Latest news with #ArunPrabhudesai
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Dog owner backs SC order to remove strays from Delhi-NCR, faces backlash: ‘Selective compassion'
The Supreme Court's directive to remove all stray dogs from the streets of Delhi and the National Capital Region, and permanently house them in shelters, has caused a split in opinion—mostly raising an outcry among dog lovers and animal rights activists, who have called the judgement "not a doable order." Several who have opposed the apex court's judgement have underlined the unavailability of government-run dog shelters in the NCR region where the canines could be kept. The order has stirred conversations on social media, with many commenting on X. A user who goes by the name Arun Prabhudesai, and who defines himself as a CEO of a video production house, backed the order, saying that he himself is a "dog parent" but wants the directive to be implemented in Maharashtra too. "Stray dogs in India aren't just an inconvenience; they're a menace," he said. The CEO drew comparisons with other nations where dogs are not "free-roaming hazards." "We've normalised dog-bite cases, rabies deaths, and aggressive packs chasing kids, cyclists, and delivery personnel. You don't see this in any other country. Go to Singapore, Japan, Europe, or the US, where dogs are pets and not free-roaming hazards. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs, but I also love seeing kids play in the park without fear, delivery agents ride without being chased, and pedestrians walk without dodging packs. This decision will anger many. But it might finally make Indian cities safer for humans and for the dogs themselves," Prabhudesai wrote. Another user believed that "dog lovers" are always from wealthy families, which many in the comment sections opposed. ' So-called dog lovers are almost always from the rich crowd. Their pampered kids never walk a single step on foot. It's the poor kids who get chased, bitten, and die from rabies. Funny—never met a dog lover earning less than ₹ 1 lakh a month,' she wrote. A third user, Mohit Chauhan, Cultural Envoy of Mongolia to India, voiced opposition to the order, saying, "Delhi's stray dogs are not a menace. They are part of an ecosystem. Their brutal removal is not a solution. Empathy is. Getting civic agencies to do their job properly is a solution, and supporting caregivers so that they can provide more is a solution. Lend your voice to the voiceless now." A fourth user suggested that dog lovers adopt one stray dog each to mitigate the problem. 'If every dog lover on social media adopts one stray dog and keeps it at home, there won't be any stray dogs.' Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court strongly criticised authorities while hearing petitions challenging its order. Another bench of the court questioned why authorities in several areas had started capturing the animals even before the earlier order was made public. The court also criticised the authorities for failing to implement established guidelines for animal control, which it said had contributed to the current situation.
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Business Standard
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
'Single most stupid rule': Delhi's fuel ban on old vehicles faces flak
Effective July 1, Delhi has implemented a complete halt on refuelling End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), barring fuel stations from serving diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. The measure aims to curb vehicular pollution and phase out older, high-emission vehicles from city roads. The decision triggered widespread discontent on social media. Citizens questioned the logic of age-based bans despite valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Enforcement underway; 80 vehicles seized on Day 1 On the first day of enforcement, citywide checks led to the seizure of 80 vehicles — including 67 two-wheelers and 12 cars — for violating the new regulation, according to news agency PTI. Teams from the Transport Department, Delhi Police, Traffic Police, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi joined the drive that began at 6 am. The move has left many social media users shocked and perplexed. Some questioned the relevance of continuing to mandate Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates if vehicles were to be banned solely based on age. Strategic affairs analyst Sushant Sareen criticised the policy's logic in a post on X, stating, "Single most stupid rule. Scrap a polluting vehicle even if it's 1 year old; allow a non-polluting vehicle even if it's 20 years old. Enforce pollution norms strictly. But scraping vehicles just on age of vehicle is a brainless thing to do. Since it's NGC-dictated, no one wants to challenge this foolishness." Policy slammed for hurting middle-class vehicle owners Entrepreneur Arun Prabhudesai also criticised the ban's lack of support measures for car owners: "Out of these 62 lakh car owners, most would have spent their entire life savings to buy their dream car, taken it on EMI, spent years paying it off and then one day, it's suddenly banned. For those who've maintained their vehicle well, this policy shouldn't apply. There's a reason why PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificates exist." So, Delhi has banned fuel stations from refuelling 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles starting today. Great for headlines, but what about those who can't afford a new car or EV? Poor scrappage support, no exchange offers, no EV infrastructure! Just a sudden ban.… — Arun Prabhudesai (@8ap) July 1, 2025 Prabhudesai said the policy looked good on paper but failed to consider ground realities such as the high cost of electric vehicles (EVs), limited exchange schemes, and poor charging infrastructure. A Delhi resident posted that he is being forced to sell his Range Rover SUV at a throwaway price due to the new rule. He also shared a photograph of his Range Rover -- an SUV currently in its eighth year. My car is in its 8th year — a diesel vehicle, meticulously maintained, just 74,000 km on the odo. It spent two years parked during Covid and easily has over 2 lakh km of life left. But thanks to the 10-year diesel ban in NCR, I'm now forced to sell it — and that too to buyers… — Ritesh G (@Ritesh_Gandotra) July 1, 2025 Another user remarked that India was attempting to impose Nordic-style regulations while lacking basic urban infrastructure. 'We don't even have footpaths,' the post read, comparing the policy to practices in Sweden and Norway. Why the rule is being enforced The BJP-led Delhi government's action follows directives from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) aimed at tackling emissions from older vehicles. It builds on previous orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banning aged diesel and petrol vehicles from plying on roads. The Delhi government has now extended this to fuel stations, preventing refuelling as a means to ensure stricter compliance.
News18
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- News18
This Man Saw Vietnam's Bike Taxi Boom And Now Everyone's Questioning Karnataka's Ban
Last Updated: The man visiting Vietnam contrasted the country's booming two-wheeler culture with the growing restrictions on bike taxis in India. As Karnataka enforces a statewide crackdown on bike taxis, a social media post by an Indian CEO has sparked discussion online. Arun Prabhudesai, founder and CEO of Armoks Media, shared his thoughts after arriving in Vietnam, where two-wheeler taxis are a popular and hassle-free mode of transport. In his post, he contrasted Vietnam's open approach with the restrictions faced by bike taxis in India. This reignited conversations around urban mobility and regulation. 'Just landed in Vietnam, checked into my hotel, and was immediately struck by the sheer number of two-wheelers on the road. Vietnam is known as the country of two-wheelers. You can easily explore the city using services like GrabBike," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 'Meanwhile, in India, bike taxi services like Rapido are being banned in one state after another. I'm genuinely curious, why is this happening? Aren't bike taxis a more affordable and accessible option for Indian consumers?" he added. Prabhudesai also shared a video of Vietnam's roads crowded with two-wheelers. His post triggered a flurry of reactions online. While some supported his view, many pointed out safety concerns and other issues that make bike taxis risky in India. Another added, 'Simple. In India, everything that benefits common people gets banned." 'I had similar observations during my trip to Vietnam on December 24. Upon checking the reason with my tour guide, he informed that the government has kept prices of cars extremely high so as to promote 2-wheeler and manage the traffic congestion," someone else shared. But others weren't as supportive. 'People at least follow lanes and rules and stuff in Vietnam. Nobody does that here, so bikes are risky, especially the way these bike taxis ride," a person pointed out. An individual wrote, 'Bike taxis in India are so unsafe. I'm not a pro-ban person, but regulations like speed limit etc., should be enforced. Once I asked the rider to slow a little. He was around 85 KMPH inside City traffic, and he started riding at 18-20 just to irritate me," one shared. 'Because they are literally a menace. The drivers are so interested in the next ride that they drive dangerously while answering the alerts, especially at the end of the ride. An auto or even a car is a little better, because the balance is automatic. Still bad though," read another comment. Bringing attention to India's infrastructure issues, a user noted, 'I don't see how Vietnam's bike taxi culture compares to Rapido or Uber Moto in India. Our roads aren't built for it, many drivers lack proper training, and it's simply too risky. People shouldn't risk their lives for convenience." Bike taxi services in Karnataka have been officially suspended as of June 16, 2025, following a High Court decision that declined to stay a government order. The directive requires aggregators to halt operations until new regulatory guidelines are established. In response, platforms like Rapido and Uber have removed the bike taxi option from their apps in the state. First Published:
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Time of India
Arun Prabhudesai aka trakintech
Arun Prabhudesai, the founder of Trakin Tech, is a pioneering tech content creator with over 11.8 million YouTube subscribers. With a degree in Computer Science, Arun began his career in IT before launching the blog in 2007. In 2011, he started posting tech videos in English on Youtube, however a pivotal moment came in 2016 when he switched to Hindi language content, and launched Trakin Tech. His tech reviews have earned him recognition, including a spot on Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars list in 2022. Arun's regional channel, Trakin Tech Marathi, won the Best YouTube Content of India Award in 2023 by Global Awards.
