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Campaigning ends for Bihar bypoll
Year on, cops yet to nab Delhi blasts accused |
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Race for Punjab Cong chief hots up
Raje row adds to BJP messRajputs may back Shekhawat
Jet flies again
Tezpur to have Sukhoi-30 warplanes
Buddha to continue as CM: Yechury
Actor Vijay spurns Rahul’s offer
Interlinking of Rivers
A 179-yr-old tradition called Ramnagar Ramlila
30 yrs on, Saryu project meets 18 pc irrigation target
Law for street vendors’ welfare on cards in AP
Domestic Violence Act
Punjab fails to benefit from JNNURM
Eunuch seeks right to vote
YSR’s fans on a renaming spree
Employee turns to HC for pay hike
Contempt notice against 5 trustees of Lilavati trust
Austerity Drive
3 more die of swine flu in AP
Spurious Liquor
Poachers use livewire to kill
animals
Katiyar to name Ram temple ‘opposers’
‘Culture of Cong, RJD, LJP similar’
Fishermen allege thrashing by Pak
authorities
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Campaigning ends for Bihar bypoll
Patna, September 13 The outcome of these byelections would decide the future course of politics in Bihar. It is also being viewed as a dress rehearsal for the General Elections scheduled to be held in October, 2010. While the opposition parties like Lalu-led RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP have termed these byelections to be a mini-referendum on the functioning of the Nitish Kumar government, for the ruling NDA it is a fight to finish its main opponent Lalu Prasad Yadav. After being bowled out on zero during the last Lok Sabha elections, Paswan and his party is hardly a force to reckon with in the eyes of JD(U)-BJP ruling combine. By making an electoral alliance with Lalu’s RJD in these byelections, Paswan, on his part, seems to be fighting a last-ditch battle for survival. Considering the RJD to be still a bigger political force than the Congress in Bihar, the tallest Dalit leader of the state opted to align with it. Despite all this, if Paswan fails to get any of the 18 seats in these byelections, he better bid adieu to his new found pal, Lalu, and join hands with the Congress for his survival in the state. The Congress also requires a Dalit leader of his stature to regain its lost vote bank among the Scheduled Castes. By turning down repeated proposals of Lalu Yadav for an alliance in these byelections, the Congress has already impressed the upper castes. Similarly, by fielding five candidates from the minority community on 11 of the general seats, the party has shown its preference for them. The RJD-LJP combine, as well as the NDA, have given their symbol to just one candidate from the Muslim community. Bihar’s importance in the priority list of the Congress high command can also be understood by the galaxy of its Union ministers coming here to campaign for the elections. While Lalu Yadav and Paswan were the lone star campaigner for their respective parties, the JD(U) and the BJP were solely dependent on the popularity of Nitish Kumar (a mascot for Bihar’s development), the Congress campaigners included Sachin Pilot, Jatin Prasad, CP Joshi, Salman Khursheed etc. Another interesting feature of these byelections is that Lalu has to campaign against many of his old “trusted” leaders who deserted his party during and after the last Lok Sabha elections. They are now in the fray from their same old constituencies, but as JD(U) candidates.
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Year on, cops yet to nab Delhi blasts accused
New Delhi, September 13 Five blasts ripped through the Capital on the evening of September 13 last year, for which terror group Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility. As the city remembers the victims with moist eyes and prayers, a senior police official said they were on the trail and doing everything possible to catch those involved in the blasts, including Indian Mujahideen chief Amir Raza Khan. The police had caught 12 men suspected to be behind the blasts a few days after the incident besides killing two in a fierce encounter in a flat in south Delhi's Jamia Nagar a week after the explosions. In the encounter, which the locals and a section of political parties claimed was fake, the Delhi Police lost its encounter specialist Mohan Chand Sharma. However, the police got a shot in the arm when the National Human Rights Commission gave a clean chit to the police. The police believe that Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant outfit aided the Indian Mujahideen in the blasts and one of its operative Abu Alkama masterminded it with the help of Amir Raza Khan, the chief of Indian Mujahideen, Iqbal Bhatkal and Riyz Bhatkal. The police announced Rs 5 lakh reward for anyone giving information about the four terrorists. The other terrorists are carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on their head. “Alakama is the main mastermind behind the creation of Indian Mujahideen and is responsible for the September 13 blasts. He is also involved in serial blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and UP," the official said, adding that Khan was allegedly working under the direct command of Alkama. Five FIRs were registered in connection with the blasts. Others against whom the reward of Rs 1 lakh has been announced include Ariz Khan (23), Shahzad Ahmad (20), Mohd Sajid (22), Mirza Sadab Baig (25), Mohd Khalid (25) Dr Shahnawaz (28), Hakim (23), Salman (19) and Mohd Khalid (25). The police also raised the reward amount on Ariz Khan (23) and Shahzad Ahmad (21), both hailing from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district. The duo had escaped from Batla House on September 19 during the encounter with the police. The police is banking on the witness statements of over 200 people, including 73 civilians, 37 doctors and around 15 policemen.
— PTI
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Race for Punjab Cong chief hots up
New Delhi, September 13 The two warring camps, one backing former chief minister Amarinder Singh and the other opposing him, are once again sharply divided. Detractors of the ex-CM have played up the recent “revolt-like situation” in Andhra Pradesh to hammer home the point that “absolute authority” to run the party should not reside with one person. In order to weaken Amarinder’s claim for the top PPCC post the Congress high command is nowadays being plied with various theories and possibilities, sources close to the party said. An example being cited is that of Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of the former Andhra CM YSR Reddy, who is seen to be virtually dictating terms to the party leaders in Delhi. Most of the Andhra state legislators owe total allegiance to Reddy’s family members. On the other hand, Amarinder’s claims are strongly backed by a senior central government minister as well as a few in the party high command, a couple of MPs as also a clutch of MLAs. While the latter happen to be his supporters the central leaders are said to be of the opinion that giving Amarinder charge would be the logical choice as “he was the one who could push the Akalis onto the backfoot. With state assembly elections two and half years away it is seen as the opportune moment to hand over the Congress’ affairs to the former CM to get the party work started. After Amarinder was appointed PPCC chief in 1998 the party won the state assembly polls in 2002. As of now far the PPCC has Mohinder Singh Kaypee, a sitting MP from Jalandhar, as its working president. The sources said infighting within the Punjab Congress intensified after Amarinder met Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday. This was seen as a signal that Amarinder would be given charge of the PPCC, though he had termed his meeting as “routine”. However, members of the anti-Amarinder group that has been camping in New Delhi since then has met several top party leaders. They have reportedly told the Congress high command that making Amarinder the PPCC boss would mean that “Jat Sikhs would have a say over all the three important party posts” in Punjab (the other two Jat Sikhs being Congress legislative party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Punjab Youth Congress chief Ravneet Singh Bittu). Another suggestion given to party leaders is to have two working presidents to aid Kaypee, both being in the age bracket of 45-55 years with one being from the Hindu community and the other a Sikh. Kaypee was tipped to be a minister but lost out and is now among the core three-member group set up by the Congress for party affairs in Haryana.
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Raje row adds to BJP messRajputs may back Shekhawat
Jaipur, September 13 Raje’s defiant approach and the party’s compulsions in view of the turbulent phase it is passing through has only provided fuel to rumour mills that are now running overtime. Reports pouring in from New Delhi suggest BJP president Rajnath Singh is apparently not keen on accepting her resignation during the ‘shraadh’ ("inauspicious") period as he thinks it may prove pernicious for the party. On the other hand, sources close to the BJP said she was offered a “middle path” during a meeting with senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday. According to this she was asked to step down and get herself reelected as leader of the opposition if she was able to muster the support of state legislators. Meanwhile, the recent statement by veteran BJP leader and former vice-president, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, supporting Jaswant Singh has added to the woes of the Rajasthan BJP. Shekhawat’s remarks have evoked sympathy from Rajput leaders and their followers in the state. The latter have been complaining that despite having a significant vote bank in the state they were getting a raw deal in the party. However, Shekhawat’s detractors see his move as a bid to revive the sagging political fortunes of his son-in-law, Narpat Singh Rajvi, whose name was floated among the contenders for the post of opposition leader after Raje was asked to step down. Though Rajvi’s chances of replacing Raje seems bleak, particularly in view of the feelers that the party high command is backing Gulab Chand Kataraia, a former home minister and an RSS man, Shekhawat’s loyalists feel the party’s think tank may involve him (Shekhawat) in dealing with the ongoing crisis in the state. Amid rising resentment among Rajputs, the BJP will find it tough to fight the Congress in the forthcoming panchayat and municipal elections. Also, Shekawat’s support for Jaswant may strengthen various pressure groups in the state BJP which have been lying low till now, giving nightmares to the party that is clearly a divided house at the centre as well as in the state.
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Jet flies again
Mumbai, September 13 Passenger booking would be normal by Monday or Tuesday, he added. The airline will begin operating its international flights on schedule from today, he added. The five-day strike by the pilots of Jet Airways was formally called off at around 2 am today with representatives of the National Aviators’ Guild and the management reaching an agreement. Jet Airways’ Executive Director Saroj Dutta told reporters that its normal revenues used to be in the region of $8 million a day. “But we also saved some on variable costs in our operating costs such as fuel, landing charges, etc (when the flights were not operational),” he said. As per the agreement between the pilots and the airline, the four pilots sacked by Jet would be taken back, the pilots and airline representative told a press conference here today. A consultative group comprising of management representatives and the pilots welfare association would be set up to resolve all issues between them under the agreement. Negotiations between the two sides took seven hours on Saturday to yield results. Meanwhile, the pilots told reporters that they would not dissolve the National Aviators Guild, which has been registered with the Registrar of Trade Unions. However, if the registrar’s office, which is reviewing NAG’s registration, decides against the pilots they would not pursue the matter further, Sam Thomas one of the pilots who was sacked first for trying form the union said. The airline also promised to take back all the pilots sacked earlier and not take any action against those who participated in the agitation.
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Tezpur to have Sukhoi-30 warplanes
Shillong, September 13 Dismissing reports that infrastructure at the air base is inadequate to deploy the Su-30 MKIs, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command Air Marshal SK Bhan said, “The upgradation work at the air base has been completed and a full complement of the fighter jets would be deployed at the base by October.” “Su-30s have operated from the air base when the planes were formally inducted in the base on June 15,” Bhan told PTI. Asked how many squadrons of the jets will be deployed in the north east, he said it depends on the IAF assessment. When four Su30s landed at the base on June 12 last for a symbolic induction, it was after a gap of more than a year that a fighter operated from the air base after the MIG fighters were moved out of the base. The Su30 MKI multi-role combat jets have aerial refuelling capability and a combat radius of 1,500 km. Besides Tezpur, a full squadron of the fighter planes will also be deployed at the Chabua base in Eastern Assam, subsequently. The IAF is also contemplating deploying another squadron at the Bagdogra air base in the region, an IAF official said. Having aerial refuelling capability, the Su30 MKI multi-role combat jets have a combat radius of 1,500 km. At present, the IAF has five Sukhoi squadrons in two Sukhoi bases in Lohegan (near Pune), which is the home base for the aircraft where all squadrons are raised and rookie pilots trained, and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. Air Marshal Bhan said once the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal would be through, the Air Force would deploy some of the squadrons in the eastern sector. Currently, trials are being conducted with the aircraft of six manufacturers for 126 planes. The six aircraft are the French Dassault Rafale, European Consortium EADS' Eurofighter, US Lockheed Martin's F-16 Viper and Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet, Swedish Gripen and the Russian MiG-35.
— PTI
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Buddha to continue as CM: Yechury
New Delhi, September 13 “There are no plans or even thoughts of removing Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as the Chief Minister of West Bengal,” CPM Politburo member and leader of the party in Rajya Sabha Sitaram Yechury today said. Speculations were rife about the status of Buddha in the party after the former bunked the CPM Politburo meeting held here on September 5 and 6. Though the party maintained he had fallen sick and sought to be excused from the meeting, doubts were cast on his future role in West Bengal, with the central committee of the CPM already having blamed him for reverses in the Lok Sabha elections. Though the recent Politburo meeting ended inconclusively on the “rectification document”, which was meant to be its main agenda and was supposed to order leaders to respect communist traditions and lifestyle, the matter would again come up for discussions when the Politburo reassembles on October 11 for another deliberation ahead of the central committee meeting in the last week of October. Buddha, it is learnt, will attend the October Politburo meeting lest doubts should continue to reign and send out distressing signals to the electorate in West Bengal, which already appears disenchanted with the communist leadership. Yechury, in fact, made it a point today to mention clearly that Buddha’s removal or resignation is nowhere on the party’s agenda. “He is a senior leader of the party and a member of the Politburo and continues to be so and the CM as well,” Yechury said, repeating that Buddha’s absence at the last Politburo meeting was due to his illness. Earlier, Buddha had invited criticism after he skipped the high-profile internal security meet called in the capital on August 17 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. West Bengal went un-represented at the crucial assembly, with Buddha not caring to nominate his deputy in the state cabinet, Industries Minister Nirupam Sen, to represent the state. It is learnt that the CPM wants to appoint a second line of command in West Bengal to ensure that the chain of representation at critical party (or other) meeting does not sever.
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Actor Vijay spurns Rahul’s offer
Chennai, September 13 Announcing his decision amid protests by students in many parts of the State against the central government’s “anti-Tamil Sri Lankan policy", the 35-year-old actor, whose wife is a Sri Lankan Tamil, said, "I do not discriminate between Tamils living in Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka. If a government really working for the welfare of Tamils everywhere comes to power, I will join hands with them. At that time I will enter politics and fight for the welfare of Tamils living in Tamil Nadu and outside". In an apparent reply to protests by Tamil nationalist groups and Sri Lankan Tamils living outside the island against his reported move to join the Congress, Vijay, considered the most popular film actor in Tamil Nadu, said: "Everyone should remember that I myself have led a one-day fast demanding the central government should intervene to stop the atrocities of the Sri Lankan army against the island Tamils. Reports suggesting I’ve decided to join the Congress had created confusion among the people. I’ve not taken such a decision. I’ll not take a decision without knowing the sentiments of the Tamil people and my fans. I owe my life to Tamils - I’ve reached this height only due to your love and affection." The actor, whose cutouts and banners were placed by Congress functionaries at the venue where party general secretary Rahul Gandhi addressed a public meeting on September 10, said the meeting between him and Rahul in New Delhi was arranged at the latter’s behest. Contradicting Rahul's claim, in a press meet here, that it was Vijay who had evinced keen interest in joining Congress, the actor said the Congress leader invited him through a close friend and he went to Delhi accepting the invitation. "Rahul received me warmly and asked me about my films and fan clubs. The meeting doesn’t mean I’ve decided to join Congress", he asserted. Meanwhile, another popular South Indian film actor, Rajnikanth, also declined Rahul's offer to join the Congress. When asked about Rahul’s invitation to join the party at a press meet here, the popular actor said: “I’m grateful for Rahul's offer but I’m not interested in politics at the moment”.
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Interlinking of Rivers
Chennai, September 13 Stung by the adverse impact of Rahul's comments and the acute embarrassment to the party and its major ally, the DMK, TNCC leader KV Thangabalu said Rahul’s views were his “personal opinion” and had nothing to do with the party. “Opposition parties are trying to divert the people’s attention by focusing on Rahul's personal opinions on linking of national rivers”. As the state Congress leaders are engaged in a belated damage control exercise, BJP state president L Ganesan echoed the views of CPI state secretary D Pandian and MDMK leader Vaiko who had vehemently opposed the young Congress leader's observations during a press meet here on September 10. Mounting pressure on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to react to Rahul's views, the BJP leader said the CM was continuously supporting the project, since the state would benefit from the scheme. “Karunanidhi should come out with a reaction to Rahul's statement”, he demanded. Ganesan said former prime minister AB Vajpayee was keen on interlinking national rivers since it would protect north India from floods and the south from scarcity of water for cultivation. “The Congress-led government at the centre did not show any interest in the project for the past five years and Rahul's comments had revealed that it was not concerned about the plight of people in south India”, he added. “Rahul had only tried to cheat the people of Tamil Nadu by citing the environment as an excuse. The Congress would not do justice to Tamil Nadu, which is water-starved. When the BJP comes to power at the centre it will give priority to the issue and implement it", he said. The Hindu Munnani, an ally of the BJP, also condemned Rahul's observations and said the UPA government, in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on the issue, had promised to implement the project.
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A 179-yr-old tradition called Ramnagar Ramlila
Ramnagar (UP), September 13 “Ramnagar Ramlila”, which attracts lakhs of people every year, is a colourful spectacle that blends local tradition and mythology. “If there is any art form in India that has been unaffected by technological advancement, it is the Ramlila of Ramnagar. Average audience is rarely less than 25,000 on any day even though electric lights, microphones and loudspeakers are not used in it,” said Bhanu Shankar Mehta, a noted sociologist. Ramlila, the key attraction of this town located 15 km away from Varanasi, was started in 1830 by then ruler of Kashi Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh and it flourished with the patronage by the local royal family, he said. The play, which begins on the occasion of “Anant Chaturdashi” lasts for 31 days till “Sharad Purnima”. It recounts the story of Lord Rama as told in “Ramcharitmanas”, penned by Tulsidas in the medieval period, he said. Permanent structures have been built and sites such as “Janakpuri”, “Panchvati”, “Ayodhya” and “Lanka” designed as described in the epic. At a time when theatre art is struggling for survival, a large number of youth turn up to see “Ramnagar Ramlila” every year, said Prof Ram Mohan Pathak, who played the character of Bharat in the show earlier. Pandit Laxmi Narayan Pandey Vyas, one of the organisers, said the uniqueness of the even is active participation of the viewers. “The viewers themselves become part of the marriage procession of Lord Rama,” he said. Various episodes of the drama are performed at different places. “There is a tree of Ashok in Ashok Vatika. Ramnagar Fort is the place for Ayodhya and around 1 km away stands Janakpuri. Lanka is just two km away from Ayodhya,” he said. “All characters are played by local artistes who are selected through auditions held in the presence of the king of Varanasi,” Vyas said adding that some roles are “inherited” by particular families in the area. The play is inaugurated with a colourful pageant in which the Kashi Naresh, now Kunwar Anant Narain Singh, rides an elephant and leads a procession. At the end of each episode, an “aarti” is performed amid chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Raja Ramchandra ki Jai”. The festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes demon king Ravana, the symbol of sins, and the actors offer garland to the royal family members and meet the audience. In 2005, UNESCO described the tradition of “Ramlila” as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity. — PTI
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30 yrs on, Saryu project meets 18 pc irrigation target
Lucknow, September 13 After 30 years of its start, the SCP “failed to achieve the intended objective of providing irrigation potential of 10.76 lakh hectares as envisaged despite spending Rs 2,440.72 crore during 1977-2008… there was a cost overrun of Rs 2,222.82 crore (743 per cent) due to cost escalation (Rs 1,705.35 crore) and addition of new items (Rs 517.47 crore)”, notes the CAG report. The report acquires significance in view of a letter shot off by Chief Minister Mayawati to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday asking the Central government to include the Bundelkhand and Vindhyachal areas in the special category for the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme demanding at least three major irrigations project for these regions of the state. However, the startling revelations of CAG about the SCP puts a question mark on the viability of such cost-intensive irrigation projects and on the state government’s ability to execute them. According to the initial estimate of the SCP project in 1977-78, the cost of irrigation per hectare was Rs 2,195. During the period there was an upward revision to Rs 29,374 per hectare taking the total cost of the project from an estimated Rs 299.20 crore to Rs 2,522.02 crore. The CAG report points out that the Irrigation Department has claimed constructing 5,183 km of canal as of March 2008 without considering the fact that a large portion of the said canals have gaps and could not carry water for irrigation. “The functional canal system was available in 1,873 km only and that could irrigate 1.9 hectares and the remaining 3,310 km canals had a huge number of gaps and were unable to carry water till their tail end for irrigation. In the test-checked divisions alone, 409 gaps existed in 1,536 km canals constructed in these divisions” says the CAG report. During inspection the CAG team found that due to non-use for long periods 3,310 km of canals constructed as of March 2008 at an approximate cost of Rs 569.99 crore had silt deposit. The SCP was conceived to provide proper irrigation facilities in eight districts - Bahraich, Balrampur, Basti, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shrawastiv and Siddharth Nagar - in the Purvanchal and Terai regions bordering Nepal. In the Saryu system, water of the Ghaghra and the Saryu was to be diverted to the Sarya Main Canal (SMC) by erecting two barrages - Girija Barrage on the Ghaghra and Saryu barrage on the Saryu. Irrigation was to be provided through eight connected branch canals and distributaries in the trans-Ghaghra region in 9.20 hectares. Similarly, in the Rapti system, water of the Rapti river was to be diverted to Rapti Main Canal by damming it at Rapti barrage to provide irrigation to 2.80 hectares in the trans-Rapti area. Blaming improper planning and not phasing out the huge project for the phenomenal losses, the CAG report held inadequate monitoring and no follow-up action on the monthly progress reports responsible for the low output. The report also notes that the mechanical division set up under the project remained idle for five years (2003-08) as machines in working condition were underutilised to the extend of 87 to 97 per cent. The final payments were made without obtaining quality check reports.
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Law for street vendors’ welfare on cards in AP
Hyderabad, September 13 Under the proposed policy, seeking to amend the Urban Development Authority and Town Planning Acts, low-cost loans and housing facilities would be provided to the street hawkers to improve their living standards. There have been an estimated 4-lakh street vendors across the state. The hawkers would be given loans at 3 per cent interest rate under the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA). Registering every hawker, issuing identity cards, providing training, tie up with banks for loans, setting up appellate authorities for redressal of grievances and housing schemes have been some of the steps being contemplated under the new policy. Chief Minister K Rosaiah has directed the Civic Administration and Urban Development Department to prepare an action plan for formulating the policy. He wants the policy to aim for improving the scope of the urban poor to earn a livelihood, providing a clean environment in public places, ensuring hygienically prepared food for consumers, controlling street congestion and improving law, order and security. The government has also planned to study the experiences of New Delhi and Ahmedabad before finalising the policy. The officials had been asked to complete the enumeration of street vendors/hawkers by November 30 and issue identity cards to them by March 31 next year. The proposed action plan includes GIS-based identification of vending zones and establishment of dedicated cell in the office of the commissioner and director of municipal administration for the welfare of the hawkers. |
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Women relatives of husband can be booked
Mumbai, September 13 In the present case, petitioner, a woman who was driven out of house by her in-laws, had filed complaint against her husband, mother-in-law, and two sisters-in-laws. The complaint against the mother-in-law was relevant because the petitioner had sought a relief that she be allowed to live in the house which was in her mother-in-law’s name. Archana Naik, the petitioner, married Hemant Naik in May 1986. Her relations with in-laws soured a few years after the marriage. In June 2004, according to her complaint under the Domestic Violence Act, she was beaten up by her husband, mother-in-law and others, and was thrown out of the house. She filed a complaint with a magistrate under the Act, demanding, among other things, that she be allowed to live in the matrimonial house. The Magistrate, in 2008, passed an interim order asking her in-laws to allow her to stay in their house. The Judge also asked the police in Daman to provide her protection. Urmilaben Naik, her mother-in-law, along with others challenged the magistrate’s order before sessions court. They contended that under the Domestic Violence Act, relief cannot be sought against a female relative of husband. They also argued that house - which they were ordered to share with Archana - belonged solely to Urmilaben, so Archana had no claim on it. The Sessions court upheld this contention, deleting names of female relatives, including the mother-in-law, from the proceedings. But the HC, in the order last week, reversed this direction. — PTI
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Punjab fails to benefit from JNNURM
New Delhi, September 13 The minister told The Tribune yesterday that the state government had been unable to take full advantage of the JNNURM, its sub-mission, Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and a related scheme Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) for improving the lives of the urban poor in slums of Punjab. Punjab’s track record of utilisation of allocated funds under the scheme says it all. HUPA officials explain that total allocation for Punjab from the Centre’s side under the mission was Rs 617 crore. However, during the past four years, the state managed to avail just around Rs 69 crore, they say, adding that Punjab has to come up with projects worth about Rs 1,100 crore to avail the remaining Rs 535 crore. “We have sent proposals for many capacity-building programmes to the Punjab government. Our minister has been pursuing the issue with the Punjab Chief Minister, who recently met her also. Senior HUPA officials have been visiting Punjab for capacity building and hand holding. While the state government officials have given an assurance that they will come up with some good projects soon, but the question is when. The time for the mission is running out and once the new initiative announced by the President, Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojna, becomes operational, the leftover money from JNNURM will be merged with it,” a senior ministry official said. He adds that it is high time the Punjab government took full advantage of the scheme considering the vast slum areas that the state has in its important cities like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Bathinda and even Chandigarh’s satellite township, Mohali. While the Punjab government cites lack of land for not being able to implement the scheme properly, HUPA officials blame it on the “mental block” that the state government has against providing urban amenities to slum dwellers, who would largely be from outside the state. However, HUPA officials argue that despite having large urban migrant population, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have taken full advantage of the JNNURM and even asked for more funds under the mission.
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Eunuch seeks right to vote
Mumbai, September 13 In the four-page complaint, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi termed the denial of right to vote as gross violation of Human Rights in the state. Supported by a group of four law students, Tripathi demanded that the state government should extend the fundamental right of voting to eunuchs and transgenders. “There is a gross violation of the human rights of eunuchs in Maharashtra. We are not provided with ration cards and not permitted to vote,” the complaint said. The SHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary of the state government with a direction to ensure that departments concerned with ration cards and voter ID cards file their reply to the complaint by November 4. The commission has also directed the state government to suggest in their reply affidavit steps being taken or to be taken with this regard. “Tamil Nadu government has already issued ration cards to the eunuchs of that state. It is the only state to have recognised eunuchs as a different sex,” said the complaint. Tripathi further said eunuchs in Maharashtra are deprived of life, liberty and dignity. The commission had directed the state government to file its reply to the complaint by August 24 but the government failed to do so following which they have been given time till November 4. The students - Niraj Marjadi, Dharampal Dave, Jay Vakil and Kushal Mehta - had earlier this year, filed an RTI application before the Maharashtra State Election Commission seeking to know the rights accorded to eunuchs in the state. “However, the election commission returned the RTI application back saying that they cannot reply to such applications,” Dave said.
— PTI
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YSR’s fans on a renaming spree
Hyderabad, September 13 Ten days after his death in a helicopter crash, Reddy, who was popularly called YSR, already has three temples being constructed in his memory with many more likely to follow. On its part, the Congress party-led Karnataka government has named several schemes and projects in the state after him. Residents of Miriyala village in Guntur district have decided to build a temple in YSR’s memory to be named ‘Rajasekharalayam’ and an amount of Rs 1 lakh has already been collected for the purpose. Villagers of Kishtapuram in Khammam district have also built a small temple dedicated to him. “YSR was like a god for us. We will hold ‘pujas’ and other rituals at the temple regularly,” said a resident of Kishtapuram. Tirupati Urban Development Authority chairman Bhaskar Reddy said he would take the initiative for constructing a temple in Tirupati at a cost of Rs one crore. “Rajasthan marble will be used to build a statue of YSR, which will be installed in the temple”, he added. The government has begun renaming several ongoing schemes in memory of the former CM. The state cabinet has already adopted a unanimous resolution to rename his native Kadapa district as ‘YSR’ district. The Pothireddypadu regulator project, one of the late leader’s pet schemes, will now be called ‘YSR Sagar’. The project is aimed at providing irrigation facilities to some parts of the backward Rayalaseema region to which he belonged. State school education minister D Manikya Varaprasad announced the ‘Madhyamika Siksha Abhiyan’ programme would henceforth be known as ‘YSR Madhyamika Siksha Abhiyan’. The managing committee of the Guntur district agriculture market committee has changed its name to ‘YS Rajasekhara Reddy agriculture market committee’. “This is our way to pay tribute to the man who held welfare programmes dear to his heart and had initiated several schemes for the well-being of farmers”, said market committee chief Lella Appireddy. “A huge bronze statue of YSR and a memorial park will also come up at the market yard”, he added. Kadapa mayor Ravindranath Reddy, who is also a relative of YSR, announced the town’s Seven Roads junction would be renamed ‘YSR Circle’. In the coastal city of Kakinada the municipal corporation passed a resolution to name the civic body as well as two parks after YSR. Meanwhile, the government has also decided to build two fitting memorials to the former CM -one in the state capital and another at the chopper crash site in the Nallamala forest area. In his death Rajasekhar Reddy has demonstrated his work touched the lives of all sections of people, with an unprecedented outpouring of sympathy from across the state bearing testimony to his immense popularity.
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Employee turns to HC for pay hike
Jaipur, September 13 Fed up with the apathetic attitude of the state government which turned a blind eye to her pleas for a pay hike, Shanti Devi has now resorted to legal recourse. In her plea to the Rajasthan High Court, she said she was appointed as Class IV employee at Government Upper Primary Girls School, Kawai, on a temporary basis in 1992. She claimed that she had been pleading for a raise in her salary with education department for almost a decade now, but to no avail. She also pointed out that the government did not regularise her despite a Cabinet decision taken on June 17, 2006, as per which all temporary employees who completed 10 years of service as on April 10, 2006, were to be regularised. Taking note of her plea, the single bench of Justice Ajay Rastogi has sought explanation from education secretary, director of elementary education, district education officer, Baran and headmistress of the school where she is employed. Interestingly, Shanti Devi is not the first person to knock the High Court’s door for justice. A few months ago, Kailash Chandra, a peon of a government school in Jamwa Ramgarh near Jaipur, moved court, seeking revision of his salary, which was just Rs 70 per month. He was appointed at the school in 1982 and since then he had survived on a little over Rs 2 per day. His services were illegally terminated in 1991, but he was reinstated after he moved to the labour court. However, his salary remained unchanged. In his plea, Kailash also revealed that his family gets two square meals a day only because his younger son earned a decent wage under the NREGA scheme. Meanwhile, Class IV employees elsewhere in the state draw around Rs 10,000 per month, an amount the likes of Kailash and Shanti Devi pray they too would get with arrears one day. A report by the Central Statistical Organisation estimates the average monthly income of an Indian has for the first time crossed Rs 3,000 a month in 2008-2009.
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Contempt notice against 5 trustees of Lilavati trust
Mumbai, September 13 The trustees of Lilavati Hospital against whom contempt is being sought are Vijay Mehta, Managing Trustee, Sushila Mehta, Rekha Sheth, Niket Mehta and Dr A C Shah. The notice was issued by Justice Nishita Mhatre on September 11, on a petition filed by Charu Mehta, sister of Vijay Mehta, alleging that trustees have violated an earlier court order which asked them not to enter into any financial transaction. The notices are returnable in eight weeks. The petition alleged that the trustees have entered into financial transactions by incurring payments running into crores of rupees to advocates and professionals without prior approval of the JCC. “Prima facie, in my view, payments made to advocates would constitute financial transactions with regard to the trust and therefore prior approval of the Joint Charity Commissioner is required to be obtained before such payments are made to the advocates,” the judge noted. “It appears five respondents have flouted the order passed by this court on September 9 last year and prima facie overreached the same by issuing cheques to advocates and other professionals,” the judge added. “The cheques have been issued after the order of September 9, 2008, admittedly without the prior approval of Joint Charity Commissioner although it prohibits them from entering into any financial transactions,” Justice Nishita Mhatre observed. “It appears that the trust is not a party in many proceedings which are initiated by one group of trustees against the other. Prima facie, therefore, in my opinion, respondents have committed contempt,” the judge said. Counsel for petitioner, Aspi Chinoy submitted that after the September 9 order, a sum of Rs 3.06 crore from the trust funds had been spent by five respondents for paying advocates to defend themselves in personal litigation. Dinyar Madon, Counsel for respondent Vijay Mehta, said Joint Charity Commissioner had already framed charges against respondents on a complaint filed by petitioner. The allegation about respondents making payments to advocates from the trust funds had been agitated before Joint Charity Commissioner but he had refused to frame charge. He said no payments whatsoever have been made from the funds of the trust for the personal litigation of respondents against whom contempt action was being sought. Hence, the contempt petition should be dismissed.
— PTI
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Krishna, Pawar go Pranab’s way
New Delhi/Mumbai, September 13 Krishna has decided to forgo travel by private aircraft, which he is entitled to use for foreign visits, and said he would travel economy class on commercial flights. “I will not henceforth use private planes for foreign visits and will not travel business class,” Krishna said. “I will go by commercial flights,” Krishna said, adding his delegation would be limited to three persons. Normally, six officials travel with him. The immediate fallout of Krishna’s decision is that he will not take the 14-seater Embraer plane for his two-nation tour to Belarus and Turkmenistan starting Tuesday. The External Affairs, Defence and Home Ministers are entitled to use Embraer for foreign visits. NCP chief Pawar, who met his party men in Mumbai, flew to Delhi in economy class by private carrier Kingfisher, an aide of the minister said. “Pawar will henceforth travel economy class,” the aide said. The Agriculture Minister had voiced reservations over the austerity measures at a recent Cabinet meeting. He said one of the hazards of travelling in economy class was constant intrusion by passengers, thus hampering the file work. — PTI
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3 more die of swine flu in AP
Hyderabad, September 13 With this, the swine flu toll in the state rose to nine. Two women, Usha and Madhavi, died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city. Another person, Narsimha of Nalgonda district, succumbed died at the state-run Gandhi Hospital here. The condition of four others, undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city, is said to be serious. Three swine flu deaths were reported in Hyderabad over the past two days. The victims J Raja Babu and Sunil Kumar, died at a private hospital, while Srikanth died at Gandhi Hospital yesterday with symptoms of swine flu. K Subhakar, swine flu coordinator in the state, said all victims were brought to the hospital in critical condition. “They could have been saved had they come to hospital well in advance,” he said. Andhra Pradesh, which reported the country’s first confirmed case of swine flu on May 16, has so far recorded 256 confirmed cases. Chief Minister K Rosaiah held an emergency meeting here with officials of the medical and health department to review the situation. He directed private hospitals to earmark separate wards for treatment of swine flu cases and assured there would be no shortage of Tamiflu tablets and other medicines. In addition to eight swine flu
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Spurious Liquor
Lucknow, September 13 On the basis of the magisterial inquiry which was ordered earlier, a number of excise and police officials prima facie found guilty were also suspended. Those suspended included district excise officer Shailendra Pratap Singh, excise inspector Jai Kamal Kulshrestha, principal excise constables Kunwarpal Tomar and Dinesh Kumar, SHO Deoband police station Vishu Chandra Gautam, sub-inspectors Ram Avtar Yadav and Narendra Pal Singh. The state government has directed the local administration to provide compensation to those killed, and also asked them to conduct an awareness drive to educate people about the ill-effects of liquor. The police department has been asked to conduct raids and launch a campaign against people involved in the illicit liquor trade. At least 32 persons were arrested in Saharanpur with illicit liquor, police sources said here.
— PTI
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Poachers use livewire to kill
animals
Berhampur (Orissa), September 13 According to the police, they widely use live electricity wire to trap wild animals like blackbuck, deer, boar and bear. It came to light, when a suspected poacher was electrocuted in the jungle near Bhatakahali village under Kabisuryanagar police station three days ago. The police also arrested a person from Buduli jungle near
Bhanjanagar. Several electric wires were also seized from him. Two peacocks were also found dead at the Taratarini hill last week. Although the exact cause of the death of the national bird was yet to be known, wildlife activists suspected poachers used livewire to kill the birds. Poachers used hooks to get electricity from the supply line passing through the forest areas, the police said.
— PTI
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Katiyar to name Ram temple ‘opposers’
Etah (UP), September 13 The temple was to be constructed and even the date was fixed, but some senior leaders did not let it happen as they did not like Vajpayee gaining popularity out of it, Katiyar said, adding that he would soon disclose the names of the persons whom “everybody knew very well”. Talking to reporters here last night, Katiyar said aspirations of crores
of Hindus were crushed due to the conspiracy by those leaders. “Crores of devotees who wanted Ram temple to be constructed are feeling sad,” said Katiyar during a short stay at BJP MLA Prajapalan Varma’s residence here while on his way to Lucknow after attending a function at Aligarh.
— PTI
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‘Culture of Cong, RJD, LJP similar’
Patna, September 13 “It reflects a basic similarity in the ideology and culture of the Congress and that of RJD and its ally LJP,” Kumar said when his attention was drawn to Union Rural Development Minister C P Joshi’s allegation yesterday that a whopping sum of Rs 8,000 crore allocated for Central schemes was lying unspent in Bihar. “People in the flood-hit Kosi belt are still living in shelters made of polythene sheets and the Centre is sitting over the state’s demand for Central assistance,” he said. “I have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh time and again for giving a package for the Kosi flood victims on the lines of cyclone “Aila” in West Bengal, but the Centre is yet to respond,” Kumar said. “We don’t see any difference in the approach of the RJD, which ruined the state during its 15-year-long rule, and the Congress leading a coalition government at the Centre,” Kumar said.
— PTI
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Fishermen allege thrashing by Pak
authorities
Vadodara, September 13 “The Pakistani Marine Security Agency (PMSA) personnel beat us up very badly before sending us back,” Sattarbhai R, one of the ten released fishermen, said after reaching Porbandar in Gujarat. The ten were apprehended along with 16 others, who were taken to Islamabad. Sattarbhai said they were released due to their poor health and young age. Jashvant, another fisherman, received injuries on his neck due to the thrashing by PMSA personnel, he alleged. He was taken to hospital soon after reaching Porbandar. “After taking us into custody, the PMSA kept all 26 fishermen on board their ship and after questioning, started beating us,” Sattar said. Another fishermen, Chhagnbhai Lodhari alleged his boat was badly damaged by the security personnel. “My boat was badly damaged and it was very risky for the ten released fishermen to travel into it to reach Porbandar,” he said. Lodhari said it took them more than 24 hours to reach Porbandar after release. “What was the need for the PMSA ship to hit and collide with the boat and damaging it very badly?” he asked. The Pakistani authorities, while released the boat Golvan and 10 fishermen, they seized three others identified as Karnavati, Mangal Murti and Vaibhav and arrested 16 fishermen.
— PTI
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Campaigning for the second phase of byelections to 11 assembly seats of Bihar came to end today. The polling would be held on Tuesday.
A year has gone by since the serial blasts hit the Capital but the police is yet to nab 14 suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists believed to be behind the attacks that left 26 persons dead and 133 others injured.
