Religious, archaeological and cultural sites would be reconstructed in five years

Nepal will reconstruct all private and public properties destroyed by the devastating earthquake within two years, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said as he called on citizens, neighbouring countries and migrant workers to lend their helping hands to the government.

A National Reconstruction Fund of Rs. 200 billion would be mobilised to reconstruct the structures that were destroyed by the powerful 7.9-magnitude temblor two weeks ago, Mr. Koirala said addressing the Parliament on Friday.

Presenting the reconstruction programme endorsed by the Cabinet, he said damaged facilities and services such as schools and colleges, health centres, water supply, electricity and government offices would be restored within two years.

Religious, archaeological and cultural sites would be reconstructed in five years, Mr. Koirala said as he called on all Nepalis, neighbouring countries, migrant workers and political parties including the opposition to lend helping hands to the government in the reconstruction effort.

“No Nepali will be left homeless and let fall victim to malnutrition. Let’s unite to confront the national disaster, seizing this opportunity for transformation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the country’s worst disaster in over 80 years rose to 7,912 on Saturday, while the number of injured stands at 16,037, according to Nepal Police.

Nearly 2,90,000 buildings were completely destroyed and 2,50,000 were partially damaged in the quake.

Fresh tremor

A fresh tremor also shook Kathmandu and surrounding areas early this morning, triggering panic among the people still reeling under the impact of some 155 aftershocks recorded within the past two weeks.

A 4.1-magnitude quake was recorded by the National Seismological Centre of Nepal at 3.08 am, with epicentre at Rasuwa situated in northeast Kathmandu.

Govt accepts lapses in disaster preparedness

The government admitted several lapses in disaster preparedness and rescue and relief operations though rescue and relief support poured in from different countries, My Republica reported.

Addressing a parliamentary meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam said: “The disaster was beyond our expectations and unprecedented in scale. So our efforts could not meet the expectations of quake victims on time.”

The government was well aware of the high risk of earthquakes but lacked an adequate number of experts, technology and the skilled manpower for deployment in the field, he said, adding that at the same time it could not make prompt demands from other countries about the requirements.

Mr. Gautam spoke of the need for trained dogs, equipment used in cutting through concrete blocks, cemented walls and metal rods and rescue-friendly helicopters, cranes, excavators, ambulances, fire trucks, boats and other equipment needed for rescue and relief work.

“We could not mobilise the international rescuers because of our inability to match their expertise with our needs,” he said, adding the government could not state the actual needs in time for lack of proper assessment of the losses.

Bandra East, Mumbai- BMC officals were felling tress at Bandra East CTS No 629. SRA Project This are plot no 6 is around the market area and is conspicuously surrounded by tin barricades for more than a year by builder Balaji Shop Keeper for over a year. Inside the barricaded area are a number of trees which BMC officials were all set to cut it off. When the cutting had almost started our reporter S.M.Fanus arrived and inquired as to what was happening. Real News reporter Fanus wanted to click photographs of this tree cutting when suddenly he was pushed and heaved around by these BMC officials. He also came to know that these BMC officals had no official letter for the same. They had no legal paper for it to justified as legal. As the situation was getting out of hand Fanus called the National Civil and Environment Protection NGO and Real news of India Team With help of Maharashtra President Mr Abdul Shaikh and Director Imran they were able to stop the cutting of trees. Real News of India team and National Civil Protection NGO then went to file a complaint to Khedwadi police station. They have assured by Police that the case will be thoroughly investigated and the culprits will be punished. The nexus between Builder and BMC officials has been destroying the little patches of greenery that are left for Mumbaikars to breathe. If it is left in the mercy of such mercenaries Mumbaikars will face serious breathing problems in the next immediate five years.

Garbage Vigilantes Strike Goa – Green Group Makes Polluters Pay                              

 Anjuna,Goa – March 29, 2015: Is it the first real step towards the solving the serious garbage problem in Goa? On March 18, 2015, an independent reporter whose wish is to stay anonymous,  received the following information, including documentary photos, showing what a group calling themselves “Clean Goa Warriors” claims are the first reprisals in their continuing campaign to rid the state of the garbage menace. The night before, the CGW staked out over a dozen locations in North Goa popular with what they call “Social Retards” who by night dump their garbage by the sides of the roads. With upwards of 200 members including Goans of all backgrounds, Indians from nine states and Foreigners representing seventeen countries they caught seven miscreants and decided to make an example of four of them including a Catholic and Muslim from Goa, a Hindu hailing from West Bengal and though he had a Karnataka gardener doing his dirty work Lord Michael Heseltine, British businessman and one time Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.The UK Prime Minister’s office at 10 Downing Street refused any comment though two independent sources have verified that the story, and an interview with Lord Heseltine, was quietly suppressed after a flurry of calls from unnamed government officials. A screen capture of the unfinished exposé was delivered to GoaGreg.com and has been circulating on various social networking sites. The photo shows Heseltine being interviewed on the garbage strewn lawn of the Maldiva Residency, a Dona Paula mansion, owned by Michael DeSouza, a close friend of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Others captured and punished for dumping household trash include family members of wealthy Muslim trader Mahmud Ben Ahmed, patriarch of one of the oldest  Muslim families in Goa, tracing their ancestry back to the time when the Delhi Sultanate invaded Goa in the early 14th century. Their home on the outskirts of Anjuna village was stinking and swarming with flies by high noon after the entrance to the house was blocked by garbage. Ben Ahmed cried vowing to join the Warriors “…in cleaning up the most beautiful state in India.”

Totally unrepentant was Lazarus Mascarenhas of Moira who was caught along with his two sons Joseph and Felipe dumping several large white bags of waste from their “Gorgeous Goa” restaurant. The contents of the bags included all types of unseparated garbage including recyclable glass, plastic, tetrapaks, wet waste and several dead rats. Mr. Mascarenhas is said to have screamed from the second story of his massive, though withering Portuguese house, “I don’t care. My peons will clean it and it’ll be back where it belongs tonight.” He claims to have called the police, but Atmaram Deshpande of the North Goa Superintendent’s office denied they were contacted. None of Mr. Mascarenhas’ neighbors report seeing any men in uniform or representatives of the local government.

The final target of the “Clean Goa Warriors” strike was Nikhil Chakravorti of Kolkata suburb of Salt Lake. Though he was only caught throwing two medium sized plastic bags from his scooter (GA03AA6147) into the Aswem nullah the CGW covered the dunes in front of the beach facing “Blue Guest House” where Mr. Chakravorti is the manager. All guests demanded their money back and moved out before the 10 am checkout. The soft spoken Chakravorti continuously shook his head repeating, “what can we do?” When questioned he replied, “Years we’ve been waiting for the panchayats, but government seems uninterested and soon tourism in Goa will die. People will go where the place is still beautiful.”

In their statement the CGW says, “In times of chaos, when leaders are incapable or unwilling, when selfish, unthinking and shortsighted individuals carelessly act against the greater good of the people and violate our dear Mother Nature, then it is the right, even the duty, of concerned citizens to act against the criminal behavior by wrongdoers and the leaders who have created the failed ecosystem where our future is in danger. Just as the American colonists, by what the British government considered an act of terrorism, declared their freedom by throwing English tea into Boston Harbor, we promise to disturb and distress the dirty

A two day festival “Just-Ice – Law has never been so cool” commenced yesterday at Bandra’s Rizvi Law College. The theme of the festival is “The Earth has Music for those who listen … Save”. The festival is in its 10thyear. It was inaugurated on 25th February by Dr. Naresh Chandra, Acting Vice Chancellor, Mumbai University. Dr. Chandra urged the Academic Community “to deliver results within 15 days after completion of the last exam”. He told the academic community to “come up with 5 best educational reforms to orient students in the next academic year”. He also said the students should feel free to contact him with their grievances. An Open House has been organized on 3rd March at the University’s Examination House to interact with students. Mr. Y.K. Baramatikar, Director, Khadi Village Industries Commission was present along with principals, educationists and student of various colleges.

　　　　Yesterday, a Parliamentary debate was held on the topic of “Is IT (Information Technology) legitimate for environmental campaign groups to use ecological terrorism to achieve their goals”. Panelists judging the debate were H.E. Mr. Pule Malefane, Consul General of South Africa, Adv. Waris Pathan, MLA and Ms. Anjali Damania (AAP). Dr. Daisy Alexander, Principal, Rizvi Law College said “this year’s festival is dedicated to environment and is in sync with Prime Ministers concept of Swach Bharat Abhiyaan. Prof. Sunil John, Vice Principal, said that “this festival was entirely organized by the student community”. Political Science Prof. Al-Nasser Zakaria said “the idea behind the parliamentary debate was to instill a sense of leadership skills in the student fraternity”. Furthermore, he said that “such debates enrich the mind and encourage youngsters to get into the political process thereby increasing the level of political discourse our country desperately needs”.

Street Dance, Street Play, Fashion Show, Poster Making, Photography, Beat Boxing, Box Cricket, Rink Football were organized. Those participating in this festival included students from Government Law College, D.Y. Patil Law College, Ruia College, NMIMS College of Law, Amity College of Law, PGCL, JCCL etc. to mention a few.

“A step was taken in the last Budget to encourage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investments Trusts (INViTs) by providing partial pass through to them,” Jaitley said in his Budget speech.

Read more at: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/economy/budget-2015-govt-gives-new-tax-benefits-for-reits-invits_1316624.html?utm_source=ref_article
n a fillip to investments in realty and infrastructure sectors, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday rationalised capital gain tax regime for the sponsors of newly-created business structures REITs and INViTs. In September 2014, market regulator SEBI had notified norms for listing of REITs and INViTs that would help attract more funds in a transparent manner into the real estate and infrastructure sectors. “A step was taken in the last Budget to encourage Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investments Trusts (INViTs) by providing partial pass through to them,” Jaitley said in his Budget speech. These two trusts, which can be listed on stock exchanges, would help channelise both domestic and overseas investments into real estate and infrastructure projects in the country. Stating that these collective investment vehicles have an important role to revive construction activity, the Finance Minister said that a large quantum of funds is locked up in various completed projects which need to be released to facilitate new infrastructure projects to take off. “I therefore propose to rationalise the capital gains regime for the sponsors exiting at the time of listing of the units of REITs and INViTs, subject to payment of Securities Transaction Tax (STT). The rental income of REITs from their own assets will have pass through facility,” Jaitley said. Real estate developers and property consultants have been demanding further tax clarity in REITs to ensure the launch of this trust for commercial assets. “In respect of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (INViTs), it is proposed to provide that the sponsor will be given the same treatment on offloading of units at the time of listing as would have been available to him if he had offloaded his shareholding of special purpose vehicle (SPV) at the stage of direct listing,” Jaitley said. Further, the rental income arising from real estate assets directly held by the REIT is also proposed to be allowed to pass through and to be taxed in the hands of the unit holders of the REIT, he added. REITs, a new investment avenue in India on the lines of one in developed markets like the US, UK, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, can be listed and trading would be allowed in units of REITs like any other security on stock exchanges. INViTs are also set up for similar purposes. The tax incentives on would give much needed relief to the real estate sector, which is facing a huge slowdown in demand from last few years that had led to liquidity crunch and delay in completion of existing projects.
PTI