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Notice issued to wife LUCKNOW, May 6: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today summoned a woman — Rakhi Nandi — on a petition filed by her husband ....more Search
for Sadaqat KOLKATA, May 6: Search for Sadaqat, a Pakistani national, and other six accomplices of condemned prisoner Aftab ...more TDP decision to join parliament proceedings a split in NDA: Basu KOLKATA, May 6: Describing the Telegu Desam Party’s decision to participate in the ....more CAG raps NDA Govt for "India shining" campaign NEW DELHI, May 6: Comptroller and Auditor General today pulled up the previous NDA Government for diversion of funds and incurring unauthorised expenditure of Rs 63.23 crore for the ‘India ....more |
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SC notice to Coca-Cola NEW DELHI, May 6: Soft drink major Coca-Cola was today issued a notice by Supreme Court on a petition filed by a Kerala village Panchayat .....more Hindu priest shot dead by suspected Maoist rebels KATHMANDU, May 6: Suspected Maoist rebels today shot dead a top Hindu priest and injured one of his aides in western Nepal while he was delivering a ....more Kalyan
Singh has no NEW DELHI, May 6: Taking strong exception to former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh’s "refusal" to convene a meeting . ...more AIDS
awareness on the CHENNAI, May 6: In a remarkable improvement, the use of condoms among commercial sex workers and their clients in .....more |
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Rohtang tunnel project to be commissioned by 2011 ..... Assam Rifles reading itself for greater role in NE ..... |
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Notice issued to wife wanting abortion without husband’s consent LUCKNOW, May 6: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today summoned a woman — Rakhi Nandi — on a petition filed by her husband asking court to stop her from aborting their child without his consent. Bench of Justices Jagdish Bhalla and M A Khan issue notice to her on the basis of the petition of Rajiv Nandi. In his petition, Nandi had said his wife wanted to abort their child without his consent and demanded that she should be stopped from doing so. Besides, petitioner’s counsel C B Pandey also challenged the section 3(4) of the Abortion Act in which it has been said that the husband’s consent was not essential for abortion. During the hearing of the case today, the court asked Central Government’s lawyer Deepak Seth as to why there was no provision under the Abortion Act, 1971 of taking the husbands view/ consent on the issue of wife’s abortion. The court, while admitting the petition of Rajiv Nandi, issued a notice to his wife so that she can give her viewpoint before the court. (UNI) |
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Search for Sadaqat and others stepped up, interpol help likely KOLKATA, May 6: Search for Sadaqat, a Pakistani national, and other six accomplices of condemned prisoner Aftab Ansari, has been intensified nationwide as police sought Union Home Ministry’s permission for assistance of foreign agencies, including interpol, to trace the absconding accused in the 2002-American center attack case. "We had so long been at work to locate the absconders in the sensational case and now the exercise has been stepped up," Kolkata Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee said PTI. Mukherjee said assistance of different states as well as international police agencies would have to be sought, for which necessary permission had been taken to catch the dreaded accomplices of Aftab who were still at large. Beside Sadaqat, the other absconders were Khuram Khayyam, Hasan Imam, Amir Reza Khan, MD Reyaz Hussain and Fayyaz Hussain who remained traceless even three years after the terrorist attack on the American center in the heart of the metropolis, in which five personnel of Kolkata Armed Police were killed and 20 injured on January 22, 2002. Aftab and six other persons, were awarded death penalty after their conviction by a special court on charges, including waging war against the country, murder and conspiracy and possessing prohibited weapons, on April 26. It was with interpol help that Aftab, accused in both, the American center attack and shoe baron Partha Royburman kidnap cases, was arrested in Dubai on March 23, 2002. Amir Reza Khan, believed to be in Dubai at that time, fled the police dragnet and has not yet traced. Dubai police caught Aftab minutes before he was to take a flight to Pakistan and was later deported to India. The Kolkata Police Chief said he would put in all efforts to track down the six absconders who had gunned down five police personnel in front of the American center. Meanwhile, State Home Secretary A K Deb said security had been beefed up in the two major jails — Alipore Central Jail and Presidency Jail— where the condemned prisoners in the American center attack case are lodged. Deb said that security for Chief Judicial Magistrate Basudeb Majumdar, who pronounced the verdict at the special court, had been tightened since then. To a question, deb said that some passersby had reportedly hurled comments, amounting to threats, near his south Kolkata residence. "We have taken cognizance of the incident and the Judge’s security has been beefed up accordingly," the Home Secretary said. Three days after the verdict in the case, a letter was received at the city’s NSC bose international airport, holding out threats to blow up the building. The letter was addressed to the officer in-charge of the airport police station. Asked if the State Government would seek help of the national security guard commandos to deal with any situation in the light of such threats, Deb said the State Government was alive to it but ruled out any terrorist attack. Home department officials said police and concerned agencies had been asked to keep strict vigil and security around Government buildings, vital installations, railway stations, port, bus depots, shopping malls and public places. Meanwhile, condemned prisoners Aftab Ansari, Jamiluddin Nasser and Shakir Akhtar were shifted from Presidency Jail to Alipore Central Jail for security reasons. "For security reasons, Gabbar, an extortionist, was shifted to Presidency Jail," sources said, adding it was Gabbar who helped Aftab in communicating with his men in Dubai and Pakistan over mobile phones from his cell. IG (prison) Joydeb Chakraborty said a special court had been set up for the trial of the three condemned in the abduction case of shoe baron Partho Royburman. Chakraborty said all the condemned prisoners were kept in separate cells. Aftab was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of diamond merchant Bhaskar Parekh in Gujarat and made an abortive attempt to abduct a shipping magnate in September, 2000. Arms smuggling case was also registered in Gujarat against Aftab who was also charged with a bid to blow up Howrah bridge and being besides involved in a fake passport deal in Bihar. Aftab, alias Farhan Malik, had alleged links with terrorist outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Harkat-ul-Jehadi and his absconding accomplices were with him in such organisations, sources said. (PTI) |
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TDP decision to join parliament proceedings a split in NDA: Basu KOLKATA, May 6: Describing the Telegu Desam Party’s decision to participate in the proceedings of Parliament as a ‘split’ in the NDA, veteran CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu today said the left leadership was ready to talk to the TDP if it was interested. Welcoming the TDP’s decision to participate in the Parliament proceedings, Basu told reporters at the CPI-M office here, "it is a very good move initiated by the TDP which has now realised its mistake of going with the BJP-led NDA. It is a good sign that guided by its experience the TDP has chosen the right track and taken right decision at last." Asked if he regarded the TDP decision to participate in the Parliament proceedings as a split in the BJP-led coalition, he said, "yes, it is a split in the NDA." Basu said that the left leadership was prepared to talk to the TDP if it was interested. It had worked well during the reign of the National Front Government led by H D Deve Gowda. The veteran Marxist said that by joining hands with the NDA, the TDP had led Andhra Pradesh to disaster as has been pointed out by various reports of the World Bank. TDP had yesterday broke ranks with the BJP-led NDA and decided to participate in the proceedings of Parliament ending the six-day boycott. Turning to the possible hike in prices of petroleum products, Basu said that his party was against it. "Our party general secretary Prakash Karat had conveyed our stand to both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi we are discussing it within our party also." (PTI) CAG raps NDA Govt for "India shining" campaign NEW DELHI, May 6: Comptroller and Auditor General today pulled up the previous NDA Government for diversion of funds and incurring unauthorised expenditure of Rs 63.23 crore for the ‘India shining’ media campaign. "Ministry of Finance did not obtain approval of Parliament before incurring an expenditure of Rs 63.23 crore on the media campaign," CAG said in its report tabled in Parliament today. "The action of the ministry in not obtaining prior approval of Parliament before incurring expenditure on the activity, which was a new service or instrument of service, was unauthorised," it said. The ministry incurred the expenditure through diversion of funds although this activity was not contemplated in the annual budget, CAG said while tracing the expenditure. An expenditure of Rs 63.23 crore was incurred by re-appropriating Rs 68 crore from the sub-head ‘cooperation with other countries’ to a sub-head ‘other expenditure’ under major head 3605 in demand no. 31 - Department of Economic Affairs for 2003-04, CAG said. However, the Finance Ministry said it had mentioned about the expenditure while presenting the demand and treated it as a provision for supporting an overall, general and imaginative promotion of India, its trade and foster techno-economic and intellectual progress with other countries. Hence, it was not treated as a new service. CAG said the ministry’s reply was not "tenable" in view of the Constitutional requirements regarding appropriation. Moreover, the nature and purpose of the campaign did not fit under this major head, which covered various promotional activities in relation to ties with other countries, it said. The Finance Ministry, in September 2002, had mooted a proposal for launching a media campaign for highlighting the benefits of economic reforms. In September 2003, an empowered sub-group, set up under the chairmanship of Chief Economic Advisor, for implementation of the publicity programme decided that a full-fledged media campaign be launched and the expenditure met with sponsorship from various stakeholders in the reforms — banks, financial institutions and corporate world. Campaign material of two advertisement agencies styled as ‘India shining’ was approved in October 2003 for release to various newspapers and TC channels in three phases during October 2003, December 2003-January 2004 and from February 2004 till the Model Code of Conduct of Parliamentary elections came into effect, the CAG report said. (PTI) |
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AIDS awareness on the rise in TN, Pondicherry, says survey CHENNAI, May 6: In a remarkable improvement, the use of condoms among commercial sex workers and their clients in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry has increased from 56 per cent in 1996 to 85.9 per cent in 2004, according to a Behavioural Surveillance Survey (BSS) conducted by the AIDS prevention and control project and voluntary health services. The annual survey was conducted to study trends in sexual behaviour of high-risk groups such as Commercial Sex Workers-Female (CSW-F), Truckers and Helpers (TH), Male and Female Factory Workers (MFW, FFW), Male Youth in Slums (MYS), Men having Sex with Men (MSM), Aravani/Hijras (ARA), Injecting Drug Users (IDU), Male and Female Migrant Workers (MMW, FMW). The BSS also revealed that knowledge of two acceptable ways to prevent HIV/sexually transmitted diseases was above 90 per cent across all population groups surveyed. Misconceptions among them regarding the modes of transmission had also come down over the years. Involvement in non-regular sex had declined gradually to 33.7 per cent among th even as condom usage with paid partners remained high at 89.5 per cent. Condom usage had also increased among males from 64 per cent in 2003 to 93.8 per cent in 2004 and from 23.6 per cent in 2003 to 50.3 per cent in 2004, in the case of female factory workers, the survey revealed. Among MSM, condom usage recorded a significant rise with same-sex non-regular partners. A higher number of the population surveyed, recognised symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and sought treatment from qualified medical practitioners, which was an important outcome of the prevention efforts. Less stigmatising attitudes were also expressed by the population under study. The findings of the BSS would be used to recognise successful strategies that drive the high-risk population towards safe sexual behaviour and those that fail to deliver the intended message. It would also be helpful in identifying those segments of population that had not adopted a safe behaviour despite the message having reached them and the reasons for the same. APAC project assessed the prevalence of STI and HIV in the general community in Tamil Nadu in 1998. This study was the first attempt to document the community prevalence in India and helped in structuring intervention programmes by the APAC and other organisations. APAC reassessed the point prevalence of STIs in the general population in Tamil Nadu during 2003-2004. In addition, two high-risk groups namely, sex workers and truckers and helpers were also studied. As per its findings, prevalence of any STI among the general population was 10.63 per cent, as in urban-rural areas. The prevalence of STI among males was 9.2 per cent and females 11.5 per cent. HIV prevalence was noted at 0.7 per cent. The overall prevalence of any STI among sex workers was noted to be 56.0 per cent. Among those who had lab-confirmed STI, 83 per cent had a non-viral STI. HIV prevalence was 9.5 per cent. Among truckers and helpers, the overall prevalence of any STI was noted at 15 per cent. Among those who had lab-confirmed STI, 62 per cent had a non-viral STI. HIV prevalence was 4.1 per cent. (UNI) |
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Rohtang tunnel project to be commissioned by 2011 SHIMLA, May 6: The Rohtang tunnel project would be commissioned by the end of 2011 at an estimated cost of Rs 1697 crore, providing all-weather connectivity to the Lahaul valley and helping the economy of the region, a senior Border Roads Organisation official said here today. "International bidding for awarding contract for the construction of tunnel had been invited and 12 companies including some foreign companied had been shortlisted," Brigadier K P Singh, Chief Engineer, Deepak Project, BRO told reportes here. He said the contract would be given to one single company for the construction of 8.9 km long tunnel beneath mighty Rohtang Pass (3978 mt high), which would reduce the distance between Manali and Sarchu in tribal Lahaul valley by 46 km. The main contractor might award sub contracts and the contracts for construction of 14.8 km from Palchan to sough portel on Manali side and 1.2 km from northern Portel to Sarchu on Lahaul side could be split, he added. The project is expected to help the economy in the region and facilitate troop movement on the 475 km long Manali-Sarchu-Leh road, whose distance would be reduced to 429 km. Lahaul valley remains cut of from rest of the state for more than five to six months due to closure of Rohtang Pass following heavy snowfalls during winters and the tunnel would provide all-weather connectivity to the valley. The project envisages construction of 13 snow galleries at major avalanche sites to approach the main tunnel. A pilot project had been undertaken by Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) for constructing the snow gallery, Brig Singh said adding "if it is successful, 12 more galleries, ten on Manali side and two on keylong side would be constructed". He said the tunnel would be located at a height of 3100 mts and would avoid about 40 major avalanche points on the Manali-Keylong route via Rohtang Pass. Brig Singh said environmental clearance for acquiring 78 hectares of land including some private and forest land would be obtained by the year end and dumping of muck and debris would be done at identified locations. A 24 km alternate road from Manali to south Portal near Dhundi had been constructed at a cost of Rs 18.82 crore and the work on construction of the tunnel was expected to begin early next year, he said. The foundation stone of the project was laid on may 26, 2002 by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and its cost was estimated at Rs 1300 crore at that time. (PTI) Assam Rifles reading itself for greater role in NE SHILLONG, May 6: Assam Rifles, the country’s oldest paramilitary force deployed exclusively in the North East, readies itself for new roles providing not only security cover but social and environmental safeguards as well. Director-General Assam Rifles Lt Gen Bhopinder Singh, who is also the ex-Office Security Adviser to North Eastern Council (NEC), was in the process of listing some priority areas for his 170-year old force to usher in a "holistic development" of the region. At the NEC’s 50th meeting in Delhi on April 12, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had suggested according ‘same kind of priority’ to economic development and security concerns in ensuring rapid development of the region. The Prime Minister had said a lot of effort still needed to be made to revitalise NEC and make it capable of fulfilling its original mandate. "The security dimension has been almost completely ignored in its activities." Lt Gen Singh told PTI in an interview, that as there could not be any development without security and vice versa, efforts should be to club both the aspects for a "holistic" development as envisaged by the Prime Minister. The target of insurgency is always not to let a place develop. But once economic development comes about, insurgency evaporates from the region, the DG, Assam Rifles said citing the example of how the Tipaimukh Hydel Project in Mizoram is facing hurdles from the ultras. Likewise, vehicular movement along the national highway, which is the shortest link to Manipur, was getting affected by insurgents as none dared to venture out on it. "So we will be giving security to the Tipaimukh Dam and also clearing the NH to facilitate vehicle movement which will bring development in remote areas," Lt Gen Singh said. Security, according to the DG, should not mean only fighting with arms against militants - which Assam Rifles has been doing in both guarding the Indo-Myanmar border and counter-insurgency operations in the north east, but it must encompass social and environmental angles also. Elaborating, Lt Gen Singh said, his force would help forest authorities in preserving the woods near the Myanmar border where trees were felled and smuggled into the neighbouring country. "We are losing revenue (because of smuggling) and our forest cover is also getting reduced day by day," the DG said. Smuggling of narcotics was another problem in the region. Quoting a recent report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), he said as drugs coming from Myamnar failed to reach a bigger market like Kolkata, they stopped in the north east and consumed by the people here. "We want to arrest the menace by assisting the narcotics control bureau and other civil administrations," the DG said. But this greater role of Assam Rifles should not mean that the force would take over others’ job. Actually it would assist others to do their jobs in a safe and secured way, lt Gen Singh said. With the Union Home Ministry having decided to increase recruitment percentage for Central Paramilitary Forces for insurgency-prone and border areas, he has already started the enrolment process raising it from the existing 15 to 40 per cent. This hike in recruitment from the north east would not only facilitate employment generation in the region but also wean away those who had already gone underground, he said adding "although we will not recruit without screening." "Our effort would be to create a `win-win situation’ where he (an extremist) should `win it by grace without losing face’ (in joining the national mainstream)," the DG said. Recalling his own experience during militancy in Punjab, Lt Gen Singh said a school and a bridge built in a village of a dreaded militant with the help of the ultra’s mother ultimately won the hearts of the people of the area. The Assam Rifles, being the ‘friends of hill people’, would also aim that. (PTI) Seven Pattan Municipal Councilors resign BARAMULLA, May 6: The Councilors of the Pattan Municipality have resigned their seats following the killing of its Chairman alongwith three guards by Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants. The Councillors, belonging to different political parties have resigned because they feel insecure after the death of Chairman of the Pattan Municipality (PM) Mohammad Ramzan Mian and his three Personnel Security Officers (PSOs) at Main Chowk in Pattan on May 3, official sources said. The Councillors, belonging to different political parties, today sent a signed appology letter to Imam ( priest) of a Mosque at Pattan, saying they have resigned from their seats as Councillors, the sources said. "We have committed a mistake and now please forgive us," they said in the letter, which was read by the Imam in the mosque during the Friday prayers. They further said that they have no connection with any political party or Municipal Council. North Kashmir, particularly Pattan is considered a stronghold of HM which has claimed the responsibility for the killing of Mr Mian, a senior Congress leader. About half a dozen Councillors were killed by militants and more than a dozen others resigned from different Municipal Committees and Councils in the Kashmir valley since their election. The opposition, National Conference (NC), has also alleged that Government has failed to provide proper security cover to the Councillors who contested the elections depite militant threat. However, authorities in some cases have shifted the Councillors to protected places, including police stations. (UNI) India to be the most populous country by 2030 NEW DELHI, May 6: The population of India will overtake that of China by 2030, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said today. Indians will then number 144.9 crore against 144.6 crore Chinese, she told the Rajya Sabha quoting world population prospects of the United Nations. By 2050, the world population is projected to be 907.6 crore of which India’s and China’s are projected to be 159.3 crore and 139.2 crore These two add to 298.5 crore which is about 33 per cent of the projected world population by 2050, Ms Lakshmi said in a written reply. Various steps have been taken by the Government to effectively implement population stabalisation programmes. These include adoption of a national population policy, Constitution of a National Commission on population and Constitution of an empowered action group for focussed attention on eight demographically weaker states. (UNI) |
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