India fourth most tolerant country, says survey
New Delhi, April 24: On the global map, India is fourth most tolerant country after Canada, followed by China and Malaysia, suggests a new survey.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI, was carried out earlier this year in 27 countries for the BBC. In all, around 20,000 people were interviewed for the study that highlights the extent to which citizens think their society is divided.
According to the survey, 63 per cent Indians think that people in their country are tolerant of each other when it comes to people with different backgrounds, cultures or points of view.
On the other hand, Hungarians have rated their country as least tolerant followed by South Korea and Brazil which have been rated least tolerant by their people, of other cultures, backgrounds and points of view.
The survey found that in India, 49 per cent people think that difference in political views causes tension, followed by different religions (48 per cent) and socio-economic gap (37 per cent).
It also stated that 53 per cent Indians think that mixing with people of other backgrounds, cultures and points of view leads to mutual understanding and respect.
"76 per cent think that people across the world have more things in common than things that make them different. Agreement is highest in Russia and Serbia (both at 81 per cent) but lowest in Japan (35 per cent), Hungary (48 per cent) and South Korea (49 per cent)," the survey found.
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Bombay HC to form high-powered committee on Mumbai air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it would form a high-powered committee to oversee the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in the Mumbai region, noting that the efforts taken so far by state and civic authorities are insufficient.
It was not criticizing anyone but wanted to ensure that "people should live in pure air," said a division bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The HC had in October 2023 taken suo motu cognizance of the rising pollution in the metropolis "which was ranging between good, satisfactory, moderate poor, very poor and severe", the bench noted.
Directions were issued by the court on November 6, 2023, and suggestions were made for short-term, mid-term and long-term measures.
Since then, the HC has made observations expressing dissatisfaction about the steps taken by the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai civic bodies, the judges said.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is simply "sailing on its affidavits," but the steps purportedly taken by it were not sufficient, the court stated.
Air pollution in Mumbai has not decreased, in fact it was reported to be very severe in December, said the judges.
"We have apprised ourselves of the previous orders, and find that compliances so far made by (municipal) corporations and MPCB are not sufficient and satisfactory," the court said.
The authorities might have taken serious steps but their results were not visible, it added.
The court expressed inability to examine all the affidavits filed by the municipal corporations and MPCB and reports submitted by an expert committee (formed in 2023), citing the "rising number of dockets and limited hours and time."
After hearing all the parties at length, the high court decided to form a high-powered committee led by a former Supreme Court judge to monitor the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
The committee should meet on a daily basis, the court said, adding that its members should be provided necessary facilities.
The bench also referred to a suggestion that the citizens affected by pollution should be compensated.
The lawyer for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation said there are existing statutory bodies to look into this aspect.
"Maybe there are statutory bodies formed in Maharashtra, but then we have not come across any suggestion or action taken by such a body in the present proceedings..." the court said, adding that it was inclined to give "some powers" to the committee.
The court is expected to finalize the names of the committee members in its written order.
