Patna: BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha Wednesday criticised his party’s strong defence of its president Amit Shah’s son, saying the high moral ground it had acquired all these years appears to have been lost.

The former finance minister, who has turned a strong critic of the Modi government’s economic policies, also objected to the filing of a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against The Wire, which carried a story on Jay Shah’s business.

Such an attempt to suppress the voice of the media was avoidable, he told reporters here.

“I will certainly like to say that the manner in which a central minister jumped into fray in defence of Jay Shah was not called for. He is a central minister not a chartered accountant of Jay Shah,” Sinha said, in an apparent reference to Union minister Piyush Goyal’s defence of Amit Shah’s son.

He also expressed his reservations over the “very special circumstances” under which Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was cleared to fight Jay Shah’s defamation case against The Wire.

“Perhaps, the high moral ground we have acquired all these months and years appears to have been lost,” Sinha said.

He, however, insisted that he did not want to comment on the merit of the story, which said that there was a huge rise in the turnover of Jay Shah’s company after the BJP came to power in 2014.

It is a matter of inquiry and investigation, and any government agency can do it, Sinha said.

The BJP has accused Sinha of having a link with the opposition Congress.

(PTI)

New Delhi: The annual cost of treating the consequences of obesity such as heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, depression and many types of cancer will reach a staggering $13 billion in India by 2025, according to a new experts estimate.

The global annual medical cost of treating these serious consequences of obesity is expected to reach $1.2 trillion per year by 2025, data from the World Obesity Federation released on Tuesday showed.

In India, the annual cost of treating these consequences is estimated to reach $13 billion or cumulative costs of $90 billion between now and 2025.

The percentage of Indian adults living with obesity is set to jump to around 10 per cent (3.1 per cent male and 6.9 per cent female) by 2025 from 7.5 per cent (2.3 per cent male and 5.2 per cent female) in 2014, the new analysis, ahead of World Obesity Day on Wednesday, revealed.

The data demonstrated how investing in the prevention, early intervention and treatment of obesity is a cost-effective action for governments and health services.

Investment can also help to achieve the 2025 targets set by the World Health Organisation to halt the rise in obesity and to achieve a 25 per cent relative reduction in mortality from noncommunicable diseases. “Obesity is now a worldwide epidemic which absorbs a vast amount of our healthcare resources.

The annual medical costs of treating the consequences of obesity such as diabetes and heart disease is truly alarming,” said Ian Caterson, President of World Obesity Federation.

“With an estimated 177 million adults suffering severe obesity by 2025, it is clear that governments need to act now to reduce this burden on their national economies,” Caterson added.

(IANS)

Lucknow: Around 300 students were taken ill on Tuesday after inhaling toxic gas emitted by a sugar mill near their school in Shamli district, the police said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a probe into the matter by Commissioner Saharanpur.

The students of a private school in Shamli started complaining of stomach ache, nausea and burning sensation in their eyes after gas leakage from a neighbouring sugar mill.

“We have come to know that similar incidents had taken place in the past. A probe is on and strict action will be taken against those responsible,” ADG, Meerut zone, Prashant Kumar said.

He said all the children are safe and are undergoing treatment in various hospitals.

Principal Secretary, Information, Awanish Awasthi said, “The CM has ordered a probe into the Shamli incident by Commissioner Shaharanpur and directed the DM and all local officers to provide all possible help to the affected children.”

Locals alleged that sugar mill employees used to discharge chemicals in waste dumps leading to emission of harmful gas inhaling which children took ill, with some of them falling unconscious.

(PTI)

Bengaluru: Sincerity and dedication are the keys to excel in the field of sports, said GK Srivastava, IAS Additional Commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi.He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 48th KVS National Sports Meet for girls at Sree Kanteerva Stadium on Sunday. He said KVS has provided the finest platform for its students to take advantage and utilise the opportunity to become good sportspersons.

Over 3,500 girl’s students of Kendriya Vidyalayas from across the country participated
in the four-day event held at various Kendriya Vidyalayas in the city.

Arjuna Awardee and former national badminton champion U Vimal Kumar, who was the guest of honour at the closing ceremony, said he was delighted to see such a big gathering of girl athletes. It looks as though a mini India has gathered at the stadium. He asked the students to work hard and at the same time not neglect their studies. The combination of sports and education can make best sportspersons, SriKumar said.

P Deva Kumar, deputy commissioner, KVS, Bengaluru region said the sports meet of the KVS went on well and thanked all the participants for displaying sportsmanship during this grand sporting event. Overall championship trophy was bagged by Bengaluru region with120 points followed by Delhi region with 96 points. Ernakulum region won the best overall marchpast trophy.

Region wise final winners:

Archery: Gurugram, Athletics: Delhi, Judu: Delhi,
Lawn Tennis: Chennai, Swimming: Bengaluru, Table Tennis: Guwahati, Taekwondo: Bengaluru, Yoga: Delhi, Basketball: Bhopal, Handball: Jabalpur, Hockey: Lucknow, Kabbadi: Jammu,
Khokho: Bengaluru, Volley Ball: Gurugram,
Badminton: Tinsukia