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NGT Forms Panel to Investigate Illegal Sand Mining in Rushikulya

CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a joint investigation into claims of illegal sand mining and environmental violations at a sand quarry along the Rushikulya River in Ganjam district, directing key state authorities and regulatory bodies to respond. The NGT’s east zone bench issued the order during a hearing on a petition submitted by Tuna Das and Rajani Kanta Padhy on May 26, which highlighted significant irregularities in mining activities at the Bhimpur sand bed covering 10.425 acres in Purushottampur tehsil. The decision was published online on Monday. The petitioners requested the cancellation of environmental clearances and operating…

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Chandigarh Property Tax Defaulters to Receive Recovery Notices Soon

CHANDIGARH: Property tax defaulters in the city should brace themselves for recovery notices, including penalties and interest, expected to be dispatched by the end of this month or early next month, as the civic body initiates the compilation of defaulter lists. Individuals who have not paid their property tax within the designated two-month period will incur a 25% penalty, plus 12% interest on the total tax amount. As the tax branch finalizes the data on taxpayers, sources indicate that there will be a prioritized focus on collecting dues from defaulters. Separate lists for residential and commercial defaulters will be generated,…

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SC Forms Expert Panel on Aravalis Amid Independence Concerns

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has commissioned a five-member high-powered committee to redefine the boundaries of the ‘Aravali hills and ranges,’ after discarding the contentious 100-meter height criterion previously accepted by the court. A bench consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi stated that the Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will serve as the ex-officio chairperson. Other committee members will include former Director General of the Forest Survey of India (FSI) Subhash Ashutosh, ex-Director of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) Rajendra K. Sharma, former joint…

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ED Arrests Earth Infrastructures’ Promoters in ₹2,004 Crore Fraud

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has apprehended four promoters of a real estate company as part of a money laundering investigation linked to a reported Rs 2,004-crore scam that has impacted over 19,000 homebuyers and investors. The individuals involved–Avdhesh Kumar Goel, Rajnish Mittal, Atul Gupta, and Vikas Gupta–are directors of Earth Infrastructures Ltd. They were taken into custody on June 1 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), according to an official announcement made on Tuesday. The accused were presented before a specialized PMLA court in Delhi, which granted the agency five days for further interrogation. The federal…

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NGT Forms Panel to Investigate Illegal Brick Kilns in Balasore

CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated a joint investigation into reports of illegal brick kiln activities and unauthorized clay mining in the Balasore district. A multi-agency panel will be tasked with verifying the claims and suggesting corrective actions. This decision was made during NGT’s east zone hearing of a petition by Rajanikanta Jena, a resident of Ambakuduchi in the Basta tehsil. In the petition, Jena claimed that the illegal clay extraction for the kiln was resulting in environmental pollution, negatively impacting the health and daily lives of local residents. He sought the demolition of the kiln, confiscation of…

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Uttarakhand HC Extends Stay on Haldwani Property Demolitions

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand High Court has extended its interim stay on the demolition of private properties in Haldwani, where a road-widening and urban beautification initiative is underway. A division bench composed of Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay has scheduled the next hearing for June 4. The petitioners, including Hotel Ok and Hotel Happy Home, argued that the road-widening work is being conducted on the route between Mangal Padav and the Haldwani roadways bus station. They claimed that demolition notices were given with insufficient notice, breaching standard procedures. According to the petitions, the affected parties have operated…

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Chandigarh Civic Body Collects ₹61 Crore in Property Tax Rebate

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh municipal corporation has achieved a record collection of ₹61 crore in property tax during the two-month rebate period from April to May, marking the highest amount collected in this timeframe. The rebate scheme concluded on May 31. Taxpayers who failed to meet the deadline will incur a 25% penalty in addition to 12% interest on the outstanding amount. Out of the total collection, ₹37.21 crore originated from commercial properties, while residential units contributed ₹23.79 crore, according to municipal records. This represents an increase from the previous year’s collection of ₹59.94 crore in the same period. Of approximately…

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Property for daughter without gift deed isn’t unexplained: ITAT

MUMBAI: The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) Mumbai bench has ruled that not having a formal gift deed does not automatically classify a property purchase as an ‘unexplained investment’ if the funding sources are clearly identifiable. Under tax laws, unexplained income or assets incur a harsh punitive tax rate. The ITAT stated in its May 27 ruling that a property’s purchase by a father in his daughter’s name, motivated by familial love and affection, should not be deemed questionable simply due to the absence of formal documentation. The daughter, a homemaker in Mumbai without a personal income, came under scrutiny…

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SC probes Jaipur body over delay in commercial use in homes

JAIPUR: The Supreme Court has expressed strong disapproval towards the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) for neglecting its directives concerning commercial entities in residential zones of Jaipur. The court noted that the JDA did not appear during proceedings nor submit an affidavit outlining actions taken after conducting necessary surveys, despite ongoing complaints from residents about significant violations. A bench consisting of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan acknowledged that amicus curiae Ajit Kumar Sinha pointed out the JDA’s absence from the hearings. This lapse was deemed serious, especially as it pertains to the enforcement of town planning regulations and the…

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SC urges Karnataka HC to swiftly resolve ED-Empire East dispute

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has urged the Karnataka High Court to quickly resolve ongoing petitions involving Embassy East Business Park Pvt Ltd, while choosing not to intervene in an interim order currently in effect from the High Court. A Bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Augustine George Masih issued this directive while addressing a Special Leave Petition presented by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to an interim order concerning Embassy East Business Park Pvt. Ltd. and others. The Bench remarked that the criminal petition and associated matters are already scheduled for hearing before the Karnataka High Court…