Chhattisgarh gets new chief justice
Justice PR Ramachandra Menon took oath as the 13th Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court at Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in Raipur. Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy. Being the senior-most judge from the Kerala High Court, he was functioning there since his elevation as a judge in 2009. After taking the oath, the chief justice said that his priority will be to attend to cases pending for over five years and those in which the accused are in custody. Justice Menon obtained his law degree from the Government Law College, Ernakulam.
PSC question on Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed
The state Public Service Commission (PSC), in one of its examinations conducted for the selection of Chief Municipal Officer, asked a question on Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba head Hafiz Saeed. The students were surprised by the question and questioned if they should be included in the question paper in competitive exams. However, the PSC officials said that the question papers are set by experts and they have no knowledge about it. Many candidates, nevertheless, argued that every Indian must be familiar with the current affairs.
Urban forest in and around Raipur
With development on the fast rack and population on the rise, an urban forest in and around Raipur, the capital city, is the need of the hour, feel activists and residents. And sensing the same, the state forest department is in the process of putting together an action plan and guidelines for developing an urban forest retreat in and around Raipur city to ensure ecological balance. The focus, said government sources, would be on ensuring joint forest management, plantation along riverside, more water bodies and extending the state’s green cover.
37 cops recognised for commendable service
DGP D M Awasthi rewarded 37 police officers and personnel for their commendable work while performing their duties across the state. The recognition was given for conducting peaceful Lok Sabha polls, tackling crime, ensuring foolproof security during VIP visits during elections and in anti-Maoist campaigns. Among those recognised for their efforts included Raipur IG Anand Chabra, DIG (SIB-Naxal) P Sunderraj and DIG Ajay Yadav (intelligence-security). The officers who received appreciation said that their profession faces new challenges with every passing year even as handling tough and critical roles are part of their work. “Every police personnel is important for the state police chief,” the DGP said.