-Business Standard These disasters were caused due to higher economic activities like rock quarrying, construction of new buildings and roads and destruction of natural forest, says Madhav Gadgil At least 20 people have lost their lives and several others are missing as heavy rains led to flash floods and landslides in several parts of Kerala. The situation, which may turn out to be a repeat of the 2018 floods if rain continues, has...

-IndiaToday.in Even as the coal crisis continues in the country, a urea shortage seems to be the next big problem for several states, especially with the sowing of rabi (winter) crops around the corner. Bhopal /Jaipur /Guwahati /Chandigarh: The coal supply shortage has already threatened possible power outages in India. Several states have reported a shortage and complained of a possible power outage in the coming days, even as the central government...

-Hindustan Times The BJP leadership has explicitly instructed the cadre to reinforce that the ongoing farm protests are “motivated” and an attempt to “destabilise” the country, a party functionary claimed The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has redoubled efforts to distance the farmer protests from the farm issues ahead of elections in states such as Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, where the demand from a section of farmers’ for repealing the farm laws enacted...

-The Tribune The government will also have to take back the three farm laws, says Surjewala The Congress on Saturday hailed as “farmers’ victory” the Centre’s order to commence paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana from October 3 instead of October 11. The Centre’s earlier decision to postpone procurement till October 11 due to recent heavy rains sparked protests by farmers in the two states.   Responding to the development, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep...

-The Tribune The farmers’ protests reflect the western region’s pre-election zeitgeist Uttar pradesh’s regions spanning the west, east, centre and Bundelkhand, exist in silos, each with their own preoccupations and concerns conditioned by economics, geography and demography. However, come an election, political imperatives transcend the distinctive characteristics. UP votes as one state, and has lately, rooted for a single party or coalition. The fractured verdicts that threw UP into disarray in the...