'Take concrete steps, instead of holding meeting': SC to Punjab, Haryana on flooding in villages
Darpan News Desk IANS, 15 Nov, 2022 11:41 AM
New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to take concrete steps instead of holding meetings in connection with the flooding in 25 villages due to overflowing of river Ghaggar.
A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh said the common man is not interested in meeting, but interested in a solution. "Every state government should consider the public interest first above the politics," it said.
The bench noted that after its last orders in the matter, except two meetings of the Ghaggar Standing Committee, no concrete steps have been taken by the state governments on the recommendations made by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune.
It directed the state governments to submit the proposed detailed project reports (DPR) to implement the recommendations made by CWPRS, in its final model study report.
Counsel representing Punjab and Haryana governments urged the apex court to grant four weeks time to prepare and submit the DPR on the implementation of the CWPRS recommendations and earlier orders passed by the court.
The bench noted that DPRs should be absolutely in tune with the recommendations of the CWPRS, and no state should deviate from the same.
It gave four weeks' time to submit the DPR and also the orders passed by the court and scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 3 next year.
The bench asked Chief Secretaries of both states present before it to take up the issue seriously and sincerely.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Nagar Panchayat Moonak and others in connection with over-flooding in Ghaggar Basin which was affecting 25 villages in Punjab and Haryana.
It, in August, had directed Punjab and Haryana governments to take measures recommended by the CWPRS to resolve the issue of flooding in 25 villages due to overflowing of the Ghaggar.
Delhi Police had sought the custody of the arrested persons, which was granted by a duty magistrate on Tuesday. The four persons were arrested on Sunday night. Recently, a fresh case under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was lodged by the Delhi Police against the members of PFI, which was banned for five years by the Centre last week.
Punjab Police have arrested 5,824 drug smugglers, including 916 big fish, since July 5, Inspector General Sukhchain Singh Gill said here on Tuesday. He said 203 kg heroin was recovered. Additionally, 147.5 kg heroin was recovered by Punjab Police from seaports of Gujarat and Maharashtra, taking the total effective recovery of heroin to 350 kg in just three months.
Farmers under the aegis of Kisan Mazdur Sangarash Committee (KMSC) held protest and rail roko prorgramme at 17 different places in Punjab on Monday to mark the anniversary of Lakhimpur Kheri incident. It may be noted that 8 persons including four farmers had died during a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, 2021.
Announcing this on the floor of Assembly, he said the farmers will get the additional amount under State Agreed Price (SAP) of sugarcane as compared to the last year. With this decision, the state government will spend additional Rs 200 crore annually to benefit the farmers.
Accordingly, the police registered a case under sections 302 (murder), 307 (atttempt to murder) and 34 (common intention) at the Adarsh Nagar police station and during investigation, it was revealed that deceased had a quarrel with the five accused classmates in their school, due to which they murdered him to take revenge, while they were going home.
Moving a resolution to this regard, Mann said that the main function of the Punjab State Vigilance Commission is to enquire or cause enquires into complaints alleging commission of offences by a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
