Karnataka chief secretary requests her Andhra counterpart to withdraw entry ban on Totapuri mangoes

Vartha Bharati | 10-06-2025 | 23:45:00 IST

Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh

Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Tuesday requested her Andhra Pradesh counterpart to withdraw ban on entry of Totapuri mangoes from the state into Andhra's Chittoor district.

According to her, this "abrupt and unilateral restriction" has caused significant distress to mango farmers in Karnataka, particularly those in the border districts who cultivate large volumes of Totapuri mangoes and rely heavily on the Chittoor-based processing units for marketing their produce.

In a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K Vijayanand, she expressed "serious concern" regarding the order issued by the District Collector of Chittoor on June 7, which imposed a ban on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from other States.

"To enforce this order, multidisciplinary teams comprising officials from the Revenue, Police, Forest, and Marketing Departments have reportedly been deployed at all border check-posts adjoining Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," Rajneesh said in the letter.

She said that disruption of this long-established inter-state trade linkage poses "immediate threats to their livelihoods" and may result in "substantial post-harvest losses".

The letter stated that beyond the economic hardship to farmers, such a move undermines the spirit of cooperative federalism and risks triggering retaliatory sentiments.

"There is already apprehension that affected stakeholders in Karnataka may obstruct vegetable inflows from Andhra Pradesh, escalating into unnecessary inter-state tensions something we must all strive to avoid," it said.

Urging for his immediate intervention in this matter, she requested him to issue appropriate direction to the authorities in Chittoor district to revoke the said order.

"A coordinated and consultative approach would be more appropriate for addressing any concerns related to agricultural trade and phytosanitary risks, if any, while safeguarding the interests of farmers on both sides," she added.

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Attack reported on Iraq’s Balad Airbase: Explosions heard, drone strike suspected

24-06-2025 ¦ 24-06-2025 IST

Baghdad: An attack has reportedly taken place on the Balad Airbase located in Salahuddin province, about 100 kilometers north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The incident was reported by Al Jazeera, citing the Kurdistan24 news network based in Baghdad.

The Balad Airbase, which was used by the United States during the Iraq war, is one of the largest airbases in the country. According to earlier reports by Iran's Tasnim news agency, two loud explosions were heard at the base. However, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

In a related development, a suspected drone strike targeted the former U.S. Victory Base Complex near Baghdad International Airport, Tasnim reported, quoting informed sources.

Investigations are currently underway, and security forces remain on high alert in the region following these developments, which come amid heightened tensions in the region.