Mangaluru: Police Commissioner, Dr. PS Harsha on Friday evening asserted that the administration will assess the situation and will think about relaxing curfew. He also added that the situation in the city was completely under control.
The curfew has been imposed in Mangaluru Commissionarate till Sunday midnight and was relaxed on Friday afternoon between 12 pm – 2.pm for Friday prayers. Curfew was imposed following incidents of violence and clashes between police and the protesters who were protesting against CAA and NRC in the city, violating the prohibitory orders imposed under section 144.
Dr. Harsha also briefed that seven cases have been registered so far in the city and seven people have been arrested in connection with the violence that broke out on Thursday. Two people were killed in police firing during the violence.
According to Dr. Harsha more than 33 police personnel have been reportedly injured in Thursday’s violence while at least five civilian have been reported to have sustained injuries.
Dr. Harsha also added that State’s ADGP Dayanand has also arrived in Mangaluru and was monitoring the situation.
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Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
