‘Grow green plantation' drive unites Prayagraj for environ sustainability
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Prayagraj: The Times of India, in partnership with United Group of Institutions and Solitaire Valley, organised the impactful Grow Green plantation drive across Prayagraj. The event saw participation from educational institutions, township developers and citizens united for a greener future.
Director of IIIT, Jhalwa, Prof Mukul S. Sutavane was the chief guest, joined by secretary, Prayagraj Development Authority, Ajeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, United University, Prof Anand Mohan Agrawal and director of Solitaire Valley, Mayank Jaiswal. Their involvement inspired volunteers and reinforced the commitment to environmental sustainability.
Around 500 saplings, including fruit, flower, and shade trees, were planted strategically at Solitaire Valley, IIIT Jhalwa and United University campuses. Prof Sutavane stressed that plantation is an 'endless process', while Jaiswal highlighted Solitaire Valley's ongoing dedication to planting over a thousand trees. The event was a testament to collaborative green responsibility for future generations.
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The Print
4 hours ago
- The Print
Dogs matter more to Indian middle class than people
There are answers to these questions and we give them all the time. Yes, India has always been a land of contrasts. And yes, poverty exists in the country, but it's much less than before and we have the figures to prove it. And so on. How, they ask, can we go blithely about our lives, ignoring the people who sleep on our pavements, the small children forced to work to survive, and the physically disabled individuals who thrust the stumps of their arms or legs forward as they beg for a living? Visitors to India are often shocked by the contrasts they see on our streets. There is extreme wealth visible — even more than before as conspicuous consumption has increased over the last decade of big diamonds and bigger weddings— but there is also extreme poverty. While these responses may make logical sense, they don't really address the fundamental question many Western visitors have about the Indian middle class: have we been so brutalised by the misery we see every day that we've learned to blind ourselves to suffering? Have we become immune to horrifying poverty and deprivation? Why doesn't the Indian middle class step out and do something about the tragedies unfolding on our streets? To that, we finally have an answer. India's middle class has spent the past few days shedding tears for the suffering of street dwellers. We have demonstrated on the roads of our cities. We have railed against the authorities who have let things get to this stage. We have pledged to help to make things better. It is our duty, we say, to prevent an even greater tragedy by fighting for the rights of those on the streets to live with freedom and dignity. Brutalised? Immune to the suffering around us? Certainly not. We care and our hearts have been deeply touched. But here's the thing. We are not crying for people. We are weeping for dogs. Also read: How Lucknow, Dehradun, Vadodara are fixing their street dog problem No one's denying the problem on streets Before we go any further, a few clarifications. I do not believe we should mistreat animals — and that extends beyond dogs, though I probably draw the line at street rats. I do not support any measure that would cause pain or suffering to street dogs. I respect the sentiments of those protesting the Supreme Court order on Delhi's street dogs, and I understand their point that the solutions suggested by the court may be impractical and could cause the animals harm. I also accept that the time has come for us to do something about street dogs. According to The Times of India, over 10,000 people in the country get bitten by dogs every day. India has among the highest number of rabies deaths (305), nearly double the figure for China, which is number two on the list. However, the newspaper claims this official figure may be an underestimation. The real number could be close to 18,000. And the problem is increasing. The number of dog bite incidents came down during Covid, but has more than doubled since then. So, you would have to be nuts to deny that there is a serious problem. Most sensible people who object to the Supreme Court judgment do not dispute that the problem needs to be fixed. They just think that the court has written out the wrong prescription. For instance, Shekhar Gupta, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief, tweeted: 'Societies/cities have tried methods way more brutal than our hon'ble Supreme Court to 'banish' stray dogs. They've all failed. Here, a picture from Karachi where it's routinely done. Solutions lie in urban reform, sterilisation and empathy. Not retributive mass brutality.' He included a picture of a row of dead dogs to illustrate his concerns. I take his point. There may be much better ways of saving people from dog bites and the scourge of rabies and we should explore and examine them. In my experience, you don't find as many stray dogs in European and American cities. But Bangkok and some other Asian cities have gone through similar public controversies while trying to cope with street dogs (or Soi Dogs as they call them). I am not sure that the Thais have found the right answer yet, but my own sense (based on anecdotal evidence and personal experience rather than any data) is that it is now less dangerous to walk on Bangkok's streets than it was a decade ago; and it's certainly less dangerous than Delhi. And judging by the figures I have seen, Delhi is not even the centre of the problem. Maharashtra has many more dog bite cases than the national capital. So let's agree on a minimum agenda. Ignore all those who say that nothing needs to be done and street dogs should roam free even if they bite thousands of people every day. But let's respect those who argue that we must try and find a solution that is humane but still works. Also read: Stray dogs have the right to live. SC order can trigger a wave of animal cruelty Don't forget who and what we ignore Now that we've got that out of the way, let's go back to where we started. What is it about the Indian middle class that makes us largely immune to human suffering, yet drives us to tears of anger when we hear of the suffering of dogs? And it's just dogs. If the authorities were to round up the pigs that roam the streets of so many of our cities, I doubt we would hear a peep from the dog protesters. Likewise with buffaloes. Why does the middle class not feel as deeply about the homeless people who live on the same streets as the dogs? Why do we find it easier to fight for dogs than the humans who exist at the margins of our society? And that's before we get into politics. Many of the people assailing the humanity of those who want to act against stray dogs could not even find Manipur on a map, let alone care about the lakhs of people whose lives have been destroyed over the past two years or the thousands who have been killed in the conflict. Are human lives worth less than dogs' lives simply because they are lost far away from us? Why do people who complain that our municipalities are incapable of offering proper shelter to dogs not worry about the pathetic shelter offered to refugees and victims of political persecution? Why don't they worry about the brutal ways in which migrants are rounded up and thrown out of their cities? Why, for so many years, did the middle class turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Kashmiri Pandits who lost their homes to ethnic cleansing? Why do we look away when we hear stories about state governments bulldozing people's homes on the flimsiest of pretexts? Why have we stopped paying attention to stories about men being lynched on suspicion of transporting beef? I could go on but I think you get the point. I am no one to be judgmental about others. I belong to the same middle class and I am also guilty of callous neglect. But when you see the uproar about dogs, don't you ever stop to think if our self-obsessed middle class has got to the stage where dogs matter more than people? Let's fight to treat dogs humanely. But let's not forget the humans who are routinely denied their rights and their dignity. Vir Sanghvi is a print and television journalist, and talk show host. He tweets @virsanghvi. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
News18
4 days ago
- News18
Uttarkashi Flood Survivors Protest Against Rs 5000 Relief Cheques, Call Amount 'Too Less'
Last Updated: Uttarkashi has been battered by flash floods, which caused severe loss of lives and properties in the area. The flash floods in Uttarkashi have left many locals homeless, sweeping away people, houses, and entire families. Adding to their distress was the issuance of Rs 5,000 cheques as 'immediate relief" on Friday—an amount many felt was grossly inadequate given the scale of the tragedy. According to a report by The Times Of India, several people refused to accept it and called it an 'insult" to their 'suffering". 'We have lost everything: our families, homes, businesses worth crores. This amount is an insult," one villager was quoted as saying. The area has no electricity, and they received candles four days after the disaster battered the place. 'We spent those nights in darkness. Used firewood to heat food. Govt talks about ration, but that, too, has not reached us. We had to go door to door looking for it," one of the villagers said. This also sparked a protest as Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced Rs 5 lakh compensation. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, CM Dhami asserted, 'More than 1000 people have been rescued. All the devotees and pilgrims from all across the country, who were stuck there, have been rescued… All the injured people have been shifted to hospitals. Connectivity was completely destroyed in Harsil. It was restored there yesterday. A Bailey bridge will be installed by evening near Lachi Gad, which will help reconstruct roads till Harsil." He added, 'We have decided to provide affected families with rations for the next six months… A three-member committee is being formed under the chairmanship of the Revenue Secretary… They will see how the affected family can be rehabilitated and the extent of the loss incurred… We will also provide a relief package to those in need." Earlier on Saturday, CM Dhami met the state Governor, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Gurmit Singh at Raj Bhavan in Dehradun to take stock of the situation. In a post on X, Dhami wrote, 'I met the Honourable Governor @LtGenGurmit (Retd.) at Raj Bhavan. During this, we discussed the ongoing disaster relief operations in Dhrali and Harsil and the rehabilitation of the affected people." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
06-08-2025
- Time of India
You can live in this town but cannot die. Even Billionaire Harsh Goenka is puzzled
In the heart of southern Spain, the quiet mountain village of Lanjarón has long been known for its mineral springs, wellness retreats, and reputation for longevity. But beyond its peaceful landscape and healing waters, the town has carried a rather bizarre distinction for the past 26 years—it once banned death. The decree, introduced in 1999, was not meant to be enforced literally but served as a symbolic protest against government inaction over a full cemetery. Industrialist Harsh Goenka recently shared the strange fact on social media, noting that Lanjarón's cemetery was declared full in the late 1990s and, since then, no new graveyard has been built. The tweet read like dark humor, but the underlying issue it pointed to is real—and it's once again captured the imagination of the internet. The post triggered a stream of reactions, from jokes about immortality to serious reflections on sustainable burial practices. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program — hvgoenka (@hvgoenka) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The Origin of a Death Ban As reported by The Times of India , The now-famous decree was issued by then-mayor José Rubio in 1999 when requests to expand the village's cemetery faced repeated bureaucratic delays. Frustrated by the lack of response from higher authorities, Rubio responded with satire: a municipal law that simply made dying illegal within town limits. The goal wasn't enforcement—it was attention. And it worked. Media coverage at the time pushed the issue into national conversation, although no significant cemetery expansion ever followed. The ban became a form of civil protest wrapped in humor. No one was penalized, and there were no legal consequences for passing away. Yet the law remains part of the village's identity—a symbol of how absurd measures can sometimes be necessary to highlight very real infrastructure gaps. Social Media Moment With Deeper Meaning Goenka's tweet helped resurface this peculiar law, and social media users weighed in with everything from cultural comparisons to burial customs. Some pointed out that similar bans exist in places like Longyearbyen, Norway, where freezing temperatures prevent proper decomposition, making it unsafe to bury the dead. Others discussed Islamic burial practices that require only biodegradable materials, while many Indian users advocated for cremation as a space-saving, eco-friendly alternative. One commenter wryly remarked that perhaps the best way to avoid death is to never be born. Another noted how the absurdity of banning death ironically reflects the seriousness of land scarcity and infrastructure neglect in growing communities. From Civic Protest to Tourism Magnet Over the years, Lanjarón's 'no death' law has become more than a local curiosity. The town now sees interest from TikTok creators, bloggers, and travelers drawn to its quirky history. For a place associated with wellness and long life, the idea of 'never dying' aligns almost too well with its public image. Lanjarón isn't alone. Towns like Cugnaux in France have also issued temporary bans on death as a form of protest when burial spaces ran out. While these declarations are not meant to be enforced, they succeed in drawing media attention and prompting wider conversations about urban planning and public resources.
