Sunday, March 7, 1999

SAD (Delhi) office-bearers
NEW DELHI, Mar 6 — The recently formed Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) today announced the formation of a 50-member executive committee. The formation of SAD (Delhi) was announced last month with 15 members, including Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, Mr Harinder Pal Singh, Mr Nirwair Singh and Mr Avtar Singh, were earlier with the SAD (Badal).

Indian to get WHO award for work on malaria
NEW DELHI, March 6 — Mr Vinod Prakash Sharma, Director of the Malaria Research Centre here, has been selected for the 21st Darling Foundation Prize by the World Health Organisation for his achievements in combating malaria in the country.

AIIMS officials held by CBI
NEW DELHI, March 6 — The CBI has arrested three employees of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences and a supplier of stationery and other goods allegedly causing of huge loss to the AIIMS.

Doc allowed to offer cancer drug
CALCUTTA, March 6 — The Calcutta High Court has set aside the Central Drug Controller's directive restraining a Jadavpur University professor to offer a "new drug" for cancer and diabetic patients and passed a ruling allowing him to administer the drug to those who have prayed before the court seeking the treatment.

Cong not for those with criminal links: Sonia
MUMBAI, March 6 — AICC president Sonia Gandhi today lambasted the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra for the "virtual" breakdown of civic life in the state and declared there would be no place in her party for those building their political careers by acting as "bridges between criminals and the police".

Harinder Singh to take over as DCNS
NEW DELHI, March 6 — Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh, whose appointment as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff in December last created an unprecedented row between the government and the then Navy chief Vishnu Bhagwat, has been asked to assume charge of the post of DCNS in South Block, Defence sources said today.

Imbroglio on Bihar continues
Congress not to review stand
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 6 — The catch-22 situation on the Bihar imbroglio continued today with the BJP reiterating its plea to the Congress to reconsider its stand of opposing President’s rule in the state and a senior Congress leader, Mr Arjun Singh, emphatically stating that his party was neither rethinking on its decision to oppose the statutory resolution when it comes up before the Rajya Sabha nor was it “bargaining” with the ruling coalition on the issue of replacing the Governor, Mr Sunder Singh Bhandari.

The Prime Minister, who was in Bihar, told a public meeting near Patna that the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar had forced the hand of his government. “I would have been the happiest person if such a situation had not arisen at all”, he said and added that his government would not “encourage” criminals nor indulge in violence for being in power.

The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, who was at the Wagah border in Punjab, went on to trumpet the Lok Sabha vote on Bihar as a major achievement: “The three Bs — Bus ride to Pakistan, Bihar President’s rule ratification in Lok Sabha and Budget ’99 — have removed all doubts about the government’s decision making ability and lent the stamp of stability to the Vajpayee government”, he said.

Former Uttar Pradesh Governor and senior Congress leader, Mr Moti Lal Vora, speaking in Lucknow, demanded that the reports of the Union Home Ministry’s fact-finding teams sent to Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Gujarat should be tabled in Parliament.

Criticising the imposition of President’s rule in Bihar, he flayed the Vajpayee government for acting in haste while ignoring reports on the states where the Home Ministry had sent its teams. He pointed out that no action had been taken on reports nor had they been presented to Parliament.

Speaking from Bangalore, the BJP general secretary, Mr Venkiah Naidu, reiterating that the final decision of the government would be known on March 8, appealed to the Congress to reconsider its stand.

Reacting to Mr Naidu, Mr Arjun Singh said in New Delhi that there was no question of rethinking. Alleging that the RSS had taken over the state administration in Bihar, he pooh-poohed the suggestion that a bargain had been struck between his party and Mr Laloo Yadav.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK today accused its estranged ally, the MDMK, of “double standards” on the use of Article 356. MDMK had been one of the parties yesterday in the BJP and allies meeting presided over by the Prime Minister which had demanded the revocation of President’s rule in Bihar.

Pointing out that the MDMK was opposing the imposition of President’s rule in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK said that the MDMK leader, Mr Vaiko, was speaking in two voices. “As far as the AIADMK is concerned, it is of the firm view that if at all Article 356 was to be used in any state, Tamil Nadu should be the first”, an AIADMK spokesman said in Chennai.

Waive curbs on OFB items: panel

NEW DELHI, March 6 (PTI) — Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence has asked the government to provide a “special waiver” of licence restrictions currently applicable to export of ordnance factory board (OFB) items to boost sales potential thereof in the international market.

“Once these restrictions are removed the export of OFB goods may grow,” the 44-member committee chaired by Squadron Leader Kamal Chaudhry said in its sixth report tabled in the Lok Sabha yesterday.

The committee regretted that the government had not been able to successfully tap the markets abroad for the export of ordnance factories’ products.

It also recommended to the government to gear up India’s High Commissions and embassies to formulate strategies for defence exports and also set up separate marketing division in the Ordnance Factory Board for boosting their sales potential in the international market.

“If necessary, the government should also have a re-look at the negative list of countries maintained by the Ministry of External Affairs for pruning it to the minimum,” it said.

The committee, comprising 30 Lok Sabha and 14 Rajya Sabha members, recommended to the government that all surplus manpower, particularly in higher age groups, should be phased out.

“A golden handshake scheme specifically targeting the higher age groups should be introduced,” it said.

The committee noted with concern the unrest amongst workers in some ordnance factories which had detrimental effect on Defence production and said laws should be suitably amended so that interests of the nation were harmoniously reconciled to the interests of individual workers.

The government, it said, should consider whether posts falling vacant because of retirements should at all be filled and whether the need of skilled workers could be met by transferring staff from one ordnance factory to another.

“Only after examining this possibility, recruitment should be undertaken,” it said, observing that a personnel policy valid for next 25 to 30 years should be immediately drawn up to meet the challenges posed by present problems in manpower planning.

The committee said the funds earmarked for research and development should be increased for achieving the objectives of indigenisation and modernisation and the current ceiling on amounts spent on R and D should be removed.

CBI to send team to Malaysia
JD derides govt on Bofors probe
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, March 6 — The Janata Dal today an attacked the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre for its handling of the Bofors case.

The Janata Dal General Secretary, Mr Nawal Kishore Rai, told reporters here the “tardy manner” in which the Government was handling the 13-year-old Bofors case showed its tacit understanding with the Congress.

He pointed out that though the Supreme Court had passed orders for Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochi, the key accused in the Bofors case, to appear before the trial court here on March 15 and stay in the country for two weeks so that his interrogation could be completed. But the Italian businessman has refused to be present in India, he said.

As a result the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was planning to send a team to Malaysia, where Quattrochi was said to be staying. Mr Rai demanded that the Centre should reveal the truth in the Bofors case.

SAD (Delhi) office-bearers
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Mar 6 — The recently formed Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) today announced the formation of a 50-member executive committee.

The formation of SAD (Delhi) was announced last month with 15 members, including Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, Mr Harinder Pal Singh, Mr Nirwair Singh and Mr Avtar Singh, were earlier with the SAD (Badal).

The list of office-bearers announced today is as follow: Mr Gurbachan Singh Sabharwal, Mr Balbir Singh Sabharwal, Mr Baldev Singh Rani Bagh, Dr Harminder Singh, Dr Inder Singh, Prof Joginder Singh, Jathedar Kuldeep Singh (Karol Bagh), Giani Tirath Singh, Jathedar Surjeet Singh, Bhai Gurcharan Singh, Mr Harbhajan Singh Pardesi, Mr Baldev Singh, Chathrath, Mr Bakhshish Singh (Nauroji Nagar), Mr Hari Singh, Mr Mela Singh (all members of DSGMC).

Mr Harnam Singh Toofan, Mr Jagjit Singh Suri, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kochar, Mr Manmohan Singh Sachdeva, Mr Gurbux Singh Bindra, Mr Baldev Singh Gujral, Mr Joginder Singh Walia, Mr Barbhajan Singh Matharoo, Mr H.S. Chandok, Mukherjee Nagar, Mr Hardeep Singh Chadha, Mr Iqbal Singh Anand (Model Town), Mr Rajinder Singh Wassan, Mr Harmunder Singh (Fateh Nagar), Mr Manmohan Singh Mohini, Dr Bhupinder Singh, Prof Manjit Singh, Brig Jaswant Singh, (Sainik Vihar), Mr Mukhtiar Singh Ashiana, Mr Ranbir Singh Gujral, Mr Gurbachan Singh Sahni, Mr Avtar Singh Kalsi, Sant Durlabh Singh, Mr Didar Singh (Tilak Nagar), Mr Hardev Singh Dhanoa, Mr Jaswant Singh Sahni, Mr Ram Singh Roxy, Mr Amarjeet Thapar, Mr Balbir Singh Kohli, Mr Shakar Pal Singh, Mr Amrik Singh Bhandari, Mr Amarjit Singh (Amar Colony), Mr Mohinder Singh Tezahwala, Mr Bhajan Singh.

Indian to get WHO award for work on malaria

NEW DELHI, March 6 (PTI) — Mr Vinod Prakash Sharma, Director of the Malaria Research Centre (MRC) here, has been selected for the 21st Darling Foundation Prize by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for his achievements in combating malaria in the country.

Mr Sharma, a Padma Shri recipient and President of the National Academy of Sciences, will receive the award comprising a medal and 1000 Swiss Francs (around Rs 29,000) on May 20, 1999, in Geneva.

The award was announced at the 103rd session of WHO’s executive board in Geneva, a release here said.

In the same session, the WHO executive board also awarded the 20th Darling Foundation Prize posthumously to Agostinho Cruz Marques of Brazil.

Research Interests of Mr Sharma, a former Additional Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, include control of malaria and other vector-borne diseases.

AIIMS officials held by CBI
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, March 6 — The CBI has arrested three employees of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences and a supplier of stationery and other goods allegedly causing of huge loss to the AIIMS.

The arrested employees allegedly favoured a supplier to purchase phenol, deodorant liquid, dusters and stationery items for the AIIMS. They were identified as R.L. Prasad, Store Officer; Dr D.K. Sharma, S.S. Sharma, ASOs; M.L. Sharma, Store Keeper and Rajiv Rastogi, supplier of the goods.

During raid at the premises of R.L. Prasad Rs 6.91 lakh in cash and documents showing investment in six plots were seized by CBI sleuths. He was also found in possession of a car and other moveable assets and jewellery worth Rs 8 lakh.

A large number of incriminating documents were seized from the premises of Rajiv Rastogi, including ISI mark stickers allegedly being used on the products supplied to the hospital. Some incriminating documents were also seized from the premises of other suspects, the statement said.

Doc allowed to offer cancer drug

CALCUTTA, March 6 (UNI) — The Calcutta High Court has set aside the Central Drug Controller's directive restraining a Jadavpur University professor to offer a "new drug" for cancer and diabetic patients and passed a ruling allowing him to administer the drug to those who have prayed before the court seeking the treatment.

Mr Justice Pinaki Ghosh asked the drug controller to file an affidavit within four weeks stating why he had issued the directive restraining Prof Ashru Kumar Sinha.

Mr Justice Ghosh also directed Dr Sinha to submit a report before the court within three weeks about the drug he was administering to cancer and diabetic patients.

The petitioners of the case were seven cancer patients who were being treated by Dr Sinha.

Cong not for those with criminal links: Sonia

MUMBAI, March 6 (PTI) — AICC president Sonia Gandhi today lambasted the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra for the "virtual" breakdown of civic life in the state and declared there would be no place in her party for those building their political careers by acting as "bridges between criminals and the police".

Delivering the valedictory address at Maharashtra lawyers conference here, Ms Sonia said the root cause of growing attack by criminals on civilians could be traced to perceived collapse of the judicial system and as a result people were resorting to extra-judicial authority to seek justice.

The Congress, she said, was committed to bring about judicial reforms by ensuring higher standards of judiciary because "unless judicial system was restored criminality will continue to be a substitute for law".

Ms Sonia also hit out at the government for rejecting the report of the Srikrishna Commission that probed the communal riots, and regretted that numerous other reports of law commissions were "gathering dust".

"She said the Congress would "dust out" the recommendations and ensure their prompt implementation. Besides, the party would endeavour to improve the living conditions of judiciary, especially at munsif and lower levels and setting up legal cells in party forums.

"Without reasonable living standards for the judiciary, we are inviting corruption to corrode judicial process", she said.

Ms Sonia suggested transparency in transfer and appointment of judges as also setting up of constitutional mechanism for judicial accountability.

Harinder Singh to take over as DCNS

NEW DELHI, March 6 (PTI) — Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh, whose appointment as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS) in December last created an unprecedented row between the government and the then Navy chief Vishnu Bhagwat, has been asked to assume charge of the post of DCNS in South Block, Defence sources said today.

As part of a major reshuffle in the Navy, Harinder Singh, Fortress Commander of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, succeeds Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh who had been officiating as DCNS on Bhagwat’s orders. The new DCNS is likely to assume charge later this month. Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh has now been appointed Director-General, Defence Planning Staff, the sources said. "Admiral Bhagwat was sacked on December 30 for deliberate defiance" of the government.

The new Fortress Commander of Andamans is Vice-Admiral Raman Puri, who was chief of project Seabird in Karnataka. Rear Admiral Sampat Gopal from southern command, would succeed Vice-Admiral Puri they said.

6 killed in road mishaps
VIJAYWADA: Six persons were killed and 17 others injured in two road accidents in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh on Friday. According to reports received at the police headquarters here on Saturday four persons were killed and 15 others injured when the lorry in which they were travelling collided with another vehicle, near Bhimavaram village. The injured have been admitted to hospital. In another incident, a woman and her grandson were killed when a truck hit an autorickshaw. — UNI

3 kidnapped in Tripura
AGARTALA: Three government employees have been kidnapped by the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) from Chandipur of North Tripura district, the police said on Saturday. Armed with sophisticated weapons and clad in olive green fatigue, a group of about eight militants kidnapped tehsildar, a forest range officer and a forester from the Chandipur forest area on Friday, it said. — PTI

Fishermen to be freed
CHENNAI: Five Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan naval personnel after they set sail from Vembutalai near Jagadapattinam in Pudikkottai district of Tamil Nadu on February 2 will be released at the international maritime border on March 8. Disclosing this to newspersons here on Saturday Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister Jennifer Chandran said the fishermen, hailing from Nambutalai, were arrested and detained by the Sri Lankan police when they drifted into Lankan waters after being lost in the sea. — UNI

Illegal arms factory
BHADOHI: An illicit arms factory was unearthed and one person arrested in this connection in Kanwal village under Gyanpur police area on Friday, police said. It also claimed that it seized a large quantity of finished and semi-finished country made weapons besides equipment being used to manufacture them. — PTI

5 killed as bus hits tree
MUZAFFARNAGAR: Five persons, including two women, were killed and 45 injured when a bus hit a tree near Sarorpur village in Baghpat district on Friday, the police said. The accident occurred about 65 km from here on the Delhi-Saharanpur road. The bus overturned after dashing against the tree, killing the five on the spot. — PTI

‘Jhansi mahotsava’
JHANSI: The five-day “Jhansi mahotsava” to showcase the glorious past of Jhansi has got under way here amid pomp and fanfare. Inaugurating the “gallantry fest of Bundelkhand”, state Tourism Minister Balbir Singh on Friday said: “Through this endeavour we pledge to put Jhansi in prominence on the tourist map of India.” The annual extravaganza has once again brought alive the glorious past and the history of bravery of Bundelkhand exemplified by the sacrifices of Rani Laxmibai. — UNI