We will fight those opposing Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara, politically and legally: CM
Vijayapura (PTI): Those opposing International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurating this year's 'Mysuru Dasara', will be fought both politically and legally, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Saturday.
Chief minister accused the BJP of doing politics in this issue.
He was responding to a question on BJP leader and former Mysuru MP Prathap Simha moving the Karnataka High Court on Saturday seeking a stay on the state government's invitation to Mushtaq to inaugurate Dasara.
"Very happy, let him (Simha) go (to court), it will be decided in the court. Why had no one gone to court when (poet) Nissar Ahmed inaugurated Dasara? He (Simha) was an MP then," Siddaramiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he pointed out that Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan had held Dasara festivals during their rule in Mysuru and Mirza Ismail, as Diwan of Mysuru, used to go on an elephant ride during the Dasara procession.
"They (BJP) are opposing for the sake of politics, we will also fight it out politically, also legally in the court," he added.
Dasara celebration will begin in Mysuru from September 22 and culminate on 'Vijayadashami', which falls on October 2 this year.
To a question on Mushtaq's alleged comments regarding the mother Kannada and Kannada flag that led to controversy, the CM said, "She is a Kannada writer. She got the International Booker Prize for her work....she is a Kannada literary figure and so the government has invited her to inaugurate Dasara."
Mysuru district administration on Wednesday had formally invited Mushtaq, despite objections from some sections, including opposition BJP.
Dasara is traditionally inaugurated on the first day of Navaratri by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru amid chanting of Vedic hymns, at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills in Mysuru.
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Illegal sand mining has created environmental crisis in National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday said rampant illegal riverbed sand mining has created an "environmental crisis" and wreaked "havoc" in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, causing a grave risk to the gharial (long-snouted crocodile) preservation project.
Slamming the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for their utter failure in dealing with the issue, the apex court directed them to install high-resolution Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras along all routes frequently used for illegal sand mining in the area.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed that live feed of such surveillance cameras shall be placed under the direct control, supervision and operational oversight of the superintendent of police or the senior superintendent of police of the concerned district and the divisional forest officer.
It said these officers shall ensure continuous and effective monitoring of the CCTV feeds by designating appropriate officers.
"It can't be gainsaid that the issues involved are of great concern in as much as the rampant illegal mining activities in the river bed have created an environmental crisis and havoc in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary causing a grave risk to the very project of gharial preservation of which the state governments themselves were proponents and were under an obligation to foster and promote," Justice Mehta said while pronouncing the order.
The bench directed the authorities in these three states to initiate prompt and necessary action under law if any instance of illegal mining or allied activities comes to light.
It said the authorities shall ensure seizure of vehicles or machinery found involved in illegal sand mining and also initiate prosecution of persons involved in it.
The bench, which passed several other directions, posted the matter for hearing on May 11.
The top court passed the order in a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400-sq km tri-state protected area.
Besides the endangered gharial, it is home to the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river Dolphin.
Located on the Chambal river near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the sanctuary was first declared a protected area in Madhya Pradesh in 1978 and now constitutes a long and narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states.
On March 13, the top court took suo motu cognisance of news reports about rampant illegal sand mining on the banks of the Chambal river.
