DHARMAPURI l thursday l may 15, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l CITY EDITION India rejects China renaming places in Arunachal pradesh India has firmly rejected China’s latest attempt to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh, calling it a “vain and preposterous” effort arunachal an integral part of india: mea china’s move amid regional unstability New Delhi’s reaction came after China renamed 27 places in Arunachal Pradesh. In a strongly worded statement, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s stance and said, “Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India | P7 ■ ■ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian argued that the move is within China’s “sovereign rights”. “The Chinese government has standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan (Arunachal) India’s sharp response comes at a time when regional dynamics remain tense, particularly due to the recent response to Pakistan 2017 was when china had renamed parts of arunachal for 1st time CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Includes 3 new hydro projects Converting run-of-river projects into storage structures Plans for more Indus basin projects readied for Cabinet doned due to Pakistani roadblocks. They include the Bursar After putting the Indus Wa- project (800 MW) on the Maruters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, sudar river within the Indus the government is considering basin. Also, the Uri Stage II (260 three new hydropower projects MW) on the Jhelum commison the Indus River Basin be- sioned in 2013-14 is yet to realsides fast-tracking two other ise its full potential. projects. Additionally, discus“As many of our projects sions are underway among top have not moved forward in the officials to convert the existing past four decades, the governrun-of-river hydro projects into ment is aiming to scale up opstorage projects. erations as soon as possible. The treaty signed in 1960 re- Since the treaty is on hold, the stricts India’s usage of the government will not entertain we s t e r n r iv a ny o b j e c t i o n s ers—Indus, from Pakistan,” Additional Jhelum, and said a senior officpower points Chenab — to er in the Ministry benefit Pakiof Jal Shakti. stan. Ever since, The Permanent Pakistan has Indus Commisbeen stalling Ins i o n , wh i ch i s 4 5 dian proposals mandated to meet 1 3 2 to construct hyannually, has aldropower plants ready been on the on the three rivback burner since 1 Sawalkot Stage II ers under varitwo years. ous pretexts. Many of India’s 2 Kirthai Stage II India put the large and medium 3 Dulhasti Stage II treaty in abeyscale projects on 4 Uri Stage II* ance following the Indus basin a horrific terhave been stalled 5 Bursar project rorist attack on since 1984. The Sa* Uri Stage II commissioned but April 22 in Pawalkot hydropowfull work yet to be completed halgam, killing er project (1,856 26 people. MW) had to be The Ministry of Jal Shakti shelved despite its conceptualihas prepared detailed project sation in 1984 following Pakireports for submission to the stani opposition. While the Cabinet. The proposed projects Kirthai-II (930 MW) was conare Sawalkot Stage II (1,856 ceptualised way back in 1984, MW), Kirthai Stage II (930 MW) work on Kirthai I is in its preand Dulhasti Stage II (260 MW) construction stage. on the Chenab. Dulhasti Stage-II (260 MW) Besides, the ministry has re- over the Chenab was conceived quested Cabinet approval to in 1997-98 and the Bursar fast-track projects that had ei- project (800 MW) on the Maruther slowed down or been aban- sudar river in 2008. Ji t e n d r a C h o u b e y @ New Delhi New CJI sworn in Justice B R Gavai after taking oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India, at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday, as President Droupadi Murmu looks on | PTI V-C search panels told to file report to govt, not governor E x p r e ss N e ws S e r v i c e @ Chennai In first such orders issued for state universities under higher education department, the search panels constituted to choose Vice-Chancellors for four universities have been mandated to submit their recommendations to the state government and not the Governor-Chancellor as has been the practice so far. The Tuesday notification, issued after the landmark verdict of the Supreme Court regarding assent to bills that allowed Tamil Nadu government instead of the governor to appoint Vice-Chancellors, also extends the tenure of these search panels appointed earlier to August 13, 2025. These four universities are Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University (TNTEU), Annamalai University (ANU), Anna University (AU) and Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU). Though three-member search panels were constituted and notified for these universities respectively on Octo- petition in hc against univ amendment acts Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday sought TN’s reply to a petition seeking to declare ultra vires the amendment Acts and gazette notification that takes away the powers of governor-chancellor to appoint V-Cs to state universities and vest those powers with the state government | P2 ber 19, 2022, December 9, 2024, December 13, 2024, and January 10, 2025, these committees could not complete their work due to the tussle between Governor R N Ravi and the government with the former insisting on the inclusion of nominees of UGC Chairperson as well as the fourth member to these panels. Through the orders issue on Tuesday, the government has extended the tenure of these panels till August 13, 2025 to finish their selection process and recommend a panel of three names to the government.  P5 express read Identify Agamic temples in TN, SC asks committee Class X, XI results to be out 3 days early on Fri New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the committee formed by the Madras HC to identify Agamic temples in TN to submit a report in three months. Once finished, no appointments of archakars must be made to them, the court said | P5 Chennai: The school education department will release the Class X and XI examination results on Friday, three days ahead of the earlier announced date of May 19. The Class X results will be declared at 9 am, followed by the Class XI results at 2 pm | P2 Student killed in Kovai by 4 college mates Express News Service @ Coimbatore Two days after an unidentified man’s body was found on a plot at Vellalore in Coimbatore, four private college stud e n t s we re a r re s t e d o n Wednesday by the police for murder. According to police, the four friends allegedly injected the 21-year-old victim with drugs and smothered him with a pillow for talking to the girlfriend of one of the accused on video call. Police identified the deceased as Surya (21), a native of Madurai who was studying in a university in Chennai. The accused are Karthi (21) of Avaniyapuram in Madurai, Naren Karthick (20) of Sundarapuram, Madesh (21) of Kinathukadavu, and Mohammed Rafi (21) of Podanur in Coimbatore. They were students of a private college in Kuniyamuthur and were staying in a rental house at Postal Colony , Perur, police said. According to Podanur police, the body was recovered from the plot of land housing the unfinished integrated bus stand in Vellalore.  P5 safety first A worker sprays medicine at Kanpur zoo amid fear of spread of bird flu following a tigress’ death in Gorakhpur last week| PTI 21 pak crew barred from disembarking BSF jawan Purnam Shaw after being handed over to India | PTI Paradip: Security agencies have barred 21 Pakistani crew members from disembarking a crude oil tanker that arrived at Paradip Port on Wednesday. Sources said the decision was taken keeping in mind the tense situation with Pakistan How India bypassed Chinese air defence systems to hit Pak m aya n k s i n g h @ New Delhi IN a show of strength of the technological might of India’s armed forces, the government on Wednesday said Chinese air defence systems supplied to Pakistan were hoodwinked during Operation Sindoor, with the mission wrapped up in 23 minutes. “Air Force bypassed and jammed Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied air defence systems ... demonstrating India’s technological edge,” the government said. All three services of Pakistan have a major presence of Chinese weapons and systems including the Air Defence systems, J-10, JF-17 fighters, submarines and warships to include a few. On the night of 7-8 May, Pakistan tried to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, but those were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and Air Defence systems. On May 8, India targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, apart from taking down an Air Defence system in Lahore. India’s multi-tier defence prevented Pakistan Air Force attacks on Indian airfields and logistic installations on the night of May 9-10. All strikes were executed without loss of Indian assets. The use of long-range drones to guided munitions made the task easier, the Centre said, adding the strikes were highly effective. MP minister gets it from HC for gutter language A n u r a a g Si n g h @ Bhopal An FIR was filed against state minister Vijay Shah after an appalled Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday lit into him for his scurrilous remarks, saying he used the “language of the gutters” against Col Sofia Qureshi, who was part of the national briefing on Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. The court took suo motu cognisance of media reports and digital evidence, after which it ordered the police to file an FIR against him on charges of promoting enmity and hatred. Shah had obliquely referred to Col Qureshi as the “sister of terrorists”. Col Qureshi, along with Wi n g C o m mander Vyomika Singh, was the face of the ar med forces Vijay Shah media briefing. Castig ating Shah, the bench said the armed forces were perhaps the last institution in this country that reflect integrity, industry, discipline, sacrifice, selflessness, character, honour and indomitable courage. It directed that the matter to be listed on top priority for Thursday “At the func. tion in Raikunda village in Mhow (Indore), the minister made nauseating remark against Col Sofia Quraishi by way of an innuendo,” the court observed. Sources said the BJP top brass in New Delhi is extremely angry Shah may be asked to . step down as cabinet minister soon, they added. Cabinet approves HCL-Foxconn semiconductor joint venture in UP r a k e s h k u m a r @ New Delhi THE Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a `3,706 crore semiconductor plant at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, to be set up by the HCL-Foxconn joint venture to manufacture display driver chips for mobile phones, laptops and automobiles. Union minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said with this approval, India now has six semiconductor units in advanced stages of construction. “With this sixth unit, Bharat moves forward in its journey to develop the strategically vital semiconductor industry,” said Vaishnaw. The new plant near Jewar Airport in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) region will manufacture display driver chips for a wide range of devices including mobile phones, laptops, automobiles, and PCs. It is designed for a capacity of 20,000 wafers per month, with an output of up to Ashwini Vaishnaw | PTI Multiplier effect Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new plant will attract investments. ‘‘Once this unit is there, the display panel plant will also come to India. This will meet 40% of India’s capacity’’ 36 million chips monthly . Foxconn is the biggest manufacturer of electronic products, including Apple’s iPhone. The unit is expected to attract an investment of `3,700 crore. Vaishnaw emphasised HCL’s legacy in hardware develop- ment and manufacturing, and Foxconn’s global leadership in electronics production. Together, the companies aim to strengthen India’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. The minister also highlighted the growing presence of global semiconductor partners in India. He said leading equipment manufacturers have established operations in the country. Additionally, gas and chemical suppliers like Merck, Linde, Air Liquide, and Inox are preparing to support the industry’s expansion. India launched a `76,000 crore incentive scheme in December 2021 to build a robust semiconductor ecosystem. As part of this mission, Tata Electronics, in collaboration with PSMC, is setting up a `91,000 crore-semiconductor fabrication facility in Dholera, Gujarat, which will focus on producing power management chips. Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test is also investing in Morigaon, Assam, for packaging technologies. n m c n o ti c e Adequate faculty in medical colleges, admissions won’t be affected: MaSu E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai After the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued show-cause notices to 35 of 36 government medical colleges in the state, citing various shortcomings, including inadequate faculty strength, Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Wednesday indicated that the notices will not affect student admissions in these colleges. Addressing reporters, the minister said 26 colleges have already sent their replies with appropriate explanation to the NMC last Friday and three oth, ers will send their replies on Wednesday. The director of medical education and research has also issued appropriate guidelines for the remaining colleges to submit their explanations by next Friday . Although such notices citing certain discrepancies are issued to a few colleges every year, it raised concerns this year since almost all government medical colleges in the state had received notices. On the alleged shortage of doctors, Subramanian said all vacancies in medical colleges were filled up as per the sanctioned strength. There were 415 vacancies, of which 328 were filled initially, and the remaining 87 were filled on Tuesday A few months . ago, 2,246 doctor vacancies were filled by the Medical Services Recruitment Board, keeping in mind vacancies that were going to arise, he said. Not only those with MBBS qualification, but doctors who completed their PG were also selected in the recruitment process. He further said steps are being taken to fill vacant posts of associate professors and professors, which are not entry-level posts, through promotion counselling.  P5 The commission has sent notices not only to colleges in Tamil Nadu, but to around 400 medical colleges across the country, including those in BJP-ruled states — Ma Subramanian, TN health minister