No Honking Day on Dec 11
Kochi: Young Indians (YI), Youth Wing of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), is planning to organise ‘No Honking Day’ on December 11 in this city of Kerala, with an object of making public aware about the seriousness of unwanted honking in the city. Talking to newsperson here today, YI chairperson Namratha Khona said the programme was being organised with the association of the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department and the city police. “The ultimate aim of the campaign is to reduce the noise pollution in the city and also make the public aware about seriousness of unwanted honking in the city,” she added. Talking on the occasion, Joint RTO Adarsh G Nair said the campaign was not only for drivers but for the public as it was high time to make aware the public about the difficulties of sounding horn on the city and crowded roads. Stating that the YI had already launched a campaign against honking in the city in May last as part of the promotion and awareness for the public, she said and added that more than 10,000 vehicles include KSRTC and government official vehicles carry the sticker of Horn Not Ok Please (HNOP) and the campaign would continue in the coming years also. (UNI)
Four suffer acid attack in Punjab
Ludhiana: A woman suffered burns Saturday when an unidentified youth threw acid on her inside a salon in Ludhiana’s Saraba Nagar locality, police said. Three others were also injured in the attack and were rushed to a hospital. “We are trying to identify the accused. We will make arrests soon,” an officer said. The attack took place when the woman was getting ready for her wedding. The assailant entered the salon on the pretext of delivering some papers and fled after throwing acid on the victim, police said. Ludhiana is 110 km from Chandigarh. (IANS)
Music Fest on Jan 10
Kochi: Vaikom Overseas Indian Cultural and Educational Foundation (VOICE) will organise ‘Dakshinamoorthy Music Festival’ in memory of veteran music director Vaikom Dakshinamoorthy at Vaikom on January 10 to 12. Informing this at a news conference today, Patron of the VOICE Vaikom Vasudevan Namboodiri and Devanand said noted singer K J Yesudas would be conferred with ‘Dakshinamoorthy Ganenduchooda’ Award and ‘Dakshinamoorthy Sangeetha Mahameru Award’ to noted music director M K Arjunan Master for his overall contribution to the music direction area. The award, carrying Rs 25,001 in cash, a plaque and a certificate, would be presented by Dakshinamoorthy’s wife to Yesudas while the award for Arunjan Master would be presented by Yesudas during the festival, they said. Well known music exponents from different parts of the country would render their music during the festival, they added. (UNI)
Muzaffarnagar riots: SIT filed charge sheets against 3 accused
Muzaffarngar: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed two charge sheets against the three accused in the recent riots in the district, an official said. The charge sheet was filed yesterday in the court of CJM K P Singh here. The three accused Ikbal Singh, Rupender and Mohkam Singh have been charge sheeted in two separate cases, SIT Inspector, Ram Ratan Singh said. The charge sheet against 13 more accused has not yet filed because they have been absconding, Singh said Police has started attachment proceedings against them, he added. More than 60 persons were killed and over 40,000 displaced in communal violence that had broken out in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in September this year. (PTI)
HC relief to Lata Mangeshkar in Jaiprabha studio land issue
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation challenging a 1982 decision of Maharashtra Government allowing change of user on a plot of land in Kolhapur, belonging to singer Lata Mangeshkar. The division bench of Justices S J Vajifdar and Gautam Patel ruled that petitioner did not make out any case as to why the decision of the state should be set aside. Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal, an organisation of Marathi film fraternity, had filed the PIL, contending that government’s decision was meant only to favour Mangeshkar. Lata Mangeshkar purchased this 13-acre plot in 1959 from renowned Marathi film director-producer Bhalji Pendharkar. Pendharkar had bought this land from the erstwhile princely state of Kolhapur on the condition that it would be used for a building a film studio. PIL contended that Pendharkar’s Jaiprabha studio still stood on this land. In 1982, Mangeshkar approached the government seeking permission to change the user of land, as she proposed to develop a residential housing scheme there. The government and the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation acceded to the request. The petitioners had objected to this; however the High Court yesterday said it would not like to interfere with the State Government’s decision. (PTI)