New Delhi, July 21
Accusing “elements” in Pakistan for the suicide attack on Indian mission in Kabul, India today made it clear that the recent spate of terror attacks and ceasefire violations triggered from across the border have put the peace process “under stress”.

In some tough-talking, foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told his Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir that these concerns of New Delhi must be addressed.

After the fifth round of the Indo-Pak composite dialogue on peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir and other confidence building measures (CBMs), Menon told reporters that “the composite dialogue process was under stress.” He said the talks were happening at a “difficult time of our relationship with akistan” following the return of democracy there.

“Unfortunately, there have been several issues in the recent past which have vitiated the atmosphere and the composite dialogue process is under stress,” Menon said. In this context, he referred to the recent violations of the ceasefire along the LoC, cross-border terrorism and incitement of violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

“There have been public statements by some leaders in Pakistan, who are reverting to the old polemics,” Menon said, adding all these things had culminated into the suicide bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul in which over 40 persons, including Indian defence attache, and other employees of the mission, were killed.

“Our investigations so far point toward a few elements in Pakistan to be behind the (Kabul) blast,” he said, but refused to identify these elements saying investigations were continuing.

Observing that the dialogue process between the two countries was started to negotiate and find a peaceful solution to all outstanding issues, the foreign secretary said the atmosphere had been “vitiated” by the recent terror attacks that were condemned by both sides at the talks today.

Both sides felt that the ceasefire was “under stress” but agreed that it must be continued and further strengthened. “We should use all existing measures to ensure that the ceasefire is maintained,” Menon said. “We discussed Jammu and Kashmir. The Directors General and the joint secretaries of the two countries met in Islamabad on July 18 and decided on several cross-LoC measures to check violations of the ceasefire,” he said.

On the CBMs, he said the two sides decided to double the frequencies of the two bus services between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkot and also agreed on measures to enhance cross-LoC trade.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke last evening to external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, who also “mentioned some of these points to address our concerns”. The two leaders would be meeting in Colombo on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit this month end.

Asked whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would also meet his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Colombo, Menon said no such meeting has been scheduled so far. — PTI

New Delhi, July 21
The Left was centrestage in the political theatre that the Parliament was today. Armed with aggression, it gave the first dramatic twist to the trust vote debate that started on a subtle note and ended on a shrill one. In between the extreme postures that proponents and opponents of the nuclear deal took stood a body of discourse marked by emotion, drama, slugfest and some reason.

Leading the theatrics was CPM’s Mohd Salim, who was next only to the Prime Minister and opposition leader L.K. Advani. He came determined to defend the Left, hitting the government where he knew it would hurt most: “The government has outsourced India’s diplomatic process. The country is wary of deals. Dealers deal, but leaders look into the history and future implications of deals,” Salim thundered, waking up some sleeping MPs, especially when he asked the government to take a dope test to explain the urgency behind the Indo-US nuclear deal.

For Salim, it was a huge moment, and he spared the government no sympathy, accusing it of betrayal and saying that the Left had signed the common minimum programme with the Congress and not George Bush. “The government never displayed urgency in battling inflation and communalism. It can’t fight communalism from US’ lap,” Salim said, mustering all his histrionic skills to prove Left’s point.

His speech was full of digs, first at LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan who manages to be a minister in every government, and then at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi whom he asked to explain “enlightened national interest.” Salim sought to belie Sonia’s claims, citing from some US reports that say atomic energy which comprised 9.6 per cent of total energy in 2005 would have declined to 7.8 per cent by 2030.

Not that he managed to unsettle the UPA. As he shouted and sweated, PM Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi sat pretty, flanked by Sharad Pawar, Lalu Yadav and other ministers. The entire UPA flock exuded strange, inexplicable confidence. In the backbenches, it had strategically stationed the “loud MPs” to keep the decibel levels in the House going. On BJP’s side, the task was accomplished by many, including Navjot Sidhu, who occasionally shouted “chup” into the mike. He perhaps thought he was still on the sets of Laughter Challenge.

The House in fact looked like one such set on many an occasion today, especially when BSP’s Brajesh Pathak rose to oppose the vote. The zealous MP spoke so loudly he forced Left’s Gurudasdas Gupta and JDS’s Deve Gowda out of the House. Gupta was seen leaving, his fingers in his ears; he returned after a while to find the situation unchanged.

Earlier, RJD’s Devendra Yadav managed an entertaining performance, deflecting the debate towards some kind of a war between Lord Rama and Krishna. For 20 minutes, he accused the BJP of making distinctions between Rama and Krishna by destroying the latter’s temples in Rajasthan. The BJP protested loudly, women leading from the front.

But the real scene-stealer of the day was PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, who launched an offensive on Advani, when he said Amarnath Board’s land should be reverted. “Jammu-Kashmir is not Gujarat,” she shouted, and so firmly that Advani had to change the topic.

Strangely, the word “civil nuclear cooperation” that caused the crisis in the first place found sparse mention in the debates on day one of the special Lok Sabha session. At times, it found an embarrassing mention, like when Devendra Yadav shouted on the top of his voice while supporting the motion: “India can have its own Hydel Act.” The MP perhaps forgot to do the reading!

Kolkata, July 21
At a massive rally in Kolkata today, Mamata Banerjee declared that she would not be present in the Lok Sabha tomorrow to cast her vote against the UPA though, in principle, she was opposed to the nuclear deal.

The Trinamool Congress supremo alleged that the Congress had for so long allowed the CPM to enjoy power without any responsibility.

She charged that both the Congress and the CPM were involved in the power-sharing game rather than serving the interests of the people.

She said she would now maintain equi-distance both from the Congress and the BJP in West Bengal for the larger interest of the state and its people.

Mamata shared the dais with Somen Mitra, her one-time arch rival in the state Congress, and they resolved to fight jointly to oust the CPM from power and for ending the Left’s misrule of 32 years in the state.

Incidentally, Mitra left the Congress two days ago and formed a separate party named Progressive Indira Congress for fighting against the CPM and other communal forces as he had failed to persuade the AICC to make an electoral understanding with Mamata for fighting against the CPM in West Bengal.

Somen has the support of a large number of the Congress MLAs and at least two MPs and most of the district Congress is with him. They, reportedly, are ready to accept Mamata as their leader in their fight against the CPM.

Today’s massive rally was organised by Mamata in memory of those 13 young YC workers killed in police firing in the Esplanade area on July 21, 1996, during their protest march against the anti-people policies of the Left Front government headed by Jyoti Basu.

The SUCI and anti-Left parties also joined today’s rally which the Shahi Imam of Calcutta’s Tipu Sultan Mosque also addressed.

New Delhi, July 21
Liberally referring to “Constitutional texts” and “precedents”, Rajya Sabha member and legal luminary Ram Jethmalani today said even if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh failed to secure confidence vote in Lok Sabha, he still had the “prerogative to advise the President to dissolve the House and the President was bound to act on his advice”.

In his letter to the President, copy of which was released to the media, Jethmalani said the nuclear deal was necessary for the whole planet’s environment purity, India’s economic prosperity and security and “opposition to the deal is prompted by wholly unworthy motives”.

Pointing that MPs had been disqualified for accepting a few rupees as price for asking questions in Parliament, he said, “What is happening (now) is a thousand times dirtier”. He said, “Parliament has got to be dissolved and fresh elections should be ordered”.

Drawing the attention of the President to “the revolting manner” in which a vital issue was being dealt with by major political actors, he said, “Such people do not deserve to remain Members of Parliament and they deserve to be sent back to the people to seek fresh mandate”.

“Even a defeated Prime Minister had the prerogative to dissolve the House. This is the settled Constitutional practice in England which applies to India as well,” Jethmalani, who was a minister in the Vajpayee government, said.

He expressed hope that the Prime Minister, instead of resigning (in the event of failing to secure trust vote in Lok Sabha), will carry the fight in the court of people who will decide this grave matter (the Indo-US nuclear agreement) affecting their destiny.

He said he believed that the Prime Minister would be able to secure the confidence vote in Lok Sabha. “I believe that (Prime Minister failing to secure confidence of the House) cannot happen but I cannot rule out the possibility”.

New Delhi, July 21
Ignoring CPM demand that he should step down, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today presided over the special session debating the government’s confidence motion and the party hinted at action against him.

The veteran parliamentarian, who has made it clear that he does not want the Speaker’s office to be dragged into political controversy, chaired a meeting of floor leaders of various parties shortly before the Lok Sabha met to consider Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s confidence motion.

Ending speculation that he may step down before the House debates the motion, the 79-year-old Marxist leader occupied the Speaker’s Chair at 11 am, telling members that he had no subject of his own except to run the House.

The CPM made no secret of its unhappiness and Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said tonight that a “decision” in the matter would be taken at an “appropriate time”.

Yechury pointed out that the matter had been discussed at the central committee meeting which had authorised the Politburo to take an “appropriate decision” at the “appropriate time.” Indicating that no action will be taken during the two-day Lok Sabha session, Yechury said, “We will not involve the Speaker’s office while Parliament is in session.”

Before he came in to take the chair, Chatterjee, a 10-time MP, presided over a meeting of the floor leaders to discuss the modalities of the two-day debate and nobody raised the issue of his resignation there.

The CPM, after a meeting of the central committee, is understood to have asked him late last night to step down before the start of the session.

“I don’t have to impress upon the importance of the motion that is going to be debated. The whole nation is watching. In the time available fullest opportunity will be given to members,” he said before start of the debate, appealing to members to maintain the dignity of Parliament.

“There may be some ‘toka-toki’ (interruptions), but order should be maintained. The chair has no subject of his own except that the House is run,” he said.

Chatterjee’s wife Renu and daughter were present in the Speaker’s gallery to witness the proceedings. — PTI

New Delhi, July 21
Not succumbing to days of intense “religious pressure” of supporting the first-ever Sikh Prime Minister, the Shiromani Akali Dal today made it clear in Parliament that it cannot support Manmohan Singh just because he was a Sikh.

However, the party was categorical in saying that it was not against bringing in nuclear energy or having friendly relations with the USA or any other country. Veteran Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, speaking for the party in the house said: “Not just the SAD, the entire Sikh community felt proud when Manmohan Singh was elevated as the PM, however, he had not resolved anything for Sikhs hence the SAD cannot support him just for his religion”. This led to a sharp reaction from Pawan Bansal, the minister of state for finance and Rana Gurjeet Singh, Congress MP, who pointed out what all had been done during the past four years. This included new projects, farm loan waiver and an increased MSP for wheat and Paddy. Ironically, as Dhindsa spoke for his party, in the chair was Charanjit Singh Atwal, the Deputy Speaker of the House. Atwal is an Akali MP.

Rather Dhindsa went on to narrate the issues pending for Sikhs, Punjabis and farmers. He said Punjab was providing about 50 to 60 per cent of food grains and only one per cent farmers got the benefit of the loan waiver. “ If the agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, could help the farmer in Maharashtra, why could the PM not help the farmer in Punjab”. The Union Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel of the NCP was quick to remind the SAD veteran that the UPA had effected the highest rise in MSP ever.

Attempts are being made to dilute the powers of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) by forming separate bodies in Haryana. The Anand Marriage Act was awaiting approval while the quota for Punjab in defence services was reduced. Dhindsa, said that Punjab was surrounded by states where industry has been given special concession, we wanted the same for the border districts of Punjab, that was turned down. He went on to the blame the PM for not taking up the issue of Sikhs wearing turbans in France. He mentioned the “black list” that has the names of Sikhs, who have been living abroad since the days of militancy. The list was not reviewed and it is not that the SAD was seeking a favour for those who are against the nation, said Dhindsa. He did not forget to mention the operation Blue Star, but did not point out the blame ( to the Congress). Meanwhile separately, outside the house Dhindsa and Sukhbir Badal were categorical in saying that the SAD would not abstain from voting tomorrow.

New Delhi, July 21
The Lok Sabha witnessed regional parties clash fiercely over their respective regional issues and leaders when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh moved the confidence motion here on Monday.

The intensity of regional loyalties often led to verbal duels and at least one bout of near physical clash, between regional rivals in the treasury benches and the Opposition, resulting in at least one brief adjournment of the Lok Sabha.

During the day BSP members took offence to SP leader’s remarks; BJP’s Rajasthan members disrupted the proceedings over a mention by RJD of the goings on in Rajasthan; NCP members protested when Shiv Sena talked of the state of affairs in Maharashtra and DMK leaders attacked the BJP on the controversial Sethusamund-ram project.

The BSP MPs were the first to demonstrate that they were more concerned about proving their loyalty to their leader Mayawati than being involved with the larger issues being discussed. BSP’s Ilyas Azmi and Dumpy Akbar Ahmad came to near-blows with the SP members sitting next to Azmi and the two rushed towards the Well, over a seemingly innocuous remark by SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav. It led to a 15-minute adjournment of the Lok Sabha.

Yadav just said, “Now there are at least two prime ministerial candidates.” Turning to the Left he said, “Will my friends on this side accept Advani as prime minister?” And then he turned to the BJP and asked, “And will you accept the person they are projecting as the future prime minister?” He was obviously referring to BSP president Mayawati, but did not name her.

Soon thereafter Azmi was on his feet, virtually challenging the SP members sitting next to him. The SP members too gathered around their comrade looking menacingly at the BSP members.

A little later RJD deputy parliamentary party leader Devendra Prasad Yadav charged BJP with adopting double standards. “Leader of Opposition has just now talked of the Government not helping Hindu pilgrims. They talk of Amarnath. But in their own state Rajasthan the mining mafia, patronised by the government, is destroying Goverdhan path where lakhs of Hindu pilgrims go to pay their homage,” he said.

BJP members led by Yashodhra Raje (the sister of Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhra Raje) on their feet, interrupting Yadav repeatedly.

As the BJP persisted in disrupting the proceedings, RJD members came rushing to the aisle. Finally after sometime the order was restored.

Next DMK leader and Shipping and Transport Minister T.R. Baalu took up the Sethusamundram project, which the BJP has got stalled by taking the matter to the Supreme Court. He reminded the BJP how it had cleared the project during the NDA rule but now stalled it only to embarrass the UPA Government.

Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete utilised his turn to challenge the Government that its loan waiver scheme had not reached the Maharashtra farmers. He offered to resign his seat if proved wrong. To this a highly charged Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel from NCP and Minority Affairs minister and Congress leader (both from Maharashra) took umbrage and asked the Speaker to secure Geete resignation first.

It took Speaker Somnath Chatterjee considerable effort to restore order in the House and douse regional passions.

New Delhi, July 21
A day ahead of the trust vote in Parliament, two main anti-UPA parties, the BJP and the Left block, seemed uneasy with each other and openly showed their long-standing differences today. The dichotomy of opposing each other for years on issues showed up when Shahnawaz Hussain of the BJP, while speaking on the floor of the house said “ …we are of a separate thought process and we can never meet”. He went on to add with a pinch of sarcasm that the day the Congress and the Left entered into this “marriage”, the “divorce” was o happen one day.

The Left was not to be “left behind” in blaming the BJP. Gurudas Das Gupta of the CPI blamed the BJP saying that the “essential commodities act” was diluted during the BJP rule. The Left has for long been a votary of a strong Act and said this dilution had led to rise in foodgrain prices in the country. Gupta went on to say that the Prime Minister was just following the economic policies that the BJP had laid down and followed.

Even the allies of the BJP like the Biju Janata Dal did not spare the Left. B Mahtab of the BJD chided the Left for having supporting the Congress and the backing out on the nuclear deal. He termed it as “ running with the hare and hunting with the hounds”.

There was no visible camaraderie between the BJP and the Left on the floor of the House today. Even as the Mohd Salim of the CPM made an eloquent speech slamming the ruling combine, BJP members thumped the desks only on the points that suited them.

And same for the Left members when the Anant Geete of the Shiv Sena raised the issue of farm loans not percolating down and banks not doing enough, it led to a sharp reaction from the treasury benches. However, the Left did not say a word to support the their new found “friends”.

New Delhi, July 21
“A dead man can’t refuse to sign an agreement,” quipped external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee who was in his element today while demolishing an argument put forth by Leader of the Opposition L K Advani on Pt Jawaharlal Nehru’s refusal to sign the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

Supporting the trust motion in the Lok Sabha, Mukherjee referred to the speech made earlier by Advani in which the latter said Jawaharlal Nehru and Morarji Desai had refused to sign the NPT. Nehru had died in 1964 while the NPT regime came into existence in 1970, the foreign minister pointed out as members on the BJP benches looked somewhat embarrassed while those on the treasury benches appeared pleased. Advani was not present in the House at that point of time.

If Advani wanted to score a point, let him do it. But he must be sure of facts, Mukherjee said, adding that in his over-enthusiasm, the BJP leader should not distort facts. Mukherjee also criticised Advani for trying to take a moral high position about the NDA regime not ever destabilising any government. He said the NDA government had dismissed eight state governments while the BJP had brought down the V P Singh government in 1990.

The External Affairs minister was also unsparing in his criticism of the Left parties, wondering if the nuclear deal stalemate was such a big issue for them that they thought of bringing down the government and plunging the country into political crisis.

On the Left parties contention that they were out to dislodge the government regardless of whether they have to vote alongside the BJP on the trust vote, Mukherjee said there was no need for them to travel with the saffron party. “Don’t jump from the train, Wait for the next station which the train is approaching to get off it.”

New Delhi, July 21
The Opposition BJP appeared a shade down with not much enthusiasm visible in the speech of Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani.

Simultaneously, unlike BSP president Mayawati, who managed to spirit away the JD-S and the RLD along with dissident MPs of the Samajwadi Party, the NDA had nothing to show.

The general mood of diffidence, uncertainty and brinkmanship was amply clear in Advani’s speech, who said, “Whether this government stays or goes.” He also protested a bit too loudly declaring: “We have not tried to destabilise the government,” perhaps fearing the BJP’s NRI/ middle class constituency, which favours the nuclear deal and strategic partnership with the US.

Though they would not open all their cards, Congress leaders kept asserting confidently, “Be prepared for surprises tomorrow.”

A BJP MP, who witnessed the UNPA, the Left, and Mayawati meeting on Sunday remarked, “In one day she has won over two parties and five MPs. Here so many leaders and such big parties could not get a single MP?” Another NDA MP also echoed the despondency in the NDA circles. He said, “All the media is running towards Humayun Road (Mayawati’s residence). The same media, which used to hover around Advani, was not seen anywhere on the crucial day.”

JD-U leader Sharad Yadav reportedly asked Advani at the NDA dinner on Sunday night the alternate plans in case the government falls to which Advani is reported to have said he would wait for the announcement of fresh elections.

He also said he and his party were in no mood to accept Mayawati as the Prime Minister under any circumstances, even for the interim 10 months tenure of this 14th Lok Sabha.

A BJP leader tried to explain this away by saying, “If we had led they would have immediately turned this into communal, secular issue.” He also conceded that, “We stand to lose in Uttar Pradesh somewhat.”

Mumbai, July 21
The work on the Scorpene submarine project undertaken by the Mazgaon Docks Ltd (MDL) here in collaboration with the French-Spanish defence contractor Direction des Compagnies Navales (DCN) has hit a roadblock - shortage of talent.

Over the past two decades, scores of engineers and technicians employed by MDL with experience in building submarines were retrenched or retired in the normal course as the company waited for orders.

"From the late 1980s till the signing of the Scorpene contract, no submarines were built at MDL," said a senior Naval official.

The submarine building project came to an end after the German HDW submarine project got caught in a mire of political scandals amid allegations of huge kickbacks during the Rajiv Gandhi government.

Sources say, the production line was mothballed and equipment gradually deteriorated over the years.

DCN chairperson and CEO Jean-Marie Poimboeuf, who was on a visit to India recently, expressed concern at the slow pace of the new hands being trained, sources said.

The foreign collaborator has had to deploy more personnel than originally envisaged in the contract between the two countries. From the six engineers originally brought in by DCN, the number has risen to 15 and MDL officials are demanding that another 15 be brought in to train their Indian counterparts.

Under the deal between MDL and DCN, six submarines will be built at the Mumbai facility with complete technology being transferred.

As per the agreement between the two countries, the first submarine

will be delivered in 2010 for the purposes of fitting out and conducting of sea trials. It will be finally deployed by 2012. In all, six Scorpenes are to be deployed by 2017.

The Scorpene submarine has been developed jointly by DCN and Spanish shipbuilder Navantia. It is a 1,750-tonne submarine, 67 metres (220 feet) long and capable of diving to a depth of 300 metres. It can stay at sea for up to 45 days with a crew of 31. The entire project is estimated to cost Rs 16,000 crore.

Guwahati, July 21
Even as the government of India eagerly awaits consent of the government and people of Meghalaya for mining of high-quality uranium deposit in West Khasi Hills district of the state, the Meghalaya government has decided to constitute two panels comprising experts to make a comprehensive study on the effects of uranium mining.

The decision to constitute the panels - one comprising members from the state and other with members from outside - has been taken in the light of recommendation of the all-party committee on uranium mining constituted by the state government.

Meghalaya Chief Minister and chairman of the all-party committee Dr Donkupar Roy said the two panles will make a comprehensive study of the effects of uranium mining with a focus on radiation and health hazards in areas in the vicinity of the proposed site at Mawthabah in West Khasi Hills district.

A third group, comprising officials from the state health department, will examine the health status of local people who were involved in the exploratory mining of uranium by Atomic Minerals Division (AMD) in 1991.The group will also visit Jadugoda in Jharkhand and other uranium mining sites like Cudappah in Andhra Pradesh to study the effects, if any, of uranium mining on local people there, Dr Roy said.

The two independent groups will do a survey and report to the government on the overall implications of allowing uranium mining in the state. The next meeting of the all-party committee will study the reports submitted by the panels before making its recommendations to the government for a final decision on the issue. NGOs and other stakeholders will also be invited to the meeting.

Mumbai, July 21
Train services in the distant suburbs of Nallasopara and Virar were disrupted this morning as local residents, seeking additional train services, squatted on the railway tracks and prevented trains from running.

Police said hundreds of protesters descended at Nallasopara railway station at around 9 am and stoned the railway property. As the crowds surged, the police presence proved inadequate and reinforcements had to be called from Mumbai.

Train services remained disrupted till well past noon.

Though the railways have been able to lay additional tracks to connect Virar with downtown Churchgate railway station, they have not been able to arrange for enough trains to ply on the tracks for the past year.

Dehra Dun, July 21
Post offices of Uttarakhand will get a makeover under 'Project Arow', a Central government venture. Four post offices at Narendranagar, Rajpur, Kiccha and Satpuli have been identified for the first phase of the plan.

For the promotion and branding of the post offices, the Central government has chosen international consultancy companies, Mckinsey & Co. and Ogilvy & Mather.

A new logo and slogan will be designed for a refreshing look. The project has been divided into two segments, 'Modernise the look and feel', the first segment will focus on branding, technology, human resource and infrastructure. Issues like better working of the post offices, instant delivery for the customers and easy cash transactions will be undertaken in the second segment, 'Get the core right'.

Facilities like instant money order, international money order, e-post, speed net, e-payment, electronic intimation of delivery and internet fax will be provided. After four post offices in the first segment in Uttarakhand, 11 other post offices will be undertaken for the second phase of transformation. Chief postmaster, Uttarakhand, Vivek Kaul said, "The project was initiated by Central information minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and will commence in the state after August 15."

Samastipur, July 21
More than 25 villages in two blocks of this north Bihar district were inundated today affecting over 25,000 people following incessant rain, while several major rivers continued to remain in spate, threatening embankments.

Official sources said as a result of continuous downpour for the past few days, most of the major rivers in the district had started flowing above the danger mark causing flash flood in more than 25 villages under Singhia and Bithan blocks. Among the affected villages were Bagarhatta, Kirhar, Hardia, Mahara, Mirpur, Kundaldah and Bari Panchayat.

The flash flood also rendered a large number of people homeless, and they were forced to take shelter in the nearby school buildings. Standing crops were also damaged.

The district administration immediately swung into action and provided dry food, drinking water and some emergency medicines to the affected. A number of boats were also pressed into service to rescue marooned villagers.

A round-the-clock vigil was being maintained to ensure that there was no breach in any embankment.

Even as the sky remained overcast, intermittent rain continued throughout the state, including in the capital city, where most of the low-lying areas remained waterlogged for more than a week now causing severe inconveniences to the people.

Meanwhile, Patna which has already experienced a record 300 mm rainfall since July 14, might receive more showers in the coming days, the local weather forecast said. — UNI

Dehra Dun, July 21
The Uttarakhand government, in a major policy decision, has decided to hand over its old power projects to private players for renovation and modernisation. A decision in this regard was taken by the Uttarakhand Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Maj-Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd) at a meeting held here today.

It was decided by the state government to give all old power projects, that are more than 35 years old and running much below its capacity, to the private players. As a policy, all power projects completing 35 years in future, will also be given to the private partners for renovation and modernisation.

Uttarakhand chief secretary S.K. Dass said that a total of 24 power projects, including 18 running and six closed, will be handed over to the private players. These power projects had a combined capacity of 500 MW but due to various problems plaguing them, were producing less power. Six of these projects are closed due to technical problems and outdated machines.

Bangalore, July 21
Thirtyfive year old Tarun slips his hands into the pockets of his coat and gently caresses a furry teddy bear. He has been carrying the toy along for quite some time in the hope of presenting it to his little daughter, if he is lucky to bump into her by chance or in one of the `scheduled' meetings.

"The anguish of a father cannot be expressed and it is no less than a woman going through a similar separation,” says Kumar Jagirdar, one of the co-founders of Child Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (CRISP), launched recently to focus on the rights of a child to remain connected with both parents, irrespective of a divorce or separation.

Launched on the Father's Day this year, the organisation was founded following a growing demand by separated parents, especially fathers, wanting to obtain custody of their children and hoping that the legal system was sensitised to the fact that fathers were equally capable of looking after them.

“The earlier policy makers largely belonged to a generation of men who could neither identify themselves with child care nor emotionally connect to the child,” says Anil Kumar, a member of the NGO.

The same patriarchal approach appears to be reflected in the Indian legal system that favours women when it comes to handing over the custody of children, he adds.

"However, today's fathers are different. With both parents working, a father's role cannot be underestimated,” he says. However, when marital problems crop up leading to separation, it is the women who assume an important role in child rearing.

“CRISP plans to launch a series of awareness campaign to sensitise the legal system on the issue of shared parenting initiative as well as file a PIL in three months, seeking directions from the court on the issue,” says Pandurang Jatti, a member of the NGO.

"Our aims and objectives are based on research findings worldwide that indicate that children do the best when both parents are actively involved in their lives, even after separation or divorce,” says Uma, another member.

Statistics indicate that in the US, children from fatherless homes are five times more likely to commit suicide, 32 times more likely to run away from home, 20 times more likely to have behavioural disorders, 14 times more likely to commit rape, nine times more likely to drop out of high school and 20 times more likely to end up in prison, says the CRISP leaflet. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Bombs hurled at CPM office
KANNUR: The CPM branch office -Azhikodan Mandiram- at Kannothumchal, near here, was attacked allegedly by the BJP/RSS activists early on Monday. The police recovered two country-made bombs from the site and impounded three motor bikes. Activists of the CPM and the BJP reportedly clashed at the Kannothumchal bus stand area on Sunday night and two BJP/RSS activists were hospitalised at the district hospital here with minor injuries following the incident. — UNI

Database of water sources
ROORKEE: In a bid to establish India's own systematic database of isotopic signatures of various water sources that could help in the scientific understanding of various hydrological processes, country's 13 reputed organisations of scientific field have resolved to work on a national programme on isotope finger printing of waters of India. The programme aims at identifying regional water vapours component in the local atmosphere, besides studies will be undertaken to quantify the partitioning of water vapours into rain and re-partitioning of rain into various components. — TNS

4 militants shot dead
IMPHAL: Altogether four suspected militants were killed and five civilians injured in separate encounters here. The police said here on Monday that two suspected militants were gunned down by police commandos, while five civilians sustained wounds in an encounter on Sunday at Keishampat, Imphal. The injured included three women and a minor boy. — UNI

Manipur govt to distribute buffaloes
IMPHAL: In an effort to increase production to meet the shortage of milk, the Manipur government plans to supply buffaloes free of cost to villagers settled around the Loktak Lake in Bishenpur district where grass is in abundant. Estimated to cost around Rs 5 crore, the scheme prepared by the state veterinary department, has been submitted to the North Eastern Council for approval, official sources have said. — PTI

Bus strike hits students, office-goers
PUDUCHERRY: Office goers and students in Puducherry, especially those from the rural areas, were badly affected as private buses in the union territory remained off the road, following a one-day strike called by the Private Bus Owners Association, demanding an upward revision in bus fares. Association president Bharathi Kannan told newspersons that the bus operators in Puducherry were collecting the lowest fare of 23 paise per km. — UNI

Goa warns tourists
PANAJI: Tourists in Goa have been warned from venturing into the sea after a spate of deaths due to drowning in the state's beaches, the police has said. A drive has been undertaken along Goa's major beaches taking signatures of the tourists who rush in the sea waters. "The tourists are asked to sign on the paper which clearly mentions that they are venturing into the sea at their own risk," said North Goa SP Bosco George. — PTI