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Construction of dams must for development of country

KURUKSHETRA, Oct 7: Dr K G Ranga Raju, a pioneer in the field of river water management, has emphasised that construction of dams was must for the development of country, but these should be built in consultation with environmentalists, keeping in view needs and requirements of the local people.........more

Flood toll crosses 1200 mark, situation improves

CALCUTTA, Oct 7: Barring North 24 Parganas district, flood waters eased off in West Bengal improved today even as the death toll crossed the 1200 mark. However, more than 21 million people in 171 blocks and 69 municipalities under nine districts were the badly affected by the floods, Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said......more

MCD facing shortage of
land for school buildings

NEW DELHI, Oct 7: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), providing primary education to about nine lakh childeren in the capital, has informed the Delhi High Court about the problem of shortage of land for school buildings being faced by it......more

RSS asks Christians to
set up Swadeshi church

NAGPUR, Oct 7: RSS chief K C Sudarshan today said majority of the Christians were patriotic and asked them to disassociate themselves ......more

N Chandrababu Naidu

Possibility of zoo staff’s involvement in tiger killing

HYDERABAD, Oct 7: Andhra Pradesh Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu today did not ......more

India to bid for additional Mirages from France

NEW DELHI, Oct 7: India will be bidding for additional multi-role Mirage......more

J Jayalalitha

Jayalalitha threatens stir

CHENNAI, Oct 7: AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalitha today announced that she....more

Hardcore NLFT militant killed in encounter

AGARTALA, Oct 7: A dreaded extremist belonging to banned National Liberation Front...more

Construction of dams must for development of country

Talking to UNI after inaugurating the Hydro-2000 national conference on hydraulics and water resources engineering, Dr Ranga Raju, the Vice-Chancellor University of Roorkee, said India could utilise available river waters for production of hydroelectric power and irrigational purposes.

India could produce pollution-free electric energy to meet the increasing demands in the industrial and domestic sectors, he said adding "Brahamputra river has the capacity to produce 20 mw hydroelectric power if harnessed properly".

The eminent water management engineer said that even if India had to sacrifice something for production of hydroelectric energy and proper utilisation of water, "we must go for it as we are a developing country".

He said those who opposed construction of dams must rethink and reconsider their viewpoints in context of the welfare of the people. He, however, said that people displaced due to construction of dams must be duly compensated as was done in the construction of the Mansarovar dam.

Earlier, in his keynote address to the inaugural session of three=day national conference on hydraulics, Dr Ranga Raju said new vistas had been thrown open for water engineers after the experimental researches in river water management were replaced by the computer-based innovative devices produced by software engineers.

This, he said, had saved time, energy, funds, tension and labour of the engineers to a great extent.

Dr K C Bangar, former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar, and Chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission, in his inaugural address, said that any water policy could never be implemented as such for all parts of the country or even in a State. This was because the water problems were localised, he said adding solution should also be localised as per needs of the people. He said that water technology should be devised in close consultation with the farmers of the area.

The conference, organised for the first time in Northern India, is being attended by about 80 water management experts and engineers from all over the country. They included eminent scholars like Dr P P Vidyaraman, former Director of the Central Water Pollution Control Board.

Dr K G Ranga Raju, Dr Z Ahmed (Patiala) and Dr U C Kothyari (Roorkee) were conferred with "Jal Vigyan Puruskar" for their best papers selected by the technical review committee. (UNI)

Flood toll crosses 1200 mark, situation improves

CALCUTTA, Oct 7: Barring North 24 Parganas district, flood waters eased off in West Bengal improved today even as the death toll crossed the 1200 mark.

However, more than 21 million people in 171 blocks and 69 municipalities under nine districts were the badly affected by the floods, Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said.

He confirmed 1790 deaths and said 103 people were missing.

Murshidabad accounted for the highest death of 618 and 49 missing, followed by Birbhum with 228 deaths and ten missing, Nadia 130 deaths and 44 missing, Burdwan 72 deaths, Hooghly 27 deaths, Midnapore 13, North 24 Parganas six and Howrah three.

Dr Dasgupta said the total damage, which was initially estimated at Rs 3089 crore, had now crossed Rs 4000 crore and the State Government would increase its demand from the National Centre for Calamity Management (NCCM) to over Rs 1000 crore from Rs 962 crore. Dr Dasgupta said the State Government had already spent Rs 180 crore for relief and reconstruction and alloted Rs 40 crore for house building.

The State Government had also sanctioned Rs 31.50 crore for agriculture and power tiller mini kits for farmers and Rs 20 crore for loans to the weavers and artisans.

Besides, he said, the state cooperative bank will provide crop loans to the tune of Rs 200 crore.

He said the situation in North 24 Parganas and at Hanskhali in Nadia remained critical even though all the major rivers have stated receding.

Water had been rising in Deganga in North 24 Parganas district. Dr Dasgupta said the State Government had given much emphasis on public health and had so far purified nearly 75,000 tube wells besides distributing 500,000 drinking water pouches and over four crore halogen tablets.

He said there was a great demand for tarpaulin in the affected districts and the State Government has decided to make an advance of Rs five crore to the IPCL for supply of more tarpaulin. (UNI)

MCD facing shortage of land for school buildings

Bringing to court’s notice certain problems faced by the corporation in meeting the basic facilities in the schools run by it, MCD Additional Commissioner K S Mehta in an affidavit said non availability of land for school buildings and dispute over the title of land waiting transfer to it, was the main reason for running the schools in tents.

Location of some school buildings in low-lying areas, which remain flooded for a long period during the year, had also forced the corporation to run classes in tents, the affidivit filed after court’s May 17 order demanding status report on facilities in MCD schools, said.

The court had demanded a status report following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that many of the 1800 mcd schools did not have the minimum basic facilities like toilets, water and electricity, while about 400 schools were either run in tents or in the open.

The PIL filed by All India Lawyers Union (AILU) advocate Ashok Aggarwal alleged that due to non payment of electricity bills by MCD, Delhi Vidyut Board had disconnected power supply to over 200 schools.

However, the corporation said major repairs in the school buildings and their boundary walls had been done and remaining work would be completed by october 31.

The corporation said it was alive to the problmes faced by children and held a detailed discussion on providing electricity, water and sanitation facilities in all the schools with Delhi Government at a high level meeting in June.

The MCD claimed that except two schools in Narela, and one in central zone, toilet blocks had been built in all the schools.

However, the AILU had submitted in court photographs of some of the schools in a West Delhi colony showing that the condition had not improved much there.

The corporation also said engagement of teachers by the Government for non academic activities was affecting children’s education.

In many resettlement localities school premises were used as garbage dumping grounds by the local people, it said.

The corporation planned to set up 268 model schools, two each in a ward to provide better orientation to the children belonging to low income groups and poor sections.

MCD also proposed to open more nursery sections in its schools to ensure admission to all the children, especially in resettlement colonies, the affidavit said. (PTI)

RSS asks Christians to set up Swadeshi church

NAGPUR, Oct 7: RSS chief K C Sudarshan today said majority of the Christians were patriotic and asked them to disassociate themselves from the stranglehold of foreign churches by setting up a Swadeshi church.

Sudershsan, addressing an annual Vijayadashmi gathering here, launched a scathing attack on foreign churches and accused them of hatching a political conspiracy to destabilise the nation.

"Why are these foreign churches allowed to carry on their activities on our soil?" he asked and urged Christians to set up a Swadeshi church on the lines of the orthodox Syrian church and the Marthoma church of Kerala.

Sudershan accused the baptist church of playing havoc in Tripura where Hindus were driven out and tribals were harassed in the name of Christianity.

The Sangh was being projected as anti-Christian and anti-Islamic in the world, he said, adding none of the Hindu organisations were found guilty in a criminal assualt on a nun in Jhauba (MP), killing of an Australian missionary and his two sons in Orissa and attack on missionary schools in Agra.

On the contrary, terrorist outfit Deendar Anjuman was allegedly behind the bomb blasts in churches in Andhra Pradesh, kKrnataka and Goa, Sudarshan said.

The RSS chief urged Muslims to keep a vigil on anti-national activities of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and give information about it to authorities.

He said ISI had spread its activities and was indulging in bomb blasts, smuggling of arms and transporting RDX in the country.

He called for complete "Indianisation of Islam" in the country and urged Muslims to join the cultural mainstream. (PTI)

Possibility of zoo staff’s involvement in tiger killing

HYDERABAD, Oct 7: Andhra Pradesh Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu today did not rule out the involvement of employees of Nehru Zoological Park here in the ‘shocking and macabre’ act of killing of a tiger in the zoo on Wednesday and said stern action would be taken against those found guilty.

Naidu, who visited the zoo, said there could be a possibility of the staff having connived with the perpetrators of the crime. He said firm action would be taken against the guilty.

Indignant at the killing of the tiger, he warned the zoo officials not to allow such things to recur and asked to lay stress on beefing up security and safety measures.

Meanwhile, sniffer dogs and finger prints were pressed into service to track down the culprits.

Four employees —the animal keeper, the park watchman, forester and zoo sergeant— were placed under suspension pending enquiry. Apart from CB-CID inquiry, departmental enquiry was also ordered and stringnent action would be taken against the culprits, whoever they may be, Forest Minister A Patrudu, who also accompanied the Chief Ministe, said, said. (PTI)

India to bid for additional Mirages from France

NEW DELHI, Oct 7: India will be bidding for additional multi-role Mirage 2000 jet fighters from France which, coupled with the indigenous production of updated Su-30 MKI, would give the country a strategic and tactical edge in the region, according to Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis.

"The licence production of the Su-30 MKI would commence very soon after the completion of the initial lot of 50 in Russia and would enable the Air Force to finalise its Vision-2020 long term perspective planning", the Chief of Air Staff told newsmen in the backdrop of tomorrow’s celebration of Air Force Day.

The Air Chief said the upgradation of Su-30’s was being done to suit IAF’s needs and specifications and that the first lot of such aircraft would roll out by the end of next year.

"These upgraded aircraft would have capabilities as no other Sukhoi including those in service with the Chinese Air Force and would have super manouverability and thrust vector capability", Tipnis said.

He said though the IAF had just signed an agreement for purchase of ten more latest series of Mirage 2000, "we are making additional bid for the Su-30’s which would give us interim capability till LCA becomes operational".

Tipnis said India has sought some "specific changes" in the purchase of Hawk advanced jet trainers which were under study by manufacturers also included specific guarantees and sufficent sureties to safeguard against sanctions.

"We expect the new deal to be through by end of the year", he said.

To queries by newsmen as to what safeguards had been taken to ensure that Hawks did not suffer the fate of Harriers and Sea-King helicopters whose spares and servicing had been hit by post-Pokharan sanctions, Tipnis said enough safeguards were being included in the contract.

The Air Chief said the deal to acquire in-flight refuelling aircraft for the Air Force would also be finalised by the end of the year.

He said the upgradation programme of IAF’s MA series of aircraft had finally been fine-tuned after suffering from delays. "Two protoypes have been flightested in Russia and we hope to start indigenous production of upgraded MiG-21’s by middle of next year", Tipnis said.

On acquisition of the AWACS, the Air Chief said the Air Force had not found the two Russian aircraft brought on lease suitable and were exploring the market elsewhere.

Air Chief Marshal Tipnis denied that there was any "clash of ego" with his former Army counterpart saying though there could be disagreements on specific issues, "it does not come in the way of the three forces working together".

The Air Chief said IAF was not complacent about flight safety saying efforts were constantly underway to reduce air accidents.

"The nineties saw a drop towards the end of last year the figures had dipped sharply from previous years. We hope this rate will fall further after the induction of the AJT", Tipnis said. (PTI)

Jayalalitha threatens stir

CHENNAI, Oct 7: AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalitha today announced that she would lead an agitation at Andipatti on October 15 and at Dindigul on October 22 if the Karunanidhi Government did not grant permission to install statues of her mentor and former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran and the legendary freedom fighter Veeran Azhagu Muthu, respectively.

Accusing the Karunanidhi Government of deliberately delaying permission due to political considerations, she said in a statement here that her party had made all arrangements for installing the statues.

Ms Jayalalitha alleged that Mr Karunanidhi, who had been vaxing eloquent about his 40-year-old friendship with MGR, showed little consideration for the late Chief Minister.

She warned that she would go ahead with the unveiling of the statues at Andipatti, the constituency represented by MGR, and at Dindigul as scheduled. (UNI)

Hardcore NLFT militant killed in encounter

AGARTALA, Oct 7: A dreaded extremist belonging to banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) was killed and sophisticated arms and ammunition were recovered in an encounter with the security forces in west Tripura today.

Police said here that a joint group of Tripura State Rifles (TSR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police had launched a combing operation last night at Shyamnagar area under Takarjala police station.

In the early hours, the NLFT militants opened fire from their hideouts on the security forces and this was immediately retaliated by them, leading to a heavy exchange of fire between the two sides.

After-45 minute’ gun-battle, the militants managed to escape deep inside the jungle. Later the security forces recovered a body of the slain militant along with an AK 56 rifle, one foreign made pistol, three grenades and huge quantities of ammunition from the spot.

With this, at least ten hardcore militants, mostly belonging to NLFT, were killed during the past one month in encounters with the security forces in different parts of the State. (UNI)