Ranchi: A day after veteran tribal leader Shibu Soren, fondly known as ‘Dishom Guru’, died, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that his father’s fight against injustice would continue.

The CM also said he was passing through the most difficult phase of his life after the demise of his father.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) co-founder breathed his last at a Delhi hospital at the age of 81 after battling illness.

“I am passing through the most difficult phase of my life, a pillar of Jharkhand’s soul gone. No book can explain Baba’s struggle, but I vow to continue his fight against injustice,” the Jharkhand CM posted on X.

Soren promised not to let Jharkhand “bow down” and vowed to work to realise his father’s dreams by working for the oppressed and the poor.

The chief minister said he will put his foot in his father’s shoes to wage a war against injustice.

“My father’s shadow has disappeared…He was my guide, the root of my thoughts. He inspired thousands and millions of Jharkhandis, like a forest protecting them from sunlight,” Soren asserted in the long social media post written in Hindi.

The chief minister also reminded that his father’s beginning was “very simple”.

Born in a small house in Nemra village, where there was poverty and hunger, but there was courage.

“He (elder Soren) lost his father in his childhood, but exploitation of the landlords ignited a fire that made him a fighter throughout his life,” Soren posted.

“When I was a child, I used to ask him: Baba, why do people call you Dishom Guru? Then he used to smile and reply: Because I just understood their pain and made their fight my own,” Soren penned.

The title was neither written in any book, nor provided by Parliament – it came from the hearts of the people of Jharkhand, the CM mentioned, adding that ‘Dishom’ means society and ‘Guru’ means the one who shows the path.

“And to tell the truth, Baba didn’t just show us the path, he taught us to walk on this,” he added.

The CM recounted that he saw his father only struggling and never afraid to wage a war against injustice.

“If standing up against injustice is a crime, then I will be guilty again and again. He used to say,” Soren said in the social media post.

“No book can explain Baba’s struggle. It was in his sweat, in his voice, and it was in his cracked heels covered by slippers.” Hemant Soren said, adding that “when the Jharkhand state was formed, his dream came true, but he never considered power as an achievement”.

“This state is not a chair for me…This is the identity of my people,” Hemant Soren quoted Shibu Soren as saying.

“Baba (father) is not here today, but his voice echoes within me. I learnt to fight from you, Baba. I learnt to love Jharkhand from you without any selfish motive. Now you are no longer amongst us, but you are there in every path of Jharkhand. At every beat of the drum, in the soil of every field, you look through the eyes of every poor person. what you dreamt it is my promise to fulfil,” Hemant Soren wrote on X.

The chief minister asserted that he will “not let Guruji’s name be erased or his struggle remain incomplete”.

“Baba, now you take rest. You have done your duty. Now we have to follow in your footsteps. Jharkhand will remain indebted to you. I, your son, will keep your promise. Long live the brave Shibu – Long live, Long live Dishom Guru!,” the CM concluded.

In another post, the CM mentioned that Shibu Soren has embarked on an infinite journey.

New Delhi: In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has upheld the powers of the pollution control boards to impose restitutionary and compensatory damages for environmental harm, saying that prevention and remediation must be at the heart of environmental governance.

A bench comprising justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra held that under provisions of the Water Act and the Air Act, pollution control boards are constitutionally and statutorily empowered to levy damages for actual or potential environmental harm.

“Having considered the principles that govern Indian environmental laws, we have held that the environmental regulators, the Pollution Control Boards exercising powers under the Water and Air Acts, can impose and collect restitutionary or compensatory damages in the form of fixed sum of monies or require furnishing of bank guarantees as an ex-ante measure to prevent potential environmental damage,” Justice Narasimha wrote in the judgement delivered on Monday.

The verdict said these powers are incidental and ancillary to the empowerment under Sections 33A and 31A of the Water and Air Acts. “At the same time, we have directed that the powers must be exercised as per procedure laid down by subordinate legislation incorporating necessary principles of natural justice, transparency and certainty,” it added.

The bench, however, clarified that such damages differ from criminal penalties, as they are civil in nature and intended to restore or prevent environmental degradation rather than punish violators.

The top court set aside a 2012 Delhi High Court decision that had curtailed the powers of pollution control boards to demand environmental damages.

The verdict reinforced the “polluter pays” and precautionary principles as central tenets of environmental law.

“Environmental regulators have a compelling duty to adopt and apply preventive measures irrespective of actual environmental damage. Ex-ante action shall be taken by these regulators and for this purpose a certain measure in exercise of powers under Sections 33A and 31A of the Water and Air Acts is necessary,” it said.

The bench referred to the legal position and said, “There is a distinction between a direction for payment of restitutionary and compensatory damages as a remedial measure for environmental damage or as an ex-ante measure towards potential environmental damage on the one hand; and a punitive action of fine or imprisonment for violations under …Water Act and …Air Act on the other hand.”

It said if directions are issued as restitutionary and compensatory measures then these are not to be considered as punitive in nature.

“Punitive action can only be taken through the procedure prescribed in the statute for example under chapters VII and VI of the Water and Air Acts respectively,” it said.

It said Indian environmental law has assimilated the principle of ‘Polluter Pays’ and there is also a statutory incorporation of this principle in our laws.

The principle of ‘Polluter Pays’ can be invoked when an established threshold or prescribed requirement is exceeded or breached, and it does result in environmental damage.

The bench said the principle can be used when a potential risk or a likely adverse impact to the environment is anticipated, irrespective of whether or not prescribed thresholds or requirements are exceeded or breached.

Setting aside the high court verdict, the bench said, “We are of the opinion that these regulators in exercise of these powers can impose and collect, as restitutionary or compensatory damages, fixed sum of monies or require furnishing bank guarantees as an ex-ante measure towards potential or actual environmental damage.”

To ensure that pollution boards impose restitutionary and compensatory environmental damages in a fair and transparent manner, necessary subordinate legislation in the form of rules and regulations must be notified, it said.

Satya Pal Malik

New Delhi: Satya Pal Malik, the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir who oversaw the abrogation of Article 370 and later became a prominent critic of the central government, passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 79.

Malik’s tenure as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, from August 2018 to October 2019, was one of the most consequential in the region’s history. He was at the helm when the Centre revoked the state’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcated it into two union territories.

Following his gubernatorial roles, which also included stints in Bihar, Goa, and Meghalaya, Malik became increasingly outspoken. He gained significant attention for his sharp criticism of the government on various issues, most notably on the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. Malik alleged major security and intelligence lapses had led to the attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, and claimed his request for aircraft for the jawans was denied by the Home Ministry.

Furthermore, he repeatedly levelled serious allegations of corruption, claiming he was offered substantial bribes to clear files related to business tycoons during his time as the J&K Governor.

New Delhi: INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday termed “unwarranted” the Supreme Court observations against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks on the Army, and asserted it was the responsibility of political parties to comment on issues of national interest.

The remarks came a day after the Supreme Court censured Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, over his alleged derogatory remarks about the Indian Army during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Floor leaders of several parties of the INDIA bloc discussed the remarks of the Supreme Court against Gandhi at a meeting here. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi were present at the meeting.

“All the leaders of the India parties agreed that the sitting judge has made an extraordinary observation which is unwarranted on the democratic rights of political parties,” the Congress said in a statement.

“It is the responsibility of political parties especially the Leader of Opposition to comment on issues of national interest,” the statement said.

“When a government fails so spectacularly to defend our borders, it is every citizen’s moral duty to hold it accountable,” it further said.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said that Rahul Gandhi holds the Indian security forces in high esteem and as Leader of Opposition he has every right to question the government.

Asked about the top court’s observations, she told reporters at the Parliament House complex, “With due respect to the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, they do not decide who is a true Indian. It is the job of the opposition leader, it is his duty to ask questions and to challenge the government.”

“My brother would never say anything against the Army. He holds the Army in the highest respect. So it is a misinterpretation (of his remarks),” she said.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih on Monday told Rahul Gandhi,

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is likely to hear on August 8 a plea seeking directions to the Centre for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan mentioned the matter on Tuesday before a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran.

“The date (on SC website) shows as August 8. Let it not be deleted,” Sankaranarayanan submitted.

The CJI accepted the request.

Tuesday marks the sixth anniversary of the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370, even as it ordered that assembly elections be held in Jammu and Kashmir by September 2024 and its statehood be restored “at the earliest”.

Last year, a plea was filed in the top court seeking directions to the Centre for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir within two months.

The application was filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician, and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, a socio-political activist.

“It is submitted that the delay in the restoration of statehood would cause serious reduction of democratically elected government in Jammu and Kashmir, causing a grave violation of the idea of federalism which forms part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India,” the application said.

The assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls were conducted peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir without any incident of violence, disturbance or any security concerns being reported, it said.

“Therefore, there is no impediment of security concerns, violence or any other disturbances which would hinder or prevent the grant/restoration of the status of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as had been assured by the Union of India in the present proceedings,” the plea said.

It said, “The non-restoration of the status of statehood of Jammu & Kashmir will result in Jammu & Kashmir being given a lesser form of elected democratic government, especially in light of the legislative assembly results being declared on October 8, 2024.”

It submitted that despite the apex court’s directions for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir “at the earliest and as soon as possible”, no steps have been taken by the Centre to provide any timeline for the implementation of such directions.

“It is submitted that Jammu and Kashmir is being operated as a Union Territory for a period of almost five years now, which has caused many impediments and grave losses to the development of Jammu and Kashmir and has affected the democratic rights of its citizens,” it contended.

Jammu and Kashmir being an individual state which has gone through many struggles and hardship requires a strong federal structure to help in developing the area and also celebrating its unique culture, the application stated.

In its December 2023 verdict, the apex court held that Article 370, which was incorporated in the Indian Constitution in 1949 to grant special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was a temporary provision. The President of India was empowered to revoke the measure in the absence of the Constituent Assembly of the erstwhile state whose term expired in 1957, the court said.

New Delhi: As of June 2025, 5.46% of children under five in India were found to be wasted (low weight for height), and 15.93% were underweight (low weight for age), according to the latest Poshan Tracker data.

The data, cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, showed that among children aged 0–6 years, the underweight prevalence stood at 16.50%.

The figures underscore significant regional disparities in child malnutrition across the country. Bihar leads with some of the highest rates, recording 20.98% underweight and 9.31% wasting. Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand also report high figures, with 24.82% and 19.13% of children respectively being underweight, while wasting in these states stands at 8.19% and 6.68%. Other states with high malnutrition burdens include Tripura, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, where underweight rates range from 17% to nearly 20%.

The Union Territory of Lakshadweep stands out for its alarming statistics, with 22.54% of children underweight and 11.62% wasted, the highest in the country.

Despite the government’s efforts through initiatives like Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the data reveals persistent challenges, especially in central and eastern states. However, there are notable success stories where effective interventions have led to improvements.

Goa emerged as a standout performer, with only 0.78% of children being wasted and 1.96% underweight. Other states, including Sikkim (1.95% wasting, 1.69% underweight), Manipur (0.67% wasting, 2.69% underweight), and Himachal Pradesh (2.41% wasting, 6.88% underweight), also recorded low malnutrition rates.

Southern states, while performing relatively better, still face challenges. Tamil Nadu stood out with a low 3.54% wasting and 6.29% underweight children, far below the national averages. Kerala also reported encouraging figures with 3.20% wasting, though the underweight figure was higher at 10.18%. Karnataka, on the other hand, showed moderate progress with 3.18% wasting, but underweight children accounted for 16.50%. Andhra Pradesh reported 4.97% wasting and 7.68% underweight, while Telangana had 5.93% wasting and 17% underweight.

The Poshan Tracker data represents an improvement from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21), which recorded 32.1% underweight and 19.3% wasting among children under five. However, the current data also highlights a critical gap: of the projected 16.1 crore children under six, only 8.61 crore are currently enrolled in Anganwadi services, underscoring the need for expanded coverage and deeper outreach to address the nutrition crisis.

Bengaluru: Ten of India’s top construction firms, including industry giants Adani Group, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Ltd, and Tata Projects, have expressed interest in building a 16.75-km tunnel road that aims to connect Central Silk Board with Hebbal in Bengaluru.

Representatives from these companies attended a pre-bid meeting recently convened by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE) at its Vasanthnagar headquarters, as reported by Deccan Herald on Tuesday. The newly constituted government body had floated tenders nearly 20 days ago for the design and construction of the three-lane underground twin-tunnel corridor.

Other notable companies present at the meeting included Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd, ITD Cementation India, Vishwa Samudra Engineering Ltd, Jayashankar, Ceigall India Ltd, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, and IRB Infrastructure.

The ambitious project is proposed under a revised Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. As per this plan, the companies are also expected to invest 60% of the project cost (Rs 10,619 crore), besides depositing Rs 44 crore at the time of submitting the bids. In return, the government will provide toll collection rights for 30 years, added the report.

BS Prahallad, Technical Director at B-SMILE, expressed satisfaction over the response and mentioned that top construction companies had sent their representatives to the meeting. “Some have requested us to extend the last date for bid submission given the complexity of the project. They also raised queries about land allocation for debris disposal and the casting yard. We are confident that many will participate in the final bidding,” DH quoted him as saying.

The proposed tunnel project will involve the deployment of eight Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), each expected to drill approximately 2 km annually. The three-lane underground twin tunnel road—which will have a total tunneling length of 33.49 km— has reportedly come under environment, feasibility and technical scrutiny from various stakeholders.

New Delhi: Seven Delhi Police personnel, including constables and head constables, have been suspended after a dummy bomb went undetected during a security drill at the Red Fort ahead of Independence Day celebrations.

According to reports, the suspension was ordered due to negligence during a routine security exercise carried out by the Delhi Police Special Cell on Saturday. Officers dressed as civilians entered the Red Fort premises with a dummy explosive and security personnel on duty failed to identify.

The Red Fort which is a high-security zone in the run-up to Independence Day, where the Prime Minister will hoist the national flag and address the nation from its ramparts on August 15. These daily drills are part of the preparation for the 79th Independence Day celebrations.

A Delhi Police official confirmed to ANI that the lapse in detection led to immediate disciplinary action. He further informed that security arrangements in the area have been tightened, with enhanced surveillance measures including the deployment of five types of advanced cameras, like headcount sensors and suspicious object trackers.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the transport strike despite its interim order and warned of contempt proceedings, following which the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation announced suspension of the agitation till August 7, when the matter will be heard next.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi expressed strong displeasure over the strike being carried out despite the invocation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and the court’s direction not to proceed with the agitation.

The bench warned that the continuation of the strike would not be tolerated and would initiate contempt proceedings against the union leaders.

The court extended its earlier interim order restraining the strike by two more days and directed the unions to submit an affidavit on Wednesday confirming that the strike has been called off.

KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president H V Anantha Subbarao told reporters in Bengaluru that the agitation had been suspended till August 7 and employees had been instructed to return to work with immediate effect.

During the hearing, the Advocate General informed the court that the strike had caused significant hardship to the public.

In response to a query from the bench regarding efforts at conciliation, details of past rounds of talks with the government were submitted.

The court observed that if there are issues then they should be resolved through talks with the government.

It also noted that resorting to a strike even after ESMA had been enforced was unlawful. The court also issued notices to the unions of all four state transport corporations.

The counsel for the Joint Action Committee assured the court that the strike would not continue on Wednesday. The court made it clear that if the strike is resumed, the government is free to take appropriate legal action under ESMA.