Karnataka HC issues direction to govt on audio announcements in private buses
Bengaluru, Nov 9: The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday said the Government on its own should direct private bus operators to install audio announcement systems to help visually-challenged passengers.
Asking the government to issue a circular in this regard, the division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit said, "Needless to state, such circulars would be additional circulars for fixing such facilities for those operators who have already received permission for plying buses and it would be pre-condition to those operator seeking fresh permission from State Government for plying buses."
The HC also gave four weeks to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the State government to file affidavits on the action taken by them in regards to implementing the system in the corporation's buses.
The HC also directed the petitioner to submit a representation to the authorities on suggestions to make the mobile commuter app disabled-friendly.
Shreyas N, a visually challenged person, had filed the PIL seeking a direction to the government to install audio alert system in public transport corporation buses similar to the ones found on the Namma Metro.
Such a system was introduced on a trial basis in some BMTC buses a few years ago and then discontinued.
Earlier, the HC had directed the state government to come up with its suggestions on the issue and become a role model to other states.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
PM Modi, RSS strengthening wall in path of SCs, STs, OBCs: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS were strengthening the wall standing in the path of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs, even as he acknowledged that the UPA took steps to weaken that wall but not to the extent it should have.
Addressing the 'Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan', Gandhi also referred to the function held on Constitution Day in Parliament and said that it is his guarantee, that "Modi has not read" the Constitution.
"If PM Modi would have read this book then what he does daily, he would not do it," Gandhi said, displaying a copy of the Constitution of India.
Gandhi said the country's whole system is pitted against Dalits, Adivasis and backward class people.
He said a wall obstructs the path of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs and Modi and the RSS are strengthening that wall by "adding cement to it".
"Slowly the wall (obstructing the path of SCs, STs, OBCs) is getting strengthened. Earlier, the UPA government gave MGNREGA, the land acquisition act, the right to food...those were ways to weaken that wall. Today, when I look back, I can say the UPA government did not weaken the wall to the extent it should have, it did not do it as strongly as it should have," Gandhi said.
"However, we used to make efforts to weaken that wall but they (the BJP) are strengthening that wall by adding concrete," the former Congress president said.
Gandhi said a caste survey being carried out in Telangana is a historic step and the Congress will do the same wherever it comes to power.
