 |
| Sunday, January 28, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
|
Awards for 27 artistes Gurdial, Nirmal
receive Jnanpith Award CBI grills Gopichand Hinduja Advani invites Ghising for talks Charges framed
against Salman |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Commando’s remand extended Rajasthan farmer heading for crisis? Driver, conductor die
in bus blast Ramoowalia pleads potato growers' case
|
|
Awards for 27 artistes NEW DELHI, Jan 27 (UNI) — For the first time since the institution of the awards, the nation’s highest civilian honour this year has gone to two artistes — melody queen Lata Mangeshkar and ageing
shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Both artistes have devoted their lives to their chosen vocation, and the award comes as a true tribute from a grateful nation. The live telecast of the Republic Day parade on Doordarshan traditionally commences with the shehnai of Ustad Bismillah Khan, and the recital yesterday therefore assumed a special significance for the maestro. Apart from the melody queen, as many as nine film personalities figure among the 27 artistes in the list announced late yesterday evening. While the names of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, evergreen star Dev Anand, and thespian Pran were expected to figure in the list of Padma Bhushan awardees, the honour of the sole film personality to get the Padma Vibhushan went to the ageing filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee — a former Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation — who recently made a comeback with “Jhooth Bole Kauve Kaate”. Veteran filmmaker B. R. Chopra whose name is synonymous with purposeful films and who has already been awarded the highest award in cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, has also been named for Padma Bhushan. Among the other Padma Bhushan awardees are senior actress Bhanumathi Ramakrishna and maestro Bhupen Hazarika (also a Dadasaheb Phalke awardee). Another former Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation D.V.S. Raju and Malayalam matinee idol Mohan Lal have been awarded the Padma Shri. Renowned theatre director and entrepreneur Aamir Raza Hussain has also been named for a Padma Shri (Though the list mentions his name among film personalities). Well-known critic Sunil Kothari has been given the Padma Shri for promotion of arts. Perhaps the only notable artistes from overseas to have got the awards are composer Zubin Mehta and violin maestro L. Subramaniam, who have been given the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan, respectively. Two prominent classical instrumentalists — santoor maestro Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan — figure in the Padma Vibhushan list. Another Carnatic violinist Lalgudi G. Jayaraman figures in the list of Padma Bhushan awardees. Classical dancers who figure in the list include Kathak danseuse Uma Sharma and Bharatnatyam exponent Yamini Krishnamurti in the Padma Bhushan list, danseuse Shobha Naidu gets the Padma Shri. Other artistes who have been awarded are: Padma Bhushan — sculptor Raghunath Mahapatra, Padma Shri — craftsman M. Tayab Khan, performing artiste Dr Nerella Venumadhav, musicians Ms Padmaja Phenany Joglekar and singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, and painters A.S. Raman, Thota Tharani, and S.V. Rama Rao. |
|
Gurdial, Nirmal
receive Jnanpith Award NEW DELHI, Jan 27 — Punjabi novelist Gurdial Singh and Hindi writer Nirmal Verma were today presented the 1999 Jnanpith Award for their outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature. The most prestigious literary award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh, a citation and a bronze statuette of Vagdevi Sarasvati, was given away by Uttar Pradesh Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri here this evening. Nirmal Verma’s short stories have been appreciated for the fine depiction of the inner conflicts of the individual, the human conscience and moral responsibility. “The refinement, precision and sensitivity” of his prose works were also mentioned in the citation. Gurdial Singh has been recognised for “putting the dispossessed and the deprived segments of society at the centre of his fiction.” In his novels, he “sees his characters in the context of situations and heritage, and dramatises their inner strengths and crippling
weaknesses, their dreams, desires and eccentricities,” the citation said. This is for the second time that two writers have been jointly chosen for the award. Gurdial Singh is the second Punjabi litterateur to receive the award after Amrita Pritam who was awarded the Jnanpith in 1981 for her work, “Kaghaz te Canvas.” Nirmal Verma, who began his literary career in the 1950s, is considered to be one of the main exponents not merely of Hindi literature but also of Indian literature in the twentieth century. |
|
|
CBI grills Gopichand
Hinduja
NEW DELHI, Jan 27 (UNI) — The CBI today grilled Mr Gopichand Hinduja, the third accused brother, in connection with the Rs 64-crore Bofors pay-off case, even though he vehemently denied being involved in the Rs 1437-crore 155 mm Howitzer gun deal in 1986. Coming out of the CBI Headquarters after the interrogation, Mr Gopichand Hinduja said, ‘‘The matter is sub judice and my counsel has advised me not to speak on the matter.’’ ‘‘We have full faith in the Indian judiciary. We are not hiding. We are cooperating with the CBI. We provided them with the information they wanted from us.’’ Asked about the passport issue that rocked the British Government, he said, ‘‘I do not want to comment as there was no relation with the present investigation.’’ The CBI spokesman said Mr Gopichand Hinduja was interrogated for three and a half hours. |
|
Advani invites Ghising for talks KOLKATA, Jan 27 — Darjeeling Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) Chief, Mr Subhash Ghising, has been invited by the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, for a meeting in Delhi on February 7, which he had been demanding for the past one year to have a bilateral talks with the Centre on the problems of the hill people. Political sources said the proposed meeting had been arranged at the instance of the Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee. Initially, Mr Advani was reluctant to invite the GNLF leader as he did not support Mr Ghising’s secessionist movement. But Ms Banerjee persuaded the Home Minister to call Mr Ghising for the meeting. Mr Advani had also invited Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharyya for talks but he refused. Mr Bhattacharyya had taken a strong exception to Mr Advani’s calling for a tripartite meeting on Darjeeling, without prior consulting the state government. However, he will send Mr Ashok Bhattacharyya, Minister for Municipal Affairs, for the meeting. The GNLF has once again stuck to its demand for a separate statehood for the Gorkhas and the Nepali-speaking people of Darjeeling, Duars, Sikkim and other areas. Last month, the GNLF observed a token three-day bandh in Darjeeling and has given a call for an indefinite strike from February 4. Interestingly, Mr Ghising-rival group led by Mr Chhatrey Subha, now absconding has given a separate call for massive agitation on the same demand. He alleged that Mr Ghising had betrayed the people and by virtue of being Hill Council chief, he had become a stooge of Mr Jyoti Basu and Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharyya. Mr Subha claimed that he had the support of the ULFA and Kamtapur Liberation Front, in their agitation. Mr Subhas Ghising had been heading the Hill Council for past one decade. He was demanding direct flow of funds from the Centre to him, instead of coming through the state government. |
|
Charges framed against Salman JODHPUR, Jan 27 (PTI) — A local court today framed charges against film actor Salman Khan for allegedly poaching protected wild animals using illegal arms. Jodhpur Judicial Magistrate Ajay Singh framed the charges against Salman, who was present in the court, under the Arms Act thus formally launching prosecution against the accused in the case of hunting two black bucks near Moja Kankani in Luni tehsil of Jodhpur district in October 1998. The Bollywood star, who is on bail, pleaded not guilty. Later, Salman’s counsel Hastimal Saraswat moved two applications, one seeking leave from personal appearance of Salman on regular hearings of the case and the other permission for him to go abroad. The magistrate ordered that the two applications would be taken up on January 29. Two other cases against him for poaching, registered with Mathania police station, were also listed for hearing in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate today. But they were posted for March 15 next as the judge was on leave. |
|
Commando’s remand extended NEW DELHI, Jan 27 (UNI) — A city court has extended the judicial custody of the arrested marine commando, who reportedly injured himself in a shooting drama at the Navy Chief’s residence last month, for 14 more days to facilitate further investigation and interrogation. Passing the order Metropolitan Magistrate M.C. Gupta said accused Satbir Singh has been remanded in judicial custody till February 3. On January 5, Mr Gupta had rejected the application of the Indian Navy for taking Satbir into its custody. Mr Gupta had said it was not appropriate to send accused Satbir Singh in the custody of the Navy. The investigation was on and the charge sheet yet to be filed. Once he was sent into the Navy custody it would create a problem for the police to carry out further investigation, he added. |
|
Rajasthan farmer heading for crisis? SRIGANGANAGAR, Jan 27 — It seems the Rajasthan farmer is heading for a major crisis if he does not follow the minimum risk farming pattern in view of the recurring droughts coupled with canal water scarcity. The state is currently witnessing the third major drought in the past decade and major relief measures have been initiated by the state government for the affected families and livestock in 21 districts. Wheat at the rate of Rs 2 per kg is being provided to people who have lost everything in the ongoing dry spell. There was hope of rain in the last week of the month, but now the chances were “remote.” This means farmers will have to wait for the monsoons which begins in September. Keeping in view the need for more water, the state government dispatches officials to Punjab to stress the release of more water. A favourable outcome is awaited by anxious farmers and authorities alike. Agronomists at the prestigious Agriculture Research Station here are unanimous over the fact that over dependence on canal water coupled with unscientific methods of farming has proved to be the undoing of the farmer. They stressed on a minimum risk farming technique — sowing various crops at the same time — to offset any damage by natural calamities. “The farmer will have to opt for those crops which require less water, fertilisers and insecticides. They will have to keep in mind that water is a scarce and precious commodity, which has to be harnessed with foresight and practicality”, opined a scientist. A farmer with say 10 bighas can earn a handsome amount by foregoing the two-crop traditional method. He has to sow three or four crops at the same time for more returns. This way he can sow a crop which needs more water coupled with those which require irrigation once or twice. The flooding method widely followed by the farmers here is unscientific and is taking its toll on the water table. With the table going to an alarming low in even water-rich states like Punjab, the plight of Rajasthan farmers can be imagined. The need of the hour is to go in for drip or sprinkler irrigation. These methods are being successfully followed elsewhere in the world, the top success story being Israel. The country has followed these methods and are doing their best despite having no adequate natural water resources. There is no reason why it cannot be replicated here too, the agronomists opine. The water, thus, saved can be stored in tanks or ditches and used at the discretion of the farmer or during natural calamity, as witnessed presently. Scientists, however, point out that subtle changes are taking place on the ground, thanks to their represented warnings and the drought faced by farmers. An indicator in this context is the increase in the crop area of barley, more than four times the previous year. It is steadily replacing wheat as a cash crop. The reason: it requires less water, fertilisers, insecticides and gives more yield than wheat per hectare. Similarly, the farming of gram, again requiring less water, is on the rise while the cultivation of mustard is on the decline. The latter registered a 10 per cent decrease in the cultivated area in the state this year. Commenting on the ideal pattern, the experts said the farmers should take up the cultivation of American cotton (narma) with guar, moong, moth, arhand and jojoba during the kharif period and couple wheat with barley, tara mira, gram and mustard in the rabi season. Besides this, the farmers has to opt for animal husbandry, rearing of rabbits, pigs and poultry, pisciculture, beekeeping and other allied ventures. The government has set aside various subsidies for such schemes and the farmer has to take full advantage if he wants to keep his farm financially viable, they point out. |
|
Driver, conductor die
in bus blast DEHRA DUN, Jan 27 — Driver and conductor of the UP Road Transport Corporation were killed on the spot in a bomb blast in a bus at Rishikesh bus stand on Friday morning. According to the information available in the State police
control room in the blast took place at 2.35 a.m. on Friday morning when the driver and conductor were sleeping in the bus. The bus had arrived at the bus stand just an hour before the incident, from Delhi via
Saharanpur. The police is of the view that the bomb might have been placed in the bus in Delhi. A tragedy was averted as the bus had carried 65 passengers from Delhi. Normally Rishikesh bus remains busy day and night. Following the incident the Roadways Transport Union blocked traffic in the bus stand for hours demanding adequate compensation to the family members of the victims. |
|
Ramoowalia pleads
potato growers’ case NEW DELHI, Jan 27 — Member of Parliament and president of the Lok Bhalai Party B.S. Ramoowalia today met the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar and delivered a letter drawing his attention to the ‘miserable’ plight of Punjab growers and offered four solutions for potato marketing. Mr Ramoowalia suggested to the Agriculture Minister four solutions to salvage the situation, distribution of 10 to 15 kg of potatoes through the PDS like other cereals to the people under the ‘below poverty line programme’, to supply ‘potatoes for work’ to daily wage workers under the Programme of Food for Work, to sell potatoes in bulk to the Defence and Para-Military Forces and to explore the possibility of exporting potatoes. |
 |
| 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 | |
