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NCP ups ante, sets Thursday deadline Congress MLAs now ‘unhappy’ with Chavan |
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President’s parting advice: Govt, people must fight graft together
School education: Punjab ranks 3rd in India
Krishna to visit Pak from Sept 7
Monsoon deficient,
but no cause for worry, says Ashwani Kumar
Minister of State for Science and Technology Ashwani Kumar in Chandigarh on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph
Fire-fighters douse a fire in a house in Kokrajhar. — PTI
Restrain Delhi HC from declaring DNA result: Tiwari to SC
SC bans tourism in core
areas of tiger reserves
Travel operators slam order
Gowda hits back at Yeddy on drought remarks
Lokpal: Anna gives ultimatum, team begins fast today
1 more dies in Bareilly violence
Ramesh offers bio-toilets on trains
Son to contest from Pranab’s Lok Sabha seat
Central Govt offices in Lutyens’ Delhi shut
in first half today
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NCP ups ante, sets Thursday deadline New Delhi, July 24 Maintaining that there had been no follow-up on NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi regarding the issues raised by him, NCP sources said if there is no word from the Congress, “it means we are out.” Underlining the need to end this prolonged drama, Pawar will wait till Thursday’s Cabinet meeting to convey whether his party will remain in the government or give it outside support. While this is being seen as a ploy to mount pressure on the Congress, the NCP is in a dilemma as its move to pull out of the UPA will have serious implications in Maharashtra where the two parties are running a coalition government. NCP’s Maharashtra leaders have said if the party quits the government in Delhi , its position in the state will become increasing untenable. According to them, relations between the Congress and NCP will further worsen while governance will suffer adversely impacting the party’s future electoral prospects. The Maharashtra unit has said if the NCP pulls out of the UPA government, it should do the same in the state. However, senior party leaders are loathe to take the plunge in Maharashtra as it would not like to lose power in the state where the NCP draws its strength. “Pawar wants to pull out his nine Lok Sabha MPs at the Centre as he knows it will not destablise the UPA government, but he cannot afford to do the same in Maharashtra,” remarked a senior Congress leader. Even as it wrestles with this dilemma, the NCP leaders will meet here again tomorrow after conferring with its Maharashtra contingent to decide on their relationship with the UPA government. As the UPA government’s popularity continues to slide and the Congress becomes increasingly vulnerable, Pawar’s game plan is to distance himself from the ruling combine with an eye on the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He has also been in touch with UPA allies like Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee while DMK leader TR Baalu called on Pawar today.
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Congress MLAs now ‘unhappy’ with Chavan Mumbai, July 24 Sources say the MLAs were protesting the mothballing of several vital projects in their constituencies. The CM takes personal interest in clearing big projects. Though he has managed to reduce corruption, his way of functioning has resulted in many important projects getting delayed. In addition, MLAs owing allegiance to ex-CM Ashok Chavan are upset with Prithviraj Chavan for not failing to support the former in the Adarsh Housing Society scam. Thakre has now sought to play down the matter saying there is no rebellion against the CM. "Nobody has complained against the Chief Minister. No body is opposed to him," Thakre said. He said MLAs were keen on getting their projects on the fast track ahead of the 2014 Assembly elections. "I have spoken to the CM. The MLAs work will get done," he said. Projects delayed
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MNS shuts Mumbai-Pune Expressway toll plazas
Mumbai, July 24 According to the MNS, its activists reached the Expressway around noon and forced the attendants at the toll booths to let vehicles pass without paying toll. The situation was brought under control after police arrested the MNS activists. Later in the day, Thackeray told reporters that MNS activists would peacefully appeal to motorists not to pay toll till the government spells out its policy on toll collection in the state. "There should be transparency in toll collection. People should receive the services they pay for," Thackeray said. He further added that many projects where toll was still being collected had already recovered their investments. "The government should reveal the exact amount of toll collected in the state and how the funds were deployed. This is a practice followed everywhere in the world and we should follow that," Thackeray said. He added that toll collection which was managed by private parties should be handled by the state government directly. Several party activists were arrested after they descended on the Bandra-Worli Sealink and attempted to prevent the collection of toll.
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President’s parting advice: Govt, people must fight graft together
New Delhi, July 24 “You have always shown an ability to understand events happening around you, expressed your views and I am sure you will not fail to build a strong, progressive, cohesive and corruption-free India,” she told citizens in a farewell address to the nation. Her remarks came a day before Team Anna begins an indefinite agitation in the capital on the issue of corruption. Noting that elections in the country were now bringing in governments that were mostly coalitions and legislatures composed of many parties, the President said there were regional aspirations as well. “Expectations are rising and the people are seeking quicker responses to their problems. It is in these settings that promises are to be met, duties are to be performed and results are to be delivered,” she said.
Patil underlined that negative attitudes spread cynicism and despair, which are not in the interest of the country. “We cannot be dismissive and insensitive to others’ needs and callous to what is happening around us. Stability and success of democracy in India rest on social harmony, responsible behaviour, positive attitude and commitment to values,” she stated. Emphasising that people must make sacrifices to build a nation, she appreciated the important role of the country’s armed forces in guarding the borders and of the security forces in maintaining law and order. “With terrorism and extremism in our region, we cannot let down our guard,” she affirmed. She pointed out that in a pluralistic society, one of the prime strengths lies in unity. “It is only when we are united that every challenge will become surmountable. Do not let any divisive agenda take roots or sway you,” she added. She also called for empowering farmers to enhance their bargaining abilities.
PrezSpeak
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School education: Punjab ranks 3rd in India
New Delhi, July 24 The Education Development Index (EDI) looks at 20 indicators of school education, mainly access, infrastructure, teacher availability and outcomes. Besides Punjab, Chandigarh is the only north Indian area to have retained a slot in the top 10 states. Positioned at number 8, Chandigarh has slipped from its sixth rank in 2009-2010. The latest rankings computed by HRD Ministry and the National University for Education Planning and Administration
(NUEPA) have Punjab beating Kerala and Tamil Nadu, considered best in school education sector. Other northern states have also done well. While Haryana and Uttarakhand have held on to their former positions of number 11 and 21 respectively, Himachal has improved four notches to finish 13th in 2010-2011 as compared to 17th a year ago. Jammu and Kashmir has improved six notches and is ranked 19th in India as against 25th in 2009-2010. Punjab on its part is the best performer, having stacked up points for overall improvements on various indicators like access (where it improved its ranking from the ninth to third position) and infrastructure (where it retained the third slot). On individual indices of EDI (which factors progress on primary and upper primary school levels), the following is the performance of different states vis-a-vis Punjab - Access Index
(Mizoram on top; Punjab third); Infrastructure Index (Sikkim best; Punjab third); Teachers Index
(Lakshadweep best; Punjab seventh). On the outcomes index, Punjab loses points as it finishes 18th in India, the topper being Tamil
Nadu. However, Punjab has improved its learning outcomes index rank from 28th in 2009-2010 to 18th in the latest survey. Overall, India has 1.5 million schools imparting elementary education. An analysis of school data from 637 districts shows the continuing primacy of private schools over government schools. Across India, the percentage of government schools among the schools imparting Class VIII level education is 78.15%, as against 80.37% private schools.
Figures Speak
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Krishna to visit Pak from Sept 7
“India had suggested (to Pakistan) September 7-9 as the dates for the visit…these dates now stand confirmed,” MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters. Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal met Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad yesterday and discussed preparations for Krishna’s visit. The visit was earlier scheduled to take place on July 17-18, but Krishna had to postpone it in view of the presidential election in India on July 19. Krishna and Khar will review the talks held between the two sides on all outstanding issues in the dialogue process, which was resumed last year after a gap of more than two years in the wake of Mumbai attacks. They are also expected to prepare framework for the third round of the resumed dialogue. During his stay in Islamabad, Krishna is expected to call on President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and some key political leaders, including PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and PML-Q leader Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain. Following the resumption of the dialogue process, India and Pakistan have made significant progress in normalising trade relations. Islamabad recently switched to a negative-list regime for trade with Delhi, paving the way for giving India the status by the end of this year.
THE BRIEF
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Monsoon deficient,
but no cause for worry, says Ashwani Kumar
Chandigarh, July 24 “There has been some improvement in the past few days in the amount of monsoon received and the government is not worried about drought,” he said here today. “There are only a few areas in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which are traditionally drought prone, where the situation is bad and the government is making contingency plans to counter it,” he added. Dr Ashwani Kumar was here to review the working of Central Scientific Instrumentation Organisation. He interacted with heads of important scientific, technical and medical institutions located in Chandigarh and its vicinity to discuss measures to boost and facilitate visibility of the pioneering research work being conducted by them. He said under the 12th Plan, over Rs 1 lakh crore is expected to be earmarked for the scientific sector. Bio-technology, solar energy, supercomputing, robotics, aerospace, synthetic biology, molecular computing, regenerative medicine, genome sequencing, precision instrumentation, agronomics and material sciences are fields that have immense potential for Indian scientists and industry. He said the Prime Minister has accorded an in-principal approval for an expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore for upgrading supercomputing capabilities. While ruing the fact that top minds in the countries are not opting for a career in pure sciences as well as research and development, he said an eco-system needs to be created which can absorb and sustain talent. He said the era of competitive science was over and the need of the hour was collaborative research so that duplication is avoided and time effort and resources are optimally
utilised.
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Assam flare-up: Bodo-minority community mistrust to blame
Guwahati, July 24 The relations between the two communities went sour in late 1980s when the Bodo Security Force, which was later rechristened as the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), resorted to forcible evacuation of religious minority community people, alleged illegal migrants, who were settling down in Runikhata, Haltugaon, Bansbari forest areas in Kokrajhar district. Even as both communities continued to live in an atmosphere of mistrust throughout the violent phase of the Bodo statehood and separatist movement in Assam, an ethnic flare-up in 1993 left 50 persons dead in parts of Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon districts. Another widespread ethnic cleansing was resorted to by armed Bodo tribe militants in 1996, targeting Adivasi and other non-Bodo settlers in Bodo-dominated forest areas. The Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTC) was formed after the Bodo Peace Accord was signed among the Central Government, the Assam Government and Bodo militants in February 2003. Bodo tribals got autonomy in BTC areas comprising four districts by virtue of they being the single largest tribal community, though in reality major chunk of population in the area comprised non-Bodos with religious minorities being the largest non-Bodo community. The accord widened the divide between Bodos and non-Bodos. Resentment has been growing among non-Bodos from the area as Bodo now enjoy exclusive rights over government jobs and mostly benefitted from all government welfare schemes in BTC areas. The uneasy calm between Bodos and minorities sparked another devastating spell of violence in 2010, especially in Darrang district of Assam. On the other hand, the All-Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) and the All-Bodoland Minority Students Union (ABMSU) started spreading tentacles among minorities in the BTC areas to keep the community united so that they could in future assert for more political rights in the BTC that is now ruled by the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), a political party formed by former militant leaders of the disbanded BLT.
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Restrain Delhi HC from declaring DNA result: Tiwari to SC
New Delhi, July 24 In the petition, Tiwari contended that the HC had misunderstood the SC’s May 24, 2012 order for maintaining confidentiality in the case. While fixing July 27 for opening the test report, the HC had maintained that the SC order on confidentiality pertained only to the collection of the blood sample. He also argued that announcing the test result violate his right to reputation.
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SC bans tourism in core
areas of tiger reserves
New Delhi, July 24 A Bench comprising Justices Swatanter Kumar and Ibrahim Kalifulla also directed the states to immediately notify the core areas (800-1,200 sq km) and the buffer areas (1,000-3,000 sq km outside the core areas) for implementing the ban. States that fail to notify such areas within three weeks will have to face contempt proceedings and exemplary penalty, the Bench warned, pointing out that it had already issued two orders relating to the notifications on April 4 and July
10.
Holding the Principal Secretary, Forest, in the respective states responsible for declaring the core and buffer areas, the Bench said any lapse would entail a fine of Rs 50,000 to be paid by the official. The SC passed the order on a PIL filed by conservationist Ajay Dubey, pleading that the core or critical tiger habitat in all the tiger reserves be made out of bounds for tourism and other commercial activities. According to the 2011 census, India had about 1,700 tigers accounting for about half of the big cat population in 13 tiger range countries. The tiger population had been estimated at over 1 lakh about a century ago. The apex court pointed out that the need for keeping the core or inviolate areas away from tourism had been highlighted by the Wildlife Protection Act, the Project Tiger under the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Wildlife Institute of India and the Tiger Task Force constituted by the National Board for Wildlife. “Tourism is a sector that causes disturbance in an inviolate area. Therefore, the core area has to be free of disturbance from tourism. It is a myth that tourism ensures tiger protection. On the contrary, areas like Sariska and Panna have lost their tigers despite allowing tourism,” the SC noted. Considering the ecological significance of the largest cat species, the tiger range countries signed a declaration at a tiger summit held at St Petersburg, Russia, in November 2010 for making critical tiger breeding habitat within the larger tiger conservation landscapes. Under the declaration, no economic or commercial activities could be allowed in the inviolate areas.
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Travel operators slam order
New Delhi, July 24 “It chooses poachers, illegal grazers and woodchoppers over a non-extractive mode of preserving and funding the protection of wilderness landscape. We are devastated by the Supreme Court’s decision and will file for a review of petition in the interest of the forests of India, conservation of the tiger population and livelihoods of many bordering forest communities. This judgment goes against the very mission statement of NTCA/Project Tiger”, said TOFT Chairman Julian Matthews.
— TNS
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Gowda hits back at Yeddy on drought remarks
Bangalore, July 24 "A senior leader (Yeddyurappa), who has the experience of ruling the state for over three years as chief minister, should have discussed the issue with the Chief Minister and other senior party leaders," he told reporters a day after his friend-turned foe attacked him in the Assembly. He said it was unfortunate that the former chief minister raised the issue on the floor of the Assembly. "He could have raised the issue in party circles and suggested ways to take up drought relief measures." Gowda, who bowed out of office earlier this month after the central leadership yielded to pressure from Yeddyurappa group, said he was not keen on reacting further on the issue as the former chief minister was a senior leader. Speaking during a debate on drought in the Assembly yesterday, Yeddyurappa had hit out at the government for its alleged laxity in the implementation of relief measures to tackle drought and appealed to chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who succeeded Gowda, to waive crop loans borrowed by farmers last year.
— PTI
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Lokpal: Anna gives ultimatum, team begins fast today
New Delhi, July 24 The Anna team has demanded an independent SIT probe into the corruption charges against PM Manmohan Singh and his 14 Cabinet colleagues who face serious graft charges. It is learnt Team Anna plans to produce proof against Pranab Mukherjee at the fast site tomorrow, while he will be taking oath as the President. “Pranab faces corruption charges, but he will be sworn in as the President tomorrow. Parties supporting him have betrayed the nation. Our demand is to set up an SIT for investigating corruption charges against 15 tainted MPs,” said Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal. “Government has never been responsive and time and again gone back on its words. It cannot ignore the voice of people and has to bring a strong Lokpal Bill. A false CD was made and false allegations were also levelled against our team members, all to delay the Bill. The government has forced us to sit on fast repeatedly. I’ll fast despite my poor health as it is a do-or-die situation for us,” said Anna while addressing the media.
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1 more dies in Bareilly violence
Bareilly/Lucknow, July 24 "In Bareilly, 119 people were arrested as a preventive measure and 34 others were held in various crimes, while in Aonla 40 have been arrested in connection with clashes on Sunday and Monday," Inspector General of Police BP Singh said in Lucknow. He said teenager Farhan, who was admitted to hospital, died today. However, it was not clear where he got injured. He said so far five cases had been lodged in connection with the clashes and more FIRs were being lodged by the public. "As of now 10 policemen, and 18 civilians have been injured in clashes," he said.
— PTI
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Ramesh offers bio-toilets on trains
New Delhi, July 24 At present only nine trains with 436 coaches were fitted with bio-toilets, he said. The measure will not only prevent the corrosion of tracks but will also provide odourless sanitation facilities to passengers.
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Son to contest from Pranab’s Lok Sabha seat
Kolkata, July 24 Abhijit, now the Congress MLA from Nalhati in Birbhum, also wants that his wife be allowed to contest the Assembly byelection from Nalhati. Accordingly, Abhijit today telephoned the Murshidabad district Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, who had also welcomed him for contesting from the vacant seat.
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As it awaits word from the Congress on its list of grievances, estranged UPA ally, the Nationalist Congress Party, has set Thursday morning as the deadline to take a final call on quitting the government and extending it external support.
Punjab has emerged as the third best in the country on school education
indicators. HRD Ministry’s annual statistics that measure the progress regions are making towards universalisation of elementary education reveal that Punjab has improved its Education Development Index (EDI) rank from seven to three this year, finishing behind Puducherry and
Lakshadweep, which have both retained their first and second positions respectively from 2009-2010.
Chandigarh, July 24
The Supreme Court today clamped a ban on tourism in the core areas of all the 39 tiger reserves across the country, giving a major boost to efforts for protecting and increasing the population of the endangered species.
A Bench comprising Justices Swatanter Kumar and Ibrahim Kalifulla also directed the states to immediately notify the core areas (800-1,200 sq km) and the buffer areas (1,000-3,000 sq km outside the core areas) for implementing the ban.
Even as the country progresses, one should not forget that nation-building is a collective endeavour and each one has a role to play and contribute according to his/her might, she added.
New Delhi, July 24