Chhattisgarh liquor 'scam': Ex-minister Lakhma 'utilised' proceeds of crime in cash, claims ED

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday claimed it has gathered evidence showing that Chhattisgarh Congress MLA and former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma utilised in cash proceeds of crime generated from the alleged liquor scam. The federal agency had raided the premises of Lakhma and his son Harish Lakhma on December 28 in Raipur, Sukma and Dhamtari districts of the state as part of a money laundering investigation. The ED said in a statement that the search operation was carried at the residential premises of Lakhma, who allegedly was the main recipient of the proceeds of crime in cash, during his regime as excise minister. As a result of the search operation, ED has been able to gather evidence pertaining to utilization of proceeds of crime in cash by Kawasi Lakhma during the relevant period of scam, the agency said. The search also led to the seizure of multiple digital devices elieved to be containing incriminating records. Lakhma, as per the ED, used to receive substantial amount in cash on monthly basis out of the proceeds of crime generated from liquor scam. Lakhma, 71, is a six-time MLA from Konta and has served as the excise minister in the previous Congress government. Harish Lakhma is stated to be a panchayat president in his district. Earlier, the Chhattisgarh Congress had alleged that the raids were part of a conspiracy by the BJP to harass the opposition party's leaders ahead of urban body and panchayat polls. The alleged liquor scam in the state, as per the ED, was orchestrated between 2019-22 when Chhattisgarh was ruled by the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government. The Chhattisgarh liquor scam resulted in massive loss to the state exchequer and filled the pockets of the beneficiaries of the liquor syndicate with more than Rs 2,100 crore illegal proceeds of crime, the agency had claimed earlier.

NIA seizes cellphones in raid against Maoists

NEW DELHI: In a move to combat left-wing extremism in the Naxal hotbeds of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted searches at multiple locations in both states, officials said on Saturday. The houses and premises of suspects and Naxal operatives were extensively searched by multiple teams of the NIA, which seized several mobile phones and SIM cards, `1.5 lakh cash, and other incriminating material, they added. A senior NIA officer said, The raids were prompted by the arrest of Krishna Hansda, a Naxal cadre of the proscribed terrorist organisation CPI (Maoist). Hansda, a regional committee member of CPI (Maoist), was arrested in the Lucio forest area of Dumri in January 2023. During the probe, the NIA, which took over the case in June 2023, unearthed the links of several suspects and Naxals believed to be involved in supplying logistics and electronic items to CPI (Maoist) in the Parasnath area of Giridih. In Chhattisgarh, the probe agency conducted raids in remote villages in a CPI (Maoist) attack on a polling and security team during the Assembly elections in 2023. Searches were carried out at the locations of at least 11 suspects in the villages of Rawandiggi, Semra, Mainpur, Ghoragaon, Kerabahra and Gariyaband in the sensitive Maoist-infested areas of Gariyaband and Dhamtari districts, the officer said. He said, The Mainpur-Nuapada division was behind the IED blast that killed a head constable of ITBP adhoc 615 battalion in the attack on the polling team during the state elections in November last year.

Districts affected by left-wing extremism down to 38 in 2024 from 126 in 2013: Home Ministry

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that the geographical spread of violence induced by left-wing extremism (LWE) in the country has fallen to 38 districts across nine states in 2024 from 126 districts across 10 states in 2013. In a written reply to a question in the House, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, To address the LWE menace holistically, the government approved the National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE in 2015. The policy envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities. The MoS (Home) said, The geographical spread of LWE violence has constricted substantially with reduction of LWE-affected districts from 126 across 10 states in 2013 to only 38 districts across nine states in 2024 (with effect from April-2024). He went on to add that the resolute implementation of the policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence and constriction of geographical spread. The LWE violence incidents have reduced by 73 percent from the high level of LWE violence incidents in 2010. The resultant deaths (civilians and security forces) have reduced by 86 percent from all time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 138 in 2023. In the current year (up to November 15, 2024), there has been a sharp reduction of 25 percent in LWE perpetrated incidents, the minister said, adding that the number of police stations reporting LWE related violence has also significantly reduced from 465 in 2010 to 171 in 2023. Rai said that during the past five years between 2019-20 and 2023-24, Rs 4350.78 crore have been released for capacity building of the LWE-affected states under the Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) schemes. Further, Rs 560.22 crore have been given to Central Agencies during the same period for helicopters and addressing critical infrastructure in security camps in LWE-affected areas, under Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE Management (ACALWEM) Scheme, he added. List of districts affected by LWE: 38 Andhra Pradesh: Alluri Sitaramraju Chhattisgarh: Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Dhamtari, Gariyaband, Kanker, Kondagaon, Mahasamund, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon, Mohalla-Manpur- Ambagarh chowki, Khairgarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Sukma, Kabirdham, Mungeli Jharkhand: Giridih, Gumla, Latehar, Lohardaga, West Singhbhum Kerala: Wayanad, Kannur Madhya Pradesh: Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori Maharashtra: Gadchiroli, Gondia Odisha: Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Malkangiri, Nabrangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada Telangana: Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Mulugu West Bengal: Jhargram Specific developmental initiatives in LWE-affected areas: Road network: 14,469 km roads have been constructed Telecom connectivity: 6,567 mobile towers have been commissioned Financial inclusion: 5,731 Post Offices, 1,007 Bank Branches and 937 ATMs have been opened Skill development: 46 ITIs and 49 Skill Development Centers (SDCs) have been made functional Quality education: 178 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) have been made functional

Chhattisgarh man ends life after alleging forced conversion; four held

Dhamtari: A 30-year-old man committed suicide, alleging in a social media post that his wife and in-laws were forcing him to undergo religious conversion, police said on Monday. The police have arrested four persons, including the man's wife, in connection with the death, they said. Linesh Sahu was found hanging from the ceiling at his house in Potiadih village under Arjuni police station limits on the morning of December 7, an official said. Investigations revealed that Sahu had updated his status on WhatsApp before committing suicide and had written he was disturbed because of his wife and in-laws as they were forcing him to undergo religious conversion, he said. Sahu had also shared the status message with his brother-in-law at 3.43 am on December 7, he said. I am fed up with my wife. She harassed me a lot to change my religion. When I got to my in-law's place, her mother and two sisters also harassed me to change my religion, saying they would later convince my mother and father (to change their religion), the man wrote on his WhatsApp status. According to the police, Sahu married his wife Karuna, a resident of Raipur, in September last year. The official said the police have arrested Karuna (27), her parents Rajkumar (54) and Gauri Sahu (48), her sister Kiran Sahu (31) for abetment of suicide. Efforts are on to trace Karuna's younger sister, Kanishka Sahu, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.

Women Lying on the Ground, Men Walking Over Them: What Is the Significance?

In the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh, the traditional Dev Madai fair was organized, inviting various deities from nearby areas, as well as community leaders such as Dang Dori, Baiga, Sirha, and Gayta priests, to come together for a collective celebration of the fair. During the festival, hundreds of women seeking fertility laid down on their stomachs at the temple of Maa Angarmoti, while members of the Baiga tribe walked over them. This practice is known as Paran. Belief and Significance of the Ritual It is believed that by participating in this ritual, women can be blessed with children. The women lay on their stomachs, offering lemons, coconuts, and other sacred items as part of the prayer, with the belief that when a Baiga's foot touches them, they will be blessed by Maa Angarmoti with fertility. The practice is deeply rooted in local traditions and is seen as a way for women to seek blessings for motherhood, as they trust that the goddess will fulfill their desires for a child. Madai Fair Organized After Diwali The Madai fair is held every year on the first Friday after Diwali, an event where the deities from 52 villages participate. According to Jeevrakhan Marai, the president of the Adishakti Maa Angarmoti Trust, Maa Angarmoti is revered as the forest goddess and is considered the clan deity of the Gond community. Hundreds of years ago, she was believed to reside on the banks of the Mahanadi river and in the border areas of the villages of Chhavar, Batrel, Kokri, and Koralma, where the local people would perform rituals to honor her. It was through the priests and devotees of the Gond community that Maa Angarmotis service and worship continued. The tradition of organizing the fair after Diwali has been carried out for centuries and was reinstated at Gangerel after the construction of the dam. The fair is celebrated with reverence and adherence to ancient customs, with the local community participating actively in the rituals. Women Seeking Blessings Visit the Temple On the day of the fair, childless women gathered in large numbers at the temple of Maa Angarmoti to perform the Paran ritual. Devotees believe that the goddess enters the body of the Sirha and roams the fairground. The day of the Madai is considered the most significant in the area, attracting hundreds of people who come to partake in the sacred rites of the community, which are deeply tied to the tribal traditions. Women Lying in Reverence, Baigas Moving Forward Over 300 women gathered at the temple that day, asking for blessings for children. The women stood in line holding coconuts, incense, and lemons in their hands as they waited their turn. On the ground, those who were lying on their stomachs were walked over by Baiga men, who performed the ritual. It is said that the Baiga priests, who are believed to be possessed by the goddess, move in a trance-like state, swaying to the rhythm of the drums. As they approached, all the women lying on the ground laid down in reverence, allowing the Baigas to pass over them as they moved toward the temple. The Belief Behind the 52 Villages and the Goddess's Blessing According to ancient stories, Maa Angarmoti is known as the deity of 52 villages. People from these villages, when facing difficulties, visit her temple to pray, and once their wishes are fulfilled, they perform a special prayer on the Friday following Diwali. Childless women particularly visit the temple, asking the goddess for maternal blessings, and they believe that the goddess blesses them with children. Historically, when the construction of the Gangrel Dam was announced in 1965, the inhabitants of 52 villages were displaced to make way for the large reservoir. Following the submergence of these villages, in 1974-75, the idol of Maa Angarmoti was relocated by devotees and priests to the village of Khidkitola, using a bullock cart. After discussions among the community leaders, the goddess was eventually re-established on the banks of Gangrel. Since then, the worship and service of Maa Angarmoti have continued in this location. Modern Developments and Environmental Initiatives Today, facilities for devotees, such as drinking water, toilets, and resting sheds, are provided at the temple site. As Gangrel Dam has become a tourist spot, the area around Maa Angarmotis temple has been declared a plastic-free zone to promote environmental consciousness and cleanliness. This initiative is part of efforts to maintain a sustainable and welcoming environment for the thousands of visitors who come to worship and celebrate the annual fair. Skye Air Transforms Healthcare Delivery with Drone Technology Under Ayushman Bharat Scheme Boost Your Immune System with These Zinc-Rich Foods Be cautious when drinking tea made with raw milk, as it can worsen health issues

Confiscated cannabis converted into biomass for power in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Its often seen that investigating agencies set seized marijuana (cannabis) ablaze in the open to destroy it. It is a part of the agencies operations and procedures. However, in the Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, the police have found a novel way to turn massive amounts of confiscated cannabis (locally cited as ganja), worth several crores of rupees, into productive use in an eco-friendly way. Several tons of marijuana confiscated in thousands of cases under the NDPS Act in recent months across various districts of the Raipur Division were eliminated by being burnt in a power plant boiler, in accordance with the given legal provisions. The Raipur Division includes the districts of Mahasamund, Baloda Bazar, Gariyaband, Dhamtari and the capital, Raipur. Besides cannabis, other seized narcotic substances and drugs were also destroyed. The finishing action was carried out in the presence of the high-powered drug disposal committee constituted by the police headquarters, under the guidance of Raipur Range Inspector General Amresh Mishra, and paved the way to facilitate freedom from drug abuse in society. The destruction process, for which the approval from the environment department was also taken, was carried out amid the presence of the Raipur IG, SSP and other officials at the Siltara-based private power plant close to the state capital. The environment-friendly and productive practice of disposing of confiscated cannabis and other narcotic substances will continue, said Mishra. The seized cannabis were collected at the plant, where, after segregation, the narcotic materials were kneaded into a boiler through bucket elevators for direct combustion of biomass. With the marijuana being produced from the cannabis herbaceous flowering plant, experts cited it as good byproduct biomass to generate electricity. The open burning of cannabis poses serious threats to air quality. Usually, for generating 10 MW of power, around 20 tons of biomass is required. The boiler in the plant produces high-pressure steam, which, through the turbine blades, drives a generator to produce electricity, said officials of the power plant. The initiative can be replicated to achieve a similar result in other areas too.

3 girls drown in pond in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari

Dhamtari: Two sisters and another minor girl drowned in a pond in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place on Tuesday in Belargaon village under Sihawa police station area, a police official here said. As per preliminary information, one of the victims slipped into deep waters while bathing and the two others tried to save her, but all of them drowned, he said. After being alerted, a police team reached the spot and the bodies of the victims - one 18-year-old and two aged 14 - were fished out with the help of locals, the official said. An accidental death report has been registered in this connection, the official said, adding that further investigation was underway.

MP: CRPF Jawan Killed, 4 Hurt As Vehicle Hits Tree

Bhopal : A CRPF jawan was on Sunday killed and four others were injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling hit a roadside tree in a village in Balaghat district in Madhya Pradesh, police said. The incident took place in Kudan village under Birsa police station at around 7.30 am. The security personnel belonging to CRPFs seventh battalion were travelling in a Bolero for deployment in an anti-Naxal operation in a nearby forest when the incident took place, Balaghat district superintendent of police Nagendra Singh said. Reinforcements were rushed to the spot to rescue the injured security personnel trapped inside the vehicle which was badly damaged following the incident. The injured were rushed to the nearby Machhurda hospital and later referred to a specialised hospital in Gondia in Maharashtra, police said. According to Birsa police station in-charge Rewal Singh Barde, the CRPF personnel started from their camp at Machhurda for anti-Naxal operations. While one team of CRPF personnel was travelling in a Bolero, the other jawans were travelling in a bus. The driver of Bolero lost control of the vehicle and hit it at a roadside tree, leading to the tragedy, he said. The slain jawan has been identified as Tarakeswar (23), a resident of Dhamtari in Chhattisgarh. The injured CRPF personnel have been identified as Inspector Umesh, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Yadunandan Paswan, ASI Birju Das, and Constable Rakesh Yadav.

MP: CRPF jawan killed, 4 injured in accident at Balaghat

Bhopal: A jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was killed and four others were injured when their patrolling vehicle hit a tree in Naxalite-affected Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, October 13 police said. Tarkeshwar (22), a native of Dhamtari in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, was killed on the spot, and four others sustained Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Chhattisgarh CM Lauds Dhamtari's Water Conservation Push

Raipur: Experts attending the 2-day Jal Jagar festival in Dhamtari in Chhattisgarh have suggested that at least 20 percent of water in the water bodies should be reserved for recharging. Padma Shri awardee and eminent environmentalist Popatlal Pawar has emphasized that at least 20 percent of water in water bodies should be reserved for recharging, and only 80 percent should be utilised. At least one fifth of water in water bodies should be conserved for the purpose of recharging the water body, he added. While sharing stories of successful water conservation measures undertaken in many places, he along with other participants such as Padma Shri awardees Shyam Sunder Paliwal and Uma Shankar Pandey stressed the need for conservation of biodiversities in the Western Ghats for the protection of the Himalayan ecosystem. Hailing the initiative taken by the Dhamtari district administration to hold the two-day International Water Conference, which ended on Sunday, chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that Dhamtari which was witnessing a significant depletion of its groundwater level has experienced a positive and revolutionary transformation due to the Jal Jagar initiative, a campaign to generate awareness among the farmers and locals on the need for water conservation, taken by it. Addressing the conference, Dr Maninder Kaur Dwivedy, additional secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, highlighted that Dhamtari has a long tradition of water conservation. A local farmers body in the district had initiated the cultivation of rice varieties that require minimal water, she said. She said that there are numerous such varieties of rice that thrive with less water and ripen quickly.

Experts, policymakers deliberate on water conservation strategies in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: A two-day International Water Conference in Chhattisgarhs Dhamtari perceived effective strategies and actionable plans as the need of the hour to be pursued for water conservation and management. Policymakers, environmentalists, experts and representatives from various national and international organisations extensively engaged in dialogues with thought-provoking insights and conversation plans to evolve strategies and practices to ensure meeting the human needs on water under the banner of Jal Jagar (Water Awakening) initiative. The event was held at the bank of Ravishankar reservoir (Gangrel Dam) on October 5-6 in Dhamtari district, about 80 km from Raipur. The experts and environmentalists shared success stories from their respective regions, fields, urging the people to undertake doable sustainable measures like rainwater harvesting, efficient irrigation and agricultural practices to reduce water usage, wastewater recycling, and watershed management among others. Jal Jagar campaign under the initiative of the state government will be a powerful approach to address the water crisis in both rural and urban areas. If we all work together, our future will be secured by overcoming the water scarcity, affirmed Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh chief minister. The need was felt for a multi-faceted approach and community involvement as the environmentalist Padma Shri awardee Umashankar Pandey remarked that water shouldn't just be a government concern but equally the peoples responsibility too. We cannot create water, but we can certainly conserve it, he added. Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, additional secretary, ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, highlighted how Dhamtari has a long-standing tradition of water conservation. She emphasised developing more such varieties of rice as seen in Dhamtari and adopting alternative crops that required reduced usage of water. Archana Verma, additional secretary, ministry of Jal Shakti asserted that public participation is vital for the success of water conservation initiatives as she lauded the Jal Jagar initiative that connects people with conservation efforts. Noted economist and urban development expert Prof Amitabh Kundu appreciated the first of its kind district-level event organised at such magnitude and dedicated to water conservation. The engaging discussions also focused on emerging serious water challenges in the country amid the climate change patterns, fast growing urban areas, severe pollution and poor management. Dhamtari was chosen to organise the international event owing to the districts major success in championing water conservation and groundwater replenishment against the drought. The movement to conserve the water and increase groundwater levels commenced in Dhamtari after it was earmarked among one of the 151 districts vulnerable to water scarcity in the county in 2021. Besides water conservation with public participation, the district also witnessed crop cycle transformation.

C'garh: Centre Approves 11,000 Crore Road Infra Projects for C'garh

Raipur: The Union government on Monday approved projects worth Rs 11,000 crore for development of road infrastructure in Chhattisgarh. Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari made the announcement at a review meeting with Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai at Delhi, an official spokesman of the state government said. This funding will support the development of four major national highways, which are billed to transform the states transport landscape and promote industrial growth, the spokesman said. Along with this, the Centre has given its consent to prepare DPR (detailed project report) of other projects, proposed by the state government. The four major projects cleared included Urga-Katghora bypass (NH-149B), Basna to Sarangarh feeder route, Sarangarh to Raigarh feeder route, and Raipur-Lakhnadon economic corridor. The total length of these projects is 236.1 km, for which a sum of Rf 9208 crore has been approved. At the same time, eight works worth Rs 908 crore have been sanctioned under the Central Road Fund (CRF). The Centre has also cleared the four-lane widening work of Keshkal Ghat and Dhamtari-Jagdalpur road. Instructions were given by the Union minister to complete the Raipur-Visakhapatnam road and Bilaspur-Urga-Pathalgaon road under National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) within the time limit. Apart from this, an additional amount of Rs 1200 crore has been approved for the development of roads.

Parastarai village leads water conservation revolution in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: A drought-prone village in Chhattisgarhs Dhamtari district has hogged limelight for showing the way for conservation of water. Identified as one of the 150 districts across the country facing serious crisis of groundwater depletion in 2022, Parastarai village, around 80 km from here, has now turned a model village for water conservation, thanks to the community-driven initiative by the villagers to go for crop diversification by shunning the practice of two-paddy crop a year. The depletion of groundwater was identified in a survey conducted by the Jal Shakti Mantralaya in 2022. It highlighted the irony that despite being surrounded by four dams- three in Dhamtari district and one in neighbouring Kanker district, the water level was depleting due to practice of intensive paddy cropping in Rabi and Kharif seasons. Hence, an awareness was created among the farmers to adopt the practice of crop rotation by going for one-paddy crop and choosing pulses and oilseed as second and third crop in a year, a senior district officer said on Sunday. Paddy is known as a water intensive crop while pulses and oilseed crops require less water. The initiative has reaped huge benefits for the village in terms of improvement in groundwater levels and inspired other villages to emulate the practice, local sarpanch Parmanand Adil said. The village comprising 300 families has earlier been identified as perennially drought prone despite being situated close to the Ravishankar Reservoir. All the villagers have collectively decided that any farmer who sows paddy during the Rabi season will incur a fine of Rs 27,000 per acre. Additionally, in Rabi season, if the water from paddy fields will flow into other farmers fields of pulses and oilseeds then the paddy grower will face an extra fine of Rs 37,000 per acre, Mr Adil said. The punitive measure has proved to be an effective deterrent for the farmers in shunning the practice of two-paddy crops a year, he added. The improvement in groundwater levels in many villages, including Parastarai, is a result of villagers environmental awareness. Dhamtari district has now emerged from the endangered category concerning groundwater, Dhamtari district collector Namrata Gandhi said. Dhamtari is hosting a two-day Jal Jagar Maha Utsav from October five this year to showcase the achievements of Parastarai in water conservation.

How Chhattisgarh village fought water crisis with conservation efforts

RAIPUR: Village Parstarai, once afflicted by severe water scarcity in Chhattisgarhs Dhamtari district, has emerged as an exemplar of water conservation and crop cycle transformation, embodying the vision under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. A few years ago, Parstarai grappled with drought and a severe water shortage. The groundwater levels in the region had significantly declined and the crisis led to routine crop failures resulting in a significant drop in farmers incomes. To combat the existing challenge, the village chief Parmanand Adil and local community leaders initiated the Jal Jagr' campaign in their habitat. Efforts were made to conserve rainwater through the construction of soak pits and rainwater harvesting practices in every household. Water conservation measures were also introduced in public places and even in the schools of the village. The awareness was created to recognise the importance of water conservation among the villagers. The move gradually led to a notable increase in groundwater levels with the installation of rainwater harvesting systems and soak pits in Parstarai, said officials associated with the State Ground Water Survey. With water conservation practices adopted, the farmers of the village also switched from water-intensive paddy crops to drought-resistant crops thereby transforming their crop cycle. Now the local agrarian community cultivate pulses, oilseeds, chickpeas, mustard, moong and urad among others. Instead of relying only on paddy, we now grow crops that require less water. This has helped in our efforts aimed to conserve water and also boosted our income, says Ramnarayan Sahu, a local farmer. Impressed with the achievement of the villagers, the state government has decided to observe it as Jal Jagr Mahotsav to be held in Dhamtari on October 5-6. The festival will spread a strong message on the village's water conservation model across the nation and will provide a platform for extensive discussions and awareness campaigns. The Parstarais success story on water conservation will be presented as a village model to global inspiration, said the chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai. In addition to water conservation, Parstarai has incorporated environmental protection into its traditions. A unique initiative has been launched in the village where a fruit-bearing tree is planted for every daughter and daughter-in-law. The practice promotes both environmental protection and social consciousness.