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Monday, October 15, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Pak hackers pose cyber threat to
USA Don’t bring back Fernandes:
Bansi CM promises better deal to rural
students KUNTEA poll sans
issues Ensure power to tubewells, UHBVN told |
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Diploma engineers allege discrimination Dengue threatens
Faridabad House tax: Cong to intensify
agitation Haryana bandh against INLD misrule Jaitley for prompt justice to
needy After 7 yrs, son too
murdered Power supply to village cut Two killed as trucks collide Civil Judge, brother drowned in canal
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Pak hackers pose cyber threat to
USA Hisar, October 14 A study titled “Cyber Attacks During the War on Terrorism,” conducted by the Institute for Security Technology Studies at Dartmouth College, USA, immediately after the September 11 attacks, has warned the US Government that several Pakistani groups who have defaced several Indian sites in the past were potential attackers in the current scenario. Significantly, the FBI on Friday issued a warning to the US citizens to be on alert against cyber attacks and to notify it of any suspicious activity on the Net. The study says: “Muslim groups around the world could become players in this scenario, and many have significant experience in launching sophisticated and sustained cyber attacks. In this context, a variety of pro-Muslim hacker groups, such as the G-Force Pakistan, The Pakistan Hackerz Club or Doktor Nuker, could use these tactics against the USA and its allies.” It pointed out that sympathizers on both sides of the Kashmir conflict have used cyber tactics to disrupt each other’s information systems and disseminate propaganda. Pro-Pakistan hackers eager to raise global awareness about the conflict have hit Indian sites especially hard. “The number of pro-Pakistan defacements of Indian Web sites has risen markedly over the past three years: 45 in 1999, 133 in 2000, and 275 by the end of August, 2001. Indian sites defaced by Pakistani hacker groups have either been political, highly visible, or involved in information dissemination (for example, the Indian Parliament, the TV network Zee, the Asian Age newspaper, the Indian Institute of Science, and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.) In the case of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, five megabytes of possibly sensitive nuclear research or other information was reportedly downloaded. Another pro-Pakistan hacker group, the Pakistan Hackerz Club, has also targeted US sites in the past, defacing sites belonging to the Department of Energy and the US Air Force”, it adds. The study points out that many foreign nations have identified the utility of developing cyber attack techniques for purposes of engaging in covert espionage against US Government networks or US industry, or for employing information warfare against the US. Amongst the nations thought to be developing information warfare capabilities are Iraq and Libya, who could be targeted by US and allied strikes as part of the war on terrorism. Referring to recent trends in cyber terrorism, it says that China, North Korea, Cuba and Russia, among others, are also believed to be developing cyber warfare capabilities. What are the areas which could be targeted by cyber attackers in the USA? Banking and financial institutions utilize infrastructures that are vulnerable to cyber attack due to their dependence on networks. However, since this sector still operates through largely private networks and intranets with very limited external access, thus affording it some protection from external cyber attack. Likewise, voice communication systems are vulnerable to proprietary software attacks from insiders familiar with the technical details of the system. This includes the emergency services of telephone exchanges. Another area of concern are electrical infrastructures that have sensors to assist engineers in shutting down components of the national grid in event of a natural disaster, which could become vulnerable to cyber manipulation, potentially resulting in power outages. Similarly, water resources and the management of water levels are often controlled by sensors and remote means. These could be particularly sensitive to attacks unless physical security was ensured. Oil and gas infrastructures too widely rely on the use of computerized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Energy Management Systems (EMS). These systems could be vulnerable to cyber attack with the potential of affecting numerous economic sectors, such as manufacturing and transportation. The following are the kind of potential attacks the USA faces in the cyberspace: defacement of electronic information sites in the USA and allied countries and spreading disinformation and propaganda, denial of service to legitimate computer users in the USA and allied countries through Denial of Service Attacks (DoS), the use of worms and viruses and the exploitation of inherent computer security vulnerabilities and unauthorised intrusions into systems and networks belonging to the USA and allied countries, potentially resulting in critical infrastructure outages and corruption of vital data. |
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Don’t bring back Fernandes:
Bansi Rohtak, October 14 Mr Bansi Lal said the policy of the Vajpayee government on supporting the US fight against Afghanistan and terrorists was in tune with national interests. The Taliban government in Afghanistan, he said, had been sending mercenaries in the Kashmir valley and it would help India if the USA ousted the Taliban government and installed a new broad-based government in Afghanistan. He said in the present international scenario, India should have a full-time Defence Minister but he opposed the entry of George Fernandes. George Fernandes should not be included in the Union Cabinet in any position, and certainly not as Defence Minister, unless he gets clearance from the Venktaswamy Commission set up by the Centre to inquire into the charges levelled by tehelka.com Mr Bansi Lal pleaded for launching an offensive against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and said the Army should be given a free hand in dealing with terrorists and their organisations. The Human Rights Commission should not come into picture, he added. He urged the Centre to register a criminal case against the Shahi Iman and arrest him immediately for making provocative statements. Mr Bansi Lal said if the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) was voted to power in Haryana, his government would set up an artisan development board for the uplift of the members of the backward communities in the state. The HVP government, he said would allocate residential plots to the dalits and members of backward communities on a priority basis in towns and villages. His government would constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Mr Ram Chander Jangra to identify proposals and plans for the development and uplift of the backward communities. The HVP chief reiterated that if voted to power his government would provide un-interrupted power supply besides restoring law and order. He also assured to withdraw the 4 per cent entry-tax and Form-38 and the ‘bhatti tax’ imposed on halwais by the Chautala government. He said his government would re-introduce the old house-tax policy and scrap the one introduced by the present government. The former Chief Minister said Haryana was the only state in the country which had appointed one person as Chairman of all the four corporations of the power sector. The same person was also Secretary of the Energy Department which indicated that there was none in the government to look after the department which was among the most mismanaged. The losses of the power department had risen from Rs 500 crore in 1999 to Rs 2000 crore in 2001. |
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CM promises better deal to rural
students Bhiwani, October 14 Expressing these views the Chief Minister, addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of Parvati Devi Momorial DAV Public School here said India was once considered ‘guru’ in the field of education and foreign students used to come to get education here. With the passage of time old traditions had changed. Now students were going to foreign countries for getting higher education, he added. Expressing concern over the fall in the standared of education the Chief Minister said the Haryana Government had implemented a new job-oriented-education policy. With a view to generating more employment opportunities, information technology (IT) had been introduced in the state. He said the new IT policy would generate ample job opportunities for the youth. The Chief Minister said special thrust was being provided to boost engineering courses in the state. As many as 22,000 students were studying in various disciplines of engineering in the state as against 9,000 during 1999-2000. Citing an example of imparting good education, he said all 250 students who had passed out of REC at Kurukshetra had got jobs in the reputed companies. Mr Bahadur Singh, Minister of State for Education, said efforts were on to check the menace of copying and tuitions in the state. He said special inspection teams had been constituted for schools and colleges. Efforts were also being made to give boost to sports in the state by giving various incentives to sportspersons a new sports policy had been implemented in the state and 3 per cent posts had been reserved for outstanding sportspersons of the state. Mr Subhash Goyal, Urban Development Minister for State said a new urban policy was being formulated. He said 16 improvement trust, which were dissolved by the previous government, had been revived. The Chief Minister also planted a sapling on the school premises. A colourful cultural programme was presented by the students. Earlier, the Chief Minister also presided over the meeting of District Public Relations and Grievances committee. |
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KUNTEA poll sans
issues Kurukshetra, October 14 Both groups are taking rounds of houses of employees even in the city to canvass for votes. The poll seems to be without issues and the only concentration is on personalities. There was a time when KUNTEA was the most active body of employees in the universities of northern India. But gone are those days. Today KUNTEA even feels shy of raising basic issues for the welfare of the employees. According to information gathered by TNS, there is going to be a direct fight between the two groups for the posts of president and general secretary. The sitting incumbent, Mr Man Singh, is being challenged by Mr Karan Singh for the post of president. Similarly, there is a direct fight between Mr Madan Gopal Sharma and Mr Yashpal Narang for the post of general secretary. Mr Karan Singh has headed KUNTEA eight times. He has fought elections to this body on 15 occasions. Last year, he was trounced by Mr Man Singh by a margin of over 300 votes. The main opposition by employees to Mr Karan Singh was because of non-performance of KUNTEA during his stewardship. He could not restore KUNTEA to the glory which was enjoyed by it during the presidentship of Mr Babu Ram Gupta, a veteran unionist who headed KUNTEA for a number of years. In the present elections though Mr Gupta has thrown his weight behind Mr Man Singh, yet the allegation of non-performance is also being made by a section of employees against the latter. On the other hand, Mr Man Singh, while denying this in an informal chat with this correspondent, listed the achievements of KUNTEA during his stewardship. He maintained that his efforts had resulted in providing grades to assistants working in the university on the Haryana Government pattern. This was a major demand of the employees. Similarly, he claimed that payments by the LIC, which were due to university employees under group insurance schemes, were ensured by him during his presidentship. A section of the employees opposed to him, however, said these issues had been initially taken up by his rival, Mr Karan Singh. Only the moves had matured during his presidentship. Mr Man Singh, however, was evasive on the issue of discrimination to library superintendents who had been designated as such but were given the grade of assistants only. A section of employees interviewed by this correspondent alleged that political interference in the day-to-day functioning of the varsity had increased and had even reached up to the branch level. Although the employees refrained from providing specific information, yet they maintained that workers of a political party often came to branches in the varsity and demanded immediate decisions even on important matters like affiliation. They pointed out that KUNTEA had failed to check it. |
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Ensure power to tubewells, UHBVN told Sonepat, October 14 The minister also directed Irrigation Department officials to ensure supply of canal water at the tail-end villages as announced by Chief Minister Chautala. He announced that encroachments on public and shamlat lands would be removed and action taken against “erring” persons. The minister warned Public Health Department officials that stern action would be taken if regular supply of drinking water in Kami and Gumar villages of the district was not maintained. The minister received 10 complaints and disposed of five of these on the spot. Other five were referred to the authorities concerned on the complaint of a poor woman regarding yellow ration card he directed issuance of a yellow ration card to her immediately. Mr S.N. Roy, Deputy Commissioner and Mr Paramjit Singh Ahlawat, Superintendent of Police were present at the meeting. |
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Diploma engineers allege discrimination Panipat, October 14 Talking to mediapersons, the president of the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Diploma Engineers Association, Mr J.S. Brar, said the diploma engineers, who were the backbone of power generating plants, were not given promotions even after rendering more than 30 years of service. Mr Brar alleged that at the time of the revision of the pay scales, diploma engineers were given a very low pay scale as compared to other categories. Before the revision of the pay scales, the difference in the starting pay scale of an Assistant Engineer and a Junior Engineer was only Rs 40, but now it had increased to Rs 1,300 and further to Rs 3,300 and Rs 7,600 after five years and 12 years of service, respectively, of an Assistant Engineer, he added. |
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Dengue threatens
Faridabad Faridabad October 14 So far , at least 12 out of 35 blood samples of suspected dengue cases have tested positive for the disease . And one person has already succumbed to dengue this season. Sources add that one third of the 35 blood samples of the suspected cases sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, had tested positive . The B.K. Civil Hospital has also reported 85 malaria cases, this year. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr B.S. Dahiya, however, says that the situation was under control as far as malaria was concerned and that incidence of the disease in the previous years had been much higher. He added that teams of doctors and paramedics have been deputed to different areas to collect blood samples of the suspected cases and provide the life saving medicines. Although the situation this year is not as serious it was in 1996, when 38 persons had succumbed to dengue, some persons suffering from the disease have also reported to the Escorts Hospital here. A pathologist, at a local laboratory also confirmed that out of the cases referred to him,four had tested positive for dengue Sources add that lack of proper coordination between the local health and the municipal corporation authorities was one of the reasons behind lack of sanitation and and other civic amenities in the area. ‘‘ The ‘safai abhiyan’ was launched too late,’’ commented a local doctor. |
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House tax: Cong to intensify
agitation Chandigarh, October 14 The party president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has convened a meeting of party leaders here on October 17 to finalise the strategy to oppose the house tax policy. The meeting will be attended by office-bearers of the Pradesh Congress Committee, AICC members from the state, the party’s sitting and former MPs and MLAs, DCC presidents and heads of front organisations, departments and cells. Describing the house tax policy as irrational and unjust, Mr Hooda said the Congress opposition to the house tax policy had been vindicated as the masses, irrespective of party affiliations, were against the policy. Even the MLAs of the BJP, which was supporting the INLD government, along with the Congress MLAs, had to boycott the meeting of the legislators called by the Urban Development Minister to discuss the policy here on October 4. The BJP had to boycott the meeting as it sensed the anger of the people and the impact of the agitation launched by the Congress. He said it was a common cause and the participation by all Haryanavis was welcome. Mr Hooda said the government should call an all-party meeting to discuss and finalise an acceptable pro-people policy. He said till the policy was revised, the Congress would continue its agitation, which would be broadbased and include a statewide bandh. |
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Haryana bandh against INLD misrule Jhajjar, October 14 Briefing presspersons at Bahaurgarh today, the state Congress chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, promised to withdraw all anti-people policies being pursued by the present government if voted to power. Mr Hooda said the date for the statewide bandh would be decided at Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee meeting scheduled to be held on October 17. Promising people to get rid of the mal-administration of the Chautala government he claimed that the Congress-run “gaon ki chaupal main” programme had been getting response much beyond expectations. He said he had visited Ambala,
Shahabad, Pipli, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Gharonda, Panipat mandis and witnessed miserable state of affairs there, stating that farmers were the worst-affected. |
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Jaitley for prompt justice to
needy Rohtak, October 14 He was addressing the fifth state-level conference organised by Adhivakta Parishad (organisation of lawyers), Haryana, at Maharshi Dayanand University auditorium as chief guest today. Mr Jaitley said long deliberations were required by those involved with the judicial system for the timely settlement of the long-pending law cases. He said law suits were decided with in a few weeks by courts in certain advanced countries like the USA. Expressing displeasure over the boycott of courts and strikes by lawyers the Law Minister said such practices affected the interests of litigants. He appealed to the lawyers to strive for public interest especially of the down-trodden. Hailing the role of Lok Adalats in providing timely justice to the needy he said nearly 1.25 crore law suits were settled through Lok Adalats in the past 10 years. Commenting on the burning issues of national security and terrorism, he called upon the lawyers to think deeply on these issues. He appealed to the media to refrain from publishing news items on such sensitive issues which could harm the interests of society or the nation. Mr Jaitley lauded the role of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad in making people aware of the laws and bylaws by organising seminars and writing articles. |
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After 7 yrs, son too
murdered Faridabad, October 14 The victim’s family had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the acquittal. Relatives of the accused had, meanwhile, started persuading Rajan's family to settle the issue out of court. But on October 10, some persons assaulted Rajan and his associates in the village, injuring him seriously, which ultimately led to his death. The police has registered a case in this regard. |
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Power supply to village cut Faridabad, October 14 An amount of more than Rs 10 lakh is outstanding against the villagers, who have refused to make payment, in spite of several reminders. A spokesman of the department said today that an amount of Rs 2 crore was outstanding against 18 more villages in nearby areas. |
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Two killed as trucks collide Hisar, October 14 One of the trucks was on its way to Kuleri village. The injured were admitted to a local hospital here where the condition of one of them was stated to be critical.
PTI |
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Civil Judge, brother drowned in canal Rohtak, October 14 The driver of their car rushed to the spot and tried to save them but in vain. He reported the matter to the police. Divers were deputed by the district administration to search for the duo. |
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