Thursday, February 18, 1999
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N A T I O N |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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CWC likely to meet soon |
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CPM for
including RJD in Third Front ATC
stir continues Planning
Commission finalises NDC agenda UNCHR
satisfied with govt action Khurana:
INLD decision painful CBSE
case: HC not to review order Land
for IDSA: Cabinet nod sought |
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Central rule in Bihar NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is expected to meet before the commencement of the Budget session of Parliament to discuss among other things the situation in Bihar. The Congress is yet to state its position following the decision of the Centre to impose President’s rule there last week. Officially, all that the party spokesman has been stating is that a final view will be taken after the issue comes up in Parliament and the government cites the grounds on which the decision was taken. However, party sources said there were different views on what strategy should be adopted in dealing with it. The Congress it appeared had tied itself in knots. There was an opinion that by keeping quiet about the dismissal of the Rabri Devi government, the Congress was supporting a "communal" party in the act of felling a "secular" state government. At the same time, the Congress having stated that the Rabri Devi government did not have the moral authority to govern after a series of attacks on Dalits, could not offend the section whose cause the party claimed to be championing. As a senior leader said the choice for the Congress was between minorities and the Dalits. If the party sided with the BJP in supporting the imposition of President’s rule, it could offend the minorities with whom the Congress was trying to build bridges. On the other hand, if the party went against the Centre’s decision, the act would be perceived as anti-Dalit. A decision to convene the CWC, which had been expanded recently to accommodate women as per the new party constitution, was taken by the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi. It was made known at a meeting of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) office-bearers last night. Party sources said the CWC could meet either on Saturday, since the Budget session was scheduled to start on February 22, or even on Monday, since the opening day would witness only the customary President's Address to the joint session of Parliament. Mrs Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address a public rally at Lucknow on Sunday. The Executive of the CPP would meet on Monday morning to discuss the issues that are likely to figure in the Budget session and formulate the party's stand on them. Meanwhile, the Congress had also formed a committee under the chairmanship of Mr Pranab Mukherjee to study in detail the demand for the formation of smaller states like Vidharbha, Bundelkhand, Telengana and Bodoland among others, the party sources said. This committee would, however, not take up the issue of the formation of Uttaranchal, Vananchal and Chhatisgarh since the party had already expressed its commitment to the formation of these States. PTI adds: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said the political scenario in the country was changing fast and the party should ready itself for the changes. "Rajnitik haalaat tezi se badal rahe hai. Hum ko badalte waqt ke liye tayyar rehna chahiye (political scenario is changing fast. We must be ready for the changing times)", she said addressing the closing session of the National Executive and state presidents meeting of the Indian Youth Congress here. Mrs Gandhi’s remarks assume significance as they come close on the heels of Indian National Lok Dal withdrawing support to the Vajpayee Government and the Budget session of Parliament commencing next week. Making a veiled attack on the Sangh Parivar, she blamed "communal" forces for the recent violence against Christians and said those "merchants of death" should not be allowed to succeed in their designs. "We cannot afford to
stand by and watch the communal forces disrupt our
harmony", she said, adding the proponents of
"narrow" ideology must be isolated in keeping
with Congress’ tradition of secularism. |
Court asks ATCs to end work-to-rule MUMBAI, Feb 17 (PTI) — A judge of the city civil court today ordered that air traffic controllers "should not resort to any agitation which is termed as work-to-rule." In a public interest litigation, filed by G.S. Bhargavram, an advocate of the Supreme Court, in the court, Judge A V Nirgude said in an ad interim order that "if it is violated by any particular officer, his name can be communicated to the court by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)". According to an AAI spokesman, the order was received in the evening and was being circulated to the Air Traffic Controllers Guild, that was continuing with the agitation in Mumbai. The spokesman said the international and domestic flights were subject to delay ranging from 30 minutes to three hours by the agitating controllers, who are demanding increased allowances. The spokesman said the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), which has been invoked at Delhi airport, cannot be resorted to in Mumbai as it had been scrapped by the state government sometime back. Meanwhile, the former Air India Managing Director, Capt D. S. Mathur criticised the controllers' move and said "they are sheer harassment, blackmail and arm twisting methods in the name of safety." Capt Mathur, a former Boeing 747 commander, said pilots were being kept on tenterhooks as precious fuel was being burnt while flights were being stacked overhead. If the fuel runs low, they had to think of an alternative airport also, Mr Mathur said. The tourism industry would be the first casualty, he told newsmen here. Mr Mathur said AAI should have acted earlier by moving the court in Delhi in filing the contempt petition instead of allowing the ATC Guild to continue with their agitation, which entered its 15th day. He said there were enough
provisions in the Indian aircraft rules to take action
against the controllers and suggested the AAI management
should have "a second line ready to meet such
situations". |
Sonia calls on President NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — The Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, called on the President, Mr KR Narayanan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan here this evening. The meeting, lasting 45 minutes, was described as a courtesy call by a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman. This is the first meeting between Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Narayanan since the President's rule was imposed in Bihar on February 12. The Congress had demanded
the resignation of the Rabri Devi ministry but maintained
silence whether it would support the imposition of the
President's rule when it came up for ratification in the
Parliament. |
CPM for including RJD in Third Front HYDERABAD, Feb 17 (PTI) — The CPM today said it was willing to include the Laloo Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the Third Front in a bid to synchronise all Left and democratic forces to fight the BJP. "You cannot ignore him (Yadav) as there is no other force in Bihar to fight the BJP. As far as the current situation there is concerned, our consistent stand has been that President’s rule should not be imposed," CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet told reporters here. Justifying his party’s climbdown from its earlier stand opposing the fodder scam-tainted Laloo Prasad Yadav’s entry into the Third Front, Mr Surjeet said Bihar and UP were the most important states where the battle against communal forces had to be waged unitedly. Asked about the possible realignment of political forces at the Centre in the wake of the INLD’s withdrawal of support to the Vajpayee government, Mr Surjeet quipped: "Let the stands become clear. Why should I talk about what will happen in the future." Never in post-Independence India had the danger to secularism and democracy been so grave as it was now with the BJP bent upon pursuing its "hidden divisive agenda" attacking the core values enshrined in the Constitution, the veteran leader alleged. He said Left parties had decided not to invite the Congress to a convention organised by them on secularism on February 20 in New Delhi to devise means to challenge the divisive forces. The Congress would not be invited to the convention because of "political differences", he said. People from different walks of life and representatives of political parties were being invited to take part in the deliberations. Ridiculing the Congress for entertaining hopes of coming back to power at the Centre, he said: "Congressmen are mistaken if they think they can stage a comeback based on recent victories in assembly elections." Mr Surjeet demanded that the Congress spell out its stand on the imposition of President’s rule on Bihar and stepped up his party’s opposition to the use of Article 356 to dismiss state governments. The Marxist leader accused the Congress of sending "conflicting and vacillating signals" on the Bihar issue. "Our consistent stand has been that Article 356 can be invoked only in the event of threat to the country’s sovereignty and unity," he said and alleged that Congress leaders were making contradictory statements on the imposition of central rule. Mr Surjeet was here to participate in the state conference of the Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, a farmers’ wing affiliated to the CPM, at Warangal town, about 120 km from here. He alleged that there was
a growing threat to national unity and communal harmony
in the wake of a "widening cleavage between Prime
Minister A.B. Vajpayee and pro-Sangh Parivar forces
within the BJP". |
ATC stir continues MUMBAI, Feb 17 (UNI) — All international and domestic flights were delayed putting passengers into inconvenience as the agitation by the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) entered the seventh day today amid continuing deadlock between them and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). All flights of Air-India, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and other private airlines continued to be delayed at all airports across the country even as the Indian Air Force (IAF) ATCs were kept on stand-by duty. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday restrained the ATCs from delaying the air traffic through a notice, which was issued following a contempt petition filed by the AAI. Around 700 ATCs across the country resorted to work-to-rule agitation since February 1 demanding ATC allowance as per the recommendations of the Bimal Julka Committee. The AAI management came down heavily on the agitating ATCs, threatening disciplinary action against them. A management spokesperson said they had prepared a contingency plan, according to which, IAF controllers would be asked to man the control towers at all the international and other major airports if the need arose and ensure that the international overflying traffic was not disrupted, with very little restrictions for domestic flights. The ATC Western Guild
Secretary, Mr P.N. Bahuguna, said they were firm on
continuing with their agitation. Asked about their course
of action if IAF ATCs were deployed, he said, "We
will decide accordingly." |
Planning Commission finalises NDC agenda NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — The full Planning Commission today finalised the agenda for the National Development Council (NDC) meeting convened on February 19 to approve the Ninth Plan. The meeting, chaired by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, identified issues, including evolving a criterion for allocation of funds under major rural poverty alleviation schemes and transfer of centrally sponsored schemes to States for discussion at the NDC meeting. The meeting was attended, among others by the Deputy Chairman, Mr K.C.Pant, the Minister for External Affairs, Mr Jaswant Singh, and the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha. The major agenda for the NDC will be the Ninth Plan document, 1997-2002, which was prepared broadly on the basis of the approach paper approved by the NDC at its 47th meeting held on January 16, 1996. The finalisation of the Plan document has got delayed by about two years due to the frequent changes in the government at the Centre. The BJP-led coalition further delayed the finalisation as an exercise was undertaken to incorporate special action plans announced by the Prime Minister. Commission sources said that the meeting also decided to place before the NDC several other issues, including evolving a criterion for allocation of funds under major rural poverty alleviation scheme, transfer of Central schemes to States and a paper on administrative prices. The meeting also deliberated on the mounting subsidy bill and its impact on Government finances. It was decided that issues relating to recent changes relating to administrative prices of wheat, rice, sugar and cooking gas needed to be discussed by the NDC. An agenda detailing the reasons and areas of concern on the prices of these items has been approved for placing before the Council. Government finances are also understood to have figured at today’s meeting with the Commission expressing concern over the sharp increase in the Government borrowings. The Commission also took
note of the demand from some States to reconsider the
criteria based on expert group methodology of estimating
the incidence of poverty for allocation of funds under
the major Centrally sponsored rural poverty alleviation
programmes like the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and the
Integrated Rural Development Programme. |
Violence against Christians NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR) Mary Robinson today expressed satisfaction at the way the issue of recent violence against Christians was being addressed in India even as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) blamed administrative slackness for the incidents. "I am glad the way the NHRC has taken strong note of the incidents and the Prime Minister and the President have condemned them," Ms Robinson told reporters after talks with NHRC chairman and members here "I am happy the way the issue (attacks on Christians) is being addressed," she said, adding that the commission was providing a "great" leadership in upholding civil and political human rights and promoting them. She said the NHRC had a great role to play in promoting the "much cherished human rights" in the South Asian region. Earlier speaking at an interactive programme with the visiting Commissioner, NHRC chairman Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah described attacks on Christians as "unfortunate and some kind of aberrations which have brought bad name to the Indian civilisation". Christians have made splendid contribution to Indian education, he said adding that "however, these incidents show that law and order machineries have been weak in this country". She said emphasis should be laid on bringing changes in the entire gamut of "human rights debate" ranging from civil and political rights to social and economic issues. Without naming any country
she ridiculed "holier than thou" attitude of
some countries. "Since assumption of my office, I
know that all countries have human rights problems,"
Ms Robinson, an Irish, said. |
AIIMS strike NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — Describing the strike by senior doctors at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) as "against commonman’s interest", the Delhi High Court today directed the Centre to take all possible steps under law to end the impasse. A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Mr Justice K S Gupta, observing that the strike was causing a "loss to the national exchequer," directed the Centre to place before it, by February 22, as to what steps it had initiated to end the deadlock. The Bench also asked the Centre to inform the court what action had been taken to overcome the difficulties faced by patients. While refusing to issue any show cause notice on a PIL seeking a blanket ban on strikes by doctors, the Bench said: "Whatever possible measures under law are needed may be taken by the government by next date to end the strike." The Division Bench said: "We will not make any comment on the legality or illegality of the strike, but all steps should be taken to end the strike." The counsel for the petitioner, Mr Mohammad Sajit, submitted that the condition of the patients admitted in AIIMS had worsened as they were not being attended to properly. The court also took note of the pressure of patients being felt by other Government Hospitals in view of the strike. First time in the history of AIIMS, faculty doctors at the premier hospital in the country, created by an Act of Parliament in 1956, went on an indefinite strike on February 8 demanding higher pay scales as recommended by the Bakshi Committee. The strike by over 400 senior doctors had affected health care services as the several major departments in the institute had been closed due to the strike. The general secretary of the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS), Dr S. Bal said the main grievance of the faculty was that while they were supposed to render special services, their salaries and perks were not commensurate with the work. "When the institute is special, why not the faculty be treated with a difference," he asked. "The institution is a creation of Parliament and the authorities should maintain its sanctity and stature," Dr S.K. Acharya, president of FAIMS said. FAIMS is demanding the implementation of the recommendations of a committee headed by Union Health Secretary, K.K. Bakshi, regarding pay scales and called for such a strike saying that negotiations on their demand for higher pay scales with the government had not produced positive results. AIIMS has over the years carved a niche for itself in the fields of teaching, research and patient care and has 44 teaching departments and centres. In the field of research, AIIMS is the leader, having more than 600 research publications by its faculty and researchers annually. The Institute provides treatment to over 18 lakh patients every year. The faculty members observed a day of protest on January 11, took out a procession on January 18 and went on mass casual leave on January 25. However, despite being on casual leave, they joined work in view of an appeal issued by the Prime Minister. After the faculty members
rejected the package of revised pay and emoluments
approved by the government stating that these pay scales
and allowances fell far short of their expectation, a
Cabinet Committee was formed at the instance of the Prime
Minister to look into the issue and find a solution. |
Khurana: INLD decision painful NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (UNI) — Former union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Madan Lal Khurana, today described the withdrawal of support by Mr Om Prakash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to the Vajpayee Government as "very unfortunate and painful". Mr Khurana told UNI that it was more painful to him as he along with Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal was instrumental in getting the Haryana leader to extend "unconditional support" to the BJP-led coalition. TNS adds: The Congress today described the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) decision to withdraw support to the the BJP-led coalition as "beginning of the end" of the Vajpayee government. Mr Ajit Jogi, Congress spokesman said, the statement of Mr Chautala that the Vajpayee government was anti-poor and anti-farmers goes to show what the party had been stating was now being echoed by an ally of the ruling coalition. Reacting to the Union Home Minister’s statement that the Bihar Governor, Mr Sunder Singh Bhandari, could be changed which was contradicted soon by the party President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, the Congress said the BJP-led coalition was a "house in disarray and disorder". While Mr Advani announced in Delhi that an apolitical Governor could be posted in Bihar shortly, the party chief asserted in Bhubaneswar that Mr Bhandari would not be changed. Meanwhile, a report from Bangalore said Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde declined to comment on the withdrawal of support to the BJP-led government at the Centre by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). When asked whether he
would embark on a mission to persuade INLD chief Om
Prakash Chautala to review his decision, Mr Hegde replied
in the negative and said there were others in the
government to do so. |
CBSE case: HC not to review order NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court today refused to review its order directing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to preserve some answerbooks but stayed its operation for two weeks to enable the petitioner to move the Supreme Court for the remedy. A Division Bench comprising the acting Chief Justice, Mr Devinder Gupta and Mr Justice K.S. Gupta had yesterday directed the CBSE to preserve all those answerbooks of 1997 and 1998 for class X and XII exams in which students had applied for rechecking. The petitioner, the Parents Forum for Meaningful Education (PFME), today sought the review of the order saying that all the answerbooks should be preserved as the board in its various affidavits had given contradictory figures about the students appeared, failed and those who applied for rechecking. He said in its February 2 affidavit the CBSE had stated that 77,722 students failed in 1998 in class X mathematics at all-India level, but in its affidavit on February 12 the board said 78,752 students failed in Delhi alone in the same subject for the same class. Both figures could not be correct, he said. Similarly, there is
variation in the figure of total students appearing for
class X mathematics in the two affidavits. In the earlier
one the figure given is 3,88,830 while in the latest
affidavit it is 3,96,654, Mr P.S. Sharda, PFME counsel
said. |
Land for IDSA: Cabinet nod
sought NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — After granting lease for land for the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) in contravention to the orders of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will now seek the approval of the Union Cabinet. The need for the approval of the Union Cabinet has arisen as orders from the PMO have specifically pointed out that no transfer or alienation of defence land will take place without the prior approval of the Cabinet. The instructions were issued in August, 1997, after it came to notice that a former Minister of State for Defence, Mr N.V.N. Somu, had given orders for leasing out defence land to private parties in Chennai. The MoD had issued the orders for leasing out 4.5 acres in Delhi cantonment to the IDSA in January this year. The orders said the lease would be initially for 30 years for a token rent of Re 1 per annum. The land to be given out of GLR Sv No 129 would also be subject to two further renewals of 30 years each at the option of the lessee under Schedule VIII of the CLA Rules, 1937. Sources also pointed out
that while the MoD had issued orders for the grant of the
lease to the IDSA and was now seeking the approval of the
Union Cabinet, the Director-General of Defence Estates
(DGDE) had objected to it saying that in earlier such
instances, the organisations allotted defence land had
been misusing it by further subletting, subleasing and
renting the built-up area. The DGDE wrote a letter to the
MoD pointing out such instances and said that the format
of Schedule VIII lease should be modified to ensure that
there was no further subletting or subleasing of the
built-up area. |
Decision on joining govt after Budget: Mamata NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — The Trinamool Congress will take a decision on joining the Union Cabinet only after a "pro-poor" Budget is placed in the Parliament, party leader Mamata Banerjee said today. Ms Banerjee, who had an hour-long luncheon meeting with the Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today, told reporters "we will think about joining the Cabinet after the Budget". There were many issues on
which "we will have to think" and these
included a "pro-poor" Budget, rising prices and
unemployment, she said. |
Second language status for
Punjabi sought NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — The Punjabi Bhalai Manch has requested Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to grant Punjabi the status of the second language in the Capital. The president of manch, Mr B.S. Ramoowalia, in an hour-long meeting with Mrs Sheila Dikshit yesterday, said that Punjabi teachers should be appointed in adequate numbers in various schools. Mr Ramoowalia also
apprised Mrs Dikshit of the “difficulties faced by
Punjabis at Delhi International Airport with regard to
customs and immigration clearance and police harassment
en route.” |
‘Shimla Queen’ contest NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — Shilon Resort, 24 km from Shimla, will host the “Shimla Queen” contest being held on March 6, 1999. Preliminary rounds will be
conducted on February 22 in New Delhi and on February 24
at North Park, Panchkula, following which 25 finalists
will proceed to Shilon Resort for the main event. |
Anjana case: panel seeks CBI's help CUTTACK, Feb 17 (PTI) — The one-man commission of inquiry headed by Mr Justice PK Mishra of the Orissa High Court appointed by the government to probe the Anjana Mishra gangrape case today sought the help of the CBI for investigation of the incident. Mr Justice Mishra in his first sitting here observed that it was necessary to utilise the services of the CBI for the purpose of investigation into the matter pertaining to the inquiry envisaged under the notification of the state government, particularly with reference to the question as to whether there was any security lapse leading to the incident. The commission further said in view of the public importance of the issue, the investigation might be undertaken by an investigation team consisting of officials of the CBI under the supervision of an officer of the rank equivalent to the Inspector General of Police. Mrs Anjana Mishra, the
estranged wife of a senior government officer, was
allegedly gangraped near Barang on January 9. |
Romesh denied bail in two cases NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — Romesh Sharma, the alleged associate of Dubai-based underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim, was today denied bail in two separate cases of criminal conspiracy and attempt to grab property of a retired military official here. The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr S.C. Mittal, rejected Romesh's bail plea in the criminal conspiracy case wherein the crime branch of the Delhi police claimed to have recorded conversation between him and Dawood's aide Abu Salem for extortion of money from some persons in Delhi. Metropolitan Magistrate
Rajrani Mittra also denied bail to Romesh in another
case, in which he had allegedly attempted to grab a
property of retired Wing Commander Ramesh Mallik in
Lajpat Nagar area. |
PM: cut in education subsidy likely NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today hinted at a cut in the subsidy for higher education while asserting the coming Budget would be "pro-poor". "Higher education in the country is highly subsidised due to which the students are paying less fee while funds are not enough for primary education. We could not make primary education compulsory due to resource crunch, Mr Vajpayee said, inaugurating the centenary year of Hindu College here. Pointing out that even mid-day meal schemes had failed to check the high drop-out rate in schools, he said: "We need to ask ourselves why students who can afford to pay should not pay for their education." "I know there will be protests but I just want you (the students) to think over it," he said. He, however, said people need for worry about the Budget. "The Budget will only
improve the lot of the people. It will be in the
interests of the poor", he assured. |
Missing man's body found NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — The body of a 22-year-old compounder who had been missing from his Nangloi house since February 8 was found yesterday. The police said Dheeraj Kumar Sharma’s body was found in a ramshackled house in a deserted stretch of the Nangloi area yesterday. His head was smashed with a heavy object and he had been strangulated with a belt which was wrapped around his neck. Dheeraj was last seen on February 8, when he did not return to his house, his father, Mr Seeta Ram Sharma, registered a missing person’s report with the Nangloi police. A six-year-old girl was allegedly raped in the Uttam Nagar area of West Delhi this morning. The police took the girl to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for medical examination. The girl is a resident of JJ cluster the in Uttam Nagar area. In another incident, a
41-year-old property dealer allegedly committed suicide
by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his Safdarjung
Enclave office last night. Sunil Gambhir, a property
dealer and a building contractor, was found hanging from
the ceiling fan in a room of his flat around 9 pm. Sunil
Gambhir had incurred heavy losses in his business and had
been under depression. |
3,500 teachers form MCD-run
schools NEW DELHI, Feb 17 — About 3,500 primary and nursery teachers would soon be appointed in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)-run schools following the consent given by the Lt Governor of Delhi, Mr Vijai Kapoor. The MCD Education Committee Chairman, Mr Mahesh Chand Sharma said today that the Lt. Governor had given his go ahead to the appointment of teachers as recommended by the Subordinate Selection Board. The Congress-led Delhi Government had put on hold the appointment of teachers on the grounds of faulty selection process. Some of the selected candidates were found to have submitted fake marksheets which had improved their position in the merit list. "The corporation will now check the marksheets of recommended students and final selection will be done after the medical test," Mr Mahesh said. The board was to recommend
the names of teachers to the MCD on October 22 but the
entire process had come to halt because of the
notification of the Delhi Assembly polls.. |
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| Monkey park to come up in
Assam JODHPUR: The first monkey park to provide sanctuary status and facilities to five rare species of non-human primates will be set up in the Borajan reserve forest of Assam, according to Mr S.M. Mohnot, Project Director of the Indo-US primate project with its headquarters here. Mr Mohnot, noted primatologist and Head of the Zoology Department at the JNV University, said, the Union Government had agreed in principle to declare the 4.9 sq km area in the reserve forest of Borajan as “primate sanctuary”. — PTI Stamp
on NDA to be issued Corporator gets
life term Mughal Gardens
open from today Manual scavenging
in TN MPs’
allocation to be doubled 2 farmers killed
in firing |
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