The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Planning panel set to raise poverty norms
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 21
The Planning Commission is in the process of revising its controversial criterion for identifying people living below the poverty line (BPL). In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the Commission argued that consumption or expenditure of less than Rs 15 a day in the rural areas and Rs 19 in the urban areas was worked out on the basis of 2004-05 prices.

According to prices prevailing in June, 2011, said the affidavit, the same formula would have put the daily expenditure ceiling at Rs 26 in the rural areas and Rs 32 in the urban areas. Pointing out that this is the ‘per head expenditure’, the affidavit states that the monthly expenditure ceiling for a family of five would be Rs 3,905 in the rural areas and Rs 4,824 in the urban areas. Poverty estimation, it clarified, was done on the basis of consumption and not income.

The Commission clarified that it was estimating the poverty ratio every five years based on the large size sample survey on household consumption expenditure conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). The Rs 15 and Rs 19 norms were finalised on the basis of the 2004-05 estimates of the NSSO.

The NSSO had done another estimate in 2009-10 and the Commission was in the process of estimating the “revised poverty lines taking into account changes in the price level as per the Tendulkar methodology,” it said.

The affidavit was submitted in response to the court’s May 14, 2011 order, expressing the view that “it is impossible for an individual” to buy food containing 2,100 calories in urban areas and 2,400 calories in rural areas by spending such amounts.

A Bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma had then asked the Commission to revise the norms, which were based on the recommendations of the Prof Suresh Tendulkar Committee.

PM reaches Frankfurt on way to UN

Frankfurt, September 21
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here tonight en-route to New York where he will attend the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He will stay here overnight and will leave for New York tomorrow.

In a statement before leaving for Frankfurt en-route to New York, Singh had pressed for an early reform of the United Nations, particularly an expansion of the Security Council, noting it must be seen as an impartial, credible and effective world body.

Manmohan Singh also said efforts by India to promote international peace and security after it became a non-permanent member of the Security Council has enriched the policy making body’s effectiveness.

“The United Nations must be seen as an impartial, credible and effective body. I will stress the need for early reform of this unique organisation, particularly an expansion of its Security Council,” he said.

India is seeking a permanent berth in the Security Council. It became a non-permanent member of this body in January this year after a gap of 19 years.

The Prime Minister is attending the UNGA after a gap of two years. — PTI

Mini UAVs to assist troops in J&K
Vijay Mohan/TNS

Chandigarh, September 21
Troops on ground in Jammu and Kashmir will soon have their own “eyes in the sky”. The Army is procuring 20 miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to be deployed in the operationally sensitive Northern Command.

These UAVs, sources said, would be used for general surveillance along the Line of Control as well as in certain volatile areas in the hinterland. These would also be used during anti-terrorist operations for providing real-time intelligence and for detecting intrusions as well as for limited search and rescue.

Many armed forces the world over use mini UAVs for tactical purposes. These are man-portable systems that can be transported and operated by a crew of two and three. Though much smaller than the UAVs used for long range and high endurance reconnaissance, these nonetheless have emerged as indispensable force multipliers in combat situations where visual contact with the opponent is difficult, specially in rough terrain. Such systems are also being use extensively by the Allied forces in Afghanistan.

Several counties have designed and developed a range of mini UAVs. The Defence Research and Development Organisation also recently demonstrated its capability to produce a mini UAV, which has been christened Netra. Besides the Armed Forces, it has also been offered to the state police forces for security management and handling law and order situations.

The system being sought by the Army would be equipped with cameras and sensors having low light as well as night photography capability besides having the ability for simultaneous recording and transmitting imagery in real time. Also, it has the ability to operate in rough field conditions and combat environment, as the sound of its propulsion gear is not heard beyond about 50 metres and a runway is not required for its launch and recovery.

The Army’s requirement is that the system should have a minimum flying endurance of one hour and a service ceiling above 1000 metres with a radio-control range in excess of five kilometres.

NIA brings HC blast accused to Delhi

Jammu/New Delhi, Sept 21
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today brought all three accused -- arrested in connection with sending an email claiming responsibility for the High Court blast -- to Delhi where they are likely to be extensively questioned.

The three -- Shariq Ahmed, Abid Hussain and Amir Abbas Dev -- were brought to the Capital by an NIA team led by DIG Mukesh Singh and are likely to be produced before a magistrate for further remand.

The team was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Doda) Muneesh Singh of Jammu and Kashmir Police, who will be assisting the NIA in its probe, official sources said.

While Dev, shown arrested by the NIA on September 16, was remanded in police custody for seven days, the other two -- Shariq and Hussain -- were arrested on September 13 and have been sent to police custody for 10 days.

The three were taken on a transit remand after which they would be produced before a magistrate in Delhi during which the NIA would seek the court's permission for carrying out scientific tests on them and questioning them.

The probe had hit a roadblock when Dev retracted his earlier statement in which he had admitted to his role in the terror attack.

Dev has withdrawn his earlier “detailed statement” about his role in the blast, sources said, adding that the police was facing difficulty in corroborating his earlier statement as there were many loopholes.

The sources said Dev had now denied any connection with the blast. He was being questioned at length for his alleged role in sending an e-mail barely two hours after the September 7 blast.

Dev is accused of handing over the draft mail three days before the blast to two high school students. He had earlier told the investigators that an e-mail claiming responsibility on behalf of HuJI was sent on his directions, the sources said.

He is alleged to have drafted the mail and then handed it over to the two boys with the instruction that it was to be mailed to media houses immediately after they heard about the blasts in the Capital.

The two boys were the first to have been arrested by the police for sending the mail.

As sleuths were still struggling for a breakthrough, the sources said there was a possibility that the two could be part of a larger conspiracy behind the terror strike.

They have been booked under IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 134-A (attack on government servant on duty).

“We own responsibility of the blast at the High Court, Delhi. Our demand is that Afzal Guru’s death sentence should be repealed immediately as we would target major high courts and the Supreme Court of India,” the terror mail had said.

The NIA has announced a reward money from Rs 10 lakh for anybody giving information about the perpetrators of the blast. — PTI

BSP MP suspended for meeting Amar Singh
Shahira Naim/TNS

Lucknow, September 21
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today suspended sitting BSP MP Dhananjay Singh from the party for reportedly rendering support and meeting expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh in jail. She has asked party workers not to invite him for any party programme or meeting.

According to state BSP president Swami Prasad Maurya, the party chief had learnt through media reports that he had not only visited the ‘cash-for-vote’ scam accused while he was in judicial custody without the party’s permission, but also spoke to the media in his favour.

Describing Dhananjay’s action as a “serious matter”, Maurya said after meeting Amar Singh he spoke to the media “in favour of Amar Singh in a sub judice matter which can be construed as contempt of court as Dhananjay had tried to influence the court by his statement.”

The other complaint against the BSP MP, according to Maurya, is about neglecting his constituency and misuse of the MP development fund. “Instead of utilising the development fund for the welfare of the people of his constituency, he was spending it on his relatives. He has also tried to associate criminals with the BSP,” alleged Maurya.

However, Dhananjay described the visit to meet ailing Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh as a “courtesy call’ which should be viewed above the narrow party divides. “I have known him for a long time. Social etiquettes demanded the visit which was strictly in my personal capacity”, he told a local news channel in response to the news of his suspension.

Responding to the charge of his defending the cash-for-vote accused before the media, the Jaunpur MP maintained that all that he had told a waiting media was that Amar Singh was not a beneficiary of the cash-for-vote scam. So how could he be an accused?

Dismissing charges of his neglecting his constituency and misusing the MP development fund, he said he “knew his work and did not need lessons from those who openly asked for a cut”

Dhananjay, a Lucknow University student-turned-gangster, stepped into politics after he was elected MLA from Jaunpur in Rai constituency in 2002. The Jaunpur MP is a named conspirator under Section 120-B for killing former state Director-General (Family Welfare) Bacchi Lal in 2000. His father is a sitting BSP MLC.

Convict found hanging in Lucknow jail
Shahira Naim/TNS

Lucknow, September 21
A 40-year-old convict was found hanging inside a newly constructed jail last evening.

Jail authorities and the police claim that prima facie it seems to be a case of suicide. The victim, identified as Prem Kumar, of Bahelia village in Malihabad, was found hanging by a “gamcha” from a door leading to the staircase on the first floor of enclosure number 7.

The incident came to light at 3.30 pm yesterday when another jail inmate spotted Prem's body.

Tarapur gas leak: Three officials booked

Thane (Maha), September 21
The police has booked three officials of a chemical firm in connection with leakage of poisonous gas at the company's plant in the Tarapur Industrial Estate in Thane district, which resulted in the death of four workers.

The police said they had booked chief manager, production manager and plant supervisor of Sequential Scientific Limited for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance as well as machinery.

Four workers were killed, while three others were admitted to a hospital in a critical state following the leakage of hydrogen sulphide gas at the plant belonging to the company yesterday The workers who were killed in the incident were identified as Naresh Varma, Dinesh Singh, Shivkant Tiwari and Prajapati, who was a supervisor at the plant. Three others, admitted to a local hospital, are now out of danger, the police said.

Officials of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Department of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) are also conducting independent enquiries into the incident. — PTI

SC: Cabinet can decide on Majithia wage board case

New Delhi, September 21
The Supreme Court today said the Union Cabinet can take a decision on implementing the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board for journalists and non-journalists.

A Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma, however, clarified that the government's decision will be subject to the final outcome of the case filed by different media houses seeking to restrain it from implementing the recommendations of the wage board.

"The Cabinet can always consider the issue. No one is preventing you from taking a decision," the court said after it was mentioned that the Cabinet has not been able to take a decision because of the pendency of the case before the apex court.

The court observation came after senior advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for Employees' Unions made the submission.

The apex court had on July 18 asked the government to refrain from taking any decision on the implementation of the recommendations of the Wage Board for two weeks. — PTI

Centre adopts soft line on Maoists, makes fresh offer for dialogue
Tribune News Service & PTI

Kolkata, September 21
Reversing the Centre’s present hardline approach towards the Maoist problems, Home Minister P Chidambaran has made a fresh appeal to the Maoists asking them to shun violence and come to the negotiating table.

“We are not asking you to surrender your arms or give up your ideologies. What we want you to do is to stop violence and come forward for negotiation,” Chidambaran told the Maoists with a softening attitude while addressing a meeting organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce in the city today.

The Home Minister admitted that the Maoist problems would not be solved overnight. He, however, maintained that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is a greater challenge to the country than terrorism in terms of number of lives lost in violence. Chidambaram also said India is vulnerable to terror attacks as it is closest to the terror epicentre. "No country is free from terror. We are more vulnerable as we are closest to the epicentre of terror - Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said.

"In no other time has India faced multiple security challenges. We face infiltration in J&K, Maoist and Naxalite problems in central India, several insurgent and separatist groups in North-East and threat of terror from a number of groups," he said.

Meanwhile, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today warned the Maoists that the police would not sit idle and be a spectator to the Maoists activities of killing and violence. She was visibly aggrieved that when a peace process had started and the development works in the neglected tribal areas began, a section of the Maoists had re-launched their violent activities at Lalghar, Jangalmahal, Jhargram and other vulnerable areas.

She was reacting to yesterday’s incident of killing of Lalmohan Mahato (47), the TMC president, Sapdhara anchal, Jhargram by the Maoists. Mahato, a school teacher was brutally killed while he was returning home after a private tuition at a house in the neighourhood.

The Home Minister admitted that the government does not have enough funds for buying large quantities of modern and sophisticated weapons for dealing with the country’s vast law and order problems. But still the Home Ministry was helping the states with the supply of paramilitary forces and weapons as much as possible for handling the Maoists and other law and order problems.

Side by side, development programmes in these neglected areas had been undertaken by the respective states with the financial assistance from the Centre. He hoped the Maoists problems would be solved to a large extent with the completion of several major development works in these areas.

After returning from the earthquake- devasted Sikkim, Mamata held high-level meeting with the police and the senior officials and looked into the new spurt of the Maoists violence. She said the joint action force would remain in operation in these places as long as needed. She is likely to visit Jhargram and other Maoist-infested areas in West Midnapore tomorrow.

PC speak

Left Wing Extremism is a greater challenge to the nation than terrorism in terms of number of lives lost in violence

In no other time has India faced multiple security challenges

India is vulnerable to terror attacks as it is closest to the terror epicentre

BRIEFLY

Ministry seeks report on IIM student’s suicide
New Delhi: Two days after Malini Murumu, a 22-year-old IIM Bangalore student, committed suicide in her hostel room after being allegedly dumped by her boyfriend on the Facebook, the Ministry of Human Resource Development on Wednesday sought a report in the matter. — TNS