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Coast guard to revamp security parameters
NC leader rules out alliance with BJP
Hogenakkal Issue
Protests over scribe’s murder in Assam
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Loan Waiver Sonia hints at raising land ceiling Dungarpur, April 3 UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has hinted at raising the present ceiling on land holding for waiving agricultural loans of small and marginal farmers. Addressing a well attended tribals’ rally at the Veneshwar Dham near here, Gandhi said she had received feedback from certain states that the present ceiling on land holding was inadequate and she was hopeful that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would take sympathetic action soon. NCP hits out at Congress
Seismic Threat
‘Rabi procurement critical for food security’
’71 war veterans visit Bangladesh
Rajdhani Express schedule changed
Climate change plan to be adaptative
2 fall to death in Tata factory
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Coast guard to revamp security parameters
New Delhi, April 3 With 70 per cent of energy needs (LPG and crude oil) being imported through the sea and 90 per cent of foreign trade using the same route, India has been pressing for an institutionalised mechanism for exchange of information on vessels plying in the country’s maritime boundaries. The Indian Ocean route is the busiest in the world. About 1 lakh merchant and other vessels transit annually through the region and over 3-lakh fishing vessels operate in the waters surrounding the Indian subcontinent. Ensuring security to them is a cause of worry. The Indian coast guard’s interaction has been formally institutionalised with Japan, Maldives, and South Korea while a “working relationship” has been established with Bangladesh, Malaysia, Mauritius, Oman, Philippines, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and the USA. Defence minister A.K. Anthony, while speaking at the ‘International maritime search and rescue conference - 2008’ held a couple of weeks ago, made it clear that sea-routes are increasingly at the risk of attacks by terrorists, pirates and agents of transnational crimes. He had asked for solutions on sharing information between countries. The coast guard has more than 75 ships, two-dozen fixed-wing aircraft and 20 helicopters at its disposal. It has the responsibility of guarding an area of about 4.6 million square km. One of the major aid in this is technical inputs like two specially set-up low earth orbit search and rescue satellite system at Lucknow and Bangalore. India with its vast coastline of 7,516 km has a maritime boundary that covers shipment of crude oil between West Asia and the far east like Japan, Korea and even Australia. Conversely, all trade from the ports of Singapore, Hong Kong and China that is destined for Europe passes through India’s maritime boundary.
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NC leader rules out alliance with BJP
New Delhi, April 3 He said there was no question of teaming up with the BJP following the bitter experience the NC had in the state when NDA was ruling in the Centre. “The NC will go it alone in the elections,” he said, adding that as of now no talks were on with any party for any pre-poll alliance. The NC leadership has been, for quite some time, ruling out alignment with the BJP, hinting at the possibility of arrangement with the third front. “There is a strong undercurrent in favour of the NC in Jammu and Kashmir and people are fed up with the dismal performance of the ruling coalition. This government has been more in the news for corruption and lack of development,” said Rather, a five-time MLA from the Charar-e-Sharief Assembly in Budgam district. Deriding the tradition of coalition politics, he said the NC was not at the moment talking to any party for an alliance. Terming coalitions as a ‘necessary evil’, Rather, however, did not rule out the possibility of an arrangement in the future. About the new government in Pakistan, Rather said the party had always favoured democratically elected governments. “It is easier to hold dialogues with elected representatives than with others,” he said, shrugging off when asked to react on Mehbooba Mufti’s statements made in Pakistan. “The PDP has always imitated Pakistan. It is now singing the self-rule song, but when we asked the PDP to define self-rule in the Assembly, it hardly had any answers,” he said, adding that the restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir remains NC’s major political agenda.
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Hogenakkal
Issue
Chennai, April 3 Apparently upset over former Karnataka Chief Minister’s charges, the octogenarian DMK supremo dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi saying he had not used any harsh language either publically or in the resolution passed unanimously in the state Assembly on April 1 on the Hogenakkal issue. “As a person who has understood me fully well, I am quite sure, you will not believe or even imagine that such provocative words would have been uttered by me,” he said. A copy of the letter was made available to the Press here. This is the second letter by Karunanidhi to the Prime Minister in the recent days on the river project on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border. “You will agree with me that no one can misinterpret my words if one goes through my speech very carefully,” said Karunanidhi. A copy of the letter was also sent to Krishna. Krishna welcomed Karunanidhi’s remarks suggesting he had not used any harsh language. “If he has said that he had not used any harsh language I welcome it,” he said. Krishna had said in Delhi yesterday that “the harsh language used by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, whom he considers as an elder statesman, has provoked reactions in Karnataka leading to unhealthy development”. “The Chief Minister of a state cannot keep quiet when in the neighbouring state buses from Tamil Nadu are burnt, Tamil cinema houses are ransacked, Tamil Sangam office at Bangalore is attacked and Tamils in that state are kept in constant fear,” he said in the letter. Karunanidhi expressed confidence the Prime Minister and Sonia “would appreciate the just cause for which Tamil Nadu had been fighting within the democratic and constitutional framework.” Meanwhile, the police today arrested 45 persons in connection with the violent incidents in the city in the aftermath of the attack on Tamil people in Karnataka by pro-Kannada outfits, which were opposing the implementation of the Hogenakkal drinking water project. Various forms of agitation, continued for the second day today in Tamil Nadu. — Agencies
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Protests over scribe’s murder in Assam
Guwahati, April 3 Muslimuddin (30), a Mourjhar-based scribe who had earned a niche for himself for his bold and factual write ups exposing nexus of criminals, politicians, drug mafias and corrupt officials, was hacked to death on the night of April 1 while he was returning home. The murder has stirred up protests by journalists all over the state even as Manjit Mahanta, executive editor of Dainik Pratidin, has stated that Muslimuddin had to pay with his life for his unrelenting efforts to expose misdeeds of corrupt officials, politicians and drug mafias active in the area. “It (killing) was a great loss to the Fourth Estate of the state that has been at the receiving end of insurgents, anti-socials and vicious circles of politicians-officials, thanks to the failure of the incumbent government to protect working journalists,” he said. It may be mentioned that Mourajhar area is considered a stronghold for drug mafias led by kingpin Pakhi Mian, who was accused of murdering one of the official of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in Guwahati a couple of years ago. Journalists from all over the state today condemned the state government for failing to provide protection to the members of the Fourth Estate, who have been facing threat from insurgents, anti-socials, corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. A meeting held by journalists at the Guwahati Press Club today expressed grave concern over growing threat to working journalists in the state and condemned the brutal murder of Muslimuddin. Meanwhile, the Assam government has assured the state Assembly that it was committed to safeguarding the journalists. Cabinet minister Rockybul Hussain informed the House that three persons, suspected to be involved in the killing, had been arrested and the Nagaon police superintendent had been instructed to supervise the investigation. The minister said the government had been always respectful to the journalists and their opinions that were instrumental for guiding the government in shaping policies for welfare of all and good governance.
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Loan Waiver Dungarpur, April 3 Terming the Rs 60,000 crore farmers’ loan waiver scheme as a revolutionary step taken by the UPA Government, Gandhi said over 4 crore farmers in the country would be benefitted by the scheme. Gandhi said the the government was duty bound to address the needs and problems of farmers who were our food grain providers. The present limit of five acres of landholding in the loan waiver scheme had evoked wide spread dissatisfaction from farmers and political parties as they wanted to raise this limit.
— UNI
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NCP hits out at Congress New Delhi, April 3 In a veiled attack against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi personally, NCP general secretary and spokesperson D.P. Tripathi today said while the government was functioning according to the coalition dharma , the same was lacking within the UPA. This is the not the first time that the NCP has targeted the Congress but it is, till date, the most severe public indictment of the grand old party by an ally. Ironically, the attack comes days after the NCP suggested that the UPA contest the next Lok Sabha elections collectively and that Manmohan Singh be projected as the coalition’s Prime Minister. “The Congress has shown neither generosity nor magnanimity towards its allies,” Tripathi said, adding that instead of attacking the Opposition parties, the Congress was trying to minimise its allies. The Congress was quick to respond to the NCP charge. AICC media department chief Veerappa Moily chide the NCP for going public with its grievances and said if they had anything to say, they could have approached the UPA chairperson directly. The NCP, on its part, is unhappy over the constant attempts to blame Pawar for rising prices of food grains and for denying him any credit for the recent farm loan waiver. Its leaders pointed out that though they had been gracious enough to put the UPA chairperson’s photograph on their publicity posters on the loan waiver, the Congress failed to return the compliment. The Congress leaders, however, maintain that it is the NCP which had failed to follow coalition dharma. “If the NCP genuinely believes in the UPA, then why did it not have an alliance with the Congress in Meghalya...why are they supporting the BJP in Nagaland,” remarked a senior Congress leader, adding that the NCP should be first clear on its political stand.
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Seismic Threat
Guwahati, April 3 Most of these centuries old historic monuments from Ahom dynasty, which ruled over Assam for six hundred years since the 12th century AD, are now under protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). In the wake of raging public protests and looming agitation threatened by some youths and students organisations have alleged that the ONGC-contracted private firm had not cared about safety of historic monuments in their bid to strike oil and natural gas underneath the soil of Sivasagar district by carrying out explosion to engineer seismic waves, Assam government said that it had initiated investigation into the matter to find out the real picture. Assam industries and commerce minister Pradyut Bardoloi today in the House said, “There is no question of the Assam government remaining a mute spectator in case of any damage being caused to these monuments that are so close to the heart of the people.” The minister informed that an additional district magistrate of Sivasagar district had been entrusted with the responsibility of investigating into damages, if any, caused to historical structures because of the method used by the firm engaged by the ONGC to conduct seismic exploration of hydrocarbon deposits. He informed the House that seismic surveys in the areas close to the historical monuments had been prohibited pending the submission of the inquiry report from the additional district magistrate. He said the firm contracted by the ONGC would not be allowed to flout norms for carrying out low intensity explosions underneath the surface as part of seismic surveys. At the initiative of the Assam government, the ASI has constituted a six-member expert committee to find out if any damages are caused to the historical monuments because of the seismic survey. The members of the panel are already on the job to find out facts over the raging issue. Meanwhile, the chairman-cum-managing director of the OIL, M R. Pasrija, stated that there might be shortage of feedstock to the proposed Rs 5,400 crore Brahmaputra Valley Gas Cracker and Polymer Project if the OIL was not allow to carry out seismic survey for natural gas in the bed of Brahmaputra river. His statement came in response to growing outcry over seismic surveys in the state.
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‘Rabi procurement critical for food security’
New Delhi, April 3 Prof Swaminathan, who is credited with developing strong food security system in India, said unless the government is able to give the difference between the government procurement price and prevailing market price, farmers would not be interested in giving their produce for the public goods sector like public distribution system (PDS), ICDS and food security reserves, which at this point of time is so very vital to build up the dwindling wheat stock in the country. “Wheat stocks are dropping. Recently the agriculture minister also mentioned that wheat consumption is increasing in the country. That is why this year’s purchase is important for the government. Immediate action is required on whether bonus is being considered. If the prevailing market price is more than the government announced minimum sales price of Rs 1,000 per quintal, farmers would prefer to give their produce for commercial profit,” he said. Swaminathan stressed that agriculture emergency was developing not just in India but the world over “Many countries are short of food. In India wheat has now become a national crop and its consumption is increasing in southern and northeastern states as well. I do hope farmers in Punjab and Haryana give their wheat to the government because it needs the grain for fulfilling the PDS, ICDS and food security reserves”. “In the US, wheat is being diversified towards animal feed as the corn crop is now being used to produce bio-fuel ethanol. Internationally, wheat prices have gone up several times in the past eight years,” he said. Meanwhile, the Food Corporation of India has expressed confidence that it would meet the government’s procurement target of 1.5 million tonnes for PDS in the current rabi season.
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’71 war veterans visit Bangladesh
New Delhi, April 3 A 10-member team of Army veterans visited Bangladesh last week on the invitation of the Bangladesh army chief, Gen Moeen U. Ahmed, to participate in their national and independence day celebrations from March 25 to March 31. The team returned last night. The delegation was led by Lieut-Gen (retd) J.F.R. Jacob, who was then Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command. Jacob, who authored a book, “Surrender at Dacca”, detailing the account of how Lieut-Gen A.A.K. Niazi of the Pakistan army and his 93,000 troops had surrendered. The Indian delegation visited the army museum and met their fellows, ‘Mukti Joddhas’, who formed the ‘Mukti Bahini’, besides visiting battle sites at the Comilla cantonment. This is for the first time that Bangladesh was acknowledging the role and contribution of the Indian Army in liberating the country. The visit had come at a time when the army-backed caretaker government is preparing for elections by the year-end. Emotions reportedly ran high when the war veterans were invited by sector commanders to a commemorative function held on March 30. The war veterans recounted with nostalgia their memories of the battles.
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Rajdhani Express schedule changed
New Delhi, April 3 Due to change in the time of 2309 Rajdhani Express, departure of the 2401 Islampur- New Delhi Magadh Express at Mughalasarai wil be rescheduled from April 10. This train will arrive at Mughalsarai at 10.10 pm and depart at 10.20 pm instead of the existing time of 12.25 pm and 12.35 pm, respectively.
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Climate change plan to be adaptative
New Delhi, April 3 The report has concluded that cutting greenhouse gases emission was not the cost effective way to address climate change. It instead argues in favour of promoting economic growth to empower the poor to face challenges. Ahluwalia said whether climate change occurred due to human induced factors or natural causes, the country had to be ready to face the consequences. It is for this reason that the national action plan on climate change was concentrating more on adaptation than mitigation. The plan is in its final stages and would be announced in June. Ahluwalia stated that some propositions in the report were startling and in contrast to the UN climate change body IPCC report. “We need to look at these issues critically. The whole issue of climate change should be put to public debate,” Ahluwalia said.
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2 fall to death in Tata factory
Singur, April 3 “Shyam Bhattacharjee (42), working with the welding shop department, and labourer Manik Pal (24) accidentally fell down. While Shyam died on the spot, Pal succumbed to his injuries in the hospital,” Chandannagore SDPO Kalyan Mukherjee said. Pal was first rushed to a local hospital here from where he was shifted to the Serampore hospital. Both were working as contract labourers under a private contractor. The police said investigation was on to ascertain the cause of the accident. Incidentally, on March 28 body of a dumper driver was recovered from the factory premises.
— UNI
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BJP ex-MP booked 3 CRPF troopers get life Rein on friendship clubs Man bites off nose of brother-in-law Girl kidnapped, rescued Bees attack actor
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