Railways induct 100th engine made in Bihar plant
Indian Railways recently inducted 100th electric engine of 12,000 horsepower, manufactured at Bihar’s Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt Ltd in services under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. In 2018, first high-power electric locomotive was rolled out of the factory. The project will ensure higher speeds, reduce delays, enhance safety by allowing more time for block maintenance and provide additional capacity for future increase in traffic, officials said. The Madhepura plant has a capacity to make 110 locomotive per year.
Rs 1.36 crore collected for violators of Covid norms
Police in Bihar have so far arrested 179 people, lodged 198 FIRs and seized 7,111 vehicles from May 1 to 9 in Bihar over violation of Covid-19 guidelines and protocols. A huge sum of Rs 1.36 crore has been collected as fine from violators of covid guidelines, ADG (Police HQ), Jitendra Kumar said. Besides, 179 people have been arrested. “In addition to all this, a total Rs 15.20 lakh was collected as fine from 30,412 people, who were caught not wearing a mask between May 1 and 9, Kumar said. Of this Rs 1.93 lakh were collected from more than 3,800 people in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, with the rise in Covid cases, the prices of essential medical items have skyrockted. There have even been cases of one oxygen cylinder being sold at Rs 1,10,000. A man was recently arrested for selling an oxygen cylinder at that price
UNICEF, Childline join hands to spread awarness
Migrant workers, women, and children returning to Bihar by trains from other states are being welcomed with masks, sanitizers, and packets of food free of cost at 11 railway stations of the state under a joint initiative by UNICEF, Railway Protection Force, and the Childline. At Hajipur- which is one of the 11 railway stations covered by this initiative, volunteers of Childline have welcomed more than 400 returnees. The volunteers educated the returnees on the safety guidelines to be followed amid a surge in Covid-19 cases. Sudhir Shukla Nodal Director of Hajipur Railway Childline said: “Among those served under the Surakshit Safar initiative at Hajipur, 235 were gents, 78 women, 44 boys, 40 girls besides others”. Railway Protection Force inspector Ganesh Singh Rana is helping the volunteers in their activities.
Fresh-picked veggies at doorsteps in Patna
At a time when the people are confined to their houses due to a surge in Covid-19 cases, the state co-operative department, in a first-of-its-kind move, has started delivering fresh-picked vegetables at doorsteps in Patna and Motihari. Bandana Preyashi, the secretary of the department, said the ‘tarkari’ (vegetables) teams are working day and night to serve the state’s famous vegetables to the people at their doorsteps after receiving orders online. According to her, the tarkaarimart.in, which started recently, has proved to be an instant hit among the customers in Patna and Motihari.
Rajesh K Thakur
Our correspondent in Bihar
rkthajipur@gmail.com