Aamir Khan injured again

MUMBAI, May 5: Bollywood Actor Aamir Khan has injured himelf again while shooting for the climax of his film ‘Ghajini’ and has been advised bed rest for three weeks.

Shooting in Hyderabad for action thriller ‘Ghajini’, a remake of a tamil movie with the same name, the actor injured his left leg. The shooting had to be called off yesterday, with the climax incomplete.

"I am so mad with myself," he said, writing about the injury in his blog.

Aamir was badly injured two weeks ago while doing a climax sequence. Notwitstanding the injury, he flew to Mumbai from Hyderabad to receive the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar award for his "sterling contribution to the Indian cinema" the next day.

"Now I’ve really gone and done it" the actor wrote in his blog, four hours after the incident. "Just when I thought I had recovered I’ve injured myself again. And this time its worse than last time" Aamir added.

The hamstring injury is severe and hurting much more than the last time. Describing the injury, he said "The shot was me chasing the villain and taking a running dive to bring him down. As I took the leap, my muscle buckled and the next thing I knew I was on the ground and in intense pain. No idea why it happened. But I am on forced rest now.

"I’ve never had these kind of injuries before, where the injury is not because of any impact but is a result of the muscle not being able to take the stress. And never before had I been doing stunts on thermacole. This is the first time, and I had had two similar injuries within a span of two weeks," he added. (UNI)

Acute shortage of space for women
patients in AIIMS: Committee

NEW DELHI, May 5: A Parliamentary Committee has taken exception to the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) not having any separate indoor facilities earmarked for female patients.

There are 85 beds available in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS. On an average, 40 per cent patients admitted in private wards are females. The same holds true for the total indoor hospital clientele.

The committee on empowerment of women during a visit to the hospital felt that there was an acute shortage of space in the Paediatrics and Gynaecology wards of the hospital.

Space constraints had even resulted in the breach of privacy of the patients. Moreover, there was no proper arrangement for the attendants of patients to wait, the committee said in its report tabled in Lok Sabha last week.

The committee was informed by the staff that in the last 40 years there had been no increase in the space provided for the Paediatric General Ward and for the last six years a proposal has been pending for a separate gynaecology wing with additional beds.

It was also informed that there is a proposal for a redevelopment plan for future expansion of AIIMS. This plan envisages development of super speciality blocks at the vacant land of Masjid Mod campus of the hospital.

Regarding staff quarters and hostels, especially for women, the AIIMS Director submitted during oral evidence that the proposal for building hostels and residential facilities has almost been cleared by the Ministry.

A total of 29 per cent of the faculty are women that is out of 487 doctors in the faculty, 141 are female.

On the security measures available for female doctors, the committee was informed that hotel, mess and shopping centres are all located on the campus itself.

As regards transport facilities, the committee has been apprised that a separate transport facility is available for the female nursing workforce.

The female workers also have privileged access to the recreational amenities club. In case of in service death of any female employee, preference is given to their next of kin for compensatory employment. (PTI)

Tabla maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj no more

VARANASI, May 5: Tabla maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj, who enthralled audiences with his solo concerts, died here after a brief illness.

84-year-old Maharaj was admitted to a private hospital here on April 29 after he suffered a paralytic attack and passed away last night following a cardiac arrest, his family said.

Maharaj suffered the paralytic attack in the presence of sarod exponent Amjad Ali Khan and his family who had gone to visit him. Khan along with his sons Aman and Ayaan were here to attend a music festival.

Maharaj is survived by wife Beena Devi, three daughters and son Puran Maharaj, who is also a tabla player.

Awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2002, Maharaj’s ability to play cross rythmns and produce complex calculations, particularly in ‘tihai’ patterns, made him one of the most respected and popular tabla players of his time.

He had immense versatility with regard to playing any kind of classical percussion instrument be it with sitar, sarod or dhrupad and dhamar styles of singing.

He gave tabla performances at the tender age of 11 years and was the torch bearer of the Banaras gharana.

He learned the art under the watchful eyes of his father Pandit Hari Maharaj.

After the untimely death of his father, Maharaj’s training was taken over by his uncle, Pt. Kanthe Maharaj, one of the great old masters and himself a disciple of Pt. Baldeo Sahai. Pt. Baldeo Sahai was the grandson of Pt. Ram Sahai, founder of the Banaras gharana. (PTI)

Dharna outside Par demanding
introduction of women’s bill

NEW DELHI, May 5: Activists of Left-affiliated women’s organisations today staged an impromptu "dharna" outside Parliament, seeking speedy introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Led by former MP Subhashini Ali, demonstrators belonging to All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) gathered near Vijay Chowk just outside Parliament and raised slogans seeking introduction of the Bill.

"It is a strange paradox that though there seems to be no majority on the nuclear deal, still the Government is keen to go ahead with it. But even with so many parties favouring the Women’s Reservation Bill, it is not being introduced in Parliament," Ali told reporters.

She added that the Government should introduce the Bill "as early as possible".

As the demonstrators were being taken away by the police, Ali, who was accompanied by CPI(M) MPs P Satheedevi and C S Sujatha, said "as women had no place in Parliament, that is why we gathered outside it to raise the issue and we have every right to do so". (PTI)

Notice to actress Sridevi, Maharashtra
in cheque bounce case

NEW DELHI, May 5: The Supreme Court today issued notice to actress Sridevi and Maharashtra Government on a petition filed by film financiers alleging that Rs 10 crore cheques issued by her had bounced.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan sought responses from the actress and the State Government on the petition filed by Mumbai-based raw photo film suppliers and financiers - G G Photo Ltd, Photo Film Industries and Foto Industries.

They had approached the apex court challenging a Bombay High Court order that stayed criminal proceeding initiated against Sridevi in the case.

Madhu Gupta and Sushil Gupta, the owners of the three firms, alleged that the three cheques issued by the actress against a loan for production of films bounced due to insufficient funds in her account in Vijaya Bank, Santacruz branch.

"The accused in the course of her business under different banners availed financial assistance and credit facilities from the petitioner. The accused to discharge her legally enforceable liability gave these cheques and all the three cheques were returned due to insufficient funds," the petition filed through K K Mani stated.

The court of Kurla Metropolitan Magistrate, on a criminal complaint filed by Guptas, had issued summons against the actress under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

In a counter complaint with the Juhu police station, Sridevi had alleged that Guptas had forged her signatures on blank cheques given to them by her husband Boney Kapoor during some transactions.

The Bombay High Court on March 26 this year while staying the proceedings in the Metropolitan Magistrate’s court had directed the suburban Juhu police to complete the probe within three months into the forgery case filed by Sridevi. (PTI)

Natural and scientific enclosure for Assam zoo elephants

GUWAHATI, May 5: Worried about your child not being able to see elephants properly in the zoo?

Authorities of Assam State Zoo here have planned to set up "scientific" enclosures for the elephants to live naturally and help visitors have a better view of them.

"The proposed large scientific elephant enclosure which will not only help in their better management but also provide an opportunity to the visitors to have a closer look at the animals," Zoo Director Narayan Mahanta said.

The plan conceived a couple of years back will require expert’s opinion to set up the enclosure which will be first of its kind in the North East.

"Basically, the animals will get a natural atmosphere and they will be scientifically managed inside the enclosure," Mahanta said.

Earlier the elephants used to be chained inside the zoo which results in increased stress, causing mental and physical harm, he said.

The zoo official said the effort was to give the animals a feel of the natural habitat which has already been done in enclosures of golden langurs and Himalayan black bear.

There were instances of parent black bear killing babies due to stress and lack of space inside the zoo enclosures.

"But large space and natural environment in their enclosure has resulted in social mothering among black bears," Mahanta said.

In a recent training programme on scientific elephant enclosures, enhancing the skill of elephant keepers was supported by well-known elephant experts like K K Sarma and Parvati Baruah.

Zoo authorities wants to build the enclosures with the help of private companies. "Private companies have shown interest in investing to improve the zoo enclosures and provide a facelift to the premises," Mahanta said.

The proposed scientific enclosure will also take care of bathing, footcare, diet and medication of the elephants. (PTI)

Court directs prosecution to produce Kurko witnesses

GIRIDIH, May 5: A local court today directed the prosecution to produce witnesses in the Kurko killing, which involved Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Sibu Soren, on May 28.

Expressing displeasure over delay in producing witnesses, Additional District and Sessions Judge Radha Mohan Tiwary fixed May 28 for producing of witnesses.

According to Soren’s counsel Prakash Sahay, the prosecution has failed to produce any witness in the case so far.

Altogether 18 people were brought as witness out of which a few died during the trial and statements of six people were yet to be recorded.

Altogether three people were killed in Kurko area in the district on April 14, 1974. (UNI)

SC stays ED proceeding against Natwar, Jagat

NEW DELHI, May 5: The Supreme Court today stayed the proceeding of the Enforcement Directorate against former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh and his son Jagat Singh in the "oil-for-food" scandal.

A bench of Justices B N Agarwal and G S Singhvi issued notices to the Union Government and the Enforcement Directorate on the former minister’s petition challenging the investigation conducted against him by the ED officials.

The ED officials are probing Natwar Singh’s alleged involvement in the scandal as pointed out by the Justice R S Pathak committee. (PTI)

CIC favours centralised monitoring
system for public notaries

NEW DELHI, May 5: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Law and Justice Ministry to bring in a centralised monitoring system for renewing licences for public notaries.

The CIC’s recommendation comes on an RTI appeal seeking reforms in respect of the processing of applications of the public notaries for renewal of their licences issued by the department of legal affairs.

"Commission recommends to the public authority-the department of legal affairs-to institute a system of centralised monitoring of the receipt, processing and the final approval of all applications received from public notaries for renewal of their licences," Information Commissioner A N Tiwari said.

A public notary is an officer appointed to administer oath and declaration, besides authenticating documents.

The CIC also directed to put information relating to public notaries on the website in order to enable those-whose interest it touched-to keep themselves informed about the progress of their renewal applications.

"The Commission felt that this is one system which was crying out for reform," Tiwari said, adding that since the applications for renewing applications in a year was not more than 500 to 600, there was no reason why centralised monitoring system could not be put in place.

In an appeal before the CIC, Dhiresh T Shah, an Ahmedabad resident, alleged that there were gross and avoidable delays in renewing licences to the notaries, which not only had resulted in breaks in their service but had also caused them financial hardship and mental worry.

He alleged that the public authority had not published such information in official gazette as enjoined under the Notaries Act. (PTI)

Left maintains opposition to Indo-US deal

NEW DELHI, May 5: Ahead of the meeting of UPA-Left Committee on nuclear issue tomorrow, CPI(M) today made it clear that it would not allow the Government to proceed on the Indo-US atomic deal.

"The 123 agreement is anchored in Hyde Act and we don’t want the Government to proceed on it with such provisions," CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.

At tomorrow’s meeting, he said, the Left parties will see "what kind of discussions the Government has had with IAEA".

As part of implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal, India concluded negotiations with IAEA on the Safeguards Agreement in February but it could not be signed because of stiff opposition from the Left parties.

The Left parties, which provide crucial outside support to the government, had stressed that the agreement should be signed only after they examine the pact and give a go-ahead.

Tomorrow’s meeting has been called to deliberate on whether India should go ahead with signing the agreement.

"We will consider what the Government will report to us on its talks with the IAEA. On that basis, we will take the issue forward," a senior Left leader had said earlier when asked about the stand that the four supporting parties are going to adopt at the upcoming meeting.

After the last round of UPA-Left meeting on March 17, the Left parties and the government have been exchanging notes on related issues, but no details are available.

Though Left leaders have refused to divulge details about these exchanges, informed sources said these related to several political and technical matters like assurance on uninterrupted fuel supplies. (PTI)

Rajendra Mal Lodha new Chief Justice of Patna HC

PATNA, May 5: Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, the seniormost Judge of the Rajasthan High Court, will take oath as the new Chief Justice of Patna High Court here next week, according to official sources.

Justice Lodha, son of Justice Srikrishna Mal Lodha, was enrolled as an advocate of the Rajasthan High Court in February 1973 and have dealt with constitutional, civil and company matters.

He had served as counsel for the Union Government in the Rajasthan High Court between June 15, 1990 and March 9, 1992 before he was appointed judge on January 31, 1994.

He was moved to Bombay High Court on February 16, 1994, but soon returned to the Rajasthan High Court. (PTI)

Sarabjit’s sister comes to the aid of Pak prisoners

CHANDIGARH, May 5: Days after Pakistan Government stayed the execution of Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh indefinitely, his sister Dalbir Kaur today vowed to take up the release of 45 Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails at the highest level.

"I have requested Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and the Central Government to give me permission to meet these 45 Pakistani prisoners languishing in different jails in the country for long," Dalbir said reporters here today.

The list of these prisoners had been handed over to her by Pakistani human rights activists during her recent visit to that country along with Sarabjit’s wife and daughters to meet her borther, she said.

"I can understand the agony of these prisoners...During my recent Pakistan visit I met the family members of these prisoners who urged me to do whatever I can for them," Kaur, accompanied by Sarabjit’s younger daughter Poonam, told reporters here.

She said most of these Pakistani prisoners lodged in various jails of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi were those who overstayed in India.

Claiming that she had the copies of their passports and other identity proofs with her, Dalbir sought permission from the Centre to allow her to meet these prisoners in Indian Jails so that she could hand over to them a few documents provided to her by their family members in Pakistan.

"One of the prisoners is a businessman languishing in Tihar jail with fractured arms and legs and belonged to a reputed business family of Pakistan," she said.

She said she had also handed over a list of 15 Indian prisoners lodged for years in Pakistani jails to the human rights activists in that country to secure their release.

"I managed to get the list from Pakistani jails", she said, adding, that it included the names of Kuldeep Kumar from Ahmedabad, Ashok kumar from Dhariwal and Kirpal Singh from Gurdaspur.

Recalling her meeting with Sarabjit in a Pakistani prison recently, she said that it was a brief 48-minute meeting with her brother.

"The moment I saw him I recognised him instantly by his body structure," she said, adding that "Sarabjit even managed to recognise his younger daughter Poonam."

Sarabjit told her that he could recognise his daughters as he was regularly supplied newspaper clippings carrying news about him and his family members by the inmates, she said.

She exuded confidence that Sarabjit would be a free man very soon but vowed that she would continue to fight for the release of Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails. (PTI)