Traffic ban on highway through Bandipur reserve causing hardship to people in Kerala, K'taka: Rahul
New Delhi:Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the nine-hour traffic ban on the national highway passing through the Bandipur reserve has caused hardship to lakhs of people in Kerala and Karnataka, and asked the central and state governments to safeguard the interests of local communities, while protecting the environment.
The movement of traffic through the tiger reserve is banned on this stretch from 9 pm to 6 am. The ban through the reserve forest was intended to reduce disturbance to wildlife.
Gandhi, who is an MP from Wayanad in Kerala, expressed solidarity with the youth who are on an indefinite hunger strike since September 25 protesting the ban.
"I stand in solidarity with the youth on an indefinite hunger strike since September 25th protesting against the daily 9 hour traffic ban on NH-766 that has caused immense hardship to lakhs of people in Kerala and Karnataka," the former Congress president said in a tweet.
"I urge the central and state governments to safeguard the interests of local communities, while upholding our collective responsibility to protect our environment," he tweeted.
Last month, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had batted in favour of an elevated highway through the Bandipur National Park connecting Wayanad in Kerala and Mysore in Karnataka.
The ban has been affecting the people of Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.
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India will ensure zero casualty during heat waves: Shah
Ghaziabad (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said his ministry has prepared a plan to ensure zero human casualty during heat waves in the country in the next few years with the underlying principle of being "proactive" rather than "reactive" towards disasters.
The minister spoke after he presented the President's Colour to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at the campus of its 8th battalion here.
The President's Colour flag is awarded to a military or police unit for rendering exceptional service.
The honour came to the force in the 20th year of its establishment after it was raised in 2006 as a federal contingency force to undertake relief and rescue operations during natural and man-made disasters.
The President's Colour is not just a "recognition" for the excellent services of the NDRF but also of all the state disaster response forces, the state machinery, the NCC (National Cadet Corps), NSS (National Service Scheme), 'Apda Seva Mitras' (volunteers) among others, Shah said.
He added that the NDRF has earned the "admiration and trust" of the people of the country and even abroad through its operations.
The minister said the aim of the Modi government was to ensure "zero casualty and minimum property damage" during tragedies and calamities, including cyclones, earthquakes and floods.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has prepared a plan to better combat the "serious challenge" of heat waves in the country and we will be able to ensure "zero casualty" in this context over the next few years, Shah said.
Our approach and policy has been "proactive" against disasters rather than being just "reactive", he said.
Shah said India has made its name as a "global leader" in disaster management and being the "first responder" during calamities as he asked the NDRF to prepare itself in the face of global warming and climate change.
The NDRF has 16 operational battalions deployed across the country with an overall strength of about 18,000 personnel.
Speaking during the event, NDRF Director General (DG) Piyush Anand said the force has undertaken more than 12,000 operations since its creation.
