Sunday, November 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India
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JMM claims support of ‘all’ parties Govt in bind on price rollback Mamata’s terms for talks with CM Sonia to cast vote in Lucknow Prasada for conscience vote |
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Nexus between property
dealers, DDA exposed MP Govt misutilised relief funds: CAG Nuclearisation ‘did not’ help Pak, India Call to boycott MNCs: Azadi Bachao Andolan Nedumaran may join Gopal Preparing women for tomorrow International Film Festival opens Boy kidnapped
by uncle recovered Maran’s condition
‘satisfactory’ Newspaper staff rue delay A rare surgery at Apollo hospital
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JMM claims support of ‘all’ parties RANCHI, Nov 11 (PTI) — Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Secretary Devsharan Bhagat today claimed all political parties sans the BJP would support a JMM-led government in the new Jharkhand state. “Even NDA allies, the Samata and the JD (U), will lend their support to us,” he said. Apart from the Congress, the RJD and Left parties, at least three of the four Independents had assured the JMM of their support in government-formation, Mr Bhagat said. Meanwhile, a report from Patna said Jharkhand Chief Minister aspirant and JMM-S president Shibu Soren, on Saturday offered the post of Deputy Chief Minister to senior JD-U MLA and former Bihar minister Inder Singh Namdhari in his bid to engineer a split in the JD-U but was turned down. “Soren offered me the post of Deputy Chief Minister to garner my support, but I refused to oblige him...I told him that I will not leave the NDA,” Mr Namdhari said. Mr Soren said the Congress’ decision to support his bid for chief ministership was apparent from the fact that the party’s MLAs participated in a meeting called by him. He said besides all nine MLAs of the RJD, two of the CPI, one of the MCC, an Independent also attended the meeting. When contacted, JMM-S Vice-President R.K. Anand claimed the party had already obtained the signatures of 36 MLAs in support of Mr Soren and six more MLAs were to follow suit by evening. Meanwhile, the BJP described as ridiculous the claim of the JMM-S having the support of 42 MLAs and said it would stake claim to form the new government. It claimed that the NDA commanded the support of 44 MLAs and would form the government in Jharkhand on November 14. A UNI report from Ranchi said security had been beefed up in view of the formation of Jharkhand comprising 18 districts of South Bihar. In all, 30 companies of the police, including 15 of the para-military force, were likely to be deployed in the region. |
Govt in bind on price rollback NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — The Vajpayee government appears to be in a bind over Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee’s demand for a partial rollback in the prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas. Though the Prime Minister has delayed taking a decision on the rollback by a couple of months —his knee surgery coming as a good excuse — the Trinamool Congress has said that it was running out of patience. The Prime Minister has informally discussed the issue with the National Democratic Alliance partners and indicated that he may be compelled to oblige Ms Banerjee in a bid to buy peace for the government. Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has however, steadfastly avoided any public commitment on the demand. The issue of rollback of oil prices did not even figure in the few Cabinet meetings that have been held in the capital after Mr Vajpayee’s return from Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai before Divali. Ms Banerjee too has not made a hue and cry in the public but has
quietly kept her demand alive in the Prime Minister’s Office. She has also sent a letter to Mr Vajpayee suggesting how he could go about the rollback. According to official circles, the government is preparing for a partial rollback and an exercise to this effect has been initiated. The Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, and his counterpart in the Petroleum Ministry, Mr Ram Naik, have held discussions and worked out modalities of the rollback. Mr Naik has been of the firm opinion that there was no scope to reduce the oil prices and the only concession that can be given to the consumer is through another cut in the duty rates. State-owned oil companies, which supply their products at administered prices, have been facing a tough time as their dues with the government, under the oil pool account, have run into crores of rupees. According to one estimate, with the international crude prices continuing to rise and winter demand from Europe shooting up, there would be no let-up on the oil price front. Though economically, the move to rollback oil prices was not justified, the sources said the government was being guided only by political considerations. The Vajpayee government, it is understood, wants a firm commitment from Ms Mamata Banerjee that once the rollback is announced, she would not ditch the National Democratic Alliance. The NDA partners are ill at ease about Ms Banerjee’s hobnobbing with the Congress in West Bengal. They don’t want her to get the credit for the price rollback and make political gains out of it. Mamata’s terms for talks with CM CALCUTTA, Nov 11 — The Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, has said she would accept Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya’s offer for peace talks only after hundreds of evicted Trinamool Congress workers of the trouble-torn areas of Midnapore, Bankura and Birbhum are rehabilitated and their land and property returned to them. Ms Banerjee, is sitting on a dharna near a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a maidan here along with her supporters. She alleged that the workers had been tortured and forced out of their homes by “CPM anti-socials” under the leadership of the local CPM minister, Mr Sushanta Ghosh. She said an FIR was already lodged against the minister but the police had taken no action. The Trinamool Congress began an indefinite dharna near the statue in defiance of the restriction under Section 144 of the Cr PC. The evicted people of the trouble-torn areas are also participating in the dharna. Mr Bhattacharya said he would be happy if the Trinamool Congress leader would respond to his call for peace talks. He said he had already asked the district administration to arrange the return of all evicted people, irrespective of their party affiliations, to their respective places. Ms Banerjee said she herself would soon organise the safe return of the evicted people and hoped the local administration would help in the endeavour.
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Sonia to cast vote in Lucknow NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Springing a surprise, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided to go to Lucknow to cast her vote in tomorrow’s election for the top job in the party. The decision of Mrs Gandhi, who is a PCC delegate from Uttar Pradesh, to go outside Delhi to cast her vote is unprecedented in the party’s recent history. Mr Sita Ram Kesri, the last Congress President to face a contest, did not cast his vote when he was in the fray in 1997 . Though Congress leaders ascribe Mrs Gandhi’s decision to her desire “to go by the rules,” it also indicates that she is not taking Mr Prasada’s challenge lightly. Uttar Pradesh has 1,200 PCC delegates out of nearly 8,700 delegates and Mr Jitendra Prasada is already in Lucknow to canvass for himself. Mrs Gandhi will be accompanied by Ms Ambika Soni and Congress spokesman Anil Shastri. Mrs Sonia Gandhi is expected to be given a rousing reception when she lands in Lucknow tomorrow morning. Senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders have not only been assigned the task of ensuring support for her, but also of ensuring a tumultuous welcome. Mrs Soni, who resigned from her organisational posts to work for Mrs Gandhi said she had decided to go to Lucknow to identify with workers. Herself a PCC delegate from Punjab, Mrs Soni said she had sought special permission to cast her vote in Lucknow. Meanwhile, according to the Central Election Authority officials, all arrangements have been made for tomorrow’s presidential election. After polling at offices of Pradesh Congress Committees, sealed boxes will be brought to Delhi for counting which is scheduled for November 15. The results will be declared the same day by the Central Election Authority chairman, Mr Ram Niwas Mirdha. Mrs Gandhi, who took over from Mr Sita Ram Kesri about three years ago, enjoys the support of almost all senior leaders, including Congress Working Committee members and Chief Ministers. Mr Prasada has said he is fighting for inner-party democracy and against the coterie around the Congress President. Apart from questioning the way the election process has been conducted, Mr Prasada also opposes the delinking of election to the PCC chief’s post from tomorrow’s election. |
Prasada for conscience vote NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Making a last-ditch effort to seek the support of Congress delegates, Mr Jitendra Prasada, who is fighting the presidential election, today greeted the partymen for “a great and intense exercise in democratising the working of the party”. Maintaining that his campaign aimed at changing the
temperament of intolerance, Mr Prasada appealed to delegates to vote according to their conscience. In his letter to Congress workers and delegates, which was released today, Mr Prasada said that democracy strengthened a party. “I wish that some of my friends and colleagues had shown more tolerance. I wish that the issues I have raised were debated more spiritedly instead of making personal attacks on me,” he said. He alleged that the process of holding elections for the PCC president and AICC delegates along with voting for Congress president has been given “a go-by to keep the aspirants for these offices under pressure.” The alibi that all these elections cannot be held on the same day is hollow, he claimed. “If simultaneous voting could be organised previously, why not this year?” Mr Prasada asked. Urging workers to keep their cool, he said that struggle for
democracy was a long haul. Mr Prasada said the party had lost ground to diverse political opponents simply because “we lost touch with our people”. The distance between
grassroots workers and leadership has widened. This led to growing inability to recognise the changed political, economic and social realities of the country, he said.
Nexus between property
dealers, DDA exposed NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (UNI) — The CBI carried out a major operation against senior officials and employees of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to unearth their alleged well-knit nexus with property dealers and seized a huge amount of bungled income running into lakhs of rupees, agency sources said today. CBI sleuths carried out a series of raids on official and residential premises of three top officials of the DDA, a few other employees and three property dealers, besides a former DDA employee. The day-long raids were conducted yesterday on the premises of Director (Housing) V.K. Singhal, Director (SFS) M.S. Sharma, Assistant Director M.L. Ahuja, officials Jagbir Chaudhary, R.P. Sharma, J.P. Sharma and Satbir Singh, former DDA employee Madan Sharma and property dealers Raju Chawla, Ajay Gupta and Narendra Jindal. Raids were also carried out at the residence and offices of the private secretary of Vice-Chairman Ashok Kapoor and private secretary to Commissioner (Personnel) Usha Ravi Chandran and a few other DDA officials. |
MP Govt misutilised relief funds: CAG BHOPAL, Nov 11 — The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has come down heavily on the Madhya Pradesh Government for bungling the funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy. In its report for the year 1998-99 recently made public, the CAG noted that the Central Government had approved an action plan proposed by the Madhya Pradesh Government for medical, social, economic and environmental rehabilitation of the gas-affected persons and for carrying out research work on the effect of the gas on the victims. The outlay was to be shared by the Central and state governments in the ratio of 75.25. As of March 1999 a sum of Rs 325 crore had reportedly been spent by the state government. A review of the activities taken up revealed, says the report, that the state government had failed to implement the Action Plan effectively. A major portion of the funds was “lying unspent”, while substantial amounts were being spent on “activities not related to the plan”. The medical facilities were “inadequate” and measures of social and economic rehabilitation “lacked effectiveness”. An amount of Rs 76.42 crore shown by the state government as final expenditure in the Finance Accounts of 1994-95 to 1996-97 and 1998-99 had actually been transferred to civil deposits. “The effect is that while the accounts of the state government show the amount as expenditure, in reality it was not so”. Several activities for which a provision of Rs 27.08 crore was made in the plan “were not taken up at all”. An amount of Rs 32.68 crore was spent on activities “for which no provision was made in the plan”. A provision of Rs 10.30 crore (2.77 per cent) was made for establishment charges whereas an amount of Rs 50.70 (20 per cent) had been spent on pay and allowances of the staff. Highlights of the CAG report are:
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Nuclearisation ‘did not’ help Pak, India NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (PTI) — A three-day convention on nuclear disarmament began here today with campaigners from India and Pakistan maintaining that nuclearisation had neither guaranteed security nor conferred any additional power. Slamming the Vajpayee Government for conducting multiple tests at Pokhran in 1998, noted writer and anti-nuclear campaigner Arundhati Roy said the theory that “those who march in khaki shorts and swear by bombs are patriots” was not acceptable. Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar said that the government’s nuclearisation programme only showed the
BJP leaders’ “mindset with distorted priorities”. “This is the same government which screams about religion and dharma on one side and on the other hand goes for instrument of mass destruction. There is an inherent contradiction”. Celebrated intellectual and anti-nuclear campaigner from Pakistan
M.B. Naqvi said the nuclearisation programme had neither brought in security nor enhanced India’s position in the comity of nations. “The fact of the matter is that your country (India) was taken more seriously in 1950s than it is being taken today,” he said, adding that “rather Pakistan’s success in countering your nuke tests has only demoted India’s position”. Referring to the hype created over us president Bill Clinton’s visit, Ms Arundhati
Roy said “if we can become a happy slave with master visiting us, why not crawl under his nuclear umbrella and use the resources for something better.” Speaking on the occasion, Adm
L. Ramdas (retd) said both India and Pakistan were at a stage where they had acquired nuclear capabilities. It was high time that both countries signed a joint protocol seeking to ensure that any kind of accident or error was avoided. In his speech, another noted anti-nuclear campaigner Praful Bidwai charged the Vajpayee government with making continuous efforts to create an opinion in favour of nuclearisation. He said time had come to change the socialist maxim — “think globally and act locally” and rather stress on universal action to free the world from the threat of nuclear destruction. About 50 delegates from Pakistan, besides hundreds from all over the country, are attending the convention. |
Call to boycott MNCs: Azadi
Bachao Andolan BATHINDA, Nov 11 — Mr Shiraj Kesar, spokesperson, of the North India for the Azadi Bachao Andolan, said at a press conference here today said that the multinational companies were doing more harm than what the East India Company had done in the past. He added that the only programme of the companies was to earn profit and they were dumping old and obsolete technology in the country. He alleged that the multinational were not giving additional employment to our labour, instead opening of the economy to outsiders had taken its tool on the
textile industry and the edible oil industry was on the verge of collapse. The imported palm oil being added to the vegetable oil was being imported without import restrictions on the quantity, and the quality marks like the ‘Agmark’ were not followed, he added. He gave details of the companies which had been closed after the opening up of the economy, and earlier had business worth more than Rs 100 crore. He alleged that under the WTO agreement the European Union and the USA had to open markets up to 33 per cent this year but they had opened only 14 per cent. Mr Kesar suggested that rather than importing the finished product only raw material should be imported which can be processed in our industries thereby providing jobs to our persons and technicians. He argued that why the government was encouraging imports rather than more “home-production”. |
Nedumaran may join Gopal BANGALORE, Nov 11 (UNI) — Janata Dal (United) General Secretary
M. Raghupathy today indicated that Tamil Nationalist Movement leader
P. Nedumaran was likely to a join official emissary R.R. Gopal tonight to secure the release of Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar from the clutches of forest brigand Veerappan. It will be Mr Gopal’s sixth mission to the woods. Talking to newspersons here, Mr Raghupathy said he had spoken to Mr Nedumaran in Chennai yesterday, and the latter had agreed to reconsider his decision of not going to the forest on “humanitarian grounds.” He said Mr Nedumaran had expressed confidence that this time he would return with Dr Rajkumar, who was kidnapped along with three others on July 30. Mr Raghupathy said he had also met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
M. Karunanidhi along with Union Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav yesterday and requested the former to take steps to secure the early release of Dr Rajkumar. The
JD(U) leader said Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s statement in Raichur against Mr Nedumaran being part of the negotiation team had acted as a setback to efforts to secure the film star’s
release. CHENNAI (PTI): Tamil National Movement leader P. Nedumaran, journalist R.R. Gopal and two civil rights activists will leave for the jungles tonight on their sixth mission to persuade outlaw Veerappan to release Kannada thespian Rajkumar and another hostage. Mr Nedumaran, who had earlier refused to be involved with the negotiation after criticism in political circles over his pro-LTTE and “Tamil nationalistic” views, told reporters here that he had changed his mind and had decided to embark on his “humanitarian mission” once again. He said he had no choice but to pay heed to appeals from the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Union Ministers, political leaders and eminent personalities. “I was moved by the faith they repose in me. We will be carrying the goodwill of the people of both states and are confident of getting Rajkumar released,” he said. Rajkumar’s sons Shivaraj Kumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar were with Mr Nedumaran, who had earlier refused to relent to their appeals, contending that the tirade against him in the state Assembly and charges that he was “anti-national” had so deeply hurt him that he had dropped out of the negotiations. Mr Nedumaran, “Nakkeeran” biweekly editor Gopal, Prof B. Kalyani and G. Sukumaran, who had gone last time as emissaries, secured the release of S.A. Govindaraj, son-in-law of Rajkumar. The same team will leave tonight. |
Preparing women for tomorrow NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Students of four Delhi colleges are making the most of a women empowerment programme started by the National Commission for Women in September. The programme titled “Preparing the women for tomorrow”, is targeted at women students in the first phase and is being conducted at Lady Sri Ram College, Gargi, Maitrei and Mata Sundari. The Commission also plans to cover other colleges in Delhi in the second year and start the programme in a hundred colleges throughout the country. A member secretary in the commission, Ms Reva Nayyar, told TNS here yesterday that the programme prepared women to be aware of their legal and constitutional rights. “Lot of women step out of college and get into marriage simply because they are marriageable. It tells them about other options in life and how they can build their career. The fact that so many women have signed up for the programme through summer holidays shows that students want to make use of such opportunities. “We invite very powerful role models like Ms Shabana Azmi (actress and Rajya Sabha MP) and Ms Kanwaljit Deol (Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic) to address the students. The programme prepares them to face crisis in life.” She said the programme imparted training in judo-karate and even told them how to get a ration card, a driving licence, a gas connection, a telephone connection and operate a bank account. The programme co-ordinator, Ms Navanita Bhattacharya, said the programme would be inaugurated in Bharti College, Janakpuri next week. “To begin with, we are covering only colleges affiliated to Delhi University. We have received requests to start similar courses at colleges in Indore, Jamshedpur and lesser known places in the South.” She said the programme comprised a foundation course and an advanced course. The programme was divided into three sets. The first set on awareness enhancement offered various practical modules on legal and human rights, media, health and nutrition, sex and sexuality and consumer rights. The second set was management-centred and covered modules for better management of emotions, time, inter-personal relations, crisis and finance. The third set was on skills and capacity-building. She said a film and theatre festival and a leadership camp would also be organised at the end of the programme to see whether students had internalised what they had learnt. |
International Film Festival opens CALCUTTA, Nov 11 — The sixth Calcutta International Film Festival began in the city with its inauguration by the outgoing Chief Minister, Mr Jyoti Basu, last night with much fanfare. The week-long festival was opened with the screening of “Adventures of God of Italy”. About 180 films of international repute from 30 countries will be exhibited in the city. Special attraction will be screening of films of Gadar and Buenel. The earnings from the sale proceeds of the festival will go the Chief Minister’s Flood Relief Fund for the recent flood-afflicted people in West Bengal, declared the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharyya. The inauguration function held here at Nandan, was attended by renowned international film personalities including Christav Janusi of Poland, Simona Izzo and Ricky Tognazzi, Irene Bignardi. Actors, directors and other film personalities from Brazil, Argentina, Luxembourg also attended the function. Film personalities of Bollywood and Tollywood (Tollygunge), including Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan, director Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha, Tarun Majumdar, actor Saumitra Chatterjee, Aparna Sen, Debashree Roy, attended the function. Bangladesh actress Gulsan Ara Champa and Satabdi Roy of West Bengal performed as two Thali girls at the inauguration function. |
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Boy kidnapped
by uncle recovered NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — The Delhi police today claimed to have recovered 5-year-old Shafique from Faridabad with the arrest of two persons. One of the accused is the maternal uncle of the boy. The boy was reportedly kidnapped for ransom yesterday from his house in Saurabh Vihar in South Delhi by his maternal uncle, Samiur Rehman and was handed over to Arun in Basantpur village of Faridabad, the police said. Samiur Rehman was in need of money and reportedly discussed the problem with his friend who advised him to kidnap Shafique. The victim’s father works with an export company. The accused allegedly took the boy to market to purchase some goods, but returned alone saying that he had sent Shafique back earlier. When the boy’s mother sent Samiur Rehman to search Shafiqe, he came back with a letter of ransom of Rs 1 lakh and said that three youths on a motor cycle gave this letter to him. When Shafique’s father came in the evening, he reported the matter to the police. Not convinced with the statement of Samiur Rehman, a police team went to raid his room in Meethapur village in South Delhi. During investigation, the police learnt that the letter was written by the accused himself and that he had kidnapped the boy and had put him in Faridabad in his friend’s house. |
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Maran’s condition
‘satisfactory’ CHENNAI,
Nov 11 (UNI) — The condition of Union Industry and Commerce Minister Murasoli Maran, who is undergoing treatment for left ventricular dysfunction at Apollo Hospitals here, was “stable and satisfactory”, and was being closely monitored and reviewed by a team of doctors, including Dr Horst Kuhn, a foreign specialist in invasive cardiology. Dr Kuhn, who flew in here from Germany yesterday and administered him non-surgical interventional procedure of treatment, has agreed to stay for one more day, according a special bulletin issued by Dr Pratap
C Reddy, Executive Chairman of Apollo Hospitals. The bulletin said Dr Kuhn was of the opinion that Mr Maran should be restudied in cathlab in view of the persisting lung congestion and diastolic dysfunction. |
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Newspaper staff rue delay NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (PTI) — The National Coordination Committee of Newspaper and News Agencies Employees will launch a sustained country-wide agitation to protest the “inordinate delay” in notification of the Manisana Singh Wageboards recommendations. The committee, which met here today, expressed grave concern and anguish over the delay on the government’s part in notifying the recommendations after significant improvements demanded by it. It decided to launch a sustained all-India agitation that may include the picketing of Parliament and state legislatures and boycott of their proceedings, besides organising black flag demonstrations across the country against important government functionaries culminating in a nation-wide strike. The committee cautioned the government that the widespread discontent and unrest among the employees, including journalists, on the issue, “will hurt the industry and do no good to the government itself.” The committee consists of The All-India Newspaper Employees’ Federation, The Indian Federation of Working Journalists, The Indian Journalists Union, The National Union of Journalists (India), The National Federation of Newspaper Employees, The Federation of
PTI Employees’ Unions and The UNI Workers’ Union. |
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A rare surgery at Apollo hospital NEW
DELHI, Nov 11 (UNI) — Surgeons at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital here have successfully performed a rare and difficult laparoscopic surgery to remove a tumour located outside the adrenal glands of a youth. This is for the first time extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma has been removed laparoscopically in India and only two such successful
surgery have been reported the world over, according to Dr A. K. Kriplani, senior laparoscopic surgeon at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. No
description of such laparoscopic surgery is available in the medical literature, he claimed. The surgery lasted two-and-a-half hours and the patient, a 28-year-old youth who had come from Bangkok for the surgery, was well, he said. As a very small 5mm telescope was used and cut size was also very small for the surgery, pain was less and no stiches were required, he said. The patient’s blood pressure was now under control without medication. The tumour, located outside the adrenal glands, generally secretes some chemicals which causes hypertension which could be permanently cured by removing the tumour. As the tumour was deeply seated in the body and had intimate contact with aorta and blood vessels of kidney it was difficult to remove, Dr
Kriplani said. |
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Prabhakar’s wife’s
parlour stoned NEW DELHI, Nov 11 — Scores of Shiv Sainiks pelted stones at beauty parlour of cricketer, Manoj Prabhakar’s wife in Greater Kailash, in South Delhi this evening protesting against the alleged involvement of the cricketer’s in match-fixing case. The activists allegedly pelted stones damaging a car and breaking window-panes. However, nobody was reported injured, the police said. |
High court cancels
allotments AURANGABAD, Nov 11 (UNI) — The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court has cancelled the land allotments to builders, politicians and officials by City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited. The Bench of Justices N.V. Dabholkar and B.H.
M1arlapalle also directed the CIDCO to immediately take over the properties and directed the Chief Secretary to make a departmental inquiry and submit its report and action initiated in the case within six months. |
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