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Sethu project keeps political pot boiling
Advani seeks revision of paddy MSP
Indo-Pak anti-terror mechanism meet today
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Preventing Manual Scavenging
C’wealth secy-gen: Dr Kaul front-runner
Sanjay Dutt may get judgment copy today
Rizwanur Case
‘Marriage not must for relief under Domestic Violence Act’
DSGMC to print Guru Granth Sahib in US, Canada
Ravana in designer clothes
‘Five N-plants shut down for
want of fuel’
Electrocution of Lions
Police personnel pay homage to martyrs
Chiranjeevi accepts daughter’s marriage
Bhumika Chawla ties the knot
Rly portal to cover freight services
6 undertrials escape
Zonal chief of banned Maoists arrested
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Sethu project keeps political pot boiling
Chennai, October 21 The issue triggered a fresh bout of war of words today between the DMK and the AIADMK with union shipping minister T.R. Baalu stating that the prestigious project would be successfully completed by November next year with the first ship sailing through the new channel. However, AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa claimed that the SSCP was heading the same way as the old Veeranam Project initiated by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and that history would repeat itself. Observing that the project would be a boon for the economic development of the state, Baalu said, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Karunanidhi would definitely flag off the first ship to traverse through the new channel. “Despite obstacles placed by some people, including the AIADMK, the SSCP would be implemented and the first ship will sail in the new channel in November, 2008”, he asserted. Having a dig at his bete noire Jayalalithaa that she was opposing the project only to gain cheap publicity, Baalu said the dredging works were stopped only in the Adam’s Bridge area following the Supreme Court directive, adding the works were very much on in Palk Straits. Meanwhile, Jayalalithaa said the back-tracking of the UPA government on the controversial affidavit about Lord Ram, Karunanidhi’s critical remarks on Lord Ram and the Supreme Court’s observations on the October 1 bandh in Tamil Nadu have further reinforced the overwhelming impression that all was not well with the SSCP. She also demanded disbandment of the expert committee formed by the Centre to examine the SSCP afresh and favoured constitution of an truly impartial and competent committee, comprising economic, defence, maritime and naval experts, social scientists, historians, environmentalists and oceanographers. Jayalalithaa said only constitution of such a committee would bring out the truth behind the hasty implementation of the SSCP. She also questioned the presence of experts in the committee formed by the Centre and said three of them were historians, who could only vouch for the historical validity of Lord Ram, while one was a member from NEERI, which was bound to have biased views.
— UNI
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Advani seeks revision of paddy MSP
New Delhi, October 21 In a letter to the Prime Minister, Advani said there was growing unrest among paddy growers across the country, particularly in southern states, over the new MSP fixed by the centre, which, he said, has no relation to the cost of cultivation. An added cause for their unrest is the widespread feeling that the UPA government is discriminating between paddy growers vis-a-vis the wheat growers, the BJP leader asserted. While the government has fixed MSP of Rs 1,000 per quintal for wheat in the coming season, paddy growers would get Rs 645 per quintal for the common variety and Rs 675 per quintal for A grade produce. These (revised MSP for paddy) are only slightly higher compared to the MSP of Rs 620 and Rs 650, respectively, in the previous season, Advani pointed out. He said the paddy growers were demanding an MSP of Rs 950-1,000 per quintal to offset the pressure of high cultivation costs. Many representatives of farmers' organisations have approached me to say that the MSP for paddy is way below the cost of cultivation, which, according to them, is about Rs 950- Rs 1,000 per quintal. This is due to the steep hike in recent years in the cost of all inputs like power, irrigation, transportation, fertilisers, pesticides and labour, Advani stressed. Praising the government for hiking MSP for wheat, Advani said a similar increase for paddy farmers should also be considered by the government. Advani also apprised the government of problems faced by sugarcane growers in Andhra Pradesh and sought relief measures like immediate debt relief, rehabilitation measures for the families of farmers who have committed suicide and time-bound completion of irrigation schemes among others. He asked the government to ensure that easy and timely credit is disbursed to farmers by banks, to set up a price stabilisation fund for farm produce and modification in the guidelines of the NREGS to ensure farmers do not suffer labour shortage.
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Indo-Pak anti-terror mechanism meet today
New Delhi, October 21 India is likely to provide more evidence about involvement of Pakistan-based elements in terrorist acts in this country at the delayed second meeting of the ATM, which is taking place in the backdrop of recent blasts in Hyderabad and Ludhiana. At the first meeting of the ATM, the Indian side led by K C Singh, additional secretary in the ministry of external affairs, had handed over a photo of a suspected Pakistani national believed to be involved in the bomb blast on Samjhauta Express on February 18 in Panipat when the train was heading for Lahore. Pakistan was also given the photograph of an unclaimed body recovered from the site of the Mumbai train blasts in July last year. New Delhi had also given evidence with regard to the involvement of Pakistan-based terror groups in the attacks in Delhi, Varanasi and Ayodhya besides in Hyderabad two years back. At tomorrow's meeting, the Indian side will be seeking to know the action Pakistan has taken to track down the suspects of these and other terror acts. The Indian side will be led by K.C. Singh while the Pakistani delegation will be headed by Khalid Aziz Babar, additional secretary (UN) in the foreign ministry. At the first ATM meeting, the Indian side had forwarded confessions by a LeT militant and Pakistani national on his role in the 2005 bombing of the police headquarters in Hyderabad and requested for an update on the probe at the next round of talks. Pakistan had agreed to share specific information on terror-related acts through the mechanism to help investigations and prevent more such incidents. It was also agreed that while the ATM would meet on quarterly basis, any information which is required to be provided on priority basis would be immediately conveyed to the respective heads of the mechanism. The next meeting, however, could not take place after three months as Pakistan's pointsman retired and the government there took time in deciding his successor.
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Preventing Manual Scavenging
New Delhi, October 21 This has been indicated in the latest data of the Commission for Safai Karamcharis (CSK) placed before the Supreme Court on the total number of manual scavengers engaged by different states. Many other big states, with better resources, have miserably failed to implement the scavenging prohibition law the CSK data up to 2007 indicated. As per the CSK figures and information received by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from different states, over 6.76 lakh people from the lowest strata of the society were still compelled to engage in the centuries-old “inhumane” practice. Gujarat topped the list with employing maximum number of 52,542 scavengers, followed by Maharashtra (45,699), Rajasthan (43,567), Assam (38,819), Uttar Pradesh (33,256), Andhra Pradesh (30,991), Orissa (24,368), West Bengal (21,514), Haryana (20,804), Delhi (14,479), Bihar (11,941), Jharkhand (5,750). Though an Act was passed by the Centre in 1993 to abolish the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitating the people engaged in the odd profession, a union of safai karamcharis in its PIL filed in 2003, had stated that a majority of the states had not even notify the Act and framed rules thereunder to implement it. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan earlier had given the states two months time to implement the Act and notify
the rules. Petitioner safai karamchari Andolan (SKA) has come up with a startling revelation that the union government itself was the biggest defaulter as the Railways was still continuing with the practice of engaging people for manual scavenging at railway stations and alongside the railway tracks. The SKA’s counsel Anupam Lal Das has taken exception to the stand of some states and union territories, including Kerala, Nagaland and Pondicherry that there was no need for them to adopt the Act. There was absolutely no justification permitting this “inhumane” practice when Constitution makers consciously has framed Article 17 for abolition of untouchability and Parliament passing the scavenging prohibition Act, the PIL said. The states, which have yet to furnish the data, include Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Goa and almost all union territories. In Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Uttranchal, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland the number of scavengers was cited in a few hundreds.
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C’wealth secy-gen: Dr Kaul front-runner
New Delhi, October 21 Two Indian candidates — Dr Mohan Kaul and Kamalesh Sharma, India's high commissioner in London — are contesting the elections to the world body, considered second only to the UN General Assembly. The third candidate — Michael Frendo of Malta — is also in the fray. However, the contest has narrowed down to the two Indian candidates because of the prevalent system of voting and the election procedure. Elections to the 52-member body are held by a secret ballot in a closed room, attended by only Heads of State/government. If a Head of Government does not attend, he sends a minister to represent him. A non-ministerial-level head of delegation cannot participate in the voting. Dr Kaul, who has been with the Commonwealth secretariat for 20 years, including 10 years as director general of the Commonwealth Business Council, has also had a four-year stint with the United Nations before he joined the Commonwealth secretariat. Dr Kaul has been addressing communications to the Indian government since early this year through the Indian high commissioner in London, Kamalesh Sharma, who ironically, has emerged as Dr Kaul's competitor. According to Gen (Retd) T K Kaul, Dr Kaul's spokesman, Dr Kaul has received assurances from several African and Carribean nations as he is on the Develpment Advisory Councils of various African nations and enjoys close rapport with several Heads of State. Even Pakistan has assured Dr Kaul of ''most careful consideration'' to his candidature along with Canada, Australia, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago. Dr Kaul, born and brought up in Srinagar, is an eminent scholar and has been the youngest Dean of the IIM Ahmedabad before being selected for the UN and the Commonwealth assignments. He is visiting India to call on Indian leaders to present his case for New Delhi's support. — UNI
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Sanjay Dutt may get judgment copy today
Mumbai, October 21 The actor, despite a three and a half hours wait in the courtroom on Saturday, did not receive his copy, as it was not ready. However, the court handed over copies of the judgement, running into 4,340 pages to 13 other convicts, including ten sentenced to death. On receiving the judgement copies, Dutt and his associate Yusuf Nalwala, who was also granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on August 20, till the time they receive their copies, will have to surrender before the authorities. Satish Maneshinde, counsel for the actor, confirmed that Dutt would surrender in court immediately on being handed the judgement copy. However, sources this evening revealed that the court might again reschedule the date, as the set of the copy, which is to be handed over to Dutt, is not completely ready. Dutt's legal team has made a submission to the court that they be provided a soft copy of the judgement, since the copy was running into 4,340 pages, which would pose a logistic hurdle for the actor to appeal in the apex court, sources informed. As per existing norms, any convict would need to attach nine copies of the judgement, two for the judges and seven for the respondents, which include CBI and others. However, Judge P.D. Kode said he was not aware of provisions to provide a soft copy of the judgement and has asked Dutt's legal team to bring such a judgement to his notice. If the court provides the judgement in CD format, still the actor's legal team will take few days to move the apex court for a fresh bail application, and if the actor's lawyers move an application before the TADA Court for a soft copy, the arguments for the same may get prolonged, keeping the actor away from jail. Earlier, the designated TADA Court had convicted 100 accused for their role in the serial blasts, which rocked the metropolis on March 12, 1993, in which 257 people were killed and 715 others injured and property worth crores of rupees was damaged.
— UNI
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Rizwanur Case
Kolkata, October 21 The investigating agency, which began its probe into the alleged murder case yesterday and made a reconstruction of the events at the spot, also spoke to his uncle and two cousin brothers at its office here. It, however, still remains unclear whether the CBI would interrogate Rizwanur's industrialist father-in-law Ashok Todi against whom it has framed charges of murder, criminal conspiracy and issuing of criminal threats. CBI joint director Arun Kumar had indicated yesterday that Todi was not likely to be arrested immediately. Meanwhile, Kumar has said that though no FIR has been filed naming the sacked Kolkata police officers, including police commissioner Prasan Mukherjee, but they will be questioned as and when required. Rizwanur's body was found on the railway tracks here on September 21, just over a month after his marriage to Priyanka on August 18, reportedly against her influential family's wish. On October 17, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into Rizwanur's death.
— PTI
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‘Marriage not must for relief under Domestic Violence Act’
New Delhi, October 21 “A woman, even if she is not a lawfully married wife but has only been having a live-in relationship is entitled to protection under this Act as the relationship is a domestic relationship,” metropolitan magistrate Praveen Singh said. Describing the objects of the women-friendly legislation in letter and spirit, the magistrate in a recent order said any woman, who being in a “domestic relationship” of any kind, is subject to domestic violence, could seek protection and relief under this Act. The court also pointed to another important aspect of the Domestic Violence Act, asserting the relief under it was separate and independent remedy and a victim could not be denied respite on the grounds that she has filed petitions under any other law as well. “The protection provided to woman under this Act is separately available apart from the other remedies available under any other law and pendency of the proceedings under other laws is no bar to filing a petition under the Domestic Violence Act and granting of relief under it,” it stated. The court’s observations came while deciding a petition by complainant Bindu Kirpal, who had sought relief under the this Act from her ‘husband’ Arun Kirpal and step daughter Neha Kirpal. Her petition was vehemently opposed by the respondents claiming she was not entitled to any relief as she was in a live-in relationship and was not lawfully married to Arun as per Hindu rites and rituals. It was further contended that since her petitions for maintenance under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Hindu Marriage Act were pending, she was constrained to extract any monetary relief from the present complaint. The magistrate, however, dismissed Arun’s pleas and said after it was proved that she was in a domestic relationship with him and that violence was perpetrated on her, there was no bar on the court under the Domestic Violence Act from granting her relief. Allowing Bindu’s plea, it restrained Arun from communicating with her or any of her relatives and directed him not to sell a house at Defence Colony here, a shared household of the couple. The court has also asked Arun to provide her an alternate accommodation, as she was not willing to stay with him anymore and to give her Rs 10,000 per month towards her expenditure. — PTI
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Immersions conclude Durga Puja celebrations
Kolkata, October 21 In accordance with the customs, the idols of Goddess Durga along with those of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya - the four children of the goddess - were immersed with much fanfare after the traditional "sindoor khela" (smearing the deities with vermilion) by the womenfolk. Sweets were distributed as friends and relatives wished 'Shubho Bijoya' (Happy Bijoya Dasami) to each other. Idols in some of the old households of north Kolkata, which observe the pujas in the traditional way, were immersed early, while big budget community pujas often choose to immerse the idols a day or two later. The sprawling Babughat on the banks of the Ganga was teeming with people who turned up to watch the grand immersion as chants of 'Balo Durga Mai Ki Jay' (Hail, mother Durga) rent the air. Approximately 12,000 pujas were organised in West Bengal, including about 1,127 community pujas in Kolkata alone. About 16,000 police personnel had been deployed in the state to cope with the crowd and maintain security. Durga Puja, the autumn carnival of the Bengalis, began with enthusiasm Wednesday with West Bengal decking up with bright lights and giant marquees to greet a surge of humanity flocking to savour the best of Indian craftsmanship and culture.
— UNI
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DSGMC to print Guru Granth Sahib in US, Canada
New Delhi, October 21 The move is symbolic of its strong defiance to the Amritsar-based Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) decision seeking a ban on the printing and sale of the holy scripture. Following the printing of the Guru Granth Sahib by a private publisher in Amritsar which took a violent turn, the SGPC had got an ordinance issued by the Punjab government recently that, “ no private publishers can print the holy book as they rarely observe the ‘Sikh mariyada’. However, the DSGMC, presently held by the Akalis opposed to the Badal-led Akali Dal, did not subscribe to the SGPC’s approach on the issue. Opposing the SGPC-sponsored ordinance, the DSGMC asserted its right to print copies of the holy book and announced it would get ‘Birs’ printed either in the US or Canada. The DSGMC also took to the plea that carrying a copy of the holy book from here to abroad often involved violation of the ‘Sikh mariyada’. But, according to sources, the DSGMC took this step to neutralise the SGPC’s accusations against its president Paramjit Singh Sarna that he gave 100 copies of the holy book to an Okhla-based Delhi company here for exporting them abroad and the company packed the copies in containers like other exportable commodities. The SGPC has already set up a five-member committee to inquire into the DSGMC’s alleged laxity in handing over the copies to an exporter who allegedly violated the ‘Sikh mariyada’ thereby hurting the sentiments of the community. The committee is likely to send its findings to the Akal Takht Jathedar for taking action against the DSGMC president.
— UNI
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Ravana in designer clothes
Patna, October 21 The three effigies, which are set ablaze at Gandhi Maidan every year, were seen wearing designer clothes in today’s function. The man behind the new look, Ashok Sudhakar, told the media that he decided to replace the traditional clothes of the three effigies to make them more attractive to the youngsters. Sudhakar and his team of eight artisans had the challenging task of stitching the clothes which they had designed using computers. “Flax was used in place of cloth. It was a great experience for us,” he admitted. The effigies were said to be a big hit as Sudhakar and his team were
praised not only by the Ramlila Organising Committee but also by the common people, besides a host of political luminaries cutting across party lines who attended the show.
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‘Five N-plants shut down for want of fuel’ Mumbai, October 21 Two units at Narora atomic power plant in Uttar Pradesh have been shut down for annual maintenance work, while the newly commissioned Kaiga unit 3 in Karnataka and one unit of Kalpakkam atomic power plant, near Chennai, are facing closure for want of fuel, chairman and managing director of the NPCIL S.K. Jain said. Two units of Rajasthan Atomic Power plants have been shut down as feeder pipe replacement is taking place, Jain said, adding all these may get started immediately. — PTI
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Electrocution of Lions
Junagadh, October 21 Although, the local police had demanded 10-days remand for all four accused, including main accused Durlabhji Shambhu Vadodaria, in whose field the incident took place, the court gave them only a three-day remand period. The other three accused are Purshottam Dhurlabhji Vadodaria, Bhala Hira Bharwad and Chhagan Ramji Hirani. The five lions -- three lioness and two cubs -- died when the animals accidentally brushed against the electrified fence of his field. In preliminary interrogation Durlabhji had confessed that the lions had died a week ago. When he spotted the electrocuted bodies of wild cats in his field, he called other three accused for assisting him in digging a deep pit to bury their carcasses. He then covered the pit with mud, and piled up fertilisers, creating a mound of over five feet so that the incident would not come to light. However, one of Durlabhji’s accomplices had panicked and informed the local forest officer about the incident yesterday. Soon forest officials from Junagadh and Amreli rushed to the spot and extricated the carcasses from the camouflaged pit. The nails from one of the cub’s foot was missing and added that this could have happened under natural circumstances. The postmortem of the carcasses was done on the spot by the Junagadh Sakarbaugh Zoo’s veterinary surgeon Dr C N Bhuva and Dr Hirapara. Their primary report had said all the animals had died due to electrocution. However, the viscera of the carcasses has been sent to veterinary hospital at Anand and details are awaited. Cases against all the accused has been filed under the Wildlife Protection Act.
— UNI
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Police personnel pay homage to martyrs
New Delhi, October 21 The CRPF in a ceremony organised here, paid homage to the police personnel including its own 717 martyrs who laid down their lives in 2006. Senior CRPF officials including its director general S.I.S. Ahmed attended the ceremony. The day is observed every year to pay homage to 10 CRPF personnel who died in Ladakh in 1959 while fighting Chinese troops. In another function, organised by Indo-Tibetan Border Police here, martyrs were remembered and rich tributes paid to them. Speaking on the occasion, ITBP director general V.K. Joshi asked his men to "rededicate themselves to the unity and integrity of the country so that we can come out stronger". The Delhi Police also held a function to commemorate the sacrifice of its personnel.
— PTI
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Chiranjeevi accepts daughter’s marriage
Hyderabad, October 21 In a statement here, Chiranjeevi said he was in a state of shock when he came to know about the marriage. But later on he realised the most important thing was his daughter’s happiness. Stating all the members of his family were of the same opinion, the star thanked his friends and well-wishers who supported his family during the testing period and sought their blessings for the couple. On October 17, Srija married her boyfriend Sirish Bharadwaj in a quiet ceremony without her family’s knowledge throwing the star’s and his family members into a state of shock. Bharadwaj, an engineering graduate, got married to Srija at the Arya Samaj Temple in the city.
— UNI
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Bhumika Chawla ties the knot
Nasik, October 21 The marriage was performed at a simple ceremony attended by close relatives and friends of Chawla and Thakur. The Thakur family is a native of Devlali Camp while the actress, who shot into fame with musical blockbuster “Tere Naam” a few years ago, is daughter of Col Ajit Singh Chawla (retd).
— PTI
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Rly portal to cover freight services
New Delhi, October 21 To facilitate this, the Railways will soon launch its commercial portal to cover freight service, scrap auction and other transport-related services to business subscribers and travellers. The portal will have full details about procurement, freight services, parcel booking and online bidding of vacant seats.
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6 undertrials escape
Ahmedabad, October 21 According to the police sources, six undertrials involved in bike and cable theft cases escaped after breaking the lock of their cell at the sub-jail at Kadi town. On their adventrue to escape, the criminals also had a minor skirmish with the guards on duty. They have been identified as Dinesh Chanduji Thakore, Dashrath Kalubhai Rawal, Bharat Babuji Thakore, Gambha Shakraji Thakore, Naresh Jayantibhai Rawal and Kiran Lalji Devipunak. A high alert has been sounded in the entire Mehsana district and massive manhunt launched to nab these criminals. Meanwhile, an unconfirmed report said, one of the undertrials was caught from his residence at Kadi town today.
— UNI
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Zonal chief of banned Maoists arrested
Patna, October 21 The arrested Maoist commander Yogesh Yadav, alias Ravi Ji, was wanted in connection with 45 criminal cases in Jharkhand and Bihar. Gaya SP Amit Jain said the police picked him up during a special checking of vehicles on highway there. The police reportedly have also seized Rs 95,000 from his possession. Out of 45 criminal cases lodged against the Maoist leader, 25 are in Palamu and 10 in Chatra districts in Jharkhand, besides 10 in Gaya district of Bihar. This was the second major crackdown on Maoists after the police recently had arrested the top Maoist leader Tushar Kant Bhattacharya, a member of the south Asian wing of the outfit, in-charge of North Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern UP, from Patna.
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