Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

North India commute hit as heavy rain washes away roads

Over a dozen persons have been duped by a fake websites that offered chopper ride for '<keyword id="943106" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="char-dham-yatra" source="Orion">Char Dham yatra</keyword>' in <keyword id="44522" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="uttarakhand" source="Orion">Uttarakhand</keyword>. Five such cases have been reported at the <keyword id="6355192" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lucknow" source="Orion">Lucknow</keyword> <keyword id="388221" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cyber-cell" source="Orion">cyber cell</keyword> and ten at UP Cyber cell in the last one month. Superintendent of police, UP Cyber Cell, <keyword id="1106653" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="triveni-singh" source="Orion">Triveni Singh</keyword>, said that the complaints which are coming for offering the ride are from various websites. Singh also said that this kind of scam has come up not just in UP but also states like Punjab, Haryana, and <keyword id="66" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="Orion">Delhi</keyword>. Preliminary probe has found that a gang operating on the border of Bihar and Jharkhand is conducting such frauds. "We are even receiving complaints from other states," he added. According to one such victim, she paid a sum of Rs 50,000 for a trip to the shrines but she and her family members were not allowed to board the helicopter in Dehradun. The reason, she was told, was that the tickets that she had 'booked' were fake. As per the complaint, the victim got a call from a man claiming himself to be an agent of <keyword id="296712" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pawan-hans-ltd" source="Orion">Pawan Hans Ltd</keyword>, based in Dehradun. On making the payment, the helicopter tickets were sent on WhatsApp after the fraudster took their Aadhar card, passport and Covid-19 vaccination details. It was only at the time of boarding that it was found that all such tickets were fake. Police officials have advised people not to opt for private companies and to ensure that a government authorised heli-service website for the <keyword id="804754" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="char-dham" source="Orion">Char Dham</keyword> Yatra is being used and confirm the same from the tourism department. Singh also urged the people to refrain from transferring money or providing bank details to any unknown person. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/moto-g82-5g-expected-to-launch-in-india-on-june-9-expected-price-specs-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/91919825.cms">Moto G82 5G expected to launch in India on June 9 – expected price, specs and everything you need to know</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/an-indian-home-can-live-for-a-year-with-the-energy-it-needs-to-mine-a-single-bitcoin/articleshow/91916128.cms">An Indian home can live for a year with the energy it needs to mine a single Bitcoin</a>

Fake websites offering chopper ride for 'Char Dham yatra' in Uttarakhand reported to scam over a dozen people

The June 2013 disaster in <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> is unforgettable for the heavy loss of human life, as well as the economic and ecological damages it caused. However, the inadequate disaster management and delayed response from the government were even more ominous. 
 While heavy rain (more than 375% of normal rainfall) inundated Uttarakhand and the surrounding areas, it also led to the melting of the Chorabari Glacier and the <keyword id="30363" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mandakini">Mandakini</keyword> burst its banks, resulting in the region’s worst-ever flooding in five decades. 
 
Government officials committed many errors that had a direct bearing on the tragedy: 
· Early weather warnings went unheeded. Otherwise, the loss of human life would have been lower. 
· Haphazard development with hotels near the waterways, extensive tunnelling for badly planned roads and more than 70 hydroelectric projects have created a serious environmental imbalance. 
· Private sources put it to over 5,000 deaths. As the flooding occurred during peak pilgrimage season, more than 70,000 pilgrims were stranded with little or no food for over three days. 
 
Total economic loss is estimated at Rs 20,000 crore. The damage to infrastructure such as roads, hydro projects and housing will be difficult to overcome. As tourism accounts for almost 30% of Uttarakhand’s GDP, road and other infrastructural damage means the state government has to ask tourists to stay away, leading to loss of economic activities. 
 
Disaster management While the <keyword id="107430" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Disaster-Management-Authority">National Disaster Management Authority</keyword> (NDMA) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, did their best, it was not enough. The NDMA and the NDRF have to be better equipped, especially in terms of communications, to properly manage quick relief work. The director general of the NDRF has been changed every year for the past nine years, causing a lack of continuity in this body. Moreover, we don’t have fully trained and fully equipped disaster management personnel. The locals are not trained either or opt to work with the authorities. Early and prompt action is vital for all disaster management and this requires active involvement of the locals. 
 
Local people should be made aware of the problems likely to occur and must be taught how to respond to those. Each region or locality should have a rescue shelter and a command network in place. In other words, public awareness of ecology and environmental issues is a must. The government has to work with the people to protect the environment. Also, weather warnings should be taken seriously and government officials should focus more on prevention in order to minimise such losses. 
 
A comprehensive Himalayan environment and ecology plan covering all the Indian states concerned should be drawn up and implemented. Experts even advocate an international policy in co-operation with other countries such as China, Nepal and Bhutan. 
 
Uttarakhand today is focusing on rebuilding its infrastructure and preventing further ecological damage. The state has already reconstructed a major part of its roads, bridges and communication infrastructure. However, this should top the priority list now as transport and communication are extremely vital to keep the economy going in this mountain state. 
 
Only last month, the government reopened the Char Dham Yatra for the pilgrims, which can revive the tourism-based economy to some extent, bringing in the badly needed tourist money to the state. The government has also been criticised for the slow pace in rebuilding houses and infrastructure, and thus generating employment. 
 
The state government has come under fire for the irregular disbursal of compensation – Rs 2 lakh for every affected family and Rs 3,000 per month for two years as rental compensation to each of the 3,320 families that lost their houses. An additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh for building a house on the land owned by a family did not help either. That is because the families that lost their homes in the floods found it difficult to prove land ownership as all their belongings had been washed away. In many cases, the land itself no longer exists and it is still unclear where the new dwellings can be built. Understandably, the government will have to reassess and speed up the relief and rehabilitation process for genuine sufferers. 
 
Additionally, the government is taking steps to ensure proper development of watershed areas, water supply and sanitation. Loans to the tune of $121.20 million for a decentralised watershed development project and $24 million for rural sanitation and water supply have been obtained from the World Bank. 
 
Employment issues 
Uttarakhand is now witnessing third highest level of unemployment across the country. The state has a largely rural economy and last year’s dislocation of the tourism industry and loss of homes have increased unemployment and forced many to migrate. 
 
The failure of industrialisation also contributes to unemployment in the state. The government has to first ensure that the rural areas have access to sufficient clean water, land and clean environment. It should also actively support local agriculture and other employment-generating activities. 
 
The government is currently working towards better forest management and planned hydroelectricity management. Two of the country’s major rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna, originate in Uttarakhand and responsible handling of these river projects is not only crucial for the state but for the entire country. 
 
However, Uttarakhand is gradually overcoming the impact of the natural disaster that struck last year and rebuilding itself. But how fast it can be back on the prosperity track is the key question now.

Uttarakhand: Dealing With The Disaster Aftermath In The Abode Of Gods

For the past few years, communicating the devastating perils of <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword> was typically carried out by weaponising numbers, charts, and the occasional splattering of soup on paintings. Now, the process has turned far more visual and gruesome — the common man watches in anguish as unprecedented floods drown hundreds in Brazil, Kenya, and the UAE, while brutal heatwaves incapacitate elections in India. The latest climate atrocity has befallen the holy city of <keyword id="6364756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mecca" source="Orion">Mecca</keyword> in <keyword id="50996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="saudi-arabia" source="Orion">Saudi Arabia</keyword>, where blistering heatwaves have already killed an estimated 900 pilgrims during the annual Hajj rites. According to reports, temperatures have climbed to nearly 52°C in the city, where about 1.8 million devotees have gathered for the days-long outdoor procession. Around 175,000 Indians also attended Hajj this year, of whom 68 Indian nationals have been confirmed dead by Saudi Arabian diplomats. According to an AFP report, these fatalities have been attributed to “natural causes” as well as “weather conditions.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is Hajj?" comment="subhead" text="What is Hajj?">What is Hajj?</cmsannotation> Just like Indian Hindus may indulge in the annual Kanwar, Amarnath or the Char Dham Yatras, many Muslims embark on a yearly Hajj <keyword id="44351" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pilgrimage" source="Orion">pilgrimage</keyword> to the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. In Islam, Hajj — meaning pilgrimage made to the central religious ‘Kaaba’ monument—is considered a mandatory pious duty for all adult Muslims physically and financially capable of making the journey. The process of pilgrimage takes around a week — with tens of hours outdoors—and takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. Since 2015, this has fallen during the Saudi Arabian summers, when temperatures typically cross 40°C. During certain rites such as the Tawaf, eating food is prohibited, but drinking is encouraged due to the risk of dehydration amid such hot environments. Barring the COVID-19 lockdown years, the Hajj pilgrimage typically draws millions of visitors to Mecca, resulting in severe levels of crowding. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is the scale of the devastation?" comment="subhead" text="What is the scale of the devastation?">What is the scale of the devastation?</cmsannotation> While Saudi Arabia has refrained from provided official information on the tragic fatalities, they report that over 2,700 people suffered from “heat exhaustion” on Sunday alone. This comes despite large investments in stringent safety measures — a stark necessity considering that deaths due to heat and other causes have become a common sight during Hajj. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Why did it happen and what’s next?" comment="subhead" text="Why did it happen and what’s next?">Why did it happen and what’s next?</cmsannotation> Saudi Arabia, being an arid and hot region, can witness temperatures climbing to especially unbearable levels during its summer months. Further, these temperatures have continued to climb over the past few decades, courtesy of climate change. This can inflict a plethora of heat-related health issues on the devotees that take part in the outdoor pilgrimage during Hajj. According to 2019 MIT research, worsening heat and humidity conditions are set to worsen in several areas where Hajj takes place, posing “extreme danger” to the pilgrims. These dangers are inevitable and will continue to mount even if substantial measures are taken to curb the effects of climate change, the study explains. Further, as extreme conditions worsen, it lowers the tolerance of the heat-stressed pilgrims in crowds, leading to deadly confrontations and incidents. In 1990, a stampede killed nearly 1,500 people, while another led to the death of nearly a thousand people in 2015. According to MIT study author Elfatih Eltahir, these incidents coincided with peaks in temperature and humidity in the region. “If you have crowding in a location,” notes Eltahir, “the harsher the weather conditions are, the more likely it is that crowding would lead to incidents.” Hajj will continue to take place in the hottest summer months of Saudi Arabia from 2047 to 2052, and again from 2079 to 2086. Additionally, it is notable that a large number of the Hajj pilgrims constitute the elderly with ageing-related health conditions. For instance, about 40% of the thousands of Indonesians attending Hajj in 2023 were older devotees, according to the WHO. Health risks such as fatigue, dehydration, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and MERS-CoV have the capacity to cause more damage to such attendees. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is being done to protect pilgrims during Hajj?" comment="subhead" text="What is being done to protect pilgrims during Hajj?">What is being done to protect pilgrims during Hajj?</cmsannotation> The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has already invested billions in constructing infrastructure such as air-conditioned tents for pilgrims who are able to avail these services. Further, numerous hospitals and clinics are set up in and around Mecca, with emergency response teams on standby to provide immediate medical attention. The availability of clean drinking water at various points prevents dehydration, and ample sanitation facilities help maintain hygiene and prevent the spread of diseases. To manage any agitations, Saudi authorities schedule and stagger the times for different rites to avoid overcrowding. Significant infrastructure improvements, such as the expansion of the Jamarat Bridge and the Masjid al-Haram, have enhanced crowd flow. Clear signage, barriers, and guides help direct the movement of pilgrims, preventing bottlenecks and ensuring smooth transitions between different rites.

Heatwaves in Hajj: Here’s all about the devastating episode that killed nearly 1000 pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

You Searched For "Char Dham Yatra" and got 4 results

North India commute hit as heavy rain washes away roads

Sourabh Jain

Fake websites offering chopper ride for 'Char Dham yatra' in Uttarakhand reported to scam over a dozen people

IANS

Uttarakhand: Dealing With The Disaster Aftermath In The Abode Of Gods

Preetam Kaushik

Heatwaves in Hajj: Here’s all about the devastating episode that killed nearly 1000 pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

Ankush Banerjee

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides