NASA delays Sunita Williams' return to Earth again amid Boeing starliner spacecraft issues
Washington DC: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams' return to Earth has been postponed again due to ongoing technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The spacecraft has been experiencing problems, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters, which are essential for a safe re-entry.
Despite initial assurances, Williams' return has been delayed twice, with no new date announced yet. She and her fellow astronaut, Butch Wilmore, are currently safe on the International Space Station (ISS) along with seven other crew members.
The delay has sparked concerns and controversy, with 20 whistleblowers alleging that NASA and Boeing ignored their warnings about the spacecraft's technical issues. Boeing has faced similar allegations regarding its other aircraft, raising questions about the reliability of its products.
NASA has emphasized that the spacecraft is ready for an emergency return if needed and is taking its time to ensure a safe return. The agency is assessing future return opportunities, pending a planned spacewalk on July 2.
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No data on Maha Kumbh stampede maintained by central govt, says MoS Home Nityanand Rai
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI): Inquiry into the Maha Kumbh stampede was conducted by the Uttar Pradesh government and no data on casualties and injured victims is maintained with the central government, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai shared the information while replying to a question by Congress MPs KC Venugopal and Kirsan Namdeo on the number of people killed and injured in the stampede and the steps taken by the authorities to investigate the causes.
Rai said "public order" and "police" were state subjects, according to the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Organisation of religious congregations, crowd management, provision of amenities to devotees, prevention of any type of disaster during congregations, etc are closely linked to "public order", which is a state subject, he added.
"Conducting of any type of inquiry into any type of disasters occurred in a state, including stampedes, and provision of financial assistance to families of deceased devotees and injured persons, also come under the purview of the concerned state governments. State governments are competent to deal with such situations. No such data is maintained centrally," he said in a written reply.
The Union minister said the National Disaster Management Authority had circulated detailed guidelines on crowd management at events and venues of mass gathering. Guidelines on crowd control were also issued by the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
He said the Union home ministry had issued an advisory to all states and Union territories, advising them to use these templates to prepare their own standard operating procedures for crowd management and devise a checklist for the appropriate authorities.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Inspector General of Police Vaibhav Krishna had said the stampede January 29 stampede during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj left 30 pilgrims dead and 60 injured.
