Press Trust of India
Kathmandu, Oct 11: A debris-laden flash flood in the Budhi Gandaki River has swept away more than 35 houses, bridges and also damaged a hydropower project in Nepal’s Gorkha district on Sunday, authorities said, urging people living along the stream to move to higher ground.The Gorkha district administration has urged people by the riverside to stay alert and shift to safe places, Netra Prasad Sharma, Assistant Chief District Officer of Gorkha District Administration Office, said.
The flood in the Gandaki Province swept away houses in Salleri, Paiyuka and the riverbed at Jagat, as well as a suspension bridge connecting the ward, Ram Kumar Gurung, ward chair of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3, was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.
No casualties have been reported so far, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha’s chief district officer, said.
The cause of the sudden surge remained unclear. Residents suspect that the Syar stream, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki between Lokpa and Chumling in Chumnubri-6, may have been blocked, triggering the flood.
The flood has swept away around three dozen houses in Chumnubri Rural Municipality of the district as per the preliminary reports, Sharma said.
Chumnubri Rural Municipality Deputy Chair Laxmi Gurung said the flood that hit the Budhi Gandaki this morning is reminiscent of the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa, Online Khabar news portal reported.
"The Budhigandaki flood is reminiscent of the Bhotekoshi flood,” she said. “It has washed away dozens of houses. It is not possible to say the exact extent of the damage right now.”
The flood struck around 4 am, prompting locals to flee to safer places. Laxmi informed that significant damage was caused to the market in Chumanubri Rural Municipality-3 due to the floodwaters.
The devastating flooding struck the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district on August 26. The floods in the Rasuwa and Trishuli River areas claimed 1,455 lives, while 5,285 people remained missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
Home Minister Sudan Gurung said the flood had also swept away the bridge linking Nyakchet and Philim bazaar in Chumnubri-3. With the river continuing to rise, helicopters had been deployed for rescue operations, relief distribution and evacuations, he said.
Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and local authorities were mobilised to carry out rescue and relief operations.
“The flood came early in the morning, and we could not even take out our belongings,” Ram Kumar said.
“Everyone fled as soon as we heard the flood was coming.” The full extent of the damage was not yet known, he said.
Residents by riverside settlements, including Chumling and Lokpa, fled their homes after hearing loud roaring sounds from the streams from around 4 am. Tourists staying at local hotels also fled, residents said.
Sherap Gurung, a resident of Lokpa, said the sound suggested that the water flow had repeatedly stopped and resumed.
“Because it was dark, we could not tell whether the stream had been blocked or a landslide had occurred. It had not rained either,” he said.
Authorities were using loudspeakers to warn people living along the river and urge them to move to safer locations.
New Delhi, May 12: A massive protest organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday, against the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG this year. The exam was held on May 3, following which allegations of paper leak surfaced, triggering investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and central agencies. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, and said the examination will be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. In a statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 15.48 lakh traffic violation cases in 2025, with authorities collecting more than Rs 34.17 crore as penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal. According to the official data, 15,48,525 challans were issued across the Union Territory in 2025, while the penalty amount recovered stood at Rs 34,17,36,740. The figures further show that in 2024, a total of 15,44,105 violations were registered with a penalty collection of around Rs 43.40 crore, while in 2023, 12,38,584 challans were issued and Rs 34.56 crore was collected. For the current year, till February 8, 2026, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 1,63,531 traffic violation cases, with revenue collection of about Rs 2.11 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 are aimed at ensuring better compliance and deterrence. It also said that traffic enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories. The government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for electronic monitoring and is promoting technology-driven enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras integrated with the VAHAN database. Awareness campaigns under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan are also being carried out to improve road safety.
New Delhi, Jan 25: The Dental Council of India (DCI) has directed all universities and dental colleges across the country to strictly ensure a minimum of 80 percent biometric attendance for Post Graduate students before allowing them to appear in examinations. The decision has been taken to curb absenteeism among postgraduate dental students. According to a circular issued by the Dental Council of India-a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the decision has been taken after multiple complaints were received from dental colleges in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regarding non-attendance of PG students. "The matter was examined by the Grievance Sub-Committee of the DCI in its meeting held on November 24, 2025," the circular reads. It reads that after detailed discussion and deliberation, the committee recommended that all universities and dental colleges must ensure compliance with Regulation 18(a)(i) of the DCI Master of Dental Surgery Course Regulations, 2017, which mandates at least 80 per cent attendance. "The recommendation of the Grievance Sub-Committee has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Dental Council of India through circulation and has now been formally communicated for information and necessary action," the circular reads. As per the circular, all the universities and dental colleges have been directed to ensure minimum 80 per cent biometric attendance of all PG students before permitting them to appear in examinations. The order, issued by Deputy Secretary Dental Council of India Mukesh Kumar, is expected to be implemented with immediate effect across the country.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Srinagar, March 6: Around 17 candidates from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified the Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2025, the result for which was declared by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday. The commission recommended a total of 958 candidates for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and various central services. Anuj Agnihotri, an MBBS graduate, has topped the civil services examination 2025, while Rajeshwari Suve M and Akansh Dhull have got the second and third ranks respectively. According to the official list released by the UPSC the 17 candidates from J&K who have figured in the final merit list include Suvan Sharma (Rank 148), Sugandha Gupta (207), Towseef Ganie (Rank 254), Ritika (Rank 456), Sooyash Shivam (Rank 572), Muneeb Parrah (Rank 581), Ghulam Din (Rank 683), Dwarka Gaadhi (Rank 721), Akash (Rank 747), Koh E Safa (Rank 763), Yasaar (Rank 811), Abhishek (Rank 820), Pankaj (Rank 856), Mohammad Ajaz (Rank 869), Azhar (Rank 886), Sarfraz (Rank 936), and Irfan (Rank 957). The results were declared after conducting the written examination in August 2025 followed by the personality tests (interviews) conducted between December 2025 and February 2026. As per the result notification issue by the UPSC, a total of 958 candidates have been recommended for appointment against 1087 vacancies reported by the government for the examination cycle. These include 180 vacancies in the IAS, 55 in the IFS, 150 in the IPS, 507 in Central Services Group A and 195 in Group B services. Of the total recommended candidates, 317 are from the general category, 104 from the economically weaker sections, 306 from other backward classes, 158 from scheduled castes and 73 from scheduled tribes. A consolidated reserve list of 258 candidates has also been published in accordance with the rules. The claims of recommended candidates regarding reservation categories will be subject to verification by the concerned authorities. The UPSC has stated that the candidature of 348 recommended candidates has been kept provisional, while the result of the two candidates has been kept withheld. The CSE is conducted annually in three stages- preliminary, Mains and interview by the UPSC to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The civil services (preliminary) examination 2025 was conducted on May 25 of 2025. A total of 937876 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 5,76,793 actually appeared in the test. A total of 14,161 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (Main) examination which was held in August, 2025. Of these, 2736 candidates had qualified for the personality test (interview) of the examination. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the candidates who qualified the UPSC exam. "Congratulations to all those who have successfully cleared the Civil Services Examination, 2025. Their dedication, perseverance and hard work have led to this significant milestone. Wishing them the very best as they embark on a journey of serving the nation and fulfilling the aspirations of the people," PM Modi wrote on his official X handle. "To those who may not have secured the desired outcome in the Civil Services Examination, I understand that such moments can be difficult. However, this is only one step in a larger journey. Many opportunities lie ahead, both in future examinations and in the many avenues through which you can contribute to our nation. My best wishes for the road ahead," his post on X reads. UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar announced the declaration of the result and congratulated the candidates who qualified the exam. "Congrats to all successful candidates as you begin a career of service to the nation. For those who did not make it-the learning from this journey will guide you in the paths ahead," UPSC Chairman wrote in a post on X. Among the 17 candidates from J&K who qualified UPSC exam inlcude a visually impaired candidate Irfan Ahmad Lone, a resident of Manzpora in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora.
Press Trust of India Kathmandu, Oct 11: A debris-laden flash flood in the Budhi Gandaki River has swept away more than 35 houses, bridges and also damaged a hydropower project in Nepal’s Gorkha district on Sunday, authorities said, urging people living along the stream to move to higher ground.The Gorkha district administration has urged people by the riverside to stay alert and shift to safe places, Netra Prasad Sharma, Assistant Chief District Officer of Gorkha District Administration Office, said. The flood in the Gandaki Province swept away houses in Salleri, Paiyuka and the riverbed at Jagat, as well as a suspension bridge connecting the ward, Ram Kumar Gurung, ward chair of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3, was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post. No casualties have been reported so far, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha’s chief district officer, said. The cause of the sudden surge remained unclear. Residents suspect that the Syar stream, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki between Lokpa and Chumling in Chumnubri-6, may have been blocked, triggering the flood. The flood has swept away around three dozen houses in Chumnubri Rural Municipality of the district as per the preliminary reports, Sharma said. Chumnubri Rural Municipality Deputy Chair Laxmi Gurung said the flood that hit the Budhi Gandaki this morning is reminiscent of the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa, Online Khabar news portal reported. "The Budhigandaki flood is reminiscent of the Bhotekoshi flood,” she said. “It has washed away dozens of houses. It is not possible to say the exact extent of the damage right now.” The flood struck around 4 am, prompting locals to flee to safer places. Laxmi informed that significant damage was caused to the market in Chumanubri Rural Municipality-3 due to the floodwaters. The devastating flooding struck the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district on August 26. The floods in the Rasuwa and Trishuli River areas claimed 1,455 lives, while 5,285 people remained missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Home Minister Sudan Gurung said the flood had also swept away the bridge linking Nyakchet and Philim bazaar in Chumnubri-3. With the river continuing to rise, helicopters had been deployed for rescue operations, relief distribution and evacuations, he said. Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and local authorities were mobilised to carry out rescue and relief operations. “The flood came early in the morning, and we could not even take out our belongings,” Ram Kumar said. “Everyone fled as soon as we heard the flood was coming.” The full extent of the damage was not yet known, he said. Residents by riverside settlements, including Chumling and Lokpa, fled their homes after hearing loud roaring sounds from the streams from around 4 am. Tourists staying at local hotels also fled, residents said. Sherap Gurung, a resident of Lokpa, said the sound suggested that the water flow had repeatedly stopped and resumed. “Because it was dark, we could not tell whether the stream had been blocked or a landslide had occurred. It had not rained either,” he said. Authorities were using loudspeakers to warn people living along the river and urge them to move to safer locations.
Washington, Apr 29: The White House is warning Congress that funding to pay Department of Homeland Security personnel will "soon run out,” sparking new threats of airport disruptions and national security concerns as the House slow-walks legislation to end what has been the longest-ever lapse in agency funding. In a memo late Tuesday to lawmakers, the Office of Management and Budget said money that President Donald Trump tapped to pay Transportation Security Administration and other workers through executive actions will be exhausted by May. It called on the House to quickly approve the budget resolution senators approved in an all-night session last week that would pave the way for full funding for the department. “DHS will soon run out of critical operating funds, placing essential personnel and operations at risk,” the memo said. The pressure from the Trump administration could help House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose narrow Republican majority has been stalled out, tangled in internal party disputes on a range of pending issues, including the Homeland Security funding. They have left the chamber at a virtual standstill. The House is expected to vote as soon as Wednesday on the Senate budget resolution that is designed to unlock a multi-step process to eventually fund the department, and the administration warned GOP lawmakers off making changes that could prolong passage. “Restoring funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has never been more urgent, as demonstrated by recent events,” the memo said, a nod to the situation over the weekend when a man armed with guns and knives tried to storm the annual White House correspondents' dinner that Trump, the vice president and top Cabinet officials were attending. Homeland Security has been operating without regular funds for more than two months after Democrats refused to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol without changes to those operations after the deaths of Americans protesting Trump's deportation agenda. While immigration enforcement workers have largely been paid through the flush of new cash — some USD 170 billion — that Congress approved as part of Trump's tax cuts bill last year, others, including TSA, have had to rely on Trump's intervention through executive action to ensure their paychecks. But with salaries topping USD 1.6 billion every two weeks, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said recently, those funds are drying up. House and Senate Republicans have embarked on a go-it-alone strategy, attempting to approve funds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol without Democrats. They want to provide USD 70 billion for those immigration operations for the remainder of Trump's term to ensure no further interruptions. It's a cumbersome process, the same that was used last year to approve Trump's tax cuts bill, that will play out over several weeks. The Senate launched the process last week, and is now waiting on the House to act. Once that budget resolution is approved, both the House and Senate are expected to draft the actual funding bill, a process that can take weeks. In the meantime, Johnson is expected to quickly turn this week to legislation that would fund the other parts of Homeland Security, including TSA, the Coast Guard and other agencies. That bipartisan bill has support from Democrats and already passed the Senate a month ago, when Republicans reluctantly agreed to carve out the immigration-related funds that Democrats had opposed. But it has been stalled out in the House, as Republicans in that chamber disagreed with the Senate's approach. (PTI)
New Delhi, Mar 8: Indian airlines cancelled 279 international flights on Sunday due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The escalating conflict in the region involving the US, Israel and Iran has significantly disrupted flight operations due to airspace closures and restrictions. The civil aviation ministry on Sunday said that due to the ongoing situation in the Gulf, flight operations have been impacted across several sectors. "A total of 49 flight operations were scheduled today by Indian domestic carriers from West Asia to India. As on 8 March, 279 flights scheduled to be operated today by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled," the ministry said in a post on X. An official said that a total of 66 flights, including 34 departures and 32 arrivals, were cancelled at the Mumbai airport on Sunday. Delhi airport operator DIAL said that due to the current geopolitical developments in the Middle East, some west-bound international flights may experience delays or schedule changes. Meanwhile, Air India will operate 78 additional flights on nine international routes from March 10 to 18 to provide more travel options for passengers amid the disruptions due to the Middle East conflict. (PTI)
