tirupati l monday l july 07, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur EDITION in snub to Trump, Elon Musk forms new political party Tech billionaire Musk has formed a new political party “to give Americans their freedom back”, after a fallout with Trump Registering ‘america party’ the next step musk’s party likely to be fiscally prudent “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk said in a post on X. “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said. To legally form the party would require Musk to register it with the US Federal Election Commission ■ ■ Musk first raised the prospect of forming a party during his public feud with Trump, which saw him leave his role in the administration’s DOGE and engage in a vicious public spat with his former ally The world’s richest man has indicated he wants a party that is fiscally conservative and reins in spending, without more details 2024 Musk was the largest donor to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign 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 After Bihar, poll panel now plans revision of rolls in Bengal, Delhi EC says Bihar draft list would contain names of voters whose enumeration forms were received MU K E SH RAN J AN & A s h i s h S r i v a s ta v a & RAMASHAN K AR @ New Delhi/Patna NOTWITHSTANDING the raging controversy around the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is now preparing to launch and initiate a similar exercise in West Bengal and New Delhi sometime in August this year, sources in the poll panel told this newspaper on Sunday . The last time the ECI verified electoral rolls in West Bengal and New Delhi was in 2002 and 2008, respectively. “As the assembly elections will be due in West Bengal after Bihar, we are preparing for the exercise in advance,” a source said. For New Delhi, the Chief Electoral Officer has notified the cut-off date for the revision mahua, RJD move supreme court Trinamool Congress leader and Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra has moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Election Commission of India for special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. “ECI has introduced it to deprive bonafide young electorate of Bihar. Later, they will target Bengal,” Moitra told a news agency. In her plea, Moitra sought a direction to restrain ECI from issuing similar orders in other states of the country. The RJD and an NGO have also moved the top court as March 16, 2008. This means that all voter names added to the rolls after this date will now be subject to verification. Individuals falling in this category will be required to furnish documentary proof of citizenship to retain their names on the electoral list. The ECI said the revision exercise in Bihar has been going on smoothly and the initial phase of it has been completed. In an official statement, the ECI said, “It is reiterated that SIR is being conducted in Bihar as per instructions issued on June 24 and there is no change in the instructions. The draft electoral rolls that will be issued on August 1, 2025 will contain the names of persons whose enumeration forms are received.” It said electors can submit any one of the 11 specified documents anytime before July 25, 2024. “After publication of Draft Electoral Rolls, if any document is deficient, EROs can obtain such documents, from the electors whose name appears in the draft Electoral Roll, during scrutiny in the claims and objection period,” it noted. “The new directive has provided a great relief to people, as they have been given a relaxation of nearly 45 days to submit required documents,” said a senior official posted at the Bihar CEO office in Patna. Highlighting the need for the SIR in the country Chief Elec, tion Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar told this newspaper that during the past four months, “all 4,123 EROs, all 775 DEOs and all 6 CEOs have held nearly 5,000 meetings with 28,000 political party representatives”. “ECI has invited all recognised political parties for interaction. No one was satisfied with the current status of electoral rolls for one reason or the other.” The deadline for submission of forms is July 26. under scrutiny As authorities launch one of the largest search-andrescue efforts in recent Texas history, they have come under scrutiny over preparations and why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted or told to evacuate | P9 E x p r e s s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @Rajamahendravaram Good news for Godavari delta farmers! The State government has approved the repair and facelift of the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage and sanctioned `150 crore for the project. Irrigation engineers are preparing plans to invite tenders, and the works are likely to begin after the flood season. It may be noted that due to a lack of funds, maintenance and repair works at the barrage had not been taken up for the past five years. Located at Dowleswaram in Rajamahendravaram, the barrage is a crucial irrigation structure. It supplies water to around 10 lakh hectares and provides drinking water to nearly 80 lakh people. Speaking to TNIE, Barrage Superintending Engineer Gopinath said that 117 gates will be installed to replace the existing ones, which have been damaged due to rust and erosion. He noted that 110 out of 175 gates have completely rusted, leading to water loss. He said that three new head sluices would be constructed for the East, Central, and Western Delta canals to ensure a steady water supply Addition. ally, eight scour sluices would be repaired to enable efficient silt removal and flushing operations after floods. “As part of the renovation project, both electrical and civil works will also be undertaken,” he added. J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi BRICS leaders on Sunday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack “in the strongest terms” and flagged the dangers of cross-border terrorism. “We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed,” the BRICS leaders declaration said. In his hard-hitting address at the BRICS Summit at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called out countries that support terrorism, saying they “must pay the price.” He urged BRICS to take a clear stand for overcoming terrorism, saying there is no room for double standards. “We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing, and safe havens. We urge to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism and re- Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva upon his arrival in Brazil | pti ject double standards in countering terrorism,” the BRICS leaders’ declaration said. The declaration called for the swift adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the United Nations framework and demanded concerted global action against all UN-designated British team arrives to fix stranded F-35B fighter jet texas officials’ response Govt sanctions `150 crore for Dowleswaram Barrage repairs BRICS slams Pahalgam attack, demands urgent UNSC reforms E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ T’Puram/ New Delhi Indian players celebrate the wicket of Jamie Smith along with Akash Deep in Edgbaston on Sunday | AFP MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM AT EDGBASTON E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai Five days ago when India captain Shubman Gill was probed by Michael Atherton during the toss on the Playing XI (then) that looked defensive on paper, an Indian win seemed to be still in the realm of a beautiful dream. In the real world, however, even before a ball was bowled in the second Test, the balance was tilted in favour of hosts England. They successfully chased a record total in the first. India had decided to rest ever-dependable Jasprit Bumrah despite a nine-day gap between the two games. The captain Gill is just one Test old. On top of that India decided to go ahead with all-rounders rather than bolster their bowling. Things looked even more grim when India were 211/5 and were staring at another likely collapse after tea on Day One. Well, that was the last moment India seemed lost. But the one-Test old captain batted, batted and batted, and in the company of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, broke one record after another on his way to a marathon 269. India stopped at 587. The total seemed to have done the trick. If the first innings seemed an ab e r r at i o n , t h e s e c o n d seemed like highlights with fours and sixes peppered around the ground. Morally, England were crushed on the fourth day . Inspired by the captain’s innings, Akash Deep and Mo- hammed Siraj did what India bowlers struggled in the first Test – take 20 wickets in the two innings. ‘No Bumrah, no problem’. The duo shared all ten wickets between them as India gained a 180-run lead and Gill decided to make sure the target was beyond the hosts with another strokeful hundred (161). It was only a matter of time before India levelled the series with ease, thanks to Akash Deep’s 6/99 in the second innings. For the record, this is the biggest margin (336 runs) of win for India away from home and this is their first win at Edgbaston. In sports, dreams do turn into reality. Over to L o r d ’s w i t h h o p e a n d hoopla. THE f-35B fighter aircraft of the British Royal Navy strand, ed in the Thiruvananthapuram international airport for the past three weeks, was on Sunday moved out from the tarmac. The aircraft was towed by a team of British engineers, who arrived from the UK on Sunday, using special equipment necessary for the movement and repair process. The 14-member team arrived aboard a Royal Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft, carrying specialist equipment. The jet, stranded since June 14 due to a hydraulic system failure, was moved to a designated hangar space provided by Air India. The development came after the UK accepted the offer of a space in the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport. British Royal Navy fighter jet F-35B being towed to hangar at Thiruvananthapuram airport. Inset: UK’s Atlas ZM417 that brought aviation engineers and equipment | pti AI-based SMoSS to control mosquito menace soon K K a lya n K r i s h n a K u m a r @ Vijayawada The state government is rolling out an advanced mosquito control initiative using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) tools to strengthen public health systems. Named the Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS), the programme aims to drastically reduce the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. The first phase is set to be implemented from this month. Launched by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department, the SMoSS will be implemented in a phased manner. In the first phase, it will cover 66 locations across six major municipal corporations: 16 in Greater Visakhapatnam, 28 in Vijayawada, seven in Nellore, six in Kurnool, five in Rajamahendravaram, and four in Kakinada. This follows the successful implementation of a pilot project in selected wards of a few municipalities earlier. The system uses AI-powered smart sensors that can detect mosquito species, gender, population density in mosquitoprone zones. These sensors will automatically issue alerts when mosquito density exceeds threshold levels, enabling authorities to respond with precision and speed. Speaking to TNIE, Principal “The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams,” British High Commission stated. This newspaper had earlier reported that F-35B Lightning II fighter would be repaired at its present location, for which a team would be flown in from the UK. The F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram on the night of June 14, 2025 as it faced adverse weather conditions and low fuel. The aircraft was unable to return to HMS Prince of Wales as it was caught in adverse weather conditions. A Royal Navy helicopter had flown in an additional pilot and engineer the next day but early , repair efforts were unsuccessful. Towing the aircraft was deemed too risky, prompting the UK to send a full engineering crew. Secretary MAUD, S Suresh Ku, mar, said “This initiative marks a shift from blind spraying to targeted, evidence-based mosquito control. The IoT sensors will allow us to detect density levels and act accordingly, ensuring better results with fewer resources. The highly capable sensors will be installed at identified hotspots. They will detect the number of mosquitoes, their type, sex, and other relevant details. The data collected through IoT will be integrated and analysed to alert both the municipalities and the public,” P4 said Suresh Kumar. terrorists and entities. Making a sharp geopolitical statement, the BRICS leaders condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran and expressed alarm over escalating violence. “We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since 13 June 2025, which constitute a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and express grave concern over the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East,” the declaration read. In his address to the 17th BRICS Summit’s session on Reform of Global Governance,” Modi made a clarion call for an inclusive world order led by meaningful institutional reform. “The Global South has often faced double standards. Whether it’s about development, distribution of resources, or security-related matters, the interests of the Global South have not been given due importance,” Modi said. Srisailam dam radial gates need urgent repairs: Expert E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Kurnool A retired hydro-mechanical engineer and gates specialist, Kannaiah Naidu, has raised serious safety concerns regarding the condition of the radial crest gates at the Srisailam Reservoir. After an in-depth inspection, Naidu warned that unless new gates are installed within the next five years, the project risks facing a disaster similar to the Tungabhadra Dam crisis. The Srisailam Dam comprises 12 radial crest gates—six under the jurisdiction of Andhra Pradesh and the remaining six under Telangana. Due to heavy rainfall in upstream regions, the reservoir levels have been steadily rising. As of Sunday evening, the water level had reached 180 TMC ft, out of the reservoir’s full storage capacity of 215 TMC ft. Naidu specifically pointed out issues with Gate No. 10, which is currently leaking. While he clarified that the leakage is less than 10% and does not pose an immediate threat, he emphasized the need for urgent repairs. He cited damage from the 2009 floods, noting signs of rust, lack of lubrication, and the accumulation of silt on the gates. He also revealed that no paint has been applied to the gates since 2010, a critical mainteP4 nance lapse. express read Srisailam gates likely to be lifted in next two days Kurnool: With huge inflows continuing at the Srisailam reservoir, the dam officials are planning to release floodwater to Nagarjuna Sagar in next couple of days. On the other hand, with increasing flood discharge level from Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka, and Jurala in Telangana, a high alert has been sounded in low-lying areas in Kurnool | P4 Tobacco farmers seek help amid price crash Guntur: Following a record production season, Burley tobacco farmers are facing a sharp price crash. While a partial relief effort is underway through government procurement, growers are intensifying calls for bringing Burley tobacco under Tobacco Board’s purview | P4 Navy’s 17 warships, 9 submarines await nod New Delhi: Approximately 17 warships and nine submarines of the Indian Navy are currently undergoing various stages of approval, according to sources on Sunday. This is in addition to the existing fleet of 61 warships and submarines, which are at various stages of construction | P7