tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Wednesday, December 23, 1998
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Karnataka staff call off stir
BANGALORE, Dec 22 (PTI) — Karnataka Government employees today called off their two-day-old indefinite strike following an assurance by Chief Minister J.H. Patel to implement the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations. Karnataka State Government Employees Association President Sippegowda told reporters after talks with Mr Patel that the employees, who were demanding pay parity with central employees, would resume duty from tomorrow. The government, he said, had agreed to implement the recommendations with effect from December 1, 1997.

Speaker suspends MLA
BHUBANESWAR, Dec 22 (UNI) — Orissa Assembly Speaker Chintamani Dyan Samantra today suspended Biju Janata Dal MLA Balabhadra Majhi from the House for seven days for unruly behaviour during the zero hour. Mr Majhi, MLA from Narla assembly constituency in Kalahandi district, today created a scene inside the well when his attention to raise a point of order was not conceded by the Speaker.

No-trust move
PONDICHERRY, Dec 22 (PTI) — The R.V. Janakiraman ministry in Pondicherry today won a vote of confidence after the entire Opposition was evicted from the Assembly for obstructing the proceedings during the one-day winter session. In a sudden move that took the Opposition by surprise, the DMK-led coalition government tabled a confidence motion soon after the House began the proceedings, apparently to pre-empt the Congress plans for a non-confidence motion.

Operations intensified
CHENNAI, Dec 22 (PTI) — The Special Task Force (STF), set up to nab the elusive sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, has intensified operations after the Tamil Nadu Government strengthened the force following the bandit's attack on a police station in Erode district on Sunday. The government had deputed three more Superintendents of Police and 250 police personnel to strengthen the combing operations, State Home Secretary R. Poornalingam told reporters here today.

13 die in road mishap
DHAKA, Dec 22 (PTI) — Thirteen persons, including four women, were killed and 40 injured when a passenger bus collided head-on with a truck near Chuddagram in Comilla district on Dhaka-Chittagong highway today, the police said. The Chittagong bound bus plunged in a roadside ditch following the impact of the collision killing seven persons on the spot.

Commodities Act
NEW DELHI, Dec 22 (PTI) — The Union Cabinet tonight discussed the issue of amendments to the Essential Commodities Act to tighten provisions against hoarders and blackmarketeers in the wake of recent skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. Sources said that the government might come forward with an ordinance after the winter session of Parliament which concludes tomorrow. The government had promised to enact legislation providing for deterrent punishment to hoarders and blackmarketeers.

Airport closed
MUMBAI, Dec 22 (PTI) — More than 1,000 Delhi-bound passengers were stranded at Mumbai airport late tonight following the closure of Delhi Airport shortly before 2000 hours. The Indian Airlines Bangkok-Delhi flight via Calcutta with the victorious Indian hockey team on board, as well as the Pune-Delhi, Sharjah-Amritsar-Delhi flights also landed at Mumbai Airport tonight. Two Delhi-bound flights were also held up as the airport was closed at 1945 hours, according to an airlines spokesman.