NEW DELHI: Amid the LPG supply crunch, the Centre has asked all ministries to assess the potential demand of piped natural gas (PNG) across canteens and pantries at govt departments and offices, and push for its expansion.It has also urged govt establishments, residential colonies and canteens to switch to PNG, while city gas distribution (CGD) companies are being extended support to expand their networks. The push for PNG is also aimed at reducing dependence on imported LPG in the long term. Domestic LPG supplies continue to be ring-fenced, with commercial users bearing the brunt of pressures.The ministry of petroleum and natural gas said on Sunday that LPG supply remained a concern amid the evolving situation in West Asia. To offset disruptions, domestic refineries have maximised LPG output, while supplies are being sourced from alternative geographies such as the US, Russia and Japan.The ministry said CGD entities have been advised to prioritise PNG connections for commercial establishments, such as restaurants, hotels and canteens.“CGD entities have been directed by the petroleum and natural gas regulatory board to shorten the timeline between the submission of applications and the commencement of gas supply to households,” the ministry said. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation has also instructed its offices to dispose of CGD applications within 10 days.Gas distribution companies are offering incentives to encourage both domestic and commercial LPG consumers to switch to PNG, while states and UTs have been urged to expedite approvals required for CGD network expansion.

HYDERABAD: A 23-year-old MBBS graduate died by suicide in Alwal after a disagreement with her family members over keeping a pet cat at home. According to Alwal police, the deceased was identified as T Princy, alias Sreshta, from Risala Bazar. She had recently completed her MBBS degree and was preparing for postgraduate studies. According to Alwal SI N Devender, Princy had recently brought a pet cat, which led to frequent arguments with her family members.“Family members were against the pet as they felt its presence was causing allergies,” the SI said. Upset over the issue, Princy allegedly hanged herself from the ceiling fan in her flat on Friday afternoon while her family members were out on personal work. “Her parents called to check if she had lunch, but when she did not answer, they asked neighbours to check on her. The neighbours found her hanging from the ceiling fan in the hall,” the SI added.Apart from the police, 108 ambulance staff were alerted.

The ambulance personnel declared her dead at the spot, police said. “Family members in their complaint stated that Princy was upset about not being allowed to keep the cat and died by suicide. No suicide note was found. We have registered a case under Section 194 (suspicious death) of the BNSS. After the autopsy at Gandhi Hospital, the body was handed over to the family,” the SI said.

Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 11,060 prohibited walkie-talkie sets of Rs 2.5 crore, and second-hand hard disk drives (HDDs) worth Rs 6.75 crore, collectively valued at Rs 9.2 crore at Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai, officials said. These devices require specific licences. A father-son duo, owners of two Mumbai firms that had imported these goods without due permissions, have been arrested under the Customs Act, an official release said on Saturday.

Mumbai: A 6-year-old male leopard Bittu rescued from the Yeoor range as a cub in 2019, died of Polycystic Kidney disease on Saturday at the SGNP veterinary hospital, stated a press release.The leopard had been raised at the rescue centre. Minister Pratap Sarnaik had adopted the animal and was paying for its upkeep. The press release stated, “Clinical signs were evident since past few months, and the animal was managed with intensive supportive and symptomatic therapy. Despite sustained medical intervention, the condition showed progressive deterioration. Ultrasonographic (USG) evaluation revealed findings consistent with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).” The animal eventually developed systemic complications and passed away.

Mumbai: The body of an unidentified man was found in the Dahisar river on Saturday evening, police said. The MHB Police registered an case of accidental death. No injury marks were found on the body, which was sent to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivli (W) for post-mortem. Police said no documents or phone were found on the body or in the nearby area.

Mumbai: City-based NGO Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) collected Rs 1 crore in zakat funds to help stop dropouts among poor school children. Zakat is 2.5% of annual savings Muslims give in charity.AMP president Aamir Edresy at a function in the city said that Rs 1 crore collected in just 15 days of the month of Ramzan is part of AMP’s nation-wide “Mission 10K Futures” where 10,000 donors in 200 districts in the country are being approached to support 10,000 students with Rs 10,000 each. “Several committees and enquiry reports, including Sachar Report, have identified dropout as one of the reasons for Muslims’ educational backwardness. We want to remove this malaise by reaching out to the poor and orphans with monetary help. The money will go directly to the schools of the deserving students,” said Edresy.Earlier AMP launched IndiaZakat.com, India’s first zakat-based crowdfunding platform to strengthen collective zakat systems.