SC refuses to entertain plea for free calls, data usage facilities during COVID-19 lockdown
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Centre and other authorities to ensure that free unlimited calling, data usage and DTH facilities are provided to the subscribers to ease "psychological stress" during the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"What kind of petitions are being filed?", observed a bench of Justices N V Ramana, S K Kaul and B R Gavai which was hearing the plea through video-conferencing.
The petitioner, advocate Manohar Pratap, told the bench that he would withdraw the plea, which also sought a direction to the health ministry to take appropriate steps to deal with psychological pressure mounting on individuals due to the lockdown or being kept in quarantine.
The plea had sought directions to the Centre and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to invoke relevant terms of agreement of licenses granted to DTH service providers and ask them to provide completely free and unlimited viewing facility of their channels and contents during lockdown, which has been extended till May 3.
It said the authorities should also be directed to exercise powers under appropriate provisions of law so that content of video streaming websites could be provided free of cost during lockdown.
The petition had said that social interactions by way of talking over phone, video calling and other modes of digital entertainment like watching TV channels on DTH platforms or contents on video streaming websites could be helpful in "lowering the psychological stress" caused by confinement during lockdown.
It had said that unlimited free audio and video communication means would allow stranded persons, who are away from their family, to contact them and it would help in dealing with present situation.
It had said that free and unlimited access to internet and satellite TV channels would offer better and wide mode of entertainment to individuals who are confined in home or in quarantine facilities.
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.
Fire erupts at plastic factory in Ahmedabad; no casualties
Ahmedabad (PTI): A fire broke out at a plastic granules and mould manufacturing factory in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Sunday morning, an official said.
No casualties were reported in the incident, he said.
The blaze erupted around 8 am at Processo Plast Enterprise in the Bapunagar area, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's Additional Chief Officer (fire) Mihir Rana told PTI.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing into the sky, visible from a considerable distance in the area.
"The unit closed after the night shift and the fire broke out in the morning in the ground floor's storage facility section due to unidentified reasons," Rana said.
Nine fire tenders and several other firefighting vehicles were rushed to the spot, and the blaze was brought under control by 11 am, he said.
Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to the first floor. However, machinery and plastic materials were damaged on the ground floor, he said, adding that the exact cause of the blaze was under investigation.
