vijayawada l saturday l may 03, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION now, Repairability index for smartphones in the offing Smartphone and tablet manufacturers will soon have to rate their products on a repairability index to help consumers make informed choices ‘tech ensures products have short lives’ five-point rating scale being considered A government panel on Friday submitted a report recommending introduction of the index. “Companies are not manufacturing devices for life. They are actually forcing consumers to buy another product as they have planned for their obsolescence. Technology has made sure products have short lifespans,” said Nidhi Khare, Consumer Affairs Secretary ■ ■ The panel has recommended a five-point rating scale that should be prominently displayed at points of sale, on packaging, and websites The rating will be based on parameters including repairability of key components like display, batteries, camera, and speakers; ease of disassembly; availability of spare parts; and software update policies 20,000 complaints received on faulty repair ecosystems 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 NIA sees Pak Army hand in Pahalgam terror attack Preliminary report points to role of LeT, ISI, and Pak Army: Sources M U K E SH R A N J A N @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan during the relaunch of the Amaravati capital city works at Velagapudi on Friday; (below) The pylon inaugurated by PM Modi | Express amaravati is beginning for swarna Andhra: Pm B S N M a l l e s w a r a Ra o @ Vijayawada This is the beginning of building Swarna Andhra (Golden AP). These are not just concrete structures, but are strong foundations for the aspirations of AP and the vision for a developed India Narendra Modi, PM Today, hope has won over darkness and it’s a New Dawn for AP. For years, the people of our state have hoped, fought, and held on to the vision of a capital that belongs to them. N Chandrababu Naidu, CM We have assured you that Amaravati will only be the capital of AP. Committing to that promise, now we are relaunching the works of Amaravati through the hands of PM Pawan Kalyan, Deputy CM Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his Deputy Pawan Kalyan to transform Amaravati and Andhra Pradesh into a growth engine for a developed India, citing it as the dream of N T Rama Rao to develop the state. “We must fulfill NTR’s dreams. “Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan, together we must do it — and we will do it,” Modi said. While restarting the construction of Amaravati on Friday the PM em, phasized that the state capital city is not just a city but a dream coming true. Alongside the relaunch, Modi laid the foundation stone for several capital city-related projects and dedicated `58,000 crore worth nine other projects to the nation. Addressing a large gathering, he stated, “This is the beginning of building Swarna Andhra (Golden AP). These are not just concrete structures, but are strong foundations for the aspirations of Andhra Pradesh and the vision for a developed India.” Modi expressed confidence that Amaravati, once completed in three years as promised by CM Naidu, will transform the state into a modern and progressive one, and it can fulfill the dreams of every Andhraite. “Amaravati will emerge as a leading city in the country in fields like Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Green Energy Clean In, dustries, Education, and Healthcare,” he added, pledging full support to the state in providing necessary infrastructure. Recalling his role in laying the foundation for Amaravati as the People’s Capital in 2015, Modi noted that THE April 22 Pahalgam attack was perpetrated by the Lashkare-Taiba (LeT), Pakistan’s InterServices Intelligence (ISI), and the Pak Army, according to a preliminary report prepared by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Sources said the report mentions the conspiracy behind the brutal attack, in which 26 people were killed, was hatched by the LeT with directions and support from the ISI and the Pak Army . T h e p re l i m i n a r y probe found the involvement of around 20 active Kashmir Valley over ground workers (OGWs) in providing logistics support to the terrorists. OWG is a term used by security agencies to refer to people who provide logistics support to militants and assist them in their surreptitious movement. According to NIA sources, the identified OGWs are currently being intensely interrogated. During interrogation, it was revealed that both the main attackers were in touch with their Pakistani-based handlers and they received specific instructions on the timing, logistics, and execution. NIA sleuths will also question two key OGWs— Nisar Ahmad alias Haji and Mushtaq Hussain—who are currently lodged in Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu to ferret out information from them. “The duo are known associates of LeT and were earlier arrested for their role in aiding terrorists involved in the 2023 attack on Army convoys in Bhata Dhurian and Totagali,” a source said. According to the NIA report, two prime suspects identified as Hashmi Musa (alias Suleman) and Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai) are Pakistani nationals. The NIA sleuths also performed a 3D mapping of the attack site and extracted dump data from mobile towers around the valley sources said. , “Satellite phone activity in the region spiked in the days leading up to the attack. At least three satellite phones were operational in and around Baisaran and signals from two have been traced and analysed,” said an official. Terrorists entered Kashmir Weeks ago NIA found the terrorists entered Kashmir weeks before the attack and were helped by a network of OGWs, who gave them all the logistics support including shelter, navigation, and reconnaissance Recce at 4 places, including Baisaran NIA said the terrorists reached Pahalgam around April 15 and did recce at Baisaran Valley, Aru Valley, Betaab Valley, and an amusement park. They chose Baisaran due to thin security Shehbaz seeks help from Muslim nations Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait, to impress upon India to de-escalate and defuse tensions, reports said terminally ill Girl, 3, youngest to take Santhara fast unto death A n u r aa g S i n g h @ Bhopal A three-year-old terminally ill child in Indore became the youngest to ‘embrace death’ through the Jain practice of Santhara. She passed away on March 21 minutes after the ceremony ended. Santhara or Sallekhana is a voluntary practice of fast unto death, which is undertaken when the end is imminent. But since patient Viyana Jain was just three, she couldn’t have taken the decision voluntarily . It was her parents Varsha and Piyush Jain, both techies, who took the call following advice from Jain guru Rajesh Muni. Significantly, Santhara was declared illegal by the Rajasthan High Court in August 2015. The order had triggered massive protests by the Jains, who argued that Santhara was a religious practice for self-purification. A month later, the Apex Court suspended the HC order. Viyana was diagnosed with brain tumour in December last year and underwent surgery . “After surgery her condition improved, after a couple of months, it started deteriorating. We took her to Jain guru on March 21. He told us her end was near and recommended Santhara,” said Varsha. CWC meet calls for fitting reply to Pakistan the Central Government has extended its full support over the past decade, and now, under CM Naidu’s leadership, development will progress rapidly, prioritizing essential structures like the High Court, Assembly , Secretariat, and Raj Bhavan. ‘There’s no one better than Chandrababu’ The Prime Minister praised Chandrababu Naidu, saying, “There’s no one better than Chandrababu” when it comes to executing large-scale projects quickly while ensuring topnotch quality Modi revealed that he . had closely observed how Chandrababu developed the IT industry in Hyderabad while he was the CM of Gujarat. “Chandrababu praised me for adopting technology But as the Gu. jarat CM I had observed how he developed the IT sector in Hyderabad and understood the process. Today, I’m able to implement those learnings across the country Modi said. ,” P r ee t h a N a i r @ New Delhi Herald case: Rahul, Sonia receive court notices URGING the Centre to act with firmness in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and penalise Pakistan, a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday said this is an opportune time to demonstrate the nation’s collective will to teach the neighbouring country a lesson for its export of terror. In another resolution, the party asked the government to announce a “clear timeline” for every stage of the caste census and reiterated its demand for removing the 50% cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs. The meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also pressed for timebound accountability into “serious lapses” in security and intelligence in one of the most A Delhi court on Friday issued notices to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case, stating that the accused have the right to be heard before cognizance is taken for ensuring a fair trial. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Parliamentary party chair Sonia Gandhi and LoP Rahul Gandhi at the meeting in New Delhi on Friday | praveen negi heavily-guarded regions of the country . “The masterminds and perpetrators of this cowardly attack must face full consequences for their actions. The Congress urges the Government of India to act with firmness, strategic clarity and international coordination to isolate and penalise Pakistan for its continued export of terror into our territory,” the resolution said. The meeting was attended by former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others. In the second resolution on caste census, the party said it believed that the model followed by Telangana provided an effective and inclusive framework the government of India must emulate. “After 11 years of continued opposition and stubborn refusal, the Modi government has finally conceded to the demand of the Congress to collect population data caste wise as part of the next census. For 11 years, the Prime Minister attacked the Congress for raising this demand,” the resolution said. It also demanded the removal of the 50% “arbitrary” ceiling on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs. Illegal structure blamed AP signs deal to set up India’s 1st Quantum Valley in Amaravati for S’chalam wall collapse E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada U s h a Pe r i @ Visakhapatnam A preliminary enquiry into the retaining wall collapse at Simhachalam, which claimed seven lives during the Chandanotsavam festival on April 30, has revealed that the structure was constructed without formal approvals and in violation of the temple’s master plan. The three-member committee appointed by the Andhra Pradesh government to investigate into the incident completed its initial inquiry in Visa- khapatnam on Friday and has since departed for Amaravati. “Based on our findings so far, everything was done in a hasty manner, based merely on verbal instructions,” said S Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary of the MA&UD Department and chair man of the inquiry committee. The committee also includes Inspector General of Police Ake Ravi Krishna and Engineer-in-Chief (FAC) of the irrigation department, P4 Venkateswar Rao.  In a transformative leap for India’s technological landscape, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced the establishment of India’s first Quantum Valley, set to be dedicated to the nation on January 1, 2026. The landmark announcement was made at the Chief Minister’s residence in Undavalli during a signing ceremony for Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with global giants IBM, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Larsen & Toubro Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu with officials after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IBM, TCS and L&T on the Quantum Valley Tech Park at his residence in Undavalli on Friday | Express (L&T). These partnerships will anchor the Quantum Valley Tech Park in Amaravati, featuring IBM’s 156-qubit Quantum System Two, the largest quantum computing system to be installed in India. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister underscored Andhra Pradesh’s legacy in driving India’s IT revolution in the 1990s and its ambition to lead the global quantum computing frontier. Reflecting on past innovations like digitizing seven lakh gover nment records and launching AP Online, he high- lighted the state’s shift to “WhatsApp governance” enabled by voice commands. “This is a historic moment for Andhra Pradesh and India,” Naidu declared. “Quantum computing is unstoppable and will redefine gover nance and innovation.” CM Naidu envisioned Quantum Valley as a Silicon Valleyinspired ecosystem, integrating academia, startups, and global expertise. He emphasized real-time analytics and inclusive policies, citing the state’s analysis of 1.7 crore families under the P4 initiative P4 with TCS support.