vijayawada l saturday l july 05, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city 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 RA K E SH K UMAR @ 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 accountabilselect automobile parts im- ity India maintains that the US . ports from the US. actions violate the General This move comes as a direct Agreement on Tariffs and response to the US decision on Trade 1994 and the Agreement March 26 to implement on Safeguards. a 25% tariff on imports This is not India’s of passenger vehicles, first instance of WTOlight trucks, and cersanctioned retaliation. tain automobile parts Last month, India suboriginating in India, mitted a similar notifieffective May 3, 2025, cation to the WTO conand continuing indeficerning tariffs imposed nitely. India asserts by the US on steel, aluthat these US measures minum, and their deare inconsistent with rivative products. In The WTO WTO agreements and notification is a 2019, India also raised are causing significant tariffs on 28 US prodlegal and strategic step, har m to its trade ucts following the rebut whether interests. moval of its GeneralIn its notification to India will follow i z e d S y s t e m o f the WTO, India stated through remains Preferences status and uncertain that the proposed susthe continuation of pension of concessions metal tariffs, though Ajay Srivastava, or other obligations founder of Global those duties were rolled Trade Research would involve an inback in 2023 as part of a Initiative crease in tariffs on sebilateral truce. lected US products. The current escalaThis suspension is slated to tion in trade tensions comes take effect 30 days after the ahead of the July 9 deadline, date of the notification. which marks the end of a 90The US tariffs will impact day pause on the US plan to im$2.895 billion imports of Indi- pose country-specific reciproan-origin auto products annu- cal tariffs. ally, with duties totalling All eyes are now on the po$723.75 million. Therefore, In- tential announcement of an dia will suspend trade conces- interim trade deal between the sions of equivalent value. two nations. J aya n t h J a c o b a n d RA J E SH K UMAR THA K UR @ 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 practise 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. Anantapur: At least 25 girl students at the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) hostel in Papireddypalli village fell ill on Friday morning with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. All affected students are reported to be in stable condition | P3 Country will soon be free of Maoist menace: Min E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada The crisis surrounding Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in the state has intensified, with hundreds of medical graduates staging protest for the past five days, demanding Permanent Registration (PR) to practice in India. The students allege a lack of proper communication between the AP Medical Council (APMC) and the National Medical Commission (NMC), which resulted in a year-long uncertainty and inaction. Tensions reached a boiling point on Friday when protesting FMGs attempted to meet APMC Chairman Dr Daggumati Sreehari Rao, but were forcibly removed by police. A video showing a woman police officer dragging a female doctor by her hair went viral on s o c i a l m e d i a , s p a rk i n g outrage. Dr T Lakshmi Manasa, an FMG, who finished her MBBS in Ukraine, completed her internship at King George HosP4 pital, Visakhapatnam.  Monsoon mayhem Trucks being swept away in floodwaters following heavy rainfall, in Jabalpur district on Friday | PTI CWC seeks detailed data on AP’s water projects E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Based on the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) of the PolavaramBanakacherla Link Project submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has asked the State government to provide the salient features of all water resources projects in Andhra Pradeshwhether approved or unapproved, under construction, or completed-along with their 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 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). S V i s w a n at h @ Vijayawada 25 KGBV students fall ill in Sathya Sai dist FMGs continue protest against delay in PR Randhir Jaiswal, MEA spokesperson MAYA N K SI N GH @ New Delhi CM plans to distribute house sites to all needy in State in two years express read Hyderabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reiterated that the Union government was committed to eliminating Naxalism in the country. Speaking at the birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju, he said: “The country will soon be free of this Maoist menace.” | P5 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 planned water utilisation. The CWC also requested that the project authorities indicate the dependability on which these projects have been planned. Other requirements from the CWC include an index map showing the location of existing, under-construction, and proposed/planned projects in Andhra Pradesh. As per the Guidelines for Preparation of Detailed Project Report of Irrigation and Multipurpose Projects 2010, the minimum success rate recommend- ed by the erstwhile Planning Commission for an irrigation project to be considered viable is 75%. “In view of this, the dependability of the proposed diversion water (200 TMC) may be computed, after accounting for the utilisation (existing, under construction and planned) and allocation as per GWDT of co-basin states including AP . The Excel sheet of annexure provided by the project authorities does not contain any formula or calculation. Therefore, the Excel sheet containing com- putation and formulas be submitted,” the CWC said. Further, the CWC also sought the details of project-wise data, irrigated area statistics, and reservoir release records.As that all co-basin states - Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, and AP-eventually utilise their full entitlements under the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award, including allocations at 75% dependability, the CWC asked the details of entitlement used P4 in computation.  Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stated that house site pattas should be distributed to all the needy within two years and construction of houses should be completed in the next four years. Naidu’s intention is that every family should have their own house within the next four years Holding a review meeting with the officials of the Revenue department for two hours at the State Secretariat on Friday, the CM said that 99,390 persons applied for house sites in the current year. “This requires 2,051 acres of land. As mentioned in the manifesto, we have to acquire the required land and distribute three cents of land to each beneficiary in rural areas and Tidco houses will be allotted in urban areas. Let us constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee consisting of Revenue, Housing and Municipal Ministers for this purpose,” Naidu said. Regarding house sites for journalists, the Chief Minister suggested considering allotment under gover nment grants. Since the Supreme Court has issued a verdict on the matter, legal opinion must be sought before proceeding further, he told the officials. He said that the Revenue Department should continuously strive to resolve public issues, stating that doing so would enhance the government’s reputation. He also noted that the public must be relieved of the problems created by the previous government. Stressing the importance of providing permanent caste certificates by October, the CM noted that while 43.89 lakh people had been issued certificates since the formation of coalition government, the remaining must also be covered. He proposed an automated system whereby once a caste certificate is issued to one family member, certificates for other members are generated P4 based on the same data.  We have to acquire the required land and distribute three cents of land to each beneficiary in rural areas and Tidco houses will be allotted in urban areas. Let us constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee with Revenue, Housing and Municipal Ministers — CM Naidu SC verdict reserved, Centre notifies Waqf management rules P r ee t h a N a i r @ New Delhi set for historic meet The much-awaited Neeraj Chopra Classic, an event which will feature top-class javelin athletes, will be held in Bengaluru today | P11 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 chal- lenging the constitutionality of the Waqf Amendment Act. According to the new rules, to ensure tracking and monitoring of waqf properties of all states, a centralised 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 maintenance 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 one-time 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.