Deep depression over Bay of Bengal likely to turn into cyclone by Monday evening: IMD
Bhubaneswar/Kolkata (PTI): The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone by Monday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.
The cyclonic storm, after its formation, will be christened 'Hamoon', a name given by Iran.
The deep depression over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at about 320 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 470 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 610 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) at 11.30 am, it said.
"It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next three hours. It is very likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Chittagong around evening of October 25 as a deep depression," the IMD said in its mid-day bulletin.
The Odisha government has asked all the district collectors to remain prepared for any eventuality, and directed the administration to evacuate people from low-lying areas in the event of heavy rain.
"The system (cyclone) will move in the sea around 200 km from Odisha coast," weather scientist U S Dash said, adding that under its influence, light to moderate rainfall is likely at a few places in coastal Odisha on Monday and at many places over the next two days.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the wind speed over the Bay of Bengal will gradually increase to 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph by Tuesday morning.
He said there will be no direct impact of the likely cyclone on Odisha, but some Durga Puja pandals, which are not strong enough to withstand such wind speeds, could suffer damage.
Odisha received about 15 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours under the influence of the system. Light to moderate rain may continue in the coastal areas on Monday and Tuesday, the weather office said.
Heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) might occur at one or two places in Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur till 8.30 am on Tuesday, it said.
The IMD has also asked fishermen not to venture into west-central Bay of Bengal till Wednesday, and along and off the Odisha coast and north Bay of Bengal during Monday-Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring West Bengal, the Met department forecast thunderstorms with lightning and moderate rainfall in parts of Purba Medinipur, Kolkata and South 24 Parganas districts on Monday and Tuesday.
Light to moderate rainfall in some parts of the state dampened the festive mood of revellers on Nabami', though people were seen braving the weather with colourful umbrellas at various Durga Puja pandals.
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Amid row over Waqf land, Karnataka officials to appear before parliamentary panel
New Delhi, Dec 25: Amid a row over Waqf land in Karnataka, officials from the state government are scheduled to appear before the parliamentary panel examining the Waqf Amendment Bill on Thursday.
The Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, chaired by BJP member Jagadambika Pal, is scheduled to hear views from representatives of the governments of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Delhi in sittings spread over two days beginning Thursday.
Delhi's Food and Supply Minister Imran Hussain is also scheduled to address the committee on Friday, followed by the recording of evidence by the representatives of the Delhi government.
The deposition of officials from the Congress-led Karnataka government comes in the wake of a row over claims by BJP leaders that over 1500 acres of land belonging to farmers in the state were being taken over by the Waqf board.
Pal had visited Karnataka and interacted with the farmers who had received notices from the state government regarding encroachment over properties belonging to the Waqf Board.
The committee had also written to state governments seeking details of Waqf properties occupied by them in an unauthorised manner as per the Sachar panel report.
The UPA government constituted the Sachar Committee in 2005 to study the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India.
The parliamentary panel was constituted on August 8, soon after the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha.
Opposition parties have stridently criticised the amendments proposed by the bill in the existing Waqf Act, alleging that they violate the religious rights of Muslims. The ruling BJP has asserted that the amendments will bring transparency in the functioning of the waqf boards and make them accountable.
