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MarutI
arson
After violence, regional politics takes over
Manager’s postmortem reveals leg fractures |
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Villagers recount horror
Assam TV reporter held
in molestation case
paternity
row
Sugarcane FRP up 17%
Rainfall situation to remain gloomy in Northwest
Now, aid for crops damaged by cold, frost
34 terminated AI pilots willing to resume duty
Fishermen’s
killing
Locate Siamese twins, SC tells Bihar Govt
300-hr course a must for MBBS docs wanting to do ultrasounds
Gowda gives Yeddy anxious moments
27% quota for OBCs in petrol pump allotment
peace
process
Entry to IITs just got tougher
News
Analysis
HIV cases: Andhra on top
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MarutI arson 
Management men refuse to go to plant
No fresh arrests
No deadline for SIT probe
Uncertainty overresumption of production Sumedha Sharma/TNS
Gurgaon, July 20 Senior police officials said that addresses of the employees had been scanned and police parties had been dispatched to apprehend those whose involvement in the incident has been established. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has not been given any deadline to complete its investigation. This has disappointed the company management as the middle and senior management staff, fearing more attacks, have refused to go to the plant till more arrests are made. The failure of the Gurgaon police to nab more suspects, despite reinforcement of security personnel, has caused apprehensions in the minds of the management. It fears that the slowdown in police action may be deliberate. “We have lost an important employee in the incident and many others were injured. We just want the culprits to be arrested. While yesterday it seemed that we would get justice, but today, we really feel let down. The police had earlier told us that they were looking for around 300 persons,” said a company official. “We are happy that a SIT has been constituted but we have urged the government to set a deadline so that the investigation doesn’t stretch to months together,” added another official. Meanwhile, DCP Maheshwar Dayal said that the police was on the job and none found involved in the incident would be spared. He added that no deadline could be set on the submission of the investigation report as the entire conspiracy needed to be unveiled. He confirmed that no arrests had been made today, but added that that wouldn’t reflect on the probe that will be taken to its logical conclusion. “I cannot give out the details of what we have done so far, but we can tell you that no miscreant will be spared,” added Dayal. Sources revealed that while 99 persons arrested yesterday - out of which 91 were jailed - were caught on the basis of CCTV footage and statements of victims, the search for the rest has hit a roadblock as the rioting workers had allegedly destroyed many cameras and recordings. Over 2,000 workers had allegedly set a section of Maruti Suzuki Manesar on fire after a scuffle with the supervisor. The violence left hundreds injured and claimed the life of Company GM HR Avnish Kumar Dev. While some of the injured officials were discharged from hospital today, 33 supervisors and managers are still undergoing treatment at different hospitals at Gurgaon. While some cars were reportedly moved out of the plant under police protection to other areas today, operations continued to be suspended. "The operations will not begin tomorrow as the priority of the company is to take care of the injured supervisors and managers,” MSIL management said in a statement.
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After violence, regional politics takes over
Gurgaon, July 20 In a statement issued here today, Congress MP from Gurgaon Rao Inderjit Singh has demanded that the probe into the matter should also find out to which areas the workers involved in violence belong to. It was also a matter of investigation whether there was some conspiracy for ousting big industrial units like MSIL from the Gurgaon area, he added. "The people of the (Gurgaon) area are polite, soft-spoken and dedicated towards duty...hence, it is hard to believe that local workers were involved in the violent clash," maintained Rao Inderjit, a known critic of policies and programmes of the present state regime headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Expressing concern over the episode, the MP said the inquiry should be quick and it should be ensured that the persons responsible for the episode got exemplary punishment so that such incidents were not repeated in future. Meanwhile, several serving and former sarpanches, chairmen and members of block committees and nambardars of the Manesar belt have also alleged that there was a deep rooted conspiracy behind the recent string of such episodes at the MSIL. They alleged the Maruti Suzuki India Limited management had recruited several workers from a certain pocket of the state under political pressure from the top state authorities. "Most of the workers involved in the clash were from that pocket," they said at a press conference organised here today. Representatives of the local people, including Manesar sarpanch Dharambir, Shikohpur sarpanch Sheo Chand, Khoh sarpanch Vikram, Baaskusla sarpanch Prahlad, Kakrola sarpanch Maha Ram, former Kasan sarpanch Mahesh, former chairman of the Manesar Block Committee Om Prakash and Khoh nambardar Babu Lal, pointed
out that while Maruti Suzuki started its operations in the area around 30 years ago, incidents like the recent clash and arson had been witnessed over the past few years. Maintaining that the MSIL and its ancillary units were the backbone of the local economy, they pointed out that thousands of local villagers were earning their livelihood directly or indirectly through these. The sarpanches and other village and block-level leaders, who are also believed to be backed by a regional faction of the Congress, assured the MSIL management of their help and support, affirming that they would not allow any vested interest to oust Maruti from the area.
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Manager’s postmortem reveals leg fractures
Manesar/Gurgaon, July 20 According to the post-mortem report, Dev died of suffocation after he was unable to escape from a building that was set ablaze. Dev's charred body was later recovered from the plant. It was identified by his family by a golden tooth implant. According to sources, Dev, who was trying to escape from the plant during the arson, was mercilessly beaten up by the angry mob. The attackers broke his legs with rods and thrashed him, before he was burnt to death. Dev, 50, was an MBA from Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi, and had joined Maruti Suzuki India Limited in June, 2010. He is survived by his wife, Suparna, and a 16-year old son, Abhyudit. Describing him as an outstanding professional, the MSIL management has pointed out that in the past year, he had been instrumental in taking far-reaching steps to enhance the well-being and working conditions of workers at the company’s Manesar plant. |
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Villagers recount horror
Gurgaon, July 20 While for many the worst was over on Wednesday night, many residents of Manesar are finding it difficult to get over the trauma. The factory, which was up in flames and resounding with cries of people, woke up to heavy security and a shut premises where only few employees trickled in. “Don’t ask me anything I haven’t slept a wink last night. We have seen these workers working day in and out but yesterday they seemed to be different human beings all together who were ready to kill anybody who came their way. We were having a meeting in the conference hall when they barged through windows and started hitting us. The guy who hit me was one who would wish me everybody but that day he did not heed my mercy plea. I was a bit conscious but didn’t dare to lift my head till I was taken to a hospital. I have seen death from too near and don’t want to be back there ever,” said one of the employees admitted to Artimis hospital. According to company officials while the management was meeting at the conference room, the workers stormed in and there was a scuffle. At the same time sections of workers set fire at five places in the factory, including the control room and assembly line. The company claims the workers blocked exit points and threw the first punch. Management sources say that one of the first places the workers set fire was the security room. Sources say they destroyed some of the CCTV footage and TV monitors in that room by setting it on fire. They also got documents from the HR department, put it on the assembly line and set it afire, according to sources. While the company has shut the factory indefinitely the villagers are not ready to accept it. “This company changed the fate of our village. It brought about much required resources for us and we don’t want them to go,” said Dinesh Yadav, a former sarpanch of the village.
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Assam TV reporter held
in molestation case
Guwahati, July 20 Guwahati SSP, AP Tewari informed that he was arrested by police from Bhangagarh police station in the city where the molestation case was registered. He has been was booked under Sections 294/509/34 of the IPC. The journalist had already resigned from the channel in the face of allegation that he was instigating the crime on the street. Earlier, on Thursday, Gauhati High Court had rejected the reporter's petition for anticipatory bail. He was earlier interrogated by the city police after Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had blamed him before the media for resorting to unethical journalism by failing to inform the police when the crime was unfolding before his eyes. A day after the episode, RTI activist Akhil Gogoi went to the media with the videotape of the episode to prove that Neog was, in fact, instigating the crime, and not just covering the episode. The RTI activist submitted copies of the video to the DGP. The Special Investigation Team of the Assam Police already collected original video footage of the episode from the TV channel. Meanwhile, the management of Guwahati-based TV channel News Live has, in a statement, denied that it was under pressure from the Chief Minister to remove its Editor-in-Chief Atanu Bhuyan who has already resigned.
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paternity
row Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, July 20 Justice Reva Khetrapal also dismissed Tiwari’s plea for holding in-camera trial in the case, arising from 32-year-old Rohit’s claim that he was born out of a relationship his mother, Ujjawala, had with Tiwari. The HC said Tiwari could not misinterpret a Supreme Court order on the DNA test to plead that the result, received from a laboratory in Hyderabad in a sealed cover, should not be announced. The SC order pertained to the collection of the blood sample of Tiwari and not to opening the cover containing the DNA result, it explained. Tiwari’s counsel contended that Rohit was merely trying for undue media publicity by insisting on declaring the result. On the other hand, Rohit said Tiwari was once again resorting to delaying tactics.
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Sugarcane FRP up 17%
New Delhi, July 20 “The CCEA has approved the FRP of sugarcane payable by mills to farmers for 2012-13 to be fixed at Rs 170 per quintal. It will be linked to a basic recovery rate of 9.5 per cent, subject to a premium of Rs 1.79 per quintal for every 0.1 percentage point increase in recovery above that level,” an official release said. The FRP for ongoing marketing year stands at Rs 145 per quintal. FRP is the minimum price fixed by the Centre that sugarcane farmers are legally guaranteed, but some states like UP and Tamil Nadu announce their own rate called state advisory price. — TNS
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Rainfall situation to remain gloomy in Northwest
New Delhi, July 20 While the Met office is still putting up a 'all-is-well front', officials privately admit that apart from some brief spells, it is unlikely that the rainfall situation will drastically improve in the Northwest. The July 15 deadline by when Centre expecting the rain situation to improve or else initiate a contingency plan has long been passed. Officials say rolling contingency plans for states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are in place and discussions have also been held with Punjab and Haryana for their preparations for the remaining season. Of the 36 meteorological subdivisions, rainfall was excess normal in 14, mainly over Northeastern states and adjoining East India and southern peninsula, deficient in 16 and scanty in six subdivisions, mainly in Northwest and central India. In area-wise distribution, 32% area of the country received excess or normal rainfall and the remaining 68% area is deficient or got scanty rainfall. According to Bharti Kisan Union representative Balbir Singh Rajewal, who knocked at the doors of Prime Minister Monmohan Singh with woes of Punjab farmers, the sowing window in North India is long over. Over all, the country is reporting a deficit of 22 per cent with Northwest and central India leading the shortfall list with 46 per cent and 43 per cent deficit, respectively. On the paddy-sowing front, area under rice cultivation may have increased to 144.59 lakh hectare as compared to 96.79 lakh hectares a week ago, but it is still lower by 16.68 lakh hectares than 161.27 lakh hectares at this time last year. With several states facing deficient rain, farmers' expenditure on crop sowing is going up due to higher spending on diesel for irrigation. The BKU urged the Prime Minister to rush teams of experts to study the 'alarming situation' in Punjab and allocate a special bonus Rs 1,000 per quintal to tide over the bad phase. As per IMD's prediction for the coming week, rains will occur along the west coast and at a few places over interior south peninsula but remain subdued over plains of Northwest India during first half of the week, increasing only towad the second half. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected mainly over Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha on some days of the week and on one or two days over Odisha and
Chhattisgarh.
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Now, aid for crops damaged by cold, frost
New Delhi, July 20 The government has decided to consider such weather conditions as natural calamities on a recommendation by a Group of Ministers
(GoM). At present, cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst and pest attack are treated as natural calamities and are eligible for relief under the State Disaster Response Fund
(SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund.
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34 terminated AI pilots willing to resume duty
New Delhi, July 20 Air India has formed a three-member committee to consider these representations. The committee has also been asked to work on Saturday and dispose off the representations at the earliest. Terming this a major victory for the airline management, officials said coming back of sacked pilots unconditionally signified a complete subjugation of pilots’ agitation. — TNS
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Fishermen’s killing R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, July 20 A bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and J Chelameswar passed the order on the Italian government’s appeal, which also sought a stay on all criminal proceedings against the two marines - Chief Sergeant Massimilano Lattore and Sergeant Salvatore Girone. Italy has made the prayers, contending that the alleged incident had taken place outside the Indian waters and as such Indian courts had no jurisdiction to hold trial. The dispute could be settled only under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) to which both the countries were signatories. The next hearing is slated for August 6 for considering the plea for stay. The Kerala High Court had turned the plea on May 29, prompting Italy to approach the Supreme Court. The two marines, who were on board the Italian flag carrier, Enrica Lexie, are being tried by a court at Kollam. They are, however, on bail. The incident had sparked a diplomatic row between India and Italy before the case was taken to judiciary. Earlier, another SC bench had taken exception to the Italian government buying the silence of the two fishermen families by paying Rs 1 crore each to them in utter disregard for the Indian legal system. The payment had been made under an agreement reached before Lok Adalat. But the SC said the compromise was illegal. Under the agreement, the victims had agreed not to seek legal remedy in any court.
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Locate Siamese twins, SC tells Bihar Govt
New Delhi, July 20 Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising told the Bench, comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra, that a three-member team of experts, including two child specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here, would examine the girls, Farah and Saba Shakeel. The girls reportedly get frequent bouts of headache and joint pain, besides suffering from slurred speech. They are also unable to walk and travel with ease. The girls share a vital blood vessel in the brain. While Farah has two kidneys, Saba has none. According to a twins specialist, separating the girls will involve a series of operations spanning over nine months and that the procedure might be life threatening to at least one of them. While entertaining a PIL, the SC had asked the Centre on July 16 to set up a committee of medical experts for deciding the line of treatment necessary for the twins. Unable to meet their medical expenses and see them suffer, their father, Mohammed Shakeel who earns just about Rs 5,000 a month, recently approached the government.
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300-hr course a must for MBBS docs
New Delhi, July 20 The government today mandated the new course under the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act 1993, which says any MBBS wanting to do ultrasounds must take six-month training in the area. The Act is however silent on the quality of training and the structure of the institution that can impart such training. Consequently, several private teaching shops have mushroomed and cases of MBBS graduates doing ultrasounds on fake training certificates have come to light. “We have, for the first time, provided a framework for the six-month course the Act mandates. The 300-hour curriculum has been approved by an expert committee which had MCI members. Private teaching shops can no longer thrive by offering six-month training as was the case,” Anuradha Gupta, Additional Secretary, Health, told TNS. MBBS doctors, already practicing ultrasonography on the basis of the old provision in the law, will need to clear a competency test at the time of renewal of their clinic’s registration. “If they pass, we will know they have the skill to do an ultrasound,” Gupta said. The course can only be offered by centres of excellence (AIIMS, JIPMER Puducherry and PGI Chandigarh), all MCI-recognised government and private medical colleges offering PG courses in obstetrics and gynaecology and all National Board of Examination-recognised institutions offering Diplomate of National Board PG certification. The move will help improve the quality of ultrasonologists across India. In-service government doctors will get priority for the course. The move, officials said, would help government in providing ultrasound facilities down to the community health centre level. At present, such facilities are available only in district hospitals. In another major decision, the Central Supervisory Board, under the PNDT Act, decided to evolve a code of conduct for appropriate district authorities which monitor the law. Chief Medical Officers are the appropriate authorities at district-level.
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Gowda gives Yeddy anxious moments
Bangalore, July 20 Gowda, who had kept low after demitting the CM’s office, recently tried to demonstrate his strength by hosting a dinner for a select group of legislators and ministers at his official residence. Four MLAs, who had earlier identified themselves with Yeddyurappa, attended the dinner. Legislators who are aggrieved over not getting ministerial berths and ministers satisfied with their portfolios are joining hands with Gowda. Seven ministers were present at Gowda’s dinner attended by 30 other legislators. Yeddyurappa is said to be alarmed by the development and has even suggested that Shettar takes up reallocation of portfolios to placate some of the disgruntled ministers. Gowda, who had been forced to quit as CM following a rebellion against him backed by Yeddyurappa, is understood to have been eyeing the state party president’s post and trying to consolidate his position in the party. The term of the incumbent state party chief KS Eshwarappa will expire coming December. He had become the party’s state unit president in January 2010 for a three-year term. Moreover, Eshwarappa had been sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister earlier this month in a bid to woo the numerically strong backward Kuruba community he hails from. It is expected that he will quit the party chief’s post even before the completion of his term in view of his heavy responsibilities as Deputy CM. Eshwarappa had resigned from the energy minister’s post after becoming the state party chief. Having returned to the government as the number two, he is not expected to cling to the dual responsibilities of Deputy Chief Minister and the state party president. The caste consideration also favours Gowda’s appointment as the state party chief. Though R Ashok, who belongs to the politically influential Vokkaliga caste like Sadananda Gowda, has also been appointed the Deputy Chief Minister, this has failed to placate the community who are upset over the BJP’s step of dumping Gowda in favour of Jagadish Shettar, a Lingayat. Vokkaliga leaders including Vokkaliga MLAs of the BJP have accused Ashok of tacitly helping the move to dislodge Gowda so that he can get promoted up the pecking order in the government. Sure enough, from being the home and transport minister, Ashok took over as one of the two deputy chief ministers in the new ministry headed by Shettar sworn in on July 12. While most of the Yeddyurappa loyalists inducted in the Shettar-led Cabinet have secured key portfolios, the inclusion of BJ Puttaswamy, a recent entrant in the party and a close confidante of Yeddyurappa, in the Cabinet as cooperation minister, has not gone down well with Yeddyurappa loyalists who have failed to get a berth in the Cabinet.
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27% quota for OBCs in petrol pump allotment
New Delhi, July 20 Further, with a view to improve transparency and remove discretion in the selection process, the allotment of dealership will be made by draw of lots. These changes are expected to make the petrol pump allotment in tune with the government’s social objectives and higher standards of transparency, the statement said.
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peace process Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS
Guwahati, July 20 The Joint Legislators Forum (JLF) of Nagaland Legislative Assembly has adopted a resolution to facilitate an “alternative arrangement” and step down in the event of a logical solution to Naga political problem out of the ongoing Naga peace process involving Naga rebel group NSCN-IM and the Government of India. The forum has also urged the underground groups (all NSCN factions) to “rise above” all differences so that a collective effort could be made to find a permanent solution to the vexed political imbroglio. The persisting differences among NSCN factions have remained a major hurdle in finding an all-acceptable solution in the about 15-year-long Naga peace process. The decision in favour of an “alternative arrangement” was part of a four-point resolution adopted at the JLF meeting held in Kohima on Thursday. It was endorsed by the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, ruling Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) president Dr Shürhozelie, NLA speaker Keyanilie Peseyie, Opposition leader Tokheho Yepthomi and Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president SI Jamir. Appealing to the parties negotiating peace, particularly the Government of India, to expedite the dialogue process so that an honourable settlement was arrived at, JLF representing the 60-member Legislative Assembly said they had taken the decision cutting across party lines in the “greater interests” of the Naga society, responding to the “cry of the people” for lasting peace in the state. The JLF resolution also lauded the civil societies, Church, NGOs and mass-based organisations for their “tireless efforts” towards forging understanding and reconciliation amongst all sections of Naga society under the banner of Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and said they carried the voice of the people who were longing for peace and solution to the “Indo-Naga” political problem. The JLF resolutions followed reports about Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio offering to step down from office for an alternative arrangement that may facilitate return of peace and stability to the state. According to reports, Rio had proposed to step down at a closed-door meeting held with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on June 27 last on getting feedback from the Centre that it was resolved to bring about a solution to the Naga political issue by the end of the year and before the next Assembly election in Nagaland scheduled for March 2013.
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Entry to IITs just got tougher
New Delhi, July 20 In 15 states and UTs whose boards hold their own Class XII exams, IIT aspirants will have to score more than 60 per cent marks (IIT eligibility cut off which existed till 2012) for entry to the 15 coveted technical institutes. A student in Andhra will, from 2013, have to score a minimum of around 87.20 per cent marks in Class XII to become eligible for IIT entrance while in Punjab, he will have to score 70.80 per cent, in Jammu and Kashmir 67 per cent and in Himachal 63.20 per cent. For CBSE (national board) students, the qualifying percentage from the next year would have to be a minimum of 77.80 per cent. The above stated percentages represent marks the last student in the top 20 percentile bracket of the respective state boards scored in Class XII in 2012. The Council of Boards of Secondary Education (COBSE) calculated the data to give IIT aspirants the idea of what Class XII percentage they should target from 2013 to ensure the eligibility for IIT entry. On June 6, the IIT Joint Admission Board (JAB) had approved the new Class XII eligibility cut off formula replacing the old one where flat 60 per cent score in Class XII across boards was needed. Under the new system, which gives more importance to school exams for IIT entrance, only those students will be eligible who figure in the top 20 percentile of all the exam writing students in a respective board in a given year. The state/national boards in which students must score more than 60 pc in class XII for IIT eligibility are - Andhra: 87.2 per cent, Bihar: 64.6 per cent, CBSE: 77.8 per cent, Himachal: 63.2 per cent; J&K: 67 per cent, Karnataka: 67.50 per cent, Kerala: 76.5 per cent, Manipur: 64.6 per cent, Madhya Pradesh: 64 per cent, Maharashtra: 61.17 per cent, Punjab: 70.8 per cent, Rajasthan: 63.8 per cent, Tamil Nadu: 78.17 per cent, UP: 65 per cent and National Open School: 60.6 per cent. Boards where less than 60 pc marks would do are West Bengal: 58 per cent, Uttarakhand: 55.20 per cent, Tripura: 50.80 per cent, Orissa: 56.33 per cent, Mizoram: 56.20 per cent, Nagaland: 49 per cent, Meghalaya: 49.40 per cent, Goa: 56.25 per cent, Chhattisgarh: 56.80 per cent and Assam: 54.20 per cent. These percentages will end the confusion among students who did not know what top 20 percentile in their board means. IIT-JAB had asked COBSE to analyse Class XII marks attained in 2012 across state boards and publish the minimum percentage of marks scored by the last student in the top 20 percentile bracket of each board. "These percentages are not likely to change much. Students should look at these targets for IIT eligibility," CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi said. He insisted the new system was more inclusive and took care of the fact that different boards awarded marks differently. For instance, the last student in the top 20 percentile in Tamil Nadu board scored 78.17 per cent in Class XII this year as against just 49 pc in Assam and Meghalaya boards.
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Mumbaikars stranded after flash strike by motormen
Mumbai, July 20 "Train services are operating out of their normal schedules," a WR official said. The Western Railway has pressed in emergency staff, including personnel tasked with shunting trains and drivers of out-station trains to operate local trains as a temporary measure. However, confirming to safety parameters the train are plying at low speeds, officials said. The flash strike resulted in frayed tempers at Churchgate, WR’s main railway station in downtown Mumbai. Angry commuters abused railway personnel posted at the railway station and a several motormen gathered at their staff room at Churchgate were heckled. Some motormen who got into arguments with passengers were roughed up and police were called in to control the situation. The sudden strike which combined with a steady monsoon shower has resulted in huge crowds gathering at main railway stations like Churchgate, Dadar and Bandra. Many passengers scrambled aboard local trains on Central Railway and outstation trains plying on the WR sector. Traffic jams have been reported on the main arterial roads connecting North and South Mumbai as desperate people sought alternative modes of transport.
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News
Analysis Anita Katyal/TNS
New Delhi, July 20 In contrast to its handling of its biggest ally Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Congress leadership went into an overdrive after it received Pawar’s communication last night in which he raised pending “larger issues” regarding the functioning of the alliance and even threatened to put in his papers. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who described Pawar as a “valued colleague”, called him up immediately and the two met late Thursday night to resolve their differences. Congress President Sonia Gandhi also met Pawar this morning and promised to get back on his grievances. This was followed by a meeting of the Congress core group this evening which discussed how best Pawar could be mollified. Pawar’s colleague Praful Patel was quick to remind the Congress.”The NCP is a small party..it does not have the numbers but Pawar is respected because of his standing.” he said today. The NCP has nine Lok Sabha MPs but the Congress can ill-afford to overlook Sharad Pawar’s angry missive. Not only is he Maharashtra’s tallest leader but Pawar has, over the years, cultivated friends cross the political and geographical divide. Given his fan following in various political parties, the Maratha strongman has the potential to emerge as a pivot for a possible formation of a non-Congress, non-BJP grouping. Pawar has struck at a time when the Congress is vulnerable and the UPA government’s popularity graph is sliding. The NCP chief is, therefore, distancing himself from the ruling combine and exploring other options which could result in fresh political realignments in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. ‘The UPA is entering its last two years.It’s time that we as a political party and an alliance gear up for 2014, “Patel underlined. Pawar has excellent relations with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J.Jayalalithaa and has also struck up a friendship with Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik. In fact, NCP and BJD even had an alliance in Odisha in the last elections. The rapport between Pawar and Shiv Sena boss Bal Thackeray is well known. Their parties tied up with each other in the recent local elections even though the NCP and the Congress run a coalition government in Maharashtra. The NCP chief is known to be a canny and shrewed politician. He has , so far, been perceived as a dependable and mature ally, who has always stood by the government on crucial issues. Unlike Mamata Banerjee, whose responses are driven by emotions, Pawar’s decision to take on the Congress is an extremely calculated move. He is unlikely to walk out of the UPA but he evidently wants to remind its bigger partner that it should not take him for granted and that he should be assigned a larger role in the UPA in keeping with his seniority. This is Pawar’s short term plan but in the long run, the NCP chief is looking at a political future without the Congress.
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HIV cases: Andhra on top
Hyderabad, July 20 According to official figures, there are over five lakh HIV positive cases in the state out of an estimated 24 lakh cases reported during 2011-12 across the country. AP is followed by Maharashtra with 4.19 lakh cases, Karnataka (2.45 lakh), West Bengal (1.67 lakh), Tamil Nadu (1.54 lakh), Gujarat (1.36 lakh) and Uttar Pradesh (1.09 lakh). All other states together account for 6.66 lakh HIV patients. While one in every 300 adults is suffering from HIV infection elsewhere, it is one in 100 as far as AP is concerned. The prevalence of HIV is 1.07 per cent among men and 0.73 among women in the state. Its prevalence among adults (15 to 49 years) is 0.90 per cent, pregnant women 1.22 per cent, female sex workers 11.4 per cent and homosexuals 23.6 per cent. Among the affected districts, Hyderabad leads with 61,389 HIV patients. It is followed by Guntur (55,254) and East Godavari (50,325). Illiteracy, poor health, unemployment, migration, unsafe and non-traditional sex practices and trafficking are some of the factors contributing to the spread of HIV in the state, according to experts.
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Gurgaon, July 20
Gurgaon, July 20
