Excelsior... Nation

Cong to take up
people-related
issues: Azad

LUCKNOW, May 29: In a bid to revive its fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress would take up people-related issues and pay special attention to.....more

Cattle breeding farms
remain underutilised

JAIPUR, May 29: Cattle farms set up by Rajasthan Government for conservation and improvement of indigenous breeds of bulls, buffalo bulls.....more

Jaya to seek legal opinion
on filing "corruption" cases

CHENNAI, May 29: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha today said she would seek legal opinion on the question of filing cases, as per the findings.....more

Swamy’s case to restrain
Jaya posted after vacation

CHENNAI, May 29: Madras High Court today posted after the vacation, hearing on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Janata Party president .....more

Research team to visit
Nanda Devi sanctuary

NEW DELHI, May 29: Nearly two decades after the closure of the Nanda Devi sanctuary to climbing and trekking expeditions, the Indian.....more

Pak plans to spray coal
dust over glaciers flayed

NEW DELHI, May 29: An international body of scientists has shown concern over media reports that Pakistan is going ahead with its plan of....more

Fire is over, risk
to life is not...

BIKANER, May 29: The Army has yet to start defusing explosives littered in and around an ammunition sub-depot that exploded into flames in this.....more

Knowledge taskforce
moots Education Dev
Finance Corp

NEW DELHI, May 29: The high powered knowledge taskforce headed by Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission K C Pant has recommended .....more

Cong to take up people-related issues: Azad

LUCKNOW, May 29: In a bid to revive its fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress would take up people-related issues and pay special attention to the state, AICC general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Ghulam Nabi Azad said here today.

"Uttar Pradesh was the focus of attention in yesterday’s meeting of the party’s working committee and it was decided that the state would be paid special attention," Azad told reporters.

He said the Congress would take up the cause of the farmers and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and fight for their rights on the streets if necessary, adding "the party would also launch an agitation in the state for improving their lot".

He said the organisational base of the party would soon be strengthened with the constitution of district and block level committees.

He demanded a fresh notification on the Ayodhya issue "so that the guilty could be proceeded against for their role in the demolition of the disputed structure".

On the issue of possible alliance partners, Azad said the Congress had to first stand on its own feet. "The option of alliance is always open", he added.

Stating that Uttar Pradesh was lagging behind in development, he said the people of the state were looking for an alternative, which could "only be provided by the congress". (PTI)

Cattle breeding farms remain underutilised

JAIPUR, May 29: Cattle farms set up by Rajasthan Government for conservation and improvement of indigenous breeds of bulls, buffalo bulls, bucks and pigs, remained underutilised, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report has said.

No record of successive generations from indigenous and selective breedings was maintained in spite of Deputy Director Level Monitoring Officer appointed for each farm, the report said.

Key posts of Superintendents and in-charge of cattle breeding farms remained vacant up to five years due to non holding of meeting of the departmental promotion committee by the Government affecting working of the farms, it said.

A grant of Rs 22 lakh received from the central Government for establishing a new pig breeding farm at Ajmer could not be utilised due to non-release of funds by the State Government, it added.

Under its new breeding policy the State Government decided to convert all cattle breeding farms and replace their parent stock by purchasing calves above six months old in April, 1998. But only 26 per cent target could be achieved, the report said.

Due to non-installation of treatment plant, the pig farm at Alwar had to pay a penalty of Rs 4,500 per year to the Pollution Control Board and it continued to pollute water, the CAG said.

Inferior quality feed worth Rs 48,000 purchased from a cooperative cattle feed factory in Jaipur caused death of 21 pigs at the farm.

Fodder worth Rs 35.02 lakhs was purchased during 1995-2000 despite availability of cultivable land of 393.82 hectares which could not be utilised due to non-arrangement of water facility.

The Kumher farm had 367 acres of forest land which was hardly of any use for the cattle but four guards were engaged by the farm to safeguard the produce of this land with recurring estimated expenditure of Rs 2.16 lakhs per year.

The CAG found that Rs 5.30 crores were spent during 1995-2000 against the budget allocation of Rs 5.61 crores. Of this establishment expenses were Rs.3.66 crores (69 per cent) leaving only 31 per cent towards operational expenses. (PTI)

Jaya to seek legal opinion on filing "corruption" cases

CHENNAI, May 29: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha today said she would seek legal opinion on the question of filing cases, as per the findings of the Sarkaria Commission, which went into the alleged corrupt practices of the DMK Government from 1971 to 1976.

‘I will", was her reaction, when newsmen asked whether she would seek legal opinion on the issue.

When pointed out that the cases, filed by the CBI, based on the Commission’s findings could not be revived now as they were time barred, Jayalalitha said if the CBI desired to revive the cases, it could do so. The Centre should give a direction to the CBI in this regard, she added.

Drawing her attention to her earlier remarks that her Government would not be vindictive against political adversaries, she said "one cannot make sweeping generalisations". Whenever specific charges have been made, action has to be taken. Rule of law should be upheld and law and order maintained, she said. (PTI)

Swamy’s case to restrain Jaya posted after vacation

CHENNAI, May 29: Madras High Court today posted after the vacation, hearing on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, questioning the Governor appointing Ms Jayalalitha as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

When the petition came up for hearing before the bench, compri-sing Mr Justice S Jagadeesan and Mr Justice S Nagappan, Janata Party president Dr Subramanian Swamy, counsel for the petitioner, Mr Venkatraman, requested that the hearing be posted after the vacation as Dr Swamy was held up in Delhi.

The bench also conceded his plea.

In his PIL, Dr Swamy sought a direction to Ms Jayalalitha to show cause under what authority she could to use, enjoy and perform the rights, duties and privileges of the office of the Chief Minister.

He also sought to restrain Ms Jayalalitha from functioning as Chief Minister pending disposal of the petition.

He said on a harmonious construction of the constitutional provisions, Ms Jayalalitha, who was disqualified for being elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly could not be appointed and sworn in as Chief Minister by the Governor.

When a disqualified person could not be a member of the Assembly, such a person could not be appointed as Chief Minister as well. Hence, the appointment of Ms Jayalalitha as Chief Minister apart from being illegal was also morally not tenable. It was injurious to the democratic system and the rule of law, Dr Swamy contended.

It may be recalled that it was Dr Swamy, who had filed some of the corruption cases against Ms Jayalalitha. (UNI)

Research team to visit Nanda Devi sanctuary

NEW DELHI, May 29: Nearly two decades after the closure of the Nanda Devi sanctuary to climbing and trekking expeditions, the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) is sending a team of scientists and trekkers to investigate and document the effect of the closure and find out whether or not the area should be re-opened.

The team, which comprises four scientists and an equal number of trekkers, will take into account earlier scientific investigations into the sanctuary, which was converted into the Nanda Devi biosphere reserve after closure.

The sanctuary lies in the Chamoli district in Uttaranchal and the high peaks surrounding it act as barriers between the cold Tibetan winds and the gangetic plains of India. The twin peaks of Nanda Devi (7816 m) and Nanda East (7434 m) stand majestically in the centre of the ring of peaks.

The team, which will be led by a veteran mountaineer Harish Kapadia, will depart from Rishikesh tomorrow and is expected to return by July 10.

Members of the team include Suman Dubey (Mountaineering Journalist and Climber), Rupin Dang (Photographer, Film Maker and expert on flowers of Himalaya), Sarfaraz Ahmed (PhD in Glaciology), Anand Pendhakar (done studies on mammals, birds and bio-diversity of several areas, including those surrounding Nanda Devi sanctuary) and Wing Commander M N Sharma (for looking after medical needs).

During the expedition, the team will attempt to explore a few areas/valleys which have not been visited for the last two decades and will attempt climbing high points and passes like Sunderdhunga Khal and Bagini Khal.

All the five glaciers within the sanctuary will be visited for scientific exploration while no climbing of peaks would be attempted.

Also, a wildlife expert would observe the current state of large mammals, ibex and other species as well as study the status of birds.

Glaciologists in the team will measure the depth, out flow and current locations of various glaciers and study the effect of global warming, among others.

An environmental study, particularly of the grasslands and other important features of the sanctuary, will also be carried out along with studies on weather patterns.

From the gathered information, the team would conclude whether any damage/destruction has taken place since the closure and whether it has been beneficial to the growth of natural resources.

Also, they would check whether there had been any encroachments and, most importantly, whether the fragile environment of the sanctuary is now strong enough to allow some trekking and climbing activity.

The area supports a diverse flora, largely on account of the wide altitudinal range, and an interesting variety of large mammals, including a number of rare or threatened species. Unlike many other Himalayan areas, it is free from human settlement and has remained largely unspoilt due to its inaccessibility, particularly the forests of the lower Rishi Valley.

Following a spate of mountaineering and trekking expeditions, which caused a considerable amount of ecological and environmental disturbance and damage, tourism was banned after a meeting held on February 18, 1983. (UNI)

Pak plans to spray coal dust over glaciers flayed

NEW DELHI, May 29: An international body of scientists has shown concern over media reports that Pakistan is going ahead with its plan of melting ice in the Indus Basin head water glaciers by spraying coal dust saying the process will affect ecology and end perennial flow of rivers in the region, including India.

"Pakistan plans to spray coal dust over these glaciers to increase water flow without any scientific study on its possible impact. It would enhance the impact of global warming," member of the International Commission on Snow and Ice (ICSI), which includes top scientists of the world, Prof Syed Iqbal Hasnain, said.

Water flow from these glaciers had already increased due to global warming, he told PTI adding spraying of coal would hasten the melting of these glaciers.

The major consequence for the two countries by Pakistan’s act would be unmanageable water flow followed by dearth of water in the river systems fed from these glaciers, he said.

Some areas might be submerged by artificial flood, he said adding melting would depend on how fast coal dust is sprayed.

However, Pakistan would be affected more as it has no other source of water and not much monsoon. The process would affect the perenniality of rivers fed by these glaciers, he said. In India, the effect would be more visible in states adjoining Pakistan like Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

It would also disturb the ecosystem with vanishing of many plant and animal species, he said adding the process would lead to desertification of region. (PTI)

Fire is over, risk to life is not...

BIKANER, May 29: The Army has yet to start defusing explosives littered in and around an ammunition sub-depot that exploded into flames in this division last week.

These explosives, scattered in a radius of eight km from the sub-depot, could burst due to scorching heat prevailing in the area, according to sources. More dangerous could be the ones which had fallen inside sand as they could explode if somebody, inadvertently, walks over them.

Though teams of experts constituted by the Army had begun counting strewn shells, missiles and mortar launcher in a 296 sq km area, defusal work would take some more time.

To defuse the explosives, Army had to fire on them in pits, which involves risk. After that, the scattered material of defused explosives will have to be collected, which would take at least two weeks.

Dry ammunition in the explosives that fell into the Indira Gandhi canal is not less effective because of water. In fact, they could burst on collision with each other if water moves with speed. To take out these explosives from the canal without causing explosion involves risk to life.

There is a possibility that inhabitants of these areas could break unexploded shells to take out copper and alluminium from it, which could prove fatal. The earlier reports had said that scrap hunters are using their children to collect these shells, which could be more dangerous.

The explosives could also explode if they came in contact with tractors at the time of tilling.

However, the National Highway No 15, close to the sub-depot has been cleared of scattered explosives. The highway was opened for traffic next day of the incident itself.

Experts have also cleared the railway tracks, about 1.5 km from the site, of the strewn explosives. (UNI)