6 arrested with over 4 kg pangolin scales, guns in Jharkhand’s Latehar
Latehar (PTI): A joint team of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) arrested six people, including a woman, during an operation against wildlife smuggling in Jharkhand’s Latehar, officials said on Sunday.
As part of the operation, the team conducted raids over the past two days in Mahuadand and Garu police station areas, they said.
“We seized three country-made guns, 4.3 kg of pangolin scales, powdered wildlife bones and peacock feet. This operation marks the first arrest of a female smuggler. The guns were recovered from her house,” said Prajesh Kant Jena, the deputy director of PTR.
All the arrested people have been booked under sections of the WildLife (Protection) Act, 1972, and sent to jail.
On Friday, seven people were arrested with 10.5 kg of pangolin scales at Medininagar in Palamu.
Earlier this week, a snake venom smuggling racket was busted, with the recovery around 1,000 ml of venom and 2.5 kg of pangolin scales from three persons.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
