Railway development works in coastal Karnataka will be expedited, says Union Minister Somanna
Mangaluru: Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna announced that a blueprint for upgrading Mangaluru Central Railway Station to a higher standard will be prepared within two months. The minister visited the station on Wednesday to review the progress of various railway development projects.
Addressing pressperosns, Somanna highlighted the lag in railway development between Mangaluru and Karwar, covering Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra. He stated that experts, representatives, and officials would collaborate to draft a comprehensive plan within two months.
Senior railway officials briefed Minister Somanna on the ongoing development efforts at Mangaluru Central.
In response to questions about the Valmiki Development Corporation scandal and the MUDA scandal, Minister Somanna remarked on the noticeable difference between the current Siddaramaiah and his former self during his tenure as a minister and MLA. Somanna urged Siddaramaiah to address public concerns transparently to restore his former image.
Regarding the recent landslide near Shirur in Uttara Kannada on the highway and the potential risk to railway lines, Minister Somanna assured that the railway department has its own disaster management systems, distinct from NDRF and SDRF. He emphasized that war rooms and precautionary measures are in place, especially given the heavy rainfall this season. Coordination with district officials ensures immediate action in emergencies.
Somanna also mentioned plans to discuss permanent solutions with central railway ministers, stressing the importance of uninterrupted rail service for both goods and passenger trains despite adverse weather conditions.
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HC seeks Centre's stand on plea over "misbranding" of Patanjali product
New Delhi, Aug 30: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the Centre's stand on a petition seeking action against the alleged misbranding of Patanjali's "Divya Dant Manjan" as a vegetarian product.
The petitioner's counsel claimed that though the dental care product was being sold with a "green dot", symbolising that it was a vegetarian commodity, it contains fish extract, a non-vegetarian ingredient.
Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the Centre, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as well as Patanjali, Divya Pharmacy, Yoga guru Ramdev and other related parties on the petition by lawyer Yatin Sharma.
The law does not mandate declaration of a "drug" as vegetarian or non-vegetarian but the packaging of "Divya Dant Manjan" wrongly carries a "green dot", which qualifies as "misbranding" under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the petitioner's counsel argued.
The matter would be heard next in November.
Represented by advocates Swapnil Chaudhary and Prashant Gupta, the petitioner stated that the product contains “samudraphen (sepia officinalis)”, which is derived from fish extract.
The petitioner claimed that this discovery was "distressing" for him and his family which consumes only vegetarian ingredients/products on account of religious beliefs and sentiments.
The petitioner asserted there was a need to address the lapse on the part of the authorities in taking appropriate action against those responsible for the production and promotion of "Divya Dant Manjan" in its present form.
"Respondent No. 3 (Patanjali Ayurveda) is selling the same product with a green dot on their official website, indicating that the product is vegetarian in nature, which is contradictory.
"The Petitioner seeks redressal for the profound distress caused by the inadvertent consumption of a non-vegetarian product, emphasizing the importance of upholding religious beliefs and ensuring transparency in product representation," the petition, filed through lawyers Mohit Solanki and Pulkit Chaudhary, stated.
