Political and Social Issues:

More than 50 people died and about 70 fell ill on Wednesday after consuming spurious liquor
Mamata Banerjee described the incident as a social malaise that would have to be curbed through public awareness, rising above political interests.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Sikha Adhikari said the victims died of “cardio-respiratory failure” owing to methyl poisoning.

Former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Wednesday advocated interlinking rivers and dams to form a smart national water grid management scheme as India cannot afford civil war or conflict over water.
he said rivers, waterways and water resources must be nationalised on the lines of roads and power sectors.
Indian rivers have to be operated by the Army, Navy or the armed forces for equitable distribution of water to double food production.
About 170 million hectare arable land will be reduced to 100 million hectare due to increasing population growth and afforestation and environmental preservation activities
Referring to precision farming project of the State, he said by doing the right thing, in the right place at the right time, Tamil Nadu had created a great awareness among the farmers which gave higher productivity, market access and made farmers as entrepreneurs.
When the entire nation was struggling to achieve even two per cent growth in agriculture, Gujarat posted seven to nine per cent over the past six years. The Gujarat government was able to do it by implementing mission mode action.
Dr. Kalam also cited Bihar's experience in doubling the productivity and said “these experiences clearly show that ‘we can do it'