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China ties up with Ukraine to nullify India’s edge
MV Rak oil spill hits Mumbai coast
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CWG mess
MHA: Can’t allow free air travel to freedom fighters
PM should own up responsibility for scams: Karat
Now, law to nail adulterators
Greater Noida farmers oppose deal
PMO can’t be blamed for 2G mess: Montek
MiG-21s to be phased out: Minister
SP workers behind Etah triple murder, says UP minister
CAG effect: Rlys mulls fare revision
in higher classes
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China ties up with Ukraine to nullify India’s edge
New Delhi, August 7 Just two weeks ago, India signed a $4.1 billion deal with the US for the purchase of 10 heavy-lift aircraft - the C-17 Globemaster-III that can carry troops and equipment as varied as tanks, choppers and artillery guns in its belly to airdrop these. Indian intelligence and security agencies have informed the government that China, in partnership with Ukraine, has almost developed a plane to match India. Ukraine, a former USSR republic, has expertise in military aircraft. China has code-named it Y-20. Its carrying capacity will be a shade lower that the 77-tonne load-carrying capability of the C-17. However, it will be significantly higher than that the Soviet-origin IL-76’s capacity of 45 tonnes, the security agencies have informed in their report. The Chinese challenger to the Indian Air Force is expected to take to the skies early next year, around the time of the 18th meeting of the Chinese Communist Party. According to Indian estimates, China operates some 14 heavy lift IL-76 aircraft that includes the five that have been converted into Airborne Early Warning Systems (AWACS) - fitted with radars to pick out intruders. The Indian Air Force operates the IL-76 in the Himalayan region. The new acquisition of the strategic C-17 would have titled the balance in India’s favour. “But China’s new military plane will significantly improve its heavy airlift capacity, especially in the Tibetan Plateau region where it has five airfields, for quick deployment of troops and equipment,” said a senior functionary. Since the Chinese will be the co-producers, the move gives them an edge over India in terms of production capacity and technical knowhow. But India will have to either go back to the US or to Russia for the next lot of heavy-lift aircraft. China’s choice of partnering Ukraine has not surprised observers as the former USSR republic was a key aircraft hub. Till date, Ukraine services AN-32 transport planes for other countries and even produces the MI-17 choppers - another Soviet era machine that has seen several upgrades. In the past, Ukraine had sold a sea-borne aircraft carrier ‘Varyag’ to the Chinese who re-fitted it and re-named it ‘Shi Lang’. The ship underwent sea trials this year. Ukraine has separately won a $400 million contract from Indian Air Force to upgrade 105 AN-32 in its fleet.
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MV Rak oil spill hits Mumbai coast
Mumbai, August 7 “Since last night, oil has been observed leaking from the sunken vessel Rak Carrier at an approximate rate of 1.5 to 2 tonne per hour. The oil has spread about seven nautical miles around the vessel,” a Defence press release said. A Coast Guard ship Samudra Prahari used oil dispersant to neutralise the spilled oil. The operation ‘Paryavaran Suraksha’ has been launched by the Coast Guard. Another vessel ICGS Sankalp has also been pressed into service for augmenting the oil spill response, the release added. The 740-ft vessel was estimated to be carrying 325 tonne of fuel oil and 56 tonne of diesel, the Coast Guard said. Amid ecological concerns over the oil spill, the Maharashtra Government denied reports that the oil leak from the vessel had reached the city beach and maintained there is no threat to Mumbai coast. The government claimed that the spill on the Juhu coast is a localised phenomenon and not due to the RAK spill. “On physical inspection, it is revealed that there is furnace oil off the Juhu coast at certain locations...the oil content is about 1 to 2 mgs per litre which is negligible,” a press note released by the government said. The state government further said it had issued an advisory to fishermen not to venture in that area where RAK had sunk till August 15. “There is no imminent threat to Mumbai coast,” the release said. — PTI
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CWG mess
New Delhi, August 7 Sports Minister Ajay Maken suggested this as he insisted that nothing could be done about Kalmadi because he had been elected OC Chairman by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the UPA government was bound by the Host City Agreement (HCC) signed by the previous NDA government with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). Maken disagreed with the observations of the CAG that the decision to appoint Kalmadi as the OC Chairman facilitated conversion of the originally envisaged government-owned OC into a body outside government control. "There was a contract between the government of India and others and the Commonwealth Games Federation which mandated that the Games would be conducted by the OC set up by the IOA," he said, referring to the HCC of November 13, 2003. He noted that Mani Shankar Aiyar had written a letter to the PMO on October 23, 2007 and to the PM two days later. The then Sports Secretary SK Arora wrote a letter to PMO on the issue of OC.
— PTI
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MHA: Can’t allow free air travel to freedom fighters
Chandigarh, August 7 “At present there are 53,000 freedom fighters and eligible dependents drawing pension under the Central scheme. If concession of air travel is extended to freedom fighters and their spouses, it will cost huge additional financial burden on the public exchequer,” a letter, received by a Chandigarh lawyer from the ministry a few days ago, states. “In view of this, the MHA is not in favour of extending facility of free air travel to freedom fighters,” the letter adds. The letter was written in response to a query raised by the lawyer on the status of the implementation of the High Court’s directives on a PIL filed by him. The PIL had sought free air travel for freedom fighters on the lines of such facility being given to gallantry awardees and their widows. The letter says that the matter was considered by the government and freedom fighters are already entitled to free unlimited travel by rail with a companion, including travel in Rajdhani and “Shatabdi trains. The yearly expenditure on disbursement of pension under the Swatantra Sainik Samman Pension Scheme is about Rs 780 crore. Besides, an additional Rs 30 crore is spent on providing free rail passes to freedom fighters and their widows. In its order passed earlier this year, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Jaswant Singh had observed that the number of such freedom fighters would be extremely small and all of them would come in the age group of 80, which would make many of them unwilling to travel by air.
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PM should own up responsibility for scams: Karat
Kolkata, August 7 He said the present UPA government had surpassed the corruption records of all the previous governments, including the NDA, since the Independence. He said putting only one Raja or Kalmadi in the custody was not enough. After the CAG report, all important people in the government and the outside implicated in corruptions should be brought to book. He said Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit should also resign as she had no moral responsibility to be in the Chief Minister’s chair any more after her “involvement” in the CWG scam.
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New Delhi, August 7 The move forms part of the transition from the old system where eight sets of regulations governed varied food products to a new regime which provides a unified law to regulate the entire range of food products in the market. The Food Safety and Standards Act passed by Parliament in 2006 is in operation across India from August 5. The law took time to roll as standards for implementation were being developed. In its present form, the Act will for the first time cover nutraceuticals, the term used to describe food products with health benefits to people. All nutrition supplements, health and functional foods, which dieticians and fitness trainers routinely administer to people, will also be regulated and their safety mandated. The law also fixes, unlike in the past, the time limit for prosecutions after a complaint has been lodged with the food inspector. Trial has to begin within a year from the date of commission of offence. The provision assumes importance as one lakh food related cases are pending in courts. — PTI
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Greater Noida farmers oppose deal
Greater Noida, August 7 The farmers organised a meeting in Milak Lachhi village and passed a resolution to protest the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority's (GNIDA) compromise accord with 11 Patwari farmers. “Ninty per cent of Patwari farmers and 100 per cent farmers from other villages whose lands fall in Patwari are against this disgraced conspiracy called compromise," said Ranvir Nagar, convener of the Gramin Panchayat Morcha (GPM) and pradhan (village head) of Sadullapur. "The panchayat compiled the suggestions and demands of farmers and prepared a single charter of demands. It will be submitted to the authority officials and would be filed in the petition before the Allahabad High Court as a counter affidavit,” he said. GNIDA chairman Mohinder Singh announced at a press conference Saturday that the authority has agreed to pay an additional compensation of Rs.550 per square metre to the agitating farmers, over and above the Rs.850 per square metre paid so far. Farmers said the compensation was inadequate. "An enhancement of Rs.550 is not at all acceptable to us. Therefore, we have collected the charter of demands...we demand a minimum enhancement of Rs.1,200 per square metre, over the Rs.850 paid earlier. The 11 farmers who signed the deal had been bribed by the authority," GPM member Dushyant Nagar said. The authority also announced an increase in the size of the residential plots for farmers. — IANS
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How the Reddys ran Bellary mining business
Bangalore, August 7 Taking note of the illegal mining in Bellary and the deep nexus between officials and iron ore traders in the district, the Lokayukta said it was “mainly because of the fact that a cabinet minister (Janardhan Reddy) who is involved in mining has been made the minister in charge of the Bellary district”. According to Lokayukta’s report, after Janardhana Reddy took over as the “in charge minister” of Bellary district, the entire administrative system for governing mining was drastically changed. Reddy, according to the report, used government officials to force other mining companies to share their produce with him on the promise of providing the mining companies with all necessary permits and assuring them free and uninterrupted transportation of their material. The system was called “zero risk system”. The report noted that when companies or miners did not agree to cooperate and accede to the demand of Reddy or his followers, they were refused transport permits. Reddy, according to the report, also used his muscle power to trespass into the mines owned by others and compelled such companies to execute agreements favourable to him. “No officer would dare to question his acts. They supported his acts either for consideration or out of fear,” the report observed. According to the Lokayukta, though the government at Bangalore knew about all these irregularities, it did not take any action. This “may be on the ground that this minister (Reddy) and his followers are originally responsible for supporting and appointing the Chief Minister”, the report stated. The report revealed that Rs 4.79 crore in cheque was paid to “Sri GJ Reddy Sir” (Janardhana Reddy’s full name is Gali Janardhana Reddy) by two companies as protection money for carrying out illegal mining in Bellary. According to the report, “the rest of the money has been paid through cash”. The Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), run by Janardhana Reddy, his bother Karunakara Reddy (Karnataka Revenue Minister) and B Sreeramulu (Health Minister), have also came under the scanner in the Lokayukta’s report for realisation of export proceeds against a shipping bill through multiple banks. “This deviation is exploited by some exporters to park the export proceeds abroad. A case in point pertains to M/s OMC Private Limited with regard to their Shipping Bill Numbers 2863799, 2863798 and 8100617, respectively,” noted the report. The report also gave details of under invoicing, evasion of duties and taxes by the OMC and recommended removal of the two Reddys and Sreeramulu from the Cabinet on those grounds.
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PMO can’t be blamed for 2G mess: Montek
New Delhi, August 7 “I don't think that the Prime Minister should be behaving as the super minister, supervising everything that his colleague does...,” Ahluwalia told a news channel. He said this in response to a question on whether former Telecom Minister A Raja followed the Prime Minister’s advice to be cautious and transparent while giving licences and 2G Spectrum in 2007-08. On the letter written by the PM himself on November 2, 2007, asking Raja to exercise fairness and transparency in the spectrum allocation, he said the letter was written since it concerned the public. Ahluwalia clarified that the PM had been assured that policies were being followed and deviations, if any, had the approval of the Solicitor-General. “The PM is not micro managing every decision before it’s taken. So whilst I think 2G clearly became a problem, I don’t think it became a problem because it was mishandled at the PMO level,” he said. — PTI
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MiG-21s to be phased out: Minister
New Delhi, August 7 “The MiG-21s will get phased out by 2015-16. I think the last of the squadrons of the aircraft will be phased out by 2017,” Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju said here. Over the years, the IAF has inducted a total of 946 MiG-21s in its fleet and 476 of them have been lost in various accidents over the past 45 years. In a recent report, the ministry acknowledged that most of these accidents had occurred due to old technology. The minister said the MiG-21s “constitute the majority of our squadrons and they will gradually be replaced by the LCAs and the Su-30MKI.” Raju said after the phasing out of the “MiG-21s from operational service, the IAF will have the LCA, SU-30MKI, Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft and the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), which is being developed with Russia.” On 126 M-MRCA, Raju said a decision on the mega deal would be taken by the end of this year. He said at present the technical offsets were being evaluated after which the commercial bids would be opened and on their basis, the government would take a final decision about the contract. The IAF is looking to procure 126 M-MRCA jets for which Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon have been shortlisted. The competition also involved four others, including the Russian MiG 35, Swedish Saab Gripen and the American Boeing F/A-18 E/F and the Lockheed martin F-16 combat jets. — PTI
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SP workers behind Etah triple murder, says UP minister
Lucknow, August 7 “The SP workers are behind the triple murder, but fingers are raised against me...I am not going to resign,” Animal Chief Judicial Magistrate Buddhi Sagar Misra had yesterday ordered lodging of an FIR against Yadav, his two brothers Chandra Pratap Yadav and Amarpal Yadav and son Ranjeet Yadav besides 15 to 20 unidentified persons in the case. On June 10, Vijay Verma, his son Abhinav Verma and their gunner Santosh Yadav were killed in the Jaithra area of the district. One of Verma’s sons had alleged role of the minister in the case, however, he did not name them in the FIR filed in that connection. However, Anurodh Yadav, brother of the gunner, had moved the court for the same on which the CJM passed the orders yesterday. One of the minister’s brothers, Chandra Pratap Yadav, named by the court is also an MLC of the ruling BSP. — PTI
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CAG effect: Rlys mulls fare revision in higher classes New Delhi, August 7 Giving an indication to this effect, Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi told PTI that “whatever has been observed in the CAG report, it will be taken into consideration.” He, however, said “it (revision of fares) would be thought of without affecting the general class which is used by poor people whose affordability has to be taken into consideration.” The minister also made it clear "whatever the policy matter (increasing fares), as and when, it will be brought to Parliament first." Passenger fares in any class has not been revised for over eight years despite persistent demands from the Planning Commission and other quarters. Most recently, Railways' unions had favoured a revision of fares keeping the PSUs poor financial condition in mind. The CAG report on Railways for 2010-11 tabled in Parliament last Friday had suggested that "the way forward for railways to improve its finances is to rationalise both freight and passenger tariffs." — PTI
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Jantar Mantar
Noisy Houses confuse Kenyan delegation
Langur no good for Shinde’s ‘safety’
After Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde complained about the antics of marauding monkeys at his bungalow, the National Thermal Power Corporation
(NTPC), a PSU under his charge, swung into action and posted a langur at his residence to chase away the monkeys. But the packs of monkeys, which have virtually set up camp at Shinde’s house, proved to be far smarter. Not to be scared, they got together and instead beat up the
langur, inflicting him with severe injuries. This led to a prolonged spate between the owner of the langur and the NTPC officials as the former insisted that the PSU pay for the animal’s injuries. The PSU officials ticked him off, saying they had not insured the langur but had only hired him for a specific job. Scared that animal rights activists might jump into the fray, Shinde stepped in to resolve the issue and made sure that the injured animal was given proper treatment. |
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New Delhi, August 7
Cargo vessel MV Rak which sank off Mumbai three days ago is leaking oil and Coast Guard ships sprayed dispersants today to contain the oil spill which has spread to about seven nautical miles around the ship.
At the end of the three-day meeting of the Politburo and the CPM central committee in the city today, party general secretary Prakash Karat alleged Dr Manmohan Singh had a questionable role in 2G Spectrum allocation, KG Basin scam and other corrupt activities of the UPA government and hence, he being in the Prime Minister’s chair should take the entire responsibility of these irregularities.
A delegation from Kenya was witness to the ruckus in Parliament on the day the two Houses were adjourned following noisy protests by the Opposition parties. Shortly thereafter, a special talk was arranged for the visitors on the functions and rules of the Rajya Sabha since they had evinced particular interest in this subject because Kenya was planning to constitute an Upper House in their country in the coming months. Former CPM Rajya Sabha member Nilotpal
Basu, who was invited to speak to them on the subject, dwelt at length on the differences in the working of the two Houses.
Basu, who is normally never lost for words, was stumped when a perplexed Kenyan Parliamentarian cornered him later and asked him earnestly, “You just told us about the different roles played by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha but the chaotic scenes we witnessed in the two Houses were the same… where is the difference between the two.” Now this should certainly serve as a special calling attention motion for our very own parliamentarians.