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| Friday, February 2, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Rehabilitating victims our priority: PM
Gujarat census: govt in fix People fear epidemic John’s statement flayed |
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CSIR: use debris for reconstruction Serving coconuts to quake-hit Gujarat housing board
houses safe Good response from
blood donors Bhuj wants ‘parallel’ administration M.F.
Hussain donates 10 lakh SC rules out bail in
drugs-related cases MPLAD scheme
ceiling relaxed LS term: NCRWC chief rejects PM’s proposal Greek PM to arrive
on February 4 CBSE exams
on schedule
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Rehabilitating victims our priority: PM CHENNAI, Feb 1 (PTI) — Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee said today that the government’s main objective in quake-hit Gujarat was to plunge into the task of rehabilitating victims and asserted that financial assistance would not be a problem. “The government has announced a substantial amount as relief assistance. It is willing to give more money. Money is no longer a problem,” he told reporters before his departure to New Delhi by a special aircraft from here. “Rehabilitation will take a long time”, the Prime Minister, who was on a two-day visit to the city, said. On reports of confusion in carrying out relief work in the quake-affected areas, he said, “Sorry, there is no confusion about disbursement”. The government had been able to dispatch relief materials to the victims within 24 hours of the tragedy. “There is no dearth of relief
material. I thank the foreign governments for extending all help,” he said. On reports of relief work being hampered by VIP visits to the quake-affected areas, Mr Vajpayee said: “There is no hindrance. Law and order situation is under control. We are giving full solidarity.” When asked if the coming Budget would be “harsh” because of the earthquake, he said “only the Union Finance Minister can say”. On President K.R. Narayanan’s observation on the exercise undertaken by the BJP-led NDA government to review the Constitution, he said as a Prime Minister he had nothing to say. 80 pc Kutch villages quake-hit NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — Even as the Gujarat Administration, assisted by Central agencies, stepped up the relief operations, a survey conducted by state officials has revealed that a staggering 80 per cent of the villages in Kutch district are quake-affected. “A survey conducted by the Gujarat Government officials have revealed that out of 630 villages, 492 are quake-hit and out of this, 150 villages are worst hit by the killer tremor,” Agriculture Secretary and member of Crisis Management Group (CMG) Bhaskar Barua told newspersons here today. As the official figure of injured people swelled to over 62,000, the International Red Cross Society has established a 310-bedded hospital in Bhuj in Kutch district to supplement in a big way the effort of Army doctors, he said. Mr Barua said with the focus now shifting more on providing temporary shelters to the homeless, 25,000 tonnes of plastic sheets were being transported to Gujarat, besides a trainload of GI sheets already flagged off to the state. Stating that the Kandla airport had become operational, he informed that several aircraft from foreign countries landed there with relief materials. “As a goodwill gesture, the foreign airlines were provided fuel free of cost,” he said adding, “Single Window Clearance Facility” has been established by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for giving clearance to foreign airlines bringing relief materials. |
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Gujarat census: govt in fix NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — The devastating earthquake in Gujarat has thrown a big challenge before the Census Commission of India, which is “undecided” on how to complete the census process in the worst-affected districts of the state, with just eight days left for the process to begin. Although the killer earthquake has thrown a big question mark on the conduct of the census in the four quake-hit districts of Kutch, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Surendranagar, the census commission has not taken any final decision on how to go about the process, official sources said. “The position about the conduct of census in the four quake-affected districts of Gujarat is under review and no firm decision has been taken so far,” a top Home Ministry official told The Tribune. However, the official said the census operations will commence as scheduled on February 9 in the rest of the 21 districts, including the state capital, he said. “The Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India, Dr J. K. Banthia, has already held meetings with the District Census Commissioners of 21 districts, including Ahmedabad, who have confirmed their readiness to go ahead with the census,” he said. Completion of the census process in the quake-hit districts will be a great challenge for the commission as the process needs to be completed on February 28 as the reference date of the Census 2001 is March 1, 2001. With many of its enumerators themselves affected by the quake, the commission will have to bank on its reserve enumerators or pool in those from the neighbouring districts, the official said. The first phase of the census operations — house-listing operation- has, however, been successfully completed in all the 25 districts of Gujarat. |
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People fear epidemic AHMEDABAD, Feb 1 (PTI) — The outbreak of an epidemic in Gujarat is being feared by people following reports of gastro-enteritis today among survivors in Anjar and Bhuj in Kutch district, official sources said here. They said about 12 such cases were being treated at makeshift hospitals in the two towns. They ruled out the spread of vector-born diseases (caused by mosquitoes) because of the dry and wintry season, but said possibilities existed for the outbreak of bacterial and viral diseases. Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel expressed apprehension of the epidemic as emotionally-charged people with undying hope were resisting the removal of decomposed bodies using heavy machinery. At some places people want to take out their belongings before allowing the removal of debris and thus unwittingly invite epidemic, Mr Patel said in Anjar. The state Home Minister said in Ahmedabad that steps were being taken to chlorinate water and spray disinfectants in the affected areas to prevent the outbreak of diseases like plague, cholera, diarrhoea, jaundice and malaria. Anti-infection drugs and life-saving medicines were being rushed to Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar, Rapar, Gandhidham and other worst-hit areas in the state, he said. The state government has constituted surveillance teams comprising doctors and para-medical personnel for detection and immediate treatment of the patients, the sources said. |
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John’s statement flayed NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — Christian leaders have expressed surprise and anguish over the “irresponsible statement” made by ousted Karnataka Minister T. John on the Gujarat quake. The leaders said they appreciated that Mr John had resigned taking responsibilty of his statement. Delhi Archbishop Vincent M Concessao, who is vice-president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, said Christians believed in a merciful and loving God who forgives those who repent and not the one who punishes people. He said the Church was solidly behind people who had suffered a devastating natural calamity in Gujarat. CBCI leaders said that the fundamental Christian faith advocated feeling one with all, especially victims of all kind. CBCI representatives are going to Bhuj to express solidarity with the victims. The Pope’s representative in India, Archbishop Lorenzo Baldiserri, has also left for Gujarat. Cartis International is from Rome, whose representative is travelling to Gujarat, has sanctioned Rs 70 million. |
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CSIR: use debris for reconstruction NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — The vast amount of rubble and debris piled up in the earthquake-hit Gujarat can be used for reconstruction work, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) has said. Since rehabilitation programme among other things will require huge quantities of building material, the CSIR has said that one of the ways to somewhat meet the demand is to make effective use of the vast amount of the waste rubble and debris piled up everywhere and convert this waste into useful building material and components. Such a strategy was adopted by the CSIR some years ago at Kaliasur (Garhwal) following a major landslide. The huge quantities of debris, the disposal of which otherwise can create an environmental problem, can best be used for the construction of roads and road embankments. The CSIR said the debris could be converted into blocks for building construction. It had the capacity to design and develop appropriate equipment to advise the state government on these matters. Such an initiative could also lead to providing gainful employment to the earthquake displaced people. The CSIR said it was forming a group to look into the revision of building codes and bye-laws so that new buildings could be made earthquake-safe. The council was closely working with the Ministry of Agriculture, the nodal agency on natural disaster, in structuring a permanent National Centre for Calamity Management. |
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Serving coconuts to quake-hit BHUJ, Feb 1 (PTI) — It might be a small gesture compared to the magnitude of relief provided in the quake-hit Kutch district, Jepal Bhai’s contribution would move the hearts of many. A coconut-rearing farmer has been bringing fresh “Nariyal Pani” to patients of the Army base hospital here. Travelling 40 km from Mandvi where he has his coconut farm, Jepal has been bringing a tractor trolley full of tender coconuts since January 26. He, his two sons and nephews dexterously chop green coconut with sickles and offer them to patients. “It’s nothing, just a plain honest gesture on my part. I have nothing great to offer except for my tender coconuts.” Though he was modest enough to take the credit and dismissed it as his duty. People served by him are impressed. “Jepal Bhai’s coconuts have come to us when such a help was least expected,” said a doctor attending on patients. He said that coconut water was good for rehydration and nutritious for those victims who had been trapped beneath the debris for long hours. Meanwhile, Swami Narayan sect followers have put up a stall in the city to provide cooked rice, ‘puri’, dal and ‘kichdi’ to the quake-affected people. |
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Gujarat
housing board houses safe AHMEDABAD, Feb 1 (UNI) —Private builders have gone underground but the
Gujarat Housing Board (GHB) is amused as none of its 1,75,000 houses have collapsed and those that have developed cracks are reparable. The Chairman,
GHB, Mr Praful Barot said that the maximum number of 75,000 flats are in
Ahmedabad. Most of them are low-rise buildings, usually having two to three floors and only seven high-rise towers that are all intact. However, 12 houses in
Rajkot and 48 in Morbi have collapsed. The earthquake that caused maximum devastation in
Ahmedabad and Bhuj did not destroy any structure of the GHB. Causes behind this phenomenon are also being probed. In
Bhuj, there are 1102 houses of the GHB. Mr Barot said that the GHB follows the fire safety norms to the ‘T’ and these are the best in the state. So far, no private builder has followed these norms. Sources informed that most of the houses that collapsed have been built in the past five years. After the Mumbai serial bomb blasts of 1993, the initial reaction of businessmen and the
Gujarati community apart from NRIs, was to invest in flats and housing to ensure safety and security in case of an eventuality. Around 50,000 flats are still vacant and there was no interest to give them out on rent. The
GHB has decided to allot 4,580 ready houses free for a period of six months to a year, of which 451 are in
Ahmedabad, informed Mr Barot. The state government will decide on allotments according to the
needs. |
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Good response from
blood donors NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — Hundreds of donors have been thronging the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) in the Capital to donate blood for the earthquake victims in Bhuj even as there is no demand for blood from Gujarat. “We have stored enough blood. We do not require more”, donors were told by officials of the blood bank of the Indian Red Cross Society. Mr Jitender Singh, a college student, said: “This is the best way to serve the nation in this hour of crisis. Even though I had to want for my turn, am happy after donating blood”. A 20-year old boy, Jatin, said: “I wanted to donate two units of blood but I was not allowed to do so. I am surprised why I was stopped from giving more blood. A 60-year-old man of East Delhi, who went to donate blood, was not allowed due to his old age. He looked visiby
annoyed. |
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Bhuj wants ‘parallel’ administration BHUJ, Feb 1 (UNI) — The local administration seems to have collapsed in the quake-hit areas of kutch district and the survivors are now demanding a ‘‘parallel administration’’, saying that the local employees, who lost their family members in the disaster, are unable to put their heart in the relief work. A large number of those engaged in rescue and relief works, including personnel from the armed and
para-military forces and other security agencies, have lost their home and family and many of them were too traumatised to work whole-heartedly for the welfare of the survivors. People poured out their anger against the slow pace of relief works. M. F. Hussain donates 10 lakh KOLKATA, Feb 1 (UNI) — Noted painter M.F. Hussain today donated Rs 10 lakh, the entire sale proceedings from his latest painting “Gujarat 2001” — to the Prime Minister’s relief fund as a mark of solidarity with the quake-battered people. The 4x3 feet red and black-coloured painting on a canvas was the first in the series of eight paintings entitled “Gujarat-2001” to be drawn by the painter in as many cities across the nation in over the next two weeks. After Kolkata, Mr Hussain would draw similar paintings in Mumbai (February 3), Delhi (February 5) and Chennai (February 8), Bangalore, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Lucknow to raise contribution for the quake-affected people of Gujarat. |
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SC rules out bail in
drugs-related cases NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (UNI) — The Supreme Court has ruled out bail to those involved in narcotics-related cases till their cases are heard and judgment delivered. The Accused in such cases, if let off, were bound to indulge in activities lethal to society, the court said, adding that the liberty of a citizen had to be balanced with the interest of society. The ruling was given by a division Bench comprising Mr Justice S. Rajendra Babu and Mr Justice K.C. Balakrishnan while declining bail to an accused, charged with possessing and selling cannabis, ganja and manufactured drugs. Possessing these drugs is punishable under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Babua, alias Tazmul Hossain, had been charged with possessing and selling drugs in 1998 at Kilapokhari of Balasore town in Orissa. He was arrested on November 23, 1998, and was facing trial along with five others. His bail application was rejected in 1999 by a special court hearing the case. |
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MPLAD scheme
ceiling relaxed NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — The government today decided to waive the ceiling of Rs 10 lakh on utilisation of the MPs Local Area Development Scheme
(MPLADS) in outside constituencies thus allowing the parliamentarians to contribute their entire allocation of the annual Rs 2 crore for relief work in earthquake-hit Gujarat. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has issued instructions to all district collectors for transferring the funds assigned by the members of Parliament to Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat. The relaxation would enable the government to generate more funds for rehabilitation work in Gujarat, according to the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan. LS term: NCRWC chief rejects PM’s proposal NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — The Chairman of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC), Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, yesterday rejected Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s suggestion of having a “fixed term” for the Lok Sabha, saying that it would “negate the parliamentary system”. Talking to newspersons after the meeting of the NCRWC, Justice Venkatachaliah said, the commission has not discussed the idea of a fixed term and my personal view is that it would be meddling with the basic features of the Constitution and the parliamentary system. Earlier the NCRWC Secretary, Dr Raghubir Singh, said the meeting made a comprehensive review of the progress of the work with regard to the review of the working of the Constitution. Dr Raghubir Singh said seven topics namely pace of socio-economic change under the Constitution, parliamentary reforms, Article 356 of the Constitution, institution of Governor under the Constitution, remedies for misfeasance in public office, constitutional response to good governance and macro-economic management and legal control of monetary and fiscal policy are in advanced stage of finalisation and expected to be released by the third week of February for public debate and discussion. Justic Venkatachaliah, who was repeatedly asked by the newspersons about the President, Mr K.R. Naryanan’s remarks in his Republic Day Address to the nation, declined to be drawn into the controversy, saying that “we have respectively taken note” of his views. Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy, Justice R.S.Sarkaria, Justice Kottapalli Punnayya, the Attorney General, Mr Soli Sorabje, Mr K. Parasaran, Dr Subash Kashyap, Mr C. R. Irani, Dr Abid Hussain and Mrs Sumitra Kulkarni attended the meeting while another member, P.A. Sangma was unable to attend the
meeting.
Greek PM to arrive
on February 4 NEW DELHI, Feb 1 — Bilateral agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation, are going to be finalised during the six-day official visit of the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr Konstantinos Simitis, beginning from February 4. Briefing newspersons about the forthcoming visit, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said the Greek Premier would hold wide-ranging discussions with Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. With New Delhi attaching considerable significance to its relations with Greece in view of Athens being an important member of the EU, the two sides have identified areas for boosting bilateral economic cooperation. During his stay in the capital, Mr Simitis, who is being accompanied by his spouse Daphne Simitis, would call on the President, Mr K.R. Naryanan and Mrs Usha Naryanan on February 5. The President would host a lunch in the honour of the visiting Prime Minister. Mr Simitis would also call on the Vice-President, Mr Krishan Kant. On the same day, Mr Simitis along with his delegation would hold discussions with Mr Vajpayee. After the talks, Mr Vajpayee would host a dinner for the visitor from Greece.
CBSE exams on schedule NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (UNI) — The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has said tonight that it would not defer the class X and XII exams in the quake-ravaged Gujarat, but is prepared to change the examination centres, if so desired. The CBSE sources said the board was in constant touch with its regional office in Ajmer and also CBSE-affiliated schools in Gujarat. Buildings of most of the schools affiliated to the CBSE were safe as per the information received here. “We understand the problem of the students of Gujarat. But holding of exams as per schedule is very important as any change in the timetable will affect the academic career of lakhs of other students who undertake the exams in various parts of the country and abroad,” sources said. It said some of the schools in the state had even started holding practical exams as per schedule. Joint Secretary (exams coordination) Shashi Bhushan said the CBSE was, however, prepared to make last-minute changes in the centres for the students from Gujarat to prevent any inconvenience to them. An estimated 10 lakh students will appear for the class X and XII exams starting from March 7 and a few thousands of them will be from Gujarat.
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Singhvi patron of HCI NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (UNI) — An eminent jurist and constitutional expert, Dr
I.M. Singhvi has been elected patron of the prestigious Harvard Club of India
(HCI), succeeding the late former President Dr Shanker Dayal Sharma. In a statement issued on Thursday here the HCI president and Supreme Court lawyer, Dr Surath Singh, said the decision of the non-political and educational body had been intimated to Dr
Singhvi. BJP ‘firm’ in stance on Kashmir NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (UNI) — The BJP President, Mr Bangaru Laxman, said today that the party was firm in its stance on Kashmir and there would be no compromise with terrorists. Releasing, “Shyam Prasad Mukherjee — A contemporary study”, a book written by Harish Chandra and his wife Padmini, at the party’s headquarters here, the BJP President said Dr Mukherjee, the founder of Jana Sangh, had sacrificed his life fighting for “one country, one name and one Constitution”. Describing Dr Mukherjee as a visionary who had broken away from the Congress and given up his ministership to form the Jana Sangh, he said the Congress exploited his nationalistic pursuit
politically. |
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