Four-day long Chhath Puja begins

Indian Coast Guard has said that its Ship Arush, while on patrol close to notional International Maritime Boundary Line rescued seven fishermen from burning boat Kalash Raj on Sunday in coordination with other fishing boats in the area. The boat reportedly caught fire due to fuel leakage from engine exhaust. Ship Arush under the command of Commandant Ashwini Kumar arrived with maximum speed at the scene of fire and quickly engaged in firefighting operations. However, due to rapid spread of fire, the boat could not be salvaged and ultimately sank.The rescued crew, who were exhausted and visibly tired, were taken on board and provided with first aid and initial assistance by the Indian Coast Guard ship. As the ship was on forward area patrol, the ship handed over the rescued fishermen to other fishing boat operating in the vicinity for passage to Okha in Gujarat.

-Power Minister R K Singh has said that NTPC is a special company and it is the largest provider of energy to the country, the most important input for growth. Addressing the 47th Raising Day of NTPC in New Delhi on Sunday, Singh outlined the Company’s achievements, expertise, future goals and also discussed NTPC’s role in leading India’s energy transition. He appreciated NTPC for passing on approximately 4500 crore rupees to states in the last financial year by optimizing energy charges.The Minister stated that NTPC needs to enhance itself from being a national company to being an international behemoth and should dream of becoming the biggest multinational in the field of energy. He stressed that NTPC needs to keep growing and add capacity as the country needs to keep pace with the ever-growing demand for energy. Singh also underlined NTPC’s impressive record of producing almost a billion units every day.

-In Bihar, four-day Chhath Puja celebration has begun across the state from Monday. During the celebration, devotees pay special prayer to the Sun God. It is a festival connected with purity, devotion to the Sun God who is considered as the source of life on the Earth and is regarded as the deity who fulfills all our wishes. Our correspondent reports that devotees are observing Nahaye-Khaye as entire atmosphere in Bihar is reverberating with devotional songs.Devotees started their day with holy bath early this morning in river Ganga and bring some water to their homes to prepare the offerings. They take only one meal a day known as Kaddu bhat cooked only by using the bronze or soil utensils and mango woods over the soil stove.Kharna is tomorrow. On this day, devotees keep fast for whole day and break their fast in the evening on worshiping Sun. They offer kheer, puris, fruits in the Puja. After taking Prasad in the evening, they go on a fast without water for the next 36 hours.

-Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced to slash the prices of Petrol by 10 rupees per litre and Diesel by five rupees per litre. Talking to the media persons at Chandigarh after the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said, the rate of VAT on Petrol has been reduced from 27.27 per cent to 15.15 per cent and on Diesel from 17.57 per cent to 10.91 per cent. He said, with this decision, Punjab has the lowest petrol rates in the region except Union Territory of Chandigarh.He said, now rate of Diesel in Punjab is also much lower than neighbouring states of Haryana and Rajasthan.Channi said, it is really unfortunate on the part of Central Government to slash the prices of petrol by five rupees and diesel by 10 rupees per litre w.e.f 4th of November, thereby cutting down the excise duty, which would adversely impact the income of all states including Punjab having 42 per cent share in the excise duty collected by Centre.

-Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked people to remain extra vigilant as the infection of zika virus is spreading rapidly. The government has established an integrated command centre in Kanpur to stop the spread of infection. The number of patients infected with zika virus has reached 79 in the Kanpur district with 13 more patients identified with the symptoms. A team of health officials has been deputed in the command centre which is working 24/7 and monitoring the situation. For testing and advising them to keep their surroundings clean. District magistrate of Kanpur Vishal ji said that team is also helping people in giving by giving them detailed information about the virus, its spread and symptoms. Chief medical officer of the district Doctor Nepal Singh said that health officials are taking every possible step to stop the spread of infection and conducting tests of the people with possible symptoms.