 |
| Sunday, February
11, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
|
Mamata hobnobbing with
ISI: CM Jaswant visit to boost trade ties Rajasthan cuts IMFL reserve price Body of one more miner
recovered Uttaranchal grant may prove elusive |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Politics dogs relief operations 15 days after quake, kin refuse to accept bodies Ex-Air Chief
Dilbagh Singh dead Advocate held for
murder bid Village coop society
profits distributed Suratgarh plant to
have another unit
|
|
Mamata hobnobbing with
ISI: CM KOLKATA, FEB 10 — Mr Bhattacharyya who had already written a complaint to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, against Ms Banerjee for her involvement in the alleged antinational activities with the Kamptapuris in north Bengal, demanded her immediate removal from the Cabinet. The Chief Minister wondered how a central minister could join hands with the ISI-sponsored divisive forces for vested interests. However, Ms Banerjee’s aide, Mr Sovondev Chattopadhyya, MLA, denied that their leader was siding with the ISI. Nor is the Kamptapuris an anti-national force, he added. Mr Chattopadhyya said the Rajbanshis and other minorities in north Bengal had been fighting for a genuine cause and alleged that the Left Front government had so far ignored them. He admitted that the Trinamool Congress was supporting the Kamptapuris as it supported all other minorities and deprived class and wanted that these people should have the right to live a proper life. The Kamptapuri leader, Mr Atul Roy, also denied their association with the ISI. “If the Chief Minister has any information about our link with the ISI, why is not the government taking any action against us? Mr Roy asked. Mr Roy said the Kamptapuris had been fighting for a genuine cause and would fight to the last till the demands were fulfilled. He said they were grateful to Ms Mamata Banerjee for her help and support to their rightful movement. Incidentally, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief, Mr Sibu Soren, also supported the Kamtapuris. Mr Soren was in Siliguri last month to lend support to the Kamptapuri’s movement. He also addressed two public meetings in Siliguri-Jalapaiguri in support of the Kamptapuris where Mr Atul Roy and other Rajbanshi leaders were present. The state government, however, still maintains that the Kamptapuris were getting direct fund and support from the Pakistani ISI, which had set up wide-network in north Bengal and other north-eastern region and engaged in various anti-national activities. A detailed report in this connection was also sent to Mr Vajpayee and the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, last month by the Chief Minister. Mr Bhattacharyya in his letter to the Home Minister, requested him to take immediate steps to curb the ISI activities in the north-east. He demanded the setting up of a special task force, which would operate with the state police in combating insurgency and other anti-national activities in the region. |
|
Jaswant visit to boost trade ties NEW DELHI, FEB 10 — Apart from
jointly inaugurating the Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa road on February 13, the External Affairs Minister would hold talks on bilateral, regional and international issues with his counterpart, Mr U. Win Aung, in Yangon on February 14. During the talks, the two Foreign Ministers would also review security related issues along with cooperation between India and ASEAN. The inauguration of the Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa (TKK) road, which has been built in approximately three years at a cost of Rs 100 crore by the Border Roads Organisation, would open the way for greater economic cooperation between the North-Eastern states and the adjoining areas in Myanmar. On the occasion of the launch of the TKK road, not only the Manipur Chief Minister would be present but representatives of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh would also be present as part of the official Indian delegation. The TKK road would finally emerge as the beginning of the ambitious project of Trans Asian Highway which India and other South-East Asian countries have conceived and decided to bring in reality. While in Yangon, Mr Jaswant Singh will also call on the Myanmar Head of the State, Senior General Than Shwe, who as the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) is also the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister of Myanmar. On February 15, the External Affairs Minister would also inaugurate a remote sensing centre in Yangon. The bilateral relations between the two countries have been growing satisfactorily with New Delhi adopting a cautious approach towards the democratic movement in Myanmar which is being represented by Ms Aung San Suu Kyi who has been under detention for the last so many years. A senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs said, “We follow a policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of another country”. India and Myanmar are also exploring possibilities of building roads between Mizoram sector and the Myanmar side. Apart from traditional commercial and trade relations between the two countries, the two sides are also stepping up cooperation in the field of information technology. The Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of Myanmar is arriving here on a six-day official visit on February 16 to discuss the possibilities of enhanced cooperation in this area. The Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi would also be paying a visit to Myanmar shortly. |
|
Rajasthan cuts IMFL reserve price SRIGANGANAGAR, Feb 10 —
This has been done to give a fillip to the sale of liquor. As an additional benefit, the licence and permit fees deposited by wine contractors have been included in the reserve price. However, it remains to be seen if the benefit is extended to the Bacchus lovers in the state, where liquor prices are rather high. Sources revealed that contrary to the new excise policy, the reserve price has been increased in three districts — Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner. The increase is Rs 5,60 crore, Rs 5.13 crore and Rs 5.60 crore, respectively. Such is the state of affairs that the reserve price in the state capital — Jaipur — has also been rolled back by Rs 18.91 crore. The state has fixed a reserve price of Rs 83.6 million this year as compared to Rs 120 million the previous year. As per the new policy, the state will charge a sum of Rs 675 per case (12 bottles) from the contractors, which is Rs 760 at present. This will mean a considerable benefit of Rs 85 for businessmen. On the other hand, contractors of countrymade liquor will have no reason to cheer, since the state has made no concession for them and they will be governed by the existing policy, besides paying the licence and permit fees, the sources pointed out. The state has been divided into 29 groups which will be auctioned. The contractors will have the option to bid for certain belts as a whole. This has been done to attract maximum number of bidders and allow the licences to concentrate in particular area. At present, contractors of liquor syndicates bid for selected vends in a district or city while the rest of their business is elsewhere. The sectors where a joint bid can be made include Banswara-Dungarpur, Sirohi-Jalore, Swai Madhopur-Karoki, while the contractors have also been allowed to bid for a vend each in Barmer-Jaisalmer, Udaipur-Rajsamad, Kota-Bundi and Jaipur-Dausa region. Sources informed that the reserve price in lakhs for other districts are Ajmer Rs 5504, Alwar Rs 3897, Bharatpur Rs 1662, Dholpur Rs 674, Dausa Rs 1146, Tonk Rs 1527, Jhunjhunuh Rs 2704, Sikar Rs 2916, Sawal Madhopur-Kiroli Rs 1660, Churu Rs 2897, Barmer Rs 1136, Nagore Rs 2822, Pali Rs 2969, Sirohi-Jalore Rs 3462, Bhilwara Rs 2667, Boondi Rs 1360, Barah Rs 1176, Banswara-Dungarpur Rs 1031, Chirttorgarh Rs 2395, Jhalawar Rs 12987, Kota Rs 4149, Udaipur Rs 3245 and Rajsamad Rs 1790. |
|
|
Body of one more miner
recovered DHANBAD, Feb 10 —
Only one miner Salim Ansari was found alive on Thursday while 31 others were feared dead. BCCL control room sources said the bloated corpse of cableman Lakhan Soren was recovered by a rescue team at 8 a.m. which went inside the mine from the Jairampur side. With water level significantly reduced since last night, the authorities have pressed two slurry pumps into service to clear slush, the sources said. A four-member rescue team was now searching the dewatered areas to look for more bodies, they said. The body of Pritam Singh (cable operator) was the first to be found on February 5. Thereafter, the bodies of Chhotu Mian (line mazdoor), Chanderdeo Harijan (dresser), Brij Mohan Singh (mazdoor) and Sheo Charan Tanti (cableman) were recovered. The Bagdihi mine was flooded on February 2 when 60 million gallons of water from the adjacent Jairampur mine breached a barrier trapping 38 miners, including two officials.
— PTI |
|
Uttaranchal grant may prove elusive DEHRA DUN: Mr Nityanand Swami and members of his Cabinet have of late started eating their words with regard to the special economic status demanded by them by saying that the Gujarat earthquake has shaken the whole economy of the nation. The earthquake incidentally gave the Uttaranchal Government the reason on the basis of which the central government could be excused for its refusal to grant special status. The hard-pressed Planning Commission has so far given no response to the Uttaranchal Government’s demand of “90 per cent grant and 10 per cent loan”. After the earthquake the Planning Commission has got a solid excuse for its inability to meet the government demand. Having issued statements, often on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Planning Commission, that the state would soon get the special economic status, now the Chief Minister, Mr Nityanand Swami, has made a volte face by asking his ministers and bureaucrats to think in terms of mopping up resources from within their limits. Sources close to Mr Swami told this
correspondent that the central government had given indications to him its inability to fulfil the demand of the state regarding grant of special economic status. The central government has clearly indicated to the state government to go ahead with preparations for the next financial year’s budget without looking for grants from the central government. The Gujarat earthquake has had a melowing effect on Mr Swami. The self-assured smile of the veteran member of the Sangh Parivar who had been basking in the shadow of his benefactors in the BJP high command has given way to deep furrows on his forehead. In the wake of the Gujarat tragedy, Mr Swami has been spending more of his time with the industrialists, travel agents, hoteliers and other private investors who could bring capital to the cash-starved nascent state. At a conference of the Hotel Association of North India held here in the Capital last week, Mr Swami open-heartedly declared his resolve to provide all possible help for investments in the state. When contacted, Mr Swami admitted there may be a delay in grant of special economic status to Uttaranchal but this did not mean that the central government had betrayed them. The central government had already accepted their demand in principle and the process of releasing the amount was on. When asked about his announcement to implement prohibition in Uttaranchal from the next financial year, the Chief Minister hesitated a little to reply that prohibition was already in force in the religious cities and towns. In the rest of the state it was impossible as it might have a negative affect on the tourism potential of the state, he added. Politics dogs relief operations JAMNAGAR, FEB 10 — Gujarat abounds in countless tragic human stories and the only saving grace is the “spirit of humanity”. At a time when destruction is writ large in all quake-hit districts of Gujarat, despite the criticism of making political capital out of the calamity, khaki shorts-clad RSS activists are relentlessly lending their strong arms in extending relief to the needy in far-flung villages. While the state administration was caught unawares by the extensive loss of life and property in the January 26 earthquake, the RSS network far more quick on its feet than any other voluntary organisation in the country to provide help to the affected people. Several quake-affected people vouch for the RSS’ spirit of humanity, but in the hour of crisis there are also voices, though very few, which accuse the organisation of trying to gain political mileage out of the calamity by forcefully snatching away relief materials and distributing it under its banner. The views of the people about the RSS in worst-affected Kutch district could probably be different, but a majority of the people in Rajkot, Morbi, Amran and Jamnagar only have words of praise for the men in khaki shorts. Some district officials confess that the official relief material was being routed through the RSS for it had a strong network in some parts of the quake-hit region and people had more faith in them than the district administration. “Angered by the delay of two days in the arrival of relief material, some quake-hit people refused to take help from the district officials and thus we were forced to route the relief items through the RSS men,” an official involved in relief operations told The Tribune on condition of anonymity. He stressed that in a crisis situation like this what is more important was that the affected people should receive at least the bare minimum relief. “It is immaterial whether the relief is given directly by the administration or through any voluntary organisation,” he said. As this correspondent visited several quake-hit villages in Maliya Miyana, Morbi, Vankaner and Tankara Talukas, RSS men along with able bodied local people were seen removing debris, retrieving valuables from damaged houses, pitching temporary shelters by tying together bedsheets and most importantly distributing rations and running community kitchens. In some affected villages, the ire of the survivors was directed against the RSS. These villagers alleged that the RSS volunteers were extending relief only to their sympathisers. “They (RSS men) are distributing relief materials only to those people who are their sympathisers,” Parveshbhai said in Moti Vavdi village complaining that he and his family members did not get any relief material for three days after the killer quake struck on Republic Day, despite the RSS men distributing food and essential rations. This allegation was refuted by a local RSS worker. He said, “It is but natural that we will extend relief work where our network is strong. But it is ridiculous to say that we distribute rations only to those who are loyal or sympathisers of RSS.” There were also some complaints, mostly from Congress workers, against the RSS activists that they were “hijacking” relief trucks and distributing the materials under their own banner. Taking strong exception to these allegations, pranth pracharak of the RSS in Jamnagar Manohar Vaidya said the organisation had set up 10 camps in the worst-hit areas of Gujarat. While there are 25,000 RSS volunteers working in the entire quake-hit districts of Gujarat, relief materials were being donated by innumerable businessmen and sympathisers of the RSS in abundance in the relief camps set up by the organisation. “The local administration also made use of the RSS volunteers wherever they could not reach on time,” he said. Admitting that despite the enthusiasm and the strong network of volunteers the RSS cannot match the resources and the strength of state administration, Mr Vaidya said “our effort is to help as many quake-affected people as we can within the resources at our disposal.” On the other hand, RSS’ Gujarat seva pracharak Somnathji Kedkar claimed that there was no second opinion on the strength of the RSS in Gujarat and said instead of playing politics its detractors should come forward and assist in optimising the relief operations. Another senior RSS worker felt that the criticism against the organisation, especially from the Congress, was but natural as “the RSS is seen as a big political supporter of the BJP-led Government at the Centre as well as in Gujarat.” Allegations and counter allegations are bound to continue as it will take a long time before Gujarat’s resurrection comes true, but those who remember the tragic mid-air collision over Haryana in 1996 would recall that even before the state administration could ascertain the exact location of the debris, RSS volunteers were the first one to reach Charki
Dadri. |
|
15 days after quake, kin refuse to accept bodies BHUJ, FEB 10 — The quake-affected people wailed for their near and dear ones trapped under the debris for nearly a week, but not any more. There are no claimants for the bodies recovered from the rubble, for no relative could stand the stench emanating from the highly decomposed corpses which get dismembered on the application of even a little force here and there. “We recovered four bodies yesterday in a highly decomposed state and the relatives were in no mood to handle them,” said a Major from 12 Engineering Regiment, deployed in Bhuj town for rescue operations. “The foul smell is so overpowering that no amount of padding on the nose could prevent it from getting into the respiratory system,” he said. The relatives want the bodies to be sent directly to the crematorium and nobody was even interested in identifying them, said the officer, whose unit has so far recovered 1,237 bodies since January 26 when the rescue operations began. Describing one of the bodies recovered from the debris, he said it was lying at a depth of around three metres halved in the middle as a concrete slab had fallen on it. “It sounds gory but the intestines had come out and got rotten. We had a lot of difficulty in taking out this dismembered body,” the officer said adding that “the boys of the unit showed exemplary courage and resilience in continuing with the work day in and day out without even a whimper of a complaint.” Brig Kiran Kishan of 12 Corps, of which around 5000 engineers and technicians are deployed in Kutch and Ahmedabad districts for the rescue operations, said the Army rescued 99 persons and restored/ cleared 36 km of road network after clearing thousands of tonnes of rubble. AHMEDABAD: The rescue operations in the quake-ravaged Gujarat have not been abandoned by the state government which has estimated the death toll ranging between 16,000 and 17,000, according to Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya. “The focus continues on rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction”, Mr Pandya told PTI here adding that the process of extricating bodies from the rubble and debris was on in many parts of the state.
— PTI |
|
Quake gives blow to tourism AHMEDABAD, FEB 10 — “In the next three months itself the Kutch region would lose a staggering Rs 80 crore from the tourism sector,” the Managing Director of the Tourism Development Corporation of Gujarat, Ms C.T. Misra, told The Tribune. Stating that the revenue loss figures were a conservative estimate, she said most of the tourist earnings were in the private sector. The quake has created its own tourist attraction centre. A large number of curious onlookers have been thronging a village at the epicentre of the earthquake to marvel at the cracked earth and a pool that sprang up after the quake. Khangarpur village, which lies 32 km north of Bhuj, is the new tourist destination. The state government said it may construct afresh five towns, including Bhuj, which were almost completely destroyed by the killer quake and relocate people. Officials said the option of relocating some of the towns could not be ruled out as the cost of rehabilitation on a long-term basis would require a whopping amount of about Rs 10,000 crore. The Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Keshubhai Patel, said several devastated towns and villages would be left untouched, to mark the tragic “end of a civilisation”. The quake hit the region during the peak tourist season. The government has cancelled its Kutch festival scheduled to begin from February 17. The week-long festival presents the rich cultural and
historical tradition of the region. This year’s festival had plans to project Dholavira as an archaeological site. There were plans to pitch tents for visitors to spend the night out. The historical town of Dholavira flourished as a major port centre during the Indus Valley civilisation. The discovery of this historical township had brought fresh light into the Indus civilisation. The Archaeological Survey of India officials here said the site had not been affected by the quake. Large number of seals, artefacts and other materials were discovered by archaeologists during their excavation of the site. “Over 11 lakh tourists visit annually and about 30 per cent travel to the Kutch region around this time of the year. Most of the tourists visiting the region are NRIs who spend a lot during their stay,” Ms Misra said. The culture, tradition and handicrafts of the region, which attracts ethnic buyers from across the globe to this region, would also be affected by the quake. The state Tourism Department is awaiting the report of its consultant assigned to assess the financial loss due to the quake. INTACH is carrying out an inquiry into the loss of historical monuments in the Kutch region. INTACH has asked the authorities, who are removing debris from the destroyed historical sites, to take utmost caution and not to mix them up with other debris as they could be used for restoration work, if possible. Lost in the quake’s fury are the Bhuj fort, Swaminarayanan Temple, numerous dargahs, the gates of the town and the umbrella-like structures around which Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai shot a song for “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”. While the walls of the famous Bhuj fort has crumbled and the main structure damaged, the temple inside the fort is intact. Several gates have crumbled in the force of the shaking earth. The 113-year-old Kutch Museum has been completely destroyed and its valuable collections now lay under the debris. Built in 1877, it’s the oldest museum in Gujarat and has an excellent collection. |
|
Rly women’s
body gives 5 lakh
for quake-hit NEW DELHI, FEB 10 —
The RWWCO Chairperson, Mrs Madhur Narain, handed over the cheque and 350 hampers consisting of waterproof tents, buckets and torches to the Minister of State for Railways, Mr Digvijay Singh, at a function at the Siri Fort auditorium here yesterday. The function was followed by a musical evening by noted playback singer Sudesh Bhosle and his group. A part of the proceedings of this programme were also given for the AIDS awareness programme on the railways being launched by the RWWCO in cooperation with the United Nation Development Fund. Mrs Narain said the RWWCO is dedicated to the well-being of the Railway families and had taken up relief operations in times of natural calamities. |
|
Gujarat told to prepare list of affected villages NEW DELHI, Feb 10 — The direction to this effect was made by the Union Home Minister and Chairman of the empowered Group of Ministers Mr L.K. Advani, official sources said. The Home Minister’s directive comes a day after his two-day tour to quake-hit villages of Rajkot, Morbi, Amran and Jamnagar. During his visit to these places, Mr Advani had close interaction with the district officials engaged in the relief operations and had direct interface with the affected people. To have a first-hand information about the quake-affected people, Mr Advani had stayed in a tent camp pitched for the shelterless villagers in Amran before embarking on a visit to Jamnagar enroute to New Delhi. While the quake-affected people were generally feeling confident about rebuilding their houses, Mr Advani was confronted with several complaints relating to lack of proper survey of quake affected villages, non-payment of insurance premium and acute shortage of temporary shelters. Meanwhile, Maldivian Home Minister Ismail Shafuw today met Mr Advani here and handed over a cheque of $ 25,000 for extending relief to the quake affected people of Gujarat. Mr Shafuw also expressed grief over the loss to lives and property in Gujarat, official sources said. |
|
250 cr
sanctioned for relief work NEW DELHI, Feb 10 —
The grant includes 13 million euros from the Humanitarian Aid Office for the purpose. The first tranche of three million euros has already been released, Ambassador, Head of Delegation, European Commission in India, Michel Caillouet said. Ex-Air Chief Dilbagh Singh dead DEHRA DUN, FEB 10 — Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh, (74) died last night after a brief illness bringing an end to the career of a Chief of Air Staff who was the first to command both transonic and supersonic squadrons of the Indian Air Force and led one of the first spitfire operations that threw out the Kabali invaders sent by Pakistan from Kashmir in 1947. Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh, who was the Chief of Air Staff from September 1,1981, to September, 1984, died at the military hospital in the Garhi Cantonment. His cremation will take place with full military honours at 3 pm tomorrow. He was the first Air Chief Marshal of the country. The Chiefs of Air Staff earlier were known as Air Marshals. Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh served from 1985 to 1987 as India’s Ambassador to Brazil. Born on March 10, 1926, at Jhunmun Singh village of Gurdaspur district (Punjab), he joined the Royal Air Force as an officer cadet on January 6, 1944, and was commissioned as a fighter pilot on September 4, 1944. He assumed charge as Air Vice-Marshal in March, 1976, and Air Marshal on September 1, 1978. He was appointed Vice-Chief of Air Staff on January 1, 1981, and finally as Chief of Air Staff on September 1, 1981. In 1944 he was posted to the No.1 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Kohat and saw operations in Waziristan. He later joined the No.10 Winged Daggers Squadron and flew sorties against the raiders in the Hawker Tempest aircraft. He was promoted as Squadron Leader in 1954 and became the officer in charge of Flying Ops at the Ambala airbase. He first commanded a squadron in 1955.
|
Advocate held for
murder bid NEW DELHI, Feb 10 —
The advocate, Sachin Mohit, was arrested today from the court’s premises for allegedly driver attacking Bhoop Singh with a razor. The driver received three injuries on his neck and was admitted to AIIMS. However, he was discharged soon as the injuries were of a “superficial” nature, the police said. |
|
Village coop society
profits distributed HANUMANGARH Feb 10 —
The Collector said the village cooperative society had made valuable achievements in the field of cooperation. The joining of cooperation campaign by women was an important development and with this they would become more independent both socially and economically, he said. Mr Chandellia said with the assistance from the local residents, the district had emerged a forerunner under the twenty-point programme. He said the public problems would be solved on a priority basis and efforts would be made to open bank extension counters at cooperative societies. Mr Rajendra Godara, member of district council, also appreciated the achievements of the society. The Assistant Executive Officer of the Sriganganagar Cooperative Bank, Mr Netram Reriwar, disclosed that a print of Rs 98,000 had been distributed to the village cooperative society. The share of the state government of Rs 69,750 was handed over to the District Collector. The society also presented a cheque for Rs 51,000 for the Chief Minister’s Earthquake Relief Fund. A Gram Sabha was also organised at the function, in which some bills were passed.
Suratgarh plant to
have another unit SRIGANGANAGAR, Feb 10 —
Mr R.M. Singhvi, Chief Engineer, said with the commissioning of this 250 MW unit, the capacity of the plant would to go up to 1,250 MW, making it the largest thermal power plant in Asia. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
