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| Tuesday, November 14, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Cong poll: counting of votes on Nov 15 Wide powers for dist officers in Uttaranchal No need for Advani to resign: BJP
Jogi betrays shakiness
SC directive on national parks
CBI team back with evidence in hijack case |
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Rajkumar’s kidnapping
VHP to hold yajna near mosque Violence erupts in Darjeeling Singapore cool to Indian role in APEC Notice to Centre, EC on
reservations Gang of robbers
busted Vajpayee
greets children Sculpture kicks
up row in Orissa HC seeks explanation on non-govt funds Race to claim credit for heritage status Aliens in their motherland? Army has upper hand in J&K:
Advani Medicinal plant
board significant: Thakur 23 kids
selected for Bravery Awards Heavy agenda for winter session
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Cong poll: counting of votes on Nov 15 NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — Counting of votes polled for the Congress president nationwide will be taken up on the morning of November 15, party spokesman Sunil Shastri announced today. At a regular media briefing, Mr Shastri said the organisational elections were a massive exercise not taken up by any political party in the country so far. He said the process was still on as the election of the PCC chiefs and AICC delegates was yet to be completed. Denying that yesterday’s incident at Lucknow was caused due to the party elections, he said since Mrs Sonia Gandhi was under SPG protection, the police had cordoned off the Congress office prior to her arrival there. The police were to allow in the people holding delegate passes. When Mrs Gandhi had left, some people, who did not hold delegate passes, tried to enter the polling station but were prevented by the police on duty, he said. Mr Shastri said the party was satisfied with the overall conduct of election. |
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Wide powers for dist officers in Uttaranchal DEHRA DUN, Nov 13 — Even five days after formation of Uttaranchal, portfolios are yet to be allotted to ministers. Senior IAS officers posted as Secretaries are also waiting for their departments. According to a senior official of the state government the administrative structure model for the state is waiting for a nod from the Cabinet, hence the delay. The model which is along MP lines, will have five principal secretaries of the rank of financial commissioner, inclusive of the chief secretary. The proposed model, which aims at cutting expenditure, will have only 35 sections in the main state secretariat at Dehra Dun. In the parent state, Uttar Pradesh, there are 373 branches of various departments at the state secretariat in Lucknow. Nodal officers of departments posted at the district level will get the powers of deputy secretary allowing them to use 60 per cent of the total budget allotted without getting the approval of senior officials posted at Dehra Dun. Although the mini-secretariats are already functioning at Nainital and Dehra Dun nodal officers posted in these secretariats did not enjoy administrative powers. Mr Narayan Ram Dass, a state minister in the Nityanand Swami-led government said this will make administration easier for nodal officers posted at the district headquarter. Most districts are fairly far from the capital. Meanwhile, talking to select journalists at his residence here this morning Mr Swami said allocation of portfolios will take another couple of days. Political observers say allocation of portfolios is a difficult task as many of the ministers were CM hopefuls and if they are not given key posts they will create further headaches for Mr Swami. Nine MLAs out of 23 BJP legislators are already on the war-path. Mr Swami is leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday along with state BJP President and Cabinet Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari to brief the party high command of dissident activities. No need for Advani to resign: BJP NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today asserted that there was no case against Home Minister L.K. Advani and therefore there was no question of his resigning from the Union Council of Ministers. Party spokesman and Senior Vice-President K. Jana Krishnamoorthy told newspersons that there was no need to see much in the statement of party President Bangaru Laxman in an interview to a private TV news channel in this regard. He said when the interviewers had asked Mr Laxman if the party would also seek the resignation of Mr Advani if he was chargesheeted in the Ayodhya case, as they had done with Mr Hiren Pathak, Mr Laxman had simply said the party would consider it at that time. As such there was no case against Mr Advani, Mr Krishnamoorthy said. Another senior party leader, Mr J.P. Mathur, said the party felt that the cases filed against some of its leaders in regard to the Ayodhya demolition case, were “false, malicious and politically motivated.” The party had already challenged the setting up of a special court to deal with such cases. The case was pending before the Supreme Court, he said, adding that “therefore as such there was no case before the party against Mr Advani.” Meanwhile the BJP today asked the Centre to take note of a bombing incident at the party office of the CPM in Kinnur district of Kerala in which party workers were seriously injured and seek details of the incident from the state government. The BJP spokesman, Mr K. Jana Krishnamurthi, told newspersons during the regular media briefing that “there is evidence to suggest that bomb blast took place when bombs were being manufactured”. While it was disturbing that the CPM workers were seriously injured but it was more disturbing that they were injured while making bombs, Mr Krishnamurthi said. “We demand a thorough inquiry as there are apprehensions that the state government would try to hush up the case”, he said. |
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Jogi betrays shakiness BHOPAL, Nov 13 — The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Mr Ajit Jogi, has only betrayed his shakiness by the manner in which he accommodated 26 of the 48 Congress MLAs — 23 in the Council of Ministers (constituted on Sunday night), two as chairmen of commissions with Cabinet rank and one as Speaker (pro tem at present) of the Assembly. Even for this he had to wait till the polling for the election of the Congress President was completed. What is more, he has not ruled out an expansion of his Council of Ministers. He has accommodated two supporters of Mr V.C. Shukla of the seven Congress MLAs, who had boycotted the meeting convened on October 31 to elect Mr Jogi as the Congress Legislature Party leader. He has included in the Cabinet all but one of the 13 MLAs, who were members of the Digvijay Singh Council of Ministers, gave a Cabinet berth to Mr Shyama Charan Shukla’s son, Mr Amitesh Shukla. Mr Arun Vora, son of the AICC treasurer, Mr Motilal Vora, has been made the chairman of the Youth Affairs Commission with the status of Minister of State. Mr Arun Vora had lost in the last Assembly election. Both Muslim MLAs, Mr Mohammed Akbar and Mr Badruddin Qureshi, have been made Ministers of State, while only one of the four women MLAs has been accommodated in the ministry. The erstwhile ruling classes of Chhattisgarh have been given sufficient representation in the Council of Ministers. What really makes Mr Jogi’s nervousness evident is the inclusion of Mr Derhu Prasad Dhritlehere, an Independent MLA. Apparently Mr Jogi is looking beyond the Congress for the stability of his government. But unfortunately for him, there are only two Independents in the Chhattisgarh Assembly. The BSP has three MLAs and the Gondwana Ganatantra Party one. Mr Jogi may try to lure them but they will demand their own pound of flesh. How will it affect the Congress MLAs being left out is anybody’s guess. Even if Mr Jogi lures all six non-Congress, non-BJP MLAs, it cannot ensure political stability in the state. Mr Vidya Charan Shukla, who is considered the wiliest of the Chhattisgarh politicians, is waiting in the wings. He had earned a good public support by launching a movement for the creation of the Chhattisgarh state. While there are not even six hardcore supporters of Mr Jogi among the Congress MLAs, the number of those who have strong dislike for the bureaucrat-turned-politician is legion. The things should crystalise by February when Mr Jogi has decided to hold the first session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly. |
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SC directive on national parks NEW DELHI, Nov 13 — A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court today directed all states and the UTs not to dereserve any part of their national parks and sanctuaries created under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, till further orders. The Bench comprising Mr Justice S.P. Bharucha, Mr Justice Doraiswamy Raju and Mr Justice Shivraj V. Patil issued the direction on the request of Solicitor-General Harish Salve appearing for the Union of India during the hearing of a public-interest petition by the Centre for Environmental Law, an organ of the World-Wide Fund for Nature-India.(WWF-I) It was alleged during the hearing of the petition that efforts were being made by some of the states and UTs to dereserve some of the national parks and sanctuaries which were under their administrative control. Mr Salve, while urging the court to issue the said direction in the light of the allegations, further submitted that the Madhya Pradesh was not able to maintain its national parks and sanctuaries due to paucity of funds, as stated in the state’s affidavit. The petitioner has sought directions from the court for the protection and development of the national parks and sanctuaries in compliance with Sections 19 and 25 of the Act. There are about 526 parks and sanctuaries in the country. The petitioner also sought immediate initiation of proceedings under the Act to determine the extent of rights of any person over land within the limits of national parks and sanctuaries. The petition alleged that the omission on the part of the collectors concerned to determine such rights has led to a quantum jump in the population within the protected areas. It was further alleged that more and more land in the protected areas was being used for residential, agricultural, grazing and commercial purposes defeating the very purpose for which the national parks and sanctuaries were notified under the Act. The judges while adjourning the hearing of the matter, directed the states, which had not filed their responses to the petition, to do so within four weeks. |
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CBI team back with evidence in hijack case NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (PTI) — A two-member CBI team returned here this morning from Dubai where it had gone in connection with investigation into the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar on Christmas eve last year, agency sources said here. The team, comprising Joint Director of CBI R.N. Sawani and Superintendent of Police M.K. Narayanan, collected details from the time the Indian mission received the body of Rupin Katyal killed by hijackers upto the release of 27 passengers at Dubai’s Al-Minhat airport, the sources told PTI here. The team had left for Dubai on November seven following some leads into the case. The visit to Dubai came close on the heels of a meeting that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) team, which set up its office here, had with CBI officials and offered assistance in the hijacking case. The agency had approached Interpol for issuance of a “Red Corner” notice against the five hijackers — Ibrahim Athar, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhter Sayed and Shakir — and their two accomplices Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf, agency sources said. Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf are believed to be the key conspirators behind the hijacking. The CBI on June 21 filed a chargesheet against 10 persons in the hijacking case which included these seven and three Indian nationals. India had also made a formal request to Pakistan for extradition of five hijackers and two of their accomplices. The plane was diverted to Amritsar and Lahore before landing at Dubai’s Al-Minhat air base, where 27 passengers were released and the body of 25-year old Rupin Katyal, who had been stabbed to death, was thrown onto the tarmac. The hijacked plane was provided with fuel, food and medical aid in return for the release of the passengers and left Dubai on December 26 for Kandahar where the hijacking ended after three militants were released on December 31. |
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Rajkumar’s kidnapping CHENNAI, Nov 13 (UNI) — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi today squarely blamed theKarnataka government’s failure, to release innocent Tamil tribal villagers arrested and detained under tada, for the present situation leading to the abduction of Kannada matinee idol Dr Rajkumar and his continued hold up in Veerappan’s hide-out. Replying to a three-hour debate on the adjournment motion tabled by Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and several other opposition leaders in the State Assembly, he said the then Karnataka Chief Minister J.H. Patel did not abide by the understanding to release the tada detainees in Karnataka when Veerappan had agreed to release the Forest Department officials held hostage by him. Mr Karunanidhi informed the House that he had written several letters to the then Karnataka Chief Minister but the innocent detainees had not been released leading to the present situation. He stoutly denied that the state government was encouraging secessionism by deputing Tamil National Movement leader P. Nedumaran to negotiate with Veerappan for the release of Dr Rajkumar. Mr Karunanidhi also denied that Veerappan was given a ransom of Rs 30 crore as alleged by TMC Member Azhagiri, who initiated the debate on the adjournment motion. “Had ransom been given Dr Rajkumar would have been released by now”, he added. He said Dravida Kazhagam General Secretary K. Veeramani had been openly supporting the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and had even described LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran as his “younger brother”. Mr Veeramani was in the opposition front now. Since what Veeramani said was okay for the opposition, there was nothing wrong in sending Mr Nedumaran, who is also described as a ltte supporter, the Chief Minister explained. Recalling various instances of release of terrorists to secure the release of hostages in the past, Mr Karunanidhi cited the latest example of release of three Kashmiri terrorists in exchange for the Indian Airlines passengers held captive at Kandahar airport in Afghanistan. The Chief Minister said terrorists earlier had been released in exchange for the release of the then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s daughter Rubia Sayeed and the relative of former Union Minister Saifuddin Soz and for the release of Indian Oil official Doraiswamy. When Andhra Pradesh
IAS officials were held hostage by the Naxalites of the PWG, Naxalite sympathiser,
lawyer and PUCL activist Kannabiran was deputed by the Andhra Pradesh Government despite opposition by the ias officers, Mr Karunanidhi recalled. |
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VHP to hold yajna near mosque NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — Demanding reconstruction of the ancient Vishnudhwaja Temple at the base of the historic Qutub Minar in the Capital where the Quwwat-ul-Masjid is now situated, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has decided to organise a yajna at the site tomorrow. Talking to UNI, Delhi VHP leader Ramkrishna Gour said Devmukti Yajna would be held at 11 a.m. near the Ganesha idol on the premises of the mosque that was built after razing to the ground 27 Hindu and Jain temples around 1100 AD. An inscription at a stone at the site still bears testimony to this distortion of history, he added. The yajna would be jointly organised by the VHP, the Bajrang Dal and the Delhi Sant Mahamandal, said Mr Gour who is in charge of religious affairs of the VHP and convener of the yajna programme. Idols of Ganesha, Kartikeya, Shiva, Parvati and Krishna still feature on the walls of the mosque, he said adding that these idols had been partly broken. While the government had allowed regular prayers in the mosque it has not granted permission for the appointment of a Hindu priest to carry out daily worship of the idols, he said. Hindu devotees however, continue to pay their obeisance at the temple, he added. |
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Violence erupts in Darjeeling CALCUTTA, Nov 13 — Violence erupted in Darjeeling following armed clashes between Naga rebels and the police. The clash that began on Sunday was still continuing. According to a report reaching the state headquarters at Writers Buildings, at least 24 Naga extremists entered Kalimpong and fought a pitched battle with the police. Five persons, including two policemen and a home guard were killed. Two Nagas were also killed in the exchange of fire that lasted for over eight hours in the Shansir forest where they had set up their camps. The bodyguard of additional SP also received gun-shot and had to be admitted to the government hospital at Darjeeling. The Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharyya, reviewed the situation at a meeting this morning. He instructed the police to crush down the rebels and take the help of the Army, if needed. He also ordered for sending additional police to Darjeeling immediately. The Army headquarters at Calcutta Fort Williams was also alerted. It has been officially stated that the Naga rebels have set up camps to train the “soldiers” of the Gorkha Liberation Organisation (GLO), an anti-Subhas Ghising group, which wants freedom for Gorkhas living in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal — the demand which the GNLF chief, Mr Ghising, made earlier. The Naga extremists who are already trained in guerrilla warfare, have been hired by the GLO rebel leader, Chatra Subbha, who had revolted against Ghising and fought for a separate land for the Gorkhas in the 80’s when Ghising came to a compromise with Mr Jyoti Basu’s government on Gorkhaland. The State Director-General of Police, Mr D Sanyal, said the district administrations of the adjoining Jalpaiguri, West Dinajpur and Coochbehar had been alerted and directed to seal off border linking Assam, Bhutan and Nepal. |
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Singapore cool to Indian role in APEC NEW DELHI, Nov 13 — Singapore has categorically told India that it does not “see any immediate prospects” of New Delhi being a part of either the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) or the Asia Pacific Economic Community (APEC). At the same time Singapore wants India to play a “major role” in the economic, commercial and political spheres in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). India’s greater involvement and presence in the Asean region will enable this country to exert an influence and serve as a “balancing factor.” Disclosing this to mediapersons aboard Air India One this afternoon while returning home after a “highly satisfying” four-day state visit to the dynamic city state of Singapore, President K.R. Narayanan emphasised that its leadership wanted New Delhi to “maintain an interest in the ASEAN region without going backwards.” On India being made a dialogue partner at post-ASEAN summits, Mr Narayanan pointed out that Singapore is actively canvassing in this regard with other partners of the grouping. New Delhi is also pursuing the matter without exerting pressure on any member of the ASEAN. “We can’t pressurise any country. We are pursuing it. We will have to wait for a consensus to build up in the ASEAN. At the moment there is no consensus on enlisting India as the fourth country in the deliberations taking place after the ASEAN summit,” the President observed. Mr Narayanan said during his discussions with Singapore President S.R. Nathan, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and senior minister Lee Kuan Yew, he explained India’s stand on the protracted Kashmir tangle. He said Singapore or other members of the ASEAN grouping are not unduly concerned about Kashmir. “I told them separately our stand though they do not have much interest in that region. On setting up a free trade zone between India and Singapore, the President made it clear that “we are not hostile to the idea. “This is under examination and we will have to study all its implications. India will have to consider several other factors. The free trade zone is not something that we can suddenly jump at.” Asked if Singapore is looking to India because it is having problems with China, where the city state has made staggering investments, Mr Narayanan said he did not get that impression during his discussions with Mr Nathan and other leaders. Mr Narayanan said Singapore firmly believes that if India removes all the stops and speeds up economic liberalisation New Delhi will be able to unleash its immense potential and capabilities. |
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Notice to Centre, EC on
reservations NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission on a petition challenging the constitutional (79th amendment) Act, 1999, extending by 10 years the reservation of constituencies for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. The notices were issued by a three-judge Bench comprising Mr Justice S.P. Barucha, Mr Justice Doraiswamy Raju and Mr Justice Shivaraj V. Patil after hearing arguments from senior counsel Ashok Srivastava and B. Sen on behalf of the petitioners. Three non-scheduled caste/tribe voters from Tonk Lok Sabha constituency of Rajasthan had sought a declaration that the 79th constitutional amendment and all other laws which provide for caste-based reservation are unconstitutional and against the basic features of the Constitution. They have contended that despite being registered as voters and being fully qualified and eligible except for the reason that their constituency is reserved for members of SC/ST, they have been denied the right to represent the constituency for the past 30 years. The petitioners argued that though the SC population was only 1,96,936 of the total of 9,75,006, yet the others numbering 7,78,070 had been denied their right to contest from 1967 onwards. |
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Gang of robbers
busted NEW DELHI, Nov 13 — The Delhi police has busted a gang of robbers, who were allegedly involved in bank related robberies, with the arrest of three accused from Sangam Vihar area in South Delhi. The accused, Nizam alias Gopal, Prabhat Gupta alias Sunny and Udai Singh were earlier, the members of Manoj Bittoo gang. Later they formed their own gang known as Nizam-Sunny gang, the police said. The modus-operandi of this gang was to station one person at the bank to recce. When somebody moved out of the bank the criminal used to signal his accomplice waiting outside. In these incidents knife was their weapon of offence while in others they used chilly powder to make the victim immobilised, the police said. |
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Vajpayee greets children NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has conveyed his warm greetings and deep affection for the children of the country. In a message today on the eve of Children’s Day, the Prime Minister said, “Children the world over are the greatest human resource. The prosperity and the strength of a nation depends largely upon the health, well-being and education of its children. It is today’s children who will chart the future frontiers of progress.” He urged the nation to rededicate its efforts so that “our children can grow up in an atmosphere of joy, prosperity and peace, so that every child is assured a life of dignity, growth and development.” A large number of functions are planned to commemorate Children’s Day tomorrow. Minister of State for Communications Tapan Sikdar is scheduled to release a special postage stamp on the occasion of Children’s Day tomorrow. The stamp, issued by the Department of Posts, seeks to underline the country’s responsibility and commitment to meeting the needs and fulfilling the rights of children. The stamp is in the denomination of Rs 3. Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi would attend the programme of community singing by schoolchildren organised by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). At least 10,000 children are expected to participate in the function. The group of children from about 100 schools would sing songs based on the themes of national integration in eight Indian languages. |
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Sculpture kicks up row in Orissa BHUBANESWAR, Nov 13 (UNI) — the recent discovery of a sculpture from a 13th century temple in Orissa has kicked up a controversy, with historians and archaeologists here refusing to accept that it is of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. An official of the Orissa chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Mr Deepak Bhattacharya, claimed that the sculpture, recovered from the Sari Temple in Bhubaneswar, was that of Guru Nanak. Mr Bhattacharya said the Sikh Guru had visited the city in 1527 ad. However, archaeologists and historians argued that the sculpture found by Mr Bhattacharya was of a Saiva
Rishi and not of Guru Nanak. State Archaeology Department Superintendent B.K. Rath said it was misleading to conclude that the sculpture was of Guru Nanak. “How can a sculpture of the 16th century ad be found in a temple of the 13th century?” he asked. According to Mr Rath, scholars and researchers believed that the Sari Temple was constructed during the Ganga dynasty. Mr Bhattacharya claimed that the sculpture resembling Guru Nanak was seen standing with “a japamala in the left hand, in a dandahasta pose suggesting kamandalu’’. However, historians said his finding was not based on any historical fact and inscriptional evidence. A senior curator of the state government also maintained that the sculpture was of an ancient saint. He said Pasupati cult founder Lakulis in a “dandahasta pose” was seen in many Shiva temples in Orissa. The sculpture, another archaeologist said, had no turban but suggested a hairdo of a saibya (follower of Shiva) sanyasi and this type of sculpture was found in contemporary and early period temples in Orissa. |
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HC seeks explanation on non-govt funds NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — The Delhi High Court today asked the defence and Finance Ministries to explain their stands on the creation of non-governmental funds running into several crores by the Navy, Army and Air Force authorities. Without issuing notices, the Division Bench of Mr Chief Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice D.K. Jain asked Additional Solicitor-General K.K. Sud to take instructions and file the affidavits. The matter would now be heard on January 8. The court’s action came following a public-interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate B.L. Wadehra which highlighted one instance of creating a private fund out of the income generated from government property. The Eastern Naval Command at Vishakhapatnam sanctioned the construction of an additional gymnasium in February, 1996, which was completed at a cost of Rs 69.23 lakh in October, 1997. But no gymnasium apparatus and special items were purchased. The infrastructure constructed as additional gymnasium was never utilised as a gymnasium but put to use as the so-called integrated welfare complex. The building came to be used for commercial activities like running a restaurant, bank, ice-cream parlour, beauty parlour, health club, telephone booth,
crèche, saloon and computer education centre. The commercial activities were permitted to be carried on mostly by private parties from whom an annual rent of Rs 1.6 lakh was charged. This was not credited to government account. “The misuse of powers for creating a private fund, which could be utilised by the naval authorities at their discretion away from government rules and audit, constitutes an act of grave misuse of power and extremely serious violation of the rules and law,” the PIL said. It said an inquiry needs to be set up for identifying those responsible for such immoral and illegal activity of creation of private funds out of government properties and suggested penal and administrative action. A large number of funds have been generated continuously in Naval, Army and Air Force establishments all over the country. “This one example is a tip of the iceberg. Such funds run into several crore rupees. They should be transferred to the government treasury and their utilisation should be brought under government control,” the PIL added. |
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Race to claim credit for heritage status NEW DELHI, Nov 13 — The granting of World Heritage Site status to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway by UNESCO last December has prompted several persons to claim the credit for it. The DHR is the second railway in the world to be granted this status and the first ever narrow-gauge railway to be listed. UNESCO’s inscription describes the DHR as “the first and still the most outstanding example of a hill passenger railway.” The Director of the Rail Museum, Mr Rajesh Aggarwal told TNS that it is the rail museum’s proposal to UNESCO that has fetched DHR this status. “Rail museum is the focus of India’s railway heritage. The proposal was made on June 29, 1998 for inscribing DHR as a world heritage site and was processed through an international evaluation procedure.” Mr R.K. Pachauri, Chairman of the India unit of DHR Foundation, on the other hand, said that the credit for this recognition goes to a “whole lot of people.” He said that the proposal for getting the DHR a world heritage site status was mooted by the DHR Foundation in ’93. Mr Pachauri said that recognition will help if the railways shows imagination. “We will now have to package the site and tell the world about this tourist spot.” The DHR will be formally dedicated to the world by the Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee at a function in Darjeeling on November 26. |
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Aliens in their motherland? SRIGANGANAGAR, Nov 13 — Hundreds of families belonging to a particular community, which came here many years ago on valid documents from Pakistan, are finding themselves being treated as aliens in their own motherland. Though these families had applied for Indian citizenship many years ago and also been making repeated representation in this regard, the authorities concerned have yet to take notice of their request. Fed up with the harassment meted out to them by the Pakistan Government, about 150 families (600 according to unofficial sources) came to various towns of the district on valid documents for meeting their relatives who remained here after the partition 53 years ago. These families have been living a miserable life since then as the authorities concerned have done nothing for settling them. The members of such families pointed out that they had been running from pillar to post to get the Indian citizenship but in vain. They added that formalities to get necessary documents for applying for the citizenship of India was an expensive and long drawn procedure, which was out of their reach. They added that they were not able to deposit Rs 1,800 per passport to the Pakistan High Commission and to get no-crime certificate from the authorities of the district in Pakistan in which they were living before coming to India. Mr Ishwar Dass Sindhi, who has migrated to India from Pakistan, said procedure of getting Indian citizenship should be simplified as it was before 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. He added that before that war only Pakistan passport and an application for Indian citizenship was required to be deposited with the district collector by every “Hindu” who migrated to India from Pakistan. After the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war the procedure for getting the citizenship was made more stringent and a number of families who had migrated to India about two decades back were living without any citizenship, sources said. Some of the families which migrated here about two decades back have even solemnised the marriage of their children. However, without the Indian citizenship members of such families are finding it difficult to find a government job, a driving licence, ration cards and right to vote. They were even barred from purchasing any immovable property. Mr Sindhi pointed out that some matters relating to the permission to carry out business were pending in the court. Such suits had been filed by the members of these families. He added that they should not be denied Indian citizenship as their ancestors were inhabitants of India. Official sources said at present such families had been registered with the district authorities and they were being given permission every year to extend their stay. The sources added that granting of Indian citizenship was subject to Central Government and the district administration could forward the applications of such families to the Central Government for the same. |
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Army has upper hand in J&K: Advani UDUPI (Karnataka), Nov 13 (UNI) — Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today said security forces in Jammu and Kashmir had gained the upper hand over terrorists and extremists as a result of operations during the last six months and restored peace in the region. Addressing party workers, Mr Advani said during the last two months security forces had eliminated a record number of terrorists and
extremists. With the carving out of new states of Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh
and Jharkhand, the NDA government had fulfilled the long cherished dream of the people of those regions. |
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Medicinal plant
board significant: Thakur NEW DELHI, Nov 13 — The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr C.P. Thakur has informed the Parliamentary Consultative Committee, attached to his ministry, that the constitution of the medicinal plant board is significant in view of the 60 per cent hike in demand for alternative medicines in the developed countries in the past decade. Addressing members of the committee at Kovalam, Kerala, on Sunday, Dr Thakur said the government had recently approved the setting up of a medicinal plant board to coordinate all matters related to cultivation, harvest, processing and marketing of medicinal plants in the country. He said the department of ISM&H plans to start a digital library to store all ancient knowledge about therapeutic values of herbs and medicinal plants of the country. In order to prevent patenting by others, the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy plans to start a digital library to store all ancient
knowledge about therapeutic value of herbs and medicinal plants of the country. |
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kids selected for Bravery Awards NEW
DELHI, Nov 13 (UNI) — Twenty-three children, including five girls,
have been selected for the National Bravery Awards, 2000 for
outstanding deeds of courage. The coveted Bharat Award has been given
jointly to 12-year-old Sunil Singh and 13-year-old Mukesh Kumar of
Jammu and Kashmir for confronting terrorists for 12 hours. The prestigious Geeta Chopra Award has been given to twelve-year old Henna Bakshi of Haryana who was instrumental in foiling a robbery while 15-year-old Prince Kumar of Bihar has been given the Sanjay Chopra Award. Hanboklang Norgsief of Meghalaya has been granted the Bapu Gayadhani Award for saving a child from a burning house. Two awards have been given posthumously. Binod Norgrem of Meghalaya, who lost his life in an attempt to save his friend, and Lalniliana of Mizoram, who died while saving a child from drowning, have been honoured for their bravery. |
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Heavy agenda for
winter session NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (PTI) — A heavy agenda has been charted out for the winter session of Parliament commencing from November 20, which includes consideration of the Prevention of Money Laundering Bill and the Workman Compensation (Amendment) Bill. There are 111 items listed for business in the 25 sittings spread over a period of 33 days. This contains 89 legislative items and two financial items. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan today presided over a meeting of Secretaries of various ministries to finalise the Government business for the ensuing winter session. |
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