Assam govt to recommend Centre for complete withdrawal of AFSPA, cabinet gives nod
Guwahati (PTI): The Assam government will recommend to the Centre for the complete withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 or AFSPA from the state from October 1, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
In view of the significant improvement in the security situation of the state, the cabinet approved the recommendation for the withdrawal of AFSPA from the remaining eight districts of the state, Sarma said late on Friday night.
"The final decision, however, will be taken by the Government of India," he added.
The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead.
The state cabinet also approved an additional Rs 41.77 crore for developing infrastructure for the newly-raised 2nd battalion of the Assam Police in Hailakandi, 4th battalion in Sivasagar and 5th Battalion in Biswanath, Sarma said.
The cabinet also decided to provide a one-time financial aid of Rs 10 crore to the Himachal Pradesh government from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to deal with the devastation caused by the heavy rains and floods.
This aid will help alleviate the sufferings caused by the monsoons and support the Himachal Pradesh government's efforts to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas, Sarma said.
The cabinet also approved the creation of 79 subdivisions, to be known as sub-districts, with geographical limits that would be co-terminus with the boundaries of assembly constituencies, he said.
The existing civil sub-divisions, except under Bodoland Territorial Region districts and sixth schedule districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts, will cease to exist.
This will ensure effective governance and bring public administration closer to the people, the chief minister said.
The cabinet also decided to amend the Assam Disaster Management Manual for revising the annual flood season in the state from May 1 to October 31, and rationalisation of the fodder rate for flood-affected livestock, he said.
The cabinet decided to upgrade seven colleges to universities in line with NEP 2020, he said.
The cabinet also gave its nod for the declaration of the Charaideo archaeological site and 17 monuments located in its buffer area as protected monuments.
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Hospital wall collapse: CM orders suspension of executive engineer; kin of victims get solatium
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.
The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.
"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.
A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).
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He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.
The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.
During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.
Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.
Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.
The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.
Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.
