 |
Monday,
September 15, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
SC dismisses petition against HP officials PM leaves for 3-nation tour tomorrow US envoy to meet Kashmir panel Ganga in spate, 422 villages submerged
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Crime-free police stations of UP BJP forced me
to resign, alleges Mayawati
Naidu accuses Oppn of double standards Sangh Parivar
constituents join forces on Ayodhya Verdict in Staines case today Tripathi grilled again by CBI Wife of Mumbai blasts mastermind questioned INSAT-3E launch likely
next week
|
|
SC dismisses petition against HP officials New Delhi, September 14 The family had bought 132 bighas in Theog tehsil of Shimla district in 1981 for apple plantation from some private parties but nearly 5,000 trees were planted on that land. Permission for felling the trees was sought by the family under the Himachal Pradesh Land Preservation Act from the state’s Forest Department. Since the Himachal Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court had rejected the state government’s petitions against the felling of the trees in their respective judgements of 1992 and 1994, a contempt petition was filed against seven top officials of the state by one of the share holder, who had power of attorney on behalf of the family members. A three-judge Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mr V.N. Khare, Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat last week rejected the contempt petition holding that the officials had not disobeyed the orders of the Supreme Court as well as the High Court. The apex court, however, gave the petitioner liberty to initiate any other proceedings against the officials permitted under the law if they were found neglecting their duty. Himachal’s Additional Advocate-General J.S. Attri had contended that Mr Yadav and Ms Sujaya, who had held the post of the Secretary (Forest) during the relevant period, three former Principal Chief Conservators — H.C. Sharma, V.P. Mohan and G.C. Gupta — former Revenue Secretary P.S. Negi and former Divisional Forest Officer, Theog, Pavnesh Kumar, had at no stage made any attempt to violate the courts orders. He claimed that the implementation of the order was not possible because the purchased land was surrounded by dense forests and it was not practically possible to demark its boundaries. The officials could not locate the boundary marks of an earlier demarcation because these were destroyed by someone and the land situated at the height of above 7,000 feet and remained snow bound for a longer period during the year, the government counsel contended. When the process of demarcation was on after the Supreme Court’s October, 1994, order rejecting an appeal of the state government, the apex court had banned felling of all types of trees in December, 1996, in its interim order in the T.N. Godavarman’s case, the AAG contended. As per part-III of the interim order relating to the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and hill region of West Bengal, the apex court had said there would be no felling of trees on any land whether of government or private, he argued. Though the court had said the interim order would not affect felling of trees on any private land if it did not come under the definition of “forest” and for the bonafide use by the land owners, the government had contended that the distinction between the private and forest land in the present case was not possible due to density of the trees. The petitioner had alleged that the officers concerned had “committed contempt of court by wilfully disobeying the orders of the Supreme Court as well as that of the High Court.” |
|
PM leaves for 3-nation tour tomorrow New Delhi, September 14 Official sources have denied a possibility of Vajpayee-Musharraf meeting saying that Islamabad had not responded appropriately to the Prime Minister’s peace initiative. Mr Vajpayee is leaving on three-nation tour on Tuesday. The Prime Minister is expected to convey India’s concerns about continuing cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. during his UN Assembly meeting with the US President, Mr George W. Bush. Mr Vajpayee will be accompanied by the External Affairs Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha and senior officials during his visit to New York. He is scheduled to address a meeting of the US-based NRIs and the People of Indian Origin (PIOs) on September 21. Prior to his arrival in New York, Mr Vajpayee will undertake a four-day visit to Turkey from September 16 to 19. On his return from New York on September 27, Mr Vajpayee will have a brief stopover in Switzerland before
returning home the next day. Mr Vajpayee’s visit to Turkey assumes importance in the context of increasing trade relations between the two countries. A high-level business delegation is also accompanying the Prime Minister to Turkey. |
|
US envoy to meet Kashmir panel New Delhi, September 14 Sources said Ms Powell would discuss the outcome of several rounds of talks that the Kashmir Committee held with the Hurriyat and other Kashmiri secessionist groups. They said the USA was concerned over India’s continued refusal to send troops to Iraq. On Thursday, New Delhi again turned down the US request, this time saying it had no military personnel to spare, given the situation in its north-western sector and keeping in view the increased violence in Jammu and Kashmir. The sources said the move had forced Washington to intensify its efforts to help the two neighbouring countries to restore peace in the state. US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina Rocca met Kashmir Committee Chairman Ram Jethmalani and other members on September 11.
— UNI |
|
Ganga in spate, 422 villages submerged Lucknow, September 14 The toll has gone up to 156. However, unofficial toll stands at over 200. The Army has been pushed into service in Ballia, 300 km east of Lucknow. “The swollen Ganga is threatening embankments at many places. The Army was pressed into service at Ballia last night for the protection of embankments, state Relief Commissioner Anant Kumar said here today. Rail and road communication has been affected. Flood waters had submerged 422 villages in the district, of which around 104 had been marooned. Relief officials said around 3000 villages in the state had been inundated by swollen waters of Ganga, Gandak, Gomati, and Sharda affecting a population of over 28 lakh. Flood monitoring booths and relief centres had been opened for relief and rescue operations. The flood situation in Allahabad remained grim forcing people to abandon their homes. In Varanasi, 300 km south-east of
Lucknow, the Ganga had crossed the danger mark. “There is scarcity of drinking water and essential commodities,” said Mr Shyam Deo Rai Chaudhry, BJP MLA. “There is a threat of an epidemic with carcasses floating in the swollen rivers.” Mr Om Prakash Singh, MLA from Mirzapur, said the flood was worst since 1993. “Ganga waters has entered Varanasi. Cremation ghats have been marooned, forcing people to cremate dead bodies in residential areas. Senior government official said that directions had been issued to provide essential commodities to flood-affected people at nominal prices. A ban on export of fodder had also been ordered. In many parts of the state, including Urai, Ballia and Varanasi, the administration had ordered closure of educational institutions. The police today claimed that two sisters had died in a wall collapse in Fatehpur, 80 km south of Lucknow, while three persons, including a professional diver, drowned in Ballia. |
|
Crime-free police stations of UP New Delhi, September 14 That too in Uttar Pradesh, popularly perceived as one of the most lawless states in India. Yes, in Uttar Pradesh and in a district like Azamgarh which is known to be “don and dollar” district, 68 villages in five police stations have no crime record for the past 50 years or more. In Mau district also, there are 61 villages under the five police stations where for the past 50 years no crime has been registered. The startling revelation came out when the Centre wrote to the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Governments to provide information regarding villages where for the past 50 years no crime has been reported. The Uttar Pradesh Government’s Special Secretary (Home) furnished a list of crime-free villages which included about 60 villages under two police stations in Azamgarh where no crime had been reported. The Centre had sought the details as a need has been felt for adopting an innovative and proactive policy for encouraging those villages, communities and societies which do not indulge in crime. The Government of India has been encouraging such initiatives with or without international funding. There is a need for a holistic study, including the special problems of crime with reference to women, socially and economically backward communities like the SCs/STs, etc. The UNDP has been supporting a few such programmes for better policing. The sociologists have been pleading for a need for vision on ground with reference to humanised law and order enforcing machinery. Experts are of the view that this required patronising and encouraging those with the law abiding sense. |
|
BJP forced me
to resign, alleges Mayawati Jaipur, September 14 Launching BSP’s poll campaign for the year-end Assembly elections at a rally here, Ms Mayawati alleged that the BJP forced her to resign after failing to colour her into its own ideological paint and to shatter her self-respect. “Now the BJP-headed NDA government is adopting different tactics to harass me. But I am not afraid. I am ready to go to jail instead of compromising my party’s principles,” she said. Ms Mayawati charged that a group in the BJP got Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav into power in the state where every good thing done by her government was being reversed. Uttar Pradesh was now in the grip of “goonda raj” or “jungle raj” as Yadav had started “showing his true colours” by withdrawing cases against criminals like Raja Bhaiyya and there was an atmosphere of terror in the state, she charged. All development works and the steps taken to give reservations to the downtrodden had been stopped during the Samajwadi Party’s rule, she said. — PTI |
|
Naidu accuses Oppn of double standards New Delhi,, September 14 ‘‘The entire Opposition practises varying standards. They should review the condition prevailing in their own states,’’ Mr Naidu told reporters here. Referring to the riots in Bhagalpur, Meerut and Delhi when the Congress was in power, Mr Naidu said that the Opposition parties ‘had no moral right to preach us.’ He gave instances of the Patna High Court pulling up the Bihar Government in which Congress was a partner. To a question, he said that there was no danger to the Gujarat Government. ‘‘The BJP will follow the Supreme Court’s judgement, but on mere observation the Opposition should not criticise the Gujarat Government,’’ he said. Sangh Parivar
constituents join forces on Ayodhya New Delhi, September 14 The VHP’s two-day kendriya margdarshan mandal meeting is expected to take the agitation to the streets in the next few days, VHP sources said. Joining of the forces was underlined by the unconditional support of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday to the VHP agenda, as also its calling on all political parties, including the Congress and the Left, to reach a consensus to exercise the legislative option.
— UNI |
|
|
Verdict in Staines case today Bhubaneswar, September 14 The judgement was to be pronounced by the District and Sessions Judge, Khurda, Mr M.N. Patnaik, on Monday but it was deferred till tomorrow as the judge was indisposed. The case, which dragged on for over four years, has become one of the longest crime trials in the state with over 80 witnesses testifying before the court. Staines, an Australian missionary working in Orissa since 1965, and his two minor sons Philip (11) and Timothy (7), were burnt to death while asleep outside a church at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district on the night of January 22, 1999. The incident sent shock waves all over the country and outside. Christians held protest rallies in Bhubaneswar and other places to condemn the killings. No matter what the verdict held in store for the accused persons, Mrs Gladys Staines, widow of the missionary who has decided to live on in India with her only daughter Esther, reiterated that she had “forgiven them.”
— PTI |
|
Tripathi grilled again by CBI Lucknow, September 14 Mr Tripathi, who recently joined the SP, retracted his allegations against party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Amar Singh during the four-hour questioning last night. Meanwhile, CBI sleuths have brought Madhumita’s domestic help, Deshraj, to Lucknow for further questioning.
— PTI |
|
Wife of Mumbai blasts mastermind questioned Hyderabad, September 14 The team yesterday searched the house of Sofia’s parents, where she is staying, and questioned her. However, no incriminating material was found in the house, the sources said. A resident of Mumbai, Nasir married Sofia in 1997 and the couple had lived in Mumbai for two years before leaving for United Arab Emirates in 1999. They returned to Mumbai within three months, the sources said.
— PTI |
|
INSAT-3E launch likely
next week Bangalore, September 14 According to Indian Space Research Organisation officials, the retests have become necessary in view of a quality alert received from the Japanese manufacturer of solid state power amplifier components of the communication payload.
— PTI |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
In video (
