Monday, August 9, 1999

Probe land grab charge against Jakhar: HC
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — The Delhi High Court has ordered a CBI probe into an alleged attempt by former Lok Sabha Speaker Bal Ram Jakhar and his associate to encroach upon a private land in Rishikesh district of Uttar Pradesh.

DMK unrelenting on MDMK demands
CHENNAI, Aug 8 — The DMK today gave a strong indication that it was in no mood for a compromise with the MDMK in their tussle for specific constituencies, announcing its own candidate for the Tiruchengode Lok Sabha seat, the last of the four constituencies the MDMK was demanding.

Sewage being drained into Yamuna
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — The fact that a startling amount of sewage is being drained into the Yamuna has come to light after the Supreme Court took up the issue asking the Governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take steps to prevent pollution of its water.

Rashtrapati Bhavan denies report
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — Rashtrapati Bhavan today denied media reports that President K R Narayanan had assured anyone that voting right of Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray would be restored within a week.

Businessmen set employee ablaze
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — In a bizarre incident, two Central Delhi businessmen allegedly subjected three of their employees to third-degree torture and set ablaze one of them suspecting their involvement in a theft.

Pak moots talks in UN session

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (PTI) - Pakistan today mooted a proposal for a meeting with Indian leaders during the UN General Assembly session in New York next month saying the stalled dialogue process should not be held hostage by the election campaign in India.

The coming General Assembly session could provide an opportunity for leaders of the two countries to meet, Pakistan’s High Commissioner here Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said observing, "we feel the dialogue process need not be held hostage by the election campaign in India."

Maintaining that bilateral talks should resume "as early as possible", he asserted that "pre-conditions" set forth by New Delhi would only impede the process of normalisation of relations.

In a wide-ranging interview to PTI, Mr Qazi maintained Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had "total commitment" to the Lahore process and sought to deny reports that the Pakistan army was calling the shots during the Kargil crisis.

Responding to questions on Pakistani army’s involvement in the Kargil conflict, the envoy said, "At no stage Pakistan ever conceded India’s assumption that Pakistani regular forces were across the Line of Control (LoC).

"We have had a disengagement agreement between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) to reduce tension and defuse the situation and bring about a situation in which the Lahore process and the dialogue process can be resumed at an early stage."

Specifically asked as to where did the militants go after pulling out of Kargil, he contended that they dispersed from the Kargil heights and "there was no question of their withdrawing and going across the LoC (into Pakistan). Where they went, we don’t know. Nor was it our business to find out ... some of them might have crossed the border".

He denied reports which suggested that Pakistan had planned the Kargil incursions while Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was holding talks with Mr Nawaz Sharif in Lahore in February.

India, which had stated that there was "incontrovertible evidence" to prove "beyond doubt" the involvement of Pakistani army regulars in the Kargil operations, has set out three steps for resumption of the composite dialogue process with Pakistan.

These included, besides total withdrawal of the Pakistani infiltrators from Indian territory, reaffirmation of the sanctity and inviolability of the LoC by Islamabad and stoppage of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan.

He contended that the LoC was essentially envisaged by the 1972 Simla Agreement as a "temporary cease-fire line pending the establishment of durable peace between the two countries through a final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue".

"It was not intended to become a permanent line of division in opposition to the wishes of the people of J and K," Qazi maintained, adding that even after 27 years of the Simla Accord, New Delhi continued to deny Islamabad locus standi to discuss the J and K issue.

Asserting that dialogue was an "essential dimension" for Indo-Pak relations, he said: "It would be self-defeating for either of us to attach pre-conditions of any kind to the dialogue process which is integral part of the Lahore process established by the two Prime Ministers."

The High Commissioner said: "The only condition we should attach to any dialogue process between us is that it should be meaningful, substantive and result-oriented."

Asked whether US pressure had forced Pakistan to pull out its forces from Kargil, he contended that Washington had used its good offices and India was part of "trilateral" process with Mr Vajpayee and senior Indian officials being briefed on the Clinton-Sharif parleys.

He felt that "utilising the good offices of common friends can have beneficial results," and added, "instinctive aversion to third-party mediation may not always be justified".

Mulayam looks for ‘safe seat’
From Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — Stung by reports of a possible shift in the priorities of the minority vote bank, the Samajwadi Party chief, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, has started hunting for a "safe constituency" to fight from in Uttar Pradesh in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

While the Samajwadi Party has already decided on some of the names of the candidates who would be fielded from some of the constituencies in the state, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has been out on the roads addressing rallies and trying to assess a safe constituency for himself. This time round, there is less enthusiasm among the minorities for the "Mulayam road show" and as such the 'champion of the minorities', as Mr Yadav is known, is now looking for a constituency which also has a sizeable Yadav population besides the Muslims.

While senior leaders of the party deny that there is any shift of minority vote bank and exude confidence that the Samajwadi Party will again return to the Lok Sabha with a sizeable number which will again play an important role in deciding the fate of a government, sources in the party talk of the opposite.

Sources said SP leaders and candidates are not very confident this time. The biggest indicator to this is the fact that even the party chief has still not been able to decide on where to contest from?

The number of rallies which he has addressed at various places in Uttar Pradesh have not evoked much response, which has apparently forced Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to also hunt for another constituency besides Sambhal, from where he fought the last election. The only rally addressed by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, which could be called as a success was in Agra. But in all other places where he has addressed rallies, the crowd response has not been very encouraging, the sources said.

While Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav had earlier on various occasions been informed about the steady shifting of the Muslim vote bank, the attendance at his rallies, which have been at the various minority dominated areas has actually come as an eye opener. Besides, a large number of minority community leaders have also left him to join other parties, which has also been a major setback to the Samajwadi Party.

Sources said Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav is now unsure of fighting from Sambhal as the local population has not been very receptive to him. A rally which he held in the region was a damp squib and as such now he has decided to hold another rally in the constituency, this time in the region dominated by the Yadavs, to assess his strength in the constituency.

Sources point out that even last time, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav's victory from Sambhal was not very convincing. Scales tilted in his favour after the Samajwadi Party carried out a coup of sorts in UP by ensuring the installation of Mr Jagdambika Pal, a breakaway leader the from Congress, as the Chief Minister just for one crucial day, which was also the day of voting in the state.

The situation having changed drastically now, the sources say it will not be simple for Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to win from Sambhal. Besides there are other factors also which are now against him, which has forced him to also look for another safe constituency.

Incidentally, he has shifted his constituency on a number of occasions in the past and a change on this occasion will be no surprise. Mr Yadav, the sources said, could also end up filing nomination either from Azamgarh, Kannauj, Mainpuri or Budaun, all dominated by Yadavs and Muslims combine.

Among other factors, which could affect the performance of the Samajwadi Party is the fact that the minority community is now trying to identify with other parties, which include the BSP and the Congress.

Samajwadi Party leaders point out that since the last elections, the BSP has been identifying itself more with the minority community and has also been giving their leaders a greater say in the party matters. Out of the four seats which the party won in the last elections in Uttar Pradesh, two were won by leaders from the minority community.

The sources say since then, the minority community has identifying itself more and more with the BSP. The situation now is that minority community voters feel that BSP candidates have a greater chance of defeating BJP candidates than the SP candidates. This can well be a major stumbling block for the Samajwadi Party and its leader, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has been informed on various occasions that the minority community is watching his actions very closely and that bringing down of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre was important.

As a senior party leader pointed out that the minority community voter has not understood the predicament of the Samajwadi Party chief of trying to keep an equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress, but he has definitely made an impression that it was solely Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was responsible for the re-instatement of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre.

Eulogising Jat leaders
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Aug 8 — The television star, “Udham Singh”, may have to strive hard to maintain his TRP ratings as the real life Jat leaders Devi Lal and Om Prakash Chautala would be making their presence felt on the small screen all across Haryana on the local cable TV networks.

The half hour party promotional film made by the Indian National Lok Dal would be screened by the local cable TV networks and shown across the state through video vans during election campaign.

The 10 video vans covering about 300 villages each day during campaigning, party workers feel, would make the two Jat leaders a household name and a popular figure, which would have positive impact on the party’s poll prospects.

The film, which has three parts, highlights the emergence of Devi Lal as the “undisputed” leader of the Jat community, the period of the “mis-rule and anti-people policies” during the regime of Congress and the Haryana Vikas Party and re-emergence of Om Prakash Chautala as the new hope for the people of the state, party sources said.

Set in the year 1987, the film highlights the hopes and aspirations of the people of Haryana when Devi Lal became the Chief Minister. The list of promises made by the party and those fulfilled are highlighted.

In the next phase, the film tries to project the negative impact of the policies formulated by the Congress and the Haryana Vikas Party which “made the rulers unpopular” with the people.

Protest marches, police atrocities on innocent demonstrators, striking nurses, electricity employees, which are still fresh in the minds of the people are shown as the affected persons have not come to terms with these acts of the previous government.

“We want to remind the people they should not forget the acts of the previous government when they have an opportunity to exercise their franchise and teach the HVP and the Congress a lesson,” INLD workers said.

The assumption of Om Prakash Chautala as the Chief Minister just before the general election and his pro-people statements are shown at great length.

The film has taken special care to cash in on the nationalistic emotional upsurge following the Kargil conflict. The visits of Mr Chautala to the families of the Kargil martyrs and the relief measures announced for the martyrs’ families are shown at length.

The video also tries to question the patriotism of the Congress president Mrs Sonia Gandhi because of her Italian origin.

In an effort to win over all sections of the society, the sops offered by Mr Chautala are prominently displayed.

What needs to be watched is whether these two Jat leaders emerge as competitors to Udham Singh or just disappear as numerous tele-stars of soap operas.

Abolish unethical abortions: expert

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (UNI) — A leading demographer today called for a new Bill for plugging loopholes in the existing legislation which were allowing widespread, unethical abortions.

“We are not fighting against abortions as such but only against the crude practice of female foeticide,” Dr Ashish Bose, honorary professor at the Institute of Economic Growth, here said.

The Union Law Ministry should be entrusted with the task of modifying the existing law on diagnostic tests to make it more realistic in the light of recent experiences and submit a new Bill to Parliament, he said.

Describing the son complex in Indian society as “demographic fundamentalism”, Dr Bose said it was deep-rooted and a pervasive phenomenon. As a result, mere legislation was not enough to “overcome the persistence and even accentuation of this type of gender bias.” In this connection he suggested an “action plan” to root it out.

Dr Bose, who has a multi-disciplinary academic training, is a member of the Punjab State Planning Board as also the Independent Commission of Health in India.

Dr Bose said the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the apex body of allopathic practitioners, should immediately set up a surveillance cell to keep track of the misuse of medical technology for perpetuating a social evil, take punitive action against doctors and quacks indulging in this malpractice and also explore the possibility of automatically cancelling the registration of doctors against whom there were proven charges of the violation of law.

In short, he said, the IMA should be the government’s strong arm in this matter and do all technical spade work and also undertake continuous surveillance and vigilance.

Dr Bose said the National Commission for Women should give priority to exposing “the unholy alliance of tradition and technology” and work out a strategy for dealing with this problem from all points of view.

Glory through work
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 8 — It was 9.30 p.m. on May 30; 236 Engineer Regiment was about to move for its final brigade level exercise, somewhere in the deserts of Rajasthan. A message was received: the brigade exercise had been cancelled. The Regiment has to move immediately to the Himalayan High Altitude Area — thus the regiment was inducted into Operation Vijay. On the night of May 30 and 31, the regiment successfully ferried the complete training stores worth 90x3 ton vehicles to the respective store dumps. On May 31 the regiment left the deserts in Rajasthan and reached its permanent location in western Uttar Pradesh on June 1. The unit was ordered to move into Operation Vijay on June 3.

The unit reached Pathankot June 4 evening and was told to deploy along the Manali-Leh axis to improve the transient facilities to enable easy movement of Army convoys on this axis. The unit, with the gravity of the dangerous situation in Kargil, was also told to induct its troops to these high altitude areas without acclimatisation on June 7. Accordingly, the unit completed its deployment on this axis by July 11.

The induction of stores commenced on June 16 and the first lot of vehicles from J&K started arriving on June 18. The tasks entrusted to the Regiment during its stay at these locations were to construct a total of 35 other ranks' living shelters, two JCOs' living shelters, two Officers' living shelters, five cook houses and 70 bathing cubicles.

Immediately on receipt of stores, the regiment commenced its construction activity simultaneously on June 20 at all the locations stretched over 350 km in the high altitude area. The Commanding Officer of the regiment, Colonel Pradeep Yadu, visited every location at least once a week despite severe weather conditions and adverse road conditions prevalent in this area, to motivate his men and also to resolve the minor and major problems which kept coming up from time to time.

On July 5, one of its field companies recovered the artillery medium gun ammunition, when an army truck carrying this ammunition fell into the Bhaga River. The vehicle went down approximately 200 metres deep and the ammunition was thrown into the khud all over. The brave soldiers of 236 Engineer Regiment realised the necessity of recovering this ammunition and importance of each round which was being inducted into Kargil and Dras where a bloody war between India and Pakistan was going on. The entire ammunition was recovered by the Field Company of this regiment the very same day and loaded into a different vehicle and sent to its destination. The gallant acts of these soldiers combined with utmost determination in recovering this ammunition were remarkable. A similar incident took place on July 15, when again another vehicle met with an accident carrying artillery ammunition. The same field company again retrieved each and every round. These incidents indicate the commitment of the Indian soldiers.

On July 10 evening, heavy rains combined with thunder storms created havoc between Manali and Rohtang and the road was blocked at several places due to severe landslides. The major landslide occurred at a place near Gulaba village where approx 4 km of road was exposed to landslides at three different places. 236 Engineer Regiment took one night and two days to clear the traffic of approximately 2,000 vehicles which were stuck on either side of the road block. These vehicles mostly consisted of tourist cabs and Army convoys which were carrying the stores and ammunition to Leh/Kargil Sector.

Our correspondent visited the sites where construction activity of this Regiment is in full swing and was quite surprised to note that the progress achieved by this regiment within this short period is remarkable. The construction of all the shelters at different locations have neared completion within one month of commencement of work which would have otherwise taken up to three and a half months as per the army planning figures. It is important to mention that 236 Engineer Regiment was given time up to October 31 to complete this task. This unprecedented and speedy construction has resulted in the availability of this Regiment for other combat engineering tasks and very soon the complete Regiment is moving to yet another difficult area in J&K to undertake other combat oriented tasks. It was also noticed that the jawans were in very high morale and spirits and are concerned only with their job, although the weather conditions are totally hostile. This unit after their induction into this axis have established a remarkable relationship with sister defence organisation like GREF and SASE.

One of the field companies of 236 Engineer Regiment was inducted somewhere in the high altitude region of J&K on July 24 while carrying out the preliminary work on the task assigned to the regiment, one of the jawans, Sapper Satish Kumar attained martyrdom owing to artillery shelling initiated by Pakistan. Satish accompanied the task assigned to him before laying down his life for the country.

The work for 236 Engineer Regiment whose battle cry is "CHAK DE" (Just Do It) and Regimental motto is "Kartavya se Kirti (Glory Through Work), is not yet over. The complete unit is very shortly moving out. Officers, JCOs and men are full of the spirit of camaraderie and keenness to willingly undertake extra and challenging tasks.

Probe land grab charge against Jakhar: HC

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court has ordered a CBI probe into an alleged attempt by former Lok Sabha Speaker Bal Ram Jakhar and his associate to encroach upon a private land in Rishikesh district of Uttar Pradesh.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice Anil Dev Singh and Mr Justice R.S. Sodhi in its recent order asked the Delhi police to send the complaint by the land owners against Mr Jhakar and his associate Kulwant Sidhu to the CBI Director.

“In the circumstances of the case, we direct that the complaint of the petitioner Meena Chaudhary Sharma be forwarded to the Director CBI,” the Bench said.

The Bench made it a point to specifically mention in its order of August 4 that the agency’s Deputy Superintendent of Police Mehar Singh, who has already dealt with similar cases in the past, would probe the matter.

“In case a cognisable offence is disclosed after the inquiry, an FIR shall be registered and proceeded with in accordance with the law,” the order said directing the police investigating officer to hand over the files to the DSP within a week.

DMK unrelenting on MDMK demands

CHENNAI, Aug 8 (PTI) — The DMK today gave a strong indication that it was in no mood for a compromise with the MDMK in their tussle for specific constituencies, announcing its own candidate for the Tiruchengode Lok Sabha seat, the last of the four constituencies the MDMK was demanding.

With Tiruchengode seat figuring in the DMK’s second list, relations between the two constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) plunged to a new low.

The other three - Tirunelveli, Thanjavur and Tiruchendur - figured in the first list of 12 candidates announced by the DMK last night. With this, the MDMK’s demand for any two seats out of these four had been fully rejected.

However, DMK President M. Karunanidhi was still hopeful that the MDMK would accept two out of the three constituencies that the party was willing to part with - Gobichettipalayam, Pollachi (Reserved) and Karur.

“Talks are going on. The DMK’s final list will be announced only after talks with the MDMK are over,” he told mediapersons here.

The MDMK, which had been allotted five seats in the DMK front, was assured of the three constituencies it won in the 1998 poll — Sivakasi, Palani and Tindivanam.

All four candidates who figured in the DMK’s second list were new faces. For Sriperumbudur Reserved Constituency, Mr T. Nagarathinam, had been replaced by Mr A. Krishnasamy.

Tiruchengode Municipality Chairman R. Natesan replaced Dr K. P. Ramalingam, who had lost in the last election, after having won the seat in 1996.

Sick of sickness? Laugh it off

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (UNI) — “Laughter is the best medicine” they say but can sickness be laughed away?

There is a medical basis for this age-old adage as doctors confirm that a little lilting laughter can make a big difference to our health. It may not be the best one but laughter does act as medicine for many maladies.

The act of laughing, in fact, enhances the production of certain chemicals in the body which help in healing, known as neuropeptides, these chemicals are formed in our body cells in the normal course of living but chuckling shoots up their secretion.

On the other hand negative emotions give rise to some processes that cause complications in the body, leading to ailments.

“Fear initiates high blood pressure and anger triggers heart attacks, paralysis, acidity, kidney malfunctioning, skin and liver disorders. All these problems can be kept at bay if happiness is injected into the lives of the people,” says eminent cardiologist K.K. Agarwal, Vice President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

To spread awareness about the salutary effects of laughter on our health, the foundation organised a presentation by well-known humorist Ashok Chakradhar in the capital recently.

Going into the scientific details of the subject, Dr Agarwal said the human body contained high density lipoproteins (HDLS) which had good effects and low density lipoproteins (LDLS) that were bad. “Negative emotions make our LDLS oxidised and sticky which makes us jittery. Laughter, being a non-oxidant, brings it back to the normal levels thereby making us happy again,” he added.

Apart from the natural laughter that happened at all kinds of funny moments in life, efforts to simulate a good giggle could also pay dividends.

“It’s always beneficial to do laughter exercises in the morning and evening. It also ensures a daily dose of laughter in our lives otherwise full of stress and strain,” Dr Agarwal said, adding that there are some 1,000 laughter clubs in the Capital.

He said no medicine or medical device had so far been developed to effectively induce laughter. The use of nitrous oxide, the so-called laughing gas, can be harmful for health, he warned.

Sewage being drained into Yamuna

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (PTI) — The fact that a startling amount of sewage is being drained into the Yamuna has come to light after the Supreme Court took up the issue asking the Governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take steps to prevent pollution of its water.

In Delhi alone, around 200 million gallons of sewage finds its way to the river every day but during the last hearing before a Bench comprising Justice B.N. Kripal, Mr Justice S.P. Kurdukar and Mr Justice V.N. Khare, the city government went unrepresented.

Taking serious note of the non-representation, the Bench has directed the Chief Secretary of the National Capital Territory (NCT) to be present in the court on August 9.

Chief Secretary Omes Saigal, meanwhile, has filed an affidavit stating that “the extent of sewage generated in Delhi has been estimated to be 480 million gallons per day (MGD) considering that on an average 600 MGD drinking water is supplied of which 80 per cent is returned in the form of domestic waste water/sewage.”

Rashtrapati Bhavan denies report
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — Rashtrapati Bhavan today denied media reports that President K R Narayanan had assured anyone that voting right of Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray would be restored within a week.

The denial came in wake of the Shiv Sena organ “Dopahar ka Saamna” carrying a news item last week that the President had allegedly assured a delegation of the Mumbai Youth Association that Mr Thackeray’s voting right would be restored within a week.

“No such delegation met the President on August 4 as claimed”, a Rashtrapati Bhavan press release said.

However, on August 4, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Narayan Rane, met the President when he handed over a representation to the President requesting the revocation of the disqualification order by the Election Commission.

Mr Narayanan told Mr Rane that while he would forward the representation to the EC, there was no provision for the disqualification to be withdrawn or revoked, the release said adding that Article 103 of the Constitution of India lays down that the President “shall act according to the opinion of the Election Commission”.

And the EC’s opinion itself “flows from the judgement of the Mumbai High Court and the Supreme Court of India”, the release pointed out.

Businessmen set employee ablaze

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (PTI) — In a bizarre incident, two Central Delhi businessmen allegedly subjected three of their employees to third-degree torture and set ablaze one of them suspecting their involvement in a theft.

Sanjay Verma and Pankaj Verma, owners of a firm manufacturing and selling photographic equipment in Daryaganj, allegedly interrogated three of their employees — Nirmal Kumar, Raju and Rajesh — using third degree methods after detecting a theft in their godown yesterday, the police said today.

"The owners of the firm did not report the matter to the police and beat them (employees) up one by one," Deputy Commissioner of Police S.K.B. Singh said.

When Nirmal Kumar was being allegedly beaten up, the other two employees managed to escape following which the infuriated employers allegedly poured petrol on him and set him afire, he said.

Nirmal Kumar ran down the stairs of the first floor office premises engulfed in fire and was rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain Hospital by a police control room van where he is battling for his life with 50 per cent burns, the DCP said.

He said Nirmal Kumar told the police in the hospital that all his pleadings regarding his innocence fell on deaf ears.

The police later arrested both the owners and registered a case of attempt to murder.

RSS leaders still untraced
AGARTALA: Four leaders of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) who were kidnapped by insurgents of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) from Dhalai district on Friday last, remained untraced even as a massive search operation continued. Top police officials said beside a massive search operation by the police and paramilitary forces in the area, intelligence department had stepped up activities to rescue them. — PTI

Rs 54 lakh to restore Sonar Fort
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has sanctioned Rs 54 lakh for the restoration of the world famous Sonar Fort of Jaisalmer which was damaged by heavy downpour here last week. According to information large portions of the fort walls and several towers had been badly affected by the rain. District collector Rajat Mishra said the master plan of the fort would be prepared as the Archaeological Survey Department did not possess the master plan. The department had to look after the maintenance of nearly 150 forts and havelis and had been allocated only Rs 70 lakh every year for the purpose. — UNI

Death sentence for killing girl
BARABANKI: Raza, alias Jaleel, of Barethi village of Dewa awarded capital punishment for killing an 11-year-old girl. According to the prosecution, Raza had taken the victim to a paddy field on October 17, 1994, and killed her when his attempt to rape her failed. District Judge P.K. Chatterji on Saturday awarded capital punishment to him. — UNI

67 have AIDS in Ujjain
UJJAIN: As many as 67 persons are inflicted with AIDS in Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh. According to official sources a total of 138 persons had got their blood examined till last June. The report of 14 persons is awaited. — UNI

Heroin worth 50 lakh seized
AGARTALA: In a major haul, the police seized 500 grams of heroin worth over Rs 50 lakh on Saturday and arrested three persons in this connection, the police said. Acting on a tip-off, the district police raided a ration shop in Kailasahar town and seized the narcotics, line Superintendent of Police (North District) said. The kingpin, Abdul Jalil, and two others associated with the racket, were arrested. — PTI

45,000 brick-kilns face closure
CALCUTTA: More than 45,000 small and medium sized brick kilns in the country, including 7,000 in the eastern region, are facing closure due to their non-compliance with national emission standards. This was revealed at a workshop on “Prospects and perspectives of brick industries in the next millennium” held here on Saturday. — UNI

Bal Sahitya award
NEW DELHI: The fifth Shrimati Ratan Sharma Bal Sahitya Puruskar has been awarded to Dr Girja Sharan Aggarwal of Bijnour (Uttar Pradesh) for his contribution to children’s literature. He gets the award for his work “Aa Ateet Mein Chalein”. The award, given by Dr Ratan Lal Sharma Smriti Nyas, carries a cash prize of Rs 15,000, a plaque and a citation. — UNI

Lepcha festival celebrated
GANGTOK: An ethnic festival “Tendong lho rumf aat” (worship of mount Tendong), was celebrated on Sunday throughout Sikkim with much enthusiasm and gusto. Special prayers, offerings and cultural programmes marked the occasion as the Lepcha community, believed to be the original inhabitants of the state, observed it as a sign of expressing gratitude to the mountain. Governor Chaudhury Randhir Singh greeted the people on the occasion. — PTI