Monday, December 6, 1999
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Security beefed up in
Ayodhya AYODHYA, Dec 5 — The Faizabad district administration has taken strict measures to ensure the security of the disputed land of the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi to ensure the safe passage of the seventh anniversary of the demolition of the structure. Kalyan’s sack
certain: CM |
 CALCUTTA: West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu inaugurating a fund-raising cricket match between the ruling party and Opposition leaders in Calcutta on Sunday. — PTI |
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Homecoming
for Viren Shah First indigenous desalination
plant "Suicide
squads" find courage in drugs No
US formula on Kashmir: Celeste Overheating
of wires led to Shatabdi smell 2
held in Jaipur rape case Bank
to organise kirtan darbars Laloo
invites PM for daughter’s marriage Probe
Mattoo case afresh: Pandits |
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Security beefed up in Ayodhya AYODHYA, Dec 5 (UNI, PTI) — The Faizabad district administration has taken strict measures to ensure the security of the disputed land of the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi to ensure the safe passage of the seventh anniversary of the demolition of the structure. District Magistrate (DM) Navneet Sehgal said the situation was normal today in the district but the administration was taking no chances and had gone in for additional security measures in and around the site in view of various programmes proposed by different organisations to mark the day. Kar sevaks had razed the over 450-year-old structure here on December 6,1992, and the property was since under the Centre. The title suits over the ownership of the land were under hearing by a special three-judge Bench of the Allahabad High Court. The DM said there was no apprehension of any untoward incident. The security forces had been directed to take extra precautions following Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta’s announcement here yesterday that there was no question of allowing any new tradition at the disputed site and whosoever tried to disturb the peace would be dealt with firmly. Mr Sehgal said a dog squad had been pressed into service and every devotee would be allowed to enter the complex after a thorough check. The DM said the entry of persons whose presence may lead to trouble was being banned in the district and a border check post was maintaining a strict vigil on people coming from the Lucknow side. Special barricades had also been erected to check infiltration of undesirable elements into the district. Suspended BJP leader Kalyan Singh may take part in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal-sponsored programme to celebrate the day as "shourya divas.’’ Organisations such as the Hindu Shiv Sena and the Islamic Movement of India, almost non-existent in the area, had also announced that they would be trying to stage programmes within the disputed area, but the DM said people were also approached individually in an effort to maintain peace. Anti-social elements were under close watch, he added. The Ayodhya area had been divided into three zones and 12 sectors. Every zone was being supervised by senior officials of the rank of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP). The DM said two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and 11 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) had been deployed in the district to aid the administration in maintaining peace. There would also be additional deployment of four ASPs, 12 DSPs, 10 Inspectors and over 100 Sub-Inspectors besides 40 Head Constables and 450 constables. A control room to monitor the situation would also be set up, he added. Various organisations had announced their programmes for the day. The VHP and the Bajrang Dal had announced that they would celebrate December 6 as "shourya divas’’ and were expecting the presence of BJP MP from Gwalior Jai Bhagwan Pawiya and Mr Kalyan Singh, former UP Chief Minister at Karsevakpuram here. The administration, however, did not confirm the visit of the ex CM. The Shiv Sena had announced that it would organise worship at temples devoted to Rama, while the Hindu Shiv Sena had a programme for entering the ramlila complex to take a vow of constructing a Ram temple at the disputed site. On the other hand, the Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) had given a call to observe the day as "youm-e-ghum’’ (day of sorrow). BMAC Faizabad district unit president Mohammed Yonus Siddque said their programme would be peaceful. He, however, demanded that the district administration ensure that no provocative utterances were made in the programmes being organised by bodies affiliated to the Sangh Parivar. VARANASI: Security has been beefed up in and around Kashi Bishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi area and other sensitive places here to ensure peace on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the Babri-Masjid demolition in Ayodhya on Monday. While, the VHP, Shiv Sena and the Akhil Bharatiya Gyanvapi Mukti Mahasabha have given a call to celebrate December 6 as "victory day", the Samajwadi Party and CPI (ML) have decided to observe the day as "kalank divas" and ‘anti-communalism day’, respectively. Seven companies of
paramilitary forces have been deployed at the Gyanvapi
premises, Senior Superintendent of Police G.L. Meena said
on Sunday, adding that no party or organisations would be
allowed to take out processions or hold meetings on the
occasion. |
Kalyan’s sack certain: CM AGRA, Dec 5 (PTI) — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta has said Mr Kalyan Singh’s expulsion from the BJP is "certain", and there is no threat to his government. "Mr Kalyan Singh’s renewed attack on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as evident from his letter to BJP President Kushabhau Thakre makes it clear that he will not be able to stay in the party for very long," Mr Gupta told newspersons here last night. "He (Mr Kalyan Singh) has become wayward because of anger. Efforts had been made to bring him round," the Chief Minister added. To a question, he claimed his government would last its full term and that no minister was unhappy with his portfolio. "However, minor changes in the portfolios would be made," he added. Asked about the state party presidentship, Mr Gupta said a new chief of the UP BJP would be announced in the next 10 to 15 days as present state BJP chief and Union Minister Rajnath Singh had "expressed a wish to be relieved." Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister for Public Works Kalraj Mishra also told newspersons that "it does not befit Mr Kalyan Singh to trade charges against the Prime Minister and it reflects his morbidity". He said Mr Kalyan Singh "invited trouble for himself" by going to Ayodhya and attacking Mr Vajpayee immediately after quitting the post of Chief Minister. Another minister in the Gupta Cabinet, Mr Naresh Agarwal of the Loktantrik Congress, today advised Mr Kalyan Singh to find his future in the BJP alone. Minister for Rural Development Narendra Singh said the Gupta government faced no danger. Meanwhile, Lok Dal President Ajit Singh told newspersons last night that the BJP-led government in the state could "fall any moment like a pack of cards." He, however, said Mr
Kalyan Singh had "no place" in his party. |
134 militants surrender BAIHATA CHARIALI (Assam), Dec 5 (UNI) — At least 134 United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) militants surrendered before the common people here today. There was nothing official about it. Neither was there any dignitary present nor the Governor, Chief Minister or somebody from the Army top brass. The few security personnel looked on from a distance. Top ultras who joined the mainstream included ULFA western region commander Binoy Rava. There were also other leaders such as Parag Dhar Chaliha and Bidyut Karji. None of the usual official organs were involved. A function was organised in this small town near Guwahati by the "coordination committee of former ULFA members". An ambulance was also donated for the area. There was spontaneous applause from the spectators as the militants introduced themselves before denouncing violence. This is the first time since the surrender process began way back in 1993 that the militants joined the mainstream in this manner. But there was no surrender of weapons. Later talking to UNI, one of the leaders of the coordination committee of former ULFA members, Mr Sunil Nath, said they would take more such initiatives to make the militants surrender on their own. "We were expecting around ten to 15 guys in the morning. But the ultimate figure was beyond imagination," he said trying to get the exact number, at the conclusion of the function, from an aide. Some of the ULFA cadres who joined the mainstream said they had chosen the path because they did not want to surrender before the authorities. "We have realised that the path is wrong and have returned to public life and people have also accepted us,’’ said Mr Parag Dhar Chaliha, who led the group. "We would continue to strive for the cherished goal. But the path of violence was wrong,’’ said the ULFA leader who was till this morning an influential member of the front’s political wing. However today’s attraction was Lt Binoy Rava. The commander of ULFA’s western zone and a veteran of the 1986 batch, he admitted that he had been awarded the death penalty by the ULFA because of his opposition to some of their activities. Mr Nath later said that these militants would go through the formal process of joining the mainstream with the police at the local level but till the process was completed and they were officially recognised as former ULFA members, they would be looked after by the the coordination committee of the former ULFA. Amongst the 134 ultras, there were 117 ULFA members and 17 from the BLT. They were from Darrang, Goalpara and Kamrup districts. Meanwhile, former ULFA Kamrup district commander Atul Das, who was present at the meeting, said that there were more ULFA boys present in the meeting. "They are observing and many of them will soon follow the suit. As many of them do not want to go through the process of surrendering before dignitaries which is sometimes agonising,’’ said the former leader. Mr A.K. Pachani, a local police official was also present. He said that these militants would have to go through the formal process and after the verification they would be eligible for the rehabilitation package. Later delivering a lecture veteran left leader Kamini Sharma praised the initiative of the former ULFA members to begin a new process of bringing their former cadres to the mainstream. Mr Nath added that the
district- level former ULFA members had also expressed
their willingness to organise such unofficial public
functions paving the way for more ULFA cadres to join the
mainstream. |
Homecoming for Viren Shah The newly appointed Governor of West Bengal, Mr Viren Shah, an industrialist-turned politician exuded charm after the swearing-in ceremony yesterday and answered all the queries of the mediapersons. The following are the excerpts of an interview with The Tribune: Question: Sir, once again you are back in Calcutta. Do you feel it is your homecoming? Answer: Yes, you may call it that. You know I was born and brought up here in the Chitpur area and I also spent my early days in the town. It’s indeed a homecoming and I’m very happy. Q: Some say you are here simply because you happen to be Mr Jyoti Basu’s friend. Any comment? A: It’s true Jyoti Basu is a very good friend of mine. But it is certainly not true that I’m here because of him. He had no role to play. He was, of course, consulted and he had welcomed me. If anybody was responsible, it was the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, who chose me. Q: A section of the CPM leadership has apprehension that the Vajpayee government will serve their political interest in the state through you. Any comment? A: Absolutely wrong. I can assure them that I will be the last person to do such a thing. But I ‘am sure they (Vajpayee and Advani) don’t have any such interest. Q: But Sir, you all, belong to the same party — BJP? A: No, I don’t belong to any party. It is true that I had been a member of the BJP’s national committee and also a Member of Parliament for a considerable period. But so what? Of late, I had been a far distance. Moreover, once I accept this job, I want to forget that once I had been an active member of the BJP. But perhaps you don’t know, our family had a close association with Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. But I myself joined in the Communist movement. Later, I became a member of the Swatantra Party. Q: Then you say there is no cause for anxieties for the CPM and other partners? A: Absolutely not. I repeat not. I am here not to take any dictation from any one. Constitution is there and I’ll act accordingly. I can assure all I shall be non-partisan and use my good offices accordingly. Q: Sir, you are an industrialist, I should better say a corporate baron in steel industry and from there to this job, how do you find this change? A: First of all, I’m not an industrialist as such, you say corporate baron something like. Yes, I have inherited a steel company and with the help and cooperation of all, I mean, hard labour and sincerity, it developed. But all that is history. For a long time I have disassociated myself totally from any matter of the company, though I’m the Chairman and frankly, I don’t know what exactly is happening there. Q: Even then, you are an industrialist and you know what is happening where in industry in the country and vis-a-vis West Bengal’s position. Surely, you will use your good office to improve the state’s dismal industrial scenario? A: I don’t know much at the moment. But let me go into details and also let me see what Mr Jyoti Basu expects from me. But I shall be very happy if my state developed at par with Maharashtra or Gujarat. After all, once Bengal was at number one position in engineering and textile industries. Q: What is your assessment about the Left Front government? A: My assessment? I have just taken over. But certainly their performance is very good. Otherwise, how can they remain in power for such a long period? Q: And about Mr Jyoti Basu? A: An excellent person. I’m happy to be his friend. Q: Now, about the function, I mean, the present oatht-aking ceremony. Never before Calcutta Raj Bhavan had such ceremony in the past, with so many dignitaries, corporate magnates, central ministers getting together at Governor’s swearing in. A: I’am happy they came. They are my personal friends, very good friends and well-wishers. I am grateful to them. Q: What is the future of Vajpayee government? A: Very bright. Q: And West Bengal? A: As long as they serve
the people and as long as the people have faith and
confidence in them, it’s all right. |
First indigenous desalination plant MUMBAI, Dec 5 (PTI) — India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered desalination plant at Kalpakkam would become operational in March, 2000. The 63-lakh litre capacity plant, using both thermal and membrane processes, would be linked to both units of the Kalpakkam Atomic Power Stations, according to Dr B. Bhattacharjee, Head, Desalination Division of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The plant, having innovative features, would process water for the power station and provide quality drinking water to people in and around Kalpakkam, he said. Speaking at the Trombay symposium on “Desalination and water reuse” which concluded here on Friday, Dr Bhattacharjee said the plant, costing Rs 31 crore, using multistage flash (MSF) and reverse osmosis (RO) processes, could supply drinking water at the rate of Rs 40 to 45 per thousand litre. “Using the experience of this demonstration plant at Kalpakkam, the BARC scientists will standardise 100 lakh litre and more capacity plants for the future, using both MSF and RO, which will be completed by 2005”, Dr Bhattacharjee said. Although the BARC has been engaged in R and D activities on desalination since 1970s, as envisioned by Vikram Sarabhai, to improve the quality of life of people, the nuclear powered demonstration plant has been made possible only now, he said. In India, desalination technology was rather young and needed to be properly nurtured before expecting it to bear fruits in terms of providing the “essence of life”, he said. On the technology of the process, he said, even though the present share of the MSF technology was about 48 per cent of the total desalination market, the MSF technology (being pursued by the BARC in India along with countries like Italy, France, the UK and Japan had been responding to the challenges of the RO and multi-effect desalination (MED) technology (which were characterised by its more energy efficient and lower capital cost) by enhancing the plant capacity. “The cost of water produced by the MSF has been halved during the last decade but there has been no improvement in thermodynamic efficiency of the flashing stages,” he pointed out. With an experience of 25 years, the BARC has installed 12 pilot scale plants in the country out of which four are based on the MSF and eight on the RO for desalination of brackish, sea water as well as effluent treatment facilities for water recycling. Besides, two Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories — Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, and the Defence Laboratory in Jodhpur are also engaged in setting up desalination plants based on membrane processes and thermal process and are of smaller size. Mr M.L. Sinhal,
Vice-President of Reliance Industries Ltd, said at
Jamnagar, they had installed four desalination plants
each with three million gallons per day (MGD) based on
the MED and supplied by Israel. |
"Suicide squads" find courage in drugs NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Desperate foreign mercenaries in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly depending on drugs to commit "suicidal attacks" on security forces, even as they are getting alienated from local militants, according to top security officials. Local militants, they say, are no more in the reckoning with foreign mercenaries constituting almost 80 per cent of the 1500 ultras in the Kashmir valley alone. "The advent of suicide squads in the valley, as projected in the media, is a myth. The mercenaries are resorting to desperate attacks on installations, including Army camps, under the influence of drugs," Mr b. n. Kabu, Additional Deputy Inspector General, BSF, Srinagar frontier, who was in the Capital told PTI. Drugs, including heroin and cocaine, had been recovered from slain foreign mercenaries on several occasions. Widespread concern was voiced across the country following attacks by "suicide squads" on a BSF residential campus in Bandipora on July 13, in which four persons including a Deputy Inspector-General, were killed, and the Army headquarters at Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar on November 3 in which a Major and six others died. According to BSF Director-General e n Rammohan, the so-called suicide squads in Kashmir were totally different from the suicide squads of the LTTE in Sri Lanka. "These militants
are mere religious fanatics, who have been brainwashed
unlike the LTTE cadres who are motivated by
nationalism," he said. |
No US formula on Kashmir: Celeste NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — The USA favours a dialogue at the “highest-level” between India and the military regime in Pakistan on all issues, including Kashmir, over which it has no formula to offer. Washington has conveyed to Hurriyat leaders that the political process should be the basis for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem between the two countries but will not offer any formula, US Ambassador to India Richard F. Celeste said during a wide-ranging interaction with journalists in PTI. Dispelling doubts about the upcoming visit of President Bill Clinton to India early next year, he said “the President will come before it gets too hot in Delhi”. He sought to delink the visit from the issue of New Delhi signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty or the lifting of economic sanctions imposed in the wake of last year’s nuclear tests. “We continue to take the position that it will be very valuable for India to engage Pakistan at the highest level on issues that trouble the relationship between the two countries... We are concerned that the momentum (of the Lahore initiative) is not completely lost”, he said, adding that a great deal of trust was damaged on account of the Kargil conflict. Celeste conceded that it
would be “awkward” for Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee to deal with a “non-elected
leadership in Pakistan that suddenly carries some
responsibility”. |
Overheating of wires led to Shatabdi
smell NEW DELHI, Dec 5 — An insulation failure was said to be the cause of the “smell’’ on the New Delhi-bound Kalka Shatabdi Express yesterday, an incident that created panic aboard the superfast train. According to sources in the Northern Railway, a preliminary report by its three-member team which inquired into the incident that occurred yesterday, suggest that the incident was “due to insulation failure”. The sources said the heaters on the train were put on for the first time when the mercury went down below the 17-18 degree Celsius mark resulting in the smell. The incident occurred on the New Delhi-bound train which resulted in panic aboard with passengers complaining of smoke which was initially said to be caused by overheating of the insulation. According to
eyewitnesses the burning smell emanated from a coach and
spread through other coaches through a duct. |
2 held in Jaipur rape case JAIPUR, Dec 5 (PTI) — The police today arrested two of the four accused who allegedly abducted and raped a Tibetan girl at Jobner in Jaipur Rural on December 1. The 20-year-old girl was abducted from Ramniwas Bagh here and taken to Jobner and raped. Those arrested were identified as Sardar, alias Hanuman, alias Cheetar, and Rameshwar Jat, the police said adding , “they have confessed to their involvement in the crime.” The other accused, Kamal
and Jhanwar Singh, were yet to be arrested. |
Bank to organise kirtan
darbars NEW DELHI, Dec 5 — To commemorate the tercentenary of the birth of Khalsa, Punjab and Sind Bank is going to organise five kirtan darbars in South India in association with the Department of Culture, Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. Highlighting the unique
features of these darbars, Mr S.C. Vohra, General Manager
of the bank, said the first two darbars were going to be
organised at Bangalore (Dec 8) and Chennai (Dec 12),
where the renowned kirtan jathas of Bhai Jasbir Singh
Khalsa (Khanne wale) and Bhai Baljeet Singh (Namdhari)
besides the banks’s own ragi jathas would render
sacred hymns from the Gurbani. |
Laloo invites PM for daughter’s marriage NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Laloo Prasad Yadav and his wife, Chief Minister Rabri Devi, today met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and requested him to attend their eldest daughter Misa Bharti’s marriage on December 10 in Patna. The RJD leader, while handing over the invitation card to Mr Vajpayee at his Race Course residence, said: "Aandolan ki beti hai zaroor ayiyega" (Misa was born during the Emergency rule, you must attend her marriage). His meeting with the Prime Minister lasted about 10 minutes. Mr Yadav along with Ms Rabri Devi is likely to meet President K.R. Narayanan tomorrow to extend invitation to him. Misa is an MBBS from
Patna Medical College and the groom to be, Sailesh Kumar,
is a computer engineer and works for a multi-national
company in Bangalore. |
Probe Mattoo case afresh: Pandits NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Kashmiri Pandit Organisations have demanded a fresh inquiry into the Priyadarshani Mattoo rape and murder case while criticising Delhi police and CBI for their failure to bring justice to the victim. “Our organisation plans to knock the door of justice again to bring the culprit back to book, “Yuvraj Raina, coordinator of Panun Kashmir, an apex organisation of displaced Kashmiri migrants, said in a statement here. The verdict highlights that “people in power subjugate the judicial process of justice” in their favour, he said. A city court had recently acquitted the accused Santosh Kumar Singh, son of a senior police official, due to lack of evidence and had pulled up the CBI for acting “in a fair manner”. Kashmir United Front convenor B.L. Khachroo has also demanded a fresh inquiry into the whole incident and said it was necessary to reaffirm the faith of people in justice. The court had given the
benefit of the doubt to Santosh on the ground that the
CBI fabricated the DNA evidence regarding the charges of
rape and failed to bring in any evidence to substantiate
the charge of murder. |
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| Red panda rescued JALPAIGURI: A rare animal “red panda” was rescued during a tiger census in the Neora Valley National Park in Kalimpong subdivision of Darjeeling district. The red panda was found for the first time in this park. Its total population throughout the world was estimated to be less than a mere 500, according to District Forest Officer (wildlife), Jalpaiguri, Niraj Singhal. It was later sent to Darjeeling zoo for treatment and after recuperating it would again be released in the national park, Mr Singhal said. — UNI Socialist leader dead M’rashtra
Advocate-General Kerala minister,
others on fast International
security exhibition Global Ramayana
conference 1-cr donation
for Badrinath Temple |
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