
High alert in Kerala after 3 suspected sunstroke deaths
Authorities in Kerala have sounded a high alert after three suspected cases of sunstroke deaths were reported from the southern state in the last two days as experts warned of soaring temperatures in the coming days.
Two deaths were reported on Sunday. State health officials said a man was found dead in his paddy field in Parasala in south Kerala while another death was reported from Payyanur in the north of the state. Police have registered cases under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for unnatural death.
Doctors, however, said the exact cause of death will be known after a post-mortem examination.
The weatherman has warned sweltering conditions in the next two days, saying the temperature is likely to go up by three to four degree Celsius in eight districts of the state.
Kerala is in the grip of a severe drought six months after the flood of the century ravaged the state, claiming the lives of more than 400 people. Experts have warned of heatwave conditions, quite unheard of in the state, will persist for more than a month.
With the mercury levels soaring, the disaster management authority has directed the state government to implement its directives strictly.
The disaster management authority has listed necessary measures for people to follow during the scorching days ahead. Since humidity levels are quite high in the state, high-temperature levels will add to the woes of people exposed to the sun.
The worried state labour department had rescheduled working hours, preventing outdoor work from 11am to 3pm until further orders and asked construction sites and farmers to comply with the order strictly.
Kerala’s health minister KK Shailaja has asked residents to follow the directions of health authorities.
Experts said the vast destruction of green cover during the August floods, difficulty in groundwater recharging due to the removal of topsoil, El Nino effect and changing construction models are to be blamed for sudden hike in temperature. If the situation continues, the state is likely to witness a scorching summer and water scarcity, they warned.

SC tells states to install CCTVs in police stations, probe agencies in 5 months
- Court-appointed amicus curiae senior advocate Siddhartha Dave prepared a chart indicating unsatisfactory response from states as well with some proposing to achieve compliance of Court’s December 2, 2020 order by end of 2023.

SC backs taxpayers in software royalty case
- The judgment, which involved approximately ₹500 crore in tax revenue, will impact companies such as IBM India Ltd, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Hewlett Packard India, Mphasis Ltd, Sonata Software Ltd, and GE India, among others.

5 days after 12-year-old girl disappeared in UP’s Bulandshahr, body found in pit
- The girl's family lodged a complaint three day after she went missing.

Barely 22 days after taking first jab of vaccine, medico dies of Covid-19
- Shubhendu Shubham, 23, a 2016-batch student of Patna’s Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH), had taken the first shot of Covaxin in the first week of February, but tested positive for the viral infection later last month before he could take the second shot

Srinagar market desolate after death of eatery owner's son in militant attack
- For the past 13 days, the Durga-Nag market at Dalgate in Srinagar has been desolate and locals and traders in grief

PM Modi’s photo on vaccination certificate violates model code, TMC tells ECI
- TMC’s leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O, Brien asked the Election Commission to stop the Prime Minister "from taking unfair advantages and undue publicity at tax payer’s cost during the conduct of elections".

Ghulam Nabi Azad becomes catalyst in rift in Congress unit in J-K
- Ghulam Nabi Azad detractors and supporters in the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Committee accused each other of acting at the behest of the BJP.

Jailed Assam leader urges parties to put up common candidates against BJP
- Jailed Assam leader urges parties to put up common candidates against BJP

Notice to Manipuri talk show under new digital media laws revoked

AIADMK, DMK continue seat-sharing talks with allies for TN assembly polls

News updates from HT: Plea filed in SC on eight-phase elections in West Bengal

India to invest $82 billion in port projects by 2035: PM Modi
- The capacity of major ports which was around 870 million tonnes per annum in 2014 has increased to around 1550 million tonnes per annum now, the Prime Minister said.

Jharkhand govt begins compensation process for victims of Chamoli glacier burst

Congress forms screening panels for TN, WB, Kerala, Puducherry assembly polls

Rebel woes pose a threat to Congress in poll-bound Kerala
- Party leaders fear that dissension may heighten in the coming days-- posters and notices have started appearing at many places against probable candidates.