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Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai at
I-Day function
Consensus on environment policies a must: PM
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Elections possible only in congenial atmosphere: Azad
Panel may resolve Amarnath issue
Manmohan to be PM candidate: Sonia
Mansarovar yatra, trade may resume next week
Keeping options open in TN: Left
Pay hike not enough: Armed Forces
‘Not-so-good’ Jane Goody on Big Boss menu
New machine for trenchless construction
HC says no to less work for pilots
India to conserve dugongs
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Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai at
I-Day function
Bumla (Indo-China border), August 15 A 300-strong Chinese delegation, including military personnel, their wives and kids and civilians came to the Indian Army post, located 37 km away from Tawang over which China has a long-standing claim. The Chinese Army delegation led by Colonel Yan Zi Jing came here to take part in the Independence Day celebrations as well as “to strengthen the ties between the two great armies”. The delegation joined Indians present on the occasion in saluting the Tricolour as it was being unfurled by Brigadier Ashok Amre as the Indian Army’s band played the National Anthem. “We are really overjoyed to be here to participate in the anniversary of Indian’s Independence. The reception by the Indian Army has left no scope for any complaint. In fact, it has been tremendous,” said Pan Lee, a young lady doctor in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China. The delegation was treated to a colourful and high-voltage cultural extravaganza that was performed by a professional cultural troupe from Manipur as well as artistes from the Indian Army. The thin air at Bumla height was reverberated with the sound of celebrations and joy. People from both sides of the border were seen exchanging gifts, mementoes, currency notes to mark the occasion. Addressing the special occasion Colonel Jing of Chinese Army said, “Today another step has been made towards cementing understanding, cultural ties between the two great neighbours. We are honoured to be invited to join the celebrations of the anniversary of India’s Independence. I wish the Indian border troops all prosperity and hope for a stronger bond between two great armies.”
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Consensus on environment policies a must: PM
New Delhi, August 15 Environmental, agricultural and clean energy issues figured prominently in his speech. In fact, the economist Prime Minister specifically warned that climate change could cause grave harm to the Indian economy. “Climate change can disrupt our economy in several ways,” he said in his address to the nation from ramparts of the Red Fort. Manmohan, who recently unveiled the country’s National Action Plan on climate change, said, “Our ancient Himalayas are under environmental threat. If the Himalayan glaciers recede, the flow of water in our sacred rivers will go down. The climate change can disrupt our economy in several ways. Some of our coastal areas could be submerged. Our monsoon pattern may change. We need long-term solutions to such threats. A national consensus is also required for the government to evolve effective policies to deal with these problems. Our government has come forward with a National Action Plan on Climate Change. This plan shows how each of us must adapt our ways of working and living and how we must treat our natural resources, so that our carbon emissions remain within reasonable limits and our environment is protected,” he said. He also urged for application of modern science and technology to find long-term solutions to India’s energy problem. Crude oil and gas reserves were limited and the country must find alternative energy sources, he added. ”I would like our scientists and engineers to find ways in which we can make better use of solar energy, wind energy, bio-gas and other sources of energy. Our economy must grow at the rate of at least 10 per cent every year to get rid of poverty and generate employment for all. A basic requirement for sustained growth, and for the development of India’s agriculture and industry is availability of energy, particularly electricity. All over the world, there was growing realisation of the importance of atomic energy to meet the challenge of energy security and climate change. It is a clean, environment friendly and renewable source of energy, he said.” On agriculture, a very upbeat Prime Minister felt that it was after a decade of stagnation in the farm sector that the sector had seen a turnaround and farmers relieved of debt burden.
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Govt will rein in inflation: PM
New Delhi, August 15 Addressing the nation on the Independence Day, the Prime Minister said while the country has emerged among the fastest growing economies, it faced a new challenge of inflation. “I know how much each one of you is concerned about the recent rise in prices. The inflation we have seen this year is basically due to external factors. All over the world and in global markets the price of food, fuel and other commodities has been rising. We are taking measures to bring prices under reasonable control,” Manmohan Singh said. He asked the chief ministers to strengthen the PDS to ensure availability of essential commodities to the common man at reasonable prices. The Reserve Bank of India was moderating the growth of money supply in the country so that inflation could be controlled. “However, while making these efforts, we should avoid doing anything which hurts our growth.” Manmohan Singh said the economy must grow at the rate of at least 10 per cent every year to get rid of poverty and generate employment for all. A basic requirement for sustained growth and development of agriculture and industry was the availability of energy, particularly electricity. Noting that the country had seen a sharp increase in the rate of investment in the past four years, the Prime Minister said this had contributed to an increase in the rate of growth.
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Spacecraft to moon this year: PM
New Delhi, August 15 “I want to see a modern India, imbued by a scientific temper, where the benefits of modern knowledge flow to all sections of society,” he said. The PM also announced that a skill-development corporation would be created with the active participation of the private sector to give special training to young men, women, workers and technicians. |
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‘I had to study under kerosene lamp’
New Delhi, August 15 Recalling his days as a child in a nondescript village in the Punjab province in undivided India, Singh said during the first 10 years of his life, there was no electricity, no drinking water supply, no doctor, no roads and no phones. I had to study at night in the dim light of a kerosene lamp,” he said in his speech. Singh said though there had been considerable development in rural areas after Independence, yet many people still live a life that he had lived in his childhood. That is why when our government took over, we launched the Bharat Nirman, to build rural infrastructure. I am confident that a new and prosperous India will be built due to our efforts, he said.
— PTI
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Bonanza for Chhattisgarh farmers, loan at 3 pc
Raipur, August 15 “Instead of 6 per cent, the farmers of the state will now get agricultural loan at an interest rate of 3 per cent,” Chief Minister Raman Singh said after receiving salute to an impressive ceremonial parade at the historic Police Parade Ground here. “The 3 per cent interest rate will be the lowest ever offered by any state in the country, forget about Chhattisgarh alone,” Singh said, adding, the government is committed to the cause of farmers and poor, who constitute about 90 per cent of the total state population. The farmers never benefited from any economic revolutions until the government reduced the agriculture loan from 14 per cent to 6 per cent after coming to power in 2003. Now they can procure Rs 800 crore as loan, that too at 3 per cent rate of interest, Singh said. Similar ceremonial parades were organised peacefully in all 18 districts of the state amid elaborate security arrangements keeping in mind threat from the Maoists, said the police headquarter sources. The Chief Minister also announced that around 36 lakh poor families would be given 35 kg rice at Rs 3 per kg, and the handicapped would be provided 10 kg rice at the same rate every month under the Mukhya Mantri Khadyan Surakshya Yojana (the Chief Minister Food Security Programme).
— PTI
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Celebrating freedom
New Delhi, August 15 Security forces were placed on high alert to prevent possible attacks from separatist militants and Maoist rebels. Extra security personnel were deployed in sensitive areas, especially in the capital. Strict vigil was maintained at crowded and sensitive places like airports, railway stations, shopping malls and cinema halls in view of the threat perception from terrorist outfits.
Insurgency-hit Tripura was also placed under a security blanket, even as state Chief Minister Manik Sarkar inspected a guard of honour and a parade of the armed forces at the Assam Rifles Parade Ground in Agartala. On the occasion, he also gave away the President's commemoration disk to security personnel. Despite the militant threat, thousands of people gathered to participate in the celebrations. Despite of the total boycott of the celebrations and a general strike by the four major militant outfits, including the banned ULFA of the North-East, Manipur, celebrated I-Day at the 1st Manipur Rifles Parade Ground, where Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh hoisted the
Tri-colour. Similar celebrations were held in Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.
— ANI
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Bomb blasts in Assam, 2 hurt
Guwahati, August 15 According to official sources, one time bomb exploded near the flag hoisting ground of the block development office at Dharamshala, under Dhubri police station, around 8.40 am ahead of the official celebrations scheduled at 9 am. Two persons were injured in the blast. Another bomb tied atop a mango tree just behind the Guaripur parade ground in the district exploded at 8.48 am However, there was no casualty, the sources said. Meanwhile, another bomb, an RDX was exploded about 120 m away from the parade ground in Kajalgaon at Chirang district at 8.25 am. Following the blasts, security has been beefed up further across the state. Security was already intensified in the state. Entry and exit routes to important towns and cities were sealed in view of the customary “general strike” and boycott called by four northeast militant groups, including the banned ULFA. The blasts, however, could not dampen the spirit of independence celebrations across the state. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi unfurled the national flag at the Latasil ground in Guwahati, while his Cabinet colleagues hoisted the Tricolour in the district headquarters. The boycott called by the ultras had no impact in the state. Trains and air services operated as usual.
— PTI
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Social and economic independence must: Mayawati
Lucknow, August 15 Unfurling the national flag at the 62nd Independence Day official function in front of the Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister asserted that the said political independence alone would not end peoples’ problems. According to her, real independence will be achieved only when all sections of the society get appropriate representation in the political, social and economic sectors. In this context, she mentioned her party’s “sarvajan hitaya, sarvajan sukhaya” formula to run the government, claiming that her government had introduced all schemes and projects giving priority to the ‘sarvasamaj’. Hitting out at the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for not supporting her 15-month-old government Mayawati said despite their indifference, the BSP rule in the state had ensured all-round development through its own meagre resources, more specifically in the case of relief for Bundelkhand.
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Elections possible only in congenial atmosphere: Azad
New Delhi, August 15 He regretted the blowing up of a “small issue into big one”, saying “it is a matter of great shame that the BJP is seeing in the ongoing crisis an opportunity to garner political mileage.” He accused the BJP of putting power first and country last. “It is most unfortunate that a national political party wanting to rule India is exploiting religious sentiments of the people for political ends. But they must realize they are doing so at the cost of country’s unity,” Azad said yesterday in an exclusive interview to The Tribune. Jammu and Kashmir has been on the boil since July 1 when the former Azad government reversed the proposed transfer of a disputed forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board. For his part, Azad said Pakistan was taking full advantage of the situation in the Valley. He urged the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti spearheading the current agitation to realize this and rise to the occasion by coming forward for unconditional talks. The former Chief Minister clearly said that elections in the state were not possible at this time, and could be held only when the atmosphere was congenial. Incidentally, the Election Commission today met chief electoral officer to discuss poll preparations in the strife-torn state. Back in the Valley, the situation is creating polarisation between communities and regions, with certain sections blaming Azad for his handling of the matter. The former Chief Minister, admitted to the polarisation, but said it was the BJP that was playing politics. “If they (the BJP) are interested in politics, there are other ways to muster support of the people. They should not divide Hindus and Muslims and the region,” Azad said. Defending his stand in the matter he said, “The government reversed the proposed land transfer but took upon itself the task of facilitating the yatris in every way. Where was the problem then?” Azad said, also blaming the crisis on the disinformation spread by the Hurriyat and other “mischievous elements” across the state. “The people have to be told the truth, and we are doing that. The samiti and the Hurriyat will however keep the pot boiling,” he said. On the security scenario, the former Chief Minister sounded concerned, stressing that dialogue was the only way to move forward. Hinting towards the Sangharsh Samiti, which had laid down conditions during the recent talks with the government’s all-party delegation, Azad said “sensitive issues could not be discussed on petty egos.” “If there is a will to resolve the issue, there can be no ifs and buts. The dialogue will have to resume as the issue can’t be resolved by cancelling the last order,” Azad said, clarifying that the government and the Amarnath Shrine Board were not standing on prestige in this matter, and were ready to discuss even the issue of land transfer provided the Sangharsh Samiti came forward with proposals acceptable to all. “We are even willing to have on board more people if the samiti wants. But that would be in addition to the committee already constituted by the Governor for negotiations,” said Azad.
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Panel may resolve Amarnath issue
New Delhi, August 15 Sources indicated that the government was contemplating constituting a committee of eminent persons, including jurists and others, who may not be directly connected with the government and could infuse some confidence among the agitators. There are indications that the government may make an announcement to this effect soon. Sources indicated that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister Shivraj Patil would keep out of the proposed committee, which might purely be a non-governmental body that may act as an intermediary between the contending parties and the government. The most important priority, sources said, was to get both sides on the table to discuss and come to an amiable settlement of the contentious issue. Simultaneously, the government is also looking at the developmental grievances of the people of Jammu. Successive commissions have made repeated recommendations suggesting better sharing of resources between Jammu and the valley. Sources in the government indicated that a committee of senior officials was being set up to look into these demands and ensure redressal of many of these grievances.
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Manmohan to be PM candidate: Sonia
New Delhi, August 15 When asked at the AICC headquarters whether he would also be unfurling the National Flag next year to from the Red Fort, “hopefully” was the answer that the Prime Minister gave. However, Sonia, who was standing by his side, briefly but confidently replied “certainly” when asked the same question. The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled early next year. Sonia’s brief response to the query is significant in view of the fact that the Congress has so far been ambivalent on the issue by saying that the matter will be decided at the appropriate time. In fact it almost appeared that Rahul Gandhi would be projected as the future Prime Minister of the country. Most expectations were that after the next round of elections, if the Congress or Congress-led coalition was in the position of forming the government, the Prime Ministerial candidate would be Rahul Gandhi. Political observers say that Manmohan by saying a cautious “hopeful” was only indicating the larger issue of the Congress coming back to the power. But Sonia intervening with a clear “certainly” cleared the clouds of doubt by implying that if the UPA came to power Manmohan Singh would be the Congress/UPA candidate for the Prime Minister’s chair. Incidentally, sonia’s remarks as chairperson of the UPA comes at a time when political commentators are saying that Manmohan had come of age as a politician after he won the confidence vote in the LS.
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Mansarovar yatra, trade may resume next week
Dehra Dun, August 15 The barter trade between Indian traders and their counterpart in Chinese Tibet, which takes place between June and October every year could not be held due to restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities due to the ongoing Olympic games. Pitthoragarh district authorities are hopeful that the suspended Kailash Mansarovar yatra as well as the barter trade will restart from next week. While, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was suspended as the Chinese authorities did not give permission leading to curtailment of the yatra. Some of the pilgrim batches going to the Kailash were cancelled. On the other hand, a group of businessmen and porters were turned back from Taklakot early this month by the Chinese authorities citing internal security problems. This year, traders from Indian side are also not much keen to go to the Chinese side due to the delay. According to district authorities, only 50 trade passes have been issued this year to local traders to trek miles from Indian side crossing the Lipulekh pass into China to reach Taklakot, the trade mart in Tibet, to do the barter trade. Due to a ban on import of Chinese silk, the volume of the barter trade has been shrinking for the past three years. The influx of cheap and better Chinese silk had threatened the Indian silk manufacturers, so the Central government had imposed a ban on the import of Chinese silk. The import of livestock has been banned since there are no quarantine facilities at Gunji, the Indian mart in Pitthoragarh district. The Indo-Tibet barter trade that resumed in 1992 after a gap of 30 years following the 1962 war, reached Rs 14-crore mark in 2004, due to large-scale influx of Chinese silk. But after the ban on silk, the volume has gradually gone down touching Rs 1.5 crore last year.
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Keeping options open in TN: Left
New Delhi, August 15 CPI national secretary D. Raja has announced that his party was keeping its options in respect of the DMK and its rival the AIADMK open in the state. Raja said: “The party has taken note of the AIADMK leader’s readiness for an alliance with the Left and the DMK leader’s call that secular forces should come together is also in mind.” Raja argued that though a third alternative was emerging at the national level, he was not sure about the same in Tamil Nadu. He was, however, confident that the CPI and the CPM would jointly take the same stand with regard to any alliance in the state. CPI general secretary A. B
Bardhan, too, avoided committing himself either way on a possible alliance with the DMK. He said: “We will take an independent decision. We are meeting in Hossur from August 22-24 and the matter of future alliances will also come up for discussion.” The CPM state committee has already convened a meeting in Tirunavelli on August 8 and had left a final decision on the issue with the central committee. The Left contested as alliance partner of the DMK in 2004 general elections and later it also contested the state assembly elections as a member of the DMK-led Democratic Front. Before withdrawing support to the UPA government at the Centre, it had tried to secure the support of UPA allies like RJD chief Lalu Prasad, LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and DMK leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi against the Indo-US nuclear deal. Eventually when no amount of persuasion worked, the Left withdrew support and declared its intent to oppose the UPA allies.
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Pay hike not enough: Armed Forces
New Delhi, August 15 They were in fact upset that the government had agreed partially to some of the Armed Forces’ proposals for amendment in Justice B.N. Sri Krishna-led Pay Commission recommendations submitted to the government in March, suggesting an average 20 per cent hike in the pay. “Since the government has not yet made the amended report of the Pay Commission public, the Armed Forces personnel are not sure if their genuine demands have been met. The announcement of information and broadcasting minister P.R. Dasmunsi after the Cabinet meeting contained only a couple of decisions directly related to the proposals made by the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) of the Armed Forces,” said a Defence officer here today.
— PTI
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‘Not-so-good’ Jane Goody on Big Boss menu
Mumbai, August 15 Shilpa Shetty will host the show named Big Boss for Indian audiences. The promoters are drumming up excitement for the show by dragging in various celebrities like Faisal Khan, controversial brother of Aamir Khan and journalist-turned-politician Sanjay Nirupam. But what is expected to attract sufficient eyeballs is the presence of Jane Goody who reduced Shilpa Shetty to tears and whose on-screen behaviour forced then Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown to publicly apologise for Goody’s conduct. Goody arrived early today in Mumbai clad in a baggy black outfit escorted by several bodyguards even as scores of curious onlookers attracted by breathless mediapersons gathered outside for a glimpse of the newly minted celebrity. British tabloids, which are embedded with Goody, came out with pictures of her leaving home in a figure-hugging white outfit and emerging outside the Mumbai airport in black baggy jeans and a loose top. According to reports, the producers of the show are offering her £50,000 to appear on the programme. Goody’s shooting schedule is likely to be wrapped up in two weeks or thereabouts. Goody’s jibes at Shilpa Shetty calling her a dog, Shilpa Pappadom and other racial epithets had more than 50,000 viewers complaining to Channel 4, the British television company which screened the show. Subsequently after her eviction from the show, Goody appeared contrite and insisted that she was disgusted by her on-air dramatics. The Big Boss reality show will be telecast in the new television channel Colours and the first episode is to start airing on Sunday. According to the television channel, ‘Bigg Boss’ has been structured on the successful international format and will feature 14 contestants living together in a house for three months. Their movements will be captured on camera round the clock and they won’t have access to telephones or television. Each week, one will be voted out and the one who remains in the end will be voted the winner. Shilpa Shetty will, however, not be on screen every day. She will appear when the elimination episodes are screened every Friday and would be communicating with the contestants through a TV screen.
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New machine for trenchless construction
Roorkee, August 15 The most versatile and popular method of trenchless construction is the horizontal directional drilling. As no small-capacity machine is being manufactured indigenously, the project for the development of a small capacity underground horizontal boring machine workable for building industry was taken up at the institute. Trenchless construction is a method of lying underground facilities without disturbing the surface structure. It limits the amount of excavation and surface repairs needed after digging. At present, the installation, inspection, repairs and replacement of underground utilities involve open trenching construction method, which are expensive and slow. Additional costs are incurred on restoring existing surfaces and repairs resulting from ground settlement. In the wake of these limitations, a prototype underground horizontal boring machine with a boring diameter of 160 mm and boring length up to 8 metres has been designed and developed at the CBRI. "The machine is capable of making horizontal bores underground at any required depth. The devised machine carries out the underground jobs reliably and effectively to cater to the needs of small and medium contractors engaged in building and allied construction activities such as sewer lines, conduits, electric cables and roads," says Dr. A.K. Agarwal, a CBRI official.
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HC says no to less work for pilots
Mumbai, August 15 The pilots had challenged the DGCA's decision to put on hold the newly framed Civil Aviation Rules (CAR) of 2007 and, instead, continue following the 1992 rules on issues related to their duty hours. A Division Bench of Justices R M S Khandeparkar and Amjed Sayed held that there was “no substance in the grievance about undue strain” that pilots said 1992 rules caused nor was there any merit in the allegation that these rules led to exploitation
of pilots. The judges observed that for the last 15 years there were no complaint regarding the 1992 rules. In fact, the Indian Pilots Guild, one of the petitioners, had filed petition against the 2007 rules. As a result of the High Court decision, the Aeronautical Information Circular 28 of 1992 will be in operation till a DGCA-appointed committee comes up with the amended CAR. The pilots had alleged that the 1992 rules, which remained in force even after the new rules were framed in 2007 and, subsequently, put on hold, led to more strain and fatigue.
— PTI
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India to conserve dugongs New Delhi, August 15 Dugong or sea cow is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Animals listed as VU are the ones facing high risk of extinction in the wild. The agreement is designed to facilitate national level and trans-boundary actions to conserve dugong populations and their habitats in the Indian Ocean and South East Asia. Dugong has been hunted for thousands of years, often for its meat and oil. Their distribution is reducing and many populations are close to extinction. The causes of population decline include hunting, habitat degradation and fishing-related fatalities. Dugong is a large marine mammal, which, together with manatees is one of the four living species of the order Sirenia. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae and its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction in the 18th century, says the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It is also the only sirenian in its range that spans the waters of at least 37 countries throughout the Indo-Pacific. Majority of dugongs, however, live in northern waters of Australia between Shark Bay and Moreton Bay. Dugong is the only strictly-marine herbivorous mammal, as all species of manatee utilise fresh water to some degree. The IUCN lists the dugong as a species vulnerable to extinction, while the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species limits or bans trade of derived products based on the population involved.
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Kalpana Chawla Award for Tamil Nadu collector Suspected B’deshis detained Bariatric surgery in AIIMS Aurobindo’s birth anniversary 
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New Delhi, August 15
