The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Lukewarm response to SMS rail ticket scheme Aarti Kapur/TNS Chandigarh, July 1 As many as 308 passengers across the country have booked their tickets through SMS-based ticketing system which was launched three days ago by the railway authorities. The Indian Railway Catering Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched the non-internet based mobile ticket system on June 28 to tackle the rush at the booking window counters. As per the IRCTC records, on the first day of the service launch on June 28, 133 passengers booked their tickets through mobile ticketing, on second day 94 persons used the service, while on the third day 81 tickets were booked through mobile ticketing. A senior official of the IRCTC conceded that the number was below expectations. But he hoped that the service will pick up pace soon. The IRCTC is going to place special brochure counters at the railway stations across the country to create awareness among the passengers about this hassle-free facility. The official said the authorities have set up a complaint cell to look into the grievances of the passengers regarding any problem in booking the ticket or transfer of their money through their credit cards. There will be no need for internet at any stage for booking, payment and cancellation. The e-ticketing scheme through SMS on mobile was announced in the last railway budget by former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. How to book a ticket Register your mobile number with your bank to get the mobile money identifier and one-time password for authorised payment For booking of ticket, SMS your travel details on numbers 139 or 5676714. The details should include train number, date of journey, boarding station and destination, name, age and gender On receiving the SMS, the IRCTC will send a transaction ID. The passenger will have to reply to the SMS with PAY followed by the transaction ID and the bank password This will confirm booking and fare will be deducted from bank account The IRCTC will send a message to the user which will be sufficient as valid travel document along with photo ID card in original
	No rail fare hike this year: Minister Tribune News Service Bangalore, July 1 Union Railway Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge today ruled out any hike in rail fares this year in the wake of rising diesel prices. “There is no such proposal and fares will not be increased. We will take on ourselves the burden resulting from the increase in diesel and petrol prices and will not pass it on to passengers. As of now, there is no increase in rail fares this year,” he said after attending a review meeting to expedite rail projects in Karnataka. Briefing mediapersons about the outcome of the meeting, Kharge said the railways and the state government would spend an additional Rs 600 crore this financial year to expedite work on rail projects in the state. Kharge, who hails from Karnataka, said the Centre would give an additional Rs 300 crore to the state, which will contribute an equal amount to speed up the projects. “That way it will be possible to spend an additional Rs 600 crore this year,” the minister said.
	BJP seeks U’khand CM’s dismissal; Cong defends him Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 1 With the BJP launching a fresh offensive against the Uttarakhand Government, charging it with inefficient handling of the relief and rescue work in the flood-ravaged state, the Congress today stood up in the state government's defence. Endorsing the work done by the Vijay Bahuguna government in Uttarakhand, the Congress expressed satisfaction over the manner in which the it had been functioning . "The Congress is satisfied over the way the Uttarakhand Government has been functioning," party general secretary Ajay Maken said. The party's official reaction came hours after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj commented on a micro-blogging site: "I am sorry to say that the Government in Uttarakhand has not been able to rise to the occasion. They ought to be dismissed for being inept and incompetent." Maken said the principal party in the Opposition "should not play politics and criticise the state government at this point in time, but support" when it is undertaking relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-hit areas. It was another matter that much before Maken appeared at the AICC to stand up for Bahuguna, he too joined the war of words with the BJP leader on Twitter remarking that instead of helping in relief works in Uttarakhand, the BJP should not use the calamity as a political opportunity. "Pyres of many victims of this natural calamity are still warm. First the BJP tried to take credit of evacuating 15,000 in a day," was another tweet of Maken in a jibe at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Firing another salvo, Union Minister Manish Tewari also went ballistic, targeting Leader of the Opposition in the Rajay Sabha Arun Jaitley for making a comment on the CBI autonomy and not finding time to visit Uttarakhand. The BJP response was that its leaders refrained from going there due to the Union Home Minister's diktat.
	SC notice to Centre on PIL seeking diesel subsidy ban R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, July 1 The Supreme Court today sought the Centre’s response to a PIL seeking abolition of diesel subsidy and creation of an environmental police department to crack down on polluting vehicles as part of measures to improve the air quality in cities across the country which have become “virtual gas chambers.” A three-member Bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir also issued notice to the Union Ministry of Finance and Environment and Forests and the Central Pollution Control Board seeking their views on the petition filed by an economist, Arvind Gupta. Quoting official statistics, the petition said Ludhiana was the most polluted city in India with the harmful particulate matters in the air placed at 251 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) against the limit of 20 ug/m3 prescribed by the World Health Organisation. Among the metros, Delhi was the highest polluted at 198, followed by Kolkata at 148, Mumbai at 132 and Chennai at 48. Faridabad was among the worst-hit cities at 139. At the global level, India, Pakistan and China shared the dubious distinction of having very poor air quality. In Pakistan, Quetta’s air pollution was measured at 251, followed by Lahore at 200, Karachi at 193 and Islamabad at 189. Beijing’s pollution level was at 121. The petitioner said the main reason for this alarming rise in the pollution levels was the extensive use of diesel fired car engines which had proliferated extensively due to the unscrupulous policies being pursued by the government without any concern for people’s health. Motor vehicle sales in the country had nearly tripled in the last decade and in recent years hit a growth rate of 25 per cent. Further, diesel subsidy to owners of luxury cars and highly profit making industries would result in concentration of wealth in a small section of people which was against the interest of the economy, the petitioner said. The PIL has sought enforcement of the prescribed emission standards in tune with EURO V norms and setting up of an environmental police department equipped with dynamometer smoke testing devices for testing vehicular emissions and levying stiff penalties. Fuelling trouble The petitioner said the main reason for this alarming rise in the pollution levels was the extensive use of diesel fired car engines Motor vehicle sales in the country had nearly tripled in the last decade and in recent years hit a growth rate of 25% The diesel subsidy to owners of luxury cars and highly profit making industries would result in concentration of wealth in a small section of people, the petitioner said
	Kalmadi loses AAA presidential elections Pune, July 1 Scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi was today ousted as the president of the Asian Athletics Association after he lost his re-election bid to Qatar's powerful rival Dahlan Jumaan Al-Hamad in a tight contest, bringing an end to the veteran administrator's 13-year reign at the helm. Kalmadi, who was jailed and later released on bail for his alleged role in the Commonwealth Games scam, lost 18-20 in the presidential elections held on the second and final day of the AAA Congress at a five-star hotel. All 45 member countries of the AAA voted through secret ballot in the presence of international parent body IAAF chief Lamine Diack. There were seven invalid votes. Each country has one vote in the election. Kalmadi, a former Indian Olympic Association president, will also lose his membership of the IAAF Council which he has been holding since 2001 as he is no longer an area representative from the continental body. Today's defeat also marked the end of 69-year-old Congress MP's career as a sports administrator as he has already quit from any such post in the country last year after he was charge-sheeted and jailed for his alleged role in the CWG scandal. The electoral reverse has now led to speculation on whether he would now announce retirement from sports administration since he no longer has any posts. He will though automatically become a life president of the AAA, an honorary post given to all past presidents, and can attend the Congress of the continental body without any voting rights. Qatar Athletics Federation President Al Hamad, who is also the incumbent senior vice-president of the AAA as well as the IAAF, will hold office for just two years instead of four. An AAA source said that the term of its president was curtailed so that it runs concurrently with that of the IAAF chief and it will revert to four years from 2015 onwards. Big blow Kalmadi (pic) lost to Qatar's powerful rival Dahlan Jumaan Al-Hamad in a tight contest, bringing an end to the veteran administrator's 13-year reign at the helm Kalmadi, who was jailed and later released on bail for his alleged role in the Commonwealth Games scam, lost 18-20 in the presidential elections held on the second and final day of the AAA Congress Today's defeat also marked the end of 69-year-old Congress MP's career as a sports administrator as he has already quit from any such post in the country last year after he was charge-sheeted and jailed for his alleged role in the CWG scandal — PTI
	Motorcycle-borne criminals loot Rs 3.89 lakh Chapra, July 1 Motorcycle-borne criminals looted Rs 3.89 lakh from two persons at gun point near a bank near Kateshar village in Bihar's Saran district today . Additional Superintendent of Police Ravindera Kumar said five criminals riding on two motorcycles intercepted Krishna Sharma and Sunil Kumar Ram on way to their motorcycle after withdrawing the money from Shahajitpur branch of a nationalised bank. They fled after snatching bag containing the cash from the two, taking along the victim's motorbike. — PTI
	Centre likely to take call on Telangana in 2 weeks Suresh Dharur/TNS Hyderabad, July 1 The process of consultations to find a solution to the raging Telangana statehood issue appears to have reached a decisive stage. The UPA leadership is expected to take a final call on the statehood demand within a fortnight even as a sense of anxiety grips the political circles on either side of the regional divide. "The party high command will take a final decision at the next core committee meeting. Each one of you should abide by the decision and there should be no further agitations," AICC general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh said today. On his maiden visit to the city after taking the charge, Singh addressed a meeting of the office-bearers of the party's state unit here. He said that finding a solution to the vexatious Telangana issue was on top of the party's agenda and urged the state leaders to maintain restraint and respect the final decision. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC chief B Satyanarayana and several party leaders. Singh was greeted with a flood of representations from both the protagonists and opponents of the state's bifurcation. He held separate meetings to interact with the party leaders from Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions. While Telangana leaders pitched for an early decision on carving out a separate state in deference to the wishes of the people of the region, the leaders from the other two regions warned of disastrous consequences if the state was divided. Meanwhile, in a significant remark, Governor ESL Narasimhan said that the Centre was inching towards resolving the Telangana tangle to the "satisfaction of the people of all the regions" of the state. Sources said the UPA leadership is veering round to the “middle path” to serve as a balm to the festering Telangana wound. Two proposals are said to be under active consideration of the Union Government: First, an attractive financial package and an autonomous regional development council, as recommended by the Justice Srikrishna Commission, to address the socio-economic backwardness of the Telangana region. Second, carving out a new state called "Rayala Telangana" by merging two districts of the Rayalaseema region-Kurnool and Anantapur--with the Telangana region which comprises 10 out of the total 23 districts in the state and Hyderabad. The "political mission" of the second option is to "neutralise" N Chandrababu Naidu of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSR Congress Party. They belong to Chittoor and Kadapa districts respectively of Rayalaseema region. The calculation in a section of the ruling party is that both Naidu and Jagan would become politically irrelevant in the new Rayala Telangana state. With the Assembly elections less than a year away, the Congress has stepped up efforts to find a solution to the Telangana imbroglio. The primary concern of the Congress appears to be to arrest the desertions from its ranks and come up with a formula that will satisfy the people of the region. The party leadership has realised that it could ill-afford any further erosion of its support base ahead of the general elections. Several ruling party leaders have switched over to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) while the favoured destination for defectors in the other regions is the fledgling YSR Congress. Some ministers have openly declared that they would not contest the next elections if Telangana state was not carved out. The Srikrshna Commission, which went into the issue, had recommended creation of a statutory Regional Council to address the core socio-economic concerns of Telangana region even while maintaining the unity of AP. Two proposals Two proposals are said to be under active consideration of the Union Government The first option is to give an attractive financial package and form an autonomous regional development council, as recommended by the Justice Srikrishna Commission, to address the socio-economic backwardness of the Telangana region The second proposal is to carve out a new state called "Rayala Telangana" by merging two districts of the Rayalaseema region-Kurnool and Anantapur--with the Telangana region which comprises 10 out of the total 23 districts in the state and Hyderabad
	India, Pak exchange list of prisoners Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 1 India and Pakistan today exchanged lists of prisoners lodged in their respective jails. The Consular Agreement signed between the two countries in May 2008 stipulates the exchange of lists of prisoners twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. Consistent with the provisions of the agreement, a list of 386 Pakistan prisoners was handed over to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs. In Islamabad, the Pakistan Foreign Office handed over to the Indian High Commission a list of 491 Indian prisoners lodged in Pakistan jails. The respective Home/Interior ministries will now consult the home departments in states and the jail authorities to ascertain how many prisoners are completing their jail term. Upon completion of the jail terms, these prisoners will be released.
	Lt Gen Campose is Western Command chief Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 1 Lt Gen Philip Campose took over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, at Chandimandir today. Prior to this, he was serving as the Director-General, Perspective Planning at the Army Headquarters. He takes over from Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, who has moved as chief of the Udhampur-based Northern Command. On assuming his new appointment, Lt Gen Philip laid a wreath at Veer Smriti war memorial to pay homage to martyrs. He also inspected a guard of honour presented by a contingent from the Mechanised Infantry. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned in the 9th Gorkha Rifles and transferred to the Mechanised Infantry in 1982. A graduate of the National Defence College, New Delhi, his academic qualifications include master of philosophy degrees in defence management and security studies from Indore University in 1998 and in security and strategic studies from Madras University in 2006. He has commanded an infantry division on the Line of Control in J&K and a corps in the western deserts. He has attended a tactical course in Russia and served in the UN peacekeeping mission in former Yugoslavia and northern Iraq. Besides instructional appointments at the NDA, School of Armoured Warfare and Defence Services Staff College, he has served as Chief Staff Officer (Land Vector) at the Strategic Forces Command. He has been decorated with the Vishisth Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisth Seva Medal.
	India to have navigation satellite system by 2015 Chennai, July 1 India will have its own navigational systems like a couple of other countries by 2015. Its space agency is in a fast production mode to roll out six more satellites for this purpose, said an official on Monday. “All the seven satellites of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) are identical and the space agency will be rolling them out. Already, the second one is getting ready for the year-end or early 2014 launch," an official at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said preferring anonymity. India on Monday night will be launching its first navigation satellite IRNSS-1A weighing 1,425 kg from its spaceport at Sriharikota, around 80 km from here, using its rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL). The IRNSS-1A satellite is intended to provide terrestrial, aerial and marine navigation services and help in disaster and fleet management. The satellite with a lifespan of around 10 years is one of the seven satellites constituting the IRNSS space segment - a regional navigational system developed by India, designed to provide accurate position information service to users within the country and up to 1,500 km from the nation's boundary line, ISRO said. While ISRO is silent on the navigation system's strategic application, it is clear that IRNSS will be used for defence purposes as well. The system is similar to the global positioning system (GPS) of the US (24 satellites), Glonass of Russia (24 satellites), Galileo of Europe (27 satellites), China's Beidou (35 satellites) or the Japanese Quasi Zenith Satellite System with three satellites. While GPS and Glonass are fully functional global systems, Chinese and the Japanese systems are offering regional coverage and Europe's Galileo is yet to be made operational. By adding more satellites, the service area can be expanded, ISRO officials said. The entire IRNSS system is expected to be in place by 2015 and the whole project is expected to cost around Rs 1,420 crore. The ISRO official said the target date was achievable as the satellites would be launched using PSLV-XL rockets whose turn-around time is months and there are two launch pads. "Only when all the seven satellites are up in space, the whole system will come into play. The earlier we have the full system, it is better for all. For instance by 2015, the first satellite - IRNSS-1A - will be nearly one-and-half years old and its remaining life span will be 8.5 years," the official said. He said once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on others. According to the official, the IRNSS-1A will provide data that would be useful in tuning the systems. "There will not be much revenue from the single satellite as its coverage area will be small," he said. The IRNSS will provide two types of services -- standard positioning service and restricted service. The former is provided to all users and the latter is an encrypted service for authorised users. The IRNSS system comprises of two segments - the space and the ground. The space segment consists of seven satellites of which three will be in geo-stationary orbit and four in inclined geo-synchronous orbit. The satellite will go around the earth at a height of about 36,000 km from the Earth, ISRO said. The ground segment consists of infrastructure for controlling, tracking and other facilities. Eye in the sky The entire Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System of seven satellites is expected to be in place by 2015 and the whole project is expected to cost around Rs 1,420 crore The system is similar to the global positioning system (GPS) of the US (24 satellites), Glonass of Russia (24), Galileo of Europe (27), China's Beidou (35) or the Japanese Quasi Zenith Satellite System with three satellites — IANS
	Lt Gen Chait to head integrated defence staff Air Marshal Arup Raha is vice-chief of IAF Air Staff Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 1 Lieutenant General Anil Chait, who led the rescue operations in flood-hit Uttarakhand, today took over as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC). Let Gen Chait was the Central Army Commander when he led the rescue operations, including walking with pilgrims on the 13-km trek between Badrinath and Gobind Ghat. Lt Gen Chait, an armoured corps officer, has also commanded the prestigious 2 Strike Corps at Ambala. He has also worked with the Special Action Group (The Black Cats) of the National Security Guards. Air Marshal Arup Raha, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, today took over as the Vice-Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, replacing Air Marshal DC Kumaria. Air Marshal Raha is a fighter pilot. The new IAF vice-chief has held operational assignments such as the Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron, Air Officer Commanding of frontline bases. He has also served as the Deputy Commandant of the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad.
	Jiah suicide: Suraj Pancholi gets bail Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, July 1 The Bombay High Court today granted bail to actor Suraj Pancholi, who was arrested following the suicide of actress Jiah Khan. Judge Sadhna Jadhav of the Bombay High Court set bail at Rs 50,000. "No doubt that it was an unfortunate incident that a young girl has committed suicide. She must have been impulsive and he cannot be held solely responsible for it," the judge said. The court also asked Suraj to surrender his passport and appear before the Juhu police station every other day. Suraj, an aspiring actor, is the son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab. He was arrested on June 10 after Jiah Khan's family submitted a note allegedly written by the actress to the police which spoke of a broken relationship. However, there was no mention of Suraj in the note and it did not bear the signature of the deceased actress. The court also observed that the note submitted to the police was not dated nor was it addressed to anyone. Hence, it could not be considered a suicide note. "She was in the relationship on her own volition. It all depends on the psyche of the person. It cannot be ignored that Jiah had suicidal tendencies. Earlier also, she had attempted suicide and it was the applicant who took care of her," the court said. The court also noted that Suraj had been in jail for 21 days and there was no need for further incarceration and thus granted him bail.
	Move to rename Malabar Hill ruffles Mumbaikars Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, July 1 Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has proposed to rename Malabar Hill as Ramnagari on the grounds that Lord Ram had stopped there during his journey to rescue Sita. Dilip Lande, an MNS corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has suggested that the historic Banganga tank located in the vicinity is proof of area’s religious importance. “Malabar Hill is a derogatory name given to the area by the British as pirates who hid there from the law were called Malabaris,” Lande said while justifying his proposal. The suggestion has drawn protests from the rich who inhabit this part of Mumbai. Among the inhabitants are industrialists, celebrities and politicians. Political parties such as the Congress and even the BJP have opposed the suggestion. Dilip Patel who heads the BMC says changing the name of the area goes against the law. “Malabar is an Indian name and we cannot change it. Only British names can be changed under the law,” says Patel. The Congress, too, says the name stands for the fishermen’s community, which originally inhabited the city, and thus should not be changed. In a letter to mayor Suresh Prabhu, Indrani Malkani, secretary, Malabar Hill Residents Association, has said the MNS corporator had his facts wrong. Echoing the stand of the Congress and the BJP, Malkani says even the official name of the constituency is Malabar Hill. The BMC was to take up the proposal at its general body meeting last week but it was postponed. Civic officials say the proposal may be taken up next week. The Shiv Sena, single largest party in the BMC, is silent on the issue. Even if the party agrees to the move and the motion is passed in the Mumbai civic body, the renaming cannot happen without the nod of the state government. MNS contention MNS proposes to rename Malabar Hill as Ramnagari as it claims Lord Ram had halted there in his quest to rescue Sita A corporator claims the name was derogatory as the British had named the area after pirates who hid there from law The move has drawn protests from the rich, including industrialists, celebrities and politicians, who live in the area
	RPF paper leaked, 6 candidates held New Delhi, July 1 Six candidates appearing in the railway recruitment board's examination for the post of constables in the Railway Protection Force (RPF) were arrested in connection with the paper's leak, the police said today. A trap was laid before the start of the examination, held across India except in Karnataka and Meghalaya, at a private school in west Delhi's Aman Vihar and six candidates — Rahul Mavi (20), Tapish (24), Sunny (22), Robin Kumar (24), Sohanpal, (22) and Tapender (26) — were arrested while solving the paper with the help of answers sent to them through SMS on their mobile phones. "Six mobile phones having answer keys of all four sets of question papers (in SMS box) and one hand-written answer key were seized from the possession of the candidates," said a police officer. During questioning, the candidates revealed that they had come in contact with different sources who promised them the answer keys to the question paper. "They assured the candidates that answer keys of all four sets of question paper will be provided before the examination through SMS. For this facility, they were charging Rs 3 to 3.5 lakh or even more. The magnitude of the scam is likely to be in crores of rupees," said Additional Commissioner of Police Ravindra Yadav. "Preliminary investigation shows that this is a widespread racket which is likely to have multiple sources in the leakage of papers," he said. The examination is being conducted in batches at all-India level, except in Karnataka and Meghalaya. The examination was already conducted for two batches on June 16 and June 23. — IANS
	India ‘needs’ more housing products for youth, elderly Bhubaneswar, July 1 India has a huge population of youngsters and elderly, and the housing sector needs to develop products to cater to their needs, Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor HR Khan said here on Monday. "There is a need to have fixed-tenure long-term products for the younger generation. Also, there is a need to have products for the older generation," Khan told a gathering of bankers in the Odisha capital. "There is a huge ageing population in India and who are retiring in good condition of health. But they are not able to leverage their good financial position due to lack of products," he said. "One such product is reverse mortgage loan, which is unique. We need more products like this. Similarly, we need more products for people who do not have regular flow of income. For them, institutions like micro-finance institutions (MFIs), which are closely connected to the people, need to cater to them," he said. — IANS
	Railway bribery scam: CBI may not file chargesheet by July 3 New Delhi, July 1 In the absence of sanction for prosecution against a Railway board member, CBI's chargesheet in the railway bribery scam, which cost Congress MP Pawan Kumar Bansal his job as Railway Minister, may not be filed within stipulated time till July 3. This may pave way for automatic bail for the 10 accused arrested in the case in the absence of the chargesheet within mandatory period of 60 days from the day of the arrest. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha today said, "We will try to file the chargesheet. Our probe is still on." The CBI Director was replying to a question whether the agency would comply with the procedures which stipulate filing of the chargesheet within 60 days of the arrest of the accused. Bansal had to quit from the post of Railway Minister when his nephew Vijay Singla was arrested for allegedly receiving bribe money from conduit of Railway Board Member (Staff) Mahesh Kumar on May 3. Singla and Kumar were booked as main conspirators in the bribery case. The CBI had approached the Railway Ministry for granting sanction for prosecution against Kumar, a 1975 batch of Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE), which was still awaited, official sources said. During the investigations so far, the CBI has questioned Bansal and arrested as many as 10 persons, including Bansal's nephew and the railway board member. The case relates to alleged aspirations of Kumar for his elevation as Member (Electrical) in Railway Board, for which he allegedly contacted Sandeep Goyal, a close associate of Singla. Goyal allegedly demanded Rs 10 crore for it. Kumar was promoted from General Manager (West) to Member (Staff) in Railway Board, a post which he was apparently not very interested in. He then allegedly asked Goyal to help him retain the additional charge of General Manager (West) for which the middleman demanded Rs 2 crore as immediate payment. The CBI alleged that a part payment of Rs 90 lakh was delivered to Singla after which it carried out searches at their premises and recovered the bribe amount. Costly delay Congress MP Pawan Bansal had to quit from the post of Railway Minister when his nephew Vijay Singla was arrested for allegedly receiving bribe money from conduit of Railway Board Member (Staff) Mahesh Kumar on May 3 Singla and Kumar were booked as main conspirators in the case This may pave way for automatic bail for the 10 accused arrested in the case in the absence of the chargesheet within mandatory period of 60 days from the day of the arrest — PTI
	Basmati being exported to Iran 'highly adulterated' Ruchika M Khanna/TNS Chandigarh, July 1 Indian basmati meant for exports is blended with a small percentage of non basmati long grain varieties. Now complaints are mounting that this blending of low quality non basmati in the basmati varieties, being exported to Iran, has gone beyond the industry norm of 20 per cent. This heavy adulteration of basmati being exported to Iran is denting the image of the Indian basmati in the global market. This has once again revived the issue of adulteration of basmati exported to some of the niche markets in Europe, the UK and the USA, and how this downgrading had adversely impacted exports of Indian basmati. Exports of Indian basmati to the US have almost dried up because of the higher-than-permissible level of tricyclozole (fungicide) present in the rice. Many large basmati exporters rue that with the ‘high’ adulteration of basmati exported to Iran, importers in other countries are getting skeptical about the basmati prices being manipulated by their buyers in other niche foreign markets. As of now, this ‘contamination’ of basmati rice (PUSA 1121) with inferior quality PR114 (aromatic non basmati variety) is being done only for the rice being exported to Iran. Rice exporters in the region told TNS that this blending of rice is being done in India under the ‘guidance’ of certain Iranian government officials. A top rice exporter said after the imposition of sanctions against Iran by the West, private importers in Iran were facing several problems in importing basmati from India as exports via the UAE have stopped. It was then that the Government Trading Corporation (GTC) of Iran started inviting bids and directly importing the basmati from India. “However, the GTC fixed a price of $ 1150 per tonne for the imported rice. But globally, the price of rice zoomed to $ 1450- 1500 per tonne, and have remained so for the past two months. As a result, many exporters, in order to make profits, started blending basmati with non basmati variety,” Sushil Jain, vice-president, All India Rice Exporters Association, admitted that the blended rice was being exported to Iran by some unscrupulous exporters under the garb of basmati. The reason After the imposition of sanctions against Iran, many private importers in Iran faced problems in importing basmati from India It was then that an Iranian agency started directly importing the basmati from India However, it fixed a price of $ 1150 per tonne for the imported rice even as globally, the price of rice zoomed to $1450-1500 per tonne As a result, many exporters, in order to maintain profits, started blending basmati with non-basmati variety.
	PATERNITY SUIT ND Tewari to be questioned on Aug 21-22 Legal Correspondent New Delhi, July 1 Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tiwari will be cross-examined on August 21 and 22 by the lawyers of his biological son Rohit Shekhar and Rohit’s mother Ujjawala Sharma. Retired Additional District Judge SM Chopra, who has been appointed as local commissioner to record evidence in the paternity suit filed by Rohit, fixed the dates after completing the cross-examination of the 34-year-old youth who has sought to be declared as the biological son of the veteran Congress leader. DNA tests conducted on the three have already confirmed that Tiwari had sired Rohit as a result of his relationship with Ujjawala. However, Tiwari has challenged the veracity of the test results on various grounds. The local commissioner has already recorded the cross-examination of Ujjawala by Tiwari’s lawyers.
	India to announce cyber security policy Man Mohan Our Roving Editor New Delhi, July 1 India is ready to roll out its cyber security operations to prevent sabotage, espionage and other forms of cyber attacks that could hurt vital military and economic interests of the country. It will also seek to build adequate trust in a secure computing environment and confidence in electronic transactions. An announcement from the Ministry of Information Technology on the National Cyber Security Policy is expected on Tuesday. The Cabinet Committee on Security on May 8 approved this strategic policy. Cyber security is generally referred to as the fifth realm of security after land, sea, air and space. Cyberspace is the sphere along with space where, it is believed, the next generation warfare is likely to take place. Cyber security intelligence now forms an integral component of defence. It entails the anticipation of attacks and the quick adoption of counter measures. Both Pakistan and China have been prime attackers on Indian classified establishments, including espionage agencies, and important strategic public and private sector installations. Recently, even super power - United States of America - accused Beijing of constantly attempting to steal its secrets by launching cyber attacks. Highly placed sources told The Tribune that India has decided to follow the US cyber security map of public-private partnership. India began working out its cyber security cover modalities less than a year ago following a ‘nudge’ from America which is keen to have New Delhi as its partner in global cyber warfare. India and the US have been working together for several years to evolve a cyber security network. New Delhi and Washington had signed a memorandum of understanding on January 19, 2012. Interestingly, India is unveiling its cyber security policy when the US is coming under attack from its own European allies for using its secret services to use bugs, phone taps and for the cyber monitoring of their embassies’ computer networks in Washington, New York and Brussels. Documents leaked by former American National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has blown the lid off the US snooping ring. The cyber security system that now comes into operation will be handled by the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), India’s youngest spy agency, and certain other secret networks. A national cyber security coordinator in the National Security Council secretariat will bring this work together. It will involve monitoring, certification and assurance of networks by designated agencies and bodies in accordance with the law. It will also involve capacity and authority for operations in cyber space. Next-gen warfare Cyber security is generally referred to as the fifth realm of security after land, sea, air and space. It is believed that next-generation warfare is likely to take place in space and cyberspace.
	Plea filed against CRPF security to Ambani Mumbai, July 1 Two social activists have approached the Bombay High Court challenging the 'Z' category CRPF security sanctioned by the Centre for Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. A Public Interest Litigation filed by Nitin Deshpande and Vikrant Karnik has sought quashing of the April 21 order of the Union government, sanctioning CRPF security for Ambani. The government sanctioned the security after Ambani's office informed the Mumbai police about threatening letters purportedly sent by the terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM). According to the PIL, the CRPF is constituted to tackle emergency situations, and not for day-to-day law and order duties. "The service of the CRPF is required only when there arises situation of national emergency, terrorist attacks, internal disturbances, riots or otherwise which is beyond the control of the local police," it states. "The sanction given by the Union Government is in utter violation and disregard of the CRPF Act and Rules. It is arbitrary, unauthorised and illegal," it claims. It further says that such security is given to only high-risk individuals including Cabinet ministers, chief ministers, Supreme Court and high court judges, leading politicians and senior bureaucrats. "However, in recent years, the original concept and intention of providing special forces to selected personalities have undergone a great change and is getting polluted. Apart from the public and official personalities, special forces are now even allotted to influential politicians and celebrities who use this privilege as a status symbol," the PIL claims. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha today posted the PIL for hearing on August 1. — PTI
	Tata, Ambani, Birla in race for bank licence Mumbai, July 1 Tata Sons, India's biggest business group, and firms controlled by billionaires Anil Ambani and Kumar Mangalam Birla are among the 26 companies that have applied for a licence to open banks. Ambani's Reliance Capital has applied for a banking licence along with Japan's biggest life insurer Nippon Life Insurance Co and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. Former Citigroup Inc chief executive Vikram Pandit has teamed up with JM Financial Ltd. Among public sector entities, India Post and IFCI also submitted applications for bank licence while micro-finance institutions like Bandhan Financial Services, Janalakshmi Financial Services too expressed their intention to set up a bank. "The RBI in all received 26 applications," the central bank said after the deadline for applying for a bank licence expired today. The RBI had issued guidelines for 'Licensing of New Banks in the Private Sector' on February 22 and came out with clarifications in June. It is, however, not yet clear how many new bank licences will be issued. RBI Governor D Subbarao had earlier said that "our effort will be to make that judgement as transparent as objective as contestable as possible...I want to say that not everybody who is fit and proper will be given a (bank) licence because we expect the number of eligible applicants will be much larger than what is meaningful number of licences we can give". In its clarification, the RBI had said the entities getting licences to open new banks will be given 18 months to open branches, and promoters would have to transfer their holdings to the non-operative financial holding company in a stipulated period. 26 applicants 26 companies have applied for a licence to open banks The RBI had said the entities getting licences to open new banks would be given 18 months to open branches The promoters would have to transfer their holdings to the non-operative financial holding company in a stipulated period — PTI
	Wildlife trading networks have cross-border links, says CBI chief Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 1 Illegal wildlife trading networks have cross-border linkages and there is need for greater coordination between the intelligence and law enforcement agencies of different countries to deal with this threat, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha said here today. He said the CBI had played an important role in tackling poaching by revealing the activities of a highly organised and extensive network of poachers operating in the Sariska Wildlife Park during 2002-2005. Sinha was speaking at a five-day workshop organised by the CBI in collaboration with Interpol’s Environmental Crime Programme. It was attended by participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Sinha said the estimated 1,706 tigers were spread over 43 reserves, and fell under the jurisdiction of 17 state governments. "India is home to nearly half of the worldwide population of tigers. The challenge to protect these is formidable," he said. Sinha said the loss and fragmentation of habitat, large-scale and organised poaching fostered by international demand, unregulated mining in tiger landscapes and increasing demand on forests for developmental projects continue to challenge the efforts to save the tiger. "The most insidious and immediate threat to the tiger is the illegal trade in its bone and other parts. Wildlife trade is now well-entrenched and widespread in India. The problem of demand is one of the most daunting and complex issues facing tiger conservation," he said. Sinha said five species of big cats, including tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars and snow leopards, were all are endangered, mainly due to habitat loss, poaching and dwindling numbers of their prey. The CBI chief said the government has always accorded tiger protection top priority. Project Tiger, launched in 1973, has brought the species back from the brink of extinction, he said. Sinha said a poaching spree in the early ’90s had threatened to undermine Project Tiger and the stories of loss of tigers in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan in 1997 shocked the nation. Noting that Project Tiger has been turned into the National Tiger Conservation Authority, he said the project strives to streamline scientific modules of conservation and co-opt communities as responsible stakeholders.
	Poll debacle triggers exodus in AGP Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS Guwahati, July 1 Defeat in elections has become synonymous with the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) since the party lost the Assembly election in 2001 at the hands of the Congress. All elections held since 2001 Assembly poll have seen the AGP biting the dust be it the Lok Sabha polls, panchayat polls or elections to civic bodies in the state. But the debacle in the recent election to the Guwahati municipal corporation has created so much frustration and disillusionment in the regional party that a number of its senior leaders and office-bearers have tendered resignations declining to work under the leadership former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. Seven leaders — Hitendra Nath Goswami, Pitambor Saikia, Lohit Eupreti, Kaminiranjan Baruah, Manoranjan Sharma, Nitumoni Dutta and Chandra Prakash Sharma — have resigned from the central executive body of the party so far.