Here is a round-up of everything happening across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh today. From Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur to Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg, this covers the latest on politics, crime, weather, administrative decisions and regional development from the two states' major cities. Here is what's making headlines today.
MGNREGA workers call off phased protest, for now
MGNREGA workers in Raipur have called off their phased protest, at least for the moment. The decision came after a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma late last night, where a large number of MGNREGA workers turned out to press their demands. Following the discussion, the state government assured the workers that their legitimate demands would be addressed within 15 days. That commitment was enough for the workers' unions to step back from their agitation, though the matter is far from closed, as they say they will be watching closely to see whether the government follows through within the promised window.
Teachers with under 90% e-attendance face suspension in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh's school education department has taken a hard line on teacher attendance, announcing that any teacher whose e-attendance falls below 90 percent will be suspended. The department has asked all District Education Officers (DEOs) to submit reports on the matter, and the crackdown isn't limited to teachers alone, principals and other responsible officials could also face action. The scale of the policy is significant, with roughly 4.25 lakh teachers posted across higher secondary, secondary and primary schools in the state. The department made e-attendance mandatory for all teachers and academic staff starting July 1. Even before this suspension order, teachers with e-attendance below 90 percent were already barred from applying for voluntary transfers, and many had already faced salary deductions. Now the department is escalating to suspensions. Teachers' associations have been protesting the e-attendance mandate continuously, calling it impractical.
Mantra chanting in schools: Bilaspur High Court hearing today
In Chhattisgarh, a long-running dispute over the chanting of mantras in government schools returns to the Bilaspur High Court today for a fresh hearing, and a ruling could come soon. The case was brought by Aamir Khan, vice president of the Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Action Trust (TNRTA), who has challenged the practice in court. His petition cites violations of Articles 14, 21, 25 and 28 of the Constitution, arguing that making religious activity compulsory in schools is unlawful. Khan has accused the state government of violating the right to equality, the right to life and personal liberty, the right to freedom of religion, and the rules governing religious instruction in educational institutions.
Satellite eyes in the sky to protect government land
To keep government land safe from land mafias, the Madhya Pradesh government is turning to technology. Authorities in Bhopal district are setting up a dedicated revenue cell aimed at stopping encroachment on government land, both existing and future. The district administration plans to protect valuable government land in and around Bhopal with a high-tech surveillance system, under which live satellite access will allow round-the-clock monitoring of government plots from the sky. Once the new monitoring system is in place, officials say any attempt to illegally occupy government land will be flagged digitally and reported to the administration immediately, cutting down response time considerably.
Vegetable trader cheated of Rs 14 lakh in Tikamgarh
A vegetable trader in Tikamgarh has been cheated of Rs 14 lakh in an advance-payment scam. Trader Azeem Rain sent an advance of Rs 14 lakh to Mehboob Khan, a trader from Madanapalle in Chittoor district, in order to arrange a shipment of tomatoes from Bengaluru. As soon as the payment went through, Khan switched off his phone and has been unreachable since. Realising he had been duped, Rain filed a complaint at the Kotwali police station, and police are now investigating. Tikamgarh has seen a string of similar advance-payment fraud cases targeting traders, leaving the local business community on edge.
Major crackdown on sand mafia in Narsinghpur
Authorities in Narsinghpur district have carried out a major crackdown on illegal sand mining and the trade around it. Acting on directions from the Collector and Superintendent of Police, a joint team from the revenue, police and mining departments raided the village of Barmankalan in Kareli tehsil, where they found a large stockpile of sand dumped illegally on government land. The team recovered roughly 60 trolleys, about 180 cubic metres, of unclaimed sand during the operation, valued at lakhs of rupees. The entire haul was seized and handed over into the custody of the village secretary and kotwar, and a case has been registered for illegal storage. The administration has made clear that the campaign against mineral mafias will continue.
Singrauli: Farmer protesting power tower dies, company accused of negligence
A tragic incident has been reported from Parsadehi village in the Baidhan police station area of Singrauli district. A farmer who was protesting the installation of a power grid tower on his farmland has died. According to available information, the farmer was himself trying to remove an iron angle from the tower structure when he got caught in it, was thrown, and fell into a deep pit, resulting in his death. Serious negligence on the part of the company's management has come to light in the aftermath, as the management reportedly took the farmer straight to a private hospital without informing the local police about the incident. When the family learned what had happened, they reacted with outrage. They allege that the company's management is trying to cover up its mistake and suppress the incident. Tension continues to grip the area.
