NEW DELHI: With temperatures soaring above normal, India witnessed a whopping 1,156 forest fires last week, pulling down the air quality index significantly. As many as 12 Indian states had significant forest fire incidents so far (see map).

According to NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System, the spatial resolution of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite satellite shows forest fire incidents across India, with high concentration in parts of South India, Odisha and the Northeast. Chances of fires originating from burning farm residue are remote since the rabi harvesting season is yet to start. 

“If you superimpose NASA’s images with that of the air quality index, you will can easily correlate the forest fires with the poor air quality,” says Chandra Bhushan, a Delhi-based environmentalist. According to Swiss firm IQAir, air quality in India at 9 pm on Tuesday fell into the severe to unhealthy category in cities like Delhi, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hosur and Mullanpur (see table).

High temperatures and extreme dryness create conditions for a natural fire. During the past week (13-20 Feb), maximum temperatures in the 35-390C range prevailed over Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Rajasthan and Goa and coastal Karnataka, which is 4-90C above normal. Temperatures are climbing by 5-90C above normal even in the North.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena party led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had called its first national office bearers meeting at a five-star luxury hotel in Mumbai where they decided to propose the name of VD Savarkar for Bharat Ratna.

After the election commission of India recognised even allotted them the traditional Shiv Sena symbol – bow and arrow, it was the first meeting of Shiv Sena on Tuesday late evening. The meeting was chaired by the chief minister.

Maharashtra cabinet minister Uday Samant after the meeting said that they decided that the Maharashtra government will propose the name of freedom fighter VD Savarkar for Bharat Ratna. “We will request to the central government that VD Savarkar should be conferred with the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. Besides, they will also demand giving classical language status to Marathi language and ensuring 80 per cent reservations for local people in jobs,” said Samant.

He said that Veermata Jijabai, Ahilya Bai Holkar, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj names should be included in the list of national icons. “We will work within the framework of the election commission of India. Besides, we will also expand the party network and will not make the mistake that was done by Uddhav Thackeray during his tenure. There will also be a disciplinary committee that will ensure discipline in the party. The disciplinary committee is headed by minister Dada Bhuse, while Sambhuraj Desai and Sanjay More will be members of this committee,” Samant added.

BENGALURU: A day after Ola Electric Mobility signed an MoU for investment worth Rs 7,614 crores with the Tamil Nadu government to set up an electric vehicle hub with integrated two-wheeler, four-wheeler and lithium cell gigafactories, industry experts and the Opposition Congress in Karnataka have slammed the Bommai-led BJP government for losing out on the investment.

Taking to Twitter, former director of Infosys Mohandas Pai said: “Why is the state losing out on EV? We had the first EV policy in India! Very disappointed at the lack of concern at this loss.” Congress MLA Priyank Kharge, who also heads KPCC communication cell, said that Ola, which cut its teeth in Bengaluru, is now investing heavily and employing thousands in Tamil Nadu. “There is policy paralysis in Karnataka. The government is unable to convince investors and provide a conducive ecosystem. Is Ease of Doing Business only for 40%?” he questioned.

NEW DELHI:  AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday alleged his residence in the national capital was attacked by unidentified miscreants, and said this was the fourth such incident since 2014.

The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader, who was on a visit to Rajasthan, said he has submitted a complaint to Delhi Police in connection with the incident.

“My Delhi residence has been attacked again. This is the fourth incident since 2014. Earlier tonight, I returned from Jaipur & was informed by my domestic help that a bunch of miscreants pelted stones that resulted in broken windows. @DelhiPolice must catch them immediately,” he said in a series of tweets.

“It’s concerning that this has happened in a so-called ‘high security’ zone. I’ve submitted a complaint to the cops & they’ve reached my residence,” Owaisi added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said a complaint has been received and investigation taken up accordingly.

HYDERABAD: YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) president Y S Sharmila on Sunday attacked Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao by accusing him of acting like the “Taliban” and termed the state as the “Afghanistan of India”.

Mahabubabad district in connection with a case booked against her for making alleged derogatory remarks against BRS MLA Banoth Shankar Naik and brought to Hyderabad.

Speaking to reporters here, she said: “He (Telangana Chief Minister) is a dictator, a tyrant. There is no Indian Constitution in Telangana. There is only KCR’s Constitution. Telangana is the Afghanistan of India and KCR (as Rao is known) is its Taliban”.

Sharmila was booked under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following a complaint by a local BRS leader, who accused her of ‘insulting’ the legislator belonging to the tribal community, through her comments during her ongoing statewide padayatra ‘Praja Prasthanam’ in Mahabubabad district on Saturday.

Police said they have cancelled permission for the foot march citing law and order situation, as her statement triggered protests by BRS party personnel, demanding action against Sharmila.

“We have taken her into preventive custody and for her own safety, she has been shifted to Hyderabad,” a senior police official told PTI.

Sharmila, reacting to a query on her next course of action, said: “KCR doesn’t understand democratic language. So, I have to probably approach the court again and will have to get fresh permission again (for the padayatra)”.

She accused the MLA and other BRS leaders of using objectionable language against her and calling her by names.

“We only responded to him strongly and paid him back in the same coin. As a woman, don’t I have a fundamental right to react to it?” Sharmila further alleged that her padayatra was attacked.

“The BRS deliberately created a law and order problem. My escort vehicle was destroyed. The law and order problem was created by them and then the blame was put on me. I was detained and brought to Hyderabad. There is no respect for women in Telangana. All women should rise up against the insults hurled at a woman, who is standing for the rights of the people of Telangana,” she said.

Accusing the government of not fulfilling promises made to the people of Telangana, she alleged that KCR has been trying to foil her padayatra.

In November 2022, while Sharmila was undertaking padayatra in the Warangal district, a caravan being used by her was attacked and set on fire besides windowpanes of one vehicle were damaged.

Following the remarks of Sharmila against BRS MLA from Narsampet P Sudarshan Reddy, activists of the party then protested.

In view of the law and order situation, police had then stopped Sharmila and she was sent back to Hyderabad with police escort even as police “temporarily cancelled” permission for the padayatra.

The Telangana High Court in December 2022 directed the police to accord permission to Sharmila to resume her padayatra with conditions after the YSRTP approached the court and questioned the rejection of permission by police.

The padayatra of Sharmila, daughter of former CM of undivided Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, and sister of current AP Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has currently covered over 3,800 km and will complete 4,111 km when it reaches Palair in Khammam district.

A massive public meeting is scheduled to be held on March 5 in Palair, where the padayatra is set to conclude, the party had recently said.

The padayatra began on October 20, 2021 from Chevella.

NEW DELHI: Welcoming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s call to take the lead in forging an alliance with oppisition parties to defeat the BJP in 2024, the Congress on Sunday said the party is already on the job, adding that no opposition unity is possible without its active participation. 

The upcoming Congress plenary session will deliberate on Opposition unity, said Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh. Chhattisgarh’s Nava Raipur will start from February 24 and is expected to be attended by 15,000 delegates. 

On Saturday, Nitish Kumar had said he was waiting for a signal from the Congress to bring Opposition parties together. Kumar said the BJP would not be able to cross 100 seats in the 2024 polls if the opposition parties fight together.

While reacting to Nitish, the Congress also took potshots at some of the opposition parties such as the Trinamool for not being on the same page. “We know our role very well. We don’t need to give a certificate to anyone to take the lead role. Because, any attempt towards Opposition unity will be unsuccessful without Congress,” said Ramesh, claiming that the Congress is the only party that never had an alliance with the BJP. 

He also accused certain opposition parties of siding with the BJP on critical issues. “Some parties were in agreement with us in demanding a JPC inquiry into the Adani issue. But, some of them demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe. That is a political move to save PM Modi from the crisis,” said Ramesh, while addressing a press conference here on Sunday.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the party has already taken the initiative by inviting like-minded political parties during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. “Certainly, the Congress will play a bigger role as suggested by Nitish Kumar,” he said, adding: “Our main job is to lessen the numbers of the BJP.”