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NGT slaps Rs 50-cr penalty on Karnataka for neglecting Bengaluru lakes

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 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday imposed Rs 50 crore penalty on Karnataka for allegedly neglecting two lakes — Bellandur and Varthur — in the city’s southeast suburb, said non-governmental organisation Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF) here.

“Karnataka has been directed to pay Rs 50 crore as environmental compensation or penalty, which shall be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for restoring the environment,” said the Foundation in a statement, citing the Tribunal order.

The Tribunal also directed the city corporation (BBMP) to pay Rs 25 crore to the CPCB and transfer Rs 10 crore to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KPSCB) for the logistics of Justice Santosh Hegde Committee it formed to oversee the implementation of its orders.

The Tribunal has directed the state government to furnish a performance guarantee up to Rs 100 crore to ensure execution of the action plan.

“State of Karnataka will also undertake to pay Rs 100 crore if there is failure to implement the plan,” said Foundation’s senior counsel Sajan Poovayya, who appeared for the petitioners, including the Foundation (NBF).

The lakes, about 20km from the city centre, are filled up with sewage, effluents, solid municipal waste, construction and demolition waste and weed, leaving no clean water in them.

“The twin lakes have been in the news due to immense foaming and frothing as they became the largest septic tanks in the city due to sheer callousness and indifference of the authorities concerned,” recalled Poovayya.

Declaring the grave situation as an environment emergency, the Tribunal noted that the authorities concerned have failed to discharge their obligations to the society and their dues.

“The colossal neglect has caused immense harm to citizens and brunt of which will be borne by generations. There is no justification for such environmental loss,” said the green tribunal.

On the basis of various inquiry reports, including the Panjwani Committee, the Tribunal found the state government negligent in protecting its lakes and in keeping the storm water drains free from encroachment.

“As water pollution is a criminal offence, measures have to be taken to control such pollution and close polluting units,” said the Tribunal, adding that the officers charged with the duties are accountable for their failures.

The watchdog also directed the state government to ensure no pollutant or waste is discharged into the water bodies, lakes and streams.

IANS

Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna cast votes in Telangana polls

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Superstar K. Chiranjeevi and Akkineni Nagarjuna were among top celebrities from the Telugu film industry who cast their votes in the Telangana Assembly elections on Friday.

Well-known director Rajamouli and actors Venkatesh, Allu Arjun and Nithin were also among the Tollywood personalities who exercised their franchise at various polling stations in Jubliee Hills here.

They appealed to all citizens to come out and to exercise their democratic right.

Actor-politician Chiranjeevi along with his wife K. Surekha stood in queue along with commoners and exercised their franchise.

Chiranjeevi later told reporters that it is the duty of each and everyone to cast his vote. The former central minister and Congress party leader, however, parried questions about politics.

“I came to here to cast my vote as a common citizen,” he said when asked about the prospects of Congress-led People’s Front.

Chiranjeevi, who had been focusing on films last four years, stayed away from campaigning in Telangana.

Popular actor Nagarjuna and with his wife Amla Akkineni also cast their votes. “It’s your day. Come out and cast your vote instead of just complaining,” he said.

Polling to elect a new state Assembly was underway in Telangana in all of the 119 constituencies in the first full-fledged elections in the country’s youngest state.

IANS

India Women’s Caucus to convene in Bengaluru on December 8th 2018

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The India Women’s Caucus (IWC) is a group of non-partisan women who have joined hands
with the long-term goal of enabling more women to get elected as MLAs and MPs across parties.
After a successful pilot event in Goa in October this year, the IWC is organising a day-long
meeting on Saturday, December 8, 2018, at Hotel Chalukya in Bengaluru. The IWC is being
convened by Rajasree Nagarsekar, a journalist in Goa and Tara Krishnaswamy, co-founder of
Citizens for Bengaluru, author and activist.
Addressing the media at the Bangalore Press Club, Tara Krishnaswamy said, “The meeting of
the India Women’s Caucus is part of a larger sustained campaign we intend to begin. It is
unfortunate that women who have had great success as corporators and panchayat leaders are
unable to grow as the parties deny tickets for them. We need to work with political parties and
women candidates too. A resolution on the next steps towards the General Election of 2019
will be formulated through the event and released to the media at the close of the day.”
Vasanthi Hariprakash, a well-known journalist, asked the media to support the initiative.
“Women are missing in action in Assembly and Parliament. We need to understand the root
causes and action plan by holding discussions with women leaders from political parties, elected
representatives, social scientists, grassroots activists, journalists and others. I’m excited that all
of us are coming together,” she said.
Cynthia Stephen, social policy researcher, said, “This platform is designed to be inclusive,
bringing together women of all walks of life, urban, rural, from different parts of the country,
who are interested in seeking political power to women.”
Speakers at the event will include women leaders from the INC, BJP, JD(S) and CPM, civil
society and political activists, scholars, academicians, journalists and senior editors.

Seven minor boys sexual abuse from Teacher, Cops arrested

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The accused, a muezzin of a mosque, taught Arabic, Kannada and Hindi to students near his residence in southeast Bengaluru.

As per the police, Muneer hails from Gauribidanur, a village around 75 km from Bengaluru in Chikballapur district. Muneer taught Arabic, Kannada and Hindi to students near his residence at Anepalya in southeast Bengaluru. The crime began to unravel when a few students of Muneer refused to go for tuitions. When the parent of one of the boys questioned him, he revealed that Muneer had forced himself on him and sexually assaulted him.

“The family alerted the parents of the other boys in the class. As many as seven cases have been filed with the Ashok Nagar police since Wednesday. We suspect that many victims and their parents have not come forward fearing social stigma,” a police officer told media.

Muneer was arrested on Wednesday after the first boy reported the incident to the police and filed a complaint. Since the arrest, six other students have come forward with similar complaints of sexual assault.

“Initially, one boy went to the police on Wednesday. Then six more followed suit after we arrested Muneer,” said D Devaraja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) to the Times of India.

The investigation into the incident found that the boys, who are class 11 and 12 students, learned Arabic, Hindi and Kannada under him at a prayer hall in Anepalya.

Muneer was charged under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). He has been remanded to five-day custody

TNM

Lawyer fined Rs 50k for filing PIL against Arun Jaitley

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The Supreme Court Friday dismissed a PIL raising allegations against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of plundering the capital reserve of the Reserve Bank of India. The apex court also imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on advocate M L Sharma, who had filed the public interest litigation.

The bench further said, “What is this PIL? You cannot go on with such misadventure. What exactly is this? You are saying the finance minister is plundering the capital reserve of the RBI. You are not bringing honour to this institution. Why do we permit you to go ahead with this PIL.”

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul, also directed the apex court registry not to allow Sharma to file any PIL till he deposits Rs 50,000. “We find no reason whatsoever to entertain this PIL,” the bench said. The top court imposed the cost as the advocate continued with the argument after dismissal of the PIL.

Sharma had accused the Finance Minister of plundering the capital reserve of the RBI.

India’s polluted air killed 1.24 million in 2017: study

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Lancet study says India’s average life expectancy would be higher by 1.7 years if air quality was at healthy levels.

India’s toxic air has claimed 1.24 million lives in 2017, or 12.5 percent of total deaths recorded in the year, says a study.

The study, published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health on Thursday, said more than 51 percent of the people who died because of air pollution were younger than 70.

Of the total, about 670,000 died from air pollution in the wider environment and 480,000 from household pollution related to the use of solid cooking fuels.

The Indian capital, New Delhi, was most exposed to the tiny particulate matter, known as PM2.5, that can reach deep into the lungs and cause major health problems, the study said.

‘They are in grave danger’: Delhi’s homeless struggle with smog

Some north Indian states closer to New Delhi were almost as bad.

The study said the average life expectancy in Indiain 2017 would have been higher by 1.7 years if air quality was at healthy levels.

This wasn’t as gloomy as a recent report by the University of Chicago which said prolonged exposure to pollution reduces the life expectancy of an Indian by over four years.

The new study said India has a higher proportion of global health loss due to air pollution – at 26.2 percent of the world’s total when measured in deaths and disability – than its 18.1 percent share of the world’s population.

“The findings suggest that the impact of air pollution on deaths and life expectancy in India might be lower than previously estimated but this impact is still quite substantial,” the study said.

The study, conducted by academics and scientists from various institutions in and outside India, was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Indian government and the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said India was home to the world’s 14 most polluted cities.

‘Capital’ punishment

The quality of air in New Delhi – the world’s most polluted major city – has swung between “severe” to “hazardous” levels multiple times in the past two months.

On Tuesday, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), India’s environment watchdog, slapped the Delhi government with a $3.5m fine for failing to enforce rules to reduce smog.

The NGT penalised the capital’s administration for its lack of oversight after it emerged that some polluting industries were still burning harmful waste in the open.India: Delhi pollution level deteriorates to ‘hazardous’ category

The tribunal was hearing a plea from Delhi residents complaining about factories flouting laws as the city tackles the crisis plaguing its 20 million residents every year.

Each winter, Delhi chokes through haze so extreme that levels of airborne pollutants routinely eclipse safe limits by more than 30 times.

Delhi, which has shut down power plants and banned heavy trucks from the city in a bid to curb smog, has accused other states of not playing their part.

In particular, the capital has blamed governments in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana for crop fires that burn every year, sending smoke eastwards.

Aljazeera

CNN’s New York offices evacuated after ‘bomb threat’

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 CNN’s offices and studios here were evacuated on Thursday night because of a phoned-in bomb threat. But police and the network have issued an all-clear message saying it was safe.

“The NYPD (New York Police Department) has now given us the all clear, and employees have been permitted to return to the building,”CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said in an internal memo to staff on Friday.

“The building is secure and safe for everyone to return in the morning. We appreciate the swift action by the local authorities, and the patience and professionalism of all the employees who were impacted.”

The threat was not substantiated, the NYPD tweeted.

The threat came on Thursday night when a caller indicated there were five devices in the building, according to a law enforcement source.

Several fire alarm bells rang inside the newsroom, signaling an evacuation shortly after the call was received.

Staffers evacuated the offices in the Time Warner Centre building.

The network temporarily went to taped programming for about half hour before going live from the street while police investigated.

The network’s bureau was evacuated in October after a package with an explosive device, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, was discovered, officials said.

That package was among more than a dozen improvised explosive devices sent to prominent Democratic politicians and donors around the country in October. None of the devices detonated, and no one was injured.

Suspect Cesar Sayoc, 56, was charged with five federal crimes and is currently in custody waiting for trail. If convicted, he could receive up to 48 years in prison.

IANS

Amritsar train tragedy: Sidhu’s wife gets clean chit

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Punjab cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur has been given a clean chit in a Punjab government-appointed magisterial probe into the Amritsar train tragedy on Dusshera evening in which 60 people died, sources said here on Thursday.

The probe, conducted by Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner B. Purushartha, has indicted Saurabh Madan Mithoo, the son of Congress councillor in Amritsar and a close political aide of the Sidhu couple, and officials of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, local administration, police and railway authorities for lapses that led to the tragedy.

The officials have been blamed for giving permissions without ensuring safety while railway officials have been blamed for allowing the speeding train to move on the tracks without bothering about people crowding on the tracks.

The report has been sent to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for further action.

Over 60 people were injured in the tragedy when a diesel multiple unit (DMU) train mowed them down on a railway track near Joda Phatak in Amritsar on October 19 while they were watching the burning of a Ravana effigy.

A separate inquiry into the train tragedy conducted by the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety had blamed “negligence” of the people, who were standing on the railway track, for the incident.

Mithoo was the main organiser of the Dusshera event while Navjot Kaur was the chief guest.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha said on Thursday that they had predicted earlier that the Sidhu couple would get a clean chit in the magisterial probe.

The probe commissioner submitted his 300-page report to the Punjab Home Department on November 21. Over 150 people were examined during the probe.

Sidhu and his wife were both summoned by the one-man probe commission. However, Sidhu, who was present in Amritsar on November 2 when he was summoned, failed to turn up and said he was not in Punjab from October 16 to 20 and could not give any “inputs”.

Opposition leaders and locals alleged that Navjot Kaur, a former legislator, fled the scene after the train killings.

There were allegations that the event was organised without mandatory permissions, which had to be given by the municipal corporation which falls under the local government department headed by Sidhu.

IANS

Voter held for taking selfie inside polling booth in Hyderabad

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 A youth was arrested for taking selfie while casting his vote in Telangana Assembly elections on Friday.

The voter, identified as Shiv Shankar, was arrested by the police on a complaint by polling official at a polling centre in Rajendranagar constituency in Greater Hyderabad.

Officials said the youth was arrested under Representation of People’s Act for violating secrecy of voting.

The use of mobile phones inside the polling booths is prohibited. The election authorities have asked voters not to carry mobile phones inside the polling centres.

The Election Commission has cautioned the voters, especially the first time voters against taking selfies inside the polling booths. Officials said the voters were free to take selfies with their inked finger after coming out of the booths.

Hyderabad, Dec 7 (IANS) A youth was arrested for taking selfie while casting his vote in Telangana Assembly elections on Friday.

The voter, identified as Shiv Shankar, was arrested by the police on a complaint by polling official at a polling centre in Rajendranagar constituency in Greater Hyderabad.

Officials said the youth was arrested under Representation of People’s Act for violating secrecy of voting.

The use of mobile phones inside the polling booths is prohibited. The election authorities have asked voters not to carry mobile phones inside the polling centres.

The Election Commission has cautioned the voters, especially the first time voters against taking selfies inside the polling booths. Officials said the voters were free to take selfies with their inked finger after coming out of the booths.

Facebook tightens political ads in India ahead of 2019 polls

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Facing intense scrutiny over the misuse of its platform globally during elections, Facebook has announced fresh steps to increase ad transparency and defend against foreign interference ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in India.

Now anyone who wants to run an ad in India related to politics will need to first confirm their identity and location, and give more details about who placed the ad, the social networking giant said in a statement late Thursday.

“We’re making big changes to the way we manage these ads on Facebook and Instagram. We’ve rolled out these changes in the US, Brazil and the UK, and next, we’re taking our first steps towards bringing transparency to ads related to politics in India,” said Sarah Clark Schiff, Product Manager at Facebook.

“This is key as we work hard to prevent abuse on Facebook ahead of India’s general elections next year.”

Facebook said the advertisers in India will have to comply to new rules starting from Friday.

“The identity and location confirmation will take a few weeks so advertisers can start that process by using their mobile phones or computer to submit proof of identity and location. This will help avoid delays when they run political ads next year,” informed Schiff.

Advertisers in India can download the latest Facebook app and visit Settings to get started.

Early 2019, Facebook would also start to show a disclaimer on all political ads that provides more information about who’s placing the ad, and an online searchable Ad Library for anyone to access.

“This is a library of all ads related to politics from a particular advertiser as well as information like the budget associated with an individual ad, a range of impressions, as well as the demographics of who saw the ad,” said Facebook.

At that time, the company would also begin to enforce the policy that requires all ads related to politics be run by an advertiser who’s completed the authorisations process and be labelled with the disclaimer.

“We will not require eligible news publishers to get authorised, and we won’t include their ads in the Ad Library,” Facebook added.

IANS

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