NEW DELHI, Nov 13: The CBI has created a cell to tackle the menace of bio-terrorism in view of its....more

IA hijacking to be
seen on celluloid in
‘Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa’

MUMBAI, Nov 13: Two years after the IC-814 Indian Airlines hijacking, a similar story would be seen....more

Delhi Govt order on wages for industry challenged in SC

NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Legality of city Government’s order revising minimum rates of wages by....more

23 residential
houses gutted

SHIMLA, Nov 13: Twenty three residential houses were gutted and seven cattleheads burnt alive.....more

PATNA, Nov 13: A self-styled area commander of the Ranvir Sena and a prime suspect in the March......more

Laloo opposes POTO

PATNA, Nov 13: RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav has opposed the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) saying extremism and .......more

Attack should not be
linked with religious
festivals: Naidu

PATNA, Nov 13: Senior BJP leader and Union Rural Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu was of.......more

Patnaik for
reduction of
employees

BHUBANESWAR, Nov 13: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has suggested reduction....more

CBI forms cell to tackle bio-terrorism

NEW DELHI, Nov 13: The CBI has created a cell to tackle the menace of bio-terrorism in view of its growing threat the world over.

The new cell will be part of the core group formed on September 15 to assess and review the information available on the activities of various terrorist groups, agency sources said here today.

The cell would be headed by Additional Director of CBI, Vijay Shanker, who also heads the 20-member core group that was formed immediately after the suicide attacks in New York and Washington.

The sources said bio-terrorism was a new area for investigation and the sleuths in the cell would be given specialised training to study the growing menace.

The cell will also study some of the cases that came across the United States where letters laced with deadily anthrax were mailed to various functionaries of the Government and important institutions.

In the wake of surprise suicide attacks in the United States, the CBI had already constituted a 12-member "crack team" to meet any eventuality in the country.

CBI sources said a databank had already been created on the activities of various terrorist groups including Lashker-e-Toiba and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, and their worldwide links, besides activities of underworld gangs including that of Dawood Ibrahim, who is alleged to have masterminded the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in 1993, which killed hundreds of people.

The crack team could be deputed to any place where there was a major crisis, the sources said.

The crack team would be assisted by the nodal agencies of the State and the Central Government, the sources said, adding the core group would also be taking help from intelligence bureau and other agencies who have been dealing with and gathering intelligence about terrorist groups. (PTI)

IA hijacking to be seen on celluloid in ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa’

MUMBAI, Nov 13: Two years after the IC-814 Indian Airlines hijacking, a similar story would be seen on celluloid in "Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa", actress Aroona Irani’s second home production.

Aroona said her film scheduled to be released in December, is a romantic action story interspersed with liberal doses of villainy and humour and will appeal to all viewers.

Talking to reporters here, she said she was not cashing in on the hijack incident of December 24, 1999 nor the war in Afghanistan by choosing to release the film now.

"Actually, the film would have been released about five months ago, but my husband and director of the film Kuku Kohli fell ill and the release was delayed. But, I am sure that with the ongoing war, there would be tremendous audience interest in my film", she said replying to questions at a pre-release function on Saturday.

She said Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa is a musical love story set against the backdrop of terrorism. Karan Nath and Jeevidha are the lead pair in this film. The entire technical team of the block buster "Phool Aur Kaante", directed by Kuku Kohli, which shot Ajay Devgan to stardom has been repeated in this film. Nadeem Shravan has composed the music.

Aroona said she has also taken up direction and her project is being finalised. It will go on floors in June next year. (UNI)

Delhi Govt order on wages for industry challenged in SC

NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Legality of city Government’s order revising minimum rates of wages by declaring the Dearness Allowance (DA) payable to the private sector employees with effect from retrospective dates, has been challenged in the Delhi High Court by employers who termed it as arbitrary and irrational.

Taking cognizance of a writ petition by Professional Management Association (PMA), an organisation of employers challenging the September 28 notification by the Government, which has become effective from August one, Justice Vikramjit Sen issued notice to it for filing reply by December six.

The PMA in its petition alleged that the Government has committed illegality by revising the minimum rates of wages and by declaring three instalments of DA, simultaneously from three retrospective dates, as the notification in this regard ran contrary to the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.

The Government by its order on September 28 had fixed the minimum rates of DA to skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled and other category of employees in private sector by making its payment effective from August 1, 2000; February 1, 2001 and August 1, 2001.

Seeking quashing of the notification, the PMA said the Government had imposed "a sudden unbearable financial burden on the industry, more particularly on the small and medium entrepreneurs, as it will affect their budget and cause a big blow to them."

Also seeking stay of the order till final disposal of their writ petition, the petitioner described it as against the Minimum Wages Act.

The very purpose of the legislation would be defeated if such "arbitrary" decisions in contravention of its provision were taken by the Government, PMA’s lawyers H K Dwivedi and Sanjay Bansal said.

"The act is a beneficial legislation promulgated for the benefit of working class and the real purpose of it would be truly served only by timely revision of minimum wages, they said adding "the manner in which the revision in the rate of minimum wages has been made by declaring da retrospectively from three back dates is bound to give rise to a number of avoidable problems in the industry."

The Employers’ Association said the economic planning of the industry would be badly affected more particularly in the current phase when it is passing through a lean period and there is all round recession.

Criticising the Government for sitting on revision of minimum wages when they were due in the past, the petitioner said "the industry will be doubly affected as the non-revision of the wages as per the notification will give rise to the industrial unrest."

"Had the Government revised wages in time when they were due, the industry would have been saved of a lot of problem," the PMA said. (PTI)

Attack should not be linked with religious festivals: Naidu

PATNA, Nov 13: Senior BJP leader and Union Rural Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu was of the opinion that the attack against terrorism should not be linked with religious festivals but continue till its end in any corner of the globe.

Condemning terrorist attacks all over the world, Mr Naidu told newspersons here yesterday that terrorism was a global problem and war against it should not be suspended during religious festivals. He said terrorism has nothing to do with Ramzan or Deepawali and urged religious and political leaders of all countries not to coorelate it with religion.

To a query he said America would take the decision on the demands made by some nations to suspend the attack during Ramzan after taking all aspects into consideration. (UNI)