August 30, 2026

Supreme Court of India (Photo: PTI) NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on August 31 seeking a directive to the Centre and others to ensure mandatory and uniform labelling on every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps, disclosing the exact percentage of ethanol in petrol.According to the apex court’s causelist of August 31, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale.The petition, filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami, has also sought a direction that every fuel invoice should specifically and legibly state the percentage of ethanol in the petrol sold.”Direct the respondents (Centre and others) to prepare and publish within a stipulated time an official, public, vehicle-wise compatibility database searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture, indicating the suitability or otherwise of various ethanol blends for each vehicle,” the plea said.It has also sought constitution of an independent expert committee comprising representatives from the ministries of petroleum and natural gas, road transport and highways, the Bureau of Indian Standards and others, including independent automobile engineers, to examine and submit a public report on real-world vehicle compatibility of E20 across the existing fleet.The plea said the committee should also submit a report on the impact on fuel efficiency, engine longevity and maintenance costs, warranty and insurance implications, the net environmental footprint, including tail-pipe emissions and water consumption associated with ethanol production, and food-security and feed-diversion concerns allegedly arising from the blending programme.”Direct the respondents to frame a national consumer disclosure protocol for all ethanol-blended petrol, in consultation with the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Bureau of Indian Standards,” it said.It also sought directions to the concerned authorities to place before the apex court all policy files, technical studies, compatibility reports, safety standards, consumer advisories and records of public consultation that support the compulsory roll-out of E20.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe plea called on authorities to formulate and publish within a time-bound period a transparent transition framework for legacy and non-compatible vehicles, including consideration of designated availability of lower ethanol petrol wherever technically, economically and logistically feasible, together with a reasoned decision supported by expert material and public consultation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch’Willing & Keen’: Penguin Random House Denies Dropping Sonia Gandhi’s Memoir Over Editorial ChangesGovt Taps EIL For Quality Checks On 5,000 Km Of Road Projects After Modi’s ‘4th-Party Audit’ Jibe469 Dead In Nepal Floods; 3 Bodies Found In Uttar Pradesh; Kathmandu Declines Foreign Rescue TeamsCongress Alleges ₹36,000 Crore ‘Sugar Scam’, Slams Modi Govt Over Festive Price RisePM Modi’s Central Asia Visit: SCO Summit, Uzbekistan Ties, Putin Meet In Focus123PhotostoriesTalking but not dating? 5 signs this connection may be stuck3 simple tips to turn frizzy hair into gorgeous curlsHeart attack in women: 7 things to know as new definition promises better careNo non-stick pan? 5 easy steps to make iron tawa non-stick at homeLymphatic walking: 7 things to know about the viral social media fitness trend, and what the science really says10 vintage baby girl names that still sound fresh today2026 bridal colour trends: The wedding shades every bride will be wearing this yearJungkook style evolution: From bold eyeliner to quiet luxury, how BTS’ star transformed his fashion5 jewellery styling mistakes to avoid with traditional festive outfitsLock Upp 2 fame Akanksha Chamola’s luxurious Mumbai home: Elegant interiors, cosy living room and beautiful mandir123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingSophie Cunningham CareerChandigarh MurderSamay RainaUdaipur HotelFlorida Car CrashUS Green Card HolderBengal HospitalTamil Nadu Son MurderElon MuskKanpur Aircraft Crash

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins
Supreme Court of India (Photo: PTI) NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on August 31 seeking a directive to the Centre and others to ensure mandatory and uniform labelling on every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps, disclosing the exact percentage of ethanol in petrol.According to the apex court’s causelist of August 31, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale.The petition, filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami, has also sought a direction that every fuel invoice should specifically and legibly state the percentage of ethanol in the petrol sold.”Direct the respondents (Centre and others) to prepare and publish within a stipulated time an official, public, vehicle-wise compatibility database searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture, indicating the suitability or otherwise of various ethanol blends for each vehicle,” the plea said.It has also sought constitution of an independent expert committee comprising representatives from the ministries of petroleum and natural gas, road transport and highways, the Bureau of Indian Standards and others, including independent automobile engineers, to examine and submit a public report on real-world vehicle compatibility of E20 across the existing fleet.The plea said the committee should also submit a report on the impact on fuel efficiency, engine longevity and maintenance costs, warranty and insurance implications, the net environmental footprint, including tail-pipe emissions and water consumption associated with ethanol production, and food-security and feed-diversion concerns allegedly arising from the blending programme.”Direct the respondents to frame a national consumer disclosure protocol for all ethanol-blended petrol, in consultation with the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Bureau of Indian Standards,” it said.It also sought directions to the concerned authorities to place before the apex court all policy files, technical studies, compatibility reports, safety standards, consumer advisories and records of public consultation that support the compulsory roll-out of E20.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe plea called on authorities to formulate and publish within a time-bound period a transparent transition framework for legacy and non-compatible vehicles, including consideration of designated availability of lower ethanol petrol wherever technically, economically and logistically feasible, together with a reasoned decision supported by expert material and public consultation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch’Willing & Keen’: Penguin Random House Denies Dropping Sonia Gandhi’s Memoir Over Editorial ChangesGovt Taps EIL For Quality Checks On 5,000 Km Of Road Projects After Modi’s ‘4th-Party Audit’ Jibe469 Dead In Nepal Floods; 3 Bodies Found In Uttar Pradesh; Kathmandu Declines Foreign Rescue TeamsCongress Alleges ₹36,000 Crore ‘Sugar Scam’, Slams Modi Govt Over Festive Price RisePM Modi’s Central Asia Visit: SCO Summit, Uzbekistan Ties, Putin Meet In Focus123PhotostoriesTalking but not dating? 5 signs this connection may be stuck3 simple tips to turn frizzy hair into gorgeous curlsHeart attack in women: 7 things to know as new definition promises better careNo non-stick pan? 5 easy steps to make iron tawa non-stick at homeLymphatic walking: 7 things to know about the viral social media fitness trend, and what the science really says10 vintage baby girl names that still sound fresh today2026 bridal colour trends: The wedding shades every bride will be wearing this yearJungkook style evolution: From bold eyeliner to quiet luxury, how BTS’ star transformed his fashion5 jewellery styling mistakes to avoid with traditional festive outfitsLock Upp 2 fame Akanksha Chamola’s luxurious Mumbai home: Elegant interiors, cosy living room and beautiful mandir123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingSophie Cunningham CareerChandigarh MurderSamay RainaUdaipur HotelFlorida Car CrashUS Green Card HolderBengal HospitalTamil Nadu Son MurderElon MuskKanpur Aircraft Crash


SC to hear plea seeking mandatory disclosure of ethanol content in petrol on Aug 31
Supreme Court of India (Photo: PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on August 31 seeking a directive to the Centre and others to ensure mandatory and uniform labelling on every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps, disclosing the exact percentage of ethanol in petrol.According to the apex court’s causelist of August 31, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale.The petition, filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami, has also sought a direction that every fuel invoice should specifically and legibly state the percentage of ethanol in the petrol sold.“Direct the respondents (Centre and others) to prepare and publish within a stipulated time an official, public, vehicle-wise compatibility database searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture, indicating the suitability or otherwise of various ethanol blends for each vehicle,” the plea said.It has also sought constitution of an independent expert committee comprising representatives from the ministries of petroleum and natural gas, road transport and highways, the Bureau of Indian Standards and others, including independent automobile engineers, to examine and submit a public report on real-world vehicle compatibility of E20 across the existing fleet.The plea said the committee should also submit a report on the impact on fuel efficiency, engine longevity and maintenance costs, warranty and insurance implications, the net environmental footprint, including tail-pipe emissions and water consumption associated with ethanol production, and food-security and feed-diversion concerns allegedly arising from the blending programme.“Direct the respondents to frame a national consumer disclosure protocol for all ethanol-blended petrol, in consultation with the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Bureau of Indian Standards,” it said.It also sought directions to the concerned authorities to place before the apex court all policy files, technical studies, compatibility reports, safety standards, consumer advisories and records of public consultation that support the compulsory roll-out of E20.

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The rivers that sustain the region for most of the year turn dangerous during the monsoon NEW DELHI: Boats replacing cars on flooded roads, families moving to relief camps and swollen rivers spilling into villages. North Bihar is bracing for familiar scenes once again as floodwaters from Nepal move downstream.Floods have long been a part of life in northern Bihar. But a growing population and rapid urbanisation have made their impact more severe over the years.The rivers that sustain the region for most of the year turn dangerous during the monsoon. And for people living here, there is little choice but to face the floods, rebuild and prepare for the cycle to repeat itself.Bihar minister Ramkripal Yadav said the state government is closely monitoring the flood threat in Bihar in view of the tragedy in Nepal.”Bihar is adjacent to Nepal, and the water that has come from Nepal in the past has affected many areas of Bihar, leading to loss of life and property, destruction of crops and homes. The Bihar government and the chief minister himself are monitoring this,” Yadav told ANI.He assured that the state government will extend every possible help to those affected.”The Bihar government will provide every possible help. The flood victims of Bihar have the first right on Bihar’s treasury, and it is secure for them. The government will work,” he added.What was the trigger this time?A glacial collapse at the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26 triggered a flash flood in Nepal that has claimed more than 600 lives.Analysis of satellite imagery indicated that a large mass of ice and rock may have fallen into the Lende Khola river, temporarily blocking its flow and creating a natural dam that later breached, sending floodwaters downstream.Due to the collapse, a large volume of ice and rock debris entered the Lende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi river in Nepal, generating a sudden surge that carried water, sediment and large boulders downstream.The scale of the devastation can be gauged from the fact that twelve hydropower plants were reportedly knocked offline, dozens of bridges were swept away and the only road connecting the valley to the rest of Nepal was destroyed.Nature could not care less about political borders. And a flood that originated in Nepal will not stop at the border. From Nepal, the floodwaters will eventually move into north Bihar, before flowing into West Bengal and eventually Bangladesh, where they will empty into the sea.Why does Bihar drown every year?Speaking to The Times of India, IIT-trained civil engineer and flood expert Dinesh Mishra said Bihar’s locational disadvantage is one of the reasons why it drowns every year in floods. He said the state is situated in such a way that water comes directly through the south-flowing rivers from Nepal.”The first reason is Bihar’s locational disadvantage. Bihar is situated in such a way that water comes directly from the mountains,” Mishra said.”All the rivers that enter Bihar from Nepal are south-flowing. So, the area north of the Ganga will inevitably remain waterlogged. And if it does not, there will be drought in the region,” he added.Rivers originating from the Himalayas, like Kosi, Gandak, Burhi Gandak and Bagmati, carry huge volumes of silt with them to Bihar. When the water level increases due to rain, these rivers overflow their banks.This makes Bihar India’s most flood-prone state, with 76 per cent of the population in north Bihar living under the threat of floods.Bihar’s disaster management authority classifies floods into four categories.Class I refers to flash floods, which occur due to rainfall in Nepal, have a short lead time of around eight hours between forecast and flood, and recede quickly.Class II refers to river floods, with a lead time of 24 hours and floodwaters that take a week or more to recede.Class III refers to drainage congestion at river confluences, where the lead time exceeds 24 hours and the water lasts the entire monsoon season, receding only after about three months.Class IV refers to permanently waterlogged areas.This year, according to Bihar water resources department, the Gandak river has crossed the danger mark in Gopalganj, while the barrage at Valmikinagar released around 99,800 cusecs of water at 8 pm on Saturday.”The water level of several rivers, including the Gandak, Kosi, Burhi Gandak and the Ganga, has been rising. Incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of Nepal has led to rivers touching or flowing above the danger level at several places,” a senior official of the water resources department said.People in West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur, besides Gopalganj, Saran and Vaishali, have also been facing heightened fears over the past three days following an unprecedented inflow of water from Nepal.Other than flooding, another concern is soil erosion along the banks of swollen rivers.Embankments: Solution or part of the problem?For over a century, embankments along rivers have been a major preventive measure against floods. Successive governments built these walls along river banks to prevent rivers from deviating from their course and protect settlements.However, Dinesh Mishra said these embankments are the root cause of the havoc wreaked by floods rather than being the solution.”You build embankments basically to prevent river water from spilling out. But if floodwater that would naturally flow into the river is stopped, the water has nowhere to go,” Mishra said.”If it cannot return to the river, it will move into areas that were previously not affected by floods,” he added.Mishra said Kosi once had space to spread and deposit its sediments, but embankments have now confined the river. With the sediments having nowhere to go, the riverbed has been rising, making the Kosi increasingly prone to overflowing.”The river carries silt with it, and because of the embankments, the riverbed continues to rise,” he said.Interestingly, Flood Atlas of Bihar, prepared by Isro along with the central and state governments, also says that “there must be a realisation that minimising the risk and damage from floods may be a more rational way of flood management rather than formulating structural measures along the dynamic rivers such as the Kosi.”Everybody loves a good floodDuring the conversation, Mishra, however, rejected the notion that floods have always been a source of sorrow for Bihar. He said floods are also a time of celebration.He said farmers eagerly wait for floods because, as he put it, “a fresh layer of silt is deposited on the fields after floods, making the soil more fertile.”He added that in the remote villages of north Bihar, people sometimes wait for floods because relief funds and the attention of politicians are also drawn towards villages where little development work has been done.”People have been made this way. Earlier, they had clear SOPs to protect themselves during floods. But now, because they have become dependent on the government for relief, lives are lost,” he said.The traditions around floodsFor generations, floods in north Bihar were not simply seen as a force to be feared. They were woven into the rhythm of life, with people learning to live alongside the rivers rather than trying to keep them at bay.”Our ancestors knew this was a water-rich, flood-prone region. When they settled here, they must have done so with that understanding,” Mishra said.The relationship with the rivers was deeply personal. People revered them as mothers, and when the rains failed, women in villages would perform rituals to invoke the rivers and call for water.But when the floodwaters refused to recede, another ritual would follow. Women would gather with fruits, flowers, sandalwood, akshat and sindoor to persuade the river to leave.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe rivers were considered unmarried, Mishra said, and women would even “threaten” them with marriage if they refused to listen.These traditions show how closely floods have been tied to life in north Bihar for generations.People did not always see the rivers only as a threat. They depended on them for water, fertile soil and agriculture, even as they feared the destruction that came when the rivers overflowed.That relationship continues even today. Every monsoon, the same rivers bring both relief and anxiety. And once the water recedes, people clean their homes, return to their fields and begin rebuilding knowing that the floods may return the next year.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123Photostories5 things in your kitchen that may be dirtier than your toiletThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explained123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

The rivers that sustain the region for most of the year turn dangerous during the monsoon NEW DELHI: Boats replacing cars on flooded roads, families moving to relief camps and swollen rivers spilling into villages. North Bihar is bracing for familiar scenes once again as floodwaters from Nepal move downstream.Floods have long been a part of life in northern Bihar. But a growing population and rapid urbanisation have made their impact more severe over the years.The rivers that sustain the region for most of the year turn dangerous during the monsoon. And for people living here, there is little choice but to face the floods, rebuild and prepare for the cycle to repeat itself.Bihar minister Ramkripal Yadav said the state government is closely monitoring the flood threat in Bihar in view of the tragedy in Nepal.”Bihar is adjacent to Nepal, and the water that has come from Nepal in the past has affected many areas of Bihar, leading to loss of life and property, destruction of crops and homes. The Bihar government and the chief minister himself are monitoring this,” Yadav told ANI.He assured that the state government will extend every possible help to those affected.”The Bihar government will provide every possible help. The flood victims of Bihar have the first right on Bihar’s treasury, and it is secure for them. The government will work,” he added.What was the trigger this time?A glacial collapse at the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26 triggered a flash flood in Nepal that has claimed more than 600 lives.Analysis of satellite imagery indicated that a large mass of ice and rock may have fallen into the Lende Khola river, temporarily blocking its flow and creating a natural dam that later breached, sending floodwaters downstream.Due to the collapse, a large volume of ice and rock debris entered the Lende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi river in Nepal, generating a sudden surge that carried water, sediment and large boulders downstream.The scale of the devastation can be gauged from the fact that twelve hydropower plants were reportedly knocked offline, dozens of bridges were swept away and the only road connecting the valley to the rest of Nepal was destroyed.Nature could not care less about political borders. And a flood that originated in Nepal will not stop at the border. From Nepal, the floodwaters will eventually move into north Bihar, before flowing into West Bengal and eventually Bangladesh, where they will empty into the sea.Why does Bihar drown every year?Speaking to The Times of India, IIT-trained civil engineer and flood expert Dinesh Mishra said Bihar’s locational disadvantage is one of the reasons why it drowns every year in floods. He said the state is situated in such a way that water comes directly through the south-flowing rivers from Nepal.”The first reason is Bihar’s locational disadvantage. Bihar is situated in such a way that water comes directly from the mountains,” Mishra said.”All the rivers that enter Bihar from Nepal are south-flowing. So, the area north of the Ganga will inevitably remain waterlogged. And if it does not, there will be drought in the region,” he added.Rivers originating from the Himalayas, like Kosi, Gandak, Burhi Gandak and Bagmati, carry huge volumes of silt with them to Bihar. When the water level increases due to rain, these rivers overflow their banks.This makes Bihar India’s most flood-prone state, with 76 per cent of the population in north Bihar living under the threat of floods.Bihar’s disaster management authority classifies floods into four categories.Class I refers to flash floods, which occur due to rainfall in Nepal, have a short lead time of around eight hours between forecast and flood, and recede quickly.Class II refers to river floods, with a lead time of 24 hours and floodwaters that take a week or more to recede.Class III refers to drainage congestion at river confluences, where the lead time exceeds 24 hours and the water lasts the entire monsoon season, receding only after about three months.Class IV refers to permanently waterlogged areas.This year, according to Bihar water resources department, the Gandak river has crossed the danger mark in Gopalganj, while the barrage at Valmikinagar released around 99,800 cusecs of water at 8 pm on Saturday.”The water level of several rivers, including the Gandak, Kosi, Burhi Gandak and the Ganga, has been rising. Incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of Nepal has led to rivers touching or flowing above the danger level at several places,” a senior official of the water resources department said.People in West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur, besides Gopalganj, Saran and Vaishali, have also been facing heightened fears over the past three days following an unprecedented inflow of water from Nepal.Other than flooding, another concern is soil erosion along the banks of swollen rivers.Embankments: Solution or part of the problem?For over a century, embankments along rivers have been a major preventive measure against floods. Successive governments built these walls along river banks to prevent rivers from deviating from their course and protect settlements.However, Dinesh Mishra said these embankments are the root cause of the havoc wreaked by floods rather than being the solution.”You build embankments basically to prevent river water from spilling out. But if floodwater that would naturally flow into the river is stopped, the water has nowhere to go,” Mishra said.”If it cannot return to the river, it will move into areas that were previously not affected by floods,” he added.Mishra said Kosi once had space to spread and deposit its sediments, but embankments have now confined the river. With the sediments having nowhere to go, the riverbed has been rising, making the Kosi increasingly prone to overflowing.”The river carries silt with it, and because of the embankments, the riverbed continues to rise,” he said.Interestingly, Flood Atlas of Bihar, prepared by Isro along with the central and state governments, also says that “there must be a realisation that minimising the risk and damage from floods may be a more rational way of flood management rather than formulating structural measures along the dynamic rivers such as the Kosi.”Everybody loves a good floodDuring the conversation, Mishra, however, rejected the notion that floods have always been a source of sorrow for Bihar. He said floods are also a time of celebration.He said farmers eagerly wait for floods because, as he put it, “a fresh layer of silt is deposited on the fields after floods, making the soil more fertile.”He added that in the remote villages of north Bihar, people sometimes wait for floods because relief funds and the attention of politicians are also drawn towards villages where little development work has been done.”People have been made this way. Earlier, they had clear SOPs to protect themselves during floods. But now, because they have become dependent on the government for relief, lives are lost,” he said.The traditions around floodsFor generations, floods in north Bihar were not simply seen as a force to be feared. They were woven into the rhythm of life, with people learning to live alongside the rivers rather than trying to keep them at bay.”Our ancestors knew this was a water-rich, flood-prone region. When they settled here, they must have done so with that understanding,” Mishra said.The relationship with the rivers was deeply personal. People revered them as mothers, and when the rains failed, women in villages would perform rituals to invoke the rivers and call for water.But when the floodwaters refused to recede, another ritual would follow. Women would gather with fruits, flowers, sandalwood, akshat and sindoor to persuade the river to leave.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe rivers were considered unmarried, Mishra said, and women would even “threaten” them with marriage if they refused to listen.These traditions show how closely floods have been tied to life in north Bihar for generations.People did not always see the rivers only as a threat. They depended on them for water, fertile soil and agriculture, even as they feared the destruction that came when the rivers overflowed.That relationship continues even today. Every monsoon, the same rivers bring both relief and anxiety. And once the water recedes, people clean their homes, return to their fields and begin rebuilding knowing that the floods may return the next year.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123Photostories5 things in your kitchen that may be dirtier than your toiletThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explained123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Vamsikrishna 0
PM Modi had said the relationship had witnessed significant advancement and expressed his desire to further deepen cooperation in key sectors. NEW DELHI: India and Uzbekistan on Sunday agreed to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, with the two sides seeking to advance their strategic partnership and shared development goals.PM Modi, who is on a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 at the invitation of Mirziyoyev, received a ceremonial welcome before the two leaders held talks on strengthening bilateral ties. The discussions focused on key areas of mutual interest and ways to advance the shared developmental visions of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Yangi Uzbekistan’, according to the Indian side.The talks came as India and Uzbekistan looked to build on the significant progress made in their strategic partnership in recent years. PM Modi had earlier said the relationship had witnessed significant advancement and expressed his desire to further deepen cooperation in key sectors.PM Modi attends yoga session in TashkentEarlier on Sunday, PM Modi attended a yoga session hosted by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan, highlighting the growing people-to-people and cultural ties between the two countries.”Yoga has immense appeal in Uzbekistan. It is bringing people and cultures together and strengthening people-to-people ties between India and Uzbekistan,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X.After the session, PM Modi said Uzbekistan had been a “proud participant” in the first-ever World Yogasana Championship held in Ahmedabad earlier this year. He also noted that some of the medal winners from the championship were present at the yoga session.PM Modi’s engagements in UzbekistanPM Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday and was warmly received by Mirziyoyev at the airport. Following his arrival, the prime minister visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument along with the Uzbek president.He later interacted with members of the Indian community at a hotel in Tashkent. The programme featured Kathak and Andijan Polka performances by members of the diaspora, while Uzbek children performed to the Indian song “Ude Jab Jab Zulfe Teri”.The prime minister also watched a fusion performance featuring the tabla alongside traditional Uzbek instruments Doira and Chang, underlining the cultural links between the two countries.PM Modi to travel to Kyrgyzstan for SCO summitAfter concluding his Uzbekistan visit, PM Modi is scheduled to travel from Tashkent to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on August 31 and September 1 at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe summit will mark the 25th anniversary of the SCO. PM Modi is expected to address the gathering and highlight India’s priorities of “Security, Connectivity and Opportunity”.He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of SCO member countries on the sidelines of the summit.PM Modi is further scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games.The Uzbekistan visit is PM Modi’s fourth trip to the Central Asian country and comes as New Delhi seeks to expand its engagement with the region through greater economic, strategic, energy and connectivity cooperation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123Photostories5 things in your kitchen that may be dirtier than your toiletThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explained123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

PM Modi had said the relationship had witnessed significant advancement and expressed his desire to further deepen cooperation in key sectors. NEW DELHI: India and Uzbekistan on Sunday agreed to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, with the two sides seeking to advance their strategic partnership and shared development goals.PM Modi, who is on a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 at the invitation of Mirziyoyev, received a ceremonial welcome before the two leaders held talks on strengthening bilateral ties. The discussions focused on key areas of mutual interest and ways to advance the shared developmental visions of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Yangi Uzbekistan’, according to the Indian side.The talks came as India and Uzbekistan looked to build on the significant progress made in their strategic partnership in recent years. PM Modi had earlier said the relationship had witnessed significant advancement and expressed his desire to further deepen cooperation in key sectors.PM Modi attends yoga session in TashkentEarlier on Sunday, PM Modi attended a yoga session hosted by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan, highlighting the growing people-to-people and cultural ties between the two countries.”Yoga has immense appeal in Uzbekistan. It is bringing people and cultures together and strengthening people-to-people ties between India and Uzbekistan,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X.After the session, PM Modi said Uzbekistan had been a “proud participant” in the first-ever World Yogasana Championship held in Ahmedabad earlier this year. He also noted that some of the medal winners from the championship were present at the yoga session.PM Modi’s engagements in UzbekistanPM Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday and was warmly received by Mirziyoyev at the airport. Following his arrival, the prime minister visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park and laid a wreath at the Independence Monument along with the Uzbek president.He later interacted with members of the Indian community at a hotel in Tashkent. The programme featured Kathak and Andijan Polka performances by members of the diaspora, while Uzbek children performed to the Indian song “Ude Jab Jab Zulfe Teri”.The prime minister also watched a fusion performance featuring the tabla alongside traditional Uzbek instruments Doira and Chang, underlining the cultural links between the two countries.PM Modi to travel to Kyrgyzstan for SCO summitAfter concluding his Uzbekistan visit, PM Modi is scheduled to travel from Tashkent to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on August 31 and September 1 at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe summit will mark the 25th anniversary of the SCO. PM Modi is expected to address the gathering and highlight India’s priorities of “Security, Connectivity and Opportunity”.He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of SCO member countries on the sidelines of the summit.PM Modi is further scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games.The Uzbekistan visit is PM Modi’s fourth trip to the Central Asian country and comes as New Delhi seeks to expand its engagement with the region through greater economic, strategic, energy and connectivity cooperation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123Photostories5 things in your kitchen that may be dirtier than your toiletThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explained123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Vamsikrishna 0
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chief cleric of Kashmir, was criticized by the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit NEW DELHI: BJP Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur on Sunday rejected Kashmir’s chief cleric chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s call for political parties to unite for the restoration of Article 370, saying there was “no question” of bringing back the constitutional provision.Thakur said Parliament had taken a “historic” constitutional decision to abrogate Article 370 and that the Supreme Court had subsequently upheld it. He accused the Mirwaiz of making statements that could disturb the peace that has returned to the Valley after years of violence.”Mirwaiz Umar Farooq needs to realize that Article 370 will not be reinstated. No political party, leader, or pressure group can undo the fundamental truth that Parliament has permanently buried Article 370,” Thakur said.He said attempts to revive the issue risked pushing Kashmir back into a period of political instability.”These kinds of statements are intended to incite people and disturb the tranquility of the Valley once more. This will never be permitted. The return of peace to Kashmir has come at a very high cost to the country. Thakur stated, “We cannot allow politically motivated statements to undermine or challenge the sacrifices made by our courageous security forces and civilians, including political workers who gave their lives for peace and democracy.”Thakur said people in Kashmir should not be pushed into another cycle of violence, shutdowns and unrest after having endured years of disruption.”Those who try to resurrect old fault lines need to realize that Kashmir has progressed. Our young people are looking for the chances to educate themselves, work, entrepreneurship, investment, and travel. “They don’t want to go back to a time, when violence dictated the future and shutdown calendars controlled their lives,” he added in the statement.Thakur said political parties were free to express their views within the Constitution, but argued that repeatedly seeking reversal of a constitutional decision upheld by the Supreme Court was futile.”Democracy gives the right to speak and participate, but democracy cannot be reduced to repeatedly demanding the reversal of a constitutional decision that has already been upheld by the highest court of the country,” he stated.He also reiterated the BJP’s position that statehood for Jammu and Kashmir would be restored at an appropriate time, while insisting that statehood and Article 370 were separate issues.”Statehood and Article 370 are clearly different. The government has declared that statehood would be restored at a suitable moment. However, there is no way that Article 370 could be reinstated,”. “Those who are causing confusion on this matter need are advised to stop misleading the public,” he stated.Earlier, Mirwaiz had criticised the National Conference government’s performance, saying its current position differed from commitments made during the 2024 Assembly elections.”The people’s rights have been taken away, Jammu & Kashmir has been split, and all of our legal and constitutional obligations have been totally disregarded,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhile acknowledging that issues such as electricity, roads and development were important, Mirwaiz said they were secondary to what he described as the broader question concerning the status of Jammu and Kashmir.“ But I think these are secondary issues. The real issue is that the very existence of the people of Jammu & Kashmir is under threat. At this juncture, all political parties in J&K should not only raise their voice for the restoration of statehood but also seek the restoration of Article 370, which was the basis accession (with India),” he stated.Mirwaiz also alleged that the Union government had broken its commitments to the people of Jammu and Kashmir dating back to 1947, including constitutional guarantees.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123PhotostoriesThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explainedUse an old toothbrush to clean your taps: 7 places this tiny tool can reach123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chief cleric of Kashmir, was criticized by the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit NEW DELHI: BJP Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur on Sunday rejected Kashmir’s chief cleric chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s call for political parties to unite for the restoration of Article 370, saying there was “no question” of bringing back the constitutional provision.Thakur said Parliament had taken a “historic” constitutional decision to abrogate Article 370 and that the Supreme Court had subsequently upheld it. He accused the Mirwaiz of making statements that could disturb the peace that has returned to the Valley after years of violence.”Mirwaiz Umar Farooq needs to realize that Article 370 will not be reinstated. No political party, leader, or pressure group can undo the fundamental truth that Parliament has permanently buried Article 370,” Thakur said.He said attempts to revive the issue risked pushing Kashmir back into a period of political instability.”These kinds of statements are intended to incite people and disturb the tranquility of the Valley once more. This will never be permitted. The return of peace to Kashmir has come at a very high cost to the country. Thakur stated, “We cannot allow politically motivated statements to undermine or challenge the sacrifices made by our courageous security forces and civilians, including political workers who gave their lives for peace and democracy.”Thakur said people in Kashmir should not be pushed into another cycle of violence, shutdowns and unrest after having endured years of disruption.”Those who try to resurrect old fault lines need to realize that Kashmir has progressed. Our young people are looking for the chances to educate themselves, work, entrepreneurship, investment, and travel. “They don’t want to go back to a time, when violence dictated the future and shutdown calendars controlled their lives,” he added in the statement.Thakur said political parties were free to express their views within the Constitution, but argued that repeatedly seeking reversal of a constitutional decision upheld by the Supreme Court was futile.”Democracy gives the right to speak and participate, but democracy cannot be reduced to repeatedly demanding the reversal of a constitutional decision that has already been upheld by the highest court of the country,” he stated.He also reiterated the BJP’s position that statehood for Jammu and Kashmir would be restored at an appropriate time, while insisting that statehood and Article 370 were separate issues.”Statehood and Article 370 are clearly different. The government has declared that statehood would be restored at a suitable moment. However, there is no way that Article 370 could be reinstated,”. “Those who are causing confusion on this matter need are advised to stop misleading the public,” he stated.Earlier, Mirwaiz had criticised the National Conference government’s performance, saying its current position differed from commitments made during the 2024 Assembly elections.”The people’s rights have been taken away, Jammu & Kashmir has been split, and all of our legal and constitutional obligations have been totally disregarded,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhile acknowledging that issues such as electricity, roads and development were important, Mirwaiz said they were secondary to what he described as the broader question concerning the status of Jammu and Kashmir.“ But I think these are secondary issues. The real issue is that the very existence of the people of Jammu & Kashmir is under threat. At this juncture, all political parties in J&K should not only raise their voice for the restoration of statehood but also seek the restoration of Article 370, which was the basis accession (with India),” he stated.Mirwaiz also alleged that the Union government had broken its commitments to the people of Jammu and Kashmir dating back to 1947, including constitutional guarantees.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123PhotostoriesThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explainedUse an old toothbrush to clean your taps: 7 places this tiny tool can reach123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Vamsikrishna 0
Inadequate packaging can increase the risk of contamination NEW DELHI: Nearly one in five food samples tested across India was found to be non-conforming in 2025-26, even as only 4.8% of food safety violations ended in convictions, highlighting gaps in enforcement and staffing across states, according to data analysed by Richa Gandhi.The share of non-conforming food samples has remained around 20% over the past five years, despite a steady rise in the number of samples tested. In 2025-26, authorities analysed 2,23,808 samples, of which 40,023 were found to be non-conforming.The proportion of non-conforming samples stood at 17.9% in 2025-26, down from 20.2% in 2024-25 and 19.8% in 2023-24. It had peaked at 25.1% in 2022-23.Food safety checks expose widespread violationsAt the same time, the conviction rate has gradually increased, rising from 2% in 2021-22 to 4.8% in 2025-26. However, monetary penalties remain the more common form of action against violators.UP finds highest share of violationsUttar Pradesh recorded the highest proportion of non-conforming samples among the states listed, with 52% of the nearly 40,000 samples tested in 2025-26 found to be non-conforming.The state analysed 39,519 samples and found 20,021 to be non-conforming.Haryana followed with 31%, while Jharkhand recorded 28%, Rajasthan 27%, Puducherry 22% and Himachal Pradesh 20%.Enforcement gaps raise concerns over food safetyTamil Nadu analysed the highest number of samples among the larger states, with nearly 45,000 tests, and also recorded the highest conviction rate among those states.Chandigarh recorded the highest conviction rate overall at 32.1%, followed by Tamil Nadu at 21.5%, Kerala at 17.7%, Haryana at 16% and Delhi at 14.7%.The data points to a sharp gap between the scale of food safety violations detected through testing and the number of cases that ultimately result in convictions.Testing reveals gaps in India’s food safety systemStaff shortage adds to enforcement challengeShortages in food safety personnel are another major constraint on monitoring and enforcement.Bihar has the largest gap among the states listed, with 91 of its 105 sanctioned food safety posts vacant. Jharkhand has 74 vacancies against 77 sanctioned posts, while Chhattisgarh has 70 vacancies against 125 posts.Shortages in food safety staff hamper monitoring and enforcement.Andhra Pradesh has 68 vacancies out of 145 sanctioned posts, followed by Uttarakhand with 65 vacancies out of 57 sanctioned posts, according to the data.Haryana has 57 vacancies against 367 sanctioned posts, while Odisha has 57 vacancies against 147. Tripura has 52 vacancies against 23 sanctioned posts, Manipur 50 against 34 and Sikkim 50 against four.The staffing gaps limit the ability of state authorities to regularly inspect establishments, collect samples and pursue violations through the enforcement process.Milk, dairy among frequently flagged foodsMilk and dairy products, ghee, spices, edible oils and sweets remain among the food categories frequently flagged in regulatory actions and recent cases.In one major case, ghee supplied for the preparation of Tirupati laddus came under scrutiny after samples failed quality tests amid allegations of adulteration with vegetable oils and animal fats.Milk and milk products such as paneer and khoya have also faced increased scrutiny. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ordered a nationwide crackdown between September and October following cases involving alleged detergent and urea adulteration in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.Milk and dairy products among food samples that continue to fail safety standards. In Punjab, 47% of milk, cheese and dairy samples reportedly failed tests over a three-year period. Cheese was identified as particularly vulnerable to adulteration involving starch and chemical additives, with 255 of 531 samples failing tests in 2024-25 alone.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSpices such as turmeric and chilli powder have also been the subject of seizures over adulteration involving synthetic colours, wood dust and other unsafe fillers.Edible oils are another concern, with cheaper palm oil being used to adulterate more expensive oils such as groundnut and mustard oil.Sweets and khoya are also regularly identified as high-risk categories in FSSAI advisories during festive periods, when demand rises sharply.The figures underline the challenge facing India’s food safety system: while testing has expanded and the detection of violations remains significant, limited staffing and the relatively low rate of convictions continue to constrain enforcement.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAyush PandeyAyush Pandey is a journalist at The Times of India, covering breaking news, politics, defence, and major legal and policy developments across India and the world. His reporting focuses on elections, national security, and institutional affairs, tracking the decisions and conflicts that shape public life. He specialises in sharp explainers and in-depth feature stories that go beyond headlines to decode political shifts, defence strategy, geopolitical flashpoints, and changing public sentiment. His work combines speed, clarity, and depth for a fast-moving digital audience.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBJP Reprimands Three Delhi MPs Over Visit To Sajjan Kumar’s Home After His DeathKolkata Police Files Case Against Mamata Banerjee Over Rally, TMC Hits Back At BJP Govt | WatchRahul Gandhi Slams BJP-RSS Over Kharge ‘Shuddhikaran’, Demands Action Under SC/ST ActPakistani Drones Spotted Along LoC: Indian Army Intensifies Surveillance In J&K | WatchPM Modi’s 4-Day Central Asia Visit: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & SCO Summit | India’s Diplomatic PushB Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet Amid Valmiki Scam Allegations, Calls Charges Politically DrivenBlast Near Manipur BJP MLA’s House; CM Khemchand Singh Calls Attack ‘Barbaric’Fresh Threat To Kashmiri Pandits: Terror Group ULC Warns Over Reopening Exodus Cases | WatchUS Green Card Wait, USCIS Checks, UK Visas: How Immigration Rules Impact IndiansIndia Plans Javelin Missile Buy From US, Giving Infantry A Battle-Tested Tank-Killing Edge | Watch123PhotostoriesThat oil sitting beside your stove may be going bad faster than you think: What heat and light do to cooking oilHow to clean a burnt pan without scrubbing hard and longBigg Boss Tamil 10: From Joy Crizildaa to Gayathri Sri, rumoured female contestants of Vijay Sethupathi-hosted showDoes microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science saysStar Singer: Meet the finalists ahead of the grand finale10 baby names that bring the beauty of the seasons to lifePainful periods, changing cycles and menopause: Which symptoms are normal, which need attention and can protein help?Blueberries vs Grapes: What happens to blood sugar when you eat the whole fruit instead of drinking it?Why do some eggs have double yolks? The science behind it explainedUse an old toothbrush to clean your taps: 7 places this tiny tool can reach123Hot PicksNepal floodUGC NET June 2026 resultCNG Price HikeMumbai milk priceRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderInflation dataTop TrendingManjeet KaurKim KardashianMaya Higa FianceTravis KelceBrittany MahomesTravis Kelce BusinessKai CenatCoco GauffsNaomi OsakaLebron James

Inadequate packaging can increase the risk of contamination NEW DELHI: Nearly one in five food samples tested across India was found to be non-conforming in 2025-26, even as only 4.8% of food safety violations ended in convictions, highlighting gaps in enforcement and staffing across states, according to data analysed by Richa Gandhi.The share of non-conforming food samples has remained around 20% over the past five years, despite a steady rise in the number of samples tested. In 2025-26, authorities analysed 2,23,808 samples, of which 40,023 were found to be non-conforming.The proportion of non-conforming samples stood at 17.9% in 2025-26, down from 20.2% in 2024-25 and 19.8% in 2023-24. It had peaked at 25.1% in 2022-23.Food safety checks expose widespread violationsAt the same time, the conviction rate has gradually increased, rising from 2% in 2021-22 to 4.8% in 2025-26. However, monetary penalties remain the more common form of action against violators.UP finds highest share of violationsUttar Pradesh recorded the highest proportion of non-conforming samples among the states listed, with 52% of the nearly 40,000 samples tested in 2025-26 found to be non-conforming.The state analysed 39,519 samples and found 20,021 to be non-conforming.Haryana followed with 31%, while Jharkhand recorded 28%, Rajasthan 27%, Puducherry 22% and Himachal Pradesh 20%.Enforcement gaps raise concerns over food safetyTamil Nadu analysed the highest number of samples among the larger states, with nearly 45,000 tests, and also recorded the highest conviction rate among those states.Chandigarh recorded the highest conviction rate overall at 32.1%, followed by Tamil Nadu at 21.5%, Kerala at 17.7%, Haryana at 16% and Delhi at 14.7%.The data points to a sharp gap between the scale of food safety violations detected through testing and the number of cases that ultimately result in convictions.Testing reveals gaps in India’s food safety systemStaff shortage adds to enforcement challengeShortages in food safety personnel are another major constraint on monitoring and enforcement.Bihar has the largest gap among the states listed, with 91 of its 105 sanctioned food safety posts vacant. Jharkhand has 74 vacancies against 77 sanctioned posts, while Chhattisgarh has 70 vacancies against 125 posts.Shortages in food safety staff hamper monitoring and enforcement.Andhra Pradesh has 68 vacancies out of 145 sanctioned posts, followed by Uttarakhand with 65 vacancies out of 57 sanctioned posts, according to the data.Haryana has 57 vacancies against 367 sanctioned posts, while Odisha has 57 vacancies against 147. Tripura has 52 vacancies against 23 sanctioned posts, Manipur 50 against 34 and Sikkim 50 against four.The staffing gaps limit the ability of state authorities to regularly inspect establishments, collect samples and pursue violations through the enforcement process.Milk, dairy among frequently flagged foodsMilk and dairy products, ghee, spices, edible oils and sweets remain among the food categories frequently flagged in regulatory actions and recent cases.In one major case, ghee supplied for the preparation of Tirupati laddus came under scrutiny after samples failed quality tests amid allegations of adulteration with vegetable oils and animal fats.Milk and milk products such as paneer and khoya have also faced increased scrutiny. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ordered a nationwide crackdown between September and October following cases involving alleged detergent and urea adulteration in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.Milk and dairy products among food samples that continue to fail safety standards. In Punjab, 47% of milk, cheese and dairy samples reportedly failed tests over a three-year period. Cheese was identified as particularly vulnerable to adulteration involving starch and chemical additives, with 255 of 531 samples failing tests in 2024-25 alone.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSpices such as turmeric and chilli powder have also been the subject of seizures over adulteration involving synthetic colours, wood dust and other unsafe fillers.Edible oils are another concern, with cheaper palm oil being used to adulterate more expensive oils such as groundnut and mustard oil.Sweets and khoya are also regularly identified as high-risk categories in FSSAI advisories during festive periods, when demand rises sharply.The figures underline the challenge facing India’s food safety system: while testing has expanded and the detection of violations remains significant, limited staffing and the relatively low rate of convictions continue to constrain enforcement.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAyush PandeyAyush Pandey is a journalist at The Times of India, covering breaking news, politics, defence, and major legal and policy developments across India and the world. His reporting focuses on elections, national security, and institutional affairs, tracking the decisions and conflicts that shape public life. He specialises in sharp explainers and in-depth feature stories that go beyond headlines to decode political shifts, defence strategy, geopolitical flashpoints, and changing public sentiment. 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