New Delhi, February 12
The BJP has condemned the offer of Union Home Minister P. Chidambram to Kashmiri militants who have crossed over and are now in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) to return to India and linking with the Indian offer to Pakistan to resume secretary-level talks, the BJP is taking it up as a campaign issue against the Manmohan Singh government.

BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said here today, “This is legitimising infiltration of terrorists.” He said these youths crossed over to POK on the instigation of Pakistani jehadis to wage a war on India. They have been at the beck and call of jehadis,” he said.

Apprehending that India was working under pressure, the BJP spokesman also saw a connection between the jehadis’ conference in POK reiterating for freeing Kashmir from India. The next day the conference shifted to Lahore and also addressed by JuD chief Hafiz Sayeed “The next day Chidambram made this offer,” Prasad pointed out.

He also recalled the statement of Union Defence Minister AK Antony who said acts of terrorism from across the border would not make any difference to the progress of talks with Pakistan. He wondered who would stand guarantee to the fact that these youth would not return to terrorism after reentering India.

But the official statement apart, the BJP sees in it a sinister design under the US pressure to somehow pursue negotiations with Pakistan, which is insistent only on securing some concessions from India on Kashmir issue.

BJP Rajya Sabha leader Arun Jaitley was more forthcoming and felt that the Prime Minister is determined to on Kashmir and Pakistan issue, obviously influenced by the USA. He therefore demanded that India would not barter away any portion of Kashmir in the process.

According to Jaitely US administration perceives Pakistan as a valuable ally and there again it looks at the Punjabi-Army establishment as most dependable. The US does not rely on this week and temporary current setup and no one knows how long these people (Zardari government) will remain in power. In such a situation even if the Indian government were to strike some understanding with this government who will guarantee its longevity with the fear of Punjabi-Army establishment returning to power yet again,” he wondered.

He ridiculed the Indian MEA premise that since war is no option talking is an option and in the event of yet another 26/11-type attack, India could again break the talks. “Not talking itself is an option,” Jaitely said.

New Delhi, February 12
The BJP plans to sanitise its headquarters 11, Ashoka Road of the constant presence of the media. As per plans, the party is contemplating constructing a “comfortable media lounge” in the vicinity of the party headquarters “Where all of you can sit and chat and smoke, without someone peering down your shoulder,” said a senior BJP leader virtually confirming the reports. 

BJP insiders recall that BJP president Nitin Gadkari felt disconcerted when he assumed charge and saw mediapersons, particularly the crew of several TV channels, hanging perpetually around the party headquarters. He even asked some people in his office how come the media was there anytime of day he visited the party office. Under the plan, the media lounge may be situated in the vicinity of 11, Ashoka Road. At the moment there are two houses on either side adjoining the party office, allotted to party leaders. One 9, Ashoka Road allotted to Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley, functions variously as the old men’s home for retired pracharaks and veteran single BJP leaders like Kailashpati Mishra and JP Mathur (now dead) and several others like them. 

Apart from having separate independent quarters for Jaitley, (for Jaitley does not reside there) the main portion of the bungalow also serves as an extension of the party office. Therefore, the whole purpose of sanitising the party from journalists would be defeated if they were to be lounged at 9, Ashoka Road. Whereas 11A, Ashoka Road, allotted to former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari is lying almost vacant. But no final decision has been taken on the exact location of such a lounge.

All the same, the idea is to keep the media at an arm’s distance. Under the proposed plan the existing wicket gates between the main BJP office and its adjoining bungalows would be manned by sanitary guards authorised to prevent the entry of all unwanted persons. There is also a precedent. As Parliamentary Affairs Minister of the NDA government Pramod Mahajan got a room for the media in the Parliament House and blocked journalists’ entry to the MPs’ canteen in the Parliament where earlier mediapersons used to frequently interact with the MPs. Now only a handful of journalists with Central Hall passes have access to the MPs.

New Delhi, February 12
Threat from terrorist groups, particularly the Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has forced India to ask Nepal to permit sky marshals on board Indian flights to the Himalayan nation, sources said today.

The sources said the request was made following inputs from intelligence agencies that Pakistan-based terror outfits were planning to hijack an Indian carrier to and from SAARC countries.

The request was formally conveyed to Kathmandu late last month and Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Nepal is believed to have sought the opinion of his Cabinet on the proposal. The Nepal government is also understood to have intensified security arrangements at the Tirubhavan International Airport in Kathmandu following tips from India about the possibility of a hijack.

There is a powerful section in Nepal which is opposed to New Delhi’s proposal, arguing that allowing India deploy sky marshals could have a lasting impact on issues related to nationalism.

Meanwhile, on the eve of Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav’s visit to India next week, the Union Cabinet yesterday cleared an enhanced air services agreement between the two countries.

The February 15-18 visit by Yadav would be his first to any foreign country after becoming the President in July 2008. During the visit, the two countries are likely to sign a number of MOUs, particularly in the infrastructure and human resource development sectors.

It is also understood that India has resumed the supply of non-lethal arms to Nepal. India had stopped military supplies to Nepal in 2005 following the February 1 coup by the then king Gyanendra. But the actual reduction in military assistance had begun in 2001 when the Maoist insurgency intensified.

New Delhi, February 12
With some states, including Punjab, acting difficult with the Centre on the “Model Bill to Regulate and Control the Development of Groundwater”, aimed at conserving groundwater, the government is now working out a way to ensure parallel control over groundwater that is in a critical state in several parts of the country.

Sources say the Ministry of Water Resources is working on a Bill to transfer water from the state list to the concurrent list so that it has more say in how groundwater is utilised by the states. “Since water is a state subject, the Centre has no control over groundwater. Till water is shifted to the concurrent list, the states will continue to use it as they want,” they say. While it may be a long process via the Planning Commission, the Cabinet and finally the Parliament, however, when shifted to concurrent list, the Centre will have more than 60 per cent say in decisions related to groundwater.

The fact is Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan are overusing their groundwater reserves, making them the most overexploited states in the country. After he took over as the Minister of Water Resources, Pawan Bansal also said over-exploitation of groundwater and its depleting levels in Punjab and Haryana was a matter of concern. Bansal said over-exploitation of groundwater, causing lowering of groundwater table and deterioration of water quality in some areas primarily due to unsustainable development required serious and immediate action.

The MoWR had drafted the 'Model Bill to Regulate and Control the Development of Groundwater' and circulated it to the states in 1970. The Bill was re-circulated in 1992, 1996 and 2005 to the states to enable them to enact suitable legislation on the lines of model Bill. A majority of the states agreed to the Bill that proposes setting up of a groundwater authority, having powers to enter any government or private property and survey wells and groundwater resources. Punjab, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Nagaland rejected the model Bill. Punjab is understood to have said the Bill was too harsh on users and was not in larger interest of farmers.

Assessments of groundwater resources carried out by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the states have repeatedly shown alarming results. A majority of replenishable groundwater resource assessment units falling under the overexploited category are located in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. After Delhi, Punjab happens to the most overexploited state in the country as far as groundwater resources go with 75 per cent of its blocks assessed falling under the overexploited zone, followed by Rajasthan and Haryana. Delhi with a majority of its nine districts classified under the overexploited category tops the dubious list.

In fact out of the 5723 units in the country, as many as 839 are categorised as over-exploited and are located largely in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharshtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal and West Bengal. In overexploited blocks, a significant decline in long-term water-level trend is seen in either pre-monsoon or post-monsoon period, or both. In critical blocks, there is significant decline in long-term water level in both pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period. 

New Delhi, February 12
Social Justice Minister Mukul Wasnik asked all state chief ministers and central ministries to make buildings within their purview accessible to the disabled within 2010-2011 in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

In separate letters to chief ministers and his Cabinet colleagues, Wasnik drew their attention to the Article 9 of the convention that details the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) with regard to “accessibility”. The clause emphasises that such persons should have access - on an equal basis with others - to buildings, including schools, housing, medical facilities, workplaces and other indoor facilities, roads, transportation and other outdoor facilities. — TNS

New Delhi, February 12
Defence Minister AK Antony on Wednesday said private sector would be allowed to play an increasingly greater role in the modernisation of the Armed forces.

Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry on the subject ‘Ordnance Factories’, Antony said Defence Public Sector Undertakings alone would not be able to meet all requirements of the Armed forces at the pace and time frame envisaged by the government.

Antony, however, ruled out corporatisation of the Defence Arms Industry saying, “Minus corporatisation, we will give more room to the private sector.” Appreciating the role of Ordnance Factories over the years, Antony said these units have been by and large successful in establishing indigenous production facilities for a variety of defence equipments. These include production of T-72, T-90 and Arjun Tanks, armoured personnel carriers, mine-protected and bullet-proof vehicles, artillery guns, naval guns, night vision devices and fire control systems for armoured vehicles, small arms and many varieties of ammunition.

Replying to concerns expressed by several members about corruption in the Defence procurement, Antony said the Ministry has taken strict action against all such aberrations and would continue to do so. The Ordnance Factory Board comprises 39 Ordnance Factories. Two new factories are coming up at Nalanda in Bihar and Korwa in Uttar Pradesh for production of artillery ammunition and carbines, respectively.

In the year 2008-09, the total turnover of Ordnance Factories was Rs 7,229 crore. It is expected to increase to Rs 8,720 crore during current financial year.

New Delhi, February 12
Yale may not yet be interested in an India campus but it seems keen to replicate the education collaboration model it runs in China. In a recent letter to Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal, the university president, also said to be the leader of America’s higher education, Richard Lewin said he would be interested in working with the Ministry of HRD to develop an India-Yale University Leadership Program for the leaders of India’s educational institutions.

Lewin hopes to formalise a mechanism for the said programme before he visits India later this year. For the record, his letter to Sibal dated January 22, makes no mention of a Yale campus for India - something the university president had ruled out earlier when he was here last year to attend the FICCI higher education summit. The Yale chief has actually offered India what he earlier offered China. “Our experience in China has highlighted that Yale is particularly well suited to building the leadership capacity of educational institutions by exposing educational leaders to the best practices at Yale in a range of areas like curriculum development, faculty development and academic planning. For more than five years we have conducted programs at Yale and in China to expose educational leaders to the practices and conventions of America’s higher education,” Lewin wrote, taking pride in the fact that some of the reforms like liberal arts education, research ethos and faculty development that China has undertaken in recent years started in discussions in New Haven.

New Delhi, February 12
“This is an appeal by a helpless widow, who has become a prey to the greed of her own elder brother-in-law and is deprived of her properties in a fraudulent manner.”

This is the opening sentence of a Supreme Court judgment in a case filed by an illiterate, issueless woman, described by the court as a person who lost her husband “in the prime of youth” and “had nobody to look forward to” after that. She is from Kotia village in Mahendragarh tehsil and district of Haryana. After she lost her husband in 1985, her brother-in-law obtained her thumb impression on three, four papers and took her to Mahendragarh for mutation of her husband’s property (36 kanals and seven marlas of land in Kotia village) in her name. But he got the property transferred to his own name in just one day.

“We are fully convinced that this was nothing but a towering fraud played upon an illiterate and helpless widow,” a Bench comprising Justices VS Sirpurkar and Surinder Singh Nijjar ruled in the February 8 verdict. While the trial court had declared the mutation as “fraud” and cancelled it, the district court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ruled otherwise. The apex court Bench pointed out that the appellate courts had ignored the basic fact: “The plaint was filed on that day, written statement was also filed on the same day, the evidence of the plaintiffs and the defendant (appellant herein) was also recorded on the same day and the judgment was also made ready, along with a decree, on the same day.”

The SC said this by itself was sufficient to raise serious doubts in the mind of the courts. “One wonders as to when was the suit filed and when did the court issue summons and how is it that on the same day the written statement was also ready, duly drafted by the other side lawyer.” “Instead of drawing correct inferences, the appellate court went on to record the impossible findings… To say that we are surprised would be an understatement. To support this perverse finding, the appellate court went on to record the findings regarding the caveat and the statement of the appellant recorded in those proceedings(?)…

“Very unfortunately, all this has escaped the notice of the High Court, which passed a very casual judgment without being bothered about these glaring facts. We are of the firm opinion that a whole suit No. 253 of 1985, decree passed thereupon on 26.3.1985 and the subsequent caveat proceedings were nothing but a systematic fraud. There cannot be a better example of a fraudulent decree. We are anguished to see the attitude of the court, which passed the decree on the basis of a plaint and a written statement which were filed on the same day. We are also surprised at the observations made by the appellate court that such circumstance could not, by itself, prove the fraudulent nature of the decree.” The apex court set aside the judgment of the High Court as well as of the district court and restored the judgment of the trial court.

New Delhi, February 12
The recent Bt Brinjal controversy, which resulted in a bitter divide between scientists and environmental experts, has lent greater urgency to the Centre’s long pending proposal to set up an independent biotech regulatory authority to provide an effective clearance mechanism for all biotech products - ranging from agriculture produce to drugs.

Although a committee for agri-biotech, headed by renowned scientist MS Swaminathan, had suggested constitution of such a body five years ago, a miffed Biotechnology Department has decided to pursue the matter with greater rigour after the manner in which scientific studies on Bt Brinjal were dismissed by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. He deferred its introduction in view of large-scale public opposition and lack of scientific consensus. A Bill providing for such an independent authority with statutory powers and having facilities for conducting scientific tests has been sent for inter-ministerial consultations. The department is now working overtime to push it through so that it can be introduced in the upcoming Budget session.

Sources said once a regulator was in place, it would be considered the last word on all biotech innovations but its hands are tied in the absence of such authority.

All these matters are presently under the purview of the Genetic Engineering Approvals Committee (GEAC), set under the Environment Protection Act, which is authorised to grant approval for trials and environmental release of genetically modified agriculture products. However, in case of Bt Brinjal, the GEAC decided to refer the matter to the government for a final decision because of its implications.

While the Biotechnology Department is fuming at Jairam Ramesh for raising doubts about the GEAC process, his Cabinet colleagues are equally miffed at over his virtual rejection of 10 years of research by scientists. Several minister also raised questions over his decision to conduct public hearing on the issue. “Is it possible to conduct a serious discussion in such a place. The whole exercise was hijacked by NGOs and activists,” remarked a senior UPA minister.

Taking up cudgels for scientists, the ministers said their voice was not heard during these consultations. “A few scientists who wanted to speak were shouted down by activists...these hearings are nothing but a photo-op for Jairam,” said another minister. However, the Biotechnology Department is on the defensive after Swaminathan had recently endorsed the decision to stay the introduction of Bt Brinjal in the absence of adequate tests and public consensus. Calling for a thorough analysis of the benefits and risks of Bt Brinjal, he said a long-term gain should not be at the cost of short-term sustainable food security.

New Delhi, February 12
In the fierce nationwide debate that preceded the Environment Ministry’s decision to defer the introduction of Bt Brinjal in the interest of consensus, Health Ministry remained curiously silent. It was not as visible as was expected to be though it remained opposed to the GM crop introduction till a health study warranted otherwise.

But it never ordered such a study, with the officials telling The Tribune that setting food safety standards was the job of the food safety authority.

Enquiries reveal that the Health Ministry was hoping the risk analysis study of Bt Brinjal would be done by the recently constituted Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA), an autonomous body meant to ensure wholesome food for human consumption in India. A senior health ministry official told TNS: “The FSSA is an autonomous body. It is supposed to set food standards, not we. We have opposed Bt Brinjal in the absence of suitable health studies.”

It now turns out that the Authority, notified two years ago under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, doesn’t even have an opinion on GM foods yet; nor does it have the capacity to test Bt Brinjal’s effects on human health.

“We are yet to develop this capacity. Though we have constituted a scientific panel on GM foods, it doesn’t have the legal binding as the relevant provisions of the Act are yet to be notified. We are finalising the rules and regulations needed to give effect to the food safety law. So right now we can’t do any risk analysis of Bt Brinjal,” Chief Executive Officer of FSSA V.N. Gaur said.

The FSSA even conveyed to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment that it didn’t have a view on Bt Brinjal as it didn’t have any process whereby to formulate a scientific opinion. “We told the GEAC that the notification process of the sections under the food safety law was underway. It is after the Authority becomes functional that we will take a view on Bt Brinjal,” Gaur said.

The Authority has framed the draft rules and regulations and invited public responses to them. Officials say it would become functional in three months. With the environment minister Jairam Ramesh deferring the decision on Bt Brinjal, the FSSA will have some time at its disposal to take a view on an issue that has the country in panic. As for the health ministry, it has clarified that setting food standards is FSSA’s job.

The FSSA, for its part, was notified only on September 5, 2008 and got its staff from the health ministry early last year. So far, it doesn’t have the labs for testing and will need time before conducting complex scientific testing of GM crops. Till then, India must wait for an official health impact assessment study of Bt Brinjal, which has a foreign gene (Crylac) inserted to make pest-resistant.

New Delhi, February 12
Announcing a major shift in its existing policy for producing cutting equipment for the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will finally open its proverbial “iron-cast” doors for the private sector. It will now partner the private sector in the manufacturing of weapons, systems and vehicles.

The ministry has decided to co-fund R&D of projects with the private sector to build key and cutting edge equipment for the forces.

This will be a major policy shift -first of its kind since Independence. Firstly, this will reduce dependence on costly imports. Secondly it will reduce dependence on the Defence Research And Development Organisation (DRDO). Thirdly, it aims at reducing wide-swath of the bureaucratic red tape in procurement of weapons and will speed up acquisitions to match the fast-paced military development in China.

Secretary (Defence Production) RK Singh announced the forthcoming change today.

The government will be funding about 80 per cent of the project and the rest will be borne by the industry. He also clarified that Indian companies that have joint ventures with foreign firms will also be allowed to participate. At present, foreign companies are allowed to have 26 per cent stake in Indian companies. “Since the Indian partner will have a controlling stake in the company, we see no harm,” he said. This will mean that the Indian companies will be responsible for bringing in the cutting technology possessed by their foreign partners. At present, the transfer of such technologies gets marred in diplomatic do’s and don’t’s. Major projects like the indigenous fighters, tanks and artillery guns are running way behind schedule while India imports some 65 per cent of its needs.

The formula will work like this: The Forces will submit their requirements and the ministry will float tender inviting private players to bid. The ministry will select 2-3 players and set a time frame. Once it is done, 60 per cent of orders will be placed with the company that manages to develop it in the best possible way. The rest will be for the second company. This is aimed at curbing monopoly.India’s defence budget is expected to touch $100 billion in 10 years.

Conversely, it will mean that DRDO will now be free to focus on projects like Agni nuclear missile or technology that cannot be developed by the private sector.

RK Singh also informed that the ministry would announce a new defence production policy in two months. This is being finalised in consultation with the private industry.

New Delhi, February 12
In a reprieve to Dr KK Talwar, the PGI Chandigarh’s Council, today approved the two-year extension earlier granted to him as director of the prestigious tertiary care medical set up in North India.

Ratifying the June 2009 order of the Centre granting a two-year extension to Talwar as PGI director, the institute’s governing council that met in the Capital today said the approval was subject to the outcome of a petition in the case pending in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh.

Talwar has of late been embroiled in a legal battle with Dr RK Yadav of Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Medical College, Rohtak, who had challenged the former’s extension order. In his petition filed on July 1, last, Yadav alleged that the Centre had “illegally” granted extension to Talwar before he could attain the age of superannuation at 62 years.

Talwar was given a five-year term as PGI director in 2004 and was to continue for five years or until the attainment of 62 years, whichever was earlier. Slamming the order of appointment and extension of the PGI director as “in complete violation of rules”, Yadav stated that Talwar has been granted two years of extension without issuing any fresh advertisement for the post.

Jaipur, February 12
Six children suffering from thalassaemia have reportedly contracted HIV during blood transfusion at Ummaid Hospital in Jodhpur.

According to sources, one of these children, Piyush from Niwai in Tonk district, lost his life on January 18 after allegedly contracting HIV during blood transfusion, while five other cases were reported in Jodhpur. The deceased’s kin rued that Piyush contracted HIV during blood transfusion as the blood was not tested properly for HIV. Experts say that there could be many more cases of HIV contraction in the state. The incubation or the window period required for detection of HIV in blood takes 12 weeks under the current system prescribed by the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO). Even the latest technology of HIV detection takes at least seven days.

In Rajasthan, Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital is the only institution where Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) facility is available. NAT is a biochemical technique used to detect a virus or a bacterium. These tests were developed to shorten window period, a time when a patient has been infected and when they show up as positive by antibody tests. Now, those working with thalassaemia-affected children are demanding that NAT facility should be made mandatory in blood banks. Naresh Bhatia, president of the Thalassaemia Children Society, Jaipur, said, “NAT can reduce the risk of thalassaemic kids acquiring HIV infection. We have urged the state government to make NAT mandatory, at least for the blood being given to thalassaemic children who need regular blood transfusion.”

There have also been reports that thalassaemia-affected children are contracting Hepatitis-C too after blood transfusion. According to various thalassaemia societies working in the state, 60 out of 300 children registered in Jaipur have tested positive for Hepatitis-C, while the number is 30 out of 96 children registered in Jodhpur. Bhatia said they regularly screen children registered with their society and a number of Hepatitis-C cases have come to the fore among thalassaemic children.

Meanwhile, the Medical and Health Department has constituted a three-member committee headed by the Rajasthan State Aids Control Society Director Dr RND Purohit to investigate into the matter and submit its report within seven days. Dr Leela Vyas from SMS Hospital, Jaipur, and Dr Arvind Mathur from SN Medical College, Jodhpur, are the other two members of the committee. The CMO and Principal Secretary (Health) GS Sandhu have also sought a factual report on the status of ‘affected children’ from the superintendent of Ummaid Hospital, Jodhpur.

Mumbai, February 12
After suffering a major setback in its efforts to disrupt the screening of Shah Rukh Khan's film ‘My Name is Khan’, the Shiv Sena has threatened to further intensify its agitation from tomorrow. “Wait and see what we do tomorrow,” party's Rajya Sabha MP and editor of mouthpiece Saamna told reporters today.

Across Mumbai, activists of the Shiv Sena were on the roads forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters as part of an impromptu bandh. Party officials refused to confirm if a bandh would be organised on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray has claimed victory. “Our protests against Shah Rukh Khan's film have been successful. The government had to use brute force to screen the movie," Thackeray has been quoted as saying. Police sources say security at the theatres and multiplexes screening MNIK would continue till further notice.

Virtually conceding that his party was whittling down its agitation against Shah Rukh Khan and his latest film My Name is Khan, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today said: “Those who want to see the film could do so”. “Let cinema theatre owners who love Khan's love for Pakistan show the film.... and let those who like pro-Pak elements (Khan), see the film,” Thackeray said in a statement here tonight. He claimed the agitation against MNIK was successful, saying “Whatever Shiv sainiks had to do, they did”. “The Sena agitation was not against the film but was against the love for Pakistan which SRK showed and his insulting of India,” Thackeray said in an apparent to the actor's favouring inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in IPL competition. “We stood up against Khan because of patriotism. If patriotism is an offence in this country, Shiv Sainiks will commit the offence again and again,” the Sena chief said after a meeting of top Sena leaders at Matoshree, his house in suburban Bandra. Accusing Chief Minister Ashok Chavan of siding with Khan during the ongoing row, Thackeray said: “The whole world saw how desperate and hapless the CM has become for one Khan”. Thousands of Shiv sainiks were arrested during the agitation, Thackeray said. 

Patna, February 12
Shaken by two days of violent protests by students against their alleged exploitation at the hands of thousands of private coaching institutes that have come up in the state capital, the state government has taken a decision to rein in the errant ones through a new legislation. The proposed legislation, said to be the first of its kind, would be initiated during the forthcoming Budget session of the State Assembly.

Principal Secretary, Human Resources Development Department, Anjani Kumar Singh said once passed by the state legislature, the new law would be enforced strictly by the state government to prevent exploitation of students at the hands of private tuition centres. Anjani Kumar Singh, along with the District Magistrate of Patna, held a meeting with representatives of the warring students and owners of coaching institutes on Wednesday to ascertain their views and grievances that could be addressed through the proposed legislation.

Around 35 representatives of various coaching institutes and 20 from various student unions attended the meeting. The meeting noted that there was no regulatory authority to monitor the opening or functioning of private coaching institutes. As a matter of fact, the state administration did not even have any data on the number of such coaching centres operating in Patna, but unofficial estimates put the number beyond 1,000.

Notably, officials of the HRD Department had visited states like Maharashtra and Rajasthan sometime back at the behest of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to find out the modalities for regulating private coaching institutes. But they did not find any such regulatory norms either in Pune or Kota, Bihar’s Principal Secretary for the HRD said. But now the state government was firm to formulate a policy for regulating coaching institutes. The proposed legislation, according to Minister for HRD Hari Narayan Singh, would not only regulate enrolment at such institutes but also decide the fee structure and the “quality and quantity” of faculty members in proportion to the students enrolled. It would also define provisions of punishment for violating the norms, the minister said.

The coaching institutes under the new law would have to furnish details about their infrastructure, qualification of teachers with documentary proof and the number of students enrolled at the time of registration itself. The registration would be given after proper inspection of their claims. The state government would set up a separate cell to monitor the functioning of private coaching institutes. There would be a separate cell to redress complaints of students enrolled there, the minister said.

Guwahati, February 12
The general secretary of Naga rebel group, the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), Thuingaleng Muivah, will come to India during April this year to hold the next round of crucial peace talks with the Government of India.

Union Home Secretary GK Pillai, who was here to attend the 58th council meeting of regional planning body the North Eastern Council (NEC), informed the media that the Centre would soon appoint an interlocutor for the next round of talks with the NSCN-IM expected to be held in April after its leader Muivah arrived in the country.

The next round of talks will be crucial given that all rival Naga rebel groups - the NSCN-IM, the NSCN-K and the NNC (federal) - are now under pressure from the Naga civil society to bury the hatchet and work towards finding a lasting solution.

Kolkata, February 12
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today lashed out at the UPA for mishandling the Telengana issue that aggravated the Darjeeling problems.

Instead of looking into the Telengana issue rationally, the Centre suddenly announced the decision of granting a separate statehood to Telengana for gaining the political interests, which led to create new problems for several states, Bhattacharjee alleged. He said it seemed the UPA’s basic policy was to divide the states into several small states and their present stand on Telengana was encouraging several separatist groups for launching agitations in several states.

The CM was addressing a public meeting at Siliguri today evening. He reiterated that a separate Gorkhaland in Darjeeling would never be granted. He advised the GJM leader Bimal Gurung to come to the negotiating table with the alternative demand, which would serve the larger interests of the hill people as well as the state. Bhattacharjee said they were ready to grant more power and autonomy to the Gorkha Hill Council, but the granting of a separate statehood to Gorkhaland was next to impossible.

The CM said Chidambaram was in the city two days ago and they had detailed talks over the Darjeeling issue. 

Kolkata, February 12
The Railways and the HRD Ministry will jointly set up high-grade schools, colleges, IITs and other educational institutions in different cities all over the country. Accordingly, an MoU will soon be signed between the Railways and the HRD Ministry, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced .

She was inaugurating a computerised reservation centre in the Gariahat areas in her South Calcutta constituency. She said she had detailed talks with HDR Minister Kapil Sibal on the proposal and they had decided to set up several new schools, colleges and IITs on the Railways’ vacant land. The Railways will provide lands while the HRD Ministry will set up infrastructure and other amenities.

Our idea is to provide better educational facilities to the country’s youths, the minister added.

Crucial national assets located close to the coastline on the eastern sea front will get added security to prevent attempts of any sea-borne attacks by militant groups. Coast guard stations - having armed patrol ships and choppers - will come up in close proximity to Sriharikota, the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin and Gopalpur-on-sea.

At Sriharikota lies India’s prowess in space. The Satish Dhawan Space Centre is located here and the communication satellites are launched into space not just for India but for other friendly countries also. A coast guard station will be located near the gas-rich KG Basin. It is from here that trillions of cubic meters of gas is to power India’s electricity production over the next few decades. The gas is also needed for production in fertiliser and steel sectors besides domestic and industrial consumption. Both Sriharikota and the KG basin are in Andhra Pradesh. India has made millions of dollars of investment at both these places. Gopalpur-on-sea located in Orissa is vital as the guided missile centre. In any case, no ship or boat is allowed within 500 metres of these crucial assets or the shoreline itself. “Rather, Coast guard ships shoo away any ships or boats kilometers out at sea,” says Inspector-General A. Rajasekar, Commander, Coast Guard region (East). The Coast Guard has also sought permission from the Ministry of Defence to take 20 twin-engined choppers on lease from international helicopter manufacturers to ramp up its capability.

Apart from this, the coast guard is setting up air stations at Bhubaneshwar and Vishakhapatnam. These will have dorniers for maritime reconnaissance. At present, the Coast guard has air stations in Chennai and Kolkatta from where daily sorties are made. The new air stations will plug gap in air patrolling. The eastern region of the coast guard stretches from West Bengal to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Rajasekar, while speaking to a group of mediapersons on board a ship “Sarang” while sailing off the coast of Chennai, said the Coast Guard has been involved in a number of activities like intensifying patrolling with the help of advanced off-shore patrol vessels.

“The government has sanctioned ships and aircraft for the modernisation of the Coast Guard. Hopefully, by 2012 we plan to have about 100 ships and 100 aircraft,” Rajasekar said. A total of 37 radar-fitted lighthouses are coming up in the future. The Coast Guard also displayed its prowess in precision firing using choppers and dorniers.

Chennai, February 12
Expressing love by exchanging fragrant roses will be more costly this Valentine's Day as the prices of roses have sharply increased due to the growing demand in world market.

The price of a bloom which was Rs 20 last year will be Rs 40 this year since the market depends only on Hosur, the rose hub in Tamil Nadu. The cultivation area in Pune, which is another major cultivator of roses, had been washed away by floods in November and the orders for cultivators in Hosur had increased. The cultivators expect to export about 30 million roses, despite a sharp dip in export orders from Europe. As Valentines Day falls on Sunday this year, export orders from Europe have reduced sharply from about one million to almost nil.

Most of the Europeans rigidly follow the principle that Sunday is for leisure, recreation and rest. So, they will not have an opportunity to see each and exchange roses this year, an official of Tanflora, the country's largest cut rose exporter, said. However, the increase of orders from Middle East and South East Asian countries had been more than compensated by the growing demand from the Middle East and the South East Asian countries.

Roses of world class quality are cultivated in about 100 villages in Hosur, in Dharmapuri, a district in north-west of Tamil Nadu. What was a wasteland a decade ago, is filled with beautiful roses now. The area is about 2800 above sea level and farmers depended only on rain fed crops before taking to roses. One of the varieties, named Taj Mahal, to symbolise love, is famous in world market. Besides, Taj Mahal which is dark red in colour, there are many varieties, including Gold Strike, Discovery, Red Giant, Red Carvette, Apricot, Duett and Tinike which are highly esteemed.

More than 250 government-aided and about 50 private greenhouse cut flower production units are functioning at Hosur and the surrounding areas. Farmers here follow the latest technology and had taken to dip irrigation, since the area is dry. They said rose cultivation has become a cottage industry in the region and more and more farmers are switching to it every year, as it is more beneficial than other crops. The state government provides 50 per cent subsidy to farmers for growing them in a “polyhouse” structure, costs more than Rs 6 lakh. Another 300 poly house units would come up in the next three years, they said.

Export orders from Europe are also expected to pick after the end of snow fall season. Next Valentine's Day is most likely to be rosy for Hosur farmers, when orders are certain to be flooded from European countries.

Chennai, January 12
The Tamil Nadu government will consult the Centre before taking a decision on premature release of Nalini, a life convict in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

This was revealed by state Advocate General PS Raman, in the Madras High Court on Wednesday, before a division Bench comprising Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Justice M Paul Vasanthakumar, who were hearing an appeal filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy challenging a single judge’s order directing reconstitution of the board to consider Nalini’s plea. The counsel also informed the court that the state government was yet to receive the report of the advisory board formed to consider the issue. The case was adjourned to February 19. Members of the board on January 20 had met Nalini and held a discussion on the issue. The board also heard the pleas of two other convicts in the case, Jayakumar and Robert Payas, seeking premature release. 

Nalini was arrested on June 14, 1991, and was sentenced to death, along with 25 others, by a special court here on January 28, 1998. Her death sentence was commuted to life by the Governor, following her clemency petition and a public statement issued by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi met her at the Vellore women’s prison on March 19, 2008.

Her request for release after 17 years in jail was rejected by an advisory board on October 31, 2007.