India will resume work in at least 20 stalled projects in Afghanistan: Taliban
Kabul (PTI): The Taliban dispensation in Afghanistan has said that India will resume work in at least 20 stalled projects in several provinces across the war-torn country.
In June, India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a "technical team" in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
India withdrew its officials from the embassy after the Taliban seized power in August 2021, following concerns over their security.
In August, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said India's diplomatic presence in the country would result in the completion of "unfinished projects" that New Delhi had initiated and the commencement of new ones.
On Tuesday, Afghanistan's Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MUDH) said the Indian charg s d'affaires, Bharat Kumar, expressed interest in the improvement of relations and the resumption of stalled projects in the country, according to news portal Tolo News.
Kumar made the remarks during a meeting with the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Hamdullah Nomani, it said.
According to the MUDH, it is expected that India will resume work on at least 20 projects in several provinces of the country.
"Projects they were implementing during the former government but were delayed due political changes or other issues --- they are now interested in resuming these projects," Tolo News quoted Mohammad Kamal Afghan, a spokesman for the MUDH as saying.
Economists said the move will facilitate job opportunities and boost development in the country.
"The resumption of these projects can also create job opportunities for the people and it can promote people's income and drive Afghanistan out of political isolation,'' Darya Khan Baheer, an economist was quoted as saying in the report.
"The restart of these projects will decrease the level of poverty and unemployment," said Nazkamir Ziarmal, another economist.
India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
New Delhi has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country.
India extended humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and it has already dispatched several shipments of humanitarian assistance consisting of 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat, 13 tonnes of medicines, 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and winter clothing, according to the MEA.
These consignments were handed over to the India Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul and UN agencies including the World Health Organisation and the World Food Programme.
Furthermore, India has also shipped more medical assistance and foodgrains to Afghanistan
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Andhra milk contamination: Death toll rises to 13, seven undergoing treatment
Rajamahendravaram (Andhra Pradesh)(PTI): The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration incident in East Godavari district has risen to 13, while seven persons continue to receive treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, an official said on Thursday.
Health department officials said the cluster of cases was first noticed on February 22 after several elderly residents were admitted to hospitals with symptoms such as anuria, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute renal dysfunction requiring dialysis.
Residents from Chowdeswaranagar and Swaroopanagar areas of Lalacheruvu reportedly fell ill after consuming milk suspected to be adulterated and supplied in the locality.
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"The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has reached 13, while seven persons are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram," the official said.
Authorities noted that strong epidemiological indicators point towards milk adulteration as the probable cause and multiple departments have initiated coordinated action.
Medical examinations revealed elevated levels of blood urea and serum creatinine among the affected persons, suggesting possible toxic exposure, they said.
Preliminary investigations indicated milk consumption as the main source of exposure. The milk was reportedly supplied to nearly 106 families by Varalakshmi Milk Dairy in Narasapuram village of Korukonda mandal, following which the supply was immediately halted.
Emergency medical camps have been set up in the affected localities with doctors and ambulance services deployed round the clock, officials said.
Rapid Response Teams comprising the district surveillance officer, physicians, microbiologists, paediatricians, forensic experts, epidemiologists and nephrologists were constituted to handle the situation.
Meanwhile, the Food Safety Department inspected the dairy unit linked to the supply and collected samples of milk, paneer, ghee, drinking water and vinegar for surveillance and enforcement.
The samples have been sent to laboratories, including JNTU Kakinada and VIMTA Labs in Hyderabad for microbial, physio-chemical and toxic adulterant analysis.
Blood and urine samples of affected persons have also been forwarded for detailed toxicological examination, officials added.
The suspected milk vendor, Addala Ganeswararao (33), a resident of Narasapuram village, has been taken into custody and the dairy unit associated with the supply has been sealed.
CLUES (Crime scene Linking Understanding Evidence and Science) and forensic teams inspected the premises, while post-mortem samples were sent to the Regional Forensic Laboratory in Vijayawada. Police said an investigation is underway to trace the distribution network and identify affected consumers.
The Animal Husbandry Department also formed a team of four veterinary doctors, collected 41 milk samples along with cattle feed and water samples, and sent them to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute in Vijayawada for analysis.
Meanwhile, the police registered a case under Section 194 of the BNSS and Section 174 of the CrPC.
