FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms QUALITY AT VALUE FREE PRESS VOL. XXXX NO. 336 | INDORE | SUNDAY | MAY 12, 2024 | PAGES 16 r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; `4 r RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in - KAMRAN AKMAL ACCUSES PAKISTAN PLAYERS OF PRIORITISING PERSONAL GOALS SPORTS READER'S CORNER DO VOTERS REALLY ENJOY VOTING? WEATHER EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE 40.60c. 25.50c Sunrise : 05.54 Sunset : 06.54 MOTHERING OUR SOULS CINEMA CAMPAIGNING FOR 8 LOK SABHA SEATS IN MP ENDS ON HIGH NOTE Cocoa Crisis: Indore’s CM LEADS ROAD SHOW IN INDORE AS CONG TURNS TO NOTA Bittersweet Dilemma OUR STAFF REPORTER Indore/Bhopal Chief Minister Mohan Yadav led road show in support of BJP candidate Shankar Lalwani in Indore on the last day of campaigning for fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections. Campaigning at remaining eight Lok Sabha seats that would go for voting on Monday are Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Dhar, Indore, Khargone and Khandwa came to an end at 6 pm on Saturday . CM Mohan Yadav with BJP candidate Shankar Lalwani (L) during a road show in Indore on Saturday PHOTO ANAND SHIVRE The voting for all these seats will be held on Monday . After the polling of the afore- said seats in fourth round of general election, the Lok Sabha election process will get over in Madhya Pradesh. On the last day of the campaigning, candidates and their respective party leaders left no stone unturned to drum up support of the public. They braved the scorching heat and tried to influence the voters with their promises, one-to-one contact and small road-side meetings. As far as voters are concerned then Dewas has 19,31,664 voters followed by 17,72,734 voters in Ujjain, 18,91,121 voters in Mandsaur, 20,84,882 voters in Ratlam, Betrayed Cong bats for NOTA Jolted by its Indore Lok Sabha candidate withdrawing its nomination and then rubbing salt in its wounds by joining the BJP, the Congress is now banking on the NOTA - none of the above - option to "teach a lesson" to the ruling party. 19,43,811 voters in Dhar, 25,02,529 voters in Indore, 20,39,065 voters in Khargone and 21,00,631 voters in Khandwa. CONTD. ON P7 ANTI-TB DRUG CRISIS LOOMS LARGE OVER STATE ONLY 7 DAYS’ STOCK LEFT, 60K PATIENTS IN QUANDARY INSTEAD OF ONE MONTH health officials giving only four days medicines to patients in Indore TARUN TIWARI Indore NEWS BRIEF RaGa ready to debate with PM NEW DELHI: A day after he said he was 100% ready to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public debate on the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has formally replied to a letter by two former judges and a senior journalist inviting him and the PM to be part of such an event. Stating that he or Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge would be pleased to participate in the debate, the Wayanad MP has asked the potential organisers to let him know if the PM agrees to do so as well. T’gana CM casts doubt on Balakot airstrikes HYDERABAD: Amid the furore and consternation from the BJP over an old video where veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar is heard advocating the need to show respect to Pakistan while pointing to its nuclear arsenal; Chief Minister Revnath Reddy on Friday raised fresh questions over the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 and the retaliatory airstrikes on a terror hideout in Balakote, deep inside Pakistan. Huge protest at Pak occupied Kashmir NEW DELHI: The Pakistani government is carrying out a massive crackdown on residents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, or PoK. Reports from the troubled areas say the Pakistani authorities have been attacking civilians who have been protesting against heavy taxation, high inflation, and electricity shortage. Repression in PoK is not new. The shortage of tuberculosis medicines is turning grave in the state as most of the districts including Indore and Bhopal are on the brink of a healthcare crisis with only seven days' worth of medication left in stock. The shortage of essential medicines has escalated fears among about 60,000 active TB patients who rely on regular treatment to manage their condition. The looming crisis has forced the health authorities to distribute only four days medication to the patients in place of a month’s medication, exacerbating concerns about treatment interruptions and the potential for serious health consequences, BLAME IT ON CHINA According to health officials, the TB drug crisis was started from November, 2023 and it has an international impact. “Major reason for the same is the interrupted raw material supply from China which has the major supplier of the same,” the officials said. T he discontinuation of medication increases the chances of relapse of the disease, Moreover, the patients turn prone to multi drug resistance-TB. The treatment cycle couldn’t be broken or it may have major complication especially to the patients suffering from HIV as well DR SANJAY DIXIT COMMUNITY MEDICINE EXPERT AND DEAN MGM MEDICAL COLLEGE mainly developing Multi Drug Resistance-Tuberculosis. “We are only left with seven days of TB medi- A crimson glow lit up the dark sky in parts of Ladakh in a rare stable auroral red arc event at the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in the high Hi- it is short in the market as well,” Dr Shailendra Jain, district TB officer, Indore, told Free Press. CONTD. ON P7 Climate change has unleashed its merciless wrath in heartlands of Africa and lush plantations of Malaysia. This has left a bitter aftertaste not just on the tongues of these continents but across the globe. As the warming planet wreaks havoc on cocoa cops, India, once a prime land for sweet indulgence, now grapples with a harsh reality: the essence of chocolate has turned bitter. With damaged harvests leading to dwindling production and prices soaring to unprecedented heights, chocolate industry finds itself at a crossroads. What was once a pleasure for the palate has transformed into a dire struggle for survival, as even the smallest of confectionery ventures find themselves on the brink of extinction. According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the cocoa market has witnessed an alarming surge, with prices skyrocketing by over 130% from July 2022 to February 2024. FactSet's analysis further unveils a harrowing reality indicating a near, doubling of prices since the onset of this year. The repercussions are dire, with chocolate production taking a crippling blow. In the heart of India, particularly in Indore, the epicentre of confectionery , the decline is staggering, with production plummeting by a staggering 75%. Experts echo this grim assessment, painting a bleak picture for both the state and the nation at large. President of the Indore As production takes a beating, many manufacturing units down shutters in Indore, the biggest confectionary hub of Central India MARKET DEVASTATION: PRODUCTION FALLS TO 300 TONNES ICMA president said that confectionary production has dropped by at least 75% in last couple of months. Terming it the worst decline of the decade, Choudhary said, “The market is badly hit due to multiple reasons majorly rise in cocoa and fat prices. Other reasons include summer season, model code of conduct, and religious events like Ramzan.” He claimed that Indore produces about 40 tonnes confectionary per day, with chocolate production accounting for 30%. Currently, it has dropped to a meager 10%. INDORE: A CONFECTIONARY POWERHOUSE As per confectionary association, Indore stands second after Hyderabad in confectionary production in the country. However, Indore beats its closest rival in product catalogue to be on the top of the chart. “Approximate production of confectionary in Indore market is over Rs 200 crore per month. We stand on top in product categories while second in quantity of production in the country,” the ICMA president said. PARTICULARS NO. UNITS OF CONFECTIONARIES UNITS PRODUCING CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS CHOCOLATE START-UPS SMALL-TIME CHOCOLATE BUSINESS CONFECTIONARY PRODUCTION PER MONTH CONFECTIONARY BUSINESS PER MONTH Confectionary Manufacturers Association (ICMA) Dinesh Choudhary laments the ripple effect of the crisis, tracing it back to Malaysia, a key importer 100-150 70-80 50-60 500-600 1,200 tonnes `200 cr of cocoa to the region. He elucidates how the ravages of climate change in Malaysia mirror those in Ghana, the titan of cocoa production. CONTD. ON P7 HC notice to Kareena ‘Modi on one nation, one leader 2 mowed down by for using ‘Bible’ in mission to impose dictatorship’ tractor over land pregnancy book dispute in Nazirabad NEW DELHI OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur, has issued a notice to bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor on Pregnancy Bible.' Advocate Christopher Anthony, challenging the use of "Bible" in 'Kareena Kapoor Khan's Pregnancy Bible,' has filed petition. The petitioner argues that the title disrespects Christian sentiments and accuses it of seeking attention. Justice Gurpal Singh Ahluwalia issued the notice. The court is seeking an explanation from Kareena Kapoor Khan regarding the rationale behind using the term 'Bible' in her memoir's title. Petitioner expressed that the Bible holds profound religious significance globally and should not be equated with Kareena Kapoor Khan's pregnancy journey An. thony also suggested that the use of 'bible' in the title was a ploy to gain attention for the book. The legal notice has sparked a debate over the appropriateness of using religious terms in secular contexts, especially in book titles. CONTD. ON P7 Rare auroral arc in Ladakh sky due to solar storm NEW DELHI cines in the stock. We are getting interrupted supply from the state. We were asked to procure the medicines at the local level but RAGINEE CHAUREY Indore malayas due to the strong solar magnetic storms launched towards Earth. The solar storms or coronal mass ejections are from the AR13664 region of the sun that has produced sev- eral high energy solar flares, some of which are travelling towards Earth at a speed of 800 km/s, scientists at the Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences in India (CESSI), Kolkata, said. Spectacular auroras or northern lights lit up the skies in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere as skywatchers from Austria, Germany Slo, vakia, Switzerland, Denmark and Poland shared pictures and short videos of the dancing lights on social media. CONTD. ON P7 A day after his release on interim bail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging he was on a "One nation, One leader" mission to impose "dictatorship" by putting all leaders from opposition behind bars and "politically finishing off" those in the BJP . Addressing a gathering at the AAP headquarters here on Saturday he asserted , that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be part of the next government at the Centre and will get full statehood for Delhi. "In the last 20 hours after release from jail, I talked to poll experts and people, and got to know the BJP is not going to form the government," Kejriwal said. Ahead of restarting his election campaign, Kejriwal along with his wife Sunita and Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in central Delhi's Connaught Place. On Friday the Supreme Court , granted Kejriwal interim bail in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam to ‘Yogi’s days numbered’ Politics of Advani, Murli Joshi, Shivraj Chauhan, Vasundhara Raje, Khattar, Raman Singh has been finished, Yogi Adityanath is next. If he (PM Modi) wins, he will change UP Chief Minister within two months. He singled out PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as engineers behind a power takeover within the BJP , referring to how BJP changes CMs in many states before assembly elections to "clip their wings". CLAIM: Modi to retire at 75 Shah’s rebuttal from Hyderabad He claimed that PM Modi is asking for votes for Amit Shah, claiming that the latter will be Modi's successor after he "retires" on turning 75. In Hyderabad, Amit Shah asserted that Modi will continue to lead the country and there is "no confusion in the BJP" on the issue. enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. "These people ask INDIA bloc about their (PM) face. I am asking the BJP who will be their PM. Modi ji is turning 75 on September 17 next year. He had made the rule that people aged 75 would be retired. They retired LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sumitra Mahajan," Kejriwal said at the AAP headquarters. "Modi will retire next year. He is seeking votes for making Amit Shah the prime minister. Will Shah fulfil Modiji's guarantee?" he asked. In Delhi, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also took a swipe at Kejriwal, saying his remarks about Shah are an acknowledgement that the BJP is set to retain power for a third straight term. CONTD. ON P7 MOTHER’S DAY IN KUNO Groups led by former and present sarpanches clash OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in A long-standing land dispute between the former and current sarpanch in a village located near Nazirabad area of Bhopal took an ugly turn on Saturday morning when they and their supporters clashed. They attacked each other with axes and other sharpedged weapons, the Nazirabad police said, adding that one group ran over the other with a tractor, which caused two deaths and two injuries. Nazirabad police station house officer (SHO) Harishankar Verma told Free Press that the incident took place in the Shukla village, located close to Nazirabad. He said that the dispute was a long-standing one between Mangilaal Gurjar, the former sarpanch of the village, and the present sarpanch, whose name was withheld by the police. He further in- formed that the duo had a dispute over possession of a piece of government land. The duo had a face-off in the village on Saturday at around 10 am, and both were accompanied by their supporters. It soon escalated to a clash in which rods and sharp-edged weapons were used causing injuries on both sides. During the clash, a relative of Mangilaal Gurjar, the former sarpanch, arrived on the scene on a tractor, and ran over two kin of the present sarpanch’s family; Ranglaal Gurjar and Jasmal Gurjar. The duo died on the spot, and two other members of the present sarpanch’s family sustained injuries in the incident. They have been rushed to the Hamidia hospital for treatment, the investigating officials at the Nazirabad police station said. CONTD. ON P7 3 female cheetah rear 13 cubs OUR STAFF REPORFTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in There could not have been a better celebration of mother's day than rejoicing the fantastic job that three cheetah moms are doing in bringing up 13 cubs at the Kuno National Park. The three female cheetahs are rearing at least 13 cubs with full affection and dedication. The Kuno National Park is flourishing with next gener- ation of cheetah clan after suffering initial hiccups. After watching the 13 cubs grow under the watchful eyes of their caring mothers, the forest officers of Kuno feel elated and there is no end to their happiness. Apart from the dedication of the cheetah moms, it is the hard work of the forest officials that the cubs are surviving in Kuno National Park. An officer of Kuno said that there are six cubs of Gamini and they are six months old. Likewise, four cubs of Jwala are four months old. Asha has three cubs and they are four and half months old. It was in May 2023 that Jwala had given birth to four cubs and it was the first litter of cheetah cubs on the soil of Kuno. However, due to harsh heat wave, three of them died due to severe dehydration and other complication. One managed to survive due to the intervention of the Kuno officials. CONTD. ON P7