Cities should have population limit to avoid tragedies: Hema Malini

Agencies
December 30, 2017

New Delhi, Dec 30: In a bizarre suggestion, BJP MP Hema Malini today said a limit should be fixed on how many people could live in a city to avoid tragedies like the one that struck a Mumbai pub where 14 people were killed in a fire that erupted during a birthday bash.

"It is because of too much population in Mumbai city," the actor-turned-politician told a TV channel outside Parliament House when her reaction was sought about the tragedy.

"Some restrictions should be imposed on the population. First of all, each city should have a certain population, certain limit. After that, they (people) should not be allowed. Let them go to another city, next city," Malini said.

The fire, which also injured 21 people, started after 12.30 am in the '1 Above' pub on the terrace, and spread to Mojo pub on the third floor one level below, said an official of the Mumbai civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

1 Above and Mojo are located in the Trade House Building in Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area, a popular night spot as well as commercial hub housing several offices including national television channels.

The Mathura MP said the accident took place due to the negligence of authorities and wondered how could they ignore safety standards before giving permission to run such pubs.

Minister of State (MoS) for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo said he has spent "half of his life" in Parel area and recalled that just two days before his daughter had gone to Kamala Mills with her friends.

He said stringent action would be taken against those found guilty in the incident.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said he had asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BMC commissioner to order a special fire audit of all such pubs and hookah parlours in Mumbai.

"Several such establishments at the mills compound are illegal, part of which was regularised lately. The place where the blaze took place was illegal," he claimed.

Stating that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials were "responsible for the murder of people" in the Kamala Mill fire, Somaiya pointed out this was second such incident in 15 days.

"When will BMC wake up?", he asked.

On December 18, at least 12 workers were killed and one injured when a massive fire broke out at a snack shop in Sakinaka-Kurla area in Mumbai.

"Kamala mill, Raghuvanshi mill, Maatulyaa mill, Toddi mills, Phoneix mill complexes have such huge illegal structures. I had requested BMC commissioner to order an investigation of all these death traps. The nexus of BMC Mafias/Officials/Restaurant Owners," Somaiya hit out in a tweet.

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News Network
June 20,2020

New Delhi, Jun 20: The government-imposed upper and lower limits on airfares may be extended beyond August 24 depending upon how the situation turns out, Aviation Secretary P S Kharola said on Saturday.

The government resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, but placed lower and upper limits on airfares depending upon the flight duration.

It had said on May 21 that these limits would be in place for a period of three months.

"Depending on how the situation turns out, the fare band may have to adjusted beyond that (August 24) also. But right now, it is only for three months," Kharola said at a press conference here.

International passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country.

However, the government started Vande Bharat Mission on May 6 to help stranded people reach their destinations through special flights.

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said at the conference that during phase 3 and phase 4 of the mission, private domestic airlines have been approved to operate 750 international flights to repatriate people stranded amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Agencies
June 2,2020

Lucknow, Jun 2: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday said protests in the US after the death of George Floyd, an African-American man, is a clear message to the world that a common man's life has value.

She said this is also guaranteed by the India Constitution, but the governments don't follow it, resulting in the current plight of migrants workers.

Floyd, a 46-year-old restaurant worker from Houston, died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped for breath, sparking widespread protests across the US.

"Floyd's killing by police and the 'Black lives matter' agitation in the US have given a clear message to the world that a common man's life has value and it should not be taken for granted," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

"India's constitution guarantees independence, security, self-respect and pride and governments should give special attention to it. If it was followed, crores of migrants labourers would not have to witness such bad days," she added.

She also demanded better coordination between states to check the spread of coronavirus and said Centre should intervene.

"While coronavirus patients are rising, there is lack of coordination between states and with the Centre, and allegation and counter-allegations are going on and sealing of state borders is unjustified and it is weakening the fight against the virus.  The Centre should intervene," she said in a separate tweet.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Kochi, Jul 30: The Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to grant the extension for the stay of a 74-year-old US citizen, Johnny Paul Pierce, who had earlier said that he felt safer to remain in India than in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The single-judge bench of Justice CS Dias, which considered the writ petition, observed that the grant or extension of visa to foreign nationals fall exclusively within the domain of the Government of India (GoI) and that judicial review in such matters is minimal.

The power of the GoI to expel foreigners is absolute and unlimited, the bench said.

"In view of the categoric declaration of law by the Supreme Court, the plea of the petitioner to permit him to stay back in India cannot be accepted, as it falls within the purview of the guidelines and the discretion of the Government of India," the order said.

"The petitioner cannot be heard that the guidelines/policies/regulations formulated by the Government of India, that an American national though has been granted a visa having validity of five years has to leave India within 180 days, is irrational or unreasonable," it added.

The High Court, which was hearing a plea to permit the US citizen to stay in India for a further period of six months, said that the petitioner does not have a case that there is an infraction of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

"The petitioner was well aware of the visa conditions when he arrived in India, and it is too late in the day for him to raise a grievance on the visa conditions," the bench said noting that the petitioner's love for India was heartening.

The High Court also directed the Foreigners Registration Officer to consider the petitioner's representation within a period of two weeks in accordance with the applicable guidelines and policies.

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