Saturday, November 13, 1999
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Haryana Cong factions
clash |
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 CALCUTTA: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flags off the Azad Express on its return trip to Calcutta-Haldia on Thursday. — PTI photo
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India downplays Clinton
report Jaswant Singh to visit Japan
Panic over students’
abduction Pope visit boosted NDA image:
Catholic leader
60-year-old woman murdered Badal seeks more funds |
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Haryana Cong factions clash NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — Noisy scenes were witnessed in the AICC today as supporters of Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mr Bhajan Lal clashed inside the AICC office complex even as the two-member committee was meeting workers’ delegations from the State. Late in the afternoon, number of supporters of both the leaders had increased in the AICC and one thing led to another with one group alleging that that the other was preventing them having their say before the party’s central leadership. At one point of time, the situation seemed to be going out of control and the police force was deployed in strength to prevent the situation from turning ugly. Senior police officers themselves reached the spot to assess the situation. The two-member committee comprising AICC general secretary Mrs Ambika Soni and Mr P Shiv Shankar have been meeting delegations of party workers from all districts to find out the manner in which the Congress could be strengthened and prepared for snap poll in the state. However, Mrs Soni who has been in the thick of it all said there was no altercation or show of strength by rival supporters. She said the supporters of various leaders were under the impression that the committee would recommend a change of PCC leadership whereas its terms of reference was to find out about ways to strengthen and prepare the party for future Assembly elections. She said the committee had invited delegations of not more than 50 from each district but more turned up leading to assembly of large crowd within the AICC complex. Mrs Soni said what was being witnessed was the "enthusiasm" among party workers who saw that the Congress was on a comeback trail in Haryana. "Mr Chautala has failed to keep his promises and the party workers are enthusiastic as they see the Congress would do well in Haryana,’’ she said. Among those who met the committee today included Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of Mr Bhajan Lal, Mr Ramji Lal, Mr Jagdish Nehra, Mr Krishan Moorti Hooda and Mr Dharambir Gauba. Mr Ranjit Singh and Mr Anand Singh Dangi, both considered close to the present PCC chief. Mr Hooda also met the committee. As their leaders met the committee members independently, the rival supporters entered into verbal duels. In fact, one Hooda supporter said he told the committee that by inviting the rival factions together the high command had only brought the factionalism out in the public. "All this while it was the leaders who were up against each other. Today, even their supporters were in a mood of confrontation,’’ one leader told correspondents. At one point of time, Mr Avtar Singh Bhadana, the party MP from Meerut also reached the AICC as news about the clash spread. Today was the second day
when the committee met delegations from Haryana in Delhi
after a brief tour of the state. |
Cyclone: Fernandes assures all help BHUBANESWAR, Nov 12 (PTI) — The Centre is drawing up both short and long-term programmes for rehabilitating cyclone-hit people of Orissa, Defence Minister George Fernandes and head of the task force to coordinate relief measures said today. Reviewing the situation at a high-level meeting here, he said the Centre would do everything necessary to assist the cyclone-ravaged state. Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang informed the Defence Minister about the situation and requirement of the state government to continue relief operations and take up a long-term action plan to rehabilitate affected people. State Revenue Minister Jagannath Patnaik, who briefed reporters after the meeting, quoted Mr Fernandes as saying the task force would submit its report to the centre in a month. Mr Fernandes reiterated Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s assurance that funds would not be a constraint while seeking more information about the state’s requirements. He said he would convene a meeting of the task force soon after his return from Orissa to discuss the situation. The task force met in Delhi yesterday. The death toll in the cyclone rose to 7,650 with retrieval of 24 more bodies reported from Jajpur, Khurda and Cuttack districts today, according to official sources. The highest number of 6,383 deaths reported from Jagatsinghpur district remained unaltered in spite of apprehension expressed by officials that the toll in the district, worst-hit by the October 29 cyclone, could rise. The toll in Cuttack district stood at 381 deaths followed by Puri (287), Kendrapara (242), Jajpur (125) and Khurda (84), the sources said. In an assessment report placed before the task force, the state government said it proposed to launch a massive rabi campaign to restore the livelihood of farmers which would require emergency restoration of irrigation systems in the deltaic region. Besides, massive efforts to reconstruct 10 lakh houses in affected areas and an employment generation programme were being undertaken. The report said preliminary assessment suggested that 15 million people belonging to 12 districts had been affected by the super cyclone which devastated the agriculturally prosperous districts. Mr Patnaik said the state government placed before the task force the need for Rs 1,000 crore if it was to extend house rebuilding assistance of Rs 10,000 to each affected family. "We also projected our requirement of polythene sheets for temporary roofing before the Defence Minister as there was a shortage of the material,’’ he said, adding Mr Fernandes assured to mobilise an improved quality of the material used in defence though it would be a bit more expensive. The meeting, which discussed the agricultural scenario, noted that bullocks in the region had been almost wiped out by the cyclone. The possibility of providing mini power tillers to affected farmers was deliberated upon since it was felt that bullocks brought from other states might not be suited to the climate here, Mr Patnaik said. Besides, the state government focused on the need to provide seeds to farmers free of cost as they hardly had any resources to purchase seeds. The sectors of animal husbandry and fisheries, employment generation, creation of permanent infrastructure and provision of books and other accessories for school and college students were also discussed at the meeting alongside a long-term programme for taking care of affected children. The school and college buildings, which had been damaged or had collapsed in the calamity had to be rebuilt while the people had to be provided clothes, utensils and blankets, the government told the task force. The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has offered financial assistance of Rs 100 crore and the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) Rs 50 lakh to Orissa with a special facility to process the case at Bhubaneswar in the wake of the super cyclone. This facility was
extended on October 30, immediately after the cyclone hit
the coastal districts of the state. |
Zoo famous for white tigers closed after cyclone BHUBANESWAR, Nov 12 (UNI) — Animals and birds at the famous Nandankanan zoological park are facing starvation following the devastation wreaked by the super cyclone. The zoo, famous across the world for housing the largest concentration of 24 white tigers and 50 lions, has been closed to visitors for three months as the authorities feared that allowing the public in at this stage would aggravate the already critical situation in the zoo. Big uprooted trees have damaged some of the enclosures and the officials fear that if they are cleared without taking adequate precaution, animals might escape causing panic. Almost all paths are blocked, hindering movement inside the zoo. A detailed assessment of the loss to animal life has not been taken up yet but preliminary reports said 13 mammals and 22 birds perished in the cyclone, while 52 reptiles and 58 birds escaped. Zoo officials claim that no predators escaped from the zoo but the entire staff has been deployed to maintain a round-the-clock vigil to keep the dangerous animals confined to their enclosure. Even 12 days after the cyclone the zoo is still without power and water. The authorities have managed to arrange for two tankers to bring drinking water but the supply is grossly inadequate. The water mains to the zoo burst when the trees fell, cutting supply to the tiger and lion safaris and other enclosures. A senior official admitted that if the stress conditions continued for a few days, there would be more casualties inside the zoo. But the situation on the food front is still worse. The contractors, who had entered into an agreement with the authorities to supply food, had backed out due to sky-rocketing prices and non-availability of foodstuff. More than 1,300 animals and birds are now half-fed as the zoo authorities lack the funds to purchase food from the open market. The cyclone damaged everything inside the zoo. The grassfields are submerged and the herbivores like the 300 deer, four hippopotamus, two rhinos and two sambars are finding it difficult to change their food habits. The western wall of the zoo has collapsed posing a threat to security at the zoo. Two rare pangolin, which survive on white ants’ eggs, were now deprived on food as the cyclone had damaged their habitat. The cyclone damaged the feeding chambers, the crawls and several trees, hundred of year old. Now the zoo has to be built afresh, said a senior official. The impact of the gale, with windspeeds over 200 kmph, also badly damaged the chainlink mesh of the bird aviary. Sources said two great Indian horn bill, an endangered species, and a neelgai cub were killed in the cyclone. Ten to twelve budgerigar also perished. Official sources said the Zoo Authority of India was apprised of the devastation inside Nandankanan and Rs 23 lakh for restoration, renovation and reconstruction of the zoo has already been sanctioned. Mr P.R. Sinha, member, secretary of the zoo authority, visited the zoo to assess the damage. Meanwhile, a report from Baripada said the reopening of the Simlipal Tiger Reserve and National Park is likely to be delayed due to delay in the repair of roads inside the park damaged in the recent cyclone rains. Simlipal tiger reserve Field Director S.S. Srivastav said efforts were being made to repair the damaged roads and culverts as quickly as possible. Non-availability of labour due to tribals’ "bandna" festival was also affecting the restoration. Efforts were however
being made to reopen it by November 20. |
India downplays Clinton report NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — India today downplayed US President Bill Clinton’s negative report saying that the bilateral Indo-US dialogue on non-proliferation and security related issues was predicated on "maintaining a minimum credible nuclear deterrent". In response to a question, an official statement of the Ministry of External Affairs said: "We have been engaged in an on-going dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation issues with the USA and other interlocutors. These talks are predicated on India’s maintaining a minimum credible nuclear deterrent." At the conclusion of the last round of the Indo-US talks held between the External Affairs Minister,Mr Jaswant Singh and the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Strobe Talbott, in Delhi from January 29-31 this year, both sides had expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the talks, the statement pointed out in an expression of surprise at the US President’s message to the US Congress. The statement further said that the next round of the Jaswant Singh- Talbott talks will be held in London on November 16 and 17. In his message to the US Congress, Mr Clinton has not only stated that "little progress" has been made in the high-level dialogue that the USA has been having with India and Pakistan on the nuclear non-proliferation issue but has taken a strong exception on the release of a draft nuclear doctrine by New Delhi which "suggests that India intends to make nuclear weapons an integral part of the national defence". The President’s
message is likely to cast a shadow on the ninth round of
the Indo-US dialogue which is slated for November 16 and
17 in London. |
Jaswant Singh to visit Japan NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — The Indo-Japan ties are poised to receive a fillip with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh scheduled to pay a four-day visit to Tokyo from November 23. Mr Jaswant Singh, who is slated to meet the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Keizo Obuchi, will hold talks with his counterpart, Mr Yohei Kono, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs announced here today. The Indo-Japan ties were frozen after the nuclear explosion in May, 1998 when Tokyo expressed its reservation on New Delhi’s step in strong words and the Japanese Overseas Development Aid was suspended. A thaw began in the bilateral ties when Mr Jaswant Singh met the former Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Masahiko Koumura at the sidelines of the ARF meeting in Singapore in July this year. Later the two leaders again met in New York in September during the UN General Assembly session . While security issues will be on the bilateral agenda of talks, Japanese investments and Tokyo’s overseas aid to India are slated to figure in talks, the sources said Japan is expected to resume its aid and OECF loans. While Tokyo had put a
freeze on its investments and other economic activities
in India, other western democracies had started to resume
their economic operations. |
Ban to proceed against Amitabh MUMBAI, Nov 12 (PTI) — In a landmark verdict, the Debt Recovery Tribunal today allowed Canara Bank to proceed against actor Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya who had guaranteed repayment of Rs 10 crore credit facilities availed by Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL) three years ago. Adjourning the matter to December 14 next, the presiding officer, V.S. Deshmukh, also ordered Amitabh and Jaya to declare on affidavit their assets as early as possible. The Tribunal held that in view of non-payment of credit facilities availed by ABCL, Canara Bank was within its right to seek attachment of Amitabh’s Juhu bungalow "Prateeksha", valued at Rs 10 crore in the market. The Tribunal has also temporarily restrained Amitabh and other respondents from selling or disposing of or creating third party interests over "Prateeksha". However, the presiding officer turned down the bank’s plea to appoint court receiver because the Tribunal was not empowered to do so. The Tribunal further rejected the bank’s claim to attach the posh "Mansa" bungalow occupied by the mega star and his family in suburban Juhu as it was the exclusive property of Ramola Bachchan, wife of Amitabh’s brother Ajitabh. The Tribunal opined that although ABCL was declared a sick company by the BIFR, Canara Bank had the right to proceed against ABCL guarantors, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. The judgement is
considered significant in legal circles because for the
first time the Tribunal here has upheld the
creditor’s right to proceed against guarantors of
loan in the event of company moving the BIFR. |
DNA test for fake animal skins NEW DELHI, Nov 12 (PTI) — A DNA technology developed by scientists in Pune has helped unearth a new kind of clandestine trade in animal skins. Using this method, scientists at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) found that what was being traded as tiger skin was actually bull skin cleverly painted to look like tiger skin. "Our DNA test proved that the fake tiger skin which looked so real was actually bull skin," said Mr Yogesh S. Shouche of the NCSS who developed this method along with his colleagues, Mr S. Prakash and Mr M.S. Patole. Mr Shouche said what they had developed was a foolproof method to identify the source of animal skin. Existing methods were based on immunological reactions but their utility was restricted by the cross reactivity of the "antisera" making species’ identification difficult, Mr Shouche said. The NCCS method which required very little sample for testing was based on amplification and analysis of "mitochondrial 12S rrna gene". Mitochondria are maternally inherited and analysis of their 12S rrna gene had been proved extremely valuable in molecular taxonomy studies, Mr Shouche said. In this particular case, NCCS scientists extracted the DNA from a tiny piece (less than the size of finger nail) of the skin and amplified a fragment of the mitochondrial 12s rrna gene. This 600 base-pair long fragment was then sequenced and the sequence was compared with those available in the databases. "The comparison showed high degree of homology (similarity) to ox sequences and little to tiger sequence," Mr Shouche said. "This is the first time such method has been used to give a conclusive answer and it can be used for the wide variety of wildlife forensic samples where the identity of the species is in question," he said. Samples that were rare, preserved, scarce, decayed or frozen could also be used, he said. Moreover, analysis of other regions of mitochondrial DNA might even help establish pedigree of the animals, he said. The work of the NCCS had
been sent to a professional forensics journal for
publication. |
Panic over students’
abduction HARDWAR, Nov 12 — There has been a spate of abduction of youth, especially college going, from Hardwar and Roorkee areas in the past one month. The abductions has led to panic among citizens of Hardwar and Roorkee. The police authorities told TNS on telephone today that a gang seems to be on the prowl in the area which abducted some school and college going students to get ransom from their parents. The police admitted that last night one more student Manish (13 years) was abducted from Roorkee town. Manish, son of Mr Babu Ram Saini and resident of Som Mohalla had left his home to attend a tuition class but he did not return till late night. This is the fifth incident of abduction of students in Roorkee town during the past one month. Earlier on October 17, two students from Jwalapur near Hardwar were abducted by the gang. The gang had demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh for their release. The police yesterday recovered the dead bodies of two students who were abducted from Mangalore recently. The bodies were recovered from Gang Canal. Residents of Jwalapur are upset that the police had not been able to get any clue regarding the abduction of Dharmendera and Ravi Kant. Both of them were abducted on October 31. The last night’s incident shows the apathetic approach of the police towards such incidents. The parents of Manish had to run from one police station to another to get an FIR registered. The two police stations of Gang Canal and Roorkee kotwali were fighting over their jurisdiction. Ultimately, Roorkee kotwali police station registered a case of (missing person) on the intervention of senior police officers. It is surprising that a
religious town like Hardwar is rapidly becoming a haven
for criminals. Hardly a fortnight back, the police had
busted an international gang of fake currency sellers.
The racketeers were operating on the instructions of the
ISI in this area. Even the senior officers of the
Intelligence Bureau rushed from Delhi to interrogate the
two fake currency sellers. Hardwar has become an
important link between the activities of criminals from
Nepal and Pakistan. |
Pope visit boosted NDA image: NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — The recently concluded three-day visit of Pope John Paul II was not only a "strong rebuff to the Sangh Parivar but it has also helped in establishing the credentials" of the National Democratic Alliance led by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, the national Secretary of the All-India Catholic Union, Mr John Dayal said here today. In a statement, Mr Dayal said the Pope’s visit "has been a glorious success, not just for the Catholic church, but for the government and curiously enough for India’s many other religious minorities". "For the government, the success has not only been in successfully arranging what had been presented by the Sangh Parivar as a controversial visit. Mr Vajpayee’s stature has gone up because of his personal intervention, together of course with Home Minister L.K. Advani, in persuading the Sangh Parivar not to embarrass the government and bring a bad name to the country by burning effigies of the Pope and such like", Mr Dayal pointed out. Stating that it was a positive development for the NDA coalition, Mr Dayal said it meant that the secular NDA partners "can modulate the fanaticism of many of the BJP members and that the government’s collective decision will, at least in major things, reflect a non-partisan consensus". "I would like to
hope that the NDA partners will exercise the same
vigilance and influence on the Home Minister with respect
to the misuse of the FCRA in browbeating and coercing
Christian organisations, and on the HRD Minister to stop
this efforts to saffronise education and youth
programmes", Mr Dayal said. |
60-year-old woman murdered NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — A 60-year-old woman was found murdered at her residence in Daryaganj in central Delhi last evening. The body of the woman was decomposed and lying on the floor. There were three stab marks — two on stomach and one on the mouth. She lived alone in the house. Her two brothers lived elsewhere, the police said. The police suspected that robbery could be the motive of the murder as her house was completely ransacked. The killer could have entered the house from the back door as the main gate was locked. The police received a call last evening that foul smell was coming from flat number 15 Ansari Market. When a police team reached, the main gate was found bolted from outside. It broke open the door and found the body of the woman on the floor. Meanwhile, two persons were killed and eight injured when a three-storey building collapsed in ‘Haweli Azam Khan in the walled city in central Delhi last evening. The deceased were identified as labourers. The injured were admitted to LNJP Hospital. Six of them were discharged while two are still under treatment. The incident occurred when renovation work was one in the building. The building reportedly is owned by Nisar and Yamin. The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, has directed the Urban Development Minister of the city, Mr A.K. Walia, and Divisional Commissioner, Mr S.P. Aggarwal, to look into the building collapse incident. The Deputy Commissioner
of Police (Central), Mr Randhir Krishneya, said debris
was still being cleared to see whether a body was buried
under it. A case under Section 304-A of the IPC has been
registered against the owners of the building. Action
would be taken against after completion of the
investigation, he said. |
Badal seeks more funds NEW DELHI, Nov 12 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today met the Union Surface Transport Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, for a review of the progress in the road sector in the state. Mr Badal presented a case for increasing the outlay for original national highways works to Rs 40 crore from the existing Rs 25 crore. He also presented a case for increasing the outlay for repairs and maintenance of highways in Punjab to Rs 35 crore from the existing Rs 18.75 crore. Mr Badal informed that
the state government is taking up of four laning
Kharar-Ludhiana-Moga highway. Since portions of the
Chandigarh-Kharar road is a part of National Highway 21,
funds for its four-laning should be provided by the
Central Government, he demanded. |
15 kids to get bravery awards NEW DELHI, Nov 12 (PTI) — Fifteen children, including five girls, have been selected for this year’s National Bravery Awards. The prestigious Sanjay Chopra Award has been conferred posthumously on 15-year-old Rupesh Mansukhlal Punjani of Maharashtra, who lost his life fighting robbers. Rashmi Shrivastava, 14, who saved a child from a wild bull, of Madhya Pradesh was selected for the Geeta Chopra award. Harsh Shrivastava, (11) also from Madhya Pradesh, Jitendra Kumar Sharma (13) of Rajasthan and Plisli Sutling (12) of Meghalaya have been selected for the Bapu Gayadhani Awards. The awards will be formally announced on November 14, Children’s Day. The award-winning
children will receive a silver medal, at Republic Day
parade riding caparisoned elephants. |
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| Play on Khalsa on Nov 14 NEW DELHI: A play depicting the formation of the Khalsa would be performed in the Capital on November 14 to mark the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa. The play, "Shubh karman te kabhoon na taraun", directed by Rani Balbir Kaur, in a narrative form, tells the story of the birth of "Khalsa Sanja" from the times of Guru Tegh Bahadur to Guru Gobind Singh. The martial art tradition of the state in the form of "dhadis" — the war epic singers, "gatka" — the war dancers and "nihangs" — the martial hermits, would be performed under one platform in the play, a press note said.— TNS CM opens Dalal’s
exhibition Rise in elephant
population Chhath Puja
starts Dacoit, 3
accomplices killed Clash over
cigarette ash 3 held for
misappropriation |
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