Sand problem : Udupi District In-charge Minister upset against DC for no action
Udupi, September 16: “Though the Chief Minister and myself have directed the deputy commissioner to take action to solve sand problem in the district, no action was taken. I would ask the officer once again. Not only the opposition parties, but the time has come for everyone to stage protest”, said District In-charge Minister Jayamala.
After holding a discussion with Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary and MLA Raghupathi Bhat on sand issue at the Circuit House here on Sunday, the Minister said that sand problem was a common issue and irrespective of any party or cadre, everyone should think about it. Not only the opposition parties, but the ruling parties should also take the side of the people. So, the district administration should immediately allow the sand mining in the district, she said.
Even she has been asking the Deputy Commissioner about the delay in beginning the sand mining in the district. Both the opposition party and ruling party have asked the authorities to take steps. But nothing was done. She does not know as to why the district administration has been dilly-dallying in the issue, she added.
When asked about the survey being conducted by Kundapura AC, the Minister said that that survey was not proper as there was no norm. The district administration has created a new norm. By the time they complete the survey, another rainy season would come. So, the district administration should not play with the emotions of the people and issue order to start sand mining immediately, she demanded.
About the supply of sand from neighbouring districts, she said that the district authorities have to calculate the availability of sand and the demand in the district and how much sand could be extracted from the quarries. If the district got the sufficient sand here, there was no need to get the sand from other districts. If there was scarcity, then the sand could be brought from neighbouring districts, she said.
MLA warns overnight protest
The district administration should write to NITK to conduct survey on September 17 to identify the sand blocks. In turn, the NITK should conduct the survey by September 19. Otherwise, all MLAs, irrespective of political parties, would stage overnight protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office from September 20, MLA Raghupathi Bhat warned.
The Chief Minister, during his recent visit to the district, has directed the deputy commissioner to write to the NITK to conduct survey. But the deputy commissioner has not taken any action even after 10 days. Meanwhile, the DC has directed Kundapur AC to conduct the survey. This was a systematic conspiracy to avoid the sand mining in the district, he alleged.
Kota Srinivas Poojary, BJP district president Mattaru Rathnakar Hegde and others were present.
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
