New Delhi, April 29
Amid calls to ease travel across the Line of Control, the participants of “intra-JK heart-to-heart talks” have decided to form committees of legislators, youth and women to facilitate exchange of people and ideas between the two parts of the state.

Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh, who is the main organiser of the talks, said a declaration was likely to be announced tomorrow at the end of talks. He said participants had welcomed the peace process between India

and Pakistan and steps being taken for finding a solution to the Kashmir problem.

He said three committees would be formed to give shape to the ideas discussed at the talks. The declaration was likely to be announced by former PoK president and Prime Minister Mohammad Abdul Qayyum along with Bhim Singh.

The participants of the talk today met former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral.

In his inaugural address at the talks, Qayyum, whose son is the Prime Minister of PoK, said the Kashmir issue was being exploited by some vested interests. Qayoom said as he was in the Capital he was keen on participating in the roundtable meeting.

In his speech, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah sought steps to ensure free movement of people between the two sides of the state. Laying emphasis on solving “human issues,” the former Chief Minister said it was difficult to find a solution to the problem till there was free movement of people between the two sides of Kashmir.

Taqdees Gillani, an academician from Muzaffarabad, called for greater representation of women in Hurriyat Conference and political parties of the state.

New Delhi, April 29
Despite repeated confessions of arrested BJP MP Babu Bhai Katara regarding his ignorance of the human trafficking racket, the police claimed to have received vital information that the network was well planed and well connected even with the corporate world.

The revelation came out after the search of the hard disc of a computer used by Katara’s close aide Kiran Dhar by the police.

The police found drafts of many letters, including a visa application letter for the US for MD of a Hyderabad based software company, from her computer.

However, when the police tried to confirm in this regard to the US embassy, the name of the MD was found to be fake and the company was also fictitious, said a senior police officer investigating the case.

It is clear that some one from corporate world wanted to go to the US with fake name and firm. “We have searched out at least 4-5 such drafts from the hard disc for the visa recommendations, which have connections with corporate word. However, efforts are being made to corroborate their real links,” said the officer.

The police is also interrogating Nitin and Jenifer as to their roles in the racket as the CPU of the computer being used by Kiran was recovered from their possession. However, they were again and again saying that they have nothing to do with the case but there is apprehension that they could have tampered the hard disc of the computer under the garb of rectifying it. Kiran Dhar allegedly accepted that she had given the computer to them to rectify some technical faults, the officer added.

The police is also on a look out for another computer being used by Kiran Dhar. Hearing the arrest of MP Katara in the case, she had allegedly thrown out her master computer outside her flat, which was picked up either by some passersby or her neighbours.

The recovery of the master computer is significant as far as the investigation of the case is concerned. The computer could have vital information regarding the case, the office said.

Sonbhadra, April 29
When Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi called off his scheduled election meeting in the Rajgarh assembly segment near Mirzapur at the last minute this afternoon, it did not take his political opponents very long to bring down the Congress flags and buntings at the venue and replace them with their own.

Despondent Congress workers looked on helplessly as a speeding convoy of jubilant BJP-Apna Dal supporters commandeered the stage in preparation for the arrival of Apna Dal leader Sohne Lal Patel, who was slated to address a public meeting at the same venue barely an hour after Rahul Gandhi's rally.

Once word went around that Rahul Gandhi will not be addressing the meeting because of his unscheduled trip to Deoria, there was total chaos at the venue and, at one stage, it appeared it could lead to a confrontation.

But, as it happened, Congress workers slunk away quietly even as aggressive BJP-Apna Dal supporters kept up a regular chant in favour of their leaders.

While one set of party supporters was replaced by another, the crowds, who had ostensibly gathered to see and hear Rahul Gandhi, did not appear particularly disappointed at the last-minute cancellation. "We came to see Rahul Gandhi but now we will stay on to hear what Sohne Lal Patel has to say," remarked an unfazed Punenda Shukla, who had travelled 12 kms for this meeting.

If the crowd was indifferent and their political opponents ecstatic, the disappointment in the Congress camp was palpable. Disheartened party workers admitted that Rahul Gandhi's "no-show" will have a negative bearing on the prospects of Congress candidate Abhushan Brahamsaha.

This seemingly minor incident, however, sums up the state of the Congress in UP where the grand old party is struggling to find a toehold but is seriously hampered by a woefully inadequate party organisation, poor local leadership, a near-absence of any support base on the ground and total dependence on the Nehru-Gandhi family to see them through.

New Delhi, April 29
The Congress today questioned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh of allotting plots in Noida near here to 99 persons, including politicians, judges, bureaucrats, journalists and some of his close associates by misusing discretionary powers two years ago. However, the allotments were later quashed by the Allahabad High Court.

The disclosure about the alleged allotments in 2005, was made here by Union Minister Kapil Sibal at a press conference amidst the ongoing elections to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

Though he said that the allotments were cancelled by Allahabad High Court later while ordering a CBI inquiry into it, the matter is pending in the Supreme Court.

He said despite the high court ordering a CBI inquiry, the Supreme Court had stayed the probe but he refrained to say anything on why it was stayed, saying that he would not “comment on the apex court decision.”

“But we do humbly submit that the offences committed are cognizable and the law must be allowed to take its course,” he said.

He demanded action against the persons involved, saying if the corruption in high places has to be dealt with, then the criminal prosecutions must be launched as per the law of the land.

Sibal released a list of the allottees, alleging that it included the names of former Chief Justice of India Y.K. Sabharwal’s daughter Sheeba Sabharwal, Allahabad High Court Judge Jagdish Bhalla’s son Aaorhi Bhalla, HC Judge Subodh Kumar’s relative Poonam Srivastava and another HC Judge Uday Krishna Dhaon.

Justice Bhalla was recently under cloud on the purchase of a plot by his wife in a much lower price when his case for elevation to Chief Justice was recommended to the President, who later had cleared it.

The alleged list also include the names of several top IAS and IPS officers and some journalists.

Sibal said that the allotments were made without any public purposes to handpicked persons.

New Delhi, April 29
Mr H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune, today counselled the media to be sceptical in reporting the government-handed casualty figures from a war zone.

Delivering a guest lecture here this afternoon at the end of a two-day media workshop `Emerging media challenges amidst proliferation of conflicts', Dua said that truth often suffers in war reporting. ”Casualty figures given by the government should be taken with a little more than a pinch of salt. Everywhere, governments have, for centuries, been following the policy of exaggerating the casualty figures on the other side.''

The workshop was organised by the Press Institute of India and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

He drew attention to the manner in which the credibility of the American Press was eroded during the US-led invasion of Iraq as they accepted what was fed by the Bush administration. “How much credibility the American Press lost. On the question of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the media failed to examine where was the evidence of WMDs.''

Dua said that whenever there is a conflict, the media gets caught in the crossfire. "Journalists should report beyond the day's killings and look beyond the problem. Statistics make easy headlines because figures can be given in a short span.''

He called upon journalists entrusted with the coverage of conflict to be the voice of the people and focus on matters related to public interest. “We have to be on the side of the people, particularly those who are victims of violence.''

Dua has the enviable experience of covering the 1965 India-Pakistan war and the 1971 India-Bangladesh war in the challenging pre-mobile and pre- internet times.

He said, “In a war, you need military passes. They have control over the area and the government would like you to go to places which are convenient for them. Everywhere in war, be it Britain, America, Russia, Sri Lanka, Baghdad or Nepal, attempts will be made to curb the freedom of expression of journalists lest truth come out.''

He said that conflicts and wars present the continuous challenge of getting to the bottom of the truth and presenting it objectively. “There comes a real moral challenge before journalists-whose side are we?''

Dua called upon mediapersons to ask themselves whether they should merely report conflict or create a world without conflict. “Better world will lead to less conflict. Media has to see that patriotism does not slip into chauvinism. In every war, you will find a lot of disinformation. It is our job to create critical awareness among people so that the causes of conflict can be tackled.

Let us examine the conflict and remove the causes of conflict. Let us not fan hatred,'' he said, wrapping up his keenly heard speech.

The ICRC team also initiated a debate on case study on human dignity and torture. The case study referred to the charges of torture levelled against the UK joint military/police interrogation for using in the early seventies “five interrogation techniques'' on persons detained in connection with the internal trouble in Northern Ireland.

New Delhi, April 29
The Sixth Central Pay Commission has commissioned a study by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, to examine the correct basis of pay increases and their relation, if any, to performance and productivity of the employees and examine the possibility of evolving a direct co-relation between performance related pay and delivery of services.

The commission has not given its recommendations for providing interim relief to central government employees.

This information was given by minister of state for finance Pawan Kumar Bansal in reply to a question raised by M. Jagannath in the Lok Sabha.

EDUCATION LOANS: In reply to another question raised by A.V. Bellarimin, Bansal said Indian Banks Association (IBA) had circulated the Model Education Loan Scheme, 2004 to all scheduled commercial banks for implementation.

The scheme provides broad guidelines indicating, inter-alia, courses eligible for education loan. The specific complaints, if any, regarding the non-sanctioning of education loan by banks for eligible courses to eligible and deserving candidates/students are investigated and remedial measures are taken.

Information available from 15 public sector banks indicated that banks were extending education loans to all eligible students applying for recognised courses, including nursing, Bansal said.

INTEREST RATE OF EDUCATION LOAN: The interest rates on advances have been deregulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks are free to fix the rate of interest themselves with the approval of their boards.

Banks have been advised to fix their benchmark prime lending rate (BPLR) after taking into account the cost of funds, transaction cost, risk factor, margin and other overhead expenses.

However, as per the Model Education Loan Scheme, 2004, the banks were to charge interest on education loan up to Rs 4 lakh at the BPLR and above Rs 4 lakh at the BPLR+1 per cent, Bansal said in reply to a question raised by N.N. Krishnadas.

Amritsar, April 29
Whether to believe its records or physical proof is the dilemma being faced by revenue department officials as Harjinder Singh (42), a resident of Dhaul Khuard village in Amritsar tehsil, who is ‘dead’ as per revenue department records, today approached them and showed the Photo Identity Card issued to him by the Election Commission of India in 1995 .

Contrary to the plight of persons who were shown dead by police in order to pocket award money, Harjinder Singh was declared dead by some ‘unscrupulous persons’ with the sole aim of grabbing his ancestral land.

According to the aggrieved person revenue department officials, allegedly in connivance with certain employees of the SDM (Ajnala) office, had swapped the identity of Harjinder Singh of Dhaul Khuard village with his namesake, a nambardar of Bal Khurd village, who had died.

Harjinder Singh alleged that an ASI of Punjab Police was involved in getting a fake land deed prepared in connivance with some officials of revenue department and SDM’s office.

Interestingly, Rajesh Sharma, a Tehsildar of Amritsar, who was asked to verify the antecedents of the ‘dead man’ relied on the facts supplied to him by the field staff. Later, the inquiry was ‘manipulated’ by the employees of revenue department and SDM office and it was filed in the office with the note that the person in question was ‘not alive’. It further stated that inquiry could not be continued since the complainant had already died .

SDM of Ajnala Pradip Sabharwal said he had already ordered a probe into the fake land deal and action would be initiated against the ‘field staff’ that had tried to manipulate revenue records.

The bone of contention was approximately two acres of agricultural land which could have been transferred in the name of Harjinder Singh, a resident of Dhaul Khurd .

The affidavit, duly attested by the competent authority reads, “Myself Harjinder Singh have been living in Dhaul Khurd village”. He has also submitted documents signed by Nambardar and members of Gram Panchayat, Dhaul Khurd, tehsil Amritsar, claiming that he (Harjinder Singh) is alive .

The role of the ASI, who is related to the suspects is also being investigated. The alleged victim has also sent his complaint to the police department for taking action against the ASI.

Raipur, April 29
Villagers have declared an allout struggle against land acquisition by Tata Steel Plant in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on the lines of Nandigram and Kalinga Nagar.

Several villagers — who will be affected by the proposed project — told reporters here today that no government official would be allowed to enter the village let alone starting the process of land acquisition.

Making the statement in CPI leader Chitranjan Bakshi’s presence, the villagers said a fitting reply would be given if force was used against them with arrows and sticks being used in reply of bullets and bombs.

“Acquisition will be possible only over our dead bodies,” they said, adding that mockery was being made of the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, which provides special rights to villages and panchayats in SC areas, in the state.

Bakshi announced his support to agitating villagers and said the Chhattisgarh Government was going on the path of Orissa’s Kalinga Nagar and West Bengal’s Nandigram.

He said villagers would never tolerate land acquisition by force and warned that the Dr Raman Singh Government would be responsible for any violence.

Recalling that several people were killed in violence in West Bengal and Orissa, Bakshi said the West Bengal and the Orissa governments had to backtrack following public agitation.

He wondered why the state government was making land acquisition prestige issue in Bastar under such circumstances.

The CPI leader alleged that the Bastar Collector was carrying out the process keeping all rules aside on the directions of the state government.

The gram sabhas — on July 20, 2006, and August 3, 2006, — had agreed to provide land for the Tata project on the condition that the Tata Rehabilitation Committee will fulfill 13-point programme presented to the government.

When no action was taken for seven months, the gram sabhas met in February 2007 and decided not to grant approval for land acquisition.

Under the proposed project 5,500 acres in 10 villages has to be acquired affecting 1,750 tribals and other families.

Tata had agreed to provide Rs 1 lakh per acre for double-crop land, Rs 75,000 per acre for single-crop land and Rs 50,000 per acre for barren land. — UNI

New Delhi, April 29
Expressing concern over one-third of river water going waste into the sea while there were bitter conflicts on it among various states, a parliamentary committee has recommended that the entire policy of construction of dams needed a fresh look.

The committee, in its report on the national environment policy with regard to construction of dams, has said the country could ill-afford the colossal wastage of this precious resource.

It pointed out that though the water resources ministry had suggested the modification of the laws related to mandatory environmental clearance for major dams to the environment and forest ministry, that had not been included in the national environment policy-2006.

To increase storage capacity of water across the country and ensure full use of river water for meeting the drinking and irrigation needs, the water resource ministry’s suggestions for amending the environmental clearance rules on building reservoirs needed an urgent attention, the committee, in its report placed before the Lok Sabha said.

It has suggested that the water resources ministry could again pursue the matter with the environment and forest ministry on having a fresh look on the national environment policy.

The government has proposed to enhance the irrigation potential for 16 million hectares, including 9 million hectares under major and medium irrigation schemes and 7 million hectares under minor irrigation schemes. A provision of an outlay of Rs 1,97,750 crore has been proposed for this in the 11th five year plan, the committee said.

The current storage capacity in the country is 71.70 billion cubic metres (bcm), which is proposed to be increased to 101.57 bcm through the projects in the pipeline.

New Delhi, April 29
India faces power shortage of 70,000 MW and to address the problem the government is considering a change in policy for hydro electricity generation.

As part of efforts to meet the shortage immediately, an agreement was signed with the Himachal Pradesh government recently under which 15,000 MW of power would be available.

Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, in response to questions in the Lok Sabha said special attention was being paid to ensure the regular supply of electricity in major metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

The minister said the country currently had a shortage of 70,000 MW and informed that steps were being taken in the 11th plan to correct the situation. He said the potential for hydro power generation in the country was 1.5 lakh MW but merely 20 per cent of it was exploited. — TNS

Dehra Dun, April 29
A herd of wild dogs killed an old woman and a boy in Hardwar district of Uttarakhand, police said today.

Meena (60) was working in her wheat fields in Sirchandi village of the district yesterday along with three children — Naeem (12), Shahrukh (10) and Shamima (10) — when the dogs attacked them.

While Shamima and Shahrukh managed to run away, Meena and Naeem were killed by the dogs, they said.

The two children informed the villagers about the incident who later found half-eaten bodies of the deceased. — PTI

New Delhi, April 29
Rising polio cases continue to show the country in poor light as it stands only next to Nigeria in the number of cases reported across the world this year.

While 54 people were afflicted in Nigeria with the virus till April 17 this year, India reported 31 cases, according to an official of the National Pulse Polio Programme.

"A total of 111 polio cases were reported globally this year till April 17. Out of which 54 cases were reported from Nigeria, while we registered 31 cases," he told PTI yesterday.

Following this, the Union Health Ministry has intensified its campaign to eradicate polio.

"An estimated 89 million children will be vaccinated this month alone," the official said.

Last year, 674 polio cases were reported, while in 2005, 66 cases were reported.

"We have intensified our polio campaign early this year in the high-risk areas so that we could target the virus before the onset of summer when it becomes active," he said.

The polio drive has been intensified following the suggestions of the India Expert Advisory Group on Polio in December 2006. The official said the Ministry plans to control the virus from circulating during its peak season of September-November.

Last year, the first round of polio vaccination had started in April, while this year, the campaign was launched in January itself. Out of the 31 cases reported this year, 16 cases were reported in UP, 11 in Bihar, two in Andhra Pradesh and one each in Haryana and Maharashtra. — PTI

Patna, April 29
It can be viewed as a victory for Padma Shri award winner sister Sudha Verghese. The Nitish government has mooted a panel for uplift of Dalit Musahars for whose welfare the sister has been working for 30-odd years.

Sudha (58) came to Bihar from Kerala almost three-decades back and settled down here, dedicating her life for the cause of socio-economic uplift of Musahars, the most backward and poorest of the poor among Dalits in Bihar. Regarded as an “icon” by Dalits, she now runs an educational centre in Shivala Musahar village near Patna for poor Musahar girls with the help of UNICEF.

Sudha is also known as “cycle sister” for travelling from one village to other on cycle to raise awareness among this Dalit community against all odds.

And after more than a decade of the Mandalisation of cow-belt politics in the name of social justice to Dalits and other backward communities, the ruling NDA in Bihar has finally acknowledged Musahars as “maha Dalit”.

At a programme of the Akhil Bharatiya Musahar Bhuiyan Seva Sangh here, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared the formation of a commission to suggest classification of the Scheduled Castes on the lines of backward castes with a special focus on Musahars.

Nitish, who earlier met sister Sudha Verghese to honour her for her work for the Musahars, recalled his recent meeting with a Musahars girl from Vaishali, who had made it to the top 10 talented girls of the state on her own.

While 99 per cent Musahars are landless, the ruling NDA admitted that 99.9 per cent of them deserved inclusion in the BPL list.

While the proposed commission would study the overall condition of Musahars and suggest ways for their social and educational uplift, Nitish urged the Seva Sangh leaders and politicians belonging to the said caste to create political awareness among the targeted lot to ensure they exercised their franchise so as to have a say in electoral politics.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, who was also present at the programme, supported the demand by the Sangh to nominate at least one Musahars to the Bihar legislative Council and one to Rajya Sabha so that they could represent their communities at such forums.

Musahar community earns livelihood mostly as scavengers, doms and rajwaras. It is also the biggest victim of deadly Kala Azar in Bihar because they live in sub-human conditions.

During her interaction with the media in the past Sudha Verghese had regretted that the earlier RJD regime in the state did nothing to support her cause to uplift the condition of Musahars.

Gangtok, April 29
The Sikkim Government has conceived an ambitious project to build a sky bridge atop a mountain cliff, popularly known as Bhaley Dhunga, to woo more tourists to the state.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling announced this while addressing the fourth Sectoral summit on Tourism and Hospitality industry here on Friday.

The bridge is similar to the one recently unveiled in Arizona, USA, he said.

The proposed bridge will stand at an elevation of 10,102 feet and the cliff would be connected by a ropeway from a nearby town.

The Chief Minister urged the union government to provide all support for the early commencement of the project.

He said the state witnessed a rise in number of tourists from one lakh, including 7,000 foreign tourists to more than three lakh including around 17,000 foreign tourists, in 2005 alone.

The proposed bridge, the Chief Minister hoped, would give a further boost to tourism and a fillip to the state economy.

Recently, the state had decided to introduce bungee jumping sports at Singsore bridge in West Sikkim and identified a number of caves as tourist destinations to promote adventure tourism in the state. — UNI