Friday, October 30, 1998

Family burns daughter, son-in-law
MUMBAI, Oct 29 — In a bizarre incident, a mother, aided by her four sons, set ablaze her newly-wed daughter and son-in-law at Ulhasnagar in neighbouring Thane district, leading to the death of the groom here today.

Minors to get passports
NEW DELHI, Oct 29 — The Government has decided to do away with the practice of endorsing names of minor children in the passport of their parents.

8 per cent relaxation on paddy
NEW DELHI, Oct 29 — The Union Food Ministry today clarified that the 8 per cent relaxation of specification for procurement of paddy in Punjab during the kharif marketing season, 1998-99, on account of the recent unseasonal rains.

Order in urea scam case reserved
NEW DELHI, Oct 29 — A Delhi court today reserved its order on "framing of charge" in the Rs 133-crore urea scam case.

Verdict on Laloo, Mishra's bail today
Tribune News Service and agencies

PATNA, Oct 29 — A Special CBI court today reserved till tomorrow a judgement on the regular bail petitions of former Bihar Chief Ministers Laloo Prasad Yadav, Jagannath Mishra and six others in a conspiracy angle case of fodder scam.

The special CBI Judge SK Lal reserved his judgement after hearing arguments of the counsel of the petitioners and the SBI.

The reservation of the judgement followed days of arguments which began yesterday after the surrender of the accused.

The special judge ordered that the accused would remain in jail till the passing of the judgement.

Besides Yadav and Mishra, those who had appealed for regular bail in the case are former Union Minister CP Verma, two former state Cabinet Ministers Bholaram Toofani and Vidyasagar Nishad, RJD MLA RK Rana, former Regional Director of the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) and alleged kingpin of the scam SB Sinha and a supplier to the department Harisharan Sinha.

The case no. RC 64 (a)/96 relates to fraudulent withdrawal of over Rs 97 lakh from Deoghar Treasury by AHD officials.

The special court had taken cognisance of the CBI charge sheet on July 2 filed under Sections 120(b), 418, 420, 467, 468, 477(a), 409, 201 and 511 of the IPC and also under Section 13(b) read with Section 13(1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and initiated the proceedings.

The Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation was in league with the BJP and deliberately trying to harass the former Chief Minister of Bihar and the Rashtriya Janata Dal president, Laloo Prasad Yadav.

Addressing newsmen here, the RLM president, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav said that the CBI was trying to implicate Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav in false cases of corruption and that the CBI so far had not been able to produce any direct evidence against him for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore fodder scam. He said that the CBI was trying to implicate him only to demoralise the party cadre.

He wanted to know that how a Chief Minister could be implicated for crimes committed by his subordinates specially when there was no direct evidence against him. He said that if this was the criteria for filing cases then it would open doors for the filing of cases in the near future against the Prime Minister for the lapses and corruption committed by the officials in his office.

The Samajwadi Party leader was also critical of the Uttar Pradesh government and wanted that the CBI should also file cases against state’s Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh on the basis of the complaints by the Special Task Force of the state police that at least eight ministers of the state cabinet had links with criminal Sri Prakash Shukla shot recently dead by the state police.

The RLM president alleged that Union Home Minister, LK Advani and Bihar state Governor, SS Bhandari were working against the RJD president and the Rabri Devi government. This was clear from repeated statements of Mr Advani and Mr Bhandari who were wanting to bring the state under the President’s Rule, he added.

Stating to fight BJP government’s plans by means that were available with the RLM, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav said that it was an irony that the former Union Minister Sukhram, from whose house the CBI had recovered huge sums of money, was moving free while Laloo Prasad Yadav was facing jail with no evidence against him.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav expressed confidence that a Third Front would soon take shape and the reservations of the Left parties over the entry of the RLM in it would also be sorted out. He said that he was confident that Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet would come out with a solution for this.

The RLM chief has been in close touch with the veteran CPM leader on the issue of uniting all secular forces to fight the BJP onslaught. Mr Yadav said that the CPM leader would succeed in his efforts to form the Third Front.

Assembly elections
SAD in dilemma over symbol
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 29— Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership is in a dilemma over the fielding of nominees in the Delhi and Rajasthan assembly elections under own symbol or under the BJP banner.

Sources in the SAD said that while the prospective nominees of the party are in favour of contesting on the BJP symbol, ordinary workers are firmly against the idea. The National General Secretary of the SAD, Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna and the President of the Delhi unit of the party, Mr Avtar Singh Hit, confirmed contradictory stances in the party on the symbol issue.

The prospective nominees feel that there was possibility of a section of the BJP cadre not working actively for them in the elections if they contested on the SAD symbol, a scale. The other view in the party is that the organisation should not dilute its identity. Proponents of contesting on the symbol of scale also expressed the view to national leaders that in the era of coalition politics, the realities of politics dictated that the party should not give the impression of compromising with its identity.

The SAD high command is in a bind on the issue even though the matter has been resolved with the BJP. Earlier the BJP had suggested to the SAD that it should field its nominees under the lotus symbol. However, the BJP has toned down on the issue leaving the issue entirely to SAD leadership. The reason for the SAD’s dilemma on the issue is understandable. A section of SAD leaders feels that the party would be contesting Assembly elections for the first time outside Punjab. Considering the subterranean tussle between the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the issue has assumed more importance. Also, any faulty decision by SAD leadership leading to a bad show by the party nominees in the two northern states would give handle to anti-BJP elements in the SAD. In case the party nominees do well at the hustings, pro-BJP faction in the SAD, identified with the Badal lobby, would feel emboldened morally with regard to SAD-BJP alliance.

It is in this context that a meeting between Delhi Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj and Mr Tohra yesterday assumes importance. Although the meeting was claimed to be a courtesy visit of Mr Tohra to Mrs Swaraj, it is learnt that the symbol issue cropped up at the meeting. The sources said that the initiative for the meeting was taken by Mrs Swaraj.Mrs Swaraj, even though had flexible approach, tried to impress upon Mr Tohra on the wisdom of fielding SAD nominees under BJP symbol. Incidentally, Mr Tohra met Mrs Swaraj for the first time after the latter assumed the post of Chief Minister.

Now a play in defence of Bapu

NEW DELHI, Oct 20 (UNI) — To counter the “contorted” image of Mahatma Gandhi portrayed by “Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy,” a Mumbai-based school teacher has enacted 13-minute monologue here.

The play ‘Antim Kiran Godse Ki has already been staged five times in Mumbai evoking angry responses from the Hindu Mahasabha, Brijesh Sharma, the playwright and solo actor of the play, told UNI.

Mr Sharma said he had to cancel its 12 scheduled performances in the Maharashtra capital after Bharatiya Yuva Samiti, an outfit of the Hindu Mahasabha, objected to the staging of the play.

The Hindu Mahasabha had also approached the Mumbai High Court, seeking a ban on the play. However, the court dismissed the plea, the playwright said.

Mr Tushar Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a member of the Samajwadi Party, offered help to Mr Sharma to stage the play, but Mr Sharma refused. “I will take my play wherever invited, if the request comes from non-political groups,” he added.

However, Mr Sharma opined that Mr Pradeep Dalvi’s play should also be allowed to be staged and it should be left entirely to the audience to decide which of the productions depicts the true story behind Mahatma’s assassination.

The new play shows Godse’s soul apologising to the Mahatma for his “mischievous act” of assassinating the Father of the Nation. Godse’s soul was shown to be admitting that much of the present day evils in Indian society were caused by ‘untimely’ departure of Mahatma Gandhi.

Asked how could the soul of Godse, who continued to defend his act till the last day of his life, be shown in complete reversal of his personality. Mr Sharma said the play depicted just one such possibility.

“Had Godse been alive, he may have never apologised to the Mahatma. However, we also cannot undermine Gandhi’s power for love and affection, which could have completely transformed Godse,” he said.

Mr Sharma is a school teacher in Nanavati women’s junior college. Godse Ki Antim Kiran is his fifth play.

Provide toilets in MCD schools: HC

NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (UNI) — Describing the conditions in schools run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) as “horrible” the Delhi High Court today ordered the capital’s civic body to provide them within four weeks with toilets, drinking water and proper buildings and sought details of the expenditure of Rs 10 lakh allotted to each corporator for the development of these schools.

Finding the essential facilities like toilets, drinking water and fans missing from the schools, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Anil Dev Singh and Mr Justice Mukul Mudgal observed, “The MCD should be aware that toilets were the basic necessity for a school. Why were they not present?”

The Bench directed the MCD officials to get in touch with the Sulabh International immediately for providing proper sanitation facilities in these schools.

The judges asked the counsel for the MCD, Mr Raman Duggal, to inform the court on the next date of hearing on November 30 about the money spent by each of the corporators from his funds allotted for this purpose.

The court also sought information about how much money had been spent by the corporators and whether any monitoring system was there to see where the money was being spent.

When the court’s attention was drawn towards the fact that 14 of the 19 rooms in an MCD-run school in the Navin Shahdara area of East Delhi were being used to run the zonal office of the corporation, it directed that the rooms be vacated and put to use for teaching purposes.

The judges refused to accept the request of Mr Duggal that the rooms were being used temporarily by the MCD as the building of the zonal office was under construction and once it was ready, the officers would shift from the school.

However, the counsel for petitioner the All-India Lawyers Union (AILU), Mr Ashok Aggarwal, objected saying that if classes could be run in makeshift camps, why could the officers not operate from there.

“Our attention has been drawn about the condition of the toilets. The photographs which have been shown to us portrays as horrible condition in these schools,” the judges observed.

“We hope that immediate steps were taken to improve the conditions of sanitation and buildings in the schools and the MCD will file the plan on the proposal in this regard,” they said.

The Bench pulled up the Delhi Government counsel for his failure to file an affidavit in reply to the petition saying that cost could be imposed on the official concerned for not complying with the court directions though several hearings in the matters have already taken place.

When he pleaded that the reply could not be filed because he did not had the complete set of paper in the matters, the judges directed Mr Aggarwal to provide him with the same.

The Delhi Government was directed to place its stand in the matter by the next date of hearing without fail.

25 pc Indians suffer from allergies

MUMBAI, Oct 29 (UNI) — As many as 25 per cent of the Indians are suffering from different types of allergies, including asthma, skin irritations and respiratory disorders, according to Dr Wiqar Shaikh, an allergist and immunologist of international repute.

“Modern housing, changed food habits, consumption of more and more junk foods, pets, plants, carpets, lack of ventilation and use of air-conditioners are further aggravating the problem and very soon it may reach epidemic-levels,” he told UNI.

Dr Shaikh, who is attached to the Bombay hospital, will be a guest speaker at the International Asia-Pacific Conference on allergy and immunology to be held at Manila, Philippines, in December. He will make a detailed presentation on allergies in India.

In the western countries, allergies have already reached epidemic levels and 45 to 50 per cent of the population are hypersensitive to something or the other. In India, it is slightly less and around 240 to 250 million people are allergy-prone among the 970-odd million population.

Dr Shaikh, in his more than 15 years of research career has set up a comprehensive databank on allergy and immunological disorders.

Among the data published include his research on brown-sugar, a causative factor for asthma and skin allergy. Several of his papers have been carried in European journal of allergy, clinical and experimental allergy, UK, and journal for investigational allergy and journal of allergy and clinical immunology, USA.

Elaborating on various causes for allergies, the doctor said the advent of “junk” foods like pizzas, hamburgers, noodles and pastries had added to the problem. Alcoholism, smoking and drug-addiction also led to allergic disorders especially for those with respiratory problems.

Modern homes with its lack of ventilation, air-conditioners, carpets and mini water-falls inside the premises promoted fungus growth and dust mites responsible for allergies. The widespread use of cosmetics like lip-sticks, powders, and nail-polishes had also various ill-effects on our skins. Even some toothpastes are allergic in nature, he added.

The hair of pets like dogs and cats are known to be another causative factor. Even skin-flakes of these animals are very dangerous. Droppings of birds like parrots, pigeons and bulbuls are also known to be allergy causing. “Say no to-pets... is how one can get rid of allergies related to respiratory organs,” Dr Shaikh said.

Dr Shaikh said asthma was the second commonest allergy after sneezing. Also known as rhinitis, sneezing is quite common among Indians — mainly because of dust, pollen grains, pollutants and the most dangerous parthenium plant. Rhinites coupled with cough and cold aggravates the patient and in long run it may result in asthma too.

The incidence of asthma and bronchitis are common in the rural areas too. Deaths are also recorded in extreme cases.

In England, researchers have found peanuts to be a cause of allergy among kids. Some people are also allergic to pulses (dals), which result in anaphylaxis killing the affected within minutes.

Contact-dermatitis, reaction from bindis, toothpaste, metals like nickel, petro-based gels, creams and ointments have also affected millions, he said.

Allergies are a genetic problem as well. Researches have shown that chromosome 5 and 11 are basically responsible for the transfer of allergy to offsprings. Attacking the gene structure by way of genetic engineering is one of the ways of curing allergies permanently.

The in-vivo test, by putting needles in 90 spots on the skin, enables the doctor to thoroughly check the substances to which one is allergic. This is also known as skin-prick test and the cost is quite nominal, he added.

Family burns daughter, son-in-law

MUMBAI, Oct 29 (PTI) — In a bizarre incident, a mother, aided by her four sons, set ablaze her newly-wed daughter and son-in-law at Ulhasnagar in neighbouring Thane district, leading to the death of the groom here today.

Police said the victim, Kamlesh Jeevanmal Keshavani (28) had an affair with Pinki Khupchand Duheja (19) of the same area, which was disapproved of by Pinki’s family. But unmindful of the threats, the lovers continued to meet and finally tied the knot at the registrar’s office on October 26.

Piqued at the defiance by the couple, Pinki’s mother Kalavati (45) and brothers — Raju (28), Ramesh (24), Anil (22) and Vijay (16) stopped Pinki and Kamlesh at Sharandas Chowk yesterday, doused them with kerosene and set them afire.

The couple was rushed to a local hospital by some passersby and later shifted to Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Sion where Kamlesh succumbed to his injuries.

Pinki, who sustained 40 per cent burn injuries, is battling for life at the hospital, police added.

The police have arrested the mother and three of her sons, while Anil is absconding.

Minors to get passports
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 29 — The Government has decided to do away with the practice of endorsing names of minor children in the passport of their parents.

According to an official press note released here today, its has been decided to issue a separate passport for the minor children.

The press note stated that this measure has been introduced in the wake of the practice being followed by diplomatic missions here for granting visas to minor children only if they have separate passports.

The fee for the minor’s passport would be Rs up to 200 only. All children who apply for separate passports will be granted endorsement of "Emigration Clearance Not Required (ECNR)" provided their parents’ passports also have the endorsement.

8 per cent relaxation on paddy
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 29 — The Union Food Ministry today clarified that the 8 per cent relaxation of specification for procurement of paddy in Punjab during the kharif marketing season, 1998-99, on account of the recent unseasonal rains.

Procurement agencies have been permitted to buy paddy stocks with damage, discoloured, sprouted and weevilled grains all put together up to a maximum limit of 8 per cent as against the earlier limit of 3 per cent, the ministry communication said.

The clarification was issued following reports that there was confusion among the officials of the procurement agencies about the exact extent of relaxation allowed by the Centre for procurement of grains.

Order in urea scam case reserved

NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) — A Delhi court today reserved its order on "framing of charge" in the Rs 133-crore urea scam case.

Special Judge V.B. Gupta reserved his order for November 17 after the completion of marathon arguments by the CBI and eight of the nine accused chargesheeted in the case.

The arguments on charges had begun on July 20 with the CBI claiming that "there is sufficient evidence against all the nine accused persons in the case".

During the course of argument, the CBI sought to place on record certain additional documents and witnesses some of which raised an accusing finger towards former Premier P.V. Narasimha Rao’s son Prabhakar Rao, who was earlier given a clean chit by the prosecuting agency.

The move was vehemently opposed by the accused persons, particularly Cihan Karanci and Tuncay Alankus, the two officials of the Turkish firm, Karsan.

However, the court allowed the CBI plea.

‘Declare’ Majauli heritage site
NEW DELHI: Assam has appealed to the Centre to approach appropriate international fora to get Majauli, the planet’s largest river island, declared a “world heritage site” keeping in view its immense ecological and cultural value. “Majauli, which is the seat of Assam’s culture and famous for its Satras (Vaishnavite monasteries), must be declared a world heritage site so that its natural and cultural heritage can be preserved. “I appeal to the Centre to make a case for Majauli so that it is declared as a world heritage site,” Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said here on Wednesday. — PTI

Astronomy Olympiad
PUNE: India bagged one gold medal and three bronze medals at the recent International Astronomy Olympiad at the special astrophysical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The astronomy Olympiad, started in Russia in 1996, was thrown open to competitors from rest of the world last year, he added. — PTI

2 killed in property dispute
SRIGANGANAGAR: Two persons were killed and several others injured on Tuesday at Gurusar village of Kesri Singh Pur areas here. The police have arrested six persons including a woman in this connection. Those killed have been identified as Bhagwan Singh and Nachhatar Singh. — FOC

AIDS menace in Sikkim
GANGTOK: AIDS — the dreaded killer — is spreading its tentacles in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, recent official statistics have shown. A steady rise in the number of HIV positive cases in the state, though less appalling than the national scenario, has rung alarm bells in official circles. An AIDS control society has been established after seven HIV positive cases, including two full-blown AIDS cases, were detected in the state among 2000 blood samples, secretary-cum-project director of the State AIDS Control Programme Dr R.L. Sharma said. — UNI

Naxalites blow up guest house
HYDERABAD: Naxalites of the banned People’s War Group (PWG) shot dead a coal mine worker and below up a government guest house, while five Praja-Pratigatana (CP group) extremists were arrested in three separate incidents in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. Police here said the PWG extremists shot dead the coal mine worker, Krishna Reddy, at Arunakka village in Adilabad district suspecting him to be a police informant in the 1996 encounter. — UNI

WB focus on tribal rights
NEW DELHI: The World Bank in its revised funding policy for development projects should recognise several key issues relating to indigenous peoples, including the rights of tribal women and NGOs. This was highlighted at the first systematic consultation here on Wednesday between the bank and various organisations working with the tribesmen. The idea of the bank was to have an India perception while revising its policy for funding development projects. The consultation is a part of the new approach of the World Bank on tribal issues in bank projects. — UNI