Google's Sunder Pichai to receive 2019 Global Leadership Award
Washington: Google's India-born CEO Sundar Pichai and Nasdaq president Adena Friedman have been chosen for the prestigious Global Leadership Awards 2019 by business advocacy group USIBC in recognition of the two companies' contribution as the leading technology-driven platforms.
The award by Washington-based US-India Business Council (USIBC) would be conferred upon Indian-American Pichai, 46, and Friedman, 50, during the next week's 'India Ideas Summit'.
Given annually since 2007, the USIBC Global Leadership Awards recognise top corporate executives from the United States and India whose companies play a major role in catalysing growth in the US-India commercial corridor.
With companies like Google and Nasdaq at the forefront, bilateral trade in goods and services has grown by nearly 150 per cent over the past five years to reach USD 142.1 billion in 2018, the USIBC said.
"Growing up in India, I saw the profound impact technology has on improving people's lives, and I am proud that Google has been able to contribute to India's exciting growth story," Pichai said.
"At the same time, India is playing an increasingly important role in helping Google build products for the US and globally, and we're only at the beginning of what's possible," he said in an accompanying statement.
The US-India relationship has never been more critical, he added.
According to Friedman, the work performed by the USIBC is critical to promoting mutually beneficial commercial and cultural ties between the US and India.
"At Nasdaq, we greatly value our partnership with the National Stock Exchange of India, as well as our advanced technology development center in Bengaluru. We greatly admire the opportunity and innovation that India represents as a world leading center of talent and technology," Friedman said.
Noting that India is seen as a market with enormous potential for the US companies, US Chambers of Commerce president and CEO Thomas J Donohue applauded the efforts of Pichai and Friedman to engage one of the globe's most promising emerging markets.
"We are enormously excited to recognise the contributions of Google and Nasdaq as leading technology-driven platforms that drive our markets and transform the way we live, learn, and do business," USIBC president Nisha Desai Biswal said.
Under the leadership of Pichai, Google is not only powering India's digital economy sector, but also expanding access to technology for millions of Indian citizens, including women and people from the marginalised communities, she said.
"Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman has brought the best-in-class technology of Nasdaq to more than 50 countries, including India's National Stock Exchange. Her leadership and investment in India will ensure that capital markets in both countries benefit from Nasdaq's cutting edge market technology and innovative approaches," Biswal added.
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MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
