A key RSS ideologue and former BJP Rajya Sabha member Balvant alias Bal Apte died here on Tuesday, losing his 12-day battle for life.
Apte, 73, is survived by his wife and a daughter.
“Apte was admitted to our hospital on July 6 for a respiratory disorder. He died of chronic lung disease around 3 pm on Tuesday,” medical director of Hinduja Hospital Gustad Davar told PTI.
Apte, a prominent face of the Sangh in BJP, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra twice in 2000 and 2006. He was denied party nomination earlier this year and replaced by Ajay Sancheti, considered close to BJP president Nitin Gadkari.
He was BJP vice-president during 2002-2010 and was also a member of the party’s Central Parliamentary Board. BJP’s Tarun Vijay described him as an ideal RSS swyamsewak.
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Farmers disrupt hearing on Haryana nuke plant
Rashme Sehgal
New Delhi, July 17
Farmers agitating against the setting up of the Gorakhpur Nuclear Plant in the Fatehabad district of Haryana disrupted the public hearings that are mandatory for the granting of environmental clearance prior to the setting up of the plant.
The hearings, held under the aegis of the Haryana Pollution Control Board, had officials of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and district administrative officials of the Haryana state government who tried to assure farmers living within a radius of 20 km of the plant of their complete safety but the agitating farmers remained unconvinced.
NPCIL officials further pointed out that the 2000 MW plant would not only generate electricity within a span of four years but would also provide employment to local people.
Mr Banwari Lal Sharma, heading the Azadi Bachao Andolan, pointed out that although their agitation was more than 700 days old, the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report which should have been given to the local people one month before the public hearing in their own language (Hindi) was given to some panchayats only on July 16.
“Six panchayats in Fatehabad district are still to receive their copies,” said Mr B.L. Sharma.