India accuses Canada of double standards in not arresting people threatning Indian Officials
India on Thursday asked Canada to take action against anti-India elements operating from its soil.
The comments by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came when asked about reports that Canada has charged two persons for threatening on social media to kill Prime Minister Justin Trudeau but such actions are missing against those threatening Indian leaders and diplomats.
“We have seen these reports. When a
democracy adopts different yardsticks to measure or implement the rule of law and freedom of expression, it only exposes its own double standard,” Jaiswal said.
“We expect Canada to take action against anti-India elements who have repeatedly threatened Indian leaders, institutions, airlines and diplomats by violence,” he said. “We would like to see strong action, same level of action on threats against us,” he added.
US Senators sound alarm over Canada’s acceptance of Gaza refugees
Canada’s acceptance of Palestinian refugees from Gaza is setting off alarm bells south of the border.
In a letter Wednesday to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, United States Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) expressed concern over the program, which he warned could lead to an increased risk of allowing individuals with ties to terror groups easy access to the United States.
“On May 27, 2024, the Government of Canada announced its intent to increase the number of Gazans who will be allowed into their country under temporary special measures,” Rubio wrote in his letter, which was signed by five other Republican senators.
Continued on Page 6...
South Asian Coach for Canadian Women Soccer Team sent home from Olympics over drone spying allegations
Thursday’s opening-round women’s soccer game between Canada and New Zealand at 2024 Paris Olympics was supposed to feature North Delta siblings Amar and Jasmine Mander on opposite sides. Amar is a physical therapist for New Zealand. Jasmine is an assistant coach with Canada, but was sent home after a drone operated by Canadian team analyst Joseph Lombardi was caught flying over two separate New Zealand practices. The Canadian Olympic Committee admitted in a release Wednesday morning that a “non-accredited member,” had
been detained by French authorities following a complaint from the New Zealand team on Monday. In a later statement, they identified Lombardi as an “unaccredited analyst” with Canada Soccer, and listed him as reporting to Jasmine. Lombardi was sent home as well. Federations have limits on how many staff members receive accreditation and full access at the Olympic games. Amar told the Surrey Now-Leader’s Tom Zillich a month ago when the draw was announced and the opening duel between siblings was set up: “It was a crazy coincidence.”
Current US Vice President Kamala Harris may become the country’s next president, and she has a Canadian connection you may not know about. Harris’ chance at the presidency comes after US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would not be running in the 2024 election. Continued on Page 10...
JD Vance’s Indian wife, Usha, faces racist online backlash
The wife of Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, Usha Chilukuri Vance, and the couple’s children have become the targets of backlash for their Indian ancestry.
Chilukuri Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants who grew up in San Diego, as well as RNC speaker Harmeet Dhillon -- who is Sikh and Indian - are facing antiAsian hate from far-right figures online.
Posts appear to have spiked this week following Vance’s nomination criticizing Vance for marrying someone who is nonwhite, expressing concerns about an influx of Indian immigrants as a result and the socalled Great Replacement conspiracy have garnered hundreds of thousands of views according to individual post engagement figures. Continued on Page 10...
Edmonton man found guilty on terrorism charge in UK
An Edmonton man has been convicted in the United Kingdom for being a member of a proscribed terrorist group.
RCMP say Khaled Hussein, a Canadian citizen, was heavily involved in al-Muhajiroun, an organization linked to killings and attacks in London. Mounties had investigated Hussein’s online activities, finding he shared information on behalf of Anjem Choudary, a director of the group. In June 2023, RCMP says investigators learned Hussein was travelling to London and arrested him a month later at Heathrow Airport.
Choudary was also arrested and charged for being a member of the group, directing it and encouraging support. Both men were found guilty by a jury and are to be sentenced later this month.
Concerns as lightning storms ignite new wildfires in BC
The wildfire situation in this province is ramping up with fresh worries the forecast won’t help crews battling flames on the frontlines.
The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says almost 80 new fires were sparked on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 362 active fires. According to the BCWS, the vast majority of new starts were sparked by dry lightning.
“With some precipitation developing, we’re going to see active weather. We have that up in Peace Country today. It sinks to the south, although we’ll get cooling, that’s still a couple of days in the Interior, and farther to the east all the way across Alberta, where we’re concerned about fires as well.”
Kuss says an unsettled forecast can be concerning.
Some parts of the province are seeing a reprieve from the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing. However, CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says that as areas move to more seasonal weather, conditions remain dangerous. He adds the majority of central and southern B.C. have not seen a speck of rain all month and any rain that has fallen has been minimal.
Winds are going to pick up, fanning the flames of the fires already burning and lightning potentially with some active weather dipping through the province over the next couple of days, could develop and trigger more fires.”
The BCWS says there were 20,000 lightning strikes on Sunday along, with the majority in the province’s north.
The Wildfire Service says a significant change in the weather could ramp up fire activity, as Environment and Climate Change Canada warns of severe thunderstorms in several parts of the province following weeks of hot and dry conditions.
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation says nonessential travel to the Interior is discouraged as wildfire activity has increased. It’s warning of potential highway closures and delays.
Mon-Fri - 12:00 - 9:30
- 12:00 - 10:00
The B.C. Prosecution Service is going to court in an effort to get a publication ban lifted on the bail hearing that led to the release of Adam Mann days before he allegedly stabbed Tori Dunn to death in her Port Kells home.
Premier David Eby told reporters at a news conference in Coquitlam Wednesday that he met with Dunn’s sister and cousin after the family raised concerns as to why Mann was granted bail, despite being charged with stabbing a woman in Surrey on May 26.
the reasons for the bail decision.
“We were advised that the best we could potentially offer the Dunn family was to attend and listen to a recording of what happened in the courtroom,” said Eby, adding the offer “makes no sense” given Dunn’s relatives live across Canada.
In the days leading up to Dunn’s killing, Mann also faced court hearings for a January robbery in Vancouver, for which he was charged with possession of a deadly weapon and obstructing a peace officer. Eby told reporters he has the same question: why the public is barred from knowing
Mann, who is originally from Ontario, was arrested by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team on the day of Dunn’s murder and was charged with seconddegree murder on June 28. He is due to appear in Surrey provincial court on Aug. 19.
Eby warned that the persistent stories of repeat and violent offenders being released on bail only to immediately commit another crime is causing the public to lose confidence in the justice system.
Richmond fraud victim loses $1.5M as scammers pose as Chinese police
The Richmond RCMP is issuing a warning after a single person lost over $1.5 million in a scam. Mounties say the victim was told by fraudsters posing as Chinese police officers that there was an outstanding arrest warrant for them in Hong Kong.
The victim told police they had sent the large sum of money to the scammers as a result. The person reported the scam to the RCMP on July 14.
“These fraudsters are highly convincing and use various tactics to induce fear, making the victim feel compelled to comply with their
demands,” said Sgt. Dave Au of the Richmond RCMP Organized Crime Unit.
“While we are committed to thoroughly investigating these frauds, community awareness is crucial in preventing future incidents.”
Investigators say the scam is targeting the Asian community in particular. However, they warn that all residents should be vigilant to ensure they don’t get caught up, noting fraudsters can use “evolving tactics” on “any demographic.” Police are reminding people that government agencies will never request
Metro Vancouver’s price per square foot most expensive in Canada
Metro Vancouver is home to eight of the top 10 most expensive places to buy a home in Canada, if you’re looking at price per square foot.
The latest numbers released by real estate company Century 21 show Vancouver’s West Side, downtown Vancouver, and West Vancouver are the most expensive places to buy in the country.
According to Century 21, a detached home in the West Side fetches $1,161 per square foot.
However, the real estate group explains those numbers stayed relatively stable over the last six months, rising modestly. “Though BC prices were stable overall for the first two-quarters of 2024 several Metro Vancouver suburbs saw price increases while Vancouver condo prices fell modestly, anecdotally due to families continuing to migrate from the city core to more affordable markets that offer more space,” the report stated.
“Vancouver east side houses went up almost 18 per cent in price to $977 per square foot, a rebound from a price decrease last year and well below the price per square foot of west side and downtown properties. West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, White Rock/South Surrey all saw increases this year as well – most of them modest, and a rebound from last year’s declines. Fraser Valley prices were stable,” the agency continued.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the list is Saint John, New Brunswick. A detached home in that city fetches just $186 per square foot — just over 16 per cent of what Vancouver commands. In terms of what happens for the rest of the year, Century 21 says interest rates will likely be a major determining factor. The Bank of Canada is slated to provide an update on rates Wednesday.
VPD ‘confident’ two women found dead in Vancouver’s English Bay not connected
Police have identified the two women found deceased on the shorelines of beaches this week in Vancouver. The Vancouver Police Department says it does not believe the deaths of the two women found in separate locations of English Bay this week are connected.
In a release Tuesday, Sgt. Steve Addison says the families of the two women have been informed.
“We now know the names of these women and we have informed their families of their tragic deaths,” he said. “While we continue to investigate both cases, we are confident these deaths are not connected.” Sunday morning the VPD started the investigation when the body of a woman was found on the shoreline at Sunset Beach around 10 a.m. A second investigation started on Monday
afternoon when another woman was found dead on the beach near the Kitsilano Yacht Club.
Police say the Major Crime Section was able to identify the woman found on Sunset Beach earlier Tuesday.
“The cause of her death remains unknown, and police are not releasing her name at this time,” VPD said. The second woman was also identified on Tuesday evening.
“Out of respect for her, her family, friends, and loved ones, police will not be sharing additional information about her identity or how she died,” the VPD said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vancouver Police Major Crime Section at 604-717-2500.
Mayor Locke holds NDP ‘to their word’ - Surrey taxpayers won’t pay extra policing bill
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke is expressing concern that Surrey taxpayers could potentially be on the hook for half a billion dollars related to Surrey Police Service replacing the Surrey RCMP as the city’s police of jurisdiction if costs surpass the up-to $250 million the provincial NDP government has earmarked under an agreement struck earlier this month.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth revealed on July 10 an agreement between the provincial government and the City of Surrey that his government will provide up to $250 million over 10 years. This agreement was struck after the City lost a judicial review
in B.C. Supreme Court in May where Justice Kevin Loo ruled in favour of the transition continuing.
Locke noted that a Deloitte Legal Canada LLP report done in April 2023 shows an annual cost difference of $75 million to operate the SPS compared to the RCMP, and Loo in his reasons for judgment said that “regardless of the exact figures, it is clear that it will be more expensive for the city to transition to the SPS compared to maintaining the RCMP.”
The mayor said the Deloitte report was “hidden from the City” until it came before the court during the judicial review.
“The biggest concern for us right now is the enormous tax burden that is in front of us, the $75 million dollars,” she said in May, adding that “$75 million is forever, and that will only escalate. We are looking at a generational decision that is being imposed on our city.”
In April, the City of Surrey posted a press release stating that the report, “commissioned by the Province and developed by Deloitte, reveals new details that confirm the SPS will cost Surrey taxpayers a whopping $750 million more than the RCMP over just a 10-year period.” As for the $250 million over 10 years, Locke said Monday, “That was part of the agreement, but subsequently both the premier and the solicitor general have said Surrey taxpayers will not be out of pocket, so with that, I hold them to their word.
“If we are not to be out of pocket, that means that if there are extraordinary expenses or expenses over what they’re giving us that the Province will compensate us for that because this is a provincially imposed police force,” she told the Now-Leader. “So that would be my response to that. So we will be monitoring it. If we have expenses that exceed the amount that they’re providing us every year, we will be informing the solicitor general’s office because he said, his words were, that the Surrey taxpayers would not be out of pocket for his imposed police force. So if that is the case, then that means they will pay anything over. Now, will we have to raise taxes if they don’t? According to Deloitte, we absolutely will.”
Part of the agreement between the provincial government and the City of Surrey, according to a joint backgrounder, is that the City agrees to “not levy a separate police tax for any costs relating to the police transition for a period of 10 years.”
This will in effect preclude the City from making political hay, should additional costs arise, by imposing a dedicated levy to cover them.
“We will have to include it into our general (budget) thing, but it’ll be very obvious because there’s one thing that’s for sure, and that is that Surrey has always had a line items of policing, that’s not new and it will be very obvious,” Locke said. “Our electorate in Surrey is very, they’re smart and they know what they’re looking at, they know what
# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2
Ph: 604-591-5423
Fax: 604-591-8615
editor@theasianstar.com
Editor: Umendra Singh
Marketing and Sales: Ravi Cheema 604-715-3847
Shamir Doshi 604-649-7827
Harminder Kaur 778-708-0481
Parminder Dhillon 604-902-2858
Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed
www.theasianstar.com
Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.
# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2
New grocer code rewrites rules in Canadian market
By Sylvain Charlebois: The recent announcement that American retail giants Walmart and Costco will be joining the Grocer Code of Conduct, alongside established Canadian players such as Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro, marks a critical step forward in the evolution of Canada’s grocery sector. This collective commitment by all major players is vital for the code’s effectiveness and represents a significant effort that has taken years to achieve.
The Grocer Code of Conduct is designed to improve competition in the Canadian market by ensuring accountability across the food industry. It targets previously hidden practices, such as the high fees retailers charge suppliers, subjecting them to scrutiny and regulation.
For instance, consider a Canadian jam producer who wants to distribute products through major retailers like Loblaw. Initially, the grocer might impose listing fees and other charges that could amount to over $100,000 annually. As the product gains popularity, these fees can escalate dramatically, compelling the supplier to increase prices to maintain profitability.
This cycle leads to market instability and higher costs for consumers. The Grocer Code of Conduct aims to regulate these fee escalations, promoting a more stable pricing environment and fairer practices.
Furthermore, the Grocer Code of Conduct promises a more equitable environment for independent grocers, allowing them to negotiate on more equal terms. While major players like Loblaw and Walmart will still hold significant market influence, the code is expected to curb their predatory practices.
The industry’s need for an image overhaul cannot be overstated, especially in the wake of scandals such as the bread price-fixing debacle and the controversy over ‘hero pay’ during the pandemic. These incidents have severely tarnished the public’s perception of the grocery sector.
Key figures such as Michael Medline, CEO of Sobeys, have played pivotal roles in advancing the code. Medline’s call for greater discipline and respect within the industry, alongside the tireless advocacy by Michael Graydon and Sylvie Cloutier on behalf of Canadian food manufacturers, has significantly shaped the discourse and mobilized support among policymakers.
Premier Eby addresses ‘terribly stressful’ wildfire season
David Eby shared his sympathy and admiration for British Columbians facing wildfires across the province Monday.
When asked at an event in Whistler, Eby said it’s a “terribly stressful time” for residents as hundreds of wildfires rage in B.C.
“We’ve got thousands on notice that they may need to evacuate their homes. And this is unfortunately, the beginning of the fire season that we were concerned about,” said Eby. He said the province’s wildfire service is working night and day to fight fires with improved equipment and improved cooperation with municipal governments.
More than 320 wildfires were burning in B.C. as of Monday morning. More than 20 of those were sparked on Sunday alone, the BC Wildfire Service dashboard says, as two dozen one-day heat records fell and multiple towns in the Cariboo were ordered to evacuate.
Prolonged, tinder-dry conditions have exacerbated the wildfire risk, the BC Wildfire Service says. On Saturday, the BCWS shared that there had been 1,277 lightning strikes in just four days.
Several B.C. municipalities saw new heat records broken in recent days, many have received evacuation orders or been put on alert.
Langley looking into why far-right group was allowed to host event at township-owned property
The mayor of the Township of Langley says he’s looking into why a far-right group was allowed to host an event at the Lions Club last week. Members of Diagolon gathered at the Langley Lions Society West Langley Hall on Friday as part of a national tour. The July 19 stop was part of the “Road Rage Terror Tour,” which includes various other events in the country.
The Langley Lions Club says on its website that it is “proud to partner with the Township of Langley in the care and management of West Langley Hall.”
communities.” “I’d never heard of them before until the tweets that were shared and then Minister Kahlon’s concern — I share that concern, and we’ll get to the bottom of it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Woodward.
“It’s important to note that it wasn’t the
Eby said the improvements are thanks to lessons learned in the last wildfire season, adding “that doesn’t make it any better for someone that’s facing evacuation.”
Eby closed his statement by thanking other provinces, and the country of Australia for helping the BCWS and providing additional resources.
However, Mayor Eric Woodward says the hall itself is owned by the township, but adds it is “completely operated independently by the Langley Lions Club.”
“We are following up with them to see how this booking occurred and see what we can do to prevent similar bookings in the future,” he told CityNews Tuesday.
On Monday, BC NDP MLA Ravi Kahlon called on Woodward to “find out how this happened.” “This is very disturbing!!” Kahlon wrote on X. “It’s all of our responsibility to push back against these hate groups in our
US Senators sound
Continued from Page 1...
Township of Langley that booked this, it’s not a property that’s managed by the Township of Langley staff. We learned about it after the fact, just like everybody else, and I certainly don’t like that they’re convening these meetings and in assets that are owned by taxpayers but managed by a third party.
alarm over Canada’s acceptance of Gaza refugees
“We are deeply concerned and request heightened scrutiny by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should any of them attempt to enter the United States at ports of entry as well as between ports of entry.”
Cosigning the letter were fellow senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Mike Braun, Joni Ernst and Josh Hawley.
Last month, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a five-fold increase in the number of Gazan refugees let into Canada, upping the program’s cap to 5,000 people. The government’s initial cap on Palestinian refugees was 1,000.
As well, Palestinian refugees will be able to apply for work and study permits without charge.
Expert says interest rate decrease will not impact Vancouver housing market much
An expert says the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts won’t make a world of difference to those looking to get into the housing market.
Chief Economist with Central 1 Credit Union Bryan Yu says the fact that interest rates are going down makes getting a good rate on mortgages more likely.
“Rates are showing signs that [they’re] coming off, [which is] likely going to mean lower fixed-rate mortgages going forward as well. It’s probably a good time to take a look at what’s on the market” he said.
Yu says even though interest rates decreased he doesn’t think prices of homes would be coming down by a lot. “We have a lot of demand waiting in the wings right now, whether it’s the stronger of the population growth, or other factors, or people have been kind of sitting on the sidelines in the last couple of years,” he said.
“Every time rates come off a little bit, people come back into the market…So clearly there’s a lot of demand in the market.” The expert adds that first-time buyers will still need a sizable down-payment to be able to purchase property.
“People who may have been able to save money over the last couple of years might be in a position to purchase but it doesn’t make it more affordable,” he said. “I don’t think we’re ever going to be really calling Vancouver ‘affordable.’”
He says he expects home prices to stay stable through the end of this year but they could start to jump up again in 2025.
“We’re not necessarily building a lot of condos or apartment building in terms of housing starts with components, so that’s going to be another factor, that the housing supply is still constrained in this market,” Yu said.
Immigration Marc Miller visits PICS
PICS Society (Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society) was honored to welcome Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship of Canada, and Sukhminder Singh Dhaliwal, Member of the House of Commons of Canada, to its head office. The visit emphasised the significance of supporting newcomers and fostering collaboration to enhance settlement work, leading to a better understanding of the challenges and successes in this area.
During the visit, Ms. Devinder Chattha, Senior Director of Settlement, Language, and Social Programs at PICS, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the Society’s objectives, mission, and operations. She provided an overview of the current settlement and integration programs funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Provincial government. Additionally, Ms. Chattha shared valuable insights into the challenges faced by newcomers and outlined PICS’s
future expansion plans to better serve this community.
Minister Miller attended a workshop organized by PICS’s settlement program, where he engaged directly with participants. This interaction allowed him to gather feedback on the services provided by PICS and understand the firsthand experiences of the newcomers. The Minister also visited the daycare facility at PICS head office, which offers childminding services to clients attending appointments with settlement counselors and participating in various events. Furthermore, Minister Miller toured the PICS Senior Care Facility, where he had the opportunity to interact with residents and receive direct feedback about the facility’s services and operations.
The engagement with Minister and Member of Parliament emphasized the importance of ongoing support and collaboration to ensure successful integration and settlement for newcomers in Canada.
NAME CHANGE
I, Piara Singh s/o Darshan Singh, holder of Indian Passport No. L8975348 issued at Vancouver, on 21/04/2014, from VPO Barwa, SBS Nagar (Punjab) India 144516 and presently residing at 4627 Sheridan Ridge Road Nanaimo BC, Canada V9T 6S6, do hereby change my name from Piara Singh to Piara Singh Lally with immediate effect.
I, Jagdish Kaur d/o Dharam Singh, holder of Indian Passport No. K2089566 issued at Vancouver, on 07/12/2011, from VPO Barwa, SBS Nagar (Punjab) India 144516 and presently residing at 4627 Sheridan Ridge Road Nanaimo BC, Canada V9T 6S6, do hereby change my name from Jagdish Kaur to Jagdish Kaur Lally with immediate effect.
Indian-origin Canada MP receives threat from SFJ’s Gurpatwant Pannun
Chandra Arya, Nepean MP in the Canada House of Commons, wrote on X today that separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun released a video demanding that Arya and his HinduCanadian friends go back to India after he condemned the vandalism of the Hindu temple and other acts of violence by Khalistan supporters in Canada.
Surrey fires claim 2 lives; RCMP investigating
The Surrey RCMP says it is assisting the local fire department after two people died in recent blazes. The most recent fire happened early Tuesday at a home in the area of 136B Street and 56B Avenue in Newton. Police say first responders were called around 2 a.m. and arrived to find a home “fully engulfed” in flames. Mounties were told that a 73-year-old woman managed to escape. However, a 77-yearold man did not. The woman was taken to the hospital. Days prior, on Saturday, July 20, fire crews responded to the area of 112A Avenue
and 136 Street in Whalley just after 8 p.m. In this instance, an 85-year-old woman was found dead and police were called in. The RCMP says the fire appears to have been contained to an upper floor room, where the woman was. Both fires have been deemed not suspicious. The BC Coroner’s Service is looking into both deaths. “Both very, very sad instances,” said Sgt. James Mason.
Mason says the circumstances around the fires will be investigated by the Surrey Fire Department.
Port Moody mayor calls upon BC to take immediate action on homelessness
The mayor of Port Moody is calling on the B.C. government to do more to address homelessness, mental health and substance use in local communities. Mayor Meghan Lahti said homelessness is a growing concern across the Tri-Cities. In a letter sent to the province on behalf of council, she’s calling for immediate temporary action while it continues to work with municipalities for long-term solutions.
“There has been a recent decrease in shelter spaces (including emergency weather shelters and supportive housing), and significant gaps in
housing supports to address the growing need,” Lahti said in a statement.
On July 15, Coquitlam council directed that city’s staff to send letters to BC Housing, as well as relevant provincial and federal ministries, raising concerns about the operation of the 3030 Gordon Ave. shelter and supportive housing facility.
Opened in 2015, the facility near Coquitlam’s city centre was designed to offer supportive housing for 30 people and permanent shelter beds for another 42.
Federal Immigration Minister, Marc Miller (third from right) and Surrey Newton MP Sukh Dhaliwal (fifth from right) with the staff and CEO of PICS, Satbir Cheema (second from left) during a visit of the PICS office and facilities by the Minister last week.
Man who frequents Ottawa wanted on Canada-wide warrant
Ontario Provincial Police released a plea to the public to keep an eye out for Evert Telgen. The 58-yearold is serving a seven year sentence for possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon and possession of a schedule I/II substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Officials are looking for him due to breaching his day parole.
Police are now looking for him and issued a warrant for his arrest
Canada-wide. Telgen is described as Caucasian, 6’2”, about 220 pounds with brown hair and eyes. He has tattoos on his upper right arm of a dreamcatcher and Merlin and a tattoo of hearts on his chest.
Telgen is known to frequent Brockville, Kingston and Ottawa. Any information please contact Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477, the Provincial ROPE Squad Main Office at 416-808-5900.
Police make arrest after random triple stabbing in downtown Vancouver
Police say a person is in custody and three people are recovering from stab wounds after being attacked in downtown Vancouver Monday night. The Vancouver Police Department says between 9:40 p.m. and 9:52 p.m. three men — a 33-year-old, a 41-yearold, and a 32-year-old — were allegedly stabbed by the same suspect.
Sgt. Steve Addison tells CityNews the victims all suffered “serious injuries.”
“We don’t believe there’s any indication that the victims knew each other or the suspect, however, the ivestigation is still ongoing,” he said.
“This is a significant series of violent incidents that happened in the downtown core. We understand that it creates a public safety concern when people hear about it.” The stabbings all reportedly happened along Granville Street near Nelson and Davie streets.
“We received three 911 calls in quick succession starting at about 9:40 p.m. last night,” said Addison. “The first call came in reporting that a 33-year-old man had been
stabbed in the back near Granville Street and Nelson. Our officers were responding to that when, a few minutes later, the second call came in. A short distance away, another man had been stabbed in an apparent assault by a person that he didn’t know.”
Addison says officers “flooded the downtown core.” While they were responding, the third call came in.
“About 10 or 12 minutes after the initial call came in, we received that third report that a person had been stabbed near Nelson and Granville,” he said. “Three very serious incidents, three stabbings we believe committed by a person that was not known to the victims.”
“We are working closely with the VPD to take every necessary step to enhance public safety and prevent such incidents in the future,” the mayor continued, though he did not elaborate on what those steps might entail. “In these moments, our community must come together and support one another. Together, we can build a stronger, safer Vancouver for all.”
$2.4 million of cocaine seized from luggage at Winnipeg airport; 2 women charged
Winnipeg police say 24 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.4 million was seized from luggage at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport earlier this year.
The Winnipeg Police Service says the operation was part of an investigation into a drug trafficking network in Winnipeg that was supplying traffickers in Brandon.
On May 11, police say they arrested two women “who had just disembarked a domestic
flight” at the airport. A search of their luggage allegedly revealed the large amount of cocaine.
Winnipeg’s Rosemary Amanda Ogoms, 32, and Jayde Renee King, 30, were charged with possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine). They were both released on undertakings.
Winnipeg police say the drug trafficking investigation by their organized crime unit, with the help of Brandon police, began this spring.
Appeal dismissed for Calgary man who killed toddler after murdering her mother
Alberta’s top court has upheld the conviction of a Calgary man who admitted to killing his girlfriend and was also found guilty in her daughter’s death.
Robert Leeming had pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Jasmine Lovett in 2019, but not guilty to the same charge in the death of 22-monthold Aliyah Sanderson.
Leeming was handed an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole for 22 years. In appealing his 2022 conviction, Leeming argued the trial judge erred in his conclusions about the child’s death.
Ho in the ruling. “Ultimately, he was properly satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of the guilt of the appellant. The appeal must be dismissed.”
Leeming had testified he was looking after Aliyah when she fell down some stairs, and that he found her limp and unresponsive when he checked on her later.
In a decision released Tuesday, Leeming’s challenge was unanimously rejected by the Alberta Court of Appeal. “We conclude that the trial judge made no reversible error. He carefully considered all the evidence and came to reasonable conclusions about what inferences could and could not be drawn from that evidence,” said Justice Bernette
Trial judge Keith Yamauchi said Leeming was not a believable witness and there was no doubt that Leeming caused the injuries which led to the girl’s death.
“Her injuries were not accidental. He meant to cause Aliyah’s death or meant to cause bodily harm to Aliyah that was likely to cause her death,” the judge said. Leeming said he snapped when Lovett accused him of doing something to her child, and struck her several times with a hammer before coming back with a rifle and shooting her in the head.
The bodies of the mother and child were found buried in a shallow grave west of Calgary.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has been ordered to pay nearly $52,000 for discriminating against an Indigenous woman after it offered her a job as an investigator — then withdrew the offer — because of what it said was her “adversarial” emails and “rude” behaviour.
The Metis woman, who was identified as D.S., had applied for a job as an investigator with the civilian police oversight agency in spring 2018. She was given an employment offer in May 2018, subject to the completion of enhanced security screenings, which included a polygraph test.
But based on D.S.’s interactions with the polygraph examiner and other staffers, the IIO said it determined D.S. lacked the tact, diplomacy and interpersonal skills needed in the job, and wouldn’t be a “good fit” for the investigation team.
In a July 11 decision, B.C. Human Rights Tribunal member Shannon Beckett said there is evidence supporting the agency’s argument it had a non-discriminatory basis for withdrawing the employment offer.
“Despite this, I find that D.S.’s race and sex were also a factor in the decision to rescind,” she said. “I find it more likely than not that the IIO viewed D.S. through the stereotypical lens of a demanding, suspicious Indigenous woman, and that these views informed the decision to rescind the job offer.”
At D.S.’s first polygraph test conducted by a former Vancouver police officer, she expressed surprise the session was being recorded and asked how the results would be stored. She said the examiner got “mad” at her questions.
APPLIANCES REPAIR SERVICE
FRIDGES WASHERS DRYERS STOVES DISHWASHERS
Driven by oceans that won’t cool down, an unseasonably warm Antarctica and worsening climate change, Earth’s record hot streak dialed up this week, making Sunday, then Monday, the hottest days humans have measured, according to the European climate service.
There’s a good chance that when the data comes in for Tuesday, it will be three straight days of global record breaking heat, said Carlo Buontempo, the director of the European climate service Copernicus. “These peaks are not normally isolated,” he said.
Provisional satellite data published by Copernicus on Wednesday shows that Monday was 0.06 degrees Celsius (0.1 degree Fahrenheit) hotter than Sunday, which was .01 degrees Celsius hotter (0.2 degrees Fahrenheit) than the previous hottest day on record, July 6, 2023. In addition to the warmer oceans and Antarctica, the western United States and Canada and eastern Siberia were especially warm in the last few days, Buontempo said.
This is human-caused climate change in action, according to Buontempo and other scientists. “The climate is generally warming up as a consequence of the increase in greenhouse gases,” he said.
Some scientists worry that human-caused climate change is accelerating. Buontempo said the high temperatures in recent days are consistent with that idea but that it is too soon to reach that conclusion.
“It may be the first sign of change in the rate of the temperature increase,” Buontempo said. Other scientists do not see signs of acceleration. The Earth has set heat records for 13 straight months. The global temperature averaged over the past year is more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than preindustrial times, seeming to exceed the global agreed upon limit for warming. When that threshold was set in 2015, it was meant to apply over 20 or 30 years, not just 12 months, he said.
More than 1,600 places across the globe tied or broke heat records in the past seven days, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Climate scientists say this could be the warmest it has been in 120,000 years because of human-caused climate change. While scientists cannot be certain that Monday was the very hottest day in that period, longer term average temperatures have not been this high since long before humans developed agriculture.
Continued from Page 1...
Stop AAPI Hate, an advocacy group that tracks anti-Asian hate incidents, condemned the attacks, arguing that the onslaught of hate has reinforced “heightened levels of fear and anxiety Asian Americans and immigrants are currently experiencing across the country leading up to this year’s presidential election.”
JD Vance, who previously called himself a “Never Trump guy,” has cited Trump’s “many successes in office” for changing his opinion of the former president and will now join Trump
on the Republican ticket for the presidential election in November.
Vance eventually aligned with the former president around 2021, praising his time in office and apologizing for his attacks on him.
“Look, I was wrong about Donald Trump. I didn’t think he was going to be a good president, Bret,” Vance told Fox News anchor Bret Baier last month. “He was a great president, and it’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to make sure he gets a second term.”
Kamala Harris has a major Canadian connection you may not know about
Continued from Page 1...
The current VP isn’t a shoo-in for the next Democratic presidential nominee just yet, as that will be determined at the party’s convention next month.
However, she has already gained endorsements from prominent Democrats such as Bill and Hillary Clinton and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Harris lived in Montreal during the 1970s and 1980s while attending Westmount High School. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a teacher at McGill University at that time.
In 2021, she even chatted with Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau about her experience living in Canada.
“I spent many of my teenage years living in Montreal when my mother was teaching at McGill University… I have fond memories of my time in Montreal,” she told Trudeau at the time.
She’s even shared some memories of her mother’s time in the city on social media. In 2020, she posted a picture of her mother and other family members at the Montreal Airport. Harris spent five years in Montreal before returning to the US to attend Howard University in Washington, DC.
FRCS on track to achieve revenue collection target
The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service is optimistic about achieving its revenue collection target of over $3 billion for the 2023/2024 financial year.
FRCS Chief Executive Udit Singh says they have been working diligently to meet the target.
“It’s been a target which has been set by the government and FRCS and we are very close to meeting that target. We would like to think we will meet that target and everything in equal we would like to think that we will meet it. “
Singh adds that the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises is also expected to play a crucial role in expanding the tax base.
“Our tax base has been growing between five
Fijian
to 10 percent every year, we are firmly certain that $3 billion tax revenue that we are trying to achieve this year and obviously they form a portion of that and as they grow the tax revenue will grow as well.”
Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad had earlier stated that this confidence stems from the strong performance of the Fijian economy, which is projected to grow at around three percent.
Prasad had also stated that out of the additional $3million in taxes that they projected to collect, around $45million will be additional collection from departure taxes while the major chunk will be due to the bigger economic pie as the Fijian economy.
brands shine at Auckland Food Show
Six local companies are set to showcase their products at the Auckland Food Show in New Zealand this week. Aztec Farms, Bula Coffee, FMF Foods Ltd, Down to Earth, Ranadi Plantation, and Panpac Distributors are among the self-funded participants, eager to forge new partnerships and expand their market presence during the four day Auckland Food Show which commenced this morning. Panpac Distributors, the sixth company,
which is already based in New Zealand will also be participating at the show.
Investment Fiji, with the support of Fiji Trade Commission in Australia and New Zealand has provided the opportunity to these six companies to promote their products at the Fiji Booth.
The Auckland Food Show which is the largest food and beverage trade show in the Southern Hemisphere, presents an opportunity for Fijian businesses to market their products to an audience of buyers, distributors, and retailers.
Investment Fiji Chief Executive Kamal Chetty says the event is an ideal platform to target key buyers and distributors.
Chetty says they aim to assist and guide these SMEs to become export-ready and meet international standards.
Fiji remains unbeaten
Team Fiji Men’s 7s has continued its unbeaten run at the Olympic Games after beating France 19-12. The win means Fiji will play Ireland in the quarterfinal at 8am.
Coach Osea Kolinisau stuck with the same side that beat USA 38-12 yesterday. France coach Jerome Daret decided not to start their star, Antoine Dupont, against Fiji.
Fiji enjoyed some early possession but failed to convert it into points.
However, when France had their hands on the ball they looked after it before Jean Pascal ran in to score. Rover Kaminieli Rasaku broke through the defense following some brilliant work by Iowane Teba but captain Jerry Tuwai was at the end of it.
The national side could’ve gone into the halftime break in front but poor decision-making
let them down.
Locked 5-all at the break, the chant of ‘allez les bleus’ rang around Stade De France.
Fiji struck first in the second half through Rasaku and Teba converting it for a 12-5 lead to the Olympic champs.
Joji Nasova came in and dived over in the for a team try after several phases.
Balbir tastes sweet success
A few minutes away from the Natovi Jetty in Tailevu, among green hills, field of crops and the salty breeze of the ocean- a few families thrive in their venture as pineapple farmers.
One of these households belongs to Balbir Singh who has been farming for more than 30 years. As a second generation farmer born and raised in Vulagi settlement in Tailevu, he credits his success to his father’s legacy.
Balbir said they specialise in commercial pineapple farming cash crops and vegetables.
He shared fond memories of farming with his father who played a major role in the success of his business. “My father used to tell us to wake up early in the morning,” he said.
“Then we would go milk the cows and separate it for daily consumption and ghee for our family.”
His dad was a hard worker and instilled in his children the value of dedication and perseverance.
There was no space for being idle. In the weekends, the family would sweat it out in the field at about half six or seven in the morning before returning home at 10.
They would then spend time at home till 2pm before retuning to the field until 6 in the evening.
Balbir said as tough as they may sound, these were some of his most treasured memories.
“We started small scale farming back in 1987,” he said.
“My father was a very hardworking person, he taught me how to plant and farm. We own about 80 acres of land which was bought by him.”
The former Queen Victoria School student said pineapple has remained their main produce.
“We chose this crop (pineapple) because it doesn’t depend entirely on the weather.”
“Whether it is dry or wet… pineapples will still grow. On the hillside where you may not be able to grow vegetables or other root crops, pineapples will.” Balbir’s farm produces pineapple every week, even during off season. During off season, hormones are added to fertilise his crop and during pineapple season, at around November and December, they bear fruits on their own.
“So, if you’re consuming pineapples at the moment , its produced by the chemicals on the field.”
Jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan refuses to undergo polygraph test linked to May 9 riots
Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has refused to undergo polygraph and voice matching tests as part of an investigation by the Lahore police in connection with a dozen cases related to the unprecedented May 9 riots last year. A 12-member forensic team reached Adiala Jail on Tuesday to conduct the polygraph test on the 71-year-old cricketerturned-politician.
The May 9 riots in 2023 were triggered across the country after the Pakistan-Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) founder was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a 190-million-pound corruption case. He faces over 200 cases and has been in jail since August last year. The Lahore police team, led by a DSP, arrived at the prison premises to conduct the tests, as reported.
They were accompanied by experts from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA), the report said. The PFSA experts were to perform polygraph, voice matching, and photogrammetry tests on the former prime minister. The PTI founder answered the questions of the police for 15 minutes. However, Khan refused to undergo the polygraph test and other tests planned by PFSA’s team, a newspaper reported. Khan said he was under investigation by many institutions and he would give time to the police after the completion of his earlier inquiries, it said. The police officials also questioned him about various aspects of the May 9 riots that targeted the Lahore corps commander’s residence, military installations and public properties, another newspaper reported.
Pakistan army says ‘organised political mafia’ spreading misinformation about new military operation against militants
The Pakistan army on Monday said that an “organised political mafia” was spreading misinformation about a planned new counterterrorism operation, ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’, aimed to flush out militants and foster economic growth and stability. Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi talked about various pressing issues, including the launch of the operation. “A massive illegal,
political mafia rose to sabotage the operation and the first move of that mafia was to make the operations controversial through false and fake arguments,” he said. Referring to Pakistan’s earlier major military operations, Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, which resulted in large-scale displacements, a reporter inquired if similar displacements would occur during the current operation, Azm-e-Istehkam.
Militants blow up girls’ school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Unidentified militants blew up a government girl’s school in a tribal district in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, officials said.
There was, however, no loss of life in the explosion. Seven rooms of the school were razed to the ground in the blast, an official said. A total of 255 girls were enrolled in the school.
1-3 bedroom suites and penthouses available. From 529 to 1697 sq. ft. plus spacious balcony.
Charanjit Channi’s reference to Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal triggers row in Lok Sabha
Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi said Thursday that the detention of an elected MP under the NSA was part of an “undeclared emergency” by the Centre, drawing a sharp response from the BJP who said he was referring to jailed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh.
During a debate in Lok Sabha, the former Punjab chief minister referred to the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and said, “This is also an emergency that a Member of Parliament elected by 20 lakh people in Punjab has been detained under the NSA (National Security Act) ... He is unable to speak about his constituency here (in Parliament). This is also an emergency.”
While Channi did not name anyone, BJP
leaders said he was speaking about Amritpal Singh. Singh won the Khadoor Sahib constituency by a margin of around 2 lakh votes in this year’s Lok Sabha polls.
In a post on X, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the Congress must answer whether the party was in support of the idea of Khalistan that led to the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.
“Batting for separatist who wants tukde tukde of India? Rahul ji must answer - the idea of Khalistan that caused the assassination of PM Indira ji is being hailed!! Why does Congress always bat for separatists and terrorists? Yakub, Afzal, 26/11 jihadis, now K terrorists?” he said.
NRI Sabha president’s election not restricted to ex-NRIs, rules Punjab and Haryana High Court
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the NRI Sabha’s constitution does not restrict the eligibility for its president’s post exclusively to ex-NRIs. The court clarified that the constitution’s clause stating an “ex-NRI shall be eligible to stand for election” does not imply that only ex-NRIs can contest. The ruling came as Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj of the high court dismissed a writ petition filed by Joga Singh and another petitioner challenging the election of Parvinder Kaur as NRI Sabha president. Among other things, they alleged that the entire election was carried out in complete contravention of the Sabha bye-laws. It was added that only an ex-NRI was eligible to contest for the post. A person was required to stay in India for at least nine months for being an ex-NRI. Appearing on the State’s behalf before Justice Bhardwaj’s Bench, Additional AdvocateGeneral Gagneshwar Walia submitted the Sabha president’s elections could not be challenged by
means of a writ petition as disputed questions of fact would be involved. Walia added the argument that only an ex-NRI could contest the election, too, was misconceived Justice Bhardwaj asserted the constitution’s language nowhere specified that only an exNRI was eligible to stand for the election. As such, the petitioner’s argument that a person must necessarily be an ex-NRI to contest for the president’s post “did not flow from an objective and meaningful reading of the clause”.
Justice Bhardwaj added incorporation of a restriction or a limitation had to be specific and not by way of a remote inference. There was no provision in the NRI Sabha’s constitution so as to oust a nonresident Indian from being eligible to contest for the president’s post. “If the intent would have been to disallow an NRI from contesting for president, such an expression or intent would have been specifically reflected in the constitution”.
Border belt to get anti-drone tech in a year
Expressing concern over frequent drone intrusions from across the border for smuggling of drugs and arms, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit today declared that the entire belt bordering Pakistan would be equipped with antidrone technology to check infiltration.
“An antidote to drone problem has to be there. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is very serious about it and I have been informed that the stretch bordering Pakistan will have anti-drone technology within a year,” he said.
He said the prevalence of drug menace impelled him to make multiple visits to border areas, hold discussions with security personnel and community representatives to get feedback on the issue. He underscored the importance of active community participation and collaboration between law-enforcement agencies and local residents. During his almost three-year stint, it was the Governor’s sixth visit to the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Ferozepur and Fazilka.
Bhagwant Mann to boycott NITI Aayog meeting following INDIA bloc’s decision to protest against Budget
The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, while expressing solidarity with the INDIA bloc has decided that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not attend the Niti Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.
The decision came on Wednesday after the opposition parties claimed that the Union Budget presented on July 23 was “discriminatory” as it did not allocate enough funds for the state ruled by non-NDA parties.
boycott the NITI Aayog meeting.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin first announced the boycott in Chennai. Following this, the Congress said its chief ministers, including Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhwinder Sukhu, Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah and Telangana’s Revanth Reddy, would skip the meeting.
AAP Punjab said Mann would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting. Alleging discriminatory treatment towards INDIA bloc-ruled states in the budget, barring West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, all INDIA bloc chief ministers have decided to
Along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan are also expected to give the meeting a miss.
However, as per reports, Mamata Banerjee and TMC’s Derek O’Brien will attend the meeting and “strongly use the platform to hold the Union government responsible” for West Bengal’s legitimate dues.
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu compares YSRCP chief Jagan Reddy to drug lord Pablo Escobar
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday compared his rival YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as he slammed him over the state of law and order and alleged drug menace during the previous YSRCP regime.
Releasing a white paper on law and order and ganja (marijuana) prevalence, Naidu claimed that he never saw such a situation like how it was when Reddy, the YSRCP chief, ruled during the past five years.
said in the Assembly, in an apparent reference to the drug menace.
The CM further said that Escobar was a drug lord who illegally sold drugs worth billions of dollars and also went on to kill leaders and politicians who opposed him.
“Only one person can be compared to what happened in Andhra, and it is Pablo Escobar,” he
Calling Escobar a “narcoterrorist”, Naidu alleged that a similar situation had emerged in Andhra Pradesh under the YSRCP regime (2019-24) when ganja was allegedly freely available. The CM alleged that the southern state had emerged as ganja capital between 2019 and 2024 and vowed to crack down on it.
13 Indians rescued from cybercrime scam in Laos
Thirteen Indians, who were lured into certain cyber-scamming centres in Laos, have been rescued and sent back home, the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian country said on Sunday.
“In our continued work to ensure safety & well-being of Indians as top priority, Embassy successfully rescues 13 Indians from cyberscamming centres in Laos & ensures their safe return to India,” the mission posted on ‘X’. “So
far, Embassy has rescued 518 Indians. We thank Lao authorities for their cooperation,” it said.
On May 7, the embassy came out with an advisory cautioning Indians against fake job offers.
“Victims are illegally taken across the border into Laos from Thailand and held captive to work in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos under harsh and restrictive conditions,” the advisory said.
My grandfather Beant Singh died for India, not for Congress BJP’s Ravneet Bittu gets into ugly spat with Punjab MP Charanjit Channi
Amid an ugly verbal spat between Punjab Congress MP Charanjeet Channi and Union minister and BJP leader Ravneet Bittu over certain personal remarks, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for 30 minutes.
Participating in a debate on a discussion on the Union Budget, Channi referred to the assassination of Bittu’s grandfather, former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. Channi said: “Bittu Ji, your grandfather was a martyr, but he died when you left the Congress.”
This led to a war of words between Bittu, who recently quit the Congress to join the BJP, and Channi. Bittu--the Minister of State for Railways
and Food Processing Industries--countered by making the personal remarks against Channi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, triggered an uproar.
“My grandfather, Beant Singh, died for the country, not for the Congress,” said Bittu as he alleged that Channi is corrupt.
“Channi is corrupt. I wonder from where did he get the money to become one of the richest men in the state,” alleged Bittu.
As the sharp exchanges between the two continued, BJP member Sandhya Ray, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings for 30 minutes.
Heavy rain wreaks havoc in Maharashtra’s Pune; 4 dead, Army teams deployed; IMD issues ‘red alert’
Heavy rain wreaked havoc in Maharashtra’s Pune, where at least four persons died in rainrelated incidents on Thursday, while several houses and residential societies in low-lying areas in the city were inundated, following which people are being evacuated, officials said. During his tour of the district, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said as a precautionary measure, Army teams have been deployed at Ekta Nagar in Sinhagad Road, while NDRF personnel are also in the area.
He also said rescue operations are under way at the site of a landslide in Lavasa in which some bungalows have been affected and three persons are feared trapped.
including Velha, Mulshi, Bhor talukas and the catchments areas of several dams, including Khadakwasla, have been witnessing incessant rain since Wednesday night.
In the city, housing societies in the low-lying areas, such as Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Baner and Deccan Gymkhana, witnessed flooding and inundation and efforts have been launched by the fire brigade and disaster management cell of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to evacuate the stranded people, the officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘red alert’ for Pune district and asked people to take precautions. Schools and colleges in most parts of the district have declared a holiday in view of the heavy rainfall warning, officials said.
Pune city and other parts of the district,
“Currently there is no flooding in Sinhagad Road and all those who needed to be shifted to safety have been moved. Arrangements have been made for meals, clothes and other relief materials for those who have been evacuated,” Pawar said.
Queried about residents of Sinhagad Road complaining about not being informed about water being released from Khadakwasla Dam, he said the process started early Thursday morning.
