1. 10 Months Wasted: 42-Point Plan to Curb Pollution Goes Up in Smog
Faced with unrelenting pollution, Delhi has agreed to consider giving funds to neighbouring states to incentivise them to reduce straw burning. The practice of stubble burning is seen as a major reason for the poor quality of the capital's air in winter.
Also Read: As Delhi Chokes, Govt Decides to Crack Down on Pollution... Soon
A meeting convened by the Centre with Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP and Haryana conceded that a roadmap drawn up last year had failed to deliver results due to poor implementation. It also agreed on several measures, including Delhi using its green cess to fund other states.
A 42-point action plan was finalised by the Environment Ministry in consultation with state governments in December last year.Though the ministry had fixed different timelines for different actions, a majority had not been acted on in the past 10 months.
(Source: The Times of India)
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2. All 6 Independent Directors of Taj Group Back Mistry
In what is being widely viewed as a setback for Ratan Tata and the board of Tata Sons, which sacked Cyrus Mistry last week, all the six independent directors of the Tata Group's prestigious Indian Hotels Company publicly reposed faith in Mistry's leadership on Friday ahead of a scheduled board meet.
Nadir Godrej, Deepak Parekh, Keki Dadiseth, Ireena Vittal, Gautam Banerjee and Vibha Paul Rishi met at the group's headquarters, Bombay House, and were unanimous in their praise for steps taken by Mistry in providing strategic direction and leadership to the company. The board of IHCL, popularly known as the Taj Group, has 10 members, including Mistry and his elder brother Shapoor.
The support from IHCL's independent directors for Mistry comes against the backdrop of the rift between Ratan Tata and Mistry, who was abruptly removed as chairman of Tata Sons, the main promoter of IHCL, on 24 October.
(Source: The Times of India)
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Mistry's Removal Necessary for the Success of Group: Ratan Tata
The Tata Saga: Don't Forget, Mistry Inherited a Troubled Empire
3. Jayalalithaa Has Recovered Completely, Says Apollo Hospitals Chairman
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has recovered well and is very much satisfied with the treatment provided by Apollo Hospitals, said its Chairman Prathap C Reddy, on Friday.
The Hindu reported on Thursday that the Chief Minister would be moved to a private room from the Critical Care Unit (CCU), and indicated she would be discharged soon.
Dr Prathap Reddy made the statements on the sidelines of a function to launch a textbook on medicine authored by doctors practising at the hospital.
All that I can say very clearly is that she is very satisfied. If you understand what I mean by very satisfied... that she has completely recovered. She understands what is going on around her and in every respect she and her attendants are very happy that she has come back and is able to monitor the progress (in her health)Dr Reddy
(Source: The Hindu)
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4. Justice Delayed is an Incurable Wound: Delhi HC on Prolonged 1984 Riots Case
The Delhi high court critiqued delays in delivering justice in cases such as the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying failure to do so “not only creates wounds which fester but those which incurably infect society”.
Justices Gita Mittal and PS Teji made the observation while dismissing applications of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and two others who sought recusal of justice Teji from a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case on ‘apprehension of bias'.
“That riot happened in 1984 in New Delhi, the capital of India, in which hundreds perished, is not disputed. That, despite passage of 32 years thereafter, cases in the complaints emanating from those riots have not attained finality in adjudication,” the bench said.
The bench said delay in reaching a finality in the cases “has generated a sense of injustice in the victims as well as those who feel that they have been unjustly accused”.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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5. SC collegium to Take Advice from Senior Judge on Probable Candidates
The Supreme Court collegium that appoints judges in higher judiciary will seek the opinion of a senior judge on probable candidates, the HT has learnt, two months after he refused to attend the body's meetings seeking transparency in its functioning.
Sources said the move was aimed at breaking the deadlock after justice Chelameswar wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India, TS Thakur, demanding that the collegium meetings are recorded for bringing transparency to the system of judges' appointment.
The high-powered panel comprising the top five SC judges recommends transfer of high court judges and approves names of chief justices and judges from states for appointment in the top court.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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6. Evidence Not Believable, Court said in Case Linked to 3 of Killed SIMI Men
More than a year before eight SIMI activists were killed in an encounter on the outskirts of Bhopal on Monday, a Khandwa court held that the evidence in a 2011 case against three of them was “not believable”.
Coming down harshly on Madhya Pradesh police and the investigating officers, the court acquitted one of them, Akeel Khilji, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The other two, Amzad Ramzan Khan and Mohammed Saliq, had been declared “proclaimed offenders” by then.
The last rites of four of the eight SIMI activists killed this week were conducted in Khilji's house in Khandwa on Thursday. Khilji had been awaiting trial in Bhopal's Central Jail after being charged in at least three cases — two under the UAPA and another “for promoting enmity”.
(Source: Indian Express)
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Bhopal Encounter: ATS Chief Says 8 SIMI Men Had No Weapons on Them
7. India Explores Special Visa Options Before UK PM Theresa May's Visit
India is looking at a special visa facilitation arrangement with the UK, that would help Indian students and businessmen among others, during the visit of Prime Minister Theresa May to India from 6-8 November.
Though the UK has conveyed the visa-rule changes are not aimed at India, sources said within that caveat measures can be taken which would help Indian visa applicants who don't come under the “immigration” category.
Indian students in the UK have halved from about 40,000 to 20,000 in the last five years. Indian officials said various measures have led to this fall in numbers.
We have raised our concerns on the difficulties being faced by Indian students with the UK side. We expect mobility issues to be raised during the visit.Vikas Swarup, MEA Spokesperson
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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UK Launches Bilateral Trade Talks For Post-Brexit Deal With India
8. India, China Discuss Steps to Improve Bilateral Ties
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart met in Hyderabad on Friday for a day-long discussion on improving bilateral ties, especially on the issue of India's entry into the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) and UN ban on terrorist Masood Azhar.
The meeting between Mr Doval and Yang Jiechi is part of efforts to improve high-level interaction to deal with issues of mutual interest and concern. A former Foreign Minister, Mr Yang was elevated to the rank of State Councillor over three years ago.
(Courtesy: Twitter/@MEAIndia) ">Bilateral ties between the two sides have been facing several challenges, ranging from China's blocking of India's entry into the NSG to the recent boycott in India against Chinese goods. All that is coming at a time when the Pakistani shadow is stretching further over India-China relations.
(Source: The Hindu)
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China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Spells More Trouble for India
Second Round of India-China NSG Talks Termed ‘Constructive'
9. ‘Anti-National Acts': 25 NGOs Lose Foreign Fund Licences
The Union home ministry has refused to renew the registration of 25 NGOs under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010, for their alleged indulgence in "activities not conducive to national interest".
This action comes after the cancellation of the FCRA licences of 11,319 NGOs for failing to apply for renewal within the deadline. The FCRA licence renewal of another 1,736 NGOs was withheld “for non-submission of documents or deficient documents or other statutory shortcoming within the stipulated time”.
As a result, the total number of NGOs that can receive foreign funding has now shrunk to around 20,000, down from 33,158, in the country.
A final call on approving the renewal of the FCRA registration of the 1,736 NGOs will be taken after they explain deficiencies in their applications by 8 November.
(Source: The Times of India)
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SC Takes Serious View of Mushrooming NGOs, Many Not Paying Tax
Only 1 Out of 18 Nirbhaya Funded One-Stop Centres Functional: NGO
Govt Clamps Down on Zakir Naik's NGO, Will Ban Its Foreign Funds
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