New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) officers on Sunday addressed over 120 grievances received at a ‘Suvidha Camp’ organised at the Convention Centre, Jai Singh Road, said an official.

The Camp aimed to provide a direct interface between the NDMC administration and the residents of New Delhi, facilitating prompt resolution of public grievances, dissemination of civic information, and ease of access to various municipal services.During the Camp, the 120 grievances addressed by senior officers pertained to various departments, including Personnel, Civil Engineering, Horticulture, Public Health, Enforcement, Commercial, Tax, and Estate.In addition, hundreds of residents and service users visited the Camp to seek information on NDMC’s civic services and ongoing initiatives.The unique feature of the Suvidha Camp was its face-to-face interaction model, allowing citizens to engage directly with department officials for immediate redressal of concerns, said the official.For issues requiring policy-level interventions, the officials provided clarifications along with the expected timelines for resolution.More than 100 officers and officials from 30 NDMC departments were present at the Camp, manning departmental help desks under the supervision of their respective Heads of Departments.This collaborative approach ensured that most grievances could be addressed on the spot, reflecting NDMC’s dedication to responsive and transparent governance.To further enhance citizen convenience, NDMC has also launched the ‘Jan Suvidha Portal’, a digital platform for seamless, contactless grievance redressal. Citizens can lodge grievances, track their status, and provide feedback through the portal available at: https://www.ndmc.gov.in/complaints.aspxEarlier, NDMC Kuljeet Singh Chahal announced that the civic agency had approved the procurement of 5 eco-friendly CNG Mechanical Road Sweepers (MRS) to combat dust pollution and enhance cleanliness.The existing fleet of MRS machines, deployed in 2017–18, has aged and is frequently out of service, severely affecting NDMC’s ability to meet its daily cleaning target of 365 kilometres of roads, he said.Chahal stated that NDMC’s Swachhta Division actively monitors air quality and reports data to agencies, including CPCB, DPCC, and CAQM. Under the National Green Tribunal’s guidelines prohibiting new diesel vehicle registrations in Delhi, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has agreed to fund the procurement of these new CNG-operated sweepers.The Council granted administrative approval for the Preliminary Estimate of Rs 6.69 crore for the procurement through CPCB funding.This will ensure uninterrupted mechanised sweeping, significantly reducing road dust and enhancing cleanliness in this VVIP zone of the capital, he said.–IANSrch/dan

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The country holds the promise of a future where every Indian may receive individualised treatment tailored to their genetic makeup, lifestyle and environment, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Sunday.He inaugurated the state-of-the-art Phenome India “National Biobank” at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in the capital. The newly-launched facility marks a significant stride towards building India’s own longitudinal health database and enabling personalised treatment regimens in future.The Biobank will serve as the backbone of a nationwide cohort study, collecting comprehensive genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals across India.Drawing inspiration from the UK Biobank model, the Indian version is tailored to capture the country’s unique diversity—across geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds.Researchers believe the initiative will aid early diagnosis, improve therapeutic targeting, and bolster the fight against complex diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular ailments, and rare genetic disorders.Addressing the scientists and researchers at IGIB, Dr Singh said “This transition to personalised healthcare is no longer theoretical — it is becoming reality, driven by indigenous innovations.”Reflecting on the unique health challenges faced by Indians, he noted the high prevalence of central obesity, a risk factor often underestimated.The minister highlighted past research showing that seemingly lean Indians may carry disproportionate fat around their waist, underlining the need for population-specific health strategies. “Our conditions are complex and deeply heterogeneous. This is where the Biobank becomes vital—it allows us to decode that complexity,” he said.He emphasised that India’s scientific landscape is evolving rapidly, citing recent advances in quantum technology, CRISPR-based genome editing, and the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).“India is no longer lagging behind — we are among the early adopters, sometimes even ahead,” he said. The Biobank, he added, will complement these efforts by generating the kind of high-resolution data that can power AI-driven diagnostics and gene-guided therapies.Dr Singh also called for deeper collaboration between research institutions, government departments like the Department of Biotechnology, and industry partners, particularly in areas such as AMR and drug development. “Research must extend beyond the lab — it must find takers in the market and beneficiaries in society,” he noted.Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, commended the launch of the Biobank as a bold step toward India’s self-reliance in healthcare data.—IANSna/

Rio de Janeiro, July 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he arrived at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit on Sunday.

During the Summit, Prime Minister Modi will exchange views on key global issues, including reform of global governance, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, responsible use of artificial intelligence, climate action, global health, and economic and financial matters.PM Modi had arrived in Brazil earlier in the day on the fourth leg of his five-nation visit, after wrapping up a historic trip to Argentina on Saturday.This is Prime Minister’s fourth visit to Brazil and he is scheduled to undertake a State Visit to Brasilia following the two-day Summit.Prime Minister Modi is also likely to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit.”As a founding member, India is committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies. Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order. On the sidelines of the Summit, I will also meet several world leaders,” said PM Modi, earlier this week.”I will travel to Brasilia for a bilateral State Visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades. This visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen our close partnership with Brazil, and work with my friend, President H.E. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on advancing the priorities of the Global South,” he added.In the last BRICS Summit, held under Russia’s chairship in Kazan in October 2024, PM Modi noted that the event was taking place at a time when the world is undergoing several uncertainties and challenges, including conflicts, adverse climatic impacts, and cyber threats, placing greater expectations upon BRICS.The Summit holds a major significance for New Delhi as India will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last held the BRICS Chairship in 2021, which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the grouping.India also remains committed to strengthening the voice of the Global South and championing the cause of developing countries on the global stage, including forums like BRICS.The theme of the Rio Summit is Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.Sunday’s first agenda item would be the reform of the Global Governance, where only the full members will participate.After wrapping up discussions on two more agenda items – peace and security, the strengthening of multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and Artificial intelligence – the leaders will be participating in an official reception hosted by President Lula.On Monday, discussions will be held on the fourth item of the agenda – environment, COP30, and Global health.–IANSas/dan

Hyderabad, July 6 (IANS) Tree felling on the campus of the Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University here ahead of the launch of the plantation programme by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sparked a row, but the university authorities clarified that trees harmful to the environment are being removed as part of the ongoing drive to make space for new and valuable plantations.A section of students alleged that earthmovers were deployed on Saturday night to fell trees on campus in preparation for Vana Mahotsavam, a plantation programme scheduled by launched by the Chief Minister on Monday.Videos of students questioning police officials and pointing to the presence of heavy machinery were shared on social media. The students questioned the removal of existing trees to plant new ones.The university authorities, however, termed the reports on social media as “false” and “misleading”.PJTAU Vice-Chancellor Prof Aldas Janaiah clarified removal of subabul and eucalyptus trees in 150 acres as part of the greenery development initiative on the campus was taken up by the university through a formal auction process, awarded to ITC.He said in a statement that these tree species have been found to harm the environment by depleting groundwater and damaging soil health. He clarified that the removal of these trees is part of a programme that has been ongoing for the past month, and appealed to people and environmentalists not to believe the false news on social media.In May, the university had approved the auctioning of 521 eucalyptus and 3,000 subabul trees present on four different blocks on the campus.As part of the university’s ongoing greenery development efforts, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has initiated a project to remove environmentally harmful tree species such as subabul and eucalyptus from the university campus. These trees, planted decades ago, were found to be contributing to groundwater depletion and land degradation.The Vice-Chancellor stated that in the place of these trees, rare and traditional forest species native to Telangana will be introduced on a large scale.He clarified that the initiative is based on ecological reasoning and long-term sustainability goals. He noted that the university’s Botanical Garden, once a key feature of the campus, had been in decline for over 15 years due to the uncontrolled growth of subabul and eucalyptus.He also mentioned that the campus is filled with invasive weeds like lantana, parthenium, prosophis juliflora (Sarkar thumma), etc, causing severe environmental damage to the campus.In the coming days, eucalyptus and subabul trees on 150 acres will be removed to make space for planting valuable varieties as part of the Vana Mahotsavam.Around 30 native timber, wild fruit and wild flower bearing tree species, along with a wide variety of Bamboo varieties, are being planted to revive and rejuvenate the Botanical Garden.The Vana Mahotsavam, organised by the Forest Department, will be attended by students, volunteers, forest enthusiasts, and the local community, the Vice-Chancellor added.–IANSms/vd

Karachi, July 6 (IANS) The death toll in the building collapse in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi has jumped to 27 as rescuers retrieved more bodies, a spokesperson of the state-owned rescue organization Rescue 1122 said on Sunday. Confirming the death toll, Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan, the operation’s spokesperson, told Xinhua that rescue activities are in the final stage and most of the building debris has been removed.He said at least 15 women and three children are among the victims, adding that three people are in critical condition.Heavy machinery and modern equipment were employed to clear the debris during the operation, which continued for over 48 hours, reported Xinhua news agency.According to local authorities, the collapsed structure was 30 years old and had been previously marked unsafe.A high-level committee has been formed to investigate the incident.A five-storey residential building collapsed in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Friday, killing seven people and leaving at least 10 injured, police officials said on July 4.The police officials in the area told Xinhua that over 30 people were trapped under the debris after the building collapsed in the Lyari area of Karachi, and rescue efforts are underway to recover the remaining individuals.The officials said that heavy machinery is being used to help in the removal of the rubble of the dilapidated building, which had already been marked unsafe by authorities, adding that the two adjoining buildings have also been evacuated as a precautionary measure.The eyewitnesses said that the building collapsed following several jolts that residents mistook for an earthquake, adding that it suddenly came crashing down after a couple of hours of intermittent shocks.Following the incident, authorities cordoned off the area, and all the victims were shifted to a local hospital, where several people were said to be in critical condition.–IANSint/bpd/dan

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Union Minister and Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athawale on Sunday strongly criticized Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his party workers over their recent stance on the Hindi language and the violent incidents targeting Hindi-speaking citizens in Mumbai. Athawale called for an immediate end to “gundagardi” (hooliganism) and warned that such actions would damage Mumbai’s cosmopolitan status.Reacting to the ongoing controversy around the state government’s decision, later withdrawn, to impose Marathi in educational institutions, Athawale, told IANS, emphasised that Hindi is the most spoken language in India and is rightfully considered the Rajbhasha (official language).“Opposing Hindi is not appropriate. Hindi is spoken by the majority of people in the country. It is not a threat to Marathi,” he said.On the reunion of Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, Athawale took a sceptical tone, saying, “They’ve come together over the Marathi issue, but who knows how long they’ll stay united?”He urged Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to remember Bal Thackeray’s inclusive vision, which involved forming wings for different communities across India, and condemned MNS for “attacking Hindus instead.”Commenting on reports of MNS workers assaulting Hindi-speaking individuals and posting videos online, Athawale warned, “If they slap others, they must remember that they too could be slapped someday.” He urged Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to take strict action against such vigilante-style violence.Athawale also dismissed Raj Thackeray’s earlier remarks that Hindi-speaking states are weaker than Maharashtra. “Mumbai is India’s economic backbone, and that pride is shared by everyone—Marathis and non-Marathis alike,” he said. “During British times too, Mumbai held special status. Marathas have contributed immensely, but non-Marathi people, including many businessmen, have played a vital role in building Mumbai.”He also stated that the Maharashtra government must ensure the safety of all citizens and that politics should not be used to divide people along linguistic lines.–IANSsas/dan

Yangon, July 6 (IANS) A total of 28 people were killed and 219 injured in 94 traffic accidents on Myanmar’s Yangon-Mandalay highway during the first six months of 2025, according to the highway traffic police force on Sunday.

This marks a decrease in accidents and fatalities as compared to the same period last year, which saw 99 accidents resulting in 52 deaths, an official from the highway traffic police force told Xinhua.Most of the traffic accidents during this period were due to driving at high speed, he said. The traffic accidents caused damage at over 400 million kyats (about 190,476 U.S. dollars), he added.In 2024, a total of 203 accidents occurred on the highway, resulting in 88 deaths and 360 injuries, the official said.Last month, on May 29, Xinhua reported a total of 20 people killed and 159 injured in 58 traffic accidents on Myanmar’s Yangon-Mandalay highway between January and April this year, according to a report from the Road Transport Administration Department on Thursday, reported Xinhua news agency.The number of traffic accidents and fatalities on the highway this year decreased compared to the same period last year, which recorded 59 accidents, resulting in 33 deaths, the report said.On Thursday, the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television reported that the major cause of accidents on the highway during the period is human errors, as well as vehicle defects such as tire blowouts during the hot season.The 587-km Yangon-Mandalay expressway connects the country’s commercial city of Yangon and the second-largest city of Mandalay.Further, A total of 11 people were killed and 66 injured in 26 traffic accidents on the same highway during the first two months of this year, according to the highway traffic police force on March 18.In the same period last year, 30 traffic accidents occurred on the same highway, killing 23 people, an official from the highway traffic police force told Xinhua.Among the main causes of traffic accidents in Myanmar are reckless driving, vehicle defects, as well as bad road and weather conditions.–IANSint/bpd/dan

Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) Actor-producer Arbaaz Khan feels that one should stick to their roots no matter how far they go in life.

The actor, who is the son of the legendary screenwriter Salim Khan, feels that holding on to your value system is what makes a person stand out in this rapidly changing world. Arbaaz, and his family has always made it a point to stick to their values, something which has earned them respect from the Hindi film industry and their fans time and again.Arbaaz told IANS, “It is extremely important to stick to your roots in a globalised world. I think that is what is so essential to keep your roots or to keep your value system which everybody has their own culture and that flavour that has to remain. It’s beautiful. I mean everything can happen, but if you keep the essence of whatever your upbringing is and your roots are, I think that’s beautiful”.Earlier, Arbaaz Khan had teamed up with the Dubai-based filmmaker, producer, Ayesha Zaki for a short film ‘Safe Community Safe World’. The short film was aimed at raising awareness about the often-ignored safety concerns of sanitation workers and stray animals. It starred Arbaaz alongside Ayesha. The script for the film is written by Rashmi Zafran. The film shed light on the often-overlooked consequences of irresponsibly discarding sharp objects like broken glass in public areas.The story explores how such actions adversely affect vulnerable sanitation workers and helpless stray animals, who silently bear the brunt of this negligence. Helmed by Ayesha Zaki, the film also marked her acting debut alongside Arbaaz Khan. Ayesha brought both her directorial vision and on-screen presence to the project, adding emotional depth and continuing her journey of creating socially impactful cinema.–IANSaa/

Bhopal, July 6 (IANS) The design of the Railway Over Bridge (ROB) in the Shubhash Nagar area of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh has raised security concerns due to its ‘snake-like’ structure and poorly placed dividers after two back-to-back incidents occurred at the same point within eight hours in the last few days.

The ROB, which is frequently used by commuters in Bhopal, has been built at a cost of Rs 40 crore.This bridge has come up as a key link between Maida Mill and Prabhat Petrol Pump, and an important route for commuters heading to Bhopal Railway Station.The establishment of this bridge has also eased traffic at the junctures within the city area. However, after two back-to-back road incidents within eight hours, the commuters have questioned the bridge’s sharp turns.In the first incident, which occurred on July 1, a car collided with a road divider and flipped in the air. The next morning, a van carrying school children sustained damage after hitting the same divider.Both these incidents occurred amid heavy rain. Six schoolchildren were in the school van; however, they were fortunate to escape unharmed.The commuters in Bhopal, those using the bridge frequently, have raised their concerns and blamed the authorities for its faulty design.The Public Works Department (PWD), which has constructed the bridge, has not responded to the concerns of the citizens.Serious concerns were also raised on the design of an under-construction bridge in the Aishbagh area of the city, which also has a sharp turn.Last week, taking cognisance of the matter, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav Madhya suspended seven engineers, including two chief engineers of the Public Works Department, for the ‘faulty design’ of the new ROB.–IANSpd/dan

Srinagar, July 6 (IANS) J&K L-G Manoj Sinha said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s dream 66 years after his martyrdom, asserting that he (Mookerjee) wished active participation of the people of J&K in the mainstream of development and nation-building.

“Today, India is making exponential strides in its development journey to achieve his (Mookerjee’s) other resolves of building a strong, united, and developed India,” he said while attending the 125th birth anniversary celebration of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, at Tagore Hall, in Srinagar.Paying rich tributes to Mookerjee, the L-G recalled his immense contributions as one of the key architects of modern India.“Mookerjee was a visionary statesman, educationist and fearless parliamentarian whose ideals continue to shape the destiny of India. His profound knowledge and resolute commitment to social cohesion and harmony will always be remembered,” he said.He further observed that J&K has launched a two-year celebratory campaign to honour the life and legacy of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and his role in strengthening national unity and advocating ‘One Nation, One Constitution’ for a brighter future of J&K.“Syama Prasad Mookerjee sacrificed his life for the unification of J&K with India. He was a proponent of “One Nation, One Constitution” and opposed Article 370. His martyrdom in Srinagar while fighting for J&K’s complete integration remained a defining moment in the nation’s history,” he said.The L-G pointed out that PM Modi fulfilled Mookerjee’s dream 66 years after his martyrdom, adding that, “The achievements of J&K post-August 2019 are guided by the dream of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and the resolve of PM Modi. he (Mookerjee) was guided by the vision to build a discrimination-free J&K and to change its destiny by complete integration with India.”The L-G claimed that Mookerjee wished active participation of the people of J&K in the mainstream of development and nation-building.“With the inspiration of Mookerjee and the commitment of PM Modi, J&K is setting new records of development. Mookerjee was the chief architect of India’s industrialisation. He laid the foundation of a self-reliant India,” he claimed.He said that Mookerjee breathed his last in Srinagar, and the entire J&K is indebted to him.“The new generation should actively engage in honouring his legacy. Week-long exhibitions in educational institutions and theatrical performances depicting his life’s journey should be organised,” he claimed.–IANSdan/