Latest news with #Katiyar
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Kharif productivity meet focuses on modern tech, farmer empowerment
Kanpur: The District-Level Kharif Productivity Conference-2025 was held at Chandrashekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology on Thursday. BJP MLA Neelima Katiyar inaugurated the eventand addressed the farmers, emphasising the need to use modern and scientific techniques to tackle the challenges posed by changing weather conditions. She stated that farming today cannot rely solely on traditional methods; it is essential to adopt technological innovations that align with the changing climate to prevent any negative impact on crop yields and enhance productivity. Katiyar highlighted the unique global identity of Indian agriculture and farmers, urging the adoption of the latest research and technologies to advance farming, empowering farmers to compete globally and continuously increase their income. DM Jitendra Pratap Singh, in his address, said reducing farmers' costs while increasing their productivity is a priority for the state govt. He emphasised the need for concrete efforts to enable farmers to achieve maximum production at minimal cost, ensuring a steady rise in their income. CDO Deeksha Jain emphasised the need for environmentally friendly agriculture that aids in doubling farmers' income. For this, we must work according to scientific methods using modern technologies.
India Gazette
20-06-2025
- Climate
- India Gazette
Monsoon arrives in Himachal ahead of schedule, Heavy rain predicted over next 7 days
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 20 (ANI): The southwest monsoon officially entered Himachal Pradesh on Friday, five days before its normal onset date of June 25. It will grip the entire state by June 25, which weather department stated as 'normal.' With the early arrival, several parts of the state have already witnessed rainfall, and the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rains across Himachal over the next 5 to 7 days. Shobhit Katiyar, Senior Scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Shimla, told ANI, 'On June 20, 2025, the southwest monsoon entered Himachal Pradesh. It has already covered districts like Kinnaur, Kullu, Sirmaur, Mandi, Lahaul-Spiti, and Shimla. The remaining districts will be covered by the monsoon in the next 2 to 3 days.' 'Usually, the monsoon arrives in Himachal by June 25, and in Shimla city by June 22. This year's arrival is a few days earlier, which is still considered within the normal range,' he added. On rainfall expectations this season, Katiyar said, 'We are expecting above-normal rainfall across Himachal Pradesh this year. The average monsoon rainfall is around 734 mm, but this year it is likely to reach 800 mm or even more -- that's about 109% of normal.' Highlighting the forecast for the coming week, he warned of poor visibility and the possibility of flash floods or landslides, 'For the next 5 to 7 days, especially in the mid-hills and lower regions, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected. Low visibility conditions are likely to persist on June 26 and 27, although some relief may be seen on June 23 and 24.' Regarding alerts issued for various districts, Katiyar said, 'Heavy rain is likely in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kullu, Mandi, and Solan districts on different dates. An Orange Alert has been issued for June 22 in several districts, including Kangra, Shimla, Sirmaur, Bilaspur, and Solan.' On the government's preparedness, he stated, 'Preparatory meetings have already been held at both the state and district levels. We have issued all advisories and instructions to the administration. Alerts are being issued based on our forecasting systems, and the government is actively coordinating.' Advising the public to remain cautious, Katiyar said, 'People in Orange Alert areas should be especially cautious. Avoid vulnerable zones prone to landslides or waterlogging. Be careful while travelling in areas with low visibility.' (ANI)
India Gazette
13-06-2025
- Climate
- India Gazette
Heatwave to continue in Himachal for three more days, relief likely from June 16: IMD
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 13 (ANI): Heatwave conditions are expected to persist in parts of Himachal Pradesh over the next three days, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting above-normal temperatures in several districts. The department said on Thursday that the plains are likely to experience hot and dry winds, while mid- and higher hills will also witness elevated temperatures. According to Shobhit Katiyar, Senior Scientist at the IMD centre in Shimla, daytime temperatures in the state's plains are currently between 34C and 40C, which is 4-5 degrees Celsius above normal. 'Temperatures in the mid-hill regions are between 28C and 34C, while higher hill areas are recording 24C to 32C -- about 3-4C above the seasonal average,' Katiyar told ANI. The official said that Una, Kangra, and Kullu districts have been experiencing heatwave conditions for the past four to five days, and this situation is expected to continue until June 15. 'Heatwave conditions will persist in these districts for the next two days. A significant drop in maximum temperatures is likely from June 16 onwards, which will provide some respite from the prevailing heat,' Katiyar added. While heatwave alerts are currently in effect only for Una, Kangra and Kullu, other districts including Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Hamirpur and Bilaspur will continue to experience hot and humid weather. 'These areas are not under heatwave alert, but temperatures will remain above normal, leading to discomfort,' the IMD official said. The IMD said light rainfall and thunderstorm activity may be observed in Sirmaur, Kullu and Mandi districts on June 13, 14 and 15. 'There is a possibility of isolated hailstorms in Mandi and Kullu during this period, accompanied by gusty winds,' Katiyar said. A Western Disturbance is likely to affect Himachal Pradesh from the night of June 16, which may lead to a shift in weather patterns across the state. 'Under the influence of this system, light to moderate rain and thunderstorm activity is expected in mid and low hill areas from June 16 night onwards. This spell is likely to continue intermittently till June 20 or 21,' he added. The southwest monsoon has reached parts of central India, and conditions are becoming favourable for its further advancement. Katihar said the normal date for monsoon onset in Himachal Pradesh is June 25, and this year it is expected to arrive on time or possibly one to two days earlier. 'We are continuously monitoring monsoon progression. A formal forecast for monsoon arrival in Himachal will be issued four to five days in advance,' he said. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India-Pakistan conflict: Your insurance policy may not cover 'act of war'
Does your life or term insurance policy cover claims arising from an 'act of war'? With tensions between India and Pakistan on the rise, now may be a good time to review your insurance documents and reassess whether your financial protections are still adequate. According to Narendra Bharindwal, president of the Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI), most life and term insurance policies do not. 'Standard life or term insurance policies typically exclude deaths caused by war or war-like operations,' said Bharindwal. 'There's usually a 'war exclusion' clause built in that applies to civilians as well as active military personnel.' The war exclusion clause — War, whether declared or undeclared — Invasion or act of foreign enemy — Hostilities, civil war or rebellion — Insurrection or any similar events This means that even if the policy is active and all premiums are paid, a death resulting from these causes may not be covered. 'If a person dies in a bomb explosion in an active conflict zone abroad, and it's traced back to a war-related event, the insurer can reject the claim,' said Bharindwal. 'But if the death was from an unrelated cause, like an illness or accident, the claim might still go through.' Sandeep Katiyar, co-founder and CFO of Finhaat, explained further. 'Insurers typically have war exclusion clauses baked into the terms,' he said. According to him, claims may be rejected if death results from: — Participation in war or war-like operations — Terrorist activities — Acts of foreign enemies or invasions — Being in a known conflict zone, even if not directly involved However, he added, 'If an Indian expat living in the Middle East dies of a heart attack, and there's no link to the ongoing conflict, the claim can still be honoured — provided there are no geographical exclusions in the policy.' Are there exceptions? 'Some group term insurance plans for defence personnel or corporate insurance for employees posted overseas may include specific cover for such risks,' said Bharindwal. 'But these aren't standard and usually need custom underwriting.' Government bodies like LIC or the Army Wing offer war-risk cover to military personnel through schemes like Armed Forces Group Insurance. Civilian policies from private insurers, on the other hand, usually stay away from war-related coverage. Katiyar said some corporate policies — especially in high-risk sectors like oil and gas, media, or diplomacy — may be customised to include group accident or life cover with such provisions. High-risk international travel policies from general insurers such as Tata AIG or ICICI Lombard may include terrorism cover, but under health or personal accident categories — not life insurance. What policyholders should check Katiyar listed a few things individuals should watch for in their policy documents: — Read all exclusions carefully, especially those mentioning war, terrorism, or high-risk jobs — Check for optional add-ons like accidental death or terrorism cover — Review territorial limits — some policies exclude coverage outside India — For NRIs, confirm whether being in a high-risk area affects claim eligibility 'If you see terms like 'acts of war', 'civil commotion' or 'terrorism' in the exclusion section, it's a red flag,' he said. 'Clarify with your insurer.' He added that policyholders living or working in high-risk zones should consider: — Comprehensive international life insurance that includes conflict zones — AD&D (Accidental Death and Dismemberment) riders with terrorism cover — Group insurance negotiated by employers with explicit war-risk inclusions — Global insurers who state inclusion of conflict zones, subject to certain conditions 'Most importantly, always declare your location and job profile truthfully. If you leave that out, the insurer might reject the claim later — even if the death wasn't war-related,' said Katiyar.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Rain accompanied by thunderstorm expected in Himachal this week; IMD issues yellow alert
Himachal Pradesh is set to experience a break from the summer heat as light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and even snowfall in higher altitudes are predicted over the next week. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Nuclear Power! How India and Pakistan's arsenals stack up Does America have a plan to capture Pakistan's nuclear weapons? Airspace blockade: India plots a flight path to skip Pakistan The India Meteorological Department ( IMD ) has issued a yellow alert for the lower and mid-hill districts of the state, warning of possible thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. Speaking to ANI, Shobhit Katiyar, Senior Scientist at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla, said light rainfall was recorded in three districts and more will continue across Himachal. GIF89a����!�,D; 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Car Novels Undo "Light rainfall was recorded in Kinnaur district, and in parts of Shimla and Sirmaur districts over the past 24 hours. Yesterday evening's forecast indicated this activity, and it has played out as expected." Shobhit said. "Over the same period, Una district recorded the highest temperature in the state at 38.6°C, while the temperature in Shimla stood at 15.5°C. Despite the onset of this weather system, Katiyar noted that "temperatures in some regions are still 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal." He said. Live Events From May 1, rainfall activity is expected to begin across several districts. This pattern of intermittent rain is likely to persist for the next 5 to 7 days, resulting in a temperature drop of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius. The forecast brings much-needed relief from the heat, particularly for the mid-hill and low-lying regions of the state. "Thunderstorm and lightning activity will be more prominent in the mid and lower hills, accompanied by gusty winds with speeds of 30 to 40 km/h. This activity will intensify on May 4 and 5, potentially bringing moderate rainfall and stronger winds in some areas, with wind speeds reaching up to 40 to 50 km/h." He said. The current weather changes are due to a combined effect of a western disturbance and local atmospheric formations, he added. Most districts are expected to receive light to moderate rainfall during this period, with overcast skies likely to dominate. "There is very little chance of clear sunshine over the next 5 to 6 days. Strong winds are likely in the mid and lower hills, especially during thunderstorm events," Katiyar warned. In higher reaches such as Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, daytime wind speeds may reach 30 to 40 km/h," Katiyar added. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds, which is valid for lowland and mid-hill regions over the next 5 to 7 days. "People should avoid open spaces during thunderstorms and lightning activity. It is also advised to stay away from electrical appliances and power lines during such weather events," cautioned Katiyar. In Shimla city, overcast conditions are expected to persist for the next four days, with intermittent light rain across the district.
