U.N. award for Gadgil The United Nations on Tuesday tapped ecologist Madhav Gadgil for the Champions of the Earth award, its highest environmental honour. Gadgil chaired the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel to study the impact of population pressure, climate change, and development in the ecologically fragile region. The panel recommended in 2011 that the entire hill range be declared an ecologically sensitive area kollam l wednesday l december 11, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI No-trust notice against V-P has 60 signatures First such notice against RS chairman so far P r ee t ha N a i r @ New Delhi The strained ties between the Opposition and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar came to a head on Tuesday as the INDIA bloc submitted a notice for a motion in the House to remove him from the post, accusing him of partisanship. Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Naseer Hussain submitted the notice signed by 60 MPs — including from the Congress, RJD, TMC, CPI, CPIM, JMM, AAP DMK, Samajwa, di Party — to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody . The motion said, “Unfortunately, Dhankhar’s brief term has been rife with instances where he has acted in a manner that is explicitly partisan and unfair towards members belonging to the Opposition.” This is the first time that such a notice has been moved in the Rajya Sabha. While the Opposition conceded that the scales are tilted in favour of the ruling NDA, they said it was a “strong message to fight for parliamentary democracy”. Elaborating the reasons to move the motion, the parties pointed out that Dhankhar’s conduct of the House on Monday was particularly one-sided and totally unfair. “He was en- NDA has the numbers to defeat motion The NDA has 119, two more than the current halfway mark of 117 in the RS, while the Opposition has 85. Among the fence-sitters are the YSR Congress Party with nine and the BJD with seven members couraging and provoking the Treasury Benches to make outrageous remarks.” He has repeatedly acted in a manner that reduces the prestige of the position he holds, they charged. The Opposition enclosed a list of articles and videos covering various instances where the chairman has unjustly been critical of Opposition members or their actions. Later, Jairam Ramesh said that they were pained to move such a notice, but were “forced” to do so after he “crossed all limits” on Monday by allowing several members of the treasury benches to speak against the top Congress leadership in the House. C o n t r o vers i al speec h SC asks Allahabad HC to file details of judge’s comments S U C H ITR A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi AMID criticism over the controversial speech of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court, delivered at a VHP function on December 8, the Supreme Court on Tuesday called for details from the High Court. “The Supreme Court has taken note of reports of a speech given by Mr Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a sitting judge of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad. The details and particulars have been called from the High Court and the matter is under consideration,” an official statement said. At the VHP event, Justice Yadav reportedly said: “This is Hindustan, and this country will function according to the wishes of the majority. This is the law. That’s how Retract and apologise: Bar Association The Bar Association of India issued a strong statement condemning the HC judge’s speech. It said the judge should retract his statements and tender an apology for his remarks. It also urged the Chief Justice of India and companion judges of the Supreme Court “to deal with this issue in a stern and emphatic manner” any society works.” The judge also reportedly said that the main aim of the Uniform Civil Code is to promote social harmony, gender equality, and secularism. According to reports, the judge highlighted the cultural values of children brought up with Hindu values of non-violence, tolerance etc, contrasting them with those of other communities that practise animal sacrifice. The SC’s administrative action came after videos of the speech were circulated on social media, triggering strong E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kochi The Kerala High Court on Tuesday banned flex boards praising the state government and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on the premises of the temples under the board. Observing that temples are places of public worship, the court directed the administrative officer of the Thuravoor Mahakshetram (temple) near Cherthala to take steps to remove the flex boards having the photog raphs of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, TDB president and the local MLA, praising them for allowing ‘annadanam’ for Sabarimala pilgrims during the ongoing Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. A division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S directed the TDB and the devaswom commissioner to ensure B E N N K O C H U V E E D A N @ Mumbai The former Karnataka chief minister and external affairs minister was a visionary reformer with empathy and a trailblazer who redefined leadership, writes Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw | P7 Outgoing RBI gover nor Shaktikanta Das on Tuesday said the relationship between the central bank and the government was “at its best during the past six years” during his tenure. Das, who demitted the office Tuesday, underlined the need for restoring the inflationgrowth balance as the key task for his successor Sanjay Malhotra, to whom he will pass the baton on Wednesday . Addressing his last press meet as RBI governor at the RBI headquarters in Mumbai, the civilservant-turned-central-banker said: “The perspectives of the finance ministry and RBI can differ, but during the past six years, all such issues were re- Actor assault case: Survivor writes to Prez Murmu over memory card access E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kochi What the letter says In a new development in the actor abduction and assault case, the survivor has sent a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking action against those responsible for illegally accessing the memory card containing visuals of the sexual assault on her inside a moving car on February 17, 2017. In the letter, the survivor pointed out that even though it had come to light that the memory card, which was in the court’s custody, was accessed without adhering to rules, action was not taken against the erring officials. The survivor said though she had approached the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court, no action was taken against those who illegally accessed the memory card. She pointed out in her letter Scientific tests had proved that the memory card was accessed and examined three times while it was in the court’s custody Though the survivor moved the SC to find the people who committed the crime, no action was taken Forensic analysis revealed the card was accessed on the night of January 9, 2018, and December 13, 2018, at 9.58 pm and 10.58 pm, respectively. The third access occurred on July 19, 2021, from 12.19 pm to 12.54 pm. that scientific tests had proved that the memory card had been accessed and examined three times while it was in the court’s custody . The forensic examination revealed that “the memory card was used in a Vivo-made mobile phone having an Android operating system and a Jio net- work application. In this device, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram apps were installed.”The memory card was accessed on the night of January 9, 2018, and December 13, 2018, at 9.58 pm and 10.58 pm, respectively . The third access occurred on July 19, 2021, from 12.19 pm to 12.54 pm. Following this, the High Court directed the District and Sessions Judge Ernakulam to conduct a fact-finding inquiry on the allegations of unauthorised access on April 12, 2024. On October 13, 2024, the Kerala High Court dismissed the plea of the survivor seeking a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the unauthorised access to the memory card containing the visuals of actor assault and rape in February 2017 and copying and transmitting its content. There are eight video files in the memory card. that flex boards like the one seen at the Thuravoor temple are not placed on the premises of any temple under the management of the board. The court issued the order on a case initiated suo motu based on a complaint filed by P S Sreekumar of Thuravoor against a huge flex board placed at the Kizhakkenada of Thuravoor Mahakshethram. The court orally observed that the devotees go to the temple to worship God. The money collected for offerings should be used for temple’s needs and not for erecting flex boards, it said. The court also noted that the facilities being provided to pilgrims were not concessions given by the TDB. It is the statutory duty of the board to ensure that proper facilities are provided to Sabarimala pilgrims at temples under its management which are identified as ‘edathavalam’ for the devotees, it said. RBI-govt ties were best in my tenure: Das S MaKrishna hailed as visionary reformer 1 May 1932-10 Dec 2024 reactions from several quarters, including opposition leaders who termed it hate speech against minorities. Echoing serious concern, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday called for the impeachment of Justice Yadav. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan wrote to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna seeking an ‘in-house enquiry’ into the conduct of the HC judge. CPM leader Brinda Karat also wrote to the CJI, flagging the HC judge’s speech. HC says no to flex boards praising govt at temples solved through internal discussions and coordination.” Listing out the new challenges for his successor, Das said the new governor will also have to navigate the changing world order and deal with cyber threats. He said the governor will have to keep in mind the requirements of the wider economy . EXPRESS READ ‘Increase states’ tax share to 50%’ T’Puram: The state has urged the 16th Finance Commission to give due weightage for population control and principles of equality and justice while fixing horizontal devolution, the distribution of central tax share among states. The government memorandum to FC said the share of states from the divisible pool should be increased to 50% and a cent percent increase in the Centre’s contribution to the State Disaster Response Fund. P4 Sri Lanka Prez to visit India in 1st overseas trip Show of respect Tusker Indrasen offering floral tributes at the statue of Guruvayur Kesavan at the southern entrance of the Guruvayur temple on the eve of Ekadasi on Tuesday | S Lal New Delhi: Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake will be making his first international visit since he came to power to India next week. This is being viewed as a good indicator of the relations between India and Sri Lanka. During his visit, President Dissanayake will meet PM Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. P7 Proposal for Pampa-Achankovil-Vaipar Festival enthusiasts petition HC chief river linking project raises concern justice against order on jumbo parade E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kochi While the Kerala government is preparing to welcome Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin for the inauguration of the Periyar Memorial in Vaikom, a move by the neighbouring state to trigger another water dispute has raised concerns. The annual general meeting of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA), scheduled to be held on December 17 has included a feasibility report on the Pampa-Achankovil-Vaipar link project which has triggered a controversy . While experts in the state have cautioned that the project would sound the death knell for Vembanad Lake, the state government seems to be clueless. While chief ministers and irrigation ministers are representing other states, Kerala is sending an official- additional chief secretary for water re- Experts point out that the diversion of water will lead to saline water intrusion into Vembanad lake and will destroy the ecosystem including the wetlands of Kuttanad. sources- to the meeting. “There is no need to panic about the feasibility report as the project needs Kerala’s approval for implementation. These are not inter-state rivers and they cannot implement it without our consent. Our additional chief secretary will attend the meeting and present our stand before the NWDA,” said Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine. The Pampa-AchankovilVaipar Link Project was proposed based on the water balance studies conducted by the NWDA to assess the water yield and requirements of the basin states. The water balance studies conducted by NWDA concluded that there was 1,612 MCM surplus water in Pampa basin and 1,15 MCM surplus water in Achankovil river. The plan is to divert 634 MCM from the 3,127 MCM surplus water to irrigate 91,400 hectares of arid land in Vaipar basin of TN. The project aims to construct a 150-m- high dam across Pampa at Punnamedu, a 160-m-high dam and another 35-m-high dam across Achankovil river. The three reservoirs will submerge 2004 hectares of land in Kerala, of which 1,400 hectares is virgin forest land. The water will be taken to Tamil Nadu through a 9-km-long tunnel across the Western Ghats. “The project will lead to an environmental disaster as diverting water from one river basin to another will destroy the ecosystem of the original basin,” said earth scientist Subhash Chandra Bose. “A river basin is formed by hundreds of small streams which provide lifeline for the surrounding environment. If the water is diverted, it will lead to degradation of Vembanad lake and the wetlands of Kuttanad ,” he said. “The apathy of the state in utilising the water resources has provided an opportunity for Tamil Nadu to stake claim on our rivers,” said Ramachandran Kidangoor, president of Meenachil River Protection Council. “TN has no right to claim share of Pampa and Achankovil rivers as they are not inter-state rivers. So we should oppose the move,” he said. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kochi The Poora Premi Sangham, an association representing the festival enthusiasts in Thrissur, has submitted a complaint to Kerala High Court Chief Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar, on the order imposing restrictions on ele phant parade. The association urged the chief justice to quash the impugned order issued by the division bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and P Gopinath and assign the matter to a bench free from perceived conflicts of interest. The complaint said that the original case on the brutal killing of a dog was registered as a suo motu writ petition based on a letter written by Justice Jayasankaran Nambiar to thethen chief justice. The case was assigned to the bench of Quashing of order sought Poora Premi Sangham urged the chief justice to quash the impugned order issued by the division bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and P Gopinath and assign the matter to a bench free from perceived conflicts of interest the initiating judge. This has raised concerns about judicial impartiality The case expand. ed beyond its initial focus due to petitions from animal welfare groups seeking a ban on elephant parades at temple festivals. According to the complaint, judges Nambiar and Gopinath were affiliated with a legal firm which represented animal rights groups in a writ petition filed in 2015. The complaint said the guidelines issued by the bench on November 13 makes elephant parade, a traditional practice, unfeasible. This will jeopardise Kerala’s cultural identity, with Thrissur Pooram, Guruvayur temple festivals and Nenmara Vallangi Vela facing existential threats. The complaint stated the observation that the use of elephants is not an essential religious practice undermines the faith of devotees. It also urged the chief justice to initiate an inquiry into the foreign funding allegations targeting Kerala’s traditions. “The complaint has been mailed to the chief justice,” said Anilkumar, secretary of Poora Premi Sangham.