MK Stalin mocks EPS for court attempt to block welfare schemes, calls him failure
He mocked EPS for 'travelling in a Sundara Travels bus and yelling lies' while ignoring that 'even the BJP government's own statistics show Tamil Nadu is the best state in economic development.'Stalin further said EPS 'thinks he is MGR or Jayalalithaa' but is 'facing constant failure' and 'disrespectfully speaking' against him.On August 6, a bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai quashed the High Court's interim order on the 'Yours Stalin' scheme and imposed the Rs 10 lakh cost on the original petitioner, CV Shanmugam, an AIADMK MP.The court called the petition 'an abuse of process of law' and said it 'reeks of political motive,' noting that more than 45 welfare schemes in Tamil Nadu are named after political leaders.It observed that such naming is a nationwide phenomenon and that singling out one party raises questions about the petitioner's intent.- EndsTune InMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
13 minutes ago
- The Print
Why activists see SC order on removal of stray dogs as ‘violation' of 2023 ABC rules
Fixing an eight-week deadline to remove stray dogs from streets, the SC has warned of strict action against anyone obstructing the drive. The apex court's order is in the public interest and comes in the backdrop of rabies and dog bite cases, which are on the rise. The move marks a sharp departure from India's two-decade-old policy for stray dog management. For years, courts have attempted to tackle the issue, and every time, they have chosen to balance animal welfare with public safety. Most court-led solutions, however, have faltered in practice due to the inefficiency of civic agencies, say activists. New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday directed civic bodies to remove all stray dogs from the streets in Delhi-NCR within eight weeks, thereafter, housing them in dog shelters in the Capital, but activists say the order violates the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2013, and risks public health setbacks. Under the ABC Rules, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, municipal bodies are to conduct extensive sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs, without any animal cruelty involved, as well as follow up and monitor the process. Under the rules, sterilised and vaccinated stray dogs have to be released in their original locations and cannot be permanently relocated. Permanent removal is allowed only for rabid or aggressive dogs, and even then, civic bodies must follow set procedures. Two high courts, in Bombay and Kerala, have upheld the 2023 ABC Rules. Its ultimate objective is to bring the stray dog population under control and implement an anti-rabies programme, with the corporation helming the cause. Also Read: Locked & chained inside car, pet dog dies as owners roam Taj Mahal Past court efforts & why they failed In 2009, the Supreme Court stopped the culling of street dogs, ruling that sterilisation and vaccination under the ABC programme are the only legal methods to control their population. However, implementation has been weak and riddled with shortcomings. High courts in Kerala, Bombay, Karnataka, and Delhi have repeatedly directed authorities to speed up sterilisation, establish shelters, and submit progress reports. Yet, little has changed on the ground. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the ABC rules framed under it forbid the killing of healthy and non-rabies dogs. On Monday, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, hearing a case on rabies deaths, said, 'This should be the first and foremost exercise—to make all localities free of stray dogs. There should not be any compromise in undertaking any exercise.' When told that the ABC rules mandated the release of sterilised dogs, the court asked those present in the court to 'forget the rules for the time being'. Justice Pardiwala stressed, 'We are not doing this for us; it is for the public interest. So, no sentiments of any nature should be involved. Action should be taken at the earliest.' This stand of SC, however, contradicts its October 2022 order, which was pronounced by a bench led by then Justice Sanjiv Khanna (now retired) and Justice J.K. Maheshwari. 'Street dogs cannot be held in captivity,' it said. 'Certainly, adoption and keeping stray dogs in captivity is not acceptable,' the bench, at the time, observed and stayed the Nagpur bench order of the Bombay High Court, requiring those interested in feeding stray dogs to adopt them, bring them home, register them with civic authorities, or put them in dog shelters. The SC directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to identify locations for feeding stray dogs and also warned the general public against causing any public nuisance through their dog-feeding drives. Later, in July 2024, a bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol emphasised the ABC rules, while rejecting a public interest litigation (PIL) regarding hazards caused by stray dogs. The PIL highlighted the increasing menace of street dogs, seeking court permission for the municipal authorities to deal with such issues. Refusing to entertain the PIL, the bench, at the time, observed that there must be a balance between animals' rights and public protection or safety. The courts have now diminished the relevance of the ABC Rules, as pointed out in response to previous such petitions. A careful consideration of the ABC Rules would resolve many problems, the bench noted. Finally, the court held that citizens approach their respective state high courts, and based on the ABC Rules, they must resolve the stray dog menace in that state. In contrast, the Supreme Court's Monday order directs the civic bodies in Delhi-NCR to remove all stray dogs from public spaces, house them in shelters, and stop adoptions, asking authorities to make a move that directly conflicts with the ABC framework, animal rights activists argue. The court passed the order despite vocal protests from the counsel appearing for an animal rights body. However, the court advised the counsel not to argue further. The Delhi HC is currently hearing three petitions in connection with the stray dog menace in the Capital. In one of the petitions, animal rights bodies are seeking contempt proceedings against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Activists are apprehensive that SC's fresh order may preempt the HCs from proceeding against the corporation for not performing the mandate under the ABC Rules. 'Order violates ABC rules' Describing the order as shocking and one contrary to global public health guidance, animal protection experts warn that the order could lead to unnecessary suffering in dog shelters. Calling it 'shocking' and 'an off-handed approach,' Gauri Mulekhi, a trustee of People for Animals, India's largest animal welfare organisation, told ThePrint, 'This seems very uncharacteristic of an apex court of justice of a country with compassion in its DNA.' Mulekhi pointed out that the court, unprecedentedly, cited a dialogue from the Hollywood movie, The Good, the Bad & the Ugly: 'When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk'. She also highlighted that the court disregarded a fact placed on record—not a single human death is connected with rabies in Delhi, Mulekhi said. She, urging people to unite to care for street animals, noted that lakhs of lives could be affected due to the SC order. FIAPO or Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations, in a public statement, opposed the SC's Monday order, citing 'public health risks and legal violations'. Discussing the new order and how it is against the ABC Rules, FIAPO said that the rules 'fully aligned with WHO recommendations', with sterilised and vaccinated community dogs mandatorily returned to their original territories after treatment. Forced removal directly contravenes these provisions and disregards proven in-situ management models that brought rabies cases down to near-zero in cities, it added. Condemning loss of even one life to rabies, the protesters have called for 'mass vaccination, sterilisation, and waste management instead of mass removal, a science-backed approach that protects both people and animals'. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Delhi's sterilisation centres key to managing human-stray dog conflict. But they're all blood & filth
Hans India
13 minutes ago
- Hans India
Govt intensifying measures to curb human-wildlife conflict: Minister
Bengaluru: Despiteonce having 60–70% of its geographical area covered by forests, Karnataka experienced human-wildlife conflict even in the past. Now, with forest cover reduced to around 20%, such conflicts are on the rise, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre informed the Legislative Council on Monday. Responding to questions from members Kishore Kumar Puthur and Pratap Simha Nayak during the upper house's Question Hour, the minister stated that under the implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act, the state currently has 6,395 elephants, ranking first in the country, and 563 tigers, ranking second. In the current financial year 2025–26, 13 people have died due to elephant attacks and six others from other wild animal attacks, totaling 19 fatalities. The minister noted that the government is taking all possible measures to curb such conflicts. In comparison, elephant attacks claimed 32 lives in 2022–23, 48 in 2023–24, and 36 in 2024–25. In Dakshina Kannada district, three people died in 2022–23, one in 2023–24, and no fatalities were recorded in 2024–25. However, this year has already seen two deaths. Khandre emphasized that human life is priceless, and the compensation for victims' families has been increased from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. Elephant menace control measures To mitigate elephant incursions, villagers near forest fringes are being given a 50% subsidy to construct protective fencing. Elephant-proof trenches are being dug, and specially designed concrete barriers are being built in areas where streams flow. Solar tentacle fencing and solar-powered electric fences are being installed, along with signboards in elephant movement zones. A communication system is in place to alert villagers when elephants enter their areas, and personnel are deployed to drive elephants back into the forests. Rogue elephants are captured, and bamboo cultivation is being promoted along forest borders where elephant populations are high. 'Elephant Whereabouts' technology In 10 districts with frequent human-elephant conflicts, the government has implemented the 'Elephant Whereabouts' tracking system. This technology collects public complaints, patrol data, and other inputs to monitor elephant movements. Plans are underway to extend the system to Dakshina Kannada district as well.
Hans India
13 minutes ago
- Hans India
Odisha gets seawater desalination plant
Berhampur: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday inaugurated Odisha's first seawater desalination plant in Ganjam district. The plant, at Matikhal near Chhatarpur, will convert seawater into freshwater using reverse osmosis (RO). It has been developed by Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a unit of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL). Around 4 lakh litres of water will be supplied from the plant every day, benefiting around 7,000 people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the plant in March last year from Bhubaneswar. Pradhan said with the operationalisation of the plant, the water problems of two seashore villages will be solved. "The villagers were facing drinking water problems due to the salinity in the groundwater," he said. A total of Rs 135 crore was invested to set up the 4.5-mld plant to meet the industrial and potable drinking water requirements, OSCOM chief CVR Murty said. Water will also be provided to OSCOM employees, along with the nearby villages, he said. "While OSCOM will utilise 1.5 mld water from the plant, it will supply 1.5 mld to villages. Another 1.5 mld will be kept as reserve for utilisation during an emergency," he added. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has provided the technology for desalination of the seawater, and the Centre's Atomic Energy Department has provided the funds, officials said. The district administration constructed the overhead tanks and laid pipes to every household. Berhampur MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy urged the IREL to set up another such plant to serve more areas, including Chhatrapur town. At present, water is supplied to OSCOM, Berhampur University and Chhatrapur town from the Rushikulya river. During peak summer, these areas reel under a water crisis as the supply gets reduced.
