visakhapatnam l monday l august 11, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Air India set to upgrade its Dreamliner fleet Air India’s move to upgrade its 26 Dreamliners is to reduce operational disruptions and better overall reliability first aircraft in california for upgrade re-configuration to be done if needed Air India’s Dreamliner fleet—26 legacy 787-8s and seven 787-9s—had undergone checks, including fuel switches, after the fatal crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad. Under the $400 million fleet retrofit programme announced in December 2022, the airline has flown its first Dreamliner to a Boeing facility in California in July configuration records for these aircraft, followed by modifications based on Boeing’s service information bulletins, Air India said ■ As part of a Reliability Enhancement Programme, the airline will upgrade the avionics of its 26 legacy B787-8 aircraft ■ The retrofit programme entails analysis of maintenance and 190 narrow-body and wide-body planes are part of air india’s fleet 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 Rajnath targets Trump, says India’s rise irks some people Defence minister Rajnath Singh during the foundation stone laying ceremony of BRAHMA Project to make rail coaches, in Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh | pti E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhopal IN a veiled dig at US President Donald Trump for his tariff action and repeated targeting of India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that some people are not willing to accept India’s economic progress and influence on the world stage. Describing India’s economy as the world’s most “dashing and dynamic”, Rajnath said that some people who consider themselves as Sabke Boss (everyone’s boss) are unable to digest India’s progress and economic development. “They think that we are everyone’s boss and how is India moving forward so fast? Many people are trying to do something, so that when things made by the hands of Indians in India go to other countries, they become more expensive than the things made in those countries,” he said of Trump’s tariff action against India. “But, I’m confident that the pace at which India is pro- gressing, no global power can stop our country from becoming a major world power,” Singh asserted during his speech after laying the foundation of BEML Rail Hub for Manufacturing (BRAHMA) -a greenfield rail manufacturing facility at central Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district. Describing Operation Sindoor as a symbol of India’s self-reliance and self-confidence, Singh asserted that the armed forces effectively utilised indigenous equipment, which played a pivotal role in the success of the operation. “India was able to reach this position only because it has taken the pledge to become Aatmanirbhar in the defence sector,” he added. Singh said India is now not only manufacturing equipment on its soil, but is also catering to the security needs of friendly nations. “When Modiji became PM for the first time in 2014, the defence sector exports from India were merely `600 crore, which 10 years later have soared to `24,000 crore.” Munir meets US military brass Pak Army chief Asim Munir, currently in the US, met top US military leaders, the army said. Munir met Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and invited him to visit Pakistan, the Pak army’s statement said. This is Munir’s second visit to US since India’s Operation Sindoor | P9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi being received by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, in Bengaluru | Express India is the world’s fastest growing economy: Modi UPA dispensation. “In 2014, India had only 74 airports, and now, there are Days after US President Don- over 160. Then, only three naald Trump’s ‘dead economy’ tional waterways were operabarb, Prime Minister Naren- tional, now there are 30. The dra Modi on Sunday asserted country had only seven AIIMS that India is the fastest grow- and 387 medical colleges, but ing economy in the world. today we have 22 AIIMS hospi“In the last 11 years, our tals and 704 medical colleges, economy has gone from 10th adding 1 lakh more medical place to top five. We seats in the past 11 are now moving rapyears. The number idly towards becomof IITs has risen from ing one of the top 16 to 23, IIITs from 9 We are moving three economies,” he to 25, and IIMs from fast to become said after inaugurat13 to 21,” Modi said. one of the top ing the Yellow Line three economies. “Before 2014, Inof Bengaluru Metro dia’s total exports How we got this rail and laying the were only $468 bilspeed? Through the spirit of foundation stone for lion. The figure is ‘reform, perform Phase-3. $824 billion now. Inand transform’ Attributing the dia used to import Prime Minister growth momentum mobile phones; we Narendra Modi to the spirit of ‘reare among the top form, perform and five exporters of motransform’, he said: “The bile phones,” he added. journey to a Viksit Bharat India has become a global will move forward hand in example of low-cost, highhand with Digital India.” tech space missions, he said, Modi’s remarks were also emphasising that India is proaimed at Leader of Opposi- gressing in all areas of futurtion in the Lok Sabha Rahul istic technologies. “Our next Gandhi, who had drawn eco- big priority should be becomnomic parallels between the ing self-reliant in technology ,” NDA government and the Modi said. De v a r a j B H i r e h a l l i @ Bengaluru Most wanted red sanders smuggler held Karnataka EC officer sends notice to Rahul for proof of ‘vote theft’ e x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ Bengaluru/New Delhi IN the wake of ‘vote theft’ allegations levelled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against the Election Commission of India at a press conference in New Delhi on August 7, the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Karnataka on Sunday served a notice to the Congress leader, asking him to share documents based on which he had alleged that a woman voted twice. Gandhi had alleged that there was an instance of duplicate voting, citing the case of one Shakun Rani, who he claimed had voted twice in the Mahadevapura constituency in the 2024 general election and had stated that the document was from the ECI. The ECI, however, stated that its preliminary inquiry found no such evi- dence, with Shakun Rani herself asserting that she voted only once and the “tick-marked” document Gandhi displayed not being an official record issued by a polling officer. The CEO has asked Gandhi to submit the documents he relied upon to support his allegations, so that an investigation can be conducted. The Karnataka CEO’s notice to Gandhi was followed by a reminder from the CEO of Hary- Highest storage in 20 years: Reservoirs at near full capacity Y B r a h m a j i @Vijayawada Heavy rainfall and significant water inflows from upstream regions have brought Andhra Pradesh’s reservoirs and dams to near-full capacity . According to the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information and Management System, the state’s 110 reservoirs, including major, medium, and minor ones, currently hold 760.03 TMC (75.67%) of water, which is almost 92 TMC more than the previous year’s storage of 668 TMC by August 10. With a total capacity of 1,004.34 TMC, water authorities expect the reservoirs to fill up completely by the end of the month. Notably, it’s been 20 years since the state’s reservoirs reached this level of water storage by early August. Usually, reservoirs fill up to capacity by September, often sporadically This year, howev. er, major reservoirs have E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kadapa Kadapa district police have arrested six accused, including the notorious most-wanted smuggler Iragampalli Nagadastagiri Reddy, seizing 52 red sanders logs weighing one tonne, two cars, and a motorcycle. Disclosing the details to the media on Sunday, District SP E.G. Ashok Kumar said the arrests were made during surprise raids in the Lankamala forest region. Acting on a tip-off, a special team led by Mydukur DSP Rajendra Prasad and comprising Red Sanders Task Force CI C. Shankar Reddy, Mydukur Rural CI J. Shiva Shankar, Chapadu SI Chinna Peddayya, Task Force SI Raj Kumar, and their staff conducted vehicle checks near the road leading to Chinnavaradayapalle village in Chapadu mandal on the ProddaturAnnavaram road. During the operation, police intercepted two cars transporting freshly cut red sanders logs from the forest. The smugglers attempted to flee but were caught after a brief chase. Those ar rested include Mudirreddy Rama Mohan Reddy, Ummanaboyina Krishnayya, Kayali Srinivasulu, Bandreddy Obul Reddy, and S Balagangireddy along with Na, P4 gadastagiri Reddy  . Rahul Gandhi reached full capacity ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, major projects like Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala, which are vital for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for agricultural activities and drinking water needs, have almost reached their full reservoir levels (FRL). The Nagarjuna Sagar Project has reached 100% storage capacity of 312.05 TMC of water (590 feet), followed by the Srisailam Project, which has a storage of 189.45 TMC (87.79%) against its FRL of 215.80 TMC. The project has been receiving a constant inflow of 1,97,188 cusecs of water from upstream. Another major reservoir, the Pulichintala project, is also witnessing a storage of 42.72 TMC (93.34%) and is receiving a flood of 49,521 cusecs of water. On the other hand, the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage also has a full storage capacity of P4 2.93 TMC. express read Navy to commission 2 stealth frigates in Vizag Indigenous Stealth frigate Indian Navy’s advanced frontline stealth frigate Himgiri (F34) ahead of its commissioning in Visakhapatnam. Another advanced frigate, Udaygiri (F35), will be simultaneously commissioned on August 26. Both are part of Project 17A stealth frigates | PTI NTR CP forms SIT to probe `300-crore scam Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy will commission two advanced stealth frigates in Vizag on August 26. This will be the first time that two major surface combatants from two different shipyards are commissioned simultaneously | P4 Vijayawada: NTR District CP SV Rajashekhar Babu has constituted a SIT to probe the Advaika Trading Company cheating case. Promoters of the company allegedly duped more than 1,200 investors of over `300 crores | P3 ana asking for Gandhi’s declaration under oath that there was vote theft. On Sunday ECI , authorities said: “Rahul Gandhi should either give a Declaration on Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka’s first Notice and Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana’s reminder on time or apologise to the country .” In response, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal dismissed the ECI’s demands, stating, “We are not afraid of any notice.” Upping the ante over Gandhi’s poll rigging claims, the Congress on Sunday launched a web portal for people to register and demand accountability from the EC against “vote theft”, and express support for the demand for digital voter rolls. “Join us and support the demand for transparency from ECI,” he said on X. new milestone Guntur GGH to offer free liver transplants B a n d h a v i Ann a m @ Guntur Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH) is set to become the first government hospital in Andhra Pradesh to offer free liver transplantation surgeries to economically disadvantaged patients. The surgeries are expected to begin by October, while free knee replacement procedures will resume by mid-August after a prolonged interval. This initiative marks a significant milestone for public healthcare in the state. With the recent issuance of the Jeevandan AP Deceased Donor Certificate, GGH is now authorized to perform organ transplants using organs from deceased donors. Patients registered for liver transplants will be treated based on a waiting list to ensure transparency and fairness. Speaking to TNIE, GGH Superintendent Dr. SSV Ramana confirmed that the groundwork is nearly complete. “Both knee and liver transplant surgeries will commence shortly, restoring access to life-saving treatment for patients unable to afford private care,” he said. To support this initiative, the hospital has set up two dedicated operation theaters at a cost of Rs. 10 lakh and appointed three transplant coordinators. A team of specialists in general medicine, hepatology, anesthesia, and surgery has undergone intensive training under the guidance of Dr. Rajnikanth, a senior liver transplant expert from Chennai. P4 h a b it a t c o n c e r n s Grrr... India’s Asiatic lion population jumps 32% in five years J i t en d r a C h o u bey @ New Delhi INDIA’s Asiatic lion population has grown from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, a 32.2% increase, per the 16th Lion Population Estimation report released on Sunday This conservation suc. cess is tempered by concerns, as most lions now live near human settlements, altering their natural hunting instincts and increasing reliance on livestock or human-provided food. Asiatic lions are exclusively found in Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat. Data analysed by experts re- veal only 20% of lions reside in the 258 sq. km core area of Gir National Park (GNP), Gujarat, where they can prey on wild animals. The park, with its buffer zone, spans over 1,400 sq. km. A senior Gujarat forest officer stated that the remaining lions, living near humans, “primarily prey on livestock or consume dead livestock that humans dispose of.” This proximity is troubling for locals. A June 2025 study by the Wildlife Institute of India, Gujarat Forest Department, Macalester College (USA), and NCBS (Bangalore) found lion attacks on livestock rising by 10% annually, with livestock losses per village up by 15% yearly Human attacks, av. eraging 21 per year, show no significant increase. “Lions receive food from locals and share space with them, while local communities benefit from enhanced livelihoods through tourism,” said Yadvendradev V Jhala, a study . author and former WII chief. To accommodate the growing population, the government ex- The Asiatic lion in Gir National Park, Gujarat. A recent study found that Asiatic lion attacks on livestock near Gir have increased by 10% per year | ANI panded the lions’ habitat to 30,000 sq. km, designating Barda in Porbandar as a secondary sanctuary GNP hosts 15 . lions per 100 sq. km, but outside, the density drops to three per 100 sq. km. “Populations are sparse outside the forest, making them more habituated to living near humans. This may change their natural behaviours,” officials noted. Officials questioned why lions, like tigers requiring 7001,000 sq. km of human-free habi t a t u n d e r t h e Wi l d l i f e Protection Act, aren’t given similar protected spaces.