 |
| Wednesday, December 6, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
Bofors challan filed in haste: Hindujas North India in Parliament Forex position comfortable: Sinha DD ropes in Kabir Bedi for game show Anupam blasts Zee
TV decision |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Anjana Mishra gets divorce Corruption not to be allowed: Swami Communal threat
waning: Advani Arsenic detected in Calcutta ground water Allow us to go to
Pakistan: APHC
|
|
Bofors challan filed in haste: Hindujas NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — The three Hinduja brothers accused in the Rs 64 crore Bofors payoff case today submitted before a court that the charge sheet filed against them was “incomplete” as it was filed in “haste” by the CBI. Stressing on their locus standi in the case before the court took cognizance of the charge sheet, their counsel told Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke that the Code of Criminal Procedure did not bar an accused to address the court at this stage. Raising objections to the charges levelled against them in the supplementary charge sheet, their counsel submitted it should not have been filed as the court had not yet got a response from the Swiss authorities on the end recipient of the alleged bribe money. The three brothers — G.P. Hinduja, S.P. Hinduja and P.P. Hinduja — through a team of lawyers told the court that they wished to eliminate certain “dark areas” of the probe and to help the court decide whether it should take cognizance of such “an incomplete charge sheet”. Citing several previous legal precedents, their counsel said hearing the accused before cognizance would cause no harm to any of the parties. Rather, it would help the court decide the issue in a fair manner. After hearing arguments from respective counsel, the court adjourned the proceedings till tomorrow with direction to the CBI to address the court on the points raised by them. |
|
North India in Parliament NEW DELHI, Dec 5 — A proposal for upgradation of Amritsar airport to international standards at the approximate cost of Rs 79.27 crore has been approved recently, the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Sharad Yadav, informed the Rajya Sabha today. The state government had acquired 138 acres of land and handed over the same to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), he said in a written reply to a question from Mr Lajpat Rai. The AAI had taken up the work of construction of boundary wall and perimeter security road and an amount of Rs 2.58 crore had been spent by the AAI, the minister said. Replying to another question from Mr Mirza Abdul Rashid whether the government had taken action for the long-pending upgradation of Srinagar Airport, the minister said the Srinagar airport belonged to the Ministry of Defence and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) maintains only a civil enclave. The AAI had planned expansion of a terminal building for handling 600 passengers at a time and provision for customs and immigration facilities at this terminal building suitable for handling limited international charter flights, Mr Yadav said. Navodaya vidyalayas:
Twentyfour Navodaya vidyalayas in eight regions had been identified to provide high-level sports facilities for hockey and football field, track, basketball courts (2 nos), kho-kho (2 nos.), volleyball, kabaddi, gymnasium, including indoor basketball and badminton courts with necessary equipment, the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Mr Syed Shahnawaz Hussain informed the Upper House. These 24 Navodaya vidyalayas included, NVs in Kapurthala district of Punjab, Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir, Una in Himachal Pradesh and Karnal district in Haryana, he said. Replying to another question, the minister informed there were 852 Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country of which, 25 were in Haryana, 19 in Himachal Pradesh, 25 in Jammu and Kashmir and 40 in Punjab. Allocation of kerosene to states: Punjab had got 3,43,127 metric tonnes of kerosene under the public distribution system (PDS) during the financial year 1999-2000, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr E. Ponnuswamy, informed the Upper House. While Chandigarh got an allocation of 15,408 MTs, Haryana got 1,71,731 MTs, Himachal Pradesh 61,067 MTs and Jammu and Kashmir 91,921 MTs during the said period, he said. Replying to a question from Mr Kripal Parmar, the minister said kerosene is an allocated product and annual/monthly allocation is made by the central government to states/UTs for distribution through PDS. The allocation of kerosene is made on historical basis i.e. past years allocation plus additional allocation out of increase given at national level based on the principle of giving higher increase to the states with lower per capita availability so as to reduce inter-state disparity. Requests are received from various state governments for additional allocation of kerosene from time to time. Kerosene is a deficit product in the country and on account of constraints of product availability foreign exchange and heavy subsidy the distribution had to be judicious, Mr Ponnuswamy said. Vocational training programmes in HP: The Centre had received proposals from Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation for opening of 10 computer training centres and 10 craft centres in 10 districts, namely Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kulu, Kangra, Sirmour, Solan, Mandi, Shimla and Una, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mrs Maneka Gandhi, informed the Rajya Sabha. The proposals had been processed and the additional documents required had been sought from the state government, she said in a written reply to a question from Mr Anil Sharma. |
|
Forex position comfortable: Sinha NEW DELHI, Dec 5— The Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, told the Rajya Sabha today the foreign exchange reserves position was comfortable and exports had started picking up after three to four years. While quoting a foreign exchange reserve figure of over 39 billion US dollars till November-end, Mr Sinha clarified that it included the gold and the SDRs. “We are comfortably placed and there is absolutely nothing to worry on this account,” he assured the House while replying to a question on the decline in foreign exchange reserves. “In 1998-99 and 1999-2000, we added something like $ 9 billion to our reserves,” he said. While agreeing that India must have comfortable foreign exchange reserve, the minister said if we do not have comfortable foreign exchange reserves pressure would easily build up on the balance of payments front. Mr Sinha explained the rate of inflation in India was determined by a number of factors. He said any revision in administrative prices had a direct impact on the price situation. Citing an instance, the Finance Minister said in the current year, we had now an inflation rate week to week of about 7.5 per cent. He added that prices of petroleum products which had been raised by the government came under the administrative price mechanism and this was the most important reason for the increase in the rate of inflation. He ascribed the volatility in the foreign exchange market in recent months to several factors, prominently to a very steep increase in the international petroleum prices. “Despite the fact that the entire world has seen volatility, in India we have been able to manage the situation very well,” he added. Senior Congress member Pranab Mukherjee wanted to know how the minister would utilise the foreign exchange reserves more effectively. To this, Mr Sinha said,”There is nothing in our experience which suggests that the reserves that we have are unstable, that they can finish in a month. I don’t buy that theory and I would not like to subscribe to it at all because it will unnecessarily spread panic which we do not need. Our reserves position is comfortable. We are in a position to manage the situation very well. I don’t think there is going to be any run on our currency which we are not capable of managing.” The Finance Minister said the surest way of having very comfortable reserves and feeling absolutely confident is “to build our reserves genuinely, truly, by running down our deficit on trade account and ensuring that more capital inflows take place, the current account deposit becomes positive instead of being negative and we attract more foreign direct investments.” DMK member S.Viduthali Virumbi wanted to know what action the government had taken to improve industrial activity. In his reply, Mr Sinha said exports had started picking up after a gap of three to four years. He said the decline in non-oil, non-gold imports this year compared to last year was a matter of concern. “If imports slow down it is not a very happy sign about the economy. We have to create the necessary conditions for a pick-up in economic activity. That is exactly what the government is trying to do and I am sure the industrial activity will pick up and the imports in certain important sectors will also go up.” Replying to a question by Kuldip Nayar, the minister said the resurgent India bond was floated in 1998. He reminded the House of the ‘gloom and doom scenario” which prevailed after the nuclear tests in May that year. “The international credit rating agencies had downgraded India’s rating. There was the East Asian crisis and we felt that it was necessary to bolster confidence in India. We ended up collecting $4.2 billion through the Resurgent India bond. The success of the bond brought confidence back in India and raised its capacity to be able to meet the challenge of economic sanctions.” |
|
DD ropes in Kabir Bedi for game show MUMBAI, Dec 5 (UNI) — Doordarshan has teamed up with renowned international star Kabir Bedi to present “knock-out”, one more in the series of game shows that have suddenly taken all the television channels by storm. The show, which will be telecast on Sundays from January 28 on Doordarshan’s national network DD 1, will join others like “Kaun Banega Crorepati” on Star Plus hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, “Sawaal Das Crore Ka” by Anupam Kher and Manisha Koirala, and “Jab Khelo Sab Khelo” by Shekhar Suman on SABe TV. Kabir Bedi, who has acted in a James Bond movie ‘Octopussy’ apart from several others in Bollywood and Hollywood, feels that hosting the show will be a challenge. “The programme is unique and I am going to give my best,” he said during an informal chat with newspersons. However, Mr Sunil Mehta of Cinevista, which is producing the show, refused to divulge the format of the new game show. “All I can say is it is going to be unique. Today, I am here just to introduce Kabir (Bedi),” he said when repeatedly asked about the details of the show. Mr Mehta claimed that “Knock-out” will be a unique game show with a never-before-format. “And a very special promise — out here, everyone wins,” he said, adding that even members of the audience can win. The highest amount that can be won every week is over Rs 100 lakh. “It is different from other shows. It will be only once a week, that too on Sundays. Moreover, DD still has a wider reach and viewers,” he said. “What I will suggest, just wait for some more time,” he added. When asked about Amitabh Bachchan, who hosts ‘KBC, Kabir Bedi said: “He is a popular actor. He is successful and everyone respects him.” “I started on the small screen by hosting a show for Delhi Doordarshan while in college. Three decades later, this is a homecoming for me in more ways than one,” he added. |
|
Anupam blasts Zee
TV decision NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (PTI) — Famous actor and anchor of Sawaal Dus Crore Ka
(SDCK) on Zee TV Anupam Kher today blasted the channel’s reported decision to replace him, terming it as “unprofessional” and said there should be collective blame taking if the programme has failed. “This is the most unprofessional and shoddy behaviour I have seen in my life. I am being made a scapegoat,” Kher told
PTI from his Mumbai office. “If the programme has failed we should take collective blame for it. Why make one person a scapegoat,” he queried. He said
SDCK director Gajendra Singh had only informed him “verbally” about the decision to replace him but as per the contract there should be a 60-day written notice. Kher also denied that he was short of dates for shooting future episodes of the game show. “I have already given my dates in writing to Zee. I am available from the 17th to the 25th of every month for
SDCK shoots”. When contacted Zee network’s official spokesperson said “Gajendra Singh and Kher are still discussing the issue. The only problem area is dates for the second schedule of sdck, shooting for which begins later this month”. “We need a lot of time from anchors. Kher has prior commitments to
films...there would be a lot of pressure on him,” the spokesman added. Of the six weeks
SDCK has been on air the programme has averaged 4-5 TRPS, which means it failed on an average to find place in the top 20 programmes each week. |
|
Anjana Mishra gets divorce CUTTACK, Dec 5 (PTI) — The much-publicised divorce case between Anjana Mishra and her estranged husband, an Indian Forest Service officer, has come to an end with the Orissa High Court granting them a divorce yesterday. Acting upon a joint petition filed before the court, Mr Justice B.P. Mishra directed Anjana’s husband Subash Chandra Mishra to pay her Rs 4.8 lakh as full and final settlement of alimony. She would have no further claim after the payment of the amount, the court said. While settling the divorce case, which was earlier pending before the family court here, the high court also quashed the dowry case pending against the officer in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bhubaneswar. Anjana had hit the headlines in the past three years with her allegations of attempt to rape against Orissa’s former Advocate-General Indrajit Ray in July, 1997. She had also alleged that she was gangraped near Barang, about 10 km from here, while on her way to Cuttack from Bhubaneswar on the night of January 9-10, 1999. |
|
Corruption not to be allowed: Swami DEHRA DUN, Dec 5 — The Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, Mr Nityanand Swami, admitting that there are many corrupt officers in the new state, says his government is likely to order a high-level inquiry into the cases of corruption that have come to his office in the past three weeks. Speaking at the inauguration of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam here today, he said many cases of corruption against officials posted in the capital had come to his notice. All ministers had been asked to deal with complaints of corruption seriously. Although, corruption was widespread in Uttar Pradesh, it would not be allowed in Uttaranchal, he said. Quoting corruption in disbursement of LTC to government employees, the Chief Minister said in most cases the money received by the employees was misutilised. He asked the officers concerned to pass bills after proper verification. Highlighting the achievements of GMVN, Dr Devinder Bhasin, Chairman, said the nigam had done a business of more than Rs 50 crore during last year. The target for the current financial year was Rs 60 crore. He demanded financial help from the state government to implement the Fifth Pay Commission report and adjust 350 employees of the nigam in government departments. Communal threat
waning: Advani NEW DELHI, Dec 5 — The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, said yesterday that the communal situation in the country is “quite satisfactory” and it is “great relief”. He was presiding over the meeting of the governing council of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) here. Giving a brief view of the functioning of the foundation, the Home Minister said though the NFCH was initially set up for assisting child victims of communal violence it has widened the ambit of its activities to include child victims of caste, ethnic and terrorist violence. The performance of the schemes to provide financial assistance to the child victims is being evaluated by the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development, he said. The foundation also undertakes suitable programmes for promoting communal harmony and national integration. The seventh meeting of the governing council also decided that instead of meeting once in a year, it would now meet twice in a year. |
|
Arsenic detected in Calcutta ground water CALCUTTA, Dec 5 (IANS) — Arsenic poisoning of ground water, which has wreaked havoc in eight districts of West Bengal, has struck Calcutta, where dangerous levels of the substance have been detected by scientists. High levels of arsenic content have been traced for the first time in the ground water in some of Calcutta's upscale neighbourhoods like Alipore and New Alipore, triggering panic. Reacting to the findings of scientists of the School of Environmental Studies (SES), authorities of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation have ordered thorough testing of drinking water sources. Test results are expected later this week. The corporation's mayor-in-council (water) Shovandeb Chattopadhyay told IANS that water samples from New Alipore, Alipore, Bansdroni and Baishnabghata areas in south Calcutta had been sent to the laboratory for detailed testing following detection of arsenic in the ground water. Initial findings by SES showed that the arsenic content in the ground water of certain areas of Alipore was as high as 141 microgram per litre. The World Health Organisation (WHO) permissible limit for arsenic is 10 micrograms per litre, but Indian medical standards allow up to 50 micrograms of arsenic in a litre of ground water. Arsenic poisoning of ground water, a looming problem along the plains around the Ganges in West Bengal and Bangladesh, is affecting millions of people, leaving them with skin disfigurations that are being mistaken by ignorant villagers as symptoms of leprosy. The worst affected districts of West Bengal are the North 24 Parganas, the South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, Hooghly, Howrah and Burdwan. Unscientific and random digging of shallow tube-wells is said to be the primary reason behind contamination of ground water. The problem has compounded by the fact that the federal government has recently stopped grants for various arsenic treatment projects. SES official Dipankar Chakraborty, who is credited with doing pioneering work in the field, said he expected the test reports to reveal large-scale contamination of ground water in Calcutta. Mr. K.J. Nath, Director of the All-India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene (AIIHPH), said as vast areas of the two neighboring districts (South and North 24 Parganas) of Calcutta were arsenic affected, the possibility was high that the ground water of the metropolis would also be contaminated. Experts, however, believe that Calcutta residents still need not panic as most of the drinking water requirement of the city is met by surface water sources like rivers, which are free of arsenic. However, tubewells do provide drinking water to thousands of people in Calcutta. Calcutta Municipal Corporation's Mr Chattopadhyay said orders had been given to seal the tubewells of the Alipore area from where arsenic-contaminated water had been found. However, people had complained that the corporation had not sealed tubewells in other areas where arsenic had been detected earlier. "The SES detected arsenic in the water from two tubewells in our area. However, the corporation neither sealed them nor made alternative arrangements for drinking water," complained Mr. Subol Karmakar, secretary of the Bansdroni Cooperative Society. The state government, which initially disclaimed the presence of arsenic and opposed efforts of NGOs in spreading awarenessin this regard, has now taken note of the problem. However, it said it was being forced to suspend many arsenic treatment projects due to lack of funds from the Centre. However, experts claim that even though the government has been receiving funds from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and other overseas organisations, it has not been able to come up with any substantial remedy. Experts like Mr Chakraborty have suggested that instead of going in for massive purification methods, the government should pay more attention to simple and cost-effective methods for community projects developed by organisations like the AIIHPH or SES. Last week, an arsenic prevention programme was initiated by the Indo-Canadian Environment Facility under which the Canadian Government would provide Rs. 100 million. Under the project, special filters would be fitted to all shallow tubewells. Arsenic-affected patients would also be treated under the venture, which would be carried out by NGOs. |
|
Allow us to go to
Pakistan: APHC NEW DELHI, Dec 4 (UNI) — The All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) today urged the government to allow its leaders to travel to Pakistan for creating a conducive atmosphere for reinitiating a dialogue for a lasting and peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem. Hurriyat Conference chief Abdul Gani Bhat, who is camping here for the past two days, said the Centre should lift the ban on the travel of Hurriyat leaders and permit them to go to Islamabad for talks with the Pakistan Government. Welcoming the Pakistan Government’s decision to exercise utmost restraint on the Line of Control as a positive development, he expressed the hope that India would reciprocate the step.
|
|
Home Guard Raising
Day function today NEW DELHI, Dec 5 — Delhi Civil Defence and Home Guards organisations will organise Raising Day function in the Capital tomorrow. Such functions require to make public aware of the roles of Civil Defence and Home Guards personnel, a press note said. |
 |
| 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 | |
