A Spanish research vessel that investigates marine ecosystems has been abruptly diverted from its usual task to take on a new job: Helping in the increasingly desperate search for the missing from Spain's floods. The 24 crew members aboard the Ramon Margalef were preparing Friday to use its sensors and submergible robot to map an offshore area of 36 square kilometres —- the equivalent of more than 5,000 soccer fields —- to see if they can locate vehicles that last week's catastrophic floods swept into the Mediterranean Sea. The hope is that a map of sunken vehicles could lead to the recovery of bodies. Nearly a hundred people have been officially declared missing, and authorities admit that is likely they are more people unaccounted for in addition to the over 200 declared dead. Pablo Carrera, the marine biologist leading the mission, estimates that in 10 days his team will be able to hand over useful information to police and emergency services. Without a map, he said it would be practically impossible for police to carry out an effective and systematic recovery operation to reach vehicles that ended up on the seabed. “It would be like finding a needle in a haystack," Carrera told The Associated Press by phone. Many cars became death traps when the tsunami-like flooding hit on October 29. The boat will join a wider effort by police and soldiers who have expanded their searches for bodies and the missing beyond the devastated towns and streets. Searchers have used poles to probe into layers of mud while sniffer dogs tried to find scent traces of bodies buried in canal banks and fields. They are also looking at beaches that line the coast. The first area the Ramon Margalef is searching is the stretch of sea off the Albufera wetlands, where at least some of the water ended up after ripping through villages and the southern outskirts of Valencia city. Spanish state broadcaster said Friday that the body of one woman had been found on the beach after she went missing when the rushing water swept through her town of Pedralba, roughly an hour's drive from the coast. Carrera, 60, is head of the fleet of the research vessels run by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, a government funded science centre under the umbrella of the Spanish National Research Council. He boarded the Ramon Margalef in Alicante, located down Spain's coast, from where it will set sail to reach Valencia's waters before dawn Saturday. The plan is to go straight to work with the 10 scientists and technicians and 14 sailors working non-stop in shifts. The boat also helped research the impact from the lava flow that reached the sea from the 2021 La Palma volcano eruption in Spain's Canary Islands. Finding a body at sea, Carrera said, is highly unlikely. So the focus is on large objects that shouldn't be there. The boat's submergible robot loaded with cameras can dive to a depth of 60 metres to attempt to identify cars. Ideally, they will try to locate license plates, although visibility could be extremely limited and the cars could be smashed to bits or engulfed in the muck, Carrera said. In the longer term, he said his team will also evaluate the impact of the flood runoff on the marine ecosystem. Those findings will contribute to initiatives by other Spanish research centres to study Spain's deadliest floods of the century. Spain is used to the occasional deadly flood produced by autumn storms. But the drought that has hit the country for the past two years and record hot temperatures helped magnify these floods, scientists say. Spain's meteorological agency said that the 30.4 inches of rain that fell in one hour in the Valencian town of Turis is an all-time national record. “We have never seen an autumn storm of this intensity,” Carrera said. “We cannot stop climate change, so we have to prepare for its effects.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 November,2024 10:49 PM IST | Barcelona | APChief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, while addressing his farewell function on Friday, said that his shoulders are broad enough to accept criticism. According to news agency ANI, he also remarked, in a lighter vein, that all those who trolled him would soon be rendered unemployed.During the farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), CJI Chandrachud said, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant. I know in many ways I've exposed my personal life to public knowledge. When you expose your own life to public knowledge, you expose yourself to criticism, particularly in today's age of social media. My shoulders are broad enough to accept all the criticism that we have faced," he said, adding, "In a lighter vein, I am wondering what will happen from Monday. All those who trolled me will be rendered unemployed."He also thanked the bar and mentioned that it had responded with tremendous support to all the initiatives he had taken.According to ANI, SCBA President Kapil Sibal, in his address, said that CJI Chandrachud will be remembered as one of the greatest judges in the country."We can criticise any judge because there is nothing called perfection in life. There's also nothing called eternal truth. Perfection is relative. Truth is relative. You have to judge the man or the judge based on the times in which we live. When we write about Justice Chandrachud, we will discuss his judgments, his manner, his simplicity, his patience. All attributes of one of the greatest judges in this country," said Sibal.CJI Chandrachud also shared a personal story about his children. He said, "A word for my lovely children Abhinav and Chintan, I keep telling them, 'Why don't you come to Delhi and argue in the SC? At least I will see you.' They told me, 'Dad, we will do that after you demit office. Why should we bring disrepute to your name and our name by coming here when you are a judge?'" '1.07 lakh cases disposed of between November 9, 2022, and November 1 this year' According to ANI, while addressing his farewell function, CJI Chandrachud also spoke about the pendency of cases in the apex court and said, "At the time when I took over as the Chief Justice, I found that there were close to 1,500 files which had been stashed up in the cupboard of a registrar. I said this has to change. Between 9th November 2022 and 1st November 2024, 1.11 lakh cases were filed. 5.33 lakh cases were listed, and 1.07 lakh cases were disposed of. On 1st January 2020, 79,500 cases were pending before the Supreme Court, including what we now call unregistered or defective cases. That number on 1st January 2022 went up to 93,000 cases. On 1st January 2024, the number has come down to 82,000 cases. The 82,000 cases which are pending do not tell you that this number includes both registered and unregistered cases, and the number has decreased in two years by over 11,000 cases."Sharing another personal memory, CJI Chandrachud said, "He [my father] bought this small flat in Pune. I asked him, 'Why on earth are you buying a flat in Pune? When are we going to stay there?' He said, 'I know I'm never going to stay there. I'm not sure how long I will be with you, but do one thing, keep this flat until the last day of your tenure as a judge.' I said, 'Why is that?' He said, 'If you feel that your moral integrity or your intellectual integrity is ever compromised, I want you to know that you have a roof over your head. Never allow yourself to be compromised either as a lawyer or as a judge, because you have no place of your own.'"He also mentioned that whenever he sat through the Collegium making tough decisions, they never had a difference of opinion. "We never lost sight of the fact that we are not here with personal agendas. We are here to subserve the interest of the institution," CJI Chandrachud said, thanking everyone for a "great honour". CJI Chandrachud then shared a story about his mother's advice. "My mother told me when I was growing up that I have named you Dhananjay. But the 'dhan' in your 'Dhananjay' is not material wealth. I want you to acquire knowledge..." CJI DY Chandrachud said.Sibal, during his adddress, said, "CJI Chandrachud was willing to deal with complex issues that past chief justices would not have dared to address for years, like Article 370, same-sex marriage, or electoral bonds. You [CJI Chandrachud] were willing to take them forward. You addressed these issues within the contours of their complexities with great clarity. Therefore, we must thank you for all that you have done. We may not agree with you, but at least we must salute you for being ready to deal with those complexities."Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who is to succeed as CJI, said Justice Chandrachud had a mission to improve the top court. He further mentioned that as a tech enthusiast, he had transformed the top court and built a just world wherever he walked. (With ANI inputs)
08 November,2024 10:45 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPolice in Meerut's Kankerkheda area have booked two women accused of burning alive five stray puppies by pouring petrol over them, officials said on Friday. The women, residents of the same neighbourhood, were allegedly frustrated by the noise made by the puppies, according to locals. Station House Officer Jitendra Kumar told PTI that the FIR was filed based on the statement provided by Anshumali Vashishth, general secretary of the Animal Care Society. The two accused, Shobha and Aarti, have been booked under Section 325 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (mischief by killing or maiming animal) in the case lodged at Kankerkheda police station. "Further legal action will follow upon investigation," Kumar said. According to the complaint, the incident took place on November 5 in Sant Nagar Colony on Rohta Road. Vashishth claimed that a street dog had recently given birth to five puppies, which were allegedly targeted by the accused women. They poured petrol on the puppies and set them on fire. On Friday, representatives of the Meerut Vyapar Mandal met Circle Officer (CO) Daurala Shuchita Singh to bring the incident to his attention and demand strict action against the women involved. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 November,2024 10:41 PM IST | Meerut (UP) | PTIUttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party, claiming that women felt scared wherever they saw someone associated with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party. Adityanath on Friday addressed several rallies for the Rashtriya Lok Dal's (RLD) Meerapur candidate Mithilesh Pal and BJP nominees Ramveer Singh Thakur (Kundarki) and Sanjeev Sharma (Ghaziabad). Bypolls are being held in nine assembly seats -- Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad) -- in Uttar Pradesh on November 20. According to a statement issued in Lucknow, Adityanath claimed that during the Yadav-led party's government between 2012 and 2017, a slogan was used that suggested a goon sat inside any vehicle that had the Samajwadi Party flag. Pointing to the recent rape cases in Ayodhya and Kannauj and the alleged connection of the accused with the Samajwadi Party, he said, "'Jahaan dikhe SPaayee, wahaan bitiyaa ghabraayee (daughters are scared wherever they see Samajwadi Party people)'." "Everyone has seen their deeds in Ayodhya and Kannauj," he added. Adityanath further said, "This is the new brand of the Samajwadi Party. They are not concerned by public shame. It is a belief that the sisters and the daughters of a village are everyone's sisters and daughters. We all believe in this but the Samajwadi Party has torn this fabric." The chief minister also said the recruitment results for 60,200 posts in the police would be announced by the end of this month. "Earlier, youngsters from Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat and Bulandshahr districts were neglected. Now, they are recruited for government jobs without discrimination," he claimed. "When the youngsters pass (the exam), Samajwadi Party leaders will suffer a loss of face. Earlier, there used to be a recruitment list for Saifai. Now, the list is prepared on the basis of merit. There will be 20 per cent women among the total recruits and the 'daughters' will punch and kick them when Samajwadi Party leaders misbehave," he said. Adityanath also accused the Yadav-led party of opposing the Election Commission's decision to reschedule the assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh from November 13 to November 20. "The Election Commission extended the date due to public faith. The Samajwadi Party has a problem with every good work because if there are good people and work in society, then the garbage will be sorted out. They (Samajwadi Party) feel pain seeing how people peacefully celebrate festivals." There is no protest when the date for Eid is changed if the moon is not visible and the government declares a holiday accordingly, he said. "When a constitutional institution changed the date (of bypolls) keeping in view the importance of a festival symbolising Hindu faith, the Samajwadi Party felt pain." He also claimed that the Congress, which is not contesting the bypolls in the state, and the Samajwadi Party are "getting divorced". "In the Lok Sabha elections, these people had said 'khata-kat, khata-khat' but it did not benefit them. Now the rift between the two has started," Adityanath said. He further alleged that the two INDIA bloc allies misled people by lying in the name of the Constitution and reservation. Adityanath said, "There is a rift between the two because cheating is the nature of Samajwadi Party.'' The Samajwadi Party has fielded candidates on its symbol in all nine seats where bypolls will be held while the Congress is supporting it. The Congress had initially sought five seats while the Samajwadi Party wanted to allocate three seats to it. The chief minister also claimed that the Samajwadi Party divided society for power. Adityanath said, "Western Uttar Pradesh had to suffer the brunt of an exodus due to the Samajwadi Party government. The Samajwadi Party was dividing the society for power. Now, there are no riots in western Uttar Pradesh and exodus in Kairana. A rapid rail is running from Meerut to Delhi. Muzaffarnagar will also benefit from this facility soon." "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 'Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat' is being formed while the INDIA bloc is taking the country towards division. I have seen the proposal of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that Article 370 will be restored again. Why are the Congress and the Samajwadi Party silent on this proposal?," Adityanath asked. "Why are the people who shed tears in the name of Palestine and Pakistan silent about Jammu and Kashmir?," he questioned. Adityanath also batted for everyone to celebrate their respective festivals. "Every caste and community should get the freedom to celebrate festivals happily. If Holi, Diwali are celebrated with joy, then there will be no hindrance in Eid too. People who play with faith belong to no one," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 November,2024 10:37 PM IST | Lucknow (UP) | PTIJharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday criticised the BJP and dismissed their claims about 'Roti, Beti and Mati' as empty rhetoric. He asserted that his government has implemented various welfare schemes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of women, particularly daughters. "We have launched schemes like the Savitribai Phule Jhano Yojana for the safety of our daughters, with 12 lakh students linked to it," Soren said while addressing a public meeting at Gandhnia Hat Maidan in Ghatsila in support of his cabinet colleague-cum-JMM MLA Ramdas Soren. In an indirect reference to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Soren accused him of making hollow claims about the safety of tribals in Madhya Pradesh. He also accused the BJP of making false claims about protecting "Roti, Beti, and Mati," pointing to the central government's inaction in the face of ongoing atrocities against women in Manipur. Soren said the JMM-led coalition would return to power with a majority. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
08 November,2024 10:32 PM IST | Jamshedpur | PTIIn a significant boost for wildlife conservation, Forest Department officials and researchers at the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve have captured images of a new tiger through a camera trap installed in the forest, bringing exciting news for wildlife enthusiasts. The reserve is located in the Western Ghats of the Sahyadri ranges and the area of the reserve is 1,165.57 sq. km, with a buffer zone of 565.45 sq. km and a core area of 600.12 sq. km. The reserve spans across four districts: Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts in Maharashtra. Dr. V. Clement Ben, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests – Wildlife West, stated, "A new tiger has been captured on a camera trap at the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve on October 28, in the Chanoli National Park. In addition, the ground staff also found fresh pugmarks of the tiger. Currently, the reserve is home to a resident tiger, T1, and the sighting of this new individual is a very encouraging development for us." When the image of the tiger was spotted in the camera trap, the picture was cross-checked with the forest department's tiger photo database. Wildlife biologist Girish Punjabi confirmed to the forest department that this was indeed a new tiger in the range. Punjabi, who has been extensively working on tiger conservation in the region, told the forest department officials that the same tiger (T2) had been spotted in a camera trap at Radhanagri Wildlife Sanctuary in April 2024. It is believed that the tiger travelled approximately 100 km to reach the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve from Radhanagri Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in Kolhapur.
08 November,2024 08:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavIn a no-holds-barred attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the saffron party of "burning Manipur" and making attempts to divide people across the country on religious lines, reported news agency PTI. The Congress leader was addressing a rally in Jharkhand ahead of the state elections which will be held in two phases: November 13 and 20. During his address, Gandhi also alleged that the saffron party deprived 90 per cent of the nation's population of their due rights and benefits. "The BJP burnt Manipur and attempted to divide people on religious lines. It incited Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs against each other. In recently held Haryana elections, the BJP incited Jats against non-Jats...It is the character of the BJP," Gandhi alleged, while addressing an election rally in Lohardaga. According to PTI, the Congress leader also claimed that he undertook a 4,000-km padyatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to "spread the message of love and to open 'nafrat ke bazar me Mohabbat ki dukan' (to open shops of love in the market of hatred)". "When I raise my voice for tribals and Dalits, the BJP accuses me of dividing India. I am here to unite and strengthen India. If I am wrong for raising the voice for 90 per cent of India's population, which constitutes tribals, Dalits and OBCs (Other Backward Classes), for their participation in governance, I will continue to do so," the Member of Parliament (MP) from Rae Bareli stated. BJP waived loans of 25 capitalists: Rahul Gandhi He alleged that the BJP waived loans of 25 capitalists worth Rs 16 lakh-crore but blamed the Congress for easing farmers' debts to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which was in power from 2004 to 2014. "Did the BJP government waive any loan of Jharkhand farmers?...No because you are tribals, Dalits and OBCs. BJP will never waive your debts because it waives debts of capitalists," he alleged. According to PTI, in another rally at Simdega, Gandhi accused the BJP of trying to snatch 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen (water, forest, land)' from the tribal community. He also termed the Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 as a fight of ideology between the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and the BJP-RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) combine. The Congress leader alleged that the RSS-BJP's mission was to "destroy" the Constitution, while the INDIA bloc "wanted to protect" it. "PM (Narendra) Modi calls you 'vanvasi' as the BJP believes that land, forest and water belong to the saffron party, RSS and capitalists. The BJP believes in grabbing tribal land under its newly coined word development. It wants to snatch 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' (water, forest, land) from tribals," Gandhi alleged while addressing a rally in Jharkhand's Simdega. He also claimed that the Constitution was under "constant attack" and the INDIA bloc was making "all efforts to protect it". 'INDIA will conduct caste census if voted to power' Gandhi has promised to implement the caste census and remove the 50 per cent cap on the reservation, if the INDIA bloc is voted to power in Jharkhand. "The Constitution is under constant attack and it needs to be protected. We will remove the cap of 50 per cent reservation at any cost. If we are voted to power in Jharkhand, we will raise the reservation of STs to 28 per cent from the present 26 per cent, SCs to 12 per cent from the current 10 per cent and OBCs to 27 per cent from the existing 14 per cent," he claimed. He also asserted that a caste census is "a must to identify the participation of tribals, Dalits and OBCs" in various institutions and wealth of the country. "When I raised the issue in Parliament, PM Modi was silent and later said that Rahul Gandhi wants to divide the country," the Congress leader claimed. This was Gandhi's second visit to the state after the Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 was announced. The polls will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20 and the counting for the Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 will take place on November 23. (With PTI inputs)
08 November,2024 07:01 PM IST | Lohardaga | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar's disapproval of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge to katenge' remark shows there was no unity in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, reported the PTI. CM Yogi Adityanath has been raising 'batenge to katenge' slogan at his election rallies in state ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024. Talking about it, BJP ally and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the people of the state do not appreciate such remarks, and that the people of the state have always strived to maintain communal harmony. Addressing a poll rally in Maharashtra's Buldhana, Uddhav Thackeray said, "Ajit Pawar's disapproval of Yogi's remark shows there is no unity in the ruling Mahayuti alliance. In this scenario, Maharashtra does not need to learn any lesson from the UP chief minister." The ruling Mahayuti alliance comprises the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP. Uddhav Thackeray took a dig at the BJP stating that it has to bring leaders from outside the state to campaign ahead of the Maharashtra polls. "The Maharashtra assembly election 2024 is a contest between those who love Maharashtra and those who betray it," he said, dubbing the Mahayuti allies as betrayers of the state. "The Mahayuti government is the most corrupt in Maharashtra's history. They indulged in corruption in building the statue (of Shivaji Maharaj). Work done with inauspicious hands does not see any success and the statue collapsed," Uddhav Thackeray said. The statue of Shivaji Maharaj was unveiled last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Uddhav Thackeray also announced that if the MVA is voted to power in the state, its government will build the temples of Shivaji Maharaj in every district. "The temples will highlight the teachings of Shivaji Maharaj on how to govern and respect women," the former chief minister said, adding that he will also build the Maratha warrior king's temple at Surat in Gujarat. "Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cannot tolerate 'Shivaji Maharaj ki jai' slogan. He (Fadnavis) said you build a temple in Mumbra (a Muslim dominated locality in Thane) first. Do you find it difficult to build Chhatrapati Shivaji's temple in the home district of CM (Shinde)? They think Shivaji Maharaj is a vote-getting machine," Uddhav Thackeray alleged, as per the PTI. The former Maharashtra chief minister asked how Ajit Pawar sits next to Devendra Fadnavis, whose party had arrested NCP leader Nawab Malik and linked him to terrorist Dawood Ibrahim. Nawab Malik was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2022 in a money laundering case. He was later released on bail. He is also the NCP candidate from Mankhurd Shivajinagar. Uddhav Thackeray also accused the BJP of launching an attack on his party with the help of "dacoits", apparently referring to the MLAs who rebelled against his party and sided with CM Eknath Shinde. "The Shiv Sena stood with the BJP in its tough times. Had Shiv Sena not been there, Modi would not have been the prime minister and Fadnavis would not have been the CM," he said. Vidarbha gave maximum MPs to the BJP from 2014 and 2019. But how many people from Vidarbha got jobs in the last 10 years, Thackeray asked. He claimed that the wind was blowing in favour of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra. (with PTI inputs)
08 November,2024 06:46 PM IST | Buldhana | mid-day online correspondentThe Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission has proposed that men should not take women's measurements and tailor their clothes, they should not cut a woman's hair or train them in the gym either -- these are some of the proposals to protect women from 'bad touch' and stymie the ill intentions of men, reported the PTI. The suggestions, which includes installing CCTVs in gyms, cloth stores and coaching centres, and having a woman for security in school buses, followed a meeting held on October 28. According to the PTI, the Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission said it has sent letters on the guidelines -- which seem to be an attempt to segregate men and women in public spaces to improve women's safety -- to all district magistrates in the state to ensure compliance on the matter. "There have been increasing complaints of 'bad touch' by male trainers in gyms and in women's boutiques where tailors who take measurements are mostly male," Babita Chauhan, chairperson of the UP women's body, told PTI. "What we are saying is that it isn't a problem if the tailor is male but only women should take measurements," Chauhan said. In a press note, the women's panel proposed that women's gyms and yoga centres should only have female trainers. The gym and the trainers should be verified, while CCTV and DVRs at the establishments should mandatorily be in working condition, it said, as per the PTI. It said boutiques should have a female tailor to take women's measurements for clothes, with a functioning CCTV at the store. Shops selling women's clothes are required to have female employees, it said. It is mandatory to have a female dance teacher at drama centres and a female security guard or teacher in school buses, the guidelines added. Babita Chauhan said, "We are aware that trained women will have to be employed at all these places and this might take some time." However, it would also help employ more women, the Uttar Pradesh women's commission chairperson added, the news agency reported on Friday. Meanwhile, Himani Agarwal, a member of the commission, said that the proposal floated by Babita Chauhan on October 28 was accepted by the panel. Explaining the rationale behind the proposal, Himani Agarwal said that the involvement of men in such professions can lead to women getting molested. "They (men) try to indulge in bad touch." "The intention of some of the men is also not good," she said, before adding, "not that all men have bad intentions", as per the PTI. Himani Agarwal added that it is just a proposal as of now and the women's commission will subsequently request the state government to make laws on it. The proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with Samajwadi Party MLA Ragini Sonkar saying it should be left to individuals to decide which store or gym they want to go to. "I don't think this is a justified decision as it should be an individual choice on whether one prefers a male or a female to attend to them. It is a matter of choice," said the MLA from Machhlishahr in Jaunpur district, the PTI reported. "We are okay with the proposal about women's presence being mandatory at shops selling women's garments and at tailoring shops. But then, ultimately, it boils down to individual choice and this can't be limited to a particular sex," Sonkar said. According to the PTI, social workers Veena Sharma and Mohsina Choudhary welcomed the proposal, saying there are many complaints of women being harassed while giving measurements at tailor shops. They said that the proposal should be law. Veena Sharma is the Muzaffarnagar district coordinator of Mission Shakti -- a government women empowerment initiative, while Choudhary was earlier a member of the Child Welfare Board in the district, the PTI reported. Head of Kiran Sewa Samaj Uthan committee Ravita Dhagne in Muzaffarnagar also agreed with them. Supriya Kohli, who runs a boutique at Lucknow's Prag Narain Road, said, "Usually there aren't any objections on the issue of who is taking measurements but we do have women to take measurements if the client demands it. There is nothing wrong with the move," the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
08 November,2024 06:05 PM IST | Lucknow | mid-day online correspondentThe Madras High Court (HC) on Friday dismissed a petition challenging spiritual leader Sadhguru’s Padma Vibhushan award. The court deemed the petition "frivolous" and said the petitioner had "personal agenda" instead of any "genuine public concern" for filing the case. The Additional Solicitor General, who represented the Union of India in the case, confirmed that Sadhguru’s award was conferred after due process and in recognition of his "impactful contributions" to society. On October 18, the Supreme Court (SC) had Friday dismissed the habeas corpus petition filed by a father who claimed that his two daughters were being held as captives and brainwashed in the Isha Yoga Centre, run by spiritual leader Sadhguru. The apex court bench, comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, dismissed the case after hearing the statements of the two daughters, aged 39 and 42 years, who claimed that they had been living voluntarily in the ashram and are free to leave its premises according to their wish. The bench said that no further directions in the habeas corpus were needed, and the case should be closed. "As both of them are adults and the purpose of habeas corpus was fulfilled, no further directions were needed from the High Court," said SC. Earlier, the apex court had transferred the habeas corpus petition from the Madras HC to itself. The police had to restrain from taking any further actions against the Isha Yoga Centre at Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore in keeping with the directions given by the Madras High Court. The foundation had moved to the apex court challenging the order of the Madras HC which instructed the police to investigate the inside of the ashram in a habeas corpus petition. On Friday, Isha Foundation, which is run by the spiritual leader, released a statement on both the cases. The foundation said, "This ruling sends a strong message against the misuse of legal avenues by individuals who seek to discredit the Isha Foundation. Such baseless allegations only aim to undermine the work that Isha Foundation and Sadhguru have tirelessly committed to for the benefit of humanity. It is crucial to recognise these cases for what they are: attempts by those with vested interests to disrupt the Foundation’s meaningful impact." (With agency inputs)
08 November,2024 05:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentUnion Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday announced that India is set to grow its current USD 3.5 trillion economy to an impressive USD 35 trillion over the next 25 years, news agency PTI reported. Speaking at the Amazing Goa Global Business Summit 2024, Goyal emphasised that the 21st century is poised to be India's century, predicting that the nation will emerge as the third-largest economy in just three years. The summit, organised by the Vibrant Goa Foundation, also featured remarks from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu amongst others. Goyal quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, "21st century is India's century, the 21st century has stopped being small. What we do today is the best and the biggest." "We are working with a focused approach to make India a developed and prosperous nation by 2047 when we celebrate 100 years of Independence," he said. Goyal said India's growth story will take the economy from USD 3.5 trillion to USD 35 trillion in the next 25 years. "This 10-fold growth is due to India's strong economic fundamentals. We are the fastest-growing economy. Low inflation, strong foreign exchange reserves and a welcoming environment for the investors have brought twice the FDI to India in the last 10 years compared to the earlier decade," said the Commerce Minister. He also said that India moved from the “fragile five” economy in 2014, when the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre, stated PTI. Reflecting on the country's journey since 2014, Goyal remarked, "We were the 10th largest GDP in 2014, and there was very little hope, very low ambition and aspiration amongst the people of India. I am happy to share with you that under PM Modi's leadership, India has moved to the fifth largest economy in the world, from the fragile five to a powerful force. In the next three years, we will become the world's third-largest economy." Goyal further emphasised that India is now recognised as a trustworthy player in global supply chains, with a focus on improving the ease of doing business and reducing compliance burdens and decriminalisation of several laws which were not business-friendly. "India today is seen as a trusted and reliable partner in a global supply chain," he said. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed Goa's commitment to contributing to PM Modi's vision. Sawant stated, "Today, we are here to unveil the new Goa, which is ready to embark on the future as a vibrant investment destination. We are moving beyond tourism to make the state a thriving hub of emerging industries that will highlight Goa on a global map." Suresh Prabhu, former Union Minister, reiterated India's growing reputation as one of the least risky countries for investment under Modi's leadership. The three-day Amazing Goa Global Business Summit 2024 will feature a variety of knowledge sessions, business-to-business meetings, and other initiatives aimed at attracting investment to Goa. (With inputs from PTI)
08 November,2024 04:53 PM IST | Panaji, Goa | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
