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Centre Appoints Chief Justices To 8 High Courts

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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Justice Rajiv Shakdher is the new Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court
Incumbent Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice MS Ramachandran Rao transferred as such to Jharkhand High Court

The Centre has notified the appointment and transfer of chief justices to eight high courts. Union Minister of State for Law & Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal tweeted the development from his official X handle on Saturday evening.

The tweet read: In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint/ transfer the following Chief Justices of High Courts:

Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Manmohan appointed as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court;

Delhi High Court judge, Justice Rajiv Shakdher appointed as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court;

Delhi High Court judge, Justice Suresh Kait, appointed as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court;

Calcutta High Court judge, Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji appointed as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court;

Bombay High Court judge, Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar, appointed as Chief Justice of Kerala High Court;

Acting Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh High Court, Justice Tashi Rabstan, appointed as Chief Justice of the J&K and Ladakh High Court;

Bombay High Court judge, Justice Shriram Kalpathi Rajendran appointed as Chief Justice of Madras High Court;

Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice MS Ramachandran Rao has been transferred to Jharkhand High Court.

Recommendations by the Supreme Court Collegium regarding the Chief Justices were made on July 11. However, on September 17 the earlier recommendations were altered with respect to the appointment of Chief Justices to four High Courts

 

 

Air Marshal AP Singh To Take Over As Next Chief Of The IAF

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Vice Chief of the IAF, Air Marshal AP Singh has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff

 

Vice Chief, Air Marshal AP Singh has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff to take over from Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on September 30, the day the latter retires on superannuation. He had taken over as the Vice Chief of the IAF in February last year.

A recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Air Marshal AP Singh during his 40 years career, commanded an operational fighter squadron and a frontline air base.

He has held important staff appointments of Air Defence Commander at Southwestern Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command. Prior to assuming his current appointment, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Central Air Command.

Air Marshal AP Singh is a qualified flying instructor and an experimental test pilot with more than 5,000 hours of flying experience on a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

As a test pilot, he led the MiG-29 upgrade project management team in Moscow. He was also the project director (flight test) at the National Flight Test Centre looking after the flight testing of India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College, the Air Marshal was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on December 21, 1984.

‘Tarang Shakti 2024’ multinational air exercise

Earlier in September this year, Air Marshal AP Singh oversaw the conduct of ‘Tarang Shakti 24’ at the Jodhpur Air Force Station, the largest multinational air exercise India has held. The exercise was broken into two phases to allow for optimum participation from 10 nations and 18 observing nations.

The fighter pilot, Air Marshal AP Singh in his flying gear
Air Marshal AP Singh with then Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa atop the Tejas light combat aircraft
Air Marshal AP Singh Interacting with officers from the US Air Force during the ‘Tarang Shakti 2024’ multinational air exercise in Jodhpur Air Force Station. PHOTO credit: www.hill.af.mil/ 

Study Reveals 3,600+ Chemicals From Food Packaging Detected in Human Bodies

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Many of the chemicals used in the manufacturing and coating processes involved in packaging materials are harmful to human health
79 of these chemicals are known to pose health risks

According to the Sigma Test and Research (https://www.sigmatest.org/), if you’re concerned about what you eat, you should be concerned about the packaging your food comes in. Believe it or not, the packaging your food comes in can harm you greatly. Obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems are only a few of the short-and long-term dangers associated with chemicals in packaging, it observes.

Corroborating this observation, a new study has revealed that more than 3,600+ chemicals from food packaging, processing, and storage materials, many of them known to pose serious health risks, permeate into food and are present in the human body.

www.sofx.com/ quoting the study, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, has reported that the research highlights widespread human exposure to these food contact chemicals (FCCs), some of which are linked to serious health issues, including cancer, genetic mutations, and reproductive disorders.

The website states that the study, conducted by researchers from the Food Packaging Forum and other academic institutions, is the first to systematically document the presence of FCCs in human samples, such as urine, blood, and breast milk. It found evidence of 3,601 FCCs, representing 25% of known FCCs, in the human body. Of these, 79 chemicals are known to pose health risks.

Some of the most hazardous chemicals detected include bisphenols, PFAS (large, complex group of synthetic chemicals), phthalates, and metals. These substances are commonly found in food packaging materials, such as plastic containers, cans, and coatings. The study warns that many chemicals, including synthetic antioxidants used in packaging, are under-researched, and their effects on human health are not fully understood.

Dr. Birgit Geueke, first author of the study, emphasizes the importance of this work: “Our research establishes a link between food contact chemicals, exposure, and human health. It also highlights those chemicals that have been overlooked in biomonitoring studies so far. And it offers an important opportunity for prevention and protection of health.”

www.sofx.com quotes Dr. Jane Muncke, co-author of the study and managing director at the Food Packaging Forum, as emphasizing the risks posed by these chemicals. “Food contact materials are not fully safe, even if they comply with regulations, because they transfer known hazardous chemicals into people.”

The study also revealed significant gaps in biomonitoring and toxicity data, calling for more research to assess the long-term health impacts of these chemicals.

Researchers used data from five human biomonitoring programmes and multiple scientific databases to compile their findings, but they believe the actual number of FCCs present in humans may be higher than detected.

Kolkata Rape & Murder: Docs Partially Suspend Agitation In Wake Of Flood Situation

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Agitating junior doctors taking out a long march to the Kolkata office of CBI on Friday to press their demand for speedy investigation and early justice to 'nirbhaya' in the Kolkata rape and murder case of a postgraduate intern at the RD Kar Medical College & Hospital

 

Finally, the junior doctors of West Bengal have agreed to partially suspend their 42-days old cease-work agitation, launched following the horrific rape and murder of a post graduate intern in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, from Saturday following an appeal by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the flood situation in several districts of South Bengal.

The agitating doctors will however initially restore only “essential services” like attending to emergencies and non-planned operation theatre (OT) duties, as well as organise “Abhaya medical camps” in the memory of the rape and murder victim doctor in the flood-affected areas of the state.

Still sceptical about timebound implementation of measures promised by the state government for the safety and security of doctors, especially female doctors, at workplaces in government hospitals across the state, the doctors for the present have held back on reporting for duties in outpatient departments (OPDs) and OTs for planned surgeries, preferring to wait and watch the government’s actions and what transpires in the next date of hearing of the matter in the Supreme Court on September 27.

They have cautioned the state government that their fight to secure justice for ‘Abhaya’ has not ended, and in the event of unsatisfactory implementation of the agreed upon demands or non-acceptance of their other pending demands, most importantly the removal of the state principal secretary health, they will resume the complete cease-work agitation with a renewed resolve.

On Friday, the 10-day long sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan was ended and doctors, along with citizens and civil society groups supporting their cause, organised a long march to the Kolkata office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the ‘Abhaya’ rape and murder case on the directions of the Calcutta High Court, demanding speedy investigation and early justice to the victim doctor.

The cease-work agitation, launched after the rape and murder at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital came to light on August 9, has crippling state-run healthcare delivery across the state and rattled the Mamata government amid creditable allegations of large scale cover up by the hospital and state government authorities.

The main accused in the rape and murder, Sanjay Roy, a Kolkata Police civic volunteer, was arrested by the Kolkata police. But subsequently, the CBI has arrested the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital at the time of the incident, Sandip Ghosh, and then office in-charge of Tala police station, Abhijit Mondal, for allegedly tampering with evidence in connection with the case.

Following a vociferous demand by the agitating doctors, the state government recently also shunted out Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal, Director of Health Services (DHS) Debashis Halder, Director of Medical Education (DME) Kaustav Nayak, and Kolkata Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Division) Abhishek Gupta from their positions.

Some of the directives issued by the West Bengal chief secretary to the principal secretary health after the state government accepted a bulk of the demands placed by the agitating doctors:

  • Adequate availability of on-duty rooms, washrooms, CCTVs, drinking water facilities should be ensured at the healthcare facilities. “Works in this connection must be completed as early as possible.”
  • All committees, including an internal complaints committee, “should be made fully functional by the department”.
  • A centralised referral system should be operationalised as early as possible.
  • A centralised helpline number should be implemented to ensure the safety and security of healthcare personnel.
  • A real-time bed availability information system, a “robust” grievance redress system, and adequate deployment of police, including policewomen, at all hospitals should be ensured.

India-Bangla First Test At Chennai: The Old Warhorses Again To The Rescue

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
The rescuers for India on the first day of the first Test match against Bangladesh at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday: R Ashwin and R Jadeja, with their record 7th wicket partnership, steered the hosts to a commanding position after a disastrous start

 

What started disastrously for hosts India against a charged-up Bangladesh side, with its three best rated batsmen – captain Rohit Sharma (6 off 19 balls), Shubhman Gill (golden duck off 8 balls) and Virat Kohli (6 off 6 balls) – sent back to the pavilion by young fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, using the conditions at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to his best advantage, ended in glory for the team at the hands of the two spinning allrounders in the side.

From being reduced to 34-3 within the first hour of play on the opening day of the first of two-match Test series against Bangladesh, and then 144-6 in the post lunch session, ending the day at 339-6 was a remarkable turnaround and testimony to the resilience seen in the Indian batting order these last few years.

Taking control of the innings, as they have often done in the past, the old warhorses Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, after getting together before tea break, literally turned the game into a T20 match smashing the till then rampaging Bangladesh bowling attack all over the park.

With their unbeaten stand of 195 runs in just 229 balls, the duo recorded the highest seventh-wicket partnership at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

On his home turf, Ravichandran Ashwin scored a brilliant century off just 108 balls, plundering 10 fours and two sixes and surpassing his previous best of a hundred in 117 balls against the West Indies in 2011. This is the spinning allrounder’s sixth Test hundred and first against Bangladesh.

It is also his second consecutive hundred at M.A. Chidambaram stadium; the previous one came against England in 2021, the last time India played a Test in Chennai.

Ravindra Jadeja matched him stroke for stroke. His unbeaten 86 in 117 deliveries also included 10 fours and two sizes.

The duo, Ashwin (38 years) and Jadeja (35 years), on Thursday proved that they still have lot of cricket left in them, and are valuable assets to the team because of their all-round versatility.

Young Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud destroyed the Indian top order in the first session of play on the opening day of the first Test match

Though the allrounders steered the team to a commanding position at the end of the first day, the role of young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (56 off 118 balls) and wicketkeeper batsman Rishab Pant (39 off 52 balls) in stabilising the innings after three quick dismissals cannot be underscored. Their fourth wicket stand yielded 62 valuable runs in 99 balls.

KL Rahul, coming in at No. 6, returned cheaply on an individual score of 16 after facing 50 deliveries. He once again failed to come out of his defensive mindset.

In his post play comments, Ashwin said “This is a ground I completely love to play cricket in. It’s given me a lot of wonderful memories.”

“It helps that I’m coming off a T20 tournament (referring to the Tamil Nadi Premier League – TNPL) where I worked quite a bit on batting and playing shots. On a surface like this with a bit of spice, if you’re going after the ball, you might as well go after it hard like Rishabh (Pant) does,” Ashwin said explaining his aggressive batting.

“It’s an old-school Chennai surface with bounce and carry. The red soil pitch allows you to play a few shots if you are willing to just get in line and give it a bit of a tonk when there’s width,” he added.

TEAMS

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.

Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.

Estonian Creates History, Becomes First To Cross Continents Balancing On Tightrope

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Estonian champion slackliner Jaan Roose performs the 'Continental Pass' high above Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait, between the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, on September 15, 2024. (PHOTOS credit: Redbull.com)

 

There are no limits to daredevilry, and Estonian slacklining (kind of tightrope walking, but with a difference) sensation Jaan Roose has just proved that again. On Monday, September 15, he became the first person to balance on a slackline (special rope) stretched over the Türkiye’s Bosphorus Strait, walking from the Asian side of Istanbul to the European side.

According to news reports, the three-time world champion in slacklining showcased his incredible balance and nerves of steel to cross the breathtaking 1,074-metre slackline hanging 165 metres above the water, completing the epic journey in just 47 minutes, all while negotiating 21 km per hour winds. This daring feat by the Red Bull athlete was dubbed the “Continental Pass”.

The achievement marked the first time a person has crossed from Asia to Europe on foot on such a high altitude, adding to the significance of the event, which was supported by Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Ministry and the General Directorate of Highways.

Explaining the technical challenges of the crossing, Roose said: “The rope is about 1,074 meters long, but it sags in the middle. The rope weighs a few hundred kilos, and the tension changes with the wind. In the middle, there is a 35-40 metre sag, and we have to make sure the rope is properly tightened before I start walking.”

Does he fear heights?

Despite the dangers, Roose admits that fear is an essential part of his process.

“I have a fear of heights, but that fear is necessary. It helps me improve my technique and stay safe. I need to be afraid of falling so that I can ensure my safety.

“In a way, everything is shaped around this fear. Managing that fear, both mentally and technically, is crucial to slacklining at this level.”

Kolkata Rape & Murder: Cover-Up Gone Wrong, Mamata On Knees, Docs Still Sceptical

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Kolkata Rape & Muder case: Agitating doctors announcing on Tuesday night that their agitation will continue till all their demands, including removal of state Principal Secretary Health, are met
Kolkata Comm of Police & Dy Comm of Police (North division), directors of state Health Services and Medical Education departments removed as per agreement reached after a marathon 5-hour meeting between Mamata and a large delegation of striking junior doctors on Monday evening
Junior doctors told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that they are ready to resume duties if confidence-building measures, agreed upon with the CM on Monday, are implemented
After the SC hearing, the junior doctors, still sceptical about the state government’s sincerity, decided against calling off their more than 5-week long agitation and ‘cease work’ till all their demands are met. They also sought a fresh round of talks with the state government

After attempts at cover-up by the hospital authorities, the state health and medical education top brass and top officers of the Kolkata Police Commissionerate in the horrific RG Kar Medical College and Hospital junior doctor rape and murder case boomeranged on her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is literally on her knees, seemingly seeking to set things right.

The agitating doctors across the state, demanding among other things speedy justice for the victim, a postgraduate intern at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, have been agitating and resorting to ‘cease work’ for the last more than five weeks, ever since the incident case to light on August 9, crippling state-run healthcare delivery and subjecting the Mamata government to public shame.

After weeks of failed attempts by her government, and she herself, to come to a negotiated settlement “with an open mind”, a breakthrough appeared to have been achieved late evening on Monday when following marathon 5-hours of negotiations, the chief minister agreed to majority of the demands from a 5-point charter of demands placed by the striking doctors.

The decisions announced late on Monday night by Mamata Banerjee included removal of Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal, and state health and medical education top brass from their respective positions. She also announced the setting up of a high-level panel under the Chief Secretary to address the doctors’ demands.

The state government came good on its promise by issuing orders on Tuesday removing, besides Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal, Director of Health Services (DHS) Debashis Halder, Director of Medical Education (DME) Kaustav Nayak, and Kolkata Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Division) Abhishek Gupta who allegedly offered money to the parents of the rape and murder victim.

Meanwhile in the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court, which had taken suo moto notice of the Kolkata rape and murder, on Tuesday, the junior doctors submitted that they are ready to resume duties if confidence-building measures, agreed upon with the CM on Monday, are implemented.

During the hearing, the three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, observed that the revelations in the new status report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the matter after being handed over the case by the Calcutta High Court, were “disturbing”. Yet revealing its contents at this stage might “jeopardise” the probe, the bench stated.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached out to the agitating doctors at their protest site to persuade them to accept the state government’s invitation for talks to address their demands

After the court hearing, the striking doctors did hold a marathon meeting of their general body on Tuesday evening but still appeared to be sceptical about their victim colleague getting early justice and the state government’s sincerely towards implementing their agreed upon and remaining demands.

Post midnight, the agitating doctors announced in a press conference that they will continue their strike until all their demands are met, including the removal of state Principal Secretary Health NS Nigam.

Seeking a fresh round of talks with the government, the doctors said the government should provide them with a “democratic environment”. They also listed fresh demands, including measures to ensure adequate toilet arrangements for doctors, installation of the required number of CCTV cameras in government-run hospitals, proper accommodation for doctors, increased security, and the conduct of student body elections.

Most of these demands were addressed by the Supreme Court in its hearing on Tuesday, and directions were also issued to the state government for their early implementation.

Shots from the West Bengal junior doctors’ ongoing protests which have entered their sixth week 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All-Woman Crew Pilots Delivery Flight Of Akasa Air’s Landmark 25th Aircraft From Seattle

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Capt Bhavna Gandhi and Capt Sanaya Chothia piloting the delivery flight of Akasa Air's landmark 25th Boeing aircraft home from Seattle, USA where its delivery was taken on Sept 9, 2024. PHOTOS credit: X/AkasaAir

 

Taking off into the beautiful skies over Seattle in the USA, an all-woman pilot crew was honoured with taking the delivery of and flying home India’s fastest growing new airline Akasa Air’s landmark 25th aircraft – a Boeing 737 MAX.

Having received the delivery of the aircraft from the Boeing company at Seattle on September 9, Captain Bhavna Gandhi and Captain Sanaya Chothia piloted it all the way to land at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on September 12.

The first leg of the women-led delivery flight commenced from Seattle, USA, to Keflavik, Iceland, and concluded with the final leg from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Hyderabad.

Along with those of its star women pilots, the airlines proudly shared stunning pictures of the midair journey on its official ‘X’ handle to celebrate the landmark event.

In a press release issued on the occasion, Akasa Air claimed that within two years of its inception in August 2022, the Airline continues to be the fastest growing in the history of global aviation.

It informed further that in 2021, Akasa Air placed its initial order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which was followed up with an order of four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in June 2023. In January 2024, the airline placed another landmark order of 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, becoming the first Indian airline to reach an order book of 226 aircraft within 17 months of commencing operations.

The airline has now taken delivery of 25 aircraft and is on track to receive deliveries of another 201 aircraft over the next eight years, the release added.

Akasa Air has expressed confidence that the airline’s strong foundational growth trajectory has put it on course to be one of the top 30 airlines in the world by the turn of the decade.

Sharing details of the airline’s operations since its launch in August 2022, the press release said Akasa Air has served over 11 million passengers and is connected with 27 cities, namely Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Port Blair, Ayodhya, Gwalior, Srinagar, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

About Akasa Air

Akasa Air claims to be India’s most dependable airline, offering warm and efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable fares – all in the Akasa Way. Akasa’s youthful personality, employee-centric philosophy, tech-led approach, and culture of service make this commitment a reality for all Indians.

The carrier launched its first commercial flight on 07 August 2022 to support the growing demand across India. It commenced international operations on 28 March 2024, offering non-stop flights from Mumbai to Doha. This milestone made it the first Indian airline to fly overseas within a record period of just 19 months.

With a clear focus on sustained, long-term growth, Akasa Air has placed a firm order of 226 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, powered by CFM fuel-efficient, LEAP-1B engines. It currently operates 25 737 MAX aircraft which deliver superior efficiency in reducing fuel use and carbon emissions.

The aircraft also powers a quieter cabin with 40 per cent less noise fulfilling the airline’s promise of being an environmentally progressive company with the youngest and greenest fleet in the Indian skies.

For more information visit www.akasaair.com
or via X: @AkasaAir
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/akasaair/ 

Arvind Kejriwal Surprises, Declaring He Is Resigning As Delhi CM

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
Delhi CM & AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal holds up the book 'Bhagat Singh Jail Diary' at a public meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday, where he declared that he will be resigning as the chief minister

 

In what can be seen as reclaiming high moral ground ahead of the impending Delhi assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that he will be stepping down as Delhi Chief Minister in a couple of days, when a meeting of party MLAs will be convened to elect a new chief minister.

He will not return to the chief minister’s post till the people of Delhi give him a fresh mandate in the elections to continue as such, Kejriwal, who walked free after spending months in jail following the Supreme Court granting him bail in the CBI case against him in connection with the alleged Delhi Liquor policy scam, stated while addressing a public meeting at the AAP headquarters.

Giving reasons why he is resigning now after steadfastly refusing to step down from the post right through his two and a half months in jail, he said he has been charged with indulging in corruption, and just as in the case of Lord Ram, when he returned from exile to Ayodhya, Mata Sita had given ‘agnipariksha’, he too will prefer to face the acid test in the people’s court.

Reiterating that he had not entered politics to indulge in the dirty game of power and money, he said he will leave it to the people to decide. “If you endorse that Kejriwal is honest then vote for me, but if you feel that Kejriwal is dishonest and corrupt don’t vote for me,” he added.

Accusing the BJP of trying to break AAP and form its own government in Delhi by getting him arrested, he asserted that they have failed miserably in their gameplan.

He also favoured elections to the state assembly be held in November 2024, along with Maharashtra, instead of in February 2025, as scheduled.

In granting bail to Kejriwal on September 13, the apex court had placed several restrictions on him, including him not being allowed to visit the office of the Chief Minister and Delhi Secretariat, and forbidden from signing official files unless required and necessary for obtaining clearance/approval of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Besides furnishing bail bonds of Rs 10 lakh, he was also forbidden from making any public comments about the case and was required to be present for all hearings before the trial court unless exempted.

The Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo was formally arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 11 in a money laundering case in connection with the alleged Delhi Liquor Policy scam, and later by the CBI on June 26, 2024, from ED custody.

Cloud Kitchens Begin To Replace Base Kitchens For Supplying Food On Long-Distance Trains

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0
IRCTC has begun to replace base kitchens with cloud kitchens to supply food packets/plates on long-distance trains to address hygiene and quality concerns among passengers

Do what it may, the Indian Railways, through its extended arm Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), under the Ministry of Railways, could not match up to the expectations of rail passengers regarding food served by it on long-distance trains. Complaints regarding poor hygiene and quality of food served refused to die down.

So, the IRCTC has now thought out a new plan to revamp its entire food delivery system on long-distance trains by switching from base kitchens to the modern concept of ‘cloud kitchens’, which, under strict hygiene and quality standards fixed by it, are being authorised to prepare and deliver food on these trains.

Cloud kitchens are like delivery-only restaurants without dining areas. They operate behind the scenes and out of sight. The food is prepared in production kitchens from which it is collected by drivers and taken to customers.

Mumbai is among the first places to have made the switch already, with cloud kitchens supplying food packets pantries on long-distance trains since almost a month.

Various news reports have quoted senior IRCTC officials as stating that the cloud kitchens will be operated on a seven-year contract by different professionals and caterers. Their kitchens will be required to be equipped with latest systems for production and delivery and will be covered by CCTVs. Cleanliness and hygiene will be closely monitored.

The private operators running the kitchens would be responsible for delivering the food packets/plates to the pantry cars of long-distance trains in cold storage vans.

While 50-odd cloud kitchens have already started providing the services in Mumbai and some other areas, the officials inform that at least 200 such kitchens are in the pipeline in IRCTC’s west zone, covering Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

For the past several years, Indian Railways has been producing thousands of food plates for long-distance trains, including premium ones such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Tejas Express. More recently, the base kitchens were also supplying meals to Vande Bharat trains.

The IRCTC officials confided that despite imposing hefty fines and terminating contracts of those failing to maintain hygiene in the preparation and delivery of food on trains, the complaints of poor-quality food kept pouring in, some of them of very serious nature like foreign objects, cockroaches, insects, etc being found in the food.

Expressing confidence that the revamped system will make a positive change, the IRCTC officials claimed that wherever it has already started, complaints about food quality have dropped considerably.

Will it make a real difference, only time will tell! Till then hoping for the best!

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