Tag: Union-Territories

Took Care of Article 370 in J&K Without Creating Any New Problems, Says Modi in Jharkhand Rally.

Source – news18.com

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government had taken care of Article 370 without creating any new problems in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a poll rally in Jharkhand, where the second phase of voting is scheduled for December 7, Modi said: “We abolished Article 370… it was a mess created by congress but we took care of it without creating any new problems… I know that people of Jharkhand will help in the growth of J&K.”

The Centre on August 5 scrapped provisions of Article 370 and divided Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh.

Modi, who was in Khunti, also said Jharkhand was like a growing child and “like a parent who is worried about the future of their growing child I am also working for Jharkhand”.

“Jharkhand is now 19 years old. It will soon stop being a teenager… I want you to stand with me and I promise you that when Jharkhand turns 25 you will not be able to recognise it.”

The Prime Minister said BJP had succeeded in breaking the back of Naxals in Jharkhand and thanked the people of the state for putting up a fight against elements who tried to disrupt polling in the first phase on Saturday.

“I have always had a close connection with Jharkhand… I have visited the state while holding many positions. I thank you for the way you have voted in the first phase,” Modi said.

He added: “There were some elements who tried to disrupt polling in the first phase but you fought then and still turned up to vote.”

Enumerating the achievements of the BJP, Modi said: “Today we have managed to bring electricity to places where earlier opposition leaders did not even bother to visit. BJP brought the magic of solar power to Jharkhand.

“We are ensuring that farmers in Jharkhand are getting money straight into their accounts… look at the condition of farmers in non BJP states… Congress and their allies are deceiving them,” he said.

Patna Air Turns ‘Severe’; Supreme Court Issues Notice to All States on Pollution.

Source – weather.com

In an unprecedented step, the Supreme Court issued a notice to all Indian states and Union Territories on Monday, seeking their response on why they should not be held accountable to pay compensation to people for not providing clean air.

Even on the day of the hearing on air pollution, November 25, two cities from the state of Bihar recorded the highest AQIs as reported in the Daily Air Quality Index (AQI) Bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Patna was the most polluted city in the country with ‘severe’ 24-hour average AQI of 404.

Are authorities neglecting environmental issues in cities?

In a three-hour hearing, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra and comprising Deepak Gupta said: “The AQI is extremely poor in many cities and towns. We also need to know how they are managing garbage. It appears that these issues have lost priorities for the authorities.”

Pollution levels in the country, particularly in the northern half of the state, consistently rise during the post-monsoon season. While the air quality worsens in almost all the regions, some states and union territories have persistently recorded the poorest air quality since the past few years.

Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Punjab are some of the regions where unhealthy air has lately become the norm.

Eastern cities most polluted on Monday

Patna and Muzaffarpur were the most polluted cities on Monday with AQI values of 404 (severe) and 393 (very poor) respectively. They were followed by West Bengal’s Howrah (329) and Asansol (324).

While the entire Indo-Gangetic plain is often the most polluted region in the country mainly due to geographic and meteorological reasons, so far this season, northwestern cities from Delhi NCR and Haryana had remained the most polluted cities. On Monday, only cities from Bihar and West Bengal remained the most polluted with ‘very poor’ air quality.

Bhiwadi (Rajasthan), Lucknow and Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Jorapokhar (Jharkhand), Vapi (Gujarat) and Narnaul (Haryana) occupied the rest of the spots on the list of top 10 most polluted cities.

Endangering right to life

Apart from air pollution levels, the bench also pointed out the emerging issue of unavailability of clean drinking water in many cities and towns. “Yamuna river has turned into sewage. River Ganga is also in the same condition. River water pollution is a major issue,” said the court.

SC observed that the right to life has been endangered by the states due to lack of response on most pressing issues.

“We have noted that every year, and year after year, the process is worsening…time has come to protect the right to life. Why should they (state administrations) not pay compensation on air pollution, not lifting garbage etc.? Time has come to rewind the state machinery,” said Justice Mishra.