
Centre slams western media for 'vested' probe coverage
The minister urged the western media to avoid speculation and lauded the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for successfully decoding the black box data in India.
'AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially Western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish. I believe in AAIB. I believe in the work that they are doing. They have done a wonderful job in decoding the whole black box and getting the data out in India itself,' Naidu said.
He called it a major achievement, pointing out that earlier, the black box had to be sent abroad to retrieve data. 'It was a huge success for us because previous incidents, whenever the black box was seen to be damaged, it was always sent abroad to get the data out. "
"But this is the first time that successfully AAIB has decoded everything. The data has been here. The preliminary report has also been seen,' the minister remarked.
Calling for caution until the investigation is complete, the minister said drawing conclusions at this stage would be inappropriate. 'Making any comments until the final report has come, I don't think it is a good exercise on behalf of anyone. We are also very cautious and studying the report thoroughly, and whatever necessary needs to be done in terms of safety, we are ready to do it,' said the Civil Aviation Minister. He reiterated the need for patience and affirmed the government's commitment to aviation safety. 'Regarding the incident and investigation, we have to wait for the final report before we say anything.'
The AAIB is currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding the Air India crash that took place in Ahmedabad on June 12. The preliminary findings are under examination, and the final report is expected to offer a clearer picture of the causes and necessary safety interventions.

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NDTV
22 minutes ago
- NDTV
WHO Says Staff Residence, Warehouse "Attacked" In Gaza By Israeli Forces
The World Health Organization said Monday its facilities in Gaza had come under Israeli attack, echoing calls from Western countries for an immediate ceasefire as Israel expanded military operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Israeli military had entered the UN agency's staff residence, forced women and children to evacuate on foot, and handcuffed, stripped and interrogated male staff at gunpoint. Earlier, more than two dozen Western countries called for an immediate end to the war, saying suffering there had "reached new depths". After more than 21 months of fighting that have triggered catastrophic humanitarian conditions for Gaza's more than two million people, Israeli allies Britain, France, Australia, Canada and 21 other countries, plus the EU, said in a joint statement that the war "must end now". "The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths," the signatories added, urging a negotiated ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants and the free flow of much-needed aid. Tedros, who also condemned an attack on the WHO's main warehouse in Deir el-Balah, echoed that call: "A ceasefire is not just necessary, it is overdue," he said on X. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the countries' statement, saying any international pressure should be on Hamas, while US ambassador Mike Huckabee called the joint letter "disgusting". Key mediator Egypt, however, endorsed the message. The Western plea came with Deir el-Balah under intense shelling on Monday, after Israel's military the day before had ordered residents to leave, warning of imminent action in an area where it had not previously operated. Between 50,000 and 80,000 people were in the area when the evacuation order was issued, according to initial estimates from the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA. Deir el-Balah resident Abdullah Abu Saleem, 48, told AFP on Monday that "during the night, we heard huge and powerful explosions shaking the area as if it were an earthquake". He said this was "due to artillery shelling in the south-central part of Deir el-Balah and the southeastern area". "We are extremely worried and fearful that the army is planning a ground operation," he added. - 'Extremely critical' - In their statement, the Western countries also denounced Israel's aid delivery model in Gaza, saying it was "dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity". The UN has recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food since late May, when Israel began easing a more than two-month aid blockade. "We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food," the statement said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned through his spokesman the "accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions", noting "the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition". In Deir el-Balah, AFP images showed plumes of dark smoke billowing into the sky. The spokesman for Gaza's civil defence agency, Mahmud Bassal, told AFP it had "received calls from several families trapped in the Al-Baraka area of Deir el-Balah due to shelling by Israeli tanks". The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. Since the start of the war, nearly all of Gaza's population has been displaced at least once by repeated Israeli evacuation orders. According to OCHA, the latest order means that 87.8 percent of the territory is now under evacuation orders or within Israeli militarised zones. Hamdi Abu Mughseeb, 50, told AFP that he and his family had fled northwards from their tent south of Deir el-Balah at dawn following a night of intense shelling. "There is no safe place anywhere in the Gaza Strip," he said. "I don't know where we can go." Mai Elawawda, communications officer in Gaza for the UK-based charity Medical Aid for Palestinians, said the situation was "extremely critical", describing shelling "all around our office." - 'Shocked and alarmed' - The families of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel said they were "shocked and alarmed" by reports of evacuation orders for parts of Deir el-Balah. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum demanded political and military authorities "clearly explain why the offensive in the Deir el-Balah area does not put the hostages at serious risk". Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Civil defence spokesman Bassal reported at least 15 people killed by Israeli forces across Gaza on Monday. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the agency and other parties. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,029 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Hamas's 2023 attack, which sparked the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.


Mint
22 minutes ago
- Mint
Clean mobility crossroads: Why states side with EVs over hybrids
India's push for clean mobility is hitting a fork in the road, as states increasingly diverge from the Centre's approach to supporting all types of clean vehicles. The growing divide, evident in automobile policies in various states, has also set the stage for intense lobbying, as rivals vie for policy support. At the central level, the view is to treat electric and hybrids equally when it comes to incentives. But states are having different thoughts. Key states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have decided to reserve incentives for battery EVs (BEVs) in their automobile policies for 2025, a Mint review found. Chhattisgarh recently tweaked a 2022 policy to explicitly remove incentives for hybrids. While Uttarakhand and Delhi had toyed with incentives for hybrids in their draft policies, the former is now reconsidering its position, a person aware of the matter said. State choice 'In Para 3 of the said rule, the phrase 'Hybrid electric vehicles will be eligible to receive 50% of the purchase incentive amount given to a fully electric vehicle' should be replaced with 'No subsidy will be given to any type of hybrid vehicles'," Chhattisgarh government said on 29 May. Union ministers have backed equal treatment for both EVs and hybrids. "Under the FAME-II Scheme, EV and hybrid versions of electric four-wheelers were allowed for incentivization. Similarly, in the case of the PM E-Drive scheme, a hybrid version of e-ambulances, that is, electric plug-in hybrid & strong hybrid, shall be incentivized," Union heavy industries minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said in a June 6 interview. Union road minister Nitin Gadkari too has backed both hybrid and ethanol-powered cars. While EV makers demand incentives should be reserved for zero-tailpipe emission vehicles, hybrid makers say their vehicles are far more fuel-efficient than conventional ICE vehicles, and that they serve as a bridge to a cleaner future. Few takers According to analysts at HSBC Global Research, at the end of 2024, only five states and union territories had incentivized sales of hybrid vehicles, which included Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh. With the withdrawal of hybrid incentives in Chhattisgarh, the number has reduced to four. Incentives by Delhi and Uttarakhand haven't been implemented yet, with final EV policy notification expected in months ahead. With states charting their own course to clean mobility through targeted policies, the hybrid lobby led by Maruti Suzuki has locked horns with the EV lobby led by Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra. 'We believe that government incentives should be directed toward technologies that require support to bridge a funding gap and accelerate innovation. Incentives are most effective when they help emerging technologies reach scale and maturity—particularly those that contribute meaningfully to long-term sustainability goals," a Tata Motors spokesperson said in response to queries on policy stance of state governments. Bridge to future Maruti Suzuki argues that promoting hybrids can reduce pure diesel and petrol vehicle sales, leading to an overall reduction in pollution. Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer, corporate affairs at Maruti Suzuki, said, "EV penetration in India is still around 3%. While all efforts should be made to maximize this, it still leaves 97% unaddressed. If we have to achieve the national objectives of decarbonization and oil import reduction, this 97% cannot be ignored. A technology like Strong Hybrid reduces CO₂ emission by 26-32% and improves fuel efficiency by 35-44% over pure petrol/diesel. However, it has a viability gap which needs to be addressed, as many countries of the world and many Indian states are already doing by incentivizing hybrids." The reluctance among states to include incentives for hybrid vehicles comes at a time when the automobile industry is locked in a sharp contest over a provision in Delhi's EV policy. Mint reported on 30 May that top automakers including Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra and Hyundai Motor India Ltd had approached the heavy industries ministry and federal thinktank Niti Aayog after the Delhi government proposed to include incentives for hybrid vehicles on par with EVs in its upcoming EV policy. Tata Motors, MG Motor India, Mahindra and Mahindra and Hyundai Motor India are India's leading EV manufacturers. Maruti Suzuki, Toyota India and Honda Cars India are the only companies offering hybrids. Policy dilemma 'In India, the broader policy consensus so far has been not to incentivize hybrids, with most benefits reserved only for BEVs," said Nikhil Dhaka, vice-president at consultancy firm Primus Partners. As companies slug it out, independent experts are also split on whether or not to incentivize hybrid vehicles. '(Not incentivizing hybrids) could be a missed opportunity, especially since our EV infrastructure is still developing. Only a few states like Delhi and Uttarakhand have taken steps to support strong and plug-in hybrids by offering some incentives," Dhaka of Primus Partners said, adding hybrids can reduce fuel use and emissions right away, making them a useful option while India builds a stronger EV ecosystem. Sharif Qamar, associate director of transport and urban governance at The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri), differed. 'The objective of the EV policy is to cut down emissions of vehicles and also contribute to improving the air quality," he said. 'When it comes to the emission reduction objective, currently, only zero-tailpipe emission vehicles need to be prioritized. Incentives should be crafted to encourage players to move towards zero emission vehicles." Meanwhile, both hybrids and EVs have gained traction in India. In FY25, 107,000 electric cars and 83,000 hybrid vehicles were sold, both growing 18% each.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
GMDA must meet at least once a month, not once or twice a year, says Rao Inderjit Singh
Gurgaon: GMDA was established to emulate the Noida Authority model as a centralised body that would steer the city's development, Union minister and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh said at TOI's #WeMakeGurgaon Townhall on Saturday. "Despite the intention of creating a one-window powerhouse, the existence of both the municipal corporation and GMDA, according to Singh, resulted in a lack of clarity regarding their respective areas of influence and administration. Conceived as a Noida Authority-like body, GMDA doesn't function as one. Formed in 2018, the development authority is now seven years old, so there's been enough time to steer it in the direction of its purpose. But the state govt has not quite been able to take it there. One of the main criticisms of GMDA is that its execution is slow and its contributions to the city's infrastructure improvements not very apparent. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Singh said when GMDA was formed, its CEO was allowed to sanction only projects up to Rs 50 lakh. Only recently, it was enhanced to Rs 2.5 crore. "The power of the MCG house (to sanction projects) was earlier Rs 2 crore only and now it has become Rs 10 crore. If you have a project which is over Rs 10 crore, it has to go to the minister, and if it is over Rs 25 crore, to the high-powered purchase committee sitting in Chandigarh. Now, this is a remote-controlled administrative setup with which I am not really very happy," said Singh, referring to the slowness of project execution in Gurgaon. In Noida, he added, Noida Authority operates through a single-window system. But Gurgaon is hobbled by multiple agencies, creating a complex administrative structure. Noida manages licences for residential colonies and plotted areas, while in Gurgaon, developers independently acquire land from farmers, aggregate it and then seek licences from the town and country planning department, said the minister, pointing out structural flaws in Gurgaon's governance. "Persistent flooding in Gurgaon stems from developers incorporating perennial waterways into their projects and constructing buildings upon them. With these natural water channels obstructed, water seeks alternative paths, resulting in widespread flooding throughout the city," he said. "Steps are being taken to establish a unified authority for issuing licences. There are concerns that the next developing city might face similar challenges as Gurgaon. It is crucial to avoid replicating the mistakes made in Gurgaon's development process in future urban expansion projects," he added. Singh also pointed out that GMDA has a meeting once a year or perhaps twice a year, which is not enough. "I mean, Gurgaon is generating so many problems every day. This is something that I'm trying to ask the chief minister to do. The GMDA meeting should not be held six-monthly. It should at least be held once a month. Even if the chief minister, who is the head of GMDA, cannot come, at least the officers should all convene once a month here in Gurgaon," said Singh.