Over 490 of 1,123 samples of packaged drinking water non-conforming to food safety norms

By

-

January 4, 2019

As many as 496 of the total 1,123 samples of packaged drinking water analysed during 2017-18 were found to be non-conforming to the prescribed standards of the food safety norms, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey said 246 cases were registered during the period in which conviction was ordered in 97 cases, while penalties were imposed in 135 cases.

In 2016-17, 697 samples were analysed, of which 224 were found to be violating the provisions under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 and cases was launched in 131 cases, Choubey said.

Of these, conviction was ordered in 33 cases and penalties were imposed in 40 cases, he said.

Instances of sale of packaged drinking water not meeting the prescribed standards have come to the notice of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

As the responsibility of enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 primarily lies with states and Union Territories.

The commissioners of Food Safety of states and UTs have been advised by the FSSAI from time-to-time to undertake strict enforcement activities against unauthorised manufacture and sale of packaged drinking water without FSSAI/BIS mark in states and UT governments.

Further to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food, regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products, including packaged drinking water, are being carried out by officials of the Food Safety Departments of the respective states and Union Territories.

In cases where food samples are found non-conforming, recourse is taken to penal provisions specified under the FSS Act, 2006 which may extend to imprisonment for life.

TN hikes relief to Rs 1.5L for FRP boats damaged in ‘Gaja’ (Tamil Nadu)

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

The Tamil Nadu government Friday enhanced the compensation for fishermen whose fibre reinforced plastic boats fitted with nets had been damaged during the November 16 cyclone ‘Gaja’ that lashed the Cauvery delta districts of the state.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami said 52 people had died in the cyclonic storm that left a trail of destruction in districts such as Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur.

The Chief Minister made the announcement while replying to a special call attention moved by the opposition, including DMK, which sought waiver of crop loans in the affected areas.

“Following pleas from ministers and members of the House, I would like to inform that the relief awarded to fishermen whose FRP (Fibre reinforced plastic) boats fitted with nets were damaged completely will be hiked to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 85,000,” the chief minister said.

Recalling the devastation caused by the cyclone,he said while 52 people were killed, standing crops including horticultural crops to the extent of 1.22 lakh hectares were damaged.

Over five lakh houses were damaged while over 2.21 cattle and poultry also perished, he added.

Palaniswami said his government had sanctioned Rs 10 lakh as relief to families of those killed, besides providing relief to the injured.

Preventive action by the government had minimised the loss of lives as about 81,000 people were evacuated from low lying areas prior to the cyclone’s landfall, he said.

He also recalled the government releasing an interim assistance of Rs 1000 crore towards relief and rehabilitation. This included assistance for replanting of coconut tree saplings.

Families who had left the relief camps were given a special relief package of 27 items.

Further, 90 per cent of electricity supply has been restored in the affected areas while the rest would be covered soon, he added.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin urged the government to waive crop loans availed by farmers from public sector and cooperative banks, educational loans as well as the loans availed by women self-help groups in the affected districts.

‘Officials not publishing RTI queries, responses despite GR’

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

Right to Information (RTI) activists in Maharashtra have alleged that bureaucrats are not publishing RTI queries and their responses on official websites despite an order from the state government.

The officials are also not following the direction to allow inspection of public records, said RTI activist and former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi on Friday.

A signature campaign has been launched to draw Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ attention to this non-compliance of the government’s own orders, Gandhi told agencies.

“We have decided to collect signatures of 1,000 activists and citizens from across the state and present them to the chief minister,” he said.

As per a ‘government resolution’ (GR) of August 25, 2015, all public authorities are supposed to upload the RTI queries they receive and the responses to them on their websites.

Another GR, issued on November 26, 2018, directs all public authorities to allow inspection of public records at government offices between 3 pm to 5 pm every Monday.

Gandhi said that these directives were very laudable, but they were not being implemented.

“If these GRs are implemented properly, it would reduce the number of RTI applications considerably, make it impossible for anyone to blackmail (by threatening to file RTI query) and also improve transparency,” he said.

“We want to apprise the chief minister about it so that he issues a directive to all government departments to implement these two GRs,” he said.

Gandhi also said that they wanted to bring to Fadnavis’ notice “illegal and anti-democratic practise” of denigrating or banning RTI users at some government offices.

“Coercive, defamatory and illegal methods are used to stop citizens from using their fundamental right (to obtain information),” said Gandhi, who was a CIC from 2008 to 2012.

There were numerous instances where officials issued illegal circulars calling RTI users blackmailers or extortionists, refusing to give them information or banning them from government offices, he said.

ED moves Bombay HC against PMLA tribunal’s order on Zakir Naik

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

The Bombay High Court on Friday issued a notice to religious preacher Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation following a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate over proceedings related to attachment of properties belonging to him and his organisation.

The ED, through its counsel advocate Hiten Venegaonkar, has filed a plea in the high court, challenging among other things, a last year’s order of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Appellate Tribunal in New Delhi.

In its order, the Tribunal had stayed all attachment proceedings initiated by the ED against Naik and IRF until the central agency filed its reply, and submitted a copy of the NIA’s charge sheet filed against Naik in a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and also a copy of such speeches made by him that the probe agencies had alleged were “objectionable.”

Venegaonkar, however, argued before a bench of Justices Indrajit Mahanty and Sarang Kotwal that in asking for such documents, the Tribunal was “exceeding its jurisdiction” since the proceedings before it were related merely to the provisional attachment of properties under the PMLA, and not to the detailed probe in the case being carried out by the NIA under the UAPA.

Venegaonkar told the bench that the next hearing before the Tribunal was in June-July this year and that the ED would file its reply before the hearing.

However, the Tribunal must not insist upon the above documents, he told court.

While the bench noted that the charge sheet was a public document and no orders were required on submission of the same, it directed the Tribunal to continue with the attachment proceedings without insisting on the copy of the ‘objectionable’ speeches.

Naik has challenged before the Tribunal the attachment of his personal assets and some properties belonging to the IRF by the ED.

Naik, who fled India in 2016, is being probed by the National Investigation Agency on several charges under the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA. The NIA has accused Naik of inciting and radicalising youth through his speeches to take up terror activities.

The IRF, his Mumbai-based NGO, has been declared an unlawful association by the Union Home Ministry.

Following the NIA’s probe, the ED registered a case against Naik under the PMLA.

Vivek Oberoi to play PM Narendra Modi in biopic

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

Vivek Oberoi is all set to take the big screens by storm as the actor will be seen essaying the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a biopic.

The biopic titled ‘PM Narendra Modi’ will be helmed by Omung Kumar, director of some critically acclaimed biopic films including ‘Mary Kom’ and ‘Sarbjit’.

The biographical drama, based on the life of Prime Minister Modi, is being produced by Sandip Singh.

Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to his Twitter handle to share the news, writing, “IT’S OFFICIAL… Vivekanand Oberoi [Vivek Oberoi] to star in Narendra Modi biopic, titled #PMNarendraModi… Directed by Omung Kumar… Produced by Sandip Singh… First look poster will be launched on 7 Jan 2019… Filming starts mid-Jan 2019.”

The first look of the film will be out on January 7 while the shooting will kick start in mid-January.

Reportedly, the film will be shot across Gujarat, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, among other locations in the country, over a period of a few months.

Vivek, who had been missing from the acting scene lately, has done films like ‘Krrish 3’ (2013), ‘Omkara’ (2006), ‘Company’ (2002) and ‘Saathiya’ (2002).

IT’S OFFICIAL… Vivekanand Oberoi [Vivek Oberoi] to star in Narendra Modi biopic, titled #PMNarendraModi… Directed by Omung Kumar… Produced by Sandip Ssingh… First look poster will be launched on 7 Jan 2019… Filming starts mid-Jan 2019.

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 4, 2019

Anushka Sharma a ‘happy girl’ in arms of hubby Virat

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

Anushka Sharma is currently in Australia cheering on her husband as he and his team take on the Aussie cricket team. In fact, the actor ushered in the New Year with her husband and his teammates as they were hosted by the Australian PM.

Anushka Sharma recently took to Instagram to post a candid picture with her husband, Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli from Australia, captioning it, “You make me such a happy girl.”

In the photo, we can see both Anushka and Virat embracing each other in a warm hug as they smile away.

Instagram soon went into a meltdown after the picture was posted with users writing adorable comments for the couple.

One such user posted, “Ohhhh wowww such a beautiful pic. In one frame..really u got such a gentleman..kind..lovable..man..in your life..love you alot both of you..such a caring n sweet hug.”

Modi worst leader India has seen since Independence: Amarinder

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the “worst leader India has seen since Independence”.

The stinging attack came a day after Modi’s outburst against the Congress on loan waiver, 1984 riots and other issues.

Singh challenged the Prime Minister to cite “even one instance of a promise fulfilled by his government in the past five years”.

“The ‘jumlebaaz’ Prime Minister has brought the nation to its nadir with his deceptions and fabrications, and was staring at his moment of judgement at the hands of the people, who are set to throw him out of power for good,” he said while referring to Modi’s Gurdaspur rally on Thursday.

“One wonders with what face Modi intends to go back to the people of India to seek re-election a few weeks from now,” he quipped, dubbing the prime minister “the worst leader India has seen since independence”.

The Punjab Chief Minister minced no words in taking on Modi over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots issue, questioning the PM’s “studious silence on the BJP/RSS workers named in the Tilak Marg police station FIR related to the worst violence perpetrated against the Sikhs, while trying desperately to drag the Gandhi family into the matter even though no fingers had been pointed at them”.

At the Gurdaspur rally, Modi had attacked the Congress on several issues. He had accused the Congress of protecting those involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The senior Congress leader also took a dig at the prime minister over the latter “taking credit” for the Kartarpur Corridor issue.

On the crop loan waiver issue, Singh said despite the fiscal mess inherited by his government from the previous SAD-BJP regime, Punjab had managed to waive Rs 3,417 crore of crop loans of 4,14,275 farmers in just one year.

“Another 3 lakh farmers will be given crop loan waiver to the tune of about Rs 4,000 crore soon,” he said.

The Chief Minister also questioned the prime minister on his promise for jobs for the youth, doubling of farm income and women’s reservation.

Manu Bhaker reminds Haryana sports minister of promised Rs 2 crore award

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

Teenage shooting sensation Manu Bhaker, on Friday reminded Haryana Sports Minister, Anil Vij, of a Rs 2 crore cash award promise, which he made after her Youth Olympic gold medal, but is yet to fulfil.

The 16-year-old Bhaker caught the attention with her stunning exploits in shooting ranges across the world, winning multiple gold in her maiden senior World Cup, Commonwealth Games, besides the top prize at the Youth Olympics last October.

The pistol shooter, hailing from Goria village in Jhajjar, posted screenshots of Vij’s tweet in which he had promised her cash award to the tune of Rs 2 crore on behalf of the state government.

“Sir Please confirm if it is correct… Or just Jumla (sic),” Bhaker wrote on Twitter.

After Bhaker had become the first Indian shooter to win gold at Youth Olympics, Vij had tweeted, “Congratulations to Manu Bhaker for winning shooting gold in Youth Olympics.

“Haryana government will give a cash prize of Rs 2 crore to Manu Bhaker for winning this gold. Previous governments used to pay Rs 10 lakh only.”

The shooter also felt that someone in the Haryana government has been playing “games” with the money that was to be awarded to the medallists.

As per the state government’s changed policy, which came into effect before the Youth Olympics, Rs 2 crore was marked for the gold medallists, Rs 1.25 crore for silver medallists and Rs 80 lakh for the bronze winners. Before that, the YOG medallists would get Rs 10 lakh, Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh in descending order.

However, the government again revised its policy last December and brought the amount down to Rs 1 crore for gold, Rs 65 lakh for silver and Rs 40 lakh for the bronze medallists.

Bhaker’s father Ram Kishan Bhaker, who is a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy, said that moves such as this can break the morale of athletes.

“Far from motivating sportspersons, such moves will break their morale. She is yet to get the promised cash award and now they have revised the policy again. I really hope enough thought is given before they finalise something. Otherwise, it can be detrimental to an athlete’s career,” Bhaker senior told agencies.

Bhaker had a phenomenal year in 2018 when she won the Commonwealth Games gold in Gold Coast, a month after winning gold in the 10m air pistol individual and team events at the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, which was her maiden appearance in a senior meet.

Sir Please confirm if it is correct… Or just Jumla… @anilvijminister pic.twitter.com/AtxpLKBSYV

— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) January 4, 2019

Surgical strike movie: Court asks filmmaker, author to settle copyright issue

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

A Delhi court on Friday asked the makers of upcoming film ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ and the author of a book on the incident to explore the possibility to amicably settle the issue of copyright.

The complaint for alleged violation of copyright has been filed by Nitin A Gokhale, a journalist and author of the book, against the film’s producer Ronnie Screwvala and director Aditya Dhar.

The lawyer for Screwvala and Dhar told Additional District Judge Gaurav Rao that there was no copyright on the facts and ideas.

A lot of information was in the public domain after the incident and mere similarities between the film and the book cannot be termed as copyright violation.

The book, ‘Securing India – The Modi Way, Pathankot, Surgical Strikes And More’, has talked about the aspects of the planning and execution of the surgical strikes, which the Indian Army conducted on terror launch pads across the Line of Control on September 29, 2016.

Gokhale’s advocate told the court that the film infringed the copyright as the contents of the book were used without taking author’s permission.

The court has posted the matter for further hearing on January 7. The movie is scheduled to be released on January 11.

The author has sought an order to stop the screening of the film without his consent and to delete the literary content of the book from the film.

During the hearing on Friday, the author’s lawyer Neela Gokhale told the court that the facts used in movie’s final script, including information about planning and strategy of the government, were lifted from the book.

“A lot of changes were made in their final script after my book was launched which were not in the first script of the movie. There was a substantial deviation from their first script after my book was published. A substantial portion is lifted from the book,” the lawyer told the court.

The defence counsel opposed the complaint saying the facts were not copied from the book.

“Various changes were brought after experts suggested the same. It cannot be said that the changes in the first script and the last script of the film were based on the book,” the counsel said.

The complaint alleged that the makers had infringed the copyright by reproducing and substantially copying the contents of the book into the film.

“The same has been done without taking any permission of the plaintiff or having been granted any licence to reproduce the work of the plaintiff in the form of the film as stated herein above. The defendants have violated the rights of the Plaintiff, despite a clear declaration and disclaimer in the Book,” it said.

Youth only policy will not bring India success: Sreejesh

By

Web Team

-

January 4, 2019

Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh on Friday said that focussing only on youth is not going to bring them success but backed Harendra Singh to stay on as coach despite their quarterfinal exit in the hockey World Cup.

Veterans SV Sunil and Ruipinder Pal Singh were excluded from the World Cup team owing to injury and lack of form.

Asked if the focus will now primarily be on picking young players, Sreejesh said,

“See what do you mean by youth, if a youngster comes into the team and he gets three or four more years experience, does it mean he is an old guy? You can’t win tournaments just with youngsters. In important matches we need experience.”

The experienced player, who has led India in the past, added, “When you play big matches there is a lot of pressure. The seniors will come in handy, as their experience is valuable. Experience plays a big role.