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M’rashtra BJP MLAs to elect leader tomorrow
Gujaratis voted against us: Sena
EC for proxy voting for NRIs
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CBI interrogates BJD MP, two ex-MLAs
401 LS members yet to declare asset details
black money
NSG inducts dog breed that sniffed out Osama’s hideout
burdwan blast case
Gujarat admn braces for cyclone Nilofar
Won’t allow India to resolve K-issue its own way: Pak
‘Million March’ on Kashmir fizzles out
‘Modi Express’ from Melbourne to Sydney
PM invites ideas on key issues ahead of Aus visit
Drug, staff shortage in ECHS polyclinics hitting patients hard
Navy orders probe into financial irregularities
Pak couple held with fake documents
9 killed, 25 hurt in Assam mishap
IOC official goes missing in Assam
Flight delay: Passengers take on AI staff
Telangana-Andhra war over power, water sharing intensifies
Gujarat says no to trials of GM crops
Rao Inderjit visits Chandimandir
India has more youth power than China: Raje
Muslim helps cremate Hindu sister
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M’rashtra BJP MLAs to elect leader tomorrow
Mumbai, October 26 BJP Maharashtra unit president Devendra Fadnavis continues to be the frontrunner for the post of Chief Minister though there are some more names doing the rounds. The meeting to elect the Legislature Party Leader and the Chief Minister designate will be held at 11 am at Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday (October 28), senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse told reporters in Mumbai today. Earlier, Khadse, Fadnavis and senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde had met to discuss preparations for government formation. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP in-charge of Maharashtra JP Nadda would attend Tuesday’s meeting as observers. The BJP legislature party leader would meet Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to stake claim for forming the next government, Khadse said. “We will prove our majority in the house if the Governor desires,” he said. The BJP, which has emerged as the single largest party in the elections held for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, winning 122 seats, has already been offered unconditional outside support by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which won 41 seats. Counting of votes was taken up on October 19. With its 63 MLAs, Shiv Sena is the second largest party in the House. Sources said the BJP is in back channel talks with Shiv Sena over government formation and efforts are being made to settle the differences with its oldest ally with whom it snapped ties ahead of polls. As suspense continued whether Shiv Sena will be on board, RPI Chief Ramdas Athawale, whose party is a BJP ally, said Shiv Sena is ready to support BJP. “Shiv Sena is ready to support BJP. BJP should support Shiv Sena,” he said. All the Shiv Sena MPs were also present at the high tea hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Race Course residence. According to a senior central BJP leader, the “final call” regarding renewing the alliance will be taken by the top leadership. — PTI
Crucial meet
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Gujaratis voted against us: Sena
Mumbai, October 26 “Even though the Gujaratis have been living in Maharashtra, they voted for leaders from Gujarat such as Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. They forgot late Balasaheb Thackeray who helped safeguard their interests as Hindus,” Raut wrote referring to the 1992-93 post-Babri Masjid riots. Insisting that the Sena was not taking an anti-Gujarati stand, Raut said several MLAs of the party had lost by very narrow margins despite the good work undertaken by them in their constituencies. The article referred to several candidates such as Saamna publisher Subash Desai contesting from Goregaon, Vinod Ghosalkar from Dahisar and Pandurang Sapkal in Colaba who lost by slender margins. All three have been credited with undertaking several development works in their constituencies. “They lost because Gujaratis in these places ignored their good work and voted in the name of Narendra Modi,” Raut wrote. He added that 17 Sena candidates lost by between 49 and 1,500 votes. Blaming the BJP for breaking up with the Shiv Sena, Raut wrote that the two parties would have easily bagged more than 200 seats had they contested the election together.
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EC for proxy voting for NRIs
New Delhi, October 26 “We are not opposed to anything. But will do anything that can be feasible,” Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said. He said a committee comprising officials from the EC, Law Ministry and the MEA had gathered opinions from all sections before submitting a report to the apex court. Sampath said any move to allow NRIs use proxy voting on the lines of defence personnel and e-ballot facility will require changes in the law. “It will require a legislative framework. The lawmakers will have to apply their mind,” he said. He said if the proposal sails through, then NRIs will be sent ballot papers electronically and they will have to return it to poll authorities “physically”. Explaining the feasibility aspect in not allowing NRIs to vote at embassies, he said the MEA was of the view that it will be difficult to allow such an exercise because, in some countries, the NRI population could be equal to the local populace and it will be difficult to hold such an exercise at the embassy. Another problem is that some of the countries may not be democracies and they may object to NRIs exercising their democratic rights. Asked how EC would check misuse of proxy voting, he said let the facility first begin for NRIs. “The committee is of the view that e-postal ballot, where blank postal ballot is transferred electronically to NRIs and returned by post, can be employed after validation of the process and pilot implementation in one or two constituencies and then be scaled up for parliamentary elections if found feasible, practicable and meeting the objectives of free and fair elections,” said the report given to the SC. The 50-page report was prepared by a 12-member committee led by Vinod Zutshi, Deputy Election Commissioner, for ‘Exploring Feasibility of Alternative Options for Voting by Overseas Electors’. The report is the result of a public interest litigation filed in SC against the “inherent inequality” created by Section 20(A) of the Representation of the Peoples (RP) Act which insists on the physical presence of an NRI in his local constituency at the time of voting. According to EC website, after enrolment, an overseas elector will be able to cast his or her vote in an election in the constituency, in person, at the polling station provided for the part where he is registered as an overseas elector. According to the provisions of the RP Act, a person who is a citizen of India and who has not acquired the citizenship of any other country and is otherwise eligible to be registered as a voter and who is absent from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to employment, education or otherwise is eligible to be registered as a voter in the constituency in which his place of residence in India, as mentioned in his passport, is located. — PTI
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CBI interrogates BJD MP, two ex-MLAs
Bhubnaeswar, October 26 During the two-hour interrogation, while the CBI questioned the BJD MP for the second time in three days, it also interrogated former legislators Subarna Nayak of the BJD and Hitesh Bagarti of the BJP. They were questioned about their alleged link with the Nabadiganta Capital Financial Services, which has duped depositors in the state, said
CBI sources. The three leaders were directors in the company. Besides, CMD of the company Anjan Kumar Baliarsingh and two of its directors Kartikeya Parida and Pradeep Patnaik were also interrogated for siphoning the funds. They all were interrogated in a group after being questioned individually several times in recent days, said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sources. However, the BJD and the BJP leaders denied having any hand in duping the depositors. “I was convinced by Baliarsingh and some associates to invest and join as the director in the company. I have a bond of Rs 3 lakh in the company. However, when I came to know that the company is raising public money, I resigned in 2012,” said Hansda. The two former MLAs, who were also directors in the company, echoed the same view, saying they were unaware about the functioning of the company, which has cheated people. They also denied taking money from the company. Hansda, who was grilled for four hours Friday, was questioned again about Rs 28 lakh cash seized by the CBI from his Rairangpur residence in Mayurbhanj district during a raid in July. The BJD MP, however, claimed that it was his own money that he had kept for renovation of his house. The CBI also raided the houses of the former MLAs for their alleged links with the scam-tainted chit fund firm Nabadiganta. On October 25, BJD legislator Pravat Tripahty was questioned for the fourth time for his alleged link with Artha Tatwa Group, a home grown chit fund company. During 90 minutes of interrogation by the CBI, he was questioned for the Best Youth Cooperator’s award given to Artha Tatwa Group CMD Pradeep Sethy in 2010. — IANS
Chit fund scam
During the two-hour interrogation, the CBI questioned the BJD MP for the second time in three days, it also interrogated former legislators Subarna Nayak of the BJD and Hitesh Bagarti of the
BJP.
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401 LS members yet to declare asset details
New Delhi, October 26
Lok Sabha Secretariat said in an RTI query said the assets details of 401 members of Lok Sabha are still awaited.
According to the Members of the Lok Sabha Declaration of Assets Rules 2004, a member is supposed to declare his assets within 90 days of taking oath. The Lok Sabha MPs who have not yet submitted the assets and liability details include Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharti, Nitin Gadkari, and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Lok Sabha Secretariat said no communication in this regard was sent to the members until September 26, when the RTI was received. According to the RTI reply, there are 209 BJP MPs who have not yet submitted their details. There are 31 members from Congress, 27 from TMC, 18 frm BJD, 15 from Shiv Sena, 14 from TDP, 9 from AIADMK and 8 from TRS. Seven
members are from YSR Congress, 6 from Lok Janshakti Party and 4 from NCP, CPI (M) and SP each, 3 members from Akali Dal, RJD, and AAP each, and 2 each from JD(U) and Apna Dal. Action against the members who have not submitted their asset details are taken under the Assets and Liability Declaration Rules 2004, Provisions 5 and 6, and the Representation of the People Act 1951. — PTI
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Govt to seek Hasan Ali’s bank details from Swiss
New Delhi, October 26 Sources privy to the development said Indian authorities will soon communicate with Switzerland seeking a ‘final data’ of sorts about the purported bank accounts and transactions of Khan and his associates in the banking channels of that country which investigating agencies claimed to have unearthed earlier. They said some financial documents linking Khan to a global arms dealer would be sent for “validation” to Swiss authorities as the transaction channels reportedly pertain to using the bank routes of the Alpine nation. “Some information relating to a bank transfer of $800 million in accounts and its routing to various other accounts are pending for some years now. The biggest help of the Swiss authorities is required in getting to the bottom of this particular instance,” they said. “The agencies, post the recent successful meeting the two sides, are hopeful to take the case forward which has been stuck for want of crucial information for the last two-three years,” they said. Sources said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money is also keen to initiate legal action and achieve finality in this case as Khan’s alleged tax evasion probe is the only one issue mentioned by name in the Terms of Reference or working directives of this high-powered panel. “The SIT has issued directions to the I-T department and Enforcement Directorate to get in touch with Swiss authorities for information in this specific case so that penal proceedings can begin in quick time. The money laundering case against Khan is pending trial in a Mumbai court since 2011,” they said. — PTI
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NSG inducts dog breed that sniffed out Osama’s hideout
New Delhi, October 26 The special actions force has recently inducted and trained close to a dozen of these four-footed soldiers called — the Belgian Malinois — and they will form an essential part of counter-terrorist operations that the ‘black cat’ commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) undertake in the future. “These dogs are the latest inductions that have been done in the operations wing of the NSG. Special forces world over have understood the importance of these dogs in lethal terror operations and hence the force also has inducted close to a dozen of these combat canines,” an NSG officer working in its special ‘K9’ dog squad said. The dog, which has a heavy snout and a big head, can detect suspect human presence, explosives and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with a precise correctness and it is intelligent enough to communicate these signals through a nod of his head and not by barking which could lead to alerting of the target, the officer said. NSG officials said the commandos, till now, had been operating with other dog breeds like German Shepherd and Labradors but the new canine companion will give them the “required edge” in special operations. The NSG is the mandated federal counter-terror and counter-hijack special operations force of the country which is deployed to undertake swift, lethal and precision tasks in combating situations like the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The force has also trained special handlers for these dogs who will remain on standby with each of the commando strike units of the NSG. The Malinois, a litter of an Israeli male Malinois crossed with an Amercian bitch, shot to international fame when it was reported that the dogs of the breed assisted the US special forces, the Navy SEALs, in sniffing out bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad in Pakistan in 2011. The coarser looking breed is preferred for infantry patrols and commando operations because of its ability to perform and deliver good results in high-risk tasks in difficult terrains and harsh climate areas. In India, this breed of dog was first inducted by border guarding force ITBP in 2011 for working in special counter-insurgency areas. — PTI
The Belgian Malinois
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NIA probe finds TMC-Jamat link
Subhrangshu Gupta Tribune News Service
Kolkata, October 26 The report was handed over to the Home Minister by NIA Chief Sarad Kumar who conducted a probe into the blast at Khagraghar in Burdwan in which two terrorists were killed. The initial inquiry into the incident had also revealed that Jamat and Al Qaida-backed terrorists, who had their hideouts in Burdwan, Murshidabad and other border districts, were involved in subversive activities against Bangladesh with the help of some TMC leaders. Some other central agencies probing the October 2 Khagraghar blast incident also made similar observations in their inquiry reports. Bangladesh has alleged the involvement of TMC MP Ahmed Hasan Imran, a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the conspiracy. The Centre wants to further verify the charges and is sending National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to Kolkata tomorrow to talk to the Chief Minister. National Security Guards Director General AN Chaudhury will also visit the city to inquire into the allegations. However, India has assured Bangladesh that it would not allow anyone to use its soil for any subversive activities against any country. An intensive drive has been launched to arrest the terrorists and dismantle their hideouts in the border districts. The enforcement directorate (ED) is also inquiring if the Saradha chit fund money was handed over to the Jamaat-e-Islami as alleged by the BJP, CPM and the Congress.
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Gujarat admn braces for cyclone Nilofar
Ahmedabad, October 26 The weather department today issued a
warning asking port authorities to hoist distant warning signals. “The cyclonic storm has developed in the Arabian Sea. The system would move initially north-northwest wards during the next 48 hours. Keep hoisted distant warning at your port,” the port warning of the meteorological department read. An Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre official said the exact situation of the cyclone could be ascertained only after 48 hours. “At present, the cyclonic storm is centred in the west central and adjoining south west area of the Arabian sea. The exact situation, how and whether it will affect the Gujarat coast, can be ascertained only after it moves from its current location. It may take 48 hours to ascertain that,” said Additional Director of Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty. If it moves towards the Gujarat coast, it may bring in rain accompanied by strong winds, but at present it is difficult to say anything, Mohanty said. Considering the probability of Cyclone Nilofar hitting the Gujarat coast, the Kutch district collector has issued an advisory to various authorities directing all sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and “mamlatdars” to keep their control rooms
functional. District Collector Mahendra Patel has also asked authorities of the Kandla Port Trust (KPT), the state maritime board and the forest department, besides all talatis and sarpanches in coastal villages to remain alert. Control rooms would monitor the situation and issue alert every three hours to authorities in the coastal region of the state, the advisory said. Gujarat state relief commission DN Pandey said the situation is being monitored. — PTI
Kutch admn issues advisory
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Won’t allow India to resolve K-issue its own way: Pak
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz has blamed India for wanting to resolve the Kashmir dispute in its own way, which he said Pakistan would not allow.
“India wants to resolve the Kashmir dispute in its own way and Pakistan will not allow this Indian attempt to succeed,” he said while speaking to reporters in Islamabad. The adviser added that Pakistan is responding to Indian firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and working boundary in a befitting manner, adding that Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be mistaken as its weakness. Referring to India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement disapproving of Pakistan’s recent move of approaching the UN to ‘internationalise the Kashmir issue’ and seeking the world body’s intervention, saying all issues could be resolved through bilateral talks, Aziz said, “UN resolutions on Kashmir cannot be ended in this way.” “We are making efforts at international level to make the UN Military Observers Mission more active,” he said while talking about cross-border firing by India. “The government will send emissaries and delegations to different countries to inform them about the Indian aggression on the Line of Control and human rights violations in occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces,” he said.
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‘Million March’ on Kashmir fizzles out
London, October 26 The so-called 'Million March' from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street descended into chaos as Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stepped on to the makeshift stage to speak. The crowd began booing and throwing empty plastic bottles and refused to let him speak. "This march was to be about Kashmir and for the welfare of Kashmiris. Bilawal has no business being here," said a group of angry protesters who had travelled from Derby in the East Midlands region of England. The march was led by Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, referred to as a former prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and was supported by Mirpuri-origin British parliamentarian Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham. While the group had claimed overwhelming support from various communities for the march, others had dismissed it as against the "national interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir". A counter-protest held by a rival group yesterday ended with memorandums submitted for the prime ministers of India and Pakistan at their high commissions here. The memorandums urged both India and Pakistan to "respect the fundamental human rights of all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir". — PTI
Bilawal at receiving end
Angry crowd threw plastic bottles, shoes and cans at Pakistan People's Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto as soon as he stepped on to the makeshift stage to speak. Bhutto was allegedly using the event as his political launch pad. The angry mob shouted slogans against him and his father Asif Ali
Zardari.
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‘Modi Express’ from Melbourne to Sydney
New Delhi, October 26 Carrying 220 Modi fans, the four-carriage train decorated with tricolour balloons will depart from Melbourne's Southern Cross station for Sydney at 8.30 p.m. Nov 16, spokesperson Balesh Singh Dhankhar of the Indian Australian Community Foundation (IACF) told IANS over phone from Sydney. About 1,000 such fans are expected to arrive from Melbourne to Sydney. As the train's capacity is just 220, only that many will travel, he said. Modi will reach Brisbane to take part in the two-day G20 summit starting November 15. It will be followed by a community reception in Sydney November 17 during which Modi will address the Indian diaspora. He will also address a joint parliamentary session in Canberra the next day. According to the 2011 Australian census, around 295,300 people in Australia were born in India while around 390,900 had Indian ancestry. The Modi fans have plans to savour Gujarati cuisine during their journey, Ashwin Bora of the IACF told IANS. Some fans told IANS that the train journey will hold a unique place in their memory. "Since Modiji has travelled a lot by trains as a grassroots BJP worker, we came up with this idea," said Modi fan Sanjeev Bhakri. "We have plans to put up Modiji's banners and enjoy Gujarati food during our journey," said another Modi fan, Vijeth Shetty. Dhankhar said people were "enthusiastic about watching the charismatic Modi live in front of thousands of people who will congregate at Sydney's Allphones Arena November 17". He said that while planning Modi's Australian tour, it was believed that the Brisbane visit for the G20 summit, the parliament address in Canberra, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott's banquet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground would be enough. — IANS
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PM invites ideas on key issues ahead of Aus visit New Delhi, October 26 He has created a special platform on MyGov website for his Australia tour in which ideas could be shared. "During my Australia visit in November, I would be attending a variety of programmes, including an interaction with the Indian community there. "I want to hear ideas and thoughts from all of you, including friends in Australia and the Indian community there on my visit," the Prime Minister tweeted. He said that ideas could be shared on the webpage especially created for his Australia tour. "Participate in this MyGov Open Forum and share your ideas on what you feel are important issues for my Australia visit: http:// mygov.in/groupissue/prime-minister-in-australia/ show," the Prime Minister said. — PTI
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Drug, staff shortage in ECHS polyclinics hitting patients hard
Chandigarh, October 26 “There was no shortage of medicines till 2013. The situation, however, has deteriorated in the last 10 months,” said Col Kuldip Singh Grewal (retd), president of Punjab ex-servicemen welfare association. As a result, patients, especially old and invalid coming from far-flung places, are unable to get the required medicare, he said. A pilot project was conceptualised to outsource the dispensation of approved medicines to private vendors to overcome the drug shortage. The file of this project was sent to the Ministry of Defence in January this year, but approval has yet to be granted. The Armed Forces Medical Stores Depot (AFMSD) at Delhi is responsible for bulk procurement of medicines and issuing the same to various ECHS polyclinics through Military Hospitals. Polyclinics located at non-military stations have local purchase powers to buy medicines from the market in case of non-availability from dedicated sources. Similarly, Military Hospitals have been adequately equipped to purchase short supply medicines from local chemists. Though adequate provisions exist for ensuring medical supplies, procurement has apparently taken a hit. Official sources said the shortage of medicines in ECHS polyclinics has been a matter of concern for long, with the satisfaction level of the supply of medicines being only 60-65 per cent. Some measures, including the proposed outsourcing of pharmacy services, have been initiated to alleviate this problem. ECHS authorities are also going in for fixing rate contracts and price agreements with supplies for different stations. Launched in April 2003, the ECHS, at present caters to 13.41 lakh veterans and 31.35 lakh dependants. While there has been a consecutive increase in the number of veterans subscribing to the scheme, the number of dependants has, over the past few years fallen by about 1.36 lakh due to removal of ineligible individuals. Sources said inadequate medical, para-medical and auxiliary staff in polyclinics was another major shortcoming in the scheme and the issue was being redressed through hiring additional contractual staff. The authorisation of medical staff across the board has been increased from 5,091 to 6,800. To further streamline the scheme’s functioning, certain policies and operational guidelines have been modified. The rates of some specialist and super-specialist treatment that can be claimed by empanelled hospitals have been revised. The ECHS management has also permitted subscribers to choose their parent polyclinic depending upon the place of post-retirement settlement.
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Navy orders probe into financial irregularities
New Delhi, October 26 The board will investigate the allegations made by Shipwright Artificer Sunil Kumar Sahu, a sailor posted at INS Kattabomman in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, a statement said. The sailor, in two written complaints made October 13 and October 20, raised allegations of financial irregularities against his superior officers. A three-member BoI, headed by a Commodore-rank officer, is expected to submit its findings in a fortnight. The statement said Sahu has been carrying out non-strenuous duties as he suffers from generalised seizures and low backache. On Oct 22, he was observed to be in a state of hyper anxiety and agitation. Considering the limited medical facilities at Tirunelveli and safety of the sailor, Sahu was shifted to the nearest naval hospital Sanjivini Oct 23 for observation and medical attention. On a request from the sailor, his family has been permitted to accompany him to the hospital, as a special case. — IANS
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Pak couple held with fake documents
Vadodara, October 26 Dilip Kumar Sunderlal Panjwani (32) and his wife Sapna (aged around 30), residents of Khairpur in Pakistan’s Sindh province, bought the property in Varasiya locality through forged documents, Police Inspector HG Vora said. “The couple has been staying in the city since December 26, 2006 on a long-term visa. However, the long-term visa granted to the couple does not allow them to purchase a property in India,” he said on phone. They managed to acquire fake election card, PAN card, driving licence, Aadhaar card and school-leaving certificates to prove their Indian citizenship and buy the flat, Vora said. The Panjwanis have been booked under IPC Sections related to criminal conspiracy and forgery, among others, he added. — PTI
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9 killed, 25 hurt in Assam mishap
Guwahati, October 26 Superintendent of Police A Kalita said the bus belonging to Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) was coming to Guwahati from Lakhimpur en route some north Indian places of pilgrimage, including Kashi, Gaya and Vrindaban. The bus fell into the gorge after breaking railings on a bridge while trying to overtake another vehicle. The driver of the bus and eight other passengers including a couple, one doctor, and one teacher were killed. The injured included a four-month-old baby. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi ordered the state transport secretary to institute an inquiry into the mishap and promised compensation to deceased and injured as per the government’s norms.
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IOC official goes missing in Assam
Guwahati, October 26 Sources said he had gone out in his private car from his official residence at Digboi Refinery township towards Pengeri in Tinsukia district of eastern Assam. Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Singh informed that the family members of the senior IOC official filed an FIR with Digboi police station around 4 pm when he failed to turn up at his residence. His car was found parked by the road at Pengeri area. The police was trying to find out why the senior official headed for Pengeri and not towards his office and why he was using his private vehicle instead of his official vehicle with the driver entitled to him.
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Flight delay: Passengers take on AI staff
Mumbai, October 26 An Air India spokesperson said that some passengers were trying to click pictures of the staff last evening and were told not do so as it was against the norms, that led these passengers into an argument with the airline staff. “Air India flight AI 921 from Mumbai for Riyadh was rescheduled to 5.10 PM. All the 230 passengers who were to board this flight were informed about rescheduled timings much in advance,” the spokesperson said. However, due to late arrival of the flight from Riyadh and some delay on part of the air traffic control, the departing flight got further delayed and could take off only around 7.45 PM, he said, adding that due to this (further delay) some of the passengers, mainly those who were to fly onwards, got agitated. — PTI
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Telangana-Andhra war over power, water sharing intensifies
Hyderabad, October 26 Brushing aside objections from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao ruled out stoppage of power generation at the Srisailam Hydel Project even as he announced the state government’s intention to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court next week against the alleged injustice to the newly created state. “Andhra Pradesh has been grossly violating power-sharing formula envisaged in the AP Reorganization Act and denying Telangana of its legitimate share from Lower Sileru, Vizag Hinduja and Krishnapatnam power plants,” he said, reeling out statistics of power generated in the past few months in these plants. Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure justice to power-starved Telangana, the Chief Minister accused his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu of playing dirty and mean politics. “Naidu wants to see the standing crops in Telangana perish for lack of water by depriving the state of its due share of electricity required to feed the agriculture sector,” he said, adding that it was Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister who was solely responsible for power crisis faced by Telangana. The Prime Minister should intervene and sort out the issues between the two states and ensure that the AP Reorganization Act was implemented in letter and spirit, Rao said, pointing out that Telangana would not stop power generation at the Srisailam project till its agricultural needs were met. Pointing out that Telangana Genco (the generation arm) and two discoms (distribution companies) had invested over Rs 1,000 crore in the Hinduja and Krishnapatnam power plants, he said that Telangana should have received its share of 1,422 MW of power from Krishnapatnam which was being denied by Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) had brokered a temporary peace between the two states, but its recent insistence that Telangana stop power generation from Srisailam Hydel project seems to have triggered the move to approach the Supreme Court. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government, sources said, had stopped power generation at the project for a while on Friday but resumed it later, besides starting power generation at the Nagarjunasagar Hydel project downstream to meet the growing demand for power in the state. The Andhra government’s contention is that it is Telangana which is violating the Krishna water distribution norms as laid down in Government Orders 69 and 107. “Telangana has no right to generate power from Srisailam project as the water level had dropped below 885 feet,” an AP official said. Rao point out that it was Naidu who as united Andhra Pradesh CM earlier had issued a GO which stated that water could be drawn up to 779 feet in Srisailam. Later, Naidu opposed a move by then Congress government to increase the mean draw level of Srisailam to 854 feet. “The present level at Srisailam is 857 feet and we can continue to generate power utilizing the water,” the Chief Minister contended.
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Gujarat says no to trials of GM crops
Gandhinagar, October 26 This has been revealed in the state government’s reply to an application under the Right to Information Act by an anti-GM foods activist toeing the line of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), farmers’ wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The previous Narendra Modi government was supporting the GM varieties for higher production and was aggressively encouraging BT cotton. Representatives of an American multi-national company, which was the sole global representative of the GM varieties of seeds, had direct access to the chief minister’s office. Gujarat Agricultural University under the state government had been conducting intensive field trials on BT brinjal in Mehamdabad near Ahmedabad, BT rice in Vyara in south Gujarat and BT maize in Panchmahals, Dahod, Kheda and Anand districts in the central Gujarat. Maize trials are in progress directly in coordination with farmers in the region. Besides Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have already banned field trials of GM food crop varieties. The RSS since long had been campaigning for banning the GM food crops. The BJP had accepted the point in its election manifesto. The BKS and Swadeshi Jagran Manch, both wings of the RSS, had recently issued a statement after meeting Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar claiming that he agreed with their stance against genetically modified food products in the country though he declined to give any firm commitment.
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Rao Inderjit visits Chandimandir
Chandigarh, October 22 Addressing the officers and other ranks of the military station, the minister assured them of full support of the government in ensuring high standards of operational readiness and welfare. He also reiterated the government’s commitment towards the demand of implementation of
One Rank-One Pension formula for retired armed forces personnel, according to an official statement issued here.
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India has more youth power than China: Raje
Jaipur, October 26 Due to China’s family planning norms, the youth power and their representation was getting lower than Indian youths who had brought a sea change in democracy, Raje told the elected functionaries of Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad
(ABVP) of state colleges and universities here at a one-day event. The victory of ABVP candidates did not come all of a sudden, but dedication of students in last fifteen years that brought ABVP presidents in seven universities, 160 colleges, and 400 other elected students on various posts in Rajasthan, said the Chief Minister. — PTI
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Muslim helps cremate Hindu sister
Rampur (UP), October 26 The unique story is from Moondha Pandey village, about 10 km from here. After the death of her husband, Yashodra Devi had been living in a hut with her mother and son in an extremely pitiable condition in Maualagarh in Moondha Pandey, according to reports in the village. Moved by her ordeal, Aslam Beg of the same village made Yashodra her ‘rakhi sister’ and urged her to treat him as her elder brother. For 15 years, the two shared the relationship and participated in each other’s festivities, they said. Yesterday, while Aslam was about to go to Yashodha’s house for ‘Bhai Dooj’, she passed. Bearing all expenses, Aslam took Yashodha’s body and her relatives to the banks of Ganga in Garhmukteshwar and got her last rites performed there. — PTI
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The Maharashtra BJP Legislature Party will meet on Tuesday to elect its leader to set the ball rolling for government formation even as backchannel talks continued with former ally Shiv Sena for a possible coalition.
The Shiv Sena today launched a fresh attack on the Gujarati community blaming them for the defeat of several of its candidates in the recent Assembly elections.
New Delhi, October 26
The renewed vigour to unearth suspected black money of Indians in Swiss bank accounts after a recent meeting of top officials on both sides is expected to initiate final prosecution in one of the most prominent tax crime cases related to
Pune-based stud farm-owner Hasan Ali Khan.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz has blamed India for wanting to resolve the Kashmir dispute in its own way, which he said Pakistan would not allow.
“India wants to resolve the Kashmir dispute in its own way and Pakistan will not allow this Indian attempt to succeed,” he said while speaking to reporters in Islamabad.
Guwahati, October 26
Tension has been building up between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh following a dispute over sharing water and power.
Brushing aside objections from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao ruled out stoppage of power generation at the Srisailam Hydel Project even as he announced the state government’s intention to file a Special Leave Petition
(SLP) in the Supreme Court.
Chandigarh, October 22
The CBI on Sunday interrogated Biju Danta Dal (BJD) MP Ramachandra Hansda and two former legislators in Odisha for their alleged complicity in the multi-crore chit fund scam.
A special breed of military canine that is credited to have helped the US navy SEALs in sniffing out al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Pakistan is now part of the country’s elite counter-terror and counter-hijack commando operations force National security Guard (NSG).
Defence veterans in the region are complaining of an acute shortage of medicines, including essential drugs, in polyclinics being run by the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).