Rs 500 penalty for throwing garbage: DCM Parameshwar
Bengaluru, November 2: Considering the garbage issue seriously in the city, the state government has planned to increase the penalty being imposed on those who dump garbage wherever they want from Rs 100 to Rs 500 and it would be implemented strictly, said Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Urban Development Minister Dr G Parameshwar.
Speaking to reporters after holding an officials meeting on waste disposal at BBMP office at Malleshwaram here on Thursday, he said that garbage black spots were being generated in the city as people dump the waste haphazardly. In order to contain such practice, the government has decided to increase the penalty from Rs 100 to Rs 500. It was also decided to appoint an ex-serviceman for each ward to keep a vigil on such practices in black spots and slap fine, he said.
As the garbage menace was increasing in the city, the court has also directed the government to take suitable action and the government would welcome it. Currently, the waste disposal was under control. As of now, the city has 13 million population with 29 lakh houses. Out of which, 5 lakh were commercial setups. Total 5700 tonnes waste including 4200 tonnes from houses and 1500 tonnes from hotels, Kalyana Mantapas and others, was being generated every day. Total 4213 auto tippers were collecting the waste from door-steps. The BBMP has 566 compactors vehicles, 8 mechanical sweepers, 18500 civic workers, 166 solid waste management units and dry waste collection centres and 11 bio methanation plants for waste management, he said.
All compactor vehicles were GPS enabled and it was planning to install GPS to auto tippers. While calling tenders for purchasing new vehicles, it would be included in the tender that the contractors have to manage the tippers and compactors. Tender would also be called for purchasing mechanized sweeping machines. The existing Bellalli quarry would be closed within three months. Alternative to this, terrafarm at Doddaballapur would be started shortly. It was also discussed to open Ullalli, Marenahalli and Bagalur quarries, he said.
He has directed the authorities to start generation power from waste within next six months. The power generation centre set up by the BESCOM near Bidadi would open shortly. Assistant engineers would be appointed for managing the solid waste in each zone in the BBMP and the senior health officers would be given responsibility in each Assembly constituency. The health officers and other officers appointed on contract basis would be continued, the DCM said.
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Bangladesh High Court refuses to ban ISKCON
Dhaka, Nov 28: Bangladesh High Court Thursday rejected a petition seeking a ban on ISKCON's activities in the country, days after a lawyer was killed in a clash between security personnel and supporters of a Hindu leader, previously linked to the religious group.
A lawyer had sought a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) after placing some newspaper reports related to the organisation on Wednesday.
"The two-member High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Debashish Roy Chowdhury on Thursday declined to ban the ISKCON activities in Bangladesh," a spokesman of the attorney general's office said.
He said the bench made the decision after the attorney general's office submitted a report on the action taken by the government regarding the death of assistant government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif in the northeastern port city of Chattogram earlier this week.
Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachary, arrested earlier this week, was sent to jail by a Chattogram court on sedition charges, sparking a violent protest during which advocate Alif was killed. Chinmoy was earlier expelled from ISKCON.
"Right at this moment, the situation does not warrant the intervention of the (High) court as the State is carrying out its job (regarding the matter),” Justice Mahbub was quoted as saying by the spokesman.
The decision came a day after Attorney-General Mohammad Asaduzzaman urged the court not to take any decisions on the ISKCON issue as the government has started taking the required action.
Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque and Deputy Attorney General Asad Uddin informed the bench that three separate cases have been filed in connection with the murder of the lawyer and ISKCON's activities, and 33 accused have been arrested in these cases.
The bench then hoped that the government would remain cautious about protecting the law and order situation and the lives and properties of the people of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, ISKCON Bangladesh refuted allegations linking the organisation to the lawyer's killing, saying the claims were baseless and part of a malicious campaign.
"A series of false, fabricated, and malicious campaigns is being spearheaded targeting ISKCON Bangladesh, particularly in connection with recent events. These efforts are aimed at discrediting our organisation and creating societal unrest," general secretary of the organization Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari said.
Speaking at a press conference at the organisation’s head office, he said ISKCON Bangladesh was never involved in "communal or conflict-driven activities and will continue to promote unity and harmony".
"We have already clarified the matter multiple times through press conferences and official communications with the government and administrative authorities. Regrettably, certain groups continue to deliberately spread false propaganda against our organisation and make unreasonable demands, such as banning ISKCON," Das said.
He said that Chinmoy was previously expelled from the organisation along with two others for violating its rules and none of their activities were connected to ISKCON.
ISKCON Bangladesh President Satya Ranjan Baroi also spoke at the press conference, saying their organisation was dedicated to communal harmony, religious tolerance, and the welfare of humanity and “the allegations are an attempt to tarnish our religious and social reputation".
Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum on Thursday staged a protest in front of the Supreme Court Bar, protesting the lawyer's killing and demanding the ban on ISKCON.
The group is regarded as the lawyers’ wing of ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, which led the mass upheaval to oust deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime on August 5, also demanded the ban on ISKCON.
Separately, a group of Supreme Court lawyers sent a legal notice to the Bangladesh government on Wednesday seeking the ban on ISKCON describing it as a “radical organisation.”
India on Tuesday noted with “deep concern” Chinmoy's arrest and denial of bail and urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all other minority groups.
Earlier, the ISKCON had urged the Bangladesh authorities to promote "peaceful coexistence" for Hindus in the country as it "strongly" denounced the arrest of the Hindu leader.
Chinmoy, the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday as he was about to fly to Chattogram to join a rally.
He was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday.
