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New Delhi, March 1

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday discussed with Brazilian Science, Technology and Innovation minister Marcos Pontes ways to further explore space cooperation between the two countries, including India’s support in procurement of material and systems for Brazil’s launch vehicle programme, a statement said.

Cooperation possibilities in future space science missions, utilising ISRO’s PS4 orbital platform and space weather studies were also discussed at the virtual meeting. The meeting took place a day after the successful launch of Amazonia-1 satellite of Brazil by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday.

“The collaboration between the two countries marks the beginning of robust bonding and is a role model for other countries to follow,” Singh said, adding that the launch also marked the first dedicated mission of ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL).

Singh said PM Narendra Modi had provided a special impetus to all scientific pursuits, including space technology, and extended its applications to different sectors, bringing ‘ease of living’ for the common man.

He said India today was in a position to provide inputs from Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan to premier institutions of the world, such as NASA. On his part, Pontes said India-Brazil joint venture in space technology would offer new opportunities to companies and help create new jobs. PTI

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Elephant dies in fight with another tusker

Udhagamandalam, March 1

A 13-year-old male elephant was killed in a fight with another jumbo at Nilakottai near Gudalur, about 80 km from here in the Nilgiris district. Some workers noticed the elephants fighting in a private tea estate and informed Forest Department officials, who rushed to the spot. The officials found the elephant dead with serious injuries all over the body, sources said. An autopsy is being carried out. TNS/ PTI

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In U’khand,Cong boycotts Guv’s Address

Bhararisain, March 1

The Budget session of the Uttarakhand Assembly began in the state’s summer capital with a walkout by the Opposition during the Governor’s Address. Led by Indira Hridayesh, Congress MLAs staged a walkout , saying the 27-page speech of Governor Baby Rani Maurya made no mention of unemployment.

The Governor addressed the Assembly for the first time after Gairsain became the summer capital of Uttarakhand in June 2021. The Assembly building is situated at Bhararisain near Gairsain in Chamoli district.

The Governor said the state government was working with commitment and dedication to achieve its development goals and highlighted steps taken to improve the lot of farmers by offerong interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh. She said 10 additional growth centres would be set up in Uttarakhand the next financial year for value addition to farm produce and its better distribution.

The Governor also spoke on the Swarojgar Yojana under which loans at the interest rate of 8 per cent were being given by district cooperative banks to enterprising youth and migrants upon their return home after the Covid-19 outbreak.

She underlined efforts being made by the state government to increase transparency and accountability in governance through schemes like the Mukhya Mantri Helpline Yojana. Earlier, the Governor was welcomed by Speaker Premchand Aggrawal on her arrival at the Vidhan Sabha. She was also given a guard of honour.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Kaushik said the state Budget would be tabled on March 4. PTI XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

LOGO Delhi riots

HC dissatisfied over inquiry report over media leak

QUOTE “This vigilance inquiry is even worse than what they do in a petty theft case. These are not files sent through couriers, these are hand-held files” Justice Mukta Gupta

New Delhi, March 1

The Delhi High Court on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over Delhi Police’s vigilance inquiry report on the allegation of leaking to the media the confessional statement of a Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) student, who was arrested in a case related to communal violence in northeast Delhi last year.

Terming the inquiry to be worse than an ordinary inquiry in a petty theft case, the court said the report was “completely silent” and asked the Special Commissioner of Police (Vigilance) to be present at the virtual proceedings on March 5 in the matter. “This vigilance inquiry is even worse than what they do in an ordinary inquiry in a petty theft case. These are not files sent through couriers, these are hand-held files,” Justice Mukta Gupta said.

The court was informed by the police that it had sent the complete case file to the Delhi Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs. To this, the court said, “These are senior IAS officers. Where did you do the inquiry? Where were the files sent? Who took them to the Delhi Government and MHA and who brought them back? There is nothing in the report. It is completely silent. These are not documents lying on road.” The HC was hearing a plea by JMI’s Asif Iqbal Tanha, alleging misconduct by police officials in leaking his disclosure statement, recorded by the probe agency during the investigation. During the hearing, the HC warned of harsher orders if the police were unable to find out the leakage source.

“The vigilance inquiry report says that the allegations were unsubstantiated. No, the allegations were substantiated. You were to find out who did it,” the judge observed. Advocate Amit Mahajan, representing the Delhi Police, said the police was equally aggrieved by the information leakage and that it was “undesirable.” To this, the court said it was not just undesirable, but also was prejudicial to the accused.

Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, appearing for Tanha, said the objective of the broadcast by the news channel was to malign Tanha. PTI