Thursday, August 20, 1998

Delhi rail project cleared
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 — The long-awaited Delhi Metro Rail project was cleared by the Centre last night and work on the first section will commence on October 2, Delhi Transport Minister Rajendra Gupta, said here today.

He said the project was cleared at the inter-ministerial meeting of the Centre on Tuesday night.

Those who attended the meeting include Union Home Minister L.K. Advani, Urban Affairs Minister Ram Jethmalani, Railway Minister Nitesh Kumar, Delhi Lt-Governor Vijai Kapoor and Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma and Mr Rajendra Minister.

The meeting also accepted the Delhi Government’s proposal to integrate the metro rail with the ring rail project.

Mr Sahib Singh Verma said the integration of the MRTs with the ring railway would not disturb the MRTs project. On the other hand, it would supplement and strengthen the railway network in the Capital.

He said the cost of strengthening the rail network would be shared equally between the Urban Development Ministry, the Railway Ministry and the Delhi Government.

The first phase of the project would be between the ISBT and Shahdara, Mr Gupta said.

He said the Delhi Government’s proposal to integrate the ring rail with the metro rail to bring down the cost of the metro rail project by several hundred crores had finally been accepted by the union government. He said the ring rail would now join the metro rail at Shahdara and Daya Basti.

According to Mr Gupta, integrating the existing ring railway network in Delhi with the MRTs would allow a commuter to reach his destination within the quickest possible time through the inter-modal transfer system.

The proposal envisages the strengthening of the network by laying additional tracks and installing improved signalling system. The present signalling system is not computerised.

Work on the underground metro corridor from Central Secretariat to Delhi University would, however, begin in 2000 and would be completed in five years, the transport minister said.

SC saves woman from the gallows

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 (UNI) — The capital punishment awarded for the first time after Independence to a village woman by lower courts, which led to a great hue and cry by the National Commission for Women (NCW), was today commuted by the Supreme Court into life imprisonment.

The court also commuted into life imprisonment the capital sentence awarded by the trial court and confirmed by the Allahabad High Court to three other members of her family.

The sentence was commuted by a three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice M.M. Punchhi, Mr Justice K.T. Thomas and Mr Justice S.S.M. Quadri while partly allowing their appeal against the impugned high court judgement.

The woman convict, 48-year-old Ram Shri, her father Panchhi, her brother Manmohan and her mother Pan Kanwar from a village in Mohoba district of Uttar Pradesh have been charged with murdering four members of a neighbouring family.

The trial court had convicted and awarded death sentence to all of them which was upheld by the high court. The NCW, which also came to appeal in favour of Ram Shri, specially pleaded that since she had a three-year-old child she should be spared of capital punishment.

In its judgement, the court said that as far as the conviction of all the four accused were concerned it must be confirmed. “But as regards the award of capital punishment is concerned, we have considered the pros and cons and we are of the opinion that in spite of the brutality involved in the case, it could not be categorised as the ‘rarest of rare’ cases as laid down by this court in the Bachan Singh’s case.”

The judges said there was no doubt that intense bitterness between the two rival families and the assault on two young women of the appallents’ family just six days before, provoked the brutal murders.

“After pondering over the various aspects of the case we are persuaded to think that the case does not fall under the category of the ‘rarest of rare’ cases. Hence we commute the capital sentence awarded to each of the four accused into life imprisonment,” the judges observed.

Clarify stand on Rent Act notification: HC
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 — The Centre was today asked by the Delhi High Court to clarify within two weeks whether it was going to notify the Delhi Rent Control (Amendment) Act, passed in 1995.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Mahinder Narain and Mr Justice Mukul Mudgal, hearing a bunch of writ petitions in favour and against the notification, asked the standing counsel K.L. Garg to file an affidavit stating the stand of the government on the issue.

The counsel submitted that the government had referred the Act back to Parliament suggesting certain amendments and Parliament had appointed a standing committee comprising MPs from all political parties, to give their opinion.

Since the matter was before Parliament, the government could neither issue the notification at this stage nor could it control the parliamentary procedure to pass the Act as per its will, Mr Garg stated.

The petitioner Mr H.D. Shourie of Common Cause, seeking to notify the Act, said: "The government is subverting democracy by suggesting amendment even before the notification is issued after the President gave his assent to the Bill in 1995."

The counsel for the Delhi Pradesh House Owners’ Association, Mr Pradeep Gupta, contended that as per the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court rulings, the High Court had powers to direct the government to issue notification forthwith.

Most truckers against strike: survey
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19- A majority of the road transporters are not in favour of going on an indefinite strike from August 22, a call for which has been given by the All-India Motor Transport Congress, (AIMTC), a survey at 28 trucking centres, including Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, says.

The AIMTC and its units of unions and associations have given a call for the strike in protest against the proposed hike in the third party motor insurance premium, and the imposition of toll on roads. Their demands also include the abolition of octroi in Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Maharashtra and certain amendments in the Motor Vehicles Act and uniformity in national permit for passenger and goods commercial vehicles.

According to the survey, conducted by the Indian Foundation for Transport Research and Training, 60 per cent of the 1000 transporters contacted in various centres, including Ludhiana, Mandi, Chandigarh, Ambala and Faridabad, were not aware of the strike call and 70 per cent of them did not favour a strike at this juncture.

A majority of those surveyed felt that slow economic activity and consequent reduced availability of cargo was the reason for recession in the road transport business and the Government could not be held responsible for the present crisis.

About 75 per cent of the transporters felt that their leadership should postpone the agitation and publicise the charter of demands among the union members before embarking on an agitational path.

Informal talks between the truckers and the government is already on and the Centre is keen to resolve the problem as it does not want another crisis in the country at this juncture.

The research foundation has also submitted a status report on the transport industry in the country to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

LCA engine testing begins

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 (PTI) — Testing of the indigenous Kaveri engines for the light combat aircraft (LCA), developed by the Bangalore-based Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), began last week at a Russian institute.

The engines will go through a total of three tests, a senior GTRE scientist said.

The tests, carried out at a Russian aerodynamical agency, CIMA, 64 kms from Moscow, would examine the aircraft’s ability to withstand low pressure and temperature conditions found at high altitudes, the GTRE scientist said at a defence exhibition here.

The trial was expected to be completed by the end of this month. The entire test period would take about two years, he said adding that the engines would be ready for use not before 2000.

After the Russian tests, the engines would be finally certified by the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA) in Bangalore.

However, the first two test flights of LCA, which were scheduled for next year, would be carried out with imported General Electric (GE) engines.

The LCA project is being hampered by the US sanctions as scientists have to make the flight control software which they had earlier planned to import, a scientist from the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore, said.

Scientists at the ADA and the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), also in Bangalore, are currently busy developing the software.

Apart from fly-by-wire software, LCA components like actuators for controlling the turning of the flight and probes for measuring various wind parameters have to be made indigenously.

Goa CM gets 3 more weeks
to prove majority

PANAJI, Aug 19 (PTI) — Goa Governor J. F. R. Jacob has asked the Chief Minister, Dr Wilfred Desouza to prove his majority by September 9 on the floor of the state Legislative Assembly.

Mr Desouza told mediapersons here today that three more weeks’ time given to him to prove his majority was in response to a letter written by him to the governor yesterday.

The Chief Minister said yesterday that he had sought the extension of time in view of certain observations made by the Goa Bench of Mumbai High Court while granting stay on the operation of the assembly speaker’s order of disqualification against Mr Desouza and nine other Goa Rajiv Congress Party (GRCP) MLAs under anti-defection law.

The court yesterday dismissed the petition of former Chief Minister Pratap Singh Rane, challenging validity of the Governor’s order dismissing his government and passed an interim order on another petition by the GRCP granting stay on the operation of the Speaker Tomazinho Cardozo’s order of disqualification.

The Governor had earlier given 21 days to Mr Desouza to prove his majority on the floor of the House when the latter was sworn as Chief Minister on July 29 last.

Dismiss Rabri govt, JD urges President
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 — A delegation of Janata Dal leaders today met President K.R. Narayanan and demanded immediate dismissal of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar, alleging the state government’s failure on all fronts.

The nine-member delegation of the party, which was led by party president Sharad Yadav, demanded a high-level inquiry headed by a sitting high court judge into the recent police firing on Janata Dal activists at Sitamarhi in which five persons, including veteran socialist leader Ramcharitra Rai, were killed.

Later, talking to mediapersons outside Rashtrapati Bhavan, senior party leader and former Railway Minister Ram Bilas Paswan said the delegation demanded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured.

The leaders also demanded an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of the central fund provided under the flood protection projects and other welfare programmes in the state.

Mr Paswan said the President assured the delegation that he would talk to Central Government about the complaints.

Other members of the delegation were Mr Sukhdev Paswan, Mr Naval Kishore Rai, Mr Devendra Prasad Yadav, Dr Bapu Kaldate, Mr Mohan Prakash, Mr Javed Raza and Mr Shakeel Ahmed.

Sonia ‘only’ candidate for
prime ministership

MUMBAI, Aug 19 (PTI) — The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) today said that Ms Sonia Gandhi was the "only candidate for prime ministership" in any alternative Congress-led government in the event of the Vajpayee government falling due to internal pulls and pressures.

"Let me make it very clear. There is only one candidate for prime ministership. Whether Ms Sonia accepts it or not is a different question but Youth Congress workers aspire that if a government is formed by our party, she should head it", IYC president Manish Tewary said apparently countering senior Congress leader Sharad Pawar’s recent statement that the leadership issue was open.

Mr Tewary said Ms Sonia took over the reins of the Congress last year when it had become a laughing stock and was on the verge of disintegration. "She stopped the exodus from the party and has provided mature leadership for the past eight months", he said.

He said the Youth Congress would explore the possibility of filing a public interest petition within four days in support of the AIADMK leader, Ms Jayalalitha’s demand for a CBI probe into the allegations that bribes were paid for the transfer of Enforcement Director M.K. Bezbaruah.

Notice to govt on Gill’s term

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the government on a public interest petition seeking the quashing of S.S. Gill's appointment as executive member in Prasar Bharati Board allegedly done in violation of rules.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice C.K. Mahajan also issued notice to Mr Gill when Additional Solicitor General Mr Madan Lokar contended that the issues raised in the petition were of serious nature and required consultation with the government.

The petitioner contended that though the rules governing the Prasar Bharati Board said no person above the age of 62 could be appointed on the board, in the case of Mr Gill, who is around 72, the rule was stretched.

The Bench asked the government and other respondent to file their replies by September 16, the next date of hearing.

Before issuing the notice, the Bench asked the petitioner's counsel Mr Amit Sharma whether the court had the authority to question the ordinance creating the board.

Mr Sharma said the court was competent to hear the constitutional validity of issuance of an ordinance, which should be issued in extraordinary circumstances and not as a general policy.

Seeking declaration of the rule that allowed Mr Gill to continue as unconstitutional, the petitioner said the ordinance removed the age limit for executive member, this was not done for other two permanent members.

The petitioner said there was no rationale for the amendment as it was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution fixing superannuation age of 60 years to one set of employees, while in the case of Mr Gill, it was stretched by 18 years up to the age of 78 years.

Mr Gill, if allowed to continue for his full tenure as Chief Executive of the board would retire only at the age of 78, the petition said.

"Such a classification is arbitrary and unreasonable. This is more so when the parent Act took the constitutional propriety into account while prescribing the age of retirement of the executive member as 62 years," petitioner contended.

It further said in the case of all high officials, including the judges of the Supreme Court, the High Courts, Comptroller and Auditor General, Chief Election commissioner, RBI Governor, chairman, Public Service Commission and SEBI, the age limit did not exceed beyond 65 years.

"The maximum age for superannuation of the executive member of the board, who is also a full time employee of the government, cannot, therefore exceed 65 years," it said.

Questioning the intention of the then government behind bringing the ordinance, the petitioner said, "it was promulgated with the sole purpose of accommodating Mr Gill,"

After the lapse of the ordinance, he could not be allowed to continue in the office in the absence of any provision of law, the petitioner claimed.

Nrityagram hopes Protima will return

BANGALORE, Aug 19 (PTI) — Inmates of Nrityagram here are praying for the safe return of their Guru Protima Gauri Bedi, feared killed in yesterday’s landslide in Pithoragarh district of Uttar Pradesh.

It was a gloomy scene at the sprawling dance village that Protima founded at Hesaraghtta on the city’s outskirts.

The managing trustee of Nrityagram, Lynn Fernandes, could not hide her agony while talking to PTI and said in a choked voice, “We are still waiting for the information.”

Yamuna still above danger mark
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 — The Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark for the second day on Wednesday.

The river, which crossed the danger mark of 204.83 metre yesterday, receded from its earlier high level this morning. Flood control officials said the water though still above the danger mark was expected to go down further.

All Navy branches for women
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 — The induction of women as Short Service Commission officers into all branches of the Navy was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security today.

This implies that from now on women officers in the Navy will also be stationed on warships.

So far women were eligible for induction only into the support branches of the Navy, including the education branch, logistics, law and air traffic control.

With today’s decision, women officers can now be inducted into the engineering and electrical branches as well as various other cadres of the executive branch.

At present there are 93 women officers in the Navy.

NHRC asks Bihar to pay Rs 10 lakh

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 (UNI) — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Bihar Government to pay Rs 10 lakh as immediate interim relief to the widow of a Ranchi-based businessman, who was shot dead by the police.Sources in the NHRC said on Wednesday that rejecting the state government’s stand that the compensation need not be paid as the accused had been convicted, the commission observed that the plea was wholly untenable and asked it to pay interim relief to Ms Rita Dhawan, widow of the victim, Rajesh Dhawan, within one month.According to the Bihar government, since the accused persons had already been convicted. There was no justification in paying any interim relief and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh would cause unnecessary financial burden on the state government.

Cong team seeks Army
exercises in Chamba
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 19 — A Congress delegation led by Leader of the Opposition Sharad Pawar and Ms Chandresh Kumari, MP from Himachal Pradesh, today called on the Union Home Minister, Mr Lal Krishna Advani, over the killings in Chamba district.

The delegation expressed concern over the recurrence of attack by suspected militants yesterday, the second this month, and the inability to check the growth of militancy in the neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation demanded beefing up of security in the area and also exercises by the Army to instil confidence in the people of the area, Mrs Kumari said.

The Himachal Pradesh MP said the issue had become serious and she would be submitting a detailed note to the Home Minister on the matter shortly.

The Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, had sent a delegation to Chamba district soon after the first incident headed by Mr Pawar. The team comprised Mrs Kumari, HPCC— Sat Mahajan and Mrs Vidya Stokes.

Mamata demands ADMK's ouster

CALCUTTA, Aug 19 (PTI) — Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee tonight demanded immediate ouster of the AIADMK from the BJP-led coalition at the Centre.

Demanding that a meeting of the coordination committee of the BJP and its allies be convened immediately to oust the AIADMK, Ms Banerjee told mediapersons that the exit of the AIADMK would not lead to the fall of the Vajpayee government.

"Matters cannot be allowed to run like this", she said.

Welcoming the statement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that the BJP-led government should be allowed to complete its term, the Trinamool leader said he should be invited to the next coordination committee meeting.

Ms Banerjee said the BJP was "always busy pampering Jayalalitha." How would the government work, she asked.

She also said it would not be appropriate to expand the Union Cabinet at this juncture.

Top hotel executive held

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a top hotel company executive for allegedly violating the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) in a foreign transaction of over Rs 1 crore. Five Star Holidays (P) Limited director Gorle Ramakrishna, who was on Tuesday sent in judicial custody by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, was accused of violating FERA provisions in respect of two payments. — PTI

Student raped, set ablaze

MADURAI: In a gruesome incident, a 13-year-old school girl was allegedly raped and then set ablaze by her neighbour, a 14-year-old boy, when she was alone in her house here, the police said on Tuesday. The girl, a Class VIII student, died at the Government Rajaji Hospital on Tuesday without responding to treatment. Before she died, the girl told her mother that the boy had raped her and set her ablaze after tying her to a pillar. — PTI

Warrant against Vivek Goenka
KOTA (Rajasthan): A court here has issued arrest warrants against Editorial Adviser of Jansatta newspaper of New Delhi, Prabhash Joshi, Managing Editor Vivek Goenka and local reporter Purushottam Pancholi for not presenting themselves before the court. No legal representative appeared in the court on behalf of the three on Monday because of the ongoing lawyers’ strike. A case of defamation had been filed against the three by a resident of the city in 1992.— PTI

Nod for screening ‘Swami Vivekananda’
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court cleared the public screening of ‘Swami Vivekananda’ after the producer and director of the film agreed to certain cuts and addition of a clip stating that the movie was the dramatised version of the life of Swami Vivekananda. Mr Justice Anil Dev Singh in a recent order disposed of the petition filed by the Vivekananda Welfare Society, questioning certain portions of the movie, after producer T. Subbaramai Reddy and director G.V. Iyer struck an agreement with the society. — UNI

Life term for 8 in rape case
GAYA: Eight persons were on Tuesday sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by a local court in connection with the rape of three Dalit women last year. First Additional District and Sessions Judge of Gaya, Rana Abhay Singh, convicted the eight for the rape of three Dalit women at Nima village on March 19 last year. — PTI