A sharp shortage of LPG cylinders has disrupted operations at Amma canteens across Chennai, forcing authorities to scale down food production and curtail menus at several outlets, officials said.

The impact has been most visible in reduced idli output and the suspension of chapati preparation in many locations. Field visits on Wednesday to areas such as Egmore and Triplicane revealed that canteen staff have been instructed to limit cooking due to inadequate gas supply. Chapatis, which require higher fuel consumption, have been dropped at several centres, while idli production has been significantly reduced.

Run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Amma Canteens are a vital lifeline for thousands of low-income residents who depend on subsidised meals daily.

Officials said LPG supplies have dropped sharply over the past 10 days. “Earlier, more than 300 cylinders were supplied daily. Now it has come down to around 150,” a corporation official said, underlining the severity of the crunch.

To cope with the situation, the GCC has introduced a hub-based cooking model in select zones. Under this system, food is prepared at centralised kitchens and distributed to clusters of 15–18 nearby canteens, ensuring that basic services continue despite limited fuel availability.

On the ground, the disruption has been stark. At the Gengu Reddy Subway canteen in Egmore, weekly LPG supply has fallen from five cylinders to just two, cutting idli production from 350 to 150 per day. In Chintadripet, canteens now receive only two to three cylinders weekly, reducing idli output from 500 to 300, with evening chapatis replaced by idlis.

A similar trend is visible in Triplicane, where daily idli production has dropped from 600 to 350, while chapati numbers have been halved.

However, the impact has not been uniform. The canteen at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for children campus continues to function normally, despite broader curbs on chapati preparation.

Authorities have termed the situation temporary and assured that full-scale operations will resume once LPG supplies stabilise. Until then, efforts remain focused on maintaining essential services while adapting to the ongoing constraints.

With IANS inputs

Indian equity markets fell sharply on Thursday, with the BSE Sensex plunging more than 1,200 points and the Nifty 50 slipping close to the 23,800 mark, as a surge in crude oil prices and weak global signals dampened investor sentiment.

By late morning, the Sensex was down 1,226 points, or 1.58 per cent, at 76,270, while the Nifty dropped 370 points, or 1.53 per cent, to 23,806. The broader market also witnessed heavy selling, with declining shares significantly outnumbering gainers, indicating widespread pressure across sectors.

The downturn follows a brief recovery in the previous session, but renewed concerns over global energy prices and persistent foreign investor selling weighed heavily on the market.

A sharp rise in crude oil prices emerged as a key trigger. Brent crude climbed around 5 per cent to trade near $124 per barrel, fuelling fears of inflation and potential disruption to global supply chains. The spike comes amid geopolitical tensions and discussions led by Donald Trump with oil producers over possible supply constraints linked to Iran.

Higher oil prices are particularly concerning for India, one of the world’s largest importers of crude, as they threaten to push up inflation, weaken the currency and strain economic growth.

Global market sentiment also remained fragile. Overnight, US equities closed mixed, while Asian markets traded lower, reflecting uncertainty following signals from the Federal Reserve that it would maintain a cautious stance on interest rates.

The Fed has held rates steady in the range of 3.50 to 3.75 per cent, adopting a wait-and-watch approach as inflation remains above target levels.

Foreign institutional investors continued to exert pressure, offloading equities worth over Rs 2,400 crore in the previous session. Sustained outflows from overseas investors have been a major drag on large-cap stocks in recent weeks.

Market volatility also spiked, with the India VIX rising more than 11 per cent, signalling heightened nervousness among investors amid geopolitical uncertainty and sharp movements in oil prices.

Selling was broad-based across sectors. Banking, auto, realty and metal stocks all recorded notable declines, while mid-cap and small-cap indices also slipped. The Nifty IT index was among the few segments to remain resilient.

Among individual stocks, Bajaj Finance led the gainers, while several others, including InterGlobe Aviation and Axis Bank, featured among the major losers.

Meanwhile, the Indian rupee weakened to a record low against the US dollar, reflecting concerns over rising energy costs and global monetary tightening. Bond yields also edged higher, tracking movements in US yields and oil prices.

Analysts said the market remains in a fragile phase, with downside risks persisting as long as geopolitical tensions and inflationary pressures continue to dominate investor sentiment.

With PTI inputs

A tigress and her cub have died at Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, taking the total number of tiger deaths in the state this year to 27, officials confirmed on Thursday.

The tigress, estimated to be between eight and ten years old, and her cub, around 18 months old, had been undergoing treatment in a quarantine facility within the reserve. Both died on Wednesday despite veterinary care, according to wildlife veterinarian Dr Sandeep Agarwal.

The deaths follow the recent loss of three other cubs belonging to the same tigress, which reportedly died between 21 and 25 April due to a combination of natural causes, drowning and respiratory infection. The tigress and her surviving cub had been rescued from the Sarhi range last week before being moved to the treatment centre.

Officials said post-mortem examinations were conducted, and the remains were disposed of in accordance with established protocols.

Madhya Pradesh, which recorded 785 tigers in the 2022 census — the highest in India — is home to nine tiger reserves. However, the rising number of fatalities this year has raised fresh concerns among conservationists and wildlife observers.

The first tiger death of 2026 was reported on 7 January in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Since then, 26 more big cats, including cubs, have died across the state. Officials noted that 12 of these deaths, including four cubs, have occurred since early April alone.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has criticised what he described as inadequate on-ground monitoring in tiger reserves. He alleged that limited presence of field staff and increasing human activity in protected areas may be contributing to risks faced by the animals.

He also pointed to the movement of villagers into forest areas for collection of forest produce such as mahua flowers, chironji and tendu leaves, often accompanied by domestic animals. According to him, this raises the possibility of disease transmission to wildlife.

Concerns have also been raised about insufficient implementation of vaccination programmes for livestock and stray animals in buffer zones surrounding reserves, as recommended by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Some experts believe that diseases such as canine distemper virus could pose a threat to tiger populations if preventive measures are not enforced effectively.

Forest authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the latest deaths, and further investigation is expected.

With PTI inputs

Nepal Airlines has issued an apology after a network map shared on its social media platforms incorrectly depicted India’s Jammu and Kashmir region as part of Pakistan.

The state-owned airline said the image, posted a day earlier, contained “significant cartographic inaccuracies” that do not reflect either Nepal’s official position or that of the airline. The post was subsequently removed within hours of being identified as erroneous.

In a statement, the carrier expressed regret for the mistake and any offence caused, adding that it is conducting an internal review to ensure stricter accuracy in future communications. It also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining strong ties with neighbouring countries.

Airline spokesperson Archana Khadka said the error stemmed from the use of an incorrect base map sourced online, which was inadvertently incorporated into the airline’s network graphic. She stressed that the mistake was not deliberate and was corrected promptly.

The image quickly drew criticism on social media, particularly from Indian users, with some calling for a boycott of the airline and accusing it of misrepresentation of territorial boundaries.

Nepal Airlines operates flights to several destinations, including New Delhi and cities across West Asia, Southeast Asia and China.

The incident comes against the backdrop of close and historically rooted ties between India and Nepal, underpinned by the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which facilitates open borders and strong economic and cultural links.

India remains one of Nepal’s key development partners and its largest bilateral donor in the 2024–25 fiscal year. Meanwhile, diplomatic engagement between the two countries continues, with a potential visit by Vikram Misri to Nepal under consideration as part of ongoing consultations ahead of a future trip by Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah to India.

With IANS inputs

The Congress on Thursday intensified its attack on the Centre over the proposed caste census, accusing the government of failing to provide any roadmap for the exercise and alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is deliberately delaying its implementation.

Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said it has been a full year since the government announced that caste enumeration would be included in the upcoming census, yet no concrete details have emerged.

“A full year has passed. The details of how this caste enumeration will be done are still awaited. There has been no dialogue with Opposition parties, state governments, or even experts,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

Highlighting what he termed a “dramatic U-turn” by the prime minister, Ramesh outlined a timeline of the Centre’s shifting stance. He noted that on 21 July 2021, the government had informed Parliament that it had taken a policy decision not to enumerate caste-wise population. This position was reiterated in a 21 September 2021 affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, which argued that court-mandated caste enumeration would interfere with government policy.

Ramesh also pointed to political exchanges over the years, including a letter by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on 16 April 2023, urging the inclusion of caste data in the Census, and the Prime Minister’s 28 April 2024 remarks in a television interview, where he criticised the demand as reflective of “urban naxal” thinking.

“The prime minister owes the Congress leadership an apology for that accusation. More importantly, he owes the people of India an explanation for this reversal,” Ramesh said.

He further claimed that Kharge’s follow-up letter dated 5 May 2025, seeking dialogue on the issue, went unacknowledged. “The concerns raised remain valid even today,” he added, accusing the government of sidelining the issue despite its importance.

Quoting Kharge, Ramesh reiterated the Congress position that a caste census is essential for ensuring social and economic justice. “Conducting such an exercise, which gives rights to the backward, oppressed and marginalised sections, cannot be considered divisive,” Kharge had said in his letter.

The Congress has repeatedly alleged that the government is attempting to push the caste census into “cold storage”, a charge that has gained traction following the recently concluded special session of Parliament.

As the political debate sharpens, the demand for a comprehensive caste census continues to remain a key flashpoint between the ruling government and the Opposition.

With PTI inputs

A gathering storm is sweeping across West Asia, where rising tensions between the United States and Iran have spilled from sharp rhetoric into high-stakes confrontation at sea, sending shockwaves through global energy markets and diplomatic corridors alike.

On Thursday, the war of words sharpened further. US President Donald Trump hailed Washington’s sweeping blockade of Iranian ports as “a success”, pressing Tehran to “just give up”. The response from Iran was swift and unyielding. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the pressure campaign, while military officials warned that Tehran’s restraint thus far had merely been “intended to give diplomacy a chance”.

At the heart of the crisis lies the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow but vital artery of global oil trade — now transformed into a theatre of strategic brinkmanship. Oil prices have surged past $120 per barrel, while petrol costs in the United States have climbed to a four-year high, underscoring the far-reaching economic fallout.

The United States military, tightening its grip, announced it had intercepted 42 vessels attempting to breach the blockade. US Central Commander Brad Cooper described the move as a “significant milestone”, noting that 41 tankers stranded as a result now hold an estimated 69 million barrels of oil — worth over $6 billion — effectively choking a crucial lifeline of Iranian revenue. “The blockade is highly effective,” he said, pledging unwavering enforcement.

Tehran, however, has condemned the actions in stark terms, branding them a “flagrant act of piracy”. The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters revealed that Iranian forces refrained from immediate retaliation due to the presence of civilians aboard the seized vessels. Yet the tone from Iran’s security establishment has grown increasingly ominous, with warnings that such “maritime banditry” will not go unanswered.

State-linked reports suggest that Iran’s patience is wearing thin. Senior security sources have cautioned that continued US “obstinacy” could trigger a “practical and unprecedented military response”, signalling that the fragile restraint could soon give way to escalation.

The blockade itself follows the collapse of Iran-US negotiations held in Islamabad earlier this month, which failed to produce any breakthrough, setting the stage for the current standoff.

Meanwhile, tensions are rippling beyond the Gulf. In the eastern Mediterranean, activists aboard an aid flotilla bound for Gaza reported interceptions by Israeli forces, adding yet another flashpoint to an already volatile landscape.

From the chokepoints of Hormuz to the contested waters off Gaza, the region now stands at a precarious crossroads — where diplomacy flickers uncertainly and the drums of escalation grow louder with each passing hour.

With IANS inputs

At least 24 people, including two firefighters, were taken to hospital after a chlorine gas leak in the Kondhwa area of Pune in the early hours of Thursday, officials said.

The incident occurred at around 1 am in the Gangadham locality, where gas began leaking from an abandoned chlorine tank stored in a disused water purification plant godown. The facility had reportedly been shut down some time ago, but the tank remained on site.

Residents living nearby soon reported breathing difficulties as the gas spread through the surrounding area. Emergency services were alerted, prompting a swift response from fire brigade teams, who evacuated several people from affected buildings.

Fire officials said the leak was eventually contained after crews used specialised safety equipment to seal the damaged tank. During the operation, 22 residents and two members of the fire service experienced symptoms such as breathlessness and were transported to hospital for treatment.

According to officials, all those affected are now in a stable condition and are being kept under observation at Sassoon General Hospital.

A man who had previously operated the purification plant said the unit had been dismantled, but the chlorine tank appeared to have been left unattended, eventually developing a leak.

Authorities are expected to examine how the hazardous material remained at the site and whether any lapses led to the incident.

With PTI inputs

Indian airlines are set to resume regular flight operations to Doha from 1 May, signalling a gradual return to normal air travel in the region after weeks of disruption caused by conflict in West Asia.

Leading carriers, including Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo, are preparing to restore services connecting the Qatari capital with several Indian cities and regional hubs.

In a statement shared on social media, the Embassy of India in Doha confirmed that operations at Hamad International Airport would expand as part of a broader effort to stabilise aviation links. Flights between Doha and multiple destinations in India are expected to recommence from the beginning of May.

The restart follows a prolonged period of restricted air travel after hostilities escalated in late February, when a joint United States–Israeli military operation targeting Iran triggered wider regional tensions. The situation led to significant disruption across West Asian airspace.

Qatar, despite its diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, experienced considerable impact. Its airspace was largely closed to commercial traffic for nearly two months, with the Doha airport operating only limited emergency and evacuation services during that time.

Recent developments, including a fragile ceasefire brokered in Islamabad and subsequently extended by Donald Trump, have created conditions for a cautious resumption of international aviation activity. This has also allowed insurers to gradually reinstate coverage for flights in the region.

However, officials have warned that the situation remains fluid. The Indian Embassy has advised travellers to stay in close contact with their respective airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules, terminals and bookings, as operations continue to depend on evolving security and coordination measures.

The resumption of flights is being seen as an important step towards restoring connectivity and easing travel disruptions for passengers between India and Qatar.

With IANS inputs

At least 15 people have died following a collision between a pick-up van and a sports utility vehicle (SUV) in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, after three more victims succumbed to their injuries on Thursday.

The accident occurred on Wednesday evening between 8.30 pm and 9 pm near Chikliya crossing along the Indore–Ahmedabad National Highway. According to officials, the pick-up van, which was carrying a large number of labourers, overturned before colliding with an oncoming SUV.

Initial reports had confirmed 12 fatalities, but the death toll later rose to 15 as additional victims died during treatment.

Indore divisional commissioner Dr Sudam P. Khade said around 46 individuals, most of them labourers, were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the incident. He described the accident as “very tragic” and confirmed that authorities are overseeing relief and medical efforts.

Several injured individuals have been hospitalised, with seven referred to Indore for specialised care. Others are receiving treatment locally, where officials say their condition is currently stable. Medical teams have been deployed to ensure timely care and to prevent any delays in treatment.

Preliminary findings suggest the driver of the van lost control of the vehicle shortly before the crash. Police from Tirla station have registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those who died, along with Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav also conveyed his grief and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. He announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 50,000 for others hurt in the incident.

State minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has instructed local authorities to prioritise medical care for the injured, while leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar, who hails from Dhar, also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives.

With PTI inputs

West Bengal has recorded a historic 92.47 per cent voter turnout in its two-phase assembly elections, the highest ever in the state since Independence, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday.

The turnout figures reflect strong voter participation across both phases. Phase I, held on 23 April, saw a polling percentage of 93.19 per cent, while Phase II recorded 91.66 per cent by 7:45 pm. The combined turnout stood at 92.47 per cent across the two phases.

With a voter base of 6.81 crore, the state has now surpassed its previous best of 84.72 per cent recorded in the 2011 assembly elections.

Women voters outpaced men in participation, with 92.28 per cent of women casting their votes compared to 91.07 per cent of men in Phase II. Similar trends were observed in Phase I as well.

Calling the milestone a reflection of democratic strength, chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, “For the highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal since Independence, the EC salutes each voter of the state.”

West Bengal’s record turnout comes amid a broader surge in voter participation across several states. Tripura continues to hold the national record with 93.61 per cent turnout in its 2013 Assembly elections.

Other states also saw notable participation this cycle, including Assam (85.38 per cent) and Puducherry (89.83 per cent), both surpassing their previous highs. Tamil Nadu, which went to polls on April 23 for all 234 seats, recorded a turnout of 78.29 per cent in 2011 as its highest earlier benchmark.

The counting of votes for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will be conducted on 4 May.

With PTI inputs

sonobugiardo posted a photo:

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