Chennai earns NGT's ire over menace of multi-layered plastic
In a stern warning issued last week, a bench of Justice Pushpa Satyanarayana and expert member K Satyagopal said that if action taken reports are not submitted by the next hearing on August 14, each party would have to pay Rs 20,000 to file their reports.
'If the state has not moved an inch in complying with the order, heavy penalties will follow,' the tribunal said. The warning came in response to an execution application filed by environmental activist Antony Clement Rubin, seeking enforcement of the tribunal's August 2023 order.
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New Indian Express
16 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Rs 4.25 lakh stolen from prison-run cafeteria near Poojappura central jail in major security breach
THIRUVANTHAPURAM: In a shocking security lapse, Rs 4.25 lakh was stolen from the office of the cafeteria being run by prison inmates right near the Poojappura central prison on Sunday night. The Poojappura police said they received a complaint of theft from the prison officials on Monday morning. "The theft reportedly took place on Sunday night. When the prison staff came on Monday morning, they noticed that the cash was missing, " said a police officer. The cash which was from the last three days sale was to be deposited in the treasury on Monday. The culprit/culprits broke open the door of the cafeteria, known as 'Food for Freedom', and decamped with the cash that was kept in the locker. The police said they have started a probe and the investigation is in the preliminary phase. The police sources said someone having intimate knowledge of the place could've carried out the crime. The cops are perusing CCTV visuals from nearby buildings to identify the culprits. The cafeteria, shockingly, did not have any working CCTV cameras.
Indian Express
16 minutes ago
- Indian Express
AI sovereignty will be test for India's tech ‘aatmanirbharta'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address this year felt different. His 103-minute oration, the longest of his tenure, was anchored in the language of national sovereignty. At a time when the United States has imposed tariffs on Indian exports, unsettling trade talks, the PM sought to turn the national conversation from negotiation to assertion, and to the deeper emotion of sovereignty. In this vision, citizens are not just beneficiaries but also guardians of that autonomy. Here, sovereignty takes shape in the capacity to build our own fertilisers, batteries, jet engines and defence systems. It finds expression in the symbolic unveiling of the Sudarshan Chakra defence kit, in the pledge of sweeping GST reform, and in the assurance that farmers and households alike will not be left exposed as the push for self-reliance accelerates. For perspective, one must only count the number of senior officials in Delhi who still use foreign-owned 'gmail', despite possessing official '. addresses. There is a temptation to reduce all this to political choreography. Modi's earlier Red Fort addresses highlighted schemes of inclusion, like Jan Dhan, Swachh Bharat, Ujjwala. But this one is cast in the harder register of industrial resurrection and techno-sovereignty. It is meant to rally households as much as boardrooms. But history is unkind to speeches not backed by delivery. The hardest of India's ambition is to stake a meaningful claim in the global race for emerging technologies. The country missed the first wave (Web1 era), not through want of talent but through want of an ecosystem. In the past decades, its best brains, including mathematicians and engineers, left India, while domestic research budgets stayed meagre, patents were scarce, and private investments low. India became the world's back office, designing chips for others, writing code for global companies, and running IT services, but it rarely created its own products or owned valuable patents. In a fast-moving field like technology, where early movers gain lasting advantages, India fell behind on big breakthroughs in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and the hardware-software frontier. Our universities do not yet produce research at scale, and most industries spend too little on R&D. Our brightest youngsters, especially in areas like AI, quantum and Web3, have also been moving abroad for better opportunities and access to global markets, and this slow drain of talent weakens the very idea of technological sovereignty that India now seeks to champion. Catching up will take more than money. It needs a cultural reset, including in the policy world. India has never invested enough in long-term research or built lasting partnerships between universities and industry. Recent government missions remain far too small for the scale of the challenge. The IndiaAI Mission has a budget of Rs 10,371.92 crore and the National Quantum Mission Rs ₹6003.65 crore over eight years. Compared to what is needed to lead in frontier science, these amounts are tiny. Unless the state commits deeper investment and private capital amplifies it, these missions will remain a scaffolding rather than become engines of change. Frontier technologies do not emerge from frugal innovation or Jugaad. The United States created its lead by binding venture capital with defence research and universities. China, for its part, mobilised the state with massive investments across sectors and then drew in private capital to accelerate research and commercialisation. India has yet to frame AI as core infrastructure rather than a promising sector. To re-enter the race, it will need patient public capital to underwrite risk, regulation that rewards open experimentation, and a cultural shift that prizes invention over execution alone. The next few months will matter less for headline numbers like GDP or inflation, and more for how quickly promises turn into action. If we see ground being broken for chip plants and wider AI ecosystem investments, people will believe the momentum is real. If farmers, small businesses and everyday consumers begin to feel the benefit of GST reform, the idea of shared self-reliance will carry weight. Emotional sovereignty can be a deep moat, but no political or policy fortress stands without delivery. In an era where technology shapes both economic power and national security, India's independence will be measured by the labs and factories built, research funded and commercialised, and AI platforms and ecosystems that are not only homegrown but also globally relevant. The writer is a corporate advisor and author of Family and Dhanda
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Modified Your Bullet To Make This Kind Of Sound? Over 4,000 Riders Fined In Mumbai
In 2024, Mumbai Traffic Police cracked down on noisy bikes, issuing 4,189 e-challans and collecting fines worth Rs 41.89 lakh, highlighting the gravity of the problem In Mumbai, residents are grappling with sleepless nights and rising accidents as motorcycles fitted with silencers that sound like firecrackers continue to roar through the streets despite repeated police warnings. In 2024, the Mumbai Traffic Police launched a special campaign to address this issue, targeting two-wheeler riders who flouted the rules. During the campaign, a total of 4,189 e-challans were issued, and fines amounting to Rs 41,89,000 were collected, underscoring the severity of the problem. Police took strict action against offenders, seizing and crushing thousands of silencers that mimic firecracker sounds under a road roller to prevent their reuse. In cases where fines remained unpaid, court notices were issued directly to the vehicle owners. Under the Motor Vehicles Act 198, vehicle modifications that violate regulations attract a minimum fine of Rs 1000, and in some cases, criminal charges are filed. What Makes The Danger Worse The noise from such silencers is not just irritating but also harmful to health. Constant exposure puts strain on the ears, with the elderly and children most affected. The risk of accidents rises sharply when riders combine these silencers with stunts or high-speed turns. Such bikes are often seen in large numbers during festival rallies, where the deafening noise troubles citizens and causes other drivers to lose balance on the road. Noisy bikes tearing through busy Mumbai areas late at night or early in the morning are instantly recognizable. They cause disturbed sleep, distract students, and add to the discomfort of patients. The problem is felt most acutely in sensitive zones such as hospitals, schools, and residential colonies. Ongoing Police Crackdown The Mumbai Police continue to act against violators, with no exemptions for those using such silencers for style or hobby. The police have indicated plans to intensify their efforts in the future. What Citizens Can Do Citizens are encouraged to report sightings of two-wheelers with 'firecracker' silencers to the traffic police and adhere to vehicle regulations themselves. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, illegal modifications result in fines, and severe cases may lead to criminal charges. view comments First Published: August 18, 2025, 11:38 IST 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.
