Ashoka slams Siddaramaiah govt as ‘corrupt’, claims Karnataka administration in ‘coma stage’
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, on Monday alleged that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is "immersed in corruption", adding that the administration in the state has reached a "coma stage".
He also accused the dispensation of "spreading lies" through the governor’s address.
He further alleged that the "power tussle" between Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar over the chief minister’s post has "gravely impacted" the administration in the state.
The BJP leader made these remarks while participating in the motion of thanks to the governor’s address in the Assembly.
"The Congress government led by Siddaramaiah has sacrificed the interests and prestige of the state in many matters for the sake of political prestige, the quarrel between the CM and the deputy CM, and the appeasement of the high command," Ashoka said.
He claimed that one scandal after another has come to light, development has come to a standstill, and therefore, to "divert public attention, the government is indulging in petty politics" by confronting the governor and the Centre.
"The government has tried to make the governor speak lies in his address by hiding the facts. I thank the governor for the address, but I oppose the address prepared by the government. This government is immersed in corruption. It lacks respect, and if it had any respect left, it would have taken action," Ashoka claimed.
"There is bribery everywhere. The governor’s address is full of lies. This government has no morality," he alleged.
Claiming that Siddaramaiah has lost the assertiveness and grip over the administration that he once had, the opposition leader said, "From a tiger-like attitude in the past, it has now become rat-like."
Ashoka further alleged that officials have stopped working properly amid confusion over the leadership issue. "As a result, the administration has been in a coma for the past year. It is not right to toy with leadership in this manner. It is advisable to conclude; otherwise, the deteriorating administration will not get back on track," he claimed.
He said the relationship between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar has "soured". He also took a dig at Shivakumar’s temple visits, suggesting they were aimed at securing the CM’s post at the earliest.
"This is an internal matter of your party. But since it is adversely affecting the administration, please clarify who will be the CM in the interest of the people," he added.
"Jointly announce that there will be no more such disputes and make the administration more efficient. You have made the governor deliver a false speech about this dysfunctional administration," he alleged.
In a high drama in the Karnataka Assembly, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on January 22 refused to read the state-prepared address to a joint session of the state legislature and concluded his customary speech in just three lines, evoking a sharp reaction from the Congress government. However, the speech was deemed to have been read and was placed before the House.
The governor had refused to deliver the customary address to the Karnataka legislature, objecting to certain critical references to the Centre and its decision to "repeal" the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
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Environment ministry endorses names of 10-member expert committee set up to define Aravalli hills
New Delhi (PTI): The Union Environment Ministry has told the Supreme Court that it has no objection with the Central Empowered Committee's proposed 10-member high-powered expert committee which has been tasked to come up with a uniform definition for the Aravalli hills and ranges.
In an affidavit filed before the top court, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has endorsed the names suggested for the high-powered expert committee comprising in-service and retired bureaucrats associated with the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Survey of India, along with academicians.
"The MoEFCC respectfully submits that it has no objection if this court as the aforesaid suggested names for the constitution of the proposed High Powered Committee. It is further submitted that the Ministry does not have any additional names to propose at this stage for inclusion in the said committee," the affidavit said.
The committee is proposed to be headed by Kanchan Devi, the current director general of the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education.
The MoEF, in its affidavit, said the aspects relating to the Aravalli Hills and Ranges require a comprehensive and analytical examination, including stakeholder consultation, by a group of domain experts in the relevant fields.
The CEC in its report to the apex court said Devi, a 1991 Indian Forest Service officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has over three decades of experience in forestry education and research, wildlife and forest policy, and institutional leadership.
The other members include Subhash Ashutosh, former director general of FSI,
former GSI director Rajendra Kumar Sharma, climate and energy policy expert Tejal Kanitkar, senior academician and life sciences researcher Jaya Parkash Yadav, senior geographer and scholar Tejbir Singh Rana, former additional surveyor general of India SV Singh, former Gujarat principal chief conservator of forests CN Pandey, and former Nagaland PCCF Dharmendra Prakash.
The CEC also recommended names of RN Mishra, a noted author and Vijay Dhasmana, an ecological restoration practitioner and conservationist.
On February 26, the top court had asked the environment ministry and other stakeholders to suggest names of domain experts for the panel which would define the Aravalli hills and ranges, and observed that only lawful mining would be allowed in the region.
The top court, on December 29, took note of the outcry over the new definition of the Aravallis and kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges. It had also stalled all mining activities.
It remarked that there was a need to resolve "critical ambiguities", including whether the criteria of 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills would strip a significant portion of the range of environmental protection.
