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A Legal Response to Challenges of Climate Change
Govt sees a poll devil in Gawli
Two Brahmins inducted
Demand for Separate State |
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Naxalite Movement
Sri Lanka, Pakistan rejoice over economic aid from Iran
Indian Embassy
Air travel in India is safe: Patel
Passenger killed while boarding train entitled to relief: SC
Sethusamudram Project
It pays to be poor in AP
ESI Act to be amended
Delayed PGI projects irk House panel
Gangster killed in Hyderabad
60 kg charas seized, two foreigners held
Concentrate on health issues, Sharmila tells Ramadoss
Govt: No breach of protocol by Prez’s son
United regional force: AASU wants Mahanta out
Bhatnagar is new Prasar Bharati chairman
Animal welfare board notice to Vodafone over pug ad
Probe begins into Hawk crash
Wage board meeting postponed
Border trade at Nathu La postponed
Boys ‘tortured’ in police custody
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A Legal Response to Challenges of Climate Change
New Delhi, May 1 Environment is a strange thing for lawyers to be talking about, considering that some from the profession would be defending major environment violators in courts. But this group hopes to make a difference by ensuring that members of legal profession also pay attention to the need of taking care of environment quality. And this can be done by suggesting changes to make green laws in the country so stringent that no one can either hope to violate or find loopholes in them. In fact, the endeavour is the first effort of its kind in the world and lawyers also hope to take up the issue with international Bar councils to work out a global legal framework. During the coming two days, some of top legal brains of the country will dwell on challenges of global climate change and study existing environment rules in the country. To be organised by the Bar Association of India, the national-level conference - “Climate change and the role of law” - will bring together members of different Bar councils from across the country. “This will be the first modest attempt by lawyers to protect environment. Existing legal institutions governing environment management and legal regimes governing the management of water need to be upgraded and strengthened so that effective legal mechanism can be put in place,” Bar Association of India honorary general secretary Lalit Bhasin says. Considering that consequences of climate change directly affect peace and security, having stringent and effective environment laws make sense. “Issues that need to be discussed are impacts of this phenomenon, extending beyond human health, agriculture, changes in ecosystems and impacts on economic interest. All these factors are important. However, since climate change will displace a large number of people, it also poses a significant threat to world peace and security,” says Bhasin. Current legislations do not properly take into account complexities of the consequences of global warming, says Bhasin, adding that country’s 200-odd environment legislations need to be reviewed and revitalised. At the end of the two-day programme, lawyers will sign a Delhi declaration on climate change and the role of law. The document will be circulated in the government, judiciary and at international level. At the national level, lawyers will be asking the Centre, state governments and municipal regulators to make stringent laws and regulations and enforce them with a firm hand to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency of motor vehicles and set up carbon markets. Considering that some of big companies are worst polluters, on how they would ensure that ethics are maintained while defending environment-violating clients, Bhasin says: “The only way is to make environment laws so stringent that we can tell our clients that you cannot break them”.
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Govt sees a poll devil in Gawli
Mumbai, May 1 So, the police department under Patil, who also has the charge of the home ministry, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Jairaj Pathak, who reports to Deshmukh’s office, are planning coordinated moves to reign in Gawli in the run-up to the elections, due in a year’s time. Gawli’s Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) has been steadily growing in Mumbai’s slum areas with several branch offices being opened over the past two years. However, the party’s office-bearers allege that they are being systematically harassed by the police for their links with Gawli. Gawli is accused of using ABS offices as a front for extorting money from builders. The police says it is using the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act to attach the properties acquired by Gawli over the past few years. “There is some evidence that Gawli had forced builders to part with properties at a fraction of their market rate and such properties may be attached,” a senior police official said today. Under the police scanner is a plush flat that Gawli gifted to his daughter Geeta Gawli on the occasion of her marriage last year. Geeta is a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, as is her sister-in-law. Geeta now says the Congress-NCP combine is out to harass her father because of his growing clout as a politician. “The government wants to remove my father from the political arena so they are filing false cases against him,” Geeta told reporters at the infamous Dagdi Chawl today. According to her, Gawli mended his ways long ago and is now a social worker. Over the years, the Dagdi Chawl has been turned into an impregnable fortress, complete with secret hiding places, underground passages and eight-inch thick metal doors guarded round the clock. Victims of Gawli say the place has torture chambers where those who refuse to pay the don are detained and beaten for days. The police says every resident in the chawl is a supporter of Gawli and those opposed to the gangster have been forced to leave the place over the years. The municipal corporation has been roped in to demolish illegally constructed areas of the Dagdi Chawl so that the building’s inmates do not have time to hide whenever the police comes calling. The arrest of Gawli has caused a pall of gloom in the areas of Byculla and Chinchpokli, his traditional stronghold. The lower-class Marathi-speaking people in these areas, who have been left out of the booming economy, have been turning toward Gawli for financial support and jobs. Locals admit that Gawli’s men often called up managements of big hotels and malls in the area and leaned on them to employ people recommended by the don. Two years ago, just before the elections to the BMC, Gawli opened his coffers and got a number of old buildings in the area repaired, thereby earning the gratitude of the local residents. With the ABS threatening to influence the results in at least six Assembly constituencies in the area, it is now clear that the Congress and the NCP are worried. Much will depend on how long they will be able to keep Gawli in jail.
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Two Brahmins inducted
Lucknow, May 1 The minor expansion during Mayawati’s fifth such exercise during the last year is largely part of her groundwork to gear up for the Lok Sabha polls. Governor T.V. Rajeswar administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly elected MLA from Muradnagar Raj Pal Tyagi and MLA from Machlishahar in Jaunpur Subhash Pandey as ministers here this evening. Fateh Bahadur Singh and Ram Het Bharti, both holding independent charge as ministers of state, have been elevated to Cabinet rank. The elevation of Fateh Bahadur Singh, son of former Congress Chief Minister Veer Bahadur Singh, from minister of state with independent charge to Cabinet rank is being viewed as a step towards her directive at the BSP meeting last week to focus on inducting more Thakurs (Kshatriyas) into the party before the Lok Sabha polls. The BSP supremo is now wooing Thakurs, which in recent years have shifted loyalty from the Congress and the BJP to the Samajwadi party. She feels that they can make a difference in Purvanchal and districts like Pratapgarh and
Sultanpur. During the previous Lok Sabha election in 2004, the Kshatriya Samaj had run a highly emotive newspaper campaign against Mayawati projecting the Raja of Kunda, Thakur Raghunath Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya whom she had incarcerated as a Thakur mascot, whom she had tried to humble. The reason for his arrest were, however, clearly political. A group of the Thakur MLAs led by Raja Bhaiyya had led a revolt against her during her previous régime. Quickly retaliating she had imposed POTA against the Raja of Kunda, whom she always describes as Kunda ka Goonda, his old father, raided his palaces and even confiscated some of his property and converted it into a national reserve. However, now in her endeavour to further widen her support net and strengthen the social engineering formula Mayawati is keen to induct Thakurs. Trusted aide Babu Singh Kushwaha has been made in charge of the ‘bhaichara committees’ that would now also focus on this job.
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Demand for Separate State
Kolkata, May 1 During the clashes lathis, brickbats and other lethal weapons were freely used. The police also fired a few rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the violent mob. Several persons were injured. Over 300 people, mostly, GJM workers and supporters including several women were arrested while they were forcibly entering the SDO’s court premises. They were also planning to begin an indefinite hunger strike at the court premises from today. But instead, the arrested workers began fasting inside the police lock-ups at Siliguri and Jalpaiguri. The CPM minister for Darjeeling, Ashok Bhattacharyya, in charge of municipalities and metropolitan development, warned the tourists and other people against visiting Darjeeling in view of the GJM’s fresh agitation. He feared that it might not be possible for the district administration and the police to protect them and ensure their peaceful stay in Darjeeling. The GJM supremo, Biman Gurung , however, assured the tourists and the locals that they would not be disturbed in any way during their stay in Darjeeling due to the agitation. He criticised the minister for making irresponsible statements to serve the CPM’s vested interests. The union minister, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, now in north Bengal, also accused Bhattacharyya of making a motivated statement. He said like all other political parties, the GJM also had the democratic rights of holding protests and demonstrations. Though some trouble occurred at Siliguri town today over the GJM’s protests and demonstrations, their agitations and mass hunger strike had been held peacefully at Darjeeling Sadar, Kalimpong and Kurseong. There were no obstructions for tourists or any problem in vehicular movements. But in the wake of the fresh agitation and subsequently the minister’s statements, announced repeatedly on TV channels and radio caused some panic among tourists visiting the hills and those planning a visit later on. Many people postponed their visit, while others were making efforts to return from Darjeeling. At Siliguri, the home town of the minister, a large number of CPM workers and their supporters took part in a protest rally by lining up on the main road to Darjeeling to obstruct the GJM procession. But still many GJM activists entered the town and subsequently the SDO’s court premises. However, they were soon arrested and sent to the police lock-up.
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Naxalite Movement
New Delhi, May 1 In its report titled, “Development Challenges in Extremist Affected Areas,” submitted to the government today, the group has also arrived at 10 development indicators that define the circumstances underlying rural unrest and the emergence of Naxalism to a significant extent. These include high share of SC/ST population in the affected area; low levels of literacy; high level of infant mortality; low level of urbanisation; high share of forest cover; high share of agricultural labour; low per-capita food grain production; low level of road length per 100 sq kms; high share of rural households with no bank account; and high share of rural households without specified assets. Stating categorically that a security-centric approach to the issue won’t help, the group has called for mainstreaming of naxalites and urged the Central government to talk to them. The experts have recommended immediate action lest the problem spreads further, besides indicating that the mainstreaming of naxalites is a major plank for India’s inclusive economic growth. The report is the first in 20 years to trace reasons of rural unrest for the government and recommend solutions to the four-decade-old problem, which began in West Bengal. It is now active in a quarter of India’s districts -125 spread across 12 states, and the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has described the movement as the single biggest threat to the internal security of the country. The experts, however, argue that this mindset is doing more harm than good. “The public policy is overwhelmingly preoccupied with the incidents of violence. Though it concedes that affected areas suffer from deficient development and people have un-addressed grievances, it views the movement as the greatest internal security threat to the country. Accordingly, the government’s attention is concentrated on curbing violence and maintaining public order to achieve normalcy,” state the experts, calling instead for change in policy perspective and strategy to deal with the movement. “The need is to create a positive image of the government in the local people, remove their sense of alienation and wean them away from its influence,” says Dr Santosh Mehrotra, member secretary of the expert group. To stem the rot, the group has recommended immediate implementation of the three preventive legislations - the Panchayati Raj to the Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996, to restore traditional governance system that earlier existed among tribals and lent them legal sanctity, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007 (for which a Bill has been put up before the Parliament). “The idea is to build an impregnable protective shield of the state against multi-faceted exploitation of the affected communities,” states the group, as it asks for restoration of the common property resources to prevent rural poverty, MSP for minor forest produce of affected tribal areas and creation of panchatays among other things critical to the development of infested areas. Before summarizing, the main causes of discontent leading to the emergence of the Naxalite movement, the experts noted a broad correlation between various indicators of backwardness and the spread of the Naxalite movement. They selected five states with a high level of Naxalite activity: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa. In each of these states, four of the most affected districts were identified and compared with four districts that were comparatively more developed. District-wise development data led the experts to identify factors that showed significant variation between the affected districts and the developed districts.
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Veteran Gandhian Deshpande dead
New Delhi, May 1 The 79-year-old Padma Vibushan awardee, who was not keeping well for the past three days, died early this morning, Peter Parekkattil, a close associate of Deshpande, said. Deshpande, popularly known as 'Didi', had returned from Dhanbad on Tuesday after attending a marriage function and was suffering from some gastric problems besides fever. An attendant went to her room at 4 a.m. to see if everything was all right and she told him that she was praying, Parekkatil said, but after an hour when he checked again, her body was motionless. President Pratibha Patil, in her message from Thiruavananthapuram, expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Deshpande, who she described as an eminent freedom fighter and social worker. Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit were among the first to drive to her residence to pay floral tributes to the departed freedom fighter. In his message, the Prime Minister described Deshpande as a "living Gandhian". Condoling her death, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said she was a person of rare courage and compassion. The cremation will be held tomorrow, Parekattil said, adding Pakistan information minister Sherry Rehman and a number of activists from across the border have expressed their desire to attend the funeral. Born in Nagpur on October 17, 1929, she forayed into social and political work through Vinoba Bhave's Bhoodan movement in 1952. She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for a two-year stint in 1997 and again in 2004. In her bid to bring peace in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, Deshpande organised a number of peace marches to instill confidence among common people and spread the message of compassion and non-violence. She also undertook peace marches after the 2002 Gujarat riots and in Orissa following the killing of Christian missionary Graham Steins in 1999. A strong advocate of Indo-Pak friendship, she formed an organisation of Parliamentarians from both the sides to help normalise ties between the two neighbours. She organised a number of meetings on the Indo-Pak friendship theme. In March 2000, she led a 'Women's Bus of Peace' from New Delhi to Lahore. As a Parliamentarian, she raised issues of national concern and was a member of various standing committess, including those of information and broadcasting, rural development and empowerment of women. Deshpande was confered Russia's Order of Friendship Russia, Padma Vibhushan and Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Puraskar besides three honorary doctorates from Universities of Patiala and Amaravati and Kashi Vidyapeeth.
— PTI
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Sri Lanka, Pakistan rejoice over economic aid from Iran
New Delhi, May 1 In India, Ahmadinejad’s talks focused on the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline, which has strengthened prospects of early finalisation of the agreement. During his brief stopover in Islamabad on Monday, the Iranian President made two big announcements to meet Pakistan’s energy crisis i.e., to supply 1100 mw power on daily basis and to finalise the $7.5 billion IPI gas pipeline project. Iran has already been supplying around 25-mw power from Mund Ab to border areas of Pakistan in Balochistan. Under the new agreement (of supplying 125 and 1000 megawatt), electricity would be supplied to Gwader and adjoining areas. Dwelling on the agreements, Pakistani daily Dawn stated that it was an assertion of independence in international relations on the part of the countries concerned and their refusal to be dictated to by Washington, because it arguably works against their own economic and diplomatic interests. According to Dr Ahmad Rashid Malik, a research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute, the conclusion of both the power transmission line project and the IPI gas pipeline project would give an enormous boost to Pak-Iran bilateral trade. Over the past five years, bilateral trade has been increasing and reached $656 million in 2006. While 2007 has proved further improvement, it is expected that in a year or so, bilateral trade would touch upon the $1 billion mark, as confirmed by foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The two countries already have signed the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and set-up a joint investment company to increase business between the two countries. Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian President ever to set foot on Sri Lankan soil. Among the six agreements signed during the visit were assistance to expand the Sapugaskanda Refinery, which will increase daily production from the present 50,000 barrels to 100,000, and $450 million multi-purpose Uma Oya irrigation project in Wellawaya, which was inaugurated. He and President Rajapksa, at a press conference, committed to protecting each other’s territorial integrity and security. While India is still in negotiations with Pakistan on the latter’s demand of higher transit fee for gas supplies through IPI pipeline, a new significant development during Ahamdinejad’s visit to Islamabad was the inclusion of China in the project, on behest of Pakistan. This appears to be the result of Musharraf’s visit to China a couple of weeks ago. While it is important for India to have the gas pipeline agreement concluded early, it is to be clarified with Pakistan, and also Iran, on Musharraf’s intentions of bringing in China and whether sufficient gas supplies are available for all the countries involved.
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Indian Embassy New Delhi/Beijing, May 1 First secretary M M Sharma, originally from the RAW, was shifted after his alleged connections with the Chinese language teacher came to light recently, sources said. Considering the sensitive nature of post held by Sharma, an inquiry is being conducted to ascertain what kind of liaison he had with the Chinese woman and whether or not any sensitive information had been pilfered. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna, however, said in Delhi that Sharma was posted back on his own request as his wife was unwell. Officials at the Indian Embassy in Beijing said Sharma’s wife was not keeping well and was on dialysis. — PTI
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Air travel in India is safe: Patel
New Delhi, May 1 Replying to a discussion in the Lok Sabha on The Carriage By Air (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the minister said the skies in India were definitely safe and there was no reason to be alarmed. The Bill, aimed at upgrading the compensation package for international travellers to bring it in line with the Montreal Convention, was passed by voice-vote. The Montreal Convention seeks to increase the compensation levels for international passengers in the event of death or body injury as well as damage and delay to the passenger baggage and cargo. Patel clarified that when he said air travel in India was safe as anywhere in the world, he talked of advanced countries like the US and Europe, where air density was high. He said India had got a very high ranking on most parameters in audits done by international authorities and he would like to commend the directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA) and the air traffic control (ATC). The minister promised to consider separate guidelines for enhanced compensation for domestic travellers. “There is no reason to believe that domestic passengers will be worse off in the event of an eventuality.” He explained that a salient feature of the Bill was to enable passengers to file claim in the country of their domicile. He said issues extraneous of this legislation could be taken up at International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). He drew the attention of the House to the government’s new policy of facilitating construction of more airports. Former civil aviation minister, Shahnawaz Khan of the BJP, who initiated the debate, put forth demand for expansion of short runway at Patna airport, operationalisation of Gaya airport to boost Buddhist travel circuit and construction of Bhagalpur airport in his constituency. Urging the minister to cut enormous waste of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) worth Rs 1,460 crore every year due to air congestion, particularly over Delhi and Mumbai, Khan said passenger traffic at Delhi airport had risen to 2.30 crore. S. K. Kharventhan of Congress demanded an increase in compensation package for domestic travellers. Bhavani Rajenthiran of DMK lauded the minister for bringing about an air revolution in the country, but sought an increase in compensation for domestic air travellers. Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD) expressed concern over air congestion due to proliferation of airlines in the country. He suggested that alternative arrangements should be made at Delhi airport to address the issue. He also sought the intervention of the ministry to ensure hassle free flights for Haj pilgrims.
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Passenger killed while boarding train entitled to relief: SC
New Delhi, May 1 "When there is a conflict between two policies, the courts must consider the beneficial legislation in favour of the citizen," a bench of Justices H.K. Sema and Markandeya The apex court said even though it might have been the fault of the victim who died or got injured, he or she was entitled to compensation on the principle of "no fault liability". Interpreting Section 124A of the Indian Railway Act, the Bench explained to senior counsel Patwali appearing for the Union government that running trains, cars and other activities fell under the purview of "inherent dangerous activities", hence the victim was entitled to compensation. The Bench rejected the argument of the counsel who, while citing certain provisions of the Act, said the Railways was not under an obligation to compensate a person who dies while boarding a moving train. It cited the Motor Vehicle Act which mandated third party insurance compensation and other liabilities fastened on the owner/insurer even though the accident might have occurred due to the victim's mistake. The apex court passed the observation while reserving its verdict on the Centre's petition challenging a Kerala High Court order granting over Rs 2 lakh compensation to the family of a woman who died under a train while boarding it.
— PTI
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Sethusamudram Project
New Delhi, May 1 “The ASI should conduct intensive investigation to find out whether Rama Setu is a man-made structure or not,” senior advocate K.K. Venugopal, appearing for J. Jayalalithaa and Dandi Swami Sri Vidyananda Bhartiji, a monk of Sankaracharya order, said opposing the Centre’s plea seeking vacation of the interim order directing it not to damage the Ram Setu. “In the event of Rama Setu coming within the definition of monument after investigation, the Centre has a duty to declare it as a monument of national importance and the place as an archaeological site with the state government having responsibility to protect it,” he submitted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan. However, the Bench, also comprising Justices R.V. Raveendran and J.M. Panchal, wanted to know from those opposing the project whether any application was filed before the ASI for declaring Ram Setu as an ancient monument.
— PTI
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It pays to be poor in AP
Hyderabad, May 1 The Rs 2 per kg rice scheme, the latest in a series of sops, covers a whopping 1.80 crore families under the below poverty line (BPL) category, constituting 85 per cent of the state’s population. Paradoxically, the union government has been reducing the central subsidy to various states, including AP, on the ground that number of BPL families has reduced over years following improvement in living standards and earning levels. Considering that an average family comprises four members, the number of poor in the state comes to 7.44 crore while the total population is just over 8 crore. It is an open secret that the number of poor is highly exaggerated, as a large number of BPL families exist only on paper. However, none of the political parties talk about the massive scam surrounding the determination of poverty and misuse of crores of public money in the name of welfare programmes. The BPL families are given white ration cards to gain access to a plethora of welfare schemes like subsidised rice, weaker section housing, old-age pensions and scholarships. The rice scheme alone entails an annual subsidy burden of Rs 2,000 crore to the state exchequer. The experts point out that if the number of BPL families is taken as an indicator of poverty, then AP should be the poorest state in the country. In another move to increase the number of beneficiaries, the state government recently decided to upwardly revise the annual income limit for the purpose of identifying BPL families. A family earning Rs 70,000 a year in urban areas and Rs 65,000 in rural areas will now be categorised as BPL as against the present limit of Rs 36,000. The social welfare department has justified the increase in the income limit on the ground that the minimum wages in the state have touched Rs 80 a day and that every family has a minimum of two earning members.
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ESI Act to be amended
New Delhi, May 1 The amendment of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, will not only result in optimum utilisation of the existing infrastructure but also augment funds of the ESI Corporation. This will also help in implementing other schemes for workforce in different sectors in addition to the beneficiaries covered under the present ESI Scheme. In another decision, the Cabinet also gave its approval to move official amendments in the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2006, introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August 2006. The amendments would be based on the suggestions of Parliament Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its 128th Report presented in August last year. The Cabinet also gave an in-principle approval to establish a national police university for quality education, research and other related academic activities in police-related subjects, including competence in the areas of the physical and social sciences, besides setting up of an Indian Institute of Corporate affairs with an outlay of Rs 211 crore during the 11th Plan. The institute would provide a think-tank, capacity building and service delivery support in various initiatives being undertaken by the ministry of corporate affairs. In another decision, approval was given for introduction of a Limited Liability Partnership Bill, 2008, by replacing the Limited Partnership Bill, 2006. The proposed Bill would facilitate creation of another corporate structure, which would further enable growth of the economy. The government also decided to declare 2008-09 as ‘Food Safety and Quality Year’. The officials said the initiative would ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food supply, awareness amongst consumers to demand safe and quality food as well as promote practice of good hygiene amongst consumers, producers and processors.
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Delayed PGI projects irk House panel
New Delhi, May 1 This is not the first time that the committee has critically reviewed implementation of projects, including the Advanced Cardiac Centre, the Advanced Trauma Centre and construction of additional 66 KV sub-station. The scheduled dates of completion of these projects have been revised again. In its 27th report on the Demands for Grants 2008-’09 of the Department of Health and Family Welfare laid on the table of the Lok Sabha here today, the Committee has pointed out that work on the projects is behind schedule and the final expenditure is exceeding the sanctioned cost. The report has also been presented to the Rajya Sabha. The committee, chaired by Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh, had said that no concrete steps had been taken to complete these projects during the Tenth Plan and it would like to be informed about the remedial measures taken by the institute. While enumerating the projects, the committee had said that these projects, originally scheduled to be completed during the Tenth Plan, are not seeing the light of the day and are continuing in the Eleventh Plan. “There is some inherent problem in the implementation of these projects,” the committee had observed in its report. As per the report of the committee, the revised scheduled date of completion of the Advanced Cardaic Centre was March 2008, but work remains to be finished. Similarly, the schedule date for completing work on the Advanced Trauma Centre has been revised to December, 2008. The sanctioned cost of the Advanced Cardiac Centre is Rs 46.43 crore. The cumulative expenditure on this centre till the end of 2007-’08 was Rs 43.10 crore and the expenditure planned in 2008-’09 is Rs 10
crore.
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Gangster killed in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, May 1 The shootout took place in the posh Jubilee Hills area when a special police team intercepted the car carrying the don and his associates. Reddy whipped out a revolver and fired at the police party. In the exchange of fire that followed, the gangster died on the spot while his accomplices fled the scene. Reddy, a native of Nalogonda district in Andhra Pradesh, had several cases of murders, kidnappings and extortion registered against him in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Uttar Pradesh. He had worked for the dreaded Chhota Rajan gang and controlled its drug mafia operations in Bangkok and Singapore. He was also involved in the murder of some of the accused in the Mumbai blasts case. Reddy was first arrested in Hyderabad in June, 2004 after a shootout at Filmnagar in the Jubilee Hills. However, two years later, he, along with seven others, was acquitted of the charges after all the witnesses turned hostile. He was believed to be involved in extortion of huge amounts of money from bookies, businessmen and film personalities in the city and had arrived in the city a week ago in connection with a land deal. “Following a tip-off that Aziz Reddy was moving in a black Innova, a police team was sent to nab him. On seeing the police party, he opened fire with a 9mm pistol and the police returned the fire, killing him on the spot,” the city police commissioner D. Prasada Rao said. The gangster’s body was today shifted to the Osmania General Hospital for post-mortem. None of his family members came forward to claim the body. As a close associate of Chhota Rajan, Reddy carried out his extortion activities from Singapore and Bangkok before returning to India in 2002. He joined another mafia don Subhash Thakur in Uttar Pradesh and committed several offences.
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60 kg charas seized, two foreigners held
Roorkee, May 1 The police had registered a case under Section 8/20 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic (NDPS) Act against the two accused who had been identified as Nagender Chaudary and Dham Sunder Kumar, both hailing from Nepal. Addressing a press conference here, superintendent of police (rural) Ajay Joshi said acting on a tip off, a team led by DSP Navneet Singh raided a spot near Gangnahar and seized around 60 kg charas from the accused. However, three other accused were successful in escaping, he added. He said the the charas was wrapped in separate polythene bags that were covered with maize chaff. Joshi said primary investigations revealed that the accused had transported charas from their native village, Bhalli in Nepal to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh by bus and from Muzaffarnagar to Roorkee by rail. During the interrogation the accused revealed that they had brought the charas for sale in various parts of the northern states, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Ambala and Yamunanagar. “This recovery is apparently the biggest seizure of contraband substance in recent recall,” said Joshi.
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Concentrate on health issues, Sharmila tells Ramadoss
New Delhi, May 1 Reacting to his remarks on the matter, she said, “I would humbly like to suggest that there are bigger health issues like fake medicines that are easily available in Indian market and are leading to life threatening diseases. The turnover of this market is huge and the minister should tackle this issue”. Tagore said she was not against the minister’s statement on alcohol, but added that before making any observation about the film sector, “the minister should take into consideration the views of people involved in the film making business”. Ramadoss had earlier this week raised concern on as to how actors on screen are shown consuming liquor. Terming it as “unfortunate”, he had said earlier only villainous characters were shown consuming liquor but now even heroes are also shown consuming it. Such things have a negative effect on the young population and a national policy on alcohol would soon be framed, he added. Ramadoss had in the past also criticised the film industry for promoting smoking by showing actors openly indulging in it on screen.
— PTI
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Govt: No breach of protocol by Prez’s son
New Delhi, May 1 “There was no breach of protocol involved,” minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma said today while responding to questions over Rajendra Shekhawat visiting Florida from Mexico where he had gone as a member of Patil’s delegation. Sharma said it was clear from the beginning that Shekhawat would be travelling with the delegation till Mexico from where he would proceed for a scheduled meeting at the University of Florida. In a clarification, Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson Archana Datta said since Shekhawat was in Mexico, he had taken the “opportunity” to visit the Florida University for academic purposes in response to a long-pending invitation On his part, Shekhawat insisted that there was no protocol issue involved and that he had travelled to Florida as he had “spare time”. — PTI
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United regional force: AASU wants Mahanta out
Guwahati, May 1 The AASU has declared its restriction on Mahanta at a time when the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has initiated a move for re-unification of its breakaway factions, including the Mahanta-led AGP(Progressive). The AASU adviser Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharrya, president Sankar Prasad Rai and general secretary Tapan Gogoi today said, “Mahanta, who was given opportunity by the people of Assam to head AGP governments during 1985-90 and 1996-2001, betrayed the people, especially over 800 martyrs who had sacrificed their lives during Assam Agitation. We don’t want to see Mahanta featuring in any unification move by regional parties.” The AASU’s allegations of ‘betrayal’ by Mahanta included: master minding ‘secret killings or state-sponsored killings’ of Assamese youths in the name of operation against insurgents during his second tenure as the Chief Minister; failure to show sincerity to solve the burning of illegal migrants case through implementation of Assam Accord; failure to rehabilitate family members of 855 martyrs of the Assam Agitation; supporting enactment of Article 3(1)(A) of the Foreigners’ Act that grants Indian citizenship to wards of illegal Bangladeshi migrants who had come to Assam till 1986; signing MoU with the Central government to impose ban on fresh employment in the state government, and many others. “We want unification of regional forces in the state, including political groups representing all ethnic groups in the state, as it is necessary to challenge the misrule of the Congress. But any such move must be undertaken without Mahanta, who had betrayed the people of Assam,” the AASU
leaders said.
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Bhatnagar is new Prasar Bharati chairman
New Delhi, May 1 Kamath, who has been appointed by the NDA appointee, had to resign soon after March 17, when the UPA government successfully got the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Amendment Bill, 2008, passed by the Lok Sabha fixing a six-year term for the Prasar Bharati. The Bill had been brought amid allegations by the Opposition to that its sole intention was to do away with Kamath. However, minister for information and broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi explained to Parliament that the intention behind the move was to bring in professional and competent CEO of the Prasar Bharati, which has been chosen as the dedicated host broadcaster for the coming Commonwealth Games.
— UNI
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Animal welfare board notice to Vodafone over pug ad
Chennai, May 1 In its notice sent April 25, Chennai headquartered AWBI said: “The pet dog was made to run, gallop and chase the school van for a long time on a public road. Thereby, the dog was made to undergo severe pain and suffering due to the exhaustion caused by chasing (the bus).” AWBI lawyer SR Sundaram said: “The final film should strictly follow the script submitted at the time of pre-shoot permission for the animal performances. It is also directed that the performing animals should not be subjected to any cruelty, failing which the AWBI will initiate legal proceedings under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.” Nirvana Film’s counsel Balshankar Menon had March 29 submitted an application seeking the AWBI’s approval of the advertisement, saying that the male pug called Rocky was Vodafone’s brand icon. Menon said the film was shot in South Africa and Nirvana submitted a “post-shoot fitness certificate duly signed by the veterinary doctor” while applying for the no-objection certificate. AWBI has, however, told Nirvana Films and Vodafone that it has been “illegally” telecasting the advertisement for the last two weeks as AWBI’s Film Screening Committee has found the portion of the advertisment in which the pug runs behind the bus objectionable. — IANS
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Mukerji is new Air Officer-in-charge
New Delhi, May 1 Air Marshal Mukerji graduated from the National Defence Academy in 1970 and was commissioned in 1972. He is a qualified flying instructor, a fighter combat leader and a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College. He is one of the very few officers of the IAF to have commanded three operational fighter squadrons units. He first commanded a MiG-29 Squadron, then a MiG-25 Squadron and the third, the tactics and air combat development establishment of which he is the commodore commandant also. Air Marshal Mukerji is the only pilot in the history of the IAF to have commanded units with the MiG-21, MiG-23U, MiG-25, MiG-27 and MiG-29 aircraft. He has also commanded an operational air base in the deserts of Western India and has over 3,700 hours of flying on fighter aircrafts. He has served as Air attaché in the Embassy of India, Washington DC, and has held staff appointments at Air Headquarters and ministry of
defence.
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Probe begins into Hawk crash
New Delhi, May 1 An inquiry has already been initiated into the causes of the crash of the trainer plane in Bidar in Karnataka yesterday. The accident of the aircraft, which left the fighter reportedly crippled, has put a big question mark on the IAF's new pilot training programme, which was to commence in July this year, defence ministry sources said here
today. IAF was to commence the training of its pilots for the final flying courses from July when it was expected to receive 20 of the 24 fighters to be bought in flyaway conditions from the British manufacturers. The Hawk, which crashed yesterday, was one of the 10 delivered to the
IAF. This was the first accident involving the Hawk jets, which IAF has acquired to impart advanced jet training to its pilots in the wake of spate of air crashes involving its MIG-21 fighters. According to IAF sources, the Hawks are facing major problems due to supply of "recycled old spares". The issue of trainers is going to be in focus of discussions during visit of Defence Secretary Vijay Singh to UK later this month. India has signed a deal worth Rs 8,000 crore for acquiring 66 Hawk advanced jet trainers, of which 10 have been inducted.
— PTI
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Wage board meeting postponed
New Delhi, May 1 Dr Justice K. Narayana Kurup, under whose recommendations the three independent members were appointed in the boards, has decided to postpone the meeting till further intimation, the labour and employment ministry stated. The Delhi High Court yesterday had issued notices to the Union of India on a petition contending that the wage boards were constituted in violation of Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution and of the Working Journalists and other Newspaper employees (conditions of service and other miscellaneous provisions) Act 1955 and therefore should be stayed. A Division Bench directed the Centre to reply by May 13.
— UNI
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Border trade at Nathu La postponed
Gangtok, May 1 We have received a fax message from the Union Commerce ministry late on Wednesday evening informing about the postponement of the reopening of the border trade at Nathu La, the district collector (East) Vishal Chauhan told PTI here. The reopening of annual trade at Nathu La may take place on May 19 next, he said. — PTI
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Boys ‘tortured’ in police custody
Surat, May 1 “When the children were brought here we found marks on their body while they were changing clothes. When we asked about the marks they hesitantly said that the police had beaten them and subjected them to electric shocks,” said superintendent of juvenile home Govind Kantharia.
— PTI
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AP safe from ‘Nargis’, storm remains stationary Anil Kumble to star in
‘Meerabai Not Out’ Principal denied bail in mass copying case Girl done to death by lover Man chops off wife’s nose Dharmendra for desi ghee CBI probe into rhino poaching
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Chennai, May 1
