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Archives for 2018

15 months after note ban, RBI still processing returned notes

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New Delhi: The RBI has said that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, returned to banks when the government demonetised high value currency 15-months ago, are still being “processed for their arithmetical accuracy and genuineness.”

This is being done in an “expedited manner,” the central bank said. “Specific bank notes are being processed for their arithmetical accuracy and genuineness and the reconciliation for the same is ongoing. This information can, therefore, be shared on completion of the process and reconciliation,” the RBI said in reply to an RTI application.

To a query on the number of demonetised notes, it said, “..subject to future corrections if any, arising in the course of verification process, the estimated value of specified bank notes received as on June 30, 2017 is Rs 15.28 trillion (lakh crore).” Asked to provide the details of the deadline for finishing the counting of demonetised notes, the RBI said “specified bank notes are being processed in an expedited manner.” As on date, 59 sophisticated currency verification and processing (CVPS) machines are in operation in RBI for the purpose, it said. The reply did not specify the location of the machines.

The RBI will also soon have greater flexibility in terms of managing its liquidity operations with the addition of one more tool ‘Standing Deposit Facility Scheme’ to its kit. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his Budget, had proposed to amend the RBI Act to empower the central bank to come up with an additional instrument for liquidity management. The proposal forms part of the Finance Bill 2018 which is scheduled to be approved by Parliament by March 31.

“That is to provide one more tool for liquidity management. There is no more MSS (market stabilisation scheme),” Economic Affairs Secretary S. C. Garg told PTI.

The RBI proposed in November 2015 the introduction of the SDF by suitably amending the RBI Act. This would provide the RBI a new tool for liquidity management, particularly in times when the money market liquidity is in excess to deal with post-demonetisation like scenario.

CRR hike

Post-demonetisation, the RBI ran out of securities to offer as collateral and had to temporarily hike its cash reserve ratio (CRR) to force banks to park extra deposits with it. The CRR is the portion of deposits that banks have to compulsorily park with the RBI. Currently, the CRR is pegged at 4%.

When the liquidity position under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) is outside comfort zone, the RBI uses an array of instruments to absorb/inject durable liquidity from/into the financial system.

(PTI)

Supreme Court refuses to block Kambala for now, final hearing on Mar 12

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New Delhi: The buffalo racing sport, Kambala, will continue in Karnataka for now, as the Supreme Court on Monday refused to stop it saying it will hear the matter in March.

Kambala starts from December and continues till March. It coincides with the Pongal festivities.

As senior counsel Siddharth Luthra urged the court that it should step in and stop the race, which is now scheduled for February 18, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said “races will take place next year also”.

Urging the court to stop Kambala, Luthra appearing for the NGO People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told the bench that an ordinance backing Kambala has lapsed and there was no statutory regime supporting the animal sport.

Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand also informed the bench comprising Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud, that the Karnataka Law bestowing sanctity to Kambala was pending before the President for his assent.

The court then directed the final hearing on PETA’s plea to March 12.

(IANS)

Siddaramaiah govt scam-free, BJP breaking world record in graft: Rahul Gandhi

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Koppal: Stepping up his attack on the BJP over the issue of corruption, Rahul Gandhi today said while the Congress’s Siddaramaiah government had a scam-free rule, the BJP had broken “world records” in graft in Karnataka.

The Congress president, continuing with the first leg of his poll campaign in north Karnataka for the second day, said when the BJP was in power in the state, there were “scams one after the other”.

“In the last five years there was not even a single scam, and during their (BJP) time there were scams one after the other, from mining to what not, different scams,” he said.

At roadside meetings in Koppal district during his ongoing ‘Janashirvad Yatra’ here ahead of Assembly polls in the state, Gandhi said, “Elections are coming, support the Congress party and Siddaramaiah. Once again bring our government here so that we can together work for you.”

The Congress president, who is travelling by a special bus along with other state leaders, received an enthusiastic response from party workers and people who had gathered in large numbers on both sides of the road at different places.

Gandhi also alighted from the bus and walked some distance along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC President G Parameshwara at Kushtagi, giving anxious moments to security personnel as the surging crowds tried to get close to him.

At the public meetings, Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talking about corruption in Karnataka overlooking his own party’s “track record” while running the government in the state.

Pointing out that the previous BJP government had seen three chief ministers, he said four ministers had gone to jail and had to resign.

“But still Modiji comes here and speaks about corruption against us,” he said.

The BJP government in the state had seen three chief ministers — B S Yeddyurappa, Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar — in five years from 2008.

“The previous BJP government in Karnataka broke world records in corruption and they come here and talk on corruption pointing at us,” he added.

Asking the people to support Congress in the coming elections, Gandhi urged them to thereby contribute towards the progress of Karnataka at a much “faster pace”.

Claiming credit for implementing Article 371(J) of the Constitution, giving special status to the Hyderabad- Karnataka region, where he is now on tour, he said during the NDA rule, then Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had said it (giving special status) could not be done, holding that it would open up a “Pandora’s box” with others making similar demands.

Attacking the central government for not waiving farmers’ loans despite agrarian distress, Gandhi appreciated the Karnataka government’s move writing off loans.

“This is the difference between the Congress and BJP,” he said.

He targeted Modi on issues of unemployment, demonetisation and the GST, referring to the tax regime as the “Gabbar Singh Tax”.

(PTI)

No prayer rooms at Olympics after anti-Muslim threats

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The organisers have confirmed that there won’t be prayer rooms at the 2018 Olympics [KTO]

by Haeyoon Kim & Faras Ghani, Al Jazeera

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has cancelled plans for a mobile prayer room in Gangneung for tourists at the 2018 Winter Olympics after strong opposition by anti-Muslim campaigners, the city tourism department’s chief told Al Jazeera.

While just 0.2 percent of South Korea’s population of 51 million is Muslim, the KTO decided to build a prayer room to promote a “Muslim-friendly Korea” during the Winter Olympics, which start on Friday and increase the number of Muslim tourists.

But after “strong opposition” from some groups, city officials in Gangneung cancelled the plans.

“We had strong opposition from some religious groups who opposed the installation and threatened protests during the Winter Olympics,” Gangneung city government tourism division chief Kang Suk-ho told Al Jazeera.

“We sat down with them for talks, but in the end, we had to cancel the plans,” he added.

Kang also said he did not expect “such an extreme backlash from the group”.

“We thought it’d be nice to offer a prayer room facility at the Gangneung station,” he explained, adding that he thought the opposition to the plan was “very regrettable”.

Gangneung is set to host all indoor events.

Increase in Muslim tourists
South Korea has witnessed an increase in the number of Muslim tourists over the last few years. According to the KTO, a 33 percent increase was registered in 2016 compared with the year before, and the numbers reached 1.2 million by the end of 2017.

Tapping into this economic potential, the country has increased the number of Halal certificates for its restaurants and prayer rooms, and the Seoul Tourism Organization is promoting a series of videos showcasing Muslim-friendly restaurants around the capital.

A KTO press release last year confirmed one of its aims was that “the provision of travel convenience should be strengthened in order to increase their satisfaction and to encourage repeat visits”.

The Korean Muslim Federation (KMF) expressed its disappointment with the decision, adding that the “Olympic Games should go beyond a single nation, race, culture and religion to achieve harmonisation”.

“This decision demonstrates that we, as a host country, lack thoughtful understanding,” Lee Ju-hwa, a KMF representative, told Al Jazeera in a statement.

“Instead of claiming that the installation of a prayer room is preferential treatment given to a certain religion, we need to raise awareness that it was to consider others with different faith and beliefs,” he added.

KTO’s Director of PR Kim Yeong-ju said it was supposed to be a multi-faith prayer room.

However, the opposition group, the Pyeongchang Olympics Gangwon Citizens’ Islam Countermeasure Association, launched its protests specifically against Muslims who were coming for the Winter Olympics.

“If the room was for people of all religions, why would they have an ablution area,” the organisation’s secretary Seo said.

“From what I heard from Egyptians, there are exceptional cases when Muslims don’t pray, for example when they are on a plane or driving. So the same should be applied during the Games.

“The government has already spent too much of the taxpayers’ money on the Games, and we shouldn’t spend more building a prayer room.”

The organisation collected more than 56,000 signatures for an online petition that opposed the installation of the prayer room.

But for some Muslims families who are visiting South Korea for the Olympics, the decision to forgo the prayer room may set a dangerous precedent.

“While it would have been great to have a praying facility at the Games, the bigger worry for us is how this can set a precedent going forward,” one Muslim spectator, who asked not to be named, told Al Jazeera.

“We can offer our prayers in some corner or back at our hotel; I just hope the opposition realises what little it will achieve by not having a prayer room put up,” the visitor said.

Reuters: Journalists held for probing Rohingya massacre

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Ten Rohingya Muslim men with their hands bound kneel as members of the Myanmar security forces stand guard in Inn Din village [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Two Reuters news agency journalists held for two months by Myanmar authorities were arrested over their investigation of a massacre of 10 Rohingya men, the news agency said in a report that detailed the killings.

It is the first time Reuters has publicly confirmed what Myanmar nationals Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were working on when they were arrested on December 12 on the outskirts of Yangon.

The pair are now facing up to 14 years in prison on charges of possessing classified documents in violation of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Their plight has sparked global alarm over withering press freedoms in Myanmar and government efforts to curb reporting in northern Rakhine state – a crisis-hit region where troops are accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against Muslim-majority Rohingya.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled the area since last August, carrying stories of atrocities at the hands of troops and vigilante groups in the Buddhist-majority country.

Myanmar authorities deny the allegations but have virtually cut off northern Rakhine, barring independent media from accessing the conflict-hit areas.

On Thursday Reuters published a report describing how Myanmar troops and Buddhist villagers executed 10 Rohingya men in Rakhine’s Inn Dinn village on September 2, 2017 before dumping their bodies into a mass grave.

“The Reuters investigation of the Inn Din massacre was what prompted Myanmar police authorities to arrest two of the news agency’s reporters,” the report said.

The account was based on testimony from Buddhist villagers, security officers and relatives of the slain men.

It included graphic photographs of the victims, hands bound kneeling on the floor before the killing – and of their bodies in a pit after they were shot.

Their ages ranged from 17 to 45. Among them were students, fishermen, farmers and shop owners. They were all part of the same Rohingya community in Inn Din.

“When they were taking them away, they said ‘don’t worry. We will send your sons back soon. We are taking them for a meeting’,” the father of one victims, Abdu Shakur, said.

A month after the journalists’ arrests, Myanmar’s army issued a rare statement admitting that security forces took part in extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya “terrorists” in Inn Din village.

The Reuters report said witnesses denied there had been any major attack from Rohingya rebels before the alleged massacre.

A Myanmar government spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.

But Myanmar vehemently denies systematic abuses by its security officers, despite a mounting volume of evidence pointing to atrocities.

Judges have denied bail to the two reporters during a pre-trial hearing period, despite calls for their release from human rights groups and diplomats around the globe.

Andhra MPs continue protest; Rajya Sabha adjourned again

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New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha saw two adjournments today as members from Andhra Pradesh, including NDA ally TDP, continued their protest demanding a special package for the state.

When the House met for the day and papers were laid on the table, KVP Ramachandra Rao (Cong) walked into the Well of the House holding a banner that read: “Implement Special Category Status, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, assurance given by PM on 20.02.2014.”

A group of TDP members soon joined him with their own placards and shouted slogans like “we want justice.” Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked members to return to their seats so that the zero hour could be taken up. With members refusing to heed to his requests, Naidu said he had two options before him – adjourn the house or name the MPs.

Derek O’Brien (TMC) urged the chair to take action against MPs so that the Zero Hour and further discussion on the Union Budget could take place. Satyavrat Chaturvedi (Cong) too urged Naidu to take action so that the zero hour could be taken up.

Naidu, however, adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon. When the House met again, opposition members including O’Brien suggested that the Question Hour be done away with and discussion on the budget commenced. The chairman consented and Neeraj Shekhar (SP) began his speech. He said the budget was not in the interest of weaker sections.

However, members of the TDP and Rao again moved to the Well of the House. TDP members began shouting “we want justice” slogans. Chairman Naidu then adjourned the House till 2:30 pm. Some opposition members stood on their seats to show their unhappiness as they were keen on the budget discussion.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and others were then seen engaged in a discussion.

(PTI)

JAANE KYUN DE YAARON RELEASING ON 16TH FEB 2018

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Jaane Kyun De Yaaron being produced by Vishal Bhatia, Rishi Bhatia & directed by Akshay Anandd, is slated for release on 16thFeb, 2018. With music by Satya Manik Afsar, Sikandar Kahlon. Deepak Agrawal, Chand Sadhwani, actor – turned – director Akshay Anandd’s movie Jaane Kyun De Yaaron, where Kabir Bedi plays the riveting role of a transport company owner. Reveals Akshay, “The satirical theme of the maverick movie is drunken driving; how drivers are framed & how the law – enforcement agencies make a fool out of the gullible common – man. The movie also exposes corruption. “I have cast talented upcoming stars (Raghu Raja & Abhishek Sharma, heroine Chetna Pande & glam – babe model – dancer Heena Panchal) instead of star – faces.” The debutant director also plays the cameo role of a lawyer. It is about 2 boys with the dreams to change their ordinary lives change the entire corruption system as they take a stand against police brutality with the little help of a benevolent guardian. The film ends with hope – hope that corruption will be beaten and hope for young people that all is not lost till there is someone like Shera who is willing to take a stand & challenge injustice.

POOJA CHOPRA BECOMES MENTOR FOR THE EAST ZONE FOR FEMINA MISS INDIA 2018

Crowned as the Femina Miss India in 2009, Pooja Chopra has been associated with Miss India since then and considers it to be a life changing pageant. She was also a semi – finalist at Miss World 2009 and she won the 1st ever Beauty with a Purpose title for India at Miss World 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Pooja Chopra created a record when she won 8 National as well as International titles in a single year in the pageant world. Pooja is now all set to mentor the girls from the East Zone at the FBB Colors Femina Miss India 2018 pageant. This will be the 1st time ever that she will be mentoring girls and is very excited to bring what the amazing & the different East Zone talent offers to the table. “Miss India has always been a dream that I have harnessed for far too long as a kid and I know how hard I have worked to have this dream come true. And now to help girls who have harnessed exactly the same dream as you, it’s going to be me reliving all my moments.” During her journey as a mentor, she will be looking for girls who have the same kind of drive, motivation & passion that she had when she competed to become Miss India.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA’S PURPLE PEBBLE PICTURES ANNOUNCES ITS 1ST EVER ASSAMESE FILM, BHOGA KHIRIKEE!

Purple Pebble Pictures is all set to produce an Assamese film, titled Bhoga Khirikee (Broken Window). Priyanka Chopra & her doctor mother Madhu Chopra forayed into regional cinema & after earning National Awards for Marathi film, Ventilator & premiering Sikkimese film, Pahuna at the Toronto International Film Festival, the home production continues its success streak by roping in Padma Bhushan laureate, Jahnu Barua to direct its next, following a gap of 4 years. About a female protagonist, whose life is in turmoil due to the ideological & the existential clash amongst the 3 men in her life, her father, her husband & a stranger, the story of Bhoga Khirikee makes for an untouched subject in the North – East. Interestingly enough, Priyanka is the brand ambassador of Assam Tourism that has happily extended its cooperation for the upcoming film’s shooting. Says Dr. Chopra, “The north – eastern states are the most under – represented in our country and there is so little we know about their culture. I am truly very excited for this movie & proud to be collaborating with a cinema genius like Jahnu Barua.”

“NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT MANIKARNIKA,” SAYS WRITER VIJAYENDRA PRASAD OF BAAHUBALI FAME

After having faced opposition from a religious group in Rajasthan claiming the misrepresentation of facts of Rani Laxmibai, the writer of Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi Vijayendra Prasad has clarified, “No need to worry about Manikarnika as I have portrayed her in the most respectable way. She is a warrior who fought against the British. She is my favourite woman leader. I have grown up reading about her. So, I will always portray her in an inspirational way.” Vijayendra assures that no scene in the film has been written to degrade Rani Lakshmibai. He also stated that one would be proud of the iconic leader after watching the role of Rani Laxmibai in the film. He said, “The film’s title is Manikarnika, because it is her name! Her parents named her that because she was born in Kasi & the Manikarnika Ghat there is very famous. Even I named my daughter Manikarnika, so you now know how much I respect Rani Lakshmibai.” The producers of the film, Kamal Jain & Zee Studios confirm that the film is showing Rani Laxmibai in the most respectful manner & showcases to the world the bravery, valour & heroism of Rani Laxmi bai.
RAGHU DIXIT MAKES ACTOR DHANANJAYA A LYRICIST IN HIS NEXT MUSICAL – ORCHESTRA
Raghu Dixit, one of the biggest names in the Indian Music industry, turns music producer for upcoming movie Orchestra. It is a musical about the orchestra culture in Mysuru & the dream of a boy who wants to sing in an orchestra. He has experimented with the music of this film and turned the leading actor Dhananjaya in to lyricist. Dhananjaya used to be known for his writings during his theatre days and with Orchestra, he got a chance to go back to writing and gave lyrics to Orchestra’s songs. “Usually, lyricists write one or two songs in a film, but on his 1st ever assignment, Dhananjaya has written lyrics for as many as nine songs. He took his time, but he has nailed it,” says Raghu, adding that the highlight of the songs is the lyrics. Director Sunil Mysooru first approached Raghu to act in his film, but Raghu chose to do the music instead. And compose he did, all 11 original tracks. “He had shot a 20 minute edit of the entire story when he approached me. As a musician, I was really moved after watching it and instantly wanted to be a part of the film. Eventually, the music we made is enough for three films. We have 11 original songs and it is the best music that I have done in Kannada so far” says Raghu. Orchestra is about a young boy working in a tea shop aspiring to sing just one song on stage with a local roadside orchestra during Dasara Festival in Mysore.

IS VARUN DHAWAN GETTING PROTECTIVE FOR HIS OCTOBER CO – STAR BANITA?

Varun Dhawan who will be seen next in Shoojit Sircar’s October has turned guardian angel for his co – star Banita Sandhu. With stardom comes a fan frenzy which can sometimes be unnerving especially for a new comer. Recently, debutante Banita had a firsthand experience at what fan mania can be like. Varun took out Banita, Shoojit, Juhi Chaturvedi and a few others from the team for dinner at a popular restaurant in Bandra recently. The news of the team dining at the restaurant spread and within minutes there was a huge gathering around. The 20 – year – old actress, Banita who is new to such attention, luckily had Varun to her rescue. Varun’s priority was the actress’ comfort, so he took her out from the place safely, on his own, as he is very protective about her. Varun was a constant guide & friend to Banita even during the shooting days. The actor is aware of the emotions & the feelings of a newcomer so he has been guiding Banita in whatever way he can.

HICHKI ALL SET TO RELEASE ON 23RD MARCH, 2018

The internal YRF team has convinced Aditya Chopra that Hichki, the family movie that touches hearts should release post exams to get a wider audience and the makers have decided to postpone the release of the movie to 23rd Mar, 2018. YRF believes that it will go down as one of the finest movies made by the production house. The marketing & the distribution team met with Aditya Chopra to convince him that the high content movie needs a release window that could bring in more audience. Producer Maneesh Sharma adds, “Hichki is an out & out family movie that will entertain audiences across all age groups. ”Manan Mehta, VP – Marketing & Merchandising, YRF says, “With exams out of the way, 23rd Mar, 2018 gives us the opportunity to reach out to and speak to the youth, especially school students, and their families as this film is extremely relevant to them.” Rohan Malhotra, VP – Distribution, YRF says, “Hichki is an incredible movie which is full of heart & will entertain audiences, ask the right questions & challenges the right themes which are prevalent in our society.” Rani plays the character of Naina Mathur who has a nervous system disorder, Tourette Syndrome that forces an individual to make involuntary repetitive movements or sounds. Hichki focusses on turning disadvantages into opportunities and staring down at challenges that life throws at one and ultimately winning over them. It highlights this through the story of Naina, who faces discrimination from our society that firmly believes she cannot be a teacher because of her disorder. Siddharth P Malhotra has directed the movie.

NEHA DHUPIA BREAKS FREE FROM PERIOD TABOOS

Reminisces about the time her father’s whisper of encouragement set her free from the taboo of periods. In a Facebook post, Neha Dhupia opened up about her periods. The actress spoke about how she was a tomboy and seeing her friends being restricted from entering the kitchen and going out to play made her very confused. “I broke down in front my dad, clouded by these million inhibitions & expectations. He held my hand and said softly to me, “There’s no way anybody or anything can stop you from being who you are, doing what you want to do.” It only took a whisper of encouragement to set me free!”, the actress said.

MANJIRI FADNIS WAS THANKFUL TO DIRECTOR VISHWAS PAANDYA FOR CASTING HER IN BAA BAAA BLACK SHEEP

Manjiri Fadnis, who will be seen in Vishwas Paandya’s Baa Baaa Black Sheep opposite Maniesh Paul, felt heavy hearted on the last day of the shoot and was thankful to the director to cast her in the film. Director Vishwas Paandya says, ” The entire shoot was full of fun and we were like a family on the sets. When we were shooting on the last day, Manjiri came to me with teary eyes, she had never had so much fun during the shoot of any movie and she didn’t want the schedule to end.” Baa Baaa Black Sheep, directed by Vishwas Paandya, stars Maniesh Paul, Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor, Manjari Fadnnis & Kay Kay Menon in a special appearance along with Manish Wadhwa & Natasha Suri. Produced by Anand Swarup Agarwal & Krishna Datla, under the banner Agastya Films, is a Soham Rockstar Entertainment presentation. The film is slated to release on 9th Mar, 2018.

RAJA ABROADIYA WILL NOW RELEASE ON 16TH MAR 2018

Under the banner of Shabla Films, Raja Abroadiya is postponed and will now release on 16th Mar, 2018. Raja Abroadiya starring Robin Sohi, Vaishnavi Patwardhan, Abhishek Singh Pathania, Olga Hoffmann, Alankrita Bora, Vaishnavi Macdonald & Yograj Singh. The film produced & directed by Lakhwinder Shabla. The film’s distribution & marketing is done by Manoj Nandwana (JVEL). The story revolves around a rich boy Raja of a village who was very proud and enjoying his royal status, but he got his ego hurt by a drunken villager whose son returned from abroad after being married to foreign girl. Raja accepts his challenge, announcing he too will become Abroadiya .The leading lady Preety also has dreams of going abroad & change her social & economical status. The 2 meet in the process, they make a deal between them. It’s the story of both to achieve their respective goals and what struggles they have to face in this journey.

TIGER SHROFF GETS HIS MMA TEAM CAPTAIN A ROLE IN BAAGHI 2

Tiger Shroff, who has been a trained martial artist since he made his acting debut helped his fellow MMA colleague from Super Fight League, Dhruv Chaudhary to land a plum role in his next, Sajid Nadiadwala’s Baaghi 2 directed by Ahmed Khan. Shroff & Chaudhary got acquainted with one another during Season 1 of the league when Chaudhary was the captain of the Bengaluru Tiger’s team, a team that Shroff co – owned. Shroff & his mother, Ayesha helped Chaudhary settle in Mumbai a year ago and oversees his MMA career. Chaudhary who hails from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh has nine years of experience in Taekwondo, Karate & Muay Thai. As a child he witnessed his father being shot alive and his mother being a victim to domestic abuse which drove to him to pursue his passion for mixed martial arts and fight against corruption. Dhruv Chaudhary says, “Tiger Shroff’s family always goes out of the way to help me in whatever way they can. I had a great time shooting in Goa along with Tiger Shroff & Randeep Hooda who are both part of SFL and there were many times we used to engage in MMA on sets. This is the first time ever I will be acting in a film and I got selected in the 1st ever audition itself so I’m quite nervous as well but Ahmed Khan is a good friend and has really guided me thoroughly. In fact Tiger helped me a lot with dialogues, diction & performance.” Super Fight League, the world’s 1st ever mixed martial arts tournament, promoted by British businessman & sports enthusiast Bill Dosanjh & British professional boxer Amir Khan has seen celebrity support from co -owners like Ajay Devgn, Randeep Hooda, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arbaaz Khan, Salim Suleiman & Tiger Shroff.

SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI ALL PRAISES FOR SHAHID KAPOOR

Shahid Kapoor has been appreciated for playing the role of Maharawal Ratan Singh in Padmavat, which has opened to appreciation & positive response from the audiences. Also director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been applauded for bringing out stellar performances from his artistes, and working with Shahid for the first time ever has been a very good experience for him. As he praises Shahid and calls him talented & effortless actor “Shahid was a new energy on the sets because I hadn’t worked with him before. It was interesting to see how a new actor works. He is a great – looking kid. He is extremely talented & so effortless. He is constantly wanting to become better. He would say, ‘I’m unhappy with that shot. Can I do this better?’ And I would tell him, ‘Can you stop pushing yourself. And punishing yourself because I know what I want from you.’ It was great working with him. He gave Maharawal Ratan Singh such dignity & silence. It was a nuanced & delicate performance. I’m so proud of what he has done in this film. To play a straight & understated part, yet to make your presence felt is very difficult. Deepika & Shahid look so good together. I wish they do more films with each other.”

YRF’S HRITHIK V/S TIGER ACTION EXTRAVAGANZA SET TO RELEASE ON 2ND OCT 2019!

Yash Raj Films’ biggest action entertainer starring Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff & Vaani Kapoor is all set to release on Gandhi Jayanti, 2nd Oct, 2019! Hrithik plays Tiger’s guru in this slick, face – off thriller that is expected to be a visual spectacle. The film is all set to go on the floors this Aug and shooting will wrap by the end of Feb, 2019. Hrithik & Tiger are going to share screen space for the 1st time ever in this Siddharth Anand directorial. Hrithik & YRF are teaming up after 11 years post their blockbuster collaboration on Dhoom 2. This film marks Tiger’s 1st ever YRF film.

FAIR IN LOVE LAUNCHED

Under the banner of Vision Corporation Ltd, the director A K Mishra’s Hindi movie Fair in Love’s grand Muhurat was held in Mumbai . Fair in Love is starring Feroz Khan, Kanupriya Sharma, Ashwini Dhar & Dolly Arya in various roles. The cinematographer Triloki Choudhary has added beauty to the film with the music of Nehal Kumar & Umesh Mishra. The director A K Mishra, along with the leads Feroz Khan, Kanupriya Sharma, Ashwini Dhar & Dolly Arya are present at the Muhurat launch of the film. The film is a social drama of a couple who belongs to different political communities but got fallen in love with each other. The leads Dev & Alpana belong to Jharkhand & Uttar Pradesh respectively. After all the odds the 2 got married against the wish of their families but this didn’t go well .although the couple was in great love with each other but the society always cursed her for being infertile but the truth was something else. It was Dev who has low sperm count, and due to whom she was not able to conceive. But she didn’t want to demean her husband and took off the blame on her. But one night in the absence of her husband she gets raped and got pregnant. It was the mixed emotion for her, happiness of being pregnant but at the same time agitations of being raped. The circumstances were such, that she unwillingly had to accept the child or else her marriage could have been in danger since her in laws were against it, but she was still hell bent upon to find out the culprit.

GOLMAAL AGAIN BAGS YET ANOTHER RECORD TO ITS NAME!

Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal Again has been on a record breaking spree ever since the announcement of its release date. From breaking the record in pre – release ticket sales to becoming one of the highest grossing films of 2017, Golmaal Again has always been on the top of every list. The movie became a sensation at the box – office turnstiles and now it has gone ahead to break a record on satellite television as well. The movie has become the biggest Bollywood Premiere on TV in the last 2 years. Director Rohit Shetty says, “All my films, be it Golmaal Series or Singham or Chennai express, have all done extremely well on television. The main reason for this is the large family audiences whom we cater to and the immense love which they have given to all my films.”

GARBAGE, A GRITTY SOCIO – POLITICAL DRAMA DIRECTED BY Q THE ONLY INDIAN FILM, TO PREMIERE AT BERLINALE 2018

A political drama that reflects the times we are living in, Garbage, Q’s new directorial venture will be premiering at Panorama, Berlinale this year. Produced by Shaailesh R Singh & Hansal Mehta of Karma Entertainment & Media LLP, and Q of ODDJOINT, the film tells the story of Phanishwar (Tanmay Dhanania), Nanaam (Satarupa Das) & Rami (Trimala Adhikari), who are lost in their own dark worlds, and come together only to inflict damage on each other. “I see garbage as a strong metaphor of human existence. I am shocked at the level of violent patriarchy & general apathy around me. India has been changing, and sucking itself into an abyss of misunderstanding & delusion, aided strongly by mainstream religious sentiments. There’s an imminent threat of the fragile social fabric imploding & affecting everyone. Garbage is my way of trying to understand the tension’ says Q. “I really liked what Q narrated to us and with Garbage being the only Indian film at Panaroma Berlinale, Hansal & I are proud of our association with the film. We hope it will be liked”, says Shaailesh R Singh. In the world of independent cinema, Q is well known for his subversive storytelling & controversial cult films that questions the established status quo. Seven years after Gandu, one of his most well known works, Garbage is all set for its world premiere at Panorama, at the Berlin International Film Festival, which seeks out new impulses in the prevailing trends & in cinematic creation, from across the world.

POOJA CHOPRA WINS THE TIMES MOST POWERFUL WOMAN AWARD 2018

Times Power Women of the Year 2017, was an event that saw felicitations of women to acknowledge their contribution towards society in the heterogeneous fields of work. Pooja Chopra received the Times Powerful Woman 2017 award for her contribution in the field of Acting. She dedicated her award to her mother Neera Chopra who is the driving force and has the biggest hand in raising & shaping Pooja as the woman she is today. This move was unexpected by her mother and she couldn’t control her emotions. She was speechless when called upon stage to receive the award with tears in her eyes. Beauty, fashion, strength, influential, high spirited mother, and a wife, are the words that describe Pooja best. Pooja was born & brought up in the city of Pune. She has completed her education in the city and it was also the place where she first decided that she wanted to pursue Modelling & acting as a career. Right from her school days when she won Miss Mount Carmel to her college days, where she won various titles, she has always been the face of Pune city. She was overwhelmed when her city awarded her for her exemplary hard work & contribution towards the field of acting & for putting Pune on a map. Crowned as the Femina Miss India in 2009 she was also a semi – finalist at Miss World 2009 and won the Beauty with a purpose award, at Miss World 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa Pooja Chopra has won as many as 8 national & international titles in a single year. Pooja Chopra has also featured in Times 50 Most Beautiful Women at No. 28. Bollywood films, Commando, Fashion & Heroine are a few movies to her credit. She was also the lead in Neeraj Pandey’s popular short film Ouch, a dramatic love story. She has also been associated as the beauty director & talent partner with the Femina Miss India. Next she will be seen playing the role of Captain Maya Semwal in Neeraj Pandey’s next Aiyaary that will be releasing soon.

SUDHIR MISHRA KICK STARTS THE DAAS DEV CAMPAIGN WITH THE MUSIC LAUNCH

Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra’s legacy has been to make unconventional & unique cinema. Daas Dev, his next offering is yet another example of his unconventional voice. After releasing the 1st ever look poster , the filmmaker brings his unconventional touch to the fore yet again by furthering the Daas Dev Campaign with the Music Launch of the film at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai even before releasing the trailer of the film as is the conventional norm. Sudhir Mishra said, “The music plays an integral part in my film. I have 5 music composers in the film, there are 2 songs composed by Sandesh Shandliya sung by Rekha Bharadwaj & Papon, 2 songs by Vipin Patwa which are sung by Atif Aslam & Javed Bashir, one song by Shamir Tandon sung by Papon & Krishna Beura and there is a new composer Anupama Raag & lyricist Gaurav Solanki whose song is sung by Swanand Kirkire.” The film stars Richa Chadha as Paro, Aditi Rao Hydari as Chandni & Rahul Bhat as Dev. The film stars Vineet Singh, Saurabh Shukla & Vipin Sharma. Anurag Kashyap will be seen in a guest appearance in the film. Directed by Sudhir Mishra, and produced by Saptarishi Cinevision Production, Daas Dev is all set to release on 9th Mar, 2018. The film follows a path contrary to the plot of the classic novella Devdas. But is a fiercely political film that talks about the protagonist’s addiction. The movie’s premise is novel in a way that it is a reverse story of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas dipped in Shakespearean influences. Set against the backdrop of Uttar Pradesh, Daas Dev is a film about power, love & addiction.

DIRECTOR SACHIN P. KARANDE’S FILM JACK AND DIL READY FOR RELEASE

Director Sachin P. Karande’s film Jack And Dil starring Amit Sadh, Arbaaz Khan, Sonal Chauhan & Evelyn Sharma & Produced by Sagar Shingare of Rock & Roll Cinema currently in dubbing at Empire Studios. Jack And Dil is slated for release this March or April 2018. Sachin P. Karande, CPA graduate & Film Appreciation Course from FTII has earlier made 2 films Payback & Vikalp which were received vwell with good reviews. Jack & Dil is a modern day story of new age man Jack (Amit Sadh) carefree, with little materialistic ambitions, the rich businessman (Arbaaz Khan) the effervescent painter wife (Sonal Chauhan) & the model (Evelyn Sharma). The story revolves around the neglected wife, the carefree wannabe detective novelist & the model who does ads for the rich businessman. Their stories intertwine to create humorous romantic entanglements. Jack And Dil artists include Amit Sadh, Arbaaz Khan, Sonal Chauhan, Evelyn Sharma Rajdeep Chaudhari, Rajeev Mehra, & Sachin Parikh and it has been shot extensively in Goa & Mumbai. Produced by Sagar Shingare, Direceted by Sachin P. Karande, Writer Sanjeev Dutta, Music by Arko Mukherjee, Ramji Gulati & Argha Banerjee

ADITYA VIKRAM SENGUPTA’S JONAKI’S WORLD PREMIERE WAS HELD AT THE 47TH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM

Labour Of Love director Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s second feature Jonaki had its world premiere at the recently concluded 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) where it received an outstanding reception from the audiences. The film features 81 -year – old actress Lolita Chatterjee (of Aap Ki Kasam & Victoria No. 203 fame) who is making her comeback as Jonaki along with Jim Sarbh (Neerja, Padmavati, A Death In the Gunj) & Ratnabali Bhattacharjee (Permanent Roommates). Jonaki is a tale of an 80 – year – old woman who searches for love in a strange world of decaying memories, while her lover, now old & grey, returns to a world she is leaving behind. Thrilled about his 2nd feature making its international debut at one of the most celebrated film festivals in the world, director Aditya Vikram Sengupta, says, “IFFR upholds auteur cinema and there could not have been a better place for us to premier Jonaki.
Audiences here do not only come to be entertained by cinema but to experience it” Samir Sarkar, Magic Hour Films, the principal producer of Jonaki says, “It was a sold out world premiere at Rotterdam and our subsequent screenings had a similar response. Audiences here not only come with the thought of being entertained by cinema but also to experience it to the fullest. They are open to new ideas & treatments.”

ANNUAL DAY CELEBRATION OF FILM STUDIOS SETTING & ALLIED MAZDOOR UNION HELD

Film Studios Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union (FSSAMU) celebrated their 34th anniversary recently in Mumbai under the supervision of their dashing & dynamic Chairman of the union, MLA Ram Kadam & General Secretary Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav a.k.a Sanju with their respective members. The ritual ceremony began with a free medical camp exclusively for its members. Present on the dais were B. N. Tiwari – President of the Western India Cine Employees & its General Secretary Ashok Dubey & Vasant Dubey Founder of FSSAMU with Dr. Kirit Somaiya – renowned BJP politician from Mumbai North – East, Saini Ji, Cabinet Minister of State, Yogesh Dubey, President of North Indian Federation, Dhananjay Singh – Former MP of U.P. & a galaxy of seasoned actors of the silver & television screens like Gajendra Chauhan, Rajpal Yadav, Upasana Singh, Tina Ghai, Sahila Chadda, filmmakers Dheeraj Kumar & Ashok Pandit made their presence felt at the gala event. Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav a.k.a Sanju, the General Secretary of the Film Studios & Mazdoor Allied Union welcomed each of the honourable guests and in their honour presented them with bouquets, shawls & trophies to all. General Secretary Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav a.k.a Sanju said, “This union will work together in association with all the federations. Now we are focusing on the benefits of our workers like, protection on the sets, proper arrangement of food for them by the producers and that their wages should be paid on time. If any worker faces any sorts of problem on the sets, he can call the union directly and we will reach out to him for his rescue. Overall the filmmakers are fair enough but it has been noticed that the television & web series makers are not paying their workers properly and that too not on time and keeps on lingering for month’s altogether. This has to be sorted out or else we will not allow them to shoot in any circumstances.”

PARMANU – THE STORY OF POKHRAN TO RELEASE ON 6TH APR 2018

Parmanu- The Story of Pokhran, an edge – of – the -seat thriller that will make every Indian proud – a true India Shining story, will release on 6th Apr, 2018. The film is an ode to the Indian army & scientists, who although ordinary people, truly accomplished extraordinary feats in the face of adversity. It salutes, celebrates & truly embraces the slogan- Jai Jawan Jai Vigyan. While the premise of the film is based on true events, the characters are fictitious. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the film stars John Abraham, Diana Penty & Boman Irani. The film has been produced by: KriArj Entertainment, JA Entertainment, Zee Studios & Kyta Productions

HUMA QURESHI TO COME UP WITH AN AFFORDABLE CLOTHING LINE!

Huma Qureshi will soon be launching her own fashion line. Her new venture is more of an initiative than a label or a fashion line. Associated with causes dedicated to empowerment of women, the actress has found this interesting alternative for young girls who want to look stylish but cannot afford it. As Huma’s upcoming untitled line will be for young girls, the designs will have a contemporary, feminine & youthful touch to it. The stunner will be overseeing everything right from the designs of the clothes to distribution of the brand. Huma had her mind on launching her own line with the aim to make stylish & affordable every day wear for young girls for quite some time. She is currently in the process of determining the logistics. She is extremely excited to see how the designs & the fashion line pans out once that’s done. Says Huma, “So many young girls across the country want to wear good clothes and look nice. Fashion is just not for the elite. Fashion should be for anybody who wants to look good for themselves. I want to launch a line for school, college & office – going girls who want to be trendy, step out & feel confident.”

FIRST SCHEDULE OF KASHI 2 KASHMIR COMPLETED

Kashi 2 Kashmir is an upcoming Hindi Film starring Vikas Chaudhary, Shravni Sahay, Uzma Ahmad, Arnav Pandit, Govind Namdev, Onkardas Manikpur (Nattha), Aditya Roy, Ravi Sudha Chaudhary, Mahesh Kumar Wanve, Rajvir Singh, Anil Anjunil etc. Under the banner of Cinox entertainment, Sanoj Mishra will be directing the film. The 1st ever schedule of the shooting of the film is completed with all the cast at various location of Jammu, Sri Nagar like Dal lake, etc. Kashi 2 Kashmir is based on today’s time Kashmiri Pandit issue, The Hindus of the Kashmir Valley, a large majority of whom were Kashmiri Pandits, were forced to flee the Kashmir valley as a result of terrorism, on or after 20 Jan, 1990. The producer Deepak Pandit is ready with the story on Kashmiri Pandits with the director Sanoj Mishra. The music directors are Faisal Ali & Sanjay Kumar. The film is starring the victim of Pakistan, Uzma Ahmad who returned to India by the help of EAM Sushma Swaraj after a legal battle.

ROCK BAND PARTY SHOOTING STARTED IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

The 1st ever shooting schedule of A Gulshan Anand Films Rock Band Party has started at various locations of Uttrakhand & Himachal Pradesh. Rock Band Party starring Ravinder Kuhar, Deepti Sadhwani, Rajveer Singh, Ratan Rathaur, Virendra Commondow, Mayur, Sujit Mishra, Aditya Roy, Purnima Nisha, Kanchan Namdev & Shiv Aryan. Ravinder Kuhar a Haryana Police by profession & Bollywood actor –model by heart. But now, he has diverted his career to Bollywood industry. The film will be a directional venture of Sanoj Mishra. produced by Arpit Awasthi & Mahi Anand & co – producer Saurabh Singh, while the story is written by Abid Ali. Mahesh Ranjan is the cinematographer, Faisal Ali will contribute for the music & associate director is Mobeen Warsi. The 1st ever schedule of the shooting of the film has started with the leads actors at various locations of Uttrakhand & Himachal Pradesh. Rock Band Party is related to today’s generation story, how clashes occur in the difference in their fast paced life with their parents. The time between completing the college and before landing on a suitable job is the time when actual conflict arises between parents & children due to generation gap.

HITLER Running Successfully in Mumbai

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A. K. Creation’s film HITLER is running successfully in Mumbai circuit & has entered 2nd week at many cinemas. The credits of the film are produced by Mohammad Nasim, directed by Santram, story – screenplay – dialogues by Nanhe Pandey, Som Bhushan & Santram, lyrics by S. Kumar, Santram & Tasavur Ali, music by S. Kumar, action by Shahabuddin & choreography by Santosh Sarvadarshi & Bhoopi. It stars Viraj Bhatt, Monalisa, Sanjay Pandey, Manoj Tiger, Murlidhar, Bhoomika, Sanjay Verma, Tanveer Shaikh, Pooja, Anara Gupta, Janardan Bhardwaj, Rinki Shukla, Dipti, Ashok, Jayraj Singh, Javed Rehman, Aman Samani & Mohammed Nasim.

PRODUCTION NO.1 Announced

RSMP Media Pvt Ltd’s (Kolkata) PRODUCTION NO. 1 has recently been announced. The credits of the film are produced by Sushmita Shrivastava, directed by Santosh Dandekar, music by Aman Shlok, cinematography by Gopal Dey & Production Controller: Keshav Kamal. The star-cast is e being finalized very soon.

NAMASTE BIHAR Dubbing Nearing Completion

The dubbing of Omkar Film & Television Production’s NAMASTE BIHAR is nearing completion at PNP Studio. The film are concept & produced by Rajan Kumar, directed by Laxman Sinha, screenplay by Nehal Ahmed, lyrics by Rajesh Mishra, Satish Sinha & Santosh Puri, music by Aman Shlok, choreography by Gaurav Kaushik, art by Govind Sahani, editing by Nakul Prasad, cinematography by Anil Vaghela & Co -producers: Adv. Kalpana Waskar & Laxman Prasad Singh. The film stars debutant Bhumika Kalita, Rajan Kumar, Manoj Sinha, Monika Kanti, Madhusudan Atmiya, Devnayak Das, Jeetendra Singh, Sohail Rana, Pramod Nirala, Rajesh Kushwaha, Harsh Kumar, Preetam Adhikari & Ex. Chief Minister of Bihar namely Satish Prasad Singh.

DR. AGARWAL’S EYE HOSPITAL, BENGALURU PERFORMS COMPLICATED MUTIPLE SURGERIES

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The patient in Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital had a bomb blast injury and he suffered from Traumatic Cataract, Cornea Opacity & Vitreous haemorrhage in the right eye and was completely blind in both the eyes. With complicated multiple procedures, the 37 year old Yemen national got back his vision

Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Bengaluru recently announced that they had successfully conducted a complicated multiple surgical treatment to a Yemen based patient who had lost his vision in a bomb blast, regained 85% of his vision. A Corneal surgeon, Cataract surgeon & a Retina surgeon were involved for recovering the lost vision of the patient within 3 days.

The 37 year old, Yemen patient, Sameer Abdo with a history of bomb blast, completely lost his left eye and was blind in his right eye too due to corneal opacity, Traumatic cataract & Haemorrhage inside his eye. The patient complained with severe pain in his eyes and could not even read or move around on his own.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Ravi Dorairaj, Medical Director, Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital, Bengaluru averred, “We had performed a complicated multiple surgeries to the patient who came to our hospital with damaged Right eye which was found with multiple foreign particles in cornea. On further diagnosing, we found that he was suffering from Traumatic cataract &, Vitreous hemorrhage resulting in bleeding inside the eye. We took this case as a challenge when others were hesitant to operate for vision & performed the procedures successfully. Since he was young, we thought of giving a cosmetic correction to his left eye and proceeded with customized prosthesis.”

Dr. Bindhya,consultant Ophthalmologist Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital, Indira Nagar averred, “At 1st we had started with the complicated procedure of removing multiple minute foreign particles in cornea and then performed traumatic cataract surgery with Intraocular lenses implantation & also intra vitreal injection. Post operatively, the patient was kept under observation. The next day, we observed that the patient slowly started regaining vision. After 3 days of immense observation the patient regained 85% of his vision.

Speaking about his vision recovery the Yemen patient, Sameer Abdo averred, “I understood that because of more complication & resource limitation, I was differed elsewhere for treatment. I thank Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital & its team of doctors who took my case as a challenge and brought my vision back. Now I am able to read books & even ride a motorbike on my own and I can move freely without anyone’s help.”

Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital a comprehensive eye hospital offering a one – stop solution for eye ailments; was started in the year 1957. Now the hospital is in its 60th year of offering quality services in eye care. It has 15 branches in Chennai & a visible footprint in the states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andaman & Rajasthan. A tertiary eye care centre at Mauritius marks its 1st ever step towards establishing an international presence extended upto 16 branches covering the Indian Ocean region, African countries & even East Asia.

File vision document for protection of Taj Mahal: SC to UP govt

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file within four weeks a vision document for protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal.

The apex court also directed the state government to explain why there was a sudden flurry of activities in and around the Taj Mahal and the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) and why leather industries and hotels were coming up there.

TTZ is an area of about 10,400 sq kms spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

“You file the vision document within four weeks,”a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

“There is sudden flurry of activities in TTZ. Is there any particular reason for that? Leather industries and hotels are coming up there. Why? the bench asked Additional Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the state.

Mehta told the top court that he would get instructions on this issue and get back to it.

Meanwhile, the state government filed a separate application for cutting 234 trees for laying pipelines for water supply in Agra city.

The bench, however, directed the state to apprise it as how many tress have already been planted in the TTZ and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

The top court had earlier said that “ad hoc” measures were not enough to preserve the Taj Mahal for “a few hundred years” and directed the state government to prepare a document with a futuristic vision to protect the historic 17th century mausoleum for future generations.

Environmentalist M C Mehta, who had filed a plea seeking protection of the Taj from the ill-effects of polluting gases and deforestation in and around the area, had earlier told the bench that the TTZ was an “ecologically sensitive area” and the government should have come out with a comprehensive policy for preservation and protection of the Taj.

The apex court, which is dealing with Mehta’s petition, has been monitoring development in the area to protect the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. The mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

(Agencies)

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