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Karnataka to begin construction at Almatti Dam NEW DELHI, Dec 14: In a significant development, the Supreme ....more
Surprise over dissolution NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Dr Manmohan Singh, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, today....more CDI playing crucial role DEHRA DUN, Dec 14: For more than three years now, the Campus Diversity......more Home Ministry asks CBI NEW
DELHI, Dec 14: The
Home Ministry has asked CBI to extend its investigation
into.....more NEW
DELHI, Dec 14:
Information and Broadcasting Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
today...more NEW
DELHI, Dec 14: The
Supreme Court today ordered the Union and Maharashtra
Governments .....more AMRITSAR, Dec 14: The sample plants bearing cabbage and cauliflower being exhibited intend to speak.......more |
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RLM to launch nation NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Rashtriya Loktantric Morcha leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said...more
Pandemonium in RS NEW DELHI, Dec 14: The Rajya Sabha witnessed pandemonium for over 30 minutes today when.....more
Concensus on complaint NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Leaders of all parties at a meeting...more Cong members forces NEW
DELHI, Dec 14: Congress
members in the Rajya Sabha...more BHUBANESWAR, Dec 14: The Orissa Government today suspended the Collector...more |
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SC allows Karnataka to begin construction at Almatti Dam NEW DELHI, Dec 14: In a significant development, the Supreme Court today allowed Karnataka Government to go ahead with the construction of 26 crest gates on Almatti Dam while recording serious objection of Andhra Pradesh against this. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice A S Anand, Uticev Nkhar and Justice M B Shah, however, clarified that the work to be carried out by Karnataka (at Almatti Dam) will be at the risk and cost of Karnataka and shall be without prejudice to the right of Andhra Pradesh both in the suit and the injunction application. Andhra Pradesh had objected to the raising of the height of the Dam by Karnataka from 509 to 524 meters on the Krishna river saying it would affect the flow of water to the state. Appearing for Karnataka, senior counsel F S Nariman said erection of the gates would take at least six months and if the construction activity did not begin forthwith, the state would miss an opportunity to utilise the monsoon waters. While recording the submission of counsel for Andhra Pradesh K Prasaran that this construction activity was in breach of earlier orders of the Apex Court, the bench directed Karnataka to file an affidavit by this week through a responsible officer undertaking not to raise for the present the crest level of the Dam beyond 509 meters. Prasaran contended that though the raising of the height was in scheme two of the bachawat awards which was not yet implemented, Karnataka by constructing the crest gates would be violating court’s order for status quo on the dam issue. The bench asked him if Karnataka was not going to raise the height of the dam then what could be the objection of Andhra Pradesh? Prasaran said if Karnataka was allowed to begin construction of the RS gates, it might be mis-interpreted at a later date as a permission to carry on with the construction activities. Earlier on July 21 the Supreme Court had referred the dispute over the height of Almatti dam over Krishna river to a five-judge constitution bench to determine whether the court had jurisdiction to hear matters arising from the award of inter-state river disputes tribunal (bachawat award). A three-judge bench headed by then Chief Justice M M Punchhi had said in view of the bar imposed on Supreme Court by Article 145(3) and Section 11 of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, the constitutional bench will decide court’s jurisdiction in this matter. (PTI) |
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Surprise
over dissolution of IA, AI boards NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Dr Manmohan Singh, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, today expressed surprise over the sudden dissolution of the boards of Indian Airlines and Air India last week and wanted the Government to come out with full facts in the matter. Raising the matter through a special mention, he said "the Government’s decision to dissolve the two boards and set up a holding company was shrouded in mystery". He said the real reason for the move appeared to be the differences between the Government and the two boards over the purchase of a particular type of aircraft. The former Finance Minister said both Air India and Indian Airlines were facing great difficulties and the restructuring of the two carriers was being seriously considered by the Government. But the house must be informed why the boards of the two carriers were dissolved. Mr Pranab Mukherjee (Cong) spoke about the recent killings in Assam in the Bodo violence and wanted the Government to take steps to bring the situation under control in the state. (UNI) CDI playing crucial role in developing students personality DEHRA DUN, Dec 14: For more than three years now, the Campus Diversity Initiative (CDI) launched in the DAV College of the Doon Valley, has been playing a crucial role in developing the personality of the students as well as resolving their problems at various levels. This was stressed by DAV College Principal J P Nigam in his inaugural address at the orientation workshop organised by the CDI recently to acquaint new student volunteers with the philosophy of the diversity initiative. Dr SK Kulshreshtha began the workshop with community exercises and community singing as tools to break the ice and name students feel comfortable during the discussions. Dr Kulshreshtha said other Colleges of the Valley including the MKP (PG) College, DBS (PG) college and the DWT (PG) College had been associated with the DAV College in the endeavour to spread the message of diversity. Dr Kulshreshtha asked the student participants to develop a positive attitude and learn to respect the right of others to be different. He also explained in detail the various short term courses being run by the CDI. "Mashwara", a guidence and counselling bureau was started in the DAV College in November 1995 under the CDI with a view to provide personal and vocational guidance to the students the bureau works under the charge of a trained counsellor, students are given guidance and/or counselling on the basis of personal talks, psychological interviews and testing sessions. Seventy six students and fourteen faculty members along with the Principal (Dr J P Nigam) and CDI Project Director S K Sulshreshtha participated in the orientation workshop. In 1995, twenty three colleges in the country began the campus diversity initiative and the DAV College, Dehra Dun, was among them. Over the past three years, the college has organised numerous programmes and seminars under the CDI declamation contests, cultural surveys of surrounding areas, Kavi sammelans, painting competition and cultural programmes have been part of the CDI. A cultural programme by Prof. Avi Nanda and his team was presented during the third session of the workshop held in the auditorium of the DAV College last weekend. Prof.V.K.Sisodia of the college highlighted the importance of information, education and communication in bringing about positive attitudinal changes among students as well as society at large. He emphasised the role of youth in spreading the message of diversity and turning it into a movement. (UNI) Home Ministry asks CBI to extend
probe in Romes NEW DELHI, Dec 14: The Home Ministry has asked CBI to extend its investigation into the Romesh Sharma case by not only probing specific crimes but also finding out which politician, policeman or bureaucrat gave him patronage. Stating this, Home Minister L K Advani said Home Secretary B P Singh had recently written to CBI to find out who all allowed the alleged frontman of Dubai-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim to continue to function with impunity in the national capital for so long. Investigation into this case will bring to light major frailties and weaknesses in the system, Advani said when he digressed from his inaugural speech at an international seminar on ‘Prevention and control strategies against organised crime’. We have to find out that how he was able to function with impunity in the capital, why no action was taken against him, who within the official set-up - whether policeman, politician or a bureaucrat, gave him patronage, the Minister said. Stating India was no exception to this growing evil of organised crime, he said the country had witnessed increasing influence of criminal syndicates of different varieties, ranging from local small-time mafia groups to crime cartels of much larger scale running their illegal operations at inter-district, inter-state, national and international levels. (PTI) |
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Naqvi denies any support to Shiv Sainiks’ action NEW
DELHI, Dec 14:
Information and Broadcasting Minister Mukhtar Abbas Denying press reports emanating from Bareilly, the Minister clarrified that he had however said that ‘anything and everything can not be allowed to be shown in films in the name of freedom of expression.’ In a statement, he said that it was regrettable that the image of the country as a land of squalor and poverty had been sold for several years to Western countries at a high price in the name of art. ‘Such attempts to distort the country’s image should be discouraged,’ he added. Earlier this month, Mr Naqvi had asked the Central Board of Film Certification to have another look at the film in view of the controversies associated with it. (UNI) |
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SC orders full security to ‘Fire’ petitioners NEW DELHI, Dec 14: The Supreme Court today ordered the Union and Maharashtra Governments to provide full security cover to noted film personalities Dilip Kumar, Mahesh Bhatt, director of controversial film ‘Fire’ Deepa Mehta and others, who had moved the court against violent protests against the film. The order by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice A S Anand, Justice V N Khare and Justice M B Shah came on an application moved by the petitioners bringing to the court’s notice the violent demonstration before Dilip Kumar’s house at Mumbai on Saturday. The bench directed the Union of India and the Maharashtra Government to ensure adequate security cover and protection to petitioners to see that no harm comes to them and listed the main petition for hearing tomorrow. Petitioners, including Javed Akhtar, Javed Anand, Atul Setalvad, Teesta Setalvad, Mussaraf Chaudhry, had sought protection for the uninterrupted screening of the film and a probe into violence allegedly perpetrated by Shiv Sena. Through the 17-page petition, the film personalities sought a direction from the court to Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, Maharashtra Government, Shiv Sena and its supremo Bal Thackeray to take all steps a are necessary to provide a sense of security, apart from mere protection so that the film can be exhibited. Appearing for the petitioners, senior counsel Harish Salve said that the violent protests before Dilip Kumar’s house on Saturday at Mumbai had made the petitioners apprehensive of their security. Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, whose presence was sought by the court, said that there would not be any objection to providing security to the petitioners in Delhi but the Maharashtra Government should also be directed to do the same to those of the petitioners residing at Mumbai. Later, the standing counsel for Maharashtra appeared before the court when the order for providing security to the petitioners was passed. The petitioners have said the fundamental right of the film maker was strangled by the violence against the movie and sought appointment of a suitable agency to conduct a probe into the acts of violence committed at new empire theatre in Mumbai and Regal Theatre in Delhi. The petitioners also requested the court to issue suitable directions including the direction by way of continuing mandamus that those guilty for the acts perpetrated are brought to book and tried in accordance with law. The Government, after the violence unleashed by alleged Shiv Sena activists against the screening of the movie, which dealt with lesbian relationship between two sisters-in-law who were neglected by their husbands, has referred the film for re-certification to the Censor Board. (PTI) |
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AMRITSAR, Dec 14: The sample plants bearing cabbage and cauliflower being exhibited intend to speak not just about better farming techniques, but also on the efficacy of these crops in mopping up certain minerals which pollute the soil. The exhibitors, who are children from a Delhi-based school, are thereby trying to send a message that eco-friendly farming methods could help not only promote agriculture in otherwise barren soil but as well facilitate the crops remain free from being infested with pests. The students from Pitampura’s New State Academy Senior Secondary School, participating in the 25th Jawaharlal Nehru National Science Exhibition, spoke to the visitors on how these green plants soaked up soil ingredients like zinc, nickel, cobalt and manganese, and stored them in the cells, thus keeping at bay insects which would otherwise have caused damage to them. The exhibition, which concluded here on Saturday, left a note of concern over the degradation of natural environment and urged the people to adopt eco-friendly methods to contain water, air and soil pollution. In the industrial and agriculture section of the exhibition, a number of exhibits projected the manner in which environment was being polluted. An exhibit from Tamil Nadu demonstrated how industrial wastes, which go into rivers and ponds, could be checked by using the bark of some plants. Dried plant barks (of pine trees), if treated with formoldehyde and diluted sulphuric acid, could be used to reduce the concentration of chromium, lead, cadmium and copper which go in rivers and ponds, it was shown. In the agriculture section, the students through their exhibits expressed concern over soil pollution due to the increased use of insecticides and pesticides by farmers. The exhibits expressed concern over the health hazards that the intake of chemically treated food grains and vegetables can have. The school children from Tripura through their exhibit demonstrated the use of herbal pesticides in agriculture. They contended that juice of certain herbal plants like neem, kurchi, gulancha and tamarind if mixed together can be used for controlling agricultural pests and this method is eco-friendly. Likewise, the exhibits from Khowai Government School, also in Tripura, demonstrated the use of manure prepared after drying herbal plants like neem, sandal, kaltulsi and kalmegh. Juice of plants like night jasmine, datura and stedrun if mixed together in water can be used as a pest controller, the exhibit claimed. The exhibit which generated a great deal of interest was the one put up by the children of Government High School, in Jallah village of Fategarh Sahib district of Punjab. The children and their guide Mrs Venu Puri claimed that simple tap water can be used for producing low voltage electric current by using different types of electrodes like zinc, copper. lead and manganese. (UNI) |
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Naqvi today denied that he
supported the action of Shiv Sainiks or any other agency
vandalising theatres showing the controversial film
‘Fire’.