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Rs 30 cr to be spent on CCTVs in Pune: Dy CM
Four bodies found, curfew in Assam’s Chirang district
Now, a hawk eye over key shipping route
Telangana activists’ next: ‘Egypt-style’ agitation
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Lokpal unlikely to figure in monsoon session
Jantar Mantar
Each life-extended copter saves IAF Rs 2 crore daily
Mangalore resort assault case
Top insurgent held in Tripura
Improvement in quality of education
Man sets himself ablaze, 6 policemen suspended
Ignoring objections, OVL to stay in South China sea
US assault rifles for Army Special Forces
Belgium to help modernise Railways
India explores seawater-drinking water convertibility
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PM-Zardari meeting on cards in Iran
New Delhi, August 5 Zardari is also expected to renew his invitation to Manmohan Singh to visit his country in November during the Guru Nanak jayanti celebrations. He had last week written to the Indian PM, formally inviting him to Pakistan. The visit, he said, could also provide Singh an opportunity to go to his ancestral place of Gah in Pakistan's Punjab province. India has so far not responded to Zardari’s letter as it is still in a dilemma whether the PM should undertake his much-anticipated visit to Pakistan in view of the fact that Islamabad has done precious little to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack. Sources said the PM's visit has become all the more difficult in the wake of the recent ruling by a Pakistani court, conducting the trial of seven 26/11 suspects, including Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, that the evidence collected by the judicial commission was inadmissible as no cross-examination was allowed. The PM himself has gone on record to say that he would visit the neighbouring country only if the trip results in a solid outcome. The civilian government in Pakistan, on the other hand, is keen to host Singh to boost its own sagging public image ahead of the 2013 elections. Zardari had made a similar request to Singh when he had visited India in April for the pilgrimage to Ajmer. Meanwhile, after weeks of deliberations at the highest level, India has decided that the PM must attend the NAM Summit in Iran, notwithstanding the Islamic republic's current stand-off with the West over its controversial nuclear programme. Apart from attending the summit, the PM will hold bilateral talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Sources said that by attending the summit at the highest level, India wants to send out a clear message to the international community about its commitment to the NAM process and the relevance of the 120-member body in the present world order. As far as Iran's nuclear programme is concerned, India has consistently been of the view that the issue should be resolved through talks and not by resorting to harsh measures such as sanctions. At the same time, it has counselled Iran to fulfil its international obligations by cooperating with the IAEA and abiding by its guidelines while pursuing its nuclear programme. However, it is quite obvious that with the US, Israel and some leading European nations trying to pull out all the stops to isolate Iran, the summit is unlikely to be attended at the highest level by many Arab nations.
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Lokpal unlikely to figure in monsoon session pitter-patter
New Delhi, August 5 The latter's public disagreement led to the creation of a coordination panel, an allies' inclusive arrangement, set up for the first time in the eight years the coalition has been in power at the Centre. A day ahead of the start of the session will allow the UPA to re-emphasise its collective strength when Members of Parliament will vote to elect the Vice-President on Tuesday. Incumbent Hamid Ansari, the nominee of the ruling coalition sits pretty against his Bharatiya Janata Party-led opposition challenger Jaswant Singh in the 790 MPs-strong electoral college. Poll managers for the UPA on Sunday exuded confidence that support for Ansari is expected to romp home with a figure of 500 votes now that the entire ruling coalition including the TMC is on board along with endorsement by three of the four Left parties. Not willing to be seen as being complacent, the Congress has mounted a final public relations campaign with the party president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi hosting a lunch for the allies here tomorrow that will be attended by TMC members. While the Congress political managers can heave a sigh of collective relief, the party will literally face litmus test as days wear on during the session. Within the Parliamentary Party, the Congress leadership will be tested with the new Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha Sushil Kumar Shinde stepping into the shoes of Pranab Mukherjee, one of the several hats he wore. Besides managing the intra-coalition contradictions, Shinde and his team will have to deal with an opposition that is readying to take on the government on a range of issues starting with the recent bomb blast, the killings in Assam, persisting problem of spiralling price rise, agrarian distress and shaking off the charge of being a government in a state of drift. Adding to this political showdown is the appointment of P Chidambaram as the Union Finance Minister that many members in the Opposition feel provides them with an opportunity to put the Government on the mat on the 2G Spectrum allocation issue. Traditionally, the Monsoon session is considered to be ideal for legislation, but there is little hope of the much-discussed Lokpal Bill being reported back by the select committee to the Rajya Sabha while the Left is insisting having a modified Bill to provide Food Security.
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Rs 30 cr to be spent on CCTVs in Pune: Dy CM
Mumbai, August 5
Pawar, who holds the Finance portfolio as well, said Rs 30 crore would be sanctioned for setting up CCTV network in the two cities to help maintain the law and order. "Out of the Rs 30 crore funds, Rs 10 crore would be borne by the state government, Rs 10 crore from MLA and MP development fund and Rs 7.5 crore from Pune Municipal Corporation and Rs 2.5 crore from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal corporation," he said. A committee of senior police and administration officers has been set up for the purchase of the CCTV equipment. Pawar said the process of procurement should be completed in a month. — PTI
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Four bodies found, curfew in Assam’s Chirang district
Guwahati, August 5 A mob of enraged people blocked National Highway 31 at Bortola in Chirang district this morning after recovery of bodies of two autorickshaw drivers from the district at Karigaon on the back of Champabati river in neighbouring Kokrajhar district. The two persons had gone untraced yesterday while they were plying their three-wheelers along the highway following a perceived improvement in the prevailing situation. Police had to resort to lathi-charge at Bortola after the mob damaged a bus belonging to Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) injuring the driver and the helper. An indefinite curfew was clamped on the entire district. Meanwhile, three persons were injured,one of them seriously, when a crude bomb exploded at a village near Goreswar town in Baksa district. Police said a transistor-like object was spotted lying in a paddy field in the area by a person who brought it to the road to show it to two other persons. As the bomb went off, all the three unsuspecting persons were injured.
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Now, a hawk eye over key shipping route
New Delhi, August 5 Last week Indian Naval Air Station, INS Baaz, meaning-the Hawk-was commissioned at Campbell Bay, the southern-most tip of the Andaman Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal. It is located just 91 km from Indonesia. The Indian Navy has been tasked to provide real-time information using ‘airborne’ assets like surveillance aircraft and UAVs which will be based on the INS Baaz. These will beam lives pictures to ground based controllers to keep an eye on pirates, any threat to crucial sea lanes of communications besides cement India’s presence in an area that is very high on the priority list of China. The importance of the Strait of Malacca stems from the fact that this is the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is an important link between European markets and oil in the Gulf on one side and China, Japan and Korea on the other side. Nearly 70,000 vessels pass through the strait annually and about 25 per cent of all global trade passes through it. The Navy says that at present the INS Baaz is equipped to operate light to heavy aircraft capable of short field operations from the runway of about 3500 feet. The runway will be progressively lengthened to enable unrestricted operation of all categories of aircraft, including heavy aircraft. The operational importance is that aircraft and UAVs taking off from INA Baaz will be able to
spend more time in the air for surveillance over the Strait of Malacca. Its location will allow a wider-swath of coverage including the straits of Sunda and Lombok located further east. At present, airborne surveillance assets were being launched from Port Blair — about 880 km north of Campbell Bay — that made it difficult to sustain
the watch over longer periods of time as the planes spend a considerable time in travelling to reach the Strait of Malacca. The base will also be
bolstered with modern airfield instruments and navigation aids. The runway expansion will be needed in case the IL-76 type of transport planes have to land or fighters like the Sukhoi-30 MKI have to be based. Last month, the IAF tested its medium lift tactical transporter C-130 J by flying it non-stop for 10 hours from Hindon (near Delhi) to land at Campbell Bay. The C-130-J can land on smaller runways.
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Telangana activists’ next: ‘Egypt-style’ agitation
Hyderabad, August 5 Members of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), a conglomeration of pro-Telangana parties and social groups, are planning to undertake a trip to Egypt to study how the Arab revolution was scripted and replicate a similar model in Telangana. Taking a cue from the Tahrir Square protests that had symbolised the Arab rebellion, Telangana activists have called for laying a siege to Hyderabad for 48 hours, beginning September 30. “Several lakhs of people will be mobilised from across Telangana region to serve as a strong message to the government,” a TJAC member said. During its visit to Cairo later this month, the Telangana team would interact with the leaders and activists of the Arab movement to gain from their experience. “We will demonstrate the power of mass movement and what it can do to the recalcitrant governments,” TJAC Convener Prof M Kodandaram said. A steering committee has been formed to mobilise public support for “Chalo Hyderabad” rally aimed at “cutting off the Andhra Pradesh capital from the rest of the country.” The Telangana agitation would be launched with renewed vigour from August 15 with the statehood supporters undertaking padayatra from 10 districts in the region which would culminate in a “Chalo Hyderabad” march on September 30. Interestingly, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which has so far been in the forefront of the agitation, has been lukewarm to the idea of laying a siege to Hyderabad. In fact, its senior leaders are cut up with the TJAC for not "consulting" them on the course of the agitation. The observers say the TRS is keen on using the Telangana card more as a political weapon and keep the pot boiling till the 2014 General Election so that it can exploit the issue to reap rich electoral dividends.
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Lokpal unlikely to figure in monsoon session The victory of its nominee in Presidential election notwithstanding, the Congress, that leads the ruling coalition, has come under attack from its allies, first in the form of the Trinamool Congress
(TMC) and then the solid blow by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), one of its most trusted and long-standing partners. What Will
Dominate The latter's public disagreement led to the creation of a coordination panel, an allies' inclusive arrangement, set up for the first time in the eight years the coalition has been in power at the Centre. A day ahead of the start of the session will allow the UPA to
re-emphasise its collective strength when Members of Parliament will vote to elect the Vice-President on Tuesday. Incumbent Hamid
Ansari, the nominee of the ruling coalition sits pretty against his Bharatiya Janata Party-led opposition challenger Jaswant Singh in the 790 MPs-strong electoral college. Poll managers for the UPA on Sunday exuded confidence that support for Ansari is expected to romp home with a figure of 500 votes now that the entire ruling coalition including the TMC is on board along with endorsement by three of the four Left parties.
Not willing to be seen as being complacent, the Congress has mounted a final public relations campaign with the party president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi hosting a lunch for the allies here tomorrow that will be attended by TMC members. While the Congress political managers can heave a sigh of collective relief, the party will literally face litmus test as days wear on during the session. Within the Parliamentary Party, the Congress leadership will be tested with the new Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha Sushil Kumar Shinde stepping into the shoes of Pranab Mukherjee, one of the several hats he wore. Besides managing the intra-coalition contradictions, Shinde and his team will have to deal with an opposition that is readying to take on the government on a range of issues starting with the recent bomb blast, the killings in Assam, persisting problem of spiralling price rise, agrarian distress and shaking off the charge of being a government in a state of drift. Adding to this political showdown is the appointment of P Chidambaram as the Union Finance Minister that many members in the Opposition feel provides them with an opportunity to put the Government on the mat on the 2G Spectrum allocation issue.
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Vote-banking on sects
Anita Katyal If politicians in Punjab find it impossible to ignore the influence of sects like the Dera Sacha Sauda and Radha Soami Satsang Beas during elections, it is no different in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. As elections in the hill state are due later this year, leaders from across party lines have already started dropping in at the dera headquarters near Sirsa. Since the sects have millions of followers, their support has proved to be instrumental in determining the outcome of election results in the past. After seeing how the dera’s support helped the Congress in the 2007 Punjab Assembly polls, party leaders handling the Himachal Pradesh elections have already met the heads of the two sects over the past week to seek their backing. The two sects also have a large following in the areas of the poll-bound hill state bordering Punjab and the Congress is hoping it will be able to dislodge the Dhumal government with their support. Pawar too close for Antony’s comfort
Set for political plunge?
Bengalis’ preferred hill station?
The joke doing the rounds after Pranab Mukherjee took over as President: The favourite hill station of all Bengalis these days is Raisina Hill.
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Each life-extended copter saves IAF Rs 2 crore daily
Chandigarh, August 5 The savings, according to IAF officers, are on account of deferred purchases of new aircraft as well as aircraft components and sub-systems. The IAF had launched a project at No. 3 Base Repair Depot here to extend the life of its Mi-8 helicopters in five-year phases. As a helicopter neared the end of its stipulated calendar and technical life, it was put through a series of tests to determine the feasibility of extending its life by a few more years. Many Mi-8 helicopters were cleared for life extension while some machines were decommissioned due to technical reasons. The IAF has about 80 Mi-8 helicopters in service, providing medium transport capability along with the Mi-17, its more powerful successor. The earlier versions of the Mi-17, which were inducted in the 1980s, will also undergo life extension. “Given the number of helicopters involved, the savings incurred on account of life extension is significant,” an officer said. “It is not just the airframe and engine, but a host of other components where replacement can be deferred,” he added. It is not just the Mi series of helicopters, but also other aircraft that are undergoing life extension. The IAF’s AN-32 tactical transporter fleet is undergoing the same process after a pilot project was undertaken in Ukraine. The AN-32’s engines, which are overhauled at 3 BRD, have been cleared for life extension by 500 hours. Life extension plays an important role as it allows for maintaining squadron strength and making aerial assets available for operational requirements in time when the cost of military hardware is sky-rocketing and procurement process remains mired in red-tape and controversies. Beyond transport aircraft and helicopters, the concept has also been extended to fighters with the IAF’s MiG-29, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 fleets being lined up for mid-life upgrade and life extension.
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Owner opened Pandora’s box by calling police
Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service
Bangalore, August 5 Cases were filed against the owner by the Forest Department recently under a law which the owner probably was not even aware of. Antlers of deer mounted on wooden plaques and hung as showpieces on walls are common in old houses of Mangalore. Most of these were of animals hunted over 60 to 75 years ago, much before wildlife conservation laws came into force. However, a mobile squad of the Forest Department raided the homestay premises following the assault and seized the antlers and slapped a case on owner FPS Rebello. The city corporation has also issued notices to the owner for converting private premises into homestay without permission from the MCC and also publishing advertisements on websites offering homestay facilities. Rebello will now think twice before allowing a get-together of young people on his premises. In case of any attack by hoodlums on a guest, he probably will not draw the attention of the police given his experience this time round. Karnataka Home Minister R Ashoka has said the actual perpetrators in the Morning Mist resort assault case will be charged under the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Slum-Grabbers Act, 1985, commonly known as the Goonda Act. However, it is easier said than done, an official here said. Anyone booked under the Goonda Act can be put under detention for a year without any provision for bail. This seems to be the reason why politicians talk about the Act when they want to give an impression that they really mean business. However, the case has to be very strong against the person booked under the Act. Otherwise, the detention can be struck down by the court. Booking under the Goonda Act also entails huge paperwork. There were talks about invoking the Act during the church attacks at Mangalore in 2008 and later during the pub attack in the city in 2009. This, however, was not done. The law was once invoked in Mangalore in 2006 but had no impact on anti-social elements. The city police is said to be studying the antecedents of the 22 arrested persons to evaluate each case and assess if any of them could be booked under the provisions of the Act. gets notices * Forest Department slap case on owner FPS Rebello for antler showpieces on the walls * City corporation has issues notices to the owner for converting private premises into homestay without permission
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Top insurgent held in Tripura
Agartala, August 5 "Debbarma was arrested during a combing operation at Raishyabari by Tripura State Rifles (TSR) on July 28 but his identity was revealed to the police during an interrogation yesterday,” IG, Police Control, Nepal Das said. He was remanded in police custody by a court in Kamalpur sub-division, he said. "Debbarma is the second-in-command of NLFT (BM) group," Das said. — PTI
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Improvement in quality of education Aditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, August 5
The proposals form part of an overall thinking in the HRD Ministry that the school examination system needs to change to improve learning. Last year, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test, which Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) coordinates, placed Indian students near the bottom among 74 nations. Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (top rankers on literacy in India) scored 73rd and 72nd positions, just ahead of the bottom-ranked Kyrgyzstan in mathematics and overall reading skills in PISA study. China’s Shanghai topped in all three indicators -- reading skills, mathematical and scientific literacy. “Improvement in learning outcomes is absolutely essential. That’s our biggest challenge. Every state will have to evolve a methodology to test learning outcomes and there has to be a prescription in consultation with them on how these outcomes are to be best judged. Discussions will start now,” HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told The Tribune. He said the Indian system tested students on what they were taught. “It should be the other way round. The method of testing must determine the nature of teaching. We are going to start brainstorming on this issue beginning from Chandigarh this Sunday,” said Sibal, who will chair the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of Central Universities in Chandigarh on August 5 and 6. The conference will ask VCs how universities can mentor schools in improving the quality of testing and teaching. The idea is to revamp NCERT textbooks if necessary. “Our textbooks are not child-appropriate. The problem arises pre-school. If a child is in an environment where he can’t absorb the basic rudiments, he will always lag behind in class. NCERT prescribes textbooks which children sometimes don’t understand. We need solutions to this and solutions won’t come sitting in Delhi. So we are going out, like to Chandigarh,” Sibal said. On mandatory testing of learning outcomes, the Ministry wants a government- driven system of assessment so that India does not have to depend on PISA or NGO Pratham to know how its children are learning. “States will have to judge learning outcomes based on sample testing and not individual testing. The idea is to see how RTE is progressing in terms of learning,” Ministry officials said. Pratham’s latest survey showed that nationally, over 50 per cent children in elementary school were two grades behind where they ought to be. PISA showed that in Tamil Nadu, only 17 per cent students and in Himachal only 11 per cent had reading proficiency that was at or above the baseline needed to be effective in life. OECD nations had 81 per cent. Further, an average 15-year-old Indian child was found to be 40 points behind the worst students in OECD countries. Even the top 5 per cent performers in Tamil Nadu and Himachal were around 100 points behind the average child in Singapore and 83 points behind the average Korean.
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Team Anna yet to decide on contesting Gujarat, HP polls
New Delhi, August 5 Though it has made clear its intention to have a shot at power in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections on an anti-corruption plank, Team Anna has not talked about contesting the Assembly elections slated this year-end. Anna Hazare and his team have been targetting the UPA government on Lokpal issue for the past 16 months but they are yet to decide whether they would target the BJP governments in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh this year-end and Karnataka next year by contesting elections there. Taking the political plunge, Team Anna has talked about a political alternative which they claimed will be people-centric. "We have not yet decided," Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan told PTI when asked whether they would contest the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. A meeting of the Core Committee will be held "very soon" in which various issues, including contesting Assembly elections, will be discussed, a Team Anna member said. But the main agenda of the meeting would be the 'Swaraj Yatra' to drum up support for its political alternative and find new allies even as a section of its associates are unhappy with the decision to turn political. Prominent Team Anna members Santosh Hegde and Medha Patkar have already voiced their opposition to the move while a number of volunteers, who were part of the movement and the fast at Jantar Mantar, left the venue in protest. "We respect it as their decision but not ours. It's not a criticism of anyone, not even of process. I knew this, no shock either. Alternative politics is needed, but beyond party. Movements' politics should aim at power to people. It is easy for politicians to fight us on their turf," Patkar said. Hegde has said he does not support Hazare floating a party but would campaign for candidates who identify with the movement against corruption. When asked about the voices of opposition from within, Team Anna member Kumar Vishwas said no one is opposing the decision because all were taken into confidence. "They have their positions. It is only different opinions," he told PTI. Vishwas said they will soon sit together to chalk out plans for its country-wide tour which will have Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Kiran Bedi and others in attendance. "Arvind, Manish and Gopal Rai, who were fasting for ten days, need some rest. We will soon meet and the decide on the yatra," Vishwas said. The tour is part of Team Anna's initiative to seek suggestions from public on the political alternative they declared at the end of the fast here on Friday. — PTI
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Man sets himself ablaze, 6 policemen suspended
Lucknow, August 5 Shibu Rahman and SP worker, had attempted self-immolation on Friday inside the police station after failing to get a case registered against his neighbours who had beaten him up a few days ago. A riot-like situation was created when the police took him to the district hospital. Angry supporters of the victim chased the policemen on the roads, including SO Aqil Ghazi, forcing them to flee in their jeep. Firozabad SP Aparna H said Ghazi was suspended on Friday and a criminal case was registered against him yesterday. The case registered against the SO is under IPC Sections 147 (rioting), 306 (abetment to suicide), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 511 (attemp to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life etc). The other five suspended from the Ramgarh police station include two SIs, one head constable and two constables. Rahman, suffering around 80 per cent burns, had been referred to an Agra hospital on Friday where his condition is being described as stable. The Firozabad police has released Rs 1 lakh for his treatment. Rahman had complained to the Ramgarh police about his neighbours illegally running a slaughter house. Instead of registering a complaint, the police reportedly alerted the other party which started harassing Rahman. A few days ago, Rahman’s neighbours had brutally beaten up Rahman. Since then, Rahman had been visiting the police station every day to get an FIR registered in the case. When he went to the police station yesterday, Rahman saw his tormentors being entertained at the police station while he was again chased away. Frustrated at the police conduct, Rahman set himself ablaze inside the police station.
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Ignoring objections, OVL to stay in South China sea
New Delhi, August 5 State-run ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) is learnt to have accepted Vietnam’s proposal to continue exploring oil and gas in block 128 allotted to it by Hanoi in the South China Sea. The OVL had earlier decided to withdraw from the project, saying the area was rocky and not economically viable for exploration. Vietnam provided additional data to the Indian side, compelling the OVL to reverse its decision. The OVL had also backed out of the project since the exploration work could not be started by June 15, the deadline set by Vietnam. But Hanoi extended the deadline for undertaking exploration by one year to keep the OVL’s interest in the project alive. The OVL’s decision to stay the course in the South China Sea has already annoyed the Chinese ahead of their Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie’s visit to New Delhi in September. The state-run Chinese daily Global Times, in a commentary, said China must first insist on exerting political pressure over both India and Vietnam, warning them their joint exploration in the South China Sea was illegal and violated China’s sovereignty. If India and Vietnam conduct oil and gas exploration in waters under China’s sovereignty, China should take give a strong response, it added. Accusing New Delhi of further complicating the South China Sea issue, the daily said India wanted to pin down China in the area so that it could gain dominance in affairs across the region. India, however, has gone on record to say that the dispute over the South China Sea must be resolved by the countries in the region by peaceful means. China’s increasing activities in the area have certainly caused considerable anxiety in New Delhi. There are reports that China has set up encampments in the vicinity of the South China Sea and stationed a number of ships in the area.
China's stand
The state-run Chinese daily said China must first insist on exerting political pressure over both India and Vietnam, warning them their joint exploration in the South China Sea was illegal and violated China's sovereignty. If India and Vietnam conduct oil and gas exploration in waters under China's sovereignty, China should take give a strong response
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US assault rifles for Army Special Forces
New Delhi, August 5 India had recently signed a deal with the US worth several crore rupees for procuring these M-4 carbine rifles for the Army’s eight Special Forces battalions, Army sources said. These guns have been used extensively by the US Special Forces in operations across Iraq and Afghanistan and are now being inducted into the eight battalions of Army’s Special Forces, they said. The guns were used by SEALS to shoot down Osama bin Laden in Pakistan’s Abottabad in Operation Geronimo carried out in May last year. Sources said the new guns would not be a replacement for the existing inventory of Israeli Tavor-21, Uzi and mini-Uzi rifles but would supplement the armoury. The Tavor-21s were also inducted only a few years ago into the SF battalions that had using AK-47s till then. A host of new capabilities are being provided to the Army’s Special Forces. The Parachute Regiment has 10 battalions under it and eight of them have been trained as Special Forces, which are supposed to carry out counter-terrorist operations during peacetime and sabotage enemy installations beyond enemy lines during wars. The Special Forces battalions include the 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 21 para units, which are deployed in different sectors of the country and have also been given responsibility to handle any 26/11-type attacks if they occur near their area of deployment. The Army wants to increase the number of Special Forces troops to more than 10 battalions with around 700 men in each. — PTI Giant killer z M-4 assault rifles-used by the US Navy SEALS to eliminate Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden z These were extensively used by the US Special Forces in operations across Iraq and Afghanistan
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Belgium to help modernise Railways
New Delhi, August 5 A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect has been signed by the visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs of Belgium, Didier Reynders, and Railway Minister Mukul Roy. Belgium, which has a specialisation in the field, will help Railways develop major stations as vibrant urban centres for commerce, entertainment and social space. Indian Railways has already identified stations for development conforming to international standards. Belgium Government-owned companies, namely Euro Station and Immostar, have vast experience in the field of development of stations in and outside Belgium. These companies have extensive expertise in transforming railway stations into modern international terminals and the experience gained can be gainfully emulated in India after suitable adapting to Indian conditions. Several Belgian or Belgium-based companies are already firmly present in India and their activities range from fastening and coating of rails to delivery of parts for train construction and software for safety and network management. After the signing of the MoU, Roy said this will usher in a new era of cooperation between the two countries for effective development and modernisation in Railway sector. He said both Indian and Belgian Railways will benefit with mutual consultation and exchange of information services on development and modernisation of railway stations.
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India explores seawater-drinking water convertibility New Delhi, August 5 After the successful run of the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) experimental one-MLD (million litres a day) floating desalination plant using the LTTD technology, more such initiatives are planned for the Lakshadweep islands. While two plants started functioning at Minicoy and Agatti in 2011, LTTD projects at Amini, Chetlet, Kadamath, Kalpeni, Kiltan and Andrott through public-private partnership are now in the pipeline. “Tenders have been finalised,” says Earth Sciences Secretary Shailesh Nayak. The concept of converting seawater into drinking water is under considerable flak from sceptics, who fear harmful side-effects like disturbance to the ocean’s acidity balance and biodiversity apart from high energy use in the concept. They also say rainwater harvesting is a much cheaper and easier way to tackle water woes as compared to much more expensive and complicated seawater conversion methods employed by rich nations in the Middle East. Nayak admits that LTTD is no answer to India’s water woes but says that water released back into the sea after the process is over is more or less same of the consistency, therefore all apprehensions about its harmful effect to ocean biodiversity are misplaced. Plus, the benefits of the technology for providing drinking water to isolated islands also cannot be discounted. “With a capacity of one lakh litre per day, Minicoy and Agatti plants have been contributing significantly to the drinking water needs of the local population of these islands,” he adds. Experts say global water consumption is doubling every 20 years - more than twice the rate of human population growth. The world’s population is already using about 54 per cent accessible freshwater.
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Sources said top officials of the two countries were in touch, trying to fix the meeting at which the two leaders are expected to stock of the relations between their two countries, particularly in the trade and economic field.
The victory of its nominee in Presidential election notwithstanding, the Congress, that leads the ruling coalition, has come under attack from its allies, first in the form of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and then the solid blow by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), one of its most trusted and long-standing partners.
Ajit Pawar, who is the Guardian Minister of Pune, met ATS Chief Rakesh Maria, Pune Police Commissioner Gulabrao Pol and other top police and administrative officers to take stock of the security situation after the serial blasts in Pune last Wednesday. Home Minister R R Patil was not present at the meeting.
New Delhi, August 5
There was a lot of curiosity about the seating arrangements when the Cabinet met last week as it was the first meeting to be held after NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar first threatened to quit the government and then changed his mind. Pawar was reported to be miffed that he had not been given the number two slot in the government’s pecking order. He was particularly incensed because he was first seated next to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in place of Pranab Mukherjee, but was subsequently moved down to make place for Defence Minister AK Antony. The seating arrangement remained unchanged at the last Cabinet meeting as Antony continued to occupy the chair next to the PM. However, Ministers who attended the meeting noticed that Pawar’s chair was placed so close to Antony’s that there was not even an inch of space between the two, almost as if the Defence Minister’s chair was being edged out.
Ever since former Army Chief VK Singh retired from service, it had been speculated that he would soon plunge into the political arena. After keeping a low profile for some time, his intentions first became apparent when he participated in an agitation at Fatehabad in Haryana to oppose the Gorakhpur nuclear plant. This was further confirmed when he lent his voice to Anna Hazare’s anti-graft movement and landed up at Jantar Mantar when Hazare and his supporters ended their hunger strike on Friday. It can also be assumed that VK Singh, who had blown the lid off the Tatra army trucks bribe offer in his last days in office, will be a favourite election candidate of the anti-corruption crusaders when they launch their new political party. However, VK Singh will discover that a career in politics is very different from his old one in the Armed Forces in more ways than one.
Plans are also afoot to revisit school curriculum after mounting evidence to show that children are at least two grades behind the level of proficiency they need in order to cope with school textbooks.