| All Indians are reported safe Bangkok, Sept. 20: For many in Thailand, it was a clash between two men: an arrogant Prime Minister and a humble King who always wins. Thailand’s revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has yet to utter a word about the dramatic overnight coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. But speaking out is not the style of the 78-year-old monarch, who despite age and frailty has shown that he remains the most powerful man in the country. On the books, the bloodless coup was a military affair led by Army chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, who said the overthrow was needed to resolve a protracted political crisis and restore “harmony among the people.” The new regime put Thailand under martial law and declared a provisional authority loyal to the monarch. In New Delhi, the external affairs ministry said it was closely monitoring the situation in Thailand and was in constant touch with the Indian embassy there, reports PTI. “All Indians are safe there,” an MEA official said. It remains unclear exactly what role the King played in removing Mr Thaksin. The palace claims it was not involved in the events, but many Thai people, along with political and monarchy experts, see it as another example of the constitutional monarch’s behind-the-scenes power, which he has exercised sparingly but effectively in his six-decade reign. “If the King didn’t give a nod, this never would have been possible,” said Sulak Siwalak, a prominent social critic and author of books on the role of the monarchy in Thailand. “Thaksin failed to realise that the King has been on the throne for 60 years and he’s no fool. The man is old and Thaksin thought he could play around with him — and it was a dangerous game,” said Sulak. “He felt he could belittle the King, and that’s something the King cannot stand.” There was no one event that led to Mr Thaksin’s ouster, but a series of missteps that prompted many to accuse the Prime Minister of challenging the King’s authority — an unpardonable act in Thailand. Mr Thaksin defied months of street protests and demands for him to resign amid allegations of corruption, election violations and a worsening Muslim insurgency in the south. Chief among Mr Thaksin’s flaws, in the eyes of the palace and many Thais, was his personality. The tycoon-turned-politician proved to be ambitious, conservative and strong-willed, refusing to correct himself when his policies backfired — particularly in the case of a strong-armed military approach to violence in the south, where more than 1,700 people have died over the past two years. Critics call him self-centred and arrogant. |
| New Delhi, Sept. 20: Two persons were killed on Wednesday while another was battling for life at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital as the city’s traders protesting against the sealing drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi turned violent at Seelampur in northeast Delhi. The area turned into a battleground, with traders and their supporters fighting pitched battles with the police.The traders have, meanwhile, called for a city-wide strike for a second day on Thursday. A 14-year-old boy was killed in police firing and another seven-year-old was killed in mob violence. The police had to resort to opening fire to bring the rampaging mob under control after the agitating traders turned violent and started pelting stones at the police. Several police officers, including the deputy commissioner of police (northeast), Mr Devesh Srivastava, was injured in the violence. Worried over the turn of events, the Centre is even mulling convening a special session of Parliament over the sealing issue in the national capital. Urban development minister S. Jaipal Reddy said the government had responded to the serious situation by notifying the changes in the Delhi Master Plan and added that the government was firm about it. It was even open to bringing in an amendment to the Constitution if necessary to give Delhi’s traders a reprieve. The Rapid Action Force was deployed in several areas to bring the situation under control, but the police still had to fire teargas shells and lathicharges to disperse the crowd. Entire areas where the protests were most acute looked like battle zones, with the mobs damaging some cars and police vehicles, DTC buses and Metro trains. Metro services were also affected in northeast Delhi after irate protesters pelted stones at a train in Shahdara. As a precautionary measure, Metro services were stopped at Shastri Park station, avoiding the areas of Seelampur, Welcome and Shahdara, a DMRC official said. According to additional DCP Rajeev Ranjan, a man was shot in police firing in the Seelampur area of northeast Delhi, where traders fought pitched battles, pelting stones and other missiles during most of the day. Several police officers and protesters were also injured in the melee. At least 50 policemen were injured in stone-pelting. It claimed that in Seelampur the mob was armed with countrymade pistols, bricks and rods. Mr Rajeev Ranjan said: “Stones were hurled at a Metro train in Shahdara, damaging its windowpanes.” The traders’ bandh was called to protest against the MCD’s sealing of unauthorised commercial establishments in residential areas despite the Centre allowing mixed land use. Mr Ranjan said at least 50 policemen were injured in stone-pelting. He said the mob was armed with country made pistols, bricks and rods. |
| New Delhi, Sept. 20: The Prime Minister’s media adviser, Dr Sanjaya Baru, has in the decided view of nuclear scientists and senior former diplomats overstepped his authority in deriding those who have been critical of policy drafted and executed directly under Dr Manmohan Singh. He has sent an email to former diplomat G. Parthasarathy wishing him luck in continuing his career with the BJP, even as he has singled out former senior officials Satish Chandra and B. Raman for acting under the directions of former national security adviser Brajesh Mishra and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The email addressed to Mr Parthasarathy was also sent to several other diplomats and officials by Dr Baru and is now in wide circulation, with copies having reportedly been sent to Mr Mishra as well. Dr Baru was responding to an email that had attached to it an article by Mr B. Raman, former additional secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, criticising the joint terror mechanism agreed to by Dr Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. In the process he sent his reply to Mr Parthasarathy to 20 other officials and journalists as well. The Prime Minister’s media adviser wrote: “This so-called piece by Raman is utter nonsense (the last two words in capital letters). For two years people have been betraying the Prime Minister as an innocent babe in the woods ... but he has gone from strength to strength. ...That such criticism should come from those close to Brajesh (former national security adviser) and Modi (Gujarat chief minister) — guys like Satish Chandra (former ambassador) and Ram and the new Modi think tank. Good luck in your new political career with the BJP....” Mr Parthasarathy sent a reply which is also in circulation, in which he said he did not realise that a journalist could metamorphose into a bureaucrat at such a fast pace. He said that criticism did not mean that everyone was a “BJP closet wallah”, and that Dr Baru could not deal with this by “throwing tantrums”. The senior envoy with decades of experience reminded the journalist-turned-adviser that he had no political interests and that he should be prepared for more broadsides. Dr Baru was also on television recently hitting out at former bureaucrats critical of the joint terror mechanism with Pakistan as “politicians”. Former nuclear scientists, who had earlier been at the receiving end of what many of them told this correspondent was a virtual campaign unleashed by Dr Baru and the PMO questioning their credentials, have actually sent out messages to the above officials welcoming them to “the club”. The former nuclear scientists had been particularly agitated over the charges being levelled against them, but as these were all “off the record” they were unable to take up the issue publicly. Dr Baru has been consistent in targeting journalists. Apart from SMS messages to select correspondents who questioned the Prime Minister on policy, he crossed all barriers for the journalist community when he wrote a letter to editors asking them to direct correspondents covering the PMO on how to behave. One, they should not stage demonstrations in pursuit of news at the Prime Minister’s Office or residence; two, they should be courteous to the officials and the staff deployed there; three, that instructions had been issued by him that only PIB accredited journalists should be allowed to stand outside the Prime Minister’s residence. He suggested to editors that journalists using foul language with the staff should either be transferred out of the PMO beat or their PIB accreditation be withdrawn.Or, conversely, he himself was prepared to report such instances to the editor, so that the necessary disciplinary action was taken against the reporter concerned.
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| United Nations, Sept. 20: Venezuela’s outspoken President Hugo Chavez called US President George W. Bush “the devil”, “a liar” and a “tyrant” in a scathing attack before the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. “Yesterday the devil came here and this place still smells of sulphur,” Mr Chavez said, referring to Mr Bush’s speech at the General Assembly on Tuesday. “He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world.” [The White House on Wednesday shrugged off Mr Hugo Chavez’s attacks on Mr George W. Bush. “Not worthy of reaction. Not worthy of comment,” US national security spokesman Frederick Jones said in response to the attacks.] Mr Chavez launched a virulent attack on what he called US “hegemony” and renewed calls for drastic reform of the United Nations to reduce US influence. The Leftist leader, who has joined Iran in opposing US influence, accused Washington of “domination, exploitation and pillage of peoples of the world.” “We appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our head,” he said. He also said the UN in its current system “doesn’t work” and is “anti-democratic.” He called for reform, saying the US government’s “immoral veto” had allowed recent Israeli bombings of Lebanon to continue unabated for more than a month. “Venezuela once again proposes today that we reform the United Nations,” he said. He drew tentative giggles at times from the audience, but also some applause when he called US “imperialism” a menace. Mr Chavez lambasted the US government for trying to block Venezuela’s campaign for a rotating seat on the UN Security Council. He said if chosen over US-favourite Guatemala in a secret-ballot UN vote next month, Venezuela would be “the voice of the Third World.” The US government warns that Mr Chavez, a close ally of Iran, Syria and Cuba, would be a disruptive force on the Security Council. |
| New Delhi, Sept. 20: The National Commission of Minorities feels that the amendment brought by the Gujarat government in the Freedom of Religion Act is in contravention to the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 by implication so the NCM has urged the state government to re-examine the matter. The NCM received representations from Buddhist organisations concerning the decision reportedly taken on September 19 by the Gujarat Assembly to amend the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act. The decision clubs for certain purposes Jains and Buddhists with Hindus. The commission stated that it would not comment at this stage on the objectives and reasons of the amendment but it wanted to draw attentions to clause 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 that empowers the Central government of India to notify a minority for purposes of the act. Pursuant to it the government of India, in the ministry of welfare, notifies on October 23, 1993, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) as “minority communities” for the purposes of the act. In view of this, the NCM is of the view that the decision of the Gujarat Assembly is in contravention of the said notification and by implication of the act. The commission urged the government of Gujarat to re-examine the matter as it affects the rights of religious minorities. The NCM also requested the government of India to consider the implications of the Gujarat Assembly’s decision for the NCM Act, 1992, and for the 1993 notification. Meanwhile, minority communities, including Buddhists and Jains, reacted against the Gujarat government’s move to amend the Freedom of Religion Act. The BJP went on the defensive, trying to explain its actions even to its own traditional votebanks. The Congress accused the Modi government in Gujarat of attempting a communal divide ahead of the Assembly elections next year through the anti-conversion bill. Party spokesperson Satyavrat Chaturvedi said that the action of the Gujarat government was a “double assault” on the Fundamental Right of a citizen to preach and practice the faith of choice. |
| New Delhi, Sept. 20: CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan on Wednesday signalled that it would still prefer to maintain a distance with the Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh for now. TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu had met Left leaders and held discussions. “Let the discussions go on,” Mr Bardhan said. This assumes significance in the backdrop of the TD’s bid to join the Left-led Third Front. The CPI(M) had contested the recent panchayat elections in AP with the TD, but the CPI chose to officially remain with the Congress. The Left has imposed a condition that the TD should revise it economic agenda, which is perceived to be pro-economic liberalisation and conditioned by policies of the World Bank. Briefing on the two-day CPI national executive meeting here, Mr Bardhan reiterated that his party had opposed former Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran’s Democratic Indira Congress (DIC) entry into the Left Front. “We opposed his entry into the Left Front through the open door. Shall we allow him through the backdoor?” he asked. Mr Bardhan said merger of the NCP and DIC could not be an internal matter of NCP. “The issue is only of Mr Karunakaran and nobody else. What will you say if we admit Mr L.K. Advani in our party? The media is unnecessarily making a hero out of nobody,” Mr Bardhan asked. | Huda may default on deadline |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: The much-hyped low-cost township of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (Huda) is unlikely to take off on October 2. Huda has neither been able to announce the sites that it has identified for construction of the townships meant for the lower and middle class groups, nor has it issued a notification inviting applications from eligible people to book flats.With less than two weeks to go for the October 2 deadline, sources in Huda told this correspondent that even the guidelines and eligibility criteria for inviting people from the middle income groups to book flats were not finalised. “Huda vice-chairman Jayesh Ranjan is in Ahmedabad in connection with a training programme and is expected to return only after Monday. Even if he issues a notification after he returns, when will people apply,” the sources said. “Huda is facing stiff resistance from farmers who are backed by Telugu Desam, BJP and Left parties on acquisition of lands. The moment Huda announces sites for townships, it is bound to be taken to court,” the sources added. Huda had announced the low-cost housing in July, a day after it got flak following the super-rich auction of Kokapet lands. Huda had proposed to construct at least three low cost townships with 2,000 flats each. The flats would be 800 sq ft and cost up to Rs 7 lakh. It had planned to get Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy to select allottees by draw of lots on October 2. Huda secretary P. Venkatrama Reddy did not rule out the possibility of the project failing to take off on October2. “Once the Huda vice-chairman returns, everything will be sorted out,” Mr Reddy added. |
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Experts want Delhi-style panel |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: Traffic experts have urged the State government to appoint a unified metropolitan transport authority (UMTA) to solve the traffic congestion in the city. The suggestion has been backed by top officials of the transport and police departments. The proposed UMTA will be similar to the authorities functioning in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. It will act as a planning agency for all departments that deal with traffic including the police, municipal corporation, APSRTC, school education and roads and buildings. Officials said that the UMTA would not need financial support since it would be a planning and policy making body. The government had responded positively to a similar proposal made by the A. Raghottama Rao Committee in October 2005, appointed after the High Court issued strictures on the traffic situation in the city. Officials stressed the need for a UMTA-like body by pointing out that the vehicle population would double in six or seven years. There are now 19 lakh vehicles plying the roads, and 10 per cent more is added every year. “Traffic problems will burgeon in the future and we hope the government will look into the matter soon” said additional commissioner, traffic, A.K. Khan. Narrow roads, encroachments, lack of alternative routes and poor bus network are often cited as the reasons for the traffic congestion in the city. Buses transport 42 per cent of the public; nearly 50 per cent depend on personal vehicles or autorickshaws. Mr Srinivas Achary, director of Urban Governance and Infrastructure, who studied transport planning, said that confusion occurred because no agency was solely responsible for traffic management. “This leads to overlaps and that is why we also recommended the setting up of the UMTA,” Mr Achary said. Officials recall that coordination among the departments was smooth between 1989 and 1991 when then Chief Minister Dr M. Chenna Reddy acted as chairman of the traffic advisory body. “The same kind of response is required now,” said a senior official. |
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Traffic curbs for Aga Khan visit |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: Traffic restrictions be imposed from September 21 to 23 to facilitate the travel of Prince Aga Khan who will be visiting Hyderabad on those days. The restrictions are:
Sept. 21, Thursday
Airport To Taj Krishna, 8.25 pm to 9.15 pm:
Airport, PNT Junction, HPS, Greenlands, Monappa island (Rajiv Gandhi statue), Punjagutta Junction, NFCL Junction. Sept. 22, Friday
Taj Krishna to Secretariat, 8.45am 9.25 am:
KCP, VV statue, Khaira-tabad flyover, Necklace Rotary, NTR Marg, Telugu Talli, Secretariat.
Secretariat to Taj Krishna: 12.30 pm to 1.10 pm: Telugu Talli, NTR Marg, Necklace Rotary, VV statue, Khai-ratabad flyover, KCP. Taj Krishna to Raj Bhavan; 7.00 to 7.45 pm: KCP; VV Statue, Raj Bhavan. Sept. 23, Saturday
Taj Krishna to Kompally; 9.15 to 10.15 am: NFCL, Punjagutta Jn., Monappa island, Begumpet flyover, PNT flyover, Rasoolpura Jn, Tadbun, Bowenpally, Srilatha garden, Mahender Reddy garden. Kompally to Airport: 10.45 to 11.45 am: Mahender Reddy garden, Srilatha garden, Bowenpally, Tadbun, CTO, Rasoolpura junction, PNT junction, Airport. |
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Kidnap of cricketer: 2 jailed |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: The second additional metropolitan sessions judge court on Wednesday convicted two persons accused in the sensational kidnapping of former Ranji cricketer V. Chamundeswaranath.The court sentenced V. Sandeep Choudary and his friend Mohammed Saleem to undergo three years rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 under 365 IPC (kidnapping) and acquitted four other accused. Additional public prosecutor B. Rajeshwara Reddy was the prosecutor. On April 12, 2005, Sandeep and Saleem had kidnapped Chamundesw-aranath who was walking at KBR Park around 5.30 am. After realising that the police was on their trail, they let him off at Mehidipatnam. After their arrest, they stated that they had kidnapped the cricketer earlier and had extorted Rs 4.5 lakh from him. But the cricketer had allegedly not filed a complaint then. |
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30% ex-prisoners say jail is better: Survey |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: At least 30 per cent of freed prisoners want to return to jail, reveals the survey conducted by the AP Prisons Department officials. It is not “ambience”that attracts them but the label of criminal that follows everywhere. Additional inspector-general of police, prisons, Dr Ahmed said, “A study was conducted on ‘aftercare’ of 300 prisoners who were released from Cherlapally prison. At least 40 per cent of them were not re- integrated into their families and society.” Lack of proper employment and income are other reasons which add to the crisis. The study revealed that vocational training imparted in prisons did not enable ex-prisoners to compete in the market. What was their greatest loss in going to prison? 36 per cent said it was earning the label of a criminal; 26 per cent said it was the damage to their self respect and reputation; 23 per cent said it was the damage caused by prison life to their character; 11 per cent mentioned damage done to their family name. The survey revealed that many of the prisoners after their release migrated to urban areas in search of anonymity. “At least 72.3 per cent were from villages and 27.7 per cent from urban areas. After release and during the survey, we found only 56.7 per cent living in rural pockets,” Mr Ahmed said. The average income at the time of committing crime is Rs 2,047.50; after release it fell to Rs 1504.20. “The earning capacity is reduced this is due to stigma attached them,” Mr Ahmed said. The study found that a majority (51 per cent) of the respondents had committed crime between the ages of 20 to 30 years. The mean age at the time of committing crime is 34.8 years and the present mean age at the time of survey is 41.2 years. |
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Warangal badly hit, rain toll 31 |
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| | KCR seeks Andhra level relief Hyderabad, Sept. 20: Heavy rains and flood paralysed normal life in many areas of Telangana and coastal districts for the fourth consecutive day. As many as 31 persons have died in rain-related incidents and thousands rendered homeless in Kar-imnagar, Khammam, Wara-ngal, Adilabad, Medak, Guntur and Vizianagaram. Godavari, Krishna and other rivers are carrying heavy inflows from Maharashtra. The Tungabhadra, Shabari were in spate. A second warning was issued in Bhadrachalam on Wednesday after water level in Godavari crossed 50 feet. It could touch 52.5 feet early on Thursday. Irrigation officials opened all the 70 gates of the Prakasam barrage. The situation improved in Karimnagar which experienced heavy rain for five days. But the condition in Warangal worsened with seven people, including two school children, killed.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy held a tele conference with the collectors and asked them to assess the situation every hour. He asked them to provide relief to the kin of the deceased as per Apathbandhu and other schemes. TRS president K. Chandrasekhara Rao, Telugu Desam politburo member T. Devendar Goud separately toured in devastated areas Karimnagar district. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao wanted relief for the families flood-affected people on a par with what is paid in the Andhra region. |
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Cloudseeding begins; 11 districts in deficit |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: Even as flood and heavy rains battered many parts of Telangana and Coastal areas, as many as 11 districts have received deficit rainfall since the onset of the southwest monsoon. Drought-like conditions prevail in Rayalaseema districts. The monsoon will end this month. By this time, Rayalaseema should record 292.7 mm rain but this year the figure stands at 217.4 mm. Except Chittoor, the remaining three Rayalaseema districts have received deficit rainfall: Kadapa -35 per cent), Anantapur -33 per cent and Kurnool -29 per cent. Insufficient rainfall was also a cause of concern in caused concern in Mahbubnagar where the deficit was -53 per cent); Nalgonda (-40), Ranga Reddy (-33) and Medak (-20 per cent). The sub-divisional deficit in Telangana district is 14 per cent. The normal rainfall in the region is 673.3 mm; this year the figure is 580.7 mm. The overall deficit in the coastal areas is 12 per cent, with Guntur district worst affected. The deficit in Guntur is -50 percent), Prakasam -37, West Godavari -10, Nellore -5, and Krishna - 4 per cent. The government on Wednesday launched the cloud seeding programme in Rayalaseema using two aircraft of Agni Aviation. The aircraft flew into seedable clouds located by special radars. The city-based JNTU has been entrusted with the job and several committees under vice-chancellor Dr K. Rajgopal have been given the tasks of planning, designing, execution, monitoring and evaluation. Dr. Muralidhar is director for the cloud seeding project. He said that cloud seeding would be taken up in Telangana from Friday from Hyderabad. |
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Stop work on head regulator, says BJP |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded the government to stop work on Pothireddipadu reservoir as it would be detrimental to the interests of farmers under Krishna Ayacut. Addressing a press conference here, party leaders K. Laxman and V. Seshagiri Rao said that 100 tmc of water should be diverted from Godavari to river Krishna to compensate the loss of water in case the government was keen on Porhireddipadu. |
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Breather for AP: Judges plots |
| | In AP Court | | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: A division bench directed advocate-general C.V. Mohan Reddy to inform the court whether the State government was intending to amend the government order granting land in favour of judges of the AP High Court, legislators, MPs and journalists so far as allotting lands to judges was concerned. The bench took serious objection to the State government allotting lands in favour of judges. The bench wanted to know whether the government was inclined to amend GO by deleting the name of the judges. The bench passed the orders in a writ petition filed challenging the action of the State government in allotting lands to these sections. The bench adjourned the matter to October 11. File list of vacancies The AP High Court on Wednesday called for details of vacancies available for the post of village panchayat secretaries as on the date of issuance of government order 144. It asked advocate-general C.V. Mohan Reddy to place the details of persons who took voluntary retirement from the post of village secretaries on medical and other grounds. A division bench was dealing with writ petitions challenging the action of the government in removing more than 1,400 village panchayat secretaries, who were appointed on compassionate grounds. The bench adjourned the matter to Friday. CBCID gets 3 months A division bench of the AP High Court on Wednesday granted three more months to the CBCID for completing investigation in the scam that arose in payment of compensation for land acquired for the Lower Maneru dam in Karimnagar District. Additional director-general Ratan, who appeared in person, submitted a report of the investigation conducted so far and sought time to complete the investigation.Compensation had been abnormally hiked by allegedly forging orders. Government pleader for home K. Ramesh submitted in a sealed cover, the names of judicial staff who allegedly were found to be involved in the tampering of the judgment as directed. Prison reforms A division bench of the AP High Court on Wednesday called for a detailed proposal from senior advocate S. Ramachandra Rao to enable prison reforms in the State. The court took suo motu cognisance of a letter written by T. Sanjeeva Rayudu and A. Manohar complaining that police officers Samuel and Bala Prakash were forcing prisoners to convert to Christianity. The bench appointed Mr Ramachandra Rao as amicus curaie in the matter.
The court directed the district judge to inquire into the matter and submit a report.
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AP opposes permit for Maha storage |
| | Krishna water dispute | |
Hyderabad, Sept. 20: The State government has objected to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal observation that there is no need to impose any restriction on the upper riparian States of Karnataka and Maharashtra regarding creation of carryover storages on the river Krishna.
In its interlocutory application (No. 27 of 2006) to be filed before the tribunal on September 25, the State government challenged the observations made by the tribunal in its order dated June 9, 2006. The tribunal said Maharashtra is utilising only 489 tmc, out of its allocation of 560 tmc. “So long as it does not utilise more than 560 tmc, we do not think that there can be any ground to prohibit construction of any projects. If these are made in anticipation of the share of surplus water over and above 560 tmc, then also we do not find any reason to prohibit the same for the simple reason that if surplus water is not available and nothing is allocated to Maharashtra above 560 tmc, then that State has to utilise the allocated share of water in the projects,” it observed. The Andhra Pradesh government is arguing that the Bachawat Award had not given any right to the upper riparian States to create carryover storages. In fact, it had declined their request to permit impounding of water in excess of 75 per cent dependability, going waste into the sea, in a chain of reservoirs. The carryover storages are permitted only at Srisailam and Nagarjunsagar, it pointed out. “Only in the event of constituting a Krishna Valley Authority can the upper States create carryover storages,” it said. Andhra Pradesh has also produced data to the tribunal to show that the irrigation projects in Karnataka and Maharashtra have a success rate of 98 per cent and get sufficient water almost to their capacity every year. As such, they do not experience deficiency even in lean years. “Therefore, the upper riparian States do not need carryover storages,” it said.
It further pointed out that there is no mechanism to ensure that the upper States, after creating excess capabilities, would restrict utilisation to the permitted quantity. As per the master plan of Maharashtra, the annual utilisation for the projects would be about 945.63 tmc, including 736 tmc for irrigation, which is 296 tmc ft more than the Bachawat Award, which will detrimental to the interests of AP, it argued. |
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15 additional SPs shifted |
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| | Hyderabad, Sept. 20: The State government on Wedn-esday transferred 15 additional SPs and 35 DSPs. The new postings of additional SPs are:
V. Ashok Reddy: Additional DCP Cyberabad traffic.
Ch. Ramachander: To report to DGP.
Ranjit Singh: Addl SP (administration), Kadapa.
T.V. Raja Gopal: Administration, West Godavari.
K. Jaganmohan Reddy: intelligence.
Karan Veer Salla: AP Police Academy.
U. Madhukar Rao: Admi-nistration, Medak.
J. Kanaka Rao: Addl SP (administration), Nellore.
R. Siva Rama Raju: Intelligence.
M. Laxminarayana: Addl SP Police Training College, Anantapur.
M Ravi Prakash: OSD Gurazala in Guntur.
J.A. Alexander: At disposal of MCH commissioner.
A.V. Ranganath: Addl SP (admn) East Godavari.
K Chandrakanth Reddy: Administration, Nalgonda.
D.K. Mishra: Administration in Srikakulam. New postings of DSPs are:
L.P.S Ramunaidu to Sri-kakulam; P. Rama Rao to Tenali; K. Mahipal Reddy to Rajendranagar ACP; N.V. Naidu to CID; Syed Vali to Dhone; K.R. Vinay Kumar to CID; M Sivaiah to Dharmavaram; V Nagabhushan Reddy to Tadipatri; D. Satyanarayana to Penukonda); K. Satyanarayana to Tirumala; M. Niyamathulla Khan to Ramachandrapuram; P. Venkateswara Rao to Vikarabad; Y. Madhusudhan Rao to Mahankali; Suhas Chaturvedi to SultanBazaar; V. Ramakrishnaiah as Banjara Hills ACP; R.N. Ammi Reddy to Markapur; L. Satyanarayana to Wyra; K. Mohan Rao to Narayanpet; B.R.N. Tagore to Guntur rural; K. Anjaneyulu to Nizamabad; V. Ganga Raju to Puttaparthi; S. Viswa-nathdam to Nalgonda; G.L. Harichander to CID; Ch Ramanarayana Reddy to Saroornagar; P. Marthan-dam to Mancherial; A. Subba Rao to Amalapuram; T.S. Krishna Murthy to Guntakal Railways; D. Narasimha Reddy to CID; S.V.D.V. Prasada Rao to CID; A, Narayana to Malkajgiri; K. Narasimhulu to CID; M. Ashokvardhan Reddy to Gurujala; M. Vijay Singh to Mahbubnagar and V. Venkateswarlu to Siddipet | | Sonia calls for UP struggle |
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| | Lucknow, Sept. 20: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked the people of Uttar Pradesh to prepare for another freedom struggle. “This struggle will be to free the State from criminals and corrupt elements who are being promoted by fascist forces. Bareilly is known to have played a crucial role in the freedom movement and is also known for its secular credentials. The politics of caste, religion and social discrimination is dominating Uttar Pradesh and corrupt leaders are busy filling their coffers with ill-gotten money. Atrocities are being heaped upon the poor and women. Time has come for the brave soldiers of this land to fight another battle,” she said while addressing an impressive “Nav Nirman” rally in Bareilly on Wednesday. Mounting a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party government in UP, the Congress president said that though the state government chanted the mantra of making Uttar Pradesh into an “Uttam Pradesh” but the reality was just the opposite. “The state is literally and figuratively steeped in darkness,” she said. She accused the ruling state government of not spending the funds sanctioned by the Centre for the development of the state. “We are releasing thousands of crores for various projects in Uttar Pradesh. Where is the money going? The people of the state must ask the state government and demand an explanation,” she said. |
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Finance minister to head GoM on Naxals |
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| | New Delhi, Sept. 20: The Central government is giving a serious thought to the socio-economic dimension of the Naxalite problem. Despite intelligence and security agencies repeatedly stressing merely on the arms and equipment needed to fight the Naxalites, the government has reportedly decided to have Union finance minister P. Chidambaram head the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Naxalism and deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia as a member of the GoM, said home ministry sources. The GoM was suggested by none other than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his meeting with the Chief Ministers on terrorism and Naxalism, held sometime back at his residence, 7, Race Course Road. This group, setup on Dr Singh’s suggestion, will largely look into the socio-economic causes of rise of Naxalism in tribal areas. It may be recalled that in the last Chief Ministers’ conference in Chandigarh Congress president Sonia Gandhi too had stressed on addressing the socio-economic causes of Naxalism and all along the various State governments have been claiming that they are working on it. But so far it has been a fruitless exercise. In Chhattisgarh, where the State government patronis-ed the counter movement Salva Judum, the Central government does not appear too happy with it and thinks that this is turning out to be counterproductive. Perhaps that is why the decision to have the finance minister head the group and Planning Commission deputy chairman be a member. And interestingly this decision is being anno-unced by the home ministry on the eve of the Nainital Chief Ministers’ conference where both Mr Chidambaram and Union home minister Shivraj Patil are expected to participate. |
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Info on deleted scenes on CBFC website soon |
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| | New Delhi, Sept. 20: The Indian movie buffs will finally get to know what they never got to see on the silver screen. Opening up its “censored” world to the public for the first time, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has deci-ded to soon make available information of scenes that never made it to the theatres. So, while most Indians may or may not have seen the country’s first talkie Raja Harishchandra, they will soon be able to know when the movie got certified and the scenes that never made it past the censor editing table. Since making these portions available for viewing is not possible, the CBFC said it has decided that it would use web technology to make the details available on its website. The CBFC’s website is already being worked on to provide the additional information. “We have outsourced the work to allow things like data entry to be incorporated. The list of films that have been certified in 2005 and some part of 2006 is already on the website and people can access the website to find which film got what certification,” Vinayak Azad, the regional officer of the CBFC, said. With most of the Central Board of Film Certification’s records manually maintained over the years, the biggest challenge for the new project is likely to be that of time management. |
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‘Indians safe in Thailand’ |
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| | New Delhi, Sept. 20: New Delhi was monitoring closely the situation in Thailand after the Thai Army on Tuesday grabbed power in a bloodless coup, overthrowing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The ministry of external affairs gave a cautious response to the military coup but said it noted a pledge from the new authorities to restore democracy in the kingdom. It also said all Indian nationals in Thailand were safe. The spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs said, “We have noted the evolving situation in Thailand and the commitment of the Administrative Reforms Council to return power to the people at the earliest. The Indian community in Thailand is safe. We attach great importance to out relations with Thailand, a country with which India has ancient civilisational affinities and strong bonds of friendship and cooperation.” Thai Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin on Tuesday wrested power from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and declared martial law in the country. Mr Shinawatra was in New York at that time to attend the UN General Assembly. Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin declared himself the acting Prime Minister and promised to hand over power to the people as soon as possible to preserve peace. World leaders condemned the military coup, urging Thais to embrace the rule of law. “I don’t have the details but this is not a practice to be encouraged,” UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said of the coup. He urged the Thai people to “remain calm.” |
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Panabaka stays off meet over error in invitation |
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| | New Delhi, Sept. 20: Union minister of State for health Panabaka Lakshmi on Wednesday boycotted a function inaugurating the new building complex of Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology in Noida. The reason behind her absence was that her name was listed below that of an official on the invite. Ms Lakshmi apparently stayed away from the function in protest, after duly informing her senior colleague, Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss. According to sources, Ms Lakshmi is planning to order a departmental inquiry into the matter and even protest to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. While the plaque at the function site, which was inaugurated by Dr Ramadoss, carries the name of Ms Lakshmi along with the Union health minister, her absence made it obvious that she is not happy with this error.Meanwhile, at the function, Dr Ramadoss inform-ed that India is developing a cost-effective and cheaper vaccine for controlling cervical cancer in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and a US-based company. The Union health minister said that initiative has been taken to make a vaccine that works against human papilloma virus, the major agent causing cervical cancer in women. |
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