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No probe into Games before Oct 15: Centre
Pawar under fire over rotting grain
‘Star war’ breaks out in Andhra Pradesh
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Hospital commandant sacked for graft
US says it’s monitoring military aid to Pak
SC no to Manu’s review petition in Jessica case
BJP joins J&K all-party meet PM sets up expert group for jobs in J&K
CPM will have no
alliance with Cong: Karat
N-E ultras call for I-Day boycott
Alert in M’rashtra as HINI hits rural areas
Oil spill has stopped, says Ramesh
Arunachal insists on airstrip at Tawang
AFT to set up circuit benches for servicemen
Oil spill has stopped, says Ramesh
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No probe into Games before Oct 15: Centre
New Delhi, August 10
Defending the government and disgraced Congress MP and chairman CWG Organising Committee (OC) Suresh Kalmadi (he was absent from Lok Sabha today) who faces serious charges of irregularities in this respect, Union Sports Minister MS Gill today said conduct of the event was the Centre’s top priority and probes into alleged corruption could be considered after October 15 when the event had wrapped up. “We are not going anywhere. We are here even after October 15. We’ll give the answers at that time. Until then, please shift the searchlights on sportspersons who have been awaiting the Games,” Gill told the Lok Sabha as agitated BJP and JDU members led by Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj walked out of the House, riled up after Gill, while referring to alleged corruption in stadia construction, said MPs could seek greater details under the RTI Act. “Sports Minister is suggesting that the RTI is greater than the Parliament,” Swaraj said walking out, after JDU Chief Sharad Yadav had asked Gill to “furnish specific answers to why Kalmadi was not being proceeded against despite evidence of his irregularities in the Queen’s Baton Rally in London”. The Opposition was equally dissatisfied with the minister’s references in respect of crores being spent on to renovate the stadia. The Government countered the charge saying the stadia were in fact new as the old ones had given way since 1982 when the Asian Games were held. Assuring the House of its readiness to host CWGs, Gill defended the cost escalation in stadia from Rs 1300 crore in 2903 crore, saying London’s Olympic Stadium had cost Rs 4296 crore. On corruption, Gill sufficed to say that the government had nothing to hide. Earlier he referred to the Centre’s limited role in CWGs, saying that while Asian Games were held under a unified command of Buta Singh, the CWG Organisation was three dimensional. “Centre is to only provide back up,” Gill said, reminiscing the CWG agreement of 2003 which says the Centre would build the stadia and facilitate the Games by relaxing taxes on import of equipment while the CWG Organising Committee (which was registered on February 10, 2005) would have full responsibility of staging the show. Delhi Government was also to play its part. “Profits if any are to be shared between the Indian Olympic Association which nominated all OC members and CWG Federation. We won’t get anything,” Gill said, adding that the 13 stadia which the Centre was to construct were ready and world-class which is why they cost more. He proposed to take the agitated MPs for a virtual tour of the stadia, saying TVs, for TRPs, were portraying an incorrect picture of preparedness levels. The Minister wound up amid sharp reactions by SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav and amid almost-vacant Opposition
benches.
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Pawar under fire over rotting grain
New Delhi, August 10
Pawar said the government would have an aggressive programme on warehousing in the next two or three years to create storage capacity required and reduce covered and plinth storage. He said the government may give the infrastructure status to warehouses to lure the private sector. His ministry was in consultation with the Finance Ministry to give infrastructure status to warehouses and Nabard to provide funds. A final decision is likely in four or five days By his own admission, as on July 1 in 2010-11, the FCI had non-issuable stocks of 11,708 tonnes while state agencies in Punjab and Haryana about 54,260 tonnes and 1,574 tonnes of non-issuable wheat stock, respectively. However, the figures did not stop Pawar from actively defended the FCI, who Venkaiah Naidu of the BJP had earlier referred to as “white elephant”. Pawar said the procurement agency had increased the storage capacity from 227 lakh tonnes to 274 lakh tonnes in the past two years and in turn blamed states like Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh for high taxation on foodgrain and adding to the FCI’s woes. He said the FCI had to make the maximum procurement because private parties were not interested in procurement due to high taxation on foodgrain in mandis by some governments. Pawar said Punjab and Andhra Pradesh had imposed 12.5 per cent tax while in Haryana it was 10.5 per cent. It was 9 per cent in UP and 8.5 per cent in Chhattisgarh. Earlier, lashing out at the government for the “glaring lapse”, Naidu said: "The government has miserably failed in its duty to supplement storage capacity”. He said the anguished Supreme Court had recently observed that excess foodgrains could well be used to feed the hungry rather than allowing it to rot. Referring to the apex court's observation that families above poverty lines (APL) should be kept out of PDS, Pawar said he did not agree with it, especially with demand for universalisation of the PDS. On this point, the BJP was in agreement. Naidu said PDS facilities should not be taken away from APL families. Pawar said the government would reply to the court in a day or two and put forward the government policy. FCI not lifting paddy: SAD SAD member Naresh Gujral said thousands of tonnes of paddy was lying with shellers in Punjab which the FCI had refused to pick up. He urged the government to either procure this paddy or permit its export. Gujral also pointed that in the 11th Plan period, only Rs 138 crore had been provided for creation of additional storage facilities whereas Rs 1,25,000 crore was required to add modern silos for 40 million tonnes as was recommended by eminent agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan. He urged the government to expeditiously offer fiscal incentives, including infrastructure status and tax-free income, for this sector.
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‘Star war’ breaks out in Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad, August 10 As in their movies, the feuding stars are faithful to the scripts dictated by their proxy political mentors. While the embattled Congress leadership appears to be using Chiranjeevi’s shoulders to fire at the rebel MP and CM-aspirant YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the star couple has entered the battlefield to defend the young MP. Facing an open revolt by Jagan camp and a prospect of a split in the party, the Congress leadership has found a new weapon in Chiranjeevi to neutralise the enemy within. The megastar of Telugu cinema readily agreed to play ball. After assuring that his party would bail out the government in the event of a crisis, Chiranjeevi fired his first salvo at Jagan, questioning the means of his amassing huge wealth in a short span of time. Without naming him directly, the actor said a “political heir” has earned thousands of crores in a matter of five years and wondered how it was possible for anyone to do it legally. “Even Ambanis would not have been able to amass so much of wealth in such a short period. If it can be done legally and through fair means, let the secret be made public so that people at large can benefit,” the actor said during his road show in coastal Andhra. The timing of his potshots assumes significance as the Congress is desperately looking for ways to counter Jagan whose unabashed display of chief ministerial ambition is causing ripples in the ruling party. The state congress finds itself vertically divided into pro-Jagan and anti-Jagan camps, triggering speculation that the restless MP may soon break away from the party and float his own outfit. Defying the party’s diktat, he had carried out his controversial “Odarpu Yatra” (Consolation Tour) in several parts of the state, drawing huge crowds. Known in film circles as Chiranjeevi’s bête noir, actor Rajasekhar and his actor-director wife Jeevitha sprung to the defence of Jagan and lashed out at Praja Rajyam Party chief, saying he had no moral right to talk about corruption. The couple had joined Congress just before the 2009 general elections and is said to be loyal to former Chief Minister late YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s family. In a strident attack on Chiranjeevi, they alleged that he had pocketed over Rs 200 crore by selling party tickets in the last elections. “He is trying to exploit the political vacuum created by YSR’s death by creating a rift in the Congress and projecting himself as the only alternative to rule the state,” the actor couple said. They said that it was strange that a person who had vowed to fight Congress tooth and nail should have a change of heart within such a short span of time. “Whatever differences exist in Congress are an internal matter which will be sorted out by the party leadership, but Chiranjeevi is only trying to take advantage of the situation with an eye on CM’s chair,” they said.
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Hospital commandant sacked for graft Chandigarh, August 10 The GCM, presided over by Maj Gen T.K. Das, Chief Signal Officer Western Command, held Brig Anil Kyastha guilty on four of the six charges levelled against him under Sections 52 (f) and 63 of the Army Act for intent to defraud and acts prejudicial to good order and military discipline. The trial, ordered by the General Officer Commanding 11 Corps, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali, began at Ferozepur on April 29 and concluded this evening. The verdict is subject to confirmation by the higher authorities. Brigadier Kayastha was alleged to have purchased medical supplies worth more than Rs 9 crore from unregistered dealers during November 2006 and January 2008, with intent to defraud. As per rules, medicines are to be procured through local purchase only from registered dealers selected by a board of officers. According to sources, when board proceedings containing names of 60 dealers was put up to him for approval, he allegedly asked the board’s head to include the names of 20 more dealers. He is also alleged to have cancelled, with intent to defraud, the rate inquiries prepared by the officer in charge of the hospital’s medical store to be issued to vendors for procurement. The defence had contended that charges were fabricated and based upon anonymous complaints sent to suit the vested interests of certain individuals. Further, there were serious contradictions in the depositions of prosecution witnesses. Following complaints received by the Army regarding the procurement of medical supplies at the hospital, a court of inquiry was convened into investigating the matter. Presided by the then General Officer Commanding 7 Infantry Division, Maj Gen T.S. Gill, the COI found large-scale irregularities in the hospital.
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IAF ferries 200 tonnes material to Leh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 10 As part of the ongoing rescue and relief operations, the IAF has undertaken 28 special sorties from Chandigarh to Leh, ferrying in 200 tonnes of material for the local populace affected by last week’s devastating cloudburst. IL-76 and AN-32 have airlifted folding bridges, bulldozers and JCBs besides food, medicines, clothing, tents, and mattresses. Dedicated sorties were also undertaken to airlift BSNL teams and equipment weighing about 70 tonnes, for restoring the communication facilities at Leh. Four ventilators were also airlifted for a field operation theatre being run by PGIMER, Chandigarh. AN-32s also undertook sorties from Leh to Udhampur and Srinagar to transport 14 bodies. About eight tonnes of relief material was also airlifted by two AN-32s from Sirsa. Support services, including administration, air traffic control, meteorology and signals have been made available for smooth conduct of relief operations. Apart from clearing a number of landslides, the Border Roads Organisation is engaged in restoring traffic on NH-1D at various segments. Two Bailey bridges have been laid to restore vehicular movement on the Leh-Khalsi roads, parts of which were washed away in the flash floods. Two more such bridges are expected to be ready in the next few days. Meanwhile, Leh-Igo and Rumtse-Manali roads have opened through BRO efforts. Two other diversions at damaged bridge sites at Pathar Sahib have also been undertaken. The Army has also deployed its helicopters to airlift dry and fresh ration, including medicines to Phyang and Nimu. About 100 villagers of Hanoyogma continue to be provided food and shelter by the Army. About 150 foreigners stranded at Lama Yuru were provided assistance by the Army. The Army had suffered seven fatal and 41 non-fatal casualties with three JCOs and 25 other ranks reported missing till date.
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US says it’s monitoring military aid to Pak
New Delhi, August 10 “We have heard the concerns of our Indian friends and we are mindful of those concerns as we decide, as we take steps to support the equipping of Pakistan for the current counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism purposes,” US Under-Secretary Michele Flournoy told reporters when pointed out that Pakistan has invariably misused the military hardware procured from the West in the name of fighting insurgency against India. The US official was winding up a two-day trip to New Delhi during which she met Defence Minister A.K. Antony, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar. Admitting that the issue of arms supplies to Pakistan had figured during her meetings with her Indian interlocutors, she said Washington had always held frank discussions with Pakistan about the purposes and application of the military equipment supplied to Islamabad. “We are clearly observing how the equipment is actually used. We have choices in what we choose to provide, and not provide as well,” she said. Flournoy is the fourth top US dignitary to visit New Delhi in recent days as the two countries finalise arrangements for the high-profile visit by President Obama to add a new dimension to the growing ties between the two nations. US Special Envoy on Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, National Security Advisor James Jones and the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, had visited India just last month. Defence Minister AK Antony is scheduled to visit Washington next month.
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SC no to Manu’s review petition in Jessica case
New Delhi, August 10 A Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and Swatanter Kumar said it was not inclined to reviewing its judgment as it did not find any “merit” in the plea. It also rejected a similar plea by Amardeep Singh Gill, alias Tony Gill, who was an MNC executive. He and Vikas Yadav, the son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician DP Yadav, have been sentenced to four years in prison for destruction of evidence. The SC had confirmed the life sentence of Manu, ruling that the evidence, witnesses’ statements and convict’s “conduct after the incident prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt”. In the 230-page verdict, the apex court had observed that the Delhi High Court “has analysed all the evidence and arrived at the correct conclusion in the murder case. The 34-year-old model was shot dead at a socialite party in a South Delhi restaurant. Manu, who had surrendered in a Chandigarh court on May 6, 1999, had been acquitted by the trial court on February 21, 2006, along with the other eight accused. The HC, however, set aside the verdict and announced life term to Manu.
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BJP joins J&K all-party meet
New Delhi, August 10 Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj confirmed that J&K BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas and veteran BJP leader from the state Chaman Lal Gupta would be going to 7, Race Course Road. She said, “We were opposed to becoming a part of Omar’s all-party meeting because we are not in agreement with the Chief Minister’s views. We told as much to Farooq Abdullah when he approached us. We told him that whatever we had to say we have already conveyed to the Prime Minister when we met him with our J&K MLAs.” Sushma said, “We had no problems attending an all-party meeting at the Prime Minister or the Home Minister’s invitation. Today, Chidambram came and requested me to attend this meeting. Then we asked Chaman Lal Gupta and our J&K president to take the afternoon flight and come to attend the Prime Minister’s meeting,” Sushma explained. She made a fine distinction between the rest of the legislators accompanying the J&K Chief Minister and the BJP delegation, saying, "We decided that the BJP can participate at the meeting not as part of the all-party delegation led by Omar Abdullah but as invitees of the Prime Minister." Leaving nothing to chance, Chidambarama himself called up Gupta and asked him to come along with Shamsher Singh. Incidentally, Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP too is staying away from this meeting, according to sources.
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PM sets up expert group for jobs in J&K New Delhi, August 10 Emphasising that the only way forward in Jammu and Kashmir is “peace and reconciliation”, the PM promised speedier economic and infrastructure development and reached out to the youth, who have been at the forefront of the protests. "I recognise that the key to the problem is a political solution that addresses the alienation and emotional needs of the people,” he told an all-party delegation from Jammu and Kashmir, adding that this could only achieved through a “sustained internal and external dialogue” on all issues within the bounds of democratic processes. The meeting began with a two-minute silence to pray for those who have died in the state. The “reference to internal and external dialogue” in the PM’s statement was being seen as a message both to the separatists in Kashmir and to Pakistan that the UPA government was willing to discuss the Kashmir tangle in an effort to find “a permanent and just settlement for all outstanding issues.” With a large number of young people joining the violent protests in the Valley, a matter of great concern for the Centre, the PM emphasised that all efforts would be made to meet their hopes and aspirations. “I feel the pain and alienation of the youngsters protesting on the streets. I appeal to the youth in J&K to go back to their schools and colleges. We must ask ourselves if our children do not study, what future they'll have," said the PM, urging all political parties to activate their youth wings. Admitting that the fruits of the economic development had not percolated down, the PM constituted an expert group, which would formulate a job plan for the state, involving the private and public sector. The committee, which is to submit its report in three months, is headed by former RBI Governor Dr C Rangarajan and includes Infosys mentor NR Narayanmurthy, Tarun Das, P.Nanda Kumar, Shaqueel Qalandar and a representative of the state government. Speaking in Urdu, the PM hinted at reviewing and amending the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). He said he understood the prevailing public sentiment on the issue, adding that eventually the J&K police has to take on the law and order duties for which they do not require special powers. “We will help to accelerate the process of strengthening and expanding the J&K police, so that they can function independently within the shortest possible time,” he said. While promising all help and support to the state in mitigating tensions, the PM urged political parties to reconnect with the people, listen to their voices and gain their trust. The PM’s statement reflects the Centre’s concern that with political parties retreating in the face of local anger and violent protests, separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani were filling the vacuum. It was in this connection that he called for early elections to local bodies in J&K, which the PM said, would increase peoples’ participation in governance.
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CPM will have no
alliance with Cong: Karat
Hyderabad, August 10 "There is no debate on that. We will have no alliance or united front with the Congress," the party general-secretary Prakash Karat said at the coastal Andhra city of
Vijayawada. He was talking to reporters at the end of a four-day extended central committee meeting of the
CPI(M), where strategies for the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala dominated the proceedings. The Marxist leader stoutly defended his party’s decision to withdraw support to the UPA government in 2008 on the Indo-US nuclear deal issue. Pointing out that the decision was “necessary”, Karat said, "The extended central committee has endorsed the stand taken by the politburo and the central committee. In fact, the ECC felt that may be we should have withdrawn the support earlier than letting India go to the International Atomic Energy Agency." Asked whether he agreed that the timing of the withdrawal of the support was wrong, he said, "The question is not about the timing. We should have done it at a time when we could have stopped the nuclear deal. But, at that point, we wanted time for withdrawal of support and prepare for the Lok Sabha elections." The Vijayawada meeting examined the review report on the move and fully endorsed the stand taken by the party.
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N-E ultras call for I-Day boycott
Guwahati, August 10 In an appeal e-mailed to the media here, the outlawed body has called for a general strike from 1-30 a.m. to 6-30 p.m. on August 15 while asking the people to stay away from the celebrations. The banned Revolutionary People Front
(RPF), a resistance group of Manipur, which is fighting ‘Indian occupation of Manipur from 15 October 1949’ has also announced a general strike on the Independence Day. Meanwhile, doves in the ULFA who are awaiting the beginning of peace negotiation with the Government of India have called upon the belligerent section of leaders in the outfit led by self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Barua to exercise restraint to give peace a chance. In the wake of spurt in violence in the state in the run-up to Independence Day, the ULFA’s central publicity secretary, Mithinga
Daimary, who is out on bail, has appealed to “all responsible leaders of the outfit functioning from different places to exhibit goodwill and foresightedness and show respect to people’s sentiments in favour of a lasting negotiated solution to the insurgency
problem”. Daimary is one of top leaders of the outfit, including its chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa, showing interest to hold negotiation despite the opposition from the fugitive commander-in-chief Paresh
Barua.
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Alert in M’rashtra as HINI hits rural areas
Mumbai, August 10 Notably, the spread of the H1N1 virus stalled after spreading in epidemic proportions last year before reviving in May last, according to the influenza control cell of the Maharashtra health department. “The virus is spreading in the rural areas as the people there did not develop immunity during the outbreak last year,” says Pradeep Awate, who heads the cell. So far, 51 persons have died of H1N1 infection this year in Maharashtra, the largest number in any state. Of these, 15 died in rural Maharashtra last week alone, according to health officials. Around 400 people are undergoing treatment for swine flu in different parts of Maharashtra. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) has warned that infection rate from the H1N1 virus is higher this year. Unlike last year when 15 to 25 per cent of the people who came in contact with the virus got infected, the figure is 40 per cent this time round. The Maharashtra government has now made it mandatory for health workers to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus as a precautionary measure.
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Oil spill has stopped, says Ramesh
New Delhi, August 10 Making a suo moto statement in the Rajya Sabha, Ramesh said, “I would like to assure the honourable members of this august House that the oil leak has stopped completely. There are about 200 containers, which are still floating over the sea but no fresh spillage has been reported by the Indian Coast Guard overseeing the clean up operation.” He informed the House that while it was expected that the containers would have been removed by today but Coast Guard had informed him that the waters would be totally clear only by Sunday. He added that the clean-up operation will take at least 45 days. The minister made the statement a day after a concerned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought a report over oil spill off Mumbai sea coast from the Ministry of Shipping and other agencies involved in the cleaning up of the thick layer of spillage, which has spread up to five nautical miles.
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Arunachal insists on airstrip at Tawang
Guwahati, August 10 As the international norm insists on the construction of an airport at least 70 km away from the actual line of control between two countries, Tawang doesn’t fit in as it is located within 10 km from the frontier with China. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu’s spokesman Jambey Tsering today informed over phone from Itanagar that since there was no objection from any quarter, the Centre should reconsider.
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AFT to set up circuit benches for servicemen
New Delhi, August 10
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Replying to a Calling Attention Motion in the Rajya Sabha on rotting of foodgrains due to lack of proper storage facilities that had members berating the government for inadequacies in food storage system, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar promised that the Centre would invest in building capacity and encourage the private sector and state governments to spend on warehousing. He said the news of foodgrain rotting did not give me pleasure.