Pray to God USTM is demolished: Himanta
Experts come together at snake symposium
The first ever 'Assam Snake Symposium' held recently in Guwahati turned out to be a treasure trove, where over 80 snake rescuers from across the state, alongside national and international experts, researchers, and policymakers gathered. Attending the event, Assam Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary announced the government's decision to constitute a state-level steering committee on snakebite mitigation. He also proposed establishment of a state-of-the-art serpentarium in Assam to facilitate advanced research on snake venom, addressing the region-specific challenges of envenomation and treatment.
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Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
End ‘inhuman' hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran: SC
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered immediate phasing out of hand-driven rickshaws in Maharashtra's hill town of Matheran within six months, observing that continuation of such an inhuman practice in a developing country like India violates human dignity and betrays the constitutional guarantee of social and economic justice to all citizens. End 'inhuman' hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran: SC Dealing with an issue concerning plying of e-rickshaws in Matheran, one of the few towns in the country where vehicular traffic is prohibited, the top court was informed that to service the transportation needs of about 8 lakh tourists visiting the hill station annually and over 4,000 residents living in the town, hand-driven rickshaws are still in vogue. The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai said, 'Continuing such practice even after 78 years of independence and after 75 years of the Constitution being enacted promising social and economic justice to its citizens, would be betraying the promise given by the people of India to themselves.' Granting six months for the state to phase out hand-rickshaw pullers and in the meantime, framing a scheme for their rehabilitation, the court further held, 'We direct the state to forthwith stop plying of hand-held rickshaws in a phased manner and in any case within six months.' The court noted that persons pulling hand-held rickshaws are victims of circumstances who have no alternate source of livelihood and such practices were held to be against the goal of social justice by the top court in a 1980 decision in Azad Rickshaw Pullers union v State of Punjab. 'It is really unfortunate that after 45 years of the decision of this court, the inhuman practice of a human being pulling another human being is still prevalent in the town of Matheran…Permitting such an inhuman practice which is against the basic concept of human dignity in a country like India, which is a developing country, belittles the constitutional promise of social and economic justice,' the bench held. The court was conscious that ending this practice will entail depriving them of their source of livelihood. The court noted that with advancement of technology, e-rickshaws are now available which are eco-friendly and operate on batteries. The court directed the Maharashtra government that while evolving a scheme for rehabilitating the hand-held drivers, the state must consider a novel scheme launched by Gujarat government in Kevadia, where e-rickshaw licenses on hire has been provided to local Adivasi women who ferry tourists visiting the town to witness the Statue of Unity - a massive 600-feet statue of Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, and the Sardar Sarovar dam. The court asked the state to consider giving priority to hand-held rickshaw pullers in getting the licenses for e-rickshaws and also consider tribal women among other needy persons in and around Matheran. The court was assisted in passing the order by senior advocate K Parmeshwar assisting the court as amicus curiae who insisted that only 20 e-rickshaws should be permitted for now. The court further permitted laying of paver blocks on the main city road from Kasturi Naka to Shivaji Statue (4-km long stretch) without any concrete bedding to ensure the roads are motorable by rickshaws, horse carts even during monsoons. The hand-held rickshaw pullers and horse-cart pullers were represented by senior advocate Shyam Divan and advocate Nina Nariman who took the court through the adverse effects of concreting the roads. However, the court permitted no paver blocks on the internal town roads and the trekking route. The court allowed the state to consider sponsoring the e-rickshaw scheme through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative or any other scheme but clarified that non-availability of funds will not be treated as an excuse for not implementing the scheme. Matheran located in the Western Ghats was declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Centre in 2003 and is home to several species of flora and fauna including the bonnet macaque, Hanuman langur, Malabar giant squirrel, and barking deer among others.
United News of India
43 minutes ago
- United News of India
'One human pulling another is inhuman': Supreme Court bans hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran
New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court today condemned the continued use of hand-pulled rickshaws, calling the practice inhuman and violative of the right to dignity guaranteed by the Constitution. The Court held that such manual labor, which involves a human being pulling another, must be abolished immediately, especially after 78 years of Independence and 75 years of the Constitution. A three judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran and Justice N.V. Anjaria passed the directions while hearing issues related to the ongoing e-rickshaw pilot project in the eco-sensitive hill town of Matheran, Maharashtra. The Court observed that individuals are compelled to adopt this inhumane form of labour due to poverty and lack of alternatives. Emphasizing that such practices betray the constitutional ideals of social and economic justice, the bench remarked: 'Permitting such a practice, which is against the basic concept of human dignity in a country like India, belittles the constitutional promises of social and economic justice.' Referring to the Court's own 1980 judgment in Azad Rickshaw Pullers Union vs State of Punjab, the bench noted that even 45 years after its observations on the incompatibility of cycle-pulled rickshaws with social justice, manual rickshaw pulling remains prevalent in Matheran. The Court stated, 'The question that we ask ourselves is whether this practice is alive to the Constitutional promise of social and economic equality and social and economic justice. The answer will, unfortunately, have to be in the negative... To continue such a human practice even after 78 years of Independence... would be betraying the promise given by the people of India to themselves.' Citing the precedent in People's Union for Democratic Rights v. Union of India, where non-payment of minimum wages was held to be forced labour under Article 23, the Court emphasized that the State has a responsibility to rehabilitate those dependent on such degrading work and provide viable alternatives. The bench held that e-rickshaws represent such an alternative and directed the State of Maharashtra to implement an e-rickshaw scheme for genuine rickshaw pullers. The Supreme Court directed that there should be a phased abolition of hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran within six months. Implementation of an e-rickshaw scheme modeled on Kevadia (Gujarat), where the State will purchase e-rickshaws and allot them on hire to genuine handcart pullers. The Matheran Monitoring Committee, chaired by the local Collector, will identify genuine rickshaw pullers and determine the required number of e-rickshaws based on ground realities. Remaining e-rickshaws may be allocated to tribal women and other locals to ensure sustainable livelihoods. Laying of paver blocks from Dasturi Naka to Shivaji Statue is permitted, but not on internal roads or trading routes. Concrete blocks to be replaced with paver blocks where applicable. The State is cautioned that lack of funds cannot be used as an excuse for non-implementation. The Court stressed, 'We clarify that non-availability of funds cannot be an excuse for non-implementation of the aforesaid scheme. We earnestly hope that the State would tender necessary assistance in stopping such an inhumane practice.' Due to environmental concerns, Matheran prohibits the use of motor vehicles, with only emergency services such as fire trucks and ambulances allowed. The Court noted that eco-friendly e-rickshaws are a viable alternative. This ruling comes in the backdrop of ongoing proceedings in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad case, a continuing mandamus litigation concerning forest and environmental protection. In earlier hearings, the Court had permitted the introduction of 20 e-rickshaws in Matheran on a pilot basis, with clear instructions that these be allotted to existing handcart pullers. The plan had faced resistance from local horsemen's associations, who sought modifications to the scheme. In April this year, the Court had allowed these e-rickshaw owners, all former handcart pullers, to operate them for transporting tourists and residents in the town. Senior Advocates Shyam Divan, Colin Gonsalves, and K. Parameswar (Amicus Curiae) appeared in the matter. UNI SNG RN
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Assam to launch portal for indigenous people to seek arms licences
Two months after the Assam Cabinet approved a scheme to issue arms licences to 'indigenous people' in parts of the state where their 'population is in the minority,' Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced Wednesday that the government will soon roll out an online portal where eligible people can apply for the licences. When the Cabinet decision was announced in May, Sarma had named districts where Bengali-origin Muslims account for majority, such as Dhubri, Morigaon, Nagaon, Barpeta and South Salmara, and said that 'indigenous people are in minority' in these areas and often 'have to confront the question of their security.' On Wednesday, he announced on social media that the government is in the process of rolling out a dedicated portal where 'indigenous people, who perceive threat to their lives and reside in sensitive areas' can apply for arms licences. He announced three key eligibility criteria for the issue of arms licences under this scheme: that the applicant has to be an 'original inhabitant or indigenous citizen of Assam,' they must 'perceive a genuine threat to life and safety due to the vulnerability of the area of residence,' and that they must 'reside in a vulnerable or remote area, as notified by the District Administration, or assessed as such by authorized security agencies.' He also said the applicantions would be subject to a security assessment, verification and vetting and that once issued, the licences would be subject to periodic review and 'monitoring and reporting.' This portal is likely to be rolled out this month and this comes at a time when vigilantes, particularly those of a group called Bir Lachit Sena, have been issuing ultimatums to Bengali-Muslims living in different parts of Upper Assam in the past few days, giving calls for 'all Bangladeshis to leave Upper Assam within seven days.'
