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Tatas refuse to restart work
Tribune Special |
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J&K poll likely to be held on time New Delhi, September 8 Elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly are likely to be held on time sometime in October-November, this year, notwithstanding some objections raised by the PDP and a rather ambiguous stand adopted by the NC. Cong, SP may have friendly contest on some LS seats in UP Waiver to benefit power, farm sectors: Ashwani
Flood situation in Bihar improves
VHP adamant on yatra
Information on Dawood operations
‘Keeping unlicenced weapon not offence under Army Act’
No Bachchans’ films to be allowed in M’rashtra: MNS
Tribals join protest against
Bangladesh migrants AICC reconstitutes committee in HP Countrywide network
to cover police stations Better use of
remote-sensing data sought
Serial Blasts
Asom Ratna conferred on Hazarika
SC notice on Tytler’s plea
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Tatas refuse to restart work
Kolkata, September 8 Tata Motors suspended all work at the Singur plant on August 24 in the face of agitations and intimidations to its employees. Tata Motors today officially declared that the work at the plant would not resume till they were assured that the plant as well as ancillary industries would not be disturbed and a congenial atmosphere would be ensured in the long run. The statement says: “Tata Motor is disturbed over the poor clarity about the outcome of discussions between the state government and the agitating people held at the Calcutta Raj Bhawan last night.… In view of the same, the suspension of works of construction and commissioning of the motor plant will continue unless Tata Motors is convinced that its mother plant and the ancillary industries are not disturbed …. unless a long term congenial atmosphere is ensured, the resumption of works at Singur is impossible.” The Tatas’ decision surprised and shocked Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, as the agreement between the state government and Mamata Banerjee was reached on his intervention. The agitators also withdrew their 15-day-old agitation giving hope that the Singur crisis had been resolved. Left Front chairman Biman Bose was also equally surprised. He suggested that the state government should start talks with the Tatas’ representatives immediately and remove their apprehensions and misunderstanding. Mamata Banerjee criticised the Chief Minister and industries minister Nirupam Sen for not consulting with the Tatas before settling the issue. Several leaders of Left parties were also surprised that the Chief Minister did not consult the Tatas before reaching the agreement with Mamata Banerjee. The industries minister, however, assured that there was no need for the Tatas to worry as their interests would be safeguarded. Tata Industries chairman Rata Tata is on a business trip to the US nowadays and hence Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant had been requested to come to Kolkata for talks. Mamata said they were not interested in knowing what the Tatas “were wanting”. “But we want Tata Motors to restart works at the Singur plant and the farmers to start tiling their lands.” She said they were demanding the return of lands to the unwilling farmers whose lands had been forcibly acquired for Tata Motors and the government had agreed. And now the process of the land return and the rehabilitation programme to the affected farmers would start.
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Tribune Special
New Delhi, September 8 Counterfeit Indian notes of Rs 500 denomination were found concealed in thick soles of several pairs of shoes that she was carrying in her large baggage. US Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama on Friday said, “Pakistan is preparing for war on India.” Is the smuggling of fake Indian banknotes part of Pakistan’s preparation for war on India, with aim to first destroy this country’s economy? Indian economic experts feel that Islamabad’s “proxy war” against India is already on. The arrest of Pakeeza, who belongs to Uttar Pradesh, also confirmed the suspicion that the Samjhauta and Thar Express - between India and Pakistan - continue to be major carriers of fake Indian banknotes into this country. Most of the people travelling on these trains and the Delhi-Lahore bus service belong to the lower middle class. They go to Pakistan or come to India to meet relatives or on a pilgrimage. The Tribune carried news reports-on September 1 and 2-on fake Indian currency operations. The reports informed that India’s domestic and foreign espionage agencies, IB and RAW, have reached a conclusion that Pakistan’s spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), continues to be the main force behind the printing and distribution of counterfeit Indian currency. The ISI is using all possible channels-smugglers, underworld gangs, terrorists and general air/rail passengers (travelling in the Samjhauta and Thar Express) - to push fake money into India, The Tribune reports informed. For smuggling fake Indian currency into India, all kinds of unusual methods are being used, as happened in the case of Pakeeza. It seems she unwittingly became a “courier” in the hands of the ISI-controlled gangs. Pakeeza told the customs authorities that she was handed over the “shoes consignment” in Lahore by a person, who introduced himself as “Sher Ali” and requested her to deliver it to a man in New Delhi. Six similar cases of fake money stuffed in thick soles of shoes were detected in Munabao in Rajasthan when passengers arrived from across Pakistan by the Thar Express. Cases of fake money coming through the Delhi-Lahore bus service have also been detected. From Dubai, which has emerged as the main transit point for the smuggling of fake Indian banknotes into this country, the gangs are sending the “consignment” concealed in false cavity of suitcases, toys, gifts, photo albums and many other items. The role of the authorised money changers at Lahore and Karachi has come under the scanner of the Indian intelligence agencies. In several cases, passengers to India were given fake notes by money changers outside the Lahore or Karachi railway stations. In a couple of cases, packets containing the fake currency were handed over to the Samjhauta or Thar Express passengers in Pakistan, and they were requested to pass them over to a “relative’ in India. Many passengers did not know they had unwittingly become a “courier” of fake Indian currency. Multilingual boards at the Attari station have been put up, asking passengers to exchange their currency at Lahore from authorised money changers before returning to India. Some time ago, Wahid Ahmed of Delhi's trans-Jamuna area was caught with fake Rs 99,000 (in Rs 500 notes)when he alighted from the Samjutha Express here. His interrogation revealed that he was an unsuspecting courier. In many cases, the Indian security agencies and the Customs also found fake Indian currency or narcotics concealed either in the compartments or underneath the coaches forming part of the Indian train.
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J&K poll likely to be held on time New Delhi, September 8 The Election Commission(EC) summoned here today representatives of seven national parties and three state parties to elicit their views on the tricky question. The BJP currently flushed with the victory of its 60-day long agitation for restoration of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), is naturally keen for an early election in the state. In fact yesterday BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley, in charge of Jammu and Kashmir was in Jammu “To set in motion the process of booth management and selection of candidates,” he said later. At the EC the BJP delegation led by vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also sought early elections today. Jaitely said later, “It is in the larger national interest to hold the elections by October-November, rather than postpone any further,” he said. Jaitely found hardly any justification for postponing the state elections because, “The situation in Jammu is normal; even valley is by and large peaceful. Moreover, by holding early elections we provide an opportunity to the mainstream parties to occupy the political space, which the separatists would tend to occupy in the event of postponement of the polls. “Besides,” he said, “After October-November the winter will be too severe and the snow clad areas will become inaccessible for holding elections in the winter months. Immediately after winters, the EC will be busy with preparations for the general elections and holding elections in the trouble-ridden J&K alongside the general elections will be that much more difficult which will then be postponed almost indefinitely,” explained Jaitley. As for the other parties, sources said apart from the PDP, most other parties were not opposed to timely elections in the state. NC chief Omar Abdullah had said only yesterday, “I believe you can have elections… we missed the great opportunity to have a really good election in Jammu and Kashmir a few months ago.” Abdullah, who led a four-member delegation of his party, was not so candid today and said instead, “We told the commission that for holding elections, ground situation and the local atmosphere must be peaceful so that all sections of people can caste their vote.” PDP general secretary Nizamuddin Bhatt opposed early elections on the same grounds but more forcefully. He said, “There is total alienation in the valley at the moment and restoring people’s confidence should be the first priority of the government.” But by and large most other parties, including the CPI, the BSP, the NCP and the RJD expressed themselves against any undue postponement of the state elections. This view was also endorsed by the Panthers Party of Bhim Singh. As for the PDP Naqvi recalled, “The PDP along with the Hurriyat had opposed holding of elections in 2002 too. Later, when the elections were held the Hurriyat boycotted these while the PDP participated and later formed a government with the Congress.” Jaitley too was equally dismissive of the PDP objections saying, “The situation is not conducive for the PDP.” The Congress remained non-committal saying, “If the situation is conducive, and if the Governor and the Home Ministry is satisfied with the existing situation the Congress has no objection to timely elections in the state.”
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Cong, SP may have friendly contest on some LS seats in UP New Delhi, September 8 The deliberations at the second round of talks held between the two parties on seat sharing today suggests that the Congress and the SP are having difficulties in reconciling their differences on at least seven to 10 seats. Consequently, the two could eventually agree to disagree. The Congress has staked claim on Rampur, Farrukhabad, Pratapgarh, Khushinagar and Salempur but the SP is unwilling to part with them on the plea that these are their strongholds. The two sides today decided to exchange lists of seats, which they are unwilling to concede to the other at their next meeting, which is slated for September 15. Realising that an electoral pact is critical for both parties, the Congress and the SP are learnt to have agreed that they will not allow their differences over a few seats to jeopardise their alliance. The SP had firmly rejected the Congress proposal for friendly contests at their first meeting. “To that extent, there was some forward movement today. At least, nobody spoke of pulling out of the alliance. On the other hand, both reiterated that efforts must be made to ensure that the pact holds,” remarked a senior Congress leader. The Congress side at today’s talks was led by Rahul Gandhi with party general secretary Digivijay Singh and UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi. SP general secretary Amar Singh and SP parliamentary party leader Ram Gopal Yadav represented the other side. Joshi later told mediapersons that the talks were cordial and that the two parties were in agreement on as many as 70 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in UP.
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Waiver to benefit power, farm sectors: Ashwani New Delhi, September 8 The unprecedented waiver has propelled India into the league of nations which constitute the nuclear club. The clean waiver is in recognition of India’s track record of non-proliferation, said the minister, who is also Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab. Ashwani Kumar has also been involved in back channel diplomacy on the agreement and even met the Aspen’s strategy group, a key US-based think tank to put forward India’s point of view. Taking a shot at the BJP he said the opposition to the deal was motivated. The accusation that the right to test had been bartered away has been proved to be false. India can conduct a test to secure its strategic interest. The BJP that claims to be the custodian of national interest exposed itself as it opposed the agreement whereas Brajesh Mishra, who was the National Security Adviser to Atal Behari Vajpayee, endorsed the deal in totality. On the reported opposition by China to the deal, Ashwani Kumar said: “What ever might have been role of China, the fact remains that at the end of the day we have the waiver at our terms. Pakistan knows that India’s quest is for nuclear power and nothing else.” Explaining the agreement he said there was no chance of allowing any scrutiny of India’s strategic interests by any agency. The international norms were being followed. It may be mentioned here that Ashwani Kumar was among the first lot of people, who had realised the importance of the nuclear agreement. He went on engage in dialogue with key business leaders, lawyers, academics and leading media groups in the US to build up support.
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Flood situation in Bihar improves
Mammoth rescue operations launched by the Army in the five flood-affected districts in Bihar would be over in the next 48 hours.
Another two days and the BAUTs (boat assault universal type) or boats as they can be called in the simple parlance, which were deployed by 35 Task Force columns for rescue operations would be rendered useless because of the water-level of turbulent Kosi is continuously going down. The BAUTS have already started getting stuck in the receding waters, with jawans either pushing or lifting them up. Manning of these BAUTS are more or less over and the Army is now on a standby to carry out any other operation that the state government may entrust it with, say the rescue operations personnel. The Army is now running empty BAUTS that are often being used by flood victims as ferry to get supplies from a nearby township. “BAUTS are running empty as people who are still there in villages do not want to be rescued. At the most they just want that they should be provided rations, relief material and medical help at their door step,” an Army officer stationed at Saharsa, one of the flood-affected districts, says. The Army official said it was time that the state government either entrusted the Army with more constructive tasks like establishing relief camps, water supply and medical relief or de-requisitioned it. He, however, added that since the requisition came for the state government, the force would be there till the time it was required. “It is one of the rare operations when 30 columns of the Army were flown in from different parts of the country for a flood-relief operation,” Brigadier Abhimanyu Raut, commander, Jharkhand-Orissa-Bihar sub area, said. Since August 27, about 5,000 personnel with 350 BAUTS in 35 task force columns along with two support columns have been working day in and day out to rescue people in the flood-affected areas. Initially, the Bihar Regimental Centre was asked for one column, a number that later increased to 35 as situation aggravated in the area.
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VHP adamant on yatra Bhubaneshwar/Kandhamal, September 8 He was speaking with reference to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) fresh call to hold what it calls Swami Laxmananda Saraswati Shraddhanjali Yatra across the state between September 8 and 23. Earlier, the state government had prevented VHP’s international general secretary Praveen Togadia from holding the ‘kalash yatra’ of Laxmanada Saraswati. Having been denied a chance to go around igniting passions at that time, the VHP is now planning fresh action. The Tribune has learnt that VHP’s international president Ashok Singhal will reach Bhubaneshwar on September 10 to finalise the detailed programme for the Shraddhanjali yatra of Laxmananda Saraswati. Singhal is also meeting the Shankaracharya of Puri to discuss what VHP state joint secretary Manoj Pati calls “the issue of persecution of saints in Orissa.” Meanwhile, it is learnt that 10 district representatives of the VHP, who attended the prayer meeting of Laxmananda Saraswati at Chakapadh ashram yesterday, have already taken the soil from Swami’s ‘samadhi’ for further carriage in proposed yatras. For us the yatra has begun, said Pati, even as the state home secretary reiterated government’s commitment to disallow any rally in the name of religion. The state government will on September 11 file a detailed affidavit explaining what steps it is taking to protect the Christians in Kandhamal and prevent the situation from becoming communal. In Kandhamal, where the VHP leaders plan a major kalash yatra an indefinite curfew is on to ensure no procession takes place. People can move around, but not in groups, given the prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC.
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Kandhamal Christians under ‘threat’ to convert
The anti-Christian flame in Kandhamal may have become dimmer for a while, but it is far from blown out. Fuelling it is the issue of conversion, which has become a determinant of people’s lives in this part of the country.
Several Christians in 11 blocks of the tribal districts are said to have been “forcibly converted” as Hindus in the past 17 days of mayhem; the rest say they are facing a choice between life and faith. “The radicals have told us that we can live here only as Hindus. They are giving deadlines to people to convert or be prepared to face the worst. They asked my family to fall in line by 8 pm on September 3. When we did not agree to convert, they razed our properties,” Jitender Digal, a refugee at Bijaya High School camp in Raikia block, told The Tribune. In Kandhamal, minorities furnish proof of how “force and fear” is being used to deter people from their faith. Lalu Naik of Balliguda block shows this correspondent a letter whose text, he says, the radicals have framed for the Christians to follow. Signed by Lalu’s father Babulal Naik and 10 members of his family, the letter reads: “Shrijukta Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) mahodaya (Respected VHP official), I was a Christian until now, but I voluntarily want to embrace Hinduism.” The sample, claim refugees, is meant to facilitate Christians’ conversion to Hindu religion. Such letters have been floating around for a fortnight, with covert but stern messages to Christians to convert. The first targets in this “war” of conversion are pastors, now hiding in the relief camps by thousands. Three of them - Samuel Naik, Akhar Digal and Dibya Digal from Raikia and Udaygiri blocks - have already lost their lives in the recent violence. In each case, the killers first asked the victims if they were ready to become Hindus, say relatives. Samuel Naik’s son Ramesh, who witnessed killings of his father and grandmother, recounts, “They gave three warnings to my father. When he refused to abandon his faith, they slaughtered him. My grandmother met the same fate.” Ramesh is now hiding at the G Udaygiri camp, while his mother Upojini Naik is at the Raikia relief camp, where over 200 pastors are seeking refuge. Among them are Subodh Naik, Bijay Pradhan, Subodh Digal and Ulkeshan Naik, who claim being on the radicals’ hit list. “They want us to join them and prove our loyalty by attacking churches and killing Christians. They have threatened to eliminate us if we don’t listen to them.” Many pastors are missing or feared dead. As for forcible conversions, they are mostly reported to be happening in G Udaygiri, Raikia, Tikabali, Chakapad and Balliguda blocks, with Christians now demanding a separate district. Ashok Behera, a camper at Tikabali, says, “We want a district with a Christian collector, a Christian SP and a Christian block development officer. We have lost faith in the system as close to 2,000 Christians have been converted.” VHP leaders for their part remain adamant as ever, claiming they will “do everything possible to protect the Hindu faith in Orissa.” Kabi Chandra Nath, who assumed charge of the Jalaspeta ashram after Laxmananda Saraswati’s death, goes to the extent of defending the radical stand, saying, “We are not converting anyone. We are simply bringing misguided followers back to the fold.” Never mind the cost.
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Church at Ratlam set on fire
Bhopal, September 8 The police have charged the watchman of the church with having set the building on fire. The watchman, Noel Pare has been arrested. The police said he had committed the arson as he had some grievance against the Church management. The church was reduced to cinders in a fire in the wee hours of Sunday. The Madhya Pradesh Isaai Mahasangh spokesperson Father Anand Muttungal told the Tribune that the Mahasangh was in possession of a sworn affidavit by the mother of the implicated watchman that her son, daughter-in-law and grandchild were sleeping at home when the incident took place and that it was the police which had informed them of the fire. The MP Catholic Bishops’ council has decided to constitute a probe panel headed by a retired high court judge to look into the incident. “We will not tolerate this attempt by the government to implicate an innocent Christian and shield the elements who have actually committed the reprehensible crime,” according to a press release of the council.
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Information on Dawood operations
Mumbai, September 8 Ghazi, along with another gang member Riyaz Khatri, was arrested in Nepal last week and deported to India late Saturday night. According to police officials, the two men had fled India shortly after the 1993 blasts and were carrying out the operations of the Dawood Ibrahim gang from Nepal. According to sources here, Ghazi who was running a business, had set up a wide network in Nepal that comprised top politicians, police officials and bureaucrats in that country. Nepal had become a major centre of operations for the Dawood Ibrahim gang and was used by the gangster and his bosses in Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency to pump arms, drugs and fake currency from Pakistan into India, sources here said. Both men were remanded to the custody of the CBI by the TADA court here. According to sources, both had Red Corner notices issued against them by Interpol. Nepal has been a playing ground for the Dawood Ibrahim gang for long and one of its members even included a Member of Parliament from that country Mirza Dishad Beg, who was allegedly killed by Dawood's rival, Chotta Rajan. Beg had played a major role in providing sanctuary to members of the Dawood gang in Nepal. The police said Ghazi and Khatri were of Kashmiri origin and often traded in Kashmiri shawls, including the banned shahtoosh shawls, as part of their front operations.
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Pilot killed in plane crash
Hyderabad, September 8 The aircraft, belonging to the Andhra Pradesh Flying Club, crashed in the Sanatnagar locality soon after take-off from the Begumpet airport at around 11 a.m., the police said. A major tragedy was averted as the ill-fated aircraft collapsed with a huge bang followed by fire between two residential blocks. There were no civilian casualties on the ground. The seriously injured captain and instructor were admitted to a hospital. Fire Brigade personnel and police officials rushed to the spot. The dead pilot was identified as Srinivas. An eye-witness said the aircraft hurtling towards the ground first hit the roof of a building and then crashed with a huge sound. A policeman who rushed to the site of the accident quoted local residents as saying that fire erupted soon after the crash.
— PTI
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‘Keeping unlicenced weapon not offence under Army Act’
Chandigarh, September 8 The court has referred its decision to its convening authority, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, for confirmation and adjourned sine die, sources said. The GCM, presided by Col P.B.S. Lamba from Army Headquarters, is trying Maj Rajeev Sirohi on four charges under provisions of the Army Act and the Arms Act. These include allegations of bring Ethiopian girls to his residence, conducting intelligence operations beyond his charter of duties and possession of unlicensed weapons and ammunition. The officer’s counsel, Col Virender Singh (retd) said that according to Section 45 of the Arms Act and relevant provisions of the Regulations for the Army, an officer is legally permitted to possess one pistol or revolver without license and such possession is not an offence. The defence had raised objection to the charge in the court earlier, but the GCM had overruled it. The officer had thereafter moved the Delhi High Court and a Division Bench, comprising Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice M.C. Garg, directed on August 11 that the Army replace the judge advocate GCM. It had ruled that the entire issue pertaining to objection raised by the defence to the charge of the accused possessing an unlicenced weapon be reconsidered.
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No Bachchans’ films to be allowed in M’rashtra: MNS
Mumbai, September 8 MNS chief Raj Thackeray also asked Maharashtrians to boycott all products endorsed by the Bachchans, accusing them of having “poison in their minds” for Marathi people. Though Raj has been miffed with Jaya, a Rajya Sabha member, for some time after the actress at a press conference earlier this year denied knowledge of his very existence, but what prompted this hardening of posture against Bollywood’s family No. 1 is Jaya’s remarks over the use of Hindi by north Indians. An apparent off-the-cuff remark by her at a film promo party on September 6 has evoked strong reaction from the MNS chief. Jaya had said: “Hum UP ke log hai, hume Hindi mein baat karni chahiye (we are from Uttar Pradesh and should speak in Hindi). Maharashtrians should pardon us for speaking in Hindi”, she had added. Raj Thackeray’s threat is bad news for the release of Rituparno Ghosh-directed English film “The Last Lear” starring Amitabh Bachchan on September 12 and “Drona” starring Jaya and son Abhishek later this month. The MNS chief also sounded a warning to theatre owners who dared to exhibit Bachchans’ films. “Let us see who shows these films”, the MNS chief thundered, speaking at a press conference at Rajgad, his two-year old party’s headquarters in central Mumbai.
— PTI
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Tribals join protest against Bangladesh migrants Guwahati, September 8 In Arunachal Pradesh, the influential All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU) has issued quit notice to the migrants asking them to leave the state within five days from today or face ‘operation clean drive’ that would be launched by the students’ organisation from September 15. ANSU president N Veo informed that the mission would be carried out by the students’ body once every two months beginning September 15. Veo alleged that there had been spurt in crime in the capital of Arunachal Pradesh because of presence of a large number of illegal migrants. The ANSU activists have started verifying inner line permits (ILP) of suspected Bangladeshi migrants in the state. Procurement of an ILP is must for any outsider to travel to Arunachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, tribal groups of Assam have demanded effective legal protection against the unabated demographic invasion from across the border. The All Assam Tribal Sangha, a banner organisation of tribal groups in the state, has exhorted upon the Centre to gear up vigilance along the borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan to prevent further demographic invasion. Demanding special constitutional safeguards for ethnic groups, the tribal body has demanded ban on the transfer of land ownership in the state.
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AICC reconstitutes committee in HP New Delhi, September 8 The Congress in it’s list announced today had a fair mix of former ministers, former MLA’s, sitting MLA’s, the Scheduled Castes and women. The delicate caste balance comprising the upper caste Thakurs, the tribals and the Brahmins has been taken care off. The strong regional considerations have been addressed with adequate representation to lower hills, the Kangra area and also the areas that comprise old Himachal. In July this year the Congress had named Kaul Singh Thakur from Mandi as the PCC chief and this recast was on expected lines.In today’s list the eight vice-presidents includes G.S. Musafir, former speaker and former minister, Ram Lal Thakur a former minister, Surjan Singh Pathania of Kangra, A.N. Vidyarthi, a former chief secretary of the state; Anil Sharma, son of former union minister Sukh Ram, Kunjana Singh, Anita Verma and Harbhajan Singh Bhajji. The last one is a loyalist of Anand Sharma. Similarly the eight secretaries are: Asha Kumari, a former minister from Chamba; Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Mukesh Agnihotri a confidante of Virbadhra Singh; Ajay Mahajan, son of former minister Sat Mahajan; Sudhir Sharma, sitting MLA; Kuldip Singh Rathore, Satya Prakash Thakur and BD Chaudhary. The AICC also announced a list of 26 secretaries and a 44-member executive. The executive will have Vidya Stokes, MLA & Leader of Oppoisition, HP, Virbhadra Singh, MLA & ex-CM, Sat Mahajan, ex-MLA, Sarla Sharma, Anand Sharma, MOS (External Affairs), Viplove Thakur, MP, Sukh Ram, ex-MLA, Kuldeep Kumar, ex-MLA, Raj Kishan Gaur, ex-MLA and Rangila Ram
Rao, ex-MLA.
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Countrywide network to cover police stations
New Delhi, September 8 The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) aims at providing the investigating officers with technology, tools, and information to facilitate investigation of crime and detection of criminals, sources said. The Planning Commission has given in-principle approval for the home ministry's major e-governance initiative during the XIth Five Year Plan at an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore. The allocation for the current year is Rs 210 crore. Besides, covering all police stations in the country, it is proposed to establish contact with 6,000 higher police offices. The system is intended to improve the functioning of police force in various activities like law and order, traffic management and prevention of crime, besides keeping track of the progress of cases, including the ones in courts. It also aims at making the functioning of the police more transparent and citizen friendly.Assisting senior officers in the better management of police force, facilitating interaction and sharing of information among police stations have also been envisaged. Another salient feature of the system is reduction in manual and redundant records keeping. The main benefits of the system will be quicker and online registration of cases and complaints at the police station level. Moreover, the complainant can have a computer generated copy of the FIR lodged by him or her. The system will provide quicker access to crime and criminal information to investigating officers, ensure better investigation of cases and detection of criminals, and effective monitoring and planning of crime-control measures. With the help of more friendly, comfortable, informative, and supportive interfaces, citizens can file complaints without visiting police stations, while the police can have a better coordination of stolen and recovered property. More accurate statistical data of missing persons, personal verification and better crime and criminal-related analysis can be done with the help of the new system. Electronic data exchange with other computerised systems in courts, jails, passport and transport sector can help reduce manual records keeping and ensure savings on stationery, postage and travelling expenses. — PTI
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Better use of remote-sensing data sought Dehra Dun, September 8 Bhatt, referring to Varunvat landslide in Uttarakashi district of the state, held that the destruction following the landslides could have been minimised had the remote-sensing data been studied beforehand. He welcomed the initiatives on part of the USAC towards creating a digital database asserting that it would be of great help towards safeguarding man and environment in Uttarakhand. Presiding over the meet, M.M Kimothi, director, USAC, disclosed that the information from as many as 31 state departments would be integrated and a database would be created to facilitate both individual departments and the state as a whole.
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Serial Blasts
Ahmedabad, September 8 Metropolitan magistrate G.M. Patel remanded Nagori and his four accomplices in judicial custody for their alleged involvement in the Gujarat terror plot in which 60 persons were killed. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch, the main investigating agency of the serial bomb blasts case, produced Narogi and his accomplices before the court on expiry of their five-day police remand granted by the same court on September 3. Nagori had been brought here from the Rewa Central Jail in Madhya Pradesh on August 24 by a police team, consisting of officials of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch and Gujarat ATS, on a production warrant issued by a local court earlier. However, another team of the Gujarat police had brought four others from the Indore Central Jail on August 23. Nagori was the main suspect in the blasts. — UNI
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Asom Ratna conferred on Hazarika
Guwahati, September 8 Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, “The title is a gift from the people of Assam to the living legend Bhupen Hazarika for his invaluable contribution to the field of art, culture and social development.” As Dr Hazarika had to remain stay put in faraway Mumbai on his brith anniversary because of his illness, the state government would confer the title worth a gold plaque and Rs 3 lakh in cash to him at function to be held in the state later. Meanwhile, the state today paid rich tributes to the cultural icon on his birthday by organising performance of the noted singer’s evergreen creations all over the state notwithstanding the flood fury.
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SC notice on Tytler’s plea
New Delhi, September 8
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Asha Bhosale celebrates 75th
birthday Advocates ransack police
station 
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