Archives for August 2017

Bengaluru: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to utilize plastic waste to tar the roads in Bengaluru city in an attempt to produce quality roads and reduce the quantity of plastic waste in the city.

As per the proposed plan, BBMP has decided to mix plastic waste with tar to use the mixture for road tarring. To fulfill the requirement of plastic waste, a private waste management company has signed a contract to supply plastic waste to BBMP.

BBMP has also decided to start a network of private individuals, street plastic waste collectors to obtain plastic waste. BBMP has decided to buy such plastic waste at Rs 6 to Rs 8 per kilogram, sources said.

(Agencies)

Chandigah: Chandigarh Police has retrieved footage of five CCTV cameras on the route on which a 29-year- old woman was allegedly chased by two men including son of a Haryana BJP leader last week.

The woman, daughter of a bureaucrat, had called up the police on Friday night complaining that two youth were chasing her along a stretch of over five km here.

Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala’s son Vikas (23) and Ashish Kumar (27) were earlier arrested for allegedly stalking the woman. However, both were released later on bail as they were booked under bailable sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.

“Chandigarh Police has retrieved footage of 5 CCTV cameras on the route capturing the chase of the victim’s vehicle by the alleged vehicle,” a Chandigarh Police official said here today.

Yesterday, UT Chandigarh SSP Eish Singhal had said the police was in the process of taking the footage of CCTV on the route where the victim was allegedly stalked by the accused.

“We have identified several CCTV cameras on the route taken by the accused and we are in the process of taking footage when their technical analysis is complete, we will let you know,” he had said.

On allegations that six CCTV cameras on the route were non-functional, the SSP had said, “I can brief about this only when the technical analysis is complete.”

“We are analysing every single camera on that road stretch. When technical analysis is complete, details will be put before you.”

Police had rejected claims that it was under any kind of pressure.

The Chandigarh Police had also said it will not hesitate to add non-bailable provisions in the case if legal opinion is in its favour.

Singhal had said they were investigating the matter with an “open mind” and were taking legal opinion on several issues pertaining to the case.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had yesterday condemned the alleged incident and said no attempt should be made to dilute charges against the accused.

(PTI)

New Delhi: Opposition Congress, supported by TMC and JD(U), today forced four adjournments of the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha over what it called as “biggest scam of this century” in the printing of two different kinds of 500 and 1000 rupee notes.

Slogan-shouting Congress members trooped into the well even as Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the opposition party has been raising “frivolous” issues without giving notices to stall Zero Hour proceedings.

They were supported by Sharad Yadav (JD-U) who displayed copies of some currency notes. Some members including Derek O’Brien (TMC) displayed the new 500 rupee notes issued after demonetisation to show the different sizes they were bring printed.

He first offered to submit the notes to Jaitley for scrutiny and then walked up to him to explain to him the difference. He, however, did not leave the notes with the Finance Minister.

Jaitley said there is no provision in the rules that anyone could “flash any paper and say it is point of order.” “There is a misuse of zero hour which is going on,” he said, adding that the Congress first raised the issue of provision for None-Of-The-Above (NOTA) in the ballot for Rajya Sabha poll but then discovered that the provision had been made during their rule.

“You have been raising frivolous issues in the Zero Hour without giving notice” with a view to disrupt and not get replies, he said, but did not reply to the opposition contentions on different sized notes.

Raising the issue through a point of order, Kapil Sibal (Cong) said different sizes of the new high denomination currency was being printed – “one for the ruling party (members) and one for the others”.

“We have today discovered the reason why the government did demonetisation (of old 500 and 1000 rupee notes in November last year),” he said. Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad (Cong) said “this is the biggest scam of this century.”

As Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi countered, Azad said two types of notes are being printed.

“The government has no right to remain in office for even five minutes,” he said. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said even if there are two types of notes, it cannot be a point of order. “You raise the issue in a different form.”

“It is a serious issue,” O’Brien said as he displayed two 500 rupee notes that he said were different in size and design. Prasad asked opposition members to explain where they got the currency notes from.

Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said no country in the world has two notes of different sizes. “One is bigger, one is smaller,” he said. “I can give signed (copies of the notes).”

Kurien said he is not an expert to examine the notes. “You give separate notice.” “I will give them to Finance Minister,” O’Brien said. Kurien said “give it to the Finance Minister, I have no objection.”

Anand Sharma (Cong) said the credibility of the currency in circulation has been challenged. Kurien, however, said the issue cannot be taken up through a point of order and the members have to give separate notice.

Pramod Tiwari (Cong) said notice has been given, to which Kurien said the Chairman will examine them. As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes.

After the adjournment, as Kurien asked the members again to give notice on the issue, O’Brien said he has given notice for discussion on demonetisation for the past three weeks, but the government has not yet listed the matter.

As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the House till noon. Similar noisy scenes were witnessed when the Question Hour was taken up by Chairman Hamid Ansari, who adjourned the proceedings for another 15 minutes.

When the House assembled again, the opposition members continued slogan-shouting, forcing Ansari to adjourn the House till one PM.

(PTI)

A student collects textbooks for the academic year from Rajasthan Youth Association. Present at the 43rd Annual Book Bank and Scholarship Programme were (from left) Vinay Chordia, Secretary, Rajasthan Youth Association; Arjuna awardee Reeth Abraham; Vidya Laxman, Director Technology, Tesco; Surpat Chouraria, Trust Chairman, Rajasthan Youth Association; Priyank Kharge, Karnataka IT, BT & Tourism Minister; Rajesh P Shah, President, Rajasthan Youth Association; Dr Ramesh, Bangalore University Vice Chancellor; and Dr. Nirmal Sancheti, President, Terapanth Prof Forum, Bangalore

Bengaluru: Around 5,000 economically weak students of various colleges in the state were provided with textbooks covering the year’s syllabus as part of Rajasthan Youth Association’s 43rd Annual Book Bank and Scholarship Programme. Annual tuition fee for more than 250 students will also be paid by RYA. The book distribution was held today at the Jnana Jyothi auditorium on Central College campus.

Students receive textbooks for the academic year at the 43rd Annual Book Bank and Scholarship Programme organised by Rajasthan Youth Association

Speaking on the occasion, Karnataka IT, BT & Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge said, “Contributing towards knowledge transfer is one of the most noble forms of charity, and it is heartening to see so many youngsters benefiting from the Book Bank project. This makes me think that our future is in safe hands.”

He called upon the youth to not be afraid to ask questions. “Stay curious, always question and have the courage to make mistakes. That’s the only way you will learn,” he said.

Kharge was all praise for the Rajasthani community’s sense of social responsibility and spirit of entrepreneurship that has successfully steered many business ventures in the city. “The inbuilt bootstrapping spirit enables the community to lead enterprises to success. Wipro is one of the best cases in point,” he added.

Bangalore University Vice Chancellor Dr Ramesh congratulated the young beneficiaries of the project and thanked the association for its help, while Arjuna awardee Reeth Abraham encouraged the students to chase their dreams. “You have to learn to dream to achieve anything in the future,” she said.

The annual programme was also graced by Gajacharya Dr. Sri Vishal Munishree; Vidya Laxman, Director Technology, Tesco; and Dr Nirmal Sancheti, President, Terapanth Professional Forum, Bengaluru.

The Shershah of Kargil by Deepak Surana that delves on the life of the late Captain Vikram Batra P.V.C was also released on the occasion.

The association will also be creating a computer lab for Bangalore University’s Department of Commerce and providing 80 desktops, 20 laptops, six LCD projectors and five water filters to Central College and other colleges.

This year the RYA is expanding its charity from Bengaluru to colleges in Chintamani, Chikkaballapura, Andhahalli and Vemagal. In the past few years RYA has extended its reach from Bengaluru Urban to Kanakapura, Devanahalli, Kolar Gold Fields and Kadur.

More than one lakh students have benefited from the text books over the past 43 years while 5,000 students have received scholarships during the period as part of the Annual Book Bank and Scholarship Programme.

The undergraduate students studying BCom, BBM and BSc are selected for tuition-fee payment based on their performance in the previous year. The books are given away as a loan without any deposit and the students have to return them at the end of the year.

“We are proud to say that about 95 per cent of the students return the books in a fair manner. Regarding the tuition fee, once the students are selected, we remit the entire amount along with the other fee a student has to pay, directly to the principal of the college concerned,” said Prasan Parekh, Chairman, Book Bank.

The book bank project was started in Bengaluru back in 1975 by philanthropist, the late Padmashree Mohanlalji Chordia. He began by distributing 101 sets of text books to students from the economically weaker sections of the society. In 1976, he entrusted the Book Bank project to the Rajasthan Youth Association, enabling a larger participation. Since then the association has been continuing the good work while expanding its reach and activities, most of which are in the field of education.

“If any change has to happen in the nation, it will be enabled by educating the people. And we believe that the highest form of donation is education,” said Rajesh P Shah, President, RYA. He proudly pointed out that it was the third generation at RYA that is at the helm.

The RYA president called for more support from publishers and donors besides colleges in identifying the deserving students. “We aim to add to what the government and others do towards the cause of education. A large section of school-goers fall out because of lack of access to textbooks and paucity of funds. We see a higher percentage of girls dropping out after school. We aim to contribute in whatever ways we can towards bridging this gap,” he added.

Interested students can download the application on www.bookbankrya.com. The application will have to be attested by the college and submitted along with an income proof letter, latest mark sheets and letter of recommendation.

Ahmednagar: A mob allegedly attacked 12 members of a cow protection group in Shrigonda city near here after police intercepted a tempo illegally carrying cows to a slaughterhouse, police has said.

The police intercepted the vehicle on Daund-Ahmednagar road and arrested its owners Wahid Sheikh and Raju Fannubhai Sheikh on Saturday afternoon.

A police official said one Shivshankar Rajendra Swami of Pune, and a team of 11 cow vigilantes had come to the police station where the case was registered against the tempo owners and others under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act.

While the case was registered in presence of the Sheikhs, Swami and others told the police that they should act tough against those illegally transporting cows.

Shrigonda police station inspector Bajirao Pawar said Swami and others claimed they belonged to Akhil Bhartiya Krushi Gau Seva Sangh.

After the activists stepped out of the police station in the evening, they were attacked by a mob of around 50 people, some of them armed with butcher knives and rods.

Police have registered an FIR against 36 people in connection with the attack under various sections of the IPC, including attempt to murder, and under Arms Act, Pawar said, adding the injured ‘gau rakshaks’ left for Pune after the incident.

Nobody has been arrested so far in connection with the attack, the official said.

(PTI)

Mumbai: Filmmaker Karan Johar on Monday shared a heart-warming photograph of the “loves of his life” — his mother Hiroo with his twins Roohi and Yash, who have turned six months old.

Karan shared the photograph on Twitter. The grandmother is seen cuddling up to the babies.

Karan captioned it: “Loves of my life! My mom and my babies Roohi and Yash. Happy Rakshabandhan.”

The twins were born via surrogacy on February 7, and Karan has said time and again that fatherhood has been a life-changing experience for him.

Karan’s daughter has been named Roohi – a rearrangement of Karan’s mother’s name Hiroo — and the son Yash – on Karan’s late father’s name.

(IANS)