Lucknow, March 18
Apparently upset over the adverse publicity that the garland episodes had attracted, Chief Minister Mayawati today removed one of her most influential bureaucrats, Additional Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary, Information, Vijay Shankar Pandey, from the post.

The step comes two days after the media orchestrated the first garland issue, completely sidetracking the message the Chief Minister and party chief gave through her “maharally”.

Pandey, the most powerful and visible face of the state’s bureaucracy, has been appointed the Principal Secretary, Health. This is visibly a demotion as he was the first IAS in the state to be appointed as the Additional Cabinet Secretary.

According to sources in the CM’s secretariat, Pandey’s not sharing a good rapport with journalists finally caused him his prestigious job. He has been replaced with one of the most popular bureaucrats in the state, Shailesh Krishna, who was recently shunted out of the CM’s secretariat.

Krishna, the new Principal Secretary, Information, and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, is one of the most sociable and popular bureaucrats in the state cadre and has served on that post earlier as well.

The CM has not spared even Pandey’s assistant, Director, Information, Ajay Upadhyay, who has been shunted to the Finance Department and replaced by PCS officer Arvind Narain Misra.

Incidentally, Pandey, younger brother of Ajay Shankar Pandey, serving as the Municipal Commissioner of Ghaziabad, was also stripped of his post and sent to Mathura as the Chief Development Officer. The Principal Health Secretary till today, Pradeep Shukla has now been shifted to the Food and Civil Supplies Department in the same capacity with additional charge of Principal Secretary, Family Welfare.

Jacob Thomas, Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, has been given the charge of Principal Secretary, Revenue. More transfers are expected later tonight.

Guwahati, March 18
National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) convener Sandeep Pandey today warned of a countrywide movement against the Assam Government for its attempt to pressure firebrand Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi into abandoning his crusade for farmer rights.

Magsaysay Award winner Pandey said a massive three-day convention would be organised here in the first week of May to protest attempts to gag Gogoi and the KMSS.

A confidential Assam Police memo (no.C.20/2009/16) was issued to SPs of Golaghat, Nagaon and Lakhimpur, in 2009 instructing them to mount surveillance against Gogoi and KMSS members for suspected Maoist links.

Gogoi has been organising farmers all over the state to secure their rights. He has been discomforting the Assam Government through unrelenting efforts to mobilise farmers against its policies and exposing corruption in development schemes and is also involved in a tirade against mega dams. He hit headlines towards the end of 2009 by winning the first-ever RTI Award for his work in using RTI to expose corruption in government schemes in a hostile environment. He also won the second Manjunath Shanmugam Integrity Award.

Meanwhile, Gogoi alleged that the state government had been systematically attacking KMSS members through the police. He alleged that a plot was hatched to eliminate him but was not executed after he was conferred the RTI Award. 

Jaipur, March 18
With the mercury soaring to 40°C, the state government is already sweating, concerned as to how it will cater to water demand this summer.

Among the worst hit are the residents of Bhilwara for they are being supplied drinking water just once in around five days. The scenario in Udaipur and Ajmer is no better with water being supplied twice or thrice a week, while Jaipur, too, is fast slipping into the dark zone.

The authorities have decided to reduce the supply of water here to just once a day. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot admitted that water crisis was worsening when he told the state Assembly that only 30 blocks had sufficient water reserves. He said controlling water consumption was must as 164 blocks were over-exploited, 34 were critical and 8 blocks were semi-critical due to less rainfall, rising population and exploitation of ground water.

Presently, Kota was enjoying the maximum per capita water supply at 250 lt followed by CM’s home district Jodhpur at 150 lt.

The state has even sought help from the police to guard water sources in dry areas and is finding it tough to maintain proper supply even in major cities and towns. The district administration in Sriganganagar has asked the police to guard artificial ponds and water tanks in villages.

Besides, vigilance teams have been set up at all police stations to keep a watch on water in Indira Gandhi Canal. The Agriculture Department has joined hands with the district administration in Hanumangarh district to create artificial ponds.

Concerned over the depleting water table, the state is mulling to offer incentives to the sectors and industries that need and use minimum water in its new industrial policy. 

Jaipur, March 18
Amid pandemonium and repeated adjournments, BJP whip Rajendra Singh Rathore was today suspended from the state Assembly for one year for “unruly behaviour and stalling the proceedings of the House”.

The motion moved by ruling Congress chief whip Virendra Beniwal was passed by voice vote even as the BJP legislators stood on tables and resorted to intense sloganeering against the government. Marshals were called in to protect the ruling party MLAs who continued with the business amid ruckus. However, despite the Speaker’s direction, the marshals failed to take Rathore out from the House.

The bedlam broke out when irked over the suspension of its MLA, Hanuman Beniwal, the BJP didn’t let the Speaker to run the Question Hour by placing a Censure Motion against Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal for the “indecent language” used by him yesterday, leading to repeated adjournments. Beniwal was suspended for “unruly behaviour” after the Congress moved a motion against him, accusing him of levelling baseless charges against Dhariwal. The BJP legislator had accused the government of protecting and encouraging the liquor mafia in the state.

As the House assembled today, BJP whip Rathore and deputy leader Ghanshyam Tiwari asked Speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat to take up the motion placed under Section 119 of Assembly rules and procedures, but the Speaker rejected it. Subsequently, all BJP MLAs rushed to the well, shouting slogans against Dhariwal. Tiwari demanded that the Question Hour be dropped and motion be carried for debate. He alleged that the Home Minister had threatened Hanuman Beniwal in the House for raising corruption charges.

Within six minutes of the start of Question Hour, the Speaker adjourned the House for an hour and was later adjourned too.

Later outside the House, the BJP MLAs led by Tiwari circulated the original motion in which Home Minister's alleged abusive words were mentioned, but it was expunged in yesterday's proceedings. Tiwari also demanded that the CD of yesterday's proceedings be released for public.

New Delhi, March 18
The Supreme Court today advised the Forest Hill Golf and Country Club at Karoran village, Mohali, to focus on the sport instead of trying to diversify its activities to catering and serving beverages.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan made the remark while rejecting the club’s plea for listing its petition on a priority basis. The case would be taken up in the normal course when its turn came, the court informed senior counsel PS Patwalia who made a mention before the Bench pleading for early hearing and disposal.

Pending disposal, the club should be allowed to provide full-fledged catering services to its members, Patwalia argued.

Counsel Bimal Roy Jad - appearing for the Greater Mohali Development Authority, which had sought the club’s demolition because it was located in a forest area - pleaded that there was no urgency, as the court has already allowed club members to play golf and have snacks.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on October 12, 2004 ordered the closure and demolition of the club but the apex court stayed it two months later on a petition by owner Lt Col BS Sandhu.

New Delhi, March 18
Iran today reiterated that it could not wait indefinitely for India to make up its mind on the much-talked about Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline. Reacting, New Delhi said pricing and security issues had compelled it to delay a decision on joining the tri-nation project.

“We would like India to participate in the project but India must also understand that we can’t wait indefinitely,” Iranian Ambassador to India Seyed Mehdi Nabizadeh told The Tribune a day after Iran and Pakistan signed the final agreement to launch the $47.5 billion project. The Iranian envoy said India still had an opportunity to be part of the project but it must also realise that time was running out fast.

India had withdrawn from talks in 2009 over repeated disputes on prices and transit fees.

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said India was in touch with Iran over the project. “We are in consultation with the Government of Iran. We have certain issues about pricing and security of the pipeline. These issues have been taken up with the Government of Iran.”

The Iranians say that they are ready to accommodate India in the ambitious project while underlining that there are other countries like China which would like to become a party to the project, should India back out of it.

New Delhi is also believed to be under intense pressure from the US not to go ahead with Iran, which Washington considers a sponsor of terrorism since it is going ahead with a clandestine nuclear programme despite a global outcry.

India’s ambivalence has emboldened Pakistan. It has proposed to Iran to agree replacing India with China. Beijing is also said to be interested in buying gas from Iran to meet its growing domestic needs.

The pipeline issue is likely to figure prominently during talks between India and Iran when Foreign Minister Krishna visits Tehran, possibly towards the end of this month. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had paid a quiet visit to Iran last month to do the groundwork for the ministerial visit.

Mumbai, March 18
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray now has a new target: filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. At a public meeting in the city last evening, Thackeray threatened assault against Bhatt for getting 11 MNS workers arrested.

“Let Mahesh Bhatt come before me. I will teach him a lesson,” Thackeray said.

Bhatt, his brother Mukesh and film maker Ritesh Sidhwani had filed a complaint of extortion against 11 MNS activists after they allegedly entered a film set where a movie was being shot featuring foreigners.

“My workers went to the set to see if the foreigners shooting for the film had proper work permits,” Thackeray said.

The MNS leader said Bhatt called up Chief Minister Ashok Chavan personally and got the police to file an extortion complaint against the workers.

Thackeray went on to say that his party workers would henceforth crack down on foreigners working illegally in Bollywood films.

After Thackeray’s speech, Chavan told reporters this morning that the MNS leader would have to face the consequences of instigating his followers to violence.

“Complaints have been filed with the police and they are investigating. But if someone takes the law into his own hands, then he would have to face the consequences regardless of who he may be,” Chavan said.

New Delhi, March 18
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar today put to rest all speculations about his reservations on the Women’s Reservation Bill, saying that he favoured 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies.

At the sidelines of an agriculture conference here, he also told opponents of the Bill to let the measure be passed in its present form and added that the issue of reservation for minorities and OBCs could be discussed later

The Agriculture Minister said the Bill should be passed in the Lok Sabha as it was passed by the Rajya Sabha. Incidentally, Pawar had earlier suggested women's quota be reduced from 33 per cent. It was a suggestion that was completely rejected by the Congress, which is opposed to any dilution in the Bill.

The key ally of the UPA government also decided to “forgive” Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi for openly using abusive language against him. Seemingly, an unequivocal support for the Bill that is so close to Congress president Sonia Gandhi is his way of reciprocating to the Congress for paying heed to the NCP’s grievances against Chaturvedi.

During the recess period of Parliament, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Pawar are likely to initiate discussions with RJD leader Lalu Prasad, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav -- the three key opponents of the Bill. Pawar said at an NCP rally last week that he had urged opponents of the legislation not to stall the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as their views on quotas for OBCs and minorities could be considered.

As far as the Satyavrat Chaturvedi episode is concerned, Pawar termed it a closed chapter. 

Mumbai, March 18
A dispute between two neighbours at a Mumbai housing society over noise caused by renovation work turned deadly this morning.Retired customs and excise officer Harish Maroliya, 61, who was practising as an advocate, opened fire at his neighbour Himani Mehta, 16, following an argument over some renovation work at the latter's house, the police said. Both stayed with their families and were residents of a multi-storeyed building in suburban Andheri.

According to the police, Mehta was rushed to Cooper Hospital, where she was declared dead on admission.

Maroliya then fired at police personnel who came to arrest him. The police retaliated and Maroliya was killed in the exchange of fire.

One police sub-inspector and a constable were injured in the incident. Both of them are undergoing treatment at Cooper Hospital, the police said.

Mumbai, March 18
The Maharashtra Assembly is among several public buildings that were on the hit list of terrorists, Home Minister RR Patil told reporters today.Patil said central intelligence agencies had warned the state government that car-borne terrorists could sneak into the building and set off explosions and carry out other terror activities.

Hence, movement of vehicles into the state legislature was being curbed, Patil said. The ministers' cars would be stopped at the main entrance of the imposing legislature building in the Nariman Point area of south Mumbai, sources said.

Stringent security arrangements are in place here, including a ban on entry of bodyguards and drivers of legislators entering the building, ahead of the Budget session of the state legislature beginning tomorrow. Webcams would be used to photograph visitors who would be issued entry passes, they said.

The security measures come into force 15 months after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai and in the backdrop of a recent security audit report conducted by the police at the Vidhan Bhawan, the building that houses the state's legislature.

The audit report pointed to security shortcomings at Vidhan Bhawan, terming the existing systems ‘obsolete’ and asked for a complete overhaul and upgrade on an urgent basis.