With no office ready, Antulay spends time in constituency

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: Almost nine months after he was sworn in as Minority Affairs Minister, veteran Congress leader A R Antulay has not been able to use the office allotted to him as it is still under renovation.

The ministry is operating from a temporary office in Central Delhi with one Secretary, two Joint-Secretaries and some other staff.

With no full-fledged office ready for use, Antulay is spending a great deal of his time in Maharashtra, touring his Raigad constituency.

Ministry sources said the 11th floor office allotted to him in the CGO complex is expected to be ready by next month.

The 77-year-old leader, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, recently underwent an eye surgery in Chennai where he spent almost a month before he left to Mumbai.

The ruling UPA drew BJP flak when it announced the formation of a Minority Affairs Ministry, a move the main opposition party BJP flayed as an act of Muslim appeasement.

His ministry has pushed for reservation of 15 per cent of Central welfare funds for minority schemes and for increasing the corpus fund of the Maulana Azad Educational Foundation.

Antulay’s attempts to get under his purview issues relating to education for minorities from the HRD Ministry, however, have proved futile with Arjun Singh making it clear that he will not part with them.

A proposal by the Minority Affairs Ministry is under the Centre’s consideration to provide the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) with its own investigation cell to probe complaints of religious rights violations.(PTI)

Insurer to pay interest from date
of compensation fixation:SC

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: The Supreme Court has held that insurance companies would be liable to pay interest on delayed payment of the insured amount from the date the compensation was decided and not from that on which correspondence started in this regard.

"The important date to be decided in such circumstances is the date on which the quantum of compensation and to whom it should be paid is finally decided and not from the dates on which correspondence ensued between the parties," a bench comprising Justice H K Sema and Justice P K Balasubramanyan said.

The ruling came on an appeal filed by the National Insurance Company Ltd challenging the order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directing it to pay interest at 6 per cent from December 1990 to june 1994 to the party as damages for delay in payment.

The insurance company contended that the delay in paying the damages was not on its part.

An export company in 1990 had obtained five transit insurance for its consignment to Sudan. It was discovered that on arrival of the consignment in Sudan, there was some damage on account of rust.

The company had submitted that the foreign company by a letter dated March 17, 1991 had vested the right, title and interest with it.

The company which was paid the amount in June 1994 by the insurance company demanded interest on it from 1990 onwards for delay in payment.

However, the court said that though the communication in this regard started in 1991, the interest could only be paid from April 8, 1994, the date on which the compensation amount was decided.

The bench dealt with the question as to whether after giving a clean discharge certificate by accepting the amount signing the voucher, the complainant (the export firm) can raise the complaint of interest on delay of payment.

The court said that despite execution of the discharge voucher, the appropriate authority would grant relief to the consumer if he/she may be in a position to satisfy the tribunal or the commission under the act, that such discharge voucher or receipt had been obtained from him under undue influence or in a fraudulent manner.

However, the bench noted that in the current instance, where the company shot of a letter after lapse of two months of receipt of payment, demanding interest did not have justification.

"There is no complaint that the discharge voucher had been obtained from the complainant respondent (the export company) herein fraudulently or by exercise of undue influence or by misrepresentation or by coercive bargaining," the bench added. (PTI)

FAO to assess progress on world food security since 1996

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: Ten years after the world food summit, global representatives from over 120 countries will meet in Rome next week to review just how far the world has come towards meeting the 2015 goal of reducing by half the number of hungry people in the world, then estimated at 800 million.

Ministers from some of the world’s poorest and richest countries attending the 32nd session of FAO’s Committee on World Food Security taking place in Rome from October 30 to November 4, 2006, will be considering the extent to which the 1996 world food summit goal, which their Governments together pledged to support, can and will be met.

Recognising that relying on Governments alone ignores the growing reality that civil society and the private sector also have a key role to play in reducing hunger and poverty, the CFS will kick-off with a two-day special forum involving non-Government actors as well as Government representatives, an FAO release said here today.

"Having civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations with us is indispensable if we are to succeed," said the FAO Director-General.

On the occasion of World Food Day, observed on 16 October 2006, participants from some 50 Non-Governmental Organizations and the private sector called on FAO to work more closely with civil society to mobilize farmers, workers and young people to fight hunger and poverty on the ground.

The special forum which begins on October 30 will consider the theme "A World Free from Hunger: Progress and Prospects for achieving the World Food Summit Plan of Action."

"This CFS session should give added impetus to global efforts to meet the internationally agreed upon millennium development goals, the first of which is to reduce the incidence of hunger and extreme poverty by half by 2015," according to CFS Secretary Margarita Flores.

"For example last April the FAO regional conference for Latin America and Caribbean region already endorsed an initiative, not only to reduce hunger but to completely eradicate it in the region by 2025."

During the special forum, three panels are being organised to discuss related issues: aid and investment, trade and globalisation, and agrarian reform and rural development.

Other events taking place during the CFS include a side event on FAO’s Special Programme for Food Security which aims at promoting national ownership and local empowerment to overcome problems of hunger and poverty in the 100+ countries where the programme is operating. Implementation of the Right to Food will also be discussed at a special event during the CFS.

The meeting will further consider a progress report on the work of the International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH) that was born out of the world food summit-five years later. Representatives from 15 national alliances against hunger that have come into being since the launch of the IAAH in 2002 will be participating in the special forum.

FAO will also launch, on October 30, its annual State of World Food Insecurity (SOFI) report, which reviews global hunger figures, including progress towards reducing levels of food insecurity in hunger hot spots and also considers regions and countries where substantial progress is being made to reduce levels of undernourishment. (UNI)

Police constable sentenced to seven year RI

SONEPAT, Oct 26: A former Delhi Police Constable has been awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3,000 on the charges of molesting a minor girl on August 22 last year.

The District and Session Judge C B Jaglan yesterday convicted Hari Chand, a resident of Mahmoodpur Majra village near here for molesting the girl hailing from the same village.

According to prosecution, the accused lured the girl and took her to a deserted place where he tried to rape her but was apprehended by a family member of the girl, who reached the site after hearing her screams.

Gohana Police arrested him on the complaint lodged by the father of the girl. (PTI)

Shashi Kapoor to be chief guest at
Goa International Film Festival

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: Veteran film actor Shashi Kapoor will be the chief guest at the inuagural ceremony of this year’s International Film Festival of India, which opens at Goa on November 23.

Noted actress Aparna Sen will be the chief guest at the closing function of the festival.

The inaugural ceremony of last year’s IFFI was mired in controversy after super star Amitabh Bachhan’s name as chief guest was withdrawn at the last moment and instead of him, octogenarian actor Devanand inaugurated the event.

"This year’s film festival will be inaugurated by Mr Shashi Kapoor, and Ms Aparana Sen will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony," Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Das Munsi told newsperson after he was presented the list of film entries in the Indian Panorama here today.

The ten-day event will screen a total of 40 Indian films, 20 feature and 20 non-feature. (UNI)

BJP to launch stir demanding gallows for Afzal

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: The BJP today decided to launch its second phase of agitation, demanding the hanging of Mohammad Afzal, convicted by the Supreme Court in the Parliament attack case, from November 15 to 24.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said that the meeting of the party’s office-bearers decided to hold rallies at 14 places in the country, which witnessed by terrorist incidents, to highlight the menace of terrorism to the nation. "The Government’s soft-pedaling of mercy petition of Afzal raised many issues," he said, adding the cities where the rallies are be held include Ayodhya, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Kolkatta where the terrorists have struck in the past.

There had been umpteen number of mercy petitions by the convicts facing the gallows for their crimes against humanity and all petitions were disposed off within 24 hours after filing the petition but the Government was yet to decide in 24 days after the clemency was sought, Mr Javadekar noted.

He said delay in hanging Afzal was not an issue concerning an individual but the determination of the national will to enforce the law in letter and spirit. "Nobody in BJP pleaded for mercy for Dara Singh, convicted of murdering Christian missionary Graham Staines in Mayurbhanj in Orissa because nobody agreed with the killing. It was not the case with Afzal where people and organisations including Congress party were putting forth all kinds of perverse arguments to save him from the gallows," he said.

He said on November 27, the opening day of the winter session of Parliament, the BJP had decided to organise a huge rally in Delhi and the party had nomimated two senior leaders Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to coordinate with the Delhi unit.

On December 13, the BJP would felicitate the families of victims who fell of terrorist bullets in Parliament attack, he added. (UNI)

Telgi’s confessional statement provided to his lawyer

PUNE, Oct 26: A copy of the confessional statement made by prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi in connection with a 1995 fake stamp paper seizure case registered in Mumbai has been made available to his lawyer.

Telgi, the alleged kingpin in the multi-crore fake stamp case who is lodged at the Yerawada Central Jail here for over three years since his arrest, made the statement in February this year before Pune’s Chief Judicial Magistrate D W Modak.

He had desired to make the confessional statement in the case pending before Special Judge, Greater Mumbai, U D Salvi, who then issued the necessary directions to the CJM.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate recorded Telgi’s confessional statement in February, 2006 and had it despatched to the Special Court, Mumbai in a sealed cover.

Telgi plans to make a detailed confession later, exposing the alleged roles of politicians and bureaucrats in the racket, his lawyer Milind Pawar said.(PTI)

Art auction fails to live upto expectations

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: Works of master artists failed to evoke interest among art lovers as 140 pieces went under hammer in the much hyped ‘Modern and Contemporary Indian Art’ auction here.

F N Souza, Jagdish Swaminathan, Ramkumar and Anjali Ela Menon failed find any buyers for their works while M F Hussain, Syed Haidar Raza, Bimal Dasgupta and Abdur Rahman Chughtai were lucky enough at the last night auction here.

At the auction managed by celebrity auctioneer Tim Wonnacott from Britain, Raza’s ‘Germination’ set the record of the night fetching Rs 75 lakh.

Hussain’s painting ‘Gandhi’ was sold for Rs 60 lakh and Chughtai’s two works fetched Rs 25 lakh each.

"The auction went pretty well. It was a success, though some of the paintings did not sell the way we would have liked it," Hariram Shastri, organiser of the event, said.

Swaminathan’s ‘Bird and Mountain Series’ did not sell though the bidding went as high as Rs two crores.

"The paintings of Swaminathan, Ramkumar and Souza were expected to be sold at highest prices. But the sellers wanted a higher price than the maximum bid. Hence, these were not sold," Shastri said.

"The show was good, but bid was pretty slow. It could have been better. It was not as exciting as it should have been," said Ashish Anand, owner of an Art Gallery. He was one of the most enthusiastic buyers who bought around 10 artworks.

Pioneering artist Nandalal Bose’s ‘Shiva Drinking World’s Poison’ fetched Rs 26 lakh. Jamini Roy and Gaganendranath Tagore also found buyers for their .

"Books like ‘Abanindranath Tagore and the Art of his times,’ went for Rs 22,000, Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘The Golden Book of Tagore,’ Rs 38,000 and ‘Lalit Kala Contemporary Issue Numbers 1-28’ sold at Rs 55,000," (PTI)

Construction industry should focus
on capacity building: CIDC

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: With investment of massive Rs 14.5 lakh crore being envisaged in the 11^{th five year plan to develop the physical infrastructure of the country, the construction sector should gear up its building capacity to deliver projects, an industry expert said.}

^{"It is envisaged that Rs 14.5 lakh crore will be invested in 11th five year plan to develop physical infrastructure. The key focus for the construction industry needs to be on capacity building," Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) Director General P R Swarup said at a seminar on ‘11th Plan Proposal on Focal Areas of Construction’ here today.}

^{CIDC is an apex body formed by the Planning Commission together with the Indian construction industry.}

^{Pointing out that the construction industry was important for the growth of the economy, he said one-third of national growth was expected to come from the construction sector.}

^{Swarup said, the industry should focus on the capacity building like training manpower and use of modern technology so that efficiency of construction sector improves.}

^{The huge investment would be made mainly in railways, freight corridors, surface transport, road/ highways, ports, aviation and power, he said adding that 15-20 per cent of the total investment would come from private sector in PPP model.}

^{Giving a breakup of the Rs 14.5 lakh cr investment, which is envisaged to be invested in the 11th plan, Swarup said, Rs 4.2 lakh crore would be made in power generation followed by modernisation of highways Rs 2.2 lakh crore, Railways Rs 3 lakh crore, housing Rs 1.5 lakh crore.}

^{During the 10th plan an investment of 10-12 lakh crore was being made, he said.}

^{Inaugurating the three-day international trade exhibition for building, construction and interiors, Minister for Urban Development for Delhi A K Walia said, the construction industry should focus on delivering projects in time bound approach and maintaining good quality.}

^{He said 2010 commonwealth game was a great challenge in front of Delhi.}

^{Pointing out that half a million population migrates every year to Delhi, Walia said: "We have to provide better infrastructure and facilities like power, water, sewage, transport and municipal waste management."}

^{The minister said the State Government was working on new strategies to keep river Yamuna clean.}

^{"We are planning to install mini-sewage treatment plant across Delhi so that water gets treated before it reaches river Yamuna," he said adding that Delhi Jal Board has appointed a consultant in this regard.}

^{Speaking on the occasion, CIDC Chairman Uddesh Kohli said it was not just investment but the efficiency in implementing the investment which matters.}

^{"The labour cost is low but the construction cost is high," he said.}

^{Former Chairman of HUDCO P S Rana also emphasised on focusing on capacity building and creating skilled manpower to improve efficiency and productivity of construction industry. (PTI)}

Never seen Monica, Salem in the
locality: witness tells court

BHOPAL, Oct 26: A witness today informed a court hearing Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi’s fake passport case that he had never seen her and her alleged companion underworld don Abu Salem in the locality, the address of which was mentioned to procure the passports.

Naseem, a resident of Gandhi Nagar area, where the address mentioned for procuring the fake passports was located, claimed before Judge D K Dangi that he had never seen Bedi and underworld don Abu Salem in the locality.

With Naseem testifying before the judge, three out of the 32 witnesses in the case have got their statements recorded, Public Prosecutor R K Motwani told reporters after the day’s hearing.

The judge also rejected an application by Monica’s new counsel P C Bedi seeking more time to study the case, he said, adding that the court will record statements of other witnesses tomorrow.

Monica, against whom charges of fraud, forgery and offences under the Indian Passport Act were framed by the court, was booked along with Salem, Sameera, Abdul Jameel alias Siraj and Abdul Kabeer Baba in the fake passport case in 2001.

Residential addresses of Siraj and Kabeer were mentioned in the allegedly forged supporting documents presented to procure passports for Bedi, Salem and Sameera in the names of Sameena Baig, Danish Baig and Faujia Usmani, respectively.

Bedi, who was brought here from a Hyderabad jail on October 13, was extradited along with Salem-a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts-from Portugal.

She has already been sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment in a passport forgery case in Hyderabad. (PTI)

BJP opposes military aid to Sri Lanka

CHENNAI, Oct 26: The BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit today alleged that the Indian Government was providing military aid to Sri Lanka and urged the Centre to stop it immediately as it would be "used only against Tamils in the island."

"Sri Lanka has no enemies in its neighbourhood.Hence, the weapons given to it will be used only against Tamils in the island and fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu," State BJP president L Ganesan told reporters here.

Welcoming the negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, he said "both parties had in the past used the time to make preparations for war.The Sri Lankan Government had never honoured any of the previous agreements with the Tamils."

India had a responsibility in the Lankan issue, as thousands of refugees were coming from the island to Tamil Nadu.The BJP would send a team to the refugee camps to study the refugees’ condition and submit a report to the party’s state leadership, he said.

The BJP leader alleged that police had refused permission for the party to stage demonstrations against ‘rigging and violence’ during the Chennai Corporation elections.

"I do not think police are acting independently. Suppression of expression in a democracy is not good. It will cause a blot on the State Government," he said. (PTI)

Haryana to release water into Yamuna for Chhat Pooja

NEW DELHI, Oct 26: In view of Chhat Pooja, Haryana government has agreed to release 300 cusecs of water into the heavily polluted stretch of Yamuna river in the capital.

"Around 50-60 cusecs of water will be released tomorrow. By Saturday morning, when devotees will offer Chhat prayers on the ghats of the Yamuna in the capital, Haryana will release 300 cusecs of water into the river," an official spokesman told PTI.

Delhi Government had asked Haryana to release water into the Yamuna in view of the Pooja that falls on October 28.

Meanwhile, Development Minister Rajkumar Chauhan today carried out an inspection of the arrangements being made along the Yamuna for the Chhat Pooja performed by people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Minister visited the 24 points on the banks of the Yamuna where the Chhat Pooja will take place, the spokesman said.

Delhi Government has this year sanctioned Rs seven lakh for the arrangements for the Chhat festival, he said.

On the eve of the festival, a large number of people assemble on both sides of the Yamuna and worship the setting sun. On the day of the festival, people assemble at the ghats to worship the rising sun. (PTI)