13 die due to dust storm in UP on Wednesday
Lucknow: At least 13 people have lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh in a thunderstorm on Wednesday, the office of the state relief commissioner said.
Siddhartha Nagar bore the maximum onslaught with four deaths reported from the district, followed by Deoria where three people died and Ballia where two died, state Relief Commissioner G S Priyadarshi told PTI on Friday.
One person was injured, while 22 animals have also died. As many as 93 houses have been damaged across the state, the official said. The official added that one death each was reported from Ayodhya (snake bite), Lakhimpur Khiri, Kushinagar and Sonbhadra.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department said rain or thunderstorm was very likely at few places over eastern Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
Rain/thunderstorm is very likely at isolated places over western Uttar Pradesh on Saturday and at a few places over western Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
On June 7, severe dust storm and lightning in the state claimed 26 lives and left over 50 injured as houses and walls collapsed and trees were uprooted.
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KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
