The Evening Wrap: Yamuna inundates Delhi; 16 NDRF teams deployed

A day after hitting a 60-year-high, the water level of the Yamuna in Delhi continued to rise on July 13 morning leading to flood waters affecting traffic in arterial roads of the city, including near ISBT and Rajghat. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the closure of schools in the city where there is waterlogging. As parts of Delhi close to the Yamuna battles an overflowing river, police and other agencies on Wednesday evacuated more than 750 people and more than 250 cattle, officials said. The Yamuna swelled to a staggering 208.08 metres on July 12, smashing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set 45 years ago by a significant margin, and causing immense hardships to people living in close proximity to the river. There are two major barrages on the Yamuna- Dakpathar in Dehradun and Hathnikund in Yamunanagar, upstream of Delhi. There are no dams on the river and, therefore, most of the monsoon flow remains unutilised, resulting in floods during the season. Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has also called a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on July 13. European Parliament calls on India to act promptly to end Manipur violence, protect minorities Shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris on a State visit, in another French city, Strasbourg, the European Parliament (EP) called on the government to act “promptly” to halt the violence in Manipur and protect religious minorities. The resolution passed by a show of hands on Thursday after a debate on the issue on Wednesday evening. The government had rejected the move, with Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra saying on Wednesday that the Manipur situation was “wholly and totally internal” to India. Over 142 people have been killed and 54,000 displaced so far. The final EP resolution asks the government “to protect all religious minorities, such as Manipur’s Christian community, and to pre-empt any further escalation”. It also calls on authorities to grant unhindered access to the area by journalists and international observers and to end internet shutdowns. The EP resolution also asked the government “to repeal the unlawful Armed Forces Special Powers Act in line with the recommendations of the UN Universal Periodic Review”. Through the resolution, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) called on the E.U. to make human rights prominent in its dialogue and relationship with India — a point that was repeatedly raised during the pre-vote debate. The process brought together an unlikely mix of left and right parties which also approved two other resolutions on rights in Venezuela and Kyrgyzstan. During the debate, MEPs voiced concern not just around Manipur and its minorities but about India as a whole. One MEP, Pierre Larratourou (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), criticised Modi and the government’s policies since 2014. “They have to accept democratic functioning and no longer criminalise anyone who criticises government policy,” Larratourou said, adding that the European Parliament has to demand that respect for human rights is “fully included” in E.U.- India partnership, including trade. E.U. leaders in India have to talk about human rights publicly and systemically, Larratourou said. “Nobody is proposing breaking off relations with India. It is a great democracy, but it has to be a better democracy,” he added. “We wouldn’t like to wag fingers at anybody from here with this resolution from the European Parliament,” said MEP Sven Simon, a Christian Democrat (Group of the European People’s Party). “We call on the most populous democracy to do what it is duty bound to do in its constitution, to maintain religious freedom - also for Christians in Manipur,” he added. Simon said he was irritated by the fact that MEPs from the left, and the Greens, found it difficult to say that it was Christians who are affected. The goal must be to end this violence and to bring about a peaceful resolution for the situation in Manipur,” said Finnish MEP, Alviina Alametsa (Group of the Greens/ European Free Alliance). She echoed the concerns of her colleagues about the shrinking space for free expression in India. “Freedom of press has narrowed,” she said. “Journalists and activists have been arrested for false reasons, discrimination and hate have increased. And this is also what I saw personally when I visited India in December,” she added, as she also called for human rights and democracy to be at the core of India-EU relations, including in the trading relationship. As PM Modi leaves for Paris, DAC approves procurement of 26 Rafale-M jets, 3 more Scorpene submarines from France As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Paris on July 13 afternoon, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accorded approval for the procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighters to operate off the aircraft carriers and three additional Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines from France. “The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support for the Indian Navy from the French Government based on Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA),” a Defence Ministry statement said. “The price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French Government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries.” Further, integration of Indian designed equipment and establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) hub for various systems will be incorporated into the contract documents after due negotiations, the Ministry said. The DAC also granted the AoN for procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines under Buy (Indian) category which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). “The procurement of additional submarines, with higher indigenous content, will not only help in maintaining required force level and operational readiness of the Indian Navy, but also create significant employment opportunities in the domestic sector,” the statement said. In addition, the DAC approved the proposal to lay down guidelines for achieving the desired indigenous content in all categories of capital acquisition cases. This the Ministry said will help in achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in critical manufacturing technologies and life-cycle sustenance of defence platforms/equipment through indigenous manufacturing. The 26 Rafale-M fighters include 22 single seater jets and four twin-seater trainers, defence officials said. However, the Rafale trainers are not carrier compatible. In March, Navy Chief Adm R. Hari Kumar has said that both Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale M fighters meet the requirements of the Navy and a selection between them is a government’s decision, while adding that the Rafale M has commonality with the Indian Air Force in terms of spares and support. IAF operates 36 Rafale jets customised for Indian requirements procured under a €7.87 bn deal signed in April 2016. Modi government ‘hell-bent’ on killing scientific research in country, alleges Congress Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on July 13 hit out at the Centre over scientists at top research institutions having not received funds for this financial year, alleging that the Modi government is “hell-bent” on killing scientific research in the country. His attack came over a media report which claimed that scientists at top research institutions who ought to have received funds from central agencies for this financial year in April were still waiting. Modi government is hell-bent to kill scientific research in the country, thus hampering a nation’s progress,” Kharge said in a tweet. Scientists at top research institutions are yet to receive funds for this financial year and are forced to use their hard-earned savings to continue research, he said. “At a time when government has promised more funding by setting up a National Research Foundation (NRF), their purchases are on hold and project staff have not been paid for three months. Private funding is welcome, but the Government funding should not stop,” the Congress president said. Budget 2023 slashed the funds for scientific research by 6.87%, he said. “In 2017, the scientific community was forced to stage nationwide protests in 27 cities to register their concerns about paltry funding, fund cuts and pseudo-science propagated by the Modi Government,” he said. In 2015, the Modi government had asked organisations involved in scientific research to start “self-financing” projects, which meant they would have to raise their own funding for research, Kharge said. “Modi Government has time and again displayed its utter disdain and contempt against encouraging scientific temper,” he alleged. “PM Modi might speak about — Jai Vigyaan, Jai anusandhan — but sadly, his government wishes to — parajay vigyaan, parajay anusandhan (defeat science, defeat research),” Kharge said. Earlier, senior Congress leader P. Chidamabram took a swipe at the Centre over the matter, saying maybe the government will coin a new slogan ‘minimum funds, maximum research’. Citing the same media report as Kharge, Chidambaram said that as a result of this, purchases are on hold and project staff have not been paid for three months. He also quoted senior scientist, S.C. Lakhotia, as saying that he is paying his project staff from his own pocket. Why are the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Biotechnology silent on the matter, the former Union Minister asked. “Maybe the Government will coin a new slogan this week: minimum funds, maximum research,” Chidambaram said on Twitter. Kendriya Vidyalaya teachers protest arbitrary transfer policy in letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Dissatisfied with the Centre’s latest policy on transfers, teachers from the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) have penned a letter of protest to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla listing their grievances and suggestions. Over the last five years, KVS headquarters in New Delhi has issued four transfer guidelines, once each in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023. “It is very surprising that almost every year KVS HQ changes the transfer process and due to the vacillating policy, KVS teachers suffer a lot,” the letter stated. There are at least 45,000 KVS teachers spread across 1,270 KV schools in India. “In the present transfer policy, there is no scope for any ‘on request’ or ‘intra-station transfer’. Also, the possibility of a mutual transfer, if two teachers are so willing, has been removed,” Anil Kumar Dalia, general secretary of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Pragatisheel Shikshak Sangh told The Hindu. Concessions on transfers were earlier provided if a KVS employee and their spouse were employed within a radius of 100 kilometres from each other; however, in the latest policy, such a concession will be given only if they are posted in the same location. Also, women teachers could earlier stay in the same location for 15 years; this will now be reduced to seven years. Dalia said that there has been no recruitment of fresh teachers over the last four years, despite an available list of 12,000 new teachers. “Usually, 5,000 to 6,000 teachers get transferred, essentially to relieve teachers working in hard stations like the north-east and so on [who have served a tenure of three years]. While we are not against transfers, arbitrary change of policy has been contested,” he said. The KVS teachers’ association plans to hold a black badge protest on July 18, and stage a protest in front of the regional KVS offices or at Jantar Mantar if their demands are not accepted. “We will also move court to lodge cases in the Central Administrative Tribunal against the policy, if need be,” Dalia said. In Brief: The 25 hours 30 minute countdown for the launch of the country’s third moon mission Chandrayaan-3 commenced on July 13 at the spaceport in Bengaluru, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. Friday’s lunar expedition follows the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 mission where space scientists are aiming for a soft landing on the surface of the moon. A successful mission would see India enter an elite club of nations achieving such a feat, the others being the United States, China and the former Soviet Union. “LVM3M4-CHANDRAYAAN-3 MISSION: The countdown leading to the launch tomorrow (Friday- July 14) at 14.35 hrs has commenced,” ISRO said in a social media post. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 13 July 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Yamuna water-logging: Non-essential govt offices, school, colleges to remain closed in Delhi till Sunday: DDMA A day after hitting a 60-year-high, the water level of the [Yamuna in Delhi continued to rise on July 13 morning leading to flood waters affecting traffic]( in arterial roads of the city, including near ISBT and Rajghat. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the closure of schools in the city where there is waterlogging. As parts of Delhi close to the Yamuna battles an overflowing river, police and other agencies on Wednesday evacuated more than 750 people and more than 250 cattle, officials said. The Yamuna swelled to a staggering 208.08 metres on July 12, smashing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set 45 years ago by a significant margin, and causing immense hardships to people living in close proximity to the river. There are two major barrages on the Yamuna- Dakpathar in Dehradun and Hathnikund in Yamunanagar, upstream of Delhi. There are no dams on the river and, therefore, most of the monsoon flow remains unutilised, resulting in floods during the season. Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has also called a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on July 13. European Parliament calls on India to act promptly to end Manipur violence, protect minorities  Shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris on a State visit, in another French city, Strasbourg, the [European Parliament (EP) called on the government to act “promptly” to halt the violence in Manipur and protect religious minorities](. The resolution passed by a show of hands on Thursday after a debate on the issue on Wednesday evening. The government had rejected the move, with Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra saying on Wednesday that the Manipur situation was “wholly and totally internal” to India. Over 142 people have been killed and 54,000 displaced so far. The final EP resolution asks the government “to protect all religious minorities, such as Manipur’s Christian community, and to pre-empt any further escalation”. It also calls on authorities to grant unhindered access to the area by journalists and international observers and to end internet shutdowns. The EP resolution also asked the government “to repeal the unlawful Armed Forces Special Powers Act in line with the recommendations of the UN Universal Periodic Review”. Through the resolution, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) called on the E.U. to make human rights prominent in its dialogue and relationship with India — a point that was repeatedly raised during the pre-vote debate. The process brought together an unlikely mix of left and right parties which also approved two other resolutions on rights in Venezuela and Kyrgyzstan. During the debate, MEPs voiced concern not just around Manipur and its minorities but about India as a whole. One MEP, Pierre Larratourou (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), criticised Modi and the government’s policies since 2014. “They have to accept democratic functioning and no longer criminalise anyone who criticises government policy,” Larratourou said, adding that the European Parliament has to demand that respect for human rights is “fully included” in E.U.- India partnership, including trade. E.U. leaders in India have to talk about human rights publicly and systemically, Larratourou said. “Nobody is proposing breaking off relations with India. It is a great democracy, but it has to be a better democracy,” he added. “We wouldn’t like to wag fingers at anybody from here with this resolution from the European Parliament,” said MEP Sven Simon, a Christian Democrat (Group of the European People’s Party). “We call on the most populous democracy to do what it is duty bound to do in its constitution, to maintain religious freedom - also for Christians in Manipur,” he added. Simon said he was irritated by the fact that MEPs from the left, and the Greens, found it difficult to say that it was Christians who are affected. The goal must be to end this violence and to bring about a peaceful resolution for the situation in Manipur,” said Finnish MEP, Alviina Alametsa (Group of the Greens/ European Free Alliance). She echoed the concerns of her colleagues about the shrinking space for free expression in India. “Freedom of press has narrowed,” she said. “Journalists and activists have been arrested for false reasons, discrimination and hate have increased. And this is also what I saw personally when I visited India in December,” she added, as she also called for human rights and democracy to be at the core of India-EU relations, including in the trading relationship. As PM Modi leaves for Paris, DAC approves procurement of 26 Rafale-M jets, 3 more Scorpene submarines from France As Prime Minister [Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Paris]( on July 13 afternoon, the [Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accorded approval for the procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighters]( to operate off the aircraft carriers and three additional Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines from France. “The DAC granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft along with associated ancillary equipment, weapons, simulator, spares, documentation, crew training and logistic support for the Indian Navy from the French Government based on Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA),” a Defence Ministry statement said. “The price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French Government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including comparative procurement price of similar aircraft by other countries.” Further, integration of Indian designed equipment and establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) hub for various systems will be incorporated into the contract documents after due negotiations, the Ministry said. The DAC also granted the AoN for procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines under Buy (Indian) category which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). “The procurement of additional submarines, with higher indigenous content, will not only help in maintaining required force level and operational readiness of the Indian Navy, but also create significant employment opportunities in the domestic sector,” the statement said. In addition, the DAC approved the proposal to lay down guidelines for achieving the desired indigenous content in all categories of capital acquisition cases. This the Ministry said will help in achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in critical manufacturing technologies and life-cycle sustenance of defence platforms/equipment through indigenous manufacturing. The 26 Rafale-M fighters include 22 single seater jets and four twin-seater trainers, defence officials said. However, the Rafale trainers are not carrier compatible. In March, Navy Chief Adm R. Hari Kumar has said that both Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale M fighters meet the requirements of the Navy and a selection between them is a government’s decision, while adding that the Rafale M has commonality with the Indian Air Force in terms of spares and support. IAF operates 36 Rafale jets customised for Indian requirements procured under a €7.87 bn deal signed in April 2016. Modi government ‘hell-bent’ on killing scientific research in country, alleges Congress Congress president [Mallikarjun Kharge on July 13 hit out at the Centre over scientists at top research institutions having not received funds for this financial year]( alleging that the Modi government is “hell-bent” on killing scientific research in the country. His attack came over a media report which claimed that scientists at top research institutions who ought to have received funds from central agencies for this financial year in April were still waiting. Modi government is hell-bent to kill scientific research in the country, thus hampering a nation’s progress,” Kharge said in a tweet. Scientists at top research institutions are yet to receive funds for this financial year and are forced to use their hard-earned savings to continue research, he said. “At a time when government has promised more funding by setting up a National Research Foundation (NRF), their purchases are on hold and project staff have not been paid for three months. Private funding is welcome, but the Government funding should not stop,” the Congress president said. Budget 2023 slashed the funds for scientific research by 6.87%, he said. “In 2017, the scientific community was forced to stage nationwide protests in 27 cities to register their concerns about paltry funding, fund cuts and pseudo-science propagated by the Modi Government,” he said. In 2015, the Modi government had asked organisations involved in scientific research to start “self-financing” projects, which meant they would have to raise their own funding for research, Kharge said. “Modi Government has time and again displayed its utter disdain and contempt against encouraging scientific temper,” he alleged. “PM Modi might speak about — Jai Vigyaan, Jai anusandhan — but sadly, his government wishes to — parajay vigyaan, parajay anusandhan (defeat science, defeat research),” Kharge said. Earlier, senior Congress leader P. Chidamabram took a swipe at the Centre over the matter, saying maybe the government will coin a new slogan ‘minimum funds, maximum research’. Citing the same media report as Kharge, Chidambaram said that as a result of this, purchases are on hold and project staff have not been paid for three months. He also quoted senior scientist, S.C. Lakhotia, as saying that he is paying his project staff from his own pocket. Why are the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Biotechnology silent on the matter, the former Union Minister asked. “Maybe the Government will coin a new slogan this week: minimum funds, maximum research,” Chidambaram said on Twitter. Kendriya Vidyalaya teachers protest arbitrary transfer policy in letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla [Dissatisfied with the Centre’s latest policy on transfers, teachers from the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) have penned a letter of protest to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla]( listing their grievances and suggestions. Over the last five years, KVS headquarters in New Delhi has issued four transfer guidelines, once each in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023. “It is very surprising that almost every year KVS HQ changes the transfer process and due to the vacillating policy, KVS teachers suffer a lot,” the letter stated. There are at least 45,000 KVS teachers spread across 1,270 KV schools in India. “In the present transfer policy, there is no scope for any ‘on request’ or ‘intra-station transfer’. Also, the possibility of a mutual transfer, if two teachers are so willing, has been removed,” Anil Kumar Dalia, general secretary of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Pragatisheel Shikshak Sangh told The Hindu. Concessions on transfers were earlier provided if a KVS employee and their spouse were employed within a radius of 100 kilometres from each other; however, in the latest policy, such a concession will be given only if they are posted in the same location. Also, women teachers could earlier stay in the same location for 15 years; this will now be reduced to seven years. Dalia said that there has been no recruitment of fresh teachers over the last four years, despite an available list of 12,000 new teachers. “Usually, 5,000 to 6,000 teachers get transferred, essentially to relieve teachers working in hard stations like the north-east and so on [who have served a tenure of three years]. While we are not against transfers, arbitrary change of policy has been contested,” he said. The KVS teachers’ association plans to hold a black badge protest on July 18, and stage a protest in front of the regional KVS offices or at Jantar Mantar if their demands are not accepted. “We will also move court to lodge cases in the Central Administrative Tribunal against the policy, if need be,” Dalia said. In Brief: [The 25 hours 30 minute countdown for the launch of the country’s third moon mission Chandrayaan-3 commenced on July 13]( at the spaceport in Bengaluru, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. Friday’s lunar expedition follows the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 mission where space scientists are aiming for a soft landing on the surface of the moon. A successful mission would see India enter an elite club of nations achieving such a feat, the others being the United States, China and the former Soviet Union. “LVM3M4-CHANDRAYAAN-3 MISSION: The countdown leading to the launch tomorrow (Friday- July 14) at 14.35 hrs has commenced,” ISRO said in a social media post. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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