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Assam, Nagaland CMs join hands to resolve border row
Onus on Pak to restart talks: BJP
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More tigers than reserves can handle, say experts
SC to hear pleas against judges’ selection Bill saradha scam
No change in policy on Palestine: Govt
Salman case: Court papers missing
Centre, states roll up sleeves on tourism plan
Govt stalls release of film on Indira’s assassins
K’taka bypoll: Chikkodi leads with 81% voting
tata camelot township
Gujarat riots: Two arrested after 12 years
Health Minister defends Chaturvedi’s removal
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Assam, Nagaland CMs join hands to resolve border row
Guwahati, August 21 Coming out of the meeting, Rijiju asserted that the Centre had taken a serious view of the trouble along the disputed Assam-Nagaland boundary and would take all possible steps to resolve it. He said the current crisis was a result of lack of communication at the ground level and warned opportunist forces against trying to fish in troubled waters. The meeting between Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang adopted five basic resolutions — both the states would put up joint efforts to resolve the boundary tangle; both the governments would not allow economic blockades resorted to by various protesting organisations against each other; the Nagaland government would try to secure the release of two persons abducted by Naga miscreants from Uriamghat area in Assam which precipitated the present crisis; both the governments would focus on rehabilitation of those persons who have been rendered homeless because of the violence along the inter-state boundary; and a joint peace committee comprising representatives of various organisations from both the states will be formed at inter-state boundary areas. Tarun Gogoi termed today’s meeting as a good beginning and hoped that the boundary dispute would be resolved soon. Curfew hits normal life Meanwhile, normal life was paralysed all over the state, especially in Brahmaputra valley, today because of the bandh called by several organisations, including the Opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) against yesterday’s police firing on protesters near Golaghat town that claimed three lives besides injuring many others. The public transport in Brahmaputra valley went off road due to the bandh, while government offices, private organisations, business houses and educational institutions remained closed for the day. The Army staged a march in Golaghat town and neighbouring areas. Curfew was also clamped in
Bokakhat.
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Onus on Pak to restart talks: BJP
New Delhi, August 21 “The onus (on when talks will resume) is on Pakistan. Islamabad has to display measures that show seriousness for talks. Any relationship, or talks for that matter, has to be based on realism and not romanticism,” BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli today said. “It takes two to tango… Talks are the only way of resolving issues, but they need to have an agenda, a direction. The government has made its position very clear that it will not tolerate any interference in its internal affairs, will not buckle under any pressure and take its decisions keeping in mind the sovereignty and strategic requirements of the country,” said Kohli. BJP sources say they do not foresee resumption of talks with Pakistan, at least in the near future. “Ceasefire violations have continued and no action has been taken in the Mumbai terror attacks case. The 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed continues to roam free,” party sources said. Senior party leaders denied reports that the Narendra Modi government took the decision (to cancel the talks) keeping in mind the upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir and send a “political message” across the state. Some experts had asserted that Pakistan envoy’s talks with Hurriyat leaders ahead of secretary-level talks was hardly a new development. Denying any possible electoral strategy behind the move, BJP leaders say the current position had nothing to do with the state elections. Pakistan usually indulges in ceasefire violations along the border or rakes up the Kashmir issue when it has to hide its internal problems, they add.
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More tigers than reserves can handle, say experts
Dehradun, August 21 Senior tiger biologist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Qamar Qureshi, who is credited with introducing the first-ever camera trap-based tiger estimation exercise in the country, said the current tiger census — the results of which would be unveiled in December — was expected to reveal an increase in number of tigers more than the carrying capacity of tiger reserves. “The tiger population in well-established tiger reserves of the country has exceeded their optimum carrying capacity, posing a new challenge of dealing with their dispersal as they move more than 200 km from the place of their birth,” Qureshi said. He said a large population of tigers was thriving in the Nagarhole-Mudumalai-Wayanad-Satyamangalam landscape, followed by Corbett, Kanha and Kaziranga reserves. Qureshi said there was an urgent need to try innovative schemes to involve people and development agencies. “A mechanism to deal with man-animal conflict and over-abundance of tigers in some landscapes is required,” he said. Dr YV Jhala, another tiger expert at the WII, expressed similar views and sought immediate efforts towards ensuring legal status to forest corridors that provide much-needed connectivity to the tiger population, thus facilitating their proper dispersal. “With the number of tigers rising in the country, the striped cat could face the challenge of man-animal conflict in future if prompt efforts are not taken to give legal status to forest corridors,” he said. According to the tiger census report of the WII released in 2011, the current estimated tiger population is 1,706.
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SC to hear pleas against judges’ selection Bill
New Delhi, August 21 In all five PILs have been filed in the SC, the latest by the SC Advocates-on-Record Association under the aegis of eminent jurist Fali S Nariman, who has settled the petition. The other PILs have been filed by individual advocates — ML Sharma, RK Kapoor, N Rajaraman and former Additional Solicitor General Bishwajit Bhattacharyya. When the association and Kapoor mentioned the matter before the Bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha today seeking urgent hearing, the CJI said some of the PILs had been listed for August 25 and asked others to approach the court’s registry to get their petitions placed together. The association questioned the constitutional validity of the NJAC Bill.
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Sen to stay in CBI custody till Aug 26
Kolkata, August 21 Sen’s custody was taken along with East Bengal club vice-president Debabrata Sarker who was arrested yesterday in connection with the scam. Sarker was remanded in five-day custody today. Sen said today that he had handed ~5 crore to Sarker for acting as his middleman to settle cases of the company’s illegal financial transactions with the RBI and the SEBI, but Sarker denied all charges. — TNS
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No change in policy on Palestine: Govt
New Delhi, August 21 “On such a sensitive issue, there is no room for confusion or misunderstanding,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, addressing the first India-League of Arab States Media Symposium here. India, she said, was deeply concerned over the loss of a large number of civilians in Gaza in the ongoing conflict and had called on both the Israelis and the Palestinians to exercise maximum restraint and work towards a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue. Her clarification came in the wake of conflicting interpretations about New Delhi’s position on the conflict in West Asia. The NDA government did not allow the passage of a resolution in Parliament on the conflict that would have condemned Israel while it voted against Israel at the UNHRC in Geneva, continuing India’s West Asia policy. Noting that India had been watching post-Arab Spring developments very closely, Swaraj said New Delhi, however, continued to be guided by the principles of being non-interfering, non-prescriptive and non-judgemental. At the same time, New Delhi was also concerned about the stability of certain countries in the region where terrorism and fanaticism were tearing apart the fabric of societies. “The continued captivity of 40 innocent Indian workers in Mosul (Iraq) and seven Indian sea farers by pirates in Somalia have brought home to ordinary Indians searing impact of regional instability in parts of the Arab world,” the Minister added. India, she said, saw West Asia as a vital part of India’s extended neighbourhood. It accounted for over 60 per cent of India’s oil and gas requirement. Seven million Indians have made the region its work place and enriched the region with their enterprise, untiring
energy and dedication.
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Salman case: Court papers missing
Mumbai, August 21 The counsel for the police told the court that documents, including the case diary regarding the incident, were untraced. The police said the documents went missing after the constable handling them died. His successor could not locate the papers. The case was originally heard by the Magistrate’s Court but was transferred to the Sessions Court. The documents were lost in the process of shifting from one court to another. The court was informed that of the 63 original documents only 7 could be traced though copies of the rest were available.
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Centre, states roll up sleeves on tourism plan
Vibha Sharma Apart from decisions like safety and security of tourists, particularly women under an awareness campaign "I respect women", there is stress on cleanliness - not just around tourism destination but also the cities where they are located. The Ministry of Tourism is working on formulating a set of guidelines for the states, which will be more or less uniform across the country, according to Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik. In his August 15 address, Modi termed tourism as a driver that gives opportunities to the poorest of the poor. Pledging to work for cleanliness, Modi had said: "Tourism has great potential, but what stops us is the filth all around. Mahatma Gandhi believed in and respected cleanliness. On his 150th anniversary, we must pledge to work towards this goal of a cleaner India". Besides, for the first time there is a talk of scientific assessment of carrying capacity of various tourism destinations, especially religious places, on the basis of principles of environmental sustainability.
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Govt stalls release of film on Indira’s assassins Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 21 The decision was taken at a high-level meeting convened by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry with officials of the Home Ministry and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). “We saw the film and decided that it will not be released tomorrow,” CBFC chairperson Leela Samson said. “Because of the law and order situation that might result from the showing of the film and based on a report of the Home Ministry, the CBFC and I&B officials have decided that,” she added. The film based on the lives of Beant Singh, Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, the assassins of Indira Gandhi, glorifies their act. Earlier in the day, the Union Home Ministry wrote to the I&B Ministry pointing out that some of the contents of the film were "highly objectionable" and could create enmity between communities. The Home Ministry also asked the I&B Ministry to take a relook at the clearance given to the movie. The Punjab units of the Congress and BJP have demanded a ban on the controversial film. Reports have even suggested that Censor Board CEO Rakesh Kumar, who was arrested recently by the CBI on charges of corruption, gave clearance to the film after taking bribe.
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K’taka bypoll: Chikkodi leads with 81% voting
Bangalore, August 21 Polling in these constituencies started at 7 am and closed at 6 pm. Byelections are being held in these constituencies in the wake of the sitting representatives vacating the seats following their elections to the Lok
Sabha.
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Illegal structures can’t be ground for approval, SC told
R Sedhruaman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, August 21 “Two wrongs will not make a right,” senior counsel PS Patwalia contended before a Bench comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw. The project area and its vicinity had been delisted as forest areas only to facilitate agriculture and tourism, not to turn it into a semi-urban or an urban conglomerate by allowing construction of high-rise buildings, he said arguing for PIL petitioners Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation and advocate Alok Jagga. Citing regional, zonal and other plans, he said every locality close to the Secretariat building could only have low-rise structures as was the case with Sectors 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Chandigarh, Patwalia said. The Tata project depended on the construction of a road between Mullanpur and Nayagaon for which the Chandigarh Administration had refused permission despite a letter by the Punjab Chief Minister as it would run through two green belts, he said. At this, the Bench wanted to know as to whether the dispute could be resolved only by filing an original suit in the Supreme Court under Article 131 meant for cases between states. While Patwalia replied in the affirmative, Punjab’s senior counsel Gopal Subramanian and of Chandigarh’s AS Chandiok differed with him. The Bench said it would decide this issue. Will Chandigarh act against Punjab, asks HC The Delhi High Court has asked the UT counsel to clarify from the Chandigarh Administration whether UT is willing to initiate proceedings against the Punjab Government under Article 131 of the Constitution to restrain development in Naya Gaon, Kansal, by filing a petition in the Supreme Court.
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Gujarat riots: Two arrested after 12 years
Ahmedabad, August 21 India’s extradition treaty with Great Britain, Australia and Singapore has helped in nabbing Mohan Patel and Nikul Patel who are accused of the attack on minority community members in Ode village near Anand in central Gujarat in the
post-Godhra communal riots in the state in 2002. At least 11 persons were killed in the attack in Ode village in two incidents. The police said cases were registered against 44 persons but of them, eight were absconding. The SIT appointed for the purpose had come to know that some of the absconders had even left the country and were hiding in Australia, England or some other countries. — TNS
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Health Minister defends Chaturvedi’s removal New Delhi, August 21 "This was brought to our notice, we took cognizance of the same and removed him from the post," Vardhan told reporters when asked about the sudden removal of Chaturvedi, who has the reputation of being a whistleblower. "The post that he held should have been held by a 1998-batch officer and the appointment had not been ratified by the CVC. He had not been relieved by the Haryana Government," said BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli. Chaturvedi, a Haryana cadre forest service officer of 2002 batch, was removed yesterday. The charge of his office has been assigned to Joint Secretary and CVO of Union Health Ministry, Vishwas Mehta. — TNS & PTI
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While tiger conservation efforts in the country have started giving encouraging results, tiger biologists fear a probable increase in human-wildlife conflict if prompt measures are not taken to deal with excessive population of tigers in some landscapes.
Senior tiger biologist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Qamar Qureshi, who is credited with introducing the first-ever camera trap-based tiger estimation exercise in the country, said the current tiger census — the results of which would be unveiled in December — was expected to reveal an increase in number of tigers more than the carrying capacity of tiger reserves.
The Narendra Modi Government today said there was no change in India’s policy of extending support to the Palestinian cause while maintaining good relations with Israel.
“On such a sensitive issue, there is no room for confusion or misunderstanding,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, addressing the first India-League of Arab States Media Symposium here.
