The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Reservoirs have adequate water Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 3 Allaying fears that low levels in reservoirs could hit planting of summer crops such as oilseeds and cotton, Pawar said the reservoirs had adequate water to withstand any subdued phase in the monsoon progress. He admitted that water level in 84 major reservoirs was at 62 per cent as compared with that during the last year, but it was still 103 per cent of the 10-year average. For the week ended June 28, water levels in the main reservoirs were at 16 per cent of capacity, down 11 points from last year. Apart from supplementing irrigation needs during the monsoon, reservoirs are important for hydropower and irrigating winter crops. In Punjab, the storage was 0.61 BCM as compared to the 10-year average of 0.93 BCM. At 1.01 BCM, the Gobind Sagar was also below 10-year average of 1.61 BCM, officials said, agreeing that the situation in Maharashtra and Karanataka was significantly lower. Maharashtra reservoirs (0.94 BCM) were below 10-year average of 1.71BCM. Likewise, Karnataka reservoirs (1.92 BCM) were also far less than the 10-year average of 4.25 BCM. India is one of the world's biggest consumers of rice, sugar and grains. Though the country is self-sufficient in these foodstuffs, it imports pulses and edible oils to fulfil domestic needs. The agriculture sector accounts for about 15 per cent of a nearly $2 trillion economy. The monsoon accounts for almost all the annual rainfall in 75 per cent of the geographical area and 78 per cent of the gross cropped area in the country. A bad year can spell financial disaster for millions of farmers in rain-fed areas that rely heavily on seasonal rains for kharif crops.
	NCERT to remove 21 cartoons from textbooks Aditi Tandon/TNS New Delhi, July 3 As many as 21 educationally inappropriate cartoons, among them some showing politicians as animals, will be removed from political science textbooks being taught at senior secondary level across Indian schools. Most of these are anti-politician, anti-bureaucrat and communally sensitive in tone and tenor. Among the cartoons to be removed are - the controversial cartoon featuring Dr BR Ambedkar on a snail and former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru whipping the snail; a cartoon equating politicians with goons; and another showing them as animals. One of the anti-bureaucrat texts being removed reads, “Yes, I know officers are public servants. Do they really serve people?” The panel, headed by former UGC chief SK Thorat, has, in its report to the NCERT, recommended total 38 modifications. Among these, 21 relate to removal of offensive cartoons and 17 to removal of objectionable texts. The panel reviewed 173 cartoons in six NCERT political science textbooks being taught in Classes IX to XII and found only 21 inappropriate, which is 12 per cent. In its remarks, the panel concludes that the books were “well-conceived”. “The books, as such, are well-conceived. However, since the authors have used a new pedagogical approach for the first time in the National Curriculum Framework, 2005, they may not have been able to conduct adequate feedback studies from the concerned. The best way to ensure that cartoons are not offensive is through pre-testing of texts and visuals in rural and urban settings. We feel that the NCERT should evolve an appropriate mechanism for periodic reviews of all its books in future,” it says. Some thought-evoking texts have also been directed to be removed by the committee. Some of these read - “Is justice accessible to rich and poor equally”; “If the Constitution is secular, why do we see religious pictures in public places?”; and “Do you think Parliament is a divided House blocking the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill?”
	Rs 2.75-lakh relief for amputated arm Aditi Tandon/TNS New Delhi, July 3 Medical practitioners caught in negligent acts can no longer go scot-free. Continuing the recent trend of penalising erring doctors for harming patient’s health, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has awarded Rs 2.75 lakh compensation to a woman who lost an arm due to doctor’s negligence. Poonam Devi (34) from Chapra, Bihar, had to get her right forearm amputated after a local private doctor conducted a blood transfusion procedure on her negligently. The case dates back to December 2002 and was settled this year. Poonam had gone to the clinic of Dr Amita Srivastava with abdominal complaint, for which she was treated between December 9 and 13, 2002. She developed gangrene in the right forearm, which led to amputation of the forearm. The complaint was filed in the District Consumer Redressal Forum which awarded the compensation. The compensation was later challenged by the erring doctor in the Bihar State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The commission ordered a compensation of Rs 2.75 lakh to Poonam against Rs 3.46 lakh she had originally sought. Now, the NCDRC has also upheld this quantum dismissing a revision petition filed by the doctor against the orders of the state commission. The commission concluded that Poonam’s condition was reached due to damage to her vein and resultant septicaemia caused by negligence in the process of intravenous transfusion of saline and blood administered to her during treatment by the doctor. In its order, the Bihar State Commission observed that there was no dispute on the fact that the complainant had undergone abdominal surgery (hysterectomy for removal of uterus) at the said clinic. “There is no dispute that during treatment, transfusion of saline and blood was given to the complainant in the clinic of Dr Amita Srivastava. It is an admitted fact that swelling and discolouration of the arm was first noticed on December 11, 2002,” the panel said.
	Karnataka Crisis BJP may replace Gowda as CM after Prez poll Anita Katyal/TNS New Delhi, July 3 Having averted an immediate crisis in Karnataka, BJP president Nitin Gadkari today met members of the two warring groups to find a solution to the demand of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s supporters for a change of leadership in the state. BJP sources said the dissidents have been placated with an assurance that the party leadership will look into their demand for the replacement of Chief Minister Sadanand Gowda by Jagadish Shettar which may take place after the July 19 Presidential poll. The BJP-led Karnataka government has been in the grip of a crisis after Yeddyurappa loyalists raised a banner of revolt and nine ministers owing allegiance to him submitted their resignations to press for Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar’s appointment as the next Chief Minister. The rebels were persuaded to take back their resignation letter after they were assured that the leadership would find a solution to the ongoing crisis. A contingent of Karnataka MLAs, led by state unit President KS Eshwarappa, met Gadkari this afternoon to iron out their differences. Chief Minister Gowda, Shettar and BJP general secretary in charge of Karnataka Dharmendra Pradhan were also present at this meeting. Eshwarappa later said the party was hopeful of finding a solution to the current crisis in the state and maintained that any decision taken by the Parliamentary Board will be binding and acceptable to both the factions. “The BJP Parliamentary Board will take a decision on the current crisis and whatever decision is taken will be binding on us,” Eshwarappa said while Pradhan maintained that they were inching towards a solution. “Whatever is decided will be decided within the party framework,” he added. BJP sources said though the party leadership had not taken kindly to the periodic threats held out by Yeddyurappa, it did not want to antagonise him as he still commands the support of the influential Lingayat community. Since the state is set to go to polls next year, the party is keen to put its house in order to be battle ready for the crucial elections. Yeddyurappa had earlier pressed for his reinstatement as the CM but once it became clear that this would not be possible, he has been demanding that the top post should go to his loyalist.
	Govt feels tough stance on AI pilots has borne fruit Vibha Sharma/TNS New Delhi, July 3 Agitating Air India pilots’ counsel told the Delhi High Court today that they would call off their 58-day-old strike with immediate effect. The High Court, in turn, asked the Air India management to “sympathetically” consider pilots’ grievances, including their plea for reinstatement of those sacked in the wake of the agitation. Cornered by the government’s tough stance for the past two months, pilots have expressed “happiness” over the court’s observations. “The court has made very positive observations. It has said all pilots should be taken back and no distinction should be made between those sacked and others. We are happy with the court’s observations,” said Tauseef Mukadam, Joint Secretary of the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG), which has been spearheading the strike. But have Tuesday’s developments changed anything in the situation that started unfolding on May 7 - the day the IPG initiated the strike - except perhaps giving erstwhile Air India pilots some room for negotiations for an honourable exit? Perhaps not. Sources say the pilots have been cornered to give a commitment to the court and dishonouring it would now lead to contempt. “It is a clear victory for the government,” they add. Ministry officials say the court has only endorsed what Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh had reiterated all along the course of the strike that rendered the pauper Maharaja poorer by almost Rs 600 crore. Ajit Singh, who is on a private visit to the UK, expressed the hope that the striking pilots would call off the strike immediately and those in service would join duty within 48 hours as per the commitment made by them in the High Court. The minister also said the government was always willing to consider the grievances of the pilots including reinstatement of the terminated pilots of Air India. In what is the most telling commentary on today’s developments, Singh added, “The High Court’s direction on the strike has endorsed the views of the government that the pilots should call off the strike unconditionally and report back to duty.” The reality therefore is that the situation stands more or less where it was around two months back. The government had all along been saying that it was willing to take back the agitating pilots and listen to their grievances, only that they would have to come back to work unconditionally.
	Chhattisgarh notorious for tribal killings: Minister New Delhi, July 3 Amid controversy over security forces killing people in an anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh some days back, Union Tribal Affairs Minister V. Kishore Chandra Deo said the state has a notorious record in this regard. "Chhattisgarh has a very notorious record of a programme called Salwa Judum which they had. I had opposed it at that time. Both extremist and government forces were using poor young tribals for killing each other," Deo said in a TV interview today. Deo said the manner in which villagers were killed, as it appeared, was wrong and sought a report into the encounter. "We're trying to gather facts. What worries me most is the manner in which tribals have been dealt with, whether by security forces, or by the extremists," he said. The minister also said that even if the villagers were being used as human shields by the Maoists, it did not give the security forces the right to open fire. "Using women and children as human shield is something unpardonable. Yet, it is also no excuse for opening fire at women and children. They should have been tackled in more discreet manner. I certainly do not approve of that," he said. — PTI Don't politicise anti-Naxal ops: CM The Bijapur encounter was not a planned encounter. Such issues should not be politicised. It is unfortunate that matters of national developments are being opposed by Naxals. — Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Cop shot dead in Dantewada RAIPUR: Suspected Naxals on Tuesday shot dead Jaikumar Mandavi, 25-year-old trainee police constable, in a crowded market place at Bhansi town in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. — PTI
	Don’t politicise anti-Naxal operations: Raman Singh New Delhi, July 3 Amid controversy over a recent Naxal encounter in Chhattisgarh, state Chief Minister Raman Singh today asked the parties not to politicise the issue. "The Bijapur encounter was not a planned encounter. Such issues should not be politicised," Singh told reporters after meeting PM Manmohan Singh here. He said that Naxals were using innocent villagers as shields to protect themselves from security forces. To a question over concerns related to safety of the Rowghat mines in Chhattisgarh, he said, "It is unfortunate that matters of national developments are being opposed by Naxals. The state government is working towards development of backward regions. But Naxalites are opposing our efforts. They are trying to reverse the process of development." The Home Ministry had yesterday decided to provide paramilitary forces to secure the Steel Authority of India's ambitious Rowghat mining project and for construction of a 235-km-long railway line to transport ore slurry through the Naxal-hit area. The Prime Minister this morning met over 150 tribal students from Maoist-affected areas of Chhattisgarh who were brought to the National Capital by the Chief Minister. They all have cleared entrance examinations for getting into engineering institutes. — PTI
	Rs 20L car for each MLA in ‘bankrupt’ UP Shahira Naim/TNS Lucknow, July 3 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s largesse to MLAs on the concluding day of the Budget session proved to be counter-productive. Despite loosening the strings of the government treasury to the tune of approximately Rs 125 crore every year by increasing the MLAs’ development fund by Rs 25 lakh each year, the ruling party got little else than criticism. What triggered the censure was the CM’s suggestion to allow MLAs to buy cars up to Rs 20 lakh from the fund. While thanking the House for their cooperation soon after the passing of the Budget for 2012-13, leader of the House Akhilesh Yadav made an announcement allowing the MLAs to buy vehicles for up to Rs 20 lakh from the MLA development fund. According to the scheme, the vehicle can either be returned to the government after the end of the MLA’s tenure or be bought by the MLA after calculating the depreciation in the vehicle’s value. While initially, there was joyous clapping and much bench-thumping welcoming the decision, some quick rethink made all the political parties take a U-turn. The first to protest the decision was BJP MLA Satish Mahana, who pointed out that such a decision would send out a wrong message to the public. “From now onwards, even if an MLA buys a vehicle from his hard-earned money, the public would think it was bought out of the MLA development fund. This fund should be limited to the development of the area and not to the development of the MLA,” he pointed out. Opposition Leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who had made a long-winding formal thanksgiving speech, rose once again to request the leader of the House to reconsider his decision regarding the purchase of cars using the MLA development fund. “Please make some other provision for this as the development fund should be strictly for the development of the MLA’s constituency,” he stated. Congress MLA Pramod Tiwari also urged the leader of the House to instead increase the MLA fund as per the promise made by his father and then leader of the House Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Vidhan Sabha in 2007. Virtually cornered by his decision on the purchase of vehicles and succumbing to the pressure mounted by Tiwari, Yadav announced increase in the MLA fund by Rs 25 lakh, taking it to Rs 1.50 crore per year.
	Akhilesh pushes for coal import Shahira Naim/TNS Lucknow, July 3 Cashing upon the mood of the state struggling to cope with the power crisis, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today pushed through a resolution seeking permission, if need be, to import coal for the state’s upcoming thermal power plants. On the last day of the first budget session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha, Akhilesh read a four-line resolution seeking the support of the House for importing coal for the 10 thermal-based power plants, for which MoUs had been signed and updated.
	Pranab seeks support in UP; CM hosts lunch Lucknow, July 3 UPA's Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee today campaigned in the key state of Uttar Pradesh where its outside supporter and ruling Samajwadi has pledged its support. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav hosted a lunch in honour of Mukherjee at his official residence. The former Finance Minister, who is here as part of his election campaign, also met over tea MLAs of Congress, RLD and other allies. UP accounts for around 1.62 lakh votes of the total electoral college of 10.98 lakh votes. The Presidential elections in which Mukherjee's rival will be Opposition-backed candidate and former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma are slated to be held on July 19. The Congress stalwart is widely expected to win the contest. Mukherjee, who reached here this afternoon, went straight from the airport to the CM's 5 Kalidas Marg residence where all members of the UP Legislature, including ministers, were invited over lunch by Akhilesh. While SP and Congress members along with MLAs of other parties attended the lunch, BSP and BJP members skipped the event. MLAs of smaller parties, including Mukhtar Ansari of Kaumi Ekta Dal and Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal also attended the lunch. SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and senior ministers, including Mohd Azam Khan, were among those present. — PTI
	Pranab’s papers found to be valid; BJP cries foul Anita Katyal/TNS New Delhi, July 3 The objections raised to UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee’s nomination by opposition-backed nominee PA Sangma were overruled today, thus setting the stage for a direct contest between the two in the July 19 election. Mukherjee’s nomination papers for the presidential election were found to be valid while Sangma’s objections seeking the UPA candidate’s disqualification on the ground that he was holding an office of profit were rejected by returning officer VK Agnihotri following a lengthy deposition by the representatives of the two sides. The BJP, which is backing Sangma’s candidature, was in no mood to accept defeat. Going on the offensive soon after the returning officer announced his verdict, BJP leaders Satpal Jain and Ananth Kumar alleged that Pranab Mukherjee's letter of resignation from Indian Statistical Institute is "fabricated": Stating that the “order was legally untenable”, they said the party would explore all options to challenge it. “The battle has just begun,” they declared. Mukherjee’s bid for the presidency was sought to be derailed yesterday when Team Sangma team pointed out that his nomination was not in order as he was holding an office of profit as chairman of the Kolkata-based Indian Statistical Institute (ISI). It was subsequently clarified Mukherjee had resigned this post on June 20 well before he filed his nomination papers for the office of President.
	Lahore-bound bus halts at Ambala for repair Suman Bhatnagar/PK Jaiswar Ambala/Amritsar July 3 A Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) bus bound for Lahore today stopped at Ambala City following a technical fault. It took about three-and-a-half hours for a Volvo bus to arrive from Chandigarh to ferry 26 passengers to their onward journey. The PTDC bus was sent to the Ambala Roadways workshop for repair. Sources said when the bus approached Ambala Cantonment around 9.30 am today, three studs of its left tyre cracked. The bus driver, Nasir Khan, then stopped the vehicle. The technicians of the Ambala Roadways workshop could not repair the studs even after two hours. New studs of the Pakistani bus were not available in the market. Pakistani Embassy was told about the incident. The 26 passengers arrived at Attari-Wagah border in the evening. RK Duggal, Deputy Commissioner, Customs, said, "Private buses are not allowed to cross over to Pakistan through the check post. So, our vehicles dropped passengers at the Zero Line from where Pakistan tourism buses took them to Lahore." According to info, a three-member crew of the Pakistani bus accompanied the passengers. A posse of Punjab police escorted the bus till Attari check post.
	Diplomat attack: Kazmi's custody extended New Delhi, July 3 A Delhi court today extended the judicial custody of journalist Syed Mohammad Kazmi, arrested for his alleged role in a terror attack on an Isreali diplomat, by three days. Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Jain extended Kazmi's custody till July 6, rejecting the Delhi Police plea to extend the same by a fortnight. Kazmi's custody was extended amid high drama spanning over four hours during which he found himself getting shunted from one court to another due to confusion as to which court is empowered to extend his judicial custody. The jailed journalist was finally produced before ASJ Jain who extended his custody. He also pulled up the police as they produced the case diary which did not have the signatures of the judges before whom Kazmi was produced since February 13. Kazmi was first produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav who refused to deal with the matter. — PTI
	Manipur insurgent arrested in Delhi Shaurya Karanbir Gurung/TNS New Delhi, July 3 A 34-year-old suspected operative of a Manipur-based insurgent group called People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) was arrested by the Delhi Police here two days ago. According to DCP (special cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Wahengbam Nanao, 34, alias Raghu alias Terenam, was apprehended on July 1 on the request of Manipur Police for allegedly being involved in a case of attempt to murder and Explosive Substances Act at East Imphal in Manipur. He belongs to Bishnupur in Manipur and was apprehended from Gandhi Nagar in Delhi. Yadav said about a fortnight ago, on the directions of Rajen Singh, a self-styled district commander of PREPAK at Bishnupur, Nanao made an extortion call of Rs 5 lakh to a forest officer in Manipur.
	MoD for change in Army structure Ajay Banerjee/TNS New Delhi, July 3 In a significant move to ramp up the war fighting capabilities of the Indian Army, the Ministry of Defence has suggested certain changes in the structure of the force besides addressing issues of equipment and force enhancement with an aim to counter an increasing Chinese threat. Defence Minister AK Antony and the Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh met on Monday to review the operational preparedness of the Army. Sources said Antony told the Army Chief and the officials of his ministry that “there was a need to have systematic organisational changes if the desired output is to be achieved in a short period of time”. The Ministry is also set to enhance air-lift capability of the Army in the eastern sector. The provision of combat choppers for the Army and also force accretions and infrastructure in the northeast were also discussed. In lay terms, the ‘enhancement air-lift capability’ means that the Indian Army will be looking to rapidly deploy more number of troops in the sensitive eastern sector using choppers and tactical aircraft like the C-130-J. The force accretion is an ongoing process, two mountain divisions, some 15,000 each, are being raised slowly. Antony wanted matters to be speeded up. The Army and the Ministry of Defence want a specialised mountain corps which is pending financial sanction at the finance ministry. The Chief pointed out the factual position on operational readiness and lack of infrastructure in border areas. The issue of the Army’s capabilities to have combat choppers was also discussed. Presently, the IAF flies these.
	Aarushi case Nupur moves SC for bail Legal Correspondent New Delhi, July 3 Nupur Talwar, facing trial for the murder of her 14-year-old daughter Aarushi and domestic servant Hemraj, today moved the Supreme Court, seeking bail in the case. She has challenged the Allahabad High Court order refusing to grant her bail. A Ghaziabad trial court has framed charges against Nupur and her husband Rajesh. While Rajesh is on bail, Nupur is in jail. Their only child, Aarushi, and servant Hemraj were found murdered at the dentist couple’s Noida residence on May 16, 2008. In her petition, Nupur has cited the bail granted to her husband to contend that she could not be treated differently.