Bitta claims getting threats from abroad

CHANDIGARH, Jan 21: All India Anti Terrorist Front (AIATF) Chairman M S Bitta today said he has been recieving threats for having spoken against Afzal Guru, convicted in the Parliament attack case.

Addressing a press conference here, he said he had received threatening calls, SMSes and missed calls from Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Since December 19 he has received 128 such calls from abroad, he said.

"I have never got so many threatening calls though I have been speaking against terrorists for the last about 20 years," he said.

He alleged that Delhi Police have failed to take any action despite his filing four complaints at Preet Vihar and Parliament Street Police Stations.

Bitta said he had not sought any additional security.

He blamed a senior Punjab police officer for having "sown the seeds for revival of terrorism in the state (when the Amarinder Singh-led Congress Government was in power." (PTI)

NACO to issue computerised smart cards to AIDS patients

NEW DELHI, Jan 21: In an effort to ensure continuity in treatment of AIDS patients, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) would be issuing computerised smart cards to patients, who are being treated at any of the anti retroviral therapy (ART) centres across the country.

"This was being done to keep track of the growing number of AIDS patients in the country and ensure continuity in their treatment," NACO Director General Sujatha Rao told PTI.

The smart cards which will store the entire case history of the patient will also help them in seeking treatment anywhere in the country.

"Sometimes patients move from one city to another and it affects their treatment. But with the smart card they can approach any ART centre and get their medicines," Rao said.

"We are in the process of computerisation of all records and would make smart cards compulsory soon," she said.

Treatment is provided free to AIDS patients at the ART centres across the country.

Doctors say in many cases patients do not turn up regularly for treatment, forcing doctors and medical workers to make efforts to locate them.

In order to trace these cases, the ART centres require the accurate addresses and the smart cards would make their task easier. (PTI)

Blazing bus claims two, five critical

BHUBANESWAR, Jan 21: At least two passengers were burnt alive and 25 others injured, five of them critically, when a Madhya Pradesh Road Transport Corporation bus caught fire near Kalpana square here today.

The bus, which was coming from Puri with pilgrims from Laxmanpura and Hinotia villages of Madhya Pradesh, accidentally caught fire and the entire bus was engulfed in a ball of flame in no time.

Two passengers were declared brought dead to Capital Hospital here, official sources said.

The passengers were returning to their villages after visiting the Gangasagar mela and Lord Jagannath's temple in Puri.

The deceased were identfied as Bhiran Singh and Ratan Lal, both in their sixties.

Locals rescued 25 passengers, who were rushed to the Capital Hospital with varying degrees of burn injuries. Five of them were later shifted to SCB Hospital in Cuttack in critical condition, hospital sources added.

The passengers were carrying woollen garments and kerosene stoves which might have prompted the fire to spread so fast, the sources said adding that the bus was carrying an additional supply of diesel that worsened the case.

The fire that broke out only metres away from the State Museum gutted the bus completely.

Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal, Industry Minister and local MLA B B Harichandrandrn and Transport Minister Jaynaran Mishra visited the victims in the hospital. (UNI)

BJP-UDF alliance to contest Tripura elections

AGARTALA, Jan 21: The BJP and United Democratic Front (UDF) today announced that they would jointly contest the upcoming election to the 60-member Tripura Assembly, slated for February 23.

BJP state unit president Nilmani Deb told mediapersons here today that his party would fight in 49 constituencies, while its electoral ally, the UDF would contest the remaining 11 seats.

"Most of the tribal people are supporting us and the bond with the UDF will strengthen our prospects in the coming election," Mr Deb said, adding that star campaigners of the party, including L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj, would address the election rally.

"Neither the Left Front nor the Congress cares for the tribal population of the state but the BJP will work for the downtrodden sections of the society," he said.

With a seven-point manifesto, the UDF said it did not want fresh non-tribal entity in the ADC area, enforcement of the Armed Forces Special Power Act and wanted the Kokborok language in Roman script, Chakma language through Chakma alphabet and Mog language in Burmese script.

UDF candidates, including former CPI(M) MLA Rabindra Kishore Deb Barma and ADC councilor Budhu Deb Barma, will contest in West and South Tripura districts.

BJP observer for the NE Chandra Shekhar Rao claimed that the alliance would emerge as a major party in the state and the BJP would make a difference in the election this time. (UNI)

President calls for rejuvenating
cooperative farm movement

NEW DELHI, Jan 21: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today called for rejuvenating the cooperative movement in the country by making cooperatives well-governed and financially well-managed institutions through greater professionalism.

Addressing the delegates to the 15^{th Indian Cooperative Congress organised by National Cooperative Union of India, she said it was necessary to have dynamic leadership, committed professionals and well-trained staff so that credibility of the institution could be built and the organisation run on sound managerial principles.}

^{In a fast globalising world order, the challenge for the cooperatives was to adapt to new requirements by sharpening their core competencies and devise market-driven business strategies and improve their competitiveness to face competition from multi-nationals and corporate giants.}

^{In India which had witnessed high economic growth, farmers, growers, artisans, handloom weavers, producers and women needed the support of the cooperative movement to participate in economic activities.}

^{The National Policy on Cooperatives, the President said, encourages the cooperative movement to run on professional lines and to function democratically so that cooperatives can become self-sufficient and economically viable organisations.}

^{While the number of cooperatives in the country had increased from 1.8 lakh in 1950-51 to 5.5 lakh and the total membership of cooperative societies had risen from 1.55 crore to 20.4 crore, farm cooperatives were facing a decline at a time when their presence was most needed, the President said and suggested farm cooperatives go beyond their traditional role by meeting the credit needs of farmers as also providing guidance and becoming more agriculturist friendly.}

^{"The cooperative movement in India is now more than a hundred years old. Our founding fathers envisioned that cooperatives would play a very important role in our development process," she said. Cooperatives have been operating in various areas of the economy such as credit, agriculture production, processing, marketing, housing, dairy and textiles.}

^{Drawing attention to the fact that the cooperative movement started in response to the problem of rural indebtedness of farmers in the late 19th century, Ms Patil said it was necessary for these bodies to come together and pool their meagre resources for solving problems of credit supply of inputs and marketing of agriculture produce.}

^{Noting that the environment in which cooperatives worked had changed but their relevance and role remained, she said the NCUI had done commendable work and recalled her own association as a governing council member with NCUI.}

^{Greater participation was needed of women and youth in the movement, she said, adding that empowerment of women through cooperatives was much talked about but "we need to go a long way in making it a reality". (UNI)}

Security tightened ahead of Republic Day

NEW DELHI, Jan 21: Security in Delhi has been tightened ahead of the Republic Day with as many as 174 companies of the Delhi Police and the Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF) already deployed across the national capital.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said the security arrangements for the capital would be finalised tomorrow and additional forces would be deployed in the coming days.

"We have already deployed 174 companies of the Delhi Police and the CPMF across the national capital," he added.

Of these, Mr Bhagat said 140 companies were of the Delhi Police and 34 of the CPMF.

A complete security cover for the capital city would be put in place by tomorrow ahead of the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day on January 23.

Some portions of the Rajpath, where the main parade takes place on the Republic Day, has been closed for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

India Gate, which usually wears a busy look till late nights on normal days, has been almost placed out of bounds for the general public. Barricades have been erected at many places along the stretch and the roads leading to the India Gate.

For the past three consecutive days, certain restrictions on movement of traffic had been imposed on the Rajpath in view of the Republic Day celebration rehearsals.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy would be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade this year. (UNI)

No decision on vacation of frequency
used by armed forces

NEW DELHI, Jan 21: Amid ongoing controversy over spectrum allocation, Defence Ministry today said no final decision has yet been taken with regard to vacation of frequency used by armed forces.

"Various proposals are being considered... How much spectrum will be released and when, no decision has yet been taken," Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters here.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) is hoping to get atleast 25 MHz of spectrum from the defence forces for commercial use by telecom service providers.

DoT has already issued Letters of Intent (LoIs) to nine firms and they are yet to be given spectrum to roll out mobile services. DoT is also banking on spectrum vacation from defence for starting next generation 3G mobile services for which guidelines have already been announced by DoT.

Asked about the ongoing tussle among the mobile service providers on the spectrum allocation, the minister expressed hope that the issue would be settled amicably.

On the quantum of spectrum to be vacated by the Defence Ministry, Antony said there were all (kind of) proposals and at this stage, the Government cannot announce anything. (PTI)

SC declines PIL for laying uniform rules for HC on RTI

NEW DELHI, Jan 21: The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a petition seeking uniform rules for all the High Courts for dealing with the RTI applications.

The court did not agree with the contention that different rules adopted by the High Courts was defeating the objective of the Right to Information Act which aimed at bringing out transparency in state’s functioning.

"We cannot give general directions to the High Courts for framing rules in this regard. It is the prerogative of the High Courts to frame rules," a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said.

"We do not have supervisory jurisdiction over the High Courts," the bench, also comprising Justices R V Raveendran and Dalveer Bhandari, said, adding that "each High Court is an individual body and you cannot have a wholesale direction".

The PIL filed by an NGO, Public Cause Research Foundation, had contended that rules framed by the High Courts were not in consonance with the purpose of the Act.

The bench did not accept the submission of advocate Kamini Jaiswal that since the High Courts are arms of the apex court, it can pass a direction to them for framing a uniform guideline for dealing with the RTI applications.

"The High Courts are not our subordinate," it said.

Further, the bench said the rules framed by the High Court can be challenged on its judicial side.

"We cannot say that High Court should frame rules," it said.

Realising that the court was not inclined to entertain the PIL, the advocate preferred to withdraw the petition. (PTI)