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Wednesday,
December 26, 2001, Chandigarh, India 
 
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Nation greets PM on 78th birthday
George lashes out at major powers Shatabdi to halt at Sirhind |
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‘Lagaan’ team triumph
CRPF to upgrade weaponry Ferry system mooted for MPs Students donate 1 lakh to kin of Kamlesh
Army build-up not
to affect poll: Ajit Advani opens modern landing system
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Nation greets PM on 78th birthday New Delhi, December 25 “Life is not measured by the years one lives but by the work of a person and his contribution to society...Life is to live for the country and if necessary die for it,” Mr Vajpayee, who turned 78 today, said at a function at his residence where schoolchildren greeted him on his birthday. Stating that the country was passing through a crisis following the terrorist strike in Parliament, the Prime Minister said it was the beauty of India that whenever the country was faced with a crisis, people became one forgetting their differences to counter the challenge unitedly. Greeting the Christian community on Christmas, Mr Vajpayee said it was a matter of pride that even at difficult times the people of the country came together to celebrate the festival. Hundreds of schoolchildren, carrying placards with messages “Long live Vajpayee” and “Wipe out terrorism” greeted Mr Vajpayee. Earlier, President K.R. Narayanan, his wife Usha Narayanan, Vice-President Krishan Kant, his wife Suman Krishan Kant, former Prime Ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chandra Shekhar, and several Union Ministers and MPs visited Prime Minister’s residence to greet him. Union Home Minister L.K. Advani was the first to congratulate the Prime
Minister. A six-member Shiromani Akali Dal delegation led by its General Secretary Omkar Singh Thapar greeted the Prime Minister. They garlanded him and presented him a “kirpan”, as a symbol of respect and solidarity. The Prime Minister also received several messages from several BJP leaders, Chief Ministers and party functionaries from across the country. The Prime Minister inaugurated a software technology park (STP) in Lucknow, the second such facility in Uttar Pradesh, through video conferencing. Mr Vajpayee also inaugurated the linking up facilities for 69 of total 70 districts in Uttar Pradesh. With this, Uttar Pradesh became the second state in the country after Andhra Pradesh to connect all its districts through the state-of-the-art DAMA-based technology within a short span of two-and-a-half months. One of the districts could not be linked due to certain problems. |
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Punjabi version of PM’s poetry New Delhi, December 25 Published by the Publication bureau of the university, the collection comprising 46 poems was gifted to the Prime Minister in the presence of co translator Satish Verma, Rajya Sabha MP Gurcharan Kaur, Press council of India member Jagjit Singh Dardi and Baltej Mann of the Economics Department of the University. The collection, said to be the first translation of Mr Vajpayee’s poetry in any regional language, has been attempted by Mr Ahluwalia, bureaucrat-turned-academician, Dr Satish Verma, Reader in the Punjabi Department of the university, has assisted Dr
Ahluwalia. |
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George lashes out at major powers Siachen Glacier, December 25 Though the UN Secretary Council resolution makes it mandatory for all member states to act against those countries which harbour and finance terrorism remains unanswered, he said. “This is something, which calls for an explanation by the entire global coalition (against terrorism),” Mr Fernandes said while addressing airmen on the conclusion of his day-long trip to the highest battlefield in the
world. |
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Shatabdi
to halt at Sirhind New
Delhi, December 25 Sources in SAD (A) told TNS here today
that the Railway Minister had taken a favourable view of SAD (A)
president and Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur, Simranjit Singh Mann’s
request to provide stoppage of 2013-2014 New Delhi Amritsar Shatabdi
Express at Sirhind. According to the communication, the stoppage will
be introduced with effect from Christmas. The Railway inquiry service, however, had no inkling of the halt at Sirhind. They, however, confirmed later that the computerised route of the train indicates a two-minute halt of 2013 New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi at 7.34 pm and 2014 Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi at 7.35 am. The New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi departs at 4.30 pm and reaches Amritsar at 10.05 pm. As per the computerised route, it halts at Sirhind for two minutes, Ludhiana for three minutes, Jalandhar for two minutes and Beas for two minutes. The Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi leaves Amritsar at 5.15 am and reaches Delhi at 10.50 am. The
party has also requested the Railway Ministry to provide stoppage of
Amritsar-Nanded Sachkhand Express at Sirhind. It has forwarded
requests of village panchayats of Sirhind and adjoining areas,
Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib managing committee, Mata Chakreshwar Devi
Temple and Roza Sharief in this connection. |
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‘Lagaan’ team triumph Mumbai, December 25 Batting first Britannia were bowled out for 96 in the stipulated 25 overs, Harya
Pareen, who got the ‘best batsman award’, made 31 while Deva in film “Lagaan” who got the best bowler award, took three for 20. Aamir Khan (19), film director Ashutosh Gowarikar (18) and Rajesh Vivek (15) helped their team reach the target off 23.4 overs losing seven wickets. The Britannia team was selected from across the country based on the three-month joint promotion by the company and Aamir Khan Productions. Match-referee and chief commentator Navjot Singh Sindhu, who is known for his batting exploits in one-day-internationals, had to come to the ground and intervene when the Britannia batsmen took objection to the bowling style of Daya Shankar Pandey (Goli).
“This is not acceptable in international cricket. I must say it is a real game and not a silver screen match,’’ Sidhu said, prompting Aamir Khan to ask Goli to change his bowling style. All members of the runners-up team were presented a cheque for Rs 5,000 each by Indian cricket vice-captain Rahul Dravid and budding batsman Virendra
Sehwag.
PTI, UNI |
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CRPF to upgrade weaponry New Delhi, December 25 The one of the largest paramilitary forces, the CRPF has also redefined and rescheduled training programmes for its personnel to fulfil the “challenging task” offered to it by the Ministry of Home Affairs. “We are adopting and adjusting our training programmes, upgrading our weaponry to come up to the expectations of the government, which has
entrusted to us the big, difficult and honourable task. We are gearing up to meet the target of 2005,” CRPF Director-General Trinath Mishra told newspersons on the eve of CRPF’s Raising Day celebrations here today. Following the recommendations of the Group of Ministers and their acceptance by the government, the CRPF and the Rashtriya Rifles would handle counter-insurgency operations while other agencies will be relieved to perform their designated functions, he said. On modernisation and upgradation of weaponry, Mr Mishra said “We are moving from one family of weapons to another family — emphasis being on more automation and sophistication. We are also starting an intranet communication system for all the headquarters of the CRPF. The pilot project was started last month and we hope that it will be functional by next year.” The new weapons would stand good for another 10-15 years. The intranet system has been built at a cost of Rs 29 crore. It would reduce the operational costs and increase efficiency, he said. Mr Mishra said the objectives of the force for the next year were to optimise operational efficiency by providing ground-related training and to improve welfare activities for providing better living and working conditions. “With the help of the government, we are sure we can achieve these objectives, though lofty,” he said. The CRPF is also now involved in forming several small quick reaction teams (QRTs) for deployment in various sensitive places across the country for any exigencies. “These self-contained teams will be stationed in various sensitive places for immediate and quick action,” he said. The CRPF Director-General said the force was also engaged in a big way in several parts of the country in countering Left Wing extremism and is also helping the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand in drawing strategies to curb Left wing extremism. |
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Ferry system mooted for MPs New Delhi, December 25 “We have suggested to the government to stop free entry of vehicles and start the ferry system,” CRPF Director General Trinath Mishra told reporters here today. It was very difficult to check the vehicles of some 800 MPs, a large number of former MPs and the Parliament staff who entered Parliament daily, Mr Mishra said in response to reporters’ queries on his suggestions to improve the security system at Parliament House in the wake of the December 13 terrorist attack. “If you check all vehicles one by one, it will take several hours. The other option is to stop the vehicles outside and take all MPs and other staff inside the House in a ferry system of transport,” he said. It was high time, he said, the government reconsidered the present practice of allowing all vehicles to go inside the House just on the basis of stickers issued by Parliament. Mr Mishra said he had given his suggestions to a committee of senior Delhi police officers who went into the security arrangements at Parliament House. Asked if the government or the CRPF had prior intimation about the terrorist attack on Parliament, Mr Mishra admitted that there was indeed such an apprehension in the wake of the suicide squad attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in Srinagar. “But there was no specific information about the attack,” he added. He said the task of the security people guarding vital installations in the country had become difficult as terrorists could attack any building after they had struck at Parliament House. |
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Students donate 1 lakh to kin of Kamlesh New Delhi, December 25 “We received a cheque for Rs 1 lakh yesterday from the schoolchildren for our brave lady martyr. A ‘karamchari’ organisation in Delhi Lt Governor’s office has also donated Rs 4,000 for next of kin of Kamlesh Kumari”. Mr Mishra told newspersons on the eve of 62nd anniversary of the CRPF here. “We are pleased to receive support from unexpected quarters,” he said. Lauding the sacrifice and bravery of the CRPF lady in repulsing the attack of terrorists on Parliament, Mr Mishra said brave personnel have been duly rewarded to boost the morale of the force. “Seven personnel who engaged and liquidated the militants have been given out-of-turn promotions and the four others who assisted them have been given a plaque of appreciation and Rs 5,000 each,” he said. Mr Mishra said the December 13 attack “tested the mettle of the CRPF personnel” but they showed exemplary courage and presence of mind and Kamlesh Kumari laid down her life at the call of duty. The CRPF Director-General refused to get drawn into the controversy as to who exactly — CRPF, Delhi Police or PAC personnel — gunned down the five armed militants, who attempted to intrude into Parliament. “It would be clear from the postmortem examination reports... If the bullet injuries sustained by militants were that of the SLR then it was our men who killed the terrorists ,” he said. |
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Army build-up not
to affect poll: Ajit Dehra Dun, December 25 “The military build-up along the border with Pakistan will in no way affect the election process in the three states,” he told reporters here. “The government has taken several measures following December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament. It will take more strict measures in this regard,” the minister said. Condemning Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism, he said about 50,000 persons had been killed in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two decades. The RLD leader said his party would contest 100 seats in the state. Creation of a new Harit Pradesh would be a major poll plank of the party. He claimed that the Samajwadi Party was “fast loosing its ground in” UP following recent hobnobbing of its leader Mulayam Singh Yadav with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
PTI |
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Advani opens modern landing system New Delhi, December 25 The new system will help improve landing of aircraft even during thick fog which engulfs the airport during the winter season. Besides, it will also help in improving the on-time landing percentage of the aircraft at the airport. While calling on the aviation authorities to ensure safe and secure air travel, the Home Minister said any foreign traveller got his first impression about a country from its airport. He asked the agencies dealing with customs, immigration and other airport facilities to deal with customers in a polite manner. Besides inaugurating the Category-IIIA instrument landing system, Mr Advani also opened to public an extended arrival hall and put to operation a closed-circuit surveillance system which has been set up at the airport here. Speaking on the occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said the introduction of Category-IIIA system was “a major milestone” which would lead to cutting of delays due to fog and overcoming the problem of diversion of flights from Delhi. While over 300 pilots had been trained on the Category-II system, Mr Hussain expressed the hope that all pilots operating in Indian skies would be trained by next year to land and take off with the help of the sophisticated Category-IIIA system. The Category-II system was set up at IGI Airport by a US company, Raytheon, in 1999. |
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