INDIA
Vol 2, Issue 11, June 16-31, 2022
Yogi govt in UP to develop Naimish Dham as Vedic city
Lucknow, July 11: The Uttar Pradesh government is all set to develop Naimish Dham as a Vedic city and the global centre for spiritual and religious tourism. An action plan has already been prepared in this regard on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to develop Naimisharanya pilgrimage site in four phases on the lines of Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura. According to the government spokesman, the chief minister has also directed concerned authorities to start electric bus and helicopter
services between Lucknow and Sitapur soon in order to facilitate travel to Naimish Dham for pilgrims from both within the country and abroad. Tourism, Urban Development, PWD and Irrigation departments will work together on the project. As per the action plan, the development of prominent projects such as Chakra pilgrimage site, Maa Lalita Devi Temple, Dadhichi Kund and Sita Kund will take place in the first phase while Dadhichi Kund, Rudravart Mahadev, Devdeshwar Temple and Kashi Kund would be developed in the second phase. Similarly, separate action plans have been chalked out for urban and regional development. The chief minister has also issued directives to authorities for ensuring availability of clean water in all the ponds of Naimisharanya, renovation of Chakra pilgrimage site and beautification of Dadhichi Kund and Maa Lalita Devi temple. The government has also decided to expand the area of Misrikh Municipality and develop Kosi Parikrama Path. Furthermore, Yogi Adityanath has instructed authorities to acquire
land as per requirement to carry out tourism development and beautification works in Naimish Dham and make adequate arrangements for tourists’ accommodation, lighting, parking and security, reiterating the government’s commitment to develop the dham, which happens to be the shrine of 88,000 sages. Meanwhile, the Tourism, Urban Development, PWD and Irrigation departments have been directed to prepare a concrete action plan for tourism development in Naimish Dham. The Tourism Department will also prepare a convenient tourism package for Naimishdham. It may be mentioned here that Naimisharanya pilgrimage site is a centre of faith for crores of Sanatan Dharma followers. There are many places of mythological and spiritual significance at Naimish Dham such as Maa Lalita Devi Temple, Chakra, Vyas Gaddi, Soot Gaddi and Hanuman Garhi among others. Lakhs of devotees visit the pilgrimage site every full moon and new moon as well as on occasions such as Navratri and fourteen Kosi parikrama of the month of Phagun.
Over 7,100 pilgrims leave for Amarnath cave shrine from base camp
Srinagar, July 12 (IANS): Amarnath Yatra, which was resumed on Monday after a two-day suspension following flash flood near the cave shrine, continued on Tuesday as another batch of 7,107 pilgrims moved from Jammu base camp towards the Valley.
Flash flood near the cave shrine on Friday killed 16 people and injured 37 while 15,000 were rescued. Reports that 40 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh are missing have been denied by the Andhra Pradesh government saying that only two pilgrims from that state are still
missing while all others are safe. Officials said Yatra was resumed on Monday from Pahalgam base camp while it was not resumed from Baltal base camp because the 14 km long north Kashmir trek is damaged at three places. “Helicopter services for the Yatris continued from both the base camps to the cave shrine,” officials said. Another batch of 7,107 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in two escorted convoys for the Valley on Tuesday. “Of these, 5,158 are going to Pahalgam while 1949 are going to Baltal,” officials said. Over 1,20,000 pilgrims have so far had Darshan inside the holy cave shrine. The 43-day long Amarnath Yatra 2022 started on June 30 and will end on August 11 on Shravan Purnima coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.
Killing of chicks gone up alarmingly: PETA
Lucknow, July 12: An investigation carried out by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has found that the gruesome and killing of chicks has gone up by thousands at a time. (PETA) India, at an emergency press conference held here shared the findings of its latest undercover investigation into numerous hatcheries across major egg- and/ or chicken meat-producing states-Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. Hatcheries are where chicks are born before they are sent to farms. The footage shows day-old chicks being dumped into drums, pits, rubbish bins, and ponds and left to die; buried alive using earthmovers; drowned, crushed, suffocated, and burned alive; fed alive or ground up alive to be fed to fish; and abandoned to be eaten by dogs or eagles.
www.indianabroad.news
Some are coloured with chemicals and sold to children, which means they are ultimately mishandled and commonly starved to death. Among the companies named in PETA India’s report are major industry players like Venky’s, Skylark Group, and Srinivasa Farms. “Newborn chicks are being drowned, burned alive, and killed in other violent and horrific ways at hatcheries across the country, all for the fleeting taste of meat or eggs,” said PETA India Senior Advocacy Officer Harshil Maheshwari. PETA India has called on people, rightfully appalled by these practices, to go vegan today, without any delay. Today, chickens used for meat are bred to have heavy, fleshy upper bodies, while those used for eggs are bred for abnormally high egg production.
Male chicks are considered useless by egg hatcheries because they don’t lay eggs and, thus, they are usually killed. Meanwhile, in both the meat and egg industries, many chicks are rejected because of size or health issues and also killed. PETA India is urging the Indian government to follow in the steps of France and Germany by mandating that the Indian poultry sector adopt in ovo-sexing technology, which allows male embryos to be identified at an early stage of development so that an egg, rather than a live bird, can be destroyed. PETA India has also asked the sector to seek guidance from the Animal Welfare Board of India on the humane handling of chicks who are sick and weak. This investigation marks the second time that PETA India has revealed haphazard, atrocious chick-killing practices in the country. Previously, PETA India had publicised video footage taken by Animals Now (previously Anonymous for Animal Rights) of unwanted chicks in India being drowned, burned, ground up, crushed, and fed alive to fish by the lakhs in 2016. PETA India’s latest investigation proves that the poultry sector continues handling chicks in cruel ways and that a government policy on the matter is an urgent need.
Centre bound to release Abu Salem after 25 years imprisonment: SC New Delhi, July 11 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday said the Central government is bound to honour the commitment given to the Portuguese government and release gangster Abu Salem on completion of 25 years imprisonment, following his conviction in the Mumbai serial blasts case. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh said: “On the appellant (Abu Salem) completing 25 years of sentence, the Central government is bound to advise the President of India for exercise of his powers under Article 72 of the Constitution, and to release the appellant in terms of the national commitment as well as the principle based on comity of courts.” The top court also made it clear that Abu Salem’s detention period will begin from October 2005, and not from September 2002 - when he was arrested pursuing Red Corner notice. Abu Salem was represented by advocate Rishi Malhotra in the top court. After the top court’s order, Abu Salem would be released from jail in 2030. The bench added: “The necessary papers be forwarded within a month of the period of completion of 25 years sentence of the appellant. In fact, the government can itself exercise this power in terms of Sections 432 and 433 of the CrPC. and such an exercise should also take place within the same time period of one month.” At the beginning of the verdict, Justice Kaul, who authored the judgment on behalf of the bench, said crime and punishment is something which has agitated the judicial minds and punishment cannot be disproportionately high or low. “It should not be oppressive, but
should serve the purpose of deterrence against crimes in a society along with a sense of justice to the victim and their family. This is a delicate balance, which has to be kept in mind,” he said. During the hearing, Abu Salem’s counsel contended that the assurance was given to the Portuguese government by India that he will not be either awarded death penalty or punished beyond 25 years, but he has been sentenced with life imprisonment by the court. The top court noted that the Indian government had given a solemn sovereign assurance on December 17, 2002, in view of the powers of the President of India under Article 72(1) of the Constitution. As the President acts on the aid and advice of the government under the provisions of Article 74 of the Constitution and, thus, the government is bound itself to advice the President to commute the sentence to 25 years in view of its commitment to the Courts in Portugal. The bench said it respects the very basis on which the courts of Portugal observed the principles of comity of courts by recognising that there is a separation of powers in India and, thus, the courts cannot give any assurance. “The corresponding principle of comity of courts, thus, has to be observed such that the Government of India having given the solemn assurance, and having accepted the same before us, is bound to act in terms of the aforesaid,” it said. It added that the judiciary had to perform its functions of imposing a sentence in accordance with law, while the executive would have to perform its duty by restricting the sentence in conformity with the assurance given to the Portuguese
courts. The Central government, in an affidavit, had submitted that it is bound by the assurance dated December 17, 2002 and the period of 25 years which is mentioned in the assurance will be abided by it at an appropriate time subject to the remedies which may be available. However, at this, the top court had said: “We did not appreciate the underlined portion aforesaid as once it was recognised that the government would abide by the assurance, nothing more or less was to be said. As far as the courts were concerned, they were to take a view as to the effect of that assurance.” The bench emphasised that the courts must proceed in accordance with law and impose the sentence as the law of the land requires, while simultaneously the executive is bound to comply with its international obligations under the Extradition Act as also on the principle of comity of courts, which forms the basis of the extradition. A special TADA court in February 2015, sentenced Abu Salem to life imprisonment in another case of murdering Mumbai-based builder Pradeep Jain in 1995 along with his driver. The gangster was extradited from Portugal in November 2005.
Delhi Court defers Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair’s bail hearing to July 14 New Delhi, July 12: A Delhi Court on Tuesday adjourned to July 14 the hearing on a bail plea filed by Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in a case related to an “objectionable tweet” which allegedly promoted enmity between religious groups. Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala noted that the Supreme Court is hearing a separate case in this regard and accordingly, the matter was adjourned. During the course of the hearing, Zubair’s counsel Vrinda Grover reiterated the arguments, in which she questioned what is so provocative about the 2018 tweet even after four years and also said police is constantly adding improvements to the initial case. New charges invoked against Zubair are under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 35 of the Foreign Contribution
(Regulation) Act. Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava, the newly-appointed Special Public Prosecutor for Delhi Police, apprised the court that he is in Bhopal and sought time to reply as the apex court is also hearing the matter. On July 2, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria at the Patiala House Courts rejected the bail plea of Zubair and granted his 14-day custody as sought by the Delhi Police. “Since the matter is at the initial stage of investigation and given the overall facts and circumstances of the case and nature and gravity of the offences alleged against the accused, no ground for grant of bail is made out,” Sarvaria said while dismissing Zubair’s bail plea. As per the FIR, accused Zubair had used a screengrab of an old Hindi movie which showed an image of a hotel, with its board reading ‘Hanuman hotel’ instead of
‘Honeymoon hotel’. In his tweet, Zubair had written, “BEFORE 2014: Honeymoon Hotel. After 2014: Hanuman Hotel.”The Delhi High Court had earlier issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a plea moved by Zubair challenging the Patiala House Courts’ order allowing his police custody and seizure of his laptop in connection with the alleged objectionable tweet.
Rain fury in Karnataka: Woman, daughter killed in wall collapse Bengaluru, July 12 (IANS): A woman and her daughter were killed in a wall collapse incident in Markawada village of Uttara Kannada district as heavy rain continued to lash Karnataka on Tuesday. Several incidents of landslides, school building and house collapse were reported from coastal as well as north Karnataka region. The deceased are identified as 35-year-old Rukmini Vittal and her 13-year-old daughter Sridevi Vittal. The deceased were asleep when the incident took place. Though the neighbours tried to clear the debris, the victims had succumbed. Meanwhile, the authorities have fished out a youth’s body on Tuesday in Kaniyur near Puttur of Dakshina Kannada district. The search for another body is on. The deceased youth were travelling in a car which was washed away by flood water. The body was found 250 meters away from where the car was recovered. Following heavy rains, people living on banks of river Krishna in north Karnataka and Cauvery in
/IndianAbroadNews
south Karnataka have been asked to shift to dafer places. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, before leaving for rain-affected regions in the state, took stock of the situation from Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Minister for Revenue R. Ashok and Minister for Energy V. Sunil Kumar. After arriving in Mysuru, speaking to reporters Chief Minister Bommai stated: “We have inputs on loss of life, incidents of house collapse. The survey of loss to agriculture is being conducted.” “Importantly there is road connectivity loss due to heavy rains. There are landslides, Kodagu district has experienced earthquakes, and there is sea erosion. In north Karnataka, houses on river banks are damaged. First phase crop loss survey has been done in the state and I will get details in the evening,” he said. CM Bommai maintained that the National Disaster Management Authority has got Rs 739 crore funds to take up rescue and relief operations in the state. There is no dearth of funds for taking up relief work. There are sensitive seismic zones in
/indianabroadnews
Kodagu which experienced tremors recently. It has been happening in the same places. He further maintained that the entire government is engaged in addressing the woes of people in rain-affected regions. “I will issue directions for the district administration. I will stand with people,” he says.
7
