Delhi-NCR likely to receive light rain; IMD issues thunderstorm alert in 20 states
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) Residents of Delhi-NCR may experience light rainfall on Tuesday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast generally cloudy conditions, with isolated spells of very light to light rain likely from the forenoon to the afternoon. IMD also issued thunderstorm and rain alerts in 20 states. The maximum temperature in the national capital is expected to remain between 32 and 34 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is likely to settle between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius. According to the weather department, Delhi-NCR and several other parts of the country are likely to witness fluctuating weather conditions this week, with rain expected on some days, while relatively dry conditions may prevail on others. Although monsoon activity has weakened compared with previous weeks, the IMD has warned of thunderstorms, lightning and rainfall in 20 states. Gusty winds could reach speeds of up to 60 kmph in some areas, prompting authorities to advise residents to exercise caution during periods of adverse weather. The weather warning covers a wide geographical area, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra, among other regions. The IMD on Monday said the southwest monsoon is likely to begin withdrawing from the country around September 19, with the retreat expected to commence from west Rajasthan. The normal withdrawal date for the region is September 17, while last year the process began on September 14. The department said the country's cumulative rainfall deficit currently stands at 15 per cent. Several districts, particularly in western, southern and northeastern regions, continue to record deficient rainfall. Despite the expected retreat of the monsoon, several parts of the country are likely to receive additional rainfall during the week. The west and northwest regions, along with parts of the southern peninsula, are expected to witness increased rainfall activity.
Jharkhand CID arrests two over JPSC and JSSC exam irregularities
The News Mill
CID arrests 2 more in JSSC-CGL exam case
Undertrial prisoner dies in Rajmahal sub-jail
Ranchi celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi and Hartalika Teej with festive fervour
Husband booked for womans murder
Jamshedpur hosts Ganeshotsav with grand fair and tight security
Retired Tata Steel officer dies by suicide in Jamshedpur apartment
CBI court sentences two railway officers to 3 years in jail for bribery
MDR Law Enforced Nationwide, States Arbitrary Taxation to End: Babulal Marandi
Babulal Marandi criticizes Jharkhands coal tax, stating the new MDR law will curb arbitrary state taxation and impact electricity prices. MDR Law Enforced Nationwide, States Arbitrary Taxation to End: Babulal Marandi
Jharkhand High Court Mandates Biannual Factory Inspections and Strict Monitoring
Fugitive Dhanbad gangsters brother arrested in Kolkata
Dhanbad MP-MLA court grants anticipatory bail to MLA Jairam Mahato
2 auto drivers held for robbing passenger of Rs 22,000
HC grants bail to cop exam paper leak accused
RMC reclaims 17 acres of encroached land in 1 year
UCC debate intensifies after HM Amit Shahs 2029 implementation push (Lead)
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) The debate over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) intensified on Monday, a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that it would be implemented in all 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029, with BJP leaders and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) backing the move while some NDA partners and Muslim organisations called for wider consultations. BJP leaders strongly endorsed Shah's announcement, arguing that a common set of laws was necessary for national unity and social reform. BJP MP Naresh Bansal said Uttarakhand, his home state and the first in the country to enact a UCC law, had shown the way for other states. He described the legislation as necessary for the country and said it would help safeguard demographic balance. BJP West Bengal President Samik Bhattacharya said the party had consistently supported a UCC and asserted that there should be one law in one country. State Minister Dilip Ghosh also backed implementation, saying the process should begin in Bengal and subsequently extend to other states. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Shah's announcement was in line with Article 44 of the Constitution, which directs the state to endeavour towards securing a Uniform Civil Code for citizens. Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav also welcomed the move, saying the UCC should be implemented in BJP-ruled states before 2029. The VHP welcomed Shah's announcement, with spokesperson Vinod Bansal saying implementation would be a milestone for women's and children's rights by addressing gender inequality and discrimination. He also appealed to non-BJP-ruled states to initiate the process. However, the announcement has also exposed differing views within the NDA. Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas leader Chirag Paswan called for the proposed UCC draft to first be made public and sought extensive consultations, pointing to India's diverse customs, traditions and constitutional protections for tribal communities and special-category regions. Meanwhile, opposition-ruled Jharkhand Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav too adopted a cautious approach, saying the state government would examine all aspects and there was no need to rush to conclusions. Opposition to the UCC also emerged from Muslim organisations. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board opposed the proposed legislation, with Bhopal Shahar Qazi Mushtaq Ali Nadvi questioning its necessity in view of constitutional guarantees on religious freedom and minority rights. He appealed to people to participate in a September 17 protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari criticised the BJP, alleging that the UCC was being used to divert attention from economic and social issues. The UCC seeks to establish a common framework governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption irrespective of religious affiliation. Bills have been passed in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh, though the law is currently in force only in Uttarakhand.
Jharkhand high court orders pollution board to inspect Ramgarh industries
'India's social fabric is diverse': Chirag Paswan seeks wider consultation on UCC
Digital Desk | Patna, Sep 14 (IANS) A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) would be implemented in all BJP-ruled states before 2029, NDA constituent LJP-Ram Vilas President and Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday called for wider consultations before any decision on the measure is taken. Paswan, in a post on his official X handle, said India's social fabric is diverse, with different communities having their own customs, traditions, and practices. He noted that the Constitution itself recognises this diversity through provisions including the Fifth and Sixth Schedules and Articles 371A and 371G, as well as exemptions provided to Scheduled Tribes under various laws. Our party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), is committed to both equality and diversity, Paswan said. The draft of the proposed UCC should first be made public and its implications for all stakeholders assessed, he said, calling for extensive consultations and discussions before the party takes a final position. Let the draft be made public, let there be an assessment of the interests of all stakeholders, let there be extensive discussionsthereafter, after review, the party will state its position, he said. Paswan's remarks come amid growing differences among NDA constituents over the proposed implementation of the UCC. While the BJP has strongly backed Shah's announcement, some alliance partners have called for further discussion before taking a position. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav adopted a cautious approach when asked about the UCC. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken about this, and the Jharkhand government is keeping a close watch on all aspects of the matter. In politics, there should be no need to rush to conclusions. We will carefully examine every aspect before taking any further decision, Yadav said while addressing reporters at Patna airport. The statements come a day after Shah said the UCC would be implemented in the 21 states governed by the BJP-led NDA before 2029, putting the issue at the centre of a fresh political debate among NDA partners.
Police rescue Ranchi man within hours of abduction; four arrested
JSPCBs teak plantation drive sequesters 16,180kg CO2 in a year, shows data
States normal monsoon hides a sharply uneven rain map
Ho group seeks railway signboards in Warang Chiti across Kolhan
Jharkhand HC cracks down on Ramgarh pollution, orders inspections of industrial units
Digital Desk | Ranchi, Sep 14 (IANS) Taking a stern view of allegations of air and water pollution caused by private industrial units in Ramgarh district, the Jharkhand High Court has issued a series of directions to the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) including mandatory regular and surprise inspections of the units. Disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ram Kishor, a division bench of Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar observed that the right to a clean environment forms an inseparable part of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The petition alleged that some Ramgarh-based industrial units were emitting smoke and dust from their chimneys and polluting the Damodar River and nearby water sources. The court directed the Hazaribagh Regional Officer of the JSPCB to inspect both industrial units at least twice every year. One of these inspections must be conducted without prior notice to assess the actual state of pollution-control measures in place. The bench further ordered that if a unit's Continuous Emission Monitoring System records emissions exceeding prescribed limits for more than 48 hours, the Pollution Control Board must issue a show-cause notice to the industry concerned within seven days. The court also laid down timelines for a fresh assessment of water pollution. It directed authorities to collect water samples within three months from locations near Viva International School and from upstream and downstream stretches of the Damodar River. The samples are to be tested at an accredited laboratory, and the findings submitted to the Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner. In addition, the division bench ordered a detailed review of the environmental clearances, Consent to Establish (CTE), and Consent to Operate (CTO) granted to both companies. Relevant documents will be scrutinised over the next two months and consolidated records prepared. Appropriate legal action will be initiated if any approval is found to have expired. To ensure compliance with its directions, the court instructed the concerned authorities to file compliance affidavits within four months. It also granted liberty to the petitioner to move an interlocutory application in the same matter in the event of any future violation of the court's directions or deterioration in pollution levels.
Jharkhand MLA Jayaram Mahto Granted Anticipatory Bail Amid Police Controversy
Jharkhand MLA Jayaram Mahto receives anticipatory bail in a case involving police altercation and alleged misconduct at a police station. Jharkhand MLA Jayaram Mahto Granted Anticipatory Bail Amid Police Controversy
Health clinic sealed in Daltonganj after inspection finds infra lapses
Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, CM Hemant Soren greet people on Ganesh Chaturthi
May Lord Shri Ganesh remove all impediments and hurdles from everyone's life and bless us with happiness, peace, prosperity, and success, said Hemant Soren
Babulal Marandi He also urged the Chief Minister not to force students and the unemployed to take to the streets again; called for an immediate recommendation for a CBI inquiry
Bokaro police arrest man for murder after womans body found
2,500 teachers honoured for contribution to education
18% of booths have got 5 or fewer forms for new voters in electoral roll
Haldipokhar residents launch signature campaign against railway siding pollution
NHAI agrees to build two underpasses in Palamu
Dhanbad MLA gives BCCL 3-day ultimatum to repair key road
Four held for abducting Chatra MLAs son
Villagers allege elderly woman assaulted during coal theft raid
3 killed, several feared trapped after illegal mine in Dhanbad caves in
Notices to 38-member Iranian-origin family over draft roll entry in Garhwa
Speeding truck runs over couple from Bengal in Ranchi
Travel rush grips Ranchi routes, train tickets scarce & airfares surge
Puja organisers flag civic gaps, seek road repairs and traffic measures
85-year-old man dies in bee attack in Giridih village
Dhalbhumgarh airport stuck in forest land diversion clearance limbo
Ramgarh activists Janta Darbar becomes hope for common people
Two minor girls drown in Latehar village
Five Arrested in Kidnapping and Assault Case Involving Jharkhand MLAs Son
Five suspects have been arrested in Ranchi for the kidnapping and assault of Saurabh Kumar, son of MLA Janardan Paswan. Five Arrested in Kidnapping and Assault Case Involving Jharkhand MLAs Son
Coal Ministry rejects inadequate coal supply as cause of Punjab power crisis
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) The Ministry of Coal on Sunday clarified that adequate coal has been made available to power plants in Punjab and attributed the state's reduced power generation to factors including low utilisation of its own plants, reported breakdowns at independent power plants and inadequate lifting of coal already offered by Coal India Limited (CIL). The clarification came after media reports attributed reduced generation at Punjab's thermal plants to plant outages and inadequate coal supply. The ministry said the government has already enabled coal movement to Punjab's independent power plants (IPPs) from PSPCL's captive mines and that CIL remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted coal supply for power generation in the state. It said higher utilisation of PSPCL's own plants, monitoring of breakdowns at IPPs and timely lifting of coal offered by CIL subsidiaries would help optimise power generation and address Punjab's requirements. The ministry said it has enabled supply of coal from PSPCL's captive Pachhwara Central Coal Mine to IPPs, subject to fulfilment of statutory payment obligations to the Jharkhand government. Coal from the Pachhwara mine can also be used by IPPs not owned by PSPCL, including Nabha Power Limited (Rajpura) and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (Mansa), up to 50 per cent of annual production after meeting the requirements of specified end-use plants. The ministry said CIL supplies to Punjab's IPPs remain adequate. Against Nabha Power's average consumption of around 4.3 rakes per day over the last three days, rake supply averaged around five rakes per day. For Talwandi Sabo Power, against consumption of around 3.8 rakes per day, supply averaged around five rakes per day. During September 2026 so far, average supply has been around 4.9 rakes per day for Nabha Power and 4.1 rakes per day for Talwandi Sabo Power, higher than their average consumption, it said. Between April 2026 and September 11, production at the mine stood at 83.67 per cent of the annual target, while despatch was 68.44 per cent of the target. As of September 11, coal stock at PSPCL's plants stood at around 114 per cent of the normative requirement, indicating adequate coal availability, the ministry said.
Jharkhand JSSC to Revise Teacher Merit List and Grants Relief to Health Graduates
Illegal coal mine collapses in Jharkhand's Dhanbad; 3 killed, says labour union leader
Digital Desk | Ranchi, Sep 13 (IANS) Three people were killed, and several others are feared trapped under debris after an illegal coal mine collapsed in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Sunday morning, Vimalesh Chaubey, Regional President of the National Colliery Mazdoor Union, said. The accident took place at around 7 a.m. in Keshalpur Kumharpatti, located in the Ramkanali OP area of Katras in Dhanbad district. According to Chaubey, a number of men and women had entered the illegal mine tunnel to cut and collect coal when the upper portion of the tunnel suddenly collapsed, trapping several people beneath the debris. Some men and women had gone into the illegal tunnel to cut and pick coal. The upper part of the tunnel suddenly collapsed, burying several people under the debris. Following the accident, nearby villagers rushed to the scene and began removing the debris using spades, pickaxes, and other tools. We know that three people are confirmed dead, Chaubey said. He said that three injured people were also rescued from the site and subsequently admitted to a local nursing home for treatment. Chaubey added that locals fear that several more people could still be trapped beneath the debris following the collapse. The possibility of additional people being buried under the rubble has led to intensified rescue efforts at the site. According to reports, illegal coal extraction has been taking place through tunnels in the area, with coal extracted from these unauthorised mines reportedly being transported and sold in nearby markets using motorcycles. At the time of the accident, people had reportedly entered the tunnel to cut and collect coal in a similar manner when the structure suddenly gave way, resulting in the collapse and trapping those inside. Following the incident, police reached the spot and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the mine collapse. Authorities are also monitoring the rescue operation as efforts continue to determine whether more people remain trapped under the debris.
Manipal Hospitals scouts for acquisitions in Andhra, Keralam, Delhi-NCR
Manipal Health Enterprises Ltd is setting its sights on expansion in various states, including Telangana, Keralam, and Delhi-NCR, while pivoting towards a physical plus digital healthcare model driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The healthcare major is actively evaluating strategic opportunities in Telangana, Keralam, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh to selectively deepen its presence in identified markets, Manipal Health Enterprises said in its annual report for FY26. Manipal Hospitals continues to evaluate inorganic growth opportunities across Karnataka; Maharashtra and Goa, including the Mumbai-Pune economic corridor; and Eastern India, comprising West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Sikkim, it said. A key pillar of its upcoming infrastructure is the greenfield project in Juhu, Mumbai. The group recently completed the acquisition of the remaining land and building for this project for a total consideration of Rs 495 crore, of which Rs 130 crore is payable subject to the ...
Natl school hockey tournament concludes
Sports dept clears Rs 4.51 crore cash rewards for 493 medallists
25-year-old man shot dead by friends after party dispute in Ranchi
Man detained from Deoghar in bomb threat case
Congs seeks separate OBC code in Census
Dhanbad police detain three after headless body identified as Poonam Kumari
Four drown in flood-hit Sahibganj in five days
115 food products under scanner over labelling, misleading claims
Dept issues safety norms for temporary pandal wiring
JBVNL plans five new substations in every assembly constituency
19 illegal stone crushers sealed, demolished in crackdown
Peterbar, Gola farmers harvest 50 tonnes of tomato and brinjal using grafted saplings
3 held for Pakur jewellery heist
Hazaribag widow found dead, police investigate alleged murder
Man killed in accident in Hazaribag
Pvt hosp in Ranchi gets show-cause notice from dist health wing
Jharkhand Home Guard Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 772 Home Guard (Rural
Jharkhand Home Guard has released the Recruitment 2026 notification for 772 Home Guard posts. The online application process will be conducted from 11-10-2026 to 26-10-2026. Eligible candidates can apply through the official website, deoghar.nic.in.
Ahead of festive season, Hbag cops to conduct special surveillance
Star-studded field set for second edition of Archery Premier League
Digital Desk | Hyderabad, Sep 12 (IANS) The Archery Premier League (APL) is set for a bigger second season, with 36 of Indias leading archers set to compete alongside 12 international stars from 10 countries in Hyderabad from October 8 to 18. The expanded field brings together Olympic medallists, world champions, World Cup winners and some of the biggest names in the sport, adding further international flavour to the six-franchise competition. Four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari and World Championship silver medallist Atanu Das headline Indias recurve contingent, with reigning Asian champion Dhiraj Bommadevara also part of the field. The compound section features multi-time World Cup and Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam, former World No. 1 Abhishek Verma and former World Champion Ojas Pravin Deotale. The international contingent is led by Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Mete Gazoz of Trkiye, Paris 2024 bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold of the United States, Brazils World No. 1 Marcus DAlmeida and Great Britains World No. 2 Ella Gibson. Dutch compound star Mike Schloesser, a former World Champion and four-time World Cup Final winner, will also compete. The league will also feature all 12 members of Indias Asian Games-bound archery squad, giving the APL added relevance ahead of the countrys campaign in Aichi-Nagoya later this month. Anil Kamineni, Director, Archery Premier League, said, Following an incredible response to our inaugural season, we are ready to deliver an even bigger Season 2. Having the worlds top international archers join our league transforms the APL into a truly global spectacle, while continuing to give our Indian archers an invaluable competitive platform to test themselves directly against the best in the world. The Indian roster, selected on the basis of World Archery and national rankings, combines established performers with emerging talent. Of the 36 Indian archers, 21 featured in the inaugural season, while 15 will make their APL debut. Among those entering the league for the first time are World Championships silver medallist Rajat Chauhan, World Cup stage gold medallist Ridhi, World University Games gold medallist Kushal Dalal and junior national champion Kirti Sharma. The second season will retain one of the leagues most distinctive features its 15-second shot clock. Five seconds quicker than the standard Olympic timing, the format is designed to place greater emphasis on speed, decision-making and composure under pressure. Initiated by the Archery Association of India with the support of the Government of Telangana, the league will feature six mixed-gender franchise teams competing across the Recurve and Compound categories. The 11-day tournament will be held at Peoples Plaza on Hyderabads Necklace Road, with matches scheduled from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm each evening. Rajputana Royals won the inaugural edition, which also generated significant digital engagement among younger audiences. With a deeper international field and a mix of established Indian stars and emerging talent, the second edition will aim to build on the leagues debut while providing Indian archers with regular exposure to elite global competition. APL Season 2 squads: Compound Men India: Rishabh Yadav, Kushal Dalal, Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Abhishek Verma, Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam, Ojas Pravin Deotale, Shivshankar Sakharam Landkar, Aman Saini, Rajat Chauhan. Compound Men Foreign: Mike Schloesser (Netherlands), Mathias Fullerton (Denmark), Nico Wiener (Austria). Compound Women India: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, Taniparthi Chikitha, Prithika Pradeep, Jasveer Kaur, Swati Dudhwal, Raj Kaur, Avneet Kaur. Compound Women Foreign: Andrea Maya Becerra Arizaga (Mexico), Ella Gibson (Great Britain), Alejandra Usquiano (Colombia). Recurve Men India: Bommadevara Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan, Yashdeep Bhoge, Atanu Das, Mrinal Chauhan, Rohit Kumar, Pawan, Abhyuday Amol Pakhale, Juyel Sarkar. Recurve Men Foreign: Marcus DAlmeida (Brazil), Matias Grande (Mexico), Mete Gazoz (Trkiye). Recurve Women India: Deepika Kumari, Kirti Sharma, Kumkum Anil Mohod, Ankita Bhakat, Sangeeta, Simranjeet Kaur, Ridhi, Kondapavuluri Yuktha Sri, Gatha Anandrao Khadake. Recurve Women Foreign: Casey Kaufhold (USA), Alejandra Valencia Trujillo (Mexico), Elia Canales (Spain). Teams: Chero Archers of Jharkhand, Chola Chiefs of Tamil Nadu, Kakatiya Knights of Telangana, Mighty Marathas of Maharashtra, PrithviRaj Yodhas of Delhi and Rajputana Royals of Rajasthan.
Push to strengthen mobile connectivity in Saranda villages as Maoist shadow recedes
Pocso court imposes Rs 3,000 fine on father for false kidnapping complaint
Hit by vehicle, 22-year-old man dies in Bokaro
Adani's Jharkhand plant unit supplying power to Bangladesh trips amid Dhaka's woes
Adani's Jharkhand plant unit supplying power to Bangladesh trips amid Dhaka's woes
The Supreme Court will hear IAS officer Pooja Singhal's plea on September 15. She challenges a Jharkhand High Court order dismissing her petition. The plea seeks to quash a money laundering case cognisance order. Singhal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2022. The case involves an alleged Rs 18 crore MGNREGA scam.
Jharkhand: 18-Year-Old Student Allegedly Taken to Forest by Senior Over One-Sided Love
Student rescued safely from Arangi forest at 4 AM after friends alerted her family about abduction.
Kolkata Police Sergeant & Civic Volunteer Held For Jharkhand Bizman Murder
Sundaram Steel plans Rs 1,021-crore expansion in Bokaro
Climate Justice is Disability Justice
Dear readers, I am coming to you a little less upbeat than usual. The news has been heavy and so has the work of making sense of it. I am writing this piece from a sweltering Kuala Lumpur. In a typical Kashmiri, dam chu sahi ( it is too humid). Extreme weather events like cloudbursts, heatwaves, flash floods and this years super elnino killed hundreds in the sub-continent in the past few weeks. I am invited to be part of the workshop, convened under Chatham House Rules, discussing climate resilience. I am representing Indias 27 million Persons with Disabilities. Kashmir lives on a Powder Keg Kashmir has always known rain. What it did not know was humidity that clings to the skin, flash floods that erase roads overnight or summers that feel less Himalayan and more tropical. Growing up in the Valley, summer evenings carried a familiar coolness. Ceiling fans gathered dust, and the idea of oppressive humidity belonged to distant cities on Indias coast. Today, the air feels heavier. The seasons no longer arrive when they should, nor do they leave when expected. Climate change, once something I reported on through statistics and scientific studies, has become something I can feel on my own skin. Every few minutes, my phone vibrates with another news alert. A cloudburst in Chenab and landslides in Pir Panjal range. Roads swallowed by flash floods in the Central part of Kashmir. Rivers overflowing down south. Families searching for missing relatives. Rescue teams racing against time. Every notification carries a question that rarely appears in newspaper headlines. Who cares for PwDs? When disasters strike, we measure rainfall, wind speed, heavy snowfall, damaged roads and economic losses. Television cameras focus on helicopters hovering above flooded towns or rescue workers carrying children to safety. These stories matter. But they often miss another story- the telling tale of PwDs who are not considered stakeholders in the first place because they are forgotten when policy makers write the disaster response plans. The wheelchair user whose home has become inaccessible long before floodwater reaches the front door. The deaf woman who never hears the evacuation siren. The blind commuter is stranded because public transport has stopped functioning. The person with epilepsy who watches their medication run out while roads remain blocked for days. The child living with severe ADHD whose parents cannot carry both their child and the assistive devices that make everyday life possible. Climate disasters do not create these vulnerabilities. They expose barriers that already existed. For persons with disabilities, climate change is not simply another environmental challenge layered onto ordinary life. It magnifies inequalities that society has long ignored. Every broken footpath, every government building without a ramp, every disaster warning available only in one format becomes more dangerous as temperatures rise and extreme weather becomes more frequent. Climate change does not affect everyone equally because society has never treated everyone equally. Does SDRF Kashmir possess the latest data of PwDs? What is their progress report? How do they rescue PwDs when any natural calamity strikes Srinagar? Persons with disabilities are up to four times more likely to die during natural disasters than people without disabilities. Healthy people on a sick planet? Indias Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires district disaster management authorities to maintain records of persons with disabilities within their jurisdictions. The idea is simple but profoundly important: before a flood, cyclone or landslide occurs, authorities should already know who may require additional assistance, where they live and what support they might need during an emergency. In practice, however, this remains one of the weakest links in disaster preparedness. In many districts, disability data is incomplete, outdated or simply unavailable. When flash floods wash away roads or cloudbursts isolate villages, local officials often do not know how many disabled residents remain trapped, let alone whether they need wheelchairs, oxygen support or sign language interpretation. Rescue operations become exercises in improvisation rather than preparedness. You cannot rescue people whom the system has never bothered to count. When disability is invisible in government records, it becomes invisible in disaster planning. When it is absent from planning, it disappears from budgets, emergency drills and evacuation protocols. Eventually, it disappears from public memory itself. What remains visible are the collapsed bridges, submerged houses and damaged highways. What remains invisible are the disabled people who spent hours waiting for someone to remember that they existed. Climate change exposes many inequalities, but perhaps none more starkly than the difference between those whom the state anticipates and those whom it remembers only after tragedy has struck. The toxic air we breathe Much of the conversation around climate change begins with dramatic images rivers bursting their banks, forests consumed by fire, murky waters entering our lanes and eventually our homes. But for many disabled people, climate change begins much earlier. It begins with the air we breathe. Air pollution is an invisible passenger. It enters through our lungs but travels throughout the body, damaging nearly every organ. It knows no borders. Five years ago, while researching at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), an environmental think-tank based in New Delhi, I learned that air pollution was responsible for an estimated 8.1 million premature deaths in 2021, making it the second-leading global risk factor for death. Yet its toll often goes unrecognized. Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a nine-year-old girl from London, became the first person whose death certificate officially identified air pollution as a cause of death. Her death might have been prevented had her family understood the risks posed by the toxic air. When pollution remains invisible in public discourse, it becomes even deadlier. Now imagine breathing that same polluted air while living with a disability. A person with muscular dystrophy often has reduced respiratory capacity. Someone living with cerebral palsy may already struggle with recurrent respiratory infections. People with compromised immune systems, neurological conditions or chronic heart disease frequently have far less room to absorb additional environmental stress before their health deteriorates. Yet despite growing research on climate and public health, disability remains remarkably absent from the conversation. Disabled people, however, frequently disappear into statistical silence. We know polluted air harms everyone. We know disabled people often experience poorer health outcomes. What we rarely know is how these two realities intersect because disability is so often omitted from environmental research itself. That absence of knowledge has consequences. If governments do not understand how pollution uniquely affects disabled communities, they cannot design public health interventions that protect them. What goes unmeasured rarely becomes a political priority. Earth feels feverish Heatwaves are double-whammy for disabled population. During the record-breaking summer of 2024, Delhi crossed 49 degrees Celsius. Newspapers reported record-breaking temperatures, overloaded hospitals and soaring electricity demand. What received far less attention was what extreme heat meant inside the homes of disabled people. Imagine depending on an electric wheelchair during prolonged power cuts. Imagine medication that must remain refrigerated when refrigerators stop working. Imagine living alone on the third floor of a building without an elevator, unable to relocate to a cooling centre because simply leaving home requires assistance. You can beat the heat by jumping into your village canal, what option is left for your peer with a wheelchair? Heat hurts. I have reported from some Adivasi belts. I know some people with disabilities do not move an inch on their own in this unforgiving heat. Last year in Jharkhand, I saw women and children with disabilities living in abject poverty spending entire afternoons beneath tin roofs that trapped heat well after sunset. Elderly residents were unable to sleep because indoor temperatures remained dangerously high. Families who never appeared in official heat-related statistics because no one was looking inside their houses. For someone with limited mobility, home is not always a sanctuary. During a prolonged heatwave, it can become a prison. Public discussions often present air conditioning as the obvious solution. But adaptation cannot depend upon appliances that millions cannot afford. Persons with disabilities in India continue to experience significantly lower employment rates and greater economic insecurity than the general population. Cooling technologies remain financially inaccessible for many households already struggling to meet healthcare expenses. Even where air conditioning is available, widespread dependence on energy-intensive cooling creates another paradox. Individual homes become cooler while cities themselves become hotter. The solution for some cannot deepen vulnerability for everyone else. Climate adaptation that ignores economic inequality merely redistributes comfort rather than creating resilience. Natural disasters and mental health Climate calamities have made the life of PwDs extremely difficult sans proper disaster preparedness plans. Everyday life already involves negotiating inaccessible infrastructure, discrimination and bureaucratic indifference. Climate change layers another uncertainty onto that experience. It transforms ordinary anxieties into persistent fears. Have we ever paused to reflect on something nobody cares to notice: mental health of PwDs in natural disasters. It doesnt feature in disaster recovery. Recovery is measured by rebuilt roads, restored electricity and compensation packages. Nobody measures what it did to someone who cant speak his pain out. Eco-ableism As climate anxiety grows, we are increasingly encouraged to adopt environmentally responsible lifestyles: cycle instead of driving, walk instead of using vehicles, avoid air conditioning, and consume differently. Many of these changes are valuable. But they often assume that everyone has the same body. A wheelchair user cannot simply choose to cycle. A visually impaired commuter cannot always depend on inaccessible public transport. Someone living with chronic illness may require diets that do not fit neatly into popular sustainability campaigns. When environmental conversations ignore these realities, they unintentionally create a hierarchy of good citizens based upon physical ability. In trying to build a greener future, we risk reproducing the same exclusions that disabled people have spent decades fighting. Disability inclusion cannot become an afterthought within climate activism. It has to shape the movement itself. After all, accessibility is sustainability. Universal design is not merely a disability issue. It is climate adaptation. Climate justice must include disability justice India ranked 176th out of 177 countries in the environmental performance index 2026, placing it among the lowest performing nations globally. We deserve a thundering applause for this achievement. No? Truth be told, we have harmed earth beyond measure but there are reasons for cautious optimism. The Apex court has increasingly recognised extreme heat as a question of constitutional rights rather than seasonal inconvenience. In Beat the Heatwave and Climate Change vs Union of India, it directed governments to strengthen heat action plans, establish cooling spaces and prioritise vulnerable populations. The National Human Rights Commission has similarly urged states to improve preparedness before heatwaves claim more lives. These are encouraging developments. But meaningful change will not come only from courtrooms. Disabled people should not be consulted only after climate policies have already been drafted. They should help design those policies from the beginning. That means early warning systems available through text, audio, visual alerts and sign language. It means relief camps with accessible toilets, ramps and adequate lighting. It means district disaster authorities maintain accurate disability data before emergencies occur rather than searching for vulnerable residents after disaster strikes. It means ensuring uninterrupted access to medicines, electricity and assistive devices during extreme weather. Most importantly, it means recognising disabled people not as beneficiaries of climate policy but as experts in resilience. Outro The climate crisis is forcing us to rethink how we build cities, design transport, organise healthcare and prepare for disasters. It also demands that we rethink something more fundamental: whose lives are imagined when the future is planned. The floods will return. The heat will become more intense. The rains will grow more unpredictable. Nature will continue to test our resilience. Whether disabled people are once again left waiting, however, is no longer a question of nature. It is a question of political will. Of public imagination. And ultimately, of whether we believe every life is equally worth protecting before the storm arrives. Over 1.3 billion PwDs are among the most vulnerable to climate impacts yet remain the least represented in climate solutions and policy decisions. Climate justice cannot be achieved without disability justice. Inclusion is not optional. It is a necessity. Nothing About Us, Without Us. Note: This work is supported by the Center for Planetary Health, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The author was invited by Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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