The Kolkata-headquartered SER is the second railway zone in the country after West Central to fully electrify its route.
Month: February 2022
** NIT-Meghalaya director receives KIIT’s award for excellence
National Institute of Technology, Meghalaya (NIT-Meghalaya) Director Prof Bibhuti Bhusan Biswal has been conferred with an “Educational Leadership Award” by the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT).
It was given to him in recognition of his experience in the field of teaching and research at various levels, his extensive outreach activities as a leader, and his roles in the field of educational administration and leadership.
** Over 7,900 Indian prisoners languishing in foreign jails, highest in UAE, says Centre
There are 7,925 Indian prisoners languishing in foreign jails, with the highest number in the United Arab Emirates at 1663, followed by Saudi Arabia at 1363 and Nepal at 1039.
This was revealed by Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs V Muraleedharan in Parliament. “This data also includes undertrials,” he said.
** Over 350 bullock carts take part in race in Pune district, first after Supreme Court lifted ban
More than 350 bullock carts took part in a race at Landewadi in Ambegaon tehsil of Pune district on Friday.
** Junior World No 1 Tasnim Mir wins Iran Fajr International Challenge
The 16-year-old from Gujarat, who became the first Indian woman shuttler to claim the world no. 1 status in u-19 singles, beat second seed Susato 21-11, 11-21, 21-7 in 51 minutes.
Junior World No 1 Indian shuttler Tasnim Mir on Friday notched a three-game win over Yulia Yosephine Susanto of Indonesia in the final to claim the women’s singles title at the Iran Fajr International Challenge here.
** Uganda footballer scores against severe heart disease as Hyderabad city hospital assists
A 31-year-old footballer from Uganda, who was suffering a severe heart disease, got a new lease of life at a private hospital in the city where a L-VAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) was successfully implanted in him.Yashoda Hospital in Secunderabad performed a complex procedure, JARVIK 2000, on the patient who was diagnosed with coronary artery disease along with left ventricular dysfunction.
** Properties of 610 Kashmiri Pandits restored in J&K, Government informs Rajya Sabha
“As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the land of 610 applicants [migrants] has been restored in the last five years,” Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha on February 9 that the land of 610 Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir has been restored in the past five years.
** DGDE completes surveying 17.78 lakh acres of defence land, Rajnath awards personnel
This is the first such exercise post Independence
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The Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) has completed the exercise of surveying the 17.78 lakh acres of defence land, the first such exercise post Independence, for which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday gave away awards to 11 officers and 24 personnel of 38 Defence Estates Offices and four Assistant Defence Estates Offices on the accomplishment.
** ‘Warming in Himalayas accelerating snow melt, flooding in rivers’
It has direct implications on water availability and security of South Asia, say studies
Two independent studies point to increasing risk from warming in the Himalayas that is accelerating snow melt and contributing to flooding in rivers. Last February, an avalanche and snow melt in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand killed at least 70 persons and destroyed two hydropower projects.
The first study from researchers at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the University of Kerala used high-resolution, regional climate and chemistry models to quantify the effect of “snow darkening” from aerosols has on snow melt and flood risk, using data from 2011 to 2015.
Aerosols are particles suspended in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight. When some of these particles settle on snow, they tend to increase the amount of heat. Such aerosol pollution, the scientists say in their report, is “darkening” the Himalayan glaciers and snowpack, accelerating melt and increasing flood risks in the river basins near the Himalaya. The study appears in the peer-reviewed journal Water Resources Research.
** Y-shaped safety belts to be mandated for all seats in car
Road Transport Ministry seeks stakeholder feedback
Soon, all seats in a car will be required to have a “three-point” or Y-shaped seat belt, including middle-rear seats, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.
The Ministry will issue a draft notification in a day or two to invite stakeholders’ comments following which the new rule will be notified, the Minister said at a press conference.
“Automobile manufacturers are given a choice between two-point and three-point seat belts. Now, we plan to make three-point seat belts mandatory as they are known to ensure better safety,” a senior government official explained. He added that all “front-facing” seats will be required to have this provision, including middle-rear seats.