Guwahati, November 29
Various Bodo people’s organisations have hit the streets in four Bodo tribe dominated districts under Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam as well the state’s capital here demanding firm government action to stop on-going fratricidal killings among various Bodo armed groups that have created an atmosphere on insecurity and uncertainty in Kokarjhar, Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang districts in the state.

A class IX standard student, Nirmal Basumatary, in the Bodo tribe belt became the latest victim of fratricidal killings when armed miscreants gunned him down on Wednesday while he was busy preparing for annual examination with a classmate in Latamari village under Kachugaon police station of the trouble torn Kokrajhar district.

Police said that three armed youth stormed into a house of Nirmal’s classmate and sprayed bullets on Nirmal from point blank range, killing him on the spot. The victim is the brother-in-law of a former Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) cadre Manoj Narzary, prime suspect in killing of a truce-bound National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) cadre. Narzary was arrested and is now in police custody.

The BLT was disbanded after signing of the Bodo Peace Accord on February 10, 2003 between the BLT leaders and the Government of India. The BLT leaders then formed a political party called Bodo People’s Front (BPF), which is now in power in the BTC.

It is suspected that murder of the student could be a handiwork of militants of truce-bound National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) in retaliation to a killing of one of their cadres, Doren Daimary, by suspected former BLT cadres late on November 22 night. The NDFB had called BTC area bandh on November 24 to protest the killing of its cadre.

With Nirmal’s killing, death toll in the on-going fratricidal clashes in BTC areas has gone up to ten since November 8 last. Though various Bodo civil society groups have been trying their best to stop the killings, the efforts are having little impact on warring factions of various Bodo armed groups.

The situation is likely to turn for the worse with the election to the BTC is scheduled to be held next year. Bodo armed groups will continue to fight among themselves in their desperate bid to have rulers of their choice elected to the council

New Delhi, November 29
Thousands of working women will march to Parliament on December 4 demanding equal pay for equal work. The march has been organised by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the trade union wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI), said AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta here today.

Dasgupta regretted that after 62 years of independence, despite enactment of various legislations, overwhelming number of working women mainly in the unorganised sector do not enjoy equal pay for equal work. They are also deprived of minimum level of social security, he said pointing out that working conditions for women are brutalised, childcare services are non-existent and cases of workplace harassment and abuse are on the rise.

Dasgupta also alleged that the practice of employing either casual workers or hiring them on contract has affected working women the most. Women in export-promotion zones are like slave labour as they are not allowed unionisation. Working women in various schemes such as ICDS, ASHA and those working in the mid-day meal scheme are not even considered workers and women working in the agriculture and informal sectors are not even entitled to maternity leave.

He claimed that women constitute 40 per cent of the country’s total workforce and the AITUC has launched a nationwide campaign to mobilise working women, particularly from the informal sector, who would march from the Ramlila Maidan to Parliament that day.

Lucknow, November 29
A senior IAS officer, Harminder Raj Singh, committed suicide early this morning leading to murmurs in the state’s bureaucracy about the deteriorating work culture in 
the state.

Singh, a 1978 batch IAS officer originally from Punjab, was posted as Principal Secretary (Housing) in the state government.

He had returned from a social function late Saturday night and shot himself with his revolver at his Vikramaditya Marg residence around 1.30 am on Sunday. No suicide note has been recovered.

According to sources, the officer had reportedly been facing immense pressure due to political interference in work. Incidentally, the department he headed plays a key role in the construction of memorials and parks in Lucknow. It is being said that a few days ago a very senior officer in the present regime had given him a severe dressing down.

During the last two-and-a-half years of the Mayawati rule he had been in charge of several important posts including Principal Secretaries in the department of agriculture, irrigation, finance and programme implementation.

Strangely, mediapersons were kept away from the bureaucrat’s residence today. The postmortem was completed within three hours of the incident and the body was being flown to his home state Punjab for cremation. The postmortem report mentioned that the death was due to firearm and anti-mortem injury.

Speaking to this reporter on condition of anonymity, a bureaucrat blamed the emerging work culture in the state for this incident.

According to him under the present regime officers are subjected to inconsiderate behavior and often expected to work as political agents. Some who cannot resist such behavior end up like this while others are trying their best to adjust, he asserted.While the police sources said the officerwas taking medicine for hypertension, one of his batchmates denied that he was suffering from any kind of depression.

A police officer said that the deceased’s wife Ashima informed the police control room about the incident at around 0130 hrs.

The officer was rushed to the trauma centre by a fire brigade ambulance where doctors announced him brought dead. The police official, however, claimed that there was nothing suspicious. He said all the evidences lead to suicide as only his wife and two servants were present in the house at the time of the incident.

New Delhi, November 29
“Terror has no religion. Our solidarity, courage and resoluteness are the only answer to the threat of terror.” This was the message that artists, sportspersons and other eminent personalities send out loud and clear when they came together raising their voice against terrorist violence at the India Gate in the capital today.

An initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the event titled, “A Nation In Solidarity against Terror,” was organised today on the first anniversary of the final day of the siege of 26/11 in Mumbai.

Starting with a powerful presentation on the recent terror attacks in India, the programme showcased the courage of all those who lost their lives during 26/11. Many survivors and witnesses to the last year’s Mumbai carnage were also present on the occasion.

Famous voices right from Bollywood’s very own Shahrukh Khan, Nandita Das, Javed Akhtar, renowned singers Shreya Ghoshal, Shilpa Rao to sportspersons Abhinav Bindra and Sania Mirza, echoed the grit of the nation in one voice.

While Javed Akhtar’s powerful “Nazm” gave goose bumps to almost everyone present, there were many who could not hold back tears as Shipra Rao sang one of Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite poems, “Vaishnav Tere”. Addressing the audiences, Sania Mirza quoted Rabindra Nath Tagore and send out a message that its time that the people of India stand together and let their voices be heard and not let fear and doubt take over them, no matter what.

Also present were people like Vishu Duttaram Shinde, the announcer at the CSI station who was on duty on the 26/11 night and helped save hundreds of live by warning them. The event, telecast live on many national channels, became a way to communicate the stories that have been unheard about those affected by the terror attack last year.

As the evening proceeded, Shahrukh Khan took the stage amongst a lot of cheering. He said, “One cannot have opinions on terrorism. There is just one opinion. Terrorism is a barbaric religion that loves death. All humane faiths face a challenge today and the only way to fight back is to wipe out the slightest fear from our hearts and remember those who gave up their lives fighting.”

The event, a first of its kind, created a platform where everyone had a chance to speak out to the Indian public and to those who think of instilling fear among them. 

Chennai, November 29
The BJP and the Left parties find themselves on the same side of the fence, supporting the principal opposition party, the AIADMK, in the December 19 bypolls to two constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Unlike the previous byelections for five seats which were a multi-cornered fight due to the presence of the two parties in the fray, this election will be a triangular contest between the DMK, AIADMK and actor Vijaykanth’s DMDK.

While the Left parties have already announced that they would not contest the elections, the BJP has also followed suit.

BJP state deputy president Pon Radhakrishnan said his party would not contest the elections as it would split the votes against the ruling DMK. He also said his party cadres would work for the victory of the AIADMK in the two seats. The BJP has a small presence in Tiruchendur constituency.

The leaders of the CPI had already met AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa and re-joined the front, after their misadventure in the last bypolls. CPI leaders would undertake a joint campaign along with AIADMK and MDMK leaders.

Although, the CPM has not joined the AIADMK front, the party has averted a direct confrontation with the CPI and said it would go along with their former electoral ally, in supporting the AIADMK. The CPM leaders had asserted that they would not share dais with AIADMK leaders, including Jayalalithaa, and they would address meetings on their own platform, seeking votes for AIADMK candidates.

Amid reports that the PMK, which polled more than 20 per cent votes at Vandavasi, in northern Tamil Nadu had lost its support base to actor Vijaykanth and DMK, party leader Dr S Ramadoss has decided not to risk a contest in the seat. However, he appealed to his followers to go to the booths and register their names in 49(O) forms, indicating their unwillingness to vote for any party contesting the polls.

The ruling DMK will be looking to continue its row of victories and keep its morale high till the next Assembly elections in 2011. Jayalalithaa will be aiming to break the DMK’s string of wins, besides marginalising actor Vijaykanth’s DMDK, which had emerged as the major opposition when AIADMK boycotted the previous bypolls. Even if defeated, it will be necessary for Jayalalithaa to come out with a creditable performance to show that her party alone could take on the DMK and it should be the only alternative, as and when the people look for a change in the next Assembly elections.

Actor Vijaykanth will be trying to emerge as a major opposition with equal or more support than the AIADMK.

Jayalalithaa is likely to undertake a six-day campaign in both constituencies, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister may address one election meeting in each constituency. For the DMK, deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin will campaign in both seats, while Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers will concentrate in Tiruchendur. DMDK leader Vijaykanth will start his campaign from December 10.

Kolkata, November 29
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat yesterday slammed Trinamool Congress’ demand to impose President’s rule in West Bengal, saying it was against “basic democratic principles”.

“Anybody who makes such demand should know that the demand of Article 356 (to impose president’s rule) goes against the basic democratic principles. The Supreme Court has already said that the use of Article 356 against an elected government is unconstitutional,” Karat told reporters here before entering a party meeting at CPM state headquarters.

Welcoming the central team which is scheduled to visit trouble-hit areas of Hooghly district, he said: “Let the central team come and review the situation ‘objectively and impartially’.“If the central team looks at the situation, they will understand who is responsible for it. Everyone knows who is trying to destabilise the state.”

The Trinamool Congress, however, continued her tirade against the Chief Minister, demanding the application of Article 356 in the state. She said she had personally requested home minister P Chidambaram to come to the state and visit the districts for seeing himself how the cadres and the police were creating a reign of terror by killing and torturing the minorities and the peaceful people to which the CM had been a silent spectator.

The CPM general secretary also met communist patriarch Jyoti Basu at his Salt Lake residence and enquired about his health.

Jaipur, November 29
Though civic elections are not lent much importance, the latest local body poll results in Rajasthan have left the two major political parties in totally contrasting positions, and it may have big political ramifications for leaders, on both the sides of the political divide.

While the Congress has emerged stronger as it scored a hat-trick of victories in Assembly, Lok Sabha and now civic polls; the BJP, which was trying to overcome intense infighting in its state unit has been jolted by the results. The Congress victory is being seen here as a mandate on the Gehlot government’s performance in the last 11 months. What has bolstered the Congressmen’s morale, is the fact that the victory has come when the prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing and the BJP had exploited the issue to the hilt. In his message, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot too referred to it, when he thanked the people for reposing their faith in the Congress, despite the difficult circumstances.

As far as Congress leaders are concerned, Gehlot has gained the most from these results, as he had hand-picked most of the candidates for the civic polls. The victory will certainly strengthen Gehlot’s position in the eyes of the Congress high command. However, his political adversary, Union Minister CP Joshi, has suffered a setback, as the Congress lost in his home turf Udaipur. He had chosen Neelima Sukhadia, daughter-in-law of former CM Mohan Lal Sukhadia, to contest for the post of chairperson in Udaipur, but the move didn’t work. Another Congress leader who has emerged stronger after the civic polls is Jaipur MP Mahesh Joshi, who had chosen Jyoti Khandelwal, to contest for mayor’s post in the Pink City. His stature has grown ever since he wrested Jaipur Lok Sabha seat from the BJP after 25 years, in May, this year. His name has also been doing rounds for replacing CP Joshi, as the Rajasthan Congress chief.

On the other hand, the BJP lost the plot due to internal bickering which intensified in wake of the unceremonious exit of former CM Vasundhara Raje, from the post of the Leader of the Opposition. Her removal from the key post, and her absence in the poll campaign, sent wrong signal to the electorate and cost dear to the BJP. As Raje kept away from the election campaign, the BJP’s loss has given her enough ammunition to target her detractors. In such a scenario, state BJP chief, Arun Chaturvedi, will find it tough to lead the party. Even prior to the civic polls, it was charged that he turned a blind eye to Raje and her supporters, under the influence of senior party leaders. The defeat in the civic polls is likely to spur another round of blame game between the rival camps in the saffron brigade. 

New Delhi, November 29
Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has blamed the party's loss in the Firozabad Lok Sabha by-poll on the overconfidence of its chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and said Yadav "behaved symbolically like Mayawati" while campaigning in the constituency.

In an interview to news channel News 24, Singh said it was overconfidence of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family that was responsible for the SP chief's daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav's loss to Congress nominee Raj Babbar. — PTI

Hyderabad, November 29
The movement for separate Telangana state took a violent turn today with the arrest of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao, hours before he was to launch fast-unto-death for the statehood cause.

Amid high drama, the maverick MP was taken into custody on the outskirts of Karimnagar, while he was on his way to his home town Siddipet where he was to undertake the much-publicised indefinite fast, demanding creation of Telangana state.

Rao was whisked away to Khammam and produced before a local magistrate. The TRS chief was remanded to 14-day judicial custody and was later shifted a sub-jail in Khammam. He was charged under various IPC sections for inciting violence.

He launched hunger strike in the jail premises, while TRS activists across the region hit the streets and held protest rallies.

Tempers ran high across Telangana region as student protests broke out soon after the arrest of TRS Chief. In a spontaneous outburst of anger, the students of Osmania University in the state capital, Kakatiya University in Warangal and Telangana University in Nizamabad staged demonstrations and clashed with police.

Tension prevailed at Osmania University campus here when a large number of students, shouting pro-Telangana slogans, threw stones at policemen, who were out in full force anticipating trouble.

Dozens of students were injured when the police baton-charged them. The police stormed a couple of hostels on the university premises to pick up those pelting stones from inside the hostel rooms.

Meanwhile, the hunger strike venue at Siddipet turned tense. Rao’s nephew and local MLA Harish Rao doused himself with petrol and threatened self-immolation. The police swiftly restrained him and took him into custody. A student in the city was grievously injured when he set himself ablaze to protest against Rao’s arrest.

The Opposition TDP and Left parties condemned the arrest of TRS leaders and accused the police of high-handedness.

Meanwhile, the state human rights commission sought an explanation from the government on the police action against agitating students.

“The health condition of TRS chief does not permit him to undertake fast. We have arrested him in the interest of maintaining law and order,” Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy said.

The spontaneous protests in the aftermath of Rao’s arrest brought back bitter memories of violent Telangana agitation that rocked the state in 1969 in which over 300 died. The fast-unto-death programme is seen as part of a strategy by TRS to regain public confidence after suffering severe drubbing in the April General Election.

The TRS, which hoped to play a key role in national politics on Telangana plank, came a cropper in the polls, managing to win just two Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.

However, the party leadership feels that the post-YSR political scenario in the state provides the right platform to revive an aggressive campaign for separate Telangana state, a movement that was effectively neutralised by the former Chief Minister.

Chandigarh, November 29
The Delhi High Court and the Armed Forces Tribunal have, in separate cases, imposed costs on the Ministry of Defence and the Army for not taking due cognizance of a Supreme Court order pertaining to grant of pension to disabled veterans and filing appeals contrary to the “settled legal position”.

The Supreme Court had earlier ruled that disabled ex-servicemen are entitled to pension even it they have sought retirement voluntarily. The MoD, however, is continuing to file appeals against the order of single benches of high courts allowing pension in such cases. Disability pensionary benefits were not being released by the MoD to voluntary retirees though the Supreme Court had held voluntary retirees entitled to disability pension in 2008.

Acting on a petition file by Bachan Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, the Delhi Bench of the AFT had a few days ago, imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the Adjutant General’s branch. The Bench observed that the approach of the authorities was casual, which drove poor personnel to unnecessary litigation when the issue stood decided by the high court and the Supreme Court.

The AFT order also quotes a recent case where the Delhi High Court had imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on the MoD for denying disability pension to a voluntary retiree contrary to the settled legal position.It is learnt that the MoD had filed appeals against benefits granted by the courts to disabled veterans by sweeping under the carpet the legal opinion of the office of the Solicitor General.

Even after a bunch of judgments of the Supreme Court upholding an earlier decision by the Delhi High Court, the Legal Advisor of the MoD had recommended further SLPs in similar cases. The matter was then referred to the Solicitor General’s office for opinion. The Additional Solicitor General, however, clearly opined that similar matters had been decided by the Supreme Court and had attained finality and such cases were not fit for SLPs.

Army Headquarters also requested that the MoD sanction disability pension to voluntary retirees citing that the same would result in reduction of court cases on the subject. The Army HQ had further pointed out that cases were “being contested by the government despite knowing the settled position of law.”

Insurgency is the bane of life in Manipur which is dogged by the presence of largest number of insurgent groups not only in the North-East but also among all the states of the country.

The killings and counter killings perpetrated by over 15 insurgent groups and security forces armed with ‘draconian’ Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958, have made life a hell for the common people.

“The state with a long history, rich culture and tradition is now in a mess. Those who can afford have sent their children outside because of the fluid atmosphere that stems from a haunting sense of insecurity,” said Dr K Nabachandra Singh, a retired professor, who now runs one of the best higher secondary level science school in Imphal.

A long history of discontentment is basically behind insurgency. The erstwhile Kingdom of Manipur was merged with the Indian Union on October 15, 1949. However, only after a protracted agitation interspersed with violence, it was declared a separate state in 1972. The emergence of insurgency in Manipur could be traced to the emergence of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) in November 1964. Since then, several other outfits like the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak and the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) have come into being in the valley areas.

All these insurgent groups have raised demand for a separate independent Manipur. The hill areas of the State, comprising five districts, have been affected by spill over of rebellion from neighboring Nagaland. The NSCN-IM claims a part of Manipur hills under its proposed Nagalim. As a consequence, Kuki tribals in the early 1990s floated armed groups to counter the NSCN-IM. Islamist outfits like the People’s United Liberation Front (PULF) have also been founded to protect the interests of the ‘Pangals’ (Manipuri Muslims).

“It is a complex situation out here. Insurgency in Manipur can’t be solved in isolation. We have to get to the roots of the problem. Rampant corruption, nepotism together with long neglect by the Centre has fuelled insurgency and to solve it we need a big heart. It won’t help to view insurgents as only enemies,” said Dr M Nara Singh, leader of the state CPI, a partner in Congress-led SPF coalition.

The BJP fears that the state with a porous long border with Myanmar, a haven for militants and anti-India elements, will be the next target for Islamic outfits to strike roots. “It is dangerous situation out here in Manipur,” a senior BJP leader said.

New Delhi, November 29
India and Kuwait are in the process of finalising a pact on exchange of prisoners under which convicted persons would be able to serve their jail terms in their respective countries.

Indian Ambassador to the oil-rich country Ajay Malhotra said the proposed agreement would benefit over 200 Indians currently languishing in various jails in Kuwait. "We are negotiating an agreement on prisoner swap with Kuwait and I am hopeful that it would be finalised soon," Malhotra told PTI here.

He said Indian prisoners would be able to serve the rest of their jail term in India if the pact is signed.

Last week, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi had informed Parliament that 175 Indian prisoners were languishing in the Central Jail of Kuwait while 61 others are serving jail terms in the Public Jail of Kuwait.

The Ambassador said he was in touch with Kuwaiti authorities to ensure that Indian prisoners there do not face any discrimination.

Giving details of the steps being taken to extend help to Indians living in the country, Malhotra said the embassy has started many facilities, including a shelter to Indians in distress and free legal advice from Kuwaiti lawyers.

Asked about job losses by Indians due to recession, Malhotra said retrenchment was low in Kuwait compared to other Gulf countries.

The six lakh-strong Indian community is the largest expatriate group in Kuwait, which has a population of about 35 lakh.

Noting that bilateral ties between the two countries are thriving, Malhotra said trade between them has increased significantly in the last couple of years.

The Ambassador said India's UTI, Germany's HSH Nordbank and Noor Financial Investment Company of Kuwait have set up an infrastructure focused on private equity fund called India Infrastructure Development Fund (IIDF) which reflects growing trade and business ties between the two countries.

"The IIDF will have a corpus fund of $ 500 million," he said adding that many Indian oil companies have also shown interest in investing in Kuwait.

Twelve per cent of crude oil import by India comes from Kuwait while the Gulf region as a whole accounts for two-third of India's oil imports.

Bilateral trade between the two countries was recorded at $ 8.4 billion in 2007-08.

Earlier this year, Vice President Hamid Ansari paid a three-day visit to Kuwait, the first by a top Indian leader in 28 years. — PTI

Guwahati, November 29
The Nagaland state legislative assembly has extended ‘recognition’ to the Naga undergrounds for having “selflessly worked, fought and sacrificed” for the aspirations and rights of the Naga people. This ‘recognition’ as a resolution was adopted in the state assembly yesterday even as talks between the Government of India and the NSCN(IM) have yet to reach a conclusive stage.

The resolution was passed unanimously with members cutting across party lines to support it. The Assembly resolution said those Naga undergrounds deserved to be recognised who had “selflessly worked, fought and sacrificed for the aspirations and the right of the Nagas and also to those who continue to follow the tradition of selfless sacrifices for the common cause of the Nagas.”

The state assembly also reiterated its earlier stand on integration of all Naga-inhabited areas in the region, an issue that also figures prominently on the NSCN agenda. “It is the desire of the Nagas to live together as one family and this House has rightly voiced the cry of the Naga people,” Chief Minister Rio said. The Nagaland Assembly has so far passed four resolutions in favour of integration of Naga areas” first on December 12, 1964, followed by August 28, 1970, September 16, 1994 and December 18, 2003. The 60-member House in the resolution also appealed the negotiating parties of the Naga political dialogue to expedite the political process and bring about an early resolution through a negotiated settlement which was honourable and acceptable to the Naga people.

“We appeal to the negotiating parties of the political dialogue to expedite the political process and bring an early resolution through negotiated settlement which is honourable and acceptable to the Naga people,” the resolution said.

Chief Minister Rio, while moving the resolution, called upon legislators to come together, cutting across party lines, with one voice on the Naga political issue. “Our unity and understanding will create the right environment for all sections including civil societies and underground groups to unite and work together.” He said it was all the more imperative that the over ground groups first unite before the undergrounds were called upon to come together.

He also said the Naga political issue and the negotiations had reached a “crucial stage” and that the time had come for the state assembly to rise to the occasion and play its contributory role.

The state assembly, through its resolution, also appreciated the government of India, particularly Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for their “renewed sincerity” towards finding a permanent solution to the decades-old “Indo-Naga” political problem.

The resolution also appreciated the civil society, churches, NGOs and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) for their all out efforts towards reconciliation, understanding and oneness of all sections of Naga society. The resolution also hailed the sincerity of the underground groups, especially their commitment towards peace and understanding by signing the “Covenant of Reconciliation” earlier at Chiangmai in Thailand on September 23 this year.

The resolution further decided to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Naga political issue comprising members from all political parties. This committee would carry the voice of the House to all concerned sections including the Centre and the Naga rebel groups.

The AIDS situation in Manipur has remained grim with 1437 more persons testing positive for HIV infection during the last five months. On an average over 200 persons are detected be infected with the HIV virus per month.

According to data available with Manipur State AIDS Control Society, total number of HIV positive persons detected in Manipur till March this year was over 31000. There are over 3000 HIV positive children in the state.

“The figure of HIV positive persons in the state can be just the tip of the iceberg as many try to conceal their HIV + status due to the stigma attached to it. Moreover, many AIDS affected parents have died leaving behind their children with HIV,” said Dipak, president of Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP +), a leading NGO working in the HIV-AIDS in the state.

“The state has so far recorded over 5000 deaths due to AIDS. With people shying away from declaring their HIV + status in the state, the virus is getting transmitted to the general population. The state government must bring about legislation to punish stigmatisation against HIV + people so that people feel free to declare their HIV status,” the NGO official said adding that drug abuse has remained a bane of life in the bordering state.

A threat is now looming large over the HIV positive people in the state in the form of dreaded Hepatitis C. The disease is mostly killing HIV positive people in Manipur due to co-infection. As per a recent survey, 92 per cent of HIV positive people in Imphal were affected with Hepatitis C while the figure was 98 per cent for Churachandpur. A sample survey conducted by MNP + six months back found 54 out of 76 HIV positive people suffering from Hepatitis C co infection.With no government vaccination policy in vogue against Hepatitis C, it becomes astronomically costly at individual level. A single weekly dose of vaccine cost about Rs 13,000 and it will cost over Rs seven lakh to take the entire year-long course.

Meanwhile, the MNP + have started a special scheme to bear the entire cost of education of some of the hapless HIV positive children in the state who haven’t received support from any other organisation. So far, 140 such children from poorest of the poor families have been picked up as beneficiaries under two separate schemes sponsored with funds generated from local donors. 

Guwahati, November 29
Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity, an NGO in Assam, Akhil Gogoi, has won the first-ever Right to Information (RTI) Award in India. His efforts in using RTI to expose corruption in government schemes in a hostile environment, despite great personal risk was considered as key factors in his winning the award. He was among 19 finalists selected from nearly 5000 nominations from across the country. He will receive Rs 2 lakh in cash, a trophy and a citation.

The prestigious National RTI Awards have been instituted by Public Cause Research Foundation (PCRF) this year. The Foundation was set up on December 19, 2006 by Magsaysay Awardee, Arvind Kejirwal, former journalist Manish Sisodia and TV producer and writer Abhinandan Sekhri to ensure that our society becomes more inclusive and that real power rests with the people.

Kejriwal donated the prize money of his Magsaysay award as the corpus fund to the PCRF. The Foundation works to collect, research, analyse, and disseminate information about various aspects of governance to ensure that rules and laws are enacted and enforced and policies implemented.

Jaipur, November 29
It may have been a month since the IOC blaze in Sitapura Industrial Area, the scars of the tragedy still remain. One can see enough of it in the form of shut industrial units, broken houses or heaps of debris dotting the area.

The massive blaze had damaged 850 industrial units, causing losses to the tune of a whopping Rs 1,100 crore. However, none of the units has got any compensation. Though the Sitapura Industries’ Association has held various rounds of meeting with the government and even threatened agitation, what they have got is an announcement of Rs 50-crore aid from the Centre. However, that too has remained a mere announcement. Association secretary Naresh Kandoi said though many industrial units have partially resumed their work, there are still about a dozen units that are totally shut. Most of the damaged units are undergoing repairs even as production has also started by making makeshift arrangements so as to avert losses.

Condition of the villagers, whose houses were damaged in the tragedy, is no better. They too are running from pillar to post for compensation. Rameshwar Das of Chatrala village said they had been making rounds of different government offices for the last 20 days to get the compensation. “Though I haven’t got a single penny till now, I have ended up spending over Rs 200 in fulfilling formalities for the compensation process,” he lamented. Shankar Lal, a resident of Sukhpuria village, also rued that his house had suffered extensive damage. “We have no option but to sleep outside in cold,” he averred. Rewat Ram of Tibaga village said a number of people from his village had filed for compensation and some officials also visited their houses for survey, but they were yet to receive compensation.

On the other hand, chief of IOC’s damage assessment committee PK Mittal said they had formed 12 teams to assess the damage and final report was being prepared. Similarly, regional manager of Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Ajay Gupta said he would comment on the damage only when the survey report was prepared.

It seems the only ones who have got compensation are those who had lost their near and dear ones or those who were injured in the incident. According to government officials, the next of the kin of the deceased and injured have received compensation worth Rs 37.5 lakh. The tragedy had claimed 11 lives while 112 persons were injured. 

Chennai, November 29
Workers at the Kaiga atomic power plant in Karnataka are a shaken lot after the drinking water of a laboratory cooler was found contaminated with radioactive Tritium, suspected to be an act of sabotage.

Fifty-five employees drank the contaminated water on November 24 and were hospitalised. Many of them were discharged later.

The incident that took place at the Unit 1 reactor building of the Kaiga generating station has left the employees completely shaken and has introduced an element of suspicion among them, said an official on condition of anonymity.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), which owns the nuclear power plants including Kaiga, has launched a probe into the radiation leak. Tritium can cause cancer if ingested.

"Everybody has implicit faith in their colleagues at the work place and more so in the case of critical operations. This has got shaken now at Kaiga," maintained a NPCIL official.

JP Gupta, station director at Kaiga, told IANS over phone: "We have a list of the people who had entered the reactor building that day. The investigating agencies are analysing the data."

Denying any problem at the plant, Gupta said: "It is true that employees will be more vigilant now about their colleagues till the culprit is nabbed."According to a statement issued by SK Jain, CMD of NPCIL, preliminary enquiries have not revealed any violation of operating procedures or radioactivity releases or security breach.

"It is possibly an act of mischief. The related agencies are investigating," Jain's statement said.

According to Gupta, the heavy water (Tritium) could have been taken from the reactor building (Unit 1), or from samples of the heavy water kept for analysis, or from outside where it is stored in sealed drums. — IANS

Kolkata, November 29
With three species of vultures nearing extinction in India, a conservation programme to breed the natural scavengers in captivity has been taken up at the Rajabhatkhawa centre in north Bengal.

"There has been a steady decline in the population of slender-billed, long-billed and white-backed vultures, the three species once found in abundance. Now they are on the verge of extinction," Member Secretary of the vulture conservation and breeding programme R P Saini, told PTI here.

"Our initial target is to breed 150 pairs of the three species in aviaries, and so far we have achieved 50 per cent success," he said.

Besides Rajabhatkhawa, there are two such centres at Pinjore and Guwahati. The Rajabhatkhawa centre has 80 vultures - 49 white-backed, 19 long-billed and 12 slender-billed.

He said that vultures were not only natural scavengers, but also 'natural balancers' as they destroyed rodents in paddy fields.

A 12-year programme has been taken up by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) with the Centre and state governments. The Central Zoo Authority has also been roped in for funds as it involves a few crore rupees, he said.

Saini said that Rs 5 to 6 crore would be required in the first 4-5 years for building infrastructure, including aviaries. Since the aviaries would be in forests, power fencing would have to be built against wild animals.

To avoid human disturbance, cameras would be installed in aviaries for monitoring the birds from laboratories.

The population of white-backed vultures has declined by more than 99.9 per cent and of long-billed and slender-billed by over 97 per cent in the last 15 years.

Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, given to livestock against inflammation and pain has been primarily held responsible for most of the mortalities.

Vultures were exposed to the drug when feeding on carcasses of livestock which died within 72 hours after it being administered.

He said although veterinary formulations and use of diclofenac was banned by the government, the drug was still available.

The slender-billed species was perhaps the most endangered vulture in the world with less than 1,000 left in the wild.

This species has almost disappeared from most parts of its range, north of Indo-Gangetic plains from Himachal Pradesh to Assam, and was now mostly found in small number in Assam.

The funding for the programme has largely come from Darwin Initiative for the Survival of Species and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), UK.

The project also received technical support from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Wildlife Institute of India, Zoological Society of London and National Bird of Prey Trust, UK. — PTI

New Delhi, November 29
Cross-border terrorism, illegal immigration, smuggling of narcotics and activities of North-east militants will come up for discussion at the Home Secretary-level talks between India and Bangladesh beginning here tomorrow.

The Indian delegation, led by Home Secretary G K Pillai, will seek cooperation from Bangladesh to deal with security issues, especially combating anti-India jehadi groups and North-east militants operating from its soil, sources said.

India is likely to stress the need for an extradition treaty between the two countries as it would help handing over of each other's wanted criminals.

India's hope with regard to cooperation by Dhaka in cracking down on militant groups stems from the fact that there is a "realisation" in the Sheikh Hasina government about fighting extremism and terrorism.

Illegal immigration is another issue that has been nagging bilateral relations and this matter will be discussed during the three-day talks.

The two sides are expected to discuss sensitive issues related to the border, smuggling of narcotics, fake currency and chalk out a strategy on how to deal with the problems.

India will ask the Bangladesh side, led by its Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, to take steps to hand over jailed militants like ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia.— PTI 

Guwahati, November 29
The erstwhile royal family of Manipur which ceased to be in power once their kingdom was annexed to India in 1949, still keeps a tab on all important developments in different spheres in the state on a day-to-day basis for record.

The 40-year-old titular king of Manipur, Leishemba Sanajaoba whose family is now living a very modest life inside the worn out royal palace in Imphal sans any support from the present government, makes sure that the age-old practice of recording of all important events is being carried out.

“The head scholar (Pandit Loishang) in the Sona Konung (royal palace) is entrusted with the responsibility of daily chronicling on all important events in the state. We have even recorded the recent disturbing events that occurred in the state in the wake of July 23 fake encounter killings of a youth and a pregnant woman in the heart of Imphal city by Manipur Police commando,” Sanajaoba told The Tribune.

The royal family still maintains the department of Cheitharol Kumbaba (history book) since 33 A.D. The book serves as a reference book to present-day scholars and students on history.

The titular king who nurtures no ambition of taking a plunge into electoral politics, unlike many of his counterparts in the rest of the country, claims that common people still come to the royal family to seek advice on various traditional customs. He said the royal family hardly gets any help from the sate government but still manages to carry out all religious and customary rituals regularly with support from the people.

The ‘king’, however, declines to make any comment on the prolonged insurgency that has become the bane of life in Manipur.