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Time of India
01-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
MDU is 1st choice of Students: VC to CM
ROHTAK: Vice Chancellor of Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU) Prof. Rajbir Singh made a courtesy call on the Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini in Chandigarh, in which a brief discussion was held on the achievements of the university in the field of higher education and future plans. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now MDU Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajbir Singh apprised the Chief Minister about the academic, research and innovation activities of the university. He said that MDU has become the first choice of students in Haryana today. The Vice Chancellor said that this year more than 100 foreign students have also shown interest in getting education from MDU, which includes students from Africa Continent, East Asia and neighboring countries of India. He told the Chief Minister that Vivekananda Library of MDU is one of the best libraries in the country. Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajbir Singh informed the Chief Minister that MDU is playing a leading role in implementing educational reforms in accordance with the new education policy. Also, it is connecting the youth with their social concerns, promoting social connect of students along with education. More than 2 lakh students, more than 5 thousand teachers and staff members of MDU and affiliated colleges are moving towards playing their important role as vigilant guards of the society by joining social connect programs. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini praised the work being done by MDU for education, research, sports and social connect and called it inspirational for the educational development of the state. He said that the role of institutions like MDU is very important in the field of quality higher education, research and innovation. The Chief Minister praised the social connect programs started by MDU's campaigns like Anemia Mukt -Poshan Yukt, Nasha Mukt Ghar and yoga Yukt- Motapa Mukt and congratulated and wished the Vice Chancellor and the entire university for starting these latest initiatives. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajbir Singh said that MDU has developed an app to connect students with social connect. He said that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will launch this app during his visit to MDU in the last week of July. The Vice Chancellor said that this courtesy visit was a positive initiative towards further strengthening cooperation and coordination between the state government and the university in the field of education, research and social connect.
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
BBMP scrubs garbage spots, seeks help to keep city neat
BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) Solid Waste Management (SWM) wing, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Company Limited (BSWML), has pulled off a 'Houdini Act' in terms of dealing with garbage blackspots by reducing 2,080 such spots to 400 in less than a year. With its intensive drive on Saturdays since June 14 in each BBMP Ward, the Palike aims to clear waste and beautify the area with art on walls, placing saplings and pots. Over the last two weeks, 396 black spots have been removed. The officials, however, expressed disappointment with citizens for showing a lackadaisical attitude as some still come during the night or early morning hours and dump animal waste and garbage. Speaking about the issue and initiative, Chief Marshal Officer, Colonel Rajbir Singh (retired), said, 'On June 14 and June 21, the BBMP officials from BSWML, BBMP marshals and volunteers cleared waste, painted the walls and cleaned the surroundings from all 198 BBMP wards. This cleaning program is part of 'Swachh Bengaluru' initiative. The drive will continue during weekends and such blackspots will be fixed,' he said.
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Haryana farm fire data highlights government's lapses
Despite repeated government assurances of robust control measures, Haryana recorded 1,828 farm fire complaints during the rabi season crop residue burning season that officially ended on May 31, exposing significant gaps in enforcement and compliance across the state. Data from the Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC) reveals a season marked by high incident counts and monitoring failures, casting doubt on the efficacy of state-led efforts to curb crop residue burning. Hindustan Times teams visited more than 20 villages in May and witnessed over 50 active fires in a single day across prominent agricultural districts including Jind, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Hisar, Rohtak, Rewari, Gurugram, Nuh, and Mahendragarh. In smaller villages, entire fields spanning hundreds of acres were visibly scorched, suggesting widespread disregard for crop residue management guidelines. The agriculture department's Red Entry Summary Report recorded 2,301 confirmed fire incidents and 202 suspected cases across 18 districts as of May 3, 2025 — figures that far exceed officially acknowledged complaint logs. Jhajjar district topped the list with 1,004 cases, followed by Jind (259) and Sirsa (158).Urbanised zones like Gurugram and Nuh reported zero incidents, suggesting either exceptional compliance or chronic underreporting. Rabi crop residue burning, primarily involving wheat stubble after the April-May harvest, represents the lesser-known but significant second wave of agricultural fires that plague north Indian states annually. Unlike the heavily scrutinised rice stubble burning in October-November — which coincides with winter air pollution peaks and garners widespread attention — wheat residue burning occurs during summer months when better wind dispersion often masks its environmental impact. However, the practice remains equally damaging to soil health, contributes substantially to carbon emissions, and destroys valuable organic matter that could enrich farmland. The unchecked fires reveal persistent gaps in agricultural policy implementation, as farmers face similar time pressures to clear fields quickly before monsoon crop sowing, yet receive comparatively less government attention, subsidised machinery access, and enforcement oversight than during the more visible post-rice burning period. For farmers, an age old issue Farmers, largely unaffected by enforcement threats, openly set their fields ablaze, underscoring the ineffectiveness of current deterrents. Many villagers admitted to HT that there is virtually no fear of reprisal from local authorities. 'We understand the environmental damage, but the available alternatives remain prohibitively expensive and impractical for smallholder farmers like us,' said Rajbir Singh, a smallholder from Meham block in Rohtak, gesturing towards the charred fields behind him. 'Even renting or purchasing a rotavator—a basic, general purpose tillage machine—is simply beyond our means,' he added. Sunita Devi from Jhajjar's Mandothi village shared similar frustrations. 'Government officials keep announcing schemes and subsidies, but we hardly see any equipment in our villages. The paperwork is endless and machines are given only to large landholders.' In Jind district, Ramesh Lathar of Karsala village emphasised financial limitations. 'The incentives offered don't cover even half the cost of machines or labour needed. This is the only option to clear fields effectively before the wheat season begins.' Suresh Mann, another farmer from Bahu Akbarpur in Rohtak, said the entire system feels skewed against small cultivators. 'They want us to use expensive machines, but we barely earn enough to meet our daily expenses. Give us real help on the ground—machines, manpower, or even shared cooperatives. Until then, these fires will continue.' Meena Rani from Sirsa highlighted the urgency of time constraints farmers face. 'We barely have a few days between harvesting rice and sowing wheat. Without quick, affordable alternatives, burning remains the only viable method for us.' Baldev Singh, a farmer from Hisar's outskirts, highlighted weak enforcement as a critical factor. 'Authorities see the fires, they even drive past them, but no action is taken. Fines are rare, and monitoring is weak.' However, district officials maintain they are actively monitoring and taking action against violators. Former Rohtak deputy commissioner Dhirender Khadgata said the district administration took strict steps during the 2024-25 Rabi season. HARSAC flagged 89 active fire locations in Rohtak, with 43 confirmed as stubble burning incidents. FIRs were lodged in 43 cases, and fines of ₹5,000 per violation were imposed in 40 instances. 'We are actively monitoring the situation. Enforcement teams have been deployed, fines levied, and legal action initiated wherever necessary,' Khadgata said. Former Jhajjar deputy commissioner Pardeep Dahiya said his administration identified 90 active fire locations and registered 11 FIRs against violators. 'Farmers found guilty will be barred from selling their crop to government procurement agencies for two harvest seasons,' he said. HT reached out to the DCs currently in charge of the districts but didn't get a comment till the time of print. Nuh deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena said the district recorded fewer incidents due to swift action. 'Two cases were reported last week and we took swift action against those responsible. The incidents are not recorded by the safelight but we had received several complaints,' he said. Despite official claims of zero incidents in Gurugram and Nuh, farmers from these districts paint a different picture. Mahesh Yadav of Gurugram district said many farmers still aren't fully informed about the damaging effects of burning stubble. 'There needs to be more targeted educational outreach at the grassroots level.' In Nuh, farmer Ayesha Khan emphasised the practical challenge. 'The government must offer real, accessible support. Without it, farmers find it impossible to change their age-old practices.' Vikram Malik from Pataudi summed up farmers' sentiments clearly. 'Until practical, affordable solutions reach our fields, burning will continue, no matter what the government says.' An ecological crisis unfolds Environmental activists warn that persistent stubble burning causes severe ecological damage and public health risks. 'Small villages receive little effective awareness outreach. Farmers remain unaware of long-term environmental harm, and there's no real fear of punishment,' said activist Roma J Vinayak. Vaishali Rana, an environmentalist from Gurugram, expressed concern about air pollution impacts. 'Rural awareness drives barely scratch the surface. It's not enough to run campaigns only in big towns or district headquarters.' The ecological toll extends beyond air quality. Birders and conservationists report distressing scenes of wildlife casualties in scorched fields. Rakesh Ahlawat, a birder from Dighal village in Jhajjar, found four damaged eggs and three dead baby birds in a single field. 'Hundreds of trees have been scorched. It's heartbreaking to witness innocent birds die like this every season.' Agriculture minister Shyam Singh Rana said monitoring is underway and most reported incidents have been found accidental. 'Action is being taken according to rules against farmers found deliberately burning crop residue. Agriculture Department officials have been deployed to investigate incidents on the ground.' Despite various policy measures, including strict fines and enforcement drives, ground-level actions remain largely symbolic. The persistent gap between official assurances and reality underscores the need for stronger policy implementation and genuine follow-through on alternatives that reach farmers in a timely, affordable manner. 'At HARSAC, we monitor stubble burning incidents in real-time through high-resolution satellite imagery and share geo-tagged alerts, complete with time-stamped visuals, directly with district administrations to enable immediate action,' said Dr Sultan Singh, director, Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC). He added: 'While this system has significantly strengthened surveillance across Haryana and helped curb large-scale burning, there remain serious gaps — especially in districts like Gurugram and Nuh, where we've received anecdotal and media reports of fires, yet no corresponding satellite detections were recorded. This can happen due to limitations such as cloud cover, fires set during night hours, or small-scale burnings that fall below the detection threshold. It is critical that local enforcement officials supplement satellite inputs with ground-level vigilance and community reporting mechanisms to ensure that such incidents are not overlooked. Without bridging this visibility gap, we risk severely underestimating the ecological damage and losing the trust of affected communities.'
Hans India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Haryana rights panel orders crackdown on mining mafias
Observing no more tolerance for mining mafias, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognisance of the unchecked and illegal mining activities ongoing in Panchkula district in Haryana and ordered a crackdown. Massive illegal mining operations in areas including Pinjore-Nalagarh Road, Mallah Road, Raipur Rani, Morni, Barwala, and Chandi Mandir have created serious threats to law and order, the environment, and public safety. Despite recent arrests of police and officials from other departments for their alleged collusion in illegal mining cases in Panchkula, large-scale illegal mining continues unabated in the district. The situation became even more alarming when Sub-Inspector Rajbir Singh, in charge of the Amravati police post, was chased and threatened by illegal miners while performing his duty. This incident highlights a complete breakdown of law and order and the endangerment of public officials. The full Bench of the Commission, comprising Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra, and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, highlighted serious concerns like illegal mining is taking place in prohibited zones, especially within five km of hilly areas and near riverbeds, and large-scale environmental destruction is occurring, including deforestation, damage to water sources, comprising tube wells, and erosion of village lands. The commission noted that despite repeated complaints from villagers and elected representatives, municipal and district administrations have failed to act. Also, law enforcement personnel attempting to intervene are being directly threatened and violently attacked. It observed that there is apparent institutional negligence, possibly due to corruption or collusion with mining mafias. According to Justice Batra, the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to a clean and safe environment. Illegal mining has directly caused ecological destruction, pollution, and damage to agricultural land and water sources, violating citizens' right to livelihood and a life of dignity. Furthermore, threats and attacks against law enforcement officials infringe upon their right to safety and professional integrity.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Financial ‘irregularities' at MDU: Issue hots up as JJP highlights audit objections
Chandigarh: With the student wing of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) intensifying its efforts for the registration of a police case into the alleged financial irregularities at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Rohtak, the issue is likely to escalate into a major controversy. The issue relates to the waiver of penalties worth Rs 2.54 crore against the State University of Performing and Visual Arts (SUPVA) by the executive committee of the MDU, based on a decision taken by the vice-chancellor, who held dual charge as the head of both institutions. It is alleged that while officiating as the VC of the MDU, Prof Rajbir Singh approved the waiver, which was otherwise refused by his predecessors. Prof Rajbir Singh also headed the SUPVA, against whom the arrears were outstanding for not remitting fees as well as fines in time in an over a decade-old case. All this came to light last week when Pardeep Deswal, an office bearer of the INSO, the student wing of the JJP, formally lodged a complaint with Rohtak police, citing the audit para of the internal audit report of the Haryana govt, which highlighted the financial irregularity to the tune of Rs 2.54 crore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The case is under investigation and recently Deswal provided the related documents and findings of the former executive committees, which had refused to give any kind of waiver before the incumbent VC took over. "MDU doesn't get any kind of financial grant. We wonder under what circumstances the university gave the waiver, that too in gross violation of the rules and the university calendar," said Deswal. He squarely blamed the VC for arbitrarily taking the decision and then getting it passed. On the other hand, MDU has categorically denied the allegations. An MDU spokesperson said agencies were misled by the allegations while using the audit objections. "It is not a case of embezzlement or misappropriation; it is a case of waiver of an unjustified fine to the tune of Rs 2.54 crore imposed upon the students of erstwhile State Technical Institutions (now SUPVA) affiliated to the Maharshi Dayanand University by the executive council of the MDU on the directives of the state govt," the spokesperson said on Saturday. According to the documents accessed by the TOI, the audit para of the audit report for the year 2020-21 categorically highlighted the financial irregularities under the head of 'embezzlement, temporary misappropriation shortages, and likely cases of misappropriation of funds and storages, etc.'. The head further defined the audit brief as "huge loss of Rs 2.54 crore on account of waiving off of late fee/fine of affiliation fee of SUPVA due to non-pursuit of the case". MSID:: 120647426 413 |
