Severe Rainfall in Northeast India Claims 36 Lives Amid New Policies in Ladakh
Tragic Impact of Heavy Rainfall in Northeast India
Since Friday, heavy rainfall in Northeast India has resulted in the deaths of 36 individuals. Assam reported 11 fatalities, while Arunachal Pradesh recorded 10, Meghalaya six, Mizoram five, Sikkim three, and Tripura one.
The severe weather has affected over 550,000 people across the northeastern states. Mizoram has experienced more than 550 landslides in the last ten days, leading to significant damage to over 150 homes.
In Manipur, flash floods have impacted more than 56,000 residents. Additionally, 156 villages across 23 districts in Arunachal Pradesh have been flooded, with over 10,000 individuals currently residing in relief camps in Tripura.
New Domicile and Reservation Policy in Ladakh
In response to ongoing protests from various groups since 2019, the Union government has introduced a new domicile and reservation policy for the Union Territory of Ladakh. Under this policy, only individuals who have continuously resided in Ladakh for 15 years from 2019 will be recognized as domiciles, meaning non-natives will only gain this status after 2034.
Furthermore, the government has implemented an 85% reservation for Scheduled Tribes in government employment, addressing concerns that non-natives might dominate job opportunities. Currently, over 97% of Ladakh's population belongs to Scheduled Tribes, and previously, 80% of government jobs were reserved for them.
Kamal Haasan's Film Release on Hold Amid Controversy
Kamal Haasan's production company has informed the Karnataka High Court that it will postpone the release of the Tamil film Thug Life in Karnataka for the time being. This decision follows protests from pro-Kannada groups regarding Haasan's statement that Kannada originated from Tamil.
Despite the controversy, Haasan declined to apologize, asserting that his comments were not intended to offend. The presiding judge noted that his remarks had caused discord and encouraged him to reconsider an apology.
The film, directed by Mani Ratnam, is set to premiere on June 5.
Rise in Active Covid-19 Cases in India
India has reported an increase in active Covid-19 cases, now totaling 4,026, with five new deaths recorded in the last 24 hours. This represents a rise of 65 active cases since Monday.
Among the deceased, two were from Maharashtra, while Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal each reported one death. Four of the deceased individuals were elderly and had pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
Since May 22, active cases have surged from 257 to over 4,000. However, health officials indicate that the current variants causing this increase are not severe and are sub-variants of Omicron.