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| Friday, June 23, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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PM to attend Indo-EU meet Guides exploit 2 Japanese girls Haryana poll style ideal: Gill |
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Medha to launch
satyagraha Air patrols to ensure
peacekeepers’ safety Wage board report likely by June
30 Attacks on Christians: NHRC issues
notices E-governance in MP soon Heavy rainfall likely in
North-East
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PM to attend Indo-EU meet NEW DELHI, June 22 — The Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee will lead the Indian delegation at the first-ever India-EU summit in Lisbon on June 28. During the visit Mr Vajpayee will seek support on a comprehensive convention to fight the menace of terrorism and India’s entry into the ASEM (ASEAN-European Union meeting). Briefing mediapersons about the Prime Minister’s visit to Italy and Portugal, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Lalit Mansingh, said this summit, which will hereafter be held on a regular basis, comes after a decade of steadily improving relations between India and the European Union. The summit is being interpreted as India’s graduation into the higher league and being accepted as a responsible international player in international councils, a senior official said. Mr Mansingh said, "This relationship is based on shared values, a commitment to democracy, the rule of law and secularism and on a common vision of the future". "A Joint
Declaration, which will be issued at the conclusion of
the summit, is illustrative of the depth and dimension of
our relationship", the Foreign Secretary said adding
that it will be a broad statement of India-EU relations
and will provide a blue-print for upgrading the
relationship to a qualitatively higher level. |
Guides exploit 2 Japanese girls NEW DELHI, June 22 — Private tourist guides at New Delhi Railway Station have found a novel way to fool female foreign tourists, particularly from Japan. They approach female tourists who came to the railway station in search of a cheap hotel. Then they take them in confidence with their polite behaviour, good conduct and assisting them in shopping and visiting tourist places. They promise them to marry and leave them after extortion, sexual harassment and torture. This racket came to light after complaints lodged by two Japanese girls — Miss Nano (24) and Miss Noriko Ota of Tokyo. The police arrested six youths in this connection from Paharganj in Central Delhi and elsewhere. They were in the age group of 20 to 25 years. They were booked on charges of extortion, rape and cheating. The youths were identified as Salender Thakur of Allahabad, John Stephen, alias Karan, Deepak, Sanjay, Amit Mohan and Ajay Kumar, all from Agra. A few of their accomplices are absconding, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Muktesh Chander said. The DCP said the girls, who came to India in December last year complained that two boys, Zahid, alias Bobby, who is absconding, and John Stephen along with their associates had allegedly sexually exploited them and extorted a large amount of money from them. Zahid approached Miss Nano who came at New Delhi railway station where she argued with a TSR driver. Zahid convinced the girl that he would help her in getting a cheap room in a hotel. He took her to Kuldeep Hotel where he already stayed. Gradually Zahid become friendly with Nano. After a few days he brought rum in the night and made her to drink. When she was intoxicated he allegedly raped her. The next day he regretted and asked her not to lodge a complaint with the police. He also promised to marry her. Therafter he along with his friends allegedly performed a fake engagement ceremony. Zahid told her that in India girls had to give cash and gifts in dowry to the boy. He allegedly misused Nano’s international credit card and duped her of Rs 7 lakh. The DCP said that same
modus-operandi was used by John Stephen to lure Miss
Noriko who brought her to Kuldeep Hotel owned by Amarjit
Singh. |
Haryana poll style ideal: Gill CALCUTTA, June 22 — The Haryana model should be followed in all elections in the country in the future, the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr M.S. Gill, has recommended. Mr Gill said, "We were happy that the state Assembly elections in Haryana held recently under new system had been smooth and peaceful that it should be an example for other states to follow." The CEC said in the Haryana elections, electronic voting machines and voters’ identity cards were fully utilised and the elections were free and fair. Mr Gill, during his two-day stay in Calcutta, met state officials and the leaders of various political parties and sought their co-operation to implement the Election Commission’s decision to introduce voting machines and photo identity cards to voters in the forthcoming state Assembly elections in May next year. Assembly Elections in Assam, Bihar, Tamilnadu, Kerala and Pondicherry will also be held simultaneously in May. The CEC said "We have decided to conduct elections in these states as per Haryana model and we are seeking co-operation from all concerned in this regard." Mr Gill said the EC had already asked for 1500 more electronic machines from the government to be used in the forthcoming elections in these states. The commission will need some 8000 electronic machines for holding elections in the country under new system and this will cost about Rs 1500 crore, he added. The CEC recommended that all big states should have adequate number of police personnel for the smooth conduct of elections and there should be less clamour for more police force from the Centre. He regretted that of late a tendency had developed that the political parties did not have faith and confidence in the state police and they demanded for central forces in the elections. He also accused the state parties in power for misusing the state administration and the police which created less faith and confidence in the administration and police by other political parties. The CEC said the commission had not taken any decision so far regarding the demand for de-nationalisation of the CPM which had failed to retain the requisite percentage of votes needed for recognition of its national character. Mr Gill said some political parties had made such demand and the election Commissioner had not taken any decision in this connection. The CEC said the
commission had also received an application from Trinamul
Congress for recognising the party as a national party.
But the commission had not taken any decision in this
regard also. |
Medha to launch satyagraha BHOPAL, June 22 — Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activist Medha Patkar fears that Digvijay Singh may compromise on the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam for 436 ft. Ms Patkar’s mistrust of Mr Digvijay Singh comes from the latter’s varying views on the subject. Recently in the water resources convention in the Netherlands, she said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister did not at all refer to big dams but only pleaded that water should be in the hands of villagers; but within the country he spoke in different tones. She threatened that residents of the villages to be affected would not accept the compromise on the increased height but would fight against it. At present the height stands at 88 metres by a Supreme Court order. The submergence of the villages starts at 85 metres. Last year the problem was not that acute as the rains were scanty at several places. If there are normal rains this year, 25 villages in Madhya Pradesh (Dhar and Jhabua districts) and 33 villages in Maharashtra will be submerged. Jalsindhi village in Madhya Pradesh and Domkhedi village in Maharashtra would be the first to be submerged when the water starts rising in the Sardar Sarovar Dam reservoir. Ms Patkar announced that satyagraha would be started in both villages from July 15. Several villages, such as Domkhedi, Jalsindhi, Piplachop, Sikka and Pharad, were submerged last year also but not a single family left the village. This year, too, the people would remain in their villages and the state efforts for their forcible eviction would be foiled, she said. Bawa Maharia of Jalsindhi village, who had accompanied Ms Medha Patkar to Bhopal, said he, for one, would prefer getting drowned in the Narmada waters rather than leaving the hearth and land of his forefathers. Each one in the village had the same determination, Bawa claimed. Ms Patkar, though, has still some hope from the apex court of the country. The final hearing on the NBA’s petition against the Sardar Sarovar Dam was completed on May 9 and the verdict is expected any time after July 1. One good thing, from the NBA’s point of view, was the Supreme Court direction to the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to set up grievances redress authorities to be headed by judges to determine if the rehabilitation centres developed so far confirmed to the norms laid down by the Narmada Waters Dispute Tribunal (NWDT) and if enough land was available for resettlement of the project affected families (PAFs) according to the prescribed norms. Such an authority already exists in Gujarat. The Supreme Court has
asked these authorities to submit their interim reports
to the apex court by July 1. Justice G.G. Sohoni, retired
Chief Justice of Patna High Court, who heads the
Grievances Redress Authority in Madhya Pradesh, has
already visited, with the help of the local revenue
staff, four villages in the Nimar region and one tribal
village in Jhabua district. |
Air patrols to ensure
peacekeepers’ safety NEW DELHI, June 22 — The UN Peacekeeping Force deployed in the trouble-torn Sierra Leone, which comprises a large number of Indian troops has activated air observation posts (AOPs) in a bid to ensure that there were no further capture of its men by the rebels. While the Indian delegation led by the Director-General of Military Operations, Lt. Gen N.C. Vij, which had gone to Freetown, the Capital of Sierra Leone, to ensure the release of the Indian hostages, returned without much success, special patrols were being undertaken to keep the rebels at bay. Reports reaching here said that the UN Peacekeepers were now keeping a close watch on the movements of the rebels through the AOPs also. This was being done by organising patrols through the air element, which has again been provided only by India. The delegation, which held extensive talks with the regional powers Nigeria, Togo, Liberia and Libya on the issue of securing the release of Indian hostages, had apparently also suggested to the Force Commander, Maj. Gen V.K. Jetley, to change his tactics while sending out patrols in the rebel-controlled areas. Accordingly, reports said that General Jetley had issued instructions to the peacekeepers to secure their flanks so that the RUF rebels could not surround them. Besides special patrols, armed with field and area weapons, had also been activated. The troops were now moving in the jungle terrain of Sierra Leone in infantry columns, with each column having a strength of 120 to 130 men. Besides Lt. Gen Vij, the Indian team consisted of Mr B.S.Lalli, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and Mr Dinkar Srivastava, who is also a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External affairs. The delegation took stock of the logistic problems being faced by our troops on ground for which the rectification measures had also been instituted. Apparently the Indian delegation had also managed to convince the regional powers, who have also contributed to the UN Force in Sierra Leone, that General Jetley was a competent officer, who would ably be able to lead the force. The regional powers had expressed their apprehensions over General Jetley continuing as the Force Commander, specially keeping in view his ground tactics. The Indian delegation also held consultations with representatives of the UN, UK and the USA. In New York the delegation briefed the Defence Peace Keeping Operations Head, Mr Miyet along with the representatives of the Permanent Mission of India. Besides giving an assessment of the ground situation in Sierra Leone, the delegation conveyed India’s grave concern with regard to the security and well being of the Indian hostages. It was emphasised most unequivocally that under no circumstances will the release of Indian troops be allowed to be linked with any political bargaining. In Washington, the
delegation along with the Indian Ambassador met Mr Thomas
Pickering, Under Secretary of State and Mr Carl
Inderfurth, Assistant Secretary of State and conveyed the
concern of the Government of India in regard to the
security of Indian hostages. The US authorities assured
them of their efforts to secure an early release of the
Indian hostages. |
Wage board report likely by June 30 NEW DELHI, June 22 (PTI) — The much-awaited report of the Manisana Wage Board for Journalists and Non-Journalists is likely to be submitted to the government by the end of this month, Union Labour Minister Satyanarayan Jatiya said today. "The Wageboards Chairman Justice R.K. Manisana Singh has assured me that he will submit the report by June 30 after obtaining signatures from all board members", he told reporters here. Asked if the report might be delayed, Mr Jatiya said even if it was delayed, it would not be beyond the first week of July. He said once the report was submitted, the Labour Ministry would examine it before completing other formalities for its implementation. According to sources,
the board will hold a three-day meeting from June 26 to
discuss various allowances for the employees of the
newspaper industry before submitting the report to the
government. |
Attacks on Christians: NHRC
issues notices NEW DELHI, June 22 — In view of the recent attacks on members of a minority community, the National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of all states and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The commission has sought reports within two weeks on the measures taken and the action plan drawn by them to meet the situation. Urging the respondents to accord priority to the matter, the commission has stressed the need to preserve "the secular credentials of the nation and to fulfil the promise of fraternity and common brotherhood" envisaged in our Constitution. The commission’s decision is based on the need to take a holistic view and to inspire requisite confidence among persons of the minority community who appear to be insecure at this time. The commission has already taken suo motu cognisance of several incidents where some persons professing the Christian faith were assaulted and even killed in different parts of the country. Taking notice of a news
report, "Cleric’s cook dies in police
custody", the commission last week issued notice to
the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police
and asked them to submit a report within a week. The
commission directed the DGP of Uttar Pradesh to ensure a
video recording of the post-mortem examination done in
the case. |
E-governance in MP soon BHOPAL, June 22 — In the race to catch up with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has decided to set up 7,800 electronic centres kiosks across the state. Ironically the state does not have roads, a large segment of its population do not get safe drinking water and any health services worth the name are non-existent in most parts of the state, particularly the tribal-dominated areas. There are many tribal habitations in the state which become inaccessible during the monsoons. However, even those
areas may soon have electronic information centres,
according to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed
between the Madhya Pradesh State Industries Development
Corporation (MPSIDC) and Reliance Industries Limited. The
MoU provides for setting up of a joint venture company to
start 7,800 centres/kiosks by March 2002. As many as 500
centres/kiosks will become operational by March 2001. The
project has been given the name "e-governance
services." |
Heavy rainfall likely in North-East PUNE, June 22 (PTI) — Forecast valid until the morning of June 24. Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at many places in Andaman and Nicobar islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, West Bengal and Sikkim, Bihar, coastal Karnataka and Kerala; at a few places in Orissa, east Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka and Lakshadweep and at isolated places in west Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, west Madhya Pradesh, south Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha and north interior Karnataka. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura and West Bengal and Sikkim during next 48 hours. The cyclonic circulation over south Uttar Pradesh and adjoining Madhya Pradesh now lies over southeast Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring areas. The trough on sea level chart passes through Punjab, southeast Uttar Pradesh and north Orissa and thence southeast wards to east-central bay and extends up to lower tropospheric levels. Southwest monsoon has been vigorous in sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Rain or thundershowers have occurred at many places in Assam and Meghalaya, gangetic West Bengal, and Kerala; at a few places in Andaman and Nicobar islands, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh, hills of west Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep and at isolated places in Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, west Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and south interior Karnataka. Day temperatures were appreciably above normal in some parts of Haryana, northwest Rajasthan and of north Gujarat region and were above normal in east Rajasthan and Saurashtra. These were appreciably
to markedly below normal in plains of west Uttar Pradesh
and northwest Madhya Pradesh and were below normal in
Punjab and were normal in Jammu and Kashmir, southwest
Rajasthan, south Gujarat region and Kutch. |
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