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Indian wins Common LONDON, Nov 27: India’s Neeraj Bhasin has won the first prize in the 2004 .....more Defamation
case against CHANDIGARH, Nov 27: Hearing in the defamation case against Punjab Chief Minister.....more INLD, BJP should come together again: Badal CHANDIGARH, Nov 27: Favouring a "patch up" between the INLD and BJP before elections in Haryana due next year, Shiromani Akali Dal president .....more Congress
spent 125 crore NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Congress spent a whopping Rs 125 crore in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections to counter the "feel good"......more |
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Border residents fear TANGHDHAR, Nov 27: Although the ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu .....more Hutch
opens ‘teleshop’ DEHRADUN, Nov 27: After launching its services in Uttar Pradesh.......more AP
police in touch with KARIMNAGAR, (AP), Nov 27: Police today claimed to have unearthed. ......more Flamingoes flock to Sewree mangroves of Mumbai MUMBAI, Nov 27: Come october and the majestic flamingoes flock the metropolis, nesting in mud-flats until the onset of......more |
Indian wins Common Wealth vision award 2004 LONDON, Nov 27: India’s Neeraj Bhasin has won the first prize in the 2004 Common Wealth vision awards for promoting excellence in film making across the Common Wealth countries. Two other Indians—Rupalli Mehraa and Vandana Sood—received the highly commended award along with timothy Senaviratne (Sri Lanka). Ms Sood and Mr Senaviratne had submitted a joint entry at the competition. The awards ceremony, held on Thursday at the royal Common Wealth society here, was attended by diplomats, politicians and mediapersons. The awards were presented by former BBC broadcaster and politician Martin bell, who was the guest of honour. Also present at the ceremony was Common Wealth Secretary-General Don Mckinnon. Elspeth Duncan of the Trinidad and Tobago and Australian filmmaker Christine Saunders were each awarded the commended prize. Nine other short-listed entries came from: Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Pakistan, Jamaica, the United Kingdom and the Fiji islands. Commenting on the awards, Common Wealth Secretary-General Don Mckinnon said, "the Common Wealth vision awards show how the power of images can create opportunities and expand horizons for young people throughout the Common Wealth." Launched by television presenter Sir Trevor Mcdonald and former Common Wealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku in May 2001, the Common Wealth vision awards seek to attract entrants from every quarter of the association’s wide reach and diverse breadth. An initiative of the royal Common Wealth society and the Common Wealth Broadcasting Association, the Common Wealth Vision Awards, now in their fourth year, are supported by the Common Wealth secretariat, the foreign and Common Wealth office, the British Council, the Common Wealth Foundation and the BBC World service. (UNI) |
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Defamation case against Amarinder adjourned till Feb 19 CHANDIGARH, Nov 27: Hearing in the defamation case against Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh filed by Shiromani Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal was today adjourned till February 19. Chief Judicial Magistrate Neerja Kulwant Kalson posted the next hearing for February 19 after the counsel for Amarinder Singh sought exemption from appearance for the Chief Minister on the ground that he was busy in Patiala today in connection with the preparations for the world Punjabi conference starting December 1. "Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister will be visiting Patiala today in connection with the world Punjabi conference. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will be busy with him," the counsel pleaded. In February 2002, Badal, the then Chief Minister of Punjab, had filed the case against Amarinder Singh alleging that he had tarnished his image by levelling "false and malicious" allegations concerning the Akali leader and his family’s assets. Speaking to reporters outside the court, Badal accused the Chief Minister of deliberately trying to delay the case. Badal claimed that despite the "unleashing of state machinery" against him and the Akalis, the Chief Minister had not been able to prove his allegations so far. (PTI) |
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INLD, BJP should come together again: Badal CHANDIGARH, Nov 27: Favouring a "patch up" between the INLD and BJP before elections in Haryana due next year, Shiromani Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal today said the coming together of the two erstwhile allies will help keep the Congress at bay. "I want that the two should come together again. I will be happy if the two parties patch up again," he told reporters here. If the BJP-INLD come together "it will help in keeping the Congress at bay," Badal said. "We want to block the Congress and sad favours that parties opposed to Congress should unite," said Badal who is a close friend of INLD president and Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. The INLD-BJP alliance ended just before this year’s Lok Sabha polls. While BJP managed to retain just one Lok Sabha seat out of the previous five held by it, INLD failed to open its account and lost all five seats it was holding earlier. Both the parties had contested all the 10 seats in the state independently. (PTI) Congress spent 125 crore in Lok Sabha elections NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Congress spent a whopping Rs 125 crore in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections to counter the "feel good" campaign of the BJP-led NDA and emerge successful in the polls. In political wilderness at the Centre for eight long years, the Congress left nothing to chance in the ‘do or die’ battle of the ballot and spent several times more than other national parties, excluding the BJP. The CPI(M) incurred an expenditure of over Rs 8.26 crore, followed by Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) over Rs four crore, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP spent a frugal Rs 31 lakh, CPI 28 lakhs. The BJP, which was the party heading the ruling alliance at that time, has so far not filed its election expenditure statement to the Election Commission and has been asked to submit them by November 30, the last opportunity to do so. According to the expenditure statement given by the national parties to the Commission, a major chunk of nearly Rs 49 crore was spent by Congress on publicity including all types of printed materials, use of electronic media, advertisements in newspapers and on cut-outs, hoardings and banners. With mobility being the key to an active campaign, Congress ran a bill of Rs 8.71 crore for ferrying its top leaders through aircraft and helicopters to reach the masses across the country. As against this, the travel expenses by trains or through cars amounted to a mere Rs 34 lakhs. The party, which contested some 400-odd seats, the least in recent memory, spent nearly Rs 60 crore on its candidates. An interesting feature is that the statement of expenditure submitted by Congress and NCP related only to the general elections, while that of CPI(M), CPI and BSP contained the expenses incurred in the Assembly polls of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Sikkim as well. (PTI) |
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Flamingoes flock to Sewree mangroves of Mumbai MUMBAI, Nov 27: Come october and the majestic flamingoes flock the metropolis, nesting in mud-flats until the onset of monsoon. First sighted here in 1994, the greater flamingoes and lesser flamingoes are seen in the sewree mangrove park on the eastern sea-face of Mumbai. On an average, more than 5,000 flamingoes arrive every year, said Issac Kehimkar, an official of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). The water level at the Sewree-Mahul stretch is perfect for these birds, as they prefer Alkaline and saline water which is abundant in prey. Since the location where they are found falls in a high-security zone, the area has a port, oil refinery and defence installations, they are left undisturbed, he said. The birds come from various parts of the country, particularly the great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Mr Kehimkar said the arrival of flamingoes has spurred tremendous enthusiasm among ornithologists, environmentalists, photographers and Amateur bird-watchers. Stating that the BNHS was closely working with the Mumbai port trust to promote the region as a prime eco-tourism spot, he said the BNHS was organising a ‘flamingo watch’ on December 12 at Sewree. Flamingoes, considered one of the most primitive among living birds, is believed to have come into existence 50 million years ago. Some palaeontologists and ornithologists believe that they are the link between the family of birds comprising storks, herons, ibises, spoonbills and cranes and the group that consists of ducks, swans and geese. While the greater flamingoes (phoenicopterus roseus) are one of the tallest birds found in India with an average height of nearly four feet, the lesser flamingoes (phoenicopterus minor) compensate for their shorter stature with their richness of colour. Kehimkar, a wildlife photographer and known for his research on butterflies, says it is a delight to see the flamingoes feeding. "They have a long tubular neck at the end of which is their amazingly structured bill with lamelle to strain the muddy ooze and retain the food particles," he told UNI. While the greater flamingoes have light pink legs and a few streaks of pink on their feathers, the lesser flamingoed have deep pink feathers and almost red legs and a black bill. In the twilight, they look like flames from where the name has been derived. Both the species are found mainly in the great Rann of Kutch, point Calimere in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, Chilka in Orissa and Sambhar in Rajasthan. But of late, it has also been found in sewree and in other parts of Maharashtra like Solapur and Aurangabad, but in very few numbers. Soda lakes, salt lagoons and tidal mud-flats form the habitat of the flamingoes for their food chiefly consists of curstaceans, worms and blue-green algae, which are plenty in Alkaline waters. They nest in these mud-flats, creating miniature craters in which they lay one or two eggs and the males and females care for the chicks together. Flamingoes feed the chicks with a red-coloured milk secreted by a pouch in their gullet. (UNI) |
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‘Project Seabird’, naval base at Karwar ready KARWAR (KARNA), Nov 27: The much-awaited multi-dimensional naval base — ‘project Seabird’ — that has come up here to decongest the Mumbai base on the western coast is all set to berth the first ship on December four. "Most of the basic facilities of the `project Seabird’ to berth the ship at the base harbour are complete and the first ship will get alongside wharfage for trials this navy day on december four," deputy Director (project implementation) commodore S S Karnik said here today. The regular visits by the naval ships would begin from January and by second half of the next year, a few ships will be based at Karwar on the 420-metre Wharfage, Karnik said. The first of its kind in the country, facility like ‘shiplift and shift transfer system’ for underwater maintainance of the ship’s hull would be operational from march onwards with its trials starting February, Karnik said. The unique facility, manufactured by a US firm, has a capacity to shiplift 10,000 tonnes and will lift all Indian naval ships other than the aircraft carriers and tankers out of the water, he said. The 175 m x 28 m shiplift with its transfer system will move the ships around for underwater maintainance enabling similar maintainance of few more ships at the same time, Karnik added. (PTI) Soren stages a comeback in union ministry NEW DELHI, Nov 27: A person, whose name is synonymous with decades of the agitation for Jharkhand statehood, the charismatic tribal leader Sibu Soren stages a comeback into the Union Council of Ministers. Known as ‘Guruji’ among his supporters, the 62-year old bearded leader became a Union Minister for the first time in May this year and was allocated the Coal and Mines portfolio. But, barely a couple of months later, he had to resign in the wake of a court case in connection with the 1975 Chirudih massacre in Jamtara in Jharkhand. After spending a month in judicial remand, Soren was out on bail on September eight and since then he has been pressurising the Congress-led UPA Government for his re-induction. Known as a crusader for fulfilment of the aspirations of the tribals, soren spearheaded the tribal movement for realisation of the dream of a separate state. The return of Soren to the Union Cabinet assumes significance in view of coming Assembly elections in his home state of Jharkhand where JMM is the main challenger of BJP for power. Soren was born at Nimra Gaon in Hazaribag and studied in Gola high school, but dropped out after his father, a teacher by profession, was killed by landlords for leading the tribals against exploitation of the poor and timber smuggling. He immediately stepped into his father’s shoes, raising voice against the landlords and smugglers under the banner of Sonu Santhal Samaj and adivasi Sudhar Samiti in Dhanbad which quickly spread in the tribal dominated Santhal Pargana. In 1973, he set up JMM with the aim of fulfilling the longstanding dream of a separate statehood and in the process invited stern orders against him from the administration, including shoot-at-sight orders from then Congress Government in undivided Bihar. Soren, however, surrendered after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi offered to hold talks with him, paving the way for an alliance between the Congress and the JMM in 1980 elections. (PTI) Rights group urges PM, Sonia to ensure disabiled-friendly laws NEW DELHI, Nov 27: The disabled rights group has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi to reconstitute the national disability commission and review all laws in the country to incorporate disabled friendly provisions in them. In a ‘blueprint for ensuring the rights of disabled citizens’ submitted to Mr Singh and Ms Gandhi ahead of the world disability day to be observed on December three, the DRG has also demanded among other things inclusion of a member in the UPSC specifically for representing the interests of the disabled, group convenor Javed Abidi said here today. He said the blueprint also includes the demand to ensure representation of the disabled in the Rajya Sabha, appoint full time disability commissioners in all states and Union Territories as provided under the Disability Act of 1995 and give due dignity and necessary powers to the Chief Commissioner for persons with disabilities. Mr Abidi said the previous NDA Government had constituted the national disability commission in a "half-hearted manner" with an eye on elections. The UPA Government has dissolved the Commission but not reconstituted it so far. He said the DRG has also asked the UPA Government to expand the definition of disability to include people suffering from haemophilia, thalassemia, autism and learning disabilities and create a disability assistive framework in the Planning Commission. It has also demanded setting up legal aid units for disabled people in all High Courts and the Supreme Court. The DRG has also suggested to the Government to consider the possibility of creating a separate ministry to deal exclusively with the issues regarding the disabled, he added. (UNI) Rao ill cross-examination in Sukh Ram case deferred to Dec 10 NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, who deposed in a disproportionate assets case against former Union Telecommunications Minister Sukh Ram, will be cross-examined by his party colleague on December 10. The cross-examination was deferred today by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Reena Singh nag who was informed that the veteran Congress leader had been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Ms Nag, who had gone to Mr Rao’s 9, Motilal Nehru Marg official residence to facilitate cross-examination, was informed that the former Prime Minister had been admitted to the hospital with urological problems last Sunday. On November 6, Mr Rao supported the CBI case against Mr Sukh Ram who has been charged with amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income while serving as an MP and a minister between June 20, 1991 and August 16, 1996. While Mr Rao’s statement was recorded, he could not be cross-examined as Mr Sukh Ram’s lawyer had not turned up. In his deposition as a CBI witness, Mr Rao gave a jolt to the veteran Congress leader, who has been contending that the money seized from his house during CBI raids in 1996 was part of party funds, by saying that only the treasurer of the party was authorised to collect donations for the party. Mr Rao, who was the party president at the time, said during his tenure, he had made it clear that no party worker, including MPs and ministers, was supposed to collect funds on behalf of the party. Further, funds collected for the party could only be kept in the bank or the party office. No one was authorised to keep party funds at their residence, he said. Mr Rao’s deposition assumes importance as the former Communications Minister, from whose official and residential premises a huge amount of cash was recovered by the CBI during raids on August 16 and 17, 1996, has been contending that the money belonged to the party. The then party treasurer Sitaram Kesri died before deposing in the case. The court had framed charges against the former minister on July 10, 2001 for possessing unaccounted assets worth Rs 5,36,67,135 —which was beyond his known sources of income. According to CBI, Mr Sukh Ram, who was an MP between June 20, 1991 and August 16, 1996 and a minister from July 2, 1992 to May 16, 1996, possessed assets — movable, immovable and cash —worth Rs 6,00,90,365 at Delhi, Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and other places as on August 16, 1996. Before the check period starting on June 20, 1991, he had assets worth Rs 26,13,010. As per the records, his total income from all known sources was Rs 84,98,180 and total expenditure was Rs 46,87,960 during the check period from June 20, 1991 to August 16, 1996. The investigating agency charged Mr Sukh Ram under section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) after he failed to provide a satisfactory account for assets seized during the raid on his official and residential premises in Delhi, Mandi and other places on August 16 and 17, 1996. The CBI had seized Rs 3.61 crore in cash concealed in bags and suitcases. Apart from that, his bungalow in the Kaushambi residential area in Ghaziabad, bordering Delhi had been valued at Rs 1.10 crore, jewellery worth over Rs 10 lakh, bank accounts and fixed deposits worth Rs 7 lakh, house in Mandi evaluated at Rs 50 lakh and a farmhouse at Panarasa in Mandi worth Rs 50 lakh. Other property belonging to him and his family included an apple orchard spread over nearly 12 acres and the hotel Mayfair in Mandi. (UNI) |
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