Maruti Suzuki announces 2-day shutdown of Gurugram, Manesar plants
New Delhi: India's biggest carmaker Maruti Suzuki today announced no-production days at Gurugram and Manesar plants on 7th September and 9th September 2019.
In a statement to stock exchanges, Maruti Suzuki India said it has decided to shut down the passenger vehicle manufacturing operations of Gurugram and Manesar plants in Haryana for two days, on 7th and 9th September, 2019. Both days will be observed as no production days.
Maruti Suzuki shares were trading 3.5% lower at ₹5,843 apiece as compared to a 0.50% gain in benchmark index Sensex.
Many automakers in Indian have been cutting production as passenger vehicles sales are set to fall for a tenth consecutive month in August. Maruti Suzuki India had cut its production by one-third in August, making it the seventh straight month that the country's largest car maker reduced its output.
The government had in August announced a slew of measures to prop up the automobile sector but industry experts have termed them inadequate.
The auto industry has sought immediate steps from the government, including reduction in GST rates and initiation of scrappage policy, as sales continued to plummet.
Maruti Suzuki India on Sunday reported a nearly one-third decline in sales at 1,06,413 units in August. The company had sold 1,58,189 units in August last year. Domestic sales declined by 34.3 per cent at 97,061 units last month as against 1,47,700 units in August 2018. Sales of mini cars comprising Alto and WagonR stood at 10,123 units as compared to 35,895 units in the same month last year, down 71.8 per cent.
Sales of compact segment, including models such as Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and Dzire, fell 23.9 per cent at 54,274 units as against 71,364 cars in August last year.
Mid-sized sedan Ciaz sold 1,596 units as compared to 7,002 units earlier.
However, sales of utility vehicles, including Vitara Brezza, S-Cross and Ertiga, rose 3.1% at 18,522 units as compared to 17,971 in the year-ago month, MSI said.
Exports in August were also down by 10.8% at 9,352 units as against 10,489 units in the corresponding month last year, the company said.
Courtesy: www.livemint.com
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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.
