MP: 21 peacocks die of water scarcity

Residents of Vandiyur Theerthakadu near Anna Nagar, which falls within the limits of the Madurai Corporation under the Madurai East Assembly constituency represented by Registration Department Minister P Moorthy, have alleged on Thursday that their locality has been deprived of basic amenities such as electricity, drinking water and proper roads for more than four decades.

Two individuals died in separate incidents during a Manjuvirattu event held at Uranganpatti village near Melur in Madurai district on Wednesday, officials said.

President Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the 'Jal Mahotsav 2026' in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Congress General Secretary Avinash Pande on Wednesday criticised the government over the commercial LPG cylinder shortage, stating that the situation is creating an atmosphere of scarcity and directly impacting the budgets of common people.

Antop Hill police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against Fuzail Ahmed Khan, 34 yrs, after a medical student, Stuti Sonawane, 24 yrs, allegedly died by suicide at her residence in Wadala East, leaving behind a 6-page suicide note. The case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the deceased victim's father.

The State Government has initiated proactive measures to ensure that rural communities do not face drinking water shortages during the upcoming summer season, said Priyank Kharge, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and Information Technology & Biotechnology.

Briefing reporters on decisions of Union Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Union approved Ministry of Jal Shakti's proposal to restructure and reorient the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) from infrastructure creation to a service delivery, supported by drinking water governance and institutional ecosystem for sustainable rural piped potable water supply.

Rapid urbanisation has led to lake pollution, declining water quality, reduced groundwater recharge and worsening air quality in densely populated areas. To address these issues, the 'Lake and Air Watch' initiative will integrate monitoring systems across departments for coordinated and timely action.

In an X post, the IAF shared the images and videos of the widespread blaze in the areas and the efforts to douse the flames with the Mi-17 V5 helicopter.

As many as seven people were killed after a wall of an under-construction building collapsed in the Sidhrawali area of Gurugram, a kin of one of the labourers who died in the incident said.