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Kingfisher CEO discusses
revival plan with DGCA
Copter scam
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No let-up in infiltration from Pak: Shinde
Uneasy calm in Faizabad, curfew still on
Additional Collector commits suicide
Assam won’t compromise on its territory: Gogoi
Actress loses control over car, boy killed
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Kingfisher CEO discusses
revival plan with DGCA
New Delhi, October 26 Airline CEO Sanjay Aggarwal said the meeting was held to discuss the revival plan which will be presented to the DGCA. “We have not submitted any revival plan yet. But we will present it soon. No time-frame has been specified,” said Aggarwal after meeting DGCA chief Arun Mishra. The Kingfisher was issued licence on August 26, 2003, and it is valid till December 31 this year. DGCA sources said Aggarwal and Kingfisher promoter Vijay Mallya would now discuss among themselves the operational and financial plan for revival of the cash-strapped carrier. Considering that no foreign partner has yet come forward to invest in the cash-starved airline, plans are afoot to divert funds from Mallya’s other business ventures. However, resumption of Kingfisher’s flights may take at least 3-4 weeks as the airline would have to satisfy the DGCA on safety issues as well as the viability of their financial and operational plans. The airline would be looking at the number of serviceable aircraft, routes to be operated and financial issues, including debt repayment. The airline would have to submit a comprehensive plan on all these issues to convince the civil aviation regulator to revoke suspension of its flying permit. Kingfisher employees have started receiving their salaries. They would soon get the remaining dues in a staggered manner as the management has agreed to pay them by December-end. The striking employees had earlier stepped up the heat demanding an immediate settlement while threatening to take their protest to the upcoming Formula One Grand Prix in which Mallya is involved. The carrier, which early last year had a fleet of 66 aircraft, now has 10 planes. It is saddled with a loss of Rs 8,000 crore and a debt burden of another over Rs 7,524 crore, a large part of which has not been serviced for several months.
The fund hunt
DGCA sources said KFA CEO Sanjay Aggarwal and its promoter Vijay Mallya would now discuss among themselves the revival plan Considering that no foreign partner has yet come forward to invest in the cash-strapped airline, plans are afoot to divert funds from Mallya’s other business ventures Resumption of Kingfisher’s flights may take at least 3-4 weeks as the airline would have to satisfy the DGCA on safety issues as well as the viability of their financial and operational plans
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Copter scam
New Delhi, October 26 The arrest of an Italian-American and the subsequent seizure of documents from his home in Italy today prompted Defence Minister AK Antony to seek details from Italy about the Indian Army officer who allegedly sought a bribe in the deal to buy new helicopters. The developments have led to several unanswered questions which will need to be tackled by the Ministry of Defence before finalising the purchase. The $720 million deal to buy 197 light-utility helicopters is to be finalised soon. The matter is under the final consideration of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC). During the search at the Italy home of the Italian-American man by the name of Guido Haschke, a memo was reportedly found that details how an Indian Army Brigadier, who was in charge of the flight trials, allegedly asked for $5 million (Rs 25 crore) in January 2010. The contract was to purchase 197 light helicopters for the Indian Army’s operations in the mountains. The Agusta-Westland copters - for which Hascke claimed to be working - was ousted in the initial shortlisting leaving Eurocopter produced by EADS and Russian Kamov in the race. Now the MoD is most likely to put the process on hold and establish if the Brigadier changed the trial reports in lieu of a consideration that he might have accepted from the rivals of Agusta-Westland copters. As Agusta is out of the race, the needle of suspicion points to the others. Did the Brigadier approach the others copter companies with similar offers, asked a source. The MoD has asked the Italian Government and concerned agencies there to provide the name of the Brigadier and other relevant documents. The memo seized from the house of Guido Haschke is part of a preliminary chargesheet filed in a court in Naples, reports from Italy suggest. The documents were reportedly seized by the Italian Police in April this year. The memo states the Brigadier initiated contact in Bangalore in January 2010 and volunteered information on the contract’s progress. He allegedly gave out details of the deficiencies found in the competitors — Russia’s Kamov, Italian Agusta-Westland and Eurocopter — and asked for money to slant the deal in favour of
Agusta-Westland.
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No let-up in infiltration from Pak: Shinde
New Delhi, October 26 Five days after stating that Pakistan was helping terrorists enter into India, the Home Minister told correspondents on the sideline of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) raising day parade here that there is information of some sort of infiltration from across the border. Earlier, during a trip to Jammu and Kashmir, Shinde accused Pakistan of continuing to help militants infiltrate into India, saying there were intelligence inputs about this. According to official figures, last year, militants from across the border made 93 infiltration bids in Jammu and Kashmir, of which, 26 were successful. This year, till July end, there were 139 attempts, of which, 67 were successful. As for China, the minister said there were no reports about incursion, asserting that troops from the other side come close to the border and stay put for a while before returning. He said Indian troops too are stationed along the Sino-Indian border. Referring to the current situation, the minister emphasised that as compared to the Sino-Indian War of 1962, India is better prepared. ITBP personnel are deployed on the border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh (J&K) to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh, covering 3,488 km of India-China border and maintain vigil at border outposts at altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,600 feet. ITBP Director General Ranjit Sinha on Thursday said, “These [incursions] are perceived (land) violations. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is perceived differently from both the sides. Every day, we send reports. It is not right to say that transgression has increased. The border is disputed.” Reports with the paramilitary force suggest that such incidents were reported more from Eastern Ladakh including air space violations through helicopters on two or three occasions. However, the ITBP chief emphasised this occurred in the absence of a clear border, as both sides view it differently. At present, the forces comprises 77,000 personnel, including both men and women. Its strength will increase to 89,000. One of the reasons for increasing the force’s strength is to deploy more troops at the border outposts and also work on a plan for swifter turnaround. Shinde honoured late constable Bhoop Singh with ‘Police Medal for Gallantry’ (posthumously) for his act of bravery and commitment to duty when he thwarted a naxal attack in Chhattisgarh. He also conferred six President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service and 22 Police Medals for Meritorious Service on ITBP officials.
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BJP questions clean chit to Robert Vadra
New Delhi, October 26 Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the officials against whom the government should have inquired into have not been proceeded against. “This is the clear sign of the Congress running away from the probe. We once again demand that there should be an independent probe into all the reportedly murky deals of Vadra and his companies and also the alleged quid pro quo between the Congress Governments and the real estate company. The truth could emerge only through an independent probe”, the BJP spokesperson said. The party also once again raked up the source of income as to who Rs 7.94 crore was made available to Vadra. “The Congress or Mr Vadra have not answered BJP’s question on the source of Rs 7.94 crore, reflected in the Balance Sheet of one of the Vadra-owned companies as an overdraft from Corporation Bank, particularly when the Corporation Bank itself has denied having given any overdraft to Vadra,” he said. The BJP, Javadekar said, would like to know why the government has not yet ordered a probe into this even about a month after the Corporation Bank’s official statement.
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Uneasy calm in Faizabad, curfew still on
Lucknow, October 26 Curfew continued to remain in place though, causing inconvenience to people on the eve of Eid. The Friday prayers were also not held in Faizabad’s historic Jama Masjid or other big mosques. People either prayed inside homes or in masjids attached to mohallas inside the narrow bylanes. While curfew was imposed only in the Kotwali and Cantonment police station areas, streets remained deserted in other areas too. At least six persons were detained for questioning after the police registered five FIRs against hundreds of unknown people. Besides the ADM (City) and SP (City), an inspector attached to the Kotwali police station has been suspended for yesterday’s violence, in which two persons were killed. Markaze Anjum Tabriz Ahle Sunnat Jama Masjid (Tatsah) secretary Afzal Ahmad said the decision on holding of Eid prayers at the Jama Masjid tomorrow would be taken later tonight after assessing the situation. Prayers would be held in local masjids like today, he added.
Eid prayers
The Friday prayers were not held in Faizabad’s historic Jama Masjid or other big mosques. The decision on holding of Eid prayers at the Jama Masjid on Saturday has not yet been taken
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Additional Collector commits suicide
Raipur, October 26 H
Kujur, 45, Additional Collector at district headquarters, was found to have hanged himself at his residence.
Kujur, a state administrative service officer, lived alone in government quarters, while his wife lives in Delhi, a source said. Police found a suicide note, which said he was under stress, especially for not following, as a government officer, a circular with regard to issuance of caste validity certificates last year. — PTI
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naga peace accord Bijay Sankar Bora Tribune News Service
Guwahati, October 26 He added that though he would hail a peace treaty between the Government of India and the Naga militant outfits, he would not budge on territorial integrity of his state. Gogoi said: “I am very happy that the stage for signing a Naga peace accord has been set. But this has to be done without redrawing the inter-state boundaries.” He added that the UPA government at the Centre had made it clear, as far as Gogoi is concerned, that there would be no territorial integration of Naga-inhabited areas of neighbouring states. On if the Centre had sought his opinion on finalising a peace pact with the Naga rebel groups, Gogoi said no such request had been received yet and added that since Assam was not involved in the pact, it was unlikely for the Centre to seek their views. Gogoi accused the erstwhile BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and the Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) governments in the state of trying to compromise the territorial integrity of the state while in power. “These parties wanted to extend the NSCN ceasefire to Assam and Manipur. Ibobi Singh (Manipur Chief Minister) and I opposed it and ensured our states’ territorial integrity,” Gogoi added.
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tv serial shooting mishap Suresh Dharur Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, October 26 The mishap occurred in the Chandanagar area when Archana, the lead actress in the Telugu TV serial “Indrani”, lost control of her vehicle. The car hit a footpath and then ran over two children who were watching the shooting. Witnesses told the police that the film crew fled from the spot soon after the accident. However, the actress and some other crew members were later taken into police custody. A case has been registered under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly causing death due to negligence, a senior police official said. The injured girl has been shifted to a nearby private hospital. She has fractured her left leg. The police said that the production crew had not taken permission for the shooting. "Some people had gathered to watch the shoot. The actress lost control over the car and hit a road divider before hitting the victim who was watching the shoot," a police official said.
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impasse over salary issue with employees, top officials of beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines today discussed revival plans with aviation regulator DGCA.
Airline CEO Sanjay Aggarwal said the meeting was held to discuss the revival plan which will be presented to the
DGCA. “We have not submitted any revival plan yet. But we will present it soon.
Lucknow, October 26
