Excelsior... Nation

Surveillance system
at Kumbh

KUMBHNAGAR (ALLAHABAD), Jan 13: Security at Mahakumbh will become more techno-savvy with 15 automatic surveillance cameras and a computerised dial-100 distress call ......more

‘Ball now in India’s
court’: Hurriyat

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: The Hurriyat Conference today said it was awaiting Prime Minister Atal ?....more

President, Vice-President,
PM greetings on Makar
Snkranti, Pongal

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: The President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister have greeted the......more

Centre will soon set up
a national grid: Prabhu

MUMBAI, Jan 13: Centre will soon set up a national grid with Power Grid Corporation of India.....more

Ensuing UP polls spurring
temple cry: Gyandas

SAGAR ISLAND (WB), Jan 13: The current controversy over construction of the Ram Temple at........more

Rajasthan Govt
to launch famine
relief works

AJMER, Jan 13: With nearly one million rural people of Ajmer district alone facing severe........more

Bravery awards
presented

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: Lieutenant General S S Sangra, GOC-in-C Western Command, today......more

Indian food, Mughal
history await Stephen
Hawking in Delhi

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: Spicy Indian food and the not-so-brief Mughal history promise to charm.....more

Surveillance system at Kumbh

KUMBHNAGAR (ALLAHABAD), Jan 13: Security at Mahakumbh will become more techno-savvy with 15 automatic surveillance cameras and a computerised dial-100 distress call system linked to Police Control Room to monitor the bathing days beginning tomorrow on Makar Sankranti’.

Surveillance cameras will work round-the-clock scanning the entire area enabling fast transfer of information from every corner so that any untoward incident or terrorist activity is fully traced, State Minister for Information Technology and Electronics Shivkant Ojha told PTI.

Through dial-100 system, anyone can contact the police and security personnel. Set up in 28 places, the phones are connected to all police patrol teams, he said adding the caller identity, the conversation, and time taken by the concerned authorities to reach the trouble spot will be registered for future reference.

The surveillance cameras placed at high towers can do a 180 degree tilt and can follow a moving object upto one kilometre, he claimed.

Fifteen trained policemen and 25 constables will work in the monitoring room under two deputy SPs and 12 sub inspectors who will be assisted by two technicians, S C Gupta, general manager of Uptron, which designed the system, told PTI.

Forty km of cable has been laid in the Kumbh area to link the cameras to the TV monitors in the Police Control Room.

Though the cameras move automatically, the angles can be changed manually from the control room. In addition, the cameras can take 30 to 90 pre-programmed movements and angles, as per specific requirements, Said Arun Arya, special secretary in State Department of Information Technology and Electronics and Uptron managing director.

In case of power break down, the cameras have a backup system to work six more hours. Built in tinted glass cages, they are weather-proof and can function in rainy or foggy conditions and even in the light of a candle, claimed Arya.

The cameras, which are already functional, will go full swing from the Shahi Snan of January 14.

It can be used as an early warning system, and for corrective action as in traffic diversions or regulating pilgrims’ movement. The recorded tapes can also be used as proof for fixing post-event accountability, Arya said.

In dial-100 system, the call is routed through computers and conversations are recorded for future reference. The information will be passed on through wireless sets to fire brigades, police mobile teams and security personnel as need be, Ojha said. (PTI)

‘Ball now in India’s court’: Hurriyat

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: The Hurriyat Conference today said it was awaiting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s arrival from abroad for a final decision on the issue of passports to its delegation for visiting Pakistan.

Even though it was disappointed for not being able to send its five-member delegation on January 15, a Hurriyat spokesman today said the Hurriyat had not totally given up hope and and was optimistic about getting travel documents.

Hurriyat leaders had made all preparations for the visit on January 15. Pakistan had also announced a warm welcome to the delegation. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had reserved seats in its executive class for the Hurriyat leaders on for January 15.

"We have done our part of duty by constituting the five-member team for Pakistan. The ball is now in India’s court," the spokesman said.

When asked whether the Hurriyat had done a volte face as they had earlier announced that they would not constitute the team unless all the seven members of the grouping were issued passports, the spokesman said it instead proved the sincerity on the part of Hurriyat for peace in Kashmir.

"We now depend on the Prime Minister’s word. He had made a public statement that the matter would be considered. We will wait till he arrives from abroad," the spokesman added.

Of the five-member delegation constituted by the Hurriyat at its January 11 executive meeting in Srinagar, only two—former Chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone have passports. Lone was issued a country-specific passport in November last year valid for three months to enable him to attend his son’s wedding in Rawalpindi. Three others—Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdul Aziz and Maulana Abbas Ansari—do not have passports.

The spokesman said the country-specific passport given to JKLF leader Yaseen Malik on January 10, valid for one year, would not help the Hurriyat because neither is Malik part of the delegation nor does it enable him to go to Pakistan. (UNI)

President, Vice-President, PM greetings on
?Makar Sankranti, Pongal

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: The President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister have greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti and Pongal tomorrow.

In his message, President K R Narayanan extended warm greetings to the people and wished them every happiness and prosperity.

Vice-President Krishan Kant said these festivals marked the beginning of the auspicious period of "Uttarayana" and the harvesting season, underlining the Indian society’s close bonding with nature.

"The rituals and festivities associated with Sankranti are not only part of age-old traditions of our country, they are time-tested means of promoting the values of sharing, generosity, goodwill and benevolence in the community," he said.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee expressed the hope that the festivals of Pongal and Makar Sankranti would bring well being and prosperity for the people and peace and happiness for one and all. (PTI)

Centre will soon set up a national grid: Prabhu

MUMBAI, Jan 13: Centre will soon set up a national grid with Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) as its notified transmission utility, Union Minister for Power Suresh Prabhu said here today.

‘The exact amount of investment is yet to be finalised but it could run upto some Rs 80,000 crore. We plan to raise the money through diversification, joint ventures and floating bonds in domestic and international market’, Prabhu said in his key-note address at a function organised by PGCIL.

He said the Power Ministry was in talks with three international companies to participate in the JV with PGCIL.

PGCIL Chairman and Managing Director R P Singh said the company has already got a credit of USD 250 million from the Asian Development Bank and Rs 120 million as additional commercial loans from financial institutions. ‘Our country has ample natural resources like coal in plenty in the eastern India. Hence in that region we will give preference to coal-based generating units’, he explained.

The Centre would also launch a compulsory metering programme from March 31 for setting up untampered meters for the consumers, to be achieved till 2004, Prabhu said adding that energy audit would also be made mandatory.

He said the transmission and distribution losses of every State Electricity Board was a matter of grave concern and a the forthcoming Electricity Bill has made thefts and pilferage of power a cognizable offence.

In order to improve T&D losses, the Government has also chalked out a massive Rs 40,000 crore investment as a part of reforms in the power sector over a span of three years.

‘To begin with, we will allot Rs 2,000 crore under the Accelerated Power Development Programme (APDP) to all states on an annual basis, half of which has been sanctioned by the cabinet and rest will be leveraged by loans from power Finance Corporation Ltd or other financial institutions’, he said.

Moreover, the Centre would also release Rs 9,000 crore in three years allocation under the tenth and eleventh plan schedule, Prabhu added.

The investment would also include improvement of plant load factors of the existing electricity boards, 100 per cent metering, energy audits, separation of the T & D and generation of the State Electricity Boards and keep a separate maintenance of accounts, the minister added.

He said the Centre would also sign MoUs with 16 states to reform power distribution for SEBs, ‘financial bankruptcy of the SEBs is due to distribution problems. The Government will provide assistance for reforming this segment and sign MoUs with 16 states in next few months’. (PTI)

Ensuing UP polls spurring temple cry: Gyandas

SAGAR ISLAND (WB), Jan 13: The current controversy over construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya was only a political stunt, Mahant Gyandas, head priest of Kapil Muni temple here, has said.

"The hue and cry for building the temple at the Babri Masjid site is being raised in view of the ensuing Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh," Gyandas said.

"It is a sub-judice case. How can anyone construct the temple there?" Gyandas, who is also the head of Sri Panch Ramanadiya Nirvani Akhara of Ayodhya, asked.

Asked whether he wanted the temple, Mahant said he did. "But it should not be (built) through bloodshed. Humanity is above everything. If that is lost, what is the use of the Mandir," he said.

He said there was no conflict between the Hindus and the Muslims residing in Ayodhya. "It is the creation of outside politicians."

Neither the VHP nor the BJP is the sole leader of the Hindus, Gyandas said. "(VHP leader) Ashok Singhal should be put behind bars along with all others who are giving the people a false hope that the temple is going to be built soon," he said.

The Mahanta said there was no one to look after the families of the Kar Sevaks killed in December 1992 when the Masjid was destroyed. "This speaks of the sincerity of the VHP," he said.

On this year’s Ganga Sagar Mela, he said the number of pilgrims was likely to be less than last year’s because of the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad. (PTI)

Rajasthan Govt to launch famine relief works

AJMER, Jan 13: With nearly one million rural people of Ajmer district alone facing severe drought for the third consecutive year, the Rajasthan Government is launching famine relief works from Monday next, official sources said today.

About one lakh people have already migrated to bigger cities for employment while thousands of cattle heads have been taken by their owners to Bundi, Kota and Jhalawar areas in search of fodder, Ram Chandra Choudhary, president of Ajmer district (rural) Congress Committee told PTI.

There is acute shortage of fodder and water. Situation is more grim on fodder front as not a single tender has been received in response to advertisement issued by the district administration for its transportation, Choudhary said.

Rupees 70 lakh worth of reimbursements to the Ajmer Dairy, Gram Panchayat and Cooperative Societies which transported fodder during last drought were not made so far, he said.

However, the State Government has now constituted a committee to look into it, he added.

Meanwhile, water level in wells, which was at about 25 feet, has further gone down by 10 feet on an average. However, the district administration has planned to make arrangements to supply water by tankers from the banas dam, the sources said.

Ajmer, Beawar, Kishangarh, Kekri and Nasirabad would benefit from this dam, they said.

A report from Jaisalmer said that since the State Government had not yet opened fodder depots and relief camps, the pastoralists in the desert terrain were uncertain whether to stay in the district or migrate elsewhere in search of employment and fodder for their cattle.

In retail market, Bajra, a foodgrain, and fodder were selling at the same price of Rs five per kg.

Kamlesh, a local pastoralist, said he had lost nine milch animals in the last two droughts, and apprehended that with the beginning of summer a few more might perish for want of fodder and water.

The locally produced "sevan grass" is completely wiped out of the desert area, and if district headquarter did not wake up now, it would lead to a horrible situation, he said.

The State Government has now planned to open famine relief operations from January 15 and would give major emphasis on employment and distribution of foodgrain against work, the official sources said.

Another report from Bhilwara district said the officials were having hard time preparing a strategy to combat drought as 1777 out of 1780 villages were in the grip of the calamity.

As against the sowing in 2.57 lakh hectares during kharif season, it had been possible to cover only 58,000 hectares.

The Public Health and Engineering Department has a contingency water plan of Rs 605.75 lakh for the entire drought-hit district, they said.

About three lakh people in Bhilwara city alone faced drinking water shortage and villagers were worse off. (PTI)

Bravery awards presented

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: Lieutenant General S S Sangra, GOC-in-C Western Command, today presented 29 medals, including one Yuva Seva Medal, 20 Sena Medals and eight Vishisht Seva Medals, to soldiers and the widows of those who sacrificed their lives during various insurgency operations.

In his address Lt Gen Sangra, who visited the Army parade ground to preview an impressive Army Day Parade 2001, congratulated the soldiers who received the bravery awards for the valour they showed during different operations, he said these soldiers have not only done the country proud but they have also maintained the highest tradition of the Army.

He said the sacrifice of the soldiers would not go in vain and the country would never forget them. He also expressed the hope that their families would get due recognition, place and respect in society.

While stressing the importance of the training imparted to the soldiers, he said it was necessary that be of the high standard so that they could face any challenge.

Lauding the efforts of the Army, he said all the operations in the North East proved successful and the future generations would imbibe the courage that has been shown by these soldiers over the years to keep the borders of the country safe and sound. (UNI)

Indian food, Mughal history await Stephen
Hawking in Delhi

NEW DELHI, Jan 13: Spicy Indian food and the not-so-brief Mughal history promise to charm Stephen Hawking during his four-day sojourn in the capital beginning tomorrow.

The celebrated cosmologist, who arrives from Mumbai tomorrow night, has told his hosts he would be ready for a sightseeing round the national capital.

Red Port, Purana Quila, Qutab Minar, Humayun’s tomb and Jantar Mantar are on his list, but his disability caused by a motor neuron disease, threatens to come in the way.

"Only Purana Quila and to some extent Jantar Mantar offer natural access to a disabled person like Professor Hawking," says Prof Ranjit Nair of the Centre for Philosophy and Foundation of Science (CPFS) that is co-hosting the visit with the British Council.

Hawking, on his motorised wheelchair, could have a smooth entry to the Purana Quila and Jantar Mantar.

The disabled are certainly not on the visitors’ list of the other world heritage buildings in the national capital. "We have written to the Delhi Government to make suitable arrangements to help the world famous scientist visit the other monuments too," says Prof. Nair. But he has yet to get a response.

That means Prof Hawking, who is coming to Delhi to deliver the Albert Einstein Memorial Lecture 2001, ‘predicting the future: From astrology to black holes’, will be confined to his oriental suite on the eighth floor of Hotel Taj Mansingh until he returns home on January 18.

But the stay is certain to what Prof. Hanking’s appetite for spicy Indian food. "He has asked for spicy Indian food, specially vindaloo, the goan speciality," says Ms Vandana Ranganathan of the Taj Mansingh.

The other options are mutton and chicken curry and anything made of yoghurt. All four restaurants in the hotel, which Hawking could wheel in, have been given a do’s and don’ts list.

Prof Hawking, his wife Elaine, his four nurses and graduate student Neal Shearer will be checking in tomorrow night. The hotel staff are being put on 24-hour value service for the Hawking party that will be staying in eight rooms on the eighth floor.

The hotel has remodelled the bathroom of the oriental suite with a sliding door to accommodate the wheelchair entry and also changed its front doors under the supervision of chief nurse Joan Goodwin.

The Taj Mansingh, according to Prof. Nair, was chosen because of its proximity to the Siri Fort auditorium, the venue of the lecture. "The roads also have to be very good. There were problems in mumbai where people had to support his head because of bumpy roads," says Prof. Nair. (UNI)