Rising population in cities pose challenge for urbanisation, says Union Minister Khattar
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said urbanisation has become a major issue with the rapid rise in city population and the Centre has begun holding regional meetings to address a wide range of urban development concerns.
"Urbanisation has become a major issue these days because, day by day, the population of our cities is increasing," Khattar said after a regional meeting here involving Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.
The union minister for housing and urban affairs said the meeting discussed subjects "right from road, drains, mobility, metro rail," and included "demands and suggestions" from participating states.
"It was a good meeting," he said, adding that the Centre plans to hold an Urban Conclave in New Delhi soon where ministers, secretaries and the mayors of some important corporations will be invitied.
Stressing the importance of cooperative federalism, Khattar said, "There may be governments of various political parties, but for being in a cooperative federalism, we have to cooperate with each other so that together we can move. We have to strengthen our country and no state should be left behind."
Responding to questions about the alleged delay in release of central funds, the minister clarified that there is no common policy in all the subjects as many issues are state-specific.
He added that metro and other urban projects are funded through a mix of central-state partnerships, public-private ventures, and international agencies like those in Japan and the World Bank.
On the Bengaluru tunnel road controversy in which Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya have locked horns, Khattar said urban challenges differ from city to city and there cannot be ‘a common solution’ for all.
"Every city has different situations. Metro can be built underground and above...," he remarked.
Khattar highlighted that India’s metro network has expanded rapidly, with 1,100 km operational and another 900 km in progress.
"Today we are in third place in terms of the metro rail network. Once we build a 2,000 km metro rail line, we will surpass the USA also," he said.
He concluded that metro rail work is under way in five cities and will eventually expand to 29 across the country.
On Bihar polls, he said his party’s alliance will win.
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Two girls injured in separate wolf attacks in UP's Bahraich
Bahraich (UP) (PTI): Two minor girls were injured in separate incidents of wolf attacks in the Bahraich district, forest department officials said on Saturday.
In the first incident on Friday, Anushka Nishad (5), daughter of Baliram from Mallahanpurwa village, was sleeping alone inside her house when a wolf entered and tried to carry her away, they said.
Hearing her screams, family members and villagers rushed to the spot. The wolf left the child, hearing the commotion, and ran towards the fields. The girl sustained minor injuries from the animal's teeth, the officials said.
Divisional Forest Officer Ram Singh Yadav described the attack as deliberate and cleverly planned, as it occurred precisely when Anushka's mother went out for a few moments.
On the same day, Nancy (4), daughter of Kamlesh Yadav, was playing outside her house in Baburi Tola village when a wolf suddenly attacked and dragged her away.
Villagers raised an alarm, and the wolf released the child and ran towards the sugarcane fields. The injured child was sent to the Kaiserganj Community Health Centre for treatment.
Divisional Forest Officer Ram Singh Yadav told reporters that both attacks involved wolves, adding that the entire area is plagued by the animal's activity.
Since September 9, such attacks in the Bahraich district have claimed 10 lives, including eight children and an elderly couple, and injured dozens of people, the officials said.
District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi met the families of the victims on Friday and consoled them.
