Karnataka HC flays BBMP, BDA over lake pollution during Shivaratri
Bengaluru, Mar 14: Observing that it was not prudent to pollute the environment in the name of worship, the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday rebuked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for allowing construction on the Mallathahalli lake bed during the recent Shivaratri festival.
The Division Bench of Justice B Veerappa and Justice T Venkatesh Naik opined that the civic bodies were primarily responsible for creating litigations.
On Tuesday, petitioner Geetha Mishra filed an interlocutory application in the public interest litigation she had filed against the filling up of the lakebed of Mallathahalli lake in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly Constituency. She alleged that on Shivaratri an open air theatre and statue of Lord Shiva had been installed on the lakebed.
The BBMP contended that the statue of Shiva was a temporary structure and that it was removed after the festival. The petitioner's advocate argued that the construction of the idol and the open air theatre resulted in polluted water entering the lake.
The Bench, after considering the arguments of both sides asked why worship should involve polluting the lake.
The Court said that as per Section 12 of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority ????Act, construction activities on lake beds is not allowed. It asked who had given permission for it.
If civic agencies followed the rules, there would be no reason for litigations to arise. It warned that if pollution was not curtailed future generations would blame us, it said.
The Bench directed the authorities to ensure that apart from the three acres of land under litigation, the remaining 71 acres of the lake are protected and not used for any other purpose.
The Court directed that no individual, politician or association should be allowed to conduct any activity or construction on the lake bed.
It also directed that the kalyani built on the lake should be used for the limited purpose of immersion of Ganesha and Durga idols during the respective festivals only and should be immediately cleaned afterwards, so that polluted water does not enter the lake.
The interlocutory application was disposed of, with the Court stating that the BBMP should strictly implement the provisions of the Lake Conservation Act.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
