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Women’s reservation NEW DELHI, Aug 24: Shabana Azmi, an activist Parliamentarian who has been in the forefront of championing the women’s reservation in Lok Sabha .....more Fernandes
says NEW DELHI, Aug 24: Asserting that his functioning in the Government has not been "affected" at all by the Congress boycott in Parliament, Defence ......more Patent holder demoralised as inventions lie unused KOLKATA, Aug 24: He may be the proud patent holder of six indigenous inventions but this commerce graduate is a frustrated man as none of his ...more Menace
of kerosene NEW DELHI, Aug 24: The menace of adulteration of kerosene with diesel has been rising in western and southern coast of the...more |
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ILO asks Indian Government to reaffirm trade union rights NEW DELHI, Aug 24: The International Labour Organisation(ILO) has asked the Indian Government to take urgent steps to reaffirm trade union rights in....more Law
Commission NEW DELHI, Aug 24: To ensure stability of governance in an era of coalition politics, the Law Commission in a radical...more Mars
spring comes KOLKATA, Aug 24: In the fortnight that brings the enigmatic red planet closest to earth in over 60,000 years, here is what astrophysicists glued to ......more A five-day voyage for Chandrayan-I to moon BANGALORE, Aug 24: It will be a five-and-a-half day space voyage for Chandrayan-I to reach the moon after it....more |
Women’s reservation bill cannot be passed in present form NEW DELHI, Aug 24: Shabana Azmi, an activist Parliamentarian who has been in the forefront of championing the women’s reservation in Lok Sabha and assemblies, feels the present legislation cannot be passed and an alternative has to be considered. "I think the bill in its present form cannot be passed. One has to be realistic and look at an alternative proposal," she said in an interview as she prepares for the life after expiry of her Rajya Sabha term later this month. "Women’s reservation is not a magic wand with which all problems of women will disappear. What it will do is to give women the right to participate in the decision making process. "I believe when a critical mass of women get empowered politically, they will transform the very notion of power so that it becomes more about sharing rather than the powerful oppressing the powerless." She said the proposal for dual membership as a way out of the present problem would be welcome if it is implemented in 100 per cent of the seats so that women get equal representation. "Perhaps, the answer lies in making it legally binding for all political parties to give 33 percent seats to women as a Constitutional amendment," she said. From Bollywood to social activism to the Parliament, it has been an enriching journey for Shabana who has now been approached by more than one party to play an active role in politics. On being asked whether she intended to enter active politics, Azmi said "I have not made up my mind. I have been approached by more than one party." However, the actress who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha refused to divulge the names of the parties which had approached her. On her tenure as an MP in Rajya Sabha, she said, "I think it was a privilege for me. I was able to witness first hand the vibrancy of Indian democracy. What I realised first of all is that there is plurality of contesting voices that need to be accommodated in national interest. To be able to do this without fear is the hall mark of a democracy, and in this context India does itself proud." Azmi, who found her stint in the Rajya Sabha perhaps the most educative of all her experiences said, "it is in this house that I learned how it is possible to shout on top of your voice without any bitterness spilling over into your personal lives — that it is desirable to remain civil even when you hold bitterly opposite points of view." On the short-comings in the Rajya Sabha, the actress said, "I won’t say there are shortcomings". But, what, I think, there is a propensity to take up issues which have a political volatility. "I think what we need is more pre-occupation with subjects like health, education, and women’s empowerment." (PTI) |
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Fernandes says boycott does not affect his functioning NEW DELHI, Aug 24: Asserting that his functioning in the Government has not been "affected" at all by the Congress boycott in Parliament, Defence Minister George Fernandes today said he was ready to face in Court any evidence against him with regard to purchase of defence equipment or coffins for the Kargil martyrs. "I am prepared to face any evidence any where ... In Court, on the street, on television" and respond to it, he told NDTV. On the issue of his boycott in Parliament, Fernandes said "my legitimacy and credibility were never at stake because there was nothing wrong that I had done ... It does not create any impasse in the Ministry of Defence and my work because I have done my work despite their boycott". Observing that he felt "vindicated" after being lauded by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Fernandes said "I had not anticipated that he (Vajpayee) will go so far to say that I am the best Defence Minister the country has ever had". On the opposition charge that he had denied Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC) report on Kargil to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Fernandes said "opposition wanted the CVC report on Kargil. There is no CVC report on Kargil. They are just barking up a tree that does not exist". Charging the opposition with going against the Constitution and Parliament procedures, he said "it (opposition) was questioning the Constitutional authority of Prime Minister and President to re-induct him into the Government". "It has nothing to do with defence purchases. It started with why I should have been inducted by the Prime Minister", he said. (PTI) |
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Patent holder demoralised as inventions lie unused KOLKATA, Aug 24: He may be the proud patent holder of six indigenous inventions but this commerce graduate is a frustrated man as none of his creations have seen the light of day. Pronab Mondal has invented an automatic energy system created for running vehicles without fuel, a mobile anti-pollution system for cities and industrial locations, a tricolour torch for signalling purposes in railways, aviation and defence sector, a polycarbonate-based unbrakable coloured lens also meant for signal posts at railways, a cigarette-filter device for a near nicotine-free smoke and a wood-substitute for making enduring furniture. However, all these inventions are only recorded in the various issues of the gazette of India. Not a single one has, so far, been translated into reality for man’s use. "This makes me sad, depressed. But when I look back from the day when I started working towards my inventions, I see a silver lining that my inventions may get a venture capitalist. After all, I don’t have the money to manufacture these products on a large scale," said Mondal. "I lost my father at a very early age and had to start working as a technical apprentice at our family factory," he said. "I never got any opportunity to have any formal technical education. I just went to college to pursue a commerce degree." "However, while working as an apprentice, the urge to devise something indigenously which would be of practical use to mankind inspired me. And since then I started working towards these inventions." "My first invention was a novel tricolour torch for emitting light of various colours, particularly useful for railways instead of the outdated kerosene oil signal lamp, followed by a polycarbonate-based unbreakable colured lens," Mondal said. "At present coloured signals of different sizes are used extensively in the railways extensively for IRS lamps, signal and point indicator lamps. But the polycarbonate lens may profitably be used in places of the existing ones and, being unbreakable and bullet proof, these may be used in defence too," he said. Mondal subesquently invented a mobile anti-pollution device that operates on a rope-way model and holds back and drains off all toxic and fire particles, releasing only pure air to the environment. His other inventions include a battery-operated device that creates its own energy after being ignited. It doesn’t require any fuel and a car can be driven by it. "After minor modification, this can also be used to rotate turbines," Mondal said. However, getting patents for all these inventions was not a "smooth experience" for Mondal. "I didn’t know much about patents... It was Mr B G Ray, a Retd Deputy Controller of Patents and Devices, who kept inspiring me in my work and pleaded for the patents," he informed. Besides the Government, the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) has also accepted some of Mr Mondal’s inventions as innovative. But nothing has happened behond that. His name and inventions are lying recorded in various issues of the gazette of India against numbers such as 168C 32E 185755, April 2001, or 134B 68C 187258, March 2002. "I don’t know. I have approached the Government and waited for venture capitalists. One principal scientific officer of the department of scientific and technology, in the Bengal Government, had written to me that my inventions are highly appreciable and may boost the country’s socio-economic status," he remarked. "The national research development corporation has asked me to pursue higher authorities for financial assistance, besides assuring to take initiative on their part. But nothing has happened as yet," a dejected Mondal said. "I had to show a lot of patience in getting the patents. Now, perhaps I’ll have to wait to see them transfomed into reality. And this may be longer," he added a trifle wistfully. (UNI) |
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Mars spring comes alive through telescopes on earth KOLKATA, Aug 24: In the fortnight that brings the enigmatic red planet closest to earth in over 60,000 years, here is what astrophysicists glued to their telescopes have found — it’s springtime in mars! As professional and amateur skygazers around the world gear up for the closest rendezvous of the two neighbours in the solar system on August 27, preliminary observations pouring in from hundreds of dedicated laboratories show brilliant pictures of the mars surface. Dust clouds, volcanic terrains, impact basins and best of all, the south polar cap made of frozen carbon dioxide or ‘dry ice’ that reflect more sunlight that any other part of the planet, are coming alive in backyard telescopes, much to the delight of avid cosmologists. "The southern hemisphere of mars is tipped toward earth and the bright cap is remarkably easy to see. But don’t wait too long to look, because the ice will soon melt," says Dr Ton Phillips of US space agency Nasa’s Science Directorate in a communique. Though it is still over 55 million Kms away from the earth, the brilliant beacon shining with a steady ochre glow in the southeastern sky, is thrilling enough for even those taking a twilight stroll. "It appears almost five times larger and over 50 times brighter than it did in January," says Dr Debi Prasad Duari, senior scientist at the M P Birla Planetarium here, who is absorbing the best of mars even without the telescope. Even at a glance, mars has been looking different — it does not twinkle and its colour is of an intensity unmatched by any other celestial object in the night sky, Duari says. But when behind his cherished instrument, he would rather tell you about the ‘seemingly chaotic whirl’ which mars is making through the starry sky. "The planet has moved swiftly eastward through the constellation aquarius. It seems to be moving backward because the earth is actually approaching and overtaking it," he says. As the polar cap in mars shrinks, has developed rifts, dark spots and a ragged border. Amateur astronomers using eight-inch telescopes have been seeing a frosty mountain range called ‘Mountains of Mitchel’ emerging from the ice, says director of Mumbai-based Nehru Planetarium Piyush Pandey. Like most other skygazing bodies in the country, the planetarium has put a battery of telescopes to use for public viewing sessions. Scientists at the Positional Astronomy Centre (PAC) here, who have also spotted the peaks and troughs of mars, would take telescopic observations on the visuals of martian surface on the D-day. "Our roof-top is buzzing with activity ever since mars is burning bright with two telescopes — one 11 inch and the other six inch — raring to make the vital observations," says PAC Director B K Mandal. The prediction that mars will come closest to earth, which Belgian astronomer Jean Meeus made after cosmic analyses at the Bureau Des longitudes in France last year, would finally bear fruit after 7:30 PM on August 27, when the red planet blazes at its scarlet best. (PTI) |
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A five-day voyage for Chandrayan-I to moon BANGALORE, Aug 24: It will be a five-and-a-half day space voyage for Chandrayan-I to reach the moon after it blasts off atop a polar satellite launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan space port in Sriharikota sometime in 2008, taking the Indian space programme to a new high. The first moon mission will herald the country’s quest for the study of outer space and aim at uncovering the Hitherto unknown facets of the moon, which always remained an enigma. The ambitious Rs 386 crore project of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will put the country among the small group of nations which have undertaken similar missions, a senior ISRO official told UNI. Asked about the present status of the project, he said it has just crossed the blue print stage and the preparatory work started. Prime Minister A B Vajpayee had announced the launch of the satellite to moon in 2008 during his Independence Day address. A peer committee of top scientists and technocrats from various space research institutes and universities had met here in April this year for a detailed discussion on the projects to be taken up during the mission. Thereafter, ISRO proposed a project to the Government. The programme was originally called Somayana. However, Mr Vajpayee announced it as Chandrayan, the official said. ISRO chairman Kasturirangan had, in a earlier instance, stated that India must take up such exploratory missions and it could give the country a head start for the planetary missions. ISRO sources, giving details of the moon mission, said the initial part of the launch process would not confront any problem for the space scientists as the polar satellite launch vehicle is to place the satellite into a geo-synchronous transfer orbit at about 36,000 Km over the earth. Then onwards, it would have to be manoeuvred and put on the track to moon. The apogee booster onboard the satellite would be fired in sequence and put on course to the moon covering a distance of 400,000 Km (approx). It would be more than five days before the Chandrayan-I reaches close (about 1000 Km) to the moon, he said. Then the satellite controllers at the deep space centre to be located in Bangalore at a cost of Rs 100 crore, would arrest the further progress of the satellite and put it on a lunar orbit. After studying the gravitational effect the satellite would then be brought to a distance of about 200 Km close to the moon, where it would be orbit for three to four weeks. The 1050 Kg satellite, by then, would have shed a lot of weight after spending a massive amount of fuel during its 400,000 Km space journey. It would weigh only 525 Kg while being placed on orbit around the moon at 200 Km. The scientific payloads on board would be utilised to study and beam back vital information pertaining to the earth’s own natural satellite. After ascertaining the gravitational effect, the satellite would be placed in a 100 Km orbit for the rest of its two-year mission life. Chandrayan-1 is expected to be the forerunner of more ambitious planetary missions in the years to come, including landing robots on the moon and visits by Indian spacecraft to other planets in the solar system. The main objectives of Chandrayan-1 include obtaining imagery of the moon’s surface using high-resolution remote sensing instruments in the visible, near infrared, low and high-energy X-ray regions. Furthermore, considering the interest expressed by the international scientific community, a provision has also been made to accommodate instruments from other countries. The low altitude polar orbiter would be used for global imagery, mineralogy and chemical mapping of the moon surface. The payload would include high spatial and spectoral resolution sensors. The polar region of the moon would be studied for distribution of stable and radioactive elements. Experiments would also be carried out to obtain and understand the origin and evolution of the moon. A three dimensional topographic atlas of the moon would also be captured. Besides the deep space centre in the city, ISRO would also be setting up a separate Centre to study the data obtained on moon from the satellite and transfer it to the user agencies. (UNI) Munde to tour drought-affected areas after becoming president AURANGABAD, Aug 24: Taking the battle into the enemy camp, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who is all set to take over the mantle of presidentship of the party’s Maharashtra unit, would be touring drought-hit districts of the state beginning with the severely affected Solapur, home town of Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. "The first step after taking over the presidentship is that I will undertake a tour of drought-affected areas of the state...Beginning from Solapur," Munde told PTI in an interview. Sharply attacking the Government over its "failure" to tackle the drought-like situation, he said the ruling front has failed to provide succour to farmers and common man in the affected areas. Similarly, mobilising public opinion against the "most corrupt, inept and inefficient Government in the history of the state, will be high on my priority-list," Munde said. The BJP leader, however, stated that he would evolve a new strategy of taking up local issues. "We will take up Government’s failure to tackle drought in the most-affected ten districts, demand support price of Rs 2,500 for cotton in Vidarbha, take up issues related to adivasis in the tribal-dominated areas", Munde added. Asked about party’s preparedness for the next year’s elections, Munde said "I will treat this year (till elections) as the one for agitation. We will have to work real hard for each and every seat," the BJP leader said. His comment assumes significance in the wake of failure of Sena-BJP to form the Government in 1999 by a short margin. Munde, who also holds the post of party’s national vice-president, said he would be resigning from the post of vice-president after taking over as the state unit chief. "I can not handle both the responsibilities," he said and clearly indicated that he would concentrate fully on Maharashtra. Munde, who had recently lamented over the growing factionalism in the party’s Mumbai unit saying he was of the view that the party should not be person-oriented but its basis should be on ideology. Strongly advocating his move to induct leaders from other parties like Sambhaji Pawar, Kisanrao Bankhle and Shivajirao Patil Kavhekar into the BJP-fold, he said "we are inducting people from other parties in the areas, where BJP is weaker...Following their induction into the party, we can at least give a fight to the Congress and NCP". Munde said some more leaders from other political parties in western Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada were likely to join the BJP. Asked about BJP’s rationale behind appointing Bhai Girkar, a Dalit as party’s city unit chief and bringing Munde, an ODC leader, as the state unit president, the BJP leader said "the party’s politics is not based on caste, religion or creed." There are talks that by bringing Girkar and Munde — BJP was attempting to target BC-OBC vote-bank. He demanded that economically backward among upper castes should also be given reservations. (PTI) Centre supports 502 projects in NE under NLCPR KOHIMA, Aug 24: In a bid to develop the North Eastern states, the Centre has so far funded 502 socio-economic and infrastructure projects in the region under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR), which was incepted in 1998-99. With an estimated cost of Rs 2763.84 crore for these projects, the Centre till last financial year had released around 1870.45 crore, according to official sources here today. The Centre during the period from 1998 to 2002 has released an amount of Rs 18.46 crore for various projects which were common to the region, sources informed. During this period, sources said, the Centre also released fund for individual states of the region to execute various projects under NLCPR. Out of this amount, Arunachal Pradesh alone got Rs 148.37 crore, Assam (Rs 289.61 crore), Manipur (Rs 172.14 crore), Meghalaya (Rs 67.06 crore), Mizoram (Rs 161.72 crore), Nagaland (Rs 131.81 crore), Tripura (Rs 214.57 crore) and Sikkim (Rs 116.72 crore), sources added. In the last fiscal, the Centre released an amount of Rs 36.46 crore for Arunachal Pradesh under NLCPR, while Assam received Rs 17.85 crore, followed by Manipur (Rs 10.66 crore), Meghalaya (Rs 17.06 crore), Mizoram (Rs 48.11 crore), Nagaland (Rs 11.34 crore), Tripura (Rs 34.73 crore) and Sikkim Rs 23.78 crore, sources said. In addition to these amount, the Centre also during 2002-2003 released an amount of Rs 350 crore for various ongoing and newly sanctioned projects in the region, sources added. . It might be mentioned here that all the Central Ministers are required to provide ten per cent of their gross budgetary support for the North Eastern states, including Sikkim, sources informed. The unspent balance amount of this fund, however, does not lapse on March 31 and was credited to the NLCPR, sources pointed out and added that various socio-economic and infrastructure projects are sanctioned from this fund on the basis of priority lists received from the respective states of the region. Sources further stated that during the year 2002-2003, the Centre under NLCPR sanctioned nine projects in Assam, three in Manipur, two in Tripura and four in Nagaland. Moreover, sources said, during last fiscal the Centre had retained six projects in Arunachal Pradesh, two in Assam, seven in Manipur, three in Meghalaya, nine in Mizoram, three in Nagaland, two in Tripura and five in Sikkim. These projects have been retained for detailed technical examination by administrative subject matter ministeries, sources said adding, after receipt of technical comments, the projects would be posed before NLCPR committee for consideration. The Centre during 2002-2003, had sanctioned twelve drinking water supply projects for the region under NLCPR withanestimate cost of Rs 67.72 crore, besides two power projects worth Rs 35.37 crore, one health project (Rs 1.53 crore), three roads and bridges projects (Rs 18.61 crore), one education project (Rs 5 crore), and one miscellaneous project costing Rs 1.94 crore, sources stated. (UNI) Dhindsa seeks deferment of NFL privatisation, will meet PM NEW DELHI, Aug 24: In what could be a major setback to the disinvestment process, Fertilisers Minister S S Dhindsa today said he would seek Prime Minister’s intervention for a two-year deferment of privatisation of national fertiliser for which disinvestment ministry is about to seek financial bids. "I will put forth the ministry’s proposal before the Prime Minister", Dhindsa told PTI adding his ministry was having a rethink on NFL disinvestment in order to assess the impact of new pricing policy for fertilisers on the sector. In case the Government decides to heed to Dhindsa’s request, it would be the second PSU where disinvestment would be deferred in the last two months. Last month Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had announced that Nalco disinvestment was not being pursued for the time being. Dhindsa said under new pricing policy for fertilisers the sector will be free of all controls in next two years and as a result impact of international market on India must be studied Since NFL is India’s leading producer of fertilisers and accounts for around 15 per cent of the country’s production, its privatisation should be put off for one to two years, he added. "Once the assessment of India’s fertiliser availability and NFL’s role thereof has been made vis-a-vis new pricing policy, we can then take up the issue of the PSU’s disinvestment," the minister said. He said no decision in this regard has been taken, "it is just a proposal and I will take up the matter with the Prime Minister". Paving the way for inviting financial bids in case of national fertiliser disinvestment, the cabinet committee on disinvestment had approved transaction document and decided to take out Rs 300 crore as dividend, last month. "There will be a dividend payout by NFL to the tune of Rs 300 crore to the Government out of a total reserves of Rs 800 crore," the Disinvestment Ministry had stated. However, the remaining reserves had been left untouched as the company’s two plants at Bhatinda and Panipat would require at least Rs 150 crore each towards modernisation. At least four suitors, including tata chemicals, Deepak fertilisers and Indo Gulf Group, are reported to be in the fray for acquiring Government stake. Government had earlier invited fresh bids for sale of the company after aborting the exercise earlier following changes in policy and pricing norms. It has offered 51 per cent stake in the company to strategic partner, thereby diluting its stake to around 46 per cent. It currently holds close to 97 per cent stake in the company. Rabo bank has been appointed as global advisor for the deal. (PTI) Comedy is a mere vehicle for satire: Shekhar Suman LUCKNOW, Aug 24: Satire is an art to awaken people on real issues, while comedy is a mere vehicle to get such messages across for a lasting impression, says television actor Shekhar Suman who, has, in the last few years, acquired the image of the ‘king of wit’. Taking strong exception to being slotted as a ‘comedian’, Shekhar Suman says he is an actor and comedy is only an aspect of the various genres of entertainment he has mastered. "I have tried to give a voice to R K Laxman’s caricatures that highlight the plight of the common man through programmes such as movers and shakers and my stage perfomances," Shekhar told UNI in an interview. ‘shakers’ Suman said most of his one-liners are targetted at politicians because the level of polity decides the well being of a community and the ills plaguing our country could be rooted out if people’s representatives played a more constructive role. "I pick issues from contemporary society like the recent Cola issue and model my shows on popular personalities like Laloo and Atalji so that they appeal to a whole lot of people and also drive home the underlying point," Shekhar said. A man who dreamt of making it big in the Tinsel town has come a long way since he made his debut on the silver screen in ‘Utsav’ opposite screen Diva Rekha, following it up with a series of TV serials and on-and-off film roles. "I started with Utsav and then did a serial ‘Wah Janab’ for doordarshan. Even today, TV, stage and films co-exist as regular platforms to my art," observed the star who has a knack of getting to people in the most fascinating way. The star performer tickled the funny bone of Lucknowites at the ‘Shekhar Suman live’ show held in the state capital yesterday. The show was third in the series of highly successful shows at Mumbai and Delhi. While, BJP legislature party leader Lalji Tandon took time off from running the fragile ruling coalition, former Chief Minister and Rashtriya Kranti Party Chief Kalyan Singh gave himself some respite from amid the lengthy paper work he is preparing to face the Liberhan Commission. Mimicking his favorites Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Laloo Yadav, Sonia Gandhi and Rabri Devi, Shekhar led the audience through a laugh riot through his acts and witty monologues. He also did not spare the guests, Kalyan Singh and Lalji Tandon, who had a taste of the Shekhar brand of satire for his late-coming at the show venue. On Lucknow, Shekhar said the city of nawabs has managed to retained the ethnicity with its language, tehzeeb, food and people. "Lucknow still holds its ground and character and that is the reason it stands out in the league of cities in the country," he signed off. (UNI) |
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