Nationwide ban on earth mining for bricks and roads: NGT

September 28, 2013

Earth_miningNew Delhi, Sep 28: In a blow to brick-kiln industry and road contractors, the National Green Tribunal has banned digging of earth across the country for making bricks and roads without prior environment clearance (EC).

A bench headed by Justice P Jyothimani has directed the Chief Secretaries of all the states and union territories to ensure that its interim order is adhered to.

"We restrain any person, company and authority to carry out any such digging activities of brick earth or ordinary earth against the directives issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) of June 24, 2013 in any part of the country without obtaining EC from the competent authority.

"The Chief Secretaries of all states/Union Territories (UTS) are to ensure strict adherence to this order," it said.

The tribunal issued notices to Uttar Pradesh seeking its response on the plea for directions to the state government to stop extraction of earth for making bricks and roads, which is allegedly going on in violation of a Supreme Court decision as well as directions of the MoEF to all the states.

"Considering the seriousness of the issue", the bench restrained the UP government from permitting such digging until further orders of the tribunal.

The NGT made the order applicable to all the states saying "as the judgement of the apex court as well as the directives issued by MoEF has got the effect and applicability throughout the territory of India,... what is applicable to respondents (UP government) by our interim order is applicable to all the other states and UTs also".

The ban on brick earth mining comes one-and-a-half months after the NGT banned sand mining from river beds, without environment clearance, across the country.

As per the petition, MoEF in its office memorandum to the states has directed that digging of earth for making bricks and roads requires EC from the competent authority.

The petition has alleged that in spite of the decision of the apex court and the directives of the MoEF, the Uttar Pradesh government has not framed rules/guidelines for the purpose of obtaining EC and are allowing indiscriminate digging of earth.

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News Network
June 30,2020

New Delhi, Jun 30: Amid calls for boycotting Chinese products after India-China face-off in eastern Ladakh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government claiming that imports from China have increased under the NDA regime.

"Facts don't lie. BJP says: Make in India. BJP does: Buy from China," Gandhi tweeted along with a graphic of the percentage of imports from China during the UPA rule and the NDA government.

The graphic claims that imports from China were at 12-13 per cent when the Congress-led UPA government vacated office in 2014 but now stood at 17-18 per cent in 2020.

The Congress leader has been vehemently targeting the Centre on the India-China border situation after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent face-off with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan valley earlier this month.

Indian intercepts have revealed that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties, including dead and seriously injured, in the face-off.

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Agencies
May 19,2020

Lucknow, May 19: The administration of the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) has ordered a probe into the cardiac procedure conducted on a corona positive patient in the hospital.

The patient underwent a cardiac procedure without being tested for corona before the surgery. He later tested positive for COVID-19, leading to panic among the staff and other patients.

The medical staff that came in contact with the patient were quarantined on Monday while the area was sanitized.

As per orders from the State Medical Education Department, even in emergency cases, patients are to be screened for Covid-19 before procedures are done.

According to the SGPGI administration, the incident took place late on Sunday night.

In an official statement, director, Prof R.K. Dhiman said, "The 63-year-old patient was a case of complete cardiac blockage and needed an urgent temporary pacemaker. The patient was admitted to the holding area of the institute and later shifted to the MICU for permanent pace making."

He said that when the patient's corona status was found to be positive on the Hospital Information System, she was shifted to the Rajdhani COVID Hospital.

The Director said, "Though the involved areas have been sanitized and healthcare workers were quarantined as per protocol, a probe has been ordered to investigate the lapses."

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News Network
June 8,2020

Panaji (Goa)/Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Bengaluru(Karnataka)/New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): With the government allowing the re-opening of restaurants and eateries from Monday, these establishments re-opened across several states on Monday including in Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, with necessary precautions in place amid COVID-19 crisis.

Restaurants reopened in Panaji today after relaxations in lockdown.

Speaking to ANI, Goa Hotel and Restaurant Association President, Gaurish Dhond said, "We expect that not more than 25 per cent of restaurants will reopen because our labour force is dependent upon migrant workers who have gone to their homes".

"Every guest will be checked with a thermal gun, we will provide them with a sanitizer and a digital menu most probably. We would like to request our customers to pay online. Residential hotels are also allowed to operate and guidelines have been issued for them," he added.

Bars are not allowed to operate, he added.

While religious places across the country were thrown open today, worship places continued to remain closed in Goa till June 30.

In Bhopal restaurants opened but with fewer customers venturing to eat outside.

Speaking to ANI, C Kumaran, Manager, India Coffee House, New Market said, "We will conduct a temperature check for customers at the entry point. Then the customers will have to wash and sanitize their hands only then they will be allowed to sit inside. Only two persons will be allowed to sit on a four-seat table."

"This restaurant has a seating capacity of around 120 persons which has now been reduced to 50. Even in the kitchen, staff capacity has been reduced to 50 per cent," he added.

Meanwhile, malls re-opened in Bengaluru today, people along with staff members were allowed to enter inside Garuda Mall while maintaining social distancing.

"As per government norms, we are following all the preventive measures. Staff and other people are being sanitized and then only allowed inside the mall. The mall has been deep cleaned. People entering the mall should have Aarogya Setu App installed in their mobile phones if not, they will be sent back," said John Joseph, Manager, Garuda Mall.

Restaurants re-opened in the national capital as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced yesterday that all restaurants and malls are allowed to resume operations from today.

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