BHUBANESWAR  SATURDAY  JULY 05, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 12  JEYPORE EDITION AIR INDIA EXPRESS DELAYED AIRBUS ENGINE FIX, FORGED RECORDS: REPORT DGCA rapped the budget carrier in March about not changing engine parts of an Airbus A320 on time, and forging records, Reuters reported EUROPEAN SAFETY NORMS FLOUTED: DGCA Quoting a DGCA memo, the news agency on Friday reported that Air India Express falsified records to show compliance with the European Union’s aviation safety agency’s norms on timely replacement of engine parts. It added that the carrier acknowledged the error to the Indian watchdog and claimed to have undertaken “remedial action and preventive measures” PAPERS DOCTORED TO SHOW COMPLIANCE ■ The European Union Aviation Safety Agency in 2023 issued an ■ airworthiness directive to replace some components such as engine seals and rotating parts to address some manufacturing deficiencies DGCA’s surveillance revealed the modification was not done within the prescribed time, but records were altered to show compliance VT-ATD AIRCRAFT, WHICH OPERATES ON DOMESTIC AND SOME IN’TL ROUTES, NEEDED THE FIX 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 India fires fresh After Rijiju flutter, govt says it has salvo against no position on religious matters US trade tariffs Proposes retaliatory tariffs on imports of select US auto parts under WTO norms R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi India further emphasised that the US failed to formally INDIA has formally notified notify these safeguard measthe World Trade Organization ures to the WTO—a require(WTO) about its intention to ment under WTO rules for impose retaliatory tariffs on transparency and accountaselect automobile parts im- bility. India maintains that ports from the US. the US actions violate the This move comes as a direct General Agreement on Tariffs response to the US decision and Trade 1994 and the Agreeon March 26 to implement a ment on Safeguards. 25% tariff on imports This is not India’s of passenger vehicles, first instance of WTOlight trucks, and cersanctioned retaliatain automobile parts tion. Last month, Inoriginating in India, dia submitted a effective May 3, 2025, similar notification to and continuing indefithe WTO concerning nitely. India asserts tariffs imposed by the that these US measUS on steel, alumiures are inconsistent num, and their derivaThe WTO with WTO agreements tive products. In 2019, notification is a India also raised tarand are causing siglegal and nificant har m to its iffs on 28 US products strategic step, trade interests. following the removal but whether In its notification to India will follow of its Generalized Systhe WTO, India stated through remains tem of Preferences uncertain that the proposed susstatus and the continpension of concesuation of metal tariffs, Ajay Srivastava, sions or other obligathough those duties founder of Global tions would involve an were rolled back in Trade Research increase in tariffs on 2023 as part of a bilatInitiative selected US products. eral truce. This suspension is slated to The current escalation in take effect 30 days after the trade tensions comes ahead date of the notification. of the July 9 deadline, which The US tariffs will impact marks the end of a 90-day $2.895 billion imports of Indi- pause on the US plan to iman-origin auto products annu- pose country-specific reciproally, with duties totalling cal tariffs. $723.75 million. All eyes are now on the poTherefore, India will sus- tential announcement of an pend trade concessions of interim trade deal between equivalent value. the two nations. BJP MLA in soup over lewd remarks against Lekhashree E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhubaneswar TROUBLE seems to be mounting for BJP MLA from Nilagiri Santosh Khatua over his derogatory remarks against BJD leader and spokesperson Lekhashree Samantasinghar with police registering a case in the connection. Acting on a formal complaint lodged by Lekhashree with Mahila Police Station here on Friday a case has been registered un, der sections 75(2)(sexual harassment), 79 (insulting modesty of a woman), 296 (obscene act in public places) and 356 (making or publishing defamatory statements) of BNS. She has demanded immediate arrest of Khatua for making offensive and sexually-coloured remarks against her, thereby outraging her modesty The BJD leader alleged that Khatua went to . the extent of describing her as a prostitute and kingpin of a sex racket. The MLA’s public statement has demeaned her as a woman and a politician, she alleged. Lekhashree said in the FIR that Khatua has committed a cognisable offence by his public utterances about a woman and describing her as a prostitute and kingpin of a sex racket. He has violated the rights of woman by making such a statement, she added. “Khatua is guilty of outraging the modesty of a woman which is not only physical but moral and psychological. By publicly describing me as a prostitute without an iota of evidence, he has caused me deep shame, mental trauma, extreme anxiety and a CONTINUED ON P5 sense of helplessness,” she said. J AYA N T H J A C O B A N D R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi INDIA on Friday said it neither takes a position nor comments on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion, responding to the Dalai Lama’s recent statement on the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution, which had drawn a sharp reaction from China. “We have seen reports relating to the statement made by the Dalai Lama about the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution. The Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “The government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so,” he further said. The statement came a day after Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that the decision regarding the reincarnation would rest solely with the established institution and the Dalai Lama himself, Tibetan students from Belgium practice ritual dance ‘cham’ in HP | PTI which was widely read as the official Indian position because there were no disclaimers. On Thursday, Rijiju walked back on his byte, clarifying that his comments were personal and made as a devotee of the Dalai Lama. “There is no need for any confusion on the Dalai Lama issue. All the people across the world who believe in Buddhism and follow the Dalai Lama want him to decide (on his succession). There is no need for me or the government to say anything. Who would be the next Dalai Lama will be decided by him,” Rijiju said. Soon enough, China rebutted, urging India to act cautiously on Tibet-related issues to avoid its impact on the improvement of bilateral ties. The official Indian response came days after a landmark announcement by the 14th Dalai Lama, who, ahead of his 90th birthday, formally declared that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama would continue after his death. The announcement ended decades of speculation surrounding the future of Tibetan Buddhism’s highest spiritual seat. “In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,” the exiled Tibetan leader stated in a message posted on social media and his official website. He emphasized that only his personal institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, holds the legitimate authority to identify and recognise his reincarnation, warning that no external entities, including governments, have any right to interfere in the sacred process. Randhir Jaiswal, MEA spokesperson I speak as a devotee, I have faith in the Dalai Lama. Those who follow the Dalai Lama wish that he decides his successor Kiren Rijiju, Union minorities minister M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi CHINA used the four-day Operation Sindoor as a ‘live lab’ to test its weapons, as it provided Pakistan with ‘live inputs’ about key Indian positions, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance) Lt Gen Rahul R Singh said on Friday . The senior military officer said 81% of Pakistan’s military hardware is of Chinese make and that Pakistan was just the front face with China providing all support. “We had one border and two adversaries, actually three. Pakistan was in the front. China was providing all possible support,” said Lt Gen Singh, adding that Turkey gave Pakistan Bayraktar drones. “When DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan had the live updates of our important vectors, from China,” he said. Lt Gen Singh made the com- Lt Gen Rahul Singh ments during a speech at the New Age Military Technologies’ event organised here by FICCI on Friday . Sharing the other lessons from Operation Sindoor, he said controlling the escalation ladder was an important consideration. “We should always be on the top of the escalation ladder. When we reach a military objective, we should try and put a stop to it,” he said. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, with an aim to destroy the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). Puri to get municipal corp tag under govt’s tourism hub push EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar IN a major announcement ahead of the Bahuda Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said Puri municipality will be upgraded into a municipal corporation. The decision has been taken in view of the growing population, influx of a large number of pilgrims and tourists throughout the year and the necessity to provision modern and quality civic amenities in the seaside town. The municipal corporation will be formed by including Puri city and surrounding areas. This will include around seven to eight gram panchayats from Puri Sa- dar and Bramhagiri blocks, enabling the residents to access citylike amenities, Majhi told mediapersons here. Puri will become the sixth municipal corporation in the state, joining Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela. The process of upgradation of the civic body to a corporation will begin instantly from Saturday, the chief minister announced, stating his government is committed to making Puri one of the best spiritual and tourist destinations of the country. “By 2036, the government aims to make Puri a major spiritual and tourist hub. A beautiful, green and developed Puri city is essential for a prosperous Odisha. Today’s announcement As the chief servant of the state, I have been entrusted with the responsibility to provide quality amenities and services to the lakhs of devotees visiting Puri as well as the residents of the town Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister is a part of the government’s vision,” he said. Majhi said Puri is now hosting the Rath Yatra festival, and the Bahuda Yatra, which marks the return of the deities to the temple, will be held on Saturday. Lakhs of devotees cutting across caste, creed and community, converge in the city during the yatra and the Badadanda is filled with devotees during the period, he said. The CM said as the chief servant of the state, he has been entrusted with the responsibility MONSOON MAYHEM Trucks being swept away in floodwaters following heavy rainfall, in Jabalpur district on Friday | PTI SC verdict reserved, Centre notifies Waqf management rules P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi EVEN as petitions challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 are pending before the Supreme Court, the Centre notified the “Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025”, dealing with the portal and database of waqf properties. The Supreme Court reserved its verdict on petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Waqf Amendment Act. According to the new rules, to ensure tracking and monitoring of waqf properties of all states, a cen- The government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion CHINA HELPED PAK DURING OP SINDOOR: ARMY tralised portal and database will be set up. It will be supervised by a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Minority Affairs in charge of the waqf division. The portal will automatically generate unique identification numbers for each waqf and its associated properties. All states have to appoint an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary as a nodal officer and set up a centralised support unit, in consultation with the Centre for streamlining uploading details of waqf and properties. This will ensure smooth registration, maintenance of accounts, audit and other related activities of the waqf and the Board. The rules have been framed under Section 108B of the 1995 Act, which was inserted as per the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. The Act came into effect from April 8, 2025. The rules also deal with provisions of mainte- nance to widows, divorced women or orphans. The new rules say that the ‘mutawalli’ has to mandatorily enroll on the portal and database by using his mobile number and e-mail id through authentication by onetime password. The ‘mutawalli’ can file details of his property dedicated to the waqf only after registering with the portal. According to the rules, any inquiry into wrongful declaration of a property as waqf must be completed by the designated officer within a year of reference from the District Collector. to provide quality amenities and services to the lakhs of devotees visiting Puri as well as the residents of the town. “I have personally experienced that the current Puri municipality has not been able to meet the expectations due to various reasons,” he added. He also announced several new projects for Puri including establishment of a world-class Shree Jagannath Museum, Library and Research Centre. The integrated complex will showcase the rich culture and heritage of Lord Ja- gannath through art and sculpture exhibits. The museum will display the history and significance of Jagannath culture, including its mythological importance, construction of the temple and the rituals and traditions associated with it. The library will have a vast collection of books on Jagannath culture, Odia culture and tradition. Besides, the research centre will conduct studies on Jagannath culture and literature, promoting a deeper understanding of the subject. An auditorium with 300 seats will be built, where light and sound shows will be presented daily, showcasing the stories and legends associated with Jagannath, Majhi added.