundation has taken the initiative with the technical support of the Tata Memorial Center and the cancer hospital will be a 50-bed modern cancer treatment and care centre with the cost of construction of more than Rs 60 crores,” reads an official release.
Talking about the announcemnet of the cancer hospital, Rajya Sabha MP, General (Retd) Dr DP Vats said, “This is a major achievement during the tenure of Savitri Jindal, President of Agroha Medical College Steering Committee (Maharaja Agrasen Medical Education and Scientific Research Society) and former Cabinet Minister of Haryana.”
General Vats further said, “the people of Haryana had been waiting for a cancer hospital for a long time. This is a dream come true for them. Along with Haryana, people of Punjab and Rajasthan will also get the benefit from this cancer hospital.”
While thanking the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, Health Minister Anil Vij, and the Ajanta Pharma family for this major initiative, President Savitri Jindal said this contribution to the development of Agroha Medical College is unprecedented and beyond words.
According to the release, the hospital will be named Samata Purushottam Agrawal Cancer Hospital and Research Institute and its foundation stone will be laid on March 5, by Purushottam Agrawal, Founder Ajanta Pharma Ltd and Samata Group and Honorary Ambassador of Zimbabwe in Mumbai.
“The hospital is being built on the death anniversary of the Samta Agrawal, wife of Purshottam Agrawal,” the release said. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in the annual multinational exercise ‘Desert Flag’ hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), informed the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the Defence Ministry, the IAF will be participating for the first time in exercise ‘Desert Flag’, which is is an annual multi-national large force employment warfare exercise. The exercise is scheduled from March 3 to March 27 at Al-Dhafra airbase of UAE.
The IAF is participating with six Su-30 MKI, two C-17 and one IL-78 tanker aircraft, the Ministry said.
C-17 Globemaster will provide support for induction and de-induction of the IAF contingent. Su-30 MKI aircraft will undertake long range ferry, routing direct from India to the exercise area with aerial refueling support from IL-78 tanker aircraft.
The aim of the exercise is to provide operational exposure to the participating forces while training them to undertake simulated air combat operations in a controlled environment. The participating forces will get an opportunity to enhance their operational capabilities along with mutual exchange of best practices.
The large-scale exercise involving diverse fighter aircraft from across the globe will provide the participating forces, including IAF, a unique opportunity to exhchange knowledge, experience, enhance operational capabilities and interoperability.
Exercising and interaction with the participating nations in a dynamic and realstic warfare environment will also contribute to strengthen international relations. (ANI)

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], March 2 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday congratulated his party workers for their performance in the state’s recent local body polls and said that the people of the state have wiped out the Congress party.
“In the results of district panchayats, taluka panchayats and municipalities, the saffron colour of Bharatiya Janata Party is flying all over Gujarat. The manner in which the people of Gujarat have wiped out Congress, with passion, shows that Gujarat has a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Rupani said in Gujarati.
“Ever since Narendra Modi ji became the Prime Minister, he has been helping Gujarat in the way nobody has done. On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, I would like to thank the people of Gujarat for their love and support,” he said.
He also congratulated the workers of BJP in the state and BJP State Chief CR Patil for their continuous efforts.
Speaking about his opposition party, he said: “Congress is like a sinking boat. Gujarat’s results have clearly shown this.”
BJP is leading on 1,636 seats, Congress on 625 and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on 16 seats as the counting of votes for Gujarat local body election is underway.
As per the latest trends till 2 pm, out of 4,772 seats in 231 taluka panchayats in the state, the Independents are leading on 51 seats, BSP on five and others in six constituencies. (ANI)

Koraput (Odisha) [India], March 2 (ANI): Fake Indian Currency notes worth face value of Rs 7.9 crore have been seized by the police in Koraput district of Odisha on Tuesday.
According to the police, three people have been arrested in connection with this case.
“All the notes were of Rs 500 denomination,” the police said.
A case in this matter has been registered at Pottangi Police Station in the district under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 2 (ANI): Party President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday alleged that people were feeling “suffocated” due to the current majoritarian form of democracy.
Addressing a rally here, ahead of Telangana MLC polls, Owaisi said: “Today, every citizen in India wants that his or her voice should be heard. But, they are feeling suffocated due to the current majoritarian form of democracy. We have to strengthen the participative form of democracy in the country to fulfill dreams seen by freedom fighters.”
Telangana MLC polls are slated to be held on March 14 this year.
Earlier on Monday, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) said that they will contest Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu as well.
“We will contest Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. Some of our candidates won in Gujarat local body polls. I’ll be going to Rajasthan today to review and speak with party members. Our party workers are also working hard in Uttar Pradesh,” Owaisi had said. (ANI)