Coast Guard on high alert after cyclone forecast, mobilise assets to respond to any contingency
Kolkata (PTI): The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Tuesday said it was on high alert and had mobilised its vessels and aircraft to respond swiftly to any contingency owing to a cyclonic storm that was likely to form over the Bay of Bengal.
A depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25 with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, according to the IMD.
"The ICG has mobilised its vessels and aircraft, positioning them strategically to respond swiftly to any emergency situations," a statement said.
It said the ICG is on high alert, with its dedicated personnel and assets ready to provide assistance, rescue and relief.
Coast Guard personnel are working in coordination with the local administration and disaster management authorities in West Bengal and Odisha to ensure a coordinated and effective response, it added.
The ICG deployed helicopters and remote operating stations at Haldia in West Bengal and Paradip in Odisha to broadcast regular weather warnings and safety advisories to fishermen and mariners.
Alerts are being transmitted continuously to all fishing vessels, urging them to return to shore immediately and seek safe shelter, the statement said.
Helicopter sorties are also planned for search and rescue (SAR) missions in case of any distress at sea, it said.
Fishing communities along the coastline have been informed through various channels, including village heads, to prevent them from venturing into the sea until the cyclone passes, the statement said.
The NDRF has deployed nine teams so far across West Bengal to respond to any situation, it said.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
