Modi chairs meeting of council of ministers

A bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, was considering an application claiming that the state's iron reserves are liable to come to an end within 20 years.

"What is the Ministry of Environment’s view?" it asked as it considered an affidavit filed by the Mines Ministry, adding that the reply document did not consider the environmental related aspects.

"It cannot be that only the Ministry of Mines looks at it. The Ministry of Environment, Forest (and Climate Change) has to apply its mind and tell us (on imposing a camp)," the bench said.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, submitted that a fresh affidavit from the expert ministry will be placed on record.

Opposing the application, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing on behalf of Odisha government, submitted that the availability of resources has grown with increasing consumption and the future generation is not just not going to process this raw material.

"This iron ore leads to production of steel which is important for defence, all industries, and expanding railways. Any curtailment is going to mean that the future will suffer much more," he said, adding that intergenerational equity should not be looked at from the point of view of a particular resource only.

Dwivedi also contended that the argument that resources will be exhausted in the next 20-25 years has no basis.

In a hearing held in August, the top court had asked the Union government to "decide whether a cap on mining is necessitated in the case of state of Odisha and, if so, the modalities to be followed for determining such a cap".

Also Read: Odisha News 

It had added that in arriving at its decision, the Union of India shall also examine the basis on which a cap was imposed in the states of Karnataka and Goa. Also, the apex court called for a fresh status report from the state government on the issue of recovering outstanding dues on account of illegal mining and attaching the assets of the defaulting entities.(IANS) 

As per the latest 'Crime in India' report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Odisha registered 23648 crime cases against women in 2022 as opposed to 31352 registered in 2021.

However, the state recorded as many as 542 cases under the IT Act for cyber crime offences against women in the state during 2022. Uttar Pradesh followed Odisha with 457 cases while Karnataka registered 235 cases under the IT Act for offences against women.

Odisha registered 269 cases for publishing or transmitting obscene videos and pictures of women and girls online which is the second highest in the country in 2022.

Similarly, as many as 273 cases registered against cyber criminals in 2022 for morphing pictures of women and creating fake profiles online.

The NCRB report also reveals that Odisha Police have registered 33 cases in 2022 against different persons for keeping various child pornography videos and pictures.

Odisha was among the top five states registering maximum number of cases on the charges of assault on women with the intention to outrage the modesty of a woman victim. As many as 7327 cases were registered in the state for assaulting women during 2022.

Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan registered 11512, 10548 and 8508 number of cases for violence against women respectively.

Odisha is also among the top ten states with maximum number of rape cases related to the kidnapping of women.

Odisha with 1464 cases holds the sixth position among states that reported highest rape cases in 2022.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan holds the top spot with 5399 rape cases in 2022.

Also Read: Odisha News 

Similarly, Odisha with 1720 cases finds a place among the top ten states having maxmimum child rape cases under the POCSO act in the country.

The state also recorded 5308 women kidnapping cases in 2022. (IANS)

In a statement, the Railway Ministry said, "The Indian Railways has geared up its entire machinery in a big way to ensure and manage smooth and safe railway operations in the areas likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’."

"The Indian Railways, as parts of preparedness for cyclone related Disaster Management, has set up an emergency control cell at the Divisional/HQ level with officers from Operating, Commercial, Engineering, Electrical, Signal/Telecommunications, Security etc branches  in each shift, to monitor round the clock and take necessary action in connection with train operations," it added.

War room at board level has also been activated and monitoring of all locations is being done round the clock. Safety counsellors in each shift are also nominated to assist with the Emergency control. Additionally, all Field officers are available as directed by officials.

The officers manning the Emergency control have been directed to liaison with the field officers and supervisors for smooth train operations and to keep a close watch on the movement of the cyclone and forecast issued by IMD and plan for train operations accordingly.

Also Read: "In Constant Touch With State Governments": PM Cautions Countrymen As 'Cyclone Michaung' Approaches

Health Unit, Chennai Division has also geared up its disaster management action plan and formed two teams.

Team A including Doctors and other on-duty staff to board the SPART at Platform No:11 as soon as the message arrives and will report to the Officer Incharge at the Disaster /Accident spot and start the relief work. Team B will report casualty and a part of Team B will proceed by road.

Remaining will stay back to inform all concerned, maintain communication with medical team A, CMS Office, to inform Local Railway Hospitals, Railway Hospital, Perambur and local Private hospitals for Emergency Preparedness.

Southern Railways and other concerned zones have also issued a list of General Instructions and emergency contact numbers for the masses in case of any exigency including phone numbers of Railway officials, Medical teams, Emergency vehicles, commercial control for public enquiry, tower wagon drivers along with list of DG sets, pumps, submersible sewage pumps etc. available at various stations.

Also Read: National News

Water logging prone locations have also been identified and various corrective actions have been taken at all such locations, the Ministry said.