Latest news with #Gonsalves
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Sewage & the city: Ahead of monsoon, open drain near condo raises a stink
Noida: The open sewer drain in front of La Solara Apartments near Ek Murti Chowk in Sector 16 has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising serious health concerns for over 2,500 residents. With the monsoon season approaching, the clogged and waste-filled drain has become a major civic hazard, residents alleged. "The drain has not been cleaned for months. It's filled with muck and plastic waste. The mosquito menace is worsening every day," said Darryll Gonsalves, a resident of La Solara apartments. Adding to the problem, Gonsalves claimed that dirty water from the adjacent Casa Green society continuously flows onto the road outside, creating a perennial water hole. "It remains waterlogged throughout the year," he added. La Solara apartments, spread over 1.85 acres, comprises four towers with 670 residential units and houses more than 2,500 people. The area also includes several other high-rises like KA Divya Towers, RG Luxury Homes, and Panchsheel Greens 2, collectively accommodating over 10,000 residents. Despite being well connected to nearby landmarks such as Gulshan Belina Road, Mahagun Marina Walk and Kaith Hospital, Sector 16 continues to grapple with poor civic management and sanitation issues. Residents also complained about weekly market encroachments that worsen the hygiene situation. "On Wednesdays and Sundays, the market opposite our society leaves behind rotting fruits, vegetables, and plastic waste, much of which ends up in the nallah beside the service road," said another resident. Local residents said that repeated complaints to the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) have gone unheeded. Besides sanitation issues, concerns were also raised regarding inadequate street lighting and lack of security in the area. Officials from the authority said the concerns of residents will be looked into.
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First Post
17-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
'Fanciful PILs': Supreme Court lashes out at frivolous petitions to block Rohingya deportation
Advocate Colin Gonsalves on Friday said that the central government had already deported a batch of Rohingya Muslims on May 8. He claimed that the deportees were handcuffed and sent off to the Andaman Islands, given life jackets and 'pushed towards Myanmar' read more The Supreme Court rebuked petitioners for filing successive PILs to stop the deportation of Rohingya Muslims. The court told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves that 'PILs after PILs cannot be filed' on the same issue unless there is some new fact backing their petitions. Earlier this month, a three-judge bench consisting of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and N Kotiswar Singh refused to grant an interim stay on the apprehended deportation of Rohingyas, saying they are not Indian citizens and hence do not have the right to reside in the country. The PILs were argued by Gonsalves and advocate Prashant Bhushan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and questioned the validity of the UNHCR granting refugee status to Rohingyas. These individuals, originally from Myanmar, had fled to other countries due to severe threats to their lives from the military. Gonsalves on Friday said that the central government had already deported a batch of Rohingya Muslims on May 8. He claimed that the deportees were handcuffed and sent off to the Andaman Islands, given life jackets and 'pushed towards Myanmar'. They sought the help of fishermen after reaching the country to call their relatives in Delhi and informed them that they faced a threat to their lives. Justices Singh and Kant asked whether anyone can verify these details or not. 'When the country is facing such a situation at present, you cannot come up with fanciful PILs like this. There is no material to support vague and sweeping allegations made in the petition. Unless the petitioner provides prima facie credible material, it is difficult to pass an interim order which is contrary to the one refused on May 8 by a 3-J bench.' Gonsalves referred to a Supreme Court ruling on the protection of Chakma refugees to argue for similar relief for the Rohingyas. He also pointed to a UN report and an order from the International Court of Justice, asserting that the Rohingyas are refugees, not migrants, and their right to life protection is mandated by the UN. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Supreme Court irked by repeated PILs to stop Rohingya deportation
Supreme Court NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday was irked by successive attempts through PIL to stop alleged deportation of Rohingya Muslims within a fortnight and told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves that he can't be filing PIL after PIL on the same issue without any new fact to seek modification of SC's May 8 decision refusing relief. On May 8, a bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and N Kotiswar Singh had refused to grant interim stay on apprehended deportation of Rohingyas despite spirited arguments from Gonsalves and Prashant Bhushan. The bench had said Rohingyas, who are not Indian citizens, do not have a right to reside anywhere in the country. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta had said India is not a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees and disputed validity of UNHCR granting refugee status to Rohingyas, who are from Myanmar and had fled to other countries because of serious threat to their lives from the military. On Friday, Gonsalves said on May 8 itself the Union govt had deported 28 Rohingyas, who were handcuffed and taken to Andaman Island, given life jackets and pushed towards Myanmar. After somehow reaching Myanmar, they took help of fishermen to make phone calls to their relatives in Delhi to inform them that they faced imminent threats to their lives. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The bench of Justices Kant and Singh said these are bald averments and who is there to verify these facts are true to his knowledge. 'When the country is facing such a situation at present, you cannot come up with fanciful PILs like this. There is no material to support vague and sweeping allegations made in the petition. Unless the petitioner provides prima facie credible material, it is difficult to pass an interim order which is contrary to the one refused on May 8 by a 3-J bench.' Gonsalves cited a SC judgement on protection of Chakma refugees to seek similar relief for Rohingyas. He also cited a UN Report as well as an order of the International Court of Justice to claim that Rohingyas are not migrants but refugees whose protection of lives is mandated by the UN. The bench said, 'We do not want to comment on the UN Report today. We will give an answer to that on July 31, when this petition along with the pending one would be taken up for hearing.' Gonsalves said this would allow govt to deport more Rohingyas, whose number exceed 8,000 in different parts of the country and 800 of them are in Delhi.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
SC questions plea on Rohingya deportation, cites lack of credible evidence
The Supreme Court on Friday (May 16, 2025) criticised petitioners who claimed 43 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, were dropped in the Andaman sea for deportation to Myanmar. 'When the country is passing through a difficult time, you come up with fanciful ideas,' Justice Surya Kant asked them. The Bench, also comprising Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, questioned the authenticity of materials placed before it by petitioner Mohd Ismail and others, represented by senior advocate Colin Gonsalves. It refused to stay further deportation of Rohingyas, remarking that similar relief had been denied by the court earlier. The court refused to take into account the materials placed by petitioners, saying they appeared to have been taken from the social media. The Bench said recording of an alleged phone call conversation between those who were deported and the Delhi-based petitioner was not verified. Mr. Gonsalves referred to a report of the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner taking note of the issue. However, the Bench was not impressed. Nevertheless, the Bench asked Mr. Gonsalves to serve the copy of the petition on the offices of the Attorney General and the Solicitor General for transmitting it to the authorities concerned in the government. It posted the hearing before a three-judge Bench on July 31.
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Business Standard
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
SC slams petitioners over 'fanciful ideas' on Rohingya deportation claims
The Supreme Court on Friday rapped the petitioners who claimed 43 Rohingya refugees including women and children were dropped in the Andaman sea for deportation to Myanmar and said "when country is passing through a difficult time, you come out with fanciful ideas". A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh also questioned the authenticity of materials placed before it by petitioner Mohd Ismail and others and refused to stay any further deportation of Rohingyas saying similar relief was denied by the court. "When the country is passing through a difficult time, you come out with such fanciful ideas," the bench told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioners. It said the materials placed by petitioners appeared to be taken from social media and termed the averments of torture and deportation of Rohingyas by throwing them into sea as "mere allegations". "Where is the material substantiating the allegations?" Justice Kant asked. The bench said recording of the alleged phone call conversation between those who were deported and the Delhi-based petitioner was not verified. "Did anyone verify these phone calls that they originated from Myanmar? Earlier, we heard a case where calls were made from Jamtara in Jharkhand from phone numbers of US, UK and Canada," Justice Kant scoffed. When Gonsalves tried to refer to the report of the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner saying it had also taken note of the issue and started an inquiry into the matter, the bench said, "People sitting outside cannot dictate our authorities and sovereignty." The bench, however, asked Gonsalves to serve the copy of the petition to the office of the attorney general and the solicitor general for the purpose of transmitting it to the authorities concerned in the government and posted the hearing before a three-judge bench on July 31. "There is absolutely no material in support of the vague, evasive and sweeping statements made. Unless the allegations are supported with some prima facie material, it is difficult for us to sit over an order passed by a larger bench," it said. The top court termed the averments made in the petition as "beautifully crafted story using flowery language" and said it would comment on the report of the UN body while sitting in a combination of three-judge bench. Gonsalves was further asked, "Every day you come with a new story. What is the basis of this story? Where is the material to substantiate your allegations?" He alleged that after the last hearing on May 8, several Rohingyas were deported after being taken to Andaman and they were dropped in the sea. He said they are now put in a "war zone" facing the risk of getting killed. He said they have got a phone call from one of them, which has been recorded and put on record. On May 8, the top court said if Rohingya refugees in the country were found to be foreigners under Indian laws they would have to be deported. The court then referred to its order and remarked the identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) may not be of any help to them under the law. The top court was informed that some refugees having UNHCR cards, including women and children, were arrested by police authorities late last night and deported, despite a hearing on May 15. "If they (Rohingyas) are all foreigners and if they are covered by the Foreigners' Act, then they will have to be dealt with as per the Foreigners' Act," it said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, referred to the April 8, 2021 order of the court and said it bound the government to take deportation action in accordance with law. Referring to the UNHCR cards, Mehta said India was not a signatory to the refugee convention. The April 2021 order said the rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 are available to all persons who may or may not be citizens but the right of not to be deported, is ancillary or concomitant to the right to reside or settle in any part of the territory of India guaranteed under Article 19(1)(e).
