Monday, November 15, 1999
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N A T I O N |
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weather  spotlighttoday's calendar |
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NHRC pulls up police
officer |
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JMM(S) men quit en masse India should retrieve art
treasuries "Iraq’s chemical
weapons, courtesy USA" Draft N-doctrine unprecedented:
expert ISI working on ‘demographic
invasion’
Delhiites waistlines bulging:
study BJP constitution to be amended:
Naidu
Act on lawyers’ fund soon,
says AG Amartya lauds Maoist school system Delhi to oppose move on sugar Science Olympiad in Lucknow from
Nov 16 |
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Suicide victim’s kin to get 1 lakh NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Delhi Government to pay Rs 1 lakh as "immediate interim relief" to next of kin of a young man who committed suicide following alleged "threat of false prosecution, intimidation and ill-treatment" by the police. The commission also pulled up the Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP), Southern Range, for alleged cover up operation and recommended appropriate departmental action against the errant Sub-Inspector of the Delhi police, the NHRC said. The direction was given following a complaint from Vinod Singh Khera of Dakshinpuri in the Capital alleging detention, beating, torture and false implication of his brother Deepak Khera at Ambedkar Nagar police station here, it said. According to a report from the JCP (Southern Range), Deepak Khera was involved in a case of theft of a shop on December 14, 1998 which also included stealing of a television, it said, adding though Deepak had admitted to have committed the crime during police interrogation, nothing was recovered from him. The commission’s investigation wing, however, reported that the theft of TV by Deepak was not established and his confessional statement about involvement in past criminal case as claimed by the police appeared to have been taken under police pressure, the NHRC said in a release. The NHRC then asked JCP (Vigilance) to probe the matter and his report indicated that the recovery of TV from Deepak was not supported by evidence, it said. The commission found it most unfortunate that a senior officer in police hierarchy like JCP (Southern Range) to whom it turned for assistance should have "wittingly or unwittingly endorsed a cover up operation of his subordinates", the release said. "This led to a tragic finale of the sordid episode. While police investigation was in progress, Deepak Khera reportedly committed suicide on March 11, 1999," it said. Though there is no conclusive indication as to what forced him to take his life, the NHRC feels the proximity of time between police attempt to foist on Deepak an apparently false case of theft and the date of suicide reasonably lead to the conclusion that the highhandedness of the police had some connection with it, the release said. It said one of the factors that drove Deepak to take the extreme step of suicide was "the threat of false prosecution, intimidation and ill-treatment at the hands of a Sub-Inspector of the Delhi police" It was a sense of desperation and hopelessness stemming from a sense of futility in securing justice that might have compelled the young man to take the extreme step, it said. "The commission
wonders what answer the JCP (Southern Range), New Delhi
who endorsed the version of his subordinates which was
promptly shown later to be a false version, could have to
say to this tragic development it said, adding the fact
that Deepak had a criminal record did not justify the
police attempt to foist a false case on him. |
Judicial activism worries CEC NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (UNI) — The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill today expressed concern over the judicial intervention in the poll process during the recent Lok Sabha and assembly elections and said it was not a healthy trend for democracy. Stating that the Election Commission was "stretched to the extreme," Dr Gill told UNI that "in this election, the commission, with its limited resources, had to deal with numerous challenges in different high courts. At one stage, we had to rush to the Supreme Court for relief, which we obtained." In a wide-ranging interview, the CEC also touched upon various subjects, including the implementation of the model code of conduct, the summary revision of electoral rolls, electoral reforms, upcoming assembly elections in three states and the violence by ultra-Left groups during the poll. Commenting on the summoning of the Election Commission officials by various high courts during the recent elections, Dr Gill said it was in contravention of Article 329-B of the Constitution, which barred interference by courts in electoral matters. Quoting noted jurist V.R. Krishna Iyer, Dr Gill said Article, 329-B had put up a "barrier equal to the Great Wall of China to ensure that at election time this high constitutional authority (The EC) is allowed to complete the job." "If allowed, intervention and stay orders could have finished our democracy in the 1950s itself," Dr Gill added. This trend of courts hearing poll-related matters during the election process should worry the other wings of the constitutional structure also, he said. Otherwise, Dr Gill expressed satisfaction at the conduct of the recent elections and the adherence of the political parties to the model code of conduct. He, however, said he was not in favour of the code being made into law. Stating that the country should not make the "mistake" of converting the code into a law, the CEC said the code was a long-standing agreement between political parties and the commission and its primary purpose was to provide a level playing field to all contestants. It would not be possible to include such a broad mandate into a single law, he added. "The best democracy works in flexible understanding. dialogue is democracy and we keep this process of dialogue alive through holding frequent all-party meetings," he added. Describing the heated rhetoric during elections as part of the democratic process, Dr Gill said the commission was prepared to take a certain amount of critical comment. However, the political parties should not lose restraint and indulge in baseless attacks on the commission, he added. On the question of electoral reforms, Dr Gill said he had discussed these in a recent meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and the commission might forward a note to the government in this regard. Dr Gill, however, reserved comment on the government’s proposal, as mentioned in the Presidential Address to the joint sitting of Parliament, on a fixed five-year tenure for the legislature, saying that nothing could be said on the subject till the contours of the proposal took shape. He said for the present, the commission was involed in the summary revision of electoral rolls with January 1, 2000 as the qualifying date. The exercise had been put off in Orissa following the widespread devastation caused by the super cyclone. On whether it would be possible to hold assembly elections in the state, the CEC said the term of House was ending only in March 2000 and the commission was hopeful of being able to conduct the poll there. It was likely that the assembly elections would be held simultaneously in Orissa, Bihar and Manipur along with parliamentary byelections, wherever necessary. Asked if the commission was contemplating any special measures to ensure peaceful polling in Bihar, which had been the maximum violence during the recent general election, Dr Gill said it should be understood that the violence in the state was not poll-related but a result of ideological and socio-political conflicts. The violence by the
ultra-Left groups was a message that the political
specturm needed to address itself to. The commission
could not do anything about it, he said. |
Nation pays homage to Nehru NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — The nation today fondly remembered the country’s first Prime Minister, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, on his 110th birth anniversary, recalling his contributions as an architect of modern India. A number of functions were held across the country to mark the day, celebrated as Children’s Day, with leaders asking people to follow the path shown by Pandit Nehru and renewing their determination to banish the terror of child abuse. President K.R. Narayanan, Vice-President Krishan Kant, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries paid floral tributes at Pandit Nehru’s samadhi, Shanti Van, here. Mr Narayanan and Sonia Gandhi later released Tricolour balloons held by schoolchildren who rendered patriotic songs. At a function held in Central Hall of Parliament, Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister L.K. Advani and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah joined MPs and ex-MPs in paying floral tributes at the portrait of the late leader. A booklet containing the profile of Pandit Nehru, brought out both in English and Hindi by the Lok Sabha secretariat, was presented to all those who attended the function. Participating in Children’s Day celebrations in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister M. Chandrababu Naidu said his government was contemplating bringing legislation to punish those employing children in work places. Terming Pandit Nehru as
a world leader for all times to come, Sikkim Governor
Chaudhury Randhir Singh said at a function in Gangtok
that his contributions to the country’s freedom
struggle would be remembered for long. |
JMM(S) men quit en masse JAMSHEDPUR, Nov 14 (PTI) — Office-bearers of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Soren), including vice-president Suraj Mandal, have resigned en masse from their posts in a dramatic development, bringing to the fore sharp differences between Mr Mandal and party chief Shibu Soren. The resignations were submitted to the party president after a marathon executive meeting here yesterday that discussed the possible expulsion of Mr Mandal, who had been served with a show cause notice for alleged anti-party activities, from the party for six years, JMM(S) secretary Sunil Mahato said today. "Since the meeting could not reach a consensus, Mr Soren was authorised to take any action against Mr Mandal as he may think fit," Mr Mahato, who also resigned, said. He said deliberations were held on suspending Mr Mandal for six years from the party on charges of trying to split the JMM. When contacted, Mr Mandal confirmed in Ranchi having received the show cause notice and said the charges levelled against him could not be substantiated. Mr Mandal said the meeting resolved to submit collective resignation to revamp the party structure and empower Mr Shibu Soren to nominate new office-bearers at his discretion. Mr Mandal said he had already sent his explanation to the party chief. Asked whether there was a move to expel him from the party for six years, he said he had no knowledge of this. The meeting also reviewed the party’s debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Mr Mandal said the distribution of the party’s ticket for the polls and other directives were issued by Mr Soren himself. Mr Mandal said the meeting also resolved to call a central committee meeting of the JMM(S) at Dhanbad on December 5-6 to discuss the party’s future course of action and to announce the names of the new office- bearers of the party. The meeting also stressed reunion with the JMM-Ulgulan to strengthen the regional party, he said. The JMM(S) executive unanimously agreed that without unification of other Jharkhanaons, the JMM(S) would find it difficult to resurrect itself, he added. Mr Sudhir Mahato, chief executive of the JMM-Ulgulan and former MLA, told PTI that a formal offer from the JMM(S) for unification had not yet been received by the party. He said the JMM(U) would
consider tagging on with the JMM(S) only after the
formation of the new executive body of the JMM(S).
"It is necessary for the Jharkhand forces to unite
to keep away national parties like the BJP and the
Congress from the region," he added. |
India should retrieve art treasuries BANGALORE, Nov 14 (UNI) —India should immediately seek the investigation of UNESCO to get back its art treasures with antique value taken away by ex-rulers and private collectors. A catalogue prepared by some Indians staying abroad was readily available for the country to secure some of the finest pieces of priceless treasure art which could be traced in countries such as Britain, the USA, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Speaking to UNI here, International Centre for Indian Art and Cultural Studies (ICIACS) President S.R. Rao said some South-East Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which too lost their treasures like India, had already commenced their efforts and India should not waste its time in doing so. Recovery of these art treasures were very much needed for the country as they reflected the Indian art in their rich tradition. Referring to thousands of monuments unprotected either by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or state archaeology departments in the country, he said top priority should be accorded for conducting a survey of these monuments and art structures for protecting them. Much had already been lost by way of vandalism and looting by foreigners. The ICIACS had done pioneering work in this direction to conduct a survey of unprotected monuments of artistic and archaeological significance. It had forwarded a proposal to the Union Human Resources Development Ministry highlighting the protection of these monuments. The ultimate objective was to conduct a survey and provide data on the condition of over 2,000 monuments which were in bad state of preservation. Dr Rao said most of the unprotected temples, which were treasure houses of art objects, were located in south India. The Centre too had agreed in principle for the proposal forwarded by the ICIACS. The proposal, among other things, suggested the earmarking of at least Rs 10 crore for the purpose. The survey would provide many missing links in the history of architecture and involvement of rulers and the ruled in the cultural activities. The list of Muzrai temples maintained by the government revealed that numerous monuments, including some structures belonging to the Hoysala and Chalukya periods, needed urgent attention of scientific conservation. At least 1,000 monuments in Karnataka were worth preserving, he felt. Dr Rao felt that the
discovery of the legendry seaport of Dwarka, submerged in
the Arabian Sea, by the Marine Archaeology Centre of the
National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) had not only
proved the historicity of Mahabharata, but had also
thrown new light on the so-called dark age of Indian
history. Dwarka, a well-planned port, had trade contacts
with Bahrain and perhaps with Cyprus and Syria also. |
"Iraq’s chemical weapons, courtesy USA" NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — For all the stand off between the USA and Iraq over Baghdad’s stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons, a new book alleges that Washington helped Iraq develop the deadly weapons for use against Iran. According to a report of US Chemical and Biological Warfare-related dual use exports submitted to the US Senate in May, 1994, strategic materials were exported to Iraq several times that enabled it to develop chemical and biological weapons, says Prof V.D. Chopra in "Double Talk — On Weapons of Mass Destruction and Indian Security". "The report, derived entirely from unclassified sources and approved for public release, has in unmistakable terms given a mass of facts to show how on various ocassions strategic materials were exported to Iraq", writes Professor Chopra charging the USA with violating the convention both in letter and spirit. He further alleges that Washington was not a ready signatory to the convention of chemical weapons, which took four long years before it came into force in 1997 and was initialled by only 68 countries in the first six months. "Shockingly even the USA had provided incomplete details, ostensibly because Congress has not passed the implementing legislation whereby the US industry is asked to furnish information on production, consumption, import and export of chemicals controlled by the convention". Although other countries cited various other reasons, the US action is disturbing for the signals it sends to others in the world, says Professor Chopra noting that this aspect needs to be discussed assertively and seriously or it will have negative implications for the implementation of the convention. Recalling the initial reluctance among the Americans and the conditions put forth by US Senate before ratifying the convention, the academic claims the Americans did not go ahead till "Pentagon came to the conclusion that the American nuclear weapon possession would not allow an adverse impact on its strategic superiority". "US President Bill Clinton has also given an assurance that the nuclear option would be applied if the chemical option is used against the country. The same stance was repeated quite recently", writes Professor Chopra. "All intiatives and moves for elimination and destruction of chemical and biological weapons were initially blocked by the USA or diluted". While in 1987, the negotiators had proposed the simultaneous destruction of chemcial weapons stockpiles, "the USA had proposed to start destruction of chemical weapons production and filling facilities not later than six months after the date on which the CWC enters into force. However, "it (the USA) also favoured that a chemical weapons production or filling facility could be temporarily converted for destruction of chemical weapons stockpile, which should start not less than eight years once the convention enters into force". Even now there is a school of thought in the USA that points towards some hold out states that have chemcial weapons or at least the potential to develop them which could jeopardise American security interests and is pressurising the US administration to reconsider its decision of staying in the convention. "This accentuates the general perception that the USA never surrenders a weapon that can deprive it of strategic superiority", says Professor Chopra. Such a stand could put several other countries under domestic pressure to review their stand on the CWC in relation to security. "It can be argued by certain countries which are reluctant to develop relatively costly nuclear weapons to that chemical weapons involving low cost and technology will give them decisive edge over conventional weapons". "And the logic would be that if the USA cannot surrender its strategic security, every other country is also free to take care of its security by preserving whatever strength it has. This can lead towards opting out of the convention", cautions the academic. The CWC was considered to be a step towards general disarmament with nuclear disarmament being the most desirable component. Owing to this several countries went along with this convention. "The ensuing disillusionment may jeopardise the convention", says the academic stressing that exponents of the theory of deterrence should understand that nuclear, chemical and biological weapons are components of a system of weaponisation. "Any attempt to draw a line of demarcation between these three systems will not only be unrealistic but will have a serious threat for the security of developing and under-developed countries. The problem of ensuring
chemical disarmament is very complex given that there is
the danger of these weapons falling into the hands of
terrorists and divisive forces and then play havoc,
specially in developing countries which are facing
serious terrorism problems, says the professor. |
Draft N-doctrine unprecedented: expert NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — India’s draft nuclear doctrine makes it clear that New Delhi is still an ‘abolition state’ despite its existing nuclear weapons capability, a noted defence expert has said. Commenting on the draft doctrine released by the government just before the last elections, Commodore Uday Bhaskar said India like China, was committed to no-first-use of nuclear weapons and "is willing to absorb a first strike should deterrence fail". "India is the first state with nuclear weapons to formally articulate such a posture, although China’s weapons are de facto not on alert", he said in an article to be published in the forthcoming issue of journal ‘the bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’. "This is a stance of considerable importance and perhaps risk. But if the world is to move toward nuclear disarmament, no first use is an inevitable first step", he said. Cdr Bhaskar, Deputy Director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, said the draft doctrine goes beyond this to say India’s weapons will not be on alert. This, he said: "Is a stable posture that many disarmament advocates urge upon the USA and Russia". Describing the draft nuclear doctrine as "unprecedented" Cdr Bhaskar said: "It attempts to make the case for nuclear deterrence while urging nuclear disarmament, squaring that particular circle will be the principal challenge for all the nuclear weapon powers in the next century". Stating that India had rejected the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) as discriminatory, he said the USA, a signatory to the NPT, "retains about 2,300 nuclear warheads on alert and thousands more in various states of readiness. "Further, many nuclear powers, including the USA reserve the ‘right’ to use nuclear weapons to retaliate against a non-nuclear attack, conventional, chemical or biological", he said. "But India, on the other hand, does not assert that ‘right’ and was committed to no first use", he said. The draft doctrine
attempted to "harmonise contemporary selective
nuclear deterrence with the holy grail of total nuclear
disarmament. This is a slippery path and security
planners everywhere are notorious for erring on the side
of cold war style caution", he added. |
ISI working on ‘demographic invasion’ NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan is working on a long-term plan for a "demographic invasion" of the North-East to create instability and inflame anti-national sentiments in the region, North-East Youth Congress Coordination Committee (NEYCC) Chairman Thomas Ngullie alleged here today. "Last decade has seen continuous demographic invasion by Bangladeshis in the region through various foolproof means like marriage to locals, takeover of cultivable lands and business establishments," Mr Ngullie said. "Illegal migrants from Bangladesh, whose number has touched an ominous level, are interested that political instability and trouble prevail in the region so that they can play an important role during every elections," he said. "The new
dispensation in New Delhi under the BJP should understand
that instability of governments has been a primary reason
for rise of anti-social elements and unchecked
infiltration from Bangladesh," Mr Ngullie, sitting
MLA in the Nagaland Assembly, said. |
Delhiites waistlines bulging: study NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — Almost one-third of males and half of females of the Capital’s upper middle class are either overweight or obese putting them under high risk of developing heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, according to a study. At the same time a high proportion of abdominal obesity, which is more often associated with medical morbidity and mortality than generalised obesity, has been observed among them, it says. The study, by the Nutrition Foundation of India (NFI) in association with Delhi-based National Heart Institute, Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) was conducted on more than 500 middle class Delhiites. Among the high-income group, 32 per cent of males and 50 per cent of females have been found obese. Prevalence of obesity is much lower in the middle and low- income groups. Calling for an urgent need to tackle the increasing prevalence of obesity, particularly abdominal obesity, the study says it can become a major public health threat in future as it increases the risk of heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and diabetes. Other diseases like the
risk of developing gall stones, certain types of cancer,
reproductive and muscular skeletal disease are also
associated with being overweight. |
BJP constitution to be amended: Naidu CHENNAI, Nov 14 (PTI) — Important amendments to be made to the BJP constitution will come up for discussion and ratification at the three-day national executive and national council meeting beginning in Chennai on December 27, party General Secretary Venkaiah Naidu said today. Issues concerning people, expansion of the party, consolidation of gains made in the recent elections and implementation of the national agenda for governance would figure prominently at the council meeting, Mr Naidu told a press conference here. Over 1,500 delegates, including party President Kushabhau Thakre, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, central ministers, party leaders, MPs and MLAs and state unit presidents were expected to attend the executive on the first day and the national council on the next two days, being held for the first time in Chennai. Mr Naidu said a central committee headed by Mr Jana Krishnamurthy had been formed to suggest amendments to the party constitution, with particular reference to organisational elections and other aspects. The committee would submit its report to the leadership before this month end. The report would be placed before the executive and then at the council, the appropriate body to make amendments. To a question on Bihar, Mr Naidu said the Congress, which went to the rescue of the Rabri Devi government recently, was now planning to withdraw support. "Congress is trying to fool the people but the people cannot be fooled". Stating that the ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar should go, he claimed that the Laloo Prasad and Rabri Devi regimes would be wiped out in the coming assembly elections in the state. Asked about the prospects of the fall of the DMK-TMC coalition government in Pondicherry, he said none should try to ‘destabilise’ an elected government. Destabilisation would only invite the anger of the people. At the same time, various political parties had a right to chalk out their own future course of action, he said. Mr Naidu said he had recently seen a report on Andhra Pradesh Assembly passing a resolution to the effect that there should be no contest for the speakership. The idea is good but practically difficult because it takes away the fundamental right of the people as one cannot prohibit people from contesting an election. The best thing will be not to put up a candidate against the speaker in an election, he said. The BJP-led government at the Centre was determined to see that trusts like Indira Gandhi Centre for Arts in Delhi, floated with government funds, were restored to government control through appropriate legal means, Mr Naidu said. Replying to a question,
he said the Indira Gandhi Centre situated on 23 acres of
prime government land in Delhi had since been
"dubiously" turned into a private trust with no
control of the government. |
Turning rail coaches into classrooms ! PUNE, Nov 14 (UNI) — All hell broke loose when papa and mamma left them with the long-moustached watchman at the school gates. Little Kittu and Bittu would throw their heads back, roll on the ground, and howl like mad. Their problem: if papa-mamma could take the chuk-chuk train to office, why couldn’t they too have the chuk-chuk train for school? Now, in what could only be called a landmark cure for potentially a thousand everyday tantrums, Kittus and Bittus clamber up a train here and have it to themselves for the greater part of the day. They are studying under a new experiment in schooling, whereby train compartments have been converted into a day-boarding school. Their train, ‘Gurukul Express’, never leaves the railway platform, which is how the nearby buildings have been shaped, but the children sure take off in a jolly good mood on the road to learning. With the luxury of a pantry serving them breakfast and lunch, they do not have to bring their own tiffin. They get no homework and need not carry heavy school bags to school. Set up by the Saraswati Education Society at a cost of Rs 80 lakh, four compartments bought at auctions have been converted into classrooms. From 9 a.m. sharp to 5 p.m., 450 children uptil standard eight study here. Principal Mrinmayi Bhave told UNI that the children were not given any homework since they were in school for most of the day. Essential books and copies were made available in the school itself. The children did not even have to go through the rituals of sessional and annual exams. Their performance was measured on the basis of regular class tests only. Classes in all subjects, including morals and computers, were held in the school which also boasts of a science laboratory and a library. Dr Bhave said the
children were also given painting and music lessons.
"Our aim is to help them build their innate
strengths and not force a particular subject down their
throats", she said. |
Act on lawyers’ fund
soon, says AG NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — The state governments of Punjab and Haryana would soon enact an advocate development fund law to provide a safety net for lawyers who are unable to practice temporarily or permanently due to unavoidable circumstances. "The two state governments have agreed in principle to enact this act for the welfare of the legal practitioners," the Chairman of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar and Advocate-General of Punjab, Mr H S Mattewal, told The Tribune here today. The advocates who were unable to practise temporarily or permanently due to accident, death or other circumstances, would get financial assistance under the proposed Act, Mr Mattewal said. The proposed Act would also have provision for life and medical insurance, he said, adding that "this Act would be like a social security cover for lawyers." The disciplinary committee of the Bar has initiated proceedings against about 30 advocates against whom complaints have been filed. "The Bar would take strict action against erring lawyers. However, the Bar would take serious view of those making false and frivolous complaints," Mr Mattewal, who is also the Chairman of the Punjab and Haryana Bar Association, said. He was elected to the post recently. The first sitting Advocate-General to head the Bar said the syllabi for the law course in the three universities — Guru Nanak Dev University, Panjab University and Punjabi University — would be made identical. Mr Mattewal said the
Punjab Government would soon appeal against the recent
high court order quashing the Lok Pal’s appointment. |
Daughters remain neglected in Decade of the Girl Child NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — Even as the Ninth Five-Year Plan aims to develop the child as a societal investment for the future and ensure that every child achieves its full potential, the girl child continues to be neglected and sexually abused. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) had declared the 90’s as the "Decade of the Girl Child" and went a step further by declaring the SAARC decade the rights of the child from 2001. Efforts such as these are plenty but many schemes and programmes launched amid fanfare by the government have remained on paper. Even as the nation celebrates Children’s Day, today, child rights violation in India are a daily occurrence, says reports from PTI bureau. Children remain prone to a litany of human rights violation worst among them being systematic abuse through trafficking for prosititution, says a recent Amnesty International report. In India the girl child, abhorred as she is considered a liability, suffers neglect and abuse and such indifference is more rampant in the lower strata of society, says Rajsekhar, an official of a non-governmental organisation. Female infanticide, thanks to sex determination tests before birth, is on the rise causing a serious imbalance in the sex ratio in the country, says he. During 1981-91, comparatively the female population grew at a slower pace (21.77 per cent) than male population (22.40 per cent), says a study by the Department of Women and Child Development. The main reason for negative sex ratio for girls is the higher female mortality at all age levels, it said. The ratio is unfavourable to girls in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Illiteracy, poverty, preference for a son, higher female mortality at all age groups and malnutrition are detailed as some of the reasons for the adverse sex ratio. The impact of gender inequality and poverty acts in a synergistic manner to depress the nutritional status of the girl child, the study says. At present, there are nearly 75 million malnourished female children below the age of 5 years in the country. About 60,000 children go blind every year due to vitamin A deficiency. According to an ICRW/USAID study conducted in 1994, more than half of adolescents in the country are undernourished, about 32 per cent are stunted, and the problem is more among girls (45 per cent) than boys (20 per cent) due to gender discrimination. Female mortality rate at 24.2 per cent is higher than male mortality rate at 23.6 in the age group of 0-4 years. As per the 1991 census, literacy rates have more than doubled from 24 per cent in 1961 to 52 per cent in 1991 and female literacy has gone up five times from 8.86 per cent in 1951 to 39.29 in 1991. Still there are 60 million more illiterates in the country than there were in 1961. The government has initiated quite a few schemes to provide a fillip to the girl child, says a report. Balika Samriddhi Yojana — a scheme to raise the status of the girl child was launched on August 15, 1997 to give financial help to families below the poverty line. Under the scheme a grant of Rs 500 is given to the mother at the birth of a girl child and an amount of Rs 4,522 is invested in a postal financial instrument for her education. As many as 12 lakh girls benefited from the scheme, says the report. However, reports from West Bengal say the scheme is now proving a deterrent in its family planning programme as it is encouraging families to go in for more girl children. Adolescent girl scheme provides family life education to school dropouts and attempts to raise their nutritional status, it also imparts skills and covers girls under age group of 11-15 years. The Balika Mandal Scheme for girls in 11-18 group has thus far catered to 4 lakh beneficiaries. But the biggest abuse plaguing the girl child in India is trafficking for prostitution, say NGO’s and Unicef workers. Out of nearly 9 lakh prostitutes in the country, about 4 lakh are children below 14 years. Child prostitution is increasing at the rate of 8 to 10 per cent per annum. Madan Modi, fellow of Child Relief and You (Cry) Udaipur noted in a study that every 10th child in India was sexually abused. The number of such cases registered with the police has maintained a steady increase from 20,194 cases in 1990 to 21,500 till October 1995. He says the malice is
rampant on the national highway between Udaipur and
Gujarat. The villages in this region are backward and
underdeveloped, and illiteracy is high. |
Amartya lauds Maoist school
system NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — A Nobel Laureate, Prof Amartya Sen, today said that adopting an expansionist education policy was important to reap the positive benefits of a market-based economy. "I am deeply in favour of expanding school education not only for a better quality of life, but also for creating economic and social opportunities within the market economy", he said while delivering the golden jubilee lecture at the Delhi School of Economics here. Professor Sen said that the education policy adopted by China during the pre-reform phase played a major role in creating social opportunities in the country. Citing instances of Shenzen, a Chinese province where a model of market-based economy was being practised, he said that in 1979, Shenzen was a small village of about 4,000 people. However, the Maoist policies of expansionist education created a large base of semi-skilled labour force and 20 years later, it stands out as one of the most productive cities of the country. "It is one of the most productive and successful parts of the Chinese economy and moving in the direction of modernity in a big way", he said during the course of the lecture titled "What can we learn from China: Thoughts from Shenzen". "In fact, currently Shenzen’s stock exchange is on a par with the Shanghai Stock Exchange in terms of transactions which is considered to be biggest exchanges globally." All this had been built on a base of just 4,000 people", the Nobel Laureate said. This provides an example
of the success of a market economy which was based
directly on the Maoist school system. |
Delhi to oppose move on sugar NEW DELHI, Nov 14 (PTI) — The Delhi Government will oppose any move by the Centre to scrap sugar from the public distribution system (PDS) as it will affect people living below the poverty line. "Though there is no official confirmation but I believe that the Planning Commission has initiated a move to drop sugar from the PDS... we will fight and oppose it at all levels," Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Yoganand Shastri said. Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Shanta Kumar was quoted by a private news channel recently as saying that the Centre might scrap sugar from the PDS. About giving a new look
to old ration cards, Mr Shastri said, "we are trying
our level best and the government had even assigned two
computer software firms for issuing new cards... but
success is still eluding us." |
Science Olympiad in Lucknow from LUCKNOW, Nov 14 (PTI) — A five-day international science olympiad will be held here from November 16. Eminent international scientists and experts from different countries will judge the events at the olympiad which would be inaugurated at the City Montessori School (CMS) by the Director, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Dr Arvind Kumar, a CMS press note said here today. The olympiad is aimed at
providing a forum for high school and intermediate-level
students to exercise their mental faculties and exchange
knowledge, the note said. |
Nirankari chief’s stress on
discipline NEW DELHI, Nov 14 — Nirankari chief Baba Hardev Singh today said that discipline and coordination were important for rendering meaningful service to the mankind. Addressing a rally of the Nirankari Sewa Dal as part of the on-going annual Nirankari Sant Samagam here, he said "no work is less important than the other. One should value the opportunity itself to serve others". He appealed to the mankind to greet the new millennium with a spirit of co-operation at all levels. He suggested that the well-to-do nations should help the underdeveloped, a press release said. Nirankari Rajmata
Kulwant Kaur also addressed the gathering and said that
noble values could be learnt only in the company of
saints, the release added. |
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| Producer moves HC against
DD NEW DELHI: Producer of TV serial "Ujale Ki Oar" with veteran actor Ashok Kumar in the lead role, has moved the Delhi High Court against Doordarshan’s alleged decision to cancel its telecast "arbitrarily". Mr Justice C.M. Nayar, taking cognizance of a civil writ by Suri Productions, recently issued notices to Prasar Bharati and Doordarshan and directed them to file replies by December 9, the next date of hearing. — PTI Reang sworn in as Cabinet
minister Veteran CPM
leader dead Kerala HC Judge
dead Commando’s
carbine gun missing Parikrama to
mark Lord Rama’s exile 5 run over by
truck 2 killed in
clash over land dispute 20 students
suffer burns |
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