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Kalam calls for national solution to tackle insurgency
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22 insurgent outfits operating in Manipur
Imphal (Manipur), June 15 A total of 68 battalions with a strength of about 58,000 are currently deployed in Manipur against an estimated 13,000 cadres of 22 insurgent outfits operating in the state, according to a report of the state Home Department.
Denials fuel speculation about Digvijay Singh Gowda insists on public debate on metro project
Girls dance in bars as Cong, NCP clash to close doors
CPM cautions against World Bank orders
SGPC open to heritage status
for Harmandar Sahib
Monsoon delayed, not deficient, says Met Dept
Doon litchi loses scent
LJP rebels to join
JD(U)
I won’t repeat my mistakes, says Lalu
Number of schools up: survey
Fungi spores can kill mosquitoes
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BJP rally against statue removal stopped
Rampur, June 15 The district administration banned the rally and imposed Section 144, CrPc, preventing assembly of five or more persons in the town, while the police prevented people from entering the rally venue at Ambedkar Park. Police forces were heavily deployed in the area, official sources said, adding no untoward incident had been reported thus far. While Naqvi and former state BJP President Katiyar were arrested here in the wee hours, UP BJP President Tripathi was taken into custody along with some party workers on the Moradabad-Rampur highway, the police sources said. Tandon, who is Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, was arrested this morning at Bareilly when he was coming to participate in the rally, the sources said. Describing the removal of the statue on Sunday night as a “planned conspiracy” of the state government to create communal tension, Naqvi said the BJP would not “settle unless the statue is reinstalled in its place.” “Our party workers will come to Rampur from all over the country and we are going to launch a nation-wide protest against the incident,” he told reporters from the Rampur Guest House, where he was detained. “This only shows the malafide intention of the Mulayam government,” Tripathi said over the phone accusing the Chief Minister of reneging from his promise of reinstalling the statue. “When I spoke to Mulayam about the issue, he promised to reinstall the statue. But later, the pedestal of the statue was also removed. Leaders and party workers who protested against this are now being haunted,” Tripathi said. State party media in charge Narendra Singh Rana alleged that security personnel “misbehaved” with senior party leader and MLC Sheema Rizvi during a demonstration today.
— PTI |
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Kalam calls for national solution to tackle insurgency
New Delhi, June 15 Dr Kalam, who made a power point presentation titled “Dynamics of Development” at the two-day Governors’ conference that ended here today, hoped that Government would take fast action on all important issues and work for time-bound solutions. The President focussed on the challenge of lifting 260 million people living below the poverty line through an annual economic growth rate of 10 per cent over a 10-year period, a Rashtrapati Bhavan press note said. He felt India was well placed as it was in an ascending economic trajectory with rising foreign exchange reserves, decreasing inflation rate, global recognition of its technological competence and the energy of 540 million youth. The President highlighted the need for five integrated actions for a developed India covering agriculture and food processing, education and health care, information and communication technology, infrastructure development and self- reliance in criticial technologies. In his presentation, Dr Kalam gave suggestions on how to develop Himachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a case study. He suggested to the Prime Minister that the two most highly populated states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh had tremendous potential in agriculture, industry and tourism which could be gainfully tapped for national gain. The President also emphasised the urgent need to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and the requirement of an anti-vaccine for the disease for which the Health Ministry should accord the highest priority. He suggested that health care, insurance on the pattern of some states should be developed so that every individual was covered for all health care facilities. Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat spoke about the urgent need to tackle the problem of corruption and increase the pace of development while ensuring that the benefits of development spread across all sections of society. He also focussed on the need to improve the delivery system and water management, the press note said. Finance Minister P Chidambaram gave a presentation on the impact of state level value added tax while the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia spoke of the 10th Five Year Plan. Human Resource Development minister Arjun Singh gave an overview of the challenges faced by the educational system, which included both primary and higher education. Twentyeight Governors and three Lt-Governors attended the conference.
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22 insurgent outfits operating in Manipur
Imphal (Manipur), June 15 Comparing this with the total population of the state (as per 2001 Census), this means that there is one armed personnel for every 50 citizens in the state. The armed forces include the CRPF, BSF, Assam Rifles, Indian Reserve Battalion, Manipur Rifles and the state police. The state government, acting on the advice of the Union Home Ministry, which had constituted the strategies and operational group (SOG) under the combined headquarters command chaired by the state Chief Minister during September/October 2004, has claimed in its law and order situation report to the Centre that the insurgent dominant Sajik Tampak area of Chandel district and Churachandapur district have been brought under control by the security forces after busting several militant camps in the area. The regular army units being deployed on the counter-insurgency duties at 33 different sensitive locations in the state include the 12 Garhwal Rifles, 5/8 Gurkhas, 12 Grenadiers, 27 Madras Regiment, five companies of 19 Rajput, two companies of J&K Rifles, one of the para field regiments and units under 59 Mountain Brigade, 44 Mountain Brigade and 50 Mountain Division. More that 22 underground outfits are reported to be operating in Manipur. Out of the 22 outfits, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) has the widest base, concentrated mainly in the valley districts with its 2,500 cadres and its armed wing Manipur people`s Army (MPA). Next is the banned Revolutionary People`s Front (RPF) and its armed wing People`s Liberation Army (PLA) with 1,500 cadres, the perpek and its armed wing Red Army with 500 cadres. But despite the presence of the above outfits in the hills, the real control of the hill districts lies with the NSCN(IM) on the Manipur- Nagaland border. |
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Denials fuel speculation about Digvijay Singh New Delhi, June 15 “I have not been informed officially or unofficially about such a decision,” he told newspersons today.Not just Mr. Singh but Mr. Sharma also retracted his earlier statement, saying there had been no official announcement to this effect. Instead of clarifying matters, these denials have fuelled speculation about the possible reasons for the confusing statements emanating from the AICC. Congress insiders maintain this could well be the handiwork of Mr. Singh’s detractors who do not want the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister to acquire a high profile in the party. It is also being seen as an attempt to prevent Mr. Singh from emerging as a Thakur leader in the Northern belt. This speculation has been sparked off by the fact that Mr.Digivjay Singh’s bete noire and also a Thakur leader, Mr. Arjun Singh had been asked to handle seat-sharing arrangements with other UPA allies in the last Bihar Assembly polls.The negotiations with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) failed to fructify and the Congress ended up having having only partial pacts with the RJD and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). The strategy proved disastrous for the Congress which was unable to win more than 10 seats. The party’s dismal performance had resulted in an immediate blame game. Fingers were pointed at both Mr. Arjun Singh and Mr. M.L.Fotedar, who was also involved in the negotiations, for having misread the ground situation in Bihar. The Congress does not want to repeat the mistakes it made last time. It has repeatedly maintained that it will attempt to bring together all secular forces in order to put up a united front against the BJP-led NDA. There is growing realisation in the UPA that any split in the secular vote will only help the NDA. Since Mr. Arjun Singh had failed in this task last time and even alienated allies like the RJD and Left parties, Congress insiders believe the delicate task of electoral negotiations will have to be entrusted to some other senior leader. In such a case, Mr. Digvijay Singh is seen to be an obvious choice.
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Gowda insists on public debate on metro project Bangalore, June 15 Mr Deve Gowda told newsmen here that the debate should include politicians, technocrats and citizens of the city. Claiming that he was pained to see media reports portraying him as a stumbling block in the establishment of the project, Gowda said he would not go back on his demand for a debate on the issue. However even after such remarks, Karnataka Chief Minister Dharam Singh refused to join issue with Mr Gowda. Talking to newsmen later in the day, Mr Dharam Singh claimed that the former Prime Minister had never opposed the metro project and that he had only asked for certain changes in the project. These changes, the Chief Minister said, related to the alignment of the railway track. He said Mr Gowda had suggested that the railway line should not disturb major structures and this demand was being considered. The former Prime Minister indicated that the entire project was in a state of flux and that nothing had been cleared as claimed by State Congress Committee President B Janardhan Poojary yesterday. He said the State Cabinet had only given its principal consent to the project. Mr Gowda also tried to clarify that he was not pitching for the mono rail or any other mass rapid transport system against the proposed metro rail. “I have never advocated any mono rail or elevated rail project’, he added. He also explained that contrary to allegations being made in the press it was he who had cleared the metro rail project planned for Bangalore during his tenure as Prime Minister. Explaining his change of heart, Gowda said in Delhi against a projected cost of Rs 4,800 crore for a 51-km stretch, as much as Rs 7,200 crore had been spent only on laying out a 27- km stretch. The entire project needs to be debated in this context, he added.
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Girls dance in bars as Cong, NCP clash to close doors
Mumbai, June 15 The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party in the state have opposite views on shutting down the dance bars. While Patil of the NCP has taken a moralistic stand on shutting them down, the Congress is highlighting the humanitarian angle since more than 75,000 persons directly and indirectly depending on the establishment may be thrown out of their jobs. Bar dancers, as the girls who perform at the bars are known, have already met Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Its ordinance has been stuck with Governor S M Krishna for nearly a fortnight. Raj Bhavan sources have now made it known that Krishna had sent some queries to the state government for clarification before assenting the Bill. They also scotched rumours that Krishna had sent back the ordinance to the state government. The Governor is believed to have sought information on the government proposals to rehabilitate the bar girls before shutting down the dance bars. No concrete proposals to rehabilitate them have so far been made by the government. The Congress has, meanwhile, denied that it is putting pressure on the Governor to send back the ordinance. Party spokesman Anant Gadgil denied media reports that the Governor was advised to hold back his assent to the Bill. “He is the Governor of the state and the party will not advise him,” Gadgil said. Meanwhile, legal and illegal dance bars across Maharashtra continue to function normally. According to dance bar owners, a few girls have moved to other states fearing a threat to their livelihood. |
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CPM cautions against World Bank orders
New Delhi, June 15 “Past governments at the Centre have done that and we want a categorical assurance from the UPA government that it would not follow the same course,” CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury told The Tribune. When asked to specify the government, under whose tenure the budget papers were shown to World Bank, he said “we are aware of it…but would not like to name them at this juncture.” The party today came out with a policy report clearly stating the conditions under which governments could accept loans from multilateral agencies for development projects. The policy statement, which was adopted at the Central Committee meeting of the party in Kolkata earlier this month has been formulated to clear the stand the party would take on economic issues and the line government’s run by the CPM would take in policy formulation. The party also stepped up pressure on the UPA government to enact a law enabling the state governments to exercise ‘’social control’’ to contain the growing menace of commercialisation in education and health sectors. He said the new law could go a long way in enabling the state governments to scrutinise the prescribed syllabus, fee structure and the students’ recruitment policy of private institutions among other things.
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SGPC open to heritage status
for Harmandar Sahib
New Delhi, June 15 After attending a meeting convened by the National Commission for Minorities here yesterday, SGPC member Harinder Pal Singh said: “When this dossier was made four years back, Sikh intellectuals were not consulted to their satisfaction. The dossier was made hurriedly. After hearing the views of Sikh intellectuals here, we are convinced that the apprehensions voiced by the SGPC are unfounded. We will appeal to our President Bibi Jagir Kaur and our executive to review their decision to support renomination of Sri Harmandar Sahib for world heritage status.” The other two SGPC members who participated in the academic discussion were Mr Kuldeep Singh Bhogal and Mr Bhupinder Singh Anand. Mr Harinder Pal Singh said the SGPC executive at a meeting on April 21, passed a resolution rejecting the nomination of Sri Harmandar Sahib. He said the dissenting note was given by member Bibi Kiranjot Kaur. Addressing the participants, the UNESCO Director, Prof M. Tawfik, said the Director-General, Archaeological Survey of India, Mr C. Babu Rajeev, took a wise decision by withdrawing the dossier. Professor Tawfik urged the ASI Director-General to take the initiative of organising a discussion on the issue to address the apprehensions of the Sikh community. The Director-General said a country could only send one nomination every year. “India lost its chance to send a nomination for world heritage status this year. We have only withdrawn the nomination of Sri Harmandar Sahib for world heritage status this year. I have got it in writing from the World Heritage Committee that there is no bar on the submitting an application next year.” Dr Amrik Singh, a former Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala, and Chairman, Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, allayed the fears that the management of Sri Harmandar Sahib would slip from the hands of the SGPC if Sri Harmandar Sahib gets world heritage status. Dr Jaswant Singh Neki, founder of the All-India Sikh Students Federation, said the decision taken by the SGPC to withdraw the dossier was rooted in ignorance. Mr S.K. Misra, Chairman, INTACH, said since INTACH was involved in preparing the dossier with the SGPC, he could assure the SGPC that there was no question of any interference of anybody in the management of Sri Harmandar Sahib. The National Commission for Minorities Chairperson, Mr Tarlochan Singh, who chaired the meeting, said the purpose of the meeting was not to criticise the SGPC or to challenge their authority. The purpose was to ensure conservation of Sri Harmandar Sahib. |
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Monsoon delayed, not deficient, says Met Dept
New Delhi, June 15 A spokesperson for the department said the rainfall activity in the south-peninsular region, covered by the monsoon till date, had been moderate. “The rest of the country is experiencing thundershowers, which are not related to the monsoon. It is true that the progress of the monsoon has slowed down and it has not moved beyond where it reached on June 8. But there are still 15 days and in all possibility it will make up in the coming days,” he added. Incidentally, in the beginning of the month the Bangalore-based Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computing Simulation (CMMACS) had predicted a 34 per cent deficiency in the June rainfall. In contrast, the metrological department had predicted normal rainfall during June-September. The two conflicting statements on the monsoon prospects had left farmers worried. As per the metrological department official, the CMMACS has withdrawn the statement from its website, adding that while monsoon was where it was on June 8, it could not be considered as a break as monsoon currents moved in pulses. “It was not a continuous phenomenon, hence there is no question of a break in its progress. After weakening of a pulse, another one usually develops which progresses monsoon over other regions,” he added. After covering Kerala, coastal Karnataka, major parts of southern peninsula and large parts of the Bay of Bengal, except north-west and extreme north Bay region, the monsoon has not moved much further. |
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Doon litchi loses scent
Dehra Dun, June 15 The hot and humid climate of the city at this time of the year facilitates the growth of sought-after rose-scented litchi grown in acres of orchards in and around the city. But with soaring temperatures over the past three weeks and no rain the weather has had a telling effect not only on the quantity but also the quality of the fruit, said Director, Met Department, Anand Sharma. The weather playing spoilsport has not only left the cultivators high and dry but the contractors who had pinned hopes to this season’s produce are also helpless. We had been taking contracts from orchards in Dehra Dun for the past nine years and the litchi had set well this season. So we were hoping for a bumper crop, but lack of rain had spoiled the produce, said Tabassum, a contractor from Saharanpur. The canals in the city had also dried up leaving the cultivators with little options to irrigate their orchards. Over the years the size of the orchards had also shrunk forcing compact cultivation that hit the quality of the fruit, said Islam Khan, a horticulturist. The Horticulture Department is now telling the cultivators what to do with their B and C grade produce. The produce that is not up to the mark in quality can be used in preparing squash and other storable fruit extracts. The district produces nearly 30,000 metric tonnes on litchi every season on an average that is sold at Rs 15 or Rs 16 per kg. As much as 80 per cent of the litchi from the city is sent to the indigenous markets all over the country while some of it is exported to the West Asia. The ideal fruit which fits the bill for export standards is 5 to 6 centimetre in diameter, is rose-scented, weighs between 20 to 24 grams and has a total solid sugar (TSS) of 18 or 20 units. Among various varieties of litchi like china, kalkatia, rose-scented and bedana, the rose-scented litchi grown in the Doon valley enjoys special popularity. Most of the litchi is sent to Delhi where it fetches a price of Rs 35 or 60 per kg. |
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LJP rebels to join
JD(U)
New Delhi, June 15 JD (U) Secretary-General K.C. Tyagi said today that all 21 LJP rebels who are keen on the formation of an NDA government in the state, will join the JD(U) at a formal merger function on June 24. He said the JD(U) President, Mr George Fernandes, leader of JD(U) Parliamentary Party, Mr Nitish Kumar and Chairman, JD(U) Parliamentary Board, Mr Sharad Yadav would be present at the merger function in Sri Krishna memorial hall in Patna. Mr Tyagi said all 21 LJP rebels will contest the Bihar Assembly polls on the JD(U) symbol, the arrow. He said the LJP rebels are led by Ramashray Prasad Singh, former leader of the legislature party, Narendra Singh, outgoing president of Bihar unit of the party and former All-India secretary-general of the party, Nagmani. He said most of the 17 Independent MLAs who had been elected to the dissolved Bihar Assembly had also expressed their desire to unconditionally join the
JD(U). |
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I won’t repeat my mistakes, says Lalu
Patna, June 15 "I made mistakes (in the past) but will not do so this time," Lalu Prasad told IANS, even as he has unofficially kicked off the campaign for state polls expected later this year. And in a major departure from the past, he has decided against using helicopters during the campaign as he has realised that this mode of transport had alienated him from the voters. "This time, I will use helicopters very little. I will go by road to the villages, where my real voters live," he maintained. Not only will he visit villages, he will dine there and even stay for the night to re-connect with the people, as he puts it. This is an admission that his image of mass-based politician has taken a severe knock in rural Bihar and which calls for corrective measures. The RJD had lost power in February elections that threw up a hung Assembly, which was dissolved last month as a government could not be formed.
— IANS |
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Number of schools up: survey
New Delhi, June 15 While the total number of primary schools in the country is 6.51 lakh, which is an increase of 14.19 per cent compared to the previous survey, there are 18 states with less than 10 per cent growth. An increase in the number of upper primary schools, secondary schools and higher secondary schools has also been pointed out in the survey released by the Union Minister for Human Resources Development here recently. The survey for the first time also indicates growth in the enrolment of the girls in the rural areas compared with that of the urban areas. The overall increase in the enrolment of the children in primary and upper primary levels and enrolment of the girls has shown a rise in both the urban and rural areas.
— TNS |
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Fungi spores can kill mosquitoes
Mumbai, June 15 Spraying walls or cloths with spores of a fungus that kills mosquitoes could greatly reduce malaria transmission, according to two studies published in the recent issue of ‘Science'. Researchers led by Matt Thomas exposed Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes to the fungi and they found that the mosquitoes were 80 times less likely to transmit malaria.
— PTI |
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