ಪರಂಪರಾ ಕಲ್ಚರಲ್ ಫೌಂಡೇಶನ್, 30.10.2023 ರಂದು ಸೋಮವಾರ ಅಪರಾಹ್ನ 2 ರಿಂದ 3.30 ರವರೆಗೆ ಬಿಟಿಎಂ ಬಡಾವಣೆಯ ಶ್ರೀ ವಿದ್ಯಾಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಪ್ರಾಥಮಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರೌಢಶಾಲೆಯ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಕತೆ ಹೇಳುವೆ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ಹಮ್ಮಿಕೊಂಡಿದೆ. ಇದು ‘ಕತೆ ಹೇಳುವೆ’ ಸರಣಿಯ 13ನೇ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮವಾಗಿದೆ.
ಶ್ರೀ ವಿದ್ಯಾಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಶಾಲೆಯ ಸಭಾಂಗಣದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುವ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡಪರ ಚಿಂತಕಿ, ಉಪನ್ಯಾಸಕಿ ಸಿ.ಅರ್.ಕಮಲಾಕ್ಷಿ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಕತೆ ಹೇಳಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಶಾಲೆಯ ಮುಖ್ಯೋಪಾಧ್ಯಾಯರಾದ ಜೆ.ಎಚ್.ವರುಣದಾಸ್ ಅವರ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುವ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಉದ್ಯಮಿ ಡಾ.ನಂದಿ ಸುಬ್ರಮಣಿ, ಆಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮ ಚಿಂತಕ ಬಿ.ಕೆ.ಪಾರ್ಥಸಾರಥಿ ಮತ್ತು ಹಿರಿಯ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ಡಿ.ಶರತ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅತಿಥಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಪರಂಪರಾ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಜಿ.ಪಿ.ರಾಮಣ್ಣ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತರಿರುವರು ಎಂದು ಪರಂಪರಾ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ಪಾರ್ವತಿ ಅಂಗಡಿ ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
Exhibition cum Sale of Rudraksha from 19th to 23rd October 2023,
Venue: THE CAPITOL HOTEL 3, Raj Bhavan Rd, Opposite General Post Office, Bengaluru,
Bangalore, Our ancient epics mention that humanity at every stage was blessed with sound, dance, speech, music, yoga etc. by the benevolent Lord Shiva who also finds mention in various other cultures of the world too. Lord Shiva has a mystic appeal which attracts people from around the globe. When tear drops of the greatest lord of Hindu pantheon fell on Earth, the Rudraksha tree was born bearing fruit which blessed mankind forever. It is the fusion of His tears and Prakriti (Shakti/Nature) that created magic and enigmatic enchantment. The Rudraksha tree bore multi-faceted fruit and different Gods were instructed by Mahadev to bless each facet and bestow the wearer with great Powers. As per Shreemad Devi Bhagvatam Ch. 4 verse 24-26, “Devotion to Rudraksha does not come without reason and you get Rudraksha only if it is in your destiny or good fortune. After several births and that too by getting blessing of Lord Shiva, a person gets desire to wear Rudraksha. This desire comes from within naturally.”
Since time immemorial people from all walks of life, sages, saints, politicians, businessmen have adorned this Jewel of the Gods to empower themselves and reach new heights. It is common knowledge and belief that Rudraksha are powerful and divine However, there were questions on what to wear, how to wear and genuinity of Rudraksha which has been in doubt till Rudralife was founded in 2001 to provide answers to various doubts and becoming the most trusted name in genuine Rudraksha. With its soul mission to eradicate pain and suffering various combinations have been devised by Rudralife after years of research and many people have been benefited from various walks of life. Saraswati Bandh has benefited students; Swasthya Bandh has been beneficial for general health disorders. Industrialists have been benefited by wearing a 14 mukhi Rudraksha which improves the intuitive power and decision making. 12 mukhi representing the Sun is beneficial for senior executives and businessmen for name/fame and administrative growth.
For successful achievers and ambitious people who want to reach the top level, wearing all mukhi Rudraksha is considered auspicious by the great epics. Siddha Mala has Rudraksha beads from 1 to 14 mukhi, Gaurishankar and Ganesh, representing all planets and all Devi/Devtas. Testimonials received from wearers over the years confirm its powers.
Rudralife supplies Rudraksha tested in an ISO 9001:2015 certified Laboratory. In recent times a lot of scientific research has also been carried out on this bead which has proven that Rudraksha beads have electromagnetic properties and they affect the human body when worn on the skin. It is a natural healing bead known since ages for success, self – confidence, growth, blood pressure control, stress/anxiety control, spirituality, marital / family Bliss & material gains.
Inaugurating a two-day anti-terror conference organized by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, emphasized the need to go beyond mere destruction of terrorism, and instead, focus on dismantling its entire ecosystem. The event witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nishith Pramanik, Home Secretary, Director Intelligence Bureau, Director General NIA, and top officials from Union and State governments.
During the conference, Amit Shah presented medals to NIA officials for their exceptional service. In his address, he underscored the significant progress made by both Central and State agencies in suppressing various forms of terrorism over the past nine years under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Shah proposed the establishment of a Model Anti-terrorism Structure under NIA’s jurisdiction, advocating for uniformity in hierarchy, structure, and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) across all anti-terrorism agencies in different states. This move aims to enhance coordination between central and state agencies, ultimately preventing the potential formation of new terrorist entities.
Additionally, Amit Shah urged the NIA, ATS, and STF to broaden their responsibilities beyond mere investigation, encouraging them to think innovatively and employ unconventional strategies in countering terrorism effectively. He emphasized that the fight against terrorism requires a collaborative effort on a global scale, involving various states within the country and international cooperation.
Shah commended the Modi government’s resolute stance on challenges like crypto, hawala, terror-funding, organized crime syndicates, and narco-terror links, which has yielded significant results. However, he acknowledged that there is still much ground to cover. To combat terrorism effectively, he stressed the need for both central and state agencies to adopt vertical and horizontal thinking.
Highlighting the extensive database verticals established by the government in the last five years, Amit Shah urged all agencies to make multidimensional and Artificial Intelligence-based use of the database. He emphasized that this is crucial for success in the fight against terrorism, asserting that the database should be leveraged for investigation, prosecution, prevention, and action.
In conclusion, Amit Shah reinforced that terrorism transcends boundaries, emphasizing that no single state can effectively combat it alone. He called for collective action to eradicate this menace and proposed compiling five actionable points from every session of the two-day conference for submission to the Union Home Ministry.
* Circular benefits a small cartel of HSRP manufacturers
* 25,000 people and their families thrown out of business.
The Notification and Circular issued by Karnataka Transport Government, which makes it mandatory to install High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) on two crore old vehicles registered prior to 1st April 2019, is not only a blatant violation of the existing rules but is also designed to benefit a small cartel of manufacturers of such plates.
The said circular issued by Transport Department violates the Central Motor Vehicle Act and Rules (CMVA and CMVR), which requires the affixation of HSRPs through only the vehicle manufacturer’s dealership network, has thrown out of business of around 25,000 people and their families engaged in selling number plates.
The circular, which was ostensibly issued in support of the provisions in Rule 50 of the CMVR, suffers from several flaws as it is framed to get back door entry of a small cartel of HSRP Manufacturers who has money power as well as political influence and to enable them to make huge profit to the tune of more than 500 Crores.
As per the existing provisions, HSRPs for old vehicles can also be supplied through registering authority, Vehicle Manufacturers (OEM) through their dealers, and original HSRP manufacturers (License Plate Manufacturers) through their dealers. It is clarified in the Rule that only OEMs can supply blank plates to their dealers. It is the responsibility of dealers of OEMs to emboss the number on such blank plates and affix the same on the vehicles. Definitely, dealers of OEMs are responsible for billing to the customer. As per Rule, License Plate Manufacturers cannot supply embossed HSRP directly to the dealers of OEMs. License Plate Manufacturers can supply HSRP in the open market only through their dealers.
But Karnataka Transport Department, by creating ambiguity that they are permitting only OEMs and their dealers to affix HSRP on old vehicles, has given back door permission to four influential HSRP manufacturers for direct supply of HSRP in the open market. Even though the Circular mandate HSRP through OEMs andy their dealers, not even a single OEM is supplying HSRP for old vehicles. Booking, payment collection, billing and supplying are being done by the said cartelized License Plate Manufacturers through their own private portals like bookmyhsrp.com and makemyhsrp.com. They have not appointed a single dealer of them for supplying HSRP for old vehicles, but supplying through dealers of OEMs, which is illegal. Transport Department permits this unjust and illegal action, while there are 23 License Plate Manufacturers who are eligible for supplying HSRP for old vehicles. It is clear from the above that Transport Department issued the circular to exclude all eligible License Plate Manufacturers except the four influential. The circular not only provided back door entry to the four influential HSRP Vendors, but also permitted them to supply HSRP without their dealership. At least livelihood of some of our members would be protected, if the circular mandated dealership of these License Plate Manufacturers, for supplying HSRP for old vehicles. But the State Government deceived 25000 families including us and thrown out our livelihood to protect interest of a small cartel, that too is from outside Karnataka. More than 1,200-crore business is solely gone to these four HSRP manufacturers. Definitely there is a scam behind this. Because these four manufacturers are selling HSRP at an exorbitant price, since all their competitors have been eliminated through the Circular.
Irregularities in Circular – Affecting Kannadiga people
In this Circular, vehicle owners in Karnataka are compelled to purchase the product exclusively from a single vendor. Despite the availability of other approved HSRP manufacturers offering the product at lower prices, Kannadiga vehicle owners are unduly limited by this Circular. This effectively infringes upon their fundamental ‘right to choose’.
Additionally, Kannadiga residents in rural areas face the burden of extensive travel to install HSRPs, as the Circular mandates consumers to visit vehicle dealerships. Due to the restrictions placed on approved vehicle manufacturers offering doorstep HSRP supply, Kannadiga residents are forced to bear the additional expense of traveling to dealerships, often surpassing the actual cost of the HSRPs themselves.
Our humble request to the Government is that they should immediately withdraw the circular, which has already thrown out the livelihood of 25000 people and their families in Karnataka and issue a fresh circular protecting the livelihood of us too. We are sure that Government can easily do this, since there is a rule provision. As per rule, dealers of License Plate Manufacturers (HSRP Vendors) can also supply HSRP for old vehicles. There are 23 License Plate Manufacturers in India. Since we have ample expertise in number plate supplying and affixing, we will definitely be considered by these License Plate Manufacturers for their dealership. Or else, the Government may impose such condition in the fresh circular.
More than 50% of our members have been in the number plate business for the past two three decades. Hence, they are unable to move on to another job at this juncture. If the circular is not withdrawn by the Government, they may end up their life. Even though the Government has no concern about the life of common people, we are responsible for protecting their life. If the Government will not withdraw the circular immediately, we along with our families will be forced to protest against this. In fact, hunger strike will be more convenient to us, as we have no income to feed our families.
Bengaluru, September 12, 2023 – Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Pvt Ltd (MBRDI) today announced the successful completion of its ‘Clean Green Nandi’ project, a five-year initiative aimed at restoring the natural splendour of Nandi Hills, Bengaluru, in addition to helping enhance the livelihoods of the local community.
Initiated in 2018, the project was in response to the heightened tourist footfall at the hills, which led to pressing issues of pollution, soil erosion and deforestation resulting in drying up of life-sustaining rivers and the accumulation of plastic waste in the area. Scientifically approached through a topological survey and a holistic study, MBRDI undertook efforts to restore water bodies, set up waste collection infrastructure, influence visitor behaviour and protect the biodiversity of Nandi Hills. MBRDI’s sustained efforts have resulted in the collection and management of 46,000 Kgs of waste, 85 Lakh litres of pooled water, construction of 11 check dams and a 3% reduction in plastic generation.
“At MBRDI, we integrate sustainability into every facet of our operations. Aligned with the global sustainability agenda of Mercedes-Benz, our endeavours aim to create a positive influence on the lives of local communities and the surrounding environment. The ‘Clean Green Nandi’ project is an exemplary demonstration of our dedication to advancing environmental sustainability and fostering social cohesion,” said Shweta Pandey, Vice President and General Counsel, MBRDI.
Integrating employee volunteering into the project, over 500 MBRDI employees clocked in close to 5,000 volunteering hours conducting tree plantations and clean-up drives, further restoring the natural balance of the hills.
Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods and Preserving Heritage: MBRDI undertook a 45-day training program for local women, teaching them innovative ways to transform uprooted Lantana stems into eco-friendly household products. The project cleared 60 acres of Lantana, an invasive weed that poses a critical threat to biodiversity and empowered women to earn sustainable livelihoods through a Self-Help Group.
In tandem with the ecological efforts, MBRDI also engaged in the conservation and protection of cultural heritage at Nandi Hills. The restoration of the Armory at the hilltop, creation of accessible pathways and the installation of informative boards have enhanced visitor awareness about the historical significance of the location.
In line with global ambitions, sustainability is a crucial driver of business strategy at MBRDI. Corporate Social Responsibility efforts are centred around the pillars of Sustainable Mobility and Environmental Sustainability with a clear focus on creating value that is sustainable – economically, ecologically, and socially.
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