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| Friday, February
23, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Kargil: GoM to give report on India, Germany to hold security talks Induction of
Agni-II by 2002 Ajeya: St Kitts bank papers forged |
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Punjabi conference in Lahore Ruckus in RS over quake relief Vinod Sharma Zoo Directors’ chief Farmer
issues: Centre ready for debate Mini township at Gandhidham Railways appoints sales agents abroad North India in Parliament UK cops in Delhi Indrajit Gupta bid farewell Centre for power plants near
coasts
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Kargil: GoM to give report on February 26 New Delhi, February 22 The GoM, headed by Union Home Minister L. K. Advani, was set up by the Prime Minister after the Kargil Review Committee submitted its report on several aspects of the incursions in December 1999. The GoM, which was entrusted with the task of examinining the entire gamut of national security issues, had constituted four expert task forces and their reports and recommendations were also considered by it at a series of meetings held over the past few months. The GoM had held its final meeting on February 19 and approved the final draft after analysing threadbare various aspects of national security. Once the report is submitted it will be the prerogative of the Prime Minister whether or not to table it in Parliament as the GoM was set up by him on his own, sources said. Besides Mr Advani, the GoM includes Defence Minister George Fernandes, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra. Meanwhile, Mr Mishra today said that though the Kargil episode was a military and a diplomatic victory, it had exposed some shortcomings “in our policy”. “We are not leaving anything to chance and a proper analysis is being made to overcome all shortcomings,” he said while releasing a book, “Kargil and After : Challenges for Indian Policy. |
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India, Germany to hold security talks New Delhi, February 22 A decision to this effect was taken when German Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping met Defence Minister, George Fernandes at South Block this morning. After the one hour one-to-one meeting, the two countries held delegation level talks. The German Defence Minister also met the three services chiefs. The discussions centered on issues of
disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation and steps to intensify the Indo-German security dialogue, official sources said. In May last year, India and Germany had agreed to expand their relationship and introduce a strategic dimension to the ties. The security dialogue process was discussed during German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer’s two visits to India last year. Mr
Scharping, who arrive4d here yesterday on a six-day visit, will meet External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh later today. He will also meet National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and high-ranking
politicians to discuss measures for coordinating on efforts to meet the global challenges, pursue common goals of peace, stability and security and push economic cooperation to higher levels. The German minister brought a plane load of
relief material for the earthquake victims of Gujarat. The visit is a part of the ongoing high-level interaction between the two governments with a focus to increase and strengthen relations in all spheres. Induction of Agni-II by 2002 New Delhi, February 22 The second flight of Agni-II took place on January 17 and the trial was “in the operational configuration and mission objectives were fully met,” Mr Fernandes said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. He said the user trials of the indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle Nishant would begin this month and its production, induction and operationalisation would be taken up after the completion of the trials. Test flights had now been planned for the pilotless target aircraft, Lakshya, which had been inducted into the Indian Air Force. Mr Fernandes said no Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft was damaged at the Air Force station at Bhuj in Gujarat during the recent earthquake. The minister, in a written reply, said 89 persons were reported killed at the Air Force station while three persons were reported missing. Army installations damaged at Bhuj due to earthquake would require about Rs 40.40 crore for reconstruction as per preliminary assessment, he said. He said extensive damage to the Navy’s buildings at INS Valsura, Jamnagar and Okha was reported, adding a son of a sailor died at Valsura.
PTI |
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Ajeya: St Kitts bank papers forged New Delhi, February 22 Mr Ajeya Singh, who came here from the USA to depose before Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke as a CBI witness, said his purported signatures on the papers relating to his alleged foreign bank accounts were also false and forged. Controversial godman Chandraswami and his aide K.N. Aggarwal, alias Mamaji, are facing trial in the case for allegedly forging certain documents to show Ajeya Singh had opened a bank account in First Trust Corporation Ltd in St Kitts Island in 1986 and deposited $ 21 million there. The trial court had earlier discharged a former Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, and a former Union Minister, Mr K.K. Tewary, in the case saying that there was no evidence against them. The discharge order was subsequently also upheld by the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.
PTI Punjabi conference in Lahore New Delhi, February 22 This was announced by WPC chairman Fakhar Zaman while addressing a Punjabi seminar at Lahore, a WPC press note said here today. The conference’s main theme will be “Punjabi, Punjab and Punjabiat in the 21st century”, it said, adding that about 300 delegates from Pakistan and 20 other countries were expected to participate. Mr Zaman said the biggest-ever World Punjabi Conference was held in Lahore in 1986 followed by Chandigarh conference in December, 2000. 
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Ruckus in RS over quake relief New Delhi, February 22 Members belonging to the Congress, Left parties, the Samajwadi Party and the RJD stood up almost simultaneously alleging that there had been discrimination in the distribution of relief. They were immediately countered by ruling party members who vehemently denied that there was any discrimination. Trouble arose when Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar began replying to supplementaries on a question relating to the extent of damage caused by the devastating earthquake. When Mr Nitish Kumar said the state and Central governments had made best efforts to provide succour to the affected people, members belonging to various opposition parties opposed the statement and alleged discrimination in relief distribution. As members occupying the ruling benches tried to shout them down, noisy scenes prevailed in the House. Chairman Krishan Kant then rose from his seat and asked the members to take their seats and listen to the minister. |
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Vinod Sharma Zoo Directors’ chief Chandigarh, February 22 Dr Sharma has taken over from Mr A.K. Das, Director, Allipore Zoo, Kolkata. The other office-bearers are: secretary — Mr B.S. Bonal (Director, National Zoological Park, New Delhi); North Zone coordinator: Mr B. Prabhakar (Director, Lucknow Zoo); Western Zone coordinator: Dr R.K. Sahu (Zoo Superintendent, Kamla Nehru Zoological Park, Ahmedabad); Central Zone coordinator: Mr R.P. Singh (Director, Bhopal Van Vihar); South Zone coordinator: Mr N Krishna Kumar (Director, Arignar Anna Zoo, Chennai); and East I Zone coordinator: Mr R.C. Bhattacharya (Director, Nandan Kanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar). The Director of the Chennai Park has also been elected as Chief Editor and Editor of Indian Zoo Year Book. Dr Sharma, who was earlier Zonal coordinator for the IZDA said: “India has 56 zoos of which 15 are large, 17 medium and the remaining 24 small. All are recognised by the Central Zoo Authority.” |
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Farmer issues: Centre ready for debate New Delhi, February 22 Responding to the Opposition’s persistent demands both at the beginning of the business in the lower House as well as during zero hour asking the government to agree to have a debate on the farmers’ issue, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan, said the government was ready to have a debate on the issue in any form and manner acceptable to the House. While Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP) asked the chair to permit him to raise the issue as he had asked his party colleagues in the House to resume their seats when they were agitating in the well of the House at the commencement of the business in the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Mr Madhav Rao Scindia, and Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) also urged the chair to have a full-scale debate on the issue. Mr Scindia said the Congress had already sought a debate in the House on the issue. He said lakhs of farmers would reach Delhi on February 25 to voice their grievances and demand justice. Until the government took steps to redress their grievances, the Congress would continue to raise the issue, he said. At this, Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP) rose up saying that the Congress was only trying to cover its earlier misdeeds by bringing farmers into the Capital. He said his party and the government were ready for a debate. |
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Mini township at Gandhidham Rapar (Bhuj), February 22 Survivors communicate their feelings with volunteers. Even the Punjab police, otherwise known for its bully image, has sent its commandos, along with several truck loads of relief suplies, to Bhuj. Under the aegis of the Vishva Gurmat Ruhani Mission of Ratawara Sahib, Sant Waryam Singh and 200 volunteers have set up their camp at Vidayarthi Bhavan in Rapar. The camp is a beehive of activity. Nobody goes without food and clothing. Baba Lakhbir Singh, who is coordinating relief work, says a survey of 22 villages adopted by their mission had been done before the distribution of material was started. As many as 17,000 blankets, 4000 tents and 28 items had been given to each family. So far, 5,500 families had been provided help by the mission. “We are not turning down repeated requests for wheat, rice and millet from the survivors who are storing it. It will help them in forgetting the calamity”, Baba Lakhbir Singh said. He said as Patels, Rajputs and certain other communities were not accepting used clothes, two truckloads of unstitched cloth had been bought for them. At Trambo village, the Haryana chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects is pitching tents for a Dalit basti. Mr J. Saigal, Chairman of the Haryana chapter, said providing transit shelters to the victims for at least two years was urgently required. He along with other architects had designed semi-circular tents of bamboo, tarpaulin and mud. The tents could withstand vagaries of weather for about five years and could accommodate five persons. Initially 100 tents would be pitched and if the Gujarat Government approved the design, the architects would provide such transit shelters in other areas also free of cost, Mr Saigal said. Not far away in Bhuj, the Punjab police commandos in black have brought goodwill and relief. Volunteers of religious organisations are camping in Bhuj, the worst affected area. A member of the animal advisory board from Sirsa is arranging fodder for cattle whose owners had died in the earthquake. Fodder was being arranged for over one lakh cattle heads which had been kept at centres in Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar and other places. He was, however, upset over the indifferent attitude of the Gujarat Government towards the welfare of the animals. Away fromt the nerve centre of the relief operations, Vinod Khanna, MP from Gurdaspur, is camping at Gandhidham to set up a commune for the victims. Along with 25 volunteers, he is busy erecting a “mini-township” on the Ra Leela ground. “The place will have a school, a community kitchen, lavatories, medical care facilities and playing facilities for children. It is a one-year project”, Mr Khanna said. He has brought with him 15,000 blankets and seven truck loads of food. For those visiting the survivors in the relief camp, 20 tents were being pitched. Over 150 living units would be provided in the camp. “Once we have set up the facilities, the place would be handed over to a committee of locals. Similar relief operation was being done at Tappar village from where the water supply of Gandhidham was sourced”, he said, adding that requests of the town at an alternative place by the locals had been forwarded to the Central government. |
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Railways appoints sales agents abroad New Delhi, February 22 A press note issued here yesterday said the appointment of these agents in the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia would enable foreign tourists to plan their tours travel before leaving their home country. In pursuance of this policy, the Railways will offer Ind-Rail passes to foreign tourists to enable them to travel by any train within the given time-frame. The Railways earn $ 5 lakh annually through the GSAs while Northern Railway earns $ 10 lakh through the sale of tickets and Ind-Rail passes at the international tourist bureau every year. The fifth GSA conference of the Railways was held at Rail Bhavan here yesterday under the chairmanship of Mr Shanti Narain, member (Traffic), Railway Board. Besides senior railway officers, representatives of Indian Airlines and officers from the Ministry of Tourism participated in the conference. The participants deliberated upon issues like the running of special trains according to the requirements of foreign tourists, the safety and security of tourists and increase in the foreign tourist quota. |
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North India in Parliament New Delhi, February 22 The Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Mr Chaoba Singh, informed the House that the government did not directly set up food processing industries in any state. He was replying to a question on whether the government proposes to set up food processing industry at Rohodu in Shimla on a priority basis. The Union Consumer Affairs Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, said 2,98,181 families were below the poverty line in Himachal Pradesh, including 65,595 in Kangra district, 48,059 in Chamba and 43,374 in Mandi. They were being provided foodgrains at concessional rates. The Minister of State for Railways, Mr Digvijay Singh, said the collapse of the power grid had affected the entire northern railway zone. The timings of 118 trains were affected due to the power failure. In reply to another question, Mr Digvijay Singh said India and Pakistan had renewed the rail agreement to run the Samjhauta Express for another three years. The agreement, the minister said pertained to only technical details of rail operations. It did not deal with the matters related with smuggling and militant activities. The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Shripad Y. Naik, said a drought-like situation was reportedly prevailing in Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Rajasthan. The Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Sharad Yadav, informed the Rajya Sabha that there was no proposal to contruct more airports in Himachal Pradesh. However, Kangra (Gaggal) airport was being developed for operations of ATR-72 aircraft. The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr Vidyasagar Rao, informed the Lok Sabha that no report had been received from the state government regarding migration from the border villages after the announcement of the peace initiative in Jammu and Kashmir. In reply to another question, the minister said up to December 1996, 19,338 Kashmiri migrant families had migrated to Delhi and 2,710 migrated to other states and union territories. Mr Vidyasagar Rao in reply to another question said there has been a perceptible change in the general atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir in terms of the positive response from the public and the mainstream political parties to the Prime Minister’s peace initiative. However, except on the border/LoC the extend of violence has not seen any significant decline because the militants had been hostile to the peace initiative. He said after the incidents of Mahjoor Nagar, in which six Sikhs were killed, the state government had further reviewed the security arrangements for minorities and remote and scattered populations. In addition, there was a constant monitoring of the security situation by the respective headquarters at Jammu and Srinagar and in the operations groups at a lower level. The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr I.D. Swami, informed the Lok Sabha that the porous nature of the long Ind-Nepal (1,751 km) border was being used by ISI agents and ISI- backed Kashmiri and Sikh terrorist groups and criminals, for anti-India activities. He said the government had adopted a multi-pronged approach for border management which included creation of police posts, gearing up of intelligence machinery, intelligence-based action against ISI agents, modernisation and upgradation of the police and security forces with sophisticated weapons, communication system and vehicles. |
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UK cops in Delhi New Delhi, February 22 The visit will be a concentrated effort to see drug de-addiction centres being run by Navjyoti, the Delhi Police Foundation and Police-Community services in slum and rural areas. The team is headed by Chief Superintendent Michael Layton, his subordinate inspector Paul Lem and prison officer Jagdev Singh Mavi. The team will visit Chandigarh, Punjab and border areas. It will visit villages of Punjab. |
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Indrajit Gupta bid farewell Kolkata, February 22 His friends and well-wishers bid him a tearful farewell in the presence of several veteran politicians and other eminent personalities of the country. Vice-President Krishan Kant, Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi, Home Minister L.K. Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Mr Jyoti Basu, Mr Siddhartha Sanker Ray, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr Ajit Kumar Panja, Chief Minister Budhadev Bhattacharyya and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan paid their last respects to Mr Gupta. The body which had been kept at Peace Haven at Park Street since Tuesday night, was taken to the CPI party office in central Calcutta this morning for people to pay their last respects. Hundreds of people took part in the procession, which began shortly after 3.30 p.m. from the party office. The flower-bedecked body was later brought to the Keoratala burning ghat. Mr Jyoti Basu said: “It was a personal loss to me”. Both Mr Gupta and Mr Basu met in London in the forties and took the lesson of Marxism from the great Communist leader Rajni Palam Dutt and Harry Palit. Mr Sankar Ray said: “Mr Gupta was not only born of a rich family, but also had an outstanding academic career. Mr Gupta (82) was the oldest sitting MP in the Lok Sabha and had been the country’s Home Minister in both Mr H.D.Deve Gowda and Mr I.K. Gujral governments. |
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Centre for power plants near
coasts New Delhi, February 22 The Minister for Power, Mr Suresh Prabhu, said here that he had asked the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to explore the possibility as the imported coal had a low ash content as compared to Indian coal. Approximately 60,000 MW of power generated today in India was dependent on coal. The use of low ash coal would help reduce the degradation of environment due to release of fly ash. |
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