'With the water level of several rivers rising in Uttar Pradesh due to continuous rainfall last week, state water resources minister Mahendra Singh has instructed the irrigation department to hold regular pujas (prayers) by those rivers in order to “control” possible flooding in the areas around them. The minister gave these instructions on July 12, while addressing field staff of the department through a video conference, organised to review the precautionary measures taken to check flooding. The press note issued after the meeting mentioned the minister’s specific order...'
'Social media can be used by a person just like a gun in his hand, observed the Supreme Court on Friday as it found favour with an order asking a Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh to stay away from social media for at least 18 months. The top court has decided to formulate guidelines on use of social media in criminal cases, especially in matters of bail. "What is wrong with an order asking you not to use social media? If a court can order an accused to stay away from a gun, it can similarly ask you to stay away from social media," said Chief Justice of India SA Bobde...'
'A key element of the Delhi Police’s investigation into the communal violence in Northeast Delhi is its claim that the riots were part of a “well-hatched” conspiracy. And at the core of its conspiracy theory, lies an alleged meeting that took place on 8 January at Shaheen Bagh. The Quint has accessed two charge sheets submitted by the Delhi Police, both related to the violence in the Chand Bagh area.
'In this day and age, even the most rational amongst us has entertained the question 'what if I have the novel coronavirus'. Yoga guru and the founder of Patanjali Ayurved, Baba Ramdev has a test that will help assuage your fears. Speaking at an e-Agenda Aaj Tak session Ramdev claimed that anyone who was able to hold their breath for an entire minute was not suffering from the novel coronavirus...'
'Last week, Mahesh Degvekar, a 55-year-old school teacher had a vision. Gajanan Maharaj, a 19th century Hindu guru from neighbouring Maharashtra appeared in it, and shared an ayurvedic formula which ''cures'' COVID-19. On Friday afternoon, Degvekar''s story took a serious turn, or a bizarre one, whichever way one looks at it.
'...Officials predicted that if all 171.3 million households participated, the loss of load could be 12,452 MW. The actual total demand drop recorded during the event turned out to be 31,089 MW – more than twice as high! This implies that in order to save the grid and keep voltages and line loads within permissible limits, engineers turned off select transmission lines. This in turn means large areas were without power before and during the event, and so compliance was not totally voluntary.
'The Press Council of India on Friday asked the print media to stop the publicity and advertisement of AYUSH-related claims for COVID-19 treatment in order to prevent dissemination of misleading information about AYUSH drugs and services.
'Prince Charles, who came out of self-isolation to remotely inaugurate the UK's first makeshift National Health Service field hospital in London on Friday, recovered from his COVID-19 symptoms by following NHS advice, his office said on Saturday. Clarence House termed reports from India as false which claimed that the Prince of Wales' recovery after testing positive for coronavirus last week had a link to ayurvedic and homeopathy cure from a resort in south India.
'Sale of cow urine has picked up in Gujarat as belief that it has immunity boosting property gains ground in the state amid the coronavirus outbreak. Vallabh Kathiria, chairman of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog, told ET that consumption of goumutra (cow urine) and goumutra ark, or condensed cow urine, in the state has risen significantly after the coronavirus outbreak to about 6,000 litres a day. Cow urine has long been promoted by cow entrepreneurs as a panacea for a myriad of ailments.
'Bollywood Singer Sonu Nigam has extended his stay in Dubai amid the coronavirus outbreak as it can put people around him in India at risk. He had gone to Dubai with his wife to meet his son. He had his concert too in Dubai scheduled to be held on Sunday. The 46-year-old singer took to social media to inform that he will extend his stay in Dubai in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, extolled PM Narendra Modi's ‘Janata curfew’ and inform about the live streaming of his concert on Sunday.
