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Victims of 1984 riots hold rally
Cong not to make riots poll issue
Executive power to create or abolish posts |
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India silent as Pak raises Gujarat card
$60 b plan for Mumbai makeover: Deshmukh
UP brings tough law to check organised crime
Projects earmarked in name of Kanshi Ram, Ambedkar
Lalu demands Modi’s arrest
Globally, 40 pc lack toilet
Youth for right to sex education
Rizwanur Case
Pachauri: We can save energy in construction
Rating system for green buildings soon
Kaziranga opens for visitors today
Liberhan panel given 42nd extension
Father gets Faisal’s custody,
not Aamir
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Victims of 1984 riots hold rally
New Delhi, October 31 It is hoped that the Supreme Court would consider their petition seriously. It would try to provide justice to them as soon as possible, BJP Delhi unit president Harsh Vardhan said. He said if the guilty persons of the anti-Sikh riots started on this very day 24 years ago were not punished even now, the Sikh community would stop trusting the law and order system of India. More than 3,500 Sikhs were killed in Delhi during the riots. Lakhs of families were rendered homeless. The carnage which started on October 31, 1984, in Delhi after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, continued for three days and the police remained silent spectators. Till now, 10 enquiries had been completed after that incident, but the main accused of the Congress were still roaming free, said Vardhan. The BJP Delhi unit president said the then central government avoided constituting an enquiry even after six months of the riots. After much delay, the Ranganath Mishra Commission was constituted. Its report was submitted after 23 years, yet the Sikhs could not get justice. Forty-two cases of murder of Sikhs had not been started in the courts as yet. Thousands of sufferers had been deprived of the compensation, pointed out Vardhan. The Delhi government has tried ‘half-heartedly’ to heal the wounds of the Sikhs. It does not seem to have intention to do justice to the Sikhs. He said when the governments and the courts did not provide justice, the people were compelled to take the law into their own hands. In a democratic system, there are great expectations from the judiciary and the media, Vardhan said.
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Cong not to make riots poll issue
New Delhi, October 31 Speaking at a special function to give away the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Ekta award, referred indirectly to the new revelations on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s role in the riots without naming Modi. Complimenting the award winners, Sonia Gandhi remarked that the expose had proved that Dr J.S.Bandookwala and Prof Ram Puniyani had chosen the right path in working selflessly for the cause of secularism and national integration. She exhorted every Congressman to emulate their example, stating that it is their prime responsibility and duty to launch a determined battle against such barbarism. “If we do not fight against such anti-social forces firmly, it could prove fatal for the secular and democratic fabric of this nation,” the Congress president added. Since this was Congress president’s first public address after the recent revelations, there had been considerable speculation about how she would pitch this issue, especialy since Gujarat assembly polls are little over a month away and Dr Bandookwala was being awarded for his work during the Gujarat riots. Senior Congress leaders were at pains to explain that the party president could not be expected to use harsh or abusive language at an award-giving function, adding that her brief but pointed reference to the Gujarat riots and Modi’s communal agenda had effectively conveyed her strong views on the issue. The Congress president is expected to set the tone for the party’s election campaign at a mahila rally she is scheduled to address at Anand on November 3. Party strategists maintain they will not focus solely on the the Gujarat riots in their election campaign but will broadbase it to include Modi’s poor record as an administrator, his failure to deliver on the development front and corruption and scams plaguing his government. “The 2002 violence will be one of the issues we will focus on,” remarked a Gujarat Congress leader. There is an underlying fear in the party that there could be a Hindu consolidation in the BJP’s favour if the Congress makes the communal violence as its main election plank.
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Executive power to create or abolish posts
New Delhi, October 31 Testing executive’s power on six counts on the creation or abolition of any post in a government department in the case of an accounts executive in the Haryana Bureau of Public Enterprises (HBPE), a Bench of justices Tarun Cahtterjee and P. Sathasivam said if the government comes to the conclusion that abolition would not affect the work in any way it had a right to take a decision to this effect. The six parameters drawn by the apex court for testing the executive’s prerogative include whether the power entirely was with the government, whether a particular post was necessary depending on the exigencies of administration, could the government take such a decision in the administrative and public interests, should courts be least competent to test the government action based on scanty material and whether the decision was taken in good faith or was mala fide. The issue arose from the Haryana government’s appeal against the Punjab and Haryana High Court order quashing the Haryana government’s decision abolishing the post of accounts executive held by Navneet Verma in the HBPE in 1994, which he had challenged on the ground of being mala fide. Though he had alleged that it was ploy to ease him out because of his differences with Kiran Lekha Waliaa, a financial adviser in the HBPE, a post higher than his because she did not like him as both of them possessed the same qualification. He had to report to her and she continued to harass him. But the apex court after examining the material placed before it found no concrete evidence to prove his allegation. It said at the most it could be termed as a case of “misunderstanding” between the two. Since the decision to abolish the post was taken by the HBPE chairman even when the Haryana Chief Minister was in the know of the things, it could not be termed a case of mala fide decision, Justice Sathasivam writing the verdict for the Bench, ruled. “We hold that the entire action was taken in good faith and there is no substantial material to arrive at a conclusion that the abolition was due to revenge against the respondent… we are unable to accept the conclusion arrived at by the High Court… consequently its order is set aside,” the apex court said.
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India silent as Pak raises Gujarat card
New Delhi, October 31 The officialdom here is tighlipped about the bolt from the blue from Pakistani foreign office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq on October 29 wherein he said the footage of the Tehelka sting operation on post-Godhra riots in Gujarat was “extremely disturbing” and Pakistan wanted the truth to be brought out before the world. The spokesman, reacting to a question on the sting at the weekly news briefing, did not stop at this and went on to say: “What has been shown is extremely disturbing for us… Pakistan is also concerned because in the context of the Nehru-Liaquat pact, we have a link to the issue… We think that the carnage and terrorism that was experienced by Muslims in Gujarat should come out in the open and the world should know what happened there.” The Indian silence is not because of the historicity of the Nehru-Liaquat pact of 1950 and its relevance in the contemporary period. The pact, signed by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Pakistani counterpart Liaquat Ali Khan, included a declaration by the two governments on the fundamental rights of minorities and an undertaking to enforce them effectively. Pakistan-watchers here, on the other hand, are stunned over the ungratefulness of Islamabad and its selective memory lapses. While Pakistan should have been grateful to India for keeping silent when Baluchistan and NWFP burnt in the wake of Lal Masjid developments, it has acted to the contrary. It is not known whether India has chosen to keep silent as a matter of policy or whether a statement would still come from New Delhi. This is the second time in last couple of days when divergent voices emanated from Pakistan. Yesterday India was constrained to issue a statement to make it clear that no territory in India was outside the purview of India-Pakistan anti-terrorism mechanism (ATM). The Indian clarification came in wake of press reports in Pakistan that at the October 22 meeting of the ATM - the second such meeting of this institutionalised mechanism - Kashmir-specific acts of terror were not discussed as these were outside the ATM’s purview.
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$60 b plan for Mumbai makeover: Deshmukh
Mumbai, October 31 “Our government is serious on transforming Mumbai into a global financial centre and the plan is aimed at transforming the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) into a modern urban centre”, he said in an interview on the eve of his Democratic Front government completing three years. “Call it the 2020 vision if you like. The Rs 2.25 lakh crore-plan would be implemented during the next 10 years”, he said. Areas adjoining Mumbai, like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar and even part of Raigad district, are included in the MMR. “Just developing Mumbai will not do. There need to be more townships in the adjoining regions. The objective is that people should not congest the city. People crowd Mumbai because they go to office or business here. If we provide the same facilities outside, they will not congest the city”, he said. Deshmukh said, “Mumbai makeover plan is aimed at creating world-class infrastructure and to set up an integrated urban transport system using existing suburban rail, ambitious metro rail system, hovercraft, sealink and road connectivity.” For the integrated urban transport system, a unified metropolitan authority called Urban Transport Management Authority would be set up to bring about an integrated fare structure and linkages among various modes of transport. The operational integration would attempt at coordinated routine and scheduling rail, rapid transit system, bus services and water transport besides unification of fare structure, rationalising redundant services and coordinated public information system. By this integrated approach, a commuter can buy a single ticket at the starting point and use different modes of transports such as suburban rail, metro rail, waterways and road transport to reach final destination. As part of the project, Mumbai city would have nine metro corridors, which would be mostly elevated connecting various suburban points upgrading the three railway suburb network, providing Worli-Nariman point sealink, East Island Freeway and waterway between Borivali-Nariman Point.
— Agencies
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UP brings tough law to check organised crime
Lucknow, October 31 Depending on the crime, a person would have to pay a minimum fine of Rs 5 lakh along with five years behind bars. It can go up to life term and even capital punishment along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh. There would be no ex-parte bail on the first registration of crime and if a person dared to break the law for the second time, the offence would be non-bailable. Much on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999, Uttar Pradesh today tabled its very own UPCOCA with the aim to eliminate organised crime in the state. Similar laws are also in force in states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi. Addressing the media, Mayawati shared details of the Bill introduced in the Vidhan Sabha earlier in the day. “The roots of organised crime in the state are very deep and it was felt that a very effective Act was necessary for curbing, controlling and trampling them”, she pointed out. While the Act is mainly aimed at contract killers, kidnappers, gun-totting contractors, hawala traders, land encroachers, producers of spurious drugs and liquors, drug smugglers, mafia and the like, Mayawati added that the Act would also put an effective curb on display of firearms at public places for creating terror among the people. The other sort of crime that Mayawati claimed would be checked is covertly managing benami property of criminals. Under the Act, licenses of members of any group moving around with three or more licensed guns would be liable for cancellation. Besides that, private security with police personnel has also been prohibited. The mafia-contractor nexus would also be checked by the Act, said Mayawati, as it would stamp out cases of organised criminals grabbing contracts by use of force. To further check the credentials of contractors, it would now be made mandatory for them to submit a character certificates. Another step to make contracting transparent and accessible is the introduction of e-tendering through Internet that eliminated the role of the mafia, said Mayawati, adding that it would also ensure that no contractor was prevented from tendering a contract by the mafia. To prevent its misuse, she disclosed that the written permission of divisional commissioner and deputy inspector-general had been made compulsory before lodging the first information report. The written permission of inspector-general has also been made obligatory before filing charge sheet in the court of law. The onus of proving his innocence lies with the culprit under the Act. Sharing her government’s vision of putting an end to goonda raj, she said as matters remained pending in common courts, all cases under this act would be tried in special courts that would be heard every day to speedily dispose off matters. A state-level Organised Crime Control Authority will be constituted under the chairmanship of the principal secretary (home). Additional director-general (law and order), additional director-general crime and special secretary (justice) would be the members of the authority. The authority has been empowered with all rights to break the economic backbone of the criminals. However, to ensure that the Act is not is misused, there are several checks and balances that have been introduced keeping in mind the state’s specific context. The Act provides for a state-level appellate authority under the chairpersonship of a retired judge of the HC. The appellate authority would hear the appeals against the orders passed by the state-level authority within 30 days of the passing the orders. Besides, the director-general of police, an officer of the level of principal secretary will be member of the appellate tribunal.
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Projects earmarked in name of Kanshi Ram, Ambedkar
Lucknow, October 31 While budgets for most other schemes of public interest were merely indicative, projects to commemorate the memory of BSP founder Kanshi Ram had budgetary details and well-fleshed out project outlines. Over Rs 507 crore has been ought for construction, repair and renovation of memorials, parks and other installation in the name of the two leaders. While Rs 129 crore was sought for the construction of Kanshi Ram Prerna Sthal at Gomti Nagar and Rs 135 crore has been demanded for the renovation of the famous Ambedkar Smarak originally designed by painter Satish Gujral. A new 33 KVA power sub-station costing around Rs 7 crore would be set up at Ambedkar Smarak. An additional Rs 2 crore has been demanded for Vishramalaya (rest house) in the name of Kanshi Ram. This scheme has run into rough weather as the High Court has stayed the demolition of a Mall Avenue government bungalow that had been allotted to Mayawati as the ex-CM on which she proposes to built the rest house. Another Rs 4 crore has been demanded to purchase yet another bungalow at Mall Avenue for the Vishramalaya. Making a fine art of the politics of memorials, Mayawati has asked for another Rs 14.40 crore for a Smriti Bhawan in the name of Kanshi Ram and Rs 2.50 crore for making of statues and its installation. An additional Rs 7.5 crore has been demanded for holding birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram on March 15. The government has alloted Rs 25 crore for the development of Rama Bai Ambedkar Maidan on the outskirts of the city where Mayawati recently held her successful ‘Sawdhan Raho Aage Badho rally’. For construction of new gates, boundary walls and setting up of statues, Rs 90 crore would be required, while another Rs 75 crore has been demanded for Samata Mulka Samaj Sthal at Gomti Nagar.
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Lalu demands Modi’s arrest
New Delhi, October 31 Prasad, who was accompanied by some ministers and MPs from his party, said the Tehelka expose has established Modi's role in the Gujarat riots which took a heavy toll of life. The RJD leaders said the Tehelka tapes were sufficient evidence to book Modi under Section 120(B) and Section 302 of IPC and place him and under arrest. They said all members of Sangh parivar who had prepetrated violence should be arrested. They also demanded action against BJP former deputy prime minister L K Advani who, they alleged, had been shielding Modi. Prasad later said the sting opeartion had vindicated whatever he had been saying regarding the riots. He said that when he had earlier raised his voice against the the Gujarat government on the issue of riots, Hindutva forces had accused him of “speaking language of Pakistan.”
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Globally, 40 pc lack toilet
New Delhi, October 31 More than one third of the world population, or say 40 per cent of the people around the world, has no access to a toilet, a privation that has dramatic consequences and leads to millions of deaths each year, said international experts at the World Toilet Summit (WTS) 2007 that was inaugurated in the Capital today by former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Led by Kalam, delegates pledged to commit themselves to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of halving the proportion of the people who do not have access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation by 2015 and to providing toilets for all by 2025. In the words of Kalam, “We do not need just toilets, but toilet systems”. The WTS-2007 is jointly organised by the World Toilet Organisation and the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation with the support of the government. It is the biggest global event in the field of santitaion. The WTS-2007 focuses on the theme of “Toilets for All” on the eve of the UN’s Year of Sanitation 2008. In fact statistics related to the issue are dramatic. The 2.6 billion people who have no access to toilets generate more than 200 million tonnes of faecal waste annually that is neither collected nor treated and presents a grave health risk, as per the data by various UN agencies. Globally 1,099 millions people lack access to safe water, of these 125 million live in India. Globally, 2,600 million people defecate in the open, in India 700 million people lack access to sanitation facilities and defecate in the open. Experts says 80 percent of all sickness in the world can be attributed to unsafe water and sanitation. Yet the problem has not attracted the attention it deserves and is described as the “orphan child” of the water sector, often under-explored and under-financed. Jack Sim, founder of the the Singapore-based World Toilet Organisation, summed it all. “One reason is the taboo part. You don’t talk about these issues so easily, it is a private thing,” he lamented. Addressing more than 400 health and sanitation experts from more than 44 countries who are in the Indian Capital to participate in the four-day summit, Kalam called for synergy among various government ministries, departments, NGOs and the public for creating a sanitation infrastructure mission, and the need to adopt a two-pit toilet technology that is rugged, reliable, has a long life and uses minimum water. Founder of Sulabh movement Bindeshwar Pathak said during the conference 43 countries would sit and decide how to achieve the MDG for water sanitation worldwide. Pathak, who has revolutionised toilet technology that liberated millions of scavengers and pioneered eco-friendly, people-friendly toilet technology, noted with a hint of optimism that the twin pit toilet technology developed at Sulabh could go a long way towards achieving the MDGs. Pathak said the objective of the programme was to raise consciousness about sanitation and hygiene, gain the commitment of political, social and opinion leaders around the world, and ultimately bring about the structural and behavioural changes that would provide a permanent solution to this preventable international crisis. On this occasion, Kalam gave away the Sulabh Global Sanitation Award to the Geneva-based Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council. This council is responsible for bringing water and sanitation on the top of the agenda of the Earth Summit 2002 held in Johannesburg. He also released a book titled “Darkness to Light” on the life
Pathak.
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Youth for right to sex education
Hyderabad, October 31 In an open letter to the governments of the Asia Pacific region released on the closing day of the three-day conference, it said that young people faced significant barriers to sexual and reproductive information, resources and services and needed age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education that is evidence-based and non-judgemental. Supriya Pillai of the New York-based International Women’s Health Coalition said the arguments about morality and culture being polluted by sex education made little sense in India where child marriage and child sexual abuse were widely prevalent. Information of their bodies and what constituted a good and bad touch would go a long way in helping the adolescents in protecting themselves. Prateek Suman, incoming chairman of the Netherlands-based World Aids Campaign, said a lot of opposition to sex education was politics. “It is immoral to play around with these issues. Politicising sex education is immoral, not sex education,” he said. Ishita Choudhry of the Young Parliamentarians Foundation based in New Delhi, wanted an inclusion of the youth in the Indian Parliamentary Committee that is at present seeking opinion across the country on whether sex education should be introduced. They should be able to also review the contents of the sex education curriculum when it is finalised. Furthermore, the rights of the people with diverse sexual preferences need to be recognised socially and legally. According to Clara Rita Padilla, executive director, EnGendeRights, a NGO based in Philippines, procedures related to legalising sex changes need to be simplified and in certain countries, issues like pensions, insurance and employments policies need to be introduced for same sex couples. Dr Jill Sheffield, president of Family Care International, provided an update on the recently concluded global conference on women deliveries, said the world over 40 per cent of all pregnancies have complications, 15 per cent of them are life threatening. She said studies showed that there were huge differences in the maternal health of women in rich and poor countries and even within countries there was difference between the richer sections of society and the poorer sections. Globally, the maternal mortality rate has come down from 430 per 1000 live births to 400 per live births. If the economic imbalance could be removed the number of deaths too would be reduced. Major equity issues have to be resolved. She said $5 to 6 billion were needed to prevent these maternal deaths. The loss in the productivity and economy because of these deaths was a staggering $15 billion, she pointed out.
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First woman DGP retires
Dehra Dun, October 31 A 1973 batch IPS officer, she scored another first by becoming the first woman cop in the country to retire as the DGP of a state. To share the emotionally charged moment with her was her sister Kavita Chaudhary who produced famous tele-serial Udaan and portrayed Kanchan’s character of a young girl aspiring to become a police officer against all odds. Though she has decided to settle in Dehra Dun post-retirement but her link with Amritsar, her native place in Punjab, is there to remain. Her parents still live there. Her father Madan Mohan Chaudhary came all the way from there to be with his daughter on the occasion. “I thank God for the huge opportunity and I am satisfied that I tried to deliver the best in my long police career,” she told reporters before leaving her office. During her tenure as the DGP, she successfully cultivated a public-friendly image of the police force. She will also be remembered for her efforts to fight against the gender bias within and outside the police. Summing up her tenure as the top cop, she expressed satisfaction over changing perception of police-public relations. “I always stood by the weaker and the marginalised and will continue to do so,” she said as a parting comment. The state police presented her a guard of honour at the police headquarters here.
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Rizwanur Case
Kolkata, October 31 They claimed some new facts had come to light in the interrogation and these would help the CBI solve the death mystery. The CBI also interrogated Snehasish Ganguly, cricketer Sourav Ganguly’s elder brother, who had introduced Ashoke Todi to the former city police chief, Prasun Mujherjee, and taken him to Lal Bazaar. The CBI joint director, Arun Kumar, who has been leading the special inquiry team, said they had interrogated Ashoke Todi and his two brothers, Pradip and Sarogi, as well as Ganguly. But he refused to disclose anything further. He said when necessary they would also interrogate
Priyanka Todi. Arun Kumar felt the inquiry had been going in the right direction and the report could be finalised and submitted to the high court within the
stipulated time.
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Pachauri: We can save energy in construction
New Delhi, October 31 Pachauri said there was a great potential in the country to save energy in the construction sector as commercial and residential buildings accounted for more than 30 per cent of the country’s total electricity usage. It is estimated that energy efficient buildings and utility systems can reduce energy demand by as much as 40 per cent. Pachauri said India still had time to adopt energy saving devices and designs as the construction industry was experiencing a boom, while in Europe this sector had been exhausted. The global energy scenario has undergone a drastic change in the last two decades. It is estimated that global energy demand due to buildings is expected to grow by an additional 45 per cent by 2025. Making opening remarks at the ‘Energy efficiency in building forum’ (EEB), organised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Pachauri said in this scenario, the introduction of energy-efficient building design concept had become critical for achieving collective objectives of energy security and environmental protection, which in turn can ensure economic and social development. The EEB project covers six countries or regions that are together responsible for two-thirds of world energy demand, including developed and developing countries and a range of climates: Brazil, China, Europe, India, Japan and the United States.The forum aims at producing a roadmap for reaching energy self-sufficiency in buildings.
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Rating system for green buildings soon
New Delhi, October 31 Under GRIHA, the national rating system for green buildings which will soon be operationalised in the country, all new buildings that use less energy will be given encouragement and those consuming more energy than required may have to pay some penalty. The ministry of new and renewable energy and R.K.Pachauri-headed The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) will ink an MoU tomorrow for development and operationalisation of this system. The attempt to mainstream green buildings will initially begin with houses and malls. The ministry will constitute a technical advisory committee to guide modifications, if required, and the system will be made applicable to all building typologies across all climatic zones. The rating will also have a financial mechanism attached to it. Sops for households may include incentives in the form of subsidy. TERI officials say that the system also proposes that if a person buys or renovates his house as per the GRIHA guidelines, he may have to pay less house tax. Builders of the malls may be encouraged to go green with incentives in the form of big money, for example a builder may have to pay less for the land.
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Kaziranga opens for visitors today
Guwahati, October 31 The park is opening despite the trail of damages to its roads and bridges left by devastating floods this year. The authorities have managed to complete about 80 per cent of the restoration work before the annual re-opening of the wildlife sanctuary. Bankim Sharma, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the park, which is home to over 1,600 highly-endangered one-horned Asiatic Rhinoceros, informed that initially three out of four ranges in the park will be thrown open for visitors as scheduled. The floods had left at least four key bridges and a few roads inside the national park in shambles and the park authority is trying to amend the damages with available resources Meanwhile, a large number of winged visitors from distant places like Siberia have already started thronging the water bodies inside the park that is located on the south bank of the Brahmaputra. The DFO informed that park officials had spotted flocks of bar-headed geese, mallards and whistling teals at different water bodies in the wildlife sanctuary that is considered a junction of Australisia and Indo-Asian flyways.
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Liberhan panel given 42nd extension
New Delhi, October 31 The term of the commission, set up soon after the demolition, has now been extended till December 31, official sources said. The term of the panel was extended on August 31 despite the government's statement in Parliament that the commission would not be given any further time. Union home ministry was hoping that the panel would submit its report before the deadline as the 15-year-old commission has already cost the state exchequer about Rs 7.2 crore.
— PTI
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Father gets Faisal’s custody,
not Aamir
Mumbai, October 31 A Magistrate’s court while granting Faisal’s custody to his father Tahir Hussain, directed the actor to report to the Khar police station every alternate day and if his behaviour was found to be abnormal then he should be taken into police custody. The court also directed Faisal to appear before it at the end of next month and to take the treatment recommended by the psychiatry doctors of the J J Hospital in south Mumbai.
— PTI
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