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Time of India
29-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Chikungunya cases surge in Pali Hill; locals blame redevpt works
Mumbai: Bandra West's upscale Pali Hill locality is reporting an unusual surge in chikungunya cases with at least 28 patients from Dilip Kumar Lane alone, prompting BMC's H-West ward to launch a detailed pest control inspection on Tuesday. Residents have blamed the ongoing redevelopment works in the area for the spike in cases, citing the potential for mosquito breeding in stagnant water and debris from construction sites. BMC's pest control team, which visited the area on Tuesday, checked the outdoors of at least seven buildings and confirmed the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This species is responsible for spreading both dengue and chikungunya and breeds in stagnant fresh water. Interestingly, the team found a larger number of Anopheles mosquitoes, typically associated with malaria, though no malaria cases have been reported yet. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai A large-scale inspection and fogging drive is planned for Wednesday across the neighbourhood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Rajeev Kaushik, a resident of Summer Palace at Pali Hill, said, "We were alerted on our residents' WhatsApp group about a few cases of chikungunya. The watchman and househelps also complained, saying this was going on for days — but it took us time to realise the extent." Blaming the ongoing redevelopment in the area, he added: "Builders must act responsibly and prevent mosquito breeding. If a project is worth crores, installing basic mosquito-control measures shouldn't be too much to ask." Madhu Poplai of Pali Hill Residents Association (PHRA), said the matter came to her knowledge last weekend. "The area is undergoing tremendous redevelopment, and buildings adjoining the lane are also being redeveloped. We suspect that the breeding could be taking place at these sites. However, BMC officials have downplayed this concern, arguing that fresh water — necessary for Aedes breeding — is rarely found at redevelopment sites." Sonu Chagti, a PHRA member who was also down with a bad case of chikungunya, said: "The redevelopment sites are not taking enough precautions, and we had to get the BMC to intervene." Mumbai: Bandra West's upscale Pali Hill locality is reporting an unusual surge in chikungunya cases with at least 28 patients from Dilip Kumar Lane alone, prompting BMC's H-West ward to launch a detailed pest control inspection on Tuesday. Residents have blamed the ongoing redevelopment works in the area for the spike in cases, citing the potential for mosquito breeding in stagnant water and debris from construction sites. BMC's pest control team, which visited the area on Tuesday, checked the outdoors of at least seven buildings and confirmed the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This species is responsible for spreading both dengue and chikungunya and breeds in stagnant fresh water. Interestingly, the team found a larger number of Anopheles mosquitoes, typically associated with malaria, though no malaria cases have been reported yet. A large-scale inspection and fogging drive is planned for Wednesday across the neighbourhood. Rajeev Kaushik, a resident of Summer Palace at Pali Hill, said, "We were alerted on our residents' WhatsApp group about a few cases of chikungunya. The watchman and househelps also complained, saying this was going on for days — but it took us time to realise the extent." Blaming the ongoing redevelopment in the area, he added: "Builders must act responsibly and prevent mosquito breeding. If a project is worth crores, installing basic mosquito-control measures shouldn't be too much to ask." Madhu Poplai of Pali Hill Residents Association (PHRA), said the matter came to her knowledge last weekend. "The area is undergoing tremendous redevelopment, and buildings adjoining the lane are also being redeveloped. We suspect that the breeding could be taking place at these sites. However, BMC officials have downplayed this concern, arguing that fresh water — necessary for Aedes breeding — is rarely found at redevelopment sites." Sonu Chagti, a PHRA member who was also down with a bad case of chikungunya, said: "The redevelopment sites are not taking enough precautions, and we had to get the BMC to intervene."
Hans India
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
NHRC condemns Pahalgam attack, ‘deeply disturbed' by killings of innocent civilians
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday condemned the killing of innocent civilians by terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir's (J&K) Pahalgam. 'The Commission condemns the dastardly attack on the unarmed and unsuspecting innocent civilians who were on a holiday to the valley. The incident has shaken the conscience of every right thinking human being as a serious issue of violation of human rights of the innocent victims and their families,' said a statement released by the apex human rights body of the country. It added that the NHRC is deeply disturbed by the news of the killing of 28 people by the terrorists after identifying their faith in Pahalgam on Tuesday. 'It has been said time and again at various forums that terrorism is one of the biggest causes of human rights violations in the world. The time has come to act against those aiding, abetting, supporting and advancing terrorism and to hold them accountable for this menace,' further said NHRC. Otherwise, terrorism may result in shrinking of democratic space, intimidation, reprisals, harmony among communities and grave violation of various human rights, including right to life, liberty, equality, fraternity, and livelihood, cautioned the NHRC. The human rights body expected the government to take all the necessary steps to fix accountability, bring the perpetrators to justice and provide succour to the families of the victims in all possible manner. The NHRC, established under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993, consists of a Chairperson, five full-time members and seven deemed members. The statute, as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006, lays down qualifications for the appointment of the Chairperson and members of the Commission. The NHRC in the country was established on October 12, 1993. The NHRC is entrusted with the protection and promotion of human rights, which the Act defines as "rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India".
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Suit claims Pa. Human Relations Commission's LGBTQ+ protections are unconstitutional
An LGBTQ+ pride flag. Two school districts and a group of parents are suing the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission over its expansion of the prohibition on sex discrimination to include LGBTQ+ people. The lawsuit was filed last week in Commonwealth Court by the Thomas More Society, a conservative Catholic public interest law firm. It alleges the PHRC violated the state constitution when it 'created a heretofore unimagined meaning of 'sex' within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.' The commission, which enforces state laws against discrimination, announced new regulations in June 2023 under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) and the Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act (PFEOA). The regulations clarified the definition of 'sex' to include 'sex assigned at birth, gender identity or expression, differences in sex development and affectional or sexual orientation,' consistent with the broad definitions used by federal and state courts. 'Gov. Josh Shapiro's and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission's radical redefinition of 'sex' undermines our state constitution, parental rights, and the fair and equal treatment of every Pennsylvanian — male or female,' Thomas More Society attorney Tom King of Butler, said in a statement. 'This regulatory redefinition of reality is a blatant example of government bureaucrats overstepping their authority to push gender ideology.' A spokesperson for the PHRC said the agency was referring requests for comment to Gov. Josh Shapiro's office. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX At an event touting his energy plan Wednesday, Shapiro responded to a question, saying had not read the lawsuit but believes it is his responsibility as governor to carry on the vision of William Penn to make Pennsylvania 'a place that would be warm and welcoming for all people.' 'I understand that there are those who want to try and score cheap political points by bullying a trans kid or making it harder for someone to marry who they love,' Shapiro said. 'That's just not where I am, and that's certainly not where I think the vast majority of Pennsylvanians are. The people I meet every day are people who are welcoming, people who are tolerant, and I think we need to continue to be welcoming and tolerant here in this Commonwealth.' At least 24 states and dozens of cities and other municipalities across the United States have extended anti discrimination laws to protect LGBTQ+ people. In May 2023, the state House passed House Bill 300, which would have statutorily included LGBTQ+ people as a protected class under the Human Relations Act. The measure, which had bipartisan support in the chamber, was never considered in the state Senate. The legislation, called the Fairness Act, was first introduced in 2001 by Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny), but only passed in the House 22 years later, after Democrats won a one-vote majority. After the House returned to session this past January, the House LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus responded to an executive order by President Donald Trump recognizing only male and female sexes, saying 'the ground has shifted under the feet of transgender people in the wake of President Donald Trump's executive orders and speeches, which denied their very existence.' 'These actions are hateful, ignorant, and dangerous—they threaten to unravel decades of progress our society has made toward fairness and equality,' the caucus, chaired by Rep. Jessica Benham (D-Allegheny), said in a statement. 'Gender identity and expression cannot be delegitimized by the stroke of a pen. Attempts to do so are shameful.' The caucus said its members would pursue and exhaust all legislative avenues 'through the Fairness Act and beyond' to safeguard transgender people in Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the South Side Area and Knoch school districts in Beaver County and the parents of children enrolled in public schools in Chester, Delaware, Lawrence and Montgomery counties. Rep. Barbara Gleim (R-Cumberland) is also a plaintiff. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The suit notes that while the state constitution permits the legislature to delegate the authority to administer and execute laws, the 'basic policy choices' and standards to guide and restrain administration of laws must be established by the legislature. The plaintiffs claim the legislature did not give the PHRC authority to expand the definition of 'sex' or 'gender.' It also claims the PHRC regulations conflict with a recent state Supreme Court decision that referred to a 1968 Random House Dictionary definition of 'sex' based on reproductive functions and physical characteristics. In that decision, the court declared the state's ban on Medicaid-funded abortions 'presumptively unconstitutional.' The PHRC's regulations usurp the legislature's authority, the suit claims, under the Public School Code. Under it, school boards have the power to regulate their schools and student activities. However, under the PHRC regulations, school boards that choose to divide school rest rooms, sports and other activities by male and female genders are engaging in prohibited discrimination, the suit says.
