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GoM meets, final report on Monday
BJP to move motion in Lok Sabha
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Do not drag my father into row, says Ranga Rao
Finally, Manipur Nagas lift blockade
La Marts bans corporal punishment
Pacheco case judge pulls out
Rs 6,000-cr outlay for J&K cleared
DGCA’s stricter norms for foreign pilots
Rajya Sabha Poll
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GoM meets, final report on Monday
New Delhi, June 18 After the first meeting of the reconstituted GoM that was mandated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give its report in 10 days, Home Minister P Chidambaram, who heads the GoM, told reporters that the Group was proceeding in the right direction and was determined address all issues, including relief, rehabilitation and remediation by Sunday. “We are looking at them separately and then we will take a comprehensive view,” he said, adding that they were now looking into the number of people affected, number of claims that were accepted and claims categorised as death and injury cases. He said the GoM will meet in two sessions tomorrow and on Sunday. “On Monday, we should be able to finalise the recommendations. We will give our best and most sympathetic consideration to all these people who have suffered as a result of this tragedy,” Chidambaram said. The GoM was announced in the wake of a raging controversy over the light punishment given to Bhopal case accused by a local court and several questions being raised over the exit of the then Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson. Union Ministers M Veerappa Moily (Law), Ghulam Nabi Azad (Health), Kamal Nath (Surface Transport), MK Alagiri (Chemicals), Kumari Selja (Tourism), S Jaipal Reddy (Urban Development), Prithviraj Chavan (Science and Technology) and Jairam Ramesh (Environment). Madhya Pradesh Minister Babulal Gaur also attended the meeting as special invitee. At the meeting today, the GoM identified the areas which require in-depth consideration in the wake of the mandate given by the Prime Minister to look into relief, rehabilitation, remediation and all options available to the government after the judgement of the trial court on June 7. “Tomorrow, we will look at legal and health issues, remediation issues and all other issues that arise out of the judgement of the trial court,” he said. Chidambaram said he would not be in a position to share any details about the conclusion till the report is submitted to the Prime Minister. — PTI
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BJP to move motion in Lok Sabha
Bhopal, June 18
“On the opening day of session of Parliament, the BJP will move a motion in the Lok Sabha under rule 184 (which entails voting) to demand scrapping of 1989 agreement for providing compensation to the victims, extradition of Anderson to India for trial and increasing compensation for the gas victims as per the latest death figure,” she said. Swaraj told reporters that the BJP would also demand a new agreement for payment of compensation. She said the motion would be defeated as the Congress would not back it, but this would not deter the BJP in its fight for the gas victims. She said Anderson could not have left India without the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s consent. “The actions of that time speak louder than any proof that Rajiv Gandhi had himself asked the then Madhya Pradesh CM Arjun Singh to allow Anderson to leave the country,” she said on the sidelines of a three-hour dharna by her party leaders to highlight the issue. — PTI
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Do not drag my father into row, says Ranga Rao
Hyderabad, June 18 Refusing to go into the details of the circumstances that led to the exit of Anderson from the country, Rao, who has served as the state education minister in the early 1990s, said “It is not fair on our part to talk all that now as we had no knowledge about the background.” He, however, asserted that his father would not have done anything that was detrimental to the interests of the country. The late PM’s son said the ongoing blame game was ‘unfortunate’. “The focus should be on providing relief to the victims which is a gigantic task”, he said. His comments came in the backdrop of former foreign secretary MK Rasgotra’s revelation that PV Narasimha Rao, who was then the Union Home Minister, had taken the decision on providing safe passage to Anderson. Rasgotra had said the then Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi was not consulted before releasing Anderson but was informed subsequently.
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Finally, Manipur Nagas lift blockade
Guwahati, June 18 The decision was taken in a joint meeting of Naga Ho Ho (apex civil society body in Nagaland), Nagaland-based Naga Students Federation (NSF), Manipur-based UNC and ANSAM held at Kohima (in Nagaland ) this afternoon. The decision came even as the Centre is sending additional companies of paramilitary forces to Manipur to ensure movement of vehicles along the NH 39 portion in Manipur from tomorrow. Earlier, on June 15, the NSF also temporarily withdrew blockade of the NH 39 portion within Nagaland after being persuaded by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The arterial highway connects bordering Manipur to Assam Valley via Nagaland. The blockade has triggered unprecedented shortage of food, medicines, fuels and other commodities in Manipur causing immense hardship to people. The ANSAM said it had agreed to lift the blockade temporarily to abide by the request of the PM conveyed through the NSF, but vowed to continue agitations in others form till fulfillment of aspirations of Naga people. The joint meeting in Kohima today endorsed the UNC’s decision not to recognise the ‘imposed’ district council elections in Naga areas of Manipur and sever all ties with the Manipur Government. ULFA men ready to talk CM Top leaders of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), who are either in jail or out on bail, have sent feelers to Assam CM Tarun Gogoi expressing their willingness to hold negotiations, but the state government wants more senior ULFA leaders, now at large, to come forward before starting the process.
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La Marts bans corporal punishment
Kolkata, June 18 “No child will be subjected to physical punishment and mental torture and whoever contravenes such provisions, shall be construed a major violator of rules and if found guilty, shall be liable for disciplinary action,” the school’s board of governors said in a notification. Board member Lt Gen (retd) JR Mukherjee said under the service rules, which has been amended with immediate effect, violators would attract halt to increment, promotion and even removal and suspension. The school authorities decided to form a committee for students to file complaints and counselling for them shortly. Principal of the 150-year-old school, Sunirmal Chakravarthy, has refused to link it with the suicide and said he was ready to face consequences. —
PTI
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Pacheco case judge pulls out
Panaji, June 18 Pacheco, who resigned on June 5 from the state cabinet in wake of allegations about his involvement in the death of 28-year-old Nadia Torrado, had moved the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a Sessions Court in Margao. The plea, in which the absconding NCP leader claimed the allegations against him were politically motivated, was fixed for hearing today but Judge Nelson Britto recused himself from the case when it came up before him this morning. However, no reason was given. In the anticipatory bail petition, the 46-year-old lawmaker claimed that if he is arrested by the police, he would be subjected to “third degree” torture and will be “harassed” so as to extract confession. —
PTI
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Rs 6,000-cr outlay for J&K cleared
New Delhi, June 18 The plan outlay for the last fiscal year was Rs 5,500 crore. While appreciating efforts to develop 690 MW of power generation capacity, Ahluwalia asked the state government to exploit hydro-electric potential, as “it holds the key to state’s economic growth and for generating resources to fund its development schemes.” Besides wind power, Ahluwalia said the state needs to promote other non-conventional sources of energy, including solar and bio-mass. On transmission and distribution losses, Abdullah said: “This is something we are working on. We are trying to put in place a turnaround plan with the help of the power ministry. We are trying to bring it down to acceptable level.” The state, he pointed out, was losing about Rs 2,000 crore annually because of transmission and distribution losses. Abdullah further said the state government would create an investment-friendly environment and maintain fiscal discipline to make the process of development more sustainable. — PTI
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DGCA’s stricter norms for foreign pilots
New Delhi, June 18 Tightening the rules for allowing foreign pilots to operate in India after the May 22 Mangalore air crash that claimed 158 lives, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) now wants them to get fitness certificates from Indian doctors apart from the ones which they may get from abroad. Earlier, medical certificates from foreign countries were accepted by the DGCA, but the new draft rule now makes it mandatory for them to get their fitness certified by senior Indian doctors. Though proficiency in English was made essential for pilots flying on the Indian sky after the 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision, the draft rules make it clear that a pilot would be allowed to validate his license in India only if he or she was proficient in the language to ensure proper communication with the air traffic control. When a foreign pilot applies for validation of the Commercial Pilot’s License or the license to fly in India, the DGCA could also prescribe any test, including on English proficiency, which the applicant would have to undergo, official sources said. These are the new provisions being added to make the 1999 Civil Aviation Requirement or rules for foreign pilots’ operations more stringent, they said. Various aspects of these and other rules are being strengthened and upgraded by the DGCA on the basis of the recommendations and suggestions being made by aviation safety experts as well as the Air Safety Advisory Council, set up immediately after the Mangalore air crash, the sources added. — PTI
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Rajya Sabha Poll
New Delhi, June 18 “The party unit in Rajasthan is investigating the matter to find out why the two BJP votes were cancelled or rejected. Once the facts are ascertained action will be taken,” party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said. Several BJP MLAs were said to be opposed to the candidature of Ram Jethmalani from their party. With the polls being a close call due to a thin majority, BJP leadership had put up its MLAs in a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur. Though Jethmalani sailed through, the cancellation of votes of two MLAs has come as a surprise for the BJP top brass. Party sources said the situation was salvaged as three CPM MLAs abstained bringing down the majority mark. BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar has conveyed Gadkari’s decision to suspend these MLAs to the respective state units. — PTI
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(GoM) on Bhopal gas tragedy will finalise its report on Monday making its recommendations on relief, rehabilitation and remediation issues and legal options in the wake of the recent trial court judgement in the case.
Bhopal, June 18
