Latest news with #SRA
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
In slum rehabilitation schemes HC upholds decision for open spaces, says 35% be strictly reserved for public park
The Bombay High Court on Thursday upheld the state government's 2022 regulation permitting non-buildable open spaces exceeding 500 square metres in the city to be used for slum rehabilitation (SR) schemes. However, it has directed that at least 35% of the vacant space on such lands used for SR Schemes must be treated as a public amenity, such as a functional and usable public park, and not as a private area for residents only. The HC was hearing the plea, challenging the consistent use of public open spaces (POS) that are reserved for recreational purposes to implement SR schemes. Such public open spaces used for SR schemes are those which are otherwise non-buildable and reserved under the Development Plan for parks, gardens, playgrounds, etc. The HC also directed the BMC to complete the GIS-based mapping and geo-tagging of all plots designated as open space in the sanctioned development plan and the same be published on its website within four months. The bench said that once the SR project is completed, 35 % of its open space must be handed over to civic bodies for management within 90 days of obtaining occupation certificate for the project, unless the corporation permits joint maintenance with housing a society and such space shall not be enclosed or restrict entry of local public. 'No portion of the open space shall be reserved exclusively for any private group, resident association, or developer,' it noted. The HC directed the state government and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to form a dedicated committee or appoint a senior officer to oversee implementation of regulation on the ground and quarterly reports be submitted to the SRA and Urban Development Department (UDD), which shall be uploaded on their websites. A division bench of Justices Amit Borkar and Somasekhar Sundaresan passed a verdict on a plea by NGO Alliance for Governance and Renewal (NAGAR) and others, argued through senior advocate Shiraz Rustomjee. The petitioners had challenged the Regulation 17 (3)(D)(2) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), 2034 under Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act inserted in the year 2022. The impugned decision allowed that non-buildable open spaces of over 500 square metres can be used for SR schemes, provided 35 % of the ground area is kept vacant and continued to serve the designated public reservation. However, the petitioners argued that the said regulation in effect legalised the diversion of up to 65 % of land from the reserved public use and permitted its use for construction. Therefore, the said regulation diluted the purpose of reservation and was robbing Mumbai of its much-needed green and open spaces,' they added. Rustomjee argued that public parks and open spaces 'should not be sacrificed to accommodate encroachments or private development, even under the banner of welfare schemes.' The petitioners further argued that the 2022 decision was an extension of the 1992 notification, They added that that while the 1992 notification sought minimum plot size of 1000 square metres, the 2022 regulation reduced it to 500 square metres, which will lead to more smaller open plots available for construction and further reducing already scarce open space in the city. In a 191-page judgement, Justice Borkar for the bench observed that the impugned decision 'tries to achieve the balance' that the government has to strike between its duties to protect, improve urban environment and to ensure shelter and safety for weaker sections of the society. Upholding the validity of the regulation in question, the HC also said disciplinary action be taken in case of any violations and projects retaining more than 35 % vacant space should be encouraged. It also directed the BMC to give ward wise action plans listing all reserved open spaces to UDD and conduct quarterly inspections to identify encroachments. Among a slew of directions, the court also asked the state government to undertake a comprehensive policy review of the impugned regulation within two years. It said that HC verdict should not be 'read as giving a free hand to the State to reduce open spaces in the city.'
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Jonathan Reynolds risks ban from practising law over CV scandal
Jonathan Reynolds risks being barred from practising law after the scandal over false claims on his CV, The Telegraph can reveal. The solicitors' watchdog decided not to prosecute the Business Secretary over allegations that he lied about his legal career after it found a lack of evidence to justify the move. However, The Telegraph has learnt that several concerns raised about Mr Reynolds's claims were investigated 'no further' because the incidents in question took place more than two years ago. If those 'time-barred' matters were ever substantiated, they could be held against Mr Reynolds if he tries to qualify as a solicitor in future. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said the revelations proved that the Business Secretary had not been cleared of wrongdoing. He said: 'Reynolds hasn't been cleared of breaking the law. The SRA [Solicitors Regulation Authority] have just decided not to investigate because it happened more than two years ago. 'The evidence of his persistent false claims over many years is clear for everyone to see. If the SRA investigated, they would have found him bang to rights.' 'Safe on a technicality' Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said: 'The Business Secretary repeatedly lied about being a solicitor and was caught out. In the private sector he is destroying he would long have been sacked. 'He may think he's safe on a technicality, but it's unclear how any hard working businesses can trust him now.' Backlash over the Business Secretary's CV erupted in February after it emerged he had said on several occasions that he worked as a solicitor before becoming an MP. In fact, he did not qualify for the title because he never finished his training contract with Addleshaw Goddard, a law firm, having quit in 2010 to run for Parliament. The SRA initially said it would not be taking any action after Mr Reynolds updated his online CV to remove a claim he held the legally-protected role. But it launched a fresh investigation for 'further information' about the Business Secretary's conduct after Mr Jenrick demanded action with a 'view to prosecuting'. Under Section 21 of the Solicitors Act 1974, it is illegal for any unqualified person to take or use 'any name, title, addition or description' implying they are qualified to act as a solicitor. Prosecutions for breaches of this kind are subject to strict time limits, meaning the case must be brought within two years of the alleged offence or six months from its first discovery by the prosecutor, whichever expires first. Insufficient evidence for prosecution The SRA confirmed last week that it had closed its investigation into Mr Reynolds, arguing it was neither proportionate nor in the public interest to bring criminal proceedings. In a letter to Parliament's standards watchdog in May, seen by The Telegraph, the regulator said it had found insufficient evidence to justify a prosecution. But it revealed that it had not looked 'further' into some of the concerns raised because they related to matters that occurred more than two years ago. If substantiated, it said these incidents could be 'relevant' if Mr Reynolds tries to qualify as a solicitor in future. The letter said: 'A number of the concerns investigated demonstrably occurred earlier than the two year period stated in section 26. 'As such matters are time-barred and could not be the subject of a lawful prosecution under section 21, the SRA has determined to investigate and consider them no further for this reason. 'Time-barred matters, if substantiated, could however be relevant should Mr Reynolds apply in the future to be admitted as a solicitor.' Mr Reynolds previously claimed on his website and in the Commons that he worked as a solicitor in Manchester before becoming an MP, and implied that he had held the role in a post on Twitter, now X, in 2011. He made the same claim in a campaign leaflet for the 2015 general election, at which he was re-elected as MP for Stalybridge and Hyde. He also previously stated on his LinkedIn profile that he was simultaneously a 'solicitor' and a 'trainee solicitor' between 2009 and 2010. The Telegraph revealed that he was warned a decade ago not to lie about his legal career, but dismissed the concerns, accusing the complainant of 'reading too much' into his comments. In its letter to Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary standards commissioner, the SRA said any unqualified person wilfully referring to themselves as a solicitor was 'potentially a serious issue'. However, it said: 'Taking account of the explanations offered, our investigation did not find evidence sufficient to justify the bringing of a prosecution in evidential terms. Nor was it considered that a prosecution would be proportionate or in the public interest. 'Generally, the SRA would be more likely to regard the public interest as justifying a prosecution (if justified by our analysis of the evidence and explanations offered) where the person has engaged directly with consumers of legal services, public protection being a fundamental aspect of our regulatory remit; or where there were a material risk of repetition.' A source close to the Business Secretary said: 'Mr Reynolds was happy to cooperate with an investigation by the SRA, which has now concluded with no further action. He is pleased to continue working hard on the post-Brexit trade deals the Conservatives failed to deliver.'
The Hindu
a day ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Study of gut genomes finds how antibiotic resistance can differ between genders
A recent study analysing gut genomes found that trends of antibiotic resistance differ between genders. For instance, in high-income countries, women may have more antibiotic-resistant genes, while in low- and middle-income countries, men may have more. Led by researchers at the University of Turku, Finland, the study analysed over 14,600 gut genomes from across 32 countries, taken from a publicly available dataset. Study findings Antibiotic resistance, in which infection-causing germs become immune to the drugs designed to kill them, is a significant public health challenge and is estimated to claim over 39 million lives in the next 25 years, a study published in The Lancet journal in September 2024 said. Furthermore, differences in antibiotic resistance related to gender were found to emerge in adulthood. "This suggests that lifestyle, biological differences or healthcare-related factors may influence these differences more in adulthood than in childhood," author Katariina Parnanen, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Turku said. "We observed that the association between ARG (antibiotic resistant gene) load and gender was inverted between HICs (high-income countries) and LMICs (low- and middle-income countries): women had higher ARG load in HICs and lower ARG load in LMICs than men," the authors wrote in the study published in the journal npj biofilms and microbiomes. The findings also reveal that in high-income countries, women had an average of nine per cent higher amount of genes related to antibiotic resistance compared to men. Women may be more frequently exposed to antibiotics, bacteria resistant to antibiotics, or are more often carriers of resistant bacteria, the researchers suggested. Additionally, women in these countries were found to have a slightly higher diversity of antibiotic resistance genes compared to men, suggesting a broader variation in resistance in the gut microbiomes, the team said. "Understanding gender differences in antibiotic resistance is key to designing equitable and effective healthcare interventions. Our study will lay the groundwork for further research to reduce health inequalities related to antibiotic resistance," Parnanen said. The researchers also found a strong association between age and country of residence and the number and diversity of genes involved in antibiotic resistance. These were particularly high in infants and the oldest age group, they said. High antibiotic use was associated with higher resistance gene loads and greater diversity. High levels of resistance were also found in low-income countries, which may be explained by factors such as poor hygiene and sanitation, the team said. "Our data-driven analyses shed light on global, gendered antibiotic resistance patterns, which may help guide further research and targeted interventions," the authors wrote. The study used data publicly available from datasets 'Sequence Read Archive' (SRA) and European Nucleotide Archive (ENA).
GMA Network
a day ago
- General
- GMA Network
Pest infestation expands to 1,505 hectares of sugar farms —SRA
The threat of Red Striped Softscale Insect (RSSI) infestation in sugarcane farms in Western Visayas has expanded further, now covering over a thousand hectares of production area, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said Thursday. In a statement, SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona said that 'from 87 hectares of RSSI infestation, it has expanded to over 1,505 hectares in less than a month, the bulk of which is in the heart of sugarlandia, Negros Occidental, where it has spread to 1,490 hectares.' The rest of the infestations are in Iloilo, Capiz, and Negros Oriental. 'While this is still a fraction of sugar cane fields, the rapid spread is worrisome and I believe that the real data can even be bigger as there are farms that have started their own remedy without reporting the matter to SRA,' Azcona said. 'On a positive note, there are 97 hectares monitored to have been recovering and that is a good sign,' he said. The RSSI damages sugarcane by sucking leaf sap, causing foliage to die. Its excrement also encourages fungal growth that can kill the plant. Azcona noted the seriousness of the situation, especially during the harvest season, when sugarcane and planting materials are frequently transported across regions. To contain the pest, SRA said it has distributed pesticides, dispatched technical teams to train farmers, and requested emergency powers to use stronger pest-control chemicals. 'I am urging all sugar groups and farmers to report the extent of infestation in their farmlands to the SRA or through their MDDCs (Mill District Development Councils) to provide us a better picture on how to resolve the situation,' Azcona said. The SRA chief also called on local government units, especially in highly infested areas, 'to declare a state of emergency as this will help us in expediting procurement of pesticides that can be immediately distributed to help abate this infestation.' 'The DA has approved a P10-million allocation for pesticide purchase but without the proper data, our hands are tied as well on how best to approach this situation and curb the spread of the RSS,' he said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Lodha Developers acquires 945 transit camp apartments measuring 3.29 lakh sq ft for ₹567 crore from Arihant in Mumbai
Mumbai-based listed real estate developer Lodha Developers Limited has purchased 945 permanent transit camp (PTC) units, spanning over 3.39 lakh sq ft, from Arihant Construction Company in Mumbai's Mankhurd area for ₹567 crore, according to property registration documents accessed by CRE Matrix. The deal is linked to Lodha's ongoing project in Vikhroli, where, under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme, the developer is required to hand over a portion of built-up space to the SRA in exchange for additional construction rights for sale in the open market. Arihant Construction, which is undertaking a slum rehabilitation project in Mankhurd with over 83,000 sq m of free-sale component, is supplying these PTC units. To meet its obligations, Lodha will transfer the acquired units to the SRA. The documents show that the transaction forms part of a larger deal involving the transfer of free sale Floor Space Index (FSI) under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034. Transit camp units are temporary housing accommodations provided to people, typically slum dwellers or tenants, who are displaced due to redevelopment projects, especially under slum rehabilitation or infrastructure development schemes. Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme is a government initiative aimed at redeveloping slum areas in Mumbai by providing free, permanent housing to eligible slum dwellers while allowing private developers to construct and sell residential/commercial units for profit on the remaining land The agreement allows Lodha to integrate the acquired Floor Space Index (FSI) into its own Vikhroli project, enabling the use of Arihant's free sale rights to develop residential and amenity spaces within the township. The transaction was registered on June 3, 2025, with a stamp duty of ₹34.02 crore and registration fees of ₹30,000 paid. Also Read: Maharashtra Tribunal backs homebuyers, orders Lodha Group to register portion of New Cuffe Parade Project with MahaRERA According to the documents, the arrangement falls under Regulation 33(11) of the DCPR 2034, which permits the clubbing of FSI between schemes for integrated development. This provision allows developers to transfer and utilise unused FSI from one project to another, a mechanism commonly used in redevelopment and slum rehabilitation projects across Mumbai. An email query has been sent to Lodha Developers Limited. If a response is received, the story will be updated. Arihant Construction Company could not be reached for comment. The company announced in a regulatory filing that it would rebrand from Macrotech Developers Limited to Lodha Developers Limited, effective June 16. Also Read: Macrotech Developers rebrands company's name to Lodha Developers Limited The company said that Abhishek Lodha-led firm Macrotech Developers Ltd received approval from the Registrar of Companies to change the name almost two months after settling the trademark dispute with the younger brother, who owns House of Abhinandan Lodha. They had settled the dispute on April 14. Also Read: Lodha Group eyes growth in Bengaluru with five new projects in FY2026 According to the agreement reached between the two brothers, listed entity Macrotech Developers Ltd is the owner of and has the exclusive right to use the brand names 'Lodha' and 'Lodha Group'. Abhinandan Lodha is the owner of and has the exclusive right to use the brand name 'House of Abhinandan Lodha'. Lodha Group and 'House of Abhinandan Lodha' have no connection with each other, and both entities decided to communicate this widely, they said in a statement.
