July 2023 - Page 13 of 49 - Lokmarg

Jobless, Houses Inundated, Flood Victims Return To Relief Camps As Yamuna Level Rises

By LokMarg 22nd July 2023

As the water level of Yamuna River in Delhi breached danger lever mark of 205.33 meters, the flood-affected people on Saturday again took shelter in relief camps in the capital.

After days of receding, the water level of Yamuna river once again crossed the danger level on Friday night. However, it receded afterwards and was recorded 205.33 metres, danger level, at Old Railway Bridge at 8 am today.

Hundreds of flood-affected people were seen taking shelter at the relief camps, located near Signature Bridge.

“We live in a camp near Signature Bridge. We request the Delhi govt to give us a space to live. We have to relocate every time there is flood in the area…,” Lakshman Das, an occupant of the relief camp near Signature Bridge said.

Jagdish, an occupant of the relief camp in Mayur Vihar Phase 1, said that the Delhi government is providing water, food, and ration here.

“Now that the water level has increased again, we will have to stay in the camp till situation goes back to normal…we’re getting water, food, tea and ration from the Delhi government”, Jagdish said.

Recounting the loss, she faced after her farm was inundated by the Yamuna River, a woman, native of Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun, said that if the situation continues she would have no other option but to return to her village.

Another woman staying at the makeshift said that she can’t return to her village because her children are in school and the reverse migration would affect their education.

“We are getting, food, and water here. Clean water comes on a tanker. We are jobless as our farms are flooded. We can’t even return to village as our children are going to schools,” she added.

After July 13, the Yamuna had been receding gradually after reaching an all-time high of 208.66 meters but there have been marginal fluctuations in the water level over the last two-three days.

The water level dropped below the danger mark at 8 pm on July 18 after flowing above the threshold for eight days. The river breached the danger mark at 5 pm on July 10, leading to extensive flooding of the national capital.

Earlier, following a noticeable improvement in the waterlogging situation, the Delhi government lifted the ban on entry of heavy vehicles into the national capital.

“Considering the improvement of the flood situation and descending water level of Yamuna River, it has been decided by the competent authorities to withdraw all the restrictions imposed as per the orders on July 13th and 17th with effect from July 19th,” read an official statement. (ANI)

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Foreign currency recovery at IGI Airport

Customs Recovers Foreign Currency Worth Rs 10 Cr At Delhi Airport

By LokMarg 22nd July 2023

In what is claimed to be a “biggest-ever seizure”, Customs department officials on Friday recovered foreign currency worth over Rs 10 crores from three Tajikistan nationals at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.

According to officials, the accused trio were caught while they were going to board a flight to Istanbul.
“On the basis of profiling, the officers of Airport Customs, IGI Airport, Terminal-3, New Delhi have booked the biggest-ever case of smuggling of foreign currency through any airport in India on 21 July against three Tajikistan national passengers,” the Customs department said in a statement on Saturday.

“These passengers were intended to depart for Istanbul by Flight No. TK 0717 dated 21 July from T3, IGI Airport, New Delhi,” the statement read.

“The detailed examination of the baggage and personal search of the passengers resulted in the recovery of foreign currency (USD 7,20,000/- & Euro 4,66,200/-) from the three passengers which is equivalent to Rs 10,06,78,410,” it said.

“The recovered foreign currency has been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962,” it said while adding that further investigation is under progress. (ANI)

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Tomato Prices To Come Down With Arrival Of New Crop From M’rashtra

By LokMarg 22nd July 2023

The prices of tomato is expected to come down with the increase in arrival of new crop from Nasik, Naryangoan and Aurangabad belt in Maharashtra and also from Madhya Pradesh, Centre told the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Minster of State Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey made the statement in a written reply to the query of a Rajya Sabha member.
The Minister further said the Department of Consumer Affairs monitors the daily prices of 22 essential food commodities including tomato.

In order to check the current increase in prices of tomato and make it available to the consumers at affordable prices, the Minister said, the government has started the procurement of tomatoes under Price Stabilisation Fund and is making it available at a highly subsidised rate to consumers.

Choube said the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) are continuously procuring tomato from mandis in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra and making it available at affordable prices in major consuming centres in Delhi-NCR, Bihar and Rajasthan after subsidizing the price to the consumers.

“The tomatoes have been disposed initially at retail price of Rs 90 per kg which has been reduced to Rs 80 per kg from July 16 and further reduced to Rs 70 per kg from July 20,” said the Minister while responding to the query of Kartikeya Sharma, who asked about the measures taken by the government to monitor and regulate tomato prices to ensure affordability for consumers.

“Current increase in tomato prices may incentivize farmers to grow more tomato crop

which is expected to stabilize the prices in coming months.”

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW) implements Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to protect the growers of perishable agri-horticultural commodities from making distress sale in the event of a bumper crop during the peak arrival period when the prices tend to fall below economic levels and cost of production, said the Minister.

“Under the scheme, the loss on account of the fall in price is borne between the Central Government and State Government on 50:50 basis. Since the inception of MIS till date, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has not received any proposal from State Governments for market intervention to address distress sale of tomato,” Choube said.

Ministry of Food Processing Industries implements Operation Greens for enhancing value addition and reduction in post-harvest losses of agri-horticultural commodities, including tomato, said the Minister, adding “the objectives of the scheme are enhancing value realization of produce for farmers; protect the growers from making distress sale; increase in food processing/preservation capacities and value addition; and (iv) reduction in post-harvest losses.”

He said the scheme has both short-term interventions component and long-term interventions component.

“The short-term interventions include transportation and storage subsidy to individual farmers, group of farmers, farmer producer organisations, farmer producer companies, cooperative societies, State Marketing and Co-operative Federation, food processors, licensed commission agents, exporters and retailers. Under the long term interventions, grants-in-aid are being provided for Integrated Value Chain Development Projects and Stand-alone Post Harvest Infrastructure Projects,” added the Minister. (ANI)

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Any Nuclear Attack Will Be The End Of The North Korean Regime: South Korea

By LokMarg 22nd July 2023

South Korea has warned North Korea that any nuclear attack from the latter’s side would mean an “end” of the Kim Jong Un-led regime, Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday.

Seoul’s warning has come after Pyongyang had said the deployment of a US nuclear-capable submarine and other strategic assets here could meet the conditions for its use of nuclear arms.
Seoul’s defence ministry renewed the warning after Pyongyang’s Defence Minister Kang Sun-nam issued a sharp-tongued statement the previous day, criticizing the arrival of the USS Kentucky, an 18,750-ton Ohio-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), in South Korea and the inaugural meeting of the South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) this week, Yonhap news agency reported.

“In the event of any North Korean nuclear attack against the South Korea-US alliance, it will face an immediate, overwhelming and decisive response from the alliance, and (we) strongly warn again that through this, (the attack) will result in the end of the North Korean regime,” Yonhap news agency quoted the Seoul ministry as saying.

The USS Kentucky arrived in the southeastern port city of Busan on Tuesday. Its arrival coincided with the first NCG session aimed at strengthening the credibility of the extended deterrence commitment by the US to use the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

The ministry defended the NCG gathering and the SSBN’s deployment as a “rightful” defensive measure against North Korea’s “continued nuclear and missile threats”, dismissing the North’s claim that they posed a nuclear threat to the recalcitrant country, Yonhap news agency.

It also said Pyongyang’s nuclear program and missile provocations are “clear” violations of UN Security Council resolutions and “illicit activities,” noting the country is the “only” one that repeats threats of a nuclear attack against the South Korea-US alliance.

“North Korea will never gain any concessions from the South Korea-US alliance through its nuclear development and threats, and (we) urge it to recognize its isolation and destitution will only deepen, and to come out swiftly to the path of denuclearization,” the ministry stated.

The first US SSBN’s visit to the South since 1981 came after the US pledged to enhance the “regular visibility” of its high-profile military assets, including the strategic submarine, in the Washington Declaration that Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Joe Biden issued during their summit in April, Yonhap news agency reported.

Tensions have heightened as Pyongyang has continued its ‘sabre-rattling’, such as its launches of an intercontinental ballistic missile on July 12 and two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday. (ANI)

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Yamunotri, Badrinath Highways Blocked Due To Falling Debris

By LokMarg 22nd July 2023

Scores of commuters, including tourists as well as locals are stranded in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi after the Yamunotri National Highway was blocked at many places on Saturday due to falling debris near Gangnani, officials said.

Visuals from the area show vehicles being stuck in debris, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

According to the Uttarkashi administration, the highway was blocked at many places including Chhatanga, adding that a Tehsildar was sent to take stock of the situation.

Uttarkashi district disaster management officials said that due to heavy rains near Gangnani in the Barkot area, there has been a lot of debris and stones on the Yamunotri National Highway.

“The fresh spell of rains led to water-logging in Kasturba Gandhi residential school. The school children had to be shifted to safer places,” they said.

A team each from the State Disaster Response Force team and the fire brigade was immediately sent to the spot to carry out relief work, they added.

Similarly, Badrinath National Highway near Chamoli district was also blocked in three places due to falling debris as incessant rainfall continued in the region.

As per officials, the incident left a large number of commuters stuck on both sides of the national highway for hours.

“The roadway is blocked due to debris at Nandprayag, Belakuchi, and Pagalnala on the Badrinath National Highway,” Chamoli police said in a tweet on Saturday morning.

In Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places over Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri and Nainital in the next 24 hours.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday reviewed the progress of relief and rescue works in Damkothi in Haridwar district in connection with waterlogging in the area.

He also asked the higher officials to keep an eye on the situation continuously. (ANI)

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Yasin’s Presence In SC Was Serious Security Lapse: Solicitor General

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Friday expressed his concern at Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik’s presence in the Supreme Court today and wrote a letter to Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, flagging the issue of security to Malik.

Yasin Malik, who is serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail after being convicted in a terror funding case, was presented before the top court for a hearing on a CBI plea against Jammu court order.
Stating that Yasin Malik’s presence in Supreme Court was a serious security lapse raising apprehension that he could have escaped, forcibly taken away or could have been killed, Mehta said, “It is my firm view that this is a serious security lapse. A person with a terrorist and secessionist background like Mr Yasin Malik who is not only a convict in a terror funding case but has known connections with terror organisations in Pakistan could have escaped, could have been forcibly taken away or could have been killed.”

In his letter to Bhalla, Mehta further said that even the security of the Supreme Court also would have been put at serious risk if any untoward incident were to happen.

“In any view of the matter so long as the order under section 268 of CrP Code subsists, jail authorities had no power to bring him out of jail premises nor did they have any reason to do so,” the SG said.

The Solicitor General further said that considering this to be a matter serious enough to once again bring it to your personal notice so that suitable action and steps can be taken at your end.

In the letter, it was mentioned about an order passed by the Ministry of Home Affairs with regard to the said Yasin Malik under section 268 Criminal Code of Procedure which prevents the jail authorities to bring the said convict out of the jail premises for security reasons.

“Everyone was shocked when news was received that the jail authorities are bringing Yasin Malik personally to appear before the Supreme Court as per his desire to appear as party in person,” he said.

The letter also mentioned about SG had telephonically intimated Home Secretary about this fact, however, by that time Yasin Malik had already reached the precincts of the Supreme Court of India.

Neither the Court had summoned his personal presence nor was any permission taken from any authority of the Supreme Court of India in this regard.

“When I enquired from the officer who was in charge of the security of Mr Yasin Malik in the Supreme Court, the only thing he could show me was a printed notice in a general format of the Supreme Court which is sent with regard to every party to any matter in the Court. The said printed notice informs the recipients of the notice to appear before the Court either in person or through an authorised Advocate,” SG said.

He also said that printed notice in a general format of the Supreme Court is not either the permission of the Supreme Court to bring a convict facing an order under section 268 of CrP Code to come out of jail nor it is requiring mandatory personal presence of the recipient of the order. (ANI)

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Rajasthan Govt Sacks Minister Of State Rajendra Singh Gudha

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Rajasthan government on Friday sacked its minister of state Rajendra Singh Gudha.

According to the Governor’s House, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recommended to Governor Kalraj Mishra to remove the minister.
The Governor accepted the recommendation of the Chief Minister with immediate effect.

“Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot recommended to Governor Kalraj Mishra to sack the Minister of State Rajendra Singh Gudha, member of the Council of Ministers, in the evening of July 21. The Governor has accepted this recommendation of Chief Minister Gehlot with immediate effect,” stated the Governor House.

In the official statement, no reason for Gudha’s termination was mentioned in the order.

Earlier today, Gudha had criticised his own government over recent incidents of crimes against women in the state.

Speaking in the assembly, Gudha, the Congress leader said that it should be accepted that the state government “failed” in women’s safety.

“It is true and should be accepted that we have failed in women’s safety. Instead of Manipur, we should look within ourselves why atrocities on women have increased in Rajasthan,” Gudha said.

The recent incident, in which the body of a 19-year-old girl was recovered from a well in which she was allegedly dumped after being allegedly raped and murdered had created a furore in the State Assembly.

Meanwhile, Jodhpur Police recovered four charred bodies from a hut at Cherai village in Ramnagar gram panchayat of Jodhpur on July 19. As per the information, the family members were first murdered and then their bodies were set on fire.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Thursday said that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and National Commission for Women has taken cognizance of the incident.

Coming down heavily on the Congress government over the recovery of the charred bodies, the BJP demanded the resignation of CM Gehlot.

“This is a shameful incident. The chief minister should step down owning moral responsibility for the incident, which took place in his home district. Crimes across Rajasthan have been on the rise in the recent past,” BJP leader CP Joshi said.

Earlier on Sunday, in another incident, a 17-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang raped by three college students while her boyfriend was thrashed in Jodhpur of Rajasthan.

However, the police later informed that they have arrested the accused hours after the incident.

The three accused have been identified as Samandar Singh Bhati, Dharmpal Singh and Bhattam Singh (aged 20-22).

As per the police, the three accused had first attacked the boy and then took turns raping the minor girl. (ANI)

Varanasi Court Allows Scientific Survey Of Gyanvapi Mosque Complex

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

A Varanasi Court has given directions to conduct an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the Wazu tank which has been sealed, Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represents Hindu side in the case, said on Friday.

“I have been informed that my application has been approved and the court has given directions to conduct an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the Wazu tank which has been sealed. I think the survey can be completed within 3 to 6 months,” he said.
Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, who also represents Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case, said the court decision is turning point in the case.

“Our application for the ASI survey has been accepted. It’s a turning point in the case,” he said.

The court pronounced its order on a petition filed by the Hindu side seeking direction for a “scientific survey” of the entire Gyanvapi mosque premises by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Hindu side had submitted a petition letter in the Varanasi court asking for an ASI study of the entire complex of the Gyanvapi mosque located in Vishwanath temple.

Advocates and supporters of the Hindu side are hopeful and eagerly waiting for the Court’s verdict on the petition.

The court completed arguments on a petition on Friday last.

The petition was filed in May this year by five women who in another plea had earlier sought permission to pray at the “Shringar Gauri Sthal” inside the shrine complex. A structure — claimed to be a “Shivling” on one side and a “fountain” on the other side — was found on the mosque premises.

The survey will exclude the Wazukhana that has the ‘Shivling’ like structure. That area has been sealed and the matter is in the Supreme Court. The Muslim side is likely to challenge this order before the Allahabad High Court

Vishnu Shankar Jain, had said on July 14 that they kept our point in front of the court.

“Honourable Supreme Court on May 21 gave judgment in our favour.. we kept our viewpoint in front of the district court seeking an investigation of the site by ASI… Let us wait for the court’s order.”

Earlier on July 6, Hindu petitioners in the Gyanvapi case urged the Supreme Court to hear at the earliest a petition challenging Allahabad High Court’s order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of a “Shivling” said to have been found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi during a video graphics survey last year.

Petitioners wrote a letter to the Registrar of the Supreme Court stating that the case was listed before the apex court on May 19, 2023, when it had deferred the implementation of the directions till July 6, 2023.

The Supreme Court had earlier put on hold the carbon dating of the “Shivling” saying that the implementation of the directions contained in the Allahabad High Court’s order shall stand deferred till the next date of hearing.

Allahabad High Court allowed the scientific survey of the “Shivling” in the premises of the Gyanvapi complex under the supervision and direction of District Judge, Varanasi.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and KV Viswanathan had deferred the “scientific survey” saying, “Since the implications of the impugned order merit closet scrutiny, the implementation of the directions concerned in the order shall stand deferred till the next date.”

The bench had also issued notice to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on the appeal of the Gyanvapi mosque management committee against the High Court’s order for scientific investigation by ASI to determine the age of “Shivling”.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, had told the bench that the carbon dating and the survey will commence soon.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh, had submitted that there should be no damage to the structure which one side claims a “Shivling” and the other calls a fountain.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindu petitioners in the case, said that experts of the ASI have already informed that no damage will be caused to the structure.

During the survey, a structure — claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side — was found in the mosque premises on May 16 last year during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The High Court on May 12 set aside the Varanasi District judge’s order which had rejected the application for a scientific survey and carbon dating of the “Shivling” on October 14, 2022.

The High Court had directed the Varanasi District judge to proceed, in accordance with the law, on the application by the Hindu worshippers for conducting a scientific probe of the “Shivling”.

Petitioners Laxmi Devi and three others had filed a plea in the High Court, challenging the order lower court order. (ANI)

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Manipur: All Four Accused Remanded To 11-Day Police Custody

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

All four accused, who were arrested on Thursday in connection with the viral video of women being paraded naked in Manipur were remanded to 11-day police custody on Friday.

“All four accused remanded to 11-day police custody,” Manipur Police said.
According to officials, all four accused were arrested on Thursday.

“Four main accused arrested in the Viral Video Case: 03 (three) more main accused of the heinous crime of abduction and gangrape under Nongpok Sekmai PS, Thoubal District have been arrested today. So a total 04 (four) persons have been arrested till now,” Manipur Police said in a tweet on Thursday.

The incident allegedly took place on May 4, a day after ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur.

After a video of the same went viral, the police swung into action and arrested 4 people, including the main accused.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the video, Police on Thursday night said that a case of abduction, gang rape and murder was registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unknown armed men and that all-out efforts were on to arrest the culprits at the earliest.

The two women are alleged to have been sexually assaulted before being set free by the mob comprising the majority community.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke said he is pained over the incident and said the incident is “shameful for any civil society”.

“No accused will be spared, we will never forgive those who are behind this,” PM Modi said.

The violence in Manipur erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3 in protest against the proposed inclusion of people belonging to the Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). (ANI)

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Save Our Daughters: BJP MP Chatterjee Breaks Down

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from West Bengal’s Hooghly Locket Chatterjee broke down on Friday while recounting an alleged incident of sexual assault of a BJP candidate during Bengal panchayat polls. The BJP has claimed that Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers were behind this incident.

MP Chatterjee was addressing a press briefing along with West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar in connection with a viral video of Manipur, purportedly showing two women being paraded in the nude.
“We are also women. We also want our daughters to be saved… We are also India’s daughters. West Bengal is also part of this country. Yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on incidents of assault against women in Manipur. He not only spoke for the daughters in Manipur but for daughters across the country,” Chatterjee said.

“He said that the law and order in all states should be made strict to protect our daughters. Not just daughters of Manipur but daughters all over the country. So I urge you all to speak up for us also. Where will our daughters go for justice? There were incidents of violence against our daughters during the recent panchayat polls”, MP Chatterjee said during the press briefing.

Speaking to mediapersons before the Parliament went into session on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his heart was filled with sorrow and anger over the incident in Manipur. “What has happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven,” PM Modi had said.

Meanwhile, addressing a press brChatterjee broke down in tears as she recounted an alleged incident of sexual assault by TMC workers of a BJP candidate during Panchayat polls on July 8 in Howrah district of West Bengal.

West Bengal DGP Manoj Malviya, however, said that the police investigated the incident but no evidence was found of the alleged incident.

“Howrah Panchla incident is in news… An email was received on July 13. As per the email, it was alleged that on July 8, the victim was forcibly pulled out of the polling booth, her clothes were torn… That was only through the mail. Police then asked them to FIR. We investigated and found this alleged incident has no evidence or proof found,” DGP Manoj Malviya said.

The DGP further said that the police, central forces and even the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly had visited the place on July 8, where the polling was taking place, but no one said anything about the alleged incident.

“On July 8, there were police and central forces in the booth and also there were many people who came to vote, but no one said such an incident happened. Even the LOP had visited that place and the fact-finding team visited once, but no one said about this incident. Though we reached out to the complainant and her husband and called her for a medical examination they have not given anything. If this kind of incident had happened the police would have taken action. This is a digital era and everyone records if anything happens”, the DGP added. (ANI)

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