logo
No rationale behind hiking power tariff in Chandigarh, says MP Tewari

No rationale behind hiking power tariff in Chandigarh, says MP Tewari

Hindustan Times5 days ago
The member of parliament and former Union minister Manish Tewari on Sunday criticised the rising electricity bills and fixed charges in the UT. He called the rising electricity charges unjustified. Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari (HT File)
MP Tewari was responding to the issues raised by the residents during a joint meeting held by the Joint Coordination Committee of the Resident Welfare Association (RWAs) of Ward Number 23 at Sector-43 Community Centre. MP Tewari said that he has been consistently raising Chandigarh-related matters in the parliament.
He argued that since the power company has not undertaken any significant infrastructure upgrades or expansions, there is no rationale behind increasing electricity charges. He assured residents that he would strongly raise these concerns during the upcoming Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) meeting scheduled for July 25.
Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky and area councillor Prem Lata were also present in the meeting. Lucky praised MP Tewari, saying that the city is fortunate to have a sincere and sensible representative who not only utilises his MPLADS for local development but also persistently voices public concerns in parliament and other forums. During the event, MP Tewari also honoured senior citizens of the ward with mementos as a mark of respect.
The event was attended by several prominent personalities, including Chandigarh's senior deputy mayor Jasbir Bunty, deputy mayor Taruna Mehta, councillor Hardeep Singh, AAP Chandigarh president Vijay Paul Singh, former councillor Chandermukhi Sharma, CRAWFED president Hitesh Puri, FOSWAC president Baljinder Singh Bittu, and other residents including Naresh Salwan, Jaswinder Singh, and Narendra Chaudhary.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

HT Archives: Key accord inked to bring peace and stability to Punjab
HT Archives: Key accord inked to bring peace and stability to Punjab

Hindustan Times

time28 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

HT Archives: Key accord inked to bring peace and stability to Punjab

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Akali Dal president Sant Harchand Singh Longowal on Thursday finalised a comprehensive accord on a slew of issues concerning Punjab, marking a welcome end to the prolonged crisis in the border state that has bedevilled the nation. Then PM Rajiv Gandhi with Sant Harchand Singh Longowal in 1985. (HT Archives) The 11-point Memorandum of Settlement signed at 5.30pm in Parliament House provides for the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, two high-power commissions to decide on territorial disputes between Punjab and Haryana, a tribunal on the Ravi-Beas water systems, reference of the controversial Anandpur Sahib resolution to the Sarkaria Commission, widening of the scope of the inquiry into the November 1984 riots, rehabilitation of those discharged from the Army, and compensation to the families of all the innocent people killed in agitation and riots since August 1982. The memorandum was tabled in the Lok Sabha within 20 minutes of its signing by a beaming Prime Minister, who expressed the hope that this 'will bring to an end a very difficult period through which the nation has passed.' The five-page memorandum, signed by the two leaders, itself ends thus: 'This settlement brings to an end a period of confrontation and ushers in an era of amity, goodwill and co-operation, which will promote and strengthen the unity and integrity of India.' Members of Parliament on both sides of the aisle welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement by thumping their desks. Two senior Opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha, Prof Madhu Dandavate (Janata) and C Madhava Reddy (Telugu Desam) welcomed it immediately. The transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, as also of Hindi-speaking areas now in Punjab to Haryana is to take place simultaneously on the next Republic Day, 1986. The commission will submit its findings by December 31, 1985, which will be binding on both sides. LK Advani, leader of the BJP parliamentary party, called the pact 'a great relief', even as he underscored reservations about specific provisions of the memorandum. He also said that had the Akalis and the government shown this kind of sagacity during the tripartite conference in January 1983 'the country and Punjab might have been spared a lot of agony and bloodshed.' Talks held at the time, which included opposition parties, collapsed on January 26, with Sikh leaders resigning from the state legislatures and Parliament. It was noteworthy, he said, that at the time of the tripartite conference all Opposition parties had opposed any formal reference by the government to the Anandpur Sahib resolution, a list of demands the Akali Dal made in 1983. 'It is strange', said Mr Advani, 'that the ruling party whose principal election plank was that the Opposition parties were favouring the Anandpur Sahib resolution and it alone was resisting it, has now in an official communique signed by the Prime Minister himself formally recognised it'. The agreement provides for the rehabilitation of all those discharged from the army, through gainful employment. The jurisdiction of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission inquiring into the November 1984 riots that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi will be extended to cover the disturbances in Bokaro (Bihar) and Kanpur. The government agreed to consider the formulation of an All-India Gurdwara Bill. 'The legislation will be brought forward for this purpose in consultation with the Akali Dal and others concerned and after fulfilling all relevant constitutional requirements.' Under the accord, the government agreed to withdraw the notification applying the Armed Forces Special Powers Act to Punjab. The existing special courts will now try only cases relating to the offences of 'waging war' and hijacking.' All other cases will be transferred to ordinary courts and enabling legislation, if needed, will be brought forward in the current session of Parliament. The river water dispute is to be adjudicated by a tribunal headed by a Supreme Court judge. The accord provides that the report of the tribunal will be submitted within six months and will be binding on both Punjab and Haryana. Gandhi said that on the Anandpur Sahib resolution, Sant Longowal made it very clear that it was meant to be an exercise for greater autonomy within the Indian Union. Those aspects of the resolution passed by the Akali Dal first in 1973 and again in 1978, which pertain to Centre-State relations now stand transferred to the Commission on Centre-State relations headed by Mr Justice R. S. Sarkaria. The accord specifically provides for the promotion of Punjabi language. The Prime Minister will write to the chief ministers on the question of according adequate representation to the minorities in employment and other avenues. On Chandigarh, the accord provides for the city going to Punjab. The present Union Territory has some adjoining areas included both from Punjab and Haryana. The Hindi speaking areas will now be transferred to Haryana and the Punjabi-speaking areas to Punjab.

India to forge own path in global energy transition: Senior UN climate official
India to forge own path in global energy transition: Senior UN climate official

Hindustan Times

time28 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

India to forge own path in global energy transition: Senior UN climate official

India will forge its own distinct pathway in the global energy transition, with the country emerging as a 'clean energy powerhouse' despite different challenges facing developing economies, a senior UN climate official said. Selwin Hart described India as 'extremely pivotal to multilateralism, sustainable development, and climate action,' noting that the country has traditionally been 'an extremely strong advocate for conveying the interests of the developing world.' (HT) Selwin Hart, special adviser to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on climate change, told HT in an interview on Thursday that India's transition strategy would differ significantly from other nations, particularly given its status as a net importer of fossil fuels. 'One of the things that we've been repeatedly saying, especially for developing and emerging economies that are fossil fuel producing nations, is that their transition pathways are going to be different,' Hart said. 'If you're a large fossil fuel producing nation, your transition pathway is going to be different than the transition pathway of a country that's a net importer of fossil fuels.' 'It is not a one size fits all approach. That being said, India is a clean energy powerhouse,' Hart said, emphasising that developing and emerging economies face unique challenges in their climate strategies. Hart highlighted how BRICS nations are stepping up climate action in the wake of the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. He noted that climate issues, previously absent from BRICS discussions, now feature prominently in the bloc's statements with 'extensive and very precise technical work' being undertaken. The UN official's comments follow his team's recent analysis suggesting fossil fuels are nearing 'the end of the road,' which prompted Guterres to deliver a special address declaring this 'the moment of energy transition.' India's renewable energy progress Hart described India as 'extremely pivotal to multilateralism, sustainable development, and climate action,' noting that the country has traditionally been 'an extremely strong advocate for conveying the interests of the developing world.' 'It's also an extremely large economy that is still developing, and will require huge amounts of energy,' Hart said, praising India's momentum towards its climate goals. He noted that 50% of the country's electricity capacity now comes from renewables. 'India is more than halfway to the 500 gigawatt goal set by PM Modi,' he said, expressing hope this progress would be reflected in India's nationally determined contribution (NDC) due before COP30. 'Because what we want to say, ambition cannot be imposed from outside. We will encourage as much as possible. We can't impose,' Hart said. 'But we hope that India, along with other major economies, put NDCs on the table that send the right signals to markets and to investors that the energy transition is unstoppable.' 'The potential for India to exploit its leadership on clean energy is absolutely enormous,' Hart said. Financial challenges loom However, Hart acknowledged that financing remains a critical challenge for developing countries preparing for COP30 in Brazil this November. Many nations face serious debt distress and lack fiscal space for adaptation and resilience investments. The COP29 and COP30 presidencies have established a circle of finance ministers to address these challenges. 'The world needs to understand that there needs to be a serious discussion on how to address the financing needs of developing countries,' Hart said. Despite US withdrawal from Paris Agreement, Hart said other major economies remain committed to multilateral climate action. He cited an April roundtable convened by Guterres and Brazilian President Lula, which included President Xi, European Commission President von der Leyen, and chairs of various regional groups including ASEAN, CARICOM, G20, and the African Union. All participants 'expressed firm commitment to multilateralism, to the Paris Agreement,' Hart said. The UN Secretary General has invited world leaders to announce new NDCs during an event on September 24, the second day of the General Assembly's high-level week. Hart said China and other countries have indicated they will present economy-wide NDCs covering all greenhouse gas emissions. Hart emphasised that renewable energy costs have reached historic lows with record deployments worldwide, contributing to a 'decoupling of GDP growth from emissions' that marks a departure from two centuries of carbon-intensive economic growth. On July 22, Guterres declared in a special address at UN headquarters: 'Fossil fuels are running out of road. The sun is rising in a clean energy age.'

LS, not RS, will take up HC judge impeachment
LS, not RS, will take up HC judge impeachment

Hindustan Times

time2 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

LS, not RS, will take up HC judge impeachment

The Union government on Friday said that the motion to impeach justice Yashwant Varma will be brought in the Lok Sabha, ending the ambiguity about the high-profile process created after two separate notices were moved in both Houses of Parliament earlier this week. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chairs a meeting of the leaders of all parties to discuss the functioning of the House, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI) People aware of the matter said that the notice in the Rajya Sabha, signed by 63 members and mentioned by former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, was only submitted and not admitted. They also said that there were procedural lapses in the notice submitted in the Upper House and that the report of the inquiry committee set up by the apex court was shared only with the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. HT has reported that the former vice-president's move to kickstart the impeachment process of justice Varma in the Rajya Sabha took the government, which wanted the process to go through the Lok Sabha, by surprise, and it was the trigger that prompted the abrupt resignation on Monday night. '...There shouldn't be any doubt that the discussion and motion proceedings to remove justice Yashwant Varma will begin in the Lok Sabha,' said Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju. He said the parties have agreed that the motion will be moved in the Lok Sabha and concurred in the Rajya Sabha, as per the rules. Rijiju also said that a special discussion on Operation Sindoor will begin in the Lok Sabha on Monday, for which 16 hours was allocated, and that the Rajya Sabha will take up the discussion a day later for the same duration. A notice for the impeachment of justice Varma, who is facing charges of corruption, signed by 152 lawmakers was submitted to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Monday. But the same day, then chairman of the Rajya Sabha Dhankhar told the Upper House that another notice for the impeachment of the judge with the signatures of 63 Opposition members was submitted. Dhankhar went on to add that if the motion is presented in both Houses on the same day, the provisions for appointing the probe committee vary and the committee shall be constituted jointly by the speaker and the chairman. That evening, Dhankhar suddenly resigned from his position, citing health reasons. The formation of the committee was then put on hold. As per the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968, once a motion to remove a judge is admitted in any of the Houses, the speaker of the Lok Sabha or the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, as the case may be, will constitute a three-member committee to investigate the grounds on which the removal has been sought. The committee will comprise the chief justice of India (CJI) or a Supreme Court judge, the chief justice of one of the high courts, and a distinguished jurist. As per the procedure, the Speaker has to write to the CJI seeking suggestions for the names of the judges to be included in the panel. A senior government functionary said the decks have now been cleared for the formation of the committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker. 'The motion was not admitted in the Rajya Sabha. The chairman's statement itself makes it clear…he had directed the secretary-general to take steps in the direction. The secretariat has found that the notice submitted in Rajya Sabha is not in order,' said the functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity. The functionary also added that the President had forwarded the SC report to the Lok Sabha and not the Rajya Sabha. A senior government functionary said the decks have now been cleared for the formation of the committee in the Lok Sabha. 'The motion was not admitted in the Rajya Sabha. The chairman's statement itself makes it clear…he had directed the secretary-general to take up the issue. The secretariat has found that the notice submitted in Rajya Sabha is not in order,' said the functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity. The functionary also added that the President's report was sent to the Lok Sabha and not the Rajya Sabha. Based on a three-member committee's report, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna in May recommended to the President and the Prime Minister to initiate proceedings to remove justice Varma from office. Rijiju declined to comment on Dhankhar's statement but said the government was making efforts to build a consensus between political parties to support the motion for impeachment as the issue of corruption in the judiciary should be taken up not just by the government but the entire political class. To a question on whether there will be consultation between the Lok Sabha speaker and the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, on the formation of the committee, Rijiju said, 'All parties have agreed that the removal has to be a joint call… once we have agreed (to the impeachment) in the Lok Sabha, it will be concurred in the Rajya announcement about the formation of the committee should come from the chair.' He did not rule out the possibility of a discussion between the speaker and the deputy chairman and said, '..That will be our internal issue.' The people cited above said the notice submitted in the Rajya Sabha was not admitted as it was found to have 'procedural lapses'. 'While he (Dhankhar) mentioned the Supreme Court's report on justice Varma and the recommendation made by the President, there were no relevant documents attached in the annexure because correspondence related to these was not shared with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat or the vice-president's office,' said the functionary quoted above. The entire process of impeachment must be completed in the monsoon session that ends on August 21. Justice Varma will get up to three opportunities to defend himself before Parliament. Parliament proceedings have been disrupted this week with the Opposition demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision in Bihar and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Operation Sindoor. Rijiju said a consensus was reached between the ruling coalition and the Opposition on taking up a special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha on Monday and in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The discussion will not be under any rule, which means there is no need for voting at the end. The controversy began after wads of charred cash were allegedly found at the residence of justice Varma, then a Delhi high court judge, on March 14 following a fire. On March 22, the top court formed an inquiry committee, comprising then high court chief justices Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana), GS Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh), and justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka high court). The 64-page inquiry report cited 'strong inferential evidence' to conclude that justice Varma had 'covert or active control' over the charred cash. While admitting that no direct evidence linked him to the currency, the panel held that his conduct 'belied the trust' reposed in a constitutional judge and warranted impeachment proceedings. The committee concluded that even if the money had been stored without his explicit knowledge, its presence in his official residence 'eroded public trust' and constituted judicial misconduct of a grave nature. The findings of the report were submitted to then CJI Khanna on May 3. Five days later, he wrote to the PM and President.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store