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Sunday,
November 11, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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50 feared dead in Kerala landslide
Kalam demits as scientific adviser Indigenous assembly of T-90 tanks next year
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India to deploy SSB along Nepal border Conquer terrorism with love: Venkataraman CPI (ML) holds anti-WTO rally
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50 feared dead in Kerala landslide Amboori (Kerala), November 10 A pall of gloom descended on the hilly Amboori and Neyyattinkara areas, which were never identified as landslide-prone despite the presence of the Neyyar dam nearby. Chief Minister A.K. Antony and his Cabinet colleagues visited the mishap site and a local private hospital where the bodies were kept this morning. Mr Antony later told newsmen that 40 bodies had been recovered so far and that there was no idea about how many more buried under the debris and slush. He hoped that the rescue operations, being carried out jointly by the military, para-military, Fire Department and police forces, would be completed by this evening. He said the Council of Ministers would meet this evening to assess the situation and decide on the quantum of relief to the next of kin of the victims. A post-mortem examination of the bodies would be conducted at the local private hospital. Arrangements had been made to bring doctors from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for the purpose. He said there were only two survivors of the mishap and they were being treated at Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Electricity Board today began operations to restore power supply to Amboori area, the scene of the devastating landslide. Power supply to the Amboori area was totally disrupted since last night following continuous torrential rains, accompanied by thunder and lightning, hampering rescue operations. Electricity Minister Kadavur Sivadasan today directed the officials concerned to supervise the restoration
work. NEW DELHI: President K.R. Narayanan today expressed shock and grief over the loss of lives and damage to property in the landslide in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. Extending his condolences to the families of those killed in the tragedy, Mr Narayanan hoped those engaged in relief and rescue operations would be able to bring early succour to the victims. The President, in his message, wished the injured a speedy recovery.
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Kalam demits as scientific adviser New Delhi, November 10 Reports here said, “Dr R.
Chidambaram, former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has been appointed in his place.” Sources close to Dr Kalam said he had been for quite some time keen on pursuing academic interests and helping scientists across the country in developing their research capabilities. Dr Kalam is expected to join the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore as a professor emeritus. He was presently out of town. For Dr Kalam, who has spent almost his entire lifetime developing missiles for the country, the break would mean getting away from the limelight. Although that happened almost two years ago when he was shifted as the Scientific Adviser to the Government from being a Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, this decision would take him away from the public life. The decision also reflects apparently his disappointment at being kept away from key programmes and projects which he nurtured very carefully. Even when he was shifted from the Defence Ministry to the Prime Minister’s Office a number of eyebrows had been raised as India’s missile programme at the moment was in a critical stage. It had been dubbed as a deliberate movement, apparently to keep him away from the limelight. Meanwhile, Dr Chidambaram confirming his appointment in Dr Kalam’s place said in Mumbai, “I am happy to take over the post from my illustrious colleague and close friend.” |
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Indigenous assembly of T-90 tanks next year New Delhi, November 10 A new ordnance factory, with state-of-the-art technology, was also being set up at Nalanda, Bihar, for the manufacture of futuristic bimodular
propellant charges required for heavy calibre ammunition. Mr Fernandes said huge investment was being ploughed into the ordnance factories for having state-of-art plant and machinery to build futuristic weapons systems in the tenth plan period 2002-2007. Addressing the parliamentary consultative committee attached to his Ministry, Mr Fernandes said the ordnance factories had registered a growth of 82.5 per cent and the present turnover of Rs 5,606 crore was expected to go up by 10 per cent to Rs 6,245 crore during 2001-2002. On the acquisition of the 300 T-90 tanks from Russia, he said the first batch of 80 tanks would be inducted next month. Along with the tanks, the transfer of technology documents would also be made available which would pave the way for indigenous assembly of semi-knocked down or completely knocked down parts of the tank by late next year. The minister said the complete indigenous production of the tanks, capable of engaging a target beyond visual sighting, would begin in 2006. “The Ordnance Factory Board has prepared a perspective plan for the modernisation and full automation in close interaction with major indentors”, Mr Fernandes told MPs. Improved productivity and capacity utilisation had enabled the board to pass on benefits to the armed forces in the shape of reduction in prices of weapons, he said. On export potential of the factories, he said a “plan of action” had been initiated to give impetus for exports which would lay stress on ordnance factories working on economy of scale, optimum capacity and less costs to make Indian weapons systems more competitive abroad. Minister of State for Defence Production Harin Pathak, Minister of State for Defence U. V. Krishnamraju and senior officials of the defence, defence production and Ordnance Factory Board were present at the meeting. |
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India to deploy SSB along Nepal border Dehra Dun, November 10 The new measure is being initiated after the ministry decided to replace the existing border police, ITBPF, with a central paramilitary force along the Uttaranchal-Nepal border area. According to Mr Madhukar Gupta, Chief Secretary of Uttaranchal, the Indian Government plans of deploy around 560 men from the elite Secret Service Bureau (SSB) at 14 different points along the 285-km border shared by Nepal and Uttaranchal. Talking to the TNS, earlier, Mr Bhagat Singh Koshiari, Chief Minister, had said that the Indo-Nepal along the Mahakali River was being tightened to control the “growing anti-India activities across the border.” The Chief District Officer of Kanchanpur district of Nepal, Mr Durga Prasad Pokharel, however, denied that such activities had occurred along the border. Mr Hari Acharya, Member of the Nepal Parliament has alleged that India’s unilateral decision to deploy the paramilitary force along the border was certain to cause great inconvenience to the people. |
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Conquer terrorism with love: Venkataraman New Delhi, November 10 “Problems of ethnic conflict, terrorism and disharmony among people and nations of the world can’t be solved through disarmament conferences, conventions and treaties but only through a change of heart,” Mr Venkataraman said, inaugurating a dharam sammelan organised by Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya here. Expressing concern over religious and ethnic conflicts taking place in the world, the former President said: “Instead of preaching peace and harmony, some religious fundamentalists fan the fire of hatred and bitterness and lead their followers to the path of senseless violence.” Every religion preaches morality, righteousness, kindness, love, selflessness and these are the requisites of a peaceful, orderly and harmonious society, he said, adding that if all of us practise them, there would be no disharmony in life. “However, no one follows religion honestly but uses it for creating discord,” he observed. He called upon the religious leaders gathered for the conference to give equal respect to all religions. |
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CPI (ML) holds anti-WTO rally New Delhi, November 10 The rallyists criticised the government for supporting the US war. Addressing the rally, the CPI (ML) General Secretary, Mr Dipankar Bhattacharya, said: “The USA is waging an all out war on the weak nations of the world. While in Afghanistan, it is using bombs to kill and terrorise the people of that beleaguered nation, and at the Doha ministerial summit of the WTO, it is trying to use trade as a weapon of war and terror.” |
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CPM protests hike
in petrol price New Delhi, November 10 A statement issued by the Politburo here today said the third revision of the
commission in the last one year was both unfair and unwarranted and passed the burden on the consumer. |
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Five CIOs honoured New Delhi, November 10 Mr Adesh Goyal of Hughes Software Systems, Mr Subbarao Hegde of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation and Mr Ashok Sinha were the other winners.
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