Articles by News Desk

Pre-property registration work goes online; citizens unhappy with RERA-K The Karnataka government has launched a website to help citizens cut through long queues to register properties at the sub registrar's office. It provides the option to make appointments online. One can get the right valuation of the property. The website helps in the issuance of marriage licenses as well. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy launched it on November 16. The launch date was earlier shifted from October 16 due to the model code of conduct for bye-elections. The web application of the Department of Stamps and Registration can be used to download…

Decline in air quality across cities around Diwali There has been a marked decline in air quality across most cities during and after Diwali celebrations. The bursting of fire crackers had been cited as one of the reasons for the decline, despite efforts by the Supreme Court to curb the usage of fireworks by setting a restriction on the time period. The order was violated en masse, leading to a rise in pollution levels. Pune saw its air quality drop to “very poor” category despite having received rains during the week. The air quality recorded was worse than the same…

Palike appoints marshals to catch citizens dumping garbage BBMP Counsel D N Nanjunda Reddy informed the High Court during the hearing held on November 5 that throwing of garbage in black spots beautified by pourakarmikas for Kannada Rajyotsava still continues. In response, the HC bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, directed the Palike to file criminal complaints and fine the litterers as per the guidelines under the Karnataka Open Spaces (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act 1981. An affidavit with specific details of the violations is to be submitted before the next court hearing on December 15. 2018. Over the last…

SC rule on bursting crackers flouted The Supreme Court order on the two-hour window for bursting crackers and the subsequent directive from the TN Government stipulating one hour each in the morning and evening did not deter Chennaites from enjoying Diwali their way. Most parts of the city went on with the celebrations as usual, unmindful of the apex court order. Tamil Nadu police have registered around 1500 cases on those who violated the SC rule, including 342 cases in Chennai alone. However, despite violations, the average particulate matter level was way below this time, compared to last year according…

Kolkata most commuter friendly finds study The ease of mobility index released by rideshare service Ola's Mobility Institute ranked Kolkata the best in the country on commuter-friendliness. The study considered responses from 43,000 people across the country. According to the study, Kolkata topped in the category by offering the widest range of options for the general public for commute within the city. The city topped the categories of travel choice, cleanliness and affordability and came third in terms of safety. Kolkata also had the least number of private vehicle users across all metros. The reasons behind the performance of the…

An untiring battle of the Ennore fishermen to save Kosasthalaiyar river from the clutches of Kamarajar Port proved successful as they scored an important victory after the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) rejected the Port's proposal to locate port facilities on the eastern banks of the Kosasthalaiyar’s backwaters in Ennore Creek. The fisherfolk, however, said that their battle to have all of Ennore Creek declared off limits for industrial projects will intensify. As part of the Phase 3 expansion, Kamarajar port had planned to develop facilities like office, commercial buildings and parking terminals on the eastern part…

Dy CM mulls over temporary ban on private vehicle registration In an interview with The Economic Times, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said he is keen on finding solutions to manage the city's booming vehicular population, especially by ensuring that registration of new vehicles is put on hold for the next two years. His proposal is to stop 2500 private vehicles from being added to the roster everyday, and conversely increase the dependence on public transport. In the meantime, he promised to complete the white topping project within two years to sustain the load of vehicles. Parameshwara, whose portfolio includes the Bangalore…

One hour in the morning and evening is when you can burst crackers in Chennai The Supreme court has allowed Tamil Nadu to set its own time period for bursting crackers but with the rider that it cannot exceed two hours a day. The order has come further to the plea by the TN Government to the apex court citing festival practices in the state. Further to this, the state government has notified that crackers shall be allowed between 6 am to 7 am and 7 pm to 8 pm.  The apex court in response said the state government, if it…

High Court considers scheduling hearings on BBMP's failures on Saturdays The Karnataka High Court's division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and SG Pandit criticised the BBMP's careless approach towards filling potholes.  The court criticised the BBMP than BBMP for failure to meet the target of filling potholes in 198 wards, and said the work would be handed over to other agencies capable of doing the job better. The 43 potholes brought to the judges notice during the last hearing were still present, said the counsel of the petitioners. The HC schedules are delayed due the proceedings on potholes and…

Supreme Court imposes partial cracker ban ahead of Diwali A PIL against the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali has led to restrictions imposed by the apex court on the type of crackers allowed and the time frame during which they may be used. The SC verdict has specified the time during which crackers can be burst, restricting the window to between 8 pm and 10 pm. A ban has also been imposed on ladis or series crackers. Only the sale of green crackers that are less polluting and less harmful to the environment are permitted. The court also restricted the sale of…