Latest news with #AshwaniSharma
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP will go it alone in '27 polls: Party's Pb officiating chief
Ludhiana: The newly appointed officiating president of BJP in Punjab, Ashwani Sharma, has contradicted state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar's assertion regarding the necessity of an alliance between SAD and BJP for 2027 assembly elections. Sharma has clarified that BJP will go it alone in Punjab in 2027, and that the previous alliance was not formed for political gains but to restore peace and harmony during a challenging period in the state. Sharma addressed party workers and leaders Tuesday, following his induction, with local leaders organising a function in his honour. He said the collaboration between SAD and BJP was not a true alliance, as they did not secure enough seats at the time. Sharma observed that voters across Punjab now want change. Criticising the governing AAP govt, Sharma said, "AAP did not pay Rs 1,000 to each woman in the state as promised and no action was taken against incidents of sacrilege." He also accused the AAP administration of failing to address the drug menace in the state, asserting that the chief minister, who Sharma alleged is addicted to intoxicants, cannot make Punjab drug-free. Regarding land issues, Sharma claimed that the ruling party leaders in Punjab were planning to acquire farmers' land under a land pooling scheme. He assured that BJP would prevent the AAP govt from forcibly acquiring even a single inch of land, emphasising Punjab's dependence on agriculture. Sharma highlighted that while Haryana provides MSP for all crops, farmers in Punjab receive nothing. He also accused the Centre of conspiring against BJP, despite implementing central schemes locally.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ashwani Sharma returns as Punjab BJP working president; senior leaders see shift in party dynamics
AMRITSAR: The appointment of Ashwani Sharma as the Working President of the Punjab BJP has stirred expectations of a structural shake-up in the state unit. While the changes may seem to be under the guidance of current state president Sunil Jakhar, insiders believe the move could indicate a deeper shift in the party's internal power dynamics. Sharma's return has also led to speculation about whether the BJP high command is seeking to challenge Jakhar's leadership, or possibly preparing him for a bigger role in the Central government, considering his political experience. Senior BJP leader Dr Avtar Singh said that while Jakhar is a respected figure, his past with the Congress may have influenced his leadership style. 'It seems he couldn't run the state unit with the distinct approach expected of a BJP leader,' he said, adding that Sharma's familiarity with Punjab politics made him a natural choice to manage the party effectively. Former Amritsar BJP General Secretary Somdev Sharma also weighed in, stating that internal tensions could stem from differing leadership roles within the two parties. 'In the Congress, the state president is seen as the ultimate authority, but that's not the case in the BJP. Here, the General Secretary (Organisation), or Sangathan Maha Mantri, holds greater influence than the state president. This structural difference likely led to internal friction and may have prompted the party high command to appoint Ashwani Sharma to restore balance and direction within the Punjab unit. ' While a major reshuffle is not expected, aside from a few minor changes, sources suggest the real impact will be on BJP workers in the state who will take note of the leadership message. Meanwhile, during a meeting in Amritsar on Thursday, local leaders decided to approach Sharma with a request to launch a campaign seeking justice for the thousands of Hindus killed during the height of militancy in Punjab. 'The BJP has consistently demanded capital punishment for Congress leaders allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, but it remains silent on delivering justice to the thousands of Hindus who were killed during the years of terrorism in Punjab. Shockingly, some of the perpetrators have openly boasted about their involvement in these killings, yet the BJP has never uttered a word in response,' Somdev Sharma said.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
How aircraft toilets work, and why they often clog together
Clogged lavatories have disrupted two of Air India's international flights in the span of two months, drawing attention to how aircraft toilets operate. All but one of the toilets on a Boeing 777 (B777) from Chicago to Delhi became unusable in March, forcing the aircraft to return, and at least five toilets clogged on a B777 from Toronto to Delhi this month, forcing a diversion to Frankfurt. A B777 typically has 12 toilets, but why should so many clog simultaneously? The key factor is the location of the objects causing the blockage — often polythene bags or pieces of cloth — which can affect all toilets whose waste lines pass through that area. But, regardless of whether one or multiple toilets are affected, such blockages stem from a disruption in the physics that aircraft lavatory systems rely on. Vacuum toilets Aircraft must, by necessity, maintain cabin pressure at a level higher than the atmospheric pressure outside — and this pressure differential also underpins the scientific principle on which aircraft toilets operate. The primary reason for maintaining relatively high cabin pressure is passenger safety and comfort. At an altitude of, say, 35,000 feet, the air pressure is around 3.45 pounds per square inch or psi (for context sea-level pressure is roughly four times higher). To ensure passengers have enough oxygen to breathe, cabin pressure is typically maintained at 11 to 12 psi. The aircraft toilet system takes advantage of the pressure differential between the cabin and the surrounding atmosphere by creating a vacuum so that air at higher pressure rushes toward the area of lower pressure, carrying waste along with it. This does not mean the waste is expelled into the atmosphere — as might happen to characters in an action movie when an aircraft door blows open. Instead, the waste is directed into a holding tank located in a lower-pressure zone in an area where the pressure is lower, similar to the conditions outside the aircraft. Also Read: Polythene bags, clothes clogged toilets: Air India after flight returns to US 'The waste tank is located below the floor of the aircraft cabin, in an unpressurised area. This tank, when full, can be serviced (emptied of waste material) whenever the aircraft lands at an airport,' said Ashwani Sharma, a veteran aircraft maintenance engineer who served with Air India for many years and is currently a professor of practice at Chandigarh University's aerospace engineering department and chairman of the Aeronautical Society of India's Mumbai branch. When one flushes a toilet at home, it releases a stream of water that carries the waste into a sewer line. In contrast, when one flushes an aircraft toilet, it opens a valve at the bottom of the toilet bowl, exposing the contents to the pressure differential. Air from the cabin immediately rushes into the bowl and, often noisily, passes through the valve on its way to the waste tank. The science behind clogging What is flushed down the toilet is often the reason behind clogging. Another cause can be mineral buildup — something that frequently affects household toilets — but clogs in aircraft toilets are more often associated with items flushed by fliers and where these end up in the network of drain lines. Different aircraft models have different numbers of toilets and water tanks. Narrow-body, single-aisle aircraft such as the Boeing B737 MAX and Airbus A320 NEO have one tank each, while wide-body, twin-aisle aircraft have two or more. 'A B777 has two tanks, while an Airbus A350 has four. If there are two tanks, then half the toilets would be connected to each,' Sharma said. Also Read: Air India flight returns to Chicago over clogged loos HT has reported earlier that the B777 diverted to Frankfurt had three sewer lines. No details were immediately available on how these three lines were divided between two tanks (if there were indeed two), but it is easy to understand why some clogs affect a larger number of toilets than others. A clog in a vacuum-based toilet means that one or more objects are acting as a barrier between the areas of higher and lower pressure, so the air in the cabin can no longer flow out with the waste, making the principle of differential pressure unworkable, Sharma said. 'If the clog is in a portion of drain line that is near the waste tank, then all toilets connected to that particular tank will be clogged as the clog will prevent differential pressure being created. If, however, the clog is in a toilet bowl or the drain line immediately below the bowl, then only that toilet would be clogged,' he added. Size matters because some items may be small enough to pass through the toilet bowl hole but too large to go through the drain line, whose diameter is smaller. 'This can block the drain line. Once there's a block in the line, differential pressure cannot be created and all toilets connected to that waste tank would become unserviceable,' Sharma said. Looking for solutions Sharma stressed that the problem of clogging is not limited to Air India or any single airline, calling it a universal issue. As such, newer ways to prevent or reduce clogging continue to be discussed. For example, a mesh could be placed at the end of the toilet bowl. 'The mesh will not allow a plastic bottle or a diaper to go through and block the line, but waste matter will go,' Sharma said. 'But it can create other issues,' he said. The suction pressure is so high that if a weak material is used, it will not last. Then again, if the material is too strong, the toilet bowl itself can get blocked. 'The difference is that if the toilet bowl gets blocked, only one toilet will become unserviceable. That particular toilet can be labelled as such, but the others will continue working.' Sharma said. It remains an evolving area with scope for innovation.
Mint
09-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
L&T share price jumps over 4% after Q4 results 2025; Should you buy or sell?
L&T share price jumped over 4% in early trade on Friday after the company reported its Q4 results. The rally in L&T share price comes despite broader weakness in the Indian stock market due to the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan. L&T shares gained as much as 4.72% to ₹ 3,477.55 apiece on the BSE. The engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) reported a consolidated net profit of ₹ 5,497 crore in the fourth quarter of FY25, registering a growth of 25% from ₹ 4,396 crore in the year-ago quarter. The company's revenue from operations in Q4FY25 increased 11% to ₹ 74,392 crore from ₹ 67,079 crore, year-on-year (YoY). EBITDA during the March quarter rose 13% to ₹ 8,203 crore from ₹ 7,234 crore in the year ago period, while EBITDA margin improved by 20 basis points (bps) to 11% from 10.8%, YoY. L&T won orders of ₹ 356,631 crore at the group level during the financial year ended March 31, 2025, registering a YoY growth of 18%. International orders stood at ₹ 207,478 crore during the year and comprised 58% of the total order inflow. The order inflow in Q4FY25 stood at ₹ 89,613 crore, up 24% YoY. International orders at ₹ 62,739 crore during the March 2025 quarter constituted 70% of the total. L&T's board also recommended a dividend of ₹ 34 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2025. L&T dividend record date has been fixed as on June 3, 2025. According to Ashwani Sharma, Senior Research Analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd., L&T's resilient Q4 results reflect in its well-diversified range of engineering and manufacturing capabilities as well as exposure to multiple geographies and end-customers. However, slowdown in execution and delay in order inflow conversion due to geopolitical tensions remain key near-term concerns. 'We lower our earnings by 7-8% for FY26/27E, by building in lower EBITDA margin owing to lower near-term profitability in the hydrocarbon business and increased fixed-price order backlog, from 42% to 46%. L&T is trading at core P&M multiple of 25x/20x FY26E/27E EPS, and offers an attractive risk-reward, in our view, given strong EPS CAGR (+23%) over FY25-27E, strong return profile with RoE moving toward 19% in FY27E, and robust cash flows and balance sheet,' Sharma. L&T's current multiple is at a discount to the historical average (23x), and is attractive versus broader industrial/infra space, while offering strong earnings growth and higher RoE, he added. The brokerage firm maintained a 'Buy' rating on L&T shares, and cut the target price by 12% to ₹ 4,000 apiece for March 2026. AT 9:35 AM, L&T share price was trading 3.23% higher at ₹ 3,428.00 apiece on the BSE. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Not a single drop' of water extra for Haryana: Punjab resolution
Chandigarh: The Punjab assembly unanimously passed a resolution during the special session of the House on Monday to not spare even a "single drop of water from its share to Haryana ." The resolution also sought reorganisation of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), scrapping of the Dam Safety Act 2021, and a new river water-sharing pact. After an over three-hour discussion, the resolution was passed by voice vote. When the Speaker was conducting voting, BJP's Ashwani Sharma objected to the naming of his party in the resolution, which evoked sharp reactions from the treasury benches. However, when the speaker again conducted voting, Sharma did not raise any objection. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, meanwhile, informed that the state govt was working on its own draft Bill to replace the Dam Safety Act, and it would be tabled in the assembly soon. The special session comes amidst escalating tensions over water sharing, with Punjab accusing the BJP of attempting to unfairly seize its rightful water through the Haryana govt, the Centre, and the BBMB. Although the opposition supported the resolution, the treasury benches attacked Congress and BJP by bringing up past decisions, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's 1981 intervention with CM Darbara Singh to withdraw the Supreme Court petition, her 1982 launch of the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal at Kapoori, and former CM Parkash Singh Badal's 1978 SYL notification on SYL. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3 Reasons to Plug This Into Your Home Today elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo Congress leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Shiromani Akali Dal's Manpreet Singh Ayali, Nacchatar Pal of Bahujan Samaj Party, and independent MLA Inder Partap Singh Rana supported the resolution during the discussion. ' HARYANA HAS ALREADY UTILISED SHARE' While moving the resolution, Barinder Kumar Goyal, minister of water resources, said, "The Punjab govt will not give even a single drop of water from its share to Haryana. The 4000 cusecs of water that is being given to Haryana for drinking purposes will be continued as a matter of humanity, but not even a drop more will be given." The resolution detailed Punjab's concerns, claiming that Haryana had already utilised its allocated water share until March 31. Goyal alleged that the BJP was orchestrating an "unconstitutional and illegal" meeting of the BBMB to forcefully divert Punjab's water to Haryana. While acknowledging a recent humanitarian gesture of providing 4000 cusecs of water to Haryana for drinking purposes following a request on April 6, the resolution said that no further water will be provided. It pointed out that Haryana's demand had suddenly surged to 8500 cusecs, far exceeding the estimated 1700 cusecs needed for drinking and other human needs for its 3 crore population. Highlighting the increased reliance on canal water in Punjab due to the state govt's efforts over the past three years, Goyal said the canal irrigation had been expanded from 22% of fields in 2021 to approximately 60% today. "That is why every single drop of Punjab's water has become precious for Punjab. The state no longer has any spare water to give to any other state," said Goyal. REORGANISE BBMB The resolution alleged that the present BBMB had become a "mere puppet" of the BJP-led Centre. "The House strongly condemns the illegal and unconstitutional convening of the BBMB meeting. In the meetings of BBMB, neither Punjab is being listened to nor are the rights of Punjab being taken care of. So BBMB should be reorganised so that the rights of Punjab can be protected," it said. The House directed BBMB to follow the law laid down for giving notice of a minimum number of days for each type of meeting in this regard. The resolution further said, "Which state will get how much water is clearly written in the 1981 treaty, BBMB has no power to change it. If BBMB gives the share of water of one state to another state by simply convening a meeting, then such decisions of BBMB are illegal and unconstitutional..." DAM SAFETY BILL: 'ATTACK ON PUNJAB'S RIGHTS' The resolution said that the House also considers the Dam Safety Act, 2021, to be an "attack on the rights of Punjab." It also labelled the Act a violation of India's federal structure. "This law fully empowers the Centre to directly control the rivers and dams of the states, even if the dam is entirely within the state's borders... Therefore, this House demands from the central govt that the Dam Safety Act 2021 be repealed immediately, and Govt of Punjab rejects the Act completely," it read. CALL FOR FRESH RIVER WATER-SHARING PACT The members also criticised the water-sharing agreement signed in 1981 between the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan for Satluj, Ravi, and Beas, based on assessment of the water availability in these rivers at that time. The resolution said, "Satluj, Ravi and Beas rivers pass through only Punjab. On what basis is water being given to other states? In 1981, when the agreement to share the water of these rivers was signed between the states, the amount of water in the rivers mentioned in the agreement and the amount of water that was distributed amongst states was much more than the actual water now available in these rivers. Because of this, a new agreement should be made for sharing the water of these rivers." RESOLUTION ACCUSES BJP Citing the functioning of the BBMB, the resolution also hit out at the BJP. It read, "For the past few days, the BJP has been trying to take away the rights of Punjab through its Haryana govt, the Centre and BBMB. By calling a meeting of BBMB in an unconstitutional and illegal manner, an attempt is being made to forcefully provide Punjab's rightful water to Haryana."
