Monday, July 19, 1999
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Bihar floods claim 103
lives Consensus eludes JD PAC |
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Talks after ‘Pak
fulfils conditions’ Sharif wasn’t aware of plan:
George Samata confident of uniting JD
factions
2 gangsters killed Rain brings relief to Delhiites
Kargil set to become poll issue USAF lauds IAF feat
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Bihar floods claim 103 lives PATNA, July 18 (UNI) — Floods in Bihar have claimed 103 lives so far and the situation has worsened following the inundation of fresh areas in north Bihar. Flood control cell sources said the Kamla river was eroding its embankment at Chhapraghat inundating large stretches of crop land in Darbhanga district. Sources said the Kosi river was breaching its Eastern embankment posing a threat to neighbouring Supaul, Khagaria and Katihar districts. Relief Department sources said 35.80 lakh persons were affected in 12 districts of north Bihar. Patna district recorded the highest number of casualties in floods at 47, including the estimated toll of 45 in the boat capsize in the Ganga recently, followed by Sitamarhi (17), Supaul (12), Darbhanga (10), Samastipur (9), Khagaria (7) and east Champaran (1). Sources said a motor boat, 1351 country boats, 200 relief centres and 457 health centres were operating in the flood affected area. They said 102.25 quintals of foodgrains, 427.81 quintals of food and 7409 polythene sheets had been distributed among the marooned people so far. The Central Water Commission sources said the Bagmati river was flowing 54 cm above the danger mark at Benibad and 190 cm at Hayaghat. According to sources the Burhi Gandak river had crossed the danger mark at Rosera by 6 cm while the Adhwara group of rivers were flowing 26 cm above the red mark at Kamtaul and 133 cm at Ekmighat. The Kosi river overtopped the danger mark at Baltara by 120 cm. Local weather office
sources said light to moderate showers were expected in
the catchment area of all major rivers of the state
during the next 24 hours. |
Consensus eludes JD PAC NEW DELHI, JULY 18 — The formal parting of ways between a section of the Janata Dal which wants to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and those who oppose it on ideological grounds now seems to be a matter of time as the Janata Dal Political Affairs Committee (PAC) failed to arrive at a consensus even after the second day of its meeting today. With prospects of achieving a breakthrough remaining bleak, the Janata Dal PAC would be meeting here again tomorrow. However, as per reports, it is unlikely that the senior party leaders deliberating the issue of aligning with the NDA for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, will arrive at a consensus even tomorrow. After a three-hour meeting today, the PAC could not come to a decision on Mr Ram Vilas Paswan’s demand that the state units, especially Bihar, be granted functional autonomy to ally with the constituents of the NDA in view of the peculiar political situation in the state according to highly placed party sources. Political forces in that state are ranged between Pro and Anti-Laloo Prasad Yadav and the state unit has consistently opposed the state government. Those who supported this political line besides Mr Paswan included Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel and Ms Kamla Sinha. The idea also had the tacit backing of former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and party President Sharad Yadav. Among those who opposed the move on the ground that it went against the basic tenets of the party of fighting communal forces included former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, S.R. Bommai, Srikant Jena, C.M. Ibrahim, Madhu Dandavate, Bapu Kaldate, Obaidulla Azmi, Mrinal Gore and S. Jaipal Reddy. Indications were that JD leaders who favoured a tie-up with the NDA were attempting a merger of the breakaway factions of the Dal like the Lok Shakti, the Samata Party and the Biju Janata Dal. This combined Janata Dal would then become a part of the NDA. The Samata Party today formally extended support to the efforts to unify breakaway factions of the Janata Dal on an anti-Congress plank and to give a stable government under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Meanwhile Mr Patel had another round of meeting with Samata Party leader and Defence Minister George Fernandes this morning. Later another Samata Party leader, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, and Mr Patel had a 30-minute meeting with JD President Sharad Yadav where they are understood to have given final touches to the unification of the Janata Dal Parivar under NDA. Talking to newspersons after the meeting, Mr Nitish Kumar said many things would happen within and outside the Janata Dal in the next few days. The Karnataka Chief Minister is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee this evening. Meanwhile, Janata Dal General Secretary Wasim Ahmed appealed to senior party leaders to take steps to merge the party with the Rashtriya Janata Dal to strengthen secular forces. In a statement he asked the Janata Dal leaders willing to allign with the BJP-led NDA to leave the party forthwith. He requested the party
president, Mr Sharad Yadav to call an emergency meeting
of the Janata Dal national executive to decide the future
course of action. |
Abolish quota system in Army:
Badal NEW DELHI, July 18 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today demanded that the quota system based on the population of the State for Army recruitment should be abolished. Mr Badal who alongwith Defence Minister, George Fernandes, addressed a public function, “Kargil Shaurya Sabha”, organised by the Lok Abhiyan Manch in Chandni Chowk, old Delhi, said the Indian Army should also have rules similar to other services. In all other services, merit and eligibility was the criteria and this should apply to the Army too. This, he said, would enable more Punjabi youth to be recruited in the Army. The Chief Minister said the villages of martyrs and war heroes would be developed by the implementation of modernisation schemes. Congratulating the brave soldiers for the Kargil victory, Mr Badal said the Punjab Government had already announced a sum of Rs seven lakh and employment for one family member of the martyr. He appealed to the Centre and the state governments to take timely, appropriate and effective steps for the welfare of the kin of the soldiers. Mr George Fernandes, said if Pakistan failed to respect the Line of Control then India would take necessary retaliatory action. He said going by
Pakistan’s past record, India could not afford to be
complacent and the government would do everything
possible to maintain vigil along the borders and spend
any amount of money on defence of the country and welfare
of the jawans. |
Talks after ‘Pak fulfils conditions’ NEW DELHI, July 18 (UNI) — India today said the withdrawal of troops from Kargil by Pakistan by itself would not reinitiate the Lahore process for bilateral talks unless Islamabad fulfilled certain other preconditions for infusing mutual trust. "We have already spelt out a sequence of steps for Islamabad for opening the way for dialogue and would like to see tangible results on the ground before any talks could be held," an External Affairs Ministry spokesman told a media briefing here. He said withdrawal of Pakistani troops from the Indian side of the Line of Control is just one of the conditions. "Pakistan also needs to reaffirm the sanctity and inviolability of the LoC and stop aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism," he said. Cross-border terrorism targeting innocent people is also a violation of the sanctity of the LoC, he asserted replying to a question whether Pakistani withdrawal from Kargil could pave the way for bilateral talks. He replied in the negative to a question whether any meeting had been scheduled between External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN regional forum meeting. "The ASEAN Regional Forum meeting and its dialogue partners also throws up opportunities for bilaterals. The External Affairs Minister will get opportunities to talk to his counterparts from other countries," he said but added that it was difficult for now to contemplate any bilateral talks between India and Pakistan on the occasion. The ASEAN Regional Forum
meeting is scheduled to be held in Singapore later this
month. |
Sharif wasn’t aware of plan: George NEW DELHI, July 18 (PTI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes today continued to stick to his statement that the Kargil operation had been planned by the Pakistani army without Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif being fully aware of it. "I have always believed that there are different centres of power in Pakistan and I stand by my statement," he said in an interview to ‘Star News’. According to a release issued by the TV network, he said there had been a betrayal of trust by Pakistan and it would be difficult to win the trust back. "There had been a commitment that the Line of Control would be respected, that there would be no intrusions. Pakistan broke that trust, winning it back won’t be easy for them," he said. Asked whether the government planned a Siachen-like patrolling operation right along the Kargil sector, Mr Fernandes said, "This is a question that is being examined. The Siachen sector is a slightly different sector. In Kargil you don’t have any kind of plateau like Siachen has. Here, you are mainly concerned with mountain peaks and therefore both physical and electronic surveillance will become necessary. "How exactly we will divide it is something we are working on at the moment," he said. Replying to a question on the comment he had made at the start of the conflict that the matter would be sorted out in 48 hours, Mr Fernandes said, "It was not an off-the-cuff remark. It had been based on the assessment of the Army officers at the time." Asked whether it did not
amount to the Army having misled the Defence Minister, he
said, "I would not say we were misled. It was our
assessment at the time. The understanding was that the
infiltrators were on three peaks or ridges and since they
had been already thrown away from half the ridge, they
would be removed from the rest within 48 hours." |
2 gangsters killed MUMBAI, July 18 (PTI) — Two gangsters were gunned down and a police constable was injured in an encounter at Kandivali in North Mumbai today, the police said. Acting on a tip-off that the gangsters owing allegiance to the Ali Buddhesh gang will arrive at Charkop in Kandivali, the police laid a trap near a fast food centre located in the vicinity. On spotting the gangsters, Tirupati Kotiyan (35) and Austin Carvalho — (24) the police asked them to surrender. However, Kotiyan whipped out a revolver and fired at the police, injuring a constable. The police retaliated and in the exchange of fire, both gangsters sustained bullet injuries and were rushed to Bhagvati hospital, where they were declared brought dead. A revolver and four
shells were recovered from the gangsters, the police
said. |
Rain brings relief to
Delhiites NEW DELHI, July 18 — Rain today brought relief to Delhiites after a long spell of hot and humid weather conditions. The Safdarjang Meteorological Office said 28 mm of rain had been recorded till the evening. The monsoon arrived 20 days late. There were reports of waterlogging from several parts of the city and also erratic power supply in many colonies. The meteorological Office had over the past few days said such a prolonged dry spell was not "unexpected" in the Capital and a westerly trough had been expected to interact with monsoon enhancing the rainfall activity over northwestern region of the country. Delhi has been experiencing a dry spell since the end of June. The Capital had faced a similar situation in 1995 when 0.9 mm of rain was experienced in the first fortnight of July. In 1991 and 1992, about 25 mm of rain was recorded in the first fortnight of July against a normal of about 96 mm. A weak monsoon
circulation was prevailing over the country since the end
of June in which monsoon trough was confined to the
foothills of the Himalayas. |
Samata confident of uniting JD
factions NEW DELHI, July 18 — The Samata Party today called for making allot efforts to unify the breakaway factions of the Janata Dal on an anti-Congress plank to give a strong and stable government led by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Speaking to newsmen here the party spokesman, Mr Digvijay Singh said there had been good response to the initiative taken by the Samata Party chief, George Mr Fernandes in this regard. Mr Fernandes made this suggestion during his meeting with the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr J.H. Patel and the Lok Shakti President, Mr Ramakrishna Hegde, both of whom have expressed intention of supporting it. As far as the Samata Party was concerned, Mr Singh declared that it was ready to merge with the Janata Dal or the Lok Shakti and its leaders were not aspiring for the presidentship of the new outfit also. He said the new formation would naturally have to be part of the National Democratic Alliance of which Mr Fernandes was the convener. Mr Fernandes had recently given a call to all Socialists to unite. The ground work for such a move was being prepared for the past six months and the results would be out in a few days, Mr Singh said. The Samata Party spokesman said: “the Janata Dal as a party is seriously considering our appeal (to bring together all those in the Socialist movement and formed part of the Janata Dal in 1989) and we are confident that the process will bring results in the coming days”. He said the party was happy that the Samata’s proposal was being considered at the highest level — the Political Affairs Committee of the Janata Dal which was discussing the issue for the past two days. The party had appealed to all splinter groups of the Janata Dal like the Biju Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Janata Party headed by former the Prime Minister, Mr Chandra Shekhar and the Indian National Lok Dal headed by Om Prakash Chautala. Mr Singh said the Samata
Party’s appeal was also directed at the Samajwadi
Party headed by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav but it was not
meant for the Rashtriya Janata Dal of Mr Laloo Prasad
Yadav which was nothing but a family affair. |
Probe ordered into police
firing DARBHANGA (Bihar), July 18 (PTI, UNI) — The toll of persons killed in the police firing and stampede during Army recruitment drive in Bihar’s Darbhanga and Chapra districts yesterday, rose to 20, officials said today. While three youth were killed in the police firing on unruly Army aspirants in the two districts, 17 were swept away by swirling flood waters near the Army airbase campus here following a stampede, state police chief K.A. Jacob told the PTI here. Chief Minister Rabri Devi has ordered an official inquiry by a member of the Revenue Board into the incidents. The stampede occurred when a desperate youth, while trying to force his entry into the airbase campus, snatched a pistol of a policeman and pumped bullets into his chest. Thirty persons, including three Army men and seven police personnel, who suffered injuries in the stampede, were being treated at the Patna Medical College Hospital, he said. Nine bodies were fished out from the flood waters today while others were located in Chandrapura and Ranipur localities, 2.5 km from the airbase, Mr Jacob said. Ms Rabri Devi described the incidents as “serious” and said her government would like to have the inquiry completed at the earliest. Ms Rabri Devi said stern action would be taken against those found responsible for the incidents. She instructed the authorities to submit the inquiry report at the earliest. She said the State Home Commissioner was sent to Darbhanga in view of the seriousness of the situation and a serrate operation was going on under his supervision to trace the bodies. The Chief Minister said steps would be taken soon to rehabilitate the families of the deceased. BJP leader S.K. Modi
demanded a high-level inquiry into the incidents while
the CPM wanted a judicial probe. The CPI-ML(L) has called
“a Mithilanchal bandh” on July 20 in protest
against the firing. |
Calcutta bids adieu to martyr CALCUTTA, July 18 (PTI) — Capt Kanad Bhattacharya, the first Kargil martyr from the city, was cremated with full military honours at Nimtollaghat in North Calcutta today. Braving a steady drizzle, hundreds of people, mostly youth, gathered at the historic crematorium since morning to pay their last respects to the 25-year-old hero. No member of the West Bengal Cabinet was present at the crematorium, but Director-General of state police Dipak Sanyal was there to pay his last respects. Joint Commissioner (I) of Calcutta Police Gautam Chakraborty was seen controlling the crowd along with other senior officials. Kanad’s body was accompanied by senior Army officials, including GOC Bengal Area, Lt Gen S.C. Chopra, along with his father Kamal Kanti Bhattacharya, a sister and other relatives. The coffin was carried from the Army three-tonner truck to the crematorium by Army officials and relatives. The coffin containing the body was put into the electric crematorium at 1145 a.m. amid sounds of the last post and the customary 21 gun salute from the Gorkha Regiment, after the last rites were performed by Kanad’s father and an uncle. The first phase firing and a few casualties later, parties were sent to recover the bodies on May 21. “But Kanad’s body was not found and was declared missing,” a relative said. The body was found only on July 15 West of Tiger Hill. Top Army brass including the GOC-in-C, Eastern Region, Maj Gen H.R.S. Kalkat, Lt Gen S.C. Chopra, Air Commodore P.N. Devy and ADC to West Bengal Governor Lt Joseph were among those who paid floral tributes to the martyr. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The body of artillery gunner-cum-technical assistant, G.Sajeev, who was killed while fighting Pakistani infiltrators in Kargil, was brought by an Indian airlines flight here on Sunday. The body was received by Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister T.K. Ramakrishnan, Tourism Minister E. Chandrasekharan Nair and Irrigation Minister V.P. Ramakrishna Pillai on behalf of the state government. The body was later taken
to the war hero’s native village of Thalavoor in
Kollam district after a ceremonial homage by Army
personnel. |
Kargil set to become poll issue NEW DELHI, July 18 (PTI) — All indications point to Kargil becoming an issue in the coming Lok Sabha elections despite major political parties professing to the contrary. Giving an unexpected turn to a four-month-long run-up to the poll, the border conflict now has all the trappings of an election issue with the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) giving indications of trying to cash in on the issue while the Congress and other opposition parties are planning to counter such a possibility. Apart from Kargil, issues like stability, the Pokhran nuclear tests, religion, caste and economy will also be hotly debated during the five-phased elections beginning on September 4. Opposition parties say they will deny the BJP any credit it plans to take on the Kargil front. “We do not propose to make Kargil a political issue,” declared BJP spokesman M. Venkaiah Naidu, adding in the same breath “it is a national issue. It is a victory for the nation and naturally the nation is led by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee”. Mr Naidu and leaders of a host of other parties gave their views on issues that might dominate the coming poll in response to a PTI questionnaire. The BJP leader said: “If our opponents try to raise the issue of handling the Kargil crisis, we will certainly put forth the government’s handling in an effective manner to counter the disinformation campaign.” The Congress and other
opposition parties seem to differ. Congress spokesman
Ajit Jogi said: “Kargil is a national issue but at
the end of the day there are questions people are asking.
These will have to be answered by the government.”
He said people wanted to know how the intruders came so
deep inside the Indian territory with such sophisticated
weapons. Mr Jogi said the Congress never wanted to make
Kargil a political issue but BJP President Kushabhau
Thakre and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee were
saying they would make use of the Kargil issue. |
Nuclear scientists’ achievement HYDERABAD, July 18 (UNI) — Indian scientists and engineers have successfully developed and produced, for the first time in the world, a critical component for nuclear reactors called “zircaloy-4” (square channel) through the seamless route. The city-based Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), a major unit of the Department of Atomic Energy, produced the the square channels for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station, after its supply was stopped by the United States, of America, Canada and Japan following the post-Pokhran sanctions imposed on the country. Talking to UNI, NFC chief executive C. Ganguly said the scientists and engineers at the nfc, taking the sanctions as a challenge, produced the critical components employing a novel technique, doing away with the welding process. The NFC had already fabricated 80 channels each costing Rs five lakh and sent them to Tarapur. Nearly 100 channels were needed for “recharge” of the reactor every year. He said an enormous amount of foreign exchange had to be spent earlier for the import of these channels. Dr Ganguly said that unlike the conventional circular channels, those produced by the NFC were non-circular and much more superior than the welded ones made abroad, which had irradiation characteristics. The seamless channels produced at the NFC were not affected by radiation and had better micro structure texture. He said South Korea recently placed an order with the NFC for the supply of “zircalo-4” bars for use in nuclear reactors in that country. The NFC’s zirconium sponge plant was being refurbished at a cost of Rs 10 crore to cope with the growing zircaloy production. He said India was
pursuing an indigenous three-stage nuclear power
programme involving closed fuel cycles for PHWRs and
liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs) for
judicious utilisation of the relatively limited reserves
of uranium, but vast resources of thorium. |
USAF lauds IAF feat NEW DELHI, July 18 (UNI) — The high altitude air operations by the (IAF) against Pakistani intruders in Kargil sector, the first of its kind in the history of military aviation, have drawn appreciation from the armed forces of other countries, including the United States Air Force (USAF). ‘‘We had to operate in an entirely new environment with markedly different operating parameters,’’ Group Captain d. n Ganesh, Joint Director (Operations), told a press conference today. ‘‘We have received a large number of e-mails and congratulatory messages from abroad, including the USAF,’’ he said. ‘‘The IAF had to achieve its objectives of hitting very small targets on such a difficult terrain and from high altitudes by applying entirely different methods.’’ The men and machines had
to be oriented to the new scenario. ‘‘It was
not just mountain warfare, the weapons and aircraft had
to be operated under entirely different conditions, not
experienced by any other air force in the world so
far,’’ he explained. |
MCD exempts war widows from taxes NEW DELHI, July 18 (PTI) — Women widowed and soldiers disabled in the Kargil conflict will be exempted from all taxes by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the civic body’s standing committee Chairman Shanti Desai has said. “As a mark of respect to the jawans and to alleviate the sufferings of their families, the MCD has decided to exempt all women widowed and soldiers disabled physically in the conflict from all taxes,” Mr Desai told a fund donation function organised by “Hamara Watan” here last evening. He said the civic body was also considering exempting all soldiers disabled in duty even when there is no war. “Hamara Watan”, a group of businessmen and journalists, presented a cheque for Rs 15 lakh towards the Army Central Welfare Fund to Defence Minister George Fernandes on the occasion. A cheque for Rs 2.5 lakh
was also presented to Mr Fernandes on behalf of
businessmen and dairy owners of Khari Baoli. |
Vidya Stokes made Cong Trust
member NEW DELHI, July 18 — The Himachal Pradesh Congress leader, Mrs Vidya Stokes, has been made a trustee of the All-India Congress Committee Trust, a body which looks after the properties of the party all over the country. Mrs Stokes, who has also
been appointed the AICC observer for overseeing the
election in the seven Lok Sabha constituencies of Delhi,
completed a round of meetings with prospective candidates
today. Before leaving for Shimla, she told TNS that her
panel of candidates would be submitted to the Congress
President sometime next week. |
Math contribution KANCHEEPURAM, July 18 (UNI) — Sri Jayendra Saraswati of the Kanchi Math, today sent Rs 7.5 lakh, collected from a recent music concert in Chennai, to the Prime Minister’s Kargil Relief Fund. A math official told UNI
here that eminent Carnatic music artistes, including
Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyyar, Lalgudi Jayaraman and D.K.
Pattammal, had participated in the concert. |
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| Naxalites blow up BJYM
leader’s house HYDERABAD: Naxalites of the banned People’s War Group (PWG), blew up the house of a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader at Thakklliapalem village in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh in the early Sunday the police here said militants of the Moghicherla Guerrilla Squad went to the house of the BJYM village unit president, Kothapalli Bikshapathi (34), and blew up the empty house using two “Bath” bombs. — UN Umashanker Joshi Vadodara
Mayor Ayurveda scripts
on palm leaves Deora moves SC
against tobacco cos Maharashtra bans
ragging Lightning kills
5 labourers |
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