The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Anna fit, arrives in Mumbai today
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, December 25
Anna Hazare who was suffering from cold and cough on Saturday is fit and will be reaching Mumbai on Monday evening ahead of his three-day fast from the following day, according to members of India Against Corruption (IAC) which is organising the protest.

“Anna will leave his village on Monday afternoon and reach Mumbai late in the evening,” says Mayank Gandhi, coordinator of the IAC.

The MMRDA ground, the venue for the fast, is being spruced up. Team Anna has hired 20,000 sq m of the 48,000 sq m ground for the event while 10,000 sq m has been earmarked for parking.

Pandals are being erected with a huge stage on which Anna will sit during the fast. Behind it will be a retiring room for him. According to IAC volunteers, there will be VIP areas, meeting rooms and a media enclosure at the Bandra-Kurla Complex. Fire fighting equipment will be installed at strategic locations on the advice of the Fire Brigade, IAC volunteers say.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade will dispatch fire tenders and ambulances to the fast venue. A team of doctors will also be stationed there. Cameras will also be installed around the venue. All arrangements will be in place by Monday night.

The Mumbai police will deploy around 2,000 personnel round the clock during Anna’s fast. According to police officials all leaves of personnel have been cancelled till January 2.

AIDS scare debunked

Mumbai: The alleged threat to infect Anna Hazare and his supporters with the AIDS virus has been debunked by experts here.

An anonymous letter reportedly sent to the Delhi Police warned that an “AIDS team” was being dispatched to Mumbai in order to spread the virus among Hazare and his supporters. The team equipped with 500 needles infected with HIV would inject at least 1,000 persons during the three-day event, the letter reportedly said.

Dr IS Gilada, who heads the AIDS Society of India, has sought to allay fears on the grounds that the dreaded disease cannot be spread in this manner. “One cannot spread AIDS this way as the virus dies when the blood dries up,” Gilada said. — TNS

Jaya meets PM, raises Mullaperiyar dam issue
Manmohan on two-day visit to Chennai

Chennai, December 25
Keeping up the heat on the Centre over the raging Mullaperiyar dam row, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is on a two-day visit to the state, to advise Kerala not to build a new dam, an issue that has brought the two neighbouring states on a path of confrontation.

In her first meeting with the Prime Minister since the Mullaperiyar dam row erupted afresh, Jayalalithaa submitted a 18-page memorandum raising a host of other issues, including a financial package on the lines of aid given to West Bengal citing the state's ‘fragile’ financial system.

In the memorandum presented during the 40-minute meeting with Manmohan Singh in Raj Bhawan, Jayalalithaa avoided reference to the standoff over the Kudankulam nuclear power project but merely sought an additional 1,000 MW noting that the project was “getting delayed”.

It was not clear whether the Kudankulam issue was raised during talks by Jayalalithaa who recently wrote to Singh saying she was amazed at his announcement in Moscow that the project would be operationalised in the next few weeks.

In her missive, Jayalalithaa had asked the Prime Minister to ensure that the fears of the local population over safety concerns were allayed before taking 'any precipitate' action.

Devoting a major part of the memorandum to the dam row, Jayalalithaa pressed for deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force to safeguard the 116-year-old reservoir, which is under Tamil Nadu's control on a 999-year lease.

In the memorandum, a copy of which was released to the media, she reiterated her opposition to the National Food Security Bill saying it was "replete with confusion and inaccuracy" and sought the state's exemption from its purview.

Earlier, Jayalalithaa received the PM and greeted him warmly presenting a shawl and a bouquet on his arrival at the Chennai airport.

Singh, on his first visit to the state after the AIADMK came to power routing the DMK in the Assembly poll, would tomorrow participate in functions to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan in the city and Karaikudi in Sivaganga district.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi is scheduled to meet Manmohan Singh tomorrow morning during which he would raise the Mullaperiyar dam issue. — PTI

Facing 'ban Gita' case, Hindus build Krishna temple in Moscow

New Delhi, December 25
Hindus and Krishna devotees may be fighting a court battle in the Siberian city of Tomsk against a move to ban the Bhagavad Gita, but their 40-year quest to find a foothold in Russia is taking shape in the construction of a massive temple on Moscow's outskirts.

The Moscow Vedic Centre, as the temple devoted to Krishna will be called, is coming up on a five-acre land at Verskino village in Molzhaninovsky, close to the Sheremetyevo international airport, Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, a Russian Iskcon monk who is visiting India, told IANS here.

The Moscow Vedic Centre is a replacement for the original Krishna temple that acted as the centre of Iskcon or International Society for Krishna Consciousness that has today spread to 80 cities in Russia and has over 50,000 active devotees.

The original temple, Goswami said, was demolished in 2004 by the Moscow city government as it came in the way of a new apartment building.

To compensate for the demolished temple, the Moscow administration provided Iskcon an alternative plot of land on Leningradsky Avenue, where the temple functions temporarily till it moves into the Moscow Vedic Centre in late 2012.

"It is ironic that the Russian capital is recognising our humanitarian service, while in another city in the country, state prosecutors have filed a case to get Bhagavad Gita banned in Russia," Sadhu Priya Das, an Iskcon devotee in Moscow, told IANS over phone.

The history of Iskcon in Russia is a story of extraordinary events, all demonstrating the unique destiny Russia holds in the spiritual future of the world, according to Goswami, who is spearheading the temple construction.

The story began in 1971. As Leonid Brezhnev was consolidating his totalitarian rule in the erstwhile Soviet Union, Iskcon founder Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada visited Moscow for five days to meet Professor Kotovsky, a Soviet scholar of Hinduism.

"Though Prabhupada's conversation with the Russian scholar was meaningful, the actual miracle was his meeting with a single Russian youth, who was led to the spiritual leader's hotel door to hear the message of Bhagavad Gita.

"Today, 40 years after Prabhupada met with the young Russian, a mighty tree has taken root with close to 50,000 practising Vaishnavas in Russia," Goswami said. In former Soviet states that are part of the Commonwealth of Independent States, there are 55,000 more Iskcon members.

Today the Iskcon temple in Moscow attracts 1,000 devotees a day on an average and 10,000 devotees, a majority of them Russians, on Janmashtami, Lord Krishna's birthday.

Iskcon itself became a recognised official religious organisation in the Soviet Union in 1988 after then President Mikhail Gorbachov introduced Perestroika, a movement within the Communist Party there for political restructuring. "The days of persecution under the atheist Soviet government was over in 1988," Goswami said. Soon, in 1990, Moscow authorities provided Iskcon a semi-dilapidated building at Begovaya for a temple, which was later demolished in 2004 leading to the allotment of an alternative land for the Moscow Vedic Centre.

"The alternative land in lieu of the demolished temple came about in 2006, when Moscow's mayor and the Delhi chief minister had signed a joint declaration in this regard," said Goswami. A year later, the Moscow administration issued the necessary orders for the construction of the Moscow Vedic Centre. — IANS

Hooch tragedy
Wife of main accused, three others held

Canning (WB), December 25
Four persons, including the wife of the main accused Noor Islam Sheikh, alias 'Khora' Badshah, were held early today by a CID team in connection with the illicit liquor deaths at Magrahat in South 24 Parganas district which had claimed 173 lives.

A senior police officer said that a CID team arrested Noorjahan Bibi, who is the first wife of 'khora' Badshah, besides his right hand man Bakkar, alias Bakreswar, and another accomplice Ghulam Rasool from a house at Canning's Kargil locality.

Shambhu Patro, owner of the house and Bakkar's brother-in-law, was also detained for interrogation by the team from Kolkata during the raid.

At least 173 persons had died and 369 admitted to hospitals after consuming the hooch, allegedly supplied by the syndicate run by 'Badshah', at liquor dens near Sangrampur rail station area on December 13 night in West Bengal's worst-ever illicit liquor tragedy.

Police, earlier had arrested two persons in connection with the incident.

The hooch victims, including labourers, rickshaw pullers and hawkers, were admitted to Diamond Harbour sub-divisional hospital in South 24 Parganas district and M R Bangur Hospital and National Medical Hospital in Kolkata.

The victims fell ill after consuming spurious liquor at several illegal joints near the station in Mograhat area and the death toll shot up in the next two-three days.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the deaths occurred due to methyl alcohol toxicity which led to respiratory and cardiac failure.

The issue figured in the Assembly with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having announced a CID inquiry into the tragedy which took place less than a week after the major fire in AMRI hospital which left 93 dead. — PTI

Dark night
At least 173 persons had died and 369 admitted to hospitals after consuming hooch, allegedly supplied by a syndicate run by 'Badshah', at liquor dens near Sangrampur rail station area on December 13 night in West Bengal's worst-ever illicit liquor tragedy

Assembly poll
Barring Punjab, BJP to go it alone

New Delhi, December 25
Seat-sharing talks with NDA ally JD-U in Uttar Pradesh today appeared to have run into rough weather with BJP saying it will go it alone in all poll-bound states except Punjab where it will tie up with Akali Dal.

"We will fight the elections on our own. There will be no alliance with any party except in Punjab where we will ally with Akali Dal. We will contest elections on our own in other states,” BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said.

He was responding to reporters’ queries on the progress of talks between the NDA partners for the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa. Naidu's remarks come amid reports that JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav is unhappy over BJP announcing its first list of candidates for UP, especially in seats his party intends to contest. — PTI

Illyas Kashmiri tasked David Headley to synchronise attacks: NIA chargesheet

New Delhi, December 25
American-born terrorist David Headley’s return after the Mumbai terror strikes of 2008 was to give final touches to synchronised terror strikes on Jewish houses located in five cities, including the National Capital, on instructions of Al-Qaida operative Illyas Kashmiri.

Piecing together the 293-day trail of Headley, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which submitted its 60-page chargesheet before a special court yesterday, said that during his visit to India in March 2009, he was scouting only Jewish targets, including the El Al airlines office in Mumbai on instructions from Kashmiri, who merged his 313 Brigade of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islamia with Al-Qaida.

Ahead of his arrival in India in March 2009, Headley had met Illyas Kashmiri in Miransa area in North Waziristan in February where he was instructed to conduct the final recce of Chabad houses for an attack, the chargesheet said.

The NIA chargesheet, which is supported by voluminous documents, also talks about the fears of Headley to return to India after the 26/11 attacks and said that the American terrorist had met his accomplice Tahawwur Rana and talked about his fear of being apprehended.

The two opened an email account "movie.money@ yahoo.com" and in which Headley exchanged his property details and debts.

Headley, born to a Pakistani father and whose earlier name was Daood Gilani, has been charged by the NIA with conspiring to wage war against India along with eight others which include two serving Pakistani Army personnel, founder of Lashker Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of 26/11 attack Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana.

The chargesheet, which gives graphic details about his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes which left 166 dead, including six foreigners, also gives out his activities during the March visit of 2009 when he had carried out reconnaissance of Israeli airlines - El AI - office located at Cuffe Parade before moving to the National Capital where he chose to stay in a small hotel at Pahargunj area. His stay at hotel — De Holiday Inn — has also been named in the charge sheet and the place is located barely 300m from Chabad House in the area. The statement of local rabbi was also recorded and e-mails exchanged by Headley were also kept as evidence.

The story of Headley came to an end when he was arrested by the FBI in October 2009 when he was boarding a flight to Denmark. — PTI

Thespian Satyadev Dubey dead

Mumbai, December 25
Renowned director and actor Satyadev Dubey died today after remaining in coma for the past four months.

Often controversial, 75-year-old Dubey, a veteran screenplay writer, suffered a seizure at Prithvi Theatre Cafe in suburban Juhu in September this year. He had been in coma since then.

"He was in coma for the past few months. He suffered a brain stroke and passed away at the hospital at 11.30 am," said Satyajit Dubey, his grandnephew.

Bollywood mourned the death of Dubey, calling him a giant of the theatre world.

"Satyadev Dubey, the icon of the world of theatre has passed away! Fond memories of our days of wandering invade me. Alvida Dubeyji! Love," filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt tweeted. — PTI

A maverick theatre guru

Mumbai, December 25
Pandit Satyadev Dubey, who passed away in a Mumbai hospital today after prolonged illness, was a maverick who went on to become a theatre guru.

Born in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, in 1936, Dubey's first ambition was to become a cricketer, which brought him to Mumbai in his college days.

But after coming to the metropolis, he gave up that ambition, and was attracted to the post-1947 theatre that was emerging in the city. He joined Theatre Unit, the theatre group-cum-school founded by Ebrahim Alkazi.

Although, he came from the Hindi heartland, he was equally at ease on Marathi and Gujarati stage.

He penned screenplays/dialogue of some acclaimed films in the 1970s, including Shyam Benegal's Nishant, Ankur, Kalyug and Bhumika, and also acquired a distinct identity as theatre director-teacher.

In the career spanning four decades, he directed and produced plays of prominent playwrights who shaped the modern Indian theatre, including Girish Karnad (Yayati, Hayavadana), Badal Sarkar (Evam Indrajit, Pagla Ghoda), Mohan Rakesh (Aadhe Adhure), Vijay Tendulkar (Gidhade, Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe), Chandrashekhara Kambara (Aur Tota Bola). He is also credited with 'discovery' of Dharam Vir Bharti's play "Andha Yug", which he recommended to Alkazi.

Thanks to his theatre workshops, he acquired reputation as a maverick teacher. He laid great emphasis on enunciation, and Amarish Puri was his favourite actor. — PTI

Made in heaven, insured on earth
Insurance firms float policies to insure marriages

New Delhi, December 25
Marriages are made in heaven, but they can very well turn sour on this earth.

Seeing a business opportunity here, the insurance companies have come out with an innovative proposition, wherein they would insure the weddings against their postponement or cancellations for certain reasons.

The catch is that the insurer will not pay for marriages turning sour due to personal differences between the bride and the groom, and the claims would be entertained only for losses due to external factors like accidents, catastrophes or unintentional manmade disasters or disruptions.

At least two Indian insurance companies, ICICI Lombard and Bajaj Allianz, have come out with "Wedding Insurance" products, while some others are providing similar coverage under their more generalised insurance policies.

Experts say the wedding insurance covers are currently being opted for mostly by "high net worth individuals" (HNIs) and celebrities, given the high costs attached with their weddings, but the insurers want to widen their client base for such policies.

Accordingly, Bajaj Allianz is offering wedding insurance with premium as low as below Rs 4,000. As per its website, it has four insurance options - Rs 2 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, Rs 6 lakh and Rs 8 lakh. The indicative premiums for these four options range from Rs 3,770 to Rs 14,276.

The policy covers "wedding cancellation/postponement due to fire or any natural disaster, accident of bride/groom, accident of blood relations within seven days of the wedding date, damage to property, including the venue, burglary and even cases of food poisoning at the function".

Noting that wedding is an expensive, but "once in a lifetime" event, Bajaj Allianz said any postponement or cancellation involved a certain risk of monetary loss, and its wedding insurance acted as a safeguard against "unforeseen events that could postpone or cancel your wedding".

ICICI Lombard, on its part, provides insurance cover for wedding cancellation, material damage to property such as wedding venue, personal accident cover for insured person (bride or groom) and any public liability arising out of the cancellation.

ICICI Lombard's insurance product covers cancellation or postponement of the wedding ceremonies due to factors ranging from fire, earthquake or burglary and theft at the venue. — PTI

RINGSIDE VIEW

Insurers: ICICI Lombard and Bajaj Allianz

Cover amount: Rs 2 lakh to Rs 8 lakh

Annual premium: Rs 3,770 to Rs 14,276

Risks covered: Wedding cancellation/postponement due to fire or any natural disaster, accident of bride/groom, accident of blood relations within seven days of the wedding date, damage to property and cases of food poisoning at the function

Jantar Mantar
Anita Katyal

Party time for Cong leaders

Despite their preoccupation with the Lokpal Bill over the past two weeks, Congress leaders manage to take time out to party during the festive season. Congress president Sonia Gandhi hosted a dinner for party MPs at a hotel last week where the guests were surprisingly very relaxed although they were meeting in the midst of a volatile Parliament session and tense discussions on the anti-graft Bill. Law Minister Salman Khurshid and his wife Louise, who are reputed to be among the best hosts in the Capital, had a huge Christmas party on their sprawling lawns. The guest list included Congress bigwigs like Union ministers P Chidambaram and Anand Sharma and some mediapersons. Khurshid just about made to his own party in between outstation programmes and internal deliberations on the Lokpal Bill. External Affairs Minister SM Krishna hosted an annual luncheon for mediapersons which has now become an important event during the festive season. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders also spent time at a special Christmas party hosted jointly by Oscar Fernandes, Vincent Pala and Francis Sardinha. Carol singing was the highlight of the evening that proved to be quite relaxing for the Congress ministers who had come for the party straight after a late evening Cabinet meeting.

Winning over allies

Jaswant Singh

When Jaswant Singh rejoined the BJP after a brief estrangement, he was given the charge of expanding the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which has lost a number of key allies like the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the DMK. Since the saffron party does not have its presence in a large part of the country, it has become imperative for it to win over more allies if it is to form the government in Delhi again. However, Jaswant Singh has met with little success in his mission so far. The only ally that he has been able to woo is Janata Party chief Subramaniam Swamy. Needless to say, senior BJP leaders are wary about Swamy's admission into the NDA fold, given the latter's penchant for stirring up trouble. "Don't we have enough swamis already in our party," muttered a senior BJP leader while most others have chosen to maintain a studied silence on the issue.

Name game

RPN Singh

People are extremely sensitive about how their names are written and pronounced. Minister of state for petroleum RPN Singh learnt this lesson while replying to a question from a BJD member in the Rajya Sabha recently. The junior minister addressed the member as Pyaremohan Mohapatra several times during the course of his reply. It was only after he had finished that Mohapatra got up to tell Singh that his name was not "Pyaremohan" but "Pyarimohan." The minister was quick to apologise and told the offended member that henceforth he would take care to call him "Pyari".

207 detonators seized

Gaya, December 25
The CRPF seized 207 detonators and other explosive material belonging to CPI(Maoist) activists from Viraj village in Bihar's Gaya district and detained two suspected ultras today.

CRPF Commandant Sanjeev Kumar said acting on a tip-off, the paramilitary force raided several houses in the village and seized 50 m of fuse wire, six batteries, 1 kg explosive powder and literature relating to Naxals, besides the detonators. The two suspected Maoists are being quizzed by the CRPF and local police officials. — PTI

5 cops booked for 'custodial death'

Puducherry, December 25
Cases have been filed under various sections of the IPC, including 302 (murder) against five policemen, including a sub-inspector, in connection with the alleged custodial death of a painter in Yanam last month.

Sources in the CB-CID said they had reframed charges and filed cases against a sub-inspector, assistant sub-inspector and three constables in connection with the November 11 incident.

It had initially been claimed that the painter, Devasakthi Babu, who was taken to the police station in Yanam on November 11 in connection with an inquiry into a theft case, had committed suicide, sources said. — PTI

Poachers kill 2 more rhinos in Kaziranga
The total number of rhinos poached in and around the KNP during the year has gone up to nine
Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS

Guwahati, December 25
Wildlife personnel manning the rhinoceros abode in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam are being challenged by a well-armed gang of poachers who have killed two rhinos in the fringe areas of the park and decamped with the horn since December 14.

A source in the state forest department said a gang of poachers, comprising 12 members, had been involved in killing of the two rhinos around the KNP. The poachers are suspected to be hiding in the Brahmaputra river isles on the fringe area of the park. The source claimed that members of the poachers’ gang had been identified and a team of forest staff has been assigned to trace the gang.

The gang is equipped with at least five .303 rifles, which is believed to be the most effective weapon to kill a rhino. The forest officials have been raiding various human habitats in the river isles to trace the poachers. The department has sought help of the state police force and local NGOs in the efforts to nab the poachers.

With the latest killing of two rhinos, the total number of rhinos poached in and around the KNP during the year has gone up to nine. At least four other rhinos died naturally in the park during the year.

Despite the claim of the state forest department to have augmented the security cover and intensified patrolling in the sprawling Kaziranga National Park, rhino poachers continued to pose threat. Over 11 rhinos fell prey to bullets fired from poachers’ guns in the park last year.

The Kaziranga National Park has the largest population of the endangered one-horned Indian rhinoceros in the world. According to the last rhino census carried out in 2010, the number of rhinos in the KNP was put at 2,048.

The rhino population in the protected area is always under threat from inter-state gangs of poachers on the prowl. Sources said the network on intelligence set up by the Kaziranga authorities to keep a tab on poachers’ movement needs to be refurbished through frequent interaction between the forest staff and fringe villagers so that poachers can be kept at bay.

Artillery unit affiliated with Rajput Regiment battalion

Chandigarh, December 25
To foster greater harmony and understanding of each other’s combat potential, traditions and culture, the Ram Division’s artillery unit was affiliated with a battalion of the Rajput Regiment, one of the Army’s oldest infantry outfits.

An affiliation ceremony was organised at Meerut Cantonment to formalise the ties between the two regiments. Chief of the Army Staff, Gen VK Singh, who is also the Colonel of the Rajput Regiment, Chief of Staff, Western Command, Lt Gen Baljeet Singh and a host of other senior officers from both regiments attended the event.

In his address, the Army Chief highlighted the sacrifices made by the Rajputs in guarding the frontiers of the nation. He said the event will strengthen the existing bonds of the Artillery Regiment with the Rajput Regiment. The Chief handed over the Affiliation Parchment to the respective commanding officers of both units. — TNS

Bihar shuts Western Gandak Canal for repairs, UP feels the heat
Sanjay Singh/TNS

Patna, December 25
Closure of the Western Gandak Canal by the Bihar Government for structural repairs and maintenance work has given jitters to the Mayawati government in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Apparently, poll-bound UP does not want to earn the wrath of farmers in its eastern districts - Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj and Kusinagar - that are dependent on this canal system for irrigation.

Of the 197-km long Western Gandak Canal irrigation system that originates in Nepal, the maximum stretch (122 km) falls in UP, 66 km in Bihar and only 19 km in Nepal. As per the bilateral agreement between India and Nepal, Bihar has been assigned the task to maintain the Nepal portion of the canal.

Ever since Bihar communicated the decision to close down the canal system for repairs to UP on November 14 saying that no water would be available for irrigation of rabi and garma crops from December 2011 to June 2012, the top brass of the Uttar Pradesh administration right from the chief engineer, Principal Secretary of the Irrigation Department to the Chief Secretary and Minister of Irrigation Nasimuddin Siddiqui have been sending feelers, writing SOS letters to their counterparts in Bihar seeking immediate restoration of irrigation facilities through the canal system.

UP Chief Secretary Anoop Mishra has fixed a meeting with his counterpart in Bihar on December 19 to discuss the problem and sort out an amicable solution. A team of engineers from the UP Irrigation Department is already camping in Bihar holding parleys with the technocrats here to find a way out at the earliest. They are under tremendous pressure from their political bosses in view of the coming Assembly elections.

On the other hand, the Bihar Government’s plea is that it had become imperative to start the repair and maintenance work this year at the head works of this canal system that falls in Nepal as no repairs were undertaken for many years.

The Centre, under the Nepal Hitkari Yojna and other schemes, provides funding for this work and the state government initiated the work only after getting its ‘go-ahead’ order. The work in Nepal portion began in February and almost half of it has been completed. The deadline to complete the work is March 2012.

Bihar’s Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Afzal Amanullah said that the Western Gandak Canal system provides irrigation facilities to farmers of Bihar, UP and Nepal throughout the year leaving hardly any time for carrying out the repairs and maintenance.

He said the Principal Secretary of the UP Irrigation Department, Kishan Singh Atoria, and the chief engineer of the Gandak Project, Gorakhpur, had been officially informed about the scheduled closure of the canal system in November.

Water crisis

The problem: No water would be available to irrigate crops from December 2011 to June 2012

Bihar’s take: The canal system provides water to farmers of Bihar, UP and Nepal throughout the year leaving no time for carrying out maintenance

What UP wants: Immediate restoration of irrigation facilities

Two UP irrigation schemes declared national projects
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 25
In another sop for election-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Water Resources yesterday included two irrigation projects of the state in the scheme of national projects.

The projects are “Sarayu Nahar Pariyojana” and “Restoring capacity of Sharda Sahayak Project”. These projects would thus be eligible for 90 per cent funding from the Centre.

The Sarayu Nahar Pariyojana has been under execution by the UP government since 1977, but could not be completed owing to lack of funds. Once completed, it would provide potential irrigation benefit to 14.04 lakh hectare area in the districts of Bahraich, Shrawasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Basti, Sant Kabirnagar, Siddharth Nagar and Gorakhpur.

The amount required for completion of the project is Rs 3238 crore, out of which, Rs 2915 crore would be provided by the Centre. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2016.

The Sharda Sahayak Project has been unable to provide benefits to its original capacity because of seepage, siltation and poor maintenance. The estimated cost of restoring irrigation potential to 7.9 lakh hectare through stabilisation is Rs 319 crore, out of which, Rs 209 crore would be borne by the Centre.

Once restored, the project would again provide water for irrigation in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shahjanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Barabanki, Raibarali, Pratapgarh, Pilibhit, Faizabad, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Allahabad and Varanasi in UP. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012-13.

Two coaches of Army freight train derail

Banaskantha, December 25
Two coaches of an army freight train were derailed today between Karjoda and Palanpur railway stations of Gujarat, affecting traffic on the Palanpur-Ahmadabad route, railway officials said.

Trains including Haridwar-Ahmedabad, Jammu Tavi-Ahmedabad and Ajmer-Bangalore were delayed by two to three hours, they said, adding there were no injuries in the incident.

According to officials, the incident took place when two coaches adjacent to the engine of the train derailed blocking the railway tracks. There has been no major damage, Railway Protection Force inspector said. — PTI

Gehlot appeals to docs as stir continues

Jaipur, December 25
As the stalemate between agitating doctor and Rajasthan government continued for the fifth consecutive day, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today appealed to the medicos to resume duty "in the interest of the society".

Describing the doctors' strike as "unfortunate", Gehlot said, "The government is making all efforts to keep the situation under control and alternate arrangements have been made in view of the unfortunate strike." The medical crisis in the state deepened on Friday after 5,000 medicos , who are on strike demanding pay hike and time-bound promotions, submitted their resignations.

All government doctors working in hospitals, dispensaries, primary health centres and resident doctors of all the six medical colleges in the state have been on strike since December 21.

Taking up cudgels for the agitating doctors, the Indian Medical Association today criticised Rajasthan government's stand over the strike and demanded revocation of Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) for medical services.

"The government is following a repressive policy which is highly condemnable and it should lift RESMA so that doctors can openly come for talks with the government," Secretary of IMA Rajasthan S S Agrawal said.

Demanding that doctors arrested under RESMA be freed immediately, Agrawal asked the government to invite the agitators for dialogue to "understand their grievances".

State health minister Duru Miyan said the government was already in talks with the agitating doctors and expressed hope that a consensus would be arrived at soon.

The government has so far suspended 40 doctors and services of around a dozen government medicos are likely to be terminated soon, official sources said.

To minimise the impact, the government has engaged the services of private hospitals in the state, with many facilities opening their doors for patients admitted to government hospitals.

According to an official, a total of 1,720 beds in private hospitals are now available for government patients.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Vasundhara Raje blamed the Gehlot government for the crisis. — PTI