Monday, February 15, 1999

TN Govt flays Jaya’s remarks on crime
CHENNAI, Feb 14 — The Tamil Nadu Government today flayed AIADMK leader Jayalalitha for her remarks that the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu was “far worse” than in Bihar, saying the situation was “good” and her remarks were “contrary to facts”.

Delhi Govt gets first university
NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — There is much that needs to be explored by admission-seekers on the campus of the Delhi College of Engineering here in the coming academic session.

President’s rule: Laloo not to move court
PATNA, Feb 14 — Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav today said that he did not favour challenging in court the imposition of the President’s rule in Bihar.

Plea to probe all cases of mass cremation
NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — A human rights organisation has urged the National Human Rights Commission to probe all cases of alleged illegal mass cremation of bodies by the police during the militancy era in Punjab and not to limit its investigation to only the 2,097 bodies cremated in Amritsar district which was referred in the CBI report.

AIIMS doctors to intensify stir
NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — Striking doctors at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences today threatened to intensify their indefinite agitation which entered its seventh day today crippling health care services in the country’s premier institute.

Orissa LCP meets today

BHUBANESWAR, Feb 14 (PTI) — With less than 24 hours to go before the crucial meeting of the Legislature Congress Party (LCP) convened here to elect a successor to outgoing Chief Minister J.B. Patnaik, no clear indication is available about the choice of the next leader.

Although hectic parleys were continuing in different camps to draw up the strategy for tomorrow’s meeting, so far no senior leader has publicly staked claim for the leadership.

AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, who is in Orissa since last evening on a different mission, made it clear that the legislators would elect their leader and there was no question of somebody being imposed from the top.

Mr Fernandes, who attended a youth festival at Cuttack last night organised by the Christiya Yuva Manch, however, in an informal chat parried the question as to whether the new leader would be from among the legislature party or outside. "They will also decide that," he said.

Mr Fernandes said he was confident that the election of the new leader would be a smooth affair as per the Congress tradition.

Two party general secretaries — Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Madhavrao Scindia — would be here tomorrow and they would do the necessary exercise, he said.

Replying to queries, Mr Fernandes said as a senior leader of the party, Mr Patnaik would certainly play his role in the election of the new leader.

The AICC general secretary, during his stay here, had discussions with outgoing Chief Minister Patnaik and PCC president Hemananda Biswal. The election of the new leader was not a subject matter of discussion, he said.

Mr Fernandes said he had not brought any message from the AICC chief Sonia Gandhi for the leaders here, nor was he carrying back any.

In a marked departure from past practices the party’s parliament members had also been invited to the LCP meeting, a notice for which was issued yesterday. A party functionary explained that the MPs had been invited as the AICC emissaries might like to discuss with them the choice of the new leader.

The PCC chief, Mr Biswal, who is a strong contender for the LCP leadership, continued to hold meetings with his own supporters. A number of pro-Patnaik ministers and MLAs were also seen visiting the PCC chief’s residence.

Mr Biswal, while maintaining that he was not in the race, said he would prefer the choice of the high command in this regard.

Another strong contender for the post is former union minister and eight-time MP Giridhar Gamang whose name is being widely taken in party circles as the D-Day draws near.

Among senior leaders, only former Chief Minister and state Planning Board Chief Nandini Satpathy has struck a discordant note, stating that the new leader should be elected from among the legislators whose opinion should prevail in the matter. She also said in case there was a contest, she might be a candidate.

Deputy Chief Minister Basant Kumar Biswal, who had led a revolt against Mr Patnaik in recent months, has said he will accept the choice of the high command.

Although the outgoing Chief Minister would very much like to see one of his trusted cabinet ministers succeed him, his supporters said he was keeping his cards close to his chest. The names of Industries Minister Niranjan Patnaik, Revenue Minister Jagannath Patnaik and Rural Development Minister Matlub Ali, all staunch loyalists of Mr Patnaik, are being doing the rounds.

Even before the election of the new LCP leader, some partymen had started discussing about a new PCC chief, in case the present incumbent was elected to succeed Mr Patnaik.

Some pro-Patnaik party leaders confided that the outgoing Chief Minister was now interested to put his man in the organisation as the elections to the state assembly was only a year away.

Cong weighs options in Bihar
From K.V. Prasad
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — The Congress appears to be in two minds on its strategy to deal with the dismissal of the Rabri Devi government and imposition of President’s rule in Bihar.

The party is yet to react to the imposition of Central rule although Congress President, Sonia Gandhi paid a visit to Narayanpur village in Jehanabad district on Saturday.

The only official reaction thus far was from AICC General Secretary, Sushil Kumar Shinde, in charge of party affairs in Bihar, who was of the opinion that the Rashtriya Janata Dal Government would not have faced dismissal if the Chief Minister had stepped down after the massacre.

In fact, the Congress had virtually expressed displeasure with the Rabri Devi government by stating that a government which could not protect the Dalits does not have the moral authority to govern.

Party sources said, the Congress warning was intended more towards the RJD replaced its leader and Mr Shinde’s statement only confirmed the party’s thinking at one level.

Mr Shinde also said the Congress had always taken a stand in favour of Scheduled Castes/tribes, minorities and other weaker sections.

At present any stand will have to keep in mind the overall strategy of how to handle the situation when the issue comes up before Parliament for ratification.

With the budget session due to start later this month, the Congress still has some time to formulate its strategy.

A section of the party, including senior CWC member Mr Arjun Singh is of the view that the Congress cannot be seen alongside the Bharatiya Janata Party in ratifying Central rule.

In the Bommai case, the Supreme Court had laid down that the imposition of President’s rule must be ratified by Parliament within six weeks of its commencement.

One line being floated is that the Congress can abstain when the issue is taken up for voting in the Lok Sabha, where the BJP and its allies have greater numbers and then defeat it in the Rajya Sabha, where the opposition enjoys a majority.

This situation would then lead to the revival of the Assembly, which at present has been kept under suspended animation.

Another section is of the view that since the RJD did not heed the Congress suggestion on replacing its leader, there is little basis for the party to continue support.

However, it is here that the real dilemma arises. If the Congress votes with the BJP then what will be the message perceived by the minorities and Dalits. Would it mean, sacrificing a ‘secular’ government, ? a party leader said.

For the Laloo-baiters including Mr Madhavrao Scindia, the party can show that by not opposing the imposition of Central rule, it allowed the fall of the RJD government.

The problem before the Congress President is the negligible party presence in the state. Even those MPs who got elected from Bihar last year did so with the support of Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, who at that time was Mr Sitaram Kesri’s ally. For the time being silence is probably the only way out. At least until a clear viewpoint emerges.

DSGMC backs Bhai Ranjit

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 (PTI) — The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) today joined issue with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal saying it would stand by the leadership of suspended Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh.

Describing Ranjit Singh’s removal as “unconstitutional and against the tenets of Sikh Panth”, the executive committee of DSGMC decided to celebrate the tercentenary of Khalsa Panth under his leadership, its general secretary Bhajan Singh Walia told reporters here.

“Jathedar Ranjit Singh of Sri Akal Takht Sahib is supreme embodiment of the Panth, his authority is unchallengable,” Mr Walia said, adding that the decision was taken at the executive meeting attended by 12 out of 15 members under the chairmanship of senior vice president Gurcharan Singh.

“We appeal to the so called new nominee Gyani Puran Singh to follow the high tradition of Sikhism and not to accept the offer by some executive members of SGPC taken unconstitutionally,” Mr Walia said, adding a formal appeal note would also be sent to him.

To a question he denied any political reason behind their decision saying “we cannot remain mute spectators to the disrespect being shown to Akal Takht”.

The executive committee of the SGPC on February 10 suspended Akal Takht Jathedar Ranjit Singh.

Delhi Metro picks up speed
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — The ambitious metro rail project for Delhi is set to take off despite some bottlenecks.

“We are not taking any chances. We want to avoid all that which went wrong with Calcutta,” said Mr K. Sreedharan, Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

The metro, running in losses now, was aimed to carry nearly 17 lakh passengers every day but carries only 2.5 lakh.

He claimed the time schedule for the Delhi project had been “compressed” from ten to seven years since three years were lost in preliminaries.

“We are confident of completing the project which took off in April 1995 by 2005 A.D. The first phase from Shahdara to Tis Hazari will be commissioned by June 2002 A.D.,” he said.

Admitting that acquisition of land was the first major difficulty Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was facing, Mr Sreedharan said land with the government authorities had already been acquired.

But taking over land from private owners and shifting jhuggis and religious structures was a problem.

The first phase of construction, which mostly involves elevated and surface links, has already started between Shahdara and Tis Hazari. Admitting it was a tall order to complete the section by 2002 A.D., the managing director said “we are confident that we will complete it”.

About removal of religious structures he said “it is a bit difficult since community sentiments are involved”.

He said though initially there were 76 such structures in the entire route these have since been reduced to 38.

However, most of the structures were makeshift place of worship. “Maybe just a small stone or a mazaar with flowers around,” he said. The Delhi Government has already set up 18 task forces to help the corporation in land acquisition.

Referring to the “failure” of the ambitious Calcutta Metro project, he said the lack of feeder service from metro stops was a factor responsible for it.

“In Delhi’s case, we are planning a proper integration with surface transport through a collaboration with Delhi Transport Corporation,” he said.

The Delhi Metro rail, proposed to be built at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore over a route of 198.5 km, is a joint venture between the Centre and the Delhi Government.

Claiming that the metro rail would take 3,000 buses off the roads once the first phase gets operationalised, he said road speed would be up 50 per cent.

About continuous availability of power in the present power-crunch situation, he said the DMRC would take power directly from the NTPC.

“We have envisaged full backup support with the help of generators and battery system,” he said.

Films to promote national image

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 (UNI) — Even as the country’s economy has opened up to the world during the last decade of the millennium, a major drive has been launched by the External Affairs Ministry to boost the national image overseas through the production and exhibition of a large number of documentary and short films.

Ministerial sources told UNI that the aim of the films made by private filmmakers was not merely to project the nation’s achievements in various fields, but to show the country and its people in various moods and colours in an integrated manner and to look at India in an international context.

While these films had been made off and on for several decades, the activity was given a boost in the nineties and particularly in the last two or three years. Furthermore, an attempt had also been made to use international satellite television channels apart from Indian missions overseas to show these films. Apart from financing the production of films, the ministry had also bought several films from the films division and the National Films Development Corporation.

Some of the films which had already been produced included “A Nation Celebrates” by Madhur Das with director Kabir Khan which was telecast on Star TV’s Star News Channel on Independence Day last year and the four-part “India 5555” by renowned filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy. Others included “Passion for Peace” by Pushpesh and Indrajit Pant, “Her Own Sky” by Yasmin Kidwai and Sabiha Farhat, “The Empire Writes Back” by T. Tejpal, and “Transition Times” by Shantanu Dey.

Apart from these, a large number of new films were being produced involving several important filmmakers like Muzaffar Ali, Romesh Sharma, Kumar Shahani, Siddhartha Kak, Arun Khopkar and Usha Albuqurque. Kak, who is better known for the weekly television cultural programme “Surabhi”, is making a film in six parts entitled “Wisdom of India”.

Kumar Shahani is making a film on the “Flute”, while Khopkar is making a film on “Confluence of North-Eastern Music”. Muzaffar Ali’s project is on “Fragrances of Love” while Tejpal is making a film on “Rooted Imagination”. Usha Albuqurque, better known as a news reader, is making a film on alternate systems of medicine. Ramesh Sharma’s film is entitled “City Scapes” and is aimed at showing the transition in the metropolitan cities. An interesting project is a series on how foreigners who have chosen to stay in India have adapted to the country.

While a global review was being undertaken at present to see how the Indian missions could play a more constructive role in exhibiting these films for the target audiences in their respective countries, the ministerial sources said that plans were also being drawn up to exploit the growing presence of transnational television channels and of Doordarshan’s international channel.

It was felt that Doordarshan’s capacity was under-utilised, since the programmes it shows at present on DD India are all made for the local viewer and are not suitable for the overseas target audiences or expatriates. Furthermore, DD India will have to cater to different language-zones if it has to make any mark. Answering a question, these sources said that it was for Doordarshan to approach the External Affairs Ministry if it wanted to come to an arrangement for showing these films. But it was clarified that there was no copyright on the films and the producers were free to show them on Doordarshan or any other channel.

The films already produced have a variety of subjects presenting the country in myriad forms: films have been made on empowerment of women at the grassroots levels including panchayats, English writing in India, and environmental projections.

“Her Own Sky” depicts the empowerment of women by showing some women doing extraordinary jobs like running trains, pilots, rural businesswomen, bank owners and so on. “Passion for Peace” attempts to show the nuclear experiment in Pokharan by placing it in a historical context of a nation that has always stood for peace and peaceful disarmament. “Transition Times” is a documentary about the changing attitudes in the cities and villages of the country and also tells of the migration to the cities or vice versa.

“A Nation Celebrates” tells about a celebration of the human spirit, showing ordinary Indians and their extraordinary feats, their courage and conviction. The filmmaker has attempted to show people taking unusual initiatives to make life worth living for their fellow countrymen.

“India 5555” by wellknown Filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy is aimed at apprising the foreign investor about business opportunities in the country by tracing the growth of Indian economy from the ancient days to the present time. “The first film “India 5000” shows the civilisational strength of the country starting from the Vedic times and unfolds the relevance of ancient culture on contemporary India.

TN Govt flays Jaya’s remarks on crime

CHENNAI, Feb 14 (PTI) — The Tamil Nadu Government today flayed AIADMK leader Jayalalitha for her remarks that the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu was “far worse” than in Bihar, saying the situation was “good” and her remarks were “contrary to facts”.

The Police Department was taking no chances even when “minor” incidents erupted and instructions had been given to the police not to show complacency or discrimination in maintaining law and order, an official press note said here.

Referring to Ms Jayalalitha’s charge, it said 176 persons had already been arrested in connection with the Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case. “The Centre has written to the Tamil Nadu Government appreciating the steps taken”.

Quoting a letter received from the Union Home Secretary in December last, the note said it was only in Chennai that the number of crimes in 1997 was 18.31 for one lakh population, while in Delhi and Mumbai, the rate was 56.45 and 30.82 per lakh, respectively.

Delhi Govt gets first university
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 — There is much that needs to be explored by admission-seekers on the campus of the Delhi College of Engineering (DCE) here in the coming academic session.

A board announcing a new centre of higher learning, Indraprastha Vishwavidyalaya, has already been put up on the DCE campus on Kashmiri Gate here. The stage is being set for the first Delhi government-run university. According to the interim arrangement, the first academic session is scheduled to start in July from the Science block of the DCE.

Faculty recruitments and enrolments are expected to start by March. The Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university, Prof. K. K. Aggarwal, has already taken his seat to fulfil the Delhi government’s dreams of “India’s first professional varsity.”

The Bill for setting up the university was approved when Mr Sahib Singh Varma was the Chief Minister. “It got the President’s assent in July 1998, the VC said. A former pro-Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar, Prof. Aggarwal says the university will offer courses in various disciplines including medicine, law, engineering, technology, management, architecture and pharmacy.

The VC told The Tribune here that the DCE was likely to vacate the entire campus by July and shift to Bawana. “We want to build our campus as soon as possible and are exploring land options in Chhawla in South-West Delhi as well as in East Delhi.”

Sharing the plans for the university, Prof. Aggarwal said studies in technology would include information technology, biotechnology, chemical technology.

He added that once the university shifted to its own campus, it would have one or two medical colleges. “We are examining proposals from various trusts and societies to set up dental colleges on the campus. Apart from this, we would have affiliations with medical colleges and have their centres on the campus.”

Prof. Aggarwal is credited with introducing the M-Tech and the B-Tech degree course in electronics and communication engineering as well as computer engineering as Head of the department in Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra.

President’s rule: Laloo not to move court

PATNA, Feb 14 (UNI) — Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav today said that he did not favour challenging in court the imposition of the President’s rule in Bihar.

"I prefer going to the public court to moving the Supreme Court", he said talking to reporters here. Mr Yadav was accompanied by his wife, dismissed Chief Minister, Rabri Devi.

Lashing out at the Centre, Mr Yadav said it had set a bad precedent through the dismissal of the state government.

Citing last night’s gruesome burning to death of a family in Danapur and the lathi charge on journalists at the airport yesterday, he demanded the resignation of Governor S.S. Bhandari.

When the Centre could impose the President’s rule in Bihar following the massacre of 12 Dalits in Chamatoli Bigah, would the same Central government initiate measures to seek the resignation of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and others following the Centre’s failure to check crime in the state during the past 24 hours, he asked.

Referring to the state-wide bandh the party had called tomorrow, he said it would be peaceful and non-violent.

Plea to probe all cases of mass cremation

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 (UNI) — A human rights organisation has urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to probe all cases of alleged illegal mass cremation of bodies by the police during the militancy era in Punjab and not to limit its investigation to only the 2,097 bodies cremated in Amritsar district which was referred in the CBI report.

According to NHRC sources, the commission has reserved its decision on the request of the Committee for Information and Initiative on Punjab (CIIP) to reconsider its January 13 order limiting the scope of its probe to only "illegal cremation of 2,097 bodies" in Amritsar district during the height of militancy in the state.

The NHRC, hearing the Punjab mass cremation case recently as per the directive of the Supreme Court, also directed the Punjab Government to submit before it on March 10 the chronological list of records relating to the cremation of bodies by the police in Amritsar district during the period of militancy.

The CIIP pleaded with the NHRC to probe all complaints of illegal abductions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary executions and disposal of bodies allegedly carried out by the police throughout the state in view of the apex court's observation in 1995 while hearing a bunch of writ petitions alleging large-scale human rights violations in the state.

It also urged the NHRC to probe all aspects of human rights violations besides the "illegal cremation" which, according to the committee, was an established fact. The committee also urged the NHRC to take steps to ensure that no human rights violations take place in the state, the sources said.

AIIMS doctors to intensify stir

NEW DELHI, Feb 14 (PTI) — Striking doctors at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today threatened to intensify their indefinite agitation which entered its seventh day today crippling health care services in the country’s premier institute.

A spokesman of the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIIMS) said the general body of the faculty would meet here tomorrow to work out a strategy for making the agitation "broadbased and to intensify it further".

He said the association has also written an open letter to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on their grievances.

With the two key ministers entrusted with resolving the indefinite strike by the doctors out of Delhi, the impasse continued for the seventh day today.

At a general body meeting yesterday, the doctors dropped the idea of organising a protest rally in front of the Prime Minister’s residence as had been announced earlier.

The spokesman said they had not received any official intimation or information from the government on holding further talks to resolve the "crisis".

New synthetic malaria vaccine
NEW DELHI: A team of American researchers at the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta and their collaborators at the National Institute of Immunology here have developed a malaria vaccine based on a synthetic gene which they believe could protect people from the deadliest type of malaria caused by P falciparum parasite. The vaccine is designed to enlist many parts of the human immune system to fight malaria parasites at various stages of their complex life cycle and hence would be very effective, says their report in the latest issue of the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA. — PTI

Four kidnapped in Tripura
AGARTALA: Four persons have been kidnapped by insurgents of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura from south Tripura district, while one militant of the same outfit has been nabbed by the security forces from north Tripura district, the police said on Saturday. Three passengers were kidnapped from a jeep at Chechua on the Ampi-Amarpur road on south Tripura district on Saturday and another person was kidnapped from Subhash colony on Thursday. — PTI

AAI to reopen alternative runway
MUMBAI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to reopen the alternative runway in Mumbai airport (14-32) subject to certain revised procedures to be adopted by the pilots during landing and take-off. The runway, which had been subject to a controversy following the construction of the tall control tower, had been closed for the past two years and was being used only in case of an emergency. At present, one main runway (09-27) is in operation which is closed thrice a week for maintenance work. — PTI

Lord Mahavira idol found
LALITPUR: Workers at a granite mine at Teta village, 25 km from district headquarters here, have found a 800-year-old idol of Lord Mahavira. The idol carved out of a black shining stone, found on Friday, has year 1248 of the Hindu Vikram calendar inscribed on it. Jain community has installed the idol in a Jain Temple in Bansi town. — UNI

Rs 211-cr plan for students
BASTI: The government will set aside Rs 211 crore for providing economic assistance to students of backward classes to help them to continue education till high school or beyond, Uttar Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Harish Chandra Srivastav has said. The Centre and the State Government would equally contribute to the fund. — UNI

Doctor fined for keeping spotted deer
MADURAI: A fine of Rs 1 lakh has been imposed on a doctor at Melur, near here, for keeping a spotted deer as a pet in his house, forest officials said on Saturday. On a tip-off, Forest Department officials went to the doctor’s house, seized the deer, and collected a fine imposed on him by the district Forest Officer. — PTI

Two killed in LPG explosion
BARODA: Two persons were killed and 10 others, including five women and a minor girl, injured when a gas cylinder lying on a heap of scrap exploded at Ganesh Nagar slum area in Gorwa, near here, on Saturday, according to the police. — PTI