Mining scam: SC permits Ex-Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy to visit ailing father-in-law
New Delhi, Jun 7: Former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy, an accused in a multi-crore rupee illegal mining case, was Friday allowed by the Supreme Court to visit his hometown Ballari to see his ailing father-in-law.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Ajay Rastogi however expressed concern over the delay in framing of charges and starting of the trial in the Rs 35,000 crore mining scam.
"We are concerned as to why charges have not been framed and trial yet not started," the bench said while pulling up the CBI, the prosecuting agency in the case.
The bench, which permitted Reddy to attend to his father-in-law for two weeks from June 8, refused however to consider his request seeking dilution of the previous condition barring him to visit Ballari, Karnataka, without the court's prior nod.
Senior advocate S Ganesh, appearing for Reddy, said on several occasions he has been permitted to visit Ballari and there was not a single complaint that he violated bail conditions.
"This time, his father-in-law had suffered a stroke. He had undergone three bypass surgeries. His medical condition is extremely precarious and he was lying in ICU of a hospital over there," the lawyer said.
During the brief hearing, the lawyer also said that despite the apex court direction of July 2016 to speed up the trial, it has not even started as the charges are yet to be framed.
Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, who appeared for the probe agency, opposed the plea for relaxation of restrictions imposed on Reddy on his visit to Ballari and said that he was the main accused in the case.
"Why charges were not framed for six years. We are concerned about the delay," the bench asked.
The charges could not be framed because few other co-accused have filed pleas seeking discharge from the case and they are still pending, the law officer said, adding that CBI would like to file a detailed reply in the case.
The court said however that it would only deal with Reddy's plea seeking its nod to visit Ballari.
The apex court in March had dismissed Reddy's plea to modify his bail condition over Ballari visit.
He was granted conditional bail by the apex court in January 2015 after spending more than three years in jail, and directed not to visit his hometown Ballari as well as Anantapur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.
Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by CBI on September 5, 2011 from Ballari and brought to Hyderabad.
The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari and Anantapur district.
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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.
