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Thursday,
April 12, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Centre sets up panel
on Tehri dam NHRC advises Mahanta to drop minister accused of rape Strategies to check
population Meeting on kharif campaign
begins
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Disability audit exercise
a gimmickry? Sikh relics for
Canada Shah’s judicial custody extended till April 23 ITO arrested for taking
bribe Robbers decamp with jewellery DC: check spread of seasonal diseases
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Centre sets up panel on Tehri dam Dehra Dun, April 11 The 11-member committee, headed by HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi, would submit its report to the government within four weeks even as work on the mega 2400 mw Tehri dam continued to remain suspended for the 13th day, they said. The move follows Singhal’s renewed threat to go on an indefinite fast from tomorrow if the Centre failed to set up a committee to go into issues taken up by him regarding the possible impact of the dam on the “self-purification quality” of the Ganga. The committee, comprising experts like Chairman of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Directors of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, would also go into the safety aspects of the dam, being build at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore, in the wake of the devastating Gujarat earthquake. This will be the third high-powered committee ever since the Tehri hydel project was visualised in the late 60s. In 1994, the Centre had considered in depth the seismic safety of the dam by a team of experts before according approval to the implementation of the project. Two years later, another group of experts examined in detail the safety aspects and concluded that the design of the dam was such as to withstand a severe earthquake.
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NHRC advises Mahanta to drop minister New Delhi, April 11 The commission has repeated its previous observation that allowing such a person to continue in the state Cabinet runs counter to the rudiments of the rule of law and also gives the impression of likely interference in the cause of investigation and prosecution of the offence. The Chief Secretary of Assam has been asked to apprise the Chief Minister of the NHRC’s view and keep the commission posted of further progress in the matter. The commission’s orders came on a complaint that Mr Rajendra Mushahary, Minister of State for Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes, had raped a minor girl. The victim had been threatened not to disclose the matter. On becoming pregnant, she lodged a complaint in the Gossaigoan police station but no action was taken by the police. A report sought from the Director General of Police, Assam, clearly named Mr Rajendra Mushahary as an accused in the offence. Since Mr Mushahary continued to be minister, the commission asked the state government what action it proposed to take. In a reply dated March 7, the Chief Secretary stated that the Chief Minister would consider further course of action only after completion of the investigation and DNA profiling. Expressing its uneasiness on the response of the Chief Minister, the Commission said that it was primarily for him to consider whether it was desirable to allow a person accused of rape to continue in the state Cabinet.
Strategies to check
population New Delhi, April 11 A resolution to the effect was adopted today at a conference of about 80 District Magistrates organised by the National Commission for Population (NCP) headed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. However, “coercion” will not form part of the proposed special strategies as the option has no place in the NPP, Mr K.C. Pant, Vice-Chairman of the NCP, asserted while briefing reporters at the end of the one-day conference. Improving girls’ education among such sections and understanding their viewpoints would be among the strategies, Mr Pant said. In all, the conference adopted seven resolutions unanimously to take effective measures to achieve the socio-demographic goals outlined in the NPP-2000. One such measure would be “to devise special strategies for dealing with problems relating to minorities, tribals, slums and other disadvantaged/deprived sections,” he added. The Magistrates were from among the 100 most backward districts requiring special attention for achieving replacement levels. Of the 80 Magistrates, 52 were from Uttar Pradesh, nine from Rajasthan and four from Madhya Pradesh. The 33 Magistrates from Bihar who were expected to attend the meet could not make it due to elections to local bodies in that state. Asked about other special measures proposed for the minorities and other sections, Mr Pant said these would be finalised soon with further inputs from the Magistrates. Replying to a question, he said some states had on their own introduced some incentives and disincentives for checking the population growth. The commission was closely watching the impact of such measures. The participants said they were not facing religious or monetary constraints in the implementation of the population policy. In fact, religious leaders, particularly in Aligarh and Nagaland, were fully extending their cooperation to the administration. In all, the conference adopted seven resolutions. Among the other resolutions were: — to vigorously promote the small family norm and fully meet the unmet needs for basic reproductive and child health services; — to improve the quality of life of the people by providing basic needs like drinking water, supplementary nutrition and rural roads; — to increase the level of literacy.
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Meeting on kharif campaign
begins New Delhi, April 11 The Union Agriculture Secretary, Mr
J. N. L. Srivastava, told the inaugural session of the two-day conference for Kharif Campaign 2001 here today that eight states, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan were facing severe drought and scarcity of drinking water. Few states were suffering from drought for the second consecutive year affecting production of foodgrains, oilseeds and pulses. In spite of drought-like situation in half of the country, there was surplus foodgrains and states were required to gear up in respect of procurement, storage and marketing of foodgrains. Long-term measures to meet the drought situation were to improve water management and watershed programmes, which had been placed on priority by the Centre. He said that a national agriculture policy had been announced to ensure 4 per cent growth to achieve the goal of doubling food production in next 10 years. Horticulture and Animal Husbandry would play a greater role in future agricultural diversity to ensure food and nutritional security. National Technology Mission in horticulture had been initiated for the North-Eastern States. He said that 27 Centrally-sponsored schemes had been integrated in macro management mode according greater flexibility to state governments to develop and pursue activities on the basis of regional priorities. An outlay of Rs 760,00,00 had been kept for 2000-01 and Rs 1091,00,00 for 2001-02. The outlay of work plans would be shared by Centre and states in the ratio of 90:10, in case of North-Eastern states, the entire expenditure would be borne by the government. The Central assistance for work plans would be in the ratio of 80 per cent grants and 20 per cent loans. Mr Srivastava informed the conference that fertilisers, pesticides and seed situation was quite comfortable and emphasised that states must ensure quality control on seeds and pesticides which were a matter of major concern. On the WTO, he said a lot of misinformation was being aired which must be clarified. The government would ensure that the farmers were not affected due to the lifting of quantitative restrictions. He asked the state representatives to get their doubts cleared during the conference. |
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20 dead in Bihar poll violence Patna, April 11 |
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Disability audit
exercise a gimmickry? New Delhi, April 11 The audit is being conducted by the Disabled People’s International-India (DPI), human rights organisation to assess whether public places in Delhi are disabled-friendly. A group of disabled persons led by Javed Abidi, Secretary General, DPI (India) assembled in front of the Crafts Museum gate in the hope of gaining access to the premises. A signboard bearing the wheel chair logo and instructions prompted the disabled persons to proceed to seek help from the guards. Much to their disappointment, the guards directed them to another gate. It was then that the security in-charge turned up and offered to have the wheel-chair users be lifted by the guards down the eighteen steps leading to the museum. But what is worthy of notice is the fact that the board does not address the needs of the blind persons. “How does a blind person locate the guard?” asks Anjali Arora, a young visually challenged lawyer. As if this were not enough, wheel-chair users struggled to wheel their chairs up a wooden ramp in front of the office of the Senior Director, Crafts Museum. It was equally difficult for them to use the permanent ramp. As a disabled rights activist explained, the gradient of the ramp was too steep. Their exit from the building was equally uncomfortable and risky. The museum’s senior director, Jotendra Jain refused to meet the disability rights activists and reportedly dismissed the exercise as “gimmickry.” The Public Relations Officer, Ms Renu Mathur said, she was not authorised to speak to the Press. “We cannot remove structures in a day,” she said. The disability audit form will be filled by the audit team after speaking to the disabled persons. Ms Sakshi Broota who is helping co ordinate the audit says that the results of the two-day audit will be ready within a week. The team will send its recommendations to the administration of the buildings concerned . The DPI plans to conduct eight audits over the next four months. Mr Abidi said the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, clearly provides for non discrimination in the transport sector and in the built environment. “Even after five years of the passage of the Act, the provisions are being violated. The Central Public Works Department guidelines of 1998 for barrier-free built environment are also not being adhered to by construction authorities,” he said. Mr Abidi said they were pleasently surprised to find that wooden ramps had been constructed at the National Gallery of Modern Art. The team found the recently renovated Pandara Road market new NDMC toilets inaccessible. They learnt that the Gol Dak Khana is being renovated without any instructions to make the place disabled friendly. The team found the emporia and the Coffee Home inaccessible. Tomorrow, the team proposes to go to eating joints, India International Centre, UNDP and Safdarjung Tomb’s Sulabh toilet. |
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Sikh relics for
Canada New Delhi, April 11 An eight-member delegation led by Punjab Food Minister Sohan Singh and Rural Development Minister, Sujan Singh left for Canada early this morning. Talking to newspersons, Mr Sujan Singh said the delegation was carrying swords of Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Hargobind Singh. “The bicentenary celebrations of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will also be done in Canada and we are carrying a sword used by
Sher-e-Punjab,” said Mr Sujan Singh. The delegation is also carrying a rare handwritten Guru Granth Sahib, he said, adding that more than one lakh persons were expected to participate in the procession marking the Baisakhi festival. |
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Shah’s judicial custody extended till April 23 Mumbai, April 11 The order was passed by Judge
A. P. Bhangle. Shah, a leading film financier and also the film producer of Hindi movie ‘Chori Chori Chupke
Chupke’ was arrested by the Mumbai police under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act on January 8, for his alleged nexus with Karachi-based don Chhota
Shakeel. According to the prosecution, the police had intercepted the telephonic conversations of Shah with Chhota Shakeel on several occasions. Shah, in his bail application had contended that the police had not intercepted the alleged telephonic conversations as per the guidelines of the apex court, hence it could not be used against him as evidence. On the other side, the Mumbai police had claimed that they had intercepted the said calls as per the law. It may be recalled that the earlier designated court as well as the Bombay High Court had rejected the bail application of Shah on several occasions on the ground that if Shah was released on bail, he might influence the witnesses.
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ITO arrested for taking
bribe New Delhi, April 11 The CBI nabbed
A. P. Neelam, serving as ITO in Ward No. 1, Nalgonda Division of Andhra Pradesh, following an information that the accused was collecting weekly bribes from various income tax assessees/auditors in order to show undue official favours, an official press note said here today. Following the information, CBI sleuths laid a trap and the accused was apprehended while carrying Rs 1,13,000 in a briefcase in a car along with his upper division clerk, who was also in possession of Rs 16,100, it said. Searches conducted at the residence and bank lockers of the accused ITO resulted in a recovery of Rs 1,46,000 from the residence, Rs 3,91,000 from two lockers, Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) worth Rs 17,69,368 and Rs 6,00,000 in the name of his wife. Incriminating documents recovered during the course of search were being scrutinised for further investigation, the press note said, adding that searches were also conducted at the residence of the clerk which yielded various documents regarding movable and immovable properties.
Robbers decamp with jewellery Hanumangarh, April 11 Radhey Shyam runs a general store in a portion of his house. He said that the robbers took away gold jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh and Rs 20000 in cash. The family was beaten up and after tying them the robbers took away the moped of the owner which was later on recovered by the police. The SP said a case has been registered. But, no arrest has been made so far.
DC: check spread of seasonal diseases Hanumangarh, April 11 The collector said to check the spread of the water-borne diseases the water should be chlorinated. Apart from this, officers of the Health Department must see that no rotten or adulterated eatables are sold in the market, he added. |
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