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26/11 trial nears end
Resolution on Vande Mataram is unacceptable: Khurshid
Mullaiperiyar Dam Issue |
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Riled by rebels, Yeddy finds solace in divinity
GHMC Poll
Maya trying to implicate party MP in false case: Cong
Maurya again gets into Maya team
96 per cent women feel unsafe in Delhi: Survey
Increase in number of
cadets joining forces, says NCC chief
Work on civilian aircraft Saras on track
Mamata says CPM sabotaging train services
Now pay central excise online
No Class X Boards
SBI exams held under tight security
Memorial for YSR hits rough patch
Canadian PM arrives today
A river ambulance service in Assam
300 huts torched after youth’s killing
Vaiko threatens Kerala blockade
Maoists blow up panchayat bhawan
Dalai’s Arunachal tour ends
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26/11 trial nears end
With the testimony of 250 witnesses and strong forensic evidence, the prosecution had prepared a water-tight case against Kasab, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said. The keenly watched trial, which began in April, is expected to be over this month-end with just a few witnesses left to depose before Judge ML Tahaliyani. Kasab is confined to a specially built isolated cell in the high security central prison and is guarded by a strong posse of the Indo-Tibetan Border Security Force round the clock. Altogether 30 eyewitnesses have identified Kasab in the identification parade and in the court. Forensic experts have given their opinion that the DNA of articles found from Kuber boat (in which terrorists landed in Mumbai) matched with the DNA of Kasab and five other slain terrorists. The prosecution has screened in the court CCTV footages of the terrorists from cameras installed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Times of India Building (opposite CST), Hotel Taj and Hotel Oberoi-Trident. Besides the CCTV footages, other articles such as weapons and RDX seized from Kasab and slain terrorists have been placed as evidence. The prosecution is also relying upon the confession made by Kasab before a magistrate wherein he revealed about the conspiracy hatched in Pakistan to commit terror strikes on November 26 last year. The magistrate told the special court that Kasab had made a voluntary confession and that he had been given three opportunities to consider whether he wanted to reveal the information which was within his knowledge. The prosecution is banking on a plea made by Kasab in the court partly accepting his guilt in the crime. Kasab has accepted in the court that he was a part of the conspiracy but said he played a secondary role in the terror attacks as Abu Ismael was his leader. The gunman has denied that he had fatally shot police officers Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamate and constable Tukaram Omble. The prosecution is relying upon evidence tendered by foreign experts who said the mobile phones, used by nine terrorists, while talking to their Pakistan handlers during the assault, were imported by a Pakistan firm from China.
— PTI
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Resolution on Vande Mataram is unacceptable: Khurshid
New Delhi, November 15 He doubted whether the resolution was the view of the entire Jamiat as the organisation is divided into two factions.“It is not good for our society and our country. It is not good for Muslims,” Khurshid said when asked to comment on the resolution passed by the JuH at its convention in Deoband on November 3. The JuH, largest organisation of Sunni Muslims, in its resolution endorsed a fatwa issued by Darul-Uloom of Deoband in 2006, which had declared recital of the “Vande Mataram” as un-Islamic. Khurshid, himself a Muslim, said he recites the Vande Mataram out of “national pride, a sense of patriotism and commitment”.Asked whether he felt proud of singing the Vande Mataram, the minister said, “Not only proud, but I am committed. I consider it my obligation.” He disapproved of efforts to force anyone to desist from reciting the National Song or even to force anyone to sing it. “It's a tragedy that someone is insisting that we don't sing this (Vande Mataram) because they have strange notion of what is good. And somebody else is insisting that we sing it because they believe that this is the only way to show us down,” the Minority Affairs Minister said. Asked about his advice to his community members on the issue, Khurshid said, “I will tell them to sing. I will tell them to stand by me shoulder-to-shoulder and sing the song for the nation.” He said if he could recite the Vande Mataram out of national pride, others also must sing it keeping the same sentiment in view. Asked whether he shared the view of some sections that certain people recite the Vande Mataram only to provoke Muslims, Khurshid said, “When somebody from a die-hard extremist party says you have to sing it if you have to live in India, is that not provocation?” Questioning the JuH resolution on the Vande Mataram, Khurshid said the issue was settled after Independence by Congress leaders Jawahar Lal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
— PTI
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Mullaiperiyar Dam Issue
Chennai, November 15 “Since when did Karunanidhi become bound to follow laws enacted by the Government of Kerala? Since when did he feel that an order, illegitimately passed by the Kerala Government, overturned or superseded an order of the Supreme Court of India? When Karunanidhi had the order of no less an authority than the Supreme Court of India to back him, why did he give credence to a local law of the Kerala Government?” Jayalalithaa said. “Not one but three monsoons have brought in water into the Mullai Periyar reservoir. Still Karunanidhi did not instruct his officials to lower the gates of the dam to raise the water level to 142 feet! Who is at fault? Karunanidhi? the Kerala Government? or the Supreme Court?” she asked. Referring to the Supreme Court’s judgment on February 27, 2006, she said the court accepted the Tamil Nadu Government’s line of reasoning and ordered that the water level in the dam could be raised from the present 136 feet to 142 feet. But when rains came, the DMK government failed to lower the gates of the dam, under its control. Reacting to Karunanidhi’s statement blaming the Supreme Court on the Mullaiperiyar issue, Jayalalithaa said when the Supreme Court said it was planning to refer the issue to a Constitution Bench, the very least that could have been done by Tamil Nadu was to register its protest vociferously. But, Tamil Nadu did not object to the case being referred to a Constitution Bench. “Traditionally, five-member Benches do not meet more than three or four times a year. The Mullaiperiyar issue is, therefore, destined to go to the backburner. And full credit for this should go to Karunanidhi and Karunanidhi alone. By crying foul now, he cannot cover up his lapses,” she said. Karunanidhi, in his statement on Friday, raised questions over the Supreme Court’s decision to transfer the Mullaiperiyar dam case to five-member Constitution Bench.
According to an agreement between Madras Presidency and Travancore kingdom signed in 1895 and later ratified by Tamil Nadu and Kerala Governments in 1970, the Mullaiperiyar dam situated in Idukki district of Kerala, helped to irrigate 217,000 acres in Tamil Nadu and provided drinking water for 6.5 million people in five districts. In 1979, the Tamil Nadu Government, which controls the dam, lowered the storage level to the current 136 feet at the request of the Kerala Government for safety repairs to be carried out under the directions of the Central Water Commission. After the repairs, Tamil Nadu wants to raise the water level back to the original level, which is being opposed by Kerala, which wants water for its hydropower project at Idukki dam.
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Riled by rebels, Yeddy finds solace in divinity
Bangalore, November 15 Riled by the dissidents’ revolt, Yeddyurappa on Wednesday went to Chamarajnagar to pray at the Malai Mahadeshwara temple. He cancelled a proposed visit to the flood-affected areas of north Karnataka and rushed to the Shaivite temple following signs that the ringleaders of the revolt against him are yet to bury their hatchets. On Wednesday three rebel ministers walked out from a meeting of the state Cabinet - first such meeting after infighting in the ruling dispensation broke out in the open - while a minister did not turn up for the meeting. The anxious CM went heli-hopping to Chamarajnagar next morning to seek the divine blessings. While Yeddyurappa firmly believes in having the gods and goddesses on his side for succeeding in the godless world of politics, his visits to temples have shot up to an unprecedented high ever since he has been challenged by the rebels On Tuesday, Yeddyurappa performed “Chandika Homa” at Chamundeswari temple near Mysore. Yeddyurappa went to the Kukke Subramanya temple near Mangalore after political crisis broke out in the state. When Yeddyurappa was summoned to Delhi by the BJP’s central leaders to iron out his differences with the rebels, the CM paid a quick visit to the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu. Kukke Subramanya temple is associated with the snake god Vasuki. A day after Yeddyurappa visited the temple, a cobra was found at Revenue Minister and key rebel leader Karunakara Reddy’s official residence. This triggered off speculation that the Reddy brothers, Karunakara and Janardhana, the latter is Karnataka tourism minister, will also perform some ritual to ward off curse from the snake god. Two years ago, rat snakes had visited former PM HD Deve Gowda, creating a flutter. Gowda had organised a day-long homa to ward off the “sarpa dosha” (evil through snake). However, the Reddys have not performed any such ritual till date. Having offered a diamond-studded crown, worth Rs 42 crore, to Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati this June, the Reddys may have thought it is not necessary for them to perform a fresh ritual to keep the divine powers happy. Yeddyurappa also exposed his superstitious side when he dropped the Murzai department from the portfolios handled by him. While the Murzai portfolio gives a minister the power to administer the important temples in state and thus sets the minister in direct touch with the divinities, Murzai ministers in Karnataka are known to have landed in insurmountable problems. Yeddyurappa shed the Murzai portfolio on October 31, when his fight with the rebels reached a crescendo.
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GHMC Poll
Hyderabad, November 15 The high-stake electoral battle for control of the country’s second largest urban conglomerate comes against the backdrop of an uneasy power struggle within the ruling Congress following the death of charismatic leader YS Rajasekhar Reddy in September. Widely seen as “mini general elections” as the GHMC covers 29 Assembly and four Parliament constituencies, the race has become prestigious for all the political parties. The Congress, which had bagged 14 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats within the Greater Hyderabad limits in the recent general elections, is under pressure to retain its edge. The post-YSR political scenario has thrown up a challenging task before the Congress as it now lacks a popular mass leader who can hold sway over voters. Despite his vast legislative experience, Rosaiah, the septuagenarian leader, lacks mass base and has never been crowd puller. Catapulted into the Chief Minister’s post under extraordinary circumstances, Rosaiah faces an unenviable task of steering the party to victory in the prestigious elections, slated for November 23.A section of Congressmen loyal to YSR’s son and CM-aspirant YS Jagan Mohan Reddy are sulking as the party high command had sent clear signals that Rosaiah would continue in the position.
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Maya trying to implicate party MP in false case: Cong
Lucknow, November 15 Addressing a joint press conference, UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Punia said the Chief Minister was misusing the official machinery to settle personal and political scores. Joshi charged Mayawati of not being able to digest the victory of a Dalit from the Congress party. The case in question relates to Punia’s term as managing director of the PICUP in 1989-1991, when 7 borrowers reportedly absconded without repaying the loan given to them by the PICUP. Joshi said Mayawati had asked EOW to re-investigate the charges against Punia as she wanted to falsely implicate him in criminal cases.
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96 per cent women feel unsafe in Delhi: Survey
New Delhi, November 15 The survey was conducted by the Centre for Equity and Inclusion (Cequin) in association with the Centre for Media Studies (CMS). “Almost 96 per cent of the women in Delhi believe that women are not safe in the city and 44 per cent of the abused respondents chose to remain silent after the incident,” said Lora Prabhu, Director and co-founder of Cequin. “While sexual harassment in public places in Delhi is a common phenomenon, it is not dependent on the economic status of the individual,” she added. The report is based on the responses of 630 women in the age group 12-55 living in New Delhi and Old Delhi across the major socio-economic strata. Sixty per cent women feel that girls under 10 are most vulnerable to sexual harassment, according to the survey, and nearly 82 per cent women feel that public buses are the most unsafe mode of transport in the national capital. The survey reveals that 88 per cent women feel that when a woman is harassed in a public place she rarely gets help from bystanders. And most women do not feel they can trust the police. Only 19 per cent feel that the victims should report to the police. “While there is always the provision of using the existing IPC (Indian Penal Code) Sections like 375, 354 and 509 to deal with heinous crimes like rape, physical molestation and eve-teasing, it is the implementation of these laws which constitutes the major problem,” said Sara Pilot, Cequin's chairperson. “A large number of these incidents happen because of the flawed concept of masculinity giving rise to deviant male behaviour,” Pilot added. One of the key findings of the survey was that the level of awareness among the respondents on existing laws and support mechanisms was very low. According to the findings, “harassment in public spaces has a hugely negative impact on women's mobility and access”. The survey is a part of Cequin's bigger initiative to sensitise Delhiites towards the problem.
— IANS
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Increase in number of
cadets joining forces, says NCC chief
Director General of NCC, Lt Gen RK Karwal, said this figure included 47 cadets studying in various Sainik Schools and 43 from private and public schools and colleges. A specified number of vacancies in officer training establishments are reserved for “C” Certificate holders. The increase in the intake from NCC comes at a time when the services are facing a severe shortage of officers in the junior rung and is being viewed as a heartening trend. There has also been an increase in the response from youth in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the North-East to join the NCC. General Karwal said at present the waiting list of students for enrolling into the NCC was about four lakh. “To cater for the growing demand, the authorised strength of the NCC is being increased from 13 lakh to 15 lakh,” he said. As far as this region is concerned, there are about 1.5 lakh NCC cadets enrolled from the aforementioned states, with another around 65,000 in Jammu and Kashmir. The NCC is also doubling the number of cadets sent abroad on youth exchange programmes (YEP) with friendly foreign countries. United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore, Nepal, Sri Lanka are among countries having youth organisations similar to the NCC. “About 100 cadets are sent abroad on YEP each year. We are raising this to 200 and the matter has been forwarded to the Ministry of Defence,” the NCC chief said. The number of cadets being selected and trained in adventure activities is also being doubled. General Karwal said an NCC alumni association is also being set up, which would bring ex-cadets on a common platform. A large number of cadets have been very successful in their chosen vocations, both at home and abroad. The association would enable them to meet periodically and share their experiences, vision and ideals.
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Work on civilian aircraft Saras on track
Bangalore, November 15 The “if” in this case, though, is a big one since only in March this year a Saras prototype crashed on the outskirts of Bangalore during a test flight, leading to the death of three crew members, including two test pilots. The incident raised serious questions on the future of the project. “The DGCA report into the crash is still awaited,” AR Upadhya, NAL Director, told The Tribune on the sideline of a function held here today in connection with the inauguration of a new hangar at the NAL’s wind tunnel facility. He said the extended time taken by the DGCA to give its report had affected work on the project to the extent that certain correction in the design of the aircraft, which could be carried out only after receiving the report, were held up. “But other work on the aircraft is in progress,” he said. Upadhya said the hangar, inaugurated today by Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan would be used for integration and assembly of three Saras aircrafts simultaneously. The India Post has also shown interest in Saras for using it as a cargo carrier. Upadhya also talked about an agreement reached between NAL and HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) for the latter to become the production agent of Saras. He said an MoU to this effect would be signed by two organisations in December. The NAL Director said structural weight optimisation work on various components of Saras had been completed by achieving total weight reduction of 500 kg.
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Mamata says CPM sabotaging train services
Kolkata, November 15 The minister also promised jobs and financial awards to the people for helping the railways with prior information about sabotage and other nefarious activities. She was addressing a meeting at Nalikul, near Singhur in Hooghly. Mamata, who is also the Trinamool Congress chief, warned the CPM against sabotaging the railways. “By their unruly activities, the CPM members were trying to discredit me. But in reality, they were causing harm to people’s interest and country’s infrastructure,” claimed Mamata. The minister said the efforts are on to bring every nook and corner of the country under the railway map which would ensure development of the area with rapid industrialisation. She said the railway board has been asked to complete all the on-going projects within the stipulated period and take up new projects for implementation. The minister said there was no dearth of funds and she believed that with the involvement of honest and sincere employees, the railways could achieve its targets fast. Mamata declared that the North-East freight corridor would be completed within time as an expert committee under the chairmanship of Sam Pitroda was working on it.
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Taj is passé, R’sthan palaces, Kerala backwaters new hot spots
New Delhi, November 15 The three tourism destinations from India are among the 133 “World’s Greatest Places” rated by the renowned international magazine in the field of travel and tour in its November/December issue. The magazine listed 133 destinations under 46 rankings with the top ranked Fjords region (Norway) getting a score of 85. The 46th ranked Costa del Sol (Spain) had the lowest score of 31. Kerala’s backwaters was ranked 23rd with a score of 60. “The lakes, rivers and canals in the southern Indian state, which visitors ply aboard houseboats, present a unique travel and cultural experience," it said about Kerala's backwaters in Alapuzha and Kochi. The magazine, however, warned against possible environmental degradation because of the fact that the “number of boats is now very large”. Ranking Rajasthan above Kerala, the magazine gave the state, known for its mesmerising palaces and forts, a score of 64 and eulogised it as “India’s Tuscany”. Tuscany is a region in Italy known for its beautiful landscapes and artistic legacy. It said Rajasthan has a strong sense of cultural identity and remarkable appeal and mystique. “Improved tourist facilities fuelled an eight-point jump from five years ago,” the magazine commented, while pointing to the concerns that tourism benefits were not reaching local communities. Taj Mahal, the 16th century Monument of Love, was ranked 30 with a score of 52. The magazine said the Agra area, the host to iconic World Heritage sites such as Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, is in dire need of environmental planning. “Things are getting better for those historic sites mainly through the hard efforts of local heritage-protection activists. But the townscape lies in utter neglect.
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Now pay central excise online
Chandigarh, November 15 For the formal launch of the automation of Central Excise and Service Tax, the Central Board of Excise and Taxation has chosen Chandigarh as the venue. On November 16, chairman of the CBEC Board, V. Sridhar, would be in the city to roll out the ACES. The ACES is designed to provide service tax and central excise assesses, an electronic interface with the department, so as to reduce paper work, visit to departmental offices, and improve transparency, besides introducing accountability in indirect administration. With this launch, as many as 25,000 central excise and service tax assesses that include all industrial manufactures and service providers like telecom companies, insurance companies, stock brokers, hotels, chartered accountants, advertisement companies, beauty parlours, travel agents, transporters in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh would be directly benefited.
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No Class X Boards
Neemrana (Rajasthan), November 15 "It is too soon to take a final decision on that (abolition of Class X Board and introducing grading system). There should be consensus in the industry," Singh told reporters here when he was asked about his views on the two issues. His comments came a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave his views on the matter that he felt no decision should be taken in haste about abolition of the 10th Board exams. "We are still debating this issue. This is an experiment. We should not take a decision in haste", the Prime Minister had told a group a children during an interaction organised by a television channel on the occasion of Children's Day. Government had in September announced abolition of compulsory CBSE Board exams for class X from next academic year (2010-11) and introduction of grading system from current year. However, Karan Singh said Sibal's ideas were innovative and he has come out of the old education system. He was here in connection with the the inauguration of the first NIIT University here. Emphasising the need for more ITIs in the country, he said the situation is that many people who have passed out from colleges are not getting job. "Our plus two education system has failed. There is huge need for industrial training institutes in the country", he said. "There is a need to revamp our current system. We need more ITIs so that students can be siphoned off to useful skills rather drifting towards colleges," Singh said.
— PTI
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SBI exams held under tight security
Mumbai, November 15 The examinations were conducted at 60 centres in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad. Of the 46,000 candidates scheduled to take the examinations, around 33,000 turned up, SBI officials said. According to senior bank officials, it was usual for a large number of candidates tostay away from the examination. “Candidates usually apply at several places simultaneously and then choose the best option," a bank official said. According to reports, nine lakh of the 11.5 lakh candidates called for the exam today appeared at 1,237 centres across 83 cities in the country. MNS is demanding that SBI recruit people domiciled in the state for the 1100 vacancies existing in Maharashtra. The party is facing a stiff opposition from the Shiv Sena whose Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti has a stranglehold on public sector banks in the state. The SLS actively trains Marathi-speaking people for bank jobs and campaigns for locals to be absorbed in banks.
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Memorial for YSR hits rough patch
Hyderabad, November 15 The memorial project, “Smruthi Vanam”, is being planned at Pavuralagutta in Nallamala forest area where YSR and four others were killed in a helicopter crash on September 2. A memorial stupa, a trekking path to the accident site, breeding centres, nature interpretation centre and peacock park are being proposed as part of the Rs 3.5-crore project. Following the objections, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had asked the state government to submit details of the memorial project. However, brushing aside the environmental fears, the state government made its intention clear by inviting Expressions of Interest from reputed national and international consultants for executing the grand project. Earlier, some non-official members of National Board for Wildlife, including Brijendra Singh, Valmik Thapar and Asad Rahmani, petitioned to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, arguing that the memorial would amount to violation of the Wild Life and Forest Act. “The 1,140-sq km Gundla Brameswaram Sanctuary is contiguous to the Nagarajunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve and is part of the largest block of Eastern Ghats forest in the country which is extremely rich in biodiversity,” the experts had said. As per the Wildlife Act, all construction activity is banned in a tiger reserve unless permitted by the Central government and the Central Board for Wildlife. The sanctuary is home to the highly protected tigers. Tigers, panthers, sloth bears, wild dogs, hyenas, jungle cats, bonnet monkeys, marsh crocodiles, pangolin, sambar, chowsinga, chinkara and mouse deer are some of the species found here.
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Canadian PM arrives today
New Delhi, November 15 The Conservative leader, who will be accompanied by a high-powered delegation, will discuss bilateral issues as well as international developments, particularly the situation in Afghanistan, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Indian leaders. He is also expected to finalise a deal allowing Canadian firms to sell civilian nuclear technology to India and sign a Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement to safeguard investors’ rights in the two countries, official sources said. Reversing its decades-old policy, Canada had supported a waiver for India at the nuclear suppliers’ group (NSG) meeting in Vienna in September last year that allowed New Delhi to undertake nuclear commerce. Ahead of his visit, Harper noted that there was a tremendous amount of potential in Canada’s ties with India. “We share a history of cooperation in the Commonwealth and the United Nations, as well as a shared commitment to pluralism, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.” “Our goal is to build a stronger, more dynamic partnership based on shared commercial, political and regional interests,” he said.
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A river ambulance service in Assam
Majauli, November 15 Taking note of such a need, the Assam government recently introduced a river ambulance service in the form of a speedboat. It has life saving equipment in it. It is the first of its kind public service scheme. The boat ambulance was commissioned recently at Kamalabari, Majuli in Assam. The event marked the completion of one year of the popular 108 emergency ambulance response service Mrityunjoy in the State. Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), one of the major oil producing companies of Assam, donated the speedboat at a function organised at Kamalabari Ghat. It is intended to serve the medical needs of people living in Majuli. The speedboat, acquired from Kerala for Rs 1,50,000, is made of fibre glass and has arrangements for oxygen, stretchers, saline drips, and medical experts. “We are trying to give a good high speed passenger boat which will have an accommodation of about 40 passengers and will also help people to cross the river in a very short time. We will give this to the people of Majuli,” said LS Changsan, Deputy Commissioner, Jorhat. “There was always this communication problem from Majuli to the mainland Jorhat. Especially for the patients, this was a serious problem. With this speedboat, we can now cross the river in about 20-25 minutes whereas earlier it used to take an hour or more. This will be a great benefit,” said PK DAS, managing director, NRL, Numaligarh. The boat ambulance will tie up with 108 emergency response services on river's both sides; Neemati and Kamalabari Ghat, for speedy and efficient healthcare service. Five more boat ambulances would be introduced in Majuli and Sadiya under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), depending upon this pilot project delivering the desired results. It is widely being hoped that the launch of the speedboat ambulance, the healthcare scenario of the islanders will improve considerably. — ANI
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300 huts torched after youth’s killing
Aizwal, November 15 Around 300 Bru families crossed to the Tripura side in the wake of the tension triggered by the gunning down of a youth by suspected Bru rebels while he was collecting animal fodder in the area on November 13, a senior police officer from Mamit district said. While none was physically attacked, youths went around the deserted Bru-inhabited settlements scattered in jungles and set aflame the empty bamboo shelters, the officer said. With 20 huts having been torched at Thinghlun yesterday, over 300 hutments were razed to the ground in the last two days, he said. “It is impossible to prevent arson everywhere as the settlements are spread in inaccessible areas and the miscreants went in groups through jungle tracks to commit arson,” the officer told PTI over phone. The chain of events since the youth's killing was a reminder of a 1997 incident when Bru militants killed a forest official triggering tension between the Mizo and the Bru communities.
— PTI
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Vaiko threatens Kerala blockade
Chennai, November 15 Addressing farmers, who had gathered to attend a one-day fast, by the MDMK to condemn Kerala's attitude on the issue, Vaiko he said would tour five southern districts, which benefited from Mullaiperiyar dam, from September 5 to December 18, to mobilise people's support for the one-day blockade. Making his announcement in the presence of O Panneerselvam, AIADMK's deputy leader in the Assembly, Vaiko said only one of the routes through the Cumbum vally would be blocked during the "symbolic protest". "To build a new dam, the builders should blast rocks in the region using 1200 kg of explosives. Use of large quantity of explosives will damage the existing Mullaiperiyar dam", he said.
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Maoists blow up panchayat bhawan
Chaibasa, November 15 Around 30 ultras, equipped with fire-arms, blew up the building late last night. The police rushed to the spot and a massive combing operation was launched to track down the culprits, he said. Earlier, the Maoists had set on fire a crusher plant in Manoharpur and torched three earth movers at Sonua in the district two days ago.
— PTI
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Dalai’s Arunachal tour ends
Itanagar, November 15 The Tibetan spiritual leader, who reached here from the monastery town of Tawang yesterday, left by helicopter for Guwahati from where he will fly to New Delhi, official sources here said. He consecrated the newly constructed official residence of his disciple Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, a Buddhist from Tawang, yesterday and spent the night there.
— PTI |
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Pak national held from IGI airport on espionage charge
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Alleging that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was blaming the Supreme Court to cover up his lapses, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa today asked why the DMK government had been obeying for three years a law passed by the Kerala Government, instead of obeying the Supreme Court order allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the water level to 142 feet.
Mumbai, November 15
Chandigarh, November 15
