Archives for June 2021

Kolkata: Describing the law and order situation in post-poll Bengal as “extremely alarming with numerous cases of killings and rapes” recorded, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said he has called upon Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi to learn about the steps being taken by the administration to contain this “retributive violence”.

Dismissing his assertions, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said the situation in the state would improve if Dhankhar returned to Delhi and found “another job” for himself.

The governor, taking to Twitter, said lakhs of people were being displaced and property worth hundreds of crores vandalised in Bengal.

He also claimed that the state police is “engaged as an extension of ruling dispensation to let loose vindictiveness on political opponents”.

“Extremely alarming law & order scenario. Security environment is seriously compromised. In such a grim situation called upon (the) Chief Secretary to brief me on the law and order situation on Monday 7th June and indicate all steps taken to contain post poll violence,” he tweeted on Sunday.

The governor also alleged that people who have voted against the ruling TMC are victims of “targeted violence”.

“The state is in (the) grip of unprecedented post poll retributive violence at unimaginable scale, with lacs of people being displaced and property worth hundreds of crores vandalised. Rampant vandalism and hooliganism has resulted in large scale arson, loot, destruction of property.

“Numerous instances of rapes and killings at the hands of rogue elements who have no fear of law (sic),” he stated.

Condemning alleged incidents of socially boycott and denial of benefits to people who had voted for TMC rivals, he said they are being made to pay extortion fees for living in their own house or running their own business.

“Democratic values are openly shredded and trampled by ruling party harmads. People are in mortal fear of police and that in turn is at the feet of ruling party rogue elements,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

He maintained that state functionaries “are not recognising this malaise, much less take steps to contain it”.

“Police is engaged as extension of ruling dispensation to let loose vindictiveness on political opponents. In such a grim situation Chief Secretary of the state be called upon to brief me urgently on Monday 7th June and indicate all steps taken to contain post poll violence,” Dhankhar, who has always been at loggerheads with the TMC government, added.

Slamming the governor over his contentions, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said Dhankhar devalued his post.

“He devalued the chair of the governor and worked as an agent of the BJP during elections. Now that people have rejected them (BJP), he is trying to complicate things unnecessarily. He has no importance and lost his mind totally.

He is an insatiable soul,” Ghosh told PTI.

Moitra, addressing Dhankhar as ‘uncle-ji’, said he should go back to Delhi.

“Uncleji only way WB’s ‘grim situation’ will improve is if you move your sorry self back to Delhi & find another job,” Moitra tweeted.

She also suggested he should work as an “advisor to Ajay Bisht Yogi CM (Uttar Pradesh) on how best to ‘Thok Do’ (silence) opposition or advisor to Home Min (minister) on how best to hide during a pandemic”.

Indore: The ‘Noorjahan’ mango, cultivated in Madhya Pradesh’s Alirajpur district, is fetching a higher price this year thanks to the good yield and sheer size of the fruit compared with the last year.

The ‘Noorjahan’ mango is priced at Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 apiece this season, a farmer said on Sunday, adding unlike the last year, the yield of this variety of mangoes has been good this time due to favourable weather conditions.

Locals claim ‘Noorjahan’ mangoes are of Afghan origin and cultivated only in the Katthiwada region of Alirajpur district adjacent to the Gujarat border, approximately 250 km from Indore.

“The three Noojahan mango trees in my orchard have produced 250 mangoes. The fruit has been priced between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 per piece. Bookings have already been done for these mangoes,” Shivraj Singh Jadhav, a mango cultivator from Katthiwada, told PTI.

He said people who have booked ‘Noorjahan’ mangoes in advance include fruit lovers from Madhya Pradesh as well as neighbouring Gujarat.

“This time the weight of a Noorjahan mango is going to be between 2 kg to 3.5 kg,” Jadhav added.

Ishaq Mansoori, an expert in cultivating ‘Noorjahan’ mangoes in Katthiwada, said, “This time the crop of this variety has been good but the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the business”.

He said ‘Noorjahan’ trees could not flower properly due to unfavourable climatic conditions in 2020.

“In 2019, one mango of this variety weighed around 2.75 kg at an average and buyers paid as high as Rs 1,200 apiece for it,” he added.

The ‘Noorjahan’ variety produces fruits towards the beginning of June. These trees start flowering in January- February.

A ‘Noorjahan’ mango can grow up to a foot long and its kernels weigh between 150 to 200 grams, local cultivators claimed.

Kochi: Amid protests by islanders against its “reform” measures, the Lakshadweep island administration has taken a set of decisions, including deputing government officials onboard local fishing boats for intelligence gathering.

The administration also issued a new order on managing cleanliness and hygiene, on June 4, directing the people of the islands to scientifically dispose of the tender coconut shell, tree leaves, coconut husk, coconut shell, trunk etc in and around dwelling and public places.

Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal attacked the administration for its new directives, terming them as a “mockery” and urged the authorities to withdraw them immediately.

It was on May 28, a meeting chaired by Principal Secretary cum Advisor to the Administrator decided to depute responsible government servants onboard local fishing boats for intelligence gathering.

The meeting also decided to strengthen the security measures to monitor the local fishing boats and crews, intensify checking of passenger boats and vessels reaching the islands and strengthen the ship berthing points and helibase by installing CCTV cameras.

The administration later gave direction to officials concerned to initiate action as per decisions taken on the meeting.

He questioned the practicality of implementing the order, saying there are hundreds of fishing boats operating from the islands and how many officials are going to be deployed in such vessels.

Noting that a well established system of surveillance by the Navy and the Coast Guard was already in place in all the islands, the MP said the Coast Guard headquarter in islands have an effective radar system which can cover activities of any vessels operating in 30 nautical mile areas.

Faizal said every month or once in three months Coast Guard is having regular interaction with the local fishermen to train them on how to report the movement of suspected objects in the seas.

“All this training is given to the fishermen. They are very cooperative with the security agencies. By introducing such a law, what are they (administration) trying to establish?” he asked.

Faizal alleged that the administration’s actions showed that they donot believe the innocent fishermen community of Lakshadweep.

“The recent order, which has come in the way of surveillance on the coastal areas of Lakshadweep, is really a mockery .. I feel.

Alleging discrimination, he asked why such surveillance using officials onboard fishing vessels were not happening in coastal states like Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Issuing the order on hygiene and cleanliness, the administration said whoever violates or contravenes any of the directions shall be liable for punishment with fine as per Schedule I of the Lakshadweep Solid Waste Management Bye-Law, 2018 and also be liable to criminal proceedings for offence punishable under Section 188 of IPC.

Questioning the provision in the order directing scientific disposal of biodegradable materials like coconut leaves, Faizal said the land of Lakshadweep became fertile because the forefathers who lived in the islands buried them in the soil.

He also said it is the responsibility of the administration to provide technology for scientifically managing the waste.

Asked whether he had taken up the matter with the Union Government, Faizal said, “I feel really ashamed of taking up such matters with them”.

Meanwhile, the Congress has decided to step up its agitation against the administration for its “anti-people” reform measures in the islands.

According to party sources, the MPs from the Congress- led UDF in Kerala will organise a ‘dharna’ in front of the territorial administration office in Kochi on Monday.

Expressing solidarity with the people of Lakshadweep, the Kerala Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution demanding the recall of island administrator Praful Khoda Patel and requesting the Centres immediate intervention to protect the lives and livelihood of the islanders.

An archipelago located in the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep has been witnessing protests by locals for over the recent actions and administrative reforms being implemented by Patel.

Defending its action, the Lakshadweep administration has said it was laying the foundation for the future of islands in a planned way and to develop it on the lines of Maldives in two decades.