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Neelgais pose threat to agricultural crop ALLAHABAD, Dec 11: The noticeable increase in the population of ‘Neelgai’ (blue bull) has posed a serious threat to ....more CPI(M) for all out implementation of common minimum programme SHIMLA, Dec 11: The CPI (Marxist) polit bureau member Sita Ram Yechuri today ..more Border fencing: All party team to visit Delhi AGARTALA, Dec 11: An all party team from Tripura will soon visit New Delhi to urge the Centre to rehabilitate people ...more NSCN(I-M) leaders hold discussions with George Fernandes NEW DELHI, Dec 11: Top NSCN(I-M) leaders Isak Chisi Swu and T Muivah .....more |
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Jamaat-e-Islami Hind organises human rights awareness campaign KOLKATA, Dec 11: The state unit of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has organised a national awareness campaign for human ......more Centre partisan to states, internal security ignored: Jaswant NEW DELHI, Dec 11: Blaming the UPA Government for adopting a "partisan" ....more Rodrigues emphasis for setting an naval institute MOHALI, Dec 11: Punjab Governor Gen S F Rodrigues (retd) today emphas .....more Land record of the state to be computerised in next year JALANDHAR, Dec 11: The State Revenue Minister Amarjit Singh Samra today....more |
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Fast attack craft ‘Bangaram’ launched ...... Snake charmers demonstrate before Orissa Assembly ...... Centre adopting partisan attitude towards states: Jaswant ...... |
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Neelgais pose threat to agricultural crop ALLAHABAD, Dec 11: The noticeable increase in the population of ‘Neelgai’ (blue bull) has posed a serious threat to the standing crop and afforestation drive in north India. The ‘Neelgais’ are constantly destroying the standing crop and newly-planted saplings in various parts of northern India. The damage to agricultural crop is so heavy that farmers in eastern Uttar Pradesh are scared to raise pulses and vegetables, crops preferred by blue bull herds. Faced with a dwindling forest cover and consequent depletion of its natural food, shy blue bulls have in recent years, turned to agricultural crops for survival. Talking to UNI here, Chief Forest Conservator, eastern Uttar Pradesh Dr Ashwini Kumar said the population of Neelgais would have been under control if carnivorous animals had preyed upon them. But since there are hardly any carnivorous animals left here, the neelgai population was on the rise. He pointed out there was a time when tigers, panthers and wolves used to prey on Neelgais keeping a check on their population. Dr Kumar said it was unfortunate that this gentle animal had been deprived of its natural habitat, resulting in its agressive behaviour. He said they could be eliminated through scientific methods like injecting them, which was a rather painless process and difficult to be misused by unscruplous elements. He said the Government has given block development officers the right to allow hunting of rogue neelgais on a condition that the hunter would not leave the Neelgai injured. He also clarified that neelgais could not be transported elsewhere as there was no protected area where they could be sent. Blue bull is called ‘Indian antelope’ all over the world, because it is found only in India and belongs to the antelope family and not the cow family. The large glands found near its eyes are its chief identifying mark. However, because of its physical similarity with oxen and its shy nature, it has earned the false title of ‘Neelgai’. Its uninterrupted grazing in agricultural fields has helped in multiplication. It roams in family herds of eight to ten, especially during the night in agricultural fields, damaging acres of land. It can live without water for days and during summers drinks water only once in two days, according to wild animal experts. (UNI) |
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CPI(M) for all out implementation of common minimum programme SHIMLA, Dec 11: The CPI (Marxist) polit bureau member Sita Ram Yechuri today said that the party did not regret its decision to support Congress party and would continue play its paradoxical role of supporting and opposing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government. Addressing a press confrerence here Mr Yechuri said the temptation for power could not force the party to compromise its idealogy and policies. He said that as long as UPA Government continued implementing common minimum programme, there was no danger to its stability. "But the work on implementation of common minimum programme is not going on with the required alacrity", he said. He said owing to pressure of Left parties right to employment was being recognised as a fundamental right. The party would force UPA Government to introduce employment guarantee bill in current session of the Parliament, he said and added that national employment guarantee was a promise made by UPA Government in the common minimum programme. In reply to a question Mr Yechuri said the BJP had no moral right to launch an agitation over increase in oil prices as during NDA regime oil prices were increased 18 times. Mr Yechuri said that CPI(M) would pressurise UPA Government to check increasing inflation rate and revision in hike of oil prices. "We do understand that increase in international oil prices had its effect on the domestic oil prices but instead of shifting the burden of hike on to people the oil companies earning staggering profits should bear it". On its part the Government should reduce duty on import of petroleum, he said and added that this would be one way for checking increase in oil prices leading to increase in inflation rate. He said one of important achievements of the UPA Govenment was forging deeper relations with China and Russia. "This augurs well for checking influence of us". He said. Mr Yechuri said in redical departure from the previous Government’s foreign policy the SAARC countries were coming closer to India. He said that the party would strive to convert its increasing influence in Himachal Pradesh into political force. (UNI) |
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Border fencing: All party team to visit Delhi AGARTALA, Dec 11: An all party team from Tripura will soon visit New Delhi to urge the Centre to rehabilitate people affected by fencing of Indo-Bangla border. State Finance and PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury today said here the State Government had earlier sent a Rs 93-crore proposal for the rehabilitation of the affected people. West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya were also facing the same problem, the minister added. Mr Chowdhury quoting the preliminary survey said over 7,123 families would be affected due to the border fencing works and these families would be shifted elsewhere. The Union Government had constituted a cabinet sub-committee to look into the problems, and the committee recently submitted its report to the national security council, he added. The members cutting across party lines yesterday expressed concern in the state assembly over the huge number of people being affected due to the border fencing. The people, who had paddy and other cultivable lands outside the fencing, alleged that the Bangladeshi nationals had taken away their crops and the Border Security Force (BSF) was not taking any action against the people across the border. Official sources said here today that of the total 856-km Indo-Bangla border with Tripura, 737-km border would be fenced by 2007, while the fencing works had been completed in little over 180-km. Work for over 200-km border was now on in full swing, the sources said, adding that by march next the 527-km border will be fenced. To expedite the border fencing work, the Home Ministry had appointed six Government organisations. These are Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Central Public Works Department(CPWD), National Building Construction Corporation(NBCC), National Project Construction Corporation(NPCC), Engineers Projects India Limited (EPIL) and Tripura Government’s Public Works Department(PWD). BRO Director General Lt General Ranjit Singh recently visited bordering areas to supervise the ongoing works and instructed the BRO and its sister organisation General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) officials to step up the fencing works with all out efforts. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who yesterday at a high-level meeting reviewed the work of the border fencing, said the progress was not satisfactory. The State Government had been requesting the Union Government to expedite the works on a priority basis in the vulnerable areas and stretches in the Indo-Bangla border, which had been used by the militants as their corridor. Mr Sarkar also said the State Government has sent proposals to the Union Home Ministry to provide necessary funds for rehabilitation of over 7,500 families who would have to be shifted due to the border fencing works. The State Governemnt has also been requesting the Centre to construct border roads in the remaining stretches along the Indo-Bangla border on a priority basis, he added. The Union Government earlier informed the State Government that it had no such scheme to provide funds to rehabilitate the affected families. (UNI) NSCN(I-M) leaders hold discussions with George Fernandes NEW DELHI, Dec 11: Top NSCN(I-M) leaders Isak Chisi Swu and T Muivah today held discussions with former Defence Minister George Fernandes as part of their series of meetings with the Indian leadership to resolve the "Naga political issue". Official sources described as good and positive the meeting, which lasted one hour. The NSCN(I-M) sources said the NSCN(I-M) "collective leadership" had fruitful discussions with the Prime Minister, Congress chief, Union Ministers, former Prime Ministers and oppostion leaders during the past one week. Revealing that substantive talks have been held, the NSCN(I-M) yesterday said the two sides have come closer than ever before to resolve the "Naga political problem", even as it reiterated its demand for a "separate Naga homeland". "The nitty and gritties of various contentious issues will be discussed with the Centre’s interlocutor and senior Government officials, once the leaders return from Nagaland next month," the sources said. The outfit said the Centre and the NSCN(I-M) had never come so closer since insurgency began almost five decades ago. "Today there is a better understanding between the two sides and attitude of the Centre as well as NSCN(I-M) have undergone a sea change in the past few decades," V S Atem, the former self-styled general of NSCN(I-M) told reporters yesterday. "In the past, Nagas used to say nothing to do with the Indians. We hate Indians. But today Naga leaders say we are prepared to come as close as possible," he said. "In the past, the Government of India thought it was a military problem and wanted to crush the movement by force. But now it wants to negotiate and solve the problem politically. This is a step forward,’’ he said. Reiterating its long standing demand for a "separate Naga homeland," Mr Atem said, "our stand has been consitent ever since the movement began. There is no question of discussing autonomy." Mr Atem said, "during our meetings with the Indian leaders cutting across political lines, we briefed them about the uniqueness and the situation of the Nagas as well as on the progress of the talks. We appreciate the understanding and receptiveness of the leaders." Sources also described as fruitful the meetings, which helped the two sides get acquainted with each other. The NSCN(I-M) leaders also held discussions with the students and members of Naga community at the Siri Fort auditorium here last night. However, the meeting was kept out of media glare. NSCN(I-M) sources told UNI that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the two leaders apprised them of the ongoing negotiations and explained their stand on different issues. "They also heard the views of the Nagas which is important in arriving at any settlement to the protracted issue," the sources said. The meeting with former Prime Ministers P V Narasimha Rao and H D Deve Gowda had to be cancelled. Mr Rao has been admitted to the intnesive care unit of the AIIMS and Mr Gowda is out of station. Mr Swu and Muivah are expected to stay in India for a couple of months to hold sustained and intensive dialogue. They would be travelling to Nagaland on Monday and celebrate christmas there. They are expected to stay in the north-eastern state for a month. Thereafter, they would be back in Delhi to hold negotiations for a permanent settlement. However, NSCN (I-M) sources said the leaders could be back in Delhi soon after Christmas to hold talks and again return to Nagaland for further consultations. The leaders are expected to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and former CM and senior CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu upon their arrival in Kolkata on Monday evening. They would leave for Nagaland on Tuesday morning. (UNI) |
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Land record of the state to be computerised in next year JALANDHAR, Dec 11: The State Revenue Minister Amarjit Singh Samra today revealed that the work of computerisation of land records in the state would be completed by the end of next year. The department has already initiated the process to computerise the land record and even the work has been started in this direction. After the completion of the job, anybody can just click the mouse of his pc and know the status of his land Samra told reporters here today. Describing the importance of computerisation of land records, Samra said that the land owners, specially NRIs, were becoming target of confusion created by Patwaris, after the job is done, they could go to a special website of landrecord and see the status of land to avoid any kind of confusion. The minister further revealed that the Revenue Department has generated extra revenue of over Rs 300 during the last three years by launching special drive against the tax-evaders. He further revealed that the cabinet had approved that in case of encroachments prior to 1996, lands would be alloted to the occupants after taking at least 10 per cent of the market price of that particular land. The two member committee headed by Local Bodies Minister Choudhary Jagjit Singh had reccommended the same and cabinet had approved it but as somebody filed PIL against the decision and got court stay,the move was deferred. Asked whether govt’s decision to alot land to the encroachers would not encourage others also to indulge in an Illegal Act, minister justified the decision and said for the last so many years, the encroachers were using the land without giving even a single penny. Through the decision, Govt can at least generate revenue for other developmental works in the state. On the opposition’s demand of extention of the period of winter session of Parliament, Samra said that there was no valid reason for making such demand as the precendent of keeping the short tenure of winter session was set by the opposition itself. On Badal’s making hue and cry for not being invited in world Punjabi confierence held at Patiala in the first week of this month, Samra said Badal was telling lie as he was duly inivited by the State Government. I do not think that there is any need to publish advertisement for inviting badal to any function. (PTI) |
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Fast attack craft ‘Bangaram’ launched KOLKATA, Dec 11: A sophisticated Fast Attack Craft (FAC) ‘Bangaram’, a 46 metres variant of the high speed vessels to be commissioned as an Indian naval ship, was launched here today. The ship, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), is an improvised version of the four trinkat class facs, built earlier by GRSE and commissioned into naval service between September 2000 and January 2002. GRSE had constructed and delivered four fast attack crafts namely INS-‘Trinkat’, ‘Tillanchang’, ‘Tarasa’ and ‘Tarmugli’ to the navy. This is the first ship of the ‘improved Trinkat’ class, designed by GRSE. The vessel offers a cost effective platform for patrol and rescue operations at sea and has combat capabilities with mathcing fire power. This ship has two engines of the latest generation mtu 4000 m90, capable of developing 5,440kw (7,492 hp) propulsive power to achieve a speed of 28 knots and a modified superstructure for reduced rscs as also improved habitability. These features are an upgradation over the ships of predecessor class. The design of the ship is comparable to any similar ship built in other advanced countries. Talking to newspersons here after the launch function , GESE Manging Director and Chairman Rear Admiral(retd.) Rajeev Parailkar said, "the GRSE has established reliable sources for the equipment fit and also developed business partners in and around Kolkata for fabrication of hull blocks of steel and aluminium, made of lower thickness plates." As a result the shipyard could achieve faster delivery schedule with cost effectiveness. "Against around 45 1/2 months construction cycle time taken for the earlier series of fast attack crafts, we have planned a reduction of construction time by 47 per cent that is to 24 months for the first two ships and would strive further to reduce the time by 54 per cent i.e. to 21 months for the balance two ships of the series," Mr Parailkar added. The CMD expressed confidence that this challenge had been taken by the shipyard towards delivering faster, better and cheaper ships to our valued customeers. He announced that the navy had earmarked a sum of Rs 180 crore for modernisation plans of the GRSE. "Towards continuous thrust for improvement of design features, production technology and productivity, the shipyard has embarked upon a modernisation plan to improve the infrastructure with a capital outlay of Rs 270 crores, out of which Rs 90 crores will invested from internal accruals of the company and the balance Rs 180 crores will be funded by the navy, " he said. GRSE had specialised in design of fast patrol vessels and till date thirty two such ships of various designs had been constructed and delivered to navy and coast guard. (UNI) CPI(M) for all out implementation of Common Minimum Programme SHIMLA, Dec 11: The CPI (Marxist) polit bureau member Sita Ram Yechuri today said that the party did not regret its decision to support Congress party and would continue play its paradoxical role of supporting and opposing the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government. Addressing a press confrerence here Mr Yechuri said the temptation for power could not force the party to compromise its idealogy and policies. He said that as long as UPA Government continued implementing common minimum programme, there was no danger to its stability. "But the work on implementation of common minimum programme is not going on with the required alacrity", he said. He said owing to pressure of Left parties right to employment was being recognised as a fundamental right. The party would force UPA Government to introduce employment guarantee bill in current session of the Parliament, he said and added that national employment guarantee was a promise made by UPA Government in the common minimum programme. In reply to a question Mr Yechuri said the BJP had no moral right to launch an agitation over increase in oil prices as during NDA regime oil prices were increased 18 times. He said one of important achievements of the UPA Govenment was forging deeper relations with China and Russia. "This augurs well for checking influence of us". He said. Mr Yechuri said in redical departure from the previous Government’s foreign policy the SAARC countries were coming closer to India. He said that the party would strive to convert its increasing influence in Himachal Pradesh into political force. (UNI) Centre adopting partisan attitude towards states: Jaswant NEW DELHI, Dec 11: Blaming the UPA Government for adopting a "partisan" attitude towards states, former Union Finance Minister Jaswant Singh today said the Centre’s negelct of internal security and "silence" on the states’ demands would adversely affect the country’s economic growth. "The NDA Government, during its six years regime, never interfered in state matters and was not partisan. Instead it gave special attention to the Congress-ruled states," Mr Singh said while addressing a meeting of Finance Ministers of BJP-ruled states here. Neglect of internal security and the UPA’s partisan attitude towards the states would lead to serious problems in the country, he cautioned. Asserting that the power balance was in favour of the states, Mr Singh advised the State Governments to stop looking to the Centre for assistance. "The rights with regards to land, power and price fixation are with the states and they can well expedite development on their own," he said. Lauding the endeavours of the previous NDA Government, Mr Singh said the positive steps taken by the BJP-led Government were now showing results. Despite severe drought in Rajasthan, earthquake in Gujarat and the Kargil war, the NDA Government had managed to maintain the eight per cent growth rate and controlled inflation, he said. He urged the BJP Chief Ministers to protest the UPA Government’s apathy towards the national highway project and to opening of six new medical institutes of medical sciences. Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister P N Singh, Rajasthan Finance Minister of State Virendra Meena, Chhattisgarh Finance Minister Amar Agarwal and his Orissa counterpart Manmohan are participating in the one-day conference. The conference was also addressed by former Foreign Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and former deputy Chairman of Planning Commission K C Pant. Mr Jaswant Singh stressed that sound law and order was a pre-requisite for economic development. ‘’...Sadly, the way internal security is being ignored and the states are taking arbitrary decisions, the economic growth of the country is bound to take a beating,’’ he observed. Citing examples of the Punjab Government’s decision on the Satluj-Yamuna link canal and the Andhra Government’s offer of unconditional talks with Naxalites, he said these moves would pose problems for other states as well. Stressing the need of focusing on areas of health, nutrition and education, Mr Singh said these would not only enrich the country’s human resources but were the very basis of economic growth. The former Finance Minister also underlined the management of agricultural credit, noting that in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka the modernisation process was initiated but due to faulty credit management, there had been a marked escalation in the problems of farmers. (UNI) India urges Dhaka to curb infiltration KOLKATA, Dec 12: Bangladesh’s denial of the charge of infiltration into India from across its borders had been posing problems in tackling the issue, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here today. "We have been urging Dhaka to curb infiltration into India but Dhaka’s denial of such developments has been posing a problem in dealing with the menace," Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of the convocation of Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, here. Mukherjee said the Centre was seized of the problems posed by spurt in infiltration from across Bangladesh border and asked the Sstate Government to send a report. To a question about the Maoist threats, appearing in the form of posters in some parts of West Bengal, Mukherjee said the matter was ‘alarming’ but the State Government had already taken some steps in this direction. He said ‘concerted’ action would be taken by the Centre to counter such ‘dangers’ posed by Maoists. (PTI) |
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