G20: Clean-up drive held at Goa beaches, several gutka packets recovered
Panaji (PTI): A large number of gutka packets strewn at Colva and Calangute beaches in Goa were recovered by participants of a beach clean-up drive undertaken on Sunday as a part of India's G20 Presidency, an official said.
The drive was organised by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Goa State Biodiversity Board and Goa State Climate Change cell.
Indian Navy personnel also took part in the beach clean-up drive at Colva in South Goa district and Calangute in North Goa district.
State Environment Secretary Arun Kumar Mishra said gutka sachets were among the litter found at the beaches.
"I will issue instructions that either these sachets be processed or we will take legal remedies (against these product sellers)," he said.
Mishra said the state government will certainly take measures to control this.
Speaking about the central government's initiative, Mishra said in 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made this as an agenda, nobody could believe that cleanliness could be an agenda.
"But, it is established that cleanliness is an important agenda for the country," he added.
Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry Director Dharmendra Kumar Gupta, who was personally present to oversee the drive at the Colva beach Goa, said, "During garbage collection, we saw there are lot of plastic bottles and plastic fishing nets on the beach."
Indian Navy's Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area, Rear Admiral Vikram Menon, said it (such campaign) is very satisfying, but at one level it is disheartening to see "we are not doing enough, as a community, to look after our beaches."
"These are such beautiful beaches. We can't expect everything to be done by authorities. We have to see as an individual that beaches are not littered," he said.
Goa State Biodiversity Board member secretary Pradip Sarmokadam said it is the responsibility of every individual to clean-up the beaches. "It is not that we litter a beach every time and contractors will clean it," he said.
Sarmokadam said littering has to be controlled at the source.
"We found many gutka packets lying here and there. Some action needs to be taken on it," he added.
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SC refuses to entertain PIL for action against inflammatory speeches
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL that sought urgent intervention against inflammatory speeches by public figures, alleging these statements endanger national unity, security and promote divisive ideologies.
Observing that there was a difference between hate speeches and wrong assertions, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar told the counsel for PIL petitioner ‘Hindu Sena Samiti’ that it was not inclined to issue notice on the petition.
"We are not inclined to entertain the present writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, which in fact refers to alleged references. Further, there is a difference between hate speech and wrong assertions…In case the petitioner has any grievance, they may raise the same in accordance with law,” the bench said.
The bench said it was not making observations on the merits of the case.
The PIL had urged the court to direct the formulation of guidelines to prevent provocative rhetoric and to mandate penal action against individuals making statements that could jeopardise public order and the nation’s sovereignty.
Advocates Kunwar Aditya Singh and Swatantra Rai, appearing for the petitioner, said the political leaders’ remarks often veer towards incitement, potentially sparking public unrest.
They cited recent comments by the political figures, including former Madhya Pradesh Minister Sajjan Singh Verma and Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, as instances where rhetoric had allegedly threatened public order.
In his remarks, Verma had allegedly warned of a potential popular uprising, drawing comparisons to the protests in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while Tikait allegedly referenced the farmers' protests in a manner that suggested the possibility of violent insurrection.
The petition said the government has been inconsistent in enforcing legal restrictions on inflammatory speech.
It said the court, in its directions, had mandated prompt action against speech inciting unrest under some of the provisions of the IPC.
The 'Hindu Sena Samiti' had sought multiple reliefs, including the formulation of guidelines to regulate provocative speeches, penal action against violators and a directive for mandatory training programmes for politicians.
It also emphasised the importance of equal legal treatment, arguing that similar offences by civilians and journalists often see stringent actions from the state, while statements by political figures inciting unrest go largely unchecked.
