Metrowater submits conservancy workers' scheme records to court
Chennai: Metrowater on Thursday furnished copies of files pertaining to Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme, through which 100 crore was allotted for the uplift of sanitary workers as entrepreneurs.
A vacation bench of Justice G R Swaminathan and Justice V Lakshminarayanan had called for the records last week, while taking up a PIL filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar alleging irregularities in the award of tenders.
On Thursday, the bench said despite securing an SC order, the scheme implementing agency Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) and Gen Green Logistics Pvt Ltd named in the PIL had not impleaded itself in the case.
However, the petitioner filed an impleading petition to include them. Subsequently, DICCI and Gen Green were added as respondents.
According to Shankar, state govt allotted 524 crore for sewerage management through Metrowater and department of municipal administration. "DICCI recommended 87 people, of whom 39 are legal heirs of deceased sanitary workers and 48 people currently engaged in sanitary work for scheme. Later, 133 more were recommended, all who were members of Congress's SC/ST wing," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Cargo details of sunken ship out amid Kerala high court push for transparency
Thiruvananthapuram: The container ship MSC Elsa 3, which sank off 14.6 nautical miles off Thottappally harbour on May 25, was carrying a mixed consignment, including chemicals and raw materials. A detailed inventory, accessed by TOI, states that the cargo included 13 containers of calcium carbide, several containers of hydrazine and hydroxylamine, and others holding bleached chemi-thermo, slaked lime, sodium lauryl ether sulphate, fish oil, polymer pellets, newsprint, wood, cashews, and vegetables. Of the 643 containers on board, 70 were empty. The disclosure, coming 11 days after the vessel sank, came against the backdrop of Kerala high court on Thursday directing the state govt to publicly disclose details concerning the nature of the cargo, its potential environmental impact and the mitigation measures being planned. A bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji gave the directive on a PIL filed by former MP T N Prathapan, seeking comprehensive compensation and rehabilitation for fishermen and other affected stakeholders. The court also sought instructions from the state on whether such information is already available on the official website, and if not, expected the govt to publish the available details on the site before the next date of hearing. According to the inventory, 18 containers held polymers or plastic pellets. Additionally, the ship carried around 90 containers of various types of processed and unprocessed wood, 50 containers of hydrazine and hydroxylamine, eight containers of spinning machinery, around 40 containers of cotton, six containers of "luben", 50 containers of bleached chemi-thermo used in paper manufacturing, 68 containers of quicklime or slaked lime — both harmful to skin and eyes, two containers of sodium lauryl ether sulphate — a key ingredient in soaps, detergents and shampoos and 10 containers of fish body oil or Japan crude fish oil used in omega-3 supplement production. There were also 10 containers of newsprint and 30 containers of cashews and coconuts. While calcium carbide is the most hazardous substance among the cargo, other materials also pose a risk of long-term marine pollution. The govt has stated that the calcium carbide has not leaked from the sunken vesse, but millions of plastic pellets have already washed ashore along the coast from Varkala to Vizhinjam, raising concerns about their impact on fish and other marine organisms. The clean-up effort has been sluggish. "It's been nearly 10 days since plastic pellets began washing up from the stricken ship. The manual clean-up is progressing slowly. It's disheartening to see workers scooping sand by hand and sieving it using just two small metal sieves at Thumba Beach. At this rate, it will take ages to clear all the pellets," said Robert Panipilla of Friends of Marine Life. "This suggests that disaster management and port authorities are not treating the situation with the seriousness it deserves. There is also no clarity on how deep the sand needs to be excavated," he said. Panipilla also urged the govt to formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) and deploy machinery capable of large-scale sand cleaning as waves have already pushed the pellets deep into the shore. Meanwhile, most of the containers that washed ashore were empty.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka HC takes suo motu cognizance of matter, calls for status report from state govt by next Tuesday
The Karnataka High Court Thursday took suo motu cognizance of the recent stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, calling for a status report from the state government by next Tuesday. The case was heard by a division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice C M Joshi. At least 11 deaths and many injuries had resulted from the stampede, which occurred after a large crowd had gathered outside the stadium to celebrate the victory of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The court stated, 'News items have been published by various newspapers… wherein a narration has been made about the unfortunate public tragedy on 4/6/2025. This court, taking cognizance of the incident… to ascertain the reasons which led to the tragedy, whether the tragedy could have been prevented, what remedial measures need to be taken to prevent such tragedies in future.' Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty submitted that 1,318 local cops, as well as 325 personnel from the Karnataka State Reserve Police, were deployed in the vicinity of the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the celebratory event on Wednesday. Shetty also provided other details like the number of ambulances, water tankers, and fire tenders present at the spot. He stated, 'More than 2.5 lakh persons gathered around Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in… death of 11 persons at various gates.' In response to a query from the court on standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the presence of ambulances, the advocate general said, 'The Government has taken the issue seriously and is exploring the option of issuing a fresh SOP to regulate public gathering… of every kind.' He informed that while facilities like ambulances were there, they were not sufficient given the strength of the crowd. He added that the stadium can accommodate only 34,600 people. The advocate general said, 'We have given notices to the Royal Challengers, DNA (an event management company)… FIR has also been filed against them… we are as… concerned as anybody else, it is not that we are hiding. The first statement that the Hon'ble Chief Minister made was giving compensation, medical treatment, coming up with new SOPs…' Making a submission before the court, an advocate asked whether the state government or the Karnataka State Cricket Association had taken the decision to felicitate the cricketers of the RCB franchise. He also questioned the decision to felicitate the players as they did not participate on behalf of the state or the country. Referring to a magisterial inquiry into the stampede ordered by the state government, senior advocate Aruna Shyam said, 'The subdivisional magistrate or deputy commissioner who shall be part of controlling the entire mob has been deputed to inquire into the incident.' He added that an independent inquiry might be required.
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
"Same-Sex Couple Can Very Well Form A Family": Madras High Court
Chennai: Though the Supreme Court may not have legalised marriage between same sex couples, they can very well form a family, the Madras High Court has held and allowed a young woman to join her female partner and said the two women can constitute a family. A division bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan said the expression "family" has to be understood in an expanded sense. Hearing a writ petition seeking to produce before court a 25-year old woman and set her at liberty, the bench said: "To a specific question from us, the detenue (the 25-year old woman) replied that she is a lesbian and in relationship with the writ petitioner." "She made it clear to the court that she wanted to go with the petitioner. She confirmed the allegation that she is being detained against her will by her natal family. It appeared that she was forcibly taken to her home and beaten. She told us that her natal family members forced her to undergo certain rituals so that she will become "normal". She even apprehended danger to her life. In the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, the petitioner has nowhere described the true nature of her relationship with the detenue. Even in her complaint to the police, the petitioner called herself as the detenue's close friend. We can understand the hesitation on her part," the court said. Further, the court said: "While Supriyo @ Supriya Chakraborty Vs Union of India (Supreme Court) may not have legalised marriage between same sex couples, they can very well form a family. Marriage is not the sole mode to found a family." The concept of "chosen family" is now well settled and acknowledged in LGBTQIA jurisprudence, the court said, adding the petitioner and the detenue can very well constitute a family. Justice Anand Venkatesh, Judge of Madras HC, in Prasanna J Vs S Sushma approved a "Deed of familial Association" that purported to recognise the civil union entered into between LGBTQAI partners. The Supreme Court, in NALSA and Navtej Johar case, declared that sexual orientation is a matter of individual choice and that it is one of the most basic aspects of self-determination, dignity and freedom. It is an integral part of personal autonomy and self-expression and falls within the realm of personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The High Court, in its judgment dated May 22, 2025 said: "Since we have satisfied ourselves that the detenue wants to join the petitioner and that she is being detained against her will, we allow this Habeas Corpus petition and set her at liberty. We also restrain the detenue's natal family members from interfering with her personal liberty." Also, the court directed the police to provide protection to the detenue as well as the petitioner as and when required. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
