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High Court comes down hard on Gujarat govt over ban on cattle export

Agencies
April 12, 2019

Ahmedabad, Apr 12: The Gujarat High Court has quashed three notifications of the state government aimed at stopping export of livestock from Tuna Port, terming it "colourable exercise of powers" to do something which cannot be done directly.

A division bench of justices Harsha Devani and Bhargav Karia passed the judgment last week.

The court noted that "with a view to appease a section of the society which is averse to export of livestock from Tuna Port, the government has...from time to time taken all steps to ensure that petitioners and other similarly situated persons are not able to export livestock from Tuna Port".

Several livestock exporters had knocked the high court's doors after the state government issued various orders in December 2018 which in effect banned export of animals from Tuna in Kutch.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had announced in December that his government will not allow export of animals from the port, noted the high court.

On the same day the Agriculture Department issued a notification under the Gujarat Essential Commodities and Cattle (Control) Act, prohibiting movement of cattle from outside into any drought-affected area. Kutch was already declared as drought-affected region then.

Then the Director of Animal Husbandry informed the Commissioner of Customs that the state government has decided to withdraw the services provided for health check-up of animals to be exported.

"He further urged the Commissioner of Customs not to allow export of live animals from Tuna...until specified (check-up) facility is established", the HC noted.

On the same day, the Home Department directed Kutch police to set up check posts to keep a watch on transportation of animals, the high court said.

"What cannot be done directly by the State Government is sought to be done indirectly under the guise of exercise of powers under section 4(1)(b) of the (Cattle Protection) Act... notification, therefore, clearly has been issued in colourable exercise of powers and deserves to be struck down", it said.

The intention was to prohibit export "which is otherwise not a state subject", the judges opined.

Though the state government requested the court to stay its order so that it could move the Supreme Court, no stay was granted.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Bengaluru, May 11: Ten new positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of infections in the state to 858, the Health department said on Monday.

"Ten new positive cases have been reported from last evening to this noon... Till date 858 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed. This includes 31 deaths and 422 discharges," the department said in its mid-day situation update. 

The ten new cases include- three from Davangere, two each from Bidar and Bagalkote, one each from Kalaburagi, Shiggavi in Haveri and Vijayapura. Seven cases are men, three are women.

While most cases are contacts of patients already tested positive, one each are with travel history to Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

One person's contact tracing is underway. 

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News Network
April 2,2020

Kasaragod, Apr 2: Kerala reported 21 new cases of coronavirus with eight from the worst affected Kasaragod district, taking the tally of active patients to 256, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday.

Besides, Kasaragod, five positive cases have been detected from Idukki, two from Kollam and one each from Thiruvananthapuram, Pathnamthitta, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur, he told reporters here.

At least 1.65 lakh people are under survillence in the state, 643 in various hospitals.

Presently, 256 people are under treatment for the virus in the state where two fatalities have occurred, Vijayan said.

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News Network
February 6,2020

Panaji, Feb 6: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that neighbouring Karnataka has diverted the Mahadayi river water, due to which its flow in the state has taken a hit.

He was speaking during a debate on the motion of thanks to Governor Satya Pal Malik for his address.

Goa and Karnataka are locked in a dispute over sharing of the Mahadayi river water. Goa is strongly opposing the Kalasa Banduri project proposed to be built by Karnataka on the river, which is aimed at providing drinking water to three north Karnataka districts by diverting the Mahadayi water into the Malaprabha river.

Speaking in the House, Sawant said that the flow of Mahadayi river has reduced due to the diversion of water by Karnataka.

"I am admitting that they (Karnataka) have diverted the water. We have brought it to the notice of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change," he said.

The Goa government has explained to the Centre that the water which flows into the state is "not wasted".

"We have told them that the perennial flow of water is necessary for Goa's wildlife," he said.

Sawant said that his government was serious on the issue of Mahadayi.

"Mahadayi is more than a mother to me. We have not compromised anywhere on the issue. I have been associated with the Mahadayi agitation since 2000," the chief minister said.

He said the issue would be fought before the Supreme Court, where special leave petition has been filed by the state.

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