M A I N   N E W S

Steps to curb violence in Bihar

PATNA, June 21 (PTI) — As measures to put an end to extremist and caste-related violence, the Bihar Government today accepted the proposals, mooted by the Coordination Committee of ruling RJD and its allies, for holding elections to the panchayats and local bodies by February next year and setting up several commissions to accelerate development of the state.

RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav told reporters that the committee’s suggestion for holding elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies by February next year had been accepted by the government which was represented in the meeting by Chief Minister Rabri Devi, who is the Chairperson of the committee. Panchayat elections were last held in the state in 1978.

He said the government had also accepted the proposal for setting up commissions on infrastructural development, industries and financial management. While former Union Minister D.P. Yadav would head the infrastructure commission, industrialist Dr J.J. Irani the Commission for Industries. Prominent economist S.C. Jha would head the commission for Financial Management.

After six-hour-long meeting, Mr Yadav and AICC General Secretary in charge of Bihar Mohsina Kidwai said the committee was deeply concerned over the cycle of violence and fully committed to address the reasons behind them.

The government also decided to impart arms training to youths in areas prone to extremist and caste violence after screening and recruit them as homeguards, raise battalions of Rapid Action Force and recruit 15,000 policemen this year.

Mr Yadav said the government had decided to take stringent punitive action against police officers from the rank of sub-inspectors to Additional Directors General in the event of recurrence of massacres.

Meanwhile, barring stray incidents, the dawn-to-dusk Bihar bandh, called by the Left parties to protest the spate of massacres, evoked partial response today.

Official sources said rail services remained affected at several places under Central and Eastern Railways.

Deputy Inspector General Railways S.K. Singh said here that bandh supporters removed the hosepipe of the Rajgir Passenger Train near Bakhtiarpur station following which the train was stranded for over half-an-hour.

Sources at the railway headquarters said fishplates were removed at two places between Taregna and Nadwan stations and pendrol clips taken away at about 12 places on the Patna-Gaya line of Eastern Railway. Services resumed after the damages were repaired. 

BRO may shift HQ to city
From S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, June 21 — The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is planning to shift the headquarters of the prestigious Deepak Project to Chandigarh from here. It is reliably learnt that the proposal to shift the Deepak Project, which is constructing and maintaining vital roads in Himachal Pradesh, is under consideration of the Surface Transport Ministry.

The Director-General of BRO, Lt-Gen A.K. Puri, confirmed to the TNS that the proposal was under active consideration. He said a task force would be stationed here in case the headquarters of the project were shifted. The project is headed by a Chief Engineer of the rank of Brigadier.