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India officially declared 'polio free'
NEW DELHI: India was today officially declared ‘Polio Free’ by the World Health
Organisation. India is one of the 11 countries in the South East Asian region which have been certified as being free of the wild polio virus.
The Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad received the official certificate at a function here.
This achievement makes the South-East Asia Region, the fourth WHO Region to be certified as polio-free, after the Region of the Americas in 1994, the Western Pacific Region in 2000 and the European Region in 2002.
"India has been polio free since January 2011. India embarked on the programme to eradicate polio 19 years ago in 1995, when the disease used to cripple more than 50,000 children in the country every year", Azad said.
"This achievement has been possible with resolute will at the highest levels, technological innovations like the indigenous bivalent polio vaccine, adequate domestic financial resources and close monitoring of polio programme, with which immunization levels soared to 99 per cent coverage and India achieved polio eradication. A 2.3 million strong team of polio volunteers and 150,000 supervisors worked day and night to reach every child," he said.
A 2.3 million strong team of polio volunteers and 150, 000 supervisors worked day and night to reach every child.
The Health Minister expressed gratitude towards WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others stakeholders, including the parents of the children, for their strong technical and operational support to this collective effort in this region.
Also present at the certification ceremony were representatives from WHO and senior officers from the Ministry of Health and family Welfare. PTI
Commute Bhullar's death penalty to life term: Centre to SC
NEW DELHI: The Centre today told the Supreme Court that it has "no problem" with commutation of death sentence of Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar to life term and the petition in this regard has to be allowed in view of the court's verdict that delay in deciding mercy pleas can be a ground for such relief.
"This is a case which has to be allowed because the mercy petition of the convict was decided after a delay of eight years," Attorney General G E Vahanvati told the bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam which said that a short order will be pronounced on March 31.
The Attorney General also said that he was making the submissions to this effect as the Centre's petition challenging the January 21 judgement, in which it was held that inordinate delay by government in deciding mercy plea of death row convicts can be a ground for commuting their sentence, has been dismissed.
"So we have to follow the January 21 judgement and we have no problem," Vahanvati said.
He said there was no need to go into the merits of the curative petition filed by Bhullar wife Navneet Kaur.
At the outset, the bench, also comprising justices R M Lodha, H L Dattu and S J Mukhopadhaya, wanted to know about the health condition of Bhullar and perused the February 8 medical report of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS).
The bench had on January 31 stayed Bhullar's execution and had agreed to review its judgement by which it had rejected the 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict's plea to commute his death sentence to life term.
It had issued notice to the Centre and Delhi government on a curative petition and had also directed IHBAS, where Bhullar is being treated, to file a medical report on the condition of the death row convict who is alleged to be suffering from mental illness.
The plea of Bhullar's wife for commutation of death sentence assumes significance in view of the apex court's January 21 verdict holding that inordinate and inexplicable delay by government in deciding mercy plea of death row convicts can be a ground for commuting their sentence.
Sidhu's successful run, despite his outsider tag as he too is originally from Patiala, is also attributed to his following among both the communities.
It is feared that BJP's decision to replace Sidhu, a well-known Sikh face of the party, with Jaitley may not go down well with the Sikh voters, who account for about 64 per cent of the total electorate in the constituency.
Even though SAD and BJP are running a coalition government in Punjab for the second consecutive term and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal predicting Jaitley to become the deputy prime minister if NDA comes to power, Singh can nullify all the edge Jaitley may have.
While the Narendra Modi impact is yet to be felt in Amritsar, reports of alleged eviction of Sikh farmers from Gujarat's Kutch region has found resonance in Punjab and it may go against Jaitley.
Sidhu's record will be hardly helpful for Jaitley as he has not been able to do much for the constituency. Sidhu has shared an uneasy relation with the party's ruling ally Shiromani Akali Dal.
In 2009, Sidhu had polled 3,92,046 votes, or 31.59 per cent, defeating Om Parkash Soni of Congress by a small margin of just 6,900.
No doubt, Jaitley offers Amritsar a very strong representation in New Delhi, Singh is also seen as an aggressive leader known to take hard decisions.
Jaitley has offered some ambitious plans such as opening the border trade with Pakistan, developing Amritsar as a tourism hub and improving its infrastructure.
As Singh shed his reluctance and got into the fighting mode, the 'safe seat' the Badals offered to Jaitley will in all likelihood see a hot contest. - PTI
Supreme Court asks BCCI to reply by Friday
NEW DELHI: In a big setback to BCCI president N. Srinivasan, the Supreme Court on Thursday proposed his replacement by Sunil Gavaskar and suspension of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) along with Rajasthan Royals (RR) from IPL 7 till the pendency of case of betting and spot fixing scandal before it.
The court said it is intending to bar CSK, owned by India Cements, which is promoted by Mr. Srinivasan, and RR, whose players and team officials are allegedly involved in the scandal, from participating in the IPL 7 tournament slated to begin from April 16.
A bench headed by Justice A.K. Patnaik proposed the name of veteran cricketer and commentator Sunil Gavaskar to head the Board during the pendency of the case in the apex court.
The bench asked the Board to give its response by Friday on its proposals after which it will pass an interim order.
The bench also proposed to pass an order barring India Cements officials from getting involved with the functioning of BCCI after senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for Cricket Association of Bihar, pointed out that many such officials are at present part of BCCI team.
Mr. Salve also raised questions on the conduct of captain of Indian Cricket Team, M.S. Dhoni, who is also vice-president of India Cements, saying that he is guilty of corrupt practices. - PTI
I'll be happy to take up BCCI job: Gavaskar
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today proposed Sunil Gavaskar's name as replacement for N Srinivasan as BCCI President and the batting legend said he will be "honoured" and "happy" to adhere to the directives of the highest court of the land.
"First and foremost, if the highest court suggests something, you have to do so but that has to be on record. I am currently contracted with BCCI as a commentator. But if Supreme Court wants me to do that, I will do it," Gavaskar said.
"When the Supreme Court asks you, there is no question about it, there is not much you can do and I will be happy to do what they ask me to do", he told NDTV.
Gavaskar, a former Indian captain, said he would wait for the final order from the court.
"I will consider it, it will be a huge honour that Supreme Court feels I will be good enough to do the job. But we will have to wait and watch until tomorrow in which direction it goes. Let's not jump the gun," the former Indian captain said.
Asked if he is prepared for the challenge, Gavaskar said: "As an opening batsman, you have to be prepared for all kinds of challenges, you have to play in all kinds of pitches, you are always prepared for a challenge mentally and physically.
"Even today, although I am happy to be away from the limelight, I am prepared to do what is needed if the Supreme Court wants me to do so," he added.
The Supreme Court today also proposed the suspension of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) along with Rajasthan Royals (RR) from IPL 7 till the pendency of the betting and spot fixing case.
"It is sad. They were the champions. In 2008, Rajasthan Royals were the champions and Chennai Super Kings won three times, they have brought a lot of joy, so this observation will make cricket fans sad," Gavaskar said.
Former President Shashank Manohar yesterday demanded the suspension of the IPL 7 till a thorough probe by the CBI is completed but Gavaskar wondered how will it help the game.
"In situation like this, you will have different opinions. You will have to sit down and think about it. I don't know how will it help. When fixing scandal broke out 14 years ago, cricket continued," Gavaskar said when asked if IPL 7 should be scrapped.
"We need to put measures in place. There should be Anti-corruption officials available for every team in IPL, so that young players will know where to approach." Asked about his views on Srinivasan, who didn't resign even after Supreme Court's observation, Gavaskar said: "Look, I think we need to understand that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. I would not be able to pass judgement on that.
It is not my area. It is a completely different issue on which I have zero experience." - PTI
New debris sightings; storms ground missing plane's air search
BANGKOK/PERTH: A Thai satellite has detected 300 floating objects in southern Indian Ocean that could possibly be the debris of the missing Malaysian plane, even as bad weather today grounded multination air search for the aircraft's wreckage.
Thaichote satellite detected the objects in the Indian Ocean on March 24 at 10am local time, Anond Snidvongs, executive director of Thailand's Geo Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, said.
The site was about 2,700 kilometres from Perth and about 200 kilometres from the international search area where the flight is thought to have come down.
Some objects were more than two-metres long, Anond said.
The missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board, including five Indians, crashed in remote southern Indian Ocean with no survivors and their families have been informed, Malaysia had announced on Monday.
The Thai report was the second in two days suggesting a possible debris from the crashed jet.
Yesterday it was reported that 122 objects were spotted in remote southern Indian Ocean by French satellite.
However, an international air and sea search has failed so far to find the wreckage of the plane, which went missing on March 8.
The images of 300 floating objects have already been submitted to the Thai government which will forward them to Malaysia to examine if they were of the debris of the plane.
Thaichote or Thailand Earth Observation Satellite is a remote sensing satellite for natural resources observation.
Earlier, Australian and Chinese satellites had also detected unidentified debris.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) today called off the air search because of thunderstorms and gale-force winds. Ships will try to continue the search, Australian officials said.
"Bad weather expected for next 24 hours," the agency tweeted.
Earlier today, AMSA said in a statement, "Search activities today will involve a total of 11 aircraft and five ships. Today's search is split into two areas within the same proximity covering a cumulative 78,000 square kilometres".
Eight planes reached the zone but faced zero visibility and returned to base. - PTI
Two suspected terrorists arrested in Uttar Pradesh
LUCKNOW: Two suspected terrorists were arrested late on Wednesday near the railway station in Gorakhpur city of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Thursday.
The suspected terrorists were part of a terror module which was planning to target senior political leaders, including BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, during campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, informed sources told IANS.
Both the suspects, identified as Barkat and Muzammil, are said to be Pakistani nationals, and were taken to the Lucknow headquarters of the Anti-Terror Squad for further questioning.
Officials while refusing to comment on specific leads in the case confirmed that the two were “directed” to target prominent leaders as “human bombs” during election rallies.
“We were given some leads by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police after the arrest of Indian Mujahideen terrorist Tehsin Akhtar, and the arrests in Gorakhpur are a fall out of this tip off,” an official told IANS.
Inspector General (ATS) Rajeev Sbbharwal confirmed the arrest, but refused to divulge any further details.
Both the suspects are natives of Multan in Pakistan.- IANS
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