Uttarakhand govt responsible for Swami Nigamanand's death: Jairam Ramesh
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh today held Uttarakhand government responsible for the death of Swami Nigamanand, who died because of fasting, and warned the mining mafia, against which the seer ofHaridwar-based Matri Sadan Ashram was fighting, of action.
"In view of the fact that the state government has demonstrated a continued reluctance to take action against illegal mining, I think, we will have no option but to invoke Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act and take action on our own," the minister said reacting to a volley of questions about the death of Swami.
Swami Nigamanand of Maitri Sadan died after a record 114-day long hunger strike yesterday demanding immediate stopping of quarrying in Ganga and alleged corruption in the government's system with active involvement of the mafia.
Recalling a letter he had sent to Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" on January 6, last year, asking him to take steps to end illegal sand mining in the stretches of River Ganga at Haridwar, Ramesh said, "unfortunately, no action was coming from the state government over the last 15 months or 16 months."
"I am extremely sorry that the swami who were fasting has died... should not have happened. I have myself been to Maitri sadan twice and I have spoken to the chief minister on a number of occasions that illegal mining is rampant in Uttarakhand... that illegal mining enjoys political patronage in the highest levels. Please take actions. But no action was taken," the minister said.
"In view of the fact that the state government has demonstrated a continued reluctance to take action against illegal mining, I think, we will have no option but to invoke Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act and take action on our own," the minister said reacting to a volley of questions about the death of Swami.
Swami Nigamanand of Maitri Sadan died after a record 114-day long hunger strike yesterday demanding immediate stopping of quarrying in Ganga and alleged corruption in the government's system with active involvement of the mafia.
Recalling a letter he had sent to Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" on January 6, last year, asking him to take steps to end illegal sand mining in the stretches of River Ganga at Haridwar, Ramesh said, "unfortunately, no action was coming from the state government over the last 15 months or 16 months."
"I am extremely sorry that the swami who were fasting has died... should not have happened. I have myself been to Maitri sadan twice and I have spoken to the chief minister on a number of occasions that illegal mining is rampant in Uttarakhand... that illegal mining enjoys political patronage in the highest levels. Please take actions. But no action was taken," the minister said.
Hazare offers olive branch to govt.
DELHI June 14:-Amid a war of words between the government and civil society members over the Lokpal Bill, both sides will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday for its drafting even as Anna Hazare on Tuesday reminded the Ministers that differences could be resolved through dialogue and not through confrontation.
As the government and the Congress continued its attack on the civil society members, Mr. Hazare said he cannot force anyone not to level allegations like he was a mask of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or the Bharatiya Janata Party, but said the civil society has every right to raise issues.
The activists, who have shot off letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, will push for the inclusion of Prime Minister, judiciary and MPs under the ambit of the Lokpal, an issue on which government is at loggerheads with the civil society.
“Differences can be resolved through talks but not through confrontation. We feel that the government has accepted some of our demands and a lot more needs to be done. There is time till June 30,” he told reporters here. “If nothing happens, we will see then,” he added.
He said the civil society will put forth their views during Wednesday’s meeting and if their demands were not met, then they will start their agitation again.
The last meeting on June 6 was boycotted by the civil society side to protest police crackdown on Baba Ramdev’s hunger strike.
Asked about allegations that he was associated with the RSS and the BJP, Mr. Hazare said, “How can I put hand on their mouth (and prevent them from making allegations)? In my lifetime, I have never gone close to any political party. Every party is similar. Some are graduates in corruption while some others have got doctorates in corruption.”
Honda cuts 'City' prices by Rs 66,000
New Delhi: Honda Siel Cars India said it has cut the prices of its flagship sedan City by up to Rs 66,000 after implementing various cost reduction measures.
The car will now be available between Rs 7.49 lakh and Rs 9.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) said in a statement.
"In anticipation of bigger volumes resulting in economies of scale from the second half of current year, we have achieved considerable cost reduction and are happy to pass on the benefit to the customers with immediate effect," HSCI Senior Vice President (Sales and Marketing) Jnaneswar Sen said.
The company's R&D division had started working on localisation and cost reduction activities for its volume models from 2009, he added.
"This price revision is in line with Honda's global vision of creating products that maximise the joy of customers, with speed, affordability and low CO2," HSCI said.
'City' sales have been facing stiff resistance from other models in the segment such as Hyundai Verna, Maruti SX4 and Volkswagen Vento.
While Verna, SX4 and Vento offer both diesel and petrol options, City comes only in petrol variant.
Ramdev discharged from hospital
After spending four days in a hospital in Dehradun, yoga guru Baba Ramdev was finally discharged today. Addressing the media, he said that he will He was admitted to Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Jolly Grant, in Dehradun on Friday after his condition deteriorated following his fast against corruption.
Congress leader Ratan Lal Ghosh quits party
Agartala, June 14: The opposition Congress in Tripura today suffered a jolt when senior party leader and former minister Ratan Lal Ghosh quit the party. “I have not been included in the newly constituted Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) and have not got any important party post since 1993. I had served the party for last 40 years but a lobby within the party is active against me. So, I have decided to quit the party,” Ghosh told reporters here.
Ghosh, who was a minister in the Samir Ranjan Barman government in 1992, said, “as an ardent and humble Congressman I have experienced that there is no recognition of a hardworking person in the party. I have tendered my resignation even from the primary membership of Congress and sent it to Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president Surajit Dutta.”
On being asked about joining any other political party, Ghosh smiled and said “I will announce my next step within next few days.” Some of Ghosh’s followers like Khayerpur Block Congress president Ranjit Majumder, Mahila Block Congress president of Khayerpur in West Tripura district, Pratibha Chakraborty and general secretary of PCC’s, Schedule Tribe cell, Bishurai Debbarma have also quit the party along with Ghosh. (PTI)
Ghosh, who was a minister in the Samir Ranjan Barman government in 1992, said, “as an ardent and humble Congressman I have experienced that there is no recognition of a hardworking person in the party. I have tendered my resignation even from the primary membership of Congress and sent it to Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president Surajit Dutta.”
On being asked about joining any other political party, Ghosh smiled and said “I will announce my next step within next few days.” Some of Ghosh’s followers like Khayerpur Block Congress president Ranjit Majumder, Mahila Block Congress president of Khayerpur in West Tripura district, Pratibha Chakraborty and general secretary of PCC’s, Schedule Tribe cell, Bishurai Debbarma have also quit the party along with Ghosh. (PTI)
BJP holds protest against irrigation dept...
Jammu, June 14: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protest against the irrigation department for its lazy attitude towards the work which it should undertake on priority.
Speaking on the occasion, BJP MLA Sukhnandan Kumar said that the farmers are being made to suffer as the desisting of tributaries has not been undertaken as a result of which the water for irrigation of fields has not been released. He also said these are the crop sowing days but the helpless farmers are being made to suffer.
There are reports of farmers committing suicide but the government never takes these incidents seriously. Every time, when the farmers ought to be in fields, are seen running in offices and sitting on dharnas to wake the sleeping department and remind of it's during.Prominent persons among those who were participated in protest included Surinder Sharma of Flora Nagbani, Vijay Shama of Marh, Narinder Singh of Jawan, Hardeep Singh of Chatta Gujran and besides others.
CM not available in June 15
Srinagar, June 14:
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would not be available in private office Srinagar on June 15, (Wednesday) for Awami Mulakat due to his pre-engagement at New Delhi.
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