Depression over Indian Ocean intensifies, likely to become cyclone
Chennai: A depression over the Indian Ocean and southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified and moved further northwestwards, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Saturday.
It is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and further into a severe cyclonic storm, the IMD said and warned fishermen against venturing into the sea on Sunday.
"The depression over east Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved further northwestwards, intensified into a deep depression and lay centered about 870 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1210 km southeast of Chennai and 1500 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh," it said.
"It is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours," the IMD said.
Further, the system is very likely to move northwestwards off Sri Lanka coast during the next 72 hours and reach near north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts on April 30.
On Sunday, gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph and very rough to high seas are very likely over southwest Bay of Bengal adjoining east Equatorial Indian Ocean along and off Sri Lanka coast, the weather office said.
There would be strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph along and off Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and over Kerala, it said.
"Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas," it said in its "Weather Warning".
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Liquor manufactures can sell liquor on tetra packs in Odisha: Minister
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Odisha Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Friday said the government has allowed the sale of liquor on tetra packets with certain criteria in its new Excise Policy for 2026-29.
Speaking to media persons here, Harichandan said selling liquor in tetra packs was there in the state's excise policy since 2014. However, it is not yet made available in the Odisha market, he said.
"If any licensed liquor manufacturer or vendor wants to produce or sell the liquor on tetra pack, they can do it. The government will not restrict them," he clarified.
The state government is giving priority for proper regulation of manufacturing and selling of liquor in the state, the minister added.
"We just ensure that there is no illegal sale of liquor in the state," he stated.
As per the new Excise Policy, which came into force from April 1, India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) manufacturers can supply their products in tetra packaging and in glass bottles in specified sizes. Only 180 ml can be supplied in tetra packs.
The tetra packs must have six protective layers and must have the shelf life or the date fit for consumption clearly mentioned on the packaging, the policy guidelines said.
Before using the tetra packs for packaging of liquor, the manufacturing units must take certification from the Central Food Technology Research Institute or Indian Institute of Packaging, or any such institute as notified by the excise commissioner, it said.
Earlier, opposition leaders had demanded the rollback of the government's decision to introduce the sale of liquor in tetra packs, calling the move "unethical" and "anti-youth".
