RWAS not satisfied with Sheila Govt on Bijli-Pani sector

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: As the Sheila Dikshit Government grapples with the twin issues of water and power scarcity in the capital, almost half of the rwas have in a survey rated its performance as "poor".

According to a survey conducted among the RWAS by Urja, the umbrella organisation of about 500 associations, only ten per cent of the repsondents rated the performance of the NCT Government as excellent in ‘Bijli-Pani’ sectors.

While 46 per cent said the performance of Delhi Government was average in the power and water sectors, 43 per cent rated it as poor or very poor.

Discoms also bore the brunt of RWAS disenchantment with a whopping 89 per cent saying that the private parties where taking unfair advantage of consumers for making huge profits.

The Urja survey covers about 500 RWAS in the city and the initial findings are based on its surveying 30 assocations.

Majority of Delhiites also believe that the mall lobby is behind sealing and demolition drives in the capital. Seventy-four per cent among them said the allegation that "big fishes" are behind the drives against shops in residential areas and unauthorised contructions have substance. About 81 per cent among them also agreed that the Government failed to provide adequate commercial space.

RWAS are not at all satisfied with the performance of MCD Councillors with 41 per cent each felt that the performance was poor and averqage respectively. Seventeen per cent said their Councillors were excellent while 67 per cent noted that their Corporators were corrupt.

The survey also said only 39 per cent rated the performance of MLAs as poor.

Among the respondents, 84 per cent said they had a "person in mind who is honest, educated, dependable and sincere who could be a good candidate for the coming MCD polls".

"While we see this as a sign of a growing disenchantment of residents with the local Councillor. We also see this as a sigh of their willingness to engage at this level if a good candidate is available," Sanjay Kaul, president of people’s action said. (PTI)

Death verdict in Akshardham, riot cases
made headlines in 2006

AHMEDABAD, Dec 26: The ghosts of post-Godhra riots of 2002 continued to haunt as Gujarat Police decided to re-open more than 1,500 riot cases and the POTA court sentenced three accused in the Akshardham terrorist attack case to the gallows in 2006.

The police under pressure from the Supreme Court decided to re-open 1,594 cases and initiate action against 41 police officials for their alleged "mishandling" of riots.

Police also decided to arrest about 600 persons accused in these cases and re-open 13 new cases related to the communal frenzy which rocked Gujarat after 59 people were burnt alive in Sabarmati Express at Godhra on Feb 27, 2002.

Gujarat Police has been accused of trying to hush up many of the post-Godhra riot cases citing lack of evidence against the accused.

The Supreme Court had taken a stern stance in the matter and directed the Gujarat Government to re-examine the 2,000 odd closed cases. It also constituted a 10-member riots inquiry committee which was asked to look at these cases.

One of the most important court verdicts in Gujarat came on July 1 when the designated POTA court awarded death penalty to three persons in the high-profile Akshardham terrorist attack case of September 24, 2003.

Describing the case as rarest of rare, POTA Judge Sonia Gokani held the trio, "directly responsible" for the killing of 30-odd persons by two armed Lashkar-e-Toiba militants who stormed a crowded Akshardham Temple in Gandhingar and opened indiscriminate firing.

The court also awarded lifer to a fourth accused in this case, while two others got punishment of 10 years Rigorious Imporisonement (RI) and five years RI respectively.

The verdict has been challenged in the Gujarat High Court in November.

In November, the POTA court sentenced three persons to rigorous imprisonment in Memco bomb blast case of August 6, 2002 that took place after the post-Godhra riots and the third accused was sentenced to five years RI.

Earlier on May 12, the same POTA court sentenced five persons to ten years rigorous imprisonment in another tiffin bomb blast case in which crude bombs kept hidden in tiffin boxes exploded inside Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) buses at several places on May 29, 2002.

Meanwhile, the hearing of the Nanavati-Shah Commission probing the Sabarmati train carnage and the post-Godhra riots entered the final phase.

Earlier this year, the Commission tried to avail copies of letters written by the then President K R Narayanan to Prime Minister A B Vajpayee advising speedy deployment of troops in the riot-stricken Gujarat in 2002.

However, the letters never made its way to the Commission as both Rashtrapati Bhavan and UPA Government cited President’s privilege while refusing to divulge the letters.

The inquiry panel kept on communicating with the U C Banerjee Committee, constituted by the Railway Ministry to probe the cause of fire on Sabarmati Express, to submit its findings published in the committee’s interim report.

The Committee, in its final report, said the fire in the train was "accidental".

On October 13, the Gujarat High Court quashed and set aside the appointment of Banerjee Committee and termed it as "unconstitutional, illegal and void".

The court observed that the setting up of Banerjee Committee violates provisions of Commissions of Inquiry Act and Indian Railways Act because one Commission (Justice Nanavati-Shah Commission) was already probing the matter.

Almost a year after mass graves were unearthed by the relatives of riot victims killed in Panderwada massacre in Panchmahal district, the High Court on December 8 dismissed a petition requesting a CBI probe in the case.

The petition was dismissed after CBI (which had conducted the DNA tests of the skeletal remains found in the graves) did not approach the court seeking re-investigation. (PTI)

142 alternative medicine colleges lack infrastructure

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: In an alarming finding about alternative medical institutions, a parliamentary panel has said that 142 colleges of Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy colleges in the country lack minimum infrastructure.

A report prepared by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found that this include 35 newly established colleges. It said the teaching facility standards in these colleges were low and that all of them face a severe teaching staff crunch.

"A test check of records of 142 colleges — Ayurveda (58), Unani (14) and Homoeopathy (70) colleges, including 35 new colleges — which were inspected, revealed that none of them meet the minimum requirement of infrastructural and teaching facility standards prescribed," the report said.

"Colleges with persistent deficiencies in infrastructure were denied permission to run courses during this five year period ranged between one and 13," it said.

The Health Ministry, while agreeing with the observations, said the Regulatory Councils would consider the system of inspection of colleges at the earliest.

The deficiencies in these 142 colleges came to the light when their records by the representatives of regulatory councils from 2000-05 were checked.

BJP MP and chairman of the PAC, Vijay Kumar Malhotra who had presented the 38th report to the Lok Sabha on performance audit of Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) said 32 to 59 per cent of the ayurvedic colleges and 23 to 71 per cent of the Homoeopathy Colleges were inspected every year by the Regulatory Councils during 2000-05.

The panel said no systematic or rational system for inspecting the colleges had been devised or followed and visits were generally carried out randomly. It noted that 61 to 62 per cent colleges of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy were inspected only once or twice in the last five years.

Records of educational institutes in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal showed shortage of teaching staff ranging between 19 and 72 per cent and paramedical and other staff ranging between 13 and 78 per cent.

Bed occupancy shortage ranged between one and 71 per cent in these colleges, panel said.

The commitee said the records of Central Council of Indian Medicine and Central Council of Homeopathy showed that medical qualification awarded by 69 out of 444 colleges were yet to be recognised.

"A high-level committee should investigate into the reason and circumstances under which these colleges were allowed to run courses without recognition by the Regulatory Councils," it said.

The Committee has noted that there has been "little success" in popularising alternative systems of medicine in the country and have said that the budget should be increased so that a 20-year roadmap could be formulated. (PTI)

Tamil Nadu pays homage to Tsunami victims

CHENNAI, Dec 26: Scores of people from all walks of life today paid homage to the victims of the Tsunami that struck the Tamil Nadu coast on this day two years ago.

Floral tributes, special prayers and candlelight marches formed part of the homage to the victims of the Tsunami, which claimed over 8,000 lives in the state when it struck at 9.26 am on December 26.

In Nagapattinam district, which reported most of the deaths, hundreds of people paid tearful homage to their dear and near ones who were washed away by the killer waves.

Fisherfolk in colachel area in Kanyakumari district, another area hit hard by the Tsunami, congregated on beaches to pray for their kin swallowed by waves that crashed into the fishing hamlet the day after Christmas.

Politicians and state officials including local MLAs, MPs and the District Collector placed wreaths on the memorial constructed in the collectorate premises and in the villages of Keechankuppam and Akkaraipettai in Nagapattinam district.

In most coastal villages, fishermen did not venture into the sea and hoisted black flags on beaches. Commemorative prayers were also held in Churches.

State Tourism Minister Suresh Rajan and District Collector Sunil Paliwal paid floral tributes to victims at a state-organised function at Kanyakumari.

In the other worst hit coastal district of Cuddalore, a pall of gloom descended as people observed the second anniversary of the tragedy. Condolence meetings, floral tributes and processions were organised in 51 coastal villages in the district that lost 648 people to the waves.

Over 5,000 school children joined a procession at Cuddalore old town. Fisherfolk set up memorial pillars at Pudupet and Devanampattinam and offered prayers.

An 11-member music troupe from Puducherry performed in an orphanage housing 58 children who lost their parents to the tsunami in a programme organised by the lions club.

As fishing activity came to a standstill, bereaved families performed pujas at their homes in the morning and later gathered at the seashore to pay homage to victims.

Tamil Nadu Fishermen’s Federation took out a silent procession to the sea shore. Cuddalore’s District Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi, local MLAs, ngo representatives, students and fishermen participated in the rally.

In Kancheepuram, the anniversary was observed with over 70 houses dedicated to residents of Angalamman Kuppam of Kalpakkam. Fisherfolk of hamlets around Mahabalipuram, Kovalam and Kalpakkam stayed away from the sea, mourning the deaths.

In Chennai, the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation organised a media workshop on "science and Tsunami: Two years later" to discuss relief and rehabilitation, ecological security, new livelihood options and agricultural security.

College and school students lit candles at Marina Beach and in their institutions to offer prayers for victims.

Fishermen’s Welfare Associations organised silent rallies and prayer meetings in Tsunami-affected hamlets.

Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu and other party functionaries observed the Tsunami anniversary here.

The Tamil Nadu Fishermen’s Association conducted a free medical camp for the Tsunami hit people on the occasion. (PTI)

‘Give a unique tracking number to each voter’

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: Facing difficulties in keeping a true head count of electorate in view of sizeable migration from one constituency to another, the Law Ministry has proposed a multipurpose national identity card with a unique tracking number.

The ministry said it was the mission of Election Commission to tag every eligible Indian with a voter identity card, in a time bound frame, but somehow the gap of 30 per cent without the card continues to persist despite campaigns.

"This is partly because of additions to the rolls during annual revisions and due to large scale intra-city and inter-city migration," the ministry said.

Till the last count on January 1, 2005, there were still more than 20 crore eligible Indians who have not yet been issued Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), in short voter I-Cards, accounting for over 30 per cent of the electorate without a place in the rolls.

Precisely, there are 680,508,403 eligible voters of which 478,251,225 have been issued the voter’s I-Card, accounting for 69.87 per cent of the electorate. The remaining are yet to get the voter’s I-Cards.

Despite campaigns stretched beyond the stipulated timeframe to achieve 100 per cent EPIC coverage, the 30 per cent figure has refused to come down, leading to speculations the constantly shifting humanity may be contributing to this apparently inflated figures.

"The migrating electors, in most cases, do not mention their EPICs, if any, issued in the place of previous residence in the application filed for inclusion of their name in the new electoral roll," it observed.

"Therefore, though the name is included in the part of the roll where elector shifts, the EPIC number remains blank. This is a major area of concern," it said, adding issuing a unique number to elector for lifetime can solve this problem.

"A unique multi-purpose identity card is the need of the day. A national identity card can then cover various activities, including that of identification in an electoral roll," it said.

"In case of migration whether intercity or intracity the unique identity number can effectively track and place a voter in the correct location," the ministry recommended, adding it was for the Home Ministry to take an initiative in this direction.

The unique multipurpose card could also be used by the citizens as an all-purpose card for identification, proof of residence, citizenship, date of birth, etc., the ministry added. (PTI)

Tsunami-hit families in Andaman to get permanent shelters

PORT BLAIR, Dec 26: Two years after the Tsunami ravaged this green archipelago and claimed thousands of lives, the administration of Andaman and Nicobar today said every attempt will be made to complete construction of permanent shelters for those left homeless by the killer waves.

Permanent shelters are being constructed at 70 locations in 10 islands, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner-cum- Secretary Dharm Pal told reporters here.

The initial proposal of constructing 9,714 permanent housing units by December 2007 has been revised to 9,797 after a request by the Tribal Council and members of the local community, he said.

All the shelters will be handed over by December 2007, except for those in Great Nicobar, where it will take some more time to complete the shelters.

Pal said the challenges for construction in Great Nicobar Islands are immense because of the scattered nature of the islands. All construction materials also have to be transported from the main land.

Meanwhile, with memories of the tsunami of December 26, 2004 still fresh in their minds, the kin of victims of the disaster in different islands offered special prayers on the second anniversary of the tragedy. (PTI)

Winter session of Himachal Assembly
starts on stormy note

DHARAMSALA, Dec 26: The four-day winter session of Himachal Vidhan Sabha started on a stormy note with BJP members raising slogans and trooping into the well of the house to protest the rejection of adjournment motion seeking discussion on corruption and suspended ADGP B S Thind issue.

Soon after the question hour, the leader of the BJP group, P K Dhumal was on his legs to know the fate of their adjournment motion for discussing the issue of corruption immediately. When the speaker Gangu Ram Musafir said the motion was under consideration, Dhumal insisted that the matter should be taken up for discussion suspending all other business.

Intervening in the matter, Chief Minister V B Singh said that due process had to be followed under rules for discussing any such motion and it was not a recent issue which should be raised through an adjournment motion.

Rejecting the contention of the Chief Minister, Dhumal said the motion had been given under rule 67 for which only one hour's notice was required and the notice was given to the speaker well in time.

The Chief Minister again intervened to point out that the matter was not so recent and could be raised under some other relevant rule. The Government is prepared to discuss any issue but it must be raised under some relevant rule, he maintained adding the matter was not so important to be raised under rule 67.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kaul Singh Thakur said that the matter was under consideration of the Speaker and he should be afforded sometime to decide on the issue.

But the BJP members were unrelenting and started raising slogans when the Speaker went ahead with the business listed for the day and later trooped into the well of the House.

Pandemonium prevailed in the House as slogan shouting and business of the house continued simultaneously and nothing was heard in the din.

As slogan shouting continued, the speaker directed that nothing would go on record. The House was adjourned for the day without any discussion on a resolution regarding opposition to Karchham-Wangtoo hydro-power project by the locals Power Minister Vidya Stokes laid the reply to the motion on the table after the resolution was moved by Jagat Singh Negi of Congress under rule 130.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister V B Singh took strong exception to the behaviour of the BJP members disrupting the proceedings of the house and accused them of evading discussion on impoortant matters.

Talking to mediapersons after the session, the chief minister said that the unruly conduct of the BJP members to disrupt the House was totally "unwarranted and uncalled for". He said the Government was prepared for any discussion but the matter was under consideration ofthe Speaker.

The Chief Minister dismissed demand for holding the Budget Session at Dharamshala and declaring it second capital as rediculous. (PTI)

Karna to set up separate Finance Corp for Disabled

BANGALORE, Dec 26: Karnataka Government has decided to establish a separate Finance Corporation for the welfare of disabled persons, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said today.

Speaking at a meeting organised by National Human Rights Commission to review the progress of implementation of programmes by various departments in Karnataka for the welfare of disabled as per the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995, he said the new finance corporation would be set up by next year.

He said the stipend being given to disabled would be increased from Rs 200 to Rs 500 and also promised to earmark three per cent of the state's total budget to implement welfare programmes to these sections.

Kumaraswamy, outlining the initiatives of his Government, said 15 per cent of jobs in Bangalore One, a multi-service provider, has been reserved for physically challenged.

Plans were afoot to create Self Help Groups for disabled on the model of 'Stree Shakti Groups', for their economic empowerment.

The Government has been allotting 15 per cent of shops in State Road Transport Corporation-managed bus stations for the disabled, he said and added that a reservation of three per cent in allotment of houses has been extended.

Earlier, Acting Chairman of NHRC, Shivaraj V Patil lamented that all the state governments, including Karnataka, have failed to furnish data sought by the Commission.

He wanted the states to fill up all backlog vacancies due for disabled. (PTI)

Movie-makers get mobile friendly

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: Gone are the days when mobile content providers were happy simply formatting existing filmi content for mobile phones. Mobile users now have movies and videos that are made just for them.

If AR Rahman released his latest English album 'Pray For Me, Brother' which was shot on the 'mobile cinemascope format,' by Bharatbala of Vande Mataram fame exclusively for mobile users, a 25-minute movie 'Ctrl+Alt+Del' starring Rahul Bose was premiered recently, which was again made keeping the mobile user in mind.

"Demand for content that is made for mobile devices is on the increase in India. In fact we are in the advanced stages of developing a slew of new products and are also talking to various mobile service providers," says Saurabh Gupta of Phonethics Mobile Media (P) Ltd, who produced and directed 'Ctrl+Alt+Del.'

"I think the Indian film industry has recognised the power of mobile medium and we can expect more exciting products," says Mahesh Prasad of Reliance Communications. 'Ctrl+Alt+Del' has been released on Reliance Mobile World.

With the advent of 3G and mobile TV concepts, which everybody expects to see a big push in the coming year, movie and video content exclusively produced for mobile phones is all set to increase.

"This is a world of convergence where people want everything on their mobile screens. Content providers will be compelled to produce content that is of great quality, which suits the mobile screens," says Vineet Taneja, Director, Multimedia, Nokia India.

It is not just in India that movie-makers are looking at the mobile screen seriously. Recently, Sundance Film Festival, the largest festival for independence movie-makers tied up with GSM Association for producing short film content tailored for the mobile space.

"This project is about making high quality directed & produced short film content tailored for the mobile space. We believe that this is the first time such calibre of talent has been commissioned to make films specifically for mobile," Mark Smith of GSM Association told PTI in a e-mail interview from Dublin.

Smith is of the opnion that this project will be a catalyst and thereby encourage more film-makers to think in new and imaginative ways about what they could do for this new format.

Gupta believes that one great advantage that the mobile users will get is in terms of quality. "A mobile viewer will see a marked difference between the product that is formatted to fit into the mobile screen and the one that is exclusively produced for it" he says.

Bose, who is the protagonist in 'Ctl+Alt+Del' is excited about the new format. "It is important that we have an alternative voice in every sphere of life, and the mobile space opens new possibilities for independent film directors to showcase their movies," he says.

Currently, the viewing and downloading charges may seem a bit high. For instance five minute online streaming of 'Ctrl+Alt+Del' will cost Rs. 15, but with the increase in the availability of content, the prices are set to come down, notes Prasad.

"If people get quality content, they don't mind paying, but the prices will definitely come down," he says.

When the mobile service providers are increasingly looking at VAS (Value Added Services) to increase ARPUs (Average Revenue Per Unit), alternate mediums like film content tailor-made for mobiles, could act as additional revenue stream. (PTI)

JD-U dismisses Ram temple as non-issue

RATLAM, MP, Dec 26: The JD-U today dismissed as a "non-issue" the BJP's comments on building the Ram temple at Ayodhya and said it will not pull out of the NDA on this issue.

"We are not taking (BJP president) Rajnath Singh's statement on constructing the Ram temple seriously. We will not pull out of the NDA over it as it is a non-issue for us," JD-U president Sharad Yadav told reporters here.

Claiming that the JD-U was more concerned about the national agenda, Yadav said his party will honour the court's decision on the Ayodhya issue.

Yadav said the JD-U will not forge an alliance with Mayawati's BSP for the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh but was keen on joining hands with the Apna Dal.

He ruled out the possibility of forming a third front at the national level, saying the atmosphere was not favourable for this.

Criticising the Centre's policies, Yadav said special economic zones and FDI in retail sector were dangerous and could cause economic imbalance. (PTI)

UP Minister Babulal resigns from Mulayam's cabinet

LUCKNOW, Dec 26: Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Food Processing and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Babulal today resigned from the Mulayam Singh Yadav Ministry in the wake of reports linking him with the murdered Meerut lecturer Kavita Rani.

Babulal, met RLD Chief Ajit Singh in Delhi and handed over his resignation. Singh in turn forwarded it to the Chief Minister, according to sources here.

The minister's name was among the several that figured in the letters found in the hostel room of the lecturer in the Chaudhry Charan Singh University in Meerut. She had before her disappearance on October 24 alleged in the letters that she had received threats from various people including Babulal.

He is alleged to have spoken to Kavita on her mobile on over 50 occasions.

Yesterday, Meerut police and the prime suspect in the case Ravindra Pradhan had claimed that she was murdered because she was pestering him for a greater share in the money they had extorted from a former minister Meerajuddin. The former minister was allegedly caught in a compromising position in a CD in his bedroom in his house here, Pradhan had claimed.

Meerajuddin, who denied Pradhan's charge, had also resigned from RLD yesterday claiming to be innocent and would keep out of politics till his name is cleared. (PTI)

Kavita Rani's murder claims another political victim

LUCKNOW, Dec 26: Meerut lecturer Kavita Rani's murder following allegations of sleaze and blackmail claimed yet another political victim when Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Food Processing and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Babu Lal resigned from the ministry today.

Babulal, whose name was among the several allegedly mentioned by Kavita in her letters before her disappearance in October, sent his resignation to RLD Chief Ajit Singh, who forwarded it to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav with his recommendation to accept it.

RLD Spokesman Anil Dubey told here today that although Babu Lal's involvement in the case had been denied by the police, he has resigned on moral grounds.

Babu Lal allegedly knew Kavita and had reportedly spoken to her on several occasions.

RLD, however, alleged that an attempt was being made to shield the Samajwadi Party Minister for Basic Education Kiranpal Singh, whose name had also figured in the case.

"Now that our leaders have resigned, it should be followed by the SP minister," RLD sources demanded.

The main accused in the case Ravindra Pradhan had claimed to have made a sleaze tape of Meerajuddin in the bedroom of his house here and collected Rs 35 lakh as hush money from him.

He said he murdered Kavita on October 24 with the help of an associate Yogesh as she had been making demands for a bigger share of the money. He claimed that Kavita had "intimate relations" with several personalities but did not name them.

Former UP irrigation minister and RLD leader Meerajuddin Ahmed had resigned from the Rashtriya Lok Dal last night claiming it was a political conspiracy against him but would keep out of politics till his name was cleared. (PTI)