Uttarakhand is experiencing a surge in forest fires, with over 1,000 active fires recorded by satellites on May 5-6. Notably, fires are now spreading to higher elevations, increasing from 2,409 to 3,383 meters above sea level in recent weeks, presenting new challenges for containment efforts.

Strict action has been ordered against cars that are illegally parked on the side of the road by Chief Secretary Radha Raturi. To achieve this, a campaign to enhance the traffic patterns in Rishikesh, Lakshmanjhula, Muni ki Reti, Tapovan, and Srinagar prior to the commencement of the Char Dham Yatra would be launched on Saturday. Starting on Saturday, same campaign will also be conducted in Dehradun.

The summertime has made Dehradun's water situation worse because there isn't enough drinking water in several areas of the Uttarakhand capital. Due to frequent pipeline leaks, the Southern Water Institute Division, which is in charge of providing water to locations like Dilaram Chowk, Jhanda Chowk, and the Dharampur zone, is dealing with serious difficulties. The division has over 52,000 drinking water connections, but the ineffective floating valves in home tanks are causing constant water waste.

Meteorological Center director Bikram Singh suggested rain from May 7-8 in Uttarakhand, intensifying on May 11. Forest fires in the state claimed five lives recently, including a Nepalese woman and a 65-year-old. Over 910 forest fire incidents since November 2023 have affected 1145 hectares.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI in Chandigarh has imposed a hefty penalty of 27.5 crore on Patanjali Foods for irregularity in Input Tax Credit a day after the Uttarakhand Govt suspended the licenses of 14 products sold by Patanjali Ayurved and Divya Pharmacy, including popular offerings Swasari Gold, Mukta Vati Extra Power and BP Grit.

Uttarakhand reported 47 new forest fire incidents, causing 78 hectares of damage. The majority of these fires affected the Kumaon region, with 30 incidents affecting 51 hectares. Garhwal reported 16 incidents, affecting 25 hectares, and one incident scorched 1.5 hectares of protected forests.

Forest fires in Uttarakhand persist despite efforts. Eight new blazes were reported, burning 11.75 hectares. Over 600 fires since November 2023 destroyed 735.815 hectares. Many fires were man-made; several arrests were made. Officials warn against negligent actions and urge reporting. Efforts include awareness campaigns and seeking help from various agencies, including the Indian Army.

Uttarakhand, with five Lok Sabha seats, heads to polls on April 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a public meeting in Rishikesh, engaged in traditional drumming. The event, part of BJP's campaign, showcased Modi's participation in local culture as he addressed voters ahead of the elections.

In an early-morning police confrontation in Haridwar on Tuesday, one of the two primary suspects in the murder of Baba Tarsem Singh, the Dera Karseva leader of Nanakmatta Gurdwara, was shot and killed. The incident started, according to the police, when they caught the two primary suspects, Sarvjeet Singh and Amarjeet Singh, riding the same bike that they had used to shoot Tarsem Singh.

Just before the Uttarakhand Budget Session, the Dehradun administration enforced Section 144 within a 300-meter radius surrounding the assembly, taking security concerns into consideration. Notably, the Uttarakhand Assembly's five-day budget session will begin on Monday.