Panaji, The Goa government will draft a human-animal wildlife conflict management policy after studying the models adopted by states like Kerala and Karnataka, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Tuesday.. Goa govt to frame policy to tackle human-wildlife conflict: Minister. He was responding to a question raised by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao in the assembly during the ongoing budget session.. The minister said he knows the seriousness of the issue as wild animals, such as panthers, bison, monkeys and leopards, were entering the human habitats.. “I know this is a serious issue. It is important for us to create the right ecosystem within forest areas so that wildlife remains within their natural habitat,” he stressed.. Rane said his department will formulate a dedicated policy to address rising incidents of wild animals straying into human habitations.. The matter will be discussed with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to finalise a structural framework, he told the House.. When Alemao pointed out that states like Karnataka and Kerala have formed similar policies, Rane said the Goa government will study them to learn from their best practices.. The forest department will formally write to the authorities concerned in both states to obtain their policy documents and study their approach, he stated.. The government intends to present a framework for the policy before the end of the ongoing assembly session, he added.. The minister also informed the House that a provision of ₹3.30 crore has been made to address human-animal conflict in Goa.. The forest department will conduct mapping of hotspots affected by monkey menace and compile detailed data to help formulate targeted mitigation measures, he added.. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. 

 The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it would lay down the law on the Union government’s attempt to set up a Fact Checking Unit (FCU) to flag fake or misleading information relating to the business of the government, observing that individuals, digital platforms, and intermediaries must share responsibility in tackling harmful online content.. The Supreme Court said there should be very clear and demarcated guidelines. (ANI). A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi admitted the government’s appeal against the Bombay high court’s September 2024 judgment that struck down the rule enabling the government to notify such a unit under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.. The court issued notices to comedian Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild of India, and the Association of Indian Magazines, which challenged the rules before the high court.. The bench declined the government’s request to stay the high court’s ruling for now, saying it would instead decide the issue finally and without delay. “No, no. We would like to decide this matter finally. It is better to decide such matters without delay,” the CJI said when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought a stay on the verdict. The bench observed that the matter raised questions of significant constitutional importance.. “The question is of paramount importance, and it is just proper for the Supreme Court to lay down the law,” the court said, adding that the concerns flagged by the high court were also “very important”.. During the hearing, the court stressed the need to strike a balance between combating misinformation and safeguarding constitutional freedoms. “The issue here is how to balance the two views — it is about balancing without compromising the constitutional values,” the bench said.. The bench flagged concerns about the role of digital platforms in amplifying harmful content. “Some of these digital platforms, the way they are behaving… some of them are dangerous,” the bench observed after referring to illustrations placed before it by the Union government.. The CJI remarked that misinformation circulating online was no longer limited to harming individuals. “They were damaging personal lives, and now they are damaging the nation.”. The court indicated that any regulatory framework must clearly define responsibilities for all stakeholders. “There should be very clear and demarcated guidelines, but shifting the entire onus on the system without corresponding obligations of platforms and individuals is something that needs to be looked into.”. The case relates to Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the Information Technology Rules, as amended in 2023, which empowered the government to notify a fact-check unit to identify online information about the government that is “fake or false or misleading”.. The Bombay high court struck down the provision in Septemb 

 The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it would lay down the law on the Union government’s attempt to set up a Fact Checking Unit (FCU) to flag fake or misleading information relating to the business of the government, observing that individuals, digital platforms, and intermediaries must share responsibility in tackling harmful online content.. The Supreme Court said there should be very clear and demarcated guidelines. (ANI). A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi admitted the government’s appeal against the Bombay high court’s September 2024 judgment that struck down the rule enabling the government to notify such a unit under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.. The court issued notices to comedian Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild of India, and the Association of Indian Magazines, which challenged the rules before the high court.. The bench declined the government’s request to stay the high court’s ruling for now, saying it would instead decide the issue finally and without delay. “No, no. We would like to decide this matter finally. It is better to decide such matters without delay,” the CJI said when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought a stay on the verdict. The bench observed that the matter raised questions of significant constitutional importance.. “The question is of paramount importance, and it is just proper for the Supreme Court to lay down the law,” the court said, adding that the concerns flagged by the high court were also “very important”.. During the hearing, the court stressed the need to strike a balance between combating misinformation and safeguarding constitutional freedoms. “The issue here is how to balance the two views — it is about balancing without compromising the constitutional values,” the bench said.. The bench flagged concerns about the role of digital platforms in amplifying harmful content. “Some of these digital platforms, the way they are behaving… some of them are dangerous,” the bench observed after referring to illustrations placed before it by the Union government.. The CJI remarked that misinformation circulating online was no longer limited to harming individuals. “They were damaging personal lives, and now they are damaging the nation.”. The court indicated that any regulatory framework must clearly define responsibilities for all stakeholders. “There should be very clear and demarcated guidelines, but shifting the entire onus on the system without corresponding obligations of platforms and individuals is something that needs to be looked into.”. The case relates to Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the Information Technology Rules, as amended in 2023, which empowered the government to notify a fact-check unit to identify online information about the government that is “fake or false or misleading”.. The Bombay high court struck down the provision in Septemb 

 Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan on Monday condoled the passing of 26-year-old Tarun Kumar, who was killed during classes between two families from different communities in JJ colony in West Delhi’s Uttam Nagar during Holi celebrations last week.. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan (R) said it is heartbreaking that something as small as a child throwing a water balloon during Holi could escalate into such violence. (PTI/Instagram). The issue erupted over an 11-year-old girl throwing water-filled balloons at people while celebrating Holi. One of the balloons hit a Muslim woman, who objected to the celebration method. What started as an argument soon snowballed into a violent clash, with both sides assaulting each other, HT reported earlier.. At least four people, three from the Hindu family of the minor girl, were injured. Tarun Kumar succumbed to his injuries on the morning after Holi, with his family alleging that he was “waylaid” by neighbours who assaulted him with bats, sticks and stones.. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan took to X and said, “Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Tarun Kumar in Uttam Nagar. It’s heartbreaking that something as small as a child throwing a water balloon during Holi could escalate into such violence.”. Dhawan said that humanity should never stoop to such a level. “Prayers for his family and hope the culprits face the strictest punishment,” he added.. Protests after Tarun Kumar’s death. Protests erupted in Uttam Nagar after Tarun Kumar’s death, with agitators setting ablaze vehicles on the site.. ALSO READ | Seven more people arrested, minor apprehended for Holi clash in Uttam Nagar. The deceased’s family members and neighbours had also protested outside the Uttam Nagar police station, along with members of a Hindu political outfit. Some protestors even allegedly tried to attack the Muslim family’s house, prompting police intervention.. What Tarun Kumar’s family said. Tarun Kumar’s uncle, Ramesh, said the 11-year-old girl was throwing balloons at family members, but one burst on the ground, splashing a woman’s burqa.. “I apologised and even made the 11-year-old apologise. What else could we have done? They first beat us. I suffered heavy injuries on my head, chest and hands. Doctors put eight stitches, and I am still in pain. Tarun came half an hour later, and before he could even park his bike, they jumped at him and attacked him,” Ramesh stated.. CM meets Kumar’s family. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta met Tarun Kumar’s family and assured them that instructions have been given to ensure the strictest legal action against those responsible.. “The sorrow of Tarun’s family is extremely profound and unbearable. Ensuring justice for them is our utmost priority. Clear instructions have been issued to ensure the harshest and swiftest legal action against all those involved in this heinous crime,” the CM wrote in a post on X.. ALSO READ | Neighbours for 5 decades, families that clashed on Holi have history of fights: Cops probing Del 

 Restaurants across various parts of the country have reported shortage in the supply of commercial cooking gas, with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) on Monday urging the Centre to intervene, saying any disruption to LPG cylinder supply will lead to a “catastrophic closure” of restaurants.. The association pointed out that a March 5 order issued by the Centre directing public sector oil marketing companies to ensure LPG is supplied to domestic consumers, has impacted the deliveries of commercial gas cylinders to restaurants. (Praful Gangurde/Hindustan Times). The development comes amid rising energy costs and supply constraints caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.. “The restaurant industry is predominantly dependent on commercial LPG for its operations. Any disruption therein will lead to a catastrophic closure of majority of restaurants,” NRAI, which represents around half a million restaurants across the country, said in a letter to the Union petroleum and natural gas ministry.. The association pointed out that a March 5 order issued by the Centre directing public sector oil marketing companies to ensure LPG is supplied to domestic consumers, has impacted the deliveries of commercial gas cylinders to restaurants.. In Bengaluru, hotel and restaurant operations are likely to be affected from Tuesday, following an abrupt halt in the supply of commercial gas cylinders, the Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA) said on Monday.. “Since the gas supply has stopped, the hotels will be closed from tomorrow,” the BHA said in a release.. Noting that the supply of commercial gas cylinders stopped on Monday, it said, since the hotel industry is an essential service, common people, students, and medical professionals, who rely on the hotels for daily meals, will be affected.. In Gurugram, several restaurants have reported disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders, forcing eateries to consider alternative arrangements such as domestic cylinders or electric cooking equipment.. Rohit Arora, manager of a restaurant in Sector 29, said the establishment currently has enough stock for a few days. “Our vendor informed us that commercial LPG deliveries have been paused temporarily. We have backup cylinders that can last about three days. If the situation continues, we may have to shift to residential cylinders or reduce menu items,” he added.. In Pune, the civic body has temporarily closed the city’s gas crematoriums following restrictions on the use of LPG components such as propane and butane.. The Pune Municipal Corporation cited the Centre’s March 5 order, directing that available propane and butane be prioritised for domestic LPG supply across the country, for its decision to keep its gas crematoriums closed from March 5 until further orders.. LPG cylinder booking period increased from 21 to 25 days. Meanwhile, the minimum waiting period for booking a domestic LPG cylinder refill increased from 21 days to 25