Guwahati, July 14
Noted environment activists and the spearhead of Narmada Bachao Movement Medha Patkar today led a massive protest rally here demanding immediate halt to construction of mega dam projects in ecologically fragile and tectonically highly sensitive Northeastern region, especially in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, which are part of eastern Himalayas.

Thousands of people from all corners of the region who were organised by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) today hit the streets of Guwahati demanding immediate halt to ongoing construction of 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydro-electric Power Project of the NHPC at Gerukamukh along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary as well as shelving of all the proposed over 160 mega dam projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

Leading the rally, Patkar said, “Mega dams are symbols of corruption and atrocities on the masses. We will fight tirelessly against the construction of mega dams in the North East and we will definitely win the battle.”

She said mega dams would spell doom for the region and its people and called upon the people of the region to get united against construction of mega dams. After agitating and addressing the rally under the scorching sun in a humid atmosphere here, Patkar fainted and had to be rushed to hospital for treatment.

She called upon the government to abide by the report submitted by an expert committee, which was constituted by the NHPC under the pressure of people’s movement against mega dams. The panel comprising experts from Indian Institute of Technology (Guwahati), Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University has recommended against construction of the NHPC mega dam at Gerukamukh in view of geological and seismological sensitivity of the area. The construction of the main dam had been started by the NHPC without carrying out the downstream impact study.

Hyderabad, July 14
In a clash reminiscent of Nandigram tragedy, three persons were killed today when the police fired on a violent mob protesting against a thermal power project in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.

The trouble broke out near Sompet, a backward town in the north coastal region, when a 3,000 strong mob, mostly comprising fishermen from nearby villages, resorted to violence in a bid to stall the foundation stone laying ceremony of a 2,640 MW power project being built by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC).

The Rs 12,000-crore thermal plant is being strongly opposed by villagers, who allege that their lands were being forcibly taken away for the project.

Tension prevailed in the area since morning when a large number of protesters gathered at the make-shift office of NCC and entered into heated argument with its officials. A large posse of policemen was deployed at the site and prohibitory orders were clamped.

When the situation appeared to be slipping out of control, the police opened fire killing Krishnamurthy, a fisherman from Lakkavaram village, on the spot. Two more persons, identified as Venugopal Rao and Mohan Rao, also fishermen, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital. Over 80 persons, including policemen and mediapersons, were injured in the violent clash.

Bangalore, July 14
The impasse in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly could well be traced to the resignation of Lokayukta Santosh Hegde over the government’s reluctance to check illegal mining.

While Hegde announced withdrawal of his resignation on July 3 -- 10 days after he submitted his resignation to Governor HR Bhardwaj -- the act of quitting by the hugely popular Lokayukta brought both the Opposition Congress and Janata Dal (secular) on a collision course with the government on the mining issue.

Ironically, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s assurance to the Opposition parties that the Lokayukta will be given a free hand to bring the probe into illegal mining being carried out by him to the logical conclusion has failed to placate protesting MLAs. They are adamant that the probe must be handed over to the CBI.

The Opposition protest in the Assembly has been also fuelled by cudgels taken up by Governor HR Bhardwaj against the Reddy brothers -- Karunakara and Janardhana -- mining barons from Bellary and ministers in the Yeddyurappa government.

Bhardwaj’s statement in Delhi yesterday of the necessity of dropping “two ministers” from the Karnataka Cabinet was preceded by his action of forwarding to the Election Commission a petition submitted by Congress Legislative Council member KC Kondaiah seeking disqualification of the two Reddys and health minister BR Sreeramulu, also a mining magnet from Bellary. Kondaiah is no ordinary Congress MLC. He had resigned from the Lok Sabha to pave the way for Congress president Sonia Gandhi to contest from Bellary in 1999. Sonia’s victory against BJP candidate Sushma Swaraj in the elections enabled her to debut in the Lok Sabha.

The Reddy brothers also first got noticed during the high-voltage elections as they threw their weight behind Swaraj and continue to enjoy a close rapport with her. When the Reddys raised the banner of revolt against Yeddyurappa last year, Swaraj stepped in to placate them.

The track record of HR Bhardwaj, a former Union law minister and a self-proclaimed Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, has enough evidence to show that he is not averse to taking a controversial decision. Bhardwaj had moved the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2006, known also as the Office of Profit Bill, to bring changes in the 1959 Act to exempt more posts from the purview of office of profit. As law minister, he was also instrumental in defreezing the London bank account of Bofors scam accused Ottavio Quattrocchi. Bhardwaj is now bent upon teaching the Reddys a lesson.

New Delhi, July 14
While Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj briefed Union Home Minister P Chidambram here today of the “Illegal” mining activities of two powerful Karnataka ministers G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy, better known as Bellary brothers, a worried BJP core group expressed concern over the Governor’s undue interest.

Meanwhile, the Congress mounted an attack on the first-ever BJP government in South, discounting, however, any possibility of enforcing President’s Rule in the state. Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi, however, reiterated his party’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the scam relating to illegal export of 3.5 million tonnes of iron ore, which resulted in stalling of the proceedings of the state assembly for three days due to a sit-in in the Well of the House by Opposition members.

Later, BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar briefed newsmen about the core group deliberations. He said, “The Governor is misusing his position. He wants to destabilise a popularly elected government. The Central and state leadership of the Congress are complicit. We appeal to the President to advise the Governor to work within constitutional parameters.” Meanwhile, the Congress spokesman denied any plans to impose President’s rule saying, “We would not like to make martyrs out of them.”

Nagpur, July 14
Nearly four years after an angry mob lynched a Dalit woman and her three children in Maharashtra’s Khairlanji village, the Bombay High Court today commuted the death sentence of six convicts to 25 years imprisonment and fixed a similar period for two others serving life term.

Justice AP Lavande of the Nagpur bench of the court held that all the eight convicts would undergo 25 years of life imprisonment, including the period they have already spent in jail. Four members of the Dalit family -- Surekha Bhaiyalal Bhotmange, her daughter Priyanka, sons Sudhir and Roshan -- were brutally killed by a mob in Khairlanji village on September 29, 2006, over a land dispute with upper castes, provoking violent protests across the state.

Six of the people accused of killing the children were given death sentence by a lower court in September 2008. Another two were sentenced to life term for murdering Bhotmange’s wife. The court had declined to accept the plea that it was a case of caste-based vengeance.

New Delhi, July 14
The Supreme Court today quashed the charges framed against encounter specialist of Mumbai police officer Daya Nayak under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

A Bench comprising Justices Markandeya Katju and TS Thakur quashed the cases against Nayak on the ground that the complaint filed by Ketan Tirodkar, his estranged friend and ex-journalist, was not maintainable as prior sanction of the government was not obtained by the complainant.

Nayak had been accused of accepting money from the underworld mafia and of having links with Pakistan-based gangster Chhota Shakeel. He was suspended by the Maharashtra government in 2006.

New Delhi, July 14
The National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, today finalised the draft of the National Food Security Bill that recommends that subsidised foodgrains be distributed to everyone in 200 poorest districts in the country by April next year, thus setting a deadline for the UPA government for the introduction of this showpiece legislation.

After a day-long exhaustive meeting, the NAC narrowed its differences on the proposed legislation by forging a consensus on the staggered introduction of universal public distribution system across the country with a rider of differential pricing. The draft said wheat and rice be introduced first while millet and pulses be included subsequently.

Divergent views were expressed on the contentious issue of universal entitlement at the July 1 meeting of the NAC as some members, including prominent agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan, had argued in favour of extending food subsidy to all citizens while the more conservative members said this would push up the food subsidy bill and place a huge burden on the exchequer.

Former bureaucrat NC Saxena was learnt to have suggested a compromise providing for staggered implementation of universal entitlement in selected districts, instead of covering the entire country.

This suggestion appeared to have found favour today as the NAC agreed to implement the scheme in 200 poor districts, taking a cue from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) which was also introduced in selected districts first before it was implemented across the country.

There was agreement among NAC members on the promise of providing 35 kg foodgrains per month at Rs 3 per kg in contrast to the provision in the draft Bill drawn up by the empowered group of ministers which provided for an entitlement of 25 kg. It was argued that since the present entitlement under the PDS was 35 kg, it would send a wrong signal if that amount was reduced.

While suggesting that the Bill be introduced from the next financial year, the NAC also proposed that PDS be extended to 33 per cent of the population living in urban areas.

The NAC is slated to meet next on July 30 to streamline these proposals.

Guwahati, July 14
The United States government has been in touch with the Government of India and the Arunachal Pradesh government seeking cooperation for locating mortal remains, if any, of American soldiers and debris of aircrafts, which had gone missing in action during World War II.

Kolkata-based US Consul-General Beth A Payne, who was leading a high-profile delegation of American Chamber of Commerce (AMACHAM) in India to explore investments opportunities for American companies in the Northeast, today said in view of reported occasional recovery of wreckage of US war aircrafts in Arunachal Pradesh in the past, the US government was looking forward for cooperation from Indian authorities to locate more such debris in Arunachal Himalayas.

Terming the Northeast as a huge emerging market in the east , she said American companies would be happy to get an opportunity to invest in this resourceful region, especially in well connected Assam in view of rapid improvement in security scenario of late.

“The US government is closely watching the improved security situation in Assam. We had never advised US citizens against travelling to Assam even when there was trouble rather asked them to consult our security officers in Kolkata before embarking on journey to the state,” she said.

The US official said the US government was keenly watching the move and demands from various quarters for re-opening of historic Stilwell Road.

The age-old road which is now not in use, was constructed by the Americans during the Second World War from Ledo in Upper Assam to connect Brahmaputra Valley to Kunming in China. It passes through Lekhapani, Jairampur, Nampong and Pangsau pass, India-Burma (Myanmar) border. It winds up the passes of 9000 ft Patkai Range and emerges at Shindbwiyang and then Myitkyina. It crosses the broad bowl of the Upper Chindwin, threads the Hukawng and Mogaung valleys, and goes down to Bhamo and to the Burma road which connects Kunming in Yunnan province of China.

Chennai, July 14
MDMK leader Vaiko, who defied Tamil Nadu government's orders and tried to proceed towards the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission demanding its immediate closure, was arrested today along with his supporters.

CPI state secretary D Pandian, who participated in the protest, left the venue before Vaiko and Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement co-ordinator P Nedumaran defied police orders and tried to move towards the Lankan Deputy High Commission.

This is the third protest this week demanding the closure of the commission, after the UN office in Colombo was temporarily closed following a hunger protest by a Sri Lankan minister. Vaiko said the Sri Lankan government was not allowing the three-member panel appointed by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to conduct a probe into the war crimes in Lanka.

Mumbai, July 14
Amidst reports of the Karnataka Government cracking down on Marathi protagonists in the border areas of Belgaum, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray warned of retaliatory attacks against Kannada-speaking people and their businesses in Mumbai and other cities.

In a write-up in the party mouthpiece Saamna, Thackeray warned Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediurappa that the people of Maharashtra would not sit quiet if Marathi-speaking people were attacked in Belgaum and other places.

Reports of the Karnataka Government cracking down on the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti which is lobbying for the merger of Belgaum with Maharashtra has received wide display in the Marathi press here. “The peace-loving Marathi manoos won’t sit quiet and watch his brethren being attacked in Karnataka,” the write-up attributed to Thackeray said. The article warned that Kannada-speaking people from Udupi were present in the city in large numbers and they could face a lot of heat. The reference is to restaurants, which are largely in the hands of people from Udupi.

In addition to restaurants run by the Kannada-speaking people, the Shiv Sena chief noted that the inter-state bus business, too, was largely controlled by people originally from Karnataka. “If the Marathi manoos loses his cool then Yedurappa would be in big trouble,” the Saamna article said.