India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
Kapurthala: Despite being Punjab's most rainfall-deficit district this monsoon, Kapurthala has been one of the hardest-hit by floods, primarily due to its geographic location. The sub-division of Sultanpur Lodhi, through which the Beas river flows, has been the worst-affected area, with flooding beginning three weeks ago.Kapurthala received only 254.6 mm of rainfall from June 1 to Sept 1, a 33% deficit compared to the normal average of 380.8 mm. Rest of the state received 40% more rainfall than normal over the same period. However, on Sept 1, the normal rainfall would have been 4.6mm, but it was 42.3mm, an increase of 820%, and it was 1,104% more for Punjab. On Monday, there was a downpour during the early hours in most parts of Kapurthala as well as in the rest of the state.A bulletin released by the state govt said a total of 115 villages in Kapurthala district have been impacted, with the majority located in Sultanpur Lodhi and some in the Bholath sub-division. Floodwaters have submerged crops across 14,934 hectares (36,557 acres) of farmland.The 'Mand' area, situated within the protective dhussi bundhs of the Beas, remains largely intact, offering some relief. While parts of this area are close to the Satluj river, no damage has been reported from its waters so far.
Himachal Pradesh weather update: The impact of the heavy rainfall extends well beyond Mandi, with more than 129 roads across Himachal Pradesh blocked due to landslides and flooding. Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district remained the worst-affected on Tuesday as torrential overnight rains led to an overflowing Beas River, causing floods in Karsog, Dharampur, Pandoh, and Thunag areas. Villages and markets witnessed flood-like conditions as overflowing streams and rivers entered the areas, damaging houses and roads. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in parts of the sta ...Read More >
LAHORE/SRINAGAR (Reuters) -Pakistan's eastern towns of Chiniot and Hafizabad face a risk of catastrophic floods if an irrigation barrage crumbles on a major river upstream after heavy rains swelled it beyond capacity, officials warned on Thursday. Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan are battling torrential monsoon rains that have unleashed flash floods, swelled rivers and filled dams, with 60 deaths this month in Indian Kashmir, and Pakistan's toll at 805 since late June. Any flooding blamed on India stands to inflame relations between the archfoes, embroiled in a tense stand-off sin ...Read More >
Punjab is facing one of its worst flood crises in recent times. Farmland has been submerged, homes destroyed, and thousands of families displaced. With roads, power lines, and other basic facilities badly hit, the state is struggling to protect both people and animals. Amid this devastation, several Bollywood celebrities have stepped forward to extend support and prayers. Actor Sonu Sood, who hails from Punjab, shared a heartfelt video on X, highlighting the ground situation in Ferozepur, Tarn T ...Read More >
Mumbai, Sep 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bollywood heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan said, "The spirit of Punjab shall never break" as he sent his prayers for those affected by the floods in the state of Punjab. Expressing his concern, King Khan wrote on social media, "My heart goes out to those in Punjab impacted by these devastating floods. Sending prayers and strength... The spirit of Punjab shall never break... may God bless them all." Before this, his 'Dear Zindagi' co-star Alia Bhatt also extended her prayers to all those affected by the Punjab floods. The 'Highway' actress hoped that every affected fa ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Aug 26 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced closure of all schools in the state from August 27 to 30 in the wake of heavy rains forecast. Incessant rains for the past two days have inundated villages across several districts of the state. "It has been raining heavily for the past few days and the weather department has predicted heavy rains for the next few days as well. "In view of this, all primary, secondary, senior secondary government and private schools in the state will remain closed from August 27 to August 30," Mann said on X. The Sutlej, Beas ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russian oil imports is way less than exaggerated media numbers," brokerage CLSA said in a report. While ...Read More >
Heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh triggered devastating landslides and flash floods, washing away shops, collapsing buildings, and cutting off highways. The state witnessed multiple flash floods across Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu, and Kangra districts, along with a cloudburst in Chamba. Hundreds of roads are closed, and essential services like electricity and water supply have been severely disrupted. Shimla Shops were washed away, buildings collapsed, highways were cut off and residential areas in ...Read More >
ISLAMABAD/NEDW DELHI, Aug 27 (Reuters) - India on Wednesday opened all gates of major dams on rivers in its part of the Kashmir region following heavy rains, and warned neighbouring Pakistan of the possibility of downstream flooding, an Indian government source said. Pakistan said Islamabad received the warning, and subsequently issued an alert for flooding on three rivers which flow into the country from India. Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have been ravaged by intense monsoon rains and flood ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India] September 13 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, visited various regions of Himachal Pradesh affected by recent natural disasters, including sudden floods, landslides, and cloudbursts, as per a release. The Minister inspected several locations along the Kullu-Manali route, covering Vaishno Mata Temple, Sabzi Mandi (Bandrol), Raison, Dohlu Nala, Fozal Nala, Duada Vihal, Jatehar Vihal (Patlikuhal), Nalsu Nala, Manalsu Nala, Solang, Palchang, Samahan, Bahang and the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th Mile areas situated on the ...Read More >
Shimla: An early morning cloudburst in Gutrahan village of Bilaspur's Shri Naina Devi constituency on Saturday damaged crops and at least four vehicles, though no casualties were reported.Bilaspur deputy commissioner Rahul Kumar said the cloudburst was reported around 3 am, bringing a large amount of debris onto the road and into surrounding fields, which destroyed standing crops. The extent of crop damage is being assessed, and relief will be provided as per regulations once the report is received. All damaged vehicles have been removed, while the public works department has begun clearing th ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Sep 15 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit the flood-affected areas of Punjab on Monday and interact with those hit by the natural calamity in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. Gandhi landed at the Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport in Amritsar where he was received by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla. During his visit, Gandhi will be visiting flood-affected areas in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. He will pay obeisance at the historic gurdwara B ...Read More >
Shimla: The Shimla Meteorological Centre on Sunday issued a "red alert" for downpour in 10 districts of Himachal Pradesh while services on the Shimla-Kalka rail line were suspended after boulders and trees fell on the tracks following overnight rains. A landslide near Koti on the Shimla-Kalka National Highway (NH-5), connecting Shimla and Chandigarh, damaged some stretches of the road, resulting in a two to three-km-long traffic jam for hours. Solan Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Singh on Sunday said two-way traffic has been restored near Chakki mod on NH 5 which was damaged due to lan ...Read More >
Shimla: Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, triggering landslides and flash floods and blocking more than 100 roads, even as the weather department issued a red alert.A landslide at Chakki Mod near Parwanoo blocked the Chandigarh-Shimla highway for hours, resulting in a massive traffic jam Sunday morning. The local administration had to divert traffic through the Jangeshu link road until the landslide debris was cleared at Chakki Mod.The traffic was first restored one-way and later two-way, but the traffic jam continued on both sides of the highway throughout the day due to slow veh ...Read More >
Rainfall is expected to continue in Himachal Pradesh in coming days, with heavy to very heavy rainfall also likely at some places. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a low to moderate flash flood alert for Mandi, Kullu, Hamirpur, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts for the next 24 hours. The weather office said surface run-off or inundation may occur at some fully saturated soils and low-lying areas due to expected rainfall occurrence. During the last 24 hours, extremely heavy ...Read More >
Mumbai, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actor Harshvardhan Rane, who was last seen in 'The Miranda Brothers', is heaping praise on the recently released film 'Saiyaara', and its team. On Saturday, the actor took to the Stories section of his Instagram, and penned a special note for the film and its makers after it witnessed a stellar opening day. He wrote, "Another melodious example of a love story shattering all myths and formulas of the industry. Honest heart wrenching love story wins again in 2025! #Saiyaara". 'Saiyaara', which stars Aneet Padda, and marks the debut of Ahaan Panday, is helmed b ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 13 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri met the Union Minister of Water Resources C.R. Patil at his residence in Delhi and reported losses the Jal Shakti Vibhag suffered during the last three years, amounting to approximately Rs 4,000 crores, as per a release. Agnihotri urged the Union Minister to extend a generous hand towards Himachal in view of the huge Natural Calamity the State has faced during the monsoons. He stated that the losses suffered by the State were unprecedented, and the heavy brunt was faced by the State' ...Read More >
Amritsar: The division among farmers' organisations in Punjab has come to the fore, as several groups staged a statewide protest on Monday demanding govt support, while others distanced themselves from the agitation, stating that they do not agree with all the demands and are not part of the protest.Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala, state general secretary of the Jamhuri Kisan Sabha, said the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) was a national-level farmers' organisation led by various prominent farmers' unions that ...Read More >
PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jul, 2025) In recent years, devastating floods have become an increasingly frequent threat across many regions of South Asia including Pakistan, wreaking havoc on homes, economy, livestock, agriculture, livelihoods, and infrastructure, affecting common man. While large-scale flood control projects often require extraordinary funding and time, water experts are now turning their attention to a more humble yet effective solution i.e small dams to a ...Read More >
Asserting that the Indus Waters Treaty was a "historic mistake", Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said its termination is a befitting response to Pakistan and will ensure immense benefit to Jammu and Kashmir, which will be able to harness its real hydro power potential. IMAGE: Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha (left), during 'Provincial Arya Mahasammelan' to commemorate 200th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati and 150th anniversary of the founding of Arya ...Read More >
Shimla, Aug 4 (UNI) Heavy rains continue to lash Himachal Pradesh, pushing the death toll to 184, with 36 individuals still missing, as reported by the State Emergency Operations Centre. Of the total death toll, 103 deaths have been caused due to landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts, and another 81 in road accidents due to incessant rain in the region. As many as 36 people remain missing. The Manali sub-division in Kullu district has declared a holiday for all government and private schools, and ITIs today. Roads have been blocked and the Beas river water level has risen alarmingly, pro ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday described the Supreme Court order on nomination of two MLCs as "a slap in the face of both the Congress and the BJP". The apex court issued an order modifying its earlier interim directive on the nomination of Prof M Kodandaram Reddy and Amer Ali Khan to the state Legislative Council under the Governor's quota. In a press statement, Rama Rao said that the Supreme Court declaring invalid the appointments of Kodandaram and Amer Ali as MLCs under the Governor's quota by the state government was a slap in the face for both the BJP and the ...Read More >
Shimla, Aug 22 (PTI) Release of water from Kangra's Pong Dam this monsoon destroyed crops, houses and cowsheds in Fatehpur, and several villages in Indora were cut off due to closure of roads and damage to bridges, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly on Friday. He held the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) responsible for the damage and loss. Responding to a calling attention motion of Congress MLA Malender Rajan, Sukhu said that crops in 50-60 hectares of land, four houses and 38 cow sheds were damaged in Fatehpur. In Indora assembly segment, 100 hectares of agricu ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 7 (ANI): Around 14 people have lost their lives and 28 others remain missing as relentless monsoon activity continues to wreak havoc across Himachal Pradesh over the last six days. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has confirmed that the majority of these casualties were caused by rain-induced disasters, including cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods, with Mandi district emerging as the worst-affected region. Officials stated that out of the 14 fatalities, 12 resulted from weather-related disasters, while the other two were due to road ...Read More >
8 more lost lives in northeastern Punjab province during past 24 hours due to floods Over 100,000 people have been evacuated to safer areas as floodwaters spread across Pakistan's southern Sindh province, officials said on Friday. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon of the Sindh government said that so far, 109,320 people have been relocated to safe locations near rivers. "Most people have been evacuated from Katcha areas as precautionary measures," Memon said in a statement. The Provincial D ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Sep 29 (PTI) The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the "lack of response and the failure" of the BJP-led Centre to sanction a special financial package for the flood-hit Punjab. The resolution also condemned the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for "not responding" to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's repeated request for a meeting, thereby "insulting" the people of the state, and preventing the state from making a proper and comprehensive representation of the full scale of the disaster. The two BJP members were not present in the House when t ...Read More >
New Delhi: Since the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir in April, India and Pakistan's relations have been going through a very difficult phase. After the Pahalgam attack, India immediately suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that was signed decades ago with Pakistan. This has left Pakistan agitated, and it has written several letters to India regarding this matter. Following the attack in Pahalgam on April 22, on April 24, Devshree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, sent a letter to Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary of Pakistan's Water Ministry, making it clear th ...Read More >
Shimla, Jun 29 (PTI) The meteorological centre in Shimla issued a "red" alert on Sunday for very heavy downpour in 10 districts of Himachal Pradesh, while services on the Shimla-Kalka rail line were suspended for hours till the debris and trees fallen on the tracks following overnight rains were removed. A landslide near Koti on the Shimla-Kalka national highway (NH-5), connecting Shimla and Chandigarh, damaged some stretches of the road, resulting in a two-to-three-km-long traffic jam for hours. Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said two-way traffic has been restored near Chakki M ...Read More >
Hapur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 30 (ANI): The Monsoon arrived eight days earlier in India, making several cities experience heavy rainfall and waterlogging, disrupting the lives of people. The Hapur city of Uttar Pradesh is also facing severe waterlogging after incessant rainfall in the area. India welcomed the monsoon on Sunday, arriving eight days ahead of its expected onset date of July 8, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Also Read | Bodoland Lottery Result Today, June 30, 2025: Assam State Lottery Sambad Monday Lucky Draw Results Declared, Check Winners List Wi ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 18 (ANI): Amid continued monsoon activity and widespread cloudy weather across Himachal Pradesh, all major dams in the state are operating within their safe operational levels as of 3 pm today, according to the latest Daily Dam Status Report issued by the state authorities. The report covers the operational status of 25 major dams and barrages spanning the Satluj, Beas, Ravi, and Yamuna river basins. Despite heavy inflows and significant discharge in several regions, no dam has breached its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) or High Flood Level (HFL) thresholds ...Read More >
Pakistan on Friday expressed concerns over the limited flood-related data shared by India, saying the information provided this year through diplomatic channels was not as detailed as in the past. This statement came amid one of disastrous floods in the country's history after India opened all gates of major dams following warnings issued to Pakistan via diplomatic channel, including one given today, instead of the relevant forum of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) last month. Under the treaty, Ne ...Read More >