It’s unclear! Brazilians said as the country went to vote on Sunday in a contentious election marred by violence and fear. Incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro– often called the ‘Trump of the Tropics’- received almost 44 per cent of votes outperforming expectations while former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva garnered a little over 47 per cent votes. As both the candidates could not reach the 50% vote-mark in the first round, Bolsonaro and Lula are set to face each other in a runoff election on October 30.
Far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro whose term in office has been marked by incendiary speeches, decline of democratic institutions of the country and an economic slowdown owing to the Covid pandemic was unable to gain an overall majority of votes despite his high-octane campaign- a reflection of his diminishing popularity in the country.
A former union leader Lula da Silva- once imprisoned amid a corruption scandal- was seen to be in the lead in the pre-election polls but could not reach the majority mark displaying the division in the country. Lula da Silva had been the president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.
The elections come at a time when Brazil has been severely impacted by the Covid pandemic making economic management one of the major issues in the polls. The country is also in the midst of increasing inflation owing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ahead of the polling, Jair Bolsonaro questioned not only the reliability of opinion polls, but also of the country’s voting machines, in what is being seen as a very former US president Donald Trump-like behaviour.
After voting on Sunday, Jair Bolsonaro emphasized that “clean elections must be respected” but did not answer any questions related to accepting the results of the elections, Associated Press reported.
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NEW DELHI: Last year 3,899 people travelling in tractors and attached trolleys died in road crashes, which translates to a loss of 10 lives per day, despite the fact that agricultural tractors are not meant for carrying people. The trend has been more or less similar in the past few years, though the trolleys are designed only for carrying agri produce and other goods. But the recent two incidents involving tractors in Uttar Pradesh, which claimed 36 lives, have put the limelight back on the concern over the blatant violation of the traffic law and has also highlighted the need to bring in better standards fortractor trolleys. Currently, trolleys attached to the tractors are largely manufactured by the unorganised players and there are minimum standards for them, barring their dimensions, axle load and rear lights. But these are also not adhered to as the owners try to increase the size of trolleys to carry more goods. Rarely can one find tractor trolleys withback lights to warn any approaching vehicle.
Since trolleys are only attached to the tractors, the trolleys don’t have any braking system and these lack shock absorbing capacity. Experts said since the vehicles usually ply on undulating surfaces while carrying people, they can also pose high risk to occupants. They say there is a significant risk of toppling andhence, they are meant only for carrying goods and must not be allowed to carry people. TOI has learnt that though a proposal was mooted for synchronisation of brakes in the trolleys with the main tractor a few years back, it was shelved because of opposition from different groups. “First, the trolleys lack a very stable structure and there is hardly any enforcement of rules considering that matters relating to tractors are politically sensitive. So, introducing new standards and enforcement of traffic laws becomes tough,” said a government source. Road safety expert Rohit Baluja said there has to be a comprehensive system with definition and accountability of all stakeholders who are key participants and decision makers.
NEW DELHI: Only 62% rural households in the country were found to have functional tap water connections with 38% of the total assessed households unable to reach the “functionality” levels in terms of meeting all three parameters of adequate quantity, fully regular supply and quality (potable). Overall functionality of household tap connection in the country increased by 14% in 2021-22 over the previous assessment in 2020-21, according to an assessment report released by the Jal Shakti (water resources) ministry on Sunday. The findings show Puducherry at the top with 88% functionality score followed by Tamil Nadu (86%), Himachal Pradesh (82%), Goa (81%) and Telangana (80%). On the other hand, water-scarce Rajasthan is at the bottom with the lowest 38% of functionality score with Kerala, Manipur and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (40% each), Tripura (41%), Maharashtra (43%) and Madhya Pradesh (47%) appearing as second, third, fourth and fifth worst state, respectively.
The other states where functionality was less than the national average of 62% include Odisha (54%), Haryana and Jharkhand (55% each), Uttar Pradesh (57%) and Karnataka (58%). Functionality has been computed as the intersection of adequate quantity (minimum 55 litres per capita per day), fully regular supply and potable (quality) for households wherein water supply was available at the time of survey in 2,59,151 households. The assessment was done by a third party under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) which aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water regularly through individual household tap connections to all rural households (HH) in India by 2024. It was found that nationally, 86% of the HH tap connections were found to be working on the day of the sample survey for the assessment. Out of which more than four out of five HHs (85%) received adequate quantity, 80% got fully regular supply and 87% received potable water. The intersection of these parameters, however, turned out to be 62% of the HHs receiving fully functional tap water connections within the premises. The survey found 14% of the HHs did not receive water through household taps on the date or for a week preceding the survey.
BENGALURU: Partial participation in one of the three parameters and technical issues was behind Bengaluru sliding down 15 ranks in Swachh Survekshan 2022, according to sources in BBMP.
This year, cities were evaluated on three parameters for a total of 7,500 marks: 3,000 marks for service level progress (SLP) and 2,250 each for certification and citizens’ voice. BBMP managed to score 2,983 marks.
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Garbage appears to be analbatross that has weigheddown Bengaluru. Excuses like technical problems for the dip in the city’s Swachh Survekshan 2022 rankings may not cut ice, given the proliferation of black spots. Roadside garbage heaps are just as much a reminder of the administration’s failure to clear them as they are of Bengalureans’ tendency to palm off their burden on unresponsive authorities. Given the scale of the challenge, BBMP must involve citizens at all levels of waste management if the city must be saved from being buried under its own waste.
According to sources, BBMP scored 1,400 out of 3,500 in SLP owing to the civic body’s tussle with the consulting agency responsible for uploading required details for the survey. The agency had to upload the details once every four months but failed to do it for the first two times on time, contributing to the loss of marks under the head of SLP. In the certification category, there were three subcategories: open-defecation free (ODF) status, garbage-free city (GFC) and water-plus category. While BBMP noticed up 600 marks in ODF, it could not complete under the other two subcategories due to shortcomings of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). To become eligible for GFC, the Palike should have processed at least 60% of the waste it collects but its achievement has been pegged at 55%. The score under this head was zero. BBMP officials lamented that some overenthusiastic activists are scuttling the optimum use of waste processing plants. Of the eight plants, one is shut due to activists and the rest are not running at optimal capacity. In water-plus category, BBMP could not participate and scored zero as sewage is being released into most city lakes and BWSSB has failed to fix the problem. In the citizens’ voice bucket too, the Palike did not fare well as majority of the feedback was negative. The Palike managed to score only 1,000. ‘City not competing for two sub-categories’ Harish Kumar, special commissioner, BSWML, confirmed that the city is not competing for water-plus and GFC and losing huge marks every year. There is a long way to go in this regard, he added. The Central evaluation team has observed remarkable changes in some of the fields of SWM in Bengaluru. The city was struggling to reach many goals but has not improved, said Kumar. “We were never able to convince citizens about delivering on their expectations and hence, were never able to cross the 50% mark in citizens’ voice section. We have to do several things to win their heart,” he said. “Under SLP, we could not perform in the first two of the three windows owing to the shift from PMU to an in-house mechanism. But there are some positive developments and we hope we could achieve something more the next time. We know our strengths and weaknesses and we will work on those things,” he said.
AAJ KA PANCHANG, OCTOBER 3, 2022: The Panchang for this Monday will mark the Ashtami Tithi of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashwina. Hindus will be observing seven religious events on this day: Saraswati Puja, Durga Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, Masik Durgashtami, Ravi Yoga and Aadal Yoga.
Durga Puja 2022: On this day, the devotees worship Mahagauri, who is believed to defeat the evil forces of the universe.
Today is the second day of Saraswati Puja and Durga Ashtami, the eighth day of the 9-day gala, Navratri. On this day, the devotees worship Mahagauri, who is believed to defeat the evil forces of the universe. To avoid any hindrances while performing the ceremonies, read below for the auspicious and inauspicious timings among other details.
SUNRISE, SUNSET, MOONRISE, AND MOONSET ON OCTOBER 3
The Sun will rise at 5:50 AM and will set at 6:09 PM. While the Moon will rise at 11:42 AM and set at 1:42 AM on October 4.
TITHI, NAKSHATRA, AND RASHI DETAILS FOR OCTOBER 3
Today, the Ashtami Tithi will be in effect till 3:07 PM. Soon after this, the Navami Tithi will take place. The Purva Ashadha Nakshatra will be in effect until 10:55 PM. The placement of the Sun will be in the Kanya Rashi. While the Moon will be placed in the Dhanu Rashi until 4:32 AM on October 4.
SHUBH MUHURAT FOR OCTOBER 3
According to the Drik Panchang, the auspicious timings for the Brahma Muhurat this Monday are predicted to be between 4:16 AM and 5:03 AM. Whereas the Abhijit Muhurat will be in effect from 11:35 AM to 12:24 PM. The timings for Godhuli Muhurat will be from 5:56 PM to 6:20 PM. The predicted timings for Vijaya Muhurat are from 2:02 PM to 2:52 PM.
ASHUBH MUHURAT FOR OCTOBER 3
The inauspicious timings for the Rahu Kaal are predicted to be from 7:22 AM to 8:55 AM. The Gulikai Kaal will be in effect from 1:32 PM to 3:04 PM. The Yagamanda Muhurat will be from 10:27 AM to 11:59 AM. And the Dur Muhurat is predicted to be in effect twice, first from 12:24 PM to 1:13 PM and then between 2:52 PM and 3:41 PM.
AHMEDABAD: The city crime branch on Saturday booked four Italian nationals who painted graffiti on a Metro train at Apparel Park on Friday, hours before the Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Ahmedabad Metro Rail project. The incident took place in the jurisdiction of Gomtipur police station. The accused were booked for criminal trespassing and damaging public property. They have been identified as: Cudini Gianluca, 24, a resident of Tortoreto; Baldo Sacha, 29, a resident of Monte San Vato; Starinieri Daniele, 21, a resident of Spoltore; and Capecci Paolo, 27; Grottammare. The officials said that the four men trespassed into the Apparel Park station and spray-painted ‘TAS’ on a Metro rail coach on Friday.
Acting on an input shared by Mumbai police, the four men were traced to Kothawala flats in Paldi. A team of Gujarat ATS (Anti-Terrorist Squad) and the city crime branch picked them up on Friday night. “We held them after we learnt that they were seen doing recce of Ahmedabad Metro train just before it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. However, it later transpired that there was nothing serious and they graffitied for fun,” said an ATS officer. City crime branch officers said that four men were part of a larger group that visited places around the globe and spray-painted graffiti on trains. Earlier, these graffiti artists were involved in a similar incident reported in Kochi, where they spray-painted – ‘Splash’ and ‘Burn’ on four metro cars; they were allegedly involved in such incidents in Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai. “There were four FIRs filed against these graffiti artists. They had painted graffiti on the entire train in Kochi in May. Such incidents were reported in Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai also. This was the fifth incident of a Metro train being defaced,” said the crime branch officer. Sources in the city police said that these Italian nationals had India visitor visa and had landed in the city on Wednesday. They had first travelled to Dubai from where they flew to Mumbai and then to Ahmedabad. The group then graffitied on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
NEW DELHI: Telangana, Haryana and Tamil Nadu emerged the cleanest among all large states on parameters of rural sanitation while Assam, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir were the three worst performers, according to the Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2022. Among districts Bhiwani in Haryana is the cleanest even as the second and third best performers’ award were bagged by Jagtial and Nizamabad districts of Telangana. Golaghat district of Assam finished at the bottom of 709 districts, which were ranked in this survey. The two other worst performers were from Bihar – Banka (708 rank) and Katihar (707). Since Delhi and Chandigarh are fully urbanised UTs, these were not ranked.
The survey report released by President Droupadi Muru on Sunday has ranked states and districts on the basis of their performance attained on qualitative and quantitative parameters and engagement of the rural community in improvement of their sanitation status. On Saturday, she released the sanitation status of urban areas and the ranking of states and cities were announced. While the housing and urban affairs ministry carries out the swachhta ranking of urban areas, the Jal Shakti ministry conducts the survey of rural areas.
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, which is now celebrated as Swachh Bharat Diwas as well, Murmu also released the status report on “Functionality Assessment of Tap Connections” under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Puducherry received the best performer award under the more than 60% coverage category while Goa was ranked second. Under the less than 60% coverage category, Tamil Nadu ranked first and Meghalaya came second. Murmu also gave away a special award to the Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh for being the first “Har Ghar Jal” certified district. Speaking on the occasion, Murmu said like truth and non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi insisted on cleanliness. She said once Gandhiji had said that if the habit of cleanliness was inculcated in children, from the very beginning, then they would remain conscious of cleanliness throughout their life. Referring to the achievement in construction of over 11 crore toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission since October 2014, she said this has resulted in changing the behaviour of around 60 crore people.
NEW DELHI: You will soon be able to check if that pill you are popping in is safe and not spurious. The government plans to launch a ‘track and trace’ mechanism for top selling medicines to prevent the use of counterfeit and substandard medicines and ensure quality, sources told TOI. In the first phase, 300 top selling drugs will print or affix barcodes or quick response (QR) codes on their ‘primary’ packaging labels. Primary is the first-level product packaging, such as the bottle, can, jar or tube that contains the saleable items. Widely sold antibiotics, cardiac, pain-relief pills and anti-allergics with an MRP of over Rs 100 per strip are expected to be included. The move, though conceptualised a decade ago, was in abeyance due to lack of preparedness in domestic pharma industry. Even for exports, the track and trace mechanism has been deferred till April next year.
Over the years, there have been several instances of counterfeit and substandard drugs in the market, some seized by state drug regulators. Recently, among the major cases that came to light, Abbott said its thyroid medication Thyronorm that was listed by the Telangana drugs authority as “not of standard quality” was counterfeit and not manufactured or marketed by it. In another instance, a fake drug racket of Glenmark’s blood pressure pill Telma-H at Baddi was busted. About 10% medical products in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified, though these could be found in every region of the world, according to the World Health Organization. In June, the government asked pharma companies to affix barcodes or QR codes on their primary or secondary package label that store data or information legible with software applications to facilitate authentication. Once the software is in place, consumers will be able to check the genuineness of the medicine by feeding the unique ID code on a portal (website) developed by the ministry, and later track it even through a mobile phone or a text message. Several options are being studied, including setting up a central database agency as a single barcode provider for the entire industry, the sources said, adding it could take some weeks to implement. “The implementation of the system will increase costs by 3-4%,” an industry player said, adding that certain companies have voluntarily started putting in the QR code. The proposed software solution should allow manufacturers and consumers to report counterfeit pharma codes using the handheld device and the mobile application, industry experts stated.
MALANG (INDONESIA): At least 125 people were killed and more than 320 injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Indonesia on Saturday as police sought to quell violence on the pitch with tear gas, making it one of the world’s worst stadium disasters. Fans of the losing home side invaded the pitch after the final whistle and clashed with police, until the tear gas sparked a chaotic scramble for the exits. Attention immediately focused on the police use of tear gas; witnesses said police beat them with sticks and shields before shooting canisters directly into the crowds.
Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo has ordered an investigation of security procedures. Fifa president Gianni Infantino called the deaths “a dark day for all involved in football and a tragedy beyond comprehension”. While Fifa has no control over domestic games, it has advised against the use of tear gas at soccer stadiums.
Violence broke out after the game ended Saturday evening with host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city losing to Persebaya of Surabaya 3-2. Thousands of supporters of Arema, known as “Aremania,” reacted by throwing bottles and other objects at players and soccer officials. Witnesses said fans flooded the Kanjuruhan Stadium pitch and demanded that Arema management explain why, after 23 years of undefeated home matches against Persebaya, this one ended in a loss. The stadium was packed with Arema fans as the organiser had evidently banned Persebaya fans in an effort to avoid brawls.
The violence spread outside the stadium where at least five police vehicles were toppled and set ablaze. Riot police responded by firing tear gas, including toward the stadium’s stands, causing panic among the crowd. “The stadium turned into a smoke-filled battleground when police fired tear gas,” said Rizky, who came with his cousin to watch the game. “I felt hot and stinging in my eyes, I couldn’t see clearly while my head was dizzy and everything went dark … I passed out,” he said. When he woke up, he was already in the emergency room. He said his cousin died of head injuries.
Another spectator, Ahmad Fatoni, said police had started beating the fans with sticks and shields, and they fought back. “Officers fired tear gas directly at spectators in the stands, forcing us to run toward the exit,” he said. “Many victims fell because of shortness of breath and difficulty seeing due to tear gas and were trampled upon.” He said he climbed the roof of the stands and only came down when the situation calmed. National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the toll, which was initially said to be 174, was revised to 125 as some of the victims were counted twice. More than 100 were receiving intensive treatment in eight hospitals; the condition of 11 is critical.
East Java police chief Nico Afinta defended the use of tear gas, saying, “We have already done a preventive action before finally firing the tear gas as (fans) began to attack the police, acting anarchically and burning vehicles”. Indonesia’s soccer association, known as PSSI, suspended the premier soccer league Liga 1 indefinitely in light of the tragedy and banned Arema from hosting matches for the remainder of the season. “I deeply regret this tragedy and I hope this is the last soccer tragedy in this country, don’t let another human tragedy like this happen in the future,” Widodo said in a televised speech. “We must continue to maintain sportsmanship, humanity and a sense of brotherhood of the Indonesian nation.” He ordered the sports minister, the national police chief and the PSSI chair to conduct a thorough evaluation of the country’s soccer and its security procedure.
Indonesia is due to host the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup from May 20 to June 11, with 24 participating teams. As the host, the country automatically qualifies for the cup. Ferli Hidayat, local police chief of Malang, said there were some 42,000 spectators at the game. Persebaya fans were banned from entering after clashes between supporters of the two rival teams in East Java’s Blitar stadium in February 2020. Brawls were reported outside the stadium during and after the semifinals of the East Java Governor’s Cup, which ended with Persebaya beating Arema 4-2. Citing Fifa’s stadium safety guidelines against the use of “crowd control gas” by pitch side stewards or police, Amnesty International called on Indonesian authorities to conduct a swift, thorough and independent investigation into the use of tear gas at Kanjuruhan stadium. “Those who are found to have committed violations are tried in open court and do not merely receive internal or administrative sanctions,” said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia.
હાલમાં 2 બાળકનો સરસ મજાનો વીડિયો સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર વાયરલ (Viral Video) થયો છે. આ વીડિયો એટલો ક્યૂટ છે કે તેને વારંવાર જોવાનું મન થશે. જુઓ આ સરસ મજાનો વીડિયો.
Viral Video
Image Credit source: Twitter
Trending video : સોશિયલ મીડિયાનો ટ્રેડ હાલ એવો વધ્યો છે કે નાનાથી લઈને વડીલ સુધીની ઉંમરના લોકો તેની પાછળ ગાંડા થયા છે. સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર નાના બાળકથી લઈને વૃદ્ધ સુધીના તમામના અલગ અલગ વીડિયો વાયરલ થતા હોય છે. હાલમાં 2 બાળકનો સરસ મજાનો વીડિયો સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર વાયરલ(Viral Video) થયો છે. આ વીડિયો એટલો ક્યૂટ છે કે તેને વારંવાર જોવાનું મન થશે. જુઓ આ સરસ મજાનો વીડિયો.
આ વાયરલ વીડિયોમાં તમે 2 બાળકો જોઈ શકો છે. એક સરસ મજાનું બાળક એક નવજાત શિશુને પોતાના ખોળામાં લઈને બેઠો છે. તેની આંખો પરથી જાણવા મળે છે કે તે તેનો નાનો ભાઈ છે. તે એટલા પ્રેમથી તેને જોઈ રહ્યો છે જાણે તે વર્ષોથી તેની રાહ જોઈ રહ્યો હોય. તેના નાના ભાઈને જોઈને તેની અંદર રહેલી ભાવના તેની આંખોમાંથી બહાર આવે છે. તે ભાવુક થઈ જાય છે અને તેની આંખમાંથી આંસુ નીકળી આવે છે. તે તેના ભાઈને હસીને ગળે મળે છે.
આ સરસ મજાનો વીડિયો ટ્વિટર પર @TansuYegen નામના ટ્વિટર પરથી શેયર કરવામાં આવ્યો છે. આ વીડિયો સોશિયલ મીડિયાના તમામ પ્લેટફોર્મ પર ભારે વાયરલ થયો છે. સોશિયલ મીડિયા યુઝર આ વીડિયોને ખુબ પસંદ કરી રહ્યા છે. સોશિયલ મીડિયા યુઝર આ વીડિયોને શેયર કરવાની સાથે તેના પર પોતાની પ્રતિક્રિયા આપી રહ્યા છે. એક યુઝરે લખ્યુ છે કે, આ વીડિયો જોઈ મારી આંખો પણ ભરાઈ આવી. અન્ય એક યુઝરે લખ્યુ છે કે, આ તો અદ્દભુત વીડિયો છે. કદાચ મારા બાળપણમાં પણ મેં મારા નાના ભાઈને જોઈને આવા જ રિએક્શન આપ્યા હશે.
NCP leaders had credited the victory to Pawar, whose rally in pouring rain in Satara was much-talked about in the elections. (Photo: PTI, Twitter@@Clyde_Crasto)
Several other Congress leaders too shared pictures and videos on social media of Rahul’s speech in pouring rain in Mysuru on Sunday. Pawar had addressed the rally on October 18, 2019, canvassing for NCP candidate Shriniwas Patil for the bypoll, necessitated due to the resignation of NCP member Udayanraje Bhosale, who had joined the BJP
NCP on Sunday drew parallels between Sharad Pawar’s rain-drenched speech during a bypoll campaign in 2019 and Rahul Gandhi’s address amid showers in Mysuru.
“‘Time has Proved and Time will Prove’. When the Rain Gods decide to Bless you, there will soon be a Storm in the Opposition Camp,” NCP national spokesman Clyde Crasto said in a tweet, referring to Gandhi’s speech at a rally in Mysuru during his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Crasto also posted pictures on Twitter of Pawar addressing a rally in Satara during a Lok Sabha bypoll in October 2019, and Gandhi’s rally on Sunday.
Several other Congress leaders too shared pictures and videos on social media of Rahul’s speech in pouring rain in Mysuru on Sunday. Pawar had addressed the rally on October 18, 2019, canvassing for NCP candidate Shriniwas Patil for the bypoll, necessitated due to the resignation of NCP member Udayanraje Bhosale, who had joined the BJP. Bhosale contested the bypoll as a BJP candidate and Patil defeated him by a margin of over 87,000 votes. NCP leaders had credited the victory to Pawar, whose rally in pouring rain in Satara was much-talked about in the elections.
Two years ago, he keenly watched a couple of farmers from his village experiment with happy seeders—a tractor-mounted machine that cuts paddy straws and deposits them (as mulch) over the sown area. These machines were promoted as an alternative to burning the residue.
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Residue-nomics
He didn’t feel encouraged to use them. The fields of wheat faced attacks from rodents and insects such as the pink stem borer. The mulch layer deposited by the machines provided shelter to the rodents. The mulch also increased the soil temperature, making it ideal for pink stem borers to hatch eggs.
Renting a second variation of the crop residue management (CRM) machine isn’t easy either. Super seeders, which cuts the paddy straws and incorporate them in the soil (as opposed to depositing them over the sown area), require bigger tractors of over 60 horsepower. They consume more fuel, and are costlier, too.
This year, Singh saw smart seeders—an upgraded version with features of both the happy seeder and the super seeder—being trialled.
“A tractor of 50-55 horsepower will be sufficient for it. And the technicians suggested us to use pesticides along with urea beforehand (to take care of the pest issue). Unlike happy seeders, the straws are properly mixed and pressed into the soil. I was happy with the results and am looking forward to rent it from the farmer society this season,” Singh said.
The choice farmers like Singh make this season would determine how smoggy November is in the Indo-Gangetic plains, including the national capital. Stubble burning has already started in Punjab, with 192 burning events recorded as of 1 October, as per the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space (CREAMS), a research initiative from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. While residue burning begins in late September itself, it picks up pace in the latter half of October. The first and second weeks of November are the worst. The burning events subside by November-end, data from CREAMS suggests.
The contribution of stubble burning in Delhi’s air pollution during the first week of November can go beyond 50%, shows data from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), a research initiative of the ministry of earth sciences.
Punjab is the most critical state when it comes to stubble burning. Of the 92,047 fire events recorded across six states (Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi) between 15 September and 30 November 2021 by CREAMS, more than three-fourths were recorded in the land of five rivers.
While those living in the towns and cities of north India will hope more and more farmers use CRM machines, there are many barriers. Do the economics work?
The cost equation
I have been using happy seeders for the last two-three years,” Malkit Singh, another farmer from Ludhiana district, said. He cultivates paddy and wheat on seven-eight acres.
If farmers rent a happy seeder to prepare the field for the next crop (wheat), after harvesting paddy, it can cost ₹1,000 per acre, said Singh. If they rent it along with a tractor, the cost could go up to ₹2,500 per acre. It would be at least ₹1,000 more if they opt for a super seeder, he added.
However, the costs incurred on using these machines are not significantly different from the traditional method of burning the stubble—before sowing, there is money to be spent on preparing the field after the residue is burnt. That expenditure would approximately be ₹4,000-5,000 per acre if one rents a tractor along with the necessary tools, Malkit Singh said.
Singh’s estimate seems high but the cost of field preparation depends upon local agro-climatic or soil conditions. In certain cases, the soil becomes hard upon stubble burning and may require extensive tilling with multiple operations by a tractor. That increases fuel cost, said Mohit Sharma, a researcher at CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CII-ITC CESD), a research institution.
The loss of soil nutrients, necessitating a greater use of fertilizers, is another long-term cost for farmers.
A recent report by CII-ITC CESD, whose lead author is Sharma, also estimates the cost of field preparation in case of residue burning to be comparable to that of management with machines. The farmers who burnt their residue spent around ₹2,900 in 2020. In comparison, those who opted for machines spent in the range of ₹3,200-3,600, depending on the method of residue management. The survey was conducted among about 1,800 farmers across 172 villages in Punjab and Haryana. The survey also showed improved wheat yield and reduced diesel consumption for those who opted for management with machines.
So, if renting the machines is not particularly heavy on the pocket and is also environmentally favourable, why are farmers not adopting them?
Not enough machines?
More than 50% of paddy straw produced in Punjab were burnt in 2020. At 71,304, the number of fire events reported between 15 September and 30 November in the state continued to be high even last year, only slightly lower than 83,002 during the same period in 2020.
The farmers of Punjab are well aware that residue burning harms their lungs as well as impacts the soil quality.
“Farmers are not burning stubble for benefits. They are doing it out of compulsion,” Malkit Singh said, citing the unavailability of CRM machines. They are expensive too, if farmers were to buy them rather than rent.
The market cost of super seeders is around ₹2-3 lakh, and that of happy seeders is ₹1.5-2 lakh. In addition, these machines do not have utility beyond the October-November season. Farmers, therefore, have less incentive to purchase them, unlike tractors or other farm equipment.
The union government made these machines available at a subsidized price from 2018-19. The rate of subsidy is 80% for cooperatives, farmer societies or panchayats, and 50% for individual farmers.
Despite the subsidy, the access to machines is limited. In Singh’s village, for instance, there are two-three happy or smart seeders and two super seeders. But, these machines are often shared among multiple villages. This limits their timely availability. Farmers in Punjab have a rather short window of 10-12 days to clear and prepare the fields for sowing of wheat, once paddy is harvested.
During 2018-19 and 2021-22, the Punjab government deployed 13,540 happy seeders and 26,305 super seeders. Overall, 90,442 CRM machines, which include mulchers, zero till drills, rotavators along with happy or super seeders have been distributed during this period. Another 32,000 machines will be deployed this season, informed Gurvinder Singh, director of agriculture, Punjab. This would mean an availability of around 10 CRM machines per village.
Singh does not believe that availability of machines is an issue, as these machines, on an average, can individually cover 80-90 acre of land in 15 days. If Singh’s estimate is accurate, these machines would have been sufficient for the entire paddy area of 70-75 lakh acre last year itself (assuming a maximum utilization with minimal loss in transportation and logistics). By this year, the coverage should be easily achieved.
Needed: mindset pivot
Like Hardeep Singh hinted, not all machines are equally preferred by farmers. Their preference changes with time, and word-of-mouth by fellow farmers greatly influences the choice.
Happy seeders were introduced about five years ago in Punjab. The government deployed a substantial number of them in 2018-19 and 2019-20—the number dipped in the last two years.
“Many farmers in my village complained of sundhi (pink stem borers) after using happy seeders. This caused an increase in the cost of pesticides and a yield loss for their wheat crops, discouraging them from using the machines in future,” said Malkit Singh.
Sukhjit Singh thinks there is a way around. He suggests late sowing of wheat for farmers who face the pest problem, especially in the southern districts of Sangrur and Patiala where the temperature is a couple of degrees higher. Singh, who cultivates 30 acres, has been using various CRM machines since 2018.
Super seeders, meanwhile, also solve the pest issue. Despite higher fuel consumption, these machines are increasingly preferred by farmers for their superior straw mixing capability, which reduces the chance of pest attacks. However, as mentioned earlier, a super seeder requires tractors of over 60 horsepower, which is less common among Punjab farmers. This makes renting difficult.
Gurvinder Singh thinks that the lack of adoption is more because of psychological barriers than the availability of machines. “Farmers can manage the residue with the machines that are already available,” he said. He was referring to conventional machines such as mulchers, rotavators, etc. A combination of these machines is indeed used by farmers to achieve in-situ management, shows the CII-ITC CESD survey, albeit less preferred than happy and super seeders.
CII-ITC CESD researchers also recommend behaviour change communication to alter the mindset and promote sustainable practices. In the 172 villages the researchers have been working, the proportion of crop burning has substantially declined from 51% in 2019 to 13% in 2020, with a corresponding increase in residue management practices. The intervention in these villages included capacity building, support of tools and shared renting model.
Compensation matters
In July, the Delhi and Punjab governments proposed a cash incentive of ₹2,500 per acre to farmers if they do not burn the residue. Of this, ₹500 each was proposed as contribution from Delhi and Punjab; ₹1,500 was requested from the union government, which rejected the proposal. Both Delhi and Punjab are governed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
It’s not yet clear whether the Delhi and Punjab governments would go ahead with a reduced incentive of ₹1,000. A Delhi government spokesperson told Mint that the plan is “very much” in the pipeline, and the two governments are working on the modalities.
Be that as it may, there is strong demand for “compensation” on the ground. Three farm union leaders from three different districts Mint spoke to were unequivocal in demanding a compensation to the tune of ₹5,000—double of the proposed ₹2,500—to compensate farmers for the cost of CRM machines.
The point to ponder upon: introducing a subsidy or incentive is easy; revoking it isn’t. Experts, therefore, suggest more sustainable solutions.
Pusa bio-decomposer, which has been promoted extensively by the Delhi government in the last two years, is being piloted on thousands of acres of land in Punjab this time. Developed by The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the decomposer converts stubble of crops into manure.
However, even thousands of acres are negligible compared to the total sown area for paddy, which is 74 lakh acres. In any case, the decomposition period is 20-25 days, far higher than the window a typical Punjab farmer has.
So, we come to the million-dollar question: what happens to the air in Delhi and the rest of north India this season?
“The improvement so far has been slow, and may only be gradual this year. I hope it was more drastic,” said Mohit Sharma.
The National Green Tribunal, in an order passed in 2015, prohibited agricultural residue burning in any part of the national capital region, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Anyone found violating the directions is liable to pay an environmental compensation. But the government has so far been lax, Sukhjit Singh said. “If the government enforces the ban (or challan) strictly, farmers will themselves figure a way out of stubble burning.”
Till such time any of this happens, those living in north India must temper their expectations of a cleaner November.
Ponniyin Selvan Box Office collection : છેલ્લા ઘણા સમયથી બોલિવૂડ અને સાઉથની ફિલ્મો થિયેટરમાં ધમાલ મચાવી રહી છે. મણિ રત્નમના સમયની ડ્રામા ફિલ્મ ‘પોન્નિયિન સેલ્વન-1 ‘ આ શુક્રવારના રોજ થિયેટરમાં રિલીઝ થઈ હતી. આ ફિલ્મ બોક્સ ઓફિસ પર જોરદાર કમાણી કરી રહી છે. આવનારા સમયમાં આ ફિલ્મ એવા રેકોર્ડ બનાવી શકે છે જે રેકોર્ડ કોઈ ફિલ્મે બનાવ્યા નહીં હોય.આ ફિલ્મનું શનિવારે જે કલેક્શન આવ્યું છે તે જણાવે છે કે આ ફિલ્મ ભવિષ્યમાં મોટો રેકોર્ડ બનાવશે. ચાલો જાણીએ આ ફિલ્મના બોક્સ ઓફિસ (Box Office) કલેક્શન વિશે.
શુક્રવારે થિયેટરમાં રિલીઝ થયેલી ફિલ્મની બોક્સ ઓફિસ પર જોરદાર શરુઆત થઈ હતી. ઓપનિંગ ડે પર આ ફિલ્મે 83 કરોડ રુપિયાથી વધારે વર્લ્ડ વાઈડ કલેકશન કર્યુ હતુ. આ ફિલ્મે ભારતમાં પ્રથમ દિવસે 36.5 કરોડ રુપિયાની વધારેની કમાણી કરી છે. તમિલનાડુ રાજ્યમાં આ ફિલ્મ 2022ની ત્રીજી સૌથી મોટી ઓપનિંગ કરનાર ફિલ્મ બની છે. આ ફિલ્મનું જે પ્રકારનું કલેકશન થઈ રહ્યુ છે તેને જોતા ભવિષ્યમાં બોક્સ ઓફિસ પર મોટા રેકોર્ડ બનાવશે.
પોન્નિયિન સેલ્વન-1નું ભારતમાં કલેકશન
આ ફિલ્મે બીજા દિવસે શનિવારે 34.60 કરોડ સુધીની કમાણી કરી છે. શુક્રવારે આ ફિલ્મે 36.5 કરોડની કમાણી કરી હતી. આ ફિલ્મ આજે 100 કરોડની કમાણી કરી શકે છે.
વર્લ્ડ વાઈડ 150 કરોડ પાર
પોન્નિયિન સેલ્વન – 1 પહેલા દિવસે આખી દુનિયામાં 83 કરોડની કમાણી કરી ચૂક્યુ છે. શનિવારે આ ફિલ્મે 40 કરોડની કમાણી કરી છે. લગભગ પોન્નિયિન સેલ્વન – 1 ફિલ્મે વર્લ્ડ વાઈડ લગભગ 120 કરોડ કમાણી કરી છે. આ આંકડાને જોતા આ ફિલ્મે વર્લ્ડ વાઈડ 150 કરોડની કમાણી કરી ચૂકી છે. આ ફિલ્મની એડવાન્સ ટિકટ 8 લાખથી વધારે વેંચાઈ છે.
દર્શકોમાં વિક્રમ વેધાનો ક્રેઝ જોવા મળ્યો ન હતો
ફિલ્મનો ક્રેઝ સાઉથમાં પણ યથાવત્ છે. વિક્રમ વેધા એ એક વાર્તા છે. જેમાં એક ગેંગસ્ટર અને પોલિસ વચ્ચેની રોમાંચથી ભરપૂર રમત બતાવવામાં આવી છે. આ ફિલ્મ દક્ષિણની ફિલ્મ ‘વિક્રમ વેધા’ની ઓફિશિયલ હિન્દી રિમેક છે. બીજા દિવસ સુધી દર્શકોમાં કોઈ ક્રેઝ જોવા મળ્યો નથી. હવે એ જોવાનું રસપ્રદ રહેશે કે, શું આ ફિલ્મ ભવિષ્યમાં કંઇક ખાસ કમાણી કરવામાં સક્ષમ છે કે, પછી PS-1 પોતાની છાપ છોડવાનું ચાલુ રાખશે…?
