Jaiswal, Archer guide Rajasthan Royals to 50-run win against Punjab Kings
Mullanpur, Apr 5 (PTI): Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings by 50 runs with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal smashing a fine half-century and England fast bowler Jofra Archer (3/35) rattling the top-order in an Indian Premier League match here on Saturday.
Rajasthan Royals, riding on Jaiswal's 45-ball 67, skipper Sanju Samson's 26-ball 38 and Riyan Parag's unbeaten 43, helped their team to an imposing 205 for 4 after being put in to bat by PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer.
In reply, PBKS lost four quick wickets to be in dire straits at 4/43 before Nehal Wadhera (62) and Glenn Maxwell (30) steadied the ship with an 88-run stand for the fifth wicket.
But their departure in quick succession took the fight out of the PBKS camp and were restricted to 155 for 9 in 20 overs.
Brief scores:
Rajasthan Royals 205 for 4 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 67, Sanju Samson 38, Riyan Parag 43 not out; Lockie Ferguson 2/37).
Punjab Kings 155 for 9 in 20 overs (Nehal Wadhera 62, Glenn Maxwell 40; Jofra Archer 3/25, Sandeep Sharma 2/21, Maheesh Theekshana 2/26).
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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.
