Centre scraps plan to set up Social media hub, SC told
New Delhi, Aug 3: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has abandoned its plan to set up a Social Media Communication Hub (SMCH) to track and monitor these platforms to identify "buzz creators".
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal informed a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the government is withdrawing the proposal. Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud were the other members of the bench.
The Centre's response came on a petition by Trinamool Congress MLA Mahua Moitra for stalling the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's move to keep a tab on social media platforms.
After the AG told the bench that the government was withdrawing the notification, the court disposed of the petition.
In the last hearing on July 13, Justice Chandrachud had said, "If every tweet, WhatsApp (message) is monitored, we'll be moving towards a surveillance state."
Petitioner Moitra had sought to block the request for proposal (RFP) inviting bids "for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning (SITC) of software for the hub.
The bids were to open on August 20.
The petitioner had told the court that the proposed hub violates her fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
"Such intrusive action on the part of the government is not only without the authority of law, but brazenly infringes on my fundamental right to freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution," Moitra had contended.
She had asserted that such monitoring also violates her fundamental right to privacy.
The PIL had said that "the platform is expected to provide automated reports" and in addition to it manually by a "team of 20 social media analytics executives", subject to a minimum of six reports per day, "on sentiment, reach, details related to trending about topics and hash tags as instructed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting".
In all, 716 social media executives for the 716 districts (one executive for one district) in the country were provided under the plan, expected to create "daily analysis reports incorporating local sentiment to be sent to ADG (region) and Media Hub (Command Centre)".
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
