New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued summon against the Delhi Urban Development Secretary for non-submission of proof of payment and requisite reports over a death of a safai karamchari during sewer cleaning in 2018.
The NHRC, having not received requisite reports and the proof of payment of Rs. 10 Lakh in the case of death in sewer cleaning, has asked the Secretary of the Department of Urban Development under the Delhi government to appear before it on March 5 with the requisite reports.
According to a statement issued by NHRC, the Commission had registered a case on the basis of a complaint dated September 18, 2018, by Safai Karamchari Aandolan, an NGO for the incident that had happened in Vaishali Extension in the national capital on September 14, 2018.
“According to the complaint, the safai karamchari had died due to inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning a sewer and no appropriate action was taken by the police in the matter,” the statement read.
The Commission, issuing the conditional summons, has observed that there has already been an inordinate delay in the matter as no response has been received from the Delhi government on the pointers raised by it.
“Hence, it is constrained to invoke Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993,” the statement said.
It has further emphasized that non-submission of the report may attract an offence under sections 175/176 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and initiation of criminal proceedings under sections 175/ 176 IPC, as well as under Rule 10 & 12 of Order XVI of Civil Procedure Code for willful omission to produce documents and information.
In case, the report is received in the Commission a week prior to the scheduled date, the personal appearance of the officer shall stand dispensed with.
In response to the notice of the Commission, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dwarka, vide report dated December 31, 2019, had informed that in the matter an FIR No. 500/18, dated September 15, 2018, under section 304/304A IPC, r/w 7/9 of Prohibition of Manual Scavengers and Rehabilitation Act, 2013, had been registered against the accused, who has hired the victim, for cleaning the sewer line outside his property.
It was also informed that the accused was arrested on October 1, 2018. The compensation of Rs.10 Lakh had been paid to the mother of the deceased by the SDM of Dwarka, as per Supreme Court guidelines.
However, the Commission observed that the report was silent on the proof of payment of compensation of Rs.10 Lakh to the mother of the deceased victim. A notice was issued to SDM, Dwarka, to submit the proof of payment.
The Commission had also directed the Delhi government to inform regarding the steps taken by the State Government to prevent such deaths, including the availability of safety gears before entering in sewer lines. However, no response was received.
Therefore, a final reminder was issued to the Principal Secretary of Department of Urban Development, through online mode on December 29 last year, to submit the requisite detailed reports, failing which the Commission shall be constrained to issue a coercive process under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. (ANI)

By Amit Kumar
New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): A total of 424 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed during the second edition of the virtual Maritime India Summit-2021 that concluded on Thursday, said Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh Mandaviya.
The three-day maritime conference was inaugurated on March 2 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The summit received good support and a total of 424 MoUs were signed in three days. The investment of more than Rs 3 lakh crores has been committed by top maritime companies of the world and it is a matter of great pleasure for us,” Mandaviya told ANI.
The Minister said the “Maritime Vision 2030” and its “road map” have released, and added, “seeing this, the shipping line infrastructure development companies are going to investing in India in coming days.”
India also commemorated the ‘Chabahar Day’ today with ministerial presence from six nations at the Maritime India Summit organised by India’s shipping ministry.
Mandaviya said Chabahar Port has emerged as the “connecting point” between India and Eurasia to deliver humanitarian assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Chabahar Port project will be developed as a transit hub for cross connectivity between the two countries.
“Maritime India Summit-2021 will empower and strengthen Maritime India Vision-2030 which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the inauguration of the summit. Due to Maritime India Summit-2021, the expectations and the aspirations of the world towards India have increased. We have to keep marching towards achieving our goal,” the Union Minister added. (ANI)

Panaji (Goa) [India], March 4 (ANI): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday welcomed the order of the Supreme Court which stayed the Bombay High Court’s order cancelling elections to five Municipalities in the state.
He also told ANI that the State Election Commission will take further decisions in consultation with Supreme Court.
“Hon. Supreme Court has stayed the High Court’s order cancelling elections to five Municipalities & consequent order of State Election Commission keeping the election process in abeyance. Matter to come up for a final hearing on Tuesday. Now, the democratic process has been restored,” Sawant tweeted earlier today.
The High Court had earlier cancelled and postponed polls to five municipalities namely Margao, Mapusa, Mormugao, Sanguem and Quepem on a petition related to irregularities in the reservation of municipal wards for women and Scheduled Caste categories.
Sawant also informed that the Board examinations for classes 10th and 12th will be held as per the already declared schedule.
“Today we had a meeting on National Educational Policy and it is decided that foundational course of NEP will be implemented in the initial stage in consultation with the people of Goa,” said Sawant.
The elections for 11 municipal councils and the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) will be held on March 20 and counting will be held on March 22. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): The Supreme Court was on Thursday informed that SBI Capital fund of Rs 625 crores is finally going to be released by the next week to finance the six unfinished projects of Amrapali real estate company to ensure delivery of flats to the homebuyers.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, was hearing the petitions filed by many Amrapali real estate homebuyers in Noida and Greater Noida after they failed to get their homes at the right time as promised by the builder.
Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has today also shown its inclination to finance Amrapali projects with certain conditions and to this, the top court had asked lawyer, M L Lahoty, advocate appearing for many homebuyers, and Noida/Greater Noida authorities for their response on the same by tomorrow morning.
Apart from this, the apex court today rejected the applications of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) to transfer all first information reports (FIR) in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi police in the case and made it clear that the other recovery issues going on in this court, and the hearing will be continued tomorrow morning. (ANI)

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 4 (ANI): The Karnataka government will discuss the availability of Covid-19 vaccines in Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC) for speedy vaccination of senior citizens, said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday.
Addressing media, the Minister said at present Covid-19 vaccine is being administered at Taluk hospitals, we are considering extending the service to PHCs and CHCs so that more and more public can get the vaccine at the earliest.
“Persons above the age of 60 and persons above 45 years with comorbidities are given priority as of now. We are also boosting the morale of the senior citizens to get the vaccine voluntarily. People will be benefitted from this. In case a vaccinated person gets infected, the effect will be minimal. We are hopeful that more and more people will be vaccinated in the future,” said the Minister.
Dr Sudhakar said that as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also taken the Made in India Vaccine, there is no doubt in the performance of the vaccine and everybody can get the vaccine.
“No adverse effect is reported so far. Considering the infrastructure in private hospitals, permission for vaccines will be given as per the central government guidelines,” he added. (ANI)

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 4 (ANI): On the recent case of leakage of question paper for Common Entrance Examination for recruitment of soldiers, the Indian Army on Thursday said that due process of law will be followed against persons who may have violated the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the conduct of such examinations.
“In pursuance of Indian Army’s resolve to ensure transparency and eliminate corrupt
practices in recruitment, Indian Army and Maharashtra State Police are jointly
investigating the recent case of leakage of question paper for Common Entrance
Examination for recruitment of Soldiers (General Duty),” read a statement from the Indian Army.
“The results of the inquiry will be incorporated into the existing system of the recruitment process to make it more foolproof and robust. Due process of law will be followed to proceed against persons who may have violated the standard operating procedures for the conduct of such examinations,” the Army said.
Seven people including two serving defence personnel, a defence civilian and two ex-Army personnel were arrested in an Army recruitment exam paper leak case on Tuesday.
The Army relations recruitment exam scheduled for February 28 was cancelled by the Indian Army after the alleged paper leak. So far city police officials have registered two different FIRs against 10 persons and have arrested seven accused.
“The exam was scheduled at 40 centres across the country and more than 30,000 students were supposed to take it. Two teams were formed to investigate the matter immediately after we received information about a possible paper leak on February 26,” said Dr Ravindra Shisve, joint commissioner of Pune city police.
“The people arrested have been taken into custody including some retired army personnel and some of them are running pre-military training centres. We are investigating how the paper reached these people and who else was involved,” he added. (ANI)