Three killed, one missing as flash flood wreaks havoc in Himachal's Mandi
Shimla (PTI): Flash flood triggered by cloud burst wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town on Monday night, killing three people, burying more than 20 vehicles and inundating several houses, officials said on Tuesday.
The fury of rain was so intense that gushing waters in Sukati nallahs (drains) flowing through the city swept huge mounds of debris which entered several locations in about five-kilometer area and the worst affected was Jail Road, Saini Mohalla and Zonal hospital area.
"Three people died, one sustained injuries while one woman is missing, Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Apoorva Devgan told PTI on Tuesday, adding that rescue operations are in full swing and about 15-20 people have been rescued.
The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway has been closed at 4 Mile, 9 Mile and Dwada as the road stretches have been washed away.
The fresh disaster adding to the woes of the people and the administration came after a month of monsoon mayhem in the Mandi district in which 15 people died in Seraj, Nachan, Dharampur and Karsog Assembly constituencies on the night of June 30-July 1.
Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and DC Mandi were on the spot.
Meanwhile, landslides triggered by incessant rains also blocked the Shimla-Mataur National Highway at Old Kangra Ghat, and reports of uprooting of trees and electricity have also poured from several parts of the state.
The Local Met office had issued an orange alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Tuesday.
It also issued yellow warning of heavy rains at isolated places in Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur districts on Tuesday, and Una, Kangra, Mandi and Kullu districts on Wednesday.
Since the onset of monsoon in the state on June 20 till the evening of July 28, Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1523 crore. So far 90 people have died and 35 have gone missing in rain-related incidents and 1320 houses have been fully or partially damaged in the state.
A total of 200 roads, including 121 in the disaster-hit Mandi district, were closed for vehicular traffic on Monday night and 62 power distribution transformers and 110 water supply schemes have also been affected across the state, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). However, the number is likely to go up after the latest update.
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.
Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
