MONDAY 19 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 | LC SINCE 1818 X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR KISHOR LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN IN BIHAR MEHBOOBA ADVOCATES SPECIAL SESSION ON ‘OP SINDOOR’ P5 WEATHER TEMPORARILY REACHING TO 50 KMPH DURING THUNDERSTORM WITH DUST RAISING WINDS. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 39 AND 27 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: 000.1MM RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 62 % P4 P9 Death toll in Hyderabad fire tragedy rises to 17 Min. 26 % Min: 24.0 °C (+3.0) SUN SETS 19:07 hrs MOON SETS 10:51 hrs THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Devotees stand in a queue as they arrive to offer prayers at Rudranath Temple after its door opened in Chamoli on Sunday. nANI Top Lashkar terrorist behind 3 big attacks in India killed in Pakistan: A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, Saifullah Khalid, accused of orchestrating several high-profile terror attacks in India, has been killed in Pakistan's Sindh province, sources told India Today TV on Sunday. He was attacked by some unknown assailants. Khalid was a key conspirator in three major attacks: the 2005 Indian Science Congress (ISC) attack in Bangalore, the 2006 attack on the RSS headquarters in Nagpur and the 2008 CRPF camp assault in Rampur. HYDERABAD, 18 MAY S eventeen people, including eight children, were killed today in a devastating incident of fire in a threestorey building near Gulzar House Chowrasta in the Old City area of Hyderabad. The fire started in a jewellery shop on the ground floor of the old building, located in a congested area on the road leading to the iconic Charminar, and thick smoke caused the deaths due to asphyxiation in the residential quarters on the first and second floors. All the deceased belonged to the same family. Locals and firefighters said a single narrow entrance, blocked by two-wheelers and the use of inflammable materials, hampered rescue. The family members blamed the delay in the arrival of ambulances and the lack of oxygen masks for the death of a seven-year-old child. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia of Rs two lakh for the next of kin of those killed, while the state government announced Rs five lakh as compensation. The fire started early morning and the fire department was informed at 6:16 am. However, local people were the first to enter the smoke-engulfed building after hearing the cries of women urging them to save their family members. The fire services personnel rescued 4 people trapped on the first floor of the building. According to fire services, there were “access constraints” and 11 vehicles, one firefighting robot, 17 officers and more than 70 personnel were pressed into service and took two hours to bring the inferno under control. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire IMF slaps 11 more conditions on Pak, flags tensions with India as big risk AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 18 MAY The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slapped 11 new conditions on Pakistan for the $ 7 billion lifeline that it has extended and also flagged the rising tensions with India as a huge risk for the cash-strapped country. The new conditions that have been imposed include approval of a new Rs 17.6 lakh crore budget, increasing debt servicing surcharge on electricity bills and lifting restrictions on the import of more than three-year-old used cars, according to a report in Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune. The Staff Level report, which the IMF released on Saturday, also said that "rising tensions between India and Pakistan, if sustained or deteriorate further, could heighten risks to the fiscal, external and reform goals of the programme". The report further stated that tensions between Pakistan and India have risen significantly over the past two weeks but so far the market reaction has been modest with the No talks between India-Pak DGMOs on Sunday; no expiry date for ceasefire STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY The Indian Army has clarified that there are no talks scheduled between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan on Sunday, and said the reports suggesting ceasefire agreed upon between the two countries is ending today, are not true. “No DGMO talks are scheduled today. As far as, continuation of break in hostilities, as decided in DGMOs interaction of 12 May are concerned, there is no expiry date to it,” it said in the official statement issued here. Tension between India and Pakistan escalated following the Pahalgam terror P12 CJI BR Gavai schools Maharashtra officials on protocol as they skip event PM Modi announces ex gratia of `2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed TEMPERATURE Max: 37.9 °C (+1.8) SUN RISES 05:58 hrs MOON RISES 00:45 hrs PUNJAB KINGS INCH CLOSER TO PLAYOFFS B’DESH FACES $770 M HIT DUE TO INDIA'S CURBS ON TRADE attack that killed 26 innocent people. Responding to the attack, India, exactly two weeks after the incident, launched ‘Operation Sindoor’- a military offensive against terrorists based in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The Indian armed forces targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The DGMO is a senior army official responsible for overseeing military planning and border operations. On May 10, India and Pakistan all of a sudden agreed to cease all firing and military activity after the Pakistani DGMO called up his Indian counterpart, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on telephone. stock market retaining most of its recent gains and spreads widening moderately. The IMF has shown Pakistan's defence budget for the next fiscal year at Rs 2.414 lakh crore, which represents an increase of Rs 25,200 crore or 12 per cent. Compared to the IMF's projection, the government has indicated allocating over Rs 2.5 lakh crore, which is an 18 per cent increase after the conflict with India. The IMF has also imposed a new condition of securing parliamentary approval of the fiscal year 2026 budget in line with the IMF staff agreement to meet programme targets by end-June 2025. “The report revealed that the IMF has slapped 11 more conditions on Pakistan for the sake of just $7 billion lending, taking the total conditions to 50,” the Express Tribune report states. The IMF has shown the total size of the federal budget at Rs 17.6 trillion, including Rs 1.07 lakh crore for the development spending with an overall deficit of Rs 6.6 lakh crore. A new condition has also been imposed on the provinces where the four federating units will implement the new Agriculture Income Tax laws through a comprehensive plan, including the establishment of an operational platform for processing returns, taxpayer identification and registration, a communication campaign, and a compliance improvement plan. The deadline for the provinces is June this year. tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An exgratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs50,000.” Announcing Rs 5 lakh compensation for the next of kin of the deceased, deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said “The fire might have been caused by a short circuit in the shop on the ground floor, and the smoke reached the first floor and the second floor, causing the death of the 17 people.” Local MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “Seventeen people of a family died in this tragic incident and the family had been staying in these premises for 125 years. Only two people from the family survived… DG fire services told me most of the deaths occurred due to asphyxiation and smoke inhalation. Some people had even locked themselves in.” “There was thick smoke, and we found seven people dead in one room, including four children,” said Zahed, who was among the first to respond and enter the building while returning from morning prayers. Grieving families confronted GHMC mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi and MP Anil Kumar Yadav at Osmania Hospital, alleging a delay in the arrival of ambulances and a lack of oxygen masks. They said a seven-year-old boy could have survived if there were oxygen masks. The children who died were aged between seven years and one year. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MUMBAI, 18 MAY Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, during his first public visit to Maharashtra since assuming the country’s top judicial post, voiced his disappointment over the absence of senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary, at a felicitation event held in his honour on Sunday. Speaking at the programme, CJI Gavai stopped short of terming the absence a breach of protocol, but emphasized that it reflected a lack of institutional respect. “It’s about one organ of the Constitution showing regard for another,” he said. “When the Chief Justice of India visits a state for the first time, the absence of key officials like the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, and the Mumbai Police Commissioner calls for introspection.” He stressed that this wasn’t about adhering to a new protocol, but about upholding the dignity and mutual respect that must exist among constitutional institutions. “These things may appear minor, ISRO’s EOS-09 launch fails due to third-stage anomaly STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SRIHARIKOTA, 18 MAY The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) faced a setback on Sunday as its 101st mission,PSLV-C61carryingthe EOS-09 satellite, encountered a technical malfunction in the launch vehicle. Due to the malfunction, the mission failed, and the satellitecouldnotbesuccessfully deployed. Theindigenouslydeveloped PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), designated PSLV-C61, liftedofffromtheSatishDhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota with the objective of placing the EOS-09 satellite into a Sun SynchronousPolarOrbit(SSPO). While the first and second stages of the launch vehicle functioned normally, ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan stated that an unexpected issue occurred during the third stage, which prevented the successful deployment of the satellite. Dr. Narayanan said, "Today, we attempted the 101st launch from Sriharikota — the PSLVC61carryingtheEOS-09mission. The PSLV is a four-stage launch vehicle, and its performance was normal up to the second stage. The third stage motor ignited correctly; however, duringitsoperation,ananomaly was detected, and the mission could not be completed successfully..." He added, "We will return withourfindingsafterathorough analysis." ISRO also shared an update on X (formerly Twitter), stating: "Today, the 101st launch was attempted. PSLV-C61's performance was normal up to the second stage. Due to an observation during the third stage, the mission could not be accomplished." The third stage of the PSLV is a solid rocket motor designed to deliver high thrust during the upper atmosphere phase of the flight, generating up to 240 kilonewtons of thrust. It plays a critical role in placing satellites into their designated orbits. BJP govt to establish PACS in every panchayat by 2029: Shah STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Announcing that the union government plans to establish Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in every panchayat by 2029, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah today said India’s cooperative sector cannot be strengthened unless the benefits of the changes in this sector reach the grassroots level. Addressing a ‘Maha Sammelan’ on the “Role of Cooperatives in Building a Viksit Bharat”, organized by Gujarat State Cooperative Federation in Ahmedabad, he said we must strive to bring awareness, training, and transparency to all types of cooperative institutions. The minister, according to a press release, said it is the responsibility of all of us to expand the cooperative movement to every state and district. Additionally, the condition of primary cooperative societies in every state should improve, district-level institutions should be strengthened, and through them, the cooperative framework at the state and national levels should also be reinforced, Shah observed. The minister said that under the central government initiative started in 2021, two guiding principles – ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ and ‘The Role of Cooperation in Viksit Bharat’ - were presented to the nation. The United Nations will celebrate the year of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. The word cooperative is as relevant today for the whole world as it was in the year of 1900, the minister, according to a press release issued here, said. He further stated that a fourth tier has been added to the long-standing global threetier cooperative structure, emphasizing that it is essential to expand cooperation across the entire country by strengthening national institutions related to every cooperative activity, state-level cooperative institutions, district-level institutions, and primary cooperative societies in every sector. We must utilize the International Year of Cooperatives to achieve this, the minister said. Talking about the campaign, Shah said that it’s based on three pillars - integrating cooperation into the mainstream of governance, bringing transparency and authenticity to the cooperative movement through technology, and accelerating the process of connecting more and more citizens with the cooperative movement. He further emphasized that the cooperative framework cannot be strengthened unless we strengthen Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). That is why the Modi government has decided to establish a PACS in every ‘panchayat’ of the country by 2029. Under this decision, 2 lakh new and dairies will be registered. He further said that the government has integrated around 22 different activities with PACS. Shah also mentioned that the government will soon introduce a policy for the settlement of PACS that have gone into liquidation, as well as for the establishment of new PACS. The minister said that we need to strengthen the cooperative structure by using the International Cooperative Year 2025 to spread awareness among all the people, setting new dimensions of transparency and conducting recruitments. but their symbolic value cannot be underestimated,” he remarked. Underscoring the importance of balance among the three pillars of democracy — the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive — the Chief Justice reiterated that each arm of the state must respect and acknowledge the role of the others. “The institutions are co-equal. Mutual respect is essential for the healthy functioning of democracy,” he noted. CJI Gavai’s comments come amid growing concerns over friction between the judiciary and the executive. Recent developments, such as strong statements from Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and certain Members of Parliament, especially in the context of the Tamil Nadu Bills case, have highlighted alleged judicial overreach. In a pointed but lighthearted aside during his address, CJI Gavai alluded to such tensions. “If one of us were in a similar situation, you might’ve heard references to Article 142,” he said, drawing laughter and applause from the audience. Article 142 of the Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to pass any order necessary to ensure complete justice in matters before it. This provision has become a topic of national debate following the court’s verdict in the Tamil Nadu Bills case, which effectively placed the actions of the President and Governors under judicial scrutiny by prescribing a timeline for assent to legislative bills. Operation Sindoor is a turning point for India, says Defence Ministry STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY The Narendra Modi government on Sunday said that Operation Sindoor has marked a “turning point in India’s defence doctrine”. “OperationSindoor, launched on May 07, 2025, marked a turning point in India’s defence doctrine— demonstrating tri-services synergy, strategic depth, and technological dominance in response to the #PahalgamTerrorAttack,” the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X. It also praised how Indian armed forces worked as one big unit to ensure success of the military mission. “Jointness is not just a vision - it’s India’s operational reality,” it said. With precision airstrikes on key targets like Nur Khan and Rahimyar Khan Air Bases, robust naval posturing through a Carrier Battle Group, and effective ArmyBSF coordination on the ground, India showcased seamless multi-domain warfare, the Defence Ministry said. The operation, it added, was powered by integrated systems like IACCS and Akash missile, and backed by major reforms: CDS-led DMA, Integrated Theatre Commands, Joint Logistics Nodes, and real-time joint exercises like ‘Prachand Prahar’ and Desert Hunt. “…As the # Armed Forces execute reforms under the ‘#YearofDefenceReforms2025’, Operation Sindoor stands as a bold statement—India is united, futureready, and resolute against cross-border terrorism,” it said in the post.