BJP has given free hand to mining mafias in Haryana: Surjewala
Chandigarh (PTI): Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Haryana government of giving a free hand to mining mafias, leading to large-scale damage to the Aravalli hills.
Surjewala said that even though the Supreme Court had stayed its earlier order, there was no check on blasting and mining in the Aravalli range in Haryana.
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The party general secretary alleged that the situation had turned villages and residential areas into unsafe zones.
Surjewala said indiscriminate mining was underway in Usmapur village of the state's Mahendragarh district.
He claimed that blasting was taking place just 350 metres from the village, with about 12 blasts daily and over 900 dumpers transporting minerals every day.
He alleged that the explosions had caused cracks in houses, severe dust pollution and serious problems for residents, and even the cattle were not spared.
The Congress leader claimed that the mining permission granted for over 33.10 hectares was being misused and accused the BJP of ignoring illegal mining and putting the environment and people's lives at risk.
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Karnataka leads in AI: Minister Priyank Kharge at Impact Summit
Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.
During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.
“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.
Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”
The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.
He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.
The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.
He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.
