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New Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NC President Farooq Abdullah calls for immediate restoration of J&K statehood
NEW DELHI: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday made a strong pitch for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, calling the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 'unjust and unlawful.' Speaking at the 'Statehood Now' public meeting at the Constitution Club of India here Abdullah voiced serious concern over the state of democracy and rising divisions in the country. The event was organised by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir. 'Who gave you the right to take away our statehood? Did you ask the people? Was the assembly in session?' he asked, referring to the Centre's move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status. He also cited a recent interview in which the then Governor of J&K admitted he was unaware of the constitutional process at the time. 'Even the then Governor admitted he didn't know the law,' Abdullah added. 'We are not here to bow. We are not here to beg. It is our right as Indians under the Constitution of India. What you have done is illegal. Restore our statehood,' he said. Abdullah warned that the situation in Kashmir could become a precedent for other parts of the country. '..We want our rights. We fight for our rights. We came here to ask for it. Many people who spoke here said rightly said Kashmir is the testing ground. That will be the fate of many other states very soon. I hope that doesn't happen.' He added: 'For that we all have to stand together.' He also criticised what her termed as growing polarisation and marginalisation of vulnerable communities in the country. 'This is not the India I grew up in, and I'm not going to accept this as my India,' he said. 'I want an India where we exist as equals, love each other, and rise above religion, region, and language.' Abdullah said: 'The Constitution gives every Indian the right to vote and live with dignity, regardless of background. Those values are now under threat.' Calling for unity and collective resolve, Abdullah said' 'It's our country. If we don't defend it and our Constitution, what will we tell our children?.' He ended his speech with a Jai Hind.
India Gazette
06-07-2025
- Science
- India Gazette
Seminar on impact of climate change in Northeast India held in national capital
New Delhi [India], July 6 (ANI): A national seminar 'Impact of Climate Change on Northeast India' was held here Saturday at the Constitution Club of India to discuss and deliberate various pressing climate-related issues in the northeastern region. The seminar was jointly organised by the South Asian Climate Change Journalist's Forum and the North East Media Forum. Northeast region is considered to be one of the sensitive ecological zones in the eastern Himalayan foothills. The region is highly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing frequent floods, landslides, earthquakes, and droughts. Speaking at the seminar, Dr Kiranmay Sarma, Professor in the School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, highlighted several of his climate-related studies carried out in the northeastern region and beyond, painting a broader picture of climate-induced events and their cascading effects on the community. Dr Sarma, who specialises in geospatial technology applications for environment and disaster management, made a presentation at the seminar, touching upon various remote sensing tools that can help study environmental impacts. also underlined the pivotal role of the indigenous knowledge system in mitigating climate change and in the conservation of biodiversity. Responding to a query about whether remote sensing can identify aquifers in water-scarce areas of the northeast, he said, 'Yes, remote sensing technology can help identify aquifers. In Meghalaya, aquifers have been identified through this technology.' Souparna Lahiri of Forest and Climate Policy of Climate Land Ambition and Rights Alliance, as part of his intervention, touched upon various facets of climate change, and how society as a whole can mitigate its impact. Climate change, according to Lahiri, is a natural response to all anthropogenic activities. He suggested that all northeast states must come up with their climate action policies. 'The climate action plans are usually prepared by consultants, not the people from the community. A climate action policy is supposed to be a bottom-up approach, involving the community, their knowledge and experience, so that we can formulate a proper action plan,' said Lahiri. During the seminar, a journal named 'NE Climate 2025 - documenting the changing climate of North East India' was also released, which was edited by Ashish Gupta, President of the South Asian chapter of the Climate Change Journalists Forum and a senior journalist, along with CK Nayak, General Secretary of the forum's India chapter. In his address, CK Nayak said the Northeast is grappling with a complex set of climate challenges that demand a holistic approach to both adaptation and mitigation, not fragmented or piecemeal efforts. 'Understanding the specific impacts across the region and addressing root causes such as deforestation and unsustainable land use and practices are critical steps toward building a climate-resilient future,' he quipped. President of North East Media Forum, Sanjib Kumar Baruah, in his address, said the time to combat the scourge of climate change is to 'act now'. General Secretary of North East Media Forum, Pranjal Pratim Das, offered the vote of thanks. The seminar drew a diverse audience, including journalists, researchers, environmentalists, government officials and students. (ANI)
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Vidya Bharati unveils vision 2047: 5-point transformation plan to reshape education
Annual press conference held at the Constitution Club of India NEW DELHI: With an eye on India's centenary of independence, Vidya Bharati Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Sansthan on Friday unveiled its ambitious Vision 2047 — a five-point roadmap aimed at transforming Indian education through cultural rootedness, social equity, environmental stewardship, and self-reliance. At its annual press conference held at the Constitution Club of India, the organisation outlined its ' Panch Parivartan ' (five transformations) strategy that will guide Vidya Bharati's expansion and reforms in the decades ahead. 'Our vision is not just academic excellence, but nation-building — a Bharat that is self-reliant, value-driven and socially harmonious,' said Deshraj Sharma, General Secretary of Vidya Bharati. 5 pillars of transformation Samajik Samrasata – Social integration through inclusive education across castes, communities, and geographies. Kutumb Prabodhan – Strengthening families via cultural and value-based learning, including Matri-Pitri Pujan and family rituals. Paryavaran Sanrakshan – Environmental commitment with over 5.2 lakh saplings, 3,400 green campuses, and water conservation in 1,800+ schools. Swa (Self-Identity & Self-Reliance) – Youth empowerment through skill development, rooted identity, and expansion of ITIs and vocational hubs even in Kargil and Kiphire. Nari Samman – Education and dignity for girls; reaching 14.4 lakh girl students through leadership training, counselling, and self-defence programs. With over 12,000 schools in 684 districts, Vidya Bharati is one of India's largest educational networks. It runs 8,000 non-formal centres, and reaches 35.33 lakh students with the help of 1.53 lakh teachers. At the heart of the model lies the blend of modern learning — like AI, robotics, and coding via 507 Atal Tinkering Labs — and Bharatiya Darshan, including yoga, Sanskrit, and moral education. 'We're shaping students to be both globally competitive and culturally grounded,' Sharma said.
Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Indian Express
Delhi: Regulatory oversight, informal work arrangements flagged in report on deaths of sanitation workers
Deaths of sanitation workers during hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning operations have continued unabated across India despite a ban on manual scavenging and stringent legal provisions. Their plight was in focus on Friday during a workshop at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi, where rights groups, worker unions, and researchers came together to present a new fact-finding report. The report, compiled and released by the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM), sheds a spotlight on a series of investigations into recent sanitation worker fatalities across urban and rural areas. One of the most recent cases documented was the death of two sanitation workers at a shopping mall in West Delhi earlier this year. The workers were reportedly hired by a private contractor to clean a sewage chamber without any safety gear or training. The report noted that no timely emergency response was available at the site, and rescue efforts were delayed. Such incidents were not isolated, underlined the report, which included multiple case studies from Delhi-NCR — all pointing to a pattern of hazardous working conditions, informal subcontracting arrangements, and poor regulatory oversight. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, bans hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, but the DASAM report showed that the practice continued under informal arrangements. Many workers were hired on a daily wage or contract basis through layers of subcontracting, with no job security, insurance, or safety protocol, as per the findings. Activists called for revamping data collection mechanisms, noting that the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) and local authorities often underreported cases or provided incomplete information. The report recommends better coordination between police, civic bodies, and labour departments to ensure accountability and justice Mohsina, a member of DASAM involved in the documentation process, said that systemic neglect by both municipal bodies and enforcement agencies lay at the heart of the problem. 'Apathy by government agencies as well as police officials had been evident during the follow-up of the incidents. While a few cases did not yield an FIR, some others were claimed to be pending because of incomplete investigations,' she said. The report noted that in many cases, contractors denied formal employment ties, which hampered the legal process and delayed compensation. Hemlata Kansotia, National Convenor, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRSAW), who has been working on sanitation workers' rights, pointed out that the problem extended beyond fatalities. 'Apart from deaths, health-related complications due to prolonged exposure to harmful gases remained undocumented,' she said, noting that such chronic issues were rarely covered in official reports. 'There was also a gap in the law to tackle this issue,' she added. Kansotia pointed to an urban bias in public perception: 'In cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, the general notion was that to an extent the problem was resolved, but we were only seeing the visible issues in the city… Apart from this, septic tank-related cases in small cities and villages were invisibilised.' Dharmendra Bhati, President, Municipal Workers Lal Janda Union, emphasised the need for systemic change within public utility bodies. 'Contractual workers needed to be made part of the regular employees and included in the payroll in the Delhi Jal Board,' he said, adding that without formal inclusion, workers remained vulnerable to exploitation and unsafe assignments. The issue also had deep socio-cultural and psychological dimensions. Seema Mathur, professor at Delhi University, pointed out that 'identity' — especially caste and gender — played a key role in how sanitation workers were treated. 'The lack of social security and physiological nuances of the nature of work made it difficult for the female and male workers to affect their daily life,' she said, referring to the often-overlooked psychological toll of such hazardous and stigmatised work. Dr. Sunilam, a veteran social activist, said that despite their essential role, sanitation workers were not prioritised in policymaking. 'The problem persisted due to no equipment, funds or priority given to the sanitation workers and their job,' he said. Highlighting their role during crises, he added, 'It was the farmers and the sanitation workers who were in the forefront, who did not shy away during the pandemic. Yet the public, who did not even step out during such calamities, ostracised them. The inherent solution lay in setting priorities and providing dignity.' He further criticised the prevailing approach to sanitation worker deaths, calling it reactionary. 'In India, the compensation following the death of a sanitation worker was talked about, but nobody talked about how to prevent such deaths in the first place… indicating an indifferent approach.'
New Indian Express
28-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Foolproof security measures underway for UG medical entrance exams
NEW DELHI: To ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming NEET-UG exam, which will be held at over 5,000 centres across the country, the Education Ministry has held multiple meetings with district magistrates and police superintendents to ensure the security of all exam-related materials, according to a source. The medical entrance exam will take place in more than 550 cities on May 4. Speaking to reporters at an event organized at the Constitution Club of India, where Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the book Scaling Mount UPSC: Inspiring Stories of Young IAS Officers authored by Sajjan Yadav, the source said, 'A foolproof plan has been put in place. Magistrates and superintendents of police will ensure that all examination centres assess their preparedness. District-level teams will handle all logistics.' Question papers and OMR sheets will be transported under complete police protection, and coaching centres will be closely monitored to prevent any malpractice. The NEET-UG exam last year faced controversy with Pradhan lauds NCERT Earlier, after launching the book, Pradhan praised the role of NCERT books in disseminating knowledge, stating that most IAS aspirants who cleared the civil services exams had studied them. When asked about the recent changes made to the Class VII social science textbooks of NCERT—specifically, the replacement of chapters on the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate with those covering Magadha, the Mauryas, and other Indian dynasties—the Minister said he would address the issue later. The updated textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Part-I aligns with the National Education Policy 2020.
