Latest news with #1986
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Business Standard
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Delhi declares war on air pollution with full-year ban on firecrackers
In a move to fight air pollution, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has announced a permanent, year-round ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The order was issued on Sunday through a public notice under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It applies to all individuals, institutions, and organisations across Delhi. The DPCC has made it clear that anyone found violating the ban will face legal consequences, India Today reported. To ensure the ban is properly enforced, the public has been encouraged to report violations. Complaints can be made through: The Noise Pollution Grievance Redressal web portal The Green Delhi mobile app The helpline number 155271 Emergency services via 112 This is not the first time a firecracker ban has been enforced on the national capital. A similar restriction was introduced last year by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Crackdown on online firecracker sales In line with the firecracker ban, the Delhi Police have issued instructions to e-commerce and social media platforms to stop the online listing and delivery of firecrackers within the city, news agency ANI reported. This directive follows the Supreme Court's order dated May 6, 2025 and aims to ensure complete compliance with the NCT (National Capital Territory) government's orders. According to a statement from the Delhi Police Crime Branch, ecommerce platforms have been told to remove firecracker listings in Delhi; apply location-based restrictions to prevent sales in the city; inform customers clearly about the prohibition and; instruct delivery partners not to accept or transport firecrackers. They have also been asked to confirm compliance in writing. Any failure to follow the order will attract criminal prosecution under relevant laws. Banquet halls, hotels also advised Not just online sellers — banquet halls, hotels, and guesthouses have also been informed to strictly comply with the ban. Police have issued advisories urging them to ensure no manufacturing, storage, or bursting of firecrackers takes place on their premises. ₹35 cr worth of Chinese firecrackers seizes In a significant crackdown under 'Operation Fire Trail', the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) last week seized Chinese firecrackers and fireworks worth ₹35 crore that had been illegally imported, according to a report by news agency PTI. An official from the agency said the contraband was hidden in seven shipping containers located at Nhava Sheva Port near Mumbai and Mundra Port and Kandla SEZ in Gujarat. 'These Chinese fireworks, weighing 100 metric tonnes, were smuggled by mis-declaring them as mini decorative plants, artificial flowers, and plastic mats,' the official said. (With agency inputs)
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
PCB issues closure notices to erring units near Thevara-Perandoor, Edappally canals
The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has issued closure notices to 88 apartment complexes, commercial buildings, and offices located close to Thevara-Perandoor and Edappally canals for not setting up adequate wastewater treatment facilities. The notices were issued under Section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The directive said that the PCB would be constrained to issue orders to the appropriate authority to disconnect the supply of electricity, water, and other services to the said establishments. The agency also issued closure intention notices to 34 units after inspections revealed that they lacked facilities for the treatment of sewage and sullage. They had also failed to obtain the PCB's consent under Section 25 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which is required for the discharge of treated effluents. The units were given 15 days to respond and take the required follow-up action. The PCB shared the action taken report with the Kochi Corporation. The directive was issued following orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Kerala High Court, directing the authorities concerned to curb the illegal discharge of untreated wastewater into the canals. The Southern Bench of the NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of a report titled 'Faecal contamination high in Perandoor, Edappally Canals' published in The Hindu on January 28, 2021. The Kerala High Court had directed the PCB and the Corporation to take strict action against those responsible for polluting the waterbodies. The NGT had also directed the government to halt the generation and discharge of liquid waste (sewage and sullage) from the erring units into the Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes, both designated as Ramsar sites (wetlands of international importance). The tribunal had earlier said that it was the government's duty to ensure that every building — whether residential or commercial — was equipped with a sewage treatment plant (STP) or connected to a common STP or faecal sludge treatment plant, the latter being a more economical temporary measure.
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Apprise DMs of guidelines, directions to prepare gang chart : HC to U.P. chief secy
: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to apprise all the district magistrates of the guidelines and directions issued by the high court and the Supreme Court regarding the preparation of a gang chart for the invocation of the Gangsters Act. The court ordered, 'However, in the present case the authority concerned is at liberty to initiate fresh proceedings under the U.P. Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (For representation only) With this direction, the court allowed a petition, quashing the impugned FIR registered under Sections 2(b)(i) and 3 of the U.P. Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, against two petitioners. A vacation division bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal passed the order on June 27 on a petition filed by Shabbir Husain and another person seeking directives to quash the FIR lodged against them at Bhira police station in Lakhimpur Kheri district. The court directed, 'A perusal of the gang chart also shows that the District Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri has approved the gang chart on 21.03.2025. This fact shows that a training programme conducted by the State Government has no effect on the District Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri and even she ignored the guidelines of the State Government dated 02.12.2024 and approved the gang chart in utter violation of the direction issued by the High Court Allahabad as well as Supreme Court. Therefore, Chief Secretary, Govt. of U.P. is directed to look into this issue and shall apprise all the District Magistrates about the guidelines and directions issued by the High Court and Supreme Court regarding preparation of gang chart for invocation of Gangsters Act and if required, a fresh training programme be initiated for the competent authorities under the Gangsters Act.' The court said, 'In the present case, from the perusal of the gang chart, it is clear that while approving the gang chart, the District Magistrate simply mentioned 'discussed with Superintendent of Police and Committee and proposal approved'. 'This is absolutely non-application of mind and also not in consonance with the U.P. Gangster Rules as well as clear violation of judgements of this Court in Sunni Mishra @ Sanjayan Kumar Mishra (supra) and Abdul Lateef @ Mustak Khan (supra) as well as the judgements of Supreme Court in the case of Vinod Bihari Lal (supra) and Lal Mohammad (supra).' The court ordered, 'However, in the present case the authority concerned is at liberty to initiate fresh proceedings under the U.P. Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 after preparing the gang chart in accordance with the law as mentioned above.' Accordingly, the high court allowed the petition quashing the impugned FIR lodged against the petitioners along with the gang chart.
Bloomberg
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Starmer's Welfare Overhaul to Face Key Vote
00:00 How likely is it that this crucial bill will pass? How close could it be? I say that the bill is crucial. Really? It's a test, isn't it, of Starmer's standing within his own party? Absolutely, Tom. It could be the most consequential vote of Starmer's premiership so far. Now, it doesn't look like he's going to pull the bill at this stage. It does look like he's going to win it, but it is by no means guaranteed and it should be guaranteed, shouldn't it, When he's got a historic, huge majority of 165 MPs in the House of Commons. Theoretically, he shouldn't struggle to pass this sort of legislation, but there could still be a significant rebellion. Some newspapers have been estimating 60 Labour MPs could vote against it and there'd been even bigger doubts last week until Friday when he made this embarrassing U-turn. He wanted to cut disability benefits, but he had to make an exemption for existing claimants. That's going to cost the Treasury £3 billion at a time when the Treasury needs every penny it can get its hands on. Without that U-turn, no 120 Labour MPs had threatened to kill the bill and that would have been really damaging to Keir Starmer's premiership because this is flagship policy. The last time a bill failed at this stage was 1986. Wow. 1986. What does it mean then, as you allude to, as you touch on? Let's see, this is not the first U-turn for this prime minister just one year read. What does all of this say about Starmer's own position? No, it's the third U-turn, actually. We've had one on winter fuel payments for pensioners. We've had another on the inquiry into child sexual abuse gangs. And every time Starmer takes the credit for one of these costly U-turns, he's chancellor takes the flak and it makes it even more likely that she's going to have to raise taxes in the autumn, or that she'd have to break her fiscal rules. So it's putting Rachel Reeves and her job on the line here. We've already reported that some Labour MPs want to sack her and pivot the government to the left. But in any case, Tom, this political instability is exactly what Keir Starmer promised he would, and he's getting attacked from the left and the right by the Reform UK Party, trailing them in the polls and already Starmer's had to admit that perhaps in this first year in office he should have had an eye more on the domestic ball than all the globetrotting dealmaking that he's been doing.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- The Hindu
Cyberabad She Teams nab 51 for indecent acts during 137 decoy operations
The She Teams of Cyberabad Police conducted 137 decoy operations during the week, nabbing 51 individuals for acts of public indecency. While 50 petty cases were registered, one First Information Report (FIR) was lodged. Additionally, 19 complaints were received from women through various channels. A total of 78 awareness programmes and five counselling sessions were carried out across the commissionerate. In a parallel effort, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) registered one case under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1986 and two cases of street prostitution in Kukatpally and KPHB. One victim was rescued, and two persons were arrested in a case. In another operation, six female sex workers, a transgender person, and three gay individuals were rescued. The efforts were made as part of its weekly operations between June 23 and 28 by the Cyberabad Women and Children Safety Wing against public harassment and human trafficking.
