UP State Sunni Central Waqf Board announces Trust for building mosque on 5-acre plot in Ayodhya
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh State Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSSCWB) President Zufar Ahmad Farooqui announced on Wednesday the formation of a Trust for construction of a mosque on a five-acre land in Ayodhya.
The board president said that he will be the chief trustee and the chairman of the Trust.
"We made the Trust named Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation. It will oversee the construction of a mosque, Indo-Islamic research center, library, and hospital in the five-acre land allotted to the board in Ayodhya's Dhannipur village," Farooqui told PTI.
An official spokesperson of the Board said, "The Trust will have a maximum of 15 trustees, with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board being its founder trustee."
Farooqui said the Trust will have 15 members, of which names of nine have been declared.
They are the founder -- UPSSCWB through its chief executive officer, chief trustee/president -- Zufar Ahmad Farooqui; trustee -- Adnan Farrukh Shah, Gorakhpur; Secretary/trustee -- Athar Husain, Lucknow; treasurer/trustee -- Faiz Aftab, Meerut; member/trustees -- Mohammad Junaid Siddiqui; Sheikh Sauduzzaman, Banda; Mohammad Rashid, Lucknow, and Imran Ahmad, Lucknow.
"The Trust will co-opt the remaining six trustees. The secretary of the Trust will also be its official spokesperson," he said.
The Supreme Court had in November last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.
The state government allotted a five-acre land in Dhannipur village in Sohaval Tehsil of Ayodhya.
Notably, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya either on August 3 or 5, both auspicious dates. The prime minister is expected to visit the holy town on August 5 to lay the foundation of the temple.
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Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar hints at water tariff hike by one paisa/litre in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has indicated that a water tariff hike in Bengaluru is imminent, with a potential increase of one paisa per litre.
The revision, he stated, is necessary to fund upcoming phases of the Cauvery water supply project. However, he assured that the government is committed to ensuring that it does not burden the public.
Shivakumar emphasized that the increase is essential to address the massive losses incurred by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which is reportedly losing over Rs 1,000 crore annually. "The tariff revision is unavoidable. We must raise the water rate by at least one paisa per litre. However, we have instructed BWSSB to implement this increase in a way that minimises the impact on citizens," he said.
Despite criticism over recent back-to-back price hikes on various services and commodities by the state government, Shivakumar stood firm on the need for the water tariff revision. He added that before the hike takes effect, there would be efforts to raise awareness among the public about the importance of water conservation.
Shivakumar also responded to the BJP's opposition to the tariff increase. He asserted that when they reduced electricity prices, the BJP remained silent. “If they are concerned about citizens' livelihoods, they should first focus on reducing the costs of essentials like petrol, diesel, and animal feed," he said. He further pointed out that despite recent price increases, the prices of milk and curd in Karnataka remain lower compared to other states.
