Dharmasthala cases: Kin of missing woman willing to cooperate if 1986 case is reopened
Mangaluru, July 24 (PTI): The sister of a 19-year-old woman, who went missing nearly four decades ago in Dharmasthala on Thursday expressed her willingness to cooperate with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) if the case is reopened.
Padmalatha, a second-year pre-university student in Ujire, was reported missing on December 22, 1986, after she left home to attend her college’s annual day celebration.
After nearly two months, her skeletal remains were discovered with her limbs tied, indicating possible foul play.
Speaking to reporters, Padmalatha’s sister Chandravathy said that despite large public protests at the time, the case had failed to progress even after being transferred to the CID.
“The case was eventually closed with no resolution,” she said.
However, the recent formation of an SIT to examine multiple high-profile cold cases in the region has renewed hope for justice, Chandravathy said.
“If the SIT decides to reopen Padmalatha’s case, I am ready to extend full cooperation,” she added.
There has been renewed public and media interest in long-pending cases in Dharmasthala, particularly after recent allegations surrounding unidentified graves found in the area.
No official announcement has been made yet on whether Padmalatha’s case will be taken up afresh.
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Delhi among 17 states, UTs without e-waste recycling facility: CPCB to NGT
New Delhi (PTI): The Central Pollution Control Board has informed the National Green Tribunal that 17 states and Union Territories, including Delhi, do not have electronic or e-waste recycling facilities. The national capital also does not maintain records on the interstate transportation of e-waste
However, the CPCB noted that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is among the seven state pollution bodies that have completed e-waste inventorisation covering all 106 categories of electrical and electronic Equipment (EEE) under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel was hearing the matter regarding e-waste management across states and UTs. The tribunal had earlier sought an action-taken report from the CPCB.
In its order dated February 12, the bench noted the CPCB had received responses from all states and Union Territories, except Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand. It noted that 17 states/UTs, including Delhi, lacked e-waste recycling facilities.
According to the report, Delhi primarily disposes of its e-waste through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements between bulk waste generators and registered recyclers located outside the city, with most of such recyclers located in the national capital region (NCR).
The tribunal said that according to the report, 21 states/UTs, including Delhi, did not maintain records on the interstate transportation of e-waste.
"Seven state pollution control boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) have completed e-waste inventorisation covering all 106 categories of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) under the E-Waste (Management) Rules of 2022, and submitted it thereof to CPCB. These are Assam, Delhi, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura," it said.
Maintaining an inventory of the EEE waste categories is critical for estimating the waste generated by each state/UT.
The tribunal noted the submissions of the CPCB's counsel that draft guidelines for nationwide e-waste inventorisation had been prepared and shared with all states/UTs and that the final guidelines will be issued after receiving the pending responses.
"In view of this, the CPCB is directed to file a further status report at least one week before the next date of hearing (on May 21),” the tribunal said.
