Vajpayee's 'asthi visarjan' in Haridwar on Sunday
New Delhi, Aug 18: The "asthi visarjan" (immersion of ashes in river) ritual of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be held on Sunday in Haridwar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Saturday.
The same ritual, thereafter, will be performed in 100 other "sacred rivers" of the country.
"The 'asthi visarjan' of Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be done tomorrow at Haridwar by the family members. Party President Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat will attend the ceremony.
"They will leave from Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun in the morning and the ritual will be performed in Haridwar in the afternoon," BJP spokesperson Bhupender Yadav told the media.
He said that mass prayer meetings in the memory of late Prime Minister will be organised in all states in 10-15 days, starting with one in Delhi on August 20. It will be held inside the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium between 4pm and 6pm at K.D. Jadhav Hall and will be attended by all parties.
"Since Atalji had a unique connection with Lucknow, a memorial will be held there also on August 23, to be attended by Yogi Adityanath, Rajnath Singh and Atalji's family members. His ashes will also be immersed in the Gomti river the day," Yadav added.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
