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| Tuesday, September 26, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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650 die in West Bengal floods Jyoti Basu lashes out at Advani CM warns TMC against stir |
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President’s rule ‘not possible’
in W. Bengal SC upholds decision on Punjab Lok Pal Basu justifies
release of water Fernandes in
Mauritius Few takers for Uttaranchal cadre Shed rigidity, enter talks: Gilani |
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Orissa to have new
zoo near
Sambalpur Rain in Rajasthan,
UP areas CM: Gopal to meet Veerappan soon Fake currency
racket: 9 held
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650 die in West Bengal floods CALCUTTA, Sept 25 (UNI) — More than 650 persons have died and 15 million are marooned in the devastating floods in West Bengal even though the situation marginally looked up today with the improvement in weather and reduction in discharges from dams and barrages. Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said 435 persons had been killed so far and 217 remained missing. Besides, one person died in Khanakul when he was hit by relief materials airdropped by an IAF helicopter. Murshidabad accounted for the highest number of 275 deaths followed by Birbhum with 147 deaths. Besides, 26 deaths were reported from Bardhaman, followed by 18 from Nadia, 10 from Midnapore, nine from Hooghly, eight from Bankura and two each from Howrah and North Dinajpur districts. Chief Minister Jyoti Basu said the situation at Baharampore in Murshidabad district was critical. Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Finance Minister Ashim Dasgupta made an aerial survey of the affected areas during the day. ‘‘The flood-hit people are not getting food and that is why they are looting relief materials,’’ Mr Basu, who donated a day’s salary to the relief fund, told reporters today. The police had to fire in the air yesterday to disperse the affected people who tried to loot relief materials from an outpost in Nadia district. Mr Basu said iaf helicopters made several sorties during the day to drop food packets and medicines. Trucks carrying relief materials had started moving towards the ravaged areas after road communication was restored in Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts. The state coordination committee and the state unit of the cpM today donated Rs 10 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, to the Chief Minister’s relief fund. Sources said the Army jawans were still battling to enter some of the worst hit areas of Murshidabad, Birbhum and Bardhaman districts. Indian Air Force helicopters dropped food packets in Murshidabad, Birbhum, Bardhaman, Nadia and Hooghly districts. Nearly 15 million people in 118 blocks and 30 municipalities of seven districts have been affected in the current wave of floods. Around 1.5 million people had so far been rescued to safer places in the seven districts. Reports reaching the state headquarters here said enteric diseases had broken out in several areas. The state government has sent 16 medical teams to the affected districts. It has also raised the amount of special relief to Rs 32 crore. The sources said the water level of the Bhagirathi in Murshidabad and of other rivers at Bardhaman and Birbhum had come down, while that of the rivers in Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia had stabilised, except at one point in Nadia. The situation has been slowly improving and electricity restored in flood-battered Murshidabad, Birbhum and Bardhaman. Road connections with Bardhaman, Suri in Birbhum district and Arambag in Hooghly district have been restored. A few untoward incidents were reported from districts while carrying out rescue and relief operations. The police had to fire a few rounds in the air to disperse people who attacked a police outpost in Debagram for food. Rescue and relief work might be hampered as a high tide is expected in the Ganga tomorrow. Relief work would be stepped up in the stretch between Nadia and Murshidabad districts, likely to be affected more during the high tide. Meanwhile, train services on several sections of the Eastern Railway affected in the current flood have been restored. But rail and road link with North Bengal and North Eastern states through the usual routes remained disrupted. The Indian Airlines has decided to operate additional flights on the Calcutta-Bagdogra-Calcutta sector to help stranded passengers. dhaka(dpa): Flood waters rushing from India’s West Bengal have made about 400,000 people homeless in northern and western Bangladesh as army and civilian rescue workers on Monday began evacuating people trapped in submerged villages. About eight Bangladeshi frontier districts faced severe flooding as dams were opened across the border in India to ease the pressure of water, local officials said. Conditions worsened for the flood stricken people as late monsoon torrents pounded the lush rice plains. At least 20 persons were killed in the past three days as the main Rivers Padma and Mahananda and their tributaries inundated homes, farmlands and roads forcing thousands to camp out on dikes. |
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Jyoti Basu lashes out at Advani CALCUTTA, Sept 25 (UNI) — West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu today lashed out at Union Home Minister L. K. Advani saying his government did not need any advice on democracy from those who destroyed the Babri mosque in 1992. “We do not need to be advised about the role and functioning of democracy by those who destroyed the Babri Masjid in 1992, which led to communal riots,’’ Mr Basu said in a statement here. He said the same forces were at present attacking members of the Christian community and Scheduled Castes and Tribes in different parts of the country. “Any attempt to subvert democracy by toppling an elected government which has been in office continuously for the past 24 years will further expose the ugly face of the communal and reactionary forces that have formed the BJP-led government’’, he said. The Chief Minister said he was confident that the vast section of the people wedded to democratic ideas throughout the country would give a fitting reply to such a sinister design. “The people, cutting across all religious, linguistic and ethnic groups, will wage a relentless struggle to preserve democracy,’’ he said. Mr Basu said the people of West Bengal had set an example by electing the Left Front government for five consecutive terms since 1977 and given the front a clear majority in all the elections including panchayat bodies and municipalities. “Being gripped with panic because of this rare achievement of the Left Front, the reactionary forces have now grouped together and become active to take recourse to undemocratic means. It is no use preaching morals to people who pay scant regard to morality in politics,’’ he said. Mr Basu said the people of West Bengal experienced “semi-fascist terror’’ from 1971 to early 1977 and this period was marked by curtailment of democracy and imposition of an autocratic style by the Congress government. He also called upon all patriotic and democratic people in the country to unite and defeat the evil forces and keep aloft the banner of democracy and federalism. HYDERABAD: Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee today said she was still hopeful of central intervention in West Bengal to end the political violence and claimed that people of the state were yearning for a change. “There is no last word in politics. We have to wait and watch for the decision (from the Centre)”, she told reporters here when asked whether she was satisfied with the NDA government’s response to her demand for imposition of President’s rule on West Bengal. She said “imposition of central rule (on West Bengal) is not my personal demand but a people’s demand. Peace has to be restored there”. Objecting to West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu charging her with inciting violence, the TC leader said “He (Basu) is a senior leader and I respect his age. But is it fair on his part to talk like this? Earlier, he had described NDA as cattle and Prime Minister and Home Minister as criminals”. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who was also present, said imposition of central rule on West Bengal was “not an issue now”, but efforts should be made to promote peace in troubled areas of the state. |
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CM warns TMC against stir CHENNAI, Sept 25 (UNI) — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi today said his son M.K. Azhagiri, who is based in Madurai, was not a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the question of expelling him from the party did not arise. Talking to newsmen here, he said Mr Azhagiri who had been a member of the DMK had failed to renew his membership, which it had to be renewed once in five years. It may be recalled that the party’s diktat that no partymen should have any truck with Mr Azhagiri had triggered violence in Madurai, in which ten buses were burnt. On AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalitha’s charge that the “Azhagiri issue” could no longer be treated as an intra-party affair as the issue had come to the streets and public property were damaged, he said “one could ask about this if Azhagiri was my foster son and if I have spent Rs 100 crore for his marriage”, he said taking a dig at Ms Jayalalitha for the mega-marriage of her foster son V.N. Sudhakaran. He said the arrest of eight persons under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the bus burning incidents in Madurai was in accordance with the earlier announcement that action would be taken against those who set ablaze buses under the NSA. Similar action had also been taken against those who had indulged in such acts in Tiruvallur and Cuddalore districts following the scuffle between the workers of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Dalit Panthers, he added. He warned that the government would take action against workers of the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) which has announced a “jail bharo” agitation against the Centre and state governments in the state on September 27. Talking to newsmen here the Chief Minister said since the tmc itself had made it clear that the proposed agitation was not a demonstration but picketing, the government would initiate action warranted for picketing. “When we were in the Opposition, we were remanded to prisons, proceeded against and even sentenced to three months and six months imprisonment for taking part in picketing”, he said. However, whether it was a demonstration or picketing, it should be organised in a peaceful manner, he said and expressed hope that the TMC would conduct the agitation peacefully. “I am not aware” was his crisp reply when he was reminded that TMC President G.K. Moopanar had gone for the first time to Poes Garden for a dinner hosted by Ms Jayalalitha. He did not rule out the possibility of some more parties joining the DMK-led front for the coming elections. “I can’t say now. Only at the time of elections I could throw some light on this”, he said when asked about the prospects of some more parties joining the front. He replied in the negative when asked whether the elections to the State Assembly was being advanced. Meanwhile, the Tamil Maanila Congress President G.K. Moopanar today declined to comment on Mr Karunanidhi’s son Alagiri and said, “I don’t want to comment on a family feud”. Mr Moopanar’s remarks were in sharp contrast to the virulent attack by AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalitha on Saturday at the Periyar birth anniversary function attended by Opposition leaders, including Mr Moopanar. Mr Moopanar whose party is now part of the Opposition secular front in Tamil Nadu, also distanced himself from Ms Jayalalitha’s criticism of the DMK government’s handling of the abduction of Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar. While Ms Jayalalitha had blamed the Karunanidhi government for enabling Veerappan to become a Tamil terrorist from an ordinary criminal, Mr Moopanar, who was cautious in his response, said: “I do not want to say anything that would cause friction between the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and also create hurdles in the safe release of the actor”. He said the picketing programme announced by his party on September 27 in all the 234 assembly constituencies in the state, was aimed at taking up the cause of the farmers and not at the coming elections. |
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President’s rule ‘not possible’
in W. Bengal CHENNAI, Sept 25 (UNI) — There is no possibility of imposing President’s rule in West Bengal although the law and order in that state had broken down warranting central intervention, BJP National Vice-President Jana Krishnamoorthy said today. He told reporters here that since the BJP-led NDA did not have the required majority in the Rajya Sabha, the imposition of President’s rule could not be ratified unless the Congress also backed the Central Government. There were informal contacts with the Congress on getting its support for the central intervention, he added. Even the West Bengal unit of the Congress had recommended to its high command on this, he pointed out. The BJP leader alleged that the law and order situation had become worse in Midnapore and neighbouring districts and opposition leaders and cadres were being killed by ruling party goons with the backing of the police. Mr Krishnamoorthy accused West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu of using intemperate language against Union Home Minister L.K. Advani in his communication to him on the issue. Mr Basu need not respect Mr Advani as an individual, but he had to observe certain norms in a democratic federal set-up, he pointed out. Mr Krishnamoorthy claimed that the CPM had become decadent in West Bengal and Mr Basu had lost his political stature. The cult of violence prevailing in that state only showed that the ruling front had become desperate, he said. Asked whether the Centre was left with no other option but to impose President’s rule in the state, he said first public opinion had to be created about the real state of affairs there. Even Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was aware that President’s rule could not be imposed in the state under the present circumstances, he said, adding that Ms Banerjee was emerging as an alternative to the ruling CPM. |
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SC upholds decision on Punjab Lok Pal NEW DELHI, Sept 25 (PTI) — The Supreme Court today upheld a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgement quashing the decision of Punjab Government headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal to appoint Harbans Rai as the Lok Pal of the state. A Bench comprising Justice B.N. Kirpal, Justice M.B. Shah and Justice Ruma Pal said the High Court came to the correct finding that there was no consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court as per the rules on appointment of the Lok Pal and quashed the same. “It is open for the state government to proceed to appoint a new Lok Pal as per the rules and regulations,” the Bench said. Solicitor-General Harish Salve with advocate Rajiv Dutt contended that Mr Badal had appointed Mr Rai as Lok Pal after consulting the then Chief Justice orally though nothing was there on the High Court records to show that it was done. The Bench said it was an established precedent that all consultations on such sensitive issues were done in writing and not orally and added that the High Court had committed no error by holding that Mr Rai’s appointment was done without following an important regulation. The state government has challenged the High Court judgement which had also quashed all the reports submitted by Mr Rai regarding corruption charges against certain politicians. Mr Salve submitted that though the government appreciated the finding that no proper consultation was done before the appointment of Mr Rai, it would not be correct to quash the reports submitted by the former Lok Pal. The Bench said during the pendency of the petitions, the High Court order quashing the reports submitted by Mr Rai would be stayed. Looking at the delay in appointment of a new Lok Pal, the Bench observed that “everyone seems to be happy not to have a Lok Pal.” Earlier, Mr Salve said Mr Badal had fixed an appointment with the then Chief Justice to consult him on appointment of Mr Rai and the said meeting took place at latter’s residence. The Bench asked as to why Mr Rai, who has already headed five to six commissions, has been favoured and how many of such appointments were made by the Akali Government. Mr Salve, after perusing the records, replied that though Mr Rai, who is a distant relative of the present Chief Minister, had been earlier appointed to head five commissions, all those appointments were made by the Congress governments. |
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Basu justifies
release of water calcutta, sept 25 (pti) — West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu today brushed aside allegations of “unplanned” water release from the Tilpara and Massanjore barrages saying there was no other alternative to save the dams filled with flood waters. Reacting to the Eastern Railway General Manager Iims Rana’s statement last evening that the devastation in flash floods in eight districts had been compounded by the release, he said, “We had no other option left but to release water and the engineers of the barrages also approved the decision.” State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said, “The release was as per specification of the Central Water Commission.” Mr Rana, who had expressed surprise over the “sudden release of huge quantity of water,” also alleged the large scale devastation was “man-made and avoidable.” Both Mr Dasgupta and the Deputy Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee also blamed various other Central bodies, including the Met Department, saying they failed to provide exact weather forecast from time to time to help the state government act well in advance. With the receding of water level, Mr Basu said, rescue and relief operations were continuing on priority basis. Health teams had been deployed in the affected areas. |
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Fernandes in
Mauritius NEW DELHI, Sept 25 (UNI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes today arrived at Port Louis (Mauritius) on his way to South Africa. The visit of the Defence Minister is the first high-level interaction with Mauritius since the new government was formed earlier this month. Mr Fernandes is scheduled to meet President Cassam Uteen, Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Berenger Paul Raymond and former Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Mr Fernandes begins his two-day visit to South Africa tomorrow, the first by an Indian Defence Minister to that country. |
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Few takers for Uttaranchal cadre DEHRA DUN, Sept 25 — Formation of an administrative set-up for Uttaranchal is becoming a serious problem for both the Union Government and state government of Uttar Pradesh with a majority of officers belonging to the all-India services and the state services showing no interest in joining the new cadre. In fact most of the senior officials presently posted in Garhwal and Kumoon areas are busy in pleasing their political bosses to retain them in the UP cadre. The Union Government, however, has ruled out inviting options from all-India service officials of other state cadres. According to Mr Yogendra Narain, Chief Secretary UP, “Options were not invited from the officers of other states even at the time of formation of Himachal Pradesh and other states.” There is no provision for inviting options for cadre division from other sates in the UP Reorganisation Bill-2000, for which the President has already given his assent. Instead, the Bill provides for the division of the UP cadre into two cadres of Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh. The officers and other employees working with the UP Government have demanded that they should not be forced to join the new state. The president of the PCS officers association, Mr Chandra Prakash says, “It should be optional for the employees to join the new state. According to the service agreements, the employees and officers can serve in UP. They cannot be forced to join Uttaranchal.” This issue was discussed at the annual convention of PCS officers association last week. All the participants unanimously passed a resolution demanding invitation of options from the employees by the UP Government. It is worth mentioning that the executive committee of IAS Officers Association (UP) has already demanded that the officers should not be forced to join the new state. Meanwhile, in its first meeting the advisory committee being set up by the Union Government under the chairmanship of former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Mr U.C. Aggarwal has suggested to include atleast 100 IAS and IPS officers in the new Uttaranchal cadre. But sources in the Home Department of UP says that so far only 17 IAS officers have shown their willingness to join the Uttaranchal cadre. Under the circumstances, it is a tough job for the UP government to recommend names. A similar situation prevails in the police cadre although observers feel there is no need for more police officers in Uttaranchal as the revenue police is separate. To avoid this controversy of cadres until the Assembly elections, the government of Uttar Pradesh, has suggested a new formula for the division of UP cadre, saying it should be allowed to invite options from the officers who are already in the UP cadre. As very few officers are likely to opt for the Uttaranchal cadre, the state government may be allowed to ask some officers to move on a temporary deputation to the new state. Under this arrangement, the officers posted as district magistrates, commissioners, district police chiefs, DIGs, DFOs and conservators posted in the hill region may be considered on temporary deputation from the day of notification of the new state. The remaining vacancies, thereafter, may be filled either on the basis of a posted system or any other formula to be worked out by the advisory committee being set up by the union government. The roster system is being opposed at this stage in the belief that some of the officers may be interested in opting for Uttraranchal cadre. |
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Shed rigidity, enter talks: Gilani NEW DELHI, Sept 25 (UNI) — London-based Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Nazir Gilani today asked the Indian Government and Hurriyat and other secessionist groups in Jammu and Kashmir to avoid rigid postures and initiate immediate talks to end the mindless violence in the state. While urging India to involve all political and military groups in any future talks, Mr Gilani, told UNI that the dialogue should by“comprehensive and meaningful” for a solution that could be acceptable to the Kashmiri groups, India and Pakistan. Mr Gilani returned here last evening after a 13-day visit to the Kashmir valley during which he held wide-ranging discussions with Hurriyat leaders and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Abdul Majid Dar on current political and security situation in the course of action. Mr Gilani, who heads the Kashmir Council for Human Rights, also stated that the Kashmiri leaders and groups should be more issue-oriented for pushing an amicable and permanent solution to the Kashmir issue. The leaders hold divergent views and there is need for forming both short-term and long-term policy for the resolution of the issue, he observed. He said that peace initiative is by and large supported and promoted by a large section of the Kashmiri leadership, who also feel that violence would not provide any solution. But most of them feel that peace should be achieved with dignity. Mr Gilani also held talks with Hizbul Mujahideen chief Abdul Majid Dar, who was recently involved in talks with the Centre, and Hurriyat chief Abdul Gani Bhatt, Mr Abdul Gani Lone, Mr Azam Inquilabi and others. While renouncing violence, he said that it was the duty of everyone to conserve life. The Indian Government had more responsibility and it should not tangle with civil societies, he said, adding that the government had shown maturity by accepting the offer of talks with the Hizbul Mujahideen. Mr Gilani, who played a prominent role in highlighting the issue in various international fora, said there was need for intellectuals and people with integrity to play more active role in the affairs of Kashmir. He said the Kashmir leaders should prioritise the issue and speak in one voice about possible solution to the problem. He said he would meet representatives of various Kashmir groups in London and other part of the world to brief them of their talks with Hurriyat and other leaders. He was hopeful that meaningful and purposeful talks would start in future to bring about peace and lasting solution of the Kashmir problem. |
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Bihar flood toll
mounts to 108 PATNA, Sept 25 (PTI) — The overall flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim today with all major rivers in spate as the toll in the current floods rose to 108 and the administration stepped up relief and rescue operations with Army’s assistance, officials said. Munger District Magistrate Ramanand Prasad said with the recovery of 10 more bodies yesterday the toll following a breach in the embankment of Kharagpur Jheel in the district on September 21 mounted to 22. Nearly four million persons spread over 21 districts continued to reel under the impact of floods that have so far damaged standing crops and houses. State Water Resources Department sources said all vital embankments were safe in Bihar with engineers taking all-possible measures to prevent erosions and counter pressure due to swirling waters of major rivers. All major rivers, including the Ganga, Kosi, Bagmati and Burhi Gandak, were flowing above the danger mark. |
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Orissa to have new
zoo near
Sambalpur BHUBANESWAR, Sept 25 (PTI) — The Orissa Government today said a second zoo would be set up in the state near Sambalpur town and the tigers and African lions being shifted to Andhra Pradesh presently would be brought back and rehabilitated there. Official sources said the decision had been taken following widespread concern over the shifting of 27 tigers and lions from Nandankanan to Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister, Mr Naveen
Patnaik, had instructed the officials to complete the work of the new zoo on war-footing. A 14-year-old lion died of exhaustion while being moved from Nandankanan to Visakhapatnam on Saturday. The new zoo, which is yet to get the mandatory clearance of the Central Zoo Authority
(CZA), would be developed on an area of 120 acres at Laxmi Dungri between Sambalpur and Burla town on the NH-6. It would have a tiger safari, a lion safari and a deer safari, the sources said. |
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Rain in Rajasthan,
UP areas NEW DELHI, Sept 25 — Rainfall: Rain or thundershowers have occurred at isolated places in east Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh. Weather was mainly dry in the rest of the region. Mount Abu (Rajasthan) and Mohana (Uttar Pradesh) each recorded 1 cm of rainfall. Forecast valid until the morning of 27th: Rain or thundershowers are likely at isolated places in south Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh. Weather will be mainly dry in the rest of the region. Forecast for Delhi and neighbourhood valid until the morning of 27th: Mainly clear sky. Farmers weather bulletin for Delhi forecast valid until the morning of 27th: Sky will be mainly clear. Outlook for the subsequent two days: No large change. |
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CM: Gopal to meet Veerappan soon CHENNAI, Sept 25 (PTI) — Heavy rain was delaying the entry of journalist-emissary R.R. Gopal into the jungles to meet forest brigand Veerappan, but he was expected to do so today or tomorrow, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said today. Talking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said the government could think of other steps to meet the situation only after Gopal’s return from his mission. Asked if the fact that the emissary could not establish contact with the bandit, who had been holding Kannada filmstar Rajkumar and three others hostage since July 30, was a setback, Mr Karunanidhi said “the only setback is that it is raining heavily.” Meanwhile, a press note from the magazine said an associate of Veerappan met Gopal today. Gopal and his colleagues Sivasubram-anian, Subbu and Balamurugan will enter the forest tonight to meet the brigand. |
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Fake currency
racket: 9 held bangalore, Sept 25 (uni) — The police had unearthed a counterfeit currency racket with the arrest of nine persons, all from Kerala, and seized computers and printers used for printing fake Indian and United Arab Emirates notes. Police Commissioner T. Madiyal told newsmen here on Monday that the gang, which included a woman, had claimed to have circulated fake notes in the denomination of Rs 100 and Rs 500, valued at Rs 50 lakhs, in the city, Mumbai and a few centres in Kerala. |
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