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Wednesday,
January 2, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Snapping
of air link to cost Rs 50 crore Offensive
on Pak to be BJP poll plank India, Pak
exchange nuke lists
Uttaranchal
poll: Cong may go alone No pact
with Cong in UP, Punjab: CPM |
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‘Big
Bull’ leaves legacy of cases Panja
challenges suspension from party PM to
visit Lucknow today NCC
Republic Day camp begins Grant of Rs 1 crore lapses
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Snapping of air link to cost Rs 50 crore New Delhi, January 1 “However, this is a small amount to pay for maintaining our national honour and sovereignty, besides our commitment to fighting global terrorism,” Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here after launching Air India’s e-marketing facility through the airline website. While Air India will alone suffer a loss of Rs 40 crore annually with Pakistan closing down its airspace, Indian Airlines would lose about Rs 3.4 crore (Rs 7 lakh per week) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Rs 5 crore per annum, the Civil Aviation Minister said. The Airports Authority of India earns revenue not only through the landing, parking and airport charges but also the charges connected with overflights. Pakistan will lose about five times more than India as its aircraft would now have to take long detours through the Sri Lankan or Chinese airspace, he said. This will entail a loss of Rs 240 crore to Pakistan International Airlines. Ministry sources said efforts were on to negotiate with other countries like Iran to allow the use of their airspace to Indian aircraft. An Iranian delegation is likely to arrive here in the next few days to hold talks on aviation matters. India is also contemplating allowing Iran Air to operate a flight to Delhi via Kabul and to provide the first air connection with Afghanistan after the new government took over there, Mr Hussain said. |
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Offensive
on Pak to be BJP poll plank New Delhi, January 1 According to sources, the BJP while adopting the line that the Vajpayee government will go all out to end terrorism would try to highlight the diplomatic offensive initiated against Pakistan as “the bold step under the present circumstances”. Party President Jana Krishnamurthi has already announced the ‘jan jagran abhiyan’ and ‘prabhat pheri” programmes, under which workers in small groups will conduct door-to-door contact programmes at village and district levels to explain the electorate about the positive impact of the diplomatic offensive. Interestingly, the party has roped in the service of a lot of ex-servicemen, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal, to run the campaign and has directed the Ex-servicemen Cell of the party to take the lead in projecting the party’s “positive and aggressive” diplomatic stand. |
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India, Pak exchange nuke lists New Delhi, January 1 According to an official note issued here, the lists were exchanged under an agreement on Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities which makes it obligatory for the two countries to inform each other on January 1 of every year of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered. The agreement was signed on December 31, 1988, and came into force on January 27, 1991. |
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Uttaranchal
poll: Cong may go alone Dehra Dun, January 1 Talking to mediapersons here this evening, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and senior Congress leader Narayan Datt Tiwari said that the state unit of the party had not initiated any kind of talks with the opposition parties for possible alliance. In reply to a question, he said that Congress favoured the inclusion of Hardwar district in Uttaranchal state. “The issue of Dehra Dun as the Capital of Uttaranchal is more an issue. The Congress would abide by the report of the commission appointed by the state government to look into the possibilities of forming Gairsen as the capital,” he said. Lashing out at the BJP government in the state, Mr Tiwari said that no developmental works had been initiated by the government. The people were dischanted by its dismal performance. The Congress would give priority to the overall development of the state if it came to power. Earlier, he addressed a public rally in Dehra Dun organised by the state unit of the party to kick off the poll campaign. Former Union Minister of Home Affairs Subodh Kant Sahay, former Union Minister of State for Defence Suresh Pachauri, state president of the Congress Harish Rawat and state president of Mahila Congress Manorama Sharma also addressed the rally. |
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No pact with Cong in UP, Punjab: CPM Dehra Dun, January 1 Addressing the first meeting of state-level delegates of the CPM here this afternoon, the Leftist leader lashed out at the BJP for putting the nation’s security and integration at stake. He also ruled out any alliance with the Congress in Punjab and the other three states. However, the Lok Morcha would be strengthened with the help of the Samajwadi Party and other likeminded parties to defeat the
BJP, Congress and other parties. He rejected the amended POTO and said the CPM would vote against it in Parliament. He announced that the CPM was holding its national meet at Hyderabad in March to discuss vital issues of national interest. |
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‘Big Bull’ leaves legacy of cases Mumbai, January 1 Criminal cases against Harshad Mehta would “abate” (be dropped) because in law a dead man cannot be punished or put behind bars, says CBI Prosecutor Raja Thakre. But other co-accused involved with him in criminal cases would continue to face prosecution. However, civil cases against Harshad would continue because his legal heirs would step into his shoes and the liability of the “Big Bull” would be recovered from his estate. The properties of Harshad have already been attached by the court receiver and placed in the care of the custodian who will recover the dues from his legal heirs, CBI prosecutor said. According to lawyers defending Harshad Mehta in various courts, the assets of the “big bull” were estimated at around Rs 2500 crore in 1992, while his liabilities arising out of claims put by banks and financial institutions were to the tune of Rs 1200 crore. This figure excludes tax dues payable by Harshad. Ajay Khandhar, Harshad’s lawyer, said he was facing about 28 criminal cases and several other civil cases in Mumbai and Delhi. Separate cases had been filed by the Income Tax Department to recover his dues. Leading lawyer Satish Maneshinde said criminal cases against Harshad would come to an end but appeals filed by him against special court verdicts in scam cases would survive. If appeals succeed, he is acquitted but if he is convicted then fines may be imposed on him and recovered from his assets or estate in the possession of the custodian, Mr Maneshinde said. Fines imposed by courts against Harshad would be recovered in the same way as recoverable in land revenue cases. Therefore, his criminal liability may go away with his death but civil liability would remain and be met from the assests left behind by Harshad, the lawyer said. Harshad is also facing several cases filed by the Income Tax Department for recovery of tax dues besides civil suits in Mumbai and elsewhere. The awards or decree in such suits would be served on his legal heirs, experts opined.
PTI |
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Harshad’s death to be probed Thane, January 1 Mehta, who complained of chest pain in Thane Central Prison, was shifted to the nearby Civil Hospital where he died yesterday. He was lodged in Thane jail for the past one week after a special court remanded him and his brothers Aswin and Sudhir to judicial custody till January 4 in a case of alleged misappropriation of Rs 250 crore from 27 lakh missing shares of 90 blue chip companies. Thane District Magistrate M.S Chahal has ordered the inquiry to determine the causes leading to death of Mehta. The police has registered a case of natural death.
PTI |
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Panja challenges suspension
from party New Delhi, January 1 Talking to newspersons after inaugurating the AITC’s Delhi office here, Mr Panja, who along with former Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was the co-founder of the Trinamool Congress, challenged his suspension from the party claiming that most of the Trinamool legislators were with him. Mr Panja, a Lok Sabha MP, said no meeting to suspend him from the party was ever held as claimed by the Trinamool Congress chief whip Sudip Bandopadhyay. Claiming to be the “duly elected” chairman of the party, the former Union Minister said some of the Trinamool Congress elements were propagating his suspension only on electronic and print media. He criticised Ms Banerjee and her supporters for having quit the NDA before the West Bengal assembly elections and forging an alliance with the Congress. Later Mr Panja called on BJP President, Mr K. Jana Krishnamurthi. |
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PM to visit Lucknow today
Lucknow, January 1 During his stay here, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the All India Mayors Conference tomorrow and the 89th Indian Science Congress on Thursday. Mr Vajpayee’s special flight is expected to land at the Amausi airport at 11.05 a.m. From there he will proceed to the Kisan Ganna Sansthan for the conference.
UNI |
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NCC Republic Day camp begins New Delhi, January 1 About 1,800 cadets, both boys and girls, drawn from 17 NCC directorates covering all the states and Union Territories of the country are participating in this camp. The cadets will take part in a number of activities like cultural, national integration awareness and institution training competitions. They will also take part in the Prime Minister’s NCC rally on January 27. In his brief address, General B.K. Bopanna said the aim of the camp was not only to give cadets a glimpse of the national Capital and exposure to some of the important events that took place in our national life in January each year, but also to project to the nation the values for which the NCC stood. He said that the Republic Day camp was a “mini-India” where you learned a lot from each other. The cadets also took part in the NCC oath-taking ceremony on the occasion of the New Year. |
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Grant of Rs 1 crore lapses Hanumangarh, January 1 Sources said this year the Central Finance Commission granted Rs 26,90,000 for improving the conditions of dwellings in the city. The Local Body Director approved the amount in August, but the financial approval was given in the last week of November. The amount was to be spent on the development of suburbs. The Central Finance Commission allotted another sum of Rs 17,32,00 in two instalments to the council. The State Finance Commission also approved Rs 32,14,000 to the council to spend on various projects. The financial approval to all these amounts was given in October and November. During this period the Opposition by passing a no-confidence vote had removed the Chairperson of the council and the vice-Chairman took over the charge. After this the removed Chairperson came back to power following the orders of the Local Bodies Department to reinstate her. Much time was spent in this leading to repeated cancellation of council meetings and so no project could be taken up. The sources said in a meeting of the development committee of the council held on September 29 seven works were approved which include laying water pipelines, constructing outlets and installing electricity poles at various places. In mid-October tenders were invited for these works and by the end of the month these were allotted. Of the seven projects approved, work on three is yet to be started and only one has been completed. An amount of only Rs 4,69,000 has been spent while the total amount allotted for these works was Rs 26,90,000. So rest of the amount would lapse today. In August the Central Finance Commission allotted Rs 17,32,000 to the council for providing basic amenities, like sewerage and water supply, and lying of roads in the 40 wards of the city. An equal amount was to be given by the council itself and thus the total amount to be spent under this project was Rs 34,64,000. These works were approved in the September 29 meeting of the development committee of the council. On August 1, the Central Finance Commission approved an installment of Rs 8,66,000 of the last financial year and another of the same amount of the current financial year. Here again the Local Bodies Department delayed in giving its financial approval to the amount which came in the third week of October. Because of the slow proceeding, work of ensuring proper electricity supply costing Rs 3,46,000 has been taken up after the exercise of invitation and allotment of tenders. The amount was to be spent by the end of this year. Thus the council would also lose another amount of Rs 31,18,000. Viewing the time left for spending the total amount of Rs 93,68,000 on these three projects, various bills were to be passed in a meeting of the council held on December 15, but because of differences between the ruling and the opposition parties and interruption caused by sweepers who were protesting against their removal from the council the meeting could not take place. |
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