 |
Monday,
May 12, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Details of Pak terror groups shared with USA Women discriminated
against at Perfumes, mementoes, flowers for
mothers
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Promotion of Haryana officials: order
stayed
BJP gears up for
elections NCM objects to action against Muslim staff Lease of life for Bihar PSU staff
|
|
Details of Pak terror groups shared with USA New Delhi, May 11 The information shared with US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage during his series of talks with the Indian leadership here yesterday is the latest, explosive and damning, well-placed sources here told TNS today. The Indians are also understood to have shared with Mr Armitage figures of infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) into India and details of terrorist training camps being run across the LoC. Some of the details shared with Mr Armitage are as follows: * Pakistan-aided militants in PoK, for long equipped with hi-tech communication gadgets, have started procuring laptop computers from Saudi Arabia. Their J&K-based accomplices have begun acquiring cellular phones to be used in conjunction with Inmarsat and Thuraya satellite phones already available with senior commanders. *
Terrorist outfits have intensified their activities under new names. The better known old wines in new bottles are: Jamat-ud-Dawa (formerly Lashkar-e-Toiba), Khaddam-ul-Islam (formerly Jaish-e-Mohamad) and Jammat-ul-Ansar (formerly Harkat-ul Mujahideen). All three outfits have been banned by the US State Department. *
Hizbul Mujahiddeen is planning to route its ammunitions through Bangladesh and is also planning to launch attacks in places other than J&K. *
Outfits like the LeT and the JeM have on their hit list such high-profile political leaders like Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Shiv Sena chief Bala Saheb Thackeray, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and prominent J&K leader Yousuf Tarigami, apart from Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s firebrand leader Praveen Togadia. The sources said several training camps of terrorist outfits like the LeT, the JeM, the Hizbul and the Al Badr were functioning in Pakistan, PoK and northern areas. The places where these camps are being run are: Kahuta, Manshera (Pakistan), Chilas, Skardu (Northern Areas), Gundigiran, Sensa and Shumali (PoK). As regards the cross-border infiltration figures shared with Mr Armitage, a total of 300 infiltrators crossed over into J&K in the first quarter of this year, as against 350 and 495 in the corresponding periods of 2002 and 2001, respectively. The break-up of infiltrations of the first quarter of this year is: 105 in January, 56 in February, 60 in March and 80 in April. Due to continuing international pressure on Pakistan, major terrorist outfits have refrained from claiming responsibilities for their actions. Instead Kashmiri outfits like the Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen and the Jamiat-ul Mujahideen were encouraged to claim responsibility as part of the Inter Services Intelligence’s operational strategy. This is also a ploy to show to the world that the violence in J&K was a “genuine freedom struggle” of the local Kashmiris. The USA is also aware of some of the recent inflammatory speeches and averments by terrorist leaders based in Pakistan and PoK. LeT founder Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, while addressing an anti-US war rally in Peshawar on March 30, had urged the MMA-led government in the NWFP to formally announce jehad against infidels saying that jehad was the lone weapon with Muslims to safeguard their interests. Sayeed, in an interview to The Friday Times (dated April 13, 2003) had called for killing of Hindus rather than holding peace talks as the best approach to solve the Kashmir problem. It is understood that the US attention has also been drawn to the increased recruitment in jehadi outfits, opening up of several offices to coordinate JeM activities and LeT expansion activities in cities like Lahore, Hyderabad-Sind, Larkana and Sukkur to establish a network of madarsas for training youths. Mr Armitage, on his part, declined to give any kind of assurances during his talks yesterday with the Indian leadership and before leaving India had told reporters that it was not his job to give any assurances. He had also said that it was up to India to make up “her own mind” about what New Delhi thought of General Musharraf’s statement that nothing was happening on the LoC and if there were any training camps in Pakistan or PoK “they will be gone tomorrow”. |
|
|
Women discriminated against at workplace: ILO
New Delhi, May 11 The report, “Time for Equality,” to be released tomorrow is based on the first-ever global survey on discrimination at workplace. It highlights growing discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, age and against people with HIV infection and disabilities. It also underlines a change in the pattern of discrimination from blatant forms to subtle ones, that are a cause for concern. The report warns that neglecting the ‘’widening socio-economic inequalities’’ in the world of work would not only amount to accepting a ‘’waste of human talent and resources but could also have disastrous effects on social balance and political stability”. The rate of unemployment is higher among women compared to men, the report adds. Although more and more women are working, much remains to be done. In addition to the “glass ceiling,” the “pay gap” between women and men is still significant. Discrimination can occur at every stage, from recruitment to education and remuneration, occupational segregation and at the time of lay-offs. Women tend to be employed in a narrower range of occupations than men and are more likely to work part-time or short-term. They also face greater barriers to promotion and career enhancement. Even though export-led industrial development has opened many occupations to women, inequalities remain in terms of pay, hierarchy and promotion. “Available evidence seems to show that occupational segregation also persists in new areas of work related to information and communications technologies — once hailed as a window of equal treatment and opportunities for women,” the report says. “Discrimination against people having HIV/AIDS is a growing concern, especially among women. This can take many forms, including pre-employment testing leading to a refusal to hire, testing of long term foreign visitors before entering a country and in some countries, mandatory tests for migrant workers.” The other forms of discrimination in this category include dismissal without medical evidence, notice or a hearing, demotion, denial of health insurance benefits, salary deductions and harassment. The most common form of discrimination against persons with disabilities, particularly in developing countries, is the denial of opportunities — in the labour market, education and training. “Unemployment rates for people with disabilities reach 80 per cent or more in many developing countries. They are often trapped in low-paid, unskilled and menial jobs with little or no social protection,” the report says. The discrimination based on religion, which has increased over the past decade, has been fuelled by the current global political climate, threatening to destabilise societies and generate violence. Religious discrimination includes offensive behaviour at work by co-workers or managers towards members of religious minorities, lack of respect and ignorance of religious customs, obligation to work on religious days and holidays, bias in recruitment or promotion, denial of business license and lack of respect for dress customs. According to the report, by the year 2050, 33 per cent of people in developed countries and 19 per cent in developing countries will be 60 or older, most of them women. Discrimination based on age can be overt, such as age limits for hiring, or take more subtle forms, such as allegations that people lack career potential. Other forms of discrimination include limited access to training and conditions that virtually compel early retirement. “Age discrimination tends to be over-represented among the poor, particularly the chronic poor, and in the informal economy,”
UNI |
|
Perfumes, mementoes, flowers for mothers Mumbai, May 11 Heady perfumes wrapped in golden tissue paper, baskets of dried scented flowers, small mementoes saying ‘you are the best mum in the world’, key chains dangling lovable mascots and huge cards wishing mothers for the special day, dotted the cards shops in Mumbai. Some of the leading five-star hotels like, the Taj turned out a special menu for the day for families eager to indulge their mothers on the day. Delicacies like Norwegian pink salmon, Camembert souggle, Mango sorbet with Mascoporne and the tempting Dark chocolate and carmelised pear vanilla brullee made it to the specially-decorated tables of the hotels, tastefully announcing the day. A leading book store threw a special party for mothers who were allowed to browse through their favourite books with a hot steaming cup of coffee made by someone else for a change. A jewellery store in the metropolis, eager to cash on the fetish for jewellery among mothers, went a step ahead offering a lucky mother to win a 73-diamond encrusted neckpiece. More practical commercial establishments offered an intriguing range of kitchen collection priced at a reasonable price. A local restaurant by the beach offered daughters an opportunity to let mothers eat out of their hands by cooking up a special meal by the blue waters even as their mothers waited luxuriously to have henna painted on their hands and tatoos imprinted on their arms. The earliest Mother’s Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honour of Rhea, the Mother of Gods. Ancient Romans also celebrated a similar three-day festival dedicated to Goddess Cybelle.
PTI |
|
Promotion of Haryana officials: order
stayed New Delhi, May 11 While issuing notices to them, a Bench comprising Mr Justice Duraiswamy Raju and Mr Justice D. M. Dharmadhikari said if any contempt proceeding was initiated against the state government for not implementing the High Court order, the same would remain stayed during the pendency of the petition before the apex court. The state government in its petition said that the High Court had “erred” in allowing the writ petition of these officials as per two earlier judgements in identical cases of some other employees similarly placed while defining the principle of “equality among equals”. “Persons initially recruited to Class IV/Group D posts and subsequently promoted within a span of 10 years to Class III/Group C posts constitute a separate Class of employees as compared to those recruited directly to a Class III/Group C post,” the Haryana Government said in a special leave petition. The High Court had “failed” to appreciate the fact that the first set of employees, having obtained promotions within 10 years of their service, were not entitled to the benefit of upgraded pay scales under the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme, while the second set of employees, recruited directly to Class III/Group C posts, completed 10 years of service without any promotion and were given upgraded scale. “The High Court failed to appreciate that persons appointed as peons and beldars at the initial stage would constitute one Class of employees. Therefore, they cannot claim parity in getting incentives given to directly recruited agriculture inspectors, who have not earned a single promotion in their service career till the time of the ACP was notified by the state in January 1998,” it said. |
|
|
BJP gears up for
elections New Delhi, May 11 “There will be effort on a war-footing under the extensive schedule of national as well as state-level meetings during May and June to formulate strategy for elections in the Congress-ruled states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh,” General Secretary and spokesperson for the party, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said in a statement here today. The BJP would aim to “expose manipulative politics, all-round failure, rampant corruption and anti-people policies” of the Congress, he said. While a meeting of various party cells was convened on May 24 here, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani would chair a meeting of Central party office-bearers at Jaipur on the next day to discuss various strategies and work plan, he said. Under the "Social Expansion" programme of the party, aimed at further broadening its mass base, party chief M.Venkiah Naidu would address a massive “Samrasta Rally” at Rampur district in Uttar Pradesh on May 28. A two-day meeting of all party presidents and general secretaries in Hyderabad had been planned for May 29 which would discuss various forthcoming elections, organisational matters and
deputation of more than 10,000 party workers for poll work in states going for elections, he said. |
|
NCM objects to action against Muslim staff New Delhi, May 11 Action was taken against a Muslim cop for not shaving his beard and later he was forced to retire. The matter was brought to the notice of the commission, which conveyed to the state government that the Muslim employees could keep beards. Mr Tarlochan Singh wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna saying that the state Police Department had acted wrongly.
UNI |
|
|
Lease of life for Bihar PSU staff
Patna, May 11 The Supreme Court, in its interim judgement on Friday, directed the state government to release Rs 50 crore in two months to pay for their salary dues. “It is like a light at the end of the tunnel, we are saved”, Mr Gopal Tiwari, secretary of the Bihar Lok Upakram Bachao Samiti, said. The employees held a victory procession today to mark the verdict in their favour. As many as 22,632 employees of the 19 PSUs of state government had not received salaries for 10 years leading to death of 1,402 of them due to starvation and lack of medical treatment”, Ashwini Kumar, convener of Bihar Saving Struggle Front, said. Last year in August, wards of starving employees had unleashed a spate of self-immolations before courts to raise the issue of non-payment of salaries. The state government has, however, said it will study the judgement first before making a comment. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
