Sailor missing after fire aboard INS Brahmaputra; ship resting on side
Mumbai, Jul 22: A sailor is missing after fire broke out aboard the Navy's multi-role frigate INS Brahmaputra in Mumbai dockyard, an official said on Monday, adding the ship is now resting on the side.
“A fire had broken out on board Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra, a multi-role frigate, on the evening of July 21 while she was undergoing refit at Naval Dockyard Mumbai,” an official release said.
“The fire was brought under control by the ship’s crew with the assistance of fire fighters from the dockyard and other ships in harbour, by the morning of July 22. Further follow-on actions including sanitisation checks for assessment of residual risk of fire were carried out,” it said.
In the afternoon on Monday, the ship experienced severe listing to one side (port side), the release said. “Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to the upright position. The ship continued to list further alongside her berth and is presently resting on one side,” it added.
“All the personnel have been accounted for except one junior sailor, for whom the search is in progress. An inquiry has been ordered by the Indian Navy to investigate the accident,” the release said.
Cause of the fire and ‘sinking’ of INS Brahmaputra will be determined by an enquiry. Not clear yet about chances of salvaging the frontline ship. Below a file pix of the ship and of the actual fire and its ‘listing’ on the port side pic.twitter.com/XkBpFp2kzv
— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) July 22, 2024
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Private bus operators in Karnataka to hike fares by 20-30 pc after fuel price rise
Bengaluru (PTI): In the wake of the hike in fuel prices, private bus operators have decided to increase fares by 20-30 per cent, depending on the route, effective from Friday midnight.
They have also called for government subsidies, a reduction in cess, and lower road taxes to improve the situation.
"The situation for bus owners in the state is already distressing due to high road tax and the impact of the Shakti scheme (free bus travel for women in government buses). On top of this, fuel prices have increased," Karnataka State Bus Owners’ Association President S Nataraj Sharma said.
"This will impose a burden of Rs 15,000 per vehicle per month on bus owners. If an owner has three buses, the burden will be Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000 per month," he added.
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Speaking to reporters, he said the situation has made it inevitable for owners to increase fares by 20-30 per cent, depending on the route, under current conditions.
The increase may be roughly Rs 200 per seat, he added.
"For example, the current bus fare from Bengaluru to Belagavi is around Rs 1,000–Rs 1,200, which is likely to rise to Rs 1,350–Rs 1,400. Similarly, fares from Bengaluru to Mangaluru or Udupi currently range from Rs 900–Rs 1,000 and are expected to go up to Rs 1,100–Rs 1,200," he said.
Petrol and diesel prices were each hiked by Rs 3 per litre on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses for fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices in the wake of the West Asia conflict.
The increase comes a couple of weeks after the Assembly elections concluded in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry.
