Latest news with #Ranjit
Time of India
a day ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Rain deficit casts shadow over paddy yield in Assam
Guwahati: Farmers in Assam are sounding the alarm over a worrying rainfall shortage that has gripped more than half of the state's districts this July. The insufficient precipitation is casting a shadow over winter paddy cultivation, especially in the lower Assam region, where farmland preparation has taken a hit. Scientists warn that if the dry spell continues, it could spell disaster for crop yields and productivity. While rice seedling transplantation kicked off in various parts of Assam in July, the upper Assam region enjoyed normal or even excess rainfall, according to IMD records. However, the situation is dire in lower Assam, where many districts are parched. This July, 15 districts, including Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), and others, experienced 'large deficient' rainfall, as per IMD data. Eleven of these districts are in lower Assam. Meanwhile, Nagaon, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, and Dima Hasao recorded 'deficient' rainfall. The IMD classifies 'large deficient' rainfall as 60 to 99% below normal, while 'deficient' rainfall is 20 to 59% below normal. "Photosensitive varieties like Ranjit, Bahadur, and many local paddy varieties will suffer if the rainfall deficit forces delayed transplantation of rice seedlings. Delayed transplantation, after August 15, leads to low production because flowering may not occur due to reduced daylight after September," said senior scientist Dr Kanchan Saikia, in-charge head at RRLRRS, ICAR-CRRI, Gerua in Hajo. Paddy cultivation thrives on consistent water availability from sowing to flowering. "Most farmers in the state rely on rainfed conditions for paddy. In recent years, the kharif season rainfall was adequate for paddy cultivation. However, excess rainwater often drains away due to a lack of proper rainwater harvesting structures. A rainfall deficit will hinder crop growth, necessitating alternative water supply through irrigation to achieve projected yields," Saikia said. He added that varieties like CR Dhan 801 and CR Dhan 802 show drought resistance, but irrigation at critical stages remains essential. "The Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) method, which alternates drying and wetting in paddy fields, requires less water," he said. IMD's July rainfall data reveals over a 70% deficit in many districts still waiting for transplantation. Karna Rabha, a small-scale farmer in Boko, Kamrup district, owns six bighas of land. Three bighas of his land and about 55 bighas of neighboring villagers' land remain unplanted due to the lack of water in the paddy fields. "The rice seedlings we have will be unusable after 15 days as they will become too old. If we don't get heavy rain in the next two weeks, many farmers will have no seedlings to plant," he lamented. Many areas in Assam lack irrigation infrastructure, leaving farmers at the mercy of the rain. The state's irrigation coverage extends to less than 20% of its cultivable land.
Deccan Herald
6 days ago
- Deccan Herald
Karnataka HC quashes proceedings against Ranjit Balakrishnan in sexual harassment case
The crime against Ranjit was for offences under IPC section 377 and section 66 E of the Information Technology Act.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Punjab influencer's murder: Two weeks on, whereabouts of 2 accused still unknown
(Blurb) Awaiting Interpol's notice for key accused Mehron's arrest and deportation from UAE: Bathinda SSP Key accused Amritpal Singh Mehron is said to have fled to UAE on June 10 Two weeks after the decomposed body of Ludhiana-based woman social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, alias Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, was found in Bathinda, the whereabouts of the two accused related to the case are still not known to the police. Investigators said on Wednesday that the main accused and conspirator of the alleged targeted killing, Amritpal Singh Mehron, a religious vigilante, fled the country on June 10 without wearing his Nihang attire. The Bathinda police have named five persons in the killing and assisting Mehron in fleeing the country after the crime. Investigators said that of the five accused, four were Nihangs but the identity of the fifth accused is still a mystery. The police have arrested Mehron's aides Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh, both Nihangs, while Mehron remains in hiding in the UAE. Another accused, Ranjit Singh, also a Nihang, from Tarn Taran, is also absconding, while the police is still clueless about his accomplice. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said a probe confirmed that Mehron was not accompanied by Ranjit when the former flew out of the country. 'Travel data says that Mehron had a travel visa for the UAE and he boarded the flight from Amritsar, where he was not wearing his traditional Nihang attire. A look-out circular (LoC) was issued against Ranjit and there is no input indicating that he has left India. Our teams are raiding different places to nab Ranjit,' she said. The SSP said Jaspreet and Nimratjit did not divulge anything about the fifth accomplice. 'Ranjit and the unidentified person reached Bathinda to pick up Mehron and drop him at the Amritsar airport to board the flight at 9.15 am on June 10. Ranjit's arrest would lead us to know the fifth accused and coordinated efforts are being made to arrest them,' added the SSP. Kondal said the district police initiated efforts to extradite Mehron from the UAE on June 20 when a letter was sent to the Bureau of Investigation (BoI) of Punjab Police (HT was the first to report).'The communication was part of the protocol to reach out to Interpol for Mehron's extradition. We have yet to get confirmation if the Interpol has published a notice to locate and detain the accused for deportation to face trial in the murder case,' added the SSP. Kanchan's murder took place on the night of June 9-10 when Mehron, along with associates Jaspreet and Nimratjit, allegedly strangled Kanchan in her car. They later dumped her decomposing body in the parking lot of Adesh Medical College and Hospital in Bhucho, Bathinda. The body was recovered on June 11 evening. Police say the murder was motivated by Kanchan's controversial social media posts, which allegedly offended the Sikh community.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
What does it mean to be ‘hardly dry behind the ears'?
What is the meaning and origin of 'wet behind the ears'? (Sandeep Sinha, Ranchi) This relatively old expression is mostly used in American English to refer to people who are green or inexperienced. 'Wet behind the ears' also carries with it the suggestion that the individual is rather young, and therefore, gullible — a naïve individual who can be easily duped or tricked into doing things. The expression is sometimes used to refer to someone who is new to a place. It is also possible to say, 'hardly dry behind the ears'. We need someone who can run the department. Not a recent graduate who's wet behind the ears. I don't think it's a good idea to make Ranjit the project leader. He's hardly dry behind the ears. When a baby emerges from its mother's womb, it is usually covered, from head to toe, with amniotic fluid — the water-like substance that protects the baby while it is in the womb. Some animals lick this fluid off their baby; others, let the baby dry themselves. One of the last places of a newborn to dry is a small spot behind each ear. If these spots continue to be wet, it means the animal is a newbie — and hence helpless to do anything on its own. What does it mean when someone says, 'I want the painting to be completed by Wednesday'? (K Sudharshana, Bengaluru) When you tell your painter that you want him to finish painting your house 'by' Wednesday, you are giving the man a deadline. You are giving him time between now and Wednesday to complete the task at hand. Wednesday is the last day he will be allowed to finish the job. He can, if he wishes to, complete the task before Wednesday; but the painting work will not be allowed to continue after Wednesday. The deadline for completing the task is Wednesday. Of course, deadlines mean very little in our country! They are seldom met! Today is Saturday. I want you to submit a comprehensive report by Friday. The boss wants the repairs to be carried out by the 25th. What is the difference between 'murder' and 'assassinate'? (L. Manivel, Erode) In the eyes of the law, whether you 'murder' someone or 'assassinate' someone, you end up performing an illegal act — if caught, you could end up getting the death penalty. In both cases, you plan and intentionally take someone's life; the planning and execution of it is carried out in a cold-blooded fashion. One does not 'assassinate' or 'murder' someone accidentally. When famous individuals are killed, especially for political reasons, it is called an assassination. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, and Martin Luther King Jr. were all assassinated. If someone were to shoot and kill lesser-known mortals like you and me, the media would label it 'murder'. Ordinary people are murdered and extraordinary individuals are assassinated. By the way, in the word 'assassinate', the stress is on the second syllable – e-SASS-i-nate'. The police have been asked to investigate the murder of the old woman. My wife and I were in Delhi the day Indira Gandhi was assassinated. upendrankye@
The Guardian
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Malala and Kiran faced violence, threats and shame. Now their fathers want ‘all men to stand with women'
The day Ranjit's daughter was born, he distributed sweets to the entire village – not just because he was thrilled to be a father for the first time, but because he was father to a girl. 'God heard my heart and granted my wish,' he says. His devotion to baby Kiran* was immediate and unshakeable. He would rush home from his work in the fields to spend time caring for her. Millions of fathers around the world will relate to the joy Ranjit felt, but in deeply patriarchal rural India publicly celebrating the arrival of a girl is an unusual, even defiant, act. Ranjit's love for and faith in Kiran is captured in the film To Kill A Tiger, which follows the poor rice farmer as he pursues justice for his daughter after she was gang-raped aged 13. Kiran is determined to see her attackers in court and Ranjit is determined to support her. Quietly but doggedly, he refuses to give up even in the face of threats and ostracism from his community. He credits Kiran and his wife, Jaganti, for giving him the strength to keep going. After a screening of the film this year in New York, Ranjit and Kiran were joined by another supporter of an extraordinary daughter: Ziauddin Yousafzai, better known as Malala's father. The screening was used to launch #StandWithHer, a global gender-justice campaign to support survivors of sexual violence. At the time, Yousafzai spoke of Ranjit as 'a man all men should be proud of – the father all fathers should look up to'. On Sunday, a short film will be released of the two men in conversation, discussing fatherhood, courage and their commitment to seeing their daughters become independent young women despite the social and political barriers they face. Nisha Pahuja, To Kill A Tiger's director and founder of #StandWithHer, says the film marks the start of a wider drive to invite men and boys to discuss the ways patriarchy limits both sexes. 'Power comes at a cost – not just to women and girls, but also, to men and boys,' says Pahuja. 'There is of course no denying the obvious, material benefits of this power imbalance or the violence it has permitted, but there's also no denying the suffering of men and boys. 'It's so clear today that men and boys are struggling to define themselves. I do feel Zia and Ranjit are powerful, unapologetic role models here.' Yousafzai describes how Malala was named after a 19th-century Afghan heroine 'because there was power in this name'. He says he knew it would suit her. 'In my mind, I associated a girl with strength, and I thought if I had a daughter she will be strong; she will have her own voice and she will be known by her name.' Yousafzai was adamant his daughter would be educated – something his own mother and five sisters had been denied. 'Education was the front door and it had to stay open,' he tells Ranjit. He recalls how he used to invite Malala to join discussions and debates with friends at home because he recognised that she had a great mind and always had something to contribute. Malala, he says, was not just a daughter but a 'comrade and a friend', so when, in 2012, she was shot in the head by the Taliban for standing up for her right to go to school, losing her was unthinkable. When she survived the attack and became a global advocate for education, Yousafzai campaigned alongside her. They are 'one soul in two bodies', he says. His nickname for her, Jaani, means soulmate. After Kiran was assaulted, Ranjit was expected to marry her off to one of her attackers – a common response to sexual violence that insists women and girls can only rid themselves of shame by becoming wives. Ranjit and Kiran refused to accept that shame and instead placed it squarely on the perpetrators. 'A real, caring father puts his daughter first,' he says. Yousafzai says he sees Malala in Kiran. 'It is as if Malala appears in front of me. Her voice will be a step against extremism, a step against violence; it already is.' The campaign, he adds, will spread the message that men should be allies, using their privilege to challenge long-held beliefs. 'Every father, every brother: all men must stand with women.' Resistance and change start at home, he says. 'This institution of the family is an agent of change, an informal one … there's no force more powerful than the family.' Ranjit agrees. 'We can convince men; it needs to enter their minds. As more and more people come together, I feel it will definitely have an impact on men and boys.' * Kiran is a pseudonym
