
Flood situation worsens in Orissa
The flood situation in West Midnapore district turned worse on Thursday with fresh areas inundated by Subarnarekha River, leaving nearly three lakh people marooned.
Besides Narayangarh, Sabang and Pingla blocks, which were flooded on Wednesday, about 150 villages in Dantan blocks II, and I about 60 km from Kharagpur, went under water last evening, District Magistrate N S Nigam told PTI here.
The gushing waters of the river have submerged a 6 km stretch from Sastalagar to Sonakhalaia on Orissa border on Kharagpur-Chennai NH 60, cutting off West Bengal from the southern part of the country. Thousands of trucks are stranded on the highway.
The army, pressed into rescue and relief operations in the district and in neighbouring East Midnapore since yesterday, has begun work at Dantan since morning, he said.
"We have asked for an airforce helicopter from Kalaikunda and we will begin airdropping food later in the day at Dantan when we get it," he said.
Four persons have died and three, including the former confidential assistant of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee were missing in the floods, while about 10,000 people were rescued from Narayangarh, Pingla and Sabang by the army and civil defence yesterday, he said.
The rains, lashing the area since Sunday, stopped this morning. It has rained a record 700 mm till yesterday against an annual rainfall of 1600 mm. The situation has been compounded by the discharge of 3.5-lakh cusec from Chandil-Galudih reservoir in adjoining Jharkhand.

Shiv Sena gets ambitious, to contest 100 seats in Bengal assembly polls
- The Shiv Sena which is a marginal force in West Bengal, is aiming to punch much above its weight.

Covid-19 vaccine drive: Health Ministry instructs states to identify bottlenecks

I&B ministry summons Amazon Prime officials in India over controversy around web
- I&B ministry summons Amazon Prime officials in India over controversy around web series ‘Tandav’, reports ANI

Facebook, Twitter representatives to appear before IT parliamentary panel
- HT had reported on Wednesday that the panel was mulling the decision in the wake of the privacy concerns surrounding WhatsApp’s new policy.

IRCTC to resume cooked food supply to passengers in trains soon: Eastern Railway

Govt procures paddy worth ₹1.06 lakh crore so far this kharif season

News updates from Hindustan Times: Plea on farmers tractor rally in SC on Monday

LoC infiltration down by 70%, surrender policy for terrorists in the works: Army
- Chinar Corps commander Lt Gen BS Raju said the Line of Control remains fairly active because of Pakistan's attempts to push in terrorists.

Record construction of 534 km of national highways in one week, says govt

Rajinikanth's 'Makkal Mandram' office-bearers join DMK

SC to hear plea of Delhi Police to stay tractor rally by farmers on Republic Day
- The Delhi Police in its application seeking injunction against farmers taking out a tractor rally had said that the tractor rally could cause law and order problems and embarrass the country.

Farmers stage protest rally against new farm laws in Jammu

At 103, India's first voter casts vote in Himachal Pradesh panchayat polls

Farmers' union seeks Delhi police commissioner's nod to sit-in at Ramlila Maidan
