 |
| Tuesday, August 22, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
CBI team leaves for London Punjab owes 502.74 lakh to PGI Minister still in
critical state SP alleges insult of
national leaders
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
India, Maldives to
fight terrorism Passport Amendment Bill passed BJP, JMM differ on CM issue Congress for probe
into J&K killings SC for reducing
review petitions Heavy rain likely
in Haryana Hoax bomb call
hits DSE work
|
|
CBI team leaves for London NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — A three-member CBI team left today for London to bring the UK-based Brazilian businessman A.E. Pinto, a key accused in the Rs 133-crore urea scam, to India, CBI sources said. The team comprising a Law Officer, a Deputy Superintendent of Police and an Inspector left for London to secure the custody of Pinto, whose extradition was confirmed by the UK authorities recently. “The formalities will take about two to three days and the team along with Pinto would be back latest by this weekend,” a CBI official told The Tribune. Pinto’s extradition is crucial for the CBI as he could provide details on how money changed hands in securing the deal and who were the key persons who swung the deal in favour of Karsan Ltd from National Fertilizers Ltd. Pinto has been accused by the CBI of having received kickbacks of about Rs 7 lakh in the scam. Pinto, an agent of the Turkish firm M/s Karsan Ltd, was arrested by the London police on December 11, 1997 at the request of Interpol, New Delhi, following issuance of a warrant of arrest on November 11, 1997, by the Special Judge here. Before his arrest by the London police, the Serious Frauds Office, UK, had conducted searches at his residence in October 1997 and recovered incriminating
documents which showed his involvement in the crime. The Bow Street Magistrate, London, then considered the request of the Indian Government and ordered his extradition on April 16, 1998. |
|
North India in
Parliament NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — An amount of Rs 502.74 lakh and Rs 413.92 lakh was due from Punjab and Haryana Governments, respectively to the PGI, Chandigarh, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prof Rita Sharma, told the Lok Sabha today. Replying to a question by Mr C.N. Singh, she said as per the PGIMER, Chandigarh Act 1966, Punjab and Haryana were required to pay the maintenance cost of 120 beds and 80 beds, respectively. The maintenance cost was increased from Rs 11,600 to Rs 64,500 per bed per annum from April 1, 1990. However, the state governments revised the maintenance costs from Rs 11,600 to Rs 23,200 on their own from April 1, 1993, and April 1, 1995 respectively, instead of Rs 64,500 from April 1, 1990. As such, an amount of Rs 502.74 lakh and Rs 413.92 lakh was due from the Governments of Punjab and Haryana, respectively, the minister said. The matter regarding the payment of arrears had been taken up with state governments concerned, she added. To a question by Mr C.N. Singh and Mr Sheesh Ram Singh Ravi, the minister said 91 faculty positions, 20 group-A, 43 group-B, 127 group-C, and 82 group-D positions were lying vacant at the PGI. She said some of the positions were vacant due to prolonged litigation on the subject of reservation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Others were routine vacancies occurring due to retirements, death, promotions etc. Some new posts had been created recently for the new OPD block of Nehru hospital attached to the institute. The vacancies had been notified or would be advertised shortly, she said. To a question by Mr Ramsagar Rawat if the PGI had failed to recover charges worth Rs 5.17 crore for providing clinical services to indoor and outdoor patients and Rs 2.3 crore for providing clinical tests to patients for research purpose, the minister said basic and life-saving medicines and disposables were being provided to patients by the hospital since 1962. She said to augment the hospital receipts a review was done by the institute in respect of hospital charges and an order issued in April, 1995, which provided that all disposables and medicines be provided by the patients themselves. The order, she said, could not be implemented due to various difficulties like the non-availability of certain life-saving drugs in the market which had to be provided by the hospital, admission of unknown patients, supply by hospital of I/V fluid, bandages, gauze etc, and free treatment of employees of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Administration posted at Chandigarh. She said in view of various factors and hospitals functional objectives, the 1995 orders were reviewed and kept in abeyance. Forest clearance for
Anandgarh:
Replying to a question by Ms Parneet Kaur, he said the Chief Minister of Punjab had met the Environment and Forest Minister to discuss the issue. The minister said the state had only prior consultation with the Union Government for preparing a proposal seeking approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act from the Central Government. Exchanges in
Panchkula:
Answering a question by Mr Ratan Lal Kataria, he said the exchanges in Panchkula would be set up in Sector 15, Sector21-25 and Swastik Nagar, in Ambala at Barola and in Yamunanagar at Ghor Pipli, Kotla, Ranjit Nagar and Lawana. The minister said there were 22 telephone exchanges in Panchkula, 80 in Ambala and 54 in Yamunanagar. |
|
Minister still in
critical state NEW DELHI, Aug 21 (UNI, PTI) — Power Minister P.R. Kumaramangalam has shown some signs of improvement in his “circulatory status” but continues to be critical, AIIMS Medical Superintendent R.K. Sharma said this morning. The 48-year-old minister continued to require multiple organ support, including dialysis and assisted ventilation. “His general condition and management is being closely supervised by a team of senior doctors”, Dr Sharma said. The condition of Mr Kumaramangalam, diagnosed to be suffering from acute myeloid leukemia, is constantly being reviewed by a team of specialists comprising Prof J.N. Pande, Prof S.C. Manchanda, Prof Chandralekha, Prof K.K. Talwar and Dr R. Guleria. |
|
SP alleges insult of
national leaders NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — The Samajwadi Party (SP) members in Parliament today strongly protested against the removal of photographs of national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Jai Prakash Narain and Dr B.R. Ambedkar from the party’s office at Etah yesterday saying that it amounted to insulting the great leaders of the freedom struggle. The agitated SP members disrupted the proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as soon as both the Houses assembled for the day. The SP members while raising the issue demanded an immediate discussion on it. Led by their leader, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, they even stalled the proceedings of the Lower House for half-an-hour during question hour. Raising the issue minutes after the Lok Sabha had assembled to transact the day’s business, the SP members contended that while evicting the party from its district office in Etah, the government officials had insulted the national leaders by throwing out their portraits. Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav said the removal of photographs from the building previously occupied by the Samajwadi Party amounts to “an insult to these luminaries, who were tall leaders in the freedom struggle.” The SP members demanded that question hour be suspended to discuss the matter since it involved the dignity and respect of national leaders. |
|
Passport Amendment Bill passed NEW DELHI, Aug 21— The Rajya Sabha today passed the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Bill, 2000 providing for enhancement in penalty to those entering the country without valid travel documents. The Bill was moved by Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao on behalf of Union Home Minister L.K. Advani. According to the statement of objects and reasons, the penalty provided for the offences under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 which is presently three months imprisonment or with fine or both, is not deterrent enough. It proposes increase in sentence from three months to five years. The rationale behind bringing about an amendment to the Act is security interest of the nation. According to the statement, the existing Act came into force when Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar did not exist as separate countries. It was felt necessary to enhance the penalty in view of the problems being faced by border states from these countries due to illegal migration, clandestine activities such as smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics and movement of persons having links with terrorists and terrorist organisations. According to the statement, the provisions contained in Section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967, were amended in 1993 to provide imprisonment for a term extending up to five years or fine up to Rs 50,000. Sub-section (4) of Section 12 provides double the penalty for a previously convicted person in comparison with the three months imprisonment or fine or both provided for under the Passport (Entry into India) Act. The debate preceding the passage of the amendment Bill witnessed demands for parity treatment in issuing passports to Sikh granthis. The issue was raised by Mr Lachmman Singh and Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia. Mr Laxman Singh (Congress) said the passport application of religious Sikh persons should not be held up. “Granthis are needed in Canada, USA and England.” He pointed out that the RPO did not issue a passport to a granthi. Instead, the application came to Delhi from where it was sent to the Home Ministry and did not move from there for six months. He wanted to know whether the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Vidyasagar Rao was prepared to withdraw the order making it mandatory for the RPO to refer the passport applications of Sikh preachers to the Home Ministry. Mr Rao assured him that the suggestion would be given due consideration. |
|
BJP, JMM differ on CM issue NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — The Union Home Minister Mr L.K. Advani, will monitor the progress made regarding the formation of the three new states — Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal. This was decided at the first meeting on the formation of new states chaired by Mr Advani and attended by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, Law Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Personnel Vasundhara Raje and Minister of Environment and Forest T.R. Balu, sources said. Home Secretary Kamal Pande was directed at the meeting to expedite the work regarding the formation of the three states at the state level. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Soren met Mr Advani over the issue of Chief Ministership of the state. The meeting, which lasted for about 15 minutes, gains significance as the BJP, the largest party in the Jharkhand region with 32 seats and the second largest party JMM with 12 seats were at loggerheads on the Chief Ministership issue and there were also reports from Ranchi that the JMM could pull out from the NDA if Mr Soren was not made the Chief Minister. However, Mr Soren seemed to have softened his stand on the Chief Ministership issue after his brief meeting with Mr Advani. Asked whether the JMM will withdraw from the NDA on the issue, he told reporters that “the BJP leadership had assured that only a tribal will be made the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.” JMM activists have argued that Defence Minister George Fernandes and Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar had given assurances that Mr Soren would be made the Chief Minister of Jharkhand whenever it came into being. However,
today a statement by Mr Soren indicates that the JMM has “reluctantly” accepted Mr Babu Lal Marandi, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, being a tribal, as the ideal person for being the Chief Minister of
Jharkhand. |
|
India, Maldives to
fight terrorism NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — India and Maldives have agreed to further intensify bilateral cooperation to fight international terrorism. The two countries articulated their strong common position on terrorism and fundamentalism when the visiting Maldives President, Mr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today held official-level discussions. Maldives has been supportive of India initiative in having an international convention on terrorism. India draft on an international convention was accepted and work would begin in the coming session of the UN General Assembly in New York. During their discussions, all aspects of bilateral relations, including cooperation in areas of defence, tourism and human resource development, were taken up, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said here today. Mr Gayoom and Mr Vajpayee decided that work should be expedited on setting up of an Institute for Hotel Management and Catering Services. The setting of the institute with the help of New Delhi was agreed upon during an earlier visit of Mr Gayoom to India but work could not begin as land for the setting up the institute had not been allotted. Earlier, the Home Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, called on Mr Gayoom and discussed security issues. The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, also called on the visiting President. The two discussed ongoing defence cooperation. Mr Gayoom called on the President, Mr
K.R. Narayanan. |
|
Congress for probe
into J&K killings NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — The ruling BJP coalition is heading for a trial of strength in the Lok Sabha with the Congress today moving a motion under Rule 184 to demand a judicial probe into the recent massacre of pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir. The motion under Rule 184, that provides for a division, was moved by Mr Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi of the Congress. There is, however, little cause for worry for the ruling side as the Samajwadi Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have earlier expressed their opposition to a judicial probe into the Kashmir killings as they feel that it would thwart any debate on the subject in Parliament besides being time consuming. Without the support of these two parties, the Congress has little chance of defeating the
government. Moving the motion, Mr Dasmunshi said the proposed commission of inquiry should submit its report within three months so that Parliament could take it up in the next session. Charging the government with gross negligence in making security arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims, Mr Dasmunshi referred to survey conducted by a daily which revealed that 73 per cent of the respondents were in favour of a judicial probe into the killings. Before the motion was introduced, the Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi observed “while the House condemns the killings and calls for all out efforts to nab the culprits, the members should keep in mind the sensitive nature of the incident”. He said the armed forces were doing a laudable job in the valley and cautioned members against making any unsubstantiated allegations that could demoralise them. He said any reference that could have an impact on communal harmony should also be avoided. Reacting to the Speaker’s observation, Mr Dasmunshi said the members were wise enough not to make such remarks that would have an impact on the morale of the security forces and communal harmony. Saying that the Congress did not want to score political points, the member pointed out that the Amarnath Yatra this year was taking place in the backdrop of the hostilities from Pakistan, hijack of the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar, killings in the valley, release of Hurriyat leaders, passage of the autonomy resolution in the J and K Assembly and the opposition to the ceasefire of Hizbul Mujahideen by Lashkar-e-Toiba and other militant groups in Pakistan. |
|
SC for reducing
review petitions NEW DELHI,
Aug 21 (PTI) — the Supreme Court has severely criticised the tendency among litigants to keep on approaching the highest court endlessly by filing applications seeking review or clarification of judgements passed in their cases. “It has become almost everyday experience that review applications are filed mechanically as a matter of routine and the grounds for review are a mere reproduction of the grounds of special leave (appeal),” the court said. A Bench comprising Mr Justice S B Majmudar and Mr Justice M Jagannadha Rao made these observations while dealing with an application which was filed even after the dismissal of the review petitions. The Bench said, “we seriously deprecate this practice. If parties file review petitions indiscriminately, the time of the court is unnecessarily wasted... greater care, seriousness and restraint is needed in filing review applications.” Mr Justice Rao, writing the judgement for the Bench, agreed with Solicitor-General Harish Salve that the court should not permit hearing of an application for “clarification”, “modification” or “recall” if the application was, in substance, one for review. |
|
Heavy rain likely
in Haryana NEW DELHI, AUG 21 — Monsoon has been vigorous in eastern Rajasthan. Rainfall: Rain or thundershowers have occurred at most places in eastern Rajasthan, at many places in the hills of western Uttar Pradesh, at a few places in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, western Rajasthan and the plains of western Uttar Pradesh and at isolated places in the rest of the region. The chief amounts of rainfall in
cm. are: Haryana: Delhi Ridge and Faridabad 7 each, Delhi Bridge 4, New Delhi (Palam) 3 and Chandigarh and New Delhi (Safdarjung) 1 each, Himachal Pradesh: Kahu 3, Kangra 2 and Nalagarh 1, Punjab: Batala 1, Rajasthan: Khanpur 19, Harish Chand Sagar 9, Bhinary 7, Bhimsagar 6, Baseri, Bandra Sadari, Rajawas and Sam Kamala 5 each, Jawaja, Kishansagar, Nasirabad, Sarwar and Sapare 4 each, Akhera, Jhalawar, Jhalarpatan, Jaliwara, Kakeri and Malakhera 3 each, Govindgarh and Jaswand Sagar 2 each, Bharatpur and Jaismond 1 each and Uttar Pradesh: Haripur 6, Banbasa and Uttarkashi 4 each, Balrampur, Hardwar and Rudraprayag 2 each and Joshimath, Marora and Mathura 1 each. Forecast valid until the morning of 23rd: Rain or thundershowers will occur at many places in Haryana, eastern Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh, at a few places in Himachal Pradesh and eastern Uttar Pradesh and at isolated places in the rest of the region. Heavy rainfall warning: Isolated heavy rain is likely in Haryana, eastern Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh during the next 24 hours. Forecast for Delhi and neighbourhood valid until the morning of 23rd: Generally cloudy sky with a few showers/thundershowers. Possibility of heavy thundershowers in some areas. Farmers weather bulletin for Delhi forecast valid until the morning of 23rd: Moderate to rather heavy rain will occur at many places. Possibility of heavy rain in some areas. Outlook for the subsequent two days: Decrease in rain fall. |
Hoax bomb call
hits DSE work NEW DELHI, Aug 21 — All business activities halted today at the Delhi Stock Exchange
(DSE) office in Central Delhi for over two hours following a hoax call that bomb had been planted there. The DSE authorities received a call at 1.15 p.m. that a bomb had been planted inside the office. The office was evacuated for a thorough checking by the police and a bomb disposal squad, the police said. The DSE buildings
were thoroughly searched for more than two hours and it was cleared for operation at 3.25 p.m. as nothing suspicious was found. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
