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Chaos reigns in UP assembly
Probe into death of infants, govt asks AIIMS
NSG Waiver
Jammu & Kashmir |
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Ahmedabad Blasts Koda asked to prove majority by Aug 25 Shoot order in 3 Assam districts
UP to implement Sixth Pay panel proposals
Permanent capital of U’khand
One dies in Mumbai building crash
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Chaos reigns in UP assembly
Lucknow, August 18
However, refusing to budge an inch the Chief Minister at a press briefing called it a political conspiracy of a frustrated opposition in search of an issue against her government before the Lok Sabha elections. The Samajwadi Party (SP) created a ruckus and disrupted legislative proceedings shouting slogans demanding the resignation of Mayawati. Not to be outdone, Congress supported the SP by displaying banners calling the BSP an anti-farmer party. When Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar refused to allow the leader of opposition Mulayam Singh Yadav to speak out of turn, his MLAs entered the well of the house, threw paper balls at the chair, climbed the reporters’ tables and wrestled with house guards. As soon as the house convened this morning, Mayawati rose to announce the implementation of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for state government employees. However, leader of the opposition Mulayam Singh insisted that all rules of the house should be suspended to initiate a debate on the Greater Noida firing, which he said was a far more serious issue. However, the Speaker refused them permission to speak and this led to noisy scenes. Unable to read out her statement regarding the Sixth Pay Commission amidst the pandemonium, Mayawati walked out saying that the text should be considered as read. After that the house had to be adjourned for almost 70 minutes. When the house re-assembled, Yadav remained firm about taking up the Greater Noida issue. However, parliamentary affairs minister Lalji Varma maintained that the issue would be taken up only after other listed legislative business. This led to a wordy duel between Varma and Yadav. While the former CM alleged that the government was deliberately avoiding a debate on the issue, Varma retaliated by saying that Yadav had no right to object as he had ordered firing on innocent farmers and workers in Dalla and Churk, Rampur Tiraha and Ayodhya. Talking to reporters, Yadav later claimed that his government had in principle accepted the demands of the revised compensation to the farmers of Ghodi Bachera and other villages, but could not implement it due to declaration of assembly elections and the model code of conduct coming into force. Later convening a press conference, Mayawati defended the police firing on August 13, in which five farmers were killed, by maintaining that “light force” had to be used by the police in self-defense when the farmers’ agitation became violent. “Keeping the interest of farmers in mind I have already ordered a judicial enquiry. If Mulayam Singh Yadav is such a well-wisher of the farmers why did he pay such a pitiable price for their land in the first place,” said Mayawati.
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Probe into death of infants, govt asks AIIMS
New Delhi, August 18 Naresh Dayal, secretary, health ministry, said the AIIMS director has been asked by the health minister and AIIMS president Ambumani Ramadoss to report to the government the findings of the probe. Earlier, the hospital clarified that the clinical trials carried out on infants at AIIMS were conducted under strict medical parameters. Reacting to the news reports, a spokesperson for AIIMS claimed that most of the infants on whom the trials were conducted were suffering from serious liver damage and their survival was doubtful. Forty-nine infants out of 4,142 babies put on clinical trials died due to natural circumstances, he said. A section of doctors has also alleged that people behind a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Uday Foundation for Congenital Defects and Rare Blood Groups that had filed a right to information (RTI) query on clinical trials, was trying to malign the image of the hospital for gaining publicity. The spokesperson stated that nothing controversial has come out in the hospital’s reply. “Proper guidelines were followed and we are transparent about the figures provided,” he said. However, the NGO, in a statement, said human beings were being used as guinea pigs by the international agencies, which could not conduct the same tests in their countries. The spokesperson said the trials were conducted for developing cure for liver damage in infants. The top five funding agencies for clinical trials conducted on babies by the Department of Pediatrics at the hospital include Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); department of Biotechnology, AIIMS; World Health Organisation and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “We took permission from the required agencies. The ethical committee passed our research. Researches of this sort require clearance from the screening committee in health ministry and other agencies,” said Ranbir Phogat from ICMR. “Clinical trials for drugs are first carried out on animals and then they are conducted on human beings. Moreover, consent of the guardian or parents have to be taken for carrying out such trials,” said Dr Anirudh, president, Indian Academy of Pediatrics. “Premiere institute like AIIMS must have followed the required procedure. It is not all that easy to conduct such trials. One has to take permission from several authorities,” he added. Meanwhile, the NGO maintains that “there are legal lacunae in the system as permission had to be sought from different agencies depending on the nature of the trials. The unquestionable ease with which clinical trials can be conducted on human beings in India makes international agencies first test their products on the Indian population.” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari demanded an inquiry into the deaths of infants by an independent body of experts to see whether they were due to clinical trials or natural causes. Pending the inquiry, all clinical trials should be suspended, he said.
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NSG Waiver
New Delhi, August 18 In an unusual move, the Indian team has been invited to make a presentation at the upcoming meeting of the 45-member NSG, although India is not a member of this grouping. Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon will lead the high-level team, which will include the Prime Minister's special envoy Shyam Saran, R. B. Grover from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and D.B. Venkatesh Varma from the Indian Embassy in Geneva. The team will first brief the NSG troika of South Africa, Germany, Hungary and then take the floor at the plenary session of the NSG. India will make a strong case for a clean waiver from the NSG by citing its excellent record on non-proliferation, its decision to separate its civilian nuclear facilities in accordance with the IAEA guidelines and India’s need for nuclear energy for its overall economic development. Although the USA and other leading lights of the NSG like Russia, France and United Kingdom have promised to push India’s case at this meeting, there are lurking fears in the diplomatic establishment here about the possible objections, which could be raised about the proposed waiver at the August 21 meeting. The NSG operates on the basis of consensus and even one dissenting voice can stall the Indo-US nuclear agreement. Even before the NSG has met, there is already talk that the issue could spill over to a second meeting. Well aware of the tough task ahead, the Indian team is currently in the process of putting together an effective presentation so as to stave off any difficult clarifications or demands for a change in the draft of the NSG waiver, which has already been circulated to the member countries. The waiver will allow India to access nuclear technology and fuel, which was denied to it for three decades after the Pokharan tests. Once the NSG hurdle is cleared, the 123 agreement along with the Safeguards Agreement and the NSG exemption will be placed before the US Congress for an up-down vote. The Bush Administration wants to bring the agreements before the US Congress by September 8, as America will subsequently get busy with its presidential election.
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Jammu & Kashmir
New Delhi, August 18 The Home secretary admitted that the highway had been blocked for about three-four days at the start of this month. After that it has opened. Quoting data he said last night 550 trucks moved down from Kashmir to Jammu and out of which 415 were fruit laden ones. Peace will be maintained. The valley is headed by its peak fruit season and movement will be ensured. “Let me make it clear there is no economic blockade”, he said, adding that three-four days of disruption has been licked to calls being made to march to Muzzafarabad in PoK. The Indian and Pakistan governments had met last month and decided to increase the frequency of bus service between J&K and PoK. The two countries have already decided to open the trade through this segment of the border. Indian exchanged lists of items that could be traded, however, we have not got clearance from them so far. The Pakistanis had been insisting on procedural issues that Indian was not keen and wanted speedy progress. “There is no question of stopping trade, however, the agreement has to be between Indian and Pakistan groups of people on either side cannot decide the issue on their own”. A high-level team had already visited the areas to see where all additional infrastructure needs to be given. The Home secretary was non-committal on elections, saying first aim is to restore peace and normalcy while there were other bodies that look into such matters. When asked if Kashmir needed international intervention he said, “I will repeat the stance of the government of India which says that Kashmir is our internal matter”. It is Pakistan and separatists who prefer to call it an international issue.
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Ahmedabad Blasts
Indore, August 18 Top police sources said tipped by the Gujarat police, they detained a “SIMI activist” yesterday. His identity has not been disclosed.
The Gujarat police had arrested nine persons on August 16 for their alleged involvement in the Ahmedabad blasts. They had allegedly disclosed that explosives used in the blasts were sent from Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra police is also investigating possible links between three persons arrested recently and the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) of engineering the Ahmedabad blasts. The two accused, Nadeem Shaikh and Ayaaz Khan, were arrested by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) in a case of possession of fake currency on August 16. The police will be investigating the role of the duo, if any, in the Ahmedabad serial blasts, joint commissioner of police (ATS) Hemant Karkare said. The Mumbai police (crime branch) is also investigating the antecedents of a person named Bilal Kazi, who was arrested near Surat on August 7 in an extortion case. Kazi is in police custody till August 22. Six persons held in connection with the May 13 blasts have been sent to Jaipur for further interrogation, the police said today. Two key members of SIMI, who were part of the core group, which executed the blasts here, are still at large, crime branch sources in Ahmedabad said. The police are also tracking around 50 small-time operatives who were involved in executing the blasts in Ahmedabad and planted bombs in Surat. “We are in search of two other main culprits who were involved in the blasts. They are Taufiq Bilal, a Mumbai-based techie and Qayamuddin, a Vadodara resident. Many others involved were small operatives who are also yet to be nabbed,” crime branch sources said. Taufiq, who was working with a subsidiary of Wipro, is believed to have assembled the bombs three to four days prior to the blasts on July 26, the police said, adding that he had left the state before the explosions. Three persons were arrested today for renting a house to SIMI activist Sajid Mansuri, who is accused of playing a key role in the Ahmedabad serial blasts. Saeed Hayat, Yusuf Patel and Makbul Patel were arrested for their involvement in renting a house at Lukman society to Mansuri, currently held by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, earlier this year, the police said. — Agencies
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Koda asked to prove majority by Aug 25
Ranchi, August 18
The Madhu Koda-led UPA government was reduced to a minority following Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) withdrawal of support to it yesterday. This afternoon Koda called on the Governor requesting him to give time to go for floor test. Meanwhile, keeping both the key Jharkhand players Chief Minister Madhu Koda and JMM chief Shibu Soren on tenterhooks, the Congress today said it was up to the Governor to take a decision on the issue. “We are with Soren. If he gets the numbers, we will support him,” Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here. “The Congress has not withdrawn support from the Koda government, the JMM has. If the numbers add up for Soren, we will support him,” he said. JVM (P) president and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi also called on the Governor and demanded that the President’s Rule be imposed in the state before holding fresh elections. — Agencies
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Shoot order in 3 Assam districts
Guwahati, August 18 The authorities claimed today that there was no report of fresh violence from any part of the troubled districts, where tension continued to ran high. State cabinet ministers Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rockybul Hussain were moving around in troubled areas, meeting people from both communities to diffuse tension. Peace committees had been formed in the disturbed areas. The affected areas had been divided into three zones and 22 sectors for better vigilance. The Army had been put on standby. The deployment of police and paramilitary force had been augmented in all three districts. Assam Police spokesman and
IG, law and order, Bhaskar J. Mahanta said the situation had been brought under control.
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UP to implement Sixth Pay panel proposals
Lucknow, August 18 The revised pay scales would be paid to the state employees from December 1, 2008. The revision would involve an additional financial burden of Rs 5,189 crores annually. The arrears payable with effect from January 1, 2006, would cost Rs 14,775 crore to the state exchequer. Announcing this in a press conference, Chief Minister Mayawati said the state was going ahead with the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission from its own meagre resources, as all demands from the Centre for a package of Rs 80,000 crores had fallen on deaf ears. She also announced the formation of a four-member committee headed by retired IAS officer J.L. Bajaj to suggest how the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission are to be implemented in the state.
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Permanent capital of U’khand
Dehra Dun, August 18 The findings of the report are being kept a closely-guarded secret since the issue of selecting a permanent capital evokes strong emotions in the state. Since the day Uttarakhand came into being as a separate state on November 9, 2000, the issue has remained in the limelight. The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), a political outfit that spearheaded the statehood agitation, had even before the birth of the state announced Garsain, a place in Chamoli district, as the capital of the proposed state. Now, UKD is an alliance partner of the ruling BJP in the state. At the time of the formation of the state, Dehra Dun was made the temporary capital. The Virender Dixit commission was appointed by the interim BJP government of the state on January 11, 2001. It was scrapped on April 19, 2001, but was again reconstituted on November 28, 2002, by the first-ever elected Congress government of the state. Since then, the commission was given several extensions. The commission besides asking for representations from the general public and political parties also took the opinion of the Geological Survey of India on various sites in the hills. It reportedly considered Dehra Dun, Garsain, Ramnagar and Rishikesh as the places for setting up the permanent capital. “The report is with the state government and it will study it,” said Devender Bhasin, chairman of the state media advisory committee and a close aide of the CM.
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One dies in Mumbai building crash
Mumbai, August 18 The victim's name was given as Noor Iram Rasool, 20, who died when the bathroom area of Saifee Building at Byculla in South Central Mumbai collapsed at around 4.30 this morning. In all four families resided in this building. Other residents managed to escape. Though the victim was pulled out of the rubble shortly after the crash and taken to the nearby hospital she was dead by then, the police said. According to the police the structure was around 100 years old and had been declared unsafe. Some of the residents had already vacated the premises several years ago.
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Krishna, Rangarajan take oath as RS members Karan Singh's album released Fishermen’s release 
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Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
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Chaos reigns in UP assembly
Probe into death of infants, govt asks AIIMS
NSG Waiver
Jammu & Kashmir |
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Ahmedabad Blasts Koda asked to prove majority by Aug 25 Shoot order in 3 Assam districts
UP to implement Sixth Pay panel proposals
Permanent capital of U’khand
One dies in Mumbai building crash
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Chaos reigns in UP assembly
Lucknow, August 18
However, refusing to budge an inch the Chief Minister at a press briefing called it a political conspiracy of a frustrated opposition in search of an issue against her government before the Lok Sabha elections. The Samajwadi Party (SP) created a ruckus and disrupted legislative proceedings shouting slogans demanding the resignation of Mayawati. Not to be outdone, Congress supported the SP by displaying banners calling the BSP an anti-farmer party. When Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar refused to allow the leader of opposition Mulayam Singh Yadav to speak out of turn, his MLAs entered the well of the house, threw paper balls at the chair, climbed the reporters’ tables and wrestled with house guards. As soon as the house convened this morning, Mayawati rose to announce the implementation of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for state government employees. However, leader of the opposition Mulayam Singh insisted that all rules of the house should be suspended to initiate a debate on the Greater Noida firing, which he said was a far more serious issue. However, the Speaker refused them permission to speak and this led to noisy scenes. Unable to read out her statement regarding the Sixth Pay Commission amidst the pandemonium, Mayawati walked out saying that the text should be considered as read. After that the house had to be adjourned for almost 70 minutes. When the house re-assembled, Yadav remained firm about taking up the Greater Noida issue. However, parliamentary affairs minister Lalji Varma maintained that the issue would be taken up only after other listed legislative business. This led to a wordy duel between Varma and Yadav. While the former CM alleged that the government was deliberately avoiding a debate on the issue, Varma retaliated by saying that Yadav had no right to object as he had ordered firing on innocent farmers and workers in Dalla and Churk, Rampur Tiraha and Ayodhya. Talking to reporters, Yadav later claimed that his government had in principle accepted the demands of the revised compensation to the farmers of Ghodi Bachera and other villages, but could not implement it due to declaration of assembly elections and the model code of conduct coming into force. Later convening a press conference, Mayawati defended the police firing on August 13, in which five farmers were killed, by maintaining that “light force” had to be used by the police in self-defense when the farmers’ agitation became violent. “Keeping the interest of farmers in mind I have already ordered a judicial enquiry. If Mulayam Singh Yadav is such a well-wisher of the farmers why did he pay such a pitiable price for their land in the first place,” said Mayawati.
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Probe into death of infants, govt asks AIIMS
New Delhi, August 18 Naresh Dayal, secretary, health ministry, said the AIIMS director has been asked by the health minister and AIIMS president Ambumani Ramadoss to report to the government the findings of the probe. Earlier, the hospital clarified that the clinical trials carried out on infants at AIIMS were conducted under strict medical parameters. Reacting to the news reports, a spokesperson for AIIMS claimed that most of the infants on whom the trials were conducted were suffering from serious liver damage and their survival was doubtful. Forty-nine infants out of 4,142 babies put on clinical trials died due to natural circumstances, he said. A section of doctors has also alleged that people behind a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Uday Foundation for Congenital Defects and Rare Blood Groups that had filed a right to information (RTI) query on clinical trials, was trying to malign the image of the hospital for gaining publicity. The spokesperson stated that nothing controversial has come out in the hospital’s reply. “Proper guidelines were followed and we are transparent about the figures provided,” he said. However, the NGO, in a statement, said human beings were being used as guinea pigs by the international agencies, which could not conduct the same tests in their countries. The spokesperson said the trials were conducted for developing cure for liver damage in infants. The top five funding agencies for clinical trials conducted on babies by the Department of Pediatrics at the hospital include Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); department of Biotechnology, AIIMS; World Health Organisation and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “We took permission from the required agencies. The ethical committee passed our research. Researches of this sort require clearance from the screening committee in health ministry and other agencies,” said Ranbir Phogat from ICMR. “Clinical trials for drugs are first carried out on animals and then they are conducted on human beings. Moreover, consent of the guardian or parents have to be taken for carrying out such trials,” said Dr Anirudh, president, Indian Academy of Pediatrics. “Premiere institute like AIIMS must have followed the required procedure. It is not all that easy to conduct such trials. One has to take permission from several authorities,” he added. Meanwhile, the NGO maintains that “there are legal lacunae in the system as permission had to be sought from different agencies depending on the nature of the trials. The unquestionable ease with which clinical trials can be conducted on human beings in India makes international agencies first test their products on the Indian population.” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari demanded an inquiry into the deaths of infants by an independent body of experts to see whether they were due to clinical trials or natural causes. Pending the inquiry, all clinical trials should be suspended, he said.
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NSG Waiver
New Delhi, August 18 In an unusual move, the Indian team has been invited to make a presentation at the upcoming meeting of the 45-member NSG, although India is not a member of this grouping. Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon will lead the high-level team, which will include the Prime Minister's special envoy Shyam Saran, R. B. Grover from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and D.B. Venkatesh Varma from the Indian Embassy in Geneva. The team will first brief the NSG troika of South Africa, Germany, Hungary and then take the floor at the plenary session of the NSG. India will make a strong case for a clean waiver from the NSG by citing its excellent record on non-proliferation, its decision to separate its civilian nuclear facilities in accordance with the IAEA guidelines and India’s need for nuclear energy for its overall economic development. Although the USA and other leading lights of the NSG like Russia, France and United Kingdom have promised to push India’s case at this meeting, there are lurking fears in the diplomatic establishment here about the possible objections, which could be raised about the proposed waiver at the August 21 meeting. The NSG operates on the basis of consensus and even one dissenting voice can stall the Indo-US nuclear agreement. Even before the NSG has met, there is already talk that the issue could spill over to a second meeting. Well aware of the tough task ahead, the Indian team is currently in the process of putting together an effective presentation so as to stave off any difficult clarifications or demands for a change in the draft of the NSG waiver, which has already been circulated to the member countries. The waiver will allow India to access nuclear technology and fuel, which was denied to it for three decades after the Pokharan tests. Once the NSG hurdle is cleared, the 123 agreement along with the Safeguards Agreement and the NSG exemption will be placed before the US Congress for an up-down vote. The Bush Administration wants to bring the agreements before the US Congress by September 8, as America will subsequently get busy with its presidential election.
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Jammu & Kashmir
New Delhi, August 18 The Home secretary admitted that the highway had been blocked for about three-four days at the start of this month. After that it has opened. Quoting data he said last night 550 trucks moved down from Kashmir to Jammu and out of which 415 were fruit laden ones. Peace will be maintained. The valley is headed by its peak fruit season and movement will be ensured. “Let me make it clear there is no economic blockade”, he said, adding that three-four days of disruption has been licked to calls being made to march to Muzzafarabad in PoK. The Indian and Pakistan governments had met last month and decided to increase the frequency of bus service between J&K and PoK. The two countries have already decided to open the trade through this segment of the border. Indian exchanged lists of items that could be traded, however, we have not got clearance from them so far. The Pakistanis had been insisting on procedural issues that Indian was not keen and wanted speedy progress. “There is no question of stopping trade, however, the agreement has to be between Indian and Pakistan groups of people on either side cannot decide the issue on their own”. A high-level team had already visited the areas to see where all additional infrastructure needs to be given. The Home secretary was non-committal on elections, saying first aim is to restore peace and normalcy while there were other bodies that look into such matters. When asked if Kashmir needed international intervention he said, “I will repeat the stance of the government of India which says that Kashmir is our internal matter”. It is Pakistan and separatists who prefer to call it an international issue.
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Ahmedabad Blasts
Indore, August 18 Top police sources said tipped by the Gujarat police, they detained a “SIMI activist” yesterday. His identity has not been disclosed.
The Gujarat police had arrested nine persons on August 16 for their alleged involvement in the Ahmedabad blasts. They had allegedly disclosed that explosives used in the blasts were sent from Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra police is also investigating possible links between three persons arrested recently and the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) of engineering the Ahmedabad blasts. The two accused, Nadeem Shaikh and Ayaaz Khan, were arrested by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) in a case of possession of fake currency on August 16. The police will be investigating the role of the duo, if any, in the Ahmedabad serial blasts, joint commissioner of police (ATS) Hemant Karkare said. The Mumbai police (crime branch) is also investigating the antecedents of a person named Bilal Kazi, who was arrested near Surat on August 7 in an extortion case. Kazi is in police custody till August 22. Six persons held in connection with the May 13 blasts have been sent to Jaipur for further interrogation, the police said today. Two key members of SIMI, who were part of the core group, which executed the blasts here, are still at large, crime branch sources in Ahmedabad said. The police are also tracking around 50 small-time operatives who were involved in executing the blasts in Ahmedabad and planted bombs in Surat. “We are in search of two other main culprits who were involved in the blasts. They are Taufiq Bilal, a Mumbai-based techie and Qayamuddin, a Vadodara resident. Many others involved were small operatives who are also yet to be nabbed,” crime branch sources said. Taufiq, who was working with a subsidiary of Wipro, is believed to have assembled the bombs three to four days prior to the blasts on July 26, the police said, adding that he had left the state before the explosions. Three persons were arrested today for renting a house to SIMI activist Sajid Mansuri, who is accused of playing a key role in the Ahmedabad serial blasts. Saeed Hayat, Yusuf Patel and Makbul Patel were arrested for their involvement in renting a house at Lukman society to Mansuri, currently held by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, earlier this year, the police said. — Agencies
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Koda asked to prove majority by Aug 25
Ranchi, August 18
The Madhu Koda-led UPA government was reduced to a minority following Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) withdrawal of support to it yesterday. This afternoon Koda called on the Governor requesting him to give time to go for floor test. Meanwhile, keeping both the key Jharkhand players Chief Minister Madhu Koda and JMM chief Shibu Soren on tenterhooks, the Congress today said it was up to the Governor to take a decision on the issue. “We are with Soren. If he gets the numbers, we will support him,” Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here. “The Congress has not withdrawn support from the Koda government, the JMM has. If the numbers add up for Soren, we will support him,” he said. JVM (P) president and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi also called on the Governor and demanded that the President’s Rule be imposed in the state before holding fresh elections. — Agencies
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Shoot order in 3 Assam districts
Guwahati, August 18 The authorities claimed today that there was no report of fresh violence from any part of the troubled districts, where tension continued to ran high. State cabinet ministers Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rockybul Hussain were moving around in troubled areas, meeting people from both communities to diffuse tension. Peace committees had been formed in the disturbed areas. The affected areas had been divided into three zones and 22 sectors for better vigilance. The Army had been put on standby. The deployment of police and paramilitary force had been augmented in all three districts. Assam Police spokesman and
IG, law and order, Bhaskar J. Mahanta said the situation had been brought under control.
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UP to implement Sixth Pay panel proposals
Lucknow, August 18 The revised pay scales would be paid to the state employees from December 1, 2008. The revision would involve an additional financial burden of Rs 5,189 crores annually. The arrears payable with effect from January 1, 2006, would cost Rs 14,775 crore to the state exchequer. Announcing this in a press conference, Chief Minister Mayawati said the state was going ahead with the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission from its own meagre resources, as all demands from the Centre for a package of Rs 80,000 crores had fallen on deaf ears. She also announced the formation of a four-member committee headed by retired IAS officer J.L. Bajaj to suggest how the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission are to be implemented in the state.
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Permanent capital of U’khand
Dehra Dun, August 18 The findings of the report are being kept a closely-guarded secret since the issue of selecting a permanent capital evokes strong emotions in the state. Since the day Uttarakhand came into being as a separate state on November 9, 2000, the issue has remained in the limelight. The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), a political outfit that spearheaded the statehood agitation, had even before the birth of the state announced Garsain, a place in Chamoli district, as the capital of the proposed state. Now, UKD is an alliance partner of the ruling BJP in the state. At the time of the formation of the state, Dehra Dun was made the temporary capital. The Virender Dixit commission was appointed by the interim BJP government of the state on January 11, 2001. It was scrapped on April 19, 2001, but was again reconstituted on November 28, 2002, by the first-ever elected Congress government of the state. Since then, the commission was given several extensions. The commission besides asking for representations from the general public and political parties also took the opinion of the Geological Survey of India on various sites in the hills. It reportedly considered Dehra Dun, Garsain, Ramnagar and Rishikesh as the places for setting up the permanent capital. “The report is with the state government and it will study it,” said Devender Bhasin, chairman of the state media advisory committee and a close aide of the CM.
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One dies in Mumbai building crash
Mumbai, August 18 The victim's name was given as Noor Iram Rasool, 20, who died when the bathroom area of Saifee Building at Byculla in South Central Mumbai collapsed at around 4.30 this morning. In all four families resided in this building. Other residents managed to escape. Though the victim was pulled out of the rubble shortly after the crash and taken to the nearby hospital she was dead by then, the police said. According to the police the structure was around 100 years old and had been declared unsafe. Some of the residents had already vacated the premises several years ago.
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Krishna, Rangarajan take oath as RS members Karan Singh's album released Fishermen’s release
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
