FREE PRESS The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms VOL. XXXX NO. 248 | INDORE | WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 14, 2024 | PAGES 16 SMRITI MANDHANA JUMPS TO NO 4 SPORTS `3 - r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE EDIT EXODUS WOES FOR CONGRESS WEATHER FP JE VACCINE CAMPAIGN IN FOUR DISTRICTS FROM FEB 27 28.60c. 15.10c Sunrise : 07.00 Sunset : 06.22 25L KIDS OF AGE 1-15 YRS TO BE IMMUNISED 22 ENDEMIC dists in state, govt to add JE vaccination in UIP TARUN TIWARI / Indore Aiming to prevent the rise of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases among children, the state government will vaccinate over 25 lakh children of age between 1-15 years in four districts including Indore, Bhopal, Narmadapuram, and Sagar from February 27. It would be the second phase mega vaccination campaign against the deadly vector borne disease as the first phase of campaign was organised in Raisen and Vidisha in 2023. CONTD. ON P8 6383 cases in India from 2018-22, over 186 in state Records of World Health Organization showed that 6383 cases of JE were reported in India bwteeen 2018-2022. The state health department records shows that over 186 cases of JE were reported in last five years. Govt may add it in UIP With the second phase of JE vaccine campaign, we are targeting the kids of Indore, Bhopal, Narmadapuram, and Sagar districts to immunize them against the deadly vector borne disease. DR HIMANSHU JAYSWAR State Programme Officer National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control making the Minimum Support Price mechanism legally binding, the tension was palpable with the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon and every move of the farmers, security agencies and the police being watched closely . CONTD. ON P8 RAJESH MOUDGIL/ GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR / CHANDIGARH, NEW DELHI Alirajpur/Alot: Six people, including two women from Madhya Pradesh, were killed and eight others were severely injured in two separate mishaps reported in Neemuch district and Surendra Nagar district of Gujarat. In the first accident reported on Monday late at night, three persons aged between 18 and 22 were killed after a car in which they were heading towards SanwariaSethji pilgrimage in Chittogarh district rammed into the moving truck ahead of their car. SEE PG 4 We have a target of 12.5 lakh children in Indore to vaccinate against the JE. Training of health workers and cold chain handlers has been completed DR TARUN GUPTA District Immunization Officer A ‘TEARFUL’ SIGHT Protesting farmers are reined in with teargas shells and water cannons 6 KILLED IN TWO ACCIDENTS Target of 12.5 lakh children in Indore A multitude of farmers from Punjab, trying to force their entry into Haryana, clashed with the police on Tuesday at the Shambhu barrier on Ambala-Patiala border, even as tear gas and water cannons rained on them. The skirmishes brought back images of the 2020-21 farmers protests against the three farm laws with the authorities barricading the borders of Delhi with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, leading to traffic snarls all across the National Capital Region. While the main demand of the farmers this time is CONG PROMISES LEGAL GUARANTEE FOR MSP AMBIKAPUR: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said if his party returns to power, its government would provide legal guarantee to MSP for crops in the interest of farmers. ‘MSP LAW CANNOT BE BROUGHT IN A HURRY’ NEW DELHI: Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said a law guaranteeing MSP on crops cannot be brought in a hurry without consulting all stakeholders and urged farmer groups to discuss issue with government. Tractors as weapons of ‘mass disruption’ GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR NEW DELHI The use of tractors — as `weapons of mass disruption by protesting farmers — is a major cause of concern for security agencies and the civil authorities; recent intelligence reports suggested that over 2000 vehicles, including 1500 tractors, were possibly on their way to Delhi as part of the farmers Delhi Chalo protest; to thwart the menacing advance, heavy barricading had been undertaken on the borders of Haryana and Rajasthan with Punjab. The authorities appear to have learnt some lessons from the 2020-21 protests when farmers had used tractors to break through barriers. CONTD. ON P8 r RNI No. 38281/83 QUALITY AT VALUE www.freepressjournal.in BIDEN SAYS 'KEY ELEMENTS' OF A GAZA DEAL ARE ON TABLE WORLD Marching orders given to 46 BJP leaders of boards, corps Chaos in Assembly over legalising online gaming BHOPAL: The state government has cancelled the political appointments in all corporations, boards and development authorities. Immediately after the government's decision, the departments have begun to issue orders removing 46 Oppn asks whether govt wants to run state through gambling, betting IDA CHAIRMAN Jaipal Singh Chawda and Youth Welfare chairman Nishant Khare among those sacked BJP leaders from all these bodies. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, after consulting the central leadership, has cancelled all the political appointments made by the previous government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. CONTD. ON P8 OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Madhya Pradesh Assembly witnessed heated arguments between the government and the Opposition over legalizing online gaming through the amended provisions of MP Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024, passed by the Assembly, on Tuesday. The amendment aims to impose 28 % GST on online gaming activities. Opposition staged the walk out by saying that future of youths will get spoiled due to the bill. Opposition MLAs including Ram Niwas Rawat and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar opposed the bill tabled by Finance Minister Jagdish Devda by saying that it would openly allow betting, casino, lottery, gambling. The unemployed youths would get lured towards the aforesaid things. Talking about the ill effects of online gaming, Opposition members apprehended that it may trigger the suicide cases and will cast shadow on the future of youths who are already battling unemployment. Rawat demanded that government withdraw the bill in the larger interests of the youths. CONTD. ON P8 Police crackdown on Congmen IYC state prez, MLA & 3 others sent to jail BHOPAL: Police cracked down on Congress leaders who were going to lay siege of state assembly. Police used water cannon, smoke grenade & fired tear gas shells to disperse Congress leaders, here on Tuesday. Three including MLA Dr Vikrant Bhuria were sent to jail. The protesters, led by the state Congress president Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition in the assembly Umang Singhar, Youth Congress national president Sriniwas BV and state party youth wing president Dr Vikrant Bhuria, marched towards the Vidhan Sabha from the state party office raising slogans on various issues. The Congress tried to climb the barricades while protesting on the road leading to the state Vidhan Sabha over issues like unemployment, Harda firecrackers factory blast, and atrocities against women, forcing the police to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse them. CONTD. ON P8