L A T E S T      N E W S

SP, Shiv Sena thwart consideration of quota bill in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena on Thursday thwarted an attempt in the Rajya Sabha to take up for passage the contentious Bill providing for quota in promotion for SCs and STs in government jobs.

The Constitution Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the House on Wednesday amid commotion and scuffle between members of SP and BSP in the House, could not be taken up even as Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy rose to move it for consideration and passage.

Members of SP and Shiv Sena trooped into the Well shouting slogans against the proposed legislation. Their protest was coupled with that of BJP members who were shouting slogans to press for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over coal block allocation issue.

The House saw uproar by members of SP, Shiv Sena and BJP when it met at 2 PM after two adjournments over coal issue as soon as the Chair asked to move the Bill as per the listed business.

P J Kurien, who was in the Chair, asked the protesting members to resume their seats so that the Bill could be considered. However, as the din continued, he adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier at noon also, SP members shouted slogans "reservation in promotion will not be allowed" while BJP members were chanting demands for the Prime Minister's resignation. Six of the SP members led by Naresh Agrawal were in the Well.

Md Adeeb, an Independent member of the Upper House with the support of both Congress and SP, also joined the protest in the Well.

The Bill seeks to circumvent a Supreme Court order quashing such a decision of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan governments. — PTI

20 injured as Cong demonstrators clash with police in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Around 20 persons were injured as Congress workers protesting against the BJD government on Thursday tried to gherao the Odisha Assembly and fought a pitched battle with the police.

When water cannon and teargas failed to disperse the Congress demonstrators near the Lower PMG close to the Assembly building the police used batons, police sources said.

The demonstrators retaliated with stones, they said.

Among the injured were DCP Nitinjeet Singh and seven policemen, the sources said.

A dozen demonstrators were also injured in the police action, the sources said.

Earlier, the demonstrators were addressed by Congress stalwarts including state in-charge Jagdish Tytler and PCC president Niranjan Patnaik who dubbed the BJD government as the most corrupt in Odisha.

The Congress leaders also raised the coal block allocation and fertiliser scarcity issues and held the chief minister responsible for irregularities.

Accusing the state government of depriving the poor of rice and wheat provided by the Centre, the Congress leaders alleged that the BJD government was providing only 25 kg per family against 35 kg given by the central government under various schemes like Antyodaya Anna Yojana.

Denying the allegations, the Chief Minister told reporters that the charges against the BJD were meaningless in view of the scams in which the Congress-led UPA government was allegedly involved. — PTI

Sivakasi fire: 7 arrested, teams formed to trace unit owner

Sivakasi: Seven persons were arrested on Thursday in connection with the massive fire at a cracker manufacturing unit near here that claimed 39 lives even as police are on the lookout for the owner of the factory which allegedly violated several safety norms.

Four persons who had taken the Omshakthi fireworks factory complex where the fire broke out on lease, its foreman and two others entrusted with managing the unit had been arrested, SP Najmal Hoda told reporters.

Ten teams had been formed to nab the factory owner Murugesan, who fled the spot after the devastating fire on Wednesday.

“It is absolutely illegal.. what he has done (giving the factory on lease), is absolutely wrong,” the SP said, adding, cases had been registered against the lease holders and owner under various sections of IPC and Explosives Act.

According to the SP, the factory had committed several violations such as safety norms, overcrowding, overstocking and wrong mixing of chemicals.

Initial examination by forensic experts revealed that mixing of chemical had been done in “unscientific proportions”. Besides, rubber sheets had not been provided at the sheds where the crackers were manufactured.

The area around the factory, spread over five acres, had been cordoned off as police feared that more unexploded crackers could burst due to extreme heat conditions.

Fire service personnel were constantly dousing the area, so that earth-movers could be used to clear the debris.

Rangaswamy, an official of the Controller of Explosives, said the licences of the factory, valid up to 2014, were suspended three months ago due to 40 different types of violations. However, revenue officials said the communication on suspension of the licences had not been conveyed to them.

He said two licences which were issued to the factory, one by the Controller of Explosives of the Central government and another for sulphur powder by the State authority, were valid till 2014.

The violations, including employing more than 300 workers against the norm of 200 employees, had been noticed before the suspension of the licences, he said.

The factory had attempted to manufacture more than their capacity to meet the demand for crackers for Diwali and New year, besides employing unskilled workers and putting up 45 sheds instead of the permitted 35.

An official in the rank of Joint director of forensic department also visited the site and collected the samples of the chemicals and crackers to analyse the causes for the fire and would submit a report to the government shortly.

The Director General of Fire and Rescue, Bholanath, visited the factory complex.

Those who suffered more than 50 per cent burns have been shifted to a Madurai hospital.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, who visited the site, said a high-level inquiry should be ordered into the incident and adequate compensation given to the victims. — PTI

Magisterial probe ordered into Sivakasi fire

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday ordered a magisterial probe into the devastating fire at a cracker manufacturing unit in Sivakasi, which claimed 39 lives and injured several others.

Ms. Jayalalithaa, who chaired a meeting of senior ministers to chalk out measures to prevent such mishaps in future, said the District Revenue Officer would probe the cause of the incident and functioning of the Om Shakti Fireworks factory, whose registration was cancelled a day before the incident.

A sum of Rs 4.5 crore has been earmarked for enhancing the facilities at burns ward in Sivakasi Government hospital and bring it under the Madurai Medical College Hospital.

She also directed the Virudhunagar District Collector to survey the fireworks’ units in the district to avoid recurrence of such mishaps.

Ms. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced a cash relief of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the incident. — PTI

Clinton nominates Obama for prez poll

Charlotte: Former US President Bill Clinton has formally nominated Barack Obama as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, making a passionate plea to his countrymen to vote in his favour saying the incumbent was cool on the outside but "burns for America" inside.

Taking up the podium at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte last night as last speaker on the second day of the Democratic National Convention, charismatic Clinton said he wants to nominate a man whose own life has known its fair share of adversity and uncertainty.

"We're here to nominate a President, and I've got one in mind... I want Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States and I proudly nominate him to the standard bearer of the Democratic Party," Clinton said.

"I want to nominate a man cool on the outside but burning for America on the inside. A man who believes we can build a new American Dream economy driven by innovation and creativity, education and cooperation. A man who had the good sense to marry Michelle Obama," he said.

"I proudly nominate him as the standard bearer of the Democratic Party," Clinton said amidst a loud applause and cheer from the thousands of people attending the three-day Democratic national convention.