Marking the 298th birth anniversary of Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar on Wednesday (May 31), Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that his government would rename Ahmednagar after her. The Western Maharashtrian city will now be known as Ahilyanagar.“The government has decided to name Ahmednagar district after Punyashlok Ahilya Devi Holkar. Our government is fortunate to have taken this decision. Ahilya Devi’s work was as big and great as the Himalayan mountains. Giving her name will increase the honour of this district,” Shinde told the media.Earlier in December 2022, Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar had informed the state Legislative Council that he was in conversation with the district administration to rename the city as ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Nagar’.How did the city of Ahmednagar first get its name?Located in the Western region of Maharashtra, Ahmednagar has been a part of some prominent kingdoms, starting from 240 BC, “when the vicinity is mentioned in the reference to the Mauryan Emperor Ashok”, as per the district’s official website.In the Medieval period, the region was ruled over by the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, the Western Chalukyas, and then the Delhi Sultanate. In the last case, the rule was not direct, and a revolt by Afghan soldier Alladin Hasan Gangu led to the establishment of the Bahmani kingdom in the Deccan. In the following years, Ahmednagar, then known as Nizamshahi, became one of the five independent kingdoms to emerge from that empire.In 1486, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah assumed the position of the Bahmani Sultanate’s prime minister. He successfully defeated the king of the Bahmani kingdom, who tried to dislodge him from power, in 1490. Four years later, he laid the foundation of a city close to where he had defeated the army, on the left bank of Sina river. This city was named after him: Ahmednagar.Nizam Shah also later captured the fort of Daulatabad and stationed his army there. “By his kindness, peaceful demeanour & efficiency, he could win the loyalty of the local and foreign Muslims and also of the Maratha peasants and worriers. Since his origin was Hindu, he found no difficulty in winning over the confidence of Brahmins, who were highly regarded by the Hindus,” says the website.Jawaharlal Nehru, in his book A Discovery of India (1946), wrote of him, “Ahmad Nizam Shah, the founder of Ahmadnagar in 1490, was the son of Nizam-ul-Mulk Bhairi, a minister of the Bahmani kings. This Nizam-ul-Mulk was the son of a Brahmin accountant named Bhairu…Thus the Ahmednagar dynasty was of indigenous origin.”And who was Ahilyabai Holkar?Ahilyabai was born in Chondi village of Ahmednagar to the village head Mankoji Shinde, who ensured that his daughter received an education, which was quite rare at that time.It is believed that Malhar Rao Holkar, the army commander to Peshwa Bajirao, spotted eight-year-old Ahilyabai at a temple service in Chondi. Impressed by her devotion and character, he decided to get his son, Khande Rao, married to her.After her husband’s death in the Battle of Kumbher against the king of Bharatpur in 1754, Ahilyabai took control of Malwa. She excelled at administrative and military strategies under the guidance of her father-in-law, who believed she should lead her people, and not die by Sati after Khande Rao passed away. After the death of her father-in-law and son a few years later, she petitioned the Peshwa to become the ruler, backed by the support of her army.Role in administration and temple-buildingIn his book, Nehru said Holkar’s rule, which lasted for thirty years (1765-1795), was “almost legendary as a period during which perfect order and good government prevailed and the people prospered. She was a very able ruler and organizer, highly respected during her lifetime.”Notably, her role in the restoration of Hindu temples is often talked about.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Samudra Darshan Path and the Somnath Exhibition Gallery — they showcase ruins of ancient Somnath, the temple built by Holkar in 1783 — in 2021, he mentioned, “When anyone in the world looks at this grand structure today, he doesn’t merely see a temple. He sees an existence which, for hundreds, thousands of years, has been inspiring, expounding human values; a place which was called by our seers the place of light, meaning knowledge, thousands of years ago; and a place that even today is proclaiming to the world that truth can’t be defeated by untruth, that faith can’t be trampled over by terror.”
Eknath Shinde attended a function in Ahmednagar, the birthplace of Ahilyadevi.Ahmednagar: The Ahmednagar district in western Maharashtra will be renamed after Ahilyadevi Holkar, the legendary 18th century ruler of the Indore state, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Wednesday.Mr Shinde was speaking at a function at Choundi in the district, the birthplace of Ahilyadevi (also known as Ahilya Bai), to mark her 298th birth anniversary.Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said at the function that he would request Chief Minister Shinde to rename Ahmednagar city as 'Ahilyanagar'."Our government works keeping in mind the ideal of governance set by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Ahilyadevi Holkar. Therefore, as per the wish of all of you, we have decided to rename (the district) for Ahilyadevi Holkar," Mr Shinde said in his speech.Mr Fadnavis said that had Ahilyadevi Holkar not been there, "there would not have been Kashi, temples of Lord Shiva." The ruling alliance of the BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena was a "Hindutva government," he added.The Deputy Chief Minister also noted that before this, the Shinde government renamed Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe city of Ahmednagar, 120 km northeast of Pune, is said to have derived its name from the 15th century ruler Ahmad Nizam Shah(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Devendra Fadnavis called the alliance of BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena "Hindutva" government (File)Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that he would urge Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to change the name of Ahmednagar city to 'Ahilyanagar'.Mr Fadnavis, Mr Shinde and many state ministers were present in Ahmednagar to attend an event on the death anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar, the Holkar Queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom who is known for building temples and 'dharamashalas' (public rest houses), throughout India."If Rajamata Ahilyadevi Holkar weren't there, Kashi wouldn't have remained. If she wasn't there, we wouldn't have temples of Lord Shiva. That's why people want Ahmednagar renamed Ahilyanagar. I am also going to request Chief Minister Eknath Shinde about the same," he said.The Deputy Chief Minister called the ruling alliance of BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena a "Hindutva" government."We are the people who chant the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We have created Sambhajinagar under your (Shinde's) leadership, we have created Dharashiv. I believe the chief minister is 'mawala' (soldier) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and thus Nagar (Ahmednagar) will be renamed Ahilyanagar."PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe Union home ministry in February approved a proposal by the Maharashtra government to change the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv respectively.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NAGPUR: Even as there is a decline in leopard deaths in the last three years, the forest department figures show that road accidents and vehicle hits continue to be the biggest reasons for the high toll in Maharashtra.In last three years, most state highways have been converted into national highways leading to widening of roads from two lanes to four. However, barring NH7 (Nagpur-Jabalpur) and NH-6 (Bhandara-Deori), nowhere in the region have mitigation measures been taken by the road development agencies.The figures from 2020 to December 19, 2022, show that 489 leopards have died in the state. Of these more than 50% (257) died in road accidents and vehicle hits, more than what have been poached (43) or drowned in wells (79). Apart from natural deaths, there were other reasons like deaths due to snares, poisoning, run over by trains, fires etc.In 2019, 110 leopard deaths were reported. However, in 2020, there was a huge spurt with 198 deaths followed by 167 in 2021, and 124 in 2022 (till December 19). Most of the deaths have been reported in high-density areas of Pune and Nashik circles. Nashik reported 208 deaths in the last four years while 119 leopards died in Pune, 32 in Aurangabad, and 29 in Kolhapur circles.Talking to TOI, Nashik chief conservator of forest (CCF) NB Gudge said, “One of the reasons is that there is a dearth of natural predators of leopards and hence their numbers have been increasing. Besides, changing crop patterns and distorted male-female ratios are other reasons. Nashik and Ahmednagar are sugarcane belts which have turned into a breeding ground for leopards.”“These big cats have been living in close vicinity of humans and are vulnerable to road hits and drowning in wells. Though mortality is high, their numbers are also going up,” Gudge said.It is evident that 2020 and 2021 were particularly bad for leopards. In these two years, the incidents of road kills were very high. In the given data, poaching seems to have peaked only in 2021, otherwise it is fairly flat.“Most of the deaths in accidents have happened on roads around Nashik, Ahmednagar, and Pune. It is possible that sufficient mitigation measures were not taken,” said wildlife experts.“One must also realize that with the advent of new generation cars and widening of roads, the overall speed and volume of traffic has increased drastically. Poor animals don't stand a chance of crossing a wide highway safely. The forest department should conduct an audit of mitigation measures to find out their worthiness in the context of repeated deaths in some areas,” experts told TOI.“In Eastern Vidarbha, it is quite possible that the leopard population may not be faring very well given the population explosion of their natural competitors, the tigers,” they said.As per MoEFCC’s ‘Status of leopards in India’ report released in December 2021, Maharashtra has 1,690 leopards, which is the third-largest population in the country. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of leopards (3,421), followed by Karnataka (1,783).“Having more leopards doesn’t mean these animals should be left to die. Every small road in the state is being widened despite low traffic volume. The highways ministry and PWD are expanding more than 15,000km of roads and it is high time the forest department, NHAI, and PWD sit together to decide on mitigation measures,” said green crusader Anasuya Kale-Chhabrani.
MUMBAI: Road accident fatalities in Maharashtra increased by 17% in the period between January-November 2022, as compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. Over 13,500 deaths and 30,120 road crashes were reported in January-November 2022.In Mumbai, however, both crashes and deaths reduced by at least 36% in January-November 2022, compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. Over 1,600 total crashes and 259 fatalities were reported in the city in January-November 2022. Reduction in fatalities could be due to ongoing infrastructure works and reduction of overall speed levels to non-fatal levels, besides installing speed cameras at strategic locations. Very high fatalities were reported in Nashik rural (825), Pune rural (794) and Ahmednagar (770) in Jan-Nov 2022. With newer, potentially high-speed road infrastructure being built in the state, such as the recently launched Samruddhi Expressway, the priority should be to improve safety and manage speeds, said experts."A significant amount of focus is required to control speeding on state roads, ensure usage of safety gear, such as rear seat belts and helmets for pillion riders and children, and safety treatment of intersections," recommended Piyush Tewari, founder of the non-profit SaveLIFE Foundation. As expressways and highways typically contribute to a majority of crashes year after year, police are focussing on education and awareness among motorists using these stretches. Sensitising drivers of heavy vehicles on fatigue and safe driving in hilly areas and ghats is given priority. "Our personnel hold meetings with drivers at fixed halts such as dhabas. We have also trained volunteers residing in villages close to the highway on how they can help save lives within the Golden Hour post a crash, as part of our Mrityunjay Jeevandoot project," said KK Sarangal, additional director general, state traffic. Over 1,050 officers from police, RTO and Public Works Department have been trained in gathering scientific data from crash sites and storing them. "For state roads, a combined approach of electronic enforcement and manual enforcement - in such a way that the time and place of enforcement are unpredictable - will create a lasting impact on driving behaviour," said George Aikara, CEO of the non-profit, United Way Mumbai.
Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar told the Legislative Council that he has sought a proposal from the district administration to rename the Western Maharashtra city of Ahmednagar as ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Nagar’, after the 18th century Malwa queen, Ahilyabai Holkar.Replying to a question raised in the State Legislative Council, Kesarkar said the decision will be taken after receiving the proposal from the district administration and after following the due procedure, including approval from the Centre.In August this year, the Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed two separate resolutions to send a proposal to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and rename Osmanabad as Dharashiv. Writing to then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in June, BJP leader Gopichand Padalkar had demanded the renaming, saying as Holkar was born in Choundi village of Ahmednagar and had “an Ahmednagar connection”, her name would be appropriate.NCP leader Amol Mitkari, however, has criticised the move. “Instead of demanding changes in names, it would be better if BJP and MNS leaders seek measures like reduction in rising fuel prices and rising inflation. They should urge the central government to take steps to resolve grievances of farmers and the poor. But this is not happening. Non-issues like change in name are being pushed,” Mitkari had said.Ahmednagar lies in the Western region of Maharashtra. According to the district’s official website, it has been a part of some prominent kingdoms, starting from 240B.C., “when the vicinity is mentioned in the reference to the Mauryan Emperor Ashok”.The Rashtrakuta Dynasty, the Western Chalukyas, and then the Delhi Sultanate ruled over the region in the Medieval period. In the last case, the rule was not direct, and a revolt by Afghan soldier Alladin Hasan Gangu led to the establishment of the Bahmani kingdom in the Deccan. After some time, Ahmednagar (then known as Nizamshahi) became one of the five independent kingdoms to emerge from that empire.In 1486, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah became the Bahmani Sultanate’s Prime Minister. He fought back an attempt by the king to dislodge him from power, and defeated the army of the Bahamani kingdom near Ahmednagar in May 1490. Finally, in 1494 he laid the foundation of a city close to where he defeated the army, on the left bank of Sina river, and named it after himself: Ahmednagar.Nizam Shah also later captured the fort of Daulatabad and stationed his army there. “By his kindness, peaceful demeanour & efficiency, he could win the loyalty of the local and foreign Muslims and also of the Maratha peasants and worriers. Since his origin was Hindu, he found no difficulty in winning over the confidence of Brahmins, who were highly regarded by the Hindus,” says the website.Jawaharlal Nehru, in his book A Discovery of India (1946), wrote, “Ahmad Nizam Shah, the founder of Ahmadnagar in 1490, was the son of Nizam-ul-Mulk Bhairi, a minister of the Bahmani kings. This Nizam-ul-Mulk was the son of a Brahmin accountant named Bhairu…Thus the Ahmednagar dynasty was of indigenous origin.”Born in Chondi village of Ahmednagar to the village head Mankoji Shinde, on May 31, 1725, Ahilyabai was one of the few women rulers of Medieval India. While the education of girls and women was rare at that time, Mankoji insisted on it for his daughter.When she was eight years old, Malhar Rao Holkar, the army commander to Peshwa Bajirao, is believed to have spotted her at a temple service in Chondi. Impressed by her character, he decided to get his son, Khande Rao, married to her.Ahilyabai took control of Malwa after her husband’s death in the Battle of Kumbher against the king of Bharatpur in 1754. She excelled at administrative and military strategies under the guidance of her father-in-law, who believed she should be the one to lead her people rather than die by Sati after Khande Rao passed away. She then petitioned the Peshwa to become the ruler, backed by her army.Nehru described Holkar’s rule, which lasted for thirty years (1765-1795), as “almost legendary as a period during which perfect order and good government prevailed and the people prospered. She was a very able ruler and organizer, highly respected during her lifetime.” Similarly glowing accounts are found elsewhere.According to an article in Google’s Arts and Culture platform, “During her reign, Malwa was never once attacked, when at that time the whole of Central India was facing a power struggle, with battles being fought for the throne. Under her rule, Malwa remained an oasis of stability and peace.”It adds that under Holkar, the city of Maheshwar became a literary, musical, artistic and industrial centre, and she helped establish a textile industry there, which is now home to the famous Maheshwari saris.Her role in the restoration of Hindu temples is often emphasised. In 1780, she had the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi rebuilt, nearly a century after Mughal king Aurangzeb ordered its destruction. Apart from holy sites like Badrinath, Dwarka, Omkareshwari, Gaya, and Rameswaram, Holkar also supported the construction of resting lodges for travellers, and of public ghats.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Samudra Darshan Path and the Somnath Exhibition Gallery (which exhibits ruins of ancient Somnath, the temple built by Holkar in 1783) in 2021, he said, “When anyone in the world looks at this grand structure today, he doesn’t merely see a temple. He sees an existence which, for hundreds, thousands of years, has been inspiring, expounding human values; a place which was called by our seers the place of light, meaning knowledge, thousands of years ago; and a place that even today is proclaiming to the world that truth can’t be defeated by untruth, that faith can’t be trampled over by terror.”
A day after passing a resolution to ‘legally pursue’ the inclusion of 865 Karnataka villages with Marathi-speaking population, the Maharashtra Legislature on Wednesday condemned the statement by Karnataka Law Minister J C Madhuswamy, who had said Mumbai qualifies to be an union territory. Speaking in the Legislative Council, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned the statement and reiterated that Maharashtra will not give up a single inch of land in the 865 villages. He also said that if required, the state will approach the central government and Supreme Court and will firmly support the people in border areas.“The border area where Marathi people live is an integral part of Maharashtra and we will not give up a single inch of land in the 865 villages, including Belgaum, Nipani, Karwar, Bidar and Bhalki. Karnataka should not challenge us. We will do whatever it takes to fight this out in a legal way and give justice to the people living in the border area. If needed, we will approach the SC or the Union government,” said Shinde.“Despite the meeting with Union Home Minister, a statement has come… I condemn the statement (the demand to make Mumbai an union territory). Mumbai belongs to only Maharashtra and its people, and not to anyone else. We have got it after sacrificing 105 martyrs. No one should make such a statement. The government and I condemn the statement made by them (Karnataka minister),” said Shinde.While speaking in the Council, Shinde also listed various new schemes for the border areas, and said that the state and the government will firmly stand with the people living there. “We will do everything to ensure that no injustice is done to the Marathi-speaking people and we will help them in any way we can,” he said.Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also spoke in the Assembly and said Karnataka ministers and leaders are making such statements despite the assurances given in front of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to not make any new claims.Leader of opposition Ajit Pawar also raised the comment by the Karnataka law minister in the state Assembly. “The state government must condemn Karnataka ministers and MLAs who are making provocative statements and even demanding that Mumbai be made an union territory. The state government must take a serious note of it as Karnataka is openly violating directions given by the Union Home Minister,” said Pawar. He demanded that the state government must write a stern letter condemning the Karnataka government. Meanwhile, speaking in the Legislative Council on the border dispute, Congress MLC Shashikant Shinde took a jibe at state Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai by asking him to visit Belagavi, and “not return midway”.“Go and visit Belagavi and meet the Marathi-speaking people there. But do not return midway,” said Shinde. Shinde also alleged that 1,500 acres of land of Marathi-speaking farmers in border areas of Karnataka was acquired by the Karnataka government for a highway, and Kannada-speakers were allotted parts of this land. The opposition leaders in the Legislative Council, including Shinde, also demanded that the disputed border area be declared an union territory.
After renaming Aurangabad and Osmanabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv, respectively, the government is now contemplating renaming Ahmednagar in Western Maharashtra to ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Nagar’ (after Ahilyabai Holkar).Replying to a question on the renaming of the city, raised in the Legislative Council, Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar said that following ‘requests’ from public representatives the government has sought a proposal from the district administration to rename Ahmednagar as ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Nagar’.The question was tabled by MLC Gopichand Padalkar, Ramesh Karad and Ramrao Patil to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the council.Kesarkar said the decision will be taken after receiving the proposal from the district administration and after following the due procedure, including approval from the Centre.The city derived its name Ahmednagar from its 15th-century ruler Ahmed Nizam Shah I.In August, the Maharashtra assembly unanimously passed two separate resolutions to send a proposal to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and rename Osmanabad as Dharashiv.
We will seek the intervention of the Supreme Court and the central government," he said.Nagpur: Amid the latest flashpoint over the border dispute with Karnataka, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today told the state's Legislative Council that not an inch of the land from the disputed 865 villages will be ceded to the neighbouring state and his government will pursue all legal avenues to prevent injustice against the Marathi speaking people.The Chief Minister's statement comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, on Tuesday, proclaimed that his state won't give an inch of the disputed territory to Maharashtra.Addressing the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Mr Shinde said, "Karnataka should not challenge us as we will not give up an inch of the land in the 865 (disputed) villages, including Belgavi, Nipani, Karwar, Bidar and Bhalki. We will pursue whatever legal recourse that is available to us. We will seek the intervention of the Supreme Court and the central government and do everything in our power to prevent injustice to our Marathi-speaking people."Earlier, on Tuesday, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on the dispute with Karnataka over border areas saying the state will legally pursue the inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages that are in Karnataka.In an apparent reaction to the move, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said "not an inch of land will be ceded to Maharashtra" and that the state is confident of getting justice, as the states were carved out on the basis of the States Reorganisation Act 1956.Amid the row, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the 'disputed areas' should be declared a Union Territory.Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday tabled the resolution in the Assembly on the border row.The resolution, which was passed unanimously, says Maharashtra will fight the pending case in the Supreme Court with full strength for the inclusion of each and every inch of the 865 villages that it lays claim to. They include Belgavi, Karwar, Nipani, and Bidar Bhalki in Maharashtra. The resolution also condemned the Karnataka administration for 'its anti-Marathi stand' in the border areas.The resolution further said the Maharashtra government will stand with the Marathi-speaking people in border areas and will go for a legal fight in the Supreme Court to ensure that these areas become a part of the state.The central government should urge the Karnataka government to implement the decision taken in the meeting with the Union Home Minister and the government should be given an understanding that would guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas, the resolution said.The Maharashtra assembly resolution came days after Karnataka Assembly passed a unanimous resolution last week over the Karnataka-Maharashtra border issue and condemned statements made by some Maha ministers on the issue. The resolution said that legal action will be taken against any minister if they continue to make statements over the issue.Uddhav Thackeray, who spoke to the reporters on Tuesday in Nagpur, demanded that the 'disputed areas' be declared a Union Territory.He said the party supported the resolution in the Maharashtra Assembly. "Whatever happens in favour of Maharashtra, we will support it. But there are some questions. For over two years, people (living in border areas) have been demanding that their areas be included in Maharashtra. What are we doing about that?" Thakeray asked.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com"Today government replied that the disputed area cannot be declared as a Union Territory as said by Supreme Court in 2008. However, the situation is not the same now. The Karnataka government is not following it. They are doing an Assembly session there and has renamed Belagavi. So we should go to Supreme Court and urge it to declare it as UT," he said.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Featured Video Of The DayExclusive: Ministry Can't Regulate Airline Tariffs, Says Jyotiraditya Scindia
The government has also written to the commissioner of the Ahmednagar municipal corporation.Nagpur: The Maharashtra government has asked the district administration to submit a proposal to rename Ahmednagar as 'Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Nagar', it told the Legislative Council in Nagpur on Wednesday.Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar made the statement in reply to a question during Question Hour.He, however, did not specify whether the government intended to rename the city of Ahmednagar in central Maharashtra or the district of which it is the headquarters, or both.The name Ahmednagar is derived from its 15th-century ruler Ahmed Nizam Shah I.The directives were issued on September 7 to Ahmednagar district collector as well as the concerned divisional commissioner, Kesarkar said.The government has also written to the commissioner of the Ahmednagar municipal corporation, divisional railway manager, senior post master and tehsildar for sending such proposals, the minister said.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comAfter receiving the proposal, it will be tabled before the state cabinet for approval and later forwarded to the Union government for final decision, Kesarkar added.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Featured Video Of The DayDelhi Cop Loses 46 Kilos In 8 Months, Sets An Example
Devendra Fadnavis slammed Opposition leaders in the state Legislative Council over Savarkar's "insult".Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday lashed out at the Opposition leaders in the state Legislative Council over Veer Savarkar's "insult", and said that even if the freedom fighter doesn't get Bharat Ratna, the leaders should "stop insulting him".This comes amid a big uproar in the Legislative Council over the issue of offensive remarks by some leaders on various great men.Thackeray Group MLA Anil Parab raised the issue of contempt of great men in the Legislative Council. On this, he targeted the ruling BJP and the Shinde group.In response, Mr Fadnavis also submitted a statement on the same issue.Reading out the offensive statements made by the opposition party leaders about great men, he asked why Mr Parab did not mention anything about insulting Savarkar in his statement."Parab saheb, in your speech you never once gave the example of freedom fighter V D Savarkar. Rahul Gandhi calls freedom hero Savarkar an apologist and self-proclaimed Hindutvawadi. No one talks about it. I mean, even if Savarkar doesn't get the Bharat Ratna, at least stop insulting him," Mr Fadnavis said.Mr Fadnavis read out the statements made by various leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi about great men. "You are not saying anything on this, you are silent on this," he added.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe Council was later adjourned till Wednesday.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Featured Video Of The DayChina Lifts Covid Curbs, India Takes Stock: How Prepared Are We?
NASHIK: Claims of cattle vaccination in Maharashtra being completed in record time notwithstanding, the number of cattle deaths due to lumpy skin disease across the state has jumped more than 41% in 20 days since November 18. Ahmednagar district alone registered a cattle-death rise of 61%. Till November 18, as many as 18,011 cattle deaths were reported across the state. By December 8, the number had increased to 25,402, statistics provided by the animal husbandry department indicated. A senior officer of the department pointed out that the highest number of deaths in the Nashik division was in the Ahmednagar district. The death toll here increased from 1,906 to 3,063 during this period. Meanwhile, the Buldhana district has had the most cattle deaths (4,556) so far. Ahmednagar has swapped positions with Jalgaon to take the second spot. While Amravati is in the third spot with 2,453 cattle deaths, and Jalgaon is in the fourth spot with 2,370 deaths. According to senior officials of the department, the high number of deaths in Ahmednagar was due to increasing infection among calves, even though the recovery among adult animals was improving. The rate at which the cattle are being cured of the disease during the same period too has improved - from 72% to 77%. "Calves are most sensitive to the infection. After being infected, it takes them some time to build up immunity. And they generally die on the third or fourth day of infection. Calves less than four months old are most susceptible," the office said. The officer added that isolation of infected cattle was being carried out at an individual level, as it is not possible on a large scale. A central team of experts from the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy that visited Maharashtra had sought a change in protocol for the treatment of infected animals. "It is being implemented from December 2 and is yielding results," the officer added. Since the liver is largely affected due to medicines, changes in the protocol include providing supplements and tonics to improve liver strength, changes in feed and fodder, and ensuring vector-free clean cow sheds. "The changed protocol is being followed aggressively and farmers are being made aware," the officer added.
Nashik: Claims of cattle vaccination in Maharashtra being completed in record time notwithstanding, the number of cattle deaths due to lumpy skin disease across the state has jumped more than 41% in 20 days since November 18. Ahmednagar district alone registered a cattle-death rise of 61%. Till November 18, as many as 18,011 cattle deaths were reported across the state. By December 8, the number had increased to 25,402, statistics provided by the animal husbandry department indicated. A senior officer of the department pointed out that the highest number of deaths in the Nashik division was in the Ahmednagar district. The death toll here increased from 1,906 to 3,063 during this period. Meanwhile, the Buldhana district has had the most cattle deaths (4,556) so far. Ahmednagar has swapped positions with Jalgaon to take the second spot. While Amravati is in the third spot with 2,453 cattle deaths, and Jalgaon is in the fourth spot with 2,370 deaths. According to senior officials of the department, the high number of deaths in Ahmednagar was due to increasing infection among calves, even though the recovery among adult animals was improving. The rate at which the cattle are being cured of the disease during the same period too has improved — from 72% to 77%. “Calves are most sensitive to the infection. After being infected, it takes them some time to build up immunity. And they generally die on the third or fourth day of infection. Calves less than four months old are most susceptible,” the office said. The officer added that isolation of infected cattle was being carried out at an individual level, as it is not possible on a large scale. A central team of experts from the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy that visited Maharashtra had sought a change in protocol for the treatment of infected animals. “It is being implemented from December 2 and is yielding results,” the officer added. Since the liver is largely affected due to medicines, changes in the protocol include providing supplements and tonics to improve liver strength, changes in feed and fodder, and ensuring vector-free clean cow sheds.“The changed protocol is being followed aggressively and farmers are being made aware,” the officer added.
NEW DELHI: Infectious Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) took lives of over 1.55 lakh cattle in the country this year with Rajasthan alone reporting nearly 50% (75,819) of such deaths among 22 states/Union territories (UTs) affected by the disease. The other states that reported a high number of casualties among cattle include Maharashtra (24,430), Punjab (17,932), Karnataka (12,244) and Himachal Pradesh (10,681). Though Gujarat is among the top affected states, the casualty figure in the state is less (6,193) compared to the top five. Sharing state-wise data of casualties among cattle due to LSD in the Rajya Sabha, the ministry of animal husbandry and dairying on Friday claimed that the disease is presently under control with vaccination underway, and around 6.26 crore animals have, so far, been vaccinated. The ministry’s data shows that over 29.45 lakh cattle have, so far, been affected by the infection across 22 states/UTs this year. Over 25.5 lakh cattle have, however, already been recovered from the disease which was first reported in cattle in Odisha in September 2019. Though LSD is primarily a disease of cows, emerging evidence suggests that it can also cause mild illness in buffalo, camel, deer and horse. Its spread in unnatural hosts this year had raised concerns about its zoonotic implication. “The confirmatory evidence of human infection is, however, lacking,” said a scientist from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR) whose Hisar-based institute, National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), has developed a homologous live-attenuated vaccine (LumpiProVac Ind). The vaccine technology has been transferred through Agrinnovate India Limited to two firms - Biovet Private Limited, Bengaluru, and Indian Immunologicals Limited, Hyderabad, for its production. The ministry informed the Upper House that it was taking all necessary steps to support the states/UTs to control and contain the disease which include financial and technical support.
MUMBAI: The state government has so far paid Rs 31 crore as compensation to farmers following the death of livestock owing to the lumpy skin disease (LSD). As many as 25,727 infected animals have died since the outbreak in September. The compensation has been paid to 11,427 cattle owners following the death of their cattle," according to the office of the commissioner of the state animal husbandry department. The department has launched a "Majha Gotha, Swachch Gotha" (My shed, clean shed) campaign to contain the spread of the contagious disease. LSD is a cutaneous viral disease in bovines and is not transmitted to human beings either from animals or through cow milk. It is found in bovines only. The disease has spread to 35 districts and of 3.7 lakh infected livestock, 2.8 lakh have recovered after treatment, according to a government press release. The government has identified 3,985 epicentres of the disease across the state. The opposition has raised questions on the efficacy of the vaccine which has been provided by the government for the vaccination of the animals. The state has claimed it has completed 100% vaccination free of cost and has vaccinated 1.4 crore animals which includes vaccination carried out by private institutes, cooperative dairy federations and others. The department has now decided to vaccinate calves of the cows not infected with the disease as also calves of unvaccinated and vaccinated cows. The cattle owners have been asked to stop sending their cattle in herds to graze as also stop taking them to public watering facilities. Both these practices have been found to be responsible for the spread of the disease according to the state task force.
A FEW days ago, on November 29, the Maharashtra government had announced completion of 100% vaccination of cattle in the state against Lumpy Skin Disease. However, from that date onwards till December 5, the state has seen 2,018 animal deaths as per the data available with The Indian Express.So far, the state has seen 24,430 cattle deaths due to the disease since the outbreak in mid-September.The government claims that it has vaccinated 100% cattle, which is over 1.39 crore animals in the state. However, the Opposition has raised doubts over the vaccination claims of the state government.As per the data of state’s Animal Husbandry department available with The Indian Express, the cattle affected by LSD in the state till December 5 is 3,50,171, out of which 24,430 animals have succumbed to the disease. “We have vaccinated 100% cattle in the state. The total number of vaccinated animals is 1,39,41,581 and we believe the disease is under control,” said an official from the Animal Husbandry department.On November 29, Maharashtra government had issued a notification which said that 100% vaccination of the cattle is achieved in the state. It said that permission has been given to transport animals from the LSD-affected areas to those which are not affected by the disease and carry the certificate of vaccination. It also said the district collector can give permission for animal fair and sports in areas other than controlled ones.However, the Opposition Congress has contested the claims of the state government. “If 100% vaccination is complete, then why animals are still getting infected and dying due to this disease? The government had claimed that timely vaccination of animals does not lead them to death and despite that hundreds of deaths are recorded in the state daily,” said Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole.Patole claimed that the state government’s efforts to vaccinate animals are not fool-proof and the claims of 100% vaccination need to be checked once again.
