Two pilgrims from Akola and Buldhana killed in bus crash after stone hurled at vehicle in Uttar Pradesh Akola: A 50-year-old woman from Buldhana and another from Akola died after a bus overturned on the Ghazipur-Varanasi four-lane highway in Nandganj police station limits in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Over 35 passengers sustained injuries in the incident, which occurred as the vehicle was returning from a pilgrimage trip to Nepal and en route to Varanasi for darshan at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The bus, carrying approximately 48–50 pilgrims, was organized by Jai Shriram Tours and Travels. The group had earlier visited Chitrakoot and Ayodhya before heading to Varanasi. The accident was triggered when a stone was allegedly hurled at the bus’s side window, causing the driver to lose control. According to a pilgrim on board, the bus was following a pickup van that slowed down, leading to a minor collision. The van driver reportedly threatened the passengers, and near Nandganj, the stone was thrown, prompting the driver to swerve. The bus then hit the divider and overturned multiple times. The deceased have been identified as Annapurnabai (50), a resident of Akola, and Saraswatibai Pakhare from Rohinkhed village in Buldhana district. Three of the injured are in critical condition, while all victims were admitted to the Government Medical College in Ghazipur. Ghazipur district magistrate Avinash Kumar stated that a detailed probe has been ordered into the incident, with strict action promised against those responsible for hurling the stone. Union minister of State for AYUSH and health, Prataprao Jadhav, contacted the Uttar Pradesh government and district administration to ensure the injured received the best possible treatment.#uttar_pradesh #akola #buldhana #jai_shriram_tours_and_travels #nandganj
LPG crisis leaves biscuit & bread makers crumbling The ongoing LPG crisis has severely disrupted operations for biscuit and bread manufacturers across India, with several units forced to reduce production or shut down entirely. A Parle G facility in Khamgaon, Buldhana, has been closed due to a shortage of cooking gas, while other units are operating at drastically reduced capacities. Even companies producing bread, which has a shorter shelf life than biscuits, are struggling to maintain normal operations, according to industry sources. The crisis has created a ripple effect throughout the supply chain, impacting packaging materials and increasing costs. Laminates used for packaging, made from petroleum-based polymers, have become scarce or prohibitively expensive. This has forced manufacturers to seek alternative solutions, such as using piped natural gas in some units. For example, the Bangalore unit of SAJ Foods, which produces the Bisk Farm brand, is operating at 30% capacity, while its other units in West Bengal, Bangalore, and Nagpur have seen production slashed significantly. In Nagpur, three major biscuit manufacturing units are affected. SAJ Foods, which normally produces 14,000 tons of biscuits monthly, is now operating at a fraction of its capacity. Another unit producing for a national brand has reduced output by 70%, cutting daily production from 60 tons to a much lower level. Shortages of essential food chemicals like sodium bicarbonate and ammonium bicarbonate have also been reported, further complicating production. The impact on bread-making is particularly acute. Vikram Diwadkar, director of Ajit Bakery, noted that bread production has been severely affected, with laminate prices soaring from Rs 230/kg to Rs 289-300/kg. This has increased packaging costs, squeezing profit margins.#lpg_crisis #khamgaon #parle_g #buldhana #saj_foods
