Latest news with #VishwajitRane
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Rains dilute historical sheen of Zarme wood carvings
Keri: Wood carvings burnish the beauty and accentuate the antiquity of Sateri Kelbai temple at Zarme, but these masterpieces face the danger of degradation in the rains. Wooden pillars and panels that offer a glimpse of the socio-cultural heritage of Zarme continue to lie exposed to the elements as renovation and beautification works of the Sateri Kelbai temple are under way. After TOI published a story on the plight of the carvings, on May 26, 2024, health minister Vishwajit Rane asked conservationist Gurudas Kamat to prepare an estimate for a project to protect these treasures. After visiting the site where the artefacts had been dumped, Kamat prepared the estimate. However, the proposal for conservation could not materialise and the risk to these assets stays high. T Murugeshi, an archaeologist who visited Zarme, identified these carvings as a bequest from the Vijayanagar period and urged authorities to take immediate measures to conserve them. Girish Nadkarni, a heritage lover from Sacorda, said, 'These wooden panels and pillars are lying in the open, enduring the effects of humidity, rain, and sunlight.' The department of archaeology must act promptly to redeem the situation, he said. Zarme residents said they are ready to help conserve the icons and sought a museum in the village.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
After 3 mths, Bondla zoo reopens to public
Panaji: After nearly three months, Goa's only zoo, located at the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, reopened its gates to the public on Wednesday. Forest minister Vishwajit Rane took to social media to welcome visitors back to the zoo, calling it 'a vibrant habitat and an important centre for conservation and awareness in Goa'. The reopening follows confirmation from the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, that samples tested negative for avian influenza (H5N1). NIHSAD, the designated nodal agency for avian flu confirmation in India, has been conducting tests on the samples sent from Bondla since the outbreak. Deputy conservator of forests, Jiss K Varkey, issued an official order on Wednesday stating, 'Consequent upon receipt of two consecutive negative test results for avian influenza from ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal, and in accordance with the guidelines of the central zoo authority, it is hereby ordered that the Bondla zoological park will be open for visitors with immediate effect.' The zoo remained temporarily closed since April 1, following the deaths of five animals — three civet cats and two jungle cats — between March 6 and 9. The jungle cats tested positive for the avian influenza virus H5N1 in April, while the cause of death in the civet cats remains unknown. Following the reopening of the zoo on Wednesday, Rane lauded the efforts of the forest department in containing the virus to prevent any further casualties. 'The forest department acted promptly and responsibly to ensure the health and safety of both animals and visitors. All necessary biosecurity protocols were followed during this period. I commend the efforts of all officials involved for their swift and transparent action,' he stated. The zoo receives its highest footfall in the summer, with approximately 6,000 visitors per month during this season. According to data shared by the forest department, footfall unusually spiked in May last year, with 28,449 visitors viewing the wonders of the zoo that month. The zoo lost nearly three months of revenue due to the temporary closure this year as a result. The zoo charges an entry fee of Rs 100 per head. With the green light from govt authorities, the zoo is expected to resume its role as one of the major attractions of Goa.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Goa zoo reopens after bird flu outbreak
Shut down for nearly three months due to a bird flu scare, Goa's only zoological park opened for visitors on Wednesday. The zoo, located inside the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, was closed on April 1 after three civets and two jungle cats died following a viral outbreak in the second week of March. Subsequently, authorities implemented precautionary measures, including isolating the affected enclosures, and restricted public access. The Forest department sent samples to ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal for testing. Forest department officials said the lab reports confirmed that the two jungle cats died due to avian influenza while the cause of deaths for the civets remained unknown. An order issued by Jiss K Varkey, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Eco-Tourism North Division on Wednesday, said, 'Consequent upon receipt of two consecutive negative test results for Avian influenza from ICAR-NIHSAD Bhopal and in accordance with the guidelines of Central Zoo Authority, it is hereby ordered that the Bondla Zoological Park will be open for visitors with immediate effect.' In a post on X, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane announced that the zoo has been reopened. 'After a brief closure as a precautionary measure, Bondla Zoo has now reopened to visitors starting Wednesday, following confirmation that the samples tested negative for Avian Influenza by NIHSAD, Bhopal. The Forest Department of Goa, acted promptly and responsibly to ensure the health and safety of both animals and visitors.' Rane said all necessary biosecurity protocols were followed during this period. Officials said that according to the protocols of Central Zoo Authority, the zoo could only reopen after two consecutive negative test reports for avian influenza were received. Kamal Datta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said, 'As soon as information was received about the possibility of the virus, the forest department took proactive action by closing the zoo immediately and sanitising the affected enclosures and taking other precautionary measures. Due to this, the spread of the virus to areas outside the zoo was prevented.'
Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
High Court notice to Goa govt over fees waved for land zone corrections
The High Court of Bombay at Goa Thursday issued notice to the state government, Secretary Town and Country Planning department, Town and Country Planning Department, Directorate of Vigilance and former chief town planner in a petition seeking directions to the authorities to recover the fees allegedly 'illegally waived' under a contentious provision of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act. According to the petitioner, activist Swapnesh Sherlekar, the fees for correction of certain land zones was illegally waived under section 17 (2) of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act on the 'specious' ground that 'deletion of proposed road fee is not applicable'. The section 17(2), which was introduced through an amendment to the TCP Act and notified in 2023, allows the conversion of privately owned plots in Goa's Regional Plan 2021, based on individual applications from such parties to 'correct inadvertent errors' and 'rectify inconsistent or incoherent zoning'. The government notified the fees for correction of zones under section 17 (2) of the Act on March 16, 2023. Subsequently, the revised fee for zone changes was notified through the supplement official gazette on March 28 last year. The HC read down the section in March this year. The petition states in the list of cases considered for correction of zone under section 17 (2) of the Act, several entries contained a notation 'deletion of proposed road fee not applicable' without any statutory basis for such exemption. The petition stated that among such cases were properties belonging to TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane, who is also a respondent in the petition, alleging that he 'benefited from an unauthorized exemption of fees'. The petition said there are 'numerous' cases of deletion of proposed roads since the Act was notified, which require scrutiny for similar unauthorised exemptions. It further said that there is no provision in the TCP Act or any rules, regulations or notifications thereunder that provide exemption of fees for deletion of proposed roads under section 17 (2) of the Act. The petition said the respondent authorities have acted with 'manifest arbitrariness, mala fide and abuse of power in exempting certain applications from payment of statutory fees without any legal basis or justification.' The petition further claimed that the respondent authorities have failed to discharge their duties in accordance with law and have instead acted in a manner that suggests collusion to confer undue benefit on certain individuals at the expense of the public exchequer. On Thursday, the High Court heard the submissions of the petitioners. In the order, the court said: 'At this stage, we deem it appropriate to issue notice to respondent 1 to 4 as well as respondent 6 in the capacity of chief town planner (planning)…' The Court also directed the respondents to file an affidavit in response within three weeks. The court said it has 'noted the specific pleadings in the petition, which revolve around the properties' belonging to Rane, but did not issue a notice to him.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
HC wants replies from TCP on zone-swap fee waivers
Panaji: The high court has called for replies from the TCP department and the director of vigilance in a PIL seeking to recover fees illegally waived under Section 17(2) of the TCP Act. This waiver was for deleting roads proposed in the regional plan, thereby reclassifying them as settlement areas. The PIL filed by Swapnesh Sherlekar alleged a loss to the exchequer in cases considered for correction of zones. under Section 17(2), where several proposed roads were deleted without the collection of fees and without any statutory basis for such exemption. Among these were properties belonging to TCP minister Vishwajit Rane, who benefited from this unauthorised exemption of fees, the petition stated. In one such case at Carapur in Bicholim, published in the official gazette dated Nov 21, 2024, includes the deletion of a proposed road resulting in 4,214sqm being reclassified as a settlement zone. As per the revised notification, this change should have attracted fees of Rs 1,000 per sqm, amounting to Rs 44.1 lakh, which was improperly waived, Sherlekar submitted in the PIL. The decision for correction of the zone was taken post-March 28, 2024, making the revised rates applicable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo In another case published in the official gazette dated March 7, 2024, in the same village, also belonging to Rane, the deletion of a proposed road resulted in 17,802 sqm being reclassified as a settlement zone, the petition stated. 'This should have attracted fees of Rs 150 per sqm (as per rates applicable before March 28, 2024, for areas between 10,000 sqmto 20,000 sqm) amounting to Rs 26.7 lakh, which was similarly waived,' Sherlekar submitted through his advocate, Rohit Bras De Sa. The total revenue loss in just these two cases amounts to approximately Rs 69.8 lakh, he stated, adding that there are numerous similar cases of deletion of proposed roads between March 2023 and March 2024, as well as after March 2024, which require scrutiny for similar unauthorised exemptions. 'The fee schedule as notified in the official gazette specifically applies to 'fee for correction of inconsistent/incoherent zoning provisions which amount to change of zone of land to settlement zone or the sub-zone settlement (commercial), per square metre of land,' and there is no notified order on record indicating that removal of proposed roads under Section 17(2) is exempted from payment of fees,' Sherlekar further submitted. 'We have heard the counsel Rohit Bras De Sa in support of the petition, and noted the specific pleadings in the petition, which revolve around the properties belonging to Vishwajit Rane, and a specific allegation is levelled that he benefited from this unauthorised exemption of fees,' stated the division Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta.
