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Monday,
September 30, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Rigid
stands lead to Cauvery issue deadlock Depleting water level at the main Krishna Raja Sagar reservoir in Mysore, from where Cauvery waters are released annually to Tamil Nadu by Karnataka. Bengal
CM’s warning to Press draws flak Jogi faces no-trust move
today Fair poll
to negate plebiscite demand: Advani Stop
illegal emigration: NHRC |
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A
policeman stands guard at the Swaminarayan temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat,
on Sunday. Media
‘must promote’ moral values
India-Tunisia
flights by year-end Women
empowerment meeting tomorrow Give
quality education to rural kids: Tiwari
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Rigid stands lead to Cauvery issue deadlock Bangalore, September 29 Of late, the controversy over the sharing of Cauvery waters has touched a new height with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka remaining at loggerheads and the Centre failing to make an effective intervention to resolve the issue borne out of the contrary rigid stands taken by both the states on water sharing. In fact, the non-resolution of the three decade old dispute, the essence of which lies in the conflict of interest between the downstream state (Tamil Nadu) and the upstream state (Karnataka), has resulted in both the states fostering chauvinistic sentiments among the general public. With all political parties taking a strong and rigid stand on the sharing of waters between the two contending states, apprehending losing their political ground in their respective states, the Cauvery water dispute has become virtually intractable. A long spell of drought in the catchment area of Karnataka due to deficient rainfall in the past few years has drastically affected the flow of the Cauvery and with both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka bringing more land under irrigation, an explosive situation is building up with distress areas swelling in both the states and pushing farmers into corner. Under the circumstances, Tamil Nadu, being a downstream state is now trying to put the maximum pressure on Karnataka to abide by the interim orders of the Supreme Court on the release of the Cauvery waters. On the other hand, Karnataka, which initially abided by the Cauvery River Authority directions to release 9,000 cusec of water per day to Tamil Nadu since September 4, stopped it on September 19 onwards, saying that it does not have enough water to save its own standing kharif crop, leave apart release water for the “Kuruvai crop” of Tamil Nadu. Karnataka’s argument has been that if Tamil Nadu can share water, it should also be prepared to share distress, especially when there is a long spell of drought and there is no immediate hope for rainfall in the catchment areas of the state. Moreover, it argues that in the Cauvery basin, Karnataka has almost twice the area as drought affected (21,870 sq km amounting to 63.8 per cent of the Cauvery basin) compared to Tamil Nadu (12,790 sq km as drought affected area in the Cauvery basin), it becomes the fundamental duty of any state to provide irrigation facilities and alleviate the sufferings of the people in the drought-affected areas. While Tamil Nadu argues that it is legally and Constitutionally correct in demanding the release of water from the Cauvery as per the interim orders of the Supreme Court and Cauvery River Authority, Karnataka irrigation officials say that besides releases from Karnataka reservoirs and contributions from the catchment upstream of Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu receives 252 TMC of water from its own catchment up to lower Coleroon anicut. Thus, when compared to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu has more water resources, they argue. They also allege that by following archaic methods of irrigation, Tamil Nadu is continuously wasting a considerable amount of water in the delta region and allowing it to reach the sea, thus depriving it of its beneficial use to Karnataka. Under the present drought situation, Karnataka irrigation officials claim that there is only a little over 57 TMC feet of gross storage of water in its four reservoirs — Krishna Raja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini — of which the live storage is a little over 33 TMC feet water. With no rains expected this year in the catchment areas of Karnataka, the irrigation officials say that they need at least 40 TMC of water to save the only standing crop of Karnataka farmers and also to meet the drinking water needs in nine districts of south Karnataka. Last year, in September-end, the gross storage was 92.70 TMC and live storage 69.30 TMC, they said. Karnataka officials say that since Tamil Nadu has three cultivations of paddy in a year, it should allow the former to save its only standing kharif crop by restraining itself from exerting pressure on Karnataka. At the same time, it should try to save the Kuruvai crop by extensively using its well-established underground water irrigation system. “The lower riparian state of Tamil Nadu should take a positive view and see that the farming community in the upper riparian state is also allowed to use its right share of water of the Cauvery,” they say. With the issue being subjudice, Karnataka Chief Minister S. M. Krishna restrains from debating on the issue. |
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Bengal CM’s warning to Press draws flak Kolkata, September 29 The Chief Minister’s warning came soon after the incident of the alleged assault on some newsmen and photographers who were covering the pen-down strike by a section of the employees belonging to non-CPM unions at Writers Buildings on September 27 against the government’s decision to slash down bonus and other festival benefits during the pujas. When mediapersons complained to the Chief Minister, he expressed his sorrow but at the same time warned them that they too “should not step out of their limits.”. Later, an inquiry was ordered into the incident to be conducted by the Special Secretary of the Finance Department, Mr B.Majumdar, who would submit his report by October 7. The Finance Minister, Dr Asim Dasgupta, said the guilty persons would be punished after receiving the report. Though the Chief Minister’s “threat” to the press had displeased most of the leaders of the front partners as well as a section of CPM leadership, Mr Anil Biswas, party secretary and Politburo member, tried to justify Mr Bhattacharjee’s stand. Mr Biswas said while they were in favour of freedom of press, journalists should remember they cannot do whatever they like. He said he could not tell at this stage what justification the employees could have to attack the newsmen. A Forward Bloc minister, Mr Kamal Guha (Agriculture), and an RSP minister, Mr Biswanath Chakraborty (Jail) condemned the attack and criticised the Chief Minister for warning the mediapersons. A CPI leader, Mr Monju Mazumdar, also condemned the attack and criticised the Chief Minister on the issue. Ms Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and Mr Somen Mitra of the Congress flayed at the Chief Minister’s “threat” to the press. Mr Ajit Kumar Panja, rebel Trinamool Congress MP, expressed surprise that the journalists could be attacked and assaulted inside Writers Buildings during the presence of the Chief Minister. Mr Asim Ghosh, the BJP vice-president in the state, alleged that by warning the press the Chief Minister had shown his arrogance and high-handedness. |
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Jogi faces no-trust move today Raipur, September 29 This is the first ever no-confidence motion in the history of the Chhattisgarh state, which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000. The BJP sponsored no-confidence motion was moved by Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Mr Nand Kumar Sai, on September 26 during the ongoing nine-day session of the state legislative assembly. Speaker Rajendra Prasad Shukla had fixed five-and-a-half hours from 12 noon tomorrow for debate on the no-confidence motion. The opposition had indicated that it would mount an attack on the 22 month-old Jogi government on various issues.
UNI |
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Fair poll to negate plebiscite demand: Advani New Delhi, September 29 Islamabad’s prime objective “is that the J and K elections are not allowed to be held in a smooth manner because it negates their demand for a plebiscite”, Mr Advani said while inaugurating the Annual Conference of Directors-General and Inspectors-General of Police here. “The kind of concern being shown by the Western nations proves the importance they are giving to these elections. If the J and K poll is conducted in a free and fair manner, then there won’t be any meaning left for holding of a plebiscite”, the Deputy Prime Minister said. Mr Advani further said his intention or that of other parties was more than winning the elections. It was the conduct of the poll in a participatory, free and fair manner. Stating that Pakistan being part of the international coalition against terror was “under pressure” to stop cross-border terrorism from Western nations, Mr Advani said the world’s understanding of terrorism had changed today. “The world attention is now on incidents happening in India and now it has been proved that Pakistan is encouraging terrorism and cross-border terrorism,” he said. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that although infiltration across the border had come down in May and June this year, it increased immediately after the Assembly poll was announced in Jammu and Kashmir. “But the back of Pakistan-supported militancy inside the state has now been broken,” he asserted, saying that unlike in the late 1980s and ’90s when even local elements were involved in militancy, “what remains now is almost exclusively terrorism by infiltrators from across the border”. He complimented the Army and security forces for fighting terror in J and K saying, “The nation remembers that this democratic process in J and K is unfolding in the backdrop of a bold, sustained and successful campaign against cross-border terrorism carried out by our Army and security forces”. Making a distinction between the media coverage of the September 11 terror strikes and those in India in Parliament House, Jammu and Kashmir or
Gandhinagar, he said, “We must not contribute to what the terrorists want to create. One should realise the implications (in people’s minds) about showing mangled corpses”. Mangled corpses were not shown by the Western media during the coverage of 9/11, but what was focused upon was the blowing up of the World Trade Center “to show the horror of terrorism”, he said. On India’s effort to bring to justice underworld don Abu Salem, who was arrested recently in Lisbon, Portugal, Mr Advani hoped that his deportation to India would soon bear fruit. “From the efforts undertaken so far, I am hopeful that he (Abu Salem) will be deported to India and brought to justice,” Mr Advani said without elaborating on the steps taken so far to get Salem deported. Mr Advani said the mafia kingpin had been eluding the police dragnet so far by going from one country to another — from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates to the USA. But with the help of the CBI, the Interpol finally tracked him in Portugal and he was arrested. “But this does not end our task .... It is important to get him deported and bring him to
justice”. Emphasising on the importance of image of law enforcing agencies, Mr Advani said the alleged involvement of certain police officers in crimes does not reflect well on their image. |
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Stop illegal emigration: NHRC
New Delhi, September 29 In its full commission meeting headed by J.S. Verma recently, NHRC, which took cognisance of two media reports, “Smuggling humans a Rs 1000 crore business — Punjabi youth fall easy prey”, “Selling dolls on Paris streets — Indian boys victims of human trafficking”, decided to ask various ministries, including the Home, to explain the existing emigration laws, the commission sources told PTI. “The commission is feeling that the existing emigration policies of the government are leading to the illegal emigration and, therefore, has decided to ask the government to explain the various categories of exemption from emigration check, both the categories of persons and the countries,” the sources said. Though the commission had earlier asked for reports on the matter from Ministry of Home Affairs and External Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs reported that the matter fell within the national jurisdiction and that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Women and Child Development were concerned in the matter. The NHRC asked the Centre to explain it to them the 17 categories of persons who were exempted from the emigration check, the sources said. The commission has also asked about the list of nearly 50 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Pakistan and Portugal, which was provided to it by Home Ministry, where emigration clearance was not required to go to, they said. According to the first news report, smuggling human beings was a multi-million rupee business in Punjab where hundreds of youth, unable to face poverty and unemployment and lured by the promise of a comfortable lifestyle in developed countries have been willing victims, NHRC sources said. The other press report narrates how the young boys of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin dot the museums and churches or hang around gardens or stand at street corners in shopping plazas in Paris. These young boys, who made it to Paris clandestinely through travel agents paying handsome amounts, could be seen selling dolls dancing to the tunes of typical Punjabi pop songs. “The modus operandi of trafficking in human cargo include the tales of horrifying deaths and long tormenting time spent in transit via long circuitous land and sea routes,” NHRC said. The decision also assumes significance in the wake of a number of mafia dons such as Dawood Ibrahim and Abu Salem emigrating to other countries and operating from there.
PTI |
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Akshardham? Never again, say survivors Gandhinagar, September 29 Convalescing in General Hospital here, some survivors of the terrorist attack swear they will never go to Akshardham, a popular tourist spot in the state. Dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan, the majestic monument promises visitors an unforgettable experience with attractions as Hari Mandapam, a 7-foot gold-leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan, Vibhuti Mandapam, revelations of the Lord in lotuses and glass etchings and the Hari Smruti Mandapam, display of holy relics of Lord Swaminarayan. Its four exhibition halls promise visitors a peep into the life of Lord Swaminarayan, 14 screen multi-media presentations, and fibre glass figures. Other attractions are meditative and herbal gardens and games and rides. Most visitors who fell to the bullets of the terrorists were in hall number 1 or were about to proceed to hall number 2 for the next exhibition. Sanjay Singh, one of the 300 volunteers at Akshardham told TNS that the visitors were proceeding to hall number 2 after watching an hour-long exhibition in hall number 1. He has bullet injuries on the left hand and thigh. His injury certificate spells the extent of his disability as 10 per cent which entitles him to a compensation of Rs 5,000 according to information given by the Collector’s office. Recounting the nightmarish experience, Sanjay says, “I sensed trouble when I noticed panic-stricken visitors running back to hall number 1. As I rushed to shut the exit door of hall number 1, two terrorists, their faces half covered with blue caps, fired at me. I could not shut the door but I led some visitors to safety. While three of the 20 volunteers working with me in hall number 1 died, two were injured. I have not made up my mind if I want to continue working here.” Naresh Bapna (32) a resident of Sirohi district in Rajasthan and under medication in the VIP ward of the hospital here recalls that he was standing in the ticket queue after seeing the exhibition in hall number 2 when he got two bullet injuries on the left thigh. Bapna had come to Akshardham with a busload of 40 persons from the Mahavir Navyuvak Mandal. A young member of the mandal, Mitesh Singh, died in the attack. Although Bapna has suffered a temporary disability of 20 per cent in the attack, he takes pride in the fact that he managed to save the lives of about 20 persons by leading them to an exit after jumping over a 6-foot grill. Bapna’s wife who rushed to Gandhinagar on hearing the news of the attack on Akshardham told TNS that she would not want him to come here again. Thirty-year-old Hitesh Bhikhubhai Patel, one of the first to be injured in the attack has suffered a temporary disability of 45 per cent. Unable to speak, Patel communicates with his cousin’s help. A terrorist first fired at him on the lawns leading to the temple. The first shot missed him and as he got up to flee, the second bullet pierced through his neck. With blood oozing out, Patel rushed to gate number 1, hired an autorickshaw and was the first injured person to reach the hospital. Patel hails from Pij village in Kheda district, about 90 km from Akshardham. Another tourist who swears he will never visit Akshardham again is Balwant Singh Parmar from Kheda district. An employee of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd, Parmar had come to Akshardham to show the monument to his grandchildren. Parmar’s 25 year-old daughter was also injured in the attack. Her two-year-old twins had a hair-breadth escape. “I hold an NCC certificate and can recognise arms and ammunition. The militants were armed with AK 47 rifles. We had reached exhibition hall number 2 to see the multi-media presentation when I heard three blasts. I spotted the terrorists take position. I asked my daughter and grandchildren to run. While we were looking for an escape route, the terrorists threw the grenade and we were injured. We kept running blindly till we reached the exit. I fainted at the gate,” he says. |
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Media ‘must promote’ moral values Mount Abu, September 29 Speaking at the inauguration of Media Conference and Exhibition — 2002, organised by the Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation (RERF) of the Brahmakumari Institution, Mr Paswan said the media could arrest this decline and bring about harmony at the individual, social and national levels only by promoting values. “If we can unite for the sake of national security, why not unite for the sake of national development”, he asked. All speakers at the conference emphasised the need for the media to promote moral values in order to become an agent of positive change and bring about peace in society. “Advances in communication technology have turned the world into a global village, yet it has not brought people closer”, Mr B.K. Nirwair, Secretary-General of RERF, said. “Instead, the proliferation of news media has divided people’s attention”, he added. To change the character of the media, a beginning had to be made with media persons. “The media is fashioned by those who run it. The character of the mediaperson decides the character of the media”, he said. Dadi Prakashmani, chief of the Brahmakumaris, said mediapersons had to realise how peace could be achieved in an individual’s life through spiritual education and meditation. “Today we are bereft of peace because we have forgotten that we are all souls and the true religion of the soul is peace”, she said. The Brahmakumaris had instituted Om Shanti Award this year which was given to Sanskar Television Channel for bringing to Indian homes values and spiritual knowledge. Mr Kishore Mohta, Managing Director of the channel, received the award consisting of a salver and a citation. |
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India-Tunisia flights by year-end New Delhi, September 29 Addressing a meeting organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and the Confederation of Tourism Professionals (CTP) with the visiting Tunisian delegation, Mr Lasram said the new connections would facilitate not only travel to Tunisia but enable passengers to get easy access to Europe, North America and the Middle East. Mr Lasram gave a snapshot of the elaborate infrastructure laid out by the Tunisian Tourism Board for attracting tourists and said the board had envisaged doubling of the capacity and trippling of the number of visitors arrivals to Tunisia in the next 10 years. Currently, Tunisia receives over 5.5 million tourists (against 2.5 million in India) of which 3.5 million come from Europe alone. The eight international airports in the country serve as gateways to Europe and other parts of Africa. The Ambassador of Tunisia in India, Mr Elyes Kasri, invited businessmen to Tunisia for setting up manufacturing bases and said a high-power delegation of the Aparel Export Promotion Council would be visiting Tunisia to take advantage of the skilled workforce and low costs of production to service markets in Europe and other parts of the world. |
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Women empowerment meeting tomorrow New Delhi, September 29 This was announced here by Ms Ambika Soni, party general secretary and political adviser to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The meeting — Mahila Sashaktikaran Adhiveshan — to be inaugurated by Ms Gandhi will focus on issues pertaining to women’s education, health, employment and legal equality. “We are hoping that the document that comes out of the convention will initiate political mobilisation and be binding on Congress governments in all 14 states as well as be a part of the party’s manifesto,” Ms Soni said. Around 1,000 delegates have been invited, including women representatives of elected bodies at all levels, she said. |
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Give quality education to rural kids: Tiwari Dehra Dun, September 29 Mr Tiwari said the task of providing quality education was an onerous one and posed a major challenge as the target audience chiefly dwell in the remote corners of the Himalayas. “While making the education easily accessible, there is an impending need to promote avenues of vocational training also”, he added. Different media are playing important role in the promotion of education and learning, Mr Tiwari said. |
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