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Akhilesh heckled during Muzaffarnagar visit
MNCs pushing sales by serving unhealthy food: Study
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SC notice to Centre, states on shelter for homeless
Villagers kill AP forest officer probing land grab
Western Command marks 66th Raising Day
At Jethmalani’s party, Modi, Advani exchange cold vibes
German Bakery case: Baig moves HC for re-investigation
Chargesheet in photojournalist rape case may be filed this week
PIL alleges scam in resettlement schemes for jawans
HC can hear writ petitions against AFT orders: SC
Investment co chief, wife booked for Rs
200 cr fraud
India, US, Afghanistan to discuss situation in Kabul
Mumbai ADGP battles for life after suicide bid
India may be ‘polio-free’ soon
Dilip Kumar hospitalised
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Akhilesh heckled during Muzaffarnagar visit
Lucknow, September 15 The visit comes on the eve of the Vidhan Sabha session and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s scheduled visit possibly along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Yadav, who was accompanied by Jail and Food Minister Rajendra Chadhury, first visited Kavaal village where three youths were killed on August 27. Their deaths subsequently led to clashes that began on September 7. The Chief Minister was shown black flags by angry villagers protesting against the failure of the administration to control the riots in time. He met the families of the three youths - Shahnawaaz, Sachin and Gaurav. “There is grief. They have lost their young sons and I can understand that... I appeal for calm,” the Chief Minister later told mediapersons. “We urge everyone to maintain peace. My government is committed to acting strictly against those creating trouble,” said Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav also visited Malikpura and Kandhla villages to meet the family members of victims. The Chief Minister promised a government job to a member of the 47 families each that lost their loved ones in the riots and financial help to rebuild burnt houses. He further ordered the suspension of outgoing Muzaffarnagar SSP Subhash Dubey and a departmental inquiry against him for failing to control the violence. The visit comes a day after Akhilesh Yadav met sulking senior SP leader Azam Khan who came under attack from colleagues for skipping the Samajwadi Party national executive meeting at Agra. Khan had expressed his displeasure at the administrative failure to check the communal clashes. Khan is the minister in-charge of Muzaffarnagar as well as the minister for parliamentary affairs, minority affairs and urban development. Muzaffarnagar remained calm as curfew was relaxed for 12 hours today. The situation is, however, far from normal as around 50,000 people have taken refuge in 10 official and numerous non-government relief camps set up in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts. So far, 11,000 people have been placed under preventive detention, while 187 have been arrested and 11 booked for murder.
Reaching out
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MNCs pushing sales by serving unhealthy food: Study
New Delhi, September 15 This is the key message contained in a new study published by Lancet NCD Action Group in British journal Lancet. The study urges governments to consider public regulation on the ultra-processed product market to prevent the harm this sector can do to the health of consumers. Based on the global market data, the study says sales of tobacco, alcohol and several categories of packaged food (a good proxy for ultra-processed foods and drinks) are rising most rapidly in the low and middle income nations such as India where Nestle, for instance, is responsible for 4.9 per cent of the total packaged food market next only to Britannia at 5 per cent. Little or no growth of sales of these foods is expected in high-income countries in the next five years due to recession and saturation of established markets with ultra-processed products. “To minimise the harmful effects of unhealthy commodity industry on NCD prevention, substantial scale-up of response from governments is needed,” the study - “Profits and pandemics: Prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra processed food and drink industries” - says. It points out that the consumption of energy dense ultra-processed foods, unlike low-energy foods such as fruits and vegetables, promotes obesity, and sugar sweetened beverages are leading to increased risk of obesity and diabetes of which India is becoming the global capital. It adds that almost all growth in the foreseeable future from the sale of these unhealthy commodities will be in low and middle income countries such as India. “The substantial growth of unhealthy commodity markets has contributed to the rise in obesity, diabetes and other diet-related chronic diseases in the low and middle income nations,” states the study.
Ultra-processed food
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SC notice to Centre, states on shelter for homeless
New Delhi, September 15 A Bench comprising Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjana Desai issued notice on a petition, which suggests utilisation of vacant lands under the Urban Land Ceiling Act, seeking their views within four weeks. “Shelter is not only the right of the big people, rather it is the right of every citizen,” the PIL filed by NGO Nav Jivan Sahara Samajik Vichar Manch contended. Though the manch had restricted its plea to Maharashtra, the apex court said it was enlarging its scope to cover the entire country. Houses should be provided to such people at a “very low cost” on the lines of land being allotted at concessional rates to institutions such as schools and hospitals, it pleaded. In several cases, shelters of the poor were removed on the assurance that they would be resettled elsewhere which never happened, it said.
Overcrowded jails
The Bench also issued notice to the Centre and states yesterday on another PIL pleading for implementation of jail reforms to de-congest overcrowded prisons by releasing inmates, both undertrials and convicts, making use of the existing legal provisions. The PIL, filed by social activist Suma Sebastian, said all those detained on charges of committing bailable offences for more than a week should be released immediately. Similar action was necessary in cases where the accused on trial were in jail for more than half of the maximum sentence and those under investigation detained for more than 90 days.
Replies sought
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Villagers kill AP forest officer probing land grab
Hyderabad, September 15 The attack took place in the early hours when a team of forest officials went to Nallavelli village, about 200 kms from the state capital, to issue a warning to the villagers who had occupied government land. According to Nizamabad district Superintendent of Police KV Mohan Rao, the villagers threw chili powder into the eyes of the forest officials and attacked them with sticks. Forest Range Officer Gangaiah (42) died in the attack while his colleagues were injured, the police official said. An 11-member team of forest officials, led by Gangaiah, went to the village on information that some villagers had occupied a piece of forest land and begun cultivation. A group of villagers assaulted the forest officials with sticks and axes in which Gangaiah sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot, while seven other injured officers were rushed to the Nizamabad government hospital. The police have arrested four villagers in connection with the attack and special teams have been formed to nab others. A case of murder has been registered, the police said. Meanwhile, the State Minister for Forests and Environment S Vijayarama Raju expressed shock over the incident and said the government would provide ex-gratia to the victim’ s family.
Seven hurt; four arrested
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Western Command marks 66th Raising Day
Chandigarh, September 15 A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Veer Smriti war memorial where General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Philip Campose paid floral tributes to the martyrs. Soldiers reversed their arms as a mark of respect to the fallen soldiers while buglers sounded the Last Post. A large number of officers and other ranks attended the ceremony. A “barakhana” for troops and a social get-together for serving and retired officers as well as civilian dignitaries were organised. The Command was raised as Delhi and East Punjab Command controlling all formations with an operational role in the territorial areas of the present Western, South Western and Northern Commands. It was re-designated as Western Command in January 1948. In 1954, the Command Headquarters moved to Shimla. After the 1971 Indo-Pak war, the Northern Command, headquartered at Udhampur, was carved out of it to focus on Jammu and Kashmir, while in 1985 the Western Command headquarters moved to Chandimandir. The Western Command was reorganised again in 2005 and South-Western Command based at Jaipur was raised. With “Ever Westwards” being its calling card, the Command has participated in all wars and major operations since Independence, blunting enemy assaults and carrying the battle into the adversary’s territory. It has also played a key role in disaster management and aid to civil authorities in times of need, besides training para-military forces in specialised operations.
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At Jethmalani’s party,
Modi, Advani exchange cold vibes
New Delhi, September 15 Modi bent down before Advani in a sign of respect and then took his seat close by with Jethmalani in the middle. Advani and Modi exchanged pleasantries but hardly talked to each other. Advani, who was against the party naming Modi as its PM candidate before the upcoming assembly polls to five states, had stayed away from the crucial BJP Parliamentary Board meeting on Friday when the decision was announced. The same day Advani shot off a letter to Singh expressing anguish and disappointment over the BJP president's style of functioning. After his anointment, Modi had driven to Advani's residence to seek his blessings. Even as Advani continued to sulk, Rajnath Singh claimed that all is well within the party and the patriarch is on board on Modi's anointment. "Everything is okay within the party. He (Advani) was on board earlier, he is on board now also," Singh said after his meeting with Modi. Modi, who addressed a rally of ex-servicemen in Rewari in Haryana, had meetings with Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi. After remaining closeted at his house since Friday when Modi was anointed, Advani is set to address a public rally in Chhatisgarh tomorrow where he will join Chief Minister Raman Singh's Vikas Yatra, sources close to him said.— PTI
Jaswant meets sulking Advani
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh on Sunday met party patriarch LK Advani, who is sulking after Narendra Modi was named the party's prime ministerial candidate, in an apparent bid to mollify him.
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German Bakery case: Baig moves HC for re-investigation
New Delhi, September 15 An application was moved by Baig's lawyer Mehmood Parcha before the High Court seeking a fresh probe claiming that he had not been given a fair chance and also alleged that elite Anti-Terror Squad of Maharashtra Police had even ensured hijacking of trial by manipulating a defence lawyer.— PTI
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Chargesheet in photojournalist rape case may be filed this week
Mumbai, September 15 "We are giving final touches to the chargesheet of the gangrape case with whatever evidence we have collected so far. We hope to file it in court by Tuesday," a crime branch official said today. The victim was allegedly gang raped by the five on August 22 evening when she had gone to the Shakti Mills compound with a male colleague on an assignment, the police said.
Phone operator gangrape
The fifth accused arrested in connection with the July 31 telephone operator gangrape case was today remanded in judicial custody till September 19. The crime branch told the court that they wanted to conduct an identification parade of accused Mohammed Ashfaque Sheikh, who was arrested yesterday from Girgaon Chowpatty. The crime branch also told the court that the telephone operator had identified the other four accused, including a juvenile. — PTI
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PIL alleges scam in resettlement schemes for jawans
Chandigarh, September 15 Admitting the PIL, the Delhi High Court has directed the government and other respondents concerned to file a reply to the averments mentioned therein. The PIL has alleged that crores of rupees collected from reemployed personnel under the aforementioned heads have not been deposited with the government, even though receipts and “fake challans” for the same were issued to individuals. “The DGR promulgated various second career schemes wherein huge margins were deliberately kept, thereby making it a business where exorbitant amount could be earned. As a result, officers of the rank of major general and lieutenant general and equivalent from the three services were lured to register for second career even at the age of 59-61 years,” the PIL states. “The DGR and its officials, under a pre-planned criminal conspiracy made the rules such that by way of which they virtually controlled the whole beneficiaries in a manner that their dictates/rules became the reason of corruption, apart from the other forgeries which survived due to their connivance,” the PIL further alleges. The PIL also points out that in response to a retired officer pursuing the matter through the Central Information Commission (CIC), it was observed by the CIC the appellant had filed an affidavit crystalising the alleged glaring irregularities, violations, variations and improprieties in the functioning of the office of DGR. Though the CIC does has any vigilance role, even so, the commission cannot ignore the allegations, how-so-ever misplaced or frivolous, leveled by a retired Army officer on affidavit and it deemed it expedient to request the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, to have an inquiry caused into the matter and take action as deemed fit. The CIC was intimated that the matter had been referred to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the allegations made by the applicant were true which required professional investigation by a competent investigating agency. The report of the committee was put up to Secretary, Ex-servicemen’s Welfare and even to the Raksha Mantri and that after obtaining orders of the competent authority, reference was made to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for entrusting the said matter to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office. Information was sought information from SFIO and it was intimated that they, however, are not carrying our any investigations into the matter.
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HC can hear writ petitions against AFT orders: SC
Chandigarh, September 15 The court made these observations while taking up matters concerning the jurisdiction of high courts over orders passed by the AFT. The Delhi High Court had in a decision earlier ruled that though the AFT Act provided for an appeal to the Supreme Court, the writ jurisdiction of high courts could not be ousted. The high court had further ruled that the AFT was manned by personnel appointed by the executive and could not be a substitute for the Constitutional high court. Similar directions were passed for the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) by a Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court in 1997. The Central Government had challenged the verdict of the Delhi High Court in the apex court. Legal experts say though the AFT Act provides for a direct appeal to the Supreme Court, it restricts it only to questions of “general public importance” and that too not as a matter of right but after obtaining a “leave to appeal” to the Supreme Court from the AFT, practically making the AFT the first and the last court for defence personnel. The high court decision on its jurisdiction over orders of the AFT had come as a relief to many ex-servicemen since they were unable to bear heavy cost of litigation in the Supreme Court, where even the admission of appeals was subject to the certification of involvement of a question of general public importance. Ex-servicemen were perturbed over the lack of judicial independence of the AFT, and rejection of many of their claims of disability pension and other benefits, which were later granted by various high courts with strong observations against their denial by the AFT. Affected ex-servicemen feel that decisions of high courts besides being independent and of non-government leaning were also implemented properly by the authorities unlike decisions of the AFT which were simply ignored by the Ministry of
Defence.
Jurisdiction tangle
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Investment co chief, wife booked for Rs
200 cr fraud
Nagpur, September 15 The two had floated an investment company and expanded into business of retail stores, edible oil, milk and several branded products. They allegedly duped gullible investors while promising them high returns with an interest of up to 12.50 per cent, police said. About Rs 200 crores were collected from across the Vidarbha region and mostly retired government servants and businessmen fell into the trap, they said. Police received a number of complaints in this regard following which the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) conducted an investigation. Subsequently, offences under relevant sections of cheating and criminal breach of trust under IPC (406, 420, 34) and provisions of Maharashtra Protection of Investors Deposit Act, 1999, were registered against the couple last night, police said. No arrest has been made so far, they added. — PTI
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India, US, Afghanistan to discuss situation in Kabul
New Delhi, September 15 The dialogue among top officials of the three countries will focus on the situation that is likely to evolve in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO troops from the troubled nation in 2014, sources said. The three countries will consider ways to stabilise the situation and expedite various developmental activities in the battle-scarred nation. Since India, Afghanistan and the US share a common vision of a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, the trilateral dialogue provides useful opportunity to the three countries to state views on broad-based subjects that are critical for the transition and transformation that are under way in Afghanistan. This will be the third trilateral meeting on Afghanistan among the three countries. The first such dialogue was held last year in September in New York while the second meeting took place in New Delhi in February this year. The upcoming meeting in New York is critical for India against the backdrop of last month’s suicide bomb attack on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad and the recent killing of Indian author Sushmita Banerjee. New Delhi suspects the involvement of Pakistan-based groups in both these incidents. Pakistan, being the closest neighbour of Afghanistan, wants to gain ‘strategic depth’ in the war-ravaged nation after the withdrawal by foreign forces and compel New Delhi to reduce its engagement in that country. India is also averse to the attempts at reconciliation being made by the West with the Taliban as it believes the hardliners are not going to change their ideology and will take Afghanistan back to the 1990s. It has made it clear to the US that any reconciliation process must be Afghan-led and Afghan-driven. Only those among Taliban cadres who promise to eschew violence and abide by the Afghan Constitution should be considered for integration with Afghan society. The US is of the view that India has an important role to play in Afghanistan’s future, particularly in terms of business. Washington is currently busy working with the Afghanistan Government over a strategic pact. Under the agreement, some American troops will remain in Afghanistan even after the pullout by NATO forces in 2014.
The talks
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Mumbai ADGP battles for life after suicide bid
Mumbai, September 15 Additional Director General of Police Ranjit Kumar Sahay was rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Saturday night with 60 per cent burns. Though it is not clear how he sustained the injuries, sources said Sahay had been disturbed ever since he was shunted to the Police Housing Department on a promotion two months ago. Earlier this year, Sahay — who was the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation — had unearthed irregularities allegedly committed by bureaucrat Deepak Kapoor, who headed the organisation. Following Sahay's probe, Kapoor — known to be close to former Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel — was shunted out and kept without posting by the state government. Senior police officers questioning Sahay's colleagues and immediate family members are, however, tight-lipped about the incident. An IPS officer of the 1986 batch, Sahay was staying in official government quarters at the upscale Malabar Hill in downtown Mumbai. This is the second such incident involving a top police officer in Mumbai this year. Last March, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Banerjee shot himself to death following an argument with his wife at a restaurant.
Was ‘disturbed’ since 2 months
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India may be ‘polio-free’ soon
Jammu, September 15 If everything goes well, India will be a polio-free country by the end of January 2014 because during the last 33 months not even a single case of this disease has been detected all over the country. This was disclosed by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad while addressing a function here yesterday. As per the parameter fixed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), any nation can be declared as “polio free” country provided there would be no new polio case detected in that nation in three consecutive years. Polio’s last victim in India was detected on January 13, 2011, in West Bengal but since than India has had zero cases of polio. Previously, India led the world in polio cases. “We are waiting for January 13, 2014. If everything goes well, WHO will remove our country from the list of polio endemic nations”, he said and pointed out that complete eradication of polio was one of the success stories of India in the health sector. He said steps taken to eradicate this decease in a short span of three years reflected India’s tireless and persistent efforts to provide good health to the people. Azad said the Health Ministry has sanctioned 70 cancer institutes all over the country to fight this deadly disease. “First time such a huge number of cancer institutes have been opened in the government sector for the containment of this disease”, he said and added that like other countries India was also confronting with the problems of human resources.
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Dilip Kumar hospitalised
Mumbai, September 15 "Dilip Kumar has been admitted to our hospital. He is in the intensive care unit (ICU) and his condition is stable," said Dr Naresh Trivedi, spokesperson of Lilavati Hospital. Dilip Kumar, 90, known as the 'King of Tragedy', essayed iconic roles in classics like Devdas, Madhumati, Mughal-e-Azam and Ganga Jamuna. He was born Muhammad Yusuf Khan on December 11, 1922, in Peshawar (now in Pakistan) and his acting career spanned six decades and over 60 films. He was the first to receive Filmfare Best Actor honour when the awards were started in 1954 and, with eight wins, shares with Shahrukh Khan the record for the most number of Filmfare awards won in that category. He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. — PTI
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today visited riot-hit Muzaffarnagar district where he was greeted with black flags and sloganeering by angry villagers.
Chandigarh, September 15
New Delhi, September 15
