Sisodia writes to L-G, urges him to return file on teachers’ training

and to complete discussions for resolving the same.

"Therefore, as per the Constitution and the TBR, the decision to send our government school teachers to Finland for training attains finality," he said.

New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) Delhi

Deputy Chief Minister Manish

Sisodia on Thursday wrote a letter to Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena, urging him to return the file pertaining to sending government teachers abroad for training. The file was sent to the L-G on January 20.

"I urge you to kindly return the file so that we may initiate the process of sending government school teachers abroad for training," the letter stated.

Sisodia said that the time allowed to the L-G under Transaction of Business Rules (TBR) to express a difference of opinion was long over, adding that, as per an official provision, the L-G gets a period of 15 days to decide whether he wishes to differ with the decision of a Minister

The Aam Aadmi Party leader further said: "After removing objections raised by you twice, we sent you the file related to sending Delhi Government School teachers to Finland for training on January 20, 2023 again."

"Two batches of teachers had to go abroad for training in December, 2022 and March, 2023 respectively. The first batch could not go because of repeated objections raised by you at that time. For the next batch due for March, 2023, the said file is pending in your office for more than a month," read the letter.

The letter also noted that "the Delhi government has exclusive executive control over it (Education) and the L-G does not have any power to take any decision in the matter of Education".

"However, if he differs with any decision of any Minister, then he may refer the matter to the President. Before referring the matter to the President, according to the Constitution and TBR, 1993, he is required to try and resolve it through discussions with the concerned and refer the matter to the Council of Ministers,"

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 23 (IANS) The Congress, BJP and two journalists' bodies on Thursday condemned the 'gagging' of the media by the Kerala government after a senior journalist appeared before the police for questioning following a complaint lodged by CPI-M Rajya Sabha member and veteran trade union leader Elamaram Kareem.

This comes even as the CPI(M) vociferously opposes the 'gagging' of press freedom by the Narendra Modi Central government . The case was filed in March 2022 by Kareem after a prime time discussion on the channel was based on a Bharath Bandh observed by various trade unions.

John had criticized Kareem's justification of violence that was unleashed on the bandh day. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said that this gagging of the media is not at all acceptable.

"The CPI-M is known for its hypocritical stand on all issues. Just the other day, they were crying hoarse about the way the Centre was seen taking the BBC to task. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his party were crying foul then and see what they have done to John now. John was critical of a genuine issue. This is not at all acceptable," said Satheesan.

State BJP president K. Surendran said that this is the way the Communists behave because they cannot fathom criticism.

"If this gagging the media policy continues, the Pinarayi Vijayanled government will have to face massive protests," said Surendran.

The Kerala Union of Working Journalists and the Thiruvanathapuram Press Club also condemned the police action.

John was served the notice over the incident that took place on March 28, 2022 when he was anchoring a news bulletin.

A case was filed against him on April 28 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

John had expressed his ire as Kerala witnessed a total bandh (shut down) in March last year with agitators taking over the streets.

Presenting his side of the story, John said that he was peeved when a patient who was being moved in an auto-rickshaw drew the ire of the protesters in north Kerala.

In the news hour debate, he made a statement that if anyone did such a thing to Kareem, what would have happened.

Soon after this incident in March, the local CITU unit put up posters at the house of John.

The posters were in the name of the CITU Peroorkada Area Committee, which gave a call for protests against John to isolate him.

A few days later, trade union workers of various political parties marched to the Asianet office to register their protest against the comments made by John.

Penalty for littering garbage on roads in Kolkata hiked 100 times

Kolkata, Feb 26 (IANS) Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to increase the penalty for littering garbage on the streets of the city by 100 times in the near future.

A decision in this regard was taken at the monthly conference of KMC on Saturday, informing the member (solid waste management) of KMC's Mayor-inCouncil, Debabrata Majumdar on Sunday.

"Till now the fine for littering garbage on the road was Rs 50. Even the work of imposing financial penalties on the offenders was not implemented properly. This had led to some kind of reluctance among a section of the citizens to follow garbage-discipline on this count. Despite the KMC installing garbage-drums in close proximity throughout the city, a section of citizens are still littering garbage on the streets. So, it has been decided to increase the present penalty rate of just Rs 50 to Rs 5,000 and from now onwards our team will be strict in implementing that," Majumdar said on Sunday.

The proposal has been approved by the KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim. It is learnt that in the monthly conference Hakim observed that the tendency among a section of the people residing in flats in housing complexes or high-rises to throw garbage on the streets from their balconies was still rampant in certain pockets of the city. He also observed that all efforts of the corporation to keep the city clean were going fruitless unless the citizens are aware of their responsibilities on this count.