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| State must pay compensation to victims of crime: HC NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Delhi High Court has ruled that the state should provide compensation to victims of crime, including riots and .....more Classical
arts fuse NEW DELHI, Oct 31: The city is fast turning into a concrete jungle, but the residents of Delhi remain......more India may
face "financial NEW DELHI, Oct 31: The Employees Provident Fund organisation has warned ....more Films,
fireworks, food MUMBAI, Oct 31: The 35th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which gets .....more |
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Fraud squad to rescue small investors NEW DELHI, Oct 31: White collar offenders swindling companies at the expense of small investors may be in for......more It’s
antique designs NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Traditional and antique designs in gold are making a comeback and the yellow metal is once again......more PM to
honour literary NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Marathi poet Namdeo Lakshman Dhasal, whose poetry embodies the tenacious spirit of the.....more Fly ash is
radioactive: NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Delhi High Court has directed the Central Government who have made the use of fly ash as......more |
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pays homage to Indira Gandhi ....... Woman on Jamaat stirs hornet’s nest ...... Humble earthern pot holds its own against trendy Avatars ..... |
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State must pay compensation to victims of crime: HC NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Delhi High Court has ruled that the state should provide compensation to victims of crime, including riots and terrorist attacks, even in "no-fault" situations. "Public law demands, distinct from private law of Tort, that crime victims be given compensation even in "no-fault" situations by the state," Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed said. "Compensation cannot be limited to cases of police torture or custodial deaths. It must extend to riot victims and victims of terror, indeed, it must ultimately cover all victims of crime and all criminal injuries." Though legislation was lacking in this field. But that should not deter High Courts, which were courts of unlimited and plenary jurisdiction, from intervening and redressing grievances according to ‘principles of justice, equity and good conscience’, the Judge said. Not to intervene would amount to shirking the responsibilities that High Courts were expected to shoulder, he added. "Compensation is payable by the state to the family of a person who dies and there is a breach of the constitutional guarantee of Article 21 that no person shall be deprived of his life expect according to procedure established by law." The court was dealing with a petition, filed by a widow of a man who died in a terrorist bomb explosion in the capital in 1996, seeking compensation of Rs ten lakh for her child and herself. She had been paid an ex-gratia relief of Rs 50,000. "A crime has been committed. A wrong has been done and a citizen has lost his life because the state was not vigilant enough. A fundamental right has been violated. But mere declarations such as these will not provide succour to the petitioner. She needs to be compensated," Justice Ahmed said. The state has failed to live up to its guarantee that no person shall be deprived of his life expect according to procedure established by law. The state failed to prevent the terrorist from harming innocent citizens like the victim in this case, he said. "Terrorism itself is an indicia of the inability of the state to curb resentment and to quell fissiparous activities. Social malaise in itself is a reflection of the state’s inefficiency in dealing with the situation in a proper manner." Apart from the general inability to tackle the volatile situation, in this case, the state agencies failed in their duty to prevent terrorists from entering Delhi. It was their responsibility to see that dangerous explosives such as RDX were not available to criminals and terrorists. The incident (bomb explosion) occurred, as there was a failure on the part of the state to prevent it, the Judge said. There was also failure of intelligence, as they did not pick up the movements of a known and dangerous terrorist (Manzoor Ahmed Khan) who caused the explosion, he added. "So, it will be extremely difficult even to suggest that the state did not fail in its duty towards the deceased and his family." The court thereafter awarded compensation of about Rs 4.4 lakh to the petitioner along with a simple interest of seven per cent per annum since 1996. The amount had two components-standard compensation and compensation for pecuniary loss of dependency. The standard compensation or conventional sum was for non-pecuniary losses such as loss of consortium, loss of parent, pain, suffering and loss of amenities. It was Rs 97,700 based on consumer price index for industrial workers of 1996. While the compensation for pecuniary loss of dependency was computed on basis of loss of earnings for which the multiplier method was employed. The multiplicand was taken to be the yearly income of the deceased (electrician earning about Rs 3000 a month) less the amount he would have spent on himself. This was calculated by dividing the family into units-two for each adult member and one for each minor. And the 29-year-old man’s income generation span was taken to be 30 years, when he would turned 60. This amount came out to Rs 3.888 lakh, which added with Rs 97,700 became Rs 4.865 lakh, which became Rs 4.365 lakh after deducting the ex-gratia. (UNI) |
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Classical arts fuse with old
monuments NEW DELHI, Oct 31: The city is fast turning into a concrete jungle, but the residents of Delhi remain fascinated by the cultural heritage they have inherited. While this is exhibited in many ways, the unique confluence of mughul architecture and Indian classical dance created by the third annual Ananya Festival of Classical Dance this week set new standards. For not only was the event very colourful because it was set against the backdrop of the gaily-lit Purana Quila, one of the heritage monuments in the capital, but the crowds - both Indians and visiting foreigners - that came to encourage the artistes surprised many who feel urbanites are losing touch with classical arts. The effect created by the lighting arrangements on and around the 52-feet wide stage, the dance and the cool ambience came as a refreshing breather for those used to smoke and noise. Inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the five-day festival was an attempt to bring about a realisation of the need to keep alive traditions that form the heritage of the 5000-year old Indian culture. It had been organised by the tourism ministry, Delhi tourism, and the cultural organisation seher , and supported by the Union Culture Ministry. It features different dance forms every evening and is dedicated to the memory of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, who died recently, and had performed at the festival last year. The festival opened on October 26 with the eminent Kuchipudi dancers Raja and Radha Reddy creating magic with the help of their troupe including their two daughters and the imaginative lighting. The Reddys have given the age-old Kuchipudi dance form new dimensions without impairing traditional poetry or dramatic sensibility. The second day saw Dr Neena prasad and troupe from Thiruvananthapuram who performed the Mohiniattam, displaying artistic perfection and ability to communicate the delicate nuances, showing the virtuosity, vivacity and versatility of the dance form. The Odissi troupe from Kolkata led by Sharmila Biswas which performed on October 28 exhibited rare talent. The young dancers in the troupe appeared to be all over the stage, astounding with their acrobatics and charming with their soft movements. Sharmila’s versatility ranges from classical dance to experimental choreography and she is noted for originality in composition, technique and stage design. Guru V P Dhananjayan and troupe from Chennai put on a Bharatnatyam performance this evening with a grace that left a mark on the residents of the capital. During the last five decades, the Dhananjayans have lent their immense energy and creativity to this ancient dance style. The last day yesterday saw the popular Kathak Danseuse Kumudini Lakhia from Gujarat, who has redefined and rendered the form in very special enduring ways, providing a grand finale to the extravaganza. A large number of dignitaries including politicians, diplomats and connoisseurs witnessed the performances. These include Delhi Chief Minister Ms Sheila Dikshit, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Mr S Jaipal Reddy, Delhi Lieutenant Governor B L Joshi, Delhi Chief Secretary Mr S Raghunanthan, Mr Ramesh Negi of Delhi Tourism and member of Parliament Sandeep Dikshit, and many senior artistes. According to Mr Sanjeev Bhargava of ‘Seher’ who was the organiser of the festival, the aim was to highlight the vibrancy of contemporary creativity and showcase artistes who have kept the ancient traditions alive. He said "Ananya aims to put into sharp focus the plurality of approaches that contemporary classical dancers embody in their work and is, therefore, a festival of vital creativity and innovation." With the zeal of the present Government in the national capital territory to develop Delhi as a cultural hub, the entry to Ananya -like other Seher events - will be free. To ensure there is no damage to the heritage monuments, the car park will be at a distance, and pollution-free battery buses will transport enthusiasts back and forth throughout the evenings during the events. The 2000-strong audience on the opening day included children from the Mother Teresa home at Bhogal. Mr Bhargava is also planning to start a young dancers festival in Delhi in the near future. This would essentially be to promote women from 20 to 40, who otherwise never get an opportunity to perform till they are much older, to showcase their talent. Sometime next year, he may also stage Ananya in London’s hyde park ‘to give the west a glimpse into our culture and heritage.’ (UNI) |
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India may face "financial nightmare" in pensions: EPFO NEW DELHI, Oct 31: The Employees Provident Fund organisation has warned that India could face "financial nightmare" since the country did not have adequate pension schemes either in the public or private sector. This apprehension comes in view of an expected surge in aged population in the next four decades and was conveyed to the Planning Commission recently. In a presentation to the Commission, the country’s largest provident fund said the schemes — national old age pension, EPF and the proposed civil service pension by private sector — were "inadequate" in coverage and service delivery. Forecasting that male and female population over 60 years would swell by 2051, the epfo said, "no modern Government can afford to have a large population of elderly destitutes." The national old age pension scheme is a tax-financed scheme providing floor level income assistance to the very poor old persons who are destitutes and offers Rs 75 per month per beneficiary. The EPF schemes are publicly managed contributory mandatory scheme of forced savings for employed workers and the privately managed voluntary defined contribution scheme, which is yet to assume shape. Admitting that its compliance mechanism was ineffective and accounting methods were unreliable, the EPFO, which cover 10 per cent of the labour market, said changes have become imperative for it because of the paradigm shift in labour market dynamics due to rising labour market mobility and shift from organised to unorganised sector. (PTI) Films, fireworks, food bazaar: IFFI Goa-2004 has them all MUMBAI, Oct 31: The 35th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which gets underway in the exotic locale of Goa from November 29, is all to be a lively and entertaining affair where besides acclaimed films, movie enthusiasts and delegates would be treated to a fireworks night, vintage car rally and a food bazaar. Sanjit Rodrigues, nodal officer of ‘IFFI, Goa-2004’ and CEO of entertainment society of Goa, one of the organisers of the festival, told UNI that the infrastructure facilities for the mega event has been put in place in the state capital Panaji. The century-old Goa Medical College (GMC) building in Panaji has been made the administrative headquarters of the festival, which will now be regularly held in the tourist state. The GMC building has been identified as a heritage structure and its upgradation will ensure that all its original features remain intact. Nearby, four-screen multiplex complex of 1,250 seats capacity has been made ready. The complex has been designed by architects from New Zealand and constructed by Inox Leisure Ltd with specialised inputs from Hok Planning group from Canada at a cost of Rs 21 crore. Mr Rodrigues said the multiplex would be inaugurated shortly. Similarly, the Kala academy, the 950-seater main venue of the festival, has also been revamped at a cost of Rs 24 crore. The Dinanath Mangeshkar auditorium in this two-decade old charles correa designed complex will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival apart from the regular screening. The complex will also house the media centre, press conference room and an art gallery. Facilities for the electronic media like editing suites, screening rooms, interview rooms would be made available at the Kala academy, he informed. An exclusive separate jury screening hall will also be in place. The 1,500- seater open auditorium is being refurbished for cultural activities to enhance the ambience at the festival venue. The art gallery in the foyer of Kala academy would be a constant source of exhibitions and displays. Similarly, a wooden jetty has been developed along the Kala academy to have boats bring delegates to the festival venue from their hotels. A film bazaar by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) along the Mandovi river offers good opportunities for networking of the films, Mr Rodrigues informed. A theatre at Miramar beach will screen popular commercial films to attract tourists and locals during the festival period. Similarly, a fire works night and a vintage car rally would be added attractions. In order to improve the core infrastructure facilities like roads and drainage system in Panaji, a detailed plan has been worked out and was being executed. The stretch of road starting from Patto to Dona Paula jetty is being upgraded and beautified with provision of all related civic amenities. This includes development of a promenade along the river front which also adjoins the old GMC complex. A new parallel Patto bridge is being constructed to ease entry and exit in Panaji, he informed. Mira Nair’s ‘Vanity Fair’ is likely to be the inaugural film, the official said. There would be a special section on film maker Yash Johar, who passed a few months ago. There would also be a focus on Indian film makers who excelled in Hollywood and this year the section would feature the works of Ashok Amritraj, who would also be attending the fest. There is a retrospective of films of Italian actor Victorio Gassaman. (UNI) |
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Fly ash is radioactive: brick kiln owners NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Delhi High Court has directed the Central Government who have made the use of fly ash as building material mandatory to respond to allegations by brick manufacturers that fly ash bricks are radioactive. A division bench comprising Chief Justice B C Patel and Justice B D Ahmed told the Government to reply by December 1 to allegations by brick kiln owners pointing to a survey published by the Department of Science and Technology in the regard. The brick kilns owner associations of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand and the All India Brick Kilns Federation through counsel J L Gupta and Nidesh Gupta claimed that fly ash bricks emit radioactivity. "Such bricks result in radioactive buildings that could have its own repercussions, a matter which was required to be studied." Fly ash was also very difficult to handle, transport and store, it was argued on behalf of the brick manuufacturers, who were opposing the Central Government notification and Delhi High Court order making it mandatory to use fly ash as building material. On August 5, the High Court had directed the Central and State Governments, State Electricity Boards, Thermal Power Stations and State Pollution Boards/Committees to expeditiously implement the notification prescribing the use of flyash in making bricks and roads to lessen its impact on the environment. The division bench said all those in managerial posts in thermal power stations, state electricity boards and Government departments would have to bear in mind that the notification is required to be taken into account while dischraging their duties. The notification prescribed stringent penal action, including a five-year jail term, for non-adherance to its clauses. The Judges asked all the authorities concerned to file a progress report within eight weeks. They hoped that the order would be complied with at the earliest and told the Union Government to forward a copy of the order to all State Governments, authorities, departments and organisations concerned. The Centre was also directed to educate the public to promote optimum utilisation of flyash as construction material and carry out an awarness programme through Government departments and the media. The State Governments were told to formulate a schedule for proper use of flyash in construction activities. Local bodies were also asked to formulate laws and rules on the issue. The State Pollution Control Boards/Committees were called upon to ensure that brick kilns were not alllowed to function if they were not using flyash instead of clay. The court was addressing a PIL filed by the Centre praying for the use of flyash in various construction activities carried out by the Central and state agencies so that 80 million tonnes of flyash produced every year by thermal plants, which was dumped on 8000 acres of land annually, was put to better use and save the environment from its polluting effects. On March 10, Delhi High Court had directed Government authorities and local civic bodies located within 100 km of thermal power stations to amend the building byelaws to ensure the use of flyash bricks and products as construction material. The bench ordered that all construction agencies to use flyash bricks and products as per the Government notification issued in 1999 and as per the amended notification issued in 2003, increasing the use of flyash within a time schedule. The Judges also said pond ash was to be used at landfill sites instead of top soil. Central and State Government’s Road Construction Agencies were directed to use pond ash/fly ash for making road embankments and if such construction was within 100 km of a thermal power station, borrow area (a place from where earth was taken out), if any, should be filled only with flyash. State Pollution Control Bodies were told not to allow brick klins, within 50 km of Thermal Power Stations, to function if they disagreed to mix at least 25 per cent flyash in manufacturing clay bricks. All Thermal Power Stations, which were not disposing of 100 per cent of the flyash generated by them, were asked to have their own dry flyash collection storage facility. The Thermal Power Stations were also asked to promote/encourage the use of flyash and have a budgetary outlay for this purpose. The court told Government counsel Nishakant Pandey that the Centre should communicate the said directives to all states and Union Territories and agencies concerned for compliance. The Union was also asked to file a compliance report in this regard. Flyash bricks are stronger and cheaper than conventional bricks, and the substitution of clay by flyash would also prevent the present 24,000 acres of land dug up each year for the production of 55 billion clay bricks annually, it was claimed. (UNI) |
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Nation pays homage to Indira Gandhi NEW DELHI, Oct 30: The nation today paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the 20th anniversary of her death. A wreath on behalf of President A P J Abdul Kalam was laid on her ‘Samadhi’ Shakti Sthal this morning. Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, her children Rahul and Priyanka paid floral tributes at the Samadhi. Finance Minister P Chidambaram, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, Power Minister P M Sayeed, Rnvironment Minister Namo Narayan Meena and Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia were also present. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, in a wheelchair after fracturing her ankle her cabinet colleagues MPs Navin Jindal, Sandeep Dikshit, Sajjan Kumar and several MLAs also paid homage to the late leader. An all religious prayer meeting was held on this occasion. (UNI) Woman on Jamaat stirs hornet’s nest MADURAI, Oct 31: Stirred by the Shah Bano case, she got engaged in social action to empower Muslim women. But her appointment to the Jamaat of a Mosque in a city college has stirred up a hornet’s nest. Presumably this is the first time in the country that a woman has been appointed member of a Jamaat, which, no wonder continues to remain the exclusive preserve of men. Hence, it has opened up a pandora’s box with the Orthodox sections questioning the sanctity of this move. Known to be a champion of the rights of Muslim women, yet deeply religious, Nazneen Barkath (59), a retired Government College Principal, was recently appointed to the Jamaat of the Mosque at the MSS Wakf Board College. Stung by the development, the United Muslim Jamaat (UMJ), claiming to be the apex body of the 89 Mosques in the city, has condemned the move and termed it as "anti-Islamic." "There is no evidence in Islamic tradition to justify inclusion of women in Jamaats," UMJ president Raja Hasanaffar Ali claimed. Admitting that that there was no express provision in the scripture or tradition to prohibit women, he said the presence of women would affect the functioning of Jamaats and hamper the community’s cohesiveness. Mr Ali added that the college Mosque was different in character and the ‘Nikah’ therein had no social functions like performance of ‘Nikha’ attached to it. The UMJ general council would meet shortly to take stock of the situation arising out of the development and decide the future course of action, he said. Rebutting these charges, Ms Nazneen claimed that even during the days of the prophet, women were allowed to pray inside the Mosque. In fact, he had not only waited for the arrival of women but shortened the verses to reduce the duration of service. Denial of participation to women in Jamaat had no sanction in Islamic scriptures. Elsewhere in the world, especially in the west and in the far east, women were on the Jamaats, she claimed. Stating that her appointment was the result of a more than two-decade-old struggle of the Muslim women, she admitted that this was just the beginning and not the end. Hailing from a highly educated family, she found the dichotomy between the situation at home and in the Islamic public sphere a stumbling block in spiritual growth. According to her, the prophet was the greatest feminist and Islam a religion which assured far greater rights for women. "I was so shaken by the shah bano case that it made me realise the degrading conditions of fellow women in the community," Ms Nazneen, a mother of three sons, said and explained how she joined the women’s movement. Now she is the president of the All India Progressive Muslim Conference, working for the cause of women. On the struggle for equality in religious affairs, she recalled sending letters even two years ago to all the Jama-ats in the state demanding that they allow women to hold prayers inside the mosque and give representation to women on the Jama-ats. It had kindled a debate within the ulema, she claimed. Even the All India Muslim Personal Law Board had not opposed the demand for women participation in the Jama-ats, she noted and said some board members were "even sympathetic." On the status of the college Mosque, she pointed out that it was built through donations from the faithful. Further, prayers were being offered regularly and those who congregated were mostly from the locality and not the students and staff, she disclosed. College correspondent, Dr Amanullah, denied charges of violation of norms in the appointment of Ms Nazneen and said she was already on the governing board. It was a progressive step in involving women in the administration of the Mosque, he explained and added that it had been appreciated by State Wakf Board Chairperson Bader Sayeed. However, D Shariffa, a well-known person among Muslim women activists, is not amused. "What purpose will this tokenism of appointing a single woman to the Jama-at of ‘Mosque’ lacking social functions serve,?" She asked. The prime mover behind establishing the Tamil Nadu Women Jama-at, Sahriffa, based in Pudukkottai, is spearheading the demand for equality for Muslim women in religious as well as temporal affairs. The women Jama-at was receiving 20 to 30 petitions to resolve disputes everyday, she said with a sense of pride. She did not fail to refer to the opposition from the orthodox section even to this token representation but said "let us wait and see its usefulness." (UNI) Humble earthern pot holds its own against trendy Avatars BAREILLY, Oct 31: The traditional earthern Karva, an integral part of the ‘Karva Chauth’ festival, has shrugged off the challenge from newer and trendier avatars in bone China to reign suprem. The festival, being celebrated today, in which married women keep ‘Nirjala’ (without water) fast for the long life of their husbands, has an inseperable relationship with ‘Karvas’ (earthen pots) that have withstood the test of time. Currently adorning local markets, the ‘Karvas’ carved out of black soil are an essential part of the festival, providing the storage for the ‘Pujan Samagri’ as well as the water with which women quench their thirst at the sight of the eagerly-awaited moon. Shanti Devi selling Karvas in Madhobadi market here since a long time said: "There is nothing that can replace earthen ‘Karvas’. As per tradition, it was the earthen ‘Karvas’ alone that could be used for storing puja articles as well as quenching the thirst of the women." Modi Ram, another ‘Karva’ seller of the same area, said even the attractive and robust bone China ‘Karvas’, trying to make a place, had few takers and the humble earthern pot held its own. There had been changes in terms of painted ‘Karvas’ with more attractive colours, but nothing has been done to change their original shape, he added. According to potters of the area, eternal attachment to ‘Karvas’ epitomised the integral role of pottery in life and death in Hindu mythology especially during ‘Karva Chauth’. The potter’s wheel is believed to be made from Lord Vishnu’s ‘Sudarshan Chakra’, which is why the ‘Karvas’ have more significance, they added. But unbridled urbanisation has made black soil scarce, said Modi Ram adding that the potters were now forced to travel to far-flung rural areas for getting the soil, but it was worthwhile as ales were assured. (UNI) Kerala Church opts for ‘Chinthan Baithak’ KOCHI, Oct 31: Alarmed by its fast declining strength and registering strong reservation on the nuclear family culture, the Kerala Christian Church is holding a four-day high-level conclave here from November two, to draft the broad outline of a master plan for its followers. Focussing on the twin themes of family and education, the Syro-Malabar Church leadership is presenting before the Assembly held once in five years some constructive recommendations including sex education in its schools. Attended by all its 36 Bishops and representatives from the laity and clergy spread across the world, the highest-level consultative body of the leading Kerala Church is expected to be a brainstorming session against the current issues. "It is going to be a session of self-examination in the face of challenges thrown up in the areas of family and education. Identifying the challenges and turning some of the crisis into opportunities will be the task of the Assembly," Syro-Malabar Synod spokesman FR Paul Thelakat said. The working paper for the Assembly, prepared after a series of discussions and interactions for two years among the rank and the file, clearly observed that the number of Christians had come down considerably. It also denounced the two-child norm as an unwelcoming practice which denied opportunity to develop ‘social conscience’ among children. Though not advocating directly, the Church favours more children and cites biblical and canonical teachings, while specifically denouncing abortion and artificial family planning methods. "As there are only two kids, they get little chance to develop self-confidence and face the life valiantly. It leads to even suicides later. And the two children are too much pampered by the parents," the working papers said. Another result of it, was that the number of people willing to become priests and nuns was also fast decreasing, the Church notes. While taking a guarded stand on the explosion of mass media and information technology, it urged parents to keep a tab on their children. It called for sex education in its instituitions and counselling sessions to young couple in the lines of its mandatory pre-marital guidance. After launching a massive process of introspection on some crucial current topics, the findings would be passed on to each dioceses for short and long-term action plans, its coordinator Bishop Sebastian Adayanthrath said. On the educational front, the Church, which runs the highest number of such institutions in and outside Kerala, reiterated its support to self-financing colleges. The working paper also rued the managements losing control over the institutions where the Government gave salary in the aided sector. "The self-financing institutions are a must. But there should be common guidelines in the church on raising funds to run such institutions," it said while calling for uniformity. It particularly came down on teachers and noted that now schools were reduced to be institutions for ensuring salary to teachers and not commitment to the goals of education. "A common education policy for the Church is lacking. Hence a policy should be drafted on aided, unaided and self-financing insitutions, regarding all things from admission to students to appointment of teachers, to fee structure. Common instructions must be given on fund raising and means. A commission to ensure this is also welcome," the papers noted. The Church leadership also suggested counselling facilities in all its institutions to help students and, if needed, to their parents with the help of experts. (UNI) |
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