1. जम्मू–कश्मीरः जोजिला टनल परियोजना पर काम शुरू, सुरंग के लिए पहला विस्फोट 15 को

Key points:

1. लद्दाख को जम्मू-कश्मीर समेत पूरे देश से साल भर जोड़े रखने के लिए एशिया की सबसे लंबी (14.2 किमी) जोजिला टनल परियोजना स्थल पर काम शुरू हो गया है। निर्माण कंपनी का अमला और मशीनरी जोजिला पहुंच गई है। सामरिक दृष्टि से इस बेहद महत्वपूर्ण सुरंग की खोदाई के लिए 15 अक्तूबर को पहला विस्फोट किया जाएगा। फर्स्ट ब्लास्ट सेरेमनी का उद्घाटन केंद्रीय सड़क परिवहन एवं राजमार्ग मंत्री नितिन गडकरी कर सकते हैं।

(Amar Ujala, 8 October 2020) News Link

1. 5 vehicles used to mine red earth seized in Thadagam

Key points:

1. District administration officials on Wednesday seized four tipper trucks and an earthmover used by unauthorised brick kiln units in Veerapandi and Somayampalayam village panchayats in Thadagam valley near the city to mine and transport red earth.
2. The vehicles were seized based on suspicion, Coimbatore north tahsildar Mahesh Kumar told TOI. “We noticed the trucks transporting red earth and asked drivers to produce permits. As they failed to produce them, we seized the vehicles. We have asked them to bring the papers. Based on it, and on consultation with senior officials, we will take action against the owners of the vehicles,” he said. “Only three trucks were carrying red earth, but we seized four of them based on suspicion.”
3. Thadagam-based activists, meanwhile, cited RTI replies and a report by the Tamil Nadu pollution control board’s (TNPCB) special team, and said none of the kilns had permits from departments such as mines and minerals, pollution control board, and environment impact assessment clearance, to mine red earth.
4. Ganesh also pointed to government order 170 issued by the industries department on August 5, which says vehicles used for mining and transporting minerals without permit must be seized and produced before court, and the perpetrators fined.
5. A team of TNPCB officials from across the state had visited the units in Thadagam valley and in January, submitted a report saying that ‘183 illegally-operating brick kilns shall be closed’, in view of not obtaining mandatory permissions, and also for polluting the region.
6. Following the report in January, TNPCB officials from the district inspected the kilns. As they had not obtained consent of the board and hadn’t taken measures to control air pollution, they had recommended the revenue department to close the kilns, seal machinery and disconnect power to the units. But the kilns continue to operate. (Times of India, 8 October 2020) News Link

• Mumbai coastal road: Court taken for a ride, says SC

Key points:

1. The SC on Wednesday reserved its order on the fate of the Mumbai coastal road project while indicating it would not vacate its interim order allowing reclamation of sea strictly for construction of the road and no other purpose. Referring to excess reclamation, Chief Justice S A Bobde said, “It appears someone is taking the court for a ride. The clearance was only for 90 hectares. Anybody who is constructing should be on notice that everything is subject to final orders.”
2. The Supreme Court indicated on Wednesday that it would not revisit the wellconsidered December 17 interim order allowing the Mumbai coastal road project to continue but said the project remained subject to its final orders.
3. Senior advocate Shyam Divan submitted before a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justice A S Bopanna and Justice V Ramasubramanian that the project proponents and BMC had been resorting to excessive reclamation of land. He said though it was repeatedly mentioned to the high court as well as the Supreme Court that they required 90 hectares of land to be reclaimed from the sea, the figure had now gone beyond 111hectares. He said that as the project had undergone qualitative change, it would require new environmental clearances.
4. The HC had stalled the project saying work could not go on without clearances under the EIA notification and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, even though it conceded that the “extent of appraisal for environment clearance under CRZ 2011 is more exhaustive than the appraisal for environment clearance under EIA Notification”. The HC quashed the CRZ clearance for the project after it was challenged through PILs. (Times of India, 8 October 2020) News Link

1. AMRPSWA to organise seminar on NEP 2020

Key points:

1. The All Manipur Recognised Private Schools’ Welfare Association (AMRPSWA), Imphal is organising a seminar on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to create an awareness about the policy to the principals of private schools.
2. AMRPSWA also submitted a memorandum to the Education Minister on October 5 last with the following proposal.
3. 1) Pre-board examination, notably known class-X common question examination, has been persisting since-2005, likely to be held for 2021 in the first week of January, 2021 strictly following SOP provided by the Government.
4. 2) The association would like to draw the attention of the concerned authority to grant consent as and when the institutions are open to provide the students of classes X and XII essential reading materials so as to enhance wide knowledge, for a few hours consulting with their respective parents.
5. In addition they will be provided strick guidelines, teaching, suggestions vice versa so that they are able to comprehend the ideas or points the teachers indicated.
6. It is an immense imperative to maintain SOP, provided by Govt as far as applicable.
7. 3) As and when the Govt of Manipur adapts and implements NEP 2020, been approved recently by the Union Cabinet, the AMRPSWA has also firmly resolved to teach the students as per the provided norms.

(Pao, 8 October 2020) News Link