Seized vehicles gutted in fire in Gujarat police station premises
Nadiad(PTI): Some 40 seized vehicles parked within the premises of a police station in Gujarat's Kheda district were gutted in a massive fire, an official said on Sunday.
The blaze may have been started by firecrackers and was aided by four to five barrels of chemicals seized in an oil theft case, leaving 30 to 40 vehicles, including 25 four-wheelers, three autorickshaws and some two-wheelers fully burnt, said Ahmedabad Range Inspector General of Police V Chandrashekhar.
"The incident occurred at around 11 pm on Friday. Preliminary findings suggest the blaze was caused by firecrackers, and four to five chemical barrels aided it. The exact number of vehicles damaged is being determined," he added.
A probe has begun under a forensic team to determine the cause of the fire, which took almost two hours to bring under control after seven fire tenders were deployed, a Kheda town police station official said.
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SC slams freebies culture, says states should open avenues for employment
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies culture, saying it was high time to revisit such policies that hamper the country's economic development.
Taking note of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd's plea, which proposed to provide free electricity to all irrespective of financial status of consumers, the top court said it was quite understandable if states hand-hold the poor.
“Most of the states in the country are revenue deficit states and yet they are offering such freebies” overlooking development, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said.
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The bench said economic development of the nation gets hampered with this kind of largesse distribution and states should work to open avenues for employment instead of giving free food, cycles, electricity to all.
The top court, however, issued notice to Centre and others on the plea of the DMK government-led power distribution firm which proposes to provide free electricity.
The power firm has challenged a rule of the Electricity Amendment Rules, 2024.
“What kind of culture are we developing in India? It is understandable that as part of the welfare measure you want to provide to those who are incapable of pay the electricity charges,” the bench asked.
“But without drawing a distinction between those who can afford and those who cannot, you start distributing. Will it not amount to an appeasing policy,” the CJI asked.
The bench asked as to why the Tamil Nadu firm suddenly decided to loosen the purse strings after the electricity tariff was notified.
“The states should work to open avenues for employment. If you start giving free food from morning to evening then free cycle, then free electricity then who will work and then what will happen to the work culture,” the CJI said.
The bench said states, instead of spending on development projects, do two jobs - paying salaries and distributing such largesse.
