Over 200 die of severe heatwave in Delhi-NCR in two days
Delhi has recorded the hottest night (35+ deg C), unheard of since the beginning of time! For 30 consecutive days the maximum temp is above 40 deg C and in the nights too the mercury stayed high as there is hardly any earth around to absorb and dissipate the day's heat. Add on to the nightmare the acute water shortage in the national Capital due to the power-hungry, low-grade politicians squabbling for one-upmanship. More than 200 people died in Delhi-NCR in the past two days. Most of them are poor people, labourers, the homeless, beggars.
NEW DELHI, June 20: Unrelenting heat is scorching the National Capital Region
and other parts of northern India for about a month. Amidst an acute water shortage
due to a continuing slugfest involving the politicians of the the State Government
and the Centre, the heatwave in Delhi has taken a heavy toll. The poor and the
homeless account for maximum of deaths.
Unofficial sources have put the figure as around 200 as lakhs of people like
rickshaw-pullers and construction workers are forced to work in the open while
all the deaths of homeless people and beggars are not accountd for. On an average
30 people are reporting dehydration and high fever daily at each of the dozens
of hospitals in the Capital.
136 bodies were cremated at Nigam Bodh Ghat alone on Thursday in Delhi.
192 homeless people died in Delhi due to heatwave in the past one week.
70 bodies were brought to the mortuary at DDU Hospital on Thursday where
four each were placed on stretchers.
There were over 40,000 heatstroke cases across the country in the past few
days.
The police have recovered 50 unclaimed bodies of poor people in the past
48 hours.
According to official date from Government hospitals, over 20 people died in
the Delhi alone due to heat-related problems in the past 48 hours. Two to six
deaths on an average are taking place at the hospitals a day. RML reported seven
deaths in two days and Safdarjung hospital five on Wednesday alone and two at
the Lok Nayak Hospital. The patients are mostly brought with acute dehydration
and fever of 106-107 deg F.
Special heatwave units are now being set up in all Central Government hospitals
to deal with heat disorders.
The weather office has given hope that the heatwave will abate in the one or
two days.
While the mercury touches 45 deg C in the day, night temperature has soared
to 35+ deg C, minimum temp being more realistic in assessing the heat as a maximum
can be of a moment's temp reading. Nights are meant to cool the earth and provide
biologically essential relief and rest to the human body, which critically needs
it within every 24 hours. Besides, when the nights do not dissipate heat, the
following day will have an add-on effect. The body's systems will malfunction,
leading to dehydration, high fever and stroke.
Wednesday's was the hottest night (35+ deg C) in Delhi since 1901, it is said.
For 30 consecutive days the maximum temp is above 40 deg C.
Experts agree that the unrelenting heatwave is due to increasing concretisation
and decreasing green area as the concrete constructions heating up in the day
will release the heat at night, making the surroundings to remain heated up.
And there is hardly any earth around to absorb and dissipate the day's heat.
ACs will not work in such high temp as the coolant will break down, compressor
cracks and can also lead to fire. Else, they shut down for protection.
The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.
Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See:
New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)
ANALYSIS: "The standard operating procedure for deportations by aircraft used by ICE that is effective from 2012 provides for the use of restraints," says the Government. That means, it is taken for granted the US will set the standard for deportations. For another, the Government is more interested in comparing with what happened in 2012 under a different Government to justify its own compliance! No surprise, others are trampling upon us. (How we conduct ourselves inside decides, inherently, how we are treated outside) Thirdly, the Government blamed the gangs doing the business of human trafficking for the illegal migration. For all the crimes taking place in the country, let us blame the criminals! Funny! We will never move an inch forward! The mindset defines what we are.
Meanwhile, a UN-returned Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sounded like a layman when he said, "If they are citizens of India we have an obligation to take them back." Who said 'No'?. He should know that is not the issue now. Who will identify an undocumented person, and how?
OPINION: A nutty 'new' Trump must know checking illegal immigration is his job and not theirs. And 'penalty' tariff is not a solution. However, Trump talking about "major threat" from "illegal aliens" (illegal immigration) is about what he believes, right or wrong, and to that extent he is genuine and honest; it is certainly not a pretension to prop up his political relevance. Bullies are always true to themselves. Look at India's crooked politicians shouting day in, day out to prove they are more patriotic, and to whip up public sentiments for them to ride on!
The function was held indoors from 12 pm (10:30 pm IST) at the rotunda of the US Capitol building because of unusually intense cold and snow. Delivering his inaugural address, Trump remarked, “The golden age of America begins right now," and just hours later signed a slew of executive orders to redeem the election pledges.
The issue: Trump says he is open to 'economic force' to acquire Canada as its '51st State' if it does not stop the flow of illegal migrants and drugs into the US and secure its border.
Trudeau gets ready for the battle: Trudeau under Trump's onslaught had appeared quiet as a lamb because he was facing serious internal problems and now the situation has changed. He has resigned and has enough space for a single-minded counter-attack as acting PM. And that is what he is doing to Canada's advantage. He will prapare Canada to take the 'bull' by the horns (literally) when he takes office on January 20.
There is more to it: On the same page now, Conservative Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has also outlined his plan to deal with the US President-elect's threats. Both will stand united against the common enemy, and take on him adequately when he assumes office.
And the latest: The counter-attack begins. In a CNN interview, Trudeau strategically addresses the Americans, tells them a ghostly 25% tariff will create a recession in Canada but will be equally devastating for the US economy. And he has a point.
A President-elect at the instance of 'sensible' aides has declared, “A smaller Government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America.” A Trump statement said he will chop off the bureaucratic flab, or in his own words, “drain the swamp” in Washington. This contrasts with India where millions and millions of clerks rule the roost with the blessings of petty vote bank politicians, who badly needed them, all these 77 years.
The South African migrant who will benefit more than Trump himself from
the election victory has climbed to the helm - Elon Musk will be the monarch
of all he surveys in Washington!
Musk will lead a 'Department of Government Efficiency' with Vivek Ramaswamy,
the eccentric dreamer.
They will slash bureaucracy and Government spending and restructure Federal
agencies. (But no mention of what next and how!)
The irony lies here: Musk will also be the boss of all Federal agencies,
including those currently investigating business frauds in his own companies
like Tesla, SpaceX and Starlink, which receive Government funding, inter alia
making him the richest man on earth.
The former President asked voters to cast their ballot early. (Last elections large-scale early voting had helped Democrats foil any foul play by Trump's alleged foreign agents.)
MAYHEM IN THE AIR: The Civil Aviation Ministry wants to take strict action to prevent more such incidents disrupting Indian aviation!!! Punishment: Culprits of the hoax bomb threats will be put on no-fly list!!! LUDICROUS! Typically this will continue - Both the crime and the punishment. Because our system pushes the scum to the top.
COMMENT: Dragon, unlike what has been reported in the media, is not a rescue mission. Its schedule of liftoff or return has not been changed to suit the stranded astronauts. On the other hand, the astronauts' return has been put off by several months to suit the Dragon's schedule. What SpaceX has done is only dropping two spacemen to accommodate Suni and Wilmore on the capsule's return. And that too was at the instance of NASA which has authority over the choice of astronauts under the contract which facilitates flow of moneys from the American treasury to the pocket of Elon Musk for running his SpaceX business, making him a billionaire and dance with abandon. Result: NASA is a divided house!
Note: The video of the debate (above), a replica of the live telecast, is the best bet to get a real picture of what really was the latest American presidential debate, first hand. Watch.
Kamala Harris had pleaded for unmuting the mic but Trump had his knees knocking. She was a prosecutor and wanted to have a face-to-face with him, an exchange, some pointed questions, unmask him and his money power, expose him before the American people. But that was not to be and we will not call it a debate. Only the moderator will ask questions!
Harris will be seen Tuesday night on the television on the viewers' right side as they sit in front of the set. Viewers tend to focus towards their right side and that in turn can provide a better impact on their voting behaviour. And from the stage's right podium, or the interviewer's stand, she will be in a commanding position vis-a-vis her rival.
HERE's THE PROOF: Attorney General Merrick Garland has accused Russian State broadcaster RT of paying a Tennessee firm $ 10 m to create and distribute content to US audiences with hidden Russian Government messaging. RT chief editor Margarita Simonyan (see pix) is one of 10 people sanctioned by the US for trying to manipulate the elections.
And now Putin declaring an unsolicited support to Harris: A close connection is seen in Trump, in his interview with his chum Musk, making an inappropriate comment calling Harris as most beautiful and comparing her to his wife with a view to blunting her electoral campaign like the fox in the crow story. And Musk later sharing an AI-generated image of Harris as Communist dictator in uniform. The South African has joined the war as his empire is at stake!! All these look like a coordinated Russian traditional job. The Russians managed to give it to Trump in 2016 by damaging Clinton, but failed in 2020!
In a fiery speech, an emboldened "girl fallen from the coconut tree" opened
her box of agenda and promised the Americans she will take the country to
new heights.
Kamala exhorted all Americans to forge a new unity that will "chart a new
way forward," a first in history, laying the foundations of a new America, and that's her vision. She was greeted with a non-stop standing ovation by the delegates as she took
the mike at the jam-packed convention arena.
"I will be a President who unites us around our highest aspirations. A President
who leads and listens. Who is realistic. Practical," she promised.
Joe Biden was so pleasing to the ears as he sought to invoke the power of democracy and list his Government's achievements all due to the grace of God. But what broke the mike was Clinton's hard metallic, sounding so genuine and dedicated as, may be, she had a revenge carryover from 2016, the year when the Russians were alleged to have begun a social media misinformation campaign in favour of Trump and a suspected hacking of the machines using applications quite unfamiliar to the rest of the world. Which was thwarted by the Democrats in the nick of time in 2020 although Trump as President tried to block them by cutting postal funds. He went violent and attempted insurrection not fully because of his animal insticts but also because he was made to believe in a result like the 2016's and that belief was shattered. What marked out Day One at the convention was a 'presumptive' candidate's unscheduled appearance on the stage made possible by the virtual roll call of August 1 - Kamala Harris, the Vice President. The day also facilitated a less known but deserving New York Guv Kathy Hochul, the American cheetah breaking into the national scene for future purpose! Not well done this time!
ALL ISMs APART, WHO IS Muhammad Yunus? Aside from a Nobel prize that does not assess but compare, Yunus's social biz idea of melding capitalism and social responsibility in the late 1980s, known as microfinance, did revolutionise rural Bangladesh - unlike the destructive infrastructure funding mania of the political underdogs - pulling millions out of perennial poverty, setting an example for many other poor countries to emulate.
On the lines of Dr Verghese Kurien of India much much earlier, who was hounded by the communists as a CIA agent out of compulsive ignorance and a lack of basic ability to gauge what he had done which they should have indeed. He mobilised the Indian grassroots, introducing the concept of cooperatives, the implications of which the pseudo socialists and their forefathers couldn't ever dream of.
Certified for use as store, if the space was being illegally used as library, who should primarily be held responsible, irrespective of whether such usage was the cause of the tragedy or not. Could anybody guess right? No. The police have arrested any number of people! What for? Now a CBI inquiry! Into what?
The court also 'discovered' (nobody else knows!) that, "Delhi has multiplicity of authorities who are only passing the buck and blaming each other.”
A PROGNOSIS: Much maligned over old age and gaffes (or allowed to be !), Biden (81) leaving the scene has made Trump (78) the old man in the field! Now on a weak wicket, having forced to change his target mid-stream and rearrange his campaign strategy, the 'rogue' behind the Capitol rampage will be asked by a woman opponent, how old are you? Additionally, the sharpshooting prosecutor will be converting the hustings into a trial court for a decisive onslaught where the convicted felon will finally succumb.
OPINION: Quotas, permanent Government jobs, pay scales and tons of allowances and more than matching pensions are the 'gifts' of wretched vote bank politics in developing societies masquerading as a type of nascent democracy. Depressing poverty and painful migrations are the byproducts. The reality is: There can't be permanent jobs because demand for work is a 'variable'. And quota is its offspring. The agenda of creating jobs and quotas is therefore poor economics, with far-reaching social impacts, but of course serves those politicians in the short term.
