A background to the Naga accord
A video of how did the Naga issue start?
The Naga Hills became part of British India in 1881. The effort to bring scattered Naga tribes together resulted in the formation of the Naga Club in 1918, which told the Simon Commission in 1929 “to leave us alone to determine for ourselves as in ancient times”. The club metamorphosed into the Naga National Council (NNC) in 1946. Under the leadership of Angami Zapu Phizo, the NNC declared Nagaland as an independent State on August 14, 1947, and conducted a “referendum” in May 1951 to claim that 99.9% of the Nagas supported a “sovereign Nagaland”. On March 22, 1952, Phizo formed the underground Naga Federal Government (NFG) and the Naga Federal Army. The government of India sent in the Army to crush the insurgency and, in 1958, enacted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. The insurrection petered out by the mid 1970s but returned with more intensity in the form of the NSCN led by Mr. Muivah and S.S. Khaplang.
November 14, 2019
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Rafale case review petitions dismissed: highlights
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the review petitions against its verdict in the Rafale deal on grounds that they lacked merit, reiterating its clean chit to the Modi government in the fighter jet agreement with French firm Dassault Aviation.
The apex court also rejected the contention that there was need to register an FIR in connection with the Rs 58,000 crore deal.
The pleas had sought re-examination of the apex court’s December 14, 2018 verdict that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
“We find the review petitions are without any merit,” a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph said.
The rejection of review petitions is tantamount to the apex court giving a second clean chit to the Modi government.
November 14, 2019
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Free laddu distribution at Madurai Meenakshi Temple
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami inaugurated a free laddu distribution scheme at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, on Friday via video-conferencing.
District Collector T.G. Vinay, who was present during the inaugural function, said that free laddus will be distributed throughout the day to all devotees after darshan. “Around 70 lakh devotees visit the temple annually and on an average 20,000 devotees visit the temple every day. From Friday, free laddus will be distributed to all devotees,” he said.
The temple had procured a machine, at a cost of ₹4 lakh, to make laddus, said ‘Thakkar’ Karumuttu T. Kannan. With each laddu weighing 30 grams, the machine can produce up to 2,000 laddus each hour. A total of 11 workers have been deployed to prepare the laddus. The laddus will be distributed to devotees through two counters at the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Meenakshi.
November 13, 2019
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How the Kartarpur Corridor came into existence
The first batch of Indian pilgrims travelled to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan on the Kartarpur Corridor, opened on November 9, 2019. This comes almost 20 years after the idea was proposed.
February 1999
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee proposed the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor when he took a bus ride to Lahore as a part of a peace initiative with Pakistan.
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Pakistan then agreed to allow Sikh pilgrims from India to visit the shrine visa-free (and without passport) by constructing a bridge in Pakistan from the Indian side of the border to the shrine.
August 2018
The then Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu who attended Pakistan PM Imran Khan's swearing-in ceremony said that Pakistan would open the corridor on Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary.
November 2018
The Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to the Pakistan border was approved by India's Cabinet. While Pakistani PM Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of the corridor on the Pakistan side.
November 2019
Indian PM Modi flagged off the first batch of 562 Indian pilgrims including Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
November 13, 2019
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All about the project to redevelop Lutyens Delhi
The Central government is redeveloping the three-km-long Central Vista and Parliament. A common Central secretariat will be constructed for all ministries that are currently spread over many buildings across Delhi. The project is estimated at a cost of Rs. 229.75 crores.
The CPWD selected a Gujarat-based architecture firm HCP Design as a consultant. The winning design by HCP would be published online. Public consultations would be held before the plan is finalised.
The Parliament House and the North and South Blocks were built by the British between 1911 and 1931. Post-1947, the government of independent India added office buildings such as Shastri Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan and Nirman Bhavan. While the British-built buildings are not earthquake-proof the buildings that came up after 1947 are prone to fires.
The new buildings are expected to have a lifespan of 150 to 200 years. They would be energy-efficient and modern workspaces.
The Parliament House and North and South Blocks will not be demolished, but their usage may change. The rest of the buildings that came up post-1947, including Shastri Bhavan and Krishi Bhavan, are likely to be demolished.
According to the government’s deadlines, the new Parliament has to be ready by March 2022 the 75th year of India’s Independence.
November 10, 2019
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Ayodhya verdict: highlights
A Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on November 9 delivered its judgment in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute.
In a unanimous decision, the five-Judge Bench allotted the disputed land for the construction of a temple. The Sunni Waqf Board will be given five acres of alternative land in a suitable, prominent place in Ayodhya.
It ordered the Centre to formulate a scheme under the Ayodhya Act 1993 within three months to set up a Trust for temple construction and hand over the inner and outer courtyard of the disputed land.
Till the Trust is formed, the ownership of the site will rest with the Centre.
The Bench dismissed the Shia Wakf Board's petition claiming the disputed site belonged to them.
The suit filed by Nirmohi Akhara for sherbaiti rights has been time barred and hence dismissed. The court said the Akhara might be made a part of the Trust.
The court upheld the belief of Hindus that Lord Ram was born at the disputed site in Ayodhya. It also upheld that the mosque was neither abandoned nor seceded by the Muslims.
The court however said the mosque was not built on a vacant land citing the findings of the Archaeological Survey of India.
November 09, 2019
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Meet Pollachi's artisans
When travel magazine, Pollachi Papyrus, came out with its first edition in 2014, founder/editor Pravin Shanmughanandam was flooded with requests from readers to experience what he had featured.
Keen on promoting the town’s culture, food and wildlife, in 2015, Shanmughanandam began organising customised tours to the town’s artisanal hubs. The Papyrus Itineraries has since hosted over 2,500 tourists across 250 tours.
The tours have a carrying capacity, as he believes “tourism shouldn’t be the primary mode of employment for the artisans, so that their art doesn’t lose value. If we don’t protect them, they can get exploited”.
November 08, 2019
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Biodegradable and toxin-free sanitary napkins for sustainable menstruation
Eighteeen-year-old Ishana Ismail, an entrepreneur from Coimbatore, makes cotton bio-degradable and toxin-free sanitary napkins. Manufactured in her company under the brand name Ana Cloth Pads, they will soon be available on Amazon and Flipkart.
Ishana enlists the help of women tailors in her neighbourhood who make a living out of stitching Ana cloth pads. “I was shocked when I read about the health hazards posed by disposable napkins. These products are made of more than 90 percent plastic with super absorbent polymers and non-woven plastic components. Chemicals like dioxin, and pesticides and other endocrine disruptors go into their making making it bad for both the environment and women’s health.”
“I saw YouTube videos on how to make a cloth pad. I made one for personal use,” says the youngster who runs a boutique Ana Creations where she designs and stocks lehengas, blouses, frocks, kurtas and other ready made fabrics.
For students, it is offered at a subsidised price. To know more, call: 94889-70671
November 06, 2019
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Why are Delhi Police protesting?
Lawyers and police clashed at the Tis Hazari court complex on November 2, 2019 over a parking dispute. Police officers and lawyers sustained injuries in the incident and several vehicles were damaged.
Two days later, a video surfaced, in which a few lawyers can be seen thrashing a policeman at Saket Court.
Delhi Police officers, including the constabulary, are now protesting against the attack on their colleague. They gathered outside the Delhi Police headquarters, holding placards asking for justice. The families of protesting police personnel are also participating.
November 05, 2019
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Stubble burning M S Swaminathan's solution
The stubble burning around Delhi and neighbouring States have become so worse in the past few days that farmers in these States are being blamed for their act. But, eminent agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan says blaming the farmers would offer no solution. Instead, set up rice bioparks, says Swaminathan, which could generate employment and cattle feed
November 05, 2019
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Delhi can't breathe
Delhi is choking again. The air quality of Delhi had reached 999 in certain parts of the city this Deepavali season which is 'severe', according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
The level of deadly respirable particles PM2.5 was almost seven times (418 ug/m3) the safe limit (60 ug/m3).
The city is at the mercy of the increase in wind speed which has helped reduce the impact of a smog post-Diwali
The Delhi government announced that all schools in the Capital would be closed till November 5.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority said that pollution in Delhi required emergency measures as it posed a health risk.
‘Severe’ air quality can cause respiratory problems in even healthy people and has a serious health impact on those suffering from lung or heart diseases
November 04, 2019
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Coimbatore Railway Station becomes visually challenged-friendly
With the installation of Braille information boards and Braille-embossed handrails on November 1, Coimbatore Railway Station becomes the first railway station under Southern Railway to become visually challenged-friendly.
Coimbatore also earns the distinction of being the fourth station under the Railways to become visually challenged-friendly following Mysuru, Bengaluru stations in Karnataka and Borivali station in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
A railway official said on Saturday that two Braille master boards – one at the main entrance and the second in the back entrance near Information Centre – have been installed, which lays out the blueprint of the railway station for the visually challenged passengers. Apart from these, the offices and amenities such as taps and toilets in the railway station have been fitted with Braille boards.
November 04, 2019
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Do mobile phones cause insomnia
Is your mobile phone the last thing you look at before you go to sleep? This can affect the quality of your sleep According to a study conducted by NIMHANS, Bengaluru, excessive use of mobile phone during bed time adversely affects the quality of sleep.
The study says, mobile phone usage around bedtime has become an "unstructured leisure activity during night time" with no fixed stopping point.
Among those who used phones before going to bed, 72.4% had poor sleep quality. Among those who do not keep their mobile phones beside them, only 8.89 -12.38 % reported poor sleep. 65.5% of the respondents — more men than women — kept their mobile phone nearby while sleeping.
While men, particularly students, used several game apps, female undergraduate students turned to multimedia applications and social networking sites.
November 03, 2019
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Assam uses drone to trace killer elephant
Human-elephant conflicts have claimed the lives of 25 elephants and 30 humans in Assam this year. The Assam government has formed an eight-member panel to study an elephant that reportedly killed five persons in Goalpara district in 36 hours. Led by Chief Conservator of Forests (Lower Assam Division) Akash Deep Baruah the team traced the problematic elephant in Satabari RF of Goalpara Division on November 1. For the first time in Assam, the team has used a drone to trace a problematic animal inside a forest area.
November 02, 2019
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Winter session of Parliament: What's in store?
A video of the winter session of Parliament
The winter session of Parliament will begin on November 18 and end on December 13. The 20-day session is the first after the dilution of Article 370 and the complete shutdown of Jammu and Kashmir. The government, for the first time in six years, is comfortably placed in the Rajya Sabha. With a fractured Opposition and numbers in its favour, the Upper House will not be much of a hurdle for the government in this session.
It is a far shorter session than the norm. In the past, the winter sessions have gone on till Christmas.
November 01, 2019
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Explained: Pegasus, the spyware that came in via WhatsApp
In May 2019, WhatsApp identified a bug in its call function. The bug was used to install a malicious code into users’ phones On October 29, it identified the malicious code as Pegasus, a spyware developed by an Israeli company called NSO.
The code is transmitted by calling the target phone on WhatsApp. It enters the phone even if the call is not answered. This is only one of the ways of delivering Pegasus.
Once installed, it can send the target’s contacts, calendar events, phone calls and messages on communication apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to the spyware’s controller. It can also turn the phone into a spying device by switching on its camera or microphone.
Over 100 human-rights activists, lawyers, and journalists were targeted across the globe including several lawyers and journalists in India.
Apple’s iOS security update 9.3.5 takes care of the vulnerability exploited by Pegasus. Google says it identifies infected Android phones, disables the malware and informs the targets. Meanwhile, WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook have sued NSO in a U.S. court.
November 01, 2019
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The history behind Tamil Nadu Day
Tamil Nadu would observe its first formation day -- 'Tamil Nadu Day' on November 1 this year. From the erstwhile Madras Presidency under the British regime to the Madras State and then to Tamil Nadu, this The Hindu video gives you a peek into the history behind the Tamil Nadu Day.
October 31, 2019
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Free bus rides for Delhi women
Women passengers in Delhi can now travel for free on public-run buses. Conductors will distribute pink tickets with a face value of ₹10 each to women passengers for free-travel.
The government will reimburse the Delhi Transport Corporation based on the number of such tickets issued.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the move would help in women empowerment by bridging the gender inequality that existed in society.
He also announced the deployment of as many as 13,000 marshals for strengthening women’s safety aboard State-run buses.
October 31, 2019
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Ten children have died in borewells in last 15 years in TN
Two-year-old Sujith Wilson is not the only child to have met with a tragic end after falling into an abandoned borewell as at least 10 other children had died in a similar manner in Tamil Nadu over the past 15 years.
The toddler's death brought to the fore the lack of awareness on sealing unused borewells and public apathy towards taking safety measures.
April 2014 saw repeat incidents of innocent children becoming victims of uncovered borewells in the state.
October 30, 2019
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Sujith Wilson death: Supreme Court guidelines on preventing borewell accidents
It has been nearly 10 years since the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of a spate of incidents of children falling into abandoned borewells and issued guidelines to prevent such incidents from recurring. Yet, the guidelines remain on paper.
On October 29, 2019 the body of two-year-old Sujith Wilson who fell into an abandoned borewell at Nadukattupatti near Manapparai on Friday evening, was recovered. Rescue operations lasted more than 80 hours.
Watch this video to know what are the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court.
October 29, 2019
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📸 Ritu Raj Konwar
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A very rare species of small, deer-like animal thought to be on the verge of extinction has been spotted in the northwestern jungle of Vietnam for the first time in nearly 30 years. Known as the Silver-backed Chevrotain or Mouse deer, a specimen was last recorded in 1990, according to a study published on November 11 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
Click the link in bio for the story. | 📷 AFP
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Devotees gathered on the banks of the Ganga in Patna to take a dip in the holy river on the occasion of 'Kartik Purnima'. Kartik Purnima, or the night of the full moon in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar, falls 15 days after Diwali, the night of Kartik Amavasya. | 📸 Ranjeeth Kumar
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#Mamallapuram gets a second wind
Mamallapuram has been famous from the time it was a port town under King Narasimhavarman 1 (known as Mamallan or ‘wrestler’) of the Pallava dynasty in 700 AD. This seaside town on the Bay of Bengal, located some 60 km from Chennai, has been a world heritage site since 1984. And now, after Prime Minister #NarendraModi and Chinese President #XiJinping chose it as the venue for their second informal summit, the town has been pushed into the limelight like never before.
Click the link in bio for more from the photo feature. | 📷 Shaju John
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#tamilnadu #tourism #shoretemple
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Farmers participate in a bullock cart race as part of the Bheemili Utsav organised by #AndhraPradesh Tourism Development Corporation in Bhimunipatnam in #Visakhapatnam
The two-day utsav is focussed on developing tourism in the historic town of Bheemili. 📷 : K.R. Deepak
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In a landmark judgment, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court laid the foundation for the construction of a temple on the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi site, where the 16th-century Babri Masjid complex stood before it was demolished by kar sevaks on December 6, 1992. The Muslims should be given five acres of land in a “suitable and prominent place”, the SC said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other Cabinet Ministers, and various political parties, have called for restraint in the wake of the verdict. | 📷 PTI
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#babrimasjid #ayodhya #ayodhyaverdict
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A group of Pied Hornbill arrive to feed on bananas at the Mayong village in Morigaon, Assam.
According to experts, the main factors contributing to a healthy habitat for the bird are the presence of semi and evergreen riverine forests, fruit-bearing trees and undisturbed ecology. As a frugivorous bird, pied hornbill also play an ecological role in the dispersal of fruit seeds. Germination capacity of the seeds also increases as they are dispersed through droppings. | 📸 Ritu Raj Konwar
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#assam #morigaon #ecology #birds #piedhornbill
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A few tourists enjoy the first of many snowfalls in Gulmarg, Kashmir.
The winter chill has set in early this year in the Valley as the maximum temperature during the last couple of days has settled a couple of degrees below normal for this time of the season. The change in weather normally brings cheers to the faces of the people associated with tourism but this time they have their fingers crossed in view of the prevailing restrictions in the valley in the wake of dilution of Article 370. | 📷 Nissar Ahmad .
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#kashmir #tourism #snowfall #gulmarg
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A flock of pigeons feast on grain as the quality of air touches severe category in New Delhi.
Did you know? The rearing of such large flocks throughout history have left our cities infested with these feral birds. Pigeons are no longer wild species of birds. Feeding them, trading them and often releasing them is what disturbs the delicate ecological balance. There are dedicated feeding stations spread across the city,with shops selling pigeon feed coming up right next to them. Everything from corn and rice to leftover food, even cake and cookies, is fed. This makes the birds highly dependent on human beings for survival, changes their eating habits drastically, and killing their natural instinct to forage for food (they are grain-and and fruit eating). | 📷 R.V. Moorthy
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Cold storage: People living on the outskirts of Guwahati carrying firewood to be stored for winter.
Winter in Assam begins from November and lasts till February. Winter is also the season favourable for tourists to enjoy the green landscape of the State. | 📸 Ritu Raj Konwar .
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Yellow valley: A tribal woman crosses a niger flower field to a shandy in Araku Valley in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Come November, the sleepy hamlet of Araku, nestled in the Eastern Ghats, turns a spectacular shade of yellow. It’s in this season that niger flowers bloom in the valley. The field then is also dotted with blue bee-keeping boxes, and beekeepers come to Araku from various parts of Andhra Pradesh during winter. 'Araku Utsav' is conducted to draw attention to the picturesque valley, which attracts tourists and film units in November and December every year. | 📷: K.R. Deepak
#andhrapradesh #araku #easternghats #arakuvalley #nigerflowers
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The legendary elephant of Mysuru Dasara festival
Was this Arjuna’s swan song? The elephant who has led the legendary Mysuru Dasara since 2012 is turning 60 next year, and this year’s festival could well have been his last. The lead elephant carries the Chamundeshwari idol in a 750 kg golden howdah during the Dasara procession. Supreme Court directions and government guidelines say that no elephant aged above 60 can be made to do stressful tasks. So it could be time for Arjuna to call it a day. Arjuna’s fans, however, hope that he will continue to lead the procession for a few more years.
Elephants are an integral part of the Dasara celebrations in Mysuru. Called Mysuru Dasara, the parade of wealth, power and grandeur has been held since the time of the Wadiyars.
Click the link in bio for more from the weekly photo feature. | 📸 K. Murali Kumar
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#mysuru #mysurudasara #arjuna #elephant
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