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Declare ISI a terrorist body, BJP to govt
Chidambaram hopes Islamabad treads ‘right path’
Separate nation for Lankan Tamils sought
English is fine, don't force Hindi on SC, HCs: Law panel
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Amar Singh meets Sonia over seat sharing
Western naval command on alert
Engineer’s Lynching
Mumbai Heat
Eyewitnesses identify Kasab
Indians travel to Pak despite advisory
Fisheries department scam: Two media groups in war of words
Sacked Bodo leader sounds defiant
19 ULFA ultras join pro-talks camp
Crackdown on teachers with fake degrees in Bihar
Karuna unhappy over Centre’s handling of Lankan issue
AP farmers protest against SEZ; Patkar lends support
Agri Ministry plans bio-security system
‘Forcible’ eviction lands Andhra govt in fresh row
‘Taare Zameen Par’ bags best film award
Suspected IM terrorist arrested from Haryana
Septuagenarian jailed 213 times!
Orissa for extended CRPF deployment in Kandhamal
Transfer Ginnauri Kothi to MP govt, Pataudi told
IIM-A asks alumni to help in placements
Karunanidhi re-elected DMK president
UP ATS arrests five suspected arms dealers
Our unity greatest weapon against terrorism: Prez
Bomb found in Manipur Assembly complex 10 die in Rajasthan accident
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Declare ISI a terrorist body, BJP to govt
New Delhi, December 27 “We are sorry that our government had done nothing substantial to make Pakistan deliver its promise of not to allow its territory to be used for terrorist attacks against India. Pakistan is only denying its involvement and not delivering its commitment,”
BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media. He said there was evidence available that the sea-borne terrorists involved in the November 26 Mumbai attacks were all trained to use weapons, granades and explosives and this could not have happened without “involvements of important segments of establishment in Pakistan”. They had used high-quality GPS system for maritime operations, reaching Mumbai from Karachi, and received specialised training in both maritime and urban warfare aboard the ‘PNS Iqbal’, which imparted commando training, he added. Prasad said “the participation of ISI officials” in the birthday celebration of Dawood Ibrahim, the Indian fugitive living in exile in Pakistan, was “a further proof of involvement” of the Pakistan establishment, adding the issue was no longer a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan but an issue of Pakistan’s “emergence as the epicentre of world terror”, he added. He said India had issued a travel advisory to the citizens to avoid going to Pakistan, unless it was a case of grave emergency. The government should consider scaling down of staff in the High Commission in Pakistan to the barest minumum and recall India’s High Commissioner there. It is time for taking such a step unitedly and for this to happen, the government must speak in one voice. He refused to state if the BJP supported “surgical strikes” in Pakistan by saying that it was for the government of the day to decide upon the action because they had requisite information. The BJP would extend all support and cooperation in all honest efforts to fight terror
emanating from the other country, he assured. — UNI
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Chidambaram hopes Islamabad treads ‘right path’
Puducherry, December 27 “The Mumbai terror attacks have awakened the world and international community is using its good offices to prevail on Pakistan to tread the right path. We hope these efforts succeed. If not, India is prepared to face the attacks from Pakistan squarely with the help of the people,” he said while addressing students and faculty of Pondicherry University here. The minister said everyone knew from where the terror attacks emanated and the cross-border terrorism from Pakistan had been targeting India continuously for some years now. It could not be denied that there were also supporters within India for such activities, he said. “As far as India is concerned, we are looking at Pakistan as friendly nation as there is no need for any enmity particularly when both the countries have third generation of people after their independence,” he said. He said the government was fully determined to stamp out terrorism from the country with a firm hand. “The duty of the government to ensure security of the people can be discharged only with willing cooperation of the people. We have already declared our determination and will to put an end to terrorism as enough is enough”, he said, reminding that “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”, the minister said there was every need for the government and people to work together in the task of protecting the people, their lives and properties and also defending the country. — PTI
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Separate nation for Lankan Tamils sought
Chennai, December 27 A resolution to this effect was passed at a mammoth conference here last night by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, an ally of the ruling DMK. VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan began the rally with slogans supporting a separate Tamil nation in the island nation. President of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, GK Mani, who took part in the conference, said his party was supporting a separate nation for Tamils in Sri Lanka and promised to co-operate with Thirumavalavan in endeavours to seek recognition for it. Thirumavalavan, who read the resolution, said, “People of Tamil Nadu is supporting a separate nation for Sri Lankan Tamils, since it the only solution to the plight of Tamil brethern. It is for the Centre to gauge the public mood in Tamil Nadu and recognise, what the people had already recognised.” Tamil Eelam and Tamil Nadu were separated by the sea thousands of years ago and Eelam was a separate kingdom till 1619, when the Portugese captured Sri Lanka, he said. Later the British captured the island nation till 1948. After the Independence, Tamils were not given equal rights and a Gandhian leader Selvanayaga started a non-violent struggle for a separate country, he said and added that youths took to arms when the non-violent struggle was ineffective. Heeding to the request of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, the VCK leader refrained from making remarks in support of the Tigers. This was one of the biggest meetings in Tamil Nadu during recent months.
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English is fine, don't force Hindi on SC, HCs: Law panel
New Delhi, December 27 In its 216th report, forwarded by chairman Justice AR Lakshmanan to Law Minister HR Bhardwaj, the commission has given as many as six reasons that influenced its objection to forcing Hindi on the higher judiciary. The panel arrived at its conclusions on the basis of response received from former Chief Justices of the SC, former judges of HCs and senior advocates. The panel pointed out that language was a “great unifying force and a powerful instrument for national integration” and any move to thrust a language on unwilling people will be “counter-productive.” It further said, under the national transfer policy, HC judges had to work in various states where the people spoke different languages not known to the judges. If the judges were compelled to deliver judgments in languages they were not well versed in, it might become “extremely difficult” for them to work. “On transfer from one part of the country to another, an HC judge is not expected to learn a new language at his age and to apply the same in delivering judgments. English was not merely a vehicle of thought and expression, but for judges at the higher level, it was an integral part of their decision-making process. Judges had to hear and understand the submissions of both the sides, apply the law to adjust equities. Arguments were generally made in higher courts in English and the basic literature under the Indian system was primarily based on English and American textbooks and case laws. Thus, judges at the higher level should be left free to evolve their own pattern of delivering judgments,” the panel further said. At any rate no language should be thrust upon the judges of the higher judiciary and they should be left free to deliver their judgments in the language they prefer. It is important to remember that every citizen, every court has the right to understand the law laid down finally by the apex court and at present one should appreciate that such a language is only English. The use of English language is also facilitating the movement of lawyers from HCs to apex court since they are not confronted with any linguistic problems, as English remains the language at both the levels. The commission was looking into the matter after receiving a reference from the department of legal affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, which forwarded a copy of the March 29, 2006 note from the legislative department along with a copy of the recommendations of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language for obtaining the views of the commission. The Committee had suggested an amendment to Article 348 of the Constitution to enable the legislative department to undertake original drafting in Hindi.
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Amar Singh meets Sonia over seat sharing
New Delhi, December 27 After the meeting Amar Singh said there were some practical difficulties, which he hoped would be resolved at the earliest. He said the Congress wanted those seats where some of the SP’s dependable and popular leaders were sitting MPs. “We have discussed this issue with Rahul Gandhi…the issue will be resolved by next week,” he said, refusing to divulge any more details about his today’s meeting with the Congress president. He said Rae Bareli and Amethi were two seats that the SP had already committed to the Congress. However, he also added that his party was there “to support the Congress and not surrender before it,” indicating that all was not too well between the two parties that had come together at the time the UPA-government was facing a crisis over the Indo-US nuclear deal. Amar Singh indicated that his party had informally finalised some candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll, but the final list would be declared after talks with the Congress were completed. In the meanwhile, sources in the Congress indicated that the party was also in the process of finalising a panel for seats in Utter Pradesh, which was likely to be completed by January 3. There have been indications that the alliance between the Congress and the SP was in trouble over what the SP perceived as insulting big brotherly attitude of the Congress and its unreasonable demands for too many seats in Uttar Pradesh for the forthcoming parliamentary polls. Arrangement between the two parties is aimed at weakening the BSP in Uttar Pradesh and not for grabbing seats from each other, the SP leaders say. SP sources say the Congress was seeking a lion’s share of 31 seats in Uttar Pradesh despite the fact that in last elections the SP won 39 seats out of a total of 81 in Uttar Pradesh while the Congress managed to get only 10 seats. Besides, they also say that the Congress was trying to overawe it by seeking seats in the name of personalities.
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Western naval command on alert
Mumbai, December 27 With the sabre rattling between India and Pakistan intensifying, six warships, including the newest addition to the naval fleet INS Jalashwa have been deployed on the Western Coast. The Coast Guard has also been placed on high alert on the Western Coast after last month’s terror attacks in Mumbai. So far there is no indications that the Indian Naval Forces may carry out any combat operations on the Pakistan territory, according to sources. However, speculation in the international media and reports by analysts from think tanks like Stratfor say war between the two neighbouring countries is a possibility. Apart from carrying out offensive action, the Indian Naval Forces are also expected to defense the country’s long coastline and important coastal instalations like the oilrigs of Bombay High and the oil refineries at Jamnagar apart from defence apparatus.
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Engineer’s Lynching
Kanpur, December 27 “If the UP government recommends a CBI probe into the killing of engineer MK Gupta in Auraiya, the Centre will order a CBI probe into the matter,” Union Minister of State for Home and an MP from the city Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters here. He said that invoking the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA) and the Gangster Act on prime accused BSP MLA Shekhar Tiwari was just a “face saving” exercise of the
state government. “The nation wants to know that why the BSP give tickets to criminals and make them MPs and MLAs. The image of a leader is very important in a democracy and political parties should refrain from giving tickets to tainted persons who abuse their posts later,” Jaiswal said. However, Chief Minister Mayawati had already ruled out a CBI probe into
the incident. The 48-year-old engineer was allegedly beaten to death by Tiwari and his accomplices after he is believed to have turned down a demand for a “huge sum” for birthday celebrations of the Chief Minister, a charge denied by the state government.
— PTI
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Mumbai Heat
Mumbai, December 27 All the hotels in the city will resemble fortresses with cars being checked, patrons being frisked and identity cards being asked at regular intervals, thanks to the various security measures adopted after the November 26 terror strikes. “Those attending the new year celebrations will not be allowed if they don’t carry invitation cards. Before getting on the floor, they need to pass all security measures. There won't be any compromise,” said a security officer of a hotel in western suburbs. “The patrons will be asked to park their vehicles at the place where barricading has been done. From there they will be escorted in vehicles belonging to the hotel as we don’t want to cause any inconvenience to our guests. At the same time we don’t want to compromise on security,” a security person at Taj Land’s End in Bandra said. “Following the terror strikes, security has been beefed up at the hotel. The guests will have to show identity cards while entering the hotel. There is a speed breaker which will scan the underside of vehicles on entry,” said an official of JW Marriott hotel, Juhu. “Guests will have to pass through metal detectors. Bags will be scanned,” the official said. “World's top most security personnel have been appointed for security checks,” said a spokesperson of Trident in south Mumbai declining to reveal further details. The Mumbai police are welcoming the measures adopted by the hotels. “The hotels’ initiative will surely benefit all,” said DCP Vishwas Nangre Patil.
— PTI
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Eyewitnesses identify Kasab
Mumbai, December 27 Three senior police officials, ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte who were in the van were killed. Jadhav pretended to be dead and escaped. The terrorist was brought to the Arthur Road Central Jail were some of the witnesses identified Kasab in an identification parade. More witnesses will be brought tomorrow to identify Kasab, police officials said. Till the identification parade is over, Kasab will be locked up in the ‘anda cell’ of the jail. The cell shaped like an egg has very high security and is used to lodge hardcore criminals and mafia leaders.
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Indians travel to Pak despite advisory
Jodhpur/New Delhi, December 27 The situation should not be allowed to worsen and the Pakistani government should hand over to India the terrorists found to be involved in the Mumbai carnage, was the common refrain of passengers a day after India issued the advisory. “Pakistan should hand over terrorists if it knows they are from Pakistan. If they cannot catch the terrorists, they should discuss it with India,” said a women passenger of Thar Express before it left the Jodhpur station for Khokrapar in Pakistan. Over 300 passengers, including 260 Pakistanis, were onboard the Thar Express train which left the Jodhpur in Rajasthan early today. A Pakistani national said he came to India to take his relatives to Pakistan thinking that the situation has worsened. “But there is nothing like that and my people have told me that it would be wrong to leave India.” Another women traveller said people in Pakistan too should ask Islamabad to handover the people wanted by India so that both the countries can live in peace. “I want all Muslims across India and Pakistan to tell the Pakistani government to handover the people wanted by India so that both the country can live in peace and ensure that Pakistan’s reputation is not spoilt,” she said.
— PTI |
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Fisheries department scam: Two media groups in war of words
Hyderabad, December 27 The Telugu dailies - Andhra Jyothy and Sakshi-have been at loggerheads for some time now, picking holes in each other’s stories and carrying front-page articles, each questioning the other’s journalistic ethics. Reflecting divergent political loyalties, the warring media groups have taken their professional rivalry to a new level ever since a multi-crore scandal, involving dubious dealings of an arrested executive engineer of the Fisheries Department, came to light recently. Andhra Jyothy, a staunch anti-Congress publication said to be having close ties with the Telugu Desam Party, carried a string of reports pointing accusing fingers at six ministers, several senior bureaucrats and chief secretary for their alleged role in the scam. It was then the turn of Sakshi, owned by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s son Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and widely seen as a mouthpiece of the ruling Congress, to jump to the defence of the government and hit out at the rival daily. The daily published a lead story early this week quoting a startling observation to chief secretary that the “mischievous and baseless” reports of Andhra Jyothy were responsible for the premature death of his mother. The official’s mother Sarojanamma (80) died at a private hospital here on December 23 following heart attack. Sakshi claimed that the chief secretary gave an interview to its correspondents and directed his ire at Andhra Jyothy for claiming his mother’s life by carrying out systematic character assassination. “My mother was so disturbed by the motivated writings in this newspaper that she suffered heart attack and died a premature death,” Sakshi report quoted Reddy as having said. However, the chief secretary denied the report. In an unusual gesture, the official called the chief reporter of Andhra Jyothy to his chambers and clarified that he never made the observations as claimed by Sakshi nor did he give any interview to the daily. “It is a matter of shame that Sakshi has stooped to such a level that it is resorting to politics over dead bodies. The chief secretary’s clarification has exposed the real motives of the daily,” a report in Andhra Jyothy said. However, Sakshi stood by its report and circulated audiocassettes to the local news channels containing the “sound bytes” of the chief secretary. “We have recorded the observations of the official and faithfully reported it in our columns to expose the motivated campaign being carried out by Andhra Jyothy against the Congress,” said Sakshi report. |
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Sacked Bodo leader sounds defiant
Guwahati, December 27 Under severe pressure from the government, the general council of the NDFB, which has been in truce with the Government of India for the past three years for alleged involvement of a section of its cadres loyal to Ranjan Daimary in October 30 serial blasts, replaced Daimary with vice-president Dhiren Boro as the new chairman. The general council also vowed to carry on the peace talks with the Government of India and resolved to participate (either directly or indirectly) in the next general elections that amounts to giving up its demand for a sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo tribe community. However, the sacked president today refused to accept the resolutions adopted in the outfit’s general council. In a statement e-mailed to the media, Ranjan Daimary today said: “I may not be the president of the NDFB of those who have capitulated the ideology and principle of the NDFB by submitting a memorandum on the September 30 to the Government of India and who have adopted a resolution to take part in Indian election, but I am still the president of the NDFB that has been fighting for the last 22 years for the right to national self-determination, independence and sovereignty of the Bodo people.” “Whatever may come, as a president I will never surrender the ideology and principle for which thousands have embraced martyrdom and fought for 22 years. The NDFB belongs to those who will continue to fight for the liberation of Bodoland and Bodo people. “The NDFB and the Bodo people have begun a nationalist movement for their historical rights 22 years back and this movement must continue till we achieve our goal. Therefore, I would like to appeal one and all to rally around the NDFB that stands by its ideology and principle and that continues to fight for its cherished goal - the freedom.” Ranjan Daimary is suspected to be based in Bangladesh and involved in masterminding the October 30 serial blasts in Assam with the help of a section of the NDFB cadres loyal to him. The security forces allege that he has become a stooge in the hands of the anti-India forces. |
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19 ULFA ultras join pro-talks camp
Guwahati, December 27 A security source said 19 hardcore cadres of ULFA, along with arms and ammunition, joined the pro-talks faction’s camp at Kakopathar in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district today. They deposited one universal machine gun, one light machine gun, AK-56 assault rifle, one grenade launcher besides a large quantity of other arms and ammunition. They are from different companies of battalions of ULFA. The companies of the 28th battalion of ULFA had declared unilateral ceasefire early this year to mobilise public opinion for peace talks between the top leaders of ULFA and the government of India. The leaders of these companies have been holding public consultation all over the state to mount pressure on fugitive ULFA leaders to come over for talks with the government of India to find a solution to the vexed insurgency problem in the state. One of the leaders of the pro-talks faction, Mrinal Hazarika, said a large number of ULFA cadres, holed up in outfit’s camps in remote forests areas of Myanmar, were not even aware of the peace initiative undertaken by the ‘A’ and ‘C’ companies as those camps had no communication link with the world outside. |
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Crackdown on teachers with fake degrees in Bihar
Patna, December 27 The inquiry team of HRD had indicated that their Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degrees were either forged or fake. The NDA government in Bihar had carried out a mass recruitment drive of teachers in the primary and secondary schools across the state. In order to avoid the cumbersome process of recruitment, the state government had empowered the panchayat bodies to select the suitable candidates on the basis of marks obtained by them in intermediate examination and give priority to those having a B.Ed degree in teachers training. There was no age limit for candidates having a degree in Teachers Training Course. The government had also reserved 50 per cent of the seats for women. Taking advantage of the government’s liberal attitude, a large number of candidates, both men and women, procured fake degrees/certificates in the Teachers Training Course from different institutions across the country and also from Nepal and got appointed as teachers. Once they joined service and were asked to teach the students, they began to get exposed. Following complaints from across the state, the government instituted an inquiry. It was found that the institutions from where they had procured the B.Ed degrees were either not recognised or did not exist at all. Following this the state government blacklisted about 75 such institutions across the country and also in Nepal and the HRD issued a directive saying that the B.Ed degrees issued by them would not be taken into consideration for appointment in the state-run schools. More such termination orders are in the pipeline. In view of this experience, the state government has tightened the recruitment process of teachers in the second phase that has just begun. The selected teachers will now be allowed to join duty only after verification of their degrees. |
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Karuna unhappy over Centre’s handling of Lankan issue
Chennai, December 27 After the DMK general council elected him as the president for the 10th successive time, he cited a resolution adopted at the meeting urging the Centre to take immediately steps to stop the Sri Lankan military offensive and said the Centre should respect the resolution, which was the most important of the 10 resolutions passed by the apex body of the DMK. He also alleged that some parties were seeing the killings of innocent Tamil people as an action against the LTTE. The Centre should respect the sentiments of those really working for the welfare of Tamils, he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised to send Pranab Mukherjee as his emissary to Colombo when a delegation led by the DMK leader met him at New Delhi last month, he said and demanded that the PM should fulfill his promise. Further delay by the Centre would result in the death of more Tamils, he added. “It is our duty to save the Sri Lankan Tamils who are living in open air with their children after they were displaced from their homes,” he said. The general council elected K Anbazhagan as the general secretary and party chief's son MK Stalin as the treasurer. Contrary to speculations, the other members of the Chief Minister's family, MK Azhagiri, Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran, were not given any post in the party. |
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AP farmers protest against SEZ; Patkar lends support
Hyderabad, December 27 The ongoing agitation by farmers against the proposed multi-purpose SEZ near the port city of Kakinada has received a major boost with Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar throwing her weight behind the movement. Patkar, who is also convener of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), toured several villages in East Godvari district, where the SEZ is coming up, and addressed public meetings today calling for intensifying the stir against the acquisition of farmlands for the industrial project. The SEZs are far more dangerous than terrorists. The government should realize this and immediately stop taking away agricultural lands, Patkar said, while addressing meetings at Payakaraopet and Achyutapuram villages. The SEZs, she said, had become special exploitation zones as state governments were vying with one another in forcibly acquiring farmlands to benefit private industrialists. The Kakinada SEZ is an ambitious project of the Congress government under public-private partnership model involving acquisition of over 10,500 acres of land, spread over seven villages in the paddy-rich East Godavari district. The SEZ is aimed at promoting establishment of a string of industries in a myriad sectors including petroleum, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, apparels, paper, automotive and transportation equipment. However, the local farmers, environmental groups and opposition parties have raised objections over the “ham-handed approach” of the government in land acquisition. The main opposition Telugu Desam Party has said it would cancel the project if voted to power in the coming Assembly elections. The actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi?s Praja Rajyam Party, CPI, and CPI (M) have also pledged their support to the agitation. There are fears that the SEZ would lead to displacement of several thousands of farmers in the region and denial of their only source of livelihood. The local farmers had formed SEZ Vyatireka Porata Samiti (Anti-SEZ Struggle Committee) to protest against land acquisition. They had clashed with the police and revenue authorities and obstructed land acquisition process early this week. AP has been pursuing an aggressive policy for promotion of SEZs and accounts for highest number of SEZs in the country. The state has received sanctions for 97 SEZs, of which 56 had been notified with an investment of Rs. 1.5 lakh crore and a potential to create 25 lakh jobs in both private and public sector units. |
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Agri Ministry plans bio-security system
New Delhi, December 27 Besides, the new bio-security system will also be designed to anticipate bio-terrorism, which, experts fear, can emerge as the new form of terrorism. The proposal to set up the bio-security system is based on recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers headed by Prof MS Swaminathan and the National Policy on Farmers 2007. Talking to The Tribune, Swaminathan said, “The threat to the country’s bio-security has increased due to increasing international trade and emergence of trans-boundary diseases of plants and animals like Ug-99 and avian influenza. There is lot of travel taking place and aircrafts are coming in from outside carrying trans-boundary pests.”While these are natural forms of threat to the bio-security, Swaminathan said the danger in its man-made form in shape of bio-terrorism was increasing and the country had to be prepared to deal with it. “Bio-terrorism is also a potent threat in the present security environment. Rather than reacting to it later, we recommended an anticipatory mode,” he said. Introduction of genetically modified organisms and climate change also have the potential to create new forms of diseases and fast spread of existing diseases. “Global warming means malaria parasites will multiply faster, even in winter months,” he added. To protect bio-security of the country, the ministry is taking some other measures as well. The National Plant Protection Institute (NPPTI), Hyderabad, has been converted into a society to give it more autonomy for human resource development for effective bio-security. Facilities of the institute, re-christened as the National institute of Plant Health Management (NIPM), will soon be upgraded and faculty expanded for training in plant protection. The regulatory framework relating to plant protection is being strengthened. The Regional Plant Quarantine Station (RPQS), Amritsar, has secured ISO 9001:2000 certification, say ministry officials, adding it is the second RPQS to have obtained ISO 9001:2000 certification after RPQS, Chennai. The other three major RPQS located at Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai are also pursuing ISO certification. All 35 plant quarantine stations located countrywide are being strengthened to carry out inspection consignments for imports and exports of plants/plant material more effectively.
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‘Forcible’ eviction lands Andhra govt in fresh row
Hyderabad, December 27 Tension prevailed at Bheemraowada in the busy Nampally area when a strong posse of policemen swooped on the dwellings in the wee hours and started forcibly evicting the residents, who put up stiff resistance claiming that they had been living there for generations. The belongings of the poor families were thrown on the road and cranes were deployed for the demolition job even as the residents raised objections over the police action. The issue soon acquired political overtones with leaders of opposition parties, including TDP, TRS, BJP, CPI and CPI (M), descending on the scene and picking up heated arguments with the police and municipal authorities and expressing solidarity with the affected families. Scores of opposition leaders, including Telugu Desam Party president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, state secretaries of CPI and CPI (M) A Narayana and BV Raghavulu, respectively, and BJP chief B Dattatreya, were arrested when they staged protest at the site and tried to prevent the eviction. Adding to the discomfiture of the government, city Congress MLA P Vishnuvardhan Reddy too joined the protests and was subsequently arrested by the police. The TDP chief squatted on the main road, leading to traffic snarls, prompting the police to take him into custody along with his party workers and shift them to Nampally police station. While the government justified the police action, saying sufficient notice was given to the residents occupying the government land, the victims claimed they has been residing in the localities for over eight decades and had rights over the land. “The government has made arrangements for providing alternative land at Afzalsagar area and is ready to provide all the amenities for the displaced families,” the Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, Mukesh Goud, said. Meanwhile, the residents moved a petition in the High Court seeking restoration of status quo. The court appointed an advocate commissioner to examine the matter and submit a report by January 19. It directed the government not to take any action against the residents till the matter was decided by the court. |
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‘Taare Zameen Par’ bags best film award
Mumbai, December 27 ‘Taare Zameen Par’ (TZP) won V Shantaram Gold Award for the best film while ‘A Wednesday’ and critically appreciated Marathi film ‘Tingya’ bagged the silver and bronze award, respectively, in the best film category at a function held here yesterday. It was a double bonanza for Neeraj Pandey, who won the Best Director Gold Award as well as Best Debut Director Award. The silver award for best direction went to Aamir Khan for 'Taare Zameen Par' while Ashutosh Gowariker received Best Director Bronze Award for his love epic 'Jodhaa Akbar'. Darsheel Safary and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were adjudged the best actor and actress for their performances in TZP and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, respectively. Jimmy Shergill received the best artist in a supporting role trophy for his performance in ‘A Wednesday’. He dedicated the award to the martyrs of Mumbai 26/11 attacks. The debut artist award
went to actor-director Farhan Akhtar. AR Rehman won the best music director award for ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ and Kiran Deohans was adjudged the best cinematographer. Amol Gupte was awarded for scripting ‘Taare Zameen Par’. Best sound award went to late H Sridhar for Tamil film ‘Dashavataram’. Shree Narayan Singh received the best editing award for 'A Wednesday'. The awards have been instituted in the memory of legendary filmmaker late V Shantaram.
— PTI |
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Suspected IM terrorist arrested from Haryana
New Delhi, December 27 Hamid was caught from Yamunanagar in Haryana by a team of Kerala police, police sources said, adding he was living in the area for the past several years. Sources said there was an intelligence input about Hamid’s whereabouts. Hamid, the self-styled south zone commander of the Indian Mujahideen, is said to be one of the chief masterminds of the 1998 Coimbatore blasts which claimed the lives of 33 persons and left over 150 injured. He allegedly also has links with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Among the Kerala police’s “most wanted” list, sources said, Hamid is being interrogated at length by the police and intelligence agencies to ascertain whether he was anyway involved in the recent serial blasts in Delhi and other towns. He is said to be an expert in handling explosives, sources said.
— PTI |
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Septuagenarian jailed 213 times!
Vellore, December 27 Inspector Mahendran, who arrested Sankarapandian, said that cases were pending against him not only in Tamil Nadu, but even in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. His modus operandi was to approach vulnerable old women who came to the collectorate to collect their pension and then offer to write out their petitions. He would convince the women to remove their jewellery before going inside to present the petitions, warning that they would not receive any money if officials saw them wearing jewellery. However, when the women came back, Sankarapandian would have vanished from the scene. Head constable Mahalingam of Vellore north police station said the old man himself told the police about the number of cases against his name in these states.
— PTI |
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Orissa for extended CRPF deployment in Kandhamal
Bhubaneswar, December 27 In a letter to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “The force deployment need to be continued till people living in relief camps return to their villages and repair their damaged houses.” Stressing that presence of the central forces would help in restoring peace in Kandhamal, he said the naxal activity is another problem in the district which too need to be tackled along with bringing back confidence among the masses. Optimistic about fast return of complete normalcy in Kandhamal, the Chief Minister said people in Kandhamal and elsewhere in the state celebrated a peaceful Christmas. While 38 companies (nearly 3800 personnel) of the CRPF and two companies (200 personnel) of the RAF were deployed in Kandhamal since September, the period of their deployment expires on December 31. Earlier the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to allow deployment of the central force in Kandhamal till end of December. — PTI |
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Transfer Ginnauri Kothi to MP govt, Pataudi told
Bhopal, December 27 An official release said here today that an order in this regard was passed yesterday by the tehsildar of Huzoor, S R Nair. The property and its adjacent area are spread over an area of 9.74 acre and worth Rs 30 crore as per government valuation, although their market price could be around Rs 100 crore. In this connection, notices were served on Pataudi and his two sisters Sabiha Sultan and Saleha Sultan by the district administration on May 22 this year. According to these notices, the Ginnauri Kothi and the land around it belonged to the Madhya Pradesh government as they were not mentioned as personal property in the merger agreement as per the status in November 1955. The district administration, after issuing notices, searched the records but failed to get documents that could support Pataudi’s claim to the kothi.
— PTI |
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IIM-A asks alumni to help in placements
Ahmedabad, December 27 The IIM-A has written letters to its alumni urging them to support the institute in successfully accomplishing both lateral and final placements of students this year. In a letter, the institute has said students are slightly apprehensive about placements this year and asked the alumni to make special efforts to make the event successful, according to sources. However, IIM-A officials said this was a routine letter. “Letters to IIM-A alumni are sent in routine course every year as part of its extensive exercise to mobilise resources well before the beginning of placement sessions,” general secretary of Student Affairs Council Srijan Pal Singh said. The lateral and final placements of IIM-A students are scheduled to kick start from January and March respectively, a placement cell member said. “Lateral placements are scheduled to begin at IIM-A from January first week and students having more than 18 months work experience prior to joining the institute are eligible for it,” Singh said. Over 120 students are expected to participate during the lateral placements, that’s just 50 per cent of the batch ready here for final placements, he added. Visiting members of 1984 batch IIM-A alumni to the campus are expected to play a vital role in mobilising resources to make lateral and final placements exercise successful event this year, sources said. Barring Lehman Brothers, all leading global financial players were present during the event and one of the biggest batches of PGP students among the IIM comfortably found placement with multiple offers, sources
added. — PTI |
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Karunanidhi re-elected DMK president
Chennai, December 27 He has been elected for the 10th consecutive term. Announcing Karunanidhi’s unanimous election, party election officer G.M. Shah, a veteran partyman, said 41 sets of nominations proposed by district secretaries were filed on his behalf. K Anbazhagan was re-elected general secretary for the eighth time in a row. Karunanidhi’s son M.K. Stalin was also elected unanimously as party treasurer, Shah said. For Stalin, who was a deputy general secretary, it was a step higher in the ladder of the party hierarchy. When Stalin’s name was announced, the general council members gave a standing ovation.
— PTI |
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UP ATS arrests five suspected arms dealers
Lucknow, December 27 “Acting on a tip-off, ATS had arrested five persons from Chinhat area last evening for their alleged involvement in supply of illicit firearms to anti-social elements,” ATS SP Rajeev Sabharwal said. The accused were identified as Prem Chandra, Mohit Kumar, Mohd Naseem Khan, Rajesh Kumar Yadav and Narsingh, he said. While four of them hail from Rae Bareli district, one of the suspects is said to be a resident of Sultanpur. Six country-made weapons, including three revolvers and two pistols, and five mobile handsets were recovered from them. |
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Our unity greatest weapon against terrorism: Prez
Nagpur, December 27 "Our unity will be the greatest weapon in our armour in the fight against terrorism", Patil said while inaugurating a two-day national conference on 'Communal Harmony and Social Peace', organised by Rashtra Sant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University here.
— PTI |
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Bomb found in Manipur Assembly complex
Imphal, December 27 The Police said a bomb was found inside the Assembly area by its staff and was safely removed by state police personnel. The complex was completely sealed off, following the incident and the main road adjacent to has been blocked. Militants had recently thrown bombs at the Raj Bhawan and Chief Minister’s residence. Earlier, the militants had also lobbed a bomb inside the Assembly in March. In another incident, a suspected militant was gunned down by a combined force of police and troops at Angangching Ekou here during the day.
— UNI
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10 die in Rajasthan accident
Jaipur, December 27 The accident occurred near Ghata village under Kaman police station when a Rajasthan roadways bus coming from Bharatpur collided with a tractor trolley, they said. The Injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, they said adding all the deceased were occupants of the trolley and were residents of Palla village near Kaman.
— PTI
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