A fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over West central Bay of Bengal for which India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall will continue over parts of Odisha till September 26.
Bhubaneswar, Sept 24: A fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over West central Bay of Bengal for which India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall will continue over parts of Odisha till September 26.
Regional Meteorogical Department has issued yellow warning for eight districts for heavy to heavy rain today.
On the other hand, the state has recorded 1009.7 mm rainfall since June 1 in the current monsoon season. There is still a deficit of 9 per cent.
So far, one district has received more than normal rainfall, while 19 districts have recorded normal rainfall and 10 districts have recorded deficit rainfall.
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Nabarangpur, Sept 24: In a heartbreaking incident, lovebirds were found dead in a jungle near Burkhamahuli village under Kundei police station limits in Nabarangpur district.
The villagers,Tuesday morning, spotted the lovebirds' bodies hanging from a tree. They are suspected to have committed suicide.
The duo have been identified as Remlal Gond (18) and Dikeswari Gond (16) and both are from Burkhamahuli village in Raighar block.
The duo were reportedly in love and wanted to get married. Their families were against this idea, which is suspected to have led to this heartbreaking incident.
Remlal and Dikeswari were missing since Sunday (September 22). Their families searched everywhere but couldn't find the duo.
However on Tuesday morning, some villagers were in the jungle for some work when they found the lovebirds hanging from a tree. They then notified both the families about the incident.
The families then reported the matter to Kundei police, who arrived at the spot and recovered the body. The police have informed the families that the bodies will be handed over after post-mortem.
According to police, the reason of their death -- murder or suicide -- can only be confirmed after post-mortem report comes.
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Lucknow, Sep 24: The city-based Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) is set to introduce two new varieties of mangoes soon.
Both the varieties namely 'Awadh Samridhi' and 'Awadh Madhurima' are undergoing field trials and the former will be launched first. The new varieties are set to enrich Indian mangoes' diverse repertoire.
According to T. Damodaran, CISH Director, 'Awadh Samridhi' is a climate-resilient hybrid variety that bears fruit regularly. Its vibrant colour enhances its appeal, with each fruit weighing around 300 gm.
The medium-sized tree, suitable for intensive gardening, reaches 15 to 20 feet after 15 years, making it easy to manage. Its ripening season falls between July and August. At present, undergoing field trials, 'Awadh Samridhi' is expected to be released soon.
'Awadh Madhurima' is also undergoing field trials and may take additional time before being introduced in the state.
Uttar Pradesh benefits the most from these new varieties, given its status as the leading mango producer in India. With their attractive colours, average size, and extended shelf life, these varieties hold strong export potential, especially to markets in Europe and the US, where colourful mangoes are highly preferred.
Additionally, they are likely to fetch higher prices in local markets.
Previously, CISH had developed two notable mango varieties, 'Ambika' and 'Arunika', with unique strengths.
Notably, all four varieties developed by CISH in recent years are distinguished by their vibrant colours.
The Ambika variety is known for its consistent fruiting, high yield, and late maturation. Its yellow fruit has an attractive deep red blush on the skin, while the pulp is deep yellow, firm, less fibrous, and of excellent quality. It has a strong shelf life, with each fruit weighing between 350 and 400 gm. After 10 years of planting, each tree can produce around 80 kg of fruit. Due to its vibrant colour and ideal size, 'Ambika' is popular in local markets and shows strong export potential.
This variety is widely accepted and can thrive in subtropical and tropical regions, excluding areas with heavy rainfall. It is suitable for cultivation in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
Similarly, 'Arunika' is known for its regular fruiting and late ripening. The fruits have smooth, orange-yellow skin with an attractive red blush and are prized for their excellent taste and quality. With a good storage capacity, each fruit weighs between 190 and 210 gm. The orange-yellow pulp is firm and low in fibre. The tree is dwarf in size with a dense canopy, making it ideal for intensive gardening. After 10 years, each tree yields nearly 70 kg of fruit. 'Arunika' is well-suited for all mango-producing regions in subtropical and tropical climates.
According to Ashish Yadav, Principal Scientist at the institute, developing a new mango variety takes nearly two decades. In the initial phase, trials are conducted within the developing institute. Once satisfactory results are obtained, the variety is sent for trials at other institutes across the country. Only after receiving positive feedback from multiple locations is the variety officially released.
In addition to traditional varieties, scientists at leading research institutes in India have developed several commercially valuable mango varieties. Notable examples include: Arunima, Surya, Pratibha, Shrestha, Pitambar, Lalima, Deepshikha, and Manohari developed at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, as well as Suprabhat, Anmol, Uday, Puneet, Aruna, and Neelachal Kesari developed at Indian Horticultural Research Institute (Bengaluru).
It is worth mentioning here that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath envisions transforming Uttar Pradesh into a major hub for agricultural exports. To facilitate faster transportation of goods to export centres, a network of expressways is being developed.
The Purvanchal and Bundelkhand Expressways are already operational, and the Gorakhpur Link Expressway is nearing completion. The Chief Minister has issued clear directives to ensure the Ganga Expressway, connecting Meerut to Prayagraj, is completed ahead of the Maha Kumbh.
In line with this vision, the government is planning to establish Jewar International Airport as a key export hub. Recognising the stringent quality standards for agricultural products in markets such as the US and Europe, the Yogi Adityanath administration is focused on creating the necessary infrastructure to meet these demands.
In the future, similar export facilities could also be established at Ayodhya and Kushinagar International Airports.
Additionally, the Prayagraj-Haldia waterway, the country's only inland waterway, is becoming a significant mode of transport for agricultural exports, with plans to extend it to Ayodhya.
--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 24: Following Karanataka High Court's dismissal of the petition filed by Siddaramaiah challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's approval on conducting an investigation in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday demanded a CBI inquiry, urging Siddaramaiah to step down as the Chief Minister of the state.
"There are more than 500-1000 sites allocated to other people also illegally. Most of them have happened in the last few months and hence they have to be investigated. Henceforth, the Chief Minister of Karnataka has to resign for the investigation to be conducted impartially," Joshi said.
The Dharwad BJP MP further said that the Karnataka High Court's ruling pertaining to the MUDA scam stands as an "eye opener" for the current Congress government in power in Karnataka.
"After such a detailed hearing, the facts which have come out, it is really an eye opener for all the people in power. This is a huge scam and it can't happen without any political influence. I strongly urge Chief Minister to resign and demand for the investigation by the CBI," Joshi said while speaking to ANI.
Reacting to the judgement, BJP MP Jagadish Shettar said that the Karnataka Chief Minister should resign on "moral grounds" so that there can be "impartial investigation".
"Now impartial investigation has to be started after filing the FIR against the CM. When his name is involved, his wife's name is there, I insist the CM to resign immediately on moral grounds. He has to allow an impartial investigation of MUDA scam...It is a landmark decision and it has been pronounced by the High Court as per the legal purview," Shettar said.
Reacting to the judgement, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said, "BJP has been relentlessly fighting against the corrupt Congress government. We have been fighting against the corrupt CM Siddaramaiah...When BJP took up the issue of MUDA scam...HC said that the petition challenged by the CM has been dismissed. The judge has observed that all are equal before the law. At this juncture I demand CM Siddaramiah ji to resign."
However, despite the an adverse verdict from the Karnataka High Court on the Governor's nod to sanction prosecution against Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that there is no question of resignation and this is "political conspiracy" by the BJP.
Speaking to reporters, DK Shivakumar said, "There is no question (of resignation) by CM. He has not done anything wrong. He is not involved with any scam. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP to all of us, to all the opposition leaders of the country...so there is no question of why Chief Minister done anything wrong, they are creating problem. We stand by him, we support him. He has been doing a good work for the country, party and state."
Shivakumar further denied the setback to the Chief Minister and iterated that there is a "big conspiracy" against all the leaders of the Congress. However, he asserted that the party respects the legal system of the country.
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the approval given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for conducting investigation against him in the alleged illegalities in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allotting sites to his wife.
In his judgment the single judge bench of Justice Nagaprasanna said that the order of sanction for prosecution does not suffer from non-application of mind by the Governor.
It is alleged that MUDA illegally allotted 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife in the prime location of Mysuru city. The High Court, in its interim order passed on August 19, had granted a temporary relief to Siddaramaiah by directing a special court in Bengaluru to defer further proceedings and not to take any precipitative action pursuant to the sanction granted by the Governor. (ANI)
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