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Sonia, Pranab visit flood-hit Gujarat
Centre to send inter-ministerial team soon
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Normal life hit by flood, Army called
Chhattisgarh to give Rs 8 crore
Third front is the need of the hour: Mahanta
NSCN leader Muivah leaves for Amsterdam
Left intensifies attacks on UPA govt
Amit Jogi may undergo lie detector test
King Gyanendra’s royal splurges
Record rush of pilgrims at Kedarnath shrine
Condition of Paswan better
Mumbai bar girls move to Pink City
Mumbai lawyer escapes attempt on life
Rajasthan gears up to root out corruption
HP offers package for tourists
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Sonia, Pranab visit flood-hit Gujarat
Ahmedabad, July 4 Accompanied by Union Textiles Minister Shankarsinh Vagehla and Ms Gandhi’s Political Secretary Ahmed Patel, they conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas and met displaced people living in party-run relief camps in Vadodara, besides district officials, defence personnel and party workers who briefed them about the relief work being carried out. The rains, which have abated, have taken a toll of 135 lives and left around 4 lakh people homeless, besides inflicting colossal damage to the economy during the past fortnight. Noting that the Centre had provided an immediate aid of Rs 500 crore to Gujarat to tide over the crisis, Ms Gandhi said: ‘’The flood victims have demanded cash doles, which means they have not received these so far.’’ The Congress president called for coordinated action by the state and Central governments to tackle the situation and stressed the need to provide succour to the flood victims in an organised manner on an emergency footing. Highlighting another concern, Mr Mukherjee said some villages were still marooned where no help has reached so far. On hearing complaints of insufficient financial aid, the Defence Minister asked the state government to provide assistance for 15 days instead of just five days. In a chat with reporters at Gokul Vidyalaya relief camp on the banks of the swollen Vishwamitri river in Vadodara, the UPA chairperson emphasised the need to mobilise more motorboats so that help could reach the needy. State Law Minister Ashok Bhat briefed them about the steps being taken by the authorities to mitigate the sufferings of those affected by the floods. The Defence Minister said more needs to be done quickly and assured all help from the Centre and the army to meet the challenge. Ms Gandhi also visited the roadside slum colonies in Vadodara along the river Vishwamitri. She was given a presentation by defence officials about the floods and the relief works being carried out by them. She returned to New Delhi this evening. — UNI
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Manmohan to visit Gujarat New Delhi, July 4 Dr Manmohan Singh, who has spoken to Chief Minister Narendra Modi on phone twice in the past two days, has assured the state all help from the Centre to help deal with the situation. A PMO official said Dr Singh would make an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of the state and hold discussions on the flood situation with the Chief Minister and senior state government officials. The Prime Minister would return to the Capital by the evening. |
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Rain fury abates in Gujarat
New Delhi, July 4 Though it will be weeks all together before life limps back to normalcy in Gujarat, for the time being the system has weakened, thereby resulting in the abating of the rain fury in the state. Union Minster of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal had on July 1 predicted the weakening of the system over Gujarat on July 4, which, he said, would lead to decrease in rainfall and ease out the flood situation in the region. However, rain has now shifted focus to Madhya Pradesh. The Met office attributes the reason to the depression that was earlier over Jharkhand and which subsequently moved over to Madhya Pradesh. As per the Met office, the North, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana to be specific, continues to experience widespread rains. The Kashmir division is the least active as far as the monsoon activity is concerned, but that is quite normal as the region always experiences scattered rainfall.
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Centre to send inter-ministerial team soon
New Delhi, July 4 The team is likely to visit the flood ravaged state early next week. A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal here, which reviewed the flood situation in the state, an official spokesperson told newspersons here. The meeting was informed that flood waters had started receding and life was slowly getting back to normal, he said, adding that the Home Secretary had asked all departments and ministries concerned to ensure steady supply of essential commodities, especially sugar, wheat, rice and medicines to Gujarat. Nine Army columns had been deployed in the state while Indian Air Force was carrying out the operation with its 11 helicopters, the spokesman said, adding that Central Reserve Police Forces was also helping the state administration in the rescue work. Traffic on the national highway, was restored partially since last evening, the spokesman said. |
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Normal life hit by flood, Army called
Bhopal, July 4 Road and rail traffic was affected with the flooding of rivers and rivulets in many parts of the state. Two passenger trains in the Bina-Katni section of the West Central Railway had been suspended, as the tracks remained submerged, an official spokesman said. A passenger bus was washed away on the Sagar-Rehli route, but details were awaited. The District Collector had deputed the Sub-Divisional Officer to supervise the relief operation. Chief Minister Babulal Gaur today undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas and directed the district authorities to ensure adequate relief to the affected. In rain and flood-related incidents, at least four persons were killed in Damoh district, and one each in Damoh and Katni districts. Two persons were missing after they were washed away by flood waters in Katni. Telecommunication, water supply and electricity transmission remained disrupted at many places.
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Chhattisgarh to give Rs 8 crore
Raipur, July 4 Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh today made the announcement during a telephonic talk with his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi when the two discussed the flood situation. “A draft of Rs 8 crore from the people of Chhattisgarh would be handed over to Mr Modi today by a high-level delegation,” Revenue and Law Minister Brij Mohan Agrawal told PTI here. Mr Agrawal will lead the delegation comprising Water Resource Ninister Hemchand Yadav, Dharsiwa BJP MLA Devjibhai Patel and Chief Secretary A.K. Vijayavargiya as members. — PTI
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Third front is the need of the hour: Mahanta
Tinsukia (Assam), July4 A week back, the NCP leader and a former Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr P.A. Sangma, said no one could ever think of politics in Assam without Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. A week later, following the day-long steering committee and the executive committee meeting of the AGP here yesterday, Mr Goswami and his team disagreed to the claim of Mr Sangma by expelling Mr Mahanta from the party for rebelling against the official leadership. For Mr Mahanta, the onus is now on him to prove how indispensable he is in the politics of Assam with the next Assembly polls scheduled to be held any time between November this year and May next year. The expulsion episode began on June 12 when Mr Goswami sent a show-cause notice to Mr Mahanta for his anti-party activities. In fact, though officially the AGP expelled Mr Mahanta from the party, the story was the other way round. It was Mr Mahanta, who till yesterday morning pleaded his intention for a united AGP to fight out the Congress in the next Assembly poll, carefully trapped the existing AGP leadership to expel him from the party to capitalise on the sympathy wave. Presently holidaying at Mussourie in Uttaranchal, Mr Mahanta told this correspondent over phone that the development was unfortunate and spoke volumes of the AGP’s failure to put a united fight against the Congress. “A third front is the need of the hour to fight out the Congress. I have not yet played all my cards. Let me go back to Guwahati to unveil my next course of action”, said Mr Mahanta. Sources in the Mahanta camp said the former Chief Minister was all set to float a new party soon, which would lead the third split in the AGP in the past 20 years. It was learnt that Mr Mahanta was toying with the idea to float a party involving the Left, United Minority Forum
(UMF), Samajwadi Party, Janata DaL (U) and the NCP. |
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NSCN leader Muivah leaves for Amsterdam New Delhi, July 4 Earlier, NSCN (IM) chairperson Isak Chisi Swu had left for Amsterdam, which is one of the bases of the Naga leaders. Official sources said since it was not known when the NSCN (IM) leaders would return to India, official channels would be kept open for dialogue with them to further the peace talks. “If the need be, talks will continue abroad,” sources said. The NSCN (IM) leaders have held over 12 rounds of talks with the government since they arrived in December, 2004. Meanwhile, though there has been no firm word from the NSCN-IM leaders on the ceasefire that ends on July 31, official sources said in all likelihood it would be extended on popular demand. Mr
Muivah, who left India late last night told newspersons here that “The time will come soon... The Indian side knows that without a solution, there will be endless problems. |
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Left intensifies attacks on UPA govt
New Delhi, July 4 Four supporting Left parties will organise a nationwide protest on July 8 against the Indo-US Defence Pact, recently signed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. “We have asked our state units to hold demonstrations, sit-ins, rallies and processions at the state and district headquarters,” CPI national secretary D. Raja told reporters. India and the USA signed a 10-year defence agreement on Tuesday that charts a course for Indo-US defence relationship for the next 10 years. The agreement facilitated joint weapons production, cooperation on missile defence, and transfer of technology. “The agreement on US-India defence relationship is fraught with serious consequences for India’s strategic and security interests. It will also have a direct bearing on India’s foreign policy,” the CPM said. Left parties said, “There is no mention of this sort of security and defence partnership with the USA in the section on “defence” in the common minimum programme (CMP). Nor has the UPA government seen whether it is in consonance with the commitment to pursue an independent foreign policy and promoting multi-polarity in international relations as stated in the CMP. The UPA government has taken this step without any public debate and discussion within the country.” The UPA government has taken a major step in tying up with the USA to serve its strategic goals in Asia. If this agreement is carried forward, India will be placing itself in the same category as Japan, South Korea and Philippines — all traditional military allies of the USA. The Left parties in their attacks on the UPA government are not sparing even personalities. Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, in particular, have come under the scanner of the Left.
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Yechuri condemns defence pact with USA
Kolkata, July 4 This is highly objectionable and against the UPA’s common-minimum programme, he said. Mr Yechuri reiterated that the Indian Army could be deployed in other countries when necessary only under the guidance and supervision of the UN as it had been the practice. He appreciated the NDA government’s stand in not sending Indian forces during the Iraq war even after receiving a formal request from US President George W. Bush. But it is surprising the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee have agreed to the bilateral agreement with the USA, shelving the prevailing practice, he said. Mr Yechuri and Mrs Brinda Karat, the two non-domiciled Politburo members, today filed their nomination papers at the state Assembly for the Rajya Sabha elections. The CITU leader, Mr Chittabrata Majumdar, and Mr Abani Roy of the RSP also submitted their nominations. The Congress-supported independent candidate, Dr Arjun Sengupta, also filed his nomination, while Trinamool candidate Satya Sadhan Bose, Editor and proprietor of a Bengali newspaper, had filed his nomination two days ago. The elections will be held on July 14. Meanwhile, Mr Yechuri said at the Assembly House that they were waiting for a positive response from the UPA government regarding their demand for the withdrawal of the decision on the disinvestment of the BHEL.
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Lord Paul gifts technology school to Jalandhar
New Delhi, June 4 Caparo is contributing Rs 5 crore for the project while PTU will provide 10 acres of land and contribute Rs 1 crore. Besides Lord Paul, the PTU Vice-Chancellor, Dr S. K. Salwan and the Principal Secretary, Technical Education, Punjab, Mr K. K. Bhatnagar, were present at the signing of the MoU here. The school, which will impart advanced research and education facilities, will be located at the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road, adjoining Science City. The MoU commits the two sides to make the school a “world-class” institution. Lord Paul said he was delighted to embark on establishing the school in his place of birth because his ancestral family meant a lot to him and his family.
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Amit Jogi may undergo lie detector test
New Delhi, July 4 All set procedure will be adopted before subjecting him to the lie-detector test, sources said, adding that Amit would be asked to fill a bond which notified that he was undergoing the test willingly. In case of his refusal to undergo the test, the denial would become an evidence against him in the court, the sources said. If nothing concrete emerged out of the test, then the CBI could subject him to a brain mapping test at Ahmedabad-based CFSL, the sources said. The CBI, which had arrested Amit on July 1, has claimed to have adequate evidence against him about his involvement in the Jaggi murder case.
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King Gyanendra’s royal splurges
New Delhi, July 4 In 2002-03, the royal expenditure was 38.79 crore Nepalese rupees. Of this, around Rs 3.18 crore were spent on the King, the Queen and royal family members. A sum of around Rs 35.73 crore was spent on palace affairs, security and maintenance of the palace secretariate. A royal ordinance was promulgated during the tenure of the Lal Bahadur Chand government (after the dismissal of the Deuba government on October 4, 2002) which amended an existing law. This empowered the King to enjoy discretionary powers over making any changes on royal household budget on his own. The government had no control over such changes and thus the royal financial withdrawals remain beyond scrutiny. The Nepalese media has done precious little in writing about the royal splurges and now its hand are tied because of media censorship in force since February 1 royal coup. In 2003-04, the royal palace took out Rs 14.2 crore from the state treasury to purchase three new luxury cars. This amount is over and above the government’s budgeted expenditure of Rs 32.9 crore allotted for the royal palace in 2003-04. In 2002 also, the palace had withdrawn from the state treasury Rs 8.7 crore to buy two imported bulletproof cars. In October, 2004, the Nepal government released 90,000 pounds (Rs 1.2 crore) to Princess Helen Shah for her medical treatment. There have been many other instances of extra appropriations over and above the budgeted amount, including Crown Princess Prerna’s wedding in January, 2003, King’s health check-up in London and Crown Prince Paras purchasing a Harley Davidson motor cycle for $30,000. King Gyanendra has no reason to be wholly solely dependent on the state treasury as he has wide-ranging well-oiled business interests in a number of hotels, banks and other industries. The flagship of the King’s business empire is Soaltee Group which has two investment companies — Soaltee Enterprises Private Ltd and Surya Enterprises Private Ltd. The other companies in his group are in hydropower, agriculture, transport, market research and shipping.
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Record rush of pilgrims at Kedarnath shrine
Dehra Dun, July 4 Despite the heavy rain the number has been on the rise since the opening of the doors of the shrine after the winter break of six months. Even on the day of the opening the temple received huge rush of pilgrims. The rise in the number of the pilgrims has also led to an increase in the contributions offered to the temple trust which had received donations of over Rs 1.10 crore till the end of the last month. This time the largest number of pilgrims have visited the temple in just the first two months of the yatra season, way over the last record of 2.89 lakh pilgrims for the entire six months of the yatra seasons. Notwithstanding, the lack of basic facilities on the yatra route and the risk of accidents during monsoon the pilgrims continue to pour in to one of the most frequented shrine on the yatra route. |
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Condition of Paswan better
New Delhi, July 4 Doctors treating him at Escorts Heart Institute told TNS that Mr Paswan was in the heart command centre and was showing signs of improvement. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went to Escorts today afternoon to enquire about Mr Paswan’s well-being. Doctors at Escorts said they were planning angiography in a day or two. “Most probably, Mr Paswan, will need angioplasty and would need at least a fortnight’s rest,” they said. Mr Paswan was flown into Delhi by Escorts emergency medical air evacuation team headed by Dr Nisheeth Chandra on Saturday evening after he suffered a heart attack in Patna.
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Mumbai bar girls move to Pink City
Jaipur, July 4 Sources said there were many pimps in the town engaged in the sex racket, procuring bar girls for rich businessmen from Bollywood. It is believed that more than 100 bar girls have migrated from Mumbai to Jaipur and they are operating in the posh colonies of the state capital. One of the arrested girls said while in Mumbai their average monthly income ranged from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, here they earned about Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000. The police is trying to round up the racket.
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Mumbai lawyer escapes attempt on life
Mumbai, July 4 Mr Memon, who had just stepped out of his residence in suburban Bandra, escaped unhurt, the police said. His car was badly damaged in the shootout. Mr Memon later told reporters that two gunmen on a bike shot at him while he got into his car accompanied by his lawyer-son. The bodyguard provided to him by the police returned fire on the two hit men who escaped from the scene. The bodyguard was provided to Mr Memon only last fortnight after police came across credible information about a threat to his life. Though Mr Memon had refused to accept security he later relented, police sources said. Gangster Rajiv Pujari, who claimed to be a former associate of underworld don Chotta Rajan, claimed responsibility for the attempt on Mr Memon’s life. The lawyer told the police later that Pujari had called him and threatened to bump him off after a Mumbai court last acquitted eight persons accused of setting of a bomb in a BEST bus in 2002. Chotta Rajan, who claims to be a ‘patriotic’ mobster, had earlier threatened to eliminate all accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts. |
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Rajasthan gears up to root out corruption
Jaipur, July 4 Sources said the initial exercises have identified as many as 32 such government departments, which have a direct dealing with the public. The strategy to pinpoint such officials, especially belonging to the IAS and state administrative service, is being devised by the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Mr V.S. Singh. To begin with, vigilance officers will be appointed in all important departments and they will keep an eye over the misdeeds and malpractices of the senior officials of doubtful integrity. An awareness programme will also be launched to educate the people on the provisions of the anti-corruption laws and the procedures to make complaints to the Lokayukta, Chief Vigilance Commission and the ACB.
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HP offers package for tourists New Delhi, July 4 HPTDC Managing Director Tarun Sridhar said hotel concessions up to 50 per cent had been offered in the package to attract tourists during off season. He said Dharamsala, Kulu, Manali, Shimla and Chail had been identified as the sectors and board, lodging, transport and local sight seeing had been included in the package. Reservation could be made at the marketing offices of the corporation by paying 100 per cent advance. Child below five years would be allowed to stay free. |
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