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Arms deal: CBI sends letters rogatory to SA, UK
No pact with Mamata in
Bengal: Paswan
FLASHBACK 2005: NATURAL DISASTERS |
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70 companies shortlisted for
FM radio expansion
Non-resident Himachalis to promote hill state
3 Harkat ultras brought to Delhi
Now, own a guest house on Tirumala Hills
UK minister clarifies on ‘offensive’ remarks
Sri Lankan President to arrive today
JCO killed in Congo operations
Tarapur N-plant passes safety test
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Arms deal: CBI sends letters rogatory to SA, UK
New Delhi, December 26 Official sources said the letters rogatory were sent to South Africa and Hong Kong and Isle of Man, whose administrative responsibility lay with the British Government, on December 23. The office of the intermediatory, Varas Associates, is located on this island. The permission for issuance of the letters rogatory was sought from the Union Home Ministry. The agency had already made a request to Interpol’s South Africa office and Scotland Yard of Britain, seeking details about Denel and its reputation. The Indian Mission staff in South Africa had also spoken to executives of Denel to seek more details about the company, they said. The agency had got its first FIR registered in the defence deal on June 6 and booked unnamed officials of Denel, its British agent and of Indian Defence Ministry to probe alleged corruption in the purchase of arms and ammunition from the company for the Army. In its FIR, the CBI alleged Denel paid Varas Associates $ 24,08,373 and $ 10,99,672 on January 27, 2003, and $ 1,51,350 on June 19 of the same year. The contracts related to July 1, 1999, for the procurement of 100 AMRs with 98,000 rounds of ammunition, on March 20, 2002, for the 100 AMRs with 1,00,000 rounds of ammunition and March 27, 2002 for 100 AMRs with 1,00,000 rounds of ammunition. The last one was the contract of March 7 this year, comprising two separate consignments—one for the procurement of 400 AMRs and the second for transfer of technology to Ordnance Factory Board.
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No pact with Mamata in
Bengal: Paswan
New Delhi, December 26 “There cannot be any truck with a party having alliance with the BJP. She has to leave the BJP to have an alliance with us,” Mr Paswan said here. However, the final decision about alliance in West Bengal and other states would be taken at the LJP’s national executive to be held at Jamshedpur on February 17 and 18, he said. Speaking about the completion of a month of the new government of Mr Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Mr Paswan said it was no different than the previous one of Mrs Rabri Devi. “The pace of kidnapping and murders has remained the same”, he said and added that while earlier the victims used to return after a few days after being kidnapped, now they are murdered. Mr Paswan said the RJD government’s failure on all fronts was being replicated in the rule of Mr Nitish Kumar’s regime. “If the new Chief Minister wants to be different, then he has to show improvement on the development and law and order fronts and work for the welfare of government employees”, he asserted.
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FLASHBACK 2005: NATURAL DISASTERS Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service
New Delhi December 26 Without taking into account man-made tragedies like the Delhi blasts or the Veligonda train mishap, the country went through natural disasters of unprecedented nature, like devastating rains, snowfall and a massive earthquake that killed thousands and rendered millions homeless in Kashmir. For all tsunami-affected countries put together — Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Africa, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh — the official toll stands at 2,29,361 — 1,85,434 dead and 43,927 missing. India revised its earlier figure of 5,640 after lowering its estimate of people missing in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In February, while the country reeled under the aftermath of the tsunami, more than 170 persons died and hundreds went missing after Kashmir witnessed the worst snowfall in the past 20 years. Avalanches and mudslides triggered by heavy rains compounded the problem. Srinagar remained buried under 15 feet of snow. On July 26, unprecedented monsoon rains lashed Mumbai, recording 95 cm of rainfall on a single day. In the day that followed, more than 400 persons had died in Mumbai. The city almost came down to its knees in the days that followed. As rain shifted focus to other parts of the state, more than 1,000 persons had lost their lives. This was followed by a rumour that tsunami waves were on the way to Mumbai, which resulted in a stampede killing 18 persons. Monsoon wreaked havoc in several parts of the country, leaving more than 56 persons dead in Gujarat and 66,000 homeless. In Tamil Nadu, 80 passengers of two buses were washed away in floods in Ramnathapuram and Thanjavur districts on November 26. As many as 247 persons died in December alone after torrential rains killed 21 persons and rendered thousands homeless in Andhra Pradesh. Forty-two persons were killed following a stampede triggered by a rumour at a flood relief material distribution camp. Fortunately, the Parechoo lake burst on June 25 did not take any toll of human life but it caused colossal damage to property in Himachal Pradesh. But the Kashmir earthquake of October 8, which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, overshadowed all calamities, razing to the ground all structures that came its way on both sides of the Line of Control. It killed around one lakh persons in both countries and rendered millions homeless.
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70 companies shortlisted for
FM radio expansion
New Delhi, December 26 As many as 100 applications, from diverse sectors, are believed to have been made for over 300 frequencies or radio stations up for grabs across 91 cities. Others whose application were cleared for the financial bidding round, including Pudhari Publications, Delhi Press Patra Prakashan and Tarun Bharat Multigraphics, apart from existing radio players like Radio Today Broadcasting and Entertainment Network. —
TNS |
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Non-resident Himachalis to promote hill state
New Delhi, December 26 A step in this direction has been the formation of “My Himachal” group, which is the first such organisation, formed by Himachalis living across the globe. They have probably taken the idea from their next door neighbours in Punjab, who have well established international organisations. The international forum would aim to preserve, protect and promote the culture, customs, traditions, cuisine, and dialect of Himachal. The forum would also take initiatives for the development of the state by promoting the hill state in business and tourism summits. The group members include non- resident himachalis settled in USA, Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia and Gulf countries. The need to form the group evolved during an international teleconference held by non-resident Himachalis, where they discussed several issues affecting the state. They members of the group resolved to mobilise resources, manpower and latest technology to support various ongoing projects in the state and create a conducive atmosphere to promote foreign direct investment in the state in key sectors like tourism, energy, health. America-based renowned physician Dr Bhugol Chandel was elected first International President of ‘MY HIMACHAL’. The first international conference of worldwide Himachalis will be held in 2006, said Mr Chandel. We will explore avenues for co-operation at all levels with the people of Himachal and enhance its prestige and glory at the international level, he said. The idea to start such an organisation was conceived by a young US-based software engineer Avnish Katoch, who started the ‘Himachal Google Group’, two years ago and invited energetic, educated Himachali youths to send their ideas on various issues concerning the state. It became a big success and took the form of a campaign in which people started sending in their comments and group activities increased manifold.
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3 Harkat ultras brought to Delhi
New Delhi, December 26 The team investigating the October 29 blasts have brought these suspected terrorists arrested in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to the Capital after clues of a possible local terror module were found in their disclosures. Of the three suspected terrorists brought here, Nafiq-ul-Vishwas and Hilaluddin, alias Suhag Khan, were held in West Bengal in November and the third, Mohammad Ibrahim, in Hyderabad in August, Joint Commissioner of Police Karnal Singh told mediapersons. He said the trio were brought here for interrogation to ascertain whether there was any module in Delhi involved in the October 29 blasts. He clarified that they were not linked with the blasts here. Nafiq-ul-Vishwas, based in West Bengal, was arrested for aiding terrorists in arranging weapons for them and providing them shelter, while Hilaluddin a Bangladeshi national, had come to seek delivery of a consignment when the two were arrested. Both belonged to the Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul-Jehad. |
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Now, own a guest house on Tirumala Hills
Hyderabad, December 26 A decision to this effect was taken at the two-day TTD Trust Board meeting, which concluded at Tirumala yesterday. While land will be leased out for the purpose to individuals or companies, the TTD will have absolute rights over the property. Mr T Subbirami Reddy, Member Parliament and Chairman of the Board, said the controversial ropeway project, mooted by the state government, was also given green signal. The ropeway project, meant to transport pilgrims from the foothills of Tirupati to Tirumala has been hanging fire for the past three years, following resistance from agama shastra experts and puritans. The heads of religious mutts had objected to the construction of cable car over the hills on the ground it would spoil the sanctity of the shrine and hurt the sentiments of pilgrims. Flying over the divine hills is considered sacrilegious by many religious leaders. Presently, the Tirumala Hills is a no-fly zone. However, Mr Reddy said the 'agama pundits' did not give any definite opinion against the ropeway, and hence the Board decided to go ahead with the project under the auspices of A P Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). The Rs 80 crore project, said to be the longest passenger ropeway in the world, involves construction of 6.1 km long detachable gondola-type ropeway that can carry up to 2,000 pilgrims per hour in 20-minute trips. The ropeway would be constructed at lesser altitude than was proposed earlier in deference to the wishes of many religious leaders. The Board also resolved to bring back the traditional making of the famous Tirupati laddu with the spice saffron.
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UK minister clarifies on ‘offensive’ remarks
New Delhi, December 26 Sonia Raj Sood petitioned the British Government last month to expunge the remarks from the law books in Britain. She is more than satisfied with the response to her petition to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. The Minister in charge of relations with India and Pakistan in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has responded to the petition, clarifying that the remarks “bear no relation to the policies of this government.” The letter further states that since the verdict was pronounced by the Lahore High Court, it has “never been binding upon any of the courts in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and does not form part of the law of these countries.” |
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Sri Lankan President to arrive today New Delhi, December 26 UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath and Minister of State for Planning are also going to call on the foreign dignitary while President A P J Abdul Kalam is scheduled to host a banquet in his honour. |
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JCO killed in Congo operations
New Delhi, December 26 The soldier, Naib Subedar Ram Kripal Singh, was killed in an ambush by the rebel militia yesterday in North of Kivu, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said. Four others injured are: Havildar/Operator Ram Naresh, Havildar/Operator Kanti Lan Mandloi, Naik/Operator Kunte Vijay Narayan Rao and Lance Naik/Gunner Gore Parasu Rajaram. The injured have been admitted to a hospital at Goma and their condition is “stable,” the spokesman said, adding that the Indian Mission in New York was in touch with the UN offices. While carrying out an operation with the Congolese Army under the provisinal government (FARDC) to clear the rebel area, Mukungwa, in Graben Sector, the Indian soldiers came under intense rebel fire. — UNI
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Tarapur N-plant passes safety test
Mumbai, December 26 The test is conducted on the reactor building primary containment — the reactor dome — to establish the design’s safety and efficacy. The tests are conducted through five days. During the tests, all six compressors of the plant were run at full steam continuously for 44 hours, while scientists remained on alert to test any leak of radioactivity into the atmosphere. The tests were monitored by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India, sources said.
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