Monday, September 21, 1998
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Advani: India will defeat
Pak designs MUMBAI, Sept 20 — Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today said that the situation in the strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir was fast moving towards normalcy and expressed confidence that the Centre would defeat Pakistan’s designs in the state. India may face pressure at UN Assembly session NEW DELHI, Sept 20 — India is likely to come under intense pressure at next week’s UN General Assembly session from Western countries for undertaking the Pokhran nuclear tests. |
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‘No
pensionary benefits for sacked personnel’ Heavy
rain lashes Delhi Mustard
oil case: 60 granted bail HC
notice to CBI on Sukh Ram’s plea BSP
to go it alone in UP Electronic
meters to check power theft |
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Advani: India will defeat Pak designs MUMBAI, Sept 20 (UNI) — Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today said that the situation in the strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir was fast moving towards normalcy and expressed confidence that the Centre would defeat Pakistan’s designs in the state within a reasonable period of time. Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in south Mumbai on his first visit to the city as Union Home Minister, Mr Advani said tackling insurgency in Kashmir was one of the prime challenges on the national security front before the BJP-led coalition government. The government had achieved remarkable success in tackling the problem, he added. As Home Minister, he said, he had been regularly discussing the situation in the state with Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Defence Minister George Fernandes. During meetings, more emphasis was laid on quelling militancy in the state and tightening arrangements on the border to see that infiltration by Pakistan under the cover of artillery fire, was combated effectively. He said considerable success had been achieved in the past four months in identifying terrorist groups and raids on ISI networks had resulted in the seizure of 2 kg of cyanide, besides AK-47 rifles and RDX. "I am not claiming
that the situation in Kashmir is normal. However, there
are indices of rapid movement towards normalcy. It is
difficult to set a specific time frame for normalcy to be
restored in the state. There is cynicism and despair from
various quarters that the situation cannot be improved.
But, these six months have convinced us that we will
overcome the challenges,’’ he said. |
India may face pressure at UN Assembly session NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (PTI) — India is likely to come under intense pressure at next week’s UN General Assembly session from Western countries for undertaking the Pokhran nuclear tests and face an uphill task in deflecting any strong reference being made on Jammu and Kashmir by the world body. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who leaves for New York on Tuesday, will have to face some tough negotiations on both issues as the USA and its allies have shown no signs of relenting in their strong criticism of the May 11 and 13 tests nor given any indication of lifting economic sanctions against India. Mr Vajpayee, a popular figure at the UN, will have to display his best diplomatic skills in garnering support of member states by explaining the security concerns that prompted India to carry out the tests. Officials said the Indian side was in for hard bargaining in the backdrop of the condemnation of the tests by the five nuclear weapon states (P-5) and the group of eight industrialised nations (G-8). This was followed by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan describing the tests conducted by India and Pakistan as "highly disturbing." Not unused to turning the tide when faced with difficult circumstances, Mr Vajpayee might attempt to counter the onslaught by firmly reminding the international nuclear regime of the double standards being adopted by them on technology transfer and disarmament. The officials said the outcome of the next round of the Indo-US talks next week between Prime Minister’s special emissary Jaswant Singh and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott will have a significant bearing on the tenor of any resolution on the issue. While details of the four rounds of parleys and an unscheduled fifth meeting between Mr Jaswant Singh and Mr Talbott had not been made public, officials here did not rule out the possibility of India coming out with a new formulation on the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) issue. Mr Jaswant Singh left for Washington today for the talks with Mr Talbott. A meeting between US
President Bill Clinton and Mr Vajpayee in New York was
unlikely as the American leader would leave a day before
his arrival. |
Ignore Kashmir at UN: Gujral NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (PTI) — Former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral today advised Atal Behari Vajpayee to ignore any reference to Jammu and Kashmir at the forthcoming UN General Assembly session rather than make an issue of it and attract attention. “Mentioning of a name does not internationalise an issue. It cannot happen unless it is put on some international table for discussion and decision,” Mr Gujral said in a television programme to be broadcast on DD Metro channel on Monday night. Mr Gujral suggested to Mr Vajpayee to stick to the so-called “Gujral doctrine” while handling relations with Pakistan. Relationships with Pakistan have been carefully worked on for the past two years, he said. Striking a similar vein, former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh advised Mr Vajpayee to “lower the temperature, don’t over-react, put across your point of view politely in a balanced manner and talk to people before hand”. He said India would find the going difficult at the UN because of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s reference to J and K in his report. Mr Annan had sought to equate Kashmir with the stalemated peace process in Cyprus and spoken about “rising tensions” between India and Pakistan. Stating that Pakistan will raise the Kashmir issue in every committee, Mr Natwar Singh said “I think we should keep our cool, react in a dignified manner and there should be no panic of any kind whatsoever”, according to excerpts of their remarks made available by the programme co-ordinator in a press release. Mr Singh said South African President Nelson Mandela was also going to New York as NAM Chairman and could mention Kashmir as he did at the Durban summit. Mr Gujral said: “One can have one’s views. It was my policy right through the years. I was looking after foreign policy never to respond to such statements. Even at the UN last year, the Prime Minister of Pakistan spent half his speech talking about India. I did not mention the world Pakistan I think I got away better”. Participating in the programme, Food, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister S.S. Barnala said details of Mr Vajpayee’s proposed discussions with his Pakistani counterpart were not discussed in the Cabinet. “No, the details are not discussed, only the mention is made sometimes that we are going to have discussions”. Asked if this meant that the Cabinet was not aware of the exact nature of what Mr Vajpayee might say to Mr Sharif, he said “no, it is not known to the government and not known to the Cabinet. Mr Barnala indicated that India would voice its protest if attempts were made to internationalise the Kashmir issue. “This is a bilateral issue. It should not be internationalised”, he said. Mr Gujral recalled that when he had met Mr Sharif in Male last year, the two sides had agreed to discuss all eight contentious issues, including Kashmir. “It was later that they changed their mind. For instance, my last meeting with Mr Sharif was in January this year. Both of us again jointly reiterated this and we instructed our Foreign Secretaries in the presence of media that all eight subjects will be discussed simultaneously at the same venue at the same time”, he said. Both Mr Gujral and Mr
Singh maintained that the primary issue was nurturing
relations and not individual issues. |
WWF to send team to Kaziranga NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (UNI) — The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) is sending a fact-finding team to the Kaziranga National Park where recent floods have claimed the lives of hundreds of wild animals, including more than 300 hog deer and 31 rhinos, a spokesman of the WWF (India) said today. The fact finding mission, which will look into the root causes of the calamity and explore ways to prevent such tragedies in future, will be sent once the floods recede. The 430 sq km park is at present under more than 15-foot-deep water caused by the floods, the worst during the past nearly two decades. The spokesman said 31 rhinos, 300 hog deer, four elephants, 15 wild buffaloes, 13 wild boars, seven swamp deer, four sambher and one bear were drowned in the floods which was at its worst between September 4 and 7. However, several animals, including a rhino calf and several hog deer, were rescued by the park staff. The WWF headquarters at Geneva had also sent communication equipment, night-vision binoculars and a small truck as well as money to buy boats to augment the first fleet of 30 already in use. It was also providing a tranquiliser gun to sedate marooned animals so that they could be moved to safety. The spokesman said the government, particularly the Environment Ministry, should take up the matter very seriously considering the magnitude of the destruction caused and funds should be released from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for relief operations and take measures to prevent recurrence of such “national calamities.” The spokesman said a WWF special representative in Guwahati, Dr A.K. Goswami, had recently been sent to Kaziranga for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and he had given a “fairly good account” of the large scale damage caused. The floods had inundated the man-made highlands. Officials had told UNI in Agartala that it was risky to go to highlands as the animals, who had survived the floods, were hungry and attacked anybody who went there. The animals had not eaten for days. The officials admitted that it was too early to ascertain the damage and an estimate could only be made once flood waters receded. Reports from Kaziranga
said the damage to the park was so great that the
possibilities of its opening this year were remote. |
‘No pensionary benefits for sacked personnel’ NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (PTI) — In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has held that if a non-commissioned Army personnel was dismissed under Army Act, he would not be entitled to pensionary benefits. Setting aside a Delhi High Court order, a three-judge Bench comprising Mr Justice S. P Bharucha, Mr Justice G. T. Nanavati and Mr Justice B. N. Kirpal said: “In the case of non-commissioned officers, other ranks and non-combatants (enrolled), the dismissal of such a person under the Army Act would render him ineligible for pension or gratuity.” “The President, however, has the right, in the case of a person dismissed under the provisions of the Army Act but in exceptional circumstances, and at his discretion to grant service pension at a rate not exceeding that for which the individual concerned would have otherwise qualified had he been discharged on the same day,” the Bench said. Under the Army Act, for a person to be eligible for the grant of pension or gratuity, it is imperative that he should not have been dismissed from service, the Bench ruled and added “dismissal under the provisions of the Act is, therefore, a disqualification for getting pension or gratuity.” Section 113 of the Army Act says that while persons discharged would be eligible for pension and gratuity, those dismissed would not be entitled for the same benefits. The case pertained to Sub Ram Narain who was enrolled in the Army on March 17, 1962, and was promoted to the rank of Subedar Major with effect from March 1, 1984. While he was serving with 75 Medium Regiment, he was kept in close arrest with effect from November 17, 1988 and was then court-martialled under the Army Act for using criminal force against his superior in a state of intoxication while on duty. The general court martial found Ram Narain guilty and he was dismissed from service on August 1, 1989. The Delhi High Court, allowing Ram Narain’s petition, ruled that as the general court martial had not passed any order depriving him of pensionary benefits, he was entitled to receive the same notwithstanding his dismissal from service. The court rejected an argument of the dismissed personnel that the Army Act was discriminatory as pension was part and parcel of the property of the person concerned and it could not be taken away. The Bench said: “We
see no merit in the said contention. Pension is granted
by the rules and regulations which can and do provide for
the circumstances which would make a person ineligible to
receive the same. Dismissal makes a junior commissioned
officer dis-entitled to receive pension or
gratuity.” |
Heavy rain lashes Delhi NEW DELHI, Sept 20 — Heavy rain lashed the Capital today, leaving several areas water-logged and vehicles stranded on roads. Over 103 mm of rainfall was recorded till this evening, the Met office said, adding that this was the highest amount of rainfall Delhi had received this month. Terming today’s rainfall as “unusual”, the Met office said the “heavy” rainfall experienced by the Capital was not a normal phenomenon witnessed during this part of the year. The rainfall occurred in most parts of the North as a result of western disturbance over North Pakistan and adjoining areas of Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, the Met office said. The highest rainfall recorded for September was 176.5 mm in 1904, the Met office said, adding that today’s rainfall was one of the highest recorded over the years. The temperatures dipped considerably due to the humid and moist conditions prevailing during the day time. The maximum temperature recorded was 29°C, six degree below normal. With the monsoon in its
fag end, the thundershowers have puzzled many as to
whether it is due to the El Nino phenomenon, which has
been affecting the weather pattern around the world. |
Mustard oil case: 60 granted bail New Delhi, Sept 20 — A Delhi Court has granted interim bail to about 60 businessmen accused of adulterating mustard oil, consumption of which claimed several lives in the Capital. Additional Sessions Judge Sharda Aggarwal has granted bail to the accused till the receipt of final reports of their oil samples from the Central Food Laboratory (CFL), Calcutta. The interim bail was granted to the accused when they moved the court against non-bailable warrants (NBWs) issued against them by the designated Food Adulteration Prevention Court, while seeking directions that their oil samples should be sent to the CFL. Forty others against whom NBWs have been issued by the designated court will also be granted interim bail as a "matter of right", the prosecution counsel M.K. Sharma said. According to the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, an accused has a right to dispute findings of the local Health Authority, which filed the complaints against them after getting the samples tested in local laboratories and seek direction to get their samples tested by the CFL. The Act also provides that no proceedings shall continue against the accused till the final report reaches the court and if any adulteration is found out in it, the court may send the accused to custody. The Centre has asked the
state governments to lift the blanket ban on the sale of
mustard oil after satisfying themselves about the safety
of the edible oil through tests. |
HC notice to CBI on Sukh Ram’s plea NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (UNI) — The Delhi High Court has issued a show-cause notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a petition filed by former Communications Minister Sukh Ram, seeking quashing of the charges framed against him for allegedly extending Rs 1.68 crore benefit to a private firm in the purchase of certain DoT equipment. Justice D.K. Jain, in a recent order, directed the CBI to reply to the notice by October 8, the next date of hearing in the matter. Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke had framed charges against Mr Sukh Ram for entering into a criminal conspiracy between April and December, 1993, with co-accused P. Rama Rao and Ms Runu Ghosh to benefit Rao’s firm M/s Advance Radio Masts Ltd (ARML) in the purchase of 2/15 multi-access rural radio (MARR) system crystal versions, required for extending telecommunications to rural areas of the country. The judge had in his order of framing of charges also said that Ms Runu Ghosh had written several favourable notes to promote the interests of ARML. The charges were framed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He charged the former minister of obtaining the amount for himself or for the co-accused persons. The criminal revision
petition of Mr Sukh Ram said the petitioner was innocent
and had been falsely implicated in the case because of
“political vendetta”. |
BSP to go it alone in UP LUCKNOW, Sept 20 (PTI) — The BSP said today it would have no truck with any party in the forthcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. "We have learnt lessons after two experiments of forging alliance in UP and now we will go all alone in the coming assembly elections and play a crucial role in government formation in the three states’’, BSP President Kanshi Ram said while addressing a massive rally at the Historic Hazrat Mahal park here. "We are an alliance in ourselves with as many as 600 different castes forming the Bahujan Samaj in the country’’, he said. The BSP supremo made a fervent appeal to the Muslims to come and support the BSP and ensure the party's victory in these states. Speaking at the rally, former UP Chief Minister and BSP’s national Vice-President Mayawati also ruled out an alliance with any political party in the state in the event of mid-term assembly elections which she claimed were not far away. "We have already
started identifying the candidates who will be given the
ticket on merit only after being duly recommended by the
assembly constituency committees set up for the
purpose’’, she said. |
Electronic meters to check power theft NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (PTI) — In a bid to check power theft in the city, the Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) plans to gradually phase out old power meters and install tamper-proof electronic meters, DVB chairman Virendra Singh said today. The board also had an ambitious plan to issue self-assessment cards wherein domestic consumers could themselves take a metre reading and deposit the amount in specified banks, he told PTI. “We want to take care of frequent complaints about the board sending hiked-up electricity bills,” said Mr Singh who recently took over as chairman of the DVB, which has come under tremendous criticism for the bleak power scenario during one of the hottest summers of the century. About the electronic meters, he said, for the beginning these would be installed in areas where more power theft was reported or where people wanted to opt for them. According to him, nearly 50 per cent of electricity in Delhi is lost due to pilferage. “But such meters are
strictly for over 11 KW consumption. Below that we plan
to use electro-magnetic meters,” he said. |
Six killed in road accident JAIPUR, Sept 20 (PTI) — Six persons were killed and an equal number injured in a collision between a car and a mini-truck on the Alwar-Rajgarh state highway, near here yesterday. The mishap occurred when a
Maruti car en route from Delhi to Mehandipur-Balaji
collided with a truck coming from Bandikui, according to
the police. |
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| National Cancer Rose Day NEW DELHI: “Cancer Rose Day” will be celebrated on Tuesday to enable the public to reach out to poor cancer patients in a personal way through flowers. Organised under the aegis of the Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), any one can visit the Shanti Avedhna Ashram here and do their bit for the terminally ill. CPAA Director H.N. Hukku said the funds collected on this day would be used to distribute free medicines and provide free treatment to cancer patients. — PTI Bronze Garuda found Shekhawati as
tourist resort Enteric diseases
claim 70 lives Bonded labour
areas identified Hazare not to seek
bail Engineers
suspended for laxity CPM activist shot
dead |
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