Meghalaya violence toll rises to 2 as migrant worker stabbed to death in Shillong market
Shillong: A migrant worker was stabbed to death in the busy Iewduh market here on Saturday, taking the toll in clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups in Meghalaya to two, police said.
Seven persons were injured in the knife attack in the heart of the city and two of them suffered stab wounds, Superintendent of Police Claudia Lyngwa told PTI.
Those behind the attack are yet to be identified, she said.
In another mob attack, a migrant labourer was seriously injured after being thrashed at Sohra market in Sohra Civil Subdivision, the officer said, adding that he has been shifted to the Civil Hospital in Shillong for treatment.
The number of those injured in the clashes has gone up to 16, she said.
On Friday, a tribal was killed as clashes broke out between the Khasi Students' Union members and non-tribals during a rally held in the Ichamati area of East Khasi Hills district close to the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The clashes during the rally, organised against the Citizenship Amendment Act and demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime, led to tensions in parts of the state, forcing the government to clamp curfew in two police station areas in Shillong, and mobile internet and SMS restrictions in six districts.
The curfew was eased during the day, even as mobile internet restrictions continued. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reviewed the law and order situation in the state and appealed for peace.
"A magisterial inquiry has been set up. We have ensured that enough manpower is put in place in the affected areas," the chief minister said.
He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the family of the man killed in Friday's clash. Officials said that authorities are mulling imposing a night curfew in Shillong from 10 pm in view of the prevailing situation.
Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy has appealed to people to maintain and not pay attention to rumours.
"I appeal to all citizens in Meghalaya, tribal or non-tribal, keep calm. Don't spread rumours and don't listen to rumours. The chief minister has spoken to me. He assured me he is taking all necessary steps. The prime requirement now is to maintain law and order," the governor said.
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 tanks hold strong water storage: Minister Boseraju
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister N S Boseraju on Tuesday said that minor irrigation tanks across the state are holding good water storage levels, with the 3,788 tanks under the department’s jurisdiction providing life-sustaining water to a large agricultural command area of approximately 4,45,009 hectares.
In a statement, the Minister for Minor Irrigation, Boseraju, said that according to the latest data released by the department, a vast majority of the 3,788 minor irrigation tanks in the state have maintained good water levels.
Detailing the storage status, the report said that even in peak summer, 165 tanks are full.
Additionally, 1,355 tanks have retained more than 51 per cent capacity, 1,143 tanks have water levels up to 50 per cent, and 959 tanks are at roughly 30 per cent storage capacity.
District-wise, Davanagere leads the state in water storage, with 27 tanks remaining full even during summer. Chikkamagaluru follows closely with 46 full tanks, indicating strong water retention.
Other top-performing districts include Hassan, Tumakuru, and Kolar.
Boseraju, who also holds the portfolio of Science and Technology, said 1,184 tanks are being actively filled through 145 tank-filling lift irrigation projects under the Minor Irrigation Department.
He attributed the strong water retention to good monsoon rainfall and effective water management strategies of the government.
“It is encouraging to see such a substantial volume of water stored across our minor irrigation tanks by the end of March, remaining largely intact even as summer progresses. The fact that 1,355 tanks are nearly full and 165 tanks are brimming is a testament to the success of our tank-filling programmes and rejuvenation initiatives,” he said.
“By ensuring a continuous flow of water to these tanks through lift irrigation projects across departments, as well as supplying treated and surface water to the Bayaluseeme districts, we have taken proactive measures to prevent them from drying out during the summer,” the minister said.
According to him, these data points confirm that efforts to build a water-secure Karnataka are yielding strong results at the grassroots level.
“This water wealth preserved in our tanks will bring direct benefits to lakhs of farmers across the 4,45,009-hectare command area,” he added.
