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New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SC refuses to stay publication of draft voters list in Bihar on Aug 1
The ECI said the SIR Survey was being done after concerns raised by political parties across the spectrum. "For the first time that all the political parties have been so involved at this scale in intensive revision exercises, with all political parties appointing more than 1.5 lakh BLAs to work in tandem with BLOs, in reaching out to each eligible elector," added the affidavit of the ECI. The ECI highlited that most of the figures quoted by the petitioners were out dated and not contemporary. Quite apart from the fact that full reports have not been annexed, the petitioners have deliberately suppressed the fact that these reports do not present contemporary facts and figures, and thus cannot be relied upon. "Some of the Petitioners are MPs and MLAs from recognized political parties in the State of Bihar and all these political parties are assisting in the SIR exercise by providing Booth Level Agents (BLAs). While, some of the Petitioners are participating in the SIR and, at the same time, objecting here to the transparent exercise conducted by the ECI. These facts were within the knowledge of Petitioners but not disclosed before this court, and have been deliberately suppressed," the ECI said. The Commission further submitted that all the political parties had appreciated the necessity and correctness of the exercise undertaken by the ECI and have been co-operating and participating towards the timely completion of the said exercise. The ECI justified the SIR exercise and said Aadhaar wasn't a "proof of citizenship". The court had earlier questioned the ECI action, as to why it started the SIR exercise of electoral rolls in Bihar so late, although, it made clear that there is nothing wrong in SIR exercise but it should have been done months before the ensuing election. The top court was hearing the pleas filed by the NGO Association For Democratic Reforms, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Yogendra Yadav, Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) from Trinamool Congress Party, Mahua Moitra, Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha, Congress Party leader K C Venugopal and Mujahid Alam. The petitioners sought a direction from the top court to set aside the ECI's SIR order of June, 24, 2025. "Issue a writ, order or direction setting aside Order and Communication dated 24.06.2025 and accompanying guidelines issued by ECI to conduct SIR of the electoral rolls in Bihar as being in violation of Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, 326 of the Constitution of India and provisions of Representation of People (RP) Act, 1950 and Registration of Electors Rules, 1960," said the NGO ADR, in its plea filed in the top court. "The SIR order if not set aside, can arbitrarily and without due process disenfranchise lakhs of voters from electing their representatives, thereby disrupting free and fair elections and democracy in the country, which are part of basic structure of the Constitution," said, ADR's plea, filed in the top court.
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Fisheries, dates exports: Junaid vows to develop Gwadar Port to earn $850m annually
ISLAMABAD: Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Friday, vowed to develop Gwadar Port in such a way to maximise benefit, saying that the development of the port can generate over $850 million annually through value-added exports of fisheries and dates. Chairing a high-level meeting on Gwadar Port operationalisation the minister said that to reap full fruits of the port, the government is committed to ensure sustained investment, infrastructure upgrades, and targeted policy support. 'Balochistan has an estimated annual fish catch potential of around 300,000 tons and with proper value addition, this could generate approximately $645 million each year. However, current production is nearly half of that due to limited fishing capacity, obsolete technology, and regulatory hurdles,' he stated. He pointed out that 34 fish processing units are currently operating in Balochistan, but most require technological upgrades to meet export standards. 'Transforming these units to add value through packaging and processing before exporting is critical for uplifting the sector,' he added. Turning to dates production, the minister stated that Panjgur and Turbat districts together produce over 225,000 tons of dates annually more than half of Pakistan's total. 'With value addition, the sector can generate up to $200–$205 million in revenue each year,' he said. Besides others, the meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and representatives from relevant ministries and organizations including Gwadar Port Authority, Commerce, Industries, and Communication through Zoom, the minister laid out a comprehensive strategy to boost economic activities in Gwadar. The minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to utilising local resources and empowering local businesses to operationalise Gwadar Port and stimulate the regional economy. He emphasised that fisheries and dates are the key economic drivers of the region. 'Gwadar has a rich fish catch potential, and we must focus on local value addition to maximise benefits,' he said. The minister pointed out that Balochistan's coastline makes up 76.2 percent of Pakistan's total coastal length, yet its fish production significantly lags behind its actual potential. To support business and connectivity in the region, the minister announced steps to improve air travel. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will increase its weekly flights to Gwadar from one to three. 'Two weekly flights between Gwadar and Karachi and one between Gwadar and Islamabad are under consideration,' he said. Furthermore, the possibility of introducing a chartered flight mechanism to facilitate travel for businesspersons and investors is also under consideration, the minister added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
New Indian Express
24-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Kerala to set up green checkposts, enforce plastic ban at hill stations from October 2
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to protect its ecologically fragile hill stations and tourist destinations, the state government is gearing up to establish green checkposts and introduce an entry fee system at panchayat or district levels to enforce the High Court's ban on plastic bottles and single-use plastics (SUPs). LSGD Minister M B Rajesh told TNIE that the government will implement the ban at any cost and that aggressive enforcement will be launched from October 2, when the ban order comes into effect. The enforcement will focus on key eco-sensitive panchayats and tourism hubs including Munnar, Kumily, Elappara, Athirapally, Nelliampathy, Vythiri, Sulthan Bathery, and Ambalavayal where destinations such as Thekkady, Vagamon, Chalakudy-Athirappill y sector, Pookode Lake, Karlad Lake, and the Wayanad Heritage Museum are located. The minister said that green checkposts will be established at major access points to screen incoming visitors and vehicles for banned plastic items. The High Court's directive prohibits the use of plastic water bottles with capacity below five litres and soft drink bottles below two litres. To support the enforcement mechanism, the government will levy an entry fee, which will be used to fund the hiring of green volunteers, deploy monitoring staff, and manage operational costs to enforce the ban order. 'The government is fully committed to enforcing the High Court order, and aggressive action will begin across the state from October 2. Ahead of the enforcement, a campaign focusing on plastic ban by the HC will be launched immediately. This will continue for three months. A meeting will be held with the stakeholders including hotels, restaurants and tourism industries,' said Minister Rajesh. In addition to enforcement, the LSG department will launch a state-wide Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign to raise awareness about the ban, encourage public participation, and promote behavioral change among tourists and local communities. One of the biggest challenges in front of the government is the limited availability of alternatives to plastic products. To address this, the LSGD has roped in Kudumbashree Mission to scale up the production and supply of eco-friendly substitutes like cloth bags and biodegradable packaging. The state aims to replicate the Munnar Green Corridor across all hill destinations, combining enforcement with community engagement and sustainable alternatives. Strict implementation Focus on key eco-sensitive panchayats and tourism hubs Green checkposts at major access points to screen incoming visitors and vehicles for banned plastic items Entry fee to be used to fund hiring of green volunteers, deploy monitoring staff, and manage operational costs
Ya Biladi
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
«You Are My Mirror» : Amazigh theater and arts unite Morocco and Brussels
The Rif Association for Amazigh Theater in Al Hoceima and Magh Space in Brussels are unveiling the artistic creation You Are My Mirror this Friday in the Moroccan city. The project follows a residency involving five Moroccan and Brussels-based artists from both sides of the Mediterranean. Supported by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, as well as the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and the Wallonia-Brussels General Delegation in Morocco, the production blends stage performance, poetry, rap, and slam in Amazigh. It will be presented at the Moulay Hassan Cultural Center's theater. According to the two organizations leading the project, this work is the culmination of efforts that began in 2023, following meetings between local artists and associations in Al Hoceima with author Fatiha Saïdi—a psycho-pedagogue and gender expert—Belgian-Moroccan singer Fatoum from the Rif, and cultural trainer and facilitator Abderrahim Mekkaoui. The goal was to «offer people living in rural areas the opportunity to engage with a blended culture, with a particular focus on reaching women who face even greater challenges due to the absence or scarcity of cultural venues and limited opportunities to participate in artistic projects or spaces for expression», they told Yabiladi. Moreover, the project aims to energize joint creation through a «participatory and benevolent» approach. It seeks to strengthen the cultural bridge between artistic operators in Brussels and Al Hoceima, promoting the exchange of best practices. The initiative also strives to «raise the profile of local artists and break the cultural isolation they still experience despite recent efforts». Another objective was to «blend artistic expressions by allowing artists to 'give voice' to the sound of the adjoun (bendir)», fostering a musical transmission rooted in tradition. On stage, personal reflections on identity and universality become a collective exploration. «The play also addresses the threats looming over identities—threats that can sometimes be deadly, to paraphrase Amin Maalouf», as the artists invite the audience to witness «their identity writing, starting from a blank page and evolving through multiple artistic mediums». This creative process has forged strong bonds among the members of an intercultural and intergenerational troupe, notably including Rifian actress Dounia Lahmidi (Noomedia), and Rifian singer and musician Abdelaziz Benhaddou, founders of the Twattun ensemble and pioneers of Amazigh song in the Rif. The group also features university researcher and poet Saïd Abbouti, rapper and slammer Mathieu D'Angelo (Maky), neutral mask practitioner Chaib Massaoudi, poet and photographer Yasmine Messaoudi, and graffiti artist and rapper Djamel Oulkadi.
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Campaign aiming for planning for Kharif season 2025 begins
A State-level campaign aimed at facilitating preparatory agricultural planning for the Kharif season 2025 was conducted at Kanakkampalayam village in Gobichettipalayam block on Thursday. The Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have jointly proposed to organise the 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' (VKSP) from May 29 to June 12. The State-level launch event was organised by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), MYRADA Erode, in the village. R. Thamizh Vendan, Vice-Chancellor in-charge, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, inaugurated the programme in the presence of A. Velmurugan, Assistant Director General, ICAR–NRM, New Delhi, P. Govindaraj, Director, ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, M. Kailasam, Principal Scientist, ICAR–Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai, Ravindra Naik, Head, Regional Station, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Coimbatore, P.P. Murugan, Director of Extension Education, TNAU, Coimbatore, and R. Yasothai, Professor and Head, Veterinary University Training and Research Centre, Erode. Delegates visited 14 stalls set up by KVK for the benefit of the farming community. With support from IFFCO, a drone demonstration was conducted to showcase its technological benefits for farmers. During the programme, 17 Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials were released, and agricultural inputs were distributed to farmers. The objectives and benefits of various Central and State government schemes were explained to the participating farmers. A total of 542 farmers and entrepreneurs took part in the event.
