HP rains: All schools, colleges to remain shut in state Wednesday, death toll climbs to 57
Shimla (PTI): The death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh rose to 57 on Wednesday with the body of a woman being pulled out of the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple near Summer Hill here, officials said.
Heavy rains have battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides in Shimla's Summer Hill, Krishna Nagar and Fagli.
"Rescue operations are going on in Summer Hill and Krishna Nagar areas and one body has been recovered from Summer Hill," Deputy Commissioner Aditya Negi told PTI.
He said so far 13 bodies have been recovered from Summer Hill, five bodies from Fagli and two from Krishna Nagar. Ten bodies are still feared buried in the debris of the Shiv temple that collapsed on Monday.
About 15 houses in Krishna Nagar have been vacated and the families have been shifted to safe places. Several others have vacated their homes themselves fearing slides due to incessant rains.
Two persons were killed and at least eight houses were razed to the ground and a slaughter house was buried under debris in a major landslide at Krishnanagar locality in the heart of Shimla city on Tuesday evening.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday that a nearly 157 per cent surge in rainfall over the past few days has resulted in extensive damage across Himachal Pradesh and about 60 people have been killed in the last three days.
The Education department had ordered closure of all schools and colleges in the state on Wednesday due to inclement weather and the Himachal Pradesh University has suspended teaching activities till August 19.
About 800 roads are blocked in the state and the losses suffered by the state since the onset of monsoon since June 24 has crosses Rs 7,200 crore, officials said.
Earlier in July, heavy rains in the state, including in Mandi, Kullu and Shimla, claimed several lives and destroyed property worth crores.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has urged the Centre to declare national calamity in Himachal Pradesh and release Rs 2,000 crore for restoration works.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN CM Vijay calls fuel price hike ‘unacceptable’, seeks rollback
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday slammed the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices, calling it "unacceptable", and demanded its immediate rollback, claiming the revision would affect various sections of society.
He said oil marketing companies do not reduce prices in line with global crude price trends and "take the profits".
"Union government oil marketing companies have increased the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre. This is not acceptable," Vijay said in a statement.
The hike has been effected after the "five-state polls" (four states and one union territory), he added.
This price rise will largely affect the income of the poor and middle class using two-wheelers and small vehicles, as well as others dependent on vehicles for their livelihood, the CM said.
It will ultimately result in an increase in the prices of daily commodities and also "affect the purchasing power of the poor," he added.
Citing the chain effect of the price revision, such as increased input costs for small units, he said it could lead to a "slowdown" in the market and exports.
"Therefore, I urge the union government to immediately roll back the price hike that will affect the poor and middle-class people and SMEs," Vijay added.
Global crude oil prices have surged more than 50 per cent since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, which disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil shipments.
Petrol and diesel prices are now at their highest level since May 2022.
