News Analysis India

Tag: UP government

  • Lucknow Diary: City to host Kiwis after T20 World Cup, eco-tourism spot and more

    Express News Service

    Eco-tourism spot for Lucknowites

    Acknowledging the potential of the wetland just behind the Atal Bihari Vajpayee International (Ekana) Stadium in Lucknow, the state forest department and Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) have agreed to develop it into an eco-forest. Spread across nearly 37 acres (nearly 4 km), the wetland is inhabited by over 100 species of indigenous and migratory birds, including some listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Besides the regular presence of ducks, bee-eaters, kingfishers, sparrows, parakeets and jacanas, deer, golden jackal, monitor lizards, water snakes and butterflies, some extremely rare and shy migratory birds also make this place their home every winter. Worried that the oasis barely a few kilometres from Hazratganj may lose to rapid urbanisation in the area, the eco-warriors urged authorities to save the place.

    Would be mothers beware of food

    The presence of pesticides in our food and the environment not only disrupts the hormones and brings about developmental changes in growing years but also affects children even before they are born, a pioneering study by the biochemistry department of King George’s Medical University has found. The study, which has featured in a high impact environmental research journal, has also found correlation between lower birth weight, caesarean sections in preterm births and the level of pesticide toxicity. According to study, pesticides can disturb hormonal balance in women by decreasing the hormone progesterone and alter antioxidant defence mechanisms during normal uncomplicated pregnancies which can also steer to preterm birth.

    Tokyo triumph inspires

    After India’s brilliant performance in the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the Uttar Pradesh government has shifted its focus to the promotion of sports by providing grounds, equipment and logistics to players and organizing competitions in rural areas. The department of youth welfare has been holding zonal level competitions in rural areas from September 16-30, followed by state-level competitions in October. The events mostly involve athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, wrestling, weightlifting and other sports. Currently, 21 multipurpose halls are being constructed in rural areas in different districts of the state. Four of these are in Mohanlalganj in Lucknow, Panchali Khurd in Meerut, Nagwan in Sonbhadra and Milkipur in Ayodhya. These will be ready within the next six months as per the instruction.  Under the Khelo India scheme, the department of youth welfare is also constructing 20 mini stadiums in various districts with special focus on training youth in rural UP. The youth welfare department is augmenting sports facilities to improve fitness of rural youth.

    Lucknow to host Kiwis

    The City of Nawabs is set to achieve another feat by being named as a cricket test match venue after nearly 28 years when New Zealand team will tour India after the T20 World Cup. The five-day match is also set to be the first Test match at the newly built Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium after Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) opened it for first class cricket in 2016. So far, the match against Sri Lanka at KD Singh Babu stadium in January 1994 remains the only test match that the state capital hosted. BCCI is believed to have already finalised the venues for both the test matches with Kiwis. One will be played in Lucknow and the other at Chinnaswamy stadium at Bengaluru.

  • Sought divine blessings in Ayodhya to oust BJP govt in Uttar Pradesh, says Manish Sisodia

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Ahead of the 2022 UP assembly polls, the temple town of Ayodhya has become an axis of heightened political activity in the state. On Monday, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh joined the galaxy of leaders to seek blessings of Ram Lalla.

    After completing the darshan, Sisodia said he prayed to Lord Ram for his blessings to replace the incumbent BJP dispensation with the AAP government in the poll-bound state. Sisodia also recited Hanuman Chalisa in Hanumangarhi. “UP can also be developed on the lines of Delhi in terms of education, health, electricity, water and employment.

    With the grace of Lord Shri Ram, AAP under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is redefining politics with honesty and development.Whatever AAP is able to do in Delhi is because of the blessings of Shri Ram and saints,” tweeted Sisodia.

    “Even today, ‘Ram Raj’ is considered to be the highest inspiration for clean governance and administration. I request at the feet of Lord Ram that there should always be the grace to keep our thoughts pure,” he told mediapersons.

  • UP government reclaims land of Azam Khan’s Jauhar University in Rampur

    By PTI

    RAMPUR: The Uttar Pradesh government has reclaimed 170 acres of land of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University here, run by a trust headed by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, officials said on Friday.

    The development came after the Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a plea against proceedings initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government to take over the university land for non-adherence to certain conditions on which it was granted to a trust in 2005.

    A team of the local revenue department employees went to the university on Thursday to complete the formalities of reclaiming 170 acres of land, officials said.

    “The property of the government returns in the hands of the government. This is Modi-Yogi rule,” said Shalabh Mani Tripathi, the media advisor of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

    Along with the tweet in Hindi, he tagged media reports of the development.

    Established in 2006, the university is run by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust.

    Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan is the president of the trust and the chancellor of the university which had run into trouble over allegations of irregularities and land encroachment.

    Khan and his son Abdullah, who is also an active member of the trust, are currently lodged in the Sitapur jail.

    Citing the SDM’s report, the Allahabad High Court said a mosque was constructed over the land which was only for educational purposes.

    Thus, it is a violation of the permission granted by the state government.

    In 2005, the then Samajwadi Party government enacted the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University Act, paving the way for the creation of the university.

    Thereafter, the state government granted permission to the Trust to acquire 400 acres of land against the ceiling of 12.5 acres for the establishment of the University while imposing certain conditions, one of which was that the land will be used only for educational purposes.

    According to law, if such a condition is violated, the permission granted by the state government stands withdrawn.

  • Six people missing after boat capsizes in Ganga river in UP; search operations underway

    By PTI

    MIRZAPUR: Six people, including three children, are reported to be missing after their boat capsized in the Ganga here in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, police said.

    There were 14 people on the boat and eight of them were rescued by locals.

    But three women and as many children are missing after the incident near the Akhara Ghat, Senior Sub-Inspector (SSI), Vindhyachal Police Station, Akhilesh Kumar Pandey, said.

    Most of them were devotees from Ranchi in Jharkhand, he said.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure proper relief to those rescued, an official spokesman in Lucknow said.

    ALSO READ | Several passengers feared dead after two boats collide in Brahmaputra river in Assam

    Adityanath also directed that the help of the disaster management team should be taken in the search for the missing persons, he said.

    The SSI said that Rajesh Tiwari from Ranchi had come here with his family to visit the Vindhyachal Dham.

    They had taken a boat in the afternoon to cross the river and it capsized, Pandey said.

    Locals managed to save eight of them, while six are missing and a search is on to find them, he said.

    Circle Officer (City) and other officials are present at the spot.

    Police personnel along with local divers are searching for the missing persons, Pandey added.

  • Priyanka Gandhi urges UP govt to take steps to prevent spread of ‘viral fever’, provide better treatment

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Amid reports of multiple deaths due to “viral fever” in parts of western Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday urged the state government to take steps to stop the spread of the fever and make adequate arrangements for medical treatment of those affected.

    Priyanka Gandhi said the news of death of many people, including children, due to fever in Firozabad, Mathura, Agra and other places of Uttar Pradesh is saddening.

    “The Uttar Pradesh government should at once make efforts to stop the spread of this disease with the help of an alert health system.

    Arrangements should also be made for better treatment of the people affected by the disease,” the Congress general secretary said in a tweet in Hindi.

    The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration had last week raised an alert about “viral fever” and directed health workers to particularly take note of people running a temperature.

    Some western UP districts have witnessed a spike in cases of “viral fever” in recent days also leading to fatalities in some cases, according to reports.

  • Posters condemn AMU VC for condoling Kalyan Singh’s death; UP govt calls it ‘Talibani thinking’

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW/ALIGARH: Posters condemning the Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor for condoling former chief minister Kalyan Singh’s death appeared on the campus, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to warn of strict action against people having “Talibani thinking” after getting the matter probed.

    The posters, displayed on the AMU campus with “Students of Aligarh Muslim University” written on them, said, “Praying for a criminal is an unforgiving crime”.

    “The condolence words of the AMU VC on the demise of ex-chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh are not only a matter of shame but also hurt the religious sentiments of our community,” the poster said.

    ​ALSO READ | Kalyan Singh cremated with full state honours, Ram temple approach road to be named after him

    It alleged, “Kalyan Singh is not only the main culprit in the demolition of Babri Masjid but also an offender for not obeying the Supreme Court’s order.

    “The VC’s condolence has brought disgrace to the entire AMU fraternity, its traditions and the Aligarh Movement that believe in justice and fairness. We strongly condemn our VC for his shameful act.”

    Tariq Mansoor is the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.

    Reacting sharply, state minister Mohsin Raza said the VC acted as per “our culture” and putting up such posters was an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere.

    “If some persons of Talibani ‘soch’ are there, we will also treat them accordingly,” he said.

    ALSO READ | UP govt to name roads after late CM Kalyan Singh in six districts 

    The minister said the matter will be probed and strict action will be taken so that it will set an example for others.

    “‘This is a university of Hindustan. Taliban (Afghanistan’s militia group) is not here. This is an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere,” said Raza, who is the minister of state for minority welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj.

    AMU officials were not available for comments.

    BJP veteran Kalyan Singh died after a prolonged illness on Saturday night in Lucknow.

    He was the UP chief minister when the Babri Mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992.

    Along with BJP veterans L K Advani and M M Joshi, Singh was among the 32 people acquitted in the demolition case in September 2020.

    The 89-year-old former UP chief minister hailed from the Aligarh district.

  • AAP alleges corruption by UP government in organisation of 2019 Kumbh

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Citing a CAG report, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of indulging in corruption in organising the 2019 Kumbh Mela held in Allahabad.

    According to the CAG report, there were “huge irregularities” in the expenditure of Rs 2,700-crore fund allocated for organising the Kumbh, AAP MP and Uttar Pradesh incharge Sanjay Singh said in a statement.

    The audit found that 32 tractors purchased using the fund were registered under numbers of cars, mopeds and scooters, he alleged.

    “This is a small example, but based on this, you can guess how much corruption took place in the name of Kumbh,” he said.

    “Be it the Ram temple in Ayodhya or the Kumbh in Prayagraj, the BJP is not letting go of any chance to indulge in corruption. I want to ask Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP to at least spare religion,” Singh said.

    ​ALSO READ | Adityanath: Previous governments didn’t promote Kumbh, they’d rather say ‘mubarakbaad’

    “The people of Uttar Pradesh are seeing your reality and will reply at an opportune time,” he said.

    An audit of the 2019 Kumbh, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report, found wasteful expenditure of crores of rupees.

    The Urban Development Department had sanctioned Rs 2,743.60 crore to the Kumbh Mela officer and of this, Rs 2,112 crore was spent till July 2019, the report said.

    Besides, various departments released funds from their budgets for the purchase of materials and for work related to the Kumbh.

    However, the mela officer did not provide any information about the funds released by other departments and hence, the overall expenditure could not be ascertained, it said.

    According to the audit, an amount of Rs 65.87 crore was also allocated to the Home (Police) Department from the State Disaster Relief Fund for the purchase of equipment for the Kumbh, even though the fund is only to be used for providing immediate relief to people affected by cyclone, drought, earthquake and fire etc.

    Instances of getting work done for an amount higher than the financial sanction or getting it done without any financial sanction were also found, the report said.

    The Urban Development Department had sanctioned Rs 105 crore for getting tin, tent, pandal and barricading work done in the mela area, whereas the mela officer spent Rs 143.13 crore.

    This created liabilities worth Rs 38.13 crore, it said.

    The CAG report was tabled in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly by the state government on August 19.

  • Aligarh district panchayat unanimously passes proposal to rename city ‘Harigarh’

    By PTI

    ALIGARH (UP): The city of famous Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh may soon have a new name Harigarh if a proposal of the district panchayat is accepted by the Uttar Pradesh government.

    A proposal for changing Aligarh’s name was unanimously passed at a meeting of the newly elected district Panchayat on Monday.

    District panchayat chairman Vijay Singh told reporters on Tuesday that the district panchayat’s resolution to rename Aligarh as Harigarh was forwarded to the state government for further action.

    Earlier on Sunday, the president of the district unit of Uttar Pradesh Kshatriya Mahasabha, Shailendra Pal Singh, had handed over a resolution to the district panchayat, demanding the change of name of Aligarh.

    The final decision for renaming a place is taken by the state government.

  • PM’s ‘certificate’ cannot hide Yogi govt’s cruelty, negligence during Covid 2nd wave: Priyanka Gandhi 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the Uttar Pradesh government for its handling of the Covid crisis, saying his “certificate” cannot hide the truth of the Yogi Adityanath dispensation’s “cruelty, negligence and mismanagement” during the second wave of the coronavirus.

    Modi, during his visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Thursday, praised the Uttar Pradesh government for its handling of the Covid crisis and said the way it had controlled the second wave was “unprecedented”.

    “Modi ji’s certificate cannot hide the truth of Yogi government’s aggressive cruelty, negligence and mismanagement during the second wave of coronavirus spread in Uttar Pradesh,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “People faced enormous hardships, helplessness alone. This truth can be forgotten by Modi ji, Yogi ji, but not by those who suffered the pain of coronavirus,” the Congress general secretary in-charge UP said.

    Describing the efforts of the Uttar Pradesh government in combating COVID-19 as “commendable”, the prime minister had said the state’s population is more than a dozen big countries but the way “it has controlled the second wave of coronavirus and stopped its spread is unprecedented”.

     

  • Newly-wed woman alleges gangrape by husband, brothers-in law in Uttar Pradesh

    By PTI
    BUDAUN: A newly-wed woman, battling critical injuries in a hospital here, has alleged that she was gangraped by her husband and two brothers-in-law and brutally tortured by other members of his family over demands for dowry, police said on Saturday.

    The husband she had married to only for three days has been arrested and cases filed against seven people, officials said.

    The 20-year-old, admitted at the district hospital here, alleged that she was sexually assaulted, her private parts burnt and was also tortured with a stick.

    Detailing her trauma, she also alleged that there were attempts to make her have a cold drink laced with poison.

    On receiving the information, the woman’s father reached her house with a police team and admitted her to the hospital.

    According to her complaint at the Zarifnagar police station, the woman from Kotwali Sahaswan area was married to a resident of Usmanpur locality in Zarifnagar on June 22.

    Budaun Senior Superintendent of Police Sankalp Sharma told reporters on Friday night that further action in the case will be taken based on investigation and medical examination of the woman.