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Dismissed CISF jawan MUMBAI, Oct 6: A Sessions Court today granted bail to dismissed CISF jawan ......more AIIMS
to expand NEW DELHI, Oct 6: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, which caters to patients from all over the ...more Around
70 endangered DHARAMSHALA, Oct 6: Besides rich cultural heritage and captivating scenic beauty, the entire Himalayan region ...more Film
on IAF to be MUMBAI, Oct 6: ‘Akash Yodha’, a special film on the Indian Air Force (IAF), will be previewed tomorrow at the little theatre of the national centre for ....more |
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Indo-US joint naval exercises commence KOCHI, Oct 6: The biggest ever Indo-US bilateral naval exercises, in which a nuclear submarine from the US navy’s seventh .....more POTA
be amended to CHENNAI, Oct 6: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president M Venkaiah Naidu today said the NDA Government at the ......more Court
frames charges against actor MUMBAI, Oct 6: A year after film actor Salman Khan rammed his vehicle in a Suburban bakery, killing one person ...more Nine civic officials suspended NAVI MUMBAI, Oct 6: More than nine officials working in the various department of Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) were .....more |
Dismissed CISF jawan R Namdeo gets bail MUMBAI, Oct 6: A Sessions Court today granted bail to dismissed CISF jawan Rajnarayan Namdeo who had shot dead his senior at the airport here four months ago. The bail was granted by Sessions Judge N D Deshpande for a sum of Rs 10,000. Namdeo is charged with gunning down Deputy Commandant a Karanjkar on May 24 and holding six others hostage before surrendering to police. Police filed chargesheet against him on August 22 and charged him with IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 342 (wrongful confinement). Namdeo was dismissed from service soon after he was arrested. He allegedly disclosed to police that he had taken the extreme step of gunning down his senior because of his (the senior’s) arrogant attitude and refusal to grant him leave. The prosecution opposed his bail saying Namdeo’s act was a cold blooded murder and he had misused his official position by killing his senior on duty. It was argued that Namdeo was prima facie involved in the crime and should not be given liberty. Namdeo’s lawyer Majeed Memon, seeking his bail, said this was not an ordinary case of murder. The distressed public servant, who saw no end to his perpetual service suffering, took a rash decision of shooting his superior to send a signal to the society that employees in public undertakings should not be taken for granted too long, he submitted. He pointed out the statement of Namdeo’s mother recorded by a Magistrate in which she had referred to an emotional talk Namdeo had with her just before the shooting incident. Namdeo had told his mother about the inhuman approach of his senior. Namdeo’s conduct soon after the incident should also be looked into as he had insisted on talking to the media. This corroborated his anxiety to make it public what he did and why he did. The Court would have to a take a special view of the unequal battle between a resourceless oppressed constable and a giant establishment, Memon argued. (PTI) |
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AIIMS to expand super-speciality centres,take in more patients NEW DELHI, Oct 6: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, which caters to patients from all over the country, has drawn up ambitious plans for setting up and expanding super speciality centres in various fields, including respiratory, renal, gastroenterology and liver diseases. The premier health facility of the country will also establish an advanced centre for reproduction and paediatrics, centre for molecular biology, spinal surgery centre, centre for haematology and national transplant centre, AIIMS Director P Venugopal told Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj who visited the institute yesterday. The plans also include additional facilities for CTNS centre, geriatrics, telemedicine and computerisation and aiim sonians convention centre. Shortly, the Pet scan, Jai Prakash Narain Apex Trauma Centre, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and College of Dental Education are to be commissioned. Mr Vajpayee and Ms Swaraj were informed by Dr P Venugopal that plans are on to add 550 beds by restructuring, rationalising and reorganising the already existing resources. The present strength of 65 private rooms has been increased to 115. Another 120 private rooms will be added in the next three months, increasing the total number to 235. The resultant expansion will increase the number of admissions in private rooms from the existing over 4,000 patients to more than 12,000 patients, Dr Venugopal said. The Director said a new OPD block has been created to decongest the patients in the existing OPD block, by adding 32 rooms exclusively for medical and paediatric OPDs with all the ancillary laboratories and radiological services. Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute Rotary Centre Hospital was being expanded from the existing 70 beds to 200 beds. This will provide additional facilities for management of cancer patients, Dr Venugopal said. The existing strength of 360 beds in the cardio thoracic and neuro-sciences centre will increase by another 140 beds with the establishment of an additional CN tower. At present AIIMS emergency services attend to about 600 to 700 patients a day, of which 70 to 80 patients require hospitalisation. The total bed strength available is 63. In order to ease the situation and to provide vital patient care, the institute has created an additional 60 bed facility in the emergency ward. Some of the new facilities added recently in the field of patient care are endoscopic robotics surgery in C N centre, bone marrow and stemcell transplant, setting up of an organ retrieval and banking organisation as a national facility and a retina lab at R P centre. The C T centre has the facilities for performing all types of heart surgeries. It has performed more than 45,000 open heart surgeries, which is highest number in any hospital. Dr Venugopal told Mr Vajpayee that during the 47 years of its existence, AIIMS has nurtured and maintained a strong tradition of providing extremly high quality of training in the field of undergraduates and postgraduate education, research and medical services to patients at low cost. Many an alumni are heading a number of Government and private hospitals and occupying top positions in many countries, including the industrialsied nations. Since its establishment, AIIMS has trained more than 3,500 undergraduates and nearly 5,300 postgraduate students till the year 2002. Dr Venugopal said the number of patients requiring treatment at AIIMS has increased from two lakh in 1970 to 20 lakh in 2000. Similarly, there is a four-fold increase in admissions and surgeries performed. This has happened without commensurate increase in manpower and other resources, he added. (UNI) |
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Around 70 endangered Himalayan herbs on verge of extinction DHARAMSHALA, Oct 6: Besides rich cultural heritage and captivating scenic beauty, the entire Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh has about 3,500 species of herbs and aromatic plants. As many as 70 endangered Himalayan herbs with rare medicinal properties are on the verge of extinction in the hilly tracts of Himachal. Though more than ten endangered and rare herbs are being commercially exploited at various farms in the state, the State Government has taken a tough stand to contain plundering, over-exploitation and smuggling of such Himalayan herbs and plants by empowering the Gram Panchayats to issue permits to the locals to collect and export the herbs. Moreover, it will be mandatory to seek recommendation of the local forest guard to secure permit in the case of rare species. The endangered minor forest species, which are in demand both in domestic and foreign markets, include Salamjpanija, Patish, Karu, Chora, Dioscorea, Revandchini, Pushkarmool, Bankakri, Tejpatra, Sonamakhi, Mahmeda, Ratanjot, Taxus Bacata and Lalajira. However, among all the minor species, the Taxus Bacata is the most demanded endangered plant since its bark and leaves are used in the manufacturing of anti-cancer drugs. Rare herbs and aromatic plants having medicinal values are found in abundance in the higher reaches of Chamba, Kullu, Shimla and Sirmour district. But to earn fast a bulk, the locals of these districts while asserting their forest rights, plunder them and sell these plants in Mumbai, Delhi and Amritsar. While collecting herbs, they indulge in over exploitation, which eventually results into ‘ecological plunder. Sociologists feel that poverty in the interior belts of these districts was the major cause that impels them to risk into vandalising the endangered herbal treasure available deep in the forests in the upper reaches. They suggest that instead of allowing them to exploit and export Himalayan herbs, they should be permitted to start commercial cultivation of such herbs under certain control of the Government machinery. Significantly, to check the threat to the rich bio-diversity in the State, the State Forest Department in certain forest areas, that abound in such herbal assets, has stopped issuing licenses to the locals. Magsaysay Awardee and prominent environmentalist Mr M C Mehta, who visited the town recently, suggested that Gram Panchayats should be given more powers to prevent plundering and exploitation of the medicinal forest wealth and technical guidance from the Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, should be provided to the villagers on a priority basis. The State Forest Minister, Mr Chander Kumar, has however directed the Forest Department to keep an alert to check on excessive and undue exploitation of the forest wealth, including herbs and aromatic plants. (UNI) |
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Court frames charges against actor Salman Khan MUMBAI, Oct 6: A year after film actor Salman Khan rammed his vehicle in a Suburban bakery, killing one person and injuring four, a local Court today framed ten charges against him even as the actor pleaded not guilty. The charges were framed by Magistrate S Y Sishode who had summoned the actor to appear before him today. The proposed charges were read out to the actor by the Prosecutor R S Khandekar. Deposing before the Court, the actor pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was represented by his lawyer Dipesh Mehta. Earlier, the High Court had dropped the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Salman and directed the Magistrate to frame other charges. Salman is charged with IPC sections 304-A (causing death by negligience), 279 (rash driving) 337 (causing hurt) 338 (causing grievous injury) and 427 (causing damage by mischief). He is also charged with section 130 (1), 134 (A and B), 177 and 181 (3) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Besides, the actor is charged with section 66 (1B) of Bombay Prohibition Act, which prohibits driving after consuming liquor. Salman was arrested on September 28 last year after he ran over his vehicle on persons sleeping outside a Bakery in in Suburban Bandra. One person was killed and four others injured. He was later released on bail. Salman is facing the trial for offence of rash and negligent driving and other offences which attract maximum two years jail term. The actor heaved a sigh of relief after the High Court dropped the charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ which attracts maximum punishment of ten years in jail and is triable exclusively by a Sessions Court. Salman would now face the trial in a Magistrate’s Court for rash and negligent driving and other offences contravening Motor Vehicles Act which provide for maximum two years jail. The actor was initially booked for offence of rash and negligent driving. However, due to public outcry, the State Government booked him with a serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Hearing a PIL, the High Court asked him to pay Rs 19 lakh compensation to the victims and the actor complied with the directive. A Sessions Court had earlier held Salman prima facie guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and rejected his plea to drop the charge. The judge had held that Salman appeared to be prima facie guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder as he had the knowledge that rash and negligent driving may kill people. The actor had argued that he was charged with rash and negligent driving and so the case was triable by a Magistrate and not a Sessions Court. He said that it was merely an accident case and that he had no intention to kill people. The Court, however, turned down Salman’s plea. Being aggrieved, he filed an appeal in the High Court which dropped the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The High Court agreed with Salman that he had no knowledge that driving in a rash and negligent manner could cause death of persons. In order to invoke the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the presence of such knowledge was essential. (PTI) |
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Nine civic officials suspended NAVI MUMBAI, Oct 6: More than nine officials working in the various department of Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) were suspended by Municipal Commissiner Dhanraj Khamatkar following allegations of mass corruption. The officials who were suspende last week, include Controller (encroachment) P K Ugale, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Mulye and Executive Engineer C G Kolte, in-charge storm water drainage, KDMC sources said here today. The Commissioner was prompted to take the drastic action after the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation Journalist Association (KDMCJA) undertook a hunger strike and submitted a memorandum demanding suspension of corrupt officials. A deparmental inquiry has been initated against more than nine officials including DMC (octroi and cess tax) Sanjay Gharat and Sub-Engineer (encroachment) Pramod More. According to Noel Salve, Secretary KDMCJA, the association were compelled to undertake a chain hunger strike from dawn to dusk to press and demand the suspension of the corrupt KDMC of officials, when the Commissioner ignored their complaints for the past one month. Noel has complained that Sanjay Gharat, who was earliar in-charge DGM of KDMT was booked by anti-corruption bureau and investigation was in progress, while a number of serious FIRs has been filed against him at Manpada Police Station. The association has alleged that instead of demoting and suspending Gharat, he has been promoted from the post of Assistant Commissioner to the post of DMC. Earlier, the KDMC Mayor Harischandra Patil had also demanded the suspension of the officer at the general body meeting held last month. Meanwhile, the KDMCJA has also submitted copies of the memorandum to various dignitaries, including Maharashtra Governor, Mohammad Fazal, Deputy Chief Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, demanding a CID enquiry into the matter. (PTI) DUBAI, Oct 6: President A P J Abdul Kalam would visit the United Arab Emirates later this month to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries, Minister of State for Home I D Swami has said. The visit, the first by an Indian President to the UAE, is in the final stages of preparation, Swami, here to attend the international safety and security conference, told reporters in Abu Dhabi. India and the UAE have already entered into a strategic relationship during the visit of Shaikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the chief of UAE armed forces a few months ago and the two countries signed an extradition treaty in 1999, he said. As many as 26 criminals have so far been extradited to India from the UAE, he said adding, the country has been very "cooperative" on India’s extradition requests. "India looks to the UAE as a partner in its fight against terrorism, Swami said. "India is also keen to have better relations with other countries", he said, adding "to break the nexus of terrorists and fugitives, we would be keen to forge an alliance with every country." Swami, who is leading a high-level delegation, will meet top UAE officials and members of Indian community during his four-day visit. He said the UAE will be sending officers from its interior or Home Ministry to India for training in information technology. India’s participation in the conference was significant as the two countries were expanding ties in the field of security and safety, Swami added. India had considerable interests in the UAE as its trade ties were sound and more than one million Indian expatriates were working in the Emirates. (PTI) Jaya lambasts media for misreporting her remarks CHENNAI, Oct 6: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today took a dig at the media for misreporting her remarks on the proposed action against Union Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy M Kannappan under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). "Most sections of the media, including most of the newspapers, have chosen to wilfully misinterpret my responses to their queries," she said in a statement here. Stating that Mr Kannappan’s issue was not discussed at all in yesterday’s cabinet meeting, she said it met to consider the designs submitted by various architects for the new secretariat complex to be constructed shortly. "When mediapersons asked me whether any decision was taken by the cabinet, I did not think they were referring to the Kannappan issue since the cabinet met only to discuss the designs for the new secretariat complex. It was that matter I had in mind when I replied that no decision was taken and that the decision had been deferred." However, practically all sections of the media had reported that the cabinet did not take a decision on the Kannappan issue, she said adding that this was the reason why she generally tried to avoid meeting the media. "Not only do I have to spend time answering their questions but later I have to expend a lot of time and effort in issuing clarifications such as this one when my remarks are wilfully misinterpreted," she said. The Kannappan issue might be the only matter which was exercising the minds of the mediapersons in Tamil Nadu at present. "However, as far as my Government and I are concerned, we have a host of other pressing issues concerning public welfare which require our time, energy and attention," she said. (UNI) POTA be amended to make
recommendations CHENNAI, Oct 6: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president M Venkaiah Naidu today said the NDA Government at the Centre may amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) to make it obligatory for State Governments to accept the recommendations of the review committee, constituted to review the alleged misuse of the Act. Mr Naidu told newspersons here that his party was of the view that the recommendations of the review committee must be binding on all state governments in the absence of such a provision in the existing Act. As per the existing provisions, the State Governments could take the recommendations of the review committee only as views, the BJP leader pointed out, stating that "if necessary, the Centre, after careful study, can bring in an amendment." Mr Naidu also wanted the Union Government to urge the committee to expedite its review and submit its report at the earliest. Reiterating that POTA was not applicable in the case of Union Minister of State for non-conventional energy sources M Kannappan and Marumalarchi DMK general secretary Vaiko, he said "it will be, however, wiser on the part of ministers not to make such statements so as to avoid unnecessary controversies and embarassment to the Centre." After Mr Vaiko was arrested under POTA for his open support to the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a year ago, Mr Kannappan also spoke in the same vein recently, provoking the State Government to consider slapping POTA against him. The State Government, which wanted the Centre to drop him from the Council of Ministers to facilitate the arrest, has now decided to wait for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s response in the matter. On the demand of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a constituent of the NDA Government, that the Centre should not allow the State Government to arrest Mr Kannappan under POTA, Mr Naidu said the Prime Minister was seized of the matter and he would take a decision on the issue. Asked about DMK’s continued demand for the repeal of the Controversial Act, he said POTA was necessary in the larger interest of the country. The Act was passed after a detailed discussion in the joint session of Parliament and there was no question of repealing it, he added. Commending the Tamil Nadu Government for its resolve to curb militancy and terrorism in the state, the BJP leader said care should be taken that the Act was not used against political leaders. "The sanctity and larger objectivity of the legislation has to be kept in mind by the State Governments," he said. It was not the Tamil Nadu Government alone, but also the Uttar Pradesh Government which had "totally unnecessarily" used the Anti-Terror Act, the latter in the case of legislator Raju Bhaiyya, he noted. To a question, Mr Naidu said the Centre was willing to help all State Governments in fighting against Naxalism and terrorism. The Centre could not fully take up the responsibility as law and order was a state subject. Moreover, it was an inter-state problem and it needed coordinated effort and action. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had stated that the Centre had a two-pronged approach to deal with the issue — helping the State Governments to tackle the menace and ensuring that development was accelerated in Naxal-infested areas, he pointed out. (UNI) Vaiko demands CBI probe into
‘encounter CHENNAI, Oct 6: MDMK general secretary Vaiko today demanded a CBI probe into the killing of gangster Venkatesa Pannaiyar in an encounter by the city police here recently. Talking to newspersons on the premises of a special court trying POTA cases at Poonamalle, near here, he alleged that the "false encounter has created a fear psychosis in the minds of the people." Stating that the police had taken the job of the judiciary by punishing an alleged wrongdoer themselves, the MDMK leader claimed that the city police had entered into the flat where pannaiyar was staying and opened fire on him. "There is no chance for an encounter to have taken place there and it appears that the police did not have any strong case against him," he added. It was not clear why pannaiyar was shot dead, he said. Mr Vaiko said those who violated law should be handed over to the court and only the judiciary must decide whether a person was guilty or not. The CBI probe was necessary to bring out the truth. "Some encounters may be genuine. At times the police have to open fire in self-defence. But the encounter in which pannaiyar was killed, has created doubts in the minds of the people," he claimed. Mr Vaiko condemned the assassination bid on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Tirupati on October one. "The People’s War (PW) Naxalites have been indulging in violence for a long time, which is condemnable." "After hearing on radio that Mr Naidu has escaped a bid on his life, I sent a telegramme and letter wishing him a long life and long service to the people of Andhra Pradesh." Senior MDMK leader and Union Minister Gingee Ramachandran had called on Mr Naidu at his residence at Hyderabad yesterday and enquired about his health, he said. Mr Naidu had also enquired about the progress of the case against him and his health, Mr Vaiko said. To a question on the DMK’s proposed agitation against the Centre on December one demanding repeal of POTA, the MDMK leader said his party would offer moral support to the stir. Asked about BJP Tamil Nadu unit general secretary Kumaravelu’s statement that the DMK must clarify whether it wanted to contest the next Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the NDA or not, Mr Vaiko said the question of alliance was decided only at the time of the elections. Besides such a question must come only from senior BJP leaders at the centre, he pointed out. (UNI) |
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