Category: TOP STORIES

Gurugram, Dec 11 (IANS) After the illegal farmhouse construction issue was raised at the Municipal Council Sohna, it started a campaign to re-identify such structures in Aravalli Hills adjacent to Raisina village.

Officials said in the last week, show cause notices have been put up outside nine farmhouses regarding illegal construction. The farmhouse owner will have to reply to the notice within seven days.

After that rampant illegal construction, the council’s team is now surveying the Aravalli area to stop the construction of illegal farmhouses.

According to information, about 450 farmhouses have been sold in Aravalli by private builders who developed one or two acres of area.

During the survey conducted by the council before 1992, only four to five constructions came under the ambit of legality. The constructions done after 1992 have been considered illegal.

“The council’s survey team has started a campaign of issuing notices regarding illegal constructions to the concerned owner. Show cause notices have been pasted outside nine farmhouses during the survey,” said Digambar Singh, JE, Sohna Council.

Apart from this, 13 high-end cafes and restaurants in Aravalli’s Leopard Trail will soon be demolished.

The cafes and restaurants have been illegally built on agricultural land in the one-kilometre stretch of Gairatpur Bas village, Gurugram.

This stretch in Gairatpur Bas village is known as the leopard trail because of the frequent leopard presence in the area and adjacent to the Aravallis.

These establishments managed to escape action, owing to elections this year.

“Around 12 cafes are illegal and operating without having a change of land use (CLU ) permission. Swimming pools have been made operational without any consent from the competent authority. We have already issued notices to the owners of these establishments, but they failed to give any reply. We will soon conduct necessary action,” said RS Bhath, Nodal Officer Enforcement, Gurugram.

–IANS

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Ranchi, Dec 11 (IANS) A huge political row has erupted in Jharkhand over the lathi-charge on protesting students in Hazaribagh. The students were demanding the cancellation of the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

The controversy reverberated in the Jharkhand Assembly here on Wednesday, with Opposition leaders staging protests and calling for a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in the examination process.

Before the Assembly session began, AJSU party MLA, Nirmal Mahto, staged a dharna at the main gate of the Assembly. Representing the Mandu constituency, Mahto demanded a thorough CBI probe into the allegations of exam rigging and the use of force against the protesting students.

Expressing solidarity with the students, he asserted, “Demands were justified and an attempt is being made to suppress the voice of the students.”

Former Chief Minister and BJP MLA, Babulal Marandi, speaking to media persons in the Assembly premises, hit out at the administration for ordering the lathi-charge and called it “the last nail in the coffin” for the government.

He alleged, “The examination process was marred by irregularities, and despite students presenting evidence of malpractices, their grievances were not heard. There has to be a CBI investigation, the government must ensure justice for the students.”

In response, Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu accused the BJP of exploiting the students’ agitation for political gains.

“While protests are a democratic right, disrupting law and order is unacceptable. The government is willing to address the students’ issues but the BJP is using the movement to further its own political agenda,” he countered.

Meanwhile, JLKM (Jharkhand Loktantrik Kranti Morcha) MLA, Jairam Mahato strongly condemned the police action. Detailing the injuries sustained by students during the police action, he said, “Several students are suffering fractures in legs, hands, fingers. I will raise the issue in the House and support the students’ cause both inside and outside the Assembly.”

Mahato attacked the government for dismissing student protests as Opposition conspiracies. He urged the chief minister and ministers to engage directly with the students to resolve their concerns.

“I come from a student movement background, and I stand with them,” he asserted, adding that even leaders from his party were injured in the incident.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 11 (IANS) Following the death of an automobile company executive from Uttar Pradesh in Bengaluru allegedly over the demand of Rs 3 crore for a divorce settlement and allegations against the sitting judge, the Ekam Nyay Foundation, fighting for the rights of men, is preparing to approach the Supreme Court.

Atul Subhash, 34, ended his life in his apartment in Marathahalli police station limits in the wee hours of Tuesday, leaving behind a 90-minute video and a 40-page-long death note, explaining how the harassment by his wife Nikita Singhania and her family was compelling him to end his life.

The development has sparked outrage and debate across the country about rights of men and how the law views them in cases of divorce and child custody.

Deepika Narayan Bharadwaj, the founder of the Ekam Nyay Foundation, speaking to IANS on Wednesday stated, considering the serious allegations against the judiciary and the sitting judge over alleged demand of bribes, the organisation will approach the Supreme Court.

“We will make a submission in this regard to the Chief Justice of India and Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court,” she stated.

This isn’t just a Bengaluru story but a story of every married man facing false accusations and exorbitant alimony demands in India.

The 90-minute video details what a person is subjected to if he doesn’t pay despite having every evidence to prove innocence.

“Succour is needed for people who are killing themselves due to biased laws,” Deepika stated.

Bikas Kumar, the brother of the deceased Atul, stated, “The family of Atul’s wife was demanding Rs 3 crore for a settlement. The unreasonable demand of Rs 3 crore was acute mental harassment.”

“The wife made demands for money in front of the judge and told Atul that if he was not able to give the money, why doesn’t he end his life? The judge was laughing in the court over this statement. Is this not torture? Is this not mental harassment?”, Bikas Kumar asked.

“My brother has sacrificed his life. He had written everywhere “Justice is Due”. I want justice at any cost. My brother had sent email messages to the President of India, the Supreme Court of India. I expect them to change the law so that men will get some rights,” he demanded.

“Not all men are culprits. Let them also get some legal immunity to present their case and prove that they are right,” Bikas stated.

Commenting on his brother’s suicide, he said, “We didn’t know that he would do something like this. When I spoke to him, he did not give any clue about what he was up to. He also did not give hints to our parents. I spoke to him last Sunday and everything was normal. Later he also spoke to parents and it was fine. That was his last call.”

“On Monday at 2 A.M., he sent a message but I was asleep. Later, on Tuesday I got a call from an unknown number asking me about the death note. When I checked my phone, I saw messages on my mobile,” he recounted.

In his video, Atul Subhash, had stated that he got married in 2019 and his wife allegedly demanded Rs 3 crore alimony after they filed for divorce.

She allegedly didn’t let him even see the face of his child after she filed for divorce. He stated in the video that the Family Court Judge demanded Rs 5 lakh to settle the case.

Atul stated that his father-in-law died of a disease soon after his marriage but his wife got an FIR registered under sections of murder against his family claiming he died of shock because of a demand for dowry.

Atul said in the video that he faced extreme harassment as he had to attend 120 case dates in the last two years.

The Family Court judge passed an order of Rs 40,000 per month maintenance for a 2-year-old child, he stated.

Atul said that when he was married, he used to do household chores, got his wife a job in a reputed MNC, helped his brother-in-law financially, and spent lakhs on the birth of his child.

Atul stressed in the video that, “I refuse to pay and I choose death because I don’t want my money to be used against me by my opponents to torture me and my family. I don’t want my wife and her family to come anywhere near my dead body.” Meanwhile, Marathalli police have registered an FIR against deceased Atul’s wife and three other family members on charges of abetment to suicide under Sections 108, 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The complaint in this regard was filed by Atul’s brother Bikas Kumar.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Government-owned oil major HPCL and Sea6 Energy Private Limited have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for R&D collaboration to take up joint development and commercialisation of technologies for valorising seaweed biomass, according to a company statement issued on Wednesday.

Under this MoU, HPCL will develop and scale up technologies jointly with Sea6 Energy for the conversion of seaweed biomass into fuels and chemicals. While these technologies are being developed and piloted, Sea6 Energy will also work on the upstream portion of making seaweed farming and harvesting more cost-effective.

Seaweeds provide an attractive alternative to traditional biomass as far as biofuel production is concerned because it doesn’t compete with food security, does not require fertilisers or irrigation, and can be practised in areas unsuitable for traditional agriculture such as coastlines. Moreover, seaweeds grow much faster than terrestrial crops, with some species capable of doubling their biomass in just a few days and they are an excellent option for carbon capture for meeting India’s net-zero commitments by 2070.

HPCL has set up its state-of-the-art HP Green R&D Centre in Bengaluru and is carrying out research in various areas related to petroleum refining, development of novel catalysts & additives, biofuels, alternate energy, nanotechnology, etc. and has developed patented technologies and products for various applications.

Sea6 Energy Private Limited headquartered in Bengaluru, was founded in 2010 to develop innovative solutions for key global problems. Over the last decade, it has become a pioneer of innovative technologies for sustainable, large-scale and mechanised farming of seaweeds and the conversion of this biomass to novel products.

“HPCL and Sea6 Energy Private Limited, recognising the similarity of their interests, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for R&D collaboration in areas of mutual interest on 9th December 2024, particularly on joint development and commercialization of technologies for valorizing seaweed biomass,” HPCL said in a statement.

This strategic collaboration also marks a significant milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in cutting-edge technology, aligning with the Government of India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, National Biofuel Policy and the greater objective of energy security, the statement added.

–IANS

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Guwahati, Dec 11 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that various grants and assistances will be distributed under various government schemes in the next 12 days across the state.

The series of programmes was kickstarted by the Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Under the microfinance incentive and relief scheme, more than 78,000 borrowers will benefit through the state government’s relief package that will restore their credit-worthiness and will also provide them with financial stability.

The CM said, “More than 3.23 lakh bicycles will be distributed in the next 12 days among the school students across the state along with distribution of 48,673 scooters for meritorious students under various schemes.”

Nearly 27,000 top performers in the class X examination will be given cash awards, Sarma said.

Moreover, the state government will distribute Rs 353.67 crore to the 6.86 lakh disaster-affected families for the reconstruction of their houses, meeting their necessary requirements along with essential supplies.

Sarma stated, “6,490 Self Help Groups (SHG) are set to get a support of Rs 21.90 crore for setting up food processing units.”

He said that in the last three years, the State government worked relentlessly to secure the land rights of the indigenous people of the state. All illegal encroachments in Kaziranga have been evicted.

Earlier, Sarma said that the state government is working tirelessly for the people of Assam to ensure the preservation of their identity and ensure their development. The government is also working towards delimitation to restrict the impact of infiltrators. Moreover, the State government has cleared 10 thousand hectares of land from encroachment.

He also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the delimitation exercise in all the 126 Legislative Assembly constituencies in Assam secured at least 105 constituencies for the indigenous people.

CM Sarma said that Assam has been progressing rapidly to become one of the most developed states in the country.

He said, “We are not only building bridges over Brahmaputra, but also planning to construct an underwater tunnel.”

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 11 (IANS) The members of Karnataka Backward Caste Federation met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum with a warning that if Panchamasali Lingayats are given reservation under the 2A Category, they would resort to a statewide stir.

The members urged the CM that the demand by the Panchamasali Lingayat sect must not be considered under any circumstances.

K.M. Ramachandrappa, the President of the Federation stated the Panchamasali Lingayats are availing the reservation facility under the 3B Category. The community members are staging protests and pressuring the government to provide reservations under the 2A Category to get the benefit of a reservation of 15 per cent given to backward classes.

“Panchamasali Lingayat sect is academically, socially, economically and politically progressed. Dr. Naganagouda Committee, L.G. Havanur Committee, Venkataswamy Backward Classes Second Commission report, Justice O. Chinnappa Reddy report have found that Panchamasali Lingayat sect is a forward or progressed community,” he stated.

“If the Panchamasali Lingayats are included in the 2A Category, the most backward castes such as Agasa, Savita Samaj, Tigala, Ediga, Kuruba, Devanga and other castes won’t get reservations. The Panchamasali Lingayat sect will get all the benefits and reservations in employment, education and politics,” he said.

“In this background, the federation urged the state government not to include the Panchamasali Lingayats into the 2A Category. If the state government takes steps to include them, fierce agitation would be taken up all over the state,” Ramachandrappa warned.

The agitation by the Panchamasali Lingayat community turned violent when the members attempted to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Tuesday.

BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra visited the protesters and met Jagadguru Sri Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swamiji, who is leading the agitation. Vijayendra pledged full support for the Panchamasali protest in Belagavi.

The seer has said that the community leaders are being “threatened” by the Congress government in Karnataka to suppress the agitation. The seer had warned that if anything went wrong, there would be a “blood revolution” in the state.

Following the violence, Karnataka BJP claimed on Tuesday that the state government has deliberately suppressed the Panchamasali “movement” in Belagavi.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy reacted, “It is extremely unfortunate that the Congress government in Karnataka has chosen to act like Adolf Hitler to suppress the struggle of the Panchamasali community.”

Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basavaraj Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami speaking to media soon after the Tuesday violence said that the Karnataka government is trying to sideline the Panchamasali protests. “Siddaramaiah is responsible for the violence. We will strategise our future protests. The government will have to face the consequences for today’s highhandedness,” claimed the seer.

–IANS

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Jaipur, Dec 11 (IANS) Five-year-old Aryan, who fell into a borewell in Kalikhad village in Rajasthan’s Dausa district on December 9, remained trapped even after continued rescue efforts on Wednesday.

The prolonged ordeal has heightened the concerns of Aryan’s family and the administrative officials.

The boy has been stuck in the borewell without food or water since 3 p.m. on Monday. The teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), along with local authorities, have been tirelessly working to save him. Officials now anticipate that Aryan could be rescued by evening.

Aryan’s mother, Guddi Devi, is in a state of shock, and the family members have refrained from eating since the incident. The child fell into a 175-ft-deep open borewell near his house while playing with his mother. Rescue operations began immediately as the officials arrived at the site. District Collector Devendra Yadav has been continuously overseeing the rescue efforts.

Rescue teams initially attempted to retrieve Aryan by digging 20 feet away from the borewell. Efforts using an L-shaped hook to pull him out also failed. Even attempts using makeshift “desi jugaad” methods did not succeed. However, the team did manage to prevent Aryan from falling further into the borewell by deploying an umbrella beneath him.

After earlier attempts failed, authorities initiated a Plan B. A piling machine from Sawai Madhopur is being used to dig a 4-foot-wide pit just 4-5 feet from the borewell. Once the pit reaches 150 feet, NDRF personnel will create a horizontal tunnel to reach Aryan and rescue him. Officials are optimistic that this plan will be successful.

According to NDRF personnel, the piling machine is digging at a rate of 20 feet per hour. The entire excavation process is expected to take around 7-8 hours, after which the rescue team will descend into the pit and complete the tunnel. Despite the challenges, the NDRF and SDRF teams are determined to bring Aryan out safely.

The entire village is holding its breath, hoping for a positive outcome.

–IANS

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