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Firing at Mumbai rly station as commuters protest delays
PC: Soon we’ll match China in infrastructure
Jon victimised, says mother
H1N1: UK firm asked to hold vaccine trials in India
Haj quota rules changed
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New institute to improve
Austalia-India ties
Preneet calls for making UNSC more representative
Gujarat gets SC notice on Jaswant’s book ban
Woman demands Rs 151 cr relief from husband
Delivery deaths a cause of concern for UP
‘Forced’ Blood Donation
AP Cong’s ‘poaching’ plan working
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Firing at Mumbai rly station as commuters protest delays
Mumbai, September 1 According to Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer SS Gupta,the trouble broke out at around 8 am when an overhead wire snapped at the Bhayandar railway station causing train services on the suburban section to be disrupted. Angry commuters who were waiting for transport to go to work damaged railway property and attacked railway officials as the disruption continued through the morning. Commuters living on the outskirts later told reporters that there was no announcement about the delay, which added to their ire. While train services were partially restored between the Vasai and the Churchgate railway stations in the morning itself, it was nearly afternoon before trains between Virar and Churchgate were restored. A slight delay in train services results in violence at railway stations on the outskirts of Mumbai where other modes of transport connecting to the city are in poor shape. Though the Western Railways have increased the number of trains connecting these areas, the number of buildings coming up here have also increased causing the population to grow faster.
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PC: Soon we’ll match China in infrastructure
New Delhi, September 1 The Home Minister was talking to reporters as part of his monthly routine, when he replied to specific query on China saying: “At present we cannot claim that our infrastructure was at par with the one the Chinese have on their side but we are improving and will soon match up with China”. Our infrastructure is better than before, the Home Minister added. He also listed out how a few more roads had been cleared in the border areas. Indian Armed forces have been demanding greater connectivity and military strategists believe that speed in deploying troops will be the key to any skirmish with China in near future. Indian has also shared its concern with Nepal over the routing of fake currency notes through that country, Chidambaram said. The Home Minister also accused Pakistan of not being serious in punishing the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror strike and said even the terror infrastructure which facilitated such attacks was intact. "Pakistan is not serious about prosecuting and punishing those responsible for perpetrating the Mumbai attack. They are still living on Pakistani soil, he said when asked to comment about the kind of response by Pakistan to the dossiers given by India. Chidambaram said the terror infrastructure, which helped attacks like the one in Mumbai, was intact across the border. "That is my complaint against Pakistan and that is my disappointment with Pakistan," he said. He also chided Pakistan saying, "I hope that they will not be able to invent more questions". India had handed the latest dossier to Pakistan on August 22 for action against Lashker-e-Taiba(LeT) founder chief Hafiz Saeed, a prime accused in the 26/11 attacks, saying there was "cogent and convincing evidence" to prosecute him. Separately, The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, met the Home Minister today. Emerging from the meeting he told reporters that the militant groups had been set a deadline for surrender till September 15 lest the Indian Armed forces would go out on a bigger offensive.
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New Delhi, September 1 The designer's mother Shashi Jon said, "He is not capable of doing anything like this.This was beyond my belief that Anand has been taken in and arrested on charges of molestation". Defending 35-year-old Anand, his sister Sanjana said, "The fact that Anand is an Indian citizen and that he is being victimised is completely overlooked. So there is nobody questioning anything that we are facing there". "Every piece of evidence that is medical shows that nothing ever happened. There is no medical evidence that showed that anything ever happened," she told TV channels. Their family's lawyer Majid Memon said, "It is very sad that this young boy, a celebrity from India, has to be left like this and being now convicted and sentenced to suffer for the whole of his life." Memon said all the girls alleging rape or molestation don't have a "scratch on their body to suggest that there was any resistance or any violence by the accused. Moreover, the complaints have been lodged weeks and even months after the incidents. So definitely this is a very dubious kind of a charge and unfortunately Anand was left alone and there was hardly any help. "The two women - his mother and sister- were helplessly struggling to get justice and I am sure that they would now move for an appeal," he added. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley today announced that Jon must serve 14 years in state prison -- before he begins to serve a 45-year-to-life sentence. The designer has been featured on the television show "America's Next Top Model" and worked with such celebrities as Paris Hilton and Mary J Blige. — PTI
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H1N1: UK firm asked to hold vaccine trials in India
New Delhi, September 1 Though India had requested all the four global vaccine makers to hold such trials for quick supplies in India, only GSK agreed to the proposal, on the condition that India placed minimum order for the vaccine stock. Indian firms, meanwhile, are expected to supply the indigenous vaccine by March next, while the imported vaccines will be available by January. Meanwhile, the scientific data is now available to show that Influenza-A H1N1 is primarily an urban infection in India, having claimed 76 per cent of lives in the cities. The latest study on 82 deaths reported due to H1N1 till August 30 this year shows that only 19 victims were ruralites, who seem to exhibit greater immunity to the virus than the city-bred who comprise rest of the 61 casualties. Today, the number of deaths in India crossed the 100 mark, with Goa reporting the 101st fatality due to swine flu. Majority of the deaths so far have occurred due to late reporting -- at least five days, shows the latest mortality data analysis. “Almost everyone who died had, on an average, consulted at least two private healthcare providers before reaching a designated government hospital,” Director, National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Dr Shiv Lal, said today.
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Haj quota rules changed
New Delhi, September 1 The External Affairs Ministry has decided to allocate the Haj quota among private tour operators (PTOs) in accordance with the principles of openness, transparency, equity and providing equal opportunity to those PTOs which are "eligible and fulfill the prescribed criterion for being a duly registered as tour operator". This decision was taken at a meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister S M Krisha here last week in compliance with the various court cases of 2008 and 2009. As per the 2009 Haj agreement with Saudi Arabia, Indian Haj pilgrims quota stands at 160,491, out of which 1,15,000 pilgrims are to be sent through the Haj Committee and the remaining 45,491 through PTOs. Until 2008, Haj quota was distributed among PTOs on the basis of their qualifications and experience. Because of this, no new PTO could qualify for Haj quota owing to their lack of experience and several of them approached the courts. Since 2008, various court decisions have underlined the need for equitable and fair allocation of Haj quota among all the eligible PTOs, including newer applicants. The meeting held by Krishna decided that if any of the applications of PTOs was not accepted, the objective reasons behind the decision would be clearly spelt out in a transparent manner, a statement by the MEA said.
— PTI
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New institute to improve
Austalia-India ties
New Delhi, September 1 The University of New South Wales and La Trobe University, which will also be partners in the project, will invest another Rs 8 crore in the institute, bringing the total investment in the project to about Rs 40 crore over the next three years. “The institute will be a think tank on all issues relating to bilateral ties. It will facilitate the growth of these ties by carrying out joint research in key areas," Gillard said. The three universities bring to the institute strong partnerships with leading universities and research centres that will be crucial for the delivery of the institute’s
programmes. The institute will also work closely with the Australia-India Business Council to support bilateral trade and investment. The institute, which will support research, graduate training, executive briefings and policy advice for the benefit of both countries, will operate as a national epicenter of information on India. It will also provide consultancies on issues of national priority as well as host international conferences and community engagement and cultural dialogues.
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Preneet calls for making UNSC more representative
New Delhi, September 1 She presented India’s perspective on ‘New global governance for the 21st Century’ while participating in the Leader’s Panel at the Bled Strategic Forum meeting that concluded yesterday at the lakeside resort of Bled in Slovenia. In her presentation, she highlighted various global challenges facing the world, including international terrorism, climate change, food and energy security and the adverse impact from the ongoing global financial and economic crisis. She also pointed to the primary challenge of elimination of poverty in developing countries and their rapid socio-economic development. Preneet Kaur said the successful completion of the Doha Round trade negotiations could provide some fresh momentum and in this regard referred to the informal trade ministers meeting being hosted by India later in the week. |
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Gujarat gets SC notice on Jaswant’s book ban
New Delhi, September 1 The apex court preferred to give a week’s time to Gujarat government to explain its stand for issuing notification banning the book ‘Jinnah -- India, Partition, Independence' which has been challenged by Jaswant Singh. “The ex-parte stay would not be appropriate,” a Bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph said while issuing notice to the state government for its response on Singh’s plea seeking quashing of the notification banning the book on the charge that its contents were against public tranquillity and national interest. The Bench posted the matter for hearing on September 8 asking Gujarat government counsel Hemantika Wahi, who was present in the courtroom, to take instruction from the authorities for responding to the allegations made in the petition. Senior Advocates Fali S Nariman and Soli Sorabjee, appearing for the veteran politician and publisher of the book, Rupa and Co., contended that banning of the book was violative of fundamental rights of its author and publisher. They sought preponment of hearing from September 11 contending that “it was not a bonafide attempt to ban the book” by Gujarat government as it violates the fundamental rights of speech and expression guranteed under Article 19 (1)(A) of the Constitution. Before advancing the date of hearing, the Bench wanted to know why the petition has been filed in the apex court instead of the Gujarat High Court. Nariman said it was so because the right to speech and expression is a prefrential right like the right to life and liberty under Article 21. Nariman and Sorabjee wanted the judges to read the book, to which they said they will do it after hearing the matter on September 8. Jaswant Singh, who was present in the courtroom when his petition was mentioned by the two senior advocates, later told reporters that Gujarat government banned the book without reading it.
— PTI
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Woman demands Rs 151 cr relief from husband
New Delhi, September 1 Claiming to be a victim of domestic violence, the woman, Nupur Aggarwal has moved a petition in a Delhi court seeking what will be one of the biggest demands of compensation made by a wife from her husband. Nupur in her petition evoked Section 12 of the Domestic Violence Act in the application given to metropolitan Magistrate Surya Malik Grover. The first hearing of the case was today. The court has asked the respondents to file their statements at the next hearing on September 17. The complainant has alleged that her husband and her father-in-law has a business of more than Rs. 8,000 crore and own 12 companies.
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Delivery deaths a cause of concern for UP
Azamgarh, September 1 Acclaimed actor and activist Shabana Azmi said at the national level, the number of women who die during childbirth equals the number of casualties in 400 plane crashes a year. “Imagine what would happen to governments and rulers if there were 400 plane crashes a year. Still no heads roll on this issue”. Azmi made these observations in her concluding address as a chief guest at a Public Hearing on ‘Quality of Maternal Health Services in Uttar Pradesh’ organised by the Mahila Swasthya Adhikar Manch (MSAM). Here eight testimonies were presented which spoke of criminal neglect of the public health system causing death during childbirth. The husband of 35-year old Mahua (name changed) from Chitrakoot in Bundelkhand region of the state related how she died at the Primary Health Centre on August 15 within an hour of being administered an injection by the staff nurse. Accompanied by her mother-in-law and the village ASHA worker Mahua had arrived at the PHC at 11 am after trudging 3 km from her village in pain. The staff nurse first turned out Mahua when her mother-in-law could offer only Rs 100 and expressed her inability to cough up Rs 2,000 being demanded by the nurse. Waiting outside the hospital in a heavy downpour Mahua’s pains became unbearable and the ASHA worker ran inside to request the doctor in charge to help her. It was then that the staff nurse scribbled the name of an injection and asked them to buy it from the market. The nurse administered the injection at 6 pm after a few minutes Mahua started feeling uneasy and turned yellowish and by 7 pm she was dead. After this, the PHC staff locked the Centre and ran away. The ASHA worker also went away. When the villagers heard their ordeal they were angry and around 40 of them carried Mahua’s body to the main road and blocked traffic. “After the public agitation I and my family are facing constant pressure to reach a compromise, the hospital people have even been offered Rs 20,000” said the husband, who is determined to fight for justice. Urmila, an MSAM activist from Chitrakoot , said at least three more deaths have occurred in the PHC during the last fortnight after the would- be- mothers were administered injections. The story was the same in almost every case. A charter of demands emerging from MSAM’s engagement in the area was passed at the hearing that now would be presented to the state Health Minister Anant Mishra for action.
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Book Cong MLA, police told
Tribune News Service
Jaipur, September 1 Following a complaint by Srikishan Kukkad, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Dhirendra Singh Rajawat today directed the police to register an FIR against Saini, who organised a blood donation camp to mark former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary on August 21 and allegedly forced minor boys of government schools to participate in it. In his complaint, Kukkad accused Saini of luring students with snacks and certificates to participate in the camp, which was also attended by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. However, Chomu SHO Narendra Singh said he had not yet received any court order in this connection. According to him, as the matter involved an elected representative and would be dealt by the state Crime Branch (CID-CB). Most of the students who donated blood in the camp were below 18 years of age even as one of them, Anil Sharma, fell sick after donating blood and had to be admitted to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur. A probe is already on into the incident.
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AP Cong’s ‘poaching’ plan working
Hyderabad, September 1 After attracting a large number of rebels from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Congress has now turned its attention to unsettle the camp of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party. The big catch came in the form of TDP women’s wing president and film actress RK Roja who is all set to join Congress later this week. Roja, who was a star campaigner of TDP in the recent Assembly elections, caused a flutter in political circles when she met Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy here on Sunday and later dropped hints about her switching loyalty. Ironically, the heroine of yesteryears was a bitter critic of the Chief Minister and Congress leaders and led several agitations against the government. Roja has been keeping herself away from TDP activities even since she lost the Assembly election from Chandragiri constituency. Incidentally, she hails from Chittoor, the native district of the party president N Chandrababu Naidu. Known for her fiery speeches and crowd-pulling abilities, Roja has been one of the key leaders of TDP. Emerging from her meeting with Chief Minister, she showered praises on him for striving for the development of the state. Roja also commended the UPA government’s decision to provide 50 percent reservation for women in panchayats. “I have no objection to work under the leadership of Rajasekhara Reddy who cares for his followers and will not leave them when they are in distress,” Roja said. She also took potshots at the TDP leadership and blamed “internal sabotage” for her defeat in the recent elections. Roja’s imminent exit is likely to have a demoralizing impact on TDP and could trigger further desertions. Already, two legislators-N Prasannakumar Reddy and Bala Nagireddy-have raised a banner of revolt against the party leadership and are expected to switch over to the ruling party soon. Meanwhile, the TDP sought to make light of her decision to desert the party. “She is free to take her own decision regarding her political future. We had given her due respect and treated well in the party,” the TDP MLA G Muddukrishnama Naidu said.
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HC sets aside list of civil services candidates
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The Government Railway Police had to fire five rounds in the air to disperse rampaging commuters at Nalasopara railway station outside Mumbai this morning. The commuters were protesting delay in train services.
A day after declaring her country was safe for Indian students, visiting Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard today launched the Australia-India Institute to be located at the University of Melbourne. She also announced funding of A$8.106 million
(Rs 32 crore) to support the institute. The University of New South Wales and La Trobe University, which will also be partners in the project, will invest another Rs 8 crore in the institute, bringing the total investment in the project to about Rs 40 crore over the next three years.
“The institute will be a think tank on all issues relating to bilateral ties. It will facilitate the growth of these ties by carrying out joint research in key areas," Gillard said.
