Kerala HC bans noisy fireworks after sunset

April 13, 2016

Thiruvanathapuram, Apr 13: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday banned high-decibel firework displays between sunset and sunrise.

firewrks

It directed the state government to enforce existing guidelines under the Explosive Substances Act for pyrotechnic shows held during the day.

A division bench comprising judges Thottathil B Radhakrishnan and Anu Sivaraman was considering a letter by judge V Chitambaresh as a PIL seeking ban on firework displays in the wake of the Puttingal Temple tragedy that killed 111 people. The court is expected to issue the interim order in its entirety after it resumes hearing on the case, in a special sitting, on Thursday.

The Supreme Court, through a 2001 directive, has banned bursting of firecrackers between 10 pm and 6 am. Restrictions stipulated through provisions under the Explosive Substances Act have often been found wanting in ensuring adherence during religious festivals.

With the HC intervention, the focus is back on the continuing non-compliance to guidelines which apply to all firework shows, especially shows between 6 pm and 6 am. The interim order will also be crucial as it would come only three days ahead of Thrissur Pooram, one of Kerala’s most prominent temple festivals with its own, hugely popular, firework show.

The High Court bench has ordered measures to ensure that the pyrotechnic shows follow a less-sound, more-colour model. The Explosives Rules of 2008 classify sound-emitting fireworks as fireworks with sound level not exceeding 125 decibels (AI) or 145 decibels (C) pk at four metres distance from the point of bursting (AI and C pk denote classifications of sound pressure levels).

The court came down heavily on the local police for having failed to prevent the firework contest using extremely powerful explosives even after the district administration had denied permission to organise a competitive firework show at the temple.

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News Network
February 28,2020

Feb 28: For 30-year-old Shabana Parveen, it was nothing sort of a miracle — giving birth to a healthy baby boy after surviving a brutal attack by a mob who kicked and assaulted her and her husband in northeast Delhi's Karawal Nagar.

Their home set afire by the mob, Ms Parveen's family is now pinning their hopes on the newborn who they called a "miracle baby".

Ms Parveen, her husband, two kids and mother-in-law were sleeping inside the house on Monday night when a mob barged into their house.

Narrating their ordeal, Ms Parveen's mother-in-law Nashima told PTI, "They hurled religious slurs, beat up my son. Some of them even kicked my daughter-in-law in the abdomen...as I went to protect her they came charging at me... We thought we would not survive that night. But with God's grace we somehow managed to escape from the clutches of the rioters."

"We rushed Parveen to a nearby hospital but doctors there asked us to go to Al-hind Hospital where she delivered a baby boy on Wednesday," she added.

Despite having lost their home for over two decades and all belongings, her family has overcome the initial shock and are now overjoyed with the birth of the "miracle baby".

Ms Nashima said she had no clue where the family would go after Ms Parveen was discharged from the hospital.

"It's all gone there. Nothing left. Maybe, we will go to some relative's place and see how we can re-build our life," she said.

Ali, 6, who held his one-day-old brother, caressing his forehead, said, "I will take care of him forever and save him from every ill."

The violence over the amended citizenship law in northeast Delhi has claimed 38 lives so far and left over 200 people injured. Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at locals and police personnel.

Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Yamuna Vihar, Bhajanpura, Chand Bagh and Shiv Vihar are among the areas mainly affected by the clashes.

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News Network
February 27,2020

New Delhi, Feb 27: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge S Muralidhar, saying the Centre's attempts to "muzzle" justice and "break people's faith in an upright judiciary are deplorable".

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation.

"The midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn't shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad & shameful," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted. "Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government’s attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable," she said.

The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

New Delhi, Feb 26: The death toll in northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law rose to 20 on Wednesday, according to GTB Hospital authorities.

On Tuesday, the death toll was 13.

"The death toll has risen to 20 today," Medical Superintendent of GTB Hospital, Sunil Kumar, told PTI.

Earlier, at least four bodies were brought to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital from the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, a senior official said.

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