New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday summoned the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Investigating Officer (IO) over the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in the city’s Old Rajendra Nagar on July 27.

A Bench presided over by Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Manmohan was hearing a PIL seeking the constitution of a high-level committee to enquire into the incident wherein three UPSC aspirants died in a basement following heavy rain.

The Bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, raised eyebrows over the “freebie culture”, observing that the city government was left with no money to upgrade infrastructure.

It remarked, “You have to decide on this freebie culture. There is a population of 3.3 crore people in this city whereas it was planned for 6-7 lakh people. How do you plan to accommodate so many people without upgrading infra?”

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court agreed to a urgent hearing of the PIL on Wednesday.

ACJ Manmohan assured advocate Rudra Vikram Singh, who appeared on behalf of the PIL litigant and mentioned the plea for an urgent hearing, that the matter will be listed on Wednesday.

The PIL said that due to “huge corruption” in public departments many people have been losing their lives for years and the national Capital has faced many terrible and scary incidents in the past few years.

“In Delhi, more than 50 per cent of the commercial buildings are running in an illegal manner and many of them are running in residential areas that, too, without having any proper approval and clearances, and the respondents (authorities) are well aware of their illegal functioning but are allowing them just for the sake of some bribery amount,” it said.

The plea said that the right to die with dignity is also a Fundamental Right like the right to life with dignity as provided by Article 21 of the Constitution of India, however, the Delhi authorities failed to provide life with dignity or at least the right to die with dignity to the citizens and people are dying because of their “negligence”.

It may be recalled that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday formed a committee to enquire into the incident that claimed three lives in the national Capital.

The committee, comprising the Additional Secretary (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs), Principal Secretary (Home) Delhi, Special Commissioner of Delhi Police, Fire Advisor, and the Joint Secretary (MHA), will submit its report within 30 days.

On Saturday evening, three UPSC aspirants lost their lives after heavy rainfall led to waterlogging in the basement of a coaching institute in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar area, which was being used illegally as a library.

The incident trapped 17 other students for several hours, highlighting the dire safety issues in these establishments.

The basement of the coaching centre was used as a library in violation of the rules since the space was allowed to be used only for parking and storage purposes.

–IANS

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Chennai, July 31 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government opened the Kallanai Dam and released the water in the delta districts of the state on Wednesday.

State Ministers K.N. Nehru, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, C. Meyyanathan and TRB Raaja along with collectors of the 11 delta districts of the state operated the sluice gates of the reservoir and released water into the Cauvery.

Initially, 1,500 cusecs of water were released into Cauvery; 1,000 cusecs into Vennaru and 400 cusecs into the Kollidam River.

The water released is expected to augment the irrigation of Kuruvai paddy which is already cultivated using ground water and to fill 925 system tanks spread over in 11 districts.

The ministers, officials and farmers gathered at Kallanai also showered flower petals, and paddy seeds on the water gushing out from the regulators.

Special poojas were held in the Anjaneyar temple located at the bed of Kollidam river, Adhi Vinayakar temple in the park and Karuppannasamy temple on the banks of Cauvery.

“The water will be used for cultivating 7.95 lakh acres of samba paddy besides supplementing irrigation of Kuruvai paddy crop already cultivated using groundwater,” said Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru.

Cauvery water was released from Mettur on July 28th, instead of the customary date of June 12, due to the non-availability of adequate water in Mettur.

–IANS

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Wayanad, July 31 (IANS) The death toll in the landslide-affected Kerala’s Wayanad mounted to 176 on Wednesday even as the Army, Navy and Air Force were engaged in rescue operations and setting up infrastructure, including bridges.

The number of missing people as per the officials was 98. However, many people were searching for their relatives and the estimate is said to be around 200.

The worst affected areas include Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Pothukalu. The locals from these areas who managed to escape are deeply shattered by the extent of the devastation.

Heavy rain at a few places hampered the rescue operations.

On Wednesday fresh forces arrived, including Brigadier Arjun Seagan, Commandant of the PARA Regiment Training Centre, and his team. The team reached the affected site and took charge of the Control Centre at Mepaddi which is about 12 km from Churalmala, one of the worst affected sites.

Four Relief Columns of the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre & 122 TA Battalion (MADRAS) began their operations at 6 a.m. They were divided into two composite teams for joint rescue and extrication of dead bodies and for assistance in setting up the Bailey Bridge at Churalmala.

Another two Columns, including a medical team of the 91 Infantry Battalion landed at Kozhikode late Tuesday night and reached the affected areas. The team is led by CO 23 Maratha Light Infantry.

The Engineering Task Force of Madras Engineer Group, Bangalore & C (01 Officer, 02 JCOs & 120 Soldiers) have already reached Churalmala. Equipment to set up a 170-foot bridge is being planned at Churalmala, while a second set of bridge equipment columns along with bailey pier parts is likely to reach by afternoon.

The Commandant, MEG Centre will be overseeing the critical bridge activity and will arrive later in the day.

Another set of Bailey Bridge from ESD Delhi Cantonment is being airlifted for Kannur by the C-17 Globemaster. The operation will be coordinated by Captain Puran Singh of the Kannur Defence Security Corps (DSC).

Bridge construction materials will be brought to Wayanad in 17 trucks.

Bridge equipment along with three sniffer dogs and handlers from Delhi has landed in Kannur and is on its way to the affected areas.

The combined defence forces team on Tuesday rescued over 1,000 people and 70 dead bodies recovered by the armed forces last night.

–IANS

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Patna, July 31 (IANS) A five-year-old nursery student carried a gun in his bag and fired at a Class 3 boy in a school in Bihar’s Supaul district on Wednesday, said officials.

The incident occurred at a St Joseph School under the jurisdiction of the Triveniganj police station in the district.

District Superintendent of Police (SP) Shaishav Yadav confirmed to IANS that the incident took place during the assembly session around 9 a.m.

Sources said that the victim’s quick reflexes played a crucial role in minimizing the injury. By ducking at the right moment, the victim was able to avoid a potentially fatal shot to his chest or stomach.

The victim sustained an injury to his hand and is currently admitted to a hospital and out of danger.

Following the incident at St. John’s School, the teachers recovered the weapon and called the parents of both the victim and the nursery student. During the discussion, the weapon was placed on a table. Seizing the opportunity, the father grabbed the weapon and his son and fled from the school on a bike.

Sources said the school administration called the parents first and the police were informed later.

After the incident, a large number of parents and residents gathered at the school and created a ruckus both inside and outside the school premises.

“At present, efforts are underway to calm down the agitating parents, with adequate security forces deployed to restore normalcy in the area,” SP Yadav said.

He stated, “We are investigating the incident to determine how the child brought the weapon inside the school. It is the initial period of investigation, and we will conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain whether it is a licensed weapon or not. Appropriate action will be taken following the investigation.”

The incident has also raised concerns about the school’s security measures. The SP mentioned that action will be taken against the school administration as well, indicating that the security lapse will be addressed accordingly.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Amid a heated controversy over former minister Anurag Thakur’s caste remarks in Lok Sabha, the Hamirpur MP on Wednesday took to social media and shared a video of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav to show him the mirror on furious tirade — ‘how one can ask about caste?’

The video shared by BJP MP is a compilation of instances when the Kannauj MP and SP supremo asked the journalists about their caste. The undated video shows Akhilesh Yadav making a deliberate effort to enquire about the caste of the scribe and then mocking him over his surname.

Notably, BJP MP Anurag Thakur’s speech in Lok Sabha and pointed caste jibe, apparently at the Leader of Opposition (LoP) stirred up a hornet’s nest in the Opposition ranks, the fallout of which became evident in Wednesday’s House proceedings also.

As the House began its proceedings on Wednesday, the Opposition benches created a ruckus over BJP MP’s caste remarks and demanded an apology. They also resorted to slogan-shouting. Reports also suggest that Congress is also mulling to bring a privilege motion against Anurag Thakur.

Meanwhile, Anurag Thakur’s stirring speech, while responding to Rahul Gandhi’s assertions on ‘Mahabharata and Chakravyuh’ is drawing accolades from various quarters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended a shout-out to the Hamirpur MP for putting the INDIA bloc on the mat with his fiery counters.

“This speech by my young and energetic colleague, Shri @ianuragthakur is a must-hear. A perfect mix of facts and humour, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance,” PM wrote sharing his Lok Sabha speech.

Notably, Anurag Thakur cited experts from a book authored by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to hit out at previous dispensations and also dubbed the LoP as the ‘Leader of propaganda’.

What left the Cong-led INDIA bloc fuming and protesting furiously was his remark, ‘those unaware of their caste are talking about caste-based census.’

His remarks resulted in angry protests by the Opposition benches including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Rahul Gandhi also stood up and demanded to intervene, claiming that he was abused and insulted by the BJP MP.

“You can insult me as much as you want, do it every day. But don’t forget that we (the opposition) will get the Bill (on Caste Census) passed here (in Parliament),” Rahul Gandhi said in response.

–IANS

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