News Analysis India

Tag: SOP

  • NGT asks Environment Ministry to provide SOPs to Maharashtra for providing environmental clearance

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) of Maharashtra to review its workings and asked the Ministry of Environment to provide standard operating procedures (SOPS) to be adopted for dealing with clearances without hurting the environment.

    A bench headed by NGT’s Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel gave the directions while hearing an appeal by one Tanaji B. Gambhire, preferred against the order of SEIAA, Maharashtra dated March 31, 2020, granting environmental clearance (EC) for the construction project “Ganga Altus” in Kharadi, Pune, to project proponent (PP) Goel Ganga India Private Limited.

    The Green Court observed that there have been several cases resting in Pune Bench of NGT (now being heard regularly virtually by the Bench of Chairperson, Justice Goel) referring to construction projects having either no ECs or post-facto clearance with no environmental compensation imposed on such blatantly violating projects.

    The Tribunal also directed the Ministry of Environment to review the functioning of SEIAA of Maharashtra and along with providing SOPs to be adopted for dealing with clearances without hurting environmental issues. The Tribunal asked the Ministry of Environment to act and file a compliance report.

    “Since we are coming across the grievance of continuous violation of environment norms in construction projects being completed without prior EC and the SEIAA, Maharashtra is neither requiring demolition nor payment of assessed compensation to comply with the rule of law and protection of the environment, it will be appropriate to require the SEIAA, Maharashtra to review its working in the light of the judgments of the Supreme Court and violations frequently being alleged, including the present case,” the tribunal said.

    It said a proper SOP should be laid down for grant of EC in such cases so as to address the gaps in binding law and practice that is being currently followed. NGT said the Ministry of Environment may also consider circulating such SOP to all SEIAAs across the country.

    “In this regard, we may refer to the directions in the earlier order of this Tribunal dated February 1 in OA 837/2018, Sandeep Mittal vs. Ministry of Environment, wherein it was inter-alia, directed–Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change may give due attention for proper constitution of SEIAAs in the States to ensure the projects of category ‘B’ and ‘B-1’ are properly scrutinized—The Ministry of Environment may file its action taken report in the matter before the next date,” the tribunal said.

    The NGT also directed to concerned authorities to constitute a joint committee of the Ministry of Environment, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board to look into the present matter and suggest a remedial action plan for the present case, including the quantum of compensation to be recovered, as far as possible within three months.

    “The CPCB and State PCB will be the nodal agencies for coordination and compliance,” NGT added. 

  • Delhi HC issues notice to NCLAT on revised SOP issue

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the Registrar of National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on a plea seeking direction to respondents to modify their revised standard operating procedure (SOP) dated January 1 by allowing only E-filings in view of the current situation.

    A Bench of Justice Rekha Palli on Thursday while issuing notice to the Registrar of NCLAT said, “I find prima facie merit in the submissions of the petitioner, since none appears on behalf of the respondent, no orders in this regard are being passed at this stage.”

    The Court listed the matter for May 27 for further hearing.

    The petitioner Nitya Sharma, Advocate in person, submitted that the said SOP makes it mandatory that at the time of filing, along with the e-filing receipt, a hard copy of the pleadings be filed manually at the NCLAT filing counter.

    The court noted that the petitioner submitted that since the NCLAT, by way of the revised SOP, is insisting that hard copies of pleadings be filed, lawyers/litigants are being forced to personally visit the Registry of the Tribunal and expose themselves to the risk of contracting COVID-19 and prayed that direction be issued to the NCLAT to dispense with the requirement of submitting hard copies of pleadings at the time of filing, in order to accommodate the exigencies of the pandemic.

    The petitioner lawyer further submitted that in view of the current pandemic situation, when every authority vis-a-vis administrative/ judicial etc are on their toes round the clock to ensure well being of the citizens of this country therefore in view of the above, the petitioner is only seeking court indulgence to the extent that they may please to direct the respondent to allow only E-filing and keep the manual filing on hold for the time being.

    The plea stated that the outcome of this pandemic has become more serious in view of the shortage of infrastructure and resources.

    That as the entire nation is battling with a pandemic that has created a warlike situation and it is imperative to beseech the indulgence of this Hon’ble court for timely direction to the respondent for allowing the complete filing through the Online mode i.e. E-filing for the time being in view of this pandemic, the petitioner said.

  • Fresh SOPs for offices to contain spread of Covid

    By Express News Service
    SONEW DELHI:  Office administrations have to limit disinfection to the areas occupied and visited by Covid-affected in the last 48 hours if one or two cases are reported, according to the Centre’s new SOPs for offices. Work can resume after disinfection has been completed as per laid down protocols, the SOPs issued on Saturday stated.

    If a larger number of cases are reported, the whole block or building should be disinfected before work is resumed. Officers and staff residing in containment zones should inform the same to their supervisory officer and not attend office till the containment zone is denotified. Such staff should be permitted to work from home, the new SOPs stated.   

    Offices in containment zones shall remain closed except for medical and essential services and only those outside will be allowed to open up.  The SOPs stated that only asymptomatic staff or visitors shall be allowed entry, individuals must maintain a minimum distance of six feet in common places as far as feasible, and use face covers or masks at all times.  “They must be worn properly to cover the nose and the mouth. Touching the front portion of the mask or face cover to be avoided,” the Union health ministry said. 

  • Army’s revised SOP leads to surrenders of terrorists; Four units receive COAS commendation

    By PTI
    AWANTIPORA: The Indian Army has changed its standard operating procedure (SOP) for anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir to now focus on ensuring surrenders during live encounters notwithstanding the threat to the lives of its personnel — a policy that has helped save the lives of 17 youths in the last six months.

    On the occasion of Army Day on Friday, four Rashtriya Rifles (RR) units working under the Victor Force, which combats terrorist activities in south Kashmir and parts of central Kashmir, were awarded the coveted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Unit Citation.

    The units — 50 RR, 44 RR, 42 RR and 34 RR — have been involved in multiple counter-terrorism operations and have ensured seven surrenders since September last year when it was decided to make efforts to bring the misguided youths back to the mainstream.

    The citations to the four units drawn from Kumaon, Rajput, Assam and Jat regiments of the Army were presented by Chief of Army Staff Gen M M Naravane in the national capital.

    Videos of some of the surrenders, accessed by PTI, show that in spite of grave risks, the Army brought parents of the terrorists to the encounter site and convinced them to drop arms.

    In one of the videos, a terrorist, Zahid, has an emotional reunion with his father, who is seen weeping and telling his son that it is a rebirth.

    General Officer Commanding of the Victor Force Major General Rashim Bali, who has been supervising surrenders during live encounters, feels that this has generated tremendous goodwill among the local population.

    This has given a reassurance to the local terrorists that the avenue of their return to the national mainstream is open.

    “For those who want to join the national mainstream, we are committed to accept surrenders, even by putting our lives at great peril,” he said.

    At the same time, Major General Bali made it clear that relentless operations will continue against those who pick up guns and resort to violence.

    In some of the videos, surrendered terrorists could be seen praising the Army for providing them an opportunity to shun the path of violence.

    The new strategy of the Army came into effect last year when Shoiab Ahmed Bhat of the Al Badr terror group expressed his desire to lay down arms during an ongoing encounter.

    He was part of the group which had killed a jawan of the Territorial Army in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, but this did not deter the Army personnel in ensuring his surrender and handing him over to police after questioning.

  • Central government issues SOP for flights of Vande Bharat Mission

    New Delhi: The Central Government has implemented the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for special flights operated through the Vande Bharat Mission. As per the guidelines of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the travel expenses will have to be borne by the passengers. According to the new rule, all passengers will have to undergo thermal screening at the time of boarding. With this, only passengers without symptoms will be allowed on board. 

    As per SOP rule, the category of persons eligible for travel will be permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs from time to time. The Ministry of Civil Aviation will display on its website the category of persons eligible to travel outside India. Wearing masks and cleaning will be taken care of while traveling. 

    As per the guidelines, “Passengers on Vande India flights must register themselves with Indian Missions abroad. The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that 11,23,000 Indians stranded abroad have been brought to India under the Vande Bharat Mission. The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava said that in the ongoing phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission, about 500 international flights and 130 domestic feeders have been operated so far from 22 different countries. 

    Let me tell you that Vande Bharat Mission and Operation Campaign have been conducted for people trapped in the country and abroad due to the Corona virus lockdown across the country. Under this, a large number of Indians have not returned to their homeland. At present, the number of infected people has reached 31 lakh 6 thousand, while the death toll has reached 57 thousand. India is the third most infected country in the country. America is the most heavily infected country in the world while Brazil is the second most infected country. At the global level, the number of infected people has crossed 24 million 34 thousand 24 thousand. At the same time, the death toll has reached beyond 8 lakh 8 thousand.