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Uproar over Ranganath report, RS adjourned
Absent MPs upset
Ansari
Telangana Tangle
Trinamool lying on ‘killed cadres’: CPM
Land acquisition problems haunt N-power plant
Farm scientists see food scarcity in future Experts: Transfer technology from labs to farms
Rape in moving car: Court convicts lone arrested accused
3 held with uranium
Karkare’s missing jacket: FIR lodged
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2 BSF jawans killed as J’khand sees violence in third phase
Ranchi, December 8 The two BSF personnel were killed when Maoist guerrillas opened fire in Dumka. “Maoists started indiscriminate firing near Sarsanda village that comes within the Shikaripara Assembly constituency in Dumka. While one jawan died immediately, another died on way to hospital,” VH Deshmukh, Jharkhand police spokesperson, said. “A total of 55.3 per cent polling has taken place in the third phase of polls. The highest polling percentage was recorded at Jarmundi Assembly constituency at 62 per cent. No polling took place at booth number 260 of Jama constituency,” an election official said. The third phase of polling started at 7 am on a dull note but it gained momentum after about three hours. The voting time has been advanced from 7 am to 3 pm due to security reasons. The results of the balloting will decide the fate of five former ministers, including former deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi and Hemant Soren, son of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren. In Dumka, a police complaint was lodged against Hemant Soren for instigating supporters to attack the Congress nominee’s office. Security had been beefed up for the voting as half of the 11 Assembly constituencies that went to the polls are considered Maoist strongholds. “The election was by and large peaceful barring the one incident,” said Deshmukh. The 11 Assembly seats where polling took place are Bermo, Bokaro, Chankyarai, Dhanwar, Bagodar, Jamua, Hazaribagh, Shikaripara, Dumka, Jarmundi and Jama. The other key candidates among the 273 in the fray are Shailendra Mahto of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), former minister Harinayan Rai, who is in jail in connection with a graft case and another former minister Nalin Soren, a JMM nominee, who also faces a corruption case. In the first and second phases (November 25 and December 2), a total of 40 constituencies saw polling. The five-phased polls for 81 seats ends on December 18 and votes will be counted on December 23.
— IANS
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Rahul flouting security norms: Maya govt
Lucknow, December 8 In a letter addressed to the Union Home Ministry, the state government today underlined that if a SPG-protected person like Rahul Gandhi continued deviating from the pre-determined programmes, then the state government should not be held accountable for any disaster that may take place. Addressing the media here on Tuesday, additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey said the state government is concerned over security of Rahul Gandhi. Earlier in October last year, the BSP government had written a similar letter to the Central government. On September 23 this year, the Amethi MP had arrived in Lucknow by a commercial flight and travelled onwards by road without informing the state government, alleged the additional secretary. “We had also sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting that all SPG-protected persons should provide advance information about their programmes in the state so that the state’s security agencies can make proper arrangements,”
said Pandey. According to Pandey, the state government received information on the Congress MP’s two-day visit to UP starting December 7, late on the night of December 6. Today’s letter takes cognisance of a report submitted by the DM Sitapur regarding security violations by Gandhi in Sitapur. Following media reports, the state Home Department had sought a report from the DM of Sitapur. According to the DM’s report, Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter landed in Sitapur at 5.31 pm on Monday well after sunset, while his scheduled arrival was at 3.34 pm. It did not even land at the
earmarked spot. The other security violation was Gandhi’s reportedly refusal to travel by the bulletproof car arranged for him. He reportedly chose to travel to Hardoi by road, where he spent the night, by an ordinary Toyota, with the bulletproof car following. Ignoring security norms, he shook hands with the crowds over the barricades. Earlier, while speaking to the press in Lucknow, Rahul had flatly denied any violation of security norms by him. “There was sufficient visibility when we landed. I never force the pilot in such matters. You can even call the Director SPG to check if I have ever violated security norms. They are always in the know of my programme”, he claimed. When he was pointed out that the UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi had told the media that the helicopter had landed in “zero visibility” and that Rahul had taken a great risk for the youth of Sitapur, he quipped, “She is not
a pilot”.
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Uproar over Ranganath report, RS adjourned
New Delhi, December 8 JD (U) and Left members stormed the well during Zero Hour, demanding that the chair direct the government to make public the report which, they said, was freely available under the RTI Act. However, deputy chairman K Rahman Khan said he cannot direct the government in this regard and hoped the government would have taken note of the feelings of the members. He said the government was not duty-bound to lay the report of a panel, which is not set up under the Commissions of Inquiry Act. As the uproar continued, the chair adjourned the house for 15 minutes. Minister of State for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed later told the house that the matter was under the government’s consideration. The Ranganath Committee is understood to have recommended reservation for minorities in employment, higher education and economic and developmental schemes funded by the government.
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Absent MPs upset
Ansari
New Delhi, December 8 “Is there a virus?” he remarked after noticing that six members whose questions were listed for reply were absent. “I think so,” Ansari said, when a member commented that it appeared as if the problem of members missing during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha had spread to Upper House
as well. Yesterday when the House faced similar problem, Ansari said the Rajya Sabha was in the process of amending rules to ensure that the problem could be addressed. “The rule is being amended and this situation shall be done away with soon,” Ansari said after members voiced discontent over this latest trend. Sources said the idea was mooted by the Chairman in the last session rule to make orphaned questions the property of the House. In fact, absenteeism of members from the House on a regular basis had now compelled the Chairman to expedite the proposal to amend the Upper House rules in such a manner that even if the main questioner was absent the listed question does not go unanswered. Those absent today included Varinder Singh Bajwa (SAD), Prabha Thakur (Congress), Nand Kumar Sai (BJP), Sabir Ali (LJP), Rajeev Shukla (Congress) and S Anbalagan
(AIADMK).
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Telangana Tangle
Hyderabad, December 8 Dubbed as “settlers” by Telangana protagonists, they constitute nearly one-fourth of the city population and are strongly opposed to the division of the state. Cutting across party lines, several city leaders and intellectuals from various walks of life have advocated Union Territory status for Hyderabad in the event of formation of separate Telangana state. “If creation of Telangana state becomes inevitable, then we want Hyderabad to be made a Union Territory,” Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Mukesh Goud said. Goud, who represents Ghoshamahal assembly segment in the city, said he would initiate a movement to get UT status for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Goud contended that Hyderabad symbolised “mini India” as people from all over the country had made it their home and granting Union Territory status would be a fitting recognition for the city. The Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which has considerable influence in the Muslim-dominated city, is also in favour of declaring Hyderabad as UT. Muslims constitute nearly 40 per cent of the city population. The MIM represents Hyderabad in Lok Sabha and has five legislators. The leaders of the Andhra Intellectual Forum made it clear that any decision on Telangana issue should be taken only after discussions with coastal Andhra leaders since their interests had to be protected by the Union and state governments. “If backwardness is the criterion for formation of Telangana state, then several districts in north coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are much more backward. The problems of these regions cannot be ignored when the state is bifurcated,” said C Srinivas of the Andhra Intellectual Forum. The issue of the state capital should also be resolved since no new state was formed with existing capitals. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand came into existence with new capital cities, he said.
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Trinamool lying on ‘killed cadres’: CPM
New Delhi, December 8 Among 83 members, the Railway Minister claimed to have been killed by the CPM in West Bengal, is Yasin Ali Paik (2) of Birbhum who succumbed to chronic illness a while ago. “How can a child be a TMC worker?” was the CPM’s question today, as it nailed some more “lies” in the TMC list that also featured among “murdered cadres” one Asit Sarkar, a Maoist and a former PWG member who worked in Midnapore. If the CPM is to be believed, Sarkar never claimed association with the TMC and in fact his sister is still a Maoist. The TMC list has another name - Shankar Biswas - who, the Marxists claimed as their own, adding: Sarkar’s condolence meeting was attended by top CPM leaders recently. Going further, the CPM claimed that two more persons named in the TMC list - Mohd Alam and Avijit Saha - were killed by Trinamool activists themselves. Although the debate is right now centred on nine out of the 83 Trinamool cadres named by Mamata as “murdered”, the Marxists vowed to investigate every name in the list.
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Land acquisition problems haunt N-power plant
Mumbai, December 8 Attempts by the state government to acquire land for the project have made little headway with villagers refusing to accept land acquisition notices. Only 248 hectares have been acquired out of the 938 hectares earmarked for the project so far. Villagers, who have prevented government officials from entering the area, have now intensified their agitation. People likely to be affected by the setting up of the project have formed the Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Samiti. The samiti has warned of holding a referendum over the next few weeks to determine popular support for the project. “The referendum will show the government how many people are against the project,” says Jayendra Parulekar of the samiti. The body claims that a retired judge would oversee the referendum. Apart from villagers whose land is to be acquired, people of surrounding areas, who depend on paddy farms and the famed Ratnagiri Alphonso mangoes for their livelihood, have expressed concerns about the project affecting the temperature in the area, thus affecting their crops. The Jaitapur project is crucial for the corporation, which has tied up with French suppliers for equipment. The project is scheduled to be completed in three phases over 15 years. Two reactors for the first phase will come from Areva of France. The corporation plans to invest around Rs 33,000 crore in the first phase.
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Farm scientists see food scarcity in future Karnal, December 8 The country’s many top farm scientists, present at the Indian Agriculture Universities Association (IAUA) Meet for Vice-Chancellors, feared that availability of food in the coming years was becoming a serious global concern that needed to be tackled on priority. “Global population is expected to touch 7.5 billion by 2020 and 9 billion by 2050, with most of the population boom happening in Asia and Africa. There is need to use scientific interventions to ensure growth in production, which remains commensurate with the number of people who need to be fed”, said Dr B Mishra, Vice-Chancellor of the Shere-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu. Stressing on carving out a planned expansion, Dr AK Srivastava, Director, National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, says, “Though, India produces 230 million tonnes (MT) of food, 149 MT horticulture produce, 51 billon eggs, 7 billion tonnes of fish and 105 MT of milk, yet lack of post-harvest technology causes an annual loss of Rs 76,000 crore. Out of this, around Rs 52,000 crore is lost in wastage of milk, fish, fruits and vegetables, alone”. According to statistics available, more than 1billion people across the world survive on just one meal a day; of which nearly 250 million exist in India alone. The one meal they get, too, comes from garbage cans and left over, said Dr Srivastava. By 2020, he says, agriculture will need 29 per cent more water to sustain the current level of yields, while the water availability will decrease by 12 per cent. “The only way out is precision agriculture and use of technology to add nutrients to the soil that is fast loosing its strength to produce”. In this context, Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana, has already started research. The university boasts of housing one of the finest nano-biotechnology labs in the country and has pioneered some work on nematodes in the soil. PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr MS Kang said, “Nematode is a major cause for crop destruction and, therefore, also responsible for limiting yields. PAU is doing research wherein fungus is used to trap nematodes”. According to Dr Kang, efforts are being made to use nano-biotechnology for better and judicious use of fertilisers and pesticides. Technology can now be used for early detection of disease and delivery of fungicides in a targeted manner. This will help achieve increase in production. Similarly in the south, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University at Bidar in Karnataka is using technology to help increase the yield of fish and other marine species used as food. Dr Suresh S Honnappagol, Vice-Chancellor of the university said, “We are using cutting edge technology in veterinary health care to increase productivity and identify animals that will help attaining better standards of food security. This is being done both in terms of quality of animal meat as well as quantity”, says
Honnappagol.
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Experts: Transfer technology from labs to farms Karnal, December 8 After two days of deliberations, the experts have said that the only way to increase productivity and prevent food shortage in the light of growing population was to take the latest technology to farmers. Most recommendations have emerged from research and brain- storming during the symposium on “Application of Bio-Nano Technology in Agriculture and Animal Sciences for Food Security” at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) here. Recommending an inter-disciplinary approach in transfer of technology from labs to the farms, Dr MM Panday, Deputy Director- General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), listed 26 areas where nano-biotechnology could help make inroads. He said 450 scientists had been identified across the country who would be trained in a batch of 20 each. Already, 150 scientists had been trained in different areas of nano-technology through ICAR projects. Though the IAUA had asked the VCs to make detailed recommendations later, a broad consensus at the convention strongly recommended agriculture as a subject in the school syllabi with nano-biotechnology forming part of undergraduate and post- graduate programmes in agricultural and mainstream universities. This was the only way towards capacity-building and generating required human resources in the country, it was felt. Further, it was suggested that premier bodies like the UGC, AICTE and ICAR took up bio-nanotechnology research and teaching on priority. The nanotechnology should be fully used also for drug delivery, especially of veterinary medicines, and research should be intensified in areas of nano-vaccine and nano-fertilisers, the convention suggested. Earlier, delivering the valedictory address at the closing session, Prof Ved Parkash, Vice-Chairmen, UGC, stressed that each centre of learning should be a centre of excellence. The developed technologies needed be disseminated at a faster pace among the rural communities so as to enhance agricultural production and bring rural prosperity
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Rape in moving car: Court convicts lone arrested accused
New Delhi, December 8 Additional Sessions Judge Neeraj Kumar Gupta held Ajit Singh Katiyar - who worked as a driver with a call centre in Noida - guilty under various sections of the IPC, dealing with abduction, rape and criminal intimidation. The victim - who hails from Mizoram - was abducted at around 2.15 a.m. on May 8, 2005. She and a friend were walking back home after buying food from a roadside eatery. The prosecution had said that the girl had been raped by four persons in a moving car near Dhaula Kuan in South Delhi and later dumped her near a gurdwara in the area. The victim’s friend had managed to escape. The police could arrest only one of the accused. The other three - Danda, Jat and Tappe - have been evading arrest and were declared proclaimed offenders during the trial. Katiyar was arrested five days after the incident. The victim later identified him in a test identification parade conducted inside Tihar Jail. Yesterday, the court had deferred its verdict for today. Earlier, too, the court had deferred pronouncement of verdict. The prosecution examined around thirtyone witnesses during the course of the four-year trial. Accused’s counsel Manoj Sharma said that that he was not satisfied with the verdict and claimed that the police did not produce credible evidence against his client. "I will challenge the judgment in the Delhi High Court. It appears that there is something wrong," he said.
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Mumbai, December 8 The trio, identified as Premsingh Savitri, Srinivas Poryar and Tulsidas Bhanushali, were arrested yesterday and produced today before Panvel Judical Magistrate, First Class, who remanded them in police custody till December 17. While Premsingh was held in Panvel, Srinivas and Tulsidas were arrested from Vashi in Navi Mumbai and Ghatkopar in northeast Mumbai. The accused have been arrested under Section 24(1)(a) of Atomic Energy Act. Possessing such material without a licence from the Union Government is in contravention of Atomic Energy Act, which prescribes punishment of five years or fine or both. — PTI
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Karkare’s missing jacket: FIR lodged
Mumbai, December 8 The FIR was filed by the Inspector-in-charge of the JJ Road police station under which the jurisdiction of JJ Hospital falls. Karkare and other senior police officers who were shot by the terrorists on the road near Rang Bhavan and Cama Hospital were taken to JJ Hospital where they were
declared dead. Police sources said doctors and staff at JJ Hospital would be questioned as part of the probe to trace the jacket. On Monday, Metropolitan Magistrate RK Malabade hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by one Santosh Daundkar ordered the Senior Inspector of the JJ Road police station to file an FIR and probe the matter. The police has been asked to submit a report to the court by January 30.
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Govt: Bapu’s image on Montblanc nibs wrong New Delhi, December 8 A day after Supreme Court sought the response of Montblanc and the government over the pens priced at around Rs 12 lakh, Minister of State for Consumer Affair KV Thomas informed the Lok Sabha that it violates the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. “Yes,” he said, replying to a question by Congress MPs BB Patil, Eknath M Gaekwad and Madhu Yaskhi whether the luxury pen, watch and fragrance maker violated Indian laws by using the name of Mahatma Gandhi for sale of their pen. Thomas informed that the Department of Consumer Affairs had received a notice from the Kerala HC on October 29 with a copy of petition filed by Dijo Kappen of Kottayam-based Centre for Consumer Education. “The Chief Secretary of Gujarat has been requested to investigate the matter” under the Act, he said. Gujarat has been told to investigate the case because one of the respondents in the petition - Entrack International Trading, a sole distributor of Montblanc’s pens in the country, is located in Rajkot, he noted. — PTI
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