logo
Idukki site from where cross was removed is a forest land, reveals RTI response

Idukki site from where cross was removed is a forest land, reveals RTI response

The Hindu16-06-2025
The spot from where a cross was removed at Thommankuthu, near Thodupuzha, is a reserve forest land, the Revenue department said in response to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The application was moved by Idukki District Congress Committee (DCC) general secretary Bijo Mani.
The RTI reply said: 'A recent report by the Thodupuzha tehsildar, Jayakumar O.S., to the Idukki District Collector indicated that the village officer had submitted a status report regarding the area to the Forest department. As per the report, the area concerned is a forest land.' 'As per the 1993 Land Assignment rules, the title deed-related issues should be taken by the Karimannor Land Assignment (LA) office based on the verification,' said the report.'
The report further said that a detailed inspection was necessary before initiating steps to resolve title deed-related issues in the disputed site and nearby areas.
On April 12, the Forest department removed a cross erected the previous day by St Thomas Church, under the Syro-Malabar Church, on a property beside the Neyyassery-Thokkumban Road at Naranganam. The department also booked a case against the parish priest for erecting the cross on forest land. On April 19, the Church organised a Way of the Cross procession to the spot. Following this, Church authorities alleged that the department booked another case against Kothamangalam diocese general Vincent Nedungattu, Chancellor Father Jose Kulathur and parish priest Father James Ikaramattom on the charges of trespassing.
After the incident, the Vannappuram village officer submitted a report to the Forest department stating that the disputed spot fell within forest area. However, farmers' groups and Church authorities opposed the report and staged protests against it.
Mr. Mani said that the RTI reply also stated that a total of 458 families were included in the list of forest land encroachments after 1-1-1977 under the Kaliyar forest range. 'The reply further stated that the revenue and forest lands were divided by fixing Janda (border stones), and that the 458 families were living in area outside the Jandas fixed by the department,' he said.
'While the CPI(M) district secretary and other ruling party leaders earlier claimed that the site is revenue land, the tehsildar's report clearly said that the area is a forest land. The Revenue department report reveals the double standard of the State government,' alleged Mr. Mani.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

MV Act changes on the anvil to make guidelines mandatory for states
MV Act changes on the anvil to make guidelines mandatory for states

New Indian Express

time13 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

MV Act changes on the anvil to make guidelines mandatory for states

NEW DELHI: The Centre is working on a proposal to amend the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act to ensure that key guidelines issued by the Union Government become binding on states, government sources said. The move aims to address the current legal ambiguity arising from the concurrent nature of legislation on motor vehicles, where both the Centre and states have law-making powers. Officials say delays or inaction by some states on critical reforms create a legal vacuum, hampering the uniform implementation of road safety and transport policies. 'If states don't act on certain matters, important reforms are left out. The idea is to avoid a situation where nothing moves forward due to jurisdictional gaps,' a source said, adding that discussions are underway and the final proposal is likely to be taken up soon. The proposed changes would make select Central guidelines mandatory, particularly those related to road safety, vehicle regulation, and transport policy.

Uncertainty around US tariffs will not be over after August 1, even with signed trade deals
Uncertainty around US tariffs will not be over after August 1, even with signed trade deals

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

Uncertainty around US tariffs will not be over after August 1, even with signed trade deals

The US tariff saga has gone through many twists and turns. And many more are likely left. The ratcheting up of tariffs last month is broader and higher than expected. In late May, the view was that while the extant US average tariff rate was around 13-14 per cent, it was headed towards 18-20 per cent. Much of the increase was expected to be focused on ASEAN, where the tariff rate would be raised to that of China's to eliminate transshipment of Chinese exports to the US via the region. While those on Vietnam and Indonesia were in line with expectations, the additional tariffs on Brazil, Canada, and Mexico were not. Nor was the higher 50 per cent rate on copper. However, negotiations are ongoing, including with India, the EU, and Korea. If this week's Japan deal is any guide, tariffs on these economies will likely be half of the threatened levels. But, even at the reduced rate, if these, along with those on EU and the likely extensions of global sectoral tariffs to semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, are realised, then the effective tariff rate could well exceed 20 per cent. All eyes are therefore on August 1, which is the new deadline set by the administration for countries to finalise trade deals. But there is an upcoming and surprisingly overlooked event that could easily make these trade deals moot and plunge the tariff discussions into more uncertainty. On May 28, the US Court of International Trade (USCIT) ruled that tariffs imposed using the provisions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) overstepped the authority granted by the Act. The ruling did not consider the current conditions in the US to be a 'state of emergency,' which is needed to invoke IEEPA, to be convincing nor the use of tariffs to address it. Tariffs could be imposed, if the government so desired, but via the other options at its disposal. Not IEEPA. A federal appeals court granted the government a stay on the order and is slated to begin hearing arguments on the appeal on July 31. All the universal, reciprocal, and fentanyl-related tariffs are based on IEEPA. The tariffs unaffected are the Section 301 tariffs on China imposed under Trump 1.0 and extended by the Biden administration, and the global sectoral tariffs on aluminum, autos and auto parts, copper, and steel that were imposed under Section 232. It is unclear how the appeals court will rule. But regardless of the decision, either party is likely to move the case to the Supreme Court. If the tariffs under IEEPA are eventually disallowed by the US Supreme Court, the government will shift to other options. Tariffs are central to this administration's economic agenda and will thus be pursued. Unlike those under IEEPA, the tariffs under the other options are more cumbersome, limited in scope, and significantly more resource intensive. But they can be implemented in a compressed time frame if the administration so desires. A potential sequence of such actions could be the following. Use Section 122 to impose tariffs of 15 per cent for 150 days on all countries (justified to address balance of payments needs or to prevent a significant depreciation of the dollar). At the same time, ratchet up the tariffs on China that were imposed under Section 301 in Trade War 1.0 by both the Trump and Biden administrations. Keep tariffs on steel and aluminum at 50 per cent (as on copper) and raise that on autos from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. Hasten the ongoing Section 232 (sector specific on grounds on national economic security) investigations into semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and lumber to bring these under the tariff net of 25 per cent – 50 per cent. Use Section 338 to impose tariffs on countries that are deemed to discriminate specifically against US commercial interests (such as digital services taxes by Australia, the EU, Canada, India, and others, although the taxes are imposed on other countries too). Complete Section 301 investigations on large trading partners (some are ongoing, for example, on the EU and Brazil). These investigations are resource intensive as they need to first identify the specific policy of a trading partner that is the basis of 'unfair competition 'and then quantify the 'harm' that such policies impose on US consumers for each product and for each country. The tariff rate needs to be commensurate with the harm caused and, thus, differ, from product to product for each country. Finally, roll all tariffs under Sections 301 and 232. As one can imagine, this is an arduous and uncertain process. However, the direction of travel is more certain — the average effective tariff rate is likely to settle close to 20 per cent. Needless to say, the country- and product-specific impact of Sections 301 and 232 tariffs could be vastly different than under IEEPA. Markets so far have largely shrugged off the announced new tariffs. This is understandable given the quick deescalation after the strong market and corporate reaction to the Liberation Day tariffs; the possibility that the August 1 deadline is postponed; and the eventual negotiated tariff rates could be different from those announced. However, a court ruling on IEEPA could well turn both the August 1 deadline and the trade deals moot, including potentially that with India. If the basis of these deals, that is, IEEPA, is no longer admissible, then we are headed for renegotiations with tariffs under sections 301 and 232. These could be starkly different than those that are being negotiated now. The uncertainty around US tariffs will not be over after August 1, even with signed trade deals. US courts might well upset the best laid plans of mice and men. Continued uncertainty is the only certainty. The writer is Chief Emerging Markets Economist, J P Morgan. Views are personal

The Hindu Morning Digest, July 28, 2025
The Hindu Morning Digest, July 28, 2025

The Hindu

time2 hours ago

  • The Hindu

The Hindu Morning Digest, July 28, 2025

MHA refuses to share data on CAA beneficiaries More than a year after the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 became effective, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has refused to share data on the total number of beneficiaries under the Act. A Bharatiya Janata Party MP from West Bengal told The Hindu that fewer than 100 people in his constituency had received citizenship under the CAA even though the number of intended beneficiaries, mostly belonging to the Matua sect, were around 1 lakh. There are around 2.8 crore people from the Matua and Namasudra communities who stand to benefit from the CAA in the State. U.S., E.U. reach an 'across the board' agreement on tariffs The United States and the European Union reached a tariff deal after a brief meeting between President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. A White House deadline was days away for imposing punishing import taxes on the 27-member E.U., which is America's leading global trading partner. Bihar SIR: 91.69% have submitted enumeration forms, says Election Commission of India The Election Commission of India (ECI) said 91.69% of electors registered in the 2025 voter list in Bihar had submitted enumeration forms as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and these voters will be included in the draft list to be published on August 1. Of the 7.89 crore registered electors as on June 24, over 7.24 crore had submitted enumeration forms indicating overwhelming participation, the poll body said in a statement. Stop SIR in Bihar, refrain from 'institutional arrogance', says INDIA bloc The Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc parties urged the Election Commission of India (EC) to refrain from 'institutional arrogance', and stop the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar, saying it has effectively become a process of establishing citizenship. Speaking at a joint press conference, along with Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML-L) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha, and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Nilotpal Basu, Congress Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was not an issue of 'political obstinacy' or 'institutional arrogance'. Haridwar Mansa Devi temple stampede: Eight dead, several injured; Uttarakhand CM Dhami orders magisterial probe Eight people died and about 30 were injured in a stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Officials said a massive crowd had gathered along the stairway route of the shrine, and the stampede occurred after a rumour that an electric line snapped created panic among the devotees. Those who died include people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand and aged between 12 and 60 years. Heart-wrenching videos from the spot were making rounds on social media soon after the incident that took place around 9 a.m. Parliament to debate Pahalgam terror attack, but terrorists responsible for it are yet to be brought to justice, says Congress With the Lok Sabha scheduled to start a 16-hour debate on Pahalgam-Operation Sindoor on Monday (July 28, 2025), the Congress said the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack have not yet been apprehended. The party also pointed out that U.S. President Donald Trump had claimed 26 times that he stopped the India-Pakistan hostilities by 'threatening to stop trade with them'. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is likely to speak on Tuesday in the debate that could stretch for three days. NCB, police in Rajasthan and Maharashtra bust inter-State synthetic drug syndicate The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with police in Rajasthan and Maharashtra, has busted an inter-State drug syndicate allegedly involved in the clandestine manufacture of synthetic drugs. The NCB said that on July 22, a laboratory was detected inside a buffalo barn located in a secluded village in Rajasthan's Barmer district. During the raid, the Barmer police recovered several precursor chemicals, including chloroform, ammonium chloride, propylene chloride, toluene and bromine, along with equipment used to manufacture Mephedrone. MEA 'nearly lost the plot' on Indus Treaty negotiations, says former Finance Secretary Subhash Garg The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) nearly 'lost the plot' over the Indus Water Treaty talks with Pakistan in 2016, as senior MEA officials entered into a tussle with the World Bank, before the issue was retrieved — the claim is made by former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, India-appointed Executive Director at the World Bank (2014-2017), in his latest book, which recounts for the first time the tensions between the Modi government and World Bank President Jim Kim over the Kishenganga hydropower project. The point of contention was whether the World Bank, which has a limited role in guiding any disputes or differences between India and Pakistan, would decide to appoint the 'court of arbitration' Pakistan had asked for, or a 'neutral expert', as India wanted. RBI monetary panel member sees no challenges in Indian economy growing over 6.5% in FY26 The Indian economy is growing at a robust pace and will not face any challenge in achieving a growth rate upwards of 6.5% in the current financial year, RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Nagesh Kumar said. 'Actually, more than a third of global economies are under the debt industrialised economies are facing a lot of pressure, high inflation and the slowdown of economic growth,' he said. India recorded over 7,000 suspected heatstroke cases, 14 deaths in March-June period: RTI India reported 7,192 suspected heatstroke cases and only 14 confirmed deaths due to extreme heat between March 1 and June 24 this year, according to data obtained by PTI under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The country had reported nearly 48,000 cases of heatstroke and 159 deaths due to extreme heat in 2024, the warmest year on record in India since 1901. The data, shared by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), reveals that the majority of cases were reported in May, the peak of the summer season, with 2,962 suspected cases and three confirmed deaths. 26.34 lakh 'ineligible' beneficiaries will be temporarily suspended under Ladki Bahin scheme The Maharashtra government has revealed that 26.34 lakh beneficiaries, who are ineligible under the Ladki Bahin Scheme, have been temporarily suspended for the June instalment. 'The benefits for 26.34 lakh applicants have been temporarily suspended starting from June 2025. The instalments for the month have been disbursed to 2.25 crore eligible beneficiaries,' said Minister for Women and Child Development Aditi Tatkare, adding the suspended beneficiaries' eligibility will be verified by the respective District Collectors. TCS to cut workforce by 2%, affecting more than 12,000 jobs IT services provider Tata Consultancy Services will reduce its workforce by 2% in its 2026 financial year, primarily affecting middle and senior management, the company said. The company is retraining and redeploying staff as it enters new markets, invests in new technology and deploys AI, but about 12,200 jobs will be cut as part of the process, it said. The $283 billion IT sector has had to contend with clients holding back non-essential technology spending because of weak demand, persistent inflation and lingering uncertainty over U.S. trade policies. ICMR study finds only 28.5% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy in India Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment in India, yet its expansion is hindered by high investment costs and effective planning, target estimation based on cancer burden are crucial to meet the radiotherapy demands of patients with cancer, noted a recent Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) study published in the UK-based BioMed Central (BMC) cancer journal early this month. India is faced with a substantial shortfall in radiotherapy utilisation across all cancer types and 28.5 percent of cancer patients receive radiotherapy, which is lower than the estimated optimal rate of 58.4 per cent. Breast, head and neck, lung and cervical cancer account for 60 per cent of India's radiotherapy needs. NCERT developing special module on Operation Sindoor for classes 3 to 12: Sources The NCERT is developing a special classroom module on Operation Sindoor to help students learn about India's defence strategy and diplomatic response, according to sources. The module will have two parts — first for students from class 3 to 8 and another one for students from class 9 to 12. A source said that the special module prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will have 8 to 10 pages focussing on India's strategic military response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused England thrived in high drama yet again to take down Spain in a penalty shootout and win another Women's European Championship title. England had fallen behind in the first half, fought back in the second and relied on its superb substitutes — including Kelly – just as it did against Italy and Sweden previously in the knockout rounds. ENG vs IND, fourth Test: Jadeja, Washington refuse Ben Stokes' offer to call off match before start of mandatory overs Drama unfolded in the high-intensity Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Manchester after Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused England skipper Ben Stokes' offer to call off the fourth Test and settle for a draw before the start of the final hour of play .Having worked hard to earn a creditable draw, Jadeja and Washington, batting on 89 and 80 respectively, refused Stokes' offer after he had approached the umpire, which irked the England skipper no end.

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