Modi government announces no programmes for farmers: Medha Patkar
Bengaluru, November 23: Social activist Medha Patkar said that the Narendra Modi government has introduced not even a single major programme for the farmers in its four year administration.
Speaking at an endowment lecture on social activist Fr. Dr Ambrose Pinto at St. Joseph College in the city on Friday, she said that the voluntary organizations should strive hard to reach the farmers problems to the government. The effective implementation of the Dr Swaminathan report would ensure solutions to many of the problems. Since the farmers were not getting the scientific price for their crops, they were committing suicide. To avoid this trend, the government should take steps to announce scientific price for crops, she opined.
Even after 70 years of independence, the farmers were finding it difficult to adopt scientific farming methods in their fields due to which, they have failed to create market for their produces in international market. The political parties announce waiver of farm loans in their manifestos. But once they came to power, their promises made in the manifestos would be put into cold storage, she added.
Jails become stage
When the government’s moves against the Constitution were questioned, such persons were being branded as urban naxals and put them behind bars. But such jails are being turned into stages and they would contribute for strengthening the protest.
- Medha Patkar, Social Activist
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.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
