Latest news with #PramodRai
India Today
02-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Case filed against 15 Hindu outfit members in Karnataka for ‘unlawful assembly'
The police in Dakshina Kannada have filed a case against 15 members of a pro-Hindu group for holding an unauthorised protest outside a police station in the district. The protest reportedly came in response to late-night visits by police to the homes of Hindu outfit leaders in Kadaba taluk, ordered by the new Superintendent of Police, Dr police, reportedly as part of an intensified surveillance drive, visited the residences of several individuals associated with various Hindu outfits in the region, took GPS-tagged photographs and collected personal details. The move drew sharp criticism from local leaders and community members, who allege that the actions were excessive and conducted without notice. In protest, several people held a demonstration outside the Kadaba police station in Dakshina Kannada. Following which police registered a case against the protestors, for assembling unlawfully without prior permission and staging a demonstration in violation of public order visited our homes at night and portrayed us like criminals. This has created fear and unrest in our families,' said Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) district joint secretary Pramod Rai, expressing outrage over the police operations. Rai further warned that continued harassment of members could provoke widespread protests in the region. The FIR names Pramod Rai, Tilak and Sharath from Nanduguri; Mohan from Kerekodi; Chandrashekhar, Deekayya, and Umesh from Nujibaltila; Mahesh and Sujith from Kutruppadi; Shreyas from Nanduguri; as well as Radhakrishna, Jayanth, and three development comes after the Karnataka government implemented a Communal Violence Prevention Task Force. The announcement, made by Home Minister G Parameshwara on May 29, was made in response to the unrest in coastal and central districts with a spate of violent murders reported in recent weeks. advertisementParameshwara told the media that the government had identified Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Shivamogga districts as sensitive zones. 'We will take action without delay. If this happens every time, we will not be able to sit idly by. We will tighten the law further,' he had said. IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
ATREE researcher makes rare plant discoveries in Sikkim
A researcher from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) has recorded the discovery of Eulophia siamensis, a rare plant species, for the first time in India. Pramod Rai, a research associate at ATREE, found the wild orchid species along with Isodon neorensis, another rare plant species, in Sikkim. Eulophia siamensis is previously known only to China, Myanmar and Thailand. Isodon neorensis, which belongs to the mint family, is newly noted for Sikkim, having previously been recorded only in West Bengal's Neora Valley and Bhutan. Mr. Rai chanced upon the rare plants during a field survey in the state. These findings underscore Sikkim's ecological richness and emphasise the critical need for ongoing conservation efforts, said a release from ATREE. A chance discovery Eulophia siamensis, belonging to the genus Eulophia R. Br. ex Lindl, was found in the Sirisay forest of Namchi district. A single plant was found in a rocky and pebbled area, while another was discovered in a shaded forest floor rich in humus. 'This suggests the plant can survive in different types of environments. The orchid's genus, Eulophia, is particularly noted for its remarkable morphological diversity,' said the release. The researchers from ATREE also documented Eulophia siamensis co-existing with native plants such as Cissus discolor, Aristolochia cathcartii, Aeginetia indica, Tephrosia candida, Clerodendrum infortunatum and Begonia picta, highlighting its integral role in the local ecosystem. The findings have been published in the journal 'Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica', co-authored by Santosh Kumar Rai from Sikkim University, Prakash Limboo from Sombarey Senior Secondary School and Sudhizong Lucksom, a retired Director from the Forest and Environment Department and orchid expert. Haven for unique flora The second discovery, Isodon neorensis, was found growing in a disturbed habitat on a highway roadside in the Daragaon area of Tadong. It is characterised by attractive red flowers on elongated inflorescences. The species found in the Daragaon area exhibits unique features, such as heart-shaped leaf bases and an extended flowering period into late October and November – traits previously unrecorded in this species. This discovery was documented in the 'Journal of Threatened Taxa.'
