Hyderabad: The residents of Hyderabad are getting ready to witness a unique astronomical phenomenon known as ‘Zero Shadow Day’ on May 9, 2023. This event can be observed in the city at 12:12 pm and will continue for a brief period.
‘Zero Shadow Day’ is a rare celestial event that occurs when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky. At this moment, the vertical objects will cast no shadows on the ground.
How to witness ‘Zero Shadow Day’ event
To witness ‘Zero Shadow Day’ in Hyderabad, one must find an open space directly under the Sun without any obstructions such as tall buildings or trees. The phenomenon can be observed at around noon when the Sun is at its peak.
‘Zero Shadow Day’ occurs twice a year, once in the northern hemisphere and another in the southern hemisphere. The event is equally important for both astronomers and photographers. Astronomers use this opportunity to study the Sun’s movements, while photographers use it to capture stunning images.
Hyderabad residents are fascinated by celestial events
Many residents of Hyderabad are fascinated by celestial events including ‘Zero Shadow Day’. Whenever such events occur, such as solar eclipses or lunar eclipses, they make time to experience them.
Recently, Hyderabad witnessed a penumbral lunar eclipse. This event occurs when the Moon passes only into the Earth’s penumbra. During a penumbral lunar eclipse, the Moon enters the outer part of Earth’s shadow, resulting in a subtle darkening of the Moon’s surface.
Hyderabad: The preparations for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate entrance examination have been completed in the state of Telangana. This year, approximately 70,000 candidates from Telangana have applied for the 2023 NEET UG exam. To facilitate this, a total of 24 centers have been set up across the state, including Hyderabad, Warangal, Khammam, and Nizamabad.
Telangana has a total of 6,615 MBBS seats in 17 government and 24 private medical colleges. Of these, 2,815 are available in government colleges, while the remaining 3,800 are in private medical colleges. It is expected that more MBBS seats will be added before the admission process begins.
The NEET exam is scheduled to take place on May 7 from 2 pm to 5 pm. Last year, Telangana received 61,207 applications for the NEET UG exam, but only 59,296 candidates appeared for the examination, out of which 35,148 qualified.
NEET UG is conducted in 13 languages, including Telugu, through which admission is granted to 10 courses, including MBBS. The hall tickets for the 2023 NEET UG exam have already been released, and the National Testing Agency (NTA) has also released the admit card for this examination. The examination will be conducted under the pen and paper system at 499 locations across the country.
To download the hall ticket, students can visit the official website and enter their application number, date of birth, and security pin. The NTA has instructed all candidates to carry a printout of their admit card, along with any necessary documents and photographs, to the examination center.
With these preparations complete, candidates from Telangana are all set to appear for the NEET UG exam on May 7, in hopes of securing a coveted MBBS seat in one of the many prestigious medical colleges across the state.
Bhubaneswar: After being hit by summer cyclones for three consecutive years in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the Odisha government on Wednesday geared up for such an eventuality in the coming days, though the IMD forecast no possibility of any low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal in a fortnight.
The government decided to open a round-the-clock control room across the districts from May 1 for monitoring the situation, a senior official said.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary P K Jena where the state government’s preparedness was reviewed.
Senior officers of several government departments, the Director General of Police, Director General of Fire Service, the Special Relief Commissioner, and a senior official of IMD Bhubaneswar Centre were among others who attended the meeting.
Jena asked line departments like revenue and disaster management, rural development, housing and urban development, health, home and panchayati raj and drinking water to be prepared for the possible summer cyclone.
Discussions were held on information from Doppler radars installed at Paradeep and Gopalpur. These two radars will help track any summer cyclone formed over the Bay of Bengal.
While Odisha encountered cyclone Fani in 2019, cyclones Amphan and Yaas hit the state in 2020 and 2021 respectively. However, there was no such cyclone in 2022.
As the telecom service providers have introduced several measures to face cyclones, the state government asked them to take steps to provide uninterrupted service to people and send SMS/voice messages regarding updates on any possible cyclone this summer.
IMD officials and senior weather scientist US Dash, who attended the meeting, said that steps have been taken for broadcasting weather bulletins and cyclone updates through radio and television channels.
He said the state government was informed that there was no possibility of any low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal in the next 15 days and therefore no possibility of a summer cyclone now.
“Cyclone mock drills will be held in each district on June 18 and 19 except Puri where a festival will be held on June 20,” an official said.
The officials of 317 fire stations in the state have been kept ready to face any eventuality.
At least 17 teams of NDRF can be deployed for rescue and rehabilitation work in case of any cyclone hitting Odisha this summer, a statement issued by the chief secretary’s office said.
The state has altogether 879 multipurpose cyclone/flood centres to provide temporary shelters to people. The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority has been asked to keep all equipment ready for rescue and rehabilitation work, it said.
While the Water Resources department has been told to introduce the necessary measures to manage flood-like situations during the cyclone.
The Health and Family Welfare department will store adequate medicines, anti-venom injections and other essential items at the district headquarters hospitals. The department will also take prompt steps to relocate pregnant women to nearby hospitals, the statement said.
The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department has been asked to store adequate amounts of dry food and other essential commodities.
Legend has it that when the artist Benjamin West told King George III that George Washington, the first US president, had decided to resign, the king replied: “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
Some urged Joe Biden, the 46th president, to follow suit and, at the age of 80, hand power to a new generation. Who were they kidding? The worst-kept secret in Washington is out: Biden is running for re-election next year.
There was an air of inevitability around the announcement. Biden coveted the job for decades, mounting failed campaigns in 1988 and 2008 then succeeding in 2020, motivated by a need to rescue “the soul of America” from Donald Trump. He relishes the most powerful office in the world. He is having too much fun.
But is his announcement good for Democrats and America?
On the pessimistic side, Biden is already the oldest president in US history and would be 86 at the end of a second term. Whereas the coronavirus lockdown allowed Biden to campaign with limited public appearances, this time he will face a gruelling schedule.
Expect rightwing media to make much of what would happen if Biden were incapacitated or died: President Kamala Harris. Republicans who have struggled to turn Biden into a bogeyman as they did Hillary Clinton might feel they have a better chance with his deputy.
Another problem: there is a dangerous gap between Democratic officials and public sentiment. The party has failed to offer a credible alternative: Harris is too unpopular, Pete Buttigieg too young, Bernie Sanders too old, Gavin Newsom too California and the declared challengers, vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert Kennedy Jr and self-help guru Marianne Williamson, too fringe.
“The dynamics that made Biden the nominee in the first place, his moderate branding and just-left-enough positioning, still protect him from a consolidated opposition on either flank,” the columnist Ross Douthat wrote in the New York Times. “And he’s benefited from the way that polarization and anti-Trumpism has delivered a more unified liberalism, suffused by a trust-the-establishment spirit that makes the idea of a primary challenge seem not just dangerous but disreputable.”
Yet seven in 10 Americans, including 51% Democrats, do not want Biden to run, nearly half citing his age, according to an NBC poll. That survey found Biden’s overall job-approval rating had fallen to 41%. He trailed a generic Republican by six points.
Joe Biden confirms 2024 re-election bid in video announcement – video
The level of dissatisfaction implies turnout trouble. There have been disappointments over abortion rights, gun safety, immigration reform, racial justice and voting rights. Some progressives are tired and might stay home.
Norman Solomon, national director of RootsAction.org, sponsor of the Don’t Run Joe campaign, says: “Disaster is foreseeable if Biden is the Democratic nominee. In 2024, he would represent the status quo at a time when polling shows discontent in the US is now more widespread than at any other time in the last several decades. Biden’s approval numbers are notably low – now more than 10 points underwater – yet the arrogance quotient at the White House is exceedingly high.
“Biden’s recent policy decisions, grimly affecting climate for example, have seemed calculated to ingratiate himself with the corporate establishment while undermining enthusiasm from large numbers of grassroots Democrats, particularly young voters. This is no way to defeat the neo-fascist Republican party, and this is no way to advance a progressive agenda.”
Now the good news. Biden supporters can argue he is one of the most underrated presidents, Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama’s John F Kennedy: less elegant or eloquent but more substantially productive.
In 2020, he met the moment. As the nation grieved the Covid dead, his personal losses gave him empathy Trump lacked. When Vladimir Putin waged war on Ukraine, Biden’s devotion to alliances and institutions was the right approach at the right time.
At home, with a narrow majority in Congress, Biden achieved big legislative wins: coronavirus relief, a bipartisan infrastructure law, legislation boosting computer-chip production and a historic climate, healthcare and tax plan.
In January, Ron Klain, the outgoing chief of staff, wrote to the president: “You passed the most significant economic recovery legislation since FDR; managed the largest land war in Europe since the Truman era; enacted the most sweeping infrastructure law since Eisenhower; named more judges in your first year than any president since JFK; passed the second-largest healthcare bill since LBJ; signed the most significant gun safety bill since Clinton; and enacted the largest climate change law in history.
“You did it all in the middle of the worst public health crisis since the Wilson era, with the smallest legislative majority of any newly elected Democratic president in a century.”
While these accomplishments have not translated to polling, they did appear to help Democrats in last year’s midterm elections, a campaign Biden closed with speeches about abortion and democracy. The party defied historical trends to retain the Senate and narrowly surrendered the House. This is another argument for Biden: proven electoral success.
He beat Trump by 7m votes. Trump is the Republican frontrunner. Democrats’ instinct to play safe with a proven winner, rather than gambling everything, is understandable.
Biden is fond of saying: “Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.” Trump, 76 and weighed down by legal baggage, is even more unpopular. The NBC poll found that just 35% believe he should run again while 60% oppose it. This time, Biden has the advantage of incumbency.
But the octogenarian also personifies the nation in its fragility. Republican brinkmanship over the debt limit could lead to economic calamity. The war in Ukraine could take a turn for the worse, raising fresh questions after the Afghanistan debacle. A campaign Trump has dubbed “the final battle” is sure to throw up challenges.
Biden knows depending on anti-Trump sentiment may not be enough. To retain the soul of America, he has to prove he is more than the least worst option.
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( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )
Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is gearing up for the five-day Hanuman Jayanti celebrations to be held from May 14 to May 18.
TTD additional AV Dharma Reddy on Tuesday reviewed arrangements for the programme and directed the officials to prepare the ground for observing the fete.
Officials from various departments including Vedic institutions, SVBC, Engineering, Temple, and Annaprasadam participated in the meeting held at the chambers’ of TTD EO at the Administrative Building in Tirupati.
The EO said that renowned scholars will present discourses on the birth, and various characteristics of Hanuman not only in a spiritual way but in a scientific angle also.
He directed the Dharmagiri Veda Vignana Peetham principal, KSS Avadhani to make the arrangements for the pundits who will render Akhanda Parayanam as well Yagam in the Peetham at Tirumala.
He further asked them to involve the Vedic scholars from SV Vedic University, National Sanskrit Varsity, SV Higher Vedic Studies apart from Dharmagiri.
Later the EO instructed the Engineering officials to make necessary arrangements and GM Transport for arranging transportation for the invitees.
To mark the occasion, Akhanda Parayanam will commence at 6 am on May 16 and will conclude at around 11 pm lasting for about 18 hours without interruption.
A total of 2872 slokas from Sundarakanda will be recited by a set of 11 Vedic Pundits who will be on rotation after the completion of a cycle of nearly 150 shlokas.
The programme will be telecasted live on SVBC for the sake of global devotees.
Devotional cultural programmes by Annamacharya, Dasa Sahitya, and HDPP project artists will also entertain devotees in spiritual waves at Anjanadri Akasa Ganga and Nada Neerajanam platforms in Tirumala.
Hyderabad: Hyderabad is gearing up for the summer heat after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Hyderabad issued a yellow alert as the maximum temperature in the city is likely to rise up to 40 degrees Celsius this week.
In some districts of Telangana, the maximum temperature is expected to reach up to 45 degrees Celsius. These districts include Adilabad, Jagitial, Komaram Bheem, Mancherial, Nirmal, and Rajanna Siricilla.
Recent rains in Hyderabad
Recently, Hyderabad received heavy rains, which brought much-needed relief to the residents who were witnessing scorching summer heat.
All six zones in Hyderabad, namely Charminar, Khairatabad, Kukatpally, LB Nagar, Secunderabad, and Serilingampally, received rains towards the evening or night.
Now, the IMD issued a yellow alert till March 31 as the temperature in Hyderabad may reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. The Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) also forecasted that the maximum temperatures in the state are expected to be in the range of 36 to 40 degrees Celsius. In Hyderabad, maximum temperatures are expected to be in the range of 34 degrees Celsius to 37 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature is likely to be in the range of 22 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius.
Sehri tips to stay hydrated during summer season in Hyderabad
In view of the forecast made by both IMD Hyderabad and TSDPS, residents are advised to take necessary precautions and plan accordingly.
With the summer heat on the rise during the Ramzan, it is essential to drink enough water during sehri. As per various studies, a minimum of 60 ounces or nearly 2 liters of water can help a person keep hydrated for an entire day during the fast.
Eating yogurt at the end of sehri meal is scientifically correct and beneficial as it helps to soothe the stomach and prevent acidity, eventually preventing from getting dehydration.
In order to be hydrated, keep spice, salt, and sugar low in meals and add water-rich foods like cucumber, tomato salad, and juicy fruits like watermelon, oranges, kiwi, and more in sehri meal.
Apart from it, wearing loose, light-colored cotton clothing can also help in coping with the heat.
Hyderabad: Hyderabad is gearing up for another spell of rains as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Hyderabad issues a yellow alert for many districts of the state from March 25 to 27. The weather department has warned of thunderstorms or rains in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.
Today and tomorrow, all six zones in Hyderabad – Charminar, Khairatabad, Kukatpally, LB Nagar, Secunderabad, and Serilingampally – are expected to have a partially cloudy sky, with light rains or thundershowers expected towards evening or night.
Four-fold increase in rains in Hyderabad
March has seen a four-fold increase in rains in Hyderabad, with the city receiving 43.9 mm rains in the current month against the normal rains of 10.1 mm. Similarly, the neighboring district Ranga Reddy has witnessed heavy rains, receiving 36.2 mm which is more than a four-fold rise from the month’s normal rains of 7.5 mm.
The recent rains, thunderstorms, and hailstorms have caused the maximum and minimum temperatures in all districts of Telangana, including Hyderabad, to dip significantly.
Hyderabad to see decline in maximum temperature
Apart from IMD, the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) has also forecast light to moderate rains and thunderstorms in many places in the state. As per the weather department, the maximum temperature in the state is likely to be in the range of 34 and 39 degrees Celsius, with Hyderabad’s maximum temperature between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius.
In view of the forecast made by both IMD Hyderabad and TSDPS, residents are advised to take necessary precautions and plan their travel accordingly. It is important to note that rains in Hyderabad can cause flooding and waterlogging in low-lying areas, hence people need to be cautious.
Mumbai: Maharashtra farmers continued their 175 km foot march to Mumbai for the second day on Tuesday even as the government said it would hold talks with a leaders’ delegation on Wednesday.
The farmers’ stir is spearheaded by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and comprises over 10,000 peasants walking in the blistering heat with banners, placards, posters and raising slogans en route.
En route, the marchers were enthusiastically welcomed in various villages by the locals, offered food and water, and people expressed their support for the cause as they walked past.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis were slated to meet the farmers’ leaders on Tuesday, but the meeting was put off owing to the strike launched by state government employees demanding a return to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
“We were informed that the meeting has been cancelled, but no reasons were given… Our march continues as usual,” AIKS Maharashtra General Secretary Dr Ajit Nawale told the media.
Slamming Shinde’s offer of giving an ex-gratia of Rs 300/quintal for onion growers, he said it was too meager and the amount should be hiked to at least Rs 600/quintal, failing which the agitation would intensify.
“Unless the government talks to us, we may be compelled to block the Mumbai-Gujarat Highway, only then they will listen,” Nawale said.
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar and other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders have raised the matter in the Assembly and have rooted for the distressed farmers’ cause.
Congress state President Nana Patole, NCP state President Jayant Patil, Shiv Sena-UBT leaders like Bhaskar Jadhav and others have demanded that the government should give between Rs 500-Rs 700/quintal to the farmers reeling under a crisis owing to fallen prices.
Farmers on foot march from Nashik to Mumbai take time to rest. (Photo: AIKS/@KisanSabha)
From the government side, Nashik Guardian Minister Dada Bhuse said that at the Wednesday meeting, the CM and Deputy CM as well as concerned department secretaries shall be present to discuss the issues and resolve the farmers’ problems.
He expressed confidence that all the positive demands would be heard out and the needful would be done for the farmers.
On Sunday, the AIKS released its 17-point charter of demands which includes compensation for onion growers and MSP of Rs 2000/quintal from the next season, better prices for other crops like cotton, soybean, tur, green gram, milk, and related issues of ASHA workers, etc.
This is the third “long march” by farmers in the past five years – the first one was in 2018, later in 2019, and again this year.
For the third time in five years, thousands of farmers are again on the road to Mumbai for their various demands that remain pending since long, braving the intense summer heat.
It has come after similar marches in 2018 and 2019 – and will traverse around 175 kms – attracting farmers from all over the state who converged in Nashik on Sunday.
What are their demands?
Among the demands are an immediate subsidy of Rs 600/quintal and MSP of Rs 2000/quintal from next season for onion growers, writing off of farmers’ loans, suitable remuneration for all agriculture produce, power bills waivers, quick compensation for crop losses due to unseasonal rains-hail, forest land rights, etc.
They sought regularisation of encroachers on forest lands up to four hectares with names in the 7/12 documents, waiver of power bills and making electricity available 12 hours daily for farmlands, clear the 7/12 of farmers by waiving off their entire agriculture loans.
They have also demanded NDRF amount of compensation for all crop damages due to unseasonal rains and other natural calamities that hit the agriculturists round the year, quick compensation and curb the “loot” by crop insurance companies, create an independent system for regular inspection of milk meters and weighing forks for milk and a minimum price of Rs 47 for cow milk and Rs 67 for buffalo milk and stop the conspiracy to slash prices of soybean, cotton, tur and grams, re-start selling grain along with free rations on ration cards every month.
Bengaluru: To counter the blitzkrieg election campaign of the ruling BJP, the Congress is planning a mega rally on March 20 in Karnataka, which will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress is making an all out preparation for the programme.
Rahul Gandhi will be visiting the state for the first time after the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The mega rally is being organised at Belagavi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken part in a 10.7 km roadshow in Belagavi and evoked a good response from the people.
The Belagavi district has the biggest landscape and 18 MLAs get elected from here. The political parties are focused on winning the maximum seats from the district.
The Congress suffered a setback in the last few years as one of its influential leaders, Ramesh Jarkiholi joined the BJP. However, the deaths of BJP MP Suresh Angadi and BJP MLA Umesh Katti have proved to be a setback for the party.
Presently, Satish Jarkiholi, brother of Ramesh Jarkiholi, KPCC Working President is leading the party in Belagavi and Congress MLAs Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Anjali Nimbalkar are emerging as important leaders from the region.
After the visit of Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress is putting up the show by Rahul Gandhi to galvanise the party workers. The party is contemplating to announce a fourth major poll promise by Rahul Gandhi.
The party has already promised Rs 2,000 cash assistance for all women heads of the family in the state under the Gruhalakshmi scheme. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made the announcement for the scheme during her rally in the capital city in January. The party has also assured free electricity supply of up to 200 units to every household under the Gruha Jyothi scheme.
Sources in the Congress stated that Rahul Gandhi will make an announcement on creating a specific number of jobs or allowances for unemployed youth in Karnataka.
Hyderabad: Are you looking for 1 BHK, or 2 BHK flats in Hyderabad? If yes, avail of the opportunity that is being provided by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
HMDA is gearing up to allot Rajiv Swagruha flats available at Bandlaguda and Pocharam. There are a total of 904 flats available for sale in both locations in Hyderabad.
At Bandlaguda, Hyderabad, 233 1BHK flats are available for sale whereas, at Pocharam, 254 1BHK and 417 2BHK flats are ready.
Cost of flats in Hyderabad
The average cost of the 1 BHK flat with an average area of 545 sq. feet at Bandlaguda is Rs. 15 lakhs. However, 1 BHK Sr. Citizen flats with an average area of 653 sq. feet in the same area cost Rs 18 lakh. In Pucharam, the costs of 1 BHK and 2 BHK with average areas of 760 sq. feet and 520 sq. feet are Rs 19 lakh and Rs 13 lakh respectively.
Once satisfied with the flat and the spot, the applicants have to pay an initial deposit of Rs. 1 lakh for 1 BHK flat and Rs 2 lakh for 2 BHK flats in Hyderabad.
The amount has to be paid in the form of a DD in favor of the Metropolitan Commissioner, HMDA, payable at Hyderabad. It has to be submitted in the office of the Managing Director, Telangana Rajiv Swagruha Corporation Limited, Urdugally, Stree No. 17, Himayathnagar, Hyderabad on or before March 25, 2023.
Within 60 days of the allotment, 80 percent of the total cost need to be paid and the rest can be paid within 90 days of the allotment.
For site details, contact G. Ravinder Reddy, AE at his cellphone number 9133366750 for flats in Pocharam and Anil Kumar Reddy, AE by dialing 91333366746 for flats in Bandlaguda, Hyderabad.
Is buying 1 BHK, 2 BHK flats in Hyderabad a better option?
For homebuyers in Hyderabad, choosing between a plot or a flat can be a daunting task. While both options have their advantages, buying a flat in Hyderabad may be a better choice for several reasons.
Firstly, flats come equipped with various features like security, parking, and elevators, making them a convenient and comfortable option. Secondly, flats have a better resale value compared to plots as they are in high demand due to the growing population and migration.
Moreover, flats are a more affordable option compared to plots, making them an ideal choice for first-time homebuyers, especially those who are looking for 1 BHK or 2 BHK flats in Hyderabad.
