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| Tuesday, August 1, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Ceasefire
extended in Nagaland Ex-Indian
envoys leave for Pak
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Talks with
Nepalese team today Probe
against PGI officials Tigers’
death ‘not’ due to food poisoning Kargil
hero to be new IAF
Vice-Chief
University
fears paucity of funds Governor
overstepping limits? Tohra
favours Anandpur Sahib Resolution Jethmalani’s
bid to speak in House
futile Rain
likely in Haryana, J&K Chhattisgarh
Bill passed Mishra
takes over as DG, CRPF
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Ceasefire
extended in Nagaland NEW DELHI, July 31 — In a move which would help sustain the peace process in Nagaland, the Central Government and the warring National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) have decided to extend further the ceasefire for one year from tomorrow. The agreement was reached after a two-day marathon negotiations between the Central Government negotiator and former Union Home Secretary, Mr K. Padmanabhaiah, and the Chairman of the NSCN (I-M), Mr Isac Swu, in Bangkok. This pact is being seen as a "positive" development by experts here as the peace process had come to a halt following the arrest in Bangkok of NSCN (I-M) General Secretary Th. Muviah’s on January 19 for possessing a fake passport and the previous ‘ceasefire’ agreement coming to an end on July 31, 2000. According to Home Ministry sources, the agreement was arrived at after a two-day negotiations on July 29 and 30 in which Th. Muviah was ‘secretly’ consulted. "The Government of India and the NSCN have decided to move forward with the peace process to bring about a lasting political solution to the Naga issue," a Home Ministry spokesman told reporters here. "It is felt that there is need for mutual trust," he said adding the ‘agreed ground rules’ shall be implemented during the current ‘ceasefire’ period in letter and spirit. Any violation of the ceasefire agreement will be looked into by the Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG), which could even constitute a sub-committee to probe into any specific violation, he said. The Centre and the NSCN (I-M) had for the first time agreed to a ‘ceasefire’ for three months with effect from August 1, 1997, and to embark upon political level discussions. Negotiations with representatives of NSCN(I-M) were held in Delhi and as a result of these negotiations, certain ‘agreed ground rules’ to be followed during the ceasefire as well as constitution of CeaseFire Monitoring Group (CFMG) were agreed upon. The ceasefire was extended thrice for periods of three months each and twice for periods of one year each. Further extension for a period of one year beyond July 31, 2000 will be the fourth year of ceasefire. Initially a leading lawyer and a Rajya Sabha MP, Mr Swaraj Kaushal, was appointed the political negotiator on behalf of the Centre. However, following his resignation in July 1999, Mr K. Padmanabhaiah was appointed as the Government negotiator. The disturbing factor in the "smooth but slow peace negotiations" was that the security forces were forced to close the CFMC at Dimapur with communication facilities in December 1999 following reports of "extensive misuse" of the facility. However, in a meeting of the CFMG on
July 18, 2000 at Dimapur, the NSCN(I-M) have been permitted to open a
CFMC for a period of one year at Diphupar, at a place agreed to
between Assam Rifles and NSCN, to be used only for monitoring purposes
and for smooth communication between all parties involved in the
ceasefire agreement. |
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Ex-Indian
envoys leave for Pak NEW DELHI, July 31 — Exchanges between India and Pakistan appears to have received a fresh momentum since February this year with five former diplomats embarking on a week-long visit to the neighbouring country. It is for the first time that a delegation of senior ambassadors, including two former Foreign Secretaries, Mr M.K. Rasgotra and Mr Salman Haider, left here today for Islamabad in the wake of Indo-Pak relations having touched an all-time low after Islamabad’s misadventure in the Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir last year. Though these visits are unofficial, Pakistan’s chief executive, Gen Pervez Musharraf, hopes these exchanges in various spheres will contribute in moulding public opinion in India to resume the stalled bilateral dialogue without preconditions. India has maintained that it will resume the composite dialogue with Pakistan only when it puts an end to cross-border terrorism. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had said in Parliament that Pakistan had repeatedly stabbed India in the back. Therefore, sitting across the table with Pakistan will depend on the neighbour taking necessary steps in ending insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government is also closely watching these goings on as part of its track II diplomacy, hoping that intense pressure will be brought upon General Musharraf from within to stop cross-border terrorism as it was eating into the vitals of Pakistan’s economy. India firmly believes that Pakistan’s gambit of bleeding this country by its proxy war cannot ever succeed. Even as New Delhi is calibrating how much violence India can accept, the view gaining ground is that the economic salvation for Pakistan lay in looking towards India. At the same time there are indications that Islamabad is trying to reassess and change the contours of its policy of aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism. The driving force behind the visit of the erstwhile career diplomats is Mr Alan Nazareth, who is in the vanguard of the India chapter of the Peoples Forum. This comes within five months of a multi-faceted group from Pakistan which had visited Bangalore for a conference which contributed in generating goodwill. The other members of the delegation are Mr C.V. Ranganathan and Ms Manorama Bhalla. Except for Ms Bhalla who had served in the Indian mission in Pakistan, the other four ambassadors are visiting Pakistan for the first time. In a brief chat with TNS before emplaning for Lahore en route to Islamabad, the former Foreign Secretary, Mr Salman Haider, emphasised that Mr Rasgotra would be the leader of the group. "We are all going in our personal capacity and we have no official role nor any sponsorship", he said. Considering the present state of
Indo-Pak relations, "one cannot build expectations as serious
issues are involved. We will be exchanging views with a wide cross
section of opinion both in Islamabad and Lahore", he said. |
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Cong men held for picketing HYDERABAD, July 31 (PTI) — The picketing programme by main Opposition Congress against the power tariff hike turned violent, after Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief M. Satyanaryana Rao got injured in stone pelting by miscreants in Warangal town when he, along with six local Congress MLAs, was arrested today. The police said Mr Rao was participating in picketing, along with the party MLAs and workers, in front of the Collectorate’s office when some unidentified persons hurled stones. The APCC chief was rushed to a private hospital, the police said, adding that efforts were on to trace the culprits. However, Congress leaders alleged that Mr Rao was attacked by members of ‘Telugu Sena’, a body of volunteers being formed by the ruling TDP to conduct party programmes. Earlier Mr Rao and six party MLAs — P. Lakshmaiah, N. Rajalingam, B. Saraiah, Reddaiah Naik, P. Veeraiah and K. Surekha — were arrested for picketing and defying prohibitory orders. Led by Mr Rao, Congress workers picketed for over two hours before the Collectorate office as part of the state-wide agitation against the hike and the government’s ‘failure’ to heed to the opposition call for withdrawal of hike by July 31. Both the Congress and the Left parties had earlier decided to intensify the ongoing agitation against revision of power tariff by the government in June, if the ruling TDP did not relent to their demands and had set July 31 as the deadline. The picketing programme near Hyderabad Collectorate was deferred to August 2 in view of ‘Bonalu’, a local festival. However, Congress workers led by party spokesman K. Keshava Rao and Left parties workers staged dharna before the Ranga Reddy District Collectorate as the police kept a tight vigil. As part of their plans to intensify the agitation against hike in power tariff, the Left parties also called for non-payment of bills and ‘chalo Assembly’ programme. With the state-sponsored quarterly ‘Janmabhoomi’ (community development through self-help) programme commencing tomorrow, the Congress and Left parties called upon people, especially womenfolk to gherao and question the ministers and officials for the ‘abnormal and unprecedented’ hike of 20 per cent in power tariff, which affected all categories of consumers. Unlike the earlier 12 rounds of ‘Janmabhoomi’ programme, this 10-day programme christened as ‘Mahila Janmabhoomi’ is likely to face rough weather with the Opposition determined to gherao the Chief Minister, ministers and other officials participating in the programme and persist with their demand for rollback of tariff. The state government was also set to have embarrassing moments in the Budget session of the state Assembly commencing from August 10 as the 91-member Congress Legislature Party has decided to be firm and vociferous on the power tariff issue. The 20 per cent hike in power tariff was effected by the government on June 4 to raise an additional annual revenue of around Rs 800 crore and help overcome financial constraints faced by the state transmission company APTRANSCO besides improving the overall power scenario. The wide-spread public resentment
against the hike forced the government to provide a subsidy of Rs 284
crore as a relief but the Opposition dubbed it as an ‘eyewash’ and
insisted on total withdrawal of hike. |
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Talks
with Nepalese team today NEW DELHI, July 31 — The Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr G.P. Koirala, is scheduled to arrive late this evening on a seven-day official visit. The talks between the two delegations led by the visiting Prime Minister and the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, will be held tomorrow evening at Hyderabad House, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs said here. The two delegations will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues. Mr Koirala will be accorded a ceremonial reception tomorrow morning at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, will also call on Mr Koirala. The visiting Prime Minister will call on the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, and the Vice-President, Mr Krishan Kant. The President will host a lunch in the honour of Mr Koirala. The former Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, will meet Mr Koirala at 4 p.m. The Minister for Water Resources, Mr Arjun Sethi, will also call on Mr Koirala. After the official level talks, the two Prime Ministers will continue their discussions during dinner which will be hosted by Mr Vajpayee. On Wednesday, the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, the Human Resource Development Minister, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr K.C. Pant, will call on Mr Koirala. Mr Koirala, who has brought along a 35-member business delegation, will have a meeting with representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) on August 2. On Thursday, Mr Koirala will leave
for Bangalore where he will visit HAL and will have interaction with
business delegation of the FICCI. |
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Tigers’
death ‘not’ due to food poisoning NEW DELHI, July 31 — Minister for Environment and Forests T.R. Baalu today ruled out food poisoning or administration of wrong medicine as the cause of recent tiger deaths in Nandankanan zoo in Orissa. Mr Baalu was replying to a calling attention motion moved by Mr Suresh Pachouri (Congress) on Friday. Moving the motion, Mr Pachouri expressed concern over the death of precious wildlife in various parts of the country, including zoos and sanctuaries. Responding to clarifications, Mr Baalu said: "Trypanosomiasis parasite is present in all animals and the disease erupts in the event of stress and strain." He said the recent cyclone resulted in strain on the animals and the tigers could not be saved despite all efforts by veterinarians. He added that Nandankanan itself was prone to trypanosomiasis. Quoting from a book by the Animal Disease Research Institute, Orissa, the minister said the trypanosomiasis appeared occasionally in outbreak form and was not very responsive to treatment. He said recent cases of trypanosomiasis were found in cattle and donkeys. On the issue of release of insufficient funds, Mr Baalu said budget for various programmes, including wildlife, Project Tiger, Project Elephant and Central Zoo Authority, had been given increased central allocation. TDP member, Mr C. Ramachandraiah, demanded moratorium on setting up new zoos and creation of the Indian zoological service to protect the fast dwindling national asset. He said no new zoo should be set up in the country till the administration was streamlined and the zoological service introduced on the lines of the Indian Forest Service. Mr Baalu said no decision could be
taken on the issue till the committee set up to look into the
functioning of zoos submitted its report within three months. |
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Kargil hero to be new IAF Vice-Chief NEW DELHI, July 31 (PTI) — The Kargil hero, Air Marshal Vinod Patney was today appointed as the new Vice-Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters here, in a major reshuffle of top commanders. Air Marshal Patney, presently Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Air Command takes over from Air Marshal Prithvi Singh Brar who retires after 40 years of meritorious service. Air Marshal Patney was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command during the Kargil operations and was awarded Sarvotam Yudh Seva Medal. Air Marshal V.K. Verma, presently Senior Air Staff Officer, Central Air Command, has taken over as the new Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Air Command in succession to Patney. Another senior
commander, Air Vice-Marshal T.M. Asthana, on promotion, to the rank of
Air Marshal, has been appointed as new Senior Air Staff Officer
Central Air Command. Air Vice-Marshal A. Bhavnani has been appointed
as the new Assistant Chief of Air Staff (personnel) at Air
Headquarters on promotion. |
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North
India in Parliament NEW DELHI, July 31 — A departmental inquiry has been initiated against the delinquent officials of the PGI, Chandigarh, where misappropriation of funds worth Rs 3.55 lakh was detected in 1997 due to defective maintenance of stores ledgers, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prof Rita Verma, told the Lok Sabha today. She said that the inquiry had been ordered on the recommendation of the CBI. Responding to a question by Mr Ramjee Manjhi, the minister said that sanction had also been granted to the CBI for prosecution of one of the delinquent official in the court. Industrial package for J&K: The Centre has received a proposal from the Jammu and Kashmir Government for an industrial package for the state on the pattern of the North East Industrial Policy. Replying to a question by Mr Brahmakumar Bhatt, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Dr Raman Singh, said that proposal of the J&K Government will be kept in view as and when any specific package is prepared for the state. Ten TACs in Haryana: The Minister of State for Communications, Mr Tapan Sikdar, informed the Lok Sabha that there were 10 telecom advisory committees (TAC) functioning in Haryana. Replying to a question by Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, he said the TACs in Haryana included Haryana (Circle), Ambala, Faridabad, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak, Jind, Sonepat, Gurgaon and Narnaul (Rewari). To a question by Mr Abdul Rashid Shaheen about the applicants waiting for telephone connections in various exchanges under the Baramula region of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Sikdar said that the waiting list was proposed to be cleared by March 31, 2000. He said that steps were being taken to open new exchanges, expand existing exchanges and also to provide necessary external plant network. He informed that total waiting list in various exchanges in the Baramula region on June 30 was 4145. To a question by Mr Ashok N Mohol about exchanges in Hamirpur having 1,000 or more lines without optical fibre, Mr Sikdar said that Tal, Barsar, Bhoranj and Galore were without optical fibre connections. Asked about the problems faced by subscribers of Tal telephone exchange, he said that at present Tal exchange was connected to Bhota with junction cable having 18 circuits and Bhota exchange was further connected to Hamirpur with optical fibre. Mr Sikdar said that during 2000-2001,
there was a plan to connect Tal exchange with Hamirpur on a microwave
system, subject to availability of equipment. Galore, Barsar and
Bhoranj are already connected on microwave media. As such there is no
plan to connect these exchanges with optical fibre cable, he said. |
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Fever stalks Mumbai, 26 dead MUMBAI, July 31 (UNI) — Twenty-six persons from the outskirts of Mumbai and adjoining Thane district, have died due to the suspected leptospirosis fever, which has been stalking the metropolis since the past fortnight. Of these 26 cases, only two cases in Mumbai were confirmed as cases of leptospirosis, Health Minister Digvijay Khanvilkar has said. Patients showing symptoms of the mysterious fever were from Vasai, Mira-Bhayander and Kalyan towns in Thane district. Most of the patients had died due to renal failure, kidney dysfunction, jaundice, lung problems and severe cold, which are similar symptoms for cases of leptospirosis. The samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and Haffkine Institute at Parel. Instructions have been given to all government and private hospitals and clinics to come forward and report such cases and the citizens have been warned not to neglect fever or other ailments contracted during the past fortnight, the minister informed. Additional Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Prithiviraj Bayas said the health of patients showing symptoms of the fever admitted to various hospitals was improving. At the KEM hospital in central Mumbai alone, over 35 patients are under treatment. Hospital sources said out of them, 13 patients including 11 men and two women have been admitted today. Earlier 18 persons were admitted yesterday. The patients are showing recovery signs, sources informed. Rats, pigs, cattle and dogs are
reservoirs of this infection. They excrete leptospira bacteria in
their urine and contaminate water. Therefore, the possibility of
people getting infected after flooding exists. Unfortunately, over a
fortnight ago as the city was flooded due to incessant rains, the
disease might have spread, as citizens waded through waters. |
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Creation
of Uttaranchal PANTNAGAR, July 31 — For teachers and students of Govindballabh Pant Agriculture and Technology University here, it is time to worry. They fear that with the creation of the proposed hill state of Uttaranchal, the university will be starved of funds. A number of students and teachers this correspondent spoke to felt that this could jeopardise teaching and research here. Preliminary estimates show that the total revenue base of 11 hill districts proposed to be part of Uttaranchal is not more than Rs 400 crore annually. How can a university, spread over 10,000 acres of research farms and with 1,000 teachers and researches survive when the hill state itself would fiscally be in a bad shape, the teachers asked. Pant University as it is popularly called here was established in 1960 by late Jawahar Lal Nehru as the first university in the country meant for agriculture research and teaching. It made a unique contribution for ushering in the Green Revolution and always had eminent scientists and teachers on its rolls. The only way to save it is to make it a central university. "The university has a unique integrated organisational set-up for teaching, research and extension to serve the agricultural needs of the country by cutting across the climactic zones, geographic areas and socio-economic groups. It has a well-developed infrastructure in terms of land, laboratories and a library along with advanced facilities for quality teaching and research. The university has seven established research centres on the main campus at Pantnagar, eight regional research centres and 10 krishi vigyan kendras in different agri-climactic zones", Dr Sureshpal Singh, general secretary of the Pant University Teachers Association, said. The university during in its 40 years of existence not only revolutionised agricultural education but also introduced innumerable novel concepts of research and extension which enabled the country to achieve food security and rural prosperity within an unimaginable short period. The university is globally known for its high quality seeds. It has established UP Seeds and Terai Development Corporation for seed multiplication and marketing. " We understand that the university which falls under the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, is likely to be a part of the proposed state of Uttaranchal. We firmly believe that the new state will not be in a position to fully utilise the huge infrastructure and trained human resource of university as well as to meet the huge financial obligations," Mr Bhupesh Kumar Singh, another PUTA leader added. It has won the best agricultural university of the country award from ICAR and has 4,000 students and 1,000 faculty members drawn from various parts of the country. As a "central agricultural university" of the country, it could serve its cause better. " It has the potential not only to serve the Uttaranchal and UP states but the country as a whole with broad spectrum," other teachers said. " We further wish to submit that
at this juncture when mega changes in the agro-ecological and economic
scenario are under way at the national and global levels, there is a
need for a central agricultural university to play a leading role with
modern information technological facilities," the association
argues in a memorandum to the Union Government. |
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Governor
overstepping limits? CALCUTTA, July 31 — Can a Governor intervene in the administrative jurisdiction of an elected government and convene the meeting of the police and administrative heads to discuss the state’s law and order problems? The meeting was a controversy in both political and administrative circles in West Bengal in the wake of Governor Biren J. Shah calling the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary and the police chiefs at Raj Bhavan to discuss the law and order situation soon after the Nanur carnage in Birbhum district in which Trinamool Congress supporters had reportedly been hacked to death by the CPM. The CPM leadership has criticised the Governor’s action and alleged that Mr Shah had crossed his legal jurisdiction which was unwarranted. The Trinamool Congress, the Congress and the BJP, however, welcomed the Governor’s move. State officials were also divided on the Governor calling the meeting. A dawn-to-dusk bandh was observed today by the Yuva Congress (YC) in protest against the killings at Nanur. The CPM and other Left parties, as also the Trinamool Congress, the BJP and the Congress opposed the bandh. The bandh was peaceful barring a few minor incidents of stone-throwing and burning of a public bus in the city, which led to the arrest of Mr Paresh Pal, YC president and 22 others. However, in a separate incident, seven persons, stated to be criminals, were beaten to death at Banghur village in south 24-Parganas. Mr Jyoti Basu who returned to Calcutta last night after his 36-hour stay at AIIMS in New Delhi following sudden illness, was not happy at the Governor’s move. He could have asked for reports from the government or invited the Home Minister to get himself apprised of the situation which would have been legal on the part of the Governor, the Chief Minister said. Incidentally, Mr Shah is a personal friend of Mr Basu and Mr Basu himself recommended his name to succeed the former Goerner, Mr A R Kidwai. Mr Basu today attended his office at Writers Buildings and met ministers and top officials separately to discuss the law and order situation in the wake of the killings at Keshpur, Nanur and elsewhere. The Governor, however, does not think he has done anything wrong or illegal. Mr Shah’s meeting followed after members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the BJP met him and submitted a memorandum to him, demanding imposition of the President’s rule in the state. The CPM state unit secretary, Mr Anil Biswas, who is also a politburo member, alleged that the Governor had been playing in the hands of the Trinamool Congress-BJP-Congress and had dragged himself into politics. He warned that the CPM and other Left parties would launch campaign against the Governor. Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee, of the Triamool Congress, felt that the Governor should have acted earlier, thereby preventing carnages at Keshpur and Nanur. Mr Saugata Roy, one of the general secretaries of the state Congress, said: "The Governor is very much willing his legal right to call the officers at Raj Bhavan and discuss law and order problems. The newly-elected BJP’s state unit
president, Mr Ashim Ghosh, also welcomed the Governor’s step. |
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Tohra
favours Anandpur Sahib Resolution NEW DELHI, July 31 — The Anandpur Sahib Resolution should be the basis for any amendment to the Constitution redefining the Centre-state relationship, the chief of Sarv Hind Akali Dal (SHAD), Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra said today. "Anandpur Sahib Resolution, 1973, was the best formula for unity, integrity, prosperity and peaceful and congenial atmosphere in the country," Mr Tohra said in a memorandum to the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) here. The Akali leader’s demand comes even as the Centre is struggling to grapple with the autonomy demand made by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. In a 75-page memorandum in Punjabi submitted to the CRC Chairman Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, the SHAD has narrated the history of Punjab and the spirit behind the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, which called for greater autonomy to states. The memorandum calls for rewriting Article 1 of the Constitution to declare India "a federal state which seeks to preserve, protect and defend the distinctive plural character of the Indian society." It also calls for modification in the existing "Union List", "State List" and "Concurrent List" with federal principle and also re-writing of Article 3 which states that the federal government should have no power to wipe out, destroy or dilute the self-identities of the constituent states. "It may be further clarified that no change be made in the boundaries and areas of any state without the consent of the respective state," the memorandum said. Similar to the autonomy resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the memorandum also suggests that except, defence, external affairs and communication, all other subjects should remain with the states. The only difference is that the SHAD states that if any other subject needs to be wrested with the Centre it should be with the consent of the state. The memorandum also underlines the need for election of Governors in various states or recommendation of the name for the post by a state’s committee or panel. Later, talking to newspersons Mr
Tohra exhorted confidence that the CRC would consider the memorandum. |
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Jethmalani’s
bid to speak in House
futile NEW DELHI, July 31— Former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani’s efforts to offer an explanation in the Rajya Sabha today about his resignation from the Cabinet proved futile. When Mr Jethmalani repeated his request in the post lunch session, Mr Suresh Pachouri, who was in the Chair, said that his name had not been listed and he had no instructions from the Chairman. Mr Jethmalani said he was anxious to make a statement in the House. "It is my inalienable right to defend myself about accusations being made against me. It is a respectful protest." The former Law Minister said that he had already indicated his personal problem and he would not be in the House tomorrow. Visibly upset over not being afforded an opportunity to offer an explanation, he said, "People are being compelled to resort to extra parliamentary measures." Stepping out of the House in haste,
Mr Jethmalani told mediapersons that he had waited all day to make a
statement. Asked if he was annoyed over not being given a fair chance
to speak in the House, he said, "I have no comments to
make." |
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Rain
likely in Haryana, J&K NEW DELHI, July 31 — Monsoon has been active in Himachal Pradesh. Rainfall: Rain or thundershowers have occurred at most places in the hills of west Uttar Pradesh, at many places in Himachal Pradesh, east Rajasthan and the plains of Uttar Pradesh and at a few places in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Weather was mainly dry in west Rajasthan. The chief amounts of rainfall in cm. are: Haryana: Chandigarh 6, Delhi Ridge and Thanesar 5 each, New Delhi (Safdarjung) 4, Sonepat 3 and Dadupur and Jagadhari 1 each, Himachal Pradesh: Nadaun 12, Mandi 8, Kahu 4, Ghamroor 3, Dehragopipur, Kangra and Una 2 each and Berthin, Guler, Kasol, Nagrota Surian, Pandhoh, Shimla, Sarkaghat and Sundernagar 1 each, Jammu and Kashmir: Kathua 1, Punjab: Dasuaya 3, Mukerian, Nangal and Patiala 2 each and Ludhiana 1, Rajasthan: Harishchandra Sagar 3, Bhimsagar 2 and Aklera, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Kishansagar, Khanpur and Sunei 1 each and Uttar Pradesh: Basti 9, Banbasa 7, Birdghat, Bansi, Gorakhpur, Jhansi and Marora 5 each, Joshimath, Neemsar, Palliakalan and Regoli 4 each, Balrampur, Khadda and Shardanagar 3 each, Etawah, Katerdharighat and Mohana 2 each and Ankinghat, Banda, Bareilly, Chhatnag, Kakrahi,Katerniaghat and Uttarkashi 1 each. Forecast valid until the morning of August 2: Rain or thundershowers will occur at most places in Himachal Pradesh and north Uttar Pradesh, at many places in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and south Uttar Pradesh, at a few places in Punjab and east Rajasthan and at isolated places in west Rajasthan. Heavy rainfall warning: Heavy rain is likely at a few places with isolated very heavy falls in Himachal Pradesh and the hills of west Uttar Pradesh during next 48 hours. Heavy rain is also likely at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir and the plains of north Uttar Pradesh during the same period. Forecast for Delhi and neighbourhood valid until the morning of August 2: Generally cloudy sky with a few showers/thundershowers. Possibility of thunderstorm in some areas. Farmers weather bulletin for Delhi (forecast valid until the morning of August 2): Moderate to rather heavy rain will occur at many places. Outlook for the subsequent two days:
Decrease in rainfall. |
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Chhattisgarh
Bill passed NEW DELHI, July 31— The Lok Sabha today passed by voice vote a Bill for the creation of Chhattisgarh. Barring the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Party and the CPM, all other parties supported the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2000, which was passed after a three-hour debate in the lower House. Introduced by the Union Home
Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, the Bill proposes to create a State from 16
districts of Madhya Pradesh and will have a population of 1.76 crore. |
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Mishra
takes over as DG, CRPF NEW DELHI, July 31 — Dr Trinath Mishra took over the charge of Director-General, CRPF, today. Dr Mishra, a 1965 batch IPS officer
from the UP cadre, was previously Director-General of the Central
Industrial Security Force. |
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