Over 100 people killed in floods and landslides in Nepal
Kathmandu (PTI): The death toll from rain-triggered floodings and landslides across Nepal climbed to 102 on Sunday, police said.
Large swathes of eastern and central Nepal have been inundated since Friday, with flash floods reported in parts of the country.
According to the Armed Police Force sources, 64 people are missing in floods, landslides and inundation, while 45 people have been injured.
The Kathmandu Valley reported the highest number of 48 deaths.
At least 195 houses and eight bridges were damaged. The security personnel have rescued nearly 3,100 people.
Eyewitnesses said they had never seen such a devastating flood and inundation in the Kathmandu Valley in 40-45 years.
The death toll has reached 102, the Armed Police Force said in a statement.
“I’ve never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu,” said Arun Bhakta Shrestha, Climate and Environmental expert at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
Kathmandu's main river, the Bagmati, was flowing above danger levels after incessant rain lashed much of eastern and central Nepal on Friday and Saturday, a report published by ICIMOD said on Saturday.
A low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal and the more northerly than usual position of the monsoon trough was the reason behind Saturday's exceptionally intense rain, it said.
Scientists say that while climate change is changing the amount and timing of rainfall across Asia, a key reason for the rise in the impact of floods is the built environment, including unplanned construction, especially on floodplains, which leaves insufficient areas for water retention and drainage.
The floods and landslides have thrown life out of gear in many parts of the country, with many highways and road stretches disrupted, hundreds of houses and bridges buried or swept away, and hundreds of families displaced. Thousands of passengers have been stranded in various places due to road disruption.
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K'taka Minister Priyank Kharge demands FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s resignation in Electoral Bonds case
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after a case was registered against her in Bengaluru, following a court direction for allegedly extorting money through now scrapped electroal bonds.
He alleged that companies which incurred huge losses have made significant donations to the BJP through the Electoral Bond scheme and the court found valid grounds to direct the police to register an FIR against Sitharaman and others.
“If you have morality, then drive out former BJP Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra who is the BJP state president. Expel Nirmala Sitharaman, (leader of opposition in the Karnataka assembly) R Ashoka and BJP MLA Munirathna,” Kharge said in a press conference.
According to police, an FIR was registered under IPC sections 384 (punishment for extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) against Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, ED officials, office-bearers of the BJP at state and national level, based on the order of a special court.
BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra, party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel have also been named in the FIR.
Kharge said, “Don’t frighten us (Congress) with the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and Governor’s Office. We will not be scared. We have a history of 140 years of struggle and will continue our struggle for another 140 years. We grew up fighting against your policies and principles. First you make your house in order before coming to us.”
Explaining the matter, the minister said the FIR was registered based on a petition filed by the Janadhikara sangharsh Parishath.
The Supreme Court too had called the Electoral Bond scheme as unconstitutional, he said.
According to Kharge, 33 companies running at a loss of Rs one lakh crore have donated Rs 576.2 crore to the BJP.
Further, six companies which have shown a positive net profit have donated Rs 646 crore to the saffron party, which is more than their aggregate net profit.
Three companies, which had positive net profit but reported negative direct taxes, have donated Rs 193.8 crore to the BJP, he claimed.
Kharge took a dig at some BJP leaders for their alleged statement that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were into money laundering and they should be jailed first.
“You (BJP) have been in power for the past 11 years. What did you do all these years?” the minister asked.
He further charged Vijayendra with being involved in money laundering through shell companies based out of Kolkata and other places.
