Pollution in Ganga: SC stays NGT order directing criminal prosecution of Uttarakhand govt officials
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday stayed an order of the National Green Tribunal directing criminal prosecution and punitive action against Uttarakhand government officials for failure to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into the Ganga.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar issued notice to the Centre and posted the matter for hearing in the second week of December.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on February 9 had deprecated the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board for remaining a "silent spectator" and not taking proper action to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into the Ganga.
In a 151-page order, the tribunal had directed the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB) to take punitive action against responsible government officers and heads of departments by initiating criminal proceedings against them.
"The UKPCB shall also recover Environmental Compensation (EC) for the past violation and will compute and impose environmental compensation for future violations It shall submit a compliance report within two months," it had said.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
